In my last post, I mentioned that my next bulletin board for my floor of the residence hall was going to be zombie-inspired. I probably should have mentioned that I meant Plants vs. Zombies-inspired. (Sorry if this disappoints you.)
Anyhow, this is my second year as an RA, so I figured I'd share some of my favorite bulletin boards that I've made. Here goes...
Plants vs. Zombies
The Big Bang Theory
PostSecret
For those who don't know what PostSecret is... In a nutshell, the creator (Frank Warren) invites people to anonymously send in postcards with their secrets (funny, serious, etc.) to him. Some get posted on his website (postsecret.com) or are published in books. The secrets get updated every Sunday. Once they're gone for the week, they're gone.
Fun fact: I tweeted a picture of my bulletin board to Frank Warren's Twitter (@postsecret)... And he retweeted it (which made my day).
I always try to make somewhat entertaining, yet informational boards, and I love making them. I'm not sure what I'm doing for the next one yet, but I've got about a month.
Ever have one of those series of a few days in a row where absolutely everything seems to turn to complete and utter chaos in the blink of an eye? That's been my week since Monday.
Monday morning was okay. I got up at a somewhat decent time, and looked over my notes for a midterm I had that day. Fast-forward a few hours and grades were already posted. Needless to say, I did not do well, and my grade took a substantial hit. This upset me a lot because I was already doing iffy in the class as it is.
On Tuesday, I tried to put that test behind me, and remind myself that I'm better than that test. I can prepare for future ones more in advance and get my grade up. Overall, Tuesday wasn't terrible, but it was more a culmination of little things that got to me. Usually, the little things don't impact me, but as my luck would have it, they did.
Today was an "eh" kind of day to start. I went to the class that I didn't do well on the midterm in (and learned that my grade wasn't the worst in the class... Is it awful that made me feel better?). After that, I didn't have too much going on, so I milled around campus for a bit and then went back to my room. (Oh, and on the way back to my room from dinner, I got hit by a wayward frisbee on my elbow and side. I was walking right in front of the kid who was about to throw it. I think he assumed I was out of the way, and I assumed [wrongly] that he would wait for me to move).
After taking a much-needed nap - and because naps always make me feel better - I made a list of everything I need to accomplish in the next two months. I organized it by classes, extra-curricular activities, etc. Strangely enough, despite how much I do need to do in these next two months... I think I can manage.
If I can get ahead in my classes (I'm feeling really confident about a test I have next Tuesday! Yay!), finish my zombie-inspired bulletin board by next Friday, and improve my grades... Well, it'll help me for the best.
Oh, and this song always helps put me in a better mood as well. If you've seen the movie Matilda, you already know what it is.
ETA: I didn't get accepted to the conference I applied to. There were only 10-12 spots for 72 applicants. Oh, well. Win some, lose some.
Well, where to begin? It seems like yesterday that Dad and Mom told me they weren't naming you what I wanted them to: Billy Bob Bunny. What can I say? I was four.
Mom told me you're getting your senior pictures taken today. I can't believe it. I know we're only four years apart, but there are days that I feel so much older and days that I feel like it's so much closer. We're both in our senior years, but high school for you and college for me.
I know you'll probably never read this, but Greg... I'm glad you're my brother. We may have had our issues in the past (and sometimes we still do), but you're the best brother a girl could ask for. Who else would text me to say we're going to get the special edition of a video game or call me just to ask when I'm coming home? To tell me that you like my Big Bang Theory bulletin board?
I miss hanging out with you when I'm at school. Really, I do. It still hasn't fully hit me that you're starting to look at colleges. I can't believe it. I remember the day when you got stitches in your forehead and the nurse was godawful. I remember you getting your first guinea pig. Your mouse. Your cat. The Pokemon phase that turned into a Digimon phase that turned into a Yu-Gi-Oh phase.
I love coming home to see you because I know you'll always have a funny story about school or work, imitate Dad, etc. I remember when you dressed up like a girl (from wearing a pair of Mom's jeans - how you fit into them I'll never know to shoving two juggling balls in your shirt) so we could prank Dad and he didn't realize it was you for a good ten seconds.
I'm so glad we've resolved so many of our issues. It means the world and more to me that I have an awesome relationship with my not-so-little brother.
I remember you falling into the pond when we thought it was sturdy enough to hold you. Guess the ice wasn't thick enough, huh? That same winter when you lost a boot in the snow, and we had to walk up the hill. That was fun to explain to Mom.
So, Greg, thanks. Thanks for being an awesome brother. I'm going to miss this when you go off to college and I'm either in grad school or back at home with Dad and Mom.
Around 6-ish today (well, technically now tomorrow), a friend stopped by my room and we chatted for a bit. I mentioned I hadn't had dinner yet, and the school cafeteria didn't sound particularly appetizing (no real surprise there). So, we walked into town, saw a mutual friend while doing so, and I got something to eat and we chatted for a bit.
We decided to take a walk with no predetermined destination instead of going back to campus right away. For what it's worth, those are always the best walks there are. It was a fairly quiet evening. Hardly any cars were out and the crickets were chirping, and the conversation was varied. We walked along the river, passed a long-forgotten bar, and followed side streets and sidewalks until we were in the next town (a little under a mile away).
We walked along the highway for a stretch on the way back as well. (Okay, clarification: we weren't actually on the highway, we were on the other side of the guardrail) Despite the fact I was definitely not wearing the right footwear for this venture, I enjoyed getting off of campus for a bit. I don't get to do it often, but I'm definitely looking forward to the next of these walks. It helped me de-stress and focus on the week ahead.
These are the things that I love about college... Walks through parts of town not discovered, having amazing friends, and making new memories all the time. But now, bed awaits. Week seven is upon me and that marks the halfway point of the semester. This is where it gets real.
Earlier today, I decided to take a walk around the small town where I currently live, eat, sleep, work, and go to college. After finding Quizno's to be closed for the day and giving someone directions to the football stadium, I found my way back to my room... But not before my mom called me, asking for help with a crossword. I love when she calls (or anyone in my family for that matter); even if we do go to the same school, I only see her a few times a week, sometimes less.
Anyhow... I didn't know the answer to her crossword, but told her I'd try to look it up. I decided to look on Amazon, just out of the curiosity that the answer may be there (it was about a book). I haven't been able to find it (and she hasn't called either), but I came across a book series that enthralled me as a third or fourth grader: The Royal Diaries. They're a series of books about, well, royalty. The ones that I remember most are Anastasia (I've always had a fascination with her story... I once had a pet duck. I don't know if it was a male or female duck, but it was named Anastasia.), Cleopatra (I also had a year where I was obsessed with anything and everything Egypt related. Probably because my aunt lived there for 4 years.), and Catherine.
The rabbit hole of my childhood goes deeper and deeper every time I read something new, watch something on TV, have a conversation with a friend, etc. (and, yes, I love Alice in Wonderland. I was even in the play in 8th grade. I had one line.)
The Popsnorkles
Other things that always stick out in my mind about my childhood are various, ranging from setting up the remote controlled car track I got for Christmas one year to watching Reading Rainbow. To this day, the one episode of that show I remember most is the one where the book "The Toothgnasher Superflash" is read. In a sentence, the book is about the Popsnorkle family and their desire to find a new car for their family, and they get the Toothgnasher Superflash. I even remember the animation of the little Popsnorkle kids in the backseat. It's funny what you can remember.
Nearly every time I go onto Amazon, I always check what daily recommendations it has... Sometimes, they're speech pathology related (I buy my mom's textbooks for her... and today, the first two pages were nothing but SLP books, and Big Bang Theory, seasons 1-5), but often, there are some pretty funny ones. Some of the ones that stick out most are Sailor Moon (which I've never watched), Cougar Town (which I have also never watched), and a Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock t-shirt.
I suspect that I was suggested a lot of 'older' TV shows because I wish-listed the 90s show Ghost Writer. Not gonna lie, that show was awesome. So, with that, I leave you with the video of the title flash of that show. (And please tell me that at least one of you remembers this show.)
Yesterday began the sixth week of fifteen in my last fall semester as an undergraduate college student. It seems like just a few days ago that my parents and I loaded the car and drove down the highway to move me in my freshman year. Ironically, while we were waiting at the toll road, we saw my roommate and her parents in the lane next to us. We still laugh about it to this day.
I also applied to a conference yesterday... Though I have recommendations written for me on LinkedIn, I needed to have a letter of recommendation in order to possibly attain a scholarship to attend the conference, free of charge (except transportation). My supervisor sent it to me in the morning, and by noon, I'd sent in my application online. To be honest, I was floored by the letter. I couldn't believe some of things that were written. I had to read it over to make sure it was mine.
Her commitment to building collaborative relationships meets the standard that we set for our professional staff, and far exceeds what we expect from our undergraduate students.
Needless to say, I was honored to receive such a letter. I'll know by next Monday if I get to go, so in the meantime, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
We'll see what happens... (Now to do that homework that's been mocking me for the past few days.)
Edited to add on Thursday: I got an email from the conference people. I got really excited until I read that they're pushing the notification day back by two days. Grr. (I'm normally a patient person, but come on! I really want to attend!)
