Things to think about before you ship off to college. Are there things you get on a monthly basis, face cream, percriptions, magazines, just remember to forward it to Lynn. Talk to your pharmacy about making sure you can get everything you need once you arrive in Boca. There is a Walgreens down the street from us which comes in handy if the school nurse wants you to take something. Yes, you are going to get sick… often. Welcome to college.

Now, cars. If you have a car, begin crying now. Gas prices sucked when I left. I don’t even want to think about how high it is going to be when I get back! I spent all my money filling up my tank. Hmm,  I wonder if depression is on the rise in America do to gas prices? That would be a cool research  project. Anyway, random moment for today. Now, if you are planning on getting a drivers license anytime soon, it would be a great idea. Most American kids already have one, but a lot of international kids might not. It will come in handy. You don’t have to have a car, some friends might let you borrow theirs when they have class or something. I just know that some days, it would have been great to have some one else who could drive around. Say the time I got stuck 10 minutes away from school, sick to my stomach, in a ton of pain and no one could come and get me because they didn’t have license. There were cars, but no one to drive them.

Also, the storm alert. It goes off when lightening hits 5 miles within the school. Its loud and is annoying at first but you get used to it. The first time I heard it, I thought we were under attack. lol. And it sucks to wake up to, half awake, still in that confused mode.

I’ve also noticed that a lot of freshmen are concerned about making friends. It’s funny. I’ve moved so many times in my life but I  was worried about making friends when I got to college as well. It is kind of silly looking back on it now since I did just fine. My advice, go to the freshmen meet and greet party. It sound pretty stupid, and I felt like I was back in high school again, but I met Michelle there and thank goodness! We are both bio majors and stick together. She’s moving next door to me which I am so excited about. All I have to say is, give it sometime. Wait a few days for everyone to relax. People will start to open up. Talk to the other freshmen in your classes. That’s how I met Cristina. Just be open minded and go for it!

Well, thats all for now. I’m helping to make dinner and fighting off two tuna hungry cats.

I’m home. It’s fantastic! Although, my mother ditched me for Africa. Lovely, but I still have my cats, the condo, her car, and TV! Its a mini party in here! The cats are thrilled, I have a ton of good food stocked up in the fridge. Everything is perfect! Now all I have to do is wait for my mother to get home so I can pretend like she didn’t ditch me the day before Mother’s Day.

Oh ya, I’m job hunting. It’s awesome. I’m looking for a job at Union Station at one of the stores.

I never thought I could be so happy to be packing in my life! After all the moves I’ve done in 19 years, I should be my normal grumpy self. But no! Not this time. I’m thrilled to be putting everything away and putting it in storage for a few months. Fly home to be with my cats and my mommy!!! Good food! Just… all the great stuff in life! haha.

I just got home from the movies with Cristina and Samara. We saw Made Of Honor. Great movie! We loved it so much that we couldn’t even remember what we had seen two days ago. It was a sad moment.

I’m off to bed so I can get up early to pack. More packing! Does it ever end? Well its got to by tuesday evening cause I’m flying home on Wednesday!!! Freshmen year is down to its last few hours! Oh and what an amazing roller coaster ride it has been!

I think I figured it out. College, the whole thing. College is easy, go to class, do homework, keep room clean. Its EVERYTHING ELSE that is hard.

I’ve had to deal with so much I never expected this year its amazing. The paperwork never seems to end. Something always is broken, needs to be replaced, restocked, who knows what, which all cost money. There just seems to be new challenges every day that I never thought of before.

My mother informs me that it all gets easier… but I’m not so sure how much I can trust her. This is still the same woman who told me about Santa and the Easter Bunny.

Freshmen 101: You have a lot to learn.

Freshmen 101 tip: Its ok to make mistakes.

Its now close to the end of this school year, I can now look back and see a lot of things. I can see that when I first got to Lynn, I was sure that everything was going to be perfect. That everything was going to be great. I guess I was hoping that being an adult was going to be easy. Boy was I wrong.

Its ok to make mistakes! Doesn’t it seem like your parents make everything look so easy? Well lets not forget that they had a head start. They made the mistakes already, or at least we would hope, they have had time to perfect the art of being an adult. Well, at least we hope they are a lot better at it then the average college student!

I remember in high school how I was scared to make a mistake and of course, being the typical teenager, my first thought would be, “My mother is going to kill me!” Since day one, I’ve made who knows how many mistakes. From losing information, forgetting to drop off my laundry, over sleeping, not doing a homework assignment (or two), let my account get into the negative, fought with my friends when I shouldn’t, got a speeding ticket, locked myself out of my room (twice), pissed off my floor with my alarm clock, left food out and got ants one day, didn’t back up my files and so when my laptop crashed I had nothing, starting to get the picture? 

I don’t know what I would do without my mom. I used to be close to my mom when I was at home, but I think I got a whole lot closer to my mother on a new level once I got to college.  Now I call her when I’m stressed out, when I’m having a good day or a bad day, when I just need to talk, when I’m homesick, and when I mess up royally. I’m also getting to see a new side of my mom. She’s more supportive than I ever thought she would be. lol. Sounds mean, but when I was at home, I was always scared to get into trouble, but now I know that my mother will be upset, but she’ll still support me and help me through whatever it is I have gotten myself this time. She has really surprised me since I’ve gotten to college. A lot of stuff I was sure I was never going to get passed the yelling, and yet, she never raised her voice once but informed me that I was just learning a life lesson and that this too would pass. The first time she didn’t yell at me or give me a lecture I nearly fainted.

And thank goodness for friends! Between me and my three friends, we make a lot of mistakes but we’ve got each others backs. College can be scary if you are all alone. We learn from each other which is great and we support each other. Between Cristina working herself to death, Rob not being able to focus some nights and just needing someone else to type for him, and Eric to have somone on him about cleaning his room and doing his homework, we are always there for each other.

Its ok to make mistakes. As long as you are learning from them. Being an adult is not as easy as it seems. I’m starting to think that college is four years of trying to figure out yourself, your future, how the world works and where you fit into it. Don’t be so hard on yourself when you first get to college, make mistakes, learn from them, and move on.

I was running around town and happened to drop by the school for a minute when I look to my left while driving to notice Eric driving right next to me. I was like, where in the world did you come from? He was just going for a drive and I was trying to cash a check from my grandfather for my birthday.

We ended up going all over the stupid city, neither one of us had much gas in our cars, I ended up having to open a bank account because my bank is only found in DC I guess. Afterwards, we dropped off my car since I hate driving and Eric loves to drive, and then headed out to find food.

We got stuck in traffic for two and a half hours! It was horrible! Eric was texting his girlfriend CJ since we weren’t moving and I was texting pretty much everyone in my phone book. lol. We could not get out of the traffic, it was horrible. We tried all kinds of back ways but we kept finding backed up streets. Eric went into New York mode and started driving in a way that would make Rob and Cristina fear for their lives. I on the other hand was like, you drive like a Kuwaiti. (It takes a lot to shock me in a car. Drive fast, drive like a crazy person, I’ve seen it all.)

Oh! And some old woman hit my car today! I was so upset! I nearly had a heart attack! I was like, my car! MY BABY!!!! It was about to get really ugly. Lucky for the both of us, neither of us had a scratch on our cars. Great, since she was a NUT CASE!!!! Who the heck pulls out of a parking spot without looking???? I was so upset, that was probably why I was so thankful that Eric was driving later in the afternoon. It seems all of Boca went crazy on the road today! Just… AAAHHHH! Look where you are going! My mom is happy that I am fine and I’m happy that I don’t have a scratch on my car.

Freshmen 101 tip: For the International Students!!!! Since I grew up over seas, I have an account with the State Department bank, which well, is not found everywhere in the states and leaves me tons of problems. My advice, talk to your parents about how they will send you money, who you will pay for stuff at school or checks that need to be from American banks in American Dollars. I learned a lot about banks today, they are annoying and confusing!

Also, another tip, old people are crazy on the road. Stay away from them or pass them. They can hit you and its no big deal for them. They have money and better insurance. Its a fact, get over it. That… and there crazy.

I spent 6 hours in the ER today. My life is fulfilled. I love being poked and asked tons of questions. Turns out, due to stress, I have given myself gastritous. Sorry, no clue how to spell it. I’m one worry short of giving myself an ulcer! Great! So I am on a liquid diet for a few days and a long list of other stuff and taking tomorrow off so I can rest and catch up on sleep and food since I haven’t been eating or sleeping lately due to my stomach being in constant pain.

My parents are happy that I am home now and am resting. I’m talking to my dad now and he’s all happy that I’m ok. My mom sure made a huge fuss all day until the doctor told her I would be ok.

And I broke my phone while filling my prescription because everyone was calling me and I dropped my phone while trying to juggle a bunch of stuff. Not happy about that. I got really upset and called my mother. I was just so tired and stressed and hungry by tonight that I just started balling on the phone with my mother. It took her a while to calm me down so I could drive home.

Well off to bed to destress.

I’ve been watching a lot of the food network since I’ve been home, and I’m not sure what salt did, but it simply has gotten the boot! Lemon is the new salt! lol.

My cats are so happy that some one is now home to watch cartoons with them. Yestorday we were watching the Simpsons, Sponge Bob, The Replacements, and Kim Possible. lol. My mother is so upset, I come home to watch cartoons.

I just got back from the Safe Spring Break Carnival and I am freezing! It is so cold outside! Chris (aka Big Lu) was making fun of me today for wearing my rain jacket, but I didn’t care. It was keeping me warm and we do live in South Florida so it can rain at the most random moments. I saw clouds this morning and that was all the information I needed to know!

I was going to skip lunch today so I could get some work done, only problem is, I have this really bossy friend who makes sure that I eat. lol. Got to love Cristina. Samara got lost in the caf or something, cause she took forever and came out with a ton of food. Lunch was good but I was really cold and so were Cristina and Samara. We pretty much just ate and ran back to our rooms for warmth. What happened to the weather from the other day? It was so hot people were melting. I don’t get this state!

Oh and the state wide blackout. Ya, the power went out for like an hour, so did my phone coverage which was great because Cristina was trying to call me and so was my family. Try calling back 10 worried people! Thank goodness the phone came back online after 45 minutes! I don’t even want to know how many missed calls I would have had.

I don’t know about the rest of the world, but I had an awsome Valentines day. Thanks to my friends who are awsome, I got to spend my day chillin with my favorite people, watching girly love stories, and going to bed late! Yes! My mother was in good mood which made it great to ask for stuff. Haha. I had about three people stop me to tell me that I was on the school web page, always fun. I can’t even eat anymore in the caf! Come on people! I know about the web page. Even in class, my professor made a comment. Oh well, at least Cristina had fun on V-day. She got so many flowers. *rolls eyes* I am not surprised since she’s loved by like the planet. lol.

Today flew by. I got a lot of work done which feels AMAZING! Went to the market with Cristina and Samara, which the latter must have had a ton of sugar since she was bouncing off the walls. Rob wanted to go see a movie tonight but none of us had the energy. I feel really bad but I just want to sleep tonight! I haven’t slept in what feels like weeks but in reality, only three days.

Cristina has this whole master plan for this weekend. Apparently, we are not going to sleep this one away. *sighs* Man, there goes my plan. So now my weekend is going to be filled with going to the beach and eating “real people food” and who knows what else.

I finally added Rich to my facebook. I see the guy EVERY WHERE! lol. I thought it was about time. He’s cool. I still find it funny that half the time he calls me by my last name.

Ok so, I’m headed to bed. Yes at 9:10 at night. lol. Off to bed before 9:30! I know, it sounds really lame but with all the plans Cristina has for this weekend, I’m going to need the rest!