Realization

When I was in community college, I planned out my entire 2 year degree on an Excel spreadsheet according to semester. I wanted to be able to sit down, look at my class plan and know when I was going to graduate.

I'm in my mid-20's - so in reality, by now I should have a 4 year degree. I can't tell you too much about my about my real age (I have to keep my identity a secret, otherwise I wouldn't feel comfortable blogging - I have way to many nosy extended family members). I have always worked full time and taken classes part time so I could afford other things, like a new vehicle and several years ago, an apartment.

Anyway, back on topic, the idea of charting out my degree was to make myself feel comfortable about where I was going and the progress I was making. I graduated in May 2007 with my associates degree and transferred to a 4 year institution. I have been attending this college since Spring 2007, so roughly 2 years.

About 2 weeks ago I had an appointment with my academic adviser, during the appointment she helped me plan out the classes I needed to take to complete my degree. In my usual, anal retentive, have to have everything planned out attitude, I had a copy of my spreadsheet that has my classes planned out in order to graduate. My projected graduation date was May 2012. Her projected graduation date was December 2011.

Guess what? I am going with her plan.

She helped me figure out what classes I should take together, and which semester I should take the classes. To graduate by December 2011, I have to take 3 classes in the Spring and the Fall, and 1 in the Summer. It is entirely possible to do this, it will just keep me busy until December 2011. However, I am an education major, so 1 year of my degree (Spring and Fall 2011) will be me spending my days in the classroom, learning from another teacher - so I won't actually be on campus.

I was elated to find out that I could graduate in December 2011, because my car will be paid off in October 2011, so after graduation and a secure job - I can begin house shopping! Now that's exciting!

I register for classes today, and I am feeling a bit nostalgic because I hear students all over campus talking about registering for their introductory English and Math classes, and here I am registering for Junior level classes. Next year when I register for Fall 2010 classes, it will be my last semester on campus taking a seated class, I believe it might make me a bit sad. I'm sure I will have to post about it when the time comes.

I read a great quote from Theodore Roosevelt that I really liked and it reminded me that I'm putting all this hard work in to reach a goal that I have dreamed about since I was a little girl, and WOW....that was a long time ago!

Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort. - Franklin D. Roosevelt

-BB

Rantings and Rubbish

Drum roll please.....my pinning ceremony went perfect. No tripping and embarrassing myself in front of a room full of future colleagues. Thank goodness!

On another note, as I was walking across campus today on my way to class I was observing the scenes around me and I had this wonderful idea for a blog post....my rants about college campuses, and more appropriately the behavior of college students.

• Construction equipment randomly placed near sidewalks. I realize construction is an integral part of a growing campus, but must it be parked on the very edge of the sidewalk so when a Facilities utility cart goes buzzing by you practically have to climb it to avoid being run over?
  
  
• Conversations that do not need to be overheard. I swear to you, yesterday on my walk to class I heard one girl say to another "She used all my frickin' tampons and didn't even replace them. I mean seriously, how you gonna disrespect me like that? I was sitting on the toilet and didn't have a damn tampon!" Did she think me and the other students traveling down that sidewalk wanted to hear her tampon crisis? I especially did not want to picture her sitting on the toilet searching her trusty bathroom vanity for a tampon.
  
  
• Lack of respect and appropriate dress. We had presentations yesterday in my class, the assignment was to present an activity to the class which you would do as a teacher with your elementary school students. One of the girls who presented came into class late and made a ton of noise while another student was presenting. Then when it was her turn to present she stood up in front of the class in her Ugg boots and sweatpants, with her belly button piercing hanging out of her three sizes too small shirt. Lets not mention that her bra was a dark color and her shirt was a very light color. She was totally unprepared. It was evident that she did not follow directions or put a lot of thought into the assignment. She didn't even have enough copies of the material for all the students to participate. Do we want her teaching our kids?
  
  
• Temperature. They just can't seem to get the temperature right in any building. If it is the dead of winter (in Charlotte, NC that is like anywhere between 30 and 40 degrees), they the the temperature in the classroom set like as if it were 100 outside. The AC is blasting, and while I'm shivering and my lips are turning blue, instead of listening to the teacher I am trying to decide if it is colder outside or inside.
  
  
• General Manners. I could write about how most of the college students are rude, but that is not completely true. However, there are quite a few who see you with your hands full and let the door close in your face. Then there is the Library, there are 4 doors to enter and exit. They will be approaching the entrance and see you coming from inside the lobby approaching to exit. Instead of waiting for you to come out the door, they grab it and try to slide in before you are completely out. Maybe they don't see the other three doors. Is that even possible? My personal favorite happened today. I was sitting in the back of the lecture hall listening intently as the professor lectured about different social problems. A girl came and sat at a desk that was randomly sitting in the hallway and began reading out of her notebook. It was fine, until about 10 of her friends showed up and they began having a loud conversation that involved a lot of laughing and no regard for the lecture hall of 150+ students that were trying to learn something. I gave them one of those looks that says 'Um hello, use your common sense', and they got the hint and lowered the volume. I would have closed the door, but I feared being frozen to my seat by the temperature in the room.
  
  

That's all. I think 5 is a good number to stop at. I am the average age of a college student, and to be honest - some of the things I see on a daily basis just baffle me!

-BB

A Good Day turns into a BAD DAY

I have a confession to make. I was a bad student yesterday, I skipped class. I have better reasons than the fact that is was too cold. I had some work that needed to get done, and somewhere along the way I forgot about getting prepared for class. When I eventually realized I needed to get ready, it was too late and I would have been walking into class right in the middle of her lecture. I am not too much for public embarrassment, and considering how my day ended up yesterday - I probably would have tripped over my own feet and landed head first in front of the entire class.

Yes, yesterday was a good day that ended up being just another plain old crappy day! I had a horrible headache before lunch so I called my ever trustworthy chiropractor and moved my Thursday appointment to yesterday afternoon. I left work at 3:30 and was in and out of his office in record time. I decided that I would do a little shopping at Target before heading home. I was full of excitement after snatching a beautiful brown bed skirt for only $7.98, and 2 tie-up shades for $14.99 each, along with 2 faux leather storage totes for "neat and tidy" organization on clearance for an unheard of $8.98 each, normally $29.99. I was overcome with excitement while driving home thinking about my great finds, and finishing up my bedroom.

I got home and unloaded the car. My Mom and I were talking as I was cutting the little plastic thingy that held the zipper shut on the bed skirt. I unpacked the bed skirt and admired the deal I got and laid it to the side, as it had a considerable amount wrinkles. We started with hanging a curtain on each window and steaming the creases out of them and attempting to tie them up. Do you have any idea how hard it is to tie the nice little bows in the tie up shade? My rendering looked nothing like the cute little picture on the package, which I have now decided it never will. We ended up taking them down and deciding they were going back to Target, it was ridiculous to think that bows could be tied correctly with strings that run vertically! Right? Or am I the only one who can't do this?

By now Mom and I were starving, we decided to run out for a quick bite and a trip to the grocery store, as we both needed to bring birthday goodies for co-workers. When we got back home I decided to start working on the bed skirt. I was collecting all the packing materials and the curtains, which we so casually tossed aside. When I picked everything up I realized the scissors were laying on the bed. I picked them up, and to my surprise there was ink all over my new comforter. There was about a 4 inch spread of dark blue ink spots. Apparently the scissors had been shoved down in the pen container on my desk, which I now know is home to a leaky pen. I freaked....like blood curdling scream, tears....the whole nine yards. My Mom came running in with a trusty can of hair spray, and the ink is almost all gone. There is one little tiny spot that only I can see, but nonetheless - I know it's there.

I got nothing accomplished. After feverishly cleaning the ink Mom went to work on her Banana cake while I vegetated on the couch and watched TiVo'ed episodes of my favorite shows. Around midnight I realized it was way past my bed time and I hadn't even made my cupcakes for work. I gave up.....I sulked to my bedroom only to find that the dog had puked on my freshly cleaned rug. I was ready to boil over the edge. He's a good dog, he rarely ever misbehaves. I didn't get mad and yell at him. Mom and I cleaned it up. Then I decided to give the curtains one more try. I laid a curtain out on my bed, folded it how I imagined it looking and tied bows that looked pretty good. I pulled the rod down and hung the curtain up, and it looked great. I had finally accomplished what I had set out to do 6 hours earlier. I crawled into bed, and crashed. The next thing I remember was waking up this morning.

Of course, on the way to work I had to stop and pick up a dozen donuts. I have a co-workers from another country (not to be mentioned). Apparently in the "not to be mentioned country" they do not practice being tactful and having manners. One said "Oh, I thought you were bringing cupcakes?" I said 'No, time got away from me so I had to improvise'. Another co-worker who is very American, if you get my drift, made a nice little comment about how she hoped someone else didn't bring doughnuts too. I really wanted to say "Why? It looks like you don't have a problem shoving food down your throat", but that would have been mean, right? There are 6 of us in this office, and we are celebrating 2 of their birthdays today, that means 4 of us had to bring food, and we all told the other what we were bringing - nobody told me they were bringing doughnuts, so you know what? I don't care.

Today better not involve any ink stains, puke or crying. I just don't think I can handle it. I have my official Teacher Education pinning this evening, say a prayer for me, the rate I'm going I just might embarrass myself on stage!

-BB

The Beginning

Hi! I'm Miss. Beach Bound. Glad to meet you!

This is my first post, and my first blog! I decided to start a blog because I love to write, and I thought it would be neat to have a place where I can share new things I find or learn, and converse with other women much like myself.

First, I should probably tell you a bit about me.....I am a 20 somethings female from Charlotte, NC. I am working on a Degree in Elementary Education, and working full time. Crazy, eh!? No boyfriend, don't have time for that....although the thought is appealing. I love simple things like reading, writing and relaxing. I truly believe in retail therapy, that is - shopping until I drop. I love to shop, but I only buy something if I think its a good deal. I am obsessive about using lotion, getting A's in all my classes, and staying organized (my own version of organized). I have some very good friends, most of who are old then me and far more established. I am not very fond of the bar scene, although I do go every once in a while.

I am really excited about finishing my degree, and getting into the classroom. I am nearly finished, with only about a year and a half left until I get the coveted piece of paper, that is a degree.

Lastly, I'm excited about starting my blog! I have read lots of different blogs (Mommy Blogs, New Wife Blogs, College Student Blogs, etc) and I think I have what it takes to be "faithful" to my blog, and my readers!

-BB