I started this blog as part of a Communications assignment, but it is more than just homework now. My suitemate told me that she uses her blog as an online journal, which is what I think mine is morphing into.

I do not like confrontation, so I use this blog to vent and just get what I am feeling out there. I'll put it simply. I do not like being made fun of, or being shut down on a daily basis. It is not fun to be ignored, or pushed off to the sidelines. It hurts. This feeling is no new in college. My high school friends, though I love them to death, were not strangers to bullying without regard to people's feelings. I live at Elon, and I want to feel as accepted as I do in my home back in Maryland.

5 days.

Eighteen

I am finally eighteen! Today was my birthday. So it started the same as any other weekend. We woke up at twelve... and that's where the similarities end. I went to Octagon and got breakfast with Tina and Nicki and then we picked up the cupcakes my parents got for my birthday. They are sooo good! I still have 7 left. Hopefully they don't get stale or anything like that.

We went to the Elon v. Citadel football game which started at 1:30 for about half an hour. It was fun. I got thundersticks, ut the score was 20-0 when we got there, so I think we won. GO ELON!

For dinner my suitemates and I went to 1889 on the top floor of Colonnades. It was really good, and I got to use up 2 meals plans for dinner! But I still have about 47 or so left. I really want people to visit so I can treat them to 3 meals a day for about a week.

Right now I am sitting in my room with Britt watching Pirates of the Caribbean 3. Well technically, she is sleeping and I'm on my laptop. But I have seen this movie about 500 times, so I've pretty much memorized every single word.

I had a rough night. Elon is a party school. I don't really like to go out and get drunk everyday, so I don't think I'm fitting in here. That's why I'm having fun tonight. I like just staying home and watching movies. So Mary and whoever else is reading this, the next time I am in Chicago (which hopefully is sometime this winter) I would like to go and visit Northwestern again.

B-Day Weekend!

Happy birthday Elsa!!!! Wow, you are over a year older than me. hmm...

So yea. It's my suitemate's birthday today, and then mine is tomorrow! I'm so excited. We are going to have so much fun!! For Elsa's birthday I think we are going to Red Bowl, and then I want to use up some meal plans on mine at 1889.

I feel young, but soon I can buy a lotto ticket.. among other things... =]

Club Belk

I am in the library, and will be here until possibly 4, studying for the comm exam i have tomorrow. They say that the third floor is supposed to be dead silent; not true at 9:00 pm. I am worried about this exam. 50 points.

Counting Down

I thought that it would be easier to not get tired of school than it was in high school. Now, I NEED fall break to hurry up. I'm only taking three academic classes (as of now) but it is still hard and a lot of work. The fact that I procrastinate does not help the situation.

Well, Friday is Elsa's birthday, and Saturday is mine! This weekend is going to be fun! I'll finally be eighteen. Wow, I feel young. Everyone in my suite is at least 18. Some are 19. Elsa is turning 19 in 2 days.

I am a year younger than most people in my grade, so is that why I am struggling? I'm not sure. My grades are fine. I have an A in all of my classes (not sure about college writing. She doesn't use blackboard). I'm just really tired.

Weekend

Tomorrow is family weekend. Im kind of happy to see my parents, and they are bringing some items that I forgot at home, which is a plus.

Sorry

Sorry I didn't post anything for the last week. It's been kind of hectic here, and I just didn't want to pick up in the middle of the week (I consider this Monday's post).

I got a 93 on a psychology paper I thought I failed. The class average was 80, so I am very happy about that. I just hope I can do as well on the next one. Due next Monday. Great.

Right now, I am up trying to finish a huge Communications project (sorry Dr. Clark, if you are reading this. I just want to make it perfect!). I am stuck at the moment, which is why I am writing this blog. It's getting hard to focus, but obviously I have to finish.

This week I was working on a package for Phoenix14 News. It was supposed to be on the changes in Greek Life this year, but something went wrong, and it was changed into a little clip. But it still aired, and it was pretty cool seeing something I did live on television. The production meeting is tomorrow, so I'm going to try to get another package. I probably shouldn't tell anyone about it, because the last two times I did, something went wrong. But that's just be being paranoid.

I'm going to cut this blog short because I really have to get back to writing about the current state of Journalism. It is quite interesting, but I'm running out of things to say. Newspapers are failing. There you go. I'm just kidding about that (even though yes, they are failing). My paper is a bit more in depth than that. So I said I was going to wrap this up, which is what I am going to do.

Either Or.

I don't know why. I think I am losing my mind, or at least my sense of dignity and personal pride. I am going to audition for Elon's a cappella groups: Sweet Signatures and Twisted Measure. Though I don't know what I am going to sing. Wow, this may be humiliating, but my suitemate Britt is going to come and audition too, so I will have a friendly face there.

Today was the organization fair. I signed up for so many organizations! But my favorite ones are the ones pertaining to ESTV, or Elon Student Television.

We are ordering pizza now, so I'm going to go.

Oh Well.

I just found out that Phoenix14 does not actually have permission to tape the speaker tonight. So that will no be happening. Also, apparently the guy who was supposed to me helping me out has it in his mind that I am just shadowing him. Oops. But on the plus side, I will *hopefully* be taping a soccer game on Sunday. Well, at least its better than nothing.

I also have a lot of homework this weekend, so I'm going to be completely stressed out for the next 3 days. Time to go get sushi.

Alone in NC

Please do not comment on this post saying "I don't understand. Why is it such a big deal?" because it IS a big deal to me. My high school friends meant the world to me, and now none of them want to come spend some time in NC with me. I just thought my best friends would want to actually make an effort for me, as I do for them. Obviously I will visit them. I just would like the action reciprocated. Yes, at this point I am just ranting because there is no one here I can talk to. I am quite aware of the fact that I am shy around people I do not know very well. I don't need that pointed out by being forgotten on a daily basis.

Also, I at least make the effort to talk to my old friends. I am usually very bad about keeping in touch with people, but I am making an effort. Some don't respond. At all. I just wish there was someone in the state whom I could talk to.

That's it.

Phoenix14

I am so excited right now! I just came back from a Phoenix14 meeting and on monday I will be working one of the cameras for the live filming of the show. On Thursday the 10th, I will be doing my own piece! It is on this lady (yea, shows how much I really know about it) coming to talk to economics students, so I will be filming it and then writing up a story. So happy right now!

...

FML. can't explain here. Not in a good mood. I'll make a better entry tomorrow. Goodnight.

Showtunes

I found out something I have in common with Tina. We both love singing along to songs including the soundtracks for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Mulan. Our dorm will never be quiet again- not that it was before.

So I have been thinking about Outward Bound a lot, and I only mention this because of Beryl, a girl I made friends with on the 3 week long horrendous, freezing, amazing adventure. In the wise words of Beryl, the popcorn bowl has been "mad helpful". Thanks mom for the weeks we spent searching for it, only to find a perfectly good one at home.

I'm sorry to say that I am going to have to cut this blog short, because honestly, there is nothing really happening in my life at the moment. Oh, I forgot. Elon won the first football game of the year! It was against Davidson and we won 56-0. Go phoenix!

Study Tips

So I'm beginning to think that noon may be a little bit late for a first class. Right now I am sitting on my bed, listening to music, reading my Communications textbook and longing for 12:25 to come. Of course, later in the semester when I actually have work to do and am behind, I will be thankful for the extra 2 hours at the beginning of my day. Now? Not so much.

My roommate and I have decided to finally settle down and work on our homework. She is currently on Facebook and I am writing this blog with my Communications and Psychology textbooks cast carelessly onto my bed. What a good start to a long night of "studying".

I have found a new way to study! Tina suggested that I go though the chapter in the textbook or whatever the assignment may be and take notes on my computer. I have four pages of my own notes for psychology. It's like having my own personal psychology dictionary. It was fun and interesting making it, and now I have a new reference for the rest of the semester. I will gladly take any tips that my readers may have to make studying easier. My roommate would be grateful too. By the way, if you don't know, Tina is my amazing roommate. Now onto College Writing!

Survival Tips

One of these days I will come up with a more creative title for my blog entries, but for now this is the best that I can come up with. Second day of Elon classes. It's strange to be doing homework and preparing for essays again. I think I'm going to be pretty busy for a while. Hopefully I can learn to get more organized and manage my time easier. All freshmen, in my opinion, should NOT procrastinate. I did in high school and it definitely affected my grades. I'm trying to get out of the bad habit soon because I will not let my schoolwork suffer because of it. It may take some time, but hey, I'll get to it later.

In my short time here I have come up with a few tips for socially awkward people (such as myself). Go to class. Talk with the people sitting near you before the class begins and make a point to go to lunch sometime with a few people. It may feel weird, but you will make friends in the process.

Also, go to school events even if your roommate does not go. Once again, a good way to meet people. But I would suggest having at least one friend there just to make it a more comfortable experience.

Don't drink. You may think of it as a way to loosen up and meet people, but chances are that you won't remember the night, or if you do, you won't like what you remember. It may seem that everyone is drinking and going to wild parties, but that isn't true. You don't need to endanger your body in order to have fun.

Right now I have reading for Communications and Psychology and many essays to look forward to. Eh, maybe I'll check Facebook once more before getting to work.

First Day

So I survived the first day of classes at Elon University. I had a nice, relaxing morning. Because my first and only class of the day-- Communications in a Global Age-- didn't start until 12:25, I was able to sleep in and take my time getting ready- well, as much as I could while having a roommate with an earlier class.

Because I am not the most social or outgoing person in the world, I went to class with a slight sense of apprehension. But I met a nice girl, and my professor made the introductory class quite entertaining. Even though the class today was fun, I am not really looking forward to the amount of work ahead. So many papers and its only one class out of the six in which I am enrolled.

After class I met up with some of my suite mates to eat at Colonnades. It was pretty good food. The only drawback, it seemed, was that it is relatively far from Chandler.

I just got back from the Elon vs. High Point soccer game. It was pretty cool, not that I know much about soccer or sports in general. I left early with my suite mates because it looked like Elon was losing . . . which we did. All in all it was a good start to a new school year.