(the, like, 2 of you. haha. I appreciate you guys immensely!)
Here are the highlights:
- I had 4 weeks of "midterms". Yes, 4. As in multiple tests a week plus assignments and a service learning project and and and..... so that has kept me busy.
- I've learned that coffee really does brighten my day. Maybe it's the chocolate/sugar in it more than the caffeine, but I spend way too much money on coffee. Oops.
- I've (finally) started volunteering at a shelter for families here in Bham as a kids-night group activity leader person. I had to go through background checks and interviews and whatnot, but I had my first night there last week and it was so much fun. I miss being in an environment like that, where there are lots of kids happy to be there learning and interacting and everything.
- I've also started volunteering at a speech/language clinic. It's run from a house so it's a lot less "formal" that the clinical sessions I've been observing at school, but I like it. I get to observe a 45 minute session each time I go and also help plan activities/create materials/help keep things organized at the clinic. It's definitely a learning experience and everyone there has assured me that once you get your CCCs (the certification needed to practice), all the tests and stress and craziness becomes worth it because you finally get to put all your knowledge into practice. So it's a super positive and reassuring environment to be in :)
- I really love some of the people in my major. They honest-to-goodness keep me sane. I've gotten to know a couple of the girls pretty well and we've surpassed the "friends in class" barrier and moved into "real friends" territory (meaning we hang out outside of class, haha). It's wonderful to have people to study and discuss things with, and also to know people with the same passions and interests who want to succeed in the same field as me. They know better than anyone what I'm dealing with and we get each other through things like 4 weeks of midterms! (Okay, that was kind of sappy. Sorry everyone. :P)
- The aforementioned people and I are starting an Operation Smile club at WWU! Operation Smile is an organization dedicated to raising money for children who need cleft lip/palate surgeries (cleft lips/palates are when prenatal development of the mouth/lip and sometimes the nose didn't occur so there is a gap in the middle of the roof of their mouth/lip. Essentially the two sides of their face didn't come all the way together. This causes a lot of functional disorders for children because they can't eat/drink properly, can't speak correctly, etc.). We're in the process of getting it up and running and raising awareness, and it has been a lot of work so far, but we're all really passionate about the cause and excited to start fundraisers and everything :)
- I've been applying to jobs and internships and scholarships like a crazy person, hoping I get something that is beneficial to the future. Basically anything that will help me with school next year and applying to grad schools is what is taking up my life.
- I got a phone call the other day from my parents telling me that I made the president's list (meaning I got a high GPA) last quarter, which is extra nice now that I'm in my major classes. The goal is to 4.0 the program (along with millions of extra curricular activities) so grad schools HAVE to let me in!
So anyway, that's my life recently.
I'm also excited for my best friend Sarah's upcoming wedding (in May) and her sister's upcoming delivery of her first baby (anytime now!)- I kind of get to be an honorary aunt, which is pretty cool.
That's all I have to say for now.
:)
