Once upon a time several years ago my family was on a road trip. We were staying in South Dakota in the Hotel Alex Johnson (where a couple presidents have stayed). Our family split up into a couple rooms because it gets a little squishy fitting nine people into one room (not to mention that there are usually limits on the number of people, but rules were made to break, right?)

Three of my sisters and I got ourselves situated in our hotel room, and settled down after dinner. We turned on the tv, and lo and behold, American Idol was on. It’s not something I’ve ever followed, but singing is fun, right? Awesome.

We watched the last half of the episode, and all of us were rather jubilant over Scotty McCreery’s lovely voice (most of us like country music, and he wore a cross, how awesome was that?!). Then we got out a laptop, and started watching YouTube videos of his songs. And THEN we started singing along. It was loud. You get the picture 

Then came the knock on our door . . .  a hotel employee informed us that we needed to quiet down because a nearby patron had complained about our excessive level of jubilation (around 8 or 9pm). Alrightie then. We got quieter, and stifled our noise as we finished whatever videos we were watching. But whoever had complained must have been suffering from insomnia because they complained. Again. That time (around 11pm) we got a call from the front desk informing us that if we got one more complaint, we would be kicked out of the hotel. Nice, right?

We decided it would be a good idea to go to sleep after that phone call.

We later realized that there had been some party down the hall, and the light sleepers might have misplaced the noise and complained about the wrong people. Anyhow, that is the story of how my sisters and I were pretty close to getting kicked out of a hotel. The End.

 

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At the end of freshman year I put together a list of what I had learned from it. And I guess that was just the beginning because many of them are still highly relevant.

Sophomore year has been very different than freshman year. I know where things are. There are people younger than me here. I’m more involved with things. And I know more people! It’s fun in a different way, and my time here continues to provide growing moments and opportunities to become a better person. Here are some things I’m learning (some of which I have been for quite some time).

Let. It. Go. 

This was number one on my list last year, and it still is. But! Now I have a theme song to it 🙂 When people are rude? Let it go. When you don’t HAVE to be the one to do something? Let it go. Those are the two main issues I can identify, and thankfully I can say that it’s gotten better. I know myself well enough to know when I can’t say something nice, so I honestly just choose to leave the room at that point. Delegating things is harder, but I’m really trying to be better about it. It’s all a work in progress.

You are less awesome than you think. And other people are more awesome than you give them credit for.

Yes, I do some awesome stuff. But so does pretty much everyone. And I need to recognize that more often. It’s so nice to listen to other people and hear things from another perspective. How refreshing is that?! Sometimes I just need to shut my mouth and just listen when other people are talking. With knowing more people, I have lots more conversations that I did last year, which I absolutely love! Getting to know people, their dreams, families, and lives is so much fun.

You get what you give.

Last semester was rough. But I made an effort to start this semester off better, which has really paid off. It’s easy for me to work hard on extracurriculars, but it takes a conscious effort for me to put enough time into academics. It certainly is wonderful when I know class material and retain information, so it’s probably a good idea to keep working hard in this area which I certainly plan on doing 🙂

There’s so much more I could go on about, but those are the main themes. I like the concept of being a continual learner, and hope to never lose that aspect of my life!

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Welcome to a day in my life:  a semi-boring account of an average Monday in which you discover why I don’t usually write this kind of post 🙂

6:45 – Wake up. Note that there is a difference between “wake up” and “get up”.

Until 8:45 – Get ready for the day, any homework not done, eat breakfast, answer emails, read, pray.

9 to 11 – Statistics then Microeconomics

11 to 12:30 – Work

12:30 to 1 – Grab lunch after clocking out, quick errands, then head to class.

1 to 2 – Christian Moral Life

2 to 5ish – Homework, emails, Ravens Respect Life prep, or writing. Adoration 3 to 3:30.

5:15 – Dinnah!

6 to 10 – Events and/or additional homework (sometimes a movie if there’s not something going on)

10+ – Writing, reading, late events, chilling, and hopefully bed by midnight!

Exciting, huh? That’s pretty much the bare bones of a Monday! There are lots of little things added to the day, phone calls, arrangements to make, places to go, things to do, people to talk with, and lots more, but you get the gist. Sometimes I go to daily Mass, and some days I don’t have much homework. Other days I get up at 5am to go to the abortion clinic. AND sometimes I make toast with a hairdryer. So, you know. Spontaneity is definitely part of my life right now 🙂

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Interested in guest posting here? I’m looking around for people who are interested in writing a guest post for the 24th! You don’t have to have a blog. Contact me if you’re interested!

I like my music louder than many people and my lyrics to have some sort of meaning. Of course I’m going to forget some songs here, but enjoy listening to some favorites that came to mind for moving songs that inspire me in some way.

Restless by Audrey Assad

“I am restless until I rest in you O God”

I Was Here by Lady Antebellum

“I wanna do something better / With the time I’ve been given / And I wanna try / To touch a few hearts in this life / Leave nothing less / Than something that says “I was here”

Pierce My Heart by Elizabeth Campisi

“Where I am is not where I was  / But it’s still not where I want to be / I’ve got to go deeper still  / Until I know everything / About you”

Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman

“Oh please, Daddy, please!” / So I will dance with Cinderella / While she is here in my arms / ‘Cause I know something the prince never knew / Oh I will dance with Cinderella / I don’t want to miss even one song / ‘Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight / And she’ll be gone”

Walking Her Home by Mark Schultz (LOVE songs that tell a story like this)

“He was walking her home / And holding her hand / Oh the way she smiled it stole the breath right out of him / Down that old road / With the stars up above / He remembers where he was the night he fell in love / He was walking her home”

Meant to Be by Ryan Scott Bomberger (You’ve got to know his story to really appreciate this one)

“I know I was meant to be. / This life was meant for me.”

Kings & Queens by Audio Adrenaline 

“On their own, on the run when their lives have only begun / These could be our daughters and our sons / And just like a drum I can hear their hearts beating / I know my God won’t let them be defeated / Every child has a dream to belong and be loved”