Week 9

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

“The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.”

-Maya Angelou

            Alright, I have a good excuse for the delay on the issue this week: today is my dad’s forty fifth 21^st birthday and I wanted to give a special tribute that would only make sense today…plus I spent most of last night unpacking from fall break and studying for my lit class. Er… Anyway, I’m back in action, sans blog because being the least technologically gifted person that I am, that is taking longer than expected as well! Regardless, welcome to my week:

#1: Fall Break!!!!!! After days of studying for exams, taking exams, and awaiting grades on exams, I finally packed myself up on Wednesday and returned home to Charlotte for the first time in two months!!  As I walked through the front door of 3901 Brookfield Dr., I half expected a Kane shrine to be erected in our living room, but I quickly realized nothing had changed at the Hollingsworth household: our fat yellow lab Fiona was still snoozing on the couch where I left her two months previously, and the same sound of the dryer and smell of shepherd’s pie greeted me.  While I had big plans of getting ahead on the mountain of work I brought with me, I spent my weekend watching a high school football game, eating way too much frozen yogurt with high school friends, and sleeping in!  It was just what I needed and when my friend Claire pulled into my driveway on Sunday to bring me back home (?), I bitterly loaded up my fall clothes and returned to my house at the Hill. 

#2: Working with other people can be hard in the real world.  Case in point: I had to meet with three other people for my “Intro to Fiction” class to compose a class presentation this week. While organizing a meeting around 4 people’s schedules is difficult on its own, it is particularly difficult trying to organize a meeting when one of the group’s members is also involved in “Humans vs. Zombies”.  Yes my friends, that is real thing, and before you burst out into hysterics let me give you some reasons to laugh.  First of all, when the group finally decided on a place to meet, the member in question told us to look for him, he would be wearing a yellow armband.  I thought to myself, weirdo!!!!!   alright, maybe he just wants to make it easy for us to get together.  I was wrong.  When I arrived at the entrance to Davis library, I found my yellow armband clad classmate crouching behind a column.  I wandered over to affirm that he was in my group and inquire about the odd accessory.  The spiel began: “I am participating in ‘Humans vs. Zombies’, a lively game in which three zombies are appointed to attack the humans and try to wipe out the population.  Zombies wear a brown headband and humans wear yellow armbands to signal to the others that we are involved in the mission.”  You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me.  If the initial shock of this peculiar task was not enough, my attention was then drawn to the three pairs of socks clutched in my “human” classmate’s hands.  “What are the socks for?” I asked.  “Socks are used to stun the zombies so that you have an opportunity to escape.”  Shut. The. Front. Door.  I mean this kid was being serious!  I had to resist bursting into fits of laughter as he proceeded to explain that humans would walk around campus surrounded by bodyguards equipped with nerf guns to protect against the zombies.  Needless to say, I am now an expert on this type of sci-fi enthusiast and I will be choosing my group more carefully come next time…

#3: Daddy is growing up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Happy Birthday to the best dad I ever had!  These are just a few of the things I have learned from Craig:

--Cars have this thing called oil in them…it has to be changed.

--It is never a good idea to jump the curb on your bike.  No good gonna come of that.

--It is inappropriate to talk during a NASCAR race.

--Things can be replaced.  People can’t.

You’re irreplaceable Nacho Libre ;)

(Pictures attached!!)

Ta ta for now friends!  Let me know what is the latest scoop in your lives J

Love,

Human (for now) Kane.

Dad and Whit:

Dad and Me:

Dad and Mom:

Week 8

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

“Cause dreamin’ alone is a shame indeed

but if you got love that’s all you need.

So be young, be foolish, girl be happy.”

 --The Tams

I apologize dear loved ones for the delay in this week’s edition of “Welcome to the Real World”, but I was busy devoting most of my time to a lofty Italian Midterm and to be honest, I was lacking motivation.  While my week has been nothing less than stellar, I must admit my disappointment in my recent audience.  I love and appreciate each and every one of you cool cats and I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!!  Serious props extend to Miss Trish Hobson for always updating me on her life back in Charlotte and to my glorious Aunt Cynthia, whom doesn’t even have a computer to read my emails from (come on guys?!?), for telling me about live in Nashville.  I have been mulling the idea over in my head for the past few weeks on whether or not to make my little weekly email into a blog and this week presents the perfect opportunity for that: fall break!!! After I make it, I will leave the ball in your courts regarding whether or not you follow the life of a UNC college student.  That being said, I really hope you are all well and that your weeks were as eventful as mine…girl sure would be lucky to know about them J

#1: PARENTS WEEKEND!!!!!!!! While this event took place near the end of my week, it was definitely the highlight and therefore deserves the number one spot!  Friday night was met with high heels, yummy food, and LOTS of dancing…for me.  The rents arrived circa 4 pm for the Tri Delta Parents Cocktail and the fun was quick to start.  After a quick fall sweep of my closet, the parentals and I went our separate ways: I to my hair rollers and “Bad Gal” mascara, them to their luxurious hotel for preparation.  Check out the hotel: http://www.google.com/imgres?q=run+down+hotel+room&hl=en&biw=1440&bih=712&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=SZXN1rilzwby4M:&imgrefurl=http://goldsea.com/Text/index.php%3Fid%3D1754&docid=kNg-zrtzW0BPJM&imgurl=http://goldsea.com/Text/images/665.jpg&w=440&h=293&ei=GaKdTvyODuKViALbhJSTCg&zoom=1 The hotel spells glamorous: G-R-O-S-S.  Anyways, despite the initial shock from the hotel, my parents showed up to dinner dressed to the nines: Craig in a new Carolina blue tie, Ash in a glam silver dress, and everyone in their dancing shoes! We ate a delicious meal at a local Italian restaurant and then were off to the Carolina Inn to make our fashionably late appearance…psyche! We were the first ones to arrive, but did that damper the Hollingsworth clan’s fun?  Have you met us?  Mom and I were singing right along to the band’s optimal choice of 70s music and Dad was wishing the bar had opened I’m sure.  After a short half hour filled with talk of dancing, the real fun started.  The room was filled with Tri Delts of all ages and while I was unable to drag daddy-o out on the dance floor, I left my mark on a few unsuspecting brothers who were in town to escort their sisters.  Can anyone say Dancing With the Stars?  After a night filled with fun, the rents and I met up the next morning for the Miami vs. Chapel Hill game which we went to accompanied by a couple of my best frandsss Elizabeth and Grace.  We ate soft pretzels, cheered on the Heels, and got roasted in the sun and then headed back to my dorm to meet my wonderful grandparents, Pop and Dolly.  We gathered ourselves once more and ventured out on a quick campus tour before arriving at the Tri Delta house for a post game tailgate, complete with banana pudding and catered barbeque.  The day could not have been more perfect for me and while my parents couldn’t face La Quinta hotel for one more night, the short time I got to spend with them and my grandparents was awesome!!

#2: Make new friends but keep the old; one is silver and the other gold.  This rule has taken on a whole new meaning this week.  I cannot express to you all how much I have missed my best friends.  As previously mentioned, I was able to see two of them this past weekend and it was beyond awesome!! That being said, I have made some great new friends, and one in particular has really stuck out this week.  My suitemate Shannon is a very “suite” girl; she is typically pretty quiet/reserved/studious…perfect match for my new bff right?  As we were both bogged down with studying for midterms this week, we had little time to interact during the day, but we made up for it for sure!  Our nights were filled with popcorn, m&ms, Skype charades, and our renditions of Beyoncé’s biggest hits!  We are classy ladies.  The nighttime dance marathons were not the only reason Shannon made my list of stars though.  Earlier this week, I learned that upon first meeting me, Shannon thought I was really cool and that she was not going to be able to hang out with me on account of me being too cool for her.  This of course made me scoff and prompted me to call my friend Grace Baker, whom quickly humbled me by laughing in my face. Me…being cool.  No worries there Shann!

#3: The crying continues.  I am seriously going to have to relocate because living on a hall with all girls is not a conducive environment for a tear-free lifestyle. I mean if somebody’s not crying, something is wrong.  Andddddddd, I don’t know why everyone thinks that my shoulder is prime real estate for tear sessions. Ladies, if boys upset you, quit dating them.  If you’re tired, go to sleep.  If you have so much work that you are forced to tears, start studying earlier.  But really, despite my serious aversion to teary folk, I really do love my hall and I will really miss them as we part for fall break.

That’s all folks.  Write me back. Love you, miss you, mean it.

Kane

The fam at the old well on parents weekend!

Week 7

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

“Man can learn everything if he will but try.”      

 –The Nawab Bahadur A Passage To India

Dear outside world, this week has been so uneventful I considered skipping this Sunday’s issue but as I promised from the beginning that I would update y’all every week, I am writing.  Also, I am writing in hopes that despite my anti-climatic week, I will get some responses (hint hint) and hear about what is going on in your, what are bound to be more exciting, lives.

#1: Absence makes the heart grow fonder.  This weekend my roommate Mackenzie returned to her hometown of Kinston, North Carolina for the anxiously awaited homecoming football game.  While I was thrilled to have the TV, dancing area, and mirror space all to myself for the weekend, I was quickly wishing for her return.  When I found out that Mack would be gone, I told two of my stinky, loud guy friends that they could stay with me Friday night and then we would all go to the game together.  It was so great to see them after our initial college time apart but I remembered very early on in their visit that they are both stinky and loud.  Ahhh! Go back to UGA and bring me back my nice smelling, soft spoken roommate…and don’t let the door hit you on the way out J

#2: A clean room is a happy room.  This relates back to the stinky loud boys and the mess they managed to make while they were here.  I am sorry to say that my room suffered a weekend of neglect.  Boys apparently don’t have it in their abilities to clean and I was left to make my roommates bed, restore the futon to its original state, and pick up the Cheetos (?!?!?) from the ground.  After I spent a good hour disinfecting mess, some of which was attributed to me to be totally honest, I was a brand new gal and I was able to throw on my best Carolina blue and head of to the, wait for it….

#3: FIRST TARHEEL FOOTBALL GAME!!! That’s right folks; I have been here for a month and a half and have blissfully managed to avoid the blistering heat of the stadium to watch a game that I cannot grasp.  I decided to go this weekend though when the men in blue played Louisville and I am happy to say that I will be returning.  Did you know they give out free pom poms at those things? Count me in! I “ra ra Carolina-d” all quarter long then bid the Tarheels good luck and farewell!   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW93EigYMq4&feature=related

#4: Remember your lies.  Before you freak out, you should know that I had a very good reason behind lying: Clefs.  Oh yes, those beautiful eyed crooning cuties have captured my better judgment once again.  In hopes that my friend Simon would orchestrate some sort of private concert, I told him that Sunday was my birthday and that I was expecting some grand gesture from his singing buddies.  He believed me, which is awesome, but then I forgot.  So when he confronted me to ask if I was going to be available for my birthday present I stupidly replied with, “What? My birthday is in July.” Stupid Kane. He cancelled my surprise and is claiming to be mad at me.  I am not worried and have already begun hatching my next scheme for Clef presence J

*This is not worth its own number but it might be interesting for some of you so I am happy to share: if you do not know who James McAdoo is, do not feel bad because I did not either.  I am told however that he was the number one recruit this year for college basketball and he chose to go here! Yay! Anyways, Mr. Jimmy Mac decided to dine at the Tri Delta house on Friday with me and a few other Myers Park girls.  He was very nice and I have promised to cheer for him this season.  This is a small snippet of our conversation:

K: James, how tall are you?

J: 6 foot 9. What about you small stuff?

K: About the same…

I told you this week was uneventful and I am very sorry that I don’t have more to share, but please stay tuned because this coming week is bound to be thrilling.  I am looking at a week full of cute fall outfits leading up to parents weekend, when I will be joined by Ashley, Craig (fingers crossed), and my Pop and Dolly.  Things are bound to get a little wild and you won’t want to miss it! Love you. Miss you. Mean it.

Kane

He’s only 6’9

“The girls” at last weekend’s New Years Cocktail:

Hangin’ with the girls> hangin’ with the boys!

bye!

Week 6

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

Quote of the week:

 “In three words I can sum up everything I know about life: it goes on.”

                                                                                                            --Robert Frost

Yes, life goes on.  It continues past the bombed exams, the terrible dates, and the rainy days.  Once again, hello loved ones.  I hope so much that y’all have had a good week!  The start of mine had me convinced that I might be headed back to Charlotte to take classes at the local community college and be bunkin’ it with good ole’ Craig and Ash again, but things took a turn for the better and I am pleased to report that I have survived yet another week of the real world!!

Things I’ve learned this week:

#1: Babysitting is underrated.  I never thought that I would say it but I have missed the world of rugrats way too much!  This week I dabbled in the art once again and was thrilled with the results!! I babysat for a woman named Kara Kooken and her three girls Elliot, Ellen, and Franny.  They were awesome. Nuff said. I was able to spend time in a real house, with real dogs, with a real tv, making real food, watching really awesome little girls perform plays for me with dress up and stuffed animals.  My night could not have been more perfect and I left with a happy heart, a well rested soul, and a new bit of knowledge compliments of the 10 year old Ellen: “When a dog shows you their tummy it means ‘I am your humble servant.’”

#2: Always give too much detail.  This bit of advice was applied to quite a few things in my life this week.  It was first applicable when it came time to study for my very first American Government and Politics exam.  I clearly need to inquire for more deets next time I’m in class so that I will not receive a 78 (??!?!?!) on my next exam.  Yes that was bad my friends, but luckily not as bad as the class average: 74.  You win some you lose some I guess.  This advice can also be applied when giving instruction to my very lovable roommate.  I am super concerned about locking the door at night when I go to sleep.  Mackenzie, my roommate, thinks that this means lock it AND THEN close it so that the door is propped open all night. Um no…more detail next time for sure!

#3: Mustaches are bad, but a lack of personality is worse.  Tri Delta had its first cocktail on Friday and I took a boy from Beta Fraternity that is currently the “Dirty Sanchez” pledge.  For those of you who do not know what that is, I will explain.  Will, my date, has to grow out his super thick, mexi ‘stache until the end of pledging.  Can I get a catcall?  Anyway, I was super excited about our cocktail because it was New Years themed and I got dressed in my best sequined dress, most painful shoes, and donned some long, sparkly fake eyelashes.  And what do I get in return for all my efforts?  A dud date.  He did not joke about his mustache and worse, he did not want to dance.  Here is my response to that my friend: “Sorry bout the ‘stache, I’m goin’ to groove.” And groove I did! The band was awesome and I danced into the night with anyone and everyone, except Mr. Dirty Sanchez.  I will be bringing a Clef Hanger to the next Tri Delt event…sans mustache.

#4: A little sand and a lot of sugar can cleanse the soul.  This weekend my pledge class hopped on a charter bus with “Lonnie” and drove to Wrightsville Beach for our pledge retreat.  We ate lots of Greek salad, cupcakes, and pita chips, talked all night and practiced French braids of all varieties!  The house we stayed in was beautiful but not as beautiful as the beach with 50 smiling girls on it!! To top the weekend off, I met up with my parents and our lab Scarlet for a quick hug and a laugh then hopped back on the bus to come back “home”. It was so much fun and as I am sitting in my dorm with clean laundry and a brain full of saltwater memories, I am refreshed for the week, which is scheduled to include Werewolf movies, courtesy of my LIT teacher, lots of reading from A Passage to India, and hopefully lots more college memories!!

I miss you all more than you could know and want to hear about what is going on outside the old brick walls of this campus so update me PLEASE!!!!!! Love you. Miss you. Mean it. Life goes on.

Kane

Pictures from this week:

Elliot, Franny, Ellen, and their panda family!!

Pledge Retreat!! (I’m in the back row, middle, in the Carolina blue!)

Week 5

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

“Nobody really cares if you’re miserable, so you might as well be happy.”

-Nelms

While I would care if each and every one of you were miserable, I am trying to take this quote for the bigger meaning by greeting each day with a certain preconceived happiness.  After all, I’m here to make me happy so here are a few of the things that made me happy this week:

#1: I don’t know how many of you are familiar with “big/little” in sororities but they basically pair the new girls (me) with an older girl that will be your “big” for the rest of your time in the sorority.  This week we were matched with our bigs and I quite possible have the greatest big of all time and the greatest family of all time because her big and grandbig are equally as awesome!!! The theme for the reveal was “rocker/groupie” and what else would I wear but shiny leggings, a cut up wolf t-shirt and red lipstick?  Nothing but a studded bracelet!! The reveal was so much fun and I could not be more excited to have Amy as my big.  Here is a link to her blog about the festivities: http://gilmer-girl.blogspot.com/2011/09/rockers-and-groupies.html

#2: The elevators are broken in Granville Towers, my home away from home.  Before you call me crazy for thinking this is a source of joy let me elaborate.  First of all, I live on floor 2 so I don’t use the elevator that much anyways and end up taking the stairs so the broken elevator has not hindered me all that much.  It has however trapped its first victim. Bahahah Now I know that it is a bit cruel for me to take pleasure in someone else’s embarrassment but they got him out and he was fine, but during the period of time where he was stuck in the elevator, we yelled encouraging things to him through the shaft.  What a trooper!

#3: I have inadvertently incurred a lot of injuries this week.  While I’m not thrilled about the injuries, they make good stories and I had fun doing them!!

·      I LOVE to groove!! I am a dancer at heart and when an opportunity presents itself, I am the first to step onto the dance floor…or fall.  Oh yes, I took quite a tumble this week while walking onto the dance floor.  For all you skeptics out there, no drinking was involved.  It was just an ordinary night down an ordinary flight of stairs with a not so ordinary hip thrust that ended with me and my booty on the floor.  My elbow may never return to its original color…

·      I did habitat for humanity for the first time since I’ve been in Chapel Hill on Saturday and it was AWESOME!!  My church is sponsoring a house in a habitat community and we are working (through the rain I might add!!!) to get the floors installed.  I arrived on sight eager to get started.  And then they put a hammer in my hand and boy was I excited!  Turns out, hammering is not my forte and I was quickly staring at a mangled mess of blue foam board insulation with nails going in at every angle but the right one and what was I left with?  A blistered hand and a smile J I told the site manager that the next time I come back, it might be in everyone’s best interest if I am in charge of  a non hammering aspect of the build.

#4: For those of you who don’t know, I applied a few weeks ago to a program called “Best Buddies” that pairs college students with adults who have both high and low functioning mental disabilities. I wasn’t expecting to get the opportunity but I did and today was the first event for the program: a leisurely picnic, animal crackers and soccer balls galore!! Unfortunately, my “best buddy” Brandy was sick so she couldn’t make it to the picnic.  I did get to hang out with another buddy named Katie though and she was great!! We bonded over our love for dogs.  I told her about my yappy Toto dog, Bonkers, and she told me about her imaginary dog named Buddy.  She got him 7 years ago at the pound and he sleeps in the bed with her…but only if he’s been good of course.  Buddy doesn’t get along that well with her cat Cheyenne but Katie thinks that Bonkers and Buddy could be good friends because they both bark a lot.  Katie and I both dislike loud noises so we are going to let the dogs bond outside we think!  Anyway, I will keep y’all updated when I found out more about my own buddy Brandy; I can’t wait!!

#5: Serenading sweethearts…oh the UNC Clef Hangers.  Loves of my life.  My friend Simon promised me that he would bring me some of their CD’s for me to burn onto my computer and he finally came through!! You know how bees swarm to honey?  Well girls swarm to a sweet singin’ boy in a similar manner and when the girls on my hall found out he was here, my room became the place to be! I’m still working on finding a cute Clef date to my upcoming cocktail, but until then I will have their sweet voices to keep me company.  If you want a CD just let me know!

Another week down, now I’m on to the next.  I have my first exam Tuesday in Costume History and then another one on Wednesday in American Government and Politics.  Also I am babysitting on Tuesday, something that I miss sooooo much!  I am seriously hoping that the night’s festivities will provide me with some interesting commentary that I can relay to you all.  Please please please let me know what’s going on with y’all so I don’t feel like I am boring a cricketing crowd!! Love you. Miss you. Mean it.

Kane

Dressed for big lil' rocker reveal!

Week 4

Greetings lovelies!  I am SO SO sorry that this week’s edition of my update is a little late.  I had a very important Italian quiz this morning that I could not have done enough studying for and I also had to read 62 pages in “The Good Soldier”, which might quite possible be the densest book ever.  Anyway, while I would have much rather been writing about my weekly experiences, I was committed to the library for a good three hours late last night.  Better late than never I guess though, even if this week was a bit anti-climactic for a college student…haha enjoy!

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

#1:  I’m not entirely sure my first point applies to the entirety of the real world but it is common in Chapel Hill and it has been something that I have had to err…”adjust” to.  What is it? Domesticated squirrels.  In Charlotte, the squirrels are skittish and we steer clear of each other; if my memory does not deceive me, I believe I was even told rumors of rabies when I was a kid.  This is not the case for UNC schools.  Not only are the squirrels here not afraid of people, they are actually a little invasive in my opinion.  I will sit down in the grassy area of the quad with my thermos and homework and next thing I know a fluffy-tailed squirrel is pawing through my $200 textbook and indulging in my homemade coffee cake.  Note to squirrels:  I ain’t afraid of you now either and next time you interrupt my Monday morning lounge time, I’ll throw ya.  So there.

#2: Living in the real world has presented a people-watching lover like myself with a wonderful opportunity.  This campus is very conducive to sneaky surveillance and these are just a few things that I blissfully (and sometimes not so) observed this week:

·      People walk to class.  They bike to class.  I have even seen a few rollerblades in my days here, but not until last Wednesday did I receive my first real treat to class transportation: a Segway. Oh yes, this is real life we’re talking about.  I couldn’t help but laugh out loud, and subsequently attract curious looks, when I saw a helmet-clad girl leaning through crowds of innocent college students on her red Segway.  All I can ask is “do you want to be that girl?”  I sure hope so because I thoroughly enjoy watching your escapades.

·      The boys here are truly idiots when it comes to dressing themselves and I tend to think that no one should leave the house without consulting me first but this next trend is truly terrible for anyone’s standards and I feel personally offended.  Today in class I saw a boy, a lumberjack bearded boy I might add, wearing a madras plaid short-sleeved button down (shout out Craig Hollingsworth!!) with a mesh jersey over it.  But wait, there’s more!!  Both of these things were tucked into belted jeans atop white reebok sneakers.  Uh uh my friend!!!

#3: There is a LOT of crying in the real world and this week in particular I have experienced unprecedented amounts of waterworks.  I won’t harp on it, but I really do hate to see people cry.  It makes me so terribly uncomfortable and I tend to avoid having to witness that kind of emotion all together.  Someone must be out to get me because both of my suite mates broke up with their long time boyfriends this past week and along with that came rivers upon rivers of loud tears.  I just cannot handle that.  I am very sorry for your heartbreak but take care of that in the solitude of your own room…not in mine…not on my bed…not with my tissues.

#4: There is no concept of a “week night” in the real world.  I am certain that I am the least cool person in my family and this new tradition of going out EVERY night, and I am not joking here, has been truly upsetting to me!  Someone somewhere always wants to go out.   Excuse me but I have classes, don’t you guys ever sleep? No.  I’m sorry party people but I do not want to join your club.  I will not drink the Kool-Aid. 

#5: Visitors are awesome, even in the real world.  Saturday my mom came bearing homemade coffee cake, promises of pedicures, and warm winter sweaters!  Could you ask for anything more?  I submit that you could not.  I welcome anyone else that might be passing through the 27514 area…I’ll give you the grand tour of the campus, dorm, and tri delt house, and who knows? We may even be serenaded by some Clef Hangers ;) A girl can dream.

I am shamed to say that last week’s edition passed by without any mention of the date that it was sent out on.  I was in the third grade during snack time eating string cheese and pepperonis when I found out about the first plane crashing into the twin towers.  It didn’t mean a whole lot to me then, but it is amazing to think that 10 years have passed and the impact is still powerful in our nation. Never forget.

That’s all folks.  I hope you are well; I’d love to hear from you!

Until next time,

Kane

P.s. HAPPY 22^ND BIRTHDAY BIG BROTHER!!!! “80’S BABY, 90’S MADE ME!” LOVE YOU!

Happy Birthday big brother!

Week 3

Hello loved ones, hope everyone is doing well!  This week in the real world has been very exciting!!! I rushed sororities and am thrilled to say that I am now a DELTA DELTA DELTA!!!! Ahhhh it’s so exciting!! I love my pledge class and there are a few girls from Myers Park in it with me and I think that we are going to have so much fun this year, beginning with our first mixer on Tuesday with Alpha Delta Pi, Delta Kappa Epsilon, and Phi Delta! Yay!!  I have attached a few pics of my new sisters and some pictures of the girls on my hall so that those of you who do not have Facebook (can’t quite understand why not?) may see my new best friends!  And now on to the regular list of occurrences and newfound knowledge of the real world:

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

#1: Those of you who see me often know that I am partial to the jort-a clothing item that can best be described as jean shorts.  I LOVE jorts!! What isn’t too love: the high waist is flattering (yes I said it Mary Carlisle), they’re vintage, they’re versatile, and overall they’re just super cute…or so I thought.  Turns out the real world is not as receptive to my unique fashion choice.  I put them on for a leisurely day of all day studying and laundry and what am I met with?  Expressions of horror and disappointment.  Despite the real world’s criticism of the ever-flattering jean short, I have concluded that they are here to stay; I just love them and that’s that.

#2: Once again the real world’s weather has wreaked havoc on my life!  Since moving to Chapel Hill, I have experienced dorm fire, hurricane warnings, torrential downpours, and now a tornado?!?  The real world does not seem to care that I have stickler teachers who expect you to show up to class during a tornado lockdown…and we had two!  Lucky for me, I have attached my phone to something called “Alert Carolina” and I get warning texts when there is a natural disaster or a campus threat of some sort.  Unlucky for the people who were walking outside without a phone warning I guess…All was well in the end though, the tornado passed through without any damage or inflicted injuries and I was able to sprint to my class just in time to hear my teacher say that class was cancelled for the day and that we still had homework. Yay.

#3:  I like to think that I make a good impression, but I think that the real world wants me to experience some embarrassment so that I can roll with the punches.  Dear Real World,

I would kindly appreciate it if you would stop muddling around in my life.  I embarrass myself enough without your intervention.

Yours truly, Rush Failure.

Allow me to explain dear family and friends…For those of you who do not know, during Rush, we girls parade around in our best outfits to each of the ten sorority houses on campus, smiling and making small talk until you can literally recite the most relevant facts about yourself in less than ten seconds flat. (Kane, like a candy cane but with a K, journalism major, 1 older brother, live in Granville, yes I love it here but it’s SUCH a transition. Oh my gosh you’re from Charlotte too???? No way!!)  If ever you are trying to sell yourself, this is it.  Each sorority pairs you with girls who try and pull out the best smiles and enthusiastic responses.  It’s a general rule of mine to avoid smiling or being enthusiastic so this was a hard process for me from the beginning.  You factor in a simple thing like offering me a glass of water and you’re going to witness a train wreck.  Yes my friends, I was that girl, you know the one who is trying to be so SUPER DUPER EXCITED J about what you’re saying that she makes an encouraging hand gesture and dumps water all over herself.  Mom and Dad, you should be so proud.  Yes, thanks for that real world, cause I didn’t have quite enough to handle at that current moment.  But seriously, I was invited back to the sorority…they must have really wanted to hear about all the classes I’m taking and what my favorite reality TV show is.

#4: Something that I love about the real world: everyone wears heels!!!!!!!!!! Yayayayayayyayay the day has finally come and I am in my element!! In high school, sandals and flats were all the rage and now the world has been set right and we women wear wedges!! Props to you real world, my hat is off (and my heels are on).

#5: Priorities change in the real world.  Every year, my mom goes on a beach trip with her girlfriends from college.  (Sidenote: I am desperately wishing that the girls I meet this year and I stay as close as my mom has with her friends!!) Besides drinking specialty drinks on the front porch, indulging in pimento cheese, and reading their books on the beach, the girls also purchase lottery tickets each beach trip.  If they win, they split the money.  It has been a long-standing tradition in my family of my dad, whit, my mom, and myself to make our mom promise us things with her lottery money.  My dad always asks for a 50-foot boat, I for jewels and a shed clubhouse of my own, and Whit for some extravagant car.  This year I downsized a little in my lottery requests.  If the “Queens Girls” win the lottery, I am happy to announce that I will be receiving a new curling iron and a Herend ram…go heels! ...And go college!

So this is how the real world has been operating this week, hope you enjoyed hearing about it as much as I have enjoyed living it (well, most of it.) Some of you have mentioned your desire for some Chapel Hill gear and I will be making a trip into the calamity that is the student store sometime this week to fulfill orders.  If you need something, whether it be a tarheel tie, a Carolina blue water bottle, a sticker, or a t shirt of sorts, just let me know the color and size and I’ll get it to you as soon as I can!  Last thing: I am beginning my first 5-page paper of college and it has to be an argumentative paper on the topic of vampires.  I HATE vampires and the recent vampire craze drives me of the wall but I don’t have much of a say in the matter and so I would appreciate any ideas for a paper thesis or topic that any of you may have (particularly geared towards the novel Dracula or the movie Twilight).   Hit me with your best shot guys!! I would really appreciate it! As always, love you miss you mean it.
Kane

Bid day!!

 Amy and me on bid day!!

 The hall girls!

Week 2

Hello all!  As promised, I am continuing my college update.  This week was an interesting one; it was the beginning of sorority rush as well as “no booze, no boys”, a period of time where girls that are rushing abstain from socializing with boys or drinking alcohol.  At the beginning of the week I thought this rule would be no problem…but then I went to class.  Turns out it’s not easy to stay away from boys when you are surrounded by them in class; I mean what do they expect, me to refuse to work with them or let them sit next to me? Yes, that’s exactly what they expect, easier said than done turns out. Anyway, once I got over the initial shock of this week’s theme, I was able to settle into my classes (surprise!!! I’m now taking Italian!!) and get some solid studying in J So once again, here is what I’m learning from my newfound freedom:

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

#1: For those of you who don’t know, there is a men’s a Capella group here at Chapel Hill called the “UNC Clef Hangers”.  The Clefs are even more popular among the ladies than athletes, and women swoon at the sight of them and I admittedly stalk them when I see one of them walking on campus. This week was particularly exciting because my friend Simon Menaker from Charlotte was welcomed into the group as a new member. I have high hopes of being serenaded by the studly group at some point in the near future!! Here is a link to the group: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-D2iES2uFg

#2:  Despite this week’s successes, there were at times a few overwhelming moments and so I turned to the one person I always turn to in a time of dire stress: Whit.  He offered me this piece of helpful advice: “The key to everything is to pace yourself.”  Turns out this applies to many things, including ice cream, running, and studying.  Shanks brotha!!!

#3:  Do you want to know what totally doesn’t care about you in the real world?  The weather.  You would think that after being stranded for a half hour in the student store because of the forceful rain, I would learn to be prepared for rain…you’d be wrong.  Nope, it took me one more sudden storm to convince me to carry around an umbrella in my backpack from now on.  Yes, I was totally drenched when I reached my politics class, but at least I made it out better off than my suite mate, Maddie, who sprinted to the student store to buy a $15 umbrella, only to find that it had stopped raining when she returned outside, which brings me to my next point…

#4:  Oh the rollercoaster of living with other people.  In Kane’s perfect world, everyone would have his or her own bathroom.  In the real world, four girls share a bathroom.  Now riddle me this: why is it that I, the only brunette in our little suite, am pulling wads and wads of BLONDE hair out of the drain because I’m standing in a swamp in the shower?? Listen ladies, if there is standing water in the shower, the drain is clogged.  When I presented this piece of helpful advice to the roomies, the response was, “Oh I thought there was something wrong with the shower!” (???????????) Really? Mackenzie, my own roommate, was so bold to say, “Kane, you have the longest hair, it must be yours!” Nice try blondie, but I don’t think so.  Another issue with the shower situation: before we arrived at school, my roomies and I discussed a plan where we would keep all of our shower stuff in a shower caddy and bring it in and out of the bathroom when we needed it.  This idea lasted about three days.  Now, the other girls leave all of their stuff stacked in corners and on shelves in the shower.  Here is how I feel about that: not good.  So what I have concluded is that if they leave the stuff in the shower it is fair game to use.  So I am going to use whatever shampoo, conditioner, make up remover, toothpaste, razor, or hair tie that I want.  Thank you very much!

#5: The highlights of this week were the two packages I got!!! I’m not sure how often people get packages in the real world, but I’m convinced that if everyone got a good package every once in a while, the world would be a better place.  This week I got two of the greatest college packages ever from Dolly and Mary Carlisle.  I am welcoming competitors to knock them out of their top spots though J 

Haha packages are great, but I’m not kidding when I say that college kids LOVE mail of any kind!!  I would love to hear about everyone’s life through letters!! And I will certainly write you back on my super cute Chapel Hill stationary!

#6: I was very interested that in most of the responses I received from last week’s edition of “welcome to the real world”, many of you were curious to know if I missed my dad.  I feel that I cannot properly formulate a response to this without first giving some information about Craig Hollingsworth:

·      His favorite past time is putting on his authentic Mexican wrestler mask and sneaking into my room at 6am to wake me up.  As I back away in terror, he laughs and laughs and then retreats downstairs before I can start using my self-defense skills on him.

·      His outfit of choice consists of three of the things I despise most in this world for men: cargo shorts, flip-flops, and a reading glasses/ sunglasses combo…not good.

·      He invites my friends over for dinner and then entertains them with expressions like “shaking the dew off the lily” and stories about how since losing his pinky finger, he always gets one less piece of ice when he reaches into the ice bucket. 

·      Whenever something of importance goes missing at our house, you can be sure that either my mother or myself will be blamed for its disappearance.  After mere moments of agitation, one of us ladies usually recovers the item in question buried beneath a pile of his Swedish fish, fishing magazines, and iPod accessories.  Funny how that works…

So do I miss my dad?  Everyday.  Despite the sheer madness that composes good ole Craig, I sit here in college wishing I could see his smiling, bearded face and hear him call me “Quai Chain Kane” again.  In my head, I can see him hiding behind a door, waiting to scare me as I come down the stairs.  Sometimes I think he needs to be committed to an insane asylum but I am awaiting the day when I can laugh at his little visored self again.

Well I hope that I have once again entertained you my dear loved ones!  I hope also that this helps to keep you informed on what is going on with me, as well as the operations of the real world.  One of my favorite reality TV stars, Whitney Port, said it better than I could have, “The real world is filled with challenges, expectations, pressure, and to be honest, more than a few crazy people.”  Amen missy!  Until next week my lovely family and friends!! Hope y’all are as well as I am!  Hope to hear from you soon!

Love,

Kane

My "Ro Chi" group for rush:

No booze, no boys, lots of smiling, rushing girls!

Week 1

Hello all!

at the request of my beloved aunt ashley, i have decided to begin a weekly email to inform all of you of what it is like to be a college student at chapel hill in the year 2011. i am going to try to update y'all on my recent triumphs, failures, and acquired knowledge.  i miss you all already and i hope that this will help to keep me in touch with you guys until we meet again.  so without further adieu:

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD:

to begin, i would like to share with you a few basic things that i have learned about being in the real world during my first week at school...

#1: Everyone either is, or thinks, they are smarter than you. Just today I was sitting in church and introduced myself to the boy next to me.  Would you like to know what he has been doing here at Chapel Hill for the last 8 years? Getting his PhD in nuclear physics.  He is definitely smarter than I am.  When he asked what I wanted to do I said, “uhhhh, I want to write about shoes.” …hello my name is incomparable.

#2: Librarians frown upon you leaving your self defense spike on the table while you’re studying. I mean don’t they know what kind of crazies want to attack you on a Sunday afternoon while you’re studying politics?  If they do, they don’t care and “kindly request you leave your weapons at home.”

#3: When in doubt, dry clothes on MEDIUM heat.  I will now have to stop eating all together in order to fit back into what was once my favorite pair of jeans L

#4: Rooms don’t clean themselves!!!! (This one goes out to you mom) Turns out in the real world, you actually have to make your own bed, take out the trash, sort the recycling, wash dishes (by hand no less), and iron!  I know right, CRAZY????

#5: Not every public bus goes to the same place…this was a tricky one to learn my friends.  One day I walked all the way down to South Campus, which is about a 30 minute walk from where I live.  I decided to get on the bus to go back to my dorm thinking that it would go somewhere in the vicinity of where I live and I could walk the rest of the way…boy was I wrong!   Turns out we have a bus that will take you all the way to Duke.  Lucky for me, the bus driver was kind enough to take me to Franklin St. where I thought I had rightly earned a frozen yogurt from “The Yogurt Pump”.  No more busses for me

That’s all I have to share for now but I will be certain to update you next weekend when I have learned even more about myself, the world, college, and most importantly: Italian, the newest edition to my class schedule!!!

Love to all,

Kane