Carolina Priceless Gem

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

“Celebrate we will because life is short but sweet for certain.”

--Dave Matthews Band

            After what seems like a mere week and a half, my freshman year is coming to an end.  As I look around the room that I have called home for the last 8 months, I am reminded of how easy it is to fall into a routine and how easy it is to call a place home if you are with the people you love.  I fear I let the year slip too quickly through my hands but as I take down the pictures strung about my room and pack them away in a box for the summer, I am reassured by the faces smiling back at me.  There are so many new people and places in these pictures and I find beauty in each one.  

            During my senior year of high school, I can vividly remember parents coming up to me and raving about how fun college was.  I can’t remember one single person telling me how hard or intellectually rewarding it would be. I certainly had my fair share of fun but it was a real shocking hurtle when I realized that my brain was not in fact God’s gift to the world.  Admittedly, I wanted to rip out my hair each time an exam approached and I had to lock myself in the library with gross coffee and musty study carols but the nights with friends, the Target runs, the attempts at physical runs, and the glory that is Chapel Hill masks all those cruddy study schedules.  Maybe that’s what it’s really about; maybe those parents from high school weren’t trying to leave out the challenging memories of college but instead the good times from school overwhelm the rough ones.  My freshman year was certainly as a testament to that sentiment.

            As I am sitting on my naked bed waiting for my RA to come check me out and watching my roommate pack the mess that remains her side of the room, my mind is certainly overwhelmed by the good times we’ve shared in this room and the good times I’ve had this past year.  While I am certainly ready to get the heck out of dodge and escape the torture that is exams, I know I’ll be ready to return to this new home and to the people I love when the time rolls around once again at the end of the summer! Overall, I would say freshman year was a success!!

Favorite memories from the past year:

Bid day

My fabulous hallmates

My suite!

My sorority sisters

Greek Groove

What I expected college to be like:

Outrageous Frats

Serenading Boys

The reality of college:

Me in my empty room:

Status of Mackenzie’s side of the room:

Love ya. Miss ya. Mean it.

Kane

Happy Mother's Day!

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

“There is only one pretty child in the world, and every mother has it.”

--Chinese Proverbs

            Happy Mother’s Day to all you mamas out there!  If you are a mom, I’m sure that you are familiar with the sentiments of the quote above.  Goodness knows my mama certainly is.  As I look back on the atrocities that compiled my middle school and preteen style, I ask my mom, “What were you thinking letting me out of the house like that????”  Her constant response is, “What are you talking about? You were precious!”  Absurdities.  That is what those lies are.  It didn’t matter what leopard print combination or strange variation of “Spice Girls” hairdo I was experimenting with, I was always “precious in her eyes”.  (Despite the well-deserved ridicule I received both then and now for my heinous phase of style back in the day)  Along with her ever-present reassurance, I was able to pick up a few valuable life lessons from my mother over the years and they are as follows, in order of increasing importance:

Forever Reassuring

1. Take the Chap Stick out of your pockets before doing the laundry.
2. Do not microwave aluminum foil.
3. Drive on the defense, not on the offense.  Cars are weapons.
4. Always overdress. (Even if it is in your best purple leopard print and neon headbands)
5. Remember who you are and WHOSE you are.

Me and Mama

My Mama and her Mama

Happy day to you Weeble and thanks for being such an incredible mama.  Whit and I still like you ok and will one day buy you the school bus of your dreams J

Love ya. Miss ya. Mean it.

Kane

LDOC

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.  So throw off the bowlines.  Sail away from safe harbor.  Catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore. Dream.  Discover.”

--Mark Twain

            Today is LDOC at Chapel Hill.  This stands for “Last Day Of Classes” and in many students’ cases, “Lazy, Done, and Often Crazy”!  After we finish our final class of the day, we convene for an afternoon of celebration, in which we toast to the good times we had, say farewell for the summer, and wrap our heads around the idea that after today, we will establish our permanent homes in the library in preparation for the, now quickly approaching and very real, exams that we will take in just a few short days.  For all the hype that LDOC is surrounded by, I was afraid I would be let down.  But the afternoon did not let me down and even exceeded expectations by providing me with endless entertainment via mechanical bulls, dunk tanks, bouncing castles galore, and the longest slip-n-slide I have ever seen.  Although I am sad my freshman year has come to an end, this day of fun is a wonderful reminder of the great times I have had here and the wonderful people that I have met, as well as the great times to come. Sappy sentiments headed your way on Sunday, but for now I’ll live it up for just one more day as I prepare to buckle down, move out, and say goodbye to the Hill for the summer.  Love ya. Miss ya. Mean it.

Kane

The slip-n-slide:

Grab the bull by the horns:

Examssss

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

“At first glance it may appear too hard.  Look again.  Always look again.”

--Mary Anne Rodmacher

            Oy vey, this has been a doozy of a week.  The sentiment of the past week was mixed with sadness, excitement, and sheer desperation.  It is incredibly odd and sad to think that my freshman year is quickly coming to an end.  I kid you not I can vividly remember being dropped off at my dorm back in August, unpacking my things, and then begging my parents to take me back home to Charlotte.  Convinced that there was no possibility of adjustment in the near future, I spent the first two weeks crying in the shower and trying to work out in my head where the flaw in the system was and why in the hell heck UNC admitted me.  Since then, I have grown to realize that it is not all about being smart…it’s about tricking people into thinking you’re smart and I have met people that I can confidently say I will be friends with for many years to come.  While I am none too pleased about leaving my friends and knowledge behind for the summer, the end of the summer is approaching with bittersweet anxiety because there’s a catch to being released for break.  Eight classes, four exams, one paper, one group project, and a room’s worth of packing stand between me and my ticket outta here. The weeks just before exams are of rare form and consist of high tensions, long nights in the library, and Grande cups of coffee…yuck.  Anywho, this is what happened in the real world this past week.  Can’t wait to see what is in store for the coming one!

Exam Reality:

#1: There are rare forms of gems in Chapel Hill and I was lucky enough to discover one this past week!  Meet Lee, a very handy tow truck driver who is awarded “most chivalrous man of the week”, an award I made up upon meeting him.  While he lacks valid competition, his efforts are not to be ignored and were truly appreciated when my roommate’s beloved car “Big Black” broke down on Monday.  She has AAA (wouldn’t it be nice? Hint hint mom and dad) and after calling, Lee arrived a short twenty minutes later with a smile on his face and an interesting story about a race of people in Tennessee called Mulungees.  I do not know if that is correct spelling or if there is even such a people but Lee spent a half hour talking about them as he not only inspected Mackenzie’s car but also replaced the battery and checked the alternator (yup I know car terms).  He was so nice and the whole time I was listening to him (and judging his poor choice of colleges…he went to/cheers for NC State. Ew.), all I could think about was writing about him in my blog…so of course I stealthily took some pictures.  Anywho Lee was a gem beneath all his car grime and Mackenzie and I are truly grateful for all your help.  And stories about Mulungees.

#2: There is absolutely nothing better than a dog.  If you don’t like dogs, I submit that you are crazy.  I seriously don’t know anything that is better than a dog!!!! (except for maybe a baby that doesn’t cry but those are so rare that I’m happy to settle on dogs) I came across this story about a dog named Grace who stood guard over her dog friend after he had been hit by a car.  After pining after both puppies for a little, I got on pinterest and pinned some other cute pictures of puppies.  What am I most excited about when I get to go home?  Seeing my dogs! The best part about the story is that Grace’s mommy and daddy finally came forward and she is actually a Maggie J

(scroll to the bottom to watch the video. good luck not crying!)

http://b93radio.com/blogs/post/cmckenzie/2012/apr/16/loyal-dog-will-not-leave-his-buddies-side-tearjerk/ 

#3: Life is precious.  I try not to taint the real world issues with sad stories usually but there is something to be said for the lessons we learn from the sad things in life.  This past week one of my sorority sister’s boyfriend, a dear friend to many, passed away in a tragic accident in St. Thomas.  Just a few years older than me, James Alexander graduated from Chapel Hill in 2010.  His death has made me, and many other students here, realize just how lucky we are to wake up everyday with our friends and family intact.  Please keep James and his family in your prayers and remember how lucky we are to be here.

            I am very grateful to have you all in my life and I hope that I will get to see many of you soon if I can survive these two weeks that threaten to break my sanity.  Hope you all have fabulous weeks and that none of you will be confined to the dusty barracks of a library stuffed with books about Middle East Realignment.  Oh yes. That is what I am accompanied by on the 6^th floor of Davis library.  And I guarantee there are some smarty smarts at this school just itching to read that tome for leisure once they finish up with their exams.  Me? I’m looking forward to pool and sleep! Love ya. Miss ya. Mean it.

Kane

The Stars

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

“I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.”

--Galileo Galilei

            Chello everybody! Hope your week has been swell! Mine has been another full of studying and stressing for upcoming exams. Although it is sad to think that my Freshman year is over, I am eager to wrap those darn tests up and head home for summer.  In the mean time, I’m still discovering what it’s like to be on my own in the Real World so without further adieu:

#1: The stars shine brighter inside.  After nearly eight months at UNC, I finally made my first visit to the renowned Morehead Planetarium for a star show on the “Carolina Skies”.  It was fabulous and although it almost put me to sleep, it was nice to catch a glimpse of what UNC offers to the public.  While I went for extra credit for my Astronomy class, I could tell that the bubbly third graders there were thrilled to be experiencing something so cool.  So if you get the opportunity, I highly recommend checking out the planetarium cause it was awesome! (And it was inspiration for this week’s quote J)

#2: This week the UNC ballers got schooled.  As much as I hate to say it, the basketball players at our school can be a little sassy when it comes to fans; brilliant athletes, but sassy nonetheless.  This week however, the players took a moment out of their busy schedules to play ball with one lucky visitor and he gave them a run for their money.  What is so impressive about the challenger is that he is just 8!  I was very impressed with the boys and their friendliness towards the boy and his dreams of playing basketball.  I hope that they can remember to treat every fan like this and that they all continue to make us champs!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ic27I2AoVos&feature=related

#3: Time is dwindling and my collection of stuff is expanding.  As this weekend was a fairly deserted one for the hill, I took the opportunity to begin tackling the hoarder’s episode that has become my dorm room.  I am trying to get ahead on packing so that I don’t have to worry about it during exam week but boy were my endeavors ambitious!  I spent four hours on Friday on the packing project and all I have to show for it are walls void of pictures and a clean desk.  More progress to come fingers crossed!

To Brighten Your Week:

And my personal favorite...

            Sorry I don’t have more for y’all!  UNC tends to get a bit antsy and wild leading up to exams though so I have great hopes that this week will present a plethora of interesting real world experiences.  Love ya. Miss ya. Mean it.

Kane

Easter

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

“Today is the oldest you’ve ever been and the youngest you’ll ever be again.”

           

Another week older, another week’s worth of real world experience.  Hello loved ones; I hope that your Easters were as fun and relaxing as mine, and that you got to spend the happy day with your wonderful family as I did.  Midterms have ended and final exams are quickly approaching so I’m fearful that this will be one of my last blogs of the school year!! SUCHHHHH a scary thought that my freshman year of college is almost over! I won’t cry right now cause I’m in the study lounge and there are lots of people around because I don’t wish to make any of y’all uncomfortable or feel pity for me, but if anyone was already thinking of sending me exam goodies (not because I’m terrible upset about the end of the year or anything, but just because you love me) I probably wouldn’t complain J Anywho, without further adieu, this is what is going on in the life of a college freshman/almost sophomore:

#1: College is hard.  To the older generations who reminisce on the “glory days” that were the greatest of your lives, I agree.  But to all you older generations who spoiled me with your “college is all fun” and “college is the time for making mistakes”, shame on you.  College is hard; I don’t care what you folks say. Once again the studying, midterms, and papers have gotten the best of my stress level.  If you know any Econ majors, give them my number and tell them to be prepared for a whole heap of questions.  College tours are in full swing as the weather warms up and every time I see a group stopped at the old well first I wanna scream, “Come to Carolina!!!! It’s the greatest place in the whole world!” And then I want to whisper as I walk quickly away, “and also it’s super hard so bring your mom to school with you to help you like she did in high school!”  All jokes aside, this is the greatest place evaaaa and I’m so happy to be here (minus the tests). Boo Duke!

#2: If I can wear a long dress, I’m in.  Thursday night was my sorority’s formal and I had a blast! The event was at the Fearrington (check it out: http://www.fearrington.com/house/) right outside of Chapel Hill and to say it was beautiful would be an understatement.  All the girls turned out in their best formal dresses for a delicious dinner and some “grade a” dancing with their dates.  “Liquid Pleasure”, the band, killed it as always with tunes from the 80s (the official music era of college) and by the end of the night, not even the pouring rain could dampen our spirits.  It was the perfect beginning to a great weekend!

The beautiful Fearrington:

Me and some Tri Delta ladies waiting for the bus:

#3: Nothing beats a mountaintop and some deviled eggs.  After a long night of formal-ing, I woke up early Friday morning and headed to Linville, right outside of Boone, North Carolina, to spend some time with the my ridiculously awesome family at my aunt and uncle’s mountain house.  The mountain air was a well-needed shock to my system and after a brief stint of car troubles (eeeeeek), the trip took off for a weekend of fun and relaxation.  In one weekend, I was serenaded by a 9 year old, fed my weight in delicious Easter cakes and deviled eggs, and loved up on by my ukulele-playing mama (Dear Aunt Ash, I don’t care if you think that’s weird J).  Easter weekend was topped off with a cute birthday party for my one-year-old cousin Claude.  The weekend was wonderful and I was reminded of all of the things that I have to be thankful for.  If you woke up tomorrow and only had the things that you had thanked God for yesterday, would you be happy?  (I stole that from a bumper sticker that my mom saw but it is interesting to consider. Happy Easter and thank God for all of you!)

To brighten your week:

            Would love to hear about life in y’alls real worlds! Love ya. Miss ya. Mean it.

Kane