Never Enough

"Everything always gets over and nothing is ever enough."

-From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

I read this book with some students about a month ago and came across this quote and it struck me.

If I had to use one sentence to sum up how I feel right now, it would be this quote. 

Everything always gets over and nothing is ever enough. 

I am in a phase of life where it feels like everything is ending. I finish student teaching on Friday (my last LDOC), graduate on May 12, move out of my Chapel Hill apartment soon after that, and move to India on May 24. 

Everything always gets over and nothing is ever enough. 

4 years at UNC seems like a long time. It certainly seemed like it was going to be very long when I moved into that first dorm room, went to that first class, wrote that first paper. It felt like those 4 years would never end, that they would stretch on and on. That it would be forever before I would be able to go to India. 

Then I closed my eyes and now I'm here. Less than 3 weeks away from graduation. 1 month away from my first extended time in India. 

Where did these 4 years go? When did they fly by?

Freshman year, I was itching to graduate. I was ready to go. I hated the thought of being in Chapel Hill for 4 years. 

Now I'm dragging my feet. I can't believe that it is time to go already. I can't believe that it is time to leave the safe bubble of Chapel Hill, leave my friends, my family, my church, and go to the other side of the world. 

Everything always gets over and nothing is ever enough. 

I am excited to go to India. I am excited to start this new chapter of my life. I am excited to see where my friends are going and everything that God has planned for them. 

But I am not excited to leave. 

If I could live in India and Chapel Hill at the same, oh my goodness, I would! If we could all do our awesome things, while still being all together, oh that would be perfect! 

Unfortunately, that is not how it works. Everything has to come to an end. For the next part of my life to begin, this part has to end. And it is sad, it is hard. I don't want to leave. 

Everything always gets over and nothing is ever enough. 

On a completely different note- when I first read this quote, I'll admit, my first thought was about Harry Potter. It all had to end but wouldn't we just love one, two, or ten more books?

Guess who's happy here!!

Saturday 3-5-11

Me and K!! The Carolina girls!!

My traitor brother could have enjoyed this evening as well, but he has decided to worship the devil instead (the blue devil that is, not Satan).

UNC v Duke (take 1)

2-9-11

Me, very intently watching the basketball game. 

UNC v Duke (part 2) coming soon!! The outcome IS going to be better!

Dinner with CS Lewis

Monday 12-13-10

It's kinda a boring picture, but just be glad it wasn't in the library haha. 

I told you I'm on a CS Lewis kick right now. I have a couple that I'm going to try to read over break. 

Oh, and I used up every one of my meal on my meal plan this semester! I know that doesn't mean much to most of you, but trust me, that's impressive!

And I do have thoughts on the Dawn Treader coming up, I just need to get around to writing it haha. 

My view walking to class everyday

Thursday 12-9-10

If you went to UNC or have ever been on campus, there is one sight that is extremely familiar to you. No, I'm not talking about the Old Well, the Dean Smith Center, or even Davis Library. I'm talking about this. 

Construction.

Everyday I walk past this and I ask myself two questions.

1. When will they be done?!?!

2. Was it really a good idea to start construction on the football stadium right before football season started? Just a thought. 

Hindi Skit time!!

Saturday 12-4-10

Each semester we have to write and film a skit in Hindi. This is my group, including our guest star, Kavya, creating a shaadi.com account for our skit.  Shaadi (Hindi for marriage).com is India's most famous dating/marriage website. 

Shaadi.com

While we were filming it started to snow!!! We got to film our love/dance scene (every bollywood film has to have at least one) in the snow. So fun! but cold!!

You can't really see the snow, but it was there.

Oh those silly State fans : )

Emily, if you read this, please don't hate me!!

Wednesday 12-1-10

Saw this while walking back from class yesterday, don't know if its been there for a while or someone wrote it after the game last week. It made me laugh and think of my State friends. 

Miss you Emily!! 

Why I love UNC

Friday 11-19-10

I feel much less nerdy in my love for Harry Potter here. And here's why.

An entire DTH front page dedicated to Harry Potter!! Talking about Quidditch here and people writing dissertations about Harry Potter haha. LOVE IT!!! 

PS- I know that most of you aren't crazy like me and didn't go to the midnight premier, but please go see it! If you like HP at all, then go!! It's really, really good!!

Oh, Connect Carolina... how you make my life so stressful

11-8-10

That little red "x" was the bane of my existence today (if that's how the phrase actually goes haha). I attempted to register today. I had 5 classes that I needed to take for my major. I got into 1. After rearranging and picking out a different class, that I need, but wasn't planning on taking, I was able to get into 2 classes (total) and be waitlisted for 1. I'm still trying to get into a geog class (the above picture) that I need and really want to take, but stupid Connect Carolina won't let me. It says that the class is open and then when I try to enroll, it says its full. I've done everything- even e-mailed the professor. I'm very frustrated and stressed. But it will all work out. Even if I have to stalk the professors, I will get in those classes!!!!

And- on a happier note, this is my last night as a teenager!! How am I spending it? Writing a paper and blogging!!!

Carolina Girls!

Friday 11-5-10

Best in the World!!  Went to UNC's first b-ball game of the season, an exhibition game. I'm still working on the whole being into basketball thing haha.

Sorry K, I had to it was funny!

Oh YEAH!! Look at those!! 

and 4 days!!

Heeloween (well, sort of)

Sunday 10-31-10

Halloween in Chapel Hill is absolutely crazy!! Last year was awesome (we definitely had one of the best costumes), but this year I was not being creative at all about coming up with a costume and I had a lot of work to do in preparation for the next day so I decided not to partake in the Franklin St craziness. Maybe next year though. I did go hang out with some friends for a little while.

Kara and her apartment mates were Dove chocolate. so cute!! they even made earrings and headbands out of the chocolate wrappers.

Love Kara's quote haha. 

My face just looks dirty, but it really says "Book." Yes, I was super creative and was facebook like Jim from the Office.

Pyscho Squirrels

Monday 10-4-10

The squirrels around here are a little bit crazy and I think I have an idea why. They eat Chick-fil-a. Now, I love Chick-fil-a, a lot. I am all for the Christian Chicken, but I just don't think that squirrels are really meant to be eating fast food, good grief, I don't think  we're really meant to be eating fast food.  But it is just so delightfully yummy. K, try to schedule your arrival for not Sunday this time and I will bring you some Chick-fil-a and a diet dr pepper.

Every college students worse nightmare comes to life

No picture yet, just a story.

So, if you're in college or have graduated from college you will appreciate this story. If you are like me at all, the thing that you were most terrified of and worried about was oversleeping and missing your exams, right? Last year I would check my alarm like 5 times to make sure that if would actually go off. And nothing ever happened, I never missed an exam.

Until this morning.

Let me preface by saying that I've been sick and I also haven't been sleeping well. So I'm absolutely exhausted and need to sleep for about 12 hours for 2 nights in a row or more.

So last night I take some niquil and get in bed about 1 after studying all day and evening, I feel ready for my drama test the next day, but plan on getting up a little bit early and going to get breakfast and study a little bit more before going to take my test.

I went to sleep and slept great, so great in fact that my alarm did not wake me up.

My tested started at 9:30 and I woke up at 9:45.

Words came out of my mouth that I do not use, I literally jumped out of my lofted bed, threw on the first thing I could grab, brushed my teeth, grabbed my backpack and ran. I was out of my room in 5 minutes.

I live on South Campus, that's about a 10-15 minute walk to class, so I'm walking, borderline running to class. I was stupid and didn't buy my scantron for the test early, so I had to run by student stores and grab one and finally got to my class.

Now all that build is kind of anti-climatic. My professor is really chill and nice and didn't give me a problem at all. I had the whole story of what I was going to say planned out, but didn't need it at all, he just handed me my test and told me to take my time, no worries. Also, it was a drama test about stuff that I learned in high school (thank you Ms. Strong!!) so it was super easy, and I was done in about 15 minutes.

So all-in-all, I'm thankful that my nightmare came true the way that it did.  Better it be with this professor than some jerk who would have never let me take it. Or if it had been a class that was hard and I would have needed the whole time that would have been awful! Now maybe I can stop worrying about oversleeping now that I have.

Friday Night Blogging Time

I'm not even going to apologize for being behind anymore- I think this is just how it's going to have to work from now on. I just don't have time to post during the week haha.

Monday  9-13-10

I honestly don't remember what I did on Monday, it clearly wasn't very exciting haha. So this is my picture, another one for you, K.

And yes, your face did make it onto my fridge!! Anyway, this will be one of the last one's like this, I'm running out of sides of the room to take a picture of haha. The coffee maker is our favorite part of our room! Makes getting up in the morning so much easier!!

And we're off!

I'm a little behind, so this is a long post, sorry! I'm going to try to post every couple of days, but last week was pretty busy so I never got the chance to blog. 

Friday 

This day is pretty much for my sister, K, unless the rest of you guys are really desperate to know what my room looks like haha. Nothing terribly exciting happened last Friday, so I thought I would put up the first picture of my room. 

This is my bed, desk and comfy chair (where I'm sitting right now). Last year we had a futon, but this year our room is much smaller and it wouldn't fit haha. But we're loving being in Morrison and have made our room very cozy and homey. I have another picture coming later (probably a couple more haha).

Saturday

This year, I will be working a lot with International Friends, which is a part of the larger group, Campus Crusade, but focuses on reaching international students. Saturday was our first big outing and we all piled into four vans and drove to Topsail island to spend the day at the beach. It was the perfect way to relax after classes began and also meet some fun new friends and get to know people better. 

We stopped at Smithfield's Chicken and BBQ on the way back for dinner. These are the fun people that I sat with at dinner. You'll be seeing lots of pictures of them, I'm sure. I don't eat pork, but after smelling that BBQ, I may have to start haha. 

Sunday

Another day where nothing too exciting happened- mainly did homework and stuff haha- and so, another picture of my room!! K, do you recognize the curtains?? haha, they look great in our room.

 

This is my dresser and my roommates bed. I know, such an exciting picture. 

Monday 

I picked up my really great parking spot that I applied for. The parking lot is like 3 minutes away from my dorm, SO convenient. Last year I had to walk 30 minutes to get to my car, but now I have it so close which means that I can babysit and do all sorts of fun stuff that require leaving campus. 

Tuesday 

Another International Friends event. Did you know that the majority of students who come to study in the United States will never be invited into an American families home? This is something that we want the students to be able to experience, to see what a home is like here. Last week and this week, several awesome families opened their homes to allow the students to come and eat and spend a meal in their home. This is the group that I was able to join. 

Wednesday 

We also planned an Amazing Race Scavenger hunt around UNC's campus for the international students to help them learn the campus in addition to having a great time. 

One task was to look up a book in Davis library. The book was To Hate Like this is to be Happy Forever, clearly we are not just trying to teach them about the school, but also the very important hatred of the other blue. 

Thursday 

This is my best friend, H. I babysat for him over the summer several times a week and had been suffering severe withdrawal from not being able to see him for a couple of weeks because of school. But, since I got my parking permit, I'm going to be able to babysit for him at least once a week, if not more. He's almost 2 and absolutely precious! This is him dragging around his favorite stuffed animal, Roo-Roo, which is stuffed Kangaroo that is about a foot taller than he is haha. I'm sure I will have many more pictures of this cutey as the year goes by. 

Friday

Another goal for this year I think is to be a little bit more of a college student haha. I didn't go out very much last year and it's really not my thing to like go out with huge groups of people or go to parties and stuff, but I would like to be a little more social this year haha. Most people have gone home for the weekend, but my parents are out of town, so there isn't much point so I'm going to be sticking around campus. Tonight I went to dinner and dancing with my friends K and G and their apartment mate and some of her friends. We went salsa dancing at the Spice Street restaurant in Chapel Hill. It was so much fun! Lots of people and loud music, but still fun. For some reason, they let us go up to the VIP room, where there was food and water and stuff. 

That was my week. In between all the fun I read a ridiculous amount about India and Latin America and wrote my first paper of my sophomore year (I know, the second week of school and I already had a paper- what a bummer).  So far I really like my classes and, although they require a lot more work, I'm enjoying the topics a lot more than the ones I took last year. I'll see you guys next week!

Hello School

Unfortunately, I'm not going to Carolina just to hang out with my friends- I'm actually here to learn. (How awesome would that be though!) Classes began this week and, although I'm really excited about what I'm taking and think that this semester is going to be really great, I'm already a little bogged down with reading and work haha. So, I decided to take a study break and blog a little bit.

Monday

Our last day before classes started. I spent Monday hanging out with more great friends and finishing up decorating my room. (I have just a few final touches and then I'll have lots of pictures!) That night, my friends and I went to the Sunset Serenade, where all the different acapella groups come and sing a couple of songs to showcase their group. One great thing about Carolina is all the different musical groups that there are on campus to go see and this is such a fun way to see all of them at once.

I tried to take a picture of the Lorelais (the all-girl group) but we were sitting too far away and my camera couldn't focus haha. The whole of the lower quad in front of Wilson Library was jam packed with students. 

Tuesday

Classes started Tuesday and like the good Carolina student that I am, I went and got a drink from the Old Well before heading to Drama 115 in hopes that it will help me make A's this semester. Didn't do so bad last year, so maybe it does help. Guess we'll see. 

Wednesday

This is for you K!

Krispy Kreme has come to Franklin St. and with it the average weight of the Carolina student has increased by several pounds. However, I only took a picture of it for my sister haha, I didn't actually eat there. Maybe I'll weight till K returns in November and we can go together. Maybe. I love you, K!

Thursday

Today, I went back to Durham to be with my family while my dad had surgery. Thanks to all of you who were praying, everything went well and he's doing well. I didn't have a very exciting day- I thought I was going to have to use a picture from Local Yogurt (I'm telling you, I'm addicted- its bad), but instead I have this...

My very sweet boyfriend came to pick me up and bring me back to Chapel Hill and had bought me flowers for our 5 month anniversary. We're both pretty busy with studying (especially him with organic chem and all sorts of crazy classes) so we weren't able to do anything else tonight, but I really appreciated the flowers. They are the same ones he got for me for our 1 month. Oh, and I'm a college student without a vase in my dorm room, so, yes, that is a travel coffee mug that the flowers are in haha. I thinks its kinda cute- and totally me, I'm like addicted to coffee so why not use the mugs in cute decorating? Anyway, thanks so much, Chris! They add a lot to my tiny Morrison dorm room.

I should have some fun pictures for you guys next week. Saturday I'm going to the beach with a group of international students here at UNC. It should be so much fun! 3 hour bus rides always are!! 

Back to the Hill!! August 19- 22

Thursday

I'm back in Chapel Thrill!! I packed up my room and drove the whole 9 miles from Durham to Chapel Hill. I'm still in the process of organizing and decorating my room in Morrison, so pictures will come later. That night I reunited with some of my very dear friends from last year, who I missed so much over the summer! This summer, I became absolutely addicted to frozen yogurt- even more so than before, so of course the first thing that I had to do in Chapel Hill was try out the new fro-yo shop on Franklin Street. Good, but not quite good enough to replace the favorites- Local Yogurt and, of course, Yo-Po (Yogurt Pump, for non-Tar Heels). (note- we LOVE to abbreviate haha)

Frozen yogurt with fresh fruit is my newest obsession, thanks to Local Yogurt in Durham. I think I went there at least once a week, if not more, over the summer

Friday

This year, I will be living on South Campus once again, while nearly all of my friends moved up to their fancy, North Campus dorms, like Kenan (which is beautiful and they all have futons for me to sleep on when I'm too lazy to walk back). However, a few of my friends from high school decided to stay out in the boonies like me. We are already planning our South Campus parties. KJ has also been given the task of turning me into a true Carolina sports fan. I try really hard, but I just struggle to really get into things like basketball, which is life around here. I think that she is up for this task, because this is whats in her room.

Maybe we will see a similar DTH in our next three years here. One can only hope, right?

Saturday

Saturday was a very exciting day and I think deserves two pictures.In the morning, I returned home to pick up a final load of stuff for my room and my car, because I was driving to Raleigh for a concert that night. I loaded all my stuff in and got in my car and attempted to start it- nothing. Luckily, I had received a pair of jumper cables for Christmas last year (wrapped and under the tree, thanks, Mom), so I went and got my dad and after a little while we got it going and I drove to Chapel Hill. I parked in front of Morrison, unloaded my stuff and I tried to turn my car on- dead once again. Thankfully, people here are very friendly, especially all the parents dropping their kids off. A nice family helped me jump my car again (making use of my Christmas present for the second time that day/ever) and I went to find an Advanced Auto to get a new battery. I finally found one and got a brand new shiny battery for my car.

By this time I was running a little bit late to pick up my friends for the concert, but we had planned on leaving really early, so it was alright. So all-in-all, my battery deciding that the one day I really needed my car was a really good day to die didn't turn out as bad as it could have. We arrived at Walnut Creek in plenty of time and found really good seats on the lawn and chilled out waiting for Jack Johnson, who was AMAZING by the way.

Sunday

FALL FEST!!

Pretty much every UNC student crowds onto South Rd to sign up for various organizations and groups to be involved in during the year. All the student organizations set up tables and signs and attract people with the promise of free stuff- especially food. I restrained myself and didn't sign up for any listserves- I'm still getting e-mails from groups that I don't want to be in from last year, when in true freshie form, I signed up for just about everything. PS- I totally felt like a freshman taking that picture.


So that was my first week on the Hill. I'm so excited for this year! Classes start tomorrow, which I'm not so excited for, but it is kinda the reason that I'm here, not just to hang out with amazing people. I'll be posting pictures from this week on Sunday probably.

My New School Year's Resolution

I know that's not a real thing, but I'm making it up. I never do New Year's Resolutions, but I wanted to try to do something different for this school year. Tomorrow begins my sophomore year at the greatest university North Carolina has to offer. I had a fabulous year at UNC- Chapel Hill, but I realized that I have about 10 pictures documenting my freshman year, which is totally unacceptable. So this year I am going to change that. I'm resolving to take at least one picture a day. I'm not a great photographer and I'm not a great writer, but I'm going to try my hand at this whole blogging thing. My life isn't always the most interesting- there may a few days where the only picture I have to share will be of Davis Library, but that's my life, welcome to it!