We all took a short break from exam studying to have a small group Christmas party. I'm in small group with some of the best girls at UNC and I love them all so much. It was really fun to get to hang out with them and to see some of the girls who are in the other Summit group at UNC.
Bridget and Rebecca, the only two who let me take their picture haha. Bridget is the leader of the other group and really awesome!
I'm so sorry ya'll, I have been really busy with school and stuff. Classes end next week so of course there is a ridiculous amount to do and stuff. But, I'm going to try and get caught up.
Friday 11-26-10
Friday we took a ferry to another island that has one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. This isn't a picture of that beach haha, this is where we snorkeled. Well, Mom, Dad, and Sergio snorkeled, I read Harry Potter haha.
The view in the opposite direction. It was so beautiful there. Some people brought their own private yachts to this place to go snorkeling. We were not one of them.
There was a hobo sleeping on the ferry over. Oh wait, that's my brother. Nevermind.
We spent the morning in downtown Asheville and went to the Mast General Store. I bought a lemon bar mix that I can't wait to try out. I really loved downtown Asheville! I could have spent so much longer exploring the shops and restaurants there, but we had to get back. I guess that just means that I'll have to go back soon.
I also successfully parallel parked- a big accomplishment for me haha.
On Wednesday, my friends, Kara and Rebecca, and I went up to Asheville for our fall break. I felt so collegic, actually going somewhere for our break instead of just going home for a couple of extra days. We didn't get there in time to take any pictures of the leaves on Wednesday, cause it was dark, but we got a couple of good pictures on the way of the sunset.
We stayed with Kara's aunt, which was amazing!! And in the basement was a really fun toy for Kara...
Dinner, yummy cheesecake, a funny movie, and absolutely wonderful girls- the perfect Saturday night!!! Life as we Know it was better than I would have expected actually. It was predictable, but in unpredictable ways and really funny but also bittersweet. Also, at one point, the main guy insulted Katherine Heigel by asking her what she does on a Saturday night- what, blog? hehe, of course as soon as I got back, what did I do- blog. And I love it
Today is my very dear friend, Elise's, birthday. She turned 19 (she's just a baby!!) and we had so much fun hanging out all together. I'm sad to say that in honor of her birthday I watched my second full episode of Gossip Girl- Elise, it's only cause I love you. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!
Had an awesome time hanging out with some international students playing games. This was in the middle of a game called pterodactyl (who knew that had a 'p' in it, interesting). Kinda an awkward picture taking game haha but it was the only one that I took cause I was too busy teaching some people to play nerts. SUPER fun haha.
Side note- my birthday is in exactly a month from this day. And so I'm starting a countdown until I am no longer a teenager. 31 days to go. (I'm turning 20 haha, thought I should point that out)
Watch the hilarious Amanda Bynes and the gorgeous Channing Tatum play soccer. It also makes a great Friday evening with friends. I had another picture that I liked a little better, Lindsey looked silly, but she didn't like it haha.
Jessie celebrated her early b-day on Friday by going to Pei-Wei and then playing lazer tag (yes, like an eighth grader). I had to babysit so I was only able to come to dinner for a little bit and then go, but it was good to be able to see her for at least a few minutes! Enjoy the rest of your b-day weekend. Don't party too much tonight ;)
If you have even stepped inside my house over the last few months, chances are you've been asked if you know how to play the game Settlers of Catan. We're absolutely addicted to this game. Like ridiculous, play 3 (or 4) times in one night (its a long game), every night over the summer, one time my brother and I even figured out how to play with only 2 people kind of addicted. So what would we do for my dad's b-day besides, of course, invite friends over to play Settlers.
(I don't know what is up with my brother's face in this one, but I liked it haha, besides it was worse in the other one.)
I think that's going to be my mantra throughout this whole thing. Every weekend I will say that I'm going to try and stay on top of blogging through out the week and then the week actually starts and I'm behind again because of school work.
Monday
I went to a labor day cookout at my friends' pool on Monday. This is a kinda awkward picture of me haha, but I love W in the back. It was fun to see these girls who I don't get to see very often cause, unlike me, they live in the real world (in other words, they've graduated from college haha).
Don't kill me, M, but I really found this picture funny haha. It was so awesome to get to see one of my besties from high school, M. We were theatre buddies together and I really miss getting to see her all the time. But you know, you can come hang out with me in Chapel Thrill any time you want, Ms. B!!! I love you!!!
Also, we went to Nosh, off Erwin Rd., SO good. You should go there if you haven't.
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!
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.
