schedule time!

Today, I completed one of my favorite activities... Updating my calendar!
For some reason, few things are more satisfying to me than wiping my dry-erase calendar clean and moving everything up by two or three weeks. It is the same feeling of joy I get during syllabus week when I crack open a fresh planner and pencil in every test and due date for the semester. Or the day my class schedule gets finalized and I can designate a new folder for each one. I guess it is just the event planner inside me. I am strange.
Today I took an exam I found out about last night. Luckily it was in my piece of cake floral design class. Coming up, my schedule continues to go crazy; three more exams, a lab practical, my sorority philanthropy event as well as a fundraiser, quizzes, mother's luncheons... It seems that all of my organizations and classes are on the same cycle, because after these next two weeks, I have two weeks of pure bliss. The biggest blip on my radar will be our Crush Party and finally Thanksgiving! Mmmm... stuffing and cherry walnut salad!

My excuse for writing so much today: I've got a lot of studying to do and thus a lot of breaks needing to be taken. I suppose I should get on that now...

Good luck with your activities!

And just for good measure, a little science cat.

kindness

During my time in college, I have been fortunate enough to have some amazing professors.
Things I love that they do:
1. They show pictures of their cats on the projector during class claiming things like “My cat is the smartest person I know.”
2. Teachers who acknowledge the 3:00 energy lull so they hand out candy as you walk in.
3. TA’s that were so recently students they still bash awful professors with you.
4. Things like this:



My lab professor had no reason to do this, but such a small gesture gave me a massive boost in confidence and reassurance that I’ve chosen a course of study that I can do well in.
The horticulture department is small but mighty here and each professor makes the effort to touch the lives of each student, despite their busy research schedules. I love kindness.
There’s no moral to this, just a happy thought I had today.
Have an awesome day!

sunday

this is a little long.. bear with me!

Life is funny sometimes.
Today started out in a very mediocre way. I wasn't in the best mood, but needed to study for my upcoming exams this week, so I dragged myself to the library with my boyfriend and set to studying. Like any good college student, I quickly found myself disinterested in my school work so I cracked open my plan B, Crazy Love by Francis Chan. This little book is not usually my favorite, but God had a plan for me today, and the tiny passage I read was a vital part.
I studied a small portion where Stress and Worry were defined, and the author went on to describe how those two actions were entirely sinful and unnecessary. I put down the book and discussed how ridiculous the claim was with Ryan for a few minutes. I just didn't agree with the way the author had phrased it.
"If I don't worry about studying for this exam, God is not going to take it for me," I argued. "And if I get an A, I'm not the type of person to react with 'Thanks for getting me an A God!' I would be proud of my A and know it was due to working my butt off and worrying about my studies." I understood where Frances Chan was coming from, just disagreed with the finite-ness of his argument.
Later, as Ryan and I exited the library, I ran right into my Entomology class teaching assistant, Kyle, who told me I was just in time for our review. Confused, I told him I had been sick for the previous lab and had no idea what he was talking about. He told me they had discussed in lab last week that it was unfair we didn't get a chance to meet for our scheduled lab time until after the exam, so we were holding a review session there for the next hour.
I sat down with a few of my other classmates, got a ton of information that I would have had no clue about due to the lab I missed, and got a huge feeling of relief from our discussions, and later went on my merry way, ten times more prepared.
It wasn't until I arrived at my car that I started thinking about how crazy that situation was. What are the chances that the one time I go to campus on a Sunday, that the exact minute I was leaving the library, my class would be holding a review in that exact spot? So many things could have thrown off this moment. Kyle could have walked towards the door one minute later, they could have been meeting across campus, it could have been on a different day, I could have quit studying ten minutes earlier. So much could have gone wrong, but it didn't.
God is constantly present with us. We are in His hands and following His plan, whether we are aware or not. So the lesson I am taking away from today is that we should not worry too much or stress to the point that we disregard others because it's true, our momentary problems are just vapors in this life, but that doesn't mean God isn't here walking by our sides through them, guiding us and cheering us on in every task we take, no matter how small! He may not take my exams for me, but there is no doubt in my mind He desires that I be successful. Place your life in His hands, trust fully that he wants only amazing things for you, and in the mean time, work hard like your parents taught you!
Have an awesome day!