I'm Going to College

Last Friday, I got my first college acceptance letter! I was accepted into Bellarmine University. I was very excited when I read the first sentence. Knowing that I will be going to college next fall is a great feeling. 

I opened the letter right before leaving for work on Halloween. Please ignore the minion costume. 

On Tuesday I took a tour of Bellermine and I realized that I didn't like the college. Sometimes you just don't fit right on the campus. 

At this point most of my college applications have been sent it. I get more excited for the mail to come now then I did when I was a little kid. I basically watch my mailbox like a hawk.

Trick-or-Treat

I forgot how much fun it is to wear a Halloween costume until this year. At my school, only the seniors are allowed to wear costumes to school on Halloween. The past three years I have walked the halls on Halloween admiring all the seniors, wishing I could dress up. 

Well this year I was finally allowed to and I used my freedom to dress all the way from Minnie Mouse ears to pink slippers. I had three different costumes this year. One for school and two for my work. 

At school I dressed up as Mermaid Man and one of my friends dressed as Barnacle Boy.

Obviously we had to take a picture posing like this:

Note the pink slippers.

There were some pretty awesome costumes. Some people are really creative. 

One of my friends was Darla from Finding Nemo.

She was a senior in high school and a senior citizen.

This guy was fishing for compliments.

On Halloween at worked I dressed up as Minnie Mouse. 

And on Friday night at work we all dressed as minions.

What a great looking group of people.

You Have to Kiss A Lot of Frogs...

To find your Prince Charming. No, I'm not going to talking about my love life, I'm talking about finding the perfect college.

                                                                    I really love that coat.

I have been looking at several colleges and the search has not yet ended. On Friday, my four day fall break started. I took advantage of the day off and my mom and I took an hour and a half car ride to go on a tour of Hanover College. I really, really liked it. It's a little expensive but it was absolutely gorgeous. It reminded me of Gatlinburg with all the wooded area, rocks and leaves. They have a lot of hiking and there are even waterfalls nearby. It's pretty small with slightly over 1,000 students but that's what I want. 

Seeing all these colleges is just making the decision harder because I fall in love with all of them. Like I said earlier, you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find the perfect college?

It's not a sprint, it's a (half) marathon

On Saturday October 19, I ran my first ever half marathon. The Cincinnati half marathon with 1,500 other people. It was an amazing experience, spending 12 weeks training for a race that will take two hours. It is a true test of strength, will power and determination. I have already been asked if I'm crazy enough to do it again and the answer is that I'm already trying to convince my mom to let me run another one in two weeks. I have been wanting to run one for a few years now and I decided I should do it before I head off to college next fall. I was not really a runner before I started training this summer but that didn't stop me.

Through this experience I have learned a lot about myself and about running in general so I decided to compile a list of 13.1 things I have learned from training for and running 13.1 miles.

1) Not all dogs are friendly. I did a lot of my training in my neighborhood and the surrounding ones. There are a lot of dog owners, some let their dogs roam the yard freely. I have been chased down by a dog twice and although neither one bit me I was still afraid for my life. I also learned that dogs love to chase people who are running and when you run away from them it makes the situation worse.

2) There are some crazy drivers. Every time I cross a major road while running or even walking, I use the crosswalk, yet I have almost been hit two or three times in the past three months. Also not everyone looks behind them while backing out of their driveways. That has happened to me once, if I would not have stopped, they probably would have backed right into me.

3) Sweaty bands are amazing. I bought one of their headbands so I could wear it to the race, it's really cute because it's pink and says 13.1 all over it. See the picture above. Anyway headbands have NEVER stayed on my head. This one did for the entire race. I was so impressed.

4) My family really loves me. On race day they came with posters saying "Run Amy Run" and "We Love You" and stood at miles 1, 3 and 13. When I crossed the finish line and my family met up with me, my mom was crying and telling me how proud she was. The one I'm holding in the picture, my sister made because Beeze is my nickmame. I don't know why.

5) Runners are really nice/awesome.  Part of my course was out and back so when I was on mile 7 there were people on the other side of the road on mile 11. The girl behind me was clapping and cheering them on. There were also a lot of high fives between runners. There is a community feel when your suffering through 13 miles together.

6) Mother Nature can be mean sometimes. Running in the rain is not one of my favorite things. Before my race I had run a few short distance runs in the rain but on race day it rained starting on mile three and then it started pouring around mile seven. I was drenched by the end. Luckily my loveing family was waiting at the end with a jacket for me. 

7) People are really creative. The crowd support for the race came with posters. I didn't have my glasses on so it was hard to read some of the signs but my favorites were "You Run Better Then The Government" and "Run Like You Just Stole Something." I also loved all the kids giving out high fives.

8) You always run faster during a race. My training time was a 10:30 mile and my race time was a 9:50 mile. You gain a lot of adrenaline.

9) Music is my best friend while running. I don't know what I would have done without Katy Perry's "Roar" or Alicia Keys' "Girl on Fire." And don't make fun of my taste in music.

10) Carbs are awesome. They give you lots of energy and help you run. I ate pasta almost every night the week of my race and I think it really helped me. Also water is really cool too and when they offer you water during a race, drink it or else you will end up regretting it.

11) You will look gross after a race but so does everyone else. If you don't then your not human. Because of the rain, I basically looked liked a drenched dog when I was finished. Also, my perfect fishtail braid fell out around mile four and my hair was just kind of wet and the ponytail was basically nonexistent at that point. Again, see the photo above. It is the farthest thing from a fashion show.

12) It's important to reward yourself after a race. I spent the day laying on my couch, icing my knees, watching movies and eating ice cream while wearing my metal.

13) Finishing a half marathon gives you such a sense of accomplishment. I have run a lot of 5ks and a few 10ks but I have never actually trained for a race. Having a goal, training for it and then achieving it is one of the best feelings. I did 90% of the training by myself, probably because most people don't want to wake up at 7:30 on a Saturday to go run ten miles or go out in ninty degree heat to get a few miles in. I think that shows a lot about my mental strength. 

13.1) You can do anything as long as you have determination and it could end up being one of your biggest accomplishments.

If you were woundering, my time was around two hours and ten minutes, I don't know the official time yet because they haven't posted the results online yet. In total I ran 216 miles while training and went on 46 runs. But hey, I'm only half crazy.

Homecoming

Last Saturday was my senior homecoming dance. It was a very bittersweet event. This year was pretty low-key but that made it so much more fun. I painted my own nails and my friends did my hair and make-up. I got my dress at Platos closet which is basically a tradition for me because I have bought it there every year.

All of us girls met up to get ready for the dance and it made the day more fun. We had pictures at a beautiful park. There were a lot of other groups there but that didn't keep us from taking pictures on the beautiful steps. We had to wait a while as the other groups took pictures but I'm a fairly patient person. 

     The sun was a little bright that day

Dinner was at one of my favorite restaurants, Bucca Di Beppa. We shared pizzas and pastas while trying to act elegant. 

Then it was time for the dance. I have gone to all four homecomings and each one of them have provided me with a different experience. I absolutely love school dances, you get to dress up all fancy and show off embarrassing dance moves while spending the evening with friends, it's perfect. However, some years have not been so perfect, but this year was memorable and fun. 

I had on heels before I got there, I promise.

During the dance I kept thinking about what homecoming would be like next year and then I realized there is no next year, there are no more homecomings. Sad face. 

All four homecomings. Please notice there was a flower in my hair every year.

Also a part of homecoming weekend was the game. We lost because I guess our football team is not very good this year but that's okay. I still had fun. 

Normally each grade makes a float for the homecoming game but this year they switched it up. We had a dance off instead. All four grades preformed their dance during the homecoming pep-rally and the winning grade got to preform during half time at the homecoming game that night. Seniors won! 

             We even got a ribbon!

I am not a good dancer by any means but I went to the practices during spirit week and preformed because it's senior year so YOLO I guess. 

You can watch the dance here 

http://youtu.be/4tmjhNmX3Es 

"I've Got Spirit How 'Bout You?"

Last week was homecoming week, which means it was also spirit week. Because I'm a senior I got special privileges. For decade day I got to dress like I was in the 80s and on class color day I got to wear black. Wearing black on class color day is what Turpin students look forward to starting their freshman year. It's such a fun tradition and privilege. Also on class color day, the seniors get to run through the hallways of the entire school before the first bell rings while the other grades cheer us on. There is always so much excitement in the air during spirit week. My week was a little extra exciting, on Monday morning I fainted during spanish class and on Wednesday evening, the restaurant I work at had a mini fire because of the air conditioning system. 

Please enjoy the matching senior shirts my friends mom made for PJ day.

Eighties Day!

Seniors!

My (Last) First Day of High School

It had to happen eventually. Summer ended for me this past Tuesday and I had my last first day of high school on Wednesday. Just like every other year I had a hard time falling asleep on Tuesday night and I woke up early on Wednesday. I was excited!

Before I left, my mom was sure to get a picture of me holding a picture of my first day of Kindergarden. How sentimental. She took the picture again when I got home because the memory card was missing that morning and the picture didn't save. I listened to High School Musical 3: Senior Year because let's be honest, what else would I listen to while driving to school on my first day of senior year?

It felt pretty great to be the oldest in all of my classes and have seniority. The past three years my math class has been filled with students one grade above me and the same for my physics class last year. My Spanish classes also had upperclassmen in them. It is awesome to be in classes with students under me, it boosts my confidence.

Being in Spanish five is really cool. I feel so superior, there is only a group of us who have made it to Spanish five and we are the top foreign language learners in the school. Being a journalism three student this year is also awesome. I'm one of only a few people this year who are in charge of running the school newspaper. Basically I'm a top dog.

This year I feel so experienced and I love the classes I'm taking. Only a few of the classes I'm taking are required and the rest are classes that I want to take.

Of course I thought a lot about my first day of freshman year on Wednesday. It was horrible, I got lost and ended up in a senior physiology class. I sat down and the teacher got through the attendance list before I realized I was in the wrong class. One of the teachers standing in the hallway had to help me find my history class and I got there late. Embarrassing. The rest of that day was a blur. I really wish I had a picture from that day but I'm sorry to say one was never taken.

Back To School

Last week I got my senior schedule. Where has the time gone? I can clearly remember my freshman orientation, we had to walk around the school and try to find our classroom and then the bell would ring and we would have to find our next class. I got lost after the first class and for the rest of the hour I walked around aimlessly. Freshman year I also couldn't figure out what lunch I was in and so I had to ask one of the older girls on my soccer team. It was clearly listed on my schedule.

Walking into school for the first time as a senior felt a little weird. This is the first year that I didn't have to talk to my councilor about a schedule change and the first year that I actually felt confident enough to not have to walk through the school to find my classrooms.

I am happy with my schedule. I don't have to go from the basement to the top floor this year which I had to do freshman and junior year. I don't have the last lunch again and I have a study hall last bell second semester.

The great thing about senior year is that I have already had half of my teachers for a class before which is good for when I have to start thinking about college recommendation letters. 

I finally got a senior locker! Since my last name starts with M my locker is in the middle of all the other lockers. After having a basement locker for the past three years, being excited to have a locker that's not underground is an understatement. 

Last week I was also supposed to get my senior parking spot, however they ran out so I had to settle for a junior spot. At least I will get some exercise from walking a little farther every morning.

Also, here is one of my senior pictures. I know I'm a little late. I only got one digital copy because they were a tad overpriced, anyhow this is my favorite picture.

 

Well school starts on Wednesday and I can't wait. Finally being at the top after three years of being looked down upon is something to look forward to. Wish me luck for a good senior year!

 

Heidelburg and Otterbein

The final day arrived and it started with a tour at Heidelburg University. I really love the campus it has grey brick buildings that remind me of England. I loved that it has a street running down the center of it and it is a fairly small campus. Our tour guide was so passionate about the school, it made me excited about finding a college and falling in love with it.  I can see myself living at Heidelburg University.

Then it was off to a preview day at Otterbein University. I loved the campus, I loved the brick streets and you can’t beat the location. It is in the center of a very small town but its only ten minutes away from Columbus. It’s the best of both worlds. Otterbein is also awesome because it’s a University but it has a liberal arts program and they gave me a free T-shirt. It’s also only two hours away from my house.

After seeing seven college campuses in three days it was time for a much needed shopping trip. My mom and I stopped at an outlet mall on the way home and it just so happens that Coach was having a fifty percent off sale on almost everything in the store. I bought a purse and wristlet, a treat for myself after working at a pizza place almost every Friday night along with most Saturdays or Sundays. I do love the smell of new handbags.

I am so glad I looked at all these colleges, I feel so much better about making a decision later on this year. There are still a few schools I want to look at and I want to go back to a few once school starts and students are living on campus to get the true idea.

Baldwin Wallace and Bowling Green

Day two started a little slow. I can never sleep in hotels or any other place that is not my bed, can anybody really? Our hotel was less than a mile away from Baldwin Wallace University and when we were driving by it I liked it and then we kept driving and realized that the campus was actually a little bit big and that it was quite a walk from one side of the campus to the other. When I had to stop and catch my breath I decided I would not be a student at BW. Maybe I exaggerated that a little but you get the point.

                                  

I know that it’s called a COLLEGE road trip, but the second part of the name is road trip so my mom and I decided to have a little fun while we were close to Lake Erie. We found a lighthouse and climbed to the top.

I know my hair is a little crazy, it was very windy and I forgot to bring a hair tie. We also decided to stop at a drive-through zoo, I mean it’s a zoo that you drive-through, how could you not stop. We got to feed the animals so basically llamas, deer and bison were joining me in the passenger side of our Camry. See the picture below. 

Also enjoy this photo of me feeding a zebra a carrot, who knew they liked carrots.

And here is a picture of a giraffe sticking its head through the sunroof of the car in front of us. Needless to say our car was in need of a wash after that experience.

After a little fun we got back on the road and drove to Bowling Green State University. I really wanted to see the school because I have been told that it’s a beautiful campus. Its way bigger then I would even consider but still we were close and I just wanted to take a look, I really wasn’t impressed. You win some and you lose some.

Capital, Muskingum and Mount Union

Day one began with Capital University. My mom went there when the dinosaurs roamed the earth, okay not that long ago and absolutely loved it. I was excited to see her alma mater and ended up really liking the school.

A good start is never a good sign for me; it usually means my (bad) luck will catch up with me later. A road trip, of course, is never complete without construction, toll booths and the occasional tornado warning along with flash flooding. As you can see below luck is never on my side.

The next stop was Muskingum University and I could tell as soon as we pulled up that it was not going to be where I spent my college years. I walked on campus and walked right back off.

Another favorite part of road trips in constantly searching for a good, or at the very least bearable, radio station. It was a hard decision between oldies and country. Pictured below are the endless rows of corn that inspired my radio station picks for the trip. It was country.

The final stop of day one was to the University of Mount Union. It is absolutely gorgeous, the buildings all looked new but were built with brick to give it that old time look, and it’s a perfect size. It’s also part of a small town and they get really into the football team. The only bad thing about it is that it’s over four hours away from my house which is a little farther then I want to be. Still I could see myself there.

Road Trip!

The traditional college road trip, the one where you spend months mapping out what universities you want to see, the one where you plan tours with the administration and meet with the professors. Yeah, I didn’t have that one, but nonetheless I did take a college road trip with roughly only two weeks left of summer vacation. The trip was planned on a whim, if you could even really call it planning. My mom suggested I request off work a few days to go look at some colleges, only nine days later we set off on our journey, a practically unplanned college road trip. Calling it last minute would be an understatement, I didn’t decide which colleges I wanted to go to until the day before and still while traveling I added a few.

Another thing that sets me apart is that I would rather not tour a campus in the sense of someone showing me around. Within the first five minutes of walking on a campus I can tell you if it’s a contender. I don’t care how good of a school they are or how good their programs are, if I can’t picture myself walking around on that campus, there is no way I am going to spend four years there trying to make that picture. Some schools just aren’t “me” and “me” is very particular. What I’m looking for is a small school, anywhere from one to three thousand undergrads, brick buildings (non negotiable), a small campus (I get lost easily), be surrounded by a small town and be anywhere from an hour and a half to four hours away from my house.  A girls got to have standards right?

Last minute, of course, I decided to visit some colleges in my very own home state, Ohio. The three day trip was far from perfect but I did end up discovering some colleges that maybe just maybe I can see myself living on.

In Exactly Four Weeks....

I will start my Senior year of high school.

My Last School Picture

Hello again,

     Last Tuesday I got my senior pictures taken. It's hard to believe that's the last time I will stand in line and try my very hardest not to look awkward, which is a very difficult task, while I smile for the picture that I will be remembered by. Twenty years from now when one of your classmates looks at their old yearbook that's the picture they will see and they will flashback to that awkward moment. No pressure huh?

      Glutz photography took my photos and I am very happy with them. It took me a very long time to decide on three outfits, how am I supposed to choose when I love all my clothes? It turned out an hour long session is long enough, I was very worried about that, and the photographer allowed me to use any of the props in my photos and was very patient when I took forever to decide how to pose. I am a very indecisive person. Most of my photos were taken outside, it was a gorgeous day and I could not have asked for better weather. I think my hair cooperated for the most part and I looked tan after spending the entire day before laying on my deck with tanning oil. 

     It truly is hard to imagine that a year from now I will be packing my room up and headed to college. Which reminds me, I should probably start doing some college tours. Procrastinate much? 

     On another note, I saw my first legal rated R movie in theaters this week. How exciting! I felt like such an adult when I got carded. I guess growing up has some perks. 

     That's for reading and feel free to come back anytime.

     

It's Official

Welcome Back Friends,

     On this beautiful day the class of 2013 graduated. That means its official, I'm a senior. A SENIOR. It has yet to sink in though. I don't think I will feel like a senior until school starts next year or maybe when the first senior thing happens to me and I get my senior pictures taken this summer. Congratulations class of 2013 and make room for class of 2014. It's our turn. Check in again soon.

Senior Year is Nearing

Hello Internet Friends,
     My name is Amy and currently I'm a junior in high school but that's about to change because this school year is coming to an end. I have never blogged before but I thought it might be a fun thing to do. When choosing a blog topic I decided to blog about my senior year of high school which is just around the corner, or summer. Some people document that last year before adulthood with pictures or Facebook posts but I have decided to blog about it. I'm excited for my senior year. I'm excited to have a senior locker and senior parking spot. I'm excited to wear black on class color day and dress up for Halloween. I'm excited to choose a college and walk at graduation. If you can't tell, I'm excited for next year. I promise not to post all the time and also to stick to the subject of anything and everything senior year. I hope you check in again sometime.