Senior Year Blog

My schedule is finally set in stone. For a while, I thought that there wouldn't be any Tuesday or Thursday classes and no classes before 10:00am! That was too good to last. I think I came out pretty well anyways. My only 8:00am class is Ballet, a good way to wake up! Mondays are my only real killer days.. After 10:00am, I'm going from one thing to another until 10:00 at night. My Mondays are nice though as they free up blocks of time later in the week for focused studying, projects, and work study.

I'm going to need those blocks of focused studying to make an A in my Biochemistry course. I've already started making notes to memorize for the first test. We'll not only have information in the Biochemistry book to learn, but also little tidbits of interesting info from other sources, including tidbits from Organic, General Chemistry, and Biology, and lab exercises. I'm having nightmares about our first test already..

Even though I'm concerned, I'm not getting tunnel vision. I volunteered for Impact Alabama's SaveFirst free tax preparation project. Training will take place tomorrow and Thursday. This Friday everyone in the courses will take a test. If we pass, we'll be able to help file basic tax returns at the Judson SaveFirst tax preparation site. I figure not only will I be doing a truly useful project, but I'll also become a tax expert!  

Another project that I decided would be good to take on this semester is a half marathon training plan from a friend who is working up to the Music City half marathon in Nashville. I've gotten through the first couple of work outs. I'm a little worried that as the distances build I won't have time to fit work outs in during the day.. I definitely don't consider myself one of those 5am jogging types.  It's hard enough for me to get out of the bed in time to get ready for class. I've decided I'll just go with it as long as it can fit my schedule, then no stress. Some running is better than none at all.

This coming semester will be my last at Judson. I thought that it would be fitting to wear a dress that my mother wore to Christmas Tea and Vespers when she was a student at Judson to my last Christmas tea as a student. Surprisingly, the dress fit perfectly and didn't seem too very out of style.. I realize that I need to savor every blip of time I have here. This spring semester will fly in a hurry!

Course signups took place several weeks ago. It looks like I'll be in Ms. Bartley's Biochemistry, Ms. Susan Jones' Biochemical Nutrition, Ms. Castro's Spanish II, Ballet with Jill Coplen, Bioethics with Dr. Wilson, and of course one of Dr. Betty's voice classes. I'll still be working on the biology honors project. Dr. Wilson (my project sponsor and major advisor) is encouraging me to present what I have so far at the Alabama Academy of Sciences meeting this March. As well as trying to pull that together, I'm worrying over my applications to the two rural medicine programs - RMP at Auburn and RMSP at the University of Alabama. I already feel busy just thinking about the honors project. I doubt Biochemistry will be a walk in the park either.

In addition to all of that brainy work, I do plan to keep dancing and try to work on jogging. Unfortunately my jogging/workout buddy Christina is going to Australia soon.  (Check out her study abroad blog :)) I'll miss having accountability and am worried that I'll get sidetracked. I know it'll be a an incredibly fun and huge learning experience for Christina and can't help but be excited for her though! It's frightening how easy is is for me to get tempted into homework, papers, and other things I need to take care of during workout hour. I desperately want to finish my Judson years in good form. If you like working out and need a buddy this spring, let me know!      

Run, run, skid, run, slip, run....stay awake..exam..run run run run run... = Story of exam week.  

Today was insanely..I mean INSANELY busy. Here's a mashed together run-through of the last day of classes..The day before exams. 

 Not only did I have to study and do pretty much my normal Monday classes and routine - Spanish, Statistics, Voice, Workout, Spanish Lab, Ballroom dance club.., but I was also touching up a painting during lunch hour and attending a dance party instead of a normal dance club meeting..One hour after the dance party started, I quickly changed and ran to a pre-exam Statistics study session. Half an hour into the Statistics session, I had to get to the library to return books for my Alice Neel Painting I paper (The books were due when the library closed at 10:00pm).  I wasn't finished with my paper unfortunately, so had to hurriedly print page after page....When I finally finished the photocopies (Luckily I was allowed to stay well after the library closed), I ran across the hockey field in my heels to the science building to check on quail for my Biology honors project which were hatching, and check E-mails. I ran back to the dance room to clean up what was left of the dance party, then back to check on quail, which unfortunately had started attacking each other. In desperation, I called the person who was to raise them. Thankfully, he was able to meet me and pick them up within 15 minutes of my call! Following the drop off, I recorded data.. Finally made it home, looked in the mirror, and remembered that I still had face paint on from the dance party (I'd dressed up as a Harlequin doll from the Nutcracker, complete with red circle cheeks, eye wings, etc.) I'm sure my appearance gave everyone a good laugh.. I studied statistics for my exam the next morning and did a bit of work on my Alice Neel paper. I stayed awake as long as I could, crashed on the sofa, then got up a few hours later for my 8:30 am exam. When I showed up for the exam, I still had some of that thick Harlequin eye makeup on. It felt amazing to finish the exam..and take a power nap.

I've recently realized that during the day I have trouble concentrating on one project at a time for more than 15 minutes unless the due date is imminent.. Next to my computer I have a little notepad for jotted thoughts, project ideas, lists, and a ton of way too hopeful schedules. Most of the schedules say something like "ELLIPTICAL, paper out of the way tonight!, ELLIPTICAL!!" and really just a lot of random things that never end up happening. Exclamation points litter the neon colored sheets. 

I've made myself numb to exclamation points, neon paper, and cell alarms. I doubt I've been on an elliptical more than once this month despite the elliptical's presence on almost every single sheet. The only thing keeping me on my twice weekly jogging is an amazing running buddy who will send mean text messages if I even think of skipping. (If you're reading this running buddy, thanks a million!!) 

My cell alarm went off at least seven times this morning if you count my resets and not the snoozes. The phone calendar alarm with the high pitched ring went off too but I reset it by 10 minutes only to sleep through..So much for straightening my hair. When I sleep in, the only way to get things done is to pull my hair back in a bun, throw together something bland, make it to my classes, and stay up at night. Several cups of strong French Vanilla Cappuccino make me a jittery machine with absolutely no memory of what I'm doing. I get everything finished, but usually end up reading until the words blend.   

To get through December 7-11th (exam week), I've got to change my lifestyle. Statistics concepts cannot be remembered by the French Vanilla Cappuccino Caroline. An unhealthy Caroline who has breakfasts and suppers of French Vanilla Cappuccino with only snacks of normal food can't really be as competitive as the Caroline who first came to Judson. Old me was a well-rested Caroline who looked forward to hopping out of bed at the very crack of dawn. 

I've made a resolution to stop being hopeful. Projects will still get done by the French Vanilla method if necessary, but no more neon paper and schedules with exclamation points. Cell alarms will be set at the last possibile minute, but will not be reset..and no more Cappuccino breakfasts!