Monday, May 26, 2014

Lists on Lists Baylor Edition

Guys. I'm a college graduate. How weird is that? I honestly don't feel different. Like I realize I'm not going back to Waco in August, but I'm not like WAHHH. Not that I expected I would be. I don't really cry often. Can we just pause a moment and acknowledge that the only time I cried or sort of almost cried or just actually got teary eyed at a graduation, it wasn't even one of my own? It was also my freshman year of high school. I didn't cry at all at my own high school graduation or at college graduation. My emotions are strange. Definitely missing Waco already though. It's barely been a week. As in it hasn't even been a week. Yet, I find myself thinking about Waco things all the time. I find myself seeing people in public that look like people I only saw in Texas.

So this was an idea I was going to do BEFORE graduation. But alas, time took over and ran out, so I never did it. It was supposed to be a daily thing for the 10 days counting down. I don't know what every number will be as I type this. This is a forewarning that it could get cheesy.

10 People Who Made My Baylor Journey
1. Heidi Stump- the first person to put Baylor on my radar when I was a freshman in high school
2. David Crowder- he had to be on here somewhere right? the first reason why I wanted to go to Baylor
3. Kelly Pickett- the first friend I made at Baylor. The only friend I've had for all 4 years.
4. Christine Lau- WW leader turned life groupie. Praises that I had you and Bethany as leaders.
5. Allyson Jacks- the friend who even when we haven't seen each other in forever, it's okay. Always up for adventures.
6. David & Eva Bull- my first life group leaders, who let me stay at their apartment before I could move in to mine on campus, who told me about social work, who loved me and who I always think of when I think of good cooking or constellations.
7. Sara Bates- the first person I met at my new section worship night, who didn't even know my name, but prayed for me, sweetest servant-hearted friend who lived right down the hall in NoRo our freshman year and we never realized it.
8. Erin Gentry-the 2nd person I met at that worship night who also prayed for me, a fighter, a fun, Jesus lover, someone who I look up to even though we're the same age
9. Anne Claire Cowan- the person who I couldn't have made it through senior year without, the only person I'm pretty sure I've had every social work class with except stats.
10. God- told you I'd get cheesy, but I probably wouldn't have come to Baylor if it wasn't for Him and for my parents' support and love that I know stems from their love of God.


9 Things because of Baylor and/or Texas living
1. I own cowboy boots.
2. I listen to country music when I miss Texas even though I hardly ever listened to it in my 4 years at Baylor.
3. Y'all. It rolls off the tongue so nicely.
4. HEB: Here everything is better.
5. I think I kind of like Dr Pepper even though I don't like pop (yep, haven't lost that one!)
6. I get extra excited meeting people not from Texas and when I see Indiana things.
7. I actually mostly understand what's happening during a football game and enjoy it.
8. I have sung and danced on a stage and liked it.
9. Home is more than just Noblesville, IN.

8 Things I'll miss about living in Waco
1. Sunsets and low humidity
2. Being able to walk to my friends' houses and campus (aka a nice hangout)
3. Cameron Park
4. Common Grounds concerts
5. HEB
6. Baylor School of Social Work
7. Friends from all over the country/world all in one place
8. Knowing that my Fall Saturdays would be Baylor football.

7 Songs that somehow relate to my 4 years at Baylor
1. This Ain't Rock & Roll- Steve Moakler
2. Jireh- Antioch Community Church
3. My Portion is You- Antioch Live
4. Keep Your Eyes Open- NEEDTOBREATHE
5. Little Lies- Dave Barnes
6. I am a Seed- David Crowder* Band
7. That Good Old Baylor Line- DUH

6 Things I learned
1. I learned that I'm not that picky about food.
2. That God doesn't make empty promises.
3. That a little motivation goes a long way.
4. That sometimes good things do happen after midnight.
5. That learning isn't the same as speed reading to finish an assignment because you know you have a quiz the next day.
6. That I'm not that same as other people and that's okay.

5 Favorite Baylor Traditions
1. Singing That Good Old Baylor Line at the end of football games, basketball games, other important things
2. Homecoming bonfire because who doesn't want to almost burn down campus?
3. Diadeloso because someone understood that students need a day off sometimes especially in the spring
4. The bells in Pat Neff playing every day at 5 pm because it's nice to stop and listen to or ride my bike by
5. Christmas on 5th because I love Christmas and the off chance that it gets cold in Texas

4 Concerts I Experienced because of Baylor
1. Chris August and Sidewalk Prophets- bringing the chance for awkward photos and surprise birthday gifts
2. Dave Barnes- 4 times in 4 years!!
3. NEEDTOBREATHE- the best Diadeloso musical guest
4. Mat Kearney and Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors- storming Waco Hall was worth it

3 Indiana friends I saw at Baylor (convenient that it was actually exactly 3!)
1. Brielle Peters- who would've thought you'd have a friend from Waco at Samford?
2. Heather Hochstedler- the best reunion, seeing you twice in my Texas home was surreal
3. Jordan Bear- that time you went to SMU and took a fan bus to pretend to be a Baylor fan for a game

2 Favorite Classes I took at Baylor
1. Sociology with Kevin Doughtery
2.  Social Work Practice I with Dennis Myers

1 Final Word
SIC EM BEARS.

(Sorry, that had to end like that. It was only fitting.)

Yep, I did it!


Tuesday, May 6, 2014

De Nile

It's been a whirlwind of a senior year. It still hasn't really hit me yet that when I leave Waco in 12 days that I won't be coming back anytime soon. I think I recognize it to some extent, but it hasn't REALLY hit me, you know? It's hard for me to imagine not being here at Baylor, in Texas, doing school. I'm probably going to go through one of those weird phases of nostalgia and regret and whatever else where all I can think about is the past and it feels weird and I don't know what to do with myself.

But I'll save all the reflections and such for a later post, perhaps it will be the final post of this blog. Sorry it's been severely neglected this year. Senior year was much crazier than anticipated. I also feel like I've gotten into this bad habit of not reflecting on things and not letting myself process which is kind of terrible.

So before I get all sappy dappy and reflection oriented about Baylor and college etc., I do want to indulge you lovely readers with a little bit of an update. Picture style! I think the last pictures I shared were from October. Yikes. I'll be selective.

Christmas on 5th!
Spent Thanksgiving with puppies, ha!


Final football game was FRIGID.

I made a worry doll at my internship. Looks just like me, right?

Finally got to experience Passion in Houston in February

Found the Waco Waterfall!

Celebrated Diadeloso in April!
Easter in Arizona with my sweet friend, Erica
Spring break trip to Edinburg, TX with Antioch



 So that's most of my year in a snapshot or two. It was a blast. Here's to 12 more days in Waco and to knocking out my bucket list!