First off, I would like to sincerely apologize for not writing for a while. It has been very hectic lately and I have struggled with finding time to let loose and confess all here.

This semester my five classes have been a lot of work. My journalism class is fairly based on common sense and involves issues I learned last semester but is still a challenge because when writing stories, if you have even one error you get a zero on it. I have never paid so much attention to the different variations of the name Anna before in my life. My English class is by far the easiest and the most relaxing. French continues to be the class I count down till the end of the days. My math class is pretty basic, after all it is math 142. It is math that you learn in high school but need to refresh on and it is the basic math that journalists need so I’m set. The more challenging class though would be sociology. It is one of those classes where I go everyday, take all the notes, follow along to the lectures and do most of the reading then a test comes along. I sit and take the test thinking I am doing good and must have gotten a good grade but then I look at the class average and it’s a 62%. I know this most frusterate others as well. It is very disturbing to not know what you are doing wrong when you are doing everything you can think of.

In addition to school, I have recently totaled my car and quit my job. Although I now have a new car and job as you can see life has been extremely stressful lately. Sadly, one morning on my way to school I got in a fender bender and had to say goodbye to my some-what faithful Marilyn (my car named after the one and only Marilyn Monroe). My boyfriend helped me find a very good car with low mileage and a clean exterior and interior. However, the car has no name yet. Last week I quit my job after three and half years. I figured it was time to move on and the drama was getting too strong I never knew what to expect. Monday was my first day at Kinder Care and so far I really like it. The kids are so much fun and they really can make the hours fly by. I also increased the amount of hours I work. Since I live on my own and school is a lit bit of a challenge I thought it would be wise to have extra cash on backup.

I hope all of you had a wonderful spring break and are looking forward to graduating in a few months.

Leave comments and questions, I’d loved to hear them.

Well it’s that time of the year again…Santa has brought us our Juicy Couture, Victoria’s Secret and pretty pink digital cameras. We have rang in the New Year with lip glossed smiles and only the cutest outfit we could get our hands on and now, well now it’s back to school for the second half of the year.

I started school last Monday and since I am finally settled in and don’t need to look at my schedule to find my classes I knew I could write this blog in peace. This semester I am taking five classes. For those of you who read my other bogs, you already know this but I am taking JMC 201, English 102, French 201 =( , Math 142 and Sociology 101. Unfortunately, I have classes all five days of the school week and for some reason I decided to take on the challenge of a 7:40 class. Overall waking up at 5:00 hasn’t been that bad but like many others my new years resolution was to exercise and eat healthier. Because I am (at least at the moment) very dedicated to keeping this goal, my 5:00 alarm is not helping the situation. On Wednesdays I leave my house at 6:30 and don’t come home until 6:30 p.m. As you can guess by this time I am very tired and not in the mood to run on the treadmill for a half an hour. However, besides this Wednesday drawback waking up at 5:00 has made me more appreciative of sleep and my Zune, which helps wake me up the right way. Energy Filled. Friday is my blissful, catch-up on sleep day because my class isn’t till 12:40…THANK GOD!

Being a week into the semester we have begun taking notes, getting ready for the first tests, and reading the first few chapters. So far it’s not bad at all. In fact, I am excited for this semester; but aren’t we all in the beginning? My prediction is that my Sociology class will be the one I have a passion for. That may sound a little strange since I have a news writing and reporting class and that is my major but honestly I want to be a magazine writer and not so much a news reporter. Hence, the less excitement.

Unlike the beginning of last semester it is the cold weather that is a little annoying this time but I would much rather have that then the scorching heat. I know someday I will happy with the weather; but probably not until that day is 76 degrees outside and sunny. All of my classes are close together which saves the anxiety of walking too far to make it to class on time and/or getting lost. Overall, I have high hopes that this semester will make me a very more knowledgeable, organized, better person. How about you guys?

Hope you all had a nice break and are still enjoying the excitement of the new semester.

When you think of college and being on campus, I'm sure politeness and kindness are the last things you think of. I never really thought about it either, until I started paying better attention to my surroundings.

As I was swaying back and forth on the Flash Bus, holding on for the sake of embarrassment, I saw an act of politeness. The bus made a stop and a few people got off opening some of the seats. I looked around to see if anyone was making his or her way towards the seat across from the door. A guy was making eye contact to the same grey seat I was. He was almost butt in seat when he looked up and saw me, the only girl standing. “Would you like to sit?’ I just smiled and said, “It’s ok.” Being a gentleman though, he said, “No, go ahead.” So I sat, smiled and said, “Thank you.” That was the first act of the day.

Next was on my way to English. I was just doing the regular, walking across Orange Street thinking of all the things I had to do that day when it hit me… Kindness Blog! I immediately opened my eyes and watched every interaction. Now, this wasn’t the first time this happened, but this is the first time I am sharing it with you. When many students walk into a building at the same time there is usually someone who will wait and hold the door open for everyone. Ok, so you may be thinking, “Kayla, what’s the big deal?” But I have to ask how often have you seen a high school kid open the door for classmates they don’t like, classmates they think are strange or weird and classmates they could care less about?

Another observation of mine is how outgoing most people are. If someone recognizes your face from a class they will start talking to you about the class or just about life is going. Recently, as you all know, was Thanksgiving and I heard and took part in many conversations about what people were doing for the holiday, if they were staying here or going back home or even about if they like turkey or not. It is really cool to be a part of this college life and see how so many people just grow on their own and branch out and make new friends.

And just think the next time you feel that you’re cool enough to be in college maybe part of the coolness should be based on how you treat others. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

It is reasonable to say that while you are in college your tummy will rumble, your stomach will clench with hunger and your strength will start to grow weak. No need to fear though these are all symptoms of a little thing called hunger. When this urge to eat strikes you there are many simple things you can do to satisfy the pain.

Like I mentioned before, keeping a slimming figure in college can be a bit of a challenge. However, it can also be very simple if you choose wisely. At first, I had a little trouble myself thinking of things I could eat when I didn’t want to spend too much money or didn’t have enough time to grab something so I got a little help from my healthy-eating boyfriend. Buying healthy crackers such as, Kashi, Triscuits and Wheat Thins is a great idea really because the taste is good, your stomach will be satisfied and the last thing you’ll be worrying about will be watching your weight. Not in the mood for salt? Well, that’s okay too. Cut an apple (good with a touch of salt I must say), an orange, a pear or a peach and bring it in a zip-lock baggy. If you keep it in your purse it will be all right for a couple hours because you will most likely be in air conditioning anyways. Grapes and raisins are also tasty snacks to bring to school. Neither sound like a hunger stopper to you? Nuts and granola are two choices that will also do you no harm, only good. Of course eating healthy may get a little boring at times and splurging on the occasional M&M or Snickers won’t make you gain the Freshmen 15, so why not, right? But just remember as long as you keep these healthy snacks in mind they will keep you focused, full, and healthy!

* Thanks for the comments. I read them and responded to some. Feel free to keep up a chat on the articles comments. =)

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Juggling is a skill that only a handful of people have but juggling classes along with work and maintaining a social life is a skill that college students become a pro at. In my few months of being a full-fledged Arizona State University student, the balancing bug has bitten me. I must share with you, my online friends, that at first the thought of going to work, doing well in school, doing homework, commuting and finding time to have fun with my boyfriend and friends gave me a little bit of a tummy ache. But I quickly realized I shouldn’t be such a worrywart; instead go about this change with an optimistic mind and hopeful heart.


Now, as I’ve said before there is not an overwhelming amount of homework but don’t let that mislead you. Just because there is no piece of paper to turn in with the correct college heading, there is still a lot you need to keep up on, such as studying. I probably spend 2 hours a day reviewing for my next day classes, (I should be doing four hours according to what the college says,) 3 hours at work a day, between 3-4 hours at school, 1 and 1/2 hours driving, 1 hour getting ready, 1 hour doing things around the house and 2 hours for dinner and evening relaxation. That adds up to thirteen hours! It is only a little over half a day but add seven hours of sleep and you only have about four hours left. That sounds like a lot of time but with all those activities needing to get done the hours of the day are all chopped up, causing those four hours to seem like really not any time at all. So just remember that even though you can’t pick up those three oranges and juggle them, you will be able to juggle all the responsibilities when it’s college time. Or, if you are having trouble in high school staying sane while keeping up with almost as many things, you can do it because the trick to juggling is just to keep a balance.

With only six more weeks to go till the end of the semester, I am beginning to glance ahead and take a look at the spring semester. In the Cronkite School it is mandatory you meet with your advisor. My advising appointment was today. I woke up early this morning, got ready and as I drove to school, my head filled with questions I wanted to ask. Now, I bet many of you are just like me and have a need to know everything, especially information regarding your future. My plan is to try and graduate early. Yes, that’s right I want to have the full on responsibilities of an adult. See, the thing is my “roommate” and I want to buy a house of our own. You’ve most likely figured out by now that my “roommate” is actually my boyfriend. The tricky part of wanting to own your own place is the money that it takes. So, the sooner I graduate, the sooner I can have a career, the sooner I make more money which makes it sooner to have a house. Pretty rational thinking I’d say.

Back to my advising appointment; when I asked my advisor about graduating early she gave me a look of pure puzzlement, as if I was crazy! The downside of my plan I discovered, is that because the Cronkite classes are set up in order it may be difficult to graduate early because I would need to take classes differently than the curriculum is set up. The good news, however, is that I can take my general studies classes during the summer at the chance that graduating early can happen and just at the fact that my course load would be lighter for the fall ’08 semester. Honestly, having five classes right now isn’t too challenging that I couldn’t do it again, but I would like to spend a lot of focus on my journalism courses since that is where my future lies.

Senior year in high school I changed my mind kind of late in the game on where I wanted to go to school, so I ended up registering late for ASU. This made me register late for classes and it is harder to get a great schedule that way. I advise you not to do this, but do make sure you are a making a decision about college that makes you happy. Anyway, I still have to fulfill my math credit. That class along with English 102, French 201, Sociology 101 and JMC 201 are what, at the end of my advising appointment I knew I had to register for. Wish me luck I beat the crowd when its enrollment time.


P.S. Don't forget you guys can leave comments. I'd love to hear what you guys have to say or any questions you have!

Walking around ASU not only are your eyes observing everything, but your ears are also working hard. In high school, the only things your ears wanted to hear was latest gossip or the two-minute warning bell walking to class. College however is a little different. Many times as I have walked from class to class I have almost run into someone or worse, got run over. Luckily though, my ears were with me all those times. I know, I know, I sound a little crazy, but it’s true, every sound is important when walking around campus. The sound of a bike’s tires being peddled faster and faster is an excellent tip to turn around and see if you need to get out of the way. After a while, you will get so used to hearing bikes that you will easily be able to determine how far away the rider is and even what side of you it is on. Bikes aren’t the only thing to hear for, but also rollerblades, skateboards, cars and feet. Although it can be difficult to hear the wheels of a skateboard on the smooth cement, try to pay attention because you don’t want to collide with the other person. I never realized how handy my ears would be walking around in college. The day I realized that I needed to step out of my own world and listen to what was going on around me was when I was just minding my own business walking to my car and then as I started to cross the street, I almost stepped right into the path of a bike. What stopped me was my sudden halt. It was then I realized my ears could stop this from happening again. Another reason it is important to hear your surroundings is that you don’t have to make a car wait for you but you can notice where they are and walk accordingly. Now, you may be thinking this all seems a little extreme, but I swear just giving your ears more of a job than listening to gossip you will save yourself the humiliation of running into someone and ending up on your butt.