But In My Heart's the Memory

So I woke up this morning to a startling realization…NO CLASS! AH!

I feel like a kid getting ready for summer vacation, except, this is it. 

School is over and out. 

I’m done (for now). 

It’s slowly sinking in…

As I was getting ready to leave my Sports Marketing class for the last time, a friend of mine pulled me back and said, “Wait!” I looked back at her, startled, and asked,

“What?”

“…This is the last time we’ll be leaving this class…”

“Oh…that’s right…Let’s do it together!”

So side by side we stepped across the threshold of our last class as undergrads in Baker Hall (not counting finals) hehe.

It’s been quite a long and rewarding journey. For all the ups and downs, I’m thankful for the time I’ve spent here. The new faces and places will stay with me forever. Thanks Bradley. Thanks for everything. Ciao for now!

Almost!

As my sleep deprived eyes glare wearily at my portfolio shining through the computer screen, something occurs to me…sleep would be a good life choice.

It’s always the vicious cycle that seems to go something like this: 

Can’t sleep because portfolio needs to be done. 

Can’t get portfolio done because sleep is needed. 

There is no way to win this argument with the brain. So I close the laptop, take a deep breath, and try to get a few Z’s.

*Few moments later…

Brain, “Something is due tomorrow...”

"Gah!"

Such is the wild roller coaster ride that is Finals. Whether you’re graduating or moving on to the next great semester, there’s something great and terrifying about the final weeks of school. 

So, whatever stage of the “freak out” you might be in, hang in there; we can do it!

Just Some Thoughts

It’s a lovely shun-shiny day in the atrium lounge and I have come to a very important conclusion (for me anyway). Though I love to write, I realize keeping up a blog is tough work. I find myself seeking some profound fact or epiphany to share with viewers; even though my goal at the onset of making this blog was simply to make someone smile. I didn't really have a set of specifics to follow, such as recipes, dinosaurs, or how to's. I guess it can be easy to get caught up in worrying about what to say. This can be good though, as oftentimes people don’t think before posting whatever they feel like out in the Social Media world. Either way, finding that balance is a bit tricky. 

I could go off on a random tangent right this very minute about Dilophosaurus; because Dilophosaurus' are awesome. They were residents during the early Jurassic Period. Though not much taller than a human, their most distinctive feature was the round "crest" that occupied a large part of their skulls. You may remember them being featured in Jurassic Park when Dennis tried to escape the island.

In Three, Two, One...

Are you feeling stressed?

Feel like you’re stuck in a feedback loop of never-ending assignments?

Is your brain going to implode upon itself?

Well then congratulations ladies and gentlemen.

You’ve made it to *insert drumroll here *

PRE FINALS MADNESS!

Well, here we are social media classmates. I know we’re all probably feeing a bit stressed and overwhelmed; Still trying to find that balance between sleep, work, school, friends,…and feeling like you can only choose one or two things out of that list in order to function properly and get everything done…and let’s not forget our old friend procrastination, who likes to show up uninvited to parties…

But fear not, we’ve made it this far and we will survive-it is the final countdown after all and I believe in us.

I don’t know how reliable these tips are, but I stumbled across this article and it might prove itself useful in the coming weeks. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/30/final-exam-stress-10-ways_n_2212729.html

Here. Have A Tree.

Folks, here’s a blog where I go off on a tangent about trees.

I love them.

From the gnarliest oak to the weepiest of willows; they fascinate me. It is more than their appearance that I have come to appreciate though. Consider the following:

A Bristlecone Pine, given the name Methuselah, is roughly 4,765 years old. Just take that in for a moment. 4,765. That. Is. Pretty. Darn. Old. The things that tree must have lived through…

Even Peoria’s own Burr Oak off of High Street is a most impressive being. My understanding is that it was alive during the American Revolutionary War and during Peoria’s first settlement.

And don’t get me started on the largest living organism, the General Sherman Tree; which is a massive, majestic Sequoia tree residing in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. In terms of sheer volume, it is the largest tree in the world. “According to the National Park Service, the General Sherman Tree is 274.9 feet tall with a circumference at the ground of 102.6 feet.” Incredible.

These trees, and countless others, have seen so much of history…of life.

It’s humbling to me. Imagine if they could see, hear, and feel, as we do… for that length of time. Oh, the stories they could tell.

This week’s blog brought to you by the letter T and by my train of thought. Thanks for making it through my tangent. Have a nice day. ;)

http://traveltips.usatoday.com/general-sherman-tree-61028.html

Step By Step

I cannot stress enough the joy I get from reading Guy Kawasaki's book. As a graphic designer, I want to enchant people through my work. I want to make the world (or maybe just one persons) life better with the skills I have and am continuing to learn. I always say that if I can make even just one person smile, then it's been a great day. I try to stick to that and help bring joy into the simplest and/or smallest things. Sometimes I get so caught up in thinking about the future...how to promote myself, where to work, among other life stresses...I forget to start in the moment where I am. Even writing this blog could be considered one of those moments; if it helps inspire someone to take a look around and breathe during a busy day. I think we're all capable of enchanting others in our own unique way. We just need to remember that.

Go Stand in a Lighthouse

Greetings and Salutations! 

Well, we just pulled into the drive and to tell you the truth, I want to turn right back around and head out on another adventure. It was great to get away for a while. Mind you, I can’t say I was entirely disconnected from the social media scene; I still checked Facebook periodically to upload photographs of our shenanigans and what not. Social media holds a large spot in our day-to-day lives, but it was and is nice to not think about it for a time. I don’t want to always be reaching for my phone. When I was standing in the oldest wooden lighthouse in Canada; watching Lake Erie’s frozen waters gleam in the sunlight, the last thing on my mind was “Oooo I should Tweet this”. My family did want me to post certain events online as they occurred, such as our St. Patrick’s Day festivities and our meeting with the Stanley Cup. For moments like this, social media made for a fun time bringing us together and sharing a laugh. At the same time, I didn’t feel an overwhelming need or urge to keep checking my devices. A goal of mine in the social media world has always been to stay active and connected, without feeling like I’m being consumed. I think I achieved it on this trip, and I hope to keep up with it in the future. 

Switching gears here; the lighthouse I referred to is in Port Burwell, Ontario. It stands next to Port Burwell’s Marine Museum. Near it, you will find the incredible submarine Ojibwa, which you can tour (highly recommended). The lighthouse was completed in 1840 and stands sixty-five feet high. Renovations took place in the 1950’s, but much of the original lumber remained. I have always had a soft spot for lighthouses in my life, so going up into one took my breath away. There was room for…well, the lamp lens...and that's basically it. I barely fit! It was peaceful. I found myself thinking about all the ships it helped guide to safety over the years; and the sadness of the shipwrecks it must have seen...

And wow, what a view.