Lenten goals

Starting tomorrow and going until Easter Sunday (April 4, according to my calendar.. a total of 51 days - I thought Lent was supposed to be 40 days long?), I have banned myself from Facebook, and my sister is cutting herself off from TV, including video games (!!), haha.

It's going to be hard, but it'll also be interesting, I think. My reasons for cutting myself off from facebook are more personal than spiritual, but I think it'll do me some good either way. Facebook is way too distracting, and like I said in my last status until April, goodness knows there are definitely better ways I could be utilizing my time, haha. Hopefully now I'll be able to focus my energy towards getting my homework done without getting sidetracked. I mean, sure, I could have just told myself to just get on, check things, comment here and there, and then get off and get to work, but I think my mind is too A.D.D. to really go through with that. I'd just get too easily distracted! Especially since I'm already so reluctant to do my homework as it is, haha. So yeahh, I figured cutting myself off completely for a while would do me some good. I already limited my time on Facebook today to just checking my notifications (most of which were in response to my "admirable" choice for Lent, haha.. it's kind of sad how many of our generation are so addicted to Facebook that we can't imagine not checking it daily, huh? Lol.) and I think that it's been a pretty productive night. It's Tuesday, and I've already done my hw for Thurs, started both math hw's for Friday. :)

Anyway, school focuses aside, of course I have some spiritual aspirations for Lent (and after) as well. Yes, on top of giving up Facebook I will still participate in fasting tomorrow and on Good Friday, and not eating meat on Fridays during Lent, but that is more to just do that together with my family. I personally am not sure exactly how doing those things will bring me closer to God, so I'm going to do more. I've been reading the Bible every day since the start of the year (using a NLT One Year Bible that Fields got like two Christmases ago), and I'm pretty proud of myself that I have kept up the daily habit. Of course I'll continue to do so, but I also want to explore and learn more in general about what it means to be a Christian. I don't want to get weighed down in the technicalities of how each denomination worships, I primarily want to focus on what I can do to be a better Christian first and foremost. I'm going to work on my relationship with Jesus Christ. It will be interesting to look at the differences and similarities in the beliefs and practices of the different denominations, especially as I consider what church I really want to go to (based on my relationship with Christ, not with Fields, or with my parents, or anyone), but I have to take things step by step or I will be overwhelmed.

At times, I already feel really overwhelmed. It's a hard situation I'm in since Fields and my parents have different biases and I'm kind of lost in the middle, but I know that I want to do this for myself, and I'm going to rely on God for help. I just have to keep praying for guidance and strength to be able to make the right decision.

Italy..

...here I come!

Well, not quite yet, but I'm sooo ready to go! Today, I finished up filling out my Study Abroad application forms and everything else that I need to get together for the first batch of forms :) There will be another batch for Pre-departure, but that's not til like April. The forms I put together today aren't due until March 1, but I've just been so excited! :) I feel like this is my first step towards Italy, and I'm sooo stoked! For the study abroad scholarship application, I had to write a statement of my purpose and goals in Italy, so I thought I'd share that here. I don't really expect to get a scholarship, but it doesn't hurt to try, right? I basically just wrote down my sentiments toward studying abroad, so it didn't come out so much like an essay as it did like I was just telling someone my reasons for wanting to go, which is still what I think they were looking for, sooo.. yep :)


STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND GOALS IN STUDY ABROAD
Having grown up in a Navy family, I have gotten to travel quite a bit. My family was stationed in Japan for ten years, and we got to take trips to places in Asia like Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, and Hong Kong. I love traveling, but I have never fully immersed myself in another country’s culture as I expect to with the opportunity to study abroad. Since I have never been to Europe, I picked Italy as my destination of choice. There is something about Italy that I find charming, from its rustic countryside vistas and vineyards, to the small towns and historic cities. I am excited to have the opportunity to go sightseeing in cities like Rome, Florence, and Venice and have my breath taken away by their majesty.

This particular program in Alba through SMCM also appealed to me because of the variety offered in the courses that students can take. Since I will have already completed the requirements for both my major and minor, as well as the General Education Curriculum, all I need to take are electives to fill in the number of required credit hours for my degree. The Alba program offers various courses in Literature, Economics, Religion, Music, and History, so I know that I will be able to get a stimulating educational experience on top of experiencing the wonderful Italian culture.

I anticipate my experience abroad will help me become more aware of how vast the world really is and to open my eyes to all the many other cultures there are out there. I am willing to step out of my comfort zone and into the entirely unfamiliar culture of a new country, and I hope that this will drive me to gain a better sense of self-confidence and independence, seeing as this will be my first time really away from home and on my own. Since this will be the last semester of my undergraduate career, these will be valuable traits to have as I aim to enter the “real working world” upon my return and graduation. I expect this program will provide me with a once in a lifetime experience whose memories I will look back on and cherish for the rest of my life, and I honestly cannot express how eager and excited I am to get started on this adventure!  

Bring it on, 2010.

So I know I hardly ever blog, but I'm kind of hoping that this year might see an increase in that. 2010 is going to be a big year for me; I keep thinking and thinking about it, but I still don't think all of it has completely set in. I make my lists and I keep looking to the future, and I wait in eager anticipation, but that's all it is right now: a list. Would you like to see my list? I'm pretty proud of it. :)

Biggies in 2010:

• Upon completion of the Spring 2010 semester, I will have completed both my math major and econ minor.
• This may very well be my last semester working at the Campus Store. As much as I love working there, I'm going to have to say goodbye eventually, and I think/hope that it will be this summer, because I'm hoping to get a job/internship on base that'll lead to a full-time job post-graduation.
• In June, I turn 21 years old! Yikes! Is it weird that I still feel 18, like it hasn't been nearly 3 years since I finished high school? Crazy.
• Come this fall, I will be going to Italy. That's right, ITALY! At least that's the plan. Considering that I'll be done with both my major and minor after this sem, all that's left is to take a bunch of electives to get the remaining required credit hours. So I figured, hey, why not do it abroad? :D
• Once I finish up that semester, I'll be done. Done with college! I'm wrapping up my college experience with a once-in-a-lifetime educational escapade in Europe! How do you like that alliteration? :P I'll have my Bachelor's degree, having finished up one semester early. Awesome!

So that's my list. It's not quite as long as I thought, but they're all kind of big stuff that intertwine and.. yeahh, it's just all pretty big stuff. :D

What happens after everything on that list has been checked off? I'm not quite sure yet, that part has me feeling kind of anxious. Hopefully I'll have a full-time job in line, that oughta get me started getting out into the "real world". I'll probably still stay at home for a while, although it would be pretty cool to get my own place.. all depends on the job situation, I reckon.

Regardless of my anxiousness towards getting out into the "real world" and really starting my own life, I'm so completely stoked to get this year going. This semester so far has been a drag, I'm just ready for it to be summer and get the balls rolling and move on to more exciting things! Like ITALY! I can't express enough how excited I am for that. Little anxioiusness in regards to that too, but mostly excitement right now. I have so many friends this semester that are studying abroad, so I'm living vicariously through them until it's my turn. I can't wait! That's kind of why I'm looking to blog more this year, I def want to keep an updated blog when I'm abroad so I can let my friends & family back here know how I'm doing. :) (and then they can live vicariously through me! ;P)

Also, summer is very much awaited b/c I am so, so tired of the cold D: I want to wear cute outfits that don't require layers and layers upon layers. I want to get more sundresses and be all cute in the summertime, haha. And, of course, I am already very much tired of the homework of this semester, there's very little excitement in them, so it just makes my waiting process feel even longer. :(

We had a snow day here in St. Mary's though, the college actually closed for the day, so no classes, so one more day of laziness. So the cold was good for that one thing, but not much else. I haven't left the house since Friday, the amount of snow out there is ridiculous and I rather like the warmth of my blankets upon blankets inside :)

Seeing as I've just started rambling here now, I think I'll just end with a couple pictures of the crazy snow that we got this weekend (second winter storm in the county! Unusual for us, but kind of cool I guess).

As I said.. crazy!