It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

I love Christmas. At the foundation of my love for this holiday is the genuine meaning of it, rooted in my faith. However, I have to admit that I also appreciate the tacky superfluous elements that go into celebrating December 25th every year. From brilliant light displays, to fuzzy Christmas socks, to giant inflatable Santas inhabiting front lawns, I love it all. One transcending contribution to the holiday spirit is Christmas movies. I am sure that many of you watch a few classics every year, and adopted doing so as a family tradition; back home, my family has done the same. Regardless of the movie genre, there is one consistent image, and that is the scene of Christmas night. Everything is peaceful and the ground is laden with snow...

Recognize this? It's the Home Alone house!

Unfortunately, this is a blaring inaccuracy. Christmas in Oklahoma was about 65 degrees this year, and that, honestly, is not too uncommon. In fact, I can only recall experiencing one white Christmas in my life. But not to worry, readers, when I returned to Penn State after a lovely hiatus back in Oklahoma, I was met with a plethora of snow and freezing temperatures (yay.)

I cannot begin to count the number of times people ask me if it snows in Oklahoma, and the answer is yes. We get occasional flurries, but it is exceptionally rare to see more than about four inches of snow on the ground. I was overjoyed to finally experience a legitimate snowfall, and it was incredible... for about ten minutes. Two friends and I decided to go outside to enjoy the pristine, fresh snow and take pictures. Our awed appreciation of the delicate flakes soon faded when Penn State was suddenly transformed into a tundra. I am sure that to many of you this was Mother Nature's amateur work, but to this girl from the South, this was Snowmageddon awakening for the first time to wreak havoc. 

This is absolutely something that I am not used to, but a huge part of college for everyone is being put in situations and needing to adapt to things we are not used to. For me, it just so happens that this new thing is the snow; however, I plan to fully embrace it. Being here at Penn State and enduring the cold gives me opportunities for adventures that I would not have had before. I am endlessly thankful for that and I already have my first new adventure planned: snowboarding (please pray for me...) I know that it is easy to grow complacent because we have already been here for quite some time, but that does not mean it needs to be boring. There are still new experiences out there just waiting to be had. Adventure is out there, so seek it out and experience it fully. 

So here's to a fantastic new semester! I wish you all the happiness you can possibly imagine and immunity from hypothermia. 

Pictures courtesy of 

Home Alone

UP

Knowledge

Well my friends, we have almost made it; the end of our first semester at Penn State is in sight. I'm sure we have all learned some incredibly valuable material in our classes; however, I would like to argue that some of the biggest things that we have learned had nothing to do with calculus, CAS, or whatever other classes you may be taking. Instead, the biggest revelations simply came from living life in a totally new setting. This semester marked a new chapter for all of us, and here a few things that it has taught me.

1. Girls are gross.
I know there is a stigma with boys and being gross, but let me tell you... nothing could have prepared me to share a bathroom with an entire dorm floor of girls. At home I shared a bathroom with my younger sister, and of course, this led to some sister rivalries about who left what out and whose responsibility it was to clean particular messes, but the dorm bathroom experience is an intensely escalated version of this. If you are on an all girls' floor, I urge you to be cautious.

2. Squirrels somehow manage to be adorable and terrifying.
I have always loved squirrels. At Penn State, I continue to foster my love for squirrels... at a safe distance. The squirrels here on campus are plentiful, and for a long time I loved seeing these little furry friends scurrying about campus and intermingling with the college students, until I heard one of them screech.


If you watched this video and were not struck with fear because of the hostility of these seemingly adorable and serene creatures, I applaud you.

3. If a random stranger starts talking, 99% of the time it's not to you.
Far too many times I have been walking to class and suddenly heard a random stranger say "hi, how are you?" or something along those lines. I excitedly turn around expecting to engage in a conversation with them because randomly striking up a conversation with a stranger is pretty normal in the South; however, they're actually on the phone using the microphone in their earbuds to talk. Unfortunately, it took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out why all of these people were  walking around campus awkwardly having conversations with themselves. Don't worry- mystery solved.

4. Regardless of how much you love college, when it's time for a break, you will be more than ready.
I have a confession... I've have a countdown to the second until Thanksgiving break since we first got here at the beginning of the semester. I have made some incredible memories so far at Penn State, yet I couldn't help but periodically check my countdown. No feeling comes close to cuddling your dog after months of separation and trust me, I am more than ready.

p.s. I promise my dog really does love me. 

SMAC to THON

As promised, to contrast the solemn subject matter in my last post, this post is focused on a happy topic... and what could possibly be happier than Penn State THON?

As the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, THON is an incredibly powerful event in which we can all come together and fight pediatric cancer. This organization is what drew me to Penn State, and it all started when I caught the "THON bug" in high school with another philanthropic organization.

Do you remember when you were little and the moment it became December first, you were prepared for Christmas, anxiously counting down the days until Santa would come grace your living room with a multitude of presents? However, as time went on this sensation began to dull, Christmases seemed to sneak up on us from year to year. Years later, I found myself immersed in that sensation once again, but this time for something entirely unrelated to Christmas, though it might as well have been a holiday: SMAC.

SMAC (Stillwater Makes a Change) was, without a doubt, the highlight of my high school career. Every year, our SMAC committee chose a local charity and spent the entire year planning, which ultimately led to a week in April full of fundraisers to benefit our selected recipient. We had events ranging from carnivals, to block parties, to talent shows, to a mini dance marathon, to the Mangeant, and many more. My favorite of these was unquestionably the Mangeant, an all-male pageant.

Senior year I was elected to the position of executive director for Mangeant, the largest event of SMAC week. When I accepted this position, little did I know that I was also accepting the role of "mom" to fourteen brave souls who wanted to compete for the coveted title of "Mr. SHS." Throughout the months of planning prior to the event I was entirely unaware of my motherly responsibilities until it was time for dress rehearsal. I had the revelation when I was asked, "can you safety pin my suspenders for me?" it then escalated to "will you watch me on stage and tell me if my butt looks okay in these shorts?" and "Is everything tucked where it needs to be?" In an odd way, seeing the guys express themselves in a vulnerable way was demonstrative of their genuine care for our cause, and at that moment all of the hard work and sleepless nights became worth it because I understood that my part in the entire ordeal had so much meaning, not just for myself, but for others as well.

Since coming to Penn State, I have shifted my focus to THON, and I could not be more excited... I mean seriously, look at some of what happened at last year's THON.
As a member of Dancer Relations, I am overjoyed to be an invested contributor in the team of volunteers who help execute THON weekend. There is nothing more amazing than being a part of something so much bigger than yourself, and this is certainly a prime example. Remember friends, have courage, wisdom, honesty and strength (The Four Diamonds) and do it FTK!!

Picture credits to
THON

Homecoming

Being so far away from home it is certainly easy to feel disjointed from what is happening there, but when it makes national news it is a different scenario.

A question that I am frequently asked is if we get a lot of tornadoes. People are in awe of their power and sense of mystique because they have never experienced one. They assume my home in Tornado Alley makes me some sort of an expert, but I am far from it. My hometown of Stillwater, Oklahoma fosters a community of people pretty comfortable when the tornado sirens sound, signaling that it is our time to seek safety. The reason for this is that we are situated in a bowl, so the powerful storms dance around our town and we are safe. Facing storms makes us feel invincible, and adds to our recognition of Stillwater as a little safe haven. In reality, we have no immunity when it comes to tragedy, and perhaps us failing to recognize this is why when something terrible happens, it seems as though the world stops spinning.

I am not going to bore you with details of the incident, but instead tell you what it was like feeling so disconnected from the town that shaped me. However, in case you don't want to sift through the numerous news stories here is brief overview of the situation...

In my hometown we pride ourselves with having one of the biggest homecoming celebrations in the country. The central event of the weekend is always a huge football game, and the morning of the game we have a parade. The weekend was filled with joy just as it always was year after year, until the parade was coming to a close. A driver, who wasn't part of the parade crashed into people watching. It sounds pretty bad, right? Well it definitely was, and the proof is in the outcome.

An incident like this is shocking regardless of where you are, but something like this so greatly juxtaposes the constant condition of Stillwater that the impact is immeasurable. I was casually scrolling through my social media to see my friends' pictures of their exciting first homecoming as OSU students when, on Twitter of all places, I saw a headline something along the lines of "Tragedy at OSU Homecoming." With a younger sister walking in the parade, an older sister studying at OSU, parents employed by OSU and the majority of my friends being OSU students, my level of panic peaked. Literally all I could do was call people to check on them and that was it. Thankfully, all of my family and friends were not involved.

The weirdest part is that despite such a terrible thing happening, all I wanted was to be at home. The best quality of my town is that when anything happens, everyone unites regardless of whether they are family or complete strangers. Stillwater is a family and even in Pennsylvania I am so blessed to be a part of it.

Side note: sorry for the forlorn topic, next week I'll try to do something happier like puppies or Insomnia Cookies.

Picture credits to
OSU Alumni Association

It's Not Easy

It seems like everyone who is a substantial distance from home came to Penn State as an escape. They were distancing themselves from overbearing parents, difficult high school relationships or bad towns. Coming here was simply a chance to run away. I was never running away; I was running towards something. Traveling 1,194.5 miles away from home was my attempt to seek something greater than anything I had ever experienced. The magnitude of Penn State drew me in and convinced me that it was where I needed to be, but let me be honest... it's not easy.

There wasn't any reason for me to run away. Stillwater was the perfect place; it offered a warm sense of comfort while I was surrounded by friends and most importantly, my family. We are the essence of dysfunctional, yet we balance each other out excellently. I know that a lot of you have the capability to leisurely drive home for the weekend, but I am not quite as fortunate. For that reason, I have decided to dedicate this post to my family and how we stay connected with minimal opportunities to see each other.

Throughout my life, my interests have been spread across a multitude of facets; however, there was always someone there for everything from watching me play viola, to cheerleading, to playing some ridiculous character in a musical. I think my family's constant, unconditional dedication to everything is what made Penn State feel so starkly different without them here.

 My dad was able to come up for parents weekend and it was fantastic. He hates shopping, but you know what we did A LOT of? Shopping, because he knows that I love it. He dedicated the weekend to giving me an escape from student life and that was exactly what I needed, and it was wonderful that he brought a little sense of home with him.

My mom just sent me a box of Halloween decorations. Her birthday is October 31st, so back home we took the holiday very seriously. Being able to continue the trend, even though I am not at home, truly meant a lot. Also, my mom somehow located this blog (creepy) and according to my dad reads every post aloud to him eight times and cries every time. In a sense, this exemplified her dedication to following me on my Penn State journey, and so I know that although my family isn't physically with me, they still are willing to offer a guiding hand like they always have.

My two sisters and I are about as different as three people raised under the same roof could be, yet I can go to them for anything. My older sister, Kela, is a senior in college, so she knows what I am going through while adapting to the new lifestyle that comes with being a college student. She has a passion for her work and what she wants to do with her life and that is something that I really admire and try to adopt for myself. My younger sister, Sydney, is my mini-me. As her older sister, I have done everything I can to be a good example and help her strive for success. I know high school is a crazy time where you're trying to balance becoming comfortable with yourself and search for what you want to do for your future, and I just hope that she knows how incredibly proud I am of her for all that she has accomplished and for all that she has the potential to accomplish in her future.

I can't dedicate a post to my family without mentioning the sixth family member, my dog. This is Charm and I miss her just as much as the rest of my family, but don't worry; we have regular FaceTime dates and I get daily Snap Chats of her... yes, I am one of those people.

Even though we are all so far apart, nothing has changed. While I am transitioning to this new chapter of my life, I am feeling their support more prominently than ever. Any time I am feeling lonely, they somehow make the most minute gesture to let me know that I am in their thoughts and I know they're still there for me.

Bracing for Winter

Growing up in Oklahoma, a pretty standard winter day was 40 degrees. Do you want to know something funny? Right now at Penn State, in mid October, it is 40 degrees... and it is simply not right. I was not informed that winter stifled the autumn season and only allowed it to be a pleasant temperature for a few short weeks. I express my dismay about the seasonal confusion and others always condescendingly respond "don't worry, winter will be much worse." Do you want to know something else that's funny? This only makes me worry more.

This morning I donned a sweater and a coat (I am entirely serious) to brave the winter equivalent weather. As I made my chilly journey to class, I saw other people wearing t-shirts, shorts and flip-flops... WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?? I had been continually informed that there were some interesting people in Pennsylvania, but this was far beyond my capacity of understanding. If my peers thought that this was "enjoyable" weather, then comparatively speaking, winter must be utterly miserable.

While wallowing in self-pity, thinking about the dismal weather and its inevitable decline to even more depressing conditions in the coming months, I checked the weather for the next day at home in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The moment I searched the weather, I was overwhelmed with jealously.

93 degrees in all its glory in autumn, what more could I ask for? I absolutely love the summer, and back home that means weather varying from a mild 80 degrees up to 110 degrees. After blissfully thinking about my love for heat, I turned my attention to the weather that I actually would get to experience and was met with a cruel joke.

State College is a brutal 30 degree drop from what I wish I could experience like my friends at home. I know that 63 degrees really is not too uncomfortable, but it might as well have been a freezing 32 degrees while compared to 93 degrees.

Fostering my sense of fear for the winter stimulated a search for a solution. Instead of studying (as I am sure that I should have been) I began to explore my options and just as the internet typically does, it yielded some interesting results. I decided to share my favorite three with you all.

Number 1)

I suppose someone thought that a simple turtle neck was insufficient for providing warmth in the winter. Naturally, the improved turtleneck consists of a full body knit "cocoon" if you will. Not only does it inhibit your ability to walk, it also severely restricts your vision, what more could someone want in a winter ensemble?

Number 2)

Next, I stumbled upon this beauty. Unfortunately, this is only available for infants and I may be short, but I am by no means THAT short. 

Number 3)

Finally, I found the ultimate solution to combat the cold. I am sure that you have all seen A Christmas Story, if not you seriously need to get with it and watch it. Thanks to this classic Christmas movie and Ralphie's killer style I know exactly how I will stay warm this winter in temperatures that I am completely unprepared to endure. If you see an unrecognizable person walking around campus dressed in a similar fashion, it is likely me.

Fashion inspiration brought to you by
All Day Chic
Nordstrom
A Christmas Carol

Peter Pioneer and his Covered Wagon

I am sure that you all have your preconceived notions about life in Oklahoma. If you have been following my blog, you are aware that I am seeking the opportunity to educate you all about the realities of life in the south from my perspective by defying expectations and debunking stereotypes. However, I have noticed something funny: in my modern community of Stillwater, Oklahoma, we know the stereotypes are false, yet we continually fuel them. This might be a relatively strange concept to grasp, but integrated into my contemporary high school are elements of stereotypes brought alive through traditions.

Here at Penn State we identify with the sleek image of the Nittany Lion and we proudly declare "WE ARE" in its name.

However, back home we epitomize the old south by identifying ourselves as Pioneers and hailing our mascot: the one and only Peter Pioneer himself. 

I am sure you are all in awe of the fine artistry it took to create our mascot. The masculine demeanor and solid jawline emphasize the power of our school, but in reality our mascot really looks a little more like this. 

Pretty sketchy, am I right?? Regardless of his not so powerful appearance in real life, we, for some reason, continue to affiliate ourselves with Peter (yes, we are on a first name basis) with pride. 

Not only do we have a coonskin cap adorned ambassador for our school, we also have a covered wagon in the center of our athletic center lobby for all to see. This is a cherished piece for our school, so it is roped off in the hopes that rebellious students will stay away; however, despite the administration's efforts, this has not always been a successful tactic. One legendary senior class somehow managed to break into the school in the middle of the night. They miraculously discovered how to remove the massive wagon from the athletic center. In my opinion, just taking the wagon in itself is an admirable senior prank, but they did not stop there. The following morning, everyone arrived at Stillwater High School to find the covered wagon perched on the roof of the school. 

Now that I am looking back on my time in high school, it's intriguing to see how bits and pieces of southern history are deeply woven into our high school. We recognize that pioneers and covered wagons hugely molded the beginnings of societies in Oklahoma, and although we have come a long way since then, we still continue to reflect on our history. I may not have descended from a long line of farmers whose family was brought to Oklahoma because of the Land Run, but I am certainly thankful for those who were. Because of them, Oklahoma was given the foundation to grow into an incredibly unique state; modern with hints of history laced throughout it.

Picture credit to

Penn State

and

Stillwater High School