Random Facts About Me

So I started this list before the recent craze of posting random facts in Facebook statuses but I just finally finished it. So I thought I would post a longer list here. Hope you enjoy! =D 

1)   I have my ear lobes pierced, 2 other ear piercings, and am planning on getting at least 2 more done.

2)    I may seem nice and sweet, but that clearly means you haven’t gotten on my bad side. :P But no, for the most part, I am really nice.  

3)    If I could eat bacon for every meal of my life, I would. Too bad my arteries don’t allow for that.

4)    If I lived in a fantasy novel, I would want to be an elven mage who specializes in archery. I would also like to be a Dragon Rider. (Just a bit obsessed with the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini)

5)    I used to be terrified of roller coasters when I was 10. You couldn’t get me to go on any of them.

6)    I played a ton of sports as a kid. I played softball, basketball, soccer, and volleyball (only for one year. I was terrible!!) .

7)    When I was little, my dream was to get my Gold Award for Girl Scouts. But I stopped Girl Scouts in 8^th grade so that never happened.

8)    I absolutely love snakes and would like to own a ball python as a pet.

9)    I drink a ton of milk. I usually drink a gallon a week. And that is because I start to limit myself after I drink half the gallon in one night.

10)  I love dyeing my hair black and will use any excuse to dye it that color. Halloween costumes seem to be the best excuse though.  

11)  My favorite animal is the wolf.

12)   I have a lot of movies that I like but I would have to say my favorite is Pan’s Labyrinth.

13)   I like more types of vegetables than I do types of fruit.

14)   I am not a big frosting person and prefer my cake lightly frosted or even better, without frosting.

15)   I do not like seafood.

16)   I don’t usually spend a lot when I go shopping unless I go into Bath and Body Works when they are having a sale….my one weakness. I probably could start a mini store with how many of their products I own.

17)   I have had some of my own encounters with the paranormal which fuels a curiosity about it.

18)   I do not like romantic/romantic comedy movies. But I myself am a hopeless romantic.

19)   I do not like the taste of mint, spearmint, or peppermint. Cinnamon candies and stuff is also not my favorite.

20)    I am not a big candy eater. I buy it, but I barely eat any. My little siblings would eat all my Halloween candy before I even had a chance to eat more than 5 pieces.

21)   I LOVE French fries. I order them 9 times out of 10 as a side for my food at restaurants.

22)   I love spicy food. My tolerance for spicy food has gotten higher since I have been in college.

23)   I really enjoy snow which makes it sad that my career requires me to be on the coast. Maybe I should become a marine biologist and move to Alaska. :P

24)   I am a somewhat shy person, but I am working on being more outgoing and I seem to be having quite a bit of success with that.

25)   The experience that changed my life the most was studying abroad in Ecuador. It helped me understand who I was as a person, helped me step outside of my comfort zone, allowed me to experience a new culture, and see a beautiful country. It also helped me realize one of my childhood dreams of visiting the rainforest, a dream that I never thought would happen. 

A Trip to the Ocean

This is a different style than my previous blogs but it has been on my mind for some time now. It seems only fitting to just post it and get my thoughts out.

Life is not always the easiest. Struggles and trials are around every corner and often follow close behind some of the best times of your life. However, it is important to remember where you are headed and stay on the path to your destination. Getting lost can occur, but getting back on track is what is critical.

Certain times this summer, life got pretty chaotic. With working many hours, doing research, preparing for my last year of undergrad, studying, and just a variety of events, it was very easy to lose sight of the goal. There were times that I even doubted if I had chosen the right path for myself and questioned my decisions. It had seemed that I had gotten lost.

However, that was all changed by a trip to the beach. With one look at the ocean, I remembered why I had decided to take the path I began to walk so long ago. Seeing the power and the beauty of the ocean reminded me of why it fascinated me. The possibility for discovery within this vast body of water and the mysteries it contains has always been my interest…my passion. It is the reason I left home, a place I had known all my life, to venture to an unknown city, state, and region of the country. A venture away from the familiar friends of old to a place where every face was new. It is a journey that has provided me with amazing new friends, exciting opportunities, and is a gateway to a new life with new struggles and exciting challenges. It just took prayer and a revelation to realize that this path will ultimately lead to my happiness.

I am getting back on track and enjoying the semester. I am going to make the most that I can out of this year. I am going to live life to the fullest. I am not going to let any challenges get in the way of my dreams and make me forget who I am, where I came from, and why I chose the path I did. I am not saying that I won’t get lost along the way, but with friends, family, and God on my side, I think I will always find my way back. And trips to the ocean will always remind me of my future and what lies ahead. 

About a year later.....

Wow this has been a busy year. I forgot about my blog until just recently. But, since I found it again, I might as well do a review of the past year and my thoughts of the events that have occurred. This may be a long post but I hope you will enjoy hearing my thoughts after so long. =P

This has been quite an eventful year. First, I had my internship last summer at Rutgers University, which was a wonderful experience. Working in a research lab gave me some valuable experience that I would have not been able to learn from a textbook. I learned the techniques behind conducting an experiment. Of course, the techniques I learned had to do with culturing bacteria...not something everyone is as excited to do. I also learned that in science, most of the time, things won't go the way you want them to and you will spend a good amount of time brainstorming away around the issues. Another benefit of this internship was meeting some wonderful people and going with some of them to local restaurants and even to New York City!! It may not have been the most relaxing summer, but it was still a fun one!

Of course with the end of summer comes the beginning of a new school year. I began my Junior year of college in the fall. Can you believe that?!?! It seems like just yesterday I was in high school eating lunch in the cafeteria with my friends and thinking college was a long way off. But anyways, like any school year so far, my class schedule was a bit tough and filled with science classes. Since my Spanish minor was finished, it was time to get back to the biology and chemistry classes (which aren't always my favorite.). I also started working part-time during the year as well, adding another responsibility to my busy schedule. I don't mind being busy though. It makes it difficult sometimes, but I have made some new friends at work so it is all worth it in the end. =) But this year really flew by and I just can't believe it. I am now about to be a Senior in college.

But I think the biggest thing that has happened in the past year would have been returning from my study abroad experience in Ecuador. Before going, I could have not imagined the impact that this would have had on my life. Returning was not easy. When it came time to leave, I just wanted to stay there and never leave. I definitely had reverse culture when I came back. The things I noticed the most were I spoke to people in the airport in Spanish accidentally, ordering food in English didn't seem natural, and going to church in English just wasn't the same. Over time, these things became natural again. But the experience in Ecuador has forever changed my life. There isn't a day that goes by where I don't think about my adventures and wish I could go back. I plan to go back sometime soon, because I feel Ecuador has become a part of me, almost like my second home.

With all that has happened in just this past year, I look forward to what lies ahead of me and the adventures that are still in store. Sorry that this ended up being so long, but I shall try to blog more often about the exciting things that are going on in my life.