I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas... and I hope everyone has a safe & happy New Year.

Christmas was good, I got a new coat & a digital camera, and a few other little things. I got a candle warmer for my room, which I am really excited about! We're not able to burn candles, but we are allowed candle warmers. I've already got a vanilla candle that I can't wait to use! :)

My grades are up. Let's just say they're not as good as I expected them to be. But, they're good enough for my scholarships, and that's all that really matters. And I do have my J-Term class to bring it back up, and next semester. I'll just have to get out of my room to study, especially when I have a roommate that is totally oblivious to EVERYTHING around her. But she's not supposed to have a boyfriend 2nd semester? So maybe things will change, but I highly doubt it.

Well. That's about all the news I have for now. Not much exciting going on... I don't have any plans for New Year's since all my friends are in Chicago... but oh well.

Take Care everyone!
♥
Allison

I'm feeling a lot better than I was before. I've got one final down and out of the way. Now I just have to worry about Pre-Calc. And even if I ace the final, I'll still have a C in the course. Which, I believe means I won't get my retroactive credits. Which pretty much sucks.
I don't know why I got up so early. Now I have an hour to kill before church. Oh well, I can sleep in tomorrow. And I'm scared to turn on the TV because of EXTREME quiet hours... lol.
Yesterday I went to see Eragon with a couple of friends. It was really good, now I want to read the book. And it didn't hurt that Eragon was a cutie ;)
Hmm... well. I guess my life is pretty boring. Clare just left for home, so I have the room to myself until I leave on Tuesday :)


This is soo true!! And I added my own comments... haha.

TOP 10 REASONS COLLEGE IS LIKE GRADE SCHOOL
10. You cry for your mother. {Ummm... yeah pretty much.
9. You cross the street without looking for cars. {Or buses...}
8. Snack time is a necessity. {Not so much...}
7. You bundle up for the outdoors without caring what you looklike (because everyone else looks as stupid as you do). {Hahaha... so true!}
6. You stay at home and play games with your friends.{Catch Phrase!}
5. You wear your backpack on both shoulders. {Duh! Books are heavy!}
4. You wear big mittens. {No, but I want some! hehe}
3. Playing in the snow is a legitimate activity. {SNOW BALL FIGHT!!!!}
2. You take naps. {Yes! Although not as many as I'd like!}
1. You look forward to grilled cheese. {I've already decided that this is what I'm going to eat over break.}

Stolen from Mom & Val.


4 jobs I've had:
Dietary Assistant at a Nursing Home
Babysitting
Hopefully a job at Logan High?

4 movies I could watch over and over:
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Elf
The Breakfast Club
Say Anything

4 places I have lived:
2 Houses on the farm
La Crosse

4 TV shows I love:
That 70s Show
Will & Grace
Reba
Still Standing

4 places I have been on a vacation:
Knoxville, TN
Mall of America

4 favorite foods:
Chicken
Pizza
Malted Mountain Ice Cream at the Whit... yum!
Umm... Ravioli!

4 places I would love to visit:
England
Australia
Florida
Anywhere but Wisconsin... lol.

4 Living Women I Admire:
Ummm???

4 Favorite Actors:
Ashton Kutcher
Zach Braff
????

4 Concerts I Have Attended:
Heh. LiFest... but my favorites:
RELIENT K!!!!!
Audio Adrenaline
Skillet
Superchic[k]


Well, that was a fun little survey. Now I should go look over my speech notes. You're right Val, it is EXTREMELY cruel to give us finals on Saturday. I would have rather taken it yesterday and gotten it over with!

So I'm taking a study break. I'm pretty sure my brain is about to explode. It's so full of information, it's not funny!
So tomorrow I have my speech final from 10-12. It's going to be super easy, multiple choice. Then on Tuesday I have my Pre-Calc final from 2:30-4:30. That's the one that I really need to do well on. I've got my grade all figured out, and I'm getting a C. And that's the best I will get, even if I ace the final, and that's not going to happen. I know, I know, a C is average and is considered good in college. But I've never gotten a C before in my life. Sometimes I wish I wouldn't have gone to such a smart college. Everyone makes me feel so dumb here, and they don't even try. Don't get me wrong, I do love it here, and I love all my friends, and obviously I was sent here for a reason, but UGH. As long as I can get all my scholarships, I'll be good. Because if I don't get my scholarships, especially my good one, that means no more college for Allison.
And my 2nd semester schedule sucks. I was so intent on getting the classes that I wanted that I scheduled classes from 8:50-4 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. So that was pretty much dumb of me.
I'm just really ready to go home. After Sunday & everything else that happened this week, I've just been in a bad mood. Hopefully I can get out of this slump soon, because it's no fun. I get irritated easily at the stupidest little things, and that's no good. And even though I've been getting a lot of sleep, I just feel plain worn out.
So yeah. I think that's enough from me. Back to frying my brain.

It's hard to believe that first semester is almost over! It really seems like just yesterday was move in day, and I was freaking out because I was afraid I wouldn't make any friends. Well, I didn't have to worry about that. I found a good group of friends, and we don't have to drink to have a good time! That's one of the other major things about college. I guess I didn't realize that once you go to college, you're expected to drink and party all the time. I can't believe all the people who don't believe me when I tell them I don't do stuff like that, and I'm like seriously, what makes college any different in high school?
I don't know, I guess I just don't see any reason to go out and get smashed. I've seen the girls in my cube, and how they act when they're drunk, and it's not appealing to me at all. Like I tell my friends, I do stupid enough stuff when I'm sober, I'd really hate to see what I'm like when I'm drunk! And I think when I am old enough to drink, or do start drinking, or whatever, I don't want to get drunk. Like I said, I just don't get the point. And especially going to house parties. That just seems dumb to me. Especially when it ups your chances of being busted? To me, drinking is not worth a $300 ticket. I could think of much better ways to spend my money.
Wow, so that was my little rant for the day.
Finals really shouldn't be too bad. Next week we only have 3 days of classes, and then Thursday is a study day, and finals start on Friday. In class next Tuesday I have my Theatre Apprec. final, which should be easy. For History and Women's Studies, I have take home finals that are both due on Wednesday. Then on Saturday I have my speech final, and finally on Tuesday I have my Pre-Calc final. That is definitely the one that I am most worried about, I really need to do well on it.
Hm. I think that's about it, and this blog is long enough, I suppose. If you read all of this, you are amazing... lol.

Masquerade!









Me and Bree. With masks and without.

I love my straight hair. I wish it was like that all the time! Or didn't take at least an hour to straighten.

Life Lesson #3. Don't drink a bottle of water before you go to your history lecture. Because you have to walk ALL the way back to your dorm. And then up 4 flights of stairs. Not good.

My Thanksgiving break was awesome! It was so nice to be able to go home for more than 2 days! Although I really didn't spend a whole lot of time at home, and I didn't get a whole lot of homework accomplished, but hey, I got to see my friends! Especially the ones from Chicago! And I got to see my family too, that was nice. Maybe I'll get to go visit Kayla in Chicago... if mom lets me... haha.
I can't believe that I only have 2 weeks left in this semester! That means only 6 more Pre-Calc classes! 3 more Women's Studies! 1 Speech! Not that I've been counting or anything...
I have 3 finals, Theatre Apprec., Pre-Calc, & Speech. My History and Women's Studies ones are take home. So I'm done with finals on the 19th, and that will be nice. The Spring Semester doesn't start until January 22nd. How awesome is that?
Hmm... not too much else going on. There's a Winter Formal on Friday night. Who knows, maybe I'll meet a boy! hehe. Doubt it, but I can dream, can't I? lol.
Well, it's supper time! Then I have a speech to write... ick.

So my roommate can pretty much be a butthead. But today she left me a really cute Thanksgiving card thanking me for putting up with her and me being a great roommate. Ack. lol.

Ahh... save me from the drunks, please?



All I had tonight was a mocktail... and that's good enough for me. And I didn't even have to leave Coate Hall. That's right, house party in the basement. Root beer pong, Rootbeer Keg, and all that good stuff. I had a "Safe Sex on the Beach" mocktail. lol. Then I went to Brooke's room to watch movies, "Lucky Number Slevin." I'm glad they explained it at the end, because I was confused the whole time... lol.

Well, they left to get grilled cheese (our cube is selling them to raise money for Relay for Life). Hopefully they find someone else's room to sober up in. I guess I should look on the bright side. At least they're not mean drunks.

Life Lesson #2. Always take your room key with you to the shower. Even if you have a million times before, and your roommate's never even been out of bed before you get back. Because the one time you don't take your key, she decides to get up early and go somewhere, and lock you out, fulling knowing that you just left to go take a shower.

In other news, I'm pretty much ready for Thanksgiving Break. And I cannot wait until Christmas Break. Is it possible to have Freshmanitis?

Have I ever mentioned how much I love snow? lol. I'd say we got about 2 inches. I was soo excited! It was a blizzard out there! Although it kinda sucked walking back from class in it, but the big snowflakes were so pretty!
I got a 97 on my History quiz, so that was pretty awesome! Help that C I got on my midterm, anyway.
I also signed up for HPR online for J-Term. So I'm basically taking Phy-ed online! How awesome is that?
So that's all I have for now. Maybe I'll have an update later.
♥
Al

Update! Because I know you all drop everything to read what I have to say! :)

So. It's almost 5:00. And it's getting dark out! This daylight savings thing is crazy. And it doesn't really work getting that extra hour of sleep if you stay up until 2 a.m. anyways! hehe.

Pre-Calc is still hard. But I have the rest of the semester to buckle down & get my grade back up there. I almost dropped it, but I decided to stick it out. I'll have 6 more quizzes and a final in that class, hopefully I can do much better on all of them!

All of my other classes are pretty easy, and I enjoy them for the most part. I don't really care for my speech class... too much preparation and not enough of your grade depends on your actual speech, but I guess sometimes that's a good thing.

My friend Miranda (from Minnesota, yes dad, pretty much all of my friends are from Minnesota! lol) and I decided that we are going to be roommates next year! Now we just have to decide which hall we want to live in, and we're not living in one on the edge of campus like Coate!

Hm... not a whole lot else going on. College is tons of fun, and I'm having a blast. I'm meeting new people every day, and I've made some new friends. I finally got a fish too! I named it Jenna (after my friend Jenna, she insisted!). Well, it's a contest. Each room gets a fish, and whoever can keep theirs alive the longest will win movie tickets! I don't care about the contest, I just really wanted a fish, and mom and dad wouldn't let me have one! lol. This is actually our 2nd fish, since the first one died within 24 hours, we got a new one (who knew you couldn't keep fish on top of a microwave?)! lol.

Last Thursday I went to Ghoulees in the Coulees. It's a "haunted" trail, and I got to scare people! It didn't get really fun until it was dark out. I had a black ski mask on and work all black. It was so much fun, I leaned up against a tree, and people would just look at me and jump! lol. But it was a fun way to get my volunteer hours in.

Well, I need to go check on my laundry. Oh, the joys of living on the 4th floor! lol.
I hope everyone is doing well!
♥
Al

7 weeks down. 7 to go.


Pre-Calc is totally kicking my butt.


But I'm doing well in all my other classes.

So I haven't updated this in awhile. lol... So yes. I don't remember when this was, but I went with a couple of friends to go get ice cream at Pearl's. I got a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cone (YUMMY!). As I was eating, a piece fell off and landed on my shirt. And it ticked me off. I said to Michelle, "This looks like bird crap!" Well. It seriously wasn't a minute later when a bird flew by and crapped on me. So yes, not only did I have chocolate on my favorite shirt, I now had bird crap on it. I was very ticked off... lol.
Not a whole lot new going on lately. A couple of friends from home are coming up to visit this weekend, so that should be a lot of fun, we've been planning it for awhile. I've started going to IV (Intervarsity Christian Fellowship) and I've found that I like it a lot better than CRU, a lot more intimate.
Tonight I went to see Marisol. Let's just say it was an interesting play. I don't know if I liked it or not. Basically it was about this girl named Marisol who loses her guardian angel, because the angels in heaven are fighting God, because they feel that everything in the world is happening because God is senile. So like I said, it was interesting. The actors did very well. Then I came back and watched TV with my friend Miranda, then a couple of girls from my cube came and got us and we played some games.
Well, it's definitely past my bedtime.
♥
Allison

Well. Tomorrow will offically be one month since move-in day. I can't believe how fast it's gone! Really, it only seems like it's been a couple of weeks.
I paid my tuition this week too. I am officially a poor college kid. To quote Relient K: "I'm poor, I'm starving, I'm broke, I've got no cash to spend..." Not really, but it feels that way! I am definitely going to be looking for a job soon!
This weekend was Oktoberfest. Well, actually it lasts until next weekend. And you know what that means! BEER! And no, I didn't drink. We went to the parade. I guess I'm used to little Fennimore parades, lasting not much more than a 1/2 hour. The Oktober fest parade was at least 3 hours! It was very impressive!
Then afterwards, we stopped at a local church because they were giving away free rootbeer floats. I ended up really liking the church. I had seen it before (it's right around the corner from a bus stop), but after actually visiting, I thought I would try it out. So I went there this morning, and I really liked it. It's Cornerstone Community Church, and everyone there was so friendly. I went with Bree & Miranda, and a lot of people came up and introduced themselves to us. I think I will be going there more often.
Well, I suppose I better go and try to get some reading done. History and Women's Studies. Ick. lol.
I hope everyone is doing well, and I hope to see you all soon!

Last weekend was my first weekend home. It was definitely weird going back, especially to the football game & grand march. But it was good to see all my friends again, especially the seniors! Because I missed them! It's hard to believe that I probably won't be going home until Thanksgiving, at least I have my October Party to look forward to!
But one thing I didn't miss was the drama. And it's quite sad, I thought it would all be over once we graduated. But, I guess I was wrong. People change. And I guess I just need to accept that fact and quit trying to hold on.
Classes are going well. I had a whole book due today, and I didn't start reading it until last night, and that was pretty stupid. And then I get to class this morning, and the prof. says that we won't discuss the book until Wednesday. So I stayed up late for nothing. Oh well, that will teach me.
I've also learned that the best time to do laundry is on a Monday night! And some of the washing machines are still free :) According to mom, I'm cheap, but hey, why pay for it when you don't have to? lol.
Well, I'm off to bed.
Don't you love the randomness of my updates?

Life Lesson #1. Don't have an open can of Mt. Dew sitting by your laptop when you reach for your dictionary.

College life...
Well. I got this blog so I could comment on Jill's pictures, but I thought maybe since I had it I could use it to keep everyone updated about my awesome college life.
I survived my 2nd week of classes, and my first night without my roommate... lol. It wasn't so bad, it's actually nice to have the room to myself. I have made a few new friends, one girl I eat meals with a lot, but she's gone on a youth retreat this weekend. And another girl that I met in my speech class, I think I'm going to the movies with her & her roommate tonight.
Classes are going pretty well. I had my first quiz the other day in my Women's Studies class. I was totally not prepared for it, so that'll teach me. My other classes include Pre-Calc (which is pretty much a major review since I took it junior year), Theatre Apprec. (my prof. is hilarious, he really makes the class interesting), History (man, I have never taken so many notes in my life!), Speech (I already had to give one! You'd think that being in 4N6 for 4 years would have gotten me used to talking in front of people. It hasn't!), and a freshman only course, UWL 100. I have met some new friends in that class, and made the mistake of telling them that I like to correct papers. So we'll have to see how many people come knocking on my door!
Hm. What else about college? Living on the 4th floor is quite the adventure. Everyone says 4th floor people have the best quads on campus, and I'm beginning to believe it! I did something to my ankle on move-in day, so I've been gimping around campus for the past couple of weeks, but it's starting to get better. The girls on my floor are pretty crazy, it's very entertaining.
The food here is good, almost too good, I can definitely see where the freshman 15 comes from! But my goal is to lose that, if possible, especially with the awesome rec center up here!
I also did laundry! There was something wrong with the hook up between the machine and the money, so laundry was free last weekend, and boy, everyone took advantage of it. We had tie-dyed shirts early in the week, and they needed to be washed by themselves, so I'm glad I didn't have to waste $1 on that! And no, all my clothes didn't turn out pink, they all came out in their rightful colors. But I did shrink one of my shirts :(
La Crosse is definitely a big change from Fennimore. I'm still trying to get used to the traffic outside of my window at night, and the sirens that go by. And, the ROTC running by my window at 6:30 in the morning yelling their cadence! It is nice though, we have a football field right next to our dorm. I can hear the band practice, and that does get a little depressing at times, considering they just left for a Packer game & a weekend in Green Bay.
But yes, I believe that is all I have to say for now. I'm going to try to find a job, maybe even see if I can get on the staff of the school newspaper.
Kudos to anyone who took the time to read this!
Allison