Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Too Tired for This

Today was my first day of classes. TONS of work, but I think I will really enjoy the program. The people are all so amazing. It has been an extremely long day, so this post will be short and sweet.

Day 2: Ten Favorite Foods

..these are in no order and I'm sure I will think of a bunch more when I am done. 
1. Chicken. Every kind. (as long as its white meat) YUM
2. Pasta. I'm Italian. It's a staple.
3. Corn Fritters. There is nothing like deep-frying your veggies!
4. Staci's Pita Chips. I rarely buy them because I eat the whole bag in one serving. 
5. Steamed broccoli with butter.. has to be steamed perfectly though
6. Chinese food (mostly chicken & broccoli, sweet & sour chicken, and chicken tempura)
7. Buffalo Wild Wings or Wingman boneless wings
8. Mashed Potatoes and Rice
9. Salad. I love a good salad.
10. Pork roll, but it has to be really burnt and on a good kaiser roll!

Obviously, my life is based around chicken. My next list should be 10 favorite ways to eat chicken! 

I'm too exhausted for this all to make sense tonight. I apologize for this ridiculous post. 
Good Night!


-N

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

30 Facts

To jumpstart my friends entrance into the world of blogging (even though I'm fairly new to it also), we have decided to complete a 15 day blog challenge together. Basically, on top of my other posts about work and school, I will be posting on a different simple topic each day for 15 days. 

Check out my friends blog! 

Day One: What are 30 interesting facts about yourself?

1. I can say the alphabet in English (forward and backward), Spanish, and Greek.
2. I love to color and doodle, and I'm the proud owner of coloring books, crayons, and an entire dresser full of craft supplies.
3. I tend to bite of more than I can chew, but I find it rewarding in the end.
4. I live for the beach. I honestly get depressed without it.
5. I definitely don't work out as much as I should, I am just lucky enough to have a fast metabolism.
6. I love to sleep in the same bed as someone, but I HATE cuddling and I don't share blankets.
7. The odds of me wearing make-up and having my hair straightened are extremely slim.
8. I would love to be famous, but I literally have no fancy talents. 
9. I'm a Jersey girl- born and raised- and I wouldn't have it any other way.
10. I have an amazing boyfriend, even if I sound cheesy saying it.
11. If I had a ton of money, I would probably lead the same life, and spend most of it on other people.
12. I'm 24 and I still sleep with a teddy bear every night.
13. I graduated college with a 3.889 GPA, but I always round it up. 
14. Most of my close friends don't actually live close to me.
15. I love walking along the beach, or anywhere outdoors, I get all my best thinking done there.
16. I really want to travel the world and experience everything.
17. I get piercings solely for the adrenaline rush. 
18. I'm a girl, in a fraternity. 
19. I hate when people don't put their heart into things, especially if that's where my heart is.
20. I don't eat red meat and I haven't since I was two years old. 
21. I absolutely love to laugh. Laughter is what keeps us coming back for more.
22. I honestly feel bad for people who don't live near a beach. There are people who have never seen a beach and that saddens me.
23. I feel that winter is a time to reminisce about the past summer and plan of the next summer. It serves no other purpose.
24. I have a 2012 Chevy Cruze named Penelope. Get it? Penelope Cruze.
25. I always promise myself I will have enough money saved up to never have to turn down an opportunity, even if it's just a trip to get ice cream.
26. My parents moved to Tennessee last year and I only get to see them about twice a year now, but its a good excuse to visit Nashville.
27. I hate cats, but I have a cat that I love dearly. I just don't like other people's cats.
28. I start my very first graduate class tomorrow.
29. My favorite color is teal, even though everyone always thinks its pink. 
30. I can't wait to have a kid so I can see kid movies and go to places like the aquarium and the zoo.

There you have it! Thirty facts about..


-N

Monday, August 27, 2012

And so it begins..

I woke up bright and early and got ready to start my very first day as a graduate assistant at University of Delaware. I was super excited to start my day until I walked outside and saw this:

..Not the most ideal weather to get you motivated for work, especially knowing you have to drive there in it.






... it ended up being an awesome day.



I met all of the other graduate assistants, especially the ones that I will be working with this semester, and they all seem very fun and super nice! I also learned more about the projects I will be working on throughout this semester (more will be posted about the projects later). All of our meetings (and our lunch break at Chipotle!) were over around 2:00, so I was able to also head to the ID office and receive my ID card, always such a flattering picture. (I hope Emily reads this!)

Being that my day went to so well I got home and was full of energy. I was able to clean the living room and kitchen, do three loads of laundry, and cook dinner! AND on top of all of that I made time for a run, which I haven't done in ages. Nearly died once I got home, but it felt good!

As much as I enjoyed today, I think its time for a shower, a bowl of ice cream and relaxing in front of my TV (much like my cat is already doing-- she has a really rough life!) 

(Don't mind the fact that the TV isn't even on the wall, or plugged in yet, I'm working on it!)

Wednesday is my first day of class. I'm sure a post will soon follow.


Goodnight.
-N


Thursday, August 23, 2012

Good Morning =]

I know it's not actually the morning, but I found this pretty interesting article on Stumble Upon (a guilty pleasure of mine) and I decided to share it.

Getting up in the morning has been getting harder and harder for me since I haven't had many reasons to have to get up. This article gives some great tips on ways to jump start your morning. Now that my schedule is going to be a lot more busy, I plan to try some of these suggestions. I will let you know how well they work. 

..It will probably end in a large cup of coffee, but it's worth a shot!

10 Morning Habits to Build Your Day Upon

Enjoy!
-N

When I grow up..

The original point of making this blog (besides to curb my boredom) is to document my ventures through graduate school and into the real world. With that being said, I guess I should explain where exactly I am currently in my life. Obviously the shortened version, for fear of you falling asleep.

-I graduated last year from Montclair State University with a Bachelors in Health Education.
-I spent the last year working at Salem Community College doing work with the student success office.
-In the beginning of the summer, I also took a position at Victory House, which is a residential treatment center for troubled girls. I plan to continue at Victory House while I am in grad school.
-I am attending University of Delaware for a Masters of Health Promotion.
-I also accepted an assistantship. The assistantship will be for my department (Behavioral Health & Nutrition) and I will be able to work with some great initiatives while doing my assistantship. In return for the assistantship, I am able to received a full tuition reimbursement, a stipend for living expenses, and of course excellent experience in my field.
-My ultimate goal is to work in a college setting promoting health promotion on campus, but I am keeping my options open for the time being.

Okay boring life story: over!

..More later..
-N

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

New Jersey is an Odd Shape

So I finally started preparing for my first day of school (exactly 1 week from tomorrow). I was not too excited about the $300 parking pass and $250 in books, but I really enjoyed spending an hour wandering around the campus. The parking services office was extremely informative and helpful, which is a huge improvement from the parking services office at MSU (I literally threw my credit card at them once, oops). The bookstore was huge, with a large selection of clothes, books, textbooks, and even a cafe (definitely somewhere I will be frequenting throughout the semester). 

My next trip to the college will be on Friday for my official on-boarding, which is apparently a fancy term for doing HR paperwork. 

On the way home I was able to stop at a craft store. Probably my favorite type of store (right up there with office supply stores). I bought a piece of wood to make this really cool piece of artwork that I saw on Pinterest for a friend who just moved into a new house. (Disclaimer: I am NOT a Pinterest addict. I actually don't like it at all. I mostly just get craft ideas off of it.) The craft on Pinterest was based around a picture of Texas, and I was going to revamp it with a picture of New Jersey. Unfortunately, NJ has a very odd shape that is not really suitable for the craft. So now I am left with a piece of wood and no craft. So any ideas are definitely welcomed!  

The Craft I Attempted! 

I guess I will spend the rest of the evening figuring out this craft and possibly taking a look inside my textbooks to see what's in store for me the next few months. 

Until later..
-N

Monday, August 20, 2012

Sunshine and Summertime

As my summer comes to an end, I want to reflect on what I would have originally considered a barely mediocre summer. My three jobs overwhelmed me and basically consumed most of my free time. I felt like I barely was able to enjoy the summer time, until I started listing the things I did that I had never done before or really love doing. I finally realized that my summer was fairly successful.

Top 10 things I did this summer:
1. I went to the beach: It may have only been twice (and one of those times it was pouring rain), but it's my place of bliss and any opportunity I have to be there is very appreciated.
2. I ate crab fries in Maryland: Doesn't sound that amazing until you take a jet ski out on the water and arrive at the marina and get served a margarita and a large helping of cheese fries with old bay and crab meat on top. YUM!
3. I went to Nashville: It was obviously to visit my parents, but I was able to do some really fun and exciting things out there.
4. I went to Coyote Ugly: Not the original one in NY, but the one in Nashville. It has been my dream to work there since the movie came out when I was in 6th grade, and after going there, it might not still be my dream to work there, but I would definitely enjoy a few dances on the bar!
5. I got my very first tattoo: I have been planning it for years, and I finally splurged and got it done. It is on my hip and it is a hibiscus flower with a wave that flows into the word bliss. The word came to me from a Beach Boys quote, "On the beach, you can live in bliss," which I couldn't agree with more. 
6. I was able to go see two concerts: I saw Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw together and I was able to see Toby Keith and Brantley Gilbert. Both were amazing shows!
7. I went to my first drag show: I celebrated my friend's birthday in New York City at Lips, which is a drag & dinner show. It was a fun night out!
8. I sat behind Nick Carter on a plane: Basically every twenty-some year old girl's dream. He wasn't as spectacular as one would hope. He was rather arrogant and annoying, but at least I can say I sat with him on a plane! 
9. I rented my first apartment/house: I have been out of my parents house for quite some time now, but it was always my boyfriend's house. This time it is both of ours and it finally feels that way. I am still unpacking, but I'm sure you will continue to hear about my decorating adventures as they happen.
10. I received an assistantship: I was not only accepted into grad school, I was offered an assistantship which includes a full tuition reimbursement and a large stipend. The position will give me great exposure to my field and I'm so eager to start next week! There will definitely be more to come about my assistantship!

There may be more on this list, but this is a pretty inclusive list of the things I was able to accomplish this summer. For once in my life, I was eager for summer to end so that I could start the entirely new chapter of my life: graduate school!

This chapter begins tomorrow as I venture to University of Delaware to obtain my books, parking pass, & ID card, and I'm sure you will hear about my misadventures along the way.

Until then...

-N