Exhausted

Who knew that car shopping could be so exhausting!!

Well, maybe the fact that North Carolina showed her true colors today with blistering heats up to 94 degrees aided in my “I’m about to fall over any second” attitude.

I just can’t believe that it is this hot and it is only MAY! {{Well practically June, but still}} Guess today was not the best day to drag my Dad out onto car lots looking for the right vehicle at the right price!

I told y’all some of the cars I was looking at the other day, and the car that I walked away just completely loving was the Kia Sorento.  I know what y’all must be thinking… Kia? Really? But y’all, it was ridiculous.  I absolutely loved it.  It came in navy {{check}} Came in a standard transmission {{check}} Had blue tooth and an i pod hook up thing {{check and check}} and was the perfect size to tow my big *** dog around in!  The only thing that I am not that comfortable with is the price.  I am not ready to take on a $400 car payment a month in addition to insurance and all that jazz. But I just love it, so my dad and I are going to go back tomorrow and see if we can work some of our Garlow negotiation magic!

We also went to Car Max and the Honda dealership today to look at used cars and try to find something a little more in my price range.  I saw (and shockingly liked) some cars that I didn’t ever think I would.  For starters, hatchbacks.  I loathed the look of hatchbacks, until I saw the right one.  Remember how I told y’all I wanted the Mazda 3, well I found a hatchback, something much more suitable for my shedding beast.  It was so much fun to drive, definitely had more of the sports clutch and more difficult to get used to, because there was the sweet spot on the clutch, and if you didn’t hit it you got JERKED around really bad.  I got used to it after a few minutes and had a blast driving it, but still don’t really think that it is the fit for me and my big galoot.

Another car I was totally shocked that I like was the Jeep Compass.

Now, my dad pointed this car out to me and I kind of wrote it off, because I just didn’t really like it that much on the first impression.  So, I walked away and was like moth to a flame for this FJ Cruiser that I just had to have until I saw the price tag.  We kept on walking around and then our sales lady found us hiding in a corner and suggested the Jeep Compass.  In my head I was like be nice Katelyn, shake your head and let her think that you like it, but not much more.  Then she opened the car up and I saw all it really had to offer.  {{It always seems like I do this}}  It came in a standard transmission and had a ton of room in the back.  A sunroof, leather seats, a clock {{Tercy failed to have a clock}} and the seats folded down so Sadie could have herself a big time back there.  The price is also very close to being right.  Car Max states that they have a no haggle price, but there is one fault with this Compass… the previous owner was a smoker.  Not that if you smoke it bothers me, but the smell gives me instant migraines.  When sales lady Deborah opened the door I was hit by a wall of smoke.  My dad and his poor sense of smell even could barely stand it.  So, that is definitely something that we have to talk with sales lady Deborah about.

We also went and checked out my dream vehicle… the Tundra.  I couldn’t even get in the dang truck.  So… big…

But I love it.

Yes, please.

By the end of the day I had hit a wall.  Deborah realized this and was sweet enough not to push me any further and allowed me to walk away with her card and her hours for the week.  How sweet.  I definitely got let off the hook on that one!  Then for a get your energy back and yay for shopping treat, my dad mom and I went to Five Guys Burgers and Fries and topped it off with some Frogurt… Ridiculous.  I know, I know.

Oh, and I bought my graduation present to myself the other day, and they did wonderfully while I was car shopping in the heat and sun all day!

Ray Ban Wayfarers!

The world looks so much different through polorized lenses!

I’m going to go pass out now.

Katelyn

17 Again

No, I’m not talking about Zac Efron’s movie.

Though I have been in love with Zac since his High School Musical days.  Yes, I loved HSM.

I am talking more along the lines of me coming back to Clemmons and living at home after being away at college for four years.  It is very much an adjustment period and I am working on how to handle all the issues as they come, but can I just say that Clemmons holds some serious drama.  Kinda ridiculous, but just another thing that I have got to get used to.

On a fun note, I cleaned out my closet the other day and found things that held an incredible amount of memories.  If you know me, which you sure are getting to, I keep everything that holds any type of memory.  Concert tickets, movie tickets, a streamer from a concert, old tshirts and anything that you could think of that could “take me back” to where I once was.  I even still have a napkin from Italy, when I went back in the summer of 2007.  I know, I know, I have issues.

I just wanted to share with y’all some of the great things that I found in my closet over this past week so you could get a sneak peak into my life as a high schooler.

1. My old camera.  Yes, I got a hand held digital camera before I bought my SLR, but this baby lasted the majority of high school.  Sweet film.  I think there is actually a role in there… So I need to go and get that developed.  Lord only knows what is on that film! {{It has date a print!!! OMG!}}

2. My letters.  I have one more letter, but it is in a collage frame I made for when I went to college.  I played soccer, volleyball and swam throughout high school.  Sports were my fondest memory of high school, and there is nothing better than a great team that loves each other, supports each other and has the time of their lives together.  I would go back to high school just so I could be on my teams again.  I just loved my teams so much.

3. In theme with sports teams, this is my “Now is the time, this is the team” t-shirt that my coach, John, made for all of the soccer girls my junior year of high school.  We made it to the state championship that year, and for the TWO WEEKS leading up the championship game we had to wear these t-shirts everyday.  I am not even joking.  We lost in the championship 1-0, to a team in our conference.  {{We actually scored, but there was a hole in the back of the net and the refs totally sucked.  So we totally could have won.}} But, being second in the state isn’t so bad.

3. My old volleyball shoes.  I could have stood to get a new pair, but as any athlete knows you don’t get new shoes until you absolutely 100% have to.   I had a pair of cleats from my freshman to junior year that I kept on with tape.  They were split at the top, holes everywhere, leather ripping to shreds, but every game I got that roll of tape and taped my cleats together.  I would have kept taping them, but they just couldn’t last a day longer.  I loved my volleyball shoes, and still do.  A wave of memories hit me as I found these up in my closet.  Volleyball was my favorite sport to play in high school, and I also had the blessing of playing with my best friend.  These shoes have 1:9 written on them in reference to Joshua 1:9, a verse I stumbled upon my sophomore year at volleyball camp.  Joshua 1:9- ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

4. My stack of puff painted t-shirts.  In high school I made more puff paint t-shirts than you could imagine.  I started out making them for Ellen and me, and then it turned out that I was making the shirts for our entire team.  And not just volleyball either, swimming and soccer.  We also would have fun “senior girls” and “powder puff football” shirts… the list goes on and on.  I am pretty sure the spastic hand cramps only went away about a year ago.

5. In addition to my puff paint t-shirts, I also have a few Spiderman t-shirts.  I was 100% obsessed with Spiderman.  I really have no idea, and no it was not Tobey McGuire I was in love with {{though he is real hot}}, it was Spiderman.  I had Spiderman posters, socks, shirts, ornaments, stickers, book covers and dolls.  I just loved Spiderman.  I still love Spiderman, but I have got my obsession more under control over the years.

6. My high school diploma.  Oh, Calvary.  That is about all I can say about that.  Though I was not 17 when I graduated, I turned 18 about 30 days before the big day, so I was 17 right up until I graduated.

7. My team balls.  On senior night for volleyball and soccer I was given a ball signed by all the girls on my team.  On my soccer ball, there are notes written from every player on the team and they are just so special.  I was called “Garlow” back in the day.  Not Katelyn, not Kate, just Garlow on my soccer team.  Reading all of the notes on my ball seriously almost made me cry.  It just took me back to all of those practices where I was sure I was going to vomit if John made me run one more mile or all the bus trips where we would do the Cha Cha slide in the aisle of the bus and belt out a captivating rendition of Queens “Bohemian Rhapsody” or all the spring breaks I gave up to go and play in soccer tournaments.  Being a part of a team is the best experience I could have ever gotten, and I just love remembering all of the good and even the bad times out on the field in the 95 degree North Carolina afternoons.  {{I had the sexiest soccer tan ever…}}

I found a lot more things that take my back to my high school years, like my old CD collection, a few keepsakes that friends gave me holding lines of inside jokes, sweet notes my team mates wrote me on game day and even my old graduation cap.  I love reminiscing over all of my old high school things and remembering the sweet memories that come back with each item, but I have made the decision to put away most of my old things and bring in my current things.  My room is no longer the best shade of purple you have ever seen before, but a boring shade of beige, and I cannot surround myself with old things, because I have passed that time.  I am growing up, and I need to surround myself with things that I love now, make my room mine as a 22 year old college graduate instead of a 17 year old about to be high school graduate.

I love all of my sweet memory keepers, and just wanted to share the best of the best with my wonderful readers.  I hope you enjoy blasts from the past as much as I do.  Hope you all have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!

Garlow

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Recently my decisions have consisted of…

To go to Marmalade Skies or not to go?

{{I always went}}

What time should I get up in the morning?

Do I listen to Adele for the 400th time in a row or switch it back to my main man Justin Beiber?

Nothing big or life threatening, just your average unemployed college grads day to day. 

Until this morning!

My little brother Jared and I are off to go to car shopping!

I am unsure if I mentioned this on here, but y’all know more about my life than I do these days, so I am sure I did.  If you are new to Elephant Ears, I wrecked my car a few months ago, got it fixed, and then it died, so I have been car less for a few weeks.  The worst thing about it being that I had just put my brand new Alumni sticker on Tercy two days before it died.  Being a big girl, and starting my new life guarding job next week, I will be getting money to purchase a new vehicle.

Sharing two cars between three people with completely different schedules = worst idea ever.

Did I say ever, because I seriously meant it.

After taking the youngest brother, Jacob, to school in the morning, Jared and I are hitting the car lots.  Unfortunately my dad is going out of town and will not be able to help me out.  For being a girl that is completely dependent on her father for hammering a nail in her wall and still calls him for help to fill out my W-2 {{at 22}, I am kind of freaking out about going car shopping without him.  I am nervous because I am just looking tomorrow, and I don’t want people to write me off for exploring my options or trying to push me to do something I am not ready for.  I am just test driving people.  I do not have my check ready, and if I don’t like you, you sure will not be selling me that car. {{I am kinda mean like that}} Oops.

So I wanted to show my wonderful blog friends my options!  This car will be purchased by yours truly so I want to make sure that I look into everything and get the best advice on each vehicle. So, if you have one of these cars or know anything about cars, help a girl out!

The Options

in no particular order

1. Mazda 3: This car really wasn’t up for contention until a few days ago.  One of my friends has a new Mazda 3, and I noticed that it was a manual transmission on our way to dinner one night, and I decided that I was going to drive that car.  My friend graciously let me drive his car, and I swear… I fell in love.  {{with the car}}  It was so much fun and gets great gas mileage!  Which is something that I def. need to keep in mind.

2. Honda CRV or Honda Civic: CRV for getting me off the ground, and Civic for gas mileage/manual transmission.  I really cannot decide between a cross over or stick shift car.  I desperately want to get off the ground and into something bigger, but am I willing to give up my beloved stick shift? {{and the CRV is so “mom” looking}}

3. Lucky for me the Ford Escape base model is offered in manual and it is a cross over! Woop woop!  To be honest, all I need is the base model.  After driving a car with no automatic doors or windows … I really don’t care as long as I can push a button and my window rolls down.   So, base model, you are my dream come true!

4. Kia Sportage:  Now.  I know what you are thinking, because about everybody else has almost laughed in my face when I mention Kia.  Kia? Really? From what I have heard from those that drive them, Kia has made BIG upgrades to their cars and even though they aren’t Honda, they are moving up in the automotive world.  And this car looks nice, Kia or not.  Do any of you drive a Kia or know much about cars?  I really do like the look of this car, and it is big and comes in a manual.  It just keeps getting better and better.  Any advice on Kia would be greatly appreciated!

Without driving any of them, and just looking at pictures, prices and other things my top car is the Mazda 3 and top cross over is Kia Sportage.  We will see what happens this morning!  I will have to let you all know which one is my favorite!

And let us all hope and pray I successfully test drive all of these vehicles.

We all know how lucky I have been with cars lately…

Katelyn

Truths For Mature Humans

As I was scanning Pinetrest into the wee hours of the morning I stumbled upon this gem.

It really is funny. I had quiet a few laugh out loud moments going down the list.  It always makes me think of those “You know you are from N.C when…” lists.  {{Which I will post for y’all tomorrow, so you can either think us NC kids are just crazy or you can laugh right along and say “so true.”}}

1. I think part of a best friend’s job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you’re wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn’t want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is a great need for a sarcasm font. {{omg, yes.}}

5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5.  I’m pretty suer I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t at least kind of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories. {{Welcome to my life.}}

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren’t going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12. Can we just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray?  I don’t want to have to restart my collection… again.

13. I’m always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asksm e if I want to save any changes to my ten-page techincal report that I swaer I did not make any changes to.

14. “Do not machine was or tumble dry” means I will never wash this- ever.

15. I hate it when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? *** it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voice mail.  What did you do after I didn’t answer?  DRop the phone and run away?

16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day.  What a waste.

17. I keep some people’s phone numbers in my phone just so I know NOT to answer when they call. {{Is it bad if I do this?  Cause I do…}}

18. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

19. I disagree with Kay Jewelers.  I would be on any given Friday or SAturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite than Kay.

20. I wish Google Maps had an “Avoid Ghetto” route option. {{hahahaha}}

21. Sometimes, I’ll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the heck was going on when I first saw it. {{When those kids grow up and re-watch Shrek, they will have the same feeling}}

22. I would rather try to carry 10 over-loaded plastic backs in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in. {{I do that ALL THE TIME}}

23. The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to finish a text. {{Guilty as charged}}

24. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

25. How many times is it appropriate to say “What?” before you just nod and smile because you still didn’t hear or understand a word they said?

26. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teas up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front.  Stay strong brothers and sisters! {{Love this!}}

27. Shirts get dirty.  Underwear gets dirty.  Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

28. Is it just me or do high school kids get dumber and dumber every year?

29. There’s no worse feeling than that millisecond you’re sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

30. As a drive I hate pedestrians, and as a pedistrian I hate drives, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate bicyclists.

31. Sometimes I’ll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

32. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey – but I’d bet my *** everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time!

I hope y’all enjoyed these funny little “truths!”  I know I thought they were pretty clever!

Katelyn

Patterns

Over the past years, and especially in college, I have begun to follow a series of patterns with my life.

I don’t know exactly why I have to do things the way I do, or why I feel the need to do them in the first place.

Some people would call it hyper organization.

Others like to refer to it as being OCD.

I like to say, I’m real picky.

My Patterns

1. I must, as all times, get 3 paper towels from the bathroom.  If 3 doesn’t give me enough, I have to get another 3.  I cannot just get a 4th, it has to be in sets of three.

{{I am fully aware that I am a total weirdo}}

2. I order the same exact thing everywhere I go.  Cracker Barrel=Pancakes : Taco Bell= 2 soft tacos easy on the meat with an order of nachos {{I have had this order since I was in the 7th grade}} Olive Garden= Cheese Ravioli {{used to be fettuccine, but it started making me real sick so I was forced to change}}

3. I get ready the same way every morning. Wake up, shower {{or not}}, make up, hair {{this is where I decide “to brush or not to brush”}}, brush teeth, get dressed. I can and will NOT do my hair before my makeup… I don’t know why… it just makes me feel all freaky inside.  My makeup also gets applied in a specific order…

4. I only wear two rings.  My class ring on my left hand and my family ring on my right.  They cannot be switched, ever.

5. Same planner for 6 years.

6. When I scrapbook all my pictures must be straight. I can’t throw a diagonal picture in the mix.  I just cannot handle it.  I used to round every corner of every picture, but I have recently started to throw in some straight edges.  But if there is a straight edged picture, all the pictures in that entire layout must be straight.  And Vise-Versa

7. I have this thing about the internet… I have to sign in to Facebook first, email second, wordpress third.  Every. Single. Time. I may not want to get on Facebook, or need to check my email, but it is a pattern that I just have got to stick to.

8. I have to end the gas pump, and my tips in .00

9. Numbers need to be even, the number 3 or divisions of 5.  I HATED that I graduated in 2011.  It seriously made me feel so anxious, but I coped {{as best as I could}} because 2+0+1+1=4, and 4 is even.  So I allowed myself to graduate.

{{Again, I know I am a super weirdo}}

I don’t really know why I have to have everything in such a pattern.  I feel like I am spontaneous, and I can just “go and do” just fine, but for some reason there are certain things that must be done.  I don’t feel like my family is going to die, or that germs will eat my insides, but I do get a little anxious at times.  I have tried walking out of the bathroom and only get two paper towels before.  It ended in an epic fail.  I got two, dried my hands, walked out of the door, got about 4 feet away and just had to go back and get one more (to complete that set) and then get three more.  I did not need to rewash my hands or anything like that.  I just have to get three.

I am a very anxious person in nature with multiple “ticks” like biting my fingernails or cracking my knuckles.  I also twirl my hair like its my full time job, so I guess my patterns are my way of knowing that the world is right for some odd reason.

Patterns bring order out of Chaos.  When I get real stressed out, doing these silly things can just calm me down.  Knowing that there is order, knowing that there is something I can count on is very helpful at times.

Do y’all have patterns that you follow everyday?  I know I have many many more patterns, but those are just a few… and some real weird ones at that!

Katelyn

Oh To Be in 8th Grade

Sorry Blogland, I have been missing for a few days!  I have just been having way too much fun here in Clemmons and haven’t had much time to blog.

But guess what!?  My youngest brother, Jacob, graduated from 8th grade yesterday!  He is officially going to HIGH SCHOOL! Who would have thought Jacob could make it this far!? Just kidding. 

It was nice to see Jacob at the Middle School Awards and 8th Grade Graduation getting to have his shining moment.  A lot of times he always seems to get the short end of the stick, and always has to “go and do” what all the older kids have to do.  Jacob always has to go here or there, and nobody really ever seems to go and do what he wants to do, or recognizes that he has accomplished something.  So it was nice to be the one sitting on the sidelines and watching Jacob have his moment, and do his own thing.

Jacob is just hysterical.  He has the most dry and witty humor, ever.  Him and his friends just are all a big joke and love to be silly and funny at all times.  Here are just a few pictures from Jacob’s big day.

How cute is he?!

Congrats Jacob!

Katelyn

Full Circle

It is funny when you sit down and think about things how everything works out.

It is currently 6:52 am here in Clemmons, NC and I am sitting on my bed ready to go and waiting on my Mom so I can take her to school.  I have to take her to school so I can take her van to Raleigh and load up all of my things so I can move back to Clemmons.

It got me thinking…

Like most things do…

The night before I went to Raleigh I was so excited that I didn’t sleep a wink.  Not even one measly minute of sleep was put into my schedule before I loaded up the car and headed to Raleigh, North Carolina to start a “new beginning.”  I powered through that first day loading everything into Tucker Hall from our parking spot at the Student Health Center. {{FAR, FAR AWAY!}}  Everything came full circle this morning, as I have yet again not slept a wink before moving from Raleigh back to Clemmons.

It is not because I am so excited to move home, or that I am bouncing off the walls with anticipation… I just didn’t seem to have the time to fall asleep.

Funny how things work out.

Let’s hope I can make it there and back OK.

Katelyn

Life Happens When You Least Expect It

I know it is bad to try and plan out of your life, because at times you always seem to be disappointed.  Just go with the flow, let things happen as they may… yadda yadda yadda.  Y’all have heard all of that.  Y’all have also been with me every step of the way during this frustrating, but somehow wonderful at the time last semester.  From wrecking my car, to killing my final presentation… you have been there.

My plan for the first few weeks of summer was to stay in Raleigh and work at Mccormick & Schmick’s.  I had started making friends, a lot of them, and even hanging out with them outside of work.  I was getting my life back, things were on track… I was making friends that wanted to hang out and not just go and get drunk every night of the week.  People that were interested in me and not just in what I was drinking… I was feeling good.  I wanted to stay in Raleigh. I had not said those words in quite some time, but I wanted to stay.  I had begun to make a home at The George’s.  We were in a routine; life was good.  I loved it there.  I wanted to stay.

Life had other plans.

As it always does.

On my way back to Clemmons after graduation on Sunday, I let my little brother drive Tercy home while I rode home with a friend.  Tercy died that night.  The engine locked up, and just died on the side of I-40.  Luckily, Jared was smart enough to pull over before it died on the interstate and was smart enough to keep all doors shut and be careful when getting in and out of the car so Sadie would not escape and get hit.  Tercy is now at a body shop in Durham, North Carolina, and I am stranded in Clemmons carless.

I also had to quit my job at Mccormick & Schmick’s today, and am borrowing the van to go to Raleigh and pack up all my things tomorrow and move home.  Life totally unexpected.  I thought I wanted to stay in Raleigh… I thought I had a few more weeks… I thought I was going to enjoy my hideaway upstairs at The George’s longer… but life said “um, no.” So, I am in Clemmons.

Though my plans were crushed, I was thrown a bone yesterday.  I had a meeting with the aquatics instructor at the YMCA here in Clemmons about being a life guard earlier yesterday morning.  I was going to go and take a swim test later in the week, and then take a life guarding class at the YWCA.  Luckily, an opening happened in a life guarding class that started yesterday.  Oh, and not just yesterday, but 15 minutes after the lady called me and said “we have an opening, can you get here?  Don’t worry about the money.”  I practically sprinted back into my room, found a bathing suit from high school that I some how still fit into, and got in my brothers Saturn and headed to the Y.  When I got there I heard a familiar voice, “Kaaaaaaatelyn?”  I whipped around and saw Ryne and Lindy Carson, two people I swam with in high school.  Thank you Jesus for comic relief during these next two weeks. 

I swear it took everything I had at times to keep it together during this life guarding class.  The instructor had to explain to the 12-year-old Justin Beiber wanna be with lime green braces and baby fat what horizontal and vertical was… while another kid raised his hand before speaking and was afraid to eat a sandwich “during class.” I was also asked if I was in high school… I just started laughing, like really laughing and kept on repeating, “I am way too old for this.”  The instructor looked at me a little funny while I had to convince the class that I was not in high school, but just in fact graduated from NC State two days prior.  Then all the looks of, “what the heck are you doing being a life guard with a college degree” started. What.ever.  Most of them still don’t even have hair under their pits and giggle when they hear somebody say penis.

But hey, I am going to get a sweet tan and a free YMCA membership… so I think that earns some bonus points in my book.  Also, it will give me time to apply to some jobs while still being able to make money.

Even though moving back home was not what I had in mind after graduating from college, it is something that happened.

Something I cannot change.

For Both

Katelyn

{{The}} North Carolina State!

I know, I know, I hate it when people are always “it’s not Ohio State, it’s THE Ohio State!” {{Sorry Julie}} But, after graduating and swelling with pride as an Alumnus of NC State, I just had to make it my blog title.

Y’all, I made it!

I am still in the shock, “did this just happen,” what the heck is going on phase, but I am cool with it.  I had such a good day yesterday, and graduating just gave me a feeling that I didn’t know I could get.  I was so nervous all day long, but you just feel such accomplishment knowing that you are standing amidst 4,500 {{yeah, I know that is a lot}} other NC State graduates that are feeling just like you.  We all made it.  From moving into your freshman dorm, making all your new friends, your first apartment, your first college relationship {{then break up}}, all the football and baseball games, came down to that one moment.  I swear I felt every memory over those few hours in the RBC center and Reynolds Coliseum.

If you don’t know about NC State, then you probably wouldn’t know that we are a huge ROTC school.  We support all branches of the military and honor our troops with our support and respect.  A lot of my friends are in the military program at NC State and I have also had multiple class mates in that program.  Yesterday we honored our men and women of the military, because not only did they graduate yesterday, but they are deploying and moving to different areas of the world in just a few short weeks.  As they graduated, the entire RBC Center gave them a standing ovation for their courageous devotion to our country and our military.  I almost cried… I also thought to myself, “my grandma is loving this right now.  This single, but huge, act just made it OK in her mind that I went to NC State.”  {{She is still talking about how much she loved it}}

O'er The Land of the Free and the Home of the WOLFPACK!

The way we have to do it at State, because there are so many bright and wonderful students graduating is by college.  And by college I mean, College of Management, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Engineering, so on and so forth.  It was so funny, because all the Dean’s of the individual colleges were having a competition with each other, “the best engineers in the country,” “the most well respected Design school in the nation,” and things like that.  Well, us CHASS {{College of Humanities and Social Sciences}} were real loud.  We probably cheered the entire time, and heard about 2 words our Dean had to say.  It was so much fun.  I just had the best time hooping and hollering with my fellow class mates!  What are Dean had to say for the little “Dean Competition” was, “And when people look at you funny because they ask ‘What the heck do you do with a Humanities and Social Science degree?’ You can say, ‘whatever the heck I want!’” {{Which is true }

I got the closest to crying when we had to turn our tassels, and then our rings.  I was like, “omg, I can’t turn my ring! It will look funny! I don’t like this one bit!”  My eyes watered up, and I just had to sit there and hold it together!

What, of the 4,500 graduating students, could fit in a frame

After the big graduation we had to sprint over to Reynolds Coliseum for our individual Department of Communication graduation.  It seemed like everybody and their brother got lost.  Really, everybody got lost.  I was on the phone with 4 different, in what felt like all the same time.  Trying to get them from Gorman Street to the parking deck, from the RBC Center to the parking deck, from Falls of Nuese {{how did you even get there in the first place?}} to the parking deck.  All while trying to get pictures with friends, get in alphabetical order by Major and not vom everywhere…

I DID IT!

After graduation we headed over to The George’s house for my graduation party!  It was the best, because not only did I have my best family and best friends there… I had Moe’s and Marmalade Skies… um, yes.  Best. Party. Ever.

Something happened during my graduation party… My sweet wonderful Mimi accidentally farted and I busted. It was not just any fart, but a walking one.  {{In our family we fart and burp all the time, no biggie, but this was Mimi we were talking about}} It was like step, toot, step, toot, step, toot.  I could not control myself.  Have y’all ever gotten “a case of the giggles?”  Where you just CANNOT for the life of you stop laughing?  And whenever you look at anybody or think about the even, you just BUST out laughing again?  I swear y’all, it was funny, but not as funny as I was laughing.  I just got caught with the giggles.  Tears were streaming down my face, I was getting all hot and for the life of me could not compose myself to stop laughing.  I’m sorry Mimi, but it was so funny.

Needless to say, it was a wonderful day spent with wonderful company.  Totally worth the mere 3 hours I got to sleep the night before.   Everybody was very tired at the end of the day.

Thanks family and friends for all of your wonderful love, support and prayers over the past four years!

I made it!

Katelyn

The Next Phase

After sitting around the house the past two days with nothing to besides craft and clean, it got me thinking…

What’s Next?

{all photos provided were found here}

I am no longer fearing the next phase or just scared out of my mind in general.  My wheels are turning, thoughts are being processed and plans are being mapped out.

I seriously flip flop on a weekly basis on what I want to be when I grow up after undergrad.  {{ahem, that is three days}}

Options… Options… Options…

1. At the start of college I wanted to be a marine veterinarian… then I took Chemsitry and was done with that career path.

2. Then I wanted to do something in Design… then realized that I probably could not make a career out of that.

3. Then it was between political science and public relations, and I chose PR because I have multiple choices with that career and political science is more narrowly focused.

4. Then after I chose PR, I thought about going to grad school for political science… that was thrown out for the same reason my undergrad degree was thrown out.

5. Then it was a press secretary… I could still do PR while being in DC and working with politics.  This lasted the longest idea of them all, and it still an option for sure.  {{at least we are sticking with “options” instead of ruling things out}}

6. Then it was working for a PR firm, but after working at my internship I really do not want to do that.  Unless I am actually going to be able to be involved in something.  Maybe it was just that I wasn’t really happy sitting at a computer all day long.

7. Then it was opening up my own craft shop.  That fizzled out.

8. Return to option 5

9. Now I am back on the grad school train… but not for political science… I was thinking psychology.

So, did y’all get whiplash? I know I did.

I was told by a friend that my “flip flopping” is a sign of me feeling lost because a big phase of my life is ending.  {{insert the annoying side of psychology}} To help me find my “balance” I should write down some long term goals.

I sat and thought, and thought, and thought… and what do you know… thought.  And all of my long term goals were more “options,” nothing concrete.  Am I just a lost, spontaneous person that can only daydream?  Does it just happen that you have your whole life planned and then you just end up having nothing planned after college?  I have been thinking for a while that I was in the wrong major, but I also knew that you could do a lot with PR so I might be OK.

I am going to try my best to write down some serious, concrete goals that I actually hope to one day in the future achieve.  All in order to try and get some focus.

Long Term Goals

1. Move to a different city within in the year.  Not next May, I mean before 2012. The city itself has not been narrowed down, but I do know I want to move away for a little bit.  Experience life, do something new and start fresh.  Get away from here for a while.  I feel like this step would help me out the most.

2. Get a Townhouse.  I don’t want the big neighborhood house right now, but I would really like a little town house.  Where I could have my craft room and space and decorate it all cute.  Also, this townhouse would have to have an individually fenced in back yard.  Which leads me to the next goal.

3. Adopt a pet! From here.  The Neuse River Golden Retriever Rescue is a non-profit organization that helps unwanted and stray goldens find their forever homes.  I would consider being a foster home for these babies, but I know once they came in, they would never go out.  I would never be able to love a pet and then let them go.  Thus, I will be the old dog lady.  And by dog lady, I mean golden retriever lady.

4. Do something dangerous.  And by dangerous I mean life threatening.  Something like sky diving, or bungee jumping, maybe even cliff diving.  Gotta throw in some spice in my life.  Please, don’t go thinking that I am weird or crazy; everybody seems the need to do something dangerous at times.  At one point in life I thought it would be fun to be a spy, but then I realized torture is not my cup of tea… back to the drawing board!

5. Travel.  I would like this traveling to be paid for by a job that sends me to cool places, but that is just dreaming really, really big.  I would love to backpack across Europe for a few months, or just head over there and see certain places.  Take a cruise, road trip across the US; you know all those fun things you hear about other people doing… I want to do them.

6. Continue my education.  Whether that be a masters program or by getting a doctorate.  At work lately I have been thinking how little I use my brain on a daily basis, and it bothers me.  I feel like I am getting more dumb.  I want to be in a place that I can use my brain.  I am not a genius by any means, but I am not anywhere near being stupid either.  I just don’t like feeling like I am not using my brain.  So maybe going back to school at some point will help me out with that.

7. Run a race.  I mean like run a race.  Not walking it with friends, which I think it is good too, but I mean run. a. race. I am not going to jump out and say run a half marathon, because I don’t want to reach to high.  I will start out running for myself {{which I do now}} and then start out in the 5k range, move up to 10k, run a mud run and then see how good I feel about the whole half marathon thing.

Now, I am all long term goaled out.

Whew.

I graduate in three days, and I am OK with that.

Katelyn