College :)

Okay, this has nothing to do with writing but my brother just toured a college today and I saw the map and pictures of it and now I'm really excited to go (Him? Not so much. haha) But it looks amazing there! (and its given I'll get in so I'm excited, I just have to find out how much scholarship money I can get once I graduate high school) But it has a swimming pool, bowling alley, movie theater, fitness center, and tons of other stuff that is completely free if you go there. They even have an on sight doctors office that's free, not that it matters because its like 20 minutes from my house, but I still think that's cool. Oooh and the dorms that I would live in are amazing because it was just built and it has a small movie theater room in it to watch movies and soo much cool stuff. haha, okay, I'm done, I'm just super excited for it now . Anyone else have their college picked out? Or is anyone else in college, are you liking it?

I wanna go there! Haha. (Though the swimming pool is basically a given, since most college have teams. Or maybe that's just b/c I only looked at colleges with swim teams...hmm.)

Anyway, I looove college. It's independence. However, I am looking to transfer (b/c I hate how tiny my college's community is (1500 people in a 2 stoplight town). I'd rather be on my own with a job and everything. Oh well. It's fun

Haha, I know it sounds amazing doesn't it??

Wow, that's so tiny! I think I'm going to love college too and now I'm really excited to go, especially since I'll go in as a sophomore. The one that I want to go to is in the city (it's also the one my parents want my brother to go to). It's soo funny though because the one my brother wants to go to is in the middle of nowhere. Literally. Its in the middle of a corn field. No on lives out there. No one has cars. Your just stuck hours away from civilization. I don't think I could stand that haha.

I'm off to college near Seattle--I recently google-mapped it, and it's an approx. 14 minute drive from campus to my favorite coffee shop. The brand is only in Alaska, except for that one in Seattle, so I'm happy. And I'm totally willing to do a 14 minute drive for my espresso, b/c I currently do more, so I'll actually save money. I think I shall make it a weekend thing.

Amanda: So I just google mapped my house to Northwest (22 mins) and Northwest to my work (10 mins). What's your favorite coffee shop? I am having way too much fun with this. Why are you two going there?

It's funny, since I only looked at colleges with swim programs, I never considered Northwest, but now that I'm transferring (and quitting swimming, amen), I'm thinking about going there. I could talk forever on this topic but only if anyone cares about details of my transferring.

Kaladi Brothers--it's the bomb. Starbucks is acidic and bitter tasting, but Kaladi done right is smooth, creamy, and has a cinnamon, almond-y flavor. Heaven in a cup. Too bad I'm currently fasting it for Lent... But I digress. (I'm a barista, can you tell? )

We're going to Northwest b/c it's an accredited university, close to home(if you call a 3.5 hour flight/2-3 day drive close), and is affiliated with the Assemblies of God, the denomination closest to my personal beliefs. Plus they have a class devoted to the works of C.S. Lewis...I could go on.

But I won't, because I'm leaving the floor for Taryn to speak forever on her transferring details, lol.

*clears throat* *jumps up on soapbox*

Once upon a time . . .

No, that's not right.

PART 1: Leaving KY

I went to a small, private, Christian school from 5-12th grade (and an even smaller, 6 people in my class private secular school before that), and I assumed I wanted to continue with the small, Christian theme. However, I discounted the fact that I'd also been raised in Seattle. Big city Seattle. Lots of people. Lots of industry. Lots of creativeness. Lots and lots and lots of Starbucks.

Anyway, point: 2-stoplight hick town is not Seattle.

And the writing community here loses with a similar ratio. I'm feeling trapped. I love the small school, but hate the tiny, enclosed space with a . . . less industrialized . . . culture. When I think about it, none of the careers I want (agent, editor, writer, and/or swim coach) REQUIRE a degree, and most are apprentice-type jobs.

If I go back to Seattle, I have four agencies at which I could intern, and four swim teams which have already asked me to coach. I want to be independent.

PART 2: Coming back to WA

The University of Washington makes the most sense, but the transfer application deadline has passed. Also, UW sucks at accepting credits from other schools. One of the things I've tossed around is taking classes at a community college so as to recover the credits lost in my school-switch while working and writing a lot.

But then Amanda mentioned Northwest, and now I'm interested in looking there, since transfer app deadling isn't until mid-July . . .

PART 3: What am I doing next year?

Community college + job + internship + writing: I don't know. Maybe.
Asbury (AKA where I am): If I'm lazy, this is the easy option
Northwest: I need to do more research. Visit. See if the finances work out.

Questions? Lol.

@Sarah Oh, man. Sign me up!

I'm not really that interested in college. Everyone tells me it'd be a great experience and super-fun... but I just want to get it over with. I, personally, want to do an online college so that I could avoid all those people. *shudders* Mom wants me to do a Catholic college(which would be cool, but they're all uber-expensive).

But hey, if it's got a movie theater, I'm sold.

@Sarah That just sounds SO awesome and exciting and perfect!! I'm going to tour a campus soon that's not far from home and I'm really crossing my fingers because they offer some good options for me. :/ We'll see though! I know I'll either love it or hate it.

@WriteSpinner Online college? You wouldn't want the experience of people? Do I sense an introvert? I'm actually an introvert, but I do love people at the same time. Is that an oxymoron? But since I'm doing college I figured I might as well enjoy the social side at the same time.

@WriteSpinner--I'm an extreme introvert, but even so, I feel like I've been waiting to go to college my whole life. Not a fan of high school. I love the freedom of learning while being treated like an adult. It's less busy-work and more learning, and I love the accelerated pace. Except for classes such as Physics 1, because they lost me right before the final, which I totally failed. Went from a low A overall to a high C. Now that I think about it, college classes have been a lot better for me, socially, because I haven't been required to speak to anyone besides the professor, or else it's been a super small class, so I'm more comfortable.

@Taryn--Northwest seems really good about taking transfer credits. They used to be a college, before stepping up to university level, so I think that may be why they're a little more lenient. And they have some good scholarships that they award automatically for things like SAT scores and GPAs, as well as financial need(as long as you fill out the FAFSA...*cough*Renee'*cough*), so yeah. It's pretty cool. I'm going to try to get a job on campus, or at a coffee shop somewhere nearby, to utilize my barista skeelz. (<-He's the only one that agrees, so my nods can only be used for evil.)

*agrees with Amanda about college vs. high school*

Hi, I'm Constance, and I'm an introvert. *listens to chorus of "Hi, Constance."*

I like people. Really, I do. ...If I know them. Except online. I'm not shy here(Can you tell? xP). Maybe I'm just super self-concious, but I hate meeting new people. I'm afraid they'll think I talk too much(I do).

So, I'd love to go to college if I was going with people I already knew. But meeting new people is more terrifying than red and orange polka-dotted T-Rexs taking over the world.

@Amanda Aw! I'm sorry about your grade. :/
With how you describe the classes, it sounds great! And non-scary. Besides the having to talk to the professor.

WriteSpinner wrote:Hi, I'm Constance, and I'm an introvert. *listens to chorus of "Hi, Constance."*

I like people. Really, I do. ...If I know them. Except online. I'm not shy here(Can you tell? xP). Maybe I'm just super self-concious, but I hate meeting new people. I'm afraid they'll think I talk too much(I do).

So, I'd love to go to college if I was going with people I already knew. But meeting new people is more terrifying than red and orange polka-dotted T-Rexs taking over the world.

Aww, I know the feeling. But you know, that fear of people's first impressions gradually faded for me. I kind of stopped caring. The only issue I have is when I have to speak in front of people -- then the pressure is on, and I forget everything.

But yeah, it would be nice to know ONE person in the crowd, I totally agree. Just someone you can stick with until you're more comfortable.

Amanda, I've decided where you shall work. I lifeguard + teach swim lessons at a super posh sports club which has a cafe, and you should work there. The end. (It's really the best job ever. I could gush for hours. In fact, I have. How many jobs pay $12/hour for lifeguarding?? Yeah.)

@Constance: It's really not bad. Smaller colleges work really hard to make you fit in. My college had a weeklong backpacking trip in the Red River Gorge, and I came away from that with 8 awesome bffs.

@Lizzy Honestly, I don't care what people think of me otherwise, but I have had people tell me to shut up because I talked too much. So, that's a touchy spot.
Oh. My. Goodness. When I went to mass at the base camp in Philmont(BSA ranch in NM), one of the staff asked me to do the reading. My friends said I did good, but I felt nauseous for like, 45 minutes afterwards! It was awful! But I still totally did it.

@Taryn You should get into the ad business. Somehow, you manage to describe everything so it sounds delightful and enticing. This has nothing to do with the fact that you've written 9/10 books, of course.

@Constance Oh, that's sad. I'm sorry! But I feel extra bad now because I always tell my little brother to shut up because he never stops talking. :/ Maybe I should stop so I don't scar him? But good for you for doing the reading!! I would have been the same way. I even hate it when I'm with a small group of people and they ask me to re-tell a story or something. I just lose all my words and want to melt through the floor as soon as everyone's eyes turn my way. *sigh*

Aww, I missed the college conversation :/ haha, I've had so much homework lately. I think it's because schools almost over.

@Lizzy: Lol! I wouldn't worry about scarring him. I tell my siblings to shut up all the time, and they tell me to shut up, and it doesn't phase me. It's just when it's a near/total stranger that you should be careful.
Be comforted in the knowledge that though you may be bad at and/or hate speaking in front of people, you make up for it by writing awesome stories and sharing them.

LOL! Ok, siblings are excluded then. xD But I'd never tell a stranger to shut up with the exception of one girl I couldn't stand. But I never even did tell her to so...

LOL! True, true! Thanks for that. xD

Lol, Lizzy!!

@Taryn--That is my new life plan, lol.