Thursday October 3 I had another appointment with Chandra, my career counselor. The previous appointment I had kind of mentioned that I wanted to be an art teacher. I'm not sure if I just didn't seem like I was serious about it, or what but she just dismissed it. Then at the close of the appointment she asked what I wanted to do at the next one. I obviously did not know, because I thought that was her job.. I decided that I would make a pros and cons list for the careers I was most interested in. I already knew the ranking I had for them, so I didn't know if it was necessary, but the list just confirmed it. Art teacher had the most pros and is what my heart was set on. I told Chandra this during our appointment and was frustrated that she was not very supportive of is. She told me that art funding is decreasing and being cut in schools and that I should definitely have a back up plan. She also said she didn't know how to do the schooling for it and suggested I talked to someone in the education department. (which also came to a dead end because that lady left me a voicemail returning my call, saying that had nothing and suggested that I should call someone in the arts and science department).
Friday October 4 it was time for concert number two of the week! Maggie, Elya, Danielle, and I went to see the Lumineers at Chafiez arena at SLU. Nathaniel opened, then Dr. Dog, then the Lumineers finally came on. In that case, and everything else actually, the Ben Rector concert was so much better! I didn't know Nathaniel or Dr. Dog and wasn't super excited to be listening to their music waiting and waiting for the Lumineers. Also it was a lot more crowded and people pushing to get closer to the front type of crowd. There was a tall group in front of us, and they kept feeling bad for standing in front of me and tried to help me get to a spot where I could see, so that was kind of them. I did like when the Lumineers finally came on stage. I like their music and knew most of the songs they played. Then afterwards, the four of us went to Steak n Shake which was fun!
Saturday October 5 I had my first service site for APO. We were painting roofs white, but after an hour of the prep work (learning why they do it, the safety, and the first group cleaning off the roof top while I waited with the other half of our group on the ground), it started to rain and we were unable to continue.
Sunday October 6 we had our last IM soccer game. We also lost then, but it was still a lot of fun getting to play.
Oh, I haven't been saying this- but every week this semester I went to a work out class called physique fusion on Monday and Wednesday evenings and then Tuesday nights we had APO meetings.
Thursday October 10 I went with another girl in APO to help set up for St. Louis World Food Day. The woman in charge was really friendly and explained everything about it to us. Later she even sent us an email with pictures from setting up.
Saturday October 12 I went to volunteer at an assisted living residential place for their senior happy hour. We helped the residents that wanted to attend get to the room it was, mostly this consisted of helping wheel their wheel chairs. We set up in a circle in this room and a man played a lot of songs on the piano while the residents and other members of APO that went enjoyed root beer floats. It was so much fun!! I loved the ladies who were clapping during the piano songs and singing along. I sat by an old man and helped hold his cup for him so he could use the spoon to scrape spoonfuls of ice cream! He asked me if I was married and also if I had kids. I was so glad I was able to go!
Wednesday October 16 I made popcorn from kernels for the first time ever! I was so proud of myself and so excited for my new gained skill that officially made me a Demeter. Seriously, we love our popcorn.
Thursday October 17 I went home for Fall Break!! I left a day early, skipping my Friday classes. I took the bus from Saint Louis to Champaign. My mom picked me up. She met me once I got off the bus and helped me carry my bag. Then we got in the car and all of a sudden a hand was on my neck- Josue came with her to surprise me! I really did not expect it and don't know how the two of them kept it a secret from me!
When we got to town we went to my grandparents' house to visit! They were so excited to see me, and I was happy I got to see them too! Then that evening I spent for the first night at the new house, including hanging out with Josue and my family around the fire pit on the porch.
Friday October 18 I spent the day hanging out with Maggie while everyone was at school and watched the Cardinals game that evening. That was the game they beat the Dodgers 9-0 and qualified for the World Series. Yay!
Saturday morning I woke up before anyone else and went to The Lord's Pantry with my dad. It was fun going after I hadn't been able to for so long! Then I hung out with Josue, ate dinner at my grandparents, and spent the night at my dad's house and found some fun things from a few years back (including my first published writing! In 4th grade I won a writing contest and my essay about Mary Hannah Krout was published in the newspaper).
Sunday October 20 I went to church at 7:45 with my dad, so early! Then I drove quickly to my grandparents house to say goodbye because they were headed to the airport for Florida for the winter. When I got back my dad wanted to go to breakfast, but we compromised and I took a nap then we went to Little Mexico for lunch.
I spent that afternoon and evening at my mom's house with Josue and the family watching the Broncos and Colts game.
Monday October 21 I went to Hose to shadow Tracy Smoll, the art teacher there. It was so much fun! One class was working on covering balloons with paper mache that would later be used to make octopi. The other class had outlined clowns on black paper with glue and were filling in the spaces with pastels. I loved hearing the kids saying how much fun they were having! It was awesome. Tracy was so great with the kids and had such awesome ideas. She talked to me asking what she could do to fully convince me to be an art teacher and I told her I was, I just had to figure out the schooling! She seemed just as exciting as I was. She gave me the email of the professor in charge of art education at Purdue where she got her degree and told me she was sure he could help guide me with the schooling process.
The rest of the day I spent at my dad, at the old house going through stuff in my closet until Josue came to my rescue because I was just getting really overwhelmed. He was awesome, when I told him he came right over and just held me as we sat against the wall in my empty room and just talked. My favorite was when he told me stories about Mexico with his grandma. He is the best! That evening I also joined my mom and other sisters for a PEO meeting.
Tuesday October 22 I hung out with Josue and my family because it was my last full day at home, including an Arni's date and testing Maggie in socks (because my mom and Dan originally thought she needed socks or booties to wear if she came inside or otherwise she might scratch the hardwood floors. But now that I'm at school I hear all about how Maggie comes inside every night now and hangs out before going to bed. Without any footwear). I also sent an email to Dr. Sabol, the professor Tracy had recommended I contact with my questions. Then Wednesday October 23 I drove by Josue's house to wake him up and say goodbye, then to my dad's house to say goodbye, and then Dan and I headed back to Saint Louis.
Friday October 25 I had a meeting with my academic advisor to schedule classes for next semester. I told her that I wanted to change my major and she referred me to talk to an advisor in the arts and sciences department as well as the education department, so I made appointments with them. That afternoon I had a long, awesome catching-up phone call with Jacqueline. As I got off the phone with her I saw that I had a response from Dr. Sabol! He didn't really answer my question about other ways of doing the education for an art teacher (because I also had Hanover in mind), but really encouraged me to look into Purdue's art education and told me he would like to speak with me later in the week once I had the chance to look at it.
Saturday October 26 was Make A Difference Day. I signed up with my APO family and met the other girls who also signed up with our family for the opening ceremony. Our site for the day was Feed My Starving children later in the day at Reinert because our entry was somehow lost and we didn't really have a site. It was really cool getting to package food with them because it was very similar to the stations I had set up a couple weeks before at St. Louis World Food Day. Everything was really organized and flowed well. I liked at the end when she talked to us about the different statistics about how much food we packed, how many meals it was, and showing pictures of children before and after receiving the meals. It felt good to be making a difference as the day suggests!
The week was exciting with the World Series being played! I watched a lot of games with Alex as we cheered on our Cardinals, and were saddened by their final loss in game six.
Sunday October 27 I went to mass, as I did every Sunday. I also decided to apply go ahead and apply to Purdue for the spring semester. I was really nervous about getting my application, along with my high school and SLU transcripts sent by the Nov 1 deadline. I told myself that whatever was meant to be would happen, and if they didn't get there on time then it would just be a sign that it wasn't for me. Luckily I didn't have to convince myself of that, because everything did make it on time.
October 28 after my classes I sat outside on a picnic bench and had a delightful talk with Dr. Sabol on the phone! He was awesome! He explained the criteria for the classes and how each section was broken up. He also told me that their placement rate is 96%. Towards the end he asked me where I was from and I said Crawfordsville. He told me that was actually where he was calling from because he was at home and not his office. He told me that he taught in Crawfordsville for many years and I said yes, I think my mom had you. He asked what her name was and when I said Julie Ludwig he told me he knew my mom, her sisters, and my grandparents, and exclaimed "Oh how fun it is to live in a small town." I just felt so good. Everything had been so unknown, and finally there was someone who not only had straight answers to give me, but was offering and willing to help as much as possible. I was sold. Not to mention the following morning I woke up with an email from Dr. Sabol that he concluded with "We (meaning his wife who was also a teacher and himself) have wonderful memories of your mother and your family. I'm looking forward to having new additional memories of you being in our program."
October 29 Maggie and I went to the exorcism talk at the library, but it wasn't quite what we thought it was going to be. It was super crowded so we were up on the second floor watching it on a tv screen. Leaving it, we still aren't sure if there was an exorcism at SLU once or not. And for once I participated in our APO meeting theme, thanks to my mom's care package!
Wednesday October 30 was my mom's birthday!! We woke up to a think, creepy fog. But it was also especially warm that day and I for one was excited to be seen in my capris and sandals again while I had been hearing about all of the excitement from girls around me about it being fall and boot season. And also in my psych class we watched a really awesome video that I recommend to anyone, introvert or not: http://www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts.html
Thursday October 31 was Halloween. I went with Alex to the mall. It was packed and full of kids in costumes going trick or treating from store to store. We were both unfamiliar with this and left after purchasing the sweater she needed to get for her brother.
Maggie and I also won first place in the Halloween door decorating contest. I was so excited and proud of our door! We each won a SLU blanket, but winning an artistic contest was more fulfilling and important to myself than the blanket.
November 1 I helped with the Halloween Bash that APO put on for kids in the area. Olivia and I worked together to bring a group of kids trick or treating throughout Marchetti east and west, through a haunted house, and back to the carnival to play games at different stations. It was a lot of fun!
No comments:
Post a Comment