College Life... So Far

At, the beginning of the school year I was feeling very overwhelmed with college.  I couldn't wait until the semester was over, but first I couldn't wait until mid-term.  I had 2 course that would only last for the first half of the semester.  So, at mid-term they would end.
I can't believe last week was already mid-term.  Those two classes are now finished.  I am not feeling so overwhelmed with college.  Time has gone by really fast... but, slow at the same time.  I do find myself bored a lot and then time goes by slowly.  But, overall time has gone by really fast.

I have been home 3 times and my family came down to visit me on family weekend.  I gave them a tour of the campus, we went out to eat, and went to the church that I have been going to.

The one thing that I have gotten involved in, is the SALT Company.  The SALT Company is a campus ministry.  On Thursday nights we gather at Cornerstone Church for worship and a message.  (Cornerstone Church is the church I have going to on Sunday mornings.)  I would say there are about 2,000 students that attend SALT, so it is HUGE!
But, it doesn't feel that big.  Throughout the week there are connection groups all throughout the dorms and all across Ames.  Students can pick the one that works best with there schedule.  I am in a connection group that meets right in my building.  At connection group we discuss the message that was given on the previous Thursday night.

This is one of those pictures that I didn't know if I should post or not.  But, the sasquatch hunt was so much fun that I decided I would.

Also, for just the freshman, there is Freshman Group on Sunday nights right on campus.  There is worship and a message.  I have gone some, but lately I have had other things going on.  On the first night of freshman group, we had a fun night.  We had a sasquatch hunt.  It was so much fun!  In small groups, we ran all around campus, doing silly things (picture above) and taking a picture at different places.  One person tweeted or put the picture on instagram.  Once your group got through the list of places to go, we were sent a text of a hint where the sasquatch is.  The goal was to be the first to find the sasquatch.

One night my connection group went out for pizza.

There is a retreat for the freshman that I went on.

The school work load seems to go up and down.  Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed with everything to do and other times I feel so bored at college.  For my one food science class, I have had to go to the store (Target) and look at food labels.  This is "fun" homework.

I have ventured out to find the farmers market on a couple Saturday mornings.  I have gotten some DELICIOUS Honey Crisp apples.  The second time I went, two of my roommates, Soup and Saniya, came with me.

There is a stand at the farmers market that sells hamburgers and a few other things like that.  Once I got a hamburger.

The resistance hall that I live in doesn't have a kitchen.  But, the one next to me does, and one of the doors into the building is unlocked.  I have invested in a cake pan and an apple peeler.  Once I made 7-layer bars for my of my roommate's birthday and another time I made apple crisp.
(The kitchen in the other building doesn't have a 9x13 pan, so that is why I had to get one.)  The kitchen is kind of dirty, so I hesitate to use it, but I make sure to work in a very sanitary way.

I went over to one of the C-Stores and got a little container of ice cream.... I had to have ice cream with my apple crisp.

I am also in the Food Science Human Nutrition Learning Community.  This is a group for freshman who are in food science, culinary science, nutritional science, dietetics, and diet and exercise majors.  We have 5 peer mentors.  We do fun things together and the peer mentors occasionally hold study sessions and workshops for working on a particular assignment that everyone might be needing help with.

We have taken the Cy-Ride to Panera Bread for supper.

We did the Run for the Roses 5k or 10k.
 I did the 10k.  This was a really fun run with a yummy omelet breakfast afterwards.

Not everyone has to sign up for these events, so the groups that go are usually pretty small.

The food here at college is nothing great and I would rather go grocery shopping to get food to have in my dorm.  But, living in the dorms, I have to have a meal plan.  I am so glad that I got the smallest meal plan.  Breakfast is easy to eat in my dorm.  Then between going home a few time and coming back with a lot of home cooked food, my family coming once and bringing me some food, and doing the little grocery shopping I have done, I have a lot of meals left (I am way over the number that I am supposed to be at for the meal plan I have).

Sometimes, I will eat something that is actually kind of good from the dining centers, but other times I will eat something that just doesn't make me leave with a great feeling.  And, basically everything in the dining centers is something between bread.  Hot or cold, everything comes down to being a sandwich.  I love sandwiches, but really good sandwiches with homemade bread and high quality meat and toppings.

There have been some BEAUTIFUL fall days.  Just BEAUTIFUL!

And, campus is getting really pretty.
It has been a beautiful fall:)

One thing that I love about campus is that it is some so big.  I love the walks to all my classes.  And, sometimes they can be a bit long - which is great exercise!

Now, college hasn't been all fun.  So far, I sometimes find college life to be quite boring.  And, I really would like to have a actual house or apartment to live in.  A place where my home isn't just a desk in a corner of the the room, a place where I can move around more, and a where I can bake and cook.

P.S.  The pictures have just been taken with an iPhone, so that aren't great quality.

Does This Count?

For a few years now, I have had this goal:  To run a half marathon by second year of college, but to train like I am going to run one for my first year and if I can, do it.

Friday afternoon my mom picked me up from college.  We drove all the way up to my grandparents.  We stopped a couple times, once at the outlet mall.  As my mom was checking out in one store she just happened to ask if there was anywhere you could get a treat around there, such as a caramel apple.  My mom thought the answer was going to be no, but the cashier said yes, a new candy store just opened right down around the corner.  Another shopper said that she was just in there and said they had some caramel apples that looked amazing.

So, we went down to this candy store.  We looked around a bit.  I was eyeing this caramel apple, and when the lady was telling me the different kinds of caramel apples and said that is one was turtle, I knew it was for me.  It was DELICIOUS!

When we got up to my grandparents, my grandma hopped into our car.  First we stopped at a cute antique store that my mom had seen the last time she was up there and then we made our usual stops at Trader Joe's and Costco.  

We spend the night we my grandparents (Hi Grandma & Grandpa!).  It was great to see them!

The next morning my mom and I got up bright and early.  I am now in college, so I tried my first half marathon.  This last summer when my mom and I had gotten together with some friends from our old neighborhood, a few of us decided that we should do a half marathon together this fall.  We signed up for the Gear Western Half Marathon. 

I hadn't trained at all for this half.  All summer I had been running 6 miles most days.  Towards the end, I ran a couple 8 milers.  And, then I went to college.  All of a sudden couldn't run 3 miles.  Something on me hurt, it was hot, I didn't know where I should run... I am sure there were a lot of factors that explained why I was not able to run very well. 

For a while, I really didn't do too much exercise.  I did do some, but not what I am used to.  A couple weeks ago, I started getting up and going to the gym right when they open in the morning.  I have just been doing the elliptical and weights.

I didn't know how this half marathon that I signed up for was going to go.  My mom didn't know if we should even do it (She was signed up too, but hadn't been training.  She thought she would just walk it, which she knew she could just do.)  But, I still really wanted to do it.  I just didn't know if I would just walk the whole thing, walk and run, or try to run it all.

Then, last weekend I did a 10k.  It went better than I thought it would go.  I gave me confidence that maybe I could actually do this half marathon.  I kept getting up and going to the gym.

And, sooner than later, the day of the half marathon came.  We met up with one of my old pre-school friend and her parents.  She and her mom had been training to do the half marathon.  My mom decided not to do it... it would have taken her too long.

On October 11, 2014, I somehow ran my first half marathon.  My time was 1 hour, 43 minutes, and 26 seconds.  It felt really good.  There were a couple miles that went by really slow, but all together, it went by really fast.  The route was BEAUTIFUL.  The leaves were all colorful, we ran by a lake, on a gravel trail, and all over the place.  It was a perfect day for a half marathon.

Betsy and I both won a prize.  I got first in our age group and she got second, so our trophies were old record albums.

Afterwards, my mom and I went out for lunch with Betsy and her parents to Panera Bread.

The half marathon was completely worth doing.  It was great to see my grandparents and an old pre-school friend, it was a beautiful day for a half marathon, and the half marathon itself so much fun.  Now I want to do another one!

I just don't know if this should count towards my goal though.  I successfully ran a half marathon.  But, half of doing a half marathon is training for it, which I didn't do.  So, I probably could have done a lot better.  What do you think?  Should this count towards my goal or not?

A New Fall Outfit

Each season I seem to have one outfit that is my favorite.  I will wear it a lot and it is my go-to outfit.

This outfit actually is not too new.  I haven't worn it much though, because I have been saving it for fall.  I got the pants in Paris... I wish I could go back to get more!  And, the shirt is from American Eagle.  I can tell that this is going to be my go-to outfit this fall.