IT'S GRADUATION DAY

Well today is the day! It's Graduation Day a UIS!

I can't believe this day has come, I always knew it would, but wow did it come fast.

It is now time for a confession. The night before coming to UIS I decided I wasn't going to come. I didn't know anyone, it was far away from home, I was sure I wouldn't make any friends. I sent an IM to Brad my RA and was like, hey are you around can we talk. Well Brad didn't answer till much later, so I was forced to come cause I couldn't tell my RA I wasn't coming.

Looking back, the decision to come to UIS was one of the best decisions I have yet to make. The memories, the friendships, the education I have gained here will stay with me forever.


THANK YOU UIS!

CONGRATS UIS CLASS OF 2008!!!

1 DAY

1) Friends
I could write about this for years but I won't I will simply share what it has been like to be a part of the UIS family. I have gained more friendships from this experience then I ever thought I would. I have gained friends that will be there for me for the rest of my life. Although we will all grow up (yes it will even happy to you, no matter how hard you try...believe me...it doesn't work) and many of us will move away (as I have alredy done) but I have faith that we won't lose the bond that has kept us togather as friends!

Don't worry, this isn't the end of the friendships we have made here, we will continue on...they must!

Tomorrow is graduation. I have very mixed emotions. I feel that I am ready to close this portion of my life and move on completely, but I will always miss this place, and will always wish that I could come back here. It has been a good run, and I couldnt have done it without my friends. It would have been easy for me to come to UIS, make no friends, and most likely left here after 2 years, but I didn't. People forced me to make friends, people encouraged me, and people helped me. I am thankfull for all that everyone has done.



Plans for the rest of the weekend include:
Tonight: Political Science Banquet

Tomorrow: Pictures with a few of my best friends in our cap and gown on campus
Graduation
Dinner with family and friends
Drive back to the QC

Sunday:
Mass
Mothers day brunch
Hopping back on a plane to DC...as a college graduate!

2 DAYS

2) I will miss Springfield. I have always had a deep appreciation for Springfield, and always liked coming to visit the capitol city but living in Springfield for 3 years have given me a new found appreciation. You might think Springfield is a small town with nothing to do, and you would only be half right with that. Springfield has plenty of things to do, you just have to search it out. You have to find things that suit your tastes and get out there and do it. There is a wealth of things to do if you look hard enough, and if you are willing to get involved in the community.

Some of the things I did/was involved in while I was in Springfield were:
-Drive in Movie Theater
-Put-Put Golf
-Lobbying at the State Capitol
-Volunteering
-Local Politics
-State Fair!
-4th of July Fireworks and Festival Downtown
-Riding my bike on the bike trails
-Spending time in Washington Park
-Springfield Beach (RIP Lake Springfield Beach
-Henson Robinson Zoo
-Nelson Center Ice Rink
-Chatham Sweet Corn Festival
As you can see, it is easy to stay very busy between all of the great events on campus to the great evens in the Springfield Community. My advice to future students…..don’t sit on the sidelines…going to UIS is not a spectator sport!

3 DAYS

3) I will miss the faculty and staff.
When they say that UIS is a place where people really care about you it couldn't be more true. UIS faculty and staff are great. From the UIS Professors, to the offices I have worked a lot with I thank you! You are all class acts!
Some groups I really want to thank:
-Alumni Association
-Provost Office (my 2nd home, always will miss them)

Thank you all for doing what you do for students!

1 last thing....thank a building service worker...they really might be the hardest workers on campus...we owe them a lot!

4 DAYS

4)SNOW DAYS

I know of very few schools that have had as many snow days as I have had. Snow days were always the best. Eating mac and cheese, playing video games, sleeping in, not having to study for a test...all good times.

5 DAYS

5) Quad Ball
A game brought to you by Twosouth but it spread to the campus. Just think the middle of the quad, a beach ball, and something that looks a lot like Soccer....


It was great fun....until someone got hurt....but was fun while it lasted!

6 DAYS

6) I will miss going to the UIS Athletic Events!

I have only been to 1 game at the new gym, and as great as that place is, the old gym atmosphere just can't be better. The close games, the games against our rival Mckendree, games for conference championships, senior nights...they have all been great at UIS.

7 DAYS

7) I will/do miss living in the Taj Mahal of dorm living:

LRH, you have been good to all of us. Many fun time were had there, and I miss living there. Sharing a bathroom with only 3 other people is great, having a huge room....and AC....just some of the reasons we should consider ourselves lucky that we didn't go to those other state schools who shall remain nameless!

8 DAYS

8) I will miss all of the great places I would hang out with friends.

-Steak and Shake-I am not sure I ate there at a regular meal time the whole time I was in college, but the late night runs for fried chicken salad, french fries and a shake with my best friends were great!

insert mental picture of Gebben, Kate and I eating Steak and Shake about 3 times a week...and gaining lots of weight!

-Taco Bell-oh gosh, I can't tell you how much taco bell I ate during my 3 years on campus....mmmm.........
-Bootleggers-I am just going to say I really miss spending time with people there.
-DH Browns-cheap drinks in a place where you can actually talk to your friends...I shall miss going there every once in a while! And the popcorn..can't forget about the popcorn!

9 DAYS

9 DAYS LEFT TILL GRADUATION



9) I will miss online classes. Where else can you earn college credit halfway across the nation from your campus and do all of your classwork while sitting in your bed!

10 MORE DAYS

Well, I can't believe it, but in 10 days I will be a college graduate. I have lots to be done before then, but I thought I would start off a funny/serious top 10 things I am going to miss about being an undergrad at the University of Illinois at Springfield. I will really try my best to post everyday between now and graduation wth these top 10 things....so without further ado

10) Emails from people on campus...where they send it out 3 or 4 times each hour to everyone on campus, or people I know only via campus announcement emails...I thank you for keeping me informed...I think..I shall miss these people!

Saver of all things poultry

I was reliving this story with some friends this morning, and thought it would bring some joy to the blog world. I know just reliving it kinda made a so-so day a little better for me. So here is how the story goes:

When I worked for the 4-H program two summers ago I was in charge of the Beyond City Limits exhibit at the fair (teaching city kids how what they get on their tables and use in their everyday lives gets there) i ordered 2 dozen baby chickens that would be on exhibit during the fair for the kids to look at. I ordered them, and had to baby sit for a few days before I could take them to the exhibit. My parents were un-thrilled about me having these, but I was really excited, it was a new pet and I was pretty pumped. So, the post office called me early one morning, said you chickens are here, I went and got them. Brought them home, got them all set up in the basement. You have to give them a heat lamp to keep them warm so I did, had that over top of them. I went upstairs took a little nap before I headed into town.

When I woke up the house smelled funny, I went to the basement door and smoke was rolling up the stairs I was shocked...and worried...that the house was burning down. I ran downstairs, and found that the box of chickens was on fire. The heat lamp had broke and fallen into the box full of pine shaving and caught the shavings on fire. So, I quickly pulled all of the chickens out (who were hovering in one corner chirping like your wouldn't believe) and then put out the small fire. The house smelled terrible like smoke, and it was like 100 degrees that day, so I had to shut off the air, and open all the windows to get the smoke and smell out.

I only lost 1 chicken during that whole experience, and that was the one where the heat lamp looked like it fell right on him, and he had some smoke inhalation issues.....but other then him or her (I didn't know, cause I got a straight run meaning the first 26 [they give you extras just in case some die during shipment] that come out of the egg, much cheaper this way, requesting the sex is much more costly), I was the saver of all things poultry.

I bring this story up in honor of

NATIONAL AG DAY!

Thank a farmer!

No Farmers.....No Food

When I visited campus......

Besides getting to see a bunch of my good friends that I hadn't seen in a long time.....
I also was told I blog too much about politics....Shana Stine....the hater of all things she used to love told me this. So, to be nice, I deleted some of my political posts...but I can't figure out how to delete that annoying poll on the side of this.

Pretty laid back weekend:
Yesterday: Had some frozen pizza, and then watched the Illinois game...gosh who would have thought we would have been talking about the Illini doing well 3 weeks ago?

Today: Woke up and went to brunch. Good good brunch! When/If you are 21 you can enjoy these things called Mimosas. Campaign and OJ included with Brunch....did I mention the Mimosas were bottomless? Then came back here for a little nap and than to watch the Illini advance to the Big 10 Championship game! Exciting!

Now, just hanging out deciding if I need to make something for dinner...or if brunch can hold me over....but that was at like noon....who knows!

Tomorrow:
Palm Sunday Mass...then watching the Big 10 Tourney Chamapionship game! IL vs. WI lets hope is a good game!

Spring Break

Well, for most of you it is Spring break time. I never took a Spring break, although at times I wish I had. Even though I wish I had gone once, I am not sure I would take back any of my Spring breaks. I normally spent Spring break at home, catching up with family and friends, and catching up on my sleep! It was always great to just have a week off. So, if you are reading this from cold Illinois don't worry, not everyone goes on Spring break, although the facebook status of all those people that did sound pretty good!

UIS Graduation Countdown

This is what I do when I can't sleep!

Hey Everyone
I can't sleep tonight! Pretty nervous! Lots to do in the next week!

Some important job related stuff might happen this week...so hold thumbs and send good thoughts my way this week if you could!

This week has been a weird week news wise. It makes me wonder what is happening when people are dying so senselessly. Omaha and Colorado are both really frightening and sad.


I have some work to do on my AST after this week....but other then that I am done with this semester (although I have a lot of AST work to do). My other online class this semester is over and went well!

I turn 22 on Wednesday.....crazy!

OK, gonna try to get back to bed!

Random Musings of the 21 year old

-I hate change
-Had a good thanksgiving
-Really enjoyed spending time with my family, really missed hanging out with my cousins, that was nice!
-Great time with my friends! Wish there was more of that!
-Did I mention that I hate change?
-I helped my cousin register to vote....it was nice...fun to help someone take the first small step in being involved in the political process
-Does anyone really read these?

hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving! I will recap my time at home next week...maybe not Monday...cause I might be too tired to function...but sometime next week I promise!