Starting this semester off with a cough?

This first week of classes didn't exactly go as planned. It started off right enough. I got to campus early to train as a tour guide. That involved a lot of walking, leaving me very exhausted and sore at the end of the day, but with a weekend off and a great friend in town, I was more than ready to start this semester off right. It's my senior year, after all.

Monday went well enough. Tuesday I woke up a bit off and by the middle of my first tour of the year I was sniffling. Well, I thought nothing of it. I slipped Monday and ate soy, so I just figured the sniffling and sore throat was due to that. Should've known better. By the time my first class hit, I was blowing my nose every few moments and my head felt heavy enough to knock me off balance. By the time I got done with Tuesday's classes all I wanted was a nap. And I've basically been sleeping since then. I skipped classes Wednesday and Thursday and only left the apartment on Thursday to take (and somehow pass) the equestrian fitness test (well, and a meeting later, but I didn't say much). I was worried I wouldn't pass since I was coughing so much, but I pulled through... and haven't left the apartment again until today.

Today I woke up with sore abs from coughing. The coughing hasn't let up, but I can breathe now and I'm not sneezing constantly. Coughs tend to stick around with me. I don't imagine I'll get rid of it for another week. Guess this is one way to work your abs.

So, on a different note. I'm in an apartment this year. It's still on campus, but it's not a part of board. There's a kitchen, and I'm getting to be a pretty decent cook. By the end of the year, I might actually be a good cook. It would help if I had an oven that worked though. This apartment is what they call an efficiency. Basically, it's a glorified dorm room, but I only have to share the bathroom with my roommate (and any guests we have), and that's more than enough to drown the complaints about the size of the room. I am excited to be done after this year, though. I'm ready to get on with the rest of my life, whatever that means. When I know, I'll let you know.

Epic Fail

Here I said I was going to keep this blog throughout college. I would write every day and do a recap at the end of each week. Trouble was I didn't take into account that my life at Albion would be a lot different than the one I led at Century. For one, the class work at Century was much easier than that at Albion. At Century I had to cut all my papers and found that the easiest way to write a decent paper while putting the least amount of effort into it was to write it a couple hours before it was due or the day before it was due. I never had a problem doing the reading either because all my friends were busy with college elsewhere, so I had plenty of time on the weekends and after work. The opposite was the case at Albion. Suddenly I had to write 10 and 12 page papers, I had a lot more to read, and *gasp* I have a social life! I'm involved with the Equestrian club, as chair of the public relations committee and this year I'll be secretary. I also am involved with the horse team. Every moment I wasn't doing homework, I was chatting with my friends. That was the life I led now.

Now, now I'm a senior. This is my last year at Albion. I considered staying on for another year and doing the British Horse Society program, but for all I love my friends I'll be leaving behind, I've come to realize that what I want more than anything is to be around people my own age. Grad school has that to offer, but since thinking that, I've changed my mind further. I had an epiphany recently. I love school. I doubt I'll ever stop wanting to take classes, but what I really want to do with my life is become a self supporting author. Being a professor was just an academic career that allowed me to go to school. I wouldn't go to school to become an author. So, I'm not worrying about grad school just now and maybe I'll never go. Instead, when the year is over, I'm going to return to Minnesota, work my three jobs, ride my horse, and strive to get my writing career off the ground. Step one: finish the novel I've been working one for the last eight years. Wish me luck!

For this final year of school, I make no promises concerning this blog. It won't disappear, that's for sure. I'll write when I have time and that's the best I can do.