on boyfriends/girlfriends *

*i'm sorry if i get emotional with this one guys. :o)

Here's a few things I've learned from my experience:

1. Don't look for him/her. I know, I know. All of your friends have boyfriends, you see everyone on campus/at the mall/at the store/at restaurants/EVERYWHERE with boyfriends or girlfriends, but this doesn't mean the fact that you don't have a significant other makes you weird or different. When you're looking hard for someone to be with, you're blind to most of your options since you'll be finding others who are simply interested in having a boyfriend or girlfriend too.
2. Trust, trust and trust. Some (a lot) of people have a serious problem with this, but honestly the person your with will cheat on you if they want to, even if you trust them. Not to sound rude or anything, but it's the truth. Obviously, if you have some reason as to why they have completely broken your trust, you may need to take a good hard look at why you're still with them. But, by not trusting someone, or always getting jealous, can and will push your significant other away. These things, we all know of course. But just because you've heard it a million times doesn't mean it's going to stick with you. And like I said before, this one is a hard pill to swallow. Or another cliche- it's easier said than done.
3. Keep it chill, fun and awesome. This is my favorite thing about the relationship I'm in currently that was so radically different than my last long term "serious" relationship. Austin and I spent a lot of time at the beginning of our relationship getting to know each other. We spent a lot of time talking about everything from both sides, even the touchy stuff like religion. Even now, there are still some things we don't fully understand about each other, but thats okay. :) Despite how serious we can get with each other, we act like little kids; playing games, looking up jokes and going places like mini golfing and the park together. We also are alright with simply sitting together in a quiet room, going to the library to study or walk each other to class. The energy level is never the same, but we still enjoy our time together. I mean, too much energy can get unnerving and too little energy can get boring. But there's nothing wrong with spending time together on all levels. This might just be us, but it's worked so far.
4. Disagree, don't argue. This is number one in importance and one of the hardest. Disagreeing is completely different than arguing and getting angry. Why? Because with a disagreement, there should be two parts: 1. Discussing your opinion and 2. Why you feel this way/believe this and rationalizing it, making it easier for the other to understand. I get it, sometimes things cannot be agreed on and fights break out. But this, again, has worked awesome for us. We're going on four years and have had only one major fight, but many small disagreements. This way, nothing is taken away from the relationship and there are no grudges held.


Now, I understand people are different and think differently. Austin and I are both rational people with moderate tempers. It takes quite a bit to set either of us off, and way more to get us angry at each other.
I have also been in a relationship where none of my own advice was being followed and it definitely didn't end well for either party.

Austin and I have been together for four months shy of four years (my high school sweetheart!), we've been together for three quarters of my high school career and now a quarter of my college (half and half for him since he's a year older than me!), so we've been through the cliche college boy dating high school girl separation trial and error period and got through it with flying colors (after my six week jealous phase) and are even happier than ever.

If anyone disagrees with anything, has any questions or wants to talk relationships just let me know!

on shopping online

Oh me oh my.
I looooooove shopping. Especially online. Why?
1. Shopping online gives me access to all of the stores I don't have here in College Station and/or Katy.
2. I can find discounted items so much easier.
3. I can always find my size!

I'm going to go ahead and drop a couple of pictures of things I've bought online recently (and am super stoked to have!). Granted, we all have different styles and what I buy is 100% perfect for me. :o)

I'm missing images from dresses I've bought from HauteLook since the sales ended and they don't show pictures in my account>orders page. But they are soupes cute!

http://www.jaccofashion.com 

http://www.jaccofashion.com 

http://www.hautelook.com

Some other websites to look out for:

15 Dollar Store

Pink Ice

16 Underground

And then other sites like LuLu*s, Delia*s, XXI, Wet Seal, etc.

on birthdays

Well now that I've had my fair share of birthdays, this years is very calm and relaxed...

I've got a lot to be thankful for and I've had a lot of memories and have a lot of friends that I didn't have last year at this time. 

I just want to than everyone who has told  me happy birthday so far in anyway and can't wait to get today rolling. :)

I'm planning a trip to the Houston Zoo with my lovely boyfriend, and then a relaxed dinner with my mom. 

I'll be sure to post pictures later!

on winter break

Well, now that I can officially say that my first semester of college is over (finally!), I can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Being back in my home town and living in my moms house does a couple of things to me:

1. I have reverted back to how I lived before I went to college. I feel so lazy and lay around the house.... sometimes I forget how to do my own laundry, do the dishes or actually wake up at a decent time. And you know what? It's quite nice...

2. My boyfriend and I no longer live within walking distance with each other. I find myself walking out the door to head over to his dorm. But whats that? I need to drive to his parents house. It's quite odd.

3. I actually watch TV. This is done now because I barely watched it in college. I just kept up with my shows on hulu. I always forget how depressing the news is.

4. I am going back to work. And by work, I mean wait tables. That means my life will be ruled, once again, by a hectic and tiring work schedule. But this work schedule rakes in the big bucks... so I can't complain. Yet.

on finals

Well, now that it's the week after Thanksgiving break and a week and a half before my first round of finals exams I'm pretty much freaking out.

Hey, high school kids this one is for you:

1. Theres a reason it's called dead week. And it's not meant to just party party party because we have no classes. 85% of the people (the smart ones who will return in the Spring) are holing themselves up in the library, the annex (a study building with hundreds of study rooms that is 24 hours, with many quiet floors), in their dorm or apartment. I have currently been holing up with my future roommate's (whom I will be sharing my first apartment with!) apartment for the past two nights. I had my bio lab final today, and have two finals next week, then three the week after.

2. If you weren't going to class before, get with someone who has been going. That is, assuming the class was large and you're absent wasn't noticed. If you skipped a small class, those kids probably won't help you out... you don't deserve it.

3. If you don't study now, LEARN HOW before you get here. There is NO WAY around having to study. The smartest kids have to study, especially for the harder classes. You may have been the numero uno big shot smarty pants in high school, but all those kids now attend school with you and the courses are meant to challenge the egg heads, leaving the slackers in the dust.

Now back to writing my final Anthropology paper for the semester....

on Thanksgiving Break

Not that mine has started yet or anything (because my profs suck), but I am quite excited.
So, as I sit here not paying attention to my Psych prof, I will be talking about my plans and why I am excited...

1. It starts tomorrow (Tuesday) night. And not only does it start tomorrow night, it starts with the burn of the bonfire I've been working on with the rest of the students at A&M who are involved in Student Bonfire. That also means me coming out as a Green Pot (Administrative and Financial Management) which is also the highest leadership position a female can have. I feel pretty honored I was picked up and I love my three sisters as well. :)

2. Once I get back on Wednesday, I get to bake. And not only all of the things that I posted in my baking post last week, but a few other things came to mind... So I'll be baking all day and late into Wednesday/Early into Thursday, and maybe Thursday morning. I love baking.

3. Thursday will be my three and a half year anniversary with my boyfriend. Which needs no explaining. :)

4. We will BTHO t.u. Considering we're 8-3 and they are 5-2, we are ranked (17th) and they are not, and just the fact that they are t.u. we will beat the hell outta them on Thursday.

And then I come back to campus for a week for finals, then back home until January!

on Fightin' Texas Aggie Student Bonfire

To begin I'm going to attach a picture of the stack as of 6 o'clock this morning:


If you don't know, bonfire at Texas A&M University hold a very special place in the hearts of Aggies new and old, not excluding myself. And considering that yesterday was November 18th, and the 11th anniversary of the Bonfire Stack that fell, I felt this was appropriate. :o)

If you don't know, Texas A&M set the world record for the tallest bonfire in the work in 1969 with a stack that topped at just under 110 ft. Since the tragic collapse, the stack is no longer taller than 55 ft in height, but is still an astounding sight to see. Although 70,000 people don't travel from everywhere to see it burn, we still top out at multiple thousands.

The process and leadership breakdown is located here and a timeline of bonfire from it's very beginnings in 1907 here. Aggie Bonfire on Modern Marvels,

One particularly awesome story is of Tim Kerlee, the twelfth student to pass away. He was the most visible of anyone trapped within stack and refused to be pulled from beneath the logs until every man and woman trapped was taken out. His ability to see those stuck under stack coupled with his ability to communicate with everyone outside of stack saved multiple lives. He passed away two days following the fall. A tribute can be seen here.

The final link I would like you to follow is to a fellow blogger's page to here. And finally, the last omitted stanzas from the reading that is carved in the Bonfire memorial on campus.

Then heaven's pearly portals opened.

Hosts of Angels showed the way

For that Fighting Texas Aggie group 

On that final Judgment Day.

When more Aggies came in view,

Twelve dressed in Bonfire gear,

Walking arm and arm, and singing 

Of the School they hold so dear. 

Twelve Aggie voices said "Howdy" 

To the keepers of the Gate. 

"Working hard we just lost track of time, 

We hope we're not too late." 

"It's the Fighting Aggie Bonfire Crew," 

St. Peter said, "Behold,

They're ready to light up Heaven, 

With their courage and faith so bold." 

I would often watch them building

That Stack so large and high

And surely knew the time would come 

They would build it in the sky.

And so the twelve came through the Gates.

St. Peter said, "Don't fear, 

You are just in time for Roll Call" 

One by one, they answered... "Here."