For those of you who followed my blog entries last semester, you know that I was pushing strenuously to get into Johnson for a variety of reasons. Well, I got in. The Friday after second semester began, my hall director at Oneida told me that the Johnson hall director told her that he had a place for me here, and I moved in the following Monday. I was so happy. Johnson is my true home here, and it’s going to be very difficult having to leave it at the end of the semester.

What do I love about Johnson? At Oneida, there wasn’t as much room for me to spread my legs. I had my room, and that was it, and that wasn’t very much room. I didn’t really have the space to have my bed delofted, so the only place I had to relax, watch TV, read and chat on AIM was my desk. Here, not only is the room bigger, enabling me to have a delofted bed, but there are also other places to go. There is a lounge on each floor as well as a circular desk space outside of each lounge. If I need to stay up a little later than usual doing homework or something to that effect, I can do so without having to worry about disturbing anyone who’s trying to sleep.

As I’ve said before in an earlier blog, a majority of my friends on campus are also Johnson residents, and I was here all the time as it was. Of course, some of those friends don’t act much like friends anymore. They seem to have forgotten the main reason I pushed so hard to get in here, and it also seems as if they’ve forgotten how much they used to care. If you are one of my Johnson friends, then don’t automatically assume I’m talking about you. Chances are good that you know if you are. If we haven’t talked or hung out in a while, because you have either ignored me or lied to me, then you know who you are.

I’m not writing this blog to be cynical. I am really happy about this for the most part. It just shows that sometimes, if you set your mind to something, you can do it. I was told that the odds weren’t good, that the list of students wanting to live here was relatively long and that there wasn’t any room for me anyway, but I didn’t give up. I kept pushing, and here I am writing this blog from my Johnson dorm room. So just keep that in mind. If you really want something for whatever reason, then put your mind to it and fight for it.

I have classes all day Tuesdays and Thursdays and no classes on Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays.  Yes, I’m lucky I know.  I thought Tuesdays and Thursdays would be torture, but really they’re not bad.  I would recommend all of my classes to anyone.  My first class is BRC200 (Social History of American TV&Radio) with Cliff Kobland.  I normally don’t like history classes but I like it because it’s all just practical information like how broadcasting changed from primarily radio to television and now to the internet.  It’s pretty interesting stuff.  My second  class on these days is my favorite.  ENG486 (World Cinema) with Bennet Schaber.  We watch movies and then talk about it.  Schaber is hilarious.  I could listen to him lecture every class and not be bored.  If you despise science classes like I do but have to take it for a gen ed take CHE300 (Environmental Science) with Cynthia Lawniczak.  She makes it so easy to learn and not as boring as I thought it was going to be.  My last class is PSY340 (Social Psychology) with Sandy Waldron who is definitely one of the best professors I’ve had here.  She treats us all like we’re her peers, which makes it so much easier to learn and makes her so much fun to listen to during lectures.  Definitely take a class with her if you get the chance!

Here goes my final semester and its off to a quiet start which is much appreciated. I’m looking forward to a really productive time. But, really and truly the semester seems very mysterious not in a since of leaving, graduating, and/or anything like that. Its all just so mysterious because I don’t know what is to come in the next phase. Yes there are plans of job seeking and graduate school. However, beyond that are questions of who? what? where? why? when?

It was never a thought in my mind that I wouldn’t find my way. I actually found great privilege in finding and discovering new paths. These new paths represent so much including places untraveled, friendships not yet acquired, food untasted, and even romance unfounded to name a few. I’m excited about the road ahead. I would say that I’m not unsettled about much in terms of whats coming forward. I’m certain everything shall pay off for the better. Even in High School I would have never fathomed being at this stage in life; I just didn’t, nobody does. It is almost like a puzzle to me and the pieces to the puzzle are always changing and transforming leaving it to never be a complete configuration of what is to happen until I match the next puzzle piece to add a further portion to the picture; my life.

Some would find the stages that require a person to wait for the next step to be nerve racking. This is also known for many if not all as transitions in life. I find transitions to be great! Part with the old and and set sail with the new and embrace the changes as they come is how I see it. Thats what I did when I first entered SUNY Oswego and it has brought me great enthusiasm on the many types of opportunities I can have just by me wanting to explore and embrace my transitions. So despite what good or bad of a transition one can be I will look to embrace and learn as much as I can from each one.

After all, life is about growth, hardships, success, struggles, and change to name a few things. I’m just attempting to find as many puzzle pieces as I can when setting sail on each transition and journey. No I don’t always have the answers but I would definitely like to find them. I’m certain not all transitions will be good ones, but I intend to make the most of them. I may not always have what I want but I will work even harder for what I may need. Be not afraid of what is to come! Is what I say to myself on the quiet evenings as I think rapidly before I fall asleep. I say myself, champion all odds because each goal, each achievement, each trial, each error strengthen me.

I am so happy to have a brand new start this semester. Spring Semester is always my favorite; it brings hope to new beginnings. This semester I am looking forward to being focus, devoting quality time to my studies, and preparing myself for the next step in my future.

Last semester I realized the mistakes I made. I was overloaded, and I needed to balance myself. Being in college sometimes you could get caught up in a world that is so different than the world you should actually be living in. I am laughing at what I just wrote, but it’s true it makes perfect sense! Being a college student you could get so caught up its ridiculous! Don’t get me wrong college offers a world of opportunities. There is so much to explore in this world, so much is at the door step. For me, I sometimes like to embrace it and try it all; and that can become a problem. As I am writing this I am thinking how could I not? Sometimes people say to me, “Just do what you love.” You know what my response is to that? How do you do what you love unless you search for it and do it all! However I did learn that sometimes doing it all, or doing too much is not always healthy. This semester, I am actually taking the opportunity to not exactly do what I love, but more than likely doing the things that are effective to my life, and the things that allows me to balance a world that is not so chaotic. However, I do recommend doing it all until you find it all, at least even once .

I would like to use this semester to find my balance, remain focus, and embark upon new and wonderful experiences. So far everything has started off wonderful for the new semester! I’m satisfied with my classes, and I did not have to spend a lot of money on my textbooks. My first day of classes was liberating, I felt so relief that I didn’t have to worry about 7-8 classes (buying books for all of them), 22 credits, and three jobs. Yes unfortunately this was my life, and not to mention my other engagements and priorities. This semester I am taking only 15 credits, with two jobs, both which I enjoy. This is the second time that I will return to taking lesser credits since my second semester freshmen year. I am definitely going to enjoy relaxing and enjoying free time on my hands, and attending some campus events, and doing some volunteering.

The Spring Semester is finally here! The month away went by really fast, and I desperately needed it, but it’s time to hit the books once again. The other day, I didn’t feel like I was ready to come back yet. I was really enjoying my vacation to the fullest. However, now that I am back, I am really happy to be here and am confident that this semester is going to be great.

This semester, I am taking Math, which at first I was really anxious about. I have never been a very good math student. I have difficulty understanding certain aspects of it. I remember back in high school when my class was doing proofs, and no matter how many times my teacher tried explaining it to me, I simply couldn’t understand it, and I still don’t understand it. However, I think that this semester of math isn’t going to be all that bad. I know the semester just started, but I already have a full understanding of what we are doing, and I find it to be very easy. The professor said that a majority of what we do in class will not be difficult; it will just be time-consuming, and we will need to show our work for everything. Well, I don’t like the term “time-consuming” any more than the next college student, but I would rather spend a lot of time on something that I understand than receive poor grades because I don’t understand the material.

None of my other classes seem like they are going to be too strenuous either. Like I said, I am really looking forward to this semester.

I was completely exhausted after my last first day of classes!  I had four classes in a row yesterday and came home and just passed out.  I can’t really complain though because I don’t have classes Monday, Wednesday or Friday.   That makes me happy!  I took my PR Capstone last semester and now have no communications courses this semester.  It’s so weird not taking something for my major. I feel like I’m out of place!

I can’t believe that this is my last semester.  Four years in one place is a long time.  I feel like I was just starting to get used to the city of Oswego and now I am about to leave.  It’s sad but exciting to see where my life actually takes me.

EVERYONE has been asking me “What are you going to do when you graduate?” and I have no response for that.  I have changed my mind literally 20 times in the last 5 months about what to do.  I think I have it all figured out then I just don’t know!  My mom calls me a “parent’s worst nightmare” because I don’t know! haha!

Winter break was uneventful for me, though it was nice to go home.  The holidays were nice!  I’ve got some book recommendations for you!  “Shelter Me” by Juliette Fay and “Love, Rosie” by Cecelia Ahern.  I read them over break and couldn’t put them down!  I also saw Bride Wars and the movies over break and it was okay.

A lot of you probably remember my blog only a few months ago regarding my trip to Pennsylvania to campaign for Barack Obama. Two days ago, as you all know, President-elect Obama was inaugurated as the forty-forth president of the United States, and the most of what I could feel was the same pride and joy as I felt the week that I campaigned for him, and the fateful Tuesday evening when he was elected.

The main aspect of this election and now this presidency that I find groundbreaking is the refreshed sense of pride. There are so many who seem to once again be proud to be an American, and this energy seems to be so fresh. I unfortunately did not have the opportunity to attend Obama’s Inauguration on Tuesday, but I did watch quite a bit of it on TV, and even from merely watching it on TV I could feel the high-spirited energy that radiated the streets.

It was said during the airing of the Inauguration that many of the individuals who attended the Inauguration, and even those who saw it on TV, for that matter, are so proud, because they are making history, and I found this to be a good point. Someday, those of us who were a part of this somehow are going to have a few stories for our children and for our grandchidren, because this right now, the present that we are living in, is groundbreaking history, and we made it. Yes, we did!

I feel confident that Obama is going to change America for the better and that he’s going to bring the change that we need. I am really looking forward to the next four (possibly eight) years of being an American and for once being able to confidently and wholeheartedly say that I am proud to be one.

After 36 hours of driving, including a 12 hour stop in NC for New Years, I’m officially back in Oswego.  Well I have been back on campus since the 2nd for hockey but, regardless, I now have internet access and a computer that doesn’t catch on fire when you turn it on.  Christmas in Dallas was fantastic!  It was just me and my Dad this year.  Of course watching the 24 hour A Christmas Story special on TBS was in the itinerary…can’t break tradition!  But besides Red Rider BB guns and a blockbuster movie marathon we just relaxed, turned on the fireplace, and caught up on life.

I made the drive to NC just in time to see my little brother Scott on New Years Eve and before he headed back to Colorado.  He turned 20 this September…time flies.

So I’m back.  Australia was the experience of a lifetime and while I’ve learned a lot about myself over the last 6 months (well last few years because I have been on the go for a while now) I have to admit there is a huge difference between unpacking bags and unpacking boxes and I am definitely looking forward to the latter at the moment…