Friday, February 25, 2011

Bucket List: Revisited.

6 years in the making…


Bucket List:


Become proficient in a new language
Complete a triathlon
Publish a book
Become a volleyball coach
Read the Bible cover to cover
Get my motorcycle license
Fund a no-kill animal shelter
Plant my own garden
Go skydiving
Make an invention/research discovery that helps the environment
Go in a hot air balloon
Become a teacher
Go white water river rafting
Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro
Work at SeaWorld and watch the birth of a dolphin or whale
Become a doctor
Start a ‘women in science’ scholarship fund for underprivileged students
Learn how to tap dance
Get a tattoo
Build my own telescope and learn the constellations
Be an organ donor
Travel all continents


Bucket List Completed (and loved every second):


Ran a marathon
Graduated college with honors
Professionally sold my photography
Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
Lived on a different continent for a year
Published research
Went Scuba Diving in the Great Barrier Reef
Played for my college volleyball team
Donated my hair to Locks of Love

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Life after college...

For almost 2 years, I have been claiming that I am just in a “Transition Phase” until I figure out my life calling.

Moral of this story: I thought growing up was going to be way easier.

CURRENT LIVING SITUATION:

I moved back into the house that I was raised in, home to 17 years of memories. It is really strange to be back home, just for the sheer fact that I feel useless. The last time I was living here, it was my senior year of high school; I had a car, a job, was full time student, and had a solid plan of moving to California to go to college. Now, almost 6 years later, I have zero of those things.

FAMILY:

Luckily, my mom was able to get reservations for us to stay at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, so that is WONDERFUL! We are beginning our 17 mile hike tomorrow!

I just ordered my maid of honor dress for my sisters wedding on June 18th!!!

My Theta Family: Ashley Hanson, Amy Buchmann, and Stacia Stolzenberg and I have all begun a weekly e-mail chain to remind us of what we are all grateful for in our lives. It is a refreshing reminder, as well as a constant opportunity to take a minute to count what really matters in our lives.

TRAVEL PLANS:

I am really looking forward to the Cherry Blossom Festival! When I originally booked my flight to Japan, I was 100% sure that I was OFF MY ROCKER. The more I think about it, the more I am ecstatic I am taking this opportunity! I have no idea when I will ever get 2 months off again, so now is the time.

I will be landing in Tokyo April 5th, and will be there approximately 2 weeks. I am then headed down to Cairns, Australia, to put my new scuba-certifications to use. Two of my life-long (forever and ever and ever) friends I made in Belgium are going to New Zealand the 28th of that month, so I need to buy my plane ticket to adventure with them, but am waiting for my last direct deposit paycheck before I book ANY more flights!!



EDUCATIONAL PLANS:

For those of you who know a bit about grad school applications, I really missed the boat this year. However, University of San Francisco has late application for students interested in a Master in Science Program in Conservation Biology/Environmental Studies. I basically fell in love with this program based off of their course requirements, and hope and pray that I get accepted for August 2011. The classes range from environmental ecology, evolution, chemistry, hydrology, risk assessment, ethics and law, sustainability in the wild, and geology. Amazing classes, amazing professors, and amazing location.

Thankfully, Dr Wright, Dr. Rowland-Goldsmith, and Michael Coursey all helped me by writing letters of recommendation, as well as Amy Buchmann and Dan McLellan who submitted references for the Kappa Alpha Theta Scholarship (in the event that I do get accepted to this program). Thanks to all who helped me out with this!

Fingers crossed for USF, I should be hearing back in just 6 short weeks. Now we wait……