I Need No Ruby Slippers

I just need my Dad, a truck, a three and a half hour drive, and some gasoline to get me home.

Here is the master plan for my break:

1. Get in the Christmas spirit (what's wrong with me? I'm not even excited yet!)

2. READ a lot. I would like to finish Gone With the Wind (600-some pages left), and get through at least four more before break's over. I've missed reading for pleasure so much it's unreal.

3. See my friends from high school/middle school/possibly meet up with college friends

4. Write a bit if possible. After all the papers I had to write near the end of the semester, I think I need a small break from anything too formal, but journaling and poetry is always wonderful.

5. Just relax in general and enjoy being home.

P.S. I got an A on my final college writing paper (the 6-page research argumentative one that I've been working on for over a month). I practically skipped around the dorm when I got it back (sorry if this is braggy but I worked incredibly hard on it).

Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want

Title explanation: I just really like that song and thought that it would make a neat title. It's by the Smiths, if you wondered.

Here's what's going on right now:

1. I'm sitting on my (loft) bed listening to the (500) Days of Summer soundtrack.

2. In theory, I'm writing essays for my lit. final.

3. In actuality, I'm on Facebook, playing with Play Doh, texting, and writing this blog entry.

Here's what I'm thinking about right now:

1. How much I love everyone in Pine Hall and how much I'll miss them over break. A few people finished their finals today and went home. I was perilously close to crying; I honestly hate to see them go, especially since I don't get to head home until Thursday evening. Being left behind is never fun.

2. Usually I'm so excited for Christmas, but this year I've hardly given it a thought. Probably because I've been so stressed out about finals and the end of the semester. Also because we don't have any decorations up! It's ridiculous! I should make a few snowflakes or something for our window.

3. I really should go back to my lit. essays. I want to get both done tonight.

So goodnight dear blog readers. I hope you all have amazing adventure dreams (the very best kind) tonight, and that in them you get to fly at least for a little bit.

Holly's First Finals Week

I've heard about college finals. Evidently, they're hard. Evidently, they're cumulative. Evidently, they require days (not hours) of study. Evidently, they practically determine your grades for the semester.

Today, I'm here to tell you that all of these rumors are true.

I spent all day Saturday making flash cards for my U.S. History final. All day. I honestly didn't do anything but eat, sleep, and create flash cards with terms ranging from 1945 to 1980. The final count was 158 cards, or if you need a visual, a stack about the thickness of the latest Harry Potter book.

I spent all of Sunday studying these cards. Flash cards only really work for me if I can talk them out to myself; you know, pace around a room and explain each card over and over out loud until I know it. Finally, at about 1:45 this morning I went to bed.

The trick about the history final was that it covered such a broad range:
1. 30 pages of notes from class lectures
2. Nemesis (a book about U.S. foreign policy)
3. Coming of Age in Mississippi (an autobiography of Anne Moody, Civil Rights activist)
4. Voices of Freedom (a book filled with different letters/speeches from history)

The final itself was six short answer questions, i.e. nine random terms were given to you, and you could pick six to write short definitions about, and one broad essay question that encompassed the entire unit.

I'm happy to tell you that I thought the exam went really well. It was at 8:00 a.m., so I was tired, but I still think that I got at least an A-.

Now I just have my literature final left. It's on Thursday, so I have a few days to study. Thank goodness, because this final will be even more difficult, I think.

Going to begin studying now, and then watching Up at 7:00. I think I've earned a movie break.

Microsoft Word Will Not Defeat Me

It is currently 2:48 a.m. and I'm up writing a paper for College Writing. Actually, I'm revising it; the final draft is due tomorrow.
I have about a page and a half to go, and I'm feeling fairly optimistic. I just want this paper to be good. I really, really want it to be good.

My C.W. professor has been pushing me all semester. From the beginning he told me (not to brag, sorry) that I have great instincts and that my writing is way above the typical freshman's. He then informed me that he would be grading me harder than the other students so that I'd become an even better writer.

Cool beans.

However, needless to say, I'm feeling a bit of pressure here.

Breaking News

I may be okay.
No promises, but I just might survive.

Blank

How's this for a turn around?

I am not okay on so many levels. I feel like my insides are gone and like I'll either fly apart or cave in like a deflated balloon.
I want to be alone but I think I would go crazy if I were.
Things look normal, but they can't possibly be.
I want to sleep and not think.
But when I wake up tomorrow morning I just know that I won't recall right away what has happened. I'll be at peace for a few seconds.
And then I'll remember.
And things will start over.

I Live An Amazing Life

For example:

Last night, my roommate Ally and I realized that December 6th is St. Nicholas Day. On the eve of this day, you're supposed to put your shoes outside of your bedroom door in hopes that St. Nicholas will stop by and fill them with goodies. I convinced Ally that we should each put a shoe in the hallway outside our dorm room, though we we didn't really think that they would be filled when we woke up.

This morning, Ally woke me up by screaming, "He came, he came!"

In each of our shoes were two packs of gum, a package of hot chocolate, and a package of popcorn.

St. Nicholas is real.