studying? what's that?

Is there anything better than laying outside on a blanket in the grass, with sunshine, blue sky, and colorful leaves surrounding you? The answer is no, there is not. My friends and I have been known to take full advantage of every sunny day we have had so far so that we have some faint memory of sunshine and joy to hold onto as we grow closer and closer to winter. (Winter. I hate the word. Unless it is in the context of Christmas of course)
 However, as nice as studying in the grass is, it is slightly counterproductive. And by slightly, I mean that I never get anything done because all I do is take photos. I mean, it's not that I don't love memorizing all the origins and insertions of the muscular system; it's just that, given the choice, I'd rather take pictures of sunshine. Or fall asleep. Or just stare off into space. I sometimes get easily distracted...
But I've managed to get some nice pictures so these "study" dates have not been completely unproductive.

Ps- I have a thing for ring pops.

homeward bound

After nearly two months away at college, I finally set off for a visit home.  The occasion? My sister Lydia's baby shower which conveniently coincided with IWU's fall break.  Many pictures were taken on the ride home because I lack the ability to drive past a sunset without taking photos of it.

Really. It's becoming quite an issue.

My first day at home was spent thrifting, drinking hot caramel apple cider, and strolling with two of my favorite people, sister and best friend. It was a gorgeous fall day, sunny, colorful, crisp. I cannot think of a better way to spend such a day than shopping, talking, and walking through the streets of Chicago.

There's no place in the whole entire world that I love as much as Chicago. The old trees, buildings, and houses, the boutiques and cafes, the stylish pedestrians; there's nothing better.

The next day was the day of Lydia's shower. We could not have asked for a more gorgeous, sunny day! The shower was magical. Owls, the theme of both the shower and the baby nursery, nestled on the tables and decorated the cake. Hot apple cider was offered, laughs were shared, and fun was had by all. 

My sister was gorgeous and glowing. I know I am a little biased, but I do believe she is the cutest pregnant woman in the entire world. Only two weeks til the soon-to-be most spoiled baby in America enters the world! Cannot wait.

80's Skate Night

A few nights ago was the annual Freshmen 80's skate night here at IWU. We spent the evening teasing our hair, applying fake eye lashes and garish make up, and dressing up in the classy and oh-so-attractive trends of the 80's. We of course blasted Tainted Love, Time After Time and other classic 80's tunes to get us in the spirit. I'd say the finished product was rad, to say the least.

We arrived at the retro roller rink and skated to a back ground of 80's music. Never having roller skated before, I was a little apprehensive. But I had supportive friends who were willing to hold my hand for a good half hour or so.

I gradually got the hang of it and basically became a pro by the end of the night. Others weren't so lucky.

Gotta love the 80s.

The night ended with a stop at Steak and Shake. Reece's Peanut Butter shakes are always a good way to end a fun night. They're actually a good way to end any night.

shennanigans

There's never a dull moment in college. Apart from studying which is by definition extremely dull. (I try to avoid it at all costs). But just when I feel like I can't put off studying anymore, a distraction always presents itself. Most of these distractions appear in the form of animal costumes.
Who knew that IWU would be such a zoo.

This is a horse that showed up in our dorm lobby. It caused quite a ruckus.  

The shenanigans continued with Jess: the coolest person ever created. The following is what happens when you buy a bunny suit at Goodwill and then release it into the wild.

Like I said, never a dull moment. All the animals I've encountered recently have inspired me to adopt a fish to keep in my dorm room. I think a fish would make an excellent friend. Our next goal is to adopt a unit dog. All the girls in our unit will take care of it; he will take turns living in each of our rooms. It will be magical.

a slice of autumn

College is a new experience; new sights and sounds, new friends, a new blog. And with all that good stuff comes a new season: Autumn! I love everything about Autumn: the colors, the leaves, the jackets, the scarves, the apple cider, the pumping carving. There is nothing quite as picturesque as taking a walk, tramping through the leaves, on a bright Fall day. We chose to begin our autumn by visiting a nearby apple orchard to pick some crisp apples. Of course what road trip would be complete without getting lost along the way. Though it took us twice as long as we anticipated, an excellent mix of music (made by me of course) brightened our ride, and we eventually arrived at the orchard.

Upon arrival, much to our chagrin, we realized that we could not use credit or debit cards. This presented a problem as debit was the only form of payment most of us college students had. We were sad.

And then, to our further chagrin, we found out that we weren't allowed to pick the apples off the tree. So we settled for picking them out of a bushel basket, and then taking photos of us pretending to pick. It was just the greatest.

It ended up being a fun adventure. Even though we had some unhappy campers at certain points.

Another added bonus was the discovery of two additional Caramel Apple Lollipop flavors. Macintosh and Golden Delicious. It will most likely be the most magical discovery I ever make in the entire course of my life.

 

I will end with a picture of me and favorite twin. Buying matching cups from Walmart is the cool thing to do in college.