Friday, May 4, 2012

The Year is Winding Down.....

T-8 days until Graduation!
T-38 days until the LSAT test!
T-68 days until I leave for India!

It is all getting so close... I can barely believe how fast this time has been.  Today is my last day at my on-campus job in the Dean's Office.  It is bittersweet.  I will miss everyone I work with, but I definitely look forward to a less hectic schedule.  Next week I'll be working double time at my internship, and then next Friday will be my last day.  I'll be very sad to leave my internship as well.  After all, that internship has helped me so much!  Plus, I've met some great people that I know I'll stay in touch with while I'm away.  Then that whole month of studying for the LSAT will be horrible, but hopefully will pay off.  I'm using the Kaplan Online program to help me study.  I sure hope it is working.... I think my dad hopes it is helping as well!  Then..... THE MONTH OF HEAVEN!  Thank goodness I'll have a month with zero responsibilities!  No studying and no work!  My poor family is going to get so tired of me.... Hopefully I don't annoy them too much.

I've decided to make a bucket list of sorts, but it is only going to be filled with things I can do following the LSAT test.  I do have an actual bucket list, but this will be something different!  I will touch more on my real bucket list in another post since a lot of things I would like to do this next year are on it.  For that month off though, I plan to squeeze a lot of things in.  I want to make the most out of my time with family and friends.  I'd love to take a mini weekend vacay, go to Holiday World, visit the St. Louis Zoo, have lots of bbq nights and bonfires (marshmallows!), shop at the HUGE Goodwill store that my friend Alanna told me about, go fishing/learn to fish with Andy, go muddin' with my best friend Kevin (and maybe go explore some old graveyards like we used to back in high school), tan by the pool, go camping, ride bikes, ride four-wheelers and jet-ski with my daddy, scrap and craft with my momma, spend quality time with my grandparents and my twin Sarah and my Godson Taylor, etc. etc. etc.  The list will be infinitely long.

So as I sit here planning everything that is coming next, I realize that I am kind of ignoring what is currently happening.  It is the end of the school year!  I am officially done with 5 classes (finals included), and I only have two more to go.  However, these are the toughest of my classes; I still have lots of papers, quizzes, presentations, etc.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel though.  Also, this week is currently my sorority's Senior Week and I am very sad to be leaving such a great group of friends.  I actually cried while I was getting together my wills to give out to the younger girls.  Our Senior Letters night was last Monday evening; my parents, grandma, and Andy all wrote a letter for me.  It was very emotional and... I cried.  Tomorrow morning I will officially become an alumni member of Delta Delta Delta.  Sunday is our Senior Chapter meeting and it will be a very long and emotional night I'm sure.  I know it seems like I'm highly emotional with all this crying business, but it really is just the stress of these last two weeks and all the emotions that accompany graduation!  I'm also in the process of selling practically everything.... most of my apartment items have already been sold!  I'm using that money to help me with this trip to India.  All of the things I don't sell before moving will (hopefully) be sold at a yard sale sometime this summer.


And finally.... speaking of money.... Anyone want to help with that?  Just kidding, but seriously....

I'm very lucky that this Fellowship is not only very prestigious and amazing, but it also offers a small stipend.  The problem?  That stipend won't cover everything.  It will cover most all day-to-day expenses, as well as room and board; but international flights, vaccination costs, visa costs, baggage fees, 'extra' travel while in India, any extra projects for the kids I'll be working with.... none of that is included in the stipend.  So like I said, highly blessed, but also in need.  Luckily I've done well selling a lot of the items I won't need while I'm away (most of which I got at great prices to begin with so I didn't lose much, if any, in the resale!).  That money has been put aside for the trip.  Also, I won't be coming home for Christmas; instead I'll be flying home for my brother's wedding.  My parents have offered to help me with some of the expenses related to that excursion which is great.  I'll buy my plane ticket(s) this week so I am sad to say that I'll be dipping into my savings (highly depressing).  Fortunately for me, I have been working numerous jobs over the years and have been an avid saver! Yay!  But I'm still looking into funding opportunities, as well as accepting the help of friends who are interested in helping.  More on funding later though...      

Ok, I guess I should start back on work and studying.  I have successfully procrastinated enough.  Wish me luck!
   

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