Category: Musings

Well, it’s official: after nearly one year of preparation, my first day of grad school is in the books.

Hey guys!

Woah.

It’s official; today marked my last full day of freedom before the onset of the endless homework stream known as graduate school.  Early tomorrow morning, I will leave for orientation with my fellow first-year housemates, and will so begin my journey to doctorhood.

Day 2 Greetings from the frat house 🙂

Well, I did it.

Today, I packed virtually all my belongings into my minivan and moved from the world of fields and family to what I will henceforth be calling the city.

It’s hard to believe this is actually happening.

But here I am, 3 hours and 150 odd miles away from everything I’ve ever known, living in a coed frat house.

Yepp…that’s right.  I’m living in a frat house.

When I first heard about the offer, I was super excited.  I got my own room, payed little in rent, and had easy access to two refracting lanes in the basement; what more could a first year optometry student want?  Needless to say, I eagerly accepted.

Today though, as I pulled into the house driveway and peered up at my soon to be home, my enthusiasm waned.  The house was nothing like I expected.

Now, as a disclaimer, I know frat houses themselves don’t have that great of a reputation.  At my undergraduate institution, however, a majority of the frat houses were newly built, and well taken care of.  Despite the pictures of my new living quarters that had hinted otherwise, I still pictured the house as a shiny, spotless, well-kept facility.

It is nothing of the sort.

Beer bottles litter the backyard.
The grass is tall.
The white paint is peeling off of the red brick beneath.
Broken glass is scattered on the fire escape.
There is no air conditioning.
The windows somewhat work.
And the heating system that lines my floor is broken.

Woah.

Though I’m not the greatest at reading microexpressions, I’m pretty sure my mom was ready to grab the rent from my hands, throw me in the car, and insist that I reconsider my living arrangements.
How we made it from that initial impression the the moment where I sit on my floor and blog about the day’s adventures, I’m still not sure.

But I am grateful.

I’m surrounded by 15 of the nicest people I have ever met.
Everyone who was home came to my room and personally introduced themselves.
Every time we came through the front door, they yelled hello/goodbye to every member of the family.
Another first year not only volunteered to help me move in, but also donated a mirror and lamp to my room.
There is a piano in the house, so I no longer have to plan to walk to the conservatory to play.
And, most importantly, my room really is starting to feel like home.

That’s not to say that I’m not nervous.
I am.
This is so different and intimidating that I really don’t know what’s gonna happen next.
But I’m excited.
After all..

All Will Be Well

-KD

Hey howdy hey, and greetings from the wonderfully warm world  of pre-school (as opposed to preschool) exhilaration!

Yes, after a nearly five month hiatus, I am back to share my adventures with all of you – my fantastic internet following of…two.

Be excited.

In other news, for those of you that don’t know,  I am embarking on my newest life adventure – graduate school at arguably the best optometry school in the nation – in a matter of days.

I. am. pumped.

Annnd maybe a little bit nervous…

But mostly excited.

New people, new town, new experiences – it’s bound to be fantastic, and I simply can’t wait.

But since a two day interim remains between this post and my first opportunity for tales of adventure at my new found home, here’s a few highlights from my summer to hold you until I find something more exciting to share.

1) You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) – aka Felicia Day’s memoir.
Okay… so I haven’t finished it yet.  Actually, I’ve hardly gotten a good start.. but what I heard of it (thanks audiobooks) was hilarious, and I look forward to listening to it further on my trek to the big city.

2) Pudgie Pies
Apparently I have lived under a rock for most of my life, but I discovered this week that pudgie pies are seriously one of the greatest creations ever.  My favorite recipe? Cherry s’mores.  Put cherries, chocolate, crushed graham crackers, and marshmallows between two pieces of bread in your pudgie pie maker, and prepare to be amazed.

3) Too Much Protein
Eating too much protein and not enough carbs makes you grumpy. ’nuff said.

4) Indiana Sand Dunes
Indiana may not be known for its beaches, but the Indiana Sand Dunes around Michigan City and Chesterton are absolutely gorgeous.  While the water is cold, the beauty of the sand and water easily make up for this minor downfall.  Check them out!

5) McAllister’s Sweet Tea
Now, I must give a disclaimer: I am not a huge advocate of sweet tea in general.  It’s simply too sugary for my body to handle well.  This tea, however, was fantastic, and I would be more than happy to triple my sugar intake for the week (again) to have another cup of it.

6) Lindsey Stirling
For my 22 birthday, I was blessed to have the opportunity to go to a Lindsey Stirling meet and greet.
And sit in the second row for her concert.
Holy cow.
That was amazing.
(and probably the best b-day present I’ve ever received..)
Check out her newly released video “Bright” here – recorded with Echosmith

7) Korean Food
So the other week, I was informed that my slight obsession with Asian food is very strange.  Nevertheless, I had the opportunity to try Korean food for the first time while visiting friends in Indiana, and, not surprisingly, really enjoyed the experience.

8) Brain Freeze!
I love ice cream, and I love my family even more.  So having the chance to go to a local ice cream shop with my little cousins every night that they were around made for some of my favorite memories of the summer.

Stay tuned for more!

‘Til the next time,

-KD

It’s official.  I’m a homebody.

Yes, you heard that right: I want to buy a house.
Now, mind you, I am in my early twenties.  I have no idea how anything works in the real estate world.  And on top of that, I have no money with which to buy a house.

But I still want to buy one.
Not just any house, though..  I want to buy my sorority house.

Aside from monetary issues, there’s another catch.  This house is terribly run down.  In the past year alone, there have been problems with heating, carbon monoxide, roofing, windows, and a weak spot in the first floor.

In other words, it’s not a good investment. In fact, it’s actually a pretty terrible one.
But I still want to buy the house.

Earlier this semester, the current landlord came to one of our meetings with the proposition of selling the house and hoping the new owner would rebuild.
The problem with that, however, is that there is no guarantee that a) anyone would want to buy this problematic old house and b) anyone would be willing to build a new sorority house in that same place.

And here’s where I come in.

As cliche as it sounds, I love my sorority.  It’s not that I’m a typical sorority girl.  In reality, it’s quite the opposite.  Before joining, I was one of the shyest, quietest girls that you’ve ever met.  I didn’t go to parties.  More often than not, you could find me studying in my room or playing piano in the basement of an old church.  Today, I’m still not the most social girl in the world, but I get out of my room.  I have friends other than my roommates.  I’m the president of one organization and on the e-board in another.  It is rare for me to walk through a hall without stopping and saying hi to someone or another.  Now, while I won’t say that sorority life made all the difference, since God’s workings in my life have been integral, being in a sorority has helped me come out of my shell immensely.  And now, I’d like to give back.  I’d love to buy the house, then tear it down and build a new one.  My sisters could live somewhere that isn’t likely to try to kill them in their sleep.  They wouldn’t have to worry about someone coming in and only caring about the money, because, as a sister myself, I want nothing but good for the organization.

But once again, I simply don’t have the funds to manage such a feat.

Which is where you all come in.
I have no idea how to pay for the house.
You though, who are older and wiser may have suggestions.
I’m all ears 🙂

Well, I guess this is it.  I’m blogging publicly for the first time ever.  And I’ll admit, I’m rather frightened by that prospect.  For the past two years, I have used my blog as a way to express myself “publicly” without anyone that I know knowing about it.  You see, I love expressing myself, but it can be terribly hard, for me anyway, to be honest with my life and decisions to the people who are closest to me.  It’s too easy to put on a mask – even if it’s just a small one – to cover up the little mistakes, imperfections.