Tomorrow

Tomorrow afternoon I will be a senior in college...this is crazy! I know it sounds cliche, but it honestly feels like yesterday that I moved to Oklahoma and began my first year at OC. Coming here for school has definitely been one of the best decisions of my life. I couldn't be happier here! I have made a ton of friends and will make more next year. There have been ups and downs but mostly ups! 

Thinking about starting my senior year next fall really actually scares me. I think it is because I know how fast it will go by and that after next spring I will be all done with school. I do not think I will know what to do with myself. I don't know what it is like to work 40 hours a week and not go to school. I don't know if I want to know what that is like. A lot of questions run through my mind when I think about graduating in a year. Will I find a job in the field that I studied? What company will I work for? Will I stay with the same company until I retire? Will I stay in Oklahoma or move somewhere else? But then I always have to think about Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

So for now, I am taking comfort in knowing that I still have one year of school left and I will make the most of it! Senior year...here I come!!! :)

In Loving Memory

This weekend I lost a good friend of mine. As you may know, I am very close to all of my family and consider all of them my friends as well. My Granny was 88 years old when she passed away on April 17, 2010. In my 21 years, I have gotten to know my Granny as a kind, loving, and Godly woman. She was never afraid to speak her mind to her children, husband, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren - believe me, I know! She was stubborn, feisty, and a fighter and she fought until the very end. More importantly, she was and still is a woman of God. I have only met a few others that love the Lord as much as she does and I strive to be like her in my spiritual walk. 

Upon finding out about Granny's passing, I was angry, confused, and sad. In my mind, she was supposed to wait a couple of weeks for me to get back to Michigan to say my goodbyes personally. Why are we, as human beings, selfish like that? God gave us our families. Why do we not want to share them with Him and let them go when it is time? God put us on this earth to one day come back to Him. April 17 was Granny's day and I know for a fact she couldn't be happier! She has missed my Papa everyday for the last 11 years and I know that they are finally together again. Granny always mentioned one thing that she wanted. She wanted everyone she knew to get right with God and stay on the right path so that we could all be together again someday in Heaven!

Granny, I love you very much. I will continue to try my hardest to make you and Papa proud. I cannot wait to see you again someday! Please wait for me at the Pearly Gates!

Wants vs Needs

Lately, I have had a really long "want" list. I think everyday for the last month or so, I think of another thing I want. I'll just a few things: start tanning, a tattoo, a pair of TOMS shoes, acrylic nails, leggings, a new shortsuit I saw at Target, a new car (eventually), and the list goes on. The reason why I haven't gotten any of these things yet is because I know what I need that is more important. Groceries (food is good), gas in my car (I need to drive places), a summer job, a place to live for the summer and sign up for summer classes. All of these things cost money. I've always been pretty tight when it comes to money and I try to spend it wisely, but ever since I got to college that has changed. I've bought and done things that cost way more than they are worth and sometimes wish I could take them back. I've been doing everything I can to convince myself that I do not need some of the stuff that I want right now, but that is becoming more and more difficult everyday.

My question is, why do our wants sometimes overpower our needs? Don't our minds understand that we only need what we really need and that we should be thankful for the things we already have that we didn't need in the first place? I definitely don't have an answer, but my "want" list keeps getting longer and I'm just hoping and praying I can put off getting some of the things until I have what I need first.

Some days you just need a friend

For some reason, after beginning this blog, I feel like everything I write about is negative. Not being able to find an apartment or a job, procrastination, and today has just been one of those days where you feel like you could lay in bed all day. Don't worry, I am not usually like this. It is days like today when the one I miss the most is my dog, Mocha. She is the one friend I have that doesn't judge me when I do something wrong, doesn't tell secrets I don't want to be told, doesn't laugh at me when I do something embarrassing, and is always there when I need a hug or a shoulder to cry on. She was by my side when I was recovering from surgery for 3 1/2 months and even when I was recovering from having my wisdom teeth out for 3 days. She is very calm (unless you ask her if she's hungry), doesn't bark, and loves everyone she comes to contact with. It is days like today when lunch dates fall through, the printer doesn't work for your project, and you've been told that your great-grandmother may have less than 6 months to live, that I need Mocha. So, Mom, if you could ship her down here to be with me until the stress of school is over I would really appreciate it! Thanks :)

Procrastination 1, Jennifer 0

This is the enemy of all enemies. I am probably the worst procrastinator you will ever meet. I will use last night and today as an example of my procrastination. Last night at work I did my PR Case Studies homework without a problem and turned it in. I knew I had a project for my PR Methods class due directly after my Case Studies class. After work, I gave myself one hour to eat a sandwich and watch TV and relax. Well...one hour turned into two hours. I began my project at 11pm and had to do curfew check at midnight. I was able to get a couple of things done before curfew and the rest of the list of things to do for the project didn't look too long...at the time. Since I was tired, I decided to go ahead and go to bed and I set my alarm for half an hour before I usually setting for, thinking I would somehow get up earlier. Yeah...didn't happen. I decided not to panic and finish the project between 12:30 and 2:30. Yeah, that didn't happen either. After chapel, getting my things around, and lunch, I finally ended up at the library at 1pm. Mind you, my Case Studies class is at 2:30...no problem! After working on about five different assignments for this project, I looked at the time and it was already 2pm. I also had to make a CD-ROM with all of my files on it, which I had absolutely no idea how to do. Luckily I was able to teach myself, but by the time I was done, it was 2:32...oops! I then realized I had forgotten the folder the project is supposed to go in, scissors and glue all in my room, which is half way across campus in the opposite direction of my class. Obviously, I knew I wouldn't be making it to my Case Studies class and just went back to my room and finished the rest of my project and turned it in ON TIME!!! (Yes, I am that girl that will use her last skip of a particular class to work on a project for another class.)

My question is, why do we procrastinate? I think everyone I know procrastinates in one way or another. I've been doing it my whole life, but somehow everything seems to get done, but not without a bit of stress and a few panic attacks. I think every semester my goal is to stop procrastinating. Well, this is my 6th semester in college and it has yet to happen. Does anyone ever learn their lesson? What would happen if we actually got things done early? For me, I don't think I would know what to do with my life. For all you non-procrastinators out there (if any), what's your secret? I would definitely like to know!

Apartment Hunting + Job Hunting = NO FUN!!!

So, I have about 3 weeks to find an internship/job and a place to live for the summer. This has been a very frustrating and time-consuming process. I could go back to Michigan for the summer, but I'm almost 22 years old and, even though I love my family and love spending time with them, I really think it is time for me to grow up and find my own place. Part of me would like to stay on campus so that I don't have to move far, but it is a little more pricey. Another part of me would like to just rent a room from someone, but I really don't want to live with someone or a family I don't know and I also like to have my own space. Another thing is finding a roommate if I decide to get an apartment. Are they committed to staying the entire summer? I do not want to be left all of a sudden with rent to pay by myself. Will I be able to find a good enough paying job to pay the rent each month for an apartment or room? I would love to work for a nonprofit organization, but they do not pay any interns which means I would have to get a 2nd job and somehow have time  to do summer school as well. My resume is out to several places, but only one has called and it has been very difficult setting up an interview time with conflicting schedules. Can I find a place where I do not have to sign a lease so that I can move back on campus in August? UGH!!! So many questions and absolutely no answers! So, for anybody reading this, please pray that God will give me an answer soon!!!

Something New

Hey guys!

My name is Jennifer and I am a junior at Oklahoma Christian University majoring in Public Relations and Advertising. I've written a couple of blogs before, but haven't stuck with it, so here we go again! I'm pretty excited :)

Most of the blogs will just be what's going in my life and school and random questions that pop into my head. I hope you all enjoy it!!!

~Jennifer