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Harding Cynthia
So it's been a while since I last posted so here's an update on my life. I just got back from Washington, D.C. on Saturday night. I had the opportunity to go there with all of the senior public relations and print journalism majors. We were there for five days, and it was such an amazing time! The main purpose of the trip was to work with the American Red Cross to take their disaster public affairs course. It was a great learning experience because we learned how to correctly respond if their ever was a disaster in the area where we lived. We also learned about some of the other facets of the communication department at the Red Cross. We also had the chance to take a tour of the Washington Post, which is one of my favorite newespapers so it definitely was a highlight of the trip for me. It was so fascinating to see how one of the nation's top newspapers is put together and to see all of the reporters and editors at work. We also had a tour of the capital with one of Harding's alumni. That was a neat experience because I got to see the place where some of the most important decisions of our nation are made. The trip was a great experience, but I was definitely exhausted when I got back. I'm still trying to recover from the long days and the amount of walking I did while I was there. This week has just been crazy though because I'm trying to make up all the classes I missed this week. But a plus is that the yearbooks are finally here!!!! They are so beautiful, and I can't wait for everyone to get them and read and see them. Well I guess that's it for me here. I have to apply for some jobs now because I'm moving to Dallas!! I'll talk to you all later.
Well, it's been a while since I've last posted, but the exciting news is the Petit Jean is over!! I put the book to bed during spring break. It's definitely exciting to be done with it. I'll miss working on it, but it's also nice to know that my entire free time won't be taken up by it. So I thought life would be easy since the book is now over, but it's just as busy as ever and that's because I'm trying to find a job! I just applied for my first job today, and it makes me feel so adult like and old. But it's exciting at the same time. I have no idea what I want to do or where I want to go, but I'm glad that I at least applied for one job. It's a good start. There's so much excitement in the next weeks that I can't wait. I get to go to Dallas with my roommate in two weeks to go see a concert, then the next Tuesday I get to go Washington, D.C. with the senior public relations and print journalism majors, then in 7 weeks from yesterday I get to graduate. Time is certainly flying by during my last semester as a student. I'm going to try and savor every moment that I can because I know it won't be long until I won't have the opportunity to walk around the front lawn, sit by one of the fountains, watch the azaleas bloom and the squirrels play (I know, cheesy, but I can't help it that I love watching those things), or stop and talk to friends on the sidewalks. Well, I'm going to go. It's late and I still have to put together a presentation about ethics in journalism due tomorrow which hasn't been started yet. Yes, I have senioritis to the extreme. But I will keep you all posted on the final weeks. The countdown has begun!
Ok. So it's been forever since I've last posted. Life has been crazy busy around here. I'm coming up to the final days of the yearbook. I hope to get it done before spring break which is in a week and a half (my, how my final semester is flying by), but right now, I don't know if that will happen because we're somewhat behind because I got the FLU a couple of weeks ago and had a very slow recovery. I was in bed for four days and had to go to the ER one night!! Aaahhh!!! I haven't been that sick since I was in elementary school. Needless to say, I'm very excited to be feeling better and being able to go entire day at school without wanting to take a nap. So yesterday I found out that I get to go to Washington, D.C. in April with the graduating public relations and print journalism majors!!! I'm soooo excited!! We're going to work with the American Red Cross and learn how to be responders. So if a disaster or something happens and we're in the area, we can help with the media and communication. We're going to learn their communication strategy, learn how to work with the cameras and how to answer questions. This is such an incredible opportunity, and I'm so glad that Dr. Shock has this connection and is allowing for us to participate in it. I know that it's really going to improve my communication skills. Plus, I've been looking at moving to the D.C. area so it's going to be great to see that city. Well, I need to go finish my editor's notes for the yearbook (such a stressful piece to write for me). I'll post a little longer next time, but until then God Bless! I'm going to leave with a verse that was talked about today in chapel that has really stuck with me: "And who knows but that you have comme to royal position for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14
Have you ever wanted to be somewhere that you're not? Well for me, that's been happening a lot lately. Ever since I went to Switzerland in high school and then in college on campaign, I've had this desire to return and possibly live there, but never has this desire been as bad as of late. All I want to do is speak German, and eat their food, and sit in a cafe drinking a cappucino or a heisse schokolade (hot chocolate), and climb a mountain or sit by a pristine lake. Seriously, its kind of crazy how obsessed with it I've become. My roommate speaks Spanish and has a similar passion for the language and the people, but the thing is she gets to experience it by going to Spanish church and interacting with Spanish people, but I don't have anyone to speak German to or even go to German church which makes me wish I was over there even more.
In 2004, I got to go back to Switzerland for a second time through Harding. The experience was amazing. I got to spend two weeks in Zurich, the capital, and live amongst the people through a host family. We sang on the streets, encouraged the church, saw Luzern, ran down a huge mountain and of course saw lots of cows. The experience was amazing and one I will never forget. (We also went to Germany for two weeks, but for some reason my heart always goes to Switzerland.) It's always amazing to meet Christians who live in different parts of the world. To me, it's encouraging especially because these are people who have an entire different cultural worldview, but we have this commonality through Christ. Sometimes, I have this desire to go over there and be a tent-maker missionary, meaning I will work there but also be an evangelist. The thought is one that excites me and at the same time terrifies me. Well, anyway, enough of my ramblings about my love of Switzerland. While I can't be over there right now, I'll just try and fill a little bit of the hole by eating Nutella and some Swiss chocolate while looking at my pictures and speaking German and just wishing I had some yodelling music to play (just kidding... well, sort of). Here are some pics from the trip with Harding:  The Burgenstock. Four of us totally ran down this in the rain which was utterly amazing! 
The group singing for some of the members of the Gemeinde Christi in Zurich. 
All of us in front of the Grossmunster. Random fact: The park that we were sitting in was the same park where a scene from the Bourne Identity was filmed.  Drinking some hot chocolate after a cold and wet day of singing because some lady threw water on us. We still prayed for her. 
So sadly this is the closest cow I got to while I was over there.  Me and my packing partner, Bethany, with our host family the Arizzolis. What amazing and godly people!! One of the interesting things about living with them was that they barely spoke English, oh and they were amazing cooks, especially Italian food!
Megan and I at the highest point in Zurich, the Uetliburg. It was just slightly windy.
So it's come to be my final semester in college, and all I can say is it's about time. I'm slightly nervous about graduating, but extremely excited and ready for it. Sure college has been fun, but my classes this semester have just made me realize that it's time for me to leave. Now, to be fair, I do have two classes that will be fairly challenging, but nothing that I can't accomplish. The other two on the other hand, are gen. eds., and I feel no worries about them at all. Now I'm sure if I was a freshman, I would have probably freaked out and stressed about them and all the reading that I would have to do. But after writing a thesis and taking upper level classes that pretty much have made me rethink life, I look at them as complete blow-offs. I also am one of the oldest people in the classes themselves which just makes me even more ready for May 12. But enough about school. I have recently made the discovery that I have way too many T-shirts. I realized this while I was moving over the break from my house here in Searcy to an apartment. So, in trying to consolidate and get rid of excess items, I was going to get rid of some T-shirts. But the problem was, I couldn't get rid of a single one. Sure I took some to my parents' house just so I wouldn't have them here, but I couldn't give any away. The reason is because T-shirts hold memories. I looked at each T-shirt and every one was for some event or activity that I have been involved in or a place I have gone too. It's not like a regular piece of clothing that can look good on you, but has become too small, or out-dated or simply you just don't wear it anymore. T-shirts are souvenirs, they are wearable scrapbooks and memories. Some T-shirts that I have are for events that I don't have any photos or any other memorabilia from such as some of the plays I was involved in back high school. Yet is amazing to me that no matter how many T-shirts I own (yes, some even go back to elementary school), I believe that I will continue to purchase more because of this special connection that I have with what it represents. Now, I have no idea what I will do with all of these T-shirts that I have, but even if I don't wear them anymore, I will hold on to them as long as I can, and each time I look at it I will be taken back to that time and place and the sights and sounds involved. T-shirts are so much more than a casual piece of clothing. Take a look at your own T-shirt collection and see how many memories come flooding back to you.
I'm slightly disappointed right now. So, there was a chance for it to snow today and instead it rained all day. I was finally recovering from my lost hope when I saw on my current weather conditions on my home page that there was light snow occuring in Searcy. I got so excited I ran outside and there was nothing. It makes me so sad for I absolutely love snow. I think it is quite possibly one of the most beautiful things. There's something almost "magical" about it. It seems to have the power to spread a peaceful blanket over everything somehow making it all clean. In a German movie there's a scene where a girl explains to her deaf father what snow sounds like falling, and she simply signs "silence." It's so true. Snow seems to silence everything around. I grew up in a busy suburb of Detroit and whenever it snowed, which it did frequently, it seemed to quite the rush of cars and the noise of the people. It's simply an amazing feeling to stand outside when the snow falls and just be; just listen and look around at the beauty of it all. If you have never experienced this, I suggest that you should. The best time is at night because all the lights reflect off the clouds and the snow and it feels as if there is this blanket surrounding you. I can't wait for it to snow. Even though I know it won't, I want to wake up in the morning and look out my window and see this fresh white blanket covering the ground, make some hot chocolate and then walk outside so I can be the first person to step into the snow and hear the amazing velvet crush sound that snow makes when its walked on. I hope this happens soon because the first snowfall is one of my favorite times of the year. Well, that's enough for me. I think I'm going to go play "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow" and just imagine that its doing that right now.
AHHHH!!!! Life is in crazy overdrive right now which is why I haven't posted in over a week. I feel so busy and so stressed right now that I don't even know where to begin or how to get everything done. This time of the year is probably my least favorite. I would much rather experience finals than the two weeks before Thanksgiving because for some reason every professor thinks that it is the best time of the entire year to give tests and papers and projects and at least during finals you just have to study. For instance I have three tests this week and a 10-page research paper due next Thursday along with all my research for the research study that I'm creating myself. Now this wouldn't seem so bad, but with the article I have to write for my own spreads for the yearbook, plus mailing out 72 pages and getting proofs corrected and mailed out along with the research I have to do for admissions and the fact that I have mad crazy errands like cleaning up my room which literally looks like a major disaster and friends that are graduating in a month and family things, life is just insane. I know I can get it done. I know with a will there's a way. My father often quotes this little line from Dr. Teeth (from the muppets): "There ain't nothing to it, but to do it." I get that. I truly do, but I'm just exhausted and want to sleep for a week. Thanksgiving Break is much anticipated by me. As great as it is to be involved by the things that I am, I have come to the realization lately that being busy can be one of the biggest hindrances of my life. Because I am so busy, I am sometimes too tired to even hang out with my friends, and when I do, I sometimes think about the million things that are circulating around in my head. I'm not being a good friend. But most importantly, my spiritual life is affected. I'm too tired and too numb to any emotion that I don't have the energy to pray or read my Bible. I know and desire to, but I just don't do it. It just kills me inside. I sometimes think that when I finally graduate I'm going to have all the time in the world to read my Bible and spend time with God, and it excites me so much. But I've realized that having a relationship takes time and is a conscious choice. To have this relationship I will honestly just have to set the time and do it. My relationship with God isn't just going to come into place when I have time, but I'm going to have to go it because God desires a relationship with me and wants it. If I'm not actively pursuing it, it kind of makes me think that I don't desire and love God which makes me sick to my stomach. In my Bible class on Friday, my professor said something that really struck me and has stuck with me all weekend. He said, "I'm not a Christian because I go to a Christian university. I'm a Christian because I intentionally want to be." I sometimes think that it's ok that I don't have a more personal with God because I go to chapel everyday and church every Sunday and have a great Bible class three times a week. I get my "God time" then. But really, how into those times am I? Do I just go because I have to or do I go because I want to? I need to spend time with God more because the rewards of that relationship are going to be so much greater than the good grade I'm going to get in class. Well, I think it's time for me to stop my late night ramblings. It's late, and I have an 8 a.m. class. I think I'm going to leave with the story of Mary and Martha found in Luke 10:38-42. I need to be like Mary more. "As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, 'Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!' 'Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered, 'you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.'"
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