GOOD VS BAD

If you could pin point one instance or situation that changed your life forever, what would it be? Maybe this question is easy for you to answer. Maybe this is a question you have to sit back and reflect on. Maybe you wait day in and day out for that light bulb to go off, the flash of lighting to light up your world, the moment when you figure out everything has changed for you.

For me, this instance hands down, is when I got a DUI.

If I could best describe this situation it would be in terms of an infomercial. You know the type that come on really late at night, around 2am. The type that show a particular product like the Shamwow or the Magic Bullet Blender in both the old form, usually in black and white and the new form, in color. My life both before and after the night I got my DUI is identical to an infomercial. Let me put this into perspective for you:

BEFORE: I would like to consider myself a party animal, you know the type that rarely missed a good time, the one the people called to see "what's going on tonight", the type that would frequently plan my work schedule, studies, and even family time around clubs, bars, and beer pong tournaments. I was outgoing, very outgoing, more times than not, TOO outgoing. I had a ton of friends. I'm talking great friends. You know, the kind that you go out with you even if they have work the next morning, the type that would be there for you no matter what, any given time. The type that trusted you with their biggest fears and biggest accomplishments. When I went home on the weekends I planned my weekends with my friends first, then made time for family. This was usually just a hi and bye in passing and an occasional dinner or breakfast before I was running out the door to meet up with friends or choking down breakfast because I was too hungover to even enjoy the presence of the people I desired to have in my life the most.

AFTER/DURING: I will start by saying WHAT A WAKE UP CALL. I'm currently going through the diversion program that is not only the most expensive mistake I have ever made but the best mistake I have ever made (stay with me, you'll understand). When I first got my DUI I made it a point to get all my parting out before I would be sentenced to months of walking on egg shells. When I finally found out I would be on the diversion program I made sure to dot my I's and cross my T's, do everything I was told, no cutting corners. Called every morning, went to my classes, went to AA twice a week, stayed in on the weekends and said no to alcohol. Easy right? Right! Until you notice that the people that are supposed to be your friends soon stop calling, stop asking you "whats going on tonight", until you realize that you can only watch so much trash TV and movies on the weekends alone before you truly do feel....alone. After several months I began to slip up, cut the corner. That didn't work out for me either. Whether I have bad luck or it was fate for me to get caught, it happend. But enough of the fine print. What I have found through my experience so far has been incredible. I have realized who my true friends are, I don't have many, happy to say so. I have had hours and hours to reflect on the person I used to be when I drank and the person I NEVER want to be again. I have met some of the most incredible people through the AA program in Kearney and will be forever changed by their stories. But most importantly I have a relationship with my family that I'm 100% sure I would have never gained had I of not gotten a DUI. When I go home my family is first on my list. I remember the my first sober family breakfast, key word, remember. I have had some amazing conversations with my Dad in his garage and have actually sat up and watched my Mom's dreadful British shows with her. Although my life is still very hectic and fast pace I have taken a minute to care about my sisters, and the things going on in their lives. DUI's, the court system, and and diversion are three VERY unforgiving places but I'm happy to say I have an amazing couple of true friends, boyfriend, and family that forgave me without even thinking twice.

A blessing in disguise, and I mean DISGUISE.

Tan Expert

It's official! I HAVE A JOB! I am now employed at a tanning salon in Kearney, getting paid Minimum wage.

If that statement alone doesn't give me the motivation to graduate I don't know what will.

BUT a job is a job, and I'm broke. Lets face it begger's can't be choosers and I was begging. I had resorted to driving home to do odd jobs for money. EXAMPLE: writing a 1,000 word paper for a desperate student in need. Cleaning my little sisters room for money (see pictures below)

I even attempted to sell my plasma and turn in my Dad's beer cans for cash. This makes working at the tanning salon sound like a 6 figure job.

Here is the problem with me having a job though, as soon as I get a little bit of money I feel like I need to spend it wherever possible. Things that I absolutely positively don't need all of the sudden become appealing. Things like nail files (I bite my nails), redbox movies, eye shadow, fast food, socks, and water bottles all of the sudden become things that I 'have to have'. After minutes of walking through the store or driving around trying to come up with some logical excuse as to why I need to buy whatever item it is, I ALWAYS end up buying it. On rare occasion do I ever say no.
I need to learn how to manage my money.
Needless to say I need to learn how to say NO!

I will be graduating in 79 days, and then hopefully 10 months from then moving to the sunny state of Orlando Florida with my wonderful boyfriend. I'm not going to get there spending my money on nail files and redbox movies and although I make a top notch tanning salon expert and I'm certainly not complaining about this beautiful free bronze skin, 6 figures sounds a little bit better.

SENORITIS

Senioritis : noun. A crippling disease that strikes seniors. Symptoms include: laziness, an over-excessive wearing of track pants, old athletic shirts, sweatpants, athletic shorts, and sweatshirts. Also features a lack of studying, repeated absences, and a generally dismissive attitude. The only known cure is a phenomenon known as graduation. 

Couldn't have said it better myself. Thank you Urban Dictionary.com.

Welcome to my blog! I am going to take you on a journey through my senior year of college to what they call "adulthood" so sit back and relax, this should be quite the experience. 

For starters I am 22 years old, I go to the University of Nebraska at Kearney in good ol' Kearney Nebraska, or as we like to call it, Kearney America. I am a senior, in fact, this is my very last semester. I am working on my major in Broadcasting and a minor is Marketing. Should take me far, but I'll let you be the judge of that. I have big dreams the only problem is, those dreams change daily. I am convinced that one day I will figure out just what I want to do with my five years of education and a piece of paper to prove it, but as of now I am undecided.

Contrary to what anyone tells you, being a senior in college is NOT easy. Well, I suppose if you look at my life from the outside looking in: 4 classes, only on Tuesday's and Thursdays, been unemployed for about a semester and a half and my parents pay my bills, THEN its not that tough, but trust me, from the inside looking out it is stressful!

Every day is a new TO DO list and another step into this world MTV has coined THE REAL WORLD. This is my invitation to you into MY real world.