Hi...Remember Me?

The semester is finally over. It was long. It was tough. I'm extremely thankful for this break. The last few months have probably been the most difficult time I've had in my life thus far. Between moving to a new city over 1,000 miles from my family, the stresses of graduate school, losing my dog, and my grandfather's health issues, it has been difficult at times to keep my head up. However, I am lucky to be surrounded with magnificent people, even if they are so many miles away. My amazing family, friends, and church have kept me strong enough to push through. Thanks, everyone. I survived my first semester of graduate school.

Tampa
It is December and the weather is still gorgeous. Enough said.

Graduate School
As you know, I have been taking classes and rotating through laboratories to find the perfect fit. I struggled through my classes, and not having a lab to call home can be quite stressful. It is very difficult to find the right combination of people, environment, research, and funding. I have yet to determine where I will be staying long-term. I have had a lot of great experiences and difficult decisions to make. I have learned many techniques and have improved my critical thinking skills. I am patiently waiting for everything to work out the way it is supposed to.

New Church
I found my church home a few months ago and have enjoyed attending every Sunday. It is a place I feel comfortable with myself, where I can serve others, and where I can be with others who share my beliefs. I will be a part of an arts ministry being created in which I hope to get closer to others and use my talents to serve. There's no doubt that I have truly been blessed in my life, and I have really been working not to lean on my own understanding. My faith has gotten me through so much and I am looking forward to see what is next.

Breaks
I was fortunate enough to go to Disney for my first time, and it was amazing. Even though I only went for two days, it was a great experience. I was able to enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner with close family friends and am very grateful to have been able to share the holiday with great people. I also was able to fly up to see my family for the past few days. Even though it was cold and snowy, I always enjoy spending time with the people I love the most.

I believe I have summed up what has been going on in my life without going into too much personal detail. I know it is quite a short post for not writing since September, but the majority of my time (and by that I basically mean all of my time) has been spent in the lab, in class, or studying. I am going to enjoy my time off and get recharged to tackle the next semester. I am really excited for my parents to join me for Christmas, and looking forward to all the fun things I have planned for the next few weeks. Have a very merry, loving, giving, safe, and blessed Christmas!

One Month Down

I've been in graduate school for a month now and the time is flying by. I have been in my lab for three weeks and only have two left before I do my next rotation. I have learned so much so far. It can be a little overwhelming at times but it will all be worth it. I had my first exam last week and although I feel I could have done better I don't think it went too badly. I've been working a lot of hours in my lab and it is extremely time consuming but I couldn't pick better people to work with. Although everyone takes their work very seriously, they are mostly laid back and are extremely helpful. They are also quite fun-we spend a lot of time laughing together. I don't really have much time outside of school, but I have made a lot of great new friends through the program. We get together regularly, which can be a really nice break from the stress that comes with school. My boyfriend has also moved in with me, which is making things much easier. I've pretty much settled into a routine here, but living in a big city is definitely different from what I am used to. There are plenty of things to do, but I also have to be much more careful. I think that pretty much covers what is new with me. Hope all is well with you!

In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. 

Proverbs 16:9

First Week Recap

I survived my first week of graduate school! 

Through a number of meetings and different classes it definitely had some ups and downs. Overall I would say it went well. I have some lab rotations set up that start this week. I am pretty nervous about working in someone's lab that I barely know, but I am really looking forward to how much I will learn. My classes have mostly been review so they haven't been difficult so far. I am trying to stay ahead on all my work to hopefully avoid as much stress as possible. 

I plan on being very busy now that lab rotations will be starting. I have a lot to learn, and I will have to prove myself to the members of each lab so that I will be able to secure a place in one of them to become a part of long-term. It is a very stressful process, but I know that wherever I end up is where I am meant to be at the particular time, and I only hope that I can make a positive contribution. 

There is a lot of uncertainty in my life right now that I believe is contributing to how much I am starting to miss certain things from my past. I also miss a lot of people of course, and it is difficult being so far away. I can't just drive to see anyone anymore-I have to buy a plane ticket. However, this is where I need to be at this point in my life to get to where I want to be. Sacrifices have been made, but I will be a stronger person in the end. 

...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...

-Jeremiah 29:11

It's Getting Real

I know I haven't posted all summer, and that is because I took a break from basically everything. My graduation party was great, my vacation in Colorado was awesome, and I have been living in Tampa for a couple of weeks. I absolutely love it here. It is definitely hot and humid, and I'm looking forward to it cooling off a little, but it is definitely worth it to not have to experience another Midwest winter.

Orientation was this week, and it was a lot of information in a short amount of time. It was a little exhausting, but definitely interesting. I have met a lot of fantastic people so far and am looking forward to forming some really great relationships. I am getting really excited to start the program Monday!

I guess this would be a good time to explain the program I am in. I will be getting a PhD in Medical Sciences from the University of South Florida...eventually. The program will most likely take about five years to complete. The first semester is the craziest-I have intensive coursework and laboratory rotations. The rotations are made so I can test out some labs before I pick my mentor. If I pick a lab this semester (and the lab picks me), I can begin working as early as January. If I don't find one to my liking, I have until the end of summer before I absolutely must have a mentor. Once a mutual decision has been made, I will spend the rest of my time in the same place. As far as classwork goes, I should have all of it finished by the end of my second year. When that happens, I will take some really intense exams, and when I pass those, all I have to worry about is working on my own research project. Eventually, I will have to defend, or in other terms, present my project to important people in my field and answer their questions. If they are satisfied with my work, I will get my PhD. That is probably the most basic explanation I can give, especially for people who aren't really in to science. If you are interested in more details, I would be happy to discuss them personally with anyone.

Like I mentioned before, classes start Monday, and I am really excited. I also am in the process of setting up my lab rotations and am really looking forward to working with some great people. I have so much to learn and I am ready to absorb all the new information from my peers and mentors.

Good luck to everyone else starting new programs or returning to school! "...Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." -Joshua 1:9

Although I may be far away, please keep in touch! I'd love to hear how you all are doing! God bless.

I Did It!

I can't believe it has been 2 months since my last post. Time definitely flew by. Anyway...

I am officially a college graduate!

That is really all I can say about that...other than FINALLY!

I was so ready to be home, and it has been amazing. I still have a lot to unpack and organize, but I am just really glad I am finally able to spend time with my family.

Classes finished up really well. I didn't really have any trouble with any exams, and I learned a lot this semester.

My Looking Back, Moving Forward Fundraising Walk to benefit the Alzheimer's Association went great considering it was freezing and hailing during the event. We raised over $800 and I will be sending the money in this week. Thank you so much for everyone who donated, participated, volunteered, or otherwise supported this project. It meant a lot to me to have such a great support group, and I am ecstatic to have raised so much to go toward Alzheimer's research.

I have about three months at home before I move to Tampa, and am really excited about everything. I am really looking forward to the combined graduation party with my sister, who is graduating from high school (so proud!), that we are having at the end of the month. I can't wait to see so many family members that I do not get to see often. I am also judging the state science fair and going to Colorado for two weeks with my dad. The rest of the my time will be spent getting back to being healthy (eating right, exercising, fixing my back, etc), trying to earn a little bit of money, catching up on reading and other hobbies, and relaxing before I hit the craziness of graduate school. Although I am really excited to go on to the next level in my education, I am really looking forward to taking a break from the stress that comes with it.

I don't really have that much else to touch on. I'm just really glad I am finished with my undergraduate career! Congratulations to all of my classmates, and thank you to all that have supported my dreams and goals.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. (Romans 8:28)

The Moment You've All Been Waiting For

I feel like every time I write a post, I have to apologize for it being so long since my last update. I know it has been an incredibly long time and a lot of you are probably wondering what is going on in my life. There has actually been a good reason for me not sharing what has been going on. As I was going through all of my graduate school interviews, I did not feel that it was best to share my thoughts, feelings, opinions, etc until my final decision was made. Yes, that means I have made my final decision. Many of you have a pretty good idea of which school I have chosen, but I would like to touch on the process before I reveal it officially. Please know that I will not be sharing everything that I feel and if you want any information on a specific school or how to pick a school in general you can contact me individually.

My first interview was at MUSC. As it was my first, you can imagine how nervous I was. It was also the first time I had to fly by myself, so that added to the anxiousness. I am an advocate for pushing yourself through your fears to eliminate them, so it was a great experience. During my visit to MUSC, I learned a ton about graduate school and what things to look for in a program. It is all about what program fits you. MUSC is a great school with a great graduate program in biomedical science. However, I knew before I left that I would not fit there. There is nothing bad I can say about the program, it just wasn't what I was looking for. Again, if you want more details about specific reasons you can contact me individually.

My second interview was at USF. I have always loved Florida, so I felt pretty comfortable there off the bat, but most of my comfort came from knowing exactly what I should be looking for in a program. The people I met were very friendly and the visit was very informative. I think what I liked most was that everyone was so honest. Another plus to their program is that they have the Byrd Alzheimer's Institute, which I even got to tour. I left Tampa (sadly, because it was in the 70s and I had to go back to single digit temperatures) thinking that USF was somewhere I could really see myself.

My third interview was at GRU. I've never been to Augusta, so I was excited to see what it was all about. It is a pretty small city compared to the others I visited, so I really had to think about what kind of area I want to live in. The program that they have really impressed me, and the people were really great. Again, everyone was so straightforward and honest. I probably learned the most about graduate school in general during this visit, like how to look for places to live, how to pick a mentor, etc. It was a really great experience, and I am really glad I got the opportunity.

When all is said and done, I had to pick the school that was the overall right fit for me. I was looking for a school that is excited about the same research as I am, that has a number of different mentors I can choose from, that is very collaborative between departments, that has faculty that really cares about their students' successes, and is in an area I would enjoy to spend the next five years of my life in. The only school that met all of those requirements was the University of South Florida in Tampa. Therefore, I'll be moving there in August. I am really excited to start the next chapter of my life.

Unfortunately, I still have a lot to do before then...like graduate. Classes have been going well so far, and I really can't complain about the extra time I have had from taking a lighter course load. I have been picking up extra hours at work, however, due to such a busy time at the office. It is a slightly stressful environment but I couldn't pick a better group of people to work with. I have also been working on my honors project fundraising walk to benefit the Alzheimer's Association. We have made great strides in planning the event. If you are interested in registering to walk or making a donation, you can visit the website at http://alzwalk2013.wix.com/lookbackmoveforward.

Well a huge weight has been lifted now that I do not have to worry about what I will be doing after graduation. It is going to be difficult to wait for my next steps, but I am really going to enjoy the time I have left to spend with my family and friends before I move away. Like I mentioned before, if you are interested in graduate school I am always open and willing to offer advice or help talk it out. Thank you for all of your continuing support. It means so much to me.

Thanks for reading!

All the promises of God find their Yes in Him. (2 Corinthians 1:20)