Where My Life has Been

So since I had a few little random blog posts the past couple years, but all of them were sketchy and not quite blog posts, I'm going to do a little recap. I'm going to start in 2011 when I really stopped blogging regularly (I know in the last post I said it was 2012, but I think it was more like 2011. I can't remember that far), and I'm going to make a list of ten big things that happened since then. I may or may not post on them more later, but I think I'll decide that after I've written them all. So, here is a Top Ten list of what I did in the last threeish years:

1. I went to Europe: I decided to start here because it was a big deal, and also because that's where the regular posts really stopped. I went to Europe with my mom and two aunts, a vacation that came from my grandmother leaving them money to do so. She always wanted to visit but also had a huge fear of flying. So instead she made it possible for my mom and her two sisters to go. And I kind of tagged along... shhh... We went to Italy, Germany, Austria, and England, and it was pretty crazy and really fun. We were there a whole month, saw a lot of things, bought a lot of things, and ate a lot of food. 
2. I started high school: The Europe trip was at the end of my sophomore year, and up until that point I had been home schooled. My parents gave us the choice of either going to school junior year, going to community college, or staying at home. Community college scared me and I wanted to go somewhere, so I started my junior year at a small private Lutheran school of about 80 kids. It was quite the experience, and I think it helped prepare me for college quite a bit. For one thing, I had teachers. That gave homework. And it had to be done the next day. Scary. But, fortunately, high school really branched into a whole lot of other things that have happened since, and I'm really happy for. 
3. I joined cross country: I had sort of been involved in a cross country team in middle school, but it was very competitive, not very nice, and they didn't let me compete because of state rules and I was homeschooled.  But I enjoyed the idea of running long distances (I know, I'm crazy), so I decided to join. It was a lot of fun, and I also got really in shape and felt strong and was able to run 3.1 miles without stopping. And actually further, but that 3.1 was kind of a goal form the beginning, since I hadn't done much real running before.
4. I was the lead role in a play: I have in the past participated in a couple community plays, so naturally I tried out for the school play. Being that the school had 80 students, everyone who tries out pretty much gets a role. The play was about a soldier coming home (possibly more on that later), and I was cast as the mother. I didn't realize it until I was given the script that the mother was a pretty huge role. I was in most scenes with a lot of speaking lines. I did really well (I think) and I made people cry, which was my goal (there was an emotional scene with a monologue. I was supposed to make people cry, I promise). I think it helped me build a lot of confidence. 
5. Youth and Government continued: I was in this my sophomore year while I was still home schooled, as there were no rules against it thankfully. I think regardless of my going to school I would still have done this. Actually I think youth and gov. made me want to go to school where I did. But I think school helped me do better in it. For those who don't know, Youth and Gov. is a high school mock legislature. Pass laws, run for office, have mandatory fun (inside joke, sorry), it's loads of fun. Oh, and did I mention you sit in super comfy legislator seats? We go to Springfield and actually do law stuff in the place where actual people do actual law stuff! Or they say they do. My bill failed to pass both years that I wrote it, which is sad, but I did much better my senior year. First of all, not everybody hated it. And they didn't all gang up and yell at me. That was sad... But I say that if your school has this program, or if you're home schooled and can find a school that will let you join, do it. Join Youth and Gov. Because it is amazing. It just is. Do. It. 
6. I made a new friend: More than a friend, actually. At Youth and Gov., I ran into a guy. A friend of mine who went to my school was wearing cowboy boots. So this guy walked up and said, "hey buddy, nice boots." Then I showed up, we introduced, and didn't see each other again for a while. But, we did see each other again, and one thing led to another, we both got a prom date, and now we've been dating almost two years. It's kind of great. (by the way, you see why I like youth and government so much? It's just great. seriously, JOIN. Good things will happen. Or at least you'll improve your public speaking.)
7. I started college:  I graduated high school last spring and quickly started college in the summer. I wanted to get a few prerequisite classes out of the way, so I decided it was a good idea to not take a break from school at all. I wouldn't recommend this, and hopefully I won't be doing this again next summer, but who knows. I'm now in  my third semester (including summer semester), and it's going fairly well. I'm at community college right now and plan to transfer to a four year school in fall of 2015. I got a little confused by what  I wanted to do... (see #9)
8. I kind of turned into a girl: Woman? I mean, I did grow up... Though the word woman still kind of scares me. But this was very recent, as in over the last summer. I bought a girly swimsuit, I bought girly clothes, girly shoes, and now I'm actually attempting to put on makeup myself. Makeup. That's right. I was never a makeup person, in fact I still don't really know how to put it on and probably won't wear it in public having done it myself for a while. But I had my mom and my sister in law do it for dances, and it kind of looks good! So hey, why not? then my sister in law got me some makeup stuff for Christmas. 
9. I changed my mind: Originally I started college thinking I wanted to be a vet tech, but I had a beginning of college crisis (is that a thing?) and decided to go into nursing. So now instead of nursing animals, I will be nursing people. I took a lot of interest in my anatomy classes I was taking, and nursing seems to be a much better career to go into instead of veterinary technology. Being a vet tech is all but a minimum wage job with an associates degree. No offense to any vet techs out there, but it seems if it isn't something I am completely passionate about, I don't think it's worth it. I used to really want to work with animals for a living, but I'm thinking my animal work will be side jobs and hobbies. Unfortunately it's hard to have a big successful job where all you do is work with animals. Unless I were to become a breeder, which... eh.  Not sure I want to.
10.  I grew up:  A lot. I mean, who doesn't grow up in almost three years, but I've been realizing how much of a child I was then and how much of an adult I am now. Ha. Adult... Okay, so I'm close to being an adult. Though I wonder if any of us ever really grow up? Whoa, that was DEEP. More on that later. But I'm in college, I have a job now (meaning I have income!), I do my homework, I don't complain about it (much), and I'm just better off maturity wise than I was back when I started high school. In fact, when I think about my junior year, it seems like it was so long ago and I was so different then. Practically a child. And I don't mean to give anyone older out there a heart attack, or act like I'm "so grown up now", I'm just saying I'm starting to feel a little more like I'm on  my way. I still have panic attacks though. Those are fun...

That turned out longer than I originally thought, but I felt the need to get all that out. So now it's out, and everything is (somewhat) caught up. Things should get more interesting now.