challenges

I have lots going on, and it isn't going to end until May 22nd...graduation. 

WHAT!?!?!?!? I'm so excited. But then I'm also sad. but not really because I'm so tired of schoolwork right now.

as for now, I'll just keep trudging through.

In better news, tomorrow is CHALLENGE DAY. A day where the girls battle the boys in competitive events such as egg toss, ping pong transfer, uniform swap, four legged race, spirit, volleyball, basketball and memory game. This battle is far more intense than words can describe. The boys hope to win the day and take back the empire while the girls are fired up to win again. Who will come out victorious? hopefully us. 

I'm pumped.

My sister and I are both participating in the ping pong transfer. Here's a picture of our team that gets me so fiRED up.

 Intimidated?

last week started the battle with a can drive competition between the two schools. Whoever brought the most pounds per student of non-perishable food items won one point towards challenge day (each game is worth one point).  I must say that I've never ever seen so much non-perishable food (or such feisty facebook statuses). We will find out the winner of the can drive tomorrow at Challenge Day. 

 My sister and I made this video to pump up the student body for the can drive:

"If you mess with FIRE, you're gonna get BURNED."

some things I can't get off my mind

A while back, I noticed a woman slowly walking while holding two bags filled with groceries walking around the LSU lakes.  I would have simply passed by without taking notice to this person, one of the many people present at the lakes, until she proceeded to collapse to the ground and sob. The tears fell violently down her face as she hung her head between her knees and cupped her head in her hands. I felt immediate sympathy for her intense sorrow. Why was she crying? Was she ok? She surely looked normal. What caused her to be so sad?

 I will never know because I kept running. I passed her by without a kind smile, a gentle word, or a simple "Are you ok?"

I often think about this woman and wonder if I could have made a difference in her life. To me, she represents missed opportunities. How could I have helped her, or made her life just a little bit better in her time of need? As a direct result of this incident, I started praying for her and anyone else I had subconsciously chosen to ignore. She would often pop into my thoughts, quietly reminding me to be attentive to others needs. She taught me that other people can hide their pain, and that I may never know what they go through. MAN. Who do I know that needs my love and attention now? Who have I unintentionally harmed or simply overlooked!?!? 

She also taught me to value each individual person. Before I saw her cry, I viewed all of the people at the lakes that day as just another random person. I did not know any of them personally, and I had no connections with them whatsoever.

 Yet, in reality our simple humanity connects us, and every single person holds a certain value that others might forget about or refuse to take notice of.  Needless to say, she reminded me.

the great race

I've got stress up to my eyeballs this week. EVERYTHING is going on. literally, everything.
and not to mention college decisions are coming up... (oh yeah, I actually have to decide) I've heard from all my colleges except two (Vanderbilt and UNC) probs won't get in either of those places, but do I really want to anyway? just makes it more complicated...more to choose from...
we visited Clemson this past week. I really really liked it. maybe I might go there.
who knows.
 I don't regret applying to so many random schools, yet I often wonder what caused me to do so. They get all jumbled in my mind. Where am I supposed to go? Which school is the best for me? The only way that I've seemed to organize such questions is to imagine it as a competition between the schools. I can see each school competing with the others, trying to win my favor. While some never had a chance, others frequently battle with each other for the number one spot. This victory, the number one spot, is huge. It determines where I end up for the next four years. wow. My mind whirls with all the pros and cons of each and I cannot seem to make up my mind... If you think about it, it's fine because in the end, it's about where my heart is. {and that should make up itself.}

for now. it's still a race. and believe me, it's a marathon. I'll keep you posted for when we have a clear winner.