Life as a Graduate

I’ve been away from the blogging world for quite some time now.  A lot has happened since my last post.  I hadn’t even graduated at that time.  So a quite recap:

May 16 I graduated from the University of California, Merced with a degree in Biological Sciences.  I spent the whole day in the 100 degree heat all for Michelle Obama.  Her being there and giving a quick 15 minute speech before leaving in black SUVs was not worth all the hassle we all had to deal with.  By the time it came to get our diploma cases everyone was ready to go.  Some people actually did leave right after the walked across the stage.  Gowns were worn just for the stage and were either unzipped or off before and after.  I really would have preferred the original plan of having a night ceremony with fireworks over the lake.  The only cool thing I saw was the secret service and snipers on the tops of the buildings.

Summer began after that.  During June and July the family went on several day trips to Morro Bay and Pismo.  Morro Bay has become one of our favorite places to visit.  We go to Pismo to eat at Splash and then travel to Morro Bay to eat at Giovanni’s Fish Market.  In August, I spent being a leader at VBS.  I had such a great group this year.  It was amazing to see God moving  and working through my group.  They all really understood God’s love by the end of the week and I felt so blessed to have gotten to know these kids.  The following week my family went on our family vacation.  We went to Cambria for the first time.  I fell in love with this place.  We stayed right across the street from the beach at the Sand Pebbles Inn.  It had this nice cozy feel to it.  In San Simeon we went to Hearst Castle, which was interesting, and Elephant Seal Beach/Park (though elephant seals have made me feel uncomfortable ever since reading the Island of the Blue Dolphins in 4th grade).  There is some really good food there too.  J.J’s Pizza (Cambria) and this sandwich shop that’s in this general store in San Simeon are delicious.  While there we went to Cayucos and Morro Bay since it’s like driving to Clovis.  That’s the traveling I did.

Last time I wrote I said was thinking about going into physical therapy.  Well, over the summer I tried volunteer work at two different offices (one specialized), but I did not like it at all.  There was no passion and I dreaded going volunteering.  So this has forced me to re-evaluate what I’m going to do with my future.  I’ve been trying to figure out what I like to do.  So now I’m considering a non-traditional route and going into law that relates to biology/health/medical.  But who knows, I may end up just getting my masters and working in a lab.  I just really want to be sure before I start anything because I’m the kind of person that once I start something, I’m committed.  I don’t want it to only be what I think is right for me, but what God thinks is right for me.  I’ve spent a lot of time in prayer over this.  I want to do what God wants me to do, but I’m still not sure what that is. But I trust Him that everything is going to work out.

One thing that has come from living at home again and not currently having a job is a renewal of my relationship with Christ.  My walk with God is strong.  I am right with God.  I trust Him with my life and decisions.  He has control and I’m okay with that.  Even with all the unknown, I have this peace knowing I can rely on Him.  I think I would be losing my mind if it were not for my relationship with Him.

My recap turned into an essay.

 

19 days….

My roommate just informed me that there is 19 days left of school until graduation. I still find it difficult to believe that I’m about to graduate college. Didn’t I just finish high school? As much as I’m looking forward to graduation and taking a break from school, I’m not so thrilled about entering the real world and having to actually worry about things like having health insurance (something I’ve never had to worry about). There are things I am looking forward to like shadowing and seeing if physical therapy is really the route i want to take. I’m also looking forward to moving back to Fresno and actually being able to get involved in church. I’m not sure if I’m going to go back to working in preschool or if I’ll try something new. After the messages the last couple of weeks, I’ve thought about maybe working in Jr. High. I just remember how much of an impact my Jr. High leaders had in my life and I think it would be cool to give back in that way. As scary as the near future can be at times, I know that God has great things planned for me and I just have to allow Him to use me in the ways that He wants.

Here Comes Obama

It’s 12 am and I should be going to bed right now b/c I have class at 9 am, but it just got done with my manuscript for physio and I’m kind of awake.  So here’s a quick update on what’s been going on.  I graduate in a month, it’s hard to believe…didn’t I just graduate high school.  Michelle Obama is speaking at graduation and I am not happy about this.  I could right a whole post about this and I probably will after midterms.  But I hate the fact that our graduation is no longer about the first graduating class of UC Merced, but instead it’s becoming an “Obama Rally” as the Right Side Paper put it.  It seems the school has become more concerned about accommodating the media and less about our famlies.  We have to have tickets and lots of securtiy…great…I feel this is going to take much of the fun and joy and celebration that should have came from this event.  Now if your friends and family want to come your going to have to say sorry the school won’t let me have anymore tickets, the news apparently comes before you.  Last I checked, was graduation suppose to be about the students, not the speaker.  I guess that just isn’t the case here.  The best I can do is email the vice chancellor. 

In the mean time, I working on setting up shadowing a physical therapist.  I’m hoping that eventually that this will become a paid position.  And by that I mean I hope the offer my a PT aide job.  I’m 99.9% sure that this is what I want to go into.  The only other idea I’ve though about is going to PA school, but I think PT is a better fit.  That’s all for now.  I write again when it’s not so late.

NKOTB is coming to Fresno

I’m not gonna lie, when I heard this on the radio, a part of me really did/does want to go this.  I even thought about calling my great aunt to get her seats (and by that i mean she owns seats in the save mart center)….

Life Coming at Me

There’s a lot to write about since this is my first blog of 2009.  So I thought I give a brief summary of what’s been going on in my life and my mind.

It’s hard to believe how fast time really does fly.  I’m already in my last semester of college, well of my undergraduate years of college.  And I’ve finally figured out what I want to do after I graduate.  Getting there will be the challenge however.  I always knew I wanted to go to the a health related field, I used to think that it was pharmacy that I wanted to go into.  But when I stopped to think about what I enjoyed I saw that working with kids is where my heart is.  This is something that God revealed to me after much prayer.  Since I was not made to be a nurse, I’ve decided that I’m going to go into physical therapy with an emphasis in pedriatrics. The only problem is that I’m going to have to wait until next year to even consider applying.  So I’m praying that I’ll be able to find a job during this time (one with benefits) and get to do some shadowing as well.

This semester is promising to keep me busy.  The library’s 4th floor has become my new home.  I think I spend more time here than at the house.  I’m really working hard to try and keep up with my classes b/c  I want to not only graduate, but it would be nice to get a decent grade in the classes.  I’ve got my schedule cut out for me.  I’m talking phsyiology, anatomy, virology, and a stupid research seminar.  Anatomy is proving to be my favorite class and most interesting which is good since I have a lot to do for it.

One thing that I’ve learned in life is that God places people in your life when you need them the most.  Sometimes those friendship last and sometimes they last just long enough for those people to do what they can in your life.  It’s a fact of life that not all friendships can last forever.  But God knew that I needed a person like Steph Wong in my life.  Steph is someone I’ve known for a semester now, but I wasn’t that close to her.  I had been praying for God to bring a strong christian friend into my life and He did just that.  Steph is someone that I can talk to, someone that encourages me, and someone who challenges me in my walk.  I’ve never had someone like this here in Merced so it’s pretty cool.

And to be completely random…this is the phone that I want.  While the majority of Americans would like to have an iPhone, I would like to be different and get this….Samsung Eternity…..

I've been waiting for at&t to come out with a Samsung touch phone

All That One Needs

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a huge fan of Christian music.  Don’t ask me why, I just haven’t been able to ever really get into it.  I was channel surfing as I was driving to class the other day because every channel that I listen to was on commercial.  I came across this song and the lyrics really just kind of hit me.  I’ve been kind of caught with life and relationships that this was kind of a reminder to me about life and how in the end God’s love is all really one needs.  So here they are….

By Your Side (Tenth Avenue North)

Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don’t turn away

Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching as if I’m not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run

‘Cause I’ll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don’t fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world’s sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life

Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, I love you
I’ll never let you go

I’ve Been Elfed

So last night I get a text from Jasper to check my facebook.  Turns out he elfed me, Azeema, Diana, Estefany, and Brian.  Click on this link and check out the hilarity!

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/MecAf67ctHFx2A74#/owner/MecAf67ctHFx2A74

All ya Single Ladies

I really need to stop basing my blog titles on songs….

Yesterday my parents decided that they were going to Riverpark Bible Church for church.  They decided this due to the fact that my mother had no choir and they wanted to go see their friends.  Originally I was not going to go, but somehow I got woken up by my mother to take a shower so I could go.  I have to admit I was glad I went.  It was a good service.  There were many familiar faces, some in which I haven’t seen in years, which made being there comfortable.  I had several “so that’s what happened to them” moments.  The feel of it was very much like the old Ev Free days.  I guess that’s why the call it “ev free 2″ because so many people go there.  However, my mother had other intentions for me going.  As my mother was talking to Cheryl, she asks about how the college group is and how big it is.  Cheryl tells my mom how great it is and that it’s large and so on and how she’ll take me there or have Jamie and Casey walk me there so I don’t have to go alone.  So I told Cheryl maybe next week since I didn’t have my car wit me.  When we get in the car my mother says to be that I should go so that I can meet guys.  Note that she said guys, not people or peers or make new friends.  I found this kind of funny in the fact that she just straight out said guys, apparently I have enough girl friends.  then we had this whole conversations how the pickings at church are slim.  Could my mother be any more forward?  If you’re looking for a man, college group is the place to start.  it’s mother approved.

Holy Crap I’m Graduating

I thought that it was time for me to actally take some time, sit down and blog.  With Thanksgiving coming up I have some time to do just that.  The title of this blog was inspired by two things:  one, I was watching Heroes earlier and I thought Hiro saying “Holy Crap” was funny, and two, that’s what was going through my mind this afternoon as I picked up my Decleration of Candidacy from the Natural Sciences office to turn in, payed my $30 for that, and turned in my Commencement Application form.  The fact I am graduating in the spring didn’t seem real to me until today.  All I could think is that I’m actually going to graduate, given that I’m able to pass cell this semester and my classes next semester.  But I think I can.  The reason I believe this is something I was thinking about a couple of weeks ago.  I was thinking about what in my life is different from other people in my life that allows me to always find a way to pass a class, and realized the answer, it’s the answer to every question.  The reason I have been so fortunate thus far is because I have Jesus to help me pull through things.  He has always provided for me, and this gives me some comfort for the next year.  After I graduate I’m not sure what’s going to happen.  I know that I’m going to take some time off and I hope to find some work that is related to what I want to do.  Sometimes all I can think is “I’m going to have this degree and I don’t know what the hell I can do with it while waiting.”  I actually joked with Sanna the other day on the phone that we should use our time off to find ourselves guys.  We have this thing that we’re suppose to be on the look out for each other.

With talking about Sanna let’s segway into another topic: friends.  In the past, God has blessed me with the right friends for that moment in time/time in my life.  Some of those friendships have faded, some have continued on.  God has a way of bringing certain people into your life when you need them the most.  This semester I’ve made a new friend and he really is one of a kind.  He’s brought this laughter back into my life that’s been missing for a while.  I really don’t know why we didn’t become friends sooner.  With Thanksgiving just a couple days away, I just thought I say how thankful i am for everything and everyone God has placed in my life.

TI and Rihanna meet Numa Numa

I just think it’s funny that the beginning of the song “Live Your Life” by T.I. feat. Rihanna starts out with the beginning of the Numa Numa song and parts of the song plays through out the song.  If you haven’t seen the numa numa video then you won’t get why i think this is funny.  So check it out on youtube and vice versa.  It’s two things that I never imagined being put together, but works.