Yes, I am going to talk about it too,The Swine Flu

Everybody in your moma is talking about the swine flu (and I would really encourage you to go to the CDC website http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/ and read up on this crazy virus). But can I just say, that being sick at college is awful. It's "home" but Moma and Daddy aren't there to help take care of you, nor any other family most likely. Two out of three of my roommates got the flu at the end of last week and I started suffering from early symptoms. So we were all three put on house arrest for the weekend! Let me tell you, that was interesting. One of my roomies went home to Montgomery for the weekend while the other roomy and I stayed here in Birmingham. OMG! We watched Two Weeks Notice, What Happens in Vegas, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkeban, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Just Married, Twilight and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. On top of that we watched a bunch of Friends, King of the Hill and CSI epsiodes. I think I slept a total of 38 hours in 3 days! Let's just say we bonded! Missing some parties and a wedding sucked, but I didn't want to get worse or spread the dang flu. That is one thing that you need to be careful of (I did this freshman year): RELAPSING! Take it EASY after you get sick and start feeling better. Your body still needs some recovery time....even if you are feeling better! Also, if you feel THAT bad, GO HOME. Or let your mom or daddy come pick you up. It is worth being sick at home and having them to help take care of you. Luckily, Holly, my roommate, and I have amazing friends and her family in town that brought us some soup and food but not everyone is so lucky! Go home. Wash your hands!! Don't drink after other people. Don't love too much on other people right now. (I know, I know, hard to do). Be cautious and aware of this dumb virus that seems to be overtaking college campuses! We are just in such close proximity of each other I suppose it is easy. Hopefully the epidemic will be over soon and people can stop obsessing over this thing! Until such time...stay healthy!! Anybody else gotten sick yet? Share the crazy house arrest stories....

J

Short but Sweet

I have been sick for the past 2 days so I thought I would share another quote. I just love quotes. Next blog to come...being sick at college! It sux!

"Practice isn't the thing to do once you are good. It's the thing you do that makes you good."

Malcolm Gladwell (Canadian Journalist)

Quote du jour

Just wanted to share. :)

"The gem cannot be polished without friction nor man without trials." -Chinese proverb.

What are ya'll's thoughts???

The rich get richer and the poor get poorer

With school starting comes the adventurous and bank breaking quest of buying textbooks. May I suggest from personal experience, DO NOT BUY FROM YOU BOOKSTORE! College bookstores all over probably want to throw rocks at me for saying that but they mark the books up SO MUCH! Amazon.com, half.com, freetextbooks.com, any other used book (which is JUST as effective as a new book) is cheaper than your bookstore. Granted, you have to wait a bit longer when you purchase textbooks outside of your bookstore, but it is SO worth the wait to save some money!!

We started rush practice last night...hello rush season! If you think being a rushee is intense, just wait until you get on the other side. For those of you finished with rush, CONGRATUALTIONS. Way to make it through the monster. For those of you awaiting the beloved parties, no worries. Delayed rush is great and well worth the wait.

This year swine flu is all the talk. Everyone is hoping that all our rush practices won't go in vain. People are scared rush will be canceled because of the swine flu. Man people can talk. I pray the swine flu won't take over Birmingham, AL!

Stay healthy. Wash those hands. And goodluck with finishing your first week of class!

J

The Girl Next Door

Today was my last, first day of undergraduate classes. Talk about nostalgia. I never ever in my wildest dreams realized how different being a freshman in college is from being a senior in college. The day took on very typical Joie events...I will explain: First, I actually left my house with PLENTY of time (I am usually late). Well, today was no different, even though I left in time. I got to campus and could find no parking spots within a close distance from the Brock School of Business. I ended up parking at the bottom of the BIG hill with only 5 minutes to speed walk up to class. Needless to say, I didn't make it. I was late (by like 3 minutes) to my VALUES class. Oh the irony. My professor is awesome though, so no big. Then I totally got lost in the art building looking for my art apprec classroom. Yeah, have never been in there so definitely went everywhere BUT the right place. Made a friend in the process and didn't find the correct room until I swallowed my senior pride and asked for directions from a professor. haha. Oh the shame. At least my life stays interesting, to say the least. And I meet nice people in the process.

I also researched classes at gyms today within the Birmingham area. Turns out, it is way better to stick to the "free" school gym. My girlfriends and I really wanted to take a spin class and maybe some pilates or yoga or kickboxing. All of which Samford's gym does not offer. We took a few jazzercise classes at Samford last semester but haven't heard anything about it continuing this year. Classes are so so fun. A great way to work out with your friends. I would highly recommend if you, unlike me, can afford them, to participate in the phenomenon. We found membership ONLY at the Y ($50 registration fee and $41 a month fyi) and then an opportunity to pay per class at Golds Gym ($15 per class fyi). So anyways, that got turned down quick, fast and in a hurry.

We start rush practice tomorrow night. HELP! The insane, chaotic, craziness is about to begin on Samford's campus. For those of you that have completed rush for the year, I would love to hear how it went (maybe that will motivate me for the 3 weeks of practices and 1 week of parties I have coming up). PLease share! Rushees, don't panic. Go shopping and get excited. It's not called rush for no reason :)

J

Back to School

I can't believe this summer is over. Thankfully, it was long, but still....class starts next week! EW! This is my last year and everything is stranger than ever. I am ready to be done undergraduate but at the same time I don't want to go to class! Guess I am going to have to get over that if I plan on graduating in May!

Back to school is full of moving: errands, Target, Wal Mart, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Home Depot, Office Max, Hobby LObby, KIrklands, Pier 1 runs. I would suggest allowing yourself plenty of time to get your dorm/house/apartment exactly how you want it! It has taken me waaaaayyy longer than I ever thought! I think I may have burned as much money on gas as I have on supplies! Crazy right!? Just a note, I have found the best lamps at Kirklands! Awesome prices and so cute!

Pillows are another way to decorate and at Dorm Suite Dorm, you can custom design as many pillows as you want. Feather, cotton or polyester? Monogrammed, not monogrammed? Bows, ribbons, solid, multi-colored? Square, rectangle, cyclinder? You decide! They come out fabulous! I just saw one today in the office for a Bama student. It is maroon and grey with "hotty toddy" monogrammed on the front. SO CUTE! I kind of want it haha That happens a lot in the office!!

Goodluck with the moving!!

J