Got to talk about the Saints, SORRY!

Ok, so if I haven't told you before, I am from New Orleans, LA. And, we do things really weird, crazy, awesome in NOLA....if you haven't been there, I would highly recommend going. Not even necessarily during Mardi Gras (though that is so fun), but maybe Jazz Fast (April/May), Voodoo Fest (October) or for the Sugar Bowl every January. Anyways, this season, (just in case you have been living under a rock), the New Orleans Saints are ROCKING IT OUT. Quick stats on the Saints:

-Founded in 1966
-We are rated FIRST in the NFC South right now!
-First ever NFL team to be 13-0 (HOPEFULLY we will be 14-0 in the next 30 minutes!!!)
-NEVER, ever, everrrrrrrrrrrrr, in Saints Franchise history, EVER, had this great of a season!!

Ok, so allll that said, I am freaking out right now watching Saints play the Cowboys. We always turn on the A-game in the 4th quarter when I am about to have a heart attack. This winning season has been SO GREAT for the city, giving hope and excitement to its people, and stimulating the economy and stirring up the pride that we have always had for The Crescent City but that has been somewhat dormant since Katrina. Louisianians have been going CRAZY with Saints jerseys, t-shirts, flags, magnets, cups, coozeys, pants, hats, signs, if you can put a fleur de lis and WHO DAT on it, they make it.

Also, for the record, WHO DAT, is our quick, proud chant which is short for:

WHO DAT? WHO DAT? WHO DAT SAY DEY GONA BEAT DEM SAINTS??

Laissez les bons temps roulez!!!!

Christmas Time is Here

Between final projects, papers, presentations, tests, exams and moving, I am just now getting to write another blog! The ends of semesters while in college are always, ALWAYS, insane. Professors cram assigning final projects, papers, etc to the last minute. Students cram doing the final projects, papers, etc to the last minute. Then come final exams. Then, most students pack to go home. Everyone gets overwhelmed with family and the year doesn't slow down until after New Years! Whew. I hope all of you finished strong, got good grades and are thoroughly enjoying your families, friends and relatives at home! Whatever you are doing this holiday (which for most of you should consist of 4-6 weeks OFF, YAY), I hope you soak up the time off of classes and ENJOY life :) For you freshmen, college only gets FASTER, so don't wish it away. For you sophomores, you are almost finished HALFWAY of your college education. For you juniors, this is the last "carefree" break you will have. And for you seniors, finish up the graduate school applications and job applications so that next semester, our FINAL semester of undergraduate, will be an EASY BREEZE!!

Everyone done Christmas shopping?? What all are you wanting for CHristmas?? I still have a few to get AH!!

Sorority Parties

Everyone knows one of the funnest parts of being a college student is all the parties we get to go to, especially if you are in a sorority or fraternity! This Saturday night is my formal (my last formal ever) and I am so excited. I love the opportunity to dress up and go out on a date! We are having it at Gabriella Manor. Apparently this place is awesome. Can't wait to check it out myself. Should be a really great time.

Any good parties this weekend? Where do ya'll have your formals? What has been your favorite party theme this year? I have gone to parties from White Trash to Chi O Casino! Loved them all but my favs have been Chi O Casino and White Carnation Ball.

Hold on...

Hold on guys. Keep pressing on. We are in our final stretch of Fall 2009 and though everyone is anxiously awaiting Thanksgiving next Thursday (YAY!) and Christmas in 5 1/2 weeks (no one is counting :/), we must press forward with the end of the semester! Going to class and doing work is the absolute hardest at this point because as college kids, we get tired. We get burnt out and tired of doing so much work for so long. But know, it is worth finishing STRONG until the very end. When high, good grades are returned and you can put an awesome GPA on your resume to make you MUCH MORE MARKETABLE (and get a job) in this jobless market, all your hard work will pay off. I know that hole "C's get degrees" motto. But I don't agree with it. Why not be the BEST you can? Why not challenge yourself to produce quality work and build a good reputation for yourself? I started feeling really burnt out this morning so I wanted to encourage ya'll to all focus on the finish line. Don't stop before it. You must finish the race WELL. Take each day at a time. One project, presentation and test at a time. Deep breaths, lots of red bull, coffee, monsters, stress food, and late night study buddies. Find those people who you can be productive with but will keep you company late into the night (or early in the morning if that's more your style).

One of the smartest and BEST things about college life is the LONG (NEEDED) Christmas break in between Fall and Spring. Keeping this in mind oftentimes helps me finish what I have to do!

Maybe a little realistic/thought-provoking quote is appropriate!

“There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning.” - Louis L'Amour (1908–1988), American writer

Somewhat negative, but good to keep in mind and SO TRUE! I like to interpret it as there always being a new challenge to conquer!

NEW ACCESSORIES

Dorm Suite Dorm Friends-

We are launching a new and exciting winter accessory collection. In order for you to decorate your dorm rooms the best, we wanted to offer you the cutest and trendiest decor. Many of these accessories make great gifts. With Christmas coming up, remember your college daughters, sisters, friends, and cousins at www.dormsuitedorm.com. I have included some of our collection above. Please visit our website or give us a call to see the complete new line and to answer any of your questions 205-879-8278.

WHO DAT?!

Who dat say dey gona beat dem SAINTS?! The Saints played the Atlanta Falcons tonight and considering I am from New Orleans and a huge Saints fan...I AM PUMPED!! 7-0 baby! Superbowl anyone?? :)

Football is such a huge part of our society, especially college. I watched the game tonight with a past professor who I have become good friends with (She is from New Orleans too) and she was saying that if it were up to her, college sports would become obsolete. She would turn, say LSU Football, into a pro-team. I gave her a funny face and then asked why in the heck would you do thaaatt!? She hates that people make college decisions based on the sports. However, this further reflects how important we make sports, football, baseball, soccer, basketball, as a society!! It is crazy!

Hope ya'll weren't pulling for the Falcons tonight!! :)

Holiday Decor

Halloween always reminds me of costumes and decorations for the upcoming series of Holidays! Holiday decorating is so much fun, especially in a dorm room. There are so many options to embrace the holidays by decorating your dorm room. I have seen college students wrap their doors in wrapping paper (appropriate for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas) and add ribbons, bows, signs, etc. onto the door. (This is also fun for birthdays!). Pumpkins, cats, turkeys, Capricorns, Christmas trees (small ones are available to fit in your dorm at http://www.christmastrees4smallspaces.com/, http://www.target.com/gp/search/179-0483622-2072919?field-keywords=christmas+tree&url=index%3Dtarget%26search-alias%3Dtgt-index&ref=sr_bx_1_1&x=0&y=0, or http://www.acehardware.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=christmas%20tree&origkw=christmas%20tree&sr=1 ), Santa Clause, stockings for you and your roommate, holiday towels, decorative curtains, or rugs are all great additions to your room to prepare for each holiday. Don’t forget you can hang decorations, signs, etc from your fans or in between ceiling tiles. It can be fun to hang fabric from your ceiling or walls as well.

Another option to change the mood in your dorm room is to buy different colored light bulbs. You can visit http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Navigation?storeId=10051&categoryID=502955&langId=1&catalogId=10053&navFlow=3&searchRedirect=light%20bulbs or http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productList&Ne=4294967294&category=Light+Bulbs&N=0+4294960302 to find decorative and multi-colored bulbs for your rooms. Orange is fun for Halloween. And, red and green are festive for Christmas. Changing all your bulbs may not be good for your eyes and reading; however, changing a few will set the holiday mood!

I don’t know about you, but scents and smells always bring back memories and put me in a holiday mood along with all the decorations. Candles are obviously the first thought when I say scent; however, many dorm rooms don’t allow candles (fire hazard). So, if candles are not an option, diffusers are an awesome alternative! You can purchase diffusers at several different stores (Target, WalMart, Hallmark) or from small businesses online. Just Google diffuser and choose the scent that best matches your favorite holiday smells! It will complete your holiday-decorated room and set the perfect aroma for the holiday season.

Have fun decorating your dorm room for the upcoming holiday season!