Today is a day of strength, courage, and endurance. I however have none of those qualities today, at least for the shopping aspect of Black Friday.
But Black Friday is something completely different for me. Today is the eve of all eves! The night before the Iron Bowl. This is not just any Iron Bowl. It is my last Iron Bowl as a student. Well, it is my last football game as a student. Oh how these four years have flown by. Saturday's in Auburn, in the fall, during college, will forever have a place in my heart.
I will always remember the four Iron Bowl's I had the pleasure to experience during college. My first Iron Bowl was with my dear friend Kristen in Tuscaloosa. The weekend was fun but we lost that year and I spent my Saturday evening surrounded by Alabama fans celebrating a year of bragging rights.
The next Iron Bowl was finally in God's Country. This had to be my favorite Iron Bowl of the four. For some reason, the state thought the Iron Bowl would be best played on the Friday after Thanksgiving. So my family and our close family friends had our Thanksgiving meal at the tailgate spot. That Friday, Auburn played their hearts out and that was the first time I cried about an Auburn loss. However, that Friday night was also the first night I hung out with Brenden and his friends and got to met his Dad and two younger brothers. This was an Iron Bowl to remember, even if we did lose.
The next Iron Bowl was back in Tuscaloosa and again on Friday. This year my family spent Thanksgiving at my Great Aunt Lou's farm in Birmingham and woke up bright and early that next day to drive the rest of the way to Tuscaloosa. The game was cold and wet and Brenden and I sat at the very top on the last row in the end zone with Alabama fans surrounding us. We only stayed until half-time but man I wish I would have stayed to see that comeback and yell War Eagle (just once) in Bryant Denny Stadium.
This year, I get to celebrate the Iron Bowl on Auburn's turf with the people I love, in the town that I cannot get enough of. This place means so much to me. It has given me the strength to know I can do anything I set my mind to, the courage to try new things in life, and the endurance to know that no matter what comes my way I will not give up. I am so excited to go to my last student football game in Auburn AND it's the Iron Bowl. This will be a day I will never forget. I will probably cry (win or lose) but it will be happy tears either way. Because being in Jordan Hare Stadium was the first time I felt like I was apart of the Auburn Family. I will always be apart of this great big family but I will never have the same experiences like I have had as an Auburn student in the student section during an Auburn football game!
WAR EAGLE!
-Kayla
Friday, November 25, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Do You Know Your Strengths?
Yesterday, I had an extremely long day. It started with a 6am-2pm shift at the hotel followed by an SOS/Camp War Eagle (CWE) retreat that lasted from 3:30-7pm. I was excited to go but went into it thinking it would be just a long staff meeting. It most definitely was not.
The last part of the meeting focused on our goals and expectations for the next spring which was a great way to get us all focused for the next semester and training new orientation leaders. But the first part was very interesting. The career services came and spoke to us about an assessment each one of us took to learn what our strengths are. This test is called Strengths Quest. The assessment reveals your top 5 strengths out of 34 talents (or strengths). My top 5 strengths are Achiever (no surprise), Significance, Focus, Activator, and Responsibility. All of these I thought were just like me except for Significance. After reading the description I thought, "Oh, I know exactly why that describes me." The brief description for significance is you are independent and want to be recognized. The old me would say that being recognized is the most important but now I would say that being recognized is not what it is all about. It's about doing things for people whether they know you did it or not. I like to hear thank you's from people but I'm not going to be upset if I don't hear one.
The interesting thing about this assessment is that there are 34 talents (or strengths) that you can be assessed. You can take it as many times as you like but your top 5 do not change much. Studies show that you will stay within your top 10 strengths and vary little. If you have a strength in your top 5 that you do not think matches you well, it is probably a strength you haven't developed yet. Focus on that strength and make it stronger than ever. A successful person knows what their strengths are, what they need assistance with, and is not afraid to ask for help when they know they aren't good in certain areas. Do you know what your strengths are?
Monday, November 14, 2011
Small Town Girl with Big City Dreams
I have lived in Anniston/Oxford, AL for my entire life. When I first came to Auburn I told everyone I was from Anniston because if I said Oxford everyone stared at me like I had three heads. Small town USA is how I always referred to my hometown.
Everyone says to remember where you came from. Know where your roots grow. I love the adults in my hometown. They helped me grow into the young lady I am becoming, they pushed me through hard times, and I never had to worry about my safety or well being when adults were around. But when it came to high school aged people my worries were always high. I was never secure after seventh grade. I didn't believe in myself, I questioned everything, I wanted attention, but did not know how to make friends. Is it bad that I don't necessarily want to remember where I came from?
I have dreamed, since the seventh grade, about moving to a big city and making all my dreams come true. I have wanted to live in a high rise, with a dog, a great job, and a rocking life. I always said I would never get married, have kids, or live in a big house. Some of my dreams have changed but for the most part they still remain the same. I still find myself, almost daily, dreaming about my future and what could be.
Auburn has been a great place for me to be these last four years. It was just far away enough from all the pain I felt towards Oxford and it was just a tad bigger. Although, Oxford is probably the same size as Auburn is now. Anyways, these past four years have gone by fast but I think that is just another way of saying it's time for a new chapter. Each day I feel myself getting closer and closer to the dreams I've always had for my life. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for me.
I want to make a disclaimer on this blog because I don't want anyone to feel unappreciated. I greatly appreciate all the adults who have shaped my life. Without them, I would still be lost and Auburn would not have been as fabulous as it is/was. Also, I want my family to know that I do not blame them for any of my hatred to Oxford. I brought it upon myself. You all just got the unsatisfactory job of dealing with my stubborn/difficult self. I want to thank you for having patience with me. I have become a better person because of the patience you all had with me.
In closing, I do not think there is anything wrong with moving on. I will never forget where I came from but I will always be looking forward to the next big thing. However, I am truly scared that I will not make it in this big city dream of mine. Please pray that I continue to grow and learn so that I will be able to live the life I've always dreamed of having.
God Bless,
Kayla
Everyone says to remember where you came from. Know where your roots grow. I love the adults in my hometown. They helped me grow into the young lady I am becoming, they pushed me through hard times, and I never had to worry about my safety or well being when adults were around. But when it came to high school aged people my worries were always high. I was never secure after seventh grade. I didn't believe in myself, I questioned everything, I wanted attention, but did not know how to make friends. Is it bad that I don't necessarily want to remember where I came from?
I have dreamed, since the seventh grade, about moving to a big city and making all my dreams come true. I have wanted to live in a high rise, with a dog, a great job, and a rocking life. I always said I would never get married, have kids, or live in a big house. Some of my dreams have changed but for the most part they still remain the same. I still find myself, almost daily, dreaming about my future and what could be.
Auburn has been a great place for me to be these last four years. It was just far away enough from all the pain I felt towards Oxford and it was just a tad bigger. Although, Oxford is probably the same size as Auburn is now. Anyways, these past four years have gone by fast but I think that is just another way of saying it's time for a new chapter. Each day I feel myself getting closer and closer to the dreams I've always had for my life. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for me.
I want to make a disclaimer on this blog because I don't want anyone to feel unappreciated. I greatly appreciate all the adults who have shaped my life. Without them, I would still be lost and Auburn would not have been as fabulous as it is/was. Also, I want my family to know that I do not blame them for any of my hatred to Oxford. I brought it upon myself. You all just got the unsatisfactory job of dealing with my stubborn/difficult self. I want to thank you for having patience with me. I have become a better person because of the patience you all had with me.
In closing, I do not think there is anything wrong with moving on. I will never forget where I came from but I will always be looking forward to the next big thing. However, I am truly scared that I will not make it in this big city dream of mine. Please pray that I continue to grow and learn so that I will be able to live the life I've always dreamed of having.
God Bless,
Kayla
Friday, November 11, 2011
Giving Blood
Yesterday I gave blood for the Beat Bama Blood Drive. The last two years we have dominated and we always do the blood drive the week before they do. (WHOOP WHOOP!) They passed out the cutest stickers that read: "I bleed Orange and Blue!" (so true!)
Anyways, giving blood is my favorite way to give back at this point in my life. I don't have much money to give but I can take the time out of my day to help 3 people in a quick 30-45 minutes (depending on if I pass out or not).
People always ask, how can you give blood or why do you like it so much? Honestly, I think it was much more of a thrill when I was in high school and I was able to miss class to give blood or that I thought I was a badass for getting a huge needle stuck in my arm. Now that I'm growing up and realizing how insane liking to give blood is, I start to get really queazy when I give blood. This is normally how my appointments go:
I walk up to the registration table just fine and read the tips/facts book (just skim really because that is when the butterflies kick in). After "reading" the tips/facts book, I rush to sit in the lab chairs. The quicker I can answer the questions and get my finger pricked, which isn't that bad now (compared to a huge needle in your arm). I never get worried about my iron because I think my blood is only made of iron (it's ridiculous how heavy it is). But I always get worried about the questions. I have no idea why because I haven't been on medication, or been paid for sex, or lived over seas. But when they ask about going out of the country I start recalling every place I've been (which isn't much) but I don't want to lie so I get so nervous.
After the intimidating questions, they lady always says "Okay, are you ready?" and I take a deep breath and say "Yup." Walking over to the table I start thinking about how my veins roll, I always get light headed, I can't get sick, I really need a drink, I don't know if I can do this. Once they scan all those millions of barcodes they have to scan she says squeeze the stress ball. I squeeze once and she says okay you can stop squeezing I can see your vein without any problems. Which means I never get the purple marker (which is a plus because that thing never comes off) and her face turns into an excited child. Before she gets too excited though I make sure to tell them "Yeah, my veins roll. So you should be careful." But of course they always miss. The first 1-3 minutes isn't that bad but then I begin to lose feeling in my fingers and my face goes white and I start to breath really heavily. Right before I feel sick I think about all the people I am helping with this tiny bag of blood. It definitely helps me get through the last 10 minutes (I'm an extremely slow donor.) Once the lady has asked twice now, "Are you sure you're okay?" I finally tell her, "No, I think I should lay down." This always makes me nervous because the needle is still in my arm and laying down makes it move. This time I did it with success and handled it like a pro!
The best part about the SGA blood drives is that (1) You get pizza! (2) This time they had corn nuggets! (3) There is almost always a t-shirt involved! (WINNING!) But this volunteer project isn't for my great night of sleep I get afterwards or the t-shirt. It's about the people it helps and how it will change their life. I explain my experience because it has nothing on the trauma the people who receive the blood have gone through. One of the thoughts I always have is I would love to know where my blood is going and how it is helping people. I wish the Red Cross would put a tracker on all those crazy barcodes so we could see how it is helping people.
If you have never given blood before I have probably scared you away, but I encourage you to go and give (if you can and meet all the crazy questions they ask). Do something for someone this month. It will make you feel better about yourself and it will most definitely make the people you help feel better as well! There is two more weeks until Thanksgiving and I cannot wait to be around the people I love the most. Be thankful for what you have! There are some people who don't have anything!
God Bless,
Kayla
Anyways, giving blood is my favorite way to give back at this point in my life. I don't have much money to give but I can take the time out of my day to help 3 people in a quick 30-45 minutes (depending on if I pass out or not).
People always ask, how can you give blood or why do you like it so much? Honestly, I think it was much more of a thrill when I was in high school and I was able to miss class to give blood or that I thought I was a badass for getting a huge needle stuck in my arm. Now that I'm growing up and realizing how insane liking to give blood is, I start to get really queazy when I give blood. This is normally how my appointments go:
I walk up to the registration table just fine and read the tips/facts book (just skim really because that is when the butterflies kick in). After "reading" the tips/facts book, I rush to sit in the lab chairs. The quicker I can answer the questions and get my finger pricked, which isn't that bad now (compared to a huge needle in your arm). I never get worried about my iron because I think my blood is only made of iron (it's ridiculous how heavy it is). But I always get worried about the questions. I have no idea why because I haven't been on medication, or been paid for sex, or lived over seas. But when they ask about going out of the country I start recalling every place I've been (which isn't much) but I don't want to lie so I get so nervous.
After the intimidating questions, they lady always says "Okay, are you ready?" and I take a deep breath and say "Yup." Walking over to the table I start thinking about how my veins roll, I always get light headed, I can't get sick, I really need a drink, I don't know if I can do this. Once they scan all those millions of barcodes they have to scan she says squeeze the stress ball. I squeeze once and she says okay you can stop squeezing I can see your vein without any problems. Which means I never get the purple marker (which is a plus because that thing never comes off) and her face turns into an excited child. Before she gets too excited though I make sure to tell them "Yeah, my veins roll. So you should be careful." But of course they always miss. The first 1-3 minutes isn't that bad but then I begin to lose feeling in my fingers and my face goes white and I start to breath really heavily. Right before I feel sick I think about all the people I am helping with this tiny bag of blood. It definitely helps me get through the last 10 minutes (I'm an extremely slow donor.) Once the lady has asked twice now, "Are you sure you're okay?" I finally tell her, "No, I think I should lay down." This always makes me nervous because the needle is still in my arm and laying down makes it move. This time I did it with success and handled it like a pro!
The best part about the SGA blood drives is that (1) You get pizza! (2) This time they had corn nuggets! (3) There is almost always a t-shirt involved! (WINNING!) But this volunteer project isn't for my great night of sleep I get afterwards or the t-shirt. It's about the people it helps and how it will change their life. I explain my experience because it has nothing on the trauma the people who receive the blood have gone through. One of the thoughts I always have is I would love to know where my blood is going and how it is helping people. I wish the Red Cross would put a tracker on all those crazy barcodes so we could see how it is helping people.
If you have never given blood before I have probably scared you away, but I encourage you to go and give (if you can and meet all the crazy questions they ask). Do something for someone this month. It will make you feel better about yourself and it will most definitely make the people you help feel better as well! There is two more weeks until Thanksgiving and I cannot wait to be around the people I love the most. Be thankful for what you have! There are some people who don't have anything!
God Bless,
Kayla
Saturday, November 5, 2011
I Am Thankful
This month, I am trying to change my status on Facebook everyday to something I am grateful for. It's the month of Thanksgiving but not only that it's about time I start thanking people and noticing all the blessings I have in my life.
When one of my friends said "You should do the 30 day: I'm thankful statuses" challenge I thought to myself, 30 days of things I'm thankful for? I can't have 30 things I'm thankful for. Then I thought, if I don't have 30 things I'm thankful for I need a reality check because I have been beyond blessed during my life. I have a wonderful family that loves and cares for me, friends who get me and know how to pick me up when I'm down, a job that I enjoy, my health, and so many other things.
But most importantly I'm alive. God chose to wake me up for another day. For some reason, he thought I deserved to live. My job is to seek that purpose and live it to the best of my ability. Today, I am not complaining, I am not getting angry, and I am choosing to be a better person for myself and everyone around me. And you can do the same thing. Make a conscious effort to choose your attitude today and live for the moment.
God Bless,
Kayla
When one of my friends said "You should do the 30 day: I'm thankful statuses" challenge I thought to myself, 30 days of things I'm thankful for? I can't have 30 things I'm thankful for. Then I thought, if I don't have 30 things I'm thankful for I need a reality check because I have been beyond blessed during my life. I have a wonderful family that loves and cares for me, friends who get me and know how to pick me up when I'm down, a job that I enjoy, my health, and so many other things.
But most importantly I'm alive. God chose to wake me up for another day. For some reason, he thought I deserved to live. My job is to seek that purpose and live it to the best of my ability. Today, I am not complaining, I am not getting angry, and I am choosing to be a better person for myself and everyone around me. And you can do the same thing. Make a conscious effort to choose your attitude today and live for the moment.
God Bless,
Kayla
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