Brunch at the Biltmore

A couple of weeks ago we ventured off to the Biltmore in Santa Barbara for the best brunch of my life. We went as our ritual six some of Lauren, Aunt Bonnie, Uncle Luis, my parents, and me. It was such a beautiful hotel and Lauren and I were mesmerized by the real Christmas tree that looked over 15 feet tall- as you can imagine, it smelled amazing. Even more impressive was the food!! I am a bit of a gourmand myself and I made the most of our outing. I won't list everything I sampled- that would take up the entire space of this blog- but I did try my first bite of caviar! A bit salty but I'm glad I tried it all the same. I have to say my favorite was the Belgian waffle and mini-creme brulee. So delicious. Also- it was wonderful celebrating Lauren's 18th birthday and my mom's "?" Birthday. They are born on the same day so we have always made the occasion twice as special. Happy birthday to two amazing women!

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Thanksgiving Weekend

Wow! I had the best Thanksgiving weekend! Where to begin!!
Wednesday: I went to breakfast with my best friend Lauren and we caught up- we hadn't seen each other for over two months! We went to Allison's Country Cafe- so delicious! Later I went out to lunch with my cousin Sara and my Grandma Joan to Cafe Fiore downtown. That restaurant was equally delicious and I really enjoyed hearing about Sara's adventures at Colorado State. We then got our traditional gelato- it's absolutely the best. Peanut Butter Gelato is heaven! Later that night I hung out with Evan and we took his cousin Ben to see New Moon- it was my second time and I loved it just as much!

Thursday: Yay! Thanksgiving! My grandma came over and we watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade from start to finish. I went over to Sara's afterward and helped prepare Thanksgiving dinner- I love cooking! Afterward I went over to Evan's and celebrated with his family. Then I headed over back to the Cook house and we had a great time seeing my little cousins Lexie and Courtney- they grow up so fast! The food was absolutely delicious and I especially loved my mom's famous pumpkin pie! We got in the jacuzzi afterward and relaxed after all that good eating- what a day!

Friday: A day of relaxation. I didn't even go outside- wow. It sounds pathetic but it was much needed.

Saturday: I spent time with my mom and we had fun shopping at Costco- that place can keep you entertained for hours. We met my dad for dinner at Wood Ranch and then we watched the UCLA vs. USC game! It was so boring and uneventful but at least I learned the rules of football finally! Poor Bruins...

Sunday: We went to church and visited my neighbor Betty who is recovering from her fall. She is doing well and I was glad that I got to see her. We went out to dinner with my Grandma Joan to my favorite restaurant- Ferraro's. Not to mention- my Grandma made me peanut butter and jelly cookies as a send off- there is a special meaning behind that. To end the night we started Christmas off right by watching "Christmas Vacation".

As you can tell- it was quite a wonderful weekend! Thanksgiving was everything I hoped it would be- I love this time of year and I am so thankful for my family, friends, health, and happiness.

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So You Think You Can Dance?

On Monday I went to go see a taping of "So You Think You Can Dance?"! To be honest, I'd never watched the show before but it was so much fun to see! The dancers were absolutely amazing and I loved watching their routines and seeing their ornate costumes. I got to sit right underneath the judges' desk too so I was really close! We were at the event from 2:00 until 7:30- it was a long time to be standing up! We weren't allowed to bring cell phones or cameras in so unfortunately I don't have any pictures to share. I do however have pictures from earlier that day. My mom and grandma dropped me back off at school and we went to a special restaurant that my grandma visited back in the 1940's. It was decorated for Christmas and we had fun enjoying the strawberry shortcake! It was also nice getting to show my grandma my dorm room! I love getting to spend time with my Grandma Farr- I'm looking forward to Christmas with my family!

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New Moon Week!

This week has been New Moon madness!! It's true: I am a Twihard! Monday night was the official premiere and Sindhuja and I walked to Westwood to see it. It was absolutely amazing and it was so much fun seeing all the celebrities; especially Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Kristen Stewart, and many more. There were so many people there but we still had a fairly good view- I couldn't believe that some of these people flew in from out of state and have been waiting in line since Thursday! That is one of the great parts about going to UCLA- you can literally walk to the most famous movie premiere of the year in under 10 minutes! Seeing that premiere helped me realize how much I really do love acting and how much I want to pursue it- I had such a great time shooting the promo this summer and I want to continue. I'm really hoping that I can spend this summer auditioning and working on my technique.
Also- last night (Thursday) was so much fun! I went with a group of Chi O's to go see the midnight premiere of New Moon in Westwood- I had the best time! We went to Ditty Riese for ice cream and cookies and then we waited in line from 9:00 to 12:00- that's true dedication. Kelly and I had a great time talking though so the time passed quickly. It was my first midnight movie and I'm so happy that I was able to stay awake for it- it was that good! Can't wait to see it again with Evan!

UCLA Volunteer Day

What a busy week it has been! It's almost Thanksgiving and I can't wait! Last Saturday was the annual UCLA Volunteer Day and my roommate Sindhuja and I really wanted to participate. We didn't exactly know what the day had in store for us but we were ready! (Or so we thought). It turns out we went to a homeless shelter called Central City on Skid Row. It was quite a shock to the system to put it lightly. I have never seen so many homeless people and it was so sad to see. It was our job to clean up this shelter for Thanksgiving and it was my specific job to clean the refrigerator and kitchen. It smelled pretty bad and there was peanut butter that expired in 2001! Not to mention we saw at least 100 cockroaches. Afterward, the employees gave us a presentation on homelessness. It turns out the average age of homeless person is 9! I couldn't believe that! It was quite a day but we were so glad that we were able to help in some small way. The best part of the day was meeting some of the children and seeing their reactions when they saw how we cleaned up their classrooms. They were so happy! Experiences like this make me all the more grateful for life's blessings. I am so thankful to go to such a beautiful and academic school, have such a wonderful family, and that I feel healthy and happy. I hope that this Thanksgiving brings you many blessings to be thankful for and please keep these children in your prayers!

Al Gore: Our Choice

I had such an amazing night last night! I saw Al Gore speak at the Saban Theater in LA and he was excellent. I went with my Chi O sister Parisa who is the sweetest and most welcoming girl. We had so much fun talking and getting to know each other and I loved hearing all of her stories about her year long study abroad trip to Paris. Al Gore spoke about his new book, "Our Choice" in which he discusses new forms of energy storage, collection, and conservation and he also stressed the importance of our generation making a difference RIGHT NOW. I'm going to do as much as I can do help the environment- the little things do add up. Even eating less meat is helping the environment; I learned that the production of meat produces more methane gas and pollution than cars do! It is crucial that we remain aware and active and I was so thrilled that I had the opportunity to see Mr. Gore share his knowledge with me. I definitely want to rewatch "An Inconvenient Truth"- I feel like I would have a whole new perspective. It was great that we were each given a "free" copy of his new book- which he signed! YAY! Also, being in LA, I was sitting next to the actor Chris Kline from American Pie and Just Friends- but of course I played it cool and acted like he was just a regular joe...we can't feed these stars egos you know...
Also, yesterday was my roommate Christina's birthday and I'm happy to say that she had a great day. My other roommate Sindhuja was so great and bought her balloons from Westwood and we woke Christina up at midnight to sing "Happy Birthday" and give her the balloons and card. Also, we enjoyed a delicious chocolate cake that her mom had sent to her! I'm so blessed to have such great roommates and I'm glad that we have fun together. By the way, mom, if you're reading this, Christina's mom sent her a cake...hint hint...

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Tom's Walk

Today I participated in Tom's Walk at UCLA- with the Hanson boy band group it no less. We walked a mile together- barefoot- to raise money and awareness for AIDS in Africa. Hanson donated a dollar for every person that showed up- which was hopefully over $200. They do these walks all throughout the country and the cumulatively, we've already walked a lab around the globe! The walk goes along with Tom's Shoes. Their company donates a pair of shoes for a child in Africa each time you buy one of their shoes. I am definitely asking for a pair for Christmas! The website to order these amazing shoes is: http://www.tomsshoes.com/default.asp. I highly recommend that you buy a pair and spread the message! Children in Africa have to walk barefoot which leaves them susceptible to multiple parasites, diseases, and cuts. It's amazing how just buying a pair of shoes can save a child's life- it doesn't get any easier. I had a great time walking with my Chi O friends Brigitte and Shannon and I'm so glad that we were able to be part of such an amazing cause. And it was fun hearing Hanson sing a little- too bad they didn't do their one hit wonder Oom Bop!

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All Star Raid

On Tuesday Evan visited me for our last minute date raid! I'm not even sure what venue we went to but Evan and I had fun dancing and spending time together. Also- it was fun getting dressed up for the sports theme. I didn't have anything to wear but of course Evan had a lot for me to wear! It was a great night and I look forward to many more fun events! Hope you enjoy the pictures. The girl is my friend Julie who is our philanthropy chair and of course the rest are of Evan and me.

Out of Darkness Walk

A couple weeks ago I volunteered with some of my Chi O sisters in Santa Monica for the Out of Darkness Suicide Awareness Walk. It was a very touching experience and I was shocked by how many people had been affected by suicide. I am thankful that I have not had any family members or close friends that have done this- I can't imagine how devastating it would be. I said a special prayer for those that I have known and I made sure to sign Judy's Law which will punish online predators that have encouraged people to commit suicide. This was an amazing walk and I'm so glad that I was able to help.

Date Party

Evan has been so supportive throughout this entire college process. He was very anxious to find out more about Chi Omega so it was great that we had a Date Party. We went to Cheesecake Factory with some of the other girls and their dates and Evan and I loved sharing a slice of cheesecake together. We then ventured on to the Organico Panificio to dance the night away! We had a lot of fun together and it was just great getting to spend some time with Evan. What a fabulous weekend!

My Big Sis!

Last week was our Big Sis Reveal! I was hoping that it would be my friend, Kelly, who is a fellow psychology major, Christian, and pink lover! We have so much in common and I was really hoping that we would get matched up. Throughout the week our Big left a gift for us everyday based on Chi-O (Monday is C for cookies, candies, and crackers; Tuesday is H for a hereditary gift, Wednesday is I for insignia; and Thursday is O for owl- the Chi Omega mascot). I got so many sweet, cute, and special gifts throughout the week along with so many nice notes and clues. On Thursday it was finally time to see who our Big Sis was and we had to pop a balloon with their name inside. Unfortunately- when my balloon popped- the name flew out and I couldn't find it! I looked over to Kelly though and I could tell that she was my Big Sis! We were both so excited and we decorated cooking together- turns out Kelly is obsessed with sprinkles! Since then we have had so much fun hanging out and she takes such good care of me. Yay!

Chi Omega Presents

On Sunday we celebrated our Chi Omega presents. It was such a beautiful day and we began by gathering in front of Royce Hall for a massive photo shoot! All the new pledges wore white and the initiated members wore black. We took hundreds of pictures and we had so much fun posing together! I'm getting to be great friends with the girls and I'm really enjoying being apart of the sisterhood. Everyone is so kind and it's so nice being included in such a supportive, loving, and fun group of girls.
We then went back to the house to do our official presents where we were presented and my big sis, Kelly, read a message from my parents to me. Also- Kelly made the most beautiful flower arrangement for me- so sweet! It was such a great day and weekend for that matter- I feel blessed to have such loving people in my life!

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Dad's Day!

On Saturday I took my parents back to UCLA to experience some UCLA football- which is an experience you can't miss out on if you're a true Bruin. Chi Omega was hosting Dad's Day (which really included all family members) and we began the day by giving house tours. My parents got to see our lovely Chi O house and they were really impressed. If only the house always looked so clean!
We then ventured on to the Rose Bowl and went to our Chi O tailgate which was delicious and fun! Unfortunately, the weather was not so fun. It was over 100 degrees and we were all dying in the stands. I think there were over 80,000 people there- it was a packed house! It didn't help that we lost to Cal either...26 to 45 I believe. Oh well- I'm not a huge football fanatic. It was great for my parents to see the Rosebowl but we were definitely ready to go by halftime. We went to a much better location-the Cheesecake Factory! This past weekend I was a cheesecake fanatic...pumpkin cheesecake Friday, Snickers cheesecake Saturday, and Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Swirl cheesecake Sunday- I can't believe myself!

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Parent's Weekend

I had such a fun weekend with my parents, Evan, and the Chi O girls! It was action packed and it wasn't necessarily the best timing (I had my first midterm on Tuesday) but it was worth it. On Friday my dad visited me on campus and I gave him a tour of the school and we ate in the dining hall (which was such a novel experience for him). He's so excited that I'm at UCLA and I'm glad that my parents are so supportive. My poor dad- he wishes that he could go back to college! Wait till he had to write an essay...
We drove back home Friday night and it was so great getting some downtime to relax. Of course, I'm always so thrilled to see my little Kiko. I miss him so much. We later went to Oktoberfest at Old Vienna which has been a family tradition for the past 15 years. We sang the songs of "The Sound of Music" with Papa Heinz, the accordion player, and I got to see my favorite waitress, Katya. Of course- I love the German food and the atmosphere! It was a great visit back home!

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UCLA vs. Oregon

Today I went to my first ever football game with Chi Omega at the Rose Bowl! It was an interesting, exciting, and fun event and I'm really glad that I went. I'm becoming really great friends with some of the girls including Stephanie and Kelly and I made some new friends: Shelley, Elaine, and Grace. We had fun hanging out together on the bus and cheering during the game- even though we lost to the ducks. It was exciting to be in the student section and do the classic eight count. Also, the band and cheerleaders did a great job rallying up the school spirit- it was such a connected atmosphere of Bruin pride! Also, Stephanie took me to Ditty Riese at the end of the day which was so delicious- strawberry cheesecake ice cream and chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies- delicious! I can never pass up sweets! :)

**Also: I've included some extra pictures from Bid Day for you to see! Enjoy!

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Chi Omega Girl!

This past week I participated in Rush to be in a sorority. There are 12 sororities on the Panhellenic council and over 600 girls were rushing this past week. On Monday we had our orientation and after that we were so busy with our various events! On Wednesday we went to seven of the houses and on Thursday we went to the remaining five houses. All the houses had decorated their house so beautifully with their unique themes and we were interviewed by some of the girls from each house. I can't tell you how much water I was served with some fruit in it- strawberries, lemon, you name it! On Friday, we had Philanthropy/House Tour days and I visited seven houses. The houses are beautiful and it was so fun to see what they all look like- it is quite a way to live! On Saturday, it was entertainment round and we visited five houses. Each house did a special skit and showed a video of everything their sorority means to them. On the final day, Sunday, we had preference day. All the girls sing to you and it was a beautiful experience. I pledged Chi Omega and I nervously awaited throughout Sunday to find out if I was invited into the house. I had loved the preference ceremony earlier that day where we were crowned with the Greek crown with rosebuds and we lit candles to express our unity.
After much anticipation...I was so excited to find out that I was going to be a Chi Omega girl! I'm SO excited! I have already met so many wonderful girls in the chapter and I know that this is the place I'm meant to be in. When we found out we ran over to the house and we were showered with hugs and welcome wishes. We were given our new bags and t-shirts and we boarded buses to head to Bucca de Beppo's in Santa Monica. My owl pal (the owl is our mascot) Jillian was so fun to talk to and we had fun dancing on the bus together.
Last night we had our first Monday night meeting in which we were initiated as pledge members into Chi Omega. We had to kneel on the floor, sign a special booklet, and recite a pledge. We were also given our flower (carnation) and received our pledge pin and necklace. We had a lovely dinner after and we were interrupted multiple times by different groups including fraternities. I was given a rose from my friend Josh and I thought that was so sweet!
We had a raid tonight out on the town but unfortunately I was unable to go because of all my schoolwork. I'm so excited about this new experience and I'll keep you updated!

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First Week at UCLA!

Well, it's official! I'm a UCLA Bruin and I feel a little bit of everything. Excited, scared, and more than anything- overwhelmed! As I write this, my classes have already started and I already have so much reading! (About 100 pages a day!). I am so grateful for my AP high school teachers who helped prepare me for this time in my life- I could never have done it without them.
Anyway- I think this has been the longest week of my life. Last Sunday, September 20, 2009, I ventured off with my parents to college. It was an epic moment in my life and I day I'll never forget. The days leading up to it were so difficult and it was so hard saying goodbye to my best friend, Lauren, Evan, my many friends, my grandmas, and my beloved Kiko. I was so nervous as we arrived at UCLA and I was constantly holding back tears throughout the whole day. My parents helped me settle into my room which has now become my own little space and it when it was finally time to say goodbye I could barely stand it. As we shared a slice of Dupar's berry pie, I was so sad to see my parents leave me. My mom dedicated a song to me that I have been listening to every day since. I will never forget the moment I watched my parents walk away- such a difficult separation but I know it will make us even closer.
The first few days were so hard. We were so busy participating in the student activities fair, UCLA's world record breaking Volunteer Day, and many other events. It has been quite the adjustment; getting used to all the food (UCLA has the second best food in the nation for dorm food but it's still not the same) and living in a dorm. My roommates are really great and we all get along so well. God really blessed me in that sense. I really feel so prayed over and I feel comforted to know that I have people praying for me- I feel the love!
I'll keep you updated on my adventures! For now I have so much homework that that is really all I have time for! College is SO different from high school!

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Farewells From Home

I leave for UCLA tomorrow- this week has been pretty crazy packing and trying to prepare for this new adventure in my life. Last week my mom and dad hosted a lovely brunch for me and we had a great time. Lauren and I have got to spend a lot of extra time together lately and I'm glad that we've been able to strengthened our friendship even more before I leave. It's been really crazy packing up my belongings; I feel ready and capable- but sometimes I feel excited and sometimes I feel so sad and scared. I've been watching my favorite movies over and over and spending time with my precious Kiko. I am definitely going to miss the comforts of my home but I know that this will be a tremendous growing experience.

Blue Mountain State

Well- yesterday I finished my first acting job!! It was so exciting and it was such a learning experience. We were shooting a promo for the upcoming spoof show "Blue Mountain State" for Spike TV. The show will air in January and the promo should air in late October. I was a cheerleader and it was great working with the cast and crew. Our make-up artist was so great- she was Michael Jackson's artist and she has worked with many other celebrities. It was neat hearing about all of her experiences. We had full on cheer costumes and we had a great time practicing stunts and cheering on set. Also- the food was delicious! We were constantly having the best catered food and this was one of the coolest parts of the experience. We shot on Wednesday and Thursday and we had the best time! I hope I get to have another experience like this again!

Aunt Janet's 60th Birthday

We had so much fun hosting my Aunt Janet's 60th birthday last Saturday night! We had a huge fiesta and I made sure to dress in full costume. The food was delicious and it was great enjoying the fellowship and friendship. I think my aunt had a great time and I'm glad that we were able to celebrate together!

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Life Goals: September

Here's an update on what I've been working on this past month and what I have to look forward to:
My new daily affirmation: This is the best day of my life and I choose to be happy.

Goals I Accomplished in August:
#71: Read entire Harry Potter series. I finally finished! Wow- what an amazing series! JK Rowling is such a talented author and I loved reading every page. The last book was especially exciting at the end- such great plot twists! I can't wait for the next two movies to come out!

#123: Read The Success Principles by Jack Canfield. This book helped me become so much more aware of my goals and my life purpose. This was an excellent read and it has motivated me to live my best possible life!

#342: Take acting lessons with the Acting Corps. This was a wonderful experience; I met so many amazing and talented people and I learned so much about myself. I entered into this experience hoping to discover if it was my life purpose to be an actor or not. Although I don't feel that my life mission is to be an actor, I do enjoy it and I did love delving into the human mind through acting. I'm still going to pursue it but I want to pursue many other things in the mean time. It was also really neat because there were so many ethnicities in my class; there were students from Britain, Romania, Isreal, and Denmark. Very cool! Also, I am so grateful for my safety. I had to drive to Burbank and back everyday for a month and I'm so glad that I didn't get in any accidents or get any tickets!

#345: Be hypnotized: I was hypnotized twice last month with my hypnotherapist, Dr. Bunny Vreeland. She is such a kind, intelligent, and helpful woman and I'm so grateful that I was able to receive guidance from her. She helped me overcome a lot of personal fears and she helped me realize my life purpose. Not to mention, I have been listening to her stress relief CD every night and I have been able to relax so much more. I feel like I am in control of my life and I feel so much more safe now. Thank you Dr. Bunny! Tune in to her radio show Monday through Friday from 12:00-1:00 at KKZZ 1400 AM or visit her website: www.bunnyvreeland.com!

Goals I'm Working Toward in August:
#49: Watch AFI Top 100 Movies. Well, I watched Raging Bull and it was as odd as I expected. I didn't really enjoy it. Next on my list is Singing in the Rain and Gone with the Wind. I am looking foward to these two!

#66: Join a sororeity: I start college this month and I'm hoping to join a sororeity if I find the right fit for me! I'll let you know how that goes- I'm super excited to look into that!

#173: Watch a surgery be performed. Even though I'm not interested in persuing a career in medicine, I'm still fascinated by surgery and I'd really like to see a surgery performed.

#196: Own a baby water turtle: I've insisted that I need to have a little friend with me when I venture off to college! I've already named my little turtle- Pebble- we're just waiting to meet!

Sara's Send Off

A couple weeks ago I went to Sara's Send-Off at her house. She is going to Colorado State at Boulder and it was so nice to get together as a family to wish her well. We shared a lot of laughs and tears as we looked back on all the memories and looked forward to all the fun adventures to come. It was also nice to spend time with my two new little cousins; Lexi and Courtney. They are the cutest and sweetest little girls and we're having so much fun watching them grow up. I wish Sara the best of luck at Colorado and I'm thankful for such a wonderful cousin and friend!

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Jake Owen and Josh Turner

Every summer it's one of my favorite traditions to go to our local county fair. Every year we have talented musical artists perform and this year, my favorite country singer, Josh Turner, was performing. He was amazing and we had such a great time watching as a family.

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We love our cats!

Evan got a new kitten this past month that he adopted from the local pound. We named him Phoenix and he is such a fun little ball of energy! We have had so much fun playing with him and I think it was so wonderful of Evan to save this animal. Not to mention- my own cat- who seems so old in perspective to Phoenix is doing quite well also. Poor guy- he's no longer the baby!

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Life Goals: August

I can't believe another month has already gone by! I'm loving these summer days and I wish they could last forever! It's been so long since I've relaxed and now that I have been- I don't want to stop! However, I've still been accomplishing goals- however minuscule they may seem.

In July I accomplished the following goals:
#107: Fly on a kite on the beach. I had so much fun- especially when the kite is a Barbie one! Look below to see the pictures!

#205: Get my CPR License: It's official! I received the card in the mail and it is tucked safely in my wallet.

I've been focusing on achieving a lot of new goals:
#2: Hatch and raise a chick: Well, I made my second attempt and sadly, failed. My dad is blaming it on the incubator rather than my mothering skills! I hope so...All I know is that the temperature is not supposed to exceed 102 degrees and I caught it once at 105! Oops! Well, I'll still keep trying...

#4: Go to UCLA- I'm getting ready for college! I've been feeling a little bit of anxiety lately, but I'm reminding myself that I am more than fear. I know that I can do it!

#14: Get baptized: I want to do this either with my best friend, Lauren or Evan. I'm looking into it- I would love to do this before I venture off to college

#49: Watch Top 100 AFI Movies: This month I watched "Citizen Kane" which I didn't think was too bad- I finally know where "Rosebud" comes from. Also, last night I watched "The Godfather" which I think is a classic that everyone must see in their lifetime. It was a good movie but definitely not one that I'd watch for fun. The "Raging Bull" is next on my list- I'm not really looking forward to it...

#71: Read Harry Potter series. I'm on the last book! I finished the sixth book in a week- it was such a great read- and now I'm about half way through the "Deathly Hallows". I am mesmerized by J.K. Rowling's talent. I'm happy to say that I've been reading for at least an hour every day instead of watching T.V. and I've noticed a positive change in my life since doing so.

#342: Taking acting lessons with the Acting Corps: I'm a little nervous for this one! I start on Monday and I'll be driving to LA every Monday through Friday for the next month! I really hope that this will be a positive experience for me!

Harris Ranch

This past weekend I had the most wonderful, relaxing vacation! As a kid, my family and I would always travel with our family friends, the Beltrans. Lauren has been my best friend since I was a baby and we have been all over the state going on trips together. This past weekend we went to one of our favorite family vacations, Harris Ranch. It's so great because we do absolutely nothing! We go swimming, tanning, and of course- partake in a lot of delicious junk food! We had the best time and I'm so glad that Lauren and I are best friends.

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Beach House

Every summer my grandma rents the beach house and it is one week of the summer that I always look forward to and that I always thoroughly enjoy. Although I wasn't able to stay the full week (I had my UCLA Orientation) I still had a great time while I was there. I got caught up on my Harry Potter reading- I finished the 6th book- and I'm onto the final one! Also, I spent some quality time with Evan just relaxing in the beautiful sun- we also flew the kite which was on my life goals list! (Unfortunately for Evan, it was a Barbie kite!) Lastly, I had my friends come out and we had a great time catching up and sharing stories during a campfire and smores. Life is wonderful when you have special people to enjoy it with!

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UCLA Orientation

A week ago I went to my UCLA Orientation! It was quite a crazy experience; it was exciting, overwhelming, busy, and fun! When I arrived I checked into my dorm room and I met my counseling group based on the business economics major. One thing is for certain- I will no longer be majoring in business economics! (Way too much math, thank you very much!) We heard a lot of lectures on the first day. They welcomed us and informed us about how to work with professors, how to handle stress, and how to make safe, healthy choices at school. Later that day we went to a mini-college fair where we were introduced to various clubs and groups on campus.
On Monday we attempted to design schedules for ourselves. This was so difficult since there are hardly any classes left! At this point I'll be taking an Italian foods and literature class, a GE Cluster based on gender, and a Life Science ecology class. It may change though- I'm still trying to work out a few kinks. In the later hours (around midnight) we went on the Carpe Diem scavenger hunt where we looked all over the campus for clues and had to take pictures at each pit stop- we didn't arrive back until 2:00 am! It was still a great experience though and I'm so glad that I did it!
On Sunday we went on a campus wide tour and our guides told us legendary stories about the campus. They told us that out of all the stories- one of them would be a lie. They told us stories about moving an entire building, dead bodies, and Jimi Hendrix's locker filled with acid stamps. Well, I bought up each story with a silver spoon- it turns out that NONE of them were true! I was sooo disappointed- what a freshman! We also got "Bruintized" where we touched the famous fountain. Now I can't touch the fountain until I graduate or I will be cursed! Such stories...
I had such a great time and I met a lot of fun people. I can't believe that I can officially say I'm a Bruin now!

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