One Word

Personally, I think I am mostly a scholar. All my life I have been driven to get good grades and excel in school the best that I can. It is my dream to attend graduate school to become a nurse anesthetist because I want to help people every day of my life. In my opinion, learning is only tedious when I can't stand the subject. Otherwise, it's not too bad learning subjects that deal with my major. 

However, I would be lying if I said my original plans to go to college (in kindergarten) wasn't inspired by the demands of society like "the conflicted" category. All my life (and yours too I'm sure!) everyone shoved the words "GO TO COLLEGE" in my head. This definitely had an early impact on my future plans. Never once did I question whether or not I was going to go to college. 

Although I am predominantly a scholar, I also share some qualities with the other two categories as well. I am personally not yet ready to start a lifelong career like "the drifters", so college is a time where I can just be myself while I prepare myself for my future. Also, I am ultimately here at college to get a job like "the careerists." 

So how is it fair to categorize a college student with one word? It's not, in my opinion. But hopefully I will never run into Ken Steele and I'll never have to categorize myself with one word. I'll just stick with being me because that's the best category for myself I can possibly think of. 

Passion Discovered

       I miss volleyball. This magnificent sport was the highlight of my high school career. Volleyball was the first thing I truly felt passionate about. It taught me devotion, friendship, cooperation, trust, and self-will. Tryout week of my freshman year was nerve-racking as I worked painfully hard running and conditioning under the watchful eye of the coach and waited anxiously to see if I made the team. When she called my name, I was never happier.

       Throughout the years I participated in pep-rallies, homecoming parades, and I gladly sported my uniform on game days. My sophomore year was extremely difficult, however, because we got a new coach who was very aggressive. She ran us ragged and exhausted every piece of energy we had in our bodies. Although it was extremely tedious, we pulled together and created a very talented team.

       By senior year, my coach had us running 3 miles every practice relentlessly. Unfortunately, I suffered a knee injury during a pre-season tournament. I added physical therapy on to the list of volleyball demands. Luckily, the injury wasn’t bad enough to keep me from playing; it was just a huge, painful bother.

       By the end of my final season of Volleyball, I realized that the best part of my high school career was discovering my true potential. I never would have found this out if it weren’t for my coach, my teammates, and the love I have for this powerful sport. 

My Hero

Kassidy is a cute, talented, amazing superstar. She also happens to be my little sister. She was born February 7^th, 2002, when I was nine years old. I quickly learned how to change diapers, make bottles, and love a new life. She was the youngest of five children and was soon surrounded by 4 older, hard to deal with, teenagers. Before I knew it, she had captured my heart, and the hearts of my whole family. I was there for her first bite of food, her first walk, her first word, and I even was there to teach her first song to her: “Old MacDonald.” She ran around the house singing “E-I-E-I-O!”

       Now, she is almost nine years old and she is unstoppable. Kassidy can sing, dance, and steal the attention of every viewer. One of her specialties is fashion. She chooses all of her clothes and shoes and accessories from some of the leading fashion stores like Kohl’s, Target, and Belk. Then, she performs a fashion show for the family, making sure everyone sees her walking down the runway and her posing at every corner. She says to me, “Ashley, aren’t I such a fashionista?”

       When I got my license we went everywhere: McDonald’s, Chuck E. Cheese, the park, the pool, friend’s houses, and anywhere else we wanted to go. Now that I’m at college, I realize how much I miss her. Although she can push my buttons, and I hers, she will always be my little hero because as she grows into a young lady, our friendship continually strengthens into a blossoming relationship. I am extremely thankful for having her in my life, and I only wish I could make her even happier. I can’t imagine a life without my little sister, and I pray for strength to be a better companion to her. She’s gone through so much hardship already with our parent’s divorce and living in 5 houses in 6 years and switching schools in the middle of the year twice already. And yet, she is still happy and loving, and full of life.

       Kassidy Anne is my hero and my superstar. 

Ashley's Bucket List

Life is all about living your dreams, following your passion, and finding an inner peace that comes along with accomplishing personal goals. I don't want to create a "Bucket List" just because it's an assignment. I want to live up to all of the goals and dreams I am going to list, and I will stop at nothing to fulfill these aspirations. Each of the following things I am listing are now officially goals in my life: 
1. I want to graduate college with a nursing degree. In order to do this, I must focus on my studies now and work hard (and pray a little) to get into the VERY-hard-to-get-into School of Nursing.
2. I want to become a Nurse Anesthetist after completing graduate school at VCU. Did you know that VCU has the most prominent Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist program in the entire country?
3. I want to get married to my boyfriend, Ro, after I graduate college. I've been wanting to get married since I can remember!
4. I want to have at least one boy and one girl, and I will not stop having children until I get both! Crazy? Maybe.
5. I want to attend lots and lots concerts like John Mayer, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Linkin Park, and more!
6. Nutrition has to become a big part of my life because my new Nutrition professor is starting to freak me out with all the crazy health facts.
7. I plan on skydiving before I die, and...hopefully live.
and also:
8. Bungee jump.
9. Read the entire bible.
10. Save people's lives.
11. Travel to Italy.
12. Pet a kangaroo in Australia (preferably a tamed one).
13. Visit Ireland (where I am from).
14. Win the lottery (at least $500).
15. Visit the Holocaust museum.
16. Go to California and see what all the fuss is about.
17. Buy a brand new car. This is a very important goal, one that I am greatly looking forward to.
18. Send my grandmother on a marvelous vacation because she deserves it more than anyone.
19. Own a white house with a white picket fence, and a blue mail box that matches the blue front door
20. Get a crazy hair style.
21. Successfully ride a horse.
22. Vote every election (and make an informed decision).
23. Go scuba diving and ride a dolphin.
24. Attend an NFL game.
25. Try weird food from weird countries.
26. Write a song with corresponding piano notes.
27. Learn to play the guitar.
28. Live past December, 2012.
29. Learn how to snowboard.
30. Be the best mother and wife the world has ever seen!