Thoughts for Thursday: TAG, you're IT!

 

"Just go up to someone on the street and say "You're It!" 

and then run away.

-Ellen Degeneres

I agree, Ellen. 100%

Thoughts for Thursday: Confidence Image Quotes

I really like image quotes. I compiled a few of my recent faves from Pinterest. 

Enjoy! Happy Thursday

Thoughts for Thursday: MLK

"Faith is taking the first step even when you can't see the whole staircase"
-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Kanye flyness

Has it seriously been 2 months since I last blogged? Un-ac-cept-able. I'll try to do better, but I probably won't. Such is grad school life. #kanyeshrug

Speaking of Kanye. Never mind, I won't speak of Kanye. We don't have time for that.

Actually I will, but not in the way you think. So, I had to do a presentation in class today, and I was nervous. Maybe intimidated is the better word. The people in my class are so intelligent and presenting in front of them caused some anxiety for me. Sometimes I forget that I am just as competent, and I had to remind myself before I got to the front of the room. In the end, I did pretty well, so I was quite proud of myself.

Kanye can be arrogant or whatever, but he has a good point.

In other news, I'm excited because I get a week off of school for Fall Break + Thanksgiving. Praise the Lord.

I'm also excited because I have a race coming up soon. On Thanksgiving day (Thanksgiving morning at 7 am to be exact) I'll be running the Atlanta 1/2 Marathon. Then I'll be able to cross something else off my 25 before 25 list (speaking of which, there are some things on that list I haven't even started yet....and I only have 2 1/2 months left). Oh well #kanyeshrug

Teacher Reminiscing

If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you saw how excited I was yesterday when I got a call from one of my former students.

Sometimes you don't realize that you've made a difference (especially as a teacher). It felt amazing to get that call. I started missing my teaching days and looked at some of my old posts about my experiences in the classroom. I laughed for a good 30 minutes. Check them out if you need a quick pick-me-up or if you just want a good laugh (links below):

Kids Say the Darndest

Pronoun Pookie

3rd Grade Flash Mob

The Turnip Turn UP

April Fool's Day Brownies

I'd Rather be a Dog

22 Things I've done in my first 2 Weeks of Grad School

I've officially completed 2 weeks of grad school! It seems more like 2 months and it's taken a while to adjust to the life of being a student again. Here's a list of 22 things I've done so far:

I HAVE.....

1. read a lot
2. made 3 new friends (there are only 4 people in my cohort, including myself-all women)
3. gotten lost on campus and acted like I KNEW exactly where I was going (like a boss)

4. gotten a $25 parking ticket

5. attended 8 classes, 1 seminar, and 2 lab meetings
6. never been late to class (even parked illegally so I could get to class on time...see #4)
7. read a lot
8. looked like this during Stats class 

9. taken Tylenol to ease the headaches I incurred after Stats class
10. gone running almost every morning (great stress relief from Stats class)
11. read a lot
12. questioned my decision to go to Grad school

13. reassured myself that I made the right decision

14. re-read the same sentence or paragraph 27 times (and still didn't understand)

15. made this face during Stats class

16. taken 6 quizzes (yes, already)
17. read a lot
18. spent hours reading in coffee shops & cafes (shout outs to Starbucks and Panera Bread!)

19. read a lot
20. Called on JESUS...before class, during class, after class, and especially while reading for Stats class

21. learned about an exciting project that I will work on in my lab later this year!

22. perfected the art of skimming, highlighting, and extracting meaningful points upon which to expound when the professor says "What did you think about that article?" 

Conclusion: Graduate school requires lots of reading and Statistics is the devil. But, if you call on Jesus, everything will be okay. Lol...I'm in for a bumpy ride, which is fine because I'm ready...i think........ Jesus?

Finally Posted Pics from China

It's taken me a little while (okay, a month) but I FINALLY posted pictures on Facebook from my trip to China! There were so many pictures, I separated them into 3 albums. Click on the pictures below for access to each album

The Great Wall

Fine China

More from China

Racial & Gender Profiling: Stop Acting like it doesn't exist

I came across a clip from "What would you Do?," a show that conducts social experiments.  The sketch revolves around 3 people (actors)...a white teen boy, a black teen boy, and an attractive white female. Each of them is blatantly attempting to steal a bike in broad day light. Even when asked, all of the actors confess that the bike does not belong to them.

I'm sure you can guess what happens even if you have not yet watched the short clip.
But, just in case you can't (because you live in a box).....

No, I'm not angry at all. No, I'm not surprised or shocked or in an uproar. No, I'm not about to get all "they always tryin to keep a black man down." Because I have accepted the fact that this happens. George Zimmerman. Everyone is subject to it. I mean, even the Black passersby gave the White young man the benefit of the doubt.

My problem is that people ACT like it doesn't happen. I wish they would have interviewed the people who blew the whistle on the black kid. I'm almost positive they would have said "I would have called the police if it was anyone..."  Yeah.  Right. 
George Zimmerman.

It's fact. We are judged and we judge others by appearance. This includes everything from the way we dress to our attractiveness, gender, and even skin color. Whether you suppress this judgement in your subconscious or allow it to influence your thoughts and actions, it exists.

The next time someones says they've never judged someone's appearance, Slap Them.
George Zimmerman.

LIfe is a Daring Adventure

Currently on a plane back to Atlanta.

I know it was a heaping 2 months, but it seemed like my summer vacation just flew by before my very eyes. This was the first summer, in a long time, that I didn't work....AT ALL! I don't regret a single minute of it. I truly had a blast in NYC, China, & California. One of the best summer vacations I've ever had.

When people ask me why I went to China (solo), in my mind, my immediate response is 

"Why not?"

I'm young and curious and I'm not going to take that for granted. I never want to wake up one day and say "I wish I would have...." or "I should have....."

I absolutely LOVE this quote.  Might be my new personal philosophy. It's so unforgiving. So unapologetic. Adventurous experiences can shape a person. It gives you new perspectives. It changes you for the better. So...I'll continue to grab life by the horns and you can continue to stay tuned. Or join in. Your call.

On another note, I start my PhD program at Georgia State in 2 weeks. I'm excited, nervous, a little anxious, but definitely ready to embark on this new chapter in my life.

PS: I'll be posting more pictures from China....as soon as I find the cord that connects the camera to my laptop. 

New York, California, China, OH MY!

AHH! I've been M.I.A for a while. I just got back to Georgia from a much-needed trip to The Big Apple. I must say, I had the time of my LIFE. New York was really fun - so much so that I completely forgot to blog while there. I was also having so much fun that I forgot to take lots of pictures. I'll share the few that I have though.

This VS store in Times Square is HUGE. If you know ME, you know I was IN HEAVEN when I saw this!

Went for a run through Central Park and used my
Nike + Running app (an awesome app, btw)

One of the views from my run in Central Park

Such a happy coincidence that a few of my friends were in New York
at the same time I was (unplanned). We HAD to go out and have some FUN!

But it wasn't ALL play. I took care of some business too. I went to the Consulate General of China to get my VISA! I am now officially allowed to enter the People's Republic of China.

After I was accepted to Georgia State to pursue a Ph.D in Developmental Psychology (a 5 year program starting in August), I made a vow to ENJOY my SUMMER. I planned to go to New York (DONE), California, and China. My summer is off to a great start and I am excited about all the wonderful experiences I am going to have!

STAY TUNED! I can't wait to share.