Future Goals

I'm a junior in college, so you know what that means.... I need to start planning my future. The thing is, I've been doing that since high school. I'm definitely a person that likes to have a set plan, and stick to that plan. I set my goals and everything I do is a step toward those goals... occasionally I may take a few steps back, but I'm always looking at that goal and striving for it. I've always been a believer of setting your goals high because I have that "you can do anything" attitude.

College is a type of wake-up call. Yes, I still believe in setting my goals high... but practicality has really set in. There are some things that just aren't in the cards for me. I mean, lets face it, I won't fly to space, I won't be the richest woman in the world, I won't be the first woman President (hopefully that's not because Hillary beats me to it), I won't travel to every country, I will never be a professional athlete or a famous movie star or musician, and I won't save the world. This I've always known... and these have never been goals of mine. I'm not saying they can't be goals of someone else's... but you have to make goals that appeal to you.

In Italy, we had a leadership seminar where we were "coached." We basically vented to a professional "coach" and they told us what they heard: what makes us happy, where we see ourselves in the future, how we need to get there, what about ourselves we don't like and what we need to work on. I'm not going to lie, I did not like this exercise one bit... because who wants to share all their hopes, dreams, disappointments, and regrets to almost a complete stranger. Yet, in the end, it allowed me to map out a plan for the rest of my life. I made a mission statement and set realistic goals for my future and created steps to achieve those goals. I realized this about myself: in order to be happy I need.... to be challenged, adventure, close ties with family and friends, a family of my own, success, a community/church to be involved in, and security. After understanding that about myself, I did some research into the finance field and looked for careers that I could be happy in. I came up with investment banking.

Investment banking is an intense career. It requires long hours, hard work, strong analytical skills, and flexibility because of the constantly-changing businesses. Since Italy, I've been working toward a goal of a career in this... starting with an internship to get my foot in the door and get a little experience. My thought was that I can get all my excitement and success after a few years in investment banking and then I'll be set to change into any other less-demanding finance career. The problem is getting an internship in this intense, exceptionally hard business. All the companies that are investment banks only hire extraordinary young talent from the top universities. What I've realized is that most people in this business have not heard of Clemson and therefore do not have much respect for the education or experience you get at these local, small-town southern schools and workplaces. Hence, practicality sets in... and lowers those goals that I once set. At some point, you just have to realize that you may not be able to get where you want to get and it may have nothing to do with how hard you work, or how smart you think you are.

I guess what I'm getting at is I've learned a few lessons in college about the real world and the reality of "you can be anything." In truth, you can put 100% into everything and only get so far... but maybe that's all you're cut out for. Maybe you weren't meant to do great things, or even average things. Your plans may not be the plans God has made for you. It's not necessarily about lowering goals and standards... it's about changing them. It's about realizing that just because your original dream may not work out, it doesn't mean you are settling for a lesser future. It just means, there might be something out there that is better suited for you and that will make you happier than you thought. All I know is God knows a lot more about what I need and what will make me happy in life, and whenever I run into a wall or a setback, I have to realize that there is just another path for me, the path that is more right for me.

A New Semester, A New Year

Wow, I have really been behind in blogging. Of course, now I'm not required to do it every week, but I still like to update every once in awhile. I guess I can start with Christmas break.

It started off pretty slow. It was great to just relax at home and spend family time as well as catch up with friends. Christmas was a lot of fun and it was nice to have all the kids home for Christmas Eve. Then I got to experience my first Clemson bowl game.... it didn't turn out too great. Despite the actual game, I had a blast in Nashville with my friends. I got to meet up with a girl I met in Italy and we had a great time catching up. My next stop was Maryland. I drove up to spend some time with Brandon and his family. They even rented a beautiful cabin in the mountains at a ski resort... it didn't have a whole lot of snow though. So we just hung out in the cabin and played games and relaxed for a few days. On our way back home, Brandon and I stopped by Newport News to spend a few days with my sister and her husband. We had a blast exploring the area and getting to hang out with my best friend! It was time to head back to home and then Clemson. Those few weeks flew by, but I was also well rested and ready to start another semester at Clemson.

My schedule this year is pretty awesome. I went through my plan for the rest of my college life and I realized that I only needed to take 12 hours for the next three semesters. So, as soon as I got to Clemson, I dropped my most inconvenient class and now have two classes every day in a row and get out at either 11 or 2. Still, I know my classes are going to be hard and I will still have to work and study a lot to keep my grades up, but it's nice not to have to stress as much. I get to spend more time enjoying the college life with friends that are graduating soon, as well as just have fun with my other friends, boyfriend, and family. I may or may not get a job, it just depends on if one comes along that I might like. If I don't get a job, I can focus on some of the more important things, like people, my future, school, and God.

While I'm on the subject... I mine as well list my goals for the semester, sort of like a New Year's resolution.
1. Focus on school and grades. No slacking off even though I have a lighter load.
2. Find an internship/job for the summer.
3. Keep up with family by phone or visits as much as possible.
4. Cherish time with Brandon and do whatever I can to make him happy.
4. Hang out with friends once a week and catch up with old friends.
5. Go to more Clemson athletic events.
6. Read the Bible more/get closer to God.
7. Exercise 3 times a week
8. Practice cooking

That's all I have for now. And although it seems simple, I will have a hard time sticking to this list. I give ya'll permission to hold me accountable for these goals. I hope everyone had a great break and I encourage ya'll to also set a few goals for yourself. Until next time!

Another semester ends...

I made it through exam week... without having any major breakdowns too! For my 4 exams, I studied as much as I could and know that I did the best I could. I probably ended with one B and the rest A's, which I think qualifies as a successful semester considering I had 18 hours.

There was a time when I would have cried when I received a B, but I'm proud to say that I've accepted this one. I used to think that having all A's was a must and it was the only way I can be successful in life. Well, I'm happy to say that I've grown up a little. The thing I've realized is, the grades don't matter, it's how you got them that matters. I can honestly say I did my best this semester, and that is what's important. I'm not so concerned about my GPA anymore, I mean as long as I keep it high enough to keep my scholarships, because I know that employers will only glance at it. The GPA is not why you get hired, your character is. An employer will hire you if they like you, see potential in you, believe you are a good fit for their company, and think you will be a great asset to them. So to all of you that are stressing about grades, remember that. Try your best and use this college experience to become a person your parents would be proud of... an honest, hardworking, and admirable person who always sets high goals and strives to reach them. Now this is not to say that I won't be stressing about grades anymore. Grades are important because they give me a goal to work for during school. As long as I keep striving for A's, I know my best work will come out. And whatever my best work earns, I will be happy with it.

There are more important things to be concerned with other than schoolwork. This was a successful semester in more ways than grades. I developed some amazing friendships and relationships. After being gone last spring, I realized how much I missed Clemson and what it means to me. I grew a lot closer with my roommates this semester because we finally got to spend some time together. I also got to experience Clemson with the friends I made in Italy, Marshall and Caitlin. I know they will become lifelong friends, because we shared a life-changing three months travelling through Europe together and now we can finish off college together. My group for this Business Writing class is worth mentioning here. Its amazing how we all just met this semester and yet we became friends so soon. And I can't go without mentioning Ryan. We went to high school together, but have never really spoken. Then, we end up in class together and in the same group and I get to find out how cool a guy he is. It's always nice to meet another Byrnes alumni, and even nicer to become friends with one. Thanks Ashley, Kim, and Ryan for making it a great semester! I also have to say thanks to Brandon here. Brandon kept me sane, kept me safe, and kept me happy. Clemson is an awesome place, but its even cooler experiencing the college life with someone special to you. He spoiled me and treated me like a queen and even though I don't deserve it, I definitely won't take it for granted. He may be from Maryland, but he is still a southern gentleman and a great boyfriend! The one thing I wish is that I could have spent more time with family. Busy semesters rarely lend enough time to go home and visit with your loved ones. Still, they also helped me through the semester by standing by me and always being a phone call away. It was extremely hard being back at Clemson without my sister there, and even harder knowing she was all the way in Virginia. However, I also have to thank her for letting me call her at anytime and get her advice on whatever I was feeling at the moment. My family has always been there and always will be, so they are, of course, the main reason it has been another successful semester.

So, thanks to everyone I mentioned, and didn't mention. I hope everyone had a great semester, as well. During this holiday season, spend time with your loved ones. Don't let a day go by without telling them you love them and thanking them for staying by you and helping you through life. Merry Christmas and remember the reason for the season!!!

Reflection

The semester is ending and I am sitting in my second to last Business Writing class ever. We have been given the assignment to reflect on this semester: the blog, the client-based project, the book, the assignments, etc. I have to say to begin that I've truly enjoyed this class. It has been one of my favorites at Clemson.

I am not going to lie, I hated having to think of some topic to blog about twice a week. Now that I'm finished, I am glad I did it. Blogging gave me a chance to vent a little, offer my point of view, thank other people, communicate with my group and client, and just basically get out some of my feelings. It was a great way to keep our client updated on our project, as well as keep my family and friends from home or wherever updated with things in my life. I talked to my mom the other day and she mentioned how much she enjoyed reading my blogs because it felt like she was right there with me. Also, I think it made our group closer and our relationship with Angie a lot closer. We learned more about each other than we normally would have and that enabled us to work much better together. The blog was really a great idea, although it was hard to keep up the entire semester. I think I may even continue this blog after this semester, but there will probably not be 2 posts a week anymore.

The other part of the class I enjoyed was the client-based project. I loved the fact that we were creating marketing ideas for the Red Cross that they will actually be using. I felt like it helped me learn more about business writing than by just reading a textbook and making up examples. At the end of class, I believe everyone in here felt like they made a difference. We are helping the Red Cross train people so that more lives can be saved from accidents and emergencies. Not many people can say they have done that just from a simple business writing class. In the future, even if the client is not the Red Cross, I still think having a client is a great way to motivate students to do their work, as well as get them excited about what they are doing.

The rest of the class almost got pushed into the background. I probably only read 1 or 2 chapters from the book and I really only used it to look at examples of resumes and cover letters. The book was good for that, but not much else. If there is a cheaper way to find great examples, I would suggest not even using a book. The portfolio I created was the one assignment that really mattered to me. I knew that learning how to do this will help me in the future. Like I said in one of my blogs, employers are now looking for more online portfolios to reduce paperwork and make the recruiting process a little more simple. So, the portfolio was very important for me and I am thankful that we had the chance to create a professional one.

This may be the last post about this class. So, to all my classmates, it's been great! To Angie, thanks for everything!!! I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and good luck on exams!

85 years!!!

My mom called me the other day to invite me to Sunday dinner with the family this Sunday. I asked what was this special occasion for me to drive an hour to eat at Fatz on Sunday, considering I will have lots of schoolwork to do that day. She reminded me that it is my grandaddy's birthday. Not only is it his birthday, but it is a very special birthday.... his 85th! I can't even imagine 85 years and all the things you can see and do in that time. I have an enormous amount of respect for my grandad and am amazed at how much he has accomplished in his lifetime. So, I have decided that in honor of this special occasion, I will make a trip home to spend some time with the family and celebrate. I can do homework at a different time.

Grandaddy is the only one I have left. He is my mother's father and has always had a significant role in my life, as well as his other grandchildren. As of 11 years ago, our family moved back to mom's hometown and about 10 minutes from our grandparents' house. We see them often, although not often enough. I love visiting them, but before a visit, I always have to make sure I have no plans for a few hours. Once Grandaddy gets someone's attention, he will talk his or her ear off for awhile! Thankfully, it's all interesting stuff. My grandaddy has the most interesting stories, but how can you be surprised when he's had 85 years to build them! He loves talking about how he was a cook in the war and lived in Alaska. He also loves talking about the horses he used to own and how he would race cars when they first came out... and win! I can go on and on about the stories he's shared over the years. Although you can hardly get a word in, you can definitely learn a few things from chatting with him. I am so thankful for the special relationship I have with my grandaddy and I can't wait to celebrate his 85th birthday with him!

How to....

Our assignment is to write instructions for something. Inspired by Thanksgiving and the amazing food, I decided to write instructions for my favorite dessert to make.... Peanut Butter Pound Cake. So, with help from my mom and her recipe... here are your instructions.

How to Make Peanut Butter Pound Cake

Introduction:
Pound cake is one of the best desserts ever, but sometimes it is just a little too plain. In this guide I will show you how to jazz up a classic dessert. Peanut Butter Pound Cake is a great twist to an ordinary dessert, and it's very easy to make. I am not a cook, a baker, or a chef, and I don't claim to be, but I can make a mean PB pound cake and so can you with this amazing recipe!

Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar 1 cup milk
1 cup brown sugar 3 cups plain flour
½ cup creamy peanut butter ½ teaspoon baking powder
2 sticks of margarine ½ teaspoon salt
5 eggs ¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vanilla Extra flour and margarine

Supplies:
Large mixing bowl Electric mixer
Small mixing bowl Oven
Medium mixing bowl Bundt Pan

Steps:
1: Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2: Combine sugar, brown sugar, peanut butter, and margarine together in large mixing bowl and mix until creamy.
3: Place eggs, vanilla, and milk in small mixing bowl.
4: Sift together measured flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in medium mixing bowl.
5: Add small bowl (egg mixture) and medium bowl (dry ingredients) alternately to large bowl (creamy mixture).
6: Grease bundt pan with extra butter and flour.
7: Pour mixture into greased bundt pan.
8: Place bundt pan in oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
9: Remove from oven after time expires and let it cool.
10: Eat and enjoy!!!!

Thanksgiving!!!

I am sooo excited for Thanksgiving this year!! I've had a busy semester, so I really have not been able to go home a lot.... which means I haven't had hardly any good homecooking since this summer! Besides that, I cannot wait to hang out with my family. It will be a relief to get away from school and just enjoy my time with my family. The saddest thing this year is that my sister and her husband won't be able to come home for Thanksgiving. This may be the first Thanksgiving without Jenna, and I already miss her terribly. However, like she said, it is better for her to miss Thanksgiving for work than Christmas! Brandon will be taking her place at the "kids" table this year so he can be down here for the USC game... I hope he's ready for some Southern food!!! There's nothing better than my grandaddy's Coca-Cola ham, mom's mac'n'cheese and sweet potato souffle, and grandma's homemade dressing. I could go on with the list of foods that will be served, but it is already making my stomach growl!!! So, everyone eat some wonderful food, relax a little and have a happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

Crit Session

I've never had a Crit session, so I wasn't sure what to expect on Monday. Still, I wasn't very worried about it because I knew it wasn't a formal presentation and that it was just so our classmates can help us make our projects better. I was very glad we went first so that we could get it out of the way. I was expecting a good amount of criticism and a long list of things we need to change because we had really only worked on the letter, brochure, and plaque design that weekend.

Surprisingly, the class was very positive about our work. They seemed to like all three of our pieces. Our only critiques were design-related, like different fonts, font sizes, another picture etc. They really liked the plaque design... I have to give Ryan a lot of credit for that because he did an amazing job! I am so impressed with my group and with everyone's ability to get the job done, even at the last minute. Not only can we get the job done, we can also make it look great! I am glad we are not satisfied with just average and that we strive for above average work. It is a relief to know that we do not have to work on it during our Thanksgiving breaks. The changes we need to make can be done when we get back, so we can all enjoy our breaks a little more! I hope all of ya'll have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!!