Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Bonjour one last time in 2015, my friends. :)

This post has been a long while in coming, mostly because I decided to go hay-wire with the videos, but also because of Christmas (*happy sigh*), getting together with friends during my time back in TN, and working on moving to my family's new house in Virginia (which we just bought last week!!!).

But enough with the excuses, right?  You all know that Star Wars: VII finally released two weeks ago (I do hope you've seen it by now! It's suuuuuch a fun movie), and that I cosplayed as Rey for opening night.  Well, I've finally got the pictures and videos you are looking for, right here in this post. ;)  Nothing fancy or high quality, just having fun with media and dressing up for the premiere. :)

Now, before I say anything more, I just want to talk about THE MOVIE for a sec.  So, I saw it again yesterday, and it was even better the second time.  It's so much fun, so exciting, so visually enticing... I love the new characters so much, and it's so great to see the old ones again.  Yeah, it has a few issues, such as the fact that the story is somewhat of a re-hash of A New Hope, but I think that's only because Disney wanted to play it safe with a tried-and-true formula instead of branching off into really new creative territory.  I'm okay with this, because it made for a great re-entry into the Star Wars universe, and I'm sure that we'll see plenty of creative storytelling in future movies (both the next two in this trilogy, and the spin-offs).  With that in mind, I can enjoy The Force Awakens for what it is: the magical, lovingly crafted re-entry into a galaxy far, far away for a modern audience, paving the way for many movies to come. ^_^

And now, back to the business at hand. ;)  First off, a little video I filmed while making (quite literally) the final stitches on my Rey costume, the day before The Force Awakens premiered in theaters:

Then, one more sleep and it was premiere day! So I made a time-lapse of getting ready with makeup and hair for the cosplay (note that I decided to not do my hair exactly as Rey has hers in the movie, but rather did an "inspired by" style):

And lastly, I made a mini vlog of the rest of the night, featuring my two sisters and my dad (who, like the great father that he is, came to the premiere with us. ;D):

Aaaaand one last pic, in case you wanted a clearer shot of my costume.  I took this the day before the premiere, just for fun when I tried it on for the last time (which is why my hair isn't fixed).  I'm hoping to do a photoshoot with the costume at some point, but no promises. ;)

Well, I hope you enjoyed hearing about my Star Wars adventures as much as I enjoyed telling about them. Until next year, my friends! I can't wait to write up a "looking back on 2015" post... so you shall hear from me soon. :)

Sneak Peak: Rey and the Star Wars VII Premiere

I know I promised you all posts yesterday and tomorrow, but I've been so crazy busy with finishing up my costume, school, and moving into our new house (!!!) that I've just had no time.

But tonight was The Force Awakens premiere, and I'm just exploding from happiness.  The movie, wearing our costumes, the whole experience was just amazing.  I had SUCH a fun time.  It was a night I will remember for a long while. ^_^

And now, it is close to midnight, and I am exhausted - plus I have a whole day of packing and moving ahead of me tomorrow, and then driving back home to Tennessee on Saturday.  But I wanted to share with you just a little sneak peak picture from the premiere night of my Rey costume -- with a very epic Kylo Ren:

I'm so happy to finally be able to show you my full costume, and I absolutely CANNOT WAIT to share all the other pictures, videos, details, and thoughts from the night - but I shall have to wait until this weekend for that. ;)

For now, have you seen the movie yet???  Planning to???  Did you dress up???  What did you think of the movie??? (no spoilers!)  Can you hardly wait for the next one???? ;D

Week 16 - [Almost] Done

The 16th week of my college career has come and gone.  Classes for the four courses I have remaining wrapped up on Wednesday, and finals week officially began on Friday - which was also the day I had my first final exam.

As of Friday, at 12:30 pm, my "thorn in the flesh," Philosophy 201, was behind me, and I was free (for the weekend, at least).  I must admit, I will, in some ways, miss it.  I met some super cool people, had some fun times in class, and, though I hate to admit it, did learn quite a bit of practical philosophy.  So, though I am relieved it is over, I do appreciate the time I spent taking the course.

You know, that would be the second time God has put me in that type of situation...  I suppose I am just a reluctant learner. ;)

So, with Philosophy behind me, I feel like I can finally breathe easy (though the 59 definitions I had to memorize are still swimming around in my head...).  I still have three other finals to go, but they won't be anywhere near as trying as that one for philosophy.  Come to think of it, my schedule worked out rather well, actually, because I ended up having one exam every day of finals week... that makes my OCD self rather happy. ;D

Friday night was the big, final event of the semester, Christmas Coffeehouse.  Basically a sort of concert/talent show, featuring music, dancing, lip-sync battles, and videos made by students, all based on the theme "Falalalala."  It was a great night, lots of fun and super crazy loud.  This was one of my favorites of the night -- it's just too funny.  Oh, and don't forget to watch 'til the very end...

Now it's time for some cosplay updaaaaaates...

So.  Belt is taking shape, after spending an eon of time working on the pattern to be just right...

Tried my hand at dying with coffee for the first time, and it worked fabulously!!  Big fan of coffee dying.  It gave the perfect aged, distressed look -- exactly what I was going for.  I did this to the arm wraps, which are simply two rolls of cotton gauze bandage (which look exactly like what was used for the real costume), as well as to the shirt I made, to give it a bit of an aged look, as I wasn't entirely happy with the color.

arm wraps

shirt

I'll save the end results until the reveal of the final costume. ;D

One last thing I did for the costume this week, was do a makeup and hair test.  Both turned out quite well - even though I don't look exactly like Daisy Ridley, and I'm planning on doing my hair slightly different than Rey's (in three little buns rather than half ponytails, which I just think looks odd.. xD).  I'm planning on making a video of the hair/makeup process on premiere day, maybe, possibly, hopefully.  'Cause those kinds of videos are just fun. :D

Next week!  A change to the posting schedule:  You should expect another post on Wednesday (hopefully, at least - unless I'm hard at work finishing my costume ;D) detailing the official end of the semester and all the finishing touches on my Rey costume.  Then, I'll hopefully get another one up sometime after Thursday with all the events of the Star Wars premiere!

Now... how 'bout you?  Super stoked for The Force Awakens, riiiiight??? :D

The Fifteenth Week, College and Cosplay

There's only 1 and 1/2 weeks left in my first semester of college.  It's absolutely crazy, but I'm so excited to finally be nearing the end... and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. :D  Those are the two topics of interest for today... ;)

Classes are going quite well.  Two have finished already, so I've just got four classes remaining - and I don't have any big projects left, just finals.  Yay! :)

So, in PHIL201, we're almost done studying philosophy of religion; I finished making the apparel project (pajama pants) in FACS222 on Friday; we've just got one last class period for CRST290 (History of Life), which will just be a review of the semester; and we just finished watching the 1989 Batman in CINE101 (not a huuuge fan of it, but for an 80s film and the first serious superhero movie, it was fairly good).

Now, as for my Rey costume, things are going just swimmingly. :D

I got around to buying some faux leather at Joann for the belt earlier this week, and I'm super pleased with it.  Though it was described as suede on the label, it's actually got a half-leather half-suede finish, which I thought was a really neat look, and lent itself to looking nice and old and distressed.  Plus, it's the perfect color and weight, AND it was on clearance.  Basically a total win.

Thursday night, I made the leather cuff (when I should have been working on a paper for philosophy instead, and ended up staying up until 2am to finish that buuuut regardless...both got done... xD), and I'm super pleased with how it turned out:

Isn't it just the coolest design??  I'm obsessed with it.

I also started work on a template for the leather belt, but I'm only about half way done with that:

Welp guys, only 11 days until the end of my semester, and 12 days until The Force Awakens.  So hold tight.  This next week-and-a-half is going to be crazy.

See ya next Sunday. :)

Week 13&14, Thanksgiving Break

I dunno if you noticed, but I skipped posting last Sunday.  See, Thanksgiving break had just begun and I figured I deserved a break, and knew you wouldn't mind not hearing from me for an extra week. ;)

But now that I'm all rested up and more than ready for the final 3 weeks of my first semester of college at Liberty University, I'm also ready to tell you all about the past 2 weeks.  So let's get this post on the road.  Hehe.

Week Thirteen is a bit of a blur as I look back on it now, but I do remember buying more fabric for my Rey cosplay (beige linen for the pants)... a presentation on the problem of evil for my philosophy class... the 3rd exam in my History of Life class... and packing up for the seven hour drive back to my old home in Tennessee.

Which leads me to Thanksgiving break -- 9 whole glorious days of no classes, spent with my family and friends.  And how wonderful it was to see my dear friends from highschool again, just like old times, feeling like an eternity and yet only yesterday since I last saw them.  We just fell back into friendship as if I'd never left.  Oh, and two of them surprised me with dozens of these glorious pictures and little sticky notes pasted all over our house when I got home:

Again, a bajillion thanks to you girls for making my life. ;D

The rest of the week was just homework, youtube videos, reading, hanging with friends, finally introducing myself to twenty one pilots' first album (and now i'm just obsessed with it duh BUT NO NEW [TO ME] MUSIC UNTIL THEY RELEASE A NEW ALBUM TEARS), Thanksgiving with the fam (which was so lovely), a wonderful drive back to school, some major progress on my Rey costume...

Makin' pants out of that gawgeous, and might I add perfect, linen I bought last week...

progress progress

bad fitting pants feat. my fab modelling skillz and doctor who regalia
["keep calm and don't blink" tee and dalek socks]

and lastly, a little tease at the costume put together just for fun,
and meh awesome Rey boots.

AND FINALLY that trailer for Captain America: Civil War...

Oh guys.  Oh guys.  OH GUYS.  Let me tell ya, I won't be getting over this anytime soon.  Not at least until the movie comes out 6 months from now.  And even then, I won't get over it.  So basically... I shall be in a perpetual state of "can't even" in regard to this movie for a very long time, beginning last wednesday and heading off into eternity.  Basically.

#BECAUSEBUCKYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Until next week, dear.

P.S. feel free to post any fangirl-y comments, because you know i'm right there with ya. obviously. ;D

"On the Twelfth Week of College..."

This week I have been so busy.  Or at least it's felt like I've been busy.  With cosplay and snowboarding and things... ;)

I had an exam in History of Life the same day as my very first snowboarding competition, that Trails 2 Rails thing I keep talking about.  It was such a good time, even though I didn't do any tricks worthy of note and our team didn't win.  Honestly, it was just fun to get together and snowboard.

Warm ups before the comp.

The competitors (the winning team with new snowboards!)

Tired and happy to be at the end of my very short pro snowboarding career. ;D

So, I also mentioned cosplay has been happening this week... if you saw my last post, you know that I'm working on a new costume.  For Star Wars: The Force Awakens. :D

The idea of cosplaying for the premiere really started to stew in my brain during the past several months, but it's been there ever since the first trailer was released last November (has that really been a year ago now???).  I mean, c'mon.  This movie is basically the event of the decade.  How could I not cosplay for the premiere?! ;D

As far as costume ideas went, they ranged from jedi to stormtrooper and everything in between.  I mean, with a universe as expansive as Star Wars, how does a girl choose just one??  But, in the end, the obvious choice won out:

I initially pushed against this costume, because I knew so many people would be making it.  But, in the end, I decided this wasn't such a bad thing, and Rey was actually a really good choice.  See, I'm a hipster at heart.  I love to be different, unique.  But, I realized, as long as I make this cosplay high quality, screen accurate, and, most importantly, gorgeous, it'll be worth creating, no matter how many other people cosplay Rey. :)

Now that that exposition is over, I'll tell ya all about my progress on this costume so far, with one month left to complete it. :D

Cotton, knit, and cotton gauze.

So, I've got three different fabrics, one of which (the far left in the pic above) I decided actually won't work for the costume.  It's some 100% cotton I got at Walmart that I initially thought would work well for the pants, before I had done much research, but after doing all the research I knew it wouldn't do.  But no matter; I only spent 5 bucks on it. ;)

The other two fabrics I bought at Joann on Monday.  They're so perfect I literally cannot even.  The middle one is for the under shirt/tunic, and is a beautiful and luxuriously soft knit blend.  The last is some absolutely gorgeous cotton gauze fabric (also known as bubble cotton), for the wrap.  It's so light and airy and natural feeling, and is an almost exact match to the fabric used in the real costume.  In case you can't tell, I'm kinda super pleased with it.. ;D

I haven't started sewing yet, since I still have to buy fabric for the pants, and matching thread.  But I have been doing some cutting and pinning.  I've cut out the tunic, using a well fitted shirt as a guide, and pinned it so it fits well.  So now I just have to sew that up to be finished with it.  The wrap is almost done as well, it just needs one seam to connect the two lengths of fabric.  See, the cotton gauze was 45" wide, so I just bought 3 yards and cut it in half lengthwise, and I just have to sew the pieces together width wise to have the proper 6yd wrap which loops at one side.

I always cut too big. xD

Welp guys, it's time for me to go to bed (yes I wrote this the night before I posted ;D).  Hey, leave me a comment telling if you've got plans for the new Star Wars movie, what you think of my next cosplay idea, and if you're looking forward to Thanksgiving? :D

Love you guys!  Until next week! :)

Eleventy: Spring Classes and My Next Cosplay

Bonjour, my dears, and welcome to a brief summation of Week 11 of Beth's First Semester at Liberty University.  Let's jump right in. :)

Last week, I completely forgot to tell you that... I've signed up for next semester's classes!

FACS 322 - Design & Construction II for Apparel

CINE 201 - Intro to Screenwriting

INFT 110 - Computer Concepts and Application

BUSI 223 - Personal Finance (Honors)

COMS 101 - Speech Communications (Honors)

BWVW 102 - Biblical Worldview II

I'm pretty happy with the schedule - it's a nice mix of "fun" classes (fashion design and film) and gen eds... and the only drawback is that I've got an 8:15 class, 3x a week.

*runs away in tears*

Nah, it'll be okay.  It was inevitable and inescapable.  On the plus side, it's a class for my fashion design minor: 2 hours of sewing goodness, bright and early. ;D  I'm trying really hard to convince myself that I'll be fine...

Next, guess what's happening this thursday???  My first snowboarding competition.  2 months after I started.

Fun fun, right? :P

The judges will count a contestant's 3 best tricks, out of 5 runs, and so far I've only got one "trick" (it's not really even a trick) under my belt.  Speaking of which, I've got practice tonight (the plan is to attempt a new trick!) so I better wrap this post up.

Lastly, I've officially started my next cosplay:

More info on that is to come. :D

10: #Trails2Rails, Cosplaying, Sewing, & Wisdom

The tenth week of college has come and gone, and what a wonderful week it has been...

A few drop outs, a text, a squeal, and next thing I know, I'm a member of the official Trails 2 Rails off-campus snowboarding team, and set to compete November 12th in the games.  Can I just say, I am beyond stoked about this turn of events???  I'm literally so psyched.  But now it's time to up my game and start getting some tricks down before show time in 2 weeks... :D

I cosplayed all day at school on Friday.  As gender-bent Captain America.  And it rocked.  I got tons of awkward stares of disbelief / confusion / fear, but also so many comments and compliments, plus a few lengthy conversations.  All the geeks come out of the woodwork when Captain America walks by, obviously. ;D

This wasn't from today; you can actually go here to see the other
pics from this photoshoot. :)

Things are finally starting to amp up in FACS 222, sewing class!  We're all set to begin our apparel project on Monday: pajama pants.  I went to Joann yesterday with a classmate, and we had a fun time sorting out confusing pattern notions and laughing over odd prints.  In the end, I came home with McCall's 4244, some 1-inch wide elastic, and 2.75 yds of an ADORABLE flannel print:

And lastly, I want to share with you a little gift God gave me.

So, I've been struggling with the honors philosophy class I'm taking.  And one assignment in particular has completely stumped me: a paper due Wednesday.  I read and re-read the section we were supposed to discuss, and still couldn't figure out what the "central issue" was.  I emailed my professor a few times, but he wasn't helpful, and was quite explicit that I needed to figure it out on my own.

I was stressing.  My mental capacity was just not good enough to figure this out.

And then it hit me: pray.  So, I did just that.  I put into words the fact that I needed His help, that I couldn't do this without Him, and asked Him for wisdom.  Then, after working on the paper a bit, I decided to formulate one last email to send to my professor, presenting a final idea that I thought might be that "central issue."  As I thought through the email,  I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me: the question of what justice, rights, and laws are grounded in.

Oh YES, of course! That makes sense!

Buuuuut, how could I be 100% sure this was the elusive central issue?  I was still unsure.  So, I sent the e-mail, shoved the paper from my mind, and went shopping. Came home, and there was the moment of truth, sitting in my inbox.  I spoke a last-minute prayer, and opened the message: "Yes, in my opinion that is the most important point of the chapter, and in a philosophical sense, I think it is the central point. Well done!"

I could do nothing but thank God for His provision.

What I lacked in intelligence, He more than made up for.  He gifted me with the wisdom I needed, at the moment I needed it, for the project I needed it for.  It was such an amazing moment.  You know that verse, Philippians 4:19?  "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."  Let me tell you this: God wants you to come to Him for help, because He wants you to succeed in your efforts.

Don't be satisfied with your own mediocre attempts.  Let God infuse you with His power, and then show the world what GOD can do!

9th - A Revelaton Concerning Revelation

This week, I'd simply like to share with you a huge revelation that my dad and I had Friday night.  It began as just a family gathering to read a passage of the Bible, but my dad chose 1st Thessalonians 4, which set off an intensive study sesh to get to the bottom of the question: "When will Christians be raptured in relation to the great tribulation?"

Go grab your Bible, and come figure out this question with me through the Holy Spirit's power.  Please, please, please spend the time to read these passages thoroughly so you can really understand what I'm getting at -- don't just blindly accept what I'm saying, or discredit it because you believe something else. :)

First, read 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18.

Continue on through chapter 5, verses 1-3.

Next, we need to read Matthew 24:3-21 and 29-33.

And lastly, we get to the connective tissue, the meat of the issue: Revelation 6:12-17, 7:9, 13-17.

Now let's dig into what these passages mean.

Take another look at the second passage we read, Matthew 24:29, the "key clue":

"But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken."

Now look at the passage in Revelation 6:12-13a:

"I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth..."

The sun darkened, moon darkened in a different way, and stars falling to earth -- the passages match up exactly!!!  The events are even listed in the same order.  And there are so many other similarities which I don't have time to discuss (but you should look into!).  From these explicit similarities, we can know that Jesus is speaking of the same event as that 6th seal.

Now GET THIS.  The SIXTH SEAL.  That is part way into the tribulation!  Why do you think people have different views regarding when Christians will be raptured?  Because there is evidence for both sides, pre-trib and post-trib.  The funny thing is, I firmly believe the truth is neither.

We will be raptured after the 6th seal and before the 7th (when God pours out his full wrath on the earth).

Look again at what happens in Revelation 7:9,13-17:

"After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count...standing before the throne and before the Lamb... And [one of the elders] said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation..."

"These things" being the events of the 6th seal -- so where do you think that great multitude who came out of the great tribulation came from???  Just where Jesus says in Matthew 24:31:

"And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other."

Are you comprehending this?  It's so hard to explain it accurately.  I hope at least this makes sense to you: that the rapture will occur DIRECTLY AFTER THE 6TH SEAL OF REVELATION IS OPENED.  This means we will endure the first 6 seals, if we are alive then.  Yes, we will go through part of the tribulation, HOWEVER, we won't go through ALL of it, or any of the Great Tribulation.  This is because God does not pour out his wrath on His children.  Just as He showed when He dealt with Sodom and Gomorrah, He won't destroy a city containing even one righteous person.  We will deal with tribulation, but we WILL NOT FACE GOD'S WRATH.

So, what does this mean for us Christians, as we look towards the impending great tribulation?

We will face the first 6 seals (read Revelation 6 to look at these in detail): the reveal of the antichrist, war, famine, death, persecution of Christians, and natural terrors.  After these things, and only after these things, will we Christians be caught up to the Lord in the air.  But our rapture isn't the same event as the 2nd coming of Christ!  Christ's second coming doesn't occur until the Battle of Armageddon, which you can read about in Revelation 19:11 onward.

I'll just end with 1st Thessalonians 4:16-17.  Take heart in these words, and look forward to the day when we are united with Christ -- it is close!

"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord."

VIDEO - Week Eight Update

This is my first time doing a video like this, so don't judge me too harshly. ;D I hope you enjoy hearing about my life "in person." ;)

After 7 Weeks... Fall Break & Cosplay

This week, almost halfway through the semester, us Liberty peeps got to enjoy a 4-day fall break, which was quite pleasant.

My favorite part of the break was sleeping in for a few extra hours each morning.  And being able to linger over breakfast -- that always feels so luxurious to me.  Did I ever tell you breakfast is my favorite meal of the day?  It is.  It really is.  Whenever I can take the time for a big ol', 500+ calorie breakfast, I just feel amazing the whole day.  No coffee necessary.

That's another thing -- did I ever tell you I don't do coffee?  Partly because it's not recommended for us Paleo people, but mostly because I just hate the idea of it.  Fake energy that you have to drink every day in order to feel alive is not my idea of a good thing.  Oh, and don't even get me started on our country's obsession with Starbucks...

loki's pretentious-teenager eyeroll

So, basically, I'm so "hipster" that I'm above the whole coffee thing. ;)

Back to fall break.  Besides sleeping in and eating big breakfasts, I went on a marvelous thrifting adventure.  I came home with a pair of adorable, nicely used Vera Wang booties for $3 (so much win), and...........*drumroll*........... a pant suit.  Yes, a suit.  Why?

yes i know i use this gif too much but it's perf

THAT'S RIGHT, GUYS.  Fem 10th doctor cosplay, coming up.  Someday.  Not sure when.  Possibly halloween..?  Not sure yet.  BUT I have the suit (which just needs some slight fitting alterations done to the coat), I have the screwdriver (eheheh), so now I just need a pair of white Converse, the flowery tie, and possibly an awesome tan trench (if I can ever find one for a decent price). ;D

Awwhhh all this talk is making me remember how much I miss cosplay... agonizing over accuracy and designs and accessories and all that good stuff.  See, if I had the time, I'd love to make a costume more like this, but, like I said, TIME and motivation, so I don't think I'll be able to pull that off.  Which makes me sad.

OH I JUST REMEMBERED STAR WARS.  What am I going to do for The Force Awakens premiere???????  I need to get started on a costume... I've only got 2 months.  And those 2 months are going to be busy with college shtuff.  I don't even know what I want to make yet.  Either a sweet jedi costume, or maybe Rey's costume... I'd love to make Kylo Ren's outfit, but I don't think I'm quite up to it... aghhhhh too many options! ;D

So, looks like it's time to do some costume planning... see y'all next week. ;)

Snowflex (where I snowboard) at sunset.

Content in the 6th Week

Guys, I'm really content right now.

cap looks the way i feel after 6 weeks of college

This past week has been wonderful.  I couldn't say why... I can't really pin point any one particular event that "made my week."  I suppose it was just all the little things put together that made it special.

First of all, I completed two large-ish projects, and was very happy with how they turned out. The first was a 5 page paper for FACS 222 (sewing class), a reflective paper on a modesty book. Definitely not a difficult assignment, but I still really enjoyed working on the paper, and it ended up being quite solid.  I was pleased.  Maaaaajor creds to God for helping me with that...

*happy sigh*

The second assignment was a group presentation for CINE 101 (film class), on "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe."  We basically got to discuss and dissect the movie for an hour.  Now, if you know me at all, you know I do this sort of thing regardless, so it was great fun.  God definitely gave me peace and guided my words, because it went much better than it should have... ;)

Another little thing that helped make this week a good one, was a snowboarding sesh with my older sister and a friend from our #Fails2Rails snowboarding group.  For the first hour, we just snowboarded and chatted, and for the second hour we got a Snowflex instructor to give us a lesson!!  It was seriously the coolest thing.  And we're going to have another lesson on Monday. :D

eeeeppp!!!

Then, yesterday, we had an absolutely hilarious guest speaker for Convocation: the one and only, Tim Hawkins.  If you haven't heard of him before, go look him up on youtube.  If you have heard of him before, you'll understand why I was literally crying during that hour.  Best. convo. yet. That guy... hysterical.  My abs hurt today from laughing so hard... xD

oh sry there go my feels

Now I really must get back to working on a paper for PHIL 201 (philosophy)... it's a tricky little one-page thing that I'm kinda freaked out about.  It's an honors class, so it's been seriously challenging.  Thankfully, the professor is great -- but also a tough grader.  Prayers, anyone? Thanks so much.  Love y'all to death. ^_^  Oh btw -- Fall break is coming up!  Who's excited??? *me me me*

YAAAAAAAA

Five: Being Taught In the Midst

(I'm sick of those posts detailing the week's happenings.  Let's do something different.)

>>> Fresh air and open spaces are a really great cure-all. <<<

>>> Mondays aren't all that bad. <<<

>>> Striking up conversations with strangers is worth it. <<<

>>> Fear has no place in the heart of a christian. <<<

>>> Late nights are great, but only if you can sleep in the next day. <<<

>>> Small church > mega church. <<<

>>> Looking perfect every day isn't a good goal. <<<

>>> Alone time is very important. <<<

>>> Itching to create something is a natural occurrence; don't ignore it. <<<

>>> Balance, balance, balance. <<<

>>> Staying on top of homework is a must. <<<

>>> Honesty really is the best policy. <<<

>>> Give of yourself freely, but don't open your heart to just anyone. <<<

>>> Sometimes you need to say "no." <<<

>>> Listening to good music every day is almost a necessity. <<<

>>> Hard work is the best kind. <<<

>>> Time with God every morning is huge. Never, ever skip it. <<<

The Fourth Week of College

Life at Liberty has been progressing at an alarming rate.

I have been here a month now, but it still feels like it's only been a few days.  Like, what why and how??? O_O  Let's just say, I'm so looking forward to the future, when we're not bound by the constraints of time anymore.  That will be amazing.

Anyway, as I was saying, I'm done with a month of college, and it's been so good.  Between classes and homework, I've been snowboarding a few times, and, surprisingly, getting better.  Which has been so cool.  Snowboarding is fun.

So, I'll just keep this post short and sweet, and y'all can look forward to a more detailed update next Sunday. :)

P.S. HAPPY [early] HOBBIT DAY! ^_^

Week 3: Jaws and Snowboardng

So two "firsts" occurred in my 3rd week of college life: I saw Jaws and I snowboarded.

You might have already seen this on my Youtube channel, but if not, here's a little vid I put together of my attempts at snowboarding.  There's lots of hopping and falling and not much gliding, but it's pretty funny.  Hey, if you can't laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at, right?? ;D

So, I hope you're curious about whether or not I made it on the team -- though you can probably guess the answer. ;D  No, I wasn't chosen to be one of the beginner snowboarders, to be taught how to do tricks in 8 weeks and at the end compete against the other teams.  Which I'm totally okay with.  I think I prefer learning to snowboard on my own time.

Which leads me to the second part of this snowboarding fiasco -- a bunch of the other "rejects" and I have created our own little snowboarding group!!  One girl thought of the idea and sent out an email to us, and our first practice / get together thingy is tomorrow.  I think it'll be such fun, to practice snowboarding with other people who can't do it any better than I can. ;D

And now: JAWS.  Ehm.

Well, what can I say.  It's a classic for a reason -- but it's also quite rough.  As in... lots of blood, gore, and otherwise questionable content.  I don't think I'll be seeing this one again. ;)  On the other hand, watching a crazy movie for class is pretty great.  Film appreciation for the win, right!?! ;D

Now, I'm off to do some homework... yay philosophy reading...

Week Two, Two Weeks

And just like that--

my second week of college is a thing of the past.  And this is what I learned:

college is what you make it.

I've had so many options these past two weeks as far as what I could be feeling -- happy, sad, excited, disappointed, energetic, lazy, friendly, lonely, upset, joyful... but I can only "feel" as much as I allow myself to feel within my circumstances, and in this mindset, I've been learning to look at the positives.

1) I'm not friendless.  Okay, no, I don't have any "bosom buddies" yet, but I also don't feel as lonely as I did last week.  I've met so many wonderful people at Liberty so far, and for that I am so thankful -- but this week, I'm thankful for being able to deepen a few of those acquaintance-ships.  It's so easy to take friendship for granted, and my loneliness has made me value a smile on eye contact much, much more than I used to.

2) I'm not bored.  There have been so many fun opportunities this week, including Liberty's mini-film festival! (Dan Gordon and Stephen Kendrick being the biggest names of the guests. Like, whaaaaat!).  Plus, now I'm sick, so I get to enjoy lying in bed sniffling my little heart out in my free time.  Which makes me really sad, because Liberty was showing Avengers: Age of Ultron last night after the first football game of the season, and I was dying to go... but I didn't... 'cause I'm sick and tired and not bitter at all.

3) I have fun classes.  Yeah, fun.  Sewing class, film appreciation, history of life, and philosophy have all been genuinely enjoyable.  Biblical worldview and "university core competencies," on the other hand, have not been fun, but I will survive, and they're easy classes anyway.  So, I'm super thankful for the fact that I have something to look forward to every week-day morning. (:

4) I've got God on my side.  Even if the whole world turned against me, you know who'd still be there for me?  That's right - Jesus Christ.  I believe I can handle this college thing pretty well with Him on my side.  I've been so glad that I've been able to consistently read the bible every morning; it's been my calm in the craziness. ^_^

5) It will get better from here.  Homework will get harder, courses will become more stressful... but I'll also meet and better get to know so many people, learn so much more academically, and - prayerfully - grow in my relationship with God.  I've got four stinkin' years of college ahead of me, and I'm determined to make the most of it. (:

Sooo, lastly... tomorrow begins Week Three.  I'm looking forward to the snowboarding competition tryouts on Tuesday (if I make it onto the "off-campus" team I might die from excitement), watching Jaws for film appreciation class (this course is seriously boss), and the Jurassic World movie night on Friday (yayy for getting to see it for the first time!!).  It'll be a good week.  I wish you a good week, too. :)

Until next Sunday! ^_^

Looking Back on my First Week of College

One week.  Seven days.  168 hours.

It goes by so fast, but not until you're looking back at it.  In the moment, the days feel slow, placid, maybe even boring.  You don't hear that much, do you?  The idea that college is boring... and really, it isn't, except occasionally.  For me, I felt bored too much this first week, and I'm hoping that will change over the course of the next few weeks.

So, firstly, my classes.  Out of the six I'm taking this semester, I love four of them.  The other two are mostly lame -- so I won't go into those.  However, I'd love to tell you about the others...

Philosophy and Contemporary Ideas.  The professor is great, the class is small, and the lecture/reading/discussion topics are fascinating.  Who knew I'd enjoy philosophy??  Bonus: For the extra 250 pages of philosophy reading of our choice, I chose a book entitled "Star Wars and Philosophy." #forthewin

Design and Construction 1 for Apparel.  This is basically sewing class. :D  The only downside is that it's geared more towards those who have never sewn before (which isn't me).  The upside to this, however, is that I'll get to go back to the basics, and master them as I should!

Film Appreciation.  Just what it sounds like, we're going to spend the majority of time in class watching and discussing movies.  There is no downside to this. ;D  I haven't seen 6 out of the 7 movies the professor has chosen, so I'm excited to expand my movie-knowledge.  The first one will be Jaws... hehehe.

History of Life.  Now, I'm no science geek, by any means, but this class has been absolutely fascinating so far.  It focuses on the "history of life," as you could guess, and goes into all the different arguments and debates concerning that.  So, last Thursday, the professor (who is awesome) discussed how the theory of evolution contributed to the mindset of Nazi Germany. :O

Next, the fun things.  I'm rather friendless (with lots of acquaintances), and have been at home more than I care to admit, but there's still been some cool happenings over the course of this week...

The first convocation (the thrice-weekly meeting all the students have to attend, previously known as chapel) featured David Crowder!  Now, that guy is definitely an odd-ball, but some of his music is just lovely -- so I really enjoyed hearing him live. ^_^

I signed up for a beginner's snowboarding competition!!  Yes, I know -- I've never snowboarded in my life.  BUT that is exactly what the competition is geared towards: "Students must balance their school and work schedules while learning how to ski or snowboard - starting with no experience - training to battle it out in a snowboarding competition."  If I'm chosen to be one of the 7 people on the "off campus" team (there are 5 teams in all), I'll be trained for 8 weeks leading up to a competition against the other teams.  So, I'll definitely let you know what ends up happening with that. :D

The third kind-of-cool thing that happened this week, was that I was featured on the "Faces of Liberty" Facebook page, which is run by a Liberty student who goes around to random students and does a little mini-interview with them to share their story -- kind of like the "Humans of New York" page.  Cool, right?? :)

So, I suppose this wraps up the happenings of my first week of college.  It kept me much less busy than I was expecting, but it was still a wonderful week, and I'm very much looking forward to the next one. :)  Until later, friends! ^_^

P.S.  Being off Pinterest has finally gotten to me, and my poor soul is dying for a solid fangirling sesh.  Any news I'm missing out on??  Any pins that I should see? ;D

The Night Before College...

...and all through the house,

one creature was fretting -- and it wasn't a mouse.

I knew my new backpack was filled up with care,

And triple-checked that everything I needed was there.

I remembered my outfit as it fell with a clatter,

Hoping it was "cool" enough, but deciding it didn't matter.

Then my thoughts turned to the very next day,

When everything would probably not go my way.

Visions of running late raced through my head,

I hoped it wouldn't happen, but was still filled with dread.

And when into my new class rooms I finally came,

Who would I meet, and would I remember their name?

Really, part of me longed to be a fly on the wall,

To simply watch, and observe that first day of all.

While all these scenarios raced through my head,

I was trying to sleep, lying in bed.

And finally, I slipped off to dream land, out of sight,

Hoping most of all, I would just survive the night.