Is Our Vote Important?

I know this is really late but I finally got the exact numbers from the survey and I wanted to share them with you all because I though they were incredible. At NYU questions were asked to see how much these college students thought about their vote! Then my history professors asked us the same questions here at Messiah College. Here are the results and questions. (The number asked at NYU was much greater then at Messiah)

This is NYU’s results:
•20% would give up their right to vote in the 2008 presidential election for a new ipod.
•66% would give up their right to vote in the 2008 presidential election for a full ride to NYU.
•50% would give up their right to vote forever for $1 million dollars.
•70.5% believe that one vote CAN make a difference.

This is Messiah college results:
•25% would give up their right to vote in the 2008 presidential election for a new ipod.
•88% would give up their right to vote in the 2008 presidential election for a full ride to Messiah College.
•53% would give up their right to vote forever for $1 million dollars
•71% believe that one vote CAN make a difference.

Wow I mean look at these numbers! I did vote in this survey along with the rest of my class, and I voted that I would give up my vote for a full ride to Messiah College because I don’t have the money for college, I’m in so much debt it’s sad. But although I would give up my vote I do think one vote matters, sometimes more then others but definitely does!

I just wanted to throw this out there quickly before I forgot! I hope you all enjoy and let me know your thoughts on this I would love to hear them!

“Anything important is never left to the vote of the people. We only get to vote on some man; we never get to vote on what he is to do.”

<3 Sara

Family, Turkey, and Apple Crisp

Well of course today is Thanksgiving, and that means, turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, ham, and whatever else people make in their families. For us that is pumpkin pie, brownies, and my mom’s famous apple crisp. (It’s the best ever and no one can change that!J) Today is a day to give thanks, spend time with family and eat! (lol) More importantly though it is about family and giving thanks for what we do have and not envying what we don’t. I am so very thankful for the family and friends that I do have during the holidays and all year long. Yes there are plenty of loved ones that I have lost and that are not here in human form, but I know that they are here with me each and everyday in my heart and all around. Yes I do miss them all but who wouldn’t? Although I miss them, I try so hard to remember that I need to not take for granted who is still here. We have our traditions of certain food or certain things we do for each holiday, but that is special for us, because then it’s “just a family thing.” I am so glad that my family has traditions that we get together with extended family and have dinner together. Then afterwards who knows, maybe some playing hide and go seek, movies, talking, or on occasions karaoke (ha-ha that’s a fun one)! No matter what we do it’s the fact that we get together and spend time with each other! The time we have with each other is more precious then we know and we have to be thankful for it each and everyday!

“It isn’t what you have in your pocket that makes you thankful, but what you have in your heart.”

“Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses.”

“Be careful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”

<3>

A Tree of Hearts

Going to class today I saw a tree on campus with leaves that looked like hearts. A whole tree full of leaf looking hearts! I thought it was so awesome looking at a whole tree full of hearts. Then as I kept walking it made me smile and I looked at the ground and there lying was one of the leaves. This one looked like the others and was mostly yellow, but as I looked at it, it was not exactly the same as the other ones were. This one leaf lying alone, among no others was turning brown, had been stepped on and mutilated by shoes. I thought for a second and was like that leaf on the ground is me! Alone, amongst none of the others, and getting hurt because it was away from the rest. I began to think even more. The tree was like my family, my friends, and all the people I know and care about me, but I wasn’t with them. I had left to try to find “me” without other people trying. I wanted to go on my own without the help of others and find my own way. This leaf was wearing down, broken, torn, and becoming more fragile as a stared at it. I felt the pain of that leaf because I felt my pain. Looking at that leaf made me realize that I can’t do it all on my own and that every one needs help sometimes, even it is just trying to “find themselves again.” Then I began thinking even more about this leaf and the tree of them. We all fall sometimes, and when the leaves turn their brilliant colors and God paints his creation with this beauty, they don’t last forever. We have our moments just like the leaves do, but at the end of the season they all fall. We all end up like the lonely leaf in the end, but it’s because we all have our moments. We are all beautiful creations from God and we all fail sometimes, and feel down and lonely but it’s those moments when the people we love and who love us in return fall with us. Those are the true hearts that we see all around us everyday!

Instead of a regular quote I decided on a bible verse and some lyrics to one of my favorite songs

“1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: 2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, 6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1-8-

EMERSON DRIVE: MOMENTS
I was coming to the end of a long long walk When a man crawled out of a cardboard box Under the E. Street Bridge Followed me on to it I went out halfway across With that homeless shadow tagging along So I dug for some change Wouldn't need it anyway He took it lookin' just a bit ashamed He said, You know, I haven't always been this way I've had my moments, days in the sun Moments I was second to none Moments when I knew I did what I thought I couldn't do Like that plane ride coming home from the war That summer my son was born And memories like a coat so warm A cold wind can't get through Lookin' at me now you might not know it But I've had my moments I stood there tryin' to find my nerve Wondering if a single soul on Earth Would care at all Miss me when I'm gone That old man just kept hanging around Lookin' at me, lookin' down I think he recognized That look in my eyes Standing with him there I felt ashamed I said, You know, I haven't always felt this way I've had my moments, days in the sun Moments I was second to none Moments when I knew I did what I thought I couldn't do Like the day I walked away from the wine For a woman who became my wife And a love that, when it was right, Could always see me through Lookin' at me now you might not know it But I've had my moments I know somewhere 'round a trashcan fire tonight That old man tells his story one more time He says I've had my moments, days in the sun Moments I was second to none Moments when I knew I did what I thought I couldn't do Like that cool night on the E. Street Bridge When a young man almost ended it I was right there, wasn't scared a bit And I helped to pull him through Lookin' at me now you might not know it Oh, lookin' at me now you might not know it But I've had my moments

When it rains it really does pour

Why is it way too true that “when it rains it pours”? This past week was going so well until it got be Wednesday, and then the stress started piling on. I had a paper due on Thursday, an advising meeting, a football banquet, and two exams today that I had not had any time to study for until last night. So I had my paper in by when it was due and then had to go to my advising meeting. I get to my meeting and I thought I had had everything all written down and figured out for the next 3 semesters, and my advisor tells me I probably can’t graduate on time. I’m like what? You have to be kidding me?! I was fighting off tears. So I finally get done there and leave, go back to my room and get ready to go home when a friend txt me and asked if I had a book finished and if I was going to our group meeting. I said no I can’t make it, and then of course I was already so stressed I ended up saying things I completely regretted. So then we basically got into a fight. :-\ Then I get home and my mom and I walk in the front door and my cat is taking her last breathes lying in the middle of the living room floor. At this point I have dinner to make for a football banquet, 2 exams to study for, and my cat is taking her last breaths. So my cat dieing was just the icing to the cake. I finally just lost it and broke.

Why do we get so overwhelmed in society today that we just hold it back till it cracks and then explodes? Getting to this point made me feel like crap because I couldn’t pull myself together. The thing I kept trying to tell myself was that it’s not all worth getting stressed over. Yes it was a crappy and very overwhelming day, but I guess If we didn’t have days like this then we wouldn’t appreciate or know how lucky we were on the days that are relaxing and calm. It’s just tough because when you are going through it, it feels like things can’t get any worse. Unfortunately that is usually wrong!

“Stress is when you wake up screaming and you realize you haven't fallen asleep yet”

<3>

I Don't Understand....

For those of you who know me, I go to a christian college who has visitation hours in the dorm rooms and campus apartments. We are not allowed in the opposite sex's rooms when the visitation hours are over. What I don't understand is how we the students are suppose to be able to hangout with our friends who may be the opposite sex. We don't have places to go and sit and watch moves except for our rooms, because of the lack of TVs and such needed equipment. In our student handbook it is said that visitation hours are in place to keep students boundaries, but we are adults who can control what we do. If people want to have sex on this campus in their rooms they will, and if they don't they wont. Why do we as ADULTS need rules that cage us in like this. I can't wrap my mind around how this is suppose to treat us as adults. The real world is not like this one bit because we set our own boundaries out there and that helps us define who we are and what morals we have for ourselves. So why would college do this to us, and un-prepare us for "the real world". These friends i have here that I want to spend time with and cant have become my family, and it breaks my heart that i am not allowed to spend time with my family without breaking the rules and hoping not to get caught. For some people this pushes them to break the rules, because for 1 they don't agree with them 2 teenagers/young adults like to rebel and 3 have no thoughts of doing anything like sex, but instead just hanging out and watching movies or just talking.

I find this so sad to think that we can not be trusted to do what is right to us and be responsible. It seems that they don't trust us or treat us like the adults we are. Why would the college do this to us, and make us feel like we are back in high school again. We are responsible adults who just want to be with our friends sometimes, and be treated as so! Why is this so hard for our college to comprehend. Then if you do get caught breaking visitation hours you get written up...seriously do you just want to give us detention to while you are at it?!?!?!? This just doesn't prepare us for life, because this is NOT LIFE!!!! this is just such a frustrating topic for many of people here on campus!

"Because I believe the change must begin with me"

"Every generation needs a new revolution"

<3 Sara

Random car rides...

"Without friends no one would choose to live." -Aristotle-

Isn't interesting how you can just jump in a car with friends and drive around, not actually going anywhere? I have to be honest I love doing this with my friends! We drive around music blaring, windows down, and just singing, talking, or even sometimes crying...whatever! It's pretty much my favorite way to just hang out and chill with most of my friends. This gives us time to hangout with all of our busy schedules, so usually we go at 11pm or later in the night. Well my one friend Zach has this place he drives to, called the "Red Blinky Light"! This might sound awesome and like an amazing place to go, but it's basically a phone tour...lol, but the view at the top of that hill is awesome! It looks down over the city, and is just an awesome sight at night to see all the lights and such.

So Zach drives me, and my friend/roommate Liz there and back, approximately once a week or so, whenever we all have time to get together and hangout. I guess the thing that just makes me laugh though, is that we drive there and back and then just end up sitting in the car talking, laughing, singing and catching up! Although at this point we are all pretty tired and getting the sleepy haha's because it's about 1 AM!

So I guess what gets me is that we could all just go hangout at the student union, or many other places, but we choose not to. Instead we decide to be couped up in a car and just be us together, no ones else around! It's one of my favorite ways to hangout with people because of that. I love that people can connect by just driving no where inparticular, and instead just hanging out and relaxing with each other. This is how yo really get to know people and start to learn new things every time you get together! It's amazing how you can know someone so long and just learn something new by taking random car drives!


"A friend is one to whom one can pour out all the contents of one's heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that the gentlest of hands will take and sift it, keeping what is worth keeping, and, with the breath of kindness, blow the rest away." -Arabian Proverb-



<3 Sara

Man or Woman????

which is better...being a man or a woman?

We had a discussion in my personal narratives class today about roles of a man or a woman. It was so interesting to hear from guys in what they think of when they are to describe "what being a man is to them." The one guy in our class spoke about that he said being a guy is "having testosterone and a penis and the weaknesses that come with that." That is exactly how he started with what he thought being a man was and then went on to saying so many stereotypes about having to be masculine and like sports. Also about not being able to be a male nurse or in any feminine roll because then people just think your gay.

Then our group and the other girl group got to talk and we did not have anything as good as the guys did! So then the class turned to discussion basically between the guys and the girls. We talked about relationships and the rolls society has put on guys and girls in a relationship. So we finished up a great conversation in class and then were walking out when my friend said, she should have asked the question of whether a guy and a girl can be just best friends?

So we decided to ask our prof as we were leaving class. She didn't really know and it kinda has had me thinking about this all day, because some of my friends and I discuss this a lot. I feel that you can have a guy who is just a best friend because most of my best friends are all guys! I think that it is a little tougher sometimes because men and women interpret things differently. But i would just say friends are friends no matter the sex! So i guess maybe i did find an answer for myself!

"A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you"

Sara <3

Strangers who became family!

Hey,

Well I am 3 weeks into my Junior year of college. It's crazy how time fly's by and that I graduate next year! WOW...it's still kind of sinking in slowly. It makes me think about how I came to college and now these strangers are like family. High school wasn't the best years of my life and I would NEVER want to re-live them AT ALL. But I do feel that these years of college are the years that replace "the best years".

I have met most of my best friends here, they are like family. I don't know what I would do without them most of the time. Some of them have literally saved my life, and I don't even know where I would be without some of them. These strangers have become the family I never had, and the sisters and brothers I'm sure my mom never wanted.

Yes the classes may keep us from getting our required amount of sleep and our professors might just think we are always tired, but those nights that we should have been writing a paper and instead were playing volleyball at 3 AM, or making a McDonald's run for french fries. Those are the memories that I know I will never forget and will always remember. These memories are what makes thinking about graduating from here so difficult. How can I just leave everyone, and just "try" to keep in contact. It is so sad just thinking about not being together and basically living with all of those people who you care about and can't imagine not being around all the time.

This is what makes life so hard...meeting strangers that become your family and then having to part again. This is how life goes, we just have to keep in touch and hope that our friendships are tight enough that miles can't break them! The sadness of reality.

If you're alone, I'll be your shadow. If you want to cry, I'll be your shoulder. If you want a hug, I'll be your pillow. If you need to be happy, I'll be your smile. But anytime you need a friend, I'll just be me. ~Author Unknown


Love,

Sara