if you're too busy, they will pass right by

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I've discovered something about myself that I don't really like. I am a horrible listener. if someone is talking and there's not a lot of interest in my part...I tune out. which seems pretty harmless but it's becoming more frequent and  there's usually a distracting factor involved. like the other day, my roommate came home with exciting news about an internship while I was in the middle of watching something. luckily I had the decency to turn it down and listen to her but I felt like I was missing out. there I was with a real, live person that I care about and it was difficult to focus on her exciting news. or the other time that my roommate wanted to talk about something and I was just "uh huh-ing" while I was texting. this habit has progressively gotten worse and I want to fix it.People are important but I haven't been treating them like they are.

yesterday we started our communication unit in my marriage and family class. and I think it's safe to say I've got some room for improvement. our teacher emphasized communication between husband and wife but I figured a little practice with roommates would be a good place to start. this realization and conscious decision has already given me a new perspective. this morning, I was running a little behind but someone needed me to listen. she asked me if I had time. the question of what's more important, listening to someone who needs it or getting to work with a couple extra minutes to clock in? ran through my head. it took me a split second to decide what was more important. because in the long run, I'm going to remember those moments more than the extra fifty cents. because she's done the same thing for me. because people are important.

Are we able to see the relationship as more important than the task at hand?

whether you're a great listener or not, married or single, I think this is something we should all think about.  it could be when there's a fight over something trivial or when we get caught up in something. life gets busy, everyone knows this. but don't forget to take a step back once in a while, work on what's truly important in life, and listen.

Happy weekend everyone :)

welcome spring

classy arm shadow? oh yeah.

today is the first official day of spring. and even though I wore a scarf and boots {it's still cold in the morning}, it definitely feels like spring. the birds chirp on my way to school, the sun is bright, and it's actually pleasant to be outside. although with the way our weather has been acting, it could snow next week. but as long as the sun is out to play, I'm going to enjoy it. so I skipped the library routine today and took my books outside. Carly and I studied on the grass and basked in the glorious sunlight. then Kylee and I took a little walk {two blocks...} to the 7/11 and got some goods. I fed my chocolate addiction and it was delicious.

ps. last night the endorphins from our run possessed Carly and I. our outdoor pool had just been filled and the little voices thought it would be a brilliant idea to jump in. in march. late at night.

they were pretty persuasive.

If...

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If I was a dedicated blogger, I would write about...

how I shouldn't feel silly blogging at the library because that's what computers are for, right? 

the night I went to Fillmore with some friends. It was a camp out complete with hot dogs, hot springs, and peeing in the bushes.

the great dinner I had yesterday and that if you've never had Navajo tacos, you should try 'em. 

the history class field trip to southern Utah to visit Topaz, a Japanese internment camp during WWII and how it gave me a lot to think about.

the two nights in a row I went to The Chocolate. one for the blogger meet-up and the other just for my roommates birthday. the food was delicious both times :)

gyoza night with some guys from class. After spending far too much time in the library, we made gyoza (potstickers) from scratch, talked about WWII US/Japanese conflict, and watched Karate Kid. 

how I had a 3 hour car conversation with a boy from class and he renewed my hope in the male gender.

me becoming an absolute chocolate addict. quarter pound of chocolate in an hour? Check.

the constant battle of I love to learn versus do I really have to read all this and write a research paper?

how excited I am that my hair is long enough to put in a bun on the top of my head. Not doing my hair has suddenly become sociably acceptable. 

my love for Once Upon a Time. it grows stronger every week.

the exciting news that there are only 17* more days of school left this semester 

(*plus a few finals)

that I really don't like having a guy bail on a date. Twice. And then tell me the week after that it was to go on a date with a girl still in high school. 

that I prefer to study at the library because the 4th floor is a party usually complete with friends, food, and music.

how awesome my family is. And how excited I am to see them in a little over three months!

that I live vicariously through other peoples' dating lives because they are much more interesting and exciting. 

or how everyone is getting married and having babies. and how, at age 19, the idea becoming a crazy cat lady seems more and more possible.

 how bizarre our weather is. one week we're having a Sunday picnic complete with crepes and fruit and the next week we're pulling out the boots again due to snow. 

how grateful I am for what I have because there are so many others in this world wouldn't mind having an amazing family, being able to go to college, having a job, and an overall great life. 

but

since I'm not very consistent (especially since my laptop broke), this is what I write about. 

Hope everyone has a great week!

a new perspective



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this picture doesn't really have anything to do with what I want to write about. although it could have have something to do with the great cat show that was on TV last night. maybe.

I've been thinking a lot lately about what makes me who I am, what I like, and what I want from life. and I'm realizing that there are still a lot of unknowns. but there is also the realization that that my perspective is changing.

I'm changing.

there used to be days when I wished I could go back to being 6 when life was simple. but mostly I don't wish for that anymore because happy moments are equivalent to hard moments. and back then, happiness was not losing the tiny dolls to my pollypocket set and hard moments were made up of "getting in trouble."

now, the hard times have gotten harder

but the good times have gotten better.

and they're only going to get more so as life goes on.

but I'm okay with that because my appreciation for the good times has grown and with that, being happy happens more often.

so when I had a bad day and an amazing roommate surprised me with a flower to cheer me up, I appreciated it more because I remembered how hard that day was.

having hard times help us grow and the good times remind us why those hard times are worth it

and why life is so wonderful.

have a great sunday!

it's   only   awkward   if   you   make   it   awkward

 

So...

 when the random person next to me in class fell asleep and ended up leaning on my shoulder

when someone walked in on me having a conversation with myself

when I lacked motivation to get ready for school in the morning so I didn't

when someone creepily watched us take pictures on the roof

when I consumed a mass amount of food on Sunday

when I creeped on a cute guy at the library and then make eye contact 3 times {but that's supposed to be good right?}

when a girl I don't know very well made suggestive hip motions at me

when I have 3 blog drafts that I have failed to finish and post

when I'm told that I've committed the sin of all sins by not replying to a facebook message

when I go on a date and it ends 45 min later

when random people from high school star in my dreams 4 nights in a row

and then I see their doppelgangers on campus

when my trips to the bathroom are every half hour because drinking from my waterbottle is fun

when there's a class potluck and I eat more than the boys

when I get ridiculously excited anytime I see a cat

when I see girls from last year, shout their name, give them ridiculously weird side hugs, and tell them that their wedding announcements are cute 

when it's been days since I've posted anything

when I ask people randomly about their exciting travel plans because I saw their itinerary that morning

when I fall asleep in the library and catch myself drooling {or don't catch myself}

I just laugh.

but sometimes, it really is just plain awkward.