Lessons Learned In St. Cloud

1. It's ok to stay in your pjs until 6:30pm, especially if it is New Year's Day.
2. Don't drink bleach.
3. Make parodies of songs.
4. Find long-lost family members at parties.
5. Maryland is a female name.
6. In Tangled, Rapunzel hides the crown in a tree stump.
7. Bambi really isn't that great of a movie.
8. Grammar hard at 3am.
9. Things get warm when you boil them.
10. Drive slow on ice.
11. Brush your teeth before biting someone (it's the courteous things to do).
12. Be careful when going down stairs.
13. Stomachs don't have ears.
14. St. Cloud, FL isn't the same as St. Cloud, MN.
15. The sun is bright.
16. It's possible to have a laughing hangover (those are the best kind).
17. Seeing people smack their heads is funny.
18. Denmark is the first country people think of.
19. Kitty!
20. Driving to St. Cloud is boring.
21. Bring sweatpants on trips.
22. It will be purple eventually.
23. Be aware of hatchet murderers.
24. Hound dogs running are hilarious.
25. 6 blankets > a fireplace.
26. Formality? Haha, no.
27. If a vampire bites a zombie, will the zombie turn into a vampire? Or will the vampire turn into a zombie? Or both? ZOMBIE VAMPIRES!
28. Being a surrogate mother is scary (especially in dreams).
29. Don't sleep in contacts.
30. Everyone loves carrots.
31. Watching the ball fall in Nashville is a lot less exciting than watching it fall in New York.
32. Beware the monologue.
33. Ojo bonojo is the best card game ever invented.
34. Learn to play 500.
35. Ancient Aliens is a ridiculous tv show.
36. Laugh and learn.

Sorry for such a long list of lessons (if you can even call them that). I am currently sitting in Megan's kitchen, watching her cut up potatoes for dinner tonight. I've been here since Friday afternoon and as you can tell from the long list of jokes and lessons, it has been a blast being here. New Years Eve, Megan took me to a party with her friends. I met her friends from high school (who I've heard so much about) and I taught them the best card game ever, ojo bonojo (if you want to learn how to play, just ask me). The night turned out to be a success. I ended up talking more with Megan and Melissa's friends than I did with Megan or Melissa themselves. Megan and I stayed in our pjs all of yesterday and today we are preparing for dinner with Megan's aunt Lori. Then on Wednesday, I head back home.

My time in St. Cloud has been an adventure to say the least. The timing of this trip has been perfect: I missed seeing Megan and Melissa and being home for a long period of time is weird and slightly annoying. If I could take one thing away from my time here is that friends make all the difference. Before I came here, both Megan and I were feeling down and bit off. Although being with my mom and family has been a blessing, my friends have become such an intricate part of my life and not having them around has been weird. Sometimes all we need is time with friend to laugh and learn ridiculous things.

Peace!

-Nicole

Join the Army!

1. Baking cookies = amazing.
2. Bleach is never fun to spill.
3. Hair dye does stain skin.
4. Create an army.

I am currently sitting in my dorm's laundry room, smelling slightly of bleach... hair bleach. Soon enough, my hands will be tinted blue and my friend Erin and her friend Ashley will have a few streaks of blue in their hair (and it's supposed to be blue this time!).

My goal right now: to create an army of people with streaks of crazy color in their hair. So far, I've recruited Megan, Erin, and Ashley. I just posted this on my Facebook, "I've created a monster. Anyone else want a funky color in their hair? I'm trying to create an army. So far I have pink, purple, and blue. I want a few more colors in my army. Anyone?" And right now, I have one person coming downstairs for me to color his hair purple. And I have five people considering joining me. It's my evil plan. I'm creating an army of colors - sort of like a Rainbow Hair Army.

I am so winning.

It may be a ridiculous goal right now to create a Rainbow Hair Army, but maybe creating an army isn't such a bad idea. It is finals weeks and things are completely crazy. Megan and I today went a little crazy at dinner and nearly everyone on campus is wearing glasses, sweatpants, and sweatshirts. During a time when people are hiding in their rooms or in the library doing homework, it is sort of a lonely time. I know for the past few days, I've craved the company of others, but haven't been able to enjoy that company because either I or they have had things to do.

I've found that stress is easier to handle when you are around others - maybe not complaining all the time, but even just being in the company of others. Think of war movies: when the huge battle scene comes, every single one of the men is quiet, preparing for the first shot to be heard. Each of them are facing their own fears and demons, but they are together.

Creating an army is creating a group of people on whom you can depend on in those times of trial; a "no man left behind" culture is created. Not to mention, that during those really happy times, they are there to share it with you. Happiness grows. Lovely, isn't it?

So create an army. It will be a force against all that is bad and something that will create joy. Just don't start any wars against any people.

Peace!

-Nicole