It's Raining, It's Pouring

1. Sweatshirts are perfect for chilly weather.
2. Milk is necessary.
3. It's a sad day when one runs out of Tang.
4. Don't forget rain boots.

For the past few weeks, I have been volunteering at a local elementary school in their Spanish immersion program. I was placed in a classroom of 2nd and 3rd graders and boy, has it been interesting. I think I have learned Spanish more than I have taught it.

When I got to the school this morning at 8:00am, it was just starting to storm. The teacher was trying to teach the kids some new vocabulary words, but every single one of them was distracted by the approaching storm. Then suddenly, there was a thunder clap and quite a few of the kids jumped and started jabbering on about the storm. Naturally, the teacher became frustrated and told me to help her close the blinds on the windows. Her theory was, "If they can't see it, they won't think of it." The storm raged on outside and the class day continued. I left at 10:00am, which meant I had to walk to my car in the rain. I was only wearing flats for shoes and let's just say my feet became quite wet. I made it back to my dorm, but not without being drenched with water.

Some of the people around me are going through some rough times. They are not only battling their internal demons, but there seems to be a storm raging outside of them. For me, when I'm going through situations like this, I feel nearly helpless. My mind plays a mantra of "I just can't do this" - I can't handle my own demons and deal with the storm around me at the same time. Sometimes all I need is for someone to shut the blinds to the storm, calm me down, and make me focus on the task at hand: myself.

But shutting the blinds doesn't make the storm disappear - it only masks it for a while so you can figure things out in yourself before running out into the storm. And if you were to ignore the outside forever, how would you know if the storm has passed and it's sunny again? How will you know if the storm did any damage and needs repair? While closing the blinds to the storm may help for a while, it is only temporary.

And when you do run out into the storm, which I highly recommend, wear rain boots. Sure, we can wait until the storm passes, but why wait when you can move forward, experience new things, learn from the rain, and have the dirt be washed off by it (ever notice how when you go through tough times, the little petty things don't seem to matter after a period of time?).

Sometimes the rain does come, but there's always a rainbow, something to be learned.

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