Dig Pink

Last night the Southwestern Illinois Volleyball team hosted their annual “Dig Pink” game in honor of the Susan G. Komen Foundation. The school provided our team with pink shirts that we wore as our jerseys. We all put pink bows in our hair and got decked out. Before the game we asked anyone who was a survivor to stand up and be honored. We also held a 50/50 drawing and the winner donated the money back to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.  It was a great night and I really enjoyed being able to honor those men and women.  About 1.2 million cases of cancer are diagnosed annually. I found that absolutely amazing. In the US, around 183,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer are diagnosed in women and about 1,990 new cases of invasive breast cancer are diagnosed in men. So many people are affected by this monster of a disease and it saddens me. I have been very fortunate in my family, because we have not had any cases of cancer, but I know so many people who have been affected. It’s hard to believe that there is no cure for this disease with all the new discoveries that we have made, but I am sure one day soon we will have the answers. I am truly sorry for the people who are now and have suffered from cancer; you are all in my thoughts and prayers.

Work, Work, Work

Since school and volleyball has started I went down to working one day a week, Sunday. Every once in awhile I would work two days over the weekend whenever they were short handed, but this past weekend I worked Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I love my job, the people I work with, and the paycheck at the end of every two weeks, but sometimes I just need a day off. Volleyball keeps me really busy I am never home and never have down time. I haven't fallen behind in my school work but I honestly do not know how I haven't. This coming week I have a paper, speech, and test all coming up which I haven't started any. There is just so much to do and so little time to do it in. I wish I could add just a couple of hours to each day to allow myself time to catch up on everything. Volleyball is almost over and I know when it ends I am going to have too much time, but right now I just need an extra hour or two in the day. I know I am not the only one stressing and I am sure there are plenty of people who agree. Once I get through next week all my stress will be gone….well at least for a day or two.

Volleyball

This past summer in August, I decided to sign and play volleyball at Southwestern Illinois College. When I decided I wanted to play I was really excited yet nervous at the same time. Playing a college sport is completely different than playing in high school. My high school was very small and we were not considered to be very strong in our conference for really any sport. I was not sure if I was a good enough athlete to play college volleyball. As a SWIC volleyball player you are on scholarship, which means you are getting paid to play so it is like a job for you. You have to be dedicated and willing to give it your all every time you step onto the court. Our season started out a little rough but the past two weeks we have really pulled it together. It is as if we are a whole new team. We practice hard and give it our all every night. I have truly enjoyed my experience so far here at SWIC as a Blue Storm member. I feel I have improved personally and learned so many new things. I cannot wait to see what the rest of the season brings for our team, and what my fellow freshman and I will bring next year as sophomores.

Midterm

Well I am now half way through my first semester of college here at SWIC. It is amazing how fast it has gone. College has definitely been a new experience but it hasn’t seemed much harder that high school ever did. I feel much busier between going to school four days a week, playing volleyball, and working but I feel like I have been able to stay caught up with my school work. I do enjoy college much more than I ever did high school. I miss my friends, but I enjoy the freedom and down time between my classes. It is a completely new environment for me. I love being at the Belleville campus over the Red Bud campus because it is larger and there is so much more to do. Being in college, gives me the sense that I am a grown up now, and it is kind of exciting.  I look forward to my next year and a half here at SWIC. Every semester I know the classes will get more and more interesting because they will start applying to my major. I feel like I am one step closer to starting my life as a college graduate and working adult.

Birthday Presents

Friday September 24th was my birthday, and I could not have been more excited. I love birthdays and I could not believe mine was already here. Although I had to spend my birthday away from my family in Champaign at a volleyball tournament, it still was a great birthday. I got my usual presents from my family, which was cards with money in them, but there was one gift that stood out so much. My best friend Devon got me the best birthday present of all, tickets to go see the Usher concert at Scott Trade Center in November. When I opened the card, I could tell she was so excited for me to see it and before I could unfold the paper she shouted out that we were going to the concert. I could not believe it. I have only been to one concert in my life and I was in fourth grade. It was a Toby Keith concert and I went with my grandparents. I remember it so well because Rascal Flatts opened for him, and they were not even famous yet. Although that concert was fun, this one is going to be amazing. Look out Usher here we come!!