Family Weekend Mayhem

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The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, 

but of respect and joy in each other’s life.

~Richard Bach

I don't see myself as a homebody, and I tend to make myself comfortable fairly quickly no matter where I am. But, there's something special about being with a group of people who love you unconditionally. Over the weekend, my mother, aunt, and grandma came all the way to Iowa to see me.

This term's been abnormally stressful, and I became sick over the week which made catching up on assignments difficult. Formal recruitment ended, but I still had so much work to do for my officer position. I decided to prioritize my responsibilities to my sorority sisters, over my own well-being. Though I never recommend someone doing this, I felt that I needed to do my best - despite my own ailments - because people depend on me. Naturally, I only became more stressed as my workload increased, and to top it all off my family was coming.

You’d be surprised (maybe not) by how quickly I got over my stress once we left. After spending time with my family, I gained three valuable experiences to help me get through the next week, and hopefully, the rest of the school year.

1. I streamlined my work

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I decided to finish my paper within one hour. If it takes the average woman 30 min to write a paper, it may take me an hour. I spend half of that time debating with myself about whether or not I should start over from scratch. Then, my mom arrived. My family took off work to come and see me. The least I could do was to keep work separate from my personal life. When we got back to my dorm I ranted for… 45 minutes? My mom is more reasonable when it comes to time management, and she told me to just do it. I challenged myself to finish that paper, so we could leave. When I did, I quickly finished another assignment. The solution was so simple, yet I couldn’t bring myself to do it without my mom telling me to. We all need that parental push once in a while. I won’t be spending more time than I need to on assignments anymore. 

2. I stood up to annoying men

We ordered Need Pizza for dinner, but there was no parking, so I hopped into the rain, and went to get our dinner. This really tall man - thin, ugly, and drunk - was harassing people out front. One man walked away and a couple walked inside. This man was blocking the door, so I had to walk past him. This fool had the audacity to say (drunk voice) Girl, you smilin’? You need to smile. How can I put into words how angry I was? He called me a girl AND told me to smile! I gave him the middle finger and pushed past him. I warned the inside staff about him, and pointed him out. When I left the shop, he stumbled to the other side of the sidewalk. He was lucky my mom wasn’t there. 

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He wasn’t the last sicko. After shopping the next day, a man followed behind us in his SUV. Now, this fool, had the nerve to try to intimidate us. He may have road rage, but I have woman rage. He should’ve been prepared for my attitude. We all know those drivers that think they have the right-of-way solely because they’re in a car; he’s one of them. My Grandma walked behind me to shield me from his car, and I looked him in the eyes. He glared at me. I glared at him. He pulled up slowly behind us and followed us into the parking lot of the hotel. 

I stood behind Grandma and put my arms up behind her. He drove to our side and rolled his window down. He was angry, so I talked VERY loudly about how his license plate was easy to remember and how you shouldn’t be a terrible driver if your license plate is so simple. When we got inside, I saw him get out of his car. No one seemed worried, but I was on edge. Later than night I tried to look for his car, to take photos for the police (just in case) but Grandma said she watched him leave hours before that. He was lucky too. 

3. I learned about my preferred aesthetics

We went to Ashley Furniture because my mom needs a couch. I had no clue how expensive furniture can be. The store was divided into themes based on whatever the designer thought looked well together. I love HGTV shows and had the basic idea that I wanted my dream home to be nice. This isn’t good enough. Do I want a whimsical or modern aesthetic? Do I want to feel energized in one room and relaxed in the other? There were many options, and I know that I have plenty of time to experiment with styles before I purchase my first home. Still, it’s never too early to know what you like. 

For starters, giant clocks are the way to go. I don’t know about you, but I want a giant clock in my living room. It’s purposeful and it’s art (apparently). What more can you ask for? I want paintings of trees and fish, and lights that sparkle. Basically, a magical forest with furniture that contains outlets for my electronics. My research this autumn is all about nature immersion and its effects on individuals, so maybe it’s destiny for my house to mimic a nature reserve. 

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At the end of all the amazing memories I've made with the woman in my family, I came back to campus with a clear head and a happy heart. My dorm is my private sanctuary, my sisters and friends are my family, and Coe is my home away from home. I'm not the type of person to become homesick, still, it's nice to know that there are people I can come back to.


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Planet of Success Quotes