Blog number one

Thanksgiving Break

2008-11-22T15:55:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that my first semester as a college freshman is coming to an end! With Thanksgiving Break right around the corner, it really makes me realize how fast things have gone by, and also how much they've changed. I remember my perspective of Mississippi College from when I first arrived on the very first day, and how it slowly morphed over the days, weeks, and eventually months hat consisted of meeting new people, starting classes and the school work that entailed, and adjusting to a brand new environment and situation.

I haven't been home since the day I left for MC. So many people have a hard time believing that I haven't! But honestly, I've never been one to be homesick. Even when I was younger, taking long trips was never hard for me. Despite this, I'm very excited about going back to Plant City, and I'm looking forward to seeing all of my friends and family. I'm also looking forward to Thanksgiving :)

Like I mentioned, I can't believe that it's already November. Before we know it Christmas will be here!

Finally winding down...

2008-11-09T13:54:00.000-08:00

This week and weekend has been one of those that when I look in my planner at what I have to do I get a little overwhelmed-but things are finally starting to wind down! For one, I'm officially in Nenamoosha; pledging is over and all 59 of us were pinned today! I did enjoy the process for the most part, but it's definitely a relief to have more free time :)

I was able to get all of the classes I needed, for the most part, because of getting up at 4:45 a.m. Thursday morning. I can't believe it's already time to pick next semester's classes! Things have gone by so fast-there can be so much anticipation for one thing and then it's over in a second, it seems.

I was thinking about how fast time goes, and it made me consider how much I utilize my time for the important things. Sure, things like schoolwork, etc. take top priority, but how much I am doing for God?... I know that tends to sound cliche by now, but it's something to really look at each day. It's too easy to get caught up in everything that's going on-and even if you're not overly busy to overlook taking time alone or pass by opportunities that may have been put out for us. I won't go on much more, but I'll just say that I myself have a hard time putting things first that shouldn't be..so, I guess that's something to work on!

Lists of things to do...

2008-11-02T12:29:00.000-08:00

I'm a list-maker, and although I'm not one to have a lot of clutter (usually! ;) ) I tend to have post-its scattered around my desk, mirror, and even in my planner, where I write my to-do schedule anyway (if there's something that is messy, it's my planner). Lately it seems like these lists have been a little out of control...there are so many little things to do!

Luckily, the busiest part of rush is over-Follies practice. It's so nice to have an extra few hours of my life back! The only thing left now for my tribe, Nenamoosha, is Bear Court, which will be held this Thursday. I'm excited about crossing that off my list, as well ;) but until then it's one more thing to study for...

I'm getting pretty excited about Thanksgiving Break. It will be so nice to have a break! :) I can't believe that it's already November. Things have really been flying by! With so much to do keeping me busy for the most part, that's not a complete surprise..

Old Friends

2008-10-26T11:03:00.000-07:00

After waking up this morning around 11:30 (I know, that's terrible...but I couldn't help it!) I called one of my best friends from home whose 19th birthday was yesterday, and who I didn't get a chance to call because of being so busy. It was so great to talk to her, even though it hasn't been that long since she last called. We have both been so busy, so after wishing her a happy belated birthday we both mutually went on and on about our college life so far... Although we're doing such different things we have a lot in common, nonetheless. She attends the University of Florida in Gainesville, and is pledging a sorority. I'm attending Mississippi College, almost the opposite in a sense ;) and I'm pledging our equivalent of a sorority. We've both had to adjust to different surroundings, meet new people, and all the rest that entails when it comes to the transition between senior year and college. Why I'm writing about this is to say how thankful I am to have had such good friends in high school. I was incredibly blessed, really. My three best friends and I were so compatible, and I'm not exaggerating when I say we never had a fight. There were, of course, things about one another that were frustrating, but we never let little things get in the way of our friendship. I can honestly say I had a drama-free high school experience...and I can't even begin to say how thankful I am for that! I don't think it would have been the same if the Lord hadn't blessed me with such good and loyal friends.

Saying goodbye to each other was hard, but not as difficult as I think any of us anticipated. We were all excited about a change. Something else we were all intangibly agreed upon was the inevitability of the four of us changing in college. After all, even if you don't mean to or realize it, everyone develops a little differently in the four years after high school. Even though I know that we may not, and quite honestly, probably won't stay as close as were were in Florida, I don't have any doubt that they will be my friends for life. And as different as we all are, we love each other. Who knows what will happen down the road from now, but, once again, I have been so blessed in this area of my life.

Starting high school for me was similar, I feel, to starting college here. My freshman year, I barely knew anyone. I can look back now and see that even though it took quite some time, the memories I left with and the friendships I made were well worth it. I love meeting everyone new at Mississippi College, and also know the kind of friends I am looking for. I know my experience here will be very different to mine in high school, but that's what I want. I'm trusting that I'll make good friends, as the balance between a "social" and "academic" life is important to me. I'm really grateful for the friends I've been able to make so far :) Basically, I'm guess I'm just anticipating and looking forward to how things will go here...

What's been going on lately...

2008-10-19T16:10:00.000-07:00

My life lately has been pretty busy, for the most part.

This is mostly attributed to the nightly practice we have all been, as pledges, required to attend in anticipation of Follies (which I can't believe are this coming weekend!). Although it's frustrating having to schedule that into my usual routine, I'm enjoying getting to know the girls in Nenamoosha a little more, and I'm very thankful to have a few specific girls in there with me :) Besides the chunk it takes out of each evening, it isn't too bad...

This, as well as a variety of other things, of course (school, looking for a job, etc...) are what made me enjoy my fall break so much! Though I wasn't able to fly home, I did visit my sister and her husband in Austin, Texas for the weekend. It was so relaxing, and I had a great time! To be honest, we mostly 'hung out'-but it was perfect to me :) My sister and I cooked, we watched old movies, we took walks...everything was just right, and it truly was a break form everything.

Coming back to school was a little odd, considering that is the longest I have been gone since I've arrived. It was like returning to someplace new...the first day of classes again was a little slow, but I adjusted. Now that I'm getting back into the swing of things, it feels like it always has!

This weekend was very good, and it's hard to believe that tomorrow is Monday...Here comes another week!

Family weekend

2008-10-05T15:03:00.000-07:00

This weekend was family weekend, of course. Unfortunately, my family (being about 9 hours away) wasn't able to make it. I'm surprised, though, at how well I'm doing not having seen them, or knowing that I will not be seeing them, for so long. My next trip home will be Thanksgiving break, which I feel is quickly approaching anyway. I'm yet to be really homesick, as rough as a transition this has been at times. Most I talk to are a little shocked when I say I won't be making a trip back home until Thanksgiving. I actually enjoying the independence, however. It's nice to be making my own decisions, and having a little more space to myself even. This weekend, ironically, both my suite mates and my roommate went home themselves for family weekend-for different reasons-so I had quite a lot of space to fill on my own.

I've talked to my parents regularly, almost every other day. My mother is an e-mailer, and I receive a detailed description of the daily activities in Plant City every morning. My dad, who I've only seen on the computer around twice my entire life, will call and talk my ear off every once in a while :) It's wonderful to hear from them, and I appreciate that they are not the type of parents to worry irrationally for me while I'm at college...at least not that they communicate to me...I'm certainly looking forward to going home when I can, but until then, I'm content actually being at college while I'm away at college.

Luckily for me, my sister's in-laws live about twenty minutes away, so any time I feel as if I could use a night in a real home with home-cooked meals I am welcome anytime. It's a great blessing to have them so close by. Yesterday we had a "mother-daughter tea" for our tribes and I was able to bring Mrs. Quarterman. This afternoon I also went and had lunch with them after church. Maybe this is why I don't feel completely homesick as of yet :)

Rush

2008-09-28T11:13:00.000-07:00

Although I realize that almost every other girl that has to write this blog will be doing theirs on Rush...I am, too.

Rush so far has gone really well, I feel. It was hard to believe it when coke party nights were over, and now it's even weirder that rush skits - that we heard so much about - are finished, as well. It was pretty interesting coordinating outfits we found out about the morning of for skits. A pirate (or ninja!), a shoe, a vegetable/"hot date" and a dancer...of course through all of this I realized that there were quite a few things I could have used at home! I have a feeling my accumulation of costume accessories will be getting bigger than the small cubby I keep them in at the top of my closet over the next few years at MC.

I feel like I know more about each tribe now that I've seen their skits and attended their events. As cliche as it may be getting to hear, I do see each of them as great in different ways. I had a good time at each skit - they were definitely all well worked on! Plus, the dances were amazing. Each tribe has godly, fun girls that make it unique. I'm leaning toward two certain ones, but I haven't completely decided. I still have a little time :) We'll see!

College so far...

2008-09-20T10:54:00.000-07:00

This morning I received an e-mail from my mom. It said something along the lines of - "Holly, can you believe it's been 3 weeks since we dropped you off there?" Pretty normal thing to say, but then it hit me...I've been a student at MC for 3 weeks now, ...how weird is that? lol. Honestly, the time has flown by (as cliche as that sounds), at least for the most part. I came not knowing any more than one person, an upperclassman. Since then I've met, which is hard not to do here, so many more. I will admit that Welcome Week, for me, was a little exhausting. Everything that was planned for the incoming freshmen was very thoughtful and undoubtedly a prime chance to mingle with everyone in our class...but, by the time classes began I was ready for it to be over, in a way. It was nice to feel like I had a routine again. Although I do enjoy, really, talking to people, all of the meet-and-greet small talk sort of wore me out. With classes beginning, I felt like there was something I could hold on to.

Now, of course, that I've been in classes long enough to feel comfortable...I am wishing I had more down time. But surely that's the case with everyone, as well. Considering that it seems the average student here, myself definitely included, gets much too little sleep every night, it's understandable. Now, with Rush finally beginning, I'm bracing myself for a small drop even lower in my average hours of lights out a night...maybe I'll start drinking coffee.

All in all, however, I'm happy right now, albeit a few tweaks that will work themselves out I'm sure. Hopefully I'm not the only one who is still adjusting, lol, but I have met and gotten to know better a number of very cool people, which is a blessing. Today I'm feeling the Bible verse "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope" (Psalm 130:5). This really fills me with hope, not because I'm necessarily distraught in any way right now, but because it is so encouraging in general. Waiting on the Lord, and losing myself in him before anything or anyone else. Something to think about

2008-09-10T08:25:00.000-07:00

I'm Holly Mallalieu, 18 years old and a freshman at Mississippi College. I'm from Plant City, Florida, a smallish town between orlando and Tampa. And although I like Mississippi a lot, I do miss the sunshine state ;) In high school I worked as a lifeguard/swim insructor at our YMCA for three years, as well as wrote articles for a local magazine. Most of my friends went to college in state, namely the University of Florida and University of Soiuth Florida. You may be thinking that it was a weird (for lack of a better word) decison for me to choose Mississippi College over a range of much closer, more familar Florida schools...and it was! But I'm very glad I did. It was definitely a "God thing". My oldest sister attended here years back, but I had never considered it too seriously, although it was always a possiblity in the back of my mind. No one, really-no one ;) - has heard of Mississippi College where I am from (most likely a handful of people I know still believe I'm attending Ole Miss) so it was obviously a little significant when I girl I worked with told me she would be going here, even without knowing I had any connection with the school in the least. Long story short, I began looking at MC more closely, and finally, much after everyone I know knew where they would be attending, lol, I decided to come. It's been sufficiently awkward, naturally, meeting tons of new people :) and getting used to an unfamilar area, etc...but I'm warming up to it all, and like I mentioned previously, I'm glad that I chose MC. When I think about it, I really can't think of anywhere I can picture myself...