Beginning of the End

I'm not sure how I got here, but I'm in my final week of being an undergrad student at Harding. I graduate in 6 days. I'm going to Colorado in 20 days. I'm leaving for China in 109 days. It's exciting, it's bittersweet, it's unbelievable.

I don't think it's fully hitting me right now that after I leave here this chapter of my life is over. The Harding bubble, the club events, the professors and people I now call friends, the curfew, living in the Reynolds building as a communication major. The good, the bad, the crazy. I'm so grateful I was able to spend the last four years of my life here in this weird little Arkansas town of Searcy.

It's been a semester of a few more firsts, and also a semester of a lot of lasts. Here's a little bit more of what I've been up.

 My last Chi Omega Pi beauxing.

I celebrated turning 22 at a trampoline park and the Purple Cow!

As the Vice Presidents for Chi Omega Pi, Shelby and I were in charge of  planning our spring formal event. It was Roaring Twenties themed at a place in Judsonia called Sunset Ridge. We lined up the caterer, designed shirts, made decorations, then set up and tore it all down on Sunday April 26. It was so much fun having the opportunity to do some event planning and have my last ChiO formal at the same time.

 My senior undergrad research thesis studying the last 25 years of Academy Award Winning Best Picture Films.

Avengers 2 Premiere with some cool cats.

Senior Tea for Chios.

ALSO I SAW THE LOVE OF MY LIFE IN CONCERT LAST NIGHT. Yeah I'm lookin at you Ed Sheeran. It was seriously the best concert I've ever been to and one of the best nights of my life.

Senior Year Highlights

I love Harding. I love friends. I love road trips and animal shelters and ice storms and free coffee (thanks Chick-fil-a). This semester so far has been great for all of these reasons and more. 

Highlights so far:

1. Road trip to Memphis

Our 2nd weekend back we had MLK day off, and what better way to celebrate than visiting a town MLK frequented. We hit up the Memphis Zoo and Pearl Street, met a (will be) famous rapper, and got lost looking for cupcakes. All the perfect elements for a great road trip of course. 

2. Hiking

It may not be Colorado, but who says Arkansas doesn't have it own scenic landscapes? I visited Petit Jean State Park for the first time and also climbed Sugarloaf (for the 3rd time)

3. Icepocalpyse2k15

We didn't think it was going to happen. We had given up hope, stopped waiting. But sweet mama, it happened. And it was perfect. 2 days of icy bliss. No school. No alarms. Just sleep and adventure. How life should be. 

4. MY FUTURE STARTING

I received this email on my mom's birthday.....WHAT'S UP CHINA

Here's some other stuff that happened that was pretty cool too. 

Me and my Chinese conversation partner Benjamin

Animal shelter. They were happy to see me, promise.

Galentine's Day.

Beaux coffee.

Stay tuned for more fun.

Let your faith guide your fate

It's the beginning of a new semester - my LAST semester - and it's crazy how fast senior year has already been. I definitely meant to blog more this year but that didn't happen haha. I guess I'll just give you a little update.

Classes are in full swing now and I really like what I'm taking:

• Media Research with Doc Shock
• Senior Seminar with Dr. Miller
• PR Campaigns with Shock again
• Advanced Video Production with Hamilton
• The World Christian with Graves
• Small Group Organization with Diles

I guess the looming question right now are my post grad plans...

I am SUPER excited to say that I've applied for China Now 2015 - 2016! After countless hours talking to my mom, Steve Shaner (my China Now guru), Shannon (a super helpful new friend who taught with China Now) Ed Mosby (reviewer of my China Now application), many other friends and family, and with my home church over break, this is the direction I'm pursuing and I couldn't be happier.

I've been asked so many times why I would choose to do it, and it delights me to no end that everyone has been really supportive telling me I can do it. It's not the normal go-to-grad-school or start working full time option, but I picked door number three. I still have to wait until March (ish) to let my application be reviewed, approved, and sent to a Chinese University, so it's not 100% certain, but I'm praying if it's the direction God wants me to go he'll open the right doors.

I'd love to share a few of the questions asked on my China Now app:

I want to go to China because....

For the past two years I have worked with the Chinese students at Harding University – I became close friends with several of them and loved talking to them about their lives back home and telling them about my life here in the United States. I discovered a passion for learning more about the people and culture of China. Once I found out about China Now, I was hooked on the idea of traveling to this beautiful place to share my language and, more importantly, my Savior with the Chinese people I will encounter. 

 

From this experience I would like to gain....

I’ve learned that being overseas challenges, strengthens, teaches, and inspires a person in a unique way. I would love to grow not only from an academic and cultural perspective, but also in a personal and spiritual way. I would love to gain more confidence in sharing the gospel and also become stronger in my cultural knowledge. I’m excited to have a chance to grow close with students I might teach and build a foundation with them. The opportunity to befriend strangers and share Christ with them is an amazing experience I would love to do in China.

 

So that's what's on my heart right now. For now I'm making the most of my last semester in college and figuring out my summer plans (Estes Park part 2?) We'll see.

Two of my friends have been raving about this band called the Mowgli's and I finally listened and fell in love. They have this great song  "Carry your will" with the phrase "Let your faith guide your fate" and I just love it. In case you were wondering.

101 days until graduation.