In the past few weeks, I have been more conscious of my “last” everything as an undergrad.  I’ve had my last week of classes, my last presentation, my last exam, my last Pancake Bingo Night, my last Prison Fellowship Visit, my last Tuesday night trip to half off pizza night at Pleasant City, and probably even my last time using the bathroom on the first floor of Hamrick.

It’s amazing how much I have taken for granted over the last few years and just how much JOY I have experienced.  Now that I realize it’s almost over, I’m clinging to every fond memory I’ve created at Gardner-Webb, and trying to fit in as many more as possible.

In honor of my indescribably wonderful GWU experience, I’ve decided to give you 10 unconventional insider tips on making your time here incredible:

1. When you get “Reading Day” in the Spring Semester to prepare for exams, DON’T READ ANYTHING.  I repeat, don’t read anything.  You’ve been studying and working hard all semester (hopefully), so use reading day to take a road trip with your best friends.  Trust me, it does the brain good.

2. During the first semester of your freshman year, by all means, spread yourself too thin.  Check out every single opportunity on campus that interests you, and resolve to experience as much as possible.  The longer you are in school, the more you will zero in on your passions, and at that point, you will have no need to overcommit to tons of random obligations because you will be fully committed to the passion you discover.

3. Stay up late early in your college career.  During my first few semesters, I stayed up until at least 2am every night.  Now, I’m in bed by 10:30 most nights.  Your schedule starts adapting to adulthood sooner than you may like.

4.  You will live, breathe, laugh, study, fight, cry, and experience life with your friends in a whole new way.  This is a huge blessing.  While in the midst of this blessing, do your best not to neglect the family that you have lived life with for the past 18 years back home.  There’s a balance to be found.  Don’t be that person that leaves the fun every weekend, but don’t be that person that calls their grandma once a month.  A lot can change while you’re away.

5. You really aren’t too cool to participate in anything.  Wear matching windbreakers around campus with your friends, post embarrassing pictures of being wrapped in duct tape, “boo” people who yell a false bingo during Pancake Bingo Night, go to the drive-in movie and eat cookie dough in the trunk of a Corolla, sleep outside in hammocks, dance in ugly Christmas sweaters, and wear flannel to the Cleveland County Fair.

6. Don’t complain about the caf.  If you move off campus, you will sorely miss the days when you didn’t have to go grocery shopping, buy cookware, prepare your food while you’re starving, and clean up the kitchen.  When in doubt, get caf creative.  Heat up cheese fries in the microwave, make a random salad burrito, or get whatever’s on the vegetarian bar because it’s always the best anyway.

7. On the topic of food, take advantage of all the area’s meal deals for college students.  You’ll get the hang of it eventually, but the best route is usually: Pleasant City on Tuesday, iHop or Newts or $4 Georgio’s cheesesteaks on Wednesdays, and Mi Pubs or Smoke on the Square hot wings on Thursdays.

8. Get involved in the Boiling Springs community.  After you get acclimated to campus, don’t limit yourself to only your group of friends.  The town of Boiling Springs has a wonderful community full of loving people.  Get involved in a church, go to community dinners, spend time with families, find a mentor, babysit someone’s kids, go to the Farmer’s Market.  Your life will be made greater because of it.

9. For all my fellow high school overachievers, know that there may be more important things in life than making straight As.  I know that seems blasphemous, but I promise you that it is true.  Always do your best in academics, it is after all why you’re here, but don’t let the nature of academic competition hinder you from living a life of joy and new experiences.  Here’s the truth, I am a great student, but I made 4 Cs in my college career.  If I had made those grades in high school, I would have sunk into a deep depression because I was so focused on the competition.  Now that I’ve lived an undergrad career, I am proud of all my academic accomplishments, but I would gladly trade those 4 Cs again for all the wonderful experiences I’ve had.

10. Here’s one you’ve never heard before: “College is what you make it”.  But seriously, it’s true.  You will hear negative people complaining about all the things they don’t like about dorms and tuition and rules and grades, but you will find joy where you create it.  Rather than complaining about how there’s nothing to do in a one stoplight town, find joy in the fact that you can stay up until 3am playing flashlight tag or go tubing down on the Broad River.  There is so much life in the people and places at GWU.  You will grow in knowledge and experience and truth, and if you so choose, you will find great joy.

As I continue to trek down memory lane, I realize that sophomore year was one of the greatest years ever.  I wish I could just do it all over again.  Here are a few highlights:

The dance parties were numerous and incredible.  I went on some more road trips!  DC again and Nashville!  My entire body was wrapped in duct tape.  I got to lead worship with great friends at a church in downtown Asheville a few times.  We took the infamous windbreaker friendship pictures.  I got a ninja turtle snuggie!  My boyfriend and my brother both graduated from college.  My dad came home from Iraq.  GWU had the best snow day in history.  I moved into a suite with my best friends.  I got to record my own songs in a studio.  Hiked Crowder’s Mountain on one of the best roommate dates.  Hammocked almost every single day.  My parents built a new house.  We began the tradition of taking bathroom pictures with toothpaste running down our faces.  The first tacky Christmas sweater party took place.  And, all in all, sophomore year sums up most everything I love about GWU.

I am so thankful for this place!

Everyone is just going to have to give me a few moments to be sappy and reminiscent in the coming weeks.  After all, my undergrad career is almost over, and it has been some of the greatest years of my life thus far.

I was looking through some old pictures this week on my computer, and I hate to admit that I got a bit teary eyed…  Here’s a glimpse of my Freshman year.  When I met my best friends, bought my first guitar, lived in the ever adventurous Stroup residence hall, took my first (and second) road trip, wore cowgirl boots with everything, and had the worst yet most entertaining food service job ever.

Sophomore year highlights to come soon, as I continue to relive my college career in less than three weeks…

This weekend was a whirlwind of adventure.  I got to spend so much quality time with some of the greatest people I know.  I am so blessed by wonderful friendships.

On Saturday morning, I participated in the The Color Run at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.  It was insane.  I was covered in crazy neon colors from head to toe, and got to shake my groove thing in one of the craziest finish line dance parties ever!  There were so many current GWU students and alumni at the race!

Following the 5k, I went to a wedding of two other wonderful GWU alumni, and danced for at least a solid 4 hours at one of the most fun wedding receptions ever!

All in all, I woke up the next morning with sore muscles.  Less than four weeks left until I’m a graduate of this fair institution!  Got to make the most of it!

The finish line party!

The Color Run... I recommend it to everyone!

And finally, the happy couple! Congrats Mr. and Mrs. Lacroix.

Here’s the truth.  I’m not really going to write about the election.  Let’s be honest, just scroll through your news feeds, and you’ll be thoroughly entertained by the political commentary (usually of less than quality content).

The real question is, what did you do while the voting results rolled in?  Now that’s a true topic of conversation that doesn’t foster any animosity…

I drank a big mug of peppermint tea and worked on a painting for one of our dear admissions counselors, Sir Shane McGrath, all while watching the results on at least three different news stations simultaneously.  The result (of the painting) was better than I expected (no comment on the result of the election… I shan’t make you suffer through another opinion for now).

All in all, it was one of the most relaxing evenings of the semester for me.  Today, let’s all celebrate the fact that YouTube won’t have any more political ads, and that I will be graduating in less than 6 weeks!

It’s been an eventful morning here in the admissions office.  While we’re all scurrying around with you futuredawgs on the brain, the only other thought that is occupying everyone’s mind is, “Does Jessica’s sweater look like she borrowed it from an 85 year old woman?”

Cast your vote here.  I personally think it’s great, and it cost me $5.

There is a stray cat problem in the greater Cleveland County area.  With stray cats, comes oodles of homeless kittens.  I have stumbled upon one of these precious little bundles of joy several times during the semester.  I will now share with you so much cute that it will make you want to cry.  No worries, we already found homes for these particular kitty cats.

Double heads!

Parrot kitty cat!

See the kitten. Hear the kitten. Speak the kitten. Cuddle the kitten!

My friends and my kitten friends!

Again I say, you’re welcome.

Here at GWU, the whole student body meets together on Tuesday mornings (except Seniors… yay!) for a service called Dimensions.  There is usually student led music and some sort of speaker.  We’ve had comedians, evangelists, musicians, and all kinds of other random, interesting people sharing on tons of different topics.

Last week, I was called the day before Dimensions to fill in for the musical act that had to cancel.  My friend Jacob and I learned a new song that night, and I got my first experience on the tambourine.  It was hardcore.

During the service the next morning, there were two random (and tremendously loud) tornado alarms that went off during the time that guest speaker Clayton King was on stage.  Despite the weird and crazy distractions, Clayton gave an invitation for people to respond to the gospel at the end of the service, and 25 did.

It was a great morning to be at GWU.  Then again, I find that most mornings are great here, unless I have an 8am class

Here’s a video of the song Jacob and I performed.  It’s called “Brokenness Aside” by All Sons and Daughters.

One of the things you learn in college is resourcefulness.  Sure, in the beginning you’re enthusiastic, and you eat everything in the caf twice, and come up with new combinations, and melt cheese on your fries in the microwave… but the real test is when/if you ever decide to move off campus and prepare for adulthood.

My friend Sarah and I often cook meals together to pool resources and save money.  The disposable income of a college student can often be limited, so survival skills are good for you.

Yesterday after church, we made what I like to call “refrigerator soup”.  In it, we put the contents of the entire refrigerator.  The final product had chicken, chicken broth, kale, broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, other random stuff, and a dash of every spice in the cabinet, including the classic spice, “Slap Ya Mama” provided by our dear friend from Mississippi.

The verdict: delicious, cheap, funny, and blog worthy!

Cheers to being creative in the kitchen!

Sarah and her apron...

A highlight of everyone’s semester at GWU: Midterm Munchies.

During the heat of midterms, when everyone is just fighting to survive and stay awake, a beacon of hope comes in the form of doughnuts.

Midterm Munchies is a time to relax with free food and coffee and music.  It’s a grand tradition.

This year was no exception to the fun.  Here’s a little clip of some music a few of us played during the glorious hour of sugary goodness.