So I've decided on studying abroad during the Fall semester next year. I'm going to Sydney, Australia from Mid-July until December 5th... I'm ridiculously excited and started the application process yesterday. The first 10 days of the semester will be spent in FIJI and then mid-semester there is a 5-day trip to the Great Barrier Reef! It sounds absolutely incredible. Our Fall is their Spring so I'll be there at the tail-end of their Winter and the beginning of their Summer. Hello 85degrees in December! I'm only thinking about the positives and pushing the negatives out of my mind for the moment.

I'm also putting off writing a 5-7 page essay for my Genres:Fiction class about Society's gender expectations and the pressures that are put on men and women to fulfill the stereotype. It is interesting but I can't seem to focus enough to do it. I've had the equivalent of about 3 cups of coffee today. Shaking. If I can get 3 pages of this essay done today I will be content. I also have a MID-TERM on Tuesday in my Philosophy class. The last 2 weeks of classes this semester are going to be rough. I have three 5-7 page essays due and a 45-minute education presentation to do, among other typical assignments. I don't have any finals though! So nice!

Thanksgiving Break starts Tuesday! I can't wait to go home! My dad is here today, too, and is bringing me out for dinner and grocery shopping. I miss him a lot, can't wait to see him.

Justin came up this week which was really nice. I miss him when he's not around and love it when he is here.

The LEAP retreat was absolutely amazing. The high from it lasted for days and though its worn off I still appreciate everything about it. I'm going to see a band tonight that is led by one of my professor's sons. Should be interesting. I'm also going to a LEAP party tomorrow night. Busy Busy.

I can't wait to have time to breathe next week.

I'm all registered for classes as of this morning. My schedule for next semester looks something like this:

Monday:
10:30-11:20- British Literature II (Honors)
5:00-6:40- Intro to American Studies (focus on the 60's) Lecture

Tuesday:
10-11:40- Honors English Seminar on Glamour
1:00-2:15- Buddhist Religious Thought
2:30-4:10- Teaching Writing (for the writing center on campus)

Wednesday:
10:30-11:20- British Literature II (Honors)
12:00-12:50- Intro to American Studies (focus on the 60's) Discussion

Thursday:
10-11:40- Honors English Seminar in Glamour
1:00-2:15- Buddhist Religious Thought
2:30-4:10- Teaching Writing

Friday:
10:30-11:20- British Literature II (Honors)

I'm pretty excited about how it turned out. I didn't get into Buddhism originally but I'm in it now! :) Also, I switched into a 400-level Honors seminar about the evolution of Glamour in the 1920's media and literature.

My Understandings of God class has gotten to be really interesting lately. We began our half-semester long study of Eastern Religions and are focusing on Buddhism now. We've been practicing meditation every class (for about a half hour each time) and have been speaking about how Buddhists believe one can obtain and more relaxed and centered life. It really interests me and I've found myself waking up to say "today will be a wonderful day" more often than not. Our assignment for next week is to go to a yoga studio and take a class and then be able to discuss it. I'm definitely in my element :)

I'm going on a retreat called LEAP this weekend too... I'm leaving at 3:30 this afternoon and returning Sunday evening. I've heard amazing things about the retreat from nearly everyone that has been on it and Justin keeps telling me that I'll get a lot out of it. The retreat is famous for being one big secret kept by everyone who has been on it. I'm not allowed to bring a cell phone or laptop or homework or anything of the sort. I can't wait.

I officially dropped my Education major a few weeks ago. I'm still an English major now but I will be picking up a minor eventually as well. I was pretty set on my minor being Religious Studies but if I might still pick up Sociology. I was also accepted into the Teaching Writing course (I had to take a qualifying quiz--I was told I received the highest score!) and after taking the course I will be a writing coach in the on-campus Writing Center. It's great to know that I have something like this going for me.

I had the most realistic and horrifying dream last night. I was half-awake and I believe that I was stuck in a state of sleep paralysis but had a dream that there was someone in the room with me (other than my sleeping roommate on the bunk above). I was, quite unfortunately, asleep facing the wall and couldn't turn around to prove my mind wrong. The person in the room was, of course, out to get me and I couldn't do anything about it. I was sweating and trying to yell to Julia that I was really scared and I only managed to whisper "I can't sleep"... She whispered "keep trying!" back to me and I couldn't utter anything more. I felt someone grabbing at my leg and my arm and I still couldn't move... I'm quite sure I had a panic attack right there in bed. Every once in a while I would calm down for a minute hoping that it would allow my muscles to move again, but before I could move I would panic. After what felt like hours of this dancing between this sleeping and waking nightmare I could finally move again. Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep for the rest of the night.

It seems only proper to have had this dream on the weekend of Halloween.

Justin came up and we had a wonderful time. Every time I see him I almost burst inside. He means more and more to me every day that we are together (or apart) and I can't say I've ever felt like this about anyone.

I'm really homesick for anywhere but here. Last night was very unsettling.