And that's a wrap.

One semester down, 7+ to go. Yippee skip.
On an entirely different note,
I just found out I can write in different colors! Get pumped, everybody.
Okay, getting back to the end of the semester deal. So I've learned some things that I think will help me if I keep them in mind for the future, and I'd like to share them if that's okay. If it's not okay, that's okay too, because this is my blog, not yours. 
So here goes: 

1.  Studying actually helps. (YOU GUYS. This was a big one for me! In high school you could get away with so much slacking and still pull off a good test score. This is not so in collegeland.) 
2. Get a study buddy for, like, every class. This motivates you to actually work instead of browsing the internets and eating food all day. (BONUS: Studying with attractive members of the opposite sex gives extra motivation to meet more often!)
3. Holy crap, there are a plethora of beautiful men here. But that doesn't mean they're all your future husband. Trust me.
4. When you're an 18-year-old freshman living off campus at BYU with a bunch of people who are all years older than you, it's hard to not get marriage hungry. And then when you are unsuccessful in getting a man in the first couple of months, you can get down on yourself. This is one I'm still working on. So far, I'm as single as can be, and it's very disappointing. But don't worry because tonight, we are young, and I still have about 12 years until my celibacy becomes a cause for concern.  

Okay, I think I've hit the big ones.

On an entirely different note, GUESS WHAT. I'm going to Europe next summer. I get so excited I shake, and it's been really distracting this finals week. I have a job in Sweden with a friend of my mom's, and then I'll probably pop over to the country of my heritage, Finland, and maybe hit up France, and I might work in Germany and chill with our old foreign exchange student, Kathi! For someone whose only experience with going abroad is the exotic Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, this is a BIG step. I. Cannot. Wait.

And Christmas is coming soon! What a wonderful time of year. May yours be filled with love and chocolate and gratitude for the birth of a little baby boy who grew up to save the world. I hope you have loved ones to share this holiday with, and if not, you can come over to my house.

Hey. Thanks for reading this. You're doing a good thing.

“I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed - or worse, expelled. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed.” -- Hermione Granger  

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!
Rina

Just sayin' merci.

So it's Thanksgiving tomorrow.

So... thanks. For everything. I can guarantee that each and every person reading this deserves my gratitude in some way, even if it is only for taking the time to read this. I'm grateful for a family that cares. For friends that support me and put up with me, and who make me smile and laugh even when I don't feel like it. For a place to live. For a wonderful school to attend. For the gospel and the atonement of Jesus Christ. And for SO many other things, it would take a lifetime just to list them all.

Oh, and I'm thankful for Hostess. I know our relationship was short-lived, but I will cherish the memories we've made forever. R.I.P. <3

Let me tell you something. The more you think about how grateful you are for the blessings you have, the more you'll realize how many blessings you actually have; thus, the happier you'll be. Remember that.

You know what? I freaking love people. I love my friends. I love the people I left in Minnesota, and I love the people I've met here in Utah. When I first came out here, I was terrified. I'm the kind of person where it takes me a while to build up a great group of friends, and once I get used to it, I'm scared of change because then I'll have to go through the whole building process once again. But I've met so many fantastic people here, and it all happened so quickly! I couldn't be more happy with how things have turned out. I'm loving my time here, but of course I cannot freaking WAIT to be reunited with my crew in MN at Christmas time. Get ready to party.

I guess I should mention the fact that my big sister Tasha is getting married in less than two days. Man, I'm gonna miss that kid, but I'm convinced that Ben is the best thing that could ever happen to her. Don't tell her this, but I've always been secretly concerned that Tasha would never find someone who could understand her. But now I've totally been shown up! Ben's just as crazy as Tasha, if not more so. So mazel tov to you folks. Much love.

“We are all a little weird and life’s a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.”  -- Dr. Seuss

Au revoir, tout le monde, and Happy Thanksgiving!




P.S. Cecily-- spontanudity. 'nuff said.

Greetings from Mormontown

Welp. I know what you all are thinking... there goes another foolish youngin trying to get more attention... but really, I'm doing this for you. This is something for people to read when they're bored out of their minds and  have nothing else to do. I hope that maybe I can provide some source of entertainment to the desperate soul, but I wouldn't get my hopes up too high if I were you.

Okay, okay, I might have lied there a little bit. This isn't just for you. It's also a good excuse for me to put off doing homework and other responsible, adult-ish things that I so detest. I still can't believe I'm actually at college and expected to take care of myself. Aging is a funny thing, you know? It happens so gradually, you don't even notice you're different. I feel like I think the exact same way as I did when I was 8 years old, but I know that's not true (you can keep your doubts about that to yourself).

So anyway. ahm in that ther kollej now, ma! ain't yuh prowd a me?? Here's the thing about college: You STILL have to do things you don't like, just because the world expects you to. SURPRISE! Life is just great that way. I've thought a lot about the education system and how much it sucks for certain types of people, actually. But that is a rant that I don't want to get into just yet.

Welllll I think that's it for starters. And I just realized that this is a kind of negative, sarcastic post, which might not be the best thing for my first time posting, but y'all will just have to deal with that.

I do love life, and I love my friends and family and food. In closing, I'd just like to leave you with a little phrase my high school band teacher used to say:
"No one ever really becomes mature; they just learn how to act in public."

Have a wonderful week!