How I love Homecoming, let me count the ways

I've got school spirit, yes I do. I've got school spirit, how 'bout you?!?!
Ha ha ha. I'm regressing back to my cheerleader days. Ahhh.... those were the days. Watching games, performing, getting the crowd involved, being a school ambassador- so much fun. Gosh, seems just like yesterday I was headed to Dallas for Cheerleading/Mascot camp with my old team, my old coach Bri and in the old vans we used from Athletics. Interesting fact- we found a tape in the deck that a coach left in the van and we wondered who in the world would have bought that tape, let alone to just leave the tape in the Athletics van. But I'm getting off subject.
Why do I love Homecoming so much? Because I honestly have a ton of school spirit. I love Metro, I love the people that work here, I love what Metro stands for and I love the direction that Dr. J is trying to steer the College into.
But I extremely love Homecoming. Any chance to show off my spirit and affection for Metro is great for me.

I've actually created a small list of things (past, present and future) that have occurred (will occur), in regards to my school spirit:
* When I was a freshman at Metro and the Men's Basketball won the National Championship Title in 2001-2002 season, everyone decided to greet the team at Centennial Airport. So I get back early, after a long night of celebrating the win with my team and get my character so that we could take photos. About 50 or so people showed up, the team got off the plane and we all went nuts. After it calmed down and little and the crowd dispersed, I made my way back to my car: a 1984 Volkswagen Rabbit, Wolfsburg Edition. I had made signs for the backseat (if you could call it that) windows, stating the Metro had won the Title, when lo and behold, Coach Mike Dunlap walks over to his car, which happened to be parked next to me and gave me a smile as he read the signs.
* Once, the cheer squad decided to buy warm-ups. I have really long legs and I refused to buy the girl style of pants and instead opted for the guy style. Well, the girls on my team also decided to put 'MSCD' on the behinds of their pants; since I'm a girl, I had to have the 'MSCD' on my butt too. I go back to Omaha, NE to visit family for Thanksgiving and my cousin is teasing me for having the name of my school on my butt. He said that if I really liked my school, I would have the name over my heart; I then replied that I had the logo over my heart (since Metro is always in my heart-Ahhh....) but that I had so much school spirit, it had to come out somewhere!
* Two of my best friends are pregnant right now and their baby showers are coming up. What is the world's greatest aunt going to do for her future nieces or nephews? Buy them Metro gear. Since I've started at Metro, I've bought MSCD baby clothes (uhhh... from the dreaded Bookstore) for every baby shower I've attended. This would include my baby sister Elizabeth, my cousin Michael (who outgrew his onesie so quickly, he only wore it once!) and my mom's co-worker, who just gave birth a couple of months ago. Got to think ahead, that's what I say.

What about you? What sort of legacy will you leave at Metro? Would you like a way to make your print here at Metro? Check out the Homecoming website link: http://www.mscd.edu/~alumni/homecoming/

It's a start.

Once more with feeling

Just in case you didn't get enough of the 'old man pants' last week, here is another picture and yes, another pair.

Dress code?? Yeah, I don't think so.

I really dislike the snow. I usually don't whine about the weather (or anything, for that matter) but this continuous downfall of white powder is not making me happy.

Why?

Having recently graduated from this beautiful College, my entire family thought that they should make sure I was properly clothed for the "real world". So, they purchased dress pants, sweaters, button-down shirts, argyle everything (including a skateboard, even though I don't know how to board and can't board in this weather anyway), usw. So I'm totally ready for the "real world" when my world came crashing down: We've been hit with snowstorms the past 5, 6 weeks.

I may not be a girly-girl but I'm definitely not going to ruin my beautiful adult-like clothing in this nasty weather. Snow, ice and everything in-between will have no chance to ruin my new clothing. I have been wearing my new tops to work now, because it takes more work to ruin them.

I would like you all to look at the picture above: this is my outfit today. Lovely sweater, black Chuck Taylor's (Jackass Number Two edition WITH the matching shoelaces) and of course (cue the scary music)....... dreaded old man pants!!!!

No clue what old man pants are? Slightly frightened by the name? Horrified that I wear old man pants?

First, let me reassure you that I am actually wearing women's pants. Second, I have never worn men's clothing. Third, I have no inclination to wear men's clothing. Fourth, I am not calling them 'old man pants' to offend anyone, including men who are older. Sorry if my pants offend you; that is not my intention.

I call these pants my "old man pants" because they appear like pants old men would wear. They are pants for many activities, including golf, running errands, playing bingo, work, sleeping and going out for dinner after a stressful day. I should actually call them my "multi-purpose pants" but that doesn't run off my tongue like "old man pants".

Life after graduation

Ahhh.. I can breathe now. No more books, no more finals, kein mehr Vorlesung, usw.
Danke, danke, danke. Ich kann weiter leben.

So, what happens now? I am still working at the College, waiting for my contract to come back from the State. Let me tell you how much fun that was- employment paperwork that the State would agree to; making sure all of my duties were present and accounted for on my paperwork; getting the signatures needed. I'm glad that is over.
But what else is new? I have a boyfriend, James, who incidentally is a Metro alum. I've been working out steadily, which hasn't happened since I was a sophomore. Try scheduling early evening workouts when you have German Conversation or early workouts when you have Cheerleading practice- it is no easy task. I can watch television now. I'm hooked on 'Deal or No Deal' and 'Armed and Famous'- nothing that requires too many brainwaves, which is exactly what the doctor ordered.
I thought that with school starting, I would feel some nostalgia for classes. But that hasn't happened (yet). Maybe I would miss learning new subjects, reading new (well, actually used) books and getting to know different classmates. Writing papers, giving speeches and asking questions in class just aren't a part of my life anymore.
And don't even mention the g-word: Graduate School. The thought of not only taking classes right now BUT having to pay that much for classes RIGHT NOW, especially when I have no clue what I want to study is so not appealing to me. At all. I feel like taking a long nap when someone mentions graduate school because all I can think of is staying up late to write thesis' every week and having to read whole books for one day in class. It makes me want to cry a little; not tears of joy but tears of sadness, of regret, of cowardliness, of watching my life go on without me.
But I'm getting off subject. Graduating from college is scary and makes your feelings go up and down like a speeding roller coaster. It is great to be done; you are finally free to sleep in late, spend your money any way you like, take a vacation without having to coordinate class schedules and just relax. You aren't able to relax when school is in session because you are thinking about everything you have to do (tests, papers, presentations, studies, usw.).

It's a great day to be a graduated Roadrunner!!

Graduation Pictures

This was taken right after the end of graduation. This is my sister Holly (who is a current Metro student), me, my dad Larry, my stepmom Teresa and my baby sister Elizabeth (who slept through the entire program BUT told me it was great).

Graduation Pictures

This is me giving Dr. Stephen M. Jordan, the College President, a hug. When you graduate, you are given your diploma cover by a chair or representative from your major's department. Then you shake hands with the Dean of your school (Business, Professional Studies, or Letters, Arts, and Sciences). After the Dean, you shake hands with the President.

Or in my case, you get a hug from the President.

Graduation Pictures

This was the top of my graduation cap. Future graduates, you are able to keep your cap after the ceremony, which means feel free to decorate it any way you would like.

Graduation Pictures

This is me receiving my diploma from Dr. Mary Ann Watson, a psychology professor.

Graduation and final grades!!!

So, I've finally graduated. Thank you Lord. Or whoever is watching out for me. Whew..... that is a huge relief off of my chest. Why am I so worried? Why was I so worried? Working in my office, it was an occupational hazard to meet fellow Metro students that thought they were graduating, only to realize too late that they weren't graduating.
Obviously, I didn't want this to happen to me.
So I have been extremely paranoid this semester, my final semester. But everything has turned out just right- I just checked my grades: 1 A, 2 B's and 2 C's. I'm okay with that. I honestly am so glad to be finished, that I would have been happy for straight C's.
I will have some graduation pictures, once I figure out how to hook my new digital camera up to the computer. Everyone should graduate from college one day- the degree is AWESOME but getting presents and kudos from everyone around you is FANTASTIC.
I didn't even know how much work I put into this bachelor's but people keep telling me and reminding me of what I've done in my 5.5 years here at Metro. I encourage everyone attending Metro to get involved so much, that they forget everything they've done.

It has helped me so far.


Pictures will be coming shortly.

What are you going to do now? That is the $50 million question

So, we've finally reached the end of the semester. Congratulations everyone!!!
For me, getting to this point is nice but also it is very scary. "What are you going to do now?" is what I hear from everyone I talk to. And I always give the same answer: I have no clue. I've been telling people that I'm going to continue working in my office and keep learning about myself, so I can (hopefully) answer that question (soon).

Part of me is interested in graduate school but I have no idea what to study. You are probably thinking, Duh Amber, study psychology- it is your major! But part of me wants to stay here at Metro, working at making it the "preeminent urban public baccalaureate college in the country" (Dr. J's words)- a great feat that will take the hard work of many dedicated people (which Metro has- FYI).
Another part of me wants to take off, explore the world. Because I can. Because I don't have any real plans after graduation. I have ties here to Colorado- 90% of my family and friends live here BUT I'm sure they wouldn't mind too much if I left.
All I can say is that this is one situation where it is beneficial that I don't have a boyfriend or significant other to make me think twice before leaving. I also don't have any children, despite a vicious rumor around campus, that was started by someone who is paying dearly for that remark. Every time I see them.

What scares me the most is that everything is unknown. I don't know whether I should stay here in Denver, should I move somewhere else in the USA, should I move to Europe? I'm thinking of pulling a Bridget Jones (from the second movie) and vacationing in Thailand (minus the drug charges and the jail time- although the performance of 'Like a Virgin' would have made Madonna proud AND I'm a great singer). Or like in this book I just read titled 'Backpack' by Emily Barr (a fantastic writer from the UK), where the title character goes to find herself in Asia after the death of her mother and a hard break-up with her boyfriend, to find herself.
But could I really just leave? All of my friends and family ask me that. In all honesty, I could. I was raised to be a strong, independent, headstrong woman that was ready for anything that would come my way. Wouldn't I miss the comforts I have here, the familiarity, the late-night runs to Taco Bell after a night out with my girls?
Not really because Europe isn't that much different than here (taking into exception that in England, you drive on the other side of the road). Australia would be a great place to live; it also seems like the hot spot for Metro graduates and former students, since so many live out there (Lester Strong, Luke Kendall, Dave Barlow- just to name a few). Quite possibly, it would be a mini-MSCD reunion. We could form our own MSCD Alumni chapter. Plus I've always wanted to learn how to surf.
But I am getting off of my original point, which was the $50 million dollar answer to the $50 million question I keep getting: What are you going to do now?

I have no clue.

Although I know that life will begin once I receive my degree. Now, which direction life will take is undecided but I am ready for the ride. Got the passport ready just in case.