Highlights of Jumpstart 2010

Oh, Rochester College

I just spent the past 5 days at Rochester College. I miss being there so much. I miss all the things every student complains about on a regular basis. The fletch, the lack of air conditioning, and the freezing cold showers you have to take when there's no hot water. But what I miss most of all is the people, the community that surrounds you. Nothing compares to the love you feel when you step on that campus. I always feel at home there, even now when I go to visit.

This fall will be the start of my second year at Baker. It's a good school, it really is, but I don't like it. Of course I only have myself to blame for the reason I had to transfer, but it's just not a community I can get involved in. People ask me if I've made friends there, which I have, but it just doesn't compare to the kinds of friends I've made at RC. I never even thought about how hard it would be to go from a community like Rochester's to a community like Baker's. For me, they're total opposites.

I don't think people understand where I'm coming from when they hear me talk about how much I don't like being at Baker because I would much rather be at Rochester. They ask me if I like it there and I say no. You don't know how much you can miss a school until you aren't going there anymore. Don't get me wrong, there are classes that I've loved at Baker, teachers that have taught me well and friends that I have made, but I miss feeling like I'm at home without actually being home.

The main reason I went down to visit was because I was asked to take pictures for Jumpstart 2010. The freshman class this year is awesome and I'm so glad I was able to be apart of it. But the whole weekend I kept having flashbacks of my freshman Jumpstart, which was 3 years ago. Holy cow. My Jumpstart was incredible. I made the most amazing group of friends. We had such a blast together! I will never forgot those great times.

With all that said, I miss being at Rochester, but I can't wait for the next time I'll be able to visit. I never get tired of hearing people yelling "you don't even go here!". I'm just so happy for what the college is doing for all their students. There are so many of them this year and I know that it's going to be a wonderful year for each of them.

Weddings galore!

Well ladies and gents, summer is coming to an end. Sad, but true. Although I still have at least a month and a half left to go before school starts back up for me, it still feels like summer is long gone because all of my friends have left me. It's sad, but I just have to keep telling myself not to dwell on the fact that they're gone and that I will soon be starting school again, but instead to think of all the wonderful things that took place this summer. And of course my mind immediately jumps to the four weddings I went to. Not only did I get to attend these weddings and watch the two become one, but I had a very close connection with each of them! How awesome is that? I love weddings so very much, but watching your close friends getting married just makes the whole thing so much better. Each wedding was perfect and complimented the bride and groom very well. I am so happy for each couple and wish them a life of happiness together.

Here's a picture of each of the happy couples on their wedding day. I took each picture except for Grant and Cami's.

Kevin and Sara Stewart ~ May 15, 2010

Andrew and Ashley Tenneriello ~ June 11, 2010

Grant and Cami McClure ~ July 23, 2010

Jaron and Erin Bentley ~ August 6, 2010

This is what I love.

My love for photography

Oh, where to begin. My love for photography has appeared in my life rather quickly, I must say. It's quite overwhelming. And I only say that because it could turn into my career, something I do for the rest of my life. How crazy is that? I would have to say that this whole me loving photography thing took place near the beginning of this year. I don't even remember how it happened necessarily, I just found myself obsessed with taking pictures. And not just of taking pictures, but of capturing those moments that nobody wants to forget. I think that's why I love it so much. I get to capture beauty. Whether in the form of a sunset, a bride walking down the aisle to meet her husband or the smile of a child. I think I would have to say that, out of everything, I love photographing nature the most. It's just so beautiful. No matter where you are. And it reminds me of how much God loves me. He makes the sky a perfect shade of blue, flowers colorful and pretty and the stars bright and twinkly just to see me smile. I love capturing all of those things in just one single picture. I really think God has put this obsession, if you will, in my life for a very good reason. I just love and enjoy it so much, it couldn't have come into my life at a better time than now. I can't wait to see what else God has in store for me.

Retail sucks!

I just got home from working a 4 hour shift at Forever 21 not too long ago. It felt like I was there for way more than 4 hours, let me tell you. This whole working retail thing has been on my mind for awhile now. I started working there last summer and, of course, being the newbie scared me a little. I strongly dislike starting new jobs and such because I don't like having to go through the learning process. I'd rather just know what to do right off the bat. Don't get me wrong, once I get the hang of it the whole process becomes pretty cool because then you finally get to the part where you aren't "the new person" anymore and you are able to act as though you've been working there for years. When I first started working there it was all pretty crazy for me. Learning how to do things, as well as learning how to get along with all of your co-workers. The getting along with my co-workers part hasn't been so difficult for me though. I've actually gotten to become pretty good friends with many of the girls I work with, and even with the ones who have moved on and do not work there anymore, I still keep in contact with them. Getting to know all the girls has made working at Forever not so painful, but just recently not even dancing around the store with them has made working there worthwhile. I don't know what it is, but I just can't take it anymore! I know for a fact that I could not allow my future occupation to have to do with retail. Do I know what I would like my future occupation to be? I have an idea or two, but no, I really don't. And that scares me. A lot actually. But that's where my faith in God comes in. In the 21 years I've been on this earth, He has always been there for me and has never let me down and I know that nothing will ever change that.