stuck in Ohio...

Hi everyone! Sorry I have not written anything in so long, I actually forgot I had a blog until my Grandpa Slater reminded me :) So, by the title of this post, I am sure you can all guess that my flight out of Ohio was cancelled, but I bet the question is...what am I doing over there?! I just went for the weekend to a National conference for Mortar Board Senior Honor Society that I am president of. It has been a good weekend learning all about the organization and its ideals (Scholarship, Leadership, and Service). I am excited to go back and start the year building up our chapter because it could use some improvements. I have written down goals for the year, and I cannot wait to see them happen!! It is great to a have a group to implement service projects with because so much more can be done.

So, a little update on what has been going on in my world. I was a bridesmaid in a wedding last weekend. It was beautiful, and so was my friend getting married! I met her my freshman year of college, and I was honored to be in her wedding. It is only the beginning of the weddings to come; next weekend I am headed to Seattle for my cousin William's wedding! It's crazy to think I am getting to that age, although I am unlike these two because I do not believe that is in my future any time soon. Sorry to disappoint any of you, although I am sure you do not mind. There is a lot to see and do before I am ready for that.

Well, I have an anatomy midterm to study for....that is one nice thing about being stuck in a hotel. I have to study! I will try to do this more often, so you do not miss anything too important because I am sure I am forgetting a few things. Oh! there is one cool story...the other night I went to dinner with some friends and I was just so amazed by the group I was with because we were all from so many different walks of life. We all have different beliefs and backgrounds; one is from Kuwait, another from South Korea, and still another with a very different life story than mine. I love the diversity you get on a college campus! It is probably one of my favorite things at this point of my life. I just called my dad the other day 30 minutes before a final unable to concentrate because all I could think about was how I wanted to have an international career. It will be interesting to see where I find myself five, ten years from now, but I am not in a rush to get there. I am enjoying myself right were I am. Love to you all!

not sleeping....

So, I have been up for the last two hours (since 3am) because I have not been able to sleep. Sometimes I just start thinking about things, my dad says he is glad he doesn't have to live with my mind. I don't want to bore any of you or sound like I am preaching, but I guess a lot of times I feel like I can never do enough, that there are so many people in this world with need, but not enough help. I couldn't even write an impressive article about the subject because my thoughts are so incomplete. All I know is that I want to live in a way where the people I encounter can feel as if they are important. I guess that is the goal of becoming a doctor, to be able to serve people in a practical way, be able to promote an abundant life, be a person who listens to those who aren't heard. I could be so much better at this, but I say that because it is what drives me to keep going, not to get compliments which I feel inadequate to receive. I have been so blessed by God, that I know I can do so much more. I could ramble on longer, but I think I will leave it at that. I am a little tired, so I think I will try to sleep some more. I will write more of an update on what I have been doing lately later. Goodnight.

stuck in the library...

Right now I am back in the library studying for my last two finals, and I am taking a break! I have two more to go, nutrition on Thursday and organic chemistry on Friday. I have pretty much been studying nonstop. Yesterday, I did have a break for the last 2:42 of the year, that is my church group, and my friend Alan Perry who has been in England for the last school year came back to town!! It was so good to see him. My friends are coming back home...just in time to leave for the summer again, but that is ok because I know they are close enough to visit. Today I was able to have lunch with him and catch up a bit, but so much happens in a year. I also got to learn how to play a little tennis today; it was surprisingly a lot of fun considering I am not much of a sports person.

Well I must get back to studying, but I must say one more thing. I do have the ability to post pictures on this thing and I am planning on doing that soon when I have more time to mess around on the computer, so stay tuned for some photos of my life :)
Hope life is treating you all well. Much love!

a fun week...

Dead week (the week before finals) has just started, but I was able to have a lot of fun this last week and weekend. My friend Jordan came back from Africa after graduating college, he was teaching at a missionary school in the area where his uncle practices medicine...good connection to have! Jordan, however, came down to Corvallis to see some of his friends and brought his dad's Camaro with him; long story short...I got to drive the car!! It was amazing. It had so much power and I got to go really fast, but don't worry I had complete control :) This drive just warmed me up for the jaguar I had a chance to drive later that weekend. It was just a fast car week, which is ok with me because I enjoy those types of things!

On a safer note, I went to a John Mayer and Ben Fold's concert up in Clark County, WA on Friday night. I had some friends from Roseburg and Corvallis going as well. He put on a good show; I was impressed with his performing ability. It was at the same place my dad and I went to see Tom Petty the summer before so the crowd was a little different and the air was a bit cleaner ;)

Saturday morning I went to help at Stone Soup as usual. It is a community kitchen that I have been involved in for over a year; I have even been able to serve as head cook about once a month. After that, I floated the river in Corvallis with a group of friends. Floating on tubes is a common activity in Roseburg, but I had never done it in Corvallis. It was a really nice day to be out. Finally, that evening I went to my first bridal shower of the summer. I have another one in two weeks. The weddings have begun!

On Sunday I went to a church service that the Mayor of Corvallis spoke at, and I was able to meet him. Come to find out he is fairly good friends with my boss at the Linus Pauling Institute, small world I guess.

Now, it is Monday and I have to begin thinking about studying for my finals next week. There are supposed to be clouds and rain for the next ten days which I hope will be very conducive for my studies!

finally! i'm getting paid...

When I first came to OSU, I knew that I wanted to gain some experience in a research lab. At OSU there is a well-known micronutrient research center called the Linus Pauling Institute (LPI), after the famous Vitamin C researcher. Since my major is Nutrition Science, I sought after a position in the Vitamin E lab. After about a year of attending lab meetings, then almost nine months of training and trying to prove myself, I will finally be getting paid for my work!

This has been one of the most challenging things I have ever done. The actual test I run is to measure how much Vitamin E is in a plasma or tissue sample. I do a lot of pipetting which is all about accuracy. It has taken awhile to be sufficient enough with the technique. Then, I analyze the data I collect, and try to understand the knowledge and reasoning behind the processes I am involved in. I often leave the lab with my brain completely exhausted from trying to make sense of it all. Although it is really hard work, it is very rewarding, and I enjoy the challenge.

time to catch up...

I only have 3 more weeks of school left, well for the spring anyway. I will only get a week off and then I am back to Corvallis for the summer session of anatomy! Honestly, I am really excited to be here for the summer. It should be very laid back, and I will get a chance to settle into my new house. That is one new thing; I am moving into a real house! No more dorms, or co-ops, but a real house with a back yard, a kitchen, a living room, and a bedroom with my own bed in it.....oh and I will get to cook for myself as well! I cannot wait.


This was very short, but I have to run to organic chemistry now...I think we are getting our midterms back today. I will write more later. Hope everyone is doing well! Much love to you all.