These are the times to remember, for they will not last forever.

Well, school is in full swing here in Cincinnati, so obviously it's taking up about 87% of my time. Which is fine, because that's how it should be. I LOVE my organic spectroscopy class, like my chemical separations class, and am already frustrated with my inorganic class. Which is pretty much what I was expecting, but oh, how I had not missed the homework that accompanies the classes. Again, the organic homework is fine, because it's doable and I get it. But this inorganic homework is going to make me go insane. Oh well, c'est la vie. It'll be a big help if I want to do synthesis later in life (which I do). But I still love UC, and I'm starting to meet more people in my program, which is always fun.

Besides school, I've been having some fun on the side. Oktoberfest the first weekend here, and last weekend, there was the free Guster show on campus, and then the Columbus Crew v. LA Galaxy game in Columbus and visiting Shelby! So it's not been all work and no play, but I definitely need to start studying this weekend for upcoming tests and try to get ahead in the readings. I need a relaxing weekend.

I've also been on a online buying spree (not ever a good thing), and I FINALLY purchased an iPod. How would one survive without it, people ask? Just ask me, I did it for YEARS. But I figure if I'm spending about 5 hours a week at the gym, the least I can do is sweat and listen to some music to keep me going (though I have gotten used to working out without music). Yes, you heard me right. 5. Hours. A. Week. At. The. Gym. Something to take my mind off chemistry for a bit, and help me lose those last pesky 10 pounds that don't want to go away. So I think the moral of the story is: more gym time, less online shopping.

Positive message for the day: Work hard to achieve your goals, and then once you reach them, reward yourself. Don't just work hard and never get any benefits (besides achieving your goals. obviously that's the important thing). Get yourself a fro yo if you got your homework done early. Take a nap if you scored well on a test. Take a Facebook break if you read a chapter of inorganic chemistry (or any book you really need to).

I hope everyone has a great week, as the Billy Joel song goes: "These are the times to remember, for they will not last forever." So let's make the most out of every day we're alive, no regrets, right? Might as well.

This week you must #focus...

I remember when I used to be hesitant about using the social network Twitter. I didn't think I had anything to say that really mattered (and sometimes I really don't). But I began to realize that it's an outlet more than anything. You don't have to have some huge moment of realization or create something novel to tweet about it. It's all about what you're feeling at the time. If people don't want read it, they don't have to follow you. Simple as that. And sometimes you find some HILARIOUS things on Twitter. I use it to follow not only the news stations, but about new science findings, as well as my guilty pleasures with really really bad TV personas, sports teams and artists.

One of my favorite people I follow is @RevRunWisdom. Yes, that is none other than Rev Run (from Run DMC, he has his own TV show, Run's House). And while that seems silly and a bit ridiculous to follow Rev Run, I'll tell you exactly why I love it when he tweets about something. Sometimes it's not useful, but he tweets a lot of things that we need to remember. For example: he tweeted on Monday, "This week you MUST >>> #Focus = (F)ollow (O)ne (C)ourse (U)ntil (S)uccessful. So many times, we try to pull ourselves in all different directions, trying to get everything done at once. This reminds me that you have to do get things done, first and foremost. It's great if you can do multiple things at the same time, but if they're not followed into completion, all that multitasking and time was wasted. And it's nice to have reminders like that.

Another tweet I really enjoyed was from today: "You'll never be more successful than your goals. #hoping #wishing is not a strategy." It's a great thing to make goals, and challenge yourself on a day-to-day basis. Whether it's whether you can do another rep in your workout, do better on a test or assignment, or complete an all-out time consuming project at work, you have to set a goal for yourself and try to reach that goal. If you don't reach that goal, yes, there's disappointment that accompanies it. But why play it safe and not have goals you want to reach? Challenging yourself seems to make life more fulfilling and fun. But maybe that's just me :)

One last tweet for today, although it's not from @RevRunWisdom... it's from @fitnessmagazine (another one of my favorite accounts to follow. I've kinda become a fitness junkie, while still occasionally listening to the fat kid inside me)... "The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work for it. #FitQuote" Again, it has to do with the whole thing of thinking positive. You make a goal, you work for it, and you think you can do it. Most of the time, it really does work. I'm sure we all have goals we'd like to obtain, but how many of us are willing to put forth the time and effort necessary to reach our goal?

Some goals of mine over the next few months:

1. Maintain a balance of school work, tutoring, working out and social interaction. Too easily, one or more of these are neglected. Most of my time will be going towards the first 3 things, but I definitely will need to be sane and have social interaction with people.
2. Lose 10 pounds. Yes, I know that seems silly, but I'm not doing it because of some distorted view I have of myself. It's more along the lines of, I'll be healthier when losing 10 pounds. I'm not trying to fit into size 2 clothing or anything. I just want to feel (and look) good. Nothing wrong with that.
3. Keep in good contact with my friends. It is definitely easy to lose contact with people once you're no longer living 10 feet away from them or in the same regional area. So if it takes letters, phone calls, emails, etc., I'll do it. 
4. Do well in my schoolwork. Yes, I know it has to do with #1. But Centre broke me out of the whole "I'm smart and I can get good grades if I work hard" mold. I have to keep a B average, but why not try to obtain more?

What are your goals for the next few months? And are you willing to do what it takes to obtain the final product?

That's all for now. School starts tomorrow... so let the madness begin! Latro, my lovelies.

Hello, Fall!

Somehow it snuck up on me, but it looks like it's the beginning of fall! (From the weather and also it's almost time for the first day of fall - Sept 21st) And with the beginning of fall brings many other beginnings:

The start of the school year: Yes, UC is still on the quarter system, which means our first day is not until Wednesday (coincidentally, the first day of fall!)... but I am very much looking forward to being back in an academic setting. Don't get me wrong, I learned a lot in the "real world" aka the working world, but I also learned a very important thing: to get to where I want to be, I need more schooling than just a Bachelors of Science degree. So I'm looking forward to continuing my education, and meeting new chemists and finding new opportunities. Who says I have to stick with my original plan of cosmetic science? There's so many options with chemistry, it almost makes my head spin!

Getting into full-swing of football season: Walking to the Chase ATM on campus, I had to walk through "frat central", with the music blaring, cornhole being played, and drinks being imbibed. Everyone was dressed in UC gear, and I wondered why. Then I remembered that there was a home football game today against Akron. And nothing against my lovely Centre College Colonel football players (represent!), but I forgot what it was like to get excited about football games, and actually going to them! I definitely wouldn't trade my experience at Centre for ANYTHING, but it's refreshing to be in the atmosphere again of tailgating, and campus coming alive for one common theme: football. Football is a great fall event, and I can't wait to go to some home UC games and watch college football and the NFL on Saturdays and Sundays (by myself, if I have to!)

This is one of the first things I saw when walking to the student center. If you remember my affinity for giant blow up things (slides, moon bounces, etc.), you understand why I'm in love with the huge bearcat.

Yay for sweater weather!: I was lucky enough to see my lovely friend Andrew Synder last night, and went out for a drink with him and my housemate, Steph. And from walking outside before, it had gotten pretty chilly once the clouds had rolled in and the sun was starting to set. So luckily I had come prepared with my favorite sweaters! As much as I LOVEEEEE summer, there's just something about lounging around in sweats and going out into the fall cool air in your cutest sweater. I believe that a girl can never have enough sweaters (or clothing for that matter, am I right?).

There's so much more to look forward to in the fall (hot drinks, halloween, leaves changing colors, pumpkins, etc.), but those are definitely my favorite "beginnings" that come with fall. What's your favorite things to look forward to with the coming of fall?

Go out, enjoy the cool weather, and have a great weekend! It's the world's 2nd largest Oktoberfest this weekend in Cincinnati (the largest being the original in Munich), so that's where I'm headed for the weekend. You stay classy, people. Kisses.

Positive Thinking?

I had been debating on whether or not I should start a blog or not... due to some issues I had with blogging in general. I didn't want something like this to turn into a place where I would complain about how bad life is (which is isn't), or how something unfortunate happens (but everything tends to happen for one reason or another).

But I've recently gotten over said issues, and decided that if people want to read it, and if something I can say might put a smile on someone's face, then why not do it?

I'm not sure what all I'll blog about, but I do know that the overall message of this blog will be about positive thinking and how good life really is for us (well, most of us). We all go through bad times, but if you think positively, things usually turn out all right (if not great). I'm a BIG believer in positive thinking, and it's gotten me to where I am today.

So, watch out blog world. JenVern is here!