Challenging New Experiences

Yesterday was the most adventurous thing I have ever done in my life. Me and the Leadership Living and Learning Community at Pembroke went to U.S. National White Water Center in Charlotte. At first I was really skeptical about the activities that we were going to participate in especially since I HATE outdoors. I was told that we were going to have to do white water rafting and a zip line. If they had to pick something challenging and risky this would definitely be it because I am TERRIFIED of heights and just the thought of something going wrong and me dying.

Going into the park I was already bothered and not looking forward to doing anything because it was really early in the morning, I did’mt get any sleep the night before and I do not like being outside. When we started doing leadership activities I still was botherd because of all the bugs and I was afraid something was going to bite me. I still participated in the activities and had fun but I would have been able to concentrate better if we were inside.

After all of the team builders we had to do the white water rafting. I had been trying to pump myself up for this all day because I was so afraid of falling out of the boat and getting caught underneath it or just drowning.First we had to watch the safety movie which told us what to do when something went wrong. Then we had to put on our safety gear which was really smelly but i would rather be safe than sorry. When we got on the boat I was overwhelmed, my heart started to pound and my eyes started to water. I was soooo scared and nevous that something was going to happen. Once we started to take off and my suitmate Danny reassured me that she had my back and nothing would happen I started to feel a little better. I was the most scared so I made sure to listen carefully to the instructor. The ride was pretty smooth with the exception of getting soaked.

This experience was very challenging for me but I faced my fear. I learned that I can not always be in my comfort zone and I really should start trying new things. I can apply this to my life by trying new things and not always being so quick to say i don’t want to do something.

Colorguard S.I.O :)

I did band my eleventh and twelth grade year in high school and I loved it. Never did I imagine that I would be one of the girls marching with the band and twirling my flag. Never did I imagine that the band would become apart of my family. I love colorguard with all my heart. Everyone says I should be a cheerleader because I look like one and because I can dance or whatever but I absoltely suck at cheerleading! Colorguard is where my heart is. I learned so much over the two years of me doing band. It took so much determination to get through practices, tryouts, and summer camps but it was all worth it. I love perfoming with my colorguard girls, they are like my sisters. Anything that they went through they know I had their back and I know that they had mines. We had so many inside jokes over the summer that it was ridiculous. They  have seen me happy, seen me cry, and seen me dissapointed. I went through so much with them and I admire them. My senior year on the team their was a lot of sophmores on the team and they all looked up to me so they became my babies. I had to look out for them and have their best interest. Eventhough my bestfriend was a cheerleader my colorguard girls became my crew. I miss them so much and I still look out for them eventhough I am not in Fayetteville anymore.

Sisterly/ Brotherly Love

I was born on January 26, 1992 and my brother has been there for me ever since then. He is five years older than me. I am eighteen years old and he is twenty- two. I always wanted a sister growing up. I never really appreciated him while we were living together because he was always so mean to me and he always beat me up, but I guess that is what older brothers do. Me and my brither got into so many fights when I was younger, it is ridiculous. I remember one time I got so mad at my brother that I kincked a big whole in my door, and it is still there to this day. I also remember when I got so fed up with my brother teasing him that I chased him around the house with a knife. I know it sounds crazy now but at the moment it seemed like the right thing to do to get him to stop teasing me. I love my brother to death but he was sooo annoying. All i did was want to spend some time with him but he would always kick me out of his room, I used to get so upset that I would call my mom while she was at work and cry until I got him in trouble. That was the only thing I did to get him in trouble. Other than that I never snitched on my brother because I wouldn’t want him to snitch on me if I were to do something.

Growing up I was always the good child despite the face that I used to pinch my family members and anyone else that tried to pick me up that wasn’t my mom or my daddy. My brother had a job so he was gone most of the time but he also had a girlfriend which really made him disappear. My brother would sneak out of his window at night and go to his girlfriend’s house and he would always break curfew. Me on the other hand never snook out or broke curfew on purpose. And even if I did come in late froma asatuday night I know that my mom was going to wake me up and make me go to 8 o’ clock a.m. service on Sunday. My brother never really got in trouble for anything wrong that he did but me on the other hand, if I ever broke any of those rules than my parents probably wouldn’t never let me see daylight again. I hate the fact that my parents treated me and my brother way different, but people tell me that it is normal. I do not think that it is fair at all. They say it is because i can “get pregnant” and my brother can’t but he can get another girl pregnant and he would still have to take care of it so what’s the difference?

Overall I think my brither and I turned out to be some pretty good people. He is married and in the military and I am in college. People in our family say that they are proud that we are doin something positive in our lives.

Blog Comments (4)

Chanels Blog “My Thanksgiving”

URL: http://chanellangley.wordpress.com/2010/11/25/my-thanksgiving/#respond

Date: November 28, 2010

Comment:

Dang I sure hope you saved me some food, especially that egg nog ice cream (laughing out loud). And you better had went to the store for your grandma..I got her back haha. I’m glad that you had a great Thanksgiving and enjoyed your day. And I know you ate a lot because I know I sure did. Thank God my mom didn’t ask me to go to the store, but then again I was sleep all day smh.

Nigeria Wyman’s blog “Closer to my Dreams”

Date: November 27, 2010

URL: http://nigeriawyman.wordpress.com/2010/10/18/closer-to-my-dreams/#comment-16

Comment: Oh my gosh I love C.S.I. I totally thought that it was real. Sorry that your dreams got crushed, I would love to be on C.S.I. and do the things that they do but I’m scared that I might get shot or mess something up lol. I am glad that you are following your dreams and becoming a lawyer despite what people may say and I’m glad that you will prove people wrong who say that African Americans can’t be as successful as others

Danielle Holloway’s blog “Better Preparing High School Seniors For College”

Date: November 28, 2010

URL: http://danielleholloway.wordpress.com/2010/11/19/better-preparing-high-school-seniors-for-college/#respond

Comment: I definitely agree. I slacked off my senior just like you and I’m sure a lot more people did too. My senior year was basically a time for me to go out and have fun so I took a bunch of easy classes. The hardest class that I had was math. People told me to take easy classes my last year of high school because it would help to boost my GPA and it would make my life a whole easier. At times I do regret not challenging myself also but If I did I wonder if I would be where I am at because I know that everything happens for a reason.

Fiama Acosta’s blog “Periods: the good, the bad, and the ugly”

Date: November 28, 2010

URL: http://fiamaacosta.wordpress.com/2010/11/26/periods-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#respond

Comment: I sure did learn a lot about what goes on inside of me during that time of the month (laughing out loud).I remember my first time, luckily I was at home. I can’t even imagine how embarrassed you were.I think we all wanted to rush into having our periods just to say that we were women but if I would have known all the crap that came along with it I would have wished it off for as long as possible.

Le’ Quoia Bell’s blog “Man Beater..??”

Date: November 28, 2010

URL: http://lequoiabell.wordpress.com/2010/11/28/man-beater/#respond

Comment: I totally agree. Chris Brown is my husband and I will always support him no matter what. The people that said they were his fans but left,I totally agree because Chris Brown is my  really weren’t his fans because they would have understand that everyine makes mistakes and just because he is a celebrity that doesn’t make him perfect.I think that the whole situation was over blown, I mean this type of thing happens everyday and nobody ever says anything. I’m not saying that it was right but they didn’t have to ruin his career by letting the whole world know. He lost endorsement deals, fans,and a big part of his career because of the incident. Now he permanently will be labled as the woman beater.

Le’Quoia Bells’ blog “For Once…”

Date: november 28, 2010

URL: http://lequoiabell.wordpress.com/2010/11/28/for-once/#comments

Comment: I always wanted to do something like this. I think I would love it just because of the fact that I love helping other people and see people in a bad situation smile for once. I like making a difference in some one’s life. I’m glad that you got to experience something as womderful as this.

Nigeria Wyman’s blog “Facebook Or Twitter??”

Date: November 28, 2010

URL: http://nigeriawyman.wordpress.com/2010/11/11/facebook-or-twitter/#respond

Comment: I like both facebook and twitter. I like facebook because I can have personal conversations (chats) with people and I most of the time I use it for deep thought. Twitter is just for random thoughts or things that just pop in my head. I like twitter because I can write about whatever I want and not be looked at as weird because other people thalk about craziernthings that I do. Both of them are major networks that people use to connect with people that they lost touch with or get connected with new people.

Pringles Tour

This day was probably one of the busiest days of my life. I woke up early in the morning, which is something that I would never do, and went to go help set up the stage for the J. Cole and We the Kings concert. When I first got there things were moving pretty slow and everyone was jus waiting around for the truck with the stage in it to get there. I had a horrible headache and I was extremely tired. since the truck was taking so long I ran back to my room and took some medicine, when I got back the truck had finally arrived.

We got to work right away. I didn’t know how we were going to to do it but as I saw other people working and the technique they were using I just jumped in somewhere. Putting up the stage was hard work but it was good seeing everyone come together and work as a team to see something get achieved.

When we were almost done putting up the stage I had to leave and go to class. I went to my art class but all I could do was think about the concert and how much fun it was going to be. I was anticipating the moment when 1:20 would come around and I would get out of class. After class I went to lunch and went back to setting up for the concert.

When I came back I saw that all the hard work from earlier had paid off but I still had more work to do. When all my work was finished I jus sat in the gym with my roommate. We saw J.Cole come out and he seems like a pretty cool dude, he’s a normal person just like any body else. I got to hang out with some of the members from We the Kings and they were so cool.

The concert was great and after the concert I met J. Cole in person. He is so cool. He autographed lots of things for me and my friends. He also took pictures with me. I couldn’t be famous because I probably would not be that nice when it comes to autograpghs and things because I know that he is a busy person. But overall it was a goodnight.

#BlackFriday

Every year the day after Thanksgiving me and my mommy always go shopping. This year we started early. I didn’t even get to go to sleep before my mom came in my room and asked me to go to Wal- Mart with her. It was 11:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving but my mom was ready to go, me always being late, she left me so I had to meet her there. She told me she was getting a t.v. but they weren’t going to start giving them out until 5:00 a.m. I know she didn’t expect me to wait til 5 in the morning with her, I mean I was trying to go to kohl’s and the mall. But when I walked in Wal- Mart it was extremely packed. The line extended form the front of the store all the way to the back where the electronic section was. So my mom decided to leave that Wal- Mart and go to a recently built one, that one wasn’t nearly as packed as the other which was great. I waited in one line for a t.v. while my mom waited in another. I could not believe that these people were willing to wait in line for five hours just for a T.V. I just thought my mom was crazy for doing it but I guess she just wanted to beat the crowd. This guy in line with me was so funny. He was mad because he waited in line for a laptop but when he got to the front of the line they ran out and he was going off. And the other people in line with me were funny because they wanted to get like four T.V’s but it was only one per person. So they all started calling people trying to get them to wait in line with them. After waiting in line for three hours I decided to leave my mom because my dad was coming. Then I was off to Kohl’s. I love that store. I got lots of clothes and lots of good deals. When I had picked up everything that I wanted I got in line and it took me forever to find the end of it. It was allllll the way in the back of the store. I mean it took me longer waiting in line than it did to pick out the things that I wanted.  After Kohl’s I went and met my mom at K- Mart and from there we went to the mall. We were in the mall until the sun came up. I got alot of good things but we didn’t get home til 10 in the morning. I didn’t think there was that much shopping in ther world but I guess I was wrong. Ten hours of shopping and I was knocked out the whole day.

Freshman Seminar (8)

To be empowered for success I fully apply myself in college and I surround myself with productive people. My biggest fear is to not be successful so I take my college career very seriously because I know that what I am doing know is helping me to achieve my goals. In the classroom I make sure that I am engaged in what is going on and I always put my best foot forward in all I do.

Having a social life is very important to me but my academics are more imortant. So I make sure that i always get my work done first and friends come second. The thing about being in college is that you have to have your priorities in order and you also have to have good time management. If you have those two things then I think that you will be empowered for success. After my work is done I still have time to participate in the events on campus and join organizations.

By being empowered for success I know that I waill go far and I will achieve great things.