Changing my Major, Changing my Life

Well it looks like I'm going to be making a life changing decision for my senior year in college.

What?

I am changing my major from Psychology to Spanish. I was already minoring in Spanish so I had a head start on the major, and since JMU no longer offers the Psychology minor, it looks like I'm going to lose all those credits.

How?

I have been talking with the Spanish department, and it's looking like I can still graduate on time. I have a total of 13 classes left to graduate, I can do it, it just might mean some Maymester courses after graduation, no biggie!

When?

Well, now of course! =)

Why?

I'm sure this is what you've been waiting to read...

Basically I've wanted to be a Psychology major since 11th grade in high school. I had a really awesome teacher, Mrs. Hill-Wagner, and in our AP History class she talked a lot about psychology--I was intruiged. The following year I took AP Psychology and fell in love with it. I came into JMU knowing exactly what I wanted to do, and that was to study psychology and go into criminal justice and forensics, etc.

Sophomore year, I had a revelation and changed my way of life. I decided that I wanted to go to the Peace Corps and do more service work, because I felt that it was my calling. I still feel that way, and it's been working out for me. This past year, I worked a lot with immigrant issues, gave a lot of my service to the Harrisonburg community, and decided that I wanted to become a teacher instead. Teaching ESL and Spanish, and working for the school system, and possibly in the future working for Immigration in some way or dedicate my time to non-profit work.

Now, summer before senior year I've been thinking a lot about my future. Psychology just isn't doing it for me anymore. I haven't been doing that well in my classes and I've been apathetic about the topics. My Spanish classes actually went really well this year, and I decided that since I can't double major in time, it's probably best to just major in it.  Now don't get me wrong, I still love Psychology, in theory. I love what it stands for, and what it does, and I do not regret all of the wonderful things that I've learned in my years and I am so grateful for everything the Psychology department and its professors have given me. If there's anything I'll miss the most, it will be the absolutely wonderful teachers I had. 

But...

Like I've said before, my path has changed. I want to dedicate my life to immigrant issues honestly. I want to work with education to learn more about our nation's immigrants and help them, learn about them, and do my part to make it even a little better. I've always believed that education is key (even if my grades don't reflect it always).  I think I'll be much happier. I'm already happier, honestly! I just decided all this like yesterday in the shower, lol. I've given Psychology a good run, and maybe one day I'll go back to it, who knows!

So?

What do you think? 

Thanks for reading!

Peace & Love,

Candace

Conquering my Fears

Today, I conquered my fear of injections. Now, I'm not saying that I won't ever be afraid to get my blood drawn again, but I certainly made it through today and I consider that a win.  So let me tell you what happened:

First today, I had to go to the Dental Surgeon to have a talk about my wisdom teeth surgery. I'm really not all that afraid of the removal of my teeth, I'm actually more afraid of the IV I get to put myself to sleep! They assured me that I'd get some laughing gas first to kinda make me loopy and then they'd stick me, which is fine and dandy, but still I shed a couple of tears in fear =/

Then, I was freaking out, because I was on my way to Kaiser for my blood tests.  The doctor's was like 2 minutes away from the dentist so I was really scared because my time was coming soon. I got in, the laboratory is right by the door, I check in, and I wait, Hyperventilating of course...thankfully my Dad came with me, he brought me tissues for my tears and hugged me and consoled me. He got a special lady to take my blood out, as she is the mother of a kid who plays on my brother's soccer team. They call me in.

I get into the room and I'm freaking out of course, as I can see many others getting their blood drawn too.  I sit down on the chair and the lady starts talking to me. I hate it when they talk to me because I know they're just distracting me and I don't wanna be distracted, I hate not being in control of a situation and I feel so vulnerable when I take out my blood. I grab my dad around the neck and squeeze him and breathe breathe breathe...

Next thing I know, DONE! I barely felt the needle (she told me she used the baby needle) and it took a total of 20 seconds tops. I was so relieved! This lady is truly amazing at what she does, because the last time I did this the lady got mad at me and was hurting me sooo so bad. But no, I breezed through it this time around and it felt great.

So there you have it, the day I'd been dreading for days, and it was over in no time. I'm so happy I did it too because the tests are being done for my MRI on Monday which hopefully will tell me what the heck is wrong with my knee! So then I can be off to work again to make some mula! 

I made it, and I'm happy :)

Peace & Love,

Candace

Summertime is Fun time

I'm so happy to be home for summer. Not only do I get to enjoy it with my parents and brothers, but my grandparents also came home this summer from Guatemala and I'm so excited to spend time with them! I already got a facebook invite for "Regal goes to Kings Dominion" and I'm super excited about it already! My new boss at Regal is SO nice and she looks super fun, so I actually cannot wait to start working there again! I start next week hopefully. 

I have a lot of appointments and surgeries in the beginning of the summer, but hopefully by June I can be up and ready to go. I have to get my wisdom teeth out, which might take place next week sometime. I also have an MRI on Monday and I'm praying that it's not an ACL tear so that I can go to the gym and work out my knee and make it strong again. My whole left leg is like mush, it's gross. I have to get blood drawn this Friday and at first I was really scared, and not that I'm not scared about it anymore but I feel better just because I know that in the end this is going to help me get better, and that's all I want, is to be better! I wanna dance, and move, and run, and play!

With that said, you know where to find me this summer, let's hang! I can't wait to see all of my home friends and meet up with JMU Grads and my Class of 2010 Senior friends, woohoo! I had so much fun this winter break, and I'm hoping to continue that fun this summer! Hit me up, it's Summer '09 and I'm feeling oh so fine! :)

Peace & Love,

Candace

Where did the years go?

Well it's official. I am a SENIOR in College! When the heck did that happen? Now we're the ones in charge of leaving the next legacy for JMU, and let me tell ya, '09 set the bar real high for us! It's weird to think that in Delta Gamma, we're in charge of setting it up for everyone. And in SGA we're in charge of creating change and keeping order. Who in the world left us in charge?! LOL. Nah, it will be all good, just need some time to adjust to the feeling of it all.  I'm excited though, this is the last chapter in my book of college, and it feels unreal.  Gotta start applying for Teach for America, and the Peace Corps and Americorps! Oh noooo, and the GRE's, do I need to take those? I hope not because I don't wanna. Aw man, life is coming quick, do we have enough time to prepare? I don't know! Anyway, the point is, this is our time Class of 2010, let's own it!

Peace & Love,

Candace