My Soul Laid Bare

This is from my Facebook post today. I thought I should probably share on here too.

"This status is going to be rather long, so if you're just in the mood for light, carefree fluff, you have my full permission to keep scrolling. Okay. Now that that's out of the way...

This year, I've been learning to be vulnerable. It's a skill that doesn't come naturally to me. All my life, I've made it a purpose to bottle up my thoughts and feelings, never to share them. However, this year, especially the summer on, has changed me. I became a junior counselor at a youth camp. I built a water tank in a rural village on the other side of the world. Both adventures taught me a different lesson in dependence and vulnerability. 

Since I've come to college, I've decided to open myself more. More people have been exposed to my true personality (and survived, I may add). But tonight...Tonight my soul was laid completely bare. All those bottled up feelings of hate, frustration, fear, sorrow just came tumbling out between gasps and sobs on the sundeck of my dorm. With each word that cascaded from my lips, the wall of stone surrounding my heart, the one God has been chipping at for years, started to crumble. The story itself wasn't really long, but it was from the darkest corner of my heart of hearts. 

In my leadership program, we've been telling our life stories within our mentor groups. These are hard to tell and hard to listen to. Each life was full of so much hardship and pain. Since my #1 strength happens to be empathy (according to the Strengths Finder test we had to take upon admittance into Baylor), each story was torture. 

But at the same time, each story was beautiful. Because life is beautiful. Each day, breath fills our lungs because God has given us another day on this planet. Each day is a treasure, filled with adventure and promise. Although sometimes it doesn't seem like that at all. But our experiences and days have made us into something special. Who we are. 

I've learned that stories are meant to be shared. It hurts. Oh yes it does. But if we keep what made us become...well, us, hidden away, how are we going to be able to impact the lives of others? How can we change the world with the pieces of life we've been given if we tuck each into the blackest pit in the darkest corner of our soul? 

Life is beautiful, and I'm glad I've gotten to share mine with each and every one of you. I have been blessed by so many others, especially since arriving at college. For the first time since I was very little, my soul has been laid bare and raw out on the rocks. 

Coming to Baylor is one of the best decisions I have ever made. Because here...you can just B U. (Oh yes I did.)"



My eyes are still feeling gritty from sniffling all over the place. Yuck. 

7 Pros and Cons to Living in a Dorm

(This post can also be found here on the Baylor Admissions Blog! )

The prospect of living in a building with hundreds of adolescents is looming…Seniors in high school everywhere are getting nightmares. Dorm life? It can do that. Or can it? From living in my dorm at Baylor for around three months, I bring you a handy dandy list that should help you answer this question:

Is "dorming" worth it?

Let’s get those cons out of the way, shall we?

1.       Expense- Let’s face it. Everything about college is expensive, and dorms are no exception. You have to pay big bucks for so little amenities.

2.    Hygiene- Or lack therof. Everyone’s heard scary rumors about dorm bathrooms. Depending on what sort of dorm you live in, they may or may not be true. Vague, I know. If you live in a dorm with community bathrooms, where you share with you hall, they're cleaned out every day, but if you live in a suite style (like I do), you have to clean your own bathrooms. Yes, there are people who leave hair, trash, and other germs everywhere. Advice? Wear your shower shoes always always always.

3.      No privacy- Living in a huge building with other girls or guys really doesn’t include privacy in the package deal. A dorm is a community area. There are people everywhere. Even in your room, if you have a roommate (which you most likely will).

4.    Cramped- Dorms are all about efficiency. How much can you stuff into a little box? By the time you get unpacked, there’s barely room left to study or walk around. Storage bins can help with this, but you aren’t going to be living in the Taj Mahal either way.

5.       Lack of decorating freedom- Mostly an issue if you’re the artsy type, an aspiring interior decorator, or you just want to make the place feel like a home. Dorms can be quite picky about hanging things, or what can and cannot go on the walls. Also, again with the small space. You can only decorate so much.

6.       Roommate- I’m not saying having a roommate is a con. It can actually be a pro. I have a pretty cool roommate myself. The con is that if you have a terrible roommate, your life can become a living nightmare.

7.       Visitation hours- When you make friends that don’t live in your dorm, and you want to go check out their pad, and you have plans for the evening, and…oh wait. They can’t come over. Visitation hours. Plans ruined. Darn. I’m not going to rag on this one too much, because these hours help us to manage our time wisely, but sometimes they just get in the way.

But does this cloud have a silver lining? It sure does! It’s time for the pros!

1.       Location- Because of the close proximity to campus…ON campus itself, your commute time to classes or to the library is smaller than what it would be if you lived off campus! Which means more sleepy time! Also, you’re smack dab in the middle of everything going on around campus, so you don’t have to worry about missing out.

2.       Community- I never imagined that being in a dorm had such a great sense of community. Living with a bunch of other girls or guys (or both if you live in a co-ed dorm) builds strong friendships. You learn to rely on your floor mates and come to each other’s rescue. I can’t tell you how many great experiences I’ve had with the ladies who live on my floor. From swapping stories to snacks to t-shirts (I don’t own an orange t-shirt, okay?), being in the dorm has been a fantastic experience.

3.       Paid Utilities- You don’t have to worry about how much electricity or water you use! Also, plenty of dorms have cable and Wi-Fi. The dorm staff also take out the trash and clean the hallways and community bathrooms! How nice!

4.       Study Spaces- Roommates and suite mates too distracting? Need to get out of the room, but you don’t want to walk to the library? SPEAK NO MORE. Dorms often have little lounges or cozy corners tucked away where you can crack open the books or get to work on that paper that’s due tomorrow. Because you’re going to study. This is college.

5.       News- News flies fast around campus. While this can either be a good or bad thing, you’re always in the middle of things when you live in a dorm. Posters are hung everywhere, and usually one of the dorm mates has an idea of what’s going on.

6.       Don’t have to pack a lunch- While cooking a decent meal is an impossibility unless you use the community kitchen, meal plans often come with the dorm, so you don’t have to worry about making sure to pack a lunch before you dash out the door. True, you can get tired of cafeteria food, but there’s usually a variety of dishes to choose from!

7.       Activities- Nothing to do on the weekends besides homework? Dorms are great about providing movie nights, outings, and other fun activities throughout the year! And even if they don’t do things too often, there’s always the dorm mates to hang out with…they’re only a minute away!

Still on the fence about dorm life? Keep this in mind: Most colleges require freshmen to live a year on campus, so whether you like it or not, you get to experience dorm life for yourself (unless you happen to be a commuter, which is a whole different animal). But don’t get down in the dumps! Think of dorming as an adventure! You never know what will happen next in the dorms!

However, not everyone has the same experiences with their dorms, but don’t be discouraged! Even if your dorm is the scariest place on earth…you’ll survive! You’ll make it! And you’re not in it alone. Your roommate, hall mates, and dorm mates are going through the same thing! Plus, with all the craziness that is the college experience, you won’t be spending all your time in the dorm anyway.


Good luck, have fun, and enjoy the ride!

Disclaimer: All pictures are from Google and copyrighted to their respective owners. Because it's far too late at night for me to lurk around taking pictures of the local dorms. 

Thoughts On a Rainy Wednesday

This post isn't really a positive one, I'm afraid. I posted this anyway because I want to be real with you, Reader, so not only do you get to share my joys and triumphs, you get to experience my pain as well.

Usually I'm rejuvenated and refreshed by the rain, but today I just feel...melancholy. I'll even add another word to melancholy. Melancholy and discouraged. I don't know what it is about today. Maybe it's because I haven't been feeling too motivated as of late.

Perhaps my lack of productivity is getting me down. Or the fact that I had a Spanish test today. Either or.

Let me ramble about Spanish for a bit. I just need to pen this out. (Or type, in my case) I love languages, always have, and Spanish is no exception. It's just gorgeous to listen to and to speak. But the class...ugh. I tested into Intermediate Spanish. From three years of high school Spanish.

Let me describe this gap for you.

It's like someone dropped you in a foreign country all by yourself with no money, no technology, and no connections. All you have is a Spanish dictionary and the clothes on your back. Your objective? Make a million bucks by the end of the semester.

Frustrating? Thought so. I feel like all I do in that class is fail. And I hate to sound like a whiner, but it's true. No matter how hard I try, it isn't good enough for my professor. No matter how hard I study, no matter how much work I do, it doesn't even matter in the end.

Sorry to dump this all on you guys. I just need a vacation. But don't we all sometimes?

Saturday Therapy

Ah...Saturday. One of the best days of the week! And today it's all MIIIIINE. Okay. Perhaps not all mine...there's quite a bit of homework to accomplish, but, Reader, this Saturday is special!

I have the day off. 

What? What's that you just read? Maggie actually has free time?! Yes, yes, dear Reader! It's true! Although I love the hustle and bustle of college living, it's nice to get a whole day to just hang out around campus and catch up on some homework.

Although homework isn't really how I'd like to spend a Saturday, sacrifices must be made, and decent grades must be achieved.

Hope you had / are having a stupendous Saturday!

Homecoming Highlights 2013

As I procrastinate on my homework (pulling into the procrastination station is nothing unusual, my friends), I might as well bring you to speed on one of the craziest weekends of the year here at Baylor: Homecoming.

Quick Back Story Time. 

Baylor's homecoming is one of the oldest in the nation. The weekend is packed with activities for the whole family, including seeing the relics...excuse me, exhibit in the student union, various dinners, Pigskin Revue, the Bonfire/Extravaganza (think large pep rally), the colossal homecoming parade, the football game later that day, and of course, visiting our beloved live mascots, Joy and Lady. 

Don't pet the bears, kiddies. They bite. 

The Baylor University Golden Wave Band (we're called BUGWB, pronounced "bug wuhb", for short) traditionally performs at the extravaganza, marches at the head of the parade, and puts on a very special halftime show for the homecoming crowd, including the classic Script Baylor. 

That can be found here for your enjoyment. :) I am in the last little curlicue of the "r".

End Quick Back Story Time.

The main highlight would have to be seeing my family again. Honestly, I was a little nervous at first about meeting up with them, because I'd heard horror stories about families fighting after not seeing each other for a while, and that's not how I wanted to spend time with my parents and brother. 

The moment I saw them, though...I felt like a five-year-old on Christmas, filled with wonder and pure, elated joy. There were many hugs as we enjoyed lunch together before I had to dash off to my next class.

My parents took me out to a couple of meals over the weekend and brought me gifts, but that's nothing compared to the time I got to spend with them. I treasure my family's company even more now that I have less time with them. I was grinning from ear to ear when they invited me to spend Saturday night with them after the game.

Highlight number two would have to be as another color guardie and myself were waiting for a teammate outside of the bathroom. A young girl shyly wandered up to us. The first words out of her mouth were, "I wanna be just like you guys." The other guardie and I exchanged glances.

The girl continued, "I wanna spin at Baylor!"

We smiled, "Come and join us then! We'd love to have you!"

The corners of her mouth turned upward a little, "I'm only a sophomore in high school, but I want to be just like you. You're so good at guard; so beautiful and amazing. I loved every minute of the show." The girl then turned and disappeared into the mob of people milling around.

We were shocked. We had worked so hard on the routine, learning a lot of it only a few days before the performance. I had never thought that someone would actually be inspired by it. Motivates me to be be even better and work harder than before. I was honored, truly honored.

Okay, so this last little highlight is kind of embarrassing, and I know you're going to laugh at my total social awkwardness. So, as I was coming off the field after the halftime show, I looked up into the audience. There, looking back at me was a rather attractive curly haired blond guy. We locked eyes. 

He then proceeded to blow me a kiss. 

Then, waving slightly and pointing at me to be sure he had my attention (which he did), he blew me another one. 

My reaction? Turn Bob the Tomato red and disappear into the sea of plumes of the other band members as we headed off to our seats.

Why someone decided to blow me a kiss, I'll never know, but I'll tell you one thing. It sure was cute.

Then comes the downside to this weekend: My nasty ol' cold. I dragged myself through Saturday with an hour and a half of sleep (I must be Superwoman, or something), hacking, sniffling, rubbing my temples, and popping cough drops like crazy. Sunday was much the same, so my parents stocked my dorm with plenty of medicine.

AND COOKIES TOO, I MUST ADD.

Snickerdoodles are one of my weaknesses. (not that I should've ever admitted that one)

Woah, this was a long one. Props to you for making it this far. Did Baylor win the football game, you ask? OF COURSE! We're even ranked 6th in the nation at this point.

 I'll give you a little photo reel to wrap up this story.

Reunited! I love those guys. 

Prepare for trouble...and make it double.

Dramatic much?

Aaaaaand somehow my mom was able to mistake the dragon I was riding for a moose. 

Unamused owl is not amused. 

Bitter Cold with a Happy Ending

Hello, dear Readers! It's currently 2:18 in the morning, I've finished all my homework, and I have no desire to go to bed.

Today was one of those freezing-cold-with-a-gray-sky type of days. I was expecting it to be a little warmer, because it's Texas. In October. Oh, well. Nothing I can't handle.

Except for me, being the idiot that I sometimes am, decided to wear shorts this morning. 

I still really don't know what possessed me to think that shorts were a good idea. Maybe because I knew that I had color guard practice today...? But I survived. And changed into sweats the first chance I got. I proceeded to wear said sweats for the rest of the day (besides practice).

Where does that happy ending come from, you ask? Well, my guard captain, who gives me rides and feeds me tacos took me by Sonic where we ordered drinks to go. I was pretty thrilled; I never get to go to Sonic anymore!

On another note, my family is coming down this weekend! It's hard to explain just how excited I am, because I haven't seen these folks since August! Which, for me, is quite a long time. Two months, as a matter of fact.

Also this weekend? Homecoming. Probably one of the craziest times of the year here at Baylor. Between all the activities of the week and the return of the alumni and other visitors, Friday and Saturday are jam-packed with events, leaving no room to breathe.

But I'm excited. I've been to Baylor Homecoming before, but it's my first time as a student here. Plus, there's the fact that I get to march in the parade too. (Unfortunately, this means that I can't swing dance in the parade. My aerials partner is not amused.)

Have you ever seen a two in the morning face? 

Well, now you have. Now don't you feel edumacated? 

I really do need to get around to posting some real photography on here. Last weekend was Fall Break (aka "You get a Friday off! Plus your weekend! Yay!"), so while almost everyone went home to see their families, I got some photography practice in. Plus I tried a Whataburger burger for the first time.

I feel like an accomplished individual. Here's a shot from the trek to Whataburger.

Foreboding storm clouds as I cross over a six lane highway. Sounds like a mini-adventure to me!

A Letter to Gentlemen

Dear...well, Gentlemen,

I've really enjoyed going to a school in the south. Why? Well, one of the reasons is that there are so many of you around! All the time I see you opening doors for myself and others, as well as clearing my dishes on occasion and walking me to my dorm so I won't be alone on campus after dark.

I'm fully aware you don't have to do this. You don't really need to, but because you do anyway, I thank you.

I love seeing a spot of kindness to a stranger or a friend on any given day, even if it's a lousy one. It warms my heart to see people taking the time do something nice, whether it be out of goodwill, or because of how they're raised.

I read an amateur article recently about how girls are more attracted to the "bad boys", and how nice guys really do finish last. Guys, don't radically change your personality on the whims of one girl. Let her respect you and appreciate you for being...you.

Chivalry isn't dead. You guys are the ones keeping it alive. And all in all, you are helping to make the world a better place. Keep on keeping on, my friends.

Sincerely,
Me