New Year's Series Part Two: Societal Improvement

Introducing...Part Two!  I felt that last year, while it was great to have my goals centered around devloping personal habits, I wanted to include some selflessness in my 2014.

*Short background on "co-curricular hours": My sorority, Sigma Kappa, supports multiple philanthropies, most notably, Alzheimer's research and finding a cure.  Throughout the year, we do events to raise money and awareness for this and other great causes (like Sigma Royale, which will be happening again this coming Fall!).  We also have a requirement of volunteer hours outside of house events, to encourage our sisters to go that extra mile and really become involved in our community.  I think that this system works great, and many women end up volunteering extra anyways!  So this year, I will be trying to do even more things outside of the (wonderful) opportunities afforded me by my house, in the spirit of giving.

Since I'm a super busy person, I'm starting with three things:

-Volunteer beyond co-curricular hour requirement (it's not hard to find opportunities-I volunteered at the on-campus food pantry at the beginning of the year, and they always have projects going on and a need for volunteers)

-Do random acts of kindness for strangers and friends (I’m creating a popsicle-stick jar of ideas!)

-Become an advocate for a good cause

We (by "we," I mean my mom) adopted two chihuahuas in the last year.  I say my mom, because she got both of them while I was gone (the first one, while I was on the East coast, the second shortly after I left for school).  She got them from a local rescue called Wiggly Tails, run by a woman named Pam.  She takes in small dogs (usually under 15 lbs), some from local shelters, but many from high-kill shelters in LA (both of ours were from LA!).  She fosters them out to good homes, until the family decides to either adopt the dog or another family adopts it.  There are always adorable dogs up for adoption, and while there is a small fee associated with adoption (supports the rescue mission!), it is totally worth it.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a dog person (very much a cat person, thank you!), and I love both of our chihuahuas.

DISCLAIMER (pt 2): Pam didn't ask me to advertise for her or anything like that, I just support her cause and thought a little PR was due (I'm sure she wouldn't mind).

Here are two pictures of our second dog, Petey:

Anyway, that's my two cents about dog adoption.  I've heard a lot of stories lately about people paying hundreds of dollars for dogs, and I can't believe it.  Adopted dogs are the best, and they're much cheaper! :)  In my mission to become an advocate for a good cause, this may not be the one I choose (since I'm already an advocate!), but it will continue to be something I fully support.  Go adopt a dog!  Wiggly Tails is on Facebook and that's where most of the dogs are posted and info about them, plus it's easy to contact Pam if you like one!

~From Lily With Love~

Life 2.0

College is cray cray.  Seriously.  It's been awhile since I've posted much about what's going down in my life, so here's the lowdown on the last 6 weeks or so:

The term is almost over (that happened fast!!), and while I feel that I have definitely learned things academically, there is so much that I haven't even started to understand about the process of college academics.  In other words, I am learning and understanding the information taught to me in classes, but I still have virtually no study habits, no scheduled homework time, very little work efficiency, little sense of how to properly prepare for tests, etc.  (Not bragging) I never really had to study in high school, so there's no basis on which I can build and improve my study skills, because I have none!  Therefore, this has been me whenever I study:

And this:

Funny story: whenever I see pictures of college students studying, they always look like this:

...to which I call BS, because what college student ever looks a) that happy and b) that well-rested and gorgeous??  I mos def do NOT.

My roommate and I get along grandly, which is wonderful.  A lot of people are civil with their roommates, but aren't good friends with them, so I consider myself lucky!  We have yet to run into any issues, so that's one less thing I have to be stressed about.

I rushed!! I joined Sigma Kappa, and it has been absolutely incredible.  I found a group of girls who love me for who I am and around whom I can be myself completely.  We watched The Sound of Music and sang along and made fun of various parts and had froyo last Friday night, and it was just so much fun!  I love being a part of such an amazing and supportive community of women.  Promotion: we just had our First Annual Sigma Royale, which is a black-tie casino night that supports the Sigma Kappa Foundation.  The proceeds go to supporting philanthropies like the Alzheimer's Association, so if you should all come next year!  It was hugely successful for a first year event, and we have high hopes that it will grow tremendously in years to come.

^^Me looking all fancy pants and hot

^^My friend Julie and I looking smashing!

This week is Big/Little Week! So I get cutesy decorations and notes and such and find out who my big sister in the house is!  The waiting is killing me.  But it'll be so worth it!  I'm so excited!!

Also, I have an appointment with a professor who conducts waste-water bioremediation research tomorrow to learn more about what he does and potentially get involved in his lab!  The research opportunities here are endless and incredibly fascinating!  I can't wait to be a part of this research!

Except, obvi, I'm not a man.

Summary:  Life is awesome, but it is difficult to not see my mom and boyfriend nearly as often as I would like, especially after seeing them almost every day for so long!  But winter break is right around the corner, and before I know it, the year will have flown by and it will be summer!  College is every bit as exhilarating and stressful and amazing as I had imagined!

~From Lily With Love~