twenty something...: April 2006

Mills College

Beautiful Mills Pictures. I can't believe that I will be graduating in two weeks! Unbelievable. I will be staying at Mills for 13 more weeks and then, Germany!

Another note, I was in SF today and it was beautiful!! Sun was shining, blue sky and the first sign of summer--tourists! SF was crowded with many people and I heard tons of German! It was great to understand another language--it is almost like knowing a secret.

Mojito time

Girls Night In...

A fun night with the girls. We got together to celebrate our upcoming graduation and to hang out with Jeanette. I was the "bartender" and I guess I make a strong mojito...but yum, they were good!

Here are the photos:

More paint night photos

I thought that I would post some of the photos from post-paint night:

Green Pole

My green handprint

Green Stairs

Green Sidewalk

You know you are tired...

when you find your forgotten snack from yesterday in your jacket pocket at 9 AM and then rediscover it again (still in your jacket pocket) two hours later.

I am now going to eat my snack at 12:18 AM before I forget again.

Oh man.

a smile on my face...

I was searching around on this computer and I found old pictures from last summer (2005) with Florian and me. It was great to see him here with me... and it reminds only two more weeks until I see him again :)

Monday Monday

I am extremely tired today. I had German class today @ 8 AM. Now, that is dedication. We are reading the German play: "Der Besuch der alten Dame". It is pretty good and I think I am understanding most of it. I would recommend it for anyone learning German...I have to look up some vocab but I think it is a good match students at the intermediate German level.

Two and a half more weeks until I see my family and F.

Hopefully the weather here in the Bay will get better.

Paint Night

Honoring a time-held tradition here at Mills, the seniors got together to paint parts of the campus "green". Green happens to be the color of our graduating class and our slogan is "It is good to be green". It was tons of fun and a little bit messy...

Got Green? Yeah Class of 2006!

Miya and me...just getting started

Caught "green handed"

My Senior Thesis

Well...I have finally finished my thesis, turned it in and got a good score on it! As you can see in the photo, I am extremely glad that I am finished. Now only two more weeks of classes and I am graduating!! Yeah!!

College Costs

Well...I went to a loan meeting today and found out how much I have to pay back...yikes!

It is safe to say that I will want my future children to go a college/university that is paid for by the state a.k.a. somewhere in Europe!! It is ridiculus how much I have to pay!

Also, I found this funny but true survey online...

Germany is the PERFECT place for you!
Take Should you move to Germany? today!
Created with Rum and Monkey's Personality Test Generator.

100 Things...

100 Things about me...in case you wanted to know...

1. Earthquakes completely scare me.

2. I prefer to sleep with my contact lens in...I know, yuck...but I prefer not to wake up with fuzzy vision.

3. People think that I am a German at the language school that I work at.

4. I dress completely like an American and still have a Minnesotan accent (even after 4 years).

5. I am glad I grew up in Minnesota but I don't really miss living there.

6. I have a bit of guilt for not missing Minnesota more.

7. I am glad that my family moved to California.

8. One of my favorite things to do in my freetime is to visit to a grocery store and just walk around looking at everything.

9. I think I like grocery stores because I went grocery shopping with my mom when I was little.

10. My mom and I are super close.

11. I plan on keeping my relationship with my family close.

12. I am starting to feel the urge to start a family with getting a dog and someday, having kids.

13. Other days, I want to explore the world by myself.

14. I wanted to live in Europe for a bit.

15. I want to be a cosmetic dentist.

16. I hate going to the dentist, though.

17. I received a Biochemistry degree at Mills College...yes, I am a science nerd.

18. I am an avid reader, baker and knitter.

19. I act older than my true age.

20. I have been making lots of mistakes lately but I am learning.

21. I love the sun and the beach.

22. I am afraid how powerful water is.

23. I think that I should take swimming lessons again-I dropped out at the age of 8.

24. I hated putting my head in the pool.

25. I got my dog, a beagle, when I was 8.

26. Her name was Rose and she was the best dog that I could've ever asked for.

27. I wish I would have appreciated her more, but I was only 8.

28. My cat Victoria is great, a little sassy but great.

29. I hate scary movies-I refuse to watch them.

30. My favortie book series as a kid was Besty, Tacy, and Tib by Maud Hart Lovelace.

31. Scary but true: I watched Martha Stewart Living when I was little.

32. I love to sleep.

33. I have to sleep to get rid of a migraine.

34. I hate migraines.

35. I hate when I know more about the medicine then the doctor does.

36. I love little things in life.

37. I love Florian because he loves the little things in life.

38. I am so glad that Rebekah asked to come over to the EF party that night in January.

39. I believe in fate and a greater force in life.

40. I believe there was a house on Miracle Lane for a reason.

41. I need Post-its everyday.

42. I am picky in choosing pencils and pens.

43. I live by having everything in proportion-eating, drinking, sleeping, studying.

44. I am good driver.

45. I am gulliable-I think it is from growing up in the Midwest.

46. I am a good "meet-the-parents" girlfriend.

47. I love to play multiple-player Solitare.

48. I love to travel.

49. I like to have a background on the places I visit before I go there.

50. I hope to be fluent in German one day.

51. I have gone kayaking twice in my life.

52. I rather hang out with a few friends at a lounge than go to a huge club.

53. I wrote my thesis on the bacteria and molecules found inside your mouth.

54. I used to scrapbook every Friday night in high school.

55. I went to a frat once in college-it was a fun time but that was enough.

56. I have very vivid dreams.

57. I am a super procrastinator if I am not careful.

58. I met my boyfriend after he won the beer drinking contest-so cliche, I know.

59. I will eat almost anything-other than preztels and stuffed peppers.

60. Chocolate is always a good thing to me.

61. I wish I was taller.

62. This summer I am studying worm's genes.

63. Coffee is now essential to my mornings.

64. I have a wonderful sense of direction (unless I am in Las Vegas).

65. I get flustered easily.

66. Then, I blush.

67. I like to send presents any day of the year to loved ones.

68. I hate asking for presents-too awkward.

69. I prefer to stay up late than wake up early.

70. I go to a women's college and I am thankful for it.

71. I prefer classes with only women-no offense, guys.

72. I have conquered the public transportation system here in SF.

73. I love to receive emails but I am horrible at sending emails.

74. I love any thing with peppermint.

75. I didn't get drunk on my 21st.

76. I have been to Europe three times.

77. When I was in Paris (my 1st time to Europe), I thought I was in Disneyland.

78. I love how Europeans dress.

79. I try but I still look American.

80. I prefer the American spirit of independence, though.

81. I have creative streaks...lately, it is been photography and knitting.

82. I thought I would be a baker in high school.

83. Before that, I thought I would be a paleontologist.

84. My favorite TV show, when I was little, was "Inspector Gadget".

85. I tend to blurt out phases that tend to sound funnier than what I originally meant.

86. i.e."What I really need now is a big, fat brat" among friends--they took it the wrong way.

87. I can be witty.

88. Daydreaming is a everyday occurance for me.

89. I grew up playing Legos.

90. I am trying to quit biting my nails.

91. I excerise to relax.

92. But when I am stressed, I stop excerising to spend more time on school. Ironic.

93. I attach feelings to everything. Apples, strawberries, animals, etc.

94. I love when guys wear cologne, but I don't like to wear perfume.

95. SF was a good culture shock for me.

96. Although, Californians talk too much sometimes. My ears hurt.

97. I am now Californian, though.

98. I am thankful for everything and I love how life comes together.

99. I am very retrospective of everything I do.

100. I love being a multi-tasker.

Late Sunday Night

Hello all...

All this rain and homework has made me miss Florian and my family. I keep on pushing through the days...2 more days until my thesis is due... and only 28 days or so until I see everyone and I graduate.

I know this is all I am talking about but really that is all I can think about.

Oh, two german updates:

1. I had my first dream where I was speaking German!! It was so great!
2. I had to help someone by speaking in German and I actually made sense :)

Happy Easter and hope all is well.

Let the countdown begin...

So, it is official. 31 days. Then, I will have my biochem degree. Thanks everyone for being so support these past couple of crazy months :) I really appreciate it.

I did my last admission panal yesterday and it was really hard to think that I was the senior on the panal. I remember 4 years ago when I was the freshwoman on the panal and the seniors, next to me, were ready to take the next step...into the real world.
Now, that student is me and it is scary. But at the same time, it is exciting and fresh and I am starting to feel that twitch of starting new in my life...

So, I hope to see some of you at graduation (in 31 days!) or along the road someday in the future :)

Reception at Alumnae House

Strawberries, Champagne, Balloons, and Friends

Pearl M Dinner @ Mills

Pearl M Dinner and Singing (oh yes, I said singing)

It was great to spend time with friends and talk about graduation...less than a month, ladies :)

Sorry for the picture quality...some are a little blurry but I think it captures
the "mood" of the night...

It's good to be green-Class of 2006!!

starbucks

My essential part of the day:

German word

Ok, I have now learned the longest German word, tonight, and man, it is a long. Here it is:

die Vergangenheitsbewältigung

This word, which I don't think I ever will be able to pronouce, means "coming to terms with the past". I can't believe that 6 words in English can be summed up in 1 word in German.

Unbelievable.

Senior Spring Break

I am back from my spring break trip to Boston and New York CIty. It was great to spend time with Florian :) We stayed at two cute bed and breakfast inns and in the day, we would walk everywhere! In Boston, we walked the historical freedom trail, Quincy Hall, the Capital, BU, Havard, Cambridge, and the best part, seeing Chiyuki!!! In Manhattan, we walked up and down Soho and 5th Avenue. We had a slice of NY pizza and we went to the top of the Empire State Building. Florian had a lot of fun taking pictures of people in their natural mode. Ah, my Florian...

It was so sunny that we really enjoyed both cities with their hustle and bustle and history. There were two great lounges we went to: Match in Boston and "unknown" location in NYC. Enjoy the pictures :)

Thanks again, Chiyuki and Virgil for taking time to hang out with us. It was amazing!