Beautiful People

In a special three-part series on my time here at Purdue, here is part two, a post devoted to all the wonderful people I've come to love these past four years.

It's goodbye time here in the 765. This makes me 8 kinds of sad because I may never see some of these amazing people again. So here in a public fashion, I'm posting all the things I want to say to all the people I love in case I forget to tell you in person!

Hatley Nell - I don't even know where to begin. Perhaps, BGR? When we bonded over H&M, driving Volvos, and being really homesick? And then that one time we went shopping in Indy and ran into Andy Roddick? I'm glad our friendship lasted long after you moved out of Windsor. I will miss our absurdly long lunches, stories about Fatta & Gus Gus, and your amazingly delicious baked goods.  You are one of my very best friends.  You and Ramsey and your animal farm will have an amazing time in Texas. I can't wait to visit some day.

The Braund family - You are home to me. You have been my pillars for the last four years. Your love and support means more than you will ever know. As I write this, I am swimming in memories of all the laughter and fellowship. You are odd, hilarious, compassionate, loud, and spectacular. I am forever your Eli, who thinks everything tastes like pumpkin and will never set foot in Don Pablos again.

The Hoversland family - Ditto. It has been a blessing getting to know you. Your kids are bright, vibrant, adorable creatures and I love them like they were my own siblings. Thanks for allowing me to shamelessly use you for your laundry room on occasion. 

Elizabeth - JGG. Dinner dates, movie nights, doing rounds. We have an amazing friendship, even if we never made it out of Windsor. You are the only one allowed to call me Legally Short. I will miss you incredibly.

Kristin - Shoot, girl. So many good times. Thanks for the advice on plants, taking me to Owl City, and alllll the talking. I'm going to miss you while you're catching butterflies in Oregon. I know it's not the end for us because we still have plans (aka rock climbing, roadtrip to Florida, watch Lord of the Rings all the way through, etc.)

Julie, Michelle, Cassandra, and all the rest of my Windsor ladies - I've known some of you since BGR, and some of you since last August but you're all right up there in my book. So many good times. Thanks for making the last four years (and especially Senior Week) so amazing. You are pure gold. Riiiiiiiight?

My spectacular office staff - You made my job as supervisor the easiest in the world. You showed up on time (always in the proper clothes - a plus!), had excellent customer service, and always laughed at my jokes in clerical meetings.  You are 11 amazing women.  It has truly been a pleasure to work with each and every one of you.

WRH Club - Governess was a cakewalk. You are some of the funniest, most interesting cats out there. We did Windsor proud this year. Thanks for keeping my legacy intact.

And now I'm crying. But I love you all.

The Purdue Bucket List

In less than 24 hours, I will officially be a college graduate. As much as that excites/freaks me out, it is high time I devote a blog post to the things I love about the best academic institution in the world.

Oh Purdue....the years, days, hours, dollars, tears, smiles, laughs I have devoted to you...it's enough to make me wax poetic. But I won't. you're welcome.

The Graduation Bucket List.  There's a few versions of a list of 25 things you're supposed to do before you graduate that have been circulating around.  Since most of them revolve around alcohol and sporting events, I decided to make my own list. Except I cheated and made it right now. After everything is checked off.

Ellie's Purdue Bucket List

(1) Attend Boiler Gold Rush - aka BGR aka Freshman Orientation. It actually wasn't all that fun. But I can say that some of the people in my group became my best friends.

(2) Attend a basketball game - YES!!

(3) Attend the callout for a club I have no intention of joining - yes, Junior year. Ballroom dancing. hahahahaha.

(4) Drink an entire Den Pop - check. 32 oz. of soda: only did it once, felt pretty sick after.

(5) Eat at Triple X - yep. fried eggs and toast. no way was I going to try the peanut butter burger.

(6) Get a milkshake at Pappy's - DELICIOUS.

(7) Pull an all-nighter - many, many times.

(8) Run through one of the fountains fully clothed - aka a Fountain Run, got that out of the way freshman yr. it was COLD.

(9) Attend a concert in Elliot/on Slayter Hill - yesss. Ben Folds, Jason Mraz, Switchfoot, B.B. King.

(10) Take a completely random class - see, Intro to Theater, aka Acting Class, Junior Year

(11) See the inside of Harry's Chocolate Shop - check. ate a chicken sandwhich and left. Never would have done this without Catherine.

(12) Achieve a 4.0 for one semester - did this one TWICE. since I'm a genius.

(13) Ride the Citibus - ugh. worst experience ever.

(14) Get a part time job - haha 2 and a half years later, it's kind of my full time job.

(15) Get a drink from the Lion Fountain - more dangerous than you would think. may or may not have contracted lead poisoning because of this one.

(16) Live with a random roommate - check. best experience! never would have met Charisse otherwise.

(17) Skip a class on purpose and for no reason at all - check, check, check, check, checkkkk.

(18) Get to know a professor outside of class - YES.

(19) Become the president of something - you're looking at the Governess of Windsor Residence Hall, '09-'10. Bow before me.

(20) Shake hands with the university president - yep, met Dr. Jischke and Dr. Cordova.

(21) Stay friends with someone from high school - not only was she my roommate for a year and a half, we took classes together, and bonded over our mutual love for politics, the Daily Show, Guitar Hero, flags, and being awesome. Catherine, you are the greatest.

(22) Attend a football game - Finally did it senior year. not a huge fan...

(23) Join a random club - Lasted about one semester in Purdue's Camera Club. Came for the free food, stayed for the free Photoshop tutorials, left because it was dominated by hipsters.

(24) Study abroad - ok this one never happened, and it is my single regret about my time at Purdue. It was certainly not for lack of trying! If only Greece hadn't dissolved into political and financial ruin....

(25) GRADUATE. If you're in Elliot Hall at 9:30 am on Sunday, you'll see me there. I'll be the one in the cap and gown.

Things I Love Thursday

This Thursday finds me exceptionally cranky because I am dividing my time between studying for my two hardest and most boring finals and working in the office. Clearly, the two are not meant to mix because as soon as I open my notebook, the phone rings or someone walks up to the desk.
Case in point:
As I was finishing that sentence, someone approached and asked me if they could "buy some quarters".
...Insert incredulous stare.

Well. Hopefully the end of the list will find me more cheerful than the beginning.

What I Love Today:

(1) Roman Holiday

Nothing quite tugs at my heartstrings like Audrey Hepburn sleepily informing the dashing Gregory Peck,

"What the world needs is a return to sweetness and decency in the souls of its young men."

Or the look that passes between them at the very end when they are standing right in front of each other for the very last time. Swoon.

(2) Turning in the last ever paper of my undergraduate education.
biiiiiig sigh of relief.

(3) Unexpected motivation
Yesterday at the gym, I used a particular elliptical machine that I had never used before and midway through my workout, I paused to take a drink of water.  I hadn't been stopped for long when I looked down and the digital readout was flashing the following message: "PEDAL FASTER".   It was so unexpected, I laughed for a really long time.  The audacity! Since when is exercise equipment allowed to be Judge-y McJudgerson?  But it worked; I pedaled faster.  I can't imagine what the girl next to me was thinking however, with me laughing and pointing at my machine for no apparent reason...

(4)  Chema Madoz Photography
I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

(5) Amy Atlas Events
 If I were wealthy, lived in New York, and had an event that needed planning, I would call up this lady. Stop what you're doing and click on the link. These are the prettiest, most creative dessert tables you will ever see.  It is a feast for the eyes.

(6) Conference calls with the family
Five people, five phone lines. What is this, a business meeting? You laugh, but getting to talk to all of my family at the same time is not something I have been able to do for a long time.  I miss talking around the dinner table every night.  I'm excited to move home for the summer.  That said....This is Carolus Unit 3 signing out.

At work, but...

Source

Story of my life.

Things I Love Thursday

Ok clearly these are not happening on Thursdays anymore but I'm still awake so technically it's not Friday until I go to bed.  Stop judging me.  I had a really busy daaay-whine whine, etc.


(1) Reminiscing about school days. It's been on my mind lately (see middle school post) but various chats with friends have had me thinking of the days of yore.  Like the unfortunate fashion choices that were made in elementary school.  Think bright culottes and prairie boots. It was like Laura Ingalls Wilder time travels to 1992, minus the bonnet.  I shudder to think of the terrible dictatorship of clothing choices I was subject to.  It's fine, I'm over it, whatever.  Love you, Mom.

 

And then the things we did in high school because we thought we were the bomb diggety.  Like when my sole extracurricular activity was joining the literary magazine because I thought I was basically a modern day Virginia Woolfe. It was called the Erendrake, an old English word for messenger. The fact that I even know that makes me shake my head and laugh at my 16 year old self.  Did I mention that the rest of the Erendrake staff consisted of three of my friends and both of my siblings? To this day, I am quite sure the only reason Eva and Sam joined was because I was their ride home...

Anyway, one winter the deadline was drawing close and we were low on submissions (giant surprise there) so we got it in our heads to advertise on the morning announcements.  Of course I would not allow just a simple statement to be read. No, I had to write a song.  Since it was near Christmas, I rewrote the lyrics of Jingle Bells to fit our needs. And then added about six verses.  And then sang it with my sister and our friend Sarah to the entire school over the intercom.  What I thought was a humorous and beautiful song turned out to be nearly 10 minutes of a really bad rendition of a beloved Christmas carol.  I returned to class expecting to receive a round of applause and instead got a room full of this:

 

I blame it on the poor sound quality of the intercom system.

(2) The J. Crew Summer 2010 Collection.  Such as This dress  and this cardigan. Clearly this is an attempt to redeem myself of my sordid past with clothing.  Clean lines, classic colors, yes please.  And enough cardigans to send the crotchety old woman in me into fits of delight.  Not that I can afford any of it.

(3) Oranges.  Never really been a huge fan of this fruit until recently.  When I was a child, I had to take medicine mixed with orange juice every day for 6 months or so.  It took me a long time to disassociate the awful taste of that medicine with oranges.  Sense memory is a powerful thing. Anyway, I've recently come to love eating an ice cold orange before bed. It's a rather strange habit and I don't know why I started it but it keeps me from eating junk food at night.  Smarter food choices = win.

(4) SPRING. I love spring. It's quite possibly my favorite season.   I love that it's pleasantly warm without a breath of humidity but still cool in the evenings. I love the heady smell of flowers everywhere. With the exception of the dogwood trees. Why a tree with such beautiful white flowers insists on smelling like rotting fish carcass is beyond me.  I love the days when the wind is a mere breeze that causes the gentle rustling of leaves.  I love the days when the wind is a gale, impatiently jerking my skirt against my legs and then furiously changing direction.  I even love the spontaneous deluge of rain that leaks through my decrepit umbrella and drips into my school bag.  I love the grinning smile of the blue sky after such a long winter. I love the promise of summer that hangs in the air.  And my soul waxes poetic...

(5) Switzerland. No particular reason. Except that they have a strong economy while managing to remain politically neutral in the 21st century.  And their country is almost entirely carbon-neutral. 56% of their energy comes from hydroelectricity and 39% from nuclear power. Yes I got those stats off Wikipedia.  The environmentalist in me weeps with happiness. Why else is Switzerland awesome? Hmm, is it their amazingly efficient health care system? That they have not one, but four national languages? The beautiful landscape? Nope, it's the chocolate. Although those other things don't hurt either. 

(6) The Fruit Game. Try and think of a fruit that describes you. Then think of fruits that describe your friends. That's it. I don't know if you were waiting for a point to this game but there is none. It's just an amusing way to pass the time. And it's interesting what other people think you are. For example, according to Hattie, I am a pomegranate: interesting and surprising. This pleases me.  Other variations of this game are the Animal Game or if you want to be oddly specific, the Baked Goods Game.  FYI, It is the highest compliment if you are considered to be a scone.  I have been kind of obsessed with comparing my friends to fruits lately, entirely in my head of course.  There's no unawkward way to approach the subject. "Lauren, you would make the perfect pineapple."

Ok you delicious kiwis and mangoes.  Time for me to get back to the homework at hand.  Leave me some love.  And tell me what kind of fruit/animal/baked good you think I am.