Week One

I never thought I'd see the day where I would be a freshmen in college, for the longest time it seemed so far away. Now today as I am sitting in the corner of Starbucks working on Geography homework, I can now say that week one of my college experience is in the books.
On a side note, Starbucks on campus was not a smart idea, reason one being that I am here way to much, and reason 2 is my bank account is running dry. Mom and Dad if you are reading this, PRETTY PLEASE CAN YOU SEND ME SOME MONEY!
I called my cousin yesterday and she asked me how I was doing away at school, my answer; I'm right where I belong.
Classes are amazing, my teachers are so caring and strive to make sure we understand. I'm enjoying all my classes and we talk a lot about life and experiences. I love it.
Western does Week of Welcome every year the first week of school, so during the whole week events would be planned to make this first week so enjoyable. My favorite event was Valley Ballyhoo, which is this huge club fair where you get to sign up for clubs and see what there is to do on campus

The week was basically finished off this past Thursday with Relient K, I grew up listening to this band but surprisingly I was not standing in front of them at this concert. I was actually across the street at the White House watching Pitch Perfect with some of my great friends and my Cat Camp Leaders. It was a great night that was followed by a trip to the Waffle House that should be a blog post all on its own. But I'll save that story for when I can tell it in person. We all needed some real food, college campus food does not offer much, and after eating yogurt and granola every day, you need some good ole food.  I'll quickly explain this awesome trip, three girls, three guys, one jeep, flashing street lights, Waffle House and it being 12 am. Lets just say there wasn't any room in the back for four college kids, with We Can't Stop playing in the car.  We get to Waffle House, we order way to much food while six of us are crammed in a 4 person booth. My long legs didn't agree with that. I had my coffee and we laughed more than anything, not to mention I contemplated stealing the Waffle House coffee cup, I didn't but you best know my college bucket list was started that night and it is at the top of my list.

Thursday was a very stressful day for me, I have decided that I will be changing my major to Recreational Therapy, and I honestly believe that is what I should have majored in, in the beginning. Being able to stay active and help others using movement/exercise to improve life sounds like the best job to me. So in the spring semester I will be changing to Rec. Therapy. So Thursday I decided to drop my Intro class to Communication Disorders and add Human Society, I don't know what went through my mind, but when i switched class and talked to the professor, I found out that in the two days I missed in Human Society, I was already way behind. I am a worry bug and this little incident ended with me crying to momma on the phone, and in the end I switched it back to my Intro class. For now I am going to stick with my communication disorders class and stick it out, and if the lord calls me to stay with this major and not switch to Rec. Therapy I am going to listen. To make Thursday better my best friends and I decided to make a trip to the pet store and play with puppies. I might make this a weekly event. 

My week ended Friday with only two classes, getting out at 12, chickfila, and hanging out at my friends cabin, and to top it off I went to WINDY GAP for Leaders Weekend. That post will be up this Sunday for sure. 

Now I am off to Day of Service, Happy Saturday :)

Cat Camp

I left August 10th on a journey I thought I was ready to take by storm on my own. I was prepared. All my life I was that little girl who was not afraid to go out of her comfort zone to try something new,  Costa Rica mission trips, Colorado for a month knowing no one, Camps every year; College for a year on my own, 5 hours away, no big deal.

Just to inform you, this is only one of the two cars I took with me to college.  Pack light was not an option 

Like the growing coffee addict I am, there was no way I could embark on a 5 hour journey to the good ole smokey mountains without a quick coffee stop in Black Mountain. We took the exit, hung a left and traveled for miles till I found this little coffee shack on the right side of the road, the best mocha I ever had.
I took the Sylva exit and took a left and traveled for miles till down in the valley I saw my new home. 9 floors up on Scott Hall I found room 915 and I began to settle in. After a stressful two days of unpacking and preparing, I said my goodbye to my Mom and Dad. Hearing them say they we're proud of me was the most meaningful thing; it's also what brought me to tear when I hugged them goodbye.
So back to Cat Camp, I am in FLI (Freshmen Leadership Institiute), we work on serving others and we grow as a community. Well with being in FLI it was recommended we go to Cat Camp, where you go for a week and learn leadership skills, how to work together and how to work when put in certain situations. I was more nervous than anything and when I left to for Cat Camp I began to question every dedcision I made, "Why am I here?", "Did I make the right decision to come to Western?". To the point where I actually made myself sick and wanted to leave and not come back (this was only the first day here). I prayed continuously through the day that the Lord would truly show me the reason that I was here and that I would realize this was where I was suppose to be all along.
You know when you see someone and they stand out to you for no apparent reason at first? Well that happened to me, our Cat Camp counselors are students just like us except a few years older. Well me and my good friend Sophie went up to this counselor to see if she wanted to go running with us, being she was on the track team at Western. So we are running hills, and at this point I had ate to much chocolate before and I was DYING! Michaela, the counselor was running with us and began to tell us about her life and her amazing testimony. I was so amazed because what I heard her say were things that I was struggling with, she began to talk to me about the Lord and she told me how her friend asked her one, "What are you trying not to feel?" weird question isn't it? But it made me think, What am I, Sydney trying not to feel? I had no answer at first but the more I thought about it I began to realize what it was..... Doubt. I didn't want to feel the doubt about being somewhere new knowing close to no one and having to be on my own. I didn't want to doubt my decision of going to Western and I wanted to truly understand the reason why I was here. I knew then and there that the reason I was here was to hear Michaela's story and realize that I wasn't alone in my struggles and worries. This was all in the first night I was at camp, and not going to lie. I cried like a baby because I was in such amazement on how the Lord works in his crazy ways.
Throughout the week we played games, worked in groups, and grew to know one another. My favorite activity was Cross the Line. Where 100 of us made a circle and when a question was asked, if it related to you, you would take a step in and see who else related to you. needless to say it was emotional but you realized you weren't alone in things that you had done or struggled with.
Throughout the rest of the week I grew in those friendships I made like no other and truly saw the Lord work in me along with everyone else there. And I found the true reason I was suppose to be here all along.

 This week was more than just a way to get to know people before classes start monday, it was a way for me to understand how the Lord works things out in ways you don't always understand at first. Another great thing about coming back to campus after Cat Camp is that my roomie Lizzie was here when I came home. I am so happy to have her here with me. Speaking of which, at this moment we are sitting in the dorm munching on a nice bowl of Mac N Cheese we whipped up together. Roommate bonding at its finest. We all went out last night and hung out with one another which consisted of midnight McDonald's runs and hiking up 9 flights of stairs.

 Today was our freshmen motivational speech and with my friends by my side and our new catamount foam fingers, I am ready for class to start Monday!

Why Peak to Whee

Peak to Whee, why such a name. I grew up in Downtown Apex, known as the peak of good living and to this day I live 10 minutes from that little downtown street and still find myself there almost every weekend, walking past the caboose that my brother and I would walk to every friday night after dinner with my parents. Driving past the hill where I learned to roller skate, or the old corner of the neighborhood where for all of Kindergarten I would wait at the bus stop with my parents. That little town became more than a place of living and community for the past 18 years, but a place that was always brought up in stories when I would talk of my childhood. I tell people I grew up in the best place where I always had something to do whether it be ice cream at the parlor, festivals or decorating our bikes for Fourth of July

So back to the reason I have decided to go with Peak to Whee. Right now it's Sunday August 4, 2013 and in just a matter of days, AKA the 10 of August I will be in the small mountain area Cullowhee, better known as the Whee. 

Meet my sweet sweet roommate Lizzie (left) she is kind hearted, with a a love for the Lord that is so inspiring, I can't go a single day without nearly crying from laughter in any conversation Lizzie and I have. I am so thankful that we were brought together to experience our first year of college together.
Meet Sophie (right), she is a free spirit who loves to meet new people and knows how to make the most out of anything she puts her mind to.
I cant wait to have them with me this coming year, not only as a roommate and hall mate, but also as two of my best friends who I know will be a part of the many memories I have from college. 

I want this blog to be a way for my family, friends and whoever finds my blog to fully experience through my stories what is happening through these next years of my life. I'll be hours away from the people I love most but distance is only a measurement. and wherever the Lord, college, or life in general takes me I want you all to be along for the ride. A great friend of mine said to me once, "You can walk anywhere, it might just take longer to walk where you want to go".

So no matter the distance and the length of time it takes to get where I belong, come with me through this blog and the pictures I take and see where this journey takes me.