Post Exam Life

Every year it's the same story.
School ends, and I SHOULD feel relieved and happy.. but no, that's never the case.
It's really hard going from COMPLETELY immersing yourself into something- like school- and then having it be finished. It was your stress, your enjoyment, your frustration, your goal, your life for so long and now you're done.
Not to mention this year, it was especially a struggle to leave Acadia. I've made some fantastic friends this year and developed friendships from last year. I've also really enjoyed being on the SRC as well as being Tully House President. I will miss Tully, Acadia and even Wolfville, but especially the people. I did not leave Acadia without many many tears.
I also had to drive my friend Lidia to the airport- that was also one of the hardest things to do ever! We got to be so close this year, essentially sisters. But I know we'll have new memories and always be in each other's lives so that thought does really calm me.
I'm going to miss all my friends so much.. Living together like we do, eating every meal, sharing laughter, tears, joy, sadness... they are such a part of me, and I do feel emptier without them around!
So needless to say I've had post-exam sadness like I always do, on top of missing my friends, but I have to admit it has been kinda nice to be home.

So what have I been up to without the stress of school?
I went to Halifax one night with Mum to see La Cage aux Folles at Neptune- that was incredible! I really enjoyed that evening.
I also volunteered at the NSSSA Skillbuilding Retreat at FHCS which was a lot of fun to see all the NSSSA folks again. Great people.
I've also been getting my sleeping and eating back on schedule. Exams takes a lot out of you. I went to bed at TEN the other night! HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT.
I've also visited CMRD- my old workplace, and I'm going to visit my high school FHCS before I leave.
And lastly.. I'm doing some relaxing things like having baths, reading books for fun and playing Nancy Drew games.. things I can't do at school.. and I'm getting ready to go to DISNEY WORLD one week from today!

Lots of things are changing. Change is scary. But change is how we grow. I'm terrified, excited, scared, happy, sad, so many emotions right now. But I know God will see me through and my friends and family will always be with me. So bring on the new adventures, I may not be ready, but the timing is never right for these things.. stepping out of my comfort zone to have an amazing summer!

I would put a picture to accompany this post but the only thing I could think of was the picture Lidia and I took the day she left.. .and that just makes me sad. Instead, I leave you with a quote from La Cage aux Folles:

"face life though it's sometimes sweet and sometimes bitter; face life, with a little guts and lots of glitter." -la cage aux folles

Exam Life

Ahhh exam period.

I'm officially done 3/5 of my courses. I can't say all my finals have gone as well as planned but at least they're done. I still have Differential Equations and History of Medicine left. One should be good, one should be a toughie. Three guesses to guess which is which.

I just wanted to comment on exam period a little bit..

Basically, to go off my blog post about change, it is a transition period. I haven't started packing up my room yet but I really should be doing it soon. I want to be done soooo badly but yet I don't- I don't want to leave Acadia, Tully, my friends.. but I don't want to get on that topic

again.

Exam period often features interesting choices on food. My snack of choice has been pumpkin seeds and chocolate. I go to mealhall once a day on average. I've had Joe's, Boston Pizza, Subway.. It's been interesting that's for sure.

I always get a new obsession every exam period. This time it's Dance Moms. It's such a terrible show but I'm so addicted.. I'm glad my dance studio was nothing like that one! Those girls are super talented though I really enjoy watching the actual dances.

I've also watched a few movies I've been meaning to watch.. the Little Mermaid, Psycho and Pocahontas (little diverse I know)

Psycho was so good! So scary... I still get really nervous when showering. That scene is so brutal. The movie, however, is phenomenal.. Alfred Hitchock is a genius!

Pocahontas is way better now that I'm older too. I watched the Colors of the Wind scene three times in a row. This is like Hunchback of Notre Dame... its theme is inappropriate for ch

ildren but the movie is really good.

It's funny that the songs I found boring when I was little are now my favorites.. I used to fast forward through the ballads and now I listen to them on repeat :)

Private Practice is also new tonight! Yay!

And yeah... I try to study a bit too..

I got the Pocahontas picture from a really cute Tumblr about Simple Disney Things!

Reasons to go to Walt Disney World

Nobody usually needs a reason to want to go to Disney World, let alone multiple. Why is this though? Why are we so drawn to this magical place? What makes it magical?

Fun

First of all.. it is the most fun you could ever have. The rides are insane.

The thing about Disney rides I find though, is that they tell a story. Normal rides at your local amusement park are typical- you have your carousel, a ferris wheel, maybe a little roller coaster. Disney's rides are all magical, inviting stories that keep you on your toes even if it's not meant to be a scary ride. You get completely immersed in the tale they are telling. Even if it's a ride meant for little kids, or the scariest thing you've ever been on (hellloooo rock'n'roller coaster), you will be completely engaged and have an absolute blast. So like I said. Fun.

Variety

Let me start off by saying, there are four parks, two water parks, a metropolis Downtown Disney area, and a bunch of resorts... there is not a shortage of things to do. Even between the parks there is a huge variety- at

Animal Kingdom you can go on a safari and see African animals, at Magic Kingdom you can go on the classic rides

like Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, at Epcot you can visit different countries at the world showcase, at Hollywood Studios you can see Beauty and the Beast performed live. Talk about variety!

But even within all these places there are so many options for what you can do. I went to WDW for the first time when I was 18.. so I could do all the adult rides and I did a lot of the kid ones too. Except, what I find for Disney rides, there aren't really "adult" rides or "kid" rides... they just have certain rides with height restrictions. You never really grow out of the kid ones

But, yes, there are scary roller coasters, and there are easy going "It's a Small World" type rides.

In addition to rides, there is SO MUCH VARIETY for food- anywhere from gourmet in the world showcase at Epcot to a hotdog at Casey's Corner in Magic Kingdom. There is s

omething for everyone.

Furthermore, there are spas, recreational activities, shopping, etc., that are around the parks.. you really will NOT have a hard time finding something to do at WDW.

Childhood Memories

We've all seen the commercials for WDW on our VHS for the Lion King. We've all grown up watching Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast. We've all had those dreams where we go to Disney World and woken up disappointed. It's such an integrated part of our childhood as North Americans at least.. even if your first time going to the park is when you're older (like me), it's still just as magical as if you were little.

You get to see all these characters, watch other little children's dreams come true, and immerse yourself in this fantasyland... a great feeling.

Park Memories

I went to WDW with my mum and let me just say it remains one of my happiest memories and I'm so glad I got to share it with her. You will make countless memories at W

DW.. as the commercials often state, you're not young forever but at Disney World you can

pretend to be. Things change so quickly.. children grow up, people move away, you lose touch. Disney vacation memories will last a lifetime. The photos, the smiles, the magic... they stay with you.

Magic

Everything is just so special at Disney World. Even the buses they transport you from park to park are so.. special. Cast members make sure every Disney day is a magical one. It's not like any place you've ever been before- and that's the truth. The magic is hard to describe in words.. you need to experience it. You will experience it the second you cross the Walt Disney World gate... you'll just.. know. I will never forget that moment. I will also never forget being at Magic Kingdom the first day of our trip, and walking in those gates for the first time.. I get shivers just thinking about it!

Me

Come to WDW this summer and visit me! I'm going to be away from home for the longest time yet.. so I'd love to see some familiar faces. I'm trying to convince my friends to come.. hopefully they'll bite.. and hopefully this blogpost will help! :)

Change.

Final exams of second semester are such a transition period.

I've been studying this same material for so long... especially this semester, it feels like forever. As I go through the material for a second (third, fourth, fifth) time, it's like replaying my semester in my head. While relearning about java programs, the method of undetermined coefficients, hypothesis testing, I'm inserting memories like Cheaton Cup, Tully formal, my birthday. I am convinced.. university is not about what you learn but about the experiences you have.. but that's a topic for another post.

Anyway, finals are very nostalgic. It's funny to remember struggling with this material and now it seems elementary almost (at least most of it). I guess that's a good sign for my finals.

But in a sense, finals are very scary (not just because they're worth a huge portion of your mark...). One by one you pass in your finals, crossing out your final to-do list, finally letting your brain let go of the information you squeezed in there. But with each paper you pass in, you become closer and closer to summer... and that's the scary part.

Last year, I had a fantastic summer. It was my first university (four month!!) summer. I had the best job ever, a summer supervisor at a recreation department. I also got to work with one of my best friends, and the other staff were all so great. We had a really successful summer and a lot of kids enjoyed our programs. I also loved being at home for four months, hanging with my family, going to the beach, reading books for fun. It was excellent.

Then I came back to Acadia and started living this dream again. This has been a fantastic year and about a gazillion times busier than last.. curling, house president, SRC... it's been great, but a full plate for sure.

Now I have to start scraping things off my plate... and it scares me.

No more SRC (at least for now). No more house president. No more anatomy, differential equations, the lot. No more Tully. No more friends by me...

I'm going to work at the happiest place on Earth. I'm so so excited but oh so scared.

The thing about change though is you can always count on it. I'm lucky to always be able to count on God too. He's pretty much the definition of consistency. I know He's gone ahead of me and He knows what's going to happen. That's a really soothing thought.

I also know that no matter what changes happen, my friends and family will be at my side.. at least figuratively. I know I can always count on my friends for good laughs, but also to be there in the good times and bad. I am so lucky to have some really fantastic people in my life and I know I often forget to tell/show them this, I am very appreciative for their impacts on my life.

So these few days are kinda weird as I study study study, pack up my room, pack up my memories, say goodbye to friends for four months.. and bring on the biggest adventure of my life. Here goes.

ABC's of Lindsay

Just another 'about me' post :)

Acadia University. I love it more than I think I even realize.

Broadway. My happy place.

Curling. The only sport I could ever call my own. My passion.

Disney cast member, summer 2012!

Enthusiasm- why go through life without it?

Friends. I am so blessed.

God- my life, my rock.

Hope.

Independence- I'm learning to live on my own.

Jacob. My older bro :)

Kennedy family. Biggest interest, obsession even.

Leadership. The dream, the goal.

Mathematics & Statistics, my first major, my love, my frustration.

New York City - one day you will be home.

Piano. My expression.

Ocean. I don't think I could ever be apart from it.

Queen- a good band.

Roller Coaster- I love the rush.

Stickers- I just really don't like them, okay?

Tully- my residence, my home. Not for much longer but always in my heart.

University- two more years to go... at least...

Very Competitive

Wild- not quite.. but I do like a good challenge.

X chromosomes.

Year two. I just finished my second year of university. Time flies.

Zelda, my favorite video game.

Stole this idea from my dear friend KJ. She's become quite the blogger. You should follow her blog, it's really sweet.

Getting Closer

Hey friends!

I thought I should write a little update on life.

Firstly, exciting news, my friends Patty-Sue and Kristi have decided to blog! I'm really pumped because it'll be a great way to communicate this summer. We'll all be in different places experiencing different things and I'm glad I'll hear all about their adventures!

Things are busy.. exams officially start tomorrow! It's so hard focusing when all I want to do is blog, read and watch YouTube videos about Disney World. All that aside though, things are going well. I am pretty tired of the courses I'm in right now but that's understandable. I just have to get through these last few days!

School has been so much fun in March/lately. Cheaton Cup, Tully formal, Disney movie marathon.. lots of fun stuff! I also have a curling team for next year which is excellent news.

Disney is coming up so soon! I officially have a lot of things taken care of but I still have a lot of preparations to make before heading down. It's becoming so much more real to me now. I'm getting really nervous but really excited. This is probably one of the scariest things I've ever done but also the most exciting.

If anybody is planning on going to the happiest place on Earth between May and early August, make sure to visit me :)