thebabyperks

While I didn't publish my new year resolutions on my blog last year I did have them in a note on my phone. 

1. Get in shape (for real this time)
2. Stop biting my nails
3. Continue to be happy

I can say that I successfully accomplished 2/3 of these this year. 

#1: My physique may not ever resemble that of when I was swimming 5 days a week for 2 hours a day, but I am in my best post-swimming shape. In 2017 I learned that I can't just do cardio and expect to see the results I want. I thought lifting would make me bulky but what I realized once I got over my fear of the weights is that it actually helps a lot (duh... that's why people are always in the weight section of the gym). For 2018 my goal is to work on my arms and core.

#2: I failed at this again and I fail every year. Biting my nails isn't something I always even recognize I'm doing. Sometimes I may go a long time without biting them and then I look down and I realize I've done it again. It's part a subconscious thing, part coping method for stress. For 2018 my goal is to be more aware of when I'm biting my nails so I can stop. 

#3: WOO I did it. 2017 had it's ups and downs like any year but I can honestly say that this year was pretty great. I did a lot, traveled, hung out with my best friends, continued my studies, and overall just became a better version of myself. For 2018 my goal is to continue to be happy and hopefully help make other people happy.

My winter break seems to be flying by but I have thoroughly enjoyed the rest and relaxation, traveling with my family, and getting to see David and my friends for NYE. My next semester is going to be pretty busy, too, but I know 2018 is going to be a great year.

Happy New Year everyone, I will see you in 2018!

Until next time,
Taylor xx

If you are no stranger to this blog you've read about my triathlon experience a handful of times. I love the sport, I will rave about it to anyone who gives me a chance to. When I came back to school for my sophomore year I originally had planned to train for a long distance triathlon but I had a few challenges. I am really busy (I mean it's college, who isn't?) and the pool hours don't fit into my schedule and I don't have a bike rack or my bike at school. One thing I have been doing though is running. 

I was thinking about doing a 10K over fall break but I didn't end up doing it. I did the Turkey Trot 5K on Thanksgiving Day and got my PR (24:54, an 8:02 mile), which was definitely because this semester I began incorporating lifting into my workouts.

A high quality picture of me very early in the morning for the Turkey Trot

The last two weeks of school, though, my workout schedule fell apart. I had a lot of final presentations, projects, and tests that took over. If I'm being honest not working out stressed me out but I also knew I needed to be properly rested. Taking a week or two off wouldn't hurt me that badly. And it didn't. It gave me the rest and recharge I needed to get back to working out over break. That get's me to the main point of this post.

I am doing a half marathon. 

Completing a half-marathon has always been a far out goal that I didn't think I'd ever accomplish. At the beginning of break I had texted David and joked that I'd "maybe" do one. He said to do it. I began looking at races in Springfield and I found the Big Party Half Marathon on April 7. When I read more about the Big Party Half Marathon I knew I had to do it. All of the proceeds go to Camp Barnabas-- "a unique ministry providing Christian camping experiences to people with special needs and chronic illnesses, along with their siblings." The money raised from this race goes to funds so that kids have money to go to the camp.

I found a beginner's training plan for a half marathon and I just completed my first week. I don't expect to be super fast or place in the top 5, but I want to do it to say I've done it. I also feel like if there's any half marathon to do it might as well be the one that provides opportunities to kids to have fun at a camp that is accessible for them.

Here's Sophia and I, I literally couldn't have survived this semester without her constant love and support. I am forever grateful for our MudHouse study dates and trips to Sonic.
And throughout September I got to gather things and put together a basket for my future little. Noelle-- I love you so much and I am so glad you are a part of the fam ba bam.

Here's her completed basket!

 Big/Little Reveal--

Kappa Delta did a paint Twister (that turned into paint war) exchange with Sigma Pi.
 We also created a team for Lambda Chi Alpha's Watermelon Fest.
Noelle officially got initiated into Kappa Delta and I was a proud mom. 
Around this time it was midterms so here's a picture of Sophia and I dying in the library. One night we went to Target and each bought a pint of Ben and Jerry's and ate them in one of the study rooms.
My mom came to visit and of course I took her to MudHouse. We spent our night on the couch in my apartment eating candy and watching documentaries.
Then it was Halloween at Drury....
 Next was the Kappa Delta masquerade-themed formal.
They had a fire pit for s'mores and I was living my best life. David took a to-go box full of extra s'more making materials which I continued to eat for the next week.

I was slated for Vice President- Public Relations for the Alpha Psi chapter of Kappa Delta and got voted in. Here's a photo of the incredible women I get to work and serve with over the course of the next year.
I went with David to Sigma Pi's formal.

Second year in a row of Fratsgiving photos with Oliver

 I started dating David, too, I can't forget to mention that ;)

This was before we officially started dating but it's close enough

If you didn't know, David is incredible. I could probably go on and on about how great he is but that's kind of cringe-y, but please know that he means the world to me and makes me incredibly happy. 

And his Tweet was featured on Buzzfeed (he's #10) and that's pretty cool.

After a crazy busy two weekends I went home for a quick Thanksgiving break...

and then came back to finish out the last few weeks of the semester. I helped decorate both David and Matt's Christmas tree and my own apartment's tree.



Before finals week started Noelle, Rachel and I exchanged Christmas gifts. Noelle got us these rockin' sweaters and I am pumped.
 As you can tell we all fit into this family quite well.

The infamously branded "dead week" is upon us. And while we have almost made it through the week, the stress is far from being over. 

Dead week (or the week before finals) is always significantly worse than finals weeks. Traditionally it's because you are prepping for finals, finishing up papers, and practicing presentations, but from my experience more finals happen on dead week than finals week. Many of professors think it'll make it easier on us but then everyone does it and finals week becomes you staying until Wednesday for your one final from 1-3.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad my stress is almost over but earlier this week I was really testing my sanity. At one point I was set up in the Commons (our cafeteria) while making phone calls, drinking my third cup of coffee on an empty stomach and typing out an article for a newspaper story. Don't worry- the Commons put out their lunch options and I ate. But later that day I went to a coffee shop with my friend Barbie and we each had our fourth cups of coffee for the day. I was wired, but pretty productive.

Mudhouse was full so Barbie and I went somewhere else for coffee but here's a picture I took at Mudhouse earlier in the semester

As you can tell from what I have told you I am incredibly busy. My days are 12+ hours and at points I feel like I'm going crazy. I see the light at the end of the tunnel, though. 

In exactly one week I will be in my pajamas at home on the couch, drinking coffee and watching cheesy Christmas movies. My dream of relaxing will be coming true shortly. 

I am also trying to cherish this last week of my fall semester by spending as much time as I can with my friends and boyfriend before we all go home for 4-5 weeks. 

I feel like this semester passed in a blink of an eye, it's wild to see how much has changed from August to now. 

To my fellow Drury peers and other college friends-- we're making it. We just have to push for a bit longer before we can do nothing and not feel guilty about it.

Until next time,
Taylor xx