Change is a big part of life. I think the past few years have taught me this more than anything. And this week brought along yet another change.
Before I mention that change, I'll talk about a few other little changes.
1. Where I'm writing this. Usually, I write this blog from the couch in my apartment at Vista Way. I'd be using the black internet cord (because we never figured out how to set up our wifi) and would be scratching my head for hours before finally cranking out what I wanted to say.
2. The food I've eaten today. This gives away a big clue as to the change I will eventually talk about. On a normal day, I'd wake up, have a bowl of Honey-Nut Cheerios and a side of Morning Star Bacon Strips. By now, (if it were a work day) I'd probably be on my first break, and having a small snack consisting of apple juice, Laughing Cow cheese, and saltine crackers. This morning, however, I woke up and went to the kitchen, cracked open a sample box of Trix, and then stopped for a quick bagel from Bruegger's.
3. My weight. Yes, I'm going to be one of "those" girls and discuss my weight. Well, after going to the doctor's office this morning, I discovered that I weigh less than I have in 6 years. AKA since middle school. That's weird.
4. The weather. It's a cool 60-something degrees out right now, and I think it feels WAY better than a blistering 90-something with 80% humidity.
5. The seasons. It's becoming Fall right now, one of my favorite parts of the year for a number of reasons: A) My birthday is coming up soon [which reminds me of another change] B) The leaves change into beautiful colors. C) It's not too hot out anymore. D) Flannel season begins. E) I can eat Fall Foods like soup and mashed potatoes and not feel gross and overheated after. F) Jeans. Boots. Long-sleeve Shirts. Scarves. Hats. Enough said.
6. The change I mentioned with my birthday on it's way. I will no longer be a teenager. It's hard to believe that I will no longer be able to blame moodiness on my teenage years, or say I'm nineteen. I'll be 20. Twenty. The big 2-0. I will have lived two decades. Cars made the year I was born could potentially be viewed as vintage. So strange!
And the biggest change, which you may have guessed already. I'm no longer in Florida on the Disney College Program. Whew, that was a mouthful. Allow me to explain. It was not completely my decision, and it still feels like a dream, or a temporary thing. But as I write this, my roommates are moving out of our apartment in Vista Way and into a new apartment I'll likely never see in Chatham.
About 2 1/2 weeks ago, things all started to change. I started getting sick. First, I was just lightheaded and a bit nauseous, so I called in to work, thinking that I would get better in time for my trip to Chicago on the 27th of September. Then, when I wasn't getting any better, I decided it was in my best interest not to go. I developed a fever, and my body ached and felt swollen. A few days later, I went to a clinic where I was diagnosed with a respiratory infection, given some medication, and sent on my way. A few days later, the fever had not broken, so I went to the ER at Florida Celebration Hospital. They gave me some IV medication, and some other antibiotics to take, and sent me on my way. Two days later, and I was still not any better. I made my way back to the hospital, where I was admitted and kept for a week. This was the strangest week of my life. I was eventually diagnosed with mono, and the doctor said it was better if I went home to New York to recuperate. So, here I am. Back in New York to stay.
Of course, it was hard to leave Florida. I had made so many friends, and I was finally starting to appreciate where I was and what I was doing. However, I think that this might be for the better. It will be much easier for me to recover here. And I would rather not stay sick for another 3 months. I'm going to work on getting better as quickly as possible (without relapsing).
As a result, I'm pretty sure this might be my last blog post. It's been a wonderful experience, and I'd tell people to go for it. If you're independent (you have to be VERY independent and capable) and you're looking for an adventure, try working for Disney. It was the hardest but most rewarding experience of my life thus far. Even though at times I hated it, there were a number of times that I had more fun than I would anywhere else. And the best part? I got college credit for it.
My biggest advice? Don't get sick while you're there. You'll be going home probably a lot earlier than you had expected.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Hmmm. Where to start?
The past few weeks have been the same as the ones before. You don't realize how monotonous things can get until you work 40 hours at the same place all week. But here, it's not necessarily about how well you can deal with monotony. You have to learn to make things interesting. How do you do that, you might ask? Go out for movies, dinner, go walk around a park, go to the mall. Find things to do outside your apartment, and you won't go crazy.
But a problem that comes with going out all the time? MONEY. It just disappears! You'll get paid on Thursday, but if Thursday and Friday are your days off, your paycheck (or at least the amount of it that you can spend in the upcoming week.. for example, I try to put $100 a week in an account to save for a new computer) is gone. After groceries and one night out, it's possible that your spending money is all out!
I'm planning on going to Chicago on the 27th. Pretty exciting stuff! I'll write a blog about it when I get back.
That's all for now, guys. Not much to say this week.
The past few weeks have been the same as the ones before. You don't realize how monotonous things can get until you work 40 hours at the same place all week. But here, it's not necessarily about how well you can deal with monotony. You have to learn to make things interesting. How do you do that, you might ask? Go out for movies, dinner, go walk around a park, go to the mall. Find things to do outside your apartment, and you won't go crazy.
But a problem that comes with going out all the time? MONEY. It just disappears! You'll get paid on Thursday, but if Thursday and Friday are your days off, your paycheck (or at least the amount of it that you can spend in the upcoming week.. for example, I try to put $100 a week in an account to save for a new computer) is gone. After groceries and one night out, it's possible that your spending money is all out!
I'm planning on going to Chicago on the 27th. Pretty exciting stuff! I'll write a blog about it when I get back.
That's all for now, guys. Not much to say this week.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Ohhhh we're halfway there, woa-oh, been living on a prayer....
Yeah, I know. Bon Jovi isn't my favorite either, but I thought that quote was appropriate. Why? Because I'm halfway through my program! I'm proud of myself for making it this far, when honestly I didn't know if I was going to make it through the first month. It's a big adjustment, and I thought I wanted to go home. At this point, I'm glad I didn't go home. I've learned a lot here.
What exactly have I learned? Well, for starters, I'm not quite as messy as I thought I was. Actually, as it turns out, I'm quite clean! It bothers me when the apartment is gross, and embarrasses me when my friends come over and the apartment isn't spotless. Another thing I have learned is that people can be REALLY rude. Before, I knew people could be horrible to others, but I didn't know how often it really happened. It makes me want to grow up and never flip out on an employee.
I've learned how much money it takes to live the way I want to live. I know that to earn the money I need to keep up the lifestyle I like, I have to go to school and make something of myself. And school? I don't hate it. I actually really enjoy learning and being able to discuss subjects intelligently. And I want to keep doing that for as long as possible.
Other than the things I've learned, I've experienced some pretty cool things here as well. Along with all the rude and annoying people in the world are some pretty awesome people. You don't even have to look far to find someone interesting. When I was closing the other night, I met these two little Asian boys who were absolutely adorable. They must have been 3 or 4, and learning English, because they'd speak another language to their parents, and their parents would coach them in English phrases. The first boy walked up to me, saying "Trade pins?" Of course, I held out my pin lanyard and allowed each of the boys to look at the pins I had. After trading, they walked away, blowing kisses to me!
Among the cute things kids do is their belief that the characters actually live. A number of times, I have been asked by little girls if I was Ariel. I guess I could pass for her, with my blue eyes and reddish hair, but every time, my answer to them is this: "No, I'm not Ariel. I have feet!" I love that the kids all truly believe that these characters are alive.
In two weeks, I'm going to be visiting Chicago for the first time in my life. Pretty exciting, right? I'm going with three of my friends who are ICP's (International College Program participants): Jess, Amy and Wendy. I'll keep you updated!
As for right now, I think it's time to relax. It is, after all, my day off! And, even better, PAY DAY!
What exactly have I learned? Well, for starters, I'm not quite as messy as I thought I was. Actually, as it turns out, I'm quite clean! It bothers me when the apartment is gross, and embarrasses me when my friends come over and the apartment isn't spotless. Another thing I have learned is that people can be REALLY rude. Before, I knew people could be horrible to others, but I didn't know how often it really happened. It makes me want to grow up and never flip out on an employee.
I've learned how much money it takes to live the way I want to live. I know that to earn the money I need to keep up the lifestyle I like, I have to go to school and make something of myself. And school? I don't hate it. I actually really enjoy learning and being able to discuss subjects intelligently. And I want to keep doing that for as long as possible.
Other than the things I've learned, I've experienced some pretty cool things here as well. Along with all the rude and annoying people in the world are some pretty awesome people. You don't even have to look far to find someone interesting. When I was closing the other night, I met these two little Asian boys who were absolutely adorable. They must have been 3 or 4, and learning English, because they'd speak another language to their parents, and their parents would coach them in English phrases. The first boy walked up to me, saying "Trade pins?" Of course, I held out my pin lanyard and allowed each of the boys to look at the pins I had. After trading, they walked away, blowing kisses to me!
Among the cute things kids do is their belief that the characters actually live. A number of times, I have been asked by little girls if I was Ariel. I guess I could pass for her, with my blue eyes and reddish hair, but every time, my answer to them is this: "No, I'm not Ariel. I have feet!" I love that the kids all truly believe that these characters are alive.
In two weeks, I'm going to be visiting Chicago for the first time in my life. Pretty exciting, right? I'm going with three of my friends who are ICP's (International College Program participants): Jess, Amy and Wendy. I'll keep you updated!
As for right now, I think it's time to relax. It is, after all, my day off! And, even better, PAY DAY!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
So. I miss New York. A lot.
This week, like any other week, has had its ups and downs.
Some of the ups? Well, for one, I made a cake today. It's pretty delicious, no lie. It's vanilla cake with strawberry Jell-o poured inside. Pretty good, if you ask me. Another up? I got a comforter for only $15! It's pink with colorful stars, and since our thermostat has a mind of its own, the comforter was definitely necessary Not to mention the fact that it keeps me warm and cozy at night!
Oh yeah. Did I mention that one of my best friends, Deanna, started her program the other day??? I'm very excited to have her here; it hasn't quite sunk in yet. For the past 3 months, I've been texting her, getting updates from home and filling her in on my life. Now, we can walk over to one another's apartment anytime! Well, provided that we're home....
Some of the downs. School has officially started. I miss Cortland SO MUCH. It's more my style; Florida is WAY too hot for me. I've been seeing all sorts of updates from people on Facebook, and I'm itching to go back! Not saying that I'd go home early or anything, it's just a bit hard. I can't wait to be back there in January. Every time a guest asks me if I like Florida, I say "Well, it's ok. I just LOVE the snow. Honestly, the moment I get home, I think I'll jump in the snow!"
Another down? One of my friends decided he no longer wanted to be in the program, so he left. Things are so strange without him. That's the hardest thing about being here, the fact that everyone's in a different place. Some people are on their way in, some are leaving.
I miss being home. Is it too early to start the countdown to Cortland???????
Some of the ups? Well, for one, I made a cake today. It's pretty delicious, no lie. It's vanilla cake with strawberry Jell-o poured inside. Pretty good, if you ask me. Another up? I got a comforter for only $15! It's pink with colorful stars, and since our thermostat has a mind of its own, the comforter was definitely necessary Not to mention the fact that it keeps me warm and cozy at night!
Oh yeah. Did I mention that one of my best friends, Deanna, started her program the other day??? I'm very excited to have her here; it hasn't quite sunk in yet. For the past 3 months, I've been texting her, getting updates from home and filling her in on my life. Now, we can walk over to one another's apartment anytime! Well, provided that we're home....
Some of the downs. School has officially started. I miss Cortland SO MUCH. It's more my style; Florida is WAY too hot for me. I've been seeing all sorts of updates from people on Facebook, and I'm itching to go back! Not saying that I'd go home early or anything, it's just a bit hard. I can't wait to be back there in January. Every time a guest asks me if I like Florida, I say "Well, it's ok. I just LOVE the snow. Honestly, the moment I get home, I think I'll jump in the snow!"
Another down? One of my friends decided he no longer wanted to be in the program, so he left. Things are so strange without him. That's the hardest thing about being here, the fact that everyone's in a different place. Some people are on their way in, some are leaving.
I miss being home. Is it too early to start the countdown to Cortland???????
Thursday, August 26, 2010
When you wish upon a star...
... Anything your heart desires will come to you.
Yes, I know I've been slacking on this whole "posting blogs" thing, but I promise, it's been for good reason.
Since I last wrote, so many things have happened. A couple of my friends have left, unfortunately... I miss them a LOT. A couple live across the country, and a couple across the WORLD. That's the thing about this place. You meet people from halfway around the world, and become friends, but it's only ever a transitional time. Everyone is constantly on the move, whether their program is beginning, continuing, or ending. People move out, people self-terminate, and people get terminated on a daily basis. It gets hard, but you make some really great friends along the way.
Today, one of my roommates moved to another apartment complex. I'll miss her crazy self, but I think she'll be happier. I just wish she'd cleaned out the sink she left so nasty.
Work has been, well, work. Since a lot of programs have been ending lately, the people who have been staying have been getting a lot more hours. Luckily, right when I thought I was reaching my breaking point, my parents came to visit. I had about 5 days off to just relax. It was great!
Tonight, I'm planning on going to Downtown Disney. I don't know who I'm going to go with quite yet, but I have to get there to upgrade my parents' Admission Tickets. More later! I promise I'm going to make an attempt to write more often.
Yes, I know I've been slacking on this whole "posting blogs" thing, but I promise, it's been for good reason.
Since I last wrote, so many things have happened. A couple of my friends have left, unfortunately... I miss them a LOT. A couple live across the country, and a couple across the WORLD. That's the thing about this place. You meet people from halfway around the world, and become friends, but it's only ever a transitional time. Everyone is constantly on the move, whether their program is beginning, continuing, or ending. People move out, people self-terminate, and people get terminated on a daily basis. It gets hard, but you make some really great friends along the way.
Today, one of my roommates moved to another apartment complex. I'll miss her crazy self, but I think she'll be happier. I just wish she'd cleaned out the sink she left so nasty.
Work has been, well, work. Since a lot of programs have been ending lately, the people who have been staying have been getting a lot more hours. Luckily, right when I thought I was reaching my breaking point, my parents came to visit. I had about 5 days off to just relax. It was great!
Tonight, I'm planning on going to Downtown Disney. I don't know who I'm going to go with quite yet, but I have to get there to upgrade my parents' Admission Tickets. More later! I promise I'm going to make an attempt to write more often.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Extra Magic??
Yeah, I know it's been a while... Things get really hectic around here, no lie. Between working 40+ hours (welcome to Peak Season!), hanging out with my friends and actually getting time to sleep, I haven't had too much time to catch up with my blogs.
Work has been so-so, I can imagine you know how it goes. It's weird how much of your week is taken over by work! I'm exhausted, my feet hurt, and I never want to work again, but I go back every day so I can have some money (hahahah!) to save and spend.
Last week I had a chance to get out of Orlando, and made a short trip to Cocoa Beach. There, I spent a day frolicking in the ocean, drinking salt water (DELICIOUS. not.) and having fun in the sun. It was good to get out and get a bit of a tan. Finally I'm not quite as pale as I was, although my coworkers still don't believe me that I'll get more of a tan as I stay here longer.
Work last night was hectic, I won't lie. Since it's peak season, Animal Kingdom is open until 8pm every day, but when we have Extra Magic Hours, we stay open until 11 for guests staying on Disney property. People can get pretty ferocious, especially at the beginning when we are turning people away because they aren't staying on Disney property. But after a while, the guests realize that they need to show their room keys to get in line for any ride. Last night we had some really cute kids come through the line at Triceratop Spin. There was a little girl wearing a Snow White shirt, and a little boy decked out in Cars gear.
I finally arrived home last night around 12:30, to find my roommates and some of their friends hanging out in our living room. We stayed up pretty late talking, playing games, and just generally having fun. I'm a bit sleep deprived at the moment, but thankfully today is my Friday ( I have the next 2 days off) so I can get some much-needed sleep. Tomorrow I plan on going to the mall with my roommate Julianna! Hopefully I don't spend all my money, considering I do need to try to save some...
On my next post I'll insert some pictures, but right now I have to get ready for work. Only one 6 hour shift until I have 2 days off!!!
Work has been so-so, I can imagine you know how it goes. It's weird how much of your week is taken over by work! I'm exhausted, my feet hurt, and I never want to work again, but I go back every day so I can have some money (hahahah!) to save and spend.
Last week I had a chance to get out of Orlando, and made a short trip to Cocoa Beach. There, I spent a day frolicking in the ocean, drinking salt water (DELICIOUS. not.) and having fun in the sun. It was good to get out and get a bit of a tan. Finally I'm not quite as pale as I was, although my coworkers still don't believe me that I'll get more of a tan as I stay here longer.
Work last night was hectic, I won't lie. Since it's peak season, Animal Kingdom is open until 8pm every day, but when we have Extra Magic Hours, we stay open until 11 for guests staying on Disney property. People can get pretty ferocious, especially at the beginning when we are turning people away because they aren't staying on Disney property. But after a while, the guests realize that they need to show their room keys to get in line for any ride. Last night we had some really cute kids come through the line at Triceratop Spin. There was a little girl wearing a Snow White shirt, and a little boy decked out in Cars gear.
I finally arrived home last night around 12:30, to find my roommates and some of their friends hanging out in our living room. We stayed up pretty late talking, playing games, and just generally having fun. I'm a bit sleep deprived at the moment, but thankfully today is my Friday ( I have the next 2 days off) so I can get some much-needed sleep. Tomorrow I plan on going to the mall with my roommate Julianna! Hopefully I don't spend all my money, considering I do need to try to save some...
On my next post I'll insert some pictures, but right now I have to get ready for work. Only one 6 hour shift until I have 2 days off!!!
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Realizations....... and some pretty cute kids.
It's been a while since I last checked in here, so I figured maybe it'd be a good time to do so. The past few weeks have been uneventful for the most part, I suppose. Nothing too noteworthy has happened. We've finally begun to work out the kinks in our living situation, and by that I mean creating a cleaning schedule. Our apartment was getting kind of gross, and I didn't want to deal with it anymore.
The strangest thing about living on your own is realizing how many products you use in a day, and having to replace them. I feel so grown up (and I'm still trying to figure out if that's a good thing...) because I pay for pretty much everything for my apartment. Between rent, my food, my toiletries, my bedding, and all the necessities I've purchased, it feels like I spend $100 every time I turn around. The most frustrating of all my shopping excursions was last night, when I made a quick run to Walgreen's for some shampoo. Daaaaaaaarn, can that place get expensive! For the amount they charge for certain items, they should be ashamed of themselves. I saw a bottle of body wash priced at $16. It wasn't even a good brand, just expensive! It's disgusting.
Another thing I'm realizing I took for granted was the food in the fridge (thank you to Mom and SUNY Cortland's Neubig, Corey and all the other food places...). It seems as though everything goes so quickly! I buy milk, and just a few days later it's gone! It shocks me!
In between all of these realizations, I have had some good moments. I'm continuing to make friends, even International ones. Work gets annoying, but I don't mind it too much (it pays the bills at least), especially when little kids make my day. About a week ago, I was working at the Triceratops Spin Greeter/Grouper position, when I decided to chat with these two little girls at the head of the line. They were so excited to be in Florida, see the Castle, and all that jazz. The older of the two sisters looks at me thoughtfully and says, "You look a lot like Ariel." Not a moment later, her eyes widened and she asked "Are you Ariel?!?!?!?!?!" My heart literally jumped; it was the most adorable thing I'd ever heard.
Well, that's about all I can think of to report for now. I'll write more when I get the chance!
The strangest thing about living on your own is realizing how many products you use in a day, and having to replace them. I feel so grown up (and I'm still trying to figure out if that's a good thing...) because I pay for pretty much everything for my apartment. Between rent, my food, my toiletries, my bedding, and all the necessities I've purchased, it feels like I spend $100 every time I turn around. The most frustrating of all my shopping excursions was last night, when I made a quick run to Walgreen's for some shampoo. Daaaaaaaarn, can that place get expensive! For the amount they charge for certain items, they should be ashamed of themselves. I saw a bottle of body wash priced at $16. It wasn't even a good brand, just expensive! It's disgusting.
Another thing I'm realizing I took for granted was the food in the fridge (thank you to Mom and SUNY Cortland's Neubig, Corey and all the other food places...). It seems as though everything goes so quickly! I buy milk, and just a few days later it's gone! It shocks me!
In between all of these realizations, I have had some good moments. I'm continuing to make friends, even International ones. Work gets annoying, but I don't mind it too much (it pays the bills at least), especially when little kids make my day. About a week ago, I was working at the Triceratops Spin Greeter/Grouper position, when I decided to chat with these two little girls at the head of the line. They were so excited to be in Florida, see the Castle, and all that jazz. The older of the two sisters looks at me thoughtfully and says, "You look a lot like Ariel." Not a moment later, her eyes widened and she asked "Are you Ariel?!?!?!?!?!" My heart literally jumped; it was the most adorable thing I'd ever heard.
Well, that's about all I can think of to report for now. I'll write more when I get the chance!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
