24 - On Love

All merchandise found here. The owner is an Australian poet/potter and makes her own ceramics. I fell in love with her site via another favorite blog, English Muse. I love the top one. Those Swedes sure know what they're talking about ;)

23 - Bystanders

The key note speaker at our Connections class was New Orleans journalist, Chris Rose. The book we read was about a man who stayed in New Orleans during Katrina and his awful experiences. Although I found the book a little slow, (Zeitoun, Dave Eggers) the facts remain the same and I came to the realization that I am and will probably continue to be ignorant about things that don't directly affect me. I'm really going to try to change that.

Both Zeitoun's and Rose's accounts of Katrina were very moving and kind of inspired me, I guess. Rose talked about how he was asked to give a speech at a high school graduation the year of Katrina, to a school in New Orleans, and that kind of hit home for me because I just barely graduated. He said there is no such thing as an innocent bystander. There are only bystanders. We only have very few chances in our lives to make a difference, and we can't afford to miss them. He referred to life as a boat. Everyone is on a boat, paddling through life. Don't miss the boat.

I'm here to get an education, to make a difference, to find myself. To discover what I have to offer. I'm not going to miss my boat.

This is a video that he shared with us that I also found very powerful.

Let's hope and pray that Irene isn't another Katrina. But if it is, let us not be bystanders.

And let us not be bystanders in our own lives. It would be a shame to look back at the end of it and just see blank pages.

22 - Colorful Kolbie

So today was the first day of Connections, which is kind of like a freshman orientation class. Its from Wednesday to Saturday, and it's 2 credits so that's nice.

ANYWAY.

My class has fifteen kids in it, and to start out we played the Name Game. Otherwise known as the mnemonic device game. I was Colorful Kolbie.

It doesn't really feel like school yet... but that's because my "class" isn't really like a class. I've been here for five days and I feel like it's flown by. I have to say... I was ready for this. It just feels... normal. Of course I miss everyone, but I think this is good for me. :)

My roommate, Molly, bought chalk at the Walmart last night and we drew outside our door today with some friends we met in our ward. I haven't played with chalk in a long time, but it was really fun haha. My roommate is really fun and we get along really well, like right from the beginning. Knowing myself, that was kind of surprising... but I really like her :)

Here are pictures of the chalk drawings:

I have a good feeling about this year :) 

21 - Ask About Our Women's Clothing

So... all of the weird stories about college are true.
The most RANDOM things happen haha. In the four days I've been here, there have been dance parties, water fights, booze invites, dodgeball games, basically really loud things haha.

And, the mother of all random things..

Wait for it...

Free clothes that someone found in his apartment, left by the previous female tenant. Sizes range from XS-XXL, to maternity.

If you don't believe me, observe.

It was one of Cole's friends, so I got almost first dibs. Some of them still had tags on them! We have a lot of theories as to why she left them there, but it will always remain a mystery. So, strange woman who left her wardrobe in Logan, thank you for your generosity. I will wash them vigorously though.

So I guess it's not super random. But it was funny.

20 - Endless Summer

Summer is over.
And now is the time of good-byes.

My best friends and I had our last hoorah before we all moved off to college, and off to the next chapter in our lives. We dubbed ourselves the United Fellowship of Fraternal Fourtuplets. It was a fun time, a memorable time, a sad time. Tear-stained time. But we all know that it's not the end of our friendship, it's not time to say goodbye. It's time to say "good luck, have fun, and tell me all about it."

If a friendship is strong enough, it'll never end. Even through time, distance, hardship -- you can always count on your friends. Your sisters from another mister. Your therapists, your critic, your teachers, your mentors.

I'll miss you Rachel, Adri, and Kenzie. But I won't forget you. Not ever. College is now, life is next, and we may not always be together. But we'll always have each other. No matter what. Just a phone call away.

Go make new friends. Go make new adventures.
And tell me all about it.

Love, Kolbs

19 - Ready or Not...

I did it. I moved in. I'm not sleeping in my bed tonight. Because it's not my bed anymore.

That's right, everyone. I'm now a resident of Richards Hall at Utah State University. :)

Many tears were caused by this change. Rachel's going to Virginia, I moved two hours away from home... but I'm ready. I'm ready for this. And I'm SO excited. AND all of my stuff fit perfectly :)

Ready or not Utah State, here I am!

18 - My Party Dress

I'm obsessed.

Well, kind of.

The musical theatre lover in me is going crazy. My friend showed me this youtube video called Miranda Sings Lady Gaga and it was so ridiculously funny that I had to look up more. Turns out Miranda Sings is a made up character played by Colleen Ballinger, who is amazingly talented.

So I was looking up stuff by Colleen Ballinger, and came across this little number.

Like I said, I'm obsessed.

I've watched it at least five times already in the last half hour. It makes me want to perform it REALLY badly. I love theatre :)

17 - Fondnicity

Finishing up my packing today. The only things left are the things I'm going to need for the rest of the few days that I'm living in my mom's house. (a few shirts, toothbrush, razor, etc..) Then it's off to Logan for college adventures!

Somehow, growing up seems a tad surreal to me. I don't feel like it's happening. I'm pretty sure I'm going to feel like this until it's happening to my own kids, in however many years, and then I'll be all nostalgic and talk about how the time ran away from me.

But everyone says college is the time that you're always gonna look back on with fond memories. So I'm excited to make those memories and have something to look back on fondly. With fondness. Fondnicity.

I know that I'll look back on college with fondnicity. Because as I look back on my high school memories, that's exactly what I have. High school was awesome and college is going to be just as good. Maybe even better :)

Some fun high school times:

24 Hour fast for Justin Hepler

Themed birthday parties. No, we're not six. ;)

Being Annie :)

Choir Tour. Being Madrigal President. 

Funny Christmas parties!

Concerto Night -- O Mio Babbino Caro

First date with Cole and the girl who became one of my best friends the moment I met her. 

Winning debate tournaments. Everyone hates Cottonwood :)

Football games. Even if I don't really like them haha

Funny pictures with friends!

Being cold and bored while waiting for Vampire Weekend (the band) with another best friend. 

Being lectured on how bad Mt. Dew is for me...

Mousetrap -- one of 13 plays I was in at Cottonwood. 

Sara got married!

Dances -- this is prom 2011

Being the Cottonwood Theatre Society Secretary 

Conquering AP classes. These happen to be the physics bunnies. 

Finding long lost relatives. This guy is my cousin, but I didn't know that until three months ago. We were friends before we were cousins...

My nephew, Porter, was born :)

Look at him now! The little stud. 

And of course high school is where I met Cole ... :)

And it all led up to this.

I had good times in high school. Full of fondnicity.
Now it's time to start all over.