Packing, Packing, Packing

Guten morgen my apple blossoms! Did ya'll survive the frost last night? I want the 70s and 80s back please! So I have some cool facts to share with you guys. It starts with packing and ends with packing. Sounds fun huh?

Some crazy photographers got super close to this lava flow - thank you dude!

Once again - crazy photographer risks getting bashed by waves to get epic shots

Green Elf Cup Fungus

First of all, I am officially a graduate of Madison! And they said a Bachelor degree takes 4 to 5 years! Guess they under-estimated the power of a PlantPath Geek like me :)  My closest friend, Kiley, also graduated Madison in 3 years - degree in Chemistry! We got some cool photos (I even did one with some Badger pride - the one and only photo of that)!!

Thanks for coming to my graduation, Kiddo

Secondly, I turn the big 21 tomorrow! I also will be waking up at 5:30am on my birthday to run 13.1 miles for fun. WHO DOES THAT?! Well, me obviously. Here's the plan. Wake up, have caffeine, run, shower, eat, sleep, eat, relax, eat, get ready, go out, eat, brush teeth, sleep. Great plan eh? HA - I'm sure I'll stick to that!! Anyways - I'll survive!

PLANTS ARE THE SHIT! LOOK AT WHERE THEY GROW!!!

I like the ocean. I like the mountains. I like this place.

Yay for lava.

Thirdly, I discovered I have a lot of kitchen stuff. I don't think I'll have to buy any kitchen utensils of any sort (thanks Mom). Trying to get all of my stuff into bins and boxes is a lot of fun! You're more than welcome to join me!!  Then once I have it packed, I forgot what I put in there so I have to unpack it,  repack it and make a list of what is in there so I can do a quick check over before I cram it all into the vehicles!! My life is literally in boxes right now. It is oh so enjoyable. I wish I could always live in boxes.

Someone has this figured out!

Cool fact #4 - I bought a car. Since I'm going to be miles and miles and miles and miles and miles and miles and miles away, I figured it might be a good idea to have one to go grocery shopping. Actually, I just want to go to the mountains like all the time and play in the forest and climb things. You all just think I'm going to NC to study! My car is a 2003 Cavalier - and in darn good shape. It's obviously not a 2014 Camaro Z28 but it will do. I also discovered I have expensive taste in cars...which is not good for the graduate student wallet/budget. Oh well...in a million years I'll be able to afford my dream car!!

I DID IT!\
Now for the best fact you will ever learn about me:

I MADE DEAN'S LIST FOR MY FINAL SEMESTER AT UW-MADISON!!! I BROKE MY RECORD FOR HIGHEST GPA: 3.967

OVERALL GPA: 3.370 *started at 2.75 - boo yea!

I am not excited about this what so ever. I'm actually very disappointed in myself for achieving the worst acknowledgment you could in university. :(

Goodbye Undergraduate Days

The sun is shining and PlantPath Girl is done done done as an undergraduate!! That's right - I am no longer an undergraduate - buh-bye Madison!! So I haven't officially graduated (that's in 1 day, 16 hours,11 minutes, 9 seconds). Here's my live countdown: http://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/party?iso=20130518T10&p0=142&msg=GRADUATION

Got to sit on Abe's lab once I graduate!!

Anyways...I only had 2 finals for my last semester at Madison (who can pull that off?!) and I was done on Tuesday already. To be honest, I'm pretty bored now that I have nothing to do but have been managing to entertain myself. For instance, I went rockclimbing with Aaron, Lizzy, and Eric at Devil's Lake. Today, I went to work, got my cap and gown, read some books in the sun with my fellow roommate/graduate Kiley, and now am informing ya'll on my super important life. Tomorrow is Friday - finish work, finish packing and go crazy!! And by go crazy I mean, go for a run & dance like an idiot to my music until I'm too tired to sleep. Then Saturday at 10a, I will be sitting in graduation trying to be patient until they read my name and hand me my empty diploma holder thingy. Then off to Olive Garden for celebrations!!

I'm just so happy to be done with physics! (Sorry, Abhi - I know that's your Master's Thesis and all). By the way, Abhi was the best TA I have ever had in my college career. He brought in snacks (ice cream, cupcakes and cookies) the week of exams and to our last discussion! Plus he was super smart and always had a smile! I'm still happy that I'm done with physics (hopefully forever) and that I passed both semesters!! Now on to bigger and better things, I guess.

Anyways, have some Megan tested, Kiley approved pick up lines! See ya'll soon before I move to the big town of Raleigh! Let's graduate!

And some puns...

 Also, some "Keep Calm" stuff...

10 more days!!! YAYAYAYAY!!!

 

2013 is Awesome

I AM DONE WITH CLASSES AS AN UNDERGRADUATE!!! YES YES YES!!

So hi ya'll! A little cloud cover to prevent more sunburn is nice (I guess). At least my freckles are saying hello to the world once again and my hair too cute red! How does it feel to know you're related to someone who graduated UW-Madison in 3 years instead of the usual 4.5? Pretty cool eh? I know. Contain your excitement - I understand that might be a little difficult, but please try :)

A shout out to my cousin Nicole Cardamone - you are a great role model! I look up to you :)

Anyways, 8 more days until I am officially a Badger Alumni. Just give me my diploma so I can skip off into the sunrise towards Raleigh, NC. Yay for time zone changes. Oh by the way, don't move to another state as a graduate student. IT SUCKS TRYING TO FIGURE EVERYTHING OUT!! I recommend moving to another state as an undergraduate where you can live in a dorm and meet people to live in an apartment with. I called about 7 landlords and they were all full for the upcoming lease year but I finally found a place. Damn, is it a nice place - I am so lucky I found this place.

Mom - you ready for this? You won't be able to see out of the van!

I'll be living in a 3-bedroom (unfortunately I only know 1 of the 2 roommates). Ironically, one of my roommates has the same last name as I do - they kept asking me about my sister which confused me at first until I connected the dots. Anyways, the apartment is a 3 bed and 3 bath, fully furnished, with electricity/water/sewage/garbage/parking/internet/basic cable included, a workout facility, A POOL, and a lot of other stuff. Rent is cheap compared to other places I looked at. Let's just say my rent is under $600/month and most places are unfurnished with nothing included with rent being way over $700/month. LUCKY.

Especially in NC! Hot hot hot!!

I was thinking today about how awesome 2013 has been and will be to me. You're going to read all about it, don't worry. See below!

MOST IMPORTANTLY - I WENT TO ENGLAND TO VISIT ANNA!! I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT TIME WE REUNITE!! I MISS HER LIKE CRAZY :(

1. I went to Guatemala for a class trip and met some of the most amazing people ever! I miss my Guate boys so much! I especially miss my tour guide Luisa - she is absolutely amazing! Can't wait to go back and see them all again!
2. Started and finished my last semester as an undergraduate
3. Got into my dream capstone research project - Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic
4. Discovered I made Dean's List for the previous semester!!!
5. Got accepted into my dream school for graduate school - I applied to NCSU thinking I would never be accepted into one of the top schools in the country
6. Got flown to Raleigh for free, got pampered, and met my future department
7. Figured out which lab I will be working for come fall - Carbone & Payne - yay for biological control of Aspergillus and Ustilago!!!
8. Offered an incredible package to study at NCSU - thank goodness for stipends
9. Made some kicking new friends, especially Aaron, AKA rock climbing guy
10. Registered for a half-marathon (16 more days!!!!)

Can't wait until race day!!

11. Started to figure out everything for North Carolina - which is a lot by the way
12. Got a new tattoo - the bird and tree describes me perfectly
13. Discovered I can run a half marathon in 1:44:07 (practice run)
14. I will be graduating early in 8 days - I'm too young to graduate!!!
15. I will be moving to Raleigh, North Carolina in 36 days - yippee!
16. I will be starting research of biocontrols in 51 days - scary.
17. I will be turning 21 and competing in a half marathon in 16 days

18. Discovered a new hobby thanks to Rock Climber - climbing rocks obviously
19. Got my first 100% on an exam in college (it was even physics - bam)
20. I have 3 families to love me and to love back - sucks to be someone with only two families - they are missing out!
21. I found my place in life. I know exactly what I want to do, what makes me happy, what I want to accomplish...all of that. I found my niche - now I just need to get there and love the journey just as much.

So yeah, I best be studying for finals. Aiming for the Dean's List again!!        

Come on. This made you smile. I moved on from science pick up lines to animal ones. Someone help me.

 

Last Few Days as an Undergrad!

Why hello there my beautifuls! Still soaking up red light to grow? I'm loving this weather so much but it makes it so hard to drag myself to classes! One more physics lecture, physics discussion, plant pathology seminar, and 4 more hours of my capstone research and I'M DONE WITH CLASSES AS AN UNDERGRADUATE!! I'm pretty busy with finishing up for the semester so I'm gong to keep this super short. I just wanted my family to know I haven't climbed a tree and got stuck :)

Giving up doesn't mean you are weak, sometimes it means you are strong enough to let go...

So yeah, life's a busy bugger right now! But hey, I've been piling on the miles this week! On Sunday, I ran a half-marathon (just to make sure I could do it before my big race day!). Monday, I did a short one to stay loose and yesterday I cranked out another 6.3 miles. Today I plan on doing another 8 or 9 - stress reliever! I swear that running is the only thing keeping me from going completely insane right now. That and surrounding myself in Nature! I'm going to get back to studying! Blossom my little tulips and stay gorgeous until the next time!

The hunger for love outweighs the hunger for food.

 

Rock Climbing and Skipping Class

I am loving this weather!! It is so beautiful outside I can't keep myself inside for more than a few hours. Soak it up before the rainy week comes!! Anyways, since it was so beautiful, I decided to skip class and read in a garden instead with Kiley. Also, going for runs in this weather reminds me why I love the sun - I don't need under armor, thick socks, tank top, t shirt, sweatshirt/wind breaker, headband, gloves, and a snow suit to go running! Oh, I also did something awesome this weekend with my friend Aaron - ROCK CLIMBING!!

Find Beauty in Nature.

We went to Devil's Lake State Park for climbing and hiking. I highly recommend going there if you haven't been! I can't believe I went my whole life without ever going to Devil's Lake; it's an insult to Nature!! Anyways, we hiked to our first climb and Aaron set up the anchor and got everything ready whilst I stood there watching. Then he taught me how to rappel down the rock face, to tie a few knots, get clipped in, belay, gave me special rock climbing shoes, and told me go rappel down. By the way, just sitting back in your harness and trusting the tree/anchor and yourself not to fall, is kind of freaky at first. But once you get going it's pretty fun! I'm an adrenaline junkie so I was all for it!

View from Fungus!

This is my anchor for rappeling!

Action shot!

The first rock we climbed was called Fungus. Total coincidence! I really liked that climb! So first I went up the rock and then I belayed for Aaron (after we tested to make sure I knew what I was doing in case he fell). Then we moved to Dirty Chimney and did the same thing. We left our gear there and free soloed a different path up to the top to clean up his gear. I also really really really really like free soloing - I could do that all day!! Then we finished the hike around the lake. Talk about a great way to spend a day! I'm definitely joining a climbing/mountaineering club in Raleigh!!

People climb this too - somehow!

Devil's Lake!

You take PlantPath Girl to Devil's Lake and she finds a yellow lichen.

Cool news - I'm officially approved for my apartment in North Carolina :) 17 more days until graduation! Hope to see you there!!