101 Days of Being on my Own

101 days ago I got on a plane, I left the new life I had created in the short 8 months I lived there, and returned to my home state to start another adventure: living on my own.

I've learned so much and have experienced a lot in these short 101 days! I can't believe how fast time has flown by. Here are 101 (plus a couple more) of things I've done/learned while at college!

1. Packing up your room two times in less than a year is hard!
2. I'm a lighter packer than I thought
3. Home is where the people you love is, no matter how long or how short you've lived there
4. Saying goodbye to my family is hard even though I know I'll see them in a few months.
5. I have the best family in the world
6. I have the cutest siblings!
7. I love the east! I just love it out there! It's a totally different living out in the West. 
8. Traveling is better with your mom!
9. I have the greatest friends and I'm glad I was able to go to my best friend and twin's (not technically, but basically) farewell 
10. Moving in is better with someone than with no one!
11. Moving is expensive, especially when you have to buy the pillows, the table cloth, and the mics random stuff because you didn't have a car to put all your stuff with
12. It is possible to live without every single blanket, stuff animal, and other random stuff that was really hard to move without
13. Unpacking isn't just a couple hour activity, more like a day or two to get things situated
14. College is hard! I'm not in high school anymore that's for sure
15. I'm glad my family lives far away that way I don't go home every weekend
16. Campus is pretty dead on the weekends
17. Weekends can be really fun! Especially on weeks where it's dead because of how many people go home.
18. You can become instant friends with anyone, as long as both of you try
19. Roommates were the best thing invented. Like really! I have the best and they're pretty much my best friends ever!
20. Playing Frisbee in front of the library is a perfect activity with your roommate! Can't wait til it's spring and warm again that we can go out again.
21. Walking around campus at 11 p.m. with your two freshman roommates the first night, probably isn't the greatest idea ever!
22. Nightly walks (well at least the first week of college) is a great bonding time with roommates
23. College is a time for growth and expansion, especially when Aggie Ice Cream doesn't have "your flavor", the one you've had since you can remember.
24. Christopher Robin was correct: "You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think"
25. I miss my mom cooking me dinner and my sister waking up and cooking all sorts of delicious breakfasts
26. I figured out that I know how to cook a lot more than I thought
27. I've learned how to cook more variety of things, and now love cooking and cook everyday!
28. I've learned that my siblings are my best friends and how I miss staying up late talking to me
29. I miss playing games with my family, but I guess I'll make sure I play enough of them over Christmas break that it'll make up for it
30. I miss the little "Bubu" that runs in and reaches out and says "Mari" 
31. I can do hard things! Like conquer the fear of canoes
32. Changing classes and majors the first week of school isn't the preferred method to do things.
33. It's still possible to catch up in classes when you change most of them. 
34. Geology is more than looking at rocks! It's also tectonics, earthquakes, and uses chemistry!
35. I found that English isn't that bad, and I actually have enjoyed writing my essays
36. The best English essays are a movie review (and of course I choose Tangled)
37. I like reaserch papers that I have a specific topic, if not, it's really hard for me to decide on a topic (like 3 1/2 weeks to decide)
38. I learned that Interior Design book projects take about 6 hours just to cut the pages to 6" by 6 1/2"
39. College professors have a personal life as well. They have amazing stories and have been all over the world.
40. College professors aren't always old (4 of my 5 are in last 20s early 30s; the other one is in early 40s)
41. I know I don't want to be an Interior Designer 
42. Procrastinating homework and papers never ends well
43. You take one late night run to Wal-Mart, and every time after that, it's a late run (I seriously don't know the last time I went to Wal-Mart before 9pm)
44. College is all about experimenting 
45. I learned that you don't want too much seasonings on your chicken, call parents fro help
46. I found out that at about 2 a.m. I get a second wind of energy that I cook and clean
47. I also have times where I feel really crafty and want to make something
48. You are never too old to color Disney pages
49. You can never grow out of dressing up for Halloween (I saw Flynn Ryder!)
50. I can eat whatever I want, whenever I want, and no one really cares
51. I never realized how much I hate cereal. My mom bought me two boxes, and I'm not even finished with the first one
52. I realized how much I love muffins and how 78 cents is worth it for a box of muffin mix
53. Baking 6 pumpkins pies for the first time! And they were successful
54. I had my first corndog at the fair this Labor Day!
55. Time zone difference is the worse! I couldn't ask for a bigger pain! It's so hard to talk to my family! (I do talk to my mom a lot in the mornings)
56. Distance doesn't mean I can't love my family! 
57. Emailing is the best thing ever! That is how I talk to my younger brothers! Without email I wouldn't be as close or know what's going on in their lives
58. Staying in contact with your best friends is hard once you're at different colleges. 
59. But, even that can't stop my cousin/best friend and I from staying in contact and communicating everyday
60. Living in a college town is hard to find a job. But if you are willing to do anything it makes the search easier.
61. I now know that I can work all day in the freezing temperature and winds so then I can have grocery money.
62. Living on campus was the best decision ever
63. Late night talks with roommates are always worth it, even if you don't go to bed until 3:30 a.m. 
64. Dance parties are a daily occurrence 
65. Pandora is always on; wither we are do homework, cleaning, or cooking
66. Disney Pandora station is the most effective (at least that's what we think)
67. I went shot gun shooting for the first time over Labor day with my Uncle, Aunt, and cousins
68. I have the best roommates EVER!!
69. Kenz believes I'm pretty brilliant. 
70. Kenya thinks I'm pretty smart
71. Cherea loves me and often tells me "Where did I find you?" (In reality a mutual friend found us haha)
72. Wifi was crappy the first couple of weeks, and we had to get creative how to do homework.
73. Sitting in the hallway under the Wifi modem can get comfortable with two pillows and a few blankets
74. Making cookies are always acceptable
75. Anything with chocolate is acceptable whenever
76. You are never too old to go and play with the kids toys at Wal-Mart! (even if it's for a homework assignment)
77. You're really good friends with people when you're alright with walking around in you pjs while they are over
78. It's super embarrassing for the fire alarm to go off at 11:30 a.m. on a Sunday morning and you're still in your pj's
79. As a result, I now get ready for church earlier in the morning
80. I hate, hate 1 p.m. church (This is only my 2nd year in a row of it. . . ugg)
81. I now know how to sort laundry 
82. I know how to hand wash clothes
83. I can save $1 and hang dry my clothes (after all muffin mix is only 78 cents!) 
84. Study breaks include walks around campus in the rain or dancing around in the falling snowflakes
85. Visitors and letters are the best! I love getting mail and seeing my extended family (especially when they treat me to Aggie ice cream)
86. The stock of emergency pillows in the basement are used for a good prank on my roommate as well as the next door boys.
87. Playing in them is even better!
88. Pranks in general are the best! (don't worry no harm done!)
89. When life gets low,  my parents and family will be there!
90. Freezing our butts up the canyon and then going on a hike the next morning doesn't sound the best idea, but when going with your roommates and apt building it's a blast!
91. Football and basketball games are a lot more fun as a college student!
92. I cleaned the sink with my roommates and neighbors!
93. When your computer breaks on the second week of school, you learn really quickly how to live without your laptop.
94. Ice blocking down Old Main is probably one of the best activities I've done this semester!
95. Meeting new people is always fun, and without the ice block activity, I wouldn't have met my new best friend!
96. People are always willing to help no matter what!
97. Never underestimate the willingness of family to help
98. Angels are placed in our lives for a reason and they are all over the world!
99. There are priesthood holders that are always willing to come and give blessing; anywhere between noon, six, or even midnight!
100. Missing big family events are hard (dad's birthday, bubu's birthday, Thanksgiving, etc)
101. Helped Hyrum's school project by having his Flat Stanley for a few weeks
102. Corn maze with the neighbors and having a blast getting lost in the corn
103. YSA spooning game (where I lasted second longest)
104. Learned how to cut my bangs this week, after watching two guys get their hair cut in my apt, I know want to learn how!
105. Had my first date as a college student
106. Went country swing dancing 2 times (and super excited for the class next semester!)
107. Survived the "Hunger Games" of registration.