Seeing Green

Hello friends, sorry if it seems as though I have deserted you! The end of the year brought a flurry of busy-ness as I prepared for finals and said goodbye to San Diego- until Spring semester 2012!!! I can hardly fathom the thought of not returning to USD until late January... However, the excitement of STUDYING ABROAD IN IRELAND (!!!!!!!!!!!) has made the sad goodbyes a bit easier... If you would like to follow my summer adventures as well as my Irish and European travels, please click here to go to Some Blissful Thinking , my Tumblr blog where I will be uploading pictures and other details from my journey!

Hope you are having an amazing summer! See you on the other side of the pond!

Much love,

Avery

Catching Up

The past month has seemed to speed by faster than a speeding bullet! Tests followed by essays followed by more tests consumed my life recently. As the year draws to a close, it seems like a never ending wave of exhaustion and busyness has been breaking over my head! Through the overwhelmingness of it all, I have learned that there are a few people that are there for you no matter what. I have learned to rely on the kindness of my roommates, helpfulness and understanding from my professors, and love from my parents, 1000 miles away.

Kappa Province Meeting

During one April weekend, I attended the Kappa Kappa Gamma province meeting! This was a time where representatives from southern California and Arizona Kappa chapters and Alumnai met to learn a bit about Kappa history, leadership, and get great ideas to take back to our chapters. It was so fun to meet Kappas from all over as well as speak to alumnai about how much Kappa still means to them 30, 50, and even 70 years later!

Breastival

Each year Kappa puts on our biggest philanthropy event to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. We put on a carnival during the day with fun games and then held a dance competition, or "America's Breast Dance Crew". We held a raffle with amazing prizes to raise money for breast cancer research.

Kappa Initiation!

Finally, our new pledge class went through initiation to become official KKG members! We are so proud of them! <--Here is one of my little sises Jessica and I with a blanket I made for her.

Class at the Beach

One of the amazing benefits of school in San Diego: my lab for Physical Aspects of the Oceans class was held at the tidepools at Pacific Beach. We spent a warm, sunny afternoon examining all the little creatures that call tide pools their home. One of my favorite class memories ever!

Study Zone

I will admit that this Friday I decided to forego any social activities in exchange for spending the night with my computer and notebooks... I needed a head start on all of my homework (including a short story for one of my classes) for next week! To get off campus, I drove to Old Town (five mins away) and stopped in to The Living Room, an adorable coffee shop with warm yellow walls and comy mismatched chair. I claimed a table in a quiet corner, ordered up an ice tea and lemon bar, and wrote to my heart's content!

Stop and Smell the Flowers

The landscaping at USD is somewhat infamous. Many joke that 50% of our tutition must go to the gardeners who individually hand-cut each blade of grass. While that is quite a stretch, the flowers are sure no joke! On my way to class I stopped and snapped a picture of all the gorgeous yellow flowers growing along the path. I slowed my pace and began to look around with a bit of a fresher perspective. I thought back to my first tour of the campus and when I began to fall in love with USD and all it has to offer me. When I think about it, I am truly blessed to attend one of the most gorgeous campuses in the world.

Thoughts

Take a Moment

In light of all that has happened in Japan, it seems appropriate to pause and take a moment to think about just how precious life is. In only a few seconds, everything can change. Some say that college is the "best four years of your life". Well, I wouldn't go that far, because I sure hope to have many wonderful years afterwards, but it does make sense to really live out each moment because they go by so quickly. Count your blessings and take time to look back and enjoy everything that you have experienced, good and bad, because they make you into who you are today.

On another note... Here's what I have been up to these past two weeks! (Besides studying for midterms that is...)

Big/Little Revealing

When I got in Kappa last year, I got my Big Sis Tracy! This year, its my turn to be the Big, and I got two Littles! (also called twins!) I left them clues attached to goodies such as candy, cupcakes, and decorated jewelry boxes the three days leading up to revealing. On the actual day, we all went out to celebrate at Cheesecake Factory with the rest of my Kappa family! The purpose of Bigs and Littles is to create closer bonds to the girls in your sorority. In and out of Kappa, Tracy is one of my closest friends. She is a mentor, someone I can talk to and go to, and someone fun to hang out with! I am so excited to now be a Big to my Twins, Cora and Jessica. Both of these girls sure know how to make me smile and laugh! We already have a great connection that I just know will grow more and more throughout our Kappa years and beyond.

Dessert First

Dream in chocolate? Sprinkle sugar all over everything? Shudder at the mere thought of vegetables? Sweet lovers fear no more! San Diego has a million different restaurants to satisfy even the most sophisticated of palettes. My boyfriend Erik and I satisfied our sweet tooth at Extraordinary Desserts for our six month anniversary. This little gem of a place serves mainly desserts along with coffees, teas, and some appetizers. Prepare yourself before you walk in though; loads of colorful, decadent cakes, pastries, and chocolates are displayed as far as the eye can see! Half the fun is picking just one! We settled on the four berry cobbler, a lemon bar, and a single scoop of salted caramel ice cream. MMMMMMMMMM!

There's a Rumble in the Jungle!

The Thursday before Spring Break, we finally got a break from midterms to have a little bit of fun before all going our separate ways for break! Kappa paired with the fraternity, Lambda Chi Alpha for a fun night of dancing! Everyone was dressed in their animal prints finest.

Now here I am at home, enjoying a week of relaxing with my friends and family back in beautiful Colorado! I'm looking forward to doing some snowboarding, sleeping, yoga, and hanging out. It's a well deserved break before finishing up the last part of my sophomore year!

Until next time,

Avery

Counting My Blessings...

***Wanna know more? Follow me on Twitter! @Avery_Johnson***

There are a few words out there that I would use to describe the blessings that I experienced in these past two weeks....

LOVE

Exactly one year ago, my close friend and KKG sister Maya and I put on our white dresses for Kappa's Presents Dance after we were both accepted into the sorority! Here we are, trying out the same photo one year later, in our black dresses reserved for active members. It is funny to look back and see all that has happened in one year...

Presents Dance is Kappa's first dance of the spring semester. All of our lovely new members dress up in white, while all of the active (initiated) members wear black! Everyone sparkled in their black and white best as we danced the night away!

PASSION

My roommate Lauren has an incredible passion for competitive ballroom dancing. Last Friday, my other roommates and a few friends of ours had the honor of driving up to Irvine to watch her compete in the California Open Dancesport Championships! It was such an experience! Glittering costumes, hair spray, and fake tans were everywhere when we walked in the door. After sitting down at our table, we turned our heads to watch the couples out on the floor. It is amazing how one can evoke such emotion just by moving one's body around on a wooden floor under bright lights. It was amazing! Lauren did such an incredible job and we were so happy we could go out and support her. I was inspired by her passion and the hard work that she put forth to get her to where she was.

EXPLORE

San Diego truly a one-of-a-kind place to be. USD is a prime location, situated only a few minutes from the beach, downtown, Old Town, Hillcrest, and La Jolla, among other places. There are so many places to travel to, and driving only a few minutes in either direction will take you to a new place full of things to do, see, and eat! For Valentine's Day, my boyfriend surprised me with a delicious dinner out at a restaurant in Little Italy. This is the place to go if you loooove Italian food! This past weekend I got the opportunity to head down to Point Loma and see amazing views of the city. I also drove up to La Jolla and spent a day at Birch Aquarium! We headed outside to their back deck to see amazing views of the La Jolla shores and cove. I also recently discovered a little hidden gem in Hillcrest that I just had to share with you all: Babycakes! Babycakes is an absolutely adorable little restaurant/bakery/coffee shop that makes delicious cakes, but they are best known for their cupcakes! I walked in with my friend and we just about died trying to make a decision as we perused the selection of flavors. I finally settled on Lemon Bavarian Creme. MMMMMM! I will sure be heading back so I can try alll of the flavors eventually....

Don't be afraid to BE SILLY!

Last week, Kappa Kappa Gamma attended the fraternity Phi Kapp's Bid night! The theme was "Yoga and Toga". Everyone dressed up in their yoga and toga best and enjoyed getting down on the dance floor, even busting out some random yoga poses in the middle of the room. It was a good time had by all! I absolutely love just being my goofy self with my Kappa sisters. We can sure have a good time dressing up in crazy costumes and just enjoying the music and good company!

WEATHER

I was on the phone the other day with Rachel, one of my best friends from back home. We were talking as she was attempting to park her car- yet almost hitting a snow bank. I was explaining how this week seemed so cold even though it was sunny. I was also complaining about how we were expecting rain this weekend. She just asked, "Avery. Now tell me, how cold is it?" I replied it was about 60 degrees. She just started laughing at me and telling me how lucky I was because she had to walk to class in blizzards! Even though I am a Colorado native and LOVE my seasons and snow, I couldn't help but think, "Hey, I guess I don't have it that bad..."

Everyday I walk to class with a view of the ocean. I have good friends that have become a family, and I have the opportunity to receive an education not many in this world will ever have an opportunity to. Overall, I would have to say I am pretty darn blessed....

Until next time,

Avery

p.s. I know most of you are coming to the point where you are getting back acceptance letters and the idea of college is suddenly becoming real! It's both scary and exciting at the same time. PLEASE feel free to email me at AveryJohnson-13@sandiego.edu if you have any questions about USD or college in general :)

Just Gotta Be a Double-K G!

Winter break flew by so fast! I'm already through the first week of classes, and I noticed that the adjustment from break mode to school mode was a bit more difficult than I thought it would be. But what a fun and busy semester it's going to be between classes and new baby Kappas!!!

(above: our new Kappas!)

The two weeks leading up to school were preparing and executing Sorority Recruitment 2011.... It was a flurry of late nights, early mornings, high heels, matching outfits, songs, dances, and small talking. LOTS of small talking, or "girl flirting" as it has come to be known. One does not truly know what to expect from rush unless one has experienced it from both sides. Growing closer to my Kappa Kappa Gamma sisters and getting a wonderful new pledge class made it all worth it. Though my toes are still numb from walking around (and dancing around) in heels for several days straight, I am looking forward to the new ideas and energy that our Kappa "babies" will bring to our chapter. During the week, I lived on Mission Beach with my Kappa "Big Sis" and a couple other girls from the chapter. I felt like I was on vacation, waking up and looking outside to a gorgeous view of the glittering Pacific. It made me so excited to move to the beach! (hopefully next year!)

(above: Me, my big Tracy, Megan, and her big Katie)

Before the craziness of rush, I enjoyed the rest of my winter break with family and friends. My boyfriend got to fly out to Colorado and visit my home! My friends and I all spent a couple days in the mountains snowboarding, sledding, and playing games by the fire. It is really fun to make friends from different states in college, because you will always have someone to go visit, or show around your hometown!

(my friends and I on the slopes in CO!)

This past week has passed by quickly in a blur of syllabi, new textbooks, meeting new professors, and homework..... Lots of it! As an English and communications double major, I have my fair share of reading and writing assignments. I have always fostered a passion for writing, and I am excited to be able to perfect my skills in the classroom. My favorite class of the semester so far is Reading Like a Writer. My first assignment was writing a short story! In class we would discuss our favorite books and authors, read each other's work, and learn how to grow in our own writing. During class last night, I remember looking around and thinking, wow I am really in class right now? I'm really enjoying myself! USD offers so many different classes that can help you discover your passions and develop them to the fullest.

Speaking of passions, I am currently learning a new one!!! I have been trying out surfing this year. It is something I have always wanted to try, and now that I am living this close to the beach it seems silly not to try it! I went out in the water on Sunday and was greeted with a sudden down pour of rain and choppy waves. Needless to say, I did not do well that day, but I had fun any way.

Well, It's time to tackle all of my reading and papers for the week. Take care and go try something new this week!

Much love,

Avery

The Most Valuable Gift

I am currently sitting at home back in Colorado, the glittering Christmas tree to my left, my sleeping golden retriever to my right. Right now, my thoughts are examining the past semester as I contemplate where time has gone.

Here's a brief recap of what I have been up to!

DISNEYLAND WITH MY KAPPA SISTERS!

We spent a day at the Happiest Place on Earth for our Sisterhood event!

SPREADING CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

My roommates and I took a break from studying for finals to build this lovely gingerbread house creation....

DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY!

One of my best friends Colleen and I are pictured above with our dates at Kappa Winter Formal!

ENJOYING THE BEAUTY OF SD

I took a walk on Black's Beach and reveled at the beauty of the area even when shrouded in fog!

Other ramblings:

I recently decided to go ahead and pursue a double major- English and Communications. After many long talks with my father, my roommates, myself and my wall, I decided to go with a double major. Why? Well, both subjects interest me. The class descriptions seem pretty fascinating for the most part, and both can be applied to my possible future, whatever that will be.

The questions, Where do you see yourself in 5 years? and, What do you want to do when you graduate? absolutely terrify me! I used to think I had everything figured out. I had my plan ready to go: my three easy steps to perfect happiness ended with a career, husband, and eventually, children.

College has a funny way of turning you and who you think you are, inside out. In a nostalgic moment reminiscing with my current roommates about our first impressions of each other move in day freshman year, I became aware of just how different each of us had become. We had all grown up and matured after living on our own and dealing with life without Mom and Dad down the hall. Now, I won't say that I am completely changed; I still enjoy The Office, baking, and going to bed early among other things. Rather, what has changed resides a little bit deeper in the core of who I am. I learned to think differently, opening up my mind to the world around me. I learned to communicate clearly, handling conflicts with gentle words and truly listening to the other person. I also learned that college is so much more than what the movies portray to us. I truly value the education that USD has been giving me.

Another thing I realized I value most is time. Now, time is a big thing in life: it encompasses everything from what time you eat, what time you sleep, what time you study, and what time you need to wake up for that 8am class... Being on time is of utmost importance, and giving your time is the most precious gift you could give to anyone.

It is so easy to tell someone, "Hey I'm sorry, I really don't have time today to meet up, can we reschedule?" Sometimes we find ourselves too busy to even ask how someone is and wait around for an answer more than "good". We barely have enough time to eat between studying for finals, so how could we even be expected to do anything else?

What I have learned is how much of a difference five minutes can make. You can tell someone you love them. You can make plans. You can place a quick phone call, or even just send a text! You can smile at someone who looks sad. You can hold the door. You can let that car that won't let you into the other lane pass you. These five minute (or less!) acts of kindness not only turn someone else's day around, they can benefit you as well. We should never be too busy to care about one another. Without friends and without family, where would we be? We can keep these relationships alive and help ourselves (and others!) to truly enjoy life. We aren't made to be continuously rushing around. Sometimes, yes, we may be hurried. But at the end of the day, what matters more? Five minutes wasted here and there as you rush around, or five minutes it took to talk to your friend, your mom, or your sister? At the end of the day, what truly matters is our relationships with others and ourself. We need to always keep that in mind.

During this holiday season, I urge you to take a deep breath. Look around. What could you do to make someone's life better? What could you do to help yourself? Let go of the anxieties that may grip you. Enjoy the time spent with family and good friends. Maybe you just finished finals and need a break. Maybe you are finishing up college applications. Maybe you are finally hearing back from schools! Maybe you are trying to figure out what to do after graduation. Wherever you may be in life, breathe in and breath out. Remember the reason for Christmas. God gave us the greatest gift of His son Jesus. He lived his life and died for us. Are you trying to find that perfect gift for your mom? Try giving her your time. Now, think to yourself: What could I do for someone in five minutes?

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year :)

With love,

Avery

Beach Weather November

The leaves are changing, the snow will be falling soon.... back home in Colorado! As for here in San Diego, after a weird rainy week, the past few days have been hot hot HOT! It has been bizarre yet very enjoyable to spend my afternoons at the beach even though it is already NOVEMBER! Here's a little what I have been up to during this past month.

Founder's Day Tea

It's the time of the year when all Kappas across the nation celebrate our chapter's founding day! Happy 140 years, Kappa Kappa Gamma! Our Tea Party was a wonderful afternoon full of alumni speakers, sisterhood, and good food. It was really incredible to see women in their 70s talk about what Kappa still means to them. Above is a picture of my wonderful Kappa family: (left to right) my cousin, aunt, grand big, great grand big, big, and me, the little!

Home Sweet Home

I also got the chance to go home to Colorado for a wonderful weekend with my family. I got to see some of the beautiful changing colors. What a sight!

Greek Getaway

I am part of the Greek Intervarsity leadership team here at USD. I started a Bible study in Kappa here. During fall break, I joined about 40 students from USD, SDSU, UCSD, and CSUSM for a weekend at Catalina Island, at Intervarsity's Campus by the Sea. We had a wonderful time talking about leadership and what it is like to be a Christian in the Greek system. We also got to enjoy the beauty of our surroundings by hiking and snorkeling!

This year has sure been moving by quickly in a whirlwind of midterms and and late nights and fun times. It is hard to hold on to each moment and realize how brief this time of my life is!

Until next time,

Avery