A normal college student?

Sometimes I struggle with wondering if I am a textbook college student.  College is a unique time with tons of freedom but very little responsibilities.  Please re-read that sentence...does it sound like it's a good idea?  Am I really in an environment to naturally build good habits and life skills?  This is not real life in so many ways, but of course at the same time it is a period of growth and maturing.

I've been ready to go to college since I was five and saw my sister move away to Liberty University.  In someways I thought college would solve all my problems of discontentment.  My wise mother told me one time when I was whining about living in South Carolina (I think I'm a Colorado girl at heart) that if I'm not happy here I will not be happy anywhere.  How true.  I can move around chasing contentment but I know now it's only found in Jesus.

 Ok the serious part is over.  Sometimes I do feel like a normal college kid.  Like when I go to the store with a specific list.  How embarrassing that this is all I brought up to the cash register.

Saturday football games 

Weird Entertaining roommates at 12 am...

 And late nights that make everyone a little loopy 

My family LOVES food.

I mean have you seen us? Somehow all our activities seem to center around a meal, a snack, ice cream...you get the point.  We also have been known for "food pushing."  Go here to read my brother Josh's superb definition of food pushing.  If you know my family at all you have probably have been fed by at least one of us.  

Well part of being a college student is being a 4 year long charity case.  It's great really.   Just tonight at my work there was an extra muffin and everyone said "Oh, Bekah is a poor college student give it to her!"  I mean ok...but I don't think I'm going to starve without that muffin.  Charity is thrown at my left and right because I'm a "poor college student." People, I work, my parents pay for my school and rent, I have very minimum financial responsibilities, my monthly bills are so low you would hate me for it. Keep your muffin.

I got the privilege of driving my poor, malnourished self to DC this past weekend for my cousin Elizabeth's wedding.  It was awesome!  My three sisters and I stood in the same room for the first time in three years!  Upon my arrival my parents swept my car away and turned it into a complete convenient store.  I knew my mom was bringing me some food but geez. So four boxes later....

Please let me break down the contents for you a little: 

11 boxes of cereal 

10 packets of various seasoning (pictured below) 

6 packs of tortilla (10 in each pack)

11 cans of plain tomato sauce

5 cans of seasoned tomato sauce 

5 BIG cans of crushed tomatoes 

5 boxes of pasta 

4 bags of coffee

3 bottles of salad dressing....and then I got tired of taking inventory so there is much more unaccounted for.  

I actually had to create a pantry in my laundry room to house my new overflowing loot.  

And there was still overflow (3 boxes) that are now in my closet. 

Mom, please don't misunderstand me. I am VERY grateful not to be buying groceries for the next three years of my life.  You took "food pushing" to an entire new level.  

So fellow "poor college students" come over tomorrow night for tacos, Saturday for fajitas, Sunday for enchiladas, Monday for quesadillas, Tuesday for spaghetti, Wednesday for cereal, Thursday for tortellini.  Need I go on?  

Now that my mom well equipped me I want to pass on the Austin tradition and food push on others so head on over!    

Is Kidnapping Really a Crime?

So I am a proud member of Campus Outreach at Clemson and this summer at Leadership Project we were fortunate enough to make friends with students from all different universities including Western Carolina.  The other night my friend Megan had a spontaneous idea to go "kidnap" one of our dear friends from Western. Now when does kidnapping cross the line from a friendly prank to a broken law? Well you read the story and tell me.

On Friday night at about 9:30 Megan, two burly gentleman Merritt & Kevin, and I started our hour and a half drive to Western.  When we arrived our strategically planted mole led us right to our victim, Chris. (ok so we may have wondered around the staff guys house peeking in their windows trying to find him, but that only caused us a minor delay)

When we arrive outside of our victims location their was a gathering of about 4 up to no good hookah smoking college students.  It just so turned out they were acquainted with said victim.  When we explained to these simple minds what we were doing they said, "Wait, that sounds a lot like kidnapping." My response, "well...hmm...you see it's a relative definition.  I mean, he's our friend!"  They looked at us doubtfully and wanted nothing to do with us and our all black attire.

Then we went to plan B and lured him outside with a phone call from Merritt saying he came up to visit and was outside.  The fish was baited (very easily I might add) and after a friendly hug from Chris to Merritt, he was politely escorted to the car to "help Merritt with his stuff."  Really, I mean Really? He's a man but he can't carry his own overnight bag? Oh Western how simple you are.

I hurriedly turned the car on, Kevin pulled said victim in the car while Merritt wrestled his kicking legs into submission.  The fish was caught.  I sped off to invoke fear and excitement while look back in my mirror to the hookah smokers looking quite distressed and confused with mouth wide open thinking something like, "Are they really his friends?"

After zip tying his hands and some light verbal abuse we were off on our way.  Where was our final destination?  That's right, "where the blue ridge yawns its greatness."  When our victim realized his fate he said, "NO! Not Clemson!"  Just then there were police blocking the road!  Why does their always seem to be police checks at the most inconvenient time...like when your kidnapping someone?

However the trip went on as planned with a little smile and after a ransom note left with the hookah people and a few phone calls his friends caught on and were on their way to rescue their defeated friend.  After arrival to Clemson we immediately went to the baseball stadium where we tied him to a seat and covered him in Clemson paraphernalia.  Then a prompt text to his friends saying "centerfield."

Ok Ok so for all of you out there that now think I'm a crazy person I'll drop the dramatic twilight zone voice.  I bet half of you are say, "Who are you Bekah?"

After returning to our places of rest it happened: compassion set in.  Megan and I started to feel bad for our friend left in the baseball stadium after a call from our victim (Chris') friend saying he wasn't going to be there for an hour, so she went to go sit with him.  After all, we are all friends and it's a shame when you get to see a friend when you are kidnapping them.

But Megan was the fish that bit and upon her arrival to the baseball stadium she was met by 10 guys that kidnapped her!  I, in the comforts of my own apartment, was notified with a text message from Megan saying, "they have me" and a call from Chris' friend Ryan saying "You stole my best friend, I stole yours." I also received a call our boy cohorts lecturing me of how I was not "cut out" for kidnapping because I should have NEVER encouraged Megan to go back.

There it is my friends, it may seemed that we lost but Megan had a great time at Western (wearing the same clothes from Friday morning to Sunday morning) and I had a great Saturday AND Megan got a convenient ride home with a friend.  I say we won by taking Western off guard and making them stay up until 6 am when I was asleep by 2.  

You got served Western.