AMPed!

Take a second to reflect on the past year . . . what was the best decision you have made in the past 12 months? The best decision I have made this year was joining AMP, the Alumni Mentoring Program.

AMP is a Westminster College program that matches current students with alumni mentors that are working in an industry of interest to the student. Since last September, I met with my mentor (Amy) once a month and we talked about work and life. Along with meeting an alum, I also met with a group of other AMP students once a month. Although I am not allowed to say what went on during our Saturday meetings (it's called the Vegas Rule, what happens in AMP stays in AMP) the disscussions we had changed my way of thinking and in many aspects, changed my life. I loved my experience so much I wish everyone I know could have the opportunity to have a similar experience!




Last night we had an AMP reunion and although I know it won't be the last, it sure felt like the last hurraw before all of us go our separate ways and continue on our life journey. This meeting was different than the meetings before, there was little structure to our conversations, instead we just talked about our lives since April and how things have changed in such a short time. Out of our group of 10, 3 are currently getting ready for graduate school and soon they will leave Westminster. We even had to Skype one friend who is currently in New York. 2 members of our group are beginning their lives away from school and with a family. And the rest of us are finding jobs and figuring out where we fit within the career world. All of that in less than 3 months! It's like time is on fast forward, our lives are diverging.

I can't repeat what went on in AMP but I would like to give you a taste of the program by sharing the thought of the day:

Money can be spent and money can be regained but once time has gone it is forever lost.

In the present society, we tend to go about our busy life with no regard to the moments and memories that slip by and once the moments have passed we can never have them back. Maybe if we all take a moment everyday to let time stand still and reflect on the moment and the lives that are currently intertwined with ours, we will become less of a victim to time.

Seize the Day!

You're only young once.

Finally!

It's amazing how music can enhance emotion. Something so neutral that struggles to provide an emotional reaction can change its effect by being accompanied with music.

Due to the extra free time this week, I finally had enough time to put together a DVD slideshow of my trip to the British Isles. I still haven't shared my photos with some friends and family because it is difficult to share them while crowded around a computer. My response to fix that problem, make a DVD.

I had about 1,000 photos to put in the DVD but cut it down to 800. I also added some video clips and clips of the Icelandic volcano that kept us in Ireland for an extra 3 days. The last thing I added to my movie was the music. I spent 2 days pouring over cds trying to find the perfect songs. I listened to song after song of Scottish, Irish, and English music in order to find the perfect match for my photos. After two days of hard work, I had a finished DVD of my photos.

When I watched my movie for the first time, I never expected to have an emotional reaction, but to my surprise I finally experienced what I thought I would have felt on the trip--I was in awe, pure mind numbing, stop you in your tracks awe.

Since I was young, I have dreamt of traveling to Scotland and the British Isles. It was the only place that called my name and I had to go there. I have a large amount of Scottish heritage and I wanted so bad to touch the ground of my ancestors, see what they saw, experience a little bit of family history. I felt such a strong desire and attachment to the British Isles that I had no doubt I would be in awe during the whole trip and without words but to my disappiontment I never had that feeling. I often tried to force my mind to wander and find that emotional fulfillment I yearned for but I never succeeded. I came home from the trip feeling drained and disappointed, how come this seemingly "magical" place didn't move me? Why didn't this historic place leave a deep impression?

I attributed my lack of emotional response to the busy schedule of the trip. We were often traveling so much that I never found time to sit and reflect on my experience, I could never find the time to let the magnitude of the trip sink in. When I got back home I attributed my lack of emotional response to the amount of reflection that had to occur in order to enable an emotional response. I just didn't have the time for two weeks of sites to settle and have impact. But I am finally experiencing reflection, awe, and that emotional respose I always expected to happen and it is all because of the DVD and the power of music.

I've watched my slideshow a few times now and each time I build upon the last emotion. I am in complete awe. I was there! I can hardly believe I was really there! The bagpipe music evokes pride, the Beatles music brings out disbelief, and the Irish Folk music enhances the feeling of nostalgia.

Earlier this summer, I went to the Backstreet Boys concert. I joked that the Backstreet Boys were better at bringing out an emotional response than the British Isles, but who knew that all I needed to do was add some music to my photos.

First Post, A Look Back

I finally caved and decided to start a personal blog. Maybe I caved because my life now consists of things other than school, and therefore I have more time to blog, or maybe because I feel it is unfair to "stalk" other friend's blogs when they don't have a chance to stalk mine. Either way, here is my personal blog. I am not sure what my blog will turn into or what I will write about, if I am lucky, it will take on a life of it's own and a theme will emerge with much effort from me.

So please, feel free to "stalk" my blog, I won't be offended and feel free to become a follower, it is always sad to see a blog that only claims to have 3 followers.

To kick off the birth of my blog, I thought I would steal a post from a friend's blog. Here is a fill in the blank quiz that takes a look at the past, present, and future of me.

Through the Years

20 Years Ago . . .
1. I was 2 years old.
2. I was getting ready to become a big sister.
3. I spent my WHOLE day playing.

10 Years Ago . . .
1. I was in sixth grade and I had a major cruch on Demetri.
2. I was 12 and my best friend and I were inseparable.
3. I LOVED the Backstreet Boys and the Spice Girls.

5 Years Ago . . .
1. I was 17 years old.
2. I spent most of my time taking pictures for the hgih school yearbook.
3. I was a junior in high school and spent an incredible amount of time doing homework.

3 Years Ago . . .
1. I was a sophomore at Westminster College.
2. I was so optimistic about everything in my future.
3. I was just beginning to discover how much I cared about someone.

2 Years Ago . . .
1. My best friend and I starting spending a lot more time together.
2. I was hating the dating scene.
3. I learned that a retail job and I didn't mix.

1 Year Ago . . .
1. I was just beginning to feel the pressure of graduating and what to do after school.
2. I felt stuck in my job but didn't have the heart to leave the kids.
3. I spent most of my time at Steve's house watching Star Trek.

This Year So Far . . .
1. I've finished college and received my Bachelor's Degree.
2. I am feeling the pressure to find a job in a bad economy.
3. I went out of the country for the first time and experienced the British Isles.

Yesterday . . .
1. I spent time with my guy watching fireworks.
2. Finished making a DVD about my trip to the British Isles.
3. Gave a bride her amazing bridal photos!

Today . . .
1. I dropped off a job application.
2. I am planning three photos shoots for this week.
3. I started my blog.

Tomorrow . . .
1. I will be getting ready for a junior golf tournament.
2. I will clean my room.
3. I will get ready for another job interview.

Next Year . . .
1. I will hopefully have a job.
2. I will hopefully have a new set of goals for the future.
3. I hope to be paying for my school loans.