Oh The Anticipation

Welcome!
After reading a few travel blogs from friends and fellow students I decided it would be a wicked-good idea to do one myself. The problem? I'm not traveling, yet, and I am doing this in procrastination for studying for a midterm I have tomorrow afternoon (but it's okay because I have been studying all day).

Let me tell you a little about myself. My name is Taylor and I am currently a second year Media Communications Major at Brock University in St. Catharines, ON and I am a huge extrovert. I hale from Caledonia, ON but reside in St. Catharines currently for the school year. I have two brother, both of whom are older than me and some pretty awesome parents. I love to ski and snowboard and have been ever since I was 3 (skiing, the snowboarding came later). I enjoy listening to music, typically top 40 - I know, it's sad and some country music which I am pretty picky about. I have 2 jobs , one at a Paintball and Go-Kart Track in Hamilton (yea, it's pretty cool) and a hydro utility in Simcoe, ON (middle of nowhere). While it can be a lot of work between the two in the summer, the financial outcome is pretty worth it - capitalism at its finest.

So I decided this year that I was going to embrace every opportunity that Brock U decided to throw at me. In my first year media comm students (AKA me) had the opportunity to apply for collaborative programming with Mohawk College in Hamilton, ON so we could get a certificate in public relations durning 3rd year and come back to Brock 4th year and finish the bachelors degree. I went ahead and did just that and surprise surprise I was accepted. This had me over the moon, with a new plan for 3rd year, a bit of a change of pace, new school, etc. UNTIL, they started promoting international exchanges in the fall. Now I had thought in high school that it would be very cool to go on an exchange in another country but never envisioned myself actually doing it, until this year... I went to the information session, got a look at the schools being offered to our program and really started to look into it, eventually deciding it was something that I was going to pursue. I was a little skeptical of what mom and dad were going to think but they have been on board right from the beginning which was surprising but also very awesome at the same time. So fast forward about a month and I am working on an application for an exchange (which isn't exactly a walk in the park) for third year while also worrying about the Mohawk PR program that I have been accepted into.

So here is a brief synopsis of the whirlwind of appointments I had to make and attend..
1. Academic advisor: Not positive but unsure, she sent me to head of collaborative programming,
2. Student Exchange Coordinator Asst, : Make sure courses I need line up with courses given overseas: They do!
3. Head of Collaborative Programs: Good news! Can flip years around and attend Mohawk 4th year
4. Academic Advisor: Not sure that I can just flip my years all around
5. Head of Approvals for ALL OF BROCK: Yes/No answer. Not entirely sure with 4th yr courses.
6. Academic Advisor: Try and figure out 4th year courses.
7. Head of Collaborative Programs: Making Mohawk my backup plan w/ transcripts and applications, etc.

If that wasn't enough I still don't have fourth year classes figured out entirely, but since I am persistent, I am determined to go to Mohawk fourth year and get my certificate in PR. As for the fourth year classes, we'll cross that bridge when we get there. I'm sure one extra semester at Brock wouldn't kill me.

So we are currently waiting for an immense snow storm to hit (calling for 12-18" of snow). This is the reason why my exchange interview (also part of the process) has been postponed until next Thursday at 9am. The interview was suppose to be today at 9:15am and I have been looking forward and preparing for it for 2 weeks already. I just want to be accepted and know I am going next year. I was not impressed with this email but I guess it's okay since it is in the best interest of the students and professor suppose to be coming in from out of town. Fine. Whatever. I'll wait. More time to overthink and prepare for it more I guess.
Oh! The school I applied to go to? Glasgow Caledonian University in Glasgow Scotland, UK. I honestly never would've thought to go to Scotland until this year when it was kind of being promoted by one of my professors and a couple of 4th year girls that went last year. Now that I am all excited about it and have done so much research I can't imagine possible going anywhere else. So I'm praying that's where they accept and send me or else I might just be slightly devastated. Coming from a scottish town where every street is named after a city in scotland and scottish grandparents, experiencing that area of the UK seems like a fantastic way to go.
Stepping out of my comfort zone is not my forte by any means, I don't like to be uncomfortable (and i am a super outgoing person who likes meeting new people), so the idea of being in the completely new culture with new currency, lingo, accents, everything was a little daunting but I decided that the pros outweighed the cons and i'll never get anywhere in life if I don't learn to get outside my comfort zone. So I am pretty proud of myself for taking this step and because while taking things one step at a time is good, sometimes you just have to jump.
I am also really good at counting my chickens before they have hatched which is why I am so excited and was so miserable when my interview was postponed. I already have a list of things that need to be taken into consideration and researched into such as plane tickets, prices, mobile phone while I'm there, bank account, Visas, luggage. No seriously, my mind goes a mile a minute when it comes to this stuff.
What to do if I don't come home for Christmas (because apparently I don't have too if it's too pricey - to quote my mother)! And it's only February! My goodness, it's all too exciting.

Anywho, that's enough for tonight, time to finish studying... or just go to bed. Probably the latter.
Peace out girl scouts.

T.