Here I am in all my glory!

I wrote this profile for a class I have. Thought I'd share it with you guys! Just a creative take on myself.

Jumping into a lake in Switzerland

      I’m a feminist. I’m also a vegetarian. I’m that person that is a total tea junkie, has far too many plants to count, is somewhat spacey, and would classify Classic Rock as their Tumblr fandom. Yeah, that’s me. Hope I’m not coming on too strong! I stand a mere 5 feet tall, and have loose curly hair that I plan to grow out to my belly. Glasses are my calling card and also my favorite accessory. Born and raised in Milwaukee, I drink from a bubbler, root for the Brewers, attempt to sneak to the top of the US Bank Building every now and again, and attend Summerfest more than my wallet can handle. 

      I’ll be honest; school was not my thing for quite some time up until college. Math was worst nightmare, science following not too far behind. But there were other classes to compromise. I love the past. History has always been a passion. I adore old music and films and the desire to learn about them has yet to burn out. Then of course communication arts was equally as wonderful. I loved reading classic novels and learning about European literature in particular. Writing essays especially came natural. My biggest regret in high school was not taking AP Literature. However I did take AP Studio Art and AP US & Comparative Governments! I remember countless nights staying up for those classes. No sleep but plenty of frustration. Not to mentioned many eraser shreds, balls of tape, and colorful stains on the carpets from chalk pastels. Something my mother will forever hold against me.

Now the nights I didn’t stay up frustrated from elements of art and the Russian government, you could finds me snuggled in bed on a date with a pint of Ben and Jerry’s and Netflix, or my boyfriend. It was one of the two and still is today. I have been dating my boyfriend, Joe, for two and a half years. He is a swell guy and is over a foot taller than me, so that’s always fun. Often times when we watch a movie, I’ll always want to watch the same old movies, The Goonies, Back to the Future, or sometimes I sprinkle in a John Hughes film. I adore movies. I’m big into cult films and would like to work for the movie industry one day. Paired with my major I would like to help market films and run their official social media. I also consider writing screenplays. Those are just thoughts in my noggin. Otherwise, I would really like to write for a humanitarian group. Right now my focus is school. I have a goal for a GPA of 3.5 or above, which I know I can achieve. Also I have an online class, which I need to give aplenty of love. Online classes tend to be my weakness, as in I tend to procrastinate. Procrastination, yet another thing to work on! 

While movies and past pop cultures are a huge passion of mine, I enjoy myself a good adventure. Traveling is a beautiful opportunity I can never pass up. In high school I went on an amazing trip to Europe. I can say I’ve been to France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the smallest country in the world, Lichtenstein. Oh, I’ll throw in Canada and I have been to every Great Lake.  In a month my brother will be teaching English in South Korea. Already there is talk of my family visiting him. Also next year I plan on studying abroad, once again visiting France, maybe Switzerland? Even if it’s a trip up north or an escapade in downtown Milwaukee, I am always excited to try and visit new and random places. Although I love to travel, when it comes to driving places, I want nothing to do with it. Something really special about me is that I am a horrendous driver. I have gotten two speeding tickets, one parking ticket, have smashed a mirror, and completely destroyed my back windshield. I promise I don’t try to do these things. All I have to say is watch out for the red Montero.

      I’m a pretty diverse individual. I take something’s very seriously. I am very supportive of human rights. I have the goal to one day become a vegan, for both health and ethical reasoning. I want to help people to understand what it truly means to be a vegan and a feminist, what it means to me. I just want a happier Earth and a happier Shannon, that’s all. But whenever I have an issue or need to vent, I let it flow through writing. I use this blog as an outlet. It is new and still pretty rough. I am finding my voice as a writer and am excited to see where my voice can take me. 

Snuck a shot of my brother and his boyfriend at a pride march in Chicago, 2013. 

-Shannon

UPDATE: I got another parking ticket.

Ahh yes! October, my single most favorite month out of the 12. The leaves, the rain, the chilly weather. Everything about it. However, as much as I love this season, I won't lie, I have been riding the struggle bus way too much lately. I have been very unmotivated and have been taking way too many naps. With that said, I must make some goals!

1. No more naps// pretty self explanatory. 

2. Finish a book// I have so many great books started! I'm really into Cyndi Lauper's memoir, and Stephen King's 11/22/63. As good at AHS and The Walking Dead are, I need to exercise my brain a bit.

3. Find a job// This one is probably thee ultimate goal. College is expensive and I like to treat myself more frequently than I should. Let's just say my funds are running low.

4. HIIT & lifitng// I have goals for my body. I'll either lift or do HIIT, I need to do both of them together to get better results. I'm just a tad lazy.

5. Get above a 90% on a French test// I could be doing better in French. It is very fast-paced, but if I plan to be fluent as possible, I need to study a bit more. 

6. Finish all homework before Sundays// It would literally be a miracle if I finished all my homework before Sunday. My weekends would be so much more enjoyable if I did not procrastinate. 

7. Limit dairy// I hope to give it up by the end of the holidays, but I should only allow myself it once a day or every other day. One more step to being vegan. 

7. Write two blog posts a week// And She Was has been neglected. MUST STAY MOTIVATED.

8. Go to bed by 11// Sleep is so underestimated. I need to get at least eight hours of ZzZzs.

Quite a few goals, but I need to get myself back on track. It is not even on option. It's only October! Best of luck to me!

How to Make Most of Your College Experience

College will be the time of your life. But you and only YOU that can make it that way! So take advantage of what is ahead of you and live without regret.

6. Participate in Welcome Week Activities
// Maybe to some this may seem a little cheesy, but by participating in these events you learn so much about your school and what they have to offer you, making the campus your oyster! They can lead you to participate in clubs and societies, help you learn more about the community, and you will meet so many new people! Those people I adventured around with the first couple weeks of school are now my closest friends!

Okay, not the cutest of pictures, but the was taken during welcome week. Turns out those photobombers would soon become good friends!

5. Don't Go Home Every Weekend
//Every once in awhile is okay, but if you go home every weekend, it'll really make it a lot harder to build friendships. You meet SO MANY people on the weekends! The weekends are your time to relax and take a break from classes. Most likely you'll be wanting to go out and enjoy the nightlife, or maybe you want to chill and watch a movie. No matter what you want to do, you can always find someone who wants to do the same as you! Friendships are a vital part of your college experience. After all, some of these people you will consider close lifelong friends. Don't miss out on that! 

4. Stay Organized
//You are going to be having so many papers, assignments, and projects. Especially the last two weeks of your semester! It will be so incredibly easy to forget about something. Sometimes you'll have that kind professor that will remind you of a due date, maybe even send an email, but that is not always the case. I don't mean to sound like your parent... but you have to be aggressive and stay on top of things! Not even joking, if you forget even one assignment, it could break your grade and prevent you from reaching your goal.

3. Enjoy the Environment & Support the Local Community
//Take in the scenery and go on an adventure! Go on a walk, visit a farmers market, volunteer, be local! This new place that you go to school at is now your new home. So get to know it! Don't be that person that only knows where the best parties are... stay well rounded, and enjoy your time there. Make the most of it!

A trail near to where I was living.

2. Take Advantage of the Opportunities in Front of You 
// In other words, become involved! I can not stress this enough! Join a club, a band or a choir. Perhaps play an intramural sport, or a take a yoga class. Find your niche. Not only will you meet tons of new and interesting people, but by participating you'll expand your horizons and open the door to new opportunities and experiences. Believe me, you'll make so many great memories. Also don't turn down field trip opportunities! Your professor set up these trips for a reason, so you can gain knowledge first hand!

1. Put Yourself out There & Be Aggressive
//This is so important. This is not just about how to make college the best experience you could have, but it's also a way to approach life as a whole. In high school, my biggest regret was not putting my self out there. I did not join many clubs, I never went for a leadership position, and as far as my grades... well, I really wished I would've tried harder. In college I promised myself that would change, and it has! I am a member of a handful of clubs, have gained my first leadership position, and I met my goal in terms of my grades. It gives me a great sense of accomplishment and motivates me to shoot even higher! Not only does this apply to school, but your personal goals as well. Coming up this September I'll be running my first half marathon, and recently I started this blog! Two huge goals I have had for quite awhile. Although it took a lot of preparation, I have finally reached my goals and am super excited to see where my future can take me if I stay as aggressive as I have! Although it can be intimidating and even a little terrifying, it is totally worth it and will make for a successful person.