Update

Life in Menomonie has been busy (this is a recurring theme in case you missed that memo). Tonight I sit wide awake, unable to breath through my nose, and unable to escape the stresses of consciousness.

The past week has been a rough one for all UW Stout students. April 6th we lost three students in an off campus fire. Though I did not personally know any of the victims their loss has been felt all across campus. Their tragic death was followed by a sizeable protest from the Westboro Baptist Church. Why they protested their deaths is beyond me. I don't believe it is possible for a normal rational person to truly understand the philosophy behind an organization that preaches hate. It is rumored on campus that the organization is filing a lawsuit against UW Stout due to a student stealing one of their signs. Lets all pray that if this rumor is true they lose miserably in court.

Just when we thought things couldn't get any worse on campus it was announced that we lost a senior student to a brain hemorrhage. For a campus of roughly 8,400 students it's been a hard hit. Their deaths remind us that life is precious and even at 18, 19, and 20 years old we are not invincible.

The four students, their families, and their friends remain in our thoughts.

We have officially hit the last three weeks of the semester and many of us are ready to explode. Professors are frantically cramming in last minute assignments and doubling up on chapters so we can cover everything on the syllabus. I eat, and sometimes sleep at the library (napping in between chapters is needed since REM sleep helps us organize and remember data... that's my logic for sleeping after studying economics). If I could shower in the library I think I'd move in. I keep reminding myself that we're ALMOST to summer vacation and then I'll be able to take a deep breath and relax.

Work... that's a topic we haven't talked about in a long time. I'm now financially able to cut back to ONE day a week. Working one day gives me some fun money to use on the weekend and it lets me keep my amazing 40% discount. Cutting back on my hours not only opened up more time to spend in the library, but it frees up some time for actual relaxation. Amazing.

Now I'm pretty sure that we are currently in the month of April. At least, my calendar says we are even if the weather outside is still stuck in February. With spring time comes not only spring cleaning but also a reminder that swim suit season is right around the corner. It's time for the gym. Normally I live on the elliptical when I work out, but lately I've been trying this whole treadmill running thing. I hate it. I hate the pounding on the knees, the breathing, and everything about it but oh do I love the feeling afterwards. It's a feeling that you just can't get from thirty minutes on the elliptical. I have way more energy and need way less sleep at night. It's better than any cup of coffee I've ever had. I think I'm hooked.. at least until next winter when it's time to hibernate again.

For now it's 2:45 in the morning and I must continue in my quest for sleep. I'm not sure if I have a cold, or allergies, or some random virus... whatever it is I'm not enjoying it. If I don't take the decongestant I can't breath out of my nose. If I do take the decongestant my nose drips uncontrollably. I got so annoyed with the constant wiping and blowing of my nose tonight while trying to do my Economics homework, that I cut a tampon in half and shoved it up my nose (a confession you would only get out of me in the middle of a sleepless night). It may not have been beautiful but it worked. Thank God J.R. is in Iowa turkey hunting for the next couple of days. I would never live this down if he was here to witness it.