Simply Maddening

Hello, all!

To get the customary, boring introduction post out of the way: My name is Melany and I'm a junior at the University of Texas at Austin. I'm a journalism major and I'm starting this blog so I can practice doing some "professional" writing, (My old blog was probably the furthest thing from professional.) I'm a huge movie fanatic and buy way too many of them. I'm really into music as well and will hopefully start an entertainment blog sometime soon.

I owe thanks to my best friend Maggie for the beautiful design of this blog. We worked into the wee hours of the morning for two days to get it finished and it was totally worth it. It is beautiful and obviously, all my posts will be drivel in comparison.

So, to catch everyone up to speed, I spent my entire summer in school, otherwise known as Spanish Hell. It was my first summer away from home since I've been in college and it is officially the first of many. I am sharing an apartment with my older sister for the next year so I have officially become an Austin resident.

How weird.

I was able to go home for about a week before fall classes started again and it was unsettling. Just going home and realizing it's not really my home anymore is surreal. Everything just seemed so small, which is crazy considering that it's the first time in my parent's 25 years of marriage that they have the entire house to themselves. I know I've outgrown it, but I haven't grown into an actual adult yet and it's unnerving to realize you're growing and changing as it happens. It's so bizarre to realize how much has actually changed since I graduated high school. Things that I thought would never happen in a million years have.

While home, I started cleaning in what used to be my bedroom, what has always for my entire life been my bedroom. It looked so bare. I actually couldn't bring myself to clean much of it because it was too different. I know it will always be home, but when I go there, I'm just a visitor. That, in addition to seeing a friend I use to talk to at school every day and realizing I hadn't seen her in two years, left me feeling down.

Not the best emotional mindset to start a new semester, but I am excited for the new possibilities this semester will bring. I am extremely enthused to not be taking a Spanish class this semester, but I also hate that I still have more to take. I will throughly enjoy my break regardless. I am SUPER STOKED to be out of the dorms and be able to light candles and open windows, not to mention the satisfaction of being barefoot in the shower.

I am constantly stalking apartment stuff at Urban Outfitters. I am thrilled to get new bedding. At the moment, my bed is currently rocking what I like to call "Frankenstein sheets" because it consists of black and white striped sheets from the '80s (No, I'm not kidding.), a lime green and bright pink reversible comforter and blue pillow cases from my dorm room set. It's ridiculous. I'm excited/terrified of my news editing class because I will actually learn how to do print and web layout. I also can't wait to try-out for the Daily Texan. It's also great/weird that I will work as a nanny this semester.

It's going to be a busy semester, but I'm going to make this blog a priority so Maggie won't kill me for letting her beautiful layout go to waste. (Editor's note: Because I will actually kill her.)

-Melany