I am many things... and cool isn't one of them.

I'm Marci- i'm a nerd. Though I think I've known this a majority of my life, it really hit me a couple of days ago. After spending two hours with my Plant Identification team, I was walking through the Chemistry building humming while letting my mind wander. It wasn't until I saw others giving me some odd looks that I realized that not only was I humming unnaturally loud but I wasn't even humming a song; I was humming a part I played in band on the contra-alto clarinet in High School. So really it was a series of loud low notes. After that I reminisced on how much I actually missed band. 

A day or two later I was playing capture the flag with a bunch of people and while Katie Packer and I were stuck in jail we took note of the surrounding trees. Engrossed in our conversation, we discussed what family we thought the closest tree was part of. We were throwing out terms like "flattened petioles" and latin rooted words like "Salicaceae" while the others in jail stood and stared at us not exactly sure how to feel about the conversation. 

Later that night I had a full on discussion about fruit with someone I had met only five minutes prior. We discussed the perfect peach and how others had no idea what they a fresh peach tastes like if they have only had them from a store. We expressed our pity towards those who haven't had the experience of freshly picked fruit. Then we both acknowledged the fact that we had never had such an extensive fruit conversation with a stranger before. 

I like to stare at quail crossing the street and count their chicks. I like to sing primary and Disney songs. I like to learn. My best friend is still my mom. I have Friday nights when I would actually prefer to study or sleep than be social. I liked marching band. I still have dolls, stuffed animals and children's books all throughout my bedroom. I am a nerd. Sometimes I think it's a little embarrassing that I can't hide these little quirks about me but then I realize why should I? I am taking a stand and telling you and everyone else to embrace yourself. Embrace your inner nerd because chances are the person standing next to you has an inner nerd waiting to go crazy. Love your inner nerd. Be your inner nerd. 

I'm Marci and I'm a NERD. 

 

Eleven blisters and skipping school

i'm Marci-i'm transitioning. School has started. A couple of weeks into school and the whole mindset has still not kicked in. After my summer of work and family i'm trying to re-incorporate other aspects into my life. Like sports. And friends. And sleep.

First day. Always exciting, right? Well, at least for me it has been. I was thinking about my first day of school outfit well over a week in advanced. High heals or cowgirl boots? Believe me, it was a big debate. If you're interested, I chose high heals and rocked the boots later in the week. The first day of school was like one big reunion. I saw all of my major friends who did crazy things all summer long. In one of my classes everyone said what was most fun about their summer. India. Cambodia. Swam with Dolphins. Really? Catching quail wasn't even comparable to all of their awesomeness! But that's quite alright.

At the end of the day I am ashamed to admit that I was suffering. After a summer of spoiling my feet in comfortable boots, high heels were very unfamiliar. They chewed up my feet. This may take a while to get back into the swing of my high heel wearin' days. 

Not only did my heels (and then my boots) give me aches and pains throughout the week but I also started sports again this week and they did a number on me! I went running and played basketball and volleyball and soccer and golf and boy was it refreshing! My body aches and the blisters are many but man is my heart happy! Shoot, I even have a blister on my thumb from golf! Whenever I was bored I was able to find a group of people doing some sport and it was fabulous!

Me holding a trapped ring tailed cat! Such a pretty animal!

After a week in I discovered that I was going to miss a bit of school this semester. First I had a mandatory camping trip for Mammalogy. Wicked awesome. We camped up in the Stansbury Mountains (which was actually surprisingly beautiful for being in western Utah) and trapped mammals for the weekend. I was required to miss school to go camping and catch some mammals! Not perfect for me or anything.... but anyways we caught lots of rodents and a couple of other things including a ring tailed cat! Too cool! Not only was this camping trip super fun but it reminded me, once again, how much I love and often miss my cozy little bed. With lots of warm blankets. And seven pillows. And my mattress. Oh and I was reminded of how stinkin' hilarious the people in my major are! Once I got back I was reminded of the stacks of homework I had. Catch up on readings. Write some reports. Ya know, the usual. I'm not too stressed besides the fact that OH YEAH I am leaving a couple of days for Denver, Colorado.

Yes, Denver. One might wonder what a little girl like me would be going to Denver for? Oh ya know, I am just attending a four day hunting workshop. (I know, right?) Yeah. I am literally going to learn about hunting for three days. Then on the fourth I believe I am actually going to do it. Me- with a gun- pointing it at moving things- and trying to hit them. Yowza. I see failure in the near future but I suppose that's good for the pheasants? Anyways I am not completely sure about how I feel about this opportunity but it's apparently a great learning experience with great networking opportunities and looks good on my resume. Oh, and not to mention that they will be providing FREE food for four days of my life... it better be good. If you don't already know I, like most other college kids, am extremely enticed by free food (unless it's Little Caesars; I despise the stuff).

After these weeks of school skipping and crazy opportunities I am planning on officially sinking into my normal school life. 17 credits. 10 hours of work. 5 intra-mural teams. Plant ID team. Oh, and did I mention I am going to try to publish a paper with a professor? Ha and on top of all that we CANNOT forget the social life. After a summer of trompin through the desert finding my little quail I feel like there may be some added stress with this new schedule but hey, that's what college is all about!

So folks, whether it be your feet transitioning to some unfamiliar shoes, your muscles transitioning to some new activity or your brain transitioning to a whole lot more thinking it's going to be hard work and maybe a little pain but why not embrace it? no point in hatin' it if you have to do it anyways!

I'm Marci and I'm transitioning!