Ten Life Lessons from Cookies the Chihuahua

Just about two weeks ago I received the heartbreaking news that my beloved Cookies had passed away. Although she was 15 years old and we were not expecting her to live much longer, this did not make the news any easier to bear. Cookies truly was a best friend, and the life lessons I learned from her are  truly special to me.

One of my favorite books I have read is, "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein, and it was in the reflection phase of Cookies' life that one of the quotes really spoke out to me.

“He died that day because his body had served its purpose. His soul had done what it came to do, learned what it came to learn, and then was free to leave.” 

If you need a good book to read, I would highly recommend. We can learn more from a dog than one might originally think.

I can rest assured knowing Cookies served her purpose, and this will not go in vain though the lessons I have learned.

Lesson 1: Sometimes life is going to bury you. Embrace it. Look for the positives.
Cookies was never a fan of the beach, not by any means. The beach is cold, dirty and lacks blankets and couches to nap on. But when she was buried by sand and other worries, she embraced the warmth the sand provided... and believe it or not, she ended up enjoying this. Or so we think... :)

Lesson 2: Life can be exhausting. Never be afraid to yawn away and take a "cat nap", even if you're a dog... or a human. 

Cookies lived a "tough" life. I mean it can't be easy being queen of the house, barking at all the knocks on the door and at the tractors in the field behind us. Oh and it's not easy controlling a bulldog and a boxer which are much, much bigger than you. But that's okay, because with a big yawn and a little nap you'll be rested for the rest of life's responsibilities. 

Lesson 3: When you need some comfort, make your friend comfort you. That's kinda-sorta what they're there for, right? ;) 

We all joke that there will be a lot more productivity in the Alanis house with less of Cookies "requiring" us to nap with her, but hey, when life gives you the opportunity to take a breather, you don't pass that up. 

Lesson 4: There are going to be times when you just need your cuddle buddy. 

And if that happens to be Simba from The Lion King, all is going to be okay. Hakuna Matata! It means no worries, and we can all use that reassurance and reminder every now and again. 

Lesson 5: If you do something bad, clean up your mess. And if you didn't do something bad, don't get caught next to the bad stuff... you might get blamed. 

Cookies was definitely not the culprit of killing our Frosty the Snowman Christmas Tree (it was in fact, the bulldog), but at first glance you cannot help but blame Cookies, especially with her big pile of blankets right by the mess. Have you started to notice that Cookies liked to sleep a lot? 

Lesson 6: Even when the situation is absolutely, positively terrible, accessorize it! 

Poor Cookies had to endure quite the adventures in her lifetime, but she hardly ever complained. If you can't accessorize it, be the accessory. 

Lesson 7: Gifts come in all shapes and sizes, and each one should be treasured just as much as the next. 

Cookies loved Christmas time, and she was actually a Christmas present herself, hence her name, for Christmas Cookies. Her favorite gift during the holiday's were not the presents, but instead the leftover crumbs from the cookies Santa didn't eat and the ability to drink the "fresh" water that was used to keep the Christmas tree alive. Crumbs and water... can't beat those gifts! 

Lesson 8: No matter how strong you are, we can all use a shoulder to lean on.

Nobody ever said life was easy, but it gets a whole lot easier when you have someone to hold you up when the goings get tough.

Lesson 9: Happiness can be found in the most bizarre ways... like in bungee chairs and pajamas. 

Although this may not be a couch with lots of fluffy blankets, Cookies could not hide her happiness when she was invited onto the bungee chair. I mean, can it really get much cooler than that? 

Lesson 10: You never know when it will be the last time you see someone. Treasure every moment with the people (and furry friends) which you love.

This was the last time I was able to see and hug Cookies when I was heading off to my sophomore year at K-State, and although neither of us were truly a fan of this selfie, I could not possibly be more happy that I have this picture now. 

Cookies shared more with me than I ever could have hoped, and these life lessons and photos hold more than a special place in my heart. 

Living a life of purple, passion, progress and purpose,

Kaitlyn Alanis

Summer of Strings

Much to my dismay (okay, maybe it is slightly funny looking back in hindsight), my summer of 2015 has been dubbed the Summer of Strings by my family. And with a name that clever, a blog post is definitely due to document this not so fun memory of strings.

The summer started out just as any typical college summer would. Settling back into my hometown, sharing how my first year of college went with anyone who would be willing to listen, beginning a summer job, taking some summer classes and yes... the dreaded visit to the dentist for a wisdom teeth consultation.

I had been told by my Kansas dentist that I should really consider having my wisdom teeth taken out while I was at home for the summer, and I may or may not have slightly hated them for being the bearer of bad news (they are actually my favorite dentist office ever, so I guess I should't hate them too too much anymore).

Before I get much further into the story of the Summer of Strings, you should know that wisdom teeth removal is in my top 5 list of fears. And not for reasons you may think, such as having teeth pulled or just being in the dentist office in general, but because of the dreaded IV that absolutely positively gives me nightmares and chills just thinking about. I will gladly share this fear in great detail with anybody who asks, but anyone who has asked will probably tell you not to ask me about this fear because I may just turn into a baby... or so I've been told. ;)

Anyways, it is because of this fear that I spent a full week researching dental offices which would remove my wisdom teeth without IV sedation. I found what seemed to be the perfect dental office, yet the experience was everything but perfect. Torturous would actually be a much better description of this consultation. I was told by the dentist that I have worst case scenario wisdom teeth, and that there was absolutely no way for me to not be sedated for the removal. I have a very small mouth with very impacted wisdom teeth which would make for a very difficult surgery with a very long recovery, yay! Oh, and I cannot forget to mention that I was told I am at a very high risk for permanent nerve damage due to the way my teeth are positioned. Yes, torturous is a very good word for this visit. I did not take this news lightly. The strings holding me together were very quickly being torn apart.

Due to my possible stubbornness and more honestly the fact that I was not going to say yes to the IV that easily, I decided to get a second opinion from a dentist in town. Unfortunately, I had to wait a week before this doctor could see me, so I had to live a week in fear waiting to hear what the news would be. This really tested the strings of my patience.

This doctor noticed that it may be better to remove the molar right in front of where one of my wisdom tooth would be growing in, and thought it may be smarter to instead pull out my molar and let the wisdom tooth grow in its place. I really liked the sound of this, as it was one less wisdom tooth to remove and there would be no IV for the molar removal... or so I thought.

I was then transferred to a third consultation to make sure this was the right move by letting the wisdom tooth grow in and taking the molar out instead. Indeed it was, so I was scheduled for a molar removal with doctor number 2, and that is when I found out they still wanted to sedate me for this removal. Can you hear the strings of my sad and tiny violin playing in the background? I was not okay with this fact, so I decided to give this dentist office a call to beg and plea my way into not being sedated and instead just local anesthesia. It was not easy to convince them, but I think I got my point across because we finally got to a compromise.

The doctor decided I would not be sedated with an IV, as long as I would compromise and have nitrous oxide instead. I was more than okay with that, I mean hey, I just got a doctor to compromise with me. My strings must be pretty tough! ;)

Moving on, I had my molar removed, and what was supposed to take 20 minutes max ended up taking close to an hour. My tooth was refusing to come out, so they had to cut my gums open to cut my tooth into 3 tiny pieces (which resulted in lots of strings holding my gums together afterwards). This is very rare for what was supposed to be a simple removal, and I cannot even begin to express my gratitude for being able to be awake for it, as the doctor was able to lead me step by step rather than being clueless and asleep and having to hear about it all afterwards. I know, I've already been told I'm crazy... by friends, family and the full dental team. ;) But I left with no IV so I was a very happy camper... or patient.

So that is why my summer was officially named the Summer of Strings. For the next three weeks after the removal of this one tooth my family had to hear my complain about how much the strings in my mouth were bothering and hurting me. As the strings continued to tighten my gums together, my mouth would sting and itch and I could not help my share my string complaints with anyone around me. About one week after my removal one of the strings was so long I could feel it hanging out. I had to call the doctor to make sure this was okay since I knew they were supposed to dissolve, and I was told I can either suffer with the string hanging like that for another 2 or so weeks, or I could pull it out myself (hahahahaha). I obviously decided to suffer, as no way would I ever pull out something literally holding myself  together, which meant my family also had to suffer the Summer of Strings with me (sorry, but I know you love me!haha)

Thankfully all was dissolved by week three, and the Summer of Strings came to an end. And that is great news. The bad news, however, is I still have three wisdom teeth that will have to be removed. Maybe next summer will be Summer of Strings: Part 2, or maybe winter break will be dubbed Winter Break: Wisdom Worries. ;) Stay tuned to find out.
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All teeth aside, I was able relate my Summer of Strings to other aspects of my life. This being my first summer back home after college, I noticed how some high school friendships may have only existed due to the fact that we had all of our classes together for the last four years. These friendships were held by small strings, much like dental floss or the stitches for my molar. But this is okay, because some strings are temporary, but for the time that they are strong and the memories we have of them is what we should appreciate (much like the stitches temporarily holding my gums together).

However, other friendships remained strong. These friendships are held by a much stronger string, much like a rope. It was so refreshing to see these strong ties hold to the test of time, as passions and the way we walk through life remained the same.

I also noticed how strong my K-State friendships are once I returned back to campus two weeks ago, as it was like we were never separated for the last three months. The K-State Family is held together by an unbreakable string, and tied together with a great big purple bow.

Strings are an interesting concept. Some hold us together, some break off. Some get tied up in knots, some stay strong and sturdy. But all strings, for at least one point in time, hold a purpose. A purpose worth reflecting on.

What are the strings in your life?

Living a life of purple, passion, progress and purpose,

Kaitlyn Alanis

Blank Canvas

It is unbelievably hard to believe that my first year of college was officially finished as of last Friday. It is even harder to believe that I have been trying to come up with a blog post idea that would wonderfully wrap up my freshman year with a great big bow since that Friday. I sure have been struggling to find the perfect theme. This year has been filled with so many rewarding moments, remarkable challenges, extraordinary people and so much purple that I am not sure if one blog post could cover it just right. But here I make my attempt anyways, because if there is just one thing I am proud to have learned this year, it is that nothing is scarier than a blank page, a blank resume, a blank mind or a blank emotion.

My college career started out "blank." I came in with a blank list of friends or people I knew, a blank list of activities I was already a part of, a blank amount of family I could visit on the weekends, and blank idea on what to expect. And now, looking back, that sure sounds crazy! I am truly not sure how I built up the courage to move about 1,700 miles away to a "blank" flyover state (which I have learned is totally not true... there is so much to see in the midwest!), but I could not be more proud that I did. It was this move that I was able to start my time in college with a beautifully blank canvas which would soon rapidly fill with purple, passion, progress and purpose.

First day of Fall 2014. Thank you, Pinterest! ;)

But this canvas would not have become so purple had I not taken one huge step out of my comfort zone. It would have been so easy to spend all free time in my dorm room, never initiate any conversations with new people I met, or not join any organizations which I had yet to know anybody who was a member. You see, it would have been so easy to remain "blank." But there is no growth in blank. There is no learning, friendships, or color. Blank would be boring. And you cannot make an impact on blank.

Anything worth doing is worth doing well, and I have always made sure to be more than just a surface-level member or student. I make it a priority to dedicate myself to organizations larger than myself. College is just four years (which are flying by much quicker than I would like to admit or accept), and I made a promise to myself to fill these four years with as many moments as possible. Little did I know how many moments would soon fill this canvas. Moments of growth & learning, moments of ups & downs, moments of laughter & sadness, moments of wins & losses. All of these moments, the pros & the cons, the positives & the negatives, I am proud to hang on my canvas.

These moments would not have been possible had I not dived into the opportunities at K-State my very first week of school. Had I not attended the K-State Hypnotist Show with a few people from my dorm floor even though I did not know any of them yet, I may not have met my best friend. Had I not applied for the SGA Intern Program, I may not have discovered my passion for government and leadership or been elected a student senator. Had I not taken a step out of my comfort zone by going through Sigma Alpha's sorority recruitment week, I would not have sisters with the same passion for agriculture as myself. You see, moments and chances like these brought so much color and splatter-paint to my once blank canvas.

This canvas is everything but perfect though, as nothing ever is. And it is important to mention that too. Throughout this year I also faced rejection from organizations or positions I had hoped to be a member of, I changed my major halfway through second semester, and I felt stress at a whole new level. But these harder moments resulted in growth, and for that, these moments give me a humbled emotion when looking at my canvas.

My canvas hangs vividly in my mind, and I could not be more proud of the person I have grown to be though painting this purple canvas. Thank you to the people, the friends, the family, the organizations, the academics and everything in-between for painting this canvas with me.

This canvas is everything but blank.

This canvas is purple. This canvas is passion. This canvas is progress. This canvas is purpose.


Living a life of purple, passion, progress and purpose,

Kaitlyn Alanis

A Major Change

If I had a dollar for each time I had to make a really hard decision between two really great options, I would not have had to take out any student loans. Unfortunately, I am not given a dollar for each time I have had to make a really tough decision, but if you know how I can sign up for that plan please let me know. I may even give you ten cents for every dollar. As cliche as this may sound, life is all about making tough decisions, and it is these tough decisions which truly define us as a person. 

Throughout my time here at K-State I have had one extremely difficult decision I had to make in the back of my mind which was weighing heavily on my shoulders… To continue my path in Agricultural Education, or to switch my major to Agricultural Communications & Journalism. Yes, this has been a major decision which would quite literally result in a major change. 

While I had absolutely fallen in love with FFA and agricultural education in high school, I had known without a doubt that a career as an agriculture teacher was definitely for me. I was one hundred percent committed into the agricultural education pathway, and I had not given my other passions or options much thought. I was so positive that a major in AgEd was for me, and that was all there was to it. I bled National Blue and Corn Gold, and I as a high school student was convinced I would be the best FFA advisor and agriculture teacher ever. 

But then something happened. A little thing I like to call, “College.” College is beautiful. We college students are submerged with education both inside and outside of the classroom. We learn even when we are not learning, and we may not realize it all the time, but we somehow begin to start walking the path of our calling. As it is evident to see by reading my older blog posts or by taking a quick glance at my planner/calendar/to-do list/life, I am very involved with extracurricular activities and organizations. And by being an AgEd student I had the opportunity to take classes from various departments in the College of Agriculture. These moments both inside and outside of the classroom showed me so much more about what I am passionate about, and while I still absolutely love AgEd and FFA (and still bleed blue and gold), I realized there is another path I was really debating taking. 

Even before college I had always shown an interest in government, agricultural policies, and leadership (and yes, this is what led me to apply for the SGA Intern Program). I had never, ever considered a career in this field, but I just knew I enjoyed learning and being knowledgeable about these subjects. I also really enjoyed communications, especially when advocating for the agricultural industry (and yes, I discovered this when I served as the Los Banos FFA Reporter and the California FFA State Star Reporter. And yes, this also led me to the Public Relations Officer position in the K-State AgEd Club, my own blog, and being an active social media poster). But again, this was a career path I never, ever considered. This was just something I enjoyed. 

So this is where the fork in the road lied right in front of my very next step. With Fall 2015 enrollment quickly approaching, I knew I wanted to make a decision before I began to take classes which would not transfer over into my possible new major. I gave this decision months of thought, but it was not until two weeks before my enrollment date that the decision became clear to me. I was about to make a major change (no pun intended). Okay, so this is where you give me $1 for making a really tough life decision. 

Leaving the Agricultural Education major was not an easy task, which is what made this decision so hard and such a long, thoughtful process. The people in Agricultural Education are truly remarkable, and I am forever grateful for all their support in both my decision and my college career. These are not easy people to leave, which is why I am so excited to still have the opportunity to be involved with the AgEd Club as the Public Relations Officer. Agricultural Education still holds a very large part of my heart, and I support this major and path more than I could ever describe. There is no denying that we need more agriculture teachers, and I would love to say I will one day, “Fill the boots.” But if my path does not lead me there, I know I will always find myself educating others about agriculture, it just may not be in the most traditional way. 

And where does that leave me now? I am now officially enrolled as an Agricultural Communications & Journalism student here at K-State. To be honest, it still sounds a bit weird to say it as this is all so new, but I cannot wait to officially begin my communication classes next fall. And want to know the best news? AgEd and AgComm are in the same department within the College of Agriculture, so I’ll still be very near and dear to my AgEd family. Oh and career plans? I am currently one of those students who is not 100% certain about my goal. Wow, I never thought I would say that. I am someone who has just about everything planned out step-by-step, but college is beautiful and I now understand one of my new favorite quotes, “Not all those who wander are lost.” I still do have two plans in mind, but I have a bit more wandering to do. I would love to work in communications for a major agricultural corporation, but I have also given much thought to attending Law School to study environmental and agricultural law. It is these two plans that have led me to a major in AgComm, as I know I will be well prepared for whichever path I decide to take in the very near future. And I know that either way I will still be educating about agriculture, something I am truly passionate for. 

College has been the most beautiful experience of discovering myself, my path, and the people who walk life in a similar fashion as me. And I have learned to embrace these changes to my path, as college is probably the only place where you learn even when you are not learning. 

I love my AgEd Family,
Forever & Always!

Living a life of purple, passion, progress and purpose,

Kaitlyn Alanis

Catching Up on Life!

It's hard to believe it has already been a month since I last posted a blog update (oops!). This last month has been extremely busy, so I unfortunately did not have much time to work on a new post. However, now that it is Spring Break, I have had the opportunity to catch up with life and now I have so very much to write about!

With so much to write about, I have found it quite difficult to decide where to begin.. and that led to even a longer amount of time to get this blog post done. It's sort of a vicious cycle. But without further ado, lets get started.

I guess the weather is a good a place as any to begin. Kansas weather is crazy! In the last month I have truly experienced all four seasons. Windy days, slippery snow and ice, 80 degree tanning weather, and spring rain and flowers! People were not lying when they talked about the bipolar weather of Kansas, it is definitely a fact. I have been able to wear snow boots (yes I finally decided to invest in a pair after four *yes, FOUR* falls on the ice.. don't judge!), flip flops, countless layers of sweaters and jackets, shorts, tank tops, and cardigans! It still seems weird, but I was able to capture some pretty great memories and photos to show you!

Hiking Top of the World in sunshine
and 70 degree weather!

Beautiful "fall like" windy day

                              

                                   Spring is in bloom!! :)

This was fall #1.. Looking at this still hurts

Just like being able to experience all four seasons in one month, I was also able to visit the Kansas State Capitol in Topeka for the very first time this month. I was able to attend "Cats in the Capitol" as a Student Governing Association Intern, and had a great time representing K-State at the state level with some really awesome and inspiring people (Including Willie!)

               

Speaking of SGA, one of the reasons I was so busy this last month was because it was campaign season! My experience as an intern was one of a kind, and I realized that SGA was definitely something I hope to be a part of throughout my college career. For this reason, I decided to run for a student senate position in the College of Agriculture along with my running mates, Wyatt, Garrett and Carlos.  Running with these three guys made my first campaign season a wonderful experience through the picture-taking, poster printing, social networking and campus chalking. I am now proud and honored to announce that I have been elected as a student senator. I have the privilege to be representing the College of Agriculture in SGA next year alongside six other senators who all love K-State and agriculture as much as I do. 

             

         My first time chalking campus!

Flores, Alanis, Pracht & Kays for Ag Senate!

Another super exciting moment including being selected as a new K-State Agriculture Ambassador. I have looked up to Agriculture Ambassadors since my freshman year of FFA, and then all over again when I met ambassadors on my K-State senior day visit. I am truly ecstatic for the opportunity to recruit potential students to K-State while working alongside other passionate agricultural students and faculty.

In addition, this last Wednesday I was named our Sigma Alpha Sister of the Week. This was an awesome surprise and I am truly grateful to the sister who nominated me for all of my campus involvement!    

           
    

               K-State Ag's newest ambassadors!

SOTW 

To kick of my spring break, I traveled with the K-State Ag Ed Club to visit three different agriculture education programs/FFA chapters for the KS STAR Tour. I was amazed by the diversity of programs here in Kansas, and this trip reignited by spark on how I fell in love with agricultural education! It was so great to bond with other Ag Ed majors, listen to the wise words of seasoned ag. teachers, and explore Kansas a little bit more.

KS AgEd STAR Tour!
Excuse my blinded expression! ;)

Amongst all the craziness, I have also remembered to make it a point to not become like the starving baker (see previous post), and take some time for myself. Through basketball games, the K-State rodeo, laser tag, and activities with friends I can assure you that I am not yet a starving baker. :)

   

Breakfast at The Chef with Rylan!

      Morning Sunset at KS Hill

KSU vs ISU Basketball!

Laser Tag with AAers

K-State Rodeo

Excuse the weird formatting of all these pictures, but I could just not seem to get it to work. Well, that is all for now! Until next time, live well & prosper! Oh and stay caught up on life! ;)

Living a life of purple, passion, progress & purpose,

Kaitlyn Alanis

The Starving Baker

This past Friday I had the opportunity to attend a leadership lecture through my Catalyst Self-Development class presented by Dr. Tim Elmore, the founder and president of Growing Leaders.  And this could not have come at a more perfect time. This last semester has been absolutely crazy to say the least. Classes and organizations are back in full swing and sometimes I have to remind myself to simply breathe and take a moment to relax. My days have been full of a packed class schedule, countless amounts of meetings, work, and not very much down time. Now don't get me wrong, I am not complaining at all. I definitely love to be busy, especially when involved with the great classes and organizations I am fortunate to be a part of today. But sometimes it does get quite overwhelming when looking at a three page to-do list, and that is why I could not be more grateful for the words of wisdom which were presented by Dr. Elmore.

Dr. Elmore has a series of books with Habitudes, which are images that form leadership habits and attitudes. These really powerful images are often common scenes we would experience in our life, which makes them easily relatable and memorable. These images include guardrails, coffee cups, glaciers, and train tracks. All symbolize such great lessons, but it was the picture of the starving baker that really stood out to me. Take a look at the picture that was shown to us below.

Habitude: The Starving Baker

Dr. Elmore then described the scene of this baker. This baker was new to town and was by far the best baker anyone had ever had baked goods from. His bagels and doughnuts were absolutely delicious. The line was always super long, no matter what time of day you went to check it out. Finally you give in and wait in line so you can see what this bakery is all about. You finally get your bagel and it is absolutely delicious. It was worth the wait. However, you realize something different when eating your bagel. You notice the baker is really thin, looks absolutely exhausted and malnourished, and looks as though he has no energy to keep baking, even though he truly loves what he does for living. This baker was starving.

You see, this baker was so busy feeding/serving others and keeping everyone else happy that he wasn't able to take some time to feed and serve himself. He thought he would be okay, but he was slowly starting to lose love for what he was doing because he was just hungry and tired. This baker forgot to feed the most important person first- himself. 

Just like when the airplane attendant tells you to secure your mask before securing anyone else's, it is not to be selfish or self-absorbed. It is because we are not able to help others unless we save ourselves first. 

This can apply to so many scenarios in every day life. In life, especially college, it is so easy to get into the swing of things that you forget to take a few moments to feed (either literally or figuratively) yourself. K-State has over 450 organizations, all with such greater purposes, that it truly is difficult to narrow your involvement down to what can fit in one week. I have joined so many organizations that I am absolutely passionate about to the point that I have meetings on a daily basis. And I am so glad I did, because I am serving organizations greater and larger than myself. 

And yes, it gets overwhelming and tiring (just like when the baker starts to lose his love of baking because of hunger). Not because we hate it, but because we forgot to feed ourselves first. 

So this week when I had 2 tests and a quiz, 3 interviews, a trip to the state capitol, lots of classes and meetings, and all the little stuff in-between it would have been really easy to just breakdown from exhaustion, or in the baker's case, hunger. But remembering this starving baker kept me strong. Rather than just pushing though like normal, I took some time to myself. Blogging, pinterest-ing, life conversations with great friends, and laughing are quite possibly my favorite ways to "feed" myself. It allows me to remember my passions and love for the organizations I serve and the major I am studying. 

It is easy to get carried away with life, so when you feel like you are about to lose it, remember this starving baker. Take a moment and feed yourself. It really does make such a difference on the outlook of your crazy schedule. 

Thank you to Dr. Elmore, Growing Leaders and K-State Blue Key for such a beneficial and inspiring leadership lecture. This is a lecture I will definitely never forget about.

Living a life of purple, passion, progress & purpose,

Kaitlyn Alanis

Future Me, Thank your Past Self!

If you read my blog post about new years reflections and resolutions, you know that I made a goal to blog post 2-3 times a month. If you keep track of the days, you know today is the last day of January. If you read my blog, you know I have only written one blog this month. And if you know me, you know I am someone who always does my best to keep up with the goals I make for myself.

So here is my not-so-great, last minute somewhat unorganized blog post on the month of January so that I can stick to this resolution of mine! And I guess I should clear it up that I am not just writing this because I have to. There has been some pretty cool events and some amazing memories throughout this last month that definitely deserve their own blog post. :) 

First off, I had the opportunity to attend the Los Banos FFA's January chapter meeting to host a recruitment presentation in the search for Miss May Day 2015. I enjoyed the opportunity to attend my old FFA chapter's meeting and see the direction my chapter has taken, speak as Miss May Day 2014, and talk to potential contestants for the 2015 pageant. It is so hard to believe my time as the reigning Miss May Day is almost up, but it has been such an honor to serve our county fair and I have enjoyed each opportunity I have had to wear the crown that so many inspiring women before me have worn. I am now so excited to see who will wear the crown next and advocate for the agricultural industry at our county fair. 

Miss May Day recruitment presentation 

Throughout my four weeks back home I enjoyed the time I had to catch up with family, scrapbook my first semester at K-State (sorry to my family for basically covering our entire dining room table with scrapbooking materials throughout our whole break!), and of course having the freedom to lay on the couch and watch tv with my dog for as many hours as I possibly could! I truly forgot what that was like, and I was definitely falling in love with my winter break.

Pieology with family to finish off my break! Couldn't quite fit us
all in one picture so this merge will have to do I guess :)

But the four weeks of laziness could not last forever (nor would it to.. I would start to go crazy with nothing to do!), and before I knew it I was hopping on a plane to head back to one of my favorite places, Manhattan! I was so excited to be able to reunite with my best friends, sorority sisters, new roommate, fellow AgEd majors, and everyone in between! The people of K-State make up my second family, and four weeks without them was extremely difficult.

Off to Manhappiness!   

My new roomie is just about as awesome as it gets! 

And once I settled back into my second home the craziness began right away! From Sigma Alpha events, SGA meetings, AgEd Officer Retreat, work, catching up with friends, classes and homework, college life definitely does not wait for anybody! I am so blessed to have some pretty amazing people by my side, because I am not too sure I could do it all without them. 

These two lovely ladies are my people! And I love my people. Nothing
beats the endless amounts of laughter, sarcastic comments, genuine personalities,
and the "I am always here for you" friendship the three of us have built. 

I love my Sigma Alpha sisters :)

Sigma Alpha Grape Juice & Cheese Social

The sweetest dessert with an even sweeter friend :)
Blessed that SGA brought us together!
This here is my very first Cookie Bake ever.. worth the wait!

We are heifers and we are proud! 

AgEd Club meetings are our fave! 

I would be lying though if I were to say these first two weeks back in Manhattan were just 100 percent peachy and full of rainbows and unicorns. It sure has been great, but I cannot fail to mention I spent the entire second week of classes feeling sicker than ever. I suffered a terrible cold which made sitting through classes nearly unbearable, a terrible cough which probably made my roommate hate me throughout my nightly coughing attacks (sorry Lizzie!), and a terrible headache that made for a stressed out Kaitlyn. I also spent the first weekend back in Manhattan adjusting to the elevation change. I had to suffer through elevation sickness during the beginning of the fall semester, and apparently I was back home over break long enough to make me have to endure it again during the spring semester. In case that sounds surprising to you, I guess you should know the elevation in Los Banos, California is about 100 feet, while here in Manhattan, Kansas it is just over about 1,000 feet. So not a huge difference, but enough to make my head feel like one million pounds. 

Enough with the negatives though. :) Fortunately, after one week of feeling sick I am now just trying to get rid of this cough and should be up to health standards by mid next week at this rate. Yay!

And I have just one more exciting moment to share before I sign this blog complete.. this may just be my most exciting moment of the semester! ;) So each month I write an inspiring quote on my whiteboard calendar which I look at millions of times each day. My quote of the month for January was, "Do something today that your future self will thank you for." Well, I may have only actually done this once that I can point out for sure, but even one time makes a difference! I stayed up just 10 minutes later last week to finish my Crop Science assignment rather than waiting till the night before to do it, and then crashed since I felt sick. And then two days later I sort of forgot (blame the cold) that I had finished the assignment so I began to freak out because I did not have much time left to get it done. 

Now what is so exciting, you ask? I pulled out my Crop Science notebook, and guess what... the assignment was finished! Thank you past me, you really helped out your future self. :) *why yes that is it.. I apologize if that was a disappointment for EXCITING news, but in that moment I was unstoppable. And I definitely need to do that more often.

What can you do right now that your future self will thank you for? Trust me, big or small it will be worth it!

For example, I am just positive our future selves will
love this picture! ;)

Living a life of purple, passion, progress, and purpose,

Kaitlyn Alanis 

Jumping for June in January

Anybody who knew me at this time last year knows that I was so excited I would be experiencing a true midwest winter right now. A winter filled with snowfall, salt on the ground, Willie the Wildcat snowmen, chilling teeth chattering temperatures, and my heater on high all the time. I would spend each day last year telling myself I am not allowed to call 45 degrees cold because I would soon experience 4 degree weather. I prepared myself to the best of my Californian ability by wearing thin clothes back home as though that would be any help at all to my halfway across the country move. And I was pumped.

Well, let me tell you something. We now have about a day and a half left of January, and I have walked around campus to see people in shorts playing basketball, students in short sleeves walking to class, and citizens jogging around Manhattan! In J.a.n.u.a.r.y! Why yes, my first winter in Kansas has actually had days here that are warmer than back home in "sunshiny" Los Banos, California!

Throughout these winter months I have experienced just two snowfalls. One snowfall where the "snow" melted as soon as it hit the ground, and one snowfall where I moved back home for winter break the day after. And yes, that has been my extreme midwest winter.

Now maybe I am  jinxing myself and next week we will probably see the biggest blizzard to hit the Little Apple, but hey, at least I have a pair of nice gloves and warm headbands that I got for Christmas! I am "totally" prepared. Or another scenario, maybe I'll come back next fall in August ready for a few warm humid weeks and I'll be welcomed with Christmas in summer or something like that. In Kansas, you never know what you're going to get! But I can attest to the fact that there really is no place like home. :)

Living a life of purple, passion, progress, and purpose,

Kaitlyn Alanis