Privileges of Being a Friend

Have you ever taken a moment to stop and think about how being a friend is an important responsibility? Over the last year of my life, I have gained some exceptional friends and maintained friendships because I decided to transfer to a new college. I have come to the conclusion that being a friend is no easy task. I have also come to the conclusion that being a friend to someone is a privilege. I've reached a point in my life where I have learned the true value of friendship and who I not only need in my life, but also who I want in my life.

Let's face it: being a friend is a lot of work. You never know what you may have to do for a person you care about. You not only have to do easy things like exchange text messages, pay for a meal, or spend a day at the beach together, but you also have to do hard things like help them through a tough time, pick them up in the middle of the night so they get home safely, or see them at their worst. This is clearly not an all inclusive list because I haven't even touched on giving advice, calling them out when their wrong, or telling something they may not want to hear.

I'm truly blessed. I have incredible friends who understand and love me. They know my flaws and choose to overlook them because they know everyone has flaws. My friends know and keep my deep, dark secrets and bend over backwards to help me when I'm struggling. They also know how to make me laugh and teach me things that I didn't even know I needed to be taught. My friends make me a better friend, and I could not feel more blessed than I do.

To me, these are the privileges I've had while being a friend. Ultimately, these are the same standards I hold my friends to which is why they are my friends because they fulfill these privileges.

1. Having fun together in a way that only myself and that other person understand

2. Being there for a friend no matter what the circumstance

3. Making them a better person

4. Donating my bed to a friend for the night

5. Understanding their personality (sense of humor, what makes them happy, what makes them sad, what their biggest insecurities are)

6. Accepting their mistakes, regrets, accomplishments, successes, sadness and happiness and knowing that they have shaped them into who they are today

7. Seeing and tolerating them in their worst and best moods and being thankful that they show both (and all moods) to me

8. Keeping their secrets

9. Making them laugh when they need to laugh and letting them be sad when they need to be sad

10. Helping them through the tough times and celebrating with them during the happy times

Summer 2011 Goals

Summer is my favorite time of the year because I get to spend it doing things that I want to do without feeling an ounce of guilt for neglecting my school work. This summer has kicked off to being the best summer of my life, and I have many goals to ensure that it stays that way.

Here are the things I hope to accomplish in the remaining months of summer:

1. See the movie Bridesmaids (completed July 24)

2. Go sky diving (postponed to when I study abroad/next summer)

3. Take a day trip to the Dells (completed August 2)

4. Have successful Drill Team performances (completed in July & August)

5. Read "The Choice" by Nicholas Sparks (completed July 7)

6. See Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 in theaters (completed July 16)

7. Establish a regular work out routine (completed July 12)

8. Have plans put into action to study abroad in the Spring of 2012 (completed August 31)

9. Drive my motorcycle to the Norske Nook in Osseo for pie with my dad (September 11)

10. Spend an entire day with friends outside (completed August 23)

11. Take another trip out West (unsuccessful)

12. Read "The 5 Love Languages" by Gary Chapman

13. Convince my mom to take a "girls" trip (completed shortly after I posted this blog)

14. Pay off the interest accrued on my school loans (completed June 22)

15. Officially get my motorcycle license (completed July 1)

We'll see how much I end up accomplishing by the time September rolls around. I'm excited and thankful that I have a lot to look forward to and the means to make my goals a reality.

What I've Been Up To

I don't typically like to write blogs about what I've been up to, but I have done tons of stuff since my summer started one month ago. Here's a quick recap of what I've been up to:

1. Road trip out West - From May 17th - 21st I took a road trip with one of my best friends, McKenzie. I posted a blog about it, which you can read at http://elezpona.blogspot.com/2011/06/top-10-reasons-to-take-road-trip.html. Some of the highlights included: Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri; 4 Corners Monument; every type of weather possible; and Delicate Arch in Arches National Park, Moab, Utah.

2. Zimmerman-Olenski Wedding - On May 29th, 2011, my friends Laura and Ben tied the knot. However, the fun began on May 27th with a fantastic Bachelorette Party and continued with the rehearsal dinner on May 28th. The wedding took up the whole day (and then some) on the 29th, and the weekend ended with gift opening on Monday. All I can say is that it was hands down the best weekend of my life and I'm not sure anything could even compete with it! Good friends and awesome memories. It was an honor to stand as a bridesmaid in their wedding and be apart of their very special day.

3. Motorcycle License - I've always wanted to get my motorcycle license, so the weekend of June 3rd, I began a class to do just that. It was a three day class and I can officially cross this off of my bucket list. I had no idea something, like driving a motorcycle, could be so much fun.

4. Work - Despite my busy schedule, I have managed to find time to work which I find enjoyable because I love my job and my co-workers.

5. Drill Team - Beginning in March, I joined a drill team with my horse, Vogue. I've kept busy with practices every week and riding throughout the week. This drill team has truly pushed me to become a better rider, and it's a great challenge to experience with my horse, Vogue.

6. State FFA Convention - On Monday of last week, I headed to Madison with Whitney. We were putting on a workshop together and had a PSO Reunion to attend. We ended up leaving sooner and staying longer than anticipated; however, it was great to spend some time with friends I haven't seen for a while.

7. Friends - When I'm not working, traveling, or riding my horse, I am with my friends. From the beach, to hiking, to movies, to dinner dates, to drinks...I'm always doing something with someone. I can say that I have incredible friends and I am blessed to have each of them in my life.

That sums my summer up pretty well. In the next few days I hope to post a blog about the goals I have yet for this summer. With each day that passes, I am realizing that I do have quite a few. I hope you find yourself enjoying life as much as I have been since summer officially kicked off.

Road Trip Destinations

As I mentioned at the end of my previous blog, I planned to put together a list of various road trip destinations...just in case any of you still need some convincing!

1. Disney World, Florida

2. Washington, D.C.

3. Boston, Massachusetts

4. Chicago, Illinois

5. New Orleans, Louisiana

6. Grand Canyon, Arizona

7. Las Vegas, Nevada

8. Seattle, Washington

9. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

10. Redwood National Park, California

11. Death Valley National Park, California/Nevada

12. Matinicus Rock Light Station, Maine

13. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

14. Niagara Falls, Canada

15. Leave with no pre-determined destination

I encourage you to look up some of these areas because there are many things to do or see, a piece of history to value, or a place to relax and appreciate the beauty in this world.

Top 10 Reasons to take a Road Trip

On May 17th, one of my good friends and I, McKenzie, took a road trip together. About 2 months prior McKenzie had approached me with the idea of taking a road trip to Maine. We decided that there was not enough time for us to truly see the East coast, so we decided to make our ultimate destination point be to the Four Corners Monument (which is a place I have always wanted to go). I leaped at the idea because I have a huge passion for traveling. There is just something about the idea of seeing the world that excites me and it is something I plan to do throughout my life.

As I told my friends, family, co-workers, and classmates about this trip I learned quite a few things. First, the idea of a road trip is something many people want to do, but few people actually end up doing. Second, many people are jealous of the fact that you are actually going on a road trip. Third, most people do not see the value of actually making a road trip a reality. Naturally, I began to create a list of what I feel are the "top 10" reasons why a person should take a road trip (preferably with at least one good friend). I base this list off of my first and only road trip I've taken with a friend. We traveled to St. Louis and spent an afternoon and morning there before heading West to see friends, visit the Four Corners Monument, and hike in Arches National Park. During this trip, I learned a number of different things as we traveled 3300 miles in 5 days. This list is in no particular order.

Top 10 Reasons to take a Road Trip:

10. Pit stops, road construction, random signs, and music are what make a road trip fun, entertaining, and surprising. You develop inside jokes that will more than likely last a lifetime, play the License Plate game, play padiddle, and laugh about all the interesting things you encounter.

9. You get to see many of the states in the most beautiful way possible: by driving right through them. Enjoying the scenery was one of the best parts of this road trip. Do you have any idea how exciting mountains are when you do not see them everyday?

8. There are many obstacles that you need to face head on right in the heat of the moment (like figuring out public transportation in a big city, driving through a big city, or being comfortable asking a stranger for directions).

7. You won't regret spending any of the money that you spent to make this road trip a reality. Not even one penny. And I'll be honest, this trip was a lot cheaper than I expected it to be. Mainly because McKenzie's car gets exceptional gas mileage--33.2 mpg, to be exact.

6. You mature and grow as a person very quickly because you have to figure things out for yourself.

5. You learn the true value of being fully prepared. Note to everyone: you may need a winter jacket if you drive through the mountains or a rain jacket if you plan to hike and rain is in the forecast.

4. Bonding: You get to know a friend (or friends) a lot better than what you already thought you had and become a lot closer to them. On a road trip, you truly get to be yourself.

3. Time essentially doesn't matter. You learn the true value of a 24-hour time period and just how much can be accomplished during that time...especially if you only use 4 of it for sleeping. For example, it is possible to drive from the west side of Colorado to Wisconsin in 18 hours.

2. Instant gratification: no waiting in lines, no waiting for flights. If you're thinking about traffic, see #10. There is no such thing as delay, you're a road trip!

1. It's the smallest way you can begin to see this beautiful world that God created for us.

This road trip was one of the best things I could have ever done. It was an adventure and it was fully about the journey, not the destination. I know it sounds cliche, but now I fully understand that saying. And you can too if you plan to take a road trip. If you're not sure where to go, don't worry, my next blog will be about future places to take a road trip to.