The Library Occurrences of Finals Week

Finals, as I've discovered for the first time, do really weird things to you. Suddenly all you're capable of doing is studying, or eating, or sleeping and as Kelsi put it "It's like I can care about studying or I can care about people. And right now I just can't care about people." So our social lives have consisted of us studying in close proximity to our friends.

That way it feels like we are having social interaction, but really we're all just sitting in silence staring at computer screens until someone just can't take it anymore and half of the group breaks into conversation that has absolutely no meaning or relevance because our brains are fried... then after about five to ten minutes, studying resumes. And since we study at the library and it's open until two in the morning for finals, times have gotten pretty interesting. Here's a good example of one of our meaningless conversations. I'd told Michaela to listen to the band A Silent Film because I thought she'd like them. During the middle of studying, we both look up at each other and (as I heard it) it went a lot like this. 

Michaela: "Highlight the blonde"

Me: "what? Highlight the blonde?"

Michaela: "No I like them a lot"

Me:" Oh... oh yeah okay."

*Kelsi from a couple seats down*

Kelsi: (from a couple seats down)"I'm ready to go"

Me: "Oh you wanna go home?"

Kelsi: "No I want a potato"

Me (thinking I'd heard her wrong once again): What??

Kelsi: "Yeah I want a potato."

And then we just kept studying....

A few hours later for no apparent reason

Kelsi:  I'm just so excited to eat a potato I don't understand! Why am I so excited to eat a potato?!

And now for your entertainment... More stories of the library:

At one point, we were all studying when Derek stands to leave and pulls a random stick of licorice out of his bag and throws it at Connor, then grabs another one and throws it at Michaela... and then me, then Kelsi, then Jordan. Keep in mind that this library is like dead silent, and food technically (okay not technically but still) isn't allowed, and this conversation is not happening quietly...

Then Michaela throws the licorice back at Derek and says "Derek! I don't like licorice!"

So in outrage, he throws it back at her, and a split second later he's followed by Jordan who throws his at her too, then Connor, and then I jumped on the band-wagon and threw mine at her too. So Michaela takes one and throws it on the ground (which is apparently an insult to Derek's love) because he says "Why don't you just stomp on it too!" So she does... and then puts it back on the table.

This is all not that big of a deal until their other roommate Monty comes up hours later and sees the licorice on the table. He grabbed one and I was like "Yeah have at it! We aren't eating them". So he grabs one and as he walks away and takes a bite, Michaela turns to me and says. 

"That was the one I stepped on."

... Sorry Monty...

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Sometimes you'll look up from your studying and everybody is just staring at each other. So you join the party and begin to stare at everyone, and after a few minutes of silent stares, you just go back to your studying as if nothing happened at all.

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Earlier today two random people got up across the library and start grapevining towards each other while a third person recorded it... only to collide straight in the middle and fall over, laughing hysterically. I would've been mad, but hey. It was like midnight. We all need a break.

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Kelsi was awake for FOREVER one day and then we decided to stay at the library until 2 a.m., and this voice comes over the intercom at 1:30 to announce that it's getting close to closing and as 1:30 approaches, Kelsi just starts flipping out. She was panicking because she didn't want to be startled by the voice so she crawled on the floor in the fetal position and I was trying to comfort her and instead it turned into this huge scene where everyone was staring at us and Kelsi was on the floor saying "Stop looking at me! I don't like it when you look at me! I can't control myself! I have no control!" One guy in particular found it very amusing. I think most of us would've normally been embarrassed... but it was 1:30 in the morning

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Michaela hands me a box of wheat thins and says "Be quiet" because food isn't allowed in the library.

I reach my hand inside as carefully as I can (which is still the sound equivalent of an army of 500 men crumpling up large sheets of printer paper while talking heatedly about last night's football game or politics or whatever men talk about), and I just can't seem to grab a dang wheat thin. So the army continues to crumple for a good two minutes as Michaela shoots me dirty looks above her laptop... until I finally grab one and remove my hand (even more noisily) out of the box. Then I stick it into my mouth. Michaela and I make eye contact and CRUNCH. The chewing itself is almost as loud as the army. But I can't stop now because there's an only partially-chewed wheat thin in my mouth and I have to finish it. So I awkwardly continue chewing while looking around like "what is that noise? Oh my gosh! Who would make that much noise in the library during finals week?" Yea... I don't think I fooled anyone.

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So one time Kelsi and I were whispering at each other from a couple of feet away and Michaela kept nagging us, saying that we were way too loud and that people could hear us. But we just kept talking anyways, and she just kept getting onto us. So finally she says "Oh my gosh! Everyone can hear what you're saying! You're so annoying! Your whisper is like a normal talking voice/"

So, in order to prove her wrong... "Do you want to hear my normal talking voice?!" which said in my normal talking voice sounded a lot like very loud talking in the middle of the silent library. We got some looks... okay a lot of looks. People were definitely angry, but she stopped nagging so it was totally worth it.

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After writing a paper for three hours Kelsi turns to me at one in the morning and says

"I'm starting to lose my academic tone. I'm starting to use words like... heck/"

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There are outlets on EVERYTHING in the library. Everything. I swear. So one time (while studying big surprise there)

Michaela: There are SO many outlets in here. Imagine how many there are in the entire library.

Me: We should plug hair dryers into every single one.

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And sometimes it's 1:30 in the morning and you have Kelsi proofread your blogpost and she has to calm herself down so she doesn't break into hysterical laughter... Thanks Kels. You rock.

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P.S. So this just happened I'm not even joking it was the funniest thing. I finish blogging and Jordan and Connor are like "Hey come over here/"
So I go over there and they have this game up where you're a narwhal in space and you point your horn at things and stab them with it, and they made Kelsi and I fight to the death by stabbing each other in the narwhal hearts.
The End.

How to Upset a Hairstylist 101

Lately I've been feeling like there's been a lot of change in my life, and I think I just decided I needed something to represent that. So I had this crazy dream that I chopped off all my hair and dyed it black. SO I DID IT. I CHOPPED OFF ALL MY HAIR AND DYED IT BLACK.

 Ha. Funny joke right? I ain't cray. But I did decide that maybe I should do something different with my hair. Most of the time I'm really sensible and normal and I don't make rash, crazy decisions... so usually cutting my own hair would've been totally out of the picture. But I think I might've gone a little bat-crap crazy the other day because I just had it in my mind that I needed to give myself bangs. Here's the thing. I got bangs when I was in seventh grade and hated them. I looked deformed. It was not a good look let me tell you, but then I guess I decided that that was now just a fantastic idea. So, as I was unpacking from the Thanksgiving holidays, I just suddenly lost it and walked into Kelsi's room to consult her.

She was doing homework on her floor when I just walked up to her and said

"Hey what do you think I'd look like with bangs?"

So after discussing how I'd look for a little while I was just like

"Alright! I'm gonna do it!"

and Kelsi said "What? You're going to do it?"

"Yeah. Right now. If I don't do it now I'll chicken out."

So I grabbed a pair of scissors from her desk and ran to the sink to cut my bangs.

Kelsi oh-so graciously took pictures of my psychoticness.

Ready for this guys?

(Awkward close-up picture of my face)

Before:

And after:

 Yeah. It definitely wasn't professional grade work. It looks pretty good for using a pair of desk scissors, but I'm pretty sure that any hair-stylist in their right mind would slap me across the face because I didn't just wait and I did it myself. So that was my insane, totally out-of-character moment of the week, but you know what? I don't regret it. Sometimes it's nice to do something a little insane. I like it. And ya know? Kelsi commented later with something like "Tanisha I'm so glad that when you get psychotic urges it isn't to do anything like murder people. It's just to cut your hair".

She's so right. Psh. It could've been so much worse!

The Laundry Cart Incident

I have this roommate named Chandler... and she likes to fight. This is Chandler. Everyone say hi, but don't make any sudden movements or anything. You'll startle her and then she'll want to fight you.

I guess I get it. I mean she grew up with four brothers so... there's that. I guess that makes sense, but seriously sometimes she just wants to fight. And there's nothing you can do about it. You just kind of sit back and pray that someone will fight her before she comes to you... because she will be fought. If someone doesn't just fight her she'll come after someone who won't fight her back and just prey on them. I feel like a lot of the time this person is me. So anyways... recently Chandler just really wanted to fight me. So she was trying to beat me up, but I just wouldn't fight back. And I kind of slunk down to the ground, but she sat on top of me. So being the genius that I am.. I decided to make a diversion. So I was like 

"Hey Chandler why don't you go get some ropes or something and then you can tie me up like a cow!!!" 

This idea (for obvious reasons) excited her to the point where she ran away at full speed to get ropes, and in desperation, I flew into Michaela and Kelsi's room and shut the door. I then proceeded to hide in my previously chosen spot (see previous post I Will Survive Hey Hey) in case murderers or scary people... or roommates with a never ceasing desire to fight... get in the apartment. So behind Michaela's clothes I went!!

Then suddenly there was a scraping on the door. Chandler was trying to unlock the door... with knives. I really don't know how that works... but it was enough to make Michaela open the door for her. Unfortunately she knows of my hiding place, so the next thing I know I'm screaming at the top of my lungs as I'm being drug out of the closet by my feet. I can honestly say that for a second I thought that I might die. This was one of the most terrifying moments of my life.  Then came the guilt-tripping.

Chandler has this persuasive power where she says something and sometimes you're just like "Wow... why didn't I see the world this way? Yes. Yes!! We must do what Chandler says!" In this instance it was kind of like

Chandler: "But Tanisha you said I could tie you up, and I just really need to practice this skill."

Me: in my head (wow.. I am the worst person ever. Look what I've done. I lied! I said she could do it and I just totally lied! I mean I guess I could do it...What's the worst that could happen.) "Yeah Chandler totally let's do it!"

Hmmph. Let me show you the worst that could happen.

Mhmm

Yup.

That's me... in a laundry cart... tied up like a cow...

Now I hate to say this... but it got worse... much worse. But let's back up for a second and see how we got to this point... with me.. tied up like a cow... inside of a laundry cart.

I was getting tied up and thinking about what a strange and somewhat hilarious situation this is when this image popped into my mind of them dropping me off at my friend's doorstep who I'd had a date with the previous night (yeah believe it or not I get dates.... occasionally... okay not really but whatever). This image is hilarious because who wouldn't be scared out of their minds to find some girl you went on a date with tied up outside your door... yeah I don't know.. my mind is a weird place. So totally 100% hypothetically I made the mistake of saying "How funny would it be if you dropped me off tied up like this outside of Talmage's apartment hahaha" 

Yeah no. That was a bad idea. Suddenly it became Chandler's goal in life to make this happen. Somehow she used her persuasive powers to convince Michaela (who is usually very reasonable I might add) that this was a fantastic idea. So then they decided that in order to make this happen they needed the laundry cart so they could wheel me around instead of dragging my body around campus. So they did it. They put me in a laundry cart, put a blanket over my head so no one would see that I was a person, and snuck me out of the dorm in the direction of the guy's dorm.

So we get to the doors and it finally occurs to Chandler that... HMMMMM maybe this isn't such a great idea. Maybe this is just really creepy and weird. So then we decide to leave... But then I have a sudden realization. They struggled putting me into the cart... now I'm at an awkward angle and if they try to lift me out on their own, there's a 95% chance my face will meet the ground tonight. So, we realize, we have to enlist the help of boys after all. 

They sneak me through the building and up to Talmage's apartment. They hid me around the corner and Michaela (at the risk of making herself look slightly insane) took on the job of looking for help. 

She knocked and his roommate Fransisco answered.

Michaela: Hi.. is Talmage there.

Fransisco: No. Sorry

Michaela: Oh well.. I just had to ask him a question so... yeah. Thanks

Fransisco: Do you want me to take a message?

Michaela: Oh no.. no it's okay

Fransisco: Do you have his number

Michaela: Yeah..

Fransisco: .. Did you try texting him... or calling him?

Michaela: Yeah... he just didn't answer...

*awkward silence as Fransisco realizes Michaela is a desperate crazy girl trying to get a hold of his roommate*

Michaela: well thanks! Bye!

Awkward... So on to the next room!!! So next they hid me in the activity room and went to the room of some guys who have been our friends since the beginning of the year. They got Jordan and Connor (who likes my blog by the way. Yeah Connor you're awesome) to come assist with removing me from the cart. After standing around and evaluating the situation for several minutes, another one of their roommates came into the room and decided that this was the prime time to make my life even more miserable. So, he carted me down the hall to the staircase saying he was going to push me down the stairs. But that wasn't enough NOOO. Then, he pushed me into the elevator alone and pushed all the buttons so that I would just sit in there and wait until someone walked in.. and saw me awkwardly tied up... But thankfully Michaela intervened and between the both of us screaming like madwomen we managed to get me back into the activity room to be removed from my predicament. 

So then Connor, Jordan, Michaela, and Chandler all tried to remove me from the cart (unsuccessfully I might add). So Hunter was just like step aside everyone and removed me from the cart single-handedly. Then, after so graciously untying me, Jordan said they were going to head back now because there were girls in their apartment that they were hanging out with. Chandler must not have fully come to her senses at this point because she ran after Jordan screaming and asking who the girls were. Then, she once again used her persuasive powers to sic Michaela on Jordan. So they're both running down the hallway trying to get into their apartment and I'm just sitting there trying to regain feeling in my arms and thinking "wow... because we didn't look creepy or crazy enough... you have to run after them.... "

But I didn't have shoes and they had to push me in the laundry cart home... So...the only logical thing to do was follow them running at top speeds through the hall. I stood back and watched as they banged against the wall and tried to pry the door open screaming "WHO'S BETTER THAN US?!!! WHO ARE THEY?!" And finally (probably after realizing we'd never go away if they didn't give in) they let us into the room. And after Chandler introduced herself... we simply walked away. That was it. She said "Hi I'm Chandler. We're in your ward. I'll see you on Sunday!"... and we walked away. All that trouble... for that. Not only that, but we definitely didn't see them on Sunday. In fact.. they probably stopped going to church out of fear that they'd actually see us on Sunday. But hey.. what can you do?

When we got home Kelsi and Alex had come home from the store (they had missed this entire fiasco) and we explained what had happened. I guess from their end... they had come home and seen the signs of struggle and noticed that it was dead silent. So after searching the apartment for Michaela and my remains, they heard screaming in the hallway and ran out to see if it was us. It wasn't. So they got to experience an awkward conversation too...

The lesson we can learn from this college experience: How about never fight your roommates? Or never EVER suggest you let them tie you up? Or never describe to them the funny pictures that pop into your head? Actually... I think all of this could be solved with a big KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT.

The End.

P.s. apparently Jordan has been reading my blog longer than Connor or something so he's sad he didn't get a shoutout so here. Jordan's cool too because he also enjoys my blog.

Let's Embarrass My Brother because it's His Birthday C:

So today is my brother's birthday. He's 24... or 25... I can't really remember... I just know he's getting old. Anyways.. my brother is my best friend in the entire world. He's been there for me for so many things that I've had to go through. He used to sit outside my bedroom and talk to me FOR HOURS as I tried to go to sleep, and my parents used to yell at him to leave me alone. We argue absolutely everything even if we don't have to. We may totally agree about something, but debate it just to challenge the other person's opinion or argument. I miss that a lot. He's one of the funniest people I know. He's always cracking jokes and not the stupid kind either. He's genuinely clever and hilarious.He can also memorize entire movies after watching them once. So, whenever you say something, there's a chance he has a movie quote to go along with it. He's one of the smartest people I've met, and one of the sweetest and most generous. He's my best friend and I miss him so much, but I really want to embarrass him a little.

So let's tell some stories:

One time, my brother wanted advice on how to ask a girl on a date. Our conversation went something like this... 

Tyler: Hey, how would you want to be asked on a date?

Me: I don't know... like. "Hey do you wanna go on a date?" "sure!"

Tyler: No, like in a creative way. Wouldn't you want it to be creative?

Me: I really just don't care.

Tyler: Well.. what would you want to do on a date? Like a date that would stand out to you?

Me: Idk... something fun?

Tyler: but like what?!!!

Me: I don't know... I just really don't care!!!

Tyler: THIS IS WHY I CAN'T ASK YOU FOR ADVICE!!! YOU AREN'T NORMAL!!! YOU AREN'T A REAL GIRL!! YOU'RE MY SISTER!

(A few days later)

Tyler: Hey Tanisha, what would you want to do on a date?

Me: WHY DO YOU ASK IF I'M NOT EVEN A REAL GIRL!!!!

Yep. I'll never let him live that one down. What does that even mean? I'm not a real girl?!

Ah.. here's another one. My brother and I used to get in fights a lot. Not real fights... just play fights because we'd debate about almost anything (even if we agreed about it) and he'd outsmart me so I would resort to hitting him. Then we'd end up in some awkward fight where he's holding my wrists so I can't hit him and I'm trying to kick him in the shins. Well, one time this was happening, and we went to knee each other at the exact same time and ended up kneeing each other's knees. I can't even describe to you what it feels like to knee someone else in the knee. It's one of the most painful and shocking things that could ever happen to you. I just remember one minute we were fighting, we kneed each other, and then the next minute we were both on the ground half-crying, half-laughing. I think we were in that state for a good 10 or 15 minutes... Good times.

Now I have a ton more stories that I could tell, but I think I'll choose to publicly announce the times that he took advantage of my idolization of him (and also my gullible nature) when we were younger. Let's start with the Hello Kitty pen. One year for Christmas, I was trying to figure out what my brother had gotten me because he just kept telling me how it was the most incredible present ever and I was going to die. So one day, he finally broke down and told me he had gotten me a Hello Kitty pen. I remember in my head being like WHAAAAT?! THAT'S IT?!!! So I followed him around for the next several weeks asking him ALL THE TIME if that's what it was. I even trailed my mom like a puppy dog asking if it was true, and they both told me over and over again that that was it. So, on Christmas morning, imagine my surprise when I open my present and it isn't a Hello Kitty pen. I can't even remember what the real present was... the Hello Kitty pen is just scarred in my mind. Even now it's an on-going joke. Anytime someone asks what their present is, there's a 99% chance the answer will be a Hello Kitty pen.

Okay last, but certainly not least, in fact I think he'll be quite peeved I posted this on the internet. Muahaha. The time my brother taught me about elbow grease. So. I was about 6 years old, which would make him about 10, and our little sister (who was probably close to two at the time) had colored with chalk on the wall behind our bedroom door. So, naturally, it was Tyler's and my job to clean it up. This was surprisingly really hard for my little six-year-old arms, and despite how much we scrubbed, the chalk just wouldn't come off.  I'm sure I remember this a lot more dramatically than it really was because I was six, but whatever. So my mom comes into the room and tells us to use elbow grease. This was a foreign concept to me and so I asked my older, much wiser, brother what it was. He told me to rub my elbow against the wall, and the grease from your elbows would help break down the chalk and make it easier to wipe away. I was honestly amazed by elbow grease and the power of it, and we spent the rest of the time rubbing our elbows against the wall to get the chalk off. Now, this wouldn't be so bad, but I believed it wholeheartedly for WAY too long. One day. when I was twelve, my mom told me to clean the wall under the bar, but that I would have to use elbow-grease because it would be difficult. In my head I'm like, heck yeah no problem! So, I start rubbing my elbow against the wall and then wiping the nastiness away. About ten minutes pass and then I look up to see my mom staring at me from the doorway. 

"What in the world are you doing?"

"Using elbow grease?"

Yeah... after she got over laughing at me, she explained what elbow grease really was, and now I will never let my brother live it down.

Well that's it.. so Happy Birthday Forrest Tyler Ross. I love you, you half-girl, half-child.

I Will Survive Hey Hey

I had the awesome opportunity recently to discover which of my roommates I'm going to band together with in the situation where a murderer makes it into our apartment... or we're all in a horror film or something. See.. I already know that I'm going to be the friend that lives. I found out a couple weeks ago that Michaela's closet is the perfect place to hide. You just crawl into the back behind all of her clothes and BAM. No one will ever find you there. It's great.

But the rest of my roommates... that's kind of questionable you know what I mean? How do you really know who has the best survival skills? So, the other night, Kelsi and I were practicing for our ward's talent show. We're doing the bar scene from The Three Amigos with Steve Martin and Martin Short. If you haven't seen it, you should check it out. Here's the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5T8FJ7TldU . But honestly, that's a whole other story in itself.

 So back on topic... we were practicing in our living room. It'd just gotten dark outside, and we hadn't shut the blinds yet. That means that anyone walking past our dorm could see directly into our room if they wanted. We were right in the middle of the dance number when I looked up and saw Derek emerge from the bushes outside our window and start creeping towards us. Michaela was sitting right in front of the window, facing away from it, and Kelsi was still just dancing right along... even though I'd gasped and said "Oh my gosh!" which is obviously an indicator that something's up. This didn't alert them... like at all. Whatever. I guess they just don't pay attention to me.....Dramatic sigh. So when the BANG came from Derek hitting the window, they both started screaming like they'd been shot. Kelsi spazzemed and collapsed on the floor convulsing and screaming, and after seeing that, Michaela dropped off the couch onto all fours, and started screeching and crawling as fast as she could for the door. Somehow during all the screaming and crawling, Michaela's gum fell out of her mouth and into her hair. I wish we had gotten a picture of this because the look on her face... priceless. So after they calmed down enough to assess the situation (and after I stopped laughing my butt off), we all spent the next twenty minutes picking gum out of Michaela's hair. But don't worry, we got it all out. 

It wasn't until about a half hour later that I realized that their reactions could really affect my life. In dangerous situations, Kelsi falls on the ground and convulses, no longer capable of any type of movement... but Michaela... she heads for the nearest exit and far away from windows. Then, I was thinking about earlier in the day... there was this really weird noise coming from the hallway and Kelsi just ran out and started searching for it. That, my friends, is how you get killed. Then, Alex started getting concerned for her and started to go after her but I was like... heck no! You two are those people in horror films that DIE! I'm staying right here.

 In conclusion... Kelsi, never my first choice. Alex... better than Kelsi, but I'd rather go alone. But Michaela... she can hide in the closet with me anytime!

Talmage is of the devil

I hate Talmage William Jones

My Emotional Control is Stored in My Plasma

So, as of late, I've been very busy and I just haven't had the chance to post any of my stories for the past several weeks. But don't worry... Today I bring to you a horror story from the week of Halloween. Donating plasma.

A little background on the situation: when I go to the doctor's office... I cry. No matter what happens, it's almost guaranteed that I will cry at least once during a trip to the doctors.  Senior year of high school I had to get my blood drawn a couple times, and the first time was a big mess. I get all anxious and scared and tense and then angry  and then... tears. So the second time that I went in to get blood drawn, my mom bribed my best friend to come with me so that I'd buck up a little bit.. and she also told me that if I was really good, we could go to Dairy Queen afterwards and she'd buy me ice cream. I found that day that if I had someone to talk to while the blood was being pumped that it really wasn't that bad and I didn't have to cry... so I just talk through it. And yes...I got ice cream.

Well, Kelsi and I decided we wanted to donate plasma for a little extra money. So, for like a week we drank nothing but water and had water chugging contests so that we would be plenty hydrated for donating plasma. Then, we made an appointment and went in. I don't really know why in the world I thought this was a good idea because me and getting blood drawn have not been good friends in the past, but for some reason I was just really excited for this. I think in my head it seemed like an adventure and I was being heroic and conquering my fears. My head was wrong.

The first thing on the agenda once you get there is a screening test. I walk into a little booth and a man makes me stand on a scale and takes my weight and blood pressure and all that fun stuff, and then explains that they have to take a small sample of my blood. I had no previous knowledge that this was going to happen. So I started to freak out a little bit and the tears started welling up. That's when the word barf started coming. It went something like...

"Wow.. a blast screen... interesting. Is this going to hurt? Worse than actually donating plasma itself.. wow. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Wooh. It's okay. We're fine. We're totally fine. Oh. Just so you know.. I might start crying. It's a definite possibility. Yeah, So there's that."

 and then when the prick finally came

 "Ow. oh. wooh. okay. Wow. That was fun. I only teared up a little. Wow. Go me. Hey that was awesome.". 

After he tested my blood (which not to brag or anything he said I have the most beautiful blood he'd seen in weeks... yeah that's right. I have beautiful blood) he said that I should go outside in the waiting room. I was starting to calm down, but the anxiety was still on the surface and suddenly...

 "Hey am I going to have to pee in a cup?"

After laughing off the initial shock of my question he explained that, yes, they would need a urine sample. Then after giving a little too much information on the state of my bladder and how I wasn't sure how possible a urine sample would be despite how much water I'd been drinking, I awkwardly left the room.

At this point, I was really proud of myself for making it this far, and then they called me into the physical portion. This wasn't really all that bad. There were a lot of awkward questions about whether I'd ever shot up with drugs, or been incarcerated in the last year... or prostituted since 1977, but after answering the long list of questions like THREE times, they seemed convinced that I had a pretty healthy and normal lifestyle. There was also the awkward urine sample part, which was a success by the way, but the only truly interesting thing that happened was when the doctor was checking my stomach. He asked if I had any abdominal pain, and began pushing down on my stomach. Then I had the mental image of someone having abdominal pain, so when he pushed on their stomach, they threw up on him. Naturally, this just led to a fit of giggles for me. After nervously laughing along for a few seconds and listening to my repeated giggly apologies, he asked what was so funny, and I said "What if I just threw up on you?". Yeah... that took him a little off guard to say the least. Finally, I answered the awkward list of questions one last time, and moved in to get my plasma taken.

My anxiety was pretty intense. I sat down on the chair and a guy named Matt came to prick my arm and set up all my tubes and what-not. He was actually really good about my uncontrollable talking, even though this time... it was a lot worse and there was a lot more anxiety in . 

"So yeah.. I've never done this before and I really hate drawing blood. Mhmm. So yeah. Ew gross is that the tube? I'm going to be able to watch my blood being drawn? That's so gross. Wow. Um.. Yea. So by the way I'm probably going to cry. But don't worry it's not because I hate you. Maybe some people would think it's because I hate them. But I don't. I just cry. One time my mom had to bribe me actually. Yeah. Did you know my roommate's over there? Her name is Kelsi. Oh you pricked her too. She's awesome. Isn't she awesome?Was she freaking out or is it just me? Oh that's awkward. Not that I'm really freaking out I'm fine. I'm really fine..... Wow. It's over. I didn't cry. I didn't cry at all. Wow. I didn't even cry!!" 

He asked me if I was going to be okay several more times before leaving me alone to ward off my urge to scream ... or sob, and the constant fear that I was going to lose my arm. Then after one grueling hour of trying to hold in all the emotions, they injected my remaining blood with saline back into my veins (which left me shivering for thirty minutes after it happened) and I was free to go home. 

After I left, I was fine for the entire drive home. I didn't feel faint or weird in any way... and then we made it home... and that's when the weird things started happening. We got out of the car and began walking towards our apartment and I could. not. stop. laughing. I was doubled over with fits of insane laughter for absolutely no reason. This didn't really concern me.. I just thought that maybe it was because I was exhausted. In fact when we got to the apartment, I just laid down on the counter. 

At this point, I still hadn't entirely gained the feeling back in my hand and Michaela commented that it looked swollen. This is when the emotional release came. All the anxiety and tension and holding in my emotions just exploded and I started sobbing about my hand being swollen and not wanting to die. Then, as everyone is trying to comfort me in confusion, I started to feel like I was going to pass out. I sat on the floor and then, next thing you know my roommates brought me pillows and a giant teddy bear to lay on. Within five minutes of laying on the floor I was asleep. Then I was awoken by Shalee (who had missed the sobbing fiasco) putting peanut butter on my nose. Immediately the sobbing resumed, and the great friends that I have... took pictures.

At first, I didn't really understand what had happened here about the emotional release. So my first theory was that all of my emotional control was stored in my plasma. Yeah... not all that accurate.. but it made sense to me at the time. Anyways... summary of the plasma event.. it was horrible and anxious and terrible, but I got thirty bucks. And even through all that emotional turmoil... it was totally worth it, and I'm definitely going to do it again. I'll keep you updated.