Well, I'm in the home stretch. Every teacher is doing one of two things: either they are aware of the fact that we are seniors and no longer care and are thus slacking off as well or, the more common option, they don't care one bit if we're seniors or not and are trying to give us a much work as possible. Mind you, it seems that, in my major, we never get swamped at the same time as everyone else. So while everyone else is going nuts this week, we went nuts last week and will go nuts again next week and the next.
Funny though, my social calendar is much more crowded than my academic calendar. There are like a million things to go to at the end of the year. Plus, being a senior means EXTRA stuff. There's an award ceremony on Sunday afternoon, followed by a reception for my department. Big enough that mom and dad are coming to town for it. Saturday is Chris' FE exam (EIT for you who might recognize that name better. same thing), so he's going nuts studying for it. For those of us lucky enough to be in the one engineering discipline without a section on the FE, there is the Orange and White football game on Saturday. There are also baseball games all weekend. There is some banquet I've been asked to go to and will hopefully be able to avoid. There are end of year concerts the next two weeks. I have a recital myself on the last Sunday in April. Right at the beginning of exam week, I'm supposed to be playing a piece that I don't even have learned yet. Right. There's Paul's percussion ensemble and other events I've promised people I would attend. My church has asked all of the seniors to be present for both services on the Sunday of exam week (recital day!) so they can recognize us. I have a physics test that last week of classes. Take home, I think. My department loves take home tests.
During all of this, I have to keep my regular work hours. I also have to clean and clear my room so that there is space for Amy to live in there this summer while I'm in Washington. I'm pretty excited about Washington, but nervous still. I've got to apply for my apartment so that I can have somewhere to live. As soon as that is settled, I will feel a lot better about it.
Just wanted to share about the next month. Hope everyone else's month is a little less crazy for them.
Graduation is on Friday, May 9 at 9:30 am for those who need to know. I sent out announcements today, so you'll probably be seeing one shortly. Talk to the boss lady (mom) if you are planning on coming.

Spring

It's official. I'm bad at blogging. G-ma said so on the phone last week.
It's Wednesday, March 26. I am halfway through the first week back from spring break. I graduate in just over 5 weeks. How crazy is that?!?
So, for those who are sick of hearing about me, please refrain from reading this post. This is going to be a fast run-through of why I'm fabulous for G-ma's sake.
This has been a good semester so far.
I am officially a PhD candidate for Materials Science and Engineering at Clemson in the fall. I signed my contract this morning. I have a Teaching Assistantship for the first year that turns into a Research Assistantship after that. I'm being paid quite a bit and I am NOT going to complain about that.

I will be doing work in Washington State this summer at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. My research will be on the same family of glass that I have been working with here but a different aspect of the glass. Electronic, I believe. Getting this internship planned has been a bit crazy, but things are good now. It will be good for me to do research elsewhere before I start as a graduate student in the same group I've been in for a year as an undergraduate.

I wrote an article that was published in the American Ceramic Society's Bulletin (their monthly magazine). It has my name under it and everything. Mom has an electronic copy of it if you would like to read it or just see proof that I'm published.

Speaking of the American Ceramic Society, I am now the Outreach Committee Chair for the President's Council of Student Advisors. If you read the last post, you probably noted that I had just gotten back from Daytona Beach. I had been at a planning and implementation meeting for the PCSA, a student-run committee of ACerS whose purpose is to encourage student membership in the society, promote membership of young professionals, and direct student activities at the conferences. The trip was a blast and I am honored to be working with a group of dedicated students from across the country.

I have a new boyfriend (yes Sam). His name is Chris. He's a senior in Mechanical Engineering. He's cute. Or, as G-ma says, he's a "handsome fellow." He goes to my church and he's completely respectable (I figure someone is going to ask that).
He went to semiformal with me, hence the dress and tie. (PS~ isn't that blue dress awesome?!)

I would tell about the spring break trip to the keys, but instead I'll just give you a link to the photo album. Spring Break Pictures

I am so lame

I guess G-ma is going to disown me for letting a over two months pass without updating my blog. Okay, more like 3 months. I am probably the lamest blogger on the webnet.

So apparently I have been working on this one post for like 2 months, because It was about that long ago that the next paragraph happened... I think I'll have to go ahead and post this one soon.

I just got back from an entire week in Daytona. I have returned, having forgotten what cold is really like, and being way thrilled that I can open the blinds and check my e-mail without leaving my bed. I can also rebel and skip meetings without anyone caring. Life is good.

But yeah. Let's see...I should do a quick review of the last month and a half, huh?

A small part on Thanksgiving would go here, I guess. We went to Knoxville. Like old times. Here's Auntie Rose and I being silly...Then there's the family tradition of watching the sweet potatoes to make sure they don't catch fire like they always end up doing...
The twins (still silly as ever) and G-ma... The fabulous Lauras of the Burka family... All both
The (un) usual A to Z lineup, with Dad standing in as Scott and Aunt Rose standing in for Zachary. This family sure is strange. But it helps to have these pictures so people don't wonder why I am the way I am.

We went to the rodeo. It was sweet. Thought I'd share...I think I'll throw some football pictures in here just for the heck of it. Last home game of my senior year. We lost. But I got a lot of good pictures.
We had fun playing on Julie's front porchJulie and Olivia and I hung out at the game until Olivia and I took off for the band and sat in front of our favorite drummers. It was really loud right there. I highly suggest NOT sitting in the middle of the band.
And of course, I stole Paul's hat after the game. Long running tradition I guess...Christmas, the Burka clan went to LA. Lower Alabama, that is. We went to the beach down near Ft. Morgan. All 16 of us still fit into one house. I'd say that's pretty impressive.
I suppose I'll put a few more pictures of that in here and call it a post. I mean, it's time to talk about spring break now. That's how lame I am.
Here we are before a walk on the beach. I say any Christmas that involves a walk on the beach is pretty stinking cool.
G-pa got a piano for Christmas.The cousins ready for the usual lineup. We almost look respectable. You have no idea how cold our feet were...This is pretty much a normal picture of the cousins...
Last but not least, my favorite Burka family Christmas photo.