meet stella!

I would like for y’all to meet the newest addition to the Giurintano family – Stella kitty!

She was a stray kitten who wandered up to our house, and my mom took her in (much to my dad’s demise). We now have three stray cats in our family…never would I have imagined the day. We never actually intended on keeping the first two, so one’s name is Keyen  (weird, i know, but it’s a form of kitten, but with the tt –> y) and the other one’s name is Other. Not a joke. So this time I was determined to actually name the kitten something…anything really because she was not going to be known as the “new kitty.”  I NEVER considered myself a cat person before, but I am starting to change my mind…my poor Buckwheat looks at me as if I’m a traitor 😦

We had been keeping Stella in our sunroom (we didn’t want her to be rough-housed by the 3 other animals), but this past weekend we’ve been letting her out to slowly become accustomed to her new surroundings.  She is my kitty, and I am in love.

In other news, Homecoming is this weekend!! So exiting.  The weekend is made even bigger with an anuual Halloween swap between my sorority and another faternity on campus AND my sorority’s “All Tied Up” crush party on Friday! It should be a really fun weekend, but I need to step up my game on halloween costumes…I can’t think of anythingggg. Hopefully I’ll come up with something, though, so look forward to pictures from this weekend 🙂

P.S. I might be slightly obsessed with my pets (maybe). Please don’t judge.

would you like that fried?

I normally try to steer clear of eating too much fried food, but I make a special and purposeful exception to this rule once a year for the Mississippi State Fair.  The fair is  a 2 week affair in October and is held each year at the state fairgrounds, which are conveniently located about 5 minutes from campus. This past week, the seniors in my sorority invited the new members to go to the fair one night with us. The Band Perry played in the outdoor tent (way too packed to even attempt to get a spot inside) but we still got to listen to some of their tunes while we walked around the fairgrounds. 

While some eagerly anticpate the fair for the numerous rides and spinning contraptions that make you dizzy (can you tell I’m not very big into fair rides?), I look forward to the fair for a far superior reason. FOOD. I’m not even tempted by the carnie shouting at me to shoot the basketball into the oval hoop (my friend Maggie tried…it just doesn’t physically work). Instead, I head straight for the food aisle. We heard rumors of fried kool-aid making an appearance this year, but alas, we found none. It’s okay, though, because there were plenty of other goodies to be had – roasted corn, turkey legs, funnel cakes, taffy, candied apples, lemonade, etc. –  but I’ll give you a review of my top 3 choices…all fried, of course.

Well, this isn’t a top 3, but it is one of my favorite things to get.  There’s always a stand that gives out free homemade biscuits with some special syrup …I think it might be some kind of honey butter, but I don’t care – it’s good.

3. Funnel Cake

A fair staple, nothing can beat this random configuration of fried doughy goodness with a slight (or hefty) sprinkle of powdered sugar. Some may opt for the flavored cakes – chocolate, apple cinnamon, cream cheese – but I prefer the classic, simple funnel.

2. Fried Oreos

One word – RICH.  It is essential to split these with a friend because I’m only able to stomach 2 max. The oreo is fried in the same dough used to make the funnel cakes and once you take a bite, it is chocolate heaven.  I like to relate fried oreos to chocolate beignets (if they made those). So tasty.

1. Penn’s Chicken on a Stick

It’s funny that this is my number 1 fair food because Penn’s is a local restaurant…I could technically drive over and get chicken on a stick at my convenience, but I refuse because this is engrained in my memory as a fair food…thus, I can ONLY eat it at the fair. It’s fried chicken nuggets, fried pickles, and fried onions all on a stick, which makes it slightly messy to eat, but all the more fun. Writing about it actually tempts me to break tradition and go to Penn’s soon and indulge (I doubt it would taste as good, though).

These foods probably aren’t that special, some might even find them to be disgusting, but the fair makes them special to me.  The anticipation and memories wrap up into each bite of the fried treat of choice to remind me why I love this time of the year.  Even though the fair lasts for 2 weeks, I normally go for only one night. Trust me, one night is enough.

the local advantage

Before I explain the benefits of being from Jackson, let me set up the background detail of my college decision:

I was completely ANTI-Millsaps. Seriously.  Did not want to come here. Both of my older siblings went to Millsaps, so I was determined to break the mold, go some place outside of Jackson (outside of Mississippi, preferably), and NOT follow in their footsteps.  I had multiple arguments with my parents about this college decision…they of course wanted me to go to Millsaps because they knew I would receive an excellent education, and I wouldn’t be far from home. I, on the other hand, had very different plans.

In January of 2008, my brother (who was a senior at Millsaps at the time) convinced me to spend the night on campus – he set me up with a couple of his girl friends, and I got to see what it was really like to live the life of a college student at Millsaps.  Against all odds, I actually liked it. Needless to say, I was shocked.

Now that I’m older, I couldn’t imagine having chosen anywhere else to spend my college years.  As a local, I truly receive the best of both worlds.  When I’m on campus, I feel like I’m at college.  Millsaps has a tendency to become a “bubble,” so no matter what city Millsaps is in, you don’t realize it unless you step off campus.  So I honestly don’t feel like I’m still in Jackson while I’m at college, which is awesome.

On the flip side, it only takes me 15 minutes to go home if I need to.  I can go take baths, see my parents and the cutest dog ever (see pictures of Buckwheat below), and have homecooked meals whenever I please.  I’m not going to lie, the local advantage is pretty awesome.  So, for those of you who may think Millsaps is “too close to home,” I challenge you to spend a day on campus and find out just how far away it can really seem.

walking into fall

As October has sneakily approached, it’s starting to actually feel like fall in Mississippi.  Except for the occasional snow (maybe it would be better classified as a “powerding”), the campus is the most beautiful during the fall and spring seasons. I don’t know which I love more, but I am thoroughly enjoying the fall life and all that it brings- girls’ boots can make their first appearances, there are plenty of sports to watch on campus (football, volleyball, soccer) as well as SEC football on TV, and the cool weather makes working on homework outside a pleasant experience.

The only slightly negative aspect of fall is the onset of those dreaded things called tests. Normally, the first month or so of school is pretty slow and manageable (as long as you stay on top of your workload, of course), but by the end of September and beginning of October the professors start cracking the whip. In college, tests are somehow planned to occur during the same time, no matter the courses you are taking. I’m not quite sure why…but it is inescapable. For instance, I had three tests last week (Accounting, History of the Great Depression, and Biochemistry). I’m not going to lie…it makes the week very stressful and overwhelming at times, but the feeling of being done with all three compensates for the hours you spend in the library for that one week. It is especially rewarding when your sweet boyfriend treats you to a celebratory dinner (I was accepted into medical school a few weeks ago, so I had much to celebrate and be thankful for) 🙂

Whenever I do feel stressed out, I’m always calmed down by a few spots on campus.  Each time I walk past these, I have to take a step back and examine the beauty.  They are my favorite sidewalks on campus, mostly because the trees create a full canopy over the walkway.  On sunny days, the sunlight finds its way through the gaps in the branches, and it adds an extra touch of happiness to my day. Here, see for yourself.

This is the walkway near Sullivan Harrell and Murrah Hall. I always walk through here to go to the cafeteria. 

This is the sidewalk on the South side of campus (mainly comprised of residence halls).  I walk underneath this elm tree each day on my way back from class in order to go to my dorm.

With all of my first tests behind me, I’m looking forward to the slight slow-down in pace and can’t wait to have  some fun at the Mississippi State Fair next week! More updates to come, for sure.