The Man, the Myth, the Legend: Santa Claus

'Tis the season to be jolly. Unless you're a ten-year-old kid who just got their dreams crushed by finding out that Santa Claus isn't a fat, jolly man from the North Pole, but YOUR PARENTS! I had originally written this blog with the mind to bash the myth of Santa Claus, but as I wrote it, I realized that there may be more merit to Santa Claus than I had originally thought.

I won't get into the details on how my own dreams were squashed (that's a novel and a half), but I will tell you this- I was DEVASTATED. Santa, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, EVEN LITTLE RUDOLPH, was a lie. My mind quickly jumped back to the time when my sweet, elderly great-great uncle called me and pretended to be Santa, even knocking on the table to make the sounds of the reindeer's hooves. Even he had lied to me.

I remember watching magicians on TV, amazed and in awe at "magic." My parents had always told me that magic wasn't real; it was just a trick, an illusion. But Santa, he was real. He had a magic crystal ball and could see my every move. Santa's magic wasn't like the kind on TV; he was the exception. He existed.

Now that I write this, I realize my parents weren't lying the whole time. Santa's magic is real...it's within each and every single one of us. The person isn't real. There is no such thing as an obese bearded man who has a glowing reindeer as a companion and a penchant for cookies. But the spirit of Santa, that's real. That's the real magic. It's not tangible, it's not visible, but you can feel it. It's the feeling I get every time I'm with my family. It's the roaring laughter that fills the room every time my dad makes a joke. It's the smile on my mom's face when I buy her that gift that she specifically ordered me not to buy. The magic is real; it's present in each and every one of us, not in a mythical figure.

As I wrote this blog entry, I began to feel grateful for my parents for allowing Santa Claus to be a part of my life. It was a time of innocence, beauty, and wide-eyed wonder. Will I every play Santa for my kids? Probably not. But I will show them the true magic of Christmas- the joy of family, the selfless act of giving, and ultimately, the true gift of Christmas: the birth of Jesus Christ, who saved humanity on the Cross. That precious gift beats anything I've ever received from Santa Claus.

It's the Final Countdown

Ahhh, finals week, it's nice to see you again. NOT.

Procrastination is my middle name, which makes finals week ten times harder for me than my type-A counterparts, leaving me scrambling to finish last-minute assignment and cram. But it's not just me...everyone turns into a psycho during finals week. We all walk around campus with a venti Starbucks cup in our hands, black circles underneath our bloodshot eyes, and the same clothes that we wore to bed on the night before. Sounds familiar?

Everyone has their own different methods of enduring this madness, including myself. I just thought I would share some with you...

• Pray- Yes, pray! Many college student find themselves on their knees praying during finals week. Praying that the coffee will kick in just before your 8 a.m. exam, praying that your mundane effort on the final exam will result in at LEAST a C...all jokes aside, yes, PRAY during exams. God is always there to help you in any way possible, even in exams. Some people seem to think that God is only concerned with the "big stuff," like ending world hunger and curing illnesses, but God is concerned with other areas of our well-being, even if it's something as mundane as passing an exam.
• Reward yourself- A lot of people reward themselves by sleeping for the next three days after finals week, but reward yourself DURING the process. Bribe yourself; for every two pages you complete on your final essay, allow yourself fifteen minutes of Facebook time. Or, reward yourself with one episode of your favorite T.V. show on Netflix (Netflix and finals week go hand-in-hand). It'll break up the monotony AND give yourself incentives to do well, and more importantly, finish your work.
• Listen to music- For some people who need absolute peace and quiet while studying, this is one piece of advice that you can forego. If you're like me, you need a little sound for inspiration. I've been listening to America for the past three days straight while doing homework. Think of your favorite artists as friends keeping you company as you slave over your books.
• Understand that it's okay to cry- I used to cry over my homework in high school. HA HA HA. Boy, was I in a biiiiig surprise when I enrolled into college. It's not that the work is harder, it's just more overwhelming. Remember those easy foul-proof exams of yesteryear? Those days are gone...for the most part. Some professors will actually GIVE you the answers to the test, but if you're not that fortunate and you feel overly-stressed, go ahead and put on "Wind Beneath My Wings" and let yourself have a good cry. 
• Indulge- Finals week is the most stressful time of the semester. So, go ahead- eat some of Grandma's famous chocolate chip cookies as you cram. Get Chinese takeout before you meet with your study group. You're not going to be any happier if you deny yourself a treat. Besides, who has time for cooking a well-balanced meal when you have to study for five classes? You have the rest of winter break to burn it off (after Christmas, of course). And here's another tip- don't feel guilty.

Those are my top tips for surviving finals week that I've accumulated over the past five semesters of horror. Good luck to all of you college kiddos on finals week! Just think...there WILL come a day when we won't have to suffer any longer!

Introductions Are Necessary

First off,  I must warn you- I'm really bad at this.

I've NEVER been able to keep up with a blog (except for my Tumblr, in which I just randomly reblog pictures). There's not even a guarantee that I will keep up with this one.

But I'm willing to try, if you're willing to read.

But first, I think you are curious as to who I am...

I'm Megan. I'm twenty-years-old (will be twenty-one in one month...woot woot!). I am currently a history major/education minor with meager dreams of being a high school history teacher. I currently live in Tennessee, but I grew up in Texas for the majority of my childhood, and that is where I consider to be my home. I love the Lord, and I am trying to improve my daily walk with Him. He never fails to fascinate me, and is always good to me! I LOVE my family and my friends. I also love music, especially Led Zeppelin (you'll hear me reference them many times throughout this blog).

If you like Jesus, music, sarcastic ramblings of the single/college/twenty-something life, then feel free to follow me!