Memory Mondays: Terrapin Blog Hopping

This picture has nothing to do with anything.
It's me dressed as a cow.
It's precious. 

One of my fellow classmates decided that a blog hop/questionare would be a good idea. You can find the original post on Ezra's blog. Hope you enjoy my answers. This isn't quite a flashback post, but I figured this would be the most appropriate day to include this.

1. Where are you right now? (You can answer literally, or you can stop giving boring answers to every question you’re asked, and think outside the box.)

I'm currently relaxing in my on campus dorm. And by relaxing I mean avoiding doing any actual work even though I spent most of the day in bed recovering from feeling under the weather. I'll spare you the gross details. I'll do my work later...I promise. 

2. What keeps you blogging? Your pride? Your mom? Wanting someone other than your cat to tell you that you’re awesome?

I have always enjoyed writing, so I see blogging as my public place to put my thoughts out there. It would be cool to make a career of it someday. I keep my more private thoughts in my moleskine notebook, but you're not allowed to see those. No one is allowed to see those. 

3. What blogs or bloggers do you look to for inspiration, ideas, or just to get the blog side of your brain turned on?

In order to find some inspiration for the Flashback Friday posts, I often check out this Tumblr. It's just images, but that usually sparks some sort of idea for me. 

4. What is your most Terp-like quality? Is you’re not a Terp, well, I’m sorry, but you should be. Go out and get Terpy. Then report back with your newly acquired Terp quality.

Oh gosh, I'm not sure. Like the actual terrapin? Or Testudo? I love Testudo, so I will go with him. He's spirited, and I've been described at that as well. 

Testudo Hard at Work
Photo Credit: Testudo Times

5. If you could pick any celebrity or politician to give your blog a shout out via Twitter, who would it be?

It would only be appropriate to pick some sort of 90's idol. Nine year old Courtney would have loved a shout out from Aaron Carter. Said shout out would be much better than what he's tweeting now. 

6. Congrats. Wallace Loh stumbled upon your blog and wants to host an all-night party to celebrate your genius. You get to pick the campus building and the two professors who will be in charge of DJ-ing and food/drinks. Go:

My home away from home at school is Tawes, I study there, work there, and wish I could just sleep there. It's a beautiful building and the recital hall would be perfect for this all-night rager. The DJs depend on their musical taste. I'm just going to saw any professor can bring a mix CD and it will be potluck style. I can't pick favorites. 

7. And finally, a serious question. What have you learned from blogging? Did you learn about writing? Did you learn about people? Did you learn how easy it is to get distracted on the internet? (But jk on the last one; you already knew that, of course.)

I have learned a lot about creating my own voice. I've heard some of you seriously read it in my actual voice. I guess that's cool...sorry for the annoying pitch of it. I've also learned a lot about my classmates. Check out their blogs on the blogroll if you haven't already. 

Memory Mondays: Future Terrapin

Little Courtney Waiting To Grow Into Her Terrapin Shell

While preparing to write this blog, I spent a Sunday evening at home going through my Mom's old photo books from my childhood. I couldn't help but smile when I came across this one.

This photo was taken at the Baltimore Zoo some time around 1994/1995. Clearly, back then, I had no intentions of going to UMD. I was far too busy playing Barbies and watching movies to even know what my future would hold.

For those of you who don't know, UMD's mascot is a Diamondback Terrapin named Testudo. He's pretty awesome.  He's much cooler than a Blue Hen or an Orange Blob!

Here at UMD we take Testudo very seriously. You can find him at almost any event: anything from Basketball games to prestigious alumni functions. We even leave him offerings every time midterms and finals role around.

Offering to Testudo
Human Sacrifice Edition

I'd love to go back to the Zoo and take another picture in the turtle shells. I think they're still there? Well, if I fit in them, of course. Perhaps, I can even go in my cap and gown in two years. That would make a cute graduation announcement. Until then I'll just settle for some pictures with Testudo. Although no one knew what my future would hold when that picture was taken, I am glad it ended foreshadowing it just a bit.