The last five years have truly been a whirl wind. I am so THANKFUL for my experiences at Appalachian State: good-bad, exciting-stressful… all taught me so much about life, myself and my capabilities. My undergraduate years were the most fun I’ve had, while the coursework was the most difficult; graduating is definitely my proudest accomplishment thus far. Cheers to: new friends, no sleep, lots of snow, lab reports, the mountains, and five years of so many firsts! I’m so sad to see my time at Appalachian State come to an end, but I’m happy to say I checked off so much of my “Boone Bucket List” here are some of the highlights over the past few years!
✔ Survive Dorm Life
Freshman year- Coltrane, the smallest & oldest dorm on campus! No AC
Sophomore Year with my bestie Abby, we upgraded to Belk, a sink in the room?! Glamorous!
✔ Apartment Life!
Moving on up to University Highlands was exciting at the time… no matter the roommates or the crazy complex rules, it was furnished & a solid place to live, close to campus & I enjoyed the pool… Shout out to: Abby, Sam, Megan, Kathryn, Morgan, Christine, Kathryn & Kayla for being great roommates & friends! I loved having my own room, a parking spot out front, a big closet… can you tell I like color? lol
✔ Jump off as many waterfalls close by!
This is Elk River Falls, a 30ft drop… my first weekend in college I took the plunge & smack!
✔ Get Dillon to wear jeans!
Pre-college, Dillon only wore shorts lol the Boone weather quickly changed him
✔ Witness THE Armanti Edwards play football
We lucked out with sports, our freshman year especially, Armanti was a beast to watch!
✔ Rent A Puppy
They were always doing crazy fund raisers at school… the time we had a dog for the day!
✔ Meet Kellan Brand
I hung out with Kellan in the book line of all places lol had to get an autograph!!
✔ Get out & play in the snow!
Snow became part of our usual life! Sometimes you don’t care & a trudging through to get to the next class, but I made sure to take the time to play at least once a season… so beautiful!
✔ Make new friends
I love my Appalachian family so much!! A bond like no other!
✔ Kayak on the New River
Kayaking easily became one of my favorite activities! Brooke came up to visit one weekend & we headed to River Girl!
✔ Facilitate my own research project thanks to the Office of Student Research Grant & Dr. Mudd
One of my big projects was organizing this study! It was a great experience & I learned so much! I had to get research certified, recruit participants, data entry, a presentation… it was so fun!
✔ Get EMT-Basic CERTIFIED
That one semester I didn’t think it would be a big deal to take 24 semester hours & drive out to Hudson for EMT class x2 a week…. ahhh! Wes took EMT class with me & it is a memory we will for sure never forget!
✔ Paint the tunnel
I still have black paint specks on this jacket!
✔ Eat at Dan’l Boone Inn with Dillon’s grandparents
Dan’l Boone is a landmark! So delicious & even better with Dillon’s grandparents 🙂
✔ Take “that” picture at Rough Ridge
Such a fun hike! & you’ve gotta make it to the spot!
✔ Attend a BACCHUS Wellness Conference
Wellness Peer Educators was one of my most favorite groups! Loved everything we learned & did together!! Going to the BACCHUS conference was such a treat & we had such a fun weekend! x2
✔ Celebrate HOMECOMING!
Every year I had to cram out my homework for all of the weeklong activities, but it was worth it! Such a luxury to already live in Boone to enjoy the fun! So many memories!
✔ Meet Chancellor Peacock
This picture was at the class ring ceremony, but Peacock was everywhere & so kind!
✔ Go to the local Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch
The mountains are the place to be for peak fall… gotta get in all the activities!
✔ Hike Moses Cone & Bass Lake
One of my most favorite hikes! Especially if you work to get to the fire tower, so worth it!
✔ Sit Courtside at the Intramural games
Dillon and his crew were always playing something lol I tried to make it as many as I could to watch 😉 football, basketball, pickle ball, tennis, wall ball… they stayed at the SRC
✔ Coach a Girls on the Run team
This was one of the highlights of my week, I was so impressed with these little girls! GOTR was essentially girl scouts with a health & wellness focus, so important & so fun! Hannah & I would ride out Blowing Rock together & have the best time!! I also laughed at my elementary school self who hated the mile & these girls were cranking out 5Ks!! So awesome!
✔ Have a Relay for Life team
Another super fun Spring event was Relay for Life! You made a team, decorated your booth depending on what the theme was & stay up all night to raise money for cancer research!
✔ Travel to big away football game!
My parents, Dillon, Caleb & I took a quick trip to Gainesville, FL together! We took an L in the swamp, but it was a fun weekend!
✔ Meet Coach Jerry Moore!
Met the legend Jerry Moore at Badin Lake Family Restaurant of all places?! Had to say Hi, he was so wonderful, even on his weekend off! 🙂
✔ Make it through a few blizzards
Nothing could stop Abby & I from trekking to McAllister’s LOL delicious!
✔ Concerts at Legends
Went to a few concerts here, but our favorite was when Caleb’s band performed!
✔ Hike as much as possible
Having the Blue Ride Parkway available to us whenever we wanted was heavenly! Loved a good hike whenever we could make the time- Moses Cone, Howards Knob, Beacon Heights… 70 degree day on the parkway -nothing beats it!
✔ Get Involved with at least 1 awesome organization on campus
Best thing I ever did was figure out what I was passionate about & dive right in! Even if I wasn’t 100% sure where it would lead, I always met amazing friends & it made everything better to be excited about at least 1 new project a week!
✔ Play a game of mini golf on 105
The uphill put put challenge…. fun day date!
✔ Host a Party!
I started figuring out the hosting game in college… Loved throwing Abby’s lingerie shower, the pumpkin party, game day parties… and whatever random occasions we thought of- food, drinks, people, music that’s all you need!
✔ Skate World
Another random local spot, I loved when my friends & I went anywhere!
✔ Run a few 5K’s
There was always fundraiser or a 5K to be run! I tried to keep up my XC alumni status, some races were easier than others, but I was always ready to go!
✔ Fill up a table at Los… my 22nd Birthday!
✔ Get past CHEM 101
CHEM 101 was almost the actual death of me… but here I am Senior Year- on the last day of Biochemistry!! Made it out with a B+ and couldn’t be happier! Good bye chem lab, no more lab reports, done with Organic. Thank you Lord!
✔ Go snow skiing
I regret not taking skiing or snowbording as my PE… but I made it to the mountain thanks to Dusty! So many laughs & falls!
✔ Join the Chacos club!
IYKYK… gotta get the Chacos! Perfect warm weather shoe
✔ Volunteer at Farm Cafe
Farm Cafe is delicious & the best idea! You come as you are & pay what you can, everyone goes home happy & fed 🙂 Cafe is mostly run by volunteers & donations, I love seeing the community come together successfully
✔ Over the top tailgate at Duck Pond
On game day Duck Pond is the place to be! We were able to score a lot pass & it was fantastic!!
✔ Date night at Boone Bowl
One of those places you drive by 100x and then we finally went! Fun random night
✔ Travel to Asheville, NC for the SOCON Basketball Tournament
My family is UNCG alum & with APP and UNCG in the same conference, it became the ultimate weekend getaway! The SOCON tournament is a blast & Asheville is such a fun city! We enjoyed great basketball, food, fellowship & Asheville fun!
✔ Enjoy the surrounding areas- Blowing Rock, Linville, Banner Elk, Hudson
Boone is obviously the best 😉 but so are all the other mountain towns! Loved hanging out with my Mom & Grandma in Blowing Rock!
✔ Eat at all of the local restaurants at least once
Proper, Woodlands, Our Daily Bread, Tuckers, Foggy Rock, Come Back Shack, Primo’s, Los, Makotos, Boone Bagelry, COBO, The Rock, Red Onion Cafe, The Peddler, Sunrise Grill, Dan’l Boone Inn, Casa Rustica, Bandanda’s, Char, Town Tavern, Melanie’s, Black Cat, Galileo’s… the list goes on! So many delicious places to chose from & where we celebrated so many fun occasions! mmmm
✔ Attend the King Street Art Crawl, 1st Fridays!
This was always a fun way to kick off the weekend with friends!
✔ Get our first REAL Christmas Tree
You can’t live in Christmas tree town & not get a REAL tree! Sam & I were happy to check this off!
✔ Upgrade my Parking Passes, IYKYK!
The bus ride or miles long trek from State Farm to the longest line in the world to exit the deck… then behold- STADIUM LOT!!! Loved whipping into my spot & always making it on time!
✔ Earn a spot on the Chancellor’s List & Dean’s List
It took long enough but I finally figured out how to study! Thank you silent floor of the library <3
✔ Host our high school friends for the weekend!
So fun to reunite for the weekend & show them the ropes in Boone!
✔ Do the Small Plate Crawl
Another great way to try new things, we did a progressive dinner all across town!
✔ Picnic at Price Lake
Grilling out whenever it was nice weather quickly became a hobby… I think this was one of the last times we were all together Senior Year :'(
✔ Celebrate Dillon’s graduation c/o 2013
Dillon graduated in December & I was so proud! 🙂 🙂
✔ Graduate as a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science & Health Promotion
Then I was soon to follow in the Spring… so bittersweet!
