Friday

Family Friday
I always want to acknowledge my family and give them credit when credit is given. I have the most wonderful parents and brother and sister and girl could ask for. My parents got divorced a few years ago which usually takes a toll on a family, but theirs was very smooth and had no problems.
My Mother- My mom is a very sweet and sensitive woman. Soon she will be moving to either Denver or Chicago with her boyfriend. She is a physical therapist and works very hard at her job. She is from California and her sisters still live there. Her dad was in the Air Force so she moved around a lot as a child.
My father- My dad owns a gas station back at home. He has done that for almost 30 years now. He is from New York. My dad has always been involved in my life whether it be sports or just being a father to me. He has been my softball coach every since I can imagine and I am so grateful for that. He is also the President of the School Board ay my high school. My father is the hardest worker I have ever met. He has always done what it has taken to provide for us and runs a successful business almost by himself.
My brother- Sadly my little brother is graduating high school this year. My brother and I are the same person with the same personality. He is my ultimate best friend and I love him so much. He is very smart and will be majoring in chemical engineering at Ohio State starting this fall.
My sister- My sister is the most successful person I have ever met and she is only 21. She will be graduating from Ohio University in a few weeks. In high school she was valedictorian and state champion of the mile. As if that wasn't enough, she went on to do even better at Ohio University. She has been female athlete of the year there for four years in a row and is a three time All American. This summer she will be moving to France for a few months then from France to Oregon to live her her boyfriend and to pursue her professional running career. Her boyfriend is a professional runner for Mizuno and was third in the Boston Marathon the past year. She is easily the most motivated person I have ever met.
If you know anything about me, it is that my family is my life. They make my day every day.
My mother and I

 My family in Oregon

Thursday

As the school year is winding down, there are a few people I have realized that made this semester something to remember forever.
The first person is one of my teachers, Dr. Dunak. She is my history teacher and I have never loved a class so much. At the beginning of the semester she had us fill out student expectations. I wrote that I genuinely love history and am excited to just be in the class and learn. But I also wrote about how as a future teacher, I want to learn about her teaching style and pick up and strategies that I think I would like to have in the future. This is the most interactive and diverse class I have every been in. Whether the students are auditory, kenesthetic, or visual learners, there is no way they won't succeed in the class. We watch movie clips, listen to songs, read letters from the time period we are studying. Just yesterday we watched an episode of “That 70's Show” and it was great. I never realized how much I could learn about the social issues of the 70's by watching a sitcom of teenagers who smoke weed every day. I have done a few lesson plans modeling her teaching style and they have all succeed. I am always looking for ways to improve my teaching strategies and she has taught me so much more than the United States since 1877.
The other person who has really made this semester great for me is my little, Madison. She is so great and I never thought that I would take a little only a few months after I activated. Tomorrow is the senior ceremony and knowing that with my big graduating we can continue our family line with no problem. Our relationship has not fully developed yet but I think it works out very well. We both work a ton and leave every few weekends because of our boyfriends so we both live pretty busy lives. It is such a great and fulfilling feeling to know that I will always have someone as a little, and to spoil :D She is the crafty one of the two of us though. These are just two people that have made my semester so much fun and interesting.

My little (in the middle and big (right)

Tuesday

On this day I got to watch a softball game. Anyone who knows me in the slightest knows that I am addicted to the game of softball. From a very young age it has consumed my summers and spring. I started playing on a travel team when I was right years old. We were the first team in our organization called the Miami County Blaze. Now, there are about 15 teams in the organization. I ended up playing for 11 season with the same girls and coaches. Of course playing the game was the main priority, but the bond I built with the girls is my favorite part. I also had great coaches as mentors for that part of my life. The biggest thing I took away from playing in this organization was family and commitment. The girls and our families all became one. I am still great friends with all of these girls and keep in close contact even though we are not playing anymore.
Outside of playing for the Blaze, I played on my high school team too. I loved every second of it. My dad was the assistant coach and the head coach was Brian Kadel, who was also my Social Studies teacher in 9th grade. For four years we put up a great team and were feared in our conference, winning it twice. We were always stacked as a team and winning makes everything a lot more fun. I learned a lot more from playing ball for Mr. Kadel. The rules of discipline and reliability were stressed. It was a very important concept for him and am grateful for the lessons.
I went on to play my freshman year at Muskingum University. The experience was different from any team I was on before, but that's expected. Instead of a close knit 12 girls, there was almost 40. The coaching and time commitment was a lot more strenuous as well. I played a lot my freshman year and did enjoy it. I became extremely close with my teammates which is probable if you spend large portions of every day of the week with them. I lettered but decided this year that it was not for me anymore. I decided to work which will allow me to graduate on time and debt free. The most important thing I took away from playing Muskingum Softball was professionalism. This is a characteristic that will be used for the rest of my life. I learned from example and non-example, meaning that I had great role models and some that weren't so great and showed me what not to do.
Watching this softball game brought back so many memories to me, and made me realize that playing ball for so long molded me into the person I am.


This past summer and last season on the Miami County Blaze

Monday

I am a sophomore in college, but a junior with credits. I transferred a little over a semester's worth of credits from high school. The people who made my day on Monday originated from my small town. I am a double major with a minor. I will graduated with a degree in AYA Social Studies (Adolescent Young Adult) which is grades 7-12. This will allow me to teach anything social studies related, which is history, political science, economics, and psychology. I had to major in one of those, so I chose to major in Psychology. I also will have a minor in history. My ultimate goal is to either be a teacher or school psychologist. After my years at Muskingum I will further my education in either psychology or education.
I initially went to school to be a nurse. This lasted about two weeks. I did not know what I wanted to do at all and it seemed like a good decision at the time. I love going back home and talking to my old teachers. One day over fall break my freshman year I went into the high school and visited my Calculus teacher, Mrs. Arnold. I was never very good at Pre Calc or Calculus, but I sure did try. Mrs. Arnold was one of the best teachers I ever had, and she was just a great person to be around. After talking with her for a while, it kind of just came to me that what I really wanted to do was teach. Even in my journals from when I was a child I wanted to be a "techer."

When I went back to school I changed my major and have never regretted that decision. The people who made my day are all from home. Mrs. Arnold, along with some other entities of the Miami East High School staff have impacted my life so positively. To graduate on time I must take some summer classes. I did not have any idea how to go about this so I called my old guidance counselor. One of the perks of coming from a small town is that everyone knows who you are. Right when I said my first name he knew and helped me so much. I am unbelievably grateful for the town I grew up in and wish that one day my family will be able to experience the same.

Our Calculus class my senior year

Sunday

Today was the lovely day of Easter. The person who made my day would of course have to be my Savior.

My day started out with the typical Easter egg hunt. I am 20 and my brother is 18. My mother still insists on Easter egg hunts no matter our age. I then made breakfast, which is out of the norm for me. I am the most awful cook but try my best and have to learn. I will be living in my own house next year so I must make sure I won't starve to death. I made scrambled eggs with peppers, ham, and cheese on the inside. I also made coffee crumb cake. Please note that no one got food poisoning. I was pretty delicious. After breakfast my mom started preparing for the big meal. I had some other stuff to do, like get gas at my father's gas station. My dad owns an Action GBW Sunoco in Troy, Ohio. I have worked there since I was 16. It is always great seeing him. I got gas and then went back to my father;s house to get some work done. My brother is graduating in June and we are having a big celebration at our house. Our family is flying out from all over the country, like New York, Arizona, and California. We are preparing for everyone's arrival. I decided that we should go through everything in our house, from top to bottom. When my parents got divorced a lot of things got boxed up and stowed away. Lets just say most of it my father would not even recognize being gone and I made two trips to Goodwill. After a few hours of cleaning our Easter supper was ready. It was a gorgeous meal, with ham and numerous sides. To top it off my mom made a chocolate pie with meringue crust. I've never tasted something so glorious. I had to come back to campus Sunday and left at four. A girl that I played softball with is from the same area as me so she tagged along. This weekend at home was wonderful and definitely needed. None of this would have been possible though if it weren't for my Lord. Every single day my day is made wonderful by him, but Easter is always a great time to make it known.

Sunday

The day of the Miley Cyrus concert finally came. My sorority sisters and I bought these tickets about seven months ago. I do not really listen to Miley Cyrus a lot but my new member class was all going and I thought it would be a lot of fun. I had such an amazing time. But first the day started very unexpectedly.
My ex boyfriend who I saw on Saturday texted my friend Rylee. He works in the Student Union on Ohio State's campus. I am not exactly sure what his job is, but I know he sets up for events and serves food. He has met so many famous people. Just a few weeks ago he met the actor who plays Ted Mosby on "How I Met Your Mother." When Rylee read her phone, her face dropped. The text was "Currently serving Taylor Swift." If you know anything about Rylee or her sisters, it is that Taylor Swift is their life. Naturally, we got all loaded up in their car ASAP and started on our was to campus. Wes, the boy, was updating us on what they were doing. Taylor was there for a bridal shower and no one knew. We got to the room where she was and sat and waited. I really do enjoy Taylor, but not to the extent of Rylee or her younger sister Logan. Long story short, we got within about ten feet of her but her body guard was very strict and wouldn't let us get pictures. It was still a great experience.
We got lunch at Canes on campus then headed back to Rylee's house to get ready for the Miley Cyrus concert. To my shock the concert was very well controlled. There was not a crazy amount of people everywhere and it was very organized. The performance was incredible. I did not think I would enjoy it as much as I did.
The girls who made my day were all my sorority sisters. I have gained so many new friends during this experience and loved all of them. Sara and Malikka are both great and so much fun. Rylee has always been such a great friend to me. Sharing this weekend with all of them strengthened our friendship and bond so much.  I never thought I could meet friends at college that would become closer to me than my friends from back home, but it happened. I signed a lease for a house with two girls I did know in the slightest at the beginning of the year. And now I would not be surprised if they were bridesmaids in my wedding one day. Its funny how some things work out.

Saturday

After a very long week, tomorrow cannot come soon enough.  I finished my teaching yesterday which was exhausting. Plans for this weekend have changed more times than I can remember.  First, I and three friends were going to go down to OU for 12 Fest. My sister goes to Ohio University and has been the female athlete of the year there for three years in a row. She is their best runner and has broken numerous records. She runs track and cross country. She lives with three of her fellow runners as well. There will be a concert at OU tomorrow which always gets out of hand. The full plan was to go to OU, then Columbus on Sunday for the Miley Cyrus concert. I am not a fan of Miley, but pretty much my whole sorority is going and I thought it would just be fun to go. After much debate my friends and I decided that OU would not be the best decision because we would have to buy tickets and pay for gas. So tomorrow after I get off of work my friends Sara and Malikka will be going with me to Columbus to Rylee’s house.

Traveling to Ohio State was a ton of fun. We spent the day shopping at the Polaris mall then went out to dinner. We got all dressed up and went to campus. Sara’s best friend goes to Ohio State and so does mine. We met up with Sydney, Sara’s friend, first. The first party we were at was in a small apartment off high street. Right when I walked in and looked to the right there was a huge snake in a glass case. This snake’s name was Alice. The guy that lived in the apartment later came up to me to see if I wanted to hold it but there was no way I will. We met up with Courtney, my best friend, as well at a mutual friend’s house. I ran into some people that used to be a big part of my life. These were the few that made my day. Of course it was incredible spending time with my new friends, but sometimes all I want to do is reminisce. The older friends are the ones who have formed you, and helped you mold your thoughts. I ran into a boy I dated for a long time and he was still happy as ever. It was so great being able to talk about the past without the feelings of sadness overwhelm you. I am very accepting of change, surprisingly. It was such a great Saturday night.

Wednesday

This week has been a struggle to say the least. My sorority held an event in honor of one of our sisters getting engaged. It was at an old building in the middle of nowhere in a gym. It was like high school prom all over again. This party started off great. Everyone was having fun and eating cake, then it seemed like all hell broke loose. A fight started between a group of guys for an unknown reason. All of their dates were crying and it was just a mess. Drinks were being spelt everywhere and a guy even peed in the stairwell. It was a very confusing time. And being sober, I remember all of it. My date unfortunately was of age so he had been drinking and does not remember a whole lot. The worst of the night happened towards the end, when someone (a guy) ripped the plumbing out in the boys' bathroom. Why someone would do that, I do not know. 
So many sisters were arguing and bickering. This was hard to watch as a newer member because I look up to these girls, and it felt like no one was taking responsibility. The reason I wrote about the occurrence is because it really took a toll on me the past few days. After breaking up with my boyfriend Sunday morning because of actions he did unconsciously that night, my brain and emotions were a handful. The one person that got me through this week is my best friend Rylee. I met here our first semester here at Muskingum. Both of her parents went here and she is from Westerville. She goes here on the John Glenn scholarship. Rylee is probably the smartest person I have ever met. There is not one person in this world that understands and gets me like she does. It is such an amazing feeling knowing whole-heartedly that at such a young age I met the woman that would one day be my maid of honor.
She is loved by my family and friends. This past summer I went to visit my sister in Oregon with my brother and father, and Rylee came as well. She attends my family events and everything. Some people say we act like we are dating, which may be true, but we both know deep down that our level of friendship might come off that way to some people. We smile and laugh well aware.

Monday, March 31st

This Tuesday I started my field placement for one of my education classes. It was very interesting because it was unlike any placement I had had before. My first experience was at the Zanesville Juvenile Detention Center and that was eye opening to say the least. Some of the kids were the brightest and best I had every seen but they were stuck in jail due to behavior issues. Other children seemed doomed because of their family's history. My second placement was in Maysville. I had a teacher that dealt with children that had behavioral issues and learning difficulties. Not to sound mean, but from this teacher I learned what NOT to do. He never really had control of the classroom and the children did not respect him. Almost everyone's phone was out, and if they weren't texting or on a social media then they were sleeping. This leads me into how my new teacher made my day.
I am now in Cambridge High School. I was assigned a teacher that was unknown by girls I work with who attend that school. It turns out that he was a Cambridge alumni and went to Muskingum as well. He traveled around a series of schools and universities to teach and coach men's basketball. It was awesome to hear about his journeys through Ohio and even Florida with his teaching career. In his classroom, he has 100% control. I praise this because of what I have learned before. His teaching style was so creative and energetic as well. The students love him and welcomed me with open arms. I envy this and want the same respectful but fun relationship with my future students. The learning environment should not be one of torture and dullness. His classroom does not seem like a chore or just a dry lecture by some old white guy. I also learned a lot about his students. Unfortunately, two of the boys I had are regulars at Bob Evans and always request me as their waitress. My name is Jenilee, and they call me General Lee and salute to me. When they walking into the classroom my stomach dropped. Standing there right in front of me in attention were the two wild boys I saw after nearly every home game. It made my day very interesting but at the same time it showed the students that teachers still have personalities and are humans too.

My name is Jenilee Accurso, and I am a sophomore at Muskingum University. I was instructed to write ten blogs all about a similar topic. It took me what felt like decades to think of a topic I could write about that would be somewhat interesting. I decided on the genre "Who Made My Day" because after being away from home and my family life going through growing pains, I have become extremely appreciative for people who have impacted my life. Every day I thank a person (mostly just in my head) who made my day great. Often times it is a simply gesture, because those leave the biggest smile on my face and impact on my day.
The first person who gets the honors of being in my blog is my waitress is Carrabba's. While in Canton, Ohio, I went out to eat at this restaurant for the very first time. I am Italian so my standards are a little high. But let me tell you, the food was absolutely delicious. And the service was even better. Our waitress had great vigor and urgency, but she was also sweet and very helpful. I am a waitress at Bob Evans and love to watch how other restaurants' waitresses do their work.One of the best things to do, even if you are overwhelmed and completely stressing out, is to stay calm and not let your tables see it on your face. She did great at this. Also I noted at Carrabba's that all of their staff was most likely over the age of 30. I can not even remember the last time I saw a 50 or 60 year old waiter, but I did today.
Another person who made my day was strangely Edgar Alan Poe. I watched a movie called "Raven" last night and it strengthened my love for poetry. I am no poet myself, but I do love to read it. There's never anything wrong with a line of beautiful words. The movie was pretty violent and scary but it was still great. It was kind of like a murder/ mystery film but all based around Poe's poems. I compare it to the new TV show called "The Follwing." Kevin Bacon plays a cop or detective who's mission is to find the man responsible for a serious of murders all based on Poe's writings as well. It's not my first choice to watch, but my boyfriend is obssessed with Kevin Bacon so therefore I am forced to watch.
These are the people who made my day on this raining Sunday of March 30th.