Just when I thought that I'm getting in a "just working rut," I found myself having one of the greatest weekends ever, and I just want to share with y'all one of the fun things I got to do because it sure was a gem of a find that as a Carolina student y'all can enjoy too!

In the good ol' Upstate South Carolina, in one of the most booming cities of the South, what I call as the Red Sox Juniors can be found.  An affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, the Greenville Drive is housed in the Fluor Daniel, West End Field.  Now, I'm not a big baseball fan as it is and I really didn't know much about the Drive, but I sure got into that ball game.  I mean, the Drive was up 5 runs and in just one inning at the top of the 6, the other team scored 4 runs.  Inning by inning, as we inched towards the end, you could feel the excitement grow more. 

So where exactly is the Greenville Drive from?  Well, they're from Greenville, South Carolina, which has perhaps one of the best downtowns I've seen.  With so many restaurants, stores, and boutiques lining the main street amongst the business offices, Downtown Greenville is quite the bustling city for such the slow-paced Southern living.  The city is also very proud of its very strong cultural mark with several museums offering so many different kinds of galleries and several theaters showcasing so many plays--even some shows from Broadway make their tour down through here!  Several years ago, I actually saw Miss Saigon at Greenville's Peace Center for the Performing Arts.

The Drive's season this year started in April, and they will be playing all the way into the first of September.  With Greenville only being about an hour and a half away from Columbia, a weekend trip to stroll through Downtown to shop and dine and to maybe even catch a Broadway show and a ball game is very much a great possibility.  It could be a great short road trip with your college friends to welcome the start of the school year in August or to celebrate the end of the year in April/May!  (And with gas prices being so high, the short drive won't put too much of a dent in your wallet!)  Oh, what a great idea!

Here are some pictures from the game.  Enjoy!

I think this was about the time when the Hickory Crawdads were catching up to the Drive!

I didn't much understand the technicalities, but my boyfriend was more than happy to explain them to me.  And when the game would come to a slow pace, he was willing to indulge me in posing for some pictures!

We sat right next to the home dugout.  I had to keep reminding myself that there was a net so that I wouldn't scream when the batters hit a foul ball!  I didn't want to be like that girl on the ESPN highlight!

They even had a fireworks show at the end of the ball game (which the Drive won!)  The fireworks was set to a "Movie Night" theme.  Theme songs from Mission Impossible, to Pirates of the Caribbean, to all such other classics played.  The very last song was 2001...I kept trying to look for Cocky!  I thought that he'd come out of his box...hahaha!

I hope y'all explore the city one day...Catch y'all later on the flipside, Gamecocks!

Posted by Kriska at 09:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

GAAAAAAME----COCKS!  Are y'all still there?  Coz I sure am.  Although I do apologize for once again going AWOL on you guys.  It just occured to me that by the blink of an eye, a third of my summer has gone by already and I have had yet to catch y'all up on the things that I have been up to lately.  I must be honest with y'all though that it hasn't really been the most exciting summer of my life.  Besides the family get-togethers, watching Sex & the City the Movie with my sisters, and taking a weekend trip back to USC to visit my boyfriend and roommate who are taking summer classes, this summer has been work, worrrk, and more WORRRK!  But before y'all get started feeling sorry for me, I beg of you guys not to!  Working has actually been quite an experience for me this summer, even if I am at the same job that I had last summer.

Now that I am an official Pharmacy Intern (as I have been accepted to the South Carolina College of Pharmacy), this whole working at CVS has taken on a new meaning for me.  Last year, I worked at the pharmacy for the summer because I was trying to make sure that I was heading to the right major and making the right career path.  I knew of all the great opportunities with the major, but I just had to make sure first that I really wanted it before I got myself completely locked into the program.  Last summer, I learned a lot about retail pharmacy, and I realized that it was definitely the field that I wanted to be in.  Now that I am sure of myself and that I'm finally accepted, I am taking this work experience just a tad bit more seriously.  Its crazy how much in this past month and a half I have actually memorized generics to the brand names of medicines.  I can actually also fix insurance rejects now!  There's just something about internships that can be so great.  (Again, please don't feel sorry for me.  I know I'm probably sounding like a real dork right now.  Hahaha!)

There are still lots of family get-togethers, rendezvous with old high school friends, and definitely a beach trip in store for me for the rest of the summer...so guys, don't y'all worry because I'll be keeping busy at work but also getting lots of down time this summer.  I hope y'all will have just as much fun as also a productive summer as I am having.  I'll try to post more often about what's going on here in my hometown, as well as some of the changes going on in good ol' Carolina.  My on-line subscription to the Daily Gamecock has kept me updated with the happenings in Cola.  Latest news: Our track team goes gold at the NCAA Championships.  To see the article, click here!

Let me know what y'all are up to this summer, and catch y'all alter on the flipside, Gamecocks!

Posted by Kriska at 10:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last day?!?  Last day of what, you say.  Summer isn't over yet.  Well, today was my last day working at the pharmacy.  Well, last day for the summer that is.

It was funny how much working today felt so alike to that feeling you get when it's the last day of school, and you're just sitting there on your seat anxiously awaiting for that clock to tick the end of the day.  It almost felt like I was starting summer all over again, but unfortunately...I'm really not.  Can y'all believe that in about 8 days I will be back in Columbia again?!?  I've been honestly excited about going back for some time now, but the idea of working on homework and projects have gotten me wanting my summer back all over again!  But there's so much more to look forward to in Columbia than simply the school work, so it will be really worth it to go back.  There'll be late nights with friends and my much-missed roommate!  There'll be fun trips and such to take.  Oh and yea...FOOTBALL SEASON!!!  Boy, I can't wait to get back to Cola!

Well, y'all.. There is still a week left for most of us, so it's time to really get enjoying and getting those last minute dip in the water for the summer.  I was actually thinking of going out to the pool tomorrow, but it's expected to reach a heat index of 112F over the weekend here in my area!!!  I don't think I can handle that heat even in the water so I'll probably just stay inside and keep cool.

Well, I'm all out of time for now because dinner is calling me.  Catch y'all later on the flipside, GAMECOCKS!

Posted by Kriska at 05:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Holy Cow!!!  I can't believe that a week of July has flown by already.  Where has the summer months gone by?!?  Pretty soon, I'll be moving back into Columbia in my Preston apartment with my roommate who I miss soooo much!  Summer has been definitely great, and just to catch y'all up, here is a quick drop of some of the highlights!

Highlight #1:  Summer love and 4th of July fireworks at the beach!

I got to spend the past week in Surfside beach with my siblings, my boyfriend, and his family.  It was an amazing vacation and definitely a much needed one as work in the pharmacy can get so busy!  It was nice to just lay around on the beach, go shopping, and eat like there's no tomorrow!!!  Hehe!  I also got to meet up with my Carolina Scholar Donor Family for lunch at one of Garden City's hang out spots, Sam's Corner.  The Duncans are just such amazing people, and it was really cool to just sit down at a casual setting and talk to them.  Some people aren't nearly as lucky as I am to have my schooling supported by such generous people, and to top it off, they're so down-to-earth and totally approachable.  Complete "southern hospitality" at heart!!!

Highlight #2:  Family gatherings!

Walls, windows, and ceilings make the house; but a family makes a home!  (I just made that up...brilliant and deep!  Hehe!!!)  We've been having lots of lunches and dinners lately with family and relatives what with Father's day, birthdays, and a house-warming celebration for my sister who just bought a new house.  It's been really good, and I know I'm going to miss a lot of such gatherings when I go back to Carolina.  I'm especially going to miss all the great homecooked dishes that are featured in our big family fiestas!

Highlight #3:  Discovery Channel, Food Network Channel, and Style!

TV.  TV.  TV!!!  Even if I do get to watch TV back in Columbia, I just never really get a chance to watch some of my favorite shows that are on my favorite three channels.  Firstly, Carolina TV does not have either one of the Food Network Channel or Style.  Secondly, not everyone likes to just sit around and watch Discovery Channel.  Lastly, I usually miss the marathons of Dirty Jobs, Mythbusters, and Deadliest Catch that do come on on TV when I'm in Columbia.  But since I'm home, I've been able to catch up on my fave shows, and it's quite a relaxing way to spend my time when I'm not working!

Highlight #4:  Last but not least...talking to Future...errr..Carolina Freshies!

I've been keeping in touch with some incoming freshmen, and it's been a cool correspondence about Carolina living.  If y'all wanna join in on this, y'all just leave me a comment and let's see if we can't get something going!  No question will go unanswered...and well, maybe you just want to get to know an upperclassman before going into your first year of college.  I can definitely be that person!

Well, that's all for now...I hope the rest of the summer gets even better!  Catch y'all later on the flipside, future Gamecocks and enjoy some fun in the sun!

Posted by Kriska at 08:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Woo-hooh!  I've found my new favorite day of the week...THURSDAYS!!!

Last Thursday was actually the first occurence of this favorite theme.  (I've just been busy lately, so I've not been able to Blog.  Sorry 'bout that!)  Anyways, I got my first paycheck from my job last week, and boy did it feel nice!  I've had a couple of jobs before, but that fact didn't make that "first paycheck" any less exciting.  Apparently, checks come in every week on Thursdays, so I'm pretty excited about that.

It's been a crazy few weeks working at the Pharmacy.  Lots of ups and downs...some nights of even crying!  This whole "pill-counting" is not easy at all!  Thoughts of switching majors have been coming back again, but I've been told time and time again to just take it easy and well...give it some time.  Everyone's been saying that their first weeks at work were also rough.  Some of them also had those tearful nights.  It's just that the first weeks can prove to be so overwhelming.  It has really been a tough time this past weeks to adjust at the work place, but I guess no new job is easy.  I bet that flipping burgers for the first time can't be all that easy either in the get go.  All I seem to be hearing these days are "Keep holding on and try," "Don't give up just yet," and "Think of where you want to be 10 years from now."  It's kind of scary to think that decisions I make now really do affect the rest of my life...I really am a grown-up now.  Hehe!

Well, I hope y'all are making some great summer decisions.  Like, take for example a trip to the beach, a hike through the woods, or simply just a day at the pool.  Enjoy being home for the summer and out of school, and definitely enjoy it well!  Y'all take care, and keep in mind that y'all can still comment if y'all have any questions or comments about Gamecock Livin'.  I'm still here and most definitely available to answer any of y'alls concerns.

For now, catch y'all later on the flipside future Gamecocks!

Posted by Kriska at 08:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So, I've been finding myself working late night shifts and sleeping in until 11ish in the morning.  Tiredness from work has got me putting in about 10-11 hours of sleep a day.  This, of course, is a definite change for me who has been used to getting only 4-5 hours due to some homework and lots of hanging out back in Carolina...heh!  But besides the change in sleeping patterns, working in a 24-hour pharmacy at one of the busiest locations of town has definitely taught me several things about the field of pharmacy retail and about myself even if I have only been working there for a week and a couple of days.

1.  Pharmacy retail is no joke.  Even if it is the easiest path to take after earning a pharmacy degree, the ins and outs of pharmacy retail is no walk in the park.  The experience has been definitely a challenge as I'm finding out the true inner workings of how the people behind the counter work. 

2.  Late night shifts at a pharmacy spells C-R-A-Z-Y.  First of all, if you're willing to go ahead and stay up to put in hours for any job at night, YOU, yourself, have to be pretty nutty.  Secondly, the rest of your co-workers will be just as nutty if not nuttier as you.  Lastly, people who are willing to go out at midnight or so to pick up prescriptions definitely have to be NUTTY!  I can't believe how people can get addicted to prescription drugs...It's really actually sad when you see a person come in for drugs that they probably don't need but have become addicted to and dependent on, especially some of those controlled substances.  Yikes!

3.  You'll never know how a job really is like until you get dirt on your hands as well!  I practiced filling prescriptions last night, and let me tell you..."Counting pills" is no easy task!  Even if counting from 1-1000 may not prove to be such a hard task for any 5th grader and anyone else older, when the responsibility of counting a precise and accurate number of pills (especially those narcotic drugs) is in your hands, it makes counting from 1-10 a definite challenge.  It seems so scary to have such an important task!

4.  P-R-I-O-R-I-T-I-E-S.  Learning what tasks are most important and which ones must be taken care of first is a definite skill needed by all especially in the pharmacy.  More importantly, knowing when to execute such a skill without the direction of anyone else is a must!  Sometimes I have coworkers who aren't able to prioritize and it does not only affect their jobs but mine and all the other workers and also the patients we are serving.

and lastly...

5.  Still have fun...I'm slowly finding out that some aspects of pharmacy retail may not necessarily be my cup of tea, but at the same time, I'm still trying to find the positive aspects of the field that cater to my tastes to really see if the field is for me.  I'm still trying to have fun...I mean, what kind of life would you live if you didn't like what you were doing, right?  I really don't want to end up after six years of schooling not liking what I'm doing...that would just be tragic!

Well, for all of you other summer workers out there, I hope your job experiences are teaching you lots about anything and everything.  Pharmacy retail is really testing me, and as difficult as some days may be, I think it's making me be a better person!  Make sure to still put in some down time since it is the summer.  Don't work too hard!

Catch y'all later on the flipside, future Gamecocks!

Posted by Kriska at 07:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It’s becoming an expensive weekly date, but I can definitely say it’s been worth it.  No, I’m not talking about my boyfriend.  If I were, then it wouldn’t be expensive at all on my end as he’d be footing all the bills!  Heh!  I’m talking about my brother and me.  Yes, my brother and I have been getting along, and it has resulted in several hours a week of us just hanging out, having a great time, and not bickering.  It’s pure heaven for our mom and dad!

See, this started out with Mother’s Day.  It was ultimately just a task that needed to be fulfilled, but it turned out becoming one fun day at the mall.  Well, it was definitely a fun one for me at least.  I shopped, and he served as my conscience—is it a want or a need?  Then, I became his chauffeur—picking him up and dropping him off at school and at work and such.  It’s definitely a boring task and an annoyance when it means I have to get off the couch and stop watching my on-line shows, but then last Friday it became one great date!  We grabbed some lunch at Checkers where they have these fantastic signature French fries and their shakes are sooo good.  Afterwards, we headed to the movies and saw Spider-Man 3.  I paid for lunch, and he grabbed the movie tickets!   And today, well today was another fun one…how does a late breakfast at IHOP sound to you?

It’s crazy because as any classic brother/sister relationships goes, my brother and I bicker until there’s no tomorrow.  There were days when mom and dad would just stare us down and then threaten to pull out the good ol’ belt should we decide to continue on further with our nonsense.  But eversince I’ve gone to college, the relationship between my brother and I have gotten a lot better.  He and I are actualy functioning people in the house—well for the most part, we’re still pretty silly and annoying for my parents at times.  I mean, what kids aren’t, right?  The same goes for my older sisters and me.  I used to always fight with them and just argue about the dumbest things, but now we actually talk and consult and even borrow clothes and shoes from each other without having to go as deep as the third degree!  We’re actually all more like friends now…

And so it may seem that absence does make the heart grow fonder, or at least in the realm of brotherly/sisterly love.  I can’t say the same  for my high school love that sizzled then fizzled as I went into college, but then again, I’m not giving up hope on long distance relationships yet.  I am still with Shawn, who is now about 5 hours away from me since we’re on summer vacation!

College is indeed not only a time to get older but at time to grow older. 

Well, my dear future Gamecocks, I hope that the sun is just right and the heat not too overbearing!  It gets too hot around here in South Carolina, but of course it isn’t summer if it’s not 90 degrees!  I hope y’all are having a grand summer.   Enjoy not having to open books but more importantly enjoy having now the chance to open up with family and spend more time with them!  Catch y’all later on the flipside, future Gamecocks!

Posted by Kriska at 10:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's the summer, and Hollywood is definitely cashing in on this time of the year.  With one movie after another opening every weekend proclaiming to be the 'biggest hit of Summer 2007,' it seems everyone will be broke by the end of the summer season.  Can y'all believe that some movie theaters are charging up to $8.50 a ticket?!?

There are so many movies that I really would like to watch.  There is, of course, "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" that is topping the charts.  I've yet to see that, which I probably will actually do this weekend with some cousins if it works out with my work schedule.  Second on the charts at 'boxoffice.com' is "Shrek the Third."  The third is "Spider-Man 3," which I have seen and did like.  It's more drama and lovey-dovey scenes than the past two Spider-Man movies, but it's still pretty good.  In a week, "Ocean's Thirteen" is coming out, which I would also like to see.  The past two were brilliant, and I absolutely love George Clooney!  (What female doesn't?!?)  The new Fantastic Four with the Silver Surfer comes out in about two weeks, but I'm not too excited about that one.  I thought that the first one was fine.  I'll probably just wait for the "Rise of the Silver Surfer" on DVD.  "Ratatouille" and "Harry Potter" are both further down the road as many other possible hits...the movie list is just endless!!!  I hope y'all are getting to enjoy all of the movies as well.  There's so many movies to watch and most have been getting good reviews!

Well, even if it's the summer, if y'all still have any questions about Carolina, just comment the questions on over.  I know that it's still a pretty busy time with orientation and placement testings and such on your mind, so if there's any question whatsoever in your mind, don't hesitate to ask!

Well, catch  y'all later on flipside, future AND most definitely to y'all newborn Gamecocks...I'm so excited for y'all 'no-longer-seniors-not-quite-freshmen-just-wait-for-the-summer-kiddos!'

Posted by Kriska at 08:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Summer usually spells out V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N or B-E-A-C-H or P-O-O-L or simply put, just plain old F-U-N!  But as you get older, an additional word gets added to this summer lexicon.  It's that dreaded three-letter word, a JOB!

As many other college students are heading home and searching for summer jobs at the mall, the restaurants, and other shops, I figured that besides simply just earning me some money from any summer job that if I apply to a pharmacy I would be getting a leg-up in the race of getting a degree in pharmacy.  So as soon as I got back from Columbia, I met with a supervisor and got right on the application process.  After three weeks of sitting around the house waiting on paperwork to be approved and pulled together, I am now officially a "Pharmacy Service Associate" at one of the local pharmacies here in my area.  Today was my first day, and it couldn't have gone better than I would have thought.  The people were very nice and very helpful.

Summer jobs are a great way to get you going and saving up for the year as also getting some spending money for those great summer movies coming out!  While you can go to any store or the trusty McDonald's to get employed, it might be to your great advantage to start your job hunting at a place that is related to a field you want to major in.  It'll surely give you a step ahead by giving you hands-on experience and will definitely look good on your resume!

As more high schools are wrapping their school year off, a round of applause and a big congratulations to all of y'all seniors!  I hope that y'all are starting off your summers on a good foot and that summer job hunting is going well.  Catch y'all later on the flipside, future Gamecocks!

Posted by Kriska at 06:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)