32/365

Name: Anna Logan
Three words to describe yourself: energetic, outgoing, smart
Anna was born in Thomaston, GA and she has lived there her whole life. She likes the town with a "population of 9,411" because "it's always home". She wants to go to medical school and become a cardiothoracic surgeon. She likes the adrenaline rush and "helping people in general". Her inspiration for choosing this pathway came from her dad's career as a chiropractor. He sometimes refers clients to surgeons and Anna had the opportunity to shadow a few doctors and liked the cardiothoracic one the best. She would like to go to Bowman Gray School of Medicine in Wake Forest, but she also likes U. Alabama at Birmingham. Shes in the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority at UGA and says "it's the best decision ever" but "rush is the spawn of the devil . . . because it's social torture". She says that she would go through rush over again, however, because she's made some life-long friends. Her goal right now is to graduate from medical school, establish her own clinic outside of the hospital, and work with Doctors Without Borders in Africa; an organization that helps needy people in other countries to have access to medical care and treatment. Also, she "definitely wants to get married" but "kids are optional". Anna says that she isn't "a planner by choice" and her mom has made her have a set pathway in life. She likes this fact because she knows exactly what she wants in life and how to go about achieving it, whereas other students "have no idea what they want to do".

31/365

I sat down with my grandpa and talked to him for about an hour and a half when I visited my grandparents over the weekend. I highly recommend that if you are reading this then you should reach out to your family and find out more about your history and where your family came from. Talking to him has made me even more appreciative about my family's roots and I am proud to be a Pruitt :)

Name: Ronald Pruitt (I call him Poppy and, to me, he will always be known as such)
Three words to describe yourself: "very, very, lazy"
Ron was born in Jemison, Alabama in 1944. He said the only way that people knew how to spell the town's name is because "they would yell it at the football games (J-E-M-I-S-O-N)". He loved living in Alabama but he "was oblivious of the fact that people living next door to me were unhappy" and "was programmed to block it out". People were suffering and "being held down socially". My grandpa was born in 1944, so he was growing up in Alabama during the time of the Civil Rights Movement.

He recalls a memory of kids riding bicycles on the streets selling popsicles and he thought to himself "Why can't I do that and make money?". So he applied, got the job, but was scorned by everyone in the neighborhood, but he quit because "the money wasn't all that great". My grandpa got his GED because he was "tired of school". After, he enrolled in hairdressing school and was the youngest male cosmetologist where he lived. But there was a stigma associated with cosmetology and he was constantly "defending [his] sexual leanings," however Poppy points out there was "a lot of potential for meeting girls". He decided "to do the most masculine thing" he possibly could and joined the army.

Raisa, my dad, and Ron in 1969

My grandpa was seventeen years old when he was stationed in Germany. His mom and dad signed the waiver but they thought he was too young to enlist. Looking back on it, Ron says, "a person that young needs to have their family". He "missed [his] hometown . . . it had a lot of personality" and he "forced [himself] to grow up too fast". He was assigned to an ammunition bunker in the countryside of Germany and worked there renovating the compound. After serving, he retired from the army, which was around the time the Vietnam War started. When he was back in the states, one of his friends had gone AWOL, and they both ended up in New Orleans. From there, he went to Florida and got a job working at a hotel in Marco Island. He found out that his brother was working at MacDill Air Force Base and visited him. Ron, then, applied for a job in the engineering department of a hotel downtown and that's where he met my grandma, Raisa. He said it was "love at first sight".

Just married in 1969

TEN DAYS after they met, Raisa and Ron were married, and he soon went back into the military and was stationed in El Paso, TX. From there the family moved to Alaska for three years. He said it was both a cultural shock, and a physical shock because of the climate change.

When he was younger, my grandpa wanted to be a disc jockey. He got one of his friends to train him how to use his voice to create PSA's and decrease his Southern drawl. When he applied to work in broadcasting/radio on base, he was denied because nobody could replace his current job, so my grandpa left the military. They moved back to Florida and my Aunt Becky was born shortly thereafter. He found a job, but was laid off, so they moved to Georgia where he got another job. He was laid-off again on a Tuesday and was back in the military by that Friday.

Alaska (1971)

My grandpa was then stationed in Italy but he "was much older than [his] contemporaries" and they thought he worked for the Criminal Investigation Department and was perhaps a narc. He says his co-workers "wouldn't talk to [him] at first" but they warmed up to him. He "enjoyed Italy as far as [his] job was concerned", but had a "hard time getting along with the Italian civilians". Apparently, Italians are used to punishing there children and other people's children. In Italy, families in the military would go to each other's houses to play games and talk as a way of entertainment, so my grandpa told me of an encounter that occurred one night. My uncle Joey had gotten hit in the face by another kid, so he hit the kid back. The father of the other boy had been watching this and had grabbed Joey and slapped him. What my grandpa did next "almost got [him] kicked out of the military". He ran up the stairs to the father's front door, but the guy was taking a long time to answer it, so my grandpa kicked it in at the same time that the man opened the door, so the door "hit him in the chest and he fell to the ground". He then started punching and kicking him and started to drag him to the window. My grandpa says that he doesn't remember anything about the encounter because he was "blind with rage". It turns out this guy was a "warrant officer" who has the same rank/pay/status as an American officer but are technical advisers, so my grandpa "knew [he] was going to be kicked out".

Ron and Raisa Pruitt (1975)

Everyone involved in the conflict had to go to the base commander and the guy that my grandpa beat up was going to press charges on him. The base commander said that the warrant officer could continue to press charges on "Sargeant Pruitt" but that he didn't advise it because the man would not have made any further progress. The charges were dropped because both parties were at fault and had some responsibility. One of the conditions, however, was that my grandpa had to go to anger-management counseling. The counselor was an Italian doctor so "you can imagine how the interview went". The psychologist said that my grandpa could be transferred to Germany, but there was also a slight chance he could go to Greece. They were able to fill out all of the necessary paperwork and the family moved to Greece. They "loved it in Greece and got along with the people".

After Greece, the family moved back to Ft. Bliss, Texas, but my grandpa had to do one more European tour before he could retire. He had the option of bringing his family, but he would have to be in Europe for three years, or he could go by himself and be overseas for one year. He chose the latter option and went to Germany.

After retiring from the military, he worked in Florida at a drug treatment facility and took care of apartments for newly released prisoners that are assimilating back in to society. Then my grandpa got a job working for a hospice as a property caretaker. He said that working for the hospice was a turning point in his life because "from the military, [he] was never deprogrammed from the military". Further: "military is designed to destroy things and take lives . . . how they achieve that higher good". He was "going from being a docile person to working with people who could sympathize with others". The company "made [him] a better person". He worked at the hospice for thirteen years but had to retire early because of an injury that made him incapable of lifting heavy objects.

I asked my grandpa if there was anything else in his life that he would like to talk about before we finished the conversation and he said, "For most of my adult life, I have considered myself an atheist or agnostic". He is not atheist anymore, and my grandpa told me the story about how he became a Christian. He was "given some direction" by his sister, Carol (whom I get my middle name from). She had cancer and was being treated at the same hospital that my father was going for medical school in Maryland, so she became very close to my parents.

Carol eventually went back to her home in Alexandria, Louisiana and my grandpa my Aunt Becky went to visit her. Carol had told my grandpa that she knew where she was going, and that was heaven, and that she was sorry that she wouldn't see my grandpa in heaven because of his belief system. My grandpa said that "we'll have an agreement...we both know you're not going to be alive shortly...if there's any influence you can have on me, I want you to do it...my promise to you is I'll pray everyday for some sort of understanding or enlightenment". He kept his promise and Carol died two months later.

Even though he was agnostic, my grandpa has always enjoyed Christian music and would watch gospel music concerts on TV called 'Homecomings'. He talked about one song titled "Make it Real", and he used to say that was his hymn because it was a song for agnostics. My grandma surprised my grandpa with two tickets for their anniversary for one of these shows and they went. He said that the concert was uplifting, however, when he got there he noticed there were signs saying 'Ministry of...' and that the only reason they called themselves ministries was so they could be tax deductible. He then told me about a dream he had that changed his perception:

He was in a wooded area that was overgrown, "like a jungle", and he didn't know where he was going. He heard Christian music playing in the background and he came upon a clearing and saw a "barn with four equal sides. He walked inside and started singing with the people that were singing the Christian music and "something told [him] it was time to go". There was an old man standing next to the entrance and my grandpa asked him "What is this all about? What is the meaning?". The old man replied, "You don't have to know now". Then my grandpa said, "Can I come back here?" The old man said, "You're welcome anytime you want". When he started to leave the old man, the people in the barn started to sing a song that his father would hum to him as a kid. My grandpa never knew the words to the song, but he learned them in his dream, and the song was called "Farther Along". The lyrics go:

Farther along we'll know all about it
Farther along we'll understand why
Cheer up my brother live in the sunshine

We'll understand it all by and by

My grandpa then continued "Cheer up my brother? Who else could that be speaking, but Carol?" From then "[his] mind was open and [he] could go to church and listen to instruction". The church has "given [him] so much" and things happen to him all the time that remind him that a higher power does exist.

The Pruitt family in Germany

He then starts to talk about how blessed he has been to have such a wonderful family: "I'd never thought I'd ever have people around me with intellect who can pass the bar exam in one sitting, who can walk into UGA . . . and the fact that my name can be apart of that . . . it's an honor to see my name go in those places". He says that he "didn't have the right values when it comes to treating people like I would want to be treated". His  "life really began when [he] met [my] grandma . . . and the rest of it . . . I mean . . .".

30/365

Name: Ted Billiris
Ted is a native of Tarpon Springs, FL, which is a predominantly Greek-American city near Tampa, FL known for its sponge industry. He says the people are "a close family" and "it's what makes Tarpon Springs spectacular". Ted said the city produces 70% of the world's sponges and he has been involved with the sponge industry for over 60 years. He is a first generation Greek in the U.S., one of eight children, and describes himself as a "professional eater". He has collected over 268 original recipes from around the world, but Moussaka is his favorite dish. He works with the St. Nicholas Boat Line (http://www.visitstpeteclearwater.com/listings/761/) which is the oldest diving company in the Western Hemisphere. I asked him why he loves the sponge industry, and he replied, "I enjoy every single day down here in the docks. I wouldn't trade it for all the money in the world". Ted also told me a story and hopefully I retell it correctly! He met Jimmy Carter at Bob Graham's inauguration and was invited to the White House. Ted was drinking coffee in the Oval Office with the President when a "Spanish entourage" came in to bring Carter a bill that would give money to farmers in Spain. Carter was not completely familiar with Spanish farmers so he asked Ted for his opinion. Ted replied that his roommate in college was Spanish and said that the people are very nice and trustworthy, so the President signed the bill. A few weeks later, Ted received a call from the Spanish King's Baron who said that the King wanted to make Ted a knight for what he did for the Spanish farmers. Ted Billiris was knighted in 1974 by the Order of St. James.

29/365

Name: Raisa Valentina Pons Cordero de Pruitt (However, I have called my grandma 'Nanny' my whole life and she will always be known as such. In fact, I didn't know what her real name was until I was at least 8)
Three words to describe yourself: crazy, wrinkled, arthritic
Raisa was born in Havana, Cuba and lived there until she was fourteen until she emigrated to the United States to live in Miami. Her stepfather had run away on a boat to Miami, and her and her mom were able to attain exit visas. They had to leave because of the Communist takeover of Cuba. The thing she misses the most about Cuba was "family unity". The hardest thing about moving to America for Raisa was learning the English language. She "could read and write, but not speak [the language] very well". Jesus Christ is the most important person in Raisa's life and her biggest goal in life is to "not have Alzheimer's". Her first husband is my biological grandfather, but I've never met him and my dad has not had contact with him since he was five. My REAL grandpa is named Ron (I call him Poppy) and they met when she went to look for a job at a hotel. He had held the door open for her and my Great Aunt Juliet had pointed him out to my grandma. They were married ten days later on January 24th and my uncle was born later in December. She says the only reason they waited so long to get married was because "they had to wait for the marriage license". When I asked her why she was attracted to him, she said that "he was a hunk of a man . . . and no belly". They are coming on 43 years of marriage in January and watching them interact with each other is like watching a sitcom. My Nanny is a crazy latina and my Poppy is from Alabama (need I describe him any more than that?) and are both very stubborn. They make a cute couple :-)

28/365

Name: Lorie
Three words to describe yourself: loyal, funny, adventurous
I met Lori on the airplane going from Atlanta to Tampa. She was visiting her dad and two sisters in Dayton, Ohio and she lives in Clearwater, FL. She grew up in Dayton and attended Wright State University to study Political Science and American History. Lorie moved to Florida in 1996 because she "hated the snow" and both her and her husband were in between jobs.  She loves Florida because there's "a lot more happening". Clearwater/Tampa has a diverse mix of cultures--Cuban, Greek, American, Latino, old, young, etc.--which is very different from the Midwestern/military culture of Dayton. She says that Clearwater is the "land of the newlywed or the nearly dead". Lorie is a restaurant manager for Red Lobster but would like to work more in the training development aspect because she wants to play "a part in molding future leaders for the company". In college, Lorie had originally wanted to become a paralegal, but she wanted to work in an environment that she could interact with people more. She loves to draw and paint seascapes and wildlife using watercolors and oils and attributes her success to her high school art teacher, Mrs. Zimmerman. Although she did not pursue art in college, Lorie's teacher "encouraged her to be herself". She enjoys True crime shows and novels because she thinks the "psychology [of criminals] is intriguing". She likes to find out what makes people snap and turn for the worse.

27/365

Name: Pragati
Three words to describe yourself: over-analytical, caring, sensitive
Pragati was born in India and moved to Fayetteville, GA when she was six years old when her parents were able to attain a green card. Her mom's family still lives in India, while her dad's family lives in the San Francisco area. Pragati's goal is to be satisfied with who she is as a person, and she thinks "it's the hardest thing ever". After graduating, Pragati plans on becoming a financial analyst to gain some business experience. She then wants to open her own company "to teach teenage high school girls about confidence". She believes that without confidence, you cannot be successful. Pragati wants to make her company at a more local level and eventually go international. We both noticed that college students don't allow themselves to be vulnerable with others. People are unwilling to go below the surface and talk about real stuff. Pragati said that people are always thinking about something important but "once you express [your thought], you can release". She says that she learns from herself more than she does from other people. We had a really good in-depth conversation about college, life, spirituality, destiny, friends, and other such things. We are both going to make a Dream Map and/or a Mind Movie very soon. Google them.

26/365

Name: Russell
Three words to describe yourself: ornery, autocratic, nice
I met Russell when I visited the Occupy Wall Street movement next to the UGA Arch. He was born in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, but is ethnically Portuguese. He came to the United States to attend the University of Toledo in Ohio in 1998 to study computer engineering, however he attended FSU to study art administration and has three Bachelor's degrees from UGA including: music composition and vocal performance. Russell is currently an opera singer, but he also composes music, and either owns or works for an international training company (I forgot to write down that detail). His fiancé and son are the most important people in his life. Russell met her on Dec. 16, 2009 and their wedding date is next year on Oct. 20, 2012. When I asked Russell what he ultimately wants to accomplish in his life, he said that he wanted to live past the age of fifty. I told him that he is limiting himself, but he said that about a year ago he was diagnosed with achalasia--a disease of the esophagus that affects the ability to move food to the stomach. Russell was literally dying of starvation and was given two weeks to live, but is still breathing today! He gives credit to Dr. Warring, a GI from Atlanta, who treated his case. He said that he has only been outside protesting for three hours but he has already had someone call him a "F**". He cooly replied, "only with you man". When I asked him what his reason was for being involved in the protest, he said that "Occupy Wall Street affects everyone including the middle class and the top 1% whether they want to believe it or not" and he likes playing the drum in front of the tent.

25/365

I actually do know Sydney, but she really wanted to be apart of my project, so I let her :) She looks really classy in front of the Kramer poster and Buddha that are next to my desk.


Name: Sydney
Three words to describe yourself: introspective, shy, indifferent
Sydney was born in the suburbs of Chicago and moved to Kennesaw when she was four. Her dad is a health care manager, and they moved because his workplace "was getting kind of shady and he didn't want to be apart of it anymore". She likes the South because people are a lot more friendly. Sydney chose UGA because she received a music scholarship for the clarinet, but chose not to be a music major over the summer. She wants to do something in her life that makes her happy, and although she enjoys playing the clarinet, she didn't want to teach music as a career. Sydney says she's "indifferent" on how she will achieve happiness but she's "letting it find [her]". Family is the most important thing in her life and going to college has made her realize that she "can go to her parents for anything and they won't judge". Sydney has traveled a lot in her lifetime, and the two places that have made a big impact on her are Peru and China. She says the poverty in those countries has made her more empathetic, open-minded, and aware about problems she sees on the news "even though we don't speak the same language". Sydney can also make a really cool chipmunk/dolphin noise. She says that her talent is "kind of a big deal, and if the whole music/life/happiness thing doesn't work out then [she'll] just join the circus".

24/365

Name: Florence
Three words to describe yourself: funny, spunky, creative
Florence was born in LaGrange, GA and has lived there her whole life. She like that she has only lived in one place because she "traveled a lot, but [likes] having one home. In life, Florence wants to "do what makes [her] happy and never settle". Meeting new people has been her favorite thing about college. This summer, she went to Hawaii and Italy. Florence loved Italy because she was there with her favorite people. "Loved ones" are most important in her life because "in the end, that's all you're going to have". She has also been dancing since she was three years old and contemporary is her favorite style. Florence currently teaches dance and she is also a part of UGA Miracle, Relay for Life, and the Phi Mu sorority. I would put her life quote on the blog, but my family members read this. Censoring it would go something along the lines of "screw female dogs, get greenbacks".

23/365

Name: Bob
Lover of good food
I met Bob in downtown Gainesville at the farmer's market. He is from Camden, NJ and has 17 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren, and two more on the way. He has also lived in Pennsylvania and Long Island, NY. Bob became an ordained pastor in 1957. When I asked Bob what he ultimately wants to accomplish, he replied that he is a Christian, so he is "seeking to glorify God" and "give thanks through God". In the summertime he and his wife take their grandchildren to the lake to "make memories". In 1976, Bob bought two beehives and became interested in organic farming and beekeeping. He retired to the south in 1997, and between the south and the north, Bob says "both have their good points", but he "likes the extended growing season [in the south]. He was selling honey and beeswax candles and the honey was very good! Thank you for the candle, Bob :)

22/365

Name: Chris
Three words to describe yourself: relaxed, humorous, gorgeous
Chris was born in Back Mountain, PA but moved to Athens when he was in the 6th grade because of his father's job. His dad is a Presbyterian minister but Chris doesn't have a car and he doesn't have the time to go to church. In life, Chris would like a achieve success and happiness. When I asked him how he was going to attain those he replied that he wants to "graduate from UGA . . . let's start there". If Chris could do anything in the world, he would like to own a music studio and "kill cancer". Family is the most important thing in Chris's life because they're his support system. I met him while waiting in line for Paranormal Activity with a couple of girls from my residence hall and one of them said that Chris was a "genuine person". His left arm doesn't straighten out all the way because he fell out of a bunk bed as a kid. He has six dogs and his favorite book is Where the Red Fern Grows.

21/365

Name: Andrew
Three words to describe yourself: creative, authoritative, gifted
Andrew is from Marietta, GA and has lived there his whole life. Both of his parents are from Taiwan and left the country when they were in their twenties to pursue higher education. They attended Georgia State University in Atlanta. Andrew was transformed into the Christian faith when he was in the 9th grade. He liked a girl and started going to her church, and ended up dating her for about nine months. The Christian ideology resonated with him and Andrew would ultimately like to make "music that in the end will glorify [God], whether it's worship songs . . . ". Andrew is a member of Wesley, a UGA ministry, and Freshley, a freshmen version of Wesley. Jesus is the most important person in Andrew's life because to him Jesus is "God, he's my shepherd". We talked about religion and spirituality and I shared some of my spiritual beliefs. Andrew described himself as being an "old soul" and he would "much rather sit and have conversations" than do what college kids normally do. When I asked him what generation or era he most identified, Andrew replied that it wasn't necessarily a generation, but rather a time when people did not rely so much on technology. He said that "having everything so accessible to us has spoiled us".

20/365

Name: Zach
Three words to describe yourself: ambitious, easy-going, Southern (he has an accent y'all!)
Zach was born and raised in Bolingbroke, GA. He likes the fact that he's lived in a small town because he "knows everyone". Zach's parents own a cattle-raising farm and he would wake up at 4:30 AM to work on the farm before school and after school. He has two sisters and a brother and his mom is the most important person in his life because "she's a tough lady". Zach is studying animal science and plans on owning a cattle farm after graduation. He is a member of the UGA Beef Association and the Block and Bridle Club, which is basically a livestock industry club. Zach rides horses too and he participates in team rope events and also breaks horses. If he could travel anywhere in the world, he would visit New Zealand because he likes to go hunting and fishing.

19/365

Name: Vladi
Three words to describe yourself: spontaneous, outdoorsy (I met her in Founder's Garden), crafty

Vladi was born in Bulgaria, but the country did not offer the desired opportunity for education and job availability for herself and her brother, so her family moved to Powder Springs, Georgia when she was nine years old. The family was able to attain a green card through a lottery system and they "weren't refugees or anything". Vladi does not remember too much about the transition to a new country because she picked up on English very quickly and was able to make friends because "when you're that young everyone is your friend". She enjoys learning and going to school but thinks that "some of this stuff is useless crap . . . like political science . . . am I going to strike up a conversation with someone about the constitution? No". Vladi says she may get her MRS degree, but most likely not. She wants a future where she can be independent and not have to rely on a husband but is still doing something she's interested in. Vladi used to be an ecology major but switched to anthropology, and is thinking about becoming an anthropologist. She has a husky at home and if she could have a special power, it would be the ability to read people's minds. Vladi just thinks "it would be fun to see what other people think".

18/365

Name: Tyler
Three words to describe yourself: quirky, musical, tired (Zainab described him as an "angsty romantic") 
Tyler was born in Orlando, FL, but moved to Peachtree City, GA two weeks after he was born because of his father's job. He lived in a little house in the suburbs. He said that living in one place your whole life can get pretty boring and you "lack certain life skills", but you also develop long lasting friendships. Currently, he is attending Belmont University and is focusing on having a career in music. Tyler enjoys performing on stage because it's "like home" and he "can let [his] guard down". He likes performing rock, jazz, blues, and indie music and his favorite artists/bands are Jeff Buckley, Led Zeppelin, Radiohead, and the Rolling Stones. Tyler also likes doing volunteer work because he wants to "make a difference" and "do something to give back". He feels the same about music in which he can "evoke a positive change" in the audience. His girlfriend Zainab is also pretty cool.

17/365

Name: Kalia
Three words to describe yourself: talkative, outgoing, emotional
Kalia is originally from Philadelphia, but she "divorced her parents" and escaped to Atlanta. She is currently studying psychology at Kennesaw State University and eventually wants to go into counseling and therapy but not at a school. Kalia's mom is the most important person in her life because "[her mom] is the only family [she's] close to". Her ultimate goal in life is happiness. Kalia was handling the dressing room at TJ Maxx, so I did not want to disturb her for too long!

16/365

Who said I had to interview a human? And Casey is pretty much a person anyways. Let's be real here.
Name: Casey
Three words: loyal, hungry, excited
Casey was born in 2000 in San Antonio, TX and was the biggest puppy of the litter! This was part of the reason why my older sister chose him. He earned the nickname "Moose Boy" as a puppy because of how big he was. When we moved from Texas to the SF Bay Area, we were unable to take Casey and had to leave him with one of my mom's co-workers. When her co-worker couldn't keep him anymore, we were able to move him to California. He weighed too much for the pet plane, so he had to ride in a Boeing 757 airplane! Casey has also moved with the Pruitt family to Truckee, CA and to Kennesaw, GA. He has the title of "the retriever who can't retrieve himself" because Casey has a habit of escaping to go to neighborhood cook-outs that are literally three houses down the road, and he doesn't know how to get back home. He also has the persona of Forest Gump, because he is just a genuine & happy guy! Whenever someone comes over to the house, he greets with a wagging tail, a happy face, and usually a sock in his mouth when he can't find a bone. Casey enjoys car-rides, walks, meeting new people/dogs, and, most importantly, treats.

15/365

Name: Jumana
Three words to describe yourself: quiet, reflective, observant
Jumana was born in Myrtle Beach, SC and moved to Duluth, GA because of her parent's job change. All of her extended family lives in India. She loves history and would like for it to be her major, but she decided to study economics because thought it would be better for picking a career. When Jumana first took economics in high school she "thought [the class] was boring but it had the potential to be interesting" and because economics has historical elements. She is thinking about going to NYU to become a lawyer and is in the Pre-Law Learning Community.  She is also studying Arabic, speaks Gujrati, and is a member of the Arabic Cultural Exchange. She has also applied for University Judiciary, so best of luck to Jumana! She has traveled back and forth to visit her family in India and went to Iraq a few years ago for pilgrimage. Jumana's family and her friend Jackie are the most important people in her life. Jumana's ultimate goal is to live a life without any regrets.

14/365

Name: Michael
Three words to describe yourself: curious, lazy, truthful
When I approached Michael he was sitting in the lobby in Creswell and had his shoes off and feet propped up. He told me his year (sophomore) and when I asked why he was in a freshmen residence hall, he said that the atmosphere is "more relaxed" and he lived here last year. Michael was born in Atlanta, and when his parents divorced when he was little, he lived with his dad in Lawrenceville, GA. In 10th grade, his dad wanted to move to Florida, so Michael also moved. When his dad decided to move to California, however, Michael went back to Georgia to live with his mom instead of moving to San Diego. Michael said that as a kid he "acted up in school" which meant talking a lot in class, so living with his mom and two sisters "calmed him down". Family is the most important thing in Michael's life. He is studying computer engineering and wants to eventually become a web designer for a corporation. In his life, Michael would "like a job, place to live, and . . . I guess a family".

13/365

Name: Alicia
Three words to describe yourself: emotional, sweet, adventurous
Alicia was born in Jamaica and lived there with her dad until she was twelve. She went to boarding school and hated it because it was too strict, so she moved to Atlanta to live with her mom. Alicia says the transition was difficult because she was foreign and the "culture was completely different" and it was hard for her to make friends. UCLA was her number one choice for school, but she did not want to pay out-of-state tuition, so she plans on attending their medical school. Alicia wants to become a plastic surgeon because "self-confidence is important . . . and if you can help people feel better about themselves, the world will be a better place". Eventually, she wants to open a hospital in Jamaica that is run by American doctors because she does not like they way in which Jamaican doctors practice medicine. Family has become the most important thing in her life especially because her dad passed away recently. She tries to make the most out of seeing her family because "they may not be here tomorrow".

12/365

Name: Hilda Butler
Three words to describe yourself: "I'm a good nut", happy, cheerful
Hilda was born and raised in Oconee, GA and has been in the Athens area since 1962, when she married her husband when she was 20 years old. Her husband of 48 years of marriage passed away last year, and he pastored the same church for 41 years. She was the only child in her family to graduate from High School and is also the youngest of her five siblings. Hilda's dad passed away when she was five years old from a drowning accident, but she has "always had an adult figure in [her] life". Whenever she finds old pictures of her father, she restores them and gives them to her siblings. She has two adopted sons and three grandchildren (so far!), and her grandchildren are the most important things in her life because she receives "unconditional love" from them.  If she could travel anywhere in the world, she would go to Hawaii or go on a cruise to Alaska. Hilda loves her job working at Bolton Dining Hall because she loves meeting college students and  
enjoys talking and learning about people.

11/365

I have honestly been working on my United Nations research assignment/paper all day :( It's not a very good excuse for why I haven't met anyone today. I guess this is further evidence of how much of a challenge it is for people to go out of their way to meet others.

10/365

Name: Jake
Three words to describe yourself: athletic, fun, indecisive
Jake is from LaFayette, GA but he has lived all over the country because of his mom's job as a nurse. He doesn't really have a set long-term goal in mind, but whatever he ends up doing he just wants to get a good education and "be successful". Jake has jumped off of cliffs before, but he really wants to go skydiving because he loves adrenaline rushes, anything scary, and the idea of being able to cheat death. He would like to travel to New Zealand because he likes islands and beaches. Jake is studying environmental engineering even though he's "not a tree hugger or anything". He simply wants to keep the Earth in its best form for all to enjoy.

9/365

Name: Mary

Three words to describe yourself: organized, caring, flirty

Mary's dad was in the army, so she moved around a lot and doesn't really have a hometown to identify with. The most important thing in her life is family because "they'll always be there for you". Her ultimate goal in life is to have a family and be happy. She is studying biology to go to med school to become a sports medicine doctor because biology has always been one of her interests. A random fact about her is that she ran a marathon in 5 hours and 20 minutes and has a boyfriend at Georgia Tech. 

Sidenote:  I was not able to talk to her for very long because we were talking outside as she was waiting for the bus, and the bus came.

8/365

Name: Eric Ulbrich
Hometown: Marietta, GA
Three words to describe yourself: outgoing, talkative, extroverted
Eric has lived in Marietta, GA his whole life, but if he could live anywhere else in the world, he would live in Barcelona, Spain because of the "culture, beach, and hot people". He says "I think you need to leave your bubble and visit foreign countries with completely different languages and cultures". He is an International Business major and eventually wants to allocate some of his funds to centers that permanently house, feed, and care for children in need of parents. He regrets not being more involved in the community and feels like he "could have done more [to help]". Ultimately, Eric wants to be financially secure, but also wants to live a happy life, and "a family would be nice". He refused to let me take a picture of him, so I took one off of his Facebook; no Athens does not have a beach with palm trees -__-

7/365

Name: Megan
Three words to describe yourself: empathetic, chill, indecisive
Megan was born in Jonesboro, GA but has lived in McDonough, GA for 12 years. Megan says that her family moved because her mom saw a kid walking down the street with a shot gun, but Megan doesn't know how accurate the story is. She says that the most important thing in her life is people, not necessarily friends, just "being around people". Megan wants to eventually work with disorders of perception (she's a psych major), but wants to concentrate on Agnosias, which are neurological disorders that can cause a loss of the ability to recognize objects, persons, sounds, smells, etc. Her inspiration for this goal was from reading a book titled The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. Megan's one regret in life was that she was caught shoplifting CD's at Best Buy when she was 17. She says that her hometown of McDonough was very small and conservative so "stealing was exciting". She is also studying sign language and her favorite movie is City of God.

6/365

Name: Rachel
Hometown: San Antonio, TX (YEAH!!)
Three words to describe yourself: bookish, shy, quick-witted
Rachel was born in San Antonio but has moved a grand total of 11 times in her whole life. She say that moving hurt her more than helped because she never had the time to develop close friendships--why she said she was "shy". Rachel wants to eventually work for the Smithsonian Institution because she loves museums and history and likes being able to teach/educate people. Because of her Italian heritage, she has a very close and intimate family and she's very close to her parents. Rachel's favorite book is Picture of Dorian Gray because it was the first book in which she felt "attached to the character" and because the main protagonist of the novel is also the heroic villian . An interesting fact about Rachel is that she likes to collect very old pictures and postcards from the 1920's-40's.

5/365

Name: Savannah
Three words to describe yourself: quirky, funny, nice
Major: Latin and Theater
Savannah was born in Duluth, GA and went to a Montesorri school until the 7th grade and then moved to John's Creek, GA to go to a better school district. She applied to a lot of small, private, out-of-state liberal arts colleges, but chose UGA because it was the most affordable option. She is a senior and says she will most likely work abroad with AIESEC before going to graduate school. Her personal beliefs, the people she knows, and her education are the most important things in her life. Savannah says she doesn't have any major life regrets, but wishes she would have continued playing piano and violin (she stopped in high school). Her life goal is to be happy and to do something that she "likes doing, not necessarily what [she's] supposed to do".

4/365

Name: Josh Lowery
Major: Pre-business (wants to be a CFO)
Describe yourself in three words: smart, Christian, athletic
Josh was born in Greenville, SC but moved to Suwanee, GA and has lived there for 13 years. In high school, he won the National Championship for lacrosse and dated the same girl for 3 1/2 years. He has a younger brother and sister and says that being the oldest child is fun because you can pick on your younger siblings. Josh says he is an "extremely introverted person" and one of his least favorite things about college is that you're never alone. God is the most important thing to him in his life and if he couldn't fail at anything, he would be an NBA basketball coach or a short, white NBA player--Josh is 5'7". His favorite team is the Hawks, but he also likes the Lakers (being a Spurs fan, I had to judge him a little).  Josh is also a part of the UGA Wesley Foundation and is a mentor for an 8th grader.

3/365

Name: Robin
Major: Advertising, French Minor (going to work for an advertising agency)
Describe yourself in three words: blunt, goofy, practical

Robin was born in Hammond, IN and moved to Chicago, IL, then Norcross, GA and finally John's Creek, GA, but the region she most identifies with is the Chicago/Midwest area. Moving at age 13 from the Midwest to the South was an awkward stage, but that it was a time to "reflect on myself". She quotes that she was the "loser in high school" but learning to adapt to a new region made her stronger as a person. She has lived in the suburbs and strongly wants to live in the city because it provides a sense of independence for her. Robin lives by Plato's quote "be kind for everyone is fighting a hard battle". She says that you may not know people's stories or why they are having a bad day, so "don't take things personally...90% of the time, it's not personal". She says to manage your time, take time for yourself, and be kind to your body. One of the biggest questions she asks herself is "Why not?". You have nothing to lose so don't be scared of taking risks, just do not be stupid, "do something that's out of your reach, you're only young once". She hates the word "nice" because it means nothing and is a shallow word. She, instead, prefers to judge people by the "content of their character". Robin also told me I should read Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five, so I think I'll order it off of Amazon tonight.