SWF 5'7 140 lbs. likes long walks on the beach and sunny days.....

OK, seriously, I'm a freshman in college born in western Washington but have been living in Montana since September. I grew up in the suburbs and only visited the "country" when I went to my Grandfather's HUGE hop farm in Yakims (eastern WA) which I don't think realy counts as country living. But I have s had an interest in animals (especialy horses) and farm life.

I'm majoring in Animal Science and although I attended Montana St. U. in Bozeman this past year I am transfering to Washington St. U. this fall (I hope--haven't been accepted yet). I began taking serious riding lessons when I turned 16 and got a job so I could pay for them myself (parents still think it's a phase) and owned an arab mare, Sheeba, for a year before selling her just before thanksgiving--too much to take on while in school. I also worked at a YMCA camp in the San Juan Islands this summer and worked in the horse part of the camp. I have a DD (dear dog) at home and my family has(these are in no way my) cats which I will refer to in this message as DCs (Damn cats). The only pet I have or my own now are a betta, three neon tetras, and my surviving parakeet, Lilly. She's hiding out with me in the dorms (no pets alloud) as the DCs got into my room one day and ate my other bird, Magnus. So Lilly came out with me despite the no pet rule after the masacre over Christmas (I just try to keep her quiet when the RA is around).

As for the future I plan to to a working student program with a horase trainer after I graduate and would like to get into barn management and horse training. Dressage and hunter/jumpers apeal to me the most now, but we'll see how I feel in a few years. Anyway, raising animals and gardening all sound like fun, and I definitely believe in organic. Hopefuly I can work these into my future life. (I'm sure I'll find a way).

I hope that this has cleared up any questions for those or you who have been wondering who that Erika girl was who just came out of nowhere, started posting, and never introduced herself. Haha. I hope to stick around but mught have to cut myself off for a week or so as I have finals this comeing week and am then moving back home for the summer. Bye for now.

-- Erika (misserika129@hotmail.com), May 04, 2002

Answers

Hey Erika! I'm a college freshman too, at WVU (west virginia university, no laughing please). I started off majoring in animal science, but there is way too much math involved for me (2 calculus classes? no thanks). My family has chickens and dogs and cats, and I often take care of the neighbors' horses (I'm from northern virginia, so everyone has horses but me). At my apartment in town I have a cockatiel (Mildred the Marvelous) and a cat (Nemo the Stoic). I have finals next week too, luckily nothing too bad. Welcome!

-- Elizabeth (lividia66@aol.com), May 04, 2002.

Old Man Brad here! No laughing at WVU from this quarter! Our younger son got both his Master's and Doctorate at WVU (Mechanical Engineering). A very fine school, indeed! I must regress to a conversation with an academic administrator who addressed us (Mom and Dad) at the parent's orientation as Mike entered his freshman year as an undergraduate at WPI. He (the administrator) opined that any student that was accepted into the school had the academic ability to graduate. But he also noted that academic ability did not necessarily translate into "drive". "Drive" means, he explained, an inner strength that you have acquired, most likely, from your parents. And it means that you will work as hard as you can when you don't want to. And when you are sick. And when your friends won't. And when you think that you should give up, just as your friends have. After all, they (LIBERAL ACADEMICS), will understand. But the truly able graduates of this (Institution) will do their best no matter what. And some of you will do the best they can, no matter what. We have had some of the brightest entering students. We have had some of the monetarily blessed. And we have had some of the academically best. The best of the best are all of the above. (Drum roll!!!) We have never had a student fail, and I do not mean quit, but leave because WE said so, who was solely responsible for a large animal, or several small ones! Of course, what we're talking about here is responsibility. If you are totally responsible for a dozen chickens or ducks, a few sheep or goats,a pair of oxen, or one horse, then YOU are responsible! And, I believe, that is what GOD intended! If you teach the kids responsibility, the rest will follow. Teach them and love them!

Brad, the aggressive pussycat!

-- Brad (Homefixer@SacoRiver.net), May 04, 2002.

Welcome to the forums. Be prepared, school never ends, I am one of the "continuing students of life" :>) When I was laid off of my engineering job last year, I chose to pursue independent agronomic research instead. Wish all I had to worry about was finals :>) Good luck on your exams. Look forward to hearing more of your studies.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), May 04, 2002.

Hi Erika and welcome to the forum. I do have a question that's not really on topic. How did you like Montana St U ?? Our son & daughter- in-law are thinking of transferring there, right now they are finishing up their freshman year at Rainy River CC in International Falls,MN. If you get a chance to give me any information I'd appreciate it and good luck on finals. I faintly remember those days I graduated college in 1974 so it's just a happy memory now. Best of Luck & Welcome. Kathy

-- Kathy Aldridge (beckoningwinds@yahoo.com), May 04, 2002.

welcome to the forum! I'm a homesteader on 15 acres in north Alabama and an investigative newspaper/reporter with two papers (for which I write from a home office)

Your educational pursuits sound great and animal science will be a wonderful career!

You can add a lot to this forum as we seem to be all ages here! (I turn th ebig 5-0 this month) Suzy in Bama

-- Suzy in Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), May 04, 2002.

Welcome to the forum Erika. Thanks for the intro. Good luck with your finals.

-- Murray in ME (lkdmfarm@megalink.net), May 04, 2002.

Welcome, Erika. Thanks for the intro. I am fairly new to the forum, and though I feel like it's a part of my "family" now, I don't really know too much about those who post, other than their opinions on things. I am a "newbie" to farm life as well. We were never allowed pets at home, so I grew up without a single pet. I think I was well into my 20's before I ever had a pet (Dog). I am now 41, and was not too thrilled about rural living either until I came upon this forum. The last few months have given me a real education about how lucky I am to have this opportunity! My DH (dearest hubby, in this case) wants to get some animals here, and I am torn between being terrified, and excitement. I am excited because I would like to learn more about animals, but not so thrilled because he wants them for our table at a later date. I'm not at all sure that I could raise an animal and then eat it. In fact, I am quite sure that I would find that pretty difficult at this point. I guess being a city girl, I never thought about how the meat gets to the supermarket...I just looked for the best cuts. Hmmm, what a conundrum! (sp?) Anyway, I sure have learned to appreciate the vast knowledge on this forum. It used to be weeks between logging on, and now I log on every evening! He, he, much to the dismay of DH! LOL

I, too, attend University. I finished my finals on the 11th of April...WHEW! I am going for a degree in Social Work. I wish you the best for your finals. Wishing you a GREAT mark...Judy

-- Judy Hill (hillsacres@sk.sympatico.ca), May 05, 2002.

Hey, I know a kid who's a freshman there this year! He is very tall, about 6'4" girls think he's cute and his name is Gavin. Do you know him?

-- Laura (Ladybugwrangler@hotmail.com), May 05, 2002.

Yep...I remember being 5'7" and 140#'s too.....how time passes !!!!

-- Helena (windyacs@npacc.net), May 05, 2002.

Sorry, I don't know any one named Gavin.

-- Erika (misserika129@hotmail.com), May 05, 2002.