The Month of Gratitude

The month of Novmenber has to be one of my favorite months. I have never been a big fan of holidays (ask my family), but Thanksgiving is an exception. I enjoy the symbolism and religious meaning associated with the other holidays, but I feel they have been too commercialized and that we lose sight of what the point is. I would be lying if I told you I didn't enjoy all of the wonderful food associated with Thanksgiving, but the holiday encompasses so much more than my love for great food. It seems to be the one time of year that everyone, myself included, is forced to think about the things we are grateful for. 

I feel that gratitiude is something that we often overlook. It is so easy to focus on the illusive curveballs that life throws our way that we forget to remember the blessings we have in life. I know that I spend most of my time sulking over the things that I deem unfair. My daily life is dictated in my subconcious by the things that go wrong. I remember getting a speeding ticket or a co-worker drinking the last cup of coffee, but I forget to remember the blessing of owning a car or having a job in the first place. In fact, I would be willing to bet that you and I could make a longer list of things that went wrong today compared to those things that went well. For those of you that can win that bet, props to you. The fact of the matter is that we all would be a lot happier if we treated every month like November. Facebook, one of my greatest sources of news these days, is jam packed with things people are happy for. This is a nice alternative to the "my world is falling apart" statuses that seem to dominate the Facebook world every other month of the year. But like they say, "misery loves company."

One of the things I love most about my parents is their inability to let me sulk. Believe me, I often call them simply wanting to hear them say, "Yes Preston, it is okay to be upset about this." Much to my chagrin, they never let me win that battle. They often concede that it is an unfair situation, but they always remind me of their "life is not fair" philosophy. A dark and ominious philosophy, maybe, but fitting nonetheless. The worst part is the fact that they always point out the blessings or life lessons hidden in my laundry list of struggles. By forcing me to focus on the good things they make it almost impossible to be upset about anything, almost. The lessons they have taught me hold more value to me than any other thing I will ever acquire. 

I don't mean to imply that I am a gratitude guru, as I am likely one that has the most to learn. Those of you that know me well can vouch for the fact that I tend to be slightly pessimisstic and that my thoughts are easily consumed by the negative factors in life. In fact, this blog is more for me than anyone else, sorry for my selfishness. Rather than post my list of things I am thankful for over each day for the rest of the month I have chosen to list 30 things that I am thankful for below. I hope that this post has in some way forced you to reflect on the things that you are thankful for this holiday season. If nothing else, I hope it at least provided some comic relief after a long Monday. Regardless, I hope that things are well with you and that life continues to treat you well. 

1. My family

2. My education

3. My faith

4. My job

5. My friends

6. Books

7. Social Media and Facetime

8. Living in the wonderful United States of America

9. Starbucks, yum. 

10. My health

11. Freedom

12. Movies

13. Pickles

14. Football

15. Prairie Lakes Church

16. Buffalo Wild Wings

17. Oskaloosa, Iowa

18. The election is over

19. The U.S. military

20. The University of Northern Iowa
21. Days off work
22. My mother's cooking
23. Peanut Butter
24. Knowing that I am loved
25. Growing up in the Midwest
26. Beer, I promise I am not an alcoholic. 
27. Nature
28. Ground Transportation- I hate flying!
29. Music
30. A place to call home 

Traveling Man

Hey Everyone!

Wow, it has been quite some time since I have posted any updates. For my loyal followers (if you exist), I apologize and hope you enjoy this post. If we haven't talked in awhile you should stop what you're doing, send me a text, or give me a call. I would love to hear from you....promise :).

I am currently concluding the last day of a two week hiatus at home. It has been a nice breath of fresh air for me following approximately two months of 70-80 hour work weeks. Needless to say, I was getting pretty run down and was in much need of a little rest and relaxation. I was able to come home for a wedding at the beginning of the month and have been working at home since then. I could definitely get used to working from home.....I should have gone into business! Tomorrow I will be headed back to New Hampshire. I will be working there for approximately ten days at a new site for the company in Nahsua, New Hampshire. Nashua is approximately 30-45 minutes North of Boston and within an hour from my two previous sites in New Hampshire.When I finish up in Nashua I will be heading to Rockford, IL, and will be there for approximately two and a half weeks. I will be very glad to return to working in the Midwest and to be much closer to home. After Rockford I am scheduled to be working in Texas! When I took this job I had no idea how much traveling I would be doing. I love seeing everything there is to see and enjoying all of the new experiences, but I am going to be all traveled out by this time next year.

Some other updates:

1. I have ALMOST overcome my fear of flying.....my friends know how big of an accomplishment this is for me. My heart still pounds every time I get on a plane, but after holding hands with the person next to me for several minutes I can usually calm myself to a minor whimper.....just kidding.

2. I have a medical school interview :)

3. I've lost 35lbs since most of you have seen me last. Don't worry I won't blow away in a strong wind...yet.

4. Tim Jacobsen thinks that scholarships make college more expensive.....ask him about it.

I know this was a pretty boring post for all of you to read, but I figured some of you may want to know what I have been up to. I am pretty terrible about keeping in touch and this is my attempt to at least try. I hope that all of you had a great summer and are enjoying being back to work, school, or whatever else it is you do. Thanks for reading :)

Preston Sereg

Wrapping Up

Hey Everyone!

I have officially been in New Hampshire for three weeks now! The time is absolutely flying, and I find myself having to double-check my calendar. I hate to say it, but I have fallen in love with it out here. Manchester is a little rough around the edges in places, but it is smack dab in the middle of so many things. An hour to the South is Boston, an hour East and you're floating in the Atlantic, and major cities such as NYC and D.C. are all within a days drive. Everyone out here feels terrible for you all back home because of the heat wave......Did I mention it's only been in the upper 80's to low 90's with very minimal humidity!? Everything is green here, much like in Iowa, but it's mostly trees. I had to drive East to Portsmouth, NH, on Friday and it was easily one of the prettiest drives I have ever been on. All of the houses near the coast are "box-like," are typically two stories, and have A LOT of windows. I've never been one for fancy architecture, and the simplicity appeals to me (not that Iowa is the most extravagant place on Earth).

Before you get your undies all up in a bunch, let me say that I do miss Iowa, very much so in fact. Right now is one of my favorite times in Iowa, driving down the country highways, surrounded by the sea of green. I would love to sit down to a family dinner full of all the proper summer foods.....watermelon, sweet corn, Iowa chops, potato salad, and a fresh apple pie topped with homemade ice cream......YUM! (when you live in a hotel and eat primarily salad and cold-meat sandwiches you begin to dream of a home-cooked meal. ) Oh, I also miss the people. Don't get me wrong, there are a large number of very nice people out here, but it's not like the Midwest. In the Midwest, a nod of the head, a tip of the hat, or a friendly hello are pretty typical pleasantries that most people share. That is not the case on the East coast. I try to keep my overly friendly personality buried a little deeper than surface level out here so that not everyone will think I am crazy......but I'm pretty sure most of them still do.

I finished up my training duties at Catholic Medical Center in Manchester this week, and it was definitely a bittersweet moment for me. Initially, when I came out here I was only going to be here for two weeks. However, that quickly became three, and is now going to turn into something along the lines of five. Needless to say I was a little overwhelmed with the amount of time that I would be away from my friends and family. However, this experience has been one of the biggest blessings for me. The people at CMC welcomed me in, and treated me like family. I absolutely loved the environment. At Covenant Hospital, the hospital that I scribed at in college, I had become very close to several of the nurses and providers. This was something that had made my job so enjoyable, and all of the new hospitals I had been at were lacking that family feel. So when I began to get to know people here I began to feel at home. After three weeks I felt like I had been working there for months. One of the housekeepers even made me a batch of chocolate chip cookies on my last night.....they were absolutely delicious. Unfortunately after several offers to stay, I had to part ways with everyone at CMC. I can honestly say I will never forget everyone at that hospital.

Tomorrow morning I will be headed to Portsmouth, NH. It is about thirty minutes to the East, and is literally right on the coast (hence the name of the town). It is going to be a great time! The town is considered one of the best walking towns in America, and the downtown is primarily cobblestone. Every weekend is jam packed with all kinds of things to do. I am most excited to take Route 1 along the coast into Maine. The nursing staff at CMC told me it is a breathtaking drive, and that there are a lot of things to see. Also, they frequently have fireworks at Hampton Beach (just South of Portsmouth) where they shoot fireworks out over the ocean. It's gonna be awesome :)

As always, there are a few things I have noticed during my travels out here.
1. Everyone loves Tom Brady. Personally, I hope the dude breaks every bone in a career ending injury. However, everyone in New England thinks the dude walks on water. Oh, and the ladies love him.....surprise surprise.
2. Ginger Ale is a huge hit out here. The only time I had ever drank Ginger Ale in the Midwest, was in punch. They even sell it is vending machines out here.
3. If you stall at an intersection for even a second.....be ready to get honked at. (No more spacing off for me)
4. Snapple is also a huge hit. I remember seeing commercials for Snapple, and thinking how they could afford nationally televised commercials. Now I know.
5. Nobody has heard of a Dumbledork.....told you I coined the phrase (Sarah, Tim, Seth, Leah E)
6. The seafood is WAY better than it is in Iowa....call me Sherlock Holmes ;)

Well everyone I hope you all are doing well. I miss you all more than you know, and would love to catch up with you. If you are every looking for something to do, shoot me a call! I can't guarantee that I won't be working, but I will get back to you as soon as I can! I should be home in a few weeks, and look forward to seeing you all.

Preston Sereg

Midwest Boy Far From Home

Hey Everyone! It's been a wee bit of time since I have posted on here. I had a few short hours before my next night shift, and figured it might be kind of nice to catch up on here. I have been one busy dude since my last post. I finished the project in Stillwater just in time to get home and see my beautiful cousin, Brittney, get married. That made me feel super old! Once my cousin, Amy, get married in September I will technically be next in line......hahahahahahaha. I'm gonna go ahead and pass the torch off to my sister on that one. Following the wedding I boarded a plane the next day for New Hampshire. First off, I hate flying. Secondly, I always get placed right behind the dude that decides he is going to hibernate the entire flight. By hibernate I mean put his seat back as far as it can go, break my knee caps. At six foot four with a stunning lineman physique, planes and I have become arch enemies. However, there were no unexpected emergency landings, and Tim Jacobsen wasn't drinking rum punch so I was happy. On flights I don't care as much about comfort as I do survival.....I know I have a problem.  I finally arrived in Manchester, New Hampshire, and have been here for a week now. Manchester is a town of about 100,000 people, and is the largest town in New England. Personally, I find that pretty crazy. I am currently working at Catholic Medical Center. I really like the hospital, and the staff has been so friendly and welcoming to me. One of the things I've noticed about being a young guy in the health care field is that all of the nurses want to be your mother....of course I embrace this role :) I have befriended a girl named Riley, who is another scribe, and Doreen, who is one of the housekeepers. Riley has been so nice to me, and has really made the transition here a lot easier. Doreen is a champ. The lady is the hardest worker I have ever seen in my life. The other day she told me that I give off a vibe that makes people feel comfortable, and that she usually doesn't warm up to people very quickly. She told me I have to be careful out here because people aren't as friendly as I am haha.  There are a few things I have learned while being here. 1. People here aren't as friendly as they are in the Midwest. I'm a huge fan of smiling at people, and saying hello. Yeah, you aren't supposed to do that here. A  few hundred funny looks later, and I haven't given up though.  2. Manchester is pretty thug. You know you live in the ghetto when you tell people where you're staying, and they respond with "oh, be careful at night." I ain't scurred though. There was a lady sleeping out on the front stoop outside my window the other day. I assumed she was tanning until I saw that she was wearing a bathrobe, and looked like she had a run in with a grizzly. P.S. they have bears here...... 3. Everyday is like a bad mob video. I live in a world of hilarious east coast accents, and sometimes I just can't help but smile. Apparently you have to say New HampSHIRE, but Portsmouth is pronounced Portsmith. It doesn't make sense to me either.  4. If you aren't Catholic, good luck finding a church to go to. 5. Make sure a door doesn't lock from the outside. Yep, I locked myself and a doctor into a room with a patient, and we had to wait five minutes for a nurse to find us haha. Well everyone, that is about it for me today. I am planning a trip to Boston and the white mountains this week so be ready for some good stories. I hope all is well at home. I miss you all more than you know, and can't wait to see you all again. Take Care :) Preston Sereg 

Who's In Charge?

Hey everyone! Warning: this post is pretty deep. Feel free to stop here. Have you ever been given something, and known that it was God's will for you to have it? Yeah, probably sounds a little silly, I know. Until about a month ago I probably would have agreed with you. However, I was given something for graduation that may have been written soley for me. I was given s devotional book by my parents for graduation. I have never been very good at being faithful with devotions, and I usually cringe when I am given one. This time it was different. I am in a huge stage of transition in my life, something that I have never handled very well, and I needed help desperately. I decided that I would give it a shot. I tend to over exaggerate, but I don't think I would be if I told you that giving this book a shot was one of the best things I have ever decided to do. Serious. There have been several mornings that I have read the book, and either laughed because I was certain that the page had been magically changed during the night, or had tears fill my eyes because I felt so convicted. This morning, was one of those mornings. The funny part was, it wasn't what the author had said in the devotion itself. It was the verses that followed. The verses are located below. Luke 12: 29-31 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or what you will drink; do not worry about it. For the world runs after all such things, and your father knows what you need. But seek FIRST his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. John 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. I would not be surprised if most of you have read those verses, and I'm fairly certain that you all have a pretty good grasp on what they mean. I, however, did not. I've read these verses several times in my life, and heard them referenced in several sermons. Unfortunately, I have never fully understood the depth of these verses. Many of you know that I spend a large part of my time worrying, and attempting to solve my problems. Okay, more than my problems, the worlds problems. Go ahead and chuckle, we all know it's true. I spend a ridiculous amount of time contemplating every word I say/said, every decision I make/made, and every possible circumstance I may encounter in the future. If you looked up "worry wart" in the dictionary, my picture and biography would be in there. The sad part is, I know that it's not how life is supposed to be. I have spent a large portion of my life trying to understand how people don't worry; how people turn over their worries to God. I don't know how biblical my answer is, but I think I have begun to understand how it has to work for me. The title of this post is "Who's in charge?" Ironically, that's my answer. That is the question that I have decided I may have to ask myself every morning I wake up. It is the question that is also the solutiion to releasing my cares and worries. Until this point in my life the answer to that question has always been ME. I have always tried to control my life, and told God to tag along for the ride. I've told God that his plan didn't quite fit what I had in mind, and that we were going to have to do things my way. When things didnt go according to my plan I would get so angry, and I'd run from the one that has always carried me through. What I have failed thus far to realize is that God was, is, and always has been in control. I have been so blinded by my own selfish ambitions that I have failed to see how every situation I have been put in has been preparing me to be the man that God wants me to be. The bumps along the road and the detour signs were not God punishing me, they were his way of preparing and molding me into the person that I am supposed to be. The phrase, "tough love," would be very fitting. For the first time in my life I am stepping back and reflecting on the question, "who's in charge?" While reading the verses above, I became extremely convicted. My mom has always told me "life isn't always fair," and even the verse above promises that life will bring struggles along with it. I don't care who you are, what you believe, or where you are at in life, you will have troubles. By taking control of my life, I had always tried to resolve and find the answers to my problems in life. Probably the reason I worry so frequently. All the time failing to see, "seek first his kingdom." Instead of drowning myself in worry and anxiety, I should have drawn close to God. I should have asked him to give me the wisdom and the strength to overcome my problems. Most importantly, I should have asked him to remind me, "who's in charge?" One of my favorite songs has a line that says, "sometimes he calms the storm, and other times he calms his child." This would also be a fitting time for my friends and family to chuckle because they know how frequently I use sing lyrics to express my feelings. In this transition in my life, as minor a transition it may appear, God has opted to calm me. At first I tried to fight it because I'm über stubborn, but I've decided to give up the fight, and have faith that the place I'm at in life is only preparing me for what is yet to come. I know there will be days that I worry, and that there will be days that I fail to get this idea through my thick skull. However, from this point on I have decided to "seek first his kingdom." Like I said before writings this blog, it's a deep one. I hope that if you find yourselves wrestling with God, and failing to see the bigger picture, that this blog may bring you comfort. If not, that's okay too. You may even disagree with me. If that's the case, I hope you find your own way of releasing your worries. As much as this blog was written for you to read, it was written to be a reminder to me. I hope you all are having a great day. I miss you all, and can't wait to catch up with you in the near future! Preston Sereg

Things So Far

Hey Everyone!

Well I have been in St. Paul (White Bear Lake, Maplewood, and Woodbury) for almost a week now. The time is going by so fast, and it has been a crazy experience thus far. I would be dishonest if I told you that it has been easy, and that I have loved every minute of it. In fact, it has been an extremely hard week for me, but things are getting better. My job is definitely a new experience. It is extremely hard to go into a fast paced environment, such as an emergency room, and try to teach someone how to do a job that requires a lot of work and practice. I consider myself a patient guy, and my patience has been tested this week. Who woulda thunk it! I now have a completely new appreciation for teachers.

I am currently working at St. John's Hospital in Maplewood, MN. It is a part of a group of hospitals entitled, Health East. The main emergency room, that sees the high acuity patients, is 14 beds with some overflow, and the other part of the emergency room dedicated to much more minor cases is 9 beds with additional overflow. It is a completely different environment than the 17 bed emergency room that I worked at in Waterloo. I have worked with three different doctors now, and they are far different, and much less open than the doctors that I worked with in Waterloo. One of the registration nurses has taken a liking to me and calls me "scribe," even though she now knows my name. I have never had my name made fun of so much in my entire life. Apparently "Preston" is quite the name up here. One of the doctors told me that I should be a butler or a lawyer with a name like Preston. He also thinks I should be a butcher or a professional body guard. If only he knew how much of a teddy bear I was......I'm definitely not going to just throw that out there.

I have learned several things already living in a booming metropolis. Some are quite funny, and others are, meh.

1) Make friends with the receptionist at the hotel you stay at.....they have coupons for free things. When I checked in to my new hotel yesterday the receptionist must have taken a fancy to me because she gave me a coupon for a free large pizza and a free drink at the restaurant that is attached to the hotel. Ballin! I actually used it today, and the pizza was very good. My waitress told me she hadn't seen one of those coupons in quite some time.....I felt special ;) The receptionist also told me to come to the night club she worked at because they were having a Marilyn Manson (spelling?) concert.....I attract the weirdos. I gratefully declined, of course.

2) Do not wear khakis, a button up shirt, and wear a back pack in downtown Minneapolis during business hours. You will be under-dressed. People were looking at me like I was some sort of alien...and I kind of felt like it. I literally had people coming up to me asking me if I was lost, and of course, I was.

3) Do not watch horror movies if you intend to live in a big city by yourself. I was looking behind me every step I took in the parking garage, and I might as well baracade my hotel door every night. For my friends reading this....that is why I refuse to watch horror movies.

4) Buy a GPS. I never believed in GPS until this week. If driving around with an Iowa license plate doesn't already make me a target for angry Minnesotans, not knowing where I am going would definitely get me killed. My GPS has now become my best friend, and I will love her til the day I die.

5) Don't try to make friends with the one nurse that looks like she could beat up Chuck Norris. She will shut you down faster than you can ever imagine. It's best just to smile and nod.....show no weakness.

6) Only go to a hospital that has a slushy machine. Yes, the emergency room that I work at has a free slushy machine. Legit!

7) Hanging out with yourself is not always a bad thing. Today was my day off, and I decided that rather than sit in my hotel room and think about how much I missed everyone at home; (correct usage of the semi-colon, Sarah?) I would go out and explore. Explore to me ended up being eating lunch at the restaurant attached to my hotel, buying a couple books at Barnes and Nobel, reading at Starbucks, and going to see a movie. Call me Curious George ;) The things that you see and hear, that you normally wouldn't, can actually be quite humorous. Being left alone to my thoughts usually scares me, but it was actually kind of nice just to enjoy the quiet today. Oh, I found my next job and possible life long career today. The mall in Maplewood has a train that is free to move around the entire mall. There was a kid my age driving that bad boy......totally taking his job!

Well that is pretty much all I have right now. I miss you all at home, and hope to see you all soon. I hope you guys are enjoying your summer and experiencing your own adventure.

Preston "Scribe" Sereg

The Year of Waiting

Hey Everyone,

Tonight as I sat down at my computer to blog for the first time in awhile I was able to reflect at what has happened in my life over the past few weeks. While my life is usually full of work and school, these past few weeks have been filled with several major occurrences. The first being my college graduation. Yep, I graduated....keep it on the down low though because I'm still not sure they didn't make  mistake. Secondly, and probably my most favorite, two of my best friends in the entire world got married this weekend. Picture the perfect couple in your mind (no, not me and Taylor Swift), and you will have pictured Molly and Seth. I was so fortunate to share in their wedding, and also leave them with a few pictures that are sure to get a few eye rolls. The third event happens to be one that occurs tomorrow/today.

 Tomorrow afternoon I will depart from everything that I have become comfortable with over the past 21, and especially past four years, of my life to start a full-time job for the next year. As time has gotten closer I have become more and more apprehensive about taking this risky step of faith. Last night I was seriously considering calling the company and regretfully declining the position. A decision that I most definitely would have regretted in the future. Until this point of my life I have pretty well been able to sit in the driver's seat of my life, or so I believed, and feel completely in control. Lack of control is an aspect of life that I don't handle so well....surprise, right?

Fortunately for me, God has placed some wonderful people in my life. My parents, family, and friends, whether they know it or not, have all played a huge influence in my ability to take this step. Tonight while I was reading my devotional for the day, I was smacked in the face by God's overwhelming awesomeness. In the next paragraph I am going to quote the passage that I read in Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young.

"Thank me in he midst of the crucible. When things seem all wrong, look for growth opportunities. Especially, look for areas where you need to let go, leaving your cares in My able hands. Do you trust Me to orchestrate your life events as I choose, or are you still trying to make things go according to your will? If you keep trying to carry out your intentions while I am leading you in another direction, you deify your desires. Be on the lookout for what I am doing in your life. Worship Me by living close to Me, thanking me in all circumstances."

Yeah, I thought it was rather fitting as well. I find it so amazing how God speaks to us through literature, and how it can completely change your outlook on a situation. Don't get me wrong, I am still very anxious about this next step, but after reading this tonight I know that it is something I am being called to do. A great friend told me that we grow the most in situations that we are the most uncomfortable, and I know that she is right. Over this next year I am most definitely going to grow and be challenged, and I am ready to get uncomfortable to do so.

I know that this is a time of change for a lot of people, and some of you may be experiencing similar apprehensions as myself. If you find yourself in the same boat, I hope this post has offered you some sort of support. For those of you that aren't, you will be. Thank you all for reading, and I hope you have a fantastic week.

Preston Sereg

Looking Back

Hey Everyone!

I have been informed by UNI that somehow, someway they are going to let me graduate in a little under a month. Yeah, I am just as concerned with their idea as you are. There is absolutely no way I am capable as entering the real world as a functional adult in a month. If only they knew that just last week my buddy Seth and I bought superhero masks and nerf swords. Yes, that really did happen. Don't judge. This whole graduation thing has got me thinking and reminiscing on my past four years of college. Being the manly man that I am, I would never feel sentimental about these past four years, but I thought it might be kind of fun to share a few of my top favorites. Warning: These stories very well could be "you had to be there" type stories.

1. Probably one of my favorite memories of college is the spring break trip of my junior year. For spring break a bunch of my friends and I made the fantastic choice of taking a cruise to the Caribbean for a week. During our cruise we traveled to Honduras, Belize (well most of us made it to Belize), Grand Cayman, and Cozumel (Mexico). Rum punch, the near death experience on our plane ride home, Brady's monkey call, the cougar, eating Chinese food in a Latin American country and the extremely inappropriate couple at Senor Frogs are just a few of the very fond memories I have of this trip.
2. Double Rainbow. If you haven't seen the video, "Double Rainbow", on Youtube please watch it. You will not regret it. My roommate, Taylor, and I had an extreme obsession with this video our Junior year of college, and one night while heading to Cedar Rapids for one of our many many many Buffalo Wild Wings trips we just so happened to see a double rainbow. To make a long story short we ended up dying laughing looking at this double rainbow. As tears streamed down our face our other friend, Tim, had no idea why we were laughing so hard. This is probably one of those stories you would have to be there for.
3. Club Zeal. Club Zeal was a bible study that I went to my Freshman year. It was at this bible study that I met some of my closest friends in college. 
4. Brodates. Oh, I have been on many brodates throughout my college career.Probably my favorite brodate included Taylor (whom was in attendance for most of my brodates) and I going to dinner and then seeing Bridesmaids in theater. From answering "no" to every inevitable "are you two together" question all the way to sharing popcorn and laughing louder than any female in that theater, this was definitely a favorite of mine. 
5. The trip to my house in Oskaloosa. A couple of my friends and I had this great idea to take a trip back to the good ol' town of Oskaloosa for a weekend. Tim, Seth, and I set up an awesome tent in my front yard to sleep because we are men, and that is what men do while Molly and Sarah decided that they liked the comfort of the house much better. Terrible choice. Speaking of terrible choice, they decided that they wanted to go to Pella for Happy Joe's Pizza (the only good thing about the choice) and to spend a few hours forcing me to remember exactly why I hate Pella. Yes my hatred for Pella was instilled in me at a young age, and was only increased during my sporting years at Osky, but I am still not ready to give up that deep hatred for the Dutch. My dog, Tucker, also decided that he liked my friend Sarah on the trip, and tried to consummate their relationship several times during our trip. 
6. The trip I took with my middle school students in theROCK to Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun in Kansas City
7. Living with my current roommates. So many good memories that I will not begin to even try to list them all. Just know that I had a ton of fun with you guys, and will always remember 3029 Cottonwood Ln. 
8. The dorms. Most people consider the dorms to be one of the worst parts of their college experience....not this guy. Playing pranks on Tim, shaving my head, Taylor's Asian flag, The Prank (Taylor, Cassie, Boaty, and Hannah know what I'm talking about), long hair don't care, the tree in our bathroom, and the tootsie roll poop are just a few on the list of my favorites. 
9. Trips home. The best part about college, is going home. I remember leaving for college, and thinking how excited I was to be out on my own and to not have to answer to anyone. Boy was I sadly mistaken. I soon found out that home was a place I felt safe, a place I was always welcome, and home to my favorite people in the world. There is nothing better than coming home from college and entering your house to a big hug from your mom, a shrieking "Preston" from your sister, and a smile on your dad's face. Ahhhhhh.......home :)
10. Sunday morning church with Tim and Sarah.

There are many, many more memories that I have from college, but these are just a few of my favorites. Sorry if this was boring for you to read, but I imagine if you were involved in these memories you may have enjoyed this as well. Hope all is well with you all!

Preston Sereg

A New Adventure

Hello Friends,

Wow, it has been a long time since I have posted on here. I'm sure you all have missed my elegant wording, philosophical input, and just overall quality writing......HAHA who am I kidding. Well, for those of you that do enjoy reading my blog I wanted to kind of give you an update on my life lately....it has been surprisingly exciting over these past few weeks. (Shocking, I know ;) )

First things first, med school update. Well it's not looking promising. I have two schools yet to reply, but the others have declined my acceptance into medical school for this Fall. It's okay to shed a few tears, my wallet and  I shed a few ourselves. At first I was really, really upset about this. I couldn't believe that after all the time, effort, and faith that I had put into this hadn't paid off. I was angry at God, I was angry at myself, and I was angry at anyone else that told me I shouldn't be upset. However, I have decided to take a new approach with this experience. I now know how the MCAT works, how the application process goes, and I will be ready to reapply next year. Over this next year I know that there is something I am supposed to do, something I am supposed to learn, maturity (which we all know I lack) to gain, and life to experience. While I may not be happy with the timing, I am willing to put my desires aside to follow the plan God has laid out for me.

That being said, I also have some very exciting news (No, I am not dating, engaged, or anywhere close to either of those. Sorry Mom haha). I have accepted a full time position with a company called Elite Medical Scribes (EMS). EMS is currently located in Minneapolis, MN. As most of you know, I currently work as a scribe in the ER at Covenant Hospital in Waterloo. For those of you that don't know what a scribe is....let me tell you. My job is to do all of the medical charting, during an exam, for the physician I am assigned to. I also check up on labs, test results, and other relevant materials to increase the efficiency of the physician. The company I was hired by offers the same assistance as the company I am currently employed by. However, my job will be slightly different in my new job. Instead of working as a scribe at one location, my job will be to travel to new locations to train scribes. When the company sets up a new site, I will be sent to help the company train the scribes and get the site up and running. In between sites I will be helping the company develop training materials, and assisting wherever I am needed. These locations have the potential to be located throughout the country, and I will most definitely be doing a lot of traveling over the next year. Surprisingly enough, I will be moving to Texas in the middle of May, shortly after two of my best friends get married (hope you enjoyed the shout out Molly and Seth). Yes, the company is based in Minnesota, and I will be moving to Texas.

I am extremely excited to begin this new adventure in my life, but I am also very anxious as well. I have become quite accustomed to life in Cedar Falls, and I absolutely love it here. I will be leaving a church that I adore, a town that I like more than my own (don't worry Osky, you are still my first love), and the people that I love. I have been extremely blessed to have such a great college experience, and I am apprehensive to leave it behind. However, I know that this new experience offers me a chance to grow, and gain some great life experience. The networking and experiences I will have will be great for my, hopeful, future career as a physician.

I hope that all is well with all of you, and that you as well find yourself with upcoming adventures. If not, hang in there for it will soon be your time. Thank you all for reading!

Preston Sereg