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Jenna Smith
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July 31, 2008
Check out all the "Posting Up" entries HERE
Posting Up With Jenna #3 // July 31, 2008
All-American center Jenna Smith will be keeping Illini fans up-to-date on Illinois basketball this summer. In the third installment of "Posting Up," Smith talks about her birthday celebration, summer classes winding down and her plans for the rest of the summer.
Quality time with the team
So as the summer moved along and conditioning was getting semi-easier things seemed to get better. I was turning the big 20 on July 25th. My mother went threw withdrawals the day of my birthday realizing that she had no more children in teenage years. I started laughing because while I'm celebrating she is off throwing a pity party because she thinks she is getting old. Ha ha, I keep trying to tell her she is not old but she doesn't care. But it is weird to know that I am not in my teen years anymore.
Anyway, the team all decided to go out for my birthday. We all went to Chipotle on the day to eat. I eat Chipotle so much they know me by name there and even know my order. They always make jokes about me coming in there so much that they'll give out free food (that's what I am talking about). ☺ So the whole team either went to Chipotle or grabbed Penn Station and brought it back to my place.
At my place we all just hung out and played games with everyone. Some of the men's team members came and hung out as well like Demetri McCamey and newcomer Stan Simpson and football player Rahkeem Smith also came by. We had everyone you could name there just hanging out and celebrating the big 20!
Besides that, my friend on the soccer team, Charlotte Cooke, threw a get together at her house for me. We played games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero and different games on Wii. Then on Saturday the whole team got together and went out to eat to the Olive Garden. That place has the best pasta! It was fun just to hang out and enjoy each other's company. We talked about workouts and just got to know each other better outside of the gym and classes. Overall it was fun to hang out with my teammates for my birthday!
Classes Winding Down
Classes are classes. Another day goes by and we get closer to being done for the summer and going home for a bit. As I get older I feel like everything is going by so fast. I think about it and I am halfway done, I can't believe it. I am starting my major in Community Health, which I am extremely excited about! Also it's good to see the freshman get a head start on school and to get a little taste of how the year will be when you're tired from workouts but you still have to do your homework. It is finals week now and it's starting to get stressful with all the projects and papers that need to be done. But with workouts finished for the summer we have a lot of time to get things done. Another summer almost down, another year coming up!
Rest of Summer
So as far as the rest of the summer, we're all just ready to take a break before the regular school year starts. Classes ended this week and workouts ended last week. Finals are almost done and then we're all staying here this weekend to play and work at our Elite Camp before we all head out for a couple weeks before returning in late August. I will be headed to Cleveland with Lydia McCully to hang out there. Since she came to Minnesota last month and thought it was boring (at least for a while, but I know she had fun there), I am going go see how Cleveland is. We're also going go hang out with Chelsea Gordon in Erie, Pa., since they only live about an hour and half away from each other. After my trip there, I will be headed back to the great state of Minnesota. I'll have some time to see some friends before all our seasons start and will get some quality time to relax with the family. The best part about going home is being spoiled by your parents. Home cooked food and getting catered to is the life (just ask coach Law)!
Well thanks for keeping up with my life. Nothing too exciting besides me turning the big 20! ;) I hope everyone has a great end to the summer. I'll write all about my trip out east and back home when I get back.
Go Illini!
-JJ
