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Brooke and Layla discuss the events on this past summer and semester!
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Creators and Guests
Host
Brooke Lyle
Host
Layla Mullen
What is Touching Concrete?
Have you ever been told you need to touch grass? Well, you don't need to do that here, join us as we touch concrete instead. Meaning you should join us to hear our take on everything internet and stick around to hear what goes on with NC State student clubs. So go inside, put on some headphones, and tune in. Touching Concrete is a podcast by WKNC 88.1 FM HD-1/HD-2.
00:05
Brooke
Hey, guys. Welcome back touching Concrete. My name is Brooke.
00:08
Layla
And my name is Layla.
00:10
Brooke
And we are finally back.
00:12
Layla
Thank goodness.
00:13
Brooke
Thank goodness.
00:14
Layla
It's been years.
00:15
Brooke
It's literally been centuries.
00:18
Layla
Like, this semester has been so busy.
00:21
Brooke
It's been so busy. We've had no time to get in the stew. But we finally made it today, and I could not be happier about it.
00:27
Layla
It's something in the air. It just feels right.
00:29
Brooke
It feels right back in the stew, back in with the headphones and the mics and the setup and everything. It's just like I'm feeling happy.
00:36
Layla
I'm in the right place at the right time.
00:39
Brooke
Amen. So let's just go back. The last episode we had was in April, May, and since then, we had summer break, and we've had basically an entire semester. So let's just start from the top and recap it.
00:56
Layla
Let's. Let's go back to May. May finals happened, by the way.
01:03
Brooke
By the way. It was horrible. Finals were horrible last semester. And also me and Layla. Typically, not this semester, but typically, we are the last people on this campus.
01:17
Layla
Seriously.
01:18
Brooke
Like, I'm not even playing Last. Last day. Last time slot. Both of us.
01:24
Layla
Yeah.
01:25
Brooke
And so we're in the trenches for several. Several days during finals.
01:29
Layla
Every time, I lose all motivation. As soon as everyone else goes home, I'm like, oh, it's. It's my time to go home too. No, you actually have a final at 10pm on the last day, at 11pm.
01:40
Brooke
At 1am on the last day.
01:42
Layla
Like, every year except this semester. For me, for Layla. I am leaving on the 5th of December.
01:50
Brooke
That is unheard of.
01:52
Layla
Genuinely.
01:53
Brooke
And I am leaving not on the fifth. Wait, is that the Friday?
01:56
Layla
Mm.
01:57
Brooke
I leave on that Monday. I have my last final.
01:59
Layla
Really? Oh, I didn't realize it was that close.
02:01
Brooke
Yeah. So I'm not. I won't be here forever either, but definitely longer than. A whole weekend. Longer than you.
02:06
Layla
Yeah.
02:08
Brooke
And that is my. And we'll get into this later with the classes that we're taking, but that exam is my fluid mechanics exam, which that class has been putting me through the wringer, so I am actually glad I have the whole weekend to focus on it.
02:19
Layla
Yeah.
02:20
Brooke
But we can get into that later.
02:22
Layla
Totally.
02:22
Brooke
So let's go back to May. We finished our finals, and it was a sigh. Or I breathed a. What's the saying?
02:30
Layla
I sighed. I bright.
02:32
Brooke
I breathed a sigh of relief. I sighed in relief.
02:37
Layla
A relief. I sighed in relief.
02:40
Brooke
Something like that. You.
02:42
Layla
You get it.
02:42
Brooke
You guys know what I'M saying I. I felt calm again. I was happy again. Everything was right. And then we, like, watched movies. We went to the pool. That was like the best time because it was. It was so just relaxing because I.
02:57
Layla
Had my Biz Law final on the last day. And then went to Duck Donuts.
03:02
Brooke
Yes, I remember that.
03:03
Layla
And then the pool and the movies, and it was just so fun. And so summer of us.
03:08
Brooke
So summer.
03:09
Layla
But I'm just gonna go first with my summer because Blake's was a lot more interesting than mine.
03:14
Brooke
Let's hear it.
03:15
Layla
So basically what I did was worked all summer. I worked every day, which, like, you know, is a normal thing for most people, but, like, 20, right?
03:28
Brooke
And where do you work?
03:30
Layla
I work at Island Traders. Shout out. Island Traders Shout Out. I've been working there since I was 15. It's a little store in my hometown. I'll be back there next month getting that cash money.
03:41
Brooke
Cash money.
03:42
Layla
If you know. And I live at the beach, so I went to the beach a few times out in the boat. came down. Our friend Bibi went to my hometown. Our friend Bella.
03:58
Brooke
I had such a good time visiting you, by the way.
04:00
Layla
It was the best day. The day that BB and came to my hometown, went out the boat with my brother and we spent.
04:09
Brooke
The whole day, entire day, the entire.
04:12
Layla
From morning till night, out in the boat, which I'm surprised we didn't get as burnt.
04:17
Brooke
I was pretty burnt. I won't lie to you.
04:19
Layla
Your back was pretty burnt, but.
04:21
Brooke
And my scalp, as always.
04:24
Layla
But it was so fun. Oh, it was so fun. We went to dinner after we got in from the boat. Like, we took a shower and. And got. Already went down to the.
04:37
Brooke
That's the best feeling after you've been, like, out in the sun and then you come home and recoup and go out to dinner. Yeah, that's peak summer.
04:43
Layla
It literally I. In the depths of winter, that is what I. What I crave. Yeah, literally the feeling that I crave.
04:49
Brooke
I crave it now.
04:51
Layla
Same. Oh, it's so gloomy outside today.
04:53
Brooke
It is. It's been raining. I crave that feeling again. It'll be here soon.
04:58
Layla
Yeah, soon enough.
05:00
Brooke
By the time before that, when I went down with Bella, I almost died in a rip current, by the way.
05:09
Layla
Genuinely.
05:09
Brooke
I'm not even kidding, you guys.
05:11
Layla
Near death experience. Not clickbait.
05:14
Brooke
Not clickbait. Like, guys, seriously, not clickbait. I almost died. And let me just tell you guys how it happened. So I was absolutely feigning for the water. I needed to be in the water, and Layla and Bella did not want to go swimming, and rightfully so, because.
05:31
Layla
Mind you, it's may like the water's still heating up, which isn't the big issue. Red flag.
05:38
Brooke
The big issue were the two red flags on the beach.
05:41
Layla
Absolutely. Literally.
05:42
Brooke
And you guys might think I'm saying red flags as in an Internet reference. No, I mean literal red flags signaling heavy rip currents do not enter the water. But I saw those red flags, and I looked past them. I looked past them and into the beauty of the water. And mind you, moments before I got in, Bella, she had Was wearing a hat. It fell into the water, whisked away within seconds, quickly.
06:12
Layla
Growing up at the beach, I was always made aware of the risk of, like, red flags, rip currents, how to get out of them. And so even when Bella's hat was whisked away so quickly, it shocked me because I was like, wow, leg.
06:30
Brooke
And, like, I'm not oblivious to the fact of rip currents either. I grew up going to the Outer Banks, which is, I think, notorious for how bad the waves are there. Yeah, but. And I am not, like, I am very scared of the ocean, so I don't really know what was in my system this day, but I just wanted to jump through the waves. But back to the story here. I get moments after Bella's hat has whisked away, I get in the water, and I'm just swimming to my heart's desire. And out of the corner of my ear. That's not a saying, but out of the corner of my ear, I hear whispers of my name. Like, guys whispers of my name. I turn back, Bella and Layla are miles away from me. Mind you, it's been one minute.
07:19
Layla
I swear, I had looked down at the water, and I hear Bella, like, Layla, don't you think 's getting a little too far out? And I look up and I'm like, yeah, I actually do think she is.
07:31
Brooke
She's pretty far.
07:32
Layla
And so we start. , . Like, , you need to come in. Like, you need to come back to shore. Like, you're getting a little far. And from the looks of it, she was just going further and further.
07:47
Brooke
Well, because I initially didn't hear you guys, so I was just content. And I didn't realize how rough the waves were, but once I looked back and saw how far away I had gotten, I realized how rough the waves were. And I kept on trying not to go under any more waves, but I couldn't because they Were too big and rough.
08:02
Layla
Yes.
08:03
Brooke
And so I had to go under them. And then I turn directly behind me and see this whole family. The only other people on the beach at this time.
08:12
Layla
Because it was so windy that day.
08:14
Brooke
Like, horrible conditions.
08:16
Layla
Yeah.
08:17
Brooke
They are looking at me. And this dad, like, typical dad, stands like a dad that is proud of his freshly mowed lawn.
08:24
Layla
Yeah.
08:24
Brooke
Staring at it. That's how he was staring at me. Like, you guys know what I'm saying? With the hands on the hips, puffed out chest. That's how he was standing. And I just. I didn't want him to have to come rescue me. So I locked in. I initially tried swimming straight to shore. And I don't know if you guys know anything about rip currents. You can't do that.
08:44
Layla
Gotta swim parallel.
08:46
Brooke
But I forgot that in the moment. And so then I eventually remembered I had to swim parallel. And then I got into the shore and ran back to home base.
08:55
Layla
Thank God.
08:56
Brooke
Thank goodness.
08:57
Layla
Like, seriously, I. That was one of those moments where I was like, oh, my God. I'm like, this is serious.
09:04
Brooke
Yeah. No, it was serious.
09:06
Layla
Because when you're in it, when you. If you've ever been caught in a rip current, like, the panic that sets.
09:12
Brooke
In, the panic ensues.
09:15
Layla
Like, it really, like, it washes over.
09:17
Brooke
You all of a sudden.
09:17
Layla
Yeah. And as much as you want to be like, oh, like, stay calm, swim parallel, like, whatever. You forget everything. So. But I'm glad you're sitting here today.
09:27
Brooke
Same also, just. By the way, moments after that, I got back in the water. I wish I was lying too.
09:37
Layla
Yeah.
09:38
Brooke
I just. That day I really wanted to swim.
09:41
Layla
Yeah.
09:41
Brooke
And I remember the second time I got back in, it, like, completely knocked me off my feet. And I was doing somersaults in the water. It was so rough.
09:49
Layla
It was.
09:49
Brooke
Water is so powerful. It is.
09:51
Layla
It's scary to think about, like, water. My mom, that's my mom's biggest fear really, is water. Just because you can't escape it. Like flooding or whatever. Like, you just can't escape it.
10:03
Brooke
Absolutely not.
10:04
Layla
But. So that was 's near death experience over the summer. Yeah. But literally I just worked all summer. Like, I didn't even. I didn't take a trip. I went to Greensboro to see Bibi and went to a rodeo.
10:20
Brooke
I really wish I could have been there.
10:21
Layla
It was fantastic.
10:23
Brooke
Wow. Gotta go back. So what did you like? What does a rodeo entail?
10:28
Layla
So this rodeo consisted of bull riding, barrel racing, and a concert.
10:37
Brooke
How do you get, like, involved in Barrel racing. Like, how do I become a barrel racer?
10:45
Layla
I think you're just kind of like, born into it. Honestly.
10:48
Brooke
Born into it. Like, I think it's more babies in barrel racing.
10:51
Layla
Yeah. I think it's more like a generational thing.
10:53
Brooke
Shoot.
10:54
Layla
And then if you've listened to this podcast, you probably know that I like to hyper fixate on things. And so, of course, for a good month, I would say I was only researching things about bull riding.
11:08
Brooke
Right.
11:09
Layla
Like, the most famous bull riders. I forget his name, but there's this really, like, he's a $7 million bull rider.
11:20
Brooke
Oh, my goodness.
11:21
Layla
And he. His last ride, well, he got kicked off of his bull and that was his last ride because it paralyzed him. Or not paralyzed him, but, like, broke his neck.
11:32
Brooke
Yeah.
11:33
Layla
But I went on a deep dive into him, but I can't remember his name. But, yeah, that was really pretty much it. My big Mary came and visited me. That's pretty much it. And Natalie and Maggie. Shout out.
11:50
Brooke
Shout out. Sounds like pretty. Like a chill summer. Like, reset after a busy semester, headed into another busy semester, good break in between.
12:00
Layla
And I feel like, honestly, that was kind of like my last summer at home in a way, because it's like, sneak peek into summer. This next summer, I'm studying abroad, hopefully. And then it's like after that, like.
12:16
Brooke
I'll be out in the real world. Yeah.
12:18
Layla
So it's kind of my last summer at home, I feel like. But, , take it away. What was your summer like?
12:28
Brooke
All right, you guys, I had the craziest summer. I'm not even gonna lie. So before. So I studied abroad this summer session two for five weeks in London. But before I get into that, I'll talk about what I did before. So I just stayed at home, but I took two summer classes, summer sessions. So over the course of the summer, I took 12 credits, which is a lot. But I took an economy class and a statistics class, and they were brutal. Yeah. So I took those classes and I just kind of saw my hometown friends. I went a lot of hiking. I went to visit my sister. Oh, I think I've mentioned this on this podcast. I. My freshman year, went to Virginia Tech, and over the summer, I went up to see my friends from Virginia Tech.
13:21
Brooke
And at the Virginia Tech football games, they play Inner Sandman, which is a song by Metallica, for those who may not be aware, like, as the team is entering the field. And so Metallica came to Virginia Tech to have a concert. And so I went up there to go see It. It was really cool. And then I visited my sister in Tennessee and, yeah, I was pretty chill. Honestly, before I left, I watched a lot of Love Island.
13:48
Layla
Yes.
13:49
Brooke
So much Love Island.
13:50
Layla
Totally. That took up the majority of my summer.
13:53
Brooke
Yeah. It was. I. I won't lie, I didn't get to finish the season because I did leave. And something that people. People being me may not think about is that when you're in a different country, they don't have Love island usa.
14:10
Layla
Love island uk.
14:12
Brooke
They have Love island uk. But it's interesting because we have Love Island UK here and usa.
14:17
Layla
Yeah.
14:18
Brooke
But in England, they have only one. And so when I got over there, I couldn't continue watching the season. Heartbreaking.
14:26
Layla
Yeah.
14:28
Brooke
But I was still supporting from the sidelines. But before I left, I did consume a lot of reality television in the form of Love island usa.
14:36
Layla
Like, never has a TV show made me that mad. Right after every episode, I would debrief with a group of friends and then have to, like, seriously think about why this show was making me so mad.
14:50
Brooke
Like, I had to go touch grass, touch concrete. Literally, were touching too much concrete. We had to go touch grass.
14:58
Layla
It was so bad.
15:00
Brooke
But should we just recap some? This is such old news, by the way. But what, like, it's still relevant, Honestly? Yeah, some of the things that people say now are, like, come from that show and they're just relevant now. Like, yeah, I'm a mom from Huda.
15:17
Layla
Yeah, everybody.
15:18
Brooke
Like, people say that all the time.
15:19
Layla
My dream date.
15:20
Brooke
My dream. I literally say that all the time. My dream date. Cute.
15:24
Layla
She's from Raleigh, by the way. Crazy.
15:28
Brooke
I literally say that's my dream date all the time. And that comes from that show. So very culturally relevant. But I didn't get to finish. Shoot. Anyways, so that was my summer before. And then at the end of June, I left for London. And in London, I took two classes. I took an ISE class, which is Industrial Systems Engineering. And then I took an English class. English. It was like a specific technical writing class. They're both good, but I had to. When the days I had class over there, I was in class from 9am to 5pm that's crazy. With an hour in between.
16:11
Layla
It would.
16:12
Brooke
They were long days. And I won't lie about it.
16:15
Layla
Why, like, were the classes just split, like the morning and the afternoon?
16:21
Brooke
So there was four classes you could take on my program. The program that I did was UK Liberal Arts. Liberal Arts and stem. And there's four classes. There was the ISE and the English class that I took. And then the other two were a music class about the Beatles and then a philosophy class or an ethics class. And so there were the four classes and they switched like, what days they were on. So like one week, one class would be Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and the next week would be Tuesday, Thursday. But just the way my cookie crumbled, both my classes were on the same day. So some people had class every day just depending on the classes that they took. But it just depended on what class you took and the time it was at.
17:06
Brooke
Mine just happened to be on the same day every single time. And from 9am to 5pm A full time job. Full time. And I get it because there's only a five week class. They have to fit everything in. But it was long. Yeah. And they don't have AC over there. And we got there in the middle of a heat wave, so it was so hot when we first got there. But nevertheless, the best time of my life. I. I had so much fun. I met such good people. Like everybody on the trip was so nice and I did so much. London is like such a vibrant city and the musical theater scene over there is insane. And so I saw a bunch of shows.
17:50
Brooke
I saw Cabaret, which I've been wanting to see for so long, and I'm so glad I got to see it. And it was. The experience was so cool because they make you like put a sticker over your phone, over the camera of your phone, so you can't record anything. And it was just like a cool atmosphere. I saw six, which was good. And I wanted to see it in England because it's about like the Kings or King Henry. King Henry, yeah. And the Six Wives. So I wanted to see it while I was over there just because of the relevance of it all. I saw Les Mis, which was good. I was in the rafters for that, like the. The back of the back. And then I saw the Great Gatsby, which changed my life, by the way. So good.
18:42
Brooke
I had never, like, I had never heard anything about it. But for one English assignment, were able to. We had to like navigate to a place on her own and write about it. And the program paid for our experience and so the school paid for my ticket to see it.
19:01
Layla
Oh, wow.
19:02
Brooke
And so one, it was free for me to do it. Well, obviously I paid for the program, but I didn't have to pay extra for the ticket. And so that made it even better. But it was just so good. I never heard anything about it. And the music was Fantastic. And I love musicals, so I was so into it. Oh, and Blue Corbin, who is. What's his name in High School Musical?
19:27
Layla
I know who you're talking about.
19:28
Brooke
I'm not sure his name in High School Musical, but one of the guys from High School Musical was my Gatsby. Or not my Gatsby. My.
19:37
Layla
Really?
19:37
Brooke
What's the main guy in the Great Gatsby's name who, like, lives in the shack next to Gatsby? Can't remember.
19:46
Layla
Couldn't tell you.
19:46
Brooke
But that's the guy who. It was.
19:48
Layla
Really?
19:49
Brooke
Yes. It was so cool.
19:51
Layla
Wow.
19:51
Brooke
Yeah. Oh, and while I was over there, Jonathan Bailey was doing a Shakespeare like Run, but I did not get to go see it. But he was doing that, and I saw it everywhere.
20:00
Layla
Jonathan Bailey.
20:03
Brooke
I saw another show, but I'm blanking on it. Wicked. Oh, yes. By the way, how could I have forever forgotten that on a day like today? On a day like today.
20:13
Layla
Release day. Happy Release day.
20:15
Brooke
Happy Wicked Release day. Yes, I saw Wicked. Changed my life. Wicked in general has changed my life. But British Elphaba and British Glinda changed my life.
20:28
Layla
I'm jealous.
20:29
Brooke
It was so good. Oh, and I had, like, the whole theater, when you first walk in, was lit green and they had fun drinks that were. It was like a slushie and you could get a pink one or a green one. And so I think I got the pink one, but, yeah, fantastic.
20:46
Layla
Wow. I'm so jealous.
20:47
Brooke
So I loved the musical. I just loved, like, the West End scene over there. And there was so much to do. There's so much shopping, like, cool places to go. I saw all the sights. I went on the London Eye. I saw Big Ben. We got, like, afternoon tea, which is more of a touristy thing, but it was so really cool. And it was a thing, like, a long time ago, but that was really cool. And. Oh, I, like, navigated the tube, which. One thing about me is that I love public transportation. Like, that's kind of strange, but I do because I think it makes a city better when it's not, like, so car centric.
21:28
Layla
Yeah.
21:29
Brooke
So I love public transportation anyways, but I had to navigate the tube, and so that was just an experience on its own. It's very. I have been to London once before, but I was only there for 12 hours. And in my 12 hours, I thought that the tube was very easy because it only went one line. And I thought that was the. I thought that was the extent of the whole program. However, when I was there over the summer, I learned that it was not, in fact, only one line, and there are several lines, and it is very confusing. But by the end, I was expert. I'd like to say love it. And I felt like a local because sometimes people would come out to me asking me where to go.
22:09
Layla
Really?
22:10
Brooke
Because I just looked that confident.
22:11
Layla
Wow.
22:11
Brooke
Yeah. And then I had to come in with my American accent and ruin their hopes and dreams.
22:17
Layla
Sorry about it.
22:18
Brooke
Sorry. But I still told them. Told me. I still told them where to go, so that's a win in my book. And that happened to me not this past summer, but the summer before. I was an intern in Washington, D.C. and so I was pretty good at the Metro there, too. And me and my sister went back last winter to. We went to New York, but we had a layover in D.C. and we had to take the Tube. Not the Tube, the Metro, to a different airport. Random event. But these two ladies stopped me and asked me where to go because they just look so confident.
22:53
Layla
I just love that confidence is key.
22:56
Brooke
Confidence is key. And I. I love being asked for directions in a subway anyways. Not a subway like the restaurant, a subway like the train, just for some clarification. But yes, navigating the Tube, definitely a major experience on my trip. Oh, went to the London Tower, which was cool. We went tower Bridge, which. This is a common misconception. People think that Tower Bridge is the London Bridge because it's the bridge that looks really pretty. But the London Bridge is, in fact, very boring and not pretty at all, really. And it literally is labeled London Bridge. And the only thing, only time it's pretty is at night when they light it a color, like, light up purple or something. But Tower Bridge is, like, the main attraction. But people call it the London Bridge because they're just confused.
23:47
Brooke
And actually, the other day, me and my roommates were doing this, like, quiz on YouTube where it would show you. I don't even know what it was, but it would, like, show you a picture and you had to guess what it was or something. And it showed Tower Bridge, but the options didn't say Tower Bridge, it said the London Bridge. And I was, like, getting aggravated because that's not right.
24:07
Layla
Right.
24:07
Brooke
So if you're gonna have a quiz on YouTube, please get your facts straight.
24:10
Layla
Call it by its name.
24:11
Brooke
Yeah, call. Call it by its freaking name. But went to Tower Bridge all the time because it was right next to where were living. And, yeah, I just, like, learned so much about the English culture. I did a lot of shopping and Also I went to Amsterdam while I was over there, which was the best time of my whole life. We, I love the city of Amsterdam. It's so cool how it's like water canals and it was so beautiful. And then I also went to Spain, which it was so hot there. I was sweating, I was sweating the entire time. But it was very beautiful and I had a great time and the water, went on this like boat tour and the water was like really blue, really pretty and we swam around just taking in the air on the boat. Wow.
25:05
Brooke
Take me back.
25:06
Layla
Wow, I'm so jealous.
25:08
Brooke
But yeah, studying abroad was the best thing I've ever done. I think I seriously would not trade that experience for the world. And so if anybody listening has the opportunity, mind you. Another Love island reference. Maya. Maya Papaya.
25:23
Layla
Ms. Maya Papaya.
25:25
Brooke
If anybody has the opportunity to study abroad, please take it. Even if it's only like a spring break thing or something. It was seriously so good and I'm so excited that you are getting the opportunity this summer.
25:38
Layla
Yes, I hope so. I applied so we'll see what happens with that. But I definitely think studying abroad is a good thing, especially somewhere like NC State. Like the fact that we're even offered it is. Just take the opportunity I think. Yeah, the opportunity. And also it's like when are you going to be our age traveling around the world while also getting credits.
26:12
Brooke
Right.
26:12
Layla
And meeting new people. So.
26:14
Brooke
Right. It's such a unique thing.
26:16
Layla
Yeah.
26:18
Brooke
And also I will say I didn't think I would get the opportunity to study abroad because I initially wanted to do a semester and so I was looking into the different programs and with my major my classes just weren't transferring right between the different schools. But then when I looked into the short term programs, they had one that was specifically for STEM majors. Well, and liberal arts, but also stem. And so I was very glad I found a program that fit for me. And also like God had my degree requirements because some people on my program were just taking those classes for fun and like it wasn't fulfilling any degree requirements. But I got two of my classes done for my degree and so I was very thankful for that and that I could found something that worked out.
27:00
Brooke
And so yes, if you have the opportunity and it works out for your requirements, please do it. Totally. So fun.
27:09
Layla
I love it.
27:12
Brooke
Yeah. So then I studied abroad and then I came home and okay, so my senior year of high school, one of my best friends was a foreign exchange student from Italy and so she came to visit, she Was already here when I got home from my trip. And that was just such a fun time having her. I haven't seen her in two years, and so it was great to have her back. And we just did all the things we used to do in high school, which was sweet. And, yeah, that was really nice to come for her to be here to come back and her already be here. And then we had work week for Kappa.
27:51
Layla
Yes.
27:52
Brooke
Which was intense, but very fun. I had a lot of fun, like seeing everybody again for the first time in the semester. But it also was a very stressful time because I just had a lot going on. I just gotten home. My friend was visiting. Work week is intense. It's, like, all day every day. Yeah.
28:10
Layla
For those of you who don't know what work week is, me and are in Kappa Gamma shout out. And basically, work week is when all of the sororities come a week before class starts. And we're kind of just preparing for our recruitment. So when we get new members in the fall and we have all these themes every day, like. Like this year, it was, like, pirates one day and jungle. Jungle under the sea. Under the sea. We had, like, a matching sweatsuit set. So that takes up a week in the summer right before school starts, like I just said. But it's very stressful just because there's a lot of things to remember. It's hot.
29:04
Brooke
Very hot.
29:04
Layla
It's all day. But we're grateful for the opportunity, and we signed up for it, so. Yeah, we're not complaining. We're just letting you guys know.
29:14
Brooke
No.
29:14
Layla
Yeah.
29:14
Brooke
I, like, wouldn't trade the experience for anything, but it is very intense.
29:20
Layla
Yes.
29:22
Brooke
But honestly, because of how intense it is, it made recruitment a lot better because you know what you're supposed to be doing.
29:28
Layla
Yeah. 100.
29:30
Brooke
And recruitment. I. So just to talk about Kappa a little bit, I joined Kappa last as a sophomore in the spring. So I did cob, which is continuous open bidding, which basically means I didn't go through formal recruitment. I just, like, got coffee with one of the girls and then got my bid that way, which is not very typical, but it was really chill. And so I really knew nothing about formal recruitment because I'd never gone through it. I've only, like, heard stories and stuff. So I was honestly, really thankful for workweek because it did really prepare me for recruitment and what I had to do. Like, on being a recruiter.
30:17
Layla
I had.
30:17
Brooke
Something else to say about Kappa 2, but slipped my mind.
30:20
Layla
I don't even think we've really ever talked about Kappa. But if that's something anyone would be interested in, let us know.
30:27
Brooke
Yeah, hit us up. We can talk more about it.
30:29
Layla
A hundred percent. I went through primary recruitment, so I knew how it worked on the PNM side, which stands for potential new Member. I will say I was more nervous as a recruiter than as a pnm.
30:47
Brooke
It was so nerve wracking.
30:49
Layla
It's, it's just totally different. Like there's just so much to remember. Like, you know, you're meeting, you're talking to so many girls. It's. It takes a lot of energy. And I just wanted to make sure that I gave these girls the best first impression. And also, you know, was doing right by Kappa Gamma because I represent them. I represent the letters. But that took up like we said the week before. I've said. I feel like I've said it like three times.
31:25
Brooke
But yes, the week before school started and then. Okay, so let's get into the semester now. So we had work week and then school started. And what classes are you taking this semester?
31:35
Layla
So right now I'm taking Supply chain and Operations. Statistics.
31:44
Brooke
Statistics.
31:45
Layla
Yup.
31:45
Brooke
Statistics.
31:46
Layla
Yup.
31:49
Brooke
Timothy Chalamet, reference taking Marketing Methods.
31:54
Layla
I'm taking Sociology. I can't remember the exact name, but it's SOC203 for anyone really curious. I'm also taking a information technology class, so really getting into the nitty gritty of my degree, I guess. I'm a business major for those of you listening for the first time. And I will have to say my schedule is pretty fire this semester. You know, even though it's coming to a close, I have one class Monday, Wednesday, three classes Tuesday, two classes Thursday, no classes Friday. But this semester there's just been so much going on. It's really been a struggle to balance academics and a social life. And I also have an internship this semester which I love. I absolutely love that internship. But it's just been a lot and it's kind of hard to balance sometimes. But we're working through it.
33:01
Layla
And even though it is the end of the semester, we're working through it still.
33:05
Brooke
It's a work. It's always a work in progress.
33:07
Layla
It's always a work in progress. I will say I've had about an exam every week.
33:12
Brooke
Yeah, like same.
33:14
Layla
Seriously, one to two exams. Sometimes there would be three exams in a week. It really was a lot. But I've enjoyed the classes I've taken this semester. Honestly, I will say supply chain has kind of given me a run for my money, I just. Something about that class doesn't click for me and I don't know why. Yeah, that's like me with accounting as well. Something about it just does not click in my brain. But I'm glad I'm taking it and, you know, learning more about supply chain because it is important. But. What classes are you taking, ?
33:50
Brooke
This semester I took thermodynamics to. Oh, for those who are listening for the first time. I'm a mechanical engineering major, so I was taking thermodynamics. Two strengths of mechanical components, fluid mechanics and differential equations. And then also a PE class and also a mechanical lab. The second one. For those who may care. The lab is finished. The PE class is almost finished. I have just to do my post test for my mile and a half this coming Monday. This PE class honestly has given me my run for my money. I've had to do so much running this semester, it's honestly insane. Every day or every. The class is Monday, Wednesday. Every Monday, Wednesday I am running. Wow. Laps around the track and lifting weights. Like actually working out.
34:45
Brooke
And not that I thought that I wasn't gonna be working out in this class, but maybe I did think it was gonna be a little bit more chill. Yeah, no, I have been working out and I've been like, sore after these classes too. So. Yeah, don't those 100 level fitness requirements, like, tread lightly because don't let them scare you. Don't let them scare you, but also, like, know that you're going to be working out. Yeah, well, that's just my experience. But the professor was super chill. He was really nice and like, understanding. But were having to do things which I wasn't really expecting. And my other classes have been. I'm not gonna. I'm just gonna be completely honest. They've been really difficult. This semester has been one of my more difficult semesters, academically. Specifically fluid mechanics, which I touched on a bit earlier.
35:45
Brooke
But the classes I just like. It doesn't click for me. Like accounting doesn't for you. Fluid mechanics. It doesn't. It's not clocking to me.
35:55
Layla
Yeah.
35:58
Brooke
Right now or like this past week I had to do a homework on the Navier Stokes equation. If anybody out there listening has any knowledge, please hit me up for the Navier Stokes equation. I literally, like. It's not that. It's just hard to wrap your mind around sometimes. And there's so much intense calculus that I don't know because I really was bad at like, high, like, higher calculus. Like calc 3 I was horrible at it, so it's just not the class for me. But also, I think the reason that these classes have been so difficult is because I've. I've been like in a junior slump, maybe academically. Like, like you said, I've had a hard time balancing my social life, my academic life, all the things I've had a hard time balancing it.
36:50
Brooke
And I think I've put too much focus on my social life this semester, which has come back to bite me in the butt academically. But also it's because I've lost motivation. Like, I feel like I'm burnt out and I still have three more semesters to go and finals to get through.
37:08
Layla
Yeah, I know. For me, this semester has felt. I just feel like grown this semester. Like I'm realizing how close I am to graduation, honestly.
37:20
Brooke
Yeah.
37:21
Layla
And also this is no Tino shade, all lemonade. But my professors have really been saying like, the job market sucks. Like you guys are gonna have a hard time finding a job. Which I know they're saying that to prepare us and you know, make sure that you're doing anything that you can to hopefully get a job after graduation. But that just really scares me. Yeah. Because I know it's true.
37:53
Brooke
Right.
37:54
Layla
And also just on top of that, like the state of the world, like, it's just.
38:00
Brooke
Can we talk about the political and economic state of the world right now?
38:04
Layla
Like, it's really been a lot and it's just like real life is hitting.
38:10
Brooke
Yeah.
38:10
Layla
Like real responsibilities are starting to kick in. I don't know. It's also like a lot. A majority of mine and 's friends are graduating in May and I feel like that's just another reality hit.
38:27
Brooke
Yeah, it is. Like genuinely I at sitting at their graduations. Sob, sobbing, crying.
38:35
Layla
Anytime I look at them all together, I actually get teary eyed. And especially when they love to play the Climb by Miley Cyrus and they do it just to taunt me, I think. But it really. Like our friend group this semester specifically, literally does everything together. And not like we didn't before, but I feel like we've just gotten so close this semester, 100%. And so the thought of them leaving really shatters my soul into like a million pieces.
39:06
Brooke
Same.
39:07
Layla
It's just another reminder that we're growing up soon.
39:12
Brooke
Like, yeah, it's soon.
39:14
Layla
Yeah.
39:17
Brooke
Yeah, this. So this semester has been like a whirlwind. Honestly, I still feel like it's syllabus week. Like I just feel like I never Got in the mindset of it being a new semester.
39:27
Layla
I cannot believe it is the 21st of November, by the way. I cannot.
39:32
Brooke
It's wicked release day, by the way.
39:38
Layla
So good.
39:40
Brooke
But yes. Another thing that I did this semester, I started a new job which is very exciting. It's doing property tax analysis for a company that does consulting for renewable energy projects. And I've been really liking it. Everybody is so nice at this company. It's all online and I just. They just give me my tasks and I do them in between my classes. Yeah. And it's really nice. And I like it because. Especially because I want to go into the renewable energy field. So I feel like it's getting me like a foot in the door with that. Even though I don't want to be doing property tax analysis for the rest of my life. But it's given me a step in with the renewable energy aspect. So I've been very thankful for that. And.
40:31
Brooke
But again, just balancing work, school, social, everything else, it's been a lot.
40:37
Layla
Yeah. I. Similar to , I have an internship and that's been kind of hard to balance.
40:47
Brooke
But.
40:47
Layla
But my boss is so understanding. Like I could not be more grateful for her. Genuinely like so nice. And basically I just do like social media marketing for her and kind of behind the scenes stuff.
41:04
Brooke
And.
41:07
Layla
Like how said it's kind of her getting her foot in the door with the whole renewable energy. Same thing for me with social media marketing. And it's just been a lot to balance. But my boss is great and so understanding and is always like school comes first. But nonetheless the semester has been so crazy busy. Never have I ever been so busy.
41:35
Brooke
Me neither. Something to do every single day.
41:38
Layla
And when I tell you guys I'm gonna sleep the whole Thanksgiving break, I actually am not gonna wake up. I'm just gonna be asleep the whole time.
41:46
Brooke
Go home, fall asleep. Wake up when you need to come home.
41:48
Layla
Seriously?
41:49
Brooke
Yeah. I mean, I could not be more excited for Thanksgiving break.
41:54
Layla
Same. I need it bad.
41:58
Brooke
It is. I can't come soon enough. A few more days, we'll be there. But what have we been up to this semester? Like we keep on saying how we've been so busy, but what have we been doing?
42:07
Layla
We have been to a lot of concerts.
42:09
Brooke
A million concerts.
42:11
Layla
Yeah.
42:11
Brooke
And let's just touch on that. So went up to D.C. to see Tyler Childers.
42:16
Layla
So good.
42:17
Brooke
So good. By the way, you guys, he's just fantastic.
42:21
Layla
Yes.
42:21
Brooke
And an amazing performer. We saw Billie Eilish. Fantastic.
42:29
Layla
Genuinely the Best, if not the best, one of the best concerts I've ever been to.
42:35
Brooke
Same.
42:36
Layla
I. It was so good, I had to go see it twice.
42:38
Brooke
And she did.
42:39
Layla
She drove to Charlotte with my friend Carly. We drove three hours to Charlotte.
42:44
Brooke
But let's just talk about that concert, because that was an interesting one. So that. So we had been monitoring the ticket prices for about a month.
42:54
Layla
Yeah.
42:56
Brooke
Just waiting for them to drop because they were so expensive.
42:58
Layla
They were so expensive.
43:02
Brooke
And so we had been monitoring them, and the week before, they had really started to drop, but we knew the day of they'd go really low. And so. But that day, we had a Kappa bingo that we had to go to. And so we knew it would be kind of cutting it close with that and going to the concert at the same time. And that day, tickets had dropped really low. But I. We. Me and Layla text each other, and we're like, we're too stressed. We can't go to the concert. It's not in the cards.
43:31
Layla
Little did we know.
43:32
Brooke
We went.
43:33
Layla
We did.
43:33
Brooke
So were sitting at bingo, or we had already decided weren't going to go. I walk in the door to bingo. I look at Layla and I'm like, tickets are $40. We have to be there.
43:43
Layla
Yeah.
43:43
Brooke
And so we're sitting there, we're like, does anybody else want to come? We're going to go to Billie Eilish. So we find the tickets. We know who's going to go with us, and we're going to buy them. But we're like, let's just wait till the bingo's over so it's less stressful.
43:59
Layla
Ye.
43:59
Brooke
And so we go upstairs in the house and we're gonna buy the tickets. Tickets gone. Like, couldn't get them.
44:07
Layla
Couldn't get them.
44:07
Brooke
So were like, shoot, what are we gonna do? And the next. The tickets that were still left were way more expensive.
44:13
Layla
Yeah. They skyrocketed. They were so expensive.
44:16
Brooke
Yeah. We weren't gonna pay for it, but our friend Carly is like, well, let's just get in the car and drive over there and hopefully on the way, they'll drop.
44:24
Layla
And one thing about Carly, she loves a concert. She's been to about a million. She loves a concert. So she was like, why don't we just drive over to Lenovo and just see?
44:37
Brooke
Yeah. So we get in the car. Vibes are high.
44:42
Layla
Vibes are so high. We had enlisted our friend Ella as well.
44:46
Brooke
Yes.
44:47
Layla
So me, , Carly, and Ella en route to Lenovo.
44:50
Brooke
En route. And so we are in the Car before we've even left Greek Village. Layla is refreshing. Seatgeek. $36 tickets.
45:01
Layla
$36 for four tickets? Well, $4, you know what I'm saying? Each ticket was 36 per ticket. Yes. Never has $180 flew out of my bank account faster. Like.
45:15
Brooke
It was such a rush though.
45:17
Layla
Seriously was. I missed that feeling.
45:22
Brooke
Same. But we got the tickets, we got to the concert. Mind you, we're all in the clothes we wore to school that day.
45:28
Layla
I'm in a hot pink shirt and leggings.
45:30
Brooke
Not the vibe for Billie. Not at all.
45:33
Layla
Specifically her Hit Me Hard and Soft album, which is blue and orange and like, you know, Billie, like bandana jersey.
45:41
Brooke
And everybody was dressed to the nines.
45:43
Layla
Absolutely.
45:44
Brooke
But me. Jeans, oversized T shirt, grandma sweater.
45:49
Layla
Mm.
45:50
Brooke
Hair not done. No makeup.
45:52
Layla
I looked a wreck.
45:54
Brooke
Same. But I've never had more fun at a concert ever.
45:57
Layla
And were. I'm not gonna lie to you, were pretty high up in the ceiling.
46:02
Brooke
We were high up there, but it didn't matter because it was such a good concert anyways.
46:04
Layla
And also Billie's layout of the stage, it took up the whole venue basically. Like it wasn't. It wasn't cut off to half of the right, you know, Lenovo Center. But banger after banger, set list was impeccable.
46:27
Brooke
So I could not even, like, I couldn't even think of a better set list.
46:31
Layla
It was. And she is so talented.
46:34
Brooke
So talented by the.
46:36
Layla
Also, I just kept looking at her on the big screen and I was like, how do you look like that? Like, she is gorgeous.
46:43
Brooke
She's gorgeous. Skin, flawless.
46:45
Layla
Hair, hair perfect. Like, I just. I don't. And you can tell that she loves performing and she loves her bandmates and her backup singers. Like, you can tell she has genuine relationships with them. And of course I hyper fixated on her. And that's the only album I've really been listening to. And you know, I've taken a deep dive into everyone on the tour, but.
47:12
Brooke
Young Miko Young was the opening.
47:15
Layla
She is on my fyp. She is really big in Puerto Rico.
47:22
Brooke
Shout out her.
47:25
Layla
The beats of her song were good. I just did not understand what she's saying, which is to my own fault because.
47:30
Brooke
Speaking Spanish.
47:31
Layla
Yeah, Portuguese. I. When I looked it up, it was. It said like Spanglish. Like, okay, a mix. But the beats were good. And she still was an amazing performer. Yeah. When I went to see Billy the second time, just as good as the first.
47:51
Brooke
Wow.
47:51
Layla
It was so good. Oh, I miss it. I Miss her like a dear friend.
47:58
Brooke
Same. And I went to the Lumineers concert. And I also went to the Backseat Lovers. So good. Yes. We went to One More together. Did we?
48:13
Layla
No, I went to Renee Rapp.
48:16
Brooke
Okay. Yeah.
48:17
Layla
And she was fantastic. It was her hometown show. So in Charlotte. Drove three hours again.
48:28
Brooke
But I think that's all the concerts between us, though. Lots of concerts. Yeah.
48:33
Layla
Oh, and we already bought tickets for Peter MC Poland in February.
48:38
Brooke
Yeah. And on the hunt for Jack Johnson Tickets.
48:42
Layla
Yes, Jack Johnson. And there's someone else.
48:47
Brooke
Yeah. Lizzie McAlpine, I think, is releasing a tour soon. So we know. I'll be there. I'll be there. Pushing it down and praying live.
48:57
Layla
How are you feeling about it?
48:59
Brooke
I feel devastated about it. That song, first of all, so good. Devastating. But live. Every emotion is intensified.
49:08
Layla
I love live music.
49:11
Brooke
Same. Same. Literally.
49:12
Layla
Even if it's just like the band.
49:16
Brooke
Of football games, you know what concert went to? What? Grains of Time.
49:21
Layla
Oh, my gosh.
49:24
Brooke
You guys.
49:25
Layla
You guys, genuinely so talented.
49:29
Brooke
If any Grains of Time member is listening, please come on this podcast.
49:33
Layla
Grains of Time is a male acapella group here at NC State. They are fantastic and they're hilarious.
49:40
Brooke
They are.
49:41
Layla
They showed these videos during their concert, and you can tell they're all friends.
49:47
Brooke
They are.
49:47
Layla
And they were just so good and so talented. And also, I just kept thinking, like, oh. Like, they're just guys who love to sing.
49:59
Brooke
Yeah.
49:59
Layla
And they love doing it together. And it was making my heart really warm.
50:02
Brooke
Yeah. My heart was so warmed. But they. This is a funny tidbit. It was my birthday. Oh. The other thing we've been doing this semester is having a lot of birthdays to celebrate. Yes. But it was my birthday in October, and for that, our friend Bibi had DM'd the grains of Time Instagram account and asked them to sing me Happy Birthday.
50:25
Layla
Yep.
50:25
Brooke
And when I received that video, I cried tears of joy.
50:28
Layla
When Bebe texted me and said, should I text Grains of Thyme? I immediately was like, yes, you have to.
50:37
Brooke
It was the highlight of my life. Yeah, probably.
50:42
Layla
And one of them connected with me on LinkedIn.
50:46
Brooke
Recent development in our lives is we've been getting connected on LinkedIn.
50:50
Layla
Seriously, connect with me on LinkedIn. Just look up Layla Mullen. I'm still working on my profile, but I'm really trying to make it to 500 connections, because that's, like, the sweet spot.
51:01
Brooke
But I went from 60 connections to 100 overnight.
51:05
Layla
Seriously.
51:05
Brooke
Because I got. I got my grind.
51:08
Layla
I reached my limit on people who I could connect with for this week.
51:11
Brooke
So next week we know where you'll be.
51:14
Layla
Absolutely. I. And I was a hater of LinkedIn, honestly, just because. Especially for. I mean, anyone uses it. But it's always been talked about in my business classes and I'm like, I just hate it. Like, everyone uses the same type of format, which is fine. And that's just the way the. The website works. But when I really took a deep dive into it, I have. It's my new Instagram. Like, I am literally connecting with anyone and everyone.
51:50
Brooke
If I even know hints of your first name. I'm connecting.
51:54
Layla
Oh, I don't even have to know you. I'm just connecting. Like, I am like mutuals of mutuals. And I've just been obsessed with it. Which this is reminding me. I need to get a new profile pic. And also probably should update something on it.
52:09
Brooke
Same.
52:10
Layla
Maybe make a post.
52:11
Brooke
My new job isn't on it. Kappa's not on it. Things are not on it. I've got to update. But nonetheless, I'm still connecting.
52:19
Layla
So get connected with us on LinkedIn.
52:21
Brooke
Seriously, please and thank you. But yes, we saw Grains of Time. Fantastic. And love live music.
52:29
Layla
Yeah.
52:30
Brooke
Always have. Always will. And you had mentioned the band at the football game. And yes. Every time I could shed a tear. I love the band.
52:40
Layla
So good. Just so talented.
52:42
Brooke
Yeah. Oh, and recently they did a Wicked mashup.
52:46
Layla
Yeah.
52:46
Brooke
Come on now.
52:47
Layla
That was for us.
52:48
Brooke
Yeah. Like, I actually, y'.
52:51
Layla
All. You have.
52:52
Brooke
We're seeing Wicked tomorrow night. I'm sad.
52:54
Layla
So it's a second.
52:55
Brooke
Can't believe we're seeing it a day late. But there's a football game. So the cookie crumbles just the way that the cards.
53:02
Layla
I cannot wait. I. When I realized this morning at 12 a that. Well, it was a little later but that the Wicked soundtrack had been released. Wow. Could I have cried?
53:16
Brooke
Game changer.
53:17
Layla
Literally it. And me and Brooks, when we say.
53:22
Brooke
We love Wicked, like, you guys think we're joking and not joking.
53:26
Layla
It's like some fad. Like. Oh, like you love it for a.
53:30
Brooke
Week after it comes out.
53:31
Layla
Right.
53:32
Brooke
We've been loving it down since last November when it came out.
53:36
Layla
Seriously.
53:37
Brooke
When we saw an opening day. Mind you. Yeah.
53:39
Layla
In 3D. Mind you in 3D. That one. That one was an accident, but.
53:44
Brooke
And then I proceeded to go see it at least two more times in theaters and several times at home.
53:50
Layla
It is just. Oh, it has changed that genre of movies. Yeah. Yeah.
53:57
Brooke
If anybody has a theater to screen adaptation Again, they better get it right.
54:04
Layla
Oh, yeah.
54:04
Brooke
Because they have this to live up to. And I don't think they'll ever do it again.
54:08
Layla
Yeah, no, I don't think so either. Like, even John Chu, the director, like, I don't know how he's gonna top.
54:16
Brooke
He has to retire.
54:18
Layla
But he did do in the Heights and he did. That's a good one. Crazy Rich Asians. I never saw that. I think I saw a little bit of it, but I know it's like a loved movie. But I loved in the Heights.
54:29
Brooke
I also loved in the Heights. I saw it in theaters.
54:32
Layla
Same.
54:33
Brooke
And the soundtrack is phenom.
54:34
Layla
It is.
54:35
Brooke
And yeah, Wicked is so good. Oh, did you watch Wicked One special night.
54:41
Layla
I don't have the platforms to stream shoot. Should we watch? Could we watch it tomorrow before we go? Maybe? Yeah. Really?
54:48
Brooke
Also Wicked one.
54:49
Layla
Could we actually.
54:50
Brooke
Yes.
54:50
Layla
Okay.
54:52
Brooke
I watched it the other day. I'm not even kidding you. I sat there the entire time, freezing cold. Because I had goosebumps the entire time.
55:01
Layla
Yeah.
55:02
Brooke
I had chills from the second I put it on to the second it stopped. And for several minutes after, like, it is so good and they are so talented. And tears were forming in my eyes. Yeah. And I just, I, I, I will never get over it.
55:18
Layla
Me either.
55:19
Brooke
For the rest of my life, I'll never get over it.
55:21
Layla
I have literally, and this is not an exaggeration, thought about Wicked at least once a day.
55:28
Brooke
Same.
55:28
Layla
Like, whether it's on my playlist or whether I'm just thinking about it or making a reference to it, like, it is always in my mind.
55:37
Brooke
Same. So feeling incredibly excited about the opportunity. I'm so looking forward to it, of seeing it tomorrow. And let's just talk about how we got those tickets for a little bit. So the other day, also, another thing about this semester. Me purse. I've been in the library every single night until the wee hours of the morning.
56:00
Layla
Yeah, but.
56:02
Brooke
So one of these fateful library nights this past week, I said, layla, we should buy our Wicked tickets. And so we sat. And mind you, we knew were gonna see it on.
56:17
Layla
Saturday.
56:17
Brooke
Saturday 22nd.
56:18
Layla
Yeah.
56:19
Brooke
So I go on amc.gov I go on AMC and I'm like, okay, let's get these tickets. So I buy them, we text our other friends, hey, we're going to see Wicked this day. You guys should get your tickets. We got these seats. They're like, that's interesting. Because we can't find that time or that.
56:41
Layla
Yeah, we can't.
56:41
Brooke
We can't find that showing. I said, what? We bought the wrong day. We bought tickets for Thursday night. And mind you, what did we have to do Thursday night? Semi. We had semi. And so. Which is semi formal for our sorority, which is basically like college homecoming. I like to compare it to.
57:04
Layla
Yeah, 100%.
57:06
Brooke
Which was very fun, by the way. Had a great time. But we couldn't go see it Thursday. And so we had to. Immediately. Immediately. I was in a panic.
57:16
Layla
Yeah.
57:17
Brooke
We had to refund the tickets, buy new tickets again for Saturday night. It was a fury of emotions.
57:23
Layla
And also, like, our friend Maddie had bought her ticket. So we're like, wait, we don't have the ticket.
57:30
Brooke
And she had bought her ticket and went on the website and she was sitting next to two other people and were like, oh, no, she thinks those. They're us. But actually it was our other two friends.
57:39
Layla
Yes. So everything worked out in the end. But.
57:41
Brooke
Yeah. But it was a journey to get there.
57:43
Layla
It certainly was. But we made it there.
57:46
Brooke
Yeah.
57:46
Layla
And I genuinely am like, I wish it was tomorrow night already.
57:52
Brooke
Same.
57:52
Layla
I'm excited for the football game, but I wish it was tomorrow night.
57:55
Brooke
Same.
57:56
Layla
I am ecstatic.
57:59
Brooke
Same. Do you think we're going to beat fsu? Speaking of the football game, throw your predictions out there.
58:08
Layla
I don't really know much about fsu.
58:09
Brooke
I know nothing about them.
58:11
Layla
I know that. I don't know. I am going to say we're going to lose.
58:16
Brooke
Okay. Then I'll say we'll win.
58:18
Layla
Just because of the track record this season.
58:20
Brooke
Right.
58:22
Layla
I'm really leaning toward a loss.
58:25
Brooke
Okay.
58:26
Layla
But I support my boys nonetheless.
58:28
Brooke
Same always. If, like, the NCSU football team has zero supporters, I have sadly passed away.
58:38
Layla
Yeah. It's the energy of the stadium that really brings me back. And really the band, quite honestly.
58:44
Brooke
Yeah.
58:45
Layla
It's the band and the dance team and the color guard.
58:48
Brooke
And the cheerleaders.
58:49
Layla
And the cheerleaders.
58:50
Brooke
The student section and the outfits. And the camaraderie of it all.
58:53
Layla
The camaraderie of it all.
58:55
Brooke
I love camaraderie. Like, when everybody has a common goal, that's my favorite thing. Even, like, right before or after an exam, the camaraderie in the class is insane. Like, people are talking to people you've never seen before.
59:09
Layla
Yep.
59:10
Brooke
Like, before the first differential equations examine this semester, people were talking to me that I've literally never seen before in my life. And who. I think that was their first time showing up to class. Yeah, they were talking to me.
59:24
Layla
They were.
59:24
Brooke
We, like, I had a Sheet with all the equations I had to memorize. And just before the exam, I was looking over it before she passed it out, before I put it away, and this girl was, like, looking at it, and she said, oh, I didn't study this, but I studied this. And I knew this, and I don't know this. Like, what did you know about this? And I was like, I haven't. You've never come to class before. But I loved it because there was so much camaraderie in this. And I heard these guys talking about this thing that I had intentionally not studied because I did not think it was gonna be in the exam. So I looked at them, and I was like, do you guys think that's gonna be on this? Explain it to me really fast.
59:57
Brooke
And so then they explained it to me really fast. Like, come on. That is sweet. I love.
01:00:01
Layla
I just love when people are nice. Our kind.
01:00:05
Brooke
Yeah. But mind you, that topic wasn't on the exam, so I was right. But nevertheless, they were willing and able to explain it to me. Yeah. So I just love camaraderie so much. What else has been going on this semester?
01:00:23
Layla
I don't even know.
01:00:25
Brooke
Like, I feel like I've been so busy, but I couldn't even tell you one thing I've done.
01:00:28
Layla
I couldn't tell you. I'm sure we're missing a million details.
01:00:33
Brooke
Yeah.
01:00:34
Layla
But just trust and believe that we'll be back stronger and better next semester, 100%. And we'll be in the stew more for sure.
01:00:42
Brooke
You know what was a big deal this semester? We both got Littles.
01:00:46
Layla
Oh, my God.
01:00:47
Brooke
Yeah.
01:00:48
Layla
Shout out Nora.
01:00:50
Brooke
And maybe shout out you guys. That was an intense week because for those who do not know about Big Little, you, when you're taking a Little in your sorority, you have this whole week leading up where you're running an Instagram account, you're giving them presents, you're giving them hints about who you are because they don't know who you are. It's a big surprise. And so you have to sneak into their room and finding pictures of them through the archives, through their friends, and it's very. It's very fun. Honestly, I had so much fun. But it makes you very busy.
01:01:24
Layla
I had never been so stressed because I think that was the week I had three exams.
01:01:28
Brooke
Yeah.
01:01:29
Layla
And also doing that whole thing. But love it. Love Nora. I hope she loves her stuff still because I spent so much money. But it's fine.
01:01:42
Brooke
Hey.
01:01:45
Layla
Yeah. I felt like I had to really do good for Nora because My big Mary did so good for me. Yeah. And so I really just had to live up to the expectations.
01:01:57
Brooke
Yeah.
01:01:58
Layla
But it was so fun. And I also think that how were talking about earlier, like, feeling older somehow, that in my mind. Yeah. I was like, wow, Like, I have a little.
01:02:11
Brooke
Yeah.
01:02:12
Layla
I'm chopped. And on. Yeah.
01:02:14
Brooke
Several times this semester, people have come up to me for advice on different things that not long ago, I was asking other people about advice for. So that was also making me feel a little bit old.
01:02:28
Layla
Yeah. I also think, like, my friends have been put in situations, like real life situations, where it's made me have to put my thinking cap on.
01:02:38
Brooke
Yeah.
01:02:38
Layla
And be like, okay, let's think rationally about this.
01:02:41
Brooke
Let's be rational.
01:02:42
Layla
And even just like, situations in my personal life where it's like, let me not act out of anger or whatever. Like, let me think rationally about how this will affect me.
01:02:54
Brooke
Yeah.
01:02:55
Layla
Let me try to fix a mistake. Growing growth.
01:03:01
Brooke
Hashtag growing.
01:03:03
Layla
You love to see it. Yeah.
01:03:08
Brooke
Yeah. There was another thing we did this semester. I was going to say, but it slipped my mind right now. Yeah. It's that. My mind. Oh, yes. I remember went to an open mic night at Good Nights Comedy Club.
01:03:21
Layla
Oh, my gosh. Fortunately, like, $5 tickets.
01:03:24
Brooke
$5 tickets. You do have to buy stuff when you're in there, like drinks or food or whatever.
01:03:29
Layla
The fine print.
01:03:30
Brooke
But mind you, I bought the cheapest thing, which was a hot chocolate.
01:03:34
Layla
Yeah.
01:03:35
Brooke
What can you do about it? And then we got a brownie sundae, which was fire.
01:03:38
Layla
It was.
01:03:38
Brooke
But the open mic night, the comics of Raleigh showed out.
01:03:43
Layla
Seriously. Also, they put. Now, this is. We can neither confirm nor deny this, but. But they put names in a bucket. And I think it's anyone who buys a ticket to the open mic night. So when I. When that clocked to me and I was like, if they pull my name out of this bucket and that would happen to me, I have the worst luck. Like, I'm always put in awkward situations.
01:04:12
Brooke
Like, always.
01:04:14
Layla
I don't know what it is, but I. Anytime. He'd be like, okay, drumroll, Let me pick out a name.
01:04:21
Brooke
Heart beating fast.
01:04:22
Layla
Panic.
01:04:23
Brooke
Panic ensued.
01:04:24
Layla
But some of those comics, really, especially, like, specifically me and , made us giggle. Like, chuckling out loud, like, dad, silent room. We're the only ones laughing.
01:04:39
Brooke
And part of it was that some of them were not good at all. And that made me laugh because you could tell, like, you could see where they were coming from with a joke, but nobody got it. And so it's just funny.
01:04:50
Layla
And not to call him out specifically, because I don't really know his name, but there was this one Australian comic, and I think it was more of, like, a cultural barrier.
01:05:02
Brooke
Yeah.
01:05:03
Layla
The things that he was saying just.
01:05:06
Brooke
Did not fly in the room.
01:05:08
Layla
Did not fly in the room. Like, and he felt it, too. Like, when he felt it was so honestly awkward. And, like, also, there's this one guy who made this comment, like, when nobody would laugh, a lot of these comics.
01:05:26
Brooke
Would be like, oh, that didn't land.
01:05:29
Layla
That didn't land. All right. And this one guy was like, I should have just stayed home and studied.
01:05:34
Brooke
And it's just like, that made me laugh.
01:05:36
Layla
That made me laugh.
01:05:36
Brooke
Because I should have been studying that night, too, by the way.
01:05:38
Layla
Yeah, same. But it's just so. It was just so interesting. It was. And also, like, they probably been workshopping these stories and these jokes for years, and you could tell how nervous they were. But it was so fun. Like, I definitely want to go again.
01:05:56
Brooke
It was fun. I do. We saw Connor Wood there.
01:06:00
Layla
Yeah.
01:06:01
Brooke
Also known as Fibula, who is just hilarious. So I do like it there.
01:06:05
Layla
I do, too.
01:06:06
Brooke
Good place.
01:06:07
Layla
And I love to laugh.
01:06:08
Brooke
Same.
01:06:09
Layla
I really love to laugh.
01:06:11
Brooke
Same. I do love to laugh. I love a good serotonin boost.
01:06:15
Layla
Yeah, that was really fun. That's something to do. Cameron Village is pretty close.
01:06:19
Brooke
Yeah. No, yeah, it's in Cameron Village. People don't know about it because kind of tucked away, like, by the Shake Shack question mark.
01:06:25
Layla
Yeah.
01:06:27
Brooke
But, yeah, it was really fun.
01:06:29
Layla
Yeah. But, like, $5 tickets. You could go. You could get a drink, like, I got a doctor Pup and split the sundae, like. Or the brownie, like said. So something to do with your friends.
01:06:43
Brooke
Something to do. Yeah. It was honestly really fun. Yeah. So that has been. Is there anything else this semester that you want touch on?
01:06:54
Layla
Not that I can think of. I'm sure it'll come to my head later.
01:06:57
Brooke
But that's, like, all the major things.
01:07:00
Layla
I would say 100%.
01:07:01
Brooke
Not that going to open mic night. It's major.
01:07:04
Layla
But it was major in our lives.
01:07:06
Brooke
It was a big deal because were so excited.
01:07:08
Layla
Yeah.
01:07:10
Brooke
But, yeah, I guess we didn't really talk about recruitment, but we did talk about work week. But recruitment was also a big weekend.
01:07:16
Layla
I feel like we could do a whole episode, honestly, on sorority.
01:07:20
Brooke
Yeah. So if you guys are interested, please comment. I don't know if you can do that.
01:07:25
Layla
DM us on Instagram. Yeah. Follow our touching concrete Instagram.
01:07:29
Brooke
Yeah, please. It's just touching concrete pod, right?
01:07:34
Layla
I think so.
01:07:35
Brooke
Follow us on Instagram, connect with us on LinkedIn. Connect with us on LinkedIn and leave us a comment. If you want to know more about our sorority, maybe we can have some of our sisters on. Yeah, that would be the highlight of my same life.
01:07:49
Layla
It'd be so fun.
01:07:50
Brooke
Yeah. So if you guys are interested, let us know. Yeah. Hit a hit. Hit some girls up, please. But, yeah. Do you want to close out with our thorn and rose?
01:08:02
Layla
Yes. Oh, my God, I forgot. We haven't been in here in so long.
01:08:06
Brooke
I know. And we can do it of the week.
01:08:11
Layla
Okay.
01:08:12
Brooke
Okay.
01:08:12
Layla
I'll start with my thorn. My thorn was. I'm just. I'm feeling kind of homesick a little bit just because I've only been home twice this semester. And I think I'm just exhausted. Like, my body, I feel like is kind of giving up on me. I'm feeling a little under the weather. Like, honestly the start of something like sickness, but trying to combat that.
01:08:49
Brooke
I think.
01:08:49
Layla
I think that's my. My thorn and my rose. On Monday, I took an exam, got a 94 fire, also semi formal was really fun.
01:09:03
Brooke
Yeah.
01:09:04
Layla
Dancing with the Stars was really fun. We. Well, this week didn't attend, sadly, because she was studying for fluids thermodynamics. Thermodynamics. I knew that. Yeah. But we normally go to our friend Natalie's and we just all watch Dancing with the Stars and. And that was really fun this week.
01:09:22
Brooke
And like I said, such intense fomo.
01:09:25
Layla
By the way, Simi was really fun and I'm excited about the game tonight. I'm excited about Wicked tomorrow and we also have a friendsgiving Christmas thing Sunday, and then I'm going home Monday, so.
01:09:41
Brooke
Lineup is crazy.
01:09:42
Layla
It is. That's my rose. That's definitely my rose. That the lineup for this weekend.
01:09:49
Brooke
My thorn was my exam this past week. And I just could not find it in me to focus on studying for it. Just. I don't even know why. I just had no motivation to study, which has honestly been a recurring theme for me this semester. But this was the worst it's been. And I literally. Because I'll see in the library very late at night, but I had to leave. I had to cut myself off at 11p and come home and like reset. I like did laundry, took a shower and then had to return to my books because I could not focus. And that's. It was a strange feeling because it's never really been that bad. Like Nomad.
01:10:27
Brooke
I was just staring at the slides like couldn't retain not a single piece of information which I needed to lock in because I knew nothing about the topic. Psychometric chart, by the way, Anybody cares. I don't even know if that's how you say it right, but what can you do? So yeah, that was my thorn. Just the exam not being able to focus. But on the other side of that, it was my last midterm of the semester. So I was feeling thankful about that. My rose is that this last weekend I saw my sister and my nephew and my brother in law and I just haven't seen them in months. I haven't seen them since August, which to some that's not that long, but to me it felt like centuries. And so I was very thankful that I got to see them.
01:11:16
Brooke
And I'm also seeing them this coming week for Thanksgiving. And I just always feel like after I talk to my sister, I feel so much better about my life. She just always has the right things to say and so I'm very excited that I get to see them again soon. And also like you said, my rose is the lineup for this weekend. Semi last night football game, Wicked friendsgiving. So I'm just excited about all that's to come and all the good things that have happened recently and the good things that are continuing to happen. That is like an insanely positive note.
01:11:57
Layla
But love it.
01:11:58
Brooke
I'm here for it. And yeah, I just am excited for finals to be over. Just to reiterate that the semester has been so stressful. Yeah, I know you've said it a million times, but it's the truth.
01:12:11
Layla
It's our reality.
01:12:13
Brooke
Our reality. So yeah, I'm really thankful that we got to get back in the stew today though. I hope you guys enjoyed this recap.
01:12:25
Layla
Yeah.
01:12:26
Brooke
And I guess if you don't have anything else to add, we'll see you guys on the flip.
01:12:29
Layla
Yeah, we'll see you guys in our next episode.
01:12:31
Brooke
Bye, y'. All. Bye. Music in this episode is from loop masters hip hop and R B breaks.