Friendly Friday!

Ladies! Welcome back to Friendly Friday :)
This week we are featuring our very own: ALLYSON GILLIS!

Name: Mary ALLYSON Gillis. If you can’t tell by the capitalization I go by Allyson but my parents named me Mary…still bitter after 22 and a half years.

Major: English: Literature, Language, and Culture Pre-Education track. The idea is to go to grad school for Elementary Education (eventually), but lately I’m wondering if I want to pursue something more along the lines of Linguistics.

Favorite childhood snack? Dunkaroos? not sure if they’re my favorite because I am one of the most indecisive people you will ever meet, especially when it comes to food, but definitely loved them and got some for Christmas thanks to my mommy and the power of Amazon :)

Favorite thing about being a student at VT: Lane Stadium and Cassell Coliseum jk. Such a tough question to answer though. I know it’s cheesy, but probably just being a HOKIE. We have such a strong sense of community, focused on sports but involving so much more than that. I have also met some incredible people here and made some fantastic friendships through the BCM. I don’t want to even think about leaving it all behind in a few months.

If you could do anything without the possibility of failure and money wasn't a restraint: what would you do?
For fun: Travel around the world and even just this country-I haven’t been west of the East Coast. And I want to see the world and also live by a beach somewhere.
Professionally: Somehow be able to teach little kids during the year and spend my summers traveling around the world as a linguist documenting endangered languages and preserving the culture of the speakers.

What is your favorite thing to do to rest and/or relax? Cuddle on the couch with a nice warm blanket and watch SPORTS, tv, or a movie-it’s even better when I’m at home and I can add my puppy into the cuddling mix.

Are you reading any books right now? Several. As an English major when am I not? The main novel right now is The Help for a class (already seen the movie). I have Beth Moore’s So Long Insecurity that I’ve recently bought and not yet started…hoping to change that soon.

Favorite place to eat lunch? Too indecisive for these "favorite" questions, but Cabo Fish Taco is one of my favorite places in Blacksburg.

How has God encouraged you lately? God has really encouraged me a lot lately, especially through going to Passion, which was AMAZING!!! I’m recently single and God has put a peace in my heart about being single that I’ve never before experienced. Rather than dwelling on “loneliness” of not having a boy around me, I am taking this opportunity to improve my relationship with Him because that is above everything else. He has also surrounded me with some amazing people that have encouraged me, and for the first time I feel like I’m finally able to encourage others a bit too.