My New Year's Resolutions

For the past month,  I've kind of been pretending that it's not 2019 already...it feels like it was only yesterday that I was gearing up for 2018. Unfortunately, despite shutting my eyes hard and wishing time didn't move so quickly, here we are, already at the end of January.

A Recap of 2018

Hello, love - it's been awhile!

I know, I need to stop saying that every time I make a new post. Between double-majoring, going through some life changes, and re-watching season 1 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, I haven't had a lot of time to post on the blog. But, don't worry - I haven't left! In fact, I've been working on some things that won't come to fruition until next year.

But enough about that for right now. How about I fill you in on everything that's happened since we last talked?

(By the way, if you want a drink or a snack, grab it now and buckle up - I'm about to hit you with three months of life,)

Everything Customer Service Has Taught Me

It's probably not news to most that I worked at a bank this summer. In addition to getting the chance to save up money and work with some really great people, it was the first job that I had where I really had to deal with all sorts of people, 100% of the time. Sure, I had worked in food services before, but there was always the chance to escape to the back to fill up syrup bottles or let someone else take over the register. And being the shy and non-confrontational person that I am, I was pretty nervous to interact with new people for 8 hours a day, especially if there was a problem.

Doing What You Love vs. Doing What You Must

Being in a full-time job this summer is really great - I'm getting the opportunity to save a lot of money for the upcoming school year and, on top of that, I'm able to maintain a good-yet-flexible schedule (and we know this girl needs a schedule!). I love being around my family all the time, I love the freedom of not having to do any work, of relaxing, planning fun weekend trips, having the choice of curling up in my bed at 7:30 pm to binge-watch Netflix or YouTube -- all the wonderful things about summer. But, as much as I've learned about banking, people, and myself over the last month or so, I've only confirmed my prior beliefs: banking isn't what my heart is in.

The Best (And Worst) Things About Being Home for the Summer

Almost a month ago, I woke up super early, packed up the rest of my dorm, got my room inspected, turned in my room key, and caught a plane to fly back home. Even though I was up for about 20 hours that day, I was up and going off of being both excited and nervous - ever since I started college, I haven't been home for more than a month! I'd be leaving all the friends I made in NYC for a few months, and the people I kept in contact with from back home were all working, going on trips, or studying abroad, so I was afraid I wouldn't get to see them. And I was set to start my first full-time job a couple weeks after I came back. Even though I was a little nervous to see what the summer had in store for me, I was more excited than anything: time to relax, time to not do schoolwork, time to sleep, etc, etc.

When I finally got home, after a very long, 20-hour day, I set my suitcases down in my bedroom (what a sight to see!) and went to bed. Throughout the last week or so, I realized that there are so many reasons why this summer is different from any summer before I started college.

When (Un) Inspiration Strikes

As someone who studies theater, writes a blog, and keeps a bullet journal, I'm sure some would assume me to be a fountain of creativity (something that I feel like many art students are assumed to be). And, on some level, I would say that yes, I am a very creative person. However, creativity isn't like a faucet - you can't just turn it on or off and expect to sit down and write an amazing essay, fiddle around on the piano, draw a good picture, etc, etc. As much as I wish I could constantly be churning out good ideas, both on the blog and in classes, I most definitely experience times where I feel creatively spent. While it's happened a few times this year in terms of presentations in acting classes or writing an essay on a piece of artwork, the most annoying (and recent) example I have of this is actually in regards to the blog. 

What Freshman Year of College Taught Me

When I sat down this morning at Starbucks, with a tea in hand and my Spotify set to my favorite playlist, I had no idea what I was going to write about. So, instead of forcing myself to work on a post that I wasn't really committed to for the sake of writing something, I decided just to write my grocery list. When I opened my planner, though, it really hit me: I only have one week left of my freshman year.

A Letter to the Person Afraid to Take Risks

Being a freshman in college, I've probably had to take more risks in the last seven months than I've ever taken in my life. Deciding where to go, leaving home, making friends, studying a profession that (even though I love it) pushes me out of my comfort zone daily - these are just some of the things that I've considered 'risky' that I've encountered recently. For all of them, I was afraid. I was scared to leave home. I was scared to talk to my roommates, let alone make friends. I was scared my first day of class when I had to sing a song in front of everyone. I was scared.

Why Politics Are Important (Yes, Even As A Teenager)

Politics are messy, confusing, and a lot to keep up with. As young adults, it is too easy to fall into the mindset that what we say doesn't matter, that our participation in political issues won't do anything, etc., etc. But that is the exact opposite. Now, more than ever, it is important for young adults to take action.

"Okay," you say. "But how?" The extent to which you can participate in politics depends on your exact age, but no matter how old you are, here are some crucial things you can do to make your voice heard. 

Dealing With a Break-up

Being in a relationship can be tricky - there are always going to be ups and downs, and sometimes there isn't a right answer to the problem that you're having. That's something that I had plenty of time to learn over the course of my three-and-a-half year relationship with my now ex-boyfriend. In fact, I would like to think that I had become a sort of expert on the topic of maintaining a relationship. But despite all this, the way I felt after we broke up was nothing like I'd ever felt before.

Losing a Loved One in College

Almost a month ago, I woke up to my roommates alarm and a message from my mom that said, "Call me as soon as you get this message. It's important".  It was time stamped at 2 am. Immediately, I felt a rock drop to the bottom of my stomach - everyone knows that this kind of message couldn't be anything good. I waited two minutes until my roommate had left, and then I called my mom, who picked up right away, even though it had to be almost 4 am back in Washington. She then told me the worst news I've ever received.

Dealing with loss is something I've never really had to experience before - at least, not like this. I've experienced loss through friends, being there for them when they've lost a family member. But until now, my family was perfect and full of life. That being said, I was utterly shocked to find out that my grandfather had passed away.