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. 

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.

Welcome to 2018!

You may have noticed, but over the last two months, I've taken a little break from blogging. There are tons of reasons for this - I was being swamped with finals, enjoying the holidays with my family, and readjusting to life back in NYC for my second semester of school. Mostly, though, I wasn't sure what I should write. I always felt the urge to write something, but that "something" never became clear to me. I opened up new posts, typed a few paragraphs, deleted, retyped, and deleted sections again. It seemed that I couldn't find a clear subject to write about. Having never really experienced writer's block like that before (usually when I write, I can barely type fast enough before my brain is onto the next sentence), I wasn't sure what to do; I felt lost and honestly, I kind of felt like blogging was something that wasn't going to work out for me long-term.

A Letter to the Girl Struggling With Body Image

Every college student (and most people in general) know or have heard about the "Freshman Fifteen". They say that during your freshman year of college, you will gain fifteen pounds. I've been told so many things about this, ranging from "it's absolutely true" to "it's a myth" to "no matter how hard you try you'll still gain 15 pounds". The concept of the "Freshman Fifteen", whether you believe it's true or not, is an unhealthy thing to have swirling around in your head when you enter college.

Why Fall is Truly a Powerful Season

Ah, fall: it's the season of color changes and pumpkin flavored everything.

I love absolutely everything about autumn. Give me the falling leaves, the trips to pumpkin patches, the warm drinks on cold nights, the sweaters being broken out again for the end of the year, and, yes, even the pumpkin spice (my newest favorite is a pumpkin spice chai tea latte!).

By now, it's mid-October, which means that the season is in full swing. Unfortunately, here in New York City, the 70-degree weather has me missing the chilly, drizzly fall weather back home in Seattle. Besides the few random days where we had windy weather in the low 40s, it hasn't felt like fall here at all - which means that I have had to do some creating in order to get myself in the fall spirit, including camping out in a freezing air-conditioned Starbucks while drinking my PSL and creating a fall playlist and Pinterest board to get me in the mood (click the words to see those and fall in love with the season all over again!).

A Letter to My New Home

Dear New York City,

I wouldn't say you welcomed me with open arms. In fact, it was quite the opposite. There are so many people in the city that there's no time to pause, even for a second. After all, you are the city that never sleeps. I was dropped here with a bag and a dream and you said, "Figure it out." And figure it out, I've done (more or less).

You're big. You're concrete. You're crowded. You're noisy. You're nothing like my hometown and yet, you're amazing.

Lessons from the Arch

Wherever you are in life, enjoy your journey!

I decided to take a day to myself the other day to read in Central Park. It was a wonderful way to get out of my head and to take a nature break from the concrete jungle. I didn't expect to learn anything that day, but sometimes the best lessons come when you least expect it.

Walking back to my dorm, I noticed a small crowd around the arch in Washington Square Park. Just another street performer, I thought. However, as I got closer, this performer stood out to me for many reasons. I mean, besides the fact that this guy was painted like a marble statue and climbing on the arch. Even though this was crazy, the thing that got me was that not only was he climbing, but his eyes were closed the whole time so as to keep up the illusion that he really was a part of the arch.

A Letter to My Younger Self

Dear Freshman Sophie,

You're not so excited about your freshman year, I know, because your school doesn't allow you to actually attend the high school until you're a sophomore. While this sucks because it doesn't feel like you're starting a new point of life, you'll see how wrong that is. In fact, this year is the start for so many wonderful things.

A Letter to My Home State

Dear Washington State, 

You are my home, and you will always be my home. 

Growing up in WA has shaped me into what I am today. Without the mountains, without the lake in my hometown, without the constant rain, who would I be? Less addicted to coffee and a little drier, maybe, but my appreciation for nature and life just wouldn't be the same if I had grown up surrounded by concrete.

In My Eyes: Life with OCD

Mental illness is something that is both covered a ton and not covered much in the media.

That's a pretty confusing idea, but here's what I mean: It doesn't take a long time down the YouTube vortex to find tons of videos of YouTubers speaking out about their mental illness (very commonly, anxiety and depression).

There is an often talked-about stigma surrounding people with mental illness. Sometimes, it's hard to imagine that a normal-looking and acting person is carrying around a bigger issue. It can also be hard to accept that someone is actually struggling when they look completely fine. However, mental illness is so common - about 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 5 children (13-18) in the U.S. experience mental illness.

I am just one of those people.

What I Wasn’t Told About the Summer Before College

It's easy to get caught up in college prep, but don't forget to pay attention to the present.

At the end of the school year, it felt like move-in day was never going to arrive. Now, with less than a month left before I take off 2,000 miles away, it feels like everything is happening at once.

With the end of summer approaching, preparing for my own sendoff coincides with preparing to say goodbye to others. This, I didn’t realize, is the hardest part about the summer before college.