Summer Goal

This is the first summer that I’ve been away from my family. The first time that I’ve felt like a “real adult.” Where meals aren’t ready for me after work, where if my friends are busy or working or with other friends then I have to entertain myself. Where my parents aren’t telling me to make my bed, take out the trash, or stop being lazy. 

And you know what? It’s made me miss my childhood. I thought this summer would be the most magical summer of my life. I thought the freedom would be glorifying. That the lack of structure and rules and chores would be literal heaven. But, if we’re being honest here, I miss my mom nagging me about getting all my chores done. I miss my dad making annoying jokes to the waitress about how much he hated his meal even though he basically licked the plate clean. I even miss arguing about who gets the car with my brother. 

Growing up is hard. It’s exciting, and thrilling, and super fun, but it’s also a lot of change. Change is hard, change is weird, but it’s also super necessary. Sure, I have one more year of college left (thank goodness) but for some reason I can’t stop thinking about what my life is going to be like after college. Where will I live? Where will I work? Will I live alone? With roommates? In a city? Will I be happy? It’s a lot to think about. 

Long story short, while this summer is only just starting, I feel like I’ve learned a lot. I’m learning to be happy spending time alone. I’m learning to look at the positive, especially when it’s the hardest. I’m leaning how to entertain myself. I’m learning how to be alone with my thoughts (something I’m not good at doing). I’m learning a lot about myself. So while this summer is the first summer without my family, it doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy it like I always have in the past. 

So here’s to making this summer amazing, even though I’m a “real adult.” My summer goal is to make the most of every moment, even if that moment is just enjoying sitting on my porch or couch doing nothing at all.

My Gals

I can’t put my finger on the reason why, but lately my friends and I have been very sentimental. I think as our junior year of college is winding down and we’re gearing up for senior year, we realize how fast our time together has flown by. 

We all met through college, none of us knew each other before and I think that’s one of the reasons why we truly treasure our friendships with each other. My friend group is small, strong, and very familial. We treat each other like sisters. We love each other endlessly, we bicker often, and we ALWAYS have each other’s backs. 

I was talking with one of my best friends the other day about how much we love our friend group. We were saying how, since we all live together, we’ve come to be more than friends. We’re family. And I know that sounds extremely cheesy, but there’s something special about living in a house with five of your best friends. You learn more about yourself than you ever thought possible, and therefore learn about each other, so much so that we might know each other better than we know ourselves. 

It’s a weird dynamic. I love my friends more than I think possible. We each have our strengths, our weaknesses, and our priorities, but somehow we mesh flawlessly (even on the days we all seem to be fighting). There are the ones of us who chat about anything, always. There are the ones of us that are the silent glue that keep the peace between us. There are the ones of us that can always light up the room when others are down. We’re just, well, us. 

I know I have another year with these gals, but honestly, I want more. The first three years of college have flown by, and I can’t even imagine how fast this next year is going to go. 

Here’s the best friends. Here’s to college memories. Here’s to the future.

Live in the Moment

I think sometimes, we go through life living for the future. In middle school all we want is to be in high school. In high school all we want is the freedom of college. In college we just want to live a life without homework and studying. It’s this dreaming of the future that keeps us from living our best in the moment. 

Sure, I’m guilty of laying in bed waiting for time to pass. I’m guilty of not enjoying the moment because all I can do is dream about how great the next hour or tomorrow or the next day is going to be. But, I’m challenging myself to enjoy every little second and every little moment. For example, last night I was walking to meet a friend. Usually, on my walk all I do is think about how excited I am to get to my destination and see my friend. But this time I changed my mindset. I enjoyed my walk through campus. I took in all the buildings, the people, the stars in the sky. It was one of the best walks I’ve ever been on. It allowed me to feel more peaceful, more content, and more inspired by the moment. 

So next time you find yourself wishing away the present because you’re so involved in focusing on the future I challenge you to pause. Pause your thoughts and become content with the moment. Breathe. Think. Be Mindful.