Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Style Dreaming: Simple Summer


Roxy Dream of You Tote Bag - PacSun
Antiqued Eagle Earrings - Forever21
Volcom Sweetish Fish Cami - PacSun
La Mer Bali - Urban Outfitters
Black Poppy Update Work Bootie - PacSun
Bullhead Jaquard Shorts - PacSun

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Vlogger Envy

If you're in any way close to me, you know this all too well. I love YouTube and everything it stands for. I don't only love it for crazy cat videos and skateboard crashes, I love watching vloggers. Just like I could spend hours reading the adventures of others in blog form, I could spend hours taking a peek into the lives of other regular people through YouTube. There are so many different kinds of people out there who are having so many types if experiences and hold so many unique opinions. I really feel that every time I watch a vlog, I learn something new.

I have to admit, I have a bit of vlogger envy. I've vlogged a few times, but I'm definitely more comfortable writing and publishing blog posts than I am holding a camera in front of my face and talking to it. The memories you capture while vlogging, though, are much better preserved than when they're recounted through photos and words. I have a constant desire to get back into vlogging, but I've never built up the confidence for it.

I really want to document my journey to running my first marathon through vlogging, and I really think it'd be something awesome to look back on in the years to come. It's just an idea at this point, but if I decide to go through with it, I'll start in a couple weeks and of course let y'all know! Hopefully it's somewhat entertaining? :P


Sunday, May 19, 2013

Escape to New Hampshire


On Wednesday, Brett and I escaped from campus up to my family's house in New Hampshire for a few days. It was great spending time with my parents and dogs, as well as getting some awesome time to just enjoy the outdoors together. Nothing's better than some lake-side therapy!

Friday, May 17, 2013

Friday Five {#3}: A Crash Course in Post-Grad Life

It's college graduation season and it's been a year since I graduated myself, so I'm pretty well-versed in the first year of school-less existence. For all those that are facing the big, bad, "real" world: don't panic! I'm here to give you five tips on how to survive your first year of post-grad life.

1. Don't settle for a job you'll be unhappy with. 
This does not mean wait for your absolute dream job, but don't take the first job that comes your way if you know you're not going to be happy with it. This might mean you'll have to make some sacrifices - working a few part-time jobs to pay the bills while searching for a good company or career path, or taking an unpaid internship in order to gain some more experience in the field you ultimately want to be in, but make sure the job you take is at least a stepping stone to where you want to be in the future!

2. Embrace your hobbies. 
They may have seemed like lame pastimes over the years, but a lot of hobbies entail some great skills that you can apply to your job search. Find ways to improve or perfect the activities that interest you the most, so you can one day work them into your future career. For example, many companies these days look for candidates who are well informed with how various social media outlets work, and how to use them to their advantage. If you're savvy with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, blogging, or any other social media outlets, make sure you slap that on your resume!

3. Get out of the house every day, 
especially if you're unemployed or working part-time. It's extremely easy to fall into a routine of sleeping in, staying in your pajamas, and watching TV all day. Find a reason to get out and take in the world, without the distraction of your phone or other electronics. Even if it's just taking a walk down to the corner store, being in different environments and seeing and interacting with different people can inspire you to do some great things!

4. Try new things. 
Take a cooking or painting class. Visit a new restaurant. Check out the open mic night down the street. Sign up for the 5K that your friend has been talking about.. ;) Take a friend or try it alone. (In my opinion, throwing yourself into something new by yourself may even be a better experience than if you're with someone you already know!) You may come out of the new experience with a new hobby, new idea, or even a new friend!

5. Stay true to yourself and what you want. 
Keep your goals in mind, and the steps you need to take in order to reach them. People may criticize you along the way, but don't let that deter you from working towards what you want in life. Just remember that the most successful people in the world were all called crazy before they made it big!

Graduating college is a pretty scary thing to do, but if I can somehow survive the first year out of school, anyone can! Congratulations on your amazing accomplishment, and be happy that you have many more to look forward to! :)

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Twenty-Three!


Saturday was my 23rd birthday! It was an action-packed day filled with friends, drinks, games, and laughs. Probably my best birthday yet, and I have all of my closest friends to thank for it! :)


Saturday, May 11, 2013

22 Favorite Things About Being 22

It's after midnight, which officially makes it my 23rd Birthday! I have to say that 22 has been one of my favorite years so far. Like any year, I've had my ups and downs, but the good has absolutely outweighed the bad. Here are 22 of my favorite moments of being 22!

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

The Meaning of Friendship

The phrase "the meaning of friendship" is probably one of the cheesiest things you can throw into a sentence. But do you ever stop to really think about what the idea of friendship means to you? Over the past few days, it's been a topic at the front of my mind.

I've had lots of friends throughout the years, but unfortunately as my life has moved on, so have most of my friends. I've never been someone with lifelong friends, someone with friends I've stayed close with since kindergarten, or even someone that's had a true best friend. It's always something I've wanted to have, but it's never really come around in my life. Although having friends that come and go has been something I've gotten used to, it's never easy to let go, especially when you want so badly for that friendship to work out.

Friendships are like any other relationship in your life - they take work in order to make them last. Just because you get really close with a friend, doesn't mean that you'll stay that way forever. In order to stay close, it takes time and effort on both parts. If one person is investing more into the friendship, they'll likely end up getting hurt. It all just boils down to how much of yourself you're willing to give without receiving much in return.

Over the years, I've learned my limit. Just like in romantic relationships, I know where to draw the line and realize: My friendship isn't important to you. It's time for me to move on. I'll always cherish the times my friends and I had in the past, but once it's time for me to move forward, I tend not to look back. As immature as this might sound, once someone loses my trust, it's virtually impossible for them to earn it back. I'm not saying they're out of my life forever and I'll never speak to them again, but it would take a lot for me to take their friendship seriously again.

I've been fortunate to hold onto a small handful of great friends. (You know who you are!) Ones that remember my birthday without a Facebook reminder. Ones that make the effort to come visit me, even when they live hours away. Ones that can pick up right where we left off, every single time we hang out. When I envision getting married one day, I see these people at my wedding. I'm so grateful for these people, and hope their friendships develop into ones that last a lifetime.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that it's important to know what the idea of friendship means to you. Know what you want out of a friendship, and know when you're not getting it. It's better to have a small amount of quality friendships that make you happy than a ton of friendships that don't.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

May Book Club Selection: The Wednesday Letters


Hey y'all! For the very first book of the fiveleveninety book club, we will be reading The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright. This book has been sitting on my bookshelf, UNREAD, for a couple years now, and I forgot why I purchased in the first place. I read the jacket and was immediately reminded!

"They died in each other's arms. But their secret - the letters - did not die with them. True love keeps no secrets. 
Jack and Laurel have been married for 39 years. They've lived a good life and appear to have had the perfect marriage. With his wife cradled in his arms, and before Jack takes his final breath, he scribbles his last 'Wednesday Letter.'  
When their adult children arrive to arrang the funeral, the discover boxes and boxes  full of love letters that their father wrote to their mother each week on Wednesday. As they begin to open and read the letters, the children uncover the shocking truth about their past. 
In addition, each one must deal with present-day challenges. Matthew has a troubled marriage, Samantha is a single mother, and Malcolm is the black sheep of the family who has returned home after a mysterious two-year absence. 
The Wednesday Letters has a powerful message about forgiveness and quietly beckons for readers to start writing their own 'Wednesday Letters.'"

This book seems like a quick and easy read (only 280 pages), and a great way to kick off your summer reading! Let me know in the comments if you're reading along, or if you've read this book before and what you thought of it. I'll post up my review in a few weeks! :)

Happy reading!

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

May Goals

It's the first of the month which means it's time to set some new goals! Here are my goals for the month of May:


I'll let you know how I did on the first of June!


Let's take a look at how I did with my April Goals...

1. On April 7, I completed the Great Bay Half Marathon in 2:01:52, which means I beat my half marathon time by 14:04! Goal reached!

2. I ran a total of 82.76 miles, 12.76 miles more than what I was shooting for. Goal reached!

3. I managed to finish the book I've been reading since Christmas (A Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling), and also started and finished two other books! (The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, and Grace, Gold, and Glory by Gabrielle Douglas) Goal reached!

4. I registered for a 15K for the end of May, which is neither a 10K or a Half Marathon, but it's right in between. I guess that counts? Goal reached...?

5. I have made my final decision for grad school - I'll be attending Bridgewater State University in the fall, studying Student Affairs Counseling. I actually just registered for my classes yesterday! Goal reached!



6. I actually only put on two programs last month. A RD/CA social (Movie Night!) and a program to help students with housing selection. Goal not reached.

7. I drank SO MUCH more water than I ever have in April, and it's become a habit which I'm super happy about. I'm not sure if I got a bottle a day in (some days was more, some days was less) but I definitely drank more, so that's a plus! Goal reached!

8. This was the one goal I didn't put much effort into. I definitely stretched more, but I still don't stretch regularly which is a habit I'm trying to form. Hopefully I can do better with stretching this month. Goal not reached.

Overall I think I was really successful with my goals this past month, and I'm feeling really good! Because last month was so successful, I'm definitely encouraged to do this on a monthly basis. :)