Spring Favorites 2015!

This weekend marks the first day of summer! HOORAYYY! Summer is my favorite season - sunshine, ice cream stands, fireworks, flip flops, and all the BBQ food you could ever dream of. Love. It. Brett and I have a lot of fun things planned for this summer, including moving into my new apartment, taking a trip down the Cape with some friends, and spending as much time together before football takes over his life once again in August. I'm SO EXCITED!

I 100% skipped out on doing my favorites for the winter, but I really wanted to get back on the favorites ~trend~ for the spring! Let's hop right into it.

Activity | Playing Pokémon Alpha Saphire

Brett bought me Alpha Sapphire as a graduation gift and of course the day after I graduated I needed to hop right into it! I was super duper into the game for a long while but sessions with Orientation has since interrupted my streak of playing for hours upon hours. I'm 6 badges in right now (All you PokéFans will know what that means) and I can't wait to have a bit more time to finally beat the game. It's so much fun (as Pokémon always is) and I love that I have a reason to spend some time on my 3DS again! :)

App | Dreamdays 365

This app is one of the millions of countdown apps out there, but I love the way this one looks and operates. There is a very minimalist feel to this app, which I love, and I looked at it almost every day as graduation drew nearer and nearer. If you're counting down to something exciting and are looking for a nice looking and functional countdown app, I would recommend this one!

Apparel | Bridgewater State University Alumni Tee

I mean, of course! Not only do I love this shirt because I get to brag about the fact that I actually graduated from grad school, but my organization, PC, gave it to me as a parting gift. I'll always think of them whenever I wear this shirt. Double special! :)

Book | Wild by Cheryl Strayed

This was the only book I read in the spring, but this book was great. Memoirs are my favorite genre of literature, especially if it involves travel and adventure! This book made me want to go hiking so badly every time I picked it up to continue reading. I have always thought long-distance hiking would be such a cool adventure, and this book made me fall even more in love with the idea. This book would be perfect for anyone who feels like they are in a bit of a crossroads in their life, or anyone who is craving a bit of adventure.

Food & Drink | Espresso Bacon @ The Fix in Worcester, MA

Tim and Joanne took me out to this restaurant on my last day of my internship at Clark, and as soon as I saw "Espresso Bacon" on the menu I KNEW I had to order it. Oh my goodness. So delicious. I'm pretty sure I blogged about this in one of my life updates in May. But still. Oh my goodness. *drool* I can't wait to go back there to get some more (with an ADULT milkshake, because they have those there #heaven)!

Home & Office | Filofax A5 Saffiano in Pear

Obviously. I love this thing. I knew I would love the A5 size! I felt so cramped in the Personal size, but now I feel like I can really plan comfortably and utilize my Filofax to its full capability. Right now my schedule has been extremely repetitive (Orientation is basically 3 weeks of déjà vu), but once I move and start my new job I'll be relying on it a bit more. I can't wait to show you all the inside soon! :)

Movie | Pitch Perfect 2

I was a bit nervous about how good this would actually be (I'm not typically a fan of sequels) but I was laughing so hard throughout this whole movie. It's a lot of the same thing as the first movie, and it's a very "cutesy" story line like the first movie, but it is entertaining as hell. (One recommendation: leave your politically correct hat at the door if you really want to enjoy this movie, because most of the jokes are SUPER inappropriate. They really do attack every identity in this film!)

Song | "Lean On" by Major Lazer & DJ Snake


When I first heard this song, I'm pretty sure I plaid it on repeat for 48 straight hours. The beat is so catchy and cool, I absolutely love it. GREAT jam to fall in love with right before summer kicks off!
TV Show | Game of Thrones Season 5

DUH. Holy crap. This season was INSANE. Game of Thrones never fails to impress me. The story line is incredible, the actors are amazing, the cinematography is stunning, and the plot twists KILL YOU ON THE INSIDE. I'm not going to put any spoilers in here, but THAT SEASON FINALE. JEEEEEEEEEEEEZ. The best part about this season is that it ends at the same place the latest book ends, so now NO ONE really knows what's going to happen next except for the creators. Brett and I are really considering starting to read the books together to tide us over until the next season releases, because who knows when that will be? If you haven't started watching this show, YOU NEED TO START WATCHING THIS SHOW. /endtiradeaboutGoT

Memory | Birthday/End of Classes/New Job/Graduation Week

Also another obvious one. This was one of the greatest weeks of my life and I feel so lucky to be fortunate enough to experience it. I turned 25 and ended my grad school classes on the same day, the next day I accepted my position with Mount Holyoke, and the day after that I graduated and spent the entire rest of the week celebrating with the people I love the most. What more can you really ask for as a twenty-something? Who knows if I'll be lucky enough to have a week like that again, but I will always look back on that week of one of the best of my life! :)

What were some of your favorite things this spring?

100%

As mentioned in my last post, Brittany and I did an entire photo shoot around the BSU campus on graduation day to comemorate the end of our grad school experience! We had an indoor evening ceremony which doesn't allow for too much photo opportunities aside from when we walk across the stage, and since Brittany and I had such a wonderful experience at BSU, we wanted to take some time before the ceremony to grab some shots of a few of out favorite spots! This post will, of course, be photo heavy, so click "Read more" to see all of them, and for a bonus surprise at the very end! :)

(Every time I saw "Degree Candidates Assemble" I wanted to channel my inner Ron Burgundy...)

Catching Up on the Last 5 Weeks! (Part 2)

And thus began the most exciting week and a half of my life to date!

Thursday, May 7

Thursday was my first *official* day off (save for a night of duty) in who knows how long, so I definitely enjoyed it! My CAs and I went out to FroYo as an end of the year celebration, which of course was delicious, and I even got my commencement tickets in the mail! It was a great way to spend a day off and unwind from the stress of the semester.

Friday, May 8

I had another day off on Friday and because it was such a gorgeous day, I opened the windows to my apartment to let some air in. I may or may not have forgotten that the Dean commencement was taking place on my front lawn this year, but instantly remembered as the noise of sound check came through my windows. I got a sneak preview of all the musical performances though, which was a nice background to cleaning!

Friday I also got the chance to see Meredith, who I hadn't seen since the winter! It was great to catch up with her a bit. We met up with one of our favorite graduates, Cassie, and went out for celebratory margaritas to toast her accomplishments, joined with many other friends!

Saturday, May 9

Saturday morning was Dean's commencement! Of course I needed to be there for many of my CAs, but I also wanted to be there for two students that I've worked with for the past three years (since I started as a professional!), Liz and Cassie! It was so great to be there when they crossed the stage, and I can't wait to see where they go off to next!

After commencement and closing all of my buildings like a maniac, I got ready at the speed of light for formal event #2 of that day, Brett's cousin Angela's wedding! I got there right in time for the lovely couple to exchange vows and enjoy the end of the ceremony. It was a beautiful event and I was so happy I made it on time to at least see some of it (I thought I would miss it all because of closing!). Afterwards we went to the reception, ate so much wonderful food, and danced the night away. It was such a fun night with Brett's family! :)

The Foster Crew

~so official~

Sophia and Danny high-fiving!

Aftah pahty! :)

Monday, May 11

Monday was my birthday! A whopping quarter-century for me. Brett surprised me at midnight with a gift (he loves doing that on my birthday!) of exactly what I asked for - a cooler for us to tote around for the summer. We are always scrounging for coolers in the summer so I'm super pumped that we won't have to be doing that this year! He also got me a couple of Starburst scented candles... YUM! Perfect for my future new apartment! Thanks love! <3

Another wonderful gift that I received on my birthday was MY LAST NIGHT OF GRAD SCHOOL CLASSES EVERRRRRR! I presented one final group project and then all of the Student Affairs grads got together (FINALLY) for drinks to celebrate! It was so much fun to hang out with everyone outside of class, share a few drinks, and make some final memories before leaving. I only wish that we had done that way more during my time in the program, but hopefully they continue the tradition moving forward!

When I came home, Brett had an Oreo ice cream cake waiting for me for one final birthday hurrah! So delicious. It was a wonderful way to end my birthday. I love birthdays, and I definitely feel like I rang in 25 the right way thanks to the wonderful people in my life!

Tuesday, May 12

Tuesday I had a follow up meeting with...

Mount Holyoke College! This is the college I had visited during the #SAroadtrip a week and a half ago, and I had actually received a job offer on Thursday! This meeting was to meet with the Dean of Students and with the Office of Student Programs one last time, and I officially accepted the position after that! I will be the Student Event and Special Programs Coordinator at MHC starting in July and I cannot wait to be an #SApro! I will be writing a post next week reflecting on my #SAsearch experience, so stay tuned for that! :)

Wednesday, May 13

Ending my week of excitement was, of course, my own commencement! Brett and I ventured out to Bridgewater and spent the day wrapping things up in OSIL at my assistantship, saying some goodbyes and some thank yous, showing my family around the BSU campus (including taking them to Marylou's, of course!) and you know, casually graduating with my Master's degree. *hair flip* I'm going to do a photo post of all of my graduation pictures (Brittany and I did a full-blown photo shoot around campus) as well as a video, but for now here's some snaps from the day! :)

Brittany and I took a secret field trip!

Before processing! We were separated was we were waiting to march...

...but she was seated right behind me once we got into the auditorium! #score

A little goodbye message from the GAs :'(

The GORGEOUS flowers from my family and Maribeth! <3

Weekend of Celebration!

Brett, our families, and I celebrated all weekend long! We headed up to New Hampshire on Thursday to spend time with my fam and the pups, and Saturday we went out to dinner at the new hibachi restaurant at Patriot's Place with the whole Fickett/Angel/Hill/Foster crew! It was a whirlwind of celebration, so I'll just let these photos describe the weekend! 

The only appropriate shirt to wear the day after commencement.

Bought myself a birthday/graduation/new job present! The A5 Filofax Saffiano in Pear... *heart eyes Emoji*

Playing video games & relaxing!

One of my graduation gifts! Beers decked out in academic regalia! XD

My mom & sister's handiwork! :) It half looks like I graduated, half looks like I'm turning 15... haha!

Patchwork cake!

This is what adults do in the morning... drink coffee and play Pokemon.

Nature walk!

Out to hibachi!

Danny was psyched for his birthday present from Uncle Brett!

Walking around Pat's Place... clearly had to take a selfie!

I don't think I'll have a week that out-excites this one, but I'm okay with it, haha!  It'll be good for things to settle back down into a routine, as I'm still recovering from all the activity.  I think it's pretty needless to say I was exhausted after this week and a half of excitement, but it was packed full of memories that I'll always look back and smile on!

Hope you're all having a fantastic week! 

Can't wait to get back into the swing of posting regularly! :)

Catching Up on the Last 5 Weeks! (Part 1)

I can't believe how long it's been since I've written a proper life update post! Things went so quickly at the end of the semester, just as I'd anticipated that they would. I always say the end of the year sneaks right up on us because we're busy right until the last second. This year was no different! It felt like I had events every single day, on top of finishing up my graduate work and trying to not pass out from exhaustion. Anyway, I have a LOT to catch up on, so I'm going to break this life update into two parts. (I'll post part #2 tomorrow!)

The day after the Boston Marathon, Springfest activities got underway! I always love the large scale, campus-wide events because I really get to see the students in action. It really is amazing how much they can accomplish as a group! Each event was a success (even with the rained out carnival) and we all had such a blast the entire week. I'm going to really miss PC next year when all of the Homecoming and Springfest photos pop up on social media!

Grilled cheese truck, hosted by the Cheese Connoisseurs Club!

A happy Springfest gift from former PC advisor Matt!

Rachel & Kevin loving the cookie bouquet!

Mid-week during Springfest I picked up my cap & gown for commencement which made things REALLY real! It was a great motivator, though, to keep pushing through all of the school work and reach the finish line of grad school. I had it hanging up on my closet door right next to my mirror so I could see it each day to keep me focused!

My regalia in all its glory.

The weekend after Springfest was the Dean Dash 5K! My family had run it last year so we thought we'd continue the tradition. Louie even joined us, only 5 days after running Boston! #champ This year's race was much larger and much better organized as well. It was a gorgeous day for a race and it's always good to have friends and family visiting my neck of the woods!

Giving Louie the sign we made him for the Marathon! It got a little destroyed by the rain...

The following week I had, what I liked to call, an #SAroadtrip! We all know that I basically lived in my car this year, but that week I truly, truly did. I commuted between Dean, Nichols, Bridgewater, Clark, and even an institution that I interviewed at in Western Massachusetts for a total of 5 different colleges, within 3 days! I traveled a total of 399 miles in a little under 72 hours... Yikes. Here were my tour stops:

Wednesday: Left Dean in the morning to commute to BSU for work, and then went out to Nichols to visit Brett for the night.

Watching Brett play a bit of pick-up basketball at Nichols while working on some homework.

Thursday: Had my last day of my internship at Clark :( where Joanne and Tim took me out to The Fix for a delicious lunch that consisted of burgers with espresso. bacon. What. (Guess who's the idiot who forgot to take a picture? Trust me, it was BOMB.) Then I commuted back to BSU for the Impact Awards that evening which were so much fun! (So proud of all of my PCers who took home awards!) I spent the evening back in my apartment at Dean.

The give away at this year's awards were selfie sticks, so of course it was selfies galore for the rest of the year!

Friday: Woke up and commuted out to Western Mass for my interview, made a stop at Nichols to say hi to Brett on the way back, then was on duty Friday evening at Dean. (And of course, I treated myself to Chipotle for champing out the last few days.)

Saying I was tired by the end of the trip would be an understatement, but I'm glad I have such a reliable car to get me everywhere! #DoryismyBFF

That Saturday Brett and I went out to dinner at the new Smash Burger (YUM) and just relaxed at home while I finished up an assignment for school. Sunday evening was the end-of-year ResLife banquet at Dean, and it was so sad to say goodbye to my wonderful CAs. It was so wonderful to have them on my staff this year and I'm going to miss them so much!

Monday marked the last day of classes for the BSU undergrads, so of course we had to go out with a bang which included Duck Day* and the rescheduled Springfest Carnival! The weather was absolutely perfect and made for a wonderful last day to hang out with the PC gang. We had so many people at the carnival which was awesome! It was such a great note on which to end my time as a PC advisor. Don't worry, I'm not crying... there's just dust in my eye...

Set-up selfie!

Pie a Panhel! With one of my favorite Greek women, Shannon!

Look at those lines! It got much more crowded as the event progressed.

Tuesday evening PC hosted their annual Production Crew dinner, which is for students who have gone above and beyond to contribute back to the organization. Even alumni are invited back, so long as they were inducted into Production Crew while they were students! It was great to catch up with some of the students I worked with last year, as well as to have the opportunity to really say goodbye to the wonderful organization that really impacted my time as a grad at BSU. (And the food was amazing!)

With some of my PC pals!

Candyland battle!

I'm going to wrap up this first part of my life update with my Portfolio Defense that happened on Wednesday of that week. I had been working on my portfolio all semester long and it was so great to just have it be done with. However, I was the last person to defend, meaning I had to sit through six 25-minute presentations before I could present my own, which of course gave my nerves plenty of time to build. I'm pretty sure I blacked out during the entire presentation and I probably sounded like an idiot, but I PASSED which meant I was graduating for real! Such an amazing feeling to be done with that portion of my grad school experience. Our Internship course instructor took us out for drinks and appetizers to celebrate after we were done!

My outfit for the defense!

Pre-defense selfie with Brit!

Post-defense Mai Tai *heart eyes Emoji*

I still have a ton to catch you up on, so make sure you check back tomorrow for part two!

*Duck Day is an awesome program that PC puts on. Staff members hide rubber ducks all around campus, and each duck corresponds with a prize. When students find ducks, they turn them in for those prizes, ranging from a back of candy all the way up to an iPad! Students will climb trees, go through bushes, and look literally EVERYWHERE to find the ducks. It's one of the most entertaining things to witness!