Just A Girl Trying To Find A Place In This World

All my life growing up people told me I was smart, and nice, and pretty. And maybe that was partially true, but that's not what life is all about. It is so much more than that. I want to do something with my life, but I have absolutely no idea. I feel like each day is one step closer to figuring it out, but it's hard to be patient. I know that. I've always had a hard time with that particular characteristic of my personality. I hate waiting around when I feel like I could be the one doing something to make it happen faster..

I feel like since school started in August, it's been one crazy roller coaster ride. I have learned so much in the short time I've been here, but I'm thankful for the lessons. If I hadn't gone through certain situations, I wouldn't be where I am today. I've learned that I won't always be the smartest person in a class, or the nicest, or the prettiest. There will always be other people who are better than me, but I'm slowly learning to accept that. College has already helped me out a lot already..it reminded me that I do not have to be the best, but taught me that I should always be the best version of me.

That's probably the most important thing I've learned since I moved here..a lesson I didn't learn in a classroom. Along the way, it will become easier to accept this, but as Dolly Parton said once, "If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."

This semester has been a rough one for me. It was easy at first..I didn't mind moving to a dorm room (and actually I like not having so many material things, because 1. There's no room even if I wanted to have more and 2. I feel lighter), adjusting to college in general, and making new friends. But the last couple of days, I have become really tired. I want change, but I'm not sure how I'm going to make that happen. Sure, I like a routine, but what I really crave is adventure. I want to travel, and seeing as how I've just begun college, I feel like that is far away in the future..I have a terrible case of wanderlust and I'm trying really hard to convince my mom to take our family to London next summer..we'll see what happens..

I'm also in the process of trying to make a schedule for next semester, because yes! We are at that point in the school year where we're already thinking about next year! I cannot believe how fast my first semester of college passed by. People who told me that these next four years fly by were not kidding! I am actually really excited to begin another semester..a new year full of new classes with new people..with new opportunities. I'm always ready for a fresh start.

So, I don't really know what the point of this blog post was supposed to be about..I just wanted to tell you (if anyone is even reading this) that I'm doing life same as you, and even though I cannot wait for next year, I'm also scared to death. That means I have to make new friends, adjust to a new schedule, and try to figure out how to have a social life with my schoolwork and (hopefully!) a job I'm applying for. If you ever wanna talk, I have links on my blog where you can find out how to contact me if you want. I'd love to chat!

I'm on a journey, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't appreciate company along the way :)

"I'm just a girl trying to find a place in this world.."

(P.S. Yes, I just quoted old Taylor Swift lyrics, but that doesn't mean I love 1989 any less! I'm listening to her newest album constantly..it's probably driving my roommates insane..)

I love Polaroids

rainboots + flowers

i'm just gonna bake, bake, bake, bake, bake..BAKE IT OFF!

I'm off to study, like I should have been doing the entire time this blog post was being written, but oh well, YOLO! Is that still acceptable?

Have a wonderful night!

October 30 // College Recap

An account of how today went:

I woke up early even after going to bed at 2 because I was finishing a paper for a class I had later that morning..

No breakfast, two back to back classes..

A fire alarm went off about an hour ago..

Listened to my favorites off Taylor Swift's new cd about a dozen more times while I was cleaning my dorm room..

And ate some of the best dairy free chocolate chip and fudge brownie cookies today!

All in all, just another typical day in the life of this college student ;)

The beginning of this week was all kinds of crazy..I was stressing about school, my schedule for next semester, friendships and overreacting about 90% of it because of sleep deprivation..

Well, this is supposed to be kind of a college update post..anyway, I'm hoping to post some #ootds soon! The cold(er) part of the year is rapidly approaching..expect flannels, scarves, boots, and who knows what else! :) Can you believe that today is October 30?!

So here's to layers, fresh baked goods, and after-Halloween candy sales (just two more days!)

I dressed up as a flapper this year..I've already had several occasions where I was able to wear my costume and I've loved showing off the outfit I finally put together (I mean, I found my dress Monday and I had to wear it to an event Tuesday..that tells you what kind of procrastinator I am..)

Anyway, Halloween is an awesome holiday & college makes you want to go back to trick or treating at age 5, but dressing up with your friends is almost as great! :) The only down side is buying your own candy..I never knew it was so expensive!

So..that kinda sums up this week..oh goodness. How am I ever going to be prepared for finals in a couple weeks? Hopefully a ton of care packages :D

College is crazy, kids. Prepare yourselves. You've been warned.

(Maybe I'll write a blog post about college tips and such..)

Have an amazing rest of your Thursday & hoping that you have a fantastic Friday!

Check back tomorrow for Friday Favorites! :)

Sorry my blog posts are so random!

COLLEGE, WHOA!

I am alone in my dorm. Probably the only time that will ever happen.

I can't believe I'm in college. That's SO crazy.

I don't even know where to begin..

I wrote the first few sentences of this blog post after the first few days at college had passed and I haven't been able to return to writing until now. That just shows you how busy I've been these past two weeks.

College has taught me so much in the short time I've been here. I honestly thought that it would take some getting used to, maybe a touch of homesickness or missing loved ones, but I owe it all to my awesome university for planning and packing in as many wonderful events as possible for the first few weeks of school so that our brains would be focused on fun and not on missing family members.

One thing I've learned is that time spent on campus feels like it passes by way faster than it actually does. I love my school. My friends, the ones I talked to before I arrived here or the ones I've met recently, are awesome. And living in a dorm is so not what I thought it would be. It's WAY cooler. I think of my little dorm room as my home now. Yes, the closet space isn't ideal, but living with your now couldn't-live-without-ya best friend, what could be better?!

I'm so excited to see what the Class of 2018 will accomplish at my school. As we continue on this journey that we have now recently begun, I cannot wait to see what sort of experiences & memories the next 4 years with my fellow classmates will include. These times will not only continue to strengthen our friendships, but will also challenge us and make us improve in many areas of our lives.

I'm finally able to finish writing this at home (because this is the only time I've been able to take some time for myself!) and it feels like I'm vacationing in my own house. Walking into my bedroom today, I felt like I've come back a changed person. And while that may be true, it's kind of an analogy to our own lives. We can never go to a place and feel exactly the same way we did as when we first experienced it. No matter how much we long for the past, the only thing that is constant is that we are always changing. Each second of the day, what we consume either through media or the world around us, it affects us and we evolve into the person we are meant to become.

I was explaining to my sister today how college is a place where you can go and it's not like high school at all. I can't believe I was in high school less than 6 months ago! I'm so thankful that I'm no longer at that point in my life anymore. College kids accept and actually embrace differences. They're like "Oh, you're weird? Join the club!" I love it. No longer am I an outsider, or feel awkward (well, that part's still true, but not for the same reasons). As one of my new friends would say, "You do you." Just be yourself, because that's something no one can judge or criticize you for.

I think one of the best decisions I ever made was deciding to attend the school I go to now.

I am grateful for the opportunity to even be able to continue furthering my education at a higher level. Lessons are not only reserved for the classroom. You have to learn lessons for life as well, aka "the real world", and what better place to do it than college?

I will definitely write a more detailed blog post soon about all the crazy and inspiring things that have happened on campus recently!

I hope you have an amazing rest of today & enjoy your Labor Day Weekend! I certainly am going to do exactly that, celebrating with pizza and a movie night with my sweet family! :)

Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I Love Ya Tomorrow

You're only a day away..

Whoa. That's scary.

(So FYI, read this post if you wish, but this will mostly be a post for me where I'll rant and write out things I need to say, and it will just happen to end up on the Internet to be there if anyone wants to read it, because I needed somewhere to vent and all my friends are either asleep or also packing!)

I'm moving to college TOMORROW and tonight will be my last night at home for awhile.

I'm kinda sorta maybe freaking out over the fact that I won't have my family as close by as they have been for the past 18 years of my life. It's the first step I take towards starting my independent life and I'm really excited, but also super nervous about that.

I woke up this morning BEFORE 8 am, like what?! This is the last day I have at home, and I'm up that early? Crazy!

Anyway, I'm currently listening to When Will My Life Begin from Tangled because that's how I'm feeling. I feel that I have so much to do today and I have no idea how I'm going to accomplish it all before I leave tomorrow morning!

I'm gonna work really hard today, running around my house packing and organizing, hoping that at the end of the day I'll be so tired that I'll fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. I really need sleep, and last night I slept a grand total of less than 5 hours. So yeah, that's why I'm writing this bright and early with a bottle of Diet Coke by my side. This probably will be the norm in a few weeks...cause in college, caffeine will be my best friend. I just don't want to say goodbye to summer. I'm not ready! I want (at least) another month, mostly because I'm still not caught up on Grey's Anatomy yet!

Moving tomorrow has made me so nervous about everything! I'm excited, I really am, but I'm also driving myself crazy with worry and I'm overthinking every little thing! I have no idea what to expect and maybe that is what makes me so jittery. New friends, a new atmosphere, and feelings that I'm not quite sure how I'm supposed to handle. I know every single year thousands of incoming freshman transition from living at home to living in a dorm, but at this very moment I feel as if I'm the only one who is going through this. I need someone to reassure me that everything is gonna be okay. I feel that when I finally move in tomorrow and unpack, I will have such a heavy burden lifted off my shoulders.

But then there's also the question of whether I brought too much or if I'm not bringing enough. Usually, I overpack, but judging from everyone's Instagram photos, my collection of dorm "stuff" isn't nearly as big as theirs. I have this nagging thought in my head that I'm forgetting something, so tomorrow afternoon I will definitely be making a Target run to buy any last minute things that I forgot or lost in the shuffle and excitement of the day. Let's hope I don't forget too much, because let's face it. I'm on a college student's budget now. I can't buy everything I need, or want.

Since the soundtrack has come out, I've probably listened to this song more times than anyone wants (or needs) to know. It could be quite embarrassing. But, Let It Go is such a wonderful song! For almost any problem I'm going through, this is the one I turn to because of what the lyrics say. I really need to stop looking back and start looking forward. Tomorrow is when I start the next 4 years of my life at a university that I've called home for quite awhile. I have a few friends I have already made via social media, but there are also dozens of other people that I can't wait to meet. So, I should listen to this song once more, and think of the memories I'll experience here in the upcoming years and hope that its message will sink in.

Wow, I think after someone reads this post, they might just burst into song because I listed quite a few here!

I really cannot believe that TOMORROW is when I start my next chapter in life with some brand new friends at my new home away from home. Seriously, everything about my life as I know it is about to change and  I. CAN'T. WAIT. 

So, with that said I'm off to pack some MORE and hopefully accomplish and check off a dozen things on my to-do list!

Have a wonderful day & amazing weekend!

ONE YEAR (on Tumblr!)

Yesterday was the 1 year anniversary of my Tumblr.

I am so thankful to have had such a wonderful 12 months and be able to now say I am friends with people from around the world!

How cool is that?!

There is nothing more awesome than saying your best friend lives in the UK!

From Florida to Arizona to England to Switzerland, I have been able to talk to beautiful people both near and far.

Communication is honestly so cool!

The way social media plays such a big part in our daily lives is radical to me! I love how it can be used to have such a positive impact on people!

During the past year, so much has happened. These experiences have changed me. My senior year of high school has come and gone, I’ve graduated high school, I lost a very important family member and I’m off to college in a couple of weeks. I’ve loved being able to express what I’ve been feeling and know that I’m not alone. Others are going through similar situations and it’s so wonderful to know I have a community of people who love, encourage, and support me. Also, through my Tumblr, I’ve been able to share daily activities as well as a mixture of inspirational quotes, style, and food that I love as well as media that I adore or quote often, childhood memories, posts I find useful or interesting, and thank goodness other people have as quirky a sense of humor as I do :) I am so grateful that this past year has only had a handful of negativity + doubly thankful that I am (hopefully) able to help promote positive thinking. 365 days is a long time. And honestly, life is difficult. But positive thinking is truly the best thing ever. And there just isn’t enough of it. There needs to be more. Definitely. Hopefully, with my blog I can help others learn that true beauty lies within themselves/their heart and I want to encourage others to live a life full of happiness and to love who they are, appreciate the world around them and become excited about the little things.

SMILE more // SHINE and be your wonderful self // INSPIRE people to fill each day with love and good thoughts.

Here’s to another year full of love, joy, and sunshine!

I can’t wait to meet (if only virtually) more people, enjoy dessert first! cause life’s short, and partake of gorgeous sunsets at least 52 times (at least once a week!).

YEAR TWO—LET’S GO! :)

P.S. Having a Tumblr has truly meant the world to me and I would like to thank each and every person who has stopped by my blog. If you ever need someone to talk to or message if you’re bored, I’m your girl! I’d love to chat :)

(You can also send me an e-mail if that's easier for you! :) Use whatever form of communication you wish to!)

I'M MOVING IN A MONTH

Wait, what?!

No, not permanently to another country (I wish I could move to London or Paris!), but to college.

When I think about it, living in a dorm with strangers and the whole having to share a bathroom situation with 9 other girls, it's so strange to me. Now I'm not gonna tell you this isn't scaring me at least just a little bit. Because I definitely AM terrified. 

But, I'm also SO excited! Maybe that is partially outweighing the fear I'm feeling when I think about being in this situation in just a couple of weeks.

Dorm shopping with my roommate has been wonderful! We've bought great stuff at even better prices! All the hard work of looking for the best price paid off! :) I have been so lucky to be able to hang out with my roomie before moving in. She's such a wonderful person. Just a few months ago, she was a stranger to me and now she's one of my best friends. That is awesome!

One of the things I'm most excited about when living in the dorm is being able to live with some of my closest friends. I seriously cannot wait! I'm also nervous though, because I've never been away from my home for more than a week, maybe two max. It's nerve-wracking thinking about the clothes I need to pack, dorm essentials I still need to shop for, and surprisingly, the independence.

Anyway, today I was texting various people over the excitement of moving into our new homes (aka the dorms at our university in exactly one month!), and while talking about wishing there was more time left in the summer and wishing we could relish in it, I could also feel the mixed emotions. Whether nervous or bittersweet, I realized that the incoming class of 2018 is all starting this new chapter in their lives. We are all beginning a new journey and we're starting fresh. Brand new. These feelings are normal and it's perfectly okay. It's our job and maybe even responsibility to each other to extend the hand of friendship and make each other feel welcome because we're all in this together and we're going to make the next 4 years awesome!

What's really cool is we can make ourselves into someone we can be proud of. We have a brand new slate to write on. We can become the person we've always wanted to be.

College--It might take awhile to adjust, but I've never been more ready to begin again.

Love yourself.

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No matter my history, past mistakes, relationship status, or career choice, I am worthy of love. I am not defined by my past. I am prepared because of it. While my own voice and others may tell me different, I will lean into the safe people that affirm this way of thinking. When I encourage others to love themselves I am encouraging them to treat themselves with kindness, patience, respect, and all that embodies love. We live our life knowing we have worth. 

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This is a wonderful reminder that YOU are So Worth Loving.

Remember that today and everyday.