End the Constant Comparing

Recently, I've been having some difficulties being content with where I am; both geographically and emotionally.  I feel like I'm stuck-- like I'm wasting my time right now when I could be doing something better.  Maybe I'm just having my midlife crisis at 18, who knows?  Either way, I've been kind of bummed out recently and I think a major factor contributing to my bummed-out-ness is that I keep comparing my life to the lives of others, specifically my friends'.

I have friends living in major cities like L.A. and Boston and, as someone who loves and thrives in cities, it is difficult to hear stories of them living it up in big cities when I'm living in a small college town in the middle of nowhere.  They can go to concerts and parties and meet celebrities, as well as get better internships based on their locations, and I have a tendency to dwell on that.  I can't look past what could be if I were somewhere else, instead of taking advantage of the opportunities that I have around me.

This post is going to mainly serve as a reminder for myself.  If we are constantly comparing what we have to what others have, we will never be happy, because someone out there will always have it better than you.  It's all about attitude.  Once you start looking at what you have around you and figure out how your environment can benefit you, everything turns around.  I still have a long way to go until I'm fully happy here, and I know that changing your entire outlook and attitude is easier said than done, but at least I'm trying.

Two Weeks In

I've been driving myself crazy trying to figure out what I should write about here.  Over the summer, I was so focused on making posts that other people would like, and I had enough time to put together nice posts pretty regularly.  Since school has started up, though, I've been too busy to post as often as I would like to, and I've completely run out of ideas.

This blog has become one of my favorite things in the pretty short amount of time since I've started it, and I want to continue posting.  So, I think until I figure out exactly what I want from this blog, I'm going to use it more as a journal.  I'll update about what's been going on in my life and if a random, bright post idea comes to mind, then I'll write about that.  Until then, I don't want to stop writing.

I recently went away to university and have just finished my second week of classes.  I'm already very comfortable in this new city, but I don't know if I would go as far as to say that I'm fully happy here.  I don't know many people, I miss my old friends, and I have this constant feeling in the corners of my mind that I'm being replaced.  Besides all that, though, I have managed to have some good times so far.

Here are some pictures I took while exploring the campus.  Bricks and spanish moss are a lovely combo.  Sadly, it's too hot and rainy out right now to be outside for too long.

I have also been going to this ice cream/coffee shop like twice a week because it is adorable and the food is delicious and it just makes me very happy.  Here is a milkshake and a carrot cake cookie sandwich thing which absolutely amazing that I had a few days ago.

The rest are just some random pictures that I've taken so far.  I was going to add a lot more, but this post is already getting sort of long.  Hopefully I will start to know more people around here soon, because it's kind of lonely at the moment.

Just Some Dorm Decor

These past few days I have been crazy busy.  Since I'm moving to college in less than a month now (what the what?!) I have been shopping for all sorts of dorm related items and have actually had insane luck.  I've bought almost everything I needed to get, which is a huge weight off my chest.  Even though I'm still pretty stressed and anxious about starting school (it's been hard for me to sleep and I've been getting hiccups a lot), it's nice to know that I have everything I need for a nice dorm room.

I would post pictures of everything but it's currently sitting in bags in a pile on the floor.  Maybe once I'm moved in I will be able to post some photos of my (hopefully) well-put-together room.  Until then, here are just a few of the cuter items I bought:

The pillow and the bedding are from Urban Outfitters, the chair is from Target, and the throw is from Pier One.  All in all, I'm pretty excited about how everything is coming along so far.  Shopping for dorm stuff has been overwhelming (there's soooo much to get!!) but it's also been a fun time.  It's getting me more pumped for when school starts :)

First Of Many

So I guess I have a blog now.  Cool.

I've actually kept a journal for about seven years already, but I figured taking the leap from pen and paper to an online blog was probably beneficial for me.  I'm practically always on the computer anyways so I might as well write while I'm here.

I'm going off to college in about two months and I think this will be a nice way to document all my experiences of way-too-early classes and my desperate attempts of trying not to gain the freshman fifteen.  For the two months until then, there will probably be posts about my friends and I hanging out, which almost always consists of us watching a movie and eating way too much food.  

As to the name, I spent a good hour and a half trying to come up with the perfect url for my blog that wasn't already taken, and I have settled with Absterdam, a nickname my sister calls me.  Still not sure if I am fully happy with it, but also not sure if I care enough to ever change it to something else.