Summer, Siblings, and Sprained Ankles

This summer, I went to Virginia and Georgia to visit my two brothers and their families.  It was, of course, a great time for everyone, and I found myself again feeling like an old lady saying "These kids grow up so fast!".

We started the trip in Atlanta.  Highlights of this leg of the trip included seeing Tomorrowland with my nieces, and hiking a beautiful trail with the whole fam.  Also messing around with the app MyIdol, which was hilarious.  I'd say a good 40% of my conversations with the girls included at least one "Can I use your phone?".  The two of them are at awesome ages right now (almost 9 and 11), so it was fun to bond with them and have actual conversations with them, instead of just making butt jokes.  (Although who doesn't love a good butt joke now and then.)

We then went to Virginia to visit my other brother and his family.  We had a small birthday party for my little niece who just turned 1, which was as adorable as it sounds.  We also saw her take her first steps which was (surprisingly) exciting.  I hung out a lot with my nephews, as well.  Those two are adorable and rambunctious and sweet little cuddle-y nuggets.

All in all it was a fantastic vacation, except for the part when I sprained my ankle while looking at open houses.  That was kind of a bummer.  A summer bummer.

Goodbye, G312

My first year away at school has officially come to an end. I'm back home now for the next four months and, although I'm excited to be back with my family and old friends, I actually really miss my school. Which I totally didn't see coming. It took me a while to actually start liking my university (like, the whole first semester).  But I ended up really enjoying it in the spring.

Anyway, seeing as how my first year is behind me, I figured I'm now qualified to write about what I've learned as a freshman in college.  And if any incoming college freshmen are reading this, consider it friendly advice.

The Roommate
I signed up to room with a girl I didn't know and had never met before.  When we both first moved in, things were definitely a bit awkward.  But once you get through the awkward, I-don't-know-how-to-act-around-you stage, things smooth out fast.  My roommate and I ended up getting along really well and we became good friends.  Inevitably, there were things that she did that would get on my nerves (like leaving dirty dishes around), just as there were things that I did that would get on her nerves (like not hearing the six alarms I would set for myself in the morning).  You can't really expect to get along with someone perfectly, 100% of the time.  But we managed to get on pretty well for the most part.

 
The Dorm
I had the classic dorm set up: two people in one room, with a communal bathroom down the hall.  I was worried about the bathroom since I had heard horror stories about how gross the toilets and showers could be.  But I think I lucked out with my floor.  All the girls were pretty clean for the most part, and I never had to wait for a shower or a bathroom.  Shower shoes should be worn.  Clean the sink when you're done.  Make sure the toilet flushes completely.  The room seems small at first, of course, but don't worry, you'll have enough space.  Stackable drawers from the Container Store are your best friend.  (Side note: If you want to make friends with the girls on your floor, do it as soon as you get there.  My roommate and I didn't talk to anyone but each other.  We realized pretty early on in fall semester that practically all the girls on our floor were friends except us).

The Freshman 15
Let me just say that the Freshman 15 is real and terrifying.  I started off college by avoiding the dessert table at the dining hall and working out pretty regularly.  It was spring semester that really messed me up.  I didn't gain 15 pounds, I don't think.  To be honest, though, I don't

remember what I weighed before college.  But I think I probably gained around 10 pounds.  So now I'm trying to get back to my pre-college body this summer. Summer '15: the summer of getting #swole.

The Major
Coming from someone who changed my major three times before I even started attending classes, you seriously don't have to figure out your major as a freshman.  Most students I talk to have changed their major at least once.  I'm very lucky, though, to have found my major and feel extremely confident that it's what I want to do.  I've honestly never gotten so excited about school before as I am now.  Sure, some of the pre-reqs suck and some of the beginning classes are boring and repetitive, but it's so worth it.

The Old Friends
My friend group from high school is possibly one of the most close-knit groups of people ever.  We've been friends since middle school, actually, so I wasn't concerned at all when we all went away to different schools.  We're all still friends and we will probably hang out constantly over the summer, but to say nothing has changed would be a lie.  Distance and different time zones and hectic college schedules are bound to take a toll on any friendship.  I didn't expect to feel as distant with some people as I do, but I know that they're still some of my best friends.

The New Friends

Honestly, it took me a while to make good friends at college.  I met a lot of new people in the first semester from clubs (join clubs!!!) but I didn't feel really close with them until spring.  Meeting new people in college is the best, though, especially when they're part of the same major and have similar goals as you do.  I was worried I wouldn't make any good friends in the fall semester, but honestly just give it time and you will find your people.

The One With Uma Thurman

Ah, spring break.  A week of college students going crazy at the beach, participating in wet t-shirt contests, Pitbull is probably walking around somewhere, and there is no shortage of drinking games.  Or, if you're like me, a week of sleeping in until 11 and watching the new season of House of Cards.  I did manage to change out of my pajamas and actually leave my house a few times, though. Look, proof:

Beach Day Numero Uno

Coffee Date

Exploring ft. Dan & Emma 

Beach Day Numero Dos

Pretty Friends & Prettier Food 

Grandma's Birthday and the Magnetic Zeros

Part 1: The Concert 

Last Friday my university put on a FREE concert for freakin' Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.    It was completely amazing and my roommate and I ended up being in the front row.  They put on an incredible performance, and it made me fall in love with them even more than I already was.  At one point, the lead singer, Alex Ebert, went into the audience right next to me and gave a girl a hug and it was amazing and I was freaking out.  Although I was freezing the entire time, and my toes were numb by the end of the concert, it was totally worth it.

Part 2: The Birthday

This weekend was my grandma's birthday, so I visited my family a few hours away from me to celebrate.  It was nice to see my everyone, and I got to meet my cousin's daughter, Lydia. Look how adorable she is:

We had a little party for my grandma, too, at which she took over 45 seconds to blow out the candles on her birthday cake.  Old people are weird.

This sums up my grandma perfectly.

Overall, it was a pretty great weekend.  It's so nice to get off campus for a while.  I have been loving this semester, but even so it's nice to get away. 

Awwwww

Babies don't do much...

"New Coffee Addiction"

So I've been feeling really awesome recently.  Spring semester has started up and, though I was dreading starting school again over winter break, I have been loving Spring '15 so far!  My classes are pretty great, and much more hands-on than the ones I took last semester.  I'm already learning Premiere Pro and how to write stories for broadcast news.  I also know more kids in my classes now, which is always nice.

I've just been feeling very organized and productive.  I planned out a weekly schedule, started managing yet another social media account for a group on campus, going to the library a few times a week, I've been keeping my space very clean, and I'm (attempting) to start taking a yoga class once a week.  Who knows if I will stick with it but, for now, I'm pretty happy.

don't be fooled by how floral grunge i look

I hope these first few weeks of 2015 are a reflection of how the rest of the year will go.  Oh, and while I'm here, I'll just say that winter break was pretty great too!! My cousin's water broke at a family party and she had her baby the next day, so that's cool; we got in a minor car accident which isn't great, but it added some excitement I guess; my sister turned 21 and bought us alcohoooooooool (but they were basically just wine coolers); and New Years Eve was the best (king's cup, anyone?).

Here, have some evidence of my fun times:

part of da crew reunited

blurry pic from new years

fave pic from new years tbh

me and the sis after eating an insane amount of dessert breakfast food

2014 Recap

The end of 2014 is bittersweet for me.  On the one hand, I have had so many incredible experiences within the past 12 months, and so many of my best memories were made this year.  On the other hand, I am very excited about the year to come and what 2015 will have in store for me.  I will always look back at 2014 fondly, though.

February 
I got my first and, so far, only tattoo.  I had been bugging my parents about it for months and, finally they gave in.

March

I went to Playlist Live (click here to see my post about that) where I met a ridiculous amount of YouTubers that I love. 

April 

I finally went to New York City, a dream that I've had since I was little.  Times Square, seeing The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, Central Park, visiting NYU-- the trip was perfect.

May 

May was a busy, but completely amazing month.  I met Matty freakin' Healy from The 1975, and he put my friend and I on the guest list for the concert since we didn't have tickets.  He was perfect.  The show was perfect.  It was all perfect. 

I also graduated college with my AA degree before graduating from my high school a few weeks later.

College Graduation

High School Graduation

June 

In June, my beautiful niece Violet was born, who I flew to Virginia to see (as well as the rest of my family, of course).

August 

The biggest change to happen to me this year was in August, when I started college.  I moved from my home in Miami (where I've lived my entire life) to my university. 

That just about sums up my year!  Well, besides binge watching Gilmore Girls and Once Upon A Time.  I hope everyone else's year was amazing, and I wish all of you the best as we start 2015!  Happy New Year!!

Halloween Festivities

Last week was Halloween and it was the first time I wouldn't be spending it with my family and friends from back in Miami.  Despite that, I ended up having a lot of fun!  After (literally) hours of contemplating what to dress up as, I decided I would go as a Sim.  It's the perfect combination of creativity and laziness.  The first party I went to was actually like three weeks before Halloween, which made my roommate and I stand out quite a bit as we walked across campus looking like this:

 

(She was a loofah).

I ended up having so much fun that night.  It was actually the first party I went to at college.  Not many people dressed up, though, since the party was so early in October, but everyone there seemed to like our costumes a lot.

On the night before Halloween, I ended up going to my first ever frat party which was... a little crazy, to say the least.  I felt like I was in some teen comedy or something; there was a pole in the middle of the living room, there was a guy dressed as a penis... the whole thing was just a bit crazy.  I really wasn't loving it when I first go there, but after a while I started to have a better time. 

Oh, and I dressed up as a hippie instead of a sim.

We also went to a haunted house in the basement of one of the dorms that was themed as a twisted, zombie mental hospital thing.  Needless to say, I was screaming for basically the whole time.  

Here we have me freaking out before the haunted house, and my friends acting cool and normal.

And finally, on Halloween, I went to a party with some kids I know from a club I'm in.  It was a great night spent with great people.  I dressed as a Sim again even though some of the people already saw me as that.  Whatever, I spent like an hour making that damn green diamond so I for sure was going to wear it on Halloween.

So...

...much...

...fisheye.

There was definitely no lack of celebrating Halloween this year; three parties, a haunted house, AND marathoning halloween movies.  I'm really looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas now.  I cannot wait for pumpkin pie, and to see my parents and sister, and be back home.  

Let me know  in the comments what you dressed up as or what you did on Halloween!!