Alright so...
For your reference this is being written in the notes section of my phone because it’s 2 AM and I don’t want to wake my roommate. So I’ve officially been in college for a month and a few days. I can’t really say whether it feels like that or not because some days it feels like I’ve been here my whole life, but others it feels like I was in my Hawaii T-shirt and jean shorts, speed eating my last meal with my family just yesterday. Now, my dorm feels like home, my bed like my own, and in just 1 week my parents will be visiting me in my new life here. I really do feel like it’s a new life. I feel like I’ve tapped into a different portion of my brain, or even my soul and have just found this part of myself that was made for this. Made for college. Made for busy days into busy nights. Made for dancing on the weekends, and late nights having conversations about our lives. And made for working my butt off because finally, my ideas have become feasible goals. I was made for the change and progressive thinking that comes with living a life in college. And just for the many many opportunities there are to talk to all different people all the time. I’ve laughed so hard since being here. I’ve cried. I’ve had those hard days absolutely where nothing seems better than being back at home on your couch just waiting for mom to make dinner after you wake up from a two hour nap. But those days become better when I walk out the side doors to tennis practice where we hit, we joke, and we decompress. Most days end like this one, with me feeling inspired and so darn grateful. Tonight in particular I’m very grateful. Honestly it wasn’t the best night at all when you recite what happened, but despite questioning whether or not we were being lured into the woods, than waiting for and ambulance, and later finding not a single place to dance, I had a phenomenal time. I laughed, I had some really good conversations, I got to know some people in my group even better, I did get in some dorm room dancing, I thought about the future and to end it all off, I fell asleep on the rock hard floor of the lounge surrounded by people who’s joy for life, and happiness radiated. I realized tonight that I just love the people I’ve been around. They’re flat out awesome. Like I mentioned before, they make me want to work hard, but also know how to play. They leave a smile on my face constantly. And they’re not all the same. They’re so different from each other that it’s incredible. I think the reason I feel this way tonight though is because I’ve been set up to feel secure. First of all, I spent a few hours of my day talking to my family, and since coming to college my love for them has increased an insane amount. Yes, of course I loved my family before being here, but being away and having a stable support system back home just made the whole experience for me. And the same goes for my best friend and the important people in my life at home. Plus I’m feeling pretty stable and secure in the learning that I’ve been doing here. College classes and work open your mind up to so much more than I was ever presented with in high school. That being said, since being here I’ve realized so many things I would’ve never come across otherwise. It’s opened my mind to so many intriguing opportunities. To wrap this up, incase this was unclear, I am LOVING college. I’ve never experienced anything quite like this and I never want it to end. Thanks for your time. Thank you for reading. Life is for sure happening ;) But for the purposes of closure... P.S. Life Happens Lol
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I kind of just wanted to document my emotions right now. I am so excited to be going to college so soon. It’s currently less than 2 weeks away. I’m so excited. I can’t wait to meet my roommate, and get to know the people in my hall. I can’t wait to decorate my dorm, and eat in a dining hall. Even the silly things like texting people to see who is around to go eat with me, I’m excited for. I can’t wait for classes, college work, and getting to know my professors. I am really looking forward to so many things.
But at the same time that I’m feeling all of this excitement, there are little pangs of sadness that hit me, and when I really sit down and think about what’s going to be changing, I can indeed wait for all those things. I can wait for the days that I’ll no longer be wrapping up my night on the couch beside my family. I can wait to not have my mom around constantly to talk to. I can wait for the days of missing my brothers, and no longer picking up from around town, their presence alone being enough to put me in a better mood. I can wait for not working out with my mom, and walking past the water in the morning. I can wait for the day that my grandparents won’t just be a five minute drive away and dropping by my house at any given moment. I can wait for that period that I won’t get to physically be near my best friend for almost three months. I’m not ready for the beach days, and bike rides, and rainy summer nights to end. I can wait for the last days of being in my own home every night and my friends just being minutes away. I can wait to be thrown into the unknown, but at the same time that in itself excites me. The coolest thing, is the fact that I can see where I want to be in the future, and I can tell that by stepping into what is essentially this “new life” is the next step. I know how incredible this is going to be. And even though at times it’s daunting, and I feel irks of nervousness, I’m so looking forward to what’s ahead that it all feels worth it. Although it may be a whirlwind of emotions, this is probably one of the greatest feelings. July 7, 2019. The Sunday after my graduation party. It’s real. I’m done with high school and that portion of my life, on to preparing for the next. There are things I’m ABSOLUTELY going to miss about being a high schooler, but I have an even greater appreciation for all of my fond memories considering the exciting things in store for the future.
As for what’s going on in my life right now, and the state of mind I’m in, I’m the most confident I’ve been in years. I’m so confident with the way I live my life and I feel so fortunate to be surrounded by people who make me incredibly happy, assured in who I am, and supported in all of my endeavors. My life this year, my senior year, was and still is a series of moments that prove to me that everything happens for a reason. I’ve learned that people are placed in your life at specific times for specific reasons. I’ve learned that nothing can be forced, and that whatever’s supposed to happen, is going to happen. And accepting and embracing that will make you a much happier version of yourself. I’ve learned that with newfound maturity, and getting older, comes joys that I never would have expected. My younger brother who I fought with constantly for years became one of my best friends. And despite the fact that I legally entered adulthood, I found myself embracing the fun associated with childhood more than ever alongside my youngest brother. Specific to the college application process that many find themselves engulfed in senior year, I learned that even in the moments of being extremely annoyed with your parents, never let your emotions get the best of you because in the end you’ll be grateful for the constant hounding to write essays and fill out papers. I was reminded that even if your not 100% sure of what you want the next step in your life to be, if you follow what feels right, it’ll figure itself out. I’ve learned that if you care about a friendship, you must put in the work to strengthen it, but you also must keep in mind that great things take time, and you’ll find the right people when you’re supposed to. Overall, my senior year was for sure one of the greatest years of my life thus far. There were plenty of occasions where I felt overwhelming senses of happiness, gratefulness, and pride, all because of the people I was with and the new things I got to experience. I constantly found myself realizing that the memories I was making this year, were the ones I would remember forever. In regards to the future, I’m excited to be living somewhere new, to be going to college, and to be studying something I love. I’m looking forward to seeing how my current relationships evolve and I’m excited to get to know the whole new crop of people about to enter my life. I’m also excited for my future travels! ;) There is nothing quite like the feeling I have right now, since I have a world of opportunity at my fingertips, and plenty of support to dive right in. I’m beyond grateful, and can only hope that everyone else gets to experience this at some point in life. If you’re not there now, give it time, because if you were to ask me one year ago what I expected for my future, it definitely would not have been this! The universe works in miraculous ways so stay positive and try to embrace it all. Thank you for reading, and if you’re a returning reader thank you for sticking around. As for the future of this blog, I’m not actually sure what’s going to happen… My thoughts right now are that this is going to be a place where I share some of my writing about life and adventures for my family, friends, and anyone else who cares to read it. Plus this blog has provided me with a little bit of extra motivation to write for fun, which has always been a love of mine, but has become harder over the course of time. I’ll update anyone interested through instagram (@p.s.lifehappens) of new blog posts. If you’d like my to alert you of new posts by email, please shoot me a quick email at [email protected]. Thanks again! P.S. Life Happens :) I am a very big believer in summer bucket lists. Mostly because I love putting my plans for summer down on paper, but also because I think they are a great visual to inspire you to accomplish your goals.
Now that we are about three weeks into the summer, I have checked off a few items of my own, and have had so much for doing so! Here are a few of my Checked Off Items: 1. Video Blog Post A lot of my inspiration for starting a blog came from Hailey and Brad Devine, from Somewhere Devine. They are a couple of traveling photographers, who share different aspects of their lives and their daughters lives, through their YouTube channel and blog. I love reading their blog, because Hailey writes, in such a descriptive, exciting manner. But another part of their blog that has always drawn me in were their videos. Hailey and Brad both have INSANE editing, and videography skills. Their videos are always so colorful, and beautifully put together. Each time they release a new video, I feel that I get to take part in their thrilling adventures. Plus, I have learned a ton about each place they travel, by simply watching their videos. For that reason, I made it my goal to create at least one video blog post by the end of the summer. So when I realized that I had a ton of GoPro footage from my most recent beach day, I figured, why not put together a video? And it ended up fitting perfectly into my, “Summer So Far” blog post. If you decide that you’d like to do something of the sort, here’s a tip. Always bring your GoPro, camera, or smartphone with you. When you first begin, don’t go into it with the intention of creating a video, just take different shots throughout the day. Bring your camera along on your adventures; hold it on your paddle board, bring it swimming, if you go for a walk bring it there. Have it ready to catch the raw, authentic moments of you laughing or enjoying yourself. Something that really helped me in creating my first video was taking out the audio and putting the clips to music. Once you get the hang of it, than experiment, by adding different features to make it more your style. 2. Sunrise/Sunset Paddle Board When my mom asked my brother’s and I if we wanted to go paddle boarding before tennis camp one morning, I was beyond excited. For years, I have been dreaming of starting off my day in the best way possible, on the water. I sprung out of bed at 5:55 AM ready to go. We loaded up the boards into the trunk and drove down to the water. The humid weather made me nostalgic of summers as a child. When we arrived at the beach, the water was absolutely incredible, very still with zero current, and glistening from the rising sun. All of the beach grass was damp from the moisture in the air, and we shared the beach with just one other early riser. I was so impressed with my nine-year-old brother, who seemed to glide across the water. We paddled around the bay and just chatted, enjoying the blissful sunrise. It’s safe to say that I was very happy to have completed that bucket list item! 3. Watch Fireworks Watching fireworks is a summer staple. Conveniently, the Fourth of July just occurred, so I had a golden opportunity to complete this bucket list item. Normally after a barbecue at my grandparent’s house, or my uncle’s house on the Fourth, we would drive down past the bay and watch any fireworks being set off across the water, but this year we did things differently. The barbecue was at our house so after our family members headed home, my parents, my brothers and I walked down to the docks at the end of the main road and watch the fireworks from there. The warm breeze and salty aroma from the bay made the night extra magical. 4. Go Sailing Sailing is something I had never tried before, but both my brother and my best friend had been doing it for years. Recently, I had the opportunity to go out on my friends boat, and sail! It was so awesome. We sailed out pretty far from the shore, or at least I thought so. Initially, I was super scared. I was afraid of falling off the boat or getting hurt, and I also wasn’t sure of how fast we would go. To my surprise, from the second we launched, it was awesome. The boat tilted a little bit, but it wasn’t the least bit scary. We picked up speed here and there, but never went uncontrollably fast. And I even agreed to flipping the boat, something that scared the heck out of me before we went out. At one point, when my friend was turning the sail, I didn’t get out of the way soon enough and ended up getting knocked into the water, but I was wearing a life jacket, so it was more funny than anything else! 5. Go Crabbing This is something I added to my bucket list after doing it, LOL, because there are some things you don’t know you want to do until you do them! Each year when my uncle visits from Massachusetts, he takes us crabbing. I was considering not going this year, because on the day he planned to take us, I had a lot to do, but I sort of just dropped my responsibilities for a few hours and went crabbing. And I sure am glad I did! We ended up catching eight crabs, and we saw five different snapping turtles, plus I got to hear more of my uncles crazy high school stories on the drive, so it was a great time! 6. Walk To The Rocks For the longest time, I’ve wanted to walk to the rocks at the end of one of my favorite Long Island beaches. All I ever knew about these rocks were that they lined the end of the shore, and they looked gigantic. It’s a very far walk to get to them, but I’ve always been intrigued by what is down there. Finally, on our most recent family beach trip, everyone agreed to venture down to the rocks with me. As my younger cousins and I walked, we played tag, discovered washed up sea life, and listened to our uncle complain about the exhausting trip. After what felt like a never ending journey, we made it to the rocks. They were even better than I had expected. As we stepped up onto the hot surface, the view surprised us. The ocean flowed through this rock lined outlet into the bay. The greenish blue water was beautiful, and like something out of a Hawaiian movie, like nothing I had ever seen before on the island. Despite the tiresome walk, everyone was grateful to have discovered the hidden beauty behind the rocks. *** Those are all of the things I have checked off of my Summer Bucket List up to this point. The first few weeks of my summer have been unforgettable! I hope you are enjoying the nice weather, and I totally believe that anyone can benefit from making a Summer Bucket List. It doesn’t have to involve any pressure, even if you just check off a few items, that’s awesome! It’s just fun to see the new things you’ve tried throughout the summer and it’s great to wake up and have a piece of paper to look at to get ideas for what you want to do each day! Thank you for reading, and if you enjoyed please check back for more blog posts throughout the summer! I am so grateful to have this outlet to share on, and I am beyond grateful for your unwavering support. Happy Summer! P.S. What Time Is It? Summer Time! Summer is the most amazing time of year. Each year for different reasons. But this year, it seems to be the best. All of my summer fantasies I once dreamed, are my reality. The teenage summer romance novels I’ve read, describing the early morning bike rides, the walks to the beach, the little ice cream shops, the chats with your best friends, the paddle boarding, the reading by the pool, the incredible sunsets, the movie days, the summer jobs, and everything else, have always been my inspiration for summer. I hoped that one day I could be lucky enough to live out those things for myself. For many years, I saw the town I lived in, as a town. Yes, my town was special. We had our little luncheonette outside, where all the locals got lunch. We had the ferries over to the beach. The water was a two minute drive from my house. We had a big backyard, where we played for many years, than a big, gorgeous pool. But this was just where I existed. This wasn’t mine. It was the popular kids, who had their back yard parties over the summer. It was the kids who were paddle boarding all the time, while I coached at camp. This year, something changed. I’m not sure what, but something has been different. These days, I wake up, shower, get on my clothes for tennis camp, eat my breakfast, and than at 7:50 AM, I say goodbye to my brothers, hop on my bike and get on my way. My block always looks so beautiful at this time. As if no one has woken up and disturbed it’s beauty yet. As I make the turn onto the main road, there is not a single car. I ride my bike, my racket bag in my basket, and just take it all in. It’s breathtaking. The other night, after a day spent with some of my track teammates, I freshened up, pulled my hair back into a messy bun, curly from the pool water, but extra blonde from a day in the sun. I put on one of my favorite flowy sundresses, my nice sandals, and grabbed my jean jacket incase it got chilly. After saying goodbye to my mom and my brothers, and negotiating my curfew, I rode away on my bike. There was something so blissful and summery about the humid air that night. I finally felt a freedom I had never felt before. On another day, I met some friends at the beach at the end of the main road. While my mom worked, I loaded my paddle board and beach bag into her car. We drove the short distance to the bay, where she helped me unload my board. It was a nice day at the beach. It was a mixture of the beautiful weather and the beautiful view that brought me contentment. As we laid on the beach, my friends and I talked. We really talked. About what was on our mind, what was going on. How we were feeling deep down. And this was when I realized how lucky I was to have finally found those people. I finally found the friends that I have been seeking out for so long, the ones that you can really talk with. They listen, they care, and they relate. I was surprised. Finally once I stopped looking, I discovered those friends. There was another point that day that really made me appreciate life, my home, and this time of year. I was paddling my paddle board, while one of my friends sat on front. We laughed, we talked, and we were silent, taking in the amazing view. As I paddled back to shore, I realized how amazing my life was. This wasn’t some photo on instagram, of your feet on top of your paddle board. This was real life beauty. The sun beating down on us, on the water, making the sand feel hot. Paddling around, on the stillness, I was present. I was in awe. It was a feeling indescribable, but one I never want to forget. And yesterday, I rode my bike to get lunch with a friend. We sat, and talked about everything while we ate, just relaxing, appreciating each other's company. Then we got ice cream, and rode our bikes to the beach down the road. After locking our stuff up, we walked onto the beach. This little strip of sand on the bay, sometimes criticized, looked magical. Colorful umbrellas filled my field of view, with toddlers playing underneath, and mother’s in their floppy hats tending to their children. The blue, glistening bay, with sailboats, and beach houses on the horizon set a backdrop. This looked like a picture perfect image. It was a colorful version of the black and white photos of my town from seventy years ago. This simple setting was one perfect for a lovely conversation with my friend. We sat and talked, and once again I realized I had found another genuine friend. One who really cared for me, who I could count on. Sometimes, we have sad periods of our life. We don’t know how to find happiness. Sometimes I feel like I am thinking about my emotions too often. I am too analytical of the way I feel. And if I’m not one hundred percent happy, I have no reason to be in a good mood. But lately, I’m grateful. Finally, I am feeling fulfilled. I understand that it takes time for things to fall into place. If I could give you one piece of advice, it would be not to search. Don’t hunt down what’s going to make you happy. Don’t go looking for good friends. Be who you are, and those things will find you. Just because you don’t have them right now doesn’t mean you have nothing, and it doesn’t mean that you won't have them soon. Don’t change who you are to get those things. Never settle, because you are deserving. Just give it time. P.S. Be Yourself, and You’ll Find What’s Right Not only was Junior year one of the most challenging years of my education, but it was one of the most memorable. Between changing friendships, challenging classes, and Junior Prom, there was so much I learned. I hope that you can use some of the lessons I learned, to make your high school experience more enjoyable and stress-free. Here are Eight Things I Learned During Junior Year: 1. Just because a friendship changes, does not mean it has to end. This was something that took me a while to grasp during my junior year. Before the school year started, I had a few best friends that I did everything with. We laughed together, we fooled around together, we spent our entire summer leading up to junior year together. But once we got back to school, things started to change. As we all started doing our own thing, we began to drift apart. Of course, I won’t go into detail, but I was upset. Initially, through my 16-year-old eyes, I saw my friends hanging out with other people, and took it personally. I felt that now because my best friends put other things, and people before me, we could no longer be friends at all. But as time went on, I missed laughing, and talking, and hanging out with them. I was afraid that I would get hurt again if I brought them back into my life. Then one day my mom said something to me that changed my outlook completely. She said, “Why do you need to put the pressure of the “best friend” label on your friendship? Just go into it knowing what to expect from them and just be friends.” Finally, I realized that I could still be friends with these people, just in a different way. I needed to anticipate what I could and couldn’t rely on them for, and because I did that we are back to being friends today. Our friendship is not the same as it was last summer, but it’s okay because we have fun together, and they’re there for me when I need them to be, and that’s all I can ask for. 2. Your mom, is your best resource. As much as you don’t want to believe this, you will get the best advice from your mom. When I was going through a hard time with friends, my mom was the one who I’d talk to about it. She was always there to listen, and never gave me bad advice. The thing we sometimes forget about our parents is that the do indeed, understand. They were once in high school. They once dealt with drama, and fights. And they’re here now, to help us when we have to go through those things. 3. Stay on top of your work! Junior year was the year I realized I am not good at math. And my grades suffered because of it. Looking back now, I feel that if I was a bit more focused I could have had a better grade. You never know for sure, but this year I learned that procrastination is the root of all evil. At times, I got caught up in procrastinating, and making excuses. Meanwhile, if you just work hard, and get your work done when it needs to be done, there’s nothing else anyone can ask from you. So seriously, whatever grade your going into, just remember that by getting work done, and focusing when you need to focus, it will allow you time to do other fun things! 4. Try something new, because it can end up being awesome! This year, I broke my ankle at the end of my tennis season. I was considering not continuing playing basketball before this happened, but this sealed the deal. Since I no longer had practice after school, I decided to play my trombone in the Pit Orchestra for the school musical. Never before had I thought about joining Pit, and I didn’t know what to expect. Throughout rehearsal, I sometimes dreaded going, and the music was super challenging to play, but then came the show days. Three of the greatest days of junior year. As I sat in the Pit and watched the musical come together before my eyes, I was in awe. It was so magical to be part of such an amazing event. And after each show, the entire cast, pit, and crew either went to the diner, or had a party at someone’s house. I met numerous people, who I may have not become friends with otherwise, and I was able to spend time with so many of my other friends involved in the musical. I’ll never forget, standing on my friends fireplace belting out the lyrics to “Unwritten” at one of the cast parties, realizing what an amazing decision I had made joining the Pit. 5. Embrace your age, and the point you’re at in life. I can’t emphasize this one enough. You’re only seventeen, and going to prom, once in your life. Prom is something I have been looking forward to since the beginning of high school. I love dressing up, I love being with my friends, and I LOVE DANCING! The amount of people who did not allow themselves to get excited for prom was absurd. I found it so upsetting because a large majority of people who “didn’t want to go” or just didn’t care about prom claimed to be excited to drink at the after prom parties. Don’t waste your teenage years, trying to be an adult. Totally go all out for Prom, for school dances, for football games, because one day when you’re thirty years old, you’re going to want to look back and have the memories of being a care-free teen, enjoying the fun things about being seventeen years old! 6. Give greater focus to your passion. This is something I feel I didn’t do enough of this year, but I learned to do more of. As a junior, I packed my schedule. I was in AP classes, an advanced math class, I was either playing on a team or involved in the play each season, I was doing tennis drills outside of school, I played in the schools jazz band, I was studying for the SAT and ACT, taking Drivers-Ed, I was involved in Student Council, Class Club, Habitat for Humanity, I was working, and babysitting, and writing for a magazine. By the end of the school year I was burned out. While I enjoyed many of the things I was involved in, I still felt as though I couldn’t give the things I really loved one-hundred percent effort. Next year, I plan on doing a bit less of the things I don’t love as much so I have more energy to put towards my passions, like language learning, writing, and playing tennis. 7. Other people’s opinions shouldn’t guide your actions. This is something I try to live my life by, but during my junior year I would forget at times. You have one life, live it your way. Forget about what other kids your age are doing, if you want to do something else go for it! This hit me towards the end of the school year when our workload was slowing down. After school I would come home, put on my swimsuit, and lay by the pool and read. By the end of that week I was so happy just because I needed a little break from hanging out with friends and going out. I know I sound super antisocial, but I am a homebody. And throughout the year, I’d see my friends always making plans so I felt the need to do the same. But once I just slowed down for a second and reevaluated, I remembered what I loved, and what made me happy. 8. High school is what you make of it! Junior year was for sure not my easiest year of high school. But I did everything I could to make it fun, manageable, and memorable. Don’t let these years pass you by because they will. I do my best to appreciate my friends, my family, my school, my teachers, and my ability to learn, because there are so many people who are not nearly as lucky as myself! *** I hope you’ve enjoyed reading some of the things I took away from junior year! If you’re going into your junior year, good luck, and enjoy it! High school can be one of the greatest times in your life so make the most of it. Achieve your goals, follow your dreams, and work hard. If you put your mind to it you really can do anything! Have an awesome summer, and check back for more posts! I will be sharing all of this summer’s adventures on the blog and I have a ton planned. Thank you for reading! P.S. Live and Learn This Friday me and one of my close childhood friends went to Friendly’s for dinner and then walked to our local movie theater and saw "I Feel Pretty". It was such a great night! Junior year has not been the easiest year of high school for me. Now I know that in the grand scheme of things, the issues that I am about to describe are insignificant but you will understand my reason for sharing them later. Basically, junior year has been hard because not only has it been my most academically challenging year so far, but also my hardest year socially. All through childhood I had a best friend and during my earlier high school years I had a few really close amazing friends but towards the beginning of this year, our differences were starting to prevail, drawing a wedge between us. This upset me because not only did I love my friends, but I also had a hard time understanding why they were putting things before our friendship when I had always worked so hard to make sure that they knew how much I cared about them. This turn of events took a toll on my self-esteem, and my happiness. I also began searching for a female best friend because I wanted to have that someone who I could talk to about everything that us high school girls go through on a daily basis. However, after many tear filled nights venting to my mother (aka my therapist, and my original best friend) I came to the realization that looking for a best friend was doing me no good. During the period that I was trying to salvage my friendship with the girls who I was drifting away from, I became blind to the other reliable, kind people surrounding me, whom I cared about dearly. Sometimes in life, while this may be hard, you have to accept the moment you are at, despite your emotions about it, and find joy in the situation. And this goes for any situation. High school friendship is a pretty small issue, but at any time that you are struggling, remember this, and keep in mind that everything is temporary. The reason I bring up this Friday night specifically is because I got to spend it with one of my closet, dearest friends. Looking back, I wish I would have realized what a caring friend she was. But I'm glad I did now and I'm thankful that she continued to be such an amazing friend through a period where I may not have been the most reliable friend back. Plus, we saw a great movie! If you haven't already seen it, I would totally recommend swinging by a theater! The plot involved Amy Schumer, playing Renee, an insecure girl, believing that she is under a spell that makes her beautiful. After the spell is broken, she feels that she is ugly and worthless again but then comes to realize that she was no different before. At this point she brought up a very important idea that resonated with me. The idea that as little girls we have all of the confidence in the world, but as we grow older, it gets broken down. She emphazizes that there is no reason to allow it to be broken down because each girl on Earth is beautiful in her own way, and we should be proud of who we are. I found this to be so inspiring because it is so easy to forget. We each are so worthy of love, and are truly beautiful. By embracing our originality we are showing our beauty. As much as a Friday night can be just another hangout with friends, it can also be a lasting memory. I’m so grateful to have spent time with my beautiful, genuine friend, and I loved “I Feel Pretty” because it was such a funny, but inspiring movie. I hope your Friday was amazing! And never ever lose sight of the fact that you are beautiful and worthy! P.S. Difficult Journeys Lead to Beautiful Destinations I'm so over winter. Here in New York, this winter hasn't been too brutal but I just feel trapped inside. I can't wait to break out my bikinis and paddle board, and wear sundresses to dinner, and spend every waking moment in the water and outside. I'd say that I'm more of a summer gal. During these gloomy winter months, what ultimately gets me through is watching videos from summer, or books, cheesy summer romance novels, which I'm notorious for reading. Now I'm the first to admit, I have really cheesy taste when it comes to books. The common thread seems to be the main character is a teenage girl, and she travels somewhere for the summer, meets a boy and they have a nice summer romance. None of that may be realistic, but it sure does get me through the winter. So below I've compiled a list of a few of my favorite "cheesy summer romance novels" to help you bare the few months we have left of being trapped inside. And who knows, maybe one of these cheesy summer novels will turn into your reality in the warmer months. Lol!
So there you have three of my favorite summery novels. I could probably come up with an entire extended list, but we'll save that for another time. Hopefully these three are enough to keep you cooped up by the fire for a few hours, while all of the water you'll be swimming in, in a few months is frozen outside.
But on a more serious note, try to get outside this winter and enjoy the cold. You only have one life so live it. Embrace the lovely weather, but also don't hide from the colder weather because there are only so many months a year that you can indulge in hot chocolate while gazing at the beautiful white snow. I just happen to be on a break from school, and while I really enjoyed my time in beautiful Boston, coming home to New York on this gloomy day, seeing everyone's photos from their tropical vacations made me a bit envious, so I figured why not help other people who are feeling the same way as me in this moment. I hope you enjoyed reading about my favorite "cheesy summer romance" novels! Please let me know if you decide to read any of them, and share your opinion with me. I was thinking about compiling a list of movies of a similar genre for those of you who would rather snuggle up under a blanket with a bowl of popcorn! Let me know if you'd like to read that. P.S. Let a Story Transport You! Thanks again for stopping by and check out My Instagram: @p.s.lifehappens And my twitter: @pslifehappens1 For daily travel photos, inspiration, or outfit pics!
Seeing this did get me so excited for college though because as silly as this sounds I can't wait to go to the library and study! It's going to be so cool to study primarily what I’m interested in, not all the math and science that your forced to study in high school. Also being in Boston has got me thinking: Do I want to go to school here? My aunt and uncle, whom we are visiting were telling me that Boston is practically just a huge college town. Their population goes up by thousands when you count all of the college students. And with the streets lined with restaurants, shops, the T going through fenway park, the endless historical landmarks, the amazing architecture, and the plethora of college sporting events to go to, it seems like there may be nowhere else in the world where you can get the experience that you can get in Boston. Speaking of college sporting events, I got to sit front row at a Harvard hockey game! That was so much fun because we were seated right in the corner so the hockey players would fighting for the puck right in front of us. Now I don't know much about hockey but it seemed like some awesome hockey to me. I totally wanted to get out on the ice myself and play but I’m pretty sure I would have gotten crushed or fallen on my face seconds into it. It was also so much fun to be in the college atmosphere. We go to a lot of college basketball games at home, but Harvard kids, provided for a different type of atmosphere for sure. I know that when I hear the name Harvard, I think of studious, intelligent students, so I wasn’t expecting some rambunctious students. And not to generalize, but I loved the Harvard student’s preppy style! That's my favorite! So that was an awesome time and we came home stuffed with food and ready for bed. Earlier in the night, for dinner, we went into town and tried “Sweet Cheeks” a delish BBQ place. It's owned by a Top Chef, Tiffani Faison. While there, I tried the biscuits and honey butter which was soooo good! Not going to lie it tasted a bit gluteness but it was delicious. For dinner I ordered the fried chicken with a side of collard greens and potato salad. I was going for a total southern meal. I only had a little bit of the chicken because I was so full after our appetizers, but I loved the collard greens, and the potato salad was so yummy. And this place had an adorable atmosphere. We drank out of mason jars and our food was served on metal, southern looking plates. Overall I had an awesome time. Today were just relaxing but I’m totally cool with that! This morning, I was pleasantly surprised when I woke up to snow on the ground and sunny skies. We got breakfast from Union Square Donuts, a little cafe with unique donuts that cannot be found anywhere else. But man am I stuffed! I tried nearly every donut there. I hope you enjoyed reading about my day in Boston! I had such a great time and I would totally recommend taking a trip here if you’re looking for a city experience. Boston is so clean and there is so much to do! You can shop till you drop, explore the history, eat some delicious food, or just roam the streets and look at the beautiful brownstone apartments. Thanks for stopping by the blog and enjoy your day!
P.S. Enjoy Your Surroundings! Check out my instagram: @p.s.lifehappens And twitter: @pslifehappens1 for daily updates, outfit inspiration, and stories of my travels! Happy New Year! Not only am I celebrating the New Year, but I’m also thrilled to have been blogging for one full year! Although I didn’t post very consistently during 2017, it was still an amazing learning experience and many opportunities came out of blogging. One of which was becoming a contributor for Grumpy Magazine. When editor, Jasmine Perrier asked me to join their team, I was beyond thrilled, and since starting, I have been able to speak with so many amazing influencers, including Jasmine, who have inspired me to explore my passions. During 2018 I hope to write more and share more of my adventures with you! Thank you for reading and I hope you stay to hear about my journey this year! I was lucky enough to spend New Years Day in New York City, where I saw the Christmas Spectacular in Radio City Music Hall, visited the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, and got to enjoy a nice dinner with my family. This was a wonderful way, if not the best way, to kick off the New Year because every time I’m in New York City, I feel like there is a spark ignited in me. The beautiful apartment buildings and huge skyscrapers surrounded by hundreds of stores and restaurants always make me think about where I will end up after college and the hustle and bustle of The Big Apple draws me in like no other place has. Another aspect of the City that has always been appealing to me is the diverse population. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing better than growing up in a small town, but there are times that I crave speaking to people unlike myself. I have always loved talking to people, and hearing their unique stories. While walking down the crowded streets of NYC I encountered so many people of different ethnicities and one day I’d love to learn from these people, get a chance to speak with each and every being, willing to share their culture with their fellow residents of the city. This diversity is not limited to the streets of NYC though. There are loads of restaurant owners in the Big City, hoping to share their culture through their cuisine. Nowhere else will you find this many different types of international restaurants in one place. If you can’t already tell from my blog, I am a huge fan of food! I love trying new foods, restaurants and flavors. During 2017, I ate a ton of mexican food. The reason I enjoy mexican food so much is because out of all international foods I have tried, it tastes the freshest. Naturally, on New Year’s Day, when my family and I were choosing a restaurant to eat at, we chose “Dos Caminos”. If you decide to visit New York City and you’re in the mood for an authentic Mexican dinner be sure to make a reservation at “Dos Caminos”. Not only was the food delicious, but the restaurant itself was beautiful. The wood paneling on the walls, and the industrial antique lights lining the ceiling gave “Dos Caminos” a cozy, welcoming feel.
As much as I loved my dinner, my favorite part of this restaurant would have to have been the guacamole. I am a huge fan of of guacamole and whenever I eat at a new mexican restaurant, I try any of their specialty guacamoles. At “Dos Caminos”, we ordered the Seasonal Fruit Guacamole which was traditional guacamole topped with grapes, pomegranate seeds, pumpkins seeds, and served with cucumbers to eat the guacamole on. Especially during the winter months, I miss the sweet, juicy fruit flavors of the summertime. This appetizer really hit the spot and brought me back to warm, carefree days with the succulent flavors of the fruit, combined with the saltiness of the guacamole. Overall, our day in NYC was a perfect way to start 2018, and was extremely motivating. This year I have a some personal resolutions, but they can be summed up into a few words. In 2018, I want to enjoy life for what it is, and find happiness in everything I can, or as I explained it to my friends, “I really want to ‘live it up’ this year!” By the end of 2017, I found myself getting so tangled up in negative thoughts, and became distracted from what really mattered. So I’m using the New Year as an opportunity - an opportunity to reset and refresh, and remind myself of the things that matter most to me in life.
Here's to a year filled with joy, success, and free from stress. Thank you for reading! P.S. Here’s to 2018! |