Into the summer

So going into summer break you usually have a list of to-do's, and for me, I didn't realize post-grad meant there are no more "summer breaks" - horrifying realization, really. Well, I'm only 3 weeks out and my motivation is losing steam, but I do hope by sharing mine with you, you will go out and write yours down to try and accomplish it. Nothing feels better than crossing an item off of a list. This is mine, yet I am fearful I will not be able to accomplish all of it by the time the fall comes around and kills all of my motivation. Yours may or may not be similar to this, or it may just inspire you: 

➡ Read all the books you've been piling up to read in your spare time 

➡ Get a summer income (aka get a job, forreal though) 

➡ Watch all the movies and TV shows you've been meaning to get into to

➡ Read the news, educate yourself especially about a topic you really don't understand 

➡ Workout, work hard for that summer bod

➡ Get a nice tan and hopefully it'll last until October 

And most importantly,

➡ Travel! Go where you want, when you can. 

Although I may have finished my academia part of life for now, it doesn't mean I want to stop learning. I want to continue to educate myself with topics of interest and really honing my skills. Perfect example? Writing this blog. Social media is absolutely nothing with a little sharing, a lot of engagement, and a dash of self-taught basics about what people want to read. Go out and pick up a new hobby, apply to a million jobs, lose those pesky 5 pounds, or simply go outside and enjoy the warmer weather & sunshine by yourself or with your friends. The simple things in life can really do a lot for those unhappy days. [I need to keep convincing myself of my own advice when I'm really feeling down]

Peace, love, & happiness

People on an Airplane

This is a post dedicated to the annoying people on an airplane. Also known as your ideal flight from hell. 

A.

1. You're old

2. You're old and grumpy

3. You're old, grumpy, AND take up 2 seats.

B.

1. You're foreign (*cough*EU) and don't know the social norms. (My family are all foreigners, but we know how to fly without being the most annoying people on a flight.) You'd think that flying across an ocean taught you how to act on an airplane.

2. Speaking across aisles and seats in another language because you were too incompetent to book seats together. 

3. Constantly asking people to move because you couldn't book seats next to each other. 

C. 

1. You're a child under the age of 12. 

2. You're a gross little being touching every hole on your head & touching things. 

3. You're a youngin, gross, AND loud.  

Ladies and gentleman, we are now ready for take off. 

Best wishes, 

E

{written on a flight from CLT ✈ MIA at 32,000 feet}

Post-grad

So now that the last few weeks of finishing up projects, term papers, finals and family visits are over, I am not quite sure what to do with my life. Graduation was my first step into the "time-to-grow-up-and-find-a-job" stage of my life and that is exactly what I've been up to. In all honesty, it's scary. I still don't know where I'm going here. I know I'm not the only one, and I've been taking the advice I've been given along with lessons I've picked up.
After a semester of straight A's, 12 hours of an internship and another 12 at my part-time job, I felt pretty successful. I felt like I'm good, I'll be set, "this won't be too hard." Now, I laugh to myself. This is hard, and what do I do now? Hope my chances are still in my favor...just as I they were in my college career and professional experiences so far.
What I've learned? Good luck. Make your personality be the hook, line, and sinker. That resume? Try networking. Resume's are just to make it official. People make it happen. 👇YOU👇 make it happen. Not a piece of paper, even if it is a resume, cover letter, degree, certificate, or whatever.
To the 2013 graduates, you got this. Oh, and karma will treat you well if you treat your supporters well. Don't forget to say thank you to your financial backers (mom & dad!), academic supporters (advisor, mentors, professors), & to your friends who definitely kept you sane while in the process of getting that degree. (I'd like to give a mini-shout out to the alcohol that gave me a false sense of awesomeness past the wee hours where only terrible things may happen - I've got lively stories to tell for the rest of my life).

Congrats, y'all! 🎓🎒🎈

Happy Monday!

Had enough time to stop by my favorite Starbucks and write a post - the usual. As I sit by the fireplace where it's incredibly warm & lifts the mood of the place, I can't stop looking at the cute old man sitting across of me. He's got a mini-planner and pen in hand as his hands tremor to hold it. Grabbing his coffee, it looked like it was about to spill out. Kudos to the old man still reading his little planner, hands shaking, and without glasses! Old people can be cute...

Well, it's Monday so I am very glad to be able to indulge in a little coffee as I reside by the fireplace before I tackle the longest of my two days ahead of me.

Remember, indulge a little, take in the sunshine, and don't stress. Not only will you be happy, you'll pass your serenity on to others.

Happy Monday!
Peace, love, & happiness.

Life is too short

Hey, just remember that life is too short to always be angry, be bitchy, be egotistical, to be anything but kind.

Just when you aren't prepared for it, someone will put you in your place and you won't like it.

God will take a loved one, and you won't be expecting it.

You'll feel sorry and regretful. Just avoid that and call, write, send a text to those that matter and those that you love. Most importantly, tell your parents or whoever raised you that you love them and truly appreciate all that they've done for you - because they're the ones that dealt with your shit for 18 years [at least] and still haven't beaten the shit out of you (even if you truly deserved it).

Peace, Love, and Happiness

Who would've guessed...

This post is about running.

You will not believe that since the time I had to take the mile run test in middle school, it was a fear of mine. I hated running with a passion. I couldn't do it. My body wasn't trained for it, or able to do it in the "acceptable Grade A" time for a girl of my age. Let me say this, that standard is stupid. I tried my best and ran like a 300 pound kid, I would be gasping for air, ready to murder my gym teacher. I seriously couldn't. But I could dance for hours. I was trained as a sprinter, and being 4'11" playing tennis, really made that clear. I hated being judged and graded for something my body was not meant to accomplish at the time.

Now, a senior in college, I am able to run/jog/walk 3 miles up hills, across bridges, through the forest, in the snow, with the wind against me. I trained on the treadmill for 3 full weeks (every day) before accomplishing the feat of getting my ass outdoors. Outdoors is where I begin to get nervous. My feet sweat, I can't breathe as well. It was a problem. I started with about 1.75 miles around my neighborhood, until my good friend (runner friend!) took me through a path of hers, with which I had falled in love for a total of 3 miles.

My goal now is to run a 5K in Pittsburgh by the time I graduate. The Pittsburgh Pirates have one on April 13, which I am planning on participating in! I literally would've never guessed back in high school I would be running in any sort of event. It may be 3.2 miles, and I am sure I can accomplish that, my goals until that are to just be able to jog it the entire time without stopping. That has proven to be the hardest for me. I love interval training, so I am very much used to walk/runs/sprints. But, if I got this far after completing my fourth week, I trust myself to be able to reach my goal by graduation.

Added to Senior Year Bucket List: Run a 5K. Signed up & ready to go.

Late night thanking

As I continue to gather more ideas for my #senioryearbucketlist and post, I'm going to interject with a little late night thanking.
I'm going to start them with a bunch of cliches, be prepared:
- It is true what they say, it's not about what you know, but WHO you know. It's incredible how networking can change your path in life.
- It's all about being at the right place, at the right time. Seriously, without a little *luck*, I wouldn't be where I am and as content as I am, to know who I know and to do what I do.
- It's no joke the quality over quantity is a big deal. Here is a phenomenal example: I have an important tweet to share with the world, but I may not have relatively many followers, but WHO and the TYPE of followers I have are very influential people! [S/O to my RT followers, I appreciate your influence]
- You better believe it, but hard work ~definitely~ beats talent when talent doesn't perform. You absolutely cannot just fly by. Life can be incredibly fair in a sense of karma if you expect things to be dropped in front of you.

Lastly, I am incredibly thankful and acknowledge that to have all of the opportunities I am given is very special indeed. It's a combination of the aforementioned cliches & their themes and without each, I wouldn't be as lucky, special, happy, & content with my life. As a senior in college, I couldn't ask for better friends, coworkers, boss, supporters, jobs, internship, & student groups.

Peace - Love - Happiness

*picture for inspiration!*