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Thursday, June 22, 2017

Saying Goodbye to 25 | What I Know, What I Don't, and What I'm Still Figuring Out.

I'm finishing up this blog post from the crisp white bedsheets of the hotel room we'll be spending the next three nights in over on the East coast of Florida in Jupiter. I've spent the last week super stressed out trying to get all the school things/work things/life things done prior to Thursday morning so I could truly relax and enjoy our little mini trip for my birthday (on Saturday!) and I have the breakouts and eye twitches to show for it. Really.

As difficult as it is to unwind in the middle of the summer semester, I'm going to do my best to unplug a bit, forget about school (mostly), and enjoy some time off. In the spirit of turning 26 on Saturday, I've been doing a tad bit of reflecting on where I'm at now vs. where I was last year (or the year before, or the year before that).  As I say goodbye to 25, I thought I'd share a tid bit here about what I still don't know how to do (no shame), what I'm still figuring out, and what I think I've got a good handle on:


Things I Still Don’t Know How to Do

How to change a tire. I mean, how do you even really learn this if you’re not in the dire situation of actually having a flat tire? RIGHT?
Vacuum. (Ryan said this one – I 100% know how to vacuum, but my skills are clearly not up to his standards).
How to drink enough water. My S’Well bottle is helping, but I’m pretty sure that I’m dehydrated about 90% of my life. Not something I’m bragging about – just something that is still a thing for me, even at 25.
 

Things I’m Still Figuring Out

When to quit while I’m ahead. In conversations, in school, in everyday situations.
How to take everything one day at a time. Being a human is kind of weird. We tend to overthink things – to worry and stress out about the future, something that we truly cannot predict. I still find myself hopping on to a mental hamster wheel, wondering what my next move will be, how to prepare for it, how I’ll feel about it in five years or twenty. Sometimes I wonder when this is going to change, or if it ever will.
My own personal style. Why can’t stretchy shorts, bralettes, and loose fitting t-shirts be appropriate attire for literally everything? I donut get it.
                    

Things I’ve got a handle on

Knowing that it’s impossible to be friends with everybody. There are some people in life that you will just never connect with on a legitimate friendship level, whether they’re coworkers or friends of friends, and that’s perfectly fine.
Understanding that love is something worth fighting for, but you shouldn’t have to often. In fact, you should hardly have to at all. I’ve had several long term relationships, and while I’m a firm believer in “to each their own,” I’ve come to find that I thrive the most in relationships that don’t harp on conflict.
How to keep a straight face whilst negotiating. Whether I’m buying a car, dealing with overages on a hotel bill, or just plain ol’ trying to get my way (ha! It happens…), I think I’ve finally mastered the art of the raised eyebrows and neutral yet stern “NOT TA-DAY” voice and matching facial expressions.
Picking my battles wisely.How to get on Ryan’s nerves (another “cute” comment from the peanut gallery).
Making a bomb dot com margarita at home.
Planning vacations.
Knowing what I want to do as a career. Kinda…still have to narrow down the setting, population, etc. But you knowww, we’ll get there.
 Hard to believe I’ll be 26 in just a few days, but I’m not all that worried about getting older. Beats the alternative, doesn’t it?

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Thursday, June 15, 2017

On Feeling Grateful.



Today I woke up feeling grateful.
 I wake up feeling that way most mornings. With all that’s going on in the world, if you’re not being directly affected, it’s borderline absurd not to feel grateful. Truthfully, I don’t have a whole lot to complain about anyway, although you’ll catch me kvetching about trivial nonevents like traffic and bad grammar at least three times a day. 


But today I woke up feeling grateful, lucky, and loved. 

I’m grateful for my boyfriend, for dating a guy who’s a better human than I will probably ever get to become, and what’s even more annoying wonderful is that he doesn’t actually try to be so good. He just is. And I’ve managed to get him to keep dating me for nearly four years now
 I’m grateful for my job, even during the tough shifts. I don’t have a lot of money to play with now, but I have more than enough to maintain a comfortable lifestyle without having to eat ramen noodles every night. I can’t afford to get a mani/pedi every two weeks, but I can get myself a birthday dress and not feel guilty for a week.
 I’m grateful for getting into a great graduate program, and for getting to learn how to do something pretty cool and super rewarding every day.
 I’m grateful for being able to have slow Monday mornings with coffee, blogging, and pooch snuggles, because I know in a year's time, I'll miss those moments. While I have a lot of responsibilities as a graduate student, I am no stranger to the responsibilities of the professional working world. And for that, I'll be sure to appreciate each and every weekday afternoon nap I can come across.


I'm grateful for margaritas and pool days, stormy afternoons and fluffy slippers, our cozy apartment and our sweet little life.

Over the next year, my life is going to transition into yet another form of limbo. Soon enough I'll know where I will be completing my externships for school, closely followed by figuring out exactly how I want to begin my career as an SLP. Our apartment lease is up at the end of the year, and we'll have to decide if we want to continue to rent or dip our toes into the housing market. Right now, the next two years feel a lot like a giant blank canvas, and while that's super exciting, it's a bit overwhelming. 


I won't lie and say I practice it every day, but every once in awhile, it's nice to check in with myself and be reminded of the things making me happy right now, things I'm thankful for at this point in my life. 

What are you grateful for right now?









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Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Hello, June | 2017.


June has always been my favorite month. First and foremost, it’s because it’s my birthday month, so it’s always been a month full of celebrations. It’s also the beginning of summer which means the start of daily thunderstorms, backyard BBQs, and the promise of plenty of beach days ahead.
 This year, June marks the middle of my summer semester and the beginning of applying for externship. Talk about nerve wracking…but also super exciting! It’s crazy to think that this time next year I’ll be completing my final externship and applying for actual jobs. My top choice externship location just sent out an email with an attached student survey (aka the interview BEFORE the interview) and request for a resume, so it’s safe to say it’s been getting real.
 

This month also marks my first vacation of the year – a four day beach vacation in Jupiter with Ryan! We got a great deal on a local resort there, and I am so looking forward to a few days of relaxation on the east coast of Florida. If you’re familiar with the area and have any suggestions, send them my way! Jupiter is about 30 minutes north of Palm Beach, so I’m happy for recommendations in that area, as well.
 This month, I turn 26 and enter the last year of my “mid-twenties.” Wowza. When I turned 25 last year, despite the whirlwind of emotion that 24 was, I felt very secure – secure in my decision to quit my job and go back to school, secure in my relationships with my friends and with Ryan. Truthfully, not much has changed. Only now, three semesters in, I’m struggling to figure out which path of my chosen career path I will decide to take. But I guess the mystery is half the fun, right? Still, I hope 26 brings me some form of clarity. In the meantime, I guess I’ll enjoy the ride.



What does June mean for you this year?


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