Defining a Generation

Recently I have started watching Gossip Girl on Netflix. The more I watch of it the more I realize that is defines my years in high school. Sounds silly right? Well first of all the life that is portrayed in the show is not the life I had in high school or now or ever will. It's more like what was in style, the music during my freshman year and what ideas where going around during high school at the time. It's weird how a show, movie, song or trend could say so much about the time you experienced in those so called wonderful years of high school. It's been almost two years since I have left the halls of McKay and almost tow years since I was happy that I have been gone. Now that I am in college I'm wondering show, movie or trend will define my college years. What ideas will influence my thinking and actions. In high school the idea having someone close to me was the thing. Maybe that's why I longed to have a guy next to me. Now realize that a boy isn't everything. A boy doesn't define you but rather distract you at times. Lets just say I have been learning. Okay back to Gossip Girl defining my generation....so the show started my freshman year of high school and for some reason I never followed it. I remember watching the first episode but I guess I had better things to do. Freshman year....dang that's a long time ago...that's six years ago. Oh crap six years ago I was 14. Oh crap this year I'm going to be 20. Okay getting off the subject. Point is that Gossip Girl as silly as it is has a lot of aspects of my early high school years that I have seen so far. In the episode I just finished watching the show ended with the song Apologize by One Republic. I remember freshman year that was a big hit. I remember at a pep assembly the dance team did a routine to it. I remember listening it on the radio nonstop. I remember having it on ipod. Now where is it? Is it the song we skip when it comes on shuffle. The song we ignore when it comes on the radio. Do we ignore little things from our past so often? Sure it's one song but what other things like goals, aspirations, or even friends. I have been thinking a lot about freshman year now. I am going to be honest freshman year was the worst years of high school. I was figuring who were my friends and who I was. It was a year of discovering new things and not to mention a new school. But hey I survived. I'm in college now! There were things I wish I did and did not do freshman year. Oh thinking about the past. Okay enough of this I need to sleep. So goodnight my loves. As Gossip Girl would say.....you know you love me xoxo Gossip Girl.  

Recently....

So what has been going on in my life lately? School, tests, work and not feeling myself. Lately I have been dwelling in the past and it has just gotten me down. I hate this feeling! What am I suppose to do? I have been caught up in the way things use to be that I haven't been able to think positive about the future. I decided that I'm going to make some changes in my life. 

First thing first. Look forward. If today happens to be a great day and toward tomorrow and good things that could happen and make those good things happen. Don't dwell on the negative things today because tomorrow you can't enjoy the good things. I rather optimistic about tomorrow, next week, next month or even next year. Many good things are in store for me but they are going to a while. 

Second, feel confident. I'm going to attack each day with confidence that will even scare me. I'm going to get through those bad days as if they were a piece of cake. When I have test, I'm going to enter that testing center like I own it and come out as if I made that test cry. 

Thirdly, take chances. One thing about me is that I get scared when taking risks. I have to cut that crap out. I have to not be afraid of trying new things or talking new people. Who knows maybe taking chances will take me places one day. 

Wish me luck on my new approach in life. I can't let one test, one bad event or a stressful day get in my way of being happy. Just have to take one day at a time. 

New Year, New Semester, New Me?

I have been a horrible blogger. I have not blogged in weeks and so much has happened! I got back to Utah, started the semester, started a new job, and I'm trying to change some habits. You can say I have been busy. 

Winter semester started out with really cold weather here in Provo. When I go back to Utah my windshield wipers were frozen. I felt like I was a walking popsicle. Over the past couple of weeks I have been trying to survive school, work and my so called life. It has been filled with endless nights, ice cream stains, confused feelings, and one missed class. 

Work you may ask? Yes I finally got a job this semester! You can say that I'm lunch lady which is the truth. I work at the Missionary Training Center just down a ways down from school. At first I was like this is going to "fun" but you know what it's not that bad. I have only slipped one plate, knocked out about 8 paper bowls, almost slipped on just mopped floors (that I mopped!) and dropped pasta sauce on my shoes. Overall I think it's going pretty good. The first day I worked I saw two people I knew which was awkward and really funny. Oh well. 

School? It's school. What else is there to say. I attend classes and bought books that make me cry when I look at the cost. I say I hate one class one day and the next day I say I love it. I ask myself what am I doing with my life but then I think at least I'm trying. There. Enough said. 

New year, new me? Yes you can count on that! So I am on a path to change myself but in a good way! I want to be able to tackle this year with more confidence in myself and be more spontaneous. So far I have tried and failed to get a boys attention but you know what who cares? At least I tried. I bought re lipstick the other day for the first time. I had to remind myself new year, new me. I am working to change my studying habits and stop procrastination. Not to mention doing a little thing called saving money maybe for a summer trip. Last but not least I'm trying to have a healthier lifestyle and yes that means maybe dropping a few pounds. 

Okay my fellow readers I'm off. Remember, new year, new me.   

2012: A Year to Remember

So the year 2012 has come to an end and 2013 has began. I just want to take some time to reflect on the past year. I learned a lot of things, had many experiences, and had major changes in my life. 

Something I learned was to remember who I am. During winter semester I had a low point that I wish to never go through again. At one point I just wanted to give up. Feeling alone in a huge university campus is probably one of the worst feelings. I tried to ignore how I was feeling at first but that didn't work. I began reflecting on who I was and what my purpose was. My purpose at school that is. Those thoughts helped me get through the semester thankfully. 

Another major thing of 2012 was letting go of someone in my life. The time finally came and I realized what I wanted in my future. So what did I learn from that? Heartbreak. Sure it hurts at first but in the end you realize you made the right choice. For a long a time I fooled myself. It took some to learn that but I am thankfully I did. It was probably one of the most painful things of the year but it was the one change which taught me a lot. It taught me I could do hard things. It taught me I can do things alone. It taught me I had strength. But most importantly it reminded me of what I really wanted in my future.

2012 was a year I learned about the power of friendship. I made new friends in the past year and also reconnected with old friends. I spent last summer surrounded by my friends and it was by far the best summer so far. Throughout the year when things went sour in my life my friends were there to help me get through it. Especially when I was away from home. 

I learned to take chances and to hope for the best. Sometimes those chances turned out differently than I expected but I learned to move on. Something that I was scared of before was letting myself do things I have never done and well this year I guess I just let myself to the impossible. 

Now the question is what is going to happen in 2013? I'm looking forward to what this year has in store for me. A lot of things could happen but I'm hoping for the best. There are a lot of things I want to do this year and this time I'm going to take more chances. You know live a little. In 2012 there was "YOLO" but this year I'm going to see it as there's only one 2013. Wish me luck. 

Finals are Dumb

Well you guessed it. I am in the middle of finals. I have two more to do and I just wish I didn't have to do them. This semester has been the hardest so far and at times it has not been fun. Tomorrow after 6pm I will be done. Actually I have a band final tomorrow night at 7 but does that really count? I am going to wake up on Friday morning without any worry except packing because on Monday I leave for San Diego!!! I can't wait to be in sunny California. Being in the marching band has it's perks. It will be 4 eventful days and I can't wait!

Before then I have two more finals. I have to clean and pack. Not to mention treating myself this weekend with a much needed manicure and pedicure this weekend. So there's lots to do before Monday. 

Then next Friday I will be on a plane on the way to Oregon. I can't wait until I go home and spend Christmas with my family. I'm looking forward as well to the new year. I have some goals I want to try to achieve this coming year. I will blog about those later. Well as for now I have to go study. Tomorrow night I will go to bed without any worries about school. 

Home Sweet Home

No I am not home yet. I first have to go California then I will go to Oregon but I just want to take some time to reflect on home. 

The other day I had someone tell me they were jealous of me because I get to live in Oregon. They thought it was such a beautiful place and wanted to go back there someday. After that conversation I began thinking about good old Oregon. Oregon is not where I was born actually. I was born in Southern California and lived there the first 12 years of my life but I don't call it home anymore. Oregon is my home now. 

I remember when I first moved to Oregon I hated it and I just wanted to go back to California. I didn't take the time to appreciate the beauty that was around. Well thank goodness I grew up and realized the amazing place my parents dragged me to seven years ago. 

So what makes Oregon the best the place to in? I shall try to convince you but maybe you might have to go see it yourself....

Green EVERYWHERE
Well in the area I live in there is green everywhere meaning there are endless fields, trees (big and small), mountains in the distance and moss everywhere (even on the trees!) It does rain a lot in Oregon but then that makes everything green and beautiful! Especially after spring showers you get to see all the pretty flowers blossom. I didn't see that much of that in Southern California. It's really different than another place I have been at. I currently live in Provo, Utah and let me tell you Utah doesn't have anything compare to Oregon. I personally think that the mountains look ugly without snow and there isn't green scenery. If I wasn't busy with school and marching band I think I would be depressed from the view. I guess people would think that about Oregon because it rains there a lot and it's always cloudy that people get depressed. I never felt depressed living in constant rain. I actually love the rain! Well Oregon rain that is. Utah rain is just gross. I love the smell after it rains and how the air feels. If you haven't been to Oregon you should take a trip there to really experience what I'm talking about.   

Unique and WEIRD

Maybe you have heard but Portland is weird. And yes there is really the thing of "Keep Portland Weird". Have you seen Portlandia yet? Go watch it. It's on Netflex. It's really accurate on how weird and unique Portland is. I know I'm not from Portland but hey it's still Oregon and I love it. 

So while you are exploring Portland in the near future stop by and get some Voodoo! That is Voodoo doughnuts. They are basically the most unique doughnuts I have ever seen and the store is one of kind itself. While my older sister visited Oregon this past summer we stopped in downtown Portland to grab some Voodoo. You at least have to go once in your life.

Tillamook

When I came to Utah I had to have my Tillamook cheese. All the other cheese tasted gross to me. I eventually started to buy Tillamook ice cream, butter, yo gurt and even butter. If you haven't heard of Tillamook cheese where have you been? I remember growing up there would be TV commercials in Southern California about happy cows coming from California. Yeah don't believe that. Tillamook dairy products are much better. Oh and the Tillamook cheese factory is pretty awesome too! I love the free samples:) I love going to the cheese factory because they have every type of ice cream flavor. My favorite so far? Grandma's Cake Batter but sadly I haven't found any here in Utah. I did buy some Oregon Strawberry the other because I was feeling a little homesick. Oh there's nothing better than Tillamook ice cream. BYU creamery can't compare. 

   

Family 

But most importantly the reason why I love Oregon the most is my family. We are just missing one person in Oregon and that is my older sister. We all wish she was up there with us. Recently we had a new addition to our family, my baby nephew Jared! I'm just going to be honest I have the cutest nephew:) I miss my family the most and I can't wait to go back home to see them along with beautiful Oregon. 

It's Almost Over

Life has been crazy this past week. Classes ended yesterday but finals start on Monday. At this point I'm thinking "I want this to be over now!" These past two weeks since Thanksgiving has been the most stressful. This week I have written 3 papers and had some nights where I only got 1 to 4 hours of sleep. On Wednesday night I just crashed on bed. I didn't change out of my clothes. That's how tired I was. I honestly feel like I am going to explode from all the stress but thank goodness a week from today my winter break will start!

This winter break is going to be really fun and I can't wait! The marching band is going to California for the bowl game and we will spend 4 days in sunny San Diego. We went our the schedule last week and we to do so many things. It's going to be a very busy 4 days but  I can handle that. One thing for sure that will be an adventure is the night after the game. I get to spend the night at the airport with other band members who are flying out. Hopefully I can sleep that night. Not to mention my flight is not until Friday at 12:30 in the afternoon. 

One thing is for I can't wait until Christmas! I can't wait until I get to see my amazing family and see my baby nephew again. I will be spending two weeks in Oregon before the semester starts again and it will be a glorious two weeks where I don't have to do any homework or papers. Although I will be honest I'm already looking forward to next semester and all the crazy things that will happen. 

Well my fellow readers the times has come to part for now. Wish me luck on my finals. And remember as Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "We are wiser than we know." (Finals are going to make us think other wise)