That When Kelly and Tayla Tell Me to Write a Blog Post, I Do (and other lessons about friendship)

One of the first thoughts that I had after graduating high school in May was that it was so wonderful that now that I didn't have to go to school with them everyday, I never had to spend time with people that I didn't want to spend time with. There were a few people that were on the top of this list. There were also people that were on the top of my "I never want to lose touch with them" list. But what about the people in between?

We all know how it is. We have our friends and then we have our acquaintances. High school is a place that there a lot of acquaintances. Some times you meet people and you instantly click, you guys become friends. You hang out all the time and you're inseparable. Other people, you want nothing to do with from the moment you meet. Then there are the people that you have always had classes with. You guys get along fine and you share jokes in class but it doesn't go too much further than bonding over how awful your history homework is. There are a lot of these people in high school, so it can be hard to really sift through them at graduation and categorize them as "people I want to see again" and "people I could do without".

It's been almost three months since graduation and I haven't hung out with too many people. Work has held a monopoly on my time and anything left has been reserved for those beloved best friends I rarely get to see these days (shout out Jules and Em!). The fact that I haven't seen very many people this summer hasn't really bothered me, because there aren't too many that I really wanted to see. I realized though, as I thought about the things that I needed to do before leaving and the people that I wanted to see, that some of those people who I categorized as classmates and acquaintances in high school had actually become my friends, I wanted to see them because I missed them and felt like we needed to say goodbye.

Kelly and Tayla were both people who I shared a lot of classes with over the years--probably since sixth grade. I don't remember meeting either of them or what sparked our friendship. We were probably thrown together as partners occasionally and maybe seated together in a seating assignment, I'm not sure. But at some point we became classmates that interacted, as opposed to those that don't. They both always thought it was fun to tease me--probably because it is. We would joke around and act like we disliked each other. The term 'best friend' was often thrown around with a sarcastic tone and a small sneer. But it was always important that through all the jokes they cracked, it was easy to differentiate them from the people that wanted to hurt me. They were never the people that made me run out to my car after school, tears streaming and Taylor Swift blasting. They were my friends.

At some point, in the mess that is high school, we became friends without ever realizing it. It took a little time of not seeing each other to realize that they had fallen into the category of "people I want to see again" while many others had been discarded into the "I could do without" pile and never thought of again. Summer began winding down and I started to realize that I hoped I would run into them so we could hang out. I realized that seeing them was actually important enough to text them and make plans, and so we did and so it was lovely.

As I get ready to go off to college in a new place where I don't know anyone, I've been thinking about the idea of making friends a lot. I've been asking myself how I'm going to do that and trying to think about how I've done it in the past. I reached a conclusion that I had never had to make friends before--because I've lived here forever and just always known everyone--but this conclusion is wrong. I've been making friends the entire time and never realized it, because it's such a natural part of life.

You meet a person and you have something in common. Maybe you have a shared friend, job or class. Things just grow from there. An inside joke arises and suddenly you have a topic of conversation. Obviously you send a friend request and make things Facebook official. When you see each other you smile, wave, say hello. They are no longer a stranger. You guys make plans. Things continue along this path and eventually, you realize that this is someone you want to continue to have in your life. This is a person you want to call your friend.

That thought makes me smile at the friendships I've acquired over the years and feel more confident about the ones that await me in Boston. I've made friends before, so why shouldn't I be able to do it again?

Shout out to my friends Kelly and Tayla, who I never
realized I became friends with. 

The Top Three Things I'm Most Excited About For College

So to follow up my last post about the top three things I'm going to miss most when at college, I thought I'd highlight the three things I am most excited about (because obviously even though I'm going to miss things I'm super excited!). So here it is:

BU and SED

Hey there, Kenmore Square

Have I told you how excited I am about SED? If you answered no to that question then you obviously have not been paying attention.

The People

I've been around the same people my entire life. For the most part, all of the people that I've been around have been the same type of people. There's nothing wrong with this, it's just the way that it is. This is obviously due to the environment. We have all of have grown up in the same place with the same influences for the most part. This makes us all pretty similar, no matter how much we hate to admit that. 

I can't wait to get out and experience new types of people. People who came from different backgrounds and grew up in a different environment. People who see things differently than I do and come from a different place than me. City people and country people. People from around the nation and people from around the world. But mostly...just for some new people. And so many of them!

(Plus, all of the people I've already met are completely splendid and I'm excited to meet many more just as spectacular!)

The Classes

I love learning! I just really do! And college is so cool because there are so many cool classes to take! And I get to take classes that I'm passionate about and that I choose to take! Ones which will help me with my career! And how cool is it that I get to start going to schools for ED100 right away?! So cool, just like SED and BU!

The Activities

Hey SED TM program, I'm looking at you. Besides that, what about all the clubs and sports. And watching hockey games of course!

A New Beginning

As I mentioned, I've been in the same place with the same people for my entire life. My town is about the size of the Freshman class at BU, my county about the size of BU undergrad. There are about five towns that comprise Summit County, totaling a population of about 20,000. There are six elementary schools which feed into one middle school and one high school. This means that I've gone to school with all the same people since I was either five or eleven. This is definitely not something I love. You can never get rid of the person you were when you were five, or what kind of kid you were at eleven. Maybe you talked too much when you were five, or you had a lisp at eleven. So that's the reputation you're stuck with. That mistake you made when you were thirteen? It never goes away and you can never get rid of your baggage. This makes for a really hard and often painful adolescence. When all you want to do is be the person you know that you can be and spread your wings and fly it sucks to be chained to the ground and weighed down by judgmental and mean teenagers who never forgive or forget. 

So I reach my biggest point of excitement in going to BU: a brand new beginning. The closest person I will know once I move to Boston will be 217 miles away. I never have to tell anyone about those painful memories that I can't stand to have brought up and never again have to hear someone call me that awful nickname my Chemistry teacher called me. I finally have complete control of being exactly who I am and who I want to be without the weight of the past dragging me down. It's finally time to takeoff from the launchpad I've been waiting on for all of these years, so here's to "infinity and beyond!"

The City and Independence

Let's review. My county has 20,000 people in it. BU alone has 20,000 people in it. The most exciting thing there is to do at home is go to Target. At BU I'm going to have an entire city of entertainment at my doorstep. I could not be more excited.

I'm never going to be bored again. There is simply so much to do! And I can do it all! Because I'm going to be on my own and independent and able to do whatever I please! What a great feeling!



Now to finish out this poorly written and scatter brained article, a Dr. Suess quote: "You have brains in your head and feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go."

What are you most excited about for college? Let me know in the comments section! And as always, share this with your friends if you liked it and if you want to!

The Top Three Things I'm Going to Miss in College

My Princesshood

Disclosure: The tone of the following paragraphs on princesshood is largely sarcastic, joking and playful. My parents do not cater to my every whim and my closet isn't really that big.

Let's be honest. All I really want to in life is to be a Princess (well, that and Hermione Granger). College and dorm life isn't getting me any closer to this step. My queen size bed and I share a very special relationship. I find it completely necessary to spread, sprawl and spin over the entire surface. My ten pillows? Completely necessary. I don't think it's possible for me to fit me and my sleeping habits on a twin bed, even if it is extra long. 

And what about my closet? My guess is that the one I'm moving into in Boston is about four feet...max. Mine? It's a walk in. It's probably the favorite part of my house. We have a really great history. I used to play in it when I was a kid. I had a kitchen and a barbie playhouse in there. I just sat in my closet alone for hours. What could be better? But alas, I grew up. My closet stuck with me though. As an angsty middle schooler, my dad would wake me up for school and I would go lie down in my closet and go back to sleep so he would think I was getting dressed. I wasn't. Now as I've grown, so have my collection of shoes, coats, dresses...all the beautiful things in life. And my closet has supported this addiction. It's never been anything but good to me. And now we're being torn apart from each other. 

Next...Private bathroom? Enough said. 

What about the way I'm treated at home? Common phrases I use include, but are not limited to, are "Mommy will you make me some Top Ramen?" "Daddy, there's a bug! Kill it!" "Mom, look how cute these shoes are! (hint, hint)*" "Daaaddddd I'm hungrryyyy". These phrases typically grant my wishes. Because I'm a princess and a witch. Obviously. But...what's going to happen when I'm two thousand miles away from my magical top ramen makers and bug killers? 

*This one rarely works

Summit County

Did I just say that I'm going to miss Summit County? The place that I have done nothing but talk about leaving for as long as I can remember? What happened to "I just can't wait to get out of here"? Okay, that's still completely true. But there are some things I really am going to miss. Admittedly, one of the things I will miss is also one of the things I am dying to get away from. The small, closeness of Summit. Sometimes I actually do like it. Sometimes it's cool when I can go almost anywhere and have an instant connection and also an instant memory. Sometimes I like pretending like I live in Stars Hollow. 

I'm going to miss Soupz on and filling up my card to get a free one. I'm going to miss Target, because the ones in Boston won't be this one. I'm going to miss just driving. You know those nights when you just want to get out, go somewhere? I've had some of the best nights just getting in my car and driving across the county and back. Because I can. Because there isn't traffic or stressful roads. Because it's simple, and beautiful. I'm going to miss the beauty. I'm going to miss that sparkling lake that has been the center of my life for as long as I can remember. And the protective feel of being surrounded by towering mountain ranges. I'm going to miss hiking with my dog through the forest in complete solitude. The solitude in general...how easy it is so feel completely isolated and alone with yourself and your thoughts. I'm going to miss the clean water and the crisp air. The thing I'm going to miss the most is the stars. Sitting on the docks or at Sapphire Point just taking in their beauty, gasping at the clarity of the moon. 

My Privacy

Here's some confessions: I like to blast my music sometimes. Sometimes it's really lame music. Sometimes if I'm home alone I walk around in my batman underwear. I stay up on the internet until the wee hours of the night too often. When I talk on the phone my voice sometimes gets too loud. I make weird faces at myself in the mirror. I talk to myself. Occasionally, I dance across my room to get to the door. Besides embarrassing myself...the point is that those are things that I can't, or shouldn't, do when there's another person present. I guess I'll just have to save singing and dancing poorly to my childhood hits for Christmas break. 

Things may be changing, but Disney Princesses have survived worse, so I will too--with my tiara firmly in place.

So there it is. The things I will miss most when at college. What are you going to miss most at college? Or what did you miss most when you went? Share in the comments!

That Carl and Ellie From "UP" Knew What They Were Doing

I recently came across a quote on Tumblr (yes, my other blog). The script read "Oh darling, let's be adventurers." Other than Tumblr, I'm not sure where this quote originated from but something about it really struck me. The wonderful and beautiful simplicity of it was absolutely perfect. It left me smiling and speechless with a warm feeling in my mind. The tone is beautiful. The period at the end is flawless. It signifies that it's not a crazy or exotic idea--it's just a simple statement and it's one that everyone should pursue.

Let's talk about adventure. Adventure is defined as "a daring and exciting activity calling for enterprise and enthusiasm". An adventurer: "A person willing to take risks". Like the quote, these definitions and their simplicity are beautiful. Why shouldn't we all be adventurers?

Carl and Ellie from Up wanted to be adventurers. For them, that meant that they were going to travel the world and see the wilds of South America. Maybe that's not your idea of an adventure, but we all have one and we all need to pursue it. Me? Just as Ellie dreamed and doodled about South America in her "Adventure Book" I have my own escapade that clouds my mind and occupies all of my thoughts. In just three short weeks, I'm leaving for Boston University. I know, you're all sick of hearing about how much I love Boston, BU and the general idea of College. Sorry, I'm not going to apologize. Ellie couldn't stop talking about her adventure and I can't stop talking about mine. I'm pursuing my adventure and along the way, I'm hoping to find out new things about myself and about the world. For me, this is the most exciting adventure there is. I will be the first to admit that I am a nerd. I truly love school and I love learning. I love gaining and sharing knowledge. I love having intellectual discussions. For these reasons, I can't wait for the adventure that awaits me and the life long friends (like Carl) I will make over cups of coffee and shared passions. The pursuance of both knowledge and passion is my life lasting adventure. 

All of us should have an adventure and all of us should pursue it. We needn't have a connotation of the word "adventure" that makes us think of sky diving and swimming with sharks. The great thing about being independent individuals, as we all are, is that we get to define our own adventure and we get to create our very own pixar movie in the process. So stop worrying. Stop over thinking it. An adventure isn't something unachievable or inconceivable. Your life is an adventure. Pursue your passions, face your fears, take a risk and let's go on an adventure! It can be scary but in the words of our friend Ellie, "Adventure is out there!"

What's the latest and greatest adventure in your life? Tell me in the comments! Share this post with your friends and encourage them to pursue their adventures too!