taking risks.

Okay. Let's talk about taking risks. Not my thing, at all.

HOWEVER, desperate times call for desperate measures in which cases, risk is involved.

I am not a spontaneous person, never have been, doubt I ever will be. I am way to OCD to go on an unplanned shopping spree, much less an unplanned vacation.

There are two times I can remember being spontaneous. Once was freshman year in college when I attended one of the biggest party weekends in college history at Southern Illinois University and the second was yesterday.

Neither time have I been disappointed.

So, even if you are as OCD and "live by your planner" as me, it pays off to occasionally take risks.

bad days.

I feel like I've been having a lot of these lately. I haven't posted because I haven't been happy.

I write when I'm sad. Always have. I just haven't written on here because I've been too sad to even write.

Regardless, sometimes everyone needs this reminder..

"Just because you have a bad day doesn't mean you have a bad life"

summer.

Ahhhh, summer. As I've grown "older", I've learned to appreciate each summer I have at home more and more. When you're little I think it's so easy to take summer for granted.

But then you grow up and you have to start working in the summers...and suddenly those days you spent running around the neighborhood with a popsicle stained face are over.

That was me last summer. I took summer for granted.

Now, here I sit at home for a short 3 weeks before I go to my internship in Chicago. My last summer at home. I am not doing well with that.

Summer is so unique in so many ways. People are happier. The smell of grilling fills the air and cut-off jean shorts are necessary.

I could go on and on about summer and how amazing it is but I'll leave you with a list that you should do at least ONE summer in your life.

1. Fall in love. Summer is the absolute best and easiest time to fall in love. Don't ask me why, but having a summer love is probably my favorite thing, ever.
2. Stay out late with high school friends. Soon, everyone will get a grown up, real life job and then it's over--spend as much time as you can with them.
3. Spend 4th of July in a small town. Not only as you will soon learn am I absolutely obsessed with the 4th of July, but celebrating it in a small town is one of my favorite memories.
4. Try every kind of summer beer. I now drink Bud Light Lime year round...Summer Shandy is good, too.
5. Get a tan and take a bunch of pictures. Everyone looks better tan, right?
6. Go to a baseball game of any kind. This is definitely another one of my favorite memories.And if you hate baseball, refer to number 9. They sell beer.
7. Tie-Die a T-shirt. I'm 21 and I still do this. If you think I'm childish, refer to my post about not wanting to grow up.
8. Appreciate living at home. Seriously, real life isn't as fun and it's super boring. Enjoy mom's home cooked meals and Dad yelling at you for getting home at 2 a.m.
9. Play golf. Now, before you say it's boring, you hate it, or you aren't good...They sell beer there.
10. Swing on a playground. But really. It's one of my favorite things to do and it's a proven stress reliever.

funny how things work out (or don't).

Loss is a funny thing. And to be cliche, you don't really know what you have until it's gone.

This past weekend one of my very dear friends lost one of her very dear friends suddenly. He was young, my age actually. She had recently talked to him about how they would spend time together soon.

When I found out, I didn't know what to say to her. And for those of you that know me, it is rare that I have nothing to say. All I could do was hug her and tell her everything would be alright.

Recently, another one of my friends found out he would be deployed, yet again. I don't know when I will see him next as I will have graduated by the time he gets to come back.

In short, appreciate what you have, when you have it. You never know when you could lose someone you love.

So, tell the ones you love that you love them. Tell them every day. Spend time with them, make it count.

for the love of sharing.

The amount of blogs/new websites I read a day is embarrassing. Well, to the people who don't understand me it's embarrassing. To the people who know me well, you won't even be surprised.

Anyway.

Here is what I have been reading lately and I definitely suggest you do as well:

Kate Conner-Lily Pads -hands down the most refreshing blog, ever. Kate is hilarious, southern and a mom, three of my favorite things.

Raising Redheads-I stumbled upon this blog via a friend of a friend. VERY enlightening and definitely makes you appreciate what you have. This little girl is precious.

PRDaily-and the PR nerd comes out. But really. This website has TONS of interesting articles on social media trends, interviewing, etc. I'm a journalism nerd, it's fine.

Just flat out hilarious.-not deep, enlightening or professionally written. But hilarious. Check it everyday. You will die.

one of those moments.

The past year has been interesting to say the least.

I've experienced love that has come and gone along with some of the highest highs and the lowest lows. I've experienced an interview process so intense I thought I'd never get through it. And then I experienced the high of getting that internship that I worked so hard to get. I've experienced heartbreak. And I experienced that unique feeling when you fall in love with someone else. I experienced losing someone who was close to me and the grief that goes along with that. I experienced new friendships and rekindling of old ones. Bottom line, I experienced.

All in one year.

Thinking about everything that has happened, one of my favorite experiences happened the other night. I cried because I was happy. I was happy that things finally panned out the way I have been waiting them to pan out. I was relieved that I didn't have to wonder anymore. I was happy.

I guess all I am saying is, experience is an interesting thing. Let yourself experience different feelings, emotions and paths in life. Let yourself experience. Because when you do, you will remember it as one of those moments.

growing up (part 1.5)

I remember seeing this quote my freshman year in college. And I distinctly remember sitting in my dorm room, writing it down on a note card and taping it to my wall.

"You have four years to be irresponsible here. Relax. Work is for people with jobs. You'll never remember class time but you will remember time you wasted hanging out with your friends. So, stay out late. Go out on a Tuesday when you have a paper due Wednesday. Spend money you don't have. Drink 'til sunrise. The work never ends, but college does."

This could not ring more true. When I read this freshman year, I didn't comprehend how fast four years would go by. When I read this now, it is absolutely bittersweet. I have one year left here. One year to waste time with my friends. One year to fully enjoy college, enjoy being young, enjoy the freedom. One year.

So, to my little sister and all the incoming college freshman, enjoy it. Take that quote to heart. Make great friends. Stay out late. Enjoy the four years.