A Glance Back at 2015

2015 was a year of growth, laughter, and adventure. Here's a brief gaze into 15 of my favorite documented memory brimmed days.

1.1.2015 

Nothing quite like a New Year's Day spent in San Francisco. 

 2.7.2015

Dancing took place in the moonlight. 

2.14.15

No adventure is complete without a few wrong turns right? Galentines day took place with pressed paninis, a picnic blanket, and of course plenty of conversation hearts. 

3.14.15 

Germany, Austria, Lichtenstein. Castles ruins were explored.

4.12.15 

A red carpet was walked. Horrific heels were trudged in.  

5.22.15 

A graduation of grandeur occurred. 

 

6.1.15 

Boutiques were perused. Homemade peach ice cream was devoured. 

6.16.15

Sunshine and snorkeling. No reception, no problem. 

 

7.15.15 

Tangerine snow cones were licked. My favorite coney was by my companion. 

8.15.15

Coffee shops, mountains, and puppies were spied.

  

 10.3.15

Pumpkins were picked. Heavy clothes donned. It was 90 degrees. Sigh.
 10.10.15
Bare feet. Great music. 48 hours of pure bliss.

  

11.1.15
Immense laughter, further bonded friendships both new and old. Columbus the compass. 

 

11.21.15

Beignets. Art. Coffee. Family. My kind of day. 

12.19.15

Even through horrific traffic, laughter and fuzzy hearts prevailed. Crinkly eyes and shiny grins were made visible in the dimness through festive glow. 

I hope you all have a wonderful 2016 and please remember that, "the new year means nothing if you are still in love with your comfort zone."

A Note From Me About the Wretched F Word

 

As of late, I’ve felt the hot topic of discussion to be the ominous, taunting, stubborn faced future. I crave to be the change in the world, but how? Is there a formula or algorithm to solve worldwide turmoil? What will the analyzation of Nathaniel Hawthorne's work do to prepare me to conquer cultural injustice? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to degrade the public school system. I understand its purpose. All I am saying is that I would be lying if I denied the overwhelming pit in my stomach due to the looming fear of drowning once getting tossed into the, “real world.”

I don’t want my life to be average. I look around and observe sallow faced store clerks and wonder if they ever ask themselves, “what happened?” One might say, “I dreamed of becoming a pilot and gliding through the clouds,” but later admit that his fear of inadequacy was what kept his feet planted firmly on Earth’s soil. I fear that I won’t be enough. I fear that my niche will never be discovered. I fear that my future is determined by one size fits all test results. “Do you have any idea what you want to do after you graduate?” an unnerving phrase that permeates the air of every light hearted gathering of individuals years older than I. This simple good intentioned phrase raises bilicious anxiety in my throat and sours my face. With a shrug of my shoulders in faux causality a rehearsed giggle escapes my lips, and the standard, “don’t ask me that, I have no idea,” attempts to bookend a conversation in my sorest of subjects.  

I’m a list maker. I have a designated place for every knick and every knack. I prefer my thoughts logged and filed into prim folders. The future is a begrudging, atrociously cliche blank page that flitters around, and lacks respect for my love affair with order. I want so bad to be able to determine whether the shade of the paper will be ecru or starch white, or whether times new roman will dominate the sheet or if words will appear in maddening comic sans. It’s quite easy to tell people to, “be the change you want to see in the world,” but how does one simply tug on a hat of resilience and carve paths of worldly revisions? How do I better my environment when I cower, in fear of tomorrow? How do I ensure that I exhale my last breath of life in tranquil confidence that I, an insignificant drop of water in the sea of Earth’s existence, truly impacted?