The best advice I ever got: "Travel Often"

I have a new found love for traveling. I think it began in April when I went to Cabo, Mexico with some friends for Spring Break. I had the time of my life. I literally never wanted to leave. The sun, the sand, the food, the people. I loved it all. (My pictures show it all...)

Since then I have taken every opportunity I can to travel. Which is why when my best friend from high school asked me to come to Madrid to visit her (she's studying abroad) I immediately said yes. I literally didn't even think about it. Why not? What on earth would hold me back from a week in Europe with my best friend? One day later I was booking my flight and making plans. I was a bit hesitant to ask my mom, for fear that she would reject the idea right away. However, when I casually mentioned the convo me and Jess had, she immediately said "You HAVE to go!" Oh my...I love my mom. She has always told me to travel often. Perhaps this is due to the fact that at age 18 she was in Europe for 3 weeks...and her stories are amazing. I'm so excited to make my own memories in Europe.

Madrid for Thanksgiving. How WONDERFUL! I'm staying for 7 days. Over the weekend we're going to fly to Paris. PARIS. You have no idea how long I've wanted to go there.

Oh my! I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself. Europe with my BFF...is there anything more exciting? (Here's a pic of me and Jess this summer before she left for Madrid)

On top of that, I'm planning my 21st birthday (Oct. 19th) with my Pi Phi sisters. Vegas, here we come! Me and Molly took a little trip there during the summer to see Tosh.0 and had a BLAST. To be honest, I don't think we stopped smiling during that entire vacation. I can't wait to go back in a few weeks! (I can't remember which hotel this picture is in front of...but it was GORGEOUS!)

Planning these trips is so much fun! It gives me something to look forward to in the midst of my crazy busy life.

I'm so glad I discovered my love for traveling....I want to see EVERYTHING!

Happy 25th Birthday Drew!

Today I'm thankful for this guy...

Don't mind the old picture (Drew's wedding in fact...2 years ago!)...I can't seem to find one of us earlier than this (how sad!)

Drew (my brother...obvious..) turns 25 today! So, happy birthday bro! One of my many bday presents to you is a spot on my blog (best present ever? I would SAY so!)

Drew is literally the male version of me. We have SO much fun together, especially when we make up random/hilarious songs. Thank goodness we both moved to Utah. I think any amount of distance would just about kill me!

All jokes aside, I have an amazing brother. The best in fact. I don't know anyone who is more understanding, supportive, loving, and hilarious. No matter what happens, he's always on my side. Drew is more than just my big brother. He truly is my best friend. I have no idea where I would be without him.

Love you bro! Hope today is just fabulous!

Ending the Cycle

I expected my life to calm down a little bit after Greek Recruitment....

it didn't.

Don't get me wrong. My life is crazy busy, but I like it that way. I feel accomplished. This life of mine is quite rewarding. But I can't dismiss the fact that I don't have time to spend hours upon hours with my friends, to hit the gym daily, or to be on the look out for a new man.

But perhaps the latter is a good thing. It's been quite awhile since I've been single. Like, years....YEARS. I swear I've had a boyfriend since I was 15. I'm one of THOSE girls...you know...the type that once she breaks up with one boy is dating another within weeks.

&& it's time to break that cycle.

As tempting as it is to fall into the arms of some boy as desperate as I for a relationship, I need to learn to be alone. Live life for me and not to please another. This concept is one that I obviously don't understand.

Which makes me wonder...why am I one of those girls who always has to be dating someone? Now that I think about it, I almost feel pathetic. I don't need some boy to make me happy.

So, here goes...it's only week 2 of being single. Let's see how long I can hold out. I think the longer I do, the happier I will be. It will give me time to discover myself. To focus on my goals, aspirations, and what I want in my future. I'm done dating randoms just because I want a boyf. So here's to new beginnings-the beginning of being completely independent & the end of the "I always have to have a boyfriend" cycle.

Wow, that was a random tangent. When I started this post that's not where I was going at all. That's what blogging does to me-it brings out the things most on my mind, so deeply embedded I hardly know they are there. Which is exactly why I love blogging so very much.

Side Note: I'm Single

I blog to get my feelings out. I blog to understand myself. My emotions can get a little crazy and confusing and at times-I'm unsure if I want to share them with the world. Then I remember why I started this blog-to figure out who I was & more importantly, who I wanted to become.

Isn't it funny that you plan out your future in your mind-a perfectly painted picture of what will happen in the next few years-then all the sudden, that picture is destroyed-in a matter of seconds?

I guess I should explain where I'm coming from. Remember that boy I was dating? James, yeah that was his name. I went to Baltimore to visit James & counted down the hours until his return to Utah.

Well, James did return. Things, however, just weren't the same. The sad part is there is no one to blame for our break up. I can't blame myself and I can't blame him. We just didn't "click" after he got back. We are such different people and tried to force something that clearly would never work.

I am actually relieved for things to be over. It was a lot of unnecessary pressure trying to make things click with us. I've had to devote a lot of my time to Pi Phi, work, and school and to be honest-I realized I don't have time for a boy. I had to re-evaluate my priority list and sadly, the boyf wasn't anywhere near the top of that list.

One thing that remains true with all guys I break up with is my list of qualities I need in a guy grows. With each relationship I discover the traits that I absolutely must have in the future Mister. I'm not one to settle, especially at my young age, so the creation and addition to this list is a must! With this relationship I recognized my need for support and understanding. I like to think of myself as an ambitious woman. I have a great deal of goals for myself and work hard to accomplish them. My job, my presidency within Pi Phi, my senior status at the university of utah in three years- All are things that I have dreamed for & worked towards for a long time. I need someone who will support me, especially in areas named above. I am busy-I won't deny that-but I am busy doing things I love, believe in, and have worked for. I need someone who understands that. Support & understanding...now added to the list of "musts" (I would show you this so called list, but a girl has to have some mystery...)

In addition to not "clicking" I realized that there are so many things I want to do and accomplish before I actually settle down. So, I sat down and made another list-

The To Do List Before I get my "Mrs. Degree":

1. Finish this term of presidency in Pi Beta Phi and perhaps run for another

2. Go study abroad in the summer of 2011-I'm thinking Italy or Germany

3. Get my degree in business marketing & pick up a minor (leadership? psychology? stats?)

4. Spend the rest of my college years with my friends-doing ridiculous and spontaneous things, because after college, those opportunities will be few

5. Figure out exactly who I am and what I want out of this life

6. Intern at an international marketing agency

7. Study for the GMAT & apply to graduate school somewhere awesome (East Coast perhaps?)

8. Attend a function for every sport at the U before I graduate (softball, soccer, hockey, etc.)

9. Learn to cook

10. Read the entire BOM

11. Go to an away football game for the U of U

12. Visit Vegas for my 21st and many more times after that

13. Take a photography class

14. Learn to save/budget money better

15. Get certified in scuba diving & travel somewhere I can use it

16. travel, travel, travel-take every opportunity to go somewhere new

In a way, everything worked out for the best. I'm only 20 years old. I have a lot of life to live and experience before marriage & a family. I want to have fun. I want to grow up. I want to have every college experience I can. & I don't want to miss out on opportunities that will uncover who I am and what I'm meant to do in this crazy, confusing world.

If you enjoyed this post check out "What's the Rush?"

Baby Angels

This past week was recruitment week for the Greeks at the University of Utah. For 5 days we got to know over 250 women who were interested in becoming part of a sisterhood.

It was a long 5 days, let me tell you. I was up until 3am everyday ensuring we got the girls we all loved and admired. Between school and work-it was a week of no sleeping, eating, or as I stated in my previous post-working out. Our house would be open each day for around 5 hours-devoted solely to the potential new members to come check us out. It was hard work.

For those of you who don't know, recruitment is a matching process. There are 5 sorority houses at the University of Utah. On the first day of recruitment, the new women go to each house. At the end of the night-they must drop one house. The second day, they go to the remaining 4 houses and at the end of the night, must narrow it down to 3 houses. This process goes on and on until one house is remaining. Each day every sorority has a certain number of invitations they are allowed to extend to the women going through recruitment. This process allows the houses and the individual to choose each other-to match up.

The last night of recruitment is "Preference Night." This night everyone gets all dressed up. Each woman goes to 2 houses-one house for dinner and the other for dessert. This night is important because it is formal and the last night for girls and the house to decide who will be the new sisters. Each day before Preference Night is casual & laid back.

Preference Night

2010

Pref Night with my family within Pi Phi

The dessert we served on Pref night- DELICIOUS Cheesecake!

Bid Day finally arrived & the long days and endless nights paid off. We gave bids to 36 amazing women who now form PC '10 (Pledge Class 2010)!

Waiting for the new members to open their invitations and see which house they were invited to

BABY ANGELS OF PI BETA PHI UTAH ALPHA 2010

Bid day was also the very first Utah football game (Utah won, of course) So we took our baby angels and went to support the boys (in matching shirts of course)!

Pi Beta Phi just got 36x better...

Hooky

One can always tell when my life gets too hectic to handle: i don't blog.

My life these past two weeks has been crazy. I literally don't have time to eat, sleep, or breathe. Ok, so the breathing part might have been a bit of an exaggeration.

I knew this semester was going to be difficult. I'm a full-time student in upper division classes, I work part-time, and I'm Pi Beta Phi President. I didn't realize, however, that my "me time" would be non existent.

My "me time" usually occurs in the student field house. Working out is truly the only time my mind isn't racing with the 100 things I have to do, 100 things I'm worrying about, and 100 things I should be worrying about. The treadmill absorbs all worries-leaving my mind blank. Enabling me to have peace-complete peace.

So, Today I decided to play hooky. I decided to skip classes and relax a bit, contemplate the important things in life, blog, and go running.

It's only 10am and I already know this is the best decision I've made in months.