ANUSTART

Holy shit, it's actually happening.

I leave to study abroad...

today.

WHAT.

But seriously, though: where did the time go? It feels like just yesterday was the beginning of summer. Blah blah blah clichés blah blah blah. That's actually a bold-faced lie. It doesn't feel like summer just started and I don't say that because I felt summer was long and boring. Not at all! Quite the opposite, actually. I feel that of all the summers I have lived through in my short twenty years of life, this summer was actually the most productive, meaningful, and rewarding one yet.

Sure, some pretty shitty stuff happened. But in comparison to all of the amazing stuff that happened, it is absolutely insignificant in retrospect. I mean, the only two bad things that happened this summer were my three weeks working at a shit-hole internship at the beginning of the summer and being told that I had been lied to in a relationship for about four months. Oh, and the best part is that he lied and also said he always knew he didn't have strong feelings for me and only stayed in the relationship because he enjoyed my affection, sweet cards, and numerous gifts. 

In my life, I try to be a very forgiving, loving person (I actually made peace with a high school ex-boyfriend this summer). I always try to find the good in people, and if they wrong me, I always try to justify it and give them the benefit of the doubt. But you, asshole: you can honestly go fuck yourself. 

I know I've probably said this before a *million* times, but I'm done with immature boys. Absolutely done. I no longer want to have a boyfriend in college. Every guy I have encountered has been immature, obnoxiously horny, and often very womanizing. At this time in my life, I'm going to date myself and my future. Buck foys. Call me in 3-7 years when you mature.

At the beginning of the summer, I made myself a little (read: "big") summer goals list. I taped it to my bathroom mirror that way I could read it every day and remind myself of my goals. Honestly, though, looking at it now, I feel like all of my goals were either insignificant or impractical. Here are a couple worth mentioning and reviewing:

Learn how to cook: LOLCity, Population: Me. Well, I almost burnt the kitchen down by trying to make a quesadilla. So that happened this summer. BUT, I did perfect the sunny side up eggs with sriracha. And at least I can make some mean chocolate chip cookies. Every other food, though: NOPE.

Make money & save money: I actually accomplished this goal! I worked three different nannying jobs all summer and picked up about two shifts at Sew to Speak. I checked my bank account today, and I ended up earning over $800 from all of that work this summer. Pretty damn worth it, I'd say.

Get another piercing or tattoo: So, I didn't accomplish this goal this summer...but there's always the fall. When in London, do as the Londoners do. ;)

Learn how to blow glass: I obviously set this goal when I began "interning" at my first internship. While I wasn't there long enough to learn how to blow glass, I don't even care. I can always take a class at CCAD or something. Glass blowing looks amazing, but it's not worth it when the instructors are glassholes (get it?).

Spend time with family: Of all of the goals I set for myself this summer, this was the most important one for me to achieve. And I definitely feel that I achieved it. I know I say this a lot, but I mean it more and more every time I say it: I have the most incredible family ever, and I am truly blessed.

Mamacita & Sammy

Kalli & Sam

Papa & I

Sean, Steph, & Porter

Rachael, Spencer, & Sammy (again)

Sommer, Ernesto, & Maya

I feel like we should have our own catchy theme song. Like The Brady Bunch, only we're not a joint family. 

Sure, I didn't accomplish everything I initially wanted to accomplish this summer, but I did so much more. With the help of the amazing guys at CivitasNow, I discovered my passion. I discovered my dream job. I discovered that advertising isn't what is portrayed in Mad Men. 

I finally found my purpose in life. Isn't that all we strive for in life any way? Naw, just kidding, that's not all we strive for, but it is a large portion. This summer, I realized that the career that will fulfill me the most involves communicating messages in a meaningful, honest, and inventive way. 

Graham, Matt, and Jacob: thank you, from the bottom of my heart for teaching me this, amongst many other things. You guys are the best, and I miss you already. Also, I can't wait to be home again to work with you guys: both over my breaks and post-grad! Everything is going to be amazing, and I just can't wait. 

No, guys. Thank YOU.

So, summertime is over, and now it's time for me to begin what is supposed to be one of the biggest adventures of my life. This is it. It's happening, alright. London, England: here I come!!

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"For last year's words belong to last year's language

And next year's words await another voice.

And to make an end is to make a beginning."

-T. S. Eliot