senior year lessons

(once again, i suck at blogging. should i preface every post with this disclaimer? maybe one day i'll commit to doing this thang regularly. probably not though)

it's october 10

which means the first semester of senior year is about halfway over

normally i'm very much a glass-half-full kinda person

but in the case of the end of college rapidly approaching

i'm having a very hard time being positive.

how will i ever say goodbye to the best four years of my life?

so i'm trying to challenge myself to savor every last moment.

i'm compiling a list of lessons i've learned so far this year

so that next year when i'm a real life grown up

i'll be able to appreciate everything college has taught me outside the classroom

here it goes

Jordan's Senior Year Lessons,

Volume 1

1. there is never any reason not to have fun. this year i've even learned to make studying fun. laughter is truly the best medicine, and from now on i'll live life with fun as my #1 priority.

2. count on the people around you. my best friends are honestly and absolutely the best people i know, and i don't know what i'd do without them.

3. the music should always be loud and the drinks should always be strong. 'nuff said.

4. don't go to happy hour and then try to work out. unsuccessful. live and learn though, right?

5. rainy days are for laying in bed, and sunny days are for laying in the sunshine.

that's all i got for now. i love senior year and i really really love my life.

college, i think we're in this for the long haul.

Happy August!

Today marks the beginning of my favorite month of the year!

Happy August, everyone!

I love August because...

I'm like that obnoxiously peppy cheerleader in Grease.

"I just love the first day of school, don't you?"

Seriously. I like the first day of school almost as much as I like Christmas.

Back to school shopping means new clothes! And shoes. And school supplies.

The organization I volunteer for always has its summer camp in the beginning of August. I'm headed there next week!

The sun is still shining, I'm rockin' tan lines and freckles on my nose, and I can still feel that hopeful feeling that is typical of summer. This year, I'm going to make sure it extends beyond August. Senior year is just going to be a 10 month long summer.

oh and the best part of August...

My birthday!

I turn the big 2-1 tomorrow. I'm as obsessed as can be with my birthday and I am so excited to begin the celebration in 17 hours and continue on for the following 24.

(That photo is Riley the party animal on my birthday last year!)

So so much to look forward to this month!

My mom and I are going shopping and getting mani/pedis today in celebration of the 21 year anniversary of her going into labor (I certainly took my sweet time coming out!)

Hope your Augusts are off to a fabulous start!

My France Wish List

I'm headed to France in 23 short days! I've got lots of things to do before I leave. I made a wish list of things I need to buy (hint hint, Mom...)--these are obviously absolute necessities.

Passport cover

Hello, it's super important that I have my passport at all times. It would totally be easier to keep track of if I had a cute cover like this one.

White pants

Someone once told me no one wears shorts in Paris (truth, or vicious rumor?) In any case, I'm gonna need something more summery than my usjh (abbrev of usual--thoughts?) denim.

LBD

Every girl's best friend. I have a fabulous one in my possession already, but I'm saving it for causin' some trouble in Vegas for my 21st.

Weekend bag

Barca is booked, and Amsterdam is in the works, so I'm gonna need something reasonably sized to take with me on my cheap plane flights. And it's obvi gonna have to be stylish too.

Sigh. I wish my taste yearned for less expensive things.

That's all I could think of for now. I think I've got most of the rest of my wardrobe covered, and I already have a suitcase big enough to make me look like a fool as I lug it around the airport.

Anything else I forgot? Any tips for a first-time major traveller?