It's Pronounced "Buda-peSHt": 6 Things You Will Learn Abroad

 As is sit here back in Nac in my little one bedroom apartment, with my new kitten Toulouse pestering me by climbing over the keyboard, I stop to take a minute to remind myself that just a few short months ago I was on the other side of the world. Wait....what?! Oh yeah! I really did do that! So in honor of remembering my amazing experience abroad, I have decided to write a blog post dedicated to those crazy Slovakian, Czech, Hungarian, Austrian, and Italian nights ;)

Onto the things I learned in Europe! 

Now it is really impossible to write about all of the things I learned. I was taking a political science course and did a research project on political culture and how it effects the style of democracy different places use. We compared the United States, Texas, and Slovakia--the country I spent most of my time in. But y'all don't really want to hear about the STUDY part of my study abroad, do you? So instead of boring you with all of my new political knowledge, I have comprised a list of random, silly, funny, and also important things I learned while in Europe!

You can totally live without a car.

Learning to navigate in foreign cities and use public transit was easier than expected, and saved us a TON of difficulties. It's really not that hard! The first time I had to learn to navigate was when our group split up in Prague. We had taken a walking tour across the city and then we all split to grab food at different places. There ended up being just a few of us who had to work our way back to our hostel and we did it and didn't die! We found our bus stop on the map, found which buses ran through that stop, and even managed to read pick up and drop off times by ourselves. In Czech! Public transit was convenient and cheap, and saved us the hellish experience of being ripped off by a taxi driver and dropped on of the wrong side of the city (it happened to other people on the trip!). While I missed my little car, it was refreshing to not have to drive to unknown destinations. Down side-- if you miss your bus you might be stuck waiting another hour and not get home until 4AM. 

Boat cruise in Budapest. Hey y'alllllll.

The parties in Europe are way more exciting.
But for some reason Europeans really want to go to a frat party. This might only apply to the friends we made, but most of them were so excited to find out that movies don't exaggerate frat parties. Beer Pong? Yeah...people in America really play that. *Shock and awe* Seriously?! Beer pong is exciting? Y'all would die if I told you about rage cage! The first Slovak party I went to was an outside rave type thing and had a DJ, all kinds of crazy laser lights, and fire dancers. Yes, FIRE DANCERS. That's some high class stuff. When was the last time you went to a frat party that lit anything on fire except an old couch? Oh yeah...NEVER. Don't even get me started on the Pub Crawl in Prague or the Bath Party in Budapest. It was AH-mazing!

The crew.

You will make the coolest friends.
I am beyond thankful for all of the amazing people I met. Not only our host friends and the people on the trip with me, but the random strangers I met while traveling! So many young adults were just meandering their way through Europe and I got to meet some interesting folk. Guys from Canada that we randomly invited to go to a hookah lounge/hippy tea shop with us (we proceeded to have in depth conversations about school systems in our own countries), fellow hostel goers from California, going on a boat cruise with a guy from El Paso, meeting Irishmen and one very impressive and endearing Australian who also happens to be an award winning film artist (his short film was in the Cannes Film Festival...and he gave us a copy *hair flip*)..the number of people you meet is overwhelming! And it is surprising how much everyone has in common. I met another Australian who was working the staging/lighting and filming for the One Direction concert in Milan the weekend we were there. Just listening to people's stories (even if they were making them up!) was so fun. You can learn a lot if you are open to it :)

Ohhhh hey there gorgeous back drop for a selfie ;)

You will miss weird things.
Like free condiments, ice water, and free refills. But then there are cool things like the fact that McDonalds sells beer and you can get $4 pizzas that are way better than Little Ceasar's, to make up for it. Oh yeah...did I mention the drinking age is 18? And they have grocery stores in malls. People just walk around the mall drinking beer. Mind blown.

Before our hike in Trnava, Slovakia.

Introspection is a must.
If you don't take advantage of the "me" time offered while traveling the world... you're doing it wrong. Do cheesy things like sit on a hillside coffee shop, overlooking the city, sipping a cappuccino out of a mug bigger than your face. Or you know...stick to your #superwhitegirl Fraps like me. Mocha-coconut just tastes so much better in Prague ;) Stepping out of your comfort zone forces you to learn a lot about yourself, and traveling to a new country definitely falls into that category. I believe that to be true for everyone, and therefore I also believe the bond you make with people you meet while traveling abroad is a different kind of bond. It's sort of indescribable, but my study abroad friends and I have decided that it is almost like all of you dreamed the exact same dream. 

Being silly at the bus stop :)

Don't waste a single moment.

Stay up way too late discussing hot topics like terrorism, gun control, and abortion. Get your hungover self out of bed at 7 so you can go tour a castle. Try to visit as many bars and restaurants as you can. Go into bookstores and souvenir shops. Stop at food stands and street performers. Take too many pictures, but not so many that you miss what is right in front of you. Sit on a bench eating sausage while looking out over the Danube. Pet a hedgehog. Watch a soccer game. Go to class and actually pay attention and participate in discussion. Watch a sunset. Take the later train just so you can spend a few more hours in the city hanging out with your new friends. LIVE every moment because that time goes by so quickly.

In a castle tower in Slovakia...NBD.

Every person you talk to who has studied abroad says something super cliche like "I really found myself" or "I learned so much about life. Like the world....and me...." or some other eye roll inducing statement. But guess what? It's completely true. So don't be afraid to spend too much money, or stay out to late, because I guarantee you that after you come back it will feel like the whole thing never happened. Several people have asked me how my trip was this summer and it is probably one of the hardest questions to answer because it is indescribable. I hope I did it some justice and if you ever get the chance to study abroad....PLEASE do it. I promise you won't regret it.

-L

Studying Abroad: The One With Yankees on a Train

Hey y'all! So we have been in Slovakia (No, not Czechoslovakia...that's not a thing anymore...c'mon go do some world geography)  for about 6 days now for my study abroad and I can already tell it is going to be one of the most amazing experiences of my life! If you ever get ANY opportunity to travel abroad, PLEASE TAKE IT. Preferably to some place like this where not every rich white girl who wants to get "cultured" has been, like...I don't know...Paris or London! I'm sure they are great places to visit, and I hope to one day, but Slovakia? This place is amazing! 

I want to take the time to write a funny post about some things I have learned here, but yesterday I had a pretty eye opening experience on the train back from Vienna that I wanted to share. So I'm sorry ahead of time, but this post has a little bit more of a serious note to it, frankly because I am pissed!

(I promise I will make it up to you with hilarious stories about my European adventures later, but for now....it's soapbox time.)

So yesterday my whole group went to Vienna so we could learn how to use the train system when leaving the country. Plus ,Vienna is a really cool city. It's more tourist oriented than Bratislava, where I currently reside, and most people spoke English, and they had delicious sausage, pretzels, and beer, as to be expected! The city was great! I had Starbucks (#whitegirl I know I know) The train ride back, however, was not. 

I sat with three girls who are very nice, and I was glad because they aren't people I get a chance to talk to very often on our trip. Then across the aisle from us was a group of four women who I at first thought were mother daughter pairs. When they heard us speaking English they asked where we were from, so we introduced ourselves and chatted with them briefly before returning to our respective conversations. They were from Pennsylvania which should have been my first warning…damn yankees ;) The girls and I got onto the topic of education (since two of us plan on becoming teachers) and how they are passing that new law that requires 8th graders to choose either a college prep path or a career prep path and what we thought about it, etc. As the other girls began to take over the conversation I started to zone out a few times and listen to the people around us, which is when I picked up that one of the women across from us was talking about us. 

She was doing so in a hushed tone, but it was loud enough that I could hear her. She began talking about how pitiful it was that all American teenagers in our generation use the word “like” as every other word when we speak. She then told one the younger girls with them (who couldn't have been much older than us) to listen to us talk to one another and they would hear it. Then she got quiet for a while and they responded that they couldn't hear anything, we sounded normal. Then the older woman said, and this is a direct quote, “Oh just listen. They have been saying it this entire time. It is disgusting to hear people who plan on becoming educators of our youth to talk in that way.” The other one responded with “It’s just so sad.” Her tone was so bitter I felt like I could taste it. At this point I was silent, and very angry. I was trying so hard to build up the courage to say something to her, but I am simply just non-confrontational. I could feel my chest turning splotchy and my cheeks getting red as her words sank into the pit of my stomach. I also began to notice every single time on of our girls used the word “like,” which was more often than I wanted to admit after over hearing that woman. 

After a few minutes one of the women leaned over and asked how we were all on this trip together; basically, what was our common denominator? I knew she wanted confirmation that we were education majors. So of course we told them that we were honors students, which only seemed to make their words sting that much more. We told them our majors: elementary education, kinesiology, environmental science, and agricultural development with a teaching certification, and I made sure to go last. At which point I took over the conversation, discussing where we were from, why we were here, and what it meant to us. Then I asked about their trip. They were two professors and two education students who had just received their masters and were studying different types of education systems. I made sure to speak so clearly, and with as much confidence and eloquence as I could muster. I didn't use the word “like” or "uh" or "um" one single time. I watched the mean woman’s face change as she recognized the mistake she had made in judging us as a whole, based on a casual conversation with friends. 

Let me also point out that we weren't talking about the latest gossip girl episode...we were talking about becoming teachers and current American legislation. So judge away lady, but I was impressed with our conversation. 

From then on they were very kind and had a lot to say to us. We talked about job opportunities, America’s opinions of teachers, the role scholarships play in school, and what we would do if we were given the opportunity to be teachers over here. At the end of the train ride one of them grabbed my hands and held them and said “It was really so nice to meet you. I hope you have a wonderful experience here.”

It sickens me that here, in a foreign country, where WE are the outsiders, the most judgmental and rude people we have encountered were fellow Americans. The Slovaks, and Czechs, and Austrians have treated us with nothing but kindness, a little bit of humor at our meager attempts at their languages, and at most slight annoyance. Americans, who ignorantly expect the world to speak English, who treat foreigners so poorly, and are so quick to judge them for their attempts at English…we are treated like normal people here, and have been shown so much understanding. Don’t get me wrong, I love my country, and I love my state. And the woman spoke a lot of truth. The kids in my generation use fillers in sentences that don’t need them, especially when we are having a casual conversation with our friends. But this? To assume that we were unintelligent, and would be disappointing as future educators? This was the most disappointing thing that has happened so far on my trip. Americans needs to quit perpetuating the stereotypes that we have in other countries when we travel abroad. We shouldn't be the rude, complaining, hamburger eaters who only take escalators, that people over here think we are. We should be open minded and friendly, and at the very least should be enthusiastic to meet fellow Americans abroad, not talking shit about them on a train. I mean come on lady, we were three feet away. 

So to whoever you are, you rude spiky haired, Pennsylvanian education professor, I say shame on you. You seemed like a very intelligent woman and posed a lot of questions I hadn't thought about before, so it is disappointing that you felt the need to talk about us in that manner. All I can say is that I will never attend school in Pennsylvania, and I will never speak ill of someone on a train. 

Until next time,

-L

Obligatory "Things I Have Learned So Far" Post

As my Junior year of college comes to an end, I can't help but be left in a reflective mood. I am going to go ahead and declare that the 2013-2014 school year has been the most difficult year of my young life. It has left MUCH to be desired and I can say with no doubt that I am beyond ready for my senior year to begin because, please Lord, I can only go up from here. Right? 

But wait....did I just say my senior year? I feel like I just left home. Can it be that I will be moving into a tiny one bedroom apartment in August, preparing for student teaching, and then preparing for adulthood? I plan on putting off the real world by going to grad school, but still! Three years has FLOWN by. And as much as I wish I could freeze frame time, this summer is already in full swing, and before I know it I will be swept off to Slovakia for my study abroad, attending my cousin's wedding, going to the FFA state convention, then going to Ag teacher conference and BAM! It will be August and time for another school year to begin.

So as I sat with my beloved best friend Blanca (whose name has been changed for her protection. As are all of my friends names in this blog) over a delicious meal of sushi and sweet tea--only in Texas...am I right?--I told her of my plans to write one of those cliche "Things College Has Taught Me So Far" posts for my blog. She was super excited and was the main source of inspiration for many of the things on this list, along with my high school best friend Methuselah Honeysuckle (and if you don't get that Psych reference you probably aren't as cool as I thought you were. Seriously, she is the Gus to my Shawn. Look it up!). I took input from several different people and the original list was very very long. It's hard to condense ALL the things college teaches you into one small list! So I decided to put a little twist on a cliché post and do what I like to call, my college ABC's.
So here we go. Buckle up, because this is a long post.


A is for Alcohol and Agriculture

Well DUH. It wouldn't be college without alcohol. I can't think of anything that hasn't already been said on the topic.Your standards will increase vastly once you turn 21, and decrease again when you are super broke. Also, never drink and drive. Seriously, it's stupid and not worth it. Suck it up and volunteer to be DD if no one else will.

As far as agriculture goes, it's my major so of course I have an appreciation for it. But seriously! It employs like 18% of the nation and without it you would be cold, naked, and hungry. It provides your booze. Plus it's the largest industry in the world. So go get learned about ag, and thank a farmer.

B is for Boys 
Notice I say boys, not men. Trust me y'all--there is a difference! You will meet a ton of boys in college, especially your first two years. Boys are the ones who will take you out to somewhere just OKAY, and then try to ferociously make-out with you in the car before they drop you off, with a closing line of "Uhhhh...so can I text you tomorrow?". Men will take you to a classy establishment (like Chili's or something...lol), open doors, ask you questions, walk you to your door and give you one of those movie kisses. You know! Where they put their hand on the side of your face, and the other resting respectfully on your hip? Then you may or may not run into your front door because you are so dazed by the whole experience. And you can hardly sleep because you can't stop thinking about it! Oh wait...did I just say that? I mean no...that never happened to me. I didn't run into my front door...ever... :P Those men really do exist ladies. I promise. So don't give up. 

C is for Cooking
In the words of my high school bestie "Ramen is not enough to sustain a person, so learn to cook." Coming from her, someone who loves to cook, this is easier said than done! But I agree. It's healthier to cook your own meals, and usually cheaper. So learn to cook at least two solid meals. Not because you want to be #sodomestic because that makes Feminist Lizzie angry. (Feminist Lizzie is the occasionally radical side of me that comes out when girls think they have to be perfect 'wife' material.) But simply because you should be able to support yourself.

D is for Dieting
Everyone's diet starts tomorrow, right? Dieting is thrown around so much in college it honestly loses any credibility. Don't worry about who's doing what cleanse and who is selling Advocare...find what works for you, doesn't make you blow up like a balloon, and is something you can live with the rest of your life! It's college. And it is totally acceptable to eat that honey-butter chicken biscuit at 3AM. Just maybe don't live off of corn nuggets and patty melts.

E is for Effort
I do not understand people who cheat in college classes. YOU ARE LITERALLY PAYING TO BE HERE. And if it's your parents money I'm even more disgusted with you. Stop taking that stuff for granted and take notes and crack open a book. You get out of it what you put into it, to step up and work!

F is for Fashion

Oh my goodness, as much hate as it gets I LOVE college fashion trends. Leggings can be pants. Accept it. Oversized tees and Nike shorts are super freaking comfortable, okay?! I admit that I like to dress up for class. I'm not talking about dressing up as in busting out heels--I'm just saying skinny jeans, some cute sandals, a flowy button down and LOTS of accessories are a pretty normal outfit for me. But just because I don't wear it to class doesn't mean I can't enjoy this simple, laid back feel that is college clothing. I eat it up. And one day I will laugh and laugh looking back at what we wore. I can't get on board with chacos, or however you spell them, though. I just can't.

G is for Grades
"Sometimes it takes getting on academic probation in order for you to pull your head out of your ass."--wise words from one of my friends. Bad grades happen. Deal with it and move forward because in the end, all you are looking for is getting that diploma. Stop blaming your profs. You literally missed 12 days of class--I don't think he has an unfair grading system. As soon as you graduate your GPA becomes exponentially less important. If you care about it, work hard and make good grades. If you don't--D is for diploma...right?

H is for Heartbreak
God it's the worst.
The first type of heartbreak is losing friends. That's the type that you feel in the pit of your stomach every night before you go to sleep. Maybe you got in a fight. Maybe you just drifted apart. Whatever it is, losing a best friend is miserable. Just remember that you can learn from those experiences. Don't blame yourself for more than you should take blame for. You can't help everyone, and remember that they were in your life for a reason.

The second type is even worse. I'm talking about real heartbreak. AKA being dumped. This is the type that you are constantly thinking about. And all the cliché's in the world won't make you feel better.
My mother sent me a ton of inspirational quotes on Valentines Day right after my first serious heartbreak, (side note--my mom is the best) and one of them I keep posted on my mirror. It says something about heartbreak being the worst feeling you have ever felt. "You'll cry yourself to sleep, scream, and throw things, and wonder if it will ever get better. But you have to go through a few storms in order to appreciate the sunshine." I wish I remembered it more eloquently, but I keep that one out because it reminds me that other people have felt that way too. Talking it out is good, but some of your friends who have never been in love, or never been heartbroken, just won't get it. And you can't hold that against them if they are trying to help you. I will never forget the way I felt after breaking up with....let's just say "him." Never ever. I thank God every day that I have people in my life who put up with me through all of that nonsense that was me hating myself after we broke up. Because I very easily could have come out on the other side without any friends. I also thank God everyday for helping me climb out of my own personal hell and get back to being myself again.

I is for Indifference
Please please please do not be indifferent in college.
Read life changing novels. Take philosophy, and have an opinion about everything! Don't shove it down other peoples throats, but don't let them walk all over you either. Now is the time to change your mind about feelings you had in high school. Now is the time to read an article about opposing political views. Don't take what your parents or profs say at face value. Ask questions and explore! There is a prof in the ag department who comes and chats with me in the front office when he gets bored. He's a little crazy and sarcastic--so obviously we get along. Now, understand that in a small department like mine professors know everything that goes on (see the letter P) so they all knew my whole boyfriend situation, and several of them felt the need to talk to me about it when said boy and I broke up. One of my profs said to me "It's okay to fail Lizzie. Now of all times in your life it's okay. You are in college, a safe place, surrounded by people who love and support you. So it's okay to take risks." When he left the office that day I turned around and, as a tear fell from my eye, swore that I would remember that for the rest of my college career.

J is for Jobs
Get an internship or job in the field you are entering after you graduate because you might hate it, and it makes you connections if you love it. Just having work experience at all helps you after graduating.

K is for Karma
It's real. And it will get those who wronged you. Or it will get you if you have wronged others.

L is for Love
You have to love yourself before you can love anyone else. Same goes for others. Trust me. If they don't love themselves they can't love you. At least not in a healthy way.

M is for Money
Financial independence is kicking my ass every single day. I need to figure it out because pretty soon I will be making big girl money and my 401K will thank me. So far things I have learned include: pay your rent on time, or you will be evicted. Pay your utilities. Pay for food. THEN you can pay for booze. Try going a semester without asking your parents for money and you will realize just how hard being a grown up is.

N is for Neglect
Don't neglect. Your grades, finances, family, relationships....anything important to you!!! Keep in touch with high school friends. Call your Grandma because one day you won't be able to. Most importantly don't neglect yourself. Take care of you because this is a very brief portion of your life where you aren't responsible for any other human beings.

O is for...Oops...

You will have SO many "oops" moments in college. Some of them are scarier than others. But all of them teach you something. Maybe you let your leftovers get moldy and your roommate left you a passive aggressive note about her gag reflex as she opened the fridge. Oops. Maybe you forgot to turn in a mid term. Oops. Maybe you got 3 parking tickets the first two weeks of school. Oops. Maybe you were too busy being a "Saturday out on the town" so you couldn't quite make it up the next morning to be "a church girl on Sunday." (Brad Paisley is a wise man.) Oops. Now is the time for oops moments. Just avoid ones that stay on your record.

P is for Professors and Parents
As mentioned earlier, profs in small departments know more than you think. So be nice to them. You can make some pretty great friendships by getting to know them. Not like "going out on the weekends" friendships, but "I'd like to hear an interesting story while I'm waiting for my next class to start" friendships. They have a lot of life experience, and they all secretly love reminiscing about when they were your age. Trust me, they have all been there and done that. Above all, respect them. They don't do this for the money.

And for parents...God love them...they have been putting up with you for so long that it doesn't even phase them when you text them something along the lines of, "My account may be overdrawn by like....7 dollars...so can you possibly pretty please send your favorite daughter a little bit of money?" But don't abuse that relationship. They have done their duty and raised you to be a fully semi-capable young adult, and pretty soon you won't be able to rely on them. It's okay to call your mom crying after a hard week. It's okay to ask Dad this time you need money because you asked Mom last time. It's okay to miss them and be homesick. But in the end, it is your responsibility now, so show them your gratitude by being a grown up. Most of the time.

Q is for Quiet Time
Enjoy it. Respect it. Love it. Take a nature walk. Take a nap. Read a book on a rainy afternoon. I have been told many times to take advantage of naps, because once you have kids it all goes to shit. Haha, just kidding, no one actually said that. But that's basically the vibe I get from adults. Utilize your free time and pamper yourself.

R is for Real Talk, Respect, and Religion
Real talk-- if a man buys you a drink, you finish it whether you like it or not. Real talk-- tip your waiters. They're broke too and if you can afford to go out to eat, you can afford to tip them. Real talk-- learn how to check your oil in your car. You don't have to know how to change it....just check it. Real talk-- have one designated car DJ. Everyone has a friend obsessed with music, and they make killer playlists. Real talk-- get rid of your high school clothes. Real talk-- you need to know how many miles you can drive when your gas light comes on.

Respect? Come on son. It's basic knowledge. Have it, give it, earn it.

Find Jesus. Or don't .I have gained a ton in terms of faith since coming to college, and am so grateful to have found a church that I feel comfortable in. I didn't grow up going to church, it was just something I wanted to try. Always been curious about Buddhism? Go for it dude. Take a theology course. Church hop and listen to different types of services. Talk to someone with different views than you. College has such a variety of people and beliefs..

S if for School Supplies and Soul Sisters
DON'T buy school supplies until you have gone to a class twice. You might not need a 5 subject spiral and three ring binder. Hell, you might not even need paper. Or a textbook. Don't show up empty handed because that doesn't give a good first impression, but you don't have to haul around a back breaking amount of supplies like you did in high school.

Soul sisters are those best friends that you know will be in your life forever. The two girls who helped me write this post and Helen for sure fall into that category. You may fight, go months without speaking, or not see each other for weeks, but you get through it all and come out stronger. They are always your biggest supporter, but they also tell you things that are hard to hear. They are the girls whose stomach hurts for you when you are having anxiety. They cry for you when you have run out of tears. They are the girls who come over at 11 at night after you and your boyfriend got into a huge fight and say things like "Get dressed and layer up because it's our first ever snowfall in Nac since we have been here and we are going sledding" and you proceed to go make hilarious Jamaican bobsled parody videos with. They are the girls who send you Snapchat videos of songs you choreographed dances to in 9th grade. They're family.

T is for Two Stepping
This may be specific to the south, but y'all listen up, do yourselves a favor, and learn to two-step. Was that country enough for you? ;) Men--learn three good spin moves and use them. Ladies--never turn down a dance. Unless your boyfriend is the super jealous type that would get upset. And if that's the case, reevaluate that relationship. If you love to dance and he doesn't, the least he can do is allow you to dance with someone else. It doesn't mean you love him any less. #realtalk

U is for Understanding
Understanding that your boyfriend will always check out other women, and that doesn't mean that he doesn't think you are the most beautiful girl in the world. Understanding that most of the time your friends will tell your mutual friends things you say, and it doesn't mean they are backstabbers. Understanding that girls get jealous--I know right? Jealous of you? That awkward, irresponsible, sarcastic excuse for a woman? Yep, you. The grass is always greener and other people always seem to have it better. Don't let other peoples insecurities become your own. Understanding that emotions get high and people say things they don't mean. Understanding that sometimes when people say what they mean, it isn't always easy to hear. Understanding that you are not always right. A little understanding will get you a long way in life.

V is for Venti
Coffee is the elixir of life. Okay maybe that was a little dramatic, but seriously I love coffee. It keeps you alert and focused, and many of my most important conversations have been had over a cup of coffee. As well as some of the silliest and most memorable. Every time I'm home I love sitting at the kitchen table with my parents over a cup of french press. We basically solve the worlds problems, talk about the news, politics, my school...anything we want! On the flip side Helen and I once grabbed coffee after a workout and had an entire conversation as if we were the judgmental old couple that was sitting next to us. It was freezing cold outside and we were in Nike shorts and tank tops, running from the car into Starbucks to avoid the cold. The old man literally turned sideways in his seat and stared at me while his wife peered over a newspaper with the nastiest look on her face. When they finally left, Helen and I suddenly became women from the deep south with the thickest accents you have ever heard, and crooning about "just how dumb these young folks looked in their short shorts when its freezing outside." Moments like that make me smile. Coffee is the best.

W is for Wisdom
I might be biased because of my relationship with Helen, but befriend someone who is a grownup! Mentors are seriously the best. I have a few adults that I like to seek advice from. They have such a different perspective on everything and can be some of the best listeners. They know being a young adult is hard, and they have survived and come out on the other side. Plus, babysitting is a gold mine.

X is for X-ample?
Okay that was a bit of a stretch. In the words of Miranda Lambert, somebody had to set a bad example to teach all the prim and propers what not to do. It's okay to get tipsy with the girls on a school night. It's okay to spend a weekend binge eating girl scout cookies and watching Mad Men. It's okay to shamelessly flirt with a cute frat boy and then not really remember if he was actually that cute the next day. Live it up while you can! #it'scollege

Y is for Your Girls

Sushi with the girls. Margaritas with the girls. Movie night with the girls. Two-stepping with the girls. Wine Wednesday with the girls. Those things are where friendships are born and sisters are made. Inside jokes are created and memories shared. Making friends as an adult is going to be so much more difficult! And Mindy Kaling tells me that when I do make grown up friends as a professional, I'm just going to wish I could go back in time and be friends with them in college! So don't forget about your girls. 

Z is for ZzzQuil
But really....it helps you sleep when your mind won't stop at the end of the day. Get the pills, not the liquid. What are you 5? P.S. It's non-addictive, unlike it's cold curing counterpart NyQuil.

In closing, this time in our lives goes by so quick when you really think about it. 4 years? What was 4 years to a 85 year old woman? Short and fleeting. But these four years (or maybe 5 or 6) to us? These four years of college are years of triumph and failure. Years of heartache and falling in love. Falling in love with a place, with a person, with yourself, with your life. Years of joy and anguish. Years of being surrounded by people, and never feeling more alone. Years of friendships. Years of education. Years of preparation. Years of pictures and memories and building a home, only to leave it and start over again. But don't be melancholy. Sure it's a little sad to think it's coming to a close so quickly, but just think about how much you have gained through it all? You have gained knowledge and life long friendships, and maybe the man of your dreams, and a passion and a path to follow and the tools to succeed in the real world. The next part of your life is just as new as exciting as stepping onto campus for the first time was as a freshman. So here's to what
I truly believe is the best time of our lives!

"All hail to SFA-SU!"

-L

The Big 2.0

Today's blog post is dedicated to my first ever, without stopping, red faced, huffing and puffing, two mile run! That's right y'all--after two months of jogging twice a week I finally made it two miles. Prior to this run the longest I had made it was 1.8 with one break. (Helen says that stopping for 40 seconds doesn't even count as a stop and that I didn't need to tell people about that, but it was still failure in my eyes. #superselfcriticalprobs) Of course I have been content doing any exercise because hey--it's more than I would be doing sitting on the couch, right?! But I REALLY I wanted to get to two miles because I REALLY want to run a 5K. When we started this I could barely make it one mile, and it took me 12 and a half minutes.

But after several weeks I got to where I could make it to about 1.5 miles until I was convinced my lungs were no longer functioning and I would pass out at any moment. Helen was getting ready for a 5K mud run right before Easter so she got all bad ass on me and texted me one day declaring she had made it past 2 miles at some ridiculously fast pace like 10:20. So now crazy competitive Lizzie took over. I momentarily had a split personality where I was super proud of her and excited for her, but also angry because I hadn't done that. Yet.

Flash forward to Easter break (the biggest summer tease ever). I was home alone and rolled out of bed at the crack of 11AM (for some reason when I go home I have no internal alarm) and decided, "You know what? Today I'm going to exercise!" This was a big step considering I was about to workout on a holiday break. So I started thinking about my options and considered bike riding to Jamba Juice--my former place of employment and creator of delicious smoothies, but then I decided I really wanted a passion tea from Starbucks. So I looked up the distance from my house to a nearby Starbucks and saw that it was 2.1 miles. Challenge Accepted.

I suited up and stole my mom's super cute Nikes for the venture because I needed all the motivation I could get. Then I downloaded this app called Run Keeper. If you run you need to get this! It is really easy to use and uses GPS to track your run, keeps time and pace, and even tells you how many calories you burned. It's great and you could even use it for walks if you don't like to run. It also links up to your playlists on your phone so you can listen to music through the app! Super cool! So I grabbed my headphones and headed out. I will now take you through the mental process that was my 2.1 mile run.

Mile 0- Begin jogging back behind my neighborhood by the creek. Listening to top 25 most played on my Iphone...this should be interesting...oh Shakira! I love Shakira. This is a good start. Oh man...I hope the creek hasn't changed since I was last back here. I wonder if anyone has ever really seen an alligator back here or if they just made that up. Okay Lizzie, this is good--TODAY IS THE DAY. You will make it 2 miles. Or live in shame forever. Ugh no, stop doing that. You can do this. "Red" by T-Swift? Ehhhhh I'm not sure how jogging to this will go. I'll try it out. You know for as much hate as she gets, Taylor sure knows how to write some lyrics that hit teenage girls. I mean they might not be philosophical.....but losing him WAS blue liked I'd never known, missing him WAS dark grey all alone, and forgetting him WAS like trying to know somebody you'd never met...and loving him WAS red!!! *insert guitar/drum solo here* Preach it Taylor.

Mile .5- Oh look this app has a nice lady voice that tells me I've made it .5 miles and how long it took me! 12 minutes pace? Maybe I should speed up a little. I bet it's the music I'm listening to--the beat isn't fast enough. Curse you Christina Perri. That was actually farther than I thought. I only have to do that 3 more times. There's that super cute house with the adorable back yard landscaping. I bet they have cute kids. I want cute kids. And good landscaping. Good thing Blanca* is going to be a landscape designer. Yes!!! T-swift is on again. "I knew you were trouble when you walked innnnnnn, so shame on me no-owwwwww" Interesting. I never thought Taylor Swift would be good jogging music. This is nice. Haha...that goat video is too great. Only 3 more half miles to go. I can totally do that.

Mile 1- God that second half mile seemed a lot longer than the first....I'm only half way done!!! Nooo! Positive thoughts Lizzie. You know that this is mostly a mental game. You can breathe just fine. Oh look I made it to Mason road! And now that new Paramore song is on! I'm so glad they are coming back. I loved her old music. "Don't go cryin, to your mama, cuz you're on your own in the real world!" Oh I'm definitely singing out loud. I hope none of these cars driving by saw that. Hey look Lizzie--you're conquering a fear of running where people can see you! I hope my boobs aren't too bouncy. That would be weird. Ugh I bet I look fat right now...Stop that! Focus on the music. You know I can think of several people who need to hear that song. Man now it's over! What's next? Yessssssss, triple threat Justin Timberlake. "I can't driiiiiink youuuuu awayyyyy." I heard there was a country version of this song. I can't imagine it would be better than JT.

Mile 1.5- Woooohooooo! I'm so close. Ocean's Rise by Hillsong United? Next. I love you Jesus, but your jams don't make good running music. I'll listen to it on the cool down. Man I love that song. Uh oh, there's a stop light. Do I stop? No that would be quitting. But then I might get hit by a car!!! Aha! Solution: run in place. This probably looks dumb. Oh well, I'm running across. Pedestrians always have the right-of-way, right? Oh the nice lady tells me I've made it 1.7 miles. I'm starting to struggle. Oh lord. Don't panic Lizzie. Crap. I can't breathe. I'm dying. This is it. They will find my body on Mason road. I didn't tell anyone I was going jogging! Oh God. At least I have on cute workout clothes. Do my bra and underwear match? I have to stop. No! I can't stop! (notice that We Can't Stop by Miley Cyrus is playing. Laugh and the irony) Opt to slow down to approximately the speed of a turtle galloping through peanut butter instead. Yeah okay...I can do this. I'm so close! Keep the slow pace for a couple minutes and then resume normal speed.

Mile 2- OMG! I did it! I made it to two miles!!! I didn't die!!! I can see Starbucks on the horizon! Forget this sidewalk, I'm running through the grass to get there more quickly. Ain't nobody got time for winding sidewalks. I wanted to make it 2 miles....no point in going farther than that! Haha. Venti unsweet passion tea with apple juice here I come! You know I'm kind of hungry. I think I'll grab some sushi from Kroger too. BOOM. #callmehealthy

Of course I proceeded to commemorate the moment and post it to my favorite form of social media, Facebook. Red face and all-- I didn't care. #nofilter because I, Lizzie Lewis, the non runner had made it 2.15 miles at a pace of 11:28 per mile. Not too shabby if I do say so myself. Hopefully this is the beginning  of my 5K prep. Now I just have to pick one and work my way up to three miles. I wanted to share this with y'all because I have gone from not being able to run a mile to making it 2.1 miles in about 2 months. That's not super fast progress and I have only been jogging twice a week. I am a normal, average girl who is trying to get more fit and if I can have this small victory so can you! So go get you a walking/jogging/running buddy and some cute tennis shoes--Starbucks is waiting ;)

Until next time,

-L

So I Fail At Oil Pulling...

...but I have learned a lot about coconut oil!

If y'all have been reading from the beginning of my blog, you will remember that I said I was going to try oil pulling because I read about it on some other blog somewhere and it supposedly has all of these great health benefits. I have no doubt that this is true, however I am apparently not hipster enough to stick to it! I literally tried it like 3 times and then decided I was over it. As a result of my lack of dedication I was left with an almost full jar of organic unrefined coconut oil that looks like this:

I got my mother to buy this for me at Sprouts because as a college student I am too poor to buy it, but since I have started using it I would definitely say I will buy some when this jar runs out!

So apparently coconut oil is a very handy thing. First off--yes you can start oil pulling. You take a couple tablespoons of this stuff and swish it in your mouth for like 20 minutes (WARNING: The first time you try this you might gag. Let's pretend I don't know that from personal experience. Coconut oil is not a liquid at room temp so it takes a minute for the goop to melt on your tongue.) Benefits of this include:

-Whiter teeth

- Gets rid of bacteria 

-Helps with migraines

-Helps with psoriasis 

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Google it if you want more info :)

The next benefit is that coconut oil is great for your hair. Scoop some out while you're in the shower and coat your hair with it just like you would a conditioner and let it sit for a couple minutes while you shave or scrub or something. Then wash it out a voila! Super soft hair. You just found yourself a once a week deep conditioning treatment.

The third thing I have used coconut oil for is cooking! Yep, you read that right. Instead of canola oil which is all artificial and man made, I used coconut oil in the last chicken dish I cooked. It came out of Cooking Light magazine, and was basically pan fried coconut chicken strips. You take the chicken, and "dredge" (this is a fancy cooking term that I took to mean "cover") it in rice flour, then a mixture of buttermilk and one large egg, then unsweetened coconut flakes *side note--they do not sell these at Brookshire Brothers. So much for small town grocery shopping. How do they have rice flower, but not unsweetened coconut flakes?!*. Heat a skillet to medium heat and coat it with a couple tablespoons of coconut oil and then cook the chicken for like 7 minutes/until the coconut flakes are brown. It was delicious and only like 290 calories for three strips. I added in a little extra for mine since I had sweetened coconut flakes. I think it would be okay to use even if you weren't cooking a coconut dish, because it smells more like coconut than it actually tastes like it. You will discover this if you try oil pulling. 

The final use for coconut oil, and probably my favorite, is eye make up remover! I used to have a Mary-Kay eye make up remover that I LOVED. Then after I got this jar I saw a pin on Pinterest where the woman said she used it as eye make up remover. Genius I say! I made a couple adjustments to her instructions. She said she scooped it onto her fingers and rubbed it on her eyes until she felt the mascara come off. When I tried this I got coconut oil all up in my eyes and it was really uncomfortable. #embarrassing. 

So now what I do is take a cotton ball, swirl it around the top layer of the coconut oil in the jar until there is a decent amount on the cotton ball, and continue just like you would with normal eye make up remover.

Like this:

It works really well! As seen here:

Look at all that gross stuff I got off of my eye lids. Right eye was just wiped, and left eye still has make up. Afterwards, your eyes are kind of oily, but that is the perfect way to prevent wrinkles. You may be 21 now--but this is when you have to start fighting stuff like that (or so my mother tells me). So then you go to sleep and wake-up with moisturized eye lids. #nocrowsfeetforme

So these are the things I use coconut oil for. Hopefully this was a helpful tip! Let me know if y'all use it for anything else :)

-L