Fake it, Till you make it

We've all been there. Start of something new, and with the new comes the unknown. With the unknown comes confusion, and often frustration. 

I can't tell you how frustrated I get when hooking up a new printer, or when you look at the excel spread sheet for making a new budget. 

This doesn't always have to be the case. At this point in our lives we are constantly in a state of flux. The only thing guaranteed in life is change, and when that change leads us to a new job or internship, fake it till you make it. Seriously, we aren't going to learn everything overnight or know what is going on, but if you are confident in yourself everything seems to fall into place. 

Take a breath and move forward. 

A few days ago I got a phone call from the front asking me if I was comfortable giving a tour of the Capitol. I received tour training yesterday. Meaning while I knew the way around, it didn't mean I knew all the dates, names, and stories that make up the tour.

I gave the tour and had a wonderful time. Turns out even if I didn't know every date, every name, I still knew a lot more than I thought I did and what I didn't know I was honest and they were totally okay with that.

This is an important lesson I've learned a few times, but recent I was reminded. It's okay if you don't know everything, but if you try you are going to get so much farther than you'd believe. People give more chances to those who try, to those who actually go out of their way to try to do better. Want to wow those around you? Go out of your comfort zone and say yes too early, make mistakes but learn from them and you will do better so much faster than you believed possible.

My piece of advice today?
Fake it, till you make it.


Has this ever happened to you guys? Let me know!

Getting swept away

Have you ever been swept away? 

Swept away in the moment, in life, in pursuing your dreams, on an adventure, a trip, anything? 

Because if not, I highly recommend doing it. At least once in your life. Or daily. 

I'm not going to apologize for the strange long term absence. Because lordy, it's been a while.  And I won't apologize, because sometimes getting swept up in life is worth missing out on the norm, worth just trying to live. 

However, I would love to share what I've been doing. 

In January, I took an Internship with the Wyoming State Legislature. It was a brand new internship program that I ran the pilot program for, and it was fantastic, and the only reason it happened is because I was pushed past my comfort level. 

I will say the best piece of advice I can give you right now is don't say no. If someone tells you to apply for an internship, a fellowship, a program. Just do it. The worst is that they tell you no, you have to keep living like you are now. The best? They take you. 

That's what happened to me, and I spent two wonderful months being the policy research intern for the Labor, Health, and Social Services Committee. Now I know that policy isn't everyone's cup of tea, and out in our neck of the woods it isn't exactly common, but I think that's the point I'm getting at. Even if your passion, the thing that drives you isn't common or isn't easy to find way to get experience in, keep looking. Talk to a professor, your adviser, or the department that it would relate to, because they love love love to help students get involved.

Here I am above, with the State Capitol behind me, sorry its a little fuzzy!

When the legislature finished, so did my school load (I may have my final project that I still have to work on... sshh!) and I wasn't sure what the next step was for me. That moment when we were wrapping up, I was tipped off to a position that was open that might need an intern. So I applied, and ended up getting the position.

Within one week I had a flight booked, within two I had flown out. That is how fast life happens, within a day of the idea I had an interview, and less than a week later I was offered the position. Now I'm sitting here writing this post from my apartment which is down the street from the Library of Congress, which is a few buildings up Senator Enzi's office, where I'm working.

It's been just about three months since I found out I was interning in Cheyenne, and now I'm in DC just in time for the Cherry Blossom festival, which has always been on my bucket list. So please, please, get swept away. Get caught up in life, say yes to crazy offers, and follow your heart. Whether it's flying halfway across the country, or going on a walk across town with a friend to find new hideaways you've never seen before, just let life guide you.  

Holiday Cheer or Fear?

Happy December,

All in all this semester has been kinda crazy for me, not sure about you but 2014 was definitely the year of change for me. I picked my concentration, decided what I want to study for my Masters program that I will apply to next year, went on an amazing trip, took time for family, made bad decisions, applied for an internship, and made a decision to graduate on a normal four year track. I've become centered in life and in my head, but it took a lot to get there.

I know that not everyone probably had as many ups and downs as I did this semester, but they had their own which were bigger and smaller in their own ways. 

I'll probably write more on several of the things I have above, mainly because I know that two years ago I would have loved to know that someone didn't have a clue what they wanted to do for a career somehow had opportunities fall in their lap because of their classes, and no you didn't read that wrong. 

Right now I know that the holidays always seem to bring high levels of cheer and high levels of anxiety, about bills, presents, grades. But something that no one seems to remember is that we come up on this every year, every year we have to deal with the same stress and anxiety. Sure the year will always make it slightly different, but at its core we deal with the same thing every year, AND WE GET THROUGH IT EVERY YEAR. Seriously just let that sink in. 

Now realize that you know how to deal with this, you know how to budget, you know how to study for finals. The world always feels like its coming to an end right now. Like there is way too much going on and you will never get it, never be able to make the time for everything that has to happen. Seriously there are ugly sweater parties, mixers, socials, study sessions, last minute papers and projects, and can we not even talk about Christmas shopping? Everyone and their dog is worrying about this right now. Slow down breath, realize that you don't have to have everything figured out. 

This is the end of the year and right now we are just wrapping everything up, literally and figuratively. Stick hard to your studies don't let the holidays and the upcoming break get to you. I know you can do it, because I've been able to. 

The holidays can be the most wonderful time of the year, be extra nice to the grocers, tell your best friend how much you appreciate them, let your family be crazy and revel in the them-ness that you can be overwhelemed by. This is my favorite time of the year and no matter how hard it is I try to always be a glass half full person right now, because so many people need that. Be that person, you never no who's day you end up brightening and I can tell you it will make you happier too.

Fresh Start for Fall

Look at how far we've come! It's already the second day of fall. The leaves have started to turn colors, UW has been in session for three weeks already, tests are beginning to start, football has arrived, and better temperatures are descending. 

Fall also means Bid Day for Fraternity and Sorority Life here at UW! It was the weekend before last and I had the best time! I am so excited with our new Hooties, and I can't wait to see their faces more. Don't you just love how talented and crafty some of my sisters are? 

I love Autumn. It still has the warm days of summer and yet alludes to my favorite season of all, winter. I know I love winter, but I'm not ready for it yet. I however am super excited for the start of autumn. Warm colors come into play, I get to wear some of my favorite clothes, like riding boots and blazers. I get to bask in the sound of rain on the roof, and leaves crunching under my foot. Seriously that is one of the best feelings ever. 

With the start of fall comes the start of tests and presentations. I have a Spanish presentation later today! The most important thing that I have found is study in small increments as soon as you can so you aren't rushing the night before to get oodles of homework done. These weekend are some of the best of the year to go out and do things. Hunting season is upon us, and so descends the copious amounts of camo that is to be worn. 

I say get things done, do them early, so when you get a wake up call saying "hey wanna go paintballing with me and the guys?" You can go and don't have to stay up waaaaay past your bed time like I did last night getting homework done. Also, if you get that invite, totally go. It is so worth it for the spontaneous memories and great times. I ended up going to Saratoga after the football game (I'd never been!) and then paintballing the next morning. In my opinion it was a great weekend.

How was your weekend? Have classes gotten intense all of a sudden for you too?

P.S. Go get the flu shot. Seriously do it. I came down with whatever last week and was basically on my deathbed. My roommates were worried sick. And missing class was awful. You don't want that to happen, and they offer them on campus. My tip of the day!

Move In

After finishing the last two weeks of summer, I was super excited to come back to school. I don't know why but the feeling of how good this semester is going to be just seems to be contagious. It's having a schedule, seeing friends again, seeing Laramie bustling full of students all eager (or maybe not so eager) to start again. 

I had the best Labor Day weekend. It was full of many BBQ's and catching up with old friends. Right now the band is playing outside of my window getting ready for the Air Force game this weekend, and in honor of that it's honoring our military. Very patriotic. I only hope we don't get rained on quite as much as last weekend.

 I really applaud UW for the pep rally. Craig Morgan was amazing and he really catered to the crowd. I didn't realize that his whole band was full of local Wyomingites... and one Coloradan. Highlight of that was probably one of the girls I was with, a Chi Omega Sister, was pulled up on stage with him!

This weekend is also looking great. At 8:30 Thursday night the Country Swing Club is meeting upstairs in the Union, probably my favorite event all week. Lots of people just getting together to learn how to swing dance and a couple of line dances. Seriously makes my day. I also love going to the Cowboy for their 18+ Swing dance night on Wednesdays, however the first two to three weeks it's always so packed that barely any dancing happens, I end up waiting a few weeks to have a much better time. 

Friday Night Fever Kicks off the start of school with their weekly movie, this time it's going to be Captain America: The Winter Soldier. They are holding the annual Casino Night in the Union. My freshmen year I was a little too gun shy to actually enjoy it. I am taking full advantage of the free entertainment this year and I will be one of the dealers at the tables. 

Volleyball has a packed weekend and I hope to catch one of their three matches this weekend. Friday at 12pm and 7pm, and Saturday at 12pm. Football will be amazing, I hope we are as packed as last weekend was, check out the UW picture to the right! Kickoff against Air Force is at 8:15 and  a little birdie told me that the band has a special surprise planned!

Now I need to finish organizing my closet... I swear I just find more things that magically appear each time I move! Hope move in went well for everyone this past weekend!

Toxic Friendships

I'm going to jump right in, you know how sometimes you have one of those friends? Like the one who seems to constantly put your friendship down, or don't fit in with anybody you hang out with? Or maybe they just lead a different lifestyle that you aren't comfortable with anymore. Those friends are what I look at as toxic friendships. 

This is particularly easy to fall into when you are in college. Between trying to find what you want to do in life, participating in extra-curricular's, jobs, and having fun you end up meeting a lot of people. However, not all of the people we meet bring great meaning to our lives, and not all of them need to. Everyone should bring something to the friendship though, something positive. A great sense of humor, someone to talk about the deep things with, someone to go to lunch with, someone to make you remember to lighten up. These are great people in our lives, and we all have them, but we also have toxic friendships.

My toxic friendship is a really close friend actually. It's super sad because I know that she could be a great person one day and do things. Right now she's realizing that college is hard. Goodness is it, it doesn't come easy to everyone, and it is nothing like high school. Balancing being an adult, learning how to study, be somewhat responisble, and still knowing how to have fun? Its crazy. She hasn't learned how to balance that yet. Too much fun not enough study has lead to a really hard time, but no matter what she does she doesn't think any of it is her fault. Like any of it. She always has an excuse for why it turned out the way it did.

Now, I know that I've done that a bit but at some point you have to own up to your mistakes. The worst part? That isn't the worst part. She constantly tries to one up everyone around her, acts like she is better than everyone else, and she can be down right mean. I have one of my oldest friends who will come over to see me, and my toxic friend is often there (toxic friends seem to have a sticky tendency don't they?), and one day she confessed how often my toxic friend will act condescending to her. That isn't the only friend who has said something, and when it hurts people I care about it hurts me. 

I know that I need to distance myself from her, and I have. It's okay to have a toxic friendship, as long as you don't let it become toxic to you. You may be the only good friend in their life, but if they aren't good for you please don't keep them around. It'll only end up hurting you in the end. Eventually they will realize how they've been acting, and I hope they change. More often than not they fall into the same old patterns. The best thing is to be honest, and if that means they don't appreciate it in the end, it't their loss. 

My friends that I met through our toxic friend have all been saying the same thing lately. I go out to lunch with my guy friend, I'm babysitting our other friends cat soon, and today I went to the gym and lunch with a different friend from my toxic friend's group. We have great times together, and we are all so different it allows us to broaden each others horizons, I am so lucky to have them as friends. College is all about figuring out what we are doing with our lives, that includes who we want to keep in our lives. So, while toxic friends can be a drain sometimes they lead to other things like new friends, or wisdom on how to handle that situation. It's all a learning curve. 

Are there toxic friends you have had? Or do have? Situations they've put you into? I'd love to talk about it!

Summer Weddings

Is it just me or has this been the summer for weddings? I went to a few, and I know a ton more that have happened. It makes me just love love.

 For a really long time the idea of marriage made me cringe. I've seen so many fail, but I'd never met anyone our age that I really had faith in. That is until my sophomore year of college. Its probably because we are getting older and more mature. My favorite love story is probably my freshmen year RA and her now husband. They are absolutely amazing together, best friends who really do help each other in ways I can't even explain. They met in acting class and knew the instant they were paired together. You can see it in both. She adores him like the moon, and he worships the ground she walks on. They don't let the other go overboard either. Its beautiful, and she was always my friend but as the wedding got closer so did my relationship with him. I count both as friends now and I am so excited that they are finding jobs and living together now, starting their journey of married life. 

One of my biggest problems was trying to find something appropriate to wear, and a wedding present that I can still afford as a broke college kid. Summer weddings are so fun as they allow a bit more of a relaxed feel and you have more options. 

For clothes the most important thing to know is venue, don't wear overly dark clothes if you are going to be out in the sun for the wedding. Also if you know where it will take place you can also gauge what to wear. For instance you may not be religious, but if its a church wedding, having wider straps or even covering your shoulders is respectful, especially to some of the older family members who are coming. Here are some of my favorite picks: 

I went for two ends of the spectrum on price but they both give a wonderful example. 

The light blue can be dressed up with a cute hair do and some jewelry or left beautifully bare. Right now it's a steal for only $23.99!

The dark blue is also very light for a summer wedding, but the lace gives the appearance of sleeves maybe a bit more modest or elegant. This is very like my dress that I wore to a wedding this summer, however mine is several years old and I can't remember where I got if from, this is from J.Crew and is priced at $275.00 but would work well for many occasions. 

As for wedding gifts, I tend to go to places like Hobby Lobby or Michael which tend to have cute cheap crafts, or even pre-made if you're in a crunch! Also something for their new home is always welcome, you can find some great things in department stores. Here are two ideas that I used this year. 

The pillow is from Hobby Lobby, and towels are from Kohl's. I found some other his and hers for less at Kohl's but they weren't pictured together. I hope that this helps with summer weddings! I know of several more to come for August!

Did you have any great wedding outfit/gift ideas this summer?