Long Distance

Yes, I know. The dreaded topic that nobody wants to think about. Being as we can't avoid it forever, I figured the perfect time to write about it was when I was about 192 miles away from everything I call "home". 

Long distance has many different categories: friendship, family, relationship, and many more. Although moving away to start school is something most of us are looking forward to, there's always that little, sad feeling hiding in our brains that makes us think, "What in the world am I doing?" I can only imagine that the best way to get through the homesick periods is by keeping a positive attitude. Don't think about how long it's going to take until you see the person you miss, but rather how soon it's coming. Picture the oh-so-famous "glass" half full, instead of half empty. 

My best friend is going to a different university than I am, and I know a lot of you are in the same predicament. Thankfully, her school is only two and a half hours away from mine. We already have plans to attend each other's homecoming weekends; that gives me something to look forward to. Make new friends in your schools, but don't forget about the girl who stayed up with you all night when you didn't feel well, or the girl who sent you homework because you were too busy watching a Grey's Anatomy marathon. FaceTime as much as possible, and visit as much as possible. If she stuck through all of high school's  ups and downs, she's a keeper. 

Family is the weird one. Many of us go away to school to try to get away from our crazy family life for a while. Thankfully, that's not my issue. Try and take your moms' daily phone calls as a good thing. Call your dads because they'll probably forget to call more than once a week. They're dads. They do things like that and don't even notice. When your grandparents call, don't ignore it. You know they're going to go on and on about how much they miss you (even on your second day of class), but embrace it. And lastly, don't get annoyed when your siblings text you that they miss you, because face it- as much as you say you hate them in the middle of a pointless fight, deep down you love them... a little. 

This last category will be from a different point of view, considering I don't have a boyfriend to write about. My three best friends all have boyfriends though, so I can treat this like advice I've given them. First off, don't hold back on any experiences YOU want to do because of someone else back at home. Keep them close in your heart and make wise decisions. Ultimately, what's meant to be, will be. Keep a tiny memoir of them in your purse, or you can "man-crush" it and put a picture of them as your wallpaper. And make sure to make space on the small dorm room desks for their oh-so-handsome high school picture. 

All the people who mean the most to you will be with you throughout college, whether they're next door or a couple hundred miles away. They'll guide you and help you just as they have before, but in a different way. All of your relationships- be it a friendship, family, or a significant other- will mature throughout this long distance journey. Take it as a blessing in disguise; if you can make it through this, you can make it through much more. Enjoy the ride and remember to always keep a positive attitude, even on a cloudy day. 

NG

Picture by Nicki Guerra

Treasure Cay, Bahamian Islands

Don't Yell Freshman

"I don't want to look like a freshman." These are the words being said/thought by girls around the country as the fall semester creeps closer. It seems as if no one knows what to wear on the first day of school, considering a lot of us came from wearing the same uniform everyday for the past four years. Is it too "try hard" to wear a t-shirt with your school's letters on it? Should you wear a hoodie, even though chances are it will be over 80 degrees? I myself am wondering the same thing.

Many of us are going away, which gives us a major reason to be excited for our first day of class. If you ask me, my "perfect" first day outfit is jeans or jean shorts, paired with a plain v-neck or cool graphic tee, and sandals. Plain and simple, without being too casual. Having a cute bag can also help the outfit (My choice: a Longchamp Large Le Pliage tote- comes in almost every color!). You don't want to dress so nice that you scream "try-hard freshman," but you also don't want to look like the "she thinks she's cool freshman" by wearing sweat pants and a pajama shirt (Save the comfy dressing for when you're more comfortable around campus).

I personally don't think it is "try-hard" to wear a shirt with your school initials on it; don't go overboard and pair it with matching shorts and socks. As for the hoodie, take it in your bag for the cold auditorium classes. It isn't cool to walk around campus in a hoodie when it's 85 degrees (no pun intended). There are many different looks to rock on the first day, so make sure you find the one that's right for you!

NG

P.S. Where can you get this casual first day look? My answer: Forever 21 and Old Navy. You can never go wrong with Forever's $10 jeans and Old Navy's $7 v-necks. They're a must for everyday school-wear.

From 10 to 3

I came across an eCard a few days ago that said, "Remember: People only rain on your parade because they are jealous of your sun and tired of their shade." Although I've heard that saying before, I really noticed the accuracy in it this week. Many friends and family began complimenting me on this blog that I started, but of course, the first thing some people did was make fun of me. Not surprisingly, it was girls who I used to call "friends." I've never understood why some people allow their insecurities to take over them. Making fun of people just to feel better about yourself ultimately leaves you with a bigger hole. Why rain on someone's parade?

I have begun to discover who my real friends are, and I couldn't be happier. I'm not sad that I'm losing friends. The fact that they're being "lost" means they were never there to begin with.  True "friends" don't make fun of you for something you're passionate about, which is why I am not sad that my circle of friends has been cut from about 10 to 3.

Actually, it may have been a blessing in disguise. Knowing who my true friends are after four years, I now have a better judge of character and will hopefully be able to make good friends throughout my journey in college. Friends are supposed to support you and encourage you to do well, not tear you down. I encourage all of you to eliminate those who do not care or support you in what you love to do from your lives. It will only drag you down and keep you from reaching your dreams. When you begin school, search for people like you, people who have a passion and are not afraid to express it with the fear of being judged or ridiculed. Find those girls, or boys, who bring out the best in you. I couldn't be more excited to find new friends to spend the next couple of years with.

And one last, important thing: do not forget about the friends you have back at home, who have stuck by you through it all. You may be a couple hundred miles away, but true friendship overcomes those things. Continue supporting your friends, whether it's through monthly visits or daily FaceTime chats.

T-minus 30 days until I leave for school; let the excitement begin!

NG

Realizing New

As I sit here at Starbucks, drinking my tall, white chocolate mocha with no whipped cream, I'm beginning to wonder what my upcoming college experience will be like. Will it be unforgettable; the type of experience that causes nostalgia in the future? Or will it be an average experience, one which I will only remember vaguely in twenty years? I can't help but wonder how many other soon-to-be college girls are contemplating that same thought. College calls for many things: new types of parties, new friends, new forms of learning, and many more new things. New. All new. I think that's the scary part. All our lives, most of us haven't been used to much "new". High school had it's splashes of new here and there, but nothing like what's in store when we start college. I can't help but to take all of the awaiting "new" as something to be excited about.

I've figured out that finding the "old" in everything new will help us get accustomed. Finding that one girl who reminds you of your hometown best friend, the familiar smell of Starbucks on each campus, and that one professor who teaches just like your favorite high school teacher. Those are the things we have to look for. Those are the things that will slowly help us get through each day. Soon enough, all the "new" will become "normal", and when we go back home to visit, we'll crave our new normal.

In the couple weeks left before the Fall Semester, all we can do is hope for an easy transition into the next chapter of our lives. For many of us, this may be the best chapter of our book. We have to enjoy our time left here in the "old", and aspire to make the awaiting "new" our new normal. My advice for anyone reading this is to be completely open to the arriving change. Whether you're going to a school alone, far away, or across the street from home, always remember that there are hundreds of other girls having the same feelings as you. College has been described as the time to find who you truly are, so don't be afraid to do so.

So what are you waiting for? Buy yourself a cute bag for class, grab your coffee, and start planning for the experience YOU want to have! Get excited; you're going to college!

NG