2014 Has Come To A Close

As 2014 comes to a close, I can't help but think about everything that has happened throughout this crazy year. When 2014 started, I was finishing my last year of high school. Now as it comes to an end, I've just finished my first semester of college. It's strange to think about how fast time really does fly. This past year was filled with so many ups and downs, and I'm sure most of you could agree. I'm grateful for all the lessons learned and all the memories made. 2014 was strange. Here are a few things I learned throughout the past year:

We live in a world that's obsessed with butts. Don't even try to deny it. It seemed as if mostly everything in 2014 was geared toward some type of butt obsession. Why were so many songs (All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor, Anaconda by Nicki Minaj just to name a few) written about butts? Do people not have anything better to write about? (I guess I can answer that question myself.) Oh and lets not forget when Kim Kardashian tried to "break the internet" with her behind. Hopefully this booty craze will stay in 2014.

Online slang is very, very catchy. How many times a day do you catch yourself saying words like "bae" or phrases like "or nah"? Although I am one of the top users of these phrases, I really hope they don't follow through as heavily in 2015. I can't even begin to imagine what's going to pop up in our vocabulary in the upcoming year. I'm not sure if I should be nervous, or excited.

Embrace your self(ie). Sure, embrace your actual self too, but really; don't be ashamed to selfie-it up a little! 2014 brought with it what I like to call the "Selfie Movement". Everywhere you looked you would see someone taking a selfie, no matter who they were. Why are some people embarrassed to take selfies? The person next to you probably took one a few minutes ago! Own your selfie game and don't be ashamed of it. Who knows what 2015 will bring for the Selfie Movement.

Life is short. As sad as it sounds, it's so true. So many people I know lost loved ones this year, way before their time. I saw #RIP______ way too often on my Twitter timeline, and I know anyone with a Twitter can agree. You never know what's going to happen in this big, crazy world. If you miss someone, tell them. If you love someone, tell them. Everything can change in the blink of an eye, and you don't want to regret not saying something once it's too late.

With all that being said, I wish everyone a safe and happy New Year. May 2015 bring you everything you need and more, whether it be happiness, success, or relief. We get to start fresh in just two days, so try and make this new year a great one for you, however that may be. I'm not saying to bring up the basic "new year, new me" stuff, because we all know you aren't going to change that much. It's a new year, try taking it on in a new way. Don't change yourself (unless you really should), change the way you live. If you're usually a stress freak, relax a little. If you're always negative, try smiling and looking at the up side of things. Travel. Make new friends. Fall in love. Stay safe on New Years Eve, drink lots of Champagne (Uber home if you're out), and spend it with people you love.

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...
Happy New Year!

NG

Let It Go

I've noticed that many people tend to hold grudges nowadays. For what? To add unneeded negativity to our lives? To cause our beautiful faces premature wrinkles? I feel like holding grudges is one of the most detrimental things we can unconsciously do to our mental health. Think about it. When you're holding a grudge against someone, you're constantly worrying and stressing out about something that really doesn't even need to be thought about. For what? Sure, there are situations in which you may feel the need to hold a grudge against someone, but it really shouldn't last more than a couple of days. I'm a strong believer in "forgive and forget." I may not become your friend if you do something that truly hurt me, but I believe that simply putting everything behind me and moving on with my life is so much better for my well-being that constantly stressing over some irrelevant situation/person.

Everyone has that one person who just rubs them the wrong way, and that's totally fine. It's impossible to get along with everyone on this planet of 7 billion people. But I'll never understand why some people allow this to get to them so much. If you don't like someone, remove them from your life. There's no reason to go out of your way to inform the person you don't like them. There's clearly some issues (or insecurities as I like to call them) present if you feel the need to simply talk to someone just to inform them that you "hate" them. If they really bother you that much, why are you going out of your way to incorporate them into your life?

So, in the wise words of Princess Elsa, "let it go." It's not necessary to all of a sudden become best friends with the one person in the world you really don't like. Put your pride aside and be mature. If you don't like someone, don't involve them in your life. It's that simple! Once you do that, I promise that so much negative energy around you will begin to disappear, and your daily life will be that much better.

Yours truly,

NG

And That's A Wrap!

It feels as if I blinked and my first semester of college was done. I can hardly believe it! Four and a half months have gone by and it seems like it was just yesterday that my family was helping me move into my apartment. I guess time does fly when you're having fun...or studying... My first semester away at school was definitely one to remember. From all the nights binge-watching Netflix, to my weekly Pub outings, and to my millions of road trips (ok it was about six... millions sounds cooler),  I can definitely say that Fall 2014 was one for the books.

I know a lot of you are finishing with finals this week; don't give up! All of your all-nighters and all the coffee you've ingested will surely pay off if you set your mind to it. Get your rest and stay focused on your exams. You'll be back home before you know it, doing whatever it is you do when you're home alone for seven hours (in my case).

This next month is the really fun part though: Winter Break. Hearing those words just makes me want to run around and sing Christmas carols. As soon as all of my friends finish their finals, this break is going to be amazing. There's so much time to sleep, go shopping (yay!), and do so many other things that I missed from home! I can't wait to have everyone back in Miami again. It's such a good feeling when you go months without seeing your friends and you can act like you just saw each other yesterday when you next see each other. Enjoy your few weeks home with all your loved ones. It's the happiest time of the year!

Hopefully next semester is as good, if not better, than this past one. I'm looking forward to more road trips (maybe I'll go somewhere new?) and meeting new people. I hope this break brings everyone exactly what they need, whether it be sleep, or (some) partying. Bundle up! It seems like this holiday season is going to be colder than our usual 80 degree Christmases! (That's kind of exciting!)

Happy Holidays,

NG

T Minus 31 days!

Can you believe November is already over? In other words, can you believe 2014 is over in 31 days? I feel like time goes by faster and faster each year. In a week, I'll be done with my first semester of college... Didn't I graduate high school yesterday? One stress-filled finals week and back to the MIA I go. I am beyond happy that I get to spend most of the month of December at home with all my loved ones. (Sorry that I'm missing your birthday Mom. You'll receive a love-filled phone call and a hug three days later.) Enjoy the last month of the year as much as you can. I came across a quote on Instagram that said, "You have one month to finish the book of 2014. Make the last chapter a perfect one." I was so intrigued by that quote. I love viewing my years as books. Each month is a chapter and all of our weeks and days are the sentences. It makes life seem so much more meaningful when you look at it that way. 

The month of December has so much to offer (besides Christmas, of course!). Endless family time, Christmas shopping, and the most important: Christmas cookies. Why should Santa get all of them? The holiday season always puts me in the baking mood. (I baked cookies before coming back to Orlando today.) As I've gotten older, I also enjoy buying gifts for other people more. I feel as if Christmas is all about receiving presents when you're younger, but as the years have gone by, I have found more and more gratification in giving gifts to the people I love. 

So what are you waiting for? Make yourself some hot chocolate and grab some cookies. Cuddle with your mom and look through a Christmas catalogue. Remember how fun it was to circle all the toys we wanted from Santa in the Toys R Us catalogue? (Or Target if your mom is as obsessed as mine is.) Appreciate the time you have with your loved ones during this time of year. They do say it's "the most wonderful time of the year," so make it that way. End 2014 in the best way possible, even if you've had a rough year. The better you end 2014, the better you'll start 2015. 

Happy December!

NG