Everyday-Brood

I feel ambivalent.

Today my family and I dropped off my sister for her first year of college. On the one hand, I'm super excited for my sister to start her life at college, yet I can't help but feel a little glum when I remember that she's no longer sitting in her old room.

I should begin by saying that the whole moving in process was a lot smoother than I had expected, and we were able to finish unpacking within 2 hours of our arrival. Afterwards, my family and I took a little stroll around the beautiful campus. It was sweltering and I was practically drenched in sweat, yet I somehow couldn't escape the charm of the red brick buildings and towering green trees. Not to mention, there were university kids scrambling and prattling along in every direction. The whole scene made it seem as if we were temporarily on some kind of movie set. Anyways, during our walk, I pictured my new, college-girl of a sister purposefully scurrying from one building to another during the semester like a true undergrad scholar. For some reason, in that moment I felt so proud of my sister for securing a spot at such a prestigious university.

After our delightful little walk, we headed over to the Barnes & Noble down the street to get some last minute supplies. After all the supplies were safely put away in her new dorm room, we sorrowfully said our goodbyes.

Feeling a little dejected my parents and I decided to grab some food and head over to Balitmore's Inner Harbor. Needless to say, it was so gorgeous!

And Remember...
Everything, everything will be just fine
Everything, everything will be all right

That is all.

So, I think it's safe to say that it has been a while since my last post!

I got so caught up with school in the last few months that I haven't had time to post much. Actually, I find that the last few months of school are quite possibly the worst. At this point I'm pretty tired of schoolwork and all my classes. By the time February (and sometimes sooner) rolls around, I'm counting down the weeks until the end of school.  In those last few months, you not only have to think about grades but also about AP tests, SATs and of course the dreaded finals! All in all, I SURVIVED and I'm officially a senior!!

Anyways, this post is about keeping your cool.

We've all encountered someone or someone(s) that push us to the edge. This is may be an individual that you never see eye to eye with. Someone that makes subtle statements under his breath or quite possibly, bluntly makes offensive remarks to your face. You may have known this person for a lifetime or just met him within the last hour. Either way they're pushing your buttons and you're contemplating whether going to jail is worth it.


I know that at times it's hard to listen to people's nasty comments without exploding but you should always keep calm. In order to keep a situation under control and prevent the problem from blowing up, it's important for you to keep perspective. Don't strike back with hateful comments and an accusing voice. Instead, remember your manners and be polite. There is no need to sink to this person's level, after all, you're the more mature individual if you can learn to hold your tongue. Don't get me wrong, it's perfectly acceptable to stand up for yourself , in fact it's very important to do so, but in doing so you should continue to be conscientious. As everyone knows, the best way to triumph someone is to keep your manners and not sink to their level.

Was feeling a little antsy today. Hence, some positive vibes for this lovely Friday.


and lastley...

I found this Ted Talk video on YouTube. When I first read the title, I laughed to myself because I could immediately identify with it.

The man speaking in the video has a refreshing outlook on life. He is smarter than most educated people will ever be. He is wiser than those who build and invent and create. He embodies the confidence and security that people ought to strive for. And most important of all, he asks the questions that most of us choose to ignore.

When I starting watching this video, I lost track of the minutes and was completely absorbed in the man's speech. In my opinion, this this video is both valuable and applicable for people of all walks of life.

I was never really a flowers kinda gal, but recently, after receiving flowers from my Dad, I have finally realized the marvelously enthralling beauty they possess.


When fresh and new, flowers add a certain carefree, cheerful atmosphere to any room. Their mere presence seems to brighten up the dark little nooks and crannies that would otherwise be cast aside and forgotten. Not to mention, the blooming blossoms have an effortlessly chic vibe that adds a simple elegance to anything they're situated around.



After receiving the flowers, I decided to place them in a vase and strategically position them on my plain, clean-cut desk. Well, the flowers certainly did the trick by adding pops of bright orange, girly pink and mysterious red to my simple, white worktable. All of a sudden, my once meek desk gained a cool yet classy character.


Although the blossoms looked great when they were lively and spirited, they seemed to grow in elegance as they aged. They reminded me of those unbelievably gorgeous celebrities that seem to miraculously grow more and more beautiful as the years pass (AKA Meryl Streep). As the days went by, I noticed the bright and cheery roses turning into tastefully muted versions of their former selves. This realization made me finally understand the aesthetic appeal that flowers cast in our society.

Needless to say, I have garnered a new love and appreciation for flowers. They encompass the breezy elegance that I one day hope to posses, myself.

People get wrapped up in their heads; it's a fact that we have to accept.

I think everyone does it once in a while whether they know it or not. People start to dwell on the past or the future and forget to embrace the present. The whole process can be quite depressing not to mention distracting.

For the record...I'm DEFINITELY no exception. I tend to hyper-focus on insignificant situations, like a single test or quiz, and how these events will impact my far-off future. Although in the long run I know these experiences mean nothing, in the moment I feel as if my whole life hinges upon some exact outcome. My thought process develops into worst case scenarios and dreadful anxiety. I begin to bring up past situations and future downfalls that relate to the issue I am dealing with at hand. Overall, the process is absolutely horrendous and is not necessary.


After trying out the idea myself instead of relying on others' advice, I've decided that the accepted notion of  minimizing individual anxiety and frustration to enhance happiness, is actually true. Yeah sure, I want to be successful just like everyone else but after all the academic awards and ribbons what's left? If you have no care-free moments to cherish or people to talk to, you are left in a cold, empty house with nothing but your once esteemed achievements glaring at you; reminding you of your lack of inner fulfillment. As a result, as my new years resolution, I have decided to embark on a journey to live in the moment instead of worrying about the future. Everyone should embrace the present because if you don't, you wind up wasting precious time in your life that could otherwise be spent happily.

I am not endorsing a mindset of complete aloofness, but rather a mindset with a controlled amount of worry. Anxiety is certainly a good thing because it pushes us to complete our goals; however, it should not be lurking in the back of our minds waiting to spring up with the sudden trigger of a morose thought.

While I've contemplated typing this post for the past week, as previously mentioned, I tested out my new mantra. The results were great. My week went better than ever and I was able to finish all the things I needed to get done without constantly worrying. Whenever I felt annoyed or anxious about something I would make a quick mental note about the issue and try to resume my normal, daily interactions. Then, at the end of the day I reviewed my little list and thought about things I could do to fix my problems. This new method of thinking allowed me to enjoy my day without dwelling on bothersome issues.



So, the bottom line...be less antsy all the time