Bucket List

First year is such a blur.

They weren't kidding when they said that these years would fly by. It feels like it was yesterday I was roaming the school aimlessly, trying to find Tim Hortons which was literally right behind me. It was terrifying going to university as a commuter because the people in your classes have all been living together for a while now and you just feel really lonely for a little bit.

The point is, first year is about making friends that you'll spend the next four years and potentially the rest of your life with. I do think it's incredibly important to get to know yourself during these years as well. I don't mean for this to come off as super self-righteous or anything, but I think that the relationship that we should value the most should be the one with ourselves. You won't have to put up with the stuff your stupid ex boyfriend did five years from now; you can dump him.

Try dumping yourself.

Yeah, not that easy.

You shouldn't base who you are around a relationship or any materialistic item. You should hold true to your values and morals no matter what. If you aren't bettering yourself, you're wasting a day. We should all try working towards self-actualization because there's nothing better than the best you.

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” - Dr. Seuss

So why not be the most you that you can... you?

Before this turns into a pretentious self-help article, I'm going to share some things I'd like to accomplish within the next year. They say writing things down makes you more likely to do things, so here we go. Plus, if I come back a year from now with nothing done, y'all are gonna judge me. I don't take failure very well...

1. Start saving for a car. Public transit is so time consuming.
2. Work out and eat better! Seriously, I live at home... this shouldn't be as much of an issue.
3. Read books that I have been meaning to read since summer 2012
4. Volunteer more. And if anyone would like to join me, please feel free.
5. Find a job I love, even if it's in the retail sector.
6. Watch more hockey games with friends. This sounds so dumb but it's one of my absolute favourite things to do with my time.
7. Cook more meals at home. I guess this goes hand in hand with working out and eating better, but honestly, I can only live off of macaroni and cheese for so long.
8. Watch TV shows. I'm sick of feeling left out when people talk about their favourite TV shows that I don't watch. All I follow right now is Bates Motel and Teen Mom 2... I want to catch up on The Following and Sons of Anarchy. If anyone has any suggestions, comment please!
9. Join a varsity team. Considering I lack any athletic ability, it will probably be cheerleading or the dance team. Either way, I want to get involved with the athletics at my school.
10. Become involved in the field I want to pursue. I'm three years away from graduation, but I'd still like to start working in the media field, even if it's volunteering or an internship.
11. Spend time with the people I love. Because as much as I want to focus on myself, I wouldn't be where I am without the people who love and support me.
12. Do the readings. Even if it's for one class, I'd like to do the readings. Just once.
13. Stop drinking coffee and drink more water. I only drink it on occasion, but it's not good for you, and I'd like to cut it out of my diet completely. In terms of drinking water, it's really so good for you (and you feel better too), and I find adding lemon to it helps with cravings.
14. Go to Church. I am Roman Catholic, and I don't attend Church very often at all. It may not make sense to others, but I would like to start going to Church more frequently.
15. Write. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. I write a blog, what more do I need? Writing poems used to be one of my favourite pastimes, and I'd love to take that up again.

And maybe I'll get a fish or something.

Anyway, there's that.

Wrote this jamming to this lovely 8track. If you're still cramming for exams, you might enjoy this playlist as well. It's uplifting and easy to dance to. What's not to love?

Here's to an amazing summer ladies and gents. Always set goals for yourself, even if it's only to wake up when your alarm goes off tomorrow morning.

Maybe I'll wear sweats less by next year. And be a supermodel instead. Probably not. A girl can dream.

Student Life

As a post-secondary student, you have to endure certain things, like exams and final projects.

Everyone knows that final exams make you weirder than you already are. Literally, as if you aren't weird enough already as a student...

No one questions your odd diet which is largely based off of Ramen noodles, macaroni and cheese (bonus points if it's of a microwavable variety), peanut butter/nutella, cookies, chips, and other snack-like foods that require little to no preparation.

The fact that you can sleep until the middle of the day is completely acceptable and your enthusiasm for naps is completely understandable.

Any odd drinking habits you may possess are socially acceptable because you have to suffer the whips and scorns of post-secondary life.

Your coffee consumption probably rivals that of a 40-something businessman.

Sweatpants are no longer a comfortable alternative but a semester-long commitment.

My hairdresser even commented on the fact that my hair completely lacks style. When she asked if I wanted a side bang, I responded "I can't deal with that, it would be in my face and I love my bun too much." She then responded by acknowledging the fact that many of her clients who are students love their buns too, and if they have bangs, they end up cutting them themselves when they start to grow out because they get in their face. I said it's best that I don't lie to myself.

I had always heard in high school that guys like college/university girls because they wear less make up. It's not that they suddenly become more confident in their appearance and don't feel a need for it... it's because they want that extra ten minutes of sleep.

Once final exams roll around, you're up literally all night studying (or on Facebook, whichever) and stressing over the heavily weighted test you're going to write in the next 96-12 hours, depending on how badly you procrastinate.

Losing your yellow highlighter is overwhelmingly upsetting and even though it may appear to be hopeless around 2:00 a.m., you keep going for at least another hour so you can say you put in some effort.

The most stressful part about exams, personally, is talking to your friends before the exam and they start putting all their knowledge on blast and you don't remember reading any of it anywhere. Then you begin to panic even more, and once you get the exam you can then judge if all the stress and energy drinks were warranted or not.

The only thing less frustrating than not studying enough for an exam, is studying too much. You end up looking back on the experience of all the stressful studying and the only thought you can muster is "I could have been sleeping..."

You missed your favourite TV shows, the big hockey game, your friend's birthday, a changing season, and the potential start of WWIII because of your exams that may or may not be your impending doom.

Although being a dysfunctional wreck is somewhat acceptable during your enrolment, summer break provides the opportunity for students to pretend/try to be normal human beings.

Except you're still stressed from all the tuition and student debt that you owe, and will owe in the future as a new semester approaches. In order to compensate, you get a job (maybe two) and then you work your butt off all summer to pay for the ability to eat crappy food, live in the same sweatpants for weeks at a time, and suffer sleep deprivation all while earning your degree/diploma that "promises" hope for the future when you're no longer employed at a minimum wage job.

They told you all throughout high school that it would be rough, and this is exactly what they meant.

In this stressful time I want to wish everyone luck on their exams and final projects, and I also want to remind you that although your post-secondary institution may be some awkward combination of heaven and hell, you're incredibly fortunate to have the ability to pursue higher education... even though it may not always feel like it.

Country Music

I usually get one of two reactions when I say that I like country music.

(1) Oh my gosh! So do I! Have you heard... etc.

(2) Ew, why?

It's usually the latter.

Sometimes people express a slight interest, but otherwise, I usually get a look of disgust and confusion.

I really am not picky with music. My iTunes is a little frightening when it changes from The Amity Affliction to Justin Timberlake to Pink Floyd and then Swedish House Mafia, and Azealia Banks. This isn't to say that I like all genres equally, I don't believe anyone does. But I am open to all sorts of music and I dabble in as many genres as I can.

I predominantly like country music however, and although I haven't listened to it for a very long time, I seriously enjoy it. Listening to country music was a bit of a taboo thing in my house, especially with my step-dad blasting twangy old country in his car... it was a bit of a turn off for me.

I dated a guy for the better part of a year who liked country music and I was closed minded towards it. He had this issue with me touching the radio so I had to listen to it whenever we were in the car. There were three songs I remember actually enjoying and recognizing after a little bit. They were Let It Rain by David Nail, Over You by Miranda Lambert, and Carried Away by Chad Brownlee. I really don't know why, but those were the ones.

Later on, him and I switched iPods for a bit to try to give each others' music a chance and a few songs started to grow on me. I definitely became more open to country music but I wasn't really a fan yet.

Here I am now, with Florida Georgia Line on repeat and cranking Eli Young Band in the car. I also saw Eric Church earlier this year.

Obviously if you don't like country music, you have no idea who any of these people are... but you should.

There are tons of reasons to like country music... It's an excuse to wear plaid, and who isn't your friend at a country bar? Seriously, country music is all about the love. You won't find anything with the lyrics "... your boyfriend is a douchebag, and everybody knows..." (side note: I love that song, don't hate), the closest thing to that would probably be "... he's no good, girl, no good for you... " Even still, it's about having your girl's back and wanting better for her, not simply bashing the guy.

A lot of country music is driven by emotion and/or usually aims for happiness and a laid back life with a truck and a beer.

If I had to give anyone who wanted to give country a chance some songs to try to persuade them, this would be the top ten...

(1) Tattoos On This Town - Jason Aldean
(2) Springsteen - Eric Church
(3) Even If It Breaks Your Heart - Eli Young Band
(4) Sure Be Cool If You Did - Blake Shelton
(5) Get Your Shine On - Florida Georgia Line
(6) Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye - Luke Bryan
(7) Wagon Wheel - Old Crow Medicine Show
(8) Chicken Fried - Zac Brown Band
(9) Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not - Thompson Square
(10) Remind Me - Brad Paisley ft. Carrie Underwood

and then this just because I love it.

And no, I do not consider Taylor Swift country. Speak Now was kind of pushing it, but Red is most definitely not.

If you search country music on YouTube you'll find other great playlists, those are just ten of my favourite country songs; some of which are actually my original favourites from when I first started listening to it.

Anyway, this is appropriate to end off with...