My Advice to Incoming Freshmen....

Well folks, it's that time of year again.

The time of year when all the back to school sales start happening and moms get out their paper chain count downs to September.

School is right around the corner.

And this year I couldn't be more excited.

I've heard that that is a really good sign, I'm excited about my classes and excited to get further in my major.

And more importantly.......I'm excited for FOOTBALL!

However I remember three years ago when I was an incoming freshman to the U and I had mixed feelings about school starting. The last two weeks of summer were filled with anxiety and excitement and a little more anxiety. 

Now I'm not saying that I know everything but I thought that I would list a few things that I feel are important in the college experience.

1. Get involved.
I can't tell you how many committees I've served on and how many clubs that I joined and even study groups that I've joined. If you don't get involved on campus the only thing that you are really doing is going to class and then coming home...and that's enough to make anyone want to shoot themselves. 

2. Take chances.

It's human nature to want to fit in and be accepted by the majority so it would make sense that that is an individuals first instinct. But where's the fun in that? What's the point of being an individual if you are just like everyone else? Even better, in college no one cares if you aren't exactly like everyone else. In fact most people (that are worth your time anyways) prefer you to be your unique self!

3. Go to class.

But really though. It's so much easier to just not go to class because you are an adult and answer to yourself but missing class more than a few times can seriously hurt your grades. Lectures, no matter how boring, are important. And no matter what you tell yourself you will forget it, write it down. Because if you don't it will be on the test, and you will be screwed. 

4. Join the MUSS.

Ok...so maybe you aren't a football fan (freak...just kidding...mostly) but there is absolutely nothing like the feeling of a college football game day. And the MUSS is one of, if not the greatest student sections in the nation. There is nothing like it. Trust me you won't regret it. Besides, season tickets for $30? I'd say that's a steal. 

5. Enjoy going to school!

The college years are the best years of your life! Enjoy them. I absolutely love walking around campus and just enjoying being in college. Find a favorite spot to just hang out and study or just people watch. Get your nose out of social media for an hour and talk to the people around you. Some of the best friends that I have today I found in my first class as a freshman. 

I love going to school {even if I whine about it from time to time and complain that I am never going to graduate}. School gives me a purpose in life, and I have fallen in love with the University of Utah. 

I cannot wait for football season to kick off, and for Fall semester to get back into full swing.

I love crisp fall days going up to campus for a football game. There is no greater high in the world.

Much love and Go Utes!!

-L

You've Always Had the Power My Dear, You Just Had to Believe It For Yourself

I'm sure that by now we are all familiar with the awesome waste of time that we call Pinterest.

Truly the amount of time that I spend on it everyday is appalling, but I love it.

Especially when I come across pins that make my life a little easier, or introduce me to a yummy new recipe or even better when they brighten my day.

I stumbled upon a pin tonight that made my inner feminist go "Oh heck yes"

It's entitled "20 Things a Woman Should Live By" and I feel like sharing it with y'all tonight because I love it so much.

So here goes:

1. Men are an amazing part of life, but they are in no way the be all and end all of life.
2. It's ok to admit that you're young, fab and NOT broke. Celebrate your success
3. Don't waste time crying over little boys who talk too much. Some day you will find the one and then all that happens in between will just seem like bullshit. Some will be hot and unforgettable bullshit, but nonetheless bullshit.
4. It's okay to be 22 or even 32 or 42 and not know what you wanna be when you grow up
5. Many people will try to judge you for your spending and life style habits, don't let it get to you. It's your life, you money and no one else's business
6. If you like being single, it's okay to admit that. Maybe you like being alone. Maybe you like just dating and hooking up. Guys like these things and the world has no problem with it.
7. In business, it's likely that men twice your age with half your brain capacity will be making triple the money that you do. Work hard anyway, never give up, you are the brain and voice of tomorrow
8. Your parents already lived a bulk of their life. It's time to start living yours. It is possible to both respect them and be happy. Sometimes they may get made at your choices, make those choices anyway, they love you and will eventually come around
9. It's okay to order extra cheese on your fries and not go to the gym after
10. No matter how old you are by number, never forget what it feels like to be young and alive
11. People are always going to talk, so just do your thing. You may as well give them something to talk about.
12. You work hard all week and deserve time to get your party on during the weekends. Don't feel guilty about it. Anyone who tells you otherwise is just jealous.
13. Don't keep company with those who constantly compare themselves to you. Keep company with those who love you for you and enhance your life.
14. If you can'y find your prince, there is nothing wrong with enjoying kissing all the wrong frogs
15. Live your life for you: not your parents, not a man, not your friends. It is the only way you will ever truly by happy
16. You're never too old to learn something new.
17. In your life you will wind up with a select few friends who are more like your soul mates. Cherish them, they'll be the ones around when the party's over.
18. You're going to make mistakes: the wrong career, the wrong major, the wrong boyfriend. Everything happens for a reason. You'll learn something, recover and come back better than ever.
19. Live each day with no regrets. Don't fret over the past, even the bad parts shape us for the future.
20. Don't be afraid to be a strong woman. You have nothing to apologize for.

I absolutely love everything on this list and I hope you did too. I'll close this post with a favorite quote of mine from and interview with Joss Wheaton. The interviewer asked him why he wrote such strong female characters and his answer was "Because you are still asking me that question"

Much love.

-L

The One I Didn't Know How To Title....

      To be honest I'm unsure of what I even want to say anymore. I started this blog to get my thoughts out of my head and somewhere else. It shocks me when people actually tell me they read my blog, I never expect people to read it. And it's been a minute since I've taken the time to blog, but if I was honest with myself it has been more than that. There just hasn't been that much going on in my life, at least nothing worth telling this blog about.
      I do have a question though...when did it become the norm for LDS people to become so judgy? Well that's not fair I guess...to be fair not all LDS people are like that, but it seems like those members that are my peers or a little bit older seem to take things a little too far. I refuse to believe that anyone is truly malicious at heart so I'm sure they are living the Gospel to the best of their abilities; but it seems they overlook the whole love thy neighbor concept. Last time I checked there wasn't an asterisk by that commandment or that verse in the Bible that says "But only if they are LDS" or even worse "If they are LDS like you".
     I don't know, the way I was raised I was always taught the best way to be was to live your standards and realize and respect that not everyone will believe the way that you do and that's ok. I've never been hesitant to be friends with people who held different beliefs than I did and my motivation was never to convert them. I was and am friends with them because they are good people, because they are interesting and I feel that I can learn something to better myself from them.
      I believe that the church is true and I would love to share what I feel and believe, but I know better than to just bring it up. The church always talks about every member a missionary and to always search for moments to share the gospel with others but to me that doesn't mean shove it down someone's throat every second of every day or to judge them harshly because they don't want to hear about it. My mom always taught me that if someone wanted to know more about what I believe then the perfect time to talk about it was when they asked. On their timeline, when truly they would be more receptive to it. Besides isn't there a scripture that basically says don't throw your pearls before swine because they won't appreciate their value?
     Even more shocking I was out with a friend of mine that has a beautiful tattoo that covers his left bicep and up to his shoulder and just barely crawling over to his chest. To him it has meaning. To him it is more than just ink. To him it's his life story that he has detailed upon himself. And while the church expressly discourages tattoos (which is 3/4 of the reason I won't ever get one, the other 1/4 is needles scare me...like a lot) that's never stopped me from being friends with people who don't hold that same belief. However I had another friend who is a very devout Mormon and I respect her dedication, but she mentioned believing that he wasn't a very good guy and that I shouldn't waste my time being friends with him. Take into account that she didn't know him, or really anything about him other than the fact that he was not LDS and he was inked. I truly was shocked, and it was one of those moments that made me grateful for the way that I was raised.
     It made me think about how we treat people in general and what we judge them off of. This friend of mine was so stuck in her bubble that she couldn't seem to grasp the idea that someone who wasn't LDS and who obviously wasn't living LDS standards could be a good person and while at first that made me angry I have gotten to the point that it just made me sad for her. She has blocked herself off to so many great people all because she has this ridiculous hang up that a person who doesn't share her faith isn't worth her time.
      And here's one more thought before I end this post, do we as Mormons judge those within our own faith more harshly than we should? President Uchtdorf said to not judge someone else because they sin differently than you do. I hope to keep that mind.....



Much love.
-L

Bad Boys Ain't No Good, Good Boys Ain't No Fun

Have you noticed that the women of our society are obsessed with the "bad boy" image?

Think about it. James Dean, Chuck Bass, Tony Stark, Damon Salvatore, Bruce Wayne etc etc etc. The list just goes on and on.

Bare with me here, I mean this could be real random.

I myself have a thing for bad boys. 

I find myself drawn to them, and inexplicably so, because I will inevitably be whining and complaining that the guys I date aren't good guys and that all guys are the same when I have "friend-zoned" the perfectly good guys in order to choose the bad boy. 

I can't help but pine for the boys with the complicated pasts, the moody and broody ones, the ones that come with their own set of emotional baggage that is just begging to be unpacked.

Why is that?

I'm not alone in this, it seems like a few of my friends fall into this same pattern.

We just love the bad boys.

The boys in the leather jackets, with the inked up muscles, the devil-may-care attitudes and the hearts of gold.

And yes I do realize how after-school-special this all sounds, but this is my blog and I can say whatever the heck I want to!

I mean if men are drawn to the chase; women are drawn to the challenge of change.

I had a friend in high school that called this whole phenomenon the "Hamlet problem".

For those of you who are familiar with the Danish prince, in a nutshell he is moody, broody and has A LOT of issues. As women we have this need to "fix" the emotional problems of those around us. My friend from high school saw Hamlet's problems in a lot of the guys she dated and she had this drive to save them, she wanted to be the one to inspire the positive change in their lives.

Every man we encounter presents a challenge for us. Each one comes with his own set of problems that we believe we can fix or change and we all feel a buzz when we think that we have succeeded.

It seems to me that what most women my age want is a bad boy that will be good just for her. On the other hand it seems like men my age want a good girl that will be bad just for them.

It's an interesting paradox, isn't it?

Excuse my random late night musing.....this is what no school does to my brain.....

Much love!

-L

If You Get Lost, You Can Always Be Found

     You know, I have been meaning to blog for awhile but things just kept coming up that kept me from actually sitting down and taking the time out of my busy schedule to ramble for a few paragraphs about my life. But as life in college has taught me: my time is never my own. I probably shouldn't even be taking the time to write right now (hehe write right....sounds funny in my head) but it is a well deserved break from the finals craze that I have been feeling lately.

21st birthday antics with my best friends!!

     What to tell you about my life?? I did turn 21....finally! And my wonderful, beautiful and slightly insane friends made it such a memorable experience and I adore them for it!! There really hasn't been much going on lately, other than studying and working...ahhhhhh the life of a college kid haha. If a lot of my friends weren't living the same kind of life I would feel cheated in a way. Kidding of course, I love my life and where I'm at. I believe I may have mentioned this in a previous post but I did finally figure out what I want to do with my life post college! I finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up!! It's a real big deal kids, trust me. PR is my true calling in life and I feel like I won't just be good at it but that I will be great! I'm excited for this next step and hopefully everything will work out for the best for me. Other than that, though? Nothing too exciting has happened in my life. For my friends, however, great things are happening. One best friend has left for her mission to Milan, Italy! Another has gotten engaged to her best friend (and while I give her crap they really are one of the cutest couples I have ever had the pleasure to be around and yes I did steal the picture from your Facebook...what are you gonna do about it??). Yet another best friend's missionary came home and even though they are the most nauseating couple I've encountered (kidding....mostly) I have never seen her so happy and that makes me happy. My best friend in the entire world became my coworker!

COWORKERS!!

Congrats to these two kids on the engagement!! Their kids are gonna be dimes for sure

 and we are all getting so close to graduation, even if it doesn't feel like that sometimes. I am just so excited to see where life takes us all in the next five years. Sometimes I wish I could fast forward a few years just to take a sneak peek at us and how we are all doing. One thing I know for certain is that we are going to be so successful in whatever we choose to do.
     It seems to me like this is the year to get engaged! I am so excited for all of my former classmates that have found the people they want to spend time and all eternity with and wish them nothing but happiness with their spouses! And those that have chosen to go on missions? I couldn't be prouder to call those people my friends. It is incredible the number of missionaries and future missionaries that pop up on my news feed on nearly a daily basis, and that my friends is an amazing sight.

Italy is so lucky to get this girl for 18 months!! Miss my Condizzle!!

     I reached an epitome the other day that I want to share with the blog-a-sphere. I was thinking about my sweet friends that are all getting ready to get married and while I am super excited for them it's natural for it to bum me out a little bit (DON'T WORRY, I AM IN NO SHAPE OR FORM READY OR WANTING TO GET MARRIED AT THIS POINT IN MY LIFE) but seeing them so happy with their spouses-to-be does have a buzz kill effect sometimes. I love dating, and dating life don't get me wrong, but seeing my friends so happy with that one special someone makes me a little bit jealous. Well I don't know if jealous is the right word....I'm sure most of you know the feeling I'm talking about. I've also realized that if someone doesn't accept who you are or who you've been then they won't accept you for who you're going to be and they don't deserve you in the first place. You shouldn't change who you are for anyone but yourself and I think I am finally starting to understand that. Look at me guys, I'm growing up (this is the part where you go awwwww just in case you didn't know ;) ).
     Other than that though? My life is pretty standard...school and work and if I'm really lucky I get to sleep too haha. But of course...being me I'll share some gem-like pictures with you to end this long overdue blog post.

She's back from her adventure in Hawaii!! Missed her like crazy!

And....of course....I miss football....CAN'T WAIT UNTIL AUGUST!!

Much love!

-L

Everything I Learned in Life I Learned From F.R.I.E.N.D.S

"So no one told you life was gonna be this way *clap, clap, clap, clap, clap* 

Your jobs a joke, you're broke, your love life's D.O.A.

It's like you're always stuck in second gear, 

Well, it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year.

But, I'll be there for you:

When the rain starts to fall.

I'll be there for you:

Like I've been there before.

I'll be there for you:

'Cause you're there for me too"

     F.R.I.E.N.D.S is legitimately my favorite show...of all time. I don't think that there is a day that goes by that I don't quote it. And when I find out that someone else loves it just as much as I do we pretty much become best friends on the spot. The other day while I was on pinterest I saw this pin that said "Everything I learned in life, I learned from Friends" and I couldn't agree more; so I thought I would share some of what was on that pin here. Be excited. Because this show is legitimately the best show that has ever been on tv and will ever be on tv.

• Never use "We were on a break" as an excuse
• Remember: it's not that common, it doesn't happen to every guy and it is a BIG deal!
• Everybody has a lobster
• Quitting the gym is just as hard as quitting the bank
• For more space in bed, use the "hug and roll" technique
• Yemen is a good place to escape unwanted girlfriends
• You can do a lot with just cups and ice
• Always say the right name at the altar
• Powder and lotion will not help remove hot and sticky leather pants
• Don't count 'Mississipily' in a tanning booth
• "How you doin'" NEVER fails
• If stung by a jellyfish, just pee on it...because there's something like amonia in...that...that numbs the pain
• Never let a Capuchin monkey near the TV remote
• Only in prison do they 'cup' whilst measuring pants
• It's not smelly cats fault
• Always read letters all the way through, even if they are 18 pages long....FRONT AND BACK
• Meat is not an ingredient in an English Trifle
• There is no such thing as shark porn
• Your first name is not your family name
• Throwing your own wake is not a good way to meet women
• Everyone has an identical hand twin
• Eating too much meat can cause 'meat sweats'
• It's never too late to resurrect the routine, just don't change it
• Regina Falange and Ken Adams are great fake names
• It is possible to drink a gallon of milk in ten seconds
• When moving a couch upstairs: PIVOT!
• Playing too much on arcade games can lead to "The Claw"
• Ugly, naked and guy do not make for an attractive combination
• 'Pheebs' is short for Phoebe, its not just what we call our friends
• Never put your head in a turkey
• W.E.N.U.S. stands for...ummmm
• The Adam's apple is not named after each individual man

For those of you that love the show like I do, that list is actually very funny...however for those of you who lead a very sad little life that doesn't include friends you probably stopped reading half way through....but this made me giggle so I thought that I would share it.

Much love,

-L

Wanderlust

Wander Lust:

A strong, innate impulse to travel the world.

I can't get the thought of travelling the world out of my head. This is why Pinterest is very bad for me, all those beautiful travel brochure-ey pictures of exotic and not so exotic places from around the world. 

I think that it is an almost commonly held desire to travel the world; some of us just feel it more strongly than others. I have been struck with a severe case of wanderlust and truly I want to pack up my things, get on the next plane out of the country and travel the world.

But then I remember, "Oh wait...you have school...and work...and family obligations"

That is a serious buzz kill.

Something I will never understand though, is those people who are willing to settle down into a career, a marriage or just a long term relationship with school, work or a significant other without having traveled first.

I don't know, maybe it was just the way that I was raised, my mother after all traveled through Europe and worked in Las Vegas before she got married so I've always wanted to be able to travel before I settled down. 

Truly I think the best gift anyone could give me is a stamp in my passport. 

I had an interesting conversation with a friend the other night as we were just driving through a snowy night and I told her my desire, my need, to travel the world before settling down and while she respected that desire like any good friend would, she said something that honestly I had never thought of.

She asked why I didn't want to travel with, if I may be so cliche, "the one". Wouldn't it be more fulfilling to be able to engage in my passions with the one that I am passionate about?

It made me realize that "the one" for me will be the man that will put a stamp in my passport.

There's a quote from an old movie that I love, "While You Were Sleeping", that I feel has always kind of described the way I think about this.

The very last line of the movie says:

"Life doesn't always turn out the way you plan. But Jack, Jack gave me the perfect gift: a stamp in my passport. He took me to Florence for our honeymoon. I guess you might say he gave me the world."

That's what a stamp in my passport means to me. It means that I have been given the world.

I opened this blog post with a definition of wanderlust and I want to leave it with my favorite definition of wanderlust:

"An irresistible desire to travel to understand one's very existence."