Things that are shocking to me: Realizing that I graduated college 4 years ago today.
For some reason I keep thinking about J. Courtney Sullivan’s “Commencement” and her quote about your first year post-grad being “your freshman year of life.” It’s funny that I spent the freshman, sophomore and junior year of life trying to figure out my identity and what I wanted to do with my life and in December, right as my “second semester of senior year” was starting, everything fell into place as it was supposed to.
I guess the universe is kinda cool like that.

Things that are shocking to me: Realizing that I graduated college 4 years ago today.

For some reason I keep thinking about J. Courtney Sullivan’s “Commencement” and her quote about your first year post-grad being “your freshman year of life.” It’s funny that I spent the freshman, sophomore and junior year of life trying to figure out my identity and what I wanted to do with my life and in December, right as my “second semester of senior year” was starting, everything fell into place as it was supposed to.

I guess the universe is kinda cool like that.

Tags: life

Among my friends, I’m not known as “the domestic one.” I don’t always do that well in the kitchen and frequently have been known to respond to dinner party invites with “great! I’ll bring wine.”
But after seeing this recipe on pinterest, I think I have a new treat to bring to parties.
Ladies, I present the Diet Coke brownies. Fudgy, but light and fluffy at the same time. The only two ingredients are a box of brownie mix and a can of Diet Coke. Whisk out all the lumps, pop them in the oven for about 45 minutes and all of the sudden you have a great dessert that your friends will LOVE.

Among my friends, I’m not known as “the domestic one.” I don’t always do that well in the kitchen and frequently have been known to respond to dinner party invites with “great! I’ll bring wine.”

But after seeing this recipe on pinterest, I think I have a new treat to bring to parties.

Ladies, I present the Diet Coke brownies. Fudgy, but light and fluffy at the same time. The only two ingredients are a box of brownie mix and a can of Diet Coke. Whisk out all the lumps, pop them in the oven for about 45 minutes and all of the sudden you have a great dessert that your friends will LOVE.

Tags: life food recipe

On Feeling The Void

I am a self-confessed workaholic in every sense of the word. I like to be busy and I love having a full calendar. But lately I’ve been feeling a slight void. A lost feeling if you will. It’s been lurking around for the past couple of weeks and for the longest time, I wasn’t able to pinpoint what it was.

Then last night, it hit me. I am a little LOST. For the first time in a long time (possibly ever), I don’t have a goal that I’m working towards. First it was graduate high school. Then it was graduate college. Finally, it was get a full-time job with a salary and benefits. So now that I’ve accomplished all of that, what comes next? Settle down, stop spending my money on wine and H&M sales and start saving for the future? Because I don’t know if I’m ready for that.

This is totally normal right?

This past weekend, I went back to Marist for the first time in TWO years. I’m advising at my former Kappa chapter now and since the chapter has more than tripled in the past four years, I had to go back and see it all for myself. 
But my biggest observation of the whole weekend was that I felt more comfortable and relaxed than in any of my previous visits. I told my mom that it was because I was far enough away and unaware of the drama but then she also reminded me that this was my first time going to visit with real stability in my life. Every other time I had seen these girls, I had been bouncing around unsure of what my next move was. But this time I actually had news about my life to report and for once felt like a grown-up instead of a confused post-grad.
I’m finally moving  from what I see as “struggling post-grad” into “legit adult” and it feels awesome.  

This past weekend, I went back to Marist for the first time in TWO years. I’m advising at my former Kappa chapter now and since the chapter has more than tripled in the past four years, I had to go back and see it all for myself. 

But my biggest observation of the whole weekend was that I felt more comfortable and relaxed than in any of my previous visits. I told my mom that it was because I was far enough away and unaware of the drama but then she also reminded me that this was my first time going to visit with real stability in my life. Every other time I had seen these girls, I had been bouncing around unsure of what my next move was. But this time I actually had news about my life to report and for once felt like a grown-up instead of a confused post-grad.

I’m finally moving  from what I see as “struggling post-grad” into “legit adult” and it feels awesome.  

Highlights of my weekend

  • Friday night happy hour at Heidi’s with two of my favorite girls (NYC-ers, I highly recommend checking it out. It’s cute with great appetizers and they let you test wine before having a full glass since Heidi’s philosophy is that no one should be forced to drink a glass of wine they don’t like.)
  • Brunch and bridesmaid dress fitting on Saturday (Belgian waffles and shopping at a grocery store that’s cheaper than New York City prices AND a car to drive it all home? It’s the little things that please me people.)
  • Purchasing this skirt. (It’s going to be a summer wardrobe staple. Friends, get used to seeing it often.)
  • Sunday morning viewing of Friends With Kids (highly highly HIGHLY recommend. Awesome cast, smart funny dialogue and a great story. Go see it.)
  • Sunday afternoon brunch at PS450(it’s a current favorite among my whole group of friends)
  • Warm weather and lots of sunshine!

How was your weekend?

GPOYW the “hi friends I’m still alive!” edition. After a trip home that was lovely and thoughtful, I needed a couple of days to decompress. But I’ve realized how much I’ve missed tumblr lately and am working my way back in. So how’s everyone been lately?

GPOYW the “hi friends I’m still alive!” edition. After a trip home that was lovely and thoughtful, I needed a couple of days to decompress. But I’ve realized how much I’ve missed tumblr lately and am working my way back in. So how’s everyone been lately?

Tags: gpoyw life

On Organization

Confession: I’m not the world’s greatest at keeping track of myself and I often tend to appear a little scatterbrained. While I normally brush it off as a cute little quirk, I’m trying to change this habit in my efforts to become less of a post-grad and more of a grownup. 

Enter the Whomi planner. After I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was a little overwhelmed, a lot of you gave me some great feedback and even more of you suggested getting an agenda where I could write everything down. I’ve had other planners in the past, but slacked off shortly after buying them because they don’t have the space/resources that I need.

What I especially like about the Whomi is that the left side is focused entirely on days of the week and the right side is divided into three different categories. Do, Contact and Shop. Perfect for keeping me blissfully organized and for once I’m not asking myself “How do I do it?”

Want one for yourself? Well there are two things I should tell you. 1: You can get it right now! Since the weeks are fill in the blanks, you can start organizing whenever. 2: They are available at the Container Store and other fine retailers. Something you can find out for yourself by clicking the link up above. 

Happy Organizing! 

Tags: life

THINGS THAT MAKE ME SMILE FRIDAY:

These two are coming to visit! We haven’t seen each other since I was home in late July.

And we’re going to do a lot of eating! 

And touristy things! 

And go see this!

(Last time I saw it, I was 18 and a freshman in college. Something tells me that at 25 and living in New York City, I will have a completely different mindset to seeing it).

I can’t wait! Hope you all have a fun weekend lined up!

Tuesday - It’s funny how life seems to hand you things when you never expected them right? 
I haven’t elaborated on it too much here, but adjusting from feeling like I’ve got nothing going for me to being in a place where I finally have opportunities isn’t easy. Don’t get me wrong, I’m incredibly grateful for everything that’s happened in the past month or so. But I’m now in a place where I’m trying to balance a full time gig, freelance projects, sorority work, friends and dating. That much stuff can give a girl moments of panic!
But this was tonight. After a really great day involving some good projects at work, making an excellent connection for a sorority event and scheduling a third (!!) date, this was what felt right. Earbuds in, lights of the city around me and the sense of calm that New York tends to wave over me.
I know I’m not the only one who tends to feel that “having it all” panic though, so from you wise tumblr ladies I want to know, how do you balance everything without your life feeling like a Jenga tower?

Tuesday - It’s funny how life seems to hand you things when you never expected them right? 

I haven’t elaborated on it too much here, but adjusting from feeling like I’ve got nothing going for me to being in a place where I finally have opportunities isn’t easy. Don’t get me wrong, I’m incredibly grateful for everything that’s happened in the past month or so. But I’m now in a place where I’m trying to balance a full time gig, freelance projects, sorority work, friends and dating. That much stuff can give a girl moments of panic!

But this was tonight. After a really great day involving some good projects at work, making an excellent connection for a sorority event and scheduling a third (!!) date, this was what felt right. Earbuds in, lights of the city around me and the sense of calm that New York tends to wave over me.

I know I’m not the only one who tends to feel that “having it all” panic though, so from you wise tumblr ladies I want to know, how do you balance everything without your life feeling like a Jenga tower?

"1. At some point, you will feel like you screwed up.
2. You probably didn’t screw up."

— I’m catching up on blogs this morning and came across this statement on Jordan’s. Yes, in her case she’s applying it to her pregnancy, but it was one of those right comment at exactly the right time things when I saw it.