Not a New Me -- More Me

Last semester sucked the life out of me. I felt like a robot going from Point A to Point B. I never took a break from working; I would get to my time clock and have to take a moment to think about whether I was clocking out or clocking in. I got excellent grades and accomplished many things, but at the cost of neglecting my friendships and my health.

With that being said, my goal for this semester is to dislodge the gigantic stick from my ass and have some more fun! Instead of making a New Year's resolution to change who I am, I want to be more of myself. It's easy to lose myself with demands from bosses and professors who all claim that the things I am doing for them are the most important things of my life, but this semester, I want that to stop. I will be in control of my own life this year.

How am I going to do this??? I have a few ideas-- let's see how they go!

Unplugging and being creative. Last semester consisted of many late night text messages from classmates and Facebook messages related to work and school during what I thought was my relaxation time. Being constantly connected, I never truly got a break. Don't get me wrong-- I love helping out my classmates and coworkers and many times I am messaging my classmates and coworkers asking for help. However, I needed an escape.

This semester, I vow to take at least half hour of "me time" every day where I turn off my phone, stay off Facebook, don't check my email and do something completely unproductive that does not contribute to professional development or my health or anything else. I need at least a little bit of time every day to be chill and creative: read, draw, write, blog, craft, Netflix, whatever. If I could make time to fit in one more lesson plan every night last semester, I can make the time for more creativity this semester. (Besides, good educators are naturally creative, right?)

Yes man. I was surprisingly quite inspired by this movie. I realize that I'm super anal like Jim Carey pre-inspiration and I also realize that I want to be more like Zooey Deschanel's character who is free-spirited and kind of crazy. I can I be like that? Well, the answer, according to the wisdom in the movie (movie wisdom is always accurate, of course) is to say "Yes." Don't say no to doing fun things! Of course, being a responsible adult, there is a line. I will say no when I really do have to study, when I really do not have any money, or if it involves any sort of shady schemes, obviously.

Health as a priority. Sounds so boring. doesn't it? Over the summer, I ran three miles every day, played softball once a week and sometimes on the weekends and really watched what I ate. That was easy to do with an 8-5 desk job that demanded literally nothing from me. I felt (and looked) great and had much more confidence. However, once the semester started, I began eating out a lot more-- on Tuesdays I had classes from 9:30 am to 10:00 pm with no break, so it was Einstein's bagels, Quizno's, and Starbucks for this girl. Also, with many days similar to that, I was only getting to the gym about once a week. I felt awful and uncomfortable in my own skin. This semester, my schedule is fortunately a little less insane. My goal is to get to the gym at least every other day. I picked up some Pinterest tips from The Watering Mouth and Parents for low-calorie snacks that don't need refrigerated so I can stop spending my money and calories at overpriced campus shops.

That's it! I think it's pretty sad that I actually have to plan out how I'm going to be more of myself, hopefully it helps. How do you maintain your sanity?

Everybody Hates Winter (At Least I Do)

The tree is down, presents are opened, ball has dropped, and it seems nothing is left except for the void of January's bleakness. Thank goodness for my birthday at the end of the month, otherwise there would be nothing to look forward to until spring. I don't like being depressed, so I'm attempting to compile a list of activities to keep me happy during Michigan's cold.

1) Coffee. Being a barista, this is absurdly easy for me to come by, which is stellar because some days a good cup of Joe seems like the only thing that keeps me going. Coffee is one thing that is improved by the winter. I drink it year round and during the summer months, I'll be sweating up a storm in the office (my second job) before 9:00 AM. I can't get into iced coffee no matter how much flavor I try. Therefore, January  consists of many enjoyed cups of black coffee. Zero calories, zero problems!

2) Find the sunshine. It gets dark early, which sucks. I always feel like the day is over by 6:00 PM. That is why I try to take advantage of the most sunshine I can get. Whenever Mr. Golden Sun is peeking out behind the dreariness when I'm on a break between classes, instead of heading straight to the coffee shop, I'll take a quick walk around campus before settling down. There will be plenty of time to hit the books when it's dark; enjoy the sunshine while it's there!

3) Exercise. I played nearly every sport throughout middle and high school, but I never liked conditioning and I never liked exercising when being told what to do. I absolutely hated running, as it was mostly used as a punishment. I thought I would never like exercise until I rediscovered it on my own in college. Now a typical exercise for me involves running two miles and various weight-lifting. That will change once I get bored with it. I love the feeling I get after a good workout and the feeling of accomplishment I have when I push my body to the limit. Working up a sweat also makes coming back to a cold apartment more bearable.

Don't like exercise? My advice: just like I believe there is a type of book out there for everyone, I believe there is an exercise that everyone  likes. P90x isn't for you? It isn't for me either. There are so many other options: walking, jogging, weight-lifting, kick-boxing, yoga, cycling, dance, swimming. etc... Is money an issue? Look for exercise videos on YouTube or check to see if your local library loans workout DVDs (mine does for free).

4) Get artsy. When you're snowed in, try to teach yourself how to sew, read that gothic novel you've always thought about trying. Draw a picture, try some crafts. Don't let old man winter and his negativity get you down!

5) Use your oven. LOL. I cannot cook for the life of me, but I always have a lot of fun trying. I failed at sugar cookies in my latest attempt. These were supposed to look like dinosaurs... yeah. It was something that kept my hands busy, though. Not to mention, using the oven is like free heat for your apartment/house!

DO NOT DO: (This is quick, I promise!)

1) Tanning. Please, please, please do not fake bake! I know that it is trendy and nobody likes being pasty. Laying under UV rays makes you feel good. It is so bad for you, though no matter what the posters on the walls of the salon say. Cancer is a real issue; even if it is cured, it is extremely expensive (even with good insurance) and will need checked up on every so often for the rest of your life. Spare yourself the risk, and you'll never have to worry about becoming orange. PSA over.

2) Drink and Drive. After a pregame sesh at your BFFs place, it may seem a lot easier to just hop into someone's car and drive a couple streets to the big party than to bundle up and walk through the snow. It is very tempting, but please don't! Also, if you're going to DD, be careful who you drive around. If one of your friends has an open beverage in your vehicle and you get pulled over, YOU will be in legal trouble, regardless of whether or not you are sober.

How do you stay happy during the cold months?