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May 12, 2015

Well this is weird...

Not old enough to be off at an internship, but too old to be in a high school classroom till 2:30.

This is what the summer after my freshman year of college looks like. I've been away from home for too long to have wanted to schedule any big trips, and I'd rather save the money for next year's house and such. So cross country skiing or tanning in the Bahamas is off the list.

This is ok. This is actually expected. I do work (nanny) and that takes up some of my time. Plus, I enjoy it. I will also be taking a couple summer courses come June.

Theif is the comparison of joy. I can wake up at 11 and then proceed to sit on Instagram for an hour and lust over other people's vacations. Why am I not doing that internship? Why am I not on that beach? I wish I had an outfit like that, but where would I wear it? The grocery store?

Is anyone with me on this?

I thought of doing a "summer essentials" post with my favorite tinted mosturizers and sandals, but this is just more fitting for my life right now. This is something that's relevant and raw and hopefully helpful for readers, so that's what I'm doing.

Attention: it's ok if you don't go to the beach this summer.

You can sit (or lay) there and be negative. This sucks. I wish my friends from college lived closer. I wish my family wasn't so busy. I wish I was in Tahiti.

You have 3 (give or take) months off from school. Three months to do what you want. You may be like "Well, I have a job/summer school/something that takes up a lot of my time". STILL. Maybe you have one hour in the morning before work. Maybe the little girl you nanny takes a nap from 2-3. See that? That is time. Time is precious. It's free and it's fleeting and it can be beautiful if you use it right.

So, what can you do?

Try something new - like yoga. Do yoga with that hour before work. Maybe you have a Pinterest board of "books to read". Buy/download one and read it when you have a second on your nanny job.

Attention: people will be going to the beach this summer. And Paris, Spain, Ireland, Fiji, Hawaii, The Grand Canyon (etc, etc.) That's cool. But if that's not you or that's not possible for you right now, that's cool, too.

If with your 3 months you want to go to travel, skydive, rock climb, etc., go for it. And please, take lots of pictures. You do you!

Everyone can and should do something for themselves this summer.

 I do this thing where I sometimes sit in my driveway for about 4 minutes after pulling up to my house and I just get lost in thought. Today, I was just thinking, what can I do for myself this summer? To better myself? To grow?

That's why people get jobs right? And internships? And travel? So, even if I'm not doing any of those things in particular, who's to say I just have to sit around miserably?

There have been a lot of question marks so far.. we need some periods.

Look at your day, look at your schedule. If you can fit in five minutes for yourself, take advantage of it. If you'd love to learn a new language, you could download a program and devote forty-five minutes a day. If you want to start working out, you could buy a gym membership or subscribe to an online fitness trainer like Blogilates or Kayla Itsines.

Start by changing up your routine, or maybe even implementing one. Don't sleep too late, get up and get busy. Drink your water and your tea and go for a walk. Maybe start your day with a devotional or journaling. It's YOUR day just like it's YOUR summer. You don't have to do what the Instagram models are doing or what your neighbor's doing. It's all up to you.

Write down three goals you have for the summer and find a way to achieve them with whatever situation you're in.

Do feel free to creep on everyone else's summer using social media like Facebook and Instagram. But don't obsess. You know what? Everyone goes back to school eventually (well, those that go to school do...you know what I mean.) Someone will ask you: what did you do this summer? How do you want to respond?

-I learned a new language (I did Rosetta Stone when I wasn't working my 9 to 5)
-I went to the beach (even if it was just Galveston)
-I met a lot of new people (joined a book club)
-I tried out new recipes from Greece (pinned dishes on Pinterest and then recreated them)
-I got into the best shape of my life (started going to the gym and practicing better nutrition)

As for me?

-I'll be setting my eyes on beautiful sights (my sister's dance recital, my cousin's college graduation).
-I plan on learning some new skills for my future career (taking summer school).
-I'm going to take a few cooking lessons (my cousin is an amazing chef who sometimes shares his secrets when he visits).
-I'm going to read a bit with my feet in the water (Anna Karenina out by the pool).
-And I'm going to remain positive, spend my time wisely, and enjoy my summer while always remembering that my happiness is up to me.


I hope you have an amazing summer. Since this is a little different than my normal blogging content, I will be posting a summer essentials post next on the blog. Self love is high on my list of important things in life, but so is the best waterproof mascara.

X,


Cristina

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