SNAPSHOTS FROM NYC

I've always wanted to visit New York City, especially as an American citizen;  so much of the country's history is housed in the streets and waterways of that island.  I am extremely blessed to have an aunt and uncle who were willing to take me to see all of the sights there for a few days.

I think that the city has countless opportunities to see and experience new things, but it's too fast-paced for my liking.  Too many people, too much traffic, too much smoke:  it was a total sensory overload for someone like me.  That being said, it was an incredible place to visit, and I would gladly go back to see another Broadway production.

RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME

I've always been fairly open about myself and my life on the blog, but as I've matured and my blogging has become more sporadic, I've realized that there are some facts that have yet to surface.  Because some of these details constitute large parts of my personality and my interests, I thought that now would be as good a time as any to write about them.

1. I really enjoy listening to K-pop.  It all started about two years ago when I watched an interview with the K-pop group BTS (yes, that BTS), and as I learned more about the members and their music, I became hooked.  I wouldn't consider myself a connoisseur of K-pop by any means, but I particularly like listening to BTS, Blackpink, Red Velvet, Twice, and Got7.  I would love to know any recommendations that you have!

A COLLEGE DAY IN MY LIFE: FRESHMAN YEAR

Hello everyone!  My first year of college is coming to an end (I'm heading home in less than a week!), so this post is a bit late, but I want to share it while I still can.

If you're curious about what a pre-veterinary student's typical college day looks like, you've come to the right place!  This is a brief description of a pretty busy Thursday in my life.  Please enjoy!

6:00 AM - Rise and shine!  Get ready, eat breakfast, and watch some mindless YouTube.

8:00 AM - Leave for my first class of the day.

QUOTES ABOUT FEAR

Sometimes life is a scary venture.  Unfortunately, this is all too often due to harrowing or painful circumstances--but not always.  Sometimes life is scary because we make it so;  we dwell on our anxieties about the unknown, the future, and ourselves, and we allow anxieties to develop into all-consuming fears.

Before I started college, I never realized how afraid I truly was.  I never realized how much my small, insignificant fears deterred me from living.  For many years, I let general uneasiness and anxiety accumulate until they finally paralyzed me, barring me from doing so many things that I, deep down, wanted to do.

Now I try my best to regard fear in a different light.  I am still afraid--life will always be a bit scary--but I encourage myself to overcome fear rather than bow down to it.  The following quotes have been a major source of inspiration and encouragement for me, and I hope that they will be for you, too.

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all." -- Helen Keller

"Sometimes, fear does not subside and one must choose to do it afraid." -- Elisabeth Elliot

MY GOALS FOR 2019

Like practically every other person on the planet, I usually fail to keep my New Year's resolutions.  A few weeks into January, they become swallowed in the chaos of everyday life, reduced to a few lofty statements on a piece of crumpled notebook paper.

However, goals are a different story.  When I take the time to create thoughtful and realistic goals for myself, and I think about the steps I should take to reach those goals, I usually make concrete progress--hence the title of this blog post.

During 2019, I want to focus on how my small, seemingly insignificant actions impact other people and things in significant ways.  I also want to master a few new concepts.  Hopefully my 2019 goals can give you some inspiration for what you want to achieve over the next twelve months and beyond!

1. Keep track of my daily habits.
Our little habits and daily rituals are what we spend the majority of our lives doing, so I want to focus on cultivating more mindful habits during 2019.  I recently started experimenting with a habit tracker, and so far I've really enjoyed using it to keep track of the small yet significant activities I want to accomplish each day.

FIRST SEMESTER OF COLLEGE LESSONS

To be honest, I was terrified of starting college.  I was terrified to move to a new state, terrified to attend a huge university where I knew practically no one, and terrified to create a new lifestyle on my own.

I didn't know how--or if--I would adjust to such overwhelming changes, as stepping out of my comfort zone isn't always my cup of tea.  Of course, attending college has required me to step out of said comfort zone daily.

It wasn't easy or automatic, but I settled into a new routine.  I started to develop new habits to suit my lifestyle.  I started talking to the people around me.  I started exploring more of the campus and the surrounding area.  And eventually, I started to really, genuinely enjoy college.  In fact, I haven't been so content with life for quite a few years.

BOOKS LATELY

A favorite blogger of mine described books as "long-term companions," and I couldn't agree more with that sentiment.  One of the more troubling results of the burnout I experienced throughout my junior and senior years of high school was my apathy towards reading.  As someone who has always labeled herself a "book lover," this apathy was very disconcerting to me.

Since graduating from high school, I've gained the time--and the desire--necessary to delve back into books.  I even started a Goodreads account, which inspired me to write this post about books I'm currently enjoying and books that are on my "to-read" list.  If you have any specific book recommendations for me, make sure to leave me a comment or send me a message!

Without further ado, here are some of the books I've been reading over the summer:

The Picture of Dorian Gray
I always try to purchase at least one "classic" novel on my trips to the bookstore;  after all, certain works are considered as "classic" for a reason!  That being said, some of the novels published in previous centuries can be quite difficult to read and comprehend--some of them, but not this one.  Oscar Wilde's writing is delightfully easy to follow, and in this work he crafts a compelling story about one man's ultimate corruption.