Life Update | Winter 2017

Hello everyone!  There’s been some slow content on this blog as of late, so I figure I’ll give everyone a nice life update to explain my absences.  First and foremost, it should be noted that much of my fall and early winter was dominated by the college process.  As a high school
senior in a competitive environment, I have found myself neck deep in college visits, ACTs, supplemental essays and the glory that is the Common App.  I sent my first round of applications out in early October, then spent the next several weeks beginning to work on the 10+ more that would be sent out depending on the results of my first round.  In early December I got my first college acceptance, and on December 9th I got accepted into my Early Decision school!!  I will be attending Middlebury College in Vermont in the class of 2022.5 (it’s a little hard to explain, but I won’t be starting my freshman year until February and instead will be traveling with a program for that first semester).  After getting such big college news (and such good college news) I spent my time relishing in the glory of not having to write more essays as well as finishing up projects/assignments before winter break.

Despite the grip that the college process has had on my life lately, I managed to find other ways to keep myself occupied this fall/early winter.  For one thing, I ran Cross Country from August-November and now miss it dearly.  It’s a goal of mine to keep in fit somewhat this winter…but alas that’s for my new year’s resolutions to handle.  I also had a relatively minor part in my schools production of 1984, which was rather amusing as I spoke in an accent and wore a costume to appear elderly.  I was lucky that the part was so low key with everything else that was going on, and it was fun to participate in a show with so many underclassman (someone has to teach them the ropes).  Another thing that took up a ton of my time as of late was my brief overlap of seven classes instead of six.  I took an online poetry writing course during my first trimester, but because the online school it was through runs on semesters it briefly overlapped with the start up of my creative writing course at school (I was doing a lot of creative writing for a few weeks there).  I am terribly sad to see my poetry course end, as I had the pleasure of interacting with students from around the country (but I do hope that some of them keep in touch).

I did manage to have SOME real fun this fall.  I got my senior pictures taken (look out for a new profile picture)!  I turned 18 in October and got myself a tattoo (it was a very exciting but all around not that painful experience).  I had a Halloween themed birthday party with loads of friends from all over the place.  I’ve enjoyed a good amount of pho (although not as much as I would have liked).  I FINALLY got around to Stranger Things season 2 (which I loved) and watched the first season of Mind Hunter (which really messed me up but I LOVE IT).  I discovered that I really enjoy doing my makeup and spent some birthday funds on some new products.  I’ve spent loads of time with my boyfriend goofing around and watching T.V.  My friends and I still enjoy Starbucks (although my beloved pumpkin spice latte is about to be gone).  Hockey games have basically taken over my life (luckily I can usually get my friends or my family to come with me).  I also got a new journal (it’s the gold Leuchtturm1917 ) and I am in love with it. It has gotten me back into journaling (which I have missed rather terribly).  I’ve become utterly obsessed with sweaters and tights…I’m a winter clothes kind of gal y’all.  Overall, it’s been a fun time. 🙂

Even with all of this busyness, I have managed to squeeze in SOME time for reading (especially now that I’m on break).  Here are some of my recent reads (some of which will be appearing soon in form of review).  I finally got around to A Study In Charlotte, which has convinced me that I really need to go back and read the original Sherlock stories (especially after enjoying the BBC show so much).  This was the perfect book to carry around with me on the set of 1984 mostly because of its small size, but also because of its similar spooky nature.  I read Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie with my Tween Bookclub and I’m not gonna lie I loved it just as much (or even more) than they did.  As an 18 year old, it’s an understatement to say that it can be hard to ~really~ relate to middle grade lit, but this one was different.  I read the whole thing at Starbucks with a coffee in hand (and some tears on my cheeks too).  Yay for crying in public lol.  Then I finally did it, I finally read Celeste Ng’s new book Little Fires Everywhere (although in two big spurts) and gosh it blew me away all over again.  I’m torn between which of her novels I like better…honestly I don’t think I’ll ever decide.  My copy of Love, Hate, and Other Filters for the ARC Tour I’m participating in arrived finally (I’m sending it out to the next reader later this week).  I really enjoyed this one–it was nice to sink into the familiarity of contemporary YA for a change.  Lastly, I picked up a paperback of The Dinner on a whim at my local indie bookstore during a rare moment of browsing.  The premise intrigued me, though I’d argue that the reading process intrigued me even further.  This was SUCH a unique book and I’m so glad I picked it up–also yay for international reads as well!

As for my CURRENT read…I’m diving back into the world of Madeline L’Engle with A Wrinkle In Time.  I adored this book as a child and read it cover to cover several times…though I never finished the series.  I’m re-reading in hopes of bringing the five books before our glorious movie is released in March.  I am so excited!!

I plan to spend the rest of break traveling, reading, lots and lots of music listening and writing.  I have some poems that I need to polish up for an upcoming competition and some snail mail letters that need attending to.  I need to get my new year’s resolutions sorted out, write my end of year wrap of post (here’s last year’s), and get some reviews written for the blog.  I also have some ARCs I’d like to get finished, some blurb reviews I’d like to write for my local indie, and some music I need to practice (I’ve got a performance coming up in February).  I’m also working on getting this here blog redesigned as well as launching my writing blog (inspired by the weekly journal entries I was writing in my poetry class as well as Grace’s writing blog).  I have loads of books/songs/images to sort through on my camera role (the perfect thing to do on a plane ride when I’m getting antsy) which should be nice.  I need to organize my blog binder, give away some clothes I’m holding onto for no actual good reason.

2018 is going to bring some of the biggest change in my life, but I’m excited.  My creative juices are flowing.  I can’t wait to see how it all plays out, and how this blog plays out along with it.