Bucket List

Even since before senior year, my friends and I started crafting a "before-we-graduate" bucket list. Unfortunately, it's been hiding somewhere collecting dust! I'd say now is our opportune moment to do some wild things while we're old enough to know better but still young enough to not care! I've been doing some research on what other people consider must-do's for a Tallahassee bucket list and the good news is I've already done a lot of them. Here is my list of been-there-done-that's...

• Go to Bullwinkles Saloon: Bulls is just about the only place you can't get in if you're not legitimately 21 years old, which is why it's such a big deal to go there once you finally come of age.

• Sign your name on the Kens wall: You'll have to write it over decades of sharpie layers, but if you can find a good spot, sign away. I've left my mark quite a few times in hopes that at least one of them will still be around when I visit years from now! 

• Go to the FSU Flying High Circus: I'm not gonna lie, I had to go for a class, but the circus was actually really fun! I went to the Halloween edition which was extra thrilling. Plus, how many people can say their school has a circus? 

You have no idea how much time I spent looking through
Facebook photos trying to find this gem!

• Take a picture with the Garnet & Gold Guys: You can't miss them at FSU football games. They're garnet and gold and glitter all over! And yes, I ran down the bleachers just to get a picture with them, but it was totally worth it. 

• Ride the Night Nole: Another freshman classic. Not only is it a free, safe ride home from the bar, but it's super entertaining. I've been serenaded, seen somersaults, boyfriend/girlfriend fights, you name it. It's been a while since I've seen the craziness of the Night Nole but I may have to ride it one more time before I graduate just to make fun of the freshman! ;)

• Get kissed on the Kissing Bench: I learned about the kissing bench during my first tour of FSU and told myself then and there that some day, I would have my turn on that historical Landis Green bench. It only took three and a half years, but one day there was a note on the door saying class was cancelled. Since I already had my chai tea, I asked Brad if he wanted to go have a mini date. As you can guess, we ended up at the kissing bench and I got my big, juicy smooch!

• Get Breakfast for a Buck: So it was freshman year, but I did in fact get Breakfast for a Buck in the Union. So convenient that they were open at 1am when we were headed back from the Strip and starting to get hungry!

• Cool off in the Landis Fountain: Made sure to do this on more than one occasion. A few times happened to be on a sunny day in my bathing suit. Other times we were running from the strip to the fountain to wash the paint off ourselves after DayGlo parties. It was fun splashing around that fountain regardless of the circumstance. 

So now that you know all of the things I HAVE done, let's move on to the actual bucket list of things I need to accomplish very quickly!

•  Sneak into the stadium: This is my #1 goal. I've had so many great football memories there, why not make one more memory ditching security with my favorite people. 

• Get thrown into Wescott Fountain: Nobody can say they are a true FSU graduate without checking off this tradition. I may have missed the 21st birthday mark but there's still time for a lap around the fountain! 

• Go to Downtown Get Down: I actually think I'm gonna have to do this one as an alum because the only one I know of coming up is when I'll be out of town! At least I'll have an excuse to come back! 

• Party in Club Stroz: So our library (Strozier) is infamously called "Club Stroz" by students and faculty. We've spent plentyyy of time there being studious and getting work done, but we'd actually like to see how it's name holds up and maybe have a glass of wine or even just a shot one night in the third floor annex. Nobody's ever up there, but it could be fun to say we actually "partied" in Club Stroz. 

Yes the to-do list is very short, which is why I could use some suggestions! I'll keep thinking and let you know how the list is going. For now, I need to get back to the studying I've been procrastinating...

-LFH :)

PS: Starting tomorrow I am taking on the Ultimate Blogger Challenge - April Edition, so get ready to be hearing from me all month long! I have no idea what I'll be writing about but I'm excited to get the creative juices flowing and hopefully get some more attention to my blog! It's kind of lonely right now.. 

Senioritis

It's official. I'm ready to graduate. I never thought I'd be saying those words, and actually meaning them, but it's all come down to this: one month and six days until I graduate, one terrible, semester-long group project that's making me pull my hair out, a house inhabited by 5 video-game-playing, messy fraternity boys where my boyfriend lives, aka where I spend a lot of my time, and a peculiar increase in general drama. It seems that if I don't graduate- something is bound to explode. So those are the things I won't be missing when I leave this school. Then there's all of the added benefits such as no longer being on my sorority meal plan. Being able to surround myself with healthy options instead of taco-bar tuesdays, fried fridays, you get the drift... I will instantly drop 20lbs (a girl can dream)! Then, there's gonna have to be a shopping spree. Why? Because a working girl needs adorable working girl clothes. Last but certainly not least, the puppy! I have been wanting a puppy for years now. And the answer my parents had for me was always a big, fat NO, accompanied by a speech about when I graduate, and have a job, and my own place, I can get a dog. Well- looks like that time is just around the river bend my friends. I've been looking at puppies through the window of the pet shop (sometimes going in and playing with them) for years now; it's time I had one of my own! I guess there comes a time in everyone's life when they must leave the sleep-all-day, stay-up-all-night college lifestyle and, although I say this hesitantly, I think I'm ready. We'll see what I say one month and six days from now... :O

-LFH :)

The Wrath of Summer Reading

Ok, the cover looks way more creepy than the book
really is! Go read it suspense-seekers!

Books have been around for ages. They started off as something only available to the rich, upper-class but seem to have slowly transformed into more of a burden than a luxury. Although I happen to really enjoy a good book these days, not everyone is on the same page. (See what I did there? So punny!) I have an inkling as to why books have such a negative connotation these days, and it all starts with "Summer Reading." You know, that dreadful list of books that you must read each summer while you're supposed to be out of school. There were never any good books to choose from; they always ended with the dog dying or the beaten kid running away from his horrible home. What elementary school child wants to read those books? What adult even wants to read those books? I know that at the time if you had asked me if I wanted to go get a book "for fun" I would have ran the other way screaming. There are so many exciting books out there and so many genres to explore; there's definitely a type for everyone to get into. The sad thing is, we have been ruined by our school system which made us consistently read books we hated, and gave us such a bad outlook on reading that we never want to pick up a book again! Especially not for fun! Eventually after not having a mandatory Summer Reading list, I started picking up a book here and there, mostly for vacations or times when I knew I would be out of cell phone service. Now, reading has turned into a hobby for me. I love a good paperback. No monitor. No mouse. Just me lost in the pages. With so many new technologies these days, it gets harder and harder to pick up a book. Most people would rather watch a movie or play on their iphone and if they were to get a book, it would be downloaded on their Nook or Kindle. I still blame the school system and Summer Reading for spoiling our attitudes towards reading. If only they would let the students choose which books to read or at least expand the list to not include so many depressing, drab books, we may actually start bringing up children who appreciate a nice piece of literature. With that being said, sorry for the book tangent and I'm off to finish my latest novel, "Before I go to Sleep" by S. J. Watson. If you like mystery, I would highly recommend it; the suspense is killing me!

-LFH :)

Bahama Mama

Well, it's officially been over a week since I was having the time of my life in the Bahamas. (I am currently having cruise withdrawals as I write this.) Something about this cruise just topped every spring break I've ever had, which makes me a little depressed to be back in Tallahassee going to classes. I could probably write pages and pages about this trip but I'll try to give you the short version...

Company:

Everyone knows that the people you go on a trip with can make or break it. I was definitely surrounded by all my favorite people on this cruise including my best friend/partner-in-crime/roommate Kelsey and her boyfriend, my boyfriend Brad, and his entire fraternity. We practically took up half of the deck, which made laying out super convenient since there was always someone holding chairs for us. At dinner, they arranged us at six tables next to each other, which ended up being a pretty rowdy area. Kelsey and I had at least two women ask us how we "got stuck with all those boys." It probably was a sight to see but it was nice not having to deal with girl drama!

Yes, all these boys were with us!

Accommodations:

Ironically, we dieted for months beforehand just so we could eat whatever we wanted on this cruise. And I mean whatever we wanted. Breakfast and lunch were buffet style. During the day on the deck, they would have random snack bars and there was always an ice-cream machine if we got a little hot or hungry. Dinner was my favorite, where we ordered whatever our hearts desired. Each night, I would have two dinner rolls, two appetizers, my main course, then two desserts. I was the happiest girl in the world! Then, there was the convenience of our top-shelf, all-you-can-drink "Platinum Package." It came with a hefty price, but was 100% worth it. We sucked down Pina Coladas and Mudslides all day by the pool, had wine with dinner, and sipped Bellinis and White Russians by night. Don't worry, I still managed to wake up at 9am every morning to make the most of my cruise time. 

Itinerary: 

Day 1 - Departure - From the second we boarded the Majesty of the Seas, we were having a blast. We got a nice meal, purchased our AYCD package, and then hit the pool deck. It was full of college students. I felt bad for families with young children on the cruise, but they had to have known what they were getting into signing up for a cruise during spring break? Our play time was briefly interrupted by a practice emergency drill in which we were herded into our appropriate assigned areas and told to wait. Luckily, no real emergencies occurred during the trip because gauging from the practice, I have a feeling that wouldn't have gone so smoothly. After a long first day, we almost had the hang of where everything was located: most importantly all the places we could eat, the casino (where we could usually find a good number of the guys), and the lounge (where Kels and I typically dragged our boys after dinner for a classy digestif).

Day 2 - Nassau, Bahamas - The first morning, we woke up in Nassau. The water was gorgeous and glassy. Our main stop on the island was to Senior Frogs. We spent the walk there turning down all the locals who offered to braid our hair and take us on boat rides and stopped to take some pictures along the way. Senior Frogs is a fun place full of dancing, school-representing competitions, and rap-offs. We didn't have to get back on the boat until 11:30pm, but there's only so much Senior Frogs a person can handle so we opted to head back early for dinner. 

Day 3 - CocoCay, Bahamas -  The third day we awoke to some disappointing weather. It was cloudy skies as far as the eye could see and extremely windy. We didn't let it ruin our day though. We spent the first half in the jacuzzi making friends with an outgoing, freckle-faced child with a temporary scorpion tattoo on his arm. Eventually, we decided to tough it out and take the shuttle-boat to the Royal Caribbean private island. It was cute with a buffet, some souvenir shops, and an expanse of beach where I enjoyed relaxing and reading my book while the boys hit on some intoxicated school teachers. The sun finally peeked through the clouds and gave us a warm last twenty minutes on the island before we had to return to the boat. That night we decided to give the night club a chance. It ended up being better than we expected...

Day 4 - Key West - I haven't been to Key West since I turned 21, so needless to say, I had a blast re-exploring the city and actually getting to go in places. We stopped into Fat Tuesdays to meet up with some of my sorority sisters who had been spending their spring break in Key West. It didn't seem like we were miles away from FSU; most of the faces there were familiar. We walked up and down Duval street until our feet hurt and then decided we'd spend the rest of our time in Coyote Ugly. The boys held our bags as Kelsey and I got up on the bar just like the movie. ;)

It sure is a culture shock to be back in the "real world," although I still kind of feel like I'm on the boat with all the rocking I'm still experiencing. Tallanasty has nothing on Royal Caribbean, but I have lots of memories to look back on and hopefully once I start work I can start saving up for the next cruise!

-LFH :)

Welcome to Miami...

Having spent my whole life in quaint Tampa, Florida, one could say I haven't had much exposure to the "big city life." My out-of-the-nest college years in Tallahassee unfortunately didn't provide much experience in this either. I am used to the small feel of Tampa Bay where everyone knows everyone, ten minutes is a far drive, and 'Bayshore' is the street where Gasparilla pirates invade. I also thought the infamous "South Tampa Moms" were a good talking piece... I hadn't seen anything yet! With my graduation quickly approaching, my mom decided to return to her roots and move back to Miami so she could spend more time with her parents while diving into a new, more posh market for her work. This has given me the best of both worlds, still having my dad's side in Tampa while being able to explore this wild, new world. My top two things about Miami are the people watching (you see some pre-tty interesting people here) and the fact that nothing is too wild to wear here. I have tons of clothes in my closet that never get put to use because I feel uncomfortable wearing them in judgmental Tampa. While a lot of 'Miamians' do just dress casual, I think it's more fun following the hotsy-totsy crowd (just the way they dress, not their attitudes). There's something about the Miami aura that makes me wanna get all dolled up! That being said, this past weekend while I was visiting my mom, I had the chance to rip the tags off of some of my new clothes and do as the locals do!


Saturday, we went to a nice brunch at Greenstreet's in Coconut Grove. This was the perfect opportunity for me to wear "the pants." I scooped them, with much hesitation, from Henry Girl Boutique in Tallahassee and although I loved them, I wasn't certain I could pull them off... what better place to give them a test run than Miami? And just like I thought, I fit right in with the heel-wearing, Michael Kors bearing, dog-toting Miami locals.

Today wasn't a trial day for my wardrobe, but I did get to experience my first Orchid Festival at Fairchild's Tropical Gardens. We walked through the flower-stuffed tents until our noses couldn't sniff any more and then headed off to yet another great people-watching lunch at a place called Crave in Merrick Park, where we discovered the reason for the name was that the food took so long to come, you're really craving it by the time you get it. To give them credit it was pretty packed, I enjoyed my meal, and the atmosphere was one I could have waited hours in.

Each day is a vacation in Miami, and my newest goal is to end up here after school! Miami has given me a chance to break out my sense of style without feeling uncomfortable, because no matter how absolutely ridiculous something I wear is, there will ALWAYS be someone to top me. I encourage you fashionistas to break out the style no matter where you live, but if you need a little encouragement, you can always come visit me in the magic city!

-LFH :)

A Guide to Packing

So I've heard that most people find packing to be a tedious task. Yes, I'm familiar with all of the struggles packing can bring such as wanting to pack your entire closet for a weekend getaway (guilty!), having to figure out the best ways to cram all of your belongings in one suitcase, and never having what you need once you get to your destination. BRING IT ON! There's just something about packing I love. It signals the closeness of my departure, gets me excited for the trip I'm about to go on, and lets me release some of my OCD/organizational energies. As one of my first "how to's," I am determined to change some opinions about packing and help people see that it doesn't have to be as difficult or "evil" as my boyfriend says it is. Here is my guide on how to make packing stress-free and maybe even a little enjoyable. ;) PS: All packing should be done with your favorite Pandora station on in the background...

1) The first step to being a successful packer is The List. Start making your packing list in advance, at least a few days before (or maybe a week before if you're anything like me). I know I can never think of everything I need in one sitting and nothing is worse than hopping on a plane and realizing you don't have your toothbrush or phone charger! I like mine to be super detailed, color-coded, and include checkboxes but the beauty of the list is it can be however you want it to be! ***Extra Credit: Keep the list on your nightstand; some of the most essential things I want to take on my trips come to me while I'm about to go to sleep at night.

2) Weather check! While it may be obvious to pack swim suits if you're going to the Bahamas, or heavy jackets if you're going up North, it can never hurt to double check! Living in Tallahassee for the last four years has taught me that weather is bipolar- and never to be trusted.

3) Be aware of what's on your list and avoid wearing those things the week before, or if you don't hate doing laundry, have a scheduled laundry day a few days prior so you don't end up wanting to pack something and find it in your dirty clothes basket.

4) One of my favorite ways to avoid overpacking is outfit planning. It may sound a little elementary, but on trips when you have a 50lb suitcase limit, it's necessary. Take it day by day, running through what you will want to wear for each activity on your trip and pack those things. For example, for my cruise, each day I have a bathing suit and cover up, a dinner outfit for after we shower and clean up, and a "going out" outfit for after dinner. By planning each outfit, I was able to put at least four items back in my closet and still leave a few extras incase I want to switch up my outfits when the time comes. ***If you're the type of person who hates the idea of only being able to wear what you packed previously (that's me!), just make sure that some of your outfit items are interchangeable to give yourself more options.

5) Finally, the logistics. Over the years I have picked up some real gems and tips to help perfect my packing strategy. Some of my top picks include:

• The Jewelry Pouch- This nifty little drawstring pouch unfolds to reveal eight pockets for earrings, rings, or necklaces, while the middle section is perfect for bracelets or anything else. It keeps everything contained without getting into knots and takes up very little bag space once drawn up. My grandma got mine for me, but you can pick yours up at Etsy.com or plenty of other places. 

• Folding- Some people swear by the "rolling" technique when trying to fit unruly amounts of clothes in a small suitcase. I still think that folding and placing your clothes in the flattest manner possible works best. Whichever you prefer. 

• Shoe Space- The one thing I will tell you to just go ahead and pack are shoes, because if anyone knows about wanting to pack every pair of shoes in your closet, it's me. I happen to believe that certain outfits require certain shoes, so what are you gonna do? Pack 'em. My advice is to get a suitcase with a specific shoe area. I have a hard-shell case with a nice zippered shoe space up top. It's perfect because it leaves me a decent amount of room for shoes (I can fit about five to seven pairs) while still having plenty of room for my clothes. 

• Cosmetics & Toiletries- There is no time when guys should feel more lucky than when packing their toiletries for a trip (well, I can think of a few more times ;)). Ladies, we will get through this together! Part of where I have the most trouble packing is trying to fit in my brush, roll brush, straightener, curling wand, and that big bag of makeup we all have. While there is no secret to minimizing all of these "necessities," keep in mind what will be available to you where you'll be staying; I rarely bring my own blow drier anymore and hotels are getting more and more accommodating. I tend to put my makeup bag in my carry on to save space, which also helps if I need a quick touch-up before landing. 

Hopefully this provided you with a better outlook on packing and gave you some ideas on how to make it easier. If not, we're in the same boat as when you started reading and you still think I'm crazy for actually liking the task. Either way- good luck and happy packing!

-LFH :)

Time: The Most Precious of Elements

I was recently asked in an interview how I juggle my busy schedule. I told the interviewer, "I'm constantly going. I use every spare second I possibly have." It got me thinking about how crazy my final semester of college has been; about how crazy my whole life has been, really. Ever since I can remember I've been involved in something that requires a 100% investment. I spent my middle school days attending three-hour practices, 5 days a week, and shows on the weekends for Entertainment Revue, a song and dance performance group. I then turned my attention to the H.B. Plant High Rowing Team, a highly competitive team in which my boat was nationally ranked. But that didn't come without practicing two and a half hours a day, 6 days a week. Upon entering FSU, I quickly joined Gamma Phi Beta (who ironically holds the phrase, "A Lifetime Commitment") and threw myself into a whirlwind of obligations. That leads us to where I am now in my last semester: trying to keep up my involvement in the sorority, maintain my 3.56 GPA, get a job, and still squeeze in a decent social life. A typical weekday looks something like this... wake up, breakfast, return emails, job search (submitting applications, researching, networking), lunch, class, gym, shower, class, dinner, school work/projects, more job searching, bed. On weekends I follow a similar schedule, minus the class and adding a night or two of "socializing" with my friends. I have never regretted having this type of lifestyle; I prefer to do something rather than just sit around twiddling my thumbs. But the one thing that I will say about always having something to do is it makes time fly by! It feels like I was just putting up posters and organizing my room in Degraff Hall and here I am about to graduate. The lesson I've learned is that time is a very precious element. If I could, I would add at least eight more hours to every day so we'd have time to stop and think about all the good things we have going on in our lives and so we don't wake up one day and realize we're 80 years old! My word of advice is to soak it all in. In these next two months before I graduate and in whatever lies ahead, I'm going to make sure I appreciate every day and even with my busy schedule, make an effort to stop and smell the roses...

-LFH :)

Spring Break

There is one time each year in which gyms everywhere experience a steep increase in their members' usage. It is the period of time between Winter and the glorious Spring Break. It doesn't matter what we look like the rest of the year, but during the week of Spring Break, we must be in tip top, bathing-suit shape, and preferably tan. I've had a countdown on my dry-erase board going since at least 65 days till. It really is inconvenient that everyone else has the same idea right before Spring Break because it's nearly impossible to get an elliptical or treadmill without waiting in a line, you have to work out your arms in cramped quarters, feeling self conscious about exposing your armpits with people so close to you, and I try not to think about how horrid my face looks when I'm doing abs in an area with twenty others. Perhaps the most laborious part of preparing for Spring break is the diet. I have never been one to go the extreme diet route (I have absolutely no self control when it comes to food) but the fact of the matter is that getting a good body depends 80% on what you eat, and 20% on gym time. Trying to eat healthy in my sorority house is almost absurd. While you do have a select few who are content eating celery and carrot sticks all day long, you also get a fair share of moody, PMS-ing girls eating their feelings away in pizza bagels dipped in ranch. Despite the difficulties at hand, my roommate, Kelsey, and I decided we would stick together and ignore all of the high-carb, high-calorie temptations Gamma Phi has to offer. From the day we got back from Winter Break, we started going hard in the gym and easy on our stomachs... for about a month and a half. Kelsey and I are very similar in the fact that we both happen to idolize food. My boyfriend tells me I get cranky when I "diet" if that tells you anything. The struggle to abstain from eating all of our favorite things eventually became too hard to bear, and we started splurging. I'm talking worse than we were eating before we had Spring Break on the brain. Fortunately, with three weeks left until Spring Break, a reality check hit us and we jolted back on track. With ten days left until we board the Majesty of the Seas, I am seeing the positive reinforcements of eating healthy and making my way to the gym daily. I even made a special trip to Publix today to buy yogurt, almonds, fruit, and other healthy foods for my snacking habits. But don't let that fool you. With the all-inclusive buffets and all the fruity little slushy drinks I will be consuming once I get on the ship, it won't take long to get me back to my old self, and maybe worse. Kelsey and I have a list going of all our favorite things we are going to indulge in once we're back to Tallahassee: Gordos, Piteria, California Chicken Grill, Olive Garden, Coldstone, Tijuana Flats, etc. I can't wait!! I'm going to ignore the fact that soon after that we will have to start this process over in anticipation for Summer. For now, I look forward to looking good at least the first day or two of the cruise...

-LFH :)