Goodbye 2011

Well it's officially the last day of 2011, so here are all the highlights:

1. Getting into 7 of the 11 colleges I applied to. It was nice to know that I would have a future, to know that I was going to a good school. Although I didn't end up going to the college I really wanted to go to, I went to the college that was perfect for me in the end. (Tonight is UVA's bowl game, WAHOOWA)

UVA

2. GRADUATION. I am so glad to have graduated from high school. I know some people like high school but (to put it lightly) I didn't. I am pretty glad to be out of there. No offense to my high school friends...don't worry I like you guys! Haha

Brittany, Tova, me, and Inanje after Graduation

3. Getting a Job. Though I hated working, it was nice making some money for myself. It taught me how to deal with a lot of different types of people. But seriously if you are in a store, please don't just pick something up and put it wherever, try to put it back where it came from. Or when you see someone fixing a table, don't just go up and mess it up. If you want to pick up a shirt fold them back like they are on the table.

The Workplace

4. Going to College. Definitely the highlight of 2011. Being in college has been the most fun, the most freedom, the most challenging, and the best experience. Yeah the work is hard, yeah there's a lot of work, but it is so worth it. I LOVE COLLEGE. New friends, new experiences.

Me and my hallmates on Halloween

5. Vacation to Spain. Yes, yes there were A LOT of hiccups on the trip, but all-in-all Spain was beautiful. It was nice to be immersed in culture that takes time to enjoy life. Everyday they close their shops, restaurants to take time to be with their family, relax, and enjoy life. I wish other members of our traveling party could have enjoyed it as much.

Me in front of the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain

Those are my Top 5 Moments of 2011. Its almost time to start a NEW YEAR. Too bad I'm starting it off without a New Year's kiss :/

The Trip from HELL

Oh my goodness...what possibly could have caused my huge trip to have gone so wrong.
Here's a recount.
Part 1 (Day 1 of 6): My last exam had finally ended. As I get back to my dorm room I see my mom waiting in the car to take me home because we have a flight the next day. I get home and spend the night packing up all of my stuff for our week long trip to the Spanish-Mediterranean Coast. The next day my grandparents and their one friend who is traveling with us arrive and we all go to the airport. Everyone in our party are on the same flight to Paris, but our family friend's flight to Spain arrives four hours after ours. Also, no one in the party has an international phone therefore there would be no way of contacting her when she finally got to Spain. So we decided that once my family got to Spain, we would go pick up the rental car, find somewhere to eat, and go back to the airport to pick her up when her flight was scheduled to arrive. However, she also made it clear that if she didn't see us, she would just take a cab to the hotel.
When we get to the airport, my grandmother and I go to the baggage claim at which she is supposed to be. She's not there, but I figure that she probably just decided to catch a cab. So my family and I take the 45 minute journey to our hotel and when we arrive she isn't there. That was kind of odd because if she took a taxi she would have been ahead of us getting to the hotel. But we didn't worry too much. Maybe she had hit traffic or it took her longer to get her bag and get through customs than we thought. So we waited in the hotel for her to arrive. Hours and hours pass and she still hasn't arrived. Everyone starts to get a little worried, but I figure that she probably just missed her connecting flight in Paris. I was right. She arrived at about midnight local time and my mom drove all the way back to the airport to pick her up and back.

Part 2 (Day 2 of 6): When the family friend missed her connection in Paris, her bag was lost. Therefore, when she arrived in Spain she could not pick it up. However it was so late when she got in that she couldn't report the missing bag. So, we talked to the hotel and they called the airport to see if the bag was there and if the bag had arrived to send it to the hotel. At about 3 we decided that we should find a restaurant on the beach and have some good Spanish food. As we are exploring, we come across a little fort/armory, so we stop and get out to take pictures. My grandmother and her friend decided not to take their purses with them, after all we would be right near the car. As we are walking back to the car I notice that the glass of the backseat window is broken so I run up to the car to see that their purses had been stolen. In their purses were their passports, jewelry, money, and all of their credit cards.

window broken

Part 3 (Day 2 of 6 cont.): One of the locals calls the local police and we file a report with them. They tell us that we need to file a report with the national police. So, we go back to the hotel and the manager who has handled these types of problems before has my mom file the report with the police, while I am on the phone with all of the credit card companies and banks. The rest of the day is spent talking to dozens of people and getting everything shut off.

Spanish national police

Part 4 (Day 3 of 6): We are told that we need to go to the US Consulate in Fuengirola, Spain in order to get new passports issued for the return home. The Consulate is only open from 10 am to 2 pm. By the time we finally found it, it was 1:45. So my grandparents and the family friend got out to find it while me and my mom stayed in the car to find a parking space. Everyone besides me and my mom are really bad with the language barrier and 95% of the time have no idea what the hell is going on.Therefore it was clearly a mistake for us not to go with them to the Consulate. Not only, were they rude to the people who worked at there, but they didn't understand half of what they were saying (they were all speaking English), they showed up at the time of closing, and the workers were also frustrated because they wanted to go home. This was a hot mess. When they returned back to the car, they told us that it took every cent of the remaining euros to purchase the replacement passports. Also, the Consulate in Fuengirola couldn't make the passports there, they had to send them 6 hours to Madrid, where they would be made, and then send them back to us by Thursday.

Part 5 (Day 3 cont): After leaving Fuengirola, we decided that it was necessary to go to the airport to find out what was happening with our family friend's bag and get a new rental car without a busted window. While my mom traded in the car, I went with my grandmother and the family friend to the airline desk to ask about the bag. It turns out that the bag was still in Paris. So we had to file another report telling the airline to send the bag to the hotel when it finally arrived.

Part 6 (Day 4 of 6): We had to go back to Fuengirola to get our family friend emergency cast. We serached all over the city for the one Western Union and when we finally found it, they needed her passport in order to give her the money. Afterwards, we spent the day in Old Malaga. Malaga was beautiful. In the city is the Picasso museum located in the villa that Picasso grew up in. That was amazing, it was so beautiful and the art was really cool. Also in Malaga was an alcazaba (Fort from built in the Middle Ages), a castle, and a GORGEOUS gothic cathedral.

The Cathedral in Malaga

Part 7 (Day 5 of 6): Finally the vacation begins. At this point I was so frustrated that the vacation that I had been looking forward to for over a year had been completely ruined, I needed a break. So we all decided that we would go to Granada, a historic city in the heart of Andalucia, known for one of the most beautiful and unique palaces in the entire world (the Alhambra Palace). This was probably the only day that I truly enjoyed. The historic part was about the size of a small city and it had building from all different eras ranging from the 9th century to the Renaissance period. It was clearly too much for my grandparents who sat about 3/4 of the way through and waited for me and my mom who were determined to make the most of the one day of vacation that we had earned.

La Alhambra Palace

Part 8 (Day 6 of 6): This was the day on which the passports were supposed to arrive. We decided that we would once again spend the day in the hotel and wait for them. At 2 we got worried because this was the time the Consulate closed. So we called and they ensured us that they were on their way. At 4, they still hadn't arrived so we called the Embassy in Madrid who confirmed that the passports had been printed and sent via courier to Marbella. At 6 the passports still hadn't arrived so we called the courier. They said that they had been received and the delivery guy was still out so they should be coming soon. At 8 they still hadn't arrived so we called the courier back. They said that they weren't able contact the guy that had them and they didn't know where he was. It was clear that the passports weren't coming. So my mom made arrangements with the airline to send me and my grandfather back on the original flights and she, my grandmother, and the family friend would return on the next plane out once they got the passports.

Talk about the trip from HELL. Spain itself was extremely nice and beautiful, but the events of the trip completely ruined it. Let's just say I am glad to be home.

Happy Thanksgiving

Wow. It's been awhile since I posted last, but as today is Thanksgiving I figure there is no better time. Here is my I am thankful for post...

1. Mia famiglia. It is good to be home and see my mom. It's been awhile and it's always nice when she does my laundry and makes delicious food. My family has always been super close, so every time I'm home my grandparents and my aunt always come to visit. It's nice...until my grandmother asks if I have gained weight...her social etiquette can be lacking sometimes.

2. Miei amici. My friends are the greatest. I miss them from home all the time, but we are staying in touch. It was so good to come home and be able to hang out with them again. Just like old times. I love my new friends too! We do literally everything together. I love them. <3

College gurls

The high school girlies

3. Mia scuola. I am so happy to be at UVA, I firmly believe that it is the right school for me. I love so much about it, from my classes and my professors to the way most people dress (preppy and I love it). Of course there are some things that I don't like, like the food, but there are going to be those things about any school you go to. Sure I still wonder what college would have been like had I gone to Georgetown, but there is always grad school. UVA was definitely supposed to be my school.

Famous school landmark - the Rotunda

4. persone che seguono i loro sogni (people who follow their dreams). These people are inspiration to millions of people around the world. I hope that everyone has the courage to follow their dreams without fear of failure. After all everyone wants to live a meaningful life and following your dreams will help you do that.

Live this quote

5. Tecnologia. I seriously cannot live without my iPhone, my mac, my iPad, my TV, my iPod, etc. Thank you Steve Jobs for creating the best products ever. I am a hardcore mac person and that will never change. However I am bummed because I am transferring to the E-School (Engineering School) at UVA and therefore I have to buy a windows computer. I am confident that I will get so frustrated with this new computer in the first few months that I will break it, but I digress. Technology plays a huge part in everyone's lives and I could not imagine life without it. Just yesterday I saw a post on pinterest about dial-up internet when you couldn't use the phone and the internet at the same time. Boy have times changed.

Best Apple Products

College

So it's been awhile since I updated everyone on my life. First and foremost, I. LOVE. UVA. I am now convinced that things didn't work out with Georgetown for a reason. I was mean't to go to UVA and I'm so glad I did. On that note, college is no walk in the park. I have never struggled in any math and science classes ever (I'm not trying to toot my own horn, I am just telling you the facts), but this week I had multiple tests: one in math, one in chemistry, and one in demonology, accompanied by a 6-8 page philosophy paper. Let me tell you that my strong suits seem to have completely changed. I have always been good at math and science and just decent at english and history. Now it is the complete opposite, I SUCK at math and chemistry, but I'm doing well in demonology and philosophy. So that has been frustrating. On top of all that, I am most likely going to switch into the engineering school which is going to add onto the amount of work i am going to be doing. Uva is definitely extremely stressful and it sucks not having the people in the class who aren't as smart as you. Everyone is either at your level or smarter and everything is a competition. As long as you are getting better grades than everyone else than you are fine, but if you aren't, good luck.
Don't get me wrong though, college is a hell of a lot of fun. I have no idea why i was ever so nervous about making friends and about worrying that everyone at Uva would be stuck up and annoying. Pretty much everyone on my hall is so much fun and I'm so glad we are all living together. Speaking of living, my roommate is interesting. Don't get me wrong, I like her a lot and we are compatible living mates for the most part. However, I hate sleeping when the room is hot so I like to keep the window open, but she apparently gets cold really easily (she will be wearing sweats and a jacket in like 70 degree weather), so whenever I leave the room she always closes the window and it gets really hot and muggy in the room. But that is really my only major complaint about her. We are definitely not good friends and we probably never will be, but we are good living mates.
I haven't really joined any clubs except for LaxLite which is a pick up lacrosse clubs within the university, but I haven't had a chance to go yet because my workload the past few weeks has been astronomical.
Anyways, it is now fall break and it couldn't have come at a better time. I never got homesick per say but I am definitely glad to be back.

I thinks that's all for now,
carpe diem

So here we are… (a short update)

Well here I am, sitting in my room all alone. I knew college was going to be a big change, but mere hours into the transition I feel at a loss. Throughout this past summer I kept telling myself that I would get out from under my comfort blanket and I would try to be more social. Easier said than done. I hate not having my comfort blanket. I hate not having my friends who I can tell everything to with me. I knew it would be difficult, but this was more than I bargained for. 

One of my all time favorite quotes...

almost there...

The UVA Rotunda

It's finally starting to set in. In just under 3 weeks I will be headed off to college. I can't believe it.
I am finally starting to feel at peace with college situation. I desperately wanted to go to Georgetown...and I got in. The only problem was that Georgetown costs around $56,000 per year and they gave me no financial aid :( So my mom basically told me to chose the state school that I liked the best (William & Mary or UVA). UVA sometimes gets a bad rap for having snooty and judgmental people, so that obviously deterred me from picking it right away. But when I went down to William & Mary (believing that that would be the school I was going to pick), I realized that I didn't feel like I fit in with the people. Sure everyone was nice and quirky and certainly not judgmental, but I just had a really hard time seeing myself walking around campus and hanging out with these people. Then I went to the admitted students day for UVA, and I was already grumpy. After William and Mary I had come to the conclusion that the only place I could be happy for the next four years would be Georgetown, and that was the one place that I couldn't attend. But when I got onto the UVA campus and met some of the other people who had already decided to go there, I realized that this is a place I could see myself. I compared picking which school I would go to to the perfect pair of jeans: William and Mary was a great pair of jeans, but they were flare (not my style), UVA was the perfect pair of straight leg but they were just one size to big, and Georgetown was the PERFECT pair of straight leg, dark wash jeans in the perfect size, but it was way overpriced. So I chose the jeans that I am going to have to grow into, and hopefully that is just what I'll do.

However, I still had my doubts. Orientation was at the beginning of July. It was weird because there were so many cool and interesting people there. Everyone was so friendly. The Orientation leaders were so cool and nice (and others very attractive ;) Orientation had its stressful points though, especially picking classes. There were so many to choose from and there was no one there telling you what you needed to take. It was all up to you. I wasn't used to making all of these decisions. Before, I had a choice between two history classes: regular or AP. Now there was a list of 20-40 classes that you could take. It was overwhelming. Then you had to find five interesting classes in which the times wouldn't conflict. It was a lot harder than it sounds. But I got through. My schedule may be difficult, but I am going to college to challenge myself and learn in new ways.
College learning is no joke though. There are no more slackers. There are no more people who ask the stupid questions. There is no teacher there to baby you if you don't understand something. There is no one there making sure that you are doing what you are supposed to be. There is just you, your professor, your work, and the effort you use to learn the material. College is the time in which the people who were always used to getting straight A's (and I am one of them) realize that there are a ton of other smart people out there and it's your mission to find who you are and what makes you something more than just another smart girl.

Yes, I am 18.

Yesterday was probably one of the best summer nights I have ever had. Victoria and I went to the movies. No, we did not see Transformers. No, we did not see Bad Teacher or Larry Crowne. We saw Monte Carlo, and for those unfamiliar with the title it is the movie that your little sisters/daughters want to see because Selena Gomez is in it. We were surrounded my middle schoolers and one awkward couple, and yet we were the ones caught in the thrilling suspense of finding a necklace worth millions of dollars and the search for true love. As the movie came to a close (with a happy ending, of course) and everyone had left the theater, Victoria and I ran to the front and just danced. We could careless if anyone saw us or judged us. Yes, we are both 18. Yes, we are both in college. But sometimes you just need to let loose and yesterday was our night to do that.

The poster for the movie...maybe you've seen it...or your daughter...

The Aftermath

Everything is passing by in a whirlwind. There is no time to stop and take in all of the important moments happening.
Important Moment #1: All Night Grad
Important Moment #2: My Best Friend leaves for College
Important Moment #3: Beach Week

1. all night grad. We spent hours upon hours running around the Herndon Community Center, getting our fill of free prizes, free massages, free caricatures of ourselves, fun and tiresome games, making music videos, and a mentalist's mind-blowing  performance. I can't even remember all of the activities from that night, merely hours after we had graduated. I had so much fun, but in the back of my mind I just kept thinking about Annie's departure. At the end of the night, as the prizes were being announced and the time I had with her before she left kept slipping away, I was somber. Not sad because I would see her again, but somber. She was taking life by the horns, she was brave.
(By the way, I won a $25 GameStop giftcard, which I traded for a Starbucks giftcard. However I really shouldn't complain, one of my friends [a boy] won an assortment of GLEE games and girly notebooks. poor guy.)

2. annie's departure. Tears, that's all I can remember. As her car came to a stop in front of her house, I didn't even want to get out. I just wanted her to stay. But it was time, she needed to go. As we came face to face after getting out of the car, the waterworks began. I refused to face the fact that she was leaving until this moment, because it just would have been to hard. I have become so close to her and her family these past few years, and I hope that our friendship will be one that lasts!

Annie and me at our Class of 2011 picnic

3. beach week. I was extremely nervous about beach week. There were two groups that didn't usually mix staying in one house for a week, my friends and soccer boys. But it couldn't have worked out any better. The guys told us how much they appreciated us for being who we are and not worrying about what others had to say. We appreciated them for being completely different than what we had heard others say about them. This week was probably one of the best weeks ever. We were free to do whatever we wanted when we wanted to do it. It was a snapshot of our lives to come in college and beyond.

 Victoria, me, and Brittany on the beach soaking up some sun.

 RAVE/ke$ha night

After the world's greatest dance party

HHS Class of 2011

I never thought that I would feel this way about graduating from Herndon. I never liked it very much. I always wished that I could be back at my old school with all my old friends, making new memories. But it wasn't just that, I am shy and I was extremely worried about finding my place and friends that would except me for me. I was right to be worried and it took me awhile, but I finally found those friends. People who wouldn't judge me for how preppy I dressed or how goofy I acted or for how nerdy I really am. They are the best anyone could ask for.

So there I was, sitting in the George Mason Patriot Center, waiting. First, there are a few welcome speeches; then they recognize those with above a 3.8, and then those with above 4.0s (I was one of them!); next, it's one of my best friend's turn to say her speech. She was nervous about if people would like it or even care what she had to say, she was nervous that someone would get a beach ball taken away and our classmates would start booing. She had nothing to worry about, the speech was perfectly inspirational and completely Annie. Finally, it was time for our names to be called. It seemed like forever, waiting as they went through the alphabet: a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, and finally S! With all my cords and medals around my neck, I crossed the stage and got my diploma. I did it. As I got back to my seat, it hit me. I was done. I would never see the majority of these people after this day. Wow, just like that, the first real milestone of my 18 years was complete.
As we processed out of the arena, I found my friend Tova (we are the only ones of our friends with last names late in the alphabet) as all of the teachers made a tunnel on either side. I hugged those that had truly made an impact on me. As Tova started to cry, the tears rose up in me, something I truly never expected. I guess I really did love Herndon.