The Fault in My Reading Ethic

Why is it that I always forget how much I love reading until it's summer time? Throughout my childhood, my favorite part of summer was convincing my mom to take me to the library. I was ecstatic if I managed to convince her, and subsequently checked out the maximum number of books you could for the week (it was 10, by the way). I couldn't wait; I would start reading the first one in the car and wouldn't stop until I finished. 

When school started again, I would get caught up in my homework, sports practice, and after school clubs. Gradually, I would make fewer trips to the library until they eventually ceased. I didn't love reading any less; it was just easier to put it off with so much else going on in my life. 

Interning with a company that dealt with authors and eBooks got the reading bug back in me. I brought all my favorite books back with me to Chapel Hill for the summer. I packed the holy trinity of genres: Classics, Fantasy, and of course, Young Adult Romance. I was caught up in Jane Austen's world of romance and intrigue, Inkheart's world of potions and spells, and the magical teenage girl's fantasy world that is a Sarah Dessen novel. (Side note: Yes, I have met Sarah Dessen, and yes, she is as awesome as we all hope she would be.) 

Once I got a tablet, I couldn't wait to download the Kindle app and scour for more books to read. The app is available on any device now, which is wonderful! I use the company I worked for this summer'swebsite to find great deals on free eBooks, which I'm sure my budget appreciates. When pop culture got the best of me, I splurged on The Fault In Our Stars, and fortunately all of the buzz was on point. John Green is a magician of words. His writing is beautiful, and the story is even more so. Books such as these are rare, and really made me remember how much I love to read. 

A part of me will always want to read in the summer; it's unavoidable. It's just a part of it, the same as the smell of sunscreen, the sound of lawn mowers humming along, and the feeling of the warm breeze blowing through when the windows are open. Reading is comforting, exciting, and something I'll always look forward to when school ends and the "freedom"  of summer begins. 

Healthy Living Challenge

Everyone always talks about the freshmen fifteen, and how much of a killer the dining hall is to your college body. The first two years of college, I didn't notice it. It helped that eating dining hall food for every meal got really old really fast. It also helped being an underclassmen and living far away from all my classes, forcing me to walk almost a mile to campus every day. 

This past year though, I decided to drop my meal plan and fend for myself to save money. Naturally, as a busy college student that meant lots of trips dining out and fast food. What small amounts of food I could store in my room were typically not the healthiest, and none if it was fresh. I also lived a lot closer to campus, which was super convenient but also a lot less walking exercise than previous years. Suffice to say, I put on my freshman 15- or 20- a little late in the game. 

After the spring semester ended and I prepared to start my internship in Carrboro, I decided to make some changes to improve my health. Not only for the way my body would look, but also to improve my physical health and food choices. I set some goals for myself and began to reorient the way I viewed my body and my health.

I decided to run my first 5K ever, as a way to give me a goal to work towards. As a type A personality, I needed the motivation and structure to force me to actually go out and run everyday. I've since been running nearly every day outside, which is a huge accomplishment for me. I've never been much of a runner, and still don't claim to be, but it's definitely become something I look forward to doing each day. I may not be fast, or look graceful while doing it, but running helps me to track my distance and time to give me the milestones I need to see self-improvement. 

Another significant change has been my eating habits. Instead of going out to eat or eating unhealthy frozen foods, I've started cooking for myself. As a novice cook, I picked up The Healthy College Cookbook to get me started on the right track. There are tons of delicious and healthy recipes that list out the nutrition facts for each recipe, so you know exactly what you're eating. Another great feature of this book is their understanding of a college budget and culinary background. They keep ingredients to a minimum, and explain everything in very explicit, basic detail. 

To be candid, it's definitely been a struggle reorienting myself to a more healthy way of life. I truly love and enjoy food, but to get where I want to be physically I have to be aware of what foods I eat. I've decided to give myself one day a week where I treat myself to the foods I've been craving the past week- everyone needs a break every once in a while! 

Additionally, if my budget allows me, I want to start going to hot yoga. I've been a few times in the past and really enjoyed it, and I think it would be an interesting way to mix up my workout routine throughout the week. All in all, the most important thing is that I'm consciously trying to make the effort to live healthier. The harder I work, the more results I'll (hopefully) see! 

Why I'm Tired of Articles About Your 20s

In the social media world, you see hundreds of articles and blog posts telling you what to do during your 20s. Thought Catalog posts articles like these daily with titles like "Winning Your 20s," while BuzzFeed has innumerable lists of things 20 year olds "must do."

After about the hundredth article, it hit me: I don't need a stranger’s blog to tell me how I should be experiencing this period of my life. Some of these bloggers are 20 somethings themselves, projecting their experiences and passions onto others in hopes that they will have similar experiences. Others are older, lending a retrospective approach to what they would do differently.

All of these authors forget the piece of advice that is central to their article: self-discovery. How are young people supposed to discover themselves if articles are constantly telling them how they should be feeling and experiencing? Being berated by blogs and tweets and articles about how to live your life can make you lose your sense of freedom to experience it for yourself.

Maybe taking a risk and living in a different country is a defining moment of your 20s. Or maybe deciding to go out with friends instead of studying will be a lesson you'll remember. Or maybe simply sitting alone in your apartment with the window open and listening to sounds from the streets will be an "aha" moment. 

The operative word in all these scenarios is you. You decide what things you will do and which passions you will follow. These decisions will lead to unique experiences that are yours and yours alone. Self-discovery is what your 20s are all about. So instead of reading hundreds of articles telling you what you should feel and experience, take a step back to figure it out for yourself.