Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

Everybody likes a good quote right? I know I do.I’ve always been a big fan of inspirational quotesand cliches. Things that I wholeheartedly felt I related to at the time. Maybe it was a song lyric, a bumper sticker, something someone shared on Instagram, etc.

 This one seems to ring true every May: “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”

 Yes, it’s from Winnie the Pooh, and yes I probably searched “sentimental goodbye quotes” one day and stumbled upon it. The truth of it hasn’t worn off. This past year brought a lot of changes. Doesn’t every year? But the magnitude of changes seem to hit mehard around this time. 

Maybe it’s because I got involved in theater again. I helped with a school production with some other wonderful people, and I had more fun than I ever imagined that I would. Seeing the kids progress, become more comfortable in their roles, and grow closer as a cast truly warmed my heart and took me back to my high school theater days. Or maybe it’s seeing all of the college graduation caps and immediately taking myself back to that day, with the bittersweet reminder that my life will never be that carefree. Or is it that school is almost out and I’m sad to notsee those sweet kiddos for a few months.

And this isn’t to bum anyone out (although I am taking suggestions for a good tearjerker), but it’s important to reflect on why I feel the way that I do. As hard as it is to close the door on those parts of life, I have to believe that other doors will open soon. Feeling this way, as sad as it feels currently, is actually a good thing because I would feel differently having no involvement at all. Each experience shapes us as people, sometimes for better, sometimes not. But I’d like to believe that at the end of the day, we grow. 

So cherish those moments with the people you love. Share your passions, laugh with old friends, watch home videos, smile a little more and remember that each day, in its own way, is a gift. The “see you laters” will turn into new “hellos” soon enough. 

I’m thankful for the start of all adventures.

Here’s to the Teachers

This past October, I was at a teaching conference and saw a teacher that had a great impact on me as a child. I wrestled with the idea of going up to her to say hello or not. What if she didn’t remember me or recognize me? I quickly snappedmyself out of it and put myself in her place. If I were her, would I appreciate someone coming up to me to say hello? Without hesitating, I knew the answer.

I’ve been fortunate to have incredible teachers throughout my life. My kindergarten teacher showed us that lmnop were actually five different letters, not one long one. My fourth grade teacher taught us responsibility and accountability. My sixth grade teacher treated us like people, not ignorant kids. My high school theater director shared hispassion with us and got us so excited to perform. In college, my education professor taught us to make every moment memorable with our students. When I was a student teacher, my cooperating teacher supported me every step of the wayand allowed me to develop my own teaching style. My first year of teaching was MESSY and I had incredibles colleagues to vent to, rely on, and learn from. Each experience has allowed me to grow professionally and as a person, and to thosepeople, I cannot thank you enough for making me the teacher I am today.

I’d like to think that I make an impact on my students. That I make them feel welcomed, loved, and valued on a daily basis. Will I succeed with that every time? No. But if I can say that I made that effort, that I caught the moment in time where the student confided in me, or finally figured out that super tough math problem, then this is all worth it. Kids are the most resilient people I know. They wear their hearts on their sleeves. They find reasons to laugh on the toughest days. Some days I feel like it’s been decades since I’ve been that elementary student (which it has) and some days I feel like it was just yesterday. Most of the time, it’s a good thing because I can remember the impact of a positive influence and channel it into my daily routine.

Here’s to the teachers who spend your evenings, weekends, and days off brainstorming ways to make your students lives better. Here’s to the teachers who lift one another up in your thoughts, words, and actions. Here’s to the teachers who mold minds and impact those kiddos. They are the reason we do what we do. And you never know when that student will come back in your life and tell you how much your time with them meant. And if no one has said it to you lately, THANKYOU! Your hard work and dedication does not go unnoticed, and you are loved and appreciated!

As nervous as I felt to say thank you to that teacher that day, I did. I told her that I loved being in her class, and that she was one of my favorite teachers. It’s been 13 years since I was her student, and the impact of her class has stuck with me. So please show your favorite teacher some love and say thank you! It means more than you could ever imagine! 

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

I Know the Heart of Life is Good

The last time I wrote on here, I described my time studying abroad in Ireland. Today I write to talkabout life. I am by no means up to the level of expertise of “Dear Abby”. But a few days ago, a good friend of mine encouraged me to journal. In some ways, this can be a form of that. If anything, I want this to be a place of vulnerability, positivity, and relability. 

The truth is that this time a year ago I was in a bad place. I was hurting from things out of my control and my anxiety was at an all time high. I was getting ready to leave my first job in a few months. I was leaving a city that I loved exploring. I was having to say goodbye to many people whogot me through my first two years of adulthood. And I was terrified. What if moving back home didn’t fix anything? Why did it feel like I was starting all over again? But what I knew was that I couldn’t continue feeling the way that I was feeling. Something needed to change. 

Fast forward to today with a feeling that I have above everything else: Gratitude. I’m currently reading a book to my students about a girl who tragically loses her parents. This small group of people work together to help her heal and make her life manageable. At the part where we left off today, she had just announced to this group, “I just want to say thank you for all that you’ve done for me”. Sure, this is fiction. But her words rang true and struck a chord within. How often do we truly say thank you to the people who have helped us? Yes, it’s awkward and easier said than done. But it got me reflecting on why I chose my career path: to make an impact. 

It’s clear and simple, but my goal has always been to leave this place a little better than when I found it. If I can impact one student, one friend, one family member, one person reading this, shouldn’t that be enough? Rather than focusing on the magnitude of likes on a picture or whether or not this person has a seemingly better life than mine, why can’t it be enough to focus on the magnitude of how someone felt loved, heard, and appreciated by me? 

So today I’ll start with just a small list of who I’m grateful for.

Thank you to my Mom and Dad who have truly sacrificed and dedicated their lives to making their children feel empowered, loved, and safe.

Thank you to my three sibilings, who have mademe laugh, cry, vent, offered advice, and are really just the best friends I could ask for.

Thank you to my extended family of strong, hard-working, passionate people. You influence me daily and I’m thankful to know you.

Thank you to my best friends. The first few yearsof adulthood aren’t easy, and we may have fallen out of touch for a while, but the way we’ve been able to seamlessly pick up where we left off has been so incredibly meaningful to me.

Thank you to past and present coworkers . Your patience, guidance, and professionalism during my first three years of adulthood has been immensely helpful. I would not be the teacher that I am today without you.

Finally, thank you to those reading. If you’ve made it this far, thank you so much for your time and attention to these words. It’s been so therapeutic to write them, and knowing that it could potentially impact someone reading this gives me true joy.

Thank you.

It's not goodbye, it's see you later

So sorry I haven't had the chance to blog for the past six weeks. We all know how crazy the end of the year gets but I can tell you that I had three more amazing trips: Kerry, Rome, and Edinburgh. Maybe I will blog about them when I get home but for now, a recap of my abroad experience.

I'm at the airport now, having arrived super early (never hurts right?). I cannot fathom how quickly this semester has past and how absolutely incredible it was. A year ago if someone had told me that I'd spend the second half of my sophomore year in Dublin, Ireland, I never would have believed it. Colleen came back last spring from her study abroad experience in Galway and the first thing she said to me was "You don't have a choice, you ARE studying abroad". Yet for some reason, I was hesitant.

I'd never been that far away from my family before. When I explained to my mom my concerns about being far away I said "You know how I'm kind of a homebody?" and she said "No?" Typical that she knows me better than I know myself. It's true that I like to be close to my family and loved ones as much as I can. Yet something inside of me knew that I owed this to myself.

My application was not completed until about two days before the deadline, so it was sort of a rushed decision. I was told that the program at UCD was pretty competitive and that I should have a backup. I knew that I really wanted to go to Dublin. I worked hard on my personal statement, and knew in my heart that this was the place that I belonged.

Soon enough, my acceptance was announced and it still didn't seem real. Marquette had been my home for the past year and a half and I loved it. How could I leave? I have so many amazing and incredible people at home. But the looks on their faces were nothing but excitement for me and my experience. Somehow they knew going abroad was going to change me for the better.

In the days leading up to my departure, I was incredibly nervous. It was still unreal to me. Yet the night before I left, I had an overwhelming sense of calmness. Somehow I knew that everything was going to work out. I remember writing in my journal on the plane ride there that I hoped that this experience would help me gain a greater appreciation for life. Little did I know...

After 18 weeks in this incredible country, I have learned so much about myself, others, and the world. Taking this experience and using it to challenge yourself to take advantage of new experiences is only the root of studying abroad. It's one of those things where you probably won't understand it entirely unless you've experienced it. This will always be one of the greatest joys of my life.

I want to thank so many people for their unconditional support. Your kind words, prayers, and love have sent me so far. I couldn't have done it without you. As hard as it is for me to leave, you all make it so easy to want to come home. I am so blessed and have so much to look forward to this summer. I get to celebrate with my newly college graduated sister (YAY COLL I'M SO PROUD OF YOU), I get to see my family and friends, and welcome a new member to our clan at my brother's wedding. There is so much to be thankful for.

Though I'll miss this experience more than anything when I'm home, I know that only signifies just how special these four months were. I challenged myself in so many ways and saw each day as a blessing. Though I was 3000 miles away, you all kept in touch and I can't even express how much that meant to me. So thank you thank you thank you! Saying goodbye to my UCD friends was incredibly difficult. Yet, I'm not worried that we won't stay in touch. We kept saying "It's not goodbye, it's see you later" As cheesy as that sounds, it's true. I know that I've made lifelong friends that will forever hold a special place in my heart. So thank you to those of who who made my abroad experience what it was. Slainte!

Well I'm about to go to my gate, but I just wanted to take a few minutes to say thank you. I can't wait to see everyone this summer. I'm ready to continue my journey through this crazy thing that we call life. And I couldn't be happier about it. So here's to you, Dublin. Thank you for everything.

Onward and Upward!

Week 11 Update!

WOW. Saying that I'm in "week 11 of 18" is absolutely insane to me. Where is the time going?! I'm already signing up for farewell dinners and receiving my final exam schedules. Wahhh. But, Happy April everyone! Well, this week has been really calm and after spring break craziness and trying to adjust back into the swing of school last week, I am thankful for this one! This past weekend, Abby, Ellie and I had a cute little movie night. It was your stereotypical girls night, complete with nail polish, wine, pizza, and 10 things I hate about you. As you get older, it seems like these things come around much less frequently. So I was really thankful for it! It was definitely something I needed when I wasn't feeling 100%. The good news is I now feel physically fine! I'm just very tired all the time. I promise I am getting adequate sleep! I think it;s just that time of year when you are exhausted from being in school and spring break is such a tease! You get a little taste of summer and then you are thrown back in the swing of things! So I think with that in mind, I have been a little homesick lately! Ughh why do I have to have such wonderful people in my life that I miss?! Haha just kidding, you guys are the best! And I know that the time here will continue to fly and one day I will be homesick for this lovely city!

So, a few things happened this week! Monday, we received our final exam schedule. Unlike Marquette's, UCD's exams span over two weeks. The good news is that mine are completely spread out, so I'll have a good amount of time to spend studying for all five. The bad news is that EXAMS ARE COMING UP! The oh so dreaded exams... I know it will all be okay. I've taken exams for years and years, but it doesn't mean that they aren't stressful. However, I've heard that the weather here starts to get warmer around the beginning of May, so that means I can study outside! When it comes to studying, I'd much rather be outside than stuck in a room. I've LOVED daylight savings time here! It stays light out until after 8:00! Yayyy! Such a sign of Spring/Summer I love it!!!! 

Monday night I went out to a comedy show with my friends Brittany, Mike, and Grace. It was really fun! It's always fun to try something new. We were afraid they would pick on us Americans, and with good reason! There were four comedians, and each one asked us many questions, but all in good fun! It was a really nice time. And if that weren't enough, I came home to find a big yellow envelope in my room. What could it be but letters from my favorite people at Marquette. They wanted to do something special for me for my birthday, and decided to write me such lovely letters. Last Spring, I remember having a great conversation with one of my best friends, Emily Harrington/ Cakes, about the power of letters. We both agreed that they truly make such an incredible impact on a person. Just a few kind words go a long way. And so I truly want to thank Emily, Claire, Megan, Maggie, Bernadette, Colleen, Meg, Allie, and Allie (Yes, I have TWO lovely Allie's in my life!) It could not have come at a better time and I am so appreciative of you all! So, I would encourage everyone to write a letter to someone you love this week. Whether it's a quick note saying have a good day, or a birthday letter, it makes such a difference! My mom and I usually message each other a few times a week telling each other to have a great day and know that we are loved! As much as we don't want to admit it, we need that reminder every once in a while. So to you, my blog readers, I say thank you so much for continuing to join me on this crazy journey and I appreciate you all so much!

Tuesday I registered for classes this upcoming fall semester. I'm going to be a JUNIOR? What? Sometimes I still feel like a high schooler. I am really excited for them and to continue on my path to become an educator! I've missed taking Ed. classes a lot and look forward to see what this new batch brings, even though they are night classes (what?!). That will be an adjustment for me, but it's something that I need to do in order to take the courses, so it will all be worth it in a few years! A few years ago, my friend Meredith gave me a ring that says "I promise to take things a day at a time" and that definitely remains and will continue to be my motto. So, here's to the future and here's to right now!

That's about it from this end! Really looking forward to my Kerry trip this weekend! Definitely ready to see more of this gorgeous country. As I've said before, I'm headed to ROME over Easter, which I know will be truly beautiful! Andddd drumroll please..... I booked another trip! I had a feeling I would ;]. I can't seem to get enough of this continent. So, the final trip will be to EDINBURGH YAYYY!!!! I am so excited for that, I have heard nothing but amazing things about it! I am going with Ellie, Brittany, Grace, and a few of their friends during the last few days of April. We found super cheap flight tickets and decided it was a opportunity that had to be seized! It's so amazing that I've been able to travel to incredibly beautiful places in the past two and a half months. Each day I wake up so thankful for each opportunity I have been blessed with. I am forever grateful for the way this journey has transformed my life. I realized that I did not post pictures from the past month on my last blog post, so I thought I would share some of my favorites now:

Em's first Irish Guinness!

 Hello Powerscourt!

 Birthday dinner with these lovelies!

 Such a BEAUTIFUL view of the Atlantic Coast

 The Amsterdam/ Belgium crew! So much fun!

 Decided to jump on a random statue in Brussels 

 Love these ladies!

 Center of Madrid!

 Retiro Park

 Warsaw Friends

 Lots of roomie love!

 The incredibly gorgeous Prague

Shout out to Vit and Patrik for being great tour guides!

Still finding joy in the ordinary!

Lots and lots of love!

Made it to the Halfway Point :/

(I have tried to write this post several times in the past two weeks, and since there was SO much happening in the past four weeks while I did not blog, I will try to keep it as short and sweet as possible while still writing about everything. So bear with me!)

HAPPY BELATED ST. PADDY'S DAY to you all! Hope it was spectacular. I was reminded SEVERAL times that weekend that it is indeed paddy and not patty. Could I tell you why that is the case? Nope. It just is, don't question it ;).  Okay anyway, I've had such an incredible past few weeks. I did survive my exams and was able to go to some amazing places. Since it's been so long, I have A LOT to update you on. First, my birthday! Seems like it was so long ago, but it's only been a couple of weeks! As I mentioned, one of my best friends from high school, Emily was here visiting from Madrid. I was so happy she came, we had such a blast!

She arrived on Friday, and so we basically ventured downtown with no real plans. We decided on the National Museum of Ireland. It's basically a bunch of animals that had been taxidermied. It was actually really cool, and we had a really fun time! I even found a Golden Eagle, how perfect! Afterwards, we went out to a few pubs (naturally) and came back because we were getting up early the next morning to go to POWERSCOURT with my friend Dani. Yes, that's right, I finally made it to Powerscourt. Third times a charm. Wow wow wow I am so glad I made it there, it is so gorgeous! We went on an absolutely perfect sunny day. My favorite part was the Japanese Gardens, so peaceful and beautiful. I swear I would live there if I could. But, it was on to more birthday festivities!

We took the bus back and struck up conversation with the sweetest woman, who recommended a pub for us to check out called The Merchant's Arch. I sad to say I didn't catch her name, but she was so lovely and was just one of the many amazing encounters I have had with the people here. There truly is no one like the Irish. When we arrived downtown, we took Emily for a walk around the always beautiful St. Stephen's Green and headed to dinner and drinks downtown! Had such an amazing birthday with these two lovely ladies! Thanks so much for making it great!

Sunday, Em and I were up BRIGHT and EARLY for our bus to Galway. Our cab came at 6:45 am so we were sure to make it to our 7:30 bus. We basically passed out on the bus and were greeted at the bus station by Peyton, a fellow DSHA grad and rugby player with Em. She could not have been sweeter, and let us crash on her couches for the night. We had such a great time exploring Galway, a place that is VERY near and dear to my sister Colleen's heart. She even made me walk to her old door to her apartment and take a picture in front of it for her viewing pleasure. Galway was such a lovely place!

Monday morning, Emily and I headed to the CLIFFS OF MOHER! Our tour guides were so nice and awesome! They took plenty of stops along the way for us to get out and explore some amazing views. I really appreciated that! The cliffs were absolutely incredibly, and I was once again surrounded by complete natural beauty. The only scary part was Emily wiping out about 4 feet from the edge of the cliff. She laughed it off, but those of us who saw it were pretty terrified for her. Pretty sure your good friend coming to visit you in Ireland and then dying by falling off the cliffs of moher would not be ideal. I would be the worst hostess ever. We had SUCH perfect weather too. The guides kept telling us how lucky we were to come on a day with such gorgeous weather. I remember coming to the cliffs with my family in 2005. At the time I was pretty convinced that the wind would indeed blow all of us off the edge. But I'm here to this day, so clearly no harm done. Emily headed out on Tuesday, and it was back to the reality of school for all of two days until SPRING BREAK.

Our first stop was AMSTERDAM which was completely amazing and perfect. I am honestly obsessed and know that I need to go back there at some point in my life. It was such a great place full of life. I was fortunate enough to go with my friend Brittany, her three roommates (Mechi, Ceci, Becky) and their friend Vero. We did a walking tour, had a canal tour, visited the Van Gogh museum, the Anne Frank House, Vondal Park, Dam Square, Zaanse Shans (a nearby city with gorgeous windmills), and so much more than I could have ever imagined. The weather was, for the most part, absolutely perfect. Honestly I could have sat by the side of the canal forever. It was such a perfect three days, I loved each minute.

Next stop on our trip was Belgium. We stayed in probably the nicest hostel to ever exist. It was perfect because we rented a 6 person room. So we had the room entirely to ourselves and it honestly felt like a hotel. The building had its own kitchen, sitting area, bar, and super helpful front desk. We travelled to Brugge, which was absolutely adorable. We walked all around the city, had a canal tour, and had a lovely time. We woke up the next day to spend it in Brussels. We did another walking tour, and spent time exploring the city until it was time for us to head back to Dublin for two nights before I was MADRID bound!

Couldn't believe it was only two weeks earlier that I had last seen Emily! As always, it was so nice to see her and be in Spain. I was so lucky to be able to stay with Em and her host family. They live on the top floor of a lovely apartment complex. The weather was absolutely perfect, a nice change from the typically rainy Dublin. The first night we went out to a tapas bar with two of Emily's roommates and I tried my first Spanish sangria. It was so much fun! The next day we walked around the Puerta del Sol and all around the city. We saw an Egyptian tomb that was transported from Egypt to Madrid. It was very cool. The following day we walked to Retiro Park, had a nice little picnic and rented a row boat on the pond. It was so perfect. Parks are my favorite places in the work. That night, we met up with my friend Kate, her roommate, and her friend at a restaurant. So nice to see them again! Also funny story: it was two nights before St. Patrick's day, and as I was ordering I was noticing these awesome hats all around the restaurant that said St. Patrick's Day 2014. I told the cashier that I loved the hats. He didn't really respond so I felt kind of awkward. He disappeared as I was counting up my money to pay, and he returned with one of the hats. He made my day! Small acts of kindness can make a big difference. The next morning, Em and I headed to a market in the city. It was a lot of fun, and I am now determined to find something similar in Dublin. Here's hoping. Eventually it was time to head to the airport. 

Landing in Dublin felt like coming home. Brittany said it best when we arrived home from Belgium, she said that it's so awesome that we can finally consider Dublin a place to come home to. And she's so right, I am truly obsessed with this city. Saying goodbye will be so incredibly difficult, but I know it's a place I will return to someday. Plus I was thrilled to be back for St. PADDY'S DAY! It was everything you could imagine it to be and more. The parade was absolutely HUGE. I've never seen the city so packed. Later that night, my friend Sam and I walked around Grafton street, rode a ferris wheel (yay!) and had a drink in a cute little restaurant called Bewley's. Eventually, it was time to head back because Ellie and I were POLAND AND PRAGUE bound the next day.

They were absolutely amazing. Our first stop was Warsaw. The woman running the front desk at our hostel could not have been nicer and recommended us some great places to try out on our first and only night in Warsaw. We headed out and met some awesome people. At our first stop, we met the sweetest old man who couldn't speak much English, but had the bartender translate for him. He kept calling us pretty girls, and came over to clink glasses with us. It was so sweet. At our next stop, we met three very nice guys. We just talked for hours until it was time to head back to our hostel. The next day we did a walking tour of Warsaw and the Uprising Museum. 

That night, we took an overnight bus to Krakow. It actually went better than I thought it would, seeing as though I rarely sleep on moving vehicles. But I was able to fall asleep, and we got to Krakow early in the morning. We made it to our hostel, and the front desk man was very nice and allowed us to check in early so we could get some sleep. We woke up later well-rested and ready to explore! We did a walking tour of Krakow and Schindler's Factory. Both were super cool. We met yet another really nice guy from France. His name was Jeff, and he was travelling around Europe. We ended up grabbing dinner with him that night too. Just another example of kind people we met in Poland. That night, we met a girl in our Hostel from Germany who was studying abroad in another area of Poland. We all went out and had a really nice time. I can't say enough about the people we've met. Definitely one of the top perks of studying abroad!

The next morning we woke up and headed to Auschwitz. There is not really much that I think I could write about our visit. When you think about the tragedies that occurred in the concentration camps, you obviously feel sad, pain, anger, etc. But actually visiting the camp itself is unlike anything you could adequately describe. It is definitely something that I am thankful that we did, yet is haunting. Thinking about it sends chills down my spine. If you ever get a chance to visit, I would recommend it, but I would definitely come prepared. That's all I can say about that, moving on.

Our visit to the camp ended around 3pm and our original plan was to stay in the town until our train ride at 11:45pm. However, we learned the day before that there really was nothing else to do in the town besides visit the camps. So we decided to take a bus back to Krakow for a few hours, pick up our things at the hostel, and return to the train station in Auschwitz later that night. When the train finally arrived, it was less than ideal. There were six of us shoved in a little room. Our legs barely fit and I could not get  comfortable for the longest time. Eventually, Ellie and I decided to check the other rooms and see if there were any empty ones. We finally found one, got our stuff, and passed out for a few hours. 

When we arrived in Prague, we were exhausted. We eventually made it to our hostel. Though our beds weren't ready yet, we were able to take showers and clean ourselves up before heading into the city.After another walking tour, Ellie and I spent the day with Vit, her friend she met in Ocean City, and his friend Patrik. We walked all over the city, had dinner, and explored more at night. It was such a perfect day with some great people. It is something that I will always cherish. The next morning, Ellie and I headed to find the John Lennon wall before it was time to go to the airport. Prague was so incredibly beautiful and one of my favorites thus far!

It was an incredible couple of weeks, and now I am trying to get back in the swing of things before my final exams. This week has been a little rough adjusting back into school (blahhh) but I am taking it a day at a time. Still looking forward to my school trip to Kerry in a week and then Rome over Easter with Emily and her roommate. Being here still doesn't seem real to me, but I am sure to embrace each day and remind myself how lucky I am to be here in this moment. Okay, phew! Finally made it through. Thanks for reading! I promise there won't be another gap this big again. Can't believe that I go home in less than two months, or the fact that I've been here for over two months. Time has never flown so fast in my LIFE. Okay, well I am off to enjoy my weekend! Hope everyone has a good one! I register for fall classes at Marquette next Tuesday, so cross your fingers that I get all my classes in without any complications! Happy almost April!!! Praying that the weather warms up for you guys one of these days! 

Much love!

The Oh So Dreaded Midterms and Turning 20!

Hello from Belgrove 9, Apartment 1! This is one of three places I have been in the last two weeks. I've either been here, at class, or in the library. After my trip to Cork I had this great plan of writing a little bit of my three papers a night so that it wouldn't be so overwhelming. Well, let's just say easier said than done. Since arriving, I really have not had to do much "homework" other than readings and a weekly one page reflection. So having to buckle down and write three full papers, equating to 5000 words and about 17 pages was extremely difficult. It took me much longer than usual to get focused. I have SO much to look forward to, one of my best friends Emily is coming this weekend to visit, spring break is right around the corner and I'll be off to indulge in all of the amazing cultures of various countries. So that's all that has been on my mind for the past two weeks! I am proud to say that I have completed 2 of my 3 papers and I am well on my way to finishing my third. Sometimes things don't always go according to plan and you have to be willing to roll with the punches. I've spent the past two nights staying up extremely late to finish these papers and although that was my plan for tonight, I had to give my brain a rest. I am still proud of what I was able to accomplish. So I am going to enjoy my weekend with Em! I turn 20 years old on Saturday. Why did that make my eyes well up? I think it's a bittersweet feeling for me. This will be the first time in all of my two decades that I won't see my family. I'm sure you college kids who go to school far away from home are used to that, but for me it will definitely be strange! 

Thinking about my 19th birthday makes me laugh. It was definitely one of my favorites. I remember thinking that 19 wasn't a big deal. I mean, you're already a legal adult, what does 19 signify? But my best friends were more excited than I was and it meant the world to me. I had class all morning and then my Mom picked me up to go out to lunch. We had a plan to go to Flat Top Grill, one of our favorite spots, only to learn that it CLOSED. So we settled for Applebees. To me, it didn't really matter where we ate, but that I got to spend another birthday with my Mama. After lunch, she dropped me back off at my dorm and I walked in the room to find my bed and half of the room completely decorated. It was the sweetest thing and put such a smile on my face. That night, a bunch of us got together to celebrate a conjoined birthday dinner, (HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO COLLEEN BAILEY!) and it was overall a wonderful night with some of my best friends. People worked hard to make sure my day was great and I just want to say thank you again for all who did that because it means more than you know!

So I have no DOUBT that 20 will be any less monumental. I couldn't be happier that Emily happens to be visiting me this weekend. I can't wait for all of the fun experiences we will have together. We decided a few weeks ago that we wanted to visit GALWAY this weekend too! Hear that, Colleen?! I will finally be making the trek to visit your old stomping grounds. Emily and I are SO excited! I have a lot to look forward to this year! So many adventures in different parts of the world, my brother's wedding this summer, my sister's college graduation (which unfortunately I can't come to because my exams are so late, but I have no doubt that we will celebrate when I come home!), and the list could go on and on. Around this time each year, I get very sentimental, thinking about all of the wonderful things I experienced during my past year as well as the things I will look forward to as I grow a year older. I laughed reading one of my apps called Timehop the other day. If you don't know what that is, it allows you to see what you posted, tweeted, wrote on social media, etc. exactly how ever many years ago. So the other day, exactly the to that day, I tweeted something like "hopefully I won't procrastinate as much at age 19 as I did at age 18 (but I probably will). And yes, I was right! But maybe a new decade of my life will change that? Wouldn't bet on that, but you never know ;]. 

So other than that, not a lot has been happening these past few weeks. My friend Kate was in town from Madrid and so I was able to meet up with her and her friends for a few hours, which was really nice! 

SHOUT OUT TO ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS, BERNADETTE, FOR BEING OFFERED AN RA POSITION FOR NEXT YEAR! I couldn't be happier for you! Though I'm sad we won't be bunk buddies, I know this is something you really wanted and worked so hard to get! I'm so proud of you! 

Congratulations to my cousin, Jennifer and her husband, Kale on the birth of little Aiden! Keeping you guys in my thoughts and prayers. He is so beautiful and I can't wait to meet him!

I'm currently unwinding with some blogging and some Gavin Degraw, so I'm basically in heaven. Have a bit of a headache but I'm betting that it's because I'm sleep deprived. Thursdays are wonderful because I don't start class until noon and I'm finished by 2 or 3. So I should probably get some sleep now if I want to fully indulge on my sleeping in opportunity! Hope everyone is having the best week! Despite a bit of rain, it has been so pleasant here. The shining sun and smell of fresh cut grass bring such a huge smile to my face. It's crazy how quickly the weather can impact your mood, but I am loving it so please keep it up, Dublin! Have to include this picture of a rainbow I took last friday because it was seriously GORGEOUS. Probably the most vivid rainbow I've ever seen in my life. Yes I did stop in the middle of the road to take this picture and made it clear to the locals that I was, in fact, a tourist. But you only live once right?

Alrighty folks, that's all for now! I am off to get some much needed sleep. Thanks for all the love this week, whether it was a facebook message, an email, whatever, it meant a lot. Hope everyone is having a wonderful end to February! Spring is SO close! That is definitely my favorite time of year. A week from today, I'll be in Amsterdam! Throughout spring break I will have one or two days of being home in Dublin before jetting off to my next destination, so I'll try to update you guys as much as possible! 

Lots of Love!