senioritis.

I thought high school "senioritis" was bad, but let me tell you straight... college senioritis is 3735735 times worse.  & it's not that I am anti-work, rather I am itching to get out & take what I've learned & turn it into something real.  It's a scary thought though... this REAL WORLD enigma.  Most would probably describe it as a love/hate relationship.  You see... we don't want to go, but we don't want to leave.  We are in a state of limbo, caught between the comfort we feel in our (most-likely) paid-for apartments, with our close-by friends, our Nike shorts & big t-shirt combo, our "free" guidance counselors, the proximity we have to "pizza by the slice" & Chipotle, our weekly allowances, our flexibility to do as we please & 24/5 libraries with a Starbucks!

But the real world isn't this comfortable.  There are bills, there are the numbers 9 & 5 that become awfully repetitive, there are real consequences, there are scary (Sigourney Weaver-esque from "Working Girl") bosses, there are new people... & lots of them, there's actual commitment & there's real rejection.

For me, I am in denial.  I am denying the fact that in a few short months I will be turning (or feeling *Shout out to T-Swift) 22, that I will be signing up for my final semester of college, that I will be graduating from the University of Florida with a real college degree, that I will (hopefully) be leaving Florida & starting a career.

Although I am ready & I have stretched my wings in preparation for my flight out of "The Swamp..." I am scared.  Everything I know is here.  It's so scary stepping out of my comfort zone.  I know I'm not the only one who feels that way, but sometimes it just feels like a #personalproblem.  (Yes... I did just hashtag on my blog. "NO RAGRETS").

Anyway... there are a couple things that I feel lucky enough to have as I reach my final months of childhood (& I say child because... let's be honest) & they are:
1. My Mom
2. My Dad

The parents... aka, the rocks.  I know no matter where I go & what I do my parents have my back & will be there for me.  I am so lucky to have them in my life, especially now as I take the biggest leap of all... REALITY.   

Thank you so much for being more than just motivators & figures of respect, but also my friend.  I love you both so much!

Now I just need to get past the "slowness, the procrastination, the... blah blah blah... too lazy to write it all... blah blah blah... apathy" symptoms of sEnIoRiTiS!

~ciao~

dance marathon.

So... 26.2 hours, $1,528,330.16, & 383537246253 smiles later, Dance Marathon at UF is complete & more successful than ever before!  It is exciting knowing that our student-run philanthropy is the biggest in the Southeastern United States!

I am so incredibly proud of everyone in their efforts to make this THE BEST Dance Marathon ever!   It took over a year to plan this huge event & hundreds of hours, but it truly showed through the smiles of the miracle children as well as the loving faces of every dancer, delegate, dancer buddy, staff member, captain, & overall that breathed, ate, & slept dance marathon all weekend.

I know the Children's Miracle Network will use that money for something great that will save thousands & thousands of kids in the near future!

I remember my Freshman year of college being force fed Dance Marathon in the Fall & thinking... Why is there so much hype about something 47647854 months away??  It took one glance inside the O'Connell center & the words of the Miracle Families for me to get it.

After being on staff as a freshman, a dancer as a sophomore, & on staff again this year, I can't get enough of such a great cause.  I loved making a small difference in an event that makes a huge mark on the medical world of Shands & the kids.
I already can't wait until my final DM next year (not that it's my last), but just to see how much more we improve & make strides toward saving more & more kids.  Just in my 3 short years here at UF, I have seen the total rise about $800,000, which is INCREDIBLE!  I love seeing the dedication students have to this event & the smiles they put on the kids' faces.  It is also nice to see students completely sober for an entire weekend, while tking time out of their busy schedules, & being 100% selfless for the sake of families & kids in need.  Not only did I see FTK shaved into peoples' heads, but I saw it in action.  This is REAL philanthropy y'all. 

So I would like to throw a special shoutout to my roommate, Rebecca (above in middle), Sami (below on left), & Nicole (not pictured) for rocking DM for their third year in a row!  78.6 hours of dancing & they are still looking good!  "Can't sit, won't sit," or should it be "can't sit, can't sit?"  That is the question.
     

Sami & Tarah rockin' the BYOS DM style!

BUT, I would like to throw out an even more special shoutout to the 6 Kappas who are 4 year dancers!  It is so impressive to dance just 1 time, but these rockstars didn't stop standing for a total of 104.8 hours!

I was also so happy to see the dedication of the dancer buddies/visitors.  No one can stay on their feet for 26.2 hours without a friendly, non-delirious face to get them through the hours.  But sisterly & true is maximized when that friend is willing to give foot massages for an hour to her sore-footed friends!  You go Glenn Coco, aka Sarah! You are a SUPER SISTER forever!

Last but not least,  I would like to mention that I plan on continuing my shirts!  If you follow this link: https://www.facebook.com/bringyourownshirt.byos.rachele you can find my Facebook page with all the shirts I have made for DM donations!  Please like my page, browse through the ones I have made so far, bring me a shirt, tell your friends, & love a style that is your own! (I have a small example (above) of Sami & Tarah wearing their DM-related shirts & loving them up!!)  I raised about $300 on the shirts alone this years & I can't stop, won't stop.  VISIT ME AT: "BYOS: Bring Your Own Shirt" y'all FTK!

-Ciao

uf bucket list.

Everyone constantly talks about bucket lists... you know, those 100 things you want to do before you die.  I know I have one, gathering dust somewhere in the notes of my phone, promising that I will go bungee jumping in Australia, & go paragliding, & learn to sail in the Caribbean, & getting married.  But in reality, how many of those will you actually complete (hopefully the marriage one at least!)?  Because in the words of Paul Giamatti from Saving Mr. Banks, "A leisurely stroll is a gift."  Life does not always offer those bucket list opportunities, so when you are given that time for "leisurely stroll," jump on it.  You will only regret the things you didn't do.  

When I think back to my general life motto & the name of my blog, "Living in the Moment," I wonder, why would I create a bucket list... It is such a futurist mindset?  & I think I've decided that bucket lists exist so we don't regret. 

& the last thing I want to regret is my time here at UF.  A bucket list does exist in the UF world... it is called the F-Book & it consists of the usual, going to a Gator game, taking a picture kissing the Bull Gator, & eating Krishna Lunch, BUT

what it forgets to include are those underrated moments...

1. Sunsets behind the stadium

2. Listening to Frozen & watching bubbles float by after running through campus
3. Skipping along the road like no one is watching... "because skipping is the new walking." --Kerry Leonard

4. Having heart-felt conversations & forgetting about finals
5. Taking leisurely strolls to look at how beautiful our campus is
6. Gator chomping live alligators

7. Exploring the wetlands
8. Eating at Pearl's BBQ (aka an awkward, yet delicious gas station in Micanopy) & probably gaining 7638637 pounds in one bite
9. Running through Paynes Prairie in the rain
10. Being a goofball with your roommates & becoming best friends with your randoms

11. Playing soccer or hide & go seek(?) in the apartment

12. Having wine nights
13. Ordering Midnight Cookies (always)
14. Having sleepovers even when your friend lives down the street
15. Watching When Harry Met Sally over & over again

16. Dancing down the aisles in Publix
17. Swimming at Ichetcknee Springs even when it's FREEZING!

18. Sleeping in the sun in Plaza of the Americas
19. Hoping you're not the one who tumbles Century Tower
20. & remembering that you aren't anywhere else.  Doesn't get much better than UF.

I don't think I will regret a thing post-2015. #UFbucketlist

-Ciao

bahama mamas.

Usually during Spring Break I hit the slopes in Colorado with my family, which is always super fun, but as promised, I come back pale & with dry skin, while everyone else is perfectly bronzed & sun kissed.  Not this year ladies & gentlemen... I decided to switch up my tactics a little bit & fall under the spell of the "college spring break."  A vacation to me has always been the opposite of that typical "paradise."  The snow is my happy place, but sometimes you just gotta bite the bullet & cruise with the rest of them.  So I jumped into Spring Break 2014 with a cruise to the Bahamas to become a "Bahama Mama!" 

So my roommates & I set out on an adventure to Miami to set sail on the Norwegian Sky for 4 glorious days with crystal clear oceans, white sand beaches, tropical drinks, & relaxing.  It's like that song... "I like sipping piña coladas... & getting caught in the Bahamas with 368357247254 other college students... blah blah blah... & getting caught in the rain." Those are the lyrics, right?  Well, if not all those things happened anyway.

Well anyway, this week was quite the experience.  Compared to my casual family Spring Breaks, this crazy cruise ship was crawling with college kids drowning the pain of failed midterms in $9 drinks at the bars.  I am not lying when I say the ship had about 90% college students & 10% families.  & boy did I feel bad for that minority group.  The American families were aware of the college cruise phenomenon enough to steer clear of the ships, but the foreign families just looked shell-shocked at all times.  I don't know what they were saying, but the facial expressions said it all.  It's like they have never seen American students fighting over college football while double fisting a beer in one hand & long island ice tea in the other.  Seriously though... 

On our first port of call was an island owned by the cruise line called Great Stirrup Cay, where we took a tender to the island & snorkeled in the water.  There was a ship wreck in the water for us to look at & we took sweet underwater pics with my Gopro.  The only thing that is rough about the Gopro is that you can't view any of the pictures you've taken so it is legitimate torture waiting to see what you captured.  Especially on a cruise since I didn't carry my laptop with me!  But when you do it's comparable to "The Hangover," except with laughs, because of the attractive angles taken with the fish eye lens.  Kerry understands...

So after spending the entire day in the sun & swimming & barely finishing A SINGLE piña colada (really I drank about half & Rebecca jumped in to save me from Spring Break embarrassment), we returned to the tender.  I know... I am pretty crazy.  

Anyway, it was one of the last tender's back to the ship so we got some of the rowdiest leftovers.  At this moment we learned that the 3 main colleges aboard the Norwegian Sky were UCF, FAU, & then the smallest third, UF (Go Gator), which is important because "Drunkie 1," an FAU Owl in the flesh, was stirring up some real fights with his negativity on this past Gator football season.  I forgot how well those Owls did... oh wait. They didn't...  The best part of this encounter was when "Drunkie 2," a UF Gator gal, pushed "Drunkie 1" to the ground & the boat roared with claps.  & this was just day 1. 

Señor Frogs.

I literally don't know how they do it... they drink all day, they drink all night, & I am the one taking naps & falling asleep before the 11:30 pm dance party on Deck 11.  Are they robots?

On day 2 we traveled to Nassau, where we walked around the city for a bit.  We walked up & down the main drag before making the trek to Fat Tuesday right on the beach.  I was all about drinking the Bellini flavored slushee that tasted like smiles & laying out with my favorite roommates.  

By this time, the college students have been drinking for almost 3 days straight.  Still standing, slightly comprehensive, no recollection.  I think I may have been doing Spring Break all wrong... that's okay though because I still had a blast. No rAgrets (not even just one letter?).  If you don't understand, watch "We are the Millers," than you might laugh. Maybe. 

Day 3 on Grand Bahama Island, our last port of call, was a great wrap up of the vacation.  We tanned on that windy day, climbed some trees, played with babies, got flashed, had blue tongues, & danced like no one was watching.  You may or may not have caught the "got flashed" portion of that sentence... everything I say is true.  For real.

Overall the week was a blast!  I am so glad that I succumbed to the cliché college adventure & that I have some great side kicks to keep me going.  A big shout out to my parents for funding my strides, Caitlin's & Michaela's parents for their driving generosity, & for Kerry's family for the welcoming stays! I hope everyone had a fun & safe #sb2014.   

        

-Ciao

13.1.

What a whirlwind! 10 months ago I signed up for a half marathon... but not just any half marathon, the Disney Princess Half Marathon!  At the time, just the act of signing up for it gave me the butterflies.

Let's start from the beginning: before October 2013, I could not even run more than 3 miles without giving up.  Not only did I not like running, but this Florida heat is just rough... I have always been pretty active though, through soccer, lacrosse, snowboarding, & hiking, but there is something different about running.  There is no ball you are chasing after, there are no lifts to carry you up the steep parts, and there is no team to help you in a bind.  It's just you, your sneakers, & a straight shot.

I used to hate running.  Ask any of my high school teammates or my coach... I literally complained every time the word "conditioning" or the dreaded, "everybody to the end line" came up during practice.  How could I run (or sprint really) for an entire 90 minute soccer game, but start panicking at the idea of a full-field suicide?

The answer isn't really clear, but once I started college & I didn't have soccer in my life 24/7, I resorted to my worst enemy.  What is that saying again?  Oh yeah... "keep your enemies closer."  Well my enemy became a companion freshman year to keep away the true threat, public enemy #1, the horrid "Freshman 15, or really 25."

I reluctantly ran to make sure I didn't pack on quite that many pounds & started enjoying it a bit more.  The key for me is that I need a friend to keep me going.  When it's just me, no one is there to make sure I keep moving.  & I may have mentioned before... my self control isn't all that strong when it comes to chocolate & running.  But over the course of my 3 years in Gainesville, I wouldn't say I became an avid runner, but a few times a week I ran a couple of miles & thought that I was a ninja.  I wasn't.    

Anyway, just about a year ago when all my friends trekked to Orlando for the Disney Princess Half-Marathon, I sat back in the comfort of my own apartment thinking, there is NO, I repeat NO way I could ever run that much... those people are nuts.  But I still stared as their pictures popped up on facebook with some sort of uncontrollable jealousy.  & pretty much the next day a half marathon appeared on my ever-increasing bucket list.

So now we are back to October 2013: I can't run more than 3 miles, the weather is still blazing, I am already scared about the half, & I need new sneakers, but I know since I have never truly run before that it is time to start training.  8 am wake ups was rough... sometimes I would even hope it was pouring when I woke up so I would have an excuse, but I had to get my body in motion.   

I would like to send a shoutout to my 3 running buddies that I acquired over the 6 months of training: Bizzy LaRue, Lauren Maginness, & Courtney Hughes.  I literally could not have woken up early 3+ times a week to run in the cold or have moved across the start line without you all.  You guys are thebomb.com!  Also, a thank you to my parents for coming up to Orlando to support me & hug me even when I am sweaty & disgusting!

So the race... it was AMAZING!  Although I didn't stop to appreciate all the princesses, villains, princes, & mouses along the way, I got to dance to "Frozen," give some Mickey Mouse high fives, run through the Magic Kingdom Castle, take a jumping picture coming out of the castle, eat some Gu, stare at some weird costumes, find my parents cheering me on in the dark, run 13.1 miles without stopping, wake up at 3 am, & cross the Disney Princess Half Marathon finish line all for the first time!  Everything was 100% worth it!    
       

It was probably one of the greatest experiences I have had & although I am still sore & my body is asking why... I am happy I did it!  What's amazing about the human body is that no matter how often you say "I can't," you can.  As I mentioned before, 6 months ago, 3 miles was a huge feat, but with just a little dedication & some practice, the body can change!  It is all mental.  Get that "I can't" garbage outta your head & replace it with some "I can" because I know you can!
   

So to sum it all up...  get out there & try something you never thought you could.  Thinking is a whole lot different that performing & I think your body will surprise you!

-Ciao

ftk.

As a Gator, there is one thing you know for sure about the Spring in the Swamp: DANCE MARATHON.  It may happen in the spring, but it is introduced in early fall & then practically force fed to you throughout the course of the school year.  As a freshman you're overwhelmed by whatever Dance Marathon (DM) is, but by the time April rolls around, you are practically singing FTK & breathing generosity.  At least that's what seemed to happen to me...

You kinda just get wrapped up in all the happiness that surrounds the event.  All the tabling, flyering, fundraising, time, & energy that is soaked up into this marathon weekend.  Individuals raise hundreds to thousands of dollars for his or her chance to stand for 26.2 hours for those who can't & to be a part of a life changing experience for children who visit Shands right here in Gainesville.

I mustache you to Dance!

Last year I decided that I wanted to dance for the opportunity... but I didn't just leave with the memories of another college notch on my belt, I left knowing I actually made a difference for kids.  Standing for 26.2 hours ain't easy by the way... it might have actually been one of the hardest experiences of my life.  I haven't run a marathon before, but 26.2 hours of no sleep, caffeine, or sitting may just be a fair challenge.  But it was worth it.   

Anyway, let me tell you a little bit about what Dance Marathon really is.  It is a 26.2 hour philanthropy that supports the the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN) nationally.  Shands Children's Hospital has been a part of CMN for almost 20 years & is the most successful student-run philanthropy in the Southeastern United States.  CMN helps kids all over the country have the life they deserve.  During DM, the "miracle children" tell their stories about how Shands Hospital & CMN saved their lives, giving them opportunities they never thought they would have.  UF students bend over backwards to make the "miracle children" feel loved & right at home in our Gator Nation all year long.  The families leave with both a healthier child & a larger, more extended family as well.  It is a truly eye-opening experience.  You just can't believe how strong people are when they seem so vulnerable & fragile.  It puts things into perspective.

Oh! & you might be asking what FTK means... FOR THE KIDS baby!
   


So... here's my proposal:  I will make you a Dance Marathon shirt for $8 if you provide me with the blank slate (aka the shirt... preferably in a light color so the design will show up).  Or if you live further away (i.e. it needs mailing/the purchase of a shirt by me) the price is $18 per shirt! You pick the design, I make you a shirt. Badda Bing Badda Boom.  Everyone is happy... especially the KIDS!

If you are interested in a shirt or just want to donate, you can follow this link to my personal donation page: http://floridadm.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1074420&supid=344031142 Being a part of DM, no matter how big or small, makes a huge difference for a small child! BE THAT DIFFERENCE!  Thank you!

Below I have a few examples of some of the shirts I've made if you are interested.  If you are... you know what to do!  (Walmart sells very cheap plain t-shirts if you were curious!)    

If you wanna talk business with me, feel free to get in contact

A big shout out to my models, Kerry Leonard, Katie Moore & Rebecca Coombs!

& on a cheesy note, I have awkwardly created a song for your singing pleasure.  I would have included an audio portion too, but I didn't think my beyond sub-par singing voice would be positive PR for my rad shirts! (*insert laugh here) 

[sing to the "Brady Bunch" theme song... or else]

Here's a story of a great fundraiser,

That's bringing in some very lovely funds.

All of them come from your heart, and your love.

Any amount saves tons. 

Here's a story of the very beginning,

When Dance Marathon was just a baby trend.

It was born to, help the kids get better.

But now it will never end.

Till one day when the C.M.N. met Shands

And they knew that it was much more than a chance,

That these two could somehow form a marathon.

That's the way we all made the Stance to Dance,

The Stance to Dance,

The Stance to Dance.

That's the way we all made the Stance to Dance.

Last year's DM total! First time breaking A MILLION at UF!

I hope you enjoyed this post & it put some thoughts of "giving" into your hearts! FTK!

& if you need a way to contact me, you can comment on this blog post & I will respond ASAP or send me a message via facebook!

If you like what you see here, please share this post with your friends :) 

http://floridadm.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1074420&supid=344031142

Ciao-

winter wonderland.

The view from our condo

Nothing says December like our classic family (minus Daniel, unfortunately) vacation to Snowmass in our little getaway on the mountainside.  Nestled in aspen trees & white, unadulterated snow, our mountain condo screams Christmastime.  I know what you're saying... Rachele, you're Jewish & in the words of my mom as a child, "I'm not a 'Chrisco' girl."  But in my defense, I am really Jew-"ISH."  Emphasis on the "ish" (in case if you were wondering).  Not only does Christmas run in blood on my dad's side, but it might just be my favorite holiday.  How can you resist?  It's just so happy!

And you know what makes it even happier?  1 word: Snowmass.  & I am predicting a rather white Christmas this year!   Yipee!

I have spent the last 15+ years of my life warming up to this cool place, which is now one of my homes.  Whether it's skiing down "Naked Lady" or "Sneaky's," or throwing snowballs at my dad, or sitting by the fire, snuggled up with a blanket & a new Dan Brown book, or drinking sachet after sachet of lemonade because it tastes so darn good here, or eating the fudge in Pitkin County Dry Goods, or taking selfies by the Maroon Bells, or building the annual snowman, or feeling the Christmas spirit in Aspen, or feeding that sneaky fox that roams the streets of Top of the Village, or walking into our favotite stores because it makes you feel so good, or listening to Amy Grant, or eating those amazing meals, or making cookies in the high-altitude kinda way, or dealing with every "worst part" of getting ready to endure a long day on the slopes (which in all reality are better than any best days anywhere else), Snowmass is 100% perfect every time.

One of my favorite parts of wintertime... especially here in Aspen, is getting to wear those adorable winter clothes!  It doesn't get much better than beautiful boots, crazy, warm socks, llama sweaters, & fun pants!  I don't know about you (no... I am not going to say "but I'm feeling 22"), but I love the feeling of loving what you're wearing.  When you feel confident in your outfit, you can feel confident in your day!

Florida doesn't provide that appropriate weather for winter attire.  I mean I think we all saw that ugly, ugly, ugly picture that was floating around on Facebook... & if you didn't, I have provided it here for you so you can gasp in it's ugliness.      

 
Yep... it's exactly what it looks like.  While the rest of the country is enjoying a change of season, Florida is melting, people are going to the beach, & winter clothes are out of the question!  The comment, "We hate you FL" I think is actually jealousy in the eyes of those subject to cold, but in my view (the right one), we hate Florida because there is absolutely no chance of cold in that radar.  Therefore, Colorado it is!

Anyway, what made this trip more interesting is when you randomly run into friends on the slope.  I mean 743645634 miles away in a tiny, slightly deserted resort, I run into a Kappa sister!  I love serendipity... what a "happy surprise!"

Anyway... there are still several days left of our wonderful vacation here & it's time to go out & enjoy last night's snowfall!  Powder... here I come!  Every snowboarder's dream! :)  

Ciao-
 

chapter 2: in a nutshell.

Right now I am in the second chapter of my life: college.

It is kind of a confusing chapter where, at least for me, you feel very unsure about the next step... aka chapter 3.  You're kind of "bopping around, not really sure which way's up" & getting smart, but really just going to classes & hoping for that positive letter grade at the end of the semester.  Chapter 2 mainly focuses on your future.  You don't want it to, & you suppress & deny it every day, but sadly, it's the ugly truth.  It's a long, hard road, but in between those readings & lectures there is always room for a good-ole-fashioned study break... 

THE LIFE OF THE AVERAGE CHAPTER 2:
-You wake up tired & uncertain what the day will bring
-You probably drink a cup of coffee (or 2)
-You check your grade on E-Learning... most likely frown because it wasn't quite high enough
-You listen to music on your walk to class
-You make it to class right on time & sit in your usual seat, probably middle-back
-You half-listen/half look at facebook/buzzfeed, while the professor instills knowledge into your already beyond capacity brain
-You take some notes, but mostly doodle
-You walk out confused & hungry
-You check your grade again to see if it changed
-You eat lunch & cram for the rest of the day with flashcards, StudyEdge, & packets, LOTS OF PACKETS
-You go to the library
-You stalk ISIS & read up on your teachers
-You stay at Club West until the neon lights burn your eyes & you start making friends with the janitor & the Starbucks staff
-You send some emails
-You laugh when you see 2 guys on a scooter on your walk home & it probably makes your day
-You eat dinner & stare at your textbook for a couple more hours hoping osmosis is real
-You look at the clock & don't know how you missed the last 12 hours that seemed to fly by
-You shower & fall asleep feeling like you forgot something
-You wash, rinse, & repeat 
-SOMETIMES you see friends & sometimes you see Midtown (but on occasion, lets be real)

THE NUTSHELL:
In life, parents always tell you, "It doesn't matter how you do as long as you try your hardest."  I can tell you with 99.67% certainty that I have been trying my hardest for almost 21 years & yes, sometimes it succeeds & sometimes it doesn't (but hey, that's life & it doesn't mean you are stupid!). 

What they forget to tell you is this: "sometimes even your hardest doesn't quite get you that 4.0 that your future seems to looks at."  But the thing is... your chapter 3 doesn't know you.  That piece of paper you hand your chapter 3, often called a resume, is just a list of things you've done & your grades.  But what your future doesn't know is your personality, what makes you so... you.  The truth is, your chapter 3 is missing out because you are pretty awesome & they don't even know that.
    
My very loving mother gave me some wise advise today, she said, "In two years, that bad grade you got on that one quiz in that silly international studies class your junior year is not going to matter."  & you know what?  She is 100% right.  It may seem like THE END OF THE WORLD today, but I promise you it won't change who you are or what you will truly become.  It is just a small hiccup in your amazing life. 

Now I'm NOT saying: "Congratulations!  All this work you do in college is stupid, so you should just quit while you're ahead & maybe possibly turn into Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg & make millions & millions by being a fantastic genius of an inventor."  Rather, I am just trying to tell you that you are more than your GPA; you are a unique individual with a personality & a bright future.  You are special in your own way.

Sometimes you have a rough day, like I did today, but you just have to remember that not only do you have people out there who love you, but that you can love yourself too.  Most of all, don't forget that your parents will ALWAYS love you & most definitely unconditionally.

The thing is... chapter 2 is more than just figuring yourself out & what you want to do with your chapter 3, it is about just experiencing life & becoming a well-rounded you.  If you read between the lines in chapter 2, you will see that the margins tell you to go out & enjoy the little things:  Make the effort to see friends when you have a spare minute or 2, go out to dinner because you can, talk to people who you have never met before, take a second & listen to Century Tower when the bells go off, get Mochi, fill out that F Book you get during orientation, eat Krishna, fall asleep in Plaza of the Americas, play Humas vs. Zombies, listen to that silly priest in Turlington because it's interesting, stop & stare at those weird blue trees, volunteer, meet someone at the French Fries, apply for EVERYTHING (but don't get too upset when you don't get it), & sit back & truly listen when someone talks to you without any distractions (i.e. no phone).

But really, take a second & breathe.  This is your life.  This is your present.  Your future can wait while you live your life.  You only get a chapter 2 once... Make it count.