Just Relax

Wow, and I thought high school went by fast. I can’t believe freshman year of college is basically over. I should’ve listened when people told me that April goes by as quickly as a blink of the eye.

This year was full of SO many new experiences and lessons. Your first year of college teaches you so many things about yourself. If I had to pick the most important lessen to me it would simply be to take some time and enjoy life and relax. As simple as it may seem, it’s definitely needed. From the homework, exams, weekly blogging, jobs, etc., before you know it, you will find yourself under a lot of pressure. That’s why it’s important to remember that sometimes you have to take some time off or a break to maintain your sanity. Though Penn State does a great with providing ways of “keeping your sanity”, I haven’t exactly taken advantage them this school year, unfortunately. But luckily this week I got to try something new.

I was sitting through another boring math lecture when my friend Sarah looks at me and whispers “OMG, there are animals at the creamery lawn!” I love animals and maybe I’d be a vet if there wasn’t so much math and science involved (which I’m so bad at). So, immediately I wanted to go but I still had another class left. I quickly debated skipping it but Sarah decided that we should both go to our next classes then meet up after. That’s exactly what we did.

The creamery had horses, pigs, chicken trivia, honey bees, a calf, free ice cream, and so much more! It was a quick and easy way just to have fun and admire the animals.

Earlier we had also notices that something was going on at Old Main lawn, so soon after we headed over there.

“Saved by the Bell Tower” was fun. From touring bell tower, riding the mechanic bull, playing with puppies (everyone’s favorite activity here), taking plenty of pictures, and eating free food it was a wonderful and stress-free afternoon. It was my first time going up in the bell tower. To finally see the view that everyone has been talking about was amazing. Looking out at the campus on a day that was finally warm made me appreciate Penn State even more. Overlooking the campus and its’ surroundings remind me of how grateful I am to have the opportunity to be here and learn.

Therefore, with this being my first time going to a mini Penn State carnival, I realized that it is important to always take time out of your day just to relax. Fortunately, for us Penn Stater’s this campus offers many opportunities to do so. From mini carnivals to movies to free performances, there’s always something to do to take your mind off the pressure for a few hours. Whether it’s just reading a book or walking through the Palmer Museum of Art, everyone should always take a few minutes for themselves before we all lose our minds.

Thanks for reading. J

Veggies are Friends and Food

Every day you wake up, you get ready, and then you’re on your way. If you’re anything like me, every day has to have its own schedule. On Monday’s, Tuesday’s, and Wednesday’s, I get up and come to English to start my days. On Tuesday’s and Thursday’s, I get up and start my days with work. As much as I need to keep myself on a schedule to be somewhat productive, distractions always seem to find me. Most times, the distractions do their jobs and get me right off track, but I decided this week would be different. Well, I know I can’t plan to keep distractions away. There’s nothing I can find to force me to pay attention. So, obviously I need to work on my self-discipline, but how do I do that? I figured that I’d start doing something that was manageable.

I’m not an athletic/gym person, so I wasn’t too excited to make a gym schedule. So, I kept thinking and an idea popped into my head. I’ve always wanted to try this but I never got around to it, probably because Chick-fil-a used to be one of my favorite places to eat, a number 3 with a sweet tea and honey roasted BBQ sauce, to be exact. But being at Penn State, I rarely have Chick-Fil-A, so that became nothing to miss. Therefore, I decided that now would be a perfect time to try being a vegetarian.

It’s only day 6 but I think it’s going well. I’ve never really been a fan of things such as ribs and steak but I never really noticed how much I ate chicken. I don’t miss it, at least not yet. I’m really enjoying finding new things to eat and different recipes. I’ve come across a lot of ideas that I want to try but living in a dorm and not really having my own kitchen makes it a struggle.

This week has been full of salads, fruit, and a few grilled cheeses. I’ve had a veggie club from McAllister’s and was really surprised as to how good it was. I’m thinking of trying tofu soon but I always hear bad things about it, lol. Other recipes that caught my eye would be:

Kale, White Bean, and Potato Stew

Zucchini Linguine with Fava Bean Pesto and Grilled Shrimp

Three Cheese Caprese Calzone (because I really love cheese)

I wonder how long this will last. I'm looking forward to summer and all the new recipes to make and try but I realize summer will also have tons of temptations. From family dinners to cookouts to vacations, I'm sure there will be common food such as hot dogs and hamburgers that will kill me to over look but I have to practice self-discipline. After all, it is a fun and creative way to do something different while practicing self-discipline. 

Through this lesson, I am learning that it's still fun to try new things. Creating a lifestyle change is difficult but rewarding. I'm excited to see how long this will last. 

Thanks for reading. :)