Growing Up Tag

Lately, I’ve come in contact with people of my past, with pictures of my past, and with random Facebook pokes from people of my past. Just like any other individual, I am drawn to the magnet that my past holds and it’s hard to break away. I remind myself that the past is there for a reason. So here’s a letter to the thing that keeps tapping me on the shoulder:   Dear Past, Let’s get things straight. I have started a whole new life since you and I haveRead More

Every summer growing up, I escaped to camp in the woods, where my world transformed into a sky of glitter, aromas of marshmallows, and sun-kissed days of carefree fun. Camp was the one time I could forget about the stresses of “reality;” where I looked forward to waking up at 7AM, where I could belt silly songs and dress in costume every day with a community of others who did the same. Most of all, camp was where I met some of my lifelong friends, because truly, nothing bonds peopleRead More

On June 6th, just less than a week away, The Fault in Our Stars film, based on the New York Times Bestselling novel by John Green,will be in theaters nationwide. Self-proclaimed ‘Fault-Fanatics’ are on the edge of their seats as the premiere draws closer, and director Green along with the cast have only contributed to the torturous, unceasing anticipation. Quite regularly, new trailers, promotional videos, and music videos from the soundtrack are released—only to remind us of how much we will sob once the movie hits screens. The trailer:  Read More

Every month ends and then a new month starts and soon enough it’s the month that ended starting all over again. Beginnings and ends mean moves and changes and hellos and goodbyes– some of them are accompanied by relief, some sadness, some panic, some sheer joy and others apathetic. The end of this month means I’ll be moving out of 4L – my Craigslist apartment. Over the past four months, this random gem of an apartment in Astoria has been graced by the presence of myself, the man who owns theRead More

As I walked into lecture today, to my surprise, I noticed that my professor, who is regarded so highly in the world of academia, decided to use Comic Sans on the lecture slides. Believe me, it took every ounce of self-control within me to not walk right out then and there. Professor, I respect you immensely as an intellect, and you are far more learned that I may ever be. However, let me tell you exactly why I can’t take you seriously with Comic Sans: Some may say Comic SansRead More

Today is my 24th birthday. What better way is there to celebrate than to make a listicle of all the important things I’ve learned in my 24 years on this planet? Without further ado, here are some of the key lessons I’ve learned thus far in life:   1. Not everyone finds offensive jokes funny. Some people find them offensive. 2. Never buy drinks at sporting events or concerts. Pocket shots and flasks are your wallet’s best friends. 3. Your parents actually have good advice, at least most of theRead More

No one really told us what adulthood would be like when it came time to face the music. If they did, maybe I envisioned it differently, or I just wasn’t paying attention because I was too busy dreaming about my Carrie Bradshaw closet. My friends will be the first to tell you that I believe aging is a gift and I love getting older, but at the same time, being an adult can be really annoying and lame too. But, in order to get where you want to be inRead More

Today, my mum spontaneously called an old friend of hers from elementary school. When I was younger, our family and her’s would get together every summer. She had a daughter named Heather, who was my childhood penpal and faraway best friend. We used to call each other princesses when we discovered we could never become royalty. As we sat in mountains of strawberry bubbles while our mothers struggled to bathe us, we plotted ways to annoy them for the next day. We wore more matching outfits than typical twins probablyRead More

The moment I turned 18, I threw myself a VIP-access, glitz and glamour, dance party extravaganza…because technically, I no longer had to call myself a teenager. I had finally emerged from adolescence alive. I felt like Batman because I had clawed my way out Bane’s inescapable pit. I wholeheartedly believed that the rest of my life was waiting with a bigger and better everything. I simply couldn’t wait to hop on a plane with my dream in my cardigan, and never look back. Simply being an adult empowers me toRead More

Summer is here! For the college crew, that means a three month vacation at your parents’ house. For the post-college crew, that means a few visits to your hometown. For both groups, that means bumping into old classmates. And no matter how well you once knew your high school peers, that can be awkward. Let’s face it, small talk is inherently uncomfortable, but if you’re trying to avoid a little bit of pain, steer clear of these questions:   What are you doing after graduation? Talk about a conversation buzzkill.Read More

I’m getting to the point of my life where I slowly think I have everything figured out. Every day I learn something new about my past or my present and I create mental lists of what to keep note of, what to never do again, or what to make sure I do next time. Since I am a hopeless romantic and a deep-thinker when it comes to life, here are 50 things I have learned:   1. Everybody turns out to be who they said they wouldn’t be 2. HighRead More

Three hundred and sixty-five days ago, I walked across the stage at Radio City, diploma in hand, gauze on my post-Senior Formal feet and mom in the audience. I said goodbye to sharing secrets, stories, and clothes with my closest girlfriends, Tuesday night drink specials, and the corner-deli guy. I said goodbye to all-nighters, gin buckets, and afternoon ragers. I said goodbye to friends, to family, to professors-turned mentors. I said goodbye to one home, and said hello again to another. I said goodbye to college and hello to home.Read More

This is a period of time many “experts” like to classify as “emerging adulthood.” It sounds more glorious than it actually is. Unfortunately, “well adjusted” is a label we like to give ourselves for a few years of happy delusion. As young adults, we still feel everything (those teen hormones still need a Xanax), but now, we’re forcing ourselves to deal with situations in a “grown-up” manner. The Kübler-Ross model describes the 5 steps of loss and grief to be denial, anger, bargaining, depression, then acceptance. But we’re young adults, soRead More

I think I finally understand how the Trix Rabbit feels. Earlier today I was peeling a mandarin orange–otherwise known as a Cutie–and I noticed a little sticker that read, “Cuties are for kids!” So, is that a requirement? Are some angry children going to run after me demanding I hand over the Cuties? I find myself asking the same questions that poor rabbit asked regarding his colorful bowl of Trix. Why can’t I have a Cutie? Why do only kids get to indulge in their juicy deliciousness? Little a$$holes, nobodyRead More

I have a curiosity for new experiences and adventures, an originality quest that lately has caused me to be reckless with my intentions and sloppy with my boundaries. The careful deliberateness I had cultivated evaporated somewhere between devirginizing  a twenty-six year old and my eighteenth bacon wrapped hot dog in a month span. Here are some lessons I have been privy to lately that I have realized you are never too old to learn:   1.  Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. This statement encompasses a range ofRead More