Mid-Year Resolutions

Just because it’s not January 1 doesn’t mean that you can’t stop, take stock, and evaluate how this year is going. Since I’ve been gone so long, I feel like I have a clean slate to start on when I land back in the U.S. next month. With that in mind, I’ve been trying to think about what sort of mid-year resolutions will help me be happier and healthier in the second half of 2014. Here’s a few that I came up with:

1.    Think positively.

It’s really easy to get bogged down by the little things. Especially with finals and my summer job search, it seems like things grow astronomically out of proportion and leave me feeling really discouraged. I’m working on being more positive about those things and recognizing that, “it’s a bad day, not a bad life” is a great mantra for getting past the little annoyances or setbacks.

2.    Drink more water.

As anyone who knows me can attest, I am the absolute queen of coffee (iced, with milk and sugar, please). I’ve noticed that being in London has left me constantly dehydrated. It’s super important to drink plenty of water every day to keep your whole body healthy and I know I don’t drink enough of it. I’m planning on buying myself a new water bottle when I get home to help encourage me to do better about drinking more.

3.    It’s the small things that matter most

This semester I’ve tried to do more small things for the people I love. I sent a classmate’s five-year-old son a postcard to brighten his day (who doesn’t love getting snail mail? I know I do!) I sent my brother and sister Oxford University tee-shirts as a surprise gift when I realized how much I missed them. I try to send my parents emails with articles or links to things I think they would enjoy. I brought my boyfriend lunch as a treat when I knew he was hard at work studying. It doesn’t take much time, it helps other people know you love them, and it makes you feel better about yourself!

4.    Step away from the screen

One of the things I’ve noticed since I got my new iPhone for Christmas is that I have trouble stepping away from technology. I used to be frustrated when I would go out with friends and everyone would automatically pull out their phones at the table. It took my boyfriend being frustrated with my constant phone use (so hard when I’m away from family!) to make me realize I’d starting doing the very thing that used to drive me crazy. With so many social media platforms and iMessage promising constant contact, it’s hard to disengage and really focus on spending time with people. So one thing I’m going to challenge myself to do is mute my phone when I’m out with friends and limit myself to checking it once or twice.

5.    Treat yourself

With so many things going on all the time, it’s easy to forget to take care of yourself. I find that as the semester goes on, my focus and priorities shift and I sometimes overlook giving myself a little TLC. I don’t mean splurging on a huge shopping spree or a big vacation, but just little things that make you feel like a million bucks. For me, this is taking the time to go on a long run, get a pedicure, or just spend an hour reading a good novel instead of a big, heavy casebook.

If you had to evaluate how you’ve done on your New Year’s Resolutions, would you deem them a success, or join me in re-evaluating and making Mid-Year Resolutions?

Warm(er) Wishes

The weather in London this week appears to have taken a turn for the stereotypical – grey skies, clouds, drizzle. It’s been a bit of a blessing in disguise, however, since it’s finals week and I have more than enough to keep me busy indoors. What it’s got me thinking about is how excited I am to go home where it’s already summer-y weather. There have only been a handful of days here that were warm enough to go without a jacket, let one sport a pair of shorts! I’m excited to go shopping for summer clothes and break out sandals again. Here are a few of things I’m excited about for warm(er) weather!

I ordered these Jack Rogers sandals back in March, and I couldn't be more excited to get home and open the box! I have a few other pairs of Jacks, but I think this raffia pair are the perfect summery neutral that I'll be able to wear with everything.

After months of a nearly endless sea of black, I'm excited to wear colors without sticking out. This Pim and Larkin top from Piperlime is so cute (and on sale!)

I bought the retail version of this J.Crew Factory chambray dress last year, and wore it all the time! It's the perfect layering dress with tights, boots, and a sweater. For warmer weather, I like to roll up the sleeves and throw on a pair of Jack Rogers for an easy farmers market/errand outfit.

I bought these Lilly Pulitzer seersucker Buttercup shorts two years ago and loved them so much I also bought them in a toile print. They're a great alternative to traditional plain shorts- the scalloped edge just makes them so much more fun to wear!

What are you excited to wear when warmer weather comes?

Sundowner Thames Cruise

Last night was the official wrap up of my term here in London. Our program sponsored a Sundowner boat cruise on the Thames for all of us to spend a few hours together before the onslaught of finals. Even though it’s a pretty touristy thing to do, it was absolutely the perfect end to the semester. Unfortunately, what has been weeks of lovely weather turned traditional London the night before, so we arrived at Westminster pier in the midst of a heavy drizzle. However, by the time we boarded the boat and I was handed my glass of champagne, the drizzle had stopped and I was able to go to the top deck and take some pictures of London monuments and the skyline with my classmates. Between the humidity and the fog, neither my hair nor the pictures fared very well, but the cruise itself was a cant-be-missed experience!

 

Make a List and Check it Twice

With the semester ending, more and more things are popping up that just have to get done. As hard as it is not to procrastinate in day-to-day life at home, living in London makes it even harder. Since there are infinitely more distractions here, it’s become more important for me to make sure I have my priorities in line and my to-do list straightened out.

            I’m a pen-and-paper sort of girl. As neat as it was to discover the ‘Tasks’ list built in on my computer, clicking the check box just isn’t nearly as satisfying for me as taking a marker through items on a paper list. But regardless of whether you’re an online on on-paper sort of person, making sure you clearly understand what you need to do is tantamount to actually getting it done. As the semester wraps up in the next week, I have two big exams and a 25-page mock Supreme Court opinion due. I also have to finalize my plans for this summer after I fly home and check back in with my job on campus. All of these things individually aren’t a big deal, but together they represent a big portion of my time over the next week.

            The best way to keep all these things straight is to simply put them all in one place. I keep a running list and enthusiastically scratch things off when they’re finished (goodbye, British Legal Systems paper!) The task doesn’t have to be a chore with these fun, to-do list options. I especially love the ‘Hustle’ one. As the description says, “There's no better way to power through your to do list than hustling in hot pink.”

Knock Knock To-Do Notepad, here

Knock Knock 'This Week' Notepad, here

'Good Minions are Hard to Find' on Etsy, here

Design Darling 'Hustle' notepad, here

Honesty (really is) the Best Policy

         Today I realized that it’s just two short weeks until I move home from London. I moved here in January for the school term with much trepidation, and way too many pairs of shoes. I had never (with one, five-week long exception) left home before and was so nervous and sad to leave my family. I tried really hard to hold it together until I made it through security and then sobbed at the gate until my flight boarded. May just felt so far away.

Fast forward four months and it seems like the time has flown by. Over the term, I’ve been presented with a lot of opportunities as well as a lot of challenges that I simply would not have had if I’d stayed at home. I’ve had to handle (good, bad, and ugly) living with roommates for the first time since freshman year of college. I’ve had the delightfully stressful challenge of navigating five countries and countless languages over my two-week Spring Break. I’ve learned to navigate the Tube (I’m now proficient enough to give directions in French!) and that y’all is not a recognized pronoun in all parts of the world.

More than public transportation and the lingo, I’ve learned a lot about myself and dealing with other people. I’m someone who hates confrontation; I genuinely loathe having to go to someone and have an uncomfortable conversation, even about the smallest things. But I’ve learned that it’s never as uncomfortable as pushing down how you feel about the situation. I don’t always get along with my roommates- I sometimes wish they wouldn’t leave the door open or would wash their dishes so I don’t have to do them when I want to eat – but it’s taught me that it’s easier to ask someone to wash something out than to be frustrated when I don’t have a clean plate to use. It may be uncomfortable or awkward at first, but having an open and honest conversation with someone goes a long way towards building a better relationship with him or her, and having more respect for yourself.