The New Year, The New Me.

10:58 AM Unknown 0 Comments

Every year I go through the same process once the New Year hits. I decide I am going to completely makeover my life, and I mean completely. In the past it has gone something a little similar to this:

"New Years resolutions, okay. Hmm. Well obviously I want to be in shape, yes very fit. I will look like a Victoria's Secret model! Okay so work-out. I will work out ALL the time. Oh! Also eat healthy, yes, of course! I can't work out without eating healthy too! Silly Audrey. You know what? Let's just cut out meat all together and be a vegetarian. You could SO be a vegetarian Audrey. Scratch that, we're going VEGAN. Oh yes, vegan. Easy-Peazy. What else? Oh money! Yes, I am going to save every single penny of mine. No more going out to eat, no more online shopping, no more movies, nothing. I am going to save every bit of my money and put it towards traveling around the world in 80 days, only staying in 5-star hotels. That'll be easy, all I have to do is just not spend money! What else should I do in the new year? Hmm, probably learn to surf, never be caught in an ugly outfit, read 100 books, become a yoga master, and blog like 3 times a day."

I'll let you figure out how this ends up for me on your own.

This year, I'm hoping to be different. I'm trying to avoid the silly, unrealistic expectations. I've been spending time thinking of careful goals I have for 2015. With goals that reach too far and with unrealistic outcomes, it seems to just be setting myself up for failure. I really want to test myself this year though and see how long I can continue with these resolutions. Or perhaps, how long until these "resolutions" just become my lifestyle.

The first draft of my list of resolutions was quite long and it took a few edits for me to narrow it down to a short list of 2 items. So without further ado, here are my New Years resolutions for 2015.

1) Promote a healthier lifestyle.
It's a broad resolution, but my goals within it seem reasonable to me. I don't have a goal to lose a certain amount of pounds, to gain a certain amount of muscle, to be able to bench a certain weight, etc. I just want to take advantage of the fitness center at the U and just not indulge in every single one of my cravings. Any progress is a reward to me, really. And if I had to pick an ultimate goal for this, what I did was pick out a nice swimsuit I have been wanting for the longest time and once I feel confident to wear it, then I'll treat myself to it. How typical of me, my motivation is new material goods.

2) Exercise my brain more.
I've been a bit pathetic when it comes to blogging lately, not posting nearly as much as I hope to. So in the new year, I hope to write more, as well as possibly expanded my horizons when it comes to blogging and incorporate new ideas and segments into it. For example, possibly finally include some fashion and OOTDs, which I've always wanted to. I do also have some ideas in store starting in the New Year that I am very excited to share with you all! In addition to blogging, I want to finally dive into the large pile of books I've been adding to over the past six months. Rather than thinking of it as "reading more," I'd like to think of it as tidying up my books, so I can finally put them away. Lastly, I want to get more crafty. For the past 2 weeks, I've been all over Pinterest and Youtube learning how to croquet, cross stitch, embroider, etc. Since I've confirmed that I am a 70 year old in a 19 year olds body, this one doesn't come to surprise to me at all.

Well, that was the easy part. Now the hard part: sticking with it. I've been tempted to start today even just so it doesn't feel like as drastic of a change once the new year actually comes. I'm excited for what 2015 is going to bring for me, and what I can bring to it. I'm crossing my fingers and I ask you all to cross your fingers with me!

Cheers to the New Year!

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2014 Recap

10:58 AM Unknown 0 Comments

When I first thought about 2014, I thought it seemed uneventful to me because nothing really STOOD out. All it took though, was a look at photos taken in the past year to realize how good of a year 2014 was for me. The year was full of endings and new beginnings. Chapters closing and chapters opening. Developing as a person and really becoming an individual. Heck, if I were to guess 365 days ago where I would be in a year, I would have never guessed that I would be going to the University of Minnesota, moving in with some of my best friends, while missing my other best friends on the other side of the country. But enough of that, perhaps I shall some photo memories of what 2014 was like for me.

In 2014, I .....


  • Graduated from high school





  • Went to Florida with high school friends for an unforgettable Spring Break


  • Received 3rd place at State for Synchronized Swimming for mine and my teammates Trio

  • Did this


  • Had one last Hurrah with my high school friends

  • Moved to Arizona to attend Arizona State University


  • Watched Germany win the World Cup 

  • Met these two girls who would soon become my best friends (and went to a One Direction concert with them)

  • Visited Paige in Flagstaff 

  • Followed by going home with Drew and going to Disneyland for the first time


  • Said goodbye to some friends



  • And hello to other friends 



Overall, the year was pretty incredible. I wouldn't change it for the world. So thank you to 2014, and a giant welcome to 2015!







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New, New Beginnings.

1:18 PM Unknown 0 Comments

I’ve been really thinking about how to write this post for the longest time now. I’ve written and rewritten this about thirty times when I finally realized, I don’t need to go into details. In fact, I don’t really want to go into details that much. It’s a complex situation that I’ve spent the past three months processing and really think. That being said, better to rip it off as a bandaid, right
I will be transferring to the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities next semester.
It wasn’t an easy decision to make, that was for sure. And there are multiple reasons behind why I have made this decision, but I won’t bore you with the details. In a short story, ASU didn’t seem to be the right fit for me. As great as a university it is, including the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications, it just isn’t the school for me. I had a hard time making the decision to switch because of the strong friendships I had made while attending the school, friendships that I only dreamed of making before going to school. But at the end of the day, I needed to really decide what was best for me. I started dealing with your average freshman year crisis of “Is this really the major I want to be going into? I don’t think I like this major. Do I like this major? Maybe I do, I don’t know. What do I really want to do with my life? What if I choose a major and graduate and regret it?” Oh yes, it was not pretty.
On another note, I am so overwhelmingly excited to be a Gopher, which I secretly had always wanted, but I knew I wanted to get a feel of what else was out there. I do not regret any part about going out to Arizona and being a Sun Devil, I am so glad that I did it. I can see why all of my friends love it there and I am gutted that I don’t really feel the same way. But yes, I am still planning on “bleeding” maroon and gold, and I have already learned the Minnesota Fight song as well as made an entire Pinterest board dedicated to the U of M, so I guess that means I’m excited, right?
As for the friendships and memories I’ve made at ASU, I’m not worried at all. There are plenty of cliches out there for people like us, and I have a feeling they’ll be hearing from me and seeing me frequently enough where they will get sick of me!
I just had to listen to my gut and heart on this one. And I’ve learned a lot about myself in this process. So I guess what I’m asking is: Will you take me back, Minnesota? At least for college?

Here’s to New, New Beginnings.

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