Tag: blogger

If we were having coffee – Back in the burbs

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Eek!!! Do I have some MAJOR life updates for everyone here. What better way to share these updates, than sitting down with an iced latte and chatting over a pastry or two. So, here’s what I’d share with all of you, if we were having coffee.

If we were having coffee I’d tell you I’m dating someone!!!! I’ve been with my boyfriend for over a year now (14 months this past Sunday) and we’re oh so happy. Maybe embarrassing but also maybe not (I’m opting for the latter since I’ve always been an independent girlie) but he’s my first serious boyfriend ever and first boyfriend since high school LOL

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I’ve moved back to the suburbs. My boyfriend owns a home in the suburbs of Chicago and despite how much I loved the city, I felt that my time there had come to a close. I love how much cheaper things are, not having to pay for parking, and not having to budget an additional 30 minutes of driving time for ‘just in case’ of traffic time lol. We moved in together on our one-year anniversary in May and while it’s definitely been an adjustment of getting used to living with someone (other than my sister), it’s been super fun to live with him. He fully fenced in the backyard so the doggies have room to play and run outside and honestly, one major life goal achieved. I remember moving into my very first apartment with Poppy in 2021 and wishing that one day my super sweet anxious girl would have a big backyard. We still walk daily but it’s nice that not only do they have 2000 or so square feet inside to run around and play but they have a whole backyard to sniff, run around in, and bask in the sun on warm summer days. I think they might like living here more than I do.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I finally did hit my goal weight (I hate that phrase). In the last 2 years I’ve lost a little over 120 pounds. I’ve been living in maintenance for the first time in my life (I’ve been trying to lose weight since I was 13) and it’s been the biggest adjustment of my life, not actively trying to lose weight. Now, I’m focusing on whole foods, lots of protein and lots of fiber, moving my body, and being balanced.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I have started doing yoga. I’ve always LOVED yoga and have been practicing since I took “Mind and Body” as a gym class in high school. In the past, I never let myself ‘take yoga seriously’ because there were people that were better than me and people who could do certain poses (crow, hand/headstands) that I couldn’t do and thought yoga was only for super advanced yogis. HOW IN THE HELL did I think they got to be super advanced yogis? Oh, that’s right, by practicing yoga.  Last month, my boyfriend and I went to a class that a coworker of ours teaches at and I fell in love with the studio. I went to 2 more classes at that studio and then bought an intro pack for the studio near my house and I’m hooked. It’s been less than 2 weeks and I’ve already been to seven classes and I can’t wait to go to more.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I finished my Med in May. I went to graduation in December and had 1 more credit hour to take this past spring and I’m officially done. BUT WAIT – I’m starting my MBA next month, per a recommendation of a number of my coworkers. I love my job and want to stay here for the long haul. I think an MBA will help me stay here, get promoted, and learn the ins and outs of business that I’ve never really known about.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I’m doing really really really well. I’m happy, physically, mentally, and emotionally doing well. I have been seeing my therapist weekly every week for the last almost 5 years (will be 5 years in October) and last year at some point suggested I’m doing well enough to only meet twice a week and I’m sure at some point soon we will probably only be meeting once per month. A lot of work by myself has been put into myself in the last five years and this is proof.

What would you share if we were having coffee?

❤ Alicia

Explore: Panama City, Panama

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My most recent international trip was to Panama City, Panama, last February. It was technically a work trip, but we explored so much of Panama in just five days. I was even able to get a glimpse of Carnaval, which has always been a dream of mine. If you’re headed to Panama City, here are my top 5 must-dos.

  • Try Geisha coffee – It’s the most expensive coffee in the world, and for good reason. It’s the best coffee I’ve ever had in my life. It can be found at a ton of different coffee shops in major parts of the city. Give any [or multiple] of them a try.
    • Portobelo – What is thought to have been named by Columbus because of the deep blue color of the sea, now hosts the ruins of a Spanish castle, beautiful beaches, mangroves, and the most stunning coral reefs I’ve ever seen. I had never been scuba diving before, but THIS WAS INCREDIBLE.  After spending the morning exploring the castle ruins, the town of Portobelo, etc., you can make your way over to Portobelo Beach to snorkel. Seeing the coral reefs and the many different tropical fish was truly a sight to see.
    • The Panama Canal – This is probably the biggest tourist area in the entire country, and for good reason. The Panama Canal was one of the highlights of my trip and one of the coolest things I have ever seen. Over 100 years ago, the Panama Canal was created, and to this day, it lets hundreds of boats and ships pass from one side of the country to the other. I stayed and watched the boats passing for over an hour before watching the Panama Canal movie that they show daily. The mechanisms by which the boats transport ships across the channels are insane, and I’m truly mind-blown that something of its kind exists.
      • Lago Gatún – Want to see pelicans, bats, monkeys, ships, cranes [metal, not aviary], and sloths? Lago Gatún is THE place to be. To get there, pass by ships coming or going from the Panama Canal, and get your binoculars ready to see some incredible flora and fauna. While I personally did not see a sloth [just one more reason to return], so many people do get the opportunity to see one, and honestly, the chance alone is worth the trip.
        • Plaza Herrera – This is what was described to me as the main plaza of “Downtown.” From Plaza Herrera, you can find numerous hotels, rooftop bars, coffee shops, handicraft stores, and much more. Every street you turn down is full of color, culture, and joy. I loved weaving my way in and out of stores, occasionally stopping to buy something in USD.

        Have you ever been to Panama? If not, interested in doing any of this?

        Alicia ❤

        Life Updates: Jobs, Grad School, Weight Loss, the future of this blog

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        Hi all. Happy Sunday  

        Typical Alicia, I haven’t posted for four months. I hope the end of 2023 and start of 2024 have been good for all of my readers. It’s insane to me that it’s already March. It’s been a whirlwind of a few months, and I have so much to share.

        I quit teaching! WAHOOOOOOO. I left teaching last year and am so happy I did. I got a job working from home [it’s hybrid, but I’m only in the office 3 days a month] at an industrial supply company in the suburbs in their tax department. I love my department and all of my coworkers, and I have made so many new friends! It’s such a breeze from this job, and working from home gives me so much more freedom that I didn’t have while teaching. It’s also crazy that I’m trusted to do my job and just have a check-in once a month with my supervisor and other than that, I get to do my job. I really like everything I’ve learned about taxes so far, and I’m excited to be making $20,000 more than I was while teaching and I’m excited to see where my future takes me, either at this company or somewhere else.

        I’m officially in my second semester of grad school. I’m soon to be 3 classes down and will finish this winter. I can’t wait to have an official graduation [I missed my undergrad graduation due to COVID] when I finish. I love my classes, and I think I want to get into instructional design or project management post-grad unless I decide I want to keep working with taxes for the rest of my career. Who knows? It’s also a plus that my company is paying for my entire tuition, which is a huge plus. I might even get my MBA after I finish this degree.

        I’ve got some travel plans! In a couple of weeks, I’m headed to LA to visit two of my best friends from college. In May, my sister and I are headed to Europe. We’re going to France, Luxemburg, and England. And in July, I’m headed to Guatemala for the wedding of a friend of mine! I’m glad to be back to traveling, especially since my last trip was over a year ago.

        My life has officially come full circle. My first ever blog [besides the summer bucket list blog I had with my best friend at the time in high school] was a weight loss blog. I would post daily about my food, weight, workouts, etc. I was DEEP in multiple eating disorders and really struggled with my food. In the past year, I’ve been losing weight again, in a much healthier way, and have lost 90 pounds! I’m about 30 pounds away from my goal weight and want to start sharing that part of my life here as well.

        So… what does the future of this blog entail? Well, in true Alicia fashion, a lot of things. I’ve never been able to pick a niche, which is why this blog is a lifestyle blog, not a book/fitness/travel blog. I’d like to share all that encapsulates my life, from fitness, travel, post-grad life, books, and more. Take your coat off, stay a while, and welcome to a cute little rebrand of LivingOffLeesh.

        Alicia ❤

        If we were having coffee

        Published on by AliciaLeave a comment

        Happy Fall. Happy October. Happy times of change! It’s been quite a year for me.

        If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I went to Panama! My life goal is to visit one new country a year, and this year’s country was Panama. I went in February with a group of teachers and EF tours. It was a 5-day trip that was jam-packed with everything Panama City and more had to offer and it was lovely. Panama is an incredible country, and I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to visit

        My friend Claire and I at the Panama Canal

        If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I went to Disney World for the first time in 13 or so years. My best friends and I all flew down to Orlando for my spring break and went to Disney. It was a crazy week, filled with sun up to sun down walking, riding rides, drinking, and eating around the world.

        My friends Grace, Jess, and I after a long day enjoying some milkshakes

        If we were having coffee, I would tell you that last semester, I taught a class on… COFFEE. At my school, we have a 3-hour class every other Wednesday that focuses on student interests. With the help of a student, we created a coffee class. We learned about different types of coffee, made coffee, tasted coffee, got to tour the Starbucks roastery and got to tour a smaller roastery. I got to visit some coffee shops in the city that I’d wanted to visit for years, and on my school’s dime! How fun!

        Inside the Starbucks Roastery of Chicago

        If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I moved! I moved to the city’s Southside [Pilsen] with my sister. She is still in college but stayed with me over the summer and will stay with me for breaks before moving in with me full-time once she graduates in May. I love my apartment, its sunlight, how I’ve laid it out, and my bedroom!! My whole life, I have always dreamed of living in one of those corner apartments with the cylindrical group of windows that just exude sunlight and ‘princess’ vibes. It gives off a reading nook, and I knew I had to live there when I first saw the apartment. The amount of sun that comes into my apartment completely removes the need for lights until it’s dark out, and the way I’ve designed my apartment makes me feel right at home [apartment tour coming soon 😉 ]

        If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I turned 26. Not only did I turn 26, but I also got the gift I’ve been wanting for my birthday for the past 13 years: an Edible Arrangement!!! Weird, I know, but it’s something I’ve always wanted.

        In all her glory :’)

        I got a second dog. In June, I saw a dog resembling Poppy, and I had to have him. Unfortunately, he was taken before I could meet him, but another dog was available. When I sat on the floor next to him, he put his head on my shoulder, and it was love at first touch. He had heartworm, so I knew I was in for a hell of a few months, but having already gone through that with Poppy made me 100% sure I could handle it. On June 24th, my sister, Poppy, and I drove home with our newest addition, Juniper. We’re not sure of his breed, but I think he has pitbull, beagle, and chihuahua in him. I will ask for a DNA kit for Christmas to get him tested because I was also sure about Poppy’s breed and then was 100% wrong. He just finished his heartworm treatment yesterday, so I officially have two healthy dogs. It’s definitely been an exciting ride, but I’m loving every second of it.

        Juniper on the left and Poppy on the right

        If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that the walking group I’m a part of is getting major buzz. I’ve been with this group for over a year, and we reached 50K followers on Instagram. Two weeks ago, I led our biggest walk with roughly 400 people!!!! It’s so fun to lead walks, and I love getting the chance to meet new people in this big city.

        If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I’m seeing my favorite band in the world on Sunday. Tomorrow morning, I am driving to Ohio to pick up my younger sister from school, and we are driving back here for The Band Camino’s concert. It’s tradition now, seeing as we went last year as well. I cannot wait to see them again, and I got VIP tickets, which means we get some merch and a 4-song acoustic set before the concert. I’M PUMPED.

        I have a few other things I would love to chat about, but just in case I have some gossipers, I need to keep them quiet for the time being. A lot has changed in my life in the past year, and since I haven’t shared ALL of the changes with people in my real life, I will keep SOME of the changes private with the people in my online life. I hope that will change soon, but enjoy some boundaries and a little mystery in your lives for now.

        Much much love,

        Alicia ❤

        100 books in 2022

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        I posted my Top 10 Books of 2022 the other day and went down a rabbit hole of book bloggers and got a lot of inspo. Rosie, who I’ve followed for years, posted her post, GoodReads Goal and it made me want to do the same thing.  I read 100 books last year and while sharing my top 10 is great, I want to share my rating for all my books. My friends say I’m pretty harsh with my GoodReads stars so keep that in mind 😉

        Five stars

        • Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
        • It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
        • The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
        • The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus
        • The Stranger by Albert Camus
        • The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie
        • For the Love of Friends by Sara Goodman Confino
        • Coraline by Neil Gaiman
        • The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
        • The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
        • Book Lovers by Emily Henry
        • People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
        • The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
        • Before the Coffee Gets Gold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
        • Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
        • A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
        • Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas
        • Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas
        • The Assassins Blade by Sarah J Maas
        • House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J Maas
        • A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas
        • A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas
        • A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas
        • I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
        • We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
        • Animal Farm by George Orwell
        • The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
        • Evidence of the Affair by Taylor Jenkins Reid
        • Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison
        • Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
        • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
        • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
        • The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
        • They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
        • The Brighter the Light by Mary Ellen Taylor
        • The Bee and the Fly: The Improbable Correspondence of Louisa May Alcott and Emily Dickinson by Lorraine Tosiello and Jane Cavolina
        • You, Me, and the Colors of Life by Noa C. Walker
        • Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner
        • The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner
        • Night by Elie Wiesel

        Four stars

        • The Next Person You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
        • Persuasion by Jane Austen
        • Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey
        • Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
        • Black Coffee by Agatha Christie
        • Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
        • Campos de Fresas by Jordi Sierra I Fabri
        • This Time Around by Tawna Fenske
        • The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
        • Life After Coffee by Virginia Franken
        • The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
        • The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
        • The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
        • A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
        • Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
        • Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas
        • Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J Maas
        • Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
        • Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
        • Crazy to Leave You by Marilyn Simon Rothstein
        • The Fifth Agreement by Miguel Ruiz
        • Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
        • Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
        • Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
        • When We let Go by Rochelle B. Weinstein
        • The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

        Three Stars

        • Emma by Jane Austen
        • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
        • The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
        • A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
        • Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
        • Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
        • The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irvine
        • The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis
        • Meet Me in Madrid by verity Lowell
        • A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J Maas
        • Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas
        • House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas
        • People I want to Punch in the Throat by Jen Mann
        • Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne
        • Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
        • Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery
        • Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
        • Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
        • Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
        • Canoeing in the Wilderness by Henry David Thoreau

        Two stars

        • Love Yourself First by Krystle Laughter
        • The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli

        One star

        • Life is Short and So is This Book by Peter Atkins
        • Como Agua Para Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
        • The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
        • Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis [DNF at 25% also my first ever DNF ever aka it was awful]
        • Tower of Dawn by Sarah J Maas

        After looking at my ratings like this, I am the opposite of harsh with my stars. But here are my 100 books for 2022. My goal for 2023 is 50 books. Ideally, I’d love another year of 100 but I’m starting small and then I can make changes as I hit smaller goals J

        How many books did you read in 2022? What’s your goal for 2023?

        Alicia 🙂

        BTS Series: A guide to move in

        Published on by Alicia2 Comments

        The first real day on campus. Hauling your entire life up a ton of stairs [maybe with the help of an elevator if you’re lucky]. You’re sweaty, tired, and moving as quickly as you can to get moving in finished up. While I can’t do anything about tired and sweaty, move-in doesn’t have to be miserable!

        Pack like items together

        My biggest flaw freshman year was throwing whatever square items together in boxes surrounded by smaller items to fill in the gaps. When I got to school, I unpacked these desk items, but the things to hold my desk items were three boxes deep and I had crap out in my room until I unpacked every single box. I know it may seem easy to throw it all together, but you’ll thank your past self on move-in day when everything is in its place [labeled even] move-in day won’t seem like a big deal at all.

        Coordinate move-in times with your roommate

        If your roommate is moving in at noon, don’t also move in at noon. Having a room filled with boxes of one person is a shit show, but two? Absolutely not. Ask your roommate what time they plan on heading over to school and plan accordingly by coming two hours before or after they are getting there. That way when the second roommate gets there, the first roommate’s things are set up, put away, and the other roommate can work on filling the room with their boxes.

        Get there early!

        Be the first roommate !! Be !! The !! first !! roommate !!!! Getting there early will save you so much time and effort! You get good parking, no lines, extra help from move-in crews [if you have them] plus you get all the hard stuff out of the way in the morning, have time to take a good nap and then work on organizing and making your room your own.

        Use those move-in bins!

        If your dorm is lucky enough to have move-in bins… use them! Whether or not you have an elevator these will help you, especially if your car is parked super far from your dorm. Instead of making tens of trips back to your car, with the help of these bins, you’’ make three trips max. Also, with only one bin, your parents can make the trips to and from the car while you get a head start on moving your stuff in. When your parents come back with trip two, give them empty containers you’re sending back home to clear out space in your room. Just remember to give them back when you’re done, there are hundreds of other new students in your dorm wanting to use them as well!

        Do the big things first

        Do you have things like shoe racks or futons to build? Build them first! Are your clothes taking up half of your dorm? Put them away first! Little things like shower caddies, bedding, and décor do take up a significant amount of space but they can spend the early part of your time for move-in on or under your bed. Do bigger things that might require your parents help and you can save those smaller and time-consuming tasks for once your parents are gone.

        I hope these tips help make your move-in day easy peasy!

        ❤ Alicia ❤

        Babysitting Update

        Published on by AliciaLeave a comment

        I know I just did a college update but combining them would have been super long so I split it into two different update posts.

        So, I mentioned earlier that I had acquired a babysitting job and that really was the only thing keeping me sane. It made me have to get out of bed, eat, shower, etc.

        I also mentioned hoe great the kids and family in general was. However, typically when babysitting, the kids should be the most difficult part of the job, not the parents. In my case, however, the parents are killing me. I have been at this job for 6 (?) weeks and I went from babysitter to maid in the blink of an eye.

        During my interview, the father told me I would have to make the girls’ bed, do their dishes, and sometimes help with laundry. It’s fine I do all of that at home and I have helped other families similarly. When I first started, the grandparents were in town from India and the grandma was helping a lot: making their bed occasion, cleaning up random items, etc. However, the day the grandparent left, my life became a living hell.

        The mom now expected me to vacuum and dust the girls room and the living room, weekly, do all of the girls’ laundry and then iron the girls’ clothes, clean their whole living space, and then some. I am only being paid $13 an hour and when you have to watch the kids, drive the kids to and from places, and be their personal bitch, that isn’t enough nor is there enough time in the 25 hours I am there per week to get everything done.

        The parents told me on my first day there that the girls were far too dependent on their parents and past babysitters so I needed to let them do things themselves. Because of this, I did let the girls do things on their own. However, the mom scolded me when I let the girls brush their teeth themselves, pick their own clothes, and choose their own snacks after school. WHAT

        To top it off, they got mad at me when I didn’t pick up their daughter on time. Reasonable, right? Wrong, the mother told me  that the bus would arrive at the stop at 1150 (early dismissal) and ended up arriving at the stop at 1130. Not my damn fault. Anyway, the dad got pissed at me for no reason so not only did I have to drive to her school to pick the kid up, but I also managed to get a lecture from the parents.

        In the end, I was tired of being asked too much, being scolded when I couldn’t complete all the tasks asked of me, and not being paid nearly enough for these things. Now, I will begin looking for another job. In the meantime you can catch me, doing no harm, but taking no shit as well.

        Until next time

        Alicia

        Society Told Me

        Published on by Alicia7 Comments

        Yesterday was World Mental Health Day. It has exploded on twitter and it makes me smile to know that there are so many people in this world who struggle with the same issues that I do. It also makes me smile knowing that there are so many people speaking out about their illnesses despite society constantly dehumanizing us for having them.

        Mental illnesses have always been something I struggled with. Although when I first started struggling I didn’t know they were called mental illnesses and I merely thought I was some emo freak who wanted to die for attention, because that’s what society told me.

        I can remember the first time I ever thought about killing myself in seventh grade and how I thought  would never be happy. I remember thinking that I belonged in an insane asylum which is why it showed up in every single one of my seventh grade art projects. I laughed it off but secretly thought I belonged in one, because that’s what society told me. I can remember the first night I self-harmed and how I had to cover my arms and legs and stomach at all costs in fear of someone calling me out for being a freak and ostracizing me, because that’s what society told them to do. I can remember defending one of my friends for cutting and saying she was just like us. Each of them told me I was “as crazy as her” for saying something like that, and they were afraid she would kill herself because of the cutting, because that’s what society told them, that everyone who cuts is emo and will kill themselves.

        Here I am, 7 years after I wanted to kill myself for the first time. I still do sometimes but I begin to realize that this feeling will pass and it won’t make anything better. I can remember the last time I ever self-harmed, a little bit over a year ago. I remember how happy I was when I was one-year self-harm free and how much I cried on that day because I never thought I would live to see that day.

        Today I want society to piss off. Mental illnesses are normal. 1 in 4 people have them. The stigma behind mental illnesses needs to stop. If I post this anywhere, ever, I guarantee most people will not even believe this is something I struggle from, because unlike what society tells you, people who live with mental illnesses can function in everyday society just like those without.

        The last thing anyone wants to hear is that it gets better, but the one thing everyone needs to hear is that you are not alone. I needed to hear that 7 seven years ago, I needed to hear that last night. World Mental Health Day exists for people who suffer from mental illnesses to know they are not alone. We may feel like it so often, but we aren’t. This day also exists so that we can end this stigma that accompanies mental illnesses. This stigma is the reason I waited 5 years to get help, the reason so many other wait that long or don’t get help at all. Society has dehumanized people with mental illnesses and this is our day, to show that we are humans and we are just as capable. Everyone fights their own battles, mine just take place inside of me.

        Quick College Update post

        Published on by AliciaLeave a comment

        Hi everyone. So, a couple posts ago, I mentioned that I had absolutely zero clue where i wanted to transfer to next fall. Well this is still the case, but I have a little bit more figured out.

        For starters, college. I have been looking into schools for about a month, picking ones with a variety of majors, extracurriculars and good financial aid packages. I had written a list of maybe 15 colleges down that had all of these. Upon further investigation, hearing from other students, etc, I have narrowed my list down to 7, and here’s why.

        1. DePaul University- Lincoln Park, Il: DePaul is a great school that is close to almost everything in Chicago. With a wide variety of extracurriculars. Sports, and majors, it’s basically perfect. The only con is that because of the proximity to my house, my parents are urging me to live at home while I attend. I get saving $15000 and potential loans in ideal, but at what cost?
        2. Ohio University- Athens, Ohio: This is newer on the list so I don’t have an insane amount of reasons why it’s there. The school is great, they have everything I need and more, plus  I Wouldn’t have to live at home…
        3. Xavier University- Cincinnati Ohio: Xavier is still high on my list because it was my second option for schooling the first time around. It’s a beautiful quaint campus with an impressive track record on all things academic. My only issue is it doesn’t have a huge variety of majors so if I want to switch (again) I may be out of luck.
        4. The University of Findlay- Findlay, Ohio: These last 4 are on the list because they have everything I need, some even more. I really want to attend one of the top 3, but if somehow that can’t happen, one of these four will be just as great.
        5. Otterbein University- Westerville, Ohio: These last 4 are on the list because they have everything I need, some even more. I really want to attend one of the top 3, but if somehow that can’t happen, one of these four will be just as great.
        6. Winona State University- Winona Minnesota: These last 4 are on the list because they have everything I need, some even more. I really want to attend one of the top 3, but if somehow that can’t happen, one of these four will be just as great.
        7. Clarke University- Dubuque Iowa: These last 4 are on the list because they have everything I need, some even more. I really want to attend one of the top 3, but if somehow that can’t happen, one of these four will be just as great.

        I have asked my dad to let me visit Xavier and University of Ohio soon so that I Can gauge if I want/still want to attend either. I have visited DePaul, however I have not taken an official tour. I want to do and get a bit more information to make a truly educated decision.

        Alicia

        Mental Illness Awareness Week

        Published on by AliciaLeave a comment

        Hi friends, this week was mental illness awareness week. Basically, having mental illnesses suck but we need to understand that 1 in 4 people struggle with them and that typically, these people can function in society just like people without.

        I always struggled with my mental illnesses since I was in middle school. Now, I am finally coming to terms with them and myself. It’s very unfortunate that I had to struggle with mental illnesses alone for such a long time. I do not want any of you, or anyone ever to have to go through something like this alone.

        Recently, I started following the instagram @wearyourlabel which is basically a clothing store that tells you it’s okay to not be okay. This instagram sells shirts with slogans such as “self care isn’t selfish,” “you are enough,” and “anxious but courageous.” I really like all of them and in order to prevent impulse buying each of them, I am holding off until I can narrow down until there is only one I am absolutely in love with.

        After I started following wear your label, another instagram account @buddyproject. Intrigued as to what the ‘buddy project’ was all about, I followed them back and took a look at their website. Basically the buddy project is a project started by Gabby Frost. Gabby’s mission was to pair people as buddies while raising awareness for mental illnesses.

        I really think that the buddy project is a great organization and kudos to Gabby for thinking about it. It’s very easy to sign up for a buddy. All you have to do is share you name, twitter handle, email, and share what a few interests are and bam! You’re signed up. I’m not sure how long it will take to get my buddy, but when I do find out, I’ll be sure to let you all know. I also recommend everyone suffering from mental illnesses or those wanting to be more aware of mental health in general, to take a look at either wear your label or buddy project.

        Have a great weekend and Always Remember to be Aware of Mental Illnesses. I didn’t write 2 essays and three speeches about them in college for nothing

        Alicia

        Fall Mixtape

        Published on by AliciaLeave a comment

        When I had one of my previous blogs, my friend and I decided to choose a summer song that was sort of our anthem for the summer. We used it in each of our youtube videos as background music and whenever it played on the radio, we were ecstatic. So, i have decided to make a fall playlist and why I chose each song. Also, this list is just such a jumble of random songs of many genres, they’re just songs I have been jamming to lately and want to share.

        1: Closer- Chainsmokers ft. Halsey

        Okay, so this is a jam and anyone who tells me otherwise is lying or needs their ears checked. This is a song that I dance around my house in my underwear to. Also, whenever this song comes on when I’m driving I turn the radio up super high and jam (mom if you’re reading this, I am still being safe even if I am using one of my arms to fist bump). I have listened to this song at least 100 times since they performed it on the MTV video awards in August. I also like it because I want a tattoo on my shoulder and they sing about one (lol).

        2: My Body- Young the Giant

        This is another jam of mine. I have sort of been a fan of this band for a couple of years but I recently started getting more into them and discovered this song, as well as many other amazing ones. This is another one of those jamming in your underwear songs.

        3: Sit Still, Look Pretty- Daya

        I’m all for independent women songs, especially in this era (all eras really) when it is instilled in women that they have to be at a man’s every beckon call. This is such a great song, mood uplifter, and empowering song to women everywhere. However, almost every song by Daya and Alessia Cara seem to have that effect. I’m also a fan because every time I have been in a car or it has come up on Spotify or whatever, every man always asks what HBIC means. It’s sort of funny because the notion a woman can be in charge leaves men and their masculinity in shambles.

        4: That’s My Girl- Fifth Harmony

        Another lady jam. Fifth Harmony has been quite the group of role models for young women everywhere who need to show anyone that they are independent and amazing and don’t need validation from anyone. This is their most recent single released off of their album and even though I wouldn’t consider myself a huge fan (harmonizer I think they call themselves), kudos to them for empowering women everywhere.

        5: Make You Miss Me- Sam Hunt

        Don’t judge me for liking Country music. My dad has literally lived on a farm and I was raised on it (the music not the farm). Also, I don’t care if you don’t appreciate my music taste. It’s a nice slow song that has a lot of meaning for him and is nice for car rides alone, aka me all the time because I have no friends (jk my drive to and from work but not jk about the no friends part)

        6: Cancer- Twenty One Pilots

        If any of you are/were My Chemical Romance fans, you may be familiar with the song Cancer. Twenty One Pilots recently covered it, and if I ever need a good cry or a moment to remember how fragile life is, I give it a listen. My grandma died of cancer in the fall and a playlist without a song dedicated to her, wouldn’t be complete.

        7: 1997- Saint Motel

        I love this song. I absolutely adore it. I am actually seeing them in concert in like 2 weeks and am PUMPED. Anyway, it’s an amazing song and I was also born in 1997 so bonus. It’s a bit of a slower song, not super slow, not super fast, but awesome nonetheless.

        8: This Town- Niall Horan

        Alrighty, I was (still am) always a HUGE One Direction fan, so last week Niall Horan shook my entire existence by releasing this song. I haven’t listened to it enough to memorize every word yet, but I am working on it. I miss the band, but I am super happy for each of the band members (except Zayn, RIP Zayn) that they are happy and living their lives during their break (?) or whatever they’re doing. No one really knows what is going on with that band anymore.

        9: From the Ground Up- Dan and Shay

        Another country song. Woot. This is such a cute song about family and love and other gross stuff. I have never aspired to have a family of my own but if I were to, I would want it to resemble the family that Dan and Shay sing about in the song.

        10: Cool Girl: Tove Lo

        I had planned on putting 13 songs on here but, as you can tell from my last 3 descriptions as to why they are featured on this playlist, they were lacking. It is almost 1 in the morning and I have to be up at 715. Hahahahahahahaha kill me. Anyway, this is a Cool Song (get it because the title is Cool Girl). Ok, enough exhaustion filled jokes. I really like this song and it is a jam and I go hard to it every time it comes on the radio, which of course, since all radio stations play the same 7 songs for weeks on end, has been a lot.

         

        Well, if this gets good feedback, I might make one for each season. Please Note that Winter’s will mainly consist of Christmas Carols with #1 being Mariah Carey’s iconic ‘All I Want for Christmas is You”

        Until next time,

        Alicia

         

         

        Addicted… to Social Media

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        Hello all. Today, I was browsing the snapchat discovery page and saw a girl gave up social media for a month and discussed her overall experience, pros, cons, etc. I have seen many people (not really.. Only about 5) give up social media and then write about their overall experience. What struck me in the article I read today, was that she discussed reasons why she went back on social media… No one, other than this one obviously, has discussed why they returned to social media, only the pros of giving it up. All of these people, including myself, did discuss why social media is controlling, frustrating,etc, but I realize I never mentioned, in depth, the reasons I didn’t bid adieu to social media forever. So, I figured I would give a few pros to social media, and revisit a few of the cons as well.

        Pro #1: Keeping up to date on what your friends/family are doing.

        I follow over 500 people on instagram, about 300 on twitter, have over 1000 facebook friends, and probably 150 or so snapchat amigos as well. Social media gives me the opportunity to keep track of what they’re doing with their lives. Obviously, I hear big events from people I am close with via text, phone call, or face to face encounter. However, random things, like cool concerts, adventures, and other random things that I may think are cool are not always brought up. While not everything I see or read on social media about people is life changing, I do like seeing when people I am close with, or even simple acquaintances are having a blast in their lives.

        Con #1: Political Posts

        These are the reasons I still don’t have the facebook app downloaded on my phone. POLITICAL POSTS. Yes, I post my own, almost everyone I know posts something political every once in awhile. A girl has blocked me for my liberal posts and when I see people who are so intolerant and unaware of the state of our country it makes me want to vomit. I totally understand that people have their own opinions, no matter how much sometimes they make me cringe, but being as ass to someone for their views isn’t something I’m too keen on. And when people have the audacity to bring their Donald Trump bullshit onto MY POST I draw the line right there and will drag them into the dark depths of republican hell… Hillary Clinton-ville.

        Pro #2: Memes/filters/fun

        You are lying to me if you say that putting on funny alien faces and having fireworks pop out of your face on snapchat isn’t funny. Despite the terrible Harambe incident, the memes are chuckle worthy. Whenever I go on social media I am bombarded with memes, stupid filters, and videos of funny people doing funny things. I could spend hours on vine looking at people talking about their croc tattoos, random dancing videos, and cats doing actions that hysterically correlate to songs. If I had to thank social media for one thing, it’s making me laugh until I am crying and my stomach hurts on a daily basis.

        Con #2: Take up time when could do something productive

        My favorite thing to do is going on twitter and seeing people tweeting about how much homework they have, or how many tests they have to study for. WHY ARE YOU TWEETING IT WHEN YOU COULD BE STUDYING? Maybe I should practice what I preach. Whenever I am trying to get out of doing work, I immediately grab my phone and press the twitter app. All of a sudden it is an hour later, and I have scrolled past countless tweets, videos, and photos and have yet to write that 5-page essay. Hmmmmm. It is nice to check a few times a day, but when there are more pressing issues, such as homework that can’t complete itself, social media can be quite the menace.

        Pro #3: Being independent of your phone

        My phone was always sort of a safety blanket for me. Any ‘awkward’ moment I found myself immersed in, I would immediately pick my phone up, like today when my avocados dropped out of my cart and I didn’t notice and had to wait for a lady to go “Miss, you dropped these!” from 50 feet away. I immediately thanked her and pulled my phone out, mindlessly scrolling through in order to forget the situation that had just occurred.

        Whether I would be walking to class, waiting for our professor, standing in line at the grocery store, any moment of silence I would pull my phone out. I still do that, less frequently, though. I don’t know if I’ll ever be 100% independent from my phone and comfortable enough to not pull out my phone in any awkward moment of my life, but I am starting to be more independent from it, and I don’t need it attached at my hip every second of the day anymore, which is a start.

        Con #3: Rude people

        I know this is a bit more popular when you have quite an instagram following, but cyber bullying is a real thing, even if there are quite a few people who seem to think it isn’t a pressing topic. I have personal experience on this and I know many other people do as well. Rude people are everywhere and it’s a shame that people hide behind computer screens to show hatred. I know you can go on private and block people blah blah blah, but if people really want to talk shit, as unfortunate as this is,  they will find a way.

         

        Ther you all have it. A social media review from both sides. Hope you all enjoyed this post and the fact that I’m getting back in the swing of things and posting more frequently.

        Until next time

        Alicia

        October 1st

        Published on by Alicia6 Comments

        Happy Halloween! well not really, but it is October 1st, so it basically is the same thing. If Christmas gets the entire month of December and half the month of November (Also i have already seen Christmas decorations and it was only September so Christmas sort of gets the last third of the year), So, Happy Halloween!

        That literally isn’t even what this post is about. October 1st is World Vegetarian Day, it was also VeganMania in Chicago, but I had to babysit for the entire duration of the event so I unfortunately couldn’t attend. I also missed a goat walk, so that was probably the worst part.

        Anyway, I have decided to go back on my journey through veganism over the past year and see what I’ve learned and how I’ve changed.

        I remember vividly, my first night of college, my roommate and I went to Chipotle. I ordered chicken on my burrito bowl and my roommate looked disgusted at me and said “Chicken? You know they kill them right?” And I sat there, unfazed, as I continued to spew my order to the guy behind the counter. And here I am, a year later, yelling at the man in the chicken commercial who brags that their chickens are organic and cage free.

        While I mentioned in one of my most recent posts that I had been a bad vegan, I have been. This journey has been long, grueling, however rewarding. I have no shame that for my first 18 years of my life, I lived on mac and cheese, grilled cheese, chocolate milk and bacon! Then my roommate has me watch forks over knives, cowspiracy, and other random videos about animal abuse.

        Then, I went full vegan. Something not many people do all at once. Most people I know go vegetarian first for a few years, and then if they’re feeling outrageous, they go vegan. I however, cut animal products cold turkey. It has been a struggle, a rewarding one but a struggle nonetheless. I really feel that I should have transitioned slower, and maybe I wouldn’t have ‘cheated.’ I didn’t, and am learning how difficult this is.

        I understand that this isn’t cheating, technically, because I am the one who is doing this. I am in this by myself for myself and for the animals.

        I have been trying my best to remember why it is that I started the transition to veganism. I am doing it for the animals. I am doing so that 100 less animals are killed every year, and that despite all of the animals killed and tortured, it won’t be because of me.

        Today, a year later, here I am, struggling but doing very well at it. I wouldn’t consider myself full vegan because I have slipped up a few times, but I am trying. Today, I am 30 pounds lighter, happier, crying whenever I see farm animals that were saved, and yelling at every chicken commercial I see. I really needed to write this post, for myself, to show how far I’ve come, and to shoe how far I need to go. I am doing well, but still have a long way to go.

        So, happy world vegetarian day. Go vegetarian. Then vegan!

        Alicia

        383:Algebra Teacher

        Published on by AliciaLeave a comment

        642 things to write about prompt: Write down everything you can remember about your algebra teacher

        Geoff Geltner. He let us call him Gee-off even though his name was pronounced Jeff.  2nd-hour algebra, right after gym. During the swim unit of gym, he would always ask my friends and I if we were given swirlies and we mirrored wet dogs.  Freshman year of highschool. Every day he donned far too large khakis of either brown, beige, or olive. On top he wore polo shirts and every Friday wore jeans and a blue and white t-shirt (Spirit day). It was his first year using the smart board. One day I remarked how poor his handwriting was on the board (jokingly) and then he made me use the smart board for the entire day. My handwriting was worse. He has 2 kids, a boy and a girl I think and he talked about them a lot. He never said the word shit. He used the phrase shiitake mushrooms instead. I didn’t know what a shiitake mushroom was then… I do now. He had glasses and brown hair and was always smiling. I don’t think I ever saw him upset about anything. He would run down the halls and we never really knew why. He still remembered me, and waved and said hello even in my senior year. He called my mom on the last day of school to tell her I was the 4th best student he had out of 100+ students. He loved the phrase “and it blew away like a fart in the wind.” He gave an award for the student with the most perfect pages (pages on a test with 0 mistakes). He told us it was a “Toyota” but he really meant “Toy yoda.” he was always kind and never wanted to embarrass students or make them do things they didn’t want to. We switched seats once a quarter and for the entire week after switching, he would look around the room at least 5 times before finding the student he was in need of. He was my favorite teacher I’ve ever had.

        Alicia

        P.S. I have run out of goodbye gifs and that’s sad but maybe I’ll start with quotes or some other garbage. Give me ideas. ty

        San Diego Power Outage 2016

        Published on by AliciaLeave a comment

        Good evening. I seem to have been a little unaware that I had no previous post written and in the queue for Thursday, and noticed Thursday night. I would say it won’t happen again, but we both know it will. I’m only human.

        The power is out on campus at the moment, and has been for the past 2 hours actually. Upon returning from retrieving some dinner for my roommate (the power went out whilst microwaving hers) and me attempting to use the backup lights in the hallways to get homework done, I figured I would blog.

        Electricity is truly something we take for granted. It is always working and always there for us, but suddenly gone in the blink of an eye. I never realized how truly dependent we are on electricity. I say as I type on my laptop, which has a mere 47% battery left and no word on when the power will be back on.

        After the power flickering on and off multiple times, and it not returning on after it had left the final time, my roommate and I peeked into the hallways to see that the backup hallways lights illuminated the otherwise dim building. Screams were heard outside of our building and inside as well. I heard many things but the most prevalent ones were “HOW WILL I CHARGE MY PHONE” and “I HAVE AN ESSAY DUE AT MIDNIGHT,” an essay that I will presume they have yet to even start or simply look at what it is on. This got me thinking.

        We use electricity for virtually everything. From cooking dinner, lighting our houses (or dorms) to using our phones and computers. The human race is ever so dependent on electricity. And the fact that people were more concerned with how they would charge their phones rather than “will my food in my fridge last until the morning” or how will I be able to get filtered water if the filter isn’t working properly.

        My roommate was livid. She’s from a decently wealthy background and couldn’t understand why this school, where she lives, isn’t equipped with the finest backup generators that California can provide. She couldn’t wait a mere 30 minutes to see if the power was back on before ordering about $20.00 worth of food from a vegan restaurant about 20 minutes away from campus. She had me accompany her to pick up her food, driving slowly enough so that her phone would charge above the 60% that she had upon leaving the dorm.

        Personally I didn’t care. Honestly, yeah it would be great if my phone was charged and I could bring it to the gym in the morning to listen to my music, however the gym does have a pretty decent playlist so not having my phone wouldn’t be the end of the world. Honestly my number one concern was whether or not the gym would have power in the morning and if the showers would have hot water, post gym trip. It seems as if I was the only one concerned with these things. Things to keep me clean, healthy, and safe. Rather than my roommate and many others who actually had the audacity to ask if we were able to use the elevators and if they were working or not. I live on the 4th floor of my building and the trek of 3 flights of stairs for one night will not kill you. I made that ‘journey’ multiple times every day. Thank you fitbit for motivating me to go 10 flights of stairs everyday.

        It’s funny too, how people were turning their laptops on, to see if the wifi was working, much to  their dismay, it wasn’t. So, instead of just being content with no electricity and technology for a few hours, they logged onto their iTunes accounts to watch whatever movie they had downloaded when they were younger or to see if they had something to watch on their phones, while turning low power mode on just in case the power wasn’t on in the next 3 hours.

        I do agree that electricity and technology have their benefits- weather, news, traffic, light, microwaves and fridges, etc. However, if I had to pinpoint the fall of humanity, the answer would also lie in technology. I’ll discuss that in another post.

        For now, based upon the light that just flickered on above my head, and the jumping and screaming for joy heard outside my window, the electricity crisis of 2016 has come to an end and the San Diego State community will finally be able to continue on with their lives just as if the power outage had never happened

        Talk to you all tomorrow (hopefully)
        Alicia

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