Rewind…Fast Forward… Now What…

REWIND:

About 7 years ago I graduated from high school with the plan to never attend college. At 18 I was over education and thought I was invisible.  6 months later I was bored with my everyday life and had a random desire to head back to school. So with that I enrolled myself in community college and started taking the basic math and english courses.  Add another year and I was transferring to a community college in California and narrowing down my ideas for a major. Add 6 months and I had decided on a Business degree. Another year later I was changing my degree focus to Marketing and 6 months later changing it to Communication.  Insert one year and its 2011 and I’ve finished the course work for 3 Associates Degrees and am being told its time I transferred to a State or University school to achieve my bachelors degree. Fall 2012 arrives and I’m sitting in a classroom at San Francisco State University pursuing my communication degree.

FAST FORWARD:

It’s May 8th 2014, I have exactly three more days of school left to attend, and one final exam to take before I graduate from San Francisco State University. With a degree in the Study of Communication. I am stressed and anxious. My senioritis has hit in full force. My attention is lost. My drive for education seems to have dissipated. I just want it to be over. The end is so near but it seems so far away.

Well NOW what:

It’s the same question day in and day out. Everyone I talk to wants to know what my plans are for after graduation. Well at this point my plans are to celebrate. That’s right. I’m going to rejoice in the fact that after 7 years I have completed and achieved 3 Associates and 1 Bachelors degrees. I have worked my ass off in doing so.  I have struggled through 40+ hour work weeks, alongside 16 hours of school in those weeks, and endless amounts of homework.  I have sacrificed relationships, jobs, friendship, experiences, and my life for my education. I have racked a serious amount of student debt, I have lost focus on my health and body image.  But most of all:

I have GAINED! I have GROWN! I have LEARNED!

I’ve had different experiences, relationships, jobs, friendships and a different life. With all that I have sacrificed, I have gained. I have grown. I have learned. And it is with that, that I can now celebrate. I can celebrate the last 7 years. I can celebrate the struggles, the joy, the fear, the pain, the love, the old, the new, the experiences, the knowledge, the growth, the understanding.

I can celebrate ME!

I wouldn’t be the women, person, figure, image, imagination, child, sister, daughter, friend, enemy, lover, hater, that I am today.  I would be that same high school graduate that I was. That girl I look back at and shake my head at.  That girl who had crazy dreams. That girl who was lost in her own world. That girl that I didn’t want to be for the rest of my life.

SO YA: 

To answer everyone and anyone. I am going to celebrate my accomplishments. I am going to celebrate who I am, what I have learned, my experiences, the person I have become.

I am going to celebrate CHRISTINA!

 

 

101 in 1001 // Update

Christy’s 101 things in 1001 days Update: 

Anything in BOLD RED is something I have completed, Italicized Neon Green is what I am working on currently. I’m moving along quite well on this list and I plan on knocking out quite a few more of the “what I’m working on ones” as well as a few others like going snowboarding, etc. 

1. Inspire someone else to do the 101 list – Yelena over at the blog “The Twenty-Something” check out her list 
2. Create a savings account – (created savings account on Jan 2nd)
3. Apply for a passport – filled out the paper work – just need to schedule and appointment and file 
4. Pay off all my CC debt – putting money away from tips daily to put towards CC debt – March 1st 2014 is goal!
5. Travel outside the country
6. Graduate from SFSU  – (should graduate Spring 2014)
7. Get a big girl job
8. Take the LSAT  – Got a 141 on the October 5th 2013 test 
9. Apply to Law school
10. Read 25 books for pleasure 6/25 – see my list of books below.
11. Unplug for a weekend (phone and internet) – Must be a weekend I don’t work
12. Go camping
13. Go Skinny dipping
14. Visit a big city in the U.S. – Jax and I are planning a trip to New York in March 2013 
15. Throw a big party
16. Buy the person behind me coffee or a meal
17. Send a care package to someone in the military
18. Send a care package to a friend
19. Write personal letters to at least 5 people 0/5
20. Get a minimum of 50 people to follow my blog between the blogs Facebook page and the blog directly  44/50
21. Go a month without take out
22. Have a no spend month (groceries, bills, emergencies only)
23. Ride 1000 miles 46.45/1000 – see my logged miles below – check out this post about one of my rides!
24. Go on a date 
25. Fall in love again
26. Dance in the rain
27. Sing Karaoke in a bar
28. Travel alone somewhere at least over night – went to Disney Land – 
29. Volunteer at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter
30. Watch the sunrise and sunset in the same day
31. Go Wine tasting in Napa
32. Jump off a cliff
33. Train for and Run a 5k (I am not a fan of running so this will be a challenge for me)
34. Have dinner by candle light
35. Give a 100% tip
36. Complete a 30 day photo challenge
37. Create and Inspiration/dream wall in my kitchen
38. Fill my frames with pictures of people I love – I have filled 3, I need to buy some more  frames 
39. Invest in blog business cards
40. Have someone redesign my blog – I redesigned it myself
41. Be sponsored on my blog
42. Organize and download all my photos from Facebook
43. Attend a blogging conference
44. Take a cooking or baking class
45. Make 10 recipes from pinterest – 2/10 – Pasta tacos, pesto chicken and tomato noodles, 
46. Do 5 DIY projects from pinterest
47. Put all of my recipes together in a cookbook
48. Do 10 things from Sosh.com 1/10 – Dinner at Grub 10/17/13,
49. Get straight A’s one semester
50. Buy new pots and pans *make the investment – my stepdad bought me some a set in August 13′
51. Sponsor a child in a third world country
52. Sponsor a Make a Wish Child
53. Get a Tattoo – Tattoo on my wrist in honor of two of my Grandpas
54. Play Wii sports games for 30 days straight
55. Buy and learn Photoshop – its been downloaded – now to learn it
56. Do Yoga for 30 days straight
57. Go to a concert – Swedish House Mafia 2/14/13, Tim McGraw 6/9/13, Jason Aldean 10/12/13, 
58. Identify 101 things that make me smile 17/101 – see my list below
59. Record myself singing and share on Facebook and YouTube
60. Write a letter to myself to open when I am 30
61. Watch or re-watch all movies that got best picture in the past 10 years as of 2013 0/10
62. Put $10 into savings for everything completed on this list $30/$1010 
63. Do the A-Z picture challenge
64. Keep a line a day  for 3 months – ended up being more than a line a day see this Monday inspiration post  
65. Call my Mom/Dad/Stepmom/sister once a month for a year – I talk to one of them at least 2-3 times a month
66. Write a blog post for every completed item on the list –  2/101 see all posts about completed tasks by clicking on the task
67. Have acupuncture done
68. Go snowboarding – I love snowboarding but don’t get to go ever now that I live in California
69. Go one month without buying coffee from Starbucks
70. Attend a festival – Carnival with Eva, SF Pride with J, 
71. Give 20 just because gifts 0/20
72. Have photos taken with family
73. Have boudoir photos taken
74. Go to Disney World – does Disney Land count?
75. Grow a plant from a seed
76. Donate to a cause or charity
77. Send a post card to postsecrets.com
78. Send 20 postcards through post crossings 0/20
79. Answer the 50 questions to free my mind
80. Ride my bicycle across the golden gate bridge 
81. Do a full ride in Marin county
82. Stay in a Bed and Breakfast
83. Go to the zoo
84. Finish all desperate housewives episodes 57/180
85. Hide a note in a book in my school library
86. Go to the ballet
87. Make myself a build a bear
88. Put a scrapbook together of Rae and I to give to her at her graduation
89. Send flowers to a friend just because
90. Have a movie theater marathon: 2 movies 1 day – Saw “We’re the Millers” and “Elysium” 
91. Learn how to golf or at least go golfing once
92. Order new checks – they are very girly and even have my SF address on them
93. Come out to all my family and friends 
94. Have a guest blogger – Yelena has been a guest blogger twice for Law School 101
95. Be a guest blogger
96. Keep flowers in my apartment for a month straight or longer – now working on keeping them continually 
    
97. Go to a big San Francisco Event – SF Pride Week 
98. Try a new restaurant once a week for a month
99. Write at least 24 vent letters and burn them 0/25
100. Leave an operation beauty note somewhere 0/10
101. Brush and Floss my teeth twice a day every day for a month straight – the goal is to keep up the routine – not sure why I have this on here I think it’s a cheater because I do this everyday unless I unexpectedly stay over at a friend’s house! 

#10 Read 25 books for Pleasure

 Fifty Shades of Grey
Fifty Shades Darker
Fifty Shades Freed
Contagious
Lone Survivor 
Re-Read: Catching Fire

Tracking of  #23 Ride 1000 Miles on my Bicycle

January 3rd 2013 – 26.45 miles – First trip across the bridge (also completed #8 read my post about it here)

February 3rd 2013 – 8 Miles – First Mnt. Bike Ride

6 miles – Through the City Bridge to Bridge

3 miles – Bike ride to Golden Gate Park with Joshua

3 miles – Bike ride to Baker Beach with Joshua

#58 Identify 101 things that make me smile

My cat (Sweetpea)
Having a place of my own
Living in San Francisco
My little Sister Rachael
Flowers
Candles
Family
Friends
Bathes
Music
Hiking
Sunshine
Mist from the Fog
Looking at the Golden Gate Bridge
The Beach
Reading
Crappy Television

 

What I want my 25 year old self to know

 A quarter of a century has gone and you’ve just turned 25. Happy Birthday beautiful!

Pre going out in Vegas for my 25th

Dear Christina,

Now that you are at the half way point of your twenties it’s time you realize a few things.  I have spent some time compiling a list of 25 thing I want you to know at 25.

1. You are beautiful 

• your plump butt
• your vampire fangs
• your little bit of a tummy
• your glasses
• and all

2. Love your body! One day you will realize you’d kill to have the body you do now.

(Yes 1&2 are the same but they are very important and so worth 2 bullet points)

3. Take care of yourself 

• drink more water
• stop eating so much crap
• make time for your body
• make time for YOU

4. Social Media has become a black hole for yourself. Don’t check it so often, you’re not missing out on anything. Actually your missing out on real-time happenings when you check it all the time. Set a daily limit.

5. Read more books. Read more everything, blogs, online media, newspapers, journals, magazines and more. Just spend time reading.

6. With that also pay more attention to the news and politics. These things effect you more than you actually know.

7. Pick up the phone. Instead of texting all the time, actually pick up the phone and have a conversation with people. Most importantly your family, they don’t want texts from you. They want to hear your voice and that beautiful laugh of yours. So call them, answer their phone calls.

8. Make time for people. Have that phone call, go on a walk, grab lunch, coffee or dinner. You are never to busy to squeeze in time for those that are important in your life, so stop making excuses.

9. Start networking. This is the time in your life where who you know becomes really important. We live in a society where it’s all about “who you know” not “what you know”.  You’ll meet potential job associates, friends and mentors.

10. Fall in love — Often.  You’re going to fall in love, wait, you’re going to need to fall in love multiple times before you find the one. You’re going to fall in love and have your heart-broken. Your going to be the one breaking someone else’s heart. Love is a necessity in life, so enjoy it, learn from it, grow from it.

11. Stop comparing yourself to your peers. Yes a lot of them might have “real” jobs, have graduated college, are working on their Masters, getting married and having kids, Who cares!!!! You’re going to get there.

12. You have so much time and endless opportunities.  This goes with number 11. Chill out, slow down and enjoy where you are at right now in life.

13. It’s okay to have a plan and even more okay to wonder away from that plan. Don’t hesitate to take another path, you will reach your goals one way or the other.

14. Don’t settle.  If you’re not happy with your goals, your job, your boyfriend, your friends, etc then don’t settle. If you know you’re not going to be happy, move on to something new. Your options are endless.

15. With that, Always have options.  Always have another go to plan. Keep your eye open for other options. With an array of options you will one day find the perfect fit for you, no matter what that may be. 

16. You’re not entitled to everything! That’s right, you have to work for everything you get. You have to work hard for your degree, the job you want, within your relationship, and for all the things you want to have in life. Don’t think just because you are who you are, or because you have done something that you are entitled to something.

17. Don’t take it personally. When people say things, act a certain way, or things just don’t go the way you planned, don’t take it personally. Understand there is a reason for everything. It may not be meant to be, someone might be struggling with something in their lives, etc.

18. Done is better than perfect. Accomplishing things is far much better for you than striving to be perfect at everything. So stop it. Just go out and do things, complete things, and stop stressing out over it being perfect or not. No one cares about perfection.

19. Be patient & Be Persistent – In love and life – slow down and let things happen as they do, but be persistent when it comes to something your really want.

20. Surround yourself with people who inspire you.  You need a solid support group and having people are who are inspirational and care about you will help you be a better person and accomplish the things you wish to accomplish.

21. The credit card debt has to go –  You have always struggled with credit card debt, you like to shop. Although it may not be a lot, it’s still debt. The only debt you should have right now is your student loans.  So get that shit under control.

22. You NEED a savings account!  First you’ll have to pay of your cc debt because a savings account is no good when you are in debt. But, with that said you have no idea what life is going to throw at you, having a savings account can do just as it says, SAVE you.

23.  Travel – Well first accomplish 21 and 22 and then get out and travel. Travel around the country and most importantly get out of the country. If you can find a job with travel opportunities than take it (even if its only for a little while).

24. Enjoy the city you live in!  You didn’t move to San Francisco just because. You moved here because there is so much that San Francisco has to offer. Get out there and explore every square inch of the city.

25. Learn new things & form new hobbies. Doing this will keep your life rich and interesting. Find things you enjoy doing, learning about or experiencing and continue to do them.

There are probably a million more things, I want you to know at 25 but these are what I find most important for who you are right now. Embrace yourself. Right now you are in your senior year at San Francisco State University, working towards a dream of law school,  falling in love with someone and finally even yourself.  You live in an absolutely amazing city, there is so much at your finger tips. You are a beautiful young women, who is in the best place of her life. Just continue to embrace what you have and enjoy every minute of whats to come.

Here’s to being 25!

I love us!

//

Later this week I will post my list of 30 things to do before I turn 30 and I will also have a 101 things in 1001 days update post.

Happy Hump Day Lovers!

Christy 

24 and a Senior // College Life Link Up

Today I am linking up with Gina Alyse a blogger on College, Faith and Creativity. This week she has created a blog hop, where other bloggers can link together to share their stories, advice and tips on college. So today I thought I would write a little bit about my outlook on college, where it has gotten me thus far and how I feel  about being a Senior in my undergraduate at 24 years old.

That’s right, I am 24 years old…

and working on my undergraduate degree as a senior at San Francisco State University. I will be 25 years old in October and graduating from SFSU in May of 2014.  So you might wonder a few of the following;

Why is this girl a senior at 24? 

Well to answer that question… because I made a few poor mistakes after graduating High School.  When I graduated HS I lived in a small town in Washington, and was in love with a boy. I thought I was going to marry this boy and be a stay at home mom, like everyone else in this small town of mine, so college wasn’t in my future plans.

Although, I did attend a couple of community college classes the following year after graduation just to say I was a so called a “college girl.” Well I quickly dropped out of those classes and took up 3 waitressing jobs instead.  I was destined to be a waitress for the rest of my life. I had created a life for myself with the love of my life (at the time), we had moved into an apartment together, both had steady jobs, were able to party with our friends whenever we wanted. Life was good, or so I thought.

One day though, thinks went horribly wrong in the relationship I was in, and on top of that I wasn’t liking where my life was headed. I had become a border-line alcoholic, and drug user, I smoked like a chimney and to top it off my relationship had turned into an abusive situation.  I needed to get far far away from where I was. So I packed my bags and moved to California to live with my mom and change my life. Upon moving to California, I knew my first order of business was to go to college. I knew I wasn’t going to get anywhere in life with out a college degree.

However, I was an out-of-state resident according to all of the community colleges here. I needed to have lived in California for at least a year to gain my residency and not have to pay sky-high college fees. So I did just that, I waited a year and then started attending Community College in Sacramento. After 2 in a half years of community college I was finally able to apply to transfer to a University and in Fall of 2012 I moved to San Francisco to attend San Francisco State University.

I am now headed into my senior year here at San Francisco State and I couldn’t be happier.

What have I learned along this journey? 

I have learned a ton of thing and am continuing to learn new things everyday.  I have learned that I am an amazing person with dreams the reach further than the eye can see. I have an ambition to reach those dreams and one day I know I will.  I have learned that education can come at anytime in your life, no matter your situation or age, it will never matter.

I have also learned a ton about the world, our society and who I want to be and what I want to do with my life.

Follow my blog and you can join me in the journey I am on and what I am learning. 

What do I feel I have missed out on? 

I don’t regret taking the path I have taken, because I have learned a lot about who I am along the way. However, I did miss out on somethings when it comes to heading straight to college after High School, that at times I wish I would have been able to experience.

1. Living in the dorms

2. Graduating at the same time as my friends

3. Beginning my life in a career oriented job in my early twenties.

There are plenty more things I missed out on but at the same time there has been so many things I think I have experienced that others have not.

What are you studying and what are your plans after College?  

I am a Communication Major. This only took my 3 years to figure out. I originally wanted to go into business, then journalism and I finally settled on communication.

Why Communication?  – because after taking a few communication classes that were cross classes with journalism, I fell in love with the theories and aspects of communication. I have loved every communication class I have taken and I can not wait to take a ton of communication classes this semester. The way people communicate fascinates me now.

Whats next? – I am currently studying to take the LSAT as I would like to attend Law School after graduating from SFSU this up coming spring.

Why Law school? – That’s a good question, that to this day I can’t give a specific answer. But for some reason since taking a Debate class at my community college and a professor mentioning that I had the potential to become a Lawyer, it has become my biggest goal to do just that.

Do I have any advice or tips for girls heading straight to a University or to a Community College? 

My advice for girls heading straight to a University …. Enjoy every second of it, keep in touch with your family on a regular basis, keep a journal, make as many friends as you can and study something that truly interests you.

My advice for girls heading to a Community College … Enjoy every second of it, keep in touch with your family if you have moved away, keep a journal, make as many friends and possible, join clubs (just do it), study hard, get your general education classes done at your CC, figure out your major once you have completed you GE classes, and choose a school to transfer to that will give you the opportunity to travel and or explore new things.

For both girls going to a University or Community College…. Be yourself, be the best you can be, take every opportunity that comes your way and last but not least…

 TAKE YOUR TIME!!! 

xoxo – Christy

 

Milestone Reached

Picture curitous of Bug (my sister) ~ Picture was taken in April 2012 a windy day (when I had bangs) ~

Today marks a huge milestone for me and I am so excited to share my excitement of reaching it with you. First I’d like to share a little about me to help y’all understand why this “milestone” is such a huge feet for me.

I was born in Portsmouth, VA, my Mom and Dad were in the Navy and based there. At the age of two, we drove cross-country and moved in with my grandparents in Enumclaw, WA. After living with them for a short stint, my parents got a place on their own but divorced shortly afterward, I was around the age of 4. My mom moved to California and remarried. I stayed with my Dad in Washington who also remarried to his High School sweetheart, when I was 5 or so.

Every school break, 3-day weekend and summer I would come to California and stay with my mom. It was the best part of my younger years, I got to go to California all the time, which was a dream for everyone I grew up with and not one that came true for many. So I was pretty rad because my mom lived in California.

My mom made it a habit that at the end of every summer trip, we would come new school clothes shopping in San Francisco and that was by far my favorite part of every summer. And it wasn’t because I was getting a rad new wardrobe it was because I was getting to go to San Francisco. This is where my “milestone” comes into play. After my first visit to the city I was in love and my heart was left in San Francisco. I made a promise to myself that before I died I would live IN San Francisco for at least 6 months of my life.

So to continue on with my quick life story, about a year after graduating High School, I moved to California to live with my mom and start my adult “grown up” life. I made it to Davis and Sacramento and that was as close as I was getting to San Francisco, unless I was taking a day trip to the city.

As the years passed, the dream of living in SF never faded away. It was always there in the back of my head. However, I was starting to begin to think of it as only ever being a dream and not ever becoming reality. The way things were moving along in my life didn’t place me ever-living in San Francisco.

It had been about 4 years that I had been living in California and I was about to transfer from a community college to a state college. It had been recommended to me that for my Major (Communication) that I apply to San Francisco State.  I was a little hesitant at first because my life (relationship, and job wise) was all in the Sacramento area and I was comfortable there. But one day it hit me, that this was my opportunity to make my dream come true. So I applied to San Francisco State, along with Sacramento State (wasn’t getting my hopes up).  But when my letter arrived in January last year saying I had been excepted to SF State, I was on cloud 9.

In June last year I packed my bags and moved to the bay area for school.  I moved to Daly City which was right outside of SF city limits and close to campus. It wasn’t the greatest place to live but it was convenient for school. As of this month, I have been living in the bay area for a year.

BUT, today marks my 6th month living IN San Francisco.  On December 10th, I moved into a small studio apartment in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco City, to be closer to my friends and job at the time. So today June 10th, marks my milestone. I turned my dream into a reality. I have lived in SF for 6 months.  I have absolutely continued to fall in love with this city. There are so many wonderful people, things to do, places to see and it’s all-around just an amazing place to live.

Best part of this is my life has completely changed paths, and for the next couple years, maybe forever (depending on Law School), I am here to stay.  So, here’s to my 6 months in San Francisco. I couldn’t be a happier girl!

 

 

Summer Break is upon me

After what has seemed to be the longest semester ever, I have finally completed my Spring semester at San Francisco State University. Do you know what that means?

No? well let me tell you, it means that next year will be my Senior year, and I (as long as everything goes as planned) will be graduating this time next year with my Bachelors in Communication. After what will be 6 years of undergrad studying, I can not wait to graduate!

Now with that said, summer break is here and I am so ready to jump back on the blogging bandwagon.

I know it has been hit or miss with me these last few months, and I feel horrible about it. Not only because I am not providing anything for ya’ll to read but mainly because I’ve not been able to work on my goal of building my blog. So as I slam my fist on the desk, I mean it when I say I am back and ready to write, entertain and grow.

With that said there will be two posts today. This one as well as a day late Adventure Wednesday. Here’s to summer, my blog, ya’ll and just having a darn good time.

– C

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A bit of a Hiatus

When will I ever be on top of this thing? Really, I do love blogging but lately life has really gotten the best of me. I mean one week turned into three weeks.  Well in all hopes I am back from my blog hiatus. Although, I am not sure I could really call it a hiatus. I wasn’t taking a break on purpose. Really. Life just got in the way. 

So lets recap my last couple of weeks. Last time I posted I informed everyone of my acceptance to San Francisco State University. That was some news I had been waiting a life time to receive. YAY! It’s finally here. Although, now I am starting to freak out a little bit. The thought of having to find a new job and a new place to live is a little overwhelming. I’m sure that once I am finished with this semester of school things will be lest overwhelming. 

Other than the winding down of my excitement these last few weeks have brought me some health issues. On the 15th I passed out and ended up in Urgent Care due to intolerable stomach pains and vomiting. This turned into testing for Salmonella and/or Chron’s Disease. At this point I have neither but the doctors have me under close watch.

I think most of my health outrage was due to stress. Between work and school I have been fairly strung out. Well, Spring Break is a week away and I will have a little bit of a hiatus from school then. Lindsay and I will be headed to the Bay Area for a day to check out places and areas for me to live. (I will make sure to take lots of pictures and update you all on that adventure) 

This past weekend was fairly relaxing. I had the joy of housesitting the pups (Penelope and Rocky) and having Mr. Handsome join me. I worked everyday but made the best of the time I had with the pups and Mr. Handsome. I miss having time to spend with him. At least we are getting used to the idea of being apart for awhile now, before I move. Should make the adjustment fairly easy. 

My poor kitty Sweetpea seems to have separation anxiety. Poor Kitty threw up a few times while I was gone and now that I am home won’t leave my side. Makes me feel very loved. 

Isn’t she just adorable! 

Well here’s to a new week. I vow to blog more and catch up on the 243 unread blogs on my bloglovin account. As well as, to start waking up in the morning and starting my day with some Yoga. Hopefully that will releve some of my stress and keep me calm. 

Till next time – Enjoy your week everyone!