The 3 Rules Every Girl Should Live By
As I sit here in London reaching the end of my study abroad journey, I can’t help but reflect on this semester’s experiences. I’ve explored the Thameside city to the fullest and seen and met so many beautiful places and people. I’ve created long-lasting memories – both good and bad – and have decided that within my two decades of living and traveling, I’ve stacked up just enough wisdom to compile a trusty guide, short and sweet, that every 20-something should follow.
First, Ditch the Diet
Fad diets are dumb. I’ve tried them and they simply do not work. You will inevitably end up grumpy and starved to the point where you find yourself laying on your bedroom floor, with nothing but a t-shirt on, inhaling a large Hawaiian pizza chased by a pint of Ben and Jerry’s best, Ameri-cone dream. Instead, eat slowly and remember to indulge in moderation. As much as I would love to tickle my taste buds with pulled pork sandwiches and a side of ‘slaw for every meal, I would be throwing my chance at a healthy life out the window. You can still enjoy chicken lo-mein dinners, fro-yo runs, or as my fellow Ithacans would agree, the best of all, the late-night Insomnia cookie order without remorse. Just balance out the guilty pleasures with a salad and fruit every once in a while. Remember, food can be fun, but it is essentially fuel for activity, so eat and get active.
Second, Change Your Outlook
The cure for any sad spell or case of the Mondays is to hop in the shower and lather up in your favorite coconut-Caribbean-paradise or lilac-lovebird scented body wash, throw on a fabulous outfit, and pump up the jams (pump it up, pump it up). Keep those depressing Coldplay sob-songs at bay. Dance around while putting on your makeup and soon you’ll switch your outlook on the upcoming day from gloomy, dark and miserable to sparkling excitement of the unknown! Amp up the positivity; if you say you’re going to have a great day – you will. If you say, “this day sucks”- then, my friend, it will.
Lastly – Be Adventurous, Find Inspiration
You’re young…the world is your oyster. This, an idiom expressing the fact that you have the ability and the freedom to do anything or go anywhere, is the single most valuable phrase a friend, let alone any sole human on the planet, solar system, galaxy, universe and on and on can tell you (I’m not dramatic). Life goes by so incredibly fast that it almost makes me nauseous. So fast in fact that in the blink of an eye, I know I’ll be there, 85 and wrinkly, wearing a mumu, sitting on the dock of the bay watching the tide roll away, reminiscing the days of my youth and the horrible hairstyles and fashions that accompanied it.
In order to really spend your time here to the fullest, you need to be adventurous and find inspiration. I’m an American girl, born and raised in New York. I go to school in New York, spend holidays in New York, share memories with friends and family in places sprinkled all around the state. Yet, I’ve always had the itch to explore.
I think this comes from my upbringing, being dragged from vacation to vacation, embracing tropic-induced sunburns and frigid, snow-filled mountain journeys. I realize that not everyone comes from travel-hungry families and that we’re all different – that’s beautiful; it’s what makes the world go ’round. But what I can say is that personally traveling has inspired me. I enjoy seeing different coastlines and horizons, expanding my palette with exciting new cuisines and testing out if the grass truly is greener on the other side.
Studying abroad has allowed me to do so, and at the risk of sounding like a cheesy soap opera-esque novel, has changed who I am. Speaking logistics, my travels have helped me with my budgeting, navigation and problem solving skills. On a deeper level, they have helped me build character and give me a fresh perspective on life. I’ve been stranded and lead to tears at train stations where I don’t speak the language (I told you, I’m not dramatic), witnessed my bank account burn to ashes like the phoenix from Harry Potter, been nearly pick-pocketed numerous times (I suppose the blonde hair, blue eyed, chatty-Kathy in me makes me stand out like a sore-American-thumb), yet in the end, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
So, the bottom line is to do what I did – find what inspires you, and you can bet your bottom dollar you will grow and learn from it. It’s going to be different for whomever you are, but you need to find your limit and go beyond your comfort zone. Leave on that jet plane and go to Boston, where no one knows your name. Take this figuratively or literally if you’ve been bitten by the travel bug like me. Once you see that you can get over that hump, you’ll feel more confident, more beautiful, more accomplished than ever before.