Surviving Your Quarter Life Crisis (as told by Disney Characters)

We’ve all heard of a mid-life crisis – that point between 45-55 when you realize you’re no longer young, so you go out and buy a Corvette or a Harley with the money you’ve made in the past 25 years. Call me crazy, but that sounds like a pretty nice crisis.

I, however, am in the middle of my quarter life crisis. And guess what? It doesn’t end with a shiny new car.

Signs Your Having a Quarter Life Crisis: 

1. Bills sneak up on you unexpectedly.
   
2. You find yourself second guessing your career choice.
   
3. It’s no longer acceptable to respond “I’m so sorry,” to pregnancy announcements.
   
4. You spend hours looking at houses on Zillow from your bed in your parents basement.
   
5. Crying about your situation becomes a weekly occurrence.
   

Sound familiar? Don’t worry – you can get through it.

• Don’t beat yourself up and don’t compare yourself to others. Your friend in law school may make triple your teaching salary, but don’t forget the struggles (and case briefs) you’ve avoided.
  
• Talk to anyone who will listen. Find a mentor (or a group of them) and ask questions. Have one too many margaritas with the girls while being vocal about your love life (or lack there of). Call your boyfriend at 2am and debate whether or not you should go to grad school. That’s what friends are for.
  
• Lie a little. Do you have your dream job? No, but does your grandma need to know the most important task you have is to make coffee? Absolutely not.
  
• Take time for yourself. Whether it’s a walk in the park, a mani/pedi or a chilled glass of wine, leave yourself enough time to relax.
  
• Remember, it will all be over soon.
  

St. Louis Bucket List

We may not have the popularity of Chicago or the pizzazz of Nashville, but St. Louis is an outstanding city. From our rich sports history to our flavorful communities, it’s a city all it’s own. And sure, maybe we’ve got a few quirks (as outlined by the What High School Should We Call Me tumblr), but that’s what makes it unique. As spring awaits it’s arrival, it’s time to remember just what we love about this city. Some of these items are on my own 2013 bucket list, some are  tradition, but all are meant to highlight what this city has to offer.

1. Attend a Cardinals game at Busch Stadium. I have tickets to my second straight home opener against the Cincinnati Reds!)
2. Visit the St. Louis Zoo at Forest Park and make sure to see the new Sea Lion exhibit, although the Penguins are my personal favorite.
3. Get your custard served upside down at Ted Drewes.
4. Take a Brewery Tour. And I don’t necessarily mean Budwesier. St. Louis is home to many craft breweries, including Schafly, O’Fallon, Urban Chestnut & 4 Hands.
5. Eat, drink and be merry at Food Truck Friday in Tilles Park. Sarah’s Meltdown (grilled cheese), Sarah’s Cake Stop (cupcakes) and Zia’s (Italian) are my favorite.
   
6. Stop and smell the flowers at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Bonus points for going on Wednesday nights during the Whitaker Music Festival.
7. Head on over to Fast Eddies. This is top of my bucket list this summer!
8. Watch a concert on the lawn at Verizon Wireless Ampitheater. 
9. Soak up the humidity and see a show at The Muny in Forest Park. It’s incredibly hot, but totally worth it.
   
10. See the city from the Rooftop bar at 360. Sadly, I have not had this pleasure yet.
11. Grab a root beer at Fitz’s Bottling Company in the Loop. Then pop across the street for a burger at Blueberry Hill.
12. Brush up on your French and visit the annual Jour de Fete in Ste. Genevieve. 
13. Head to Live on the Levee under the Arch. Don’t miss the fireworks, either!
14. Load up on carbs at the Hill. You won’t regret it.
15. Take your bets at Fairmount Park. I need to make it to a Party in the Park on Friday nights this year!

Of course, I could go on for days, but instead, I invite you to add your Must-Do in St. Louis! What is your go-to when the weather gets nice?

*Yes, I left off the oh-so-popular ride in the Arch. It’s definitely a must-do if you’ve never been to the city! 

Greek Pride

Sitting in my graduate class at a small, not very Greek college, I overhear a few students talking about Greek life, and who hazes and what they went through and how their chapter at another school (my alma mater, no less) were “totally snobby.” The room got quiet, and the guy laughed it off and spoke much quieter about his opinions. Good idea, bro.

I was a sorority girl. I am proud that I was a sorority girl. The friendships I made in Alpha Phi are deeper than any I had formed before, and on any given day you’ll see my O Ring, symbolizing my Omicron chapter at the University of Missouri. So yes, I get I credibly offended when I hear others bad mouth Greek life. So let’s clear some things up:

Do sororities and fraternities haze? I don’t know. Mine did not – as new members, we were treated like princesses. But all it takes is one screw up to ruin it for the rest of us.

Didn’t you just pay for friends? Maybe. I paid for a community to belong to; for the confidence to walk around a campus of 30,000 and know I wasn’t alone. I paid to live in a mansion with 80 of my closest friends. I paid for sisterhood events, socials and homecoming decorations (that I also spent hours on). And I promise, not a dime was wasted or regretted.

Well, all you do is party. Yep, partied so hard I graduated with honors a semester early from the best journalism school in the country. Oh, wait…

Look, I’m not going to tell you to join Greek life. It’s not for everyone. But for the lucky few, it’s more than a few Greek symbols on a sweatshirt, or hours spent pomping a house dec(oration). It’s a history of tradition, community and pride.

Would you walk into the Big House talking about how Michigan is overrated? No? Then don’t speak badly about Greeks – you never know when one is down the aisle.

Top 5: New Year’s Resolutions 2013

As we quickly approach 2013 (anyone else questioning where 2012 went?!), it’s time to reflect on (missed) resolutions in 2012, and new resolutions to look forward to.

1. Break up with Texting: I can’t be the only one. Especially with iPhone to iPhone, you have no character limit, and I have been known to write a novel or two (I also stick to full grammar, aside from the occasional “LOL.” Never could support “r u thr?”)  But that’s no way to communicate with someone. I could never fully resent texting – it’s great for those quick, “what are you doing,” “leaving now,” “good to see you!” conversations, but I’m going to leave the catching up and soul searching for the most unused part of my cellular device – the phone itself.

2. Leave the Discover at home: This is kind of a two-parter, because I want to buy my first condo/townhome/house in 2013, so I need good credit and a stupid large down payment, so I am going to try and work with a cash budget. I’ve got my credit cards paid off (!), and I’d like to keep it that way.

3. Stop keeping things to myself: I’m totally that person that lets things build up until smoke comes out of my ears, and it doesn’t benefit anyone. I don’t want to become a negative Nancy, but if something bothers me, I need to bring it up with that person instead of playing out a billion scenarios in my head.

4. Quit following NHL Lockout negotiations. Plain and simple. They just make me sad, and no one wants to be sad.

5. Visit the new Fantasyland at Disney, Marry David Freese and/or Win the Lottery. A girl can dream, right?

Christmas Wishes

(apologies on the formatting – i don’t really use capital letters on my cell)

to be completely honest, christmas has never been my favorite holiday. not sure why – I enjoy presents, extra time with my family & lights and decor. but for some reason it never grabbed my attention like say, Halloween.

even as an adult, I’m not sure I get it.
I find myself ready for the holiday to be over. this is the first Christmas Eve I’ve spent without my grandpa. for the past 22 years, Christmas Eve was spent with my aunts, uncles and cousins in front of my grandpa’s fireplace, filled with boxes and bags of gifts. each year, we would pray, eat dinner, and patiently wait for the dishes to be clean before opening. as the youngest, my grandpa would tease, “let’s let the oldest open presents first!” to my dismay. of course, this never was the case, as I was incredibly blessed to receive everything a child could want, year after year. and year after year, I was happy.

sitting on my parents couch, I’m not sure if I’m happy or not. again, I’ve been blessed with a good christmas, including an amazing quilt made out of my college tees, but that’s not enough. I’ve lost sight of the true meaning of the season, and the things that truly make me happy.

I’ve got a snuggly puppy who loves
me unconditionally, and parents who want nothing but the best for me. and I am grateful for this and so much more, however I still feel like something is missing. I won’t find it overnight or over the holiday season, but I hope I can find it within myself. I don’t want the joy of the season lost in my own selfishness, nor in the wishes I’m to afraid to make.

to those celebrating, be thankful for those around you, and have a wonderful christmas.