Wednesday Wisdom

It's HUUUUUUUMP DAAAAAAY!

It's already halfway through the week and I hope it's been treating you well! With the cold weather putting me into a classic winter funk, I figured I would get some inspirational quotes from some of my friends to get me back into the swing of things. Without further adieu, here is some wisdom from the wisest of them all!

1. My Quote of the Week:

"It's not the load that breaks you down; it's the way you carry it."

~ C. S. Lewis

As a naturally stressed out person, I tend to get overwhelmed with the chaos of life. Sometimes I make up problems in my head or deal with them in the wrong ways. I love this quote because it reminds me that everyone has problems and sometimes we let the weight of our issues bring us down rather than taking a breath and figuring out the best way to deal with them. Often times I let my issues and stressors consume my entire mind and I end up  more stressed than I should be. Knowing yourself and how to handle different road blocks can allow you to cope with things better in the future. I need to work on that more than I care to admit, but this quote reminds of that every single time I come across it. 

2. Vicky Wilson's Favorite Quote:

"We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will ever rest. We must learn to sail in high winds."

~Aristotle Onassis

 "This is my favorite quote because I have the tendency to see the negatives in my life more than the positives and it is a gentle reminder for me to turn those negatives into lessons to better myself as a person. I've always enjoyed being on the water which is one the reason this quote stood out to me so much." (Vicky Wilson)

3. Mariana Chavez's Favorite Quote:

"Give yourself to the Lord; trust in him, and he will help you; he will make your righteousness shine like the noonday sun."

~Psalm 37: 5-6

"For many the thought of “changing the world” seems impossible and quite frankly very unattainable, yet for me, since a very young age, the thought of “changing the world” has been the challenge I have willingly decided to take on. Being a servant leader has really given me the courage to continue to believe that someone like me could attain something so big like that. This bible verse keeps me motivated and passionate about changing the world for the better because I trust that God is a constant presence in my life helping me to shine his light and do the “impossible” and change this world." (Mariana Chavez)

I hope these quotes inspire you to think differently or expand your mind throughout the week. Wishing you a wonderful Wednesday and week!
XO

I am so happy that I amma...

KAPPA KAPPA GAMMA!!

 On January 25, 2015, I received a bid from the Eta Lambda chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. I had never been so nervous and excited for something in my entire life. At the beginning of Recruitment, I found myself confused as to whether or not I truly wanted to go through with the whole greek-like thing. I had heard so many positives, but also a fair share of negatives. I decided to just give it a shot and went through recruitment; little did I know that I would be finding the place and people that I could finally call "home". No matter the cheesiness, it's true: I have found a home in Kappa in just a few short weeks.  

 The girls I have met are some of the best people I have ever come across and I already feel so unbelievably accepted. Knowing that I will be a Kappa for the rest of my life, I get chills thinking about what the future holds. Forget about the cold feet I may have had a few weeks ago, because I have never been so sure of anything up until this exact moment. Kappa Kappa Gamma will be a place that I call home for as long as I live and then on.

 Some of you may not get it, but that's totally fine. How could you? I know there will be ups and downs throughout the next few years, but I also know that I will have Kappa to fall back on whenever I am having trouble or even when I am having the time of my life. 

I hope all of you are enjoying the fresh start of the New Year! Let's make 2015 one to remember!

XO

Aaaand That's a Wrap, Folks!

Well, I did it! I made it through my first semester of college along with some of my very best friends. I am so unbelievably pleased with my decision to attend Loyola University Chicago. I have met some of the most amazing people in my life after only a few months. The amount of love that I feel here on a daily basis is so encouraging and I am so thankful for the friends I have made in this amazing city. I came to Loyola not knowing a single soul and came out of my first semester with some of the closest friends I have ever made.

I am immensely proud of myself for making it this far and being so successful. I have learned that I have to go out of my comfort zone in order meet the best people out there for me. Being able to finish with a GPA higher than my original goal was probably the biggest feeling of accomplishment I have experienced in an extremely long time!

I want to give a big thank you to my parents for supporting me and pushing me along this entire semester to do the best I can academically and to be the best person possible.

I am also so thankful for my Aunt Lynn and Uncle Chuck; without either of them, my college experience would not be possible.

Thank you to all of my friends who have stuck by me through the meltdowns, stress-caused freak outs, and the occasional "bitch fit". You've made this experience so unbelievable and I am so happy that I can call you my best friends!!

I have laughed harder and cried harder than I ever have in my entire life this semester and I would never change a single moment even if I could. Hoping the rest of you have a wonderful holiday season. I'll see you next year! 

XO 

Wednesday Wisdom

One more week of classes and it's time for some turkey!! While taking a break from my studies, I wanted to share my weekly Wednesday Wisdom with you all. I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your week! Use those day dreams of Thanksgiving Dinner to get you through the rest of these frigid days at school or work.

Quote of the Week:

I came across this excerpt from one of Maya Angelou's famous quotes this past weekend and have not been able to stop thinking about it! To me, it makes so much sense and holds some great advice. As humans, we tend to let our struggles overwhelm us and in turn, we take our anger or frustration out on those around us. I know I for one have a hard time just taking a deep breath and stopping myself from copping an attitude towards my friends and family when I am in a bad mood. However, this quote helps to remind me that I mustn't become a frustration for other people simply because I myself am frustrated. So from now on, I am committing to attempt to acknowledge why I am frustrated and to remind myself that I should not exert those feelings onto those that do not deserve it.

2. Cathy Caputo's Favorite Quote:

"These two short lines from Gregory Alan Isakov’s song “San Francisco” have always stood out to me. When I listen to these lyrics I remember to live in the moment. It is so easy, yet so silly, to let schoolwork and other stresses control my thoughts and emotions when these things are really so much less important than they seem. This quote reminds me that life is not constricted by time. Rather, life is composed of beautiful moments that should be appreciated regardless of what the clock displays." (Cathy Caputo)

3. Dominic Belcaster's Favorite Quote:

"Sposarmi con la notte." (Marry the night.)

"This quote means more to me than anyone can expect, hence why I ended up getting a tattoo with the quote. It’s about taking all the pain, negativity, and darkness of your life and falling in love with it. Marrying the past and using it for the future. It’s also a title of a song that has pushed me through some of the most difficult times I’ve ever been faced with."

(Dominic Belcaster)

I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your week! Keep on working hard and pushing through the next week. The harder you work now, the more you will appreciate the break! XO

Thankful Thursday

We're in the "home stretch"!!! T-mins 3 hours until Friday! I hope this Thursday is treating you all well. For me, I like to relax for at least one hour every Thursday and take in all that has happened this week; I let go of the negativity and breathe in all the positive things that have happened this week. I attempt to ignore the stressors of the past week (although that is easier said than done) and remind myself of everything I have in my life.

1. New Friends

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate my old friends from back home so so much as well; however, I am especially thankful for the ones I have recently made in college. I knew the first month or two would be hard, but I definitely underestimated how difficult it would be to adapt to all of the changes occurring. There have been numerous times that my new friends have had to calm me down when I had a freak out over getting behind on my homework or stressing about making other friends. While we all have been going through individual difficulties in our new lives, we have all been there for each other each step of the way. I mostly appreciate the fact that each of my new friends is so unbelievably encouraging and understanding. Each of us has been through difficult experiences and I believe because of that, we understand each other on a deeper level. I am so thankful to have met such amazing people in such a short period of time. I look forward to spending the next four years with some of the best people I have ever met!

2. Pittsburgh

I sure don't say it enough, but I am extremely thankful for having grown up in Pittsburgh. As much as I complain about the place, it has a special place in my heart. Even though I couldn't wait to get away and finally live in a big city, I underestimated how much I would miss Pittsburgh. I'm so thankful I was able to grow up in a city filled with such nice and caring people. It was the perfect sized city to raise a family. Although I love the CTA in Chicago and public transportation during rush hours, I sure do miss being able to drive places and quickly at that. I think I miss the people more than the city itself, but Pittsburgh truly made a positive impact on my life and played a large role in helping me to become the woman I am today. A big thank you to the 412 for giving me a childhood worth remembering.

3. Psychology

Although I am biased on the subject because I am a Psychology major, I really do appreciate all the work and progress that has been made in the field over the years. Not only do I find the subject itself interesting, but I also find it quite extraordinary. What other field of study can you dig so deep into the human mind, body, and soul? I so love that I can study in depth why humans are the way they are and why they act the way they do. Can you imagine a world in which having a psychological disorder meant you were a witch or possessed by the devil? Oh wait - that did happen! Thanks to Psychology we are now able to diagnose and treat many different types of disorders and illnesses. Although it is still a young science, Psychology is truly making its way to the top. I am unbelievably grateful for the progress made involving mental illnesses and disorders. Having fought mental illness myself, I am thankful that Psychology has been able to create ways of coping and types of treatment for those affected by these diseases. Without the help of therapy, I would not be where I am today or the woman I am so proud of today. Psychology has changed my life in more ways than one and I am forever thankful.

PS - So sorry I have been behind in my posts! I'll be sure to update you all with what I do over the weekend! I hope you enjoy yourself the next few days! Don't forget to take some time to contemplate the good in your life and to exhale all of the bad!

XO

Wednesday Wisdom

I hope this post finds you well! It's almost the weekend... and Halloween! I'm anxiously anticipating all of the costumes I will see this weekend! In the meantime, to take a break from my studying, here's a few quotes from my friends and me! Happy Wednesday Wisdom!

Quote of the Week: 

"We either make ourselves miserable or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same." 

-Carlos Castenada

When I am feeling unmotivated and extremely pessimistic, I think of this quote and kick it into high gear; I walk with a smile on my face and think of all the things that are fabulous in my life. It's true, there is a difficulty that exists when attempting to consistently be strong (and of course a breakdown is totally understandable every once in a while), but isn't it worse to be miserable? It takes just as much mental and physical energy out of you, so why not make it positive energy and stay confident? I am my biggest motivator and my worst critic, but this quote puts everything into perspective for me. I can either support myself or tear myself down. I choose to be a happy, strong, and confident young woman. I can do all things with a little faith in myself. So what's it gonna be - living a miserable life or strengthening yourself every single morning?

2. Ben Bissell's Favorite Quote:

"The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time." 

-Abraham Lincoln

"I love this quote because it's something that I live my life by and something that I believe in. My mom and dad used to say this to me throughout highschool whenever I was having a tough day or felt stressed about things in my life. I have brought this mindset into college to take one day at a time and I believe it has made me succeed so far this school year. I love this quote because it reminds us to slow down and focus on the things that are right in front of us instead of worrying about the future because there's nothing you can do the change the things that haven't happened yet." 

(Ben Bissell)

3. Margo Holleran's Favorite Quote:

"Time decides who you meet in your life. Heart decides who you want in your life. And your behavior decides who will stay in your life." -Unknown

Right now, my mom is out of the country (and probably asleep due to time difference!) so she was unable to give a reasoning behind why she loves this quote so much. However, to paraphrase, I know this is her favorite quote in the entire world - it is taped above her laptop for her to see everyday. Time is a funny thing and can be a huge pain in the butt - sometimes - or it can be a great thing. Sometimes you're in different places in life, and other times the timing could not be more perfect. You cannot control who you love, that's only up to your heart! But in the end, if you want someone in your life, you will make it happen, if you don't you'll make that happen too. People cannot make you happy if you can't even make yourself happy! So respect yourself enough to let those who do not deserve to be in in your life leave. 

Thankful Thursday

T.G.I.T. - Thank Goodness It's Thursday!! Not only is ABC's Scandal on tonight, but it's also Thankful Thursday! Although I usually choose three things I am thankful for, this Thursday I have decided to mention one. Today has been quite sad; I heard news early this morning that my cat Thomas had to be put down due to numerous health problems. Therefore, I would like to dedicate this Thankful Thursday to my best friend and the only being that was always always there for me.

1. My Cat, Thomas:

I can still clearly picture the day that we brought Thomas home from the animal shelter; him and his brother Jerry. Though barely a few months old, we knew Thomas would be apart of our family right away and for a very long time. Over the years, we have had many animals in our house; none quite like our Tommy Tom, though. Whether I was a little girl crying on the steps outside or a frustrated teenager hating the world, Thomas always seemed to know when and how to comfort me. I am forever thankful that I was able to spend the past 15 years with such an amazing animal. From family dinners to Christmas mornings, Thomas never left my side.  He was not merely a cat, but rather a best friend, better than any human could have possibly been. Saturday and Sunday mornings will never be the same without you in mommy's bed, catching up on the past week's shows. I'll love you forever and am so unbelievably thankful for being able to spend a majority of my life with you. Missing you always, Tommy Tom.

What are you thankful for this Thursday?

XO