Sweet Sister Syd

My sister and I used to spend days setting up Barbie towns in our basement. By the time we were ready to play, our mom would make us clean everything up because we were having people over or the cleaning service was coming.

One winter break we developed secret hand signals to use at the dinner table. The hand signals determined what order we would play with our toys with after dinner. To this day we use these hand signals and our parents still don't know what they mean.

When we were little, my sister and I used to lifeguard each other while we shower or bathe. One of us would sit on the toilet pretending to watch all the swimmers and then blow our whistle while the other sister pretends to drown.

My sister and I went to overnight camp together and she instantly changed to my mother figure once we stepped foot on the Kalkaska ground. Every night, no matter what was happening, she always made time to tuck me into bed and wish me sweet dreams.

My sister, Sydney, is graduating college soon. She will receive a degree in Hospitality and Business from the Broad Business College at Michigan State University.

If you don't know me, and you don't know how I feel about my big sister Syd, this blog post will give you a better understanding of how amazing she is.

Sydney is my best friend. And she will stay my best friend forever and always. She's the first person I tell with good news and the first person I run to with bad news. If you read my previous blog post, then you would know that I went through a tough time not too long ago. My sister was always there for me.

One day during my Sophomore year of high school, things got really bad. I called my sister while she was at college and she answered after one ring. I told her that things were getting bad again and I didn't know what to do. She said that she was getting in the car right then and there to come home because if things were that bad, she wanted to be there.
That's the type of person she is. And it's a type of person that everyone should have in their life whether they're a sibling or a best friend. Someone who drops everything to make sure you're okay.

Academically, my sister's brain has always worked better than mine. She's very smart but isn't showy about it. The best kind of intelligence. Sydney is the logistical, business-y and and organized sister. I, though organized, don't care about logistics and business. I like to create and write. (in case you didn't know) Sydney has ALWAYS been supportive of my writing. She's the one that actually got me to start up again. I used to write stories and poetry in middle school and for a couple years I stopped. I can't remember who we were talking to but they were asking my sister about what she was studying in college and what I might want to study. I shrugged my shoulders and I will still shrug my shoulders today if you ask me because I don't know what's going on.

I remember Sydney saying she thought I should do something with writing. Mind you, I hadn't thought about writing for a while so this surprised me a bit. She told this mystery person that I used to write a lot and that I was actually pretty good at it. So, thank you sweet sister Syd for bringing my passion back to me. If I didn't rediscover my love for writing, things would be very different and I'd probably be majoring in Archeology or Forestry. (Both VERY awesome majors btw). I think everyone who enjoys reading my posts can thank Sydney for their enjoyment. And everyone who hates reading them can blame her for how annoying they are.

In case you couldn't tell, I think very highly of my sister. She's the best person I know. She's sunshine on a cloudy day and she's that kid that every other parent compares you too. Trust me, I would know. Actually, I made it clear at a very young age that I should not, and could not, be compared to my sister. Throughout my life my parents have done a VERY good job at making me feel like I'm my own person."We don't want you to be like your sister! We've already got a Sydney and she's hard enough to deal with! We don't want another one!" Okay maybe that was a bit exaggerated but it went something like that. Although we were raised together, our independence helped us thrive to uniqueness and success.

Sydney studied extremely hard in college and has landed an AMAZING job for after she graduates. If you want to know about it please ask me our my parents because we can talk about how awesome it is for hours and she's getting kind of sick of it. All of her hard work has lead her to this moment and she deserves everything she has gotten and more.
Obviously, she's the better sister. I have already prefaced with my family the fact that I probably won't get an amazing job like this right out of college because I'm majoring in a dying industry but I'll try my best. I plan to mooch off of my sister for a couple years until I get awesome enough for her to mooch off of me. It's a mutual mooching future. We've talked about it before and it's a good plan.

Anyway, now we're all grown up and Sydney is about to face the world. She has faced the world in little increments before but now it's hitting her right between the eyes. There is no doubt in my mind that whatever she does in the future, she's going to kick some ass.

If you don't know my sister, if you passed up the opportunity to know her, or if you lost touch throughout the years then I genuinely feel sorry for you. Really, I do. You may think, "oh she's just saying that because she's her younger sister" but seriously. Ask any of her friends or any of my friends or whoever, she's one of a kind.

I guess my parents did a pretty good job raising their oldest. In three years (or less or more like i said I don't know what I'm doing), I hope to grab my diploma and take on the world being half the person she is. Congrats on finishing your schooling Syd, you're going to do amazing things for our world. And remember I'll always be here, as your bestfriend, to cheer you on no matter what.

High on Life, Drunk on Good Times

I would like to take the time to explain my outlook on the drinking and drug culture of college. If you're a teenager reading this, you may think I'm just a pussy and boring. If you're an adult reading this, you may wish your child was more like me. If you're my mom, you're probably proud of me but would want me to cut loose and "enjoy college" more like you did back in the day. I have my own opinions, beliefs, and reasonings on drugs and alcohol and, so far, college hasn't changed them.

Let's start off with my experiences in high school. I have no experiences. I did nothing illegal in high school besides drive more than one person in my car before I was 17. Even then it was just a day before my birthday and I was driving from school to the neighborhood across the street. This wasn't because I was afraid or anything. I never did anything drug or alcohol related because it wasn't important. I needed good grades to get into a good college and I chose to dedicate my time elsewhere. Also, I was never invited to any gathering with illegal substances. But this post isn't about my lack of social life in high school. We can talk about that a different time. Anyway, my first sip of anything happened the summer before senior year. And even then, it was a sip.

Fast forward to college and there are bottles and bongs everywhere you go. If you've been to college, you know what I mean. If you haven't, you'll see. I wasn't shocked or surprised or anything. People used to give me warnings like, "just wait until you get to college", or "better be comfortable now otherwise you're gonna hate college". You were all wrong. I'm fine. I'm glorious. I'm comfortable. Leave me alone.

Since being at college, I have had very little alcohol consumption. All my friends ask me if I've ever gotten drunk and I can answer that honestly with a firm NO. "But why it's so fun?!?!" False. It could be fun for you. Until you blackout and don't remember why you ended up on the corner couch in a random frat house with dried drool on your face and a blasting migraine. It's fun to "pre-game" the party with your friends until you spend the remainder of the night clutching the porcelain throne in her apartment and don't even make it out. And sure, getting high is fun until you stink up your entire room and your RA kicks you out. Like I said, what's fun for you may not be fun for me.

Now, I know it may seem like I'm AGAINST all these activities but I'm not. Do whatever you want. I just want you to be safe. I currently hold a position in my sorority that is literally in charge of making sure everyone is safe at parties. What do I care if you "can't have fun" unless you're drunk? Go ahead! Take four shots and dance your heart out on that elevated surface. I DO care if you're so out of control drunk that your breasts and booty keep popping out of your outfit without you noticing. Or if you're dancing next to an open window and are having trouble standing up straight and could topple over and fall outside. That's when I come in with a bottle of water and a bag of pretzels to calmly ask you to settle down.

I'll be honest with you. I have had an alcoholic beverage since being at college. I know. Shocking right?!?! Here's my thing; I want to be in control. I don't ever want to feel like I don't have control of my thoughts, emotions, or actions. That scares me. It doesn't "feel good" to have something influence me. It doesn't "make things more fun" knowing I might not remember myself having the fun in the first place. It's not enticing to me. I don't think it ever will be. You raised a good one ma and pa.

I have friends who think it would be fun to get me drunk and I agree. It would be fun to see myself drunk ONE time. The only problem with that is that I won't actually see myself drunk because I won't know what's happening. Additionally, I don't know how to get drunk. Literally I have no idea. I don't understand how people can stand drinking alcohol that tastes like nail polish remover just so they can be drunk. No thank you. Bar tender I would like a vodka lemonade, hold the vodka and extra lemonade.

I titled this post "high on life, drunk on good times" because that is my own personal motto. "Are you drunk?" Yeah. Only on good times. "Are you high?" Oh yeah I have the best kind of high. I'm high on life, buddy. I hope to live by this statement but apply it to adventure. I want to be high on life and drunk on good times throughout my life. I want to be addicted to thrill and remember the excitement.

So call me whatever you want as long as you're safe. The bottom line is that I am living proof that you don't need to be under the influence of anything to have fun. Since college has started, I have gotten really good at pretending I'm drunk and I plan to perfect the "drunk Lindsey" character by the time I graduate.

I held empty red cups in my hands so I would know where to put the emojis and seem cooler for this picture.

An Inside Look Into My Personal Journal

In addition to writing this blog I keep a journal. At first it was to write down my feelings and thoughts in order to not be as stressed but then I started writing little stories and lines. Like, if I thought of an interesting topic or line I can use in a story in the future, I wrote it down. So this blog post will be strictly things taken out of my personal journal and then me roasting myself. I wrote most of these when I couldn't fall asleep so I'm just curious how terrible and weird they are. I promise I'm working on other posts and stuff but I just thought I would share some of the other writing that I do in my free time. Full disclosure, for some reason I always write melancholy and depressing stories when I creatively write but I'll try and find some excerpts that aren't as terribly sad. Hope you enjoy! And if you don't then that's okay. I'm still going to keep writing even if it is crappy. Can only get better with practice!

11/6/16
I watched as her body turned away from him. Her hands were viciously gesturing and words were pouring out of her mouth in a constant stream to prevent an awkward silence. Her eyes were darting back and forth from the door then to him.

Okay so there is like way more to this but reading it over its not that good but whatever. Basically like a person at a restaurant was observing a couple and the guy was totally in love but the girl was not into it. I'll work on it.

11/7/16
There were no bubbles resting around the rim.

Seems a little intense right? I actually said this out loud to my roommate because I was talking about how my dad has me pour his beers for the can to a glass and how I can do it so there are no bubbles. I thought it sounded kind of cool and that I can use it in a story so I wrote it down. I just really liked this line. It seems stupid bit like I think of it as kind of describing a perfect person because a perfect poured glass has no bubbles. I don't know. I think it's cool.

11/8/16
All the tiny hairs covering my arms stood up in unison and my little bumps began to take over my legs. My head felt like a throbbing mess. Streams of anger and pain leaked from my eyes. I could feel my heart break inside me.

Whoa right? Like what happened to her. Nothing happened to me. I couldn't sleep because I was feeling stressed so I decided to turn my headache and anger with not being able to sleep into a heartbreak. Innovative, I know.

11/8/16
The thing about dying is that everyone thinks its so terrible. That when you die, that's it. It's over. You're done. But that's all wrong. DYING is bad. But being dead? I'm having the time of my life.

Funny? Dying is funny? No it is not funny but for whatever reason (probably because I was watching Vampire Diaries when I wrote this) I was thinking about death. But, I was thinking about after death and was like hey, what if I write about someone who is really enjoying their afterlife. And then, this little blurb was born. Lame, I know but that last line was the only reason I wrote this in the first place.

11/20/16
If you keep a smile on your face and a skip in your step, everything will change. Fake it until you make it a reality. Until smiling and skipping feels natural.

This was to make me feel better. But, looking at it now, it makes me feel angry. FRAGMENTS LINDSEY. ARE YOU JOKING? Whatever. I had good intentions.

1/19/17 (big jump!!)
And here I sit on a Wednesday night My covers are pulled tight over me and my thoughts are running around my brain. I hate being stuck with my thoughts. It's terrifying.

So the second part to this I tried to write it like there was a war in my mind of good thoughts and happy thoughts but it didn't really work out so here's the crappy and not descriptive first part of the war on thoughts.

2/25/17
If you plant your roots and just let it happen,
the magic will help you grow.

I wrote this while thinking about camp. That's all I can say about that.

So here are seven excerpts of my personal journal. There's way more in there but none of it is very interesting. My main hope is to turn it into a book but there will need to be revisions and a lot of editing and an actual story. But I can take bits and pieces. Anyway, sorry if this post was boring. I'm having a little trouble with being creative lately because I've been a tad stressed and under the weather. There are other posts in the works though so hang tight.

Thank you to everyone who have been supporting me! Also, thanks to everyone who thinks this blog or post might be weird because I don't really care and you had to read it in order to create that opinion!

The Future

We're asked from a young age what we want to be when we grow up. In second grade I did a whole presentation of how I wanted to be an archaeologist because I loved (and still do) history. I was so fascinated by ancient objects and mummies. I still am! But over the years the reality of the world has weighed down on me. You get to be very future oriented in high school. You have to do well to get into a good college. You need to succeed in college to get a high paying job. Then your job will make you happy because you worked your whole life to get to that moment. That's how it;s suppose to be right? That's what we teach our youth. Go to school so you can get a job and make money in order to provide for your family and live a happy life.

Sorry but that's complete and utter bullshit. How am I supposed to know what I want to do? What if I don't want to provide for anyone? What if I want to be a little selfish and live my life the way I want to before latching onto someone else and bringing more people in this world? YOU'RE ALLOWED TO BE INDEPENDENT AND GO AGAINST THE NORM. Honestly it bothers me so much when people don't know why they declared their major. Or when the answer is, "I'll make good money" or "It'll be easy to get a job". How about studying something you enjoy and fighting for a job you'll actually like doing.

My parents had two rules, more like suggestions, for my sister and I. My dad has always told us that he doesn't care what we do as long as we're happy doing it. And my mom always told us to have a job where we don't need someone else to support us. Great advice right?? Excellent advice. I was never told to dip my toe into a profession because it would be easy. It would lead me to a job and wealth. I was always told to find something I love, and become the best at it. So that's what I'm trying to do.

I'm in the process of finding what I love and I think I'm getting close. I'm in the right college but I'm on the search for the right major, and maybe even minor. What can I study that I'd enjoy? What can I study that will help me land a job that I am happy to go to everyday? Like I said, it's a process. We're narrowing it down and I'm trying different clubs to figure things out. Two things I know for sure are that I want to write and I want to make people laugh. That's all I ever have wanted to do. Well, I guess I wanted to dig and find artifacts when I was younger too but making people laugh was up there.

I called a friend the other day because I was thinking about my future. This was more in terms of my family future. I started questioning what I want and what's important to me. And the truth is, I don't know. I don't know if i want to get married, I don't know if I want to have kids, and I sure as hell don't know where I want to live. What I do know is if I ever were to get a dog I'd get a Husky but I'm not really an animal person so that's a long shot. I'm starting to learn that it's okay to not know those things. I'm turning 19 in a month and I have time. I have so much time to figure out who I am, what I want, and what I want to do.

I guess what I'm saying is that we should be okay that some people don't know what they want their future to hold and they don't want to start to think about it at such a young age. It's annoying to think about now and this is the time where I should be thinking about it. So maybe I will be an archaeologist and live in a tent in desert while my sister takes care of my feline companion while I'm on digs. Or maybe I'll be a stay at home mom at a ranch home in the mountains of Colorado. I don't know! No one knows! Unless you have a flux capacitor and wanna let me know!!
The bottom line is that I couldn't tell you what the future holds for me, and I am okay with that.

My review of La La Land

A couple weeks ago I saw La La Land with a good friend and I got to tell you, I wasn't too impressed. I LOVE Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. They were amazing in Crazy, Stupid, Love and they were equally amazing in this together. The movie just didn't do anything for me.

Here's what I did like about the film (SPOILERS):
1. The concept
I liked that it was a musical within a movie. But it was a classy musical. None of the numbers seemed too forced or extreme. It all flowed well.

2. The emphasis on Jazz
JAZZ IS DYING PEOPLE. The success of this movie will hopefully bring some of it's greatness back into the limelight. I love that Ryan's whole character was based around his love for Jazz. It's such a lively genre that helped make his character likeable.

3. The very real characters
They are a struggling actress and a struggling musician living in LA. That city is known to be highly populated by starving talent waiting for their big breaks.

4. The Ending
I liked that they weren't together at the end. People come into your life and influence you for the better but sometimes they don't always stay there. It was an interesting choice on the writer's part. They knew that the audience would want them together at the end but instead, they went a different route and gave their audience what they needed. We needed to see them accomplish their goals in life. It's an amazing message actually. One person could change your whole life. They could help you get everything you want and assist you in accomplishing your dreams. But sometimes, they get lost along the way. And maybe it's for the better.

Here's why I disliked the film:
1. Emma Stone acting as an actress didn't sell me.
Emma Stone is a great actress. But Emma Stone playing an actress wasn't one of her best roles. In the scenes where she auditions for something, I probably wouldn't hire her either. Sorry Emma, I love you but, you know.

2. The unnecessary length of some scenes
The planetarium scene was cool but I didn't need to see them fly into the sky and dance on the air. That was too much. Also, the rising action was way too long. When they finally had their fight at the table I was so excited because FINALLY their seemingly "perfect" relationship was about to crumble. It can't be too good for too long otherwise it's too unrealistic.

3. The Music
It was really good but the majority of the songs were slow and they almost made me fall asleep. Then the upbeat tunes were solely dance scenes and it wasn't as exciting. I enjoyed the group songs at the beginning the best.

4. The Ending
Like I said, I like that they weren't together. What I didn't like was the little blurb they showed about what their life would've been like if they were together. It was completely ridiculous. So you're telling me that if he would've kissed her instead of plowing past her at the restaurant, they would've still been together? They would've gone to Paris together and had kids and lived happily ever after? I call bullshit. One kiss and when and where it happens is not gonna change every event of your life. Sorry but no.
Also, when Emma walks out of the club and they make eye contact, Ryan smiles at her and then she smiles back. And then she leaves because that was her validity that they were on good terms and their story was resolved and everything was fine in the world. BUT, when she left the building, Ryan's smile faded to a frown. HE IS NOT OKAY. HE IS NOT AS HAPPY AS HER. HE DID THE WHOLE CLUB THING FOR HER. TO SHOW HER THAT HE'S STICKING TO HIS DREAMS. I swear that little frown made me so pissed because why can't his story be resolved. There was no resolution to his story. There was no happy ending. The woman he loved is happy with someone else. And he is not and never will be, part of her life again. THAT'S NOT OKAY. PLEASE GIVE US A RESOLUTION FOR THIS CHARACTER. PLEASE. Makes me so angry.


Anyway, it is not the best movie I have ever seen. It is not the best musical movie I have ever seen. But yes, I enjoyed the film. I don't even remember the names of the characters but nevertheless I enjoyed it. It was beautifully done and such an interesting concept. That being said, it was the plot that bothered me the most. The production was absolutely magnificent but the story could've been tweaked. I'm not an expert movie critic by any means but there was something about this one that made me so angry. Sorry to anyone who loved the movie. My opinion shouldn't effect yours but sometimes that happens so. Thanks for reading my review.

Personally, I'm a bigger fan of Demi's take on things.

Demi Lovato-La La Land

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Ahhhh David Bowie. A man so wise and inspiring. Two of his songs in particular have really stuck to me and have helped me shape who I am and who I want to be.

1. Changes

Obviously a classic. This song reminds me that nothing is permanent (except time) and you can make changes whenever you want. For example, I just dyed my hair darker. I can change my hair whenever I want. I can change who I am and who I want to be anytime. Change happens all around us but only we have the ability to change ourselves. Time has changed me. Time has allowed me to develop my passions and goals. Time has also made me realize that I have a whole life ahead of me. I don't have to try and fit everything in right now, time won't change. There is always time to accomplish what I want in life. Additionally this song has taught me that if Iw ant to accomplish something, I need to take matters into my own hands. Waiting for something to happen is a waste of time. Making it happen yourself is more rewarding, no matter what might stand in your way.

2. Heroes

This song has stuck to me so hard that I want to get a tattoo of the chorus. "We can be heroes, just for one day...". This song, especially these lyrics, have resonated with me because it makes me realize that I don't have to try and be the hero all the time. Eventually, there will be a day where all my talents and skills will shine in a heroic action and I will be King. But I can be my own hero. Bad things happen and not everything will always go my way, but there is always light at the end of the tunnel. This song reminds me that it is possible to be my own hero and find positivity and beauty in a bad situation.

Making changes and relying more on yourself are hard tasks. Sometimes you need to change your habits and even your whole mindset. Either way something positive will come out of it.
Just turn and face the strange, and we can be heroes forever and ever.

Camp People

Everyone knows I'm a camp person. I live and breathe camp. It's mostly because I go to the best camp ever. Yes the physical camp itself is amazing with it's traditions, activities, and awesome location under a blanket of stars, but there is something else that keeps you coming back year after year. My camp is so intimate and small that you get to know everyone. The people keep bringing you back. Because camp people are the best people.

Nobody knows me better than the 22 girls that I had the pleasure of living with for eight summers. I could call any one of them right now and we could pick up right where we left off. I am so thankful for all of these girls making me who I am today.

The counselors are the ones who make the summer special for the kids. When I was a camper, I tried to get to know the staff and create friendships with them. I wanted to know why they wanted to be a camp counselor and if they're enjoying it. I have been in a poke war with my CIT summer counselor for the past four years and it's getting intense. I regularly stalk former camp counselors on social media just to see what they're up to. I loved getting to know a bunch of the staff members during my camper years. No matter what, camp people are the best people.

Being an actual staff member was different because I was on the other side of things. I absolutely loved being a camp counselor because I got to know so many cool people. The counselors that come to my camp are some of the greatest people in the world and I am so thankful that my childhood home has rubbed off so much magic on so many of them

Being a "camper counselor" changed the game because I had connections with many of the campers already but now I was the one in charge of them. The cabin that I was a counselor for last summer was one of my favorite cabins of girls when I was a camper and I was ecstatic that I got to hang out with them for seven weeks. Thank you girls for letting me do my job and "counsel" you while still being your friend.

When I was deciding where to go to college, camp people changed everything. My camp friends bring out the best of me and make me the most comfortable so having the option to go to a school that is filled with them was all I needed. They are a big reason that I chose to go to school in Michigan and I thank them for helping me pick and adapt to my new home. Everywhere I go I see someone who is part of the family and I love it.

There is such a tight bond between everyone who has ever went or worked at this camp because it is such an intimate place. It's not a big camp. And I am forever thankful for that.

(sorry for all the pictures...I don't know how to make them look better and I also couldn't decide which ones to not post)

Sorry

I know it's been a while since I last posted. The stress of the semester ending and finals has gotten me distracted and I had to take my priorities elsewhere. (academics...ew) Thankfully these past few weeks have got me thinking and I now have a bunch of new topics that I want to write about. I also have about three weeks of freedom ahead of me so prepare for me to be on your timeline a lot. 

Alrighty, I hope everyone has a fabulous night! I'm off to writing.

Being Jewish during the Holiday Season

First of all I'd like to thank society for referring to this time of year as "The Holiday Season". As if anyone cares about any other holiday besides Christmas during "the most wonderful time of the year." I'm going to be honest, Hanukkah is one of my least favorite Jewish holidays. Yes it's true that it always gets overshadowed by Christmas, but the thing is, it SHOULD get overshadowed by Christmas. Yay! The oil burned for eight days instead of one! I'm sorry but the birth of the person (or g-d, don't want to offend anyone) that basically a whole religion is centered around...kind of more important than oil burning.

Hanukkah is not the biggest and most important Jewish holiday on the calendar but it's still there. We still light the candles for eight days straight and say the prayer. We still bake latkes and spin the dreidel to celebrate the eight "crazy" nights. There is still some celebration!

The thing about the holiday times is that I am constantly asked what my opinion on Christmas is. I have plenty of Jewish friends who LOVE Christmas and that's great! Better to love another religions holiday than be against it. The fact of the matter is, I don't really have an opinion on Christmas. I don't love to watch all of the movies on Hallmark about the couples who fall in love once they kiss under mistletoe. I can name probably three reindeer off the top of my head and I'm not a big fan of the Christmas lights. Unless they are on a tree or set up in a magnificent wonderland, I don't see the hype about them.

I used to really enjoy Christmas music. My sister and I used to dance around with our American Girl dolls to every song that played on 93.9 Light FM. Now? I can do without it. I'm not in an any cheerier mood during this time of year. Some of my friends get confused that this time of year doesn't affect me.

My biggest problem is the gifts. Hanukkah is not meant to be a gift exchanging holiday. It only became that way because the little Jewish kids started to feel left out of the Christmas activities. And then viola! Parents now feel obligated to buy AT LEAST eight presents for each of their children. I stopped receiving presents when I was 11. And personally I'm okay with that. I get enough "presents" throughout the year. Like in August when my dad gave me $20 to go to red robin and liquid fusion. Thanks for the early Hanukkah present! It's completely unnecessary to give presents all eight days of Hanukkah. That is the only thing about the influence of Christmas on Hanukkah that urks me.

Being a Jew on Christmas is like being a Jew on any other day of the year. Unless Hanukkah happens to fall on the same day, like this year. (mark your calendar) It's like every other day of the year except we are imprisoned in our homes because anywhere we would want to go is closed. The only open places are movie theaters and Chinese restaurants. So yes, many Jewish people do the thing that is expected and spend their day in the movie theater and their nights feasting on egg rolls and sweet and sour chicken. But like I said, being a Jew on Christmas isn't special. It's just another day.

Honestly it's the build up that effects us the most. It's the red ribbons and wreaths. It's the jolliness and poor displays of twinkle lights around our neighborhoods. It's the constant Christmas music that plays in the common area of the High School. Just when you think you can escape, here's the place that you spend 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, throwing a ball of Christmas cheer at you while you're trying to do homework and eat lunch.

Christmas is great for the Jewish people because we don't have to worry about getting coal in our stocking. I can be as naughty or as nice as I want and NOTHING extra will happen on the 25th of December. Also, we knew Santa wasn't real for our whole life. Our parents never had to break our hearts with the bitter news that they were the ones who spent the money and became secret spies in order to get us the PERFECT gift. Never happened. Never will. They sure dodged that bullet. Seriously, Santa Claus? I just don't get it. But it's okay! I don't have to get it! As long as we respect it and stay in our place for this merry holiday, we're fine!

So, to recap:
-No Santa
-Chinese and Movies

Yeah that sounds good.

To end I'd like to say thank you to all of the stores that give Hanukkah a section of their Christmas aisle. We're a blue speck in a sea of red and green but at least we're there. So, on Christmas, you might not see the Jews. But trust me, we're there.

Adjusting to College

I knew adjusting to college life would be hard but it's more bizarre. Going from six classes a day to five classes a week wasn't as big as a transition as I thought it might've been. It's the same amount of work and I'm still at Starbucks every single day doing my homework.

The biggest challenges is the sleeping and eating. I tell this to my high school friends all the time . You will forget to eat. I have been up since 9:30am and it is now 5:00pm. I forgot to eat today so when I got to Starbucks I had a piece of coffee cake. That has been it today. I don't do it on purpose. I just forget!

Additionally, the sleeping is different.  When I'm not doing homework or eating, I'm sleeping. I have never slept so much in my entire life. But the thing is, I'm always tired. It's like as soon as I got to college I turned into an infant. I now have to sleep 11 hours a day in order to be aware and alert. And after that 11th hour, I am still tired. Literally it's so weird.

Another change has been the social change. I actually have to go out and hang out with actual people. Everyday I am very surprised at how much I socialize. In college, you have no choice. You are constantly surrounded by students and people. There is no escape like there was in high school. You can't just leave the building and instantly feel a sense of relief because you can get away from it for a bit. You can't go to your room and sit by yourself and not have any contact with anyone. Because in college, you are always at school. That's DIFFERENT! You aren't always in class but you are ALWAYS at school no matter what. There is no getting away from it for a bit. Also, you have a roommate or roommates OR A WHOLE GREEK HOUSE OF PEOPLE. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. I love my roommate, my friends, and my sorority, but trying to get away from the constant socializing and sit in isolation for a second is VERY hard.

Something I have found helpful is being able to find a place on campus where I can sit in peace. For me, it's a bench in the botanical gardens. I don't tell anyone when I'm there and I decide to go spontaneously. I go sit, I think, and I reflect. That's my me time. Until it gets interrupted by the Kung Fu class that feels the need to practice there. I also don't know what I'm going to do when it snows but hey, we'll cross that road when we come to it.

My adjustment to college was about the little things. I didn't cry of homesickness, or wish I was home in my bed. I never agonized over the fact that all of my friends are spread out across the country. I have just been concerned with eating, sleeping, an socializing. All in all, I feel i have adapted to my new habitat well and look forward to future endeavors in the EL.

 

What can I getcha?

I want to be a bartender. Yes, I have other dreams like writing a book and traveling the world but, learning how to bartend has always been a goal of mine. When I was younger my dad used to challenge me to pour a bottled beer into a glass with minimum bubbles. It became something that I enjoyed doing. It's the little things right?
And you usually enjoy things you're good at. I was a natural. No bubbles rested around the rim.

Over the years I have gotten better at this god given talent of mine. I eventually got to the fun stuff. Opening bottles of alcohol in a cool and smooth way. I'm still working on it but sometimes I can pop a top off of a beer at lightning speed.

Anyway, like I said, I have always wanted to bartend. Bartenders make people happy. They supply people with an item that changes their mood. They are fun and give the gift of entertainment. There is always a wise bartender in every good movie. You know what I'm talking about. When the main character is in a rut and they think drinking their sorrows away is the best option. But then the hero of the story, the bartender, comes by and gives him life changing advice that makes the main character question everything about their decisions. Then the character throws back the final sip and thanks the tender for everything. BAM. LIFE CHANGING.

That's what I want to be. The wise bartender. But I also want to be the cool bartender. The one that the regulars always come in to see. Additionally, I want to be able to mix cool drinks and pour beers just right for all my friends when I'm older. Like when none of my twenty something friends know I can bartend and I just whip a bottle of vodka around like I'm one of those samurai chefs. Imagine how blown their minds will be. Jaws will drop.

People usually think that bartending is something you do when you can't find a job and have nothing else to do. I actually have no problem with being a bartender on the side while I do my other work. Business during the day, party at night. I think that bartenders are very admirable people. They have to deal with drunk idiots all the time and don't usually complain.

I don't even really like drinking so this is also a little ironic. SO NOW I MUST DO IT. And you bet your bottom dollar right when I turn 21 I'm signing up for bartending school.

But seriously whenever I have made a bucket list bartending has always been at the top of it. And then learning how to play the drums is right under it. I have no rhythm so that's going to be a difficult one. Then comes traveling the world and then my career. I know it's a funky order but it's something I have always wanted to do. How cool would it be to be a bartender in another country?? I'd be foreign AND the person supplying you alcohol. BONUS POINTS!

Right now I don't have a lot of talents. When I learn how to bartend and then maybe the drums, I'll be a woman of MANY talents. THAT is so exciting to me.

Lindsey; A woman of many talents
That'll be the title of my autobiography.

Anyway, thank you for reading my little spiel. It's something I've been thinking about a lot lately and just wanted to put it out there. Check out my bar in the future. I don't know where it'll be or what it'll be called but I will own a bar at some point in time. ;)

I don't want to be this intense but wow!
LOOK AT HOW COOL!

Halloweekend: Halloween at College

I don't know what I expected Halloween at college would be like but here's something new; I had a fun weekend. Me! Lindsey Rabinowitz. The girl who hates Halloween and hates being up past 10pm actually has a fun Halloweekend.

The festivities started Thursday night. A SCHOOL NIGHT!!! Spooky. Naturally, I dressed up as a hippie.

And I fucking killed it. We left the dorm and headed to PARTAY. Just kidding mom...not really. Anyway, apparently the party wasn't "lit" enough so we waited in the CVS for about an hour. First of all, I'm a freshman. I don't need the party to be "lit". I did nothing ever in high school so even a little bit of dancing while holding a red solo cup filled with just soda (alcohol is poison) was enough for me.  The waiting around wasn't ideal but in the end it was probably worth it. We got to the PARTAY and let me tell you, it was kinda "lit". It was a great night with great friends, great tunes, and some great photos. Thank you frat party for making my Thursday night not so boring. 

On Friday night we went to yet ANOTHER frat party. This day I decided to continue to keep it kosher and dressed as a Park Ranger.

This is the same night my friends and I developed a new game. Every time we saw someone dressed as Harley Quinn, we would punch each other. Super fun game right?!? Anyway, this frat party was a pain in my behind. First of all this whole "ratio" thing is ridiculous. Three girls for everyone one guy is rude. Girls like their options too. And I mean gee whiz too much estrogen in the room and all our cycles will match up. No boy wants that. So it was a pain in the ass to make our way through the crowd of sweaty, half dressed college students to get to the door. The guy let us in because "ratio". We were in there for about fifteen minutes and then the fire alarm went off.
"You guys like the cops? Get off the property!!" Nice kids.

The remainder of the night we just walked around and punched each other in the arm. Not the ideal second night of Halloweekend but it was still fun.

Saturday and Sunday night I decided to stay in. Too tired from the previous two days of PARTAYING. I mean Halloween wasn't until Monday. I need to study and clean and do other things. College Halloween is fun but it's also a lot of pressure because it's like a five day event. Five late nights, five different outfits. Like WHAT.

Monday night aka All Hollows Even and I had nothing to wear. Eventually, I decided to go to my roots and be a material girl.

It was perfect other than the fact that I was freezing but whatever. We went to like an annex house so like these frat boys who don't live in their frat house, live in this house. Once again, eh. I mean it was fine. I think I was just tired. I wanted to show my outfit off though so it all worked out. We were about to leave but we were just standing outside and I got bored so I decided to sit in the middle of the sidewalk. One of the boys said to my friends "make sure she's alright and stuff". I got up in an instant and thanked him for his concern but I  was 150% sober. I was just bored and wanted to sit down. Story of my life. People thinking I'm drunk when I'm not. It happens more often then it should. 

Halloween at college was kind of underwhelming. I liked dressing up everyday and seeing everyone's costumes but I guess I was expecting a little more hype. All in all, it was a pretty good Halloweekend. 

And I got to spend the whole holiday with the crew. :)

OH YEAH! There was the Michigan/Michigan State game too!!

What a weekend.