The Little Things in Life

As the saying goes, “It’s the little things that truly matter.” And you know what? I completely agree. Some of my favorite little things that I like to notice, be grateful for and that make me happy are as follows…

1. The sun shining on a winter day. In the midst of the cold and gloomy looking days of winter, when the sun is shining, even if it’s still cold, it brightens up my day. I become cheerier because the sun is out, and I swear everyone else is a bit happier, too.
2. A smile from a stranger when walking. Sometimes, walking around on campus can just feel like a dull chore. But when I’m walking, look up and someone shoots me a smile, it makes my day about 10x better.
3. Cats! I love cats and I love cat pictures. Seeing a cat picture can make me feel happy, but it can also make me a bit sad because I miss my pet cat. But no matter what, the furry adorable little things just make my heart grow in size.
   

   Look at this little guy! How can you not be happy looking at him!? Photo from @Cats account on Twitter.

4. A good day at work. Work can be rough, so when I have a good day where I feel like I knew what I was doing and did it well – it makes me feel good.
5. When someone likes something I’ve written. Sometimes, I write things and wonder if they’re even any good and if I should even bother sharing them. When I do decide to share, and someone tells me they like it, it just makes me happy.
6. A thunderstorm. I love love love thunderstorms. In my opinion, if it’s going to rain, it better pour. Storms are some of the most relaxing, beautiful sights and sounds to me. Listening to the roar of the thunder and the flash of lightning reminds me of what an amazing planet we live on. Bonus: taking a nap to the relaxing sounds of the storm = prime.
7. The first warm day of Spring. After a long, cold winter the first warm day is one of the most important days of the year. Everyone comes out of hibernation and everything feels alive again! Granted, the next day may be a normal winter day, but knowing that we had one nice day makes the wait for more worthwhile.
8. A soft, cozy blanket. Sometimes, all I want to do is snuggle up and take a nap or just listen to music. Having a comfy blanket to do so with makes the experience a million times better. I believe everyone should invest in a giant, fluffy blanket in their lifetime. It’ll be worth it.
9. My favorite soup at the dining hall. I love chicken tortilla soup, and when the dining hall serves that as an option, I just know the day is going to go well.
10. When professors play music at the beginning of class. Sometimes, going to class is a real struggle. But when I walk in and fun music is playing, it boosts my mood and attitude and I feel like it’s going to be a good class period.
11. Someone who walks by and smells really good. Sounds weird, I know but c’mon, anyone will admit that when a boy walks by wearing a nice cologne, it’s a nice moment.
12. HUGS! Sometimes I’ll just randomly walk up to one of my friends and hug them because, why not? Hugs show someone you care and can make them (and you) feel better if either is feeling down. Hugs are fantastic and everyone should hug someone at least once a day.
    

    Anyone? Anyone?? Photo from FurtherEd.

13. Midnight premiers of movies. These are some of the most fun events ever! If you go with a group and friends and dress up for whatever movie it can be even better! Even if you don’t dress up, I assure you there will be people who do and let me tell you, I love those people.
14. Laughter! Whether I’m the one laughing or I was able to make some of my friends laugh, the saying is true: laughter is the best medicine. It just makes things better.
15. Babies and children. I love kids…I just love ’em! Maybe it’s because I have nephews, I don’t know. But what I do know is that they make this world a better place. I love adorable little baby laughs and when kids just die of laughter from being tickled. I also love their view of the world – they haven’t been exposed to the pain the world can cause and so only see the bright, happy things in life. I wish we all still had that mindset.
    

    Brendon and I at the dining hall for chicken tender Thursday!! Photo from me.

16. Family time. Especially being at college and being away from all my family, I love any chance I get with them. A note to everyone: love your family and appreciate them with all your heart – some people aren’t as lucky as you and might not have one.
17. Good hair days. Let’s be real – every girl knows the struggle of trying to make your hair look cute and your hair just not having it for the day. Good hair days = good days.
18. Chicken tender Thursday! Now, no one will really understand this but every Thursday my friend Brendon and I have a lunch date after our class and we get chicken tenders and just talk and catch up on everything. It’s probably the best day of the week and I always look forward to it.
19. Comfy clothes. What can I say except that they’re the bombdotcom.
20. Naps. These busy days and weeks can just take a lot of everyone, so when I get the chance to take a nap where I don’t feel like I should be doing a million other things, it’s a nice time.

So, those are a few things in life that make me happy! What “little things” matter the most to you?

…And the Journey Ends.

So, spring break is officially over and I’m starting to get back in the swing of things at school. Let me tell you, though…it’s a bit rough. Spring Fever is definitely hitting me right now as the sun is out and so is the entire student body. The campus is finally alive again and it feels so good! It’s just a bit sad because I don’t really want to do any work as of now. I just want another week off to chill and do nothing. Because even on break, I was still doing something every single day. We were in Chicago, though, so of course that makes sense! And of course, everything we did was fun so it was all worth it. So what did we do in Chicago, you ask?

– Shopped

Madeline and I hanging out at Cloud Gate, aka the Bean.

– Saw Cloud Gate aka The Bean

– Saw the Wrigley Building

– Shopped

– Saw the Buckingham Fountain

– Saw the lion statues in front of the Art Institute of Chicago

– Shopped

– Saw the statue of the cow that

Chicago is beautiful!

started the great Chicago fire

– Went to a “Here’s the Story” event

– Shopped

– Went to an improv comedy night at the iO

– Explored the city

– Oh! And did I mention we shopped?

So that was the basis of what we did while we were in Chicago. And let me tell you, it was a blast! We got to spend time with family and friends and we were able to explore the city all on our own using the public transit system and everything. It was definitely a spring break to remember. I hope you all had as great a break as I did!

Cheers to the coming of Spring!

PS – I may be posting a blog post that goes more in depth of our trip later on. We’re writing a story right now for a publication we’re involved in, so we’ll see what happens with that.