Before the 1-4

 I can confidently look back at 2013 and declare it a phenomenal year, just a real stellar time. It's amazing to think of all the things you've accomplished or seen or experienced in 365 days- blows your mind sometimes. The past year brought endless amounts of joy and laughter and worries and what if's and I hope that proves true for 2014. 

"Let us not forget what the year did for us, but what we can do for the years to come"

                                                   -(possibly) Abe Lincoln

Top Highlights of 2013- in no particular order

College Graduation. My 8 month internship with Northlight Theatre. Wedding Season '13. Concert Season '13. Living in Chicago. Paul Rudd and Jimmy Fallon as SNL Hosts. Being hired on as an admissions counselor at TCC. Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup. Feeling 22. Catching Fire. Maternal grandparent's 65th Anniversary. The Breaking Bad Series Finale. Paternal grandfather's 90th Birthday. The 20/20 Experience.

Excited for what's to come in 2014

Flying cars

The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon

Tina and Amy hosting the Golden Globes

Justin Bieber's retirement

Sochi Winter Olympics

Grandma Doris' 90th Birthday Rager

My 5000th tweet

March Madness

The ban of ALL cell phone usage while driving in Illinois

Late Night with Seth Meyers

NHL Playoffs

Mockingjay Pt. I

The return of disco

Lollapalooza

What I hope will disappear upon the new year

NOW That's What I Call ___cd's.

The hashtag "smh" 

Facebook bitstrips

Driver seat selfies 

The phrase 'Let's get weird'

Folks that yipe about Obamacare

Avicii

Bad grammar from 20-somthings

Unreasonable gas prices

Anything that rhymes with Biley Fryus

(Note how I'm not really wishing for a lot here, I'm sure a fair amount of you are nodding 'yes' to a few of these anyway).

And so, here's to another year gone, and to wherever the new year takes you next. Maybe it's to a different job, or starting a family, a new hairdo, or finally attempting that one hobby you don't think is lame but your friends have assured you is definitely lame. May time be on your side and you make time for others. Make an effort to send out good vibes in all you do.

Two Thousand Thirteen

It was fun while it lasted.

Mom we're out of milk.

                       -Gina, age 23 



Recap of Wedding Season 2013

It has been one month to the date since the last wedding I attended.

This seemed like decent timing.

I've never really been the kind of girl who has dream after dream about what her wedding will be like, my brain can't think that far ahead. But getting to experience such a day with friends who have worked so hard to make their weddings perfect and unique is dreamlike enough. Within 7 months I had the privilege to see 6 amazing couples from all over the country pledge themselves before God and each other through unending love and commitment. All of these wonderful people and I became friends at some point in college and have made some kind of positive impact in my life. It's probably best to break down the year and introduce you to the newlyweds, eh?

Karley and Sam Staal
May 25th, 2013

I became friends with Karley during sophomore year. We had a good handful of mutual friends and  we would all hang out from time to time. By junior year, my close friends and her close friends would always gather for fun get-togethers or movie nights or Super Bowl parties; you name it, Karley probably planned it. This is also how I got to meet Sam and his group of friends as well. Together Karley and Sam bring energetic conversations and stories that always make you smile or laugh, and are always worth requoting.

The wedding day was nothing short of awesome. The ceremony was full of familiar faces from school and both families were large and well-attended. The reception was a hoppin' time full of food, candy, photoboothing, and every blue candy imaginable! Constant dancing (even choreographed routines by her side of the family) from what seemed like almost all the guests made the night one to remember. I left with mounds of blue candy and sore feet, but wouldn't have traded it for anything. It was most definitely a memorable way to start my summer.


Kayla and Dan Thayer
June 28th, 2013

Dan and Kayla are like 2 peas in a pod. I knew Dan all throughout school, and we were both heavily involved with theatre and campus leadership and had several classes together as Comm majors. I first met Kayla my sophomore year through FYF, Trinity's freshman orientation program. Kayla has such a fun energy about her and Dan matched it flawlessly. Getting to know them separately allowed me see just see just how compatible they were when they would be together.

Making the trip out to the beautiful state of Washington for their wedding was an adventure in itself. The farthest west I'd ever been prior to the wedding was Iowa..I think...gahh that's sad. I diiiid however get to see friends from the area that I hadn't seen in months and was able to spend time near the touristy parts of the bay scenes as well. When the wedding actually started I remember thinking how vibrant the front of the church looked with all its fun summer colors and flair.  The ambiance of the reception was no exception. Mountains. EVERYWHERE. From the view of the bay on the balcony to the stunning chandeliers above the dance floor, everything looked amazing, not to mention the newly married Kayla and Dan.


Kerianne and Jordan Malm
August 17th, 2013

Kerianne and I first became friends sophomore year when we spotted each other in Dick Cole's Psych 121 class as the only people each other knew. She later introduced me to her roommates (who later became my good friends) and we hung out all throughout the rest of college. She is now one of my closest friends and probably the only lab partner who could ever put up with me. I'm just so blessed to have her in my life. I first remember meeting Jordan when they started dating our senior year and thinking "Kerianne's gonna marry him. He talks a lot. This is great." It was clear that they brought out the best in each other, because it was smiles all around, especially when he proposed.

Picture the perfect summer day in mid-August: this sets the stage for the Malm wedding. The ceremony brought me to tears as I witnessed one of my closest friends walk down the aisle and recite her vows to her husband-to-be. As the other guests and I sent them away on a boat with the rest of their wedding party, we made our way across the lake to the reception hall and beautiful patio area on the lakefront. The reception itself was, for lack of a better word, fabulous. I drank 3 mojitos and my hair actually held its curl for once- all good things. From the wedding party speeches to the last call for alcohol, my friends and I were there to send off our newlywed friends on their honeymoon in style, with a spirit-finger tunnel. Every couple's dream, amiriight?


Jenna Rae and Jason Stoit
October 5th, 2013

I was partially intimidated by Jenna Rae when I met her. She was this petite, spunky girl who really held her own and certainly knew how to act and deliver characterization in a given moment, just because she could. Getting to work with her in several college theatre productions made our friendship fun and spontaneous, which rolled over nicely when we both acted together on Trinity's improv team in its early years. I got to know Jason through summer holiday parties and random hang-outs that Jenna would host. These two are so goofy. Jenna knows the right punch to every joke and Jason gives the best responses. Never fails. They're so great.

Although Mother Nature found it in her best interest to bring a little rain to the ceremony, it didn't stop us all from having a ragin' time. It's always neat to see a different friend group at a given wedding and I'm happy to have had the chance to catch up with people that I've fallen out of touch with in the past year. Aside from the guest list, this day breathed class: the dress, the church, the reception, et al. We danced, took 100 too many selfies, and danced some more. The happy couple, surrounded by family and loved ones partied with us all night until they kicked us out, but not before sending us away with to-go boxes of leftover desserts. Hashtag yum.


Jacquelyn and Kevin Drenth
October 19th, 2013

I met Jacquelyn freshman year during the annual black and white "jazz night" on campus. We talked about where we went to high school and shared our love for dance. This soon evolved into a shameless love for Kristen Wiig and Bud Light Lime and that will probably never change. Of our core group of friends, she is the one with a killer fashion sense. And though she be but tall, she is fierce. I didn't meet Kevin until Junior year-ish, just because sometimes that's how life is. But he and Jacquelyn are so fun to be around and I don't see that changing, ever.

The night of their wedding was out of this world. I literally thought MTV was going to walk in and start shooting 'My Super Sweet Wedding: Drenth Edition' at some point, or maybe there would be entrance elephants somewhere. I didn't know, but I wouldn't have doubted it at the time. Invite all of your friends and family to a gorgeous ceremony and a long night of dancing and drinks and midnight hour tater tots and you've concocted a successful party. Per always, it was so great to see friends from out of state and be reunited with them for the time being and to have all us girls together again was the proverbial cherry on top. Plus I caught the bouquet like a BOSS.

Nicole and Brian Clark
November 2nd, 2013

Nicole and I secretly should've been roommates freshman year instead of suite mates, we laugh about it now...but that's the truth. Nicole is a friend who is not afraid to speak her mind, which I totally admire. Always a bright and beautiful individual who is a natural leader. If I needed to watch Tangled for the 3rd time in a single day, she would encourage it. Tangled's a great film, y'know? Thrice is nice, or something. Brian and I had a handful of classes together and pretty much kept each other sane during Senior Seminar. Kid's got some great one-liners, that's for sure. Always gotta keep an ear out for the quiet ones.

This wedding was, much like most of our beloved Disney go-to flicks, an absolute fairy tale. In a dress hand-made by her grandmother, Nicole had never looked more stunning. Assisting in the hair and makeup department for her bridal party was a huge honor, and to be around Nicole and her girls was such a memorable time, even getting to chill exclusively with Brian and Nicole's wedding party behind-the-scenes was honor enough! After the lovely ceremony the guests of honor met up with us at a ZOO (Ya, a zoo, a. zoo.) for food, slideshows, toasts, photoshoots and corny wedding dance moves. That wedding was the perfect bookend to the now complete season.

So many weddings,

So slow to blog about it,

I need to sleep now.

                                                                         -Gina, haiku, age 22

The Little Graduate That Could

Since the dawn of time, man has developed routine as a means to work and live consistently without pauses or breaks in between. Man built muscle memory to strengthen such routine: when the sun rises, a new day starts. Food must be gathered, water restored. Animals tended to. Man of the modern age, as we know, has little to nothing in common with his predecessor. The sun rises, a new day starts. Smart-phones are thoroughly checked. Coffee prepared. Newspaper read. Then and only then can the day begin and work accomplished. 

I am and will probably forever be a creature of habit. Sure, I can adapt easily to most things, but usually retreat back to what I know. I know I prefer Pacific Cooler Capri Suns, but will drink whatever flavor is offered. I know I can tolerate the country music my friends listen to, although I wouldn't be caught dead listening to it out of my own free will. See? Adaptable. But for a while, I found myself stuck in a rut, and pondering the elite life rules of Club Adult. I know if it were up to me, I'd be an eternal student. Thus:

What would life after finishing 16 years of schooling do to my routine? 

Maybe I was bluffing about being well-adjusted, because school has always been severely important to me. Being involved mattered a great deal. Getting to know as many people as I could was a long term goal. The thought of having to seek out a big-girl job after college still seemed way too 'by the book,' but summer was ending, and student loans would soon start charging in quicker than I could say 'FAFSA.'
Fast forward to present day. I was fortunate enough to find a job after college, at my college, and in my major. Not that any of those factors mattered in the hunt, but I'm not complaining. I'm the newest addition to the Admissions family, and although I've only been on the job for 10 days, it feels like 11. I'm substituting 8am classes for 8 hour work days. Replacing mid-day naps with mid-day meetings. Growing up is the BEST! Well, almost. I could still use the naps. Tiger naps, specifically. Cat naps aren't worth it.

My Songs Know What You Listened To This Summer

Whether it's new to the music sales or you just can't stop singing that one super catchy chorus to some bubble-gummy pop radio hit, we are ALL hooked on music that's helped transpire our summers thus far. It may not just aid as background noise to a busy work day or pass off as something you heard but you can't seem to remember the name of the song (finally got the Shazam app...what a life saver) but music that we connect our time to. i.e. "OMG- that one Icona Pop song is lykeee, the song of the summer lolz!"

I've called upon some friends to give me a list of tunes that they've been listening to and that have helped contribute to the nature of their summers, ranging from one song, many songs, a specific album, or artist.
Nod and agree if you spot any personal matches:

Icona Pop, "I Love It"

Great Gatsby Soundtrack

Pitch Perfect Soundtrack

Tegan & Sara, "Closer"

Robin Thicke, "Blurred Lines"

Cat Stevens

The Bell Brigade, "Sweet Louise"

Hillsong United, Zion

Passion Pit

Vampire Weekend, Modern Vampires of the City

Imagine Dragons

Lana Del Rey, "Summertime Sadness"

Anything on B96

Justin Timberlake, The 20/20 Experience

Anything including Jay-Z

Rihannah, "Stay"

Evermore

Robbie Williams, "Candy"

Of Monsters And Men

An exceptional list if you ask me. Perhaps you were looking to amp up your summer playlist so when you and 5 of your closest besties decide to bonfire one night or road trip to bestie #6's place...these names and songs will surely benefit your ear canals. And don't be afraid to go back in time and dig out some summer oldies but goodies too! No idea what I'm talking about? Shhhh...it'll all be over soon. 

West Coast Love

Having never traveled farther west than Iowa, I had very high expectations for my journey out to the gorgeous and lush Northwest corner of this massive country. After a quick layover in Denver and a straight shot to Bellingham, Washington, I spent the last 4 days with a solid group of amazing friends and our dear newlyweds, Kayla and Dan Thayer. Here are two lovely individuals whom I have gotten to know quite well over the past couple of years and can confidently say that they will be so unbelievably happy together. Another sweet perk of this trip was my opportunity to stay with Trinity friends that were local in Lynden! With all of us together cracking jokes and wishing each other well, life was simply ideal.

I saw the sights, ate and drank like the locals, took photos of close to everything, and soaked in all of the beauty that is God's doing. Imagine waking up everyday to greenery, to mountains and openness- I did so, and every time it happened my brain went to mush. Maybe you already do see or have seen that and you're not stuck in the suburbs like myself, but I cannot begin to explain what my eyes have seen or thoughts comprehended. 

Mt. Baker to the left, Twin Peaks to the right, Cascades all around.

Aside from drooling over the scenery around me, I got to venture into the neighboring towns and do some exploring. I saw the Pacific Ocean, had my fair share of Woods Coffee (which is the coffee Washington should be known for...seriously the best coffee you'll ever have), and getting to see how my friends in Lynden spend their summers. Nothing trumps experiencing these kinds of things in the flesh; it's one thing to converse about 'where I'm from' and 'this is a typical day-in-the-life' while you're at college, but to see with your eyeballs and appreciate the life behind these people you've grown to know makes it that much more special. 

On the day of the wedding you could feel the excitement everywhere and read it on everyone. Me? I'm a sap. I cry at everything and for the most part held it together but it took strength, that's for sure. Kayla made for a stunning bride and Dan a handsome groom.

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Thayer, y'all! 

Old Enough to Party

May the Beastie Boys attest to this- I have definitely fought for my right to party, (no blood shed or battle scars, but it could've gotten ugly). In the season of graduation parties, bonfires, weddings, or impromptu get-togethers, I think the art of a well-executed gathering requires the 3 P's: planning, patience, and positivity. This behind-the-scenes trifecta GUARANTEES a fun time by all guests, I swear by it. You have to be the one who looks like they're having the most fun, and once you make that happen, no little thing or 'what-if' will bother you for the entirety of the time. 

But Gina, you seem reaaally confident in your 3P Theory. 

There's no way its provable, right?

False. 
100%. 
Where's a good Dwight Schrute meme when you need it?

For the past week I have been prepping for a conjoined graduation party in celebration for my cousin and me. Our mothers, and this is coming from lived-experience, are expert party throwers. The kind who force you to take loads of leftover food home afterwards. The kind who go above and beyond with decorating. The kind who always buy more than they need because they'd rather be safe than sorry. We were no match for their level of expertise but we knew it was worth a shot. 

So, what makes a unique and successful graduation party that will please the masses and not just the guests of honor? Easy.

1 spot-cleaned house

1 full menu of food and drinks

2 beautiful cupcake cakes

1 candy-stuffed pinata

2 backyard tents for the risk of rain

1 beer pong table and set of cups

1 keg of beer

That's literally all it took. An excellent blend of college nostalgia, paper mache swinging from a tree and wonderful conversations all around. All in all we planned, kept our cool even in stressful times, and had a blast even when the rain made a few uninvited cameos. Our friends and family who were able to come seemed to enjoy themselves as well, and it was truly a blessing to have them contribute to the celebration that is getting a degree and crying over student loans. BEING AN ADULT RAWKS GUYS.

Where Do We Go Now?

College is over.
Summer is starting.
Everyone is doing something of their own. 

I don't care- I LOVE IT.

My goal is for this new blog to be a reflection of my life: the good, bad, awkward, stressful, exciting, etc. I recently blogged about my time in Chicago and as fun as that was, I don't want this blog to limit anything or any city. I hope I can keep up with this one...fingers crossed. 

COLLEGE IS OVER.

college /ˈkälij/ noun, 'the fastest four years of ones life.'

"ZOMG, my time at college was the fastest four years of my life."

College was a blur. I loved every minute of it. Now I have no idea what to do with my time.

Emily, me, Nicole, Hannah, KC, Kerianne, Jacquelyn. 

Graduating from school and ready to take on the world.

SUMMER IS STARTING

This is the season (and all around year) of wedding ceremonies. Count 'em folks: 6 this year. Besides getting together with friends and making our rounds to all of these weddings, it's a wonderful time to recognize all the love these amazing couples have for each other and how much of an honor it is to witness such love be unionized. Not sure how I was blessed with the gift, but whenever I see someone cry, I instantaneously join in. I might not even know who's doing the crying but that won't even matter. There will be flowing tears, so I can't forget to bring kleenex, aka an entire box. 

EVERYONE IS DOING SOMETHING OF THEIR OWN

I'm so proud of my proactive, doer friends. A lot of times big plans or ideas just sound better in my head and I never actually do what I think is cool, but that's all about to change. My friends and I are all entering new and exciting times in our lives; individually, we're a perfect fit for what we're about to do.

Hannah is about to ride her bicycle across the country for MS, because she's a rockstar.

Emily is headed to Glacier National Park for the summer, because someone has to save the planet.

KC, Jacquelyn, and Nicole are busy studying for the NCLEX in order to be certified RN's. Future nurses of the world, y'all! Your lives are in good hands.

Kerianne just got a new social work gig and is the first of our 7 to get married! The countdown has already begun.