Back to the Island, Followed by Alaska.

Update on the "Blizzard": It seems Alaska is following me. Or the Island is trying to make me feel at home.
Storm Juno (any relations to Juneau?) gave us a couple feet of snow, but I left my mukluks at home- just my luk...I promise I'll try to do better with puns.

My resolutions are getting a slow start. I got so sucked in to my return to the home of my heart that I forgot to keep up on the things I started in my school life. The resolutions are underway, I assure you. You're even reading progress on one of them right now.

On my mind lately, possibly due to the tedious hours traveling across the US and back, is this weird time in life; It's as if I have two lives. Some how, some where, do they meld into one?

I have my life here on the Island. Where I go to school, have friends, (will have) a job, and am looking for apartments/abodes off campus. It's where I shop, do chores, have brunch with my lovely roommate, and explore new places.
Then I have my life in Alaska. It's the place I grew up, where I have my supportive family, loving boyfriend, my extended family of friends, and my beautiful dog, Izzy. There's a lot more than just memories there. It's where I laugh and explore. I do all the things I do in Long Island, but with a different scenery and different people. It's a familiar and friendly life. It's the one I miss and I'll always miss. But it's the one I will visit.
As my studies progress and I settle my sights on short term goals, long term goals, and apartments the impending meld or disintegration of my current multiple lives becomes a monster in my closet. I don't want to look at it, but I know it's there.
A logical pat of my brain (it's there, somewhere) tells me if I were to look, it won't be that bad. I'll always be Alaskan and it will always be a place I call home. But there are opportunities out there, some far away from Alaska, that shouldn't be missed because I'm too scared to leave.

A month goes by fast

Way faster than I anticipated. Blogging is harder work than I thought.
I have my last final at 8 AM tomorrow morning and will be returning home shortly for month.
I'm looking forward to seeing my family, my boyfriend, and my friends; I've missed them all so much. I've missed the food (especially the Thai food), the snow, and what is quite possibly one of the only remaining Blockbusters in the US. I'll miss my wonderful roommate and my friends here, but I'll see them in about a month, give or take.
I've already started thinking about my New Years Resolutions. First on the list (as always) KEEP the resolutions going beyond January 3rd. This is the most challenging by far.
Then the list is beginning as followed:

• Keep in better contact with my friends thousands of miles away and my family. I've done alright, but I'd like to do better.
• Blog more! I'd like to evolve it and make it more enticing. But really the goal is just MORE.
• Form a workout habit. (They say this takes three weeks? Four weeks? I'm not sure. I'll let you know.)
• Get involved with another organization on campus. 

And it is continuing to grow. I hope everyone is already dreaming up their resolutions. Why wait for the New Year? We still have the rest of December 2014 to light a new fire underneath us. 

Getting Back To Normal

After an unintentional few weeks hiatus from blog posting, here are some brief updates on life as a student on The Island: 

 (note these are not in chronological order, but in the order my head groups them in)

• Trip to ProPublica and New York Daily News was an amazing success. I heard thoughts on the future of Journalism from Editor-in-Chief of ProPublica, Stephen Engelberg. At NY Daily, I picked up some tips on what it takes to get hired.
• I went on another trip the next weekend, this time I visited CBS and Al Jazeera America. Sat in the 60 minute screening room talking to executive producer, Jeffery Fager, and toured CBS studios and control room. At Al Jazeera America, which is only about a year old, we met with Marcy McGinnis, Senior Vice President of newsgathering and former professor at SBU. A very successful and informative trip, I'll be writing a blog post about the Professional Friday experience.
• After that trip, I stayed in the city WITH a friend. We were going to go to free night at MoMA, however the line went down multiple blocks and around the corner. Proving my economics teacher was right- nothing is ever truly "free". (Again, another post will be all about the hilarious time I had in the city.)
• Halloween came and I partied as Fire Bird at a small get together. Did some salsa. A successful night. 
• Got the Tinder App for fun- after pressure from the roommate. Though I'm not single, it's proved to be a fun experiment, maybe I'll write a news piece on it. 
• Been attempting to go to Toast again for the past two weekends...this weekend we WILL be successful!

As to why I haven't posted in a while: School has been busy, as the semester comes to a close, everything seems to pile up. It's at that time in the semester where everyone needs a break. I'm hoping after this next week is over, I won't feel that way. Next week there are two group project due and a test, so it won't be a stroll in the park. 
Will post soon- thank you to any one who reads this.

Enjoying New York State

I haven't had an opportunity to visit the Big Apple since I arrived at school (but I will soon- and I have all my years here to do it!). I will be going to NYC on Halloween with the School of Journalism to visit ProPublica and New York Daily News- exciting and only 10 dollars!

I have had the opportunity to visit some other places in New York (or at least see them on Rugby trips). One of the places I've visited the most is Port Jefferson and I've definitely fallen in love. It has a charming marina and the old town feeling that is so comforting. So many delicious places to eat: The Wave, Toast (possibly the best brunch), Sweet&Sassy Crepery, and the biggest candy shop that would make any sweet tooth ache, Frigate.  It's worth mentioning that Port Jeff has what could be my favorite store I've found- a store dedicated to board games. It's amazing and has every version of monopoly you could ever want...or not want at all.

 

 Pictured: Tasty Rum Raisin Ice Cream and one part of the shop. Not pictured: THE REST OF IT.

I'm still enjoying Port Jeff every time I visit (it's fairly easy for me; the bus comes here and its free on the weekends for students). I've also visited Island Thrift shop and Kings Point as well as Stony Brook Village and Avalon Park. 

I definitely miss home, but exploring makes my time away enjoyable. Plus, when I go back home I can tell all about the foreign East Coast Eats and Bodegas.

Challenge Accepted

       I recently, as in seconds ago, posted a video to Facebook about how the world has become disconnected with itself due to technology. I wholeheartedly agree with him; it's a sad realization. What even more sad is that we all recognize it, but rarely do I see individuals do something about it. Small things in everyday life. Including myself.
      Now technology is a useful thing. Social media is a revolution that has proven very powerful. For the path I am choosing as a passion and career, I need it as a tool. But I have made a promise to myself to only use it as a tool. To build and not fuss around, to not let it consume me. It's only tool. As is money. But friendship and connectedness isn't a tool, it's a gift. 
          So I've chosen to challenge myself (and anyone else) to at least twice a day talk to someone new or old instead of looking to their phone for entertainment. Look to people for entertainment, be entertaining. We are in these situations everyday where we can meet someone new or help someone or even make conversation but we all turn to our devices and not to others. We hide behind our phones like shields; we can say brilliant words in 140 characters, but why are we scared to say them in real life settings? 

Challenge: Don't Turn to The Phone. Turn to the person sitting next to you in class, waiting in line, waiting for a performance to start. Be social for real.

Directions

Sometimes we need to stop and ask for them.

I've been feeling that I need to take a more structured direction with this blog.

Or, perhaps, start a new blog with a structured direction and keep this one for my personal flippity floppity bibbity boppity crash bang feelings and update blog. 

Either way, I kind of need a direction to go in.

My interests? That's vague, but a few prominent ones could work together. 

Maybe what I need more than direction is purpose. 

When I find them both, hopefully soon, I'll make a new fancy blog, but keep this one for myself and whomever is actually reading it. One to actually promote and use in a professional sense, and this one to just write, like a personal but open journal for myself and my friends and family.

To be thought about until further notice.

Back on track just not the literal track.

             Everything seems to be coming together on the Island and in the Brook; I see an opportunity for travels to India (soon) and Ireland (not so soon, still a dream), as well as some other places on the globe. I'm confident that I chose the (or a?) right school. If I use my own abilities and their opportunities and help, I'm sure I can go where I want to in my life.
              It definitely helps that I am lucky enough to be supported by some of the most wonderful people. My parents, my sister and brothers, my aunts and uncle, my boyfriend, his parents, so many family-friends, and my close friends, as well as the new ones I'm making. It's so very easy to feel alone here; it's new, it's hard to get around (mostly because I have no sense of orientation), and it's easy to disconnect from life and people here because I'm not too invested yet. But when this feeling comes on you just have to push it back with all your strength and with confidence remind yourself that you aren't alone and you have to remain happy even when those you love can't be there. People's presence can make you happy, but you can't rely on them for your happiness.
             Keeping busy helps. Rugby keeps me plenty busy and gives me a new and fun social group, with some very awesome people. My roommate is busy and sometimes we are busy together, which is nice. When I'm not busy, I search for things to fill the void. First, homework, then comes organization. Organization is a great help to me; Not only to I kind of have to organize my room every week (as I'm still adjusting on how best to organize to much stuff efficiently), but it also allows me time to organize my thoughts, which keeps me on track with school and goals. Then, depending on the day and my mood, adventuring or a movie, maybe with friends or maybe solo.
            Slowly, I'm getting back to the actual track for Rugby. I went to the doctor and he said I had tendonitis, so I took a week off. No running, no sprinting, no playing. Yesterday, I did some of practice, but perhaps a little more than I should have. Tendonitis is a tricky thing, but it improves with care.
         I'm also getting back on track with this blog. I've been neglecting it a while, time to give it some TLC.