When I was in high school I wasn’t annoyed by summer reading, it was probably my favorite homework assignment of the entire school year. I always read the book from cover to cover even if I didn’t like the book. My required reading introduced me to some great classics and created interesting discussions once everyone was back in the classroom. I was usually in the minority of people who liked the book (and actually read all of it)—yes, even Fahrenheit 451. Aside from my summer reading, I always read a bunch of other books and this hasn’t stopped since I’ve graduated. Here are some of the books I have been enjoying this summer, some of them are new and some are favorites that deserve to be re-read. Continue reading
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Aggregated Advice: July
I can’t believe July is over, the year is more than halfway through.. I have a lot exciting changes coming up as I’m heading to college in August (!), so I have been thinking a lot about preparing for transitions and ch-ch-ch-changes. Also, taking some time to reflect back on what I have done so far this year. Continue reading
Jamaica, Jamaica
Traveling last week to Jamaica taught me a lot about how your expectations can affect the overall outcome of a situation. I was not eager to go to Jamaica, mostly because the main purpose of my trip was to get my student visa and as anyone who has ever had to get a visa knows the process is less than fun. It’s a lot of paperwork before you travel and then waiting at the embassy and a steady stream of stress throughout. I was planning on waiting for my visa, so I was in Jamaica from Monday to Friday.
Now wanting to make the best of the situation, I went to the bookstore the weekend before and picked up two books, which I intended to finish during my trip (spoiler alert: I did). However, my grandma, who was accompanying me, informed me that we would be doing something every day. I’m honestly grateful that we ended up doing something every day because as cliché as it sounds life is short and it’s important to make the most of every moment.
3 Ways to Reminisce about Your Study Abroad Experience
So it’s been about a month and a half since I have been back and I’m still not over my gap year (did I really live in Paris?). Every time I see something about Paris on my Twitter feed or look at old photos my heart sighs. I thought I would share some ways I keep my experience frais (fresh). Continue reading
Aggregated Advice: June
It’s the first days of July, which I can hardly believe-the pieces below carried me through May and June. In these past two months there has been many transitions and changes in my life and I’m trying to figure out how to remain steady when the waves of life get a little high.
When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.
– Franklin D. Roosevelt
Seen on Soulpancake’s tumblr
The most satisfying pleasures are the surprising ones, the ones that can’t be engineered.
– Adam Phillips
Seen in Rookie’s Issue 57 Editor’s Letter
How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single minute before starting to improve the world.
-Anne Frank
Seen on my mom’s daily inspirational calendar
Procrastination is the thief of time. Collar him!
-Charles Dickens (David Copperfield)
Seen in this useful article on how to stop procrastinating
Great things happen when you have the courage to be yourself.
-Michael Sam
Seen on Refinery29’s Instagram
Vampires, Tattoos, and Hackers… Oh My!
So here’s a fact about me, like a lot of millenials people, I don’t really watch TV in a traditional sense, I can’t remember the last time I sat down in front of a TV and watched a show all the way through with *shudder* commercials. (This could also partially be because I have been living in another country for the past 5ish months, but I digress).
Most of my television watching is via Netflix or watching the highlights the day after on YouTube. However, I miss the rush of filling up a week’s worth of new shows on my DVR and slowly weeding out the terrible Fall debuts like my own personal Hunger Games.
And it seems the networks are trying their hardest to make sure I was aware of their new shows. Billboards, ads before I’m trying to catch up with my favorite YouTubers, ads before I’m trying to watch a movie in the cinema, etc., etc.
I have hit a bit of a slump, so used the majority of my Christmas iTunes gift cards to experiment with a few new shows. I tend to give shows a little leeway and won’t make final judgements based on their pilot (everyone deserves a second chance). However, there are shows that have immediately captured my attention and I actually rewatch the pilot (I don’t even know how many times I’ve watched the pilot for Suits). Here are my initial thoughts about the shows I purchased (in no particular order): Continue reading
Joie de Vivre: Semester 1 Summary
If someone had told me this time last year that I would be writing a summary after spending three months studying abroad in Paris, I would have laughed. However, the joke is on me because that’s what I’m doing. I’m so lucky that I was able to make my dream into a reality and my first semester in Paris was incroyable. Continue reading
Pages of the Past, Present & Future
At this time of the year (or however many hours are left of it) there are numerous lists published, looking at what happened in the past and some predictions for the future. I wanted to do my own version of this, but with books. Books have always been a constant in my life and have always offered me a place of solitude when I need to get away from the buzziness of the Internet. So here are a few of the titles I read this past year, and some that I’m looking forward to reading in 2016. Continue reading
3 Things to Do When You’re Missing Home
As the end of the semester quickly approaches, you may find yourself thinking a lot of things: how quickly the time passed, how you wish you could stay longer, and how excited you are to return home. I’m torn between not wanting to leave and being super excited to see all my friends and family again. There are times when you miss those everyday things you are used to back home. Here are three things I do when I want a bit of home in Paris.
Find something to read in your first language – While I’m all about reading in French, it’s nice to curl up in bed with a great read (especially on a cold, rainy day). Reading in English, makes me feel closer to home as it reminds of the countless days I spent reading a new favorite. If you’re more into physical books, try Shakespeare and Company (Metro: St. Michel or Cluny-La Sorbonne), which is an English bookseller that stocks both new and classics in a variety of genres. But don’t forget about e-books or audiobooks, which are nice options for long journeys.
Eat some comfort food – If you enjoy cooking, making your favorite dish is a great way to feel connected to home. A fun thing to do is invite friends over and have a potluck, where everyone shares their favorite meals. This is especially nice as it gets closer to the holidays as you might not be with family, and it’s nice to celebrate with a group of people. If you’re like me and prefer going to restaurants, find one that serves similar food as your hometown. I recently went with a friend to Breakfast in America, which is an American-style diner in Paris; the food was so delicious, I forgot how much I loved pancakes!
Also, since I have not yet gone to a Caribbean restaurant in Paris, it’s also nice to eat similarly in restaurants as I do back home. I really love Italian food, and there are some really great Italian places where I’m from, and I had been craving a particular restaurant’s spaghetti bolognese. Luckily, when I was in Lyon, I found this really great Italian place and enjoyed a delicious spaghetti bolognese. 
Watch something familiar – Back home, I use to go to the cinema with friends at least every other weekend. Luckily, most of the movies I would want to watch are shown here in France in the original version with French subtitles. It’s nice because for two hours I could be anywhere in the world, watching a good movie with good friends. Use allocine.fr to find movies that are currently showing, showtimes and theatre locations.
Fall/Winter Favorites
- Knee high boots: I wear mine basically everyday, they are just the perfect addition to any outfit. They can dress-up or dress-down a look, if I’m feeling lazy and just end up wearing a basic long sleeves with jeans, my black knee high boots make me feel just a little bit more chic. Mine were $40 from Target and I love ’em.
- Pullover: Adds another layer of warmth to any outfit. I’m not just talking about temperature-wise, on a really dreary day, pulling on my Wildfox ‘Oui’ pullover adds a smile to my face.
- Scarf: You should never underestimate the power of a scarf. Similar to the power of a pullover, it adds warmth, while also adding a pop of color to an outfit. I am a big fan of large scarves because you can tie them in a bunch of different ways or use them as blanket in a pinch. Zara has some great, affordable options.
- Gloves: I only started to need them recently, but I’m really glad I have a pair (or two!). I’m a big fan of the gloves that can switch from being fingerless or a full mitten. An Instagram-worthy snap can come and go so quickly, so your fingers should always be ready. The pair I’m currently wearing I bought when I was in Oxford at Fatface.
- Jacket: Obviously, a necessity during this time of the year. However, not all jackets are made equally. The ideal jacket keeps you warm without making you look like a marshmallow. Enter this amazing jacket from Uniqlo: not only does it come in a number of colors, it can also be rolled down to fit in a pouch and is water resistant.
One of my favorite outfits using three out of the five items mentioned above. || Scarf: Promod/Pullover: Wildfox/Skirt: H&M/Tights: Forever 21/Boots: Target/Bag: Volcom
hannah says/thinks/feels 