#theultimatecomeback

I bet y'all forgot about me. I bet y'all forgot all about this little blog. I bet y'all hate me for my 3 month hiatus. I also bet that Brenna Linehan has been checking in every few days just to make sure she didn't miss the comeback. She's a real fan and friend, that one.

But, I am sorry. I really am. It has been one hell of a roller coaster these last few months. APPARENTLY, someone forgot to mention that senior year is hard. I signed up for daily happy hours, "career prep", and justifying the walk to the stadium on game days as "cardio". What I got were semester-long group projects that made me reconsider every academic choice of my life, a maximum of 4 hours of sleep ever, and an 8am jogging class AKA Olympic training calisthenics. It's a sick joke, really.
PS- word of advice to you youngsters: do not ever take all 3 summer sessions. You will be in classes for twelve straight months. I'm lucky I managed to remember how to spell my own name, let alone how to strategically buy media. "Burned out" is the understatement of the century.

OK. I'm done ranting. This semester was everything I needed: the best tailgating ever, the best friends ever, and that one time DG hosted the first philanthropic event at AT&T Stadium EVER and raised over $20,000 for Service for Sight. Family Weekend was one for the books. I hung out with Paul Wall on Halloween. I spent every day with my most favorite kids--Jordi, Devon, and Cole Nenon. I landed an incredible opportunity as a PR/Marketing Intern for Consuro Managed Technology where I spend my time writing about the IT world--barely any of it makes an ounce of sense to the average joe, but I dig it. Fast times at TCU, let. me. tell. you.

It's been real. It's been fun. It's been real fun.

But as I lay in bed, recovering from a rough bout of food poisoning ("post-holiday cleanse" if the glass is half full), my mind is racing. The holidays are coming to end and the inevitable craziness of NYE lingers in the air. If I wasn't actually sick, I would swear that I can feel the hangover kicking my ass already. But, really y'all... where has the last year gone? So many things have happened, so many lessons learned. How is a girl supposed to keep up? And to top it all off, I have real friends getting engaged while I can't even keep the same nail polish on for a week. (Huge congrats though to my dear, beautiful friend Alison-- you deserve endless bliss with Sean!)

With the dawning of a new year, my 22nd birthday just around the corner, I'm forced to face the reality that there is really only one way to survive: being secure in my priorities and their order. Sure, I could vow to stop eating cups of noodles or taking shots of tequila that comes in a plastic bottle. But where's the fun in that? Surviving the last semester of college won't be easy. Surviving this major life transition into the "real world" that everyone bitches about probably won't rival a trip to Disney World. Whatever though. If I wanted easy, I would still be 8 years old. And for the record, I have some Disney World horror stories that makes the "real world" seem heavenly.

There is this cliche in the world of twentysomethings about making and living by our own rules and well, surprise-- it's actually true. We slave over perfecting our own thesis papers. We make our own food and concoct our own mixed drink recipes. We live on our own and try not to burn the house down. We are a generation that spends more time harping on our independence than we spend bathing. If this is true, if we are really taking on the world all on our own, then what in the hell are we doing abiding by a set of rules and building a life that is judged by anyone other than ourselves?

We spend so much time trying to find the right answer, make the right choices, be the right kind of person that lives up to pre-set standards. But there is no right or wrong answer on how to "win" at life. If there was an answer, we would each be filing out into the world on the Man's assembly line of predetermined life plights. But it's not that simple. Nothing ever is. This is the time for epic mistakes and pretending you have your life together when you go home for the holidays. This is the time to fall in and out and in and out of love. This is the time to find out what makes you happy, who makes you happy, and put those on the top of your priority list. This is the time to STOP (and I mean it, seriously STOP) making people a priority that only ever see you as an option. If it doesn't make you incandescently happy, then give it up. Nothing is supposed to be that hard. No job, no relationship, no friendship, no task should drive you to misery. I get that you love him. I get that it's a job you should be grateful to have. I get that she's been your friend for 10 years. If he/she/it sucks, then WALK AWAY.

The universe will not let you fail if you stay true to your priorities. I know that sounds insane. But I truly believe that part of being a successful, happy twentysomething and a successful, happy human is about finding a balance and letting the universe take care of the rest. If you mess up, it's not all over. People get second chances every day. Second chances always provide hope: the hope that this time you'll get it right. If you get a second chance at anything, take it. Living a life of what-ifs is not the answer.

For the love of all that is good, find the courage to let go of things and people who make you question the rules you've made up for your life. The moment you let someone else dictate your world, the moment you start justifying someone's behavior, the moment you give up any of your priorities without the slightest compromise, is the moment you lose a bit of your soul.  So write your own rules. Live your own life. Believe in second chances. Believe in people. Believe in yourself. And take a word of advice from me as you begin this new year, put "heart happy" at the top of your priority list. Being in love with who you are and the life you lead is what will keep you from jumping off bridges or drinking bourbon for breakfast.

Unless it's really good bourbon, then go on with your bad self. #yolo