Boston Public Garden

There is such a special place in my heart for Boston Public Garden. It doesn’t matter the time of year or the weather, beauty is everywhere under all conditions. To sit on a bench and take in all the Garden has to offer, is one of the greatest joys this city has to offer. 

The Swan Boats glide across the water carrying people from all over the world. Children hold onto their parents hands and squeal with excitement as the boat brings them close to the ducks swimming along. Their small faces light up as they pass the small island in the middle of the water, and they get to count all the turtles sun bathing there. 

When I was really young, my father took me on my first Swan Boat ride. Or at least it is the first ride that I remember. It was a warm and sunny day, and my dad had us sit on the front. He was wearing a baseball cap that was taken off with the breeze. His hat landed in the water, but the hat was passed up to the front thanks to the friendly passengers on board. 

That’s the spirit that Boston has. People are nice to each other. Some may think that passing a hat back to its owner is a no brainer. But is it? How many times have you seen someone drop something from afar and nobody bothered to pick it and return it to the person? Bostonians care for each other, and if the people are not native to the city, the city brings the caring tendencies out of them. Never do you see a frown in Boston Public Garden. 

Back in the Garden, the ducks are chasing each other, or getting chased around by the youngsters. Others are swimming around the pond, as if to entertain the passengers on the boats. Each playing their role in this magical movie-like scene. 

How peculiar ducks are. I mean that seriously. They seem to float, but always end up where they are going. Could we be the same? Those of use that may not know our desired destination in life feel as if we’re floating. Perhaps we will still end where we are meant to?

I love when the ducks teeter-totter their bodies so that they can eat the bottom greens of the pond. Their tiny duck behinds exposed above the water with their small orange webbed feet kicking in the air. The phenomena is a cute one to watch. I always smile to myself whenever I see it occurring. I probably look ridiculous, but what do I care? I'm sure others understand. It’s lovely to hear other bystanders enjoy watching it happen to. It’s almost an unspoken of bond that you get to share with the person in your vicinity. Like you and I are here together, not knowing each others’ names or where we are from, but we are watching these ducks bob around and we're loving it. 

It’s hard not to enjoy the squirrels in Public Garden too. They dance in the grass hoping to come across someone’s dropped lunch. As an avid squirrel lover, I like to feed them and watch others feed them. The playful creatures will climb right up your leg to steal a peanut or almond and scurry away to enjoy the treat in peace. 

Really the whole place is like living in a Disney movie. I personally think of Bambi. The species in the Garden each have their own personalities with their own traits. These cohabitants get along and live in harmony. Every day they welcome new travelers and the daily visitor. Pictures are snapped, children laugh as they experience this new world, and wonderful memories are made in this magical place in this one of a kind city. 

_____________________

“ Okay lets get up” a friend says to her companion.

They stay for another hour.

This is not a place to only visit once, and the visit won’t be short won't be at that. 

The Public Garden roots itself into hearts. Its vines wrapping around memories, smiles, and around the hands of mothers and fathers with their children in tow. The vines drag behind the Swan Boats and stay intertwined into every visitors' heart never to be forgotten about. 

Breaking Up with Gymnastics

Alright, my chalk is on, my braces are strapped tight. I’ve visualized this routine a million times in my head and each time I’ve finished with no errors. I know this floor like the back of my hand. I’ve tumbled on this floor since I was three years old. This routine I’ve practiced and competed more times than I can count, but the wave of butterflies still flutter in the pit of my stomach. I’m nervous, but I am also so excited. I’ve competed all my other events, and this last routine determines my all-around, my placing, and whether or not I see Nationals in the spring. 

And there it is. The flag on a stick held by the judges allowing me to start my performance. The green light for me to show what I’m made of and entertain them, all while having fun doing it. I smile, I suck in one last calming breath, raise my arms for salute with a bright smile on my face, and march onto the floor. 

I take my starting position, giddy with welcomed anxiety for the starting tune of "Pirates of the Caribbean" to start. It does, and I am ready. I dance, and I tumble with everything I have, sticking every landing, including new moves I’ve only just mastered for this season. I've become a pirate for a minute and thirty seconds. The song concludes with me in my final pose and my breath heavy from the exertion. I killed it, and I know it. I stand, salute to the judges, and walk off the floor knowing that I just sealed my fate. 

But little did I know how much I sealed it. That day, the competition was different.  The feeling coming off of that floor was different. This time, I was in immense pain. The worst pain I’ve ever felt bottled up in the lower part of my back. I curled up on the side lines waiting for the bag of ice I know Coach is bring ing out. I’ve already scratched one meet due to this injury that no one can figure out, and I need time off so I can come back for States, Regionals, and Nationals that I just qualified for. 

I wasn’t coming back though. 

After that meet I visited numerous doctors, none of whom explaining to me why I couldn’t walk, sit, or lay down without Earth shattering pain. I took a few months off of practice and meets to wait for a heal that would never come no matter how much I wanted it. But, I worked for those qualifying numbers to see those three big competitions, and I was going to go back. 

And I tried. I went to practice before States to get back in the grind. But I did one minor move for warm up, and I was back on the floor in tears. In that instance I knew it was bad. There was something really wrong. 

I left one of my last appointments being told that if I continue with the sport, I risked damaging my spine for good. I had a permanent stress fracture in my lower lumbar that would never heal. The pain wouldn’t stop unless I stopped provoking it. The second the words left the doctors mouth, my entire world shattered. How could I just stop doing something that I did for four hours a day, five days a week? It was life. How do you just stop living? 

I walked into my gym and sat down with my coach for the last time. It was the last time of feeling the coarse gymnastics-blue spring floor under my feet. The last time my hand stroked the smooth leather beam. The last time I smelled the sweat and tears of every practice, each fall, each joy. The last time of seeing chalk clouds in the sky.  My childhood and adolescence home was being left. 

I left such a large chunk of my heart in that gym that day. I had become gymnastics. Eat, sleep, breathe. I was the sport. It defined me. I loved it.  Leaving was the hardest break up I’ve ever experienced. The most painful heartbreak; the kind of heartbreak that never heals. 

Today, there’s no more saluting, no more blisters making my hands rough, no more bruises from nasty falls, no more bloody rips being bragged about. I don’t hear my teammates cheering before my routines anymore, and I don’t see my parents in the stands supporting me. I don’t get butterflies before the routines I won’t be competing again. No more linking of arms during the National Anthem before the beginning of meets, no more bells rung after new moves are landed in practice, and no more velcro of grips and braces being heard, and no more foam blocks being tumbled into. Those are all fond memories of the past. 

I gave gymnastics almost 11 years of my life, and in return I got so many wonderful memories and lessons that I am so incredibly thankful for. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do to be able to go back and experience it all over again. Though there’s an unfixable broken heart, and always tears after looking back at pictures and videos, I am so happy that I got 11 years of love from a sport that is so special and so rewarding. It was all an experience I certainly didn’t take for granted. 

Finals Week Anti-Stress Bucket List

For some of you finals have come and gone, and I must say I am ridiculously jealous. 

For the rest of us,  finals are just around the corner, and we're starting to bite our nails. 

Finals week is so stressful and there is no getting around it. But the stress doesn't have to consume you! If you pace yourself, push yourself, and treat yourself, the week will fly by with ease. 

Here's a list of finals week bucket list that I hope can help you get through the week: 

1. Get organized : It is so easy to get overwhelmed by all of the obligations and responsibilities that come with finals week. To feel as if your drowning right from the beginning won't help you kill it on your tests so get organized right at the beginning of the week! Make to do lists or keep a planner. You can even put sticky note reminders on the wall as a bright maybe more fun way of keeping you on task.

2. Schedule : Make yourself a schedule for the week that has all your test dates and due dates on it. Then allot times for study sessions for yourself. That way you can space out your obligations, and you're not left crunching at the last minute!

3. SLEEP : Sleep is so so SO important. Your body performs better after it is well rested. (This is advice that I need to take; I am terrible at sleeping when I'm stressed with much to do). Making a good study schedule will allow you to plan out your sleep :p

4. Pamper Yourself: Treat yourself to some pampering after a study session or after one of your exams. Do a face mask or go get your nails done. You'll feel good, and hey, if your nails are manicured you'll avoid biting them ;)

5. Make a Playlist : If you're someone that has to listen to music to focus on studying like I am, make a special finals week playlist! That way you won't get distracted by continuously having to find a song that you like, and you'll be able to keep plugging.

6. Shut the Phone Off  : This is so much easier said than done, but it is so rewarding when it comes to progress. (If the playlist you made is on your phone, put your phone on do not disturb AND shut off the wifi so social media doesn't tempt you.)

7. Create Milestones : Reward yourself after you've done a chapter of notes or finished a section of your paper! You deserve it! Take the opportunity to give yourself a 15 minute phone break or take a coffee trip. It will keep your energy up, along with your productivity levels!

8. Productive Buddies : If you're someone that works with others, make sure that you can all stay on task! It's great when friends can get together and study together, but if more chit chat happens than studying then no one wins. Also make sure that your study buddies push each other (kindly) to do the best you can do! This means no laziness enabling!

9. Exercise : Go for a walk or run throughout the week! Getting your body moving can get you really pumped to stay productive. Whether you do it at the start of your day or as a study break, exercising is a great way to clear your mind so you can be attentive and alert again later.

10. VENT : Stress getting to you in one way or another this week is inevitable. You shouldn't keep it inside! Grab a friend, call a sibling or parent, or write down all your feelings to get all the heebie jeebies out. It's healthy and it will allow you to externalize your concerns which will let you tackle the rest of your week.

I hope some of these help your stressful weeks!

Good luck on all your finals :)

XO

-AF

Julia Roig: President of Partners Global

Yesterday at my college we were lucky to have Partners Global President, Julia Roig. Partners Global is a nongovernmental organization that works with countries dealing with conflicts by helping patrons become leaders as well as peace builders. The organization strives to identify and support emerging democratic leaders in various locations across the globe. Partners Global has branches in over 20 different countries. Their overarching goal is to reach democratic change by means of conflict transformation, as well as instilling democratic governance. 

In her talk with students, she emphasized how important it is to have nongovernmental nonprofits because they allow citizens to have voices when it comes to conflicts that they experience. Having these organizations allows voices of citizens to be heard at policy making levels, so that changes can occur. 

Julia Roig highlighted 4 trends that she has seen in the past 5 years when it comes to the nature of social conflict. Those 4 trends include: 

1. Closing Political Space

2. Rise of Extremism 

3. Illicit Criminal Networks

4. Struggles Over Natural Resources 

To combat some of these changes, Ms. Roig suggests the following: 

• Create ties with the local people, and ensure that citizens continuously flex their democratic muscle
• Pinpoint the creation of violence and prevent it from occuring
• Narrative creation and reform, in relation to media and advertising 
• Budgeting plans for weaker municipal governments so they can handle revenue from natural resource adequately 

The main Challenge towards democratic change through social conflict transformation according to Ms. Roig, is how silo-ed we all are and how hard it is to collaborate. 

To be someone of the stature that Julia Roig is, one must posses leadership. At the conclusion of her talk she listed her lessons in leadership. I think they are lessons that everyone can try to implement into their every day lives at work and at school. 

Here are her lessons: 

1. Theory is important, practice is necessary, but management skills are essential 

2. "Essential intelligence" such as cultivate empathy 

3. Connect the dots. Don't stay silo-ed. Reach out to different tribes 

4. It's hard to work collaboratively. One must have patience, perseverance, and commitment 

5. Diversity is always a value added; in culture, working styles, experience and expertise 

My goal is to implement these lessons into every project in every field of my life to the best of my ability to better hone my leadership skills. I think it would be prudent for everyone to not only become acquainted with these lessons, but also with the work Partners Global does. 

More information on the organization can be found here: http://www.partnersglobal.org/

- AF 

Rainy Monday Morning

The only thing worse than a Monday, is a rainy Monday. Your alarms go off and you look outside thinking that there’s no way it’s already morning, look how dark it is outside! The double checking of the time confirms you have to get up and make moves, but in that moment it’s as if your bed grows arms and pulls you in closer. Damn that seductive technique because you’ll probably doze for a few extra minutes which result in you running around like a chicken with its head cut off just so you won’t be late. The temptation to fall into the cloudy eye'd-feet dragging Monday stupor is great, but don't! You have to start on the right foot this Monday to set the tone of the rest of your busy week! 

My favorite thing to do on Mondays, especially those rainy dreary ones, is to treat myself to a coffee shop trip before any commitments I have. (Shocking really, I know).  It’s a great incentive to get going, AND it puts an extra caffeinated pop in my step. 

If you’re not a coffee person, treat yourself to a fun pastry because who doesn’t love a good pastry?! They’re gooey, flakey, fruity, chocolatey, wonderful puffs that you can never go wrong with… *salivates*. You got out of bed and you’re walking in the rain, you might as well enjoy something delicious while you dry off! 

Maybe you’re the person that dozed for too long and the chances of having enough time for any consumption are slim to none. HAVE NO FEAR there is a Rainy Monday Treat for you nonetheless. Make yourself a specific Monday playlist for your trip to class with nothing but spunky music on it. It’ll keep you awake and brighten your mood for sure. I super recommend throwing some new Ellie Goulding on that playlist. 

Whether you get a treat, get good pump up on your walk, or try something new, make sure you treat yourself on this rainy Monday! Gotta keep energy and motivation levels up to take on the rest of the week!  :)

xo

AF

College and the Fear of "Adulting"

Worrying About “Adulting”

A few weeks ago I sat down and had this big meltdown of “What am I doing? What do I want? Where will I go from here?” A thought process that every 20 something year old goes through at one point or another, and probably more than once. It’s the phasing into “adult” that sparks it. 

When you first go into college you may or may not know what you want to study, and that’s totally fine because you have time. People might stress you out by asking how you couldn’t know, but ignore them because you’re 18/19 and don’t need to know what you want to do forever at that point in time. Get your prerequisites out of the way and move on from there. For me, I knew what I wanted to study since my senior year in high school so starting college was really refreshing for me. 

Come the second year of college you have a better idea of what you want to do with your studies, but chances are you’re still in the dark to some extent. You’re all “YAY I really love what I’m studying, but what exactly do I want to do when I’m done studying?” 

That’s where I was pre meltdown. Except the only difference was that I had to accept I am going to be in my senior year come the fall, and that I already had a grad school acceptance letter in my hand. Those facts are remarkably terrifying as much as they are exciting. 

Something everyone asks themselves while in college is “Am I doing the right thing? Is this really what I want? What happens if I mess it up?” The major highlight though, is that everyone around you is asking the same thing. You might feel isolated in your thoughts and worries, but really so many of your peers are experiencing the same things you are, and are also petrified.  I talked with friends and peers that were experiencing the same emotions and thoughts that I was, and I felt a lot better because we were all in the same canoe without a paddle. 

The future is the scariest thing there is, but it is also the most exciting. You are the creator of your own destiny, and that’s awesome! You’ll stumble and make mistakes, but you’ll end up exactly where you’re supposed to be regardless of the speed bumps you hit along the way. Everyone is experiencing the same thing you are to some extent, so TALK TO THEM. Talk to everyone you can and learn about their experiences so far in their journey. It’s so rewarding, and will alleviate so much stress. You’ll make some great friends and connections along the way :) 

Faith Over Fear Inspiration: 10 Things I'm Grateful For

There has been a phenomenal group created by the lovely Michaela Loynd, called Faith over Fear on Facebook. The group strives, and accomplishes, creating an environment for women to come together and support, as well as empower one another. I am SO happy and excited that the group exists thanks to a remarkable person’s idea. The love and support that has grown on that page is so inspiring. 

Last night we were prompted to write about 10 things we are thankful for. It’s so important for everyone to sit and think about all of the things in their life that they are thankful for to avoid taking anything for granted. 

I’ve decided to share my list on my blog in hopes that it will inspire others to make their own list! :) 

1. Every friend and acquaintance that has taught me something new, that has listened to all of my life problems with open ears, and has offered advice

2. My parents who have supported me in every decision I've ever made and have taught me that space is the limit not the sky 

3. Attending a school that pushes me to accomplish all that I can as a young woman 

4. My cat, who gives me cuddles when I need them most, but also just in general

5. Books and movies for allowing me to create new versions of realities and to get lost in those realities 

6. Quaint coffee shops because they allow me to find my zen and mellow out 

7. Traveling for allowing me to open my eyes to new norms and ways of living 

8. My grandmother, even though she's not here anymore she taught me so much and the relationship I had with her created who I am today 

9. Living in Boston because doing so has allowed me to meet new people, embrace new experiences, and continue learning about myself 

10. New England, because living here has allowed me to embrace all sorts of weather and lets me enjoy the best of both worlds with warm and cold weather