Manfull's Handfull

This morning at the lovely hour of 6:45am my adventure abroad began.  I was able to get in one last brueggers fix with my best friends and of course the largest raspberry iced tea money could buy me.  I then figured out how to lock my suitcase which was no easy task to do when you're half asleep and spastic AF. But after saying goodbye to my blind cat, obnoxious dog and my little sister, mom, pop and I loaded in the car and headed to the city of dreams (Cedar Rapids). Where ironically Heidi was just up the esclator from me... Good, she made it. My best friends drove to the airport to see us off and made the dumbest of signs that translated from Gaelic to "goodbye Erin, healthy heart and wet mouth". They said the intent was "mouth watering for beer".. I appreciate the effort guys! Saying goodbye was tough, and moms always know how to get the waterworks flowing from the get-go. Even dad choked up a bit- which of course made me sob. But the tears are dried (kind of...

Its the week before Christmas and all the students were stressed, with visions of finals and teachers and tests. Not a wink of sleep, not a day with out coffee, these students are weak give them a break! With finals being the life ruining week that they are (literally, life ruining), I thought I would make the days a little brighter and better with photos and gifs and videos to create the ultimate study break. #1. Cal Shapiro, lead singer for Timeflies , and more importantly  look at that smile . Can you say Swoon? #2. In a time of stress and lets be honest, a lot of defeat, sometimes the only medicine you need is sheer unadulterated laugher. The best kind, is straight from Fox's  New Girl... because nothing is better than someone having a more awkward life than you. Skip to 4:55 and you'll see why LLS (Ladies Love Schmidt). #3. Puppies . Honestly, is there even an explanation needed for soft, fuzzy, loving animals that provide a much needed distrac...

"You get a strange feeling when you're about to leave a place, like you'll not only miss the people you love but you'll also miss the person you are now at this time and place because you'll never be this way again" I'm not quite sure where I stumbled upon this quote, but it's something I've kept in the back of my mind for the last month or so. It's something that struck me, something that glued itself to me with all the events unfolding in my life. In less than a month, I'll leave the only home I've ever known and distance myself from the ones I love the most (except for you Heidz, you'll be stuck with me), I'll be away from family and friends, my most prized possessions, for the next five months, and forced to experience life in an entirely new culture surrounded by unfamiliar faces and places. Studying abroad is something that excites me and terrifies me at the same time. It's something I've dreamed of doing my en...