Boom, Boom

Being a teenager is all about living it up during your final week of school. Finals is hands down the most stressful time of the year, but being at school when you don't have class is also the weirdest thing ever. The motivation to study is literally zero to none, it's blazing hot outside, and anything and everyone else are calling you to hang out and do nothing. You've got packing to do, studying to get done, and exams to fail pass but you just want to jump around, stay up all night, and live that summer life. It's like college without classes - the best parts. Our hearts go boom, boom - summer's about to be here.

*So first - check out the music video for the Wanted "Walks Like Rihanna" (90s boyband call outs, catch tune, and all the gifs in this post are from it - including this water spewing one *too many feels ... hnnng)

 

What are you supposed to do when everything and everyone around is telling you to give up your studies but you still have exams to take? It's a tough dilemma, but it's one you're definitely capable of dealing with. You've got to buckcle down and study like you've never done before. Bury your nose in a book and become almost intimate with it. Work until you know you're stuff and can run train on your finals. You'll know when you're ready. You have to really set aside time to learn or face the consequences. Yeah, you'll miss out on getting rowdy, some semi-alcoholic day drinking shenanigans (but really, if you're hitting the bottle before noon, a weekday nonetheless, you might have a problem), and chilling with your peeps (do people still say that) but you're education comes first. It's non-negotiable, and kind of a big deal. Turn off the Netflix, stop snapchatting your entire list, and log off of Facebook - study like your life depends on it. When you can't take it anymore, the walls seems to be closing in, and you want to give up on life - take a break. You'll know if you deserve one (ya weaklings) and do something fun. If you've got lots of time, fine - live a little and go out a bit. I can't even hate on that. Finals is all about time management, and using your time and brain effectively. If you're not processing reading mindless paragraphs of nonsensical textbook speak, try reading aloud or looking for a YouTube video (no British YouTubers for you) that explains it better. If you're struggling, connect with people from your class (honestly, the people you ogled and doodled about - take the time to facebook message them and meet up, double entendre that stuff and not only study *keep your tongue in your mouth, but get your flirt on), or go visit your professor. At this point nobody cares about anything, but showing that you're still working is desperate impressive and will be ridiculed respected. Remember to take care of yourself, that is - properly eating, sleeping and showering. Nobody wants to smell your rancid stuff giving off the stench of rotten potato skins, dutch oven flatulations, and soaked grass stains. Look presentable, your saucy silk pajamas are not cutting it, and your tank tops make you look real douchey (but I've joined the cliché ridden "sun's out, guns out" movement?). Get it together and go ham on that exam (that rhymed). Then stay a little bit and celebrate. Make it go boom, boom!

As you know, I'm in finals mode, but also living the best of both worlds (like Hanner Montaner - just go with it) when it comes to studying, and socializing. Let's go back to Sunday where I spent my morning "food shopping" as my fraternity brother Dom call it with Zach at Costco and Shaw's (overwhelmed at the savings and bulkness of it all). It was off to our Phi Mu Delta end of the year barbecue at Oak Ledge Park/Beach. Honestly, it was was too much fun. I had an aamzing time hanging out with my brothers, just eating summer foods, hanging out, being outside and straight chilling. We had the awesome people from fraternity/sorority life come celebrate with us and our new advisor, Lane, graced us with his amiable presence (check out some picures below). We gave out awards and I won the award named after my big fraternal brother, Gabe, as outstanding brother of the year. I was absolutely floored and honored, and that afternoon was one I'll remember for the time to come. I spent the rest of Sunday doing laundry (for the last time - "I'm all caught up, and it's time to put it down ..." and hanging out. Monday came around and it was breakfast round up and studying all dang day. I became one with my laptop, textbook and notebook. I studied my butt off and I think it paid off. I did dinner with Jimmy, Teddy, and Sam at the Grundle and was right back at it. I made the dire mistake of watching Chronicle which was an okay movie, unique (but the stereotypical killing of the black had me rolling my eyes) and pretending to study for the duration of the movie. I knocked out and woke up Tuesday to shower and get my life together. I continued to study (look at me be studious) and then went to take my cellular and molecular biology exam which really seemed not to difficult. Sam and I got dumplings and a scallion pancake, respectively, from the new food truck on central campus and road the bus around until we made it to the office. We got the credit card and made our way to Michaels to get clothespins, spray paint, puffy paint, and golden bells to make clothespins to trade at NACURH (national association of college and university residence halls) conference coming up at University of Pittsburgh at the end of May. Spent a couple hours spray painting in the blazing hot sun (like seventh circle of hell hot from Dante's Inferno) and it was back to business. I played Super Smash Bros. Brawl with my neighbor Nick and went to dinner with baby-Sam and Deniz which was a randomly funny time. I hit the ice cream social on the green roof of my building and hung out and got messy with baby-Sam, Nicholas, Sam, and my roommate, Brendan (oh Felicia and Jaime made appearances as well). We were a huge mess tossing whipped cream and taking snapchat pictures, but it was a quirky evening. I was more than done with the heat and so I changed into a tank top (for real repping the nonexistent boys) and Sam, Brendan and I journeyed to the nearby gas station for some much needed popsicles and candy. Now I'm here blogging and those two want us to sleep outside (like do I look like an outdoorsmen) on the green roof, but I don't think I'm having it. It's been a crazy hot, kinda random, but uniquely cool few days. Boom, boom - we're in the room.

Being a teenager is all about making the most out of your last days on campus. Whether you're graduating (I'll pour out a cup of juice for you - and you take a shot for me *Drake voice) or you're finishing up another year, you've got to take full advantage of these rare weeks where school just isn't fully school. Do something you've never done before and make it memorable. There's no other place where late teenagers and early twenty-somethings exist as their own society. Summer's a-coming, and we go boom-boom.

My blog post question for the day is ... what song will be your summer jam this season? Uhm, the Wanted "Walks Like Rihanna" - hands down, nothing can touch it.