Author: Lauren Casey

Happy 2019! Wow it feels weird saying that, I could have sworn I was just saying happy 2008. It’s that time of the year again where everyone vows they will start something new, improve an aspect of their life, or achieve a goal. In the past, I never paid attention to resolutions because I never really wanted to change anything. I always would say I want this new year to be better than the last, but I never acted on anything to make that happen. Now that I am older, and have been setting more goals than in the past, I can add myself to the list of those who say “new year, new me.” But in all honesty, I am not trying to make a new me. I like myself! The more accurate phrase would be “new year, better me.”  With that, these are the ten tasks I’d like to tackle to make my 2019 the best year yet.

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1. Floss more

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No, not the dance move. This resolution may seem a bit anti-climactic as I am sure you were expecting something big, but answer this question honestly: do you floss everyday? I’m going to go ahead and guess a confident no. I am guilty of being too lazy to floss everyday solely because it takes effort to weave the stupid string under my two permanent retainers, but this is something that I want to fix. I learned from an aspiring dentist friend that not flossing causes more build up in the arteries, and could lead to a heart attack. So yes, not running a piece of string between your teeth can kill you. In my mind, it seems like such an easy fix, but it is just one of those things that I easily skip, and justify skipping because it “saves me time.” My goal for 2019, is to floss everyday so I can go to the dentist and not have bleeding gums every time they floss, revealing that I don’t floss a much as I should. In order to achieve this goal, I have strongly considered going back to the Dino Flossers, because I might as well make it more fun if I’m going to follow through with this!

2. Spend less

Lately, it seems like I have had the mindset that money grows on trees. Online shopping is more dangerous than you know, especially when it comes to Poshmark, and having Apple Pay installed so I don’t have to enter in my card info anymore and just use my touch ID. I have mentioned how thankful I am for Poshmark in a past post because I can get really expensive things for a great price, but that doesn’t mean that just because it is a good price, I should buy it.  It’s like telling myself that calories don’t count if I’m stealing food off someone’s plate. I am still spending money even if things are on sale, and apparently, that notion has not sunk in yet. Buying things on sale may save money, but if that happens frequently, it really adds up fast! So for my bank account’s sake, this is a mindset that I am going to be more conscious about. As much as I hate seeing a good sale on Lulu leggings pass me by, it will help me in the long run, and as psychology says, instant gratification is not always the answer. 

3. Worry less

A couple posts back, I wrote about pieces of advice I live by, and one of those being “don’t worry about the things you can’t control.” Well, I still have not figured out a way to practice that advice. As a type A, perfectionistic person, worrying really should be my middle name instead of Michelle. Think of a random word in your mind right now. Whatever word you are thinking of, I have probably worried about it at some point in my life, or something related to it. My worrying has gone to great lengths, and has made me do some pretty weird things in order to resolve it such as waking up to myself reciting psychology terms in my sleep. (Some people sleep walk and talk, I sleep study). Sometimes, I ironically worry about how worried I get over things. Don’t get me wrong, a little bit of worrying is healthy, and productive, but usually that isn’t the case for me. I worry to the point where I cannot stress about something more, it is at the maximum level of stressing. I worry about things in the future (as in ten+ years out), I worry about next month, next week, the next hour, and I even worry about things that have already happened. Yes, that is totally illogical, I know, but that is just how I roll. So this year, I hope to make myself stop rolling like that, or at least reduce it to the point where I don’t still worry about the wrong form of “your” I used in the final paper I wrote in 8th grade stress management class. 

4. More time with friends

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If I spent as much time with my friends as I do with my textbooks, this one would not be a resolution for me. I love being busy with all the organizations I’m involved in on campus, but sometimes I will go a whole week without seeing my friends despite the fact they live literally a floor above me. My social life shouldn’t have to be a mandatory scheduled sisterhood event event that is programmed in my Google calendar. College is about having those experiences that aren’t planned; such as 2 AM pancake runs to Perkins, hitching a ride with a friend to Mankato for Starbucks, unplanned girls nights, pole dancing exercise class, yoga with goats, and following Nemo the campus cat around instead of doing homework. This is not to say that I haven’t done things like this before (this stuff is too specific to make up), I just don’t do “unplanned” enough. I love all my friends, and am fortunate that they are so close, which is why I want to spend all the time I can with them before they go back to West Virginia, Arizona, off to med school, and even before I graduate. But this won’t happen without my next resolution.

5. Be more flexible

To my gymnasts out there, I do not mean this in the sense that I need to stretch more, because I still have all three of my splits down! If I were as flexible as my body is, this would not be a resolution. Unfortunately, my brain is not as flexible as my hamstrings. I don’t think I need to explain that I like things to be planned out based on my mentions of perfectionism, but it really can be counterproductive at times. As much as I’d like to just “go with the flow,” I can’t do that unless I know where the “flow” is going, how fast, where all the bends and curves are, and approximately how much time it takes to get there. I’ve had times where things have not gone according to my plan, and I haven’t been able to adapt. People always tell me they wish they were as organized, and obedient to a plan as me, but they don’t realize how that plan crumbles if it isn’t followed to a T. I want to be more flexible in the sense where I don’t have my whole day planned out hour by hour, and can change things up like going out for coffee with friends without thinking that I will fail a test if I don’t start studying that day because that’s what I planned. This quirk can definitely be attributed to gymnastics. I find it ironic that the sport that made me flexible (literally), is the reason that I am the farthest from flexible (figuratively). Having to manage my time so strictly for 16 years really trained my brain as much as my body. They say it takes 21 days to break a habit, but I don’t know if that takes into account something that has been done for years and years. I’ll give it my best shot.

6. Appreciate myself more

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We are all our worst critics. And even though I am aware of this concept, I still am as hard on myself as Gordon Ramsay is on the people who ask him to rate their meals on Twitter (it’s not pretty). Living in a social media filled society where being fit, eating right all the time, and basically living the cookie cutter lifestyle where nothing goes wrong, I sometimes lose sight into all that I have achieved and all that I am. As a psych major, I am fully aware of the social comparison theory and how harmful it is, yet I still practice it as most do. Just the other day, I killed a workout and felt great. About a minute later, I looked on Instagram and saw someone else’s workout paired with their washboard abs. I told myself their workout was way more effective and intense than mine, and she looked better than I did, making me forget about all that my body just did for me, and left me feeling like I wasn’t enough. It is so easy to focus on the negatives about yourself, and all that you’re not, and I definitely fall victim to this. People are very good at playing the “I spy” game in the mirror, but life is so much more than about looks. It is hard to believe that when that’s not what the majority think, which is why I haven’t been able to adopt that thought yet. We hear it over and over again, “your worth is not defined by a number” whether that be how many reps you can do, jeans size, or on the scale, but how many people actually believe that? This year, I want to stop hearing, and start believing. God has given me one body that has allowed me to do my favorite sports, sit through great psychology lectures, spend time with my friends, and much more; it’s time I start to appreciate it!

7. Eliminate my “all or nothing” mindset

Writing this, I can’t help but laugh at myself because the way my mind works is low key ridiculous, and I am fully aware it is. All or nothing, go big or go home, black or white, on or off, just cheese or all the toppings, walk or sprint; that is my brain. I only have two settings, there is no in between. This can be very frustrating when there needs to be an in between, but there literally is not. It is very similar to the feeling of when you reach to open a door that you need to get into, but the door knob is gone. My all or nothing mindset applies to everything I do. If I don’t have the time to do my usual workout, but can at least get a 30 minute workout in, my brain tells me that I just shouldn’t go at all. If I am trying to eat healthy, but I don’t follow my original plan and eat something I didn’t intend on eating such as one cookie, I turn it into a full on cheat day. If I have a paper to write, I will write it all in one sitting, otherwise I won’t write it at all. When I run, I will only walk, or run a 5k. In these situations, I fully understand that the logical thing to do is workout for 30 minutes because it’s still better than nothing, eat the cookie and move on with my life because that’s less damage than a whole cheat meal, write half the paper rather than all of it, and maybe just run a solid two miles. That’s simply not how I am wired. I go big or go home in all aspects of my life, which is why it has often led me to taking on more than I can handle, or leaving my bored out of my mind. On the other hand, the all or nothing mindset has been helpful for me when I have needed to put in my full effort such as gymnastics meets, relationships, and studying for finals; but that is about it! This year, I want to be able to have the option for kinda, go sub par and halfway home, gray, dim the lights, jog, or two toppings max. 

8. Take better care of myself

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It is always my goal to excel in all aspects of my life being; academics, fitness, my faith, being a good daughter, and friend (all or nothing!) In my mind, I imagine bar graphs for each of these things, and each one must reach 100% otherwise I feel like I’m slacking. Oddly enough, there is one aspect that I seem to forget about, which is taking care of myself. “Balance” is not a word in my vocabulary unless it means succeed at everything you do. There have been many times when I should have taken care of myself, but instead tried to put everything and everyone else first. Going to class sick as a dog because I wanted those five dinky participation points, competing with two swollen sprained ankles because I didn’t want to let my team down (or my pride), driving long distances just to make a friend feel better, going to the gym when my body was screaming it didn’t want to go like a toddler at McDonald’s play land, staying up to study when I shouldn’t have, and insisting on going to school while on very strong anti convulsants because I didn’t want to fall behind, are just a few examples. I know what’s best for me, and what I should do, but I never choose to because choosing myself feels selfish in my mind. Because of all these situations, it can be hard to be a functioning human being, and it definitely takes a toll on my mood, energy, FND, and wellbeing. For the last couple months, I’ve noticed that I have felt a little “off” and couldn’t figure out why. It has now become clear to me (because someone pointed it out) that I have been running on empty, and parallel a car trying to drive across the country with an empty gas tank. At this point, I am outside of the car and pushing it from behind because there is not one drop of gas left. Going into this new year, I want to have more balance, and be ok with not having to reach 100% in everything I do because that is absolutely exhausting.  It requires some give and take, realizing it is ok to not do it all, and not spreading myself too thin. I also want to put more effort and energy into fighting my FND by actually doing my mental exercises everyday, and really trying hard to manage it like I should be, because that is just as important as being a student, athlete, child of God, daughter, and friend. I can’t be any of those things if I don’t take care of myself first.

9. Follow through

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Reading this one, you may be thinking of following through with things such as commitments, promises, and deep stuff like that. But honestly, it isn’t like that for me at all. I just want to follow through with little things such as starting and finishing a book, finishing a Netflix show, a movie, a new piece I’m writing, keeping up with my vision board, saying I’ll do my laundry every Thursday, and even following through with these resolutions I made. I don’t know if it is just me who experiences this, but I will have so much motivation to do something, but when I actually have time to do it, it is the last thing I want to do. I have been reading the same book for two years, and by read, I mean pick it up once a day, then put it back down because I want to watch the Netflix show that I ultimately will not finish. This notion of never taking initiative to start (or finish) something I want to try basically makes my Pinterest pointless, and I’ve got so many cool and Instagram worthy things to try!  So this year, I am finally going to finish that book, Netflix series, blog post in my drafts, learn to cook in order to post my Pinterest fail pictures, but I can’t make any promises about the laundry. 

10. Let go of the past

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Here is the “deep” one you all have been waiting for, and I am going to be fully open and honest because it is something that needs to change. I haven’t been shy in sharing the adversity I have faced these last couple years regarding my health issues and injuries in college. I also haven’t been shy in sharing how I see it as a blessing in disguise, and how it has shaped me into who I am. What I have been shy in sharing, is that I still hold onto the negative memories, and how the fear of it all happening again prohibits me from making certain decisions, or having a more positive mindset. It is only human (as the evolutionary theory in psychology explains) to have those negative experiences in the back of your mind in order to be more cautious going forward so you don’t die. For the record, the evolutionary theory is a bit more extreme and based on survival, not just everyday living. I don’t think my brain quite realizes that distinction yet, as I get nervous about things I shouldn’t have to anymore. This is ultimately why my schedule is so rigid, because in the past if I didn’t follow a rigid schedule such as exercising only in the morning, not sitting for too long, getting to sleep before 11, and not eating past 8 PM, my FND would give me trouble. I am all about being fearless, and testing the waters, but when it comes to my FND and all I have been through, I will not even dip a toe in the water to see if I’m capable of more than I was back then. I’m still stuck in this rigid schedule because of this fear that if I change it, everything will go back to how it was in the past. Traveling is also one of those things that makes me apprehensive because in the past, traveling caused me to have many FND flare ups and hospital visits, sucking out all the joy of the experience. I will count myself out of social events just because I don’t want to make myself too tired, causing a flare up, and I fear that since it has gone that way in the past, it will reoccur. Note to self: just because something has happened in the past, doesn’t mean it will happen again. I’m such an advocate for improving myself in every way possible, which is why going into this year, I want to be able to cut ties with all the negatives that I have experienced. I’ve adopted a “glass half full” mindset because I’ve gotten my hopes up so many times in the past, just to receive more bad news. I find it ironic that I let the fear of things that have already happened, and are in the complete past, dictate choices and thoughts that I have now. While I did learn in HR class this semester that “the best predictor of future behavior, is past behavior in similar circumstances,” behavior is totally different than adversity, because I can control behavior, while adversity isn’t really one of those things people choose to have. 2019 is the year I will go against my previous experiences, and realize that I won’t die if I choose to go on a road trip with my friends or break my rigid routine, my FND won’t necessarily flare up if I stay out past 11, and I will stop thinking that looking at the glass half empty protects me. Would you keep a container of rotten eggs stinking up the house because you bought them in the past? Didn’t think so. Holding onto the past can be so toxic if it’s not something worth holding onto.  

Resolutions can be daunting. A lot of people make resolutions that are “life changing,” but resolutions don’t have to be huge changes. Maybe you want to watch one less hour of TV, eat more vegetables, or break a habit. It can be really hard to hold yourself accountable once the New Year starts (which is why the gym usually goes back to its normal amount of people a couple weeks into January). Don’t be one of those people! Write down your resolutions somewhere, post it on the fridge, tell someone, or make it public on social media like I literally am doing right now, so feel free to call me out if you see me slacking! It can also be really hard to think about things that you want to change about yourself. I know for me, it was hard to admit to myself that I needed to improve some of these things. If resolutions haven’t worked for you in the past, consider going at it a different way (I made the resolution to floss everyday last year but that didn’t happen, hence the Dino Flossers incentive). Mindset is also vital to making a change. Don’t see resolutions as something you HAVE to do, see it as something you GET to do! If you have to do it, chances are, you won’t. Making a change is challenging , but so is being unsatisfied with where you are now- choose your challenge. 

Happy New Year, everyone! New year, better you! 

~Lauren

Recently I had to write a paper for my conditioning class (ironic, like horizontal running). I actually enjoyed having to write this paper because it combines two of my favorite things: writing, and fitness. I thought this would be a great topic to share with you guys as a #FitnessFriday post. The word “fitness” has so many definitions because everyone thinks of it differently.  To some it is all aesthetic, some believe it to be strength, and some cardio. I know that my idea of fitness has changed significantly over the years. When I was younger, fitness meant going to the club and running on the treadmill. When I was a gymnast, fitness meant being active through cardio and strength. Now, I practice all five components of fitness because they are equally important in order to live a healthy life, and being able to do everything I want to do as I get older. Fitness is not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle, that is applicable to ALL ages. 

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1. Cardiovascular Fitness

The first component of fitness is cardio. Big surprise there. Cardio is not all about seeing how many calories you can torch before your lungs start to burn, and trying to beat the person next to you on the treadmill…well, that last one isn’t true. It is actually a great measure of fitness because your body starts to adjust to what you demand. Most people forget the “vascular” part of cardiovascular, and that is the most important reason for doing cardio in the first place. Sure, burning calories is great, but strengthening your heart and lungs, increasing circulation, and oxygen flow, is the most important part of it all. It may not be easy to tell, but cardio improves overtime. Change in heart rate is a great way to see if your cardio has improved, as well something as simple as shaving off a couple seconds on your mile time. This is why we were required to run the mile growing up, do those annoying step tests, pacer tests, and resting heart rate tests. Back in high school, I could jog one lap around the indoor track and my heart rate would be at 204 (I’m not kidding). Now, I have to full out sprint to get it above 160! My mile time has also gone from nine minutes back in seventh grade, to around seven minutes now. The best, and easiest, forms of cardio are running, cycling, swimming, jumping rope, and walking. Anything that gets your heart rate up! It is important to change up intensity because your body will adapt to what you are doing after a while, making it not as effective. While it may feel like you are dying since cardio is hardio, it’s actually preventing you from dying 🙂 

2. Muscular Strength

Muscular strength is fancy talk for weights. I know a lot of people have the stereotypical image in their heads of a body builder walking around with their protein shake, cut off tank, and lifting 300 lbs of iron. A lot of women avoid weights just because this is what they imagine, don’t have a game plan, are intimidated, don’t know the importance of it, or don’t want to get “too big.” Building muscle is not exclusive to just throwing around some dumbbells, or lifting heavy things. Being a gymnast, I was fortunate to learn that body weight exercises are just as effective, as gravity is a great resource! Yes, muscle is built by heavy lifting, but it is also built through resistance training, body weight exercises, as well as low weight and high rep exercises (get out those soup cans!) Weight training is beneficial in order to lose fat, boost metabolism, increase bone density, but also, it is a great confidence booster as you start to see progress by being able to lift heavier, do more reps, physically see results, or hit a new PR. Not going to lie, I used to be scared of venturing into the weight room, but after retiring from gymnastics, I have started to incorporate free weights, machines, and TRX along with my body weight exercises. It doesn’t require anything extensive, as most of my circuits are found on Pinterest, or watching fitness gurus on Instagram. Deadlifts aren’t dead, y’all. 

3. Muscular endurance

This one can sometimes be confused with cardio because muscular endurance is the ability for the muscle to perform without fatigue. Yes, we get tired and feel like we can’t take another step when we run, but cardio has more to do with “sucking air.” For example, bad muscular endurance is only being able to do one push up, or doing one lat pull down on the machine. The best way to improve this component is by practicing that motion over and over. An increase from one push up to two push ups is even a gain. Just like endurance is improved when you do more of it in cardio, it goes the same for your muscles. And just like endurance can be gained, it can be lost, which is why it is important to focus on both your cardio, and your strength. I will say, my muscular endurance has decreased a bit since I had to stop gymnastics, as I can’t pump out the pull ups like I used to, simply because I don’t willingly choose to do pull ups (like any normal person). Use it or lose it!  

4. Body Composition 

The fourth component of fitness is body composition; the relative amount of muscle, fat, bone, and other vital parts of the body. This one is kind of a given, as the reason most people work out in the first place is to change, or maintain, their body composition. When I say body composition, it is not just focused on body fat percentage. A lot of us are guilty for only focusing on body fat, as humans are great at honing in on the negative aspects of ourselves, and forgetting about the positives. The reason body composition is an important part of fitness is because it an essential part to overall well-being. For the fat we do have (we all have it and need it), it is important to know if it is subcutaneous (harmless), or visceral (more dangerous as it wraps around your organs). This is why it is important to focus on body composition, not just for looks. Knowing how much muscle you have compared to fat, is important because a lot of people only focus on the numbers. When I say numbers, I’m talking about the typical bathroom scale, or BMI chart. It is so dangerous to rely on these only because they don’t show the whole picture. I look at transformation pictures on Instagram where people go from losing body fat, and gaining muscle; it looks like they’ve lost a ton of weight, but in reality, they stayed the same. BMI charts don’t factor in how much muscle someone has, so it may say someone is overweight when in reality they are made of muscle. This goes for the scale, too. Instead of stepping on the scale, it is a lot healthier to base body composition on how clothes fit, or getting a scale that shows the breakdown!

5. Flexibility

Last but not least, flexibility. This is important because flexibility prevents so many injuries at any age! I’m thankful to have been in a sport that heavily enforced this, and made a habit in me to stretch after every single workout. You can be the strongest person in the world, but it is useless if your hamstrings are so tight that you can’t bend over to lift up the barbell. That may be a bit exaggerated, but flexibility is often overlooked! Sit and reach was MY event during fitness testing, and we wouldn’t have been tested on it if it weren’t important. Just like endurance decreases when it isn’t practiced, flexibility gets so much worse as you get older unless you keep up with it. Flexibility can be compared to taking care of a kid, or a plant (but don’t compare your kid to a plant). If you water it or feed them once a week, and expect it/them to function the same by the next week, you are so wrong. This is why I made a vow when I retired to be able to do the splits and touch my toes until the day I die! I can be easily found in the gym doing the splits everyday, along with my other creepy gymnast stretches that make people stare at me like I have two heads, Lastly, without my flexibility, how else would I shave in the shower if I couldn’t put my leg up on the wall? 

As I mentioned before, fitness is a lifestyle, not a hobby that stops once you leave the gym. Why? How are you going to run after your kid’s basketball that is furiously rolling down the street, or sprint to get the last pair of Lulu leggings in your size on black Friday, if your cardio is not up to speed? How are you going to lift your screaming toddler out of a crib, or carry giant grocery bags to the house if your muscular strength is non existent? Imagine how hard it would be to quickly shovel the MN snow off the driveway if you don’t have enough muscular endurance to do the same motion over and over again (move to Florida, problem solved). Body composition helps to keep overall health intact, and helps when trying on jeans from the previous year, praying that they still fit. And lastly, flexibility allows for bending over to get the laundry out of the wash, getting the paper off the driveway, or simply showing off the splits as a cool party trick. All of these are needed to carry out everyday tasks, and to live your life!

My challenge for you this week is to focus a little bit more on one or more of these aspects that you tend to put on the back burner. Have a fantastic Friday, folks!

~Lauren

I don’t think I need to tell you that Christmas is in a couple weeks, as most people already have a countdown going. There are so many reasons to get excited for the holiday season; time with family, a new year to start over, fun traditions, or time off work/school (lets be honest, this is the biggest reason). I personally love the holiday season because the time off from school allows me to take part in my favorite traditions! I can guarantee, a lot of these traditions we probably share, but it’s what I like about each tradition that makes us different. As I always say, it’s the little things that bring me the most joy. Here are my top ten holiday traditions!

1. The Christmas tree

Nothing says Christmas time like a giant artificial tree. For me, this is all I’ve ever known, as my family doesn’t bother getting a real one. Just like my mom likes a dog that doesn’t shed, it goes for the Christmas tree too. While some people’s tradition is to go pick out a Christmas tree every year, my tradition is watching my dad struggle to put it together, get frustrated because the light strands don’t work from the year before, and then try to strategically place the pearls while balancing on the ladder. Of course, I don’t help with this part, because my favorite part is getting to put the ornaments on the tree. My Grandad loved to give us Hallmark ornaments every Christmas, which has resulted in two giant tubs of Hallmark ornaments that my brother and I insisted putting on every single one every year. We also had about two more tubs of homemade ornaments that we insisted had to be hung as well. By the time my brother and I were done hanging up all tubs of ornaments, there was no green that could be seen on the tree. It looked like an absolute mess, but that is how we liked it. There were so many music playing ones on there, that when we turned the tree on every morning, it sounded like a dying whale because of all the clashing sounds and songs. In all honesty, my favorite part about decorating the tree was not making a “Barbie ornaments” only section on the tree, but actually it was seeing how high I could climb up on the ladder before my parents told me to stop. 

2. Making Christmas cookies

As I’ve mentioned in past posts, I cannot make or bake anything to save my life. My definition of making Christmas cookies is waiting until Mom mixed up the dough so I could decorate them before she put them in the oven. The sugar cookie recipe we use has been in the family for years, and they are to die for (which is why I eat them even though I’m gluten free). My brother and I would always designate a night, and a lot of counter space, to put on our fancy aprons, roll out the dough with our tiny rolling pins, and pick our favorite cookie cutters and sprinkles to decorate the cookies. A majority of the time, I made mine too thin so they would end up burnt (not surprised, burning things is my specialty). When it came to sprinkles, I liked to “color outside the lines” aka dump the sprinkles on everything, usually missing the cookie itself, and use all the wrong colors. When Mom wasn’t looking, I’d eat the dough because I personally think it tastes better than the cookie itself. My brother was definitely more cautious, as he and my mom would make more realistic looking cookies such as green mistletoe rather than my yellow wreath. By the time the oven timer went off, there would be flour all over the floor, all in my hair, on my clothes, and probably in more places it shouldn’t be. But I didn’t care, as my brown and crispy angels, yellow wreaths, blue Santas, and broken in half mitten cookies made me so proud of myself. 

3. Button factory

To continue with the baking theme, my brother and I had one night a year where our parents let us be home by ourselves, and our kitchen turned into what we called “the button factory.” Being so young, I didn’t realize the sole purpose our parents allowed us to do this was so they could have a solid couple of hours to go Christmas shop for us since they never had time to. I didn’t catch onto this for a couple years, but in the mean time, I loved when my brother turned into the babysitter/chef for the night. For those of you who don’t know what our famous “buttons” are, it is a pretzel with a melted Hershey Hug, with a M&M on top. I took my job as pretzel organizer (put the pretzels on the baking sheet), and hershey hug un wrapper (the worst job of the whole process) very seriously. Christopher was the head chef; as he was the one in charge of the oven, timer, putting the M&M on the melted chocolate, and carrying the baking sheets to put them outside to harden up because I couldn’t be trusted with any of it. His only order for me was to not eat the supplies (I did when he wasn’t looking). To give perspective, I was young enough where I needed a stool to be able to reach the counter, nowadays, I’m allowed to use the oven. Looking back, I don’t know how my brother and I did this for so long, because we literally would do this for four or more hours straight. It was honestly like a Ford factory line, and I can now unwrap a Hershey Hug in record time. While our button factory has gone out of business, I still make buttons every year and give them to all my friends at college. 

4. “The Drive”

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This tradition is definitely a love hate relationship. Every year, we drive to Kentucky for Christmas to visit family. This drive is about 13 hours (on a good day). It usually takes about 15 in its entirety due to someone having to use the bathroom, wanting to stop at our favorite rest stop in Wisconsin just because we can, someone needing to stretch their legs, get gas, the snow storm that never fails to start the day we leave, grab a bite to eat, traffic downtown Illinois, or because someone forgot something at home. Fun fact, we turn around at least once every year because someone thinks they forgot something such as a hair brush (it was in the bag), forgot to turn the closet light off (it was off), or forgot to close the garage door (it was closed). Having to turn around has become a tradition in itself. Usually, my family rotates who drives, and ever since I got my license, they still have never asked me if I want to take a shift (I don’t know if I should appreciate this or be offended). The reason that I have loved the drive has transformed over the years. When I was in elementary school, I loved it because I got to sit with my stuffed animals and watch my favorite movies on the portable DVD player the whole way there, as well as play road trip games with Christopher. In middle school, I loved it because I got to text my friends (and crush) on my new Pantech Impact flip phone all day long. In high school I loved it because I listened to my IPod while pretending I was in dramatic music videos while looking out the window the whole way there (I’m not the only one who went through this phase). Now, I love it because I can sleep, read anything besides a textbook, pet Gracie, and take an actual break and relax, all day long. The “hate” part of the drive is always the drive home because all the Christmas festivities are over, making the drive home seem so much longer! 

5. A Kentucky Christmas

Of course once we get to Kentucky, the traditions don’t stop. It isn’t Christmas for me unless I am at my Gram’s house in Danville, KY with my cousins Fielden and Logan. That being said, I am also used to a “green Christmas” since it is usually mid 40s that time of the year. Every year, the family gathers in a circle in the living room with all of our presents sorted out to each person. We then proceed to open presents, one at a time, going from youngest to oldest. Ever since we were little, this came with the process of looking at the tag and reading who the gift was from, asking if it was ok to open (some had to be left to open at the end), opening it, acting pleased no matter what the gift was, saying thank you, then crumbling up the paper and trying to shoot it into the trash bag. This cycle lasted for hours. Usually by the end, Fielden and I would have a new pair of matching cousin pajamas, new Hallmark ornaments from Grandad, paper everywhere because we had no aim, and we would be exhausted. No matter what the year, or how old we continue to get, it has never changed, and probably never will. 

6. Christmas Dinner

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Christmas dinner at Gram’s is also a given when we are in KY. Southern cooking is on a whole different level than the rest of the country. And Gram’s cooking is on whole different level than southern cooking. To sum it up: it beats Thanksgiving by a landslide. The table is usually filled with dishes to the point where there is no room to put one more thing on it. Christmas dinner at Gram’s typically consists of turkey, country ham, mashed potatoes, homemade macaroni, dressing (stuffing to you northerners), gravy, Burke’s Bakery buttery dinner rolls, broccoli casserole (my favorite), cranberry jello, sweet potato casserole, pretzel salad: pineapple mixture+whipped cream+ crushed pretzels, banana croquettes: banana covered in mayo and rolled in peanuts (not as gross as it sounds), Chess Pie, Derby Pie, fruit cake, rum cake, cookies, etc..I could go on but that would take another paragraph. When I was little, I would always end my meal with a cup of boiled custard as pictured above. While I usually could never eat everything because there was so much, I eventually got around to having a taste of everything due to leftovers for DAYS. It is going to have to take a Christmas miracle for me to follow my gluten/dairy free diet this year!

 7. Candlelight service

Attending the Christmas candlelight church service at Gram’s church with the whole family is another tradition we take part of every year. Not going to lie, most years I am counting the minutes until it is over just because I’m not used to how traditional the service is, and the southern accent of the pastor is so soothing it is inevitable to keep my eyes open. My favorite part is getting to light our individual candles while singing silent night, and the lights are shut off. I will never forget how most times, my Grandad’s voice was the most prominent, and while he is no longer with us, I still imagine his voice every year we attend this service. I also love getting all dressed up for this service, and getting the yearly sibling picture with Christopher in front of their giant Christmas tree. Southerners, especially my Gram’s friends, give many more compliments than northerners, and I definitely have never minded the extra confidence boost from when the other church members tell me how “darling” I look. 

8. Santa

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Yes I am 20, and yes, Santa still comes to visit the Casey kids every year. When I was little, seeing all the gifts in the morning was one of my favorite parts of the tradition, but not all. Every year, I tried to stay up late and would sneak out of bed to catch Santa in the act. As I have mentioned, I am not a night owl, so my efforts to catch Santa usually concluded around 11. Waking up Christmas morning and realizing that I once again failed to stay up, it led me to sneaking around to try to see what I got. At the Casey household, we weren’t (and still aren’t) allowed to go see what we got until the whole family was up, and Mom had the video camera out. I don’t know what it was about trying to sneak around, I guess I liked the adrenaline rush of trying to do something I wasn’t supposed to be. Again, I never succeeded with my mission because my dad would stop me and make me go sit in the office with my brother until he told us it was ok to come out. Over the years, I have gotten gymnastics mats, balance beams, and a whole bunch of other big things that left me baffled as to how Santa fit them on his sleigh. I also fan girled over the half eaten carrots sitting on the table for Rudolph to eat. Mom never let me keep them as an artifact. As I have gotten older, a lot of things have started to become clear to me such as why Santa looks different every year, how my parents knew so much about Santa, how my Mom knew where Santa got everything, but the one thing I still don’t know, is if my mom or dad ate the carrots every year. 

9. Casey Christmas

Having family in two states has its perks. We celebrate with my mom’s family in KY, but we also celebrate with my dad’s family every year here in MN before we make the drive. The dynamics of each celebration are polar opposites, but I love them both. My favorite part of the Casey Christmas, is our annual Yankee Swap. There is a “magic head scratcher” that makes an appearance in the swap every year, and has become an inside joke to the family. At this point, I think everyone has had the head scratcher at least once. While a lot of people’s favorite part of the swap is getting the gifts, or the game itself, my favorite part is everyone roasting and making fun of each other. Usually, I end up with the gift that our family brings because I help pick it out and don’t want anyone else to have it since I like it for myself. Usually there is a rule about picking your own gift, but everyone lets it slide since I am the youngest. While in the past there have been fights over fruit cake, electric candles, a flashlight, and some feelings were hurt along the way as no one wanted the assorted soaps, the night ends after the third round of goodbyes and everyone is happy again. 

10. New Years

When I think of New Years, I imagine sparkling grape juice, the big lit up ball, and writing down the wrong date on my homework assignments for a solid month after that night. Little Lauren didn’t really understand the concept of New Years, as I always asked my mom what date New Years was on. For years, I would be more excited to watch the Disney channel exclusive that was happening that night rather than ringing in the new year. I was mostly in it for the sparkling grape juice! Now, I spend this night watching it all happen in New York, and all my favorite artists lip syncing my favorite songs. Traditions have been spotty over the years, as most of my years this night was spent in Kentucky (I’d make the joke back to my friends back in MN that I beat them to the new year because we were an hour ahead). The last couple years, I’ve spent it in Minnesota with my best friends. Even though location hasn’t stayed the same, the sparkling grape juice, good company, and “see you next year” jokes have. 

As we begin the most wonderful time of the year, I can only hope that everyone has traditions like I do that automatically bring them back to their childhood, or bring them happiness to transition them into the clean slate of 2019. It’s the little things like climbing to the top step of the ladder, eating a burnt angel cookie, successfully shooting wrapping paper into the trash bag, roasting the uncle that got the head scratcher, seeing a half eaten carrot, getting a compliment from a church lady, getting to sit for longer than an hour, and sneaking a Hershey Hug without being caught, that have brought me so much joy over the years. 

Happy tree decorating, cookie making, and finals taking!

~Lauren

It’s nearing the end of the semester, which means finals are upon us. Whenever it gets to this point of the year, and I’m THIS close to a long break, I can’t help but think back to my younger days when I didn’t know what finals were, and my biggest problem was when I struggled to punch a hole in my juice box. It’s so weird to think about how some of my favorite things to do fizzled out as I got older thanks to the endless tasks that seem to pile higher as I get closer to graduating. These are the ten things I wish I could go back to, and what I enjoyed as a pipsqueak. 

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1. DQ after games and meets 

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It wasn’t just orange slices and juice boxes all the time. Back then, it was so common for my team to head to the local DQ and sit on the brick wall, getting the cars to honk at us as they drove by. I would get the same thing every time, a small cookie dough blizzard that I could only get halfway through before it turned into soup. It didn’t matter what season it was; softball, basketball, or gymnastics, DQ was always the go to spot after big tourneys or meets. I miss these days because going to DQ meant that I actually had the time to do this, and not immediately go home and start my homework like I had to as I got older. I also was able to participate in both gymnastics and basketball at the same time because I wasn’t in gymnastics competitively yet. Some of my best memories were made with my different teams over the years, and every time I drive by that brick wall, I picture my team sitting up there still. 

2. Saturday game day

I have no idea how or when this tradition got started, but every Saturday morning after I watched Spongebob with my cup of cereal and sippy cup of orange juice, my dad, Christopher, and I would play a board game before we got ready for the day. While a majority of the time it ended in a cat fight between me and Christopher because I wanted to win, and Dad put us on the steps for a five minute time-out, it was still a good time. We had so many games to choose from that my dad had to build shelves to house all those game boxes. Some of the most frequently played games were Uno, Life, Jenga, Chutes and Ladders, Pretty Pretty Princess (yes the guys did put on the clip on earrings and necklaces), Monopoly, American Girl, Sequence, and Slamwich (this one ended in tears from my hand getting slapped “too hard”). I always wanted to play Twister, but no one was ever eager to lose to the champ. We never played Operation because the loud buzzer freaked us out. I can’t tell you the last time any of those games were touched, as we never are together on Saturdays anymore, but it’s definitely something I wouldn’t mind having back. 

3. Webkinz

This honestly was my life. I spent so many hours on the computer taking care of my 40 pets. Yes, 40. Back then, I remembered every single pet’s name, all of my brother’s pet’s names, and was so addicted to getting more coins, spinning the Wheel of the Day, trying to make it to level 14 in Bananza -which I finally did and took a picture of it as proof, and making sure my pets didn’t die. I used to try to fit all of my pets in my bed with me at night which did not work very well in my tiny twin bed. While I can still remember my username: 6570L (hit me up in the arcade), I can’t remember any of those pet names, or how to even work the website anymore. I still remember the day my brother and I gave up Webkinz for good because we thought we were getting too old for it, and didn’t have the time. Back then it was still set up where they would die if you didn’t log on everyday to take care of them. My brother and I took turns getting on the computer and putting all of our pets in bed like the Titanic, setting them up for their slow death. It was a very emotional time I’m not going to lie. If there was an app for this, I’m pretty sure all of us 2000s kids would pick it back up again! I’d take a virtual dog to take care of over no dog. 

4. The swing set

When I wasn’t playing Webkinz, I was out on the swing set until I was forced to come inside. That swing set was used so much that I frayed the rope on the saucer swing, ripped out all the grass under the swing from the many times I tried to get myself to slow down, and broke off handles of the trapeze swing. I spent hours swinging; trying to see how high I could get, making up games, doing back flips off of it, trying to reach the trees with my feet, and swinging to my favorite Jonas Brothers songs. Swinging was my relaxation technique back then, as I would spend hours thinking about things-mostly gymnastics and my crush of the week. All my friends in my neighborhood had a swing set, and they were essentially the hangout spots. Sometimes I wish I could just go outside and have a swing session like I used to, I definitely took it for granted, and it’s great for the arms!

5. Worksheets

Back in my elementary school and middle school days, I would despise every single worksheet my teacher handed out. I absolutely hated those word problems about apples and oranges. I remember having a “homework folder” because all I would get was worksheets to complete. In reality, these worksheets were usually one-sided, with a maximum of six questions that really didn’t require thinking at all. Fast forward to now. I don’t need to have a homework folder anymore because there is no way to put the task of writing a research paper, creating a consulting project, conducting psych research, or reading several chapters into a folder. My homework now takes me on average several hours on a good week. Back then, my homework took me an hour tops, and that’s including needing my dad’s help with writing a fraction for how many green marbles were in the bag. I would take a worksheet any day over the ten page research paper I just finished up. 

6. Recess

When asked what my favorite subject was in school, I would say recess. When asked again to answer with a real class, I would say gym class. I have always been active, and recess was that time I could release all that pent up energy from sitting inside all day. First through fifth grade, I did the same thing at recess every single day. There were two horizontal bars out on the playground, and that is where I would go. I loved to practice my gymnastics tricks, as well as treat it as extra practice time. Luckily, the bars were right next to the “1,2,3 kick-up” spot on the hill (it’s a handstand contest). Sometimes my teachers would even come over and watch me do gymnastics. When it got cold and I could no longer grip the bars without getting frostbite, I would go sledding on the giant hill behind our school. Not many schools had this privilege, but I was so glad that I did. I guess I could go play at the playground down the street here at Gustavus in my free time, but it just isn’t the same, as it is not preceded by chicken giggles.  

7. Scootering

My brother and I used to be such a scooter fanatics that we each had two Razor scooters (twice the amount of hitting myself in the ankle with it too). Part of the reason I had two was because I was starting to wear the wheels flat on one of them. My brother and I used to create chalk roads on our driveway for us to drive our scooters around on, and come up with new jumps or tricks to do on them. A majority of the time, we were flying down the big hill in our neighborhood. When I say big hill, I mean to the point where I would be scared to ride my scooter down it now. I had no fear of what could happen (thanks to gymnastics). I loved to see how fast I could go, and once I got to the bottom, I would make the hike back up to the top again and do this for hours. My scooter traveled with me to my brother’s baseball games to help me pass the time, as well as on many trips to Kentucky to scooter around Centre College’s campus. Again, I could easily pick it back up again now, but unfortunately, 20 year olds are supposed to choose car as their form of transportation. 

8. Swimming and snow

There’s a point in every girl’s life where they transition from a water bug, or down to be out in the snow for hours, to laying out in the sun in order to avoid getting wet, and being an old lady about being out in the cold. Sadly, I am now one of those girls that gets all ready to go to the pool, just to sit two feet away from the water, or maybe dip my toe in. When it comes to snow nowadays, I’d just rather not deal with it! I don’t know why this love died off, but I loved swimming and being in the snow when I was young. My thought process now is that I don’t want to look like a raccoon from my mascara when I jump in the pool, or I’d rather not get my hair wet. I closed the waterpark down sometimes just because I didn’t want to get out of the pool. In the winter, my brother and I would spend all day sledding with the neighborhood squad, rolling snow to see how big of a snowball we could make (usually ended up ripping the grass out as well), and making luxurious snow forts (which were surprisingly warm). A little bit of it has come back now that I’ve gotten to Gustavus, as traying is very hard to pass up. 

9. Appearance

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When I think back to what I looked like when I was in elementary school, I can’t help but cringe because it was not good. Between losing all my teeth except for my front tooth, growing out my bangs, and getting glasses, I was thankful for a glow up a few years later. What I miss about this though, is simply the fact that I didn’t care what I looked like. Obviously I cared a little, but I didn’t care what others thought about my outfit, hair, or what I did, like I do now. I would get inside from recess, all sweaty, and just keep going about my day. I didn’t spend a good chunk of my time in the morning putting on makeup or choosing an outfit (my mom chose for me for a while, I had no fashion sense). I ate whatever I wanted without thinking about how it could affect how my body looked. Kraft mac and cheese was my meal of choice. Back then when none of that mattered, it was a lot easier to feel great about myself, because I felt no need to change myself or compare myself to others. As a psych major, I’ve often wondered what age those evil thoughts of “caring” (seems ironic to say, right?) started to occur, and why. To sum it up, I miss the days where I could roll out of bed with no makeup, put on sweats, and give no thought to it at all! 

10. My “problems”

Back in the day, my problems seemed absolutely ginormous. Some examples of what I considered to be a huge problem were the printer is out of ink and I can’t print my assignment, there is not french vanilla flavored yogurt in the fridge, I have to do five tumbling series on beam tonight at practice, my pre algebra math assignment is impossible, my American Idol contestant got voted off, I can’t find the other matching sock, getting dragged to Christopher’s all day basketball tourney, my favorite leotard isn’t clean, the boy I like has a crush on someone else, it’s raining so I can’t go outside, etc.. you get it, they weren’t actual problems! Now, I wish that I had those problems. My pre FND life was such as a breeze (with the exception of learning my kip on bars). I took too many things for granted back then, just because I didn’t know that life can actually get hard sometimes, and there are bigger problems than not having matching socks. I was so naive back then about all the bad in the world, and all the adversity that could happen. I’ve overcome so many things; socially, health wise, school wise, you name it. Looking back, I’m glad that my problems weren’t real problems back then, because I was healthy, and a goofy little kid as all kids should be. 

Even though I had a few bumps in the road, my childhood was stellar, and that’s why I would give anything to go back and live a day in the life of Lauren back then. There are some things I am happy that I have grown out of, but a majority of it I definitely would gladly take back. I’d like to think that each of our experiences is what helps to prepare us for what is to come, and that is what gets me through the long papers, finals, and studying. Playing board games taught me how to follow the rules and sportsmanship, worksheets eased me into these giant papers, recess set me up to remember to stay active, and DQ taught me to celebrate my victories. While, I can’t really make a connection to how Webkinz has helped me become a top notch student, a lot of those things I did as a kid were important just to give me good memories to look back on when things get tough, and what it is like to truly be happy. My goal is to channel that child-like happiness during the times where school stress is at an all time high, like now! 

Have a fantastic week, my friends! Go get a DQ after finals.

~Lauren

Advice is one of those concepts that seems to go in one ear and out the other. So many people give it, but it is never really received or processed. When I think about why I am the why I am, it all points to the advice I have been given by people that I respect and look up to. I now realize just how big of an impact it has made on me. A lot of advice is so cliche that we chuckle and brush it off, but when you actually think about what the string of words mean, it makes a lot of sense, and is a logical way to live my life. In this post, I want to highlight just ten of the most important, perhaps cheesy, pieces of advice I have gotten over the years, and why they have been so important to me.

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1. “If it isn’t fun, don’t do it.”

Seems simple, right?  Growing up, this is what my dad would tell me and my brother often. Usually, it applied to in-house sports. While he doesn’t say it much anymore, he doesn’t have to, because it has stuck with me ever since then, and has generalized from beyond the days of orange slices at soccer practice. It’s pretty vague, but it applies to so much. While it seems like a “well, duh” kind of thing, it is harder to follow than most would think. This is due to expectations from others, feelings of failure, not knowing what you really want, and self standards. I have been stuck in situations where I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue with what I was doing or not, and ultimately, the decision was made because of this. Choosing to retire from gymnastics was a giant decision that I had to make. I was going back and forth for weeks, and I still remember my dad coming up to me and dropping this advice as he had years before. When it was put that way, the decision was made clear for me that being in pain wasn’t fun anymore! Just because you have loved something for a long time, doesn’t mean you can’t change your mind. My dad always assured me that choosing not to do something anymore because it wasn’t fun doesn’t mean failure, and that is what has validated my decisions all these years. Unfortunately, this did not apply to mandatory things such as math classes.

2. “Know your worth”

One cannot simply go through life without adversity, or bad news hitting you in the face a couple times. I know I have had my fair share. Maybe you didn’t get selected for an internship, a relationship didn’t work out, you were stuck in an unfair situation, or someone made you feel small. These things can really put someone in a tailspin if they don’t believe in themselves and what their importance is. It has been enforced time and time again that everyone has a gift to contribute to someone, something, or somewhere. My parents have made it very clear what I contribute, and just how important it is to never doubt myself. Being able to know who you are and being confident in what you bring to the table is like hitting life right back in its face. The hard part, is waiting for that someone, something, or somewhere to pick up on it, and realize just how amazing you are, but ultimately, it is worth the wait no matter the situation. Being confident in my abilities, and knowing my worth is how I have the upper hand in tough situations, and it is what gives me power to pick myself up and prove everyone wrong who doubts me.

3. “Stay true to yourself, no matter how hard”

This one can be tough with the constant feelings of peer pressure to be something you are not, fit in, or be anything but different. Through middle school, high school, and college, I have stayed true to my values. This is mostly due to the teachings of my parents, and the great role model I had growing up, being my brother. It is easier to stay true to yourself when you see someone else stay true to themselves, and end up in a great spot while doing so. Everyone’s values are different, but for me, following the rules, and engaging in behaviors that keep me on the right path is a goal I intend to maintain. Choosing the right decision is not always the easiest, but each time I do, it strengthens my integrity, becomes easier, and more people become aware just how much I value my values! I don’t mind being “different” or making the minority decision if that is what keeps me confident in myself and successful. I have the goal of being a model to others who struggle to make the tough, but great, decisions that they ultimately want to make, but just don’t know how to yet.

4. “Don’t let anyone or anything define you”

This one also goes along the lines of being confident in yourself, but for me, it is more aimed at the “anything” rather than the “anyone.” To those of you who have followed me on my FND journey, or have read my FND blog post in the past, this is the piece of advice I got from many people. There have been a lot of opportunities where I could have let my disorder get in my head, and control me. I like to say that while my movement disorder can control me physically, I absolutely will not let it control me mentally or emotionally. Every time it got in the way of gymnastics, school , friendships, and relationships, I could have let it eat at me, but I chose not to every time, and I am stronger because of it. To those of you who are perfectionists like me, or put a lot of pressure on themselves to do well, you are more than a test grade, a bad hockey practice, mediocre gymnastics meet, a lousy inning, or a bad decision. Knowing that I am in control of what I let myself be defined by, is a power that has so much potential. I refuse to let someone who doubts my abilities, or something that tests my abilities, get in my head. Filter out the bad!

5. “Watch for deer”

So far, I’ve talked a lot about being confident in yourself, and knowing what your abilities are. When it comes to deer running in front of your car, NONE of that matters. My family has a running joke about this because every single time (literally every time, I am not exaggerating this) we get in the car to go somewhere, my mom says “watch for deer” before we even have the chance to buckle our seatbelt. My dad, Christopher, and I will not be shy to say we get annoyed of it, that is, until a deer actually runs in front of the car. It is one of those things where you think that it won’t ever happen to you, but living in Minnesota at this time of the year, it is starting to become inevitable. I have avoided a couple run ins with a deer just because my mom’s voice reciting this phrase is like a song that gets stuck in your head. You know what they say, mother is always right!

6. “Take at least five minutes for yourself everyday”

This is one of those pieces of advice that I can’t remember who said it, but ever since, it has stuck. Five minutes may not seem like a lot of time, but when I am running from class to class, on top of going to meetings, writing papers, working out, cramming for a test, volunteering, worrying, stressing, (I could go on, but you get the idea…BUSY), those five minutes are the most refreshing and glorious five minutes that I have ever felt. Being a college student, an employee, athlete, parent etc requires so much giving, and sometimes, you just gotta take something for yourself. It doesn’t matter how you spend those five minutes, as long as you take them. I’ve spent my five minutes by writing lists, a note to a friend, starting a new blog, stretching, crying, laying on the floor, sitting, a short nap, calling my mom, doodling, social media, and staring blankly off into space simply because I can. It also doesn’t matter where you spend these five minutes. Don’t deny it, we have all taken longer in the bathroom just because it is a safe haven.

7. “Take things one day at a time”

Another great piece of advice that I hear way too often, but seem to have the hardest time doing. This is why my dad tells me this at least three times a week. Being a future oriented, type A person, I am always planning and looking ahead. This is an absolutely terrifying and terrible thing to do, because looking at all the things you have to finish before the month ends is unrealistic, and sometimes I forget that a week is actually longer than it sounds. My parents know very well that I get ahead of myself and don’t “live in the now”  very often. I’m a pro at looking for the next thing that needs to be done. So far I have improved to taking things by a week at a time rather than month at a time. For those of you who struggle to deal with everyday stresses, and days seem to never end, it is comforting to know that each new day is a clean slate, and that some days will be tougher than others. We often always forget to tell ourselves that some days will be easier than others as well. This can be a hard thing to do when it feels like there’s so many things that need to be done, but think of it this way, would you stuff a whole 20 piece McNugget in your mouth all at once and choke? Or would you take it one nugget at a time?

8. “Do yourself a favor and go to bed”

To college students, this should be taken to heart because we seem to think we can solve all of our problems at midnight. So many of us stay up terribly late to finish homework, cram for a test, or just sit there worrying about everything under the sun. We always complain about how tired we are, and how badly we want to go to bed, so why don’t we? In the end, losing sleep in order to study doesn’t help at all. Sleep is healing, calming, and something we deserve at the end of a long day. As I sit in my room and my watch tells me it is almost midnight, my dad’s voice will now pop into my head telling me this. So if you are one of those people who stay up all night thinking you are doing yourself a favor, but can barely function the next day, do yourself an actual favor and go to bed like a normal person. I promise you, your episode on Netflix will not disappear.

9. “Don’t be afraid to try something new”

After living the same routine of school, gymnastics, and homework for 16 years, it was hard to imagine anything else other than that. When gymnastics was no longer a part of my equation, it gave me a lot of free time to fill. I had the option of not filling it, but because I have always been told to try new things even if I don’t picture myself doing them, it made me want to explore more of my options. I am so thankful that I did. I love writing for the Gustavian Weekly, as it is another outlet where I can voice my thoughts just like this blog is. I will admit, I was hesitant on starting my blog at first, I chewed on the idea for about two years before I actually did it, and I am so happy I did. Think about it, what do you have to lose by trying something new? Maybe a little pride if you fail miserably, but also, maybe you gain the ability to laugh at yourself, or really find what you are passionate about. I joined the Gustavus choir for a good two months before I realized that I would still rather stick to my performances in the shower. It is better to try something and learn it isn’t the right fit, than to leave yourself wondering.

10. “Don’t worry about the things you can’t control”

No matter how many times I hear this, I struggle with it. Telling me not to worry about something is like telling me not to breathe. Even though I consciously know there are things totally out of my control, I still feel like I have some sense of control over it in some way. The example that comes to mind is the “gymnast lean” (all my former teammates and coaches know what I am talking about). In the gymnastics world, it is so common to see a team lean to one side to try to “help” their teammate performing stay on the beam if they wobble, or try to make it over on bars. We know it does absolutely nothing, but we do it anyways because deep down we believe it does. While I know that I can’t control people’s decisions, or the results of something, I know God can, so I have turned to him when I feel like I need to feel some control. Knowing He has a plan, gives me the comfort I need to let go of my worries. Besides, worrying about something that you literally cannot do anything about is not productive, it is more like shooting yourself in the foot.

It is interesting how certain pieces of advice come to mind when a situation arises that requires it. There is a quote, verse, or advice that can apply to every situation, but it is times where we really need them, that we remember it. That’s how the system works though; when you need a boost, a few string of words are there to give you a boost back to baseline. Even the most cheesiest, shortest, cliche words are all you need to keep moving forward!

Stay warm, y’all!

~Lauren