Day 28: When it comes to books and movies, I'm a crier.

I finished The Fault in Our Stars earlier today, and I swear I cried at least eleven times while reading it. Then, this afternoon, a couple of my friends came over to watch The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants... Despite my best efforts, I cried through all three of the scenes that usually make my eyes well up. (And yes, I always cry during The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Judge me.)

You know, it's fine when I'm alone and in the privacy of my own home and everything, but I really need to work on this whole crying while "reading/watching dramatic films in front of other people" thing.

Lesson learned: when it comes to books and movies, I'm a crier.

Day 27: Having friends with good taste in music is a wonderful thing.

Shoutout to Kat and Emily for making me the most wonderful mix CDs of all time, all the time. I credit you two with introducing me to a large percentage of the good music I listen to.

Big Black Car - Gregory Alan Isakov

Apparently this song is in a McDonald's commercial...? Ignore that. It's gorgeous.

Lesson learned: having friends with good taste in music is a wonderful thing.

Day 26: People can really suck sometimes.

Yes, this is directed at you, dude who rear-ended Emily and then bolted this afternoon.

You suck, and I hope you are so ridden with guilt that you can't sleep tonight.

Lesson learned: people can really suck sometimes.

Day 25: Once you go John Green, you never go back.

There should probably be some sort of general rule that John Green books cannot be gifted Christmas morning...

I know that today was Christmas and I should have been spending it chatting with all twenty family members that were gathered at my grandparents' house and whatever. But, knowing that I had that book now, all I wanted to do (and therefore did do) was find a quiet place to curl up, be anti-social, and read.

It didn't take long to realize Looking for Alaska is one of those books you don't really put down once you pick it up... Oops. Sorry, relatives.

If you haven't seen this quote/a John Green reference of any kind on Tumblr... You haven't ever been on Tumblr.

And you better believe I also received Paper Towns, The Fault in Our Stars, and An Abundance of Katherines this Christmas... Now, excuse me while I go back to reading.

Lesson learned: once you go John Green, you never go back.

Day 24: Arizona is actually really pretty.

After a senior year of wanting nothing more than a change in scenery, I found myself missing the desert so much that I basically demanded that my best friends hike Camelback with me this week. (We're talking ridiculously persistent Heather despite the rain and conflicting schedules and such.) 

With all its brown, desert-y land and Saguaro cacti... Home ain't half bad, after all. 

Lesson learned: Arizona is actually really pretty.

We'll ignore the fact that I got so excited about taking this picture that my best friend had to tell the lady who took it, "Sorry, she hasn't been here in awhile." ......oops.

Day 23: I am a perpetual planner.

I'm coming to find that I will always and forever be that friend that tries to organize everything. The one that sets up the group hangouts or thinks of things for everyone to do together, and then takes the initiative to set up a time and a place and make sure everyone has a means of getting there and make adjustments if the original plan doesn't work for someone and so on.

I'm not complaining. Merely observing.

Though I will admit my event planner tendencies may be my downfall this Christmas break... I've apparently decided that I must plan something with everyone while I'm home and I'm starting to realize that maybe five-ish weeks isn't as much time as I had thought. Or at least not enough time to see everyone I want to see, do everything I want to do, and read a good book/catch up on my TV shows/lay around the house and do nothing.

Oh my. I need to get myself in check.

Lesson learned: I am a perpetual planner.

Day 22: Darren Criss + Christmas music = magical.

That is all.

Lesson learned: Darren Criss + Christmas music = magical.

(But really he can serenade me any time he wants.)

Day 21: I'm an awful gift-wrapper.

Honestly, you would think I wrapped all of my gifts with oven mitts on. It's the thought that counts, right?

And, on a gift-wrapping note, here's what happens when cat videos and Christmas collide:

This guy can wrap a cat and I can't even wrap a rectangular box...

Lesson learned: I'm an awful gift-wrapper.

Day 20: Kids' shows aren't what they used to be.

That makes me sound like I'm trying to be all mature/old/sage or something, but I'm being completely serious. I'm spending the night at a friend's grandparents' home in St. Louis and, being all burnt out from finals and such, we spent pretty much the whole evening watching TV. We were kind of pathetically excited when we realized that Drake & Josh was on but then, after just a few glorious episodes, Big Time Rush came on... What even is that crap?

This is totally an appropriate instance for an ironic use of that overused #90skid hashtag, but I'll restrain myself.

I'll leave you with this:

Like honestly, this show still makes me laugh out loud.

Anyway, lesson learned: kids' shows aren't what they used to be.

Day 19: Dining hall food doesn't always suck.

Today Plaza had spinach. I repeat, spinach. Like, actual greens. Plus they had semi-decent apple pie. When does this ever happen?!

Still doesn't compare to the food I'm about to eat in three days... Or make up for the fact that I had a ridiculously long and tedious Spanish final this evening. But still.

And, even though this is totally unrelated, I found this today and just about died:

For your enjoyment.

Lesson learned: dining hall food doesn't always suck.

Day 18: Being a concert junkie is a way of life.

As of right now, I'm set to go to four concerts just in February. Only one of which is within a reasonable distance of my current (carless) location. And I'm seriously considering trying to find a cheap cab service to get to another one in St. Louis that month, as well.

There's actually something wrong with me and my complete disregard for my bank account. I'm thinking someone might need to stage an intervention.

Lesson learned: being a concert junkie is a way of life.

Day 17: Optimism is key.

Pretty sure I actually woke up (two hours after my alarm went off, mind you) in the worst mood ever this morning... and somehow I ended up having a surprisingly great and productive day.

It's all in the attitude, yo.

Lesson learned: optimism is key.