Where to begin?

I don't even know how to cover everything that's happened since my last post. I guess first and foremost, life has been GREAT. I really feel like I'm living the life I envisioned for myself nearly a year ago. Summer has been great, filled with new friends, new experiences and lots and lots of partying. I didn't know I had it in me to go out 5 consecutive nights every week. I'm so glad I've discovered the party scene right for me. Although I am having a lot of fun and living it up, I'm trying to stay level-headed about keeping a balance and knowing when to cool down. It's much too easy to easy to cause your own destruction in this city. Aside from nightlife, day life has been great too. My job at American Apparel is going well, although I've found that it's a poorly run company with many, many flaws. I like the people I work with and I'm earning money so that's good enough for me. All this extra cash flow has allowed me to reward myself: Prada sneakers, Italian leather sandals from Barneys and the new iPhone 4 - all of which are amazing. I also joined DavidBartonGym, a very nice gym in Chelsea notorious for it's attractive homosexual male clientele. I saw Anderson Cooper in the locker room the other day. Sadly, I will be leaving the city soon to travel home to Michigan and also to Japan. I guess that's all the more reason to really let loose until then! This weekend is actually Gay Pride which, so far, has been crazy in a good way. Tuesday I went to a party thrown by Nylon magazine with my good friend Nadine and after went to Cafeteria, a chic diner in Chelsea. Wednesday I met up with a few friends at Big Top, a party thrown by former club kid and nightlife personality Amanda Lepore which I've been going to for the past several weeks. Thursday I went to The Park with the usual people and just hung out and had a few drinks. Friday was a great way to kick off Gay Pride - starting at the chic TriBeCa Gand Hotel then to a friend's house party in the Financial District followed by a huge gay party called Rockit, which I thankfully gained entry without having to wait in line behind the other hundred or so people or having to pay thanks to some strategic planning by my friends who were already inside. Unfortunately, tonight I did the responsible adult thing and stayed in due to exhaustion from the night before and the fact that I have to be at work at 9am tomorrow morning. I'll thank myself for it later I'm sure. Anyway, I know that all I need to do is to keep doing what I'm doing and I'll continue to live my dream.

Change.

I believe that the time for change is now. I'm approaching the end of my first year of college and I have come far from where I started. I've recently moved into my first apartment and even found a job, working retail at American Apparel. These past ten months have been the most significant, I believe, in making me realize who I am and who I am becoming. So many of my beliefs and feelings have changed, almost nothing was what I thought it would be. Although it has been difficult and stressful, I'm using this experience to my advantage. I am out to make some real changes in how I live and who I feel I should be based on what I know now - and actions start with words. I can't coast by anymore on my presumptions from days past and hope things come my way. I have been very lucky thus far in my life with having to do little or nothing and for that I am grateful. But now I need to awaken. It sounds corny and cliché even as I type it but it's true. I'm here for a reason and that reason is not to just exist, but to live. I need to live.

Spring Has Sprung.

Obvious from the fact that I haven't blogged in just shy of a month, I have been very busy lately. Since fashion week, school work has become more time consuming and my internship feels like a real job. Although it is becoming more and more demanding as I earn more responsibility, never have I had more fun learning about the industry I want to work in while getting valuable experience. This last weekend, I got to help my mentor Angela shoot the cover story for our next issue, the 4th anniversary issue featuring Meghan Collison who was on the cover of Italian Vogue three times and Russian Vogue once. I had so much fun helping put together looks with countless pieces of the best designer collections and being around such cool people. I cannot WAIT for the issue to go to press - I will definitely be shelling out the $20 for this one.

Aside from my internship, all is good. My social life hasn't been as happening as I would've hoped since Fashion Week but I am willing to sacrifice a little if it means staying on top of school while being able to intern at such a cool place. School is okay, I'm enjoying most of my classes. One of which I'm not, however, is Consumer Behavior which, unfortunately, I was really excited for. I also do not appreciate my 9am classes. BUT, things may be looking up in my previously dormant love life... Stay tuned!

Busiest Week Ever

Never in my life have I had a week this busy AND fun. Starting the thursday before last was New York Fashion week and my internship at METAL was in full swing. All week I was running from place to place getting ready for METAL's fashion week closing party as well as going from show to show looking at the season's newest collections. I also experienced my first show in the famous tents at Bryant Park! It was amazing. So many chic people in black and fur - I got to see some of the industry's leaders and notables. In addition to the shows, I went to presentations which are basically come-and-go type events where you can view the collections like a gallery. I got to go to a few fashion parties too, starting monday night. Got to meet a lot of cool people, saw some people I already knew and definitely had a lot of fun. The METAL party itself was a success and I was glad to be a part of it, even though I stood out in the cold doing the guestlist for nearly three hours. I felt like I had so much power holding the clipboard and deeming people worthy or not of entering. Aside from fashion week, I helped out at a look book shoot that my mentor was styling for and that was a lot of fun. I got to help put looks together and accessorize them to shoot. It took two very long days but I think it will turn out well. Now that fashion week is over, I probably won't be as busy but I hope the positive experiences keep coming! Until next time, which hopefully will be sooner than the last time I posted.

Growing Up...

... Is inevitable, unfortunately. More and more I'm starting to realize why people always say "Don't be in such a hurry to grow up." In this great city, I feel like I have come such a long way from when I used to dream of coming here to experience and live. Although I love it here and I wouldn't trade it for anything, I'm still nostalgic of what it was like to be on the outside looking in. Anyway, classes have started and everything seems fine. I don't foresee any dull lectures which is a relief. I also somehow worked out my schedule to accommodate tuesday and friday as days off so I could get a job or an internship... which I have! I've been offered an intern position at a small but very promising magazine. Today I actually experienced my first task of working for a fashion magazine: returns. Basically I was responsible for returning clothes and accessories to designer showrooms and PR offices. It was tiring, it gave my biceps a workout, it took me all over the city, I met someone new, accidentally hit a chinese woman in the head and even saw Kelly Cutrone. It was an interesting day.

I'm Back

I'm back in the city after four weeks of rest, relaxation, travel and, of course, shopping. My winter break was very enjoyable, filled with family and friends. After coming back to the US from Tokyo, most of my time was spent vegetating in my house but I did change out of my sweatpants for one fun weekend in Chicago. Now I'm sitting in my room, mentally preparing myself for spring classes to start tomorrow. I'm definitely excited to learn new things, make new friends and come that much closer to achieving my goals. Speaking of goals, I've decided on three New Year's Resolutions to stick to: 1) Exercise more - so far, this has been going great. Since coming back, I've gone to yoga twice and the fitness room three times. After gaining a bit of weight during break, I really hope I stick to this one. 2) Make more friends - i would say this one is going relatively well, too seeing as I made a bunch of new friends in Tokyo, two of whom I've already seen in the four days I've been here AND classes start tomorrow so there will be plenty of opportunity there. 3) Be more well-mannered and refined - this one is more difficult. Anyway, 2010 and this semester is looking good from where I stand so I hope as time progresses my feelings remain the same!

Another Year Older...

And hopefully another year wiser! Today is my 19th birthday but I can't say i'm that excited. Sure I'm happy and thankful for everything but 19th is such a blah age. It does sound older than 18 but still younger than 20. So I'm back from Tokyo and chilling in Michigan. This trip to Japan was probably the most fun I've had out of all my trips to Japan. Thanks to everyone who made it great! I can't wait to be back. Michigan is boring and bland as usual but it is relaxing being somewhere so quiet and calm and slow-paced. I'll be back in the city soon enough and I should enjoy the time I have here because I won't be back for at least 4 or 5 months... if i decide to go back. Honestly, I feel no attachment to Michigan aside from my friends and family that still live here. I'm so thankful for being able to move to the city and, as corny as it sounds, chase my dreams.