Toys "R" Us in Times Square

Last night I went back to being an 8 year old. I got dinner with James and while we were passing the time before his bus at Port Authority, we decided to go to Times Square. While we were there, James turned to me and asked "Have you ever been to the Toys "R" Us here?".

I gave him a blank stare back. Of course I have never been to the Toys "R" Us here, I'm not six years old! Instantly catching his mistake and remembering that someone who doesn't go to NYC before they are 21 (that was me, folks) doesn't make Toys "R" Us a priority on their to-do lists when they get here, he said, "WE ARE GOING NOW!"

I have truly never been in such a magnificent toy store! There were so many different sections - you have a spot for toddlers, a Jurassic Park spot, a Barbie section (that would TOTALLY have been my fav when I was little).

T-Rex!

...and James next to it. (Doesn't he look
COOL?! Not.)

Best of all, there is a giant Ferris Wheel in the middle of the entire store! Ahh it looked so fun but I didn't want to embarrass myself and ride it. Or pay for it. #impoor

Ferris Wheel! Sorry, I reallyyy need to
get better at taking pictures. Let's just
blame my crappy phone for this one!

Overall though, it was definitely a lot cooler than I was expecting it to be. I don't have a picture of this (James took it on his phone) but in the bike and scooter section I tried on this SWEET helmet that had these spikes going down the middle. It looked like I had a neon mohawk! Yes, I went all out and literally turned into a child during the half hour I was there. It was also funny because we were both wearing our work clothes and running around the store acting like little kids - there was just so much to see and do! No regrets about anything at all.

No matter how old you are, if you ever get some free time when you're in NYC try to put it on your "places to go" list!! You can thank me later :)

Oh to be 8 again...

<3, Charlotte

A very fun cruise around Manhattan

My friend and I on the cruise (like my flower?!)

I mentioned before that my college was having an alumni boat cruise around Manhattan. I was really excited to be able to see old friends for the first time since graduation! (Sidenote: I also got to cross this off my Summer Bucket List, which I was very happy about!)

The cruise was everything I thought it would be, and so much more. I was surprised that most of the alumni ended up being from the class above mine, but it was awesome because I was friends with so many of them in college - I forgot how much I missed them!

I also have been forgetting that my tolerance isn't as good as it used to be. I got incredibly drunk off of 3 drinks. It was a great time though, and I even met a cute guy ;) (Obviously nothing is going to happen with him because we didn't exchange numbers, but I always love making new friends and I'm sure I'll see him at future events. WOO!)

Friday morning was SUCHH a disaster though, I woke up UNBELIEVABLY hungover. Like to the point that I didn't want to shower in the morning so I could sleep longer, but I was afraid that then I would smell like alcohol at work, and that would be the worst thing in the world.

So yes, my first college alumni event was a very big success! I'm really looking forward to the next one!

<3, Charlotte

Cruisin' around Manhattan

I'm SoOoOoOo excited! Tomorrow night, my college is having an open bar cruise around Manhattan for young alumni. Did I mention it was open bar? Apparently, this event hasn't happened in a couple years because the last one got so rowdy - and I HOPE it's the same situation this year! (Totally worth the 2 year hiatus for that much craziness)

How magical!

Oh it's going to be so fancy and fun and I think that a  good amount of people from my graduating class will be there - it will be the first time I've seen them in weeks so I gotta loot HAWT! I tried on a few dresses tonight and I think I found the one I"m going to wear for the occasion.

Also, one of my roommates from senior year (and very good friends) is going to come over beforehand. It will be great to catch up and see her - she is deciding between different law schools right now so it will be nice to be updated on her life!

Ugh, tomorrow's workday is going to go by SUPER slow, but it will be worth it because tomorrow night is going to be a TON of fun. I'm also thinking about getting more involved with our alumni club in NYC, but I'm going to see how tomorrow night goes before I make a final decision on that.

Hope all your weeks are going swimmingly! Officially over the hump of humpday :)

<3, Charlotte

6 things I've learned in my 2 weeks in NYC

So, I've officially been in New York for 2 weeks and 2 days. Never having resided here before, here are some things I am noticing at this point in time:

1. Water will randomly drip on you at random moments when you're walking. You look up after it happens and see blue sky. Do not be alarmed! It is just air conditioning units that are incredibly high up. (Kinda nasty, but I've come to accept this)


2. Don't wait for the crosswalk to change to go, or you will look like a noob. I knew this going into living here, but I am actually starting to master the art of crossing the street now! (Though I had an experience the other night where my best friend claims I almost died, I was fine!)


3. There are a lot of idiots out there, and you happen to encounter them all on your walk to work. Seriously, don't stop walking in the middle of the sidewalk. New Yorkers are supposed to all be fast movers and ahead of the curve on getting to places quickly, but not everyone here is lucky enough to have that skill.


4. Common courtesy goes a long way. There have been a few times where I've held the door for someone and given the person a nice, "there ya go!" in the process - and they actually break out of their New York City shell of concentration and smile back. It's a great to be nice to people and have that niceness reciprocated!


5. In a city with so many people, it's hard to believe that you can feel very alone at times. This is why you should never lose contact with your friends. NYC may be the biggest city in the world, but if you don't know anyone here, it can also feel very lonely (something that I felt when I first got here because a lot of my friends still haven't moved here yet!). Encourage friends to visit and plan things to do ahead of time so the feeling of impending doom and loneliness overcomes you!


6. The city isn't that big when you learn where everything is. Now that I am more familiar with the neighborhoods, I like to walk EVERYWHERE! Kinda crazy, I've walked over 50 blocks at times, but no place is too far to walk if you plan the timing right. And walking around gives you better insight as to the characteristics of the different neighborhoods, so you really learn the city inside-out. I love it!

That's it for now. I'm sure in another month or so I'll have at least 10 more things I've learned!

Oh man, I do love New York.

<3, Charlotte

Packing, packing, packing

I am now being forced to write this with SEVERELY LIMITED internet access, since the internet in my house has been officially shut down in preparation of us all moving out. I am basically bootlegging the little bit of access I get from the campus wifi that is able to get to me. I feel like it's the early 2000's again.

Unfortunately, this image cannot help me in this situation.

Anywaysssss, the past few days have consisted of me packing my entire year, and in some instances my college career, away. And let me tell you – I have a lot of shit! I anticipated having about 5 garbage bags in total to bring to New York with me, but that is now not the case. I find myself with 2 suitcases and 7 garbage bags. I’m not sure if that is too much for just the summer, but I have already sent 8 bags home with my parents. Seriously. I have way too much crap.

Packing my life away. It sure seems like that during this very moment in time. Pictures of friends ranging from high school to those I just met senior year. Gifts from friends I have not talked to since freshman year, and from those I just met a year ago. School t-shirts from all types of occasions to the few business clothes I have managed to acquire at this point in time. I really have no excuse to ever use the phrase “I have NOTHING to wear!” EVER again!

Though all of my college years were very different (I went from being a serious D1 athlete freshman year to ending as a senior who goes out 7 nights a week), I wouldn't do anything differently. I don’t believe in regrets. Why waste time being upset about things that have happened in the past? I like to think of everything that has happened as being experiences that have helped make me who I am today. And for who I have become, I am appreciative of it all.

Here's to no regrets. And to embracing everything that life throws your way.

<3, Charlotte

Graduation

Welp, I can officially say that I did it. I have graduated from college. Saturday was a surreal day. Since I can remember, I have known that my class was the college class of 2013. But when you’re in third grade and it’s 2001, you never really believe that 2013 will actually come. Sitting with my class and listening to the dean talk about what a momentous occasion this was in our lives, everything started to hit me. I was graduating in a business school class of 300, and many of those 300 students were my friends. We were all moving onto the next part of our lives together.

I wasn’t expecting to be overwhelmed with emotion, and I had to fight back tears several times before getting my diploma (well, the fake diploma they give you when you cross the stage and shake all the important peoples’ hands. I feel like that is a deceitful formality!). Sidenote: what is up with the graduation hoods? They just look dumb and no one knows how to wear them. Awksauce.

Getting my "diploma"!

My high school graduation was very formal and strict. My class was a little under 1200 kids so it is understandable why it had to be that way. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this graduation was much more relaxed. I had gotten these cool, bright orange shutter shades from my friend before the graduation, but I was too scared to walk out wearing them. (My friends who gave them to me said they were going to, but I knew they would chicken out anyways) Once I got that “diploma” in my hands and sat down, I became so relieved, I immediately put the shades on and kept them on for the rest of the ceremony. The school photographer even took a picture of me and all my orange glory while we were all seated listening to the final remarks. I definitely ended my college career in a very good mood.

So, yes, though the day was very sad and unbelievable, I found a way to make light of it. And no, I don’t plan on looking at my grades from this past semester. They were probably a disaster and, after all, I graduated, and that is all that matters!

<3, Charlotte

Senior Week

So, this final week at school has been designated as "Senior Week". In other words, the school has set up a bunch of events for us to get drunk at. Though I am very excited to graduate and be in New York (I'm sooooo sick of DC), it's times like this that make me realize how much I'm going to miss this place. 2 nights ago, I had my first senior week cry - I was overcome with emotion when I realized that in a week me and my friends would not be able to hang out and shoot the shit together all the time. SAP ALERT.

What a horrible pour! Still looks cool though.

Biggest accomplishment of senior week so far has been the champagne brunch that was held in our dining hall yesterday. We were each only given 2 drink tickets, but somehow I managed to acquire about 15 throughout the 2 hour event. IT WAS AMAZING. The last time I ever left the dining hall and I don't even remember doing it. After brunch, me and some of my friends participated in this thing called the "Big Hunt", a scavenger hunt spanning all of DC. We ended up just drinking all over the city and accomplished none of the tasks. #winning

As for the apartment search, I don't think the one I went up to go see is going to work out, and I wasn't getting very many bites on my Craigslist emails I would send. So, I re-vamped my introductory "hello" email, and now things are going pretty well! People like looking at my Instagram pics (I put the link to it in the email), so HOPEFULLY I will have something soon.

Well, off to get drunk at more school-sponsored events! C U l8R!

-Charlotte