Grad Weekend -- Tips Included

I am in very high spirits at the current moment! Chico State's graduation ceremonies are taking place next weekend, and I will be in attendance! Up until 20 minutes ago, I had yet to determine how I would be getting to/from the airport in Sacramento, but I now have secured a very reasonably-priced rental car. How exciting, I really feel like an adult! Flying somewhere and renting a car to go the rest of the way. I'm going the whole nine-yards for this one! But let's be real, I would have walked if I had to in order to ensure being present at this incredible, important, monumental, but mostly, INSANE weekend of my friends' lives. 

Grad weekend is quite possibly the highlight of my whole college career (aside from studying abroad, of course). I will never forget my grad weekend. Well.......... No, but seriously, it is better than if New Year's Eve and Christmas Day went to Riley's power hour, hooked up, and decided to keep the baby (Chiconians will understand me on that one). It is GLORIOUS. The spirit and attitude of everyone is sublime. More celebratory, happy, positive, and, well, celebratory than ever before in one's college existence. More so than even your freshman year when you get up there and within a week are thinking, "How will I survive 4+ years of this place?? Don't care, here we go!"

Everyone is, for lack of a better phrase, stoked on life, and has absolutely nothing to worry or care about for that weekend other than celebrating, having fun, and sticking it to the man! (Which we all seem to think we are doing by showing up to Riley's at 6am, drinking all day, night, day, night, day, well, you get the idea, and screaming about how we're done with school and never have to hear a "stupid lecture," "sit through a stupid class," "write a stupid paper," or "take another stupid test" ever, EVER again.)  Most people are forever finished with their years of [mostly unnecessary classroom] education, and don't have to worry about starting their first job for a couple more weeks (if they're lucky enough...to have gotten a job).

Here are a few tips for those about to graduate:

• Return your cap and gown IMMEDIATELY after the ceremony/you've appeased your family with photos. The last thing you want to do is leave campus, go to your or a friend's grad party, just to have to jam your drunk ass back to campus to turn the dang things in by the deadline.
• Get ready to surprise yourself. You will be thoroughly amazed at how much you rally during the course of Thursday night to Sunday night. If you are like we were last year, you'll wonder where it came from, but don't question, just embrace and LIVE IT UP!
• Drinks LOTS of water! And eat something! Man cannot live on shots alone, and should never try. I saw too many drunken fools thinking they were Superman, only to be left sleeping on a couch someone had put outside their complex a week earlier (to be picked up as trash) for 8-straight hours (across the street from my house).
• SAVOR EVERY MOMENT! You may think that it is the greatest day of your life, it's not, it's the worst. It marks the end of your college years, your final moments as an intricate part of the college bubble, and the moment in your life when you can no longer pass off responsibility because, "I'm a student." Soak it up, and try to remember it. You'll be glad in the long-run. :)

See you next weekend CHICO!!!!! A big congrats to Jessica Wellman, Rachel Westerhoff, Kaitlyn Mansker, Tina Tan, and all you other upcoming Chico State Grads! YOU DID IT! :D 

Today's Quote: "College athletes used to get a degree in bringing your pencil." -Ruby Wax ;) I know you're smarter than that!

COACHILLEN

This past weekend I had one of the most amazing life-experiences to date -- I went to the Coachella Music Festival for the first time. Coachella is an event that I have been aware of and wanting to go to for about 4 or 5 years now, but never managed to make. Our group ranged from 2-20 at any given time, and there were about 18 of us sleeping in one beautiful house. The group was amazing, as always, and we had a splendid time.

I wasn't really sure what to expect of the weekend, but what I didn't expect was to have such a well-rounded experience. The performances ranged from different subcategories of EDM (electronic dance music), indie, rock, and more. I feared that my weekend would be completely filled with EDM and I wouldn't get my indie fix, but it was quite the contrary. Some of the highlight acts for me included The Black Keys, The Rapture, Madeon, Radiohead, Bon Iver, The Shins, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, SBTRKT, Sub Focus, Dr. Dre & Snoop, Justice, Modeselektor, arraabMUZIK, Nero, Minnesota, and Company Flow. Those are just some of the talent that performed over the three-day period at the 5 stages, and I'm sure there are many others I heard and loved, but don't know who they were.

Bon Iver is one of my all-time favorites, and the set did not disappoint! His voice is just as beautiful live as it is on disc, and they put on one hell of a show. "Skinny Love" and "Blood Bank" happen to be two of my three favorite Bon Iver songs of all time, and I was blessed enough to hear them both back-to-back while being held in a sweet, loving embrace. It was such a euphoric moment. I couldn't stop grinning and smiling and thinking, "I am one lucky gal!"

Each act that I saw brought some element of WOW to my life, and left me with such a sense of satisfaction in one way or another. The only downfall of the weekend was the 105*+ weather we faced each day. Drinking water, squirting ourselves with squirt guns, and blasting my face with my $2.99 hand fan could not eliminate the overpowering heat. I have never been so completely drenched by my own sweat in my entire life, or known it was possible to survive such heat. But, when the day started to burn off and the night creep in, the temperature cooled off so nicely, and the wind was warm and inviting.

When I think about the weekend I don't remember the terrible heat and slight bro-overdose, I remember the special and cherished times that I had with some of the most exquisite people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. I am unsure if I will return to Coachella next year, but I am so grateful to have been able to experience it once in my life. I suggest that everyone try and attend at least once, it is worthwhile.

Today's Quote: "Live the life you love, like you can't get enough" -"Give Me A Sign"

Coincidentally Connected

I know it is completely out of character for me to write two posts in one day, let alone one week, but I cannot resist writing a short one. One of my closest friends, more like my brother, had left a link on my Facebook page before I started to write my most recent post...

To which I responded with text and another link for him to look at...

He then told me to go look at the video he had posted to our other friend, and when I did, this is what I got...

I about died, and not because Lin Yu Chun gives me goosebumps with his beautiful voice, but because of the sheer coincidence of the situation. This is so typical of my life. My friends and I are beyond meant to be in one another's lives, and it continues to grow more apparent as the time passes. I just had to do another post and share this funny story with you all. (Which you will only really understand if you read my last post.;) And no, he did not share the video after reading my post, it was just another sign from the universe that we're meant to be friends.

:)

Enjoy whatever time of day you're in, and I'll post you tomorrow!