Bucket List: November & December 2012

November 2012

169. Fly on a plane alone

It took 22 years, but I finally crossed this one off my bucket list.  In the past, I've always flown with family or my little sister, but this was the first time that I actually flew by myself...and I had a connection.  I actually took two trips by myself during this month - one at the beginning of the month and one for Thanksgiving.  It was a total of six (6) individual flights.  I'm going to be flying alone a lot this year...so I better get used to it.

December 2012

128. Donate money to the charity of your choice

Technically, I've done this one already.  I've donated money to countless nonprofits through Relay for Life, Chi Omega, Race for the Cure, To Write Love on Her Arms, class projects, etc.  But this time, I made a direct donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation with no affiliation to an event.  I hope that in the future I can make a bigger impact, but I know from experience that every little bit counts.

Bucket List: October 2012

175. Celebrate a college homecoming week

At FGCU, homecoming didn't exist.  All four years I was there they said they were going to try and create some sort of homecoming tradition even without a football team.  Never happened.

Now that I'm a student at The University of Alabama, I have the opportunity to do many things I couldn't do at FGCU...including celebrating a homecoming week and going to a homecoming football game.  Since this is my only year at UA, I did as much as I could, even though that meant going to the homecoming parade and (unexpectedly) going to the homecoming football game.  It was a blast.  That's the best way I can describe it.

Hopefully I can return to UA years down the road as an alumni to once again celebrate homecoming week.  It was an experience I won't forget.

Bucket List: September 2012

166. Go to a college football game

It's always been a dream of mine to go to a college football game, but since I went to a college without football, I never had that experience.  When I was choosing a graduate school, I really wanted to go to a school with football...and I made that happen by choosing The University of Alabama.  Little did I know that college football is practically a religion at Alabama!  They don't joke about their football.  I went to my first college football game with Alex since he was visiting this weekend.  It was such an amazing experience!  The game was against Western Kentucky and obviously we won!  Two weeks later I went to the game vs FAU, but this time I was in the student section.  That was an amazing experience as well.  I can't wait for more games in the future!

ROLL TIDE ROLL!!

Bucket List: August 2012

142. Live in a different time zone

I don't know why I've always wanted to do this, but having lived in the Eastern time zone all my life, I thought it might be fun to live in a different region of the country.  Even though I'm not super far away, I did check this one off by moving to Alabama.  I've lived in the north, I've lived in Florida (it gets its own category), and now I'm living in the south.  I'm excited for this experience!

143. Move to a city where you don't know anyone

This is one of those that's so much easier said than done.  Throughout my college career, I heard so many people say they wanted to move somewhere to get a fresh start.  I said it too.  But when it came down to it, choosing to move to a city where you don't know anyone is intimidating.  Fact is, you're all alone.  Your friends aren't here.  You have to start from square one.  Moving to Tuscaloosa has been one of the scariest experiences of my life, but I've been learning so much about myself along the way.  I'm happy to have the opportunity to cross this one off, but next time I move somewhere new, hopefully I'll have a boyfriend/fiancé/husband coming along with me.  

150. Go to graduate school

After applying, waiting to hear back, and finally making a decision, I finally started grad school on August 22, 2012!!  It's going to be such a hectic year (I'm doing a 12 month program), but I know that this year will push me to be the best student and PR professional that I can be.  I can't wait to learn from incredible faculty members as well as my classmates.  

Bucket List: July 2012

50. Jump in the pool with my clothes on

It was getting towards the end of the month when I realized that I hadn't crossed anything off my bucket list.  So I looked at my list, browsed through it, and stumbled upon this one.  Then I literally walked outside and jumped in the pool.  It was quite the experience...and honestly quite fun!  Too bad no one else was home to witness it.

Bucket List: June 2012

61. Learn to play poker

I feel like pretty much all of Alex's friends play poker so when we were in Vegas, Alex spent some time teaching my how to play. I'm still not comfortable playing in an actual game, but at least I know all the rules now. One day...one day.

127. Take a picture by the Welcome to Las Vegas sign

My family went on a vacation to Las Vegas at the beginning of June, and while we were there I decided to walk over to the Welcome to Las Vegas sign (and I dragged Alex with me).  It was such a long walk, but it was on my bucket list so I had to go.  We got some nice pictures out of it, and I'd definitely say it was worth it.  To all of you that want to go, take a cab instead of walking.  Seriously.

144. See a Cirque du Soliel Show

The one show we had to see in Vegas was The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soliel. My family loves The Beatles so we knew if we could only see one Cirque du Soliel show, that would be it.  The show was absolutely incredible and I'm so glad we got to go.  The next day Alex and I went to Zumanity, which is a more sensual Cirque du Soliel show.  I didn't love it, but it wasn't terrible.  I'm glad we went.

145. Own a gun

I think it was only a matter of time before this happened.  After all, my boyfriend loves going shooting. I bought a Sig Sauer P238 which is a .380 caliber.  Alex has the same one so now we have matching pistols.  The couple that shoots together stays together.

Bucket List: May 2012

4. Write a book

When I started my bucket list, I never specified the type of book.  And to be completely honest, I forgot that I even had this on there.  Last month, I started putting together a collection of writing from the past nine years.  The goal is to self-publish it.  I don't intend on selling it (though it will be available for sale through the website I'm publishing it on).  My reason for "writing" this book was so that I could have a physical copy of my writing.  Sure, I have electronic copies of everything, but there's something special of having a physical copy of it.  Soon, #5 (publish a book) will be completed too.  But for now, the book is written, in format, and in the process of being edited.  I can't wait until the day it's in "book form."

Bucket List: April 2012

118. Attend a spring training baseball game (checked off April 1, 2012)

This is no April Fool's joke, people!  On April 1st, I attended the New York Yankees vs. Miami Marlins spring training game at the brand new Marlins Park in Miami.  I've lived in Florida for almost nine years and never attended a spring training game before this.  Crazy, right?!  It was such an awesome game AND the Yankees won 10-8!  It's a great day whenever the Yankees win :)

18. Graduate with honors in high school and college (checked off April 29, 2012)

Technically I knew I was graduating with honors after last semester, but today made it 100% official.  I graduated high school summa cum laude and college magna cum laude.  Hooray! 

129. Graduate college (checked off April 29, 2012)

I did it...I graduated college.  Four years, countless major changes, and memories that will last a lifetime.  I met my best friends (and future bridesmaids) throughout college, and that alone made it all worth it.  When I walked across that stage, all I could think was "is this real life?!"  It can't be real.  But it is.  I graduated college.  I'm so sad that this journey is over, but now it's time to create new beginnings and new memories.  I can't wait to see what the future holds.

Bucket List: March 2012

133. Give a Senior Speech

I've been to a lot of events and banquets over the past four years of college, and a lot of them have a student give a senior speech.  I always thought, "if that was me up there, what would I say?"  After four years and tireless work, I was asked to do the senior keynote speech for the outgoing Senate banquet.

It was one of the hardest speeches I've ever written because I was trying to fit four years of memories into a five minute speech.  But the second I stopped worrying about what to say, it all started coming together. During the banquet I didn't just give my speech, I spoke from the heart.  I wanted to leave these outgoing Senators with something of value.  Something they could take with them.  Something that would inspire them.

And from what I've been told, I did just that.

It's not a traditional bucket list item, but giving a senior speech was something I really hoped I'd have the opportunity to do.  I watched so many other people do it before me, and it was such an honor to be able to give a senior speech of my own.  It truly was one of the highlights of my senior year.

Bucket List: February 2012

69. Be a vegetarian for a week (checked off February 6-13, 2012)

I don't eat a lot of meat to begin with, so I figured this would be pretty easy.  It was torture.  I was sick all week, either because I wasn't eating enough or because the food I was eating wasn't agreeing with me.  And at the end of the week when I went to eat meat again, that made me sick too.  It was a good experience, but not something I'll be doing again in the near future.  I guess I'll wait to cross of #70: be a vegan for a week.

68. Fall in love (checked off February 2012)

I've only been with Alex for a few weeks, but I know in my heart that I am in love with him.  My friends keep telling me that I'm moving too fast, that it's not really love, and that it's just lust.  But I don't care what they say because I know how I feel.  When I'm with someone, I give them everything I have.  I've never felt this way about a guy before, and I know in my heart that I love him.  I never thought I'd cross this one off my bucket list...so this is a pretty big step for me.

I also crossed off #131...but it's not exactly blog-appropriate.  So I'll just leave y'all guessing :)

Bucket List: January 2012

116. Attend an NFL Game (checked off January 1, 2012)

Long story short, my dad is a huge Jets fan and they happened to be playing the Miami Dolphins on New Years Day.  So of course we bought tickets to the game.  It worked out since it turned into an early birthday present for my dad, and my sister and I were able to buy him a jersey for his birthday.  Even though I'm a Giants fan, I had an amazing time at the game.  Watching football games on TV just doesn't do it for me anymore.  I'm spoiled.

77. Shoot a gun (checked off January 29, 2012)

A co-worker from my internship asked me if I wanted to go shooting with him, and I obviously jumped on the opportunity to cross off another thing on my bucket list!  It was definitely scary, but I actually had a lot of fun.  I can't wait to go with my friends next time, especially since a lot of them have this on their bucket list too! I don't have a picture of me actually shooting a gun, but take my word for it :)

Welcome to 2012!

Every year I make resolutions because I think change is a good, healthy part of life.  And what better time to start new than a new year?

But it's no secret that most people give up on their resolutions after a month.  I'm usually good at sticking to the little ones, but it's the big ones that just fall apart.  The fire fades and nothing changes.  So this year, instead of making a list that I probably won't stick to anyway, I decided to change it up.

This year, my New Year's resolution is to cross one thing off my bucket list every month.  I posted my bucket list awhile back, but it's definitely grown since then.  It can be big or small, seemingly insignificant or absolutely significant.  Either way, I will be crossing off one thing from my bucket list each month.

I'm constantly adding things to my list, but this resolution will bring me one step closer to completing my list.

I'll post my bucket list once I've added a few more things, and I'll be sure to blog about my bucket list every month!

Bucket List #102

#102. Drive without a destination in mind

After getting tickets to the New Cats of Country concert, I drove. Drove with no destination. And it brought me some peace and clarity.

Summer To-Do List

This is my last summer as an undergrad (wahhhh!), and there are TONS of things I need to get done this summer.  So I decided to make a list of everything I want to accomplish.  And because I love all things social media, I had to post it in a blog.

Summer To-Do List

- Re-paint my bathroom

- Hang up pictures in my room

- Clean out my entire room & bathroom

- Take a nice summer trip

- Accomplish your Oasis of the Seas bucket list

- Cross one thing off your bucket list each month

- Study for the GRE 3+ times a week

- Take the GRE and ROCK IT!!

- Pick out the five (5) grad schools you'll apply to

- Start applying to grad school

- Make a "Dinosaur Family fact book"

- Make time for friends at least once a week

- Go to a concert

- Stay on top of homework for my summer class

- Finish my summer class with a B or higher

** I'll be adding more as I think of more things I want to accomplish! **

My Bucket List

I spent the last few days revising my bucket list. I made it back in high school and some of the things were beyond ridiculous ("jump off the brooklyn bridge and live"...come on!!). I looked at other people's bucket lists to get some inspirations. It's definitely not done, but it's a start.

So here it is, MY BUCKET LIST!

1. Visit the original Hard Rock Café in London
2. Go to a concert in each of the major music genres – rock, pop, country, rap, and R&B
3. Travel to all 7 continents
4. Write a book
5. Get my writing published or self-publish my own writing
6. Visit the Pearl Harbor Memorial in Hawaii
7. Learn American Sign Language
8. Learn to speak another language fluently
9. Visit each of the 50 states and Washington DC
10. Volunteer in a third world country
11. Live in another country
12. Sing karaoke…loudly and without a care in the world
13. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City
14. National Equality March in Washington DC
15. Spend 4^th of July in Washington DC
16. Get accepted into all of the colleges I apply to (undergraduate)
17. Make the President’s List in College
18. Graduate with honors in high school and college
19. Watch a space shuttle launch
20. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge
21. Answer the age-old question: Geno’s or Pat’s Cheese steak?
22. Skydiving
23. Cave tubing
24. Join a sorority and become an initiated member
25. Learn the lyrics to an entire rap album
26. Create a parody of a song and put it on YouTube
27. Watch the ball drop in Times Square
28. Duval Crawl in Key West
29. Eiffel Tower in Paris
30. Toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain
31. Visit a concentration camp in Europe
32. Make the front page of the newspaper
33. Help build a house with Habitat for Humanity
34. Visit the pyramids
35. Start “the wave” in a public place
36. Visit Niagra Falls
37. Donate blood
38. Run a 5k
39. Run a 10k
40. Learn how to surf
41. Go parasailing
42. Go on a gondola ride in Venice
43. Make a call from a red telephone booth in London
44. The Louvre
45. Walk the Great Wall of China
46. Table Mountain in South Africa
47. Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles
48. Zipline through a rainforest
49. Go through the Panama Canal
50. Jump in the pool with my clothes on
51. Swim with the dolphins
52. See Mayan Ruins in Central America
53. Learn to ski
54. Learn to ice skate
55. Ride in a helicopter
56. Mardi Gras in New Orleans
57. Cage diving with sharks in South Africa
58. White water rafting
59. Be an audience member in a TV show
60. Attend a Broadway Musical
61. Learn to play poker
62. Go ice skating at the Rockefeller Plaza
63. Go to a super bowl
64. Get on a jumbotron at a sporting event
65. Watch a solar eclipse
66. Watch a lunar eclipse
67. Watch a meteor shower
68. Fall in love
69. Be a vegetarian for a week
70. Be a vegan for a week
71. Go to the top of the Statue of Liberty
72. Stay in a hotel by myself
73. Stay in a five-star hotel
74. Go camping
75. Keep a written journal
76. Do a good deed for a stranger
77. Shoot a gun
78. Go tech-free for a week
79. Learn CPR
80. Learn to line dance
81. Take a ballroom dancing class
82. Learn to salsa dance
83. Be in a wedding
84. Go to the Olympics
85. Be in two countries at once
86. Stand at the equator
87. Go on 50 cruises
88. Meet a celebrity

My Bucket List: Travel to All 7 Continents

One of the things on my bucket list is to visit all seven continents.  So far I've only visited two: North America and Europe.  I thought my bucket list item wouldn't be possible since I didn't think you could even get remotely close to Antarctica.  I was wrong!

I found a tour company called Go Ahead Tours that does a tour that "visits" Antarctica.  Basically, you go on a cruise that passes through some of the islands of Antarctica.  Now I actually have an opportunity to make this dream come true!  Their tour catalogue came in the mail today, and I literally bookmarked 15+ tours that I'm interested in.  I seriously need to find a job so I can make this dream come true!!

Here's the places I'm interested in going to:
Africa: South Africa (Cape Town, Johannesburg, Kruger National Park), Kenya
Antarctica: I'll just be happy to be there!!
Asia: China, Thailand
Australia: Sydney, Melbourne, Cairnes (for the Great Barrier Reef), New Zealand
Europe: Iceland, England (again), Ireland, Scotland
North America: All 50 states (another one of my Bucket List items!)
South America: The Galapagos Islands, Brazil, Costa Rica, Peru

Here's my tour catalogue:

Aaaand here's one of the tours I want to go on: