'we talked and drank and danced and said goodbye - we laughed until we cried' ~laughed until we cried (jason aldean)

i wish someone had told me how fast time would go by: how minutes would seem like seconds and years would dissolve into memories so terrifyingly quickly. maybe i would've gone to that concert two states over when i had the chance, painted my face and screamed a little louder at the last football game, stayed up all night talking about things that seemed meaningless at the time, or told him that i thought i might like him. maybe i would've been less self-conscious and told my manager to shove-it when he asked me to come in early and stay late. maybe i would've said 'i love you' more and 'i hate her' less, taken more chances, and pictures, made more promises and made sure to keep them. maybe i would've gotten into trouble, actually learned how to dance, let my guard down, and told that guy just what i thought of his jerkish tendencies. maybe i would've played on that i.m. football team instead of thinking that the boys would get frustrated with me, or that i looked like an idiot when i wore rainboots and leggings. maybe i would've skipped the 3rd revision on that paper and watched that movie with my girlfriends instead, gone to more mug nights, and gone on ferry-rides more often.

maybe i would've spent less time worrying and more time living.

maybe they did tell me. maybe i just didn't listen.

this semester i resolve to dance until my feet ache, love until my heart breaks, sing until my throat hurts, and laugh until my lungs burst. i will hug until i can't hold my arms up, share until i have nothing left to give, smile until my laugh lines become permanent, wish on shooting stars until i run out of prayers, and drive until my tires wear out. i'm going to attend enough tribe basketball and baseball games to set a world record, take pictures until my camera refuses to function, kick butt in my classes, and have so much fun i won't know what to do with myself. i resolve to be unabashedly happy. i will not have regrets. i will not let opportunities pass me by. i refuse to let what i don't have effect what i do [thanks s&tc]. i will say goodbye in the best way possible - by celebrating with those i love.

whatever time we are given will be absolutely enough as long as we make the most of it.
~if i die young (the band perry)
the college of william and mary, class of 2011 <3

'life's what you make it, so let's make it rock' ~life's what you make it (hannah montana)

i've never been good a keeping new year resolutions - the whole 'make unrealistic goals only to fail and be disappointed in yourself' is over-rated in my opinion. instead, at the beginning of each year i make a list of things i want to do in the months to follow [you know how i love lists]. sometimes they're just general 'be more spontaneous' or 'talk with God more' things; others are stolen straight from my 'list of things to do before i die [they've gotta get done somehow - right?]

here's my list for 2011:

• see a 'double feature' at a local movie joint
• spend WAY too much on REALLY cute shoes. like - an absurd amount of money [but i have to be in love with them - and not so absurd that i can't pay my bills]
  
• drive for 3 days without looking at a map, figure out where i am on day 4 and keep going
• shoot at least 5 weddings [1 down, 2 in the making, and 2 more to go!]
• see/swim in the pacific ocean [if i'm gonna go all the way there to look at it, i might as well jump in]
  
• kiss a boy in the rain
• sleep under the stars (not even in a tent - nothin between me and the sky, except maybe a blanket)
• shower in a waterfall
• ride on a motorcycle
• ask a boy out on a date
  
• move out of va
• be more fun [i know this is sorta broad and ambiguous, but it includes: being more spontaneous, not being so dang timid when it comes to being around people i don't know, flirting, wearing cute clothes, being more sociable, so on and so forth]
  

out of my list of 10 things to do in 2010, i accomplished all but 1 [fit into my freshman jeans - please, like that would ever actually happen], so i'm feelin pretty good about this one too. last year i ended up traveling to europe, selling my artwork, and becoming a bartender at hooters, so it's safe to say that a.b.s.o.l.u.t.e.l.y. a.n.y.t.h.i.n.g. is possible. 2010 is gonna be hard to beat, but seeing as how i'm about to start my LAST SEMESTER OF COLLEGE at least the first 5 months of 2011 are sure to be epic. and despite the possible jobless-homeless-futurelessness that months 6-12 may or may not bring, i'm pretty STOKED about life right now.

here we go ladies and gents - fasten your seat belts and hold on to your long johns. this is probably going to be a little rocky. BRING IT 2011.