Young (ESL) Teacher

It has been one hell of a year for this ginger boy. What with all the traveling, meeting new people, teaching; honestly, I never though it would require as much work as it did. I've been in a classroom setting for much of my young life, and so many of my past teachers made it look as easy as eating bacon, I commend them all for the work they've done and do because in reality, there were some days teaching felt harder than sneaking forties, underage, into a police station. Despite the lows, I must say that this journey has been just as fun as a bottle of vodka, but keep in mind it has also had its fair share of 'hangovers' as well. So with all alcohol references aside, and really taking a look back at the year I spent abroad as an ESL teacher, I have a much stronger perception of the realms of teaching and what it all entails.

So what is teaching?

To me, teaching means, well-

It means coffee and lots of it in order to supply enough energy to keep up with hyperactive toddlers and never-ending questions from clever thinkers. Caffeine acts as the grinding stone to stay sharp with quick-witted responses, and an ability to pick up on the tiniest happenings in the peripherals.

Teaching, like World of Warcraft, unlocks a new skill to this game of life, it grants one a new superpower like Spiderman, or maybe something a little more extraterrestrial? I'm not sure-- but you'll realize you pick up on things that you never knew you could. I clocked into some X-Ray vision when Alejandro was sticking gum under the table, or utilized some lie-detecting action when confronting Aleix about who chucked a wad of paper across the room.

I was a psychic as I shook my head to the response 'No he sido yo' (it wasn't me) because I knew what was up, almost like a set of eyes had emerged from the back of my skull. I think they didn't realize I'm only 23 and was the master of these tricks only a short few years ago.

However, There were other times when my inner actor emerged, and I felt like the best comedian on the planet when my students laughed at some silly gestures and wild accents. I learned to be the example, to show that making fun of yourself is okay, and to encourage others to embrace themselves.

My reflexes transformed into something comparable to a cat as I juggled Kleenex on one messy nose, while pulling scissors away from a child who thought he was Edward freaking Scissorhands. I learned to understand when kids need to be kids, but also kept them from some boundaries they tested on a continual basis. Whether it be an attempt to have a movie day everyday, or someone making sarcastic comments that go a little too far with a fellow classmate.

Teaching means being empathetic, understanding not only the difficulty of learning a language, but merely the struggle of adjusting to the new world around them. It means comforting students who struggle with grammar, and pumping them with support and praise when they get something right.

It's about the respect you gain for a 45 year-old established business professional who spends her Saturday mornings in an English classroom when she could be out laying on the beach.

Teaching means making mistakes, and feeling grateful when your students aren't too hard on you and laugh with you. You learn from teaching and each day becomes a little more comfortable. You soon see that lesson plans become not so much a strict itinerary, but more of a flexible 'plan' to get through the day.

It simply means making sure that your students learn... Something.

Teaching develops smile lines on your face as you see your kids using what you've taught them in the real world, even the little things, like when you hear a youngster ask 'how are you?' when you run into their family at the store. It makes you stop and think to yourself, 'you learned man, you freaking learned!'. It brightens your day to hear of their accomplishments outside of the classroom, just as much as seeing how incredibly stoked they were to tell you.

It isn't exactly a walk in the park, as some classes nearly brought forth a stroke when no one would pay attention, and the other times I simulated horrifying images of admitting myself into a mental hospital in the attempt to mediate ridiculous issues.

It's all about biting the tongue back and forcing a painful 'Justin Bieber is great' between gritted teeth to ensure that everyone feels good about themselves. A teacher becomes an educator, a counselor, and also a friend.

Teaching, especially children,  makes you promise yourself to apologize to all of your past professors for the hell you probably put them through, and thanking them for not giving up. So if you're reading this, just know that I know how it goes and I am so, so sorry for being a little punk. I'll get you a round on me.

Teaching meant having to determine an appropriate answer for inappropriate words and phrases. It required choking back a laugh, inventing some half-assed response, and knowing full well that they'll 'fucking' learn what they mean eventually.

It also means a lot of time out of the classroom marking exams, writing reports, planning lessons, creating works of art for interesting lessons and even more amazing games. It's about planning holiday parties, and how bad-ass is that?

You make it your mission to make sure that student doesn't give up if he does poorly on an exam, and using his struggles as an incentive to try that much harder to help him succeed in the future. Teaching naturally creates a strong bond with a class, and really pays off when you see them write things like 'Kor is the best.'

It means not giving up on yourself, even when some bad days seem to outweigh the good ones.

Teaching is not an easy job, and often times, it's an underrated profession. We've all been educated by someone, and hopefully there was at least one teacher you can look back at fondly with a smile. Teaching strengthens the soul and brings forth obstacles as well as many, many rewards. Teaching is accepting the fact that you may be dirt poor, but care less because you did something much greater for the benefit of another human without a concern for monetary value.

The hardest part may be saying goodbye at the end of the year, but it's totally cool because you know those crazy kids will do just fine in life.

I wouldn't trade my experience for the world, I learned more from teaching than I could possibly explicate with words. It opened my eyes to the passion, creativity, and patience a person must have to maintain a classroom. So the next time you hear that someone's a teacher, just remember to be a little kinder to them as they likely don't get enough credit for the amount of work they actually do.

You guys are the real MVPs.

Let's Just Be Friends

Friends, the saviors from boring afternoons, supporters of week long alcohol binges, but sometimes nuances in the moments when we need them most. One of the most amazing feelings in a proper friendship is after you realize how compatible you really are for each other. Your life stories align to some particularly frightening details, and your warped sense of humor suddenly becomes a little more twisted than you thought it could be.

This is a pivotal moment in your relationship because you found it, the person who can fulfill nearly everything you need, excluding sex; however, you know for a fact they'll be there to support every one night stand and kinky detail they hear about. Maintaining a friendship at this level is tough work, and for some people, nearly impossible.

Feelings begin to develop, almost as if you were in a fully committed romantic relationship. One partner begins to feel jealous when they aren't receiving enough attention, and the other becomes smothered, tired of justifying the reasons for normal distance created by busy schedules. It's not a surprise that these emotions become prevalent in relationships with such intensity, it can bring out the worst in people. They become possessive, hurt, but it's hard to notice these tendencies because they are caught up in a high from such a strong friendship, one that is becoming detrimental to the soul.

It can be exhausting.

Suddenly, one side finds themselves feeling left out, jealous. They become overwhelmed by the pressure they put upon themselves, and say things they don't necessarily mean after a heavy night of drinking. Nonsensical , unintelligent stabs at the friend to provoke a similar feeling in them, similar to the feeling they've been burdened with. They're tired of feeling like the victim, powerless because life isn't the same as it was. They miss the laughs, the goofy text messages, they miss their best friend.

When we become comfortable with someone we love, it's inappropriately easy to treat them like a punching bag for words. We rule out sensibility, and forget that such "golden" happiness can be robbed in an instant, leaving us solely with mere memories of what was. This is sad, yes, but hopefully the experience taught a lesson or two.

When we let our reservations go and look too far into translating the meaning of any given relationship, we need to look at it lightly. We need not to make a friend property; instead, we must learn patience when life gets busy, and remember that change is the way of life, it can be an incredibly good thing. Communication is a beneficial factor that can save friendships, it can make them strong and long-lasting. People take advantage of the use of their words and respond with either passive aggressiveness or direct confrontation, and not the good kind either.

Despite the frustration you may be feeling, relax and breathe. Don't say or do anything you will soon regret because sometimes you'll realize that you picked the wrong battle, you weren't right, and the last thing you want is to regret something you said in the heat of a moment. I have been there a time or two before, and it's not fun. Chances are that you may have too, and just know that you are not a bad person because of it. It sucks, but it happens.

Learn from your mistakes and use these lessons to better yourself, to make your future friendships stronger. Take advantage of what you have, and release any disdain or regret that's holding you back from being the best that you can be, and the best you can be to others.

Also,

Remember that no matter what you may have done, I'll be your friend, always. 

Why 23 Will Be The Best Year Of Your Life (And Every Year After)

I've stumbled upon various songs and articles over the past while, most notably Blink 182's "What's My Age Again," and countless blogs focused around down playing how horrible it actually is to turn 23. While aging, for some, can be a bit terrifying, it is quite honestly up to the "eye of the beholder" as some would say.

Now without discrediting some experiences that others may have had with this particular age, I would like to welcome you into what I have learned since turning the big "23".

1.) You (or at least many) are finally free. Get that? If you're anything like me, you probably jumped right into college directly following graduation. Think about it, you spent sixteen years in high school, and then another four years after that just sober enough to pass all of your classes to become a "grown-up".

Now guess what? Whether you believe it or not, you can do whatever your little heart desires. The sad part is that many people don't realize this and find themselves not enjoying their lives as much as they could be. So instead of following that route, be a free ass bird you little 23 year old, take this opportunity by the gonads and actually do something that you want to do!

I mean come on, you already did what was expected of you by getting that damn diploma anyway, why don't you do a little something for yourself?

2.) With that being said, you are now entitled to fuck around for a year. This seems crazy for me even writing this, but honestly, why not? Too many people stress about money and how it will eventually buy them happiness.

We want to own things and we want to do it as soon as possible. At 23 we won't be judged if we take a little time to find ourselves, in fact, it might just put us that much further ahead than others who didn't take a little risk.

By no means am I saying that it's a bad thing to settle on down, actually, some people need it. My only point here is at 23 you are capable of doing what you want to do now. So let me ask you something:

What would you like to do and why are you not doing it? Is it because of money? If yes, then see my next point.

3.) You're probably broke! Yes! WOO-FREAKING-HOO! This'll probably be a shocker for you as well, but you were broke in college and you're still one broke ass cracker now.

At this moment it may seem like it sucks, but don't think like that. You are attaining trivial knowledge by knowing how to find bars and restaurants with the best deals, making old outfits look like new ones, and utilizing the ability to mix unlikely foods together to create an "exquisite" cuisine.

We knew how to rough it at 22 and dammit we're going to stick it out just a little longer. Keep in mind that money is everywhere and I promise that you're not going to be broke forever, you just won't. As a matter of fact, I'm sure the future you will smile fondly back at the time when you made it all work out.

4.) It's very true that you won't need to party every night because you're beginning to find happiness in the little things.

Some nights, chilling on the couch with a best buddy laughing your ass off at dumb jokes sounds just as fun as raging face at some club. At 23 we get the best of both worlds because we can still go ham if we want to, but we can also find comfort in the tranquil moments as well.

I'm a firm believer that sometimes the party never leaves certain people, and I could name for you at least four over forty-year-old people who thoroughly enjoy being the life of the party. Just because you get a little older doesn't mean you have to be old.

5.) At this point in our lives, we begin to see the people who are going to stick it out through the long haul with us.

I don't really like the sound of this, but honestly, it's true. Indeed, I have many friends who I may not talk to frequently, but I would still walk uphill on a bed of thorns, barefoot, to collect a phone that they had forgotten at the top.

With all that aside, there are still those extra special individuals who will make more of an effort to remain an active presence in your life- even after that diploma is hung and framed.

6.) You get to finally start paving your path a little deeper for what you want to do with your life. Do you want to get a Masters? Do it. Do you want to travel the world with the only bit of savings you actually have? Go for it. Are you ready to start your life professionally? Then dammit, you get out there and you do it, Carol!

One thing to keep in mind is that you are paving the path; you don't have to be anywhere, yet. Explore, experiment, and have a good time doing it.

You can take this year, this 23rd year, and do what you want to do with it. It's up to you and nobody can stop you. What you do with it is all you baby; just don't be one of those people who are too hard on themselves.

Many of us expect to have the world in the palm of our hands. We counted on having fancy cars and having an awesome career set and ready to go. Don't let this catch you by surprise when these things don’t happen because they don’t need to (well, yet anyway). Life is not a race, and it will never be one. The only person who makes it a "competition" is you, and when you start taking life too seriously, you'll find yourself complaining about how terrible it is.

We've all heard this before, but age is just a number, and although every day may not be the best, it certainly won't be the worst (generally speaking that is). It's imperative you take this life to live. Just as 22 was bad-ass, so is 23, 24, and every year after. Just be sure that whatever you do, you won't waste these precious moments because if you do, I hate to break it to you, you will never get them back.

Enjoy 23 you sexy, sexy beasts.

Peace and love from your gay ginger friend,

Korey.

An Open Letter

When you were with me, I felt stronger than I had ever felt in my entire life. You gave a reason to want to succeed, and you helped me learn things that I wouldn't have learned on my own. The months that we were together were the times when I thought I was the very best that I could be. Looking back at such a young love and the powerful emotions which overcame the both of us, I realized that perhaps I wasn't the very best version of myself that I thought I was. Sometimes we find ourselves tangled up in a little world which blinds us from the actuality of events that are occurring right before our eyes, and it sometimes takes something that we didn't want to happen to make us realize this.

I can still remember the many tears I shed the day we decided to call it quits. I mean, it's not everyday that your very best friend and sexual lover disappears without a trace. There were days I thought I wasn't going to make it, the pain was almost too deep to handle. Although I had my friends there to comfort me, they were never able to fill in the spaces in my heart where you once were. I was afraid to look at my phone because a part of me knew there wouldn't be a text from you there, and the other part really wanted there to be one. I wanted with every fiber of my being to hate you, to hate the moments we spent watching old movies and meeting each others families, and yet, I couldn't seem to do it.

I loathed you for everything you made me feel towards the end of our relationship, and I wished that I could have erased you from my brain the few months after. Despite all of the pain, exhaustion, and wanting to move on, I still spent countless hours typing up and erasing messages that I wanted to send you to get you back.. I can vividly remember our last real encounter, sitting under a tree with you where we used to run; me feverishly attempting to persuade you to give me one last chance, but you didn't, and now nearly three years later, I am so incredibly thankful for that.

You helped me change in ways that are hard to put into words, and I hope I helped you too. Now, after all those clouds departed, I have been able to hold my head up high, and I know that I am capable of letting someone, whoever that might be, into my life. You exposed me to the aspects of a relationship I want in my future, but also to the areas that are completely unacceptable. We were young, stupid, and very immature at that time.

 I never thought that I could think of our relationship without heartache and pain; people said the day would come, but I didn't believe them, I didn't want to believe that we were through. You helped pull me out of the rut of the routines that I hated with my life. When we were through, so were many other external forces that were bringing me down. What I didn't know before our relationship was that I had the power within myself to do those things for me.

I'm not sure that I would have had the courage to quit my job, tweak my major, and look for a happier life without our breakup. I would have remained stagnant, I would have remained unhappy. There were so many things I believed were wrong with my life, and unfortunately for you, you had to witness my inner demons. Perhaps you provoked some of them to come out, but they needed to, I needed to identify with them and I have. There was always a silent dark cloud that hovered over me after the death of my oldest brother, at first you pushed those clouds back and I was able to feel bliss, actual pure bliss. As our honeymoon phase dwindled down, the darkness came back for one final battle which came in the form of extreme mood changes and passive aggressive tendencies. For this, I sincerely apologize as there were many mean words that shouldn't have been said.

The time after our relationship was the time I needed, I didn't want to face being alone but that's what helped me become who I am today. I started to take a stand for what I wanted in life, I had convinced myself that I needed to invest myself into another person to feel happy.

So after countless rebounds and failed relationships, I forced myself into remaining single for months, and during this time is when I finally found happiness within myself. There was a spark that just needed a little extra flame, and it transformed me into an actual individual. One who loves to travel, is determined to succeed, and is one hundred percent okay to be alone. The breakup changed me, it changed me a whole hell of a lot in many positive ways.

I have learned that I will not settle for anything in life that will interfere with my happiness; however with that being said, I am also ready to allow the perfect one into my life when the time is right. Thank you for saying no, for telling me that I needed to take care of myself because now I do. I wouldn't be sitting where I am today without you telling me I needed to change, not only for the others who I associate with, but for myself. I have come a long way from the person I was.

It was hard for me to say goodbye and end what we had, but it needed to happen. I needed you so that I could finally become me.  So, thank you for everything, and I hope that you are on your own pursuit for the happiness that you truly deserve.

Surviving Change

In light of a ton of new changes occurring in my present life (moving again, working new jobs, making new friends), I figured now would be a good time to let you know how I have been coping with some of the changes that are sometimes just a little out of my comfort zone.

I think the best, if not the most important thing to do prior to any significant change in your life is to not over think anything. The problems we face as human beings are the anticipations we have for the future. We want instant gratification, but we can't get that by thinking about what will happen next week. So instead, we devote too much time anxiously anticipating what's to come. What happens will happen whether you like it or not, the best thing to do is not let it affect your present being. I mean this time last year you were probably worrying about what you were doing now, right? You my friend are doing A-ok, same goes with your distant and not so distant futures.

I know this is going to sound a bit sucky, but you have to be sure to set your bar low, especially when you're at your most anxious points. By lowering your expectations, you make room for better outcomes. If you didn't expect something extravagantly wonderful in the first place, every little thing that happens is going to seem like gold to you. I like to do this for everything, from simple nights out to the club or long journeys around the country. You'll be doing yourself and the people you are with a favor because it is much easier to go with the flow rather than being disappointed when something that you wanted to happen, didn't.

It is critical at the point of any change to be flexible. Now when I say flexible, I mean it. You need to be open-minded and ready for anything or anybody you might run into. If you're moving into a new place, perhaps it isn't as nice as it was when you first looked at it, or maybe your roommates have some weird tendencies that you hadn't known prior. This is what is going to make or break you because when you are ready to release some of your stubbornness to accommodate a new lifestyle, you're going to have so much more fun.

Now I'm going to slightly contradict myself; even while you are becoming a new open-minded, flexible individual, you need to stand your ground when you need to. If that means telling your roommates they need to quiet down at four in the morning or to clean up after themselves, that's what you need to do. There is a fine line between being free, but also maintaining your own standards by not letting people walk all over you. Adapt to a new way of doing things, yes. Completely feel uncomfortable and unhappy, absolutely not.

Whenever change starts to happen and you are a bit worried, remind yourself that NOTHING is permanent, in fact everything changes so fast, I'm starting to think that my life will forever be a constant roller coaster of change. Enjoy what you have now, even the shitty stuff because those are the moments that provide you with stories for future wine and cheese parties, and the advice points you will give to your children. Embrace what you are doing and be proud of your confidence as you go running full force at these changes with your chin up and mind open.

Be you, be the best you.

---Oh, and never forget to take a bunch of pictures. Those are always nice. :)

We're Against What We're Fighting For

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to be somebody else. I'll think about it when I'm looking around on the metro or at the supermarket. I like to imagine what people are thinking or how they feel. Since the expressions on a person's face isn't clear enough to read sometimes, it leaves us guessing the story of their lives. Without a convenient Google page on their forehead, we must improvise with our eyes to critique their aesthetic presentation. Personally, I believe it can be catastrophic when we attempt to develop stories based merely on appearances. It's not fair, or at least I don't think so. We live in a world which thrives on appearances; who has the nicest clothes or the most expensive watch? I'm afraid of this because it triggers superficial “I’m better than you attitudes”.

We rely on the power of the dollar, what it can buy? This taints our most vital reason for existence, survival. We seem to forget that in unforeseen circumstances, we can’t eat a dollar to survive. As the next IPhone is released, so is the desire to have the next best thing. When did three pairs of jeans need to become ten? So many pairs, yet only seven days in a week. It’s becoming clear that for the human race, one is never going to be enough because we want it all.

Excess, this is what scientists warn us about and nutritionists beg us to not to succumb to. It's almost impossible to practice moderation because we know the feeling of getting more, and to be blatant, we love it. In fact, we love it so much that we forget the toll that it's taking on not only our fragile world, but also the self-esteems of those who simply cannot keep up with the "better" side of society. You know, the wealthy, the beautiful, those who have more than they need. 

Yet, despite the warnings on the news, or the evidence suggesting that we should moderate the amount of time spent in the shower, we don't realize the damage our short term actions are having on our future world. In the midst of all this excess, we don't acknowledge that materialism is an addictive drug, and are too ignorant to realize that it is slowly degrading the basic elements we need to survive. We're not thinking practically because we aren't constantly exposed to ketchup packets floating in the sea, or wondering if the Co2 from our cars is slowly dismantling the atmosphere. We continue to waste, to judge, and as we do, we slowly witness a shifting climate which is making way for one very hot, wet, and polar bear-less planet.

Our materialistic tendencies blind us from rational ways of thinking. We use objects to grant us a sense of security and the right to take part in a higher social status. When we see a tattered shirt or unkempt hair, we associate this appearance with filth and failure. We refuse to see it for what it really is; an evident depiction of an individual who slaves and endures difficult days to merely scrape up enough change to feed a family of four. 

We pay no attention to the corporate bully, McDonald's, who manipulates the weight of an individual through addicting artificial properties and colorful adverts. It's easy to look past the skinny men eating big burgers in advertisements, but we are somehow willing to make negative comments when we see the actual result in public. We scoff at the victims of obesity, the ones who are not on the television, but instead, tricked into becoming the laughing stock of society. We don't think of this because we only take note and judge immediate physical properties, and forget to look at the roots of much deeper issues. They are the victims and we are willing to ignore it. These issues do exist but are not obvious until they are directly before us.

As you read this from your phone or the computer screen, think back to the last person you judged. Perhaps it was done subconsciously or maybe not. What was your reason? We do it because when we see a flaw, we see associate it with being incomplete, the opposite version of societies interpretation of perfection. We play along with stereotypes that make us unequal. When we frown at the stains on a person's jeans we create a distinction between what is right or wrong, despite the fact that those stains are the result of an unfair governmental system. 

We associate the term 'stuck up bitch' with those who work desperately to cover imperfection, and forget that makeup is easily at the disposal for those who feel pressured to mask their insecurities in fear of becoming one of societies rejects. It's easy to leave the lights on in your apartment while others must feel their way through the dark. We don't know what we have until it isn't there anymore. We don't know it now because we do have it. So we keep taking more. We need all of  these extra possessions to prove some silly point, more to “feel” good. Most importantly, we ignore the fact that we keep taking more when others have nothing at all. 

It will become clear to us when we must fight for water, or sacrifice the health of our lungs for the production of unnecessary goods which fill our over-sized houses. People will mourn for those who take their lives because they cannot keep up with our ever growing interpretation of perfection. We will regret the days when we could have recycled, as landfills slowly overcome cities and ocean tides emit nothing more than chemical breezes. We'll see firsthand the ugliness we created right before our eyes and then go on to judge it like we always have, forgetting that there was something we could have done to stop it. We need to acknowledge the flaws that we are all guilty and aren't learning from our mistakes.

 We will continue to laugh at the less fortunate and do nothing to help put an end to it; we will continue to let our world waste away when we could be cleaning it. We will always want more until it's gone, and then when it is gone we won't know what to do. We can say we seek a change, but it will never happen because ultimately, we need to see it to believe it. The only thing is we won’t want to when we do. 

To The Homies Who

I'm dedicating this post to all the homies out there who don't know what sleep is. The people who break the rules in a respectable way, and  those who are so careless that a part of them actually do care. This is for those who are willing to stay out all night, only to wake-up a few hours later to carry on with their sleepless routines. The ones who never back down even if they probably should. To hell with that everyone else says, we have plenty of time to sleep when we're...

1.) NOT sabotaging our Friday nights with "I should probably sleep or clean the refrigerator," but rather with new friends and tasty beers. These are the nights we love, and despite those who tell us to slow down, we could care less because we're young and we love to party. There will come a time when beer buzzes will become cuddly nights with fluffy animals or sexy men, or not, honestly you do you and have fun while doing it.

2.) We will continue down our righteous paths of owning up to our responsibilities because yes, we may show up looking like someone sat on our faces for a couple of hours, but we will prove that even without a full 8 hours of sleep, we are completely capable of finishing what we start with smiles on our faces. Some people may ask "my god, how DO they do it", and this is where you can flash em' a little wink, pull them to the side, and say "I have no fucking idea." Because in reality, we don't, we simply do not know.

3.) We know that following the rules is the right thing to do, but at the end of the day... We know that some rules are meant to be broken. That sometimes we take this little floating speck of sand in the universe a little too seriously. Which ultimately means that we take the "live a short happy life rather than a long dull life" quote literally. Like literally guys. Even if that means going for a random jump off a cliff into a lake or suddenly moving to Europe on a whim. We do it because we can. We do it because we shouldn't. We do it because we're brave dammit!

4.) We don't need others to tell us what's bad for us, we're crazy guys, not dumb. Google is literally at our finger tips almost every second of every day. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that binge drinking and smoking the occasional cigarette is bad for you. We understand that there is a limit to everything and although we are free spirited and enjoy being wild, we also know when to stop...Even when we don't want to.

5.) We care about ourselves so much that we care about others just as much. We want to see our friends succeed, but we also want to experience them grinding up against the wall at a club for absolutely no reason except for the fact that the alcohol "made" them do it. Sure we may regret our actions in the morning when we scroll through pictures and make our routinely "vow" to never drink again. However, we know for a fact that we had a blast in those moments, and also know that we will be sending a "I need a damn beer" text to someone in the very near future.

6.) I can drone on and on about how us party animal, free spirited fools love juggling the life of adventure and responsibility, but I think that most importantly we want others to make sure that they take the time to not only enjoy life (even if it's not boozing or drawing a ton of attention to yourself), but to also  be confident in the way that they look at themselves. That's the key to this lifestyle. Life is so incredibly short that the last thing you need to worry about is looking perfect for some scumbag at the end of a bar, or not speaking up because you're afraid your words might sound dumb. Let me tell you something, and I know I have countless friends who can vouch for me here, I say some of the dumbest things in the history of dumb and I promise that people will love you even more for it. Just say what you need to say brah.

We say fuck the haters, break the rules, and have the time of your life while you have the time to do it. Someday that clock is going to stop ticking and you are going to say to yourself "dammit Carol, you should have just went for it." So let me be that voice for you, do it for Carol. DO IT FOR CAROL! Whatever that Carol may want to do.  

Take my words as you wish and please remember that:

Truth Before Travel

Imagine letting go, I mean actually letting go of the inhibitions that hold you back from paving a path of clarity and self discovery. For many, including myself, we find ourselves scrolling through inspirational quotes in times of trouble, seeking an answer from words, and for others, through them. What if I could tell you something that might potentially change your life, would you believe me or simply swipe over to the next advice column? It'll be worth your time, I promise. 

I can recall the words I often told others. From classmates, bar patrons, to teachers I announced, 'I'm going to travel the world!' Yet, a tiny part of my soul didn't trust those words because after all, that's all they were. Seeking a life of adventure is a definite struggle when the heart isn't one hundred percent there, even if a strong part of it is telling you to do something. That was my heart, one part fear, one part 'go for it'. 

The world is really good at clouding your brain from achieving what you want to do, I know that all too well. For every action there is no doubt some type of consequence. In my case for example, how do I plan to support myself, what about some financial obligations, what if I fail? I think that's the biggest fear, failure. We are programmed to believe that success is measured by the currency in our bank accounts and the brand of clothes on our backs isn't it? Of course that's an exaggeration but what can I say, writers like to do that. Failure is only what you consider it to be, not what your mom or dad and definitely not society thinks it is. Instead of looking at something as a dreaded 'failure', how about measure it as what success means to you. It can be anything, being successful at work, buying a house, painting a picture, absolutely anything. So I practiced with words, almost experimented with them. Eventually they became programmed into my brain, 'after college I want to move to Barcelona'. After saying so many 'I wants' they weren't doing anything for me, so I changed them. I made my dream a priority rather than a desire. Although I found myself in a whirlwind of uncertainty and instability at the beginning, it was the best decision I ever made, ever. 

How you ask? How is it possible for a freshly graduated, broke twenty something year old able to flee from his past life to discover a new one? I'll tell you right now that it wasn't easy, I literally counted pennies, rearranged loan repayments, had some awesome parents, and even sold my car. I began to realize and now know that when you want something bad enough, no matter what it may be (within logical reason), you will find a way. I always think of the famous line 'there ain't no mountain high enough' because it's true, it is so true, 

So here's what I did. Financial planning was my first priority. I had to talk business, go through friends of friends who made me do things I still have nightmares about... Just kidding about that last part. I did; however, have to make sure that my Student loan providers knew I left the country and they were more supportive than I would have thought, I also had to cancel car insurance, phone contracts, basically all the fun stuff that you want to avoid doing. You'll regret it if you don't.

I soon came face to face with my stubbornness when it came to packing my whole life into a single bag, I can't even tell you how many clothes and useless junk I had to break up with. It was a mutual breakup and some people are very happy to have some of my old treasures. It was the point of no return, it would have been silly to back out at that point. I looked at the collection of things I acquired throughout my college experience and took a minute to reflect on how great those years were, but also took another moment to realize that they were over and nothing I could do would bring them back. People need closure and watching friends take things here and there and those final boxes dropped off at the goodwill did it, a bitter sweet end yet such an exciting future. 

A future, which of course, requires you to say goodbye to friends and family. That awkward lump in the throat that doesn't want to go away without some tears, and a final dance at the bars to maintain some level of normalcy, desperately trying to distract yourself from the fact that it is all about to end.That's the hardest part, saying goodbye because material possessions can be replaced and money owed will get paid back. However; traveling, whether it may only be for a year or maybe even less, all your friends, your family, they are saying goodbye to the person they once knew. I say this because the second you step off that plane and immerse yourself into a different lifestyle, you will never be that same person they knew again, ever. It sounds scary but the new you will be stronger, more confident, and incredibly open minded. Empathy and patience will never be foreign words to you, they will be you.

That also goes to say that you mustn't forget that life doesn't stop during the time that you're gone, in fact it seems to move a whole hell of a lot faster. As you enjoy the culture, new food, exotic trips, you'll notice that friends become engaged, brothers start families, and Christmas dinners go on without you. You're probably reconsidering taking that leap now aren't you? Don't. You know why? Because those people will still be there. You will once again be the center of attention at Christmas parties and will have the opportunity to hold your new nephew in your arms as soon as you'd think. What you will not get back is clubbing until 8am, Hiking undiscovered mountains, and making friends with someone you would have never met without the means of transportation that we have today. There is more to my life now than I can honestly begin to explain through words, and besides, I'll let you discover that for yourself. Be strong and I promise that everything, even those 'impossible' creases of your life you thought would never straighten out will take care of themselves in the most satisfying ways.