Tag Archives: Lessons Learned

5 Things I’ve Learned from Europeans

Living abroad has taught me my fair share of lessons, like don’t try and take out your rent money all at once, and milk isn’t refrigerated at the supermarket (yikes!), but below are a list of the five most important things I’ve learned from Europeans since being here:

  1. Coffee making is an art form – Trust me, the coffee here is ten times better than anything I’ve had anywhere else (and I don’t even really like coffee)
  2. Don’t take yourself too seriously – Life is short, so enjoy the view while you’ve got it.
  3. You can never know enough languages – the other day I was speaking with this one girl who switched between Spanish, English, French, and German, how amazing is that?
  4. Train travel is severely underrated -It’s cheaper than planes, there are no security lines, you have cell phone service the whole time, and there are no bag fees.
  5.  Enjoy your meals – This extends so much further than the food on your plate. Take the time to enjoy those around you, as well as savor each and every bite you take.

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Until Next Time

Lessons Learned

I still can’t come to terms with the fact that I will be entering into my twenties in a mere ten hours.

Twenty.

It’s not the number that scares me, rather the implications that come with entering into this new decade.

July 1999 - December 2011

July 1999 – December 2011

Legally buying my favorite bottle of wine, playing my last collegiate soccer game, graduating NYU, applying to grad school, getting a real job, and falling in and out of love are just some of the bittersweet things that await me this next decade. Yes I’m scared, but it’s an adventure I’m finally ready to take on.

I know I wouldn’t be at this point in my life without falling down, scraping my knees and getting back up again, so this post is dedicated to the 10 things I’ve learned that have helped me get to this point in my life.

  1. Smiling is key to getting through anything. Learn to smile. And if you don’t know how, fake it till you make it. The flash of my pearly whites have gotten me through numerous awkward situations, a handful of Spanish conversations where I am completely lost in translation, and have helped me forge more friendships than I can remember.
  2. Take lots of pictures. Though I’ve been criticized and told I take way too many pictures, I find solace in the fact that I am constantly getting asked to “upload this” or to “send me that pic”. I’m not just snapping away people and places, I’m capturing memories – bottling them up for years to come.
  3. Laugh at yourself. A lot. They say laughter is the best medicine and I’d have to agree. I probably wouldn’t have made it out alive of my teenage years if I wasn’t able to laugh at my gawky self and my less than flattering outfit choices.
  4. Admit defeat, but never accept it. This life lesson stems partly from my athletic career. Like I’ve said numerous times, I hate to lose, but defeat is the only way to learn our weaknesses.
  5. Don’t be afraid to try new things. After embarking on my “Twenties” list I began to find who I truly am and the things I really like. Though I wasn’t able to cross everything off my list, I feel it brought out my adventurous spirit which is truly what is important.
  6. You don’t have to defend your actions and thoughts to anybody but yourself. ‘Nuff said.
  7. Traveling gives you more than good stories and a newfound sense of global awareness. After living overseas as a child, and now studying in Spain, I see things through a completely new perspective. I’ve caught the traveling bug, symptoms include increased sense of adventure, empty bank accounts, new friends, and countless memories. If you get too close you might catch it too!
  8. Procrastination will never get you anywhere, except to a diner at 4 in the morning with a bad cup of joe. I promise I’ll tell you about this one later.
  9. Take care of your body because it’s the only one you have. I’ve been trying to find balance for a long time and I will never admit it’s easy. On top of nutrition, I’ve pushed my body to extremes, caught myself overtraining and doing things that were in the end detrimental to my body. It’s all about moderation in everything you do, especially for your body.
  10. Priorities are everything. Family is everything to me and without them, I’d be nothing. It’s important to keep in mind the people who you got you to where you are today and say thanks every once in awhile.

Hope you find these lessons helpful and they get you through a tough day or week!

Oh! And a huge shout out to my family for putting up with me the past 20 years!IMG_3689