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Ciao ragazzi! (I’m still loving all things Italian even though my European adventure came to a close about 2 whole months ago *sob*)

Spring Break is 4 days away and I am having a hard time focusing (whoops) so I decided to do something that qualifies as productive and write down some of my latest thoughts (my comm. teach would be so proud… he is always stressing how important it is to express emotion) <-- (hehe and I always have to justify my actions so there’s a disclaimer for my procrastination)

Who else has a fondness for long, solo drives in the car to gather their deepest thoughts and jam to their best music? Cause I sure do.

Last weekend I had the chance to do just that when I went home to dandy Sandy to celebrate my G-Ma’s 90^th (#turnt). All that alone time in the confined space of my new-to-me super cute car had me reflecting on my life and life in general and the weird mysteries of it all. And you know what? I realized that even though nothing super spectacular is currently happening in my life right now… my life is still the raddest!

And it’s all about attitude.

I frequently stare at old pictures and get craaaazy nostalgic but then I think about the memories I’m making now and the people I am meeting here and I get so excited! Logan, Utah sounds a little lame compared to the major cities I visited in Europe but somehow, some way, the experiences I had in those magical lands sparked a zest for life in me that I didn’t recognize before!

At the beginning of my semester abroad it was the big things that made my heart swell with joy; like buying a train ticket to a new destination or exchanging glances with a hot Italian man on the metro (shallow, yes, I know… but ayy when in rome). But a couple weeks in, I started appreciating the teeny tiniest things; like watching a little bambino kick around a soccer ball with his dad or watching the joy on the woman’s face spread as she set out that days display of treats in my favorite pastry shop. And I’ll never forget the gleeful sound of the little Swiss girl’s laugh as she blew a bubble bigger than her in the plaza… Because it was then that I realized I was not only falling in love with my own exciting life, right there, in all the cool hype of Zurich, Switzerland – But I was falling in love with existing and the people who populate this cool planet.

It’s easy to be happy when life is going your way. It’s easy to be happy when you get to explore a new culture every weekend. It’s easy to be happy when you are living the life that most people only get to experience via Pinterest.

But I am here to tell you that even when things don’t go your way, when you’re stuck at home without a date on a Friday night, or when your reality is actually just sitting in the library writing papers and studying textbooks… It’s still possible to love life and be happy happy happy.

And for the second time, I emphasize, it’s all about attitude!

This year my resolution was to wake up and decide to have a good day every day and guess what boys and girls? I HAVE.

Agreeable to T-Swift’s summer single, when shiz comes your way, all you got to do is “Shake It Off”! I don’t care what anyone says, that tune speaks to my soul.

I had the coolest roommates last semester and I learned a lot from each of them. But one thing my SoCal girl said has stuck with me and it has changed my life!

“It is what it is.”

That’s right. 5 short words. Sweet and to the point.

As I’ve mentioned before, contrary to popular belief, life abroad was not always daisies and gelato (Okay I lie. Life over there was always gelato). But believe it or not, no matter how perfect social media made my life look, things were not perfect! In fact, some days were just the opposite of perfect… because hey! That’s life! And you know what Quinn would always say when something not-so-awesome happened? Those sweet 5 short words.

Life is going to happen. Whether it’s good or bad. Whether you want it or not. You can’t always control your life but you are always in control of your attitude.

Here’s how it works:

Ugly test score? It is what it is. I can do better next time.

Boy isn’t crushing back? It is what it is. He will find perfect for him and I will find someone perfect for me.

Roommate drama? It is what it is. I’ll keep doing me and they can keep doing them.

I could go on but as much as I’d like to think of this as my diary… it’s not. What I’m saying is… nothing is ever a big a deal as you initially think. Life goes on. It is what it is.

Here’s to a new motto to live by or remembering an old motto you’ve heard in the past: Life is what it is and you sometimes you just need to accept the ways things are and move right along. It will all be okay in the end! I promise you, with this attitude, life will instantly become easier and more enjoyable too.

So next time you’re feeling like life should be better to you or you find yourself getting frustrated about something out of your control, throw up your arms like this cool little guy that I recently learned how to create ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ and remind yourself IT IS WHAT IT IS.