HAWAII 2014

      Happy Sunday! I got back from Honolulu yesterday morning and it was the absolute most amazing trip of my life. Seriously, you have to go there before you die. The palm trees, the weather, the culture, the people, everything about it was perfect and I want to go back so badly! I slept for twelve hours last night and I still feel pretty tired, which tells you how miserable the plane rides are. But once you get there, it all becomes worth it. Even emptying my bank account for that trip seems worth it :) Here are some of my pictures:

Day 1: Arrive in Honolulu

Hyperventilating

      Happy Sunday! So in about 14 hours, I will be entering the airport to go to to Hawaii, which means I'll be there at 5:30 in the morning, which is insanely early considering the fact that I've been sleeping in for the past two weeks. But I'll be so excited that I don't think I'll feel that tired. Hopefully I can sleep on the eight-hour flight. I can't wait to share my pictures and experiences when I get back!

Hopefully some of my pictures will be as magical as these :)

Carpe Diem,
Brooke

Packing List for Hawaii

      Happy Saturday! I am so pumped right now because I'm leaving for Hawaii in one day and fifteen hours (5:30 a.m. on Monday)! I'm in the middle of packing right now, and it's a much bigger project than I had anticipated. I've never been on a trip as far away or as long as this one (even though it's only five days) so I'm kind of feeling out of my territory, and I'm worried that I'm going to forget something super important. Here's my list as of now:

Purse:

• Moist wipes
• Pistachios (I hate airplane peanuts)
• Advil
• Gum
• Lip balm
• Eye drops
• Wallet
• Water bottle
• Phone charger
• Headphones
• Sunglasses
• iPod
• iPhone

Carry-on:

• Book
• Travel pillow
• Beach tote (folded up)
•  Umbrella 
• Plastic bags (to put wet swimsuits in)

Checked bag:

• Rainbow flip-flops
• Rubber flip-flops
• Tennis shoes
• Socks
• Underwear
• Pajamas
• Sweatshirt
• Rain jacket (apparently it rains a lot in Hawaii)
• Shirts
• Sundress
• Shorts
• Towel
• Hat
• Sunscreen
• Toiletry clutch
• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Soap
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Razor
• Beauty bag
• Make-up
• Deodorant
• Brush
• Floss

Let me know if you can think of anything that isn't on the list! I'm so excited I could scream!

Carpe Diem,
Brooke

2014

      Happy New Year! I am so pumped for 2014 because I'm going to Hawaii on Monday, NYC in March, graduating in May, and going to KU in August! There's definitely something special about this year -- 2013 was more of a "character development" year, and 2014 is going to be action-packed, I can feel it. Instead of making New Year's Resolutions, I made monthly goals of the things I want to focus on. Here's my list:

January: Relaxation

Take deep breaths. Worry less. Do yoga. Enjoy yourself.

Listen to calming music. Recognize that high school

will be over soon, so you should have fun. Go to a spa.

Treat yourself. Remove stress from your life.

“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you

Ever have.” –Eckhart Tolle

February: Volunteering

Help people. Down Syndrome Guild, Turner Middle

School, Daniel, and more. Find new places that need

you. Help in any way you can. Donate your time.

Helping others will help you.

“You don’t need a reason to help people.” -Unknown

March: Style

Hone your personal style into how you want to

be remembered. Invest in something you really want.

Splurge on something you would use for a long time.

Purchase for quality rather than quantity.

“I like my money right where I can see it:

hanging in my closet.” –Carrie Bradshaw

April: Music

Create new playlists. Discover new artists. Listen to old

favorites. Have frequent dance parties in your room.

Use music as therapy. Listen to new genres.

Allow music to change your mood positively.

“Without music, life would be a mistake.” –Friedrich Nietzsche

May: Reading

Devote time. Read often. Go through must-reads. Re-read

an old favorite. Find a new meaning. Try a new genre.

Share what you learn. Replenish library. Make a list of

books to read.

“Books may well be the only true magic.” -Unknown

June: Fitness

Move. Try new classes. Improve running. Eat cleaner. Make

a schedule and stick to it. Work out with friends.

Have a positive attitude. Push yourself. Accomplish.

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you

have to live in.” –Jim Rohn

July: Creativity

Make fun crafts. Find your inner artist. Paint.

Photograph. Write. Find inspiration, and use it to

make your own masterpieces. Try new hobbies. Improve.

“To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of

being wrong.” –Joseph Chilton Pearce

August: Organization

Thorough cleaning. Go through everything. Reevaluate

current organization. Creating a cleaning regimen for the

week. Simplify. Get everything ready for your dorm.

“Out of clutter, find simplicity.” – Albert Einstein

September: Social

Get involved on campus. Try new things. Make new

friends. Go through rush. Attend school functions.

“Even in social life, you will never make a good impression

on other people until you stop thinking about what

sort of impression you’re making.” –C.S. Lewis

October: School

Find balance. Sleep more. Work hard. Plan goals. Work

through strategies. Try different ways. Ask great questions.

Determine best practices. Make it happen. Decisions are key.

“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising

every time we fall.” -Confucius

November: Wanderlust

Look up places. Realize that life is too short to stay

in one place. Make a list of all the cities you want

to visit. Look into how you can study abroad.

“He found himself wondering at times, especially in the autumn,

about the wild lands, and strange visions of mountains

that he had never seen came into his dreams.” –J.R.R. Tolkien

December: Love

Open heart. Be brave. Reconnect. Do what you love. Say

yes. Be comfortable in your skin. Embrace experiences.

Give and receive. Show appreciation. Love yourself.

“Life without love, is no life at all.” –Leonardo da Vinci.

 I did this last year and it really helped me accomplish each of the goals! I print them out and cut them up and tape them to my mirror so I see them every day. What are your goals for 2014?

Carpe Diem,

Brooke

Winter Break!

      Happy Thursday! I finished my last final this morning so it is officially WINTER BREAK! I have been looking forward to this day for so long, yet something feels weird. I just had my last Holiday Choir Concert which I was kind of sad about, so maybe it's just that, but I definitely feel off for some reason. I think it might have something to do with the holidays as a teenager, which sucks because you're expected to be more of an adult and care less about Christmas, but part of you is still that kid who loves Christmas more than anything ever, but you can't act like that because it's not "mature". Growing up is the worst. I just want to stay a kid forever! Perhaps I can join Peter Pan and the Lost Boys?
      Over winter break, I plan to watch a lot of Grey's Anatomy, Sex and the City, Friends, sleep, and read my new book, Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. I'll be spending the holidays with family (trying to act like a grown-up and failing) and then I'll be getting ready for Hawaii! I hope it's the best winter break yet, and then I'm a second-semester senior! Wooooooo!

Carpe Diem,
Brooke

I See the Light

      Happy Wednesday! Today was my second day of finals, and I am so looking forward to tomorrow at 11 a.m. when my AP Environmental Science final is finished. It's been a really stressful week (which is apparent from my bruised middle finger due to writing so much and my killer headache), but I've been able to get this far by thinking about Christmas, New Year's Eve, and HAWAII. It's legitimately all I think about, especially during my finals (oops), and I've been counting down since there were 120 days until Hawaii, and now it's only 18! Here's our itinerary:

Day 1: arrive in Honolulu, check into our hotel, poolside pizza party

Day 2: Pearly Harbor Tour, state Capitol building, swimming and shopping

Day 3: Diamond Head (volcano), Chief's Luau in Oahu

Day 4: Hanauma Bay marine preserve, snorkeling, dinner on the beach

Day 5: Kualoa Ranch, movie set tour, swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, canoeing

Overnight flight

I'm so excited for all of it! Wish me luck in my final tomorrow!

Carpe Diem,
Brooke