Not a goodbye..but a see you later

This end to the semester leaves me with a bittersweet feeling. As I am happy to be done with papers, projects and exams, I am leaving behind my boyfriend, friends and my life in Boston for my co-op in NYC. Thats where the bittersweet taste comes in. I am so sad to be leaving such huge parts of my life for a little while, but I can't help but be super excited for my job at Nars Cosmetics! I can not wait to start this new chapter of my life in no other than the best city in the world-New York City. There is also the added bonus of living at home with my family, and an even more of an added bonus-free food and my mom to do my laundry!!!!

This semester has been more than I could have expected. I did great in my classes and accomplished things that I never thought I would be able to. I worked my butt off as usual, while at the same time managed to have the most fun with my friends. I'm so sad that this semester was my last in Treble on Huntington, but I finished strong with a solo and a whole lot of love from the girls:) Being a study abroad ambassador was also such a great experience and I am looking forward to joining the team again next fall. I guess even through the sadness, I can look back on a wonderful semester and look forward to my adventures to come!

I guess thats a wrap! Bye Boston..Hellooooo NYC and Nars! 

Yea, I know that I'm leaving BUT maybe you will be hearing from you sooner than you think;)

Briana

Turkey Time

Hello!!!

Just when I thought that I wasn't going to get a CO-OP and I would have to graduate in the spring, I accepted my CO-OP at Nars Cosmetics in NYC! I am more than thrilled and excited to be apart of Nars and am SO excited be moving back home:) Not only do I get to move back to NYC and reunite with Matt, in true Lucy and Ethel fashion,I will be attending Fashion Week! I can't even put my excitement into words-I think I will faint on the scene. SO EXCITEDD!!

Besides from my super cool CO-OP coming up, I am just wrapping up the semester and patiently waiting to go home for Thanksgiving! I can't wait to see my family and relax for a little bit! I can't believe that this semester is almost over, seriously it went so fast. I really did enjoy the semester and everything that I was apart of, especially my role as a study abroad ambassador. Its not over yet though- another meeting or so-no goodbyes yet!

I have a very exciting Thanksgiving break ahead-seeing my family and friends and celebrating my boyfriend's 22nd birthday in Manhattan. I hope you all have a great holiday and really reflect upon what you are thankful for. I am thankful for so much and really do count my blessings every day. Its really easy to forget about all of the good things in our lives when we are faced with a bad time but keep your head up and stay positive.

Tis the season to love!

Briana

Mishaps and Madness

Oh what a crazy couple of weeks I have had! For starters, I spilled coffee all over my laptop, ran all over Boston trying to get it fixed only to fInd out it was fried and would cost a wopping $ 1,260 to bring back to life! WHAT! I mean c'mon, if my week started with that, how much worse could it get? Luckily nothing as bad as that came after my tragic loss of my laptop, just 3 midterms and 4 job interviews in one week, but thats a piece of cake in my busy busy life.  A tornado of stress let me tell you! But I really can't complain, I am healthy and have good things coming my way so there is no other option other than thinking positive and staying on the right track.

My week of madness made me think of all of my mishaps abroad, and let me tell you there were many. On top of being a dramatic person as it is, add in being in a foreign country to the mix and a mole hill can turn into a very large mountain. Broken chargers, losing my Michael Kors watch, losing money, losing train tickets, rushing to flights-the list goes on and on. Most of the time thats what would happen when I was abroad, a constant struggle to get it right, The simplest things were a battle for me, especially when I was in Greece. The first day I got there I went food shopping and I got so frustrated because all of the labels were in Greek and I couldn't read the nutrition facts or find anything that I needed. Instead of being calm about it and trying something new, I started crying, left the store and felt as if I wanted to go home from Greece because of my frustration. I have found through my travels and through college that feeling this way was completely normal, since I was in a foreign place, it was expected that it would take a while to adjust to the culture and their tricky nutrition labels.

I guess the moral of the story is patience. By no means am I the text book definition of patient person, however, studying abroad really has helped me to be more patient and to take issues for what they are and not something they are not. It is hard to work through these struggles while being abroad, but to be honest thats life. Nothing is easy, it can always be worse and ultimately what doesn't kill you makes you much stronger. There are worse things in life than a broken laptop and not being able to read the nutrition label. Its through bigger experiences that we learn what is important and what to get upset over and what not to let faze us. Its time to practice what I preach, take a deep breath and be grateful for all of the great things that I have in my life :)

Talk again soon,

Briana

There's Always Something There to Remind me

I can not believe that every where that I look and every where that I turn there is a sign from Dublin. Its either that  I'm seeing things and am completely crazy (which is possible) or there is an extremely weird coincidence that every single day without fail, I see something that screams Ireland. Lets go with option B.Today, it was a woman on the T in an Irish sweater. I have the same exact one, which is why I knew for a fact that it was an Irish sweater. I mean c'mon what are the odds? Yesterday it was a shamrock tattoo on some guys arm and the day before that I spotted an Irish rugby jersey on a guy on Northeastern's campus. Yes, I know that I live in Boston and there is a large Irish population here BUT there is just something different about the signs that I am seeing, almost as if I am meant to see them to go about my day or to think of Ireland. I mean I guess I will never know, but I cant help but notice these things. I guess what it comes down to is that I really cant escape Dublin. It really was my home for a while and that city taught me so much and really changed me. It's rare that I say that about a city since I am obsessed with NYC, but I have to say London and Dublin are up there on my list..watch out New York!

So seeing the woman in the Irish sweater today inspired me to write and I guess go back on my Facebook timeline and read and look at everything I posted while I was away. Really wasn't a good idea since I started crying BUT I have to admit I am a big baby. Before I started crying, I was reading my statuses and I really remembered how happy I was and excited to embark on that journey. It was a big deal for me, my last study abroad with my best friend Chelsea to one of the most charming cities in the world..why wouldn't I be ecstatic? I just look back at all of the pictures and really think about the memories and I can feel nothing but bliss. I am so grateful. I was so grateful then and still am grateful to be able to look back and say "Wow I did that!!!" 

I was also thinking today while listening to music how amazing it is how music can really bring you back to a certain time. My best friend Matt and I always talk about this and every time we listen to Speechless by Lady Gaga we are brought back to our 17 year old selves belting Speechless in "Sully" my little ford focus in the middle of winter. I get chills just thinking about it.  When I was in Greece I listened to Sarah Bareilles' album Kaleidoscope Heart non stop, so now when I listen I cant help but feel like I am at Papa Kirizai sitting on my bed with the window open and flowers always on my night stand. My experience in Dublin completely was surrounded and engulfed in music. When I was away my boyfriend would send me playlists. Each song really resonates with me and means a lot to me, not only because he sent them to me, but also because each song made me feel so much at that time.  I could probably describe to you where I was or how I felt during each song that he sent me. Whether it brought extreme happiness or sorrow, each song made me FEEL, and digging into those emotions is something that has made me a stronger human being.  Listening to those songs will never be the same, but when I listen to certain songs I feel like I am in the place where I first listened to the song...so its kinddddd of like im there? right??? Croatia. Venice, London..NOT! I''m right here in Boston :(

 Also, One Republic's album Natives really reminds me of Dublin and brings me back to the Emerald City that I love so much. When I miss Dublin I listen to them and I feel very warm :) Mirrors by Justin Timberlake throws me back to London and the time I spent with Matt, I get this visual in my head of a gloomy day in the middle of London, dressed up like millionaires and drinking Cafe Nero with Matt. We always dress like theres no tomorrow- I love it so much! There are so many moments that I wish I could get back and re live again and again but as much as I would love to I can't. Memories are something I hold very close to my heart. These moments will never escape me no matter where I am in the world. 

Well on that note, I will leave you with some lyrics from a One Republic song that I really think encompasses my  experiences studying abroad. Enjoy!

I owned every second
That this world could give
I saw so many places
The things that I did
Yeah, with every broken bone
I swear I lived

Stressed out September

Thankfully September is rolling out because September literally felt like three months. School has been pretty stressful already which doesn't give me much hope for the rest of it but I am trying to stay hopeful! I think that this has been the most difficult adjustment, coming from Dublin to Northeastern. I am trying to prioritize and to focus but I am finding it extremely difficult to not day dream about only having less than two semesters left..meaning only two semesters left of homework ever again in my life!

Co-op is also coming up for me next semester which is further adding to the stress that September is bringing. Debating to do CO-OP in Boston vs. NY has been a struggle for me but i am focusing my decision not on the place but on the job. Decisions, decisions.... I recently have had this idea in my head of living abroad after I graduate. I am thinking of London but I really don't know what will be in the cards. I really just want to do something out of the ordinary before I have a family and a career, the travel bug isn't out of my system yet but I really don't think that it will ever leave.

I was thinking the other day of how thankful that I am that I started traveling at such a young age. I really think its so important for students to start traveling early on in their lives. Once you travel, your mind set really does change and life after that isn't really the same. All of my abroad experiences have influenced each other and pushed me to want to see more and more of the world. I've seen a lot for only being 21 but I am still so curious to what else is out there and now I'm more curious as to what life would be like to not only live abroad for a longer period of time but to work abroad as well. I am very grateful to have chosen a college that supports and encourages studying abroad as much as Northeastern does. I don' think any other school would have enabled me to go abroad 3 times in less than 4 years. I have to say that all of those experiences made my college experience what it is and I really wouldn't trade a moment for anything. From all of these experiences who would have thought that I may possibly end up living abroad for a bit? Its crazy and scary to think about but I think that moving abroad for a bit would really open my eyes to a broader picture and really challenge me personally and professionally.

Exciting things are to come but for the present I have to really focus in on getting to my goals and not lose sight of what is important even though it may be hard to see right now. Good things come to those who wait and I have no choice but to wait about 2 years

.. so hopefullyALL of my dreams will come true (or some would be okay with me )

Updates soon!!

Briana

Back to Basics

So after a crazy semester of traveling the world, meeting new people and studying in a completely different country, I guess its safe to say that I needed to snap back to reality sooner or later. I had an amazing summer though which continued my travels-this time in the US. I went to New Orleans, Georgia, North Carolina and Miami. I also had a summer full of concerts: Lana Del Rey, One Direction, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Beyonce, John Mayer, Phillip Phillips, Maroon 5,  Kelly Clarkson, Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake and Jay Z, TOO MANY! Now the summer is unfortunately over and I am back at Northeastern for a full semester of classes and internships and jobs oh my! I guess this is the real reality hitting me. Doing homework, going to work, studying- it really didn't hit me that I would have to enter real life again. NEWS FLASH-I do and I will have to for a very long time. No more weekend trips to Venice or Croatia. No more Vogue fashion events in London and definitely no more Irish accents to put a smile on my face when I was having a bad day.

Okay, maybe I am being a little over dramatic, and if you know me that is definitely how I am, but regardless, coming from being abroad and then having the summer of my life it is hard to adjust to life back at Northeastern. It is now about three and a half weeks into the semester and I am finally adjusting and feeling better about things. At first I was very upset and very weird about being back. I felt as if I was gone and the whole world flipped and then I came back. I was nervous that everything would be different when I came back, although some things did, everything pretty much is the same and I really was welcomed back with open arms. I was lucky to have my best friends Matt and Chelsea who also studied abroad to share my feelings with, only to find they were feeling the exact same way.

I really think about it and I really do think I was the happiest I have ever been in my life last semester in Dublin, and I was afraid coming back would change that. When I was abroad I promised myself that I would concentrate on the NOW instead of always looking forward to the future because now is happening and I don't want to miss a single minute. I now know that no matter where I am I can see the beauty in life because to be honest I feel blessed every second to be living and I have come to this realization through my abroad experiences. I have so much to look forward to this semester: my Screen Gems and Sony internship, my amazing boyfriend and incredible friends, my come back to my acapella group-Treble on Huntington, and many more things that will definitely make me very happy. I am also a study abroad ambassador at Northeastern which helps me with my missing my abroad experience and Dublin in general. I am able to speak to my peers about studying abroad and encourage them to take advantage of the opportunity. If I could convince one person to take the leap and to go abroad and have the experience that I did I would be satisfied. It is an amazing experience and I can not wait to extend my travels hopefully after graduation!

Well, work is calling and I'm off to another crazy afternoon.

More details to come,

Briana

Back to the USA

As weird as it still is to me, I am sitting in my kitchen in New York writing my last blog of my extraordinary study abroad experience in Dublin. The past 4 months, although some days felt like forever, truly did fly by faster than I ever imagined. It almost feels like a dream to me that I was there, such a weird feeling. After seeing Lana Del Rey in Dublin I went on my last Euro trip to Barcelona and Ibiza with Chelsea. We had an amazing time..Spain was beautiful in every way..especially the weather and the delicious Sangria!!! Ibiza was as crazy as it is sing about seeing that my Michael Kors watch was gone after a night at Pacha... But other than that it was a great trip and a nice relaxing way to end my 4 months of non stop traveling and exploring.

After Spain we headed back to Dublin then to catch a flight to the USA when I was surprised by my sister and best friend Matt in Boston

upon my arrival. Made me SOOOOO happy but I never thought that I would have to say goodbye to Dublin as soon as I did,but it is such a huge part of my life and my heart. I know I will go back and continue to explore but for now I think I have to cool it for a bit. Not only is globe trotting expensive but it is so tiring..I mean you basically live out of a suitcase..I cantttt OVER IT! I am so happy to be home and to start my adventures in America, trust me there are many to come. This experience has taught me so much, things I really can't explain or write about but it really did made me fall in love with many things, people and places and I have to say I have never been this happy in my entire life. Its completely priceless and amazing and I am forever grateful.
Well America, you have me for a while but I am already planning my next adventure..Australia? Japan? who knows but I will never stop traveling, never stop wondering..I just can't stop. Theres so much to see, so much beauty to uncover but until then, PARTY IN THE USA!!!