Sorority Rush Tips: 13 Ways to Get the Bid You Want

When you enter the jungle of sorority rush week with active sisters on the prowl for fresh meat, you need to be prepared. To Greek or not to Greek is one of the bigger decision you make in your social collegiate career and, whether we want to admit it or not, it can resemble a Darwin-esque survival of the fittest battle.

Last week, Abigail Sullivan Moore wrote an article for The New York Times about the great lengths that young women go to prepare for the recruitment and pledging process. She cites that many college females attending universities in the South enlist the help of coaches who take them through a mock rush process to prepare them for the actual event.

But never fear! You don’t need a professional rush-army to get you through the recruitment events. Here are some steps that can help you along your way to conquering the jungle and being accepted into the perfect sisterhood for you.

1) Be yourself. While this may sound cliché or obvious, many girls will put on an act to appear more “likeable” with the hopes of seeming like a better fit. But, when rushing a sorority, you are choosing your family away from home (I mean, they are your sisters, after all). Would you want to be stuck with a family for the next four years that you really do not mesh with? Don’t try to fit the mold of the sorority, but see if it fits you!

2) Do your research. Most schools have several sororities that rush on campus. Each sorority has different values, culture, and pillars. Before rushing any or all sororities, make sure you look into the histories and culture of each so you get an idea of what they are looking for and whether this works for you. The sorority rush process is like a two-way job interview – you are looking to impress them and receive a bid, but they want to impress you into accepting their bid, too!

3) Do not rely on reputations. Use your own judgment. A lot of college life revolves around gossip that may or may not be true. Each sorority may have their own campus stereotype but, most of the time, there is little to no truth behind them! While you may hear this or that rumor about certain sororities, go into rush with an open-mind. Listen to what they say about their sorority and what they stand for, rather than what you heard. Your own self-formed opinion will serve as a better guide than false reputations.

4) Explore the different kinds of Greek life opportunities on campus. When it comes to Greek life, people assume that fraternities and sororities resemble those depicted on screen, like ABC Family’s Greek,  or the movie Legally Blonde. While it is true that social Greek organizations dominate most campuses, there are other options! There are community service fraternities and sororities, which focus on a more thorough and hands-on service schedule, as well as the social aspects of Greek life. Business fraternities (co-ed) are also on the rise for those future business executives on campus looking to thrive with like-minded individuals. Don’t limit your opportunity to find your niche.

5) Learn how to best market yourself. Carry yourself with confidence and make sure to familiarize yourself with the leadership and community service aspects of your resume. Show your potential future sisters what makes you stand out from the rest of the rushees and why you would be the perfect fit for their sisterhood.

6) Be outgoing. This might be more difficult for some than others, but it is vital when trying to catch the eye of active sisters. In the sea of girls vying for a spot in their top choice sorority, you want to do everything you can to be remembered. Don’t be afraid to go up and introduce yourself to active sisters and ask them about their time in the sorority. Showing interest and initiative are the best way to get on the short-list to getting a bid! (Tip: It is really impressive and useful if you remember the names of the active sisters you talk to. Use whatever mnemonic device you can, repeat it to yourself 100,000 times, whatever helps you remember! Using a person’s name makes them feel good about the conversation, which could really be a plus in the recruitment process, and in making you more memorable!)

7) Dress the part. You want to put your best foot forward because first impressions are everything and, with events as hectic and short as rush, you only have a limited amount of time to really make sure you stick in the minds of active sisters. They are looking for girls who are really taking the process seriously, which means your appearance, as well! Exchange your Ugg boots and tennis shoes for cute flats or sensible heels, and ditch your distressed jeans for a pencil skirt or slacks. You want to ooze professionalism and respectability.

8) Be honest with yourself. Throughout the week, eliminate sororities that you cannot see yourself in. This is all about a mutual perfect fit. You want to be somewhere you feel the most comfortable being yourself. Furthermore, don’t feel like you can or cannot rush based on what your friends are doing. Greek life isn’t for everyone, but if it is for you, joining will be the best decision you could have made in your college social life.

9) Make your own decisions. Opting to go through the rush process with friends could be a great comfort, but it could also hold you back from making the decision that is best for you. It is all about being an individual. Your top choice may not be your friend’s top choice … and this should never sway your decision! In the end, you will both be happy for yourselves and each other when you find yourselves the sorority that is best suited for you.

10) Be appropriate. While television shows and movies might make you believe that sororities are all about partying and dating frat guys, this is far from the truth. Being in a sorority means forging relationships with your sisters, creating a network for outside of college, and learning real world skills like leadership, cooperation, and serving others. Do not talk about drinking, partying, or your finesse with the opposite sex. This is not impressive or becoming of a potential pledge and future sister. Make sure to reveal the best image of yourself.

11) Don’t be nervous. There is nothing to be scared about! Your fear of finding the best place for you parallels the active sisters’ fear of wanting to find the sisters that will be the best additions to their existing Greek family. Instead, look to the exciting future of the possibility of new friends, new experiences, and new skills. Take a deep breath and just be yourself.

12) Be passionate. As a founding member and current president of my campus’ first community service sorority, I remember falling in love with girls who really had a fire behind their words. Tell the active sisters why you love sisterhood, your university, community service, leadership, and friendship! Let your personality come through and the girls are bound to love you. Passion and individuality are king (or queen!) when it comes to recruitment.

13) Enjoy yourself! There is no other process in college – or even post-college – which can truly be compared to sorority rush. It is both exciting and memorable, it will also help to shape the remainder of your collegiate career. Don’t forget to take a moment or two and really appreciate the process, your fellow rushees and active sisters, and the entire Greek life culture.

Good luck and may the sisterhood be with you!

The original article can be found published on PolicyMic: here

Carly Rae JOB-sen.

Well, I am a typical twenty-something approaching graduation, the Funeral March softly tinkling in the background. The number one thing on my mind is getting a post-grad job. Whether I will be graduating in January 2012 or May 2013 (still up in the air), the number one goal still stands - Get hired, or die trying.

So, in a fit of stress and delusion, I created this short little diddy from the chorus of my favorite summer guilty pleasure. It isn't a moment of musical/lyrical genius, but I hope it makes you smile. Especially you, overly ambitious, stressed and employment-challenged twenty-something. Yes, you.

Hey, I just met you,

and this interview was crazy,

but here's my resume,

so, hire me, maybe...?

Maybe when I am bored at a later date, I will create an entire parody (with YouTube music video included). But, for now, I am going to sign off with that. Wishing you all a happy Fourth of July. May America continue to be a land of the free and home of the brave, but have a little more pity on us graduating college students in the job arena...

The Social Media (R)evolution

In light of Mashable's event this past Saturday - Social Media Day - I've decided to really take some time to think about this (r)evolutionary (even beyond North African uprising) addition to our modern society and what it has meant for me. I mean, if we are inventing wide-reaching events for it, then we must really come to terms with the fact that social media has really made an impact on the way our generation reacts, communicates, and relates.

Social media created the voice of our generation, or maybe just created the possibility for each of us to become the voice of our (or just a) generation...because no blog post should go without a Lena Dunham and/or Girls reference.

I first became interested in social media a couple of years ago. I can't pinpoint a date (although, my Twitterversary is March 3, 2010) or where I was when I decided to invest my free time into trolling the many networking sites that the Internet has to offer. But, I can definitely tell that it has affected my life besides the obvious fact of Facebook being Satan to productivity, encouraging me to spend hours stalking pictures of people I knew well, people I've met once, or people I never want to see again, rather than completing the mountains of work I have looming over my head.

I think that growing up with social networks readily available has succeeded in providing me with my own voice.

I am able to talk about whatever I want, whenever I want and guarantee that at least one other person will see it. If that isn't powerful, I don't know what is. I think that all of us youngsters or twenty-somethings are just trying to be heard and the Facebooks & Twitters of this world are just giving us the outlet.

For better or worse, social media has made pseudo-activists out of all of us. Whether we religiously follow the news or just hear about the big current events through word of mouth, social media has provided an unavoidable way to make sure that huge, trending news stories are heard by all.

For example, when the Kony 2012 viral video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc) emerged through the social media channels, people who had never even cared about the well-being of children in Africa, or Africa in general for that matter, were screaming from the rooftops and stomping their feet in outrage about their concern for the children in Uganda. People were moved to make a difference and make the voices of these invisible children heard by tweeting, posting, status-ing, and video sharing. Social media gave those without a voice the chance to shout and they grabbed it. Even this past week with the SCOTUS decision on Obamacare, I cannot count the number of "I am not sure what Obamacare even entails, but YAY!" (or something along those lines) tweets that I saw from people who I knew for a fact never were politically charged before.

For me, social media has opened the possibility of cross-cultural connection. Since I was fifteen years old (and somewhat old enough to understand the expansiveness of the world we live in), I have constantly been hoping that whatever job I luckily receive in the future would somehow work toward creating a world without borders. A world where differences don't define us, but bring us closer together. What makes me love social media so dearly is that it has created an overflowing channel that lends itself to this end.

Social media emphasizes communication and, in my mind, communication creates understanding.

People from every corner and crevice of the world can easily connect to people from distant lands that they may never have or never will even set foot in. When I was studying abroad in Paris, I used social media to document my time through frequent tweets and hundreds and hundreds of pictures uploading into Facebook albums. Through social media, I painted my study abroad adventure for all to see and enjoy.

Through hashtags and mentions and tags, messages are deployed with an unbelievable reach. Maybe it is just my overly optimistic and rose-colored lens belief, but I believe (and hope) that, if harnessed correctly, social media can really make huge steps in creating a more unified and understanding world. In a way, I'm sure it already has.

More personally, social media has opened up an interesting job path for me and others in a similar field. With post-grad job searches being as difficult as they are and with graduation date fast approaching, this effect of social media has had unbelievable gravity in my life. As a student of communications, public relations, and international relations, I have the opportunity to mesh all of these specialties together to really work on creating a global social media strategy for any company, agency, or product I work for. Social media is so new and constantly evolving that us kids of the millennial persuasion have the opportunity to grab hold of this revolution and ride it to the top. This job title of "community developer/manager" or "engagement specialist" lends itself to us post-undergrad twenty-somethings because we have had our finger on the pulse of social networking since day one. Take THAT Baby Boomers!

So much is left to be explored and mastered, so much is left to develop and evolve. The integration of social media strategy into any company's marketing/PR initiative is growing deeper and deeper. This has given me (and others like me) the chance to be masters and experts, rather than going into a well-established field and learning the practices of our predecessors. We have  the chance to lead the (r)evolution.

And, I don't know about you, but I am excited to pave my own path in this new social world.

@GabieKur

From the City of Lights to the City That Never Sleeps

For those of you who have read my blog, have spoken to me recently, or just generally know anything about me, I am pretty sure you would gather the fact that I just spent the four most amazing months of my life in Paris, the City of Lights, of baguettes, of cheese, and of endless discoverable rues. I am obsessed with my time abroad and I find myself speechless and babbling about it, depending on the day, whenever I am asked the timeless question from people I haven't seen in a while: "So, how was Paris?"

But now, I find myself in another metropole, one that might be even more coveted than Paris (although, that could be debated). This summer, I spend roughly between 50-60 hours of my week working and commuting to New York City. It might sound rough, going two hours a day to and from this gargantuan concrete jungle (isn't this term becoming cliche?), but I get the chills up my spine every time the city skyline peeks out from my window on the LIRR train.

While abroad, whenever a "foreigner" (I hate using this term because, at that point, I was the foreigner, wasn't I?) asked me where I came from, I would just say New York. Why split hairs? It's not like they would understand Long Island geographically anyways. And as for the few that did, they connected it with the Hamptons. So, to save myself an explanation and wasted breath, I would put my hometown under the geographical blanket of New York.

Man, oh man, you should have seen the kind of reactions I would get! It was as if, suddenly, their opinion of me skyrocketed up the charts of coolness. I became this sophisticated, other-worldly creature who traversed the streets of Times Square like a pro and had every opportunity at her fingers.

The last two tidbits aren't entirely untrue (while the first two totally are - I am just a goofball, no sophistication or otherworldiness involved). I do work in the middle of Times Square at the Viacom building, which forces me to not-so effortlessly or gracefully shove myself through hordes of tourists. And NYC does provide endless opportunities, whether for a culinary adventure, the chance of meeting someone truly interesting (i.e., an unusual street artist), or that awesome dream job you've been itching for. It's all here.

New York City is so different from Paris, though. I must admit, I did have a bit of reverse culture shock. The amount of people on the streets doubled, the amount of noise tripled, and the possibility of getting run over in the street by a taxi cab quadrupled (which, with crossing Rue du Rivoli daily while in Paris, is a huge feat).

Sure, both cities have reputations that precede them, unbelievable architecture, culture, and an inordinate amount of tourists, but their flavors vary. Paris is a classier city, one with a regal quality. It's buildings bleed history, luxury, and thatje ne sais quoi that Paris does so well. Paris adapts to every person to deliver them their own bit of fairytale.

New York City is harsher, it demands more attention. It's where the business-minded come to thrive and innovate. It's where the weak are separated from the strong. New York Citymakes you take it's metallic wonder in, rather than molding to your fantasy.

Working in New York City has been a true experience. I am lucky enough to have two internships this summer - Viacom (specifically VH1), as I had earlier mentioned, and on the marketing team of Outbrain (www.outbrain.com, @outbrain), a content discovery platform. Whether I am in Times Square (Monday and Wednesday) or Union Square (Tuesday, Thursday and Friday), I make it a point to take 15-20 minutes out of my day to sit and watch the world pass me by.

I am a professional people watcher.

In Manhattan, the world is constantly buzzing. People are constantly moving, life is constantly rolling on - it's like there is a constant heavy bass-line pushing everyone along on the huge avenues. (Maybe Kaskade or Calvin Harris would be the ones to master the NYC soundtrack?) If Paris had a soundtrack, it would be something along the lines of Debussy or Vanessa Paradis' unbelievably catchy song,La Seine (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z-NbQvhzKM).

Manhattan is busier, dirtier, and harsher, but I love it just the same. Paris is classic, cultured, and endless, and I miss it desperately. Nowhere else in the world could you for four months straight twirl your finger over a map, land on a random metro stop, exit at said metro stop, and wander the streets with curiosity and find new treasures each time. Each of these cities are constantly battling in my heart for the top spot. It's hard to see where I feel more at home, in two places where I feel comfortable with both of the languages.

I guess they each appeal to different sides of me. Paris is my inner wanderluster, elegant debutante, and wine-o. New York City is my goal-driven, attitude-y, ground-stompin' self. Put the two together and you have one girl, in love with the world, lusting after two of the greatest cities ever to be placed on the map.

Life after study abroad

Behold, I'm back! After a bit of a hiatus from writing, I am going to try and get myself back into the groove of crafting posts that you all will hopefully find interesting! It has been almost two weeks since I have returned from my life in Europe and the transition has been pretty smooth. Although, I have been experiencing some post-partum pains. Every time I enter into a supermarket, I sulk through the bread aisles, yearning for my crispy and still-warm baguettes or viennoises. When I pass a bakery, the tartes look deflated and dull. The wine is acidic and lacking the air of expertise that all French wine labels seem to bleed. When I drive - and think how much easier it would be to take the metro - I secretly hope that the Eiffel Tower will poke out its peak at wave at me. I feel Paris calling me and I want to scream its name from the Long Island tree tops.

Don't get me wrong, though. Being home has been a treat, as well. There is a comfort that comes with home that no other place can replicate. I am not going to lie, when we touched down in New York - JFK airport, I teared up as I stared out the window. I was back in my Motherland, and I felt like it was welcoming me with these warm and welcome arms. Being away from the United States, a country I value in a way that cannot be put into words, only made me appreciate it even more upon my return.

Being abroad has been an unbelievable experience, one that I have been having a hard time admitting is over. I had been waiting for that adventure since I was in kindergarten, planning my college career around it, and in the blink of an eye, as if it were a dream, it is over. They always say it is better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all, or that all good things must come to an end, but I have always been a fan of having my cake, eating it, and then eating it again and again and again. In a way, I feel like I was breaking up with Paris after a whirlwind springtime romance. I left him behind, despite the fact that he loved me well and taught me invaluable things about myself. In the back of my mind, I am hoping that there is still something left for him and I, Paris and myself, but for the time being, I will just take the lessons we learned from our time together and continue on with my life.

My last bit of time in Paris can be described as desperate, but not in the way you would assume it meant. Desperate to grasp all the culture I could, desperate to see everything my eyes could take in, desperate to not miss out on anything that would leave me kicking myself later on. I ran around the city like a starving man, gulping down everything about my surrounding world that I could because it seemed the only way to give my wonderful Paris the proper goodbye. My parents came to fetch me and spend a little time after my semester finished with me in Paris and it was wonderful. The part of my world that was pulling me back home had arrived in the city that I had grown to love madly and everything was perfect. I had tried crafting the perfect excuse to drop everything and move there - nothing was holding us back! After an amazing extra week in Paris with the homesickness dissolved, it made it that much harder to leave. Another week was spent in Spain on the island of Mallorca. It was an island paradise that differed from the hustle and bustle of the French metropole. It was the greatest place to go and wean myself off of Europe and ease myself back into the life of a suburban New Yorker.

When I graduate from Boston University, just like the class of 2012 did today, I know that I will forever know that I accomplished everything I wanted to in college and mainly because I fulfilled my study abroad dreams.

This summer, I am trying to continue with the quick speed of life I lived in Paris by spending 5-days a week in the heart New York City, my favorite city in the world (sorry, Paris, you're a close, close, close second). I am interning for MTV Networks (specifically, VH1) and for a super cool start-up, Outbrain Inc. Both are going to be amazing learning experiences where I will continue this trend of learning about myself and what I am capable of. But, more on that later...(sorry, that was SO future/Bob Saget Ted Mosby of me)

Since I guess this concludes my study abroad aventure, this blog is going to be taking a less European approach and going to detail my adventures in the most dreamed about metropolitan city in the world. New York City, practically the Holy Grail of metropoles. The blog will be undergoing a name change (same URL, though!) and perhaps an aesthetic change very shortly. I can't wait to continue chronicling my journey as a girl in her 20s because, as those of who you have lived through it or at least watched an episode of HBO's Girls, things can get awkward, hilarious, and inspiring.

Check back in soon because I promise I'll have a story to tell. Until then, for the last time...

Bisous!

Still living a moveable feast

My last few weeks have been...draining, eventful, exhilarating, and non-stop.

While, unfortunately, I didn't get much time to write (and I'm sorry for that), I have certainly been doing a lot of living. So, let's recap as best as possible...

My last week of classes was exhausting. So much work and only one night to study for finals! Presentations, and papers, and reading, oh my! Every night was a late night of stressing and wondering why there aren't more hours in the day or more juice in my tank to work even harder.

But, eventually, finals were over and, as I think back on it, I can definitely smile now for two reasons. First, I am done with classes! Ha-ha at all of my Boston University (and other various universities) friends who still have another half of the semester to toil over textbooks. And secondly, I made it through a semester of college-level classes in a foreign language! If learning about history and politics in French isn't a feat, then I might as well throw the towel in for trying to be impressive.

The very same night as finals ended, I jetted off for spring break in Prague, Czech Republic! I have received a lot of questions about why I would have chosen Prague to spend my spring break - going from somewhere cold to somewhere even colder. Well, I wanted to go somewhere a little different than the usual tropical destinations. I wanted a historical experience and a party all wrapped up into one unusual European location. The Czech Republic gave me exactly what I needed.

Each day of break was a marathon to soak up as many of the amazing sights that Prague has to offer, not to mention to scarf down as much of the hearty food (that we definitely have been missing in Paris) that we possibly could. Going to Prague is not a place you go on a diet. Whether it is the pounds of meat, potatoes, and bread dumplings, deep fried cheese, or the foot long wieners as the replacement for Taco Bell as the late night snack, or the world's best beer (arguably), Kortney, Catherine, and I totally ate our way through Prague.


Yum! Pilsner Urquell - one of the national beers of the Czech Republic and my personal favorite.


The style of the city is absolutely stunning, as well. It goes from gothic to baroque to modern in the blink of an eye. The coolest thing is to see the effect of post-communism on the city - the Museum of Communism is right above a huge McDonald's, for example! One of my favorite things to see was the famous Charles River over the Vltava River at sunset - breath-taking. There is a small sculpture of John of Nepomuk and superstition has it that if you rub his belly, you will one day return to Prague. Let's just say I rubbed his belly for a good two minutes straight.


John of Nepomuk - he looks polished compared to the rest of the structure because he gets rubbed so much by superstitious people (like me!).


Tons of people rush to the Charles Bridge at sunset to see the gorgeous sites that it has to offer.
















The gorgeous view at sunset from the Charles Bridge.


The night life in Prague was really awesome...especially, if you want to doing something illegal...but, not what you're thinking! Prague is one of the hubs for pub crawls (illegal in many other places in the world), which is when, for a flat rate, a host bar offers an open bar for an hour to two hours and then takes the group to different local bars and clubs with no cover! My friends and I did a couple and we LOVED them. Not only was it a good, debaucherous time, but it was a great way to learn about night life spots that we would have never found our first few nights in Prague. We were able to meet so many people from around the world and make friends in a more relaxed and uninhibited setting. On one of the pub crawls we did, we finished at a huge five story club, with different types of music on each floor. It is the biggest one in Central Europe, but possibly even Europe as a whole!

After a wonderfully relaxing eight days in Prague, I returned to Paris. But, there was nothing bittersweet about spring break ending because I had the special privilege of getting to see some of my best friends - Liz, Leah, Julie, Lexi flew all the way over from the United States to visit me for their spring break, while Kat and Saba hauled their cute booties from London, where they're studying, to Paris to make the reunion complete. Words cannot describe the feeling of relief you get when you see the people you have been missing for weeks and weeks and months. They were a great cure for my nagging homesickness and stress. They have been in Belgium and Amsterdam for the past couple of days, but they are coming back to Paris tonight for the weekend. I'm so lucky to have friends who would fly halfway across the world to be with me.

The final huge development in my Parisian life has been my internship. This is my first week working at a well-known Parisian public relations firm, which focuses on tourism. One of my favorite things about the company is that it is run by a strong woman. I love meeting successful women because they inspire me to want to go further and achieve more. Getting adjusted to a French company has been a little bit of a trial-and-error endeavor, but I think I am starting to get the hang of it. It is very interesting to pick up on the small differences - when you walk in the office in the morning and when you leave for the day, you must say goodbye and hello to everyone in the office; being to early is not good, being a few minutes late is expected. I am really enjoying noticing the nuances and getting the chance to work on my French, especially since I am doing a lot of translating of articles from French to English. I am really hoping that this improves my French exponentially, so fingers crossed!

So, as you can see, these past two or three weeks have been...out of this world. I've had my ups and my downs, but Paris is shining a whole new light on me lately. It is as if I see it with different eyes. Maybe it is the eyes of a working stagiare ("intern" in French), rather than a student. Maybe its the eyes of someone realizing that their journey here is halfway over (!!!!). Maybe its the eyes of someone who has been matured by their experience already.

Whatever it is, Paris is continuing to glitter for me like the Eiffel Tower does every night, without fail. I can honestly still say, Paris, je t'aime.

Bisous!

The City of Lights Will Always Shine

Even after the novelty of being in Paris has worn off, the City of Lights has not lost its gleam.

It has been a month and a half of Parisien living and I can honestly say I am not tired of it. Granted, it has been a little harder lately. It has really struck me that I am thousands of miles away from my family, my boyfriend, and my friends. While it seemed like these six weeks flew by, when I stop running and take a moment to think about it, its really is a formidable amount of time. A lot can happen in a month and a half if you think about it – the world can completely change in less time than that!

It’s really got me thinking about how much I am changing as a result of living abroad, essentially on my own. What if, when I come back to the US, the people who used to love me will no longer recognize this newly-Europeanized person I (hopefully) will have become? For better or for worse, I am changing every day.

It is safe to say that the slightly empty and gnawing feeling, known as homesickness, has begun to manifest itself in my gut. Staying in touch is harder than expected with different schedules, time zones, and sleep cycles. Sometimes you just need to remind yourself that just because you don’t talk, it doesn’t mean that they don’t think about you or wonder how your day is going. Sometimes it really is true that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Or, at least, that is what I am hoping for.

I am already past the halfway point in the class portion of my program. While the workload can sometimes feel overwhelming, I love that I am getting to learn about the effect of colonialism and post-colonialism on Paris and about the politics of the Fifth Republic of France. These are classes that I would have never gotten to take if I stayed on the BU campus for my entire college career.

If there is anything I am gaining while abroad it is perspective. Perspective on a country different on my own, on how to maintain contact, on how to stay connected to home while still making the most of my time here.

One of the things that really help with missing home is seeing a familiar face. Luckily, a visit from my sorority sister, Casey, who is doing a study abroad program in London (and will be covering the Olympics there this summer - so proud!), was just the medicine I needed. It was nice to know that, even with our different lives abroad, when we were reunited, we just continued our friendship where we left off. This definitely helped me with any fears I had of integrating back into my Boston life post-semester abroad. Not to mention, familiarity is just a comfortable feeling.

Casey and I at Trocadero which, in my opinion, is the best view of the Eiffel Tower!

Despite slight hiccups after coming down off the high of my first month or so in Paris, I always come back to the same conclusion – Paris is amazing and I am living the dream, right now.

While here, I have discovered the new alternative to Taco Bell or T. Anthony’s for drunk food – nutella or jambon-fromage crepes! Specifically made by our lovely Algerian friend, Karim, near Bastille who has golden hands when it comes to making this French delicacy (#teamkarim, unlike “fetch,” this phrase will happen). I have learned that mojitos with your girls is the best solution to anything and, if all else fails, Pierre Herme macarons will surely do the trick (I recommend the praline or rose bud flavors, absolutely to die for).

I have unfortunately learned that, when it comes to a foreign language, you need to be pretty positive about what you are saying; otherwise you might get unwanted results. For example, when trying to tell someone I felt hot and used the direct translation, “Je suis chaud,” I realized I had actually told them “I am horny.” Unfortunately for me, these French men found my friends and I absolutely charming after that and wouldn’t leave us alone for a bit. I guess you can say that this is a new way of making friends?

I am learning lessons each day. I am creating memories each second. I have come to the realization that being homesick is sort-of like emotional multi-tasking. When you are away from those you love back at home, you are able to appreciate your new experiences, while still thinking about and loving those you left behind, sensing their absence.

Life abroad is all about finding balance between your home life and your foreign life (which often time feels fake because it’s so unbelievable). Right now, I think I have my equilibrium steady.

Bonsoir!