• Take your pants off immediately upon entering your apartment.
• Leave your bedroom and bathroom door open at all times.
• Not worry about anyone eating your ice cream.
• Listen to whatever music you want to really loud without judgement.
• Eat whatever you want, whenever you want, however you want.
• Get freaky whenever, wherever and at whatever volume you choose. 
• Set up a full blown spa/ cinema in your bathroom without worrying someone else has to pee.
• Dance terribly/ dance terribly while naked.
• Using all the hot water.
• Not even caring that dishes have been sitting in the sink for three days.
• Feel feelings when you feel like feeling them because you don’t have to hide your sobs or screams through a bedroom wall.
• Talk to your cat and answer questions she didn’t ask you.
• Dance with your cat/ dance with your cat while naked.
• Test how long you’ll last in heels by wearing them around your apartment for an afternoon. Probably naked.
• Having all the wine to yourself.
• Workout to YouTube fitness videos in the living room. Naked.
• Wear a bra never.

What Netflix Thinks I Want to Watch: 

Critically-Acclaimed Quirky Independent Movies

Witty Romantic Comedies

Feel-Good Social & Cultural Documentaries

Heartfelt Dramas Featuring a Strong Female Lead

Emotional Suspenseful TV Shows

What I Really Want to Watch: 

Movies About Dancing, Preferably in Urban Areas

Anything That Will Make Me Cry, Especially When I’m Feeling Sulky

Things Featuring Adrien Brody and His Perfect Thin Eyebrows and Perfect Long Nose

Romantic Movies Set in New York City in The Autumn 

Toddlers & Tiaras

One of life’s simplest pleasures is sifting through the words we once found important enough to write down: friendly notes, love letters, blog posts (hey, future me!), and the jackpot… old journals. If read correctly, ignoring the weekly personality changes and epiphanies, a lot of life lessons can be found amidst the babble.

I uncovered my ratty old journal yesterday. 

Life Lessons Learned: Entries Written Summer After High School Graduation

1. Go ahead, live life like an Indiana Jones/Penny Lane love child. 
   Excerpt: “We’ve been having the most amazing adventures lately.” 
2. But keep your head on straight. 
   Excerpt: “He asked me to run away with him to the mushroom farm in Oregon. I had to turn down that invitation.”

Life Lessons Learned: Entries Written Summer After Freshman Year of College

1. Hermiting is healthy. Vicodin makes me bitchy. 
   Excerpt: “Luckily, I can use my post-wisdom-teeth puffy cheeks to justify my sudden introversion. No, I don’t want to hang.“ 
2. Be a good listener.  
   Excerpt: “I know way too much about everybody. I used to think people just always told me things about themselves, but now I think being nosy also has something to do with it.”  

Life Lessons Learned: Entries Written Sophomore Year

1. Life is weird. 
   Excerpt (actually, the only three words written the whole year): “Things are weird.”  

Life Lessons Learned: Entries Written During a Semester Away from Home

1. Life changes. 
   Excerpt: “I’m really glad I’m here.”  

Consider, for a moment, putting together this playlist and cutting your wrists. Vertically.

Consider, again, that Alex and I already have already done the heavy lifting for you, wishing you a Happy Seasonal Affective! 

http://open.spotify.com/user/christayve/playlist/4NiW9fDA5V2cts7NCmenfn

405 - Death Cab for Cutie

Lack of Color - Death Cab for Cutie

Draw Your Swords - Angus and Julia Stone

Spanish Sahara - Foals

Obsessions - Marina and the Diamonds

Flume - Bon Iver

Shelter - Birdy

Twin Sized Bed - Death Cab for Cutie

Blowers Daughter - Damien Rice

Sparks - Coldplay

Timeshel - Mumford and Sons

Making Pies - Patty Griffin

My Manic and I - Laura Marling

Look After You - The Fray

The Nicest Thing - Kate Nash

Chemo Limo - Regina Spektor 

I’ll Be Seeing You - Billie Holiday

Crosses - Jose Gonzalez

Shadow on the Wall - Brandi Carlile 

The Lengths - The Black Keys

Orange Sky - Alexi Murdoch

To Be Alone with You - Sufjan Stevens

Love Song - The Cure

(Honorable Mentions)

Any song by Black Eye Peas where Fergie does most of the vocals

The background music for any State Farm or Google Chrome Commercial