life lessons

Life is short.

break the rules.

forgive quickly,

kiss slowly,

love truly,

laugh uncontrollably,

and never regret anything that made you smile.

happy 21st to sheri

Sheri's birthday was last weekend, and it was a complete success!!

Friday night, we went to aperitivo with some friends to our favorite place: Movida.

Afterwards, we were going to go home and study for our optional Italian test the next morning, but we were invited to Hollywood (one of our favorite clubs) free of charge!  

[side note: it's not like LA or AZ here where girls always get in free...girls always pay here.]

Hollywood was a blast, and it just so happened to be "model night," so naturally, we felt kind of small and ugly at one point.  But, when we were cooling down, we got the courage to talk to these model boys, and they were actually really nice!  We talked and danced with them for about three hours, before making our way home to sleep in until 2 or 4 that afternoon.

Saturday night, Sheri had friends over at her apartment.  We ate, played games, talked, and then made our way to the metro station to go to Eleven (our other favorite club).  It was amazing, as well.

Sunday consisted of RELAXING.  Which was much needed.  And we've basically been relaxing ever since.  We even turned down an invitation to go see David Guetta (free!!) at Eleven on Tuesday night.  See, we're responsible :)

aperitivo food and drinks <3 

james & michael got her a rose for her bday

the crew 

creepy guy at hollywood that followed us from club to club last weekend

the models that were better looking in person--i swear!

me, sheri, jordan, and paige @ the pregame

the boys & girls

birthday girl <3

metro ride to eleven clubroom

it was raining...hence the plastic bag for protection

we're both 21 now!!! not that it matters in Italy ;)

bocconi

School has now been in session for almost two weeks.  And I love it!

My schedule, although five days a week, is not intrusive at all.  I'm forced to get up early on Mondays and Wednesdays, but that leaves the whole afternoon to explore the city, meet up with friends, or eat way too much.

The classes shouldn't be that difficult...the only thing that may get tough is not having tests every month or so, but only having a final at the end of the semester.  Luckily, I have friends in most of my classes, actually all of them now, so studying should be a breeze :)

The campus is beautiful.  So modern.  And the students? It reminds me of being at a school on the East Coast, even though I've never been to a school on the East Coast.  Still, the boys are all wearing colorful pants and collared, button-down shirts.  While the girls all have their Louis Vuitton's in hand and heels that are more suitable for the club than an 8:30 am class on their feet.  

And now what you've all been waiting for...these day time pictures haha.

cooking lunch in my kitchen 

killing time with Mr. Bocconi? before our first class

slushie and shopping runs after class :)

sexy zara hats

hanging out at the columns after a long day

cappuccinos and brioches if we wake up early enough ;)

getting outside during class breaks--to take advantage of the sunny weather!

VFNO in milano

Last night, I had the privilege of attending Vogue's Fashion Night Out in none other than the capital of the fashion world, Milan.  The streets around Via Vittorio Emanuele were filled with beautiful people, young and old, all with drinks in hand.  We stopped by a store to get champagne, another to get red wine, and another to have these little chocolate mousse treats.  Absolutely to die for.  

The only thing I would have changed would be to have come more prepared.  A girl in Sheri's class had a whole list of every store she wanted to hit, at what time, and who was gifting.  It might have to be in LA next year, but attending Vogue's Fashion Night Out is something you have to do at least once.

week one

To sum it up, week one of being on exchange in Milano has been AMAZING.

It's only been seven days, and already I've experienced more things and met more interesting people than I ever thought possible.

I was lucky to have met my new best friend on Day 3, and we've been inseparable ever since!  And she lives so close, that it's no problem to meet up before going out or just to go grocery shopping or grab a pizza.  I'm so used to having another half with Kelcy and all, so I'm so happy to have found that.  Because other wise, I would literally be in my room more than I'd like to be.

Week One was filled with sightseeing, walking (sooo much), braving it through the heavy rain (that was almost hurricane-esque), and meeting new people (and our fair share of Italians, as well).  The favorite spot is Eleven Clubroom in the Corso Como district.  Even when you're just sitting on a ledge outside of the bars and clubs, you're bound to meet people with amazing stories and backgrounds.  

<3 eleven clubroom <3

Some photos to catch up on :)

The Duomo

me, Sheri, and Paige

partners in crime

4 euro pizzas. 2 euros each. what a deal.

and our biggest expense? cab rides home.

benvenuti a milano

Ciao from Milano!  

I arrived last night around 6pm, and Susy picked me up from the airport!  She proceeded to show me around Bocconi so that I would be familiar with it, and then we went to the supermarket, and next door to split a margherita pizza!  It was delicious...duh.

I'm loving my apartment, and it's about a 15 minute walk to school.  Naturally, I still feel a little nervous walking to and from school, but there is no need to as everyone is very nice and I can tell it's a safe neighborhood! :)  I will definitely feel more comfortable when I have a working cell phone, 4 days! :)

Today was my first day of class in the Italian language crash course.  There are people in class from all over the world!  Turkey, France, Switzerland, Austria, Canada, Germany, Australia, and so many others.  I made two new friends, Nicholas from Montreal and Marie-Laurie from Paris.  So hopefully I will become better at French, too!

Here are some pictures of my bedroom/apartment!!  I promise these posts will get more exciting as I get more accustomed to Milan!

ignore my "The Ring"-esque pose

straight outside my window! 

The park I walk through to get to school--my favorite part.

three nights

Three more nights in the United States.  This is beyond surreal.  I've been waiting for this moment (to go study abroad in Italy) for five years now.  And it's three more days away.  I have so much to do in so little time.  

This is more for me to organize what I have to do than for you to enjoy, but feel free to read on.

To Do before Sunday at 5pm (when I have to be at the airport):

Pack.  Don't forget shoes, electronics, bathroom stuff, etc.

Spend quality time with my friends and family.  

Buy a wallet, purse, and extra makeup in case they don't have my kind in Italy.

Bring some nail polish and put it in a separate plastic baggy.

Get transformer/electric converter so that I can use my electronics in Italy.

Talk to Susanna (the girl I'm renting from) and find out where to meet at the airport!

P.S. I wish I could bring that many suitcases...I'm fitting my four month life into one.  And that includes clothes for hot weather...and freezing weather. Wish me luck!

tuesdays with morrie

Yesterday I spent a couple of hours floating in the pool, on Olivia's cute little floaty thing, starting and finishing Tuesday's With Morrie by Mitch Albom.  Not going to lie...I definitely cried for the last ten pages or so.  So much so that the words were blurry.  And so much so that my throat kind of closed up and ached for the next half hour.

But besides all of that, I learned some very valuable lessons.  I can basically narrow it down into three parts.  Live a life you'll be proud of.  Listen, really listen when someone's talking to you.  And don't wait until someone is gone to tell them what you feel.

It's a super quick read, and it will definitely open your eyes.  I'm going to start living a life that Morrie would be proud of me for.

it's never too late

"For what it's worth: it's never to late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be.

There's no time limit, stop whenever you want.

You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing.

We can make the best or the worst of it.

I hope you make the best of it.

And I hope you see things that startle you.

I hope you feel things you never felt before.

I hope you meet people with a different point of view.

I hope you live a life you're proud of.

If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again."

--Benjamin Button, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

how to look like a model

I'm an intern at l.a. models and I've been dying to know what the models do day in and day out in order to keep their bodies in shape, toned, and thin.  I didn't want to go ahead and flat out ask one of the agents, but yesterday (my second to last day there) I overheard an agent talking to a "new face" model that they're developing, and she gave her this advice:

Do not eat after 9 o'clock.

Vegetables and protein.  Vegetables and carbs.  Do not mix them any other way.

Yoga.  

(The model offered the information that she runs all the time, and that's what she does to exercise.  The agent then said, no.  Do yoga, it will strengthen and lengthen the muscles making you look taller and leaner.)

So there you have it!  How to look like a model :)

ladie's night

I am having a fabulous time in LA with Kelcy, but what makes this adventure even more amazing is spending it with people that were once strangers--and now friends.

I've never really had that many girl friends, except for the best friends (Paige and Olivia), so having girls want to hang out with me and Kelcy is amazing and so much fun.

Dana is the sweetest girl ever, she works with Kelcy at Bollare, and she lives walking distance from us!  So we've gone out to Hollywood a few nights, watched the Bachelorette finale together, and tomorrow we're going on a hike to Escondido Falls in Malibu! :)

Cheers to lady's night!  It's a shame that friendships always become closer right before someone moves away...in this case me and Kelcy.  But I'm sure we will be friends for a long time...and we'll be back in LA soon!

why hello

Excuse the obscenity, but I saw this on tumblr, and I'm pretty sure we can all relate.  

Am I right??