Day 16: Zzzz

Today I am thankful for naptime. This may not be my most meaningful, or serious, or memorable thankful post, but If you aren't thankful for the little things, you'll miss the big things. 

After attempting, yet failing miserably, to pull an all nighter last night (I suck at being a college student, I can’t pull all nighters and function the next day to save my life), all I wanted to do today was go home and sleep. Which I did. I had the best nap ever.

Anyone who thinks they are too old for nap time clearly doesn't have a whole lot going on in their day.

Last year a presenter came to my sorority to talk to us about healthy college habits, and one of those habits was the idea of sleep debt. I swear, it’s a real theory, look it up. Anyway, it basically says that if you get less than 7 hours of sleep, you are in sleep debt. And you keep accumulating this ‘debt’ until you finally pass out and sleep for days in order to repay your 'debt' pretty much.

I absolutely think this is a real thing. Ask my parents, whenever I come home on breaks I have about a three day recovery period where all I do is sleep and I only leave my room for meals and to pee. This could all be avoided however, if we took on the siesta mentality. 

Whoever decided that naps after first grade were no longer socially acceptable, well, they suck. I vote we bring back naptime. A socially supported siesta every day would be phenomenal. We have enough debt in this world, we don't need sleep debt too. 

Thank god for naptime, best part of my day. 

Day 15: puppy love

Today I am thankful for Lucy. 

There is nothing in the world that cam make you feel more loved, needed, and appreciated than a dog. Every time I visit my parents, my adorable lab Lucy gets so excited to see me she races around in circles, cannot be still to save her life, and basically knocks me over to snuggle.

She quite often even pees herself from excitement.

No matter what kind of day you have, coming home to someone that is THAT EXCITED to see you, well it’s a pretty great feeling. There are few humans who react that way. And if they did, well, it would be weird.

But that kind of unconditional love is pretty amazing, and it can change your day. I think we can all learn from that. Loving unconditionally and showing those we love just how much we appreciate them, just like dogs do.

Don’t pee yourself of excitement please, but show your happiness. Show your love.

Let’s make a deal. Let’s be happy. Let’s forgive those who have hurt us. Let’s tell the people in our lives that we love them. And let’s show them that we love them by accepting them no matter what.

Just like dogs do.

Day 14: the golden rule

We have all heard this more times than we can ever remember.
Treat others the way you want to be treated.
If I had a nickel for every time I heard that, I would be a rich girl. And it's such common sense, it's basic human decency. It's the exact thing we teach our children, model for our youth, and expect from our adults. But I swear, there is still something so uplifting seeing it put into action. It brings tears to your eyes, and it just makes you believe a little more in the goodness of the world.
There is a video that was circulating around my Facebook news-feed. And as a procrastination tool, I clicked on it.
Trust me, it isn't one you want to miss.

http://www.viddler.com/embed/70d1d214/?f=1&offset=0&autoplay=0&secret=48017121&disablebranding=0

Today I am thankful for the standard that this coach held his team to; for the influence he has had on his players. We should all aspire to set such a high moral standard for ourselves.
It reminds me of a quote from OTH: "sometimes it's not about winning. Sometimes it's about healing."

I am thankful for the support of the fans.

I am so thankful for those instilled the golden rule in #22.

And I am thankful for him, for reminding us all of the ability to do good deeds.

Day 13: Thank god for elastic waistbands

Today I am thankful for sweatpants and ice cream. Today instead of being productive, at all, I instead went with Liz and Ty to get ice cream and watch the Bachelor. Yes, so cliché. BUT SO GOOD.

You know you’re jealous.

Two days ago I wrote about remembering that I am young and that I need to live my life. It’s so true. And I am trying to do more of that. So maybe I stayed up too late and watch a trashy tv show. Maybe I didn't do my homework. That isn't the point. The point is I am spending time with good friends and not worrying or stressing about school or the future or anything serious. I’m letting myself just be.

This past year I've done a lot of growing and learning, and I think (or I hope) that I've finally learned the art of letting go, at least somewhat. The art of simply being happy in the moment, regardless of what the future brings.

And I am so thankful for that this lesson condones eating DQ and watching the bachelor in sweatpants with good friends.

I repeat: SO GOOD.    

Day 12: change your words

I checked my email this morning, just like I do every other day. In my inbox was an email from my mom with the subject "smile :)" with a link to two youtube videos she thought I would enjoy.

I loved them both, but one especially got to me, to say the least. I'm not sure if it was in the way that was intended, but regardless, it is this moment of clarity that I am thankful for today.  

If you so choose, click on the link below.

**** Change your words ****

His excuse is blindness. But what is ours? 

We have the ability to see.
But do we?



The second video she sent is also amazing.
Enjoy.
Say what you will  

Day 11: GET YOUR ASS OUT OF BED

Today I am thankful for Saturdays filled with roomie dates, criminal minds, and good friends. I woke up and felt like I was getting sick, and I really just wanted to lie in bed all day. But typical Thuy-vy style, she drug me out of bed for some retail therapy and overall roommate bonding. She refused to accept no as an answer. This attitude carried on into the evening.

As much as I drag my feet when she forces me to put on real pants, I must say I love her for it. Tonight I am spending quality time with good friends, and not much is better than that. Sometimes I get too caught up in the adult part of my life that consists of school, grad school applications, and internships that I forget that I am still a 21 year old college student. I am thankful that I have good friends that remind me to be young and live my life.

Levi and Thuy-vy, this one is for you.

You two are the greatest friends a girl could ask for. 

Day 10: quiet moments

Today I am thankful for lazy afternoons. I don’t get many of those, so when I do it’s a rare treat. I went home, had some not-so-healthy snacks and watched Friday Night Lights. I worked on some homework, but none of it is due until next week so there was no stress attached to it. It was a wonderful feeling, to be able to have an afternoon where I wasn't working, or rushing to finish a project. To have a night where I go to sleep early, a night where I sip tea and listen to great music, and just be.

I still have many things to do, but it was refreshing to have a moment of ‘me’ time.  I’ll get back on the grind tomorrow, but today was about healing. There is a quiet strength to being alone, especially when it’s your choice. Parties and going out and hanging out with friends, it’s all wonderful, but sometimes you just need some time off to recharge, ya know?   

I am thankful for those peaceful afternoons, those quiet moments of introspection.

They’re good for the soul.

Day 9: C8H10N4O2

Coffee. Coffeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Whoever discovered caffeine is a god.

Why am I thankful? Because there is no freaking way I would be able to get through the mountain of assignments that are all due tomorrow, that I conveniently didn't start until tonight, without it. It will still be a miracle if I get any sleep and/or actually finish, but I have a much better chance armed with my coffee mug.

Damn… I wish I had inherited my mother’s productivity.

But caffeine gets me pretty close.

THANK YOU COFFEE INVENTORS.  I owe my college GPA to you. 

Day 8: That was a joke....

Today I am thankful for those who appreciate the art of sarcasm. 87% of what comes out of my mouth is dripping in it, and it gets real awkward real quick when people don’t catch on. They either think I’m the rudest person on the planet, or exceptionally unintelligent. 

I’m not the type to take work too seriously. I obviously take the medical side very seriously and it’s important to be professional, but we spend all day interacting with the same group of people.  You get to know them, and they get to know you. If you can’t lighten up and toss a few jokes around, you are in for a long day. It’s always entertaining when we switch to a new clinical site and the athletes spend a good two or three weeks trying to figure out if I’m kidding or not. And then it takes at least another week for the athletes to be comfortable enough with me to toss it back.

Needless to say, it takes some people a little while to catch on. But oh it is so much fun when they finally do. I think it’s good for the soul to be lighthearted and enthusiastic in your job, otherwise you’ll become bitter. And if you’re bitter, athletes won’t put their faith in you.

That personal relationship, the one that allows you to laugh and tease while still maintaining your professionalism, it’s vital to their trust in you. And it’s also vital to your sanity.

Today the athletes, interns, and the head athletic trainer were quite feisty. But today also had quite a few learning experiences, which is my favorite kind of day. I’m so happy I found a career that allows for both. Professionalism while still having fun. Maturity while still bantering. Being witty, not crude or cruel.  

I don’t think I know a single athletic trainer or athletic training student that doesn't like to administer a dosage of sarcasm every now and again.

We’re good at what we do. We also have fun while we do it.

But it’s so much more fun when people actually get our jokes.

I am thankful the athletes at my clinical site are starting to get mine.  

Day 7: Wait.. I don't get it

Today I am thankful for kind lab partners.

I suck at physics, and I suck even more at physics lab. I've never really understood the point of labs. You’re basically just proving things you already know. They are long, tedious, stressful wastes of time. In most labs, you pair up with someone the first couple days of lab and they’re your lab partner for the rest of the semester. So you are either super lucky and have a friend in the class already, which makes things so much easier, or you try to pair up with someone smarter than you and hope for the best.

The point is that you and your partner create a system. That’s what makes lab go more smoothly.

But oh no, not in physics. Leave it to physics to kick you where it hurts.

In physics lab you are randomly assigned to a new partner every week. It’s awkward, annoying, and it takes longer to get in sync with how your temporary partner than it does to actually do the lab itself. And do you know what really sucks? When you have no idea what in the world is going on.

You’re THAT girl. Or guy. But in my case girl. Obviously.

So it’s refreshing when you work with someone who isn't super impatient or hardcore. When they’re understanding, even if you’re not the math wiz or computer ninja. Because I am neither. I am in constant fear of slowing someone down, messing up the lab, or being an otherwise crappy lab partner.

I worked with a girl today who was probably a zillion times smarter than me, but she didn't act like it. She was kind and patient, and for that I am thankful. I didn't want to stab out my eyes with my pen, so it was exponentially better than most lab experiences.

I am also thankful Lizzy always gets done before me and today was bored enough to enter my data into the computer for my graph, cause I suck at excel. Thanks Lizzy, you’re a champ.    

Day 6: hot and steamy

The best part of my day today was taking a ridiculously hot shower while I pondered the meaning of my life. 

And yes, I am aware of how awkward that sounds.

But ask any female (ask anyone actually, but females are more likely to admit it than males); a hot shower after a long day is one of the best feeling ever. I have a crazy stressful week ahead of me. I thought I had today off so I was planning on it being my productive school day, but I found out last night, as my best friend from high school was on her way to visit me, that I had to be at work for half the day today. Whoops, there goes all my free time to get my work done. It was amazing to see my best friend, it had been way to long, but my stress level today probably took a few years off of my life. 

Even still, I came home from work and hopped in the shower, and let myself unwind from an exhausting day.

Gotta find the magic in the little things I guess.

Plus, it’s always a good day when you break out the new shampoo and conditioner you just bought.

I am so thankful that it is not only socially acceptable but socially encouraged for females to take epically long showers while using fruity and girly shampoos, conditioners, and soap. A little bit of pampering never hurt anyone.

And my blood pressure is also thankful that there is such a thing as hot running water, because I’m pretty sure I’d be in therapy by now if hot water wasn't available. God bless America right? 

Day 5: ain't nothin' quite like mama's cookin'

Today I am thankful for the wonderful goodie bags my mother always sends home with me after I stop by my parents house. They are full of the healthy delicious taste of my childhood, and I get to trade in my cup of noodle for fresh and healthy goodness, which is always a step in the right direction.  

I fully believe in the saying that things taste better when they’re made with love.

My roommate and I deep cleaned our whole apartment today, went grocery shopping, and by the time we came home we were both exhausted but still had so much homework to do. Neither of us wanted to cook, so we checked the freezer to see if we had anything to heat up. I was so exponentially excited to see the food my mom sent me back to school with, I had completely forgotten it was there. I was a happy camper being able to toss together one of my favorite meals from home without any work. Deliciousness with little to no effort; is there anything a college student craves more?

Okay, maybe some would say free booze but I’m sticking with my answer.

Thank you for the goodie bags mama!! Thuy-vy and I appreciate it more than you know.   

Plus, the cobbler is to die for. 

Day 4: "Here, let me help you with that"

Today, I am thankful to the scrawny blond freshman pitcher on the baseball team where I intern. I do not know his name, I don’t know his jersey number, but I know that my opinion of him and his teammates rose significantly today.

Today was a long day. 10 hours of work to be exact. Three baseball games and two basketball games, one after another. I was riding the struggle bus hard too. I filled up a 10 gallon cooler only to discover, as water was shooting all over the whirlpool room, someone had removed the spout. I had to spend a ridiculous amount of time working with an athlete who then preceded yell at me for no reason. And then, to top it all off, as I was lifting a 10 gallon cooler filled to the brink with water to take down to the dugout, I realized a little too late the lid wasn't tight and spilled it all down the front of myself.

Yeah it was one of those days.

But then something happened. Two baseball boys ran over and said “here, let me help you with that.” I naturally said that it was okay and they didn't need to, but they grabbed the coolers anyway, waving away my thanks.

They had absolutely no obligation to help me out. It isn't their job; they were getting ready for a game and they barely even know me.

But they saw me struggling, and instantly offered a helping hand instead of just laughing at the intern. They stopped warming up and ran over immediately. Not because they were told to, just because they were kind.

They turned my day around and reminded me again why I love my job, even on the bad days.

Because even on the bad days, you have the athletes that say thank you. Or help you out. Or put their faith in you.

And ask any athletic trainer, we remember the good ones.

It was such a little thing, and because of that I am even more thankful.

Karma points to you, freshman baseball boy; you’re one of the good ones.   

Day 3: sunglasses and crackerjacks

I saw the sun and actually felt warm for the first time in months. I had forgotten what that little fireball in the sky combined with minimal layers of clothing could do for my mood. There isn't anything quite like driving down the highway with the window down (granted it was only 40 degrees, but that’s t-shirt weather here) listening to musical throwbacks in a car full of good friends.

That is my definition of a perfect moment.

I dusted off the aviators, turned up the stereo, and didn't even try hide the stupid grin on my face.

God, I love sunshine.

These are also the days that remind me of the many reasons why I’m in love with my career path and internship. I spent my day in the sun, sharing ridiculous medical stories and mishaps while standing along the fence of a baseball field.

There is no better way to enjoy the sun than watching some baseball, and the only way that baseball is bearable is when you get to watch it in the sun.

I may have blinded more people than the sun today when I bared my uncovered arms, but that’s beside the point.

Today was perfect.

God I am so thankful for sunshine. 

Day 2: Gimme some of that sugar.

Chocolate, I dedicate this to you. Most single people complain about Valentine’s Day but in my humble opinion, any day that sanctifies exponential chocolate and flower exchange I am definitely okay with. Is there anything better than your roommate/best friend surprising you in the morning with your favorite kind of chocolate and a hilarious card? Is there any better way to feel confident in trading in an exam that took you a total of 20 minutes to complete for a Hershey’s bar? And does anything quite heal a broken heart like a milky way? Nope. Not in my world.

Walking around campus I swear everything was better. People smiled more, held doors for others, professors let class out early, and most of all everyone was kinder.    

They were definitely feeling the love. 

But the day wasn't better for all of us. And for those who have a pain in their heart that got a little bigger today. For those who felt the loss of someone they love a little more acutely, if today was harder than the rest to get through, I hope you know that chocolate helps that too.

You know what else you have, besides that ache in your heart? You have people who love you. Yes, there are people who are not around, people who have left you. Some left by choice, some didn't  And it’s so easy to focus on that pain and that ache in our hearts. It’s so easy to curl up in bed and let all the love that’s in the air today blow us into a spiral of sadness and thoughts of what used to be or could have been.

You know what else is easy? Letting love in. Love from your family and from your friends.  There is someone whose day gets a little brighter when you walk into a room. Someone who can’t help but laugh when you laugh, someone who leans on you when they don’t feel strong enough on their own. Those people love you. They need you. You matter to them. Revel in the joy of having those people. You are not alone.

It may not be the love that you want, but most often it’s the love that you need.

Valentine’s Days is about love. Every kind of love. Celebrate it, and be thankful for every moment you have it.

And on those days where your heart hurts a little more than you think you can handle, chocolate helps that too. Check the bottom drawer in one of your favorite professor’s offices, it’s where they hide the best candy, and do some soul searching.

It’s always worked for me.

Okay, the chocolate has nothing to do with the soul searching, but it makes having to go to class on a day when the sun is shining and love is in the air a little more bearable.

Happy Valentine’s Day. I am thankful for those who love me, even when I am the worst version of myself. And I am thankful for those who I love, the ones who help me be the best version of myself.

And yes, chocolate too.

I’m also thankful for Katy’s secret candy stash. Makes my freaking day.   

Day 1: the ability to give ‘it’ up.

Get your mind out of the gutter. My grandma has the link to this blog.

I am thankful for the ability to give it up. ‘It’ being what I can give up for Lent. I mean, let’s think about this. Here we all are; sitting around thinking about the abundance of things we have available to us, and evaluating which one would be the easiest or the most dramatic to give up for forty days. How many people can afford to give up things like meat or sweets? How many people have stable internet access to be able to give up Facebook or Pintrest? What about how we have the option to choose to participate in this religious activity, even if we aren't even Catholic? How we have the basic ability to choose whether or not we are Catholic? 

Think about that for a second. If that doesn't blow your mind and already make you feel like the luckiest kid alive, you need to get out. Go volunteer at the Soup Kitchen. Visit a homeless shelter. Go on a mission to rural Africa. Talk to a child in Russia.Or simply Google image starving children; whatever. The point is, you need to crawl out from under the rock of stability you've been living under and see how the rest of the world lives if you think you don't have enough.  

I sat in the car driving to my internship with Lizzy, and we talked about all the things we could give up. I sat there driving, in my nice car, wearing clean clothes, to an internship I have through my big fancy college education, talking about all the excess things I have at my disposal.

It’s pretty incredible that I even had the ability to start this blog.

It’s pretty incredible you’re able to read it.

Like I said; if you don’t feel like the luckiest kid alive, you need to get out more. 

An explanation

I've never been much of a blogger. Correction: I've never blogged at all. I’m not big on writing about feelings. But this year for Lent I decided to switch things up and add something instead of taking it away. I decided to see what would happen if I took time each day to write down something I was thankful for, and why.  It’s such a simple thing, being thankful. All the things we have, even the little things, they matter. When was the last time you voiced the day to day things you were thankful for or the people who make your days brighter on a day other than Thanksgiving? The things that helped us get through hard times, or changed our attitude, or caused us to think. I am not a writer, and I don't claim to have any life answers or insights. I won’t promise you'll have some sense of enlightenment after reading this. I won’t be telling you anything that you haven’t thought yourself (or at least I hope not), but I hope what I say will make you smile, or remind you to pay it forward. I hope it shows you that the way you are with others does matter. But mostly I hope that this reminds you why this is all worth it. Sheesh, that’s why I’m writing this. To remind myself of the infinite reasons to be thankful.

For forty days I will be posting an entry every single day of something that made me smile, have a little more faith in humanity, or that I am lucky to have. People that I appreciate, opportunities I have, or moments of clarity.

Enjoy.

Also, you might be wondering about the bandaidsandchapstick URL. Have you ever tried to come up with a URL? Not as easy as you’d think. But mostly bandaids and chapstick are like the greatest items known to mankind. You don’t have to agree. It’s my blog. I say what I want. =D