Seeing Stone Harbor

 Yesterday was my 21st birthday, but I didn't spend it in the way that most people would assume.  I started my day off with a five mile run, something I have yet to do this summer, just because I wanted to see if I could (spoiler alert, I nearly passed out). However, I forced myself through it. I felt as though I wanted to start off a new year of my life with better habits, and despite my intense aversion to running, I did it anyways. I went back to my house, showered, and work on some projects for my classes. not exactly the most exciting way to spend the day, but my homework wasn't going to do itself. Once I finished up some speeches for my class, I went over to my grandmothers home. I haven't seen her in a few months and that was something that had been weighing pretty greatly on my mind. I always thought myself to be close with my grandmother, so I decided that I wanted to spend my day with her. When I arrived at her cottage, I instantly felt a relief. There she was, si...

 On August 23, I turned 21 years old. Here are 21 things that I learned this year that I will be taking with me for the rest of my life. Nothing is ever that serious. Really. It's important to care about things, of course, and it is important to live a life with intention, but it's so crucial to not get stuck on little details. Things will work out as long as you always try your best. A caveat of not taking anything too seriously is to care deeply. It is always better to get hurt in the process of life than to shelter yourself. We are meant to be hurt in order to grow and learn, so sometimes it's okay to care too much about a relationship or a friendship. Get sleep. Lots of sleep. As much sleep as you can, in fact. Don't think too hard over things you cannot control. If we could control everything that happened in our life then chances are none of us would be where we are now. Do not settle. Don't lower your standards for anyone or for anything. If you feel as thoug...

Recently I had the pleasure of seeing one of my closest friends from middle school again for the first time in over a year. He’s a senior at St. Andrews University in Scotland, which doesn’t give me much opportunity to catch up with him as much as I would like. However, he was back home this past weekend and I was able to spend the night at his place, as well as have the pleasure of meeting a few of his friends from school. My friend, Marshall, is a philosophy major, as well as his friends. However, I wasn’t quite prepared for the culture shock I was about to experience. The day started off normal, with a quick drive up to Marshall’s family home in Swarthmore, PA. I was greeted by his mom, dad, and little sister, as well as his Australian Sheppard, Sophie. I was guided out to his backyard, where he and all of his friends were hanging by the pool. We sat and talked for a bit, when Marshall’s mom came out back and asked if we could help out and shuck some of the ears of corn for dinner. ...

 Looking for a quick beach escape but don't know where to start? Look no further than Stone Harbor, New Jersey. Stone harbor is a relatively quiet and small beach town located in south Jersey, but is the perfect place for a relaxing vacation. There are two places I would recommend to start the day, both of which are very different. If you're looking for a family style, sit down breakfast, the obvious choice would be Uncle Bill's Pancake House. Uncle Bill's is a staple o the south Jersey store, occasionally having wait times of over two hours for a table! If you're coming here, be sure to save to for a week day in order to skip the lines. However, I wouldn't blame you for waiting an hour for their signature chocolate chip pancakes! If you're looking for something a little easier and quieter, try Coffee Talk, a quaint coffee shop just off Main Street. Try their Iced Lattes and warm butter croissant, and enjoy the ambiance of the cozy layout.  Fun Fact: Taylor ...

 Located just outside of the DC area, just north of the Potomac, is Rockville, a quaint Maryland suburb that is teeming with life. Although small in size, Rockville is full of places to explore. I had the pleasure of being shown around by a friend from the area, and it did not disappoint.  Rockville has a teeming town square full of shops and restaurants to peruse. We started the day by taking a  trip to Attman's Deli for late breakfast. Attman's is a Jewish owned New-York style deli based in the DMV. Here, I decided I would branch out from my typical bagel order and try something new, a Lox Bagel. For those who don't know, a Lox bagel is a Jewish deli staple, and its an open faced bagel (typically your choosing) smothered in cream cheese, red onion, capers, and lox. Lox is a thinly sliced and cured salmon. Some would compare the texture of lox to sushi, however these are two different things entirely. Lox is not raw meat as it is brined and cured, though it is not easy t...