A two-day road trip, another several hundred miles logged on my trusty Nissan, and here I am. Packing up my life in Missouri and moving it to Texas is a feat. Note to self: move as few times as possible because you have too much stuff. Additional note to self: buy less stuff.
The month of May has seen many goodbyes and much growing up. Neither one is my favorite. Yet the month of May has seen rich adventures and exciting adjustments. Change isn’t easy, yet our lives are in constant flux. And each year I’m realizing that I’m stronger than I once thought. Little eighth-grader Kristin was terrified to go to high school, and yet she did it. And high school graduate Kristin was anxious about moving away to college, and yet she’s doing it — and dreading the day she has to leave. She had the jitters about moving to France, starting a new internship, the list goes on.
You get the point, and my gut says you’ve been there, too. Growing up isn’t easy, but it comes with its perks from paychecks to no homework. This entire month has been a learning curve, but it’s a wave I’m willing and excited to ride. Here’s my top 5 for the month:
1 . New girl
No one likes being the new girl, and I get real and raw in this personal essay on being the new girl in a new city I’d never been to before. I’ve spent this month exploring Dallas including a trip to the arboretum.
2 . How to make a travel budget
I don’t like money, said no one ever. The problem often lies in the fact that we don’t have as much as we’d like, especially when it comes to travel. Fret not and take a look at my free travel budget planner.
3 . Speaking of free things …
I love sharing my latest tips, tricks and city guides on my blog, but what’s even cooler is being an insider, one of the cool travel kids. By signing up for my email list (of 1-2 emails per month), you get a travel freebie every month from a curated playlist to a printable bucket list. (P.S. You can’t find them on my blog!) What are you waiting for?!
4 . Write more letters
At the end of each semester, I like to take some time to write letters of encouragement and gratitude to the people in my life. So last weekend, I grabbed my assortment of stationery and set up shop by the pool. My finger turned pink from soreness, but nothing beats getting a handwritten note with a simple “hey, thanks for being my friend!”
5 . A blitz of a trip + new things
I was able to join my family for Memorial Day Weekend in Orlando, Florida, for our tour through Universal Studios. Guide coming soon! Albeit frickin’ hot, the time with my family was sweet and too short, for a change. (Hehe, love you, fam.) Tears welled up in my eyes as I walked out of the park because my flight for Dallas left in a couple hours and my family wouldn’t be coming with me.
Part of our trip included time at Disney Springs, and there I ransacked Anthropologie’s sale section, which yielded me a $3 set of three French-themed notebooks. Oui oui ! As well as a darling leopard print headband. It was too short of a trip, but fortunately, I’ve made the trek to Disney before.
Dear June, please don’t be as overwhelming as May. Love, Kristin.
