NO ONE KNOWS WHAT CHEESE CURDS ARE HERE

There's a lot I didn't know before moving to Florida. For instance, did you know that despite being called the Sunshine State, it rains pretty much every day for about half the year? Didn't know that? Funny, neither did I before moving down here. And we're not talking about a little sprinkle in the afternoon. We're talking about trees down, aggressive lightning, and flooding on the roads so bad sometimes that you might as well just commit to life as a hermit because you don't want to be caught in the massive puddles.

Okay, so that last part was a little melodramatic. But in all seriousness, I thought I moved to Florida, not Seattle.

Moving to a new place both excited and scared me. It was something that I had wanted to do a for a long time, but I knew that it would make the transition into adulthood even more challenging. The move meant a new start--a fresh start--but it also meant starting from the beginning.

It meant making new friends, learning how to navigate a new city, and figuring out who I was when I was completely alone. With no one to fall back on, I was forced to start learning how to live on my own. That part was a little scary.

But what I never expected was how much I would miss home.

Now, over the last four years, I've had two homes: Minneapolis and Madison. It only took being away from both to realize how much love I have for them.

No one knows what cheese curds are here. I didn't even eat cheese curds that often in Wisconsin, but I never realized that they were a concept people in other parts of the country didn't understand. The other night I found myself struggling to explain a concept that I've understood since I was a little kid. It's just a curd of cheese??

The Humidity is killer. Honestly, if you've never been to Florida in August, you don't even really know what humidity is. Imagine walking into a sauna every time you set foot outside. There's no relief. Your only choice is to stay inside in the A/C. Even the ocean and pools usually don't cool you down that much because they get so hot. At least up north, even on a hot day, when the sun goes down, so does the temperature. Here, you can walk outside at 2 AM and it's almost as humid and sticky feeling as it was at 2 PM.

People drive like maniacs here. Slow down there, Vin Diesel. We're just trying to get to work, not film Fast and Furious 9.  And don't even get me started on how the older people drive here. I cannot even imagine what it is going to be like "in season" (when all the "snowbirds" come down).

I've become 77% sand. It's everywhere. My car is covered. My flip-flops have to stay outside. You can't escape it.

There's no Caribou here. And it's a serious problem -- not for my bank account. But sometimes a girl just wants a good cup of joe.

My 7-year-old sister keeps asking why I can't come home, and it's breaking my heart. When my little sister first asked why I moved to Florida, I told her it was because I got a job here. Her response? "There are jobs in Minnesota too. You could work at Target, Dairy Queen...." If only she understood why her big sister couldn't be satisfied serving Blizzards and Dilly Bars. The other day she said, "Don't you want to be with me?" That girl really knows how to tug on the heart strings.

I'm going to miss the Minnesota State Fair. And that means I can't eat my weight in Sweet Martha's cookies and Fresh French Fries, and that's a huge problem. The Great Minnesota Get Together is one of my favorite times of the year.

I miss the city. I really took for granted how much there was to do in Madison and Minneapolis. Bored in Fort Myers? Well, I guess I'll go to the beach again? Not that I'm complaining about going to the beach. I will gladly soak up some sun while everyone up North is huddle around the fire in their parkas.

 Lauren, Becky, Taylor, and Shelby ( at 17) in line for the concert of our lives outside Fine Line Cafe

But more than anything, I miss my friends and family. Yes, I have made friends here, and I'm so lucky to have them. But sometimes you just want to sing Anna Sun in your car and know that your friends are there to harmonize and reminisce about that time that you discovered one of your favorite bands. I miss watching movies with my parents, and freaking out over Big Brother with my little brother. And my mom's cooking. Boy, do I miss my mom's cooking. And Grandma's baking.

All right, before I get too sentimental, I better remind everyone why I'm here. As much as I miss Minnesota (and Wisconsin), I know that I'm where I'm supposed to be. After all, this blog was founded with the goal of inspiring other people to pursue their passions. So, here I am showing you that it's possible.

Four years ago, I wrote a post right before college wondering if I could really make it happen. Could I actually make a career out of writing?

This is for 18-year-old Taylor.

13 THINGS I LEARNED HALFWAY THROUGH COLLEGE

After my first semester of college I wrote a post called, "10 Things You Learn At College." It was the first time that I saw a post really take off. To this date it is still one of my top-viewed blog posts. Looking back on it makes me laugh a little bit. I still believe in everything that I said, but in a short time my life is completely different than it was then. So since I am about halfway through college now (I still don't fully believe this), I decided to check in and share what else I have learned.

1. What you learn outside of the lecture hall can be just as important. Not to sound too cliché, but you learn a lot about yourself in college. You learn from the people that you surround yourself with and the experiences you have with them, and these lessons help you grow as a person.

2. Living in an apartment is very different than living in dorms. Yes, you had your freedom in the dorms--away from your parents that is. But life after the dorms is a whole other game. Welcome to land of cooking and buying your own toilet paper.

3. It's not always about the grade. It can be difficult to accept a lower grade if you are someone who is used to getting straight A's. Sometimes the most valuable lesson is learning to not overwork yourself just to get the A.

4. Sometimes you need to dance in the rain. A while ago at work, someone said they needed to pull me out of my shell more. It's something that I have been trying to work on. In general, I would say that I am a pretty outgoing person, so I have been trying to be more social--accepting invitations to grab a meal with coworkers on break or joining the conversation when we have downtime. But I have a tendency to hold back a little. As I was walking back from the gym earlier, I realized that sometimes you just have to let go. You have to stop thinking about what other people are thinking or what they could think. This is definitely easier said than done, but you can bet that I will continue to break out of my shell and that I totally danced in the rain all by myself just because I could.

5. The calendar doesn't expand just because your schedule does. I always say I wish there was more time in the day. But I know I would only fill it with more activities. Be careful not to overload your schedule, you will soon regret it if you do.

6. Eat the ice cream. I love ice cream, and I am not ashamed of that. Sometimes I think society makes us feel like we need to be embarrassed about eating things that are bad for us or that we need to have excuses about why we didn't get to the gym that day. I work hard to be healthy--both mentally and physically. And I won't let one get in the way of the other.

7. Coffee habits are really easy to form. At the end of the school year I felt like I wouldn't survive if I didn't get my daily dose of caffeine. Good sleep is so important! I know it isn't always possible to get that ideal 8 hours, but beware that you can quickly become dependent on that cup of Joe.

8. FOMO* is so real. The first thing that comes to mind is the title of Mindy Kaling's book, Why is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? Maybe that has to do with the fact that I am obsessed with The Mindy Project right now, but is also super relatable. Sometimes your friends are going to be doing something fun, and you won't be able to join them--but you will be tempted to.

9. If a guy/girl is not putting in any effort, he/she is not worth it. Your time is valuable. And if someone likes you, they should respect that. If they want to see you, they will make the time and they will put in effort to make real plans with you. I've liked plenty of guys. In fact, sometimes I think I fall in love every other day.** But that doesn't mean that I am going to settle for uncertain plans or hoping that a guy will want to "hang out" because going on a date is too much of a "commitment".

10. Your parents did a lot more than you ever noticed. After living in my own place for almost a year now, I have become so much more appreciative of everything that my parents did. They always made sure I was fed, and that I had clean clothes. But they also washed the kitchen floors and cleaned the showers. When someone isn't around to do these things for you, you quickly notice.

11. Acting your age is overrated. So you are legally an adult now, that doesn't mean you always have to act like it. There is a time and place to act grown up. But sometimes it's okay to act silly and have a little fun.

12. Forget about the little things. Don't get bogged down in the details. Being annoyed and bitter is really easy, but being happy is way more satisfying.

13. People will come and go. It has always been hard for me to grasp that some people are only meant to be in your life for a certain amount of time. There have been people that I considered really close friends that I don't even talk to anymore. It's a shame, and sometimes I miss having those friends. I think of those people as long-term guest appearances. And the people that stick around are the regular cast members. Watch out for those people: chances are they are pretty special.

What have you learned so far outside of the classroom?

Stay tuned, I'm sure I'll do another version of this post when I graduate.

*Fear of Missing Out
**This isn't real love. The only guy I have ever really loved is Joseph Gordon-Levitt. But since he's off the market now, I am trying to keep an open mind--or rather, an open heart.

CONFESSIONS OF A COFFEE ADDICT AS TOLD BY GILMORE GIRLS

It's Monday morning, you hit the snooze a couple times, but now you have to get going. You start your normal routine, eat some breakfast, and you try to resist the coffee. But how could you? After surviving midterms, nearly sleepless nights writing papers, and classes that always seem too early, you need the coffee, don't you?

When you are an avid coffee drinker:

Nothing in the morning excites you, unless it involves the words mocha or creamer.

The sun hasn't come up until you have had your cup of joe.

And the thought of a world without coffee is not the kind of world you want to live in.

How do people expect you to accomplish superhuman productivity without it?

People don't understand why coffee is an essential part of your diet.

Or why you will do almost anything to get it.

I mean anything.

People are starting to think you have a problem.

But they don't know what they are talking about, right? 

You clearly don't have a problem. 

You just don't know how to function without it. 

So what if you need coffee to get up in the morning? 

You don't have a problem with it, and if you're lucky, you might one day find someone who understands.

True friendship is when you know your friend's coffee order, right?


*This post was also published to Her Campus.

WHY I HAVE A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH COFFEE SHOPS

First off, I am not sure I actually like coffee. I have had a pretty steady relationship with coffee for the past year-and-half or so. Sometimes it seems like things are going really well. I find the right coffee with just the right flavor. But the next day I do something like skimp on the creamer, and my whole day is ruined (That might be a bit of exaggeration, but it's definitely a bummer). In the past couple months I have read several articles suggesting I kick caffeine to the curb. And while I know it's probably the best thing to do, I keep going back to it time after time. I know it's wrong. It's not good for my health, and it keeps me awake at night. But what's a girl to do? It seems to be there for me when I really need it, so how do I let it go?

If we're being honest, the caffeine fix isn't the only thing I am looking for out of coffee. I like having something to sip on, especially when I am writing. I like that drinking coffee makes me feel part of a closer-knit group of bloggers that really enjoy coffee for some odd reason. And I like that coffee gives me an excuse to spend time in coffee shops.

There are many reasons I have a love/hate relationship with coffee shops. Here are a few of them:

The atmosphere 

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Love:

I love the feeling of being in a coffee shop. For some reason it makes me feel more creative. At home my creativity can go stale, because it is the same environment day after day. I need something stimulating, and coffee shops definitely fit in that realm.

Hate:

I hate that other people share this affinity towards coffee shops, and it is often hard to find somewhere to sit. In fact, as I write this I'm wedged in a an awkward crevice at table that has just enough room for my computer, coffee cup and over-sized bagel plate. Oh, and it's by the door. So every time anyone goes in or out of this place the cold draft hits me, reminding me that I live in one of the coldest cities in America.

The coffee

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Love: 

Like I said, I'm not sure if I really like coffee. And I guess part of that is based on what you define as coffee. Your coffee might be black, or it might have a little half & half or sugar. Mine usually includes a great deal of creamer or added flavors that make it taste less like coffee. Regardless, there is something about the act of drinking coffee that I really enjoy. It also makes me feel mature--perhaps, even sophisticated--when I drink it.

Hate:

This pains me to say, but I usually don't like coffee from cute coffee shops. If I am going to pay $3-4--even $5--for a cup of coffee it better be great coffee. When I occasionally get a Starbucks or Caribou drink, I know I am going to pay too much money to get a caffeinated beverage. But I also know that I am going to enjoy it. Yet time after time, I try out the little local shops, because they have vintage records on their walls or baristas that could have just gotten off from a shift at Urban Outfitters. And time after time, I am thoroughly disappointed, because their coffee tastes too much like coffee (This is also really hard for me to admit, because I really want to like coffee. It's just not working out for me).

The music

People

Love:

Coffee shop music soothes me. It's calming, and not distracting. Plus, it's usually indie music that serves as a great contrast to the top 40 hits on the radio. There are even Spotify playlists dedicated to coffee shop music. My favorite is "Your Favorite Coffeehouse."

Hate:

Sometimes the music is so obscure that there's a reason no one's ever heard of it. Also, I want to be calm, but some of this stuff could put me to sleep.

The people

Preo

Love:

People-watching is by far one of my favorite activities in coffee shops. I'm not talking about the college campus shop full of girls getting their Starbucks on. The best coffee shops are filled with creatives and twenty-somethings looking intellectual and chatting over Cherry Biscottis. Or ignoring each other over scholarly readings or their graduate theses, instead of scrolling on their iPhones.

Hate:

Like I mentioned before, it is a bit overwhelming when there are too many people at any given time. For one thing it is a bit overstimulating and distracting--especially since I prefer to sit without headphones in a coffee shop to really appreciate the whole experience. How else I am supposed to hear the music I have a love/hate relationship with? Or the squeal of the espresso machine that reminds me why people keep piling in? Side note: I love babies. I don't love babies in coffee shops.