Summer in California | Adulting 101

Also known as the electrifying and impassioned sequel to Winter in California. Just kidding, I hate sequels.

I'm trying this new thing called adding memes to my posts. Thoughts?

But anyway, the summer of 2017 is the summer of adulting. It's the summer of living in a subleased apartment, providing food for myself (and failing so far), doing my own laundry, paying my own bills, depositing my own checks, working a part-time job, having a 10-6 internship, commuting to said internship, and many, many more fun activities. I use fun sarcastically, if you couldn't tell. Because yes, real life is tough.

According to the impeccably accurate Urban Dictionary, "adulting" is a term used exclusively by "immature 20-somethings" who are "proud of themselves for paying a bill" and "adult less than 50% of the time." Not gonna lie, this is accurate. You see, I will be 21 years old in less than two weeks, and I don't feel like an adult. I'm not an adult. I can't cook anything besides pasta and I can't iron my own clothes. I don't even own an iron. I own a steamer, and the last time I used that, I melted my closet door . And yes, I know that is nothing to be proud of.

And you know what else I know? That from now on, this is my reality. My reality is the process of shifting from adulting to becoming, you know, an actual adult. And it's terrifying in every sense of the word. And I would love to stop this process somehow, but I can't. It's normal, everyone goes through it, and since this is just how life is, I might as well go with the flow.

And step number one is recognizing that summer is no longer about freedom. It's no longer about frolicking on the beach without a care in the world and dancing around at music festivals wearing standard white girl flower crowns. I mean, yes, there's time for that, too. But there's also the w-word. No, not waffles. Work. But waffles do sound great right now.

This summer, I've started working. Three days a week, I work a 4-hour phone shift at the University Events front desk. It's not too bad, as I spend most of it reading books on Kindle and writing blog posts such as this one right now. I've also been cart trained, meaning that I get to drive around campus in a golf cart and feel very important. Oh, and did I mention that I get paid for it?

The other two days I spend interning at a small production company in West Hollywood. My commute is about an hour and I take two metro lines and a bus, which is no fun, but at least it makes me nostalgic of the good old days when I used public transportation every day and Uber was just a Twitter app for BlackBerries. Also, I get to work on a fancy production lot in a really nice area, and the company produces exactly the type of content I'm interested in: character-driven independent films.  The job itself, well... It's the typical intern job of book and script coverage, answering phones, and coloring in the scratches on old desks.

But you know, there are two ways to look at everything. Yes, I'm an unpaid intern in a tiny office an hour away from where I live, and yes, my job is boring to say the least. But, at the same time, as I was drinking my coffee at Starbucks before work the other day, I looked out the window and saw the Hollywood sign stretch out in front of me. I saw all the palm trees lining the streets. And as I confidently walked over to the production lot, with my coffee in one hand and laptop in the other, looking just like the professional I am not, I realized something. I've made it. I've made it. I'm working in the film industry. I'm working in Hollywood (OK to be fair, West Hollywood. And half of the Hollywood sign was hidden behind a palm tree, but minor details). I persevered against the odds, I've proven that I could make it, I've accomplished what I wanted, I did it all on my own, and now here I am.

And as shitty as adulting is, it's great.

***

I just thought that would be a prosaic end to the adulting chapter, but if you're curious as to what else I have planned for this summer, here's a brief list:

1) Going on a road trip to Big Sur with my best friend Emily!
2) Going to California Adventure for my 21st birthday!
3) Going to a rooftop/Cinespia film screening!
4) Visiting the ucla (SUCKS) campus, just for fun.
5) Getting a California driving license (I've really been putting this off, haven't I?)

So yeah, it's not a long list, but it is what it is. I'll also be summer RAing for high school kids, which I'm beyond excited for! I already miss being an RA like crazy. Plus, I'll get to live in a dorm for six weeks, which I believe will just be enough to have the dorm experience but also survive without major trauma.

My Second Semester at USC | Photo Edition

"The key to survival is being selfish."

~ a quote that has nothing to do with this post, but I just used it to justify being an asshole while recovering from my wisdom tooth extraction. Anyway, moving on...

Second semester. Also known as the end of the beginning. The last semester you can spend being clueless and naïve and getting away with it. The last semester you can spend "exploring" the city you live in and acting like everything is new. So why not enjoy it while it lasts? And since I've already forced you to read so much, I have now decided to present you with some photos from spring break/trips to LA/band photos, and other things. Because USC is fun, LA is fun, and life is fun.

Part 1: LA Adventures

The Last Bookstore

Awesome bookstore in DTLA where I went with my friend Clara a Friday morning. Come here to buy records, browse books, look at cool art or walk around. Just don't buy the books. They're cheaper on Amazon.

 

The Broad 

The newest and super-popular art museum. Come here once to take pictures, then come back to look at the art. Which should be the point. Was here with my friend Clara over spring break and we spent over 2 hours in the standby line, but it was so worth it.

 

 

Da famous infinity room.

Little Tokyo

Walked down here with Clara after visiting The Broad. Really pretty and I don't really know what else to say about it. Expensive restaurants.

The Arts District

Cool street art. Cool places to eat (Pie Hole, Wurstküche). Very artsy. Obviously. Was here filming, and after going to Little Tokyo during spring break.

My Facebook profile picture, which you may have seen, was taken here. (Fun fact: I was standing on two bricks.)

Chili chocolate coffee. because why not be #hipster. 

The Wiltern (aka where dreams come true)

The concert venue where I saw Patti Smith live, and where I ran into the absolutely stunning Fabi <3

CONfire @ Dockweiler Beach

The weekend after wrapping CON, we decided to celebrate with an epic bonfire at the beach which was, well, epic. I also marshmallow kissed one of my friends. And if you didn't know, that's basically a spaghetti kiss with a marshmallow. 

Fun fact: most of us were trying to roast marshmallows with wooden sticks.

A terrible iPhone quality photo I could have fixed but chose not to.

People and the ocean and stuff and that orange juice wasn't orange juice.

My <3s.

Griffith Observatory/Hollywood Sign

My friend from high school visited me over spring break and she really wanted to see the Hollywood sign, and somehow the GPS took us to Griffith, so that's where we went. Though sadly we only had about 30 minutes there. 

I'd highly recommend going to Griffith during the day and staying there until it's dark. Also, check out the exhibition and go to one of the planetarium shows. They're so worth it.

I only took this one terrible iPhone photo, but to see the ones I took last semester, click here.

Terrible quality + color correction. But I didn't take a camera. Soz. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Part 2: Food

The Pie Hole

A pie place in the Arts District where they have slightly overpriced, but nevertheless amazing, pies.

Shin-Sen-Gumi

A Japanese food chain known for ramen (?) that my friend Clara took me to. A bit of a culture shock to walk in there, but not bad at all.

Café Gratitude 

A very overpriced hipster restaurant with organic food in the Arts District where I had a terrible milkshake. People love it, the aesthetic is 10/10, but I don't think I'll be returning anytime soon.

FUN FACT: I went to all these food places over the course of one day. 

Part 3: Disneyland

No explanation needed. Was there over spring break and during one of my study days. It's worth the price. So worth it. (Also, they're not kidding at Splash Mountain. You WILL get wet, so wet.)

 

 

Sarah and the giant toothbrush.

Part 4: Miscellaneous

CON Premiere

Read more about CON here. This was the premiere. Pretty underwhelming, but a good excuse to buy an very expensive Betsy & Adam dress, which if you're wondering, you may purchase here. Still feel guilty for buying that dress.

My FAVORITE girls <3 // Preparing for the CON premiere.

Marching Band / Silks Shenanigans

After the spring football game, during which the team (teeeaaam) essentially competes against itself (offense vs. defense, I believe), Ben Chua, the band photographer, offered to hold a photoshoot just for the Silks. Because, y'know, we're the coolest section and there aren't enough photos of us. 

(Also, Alicia, if you're reading this, I still owe you for the rice krispies, and I will pay my debt.)

So here are some of the best pics:

 

Fighting on with Tommy // My squad/best friends from Silks <3

Favorite photo of all times!

And that is all (BEAT the tide and Fight On!)

Stay around for more posts! 

xx