Cruise Control

        When I was in high school I volunteered and was a member of a lot of things whether, Drama Club, Student Government, or Junior Civitan. I kept going and going every day with involvement in all these groups and I had fun. First semester of college was an adjustment period. Your world changes and you have to reorient yourself. Going into 2011 I had a conquer the world attitude. My friend Laura and I said, “Ain’t nothing gonna bring me down,” and Danielle and I said, “This is our year!” I’ve been speeding down the highway though. So last semester it came down to, what is 2012 going to be?

        I feel like I’ve spent so much of my young adulthood trying to essentially validate myself through involvement and work towards building essentially my personal brand. Next year I want to step back from that. . . My old high school mentor and I grabbed lunch at Panera right before Christmas and we joked that I am kind of doing things backwards. I’m learning to chill out and have fun when some people are just starting to get out there more with extracurricular activities and professional jobs.

        It was fun being so active at the beginning of the semester. I would get up at 7 or 8 a.m. and go to classes or work for a few hours then run to the other, dash off to a club meeting and then try to do homework. I would squeeze in haircuts and grocery shopping and if schedules worked out, weekday dinner dates. It was a lot. Not overwhelming, but questionable if it was really worth it.

        I don’t want to be in my senior year and realize I didn’t enjoy things as much as I wanted. I don’t want to be a club officer just because I really like the organization, if I really do not love every minute of it. I don’t want to miss out on having fun with all these amazing people I’ve been fortunate to meet.

        2012 will be a full on expedition with myself and life. I am going into this cruise control mode where I truly take in my surroundings. I’m cutting down on major involvement in organizations. I will be having more fun with friends, whether it’s parties, experiencing different restaurants, or sitting on a couch chatting. I will be getting out there more to enjoy life. I want to come to know myself more and meet new people.

My Vision for 2012

Finding Roots will now be published on a regular basis is my first thing to be out there for this year. Monday posts by 8 p.m. and Thursday posts by 12 p.m.! I am very excited to connect more with others and talk about universal and interesting things!

Hold the Bacon (Vegetarian): Today is the first day as a vegetarian. My goal is to last three months, which will be my next birthday. The experience is what intrigues me and motivates me most of all. I wonder if I can actually do it and how it is to be vegetarian. Also I hope to expand my palette and the types of foods I eat. I’m not a picky eater, but I am definitely not taking advantage of all the food this world has to offer. I am totally open to recipe suggestions for cooking and grocery store tips! Today I went shopping and found myself saying, “I can’t eat that. . .I can’t eat this. . . I can’t eat that!” But I found some great new foods!

Movie Nights & Dinner Dates: I have some pretty fantastic friends in my life! Some of them are older, but either way, college is going by really fast and I want to embrace having them right here with me now. I am determined to hang out with them as much as possible this year, but also to make some new friends. What I really missed last semester was meeting a lot of random people and making friends. This year I want to connect with as many as new people and old friends as possible.

Namaste (Health): One I am interesting in the health effects being a vegetarian will have on me, but overall, I want to live a healthier life! I only did yoga once last semester, so my new goal is to go AT LEAST once every two weeks with my yoga partner, Laura. I want to live to be as old as possible, but with a great quality of life, and that requires me to start now.

Can I Have Your Number?: I have this focus on myself now over dating. Not to say I am closed off to guys or dating, but I don’t have that drive to actively pursue it now for this year. By the end of 2011 I came to peace with certain ghosts of the past and what it is to be gay, so now I just want to know myself. I discovered I lack some self-confidence when it comes to guys. And the college world doesn’t necessarily agree with my idea of going on dates instead of hooking up then hanging out. If a guy comes along then I am fine with that, but I can’t spend a lot of time focusing on the hunt for Mr. Right or even Mr. Right Now.

Sweet Escape: Everyone has a lesson to teach us and we all need mental escapes. I love mystery books, autobiographies, and a good ole realistic drama. Every month I will read a new book for fun! One that makes me think and feel like Giovanni’s Room, make me laugh like Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang, or make me contemplate my future like If You Have to Cry, Go Outside. I enjoy just sitting and diving into a book sometimes!

Tweet! Network! Follow up!: As college public relations students there is a lot of pressure to stay on top of the latest social media and technology and to form our own personal brand. Sometimes I think it is too much pressure. You online presence and personal brand is who you are as a person. I just want to be who I am. Public relations is a part of who I am and it isn’t all that I am. I have many years ahead of me to stay on top of everything PR, but not much time in college.

In 2012 I will connect more with myself! I will be myself! I will connect with others! I will grow! I will live and love!

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I hope you have enjoyed this post! Feel free to comment, follow/tweet me on Twitter @JarrydK, or ask me questions anonymously at http://formspring.com/jarrydboyd.

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