01. I have been trying to sort out some travel plans for spring break, I know a lot of people go to Florida, the Bahamas, etc. but, I've always loved the idea of taking spontaneous trips to areas of the U.S. that I have yet explored and aren't the most ideal spring break hot spots. Oregon, for example, is a destination I have in mind and I am all for a mountain escape and a breath of fresh ocean air. I've always wanted to explore Portland, but also the western coast, so hopefully, I can make a trip happen this year and see some family that lives out there, too.

02. The summer internship search is on! Now that I've finished my first public relations internship with Papergirl PR and Marketing in December, I've been jumping at opportunities whenever and wherever. There's so much pressure, at least at DePaul, in order to find an internship and I have to say I am one with the process on this one.

I've sent out my resumé and have already had some interviews, but I know I need to be true to myself in what I'm looking for exactly—definitely paid, but a creative role is ideal. So we'll see what happens and I am more than confident that I will come to find an agency that I love.

It's been stressful, to say the least, but by the end of February, we should have fully executed our campaign and will submit it to the national judges.

Never did I think that in college I would be working with the government, so it's quite cool to be gaining this hands-on experience and opportunity of a lifetime. I will for sure update you all once the manic and excitement of February that is to come has died down.

04. After five years of writing on my blog, I've finally bought a domain name for it. For some reason, I was so reluctant to own natalierohman.com, but one of my really close blogger-boss ladies told me it's about time that I should. Lately, I've been giving myself more time to write and be creative on my own terms, so expect more juicy content to come! 

I've been thinking about sharing my tutoring experience so far, as well. I started tutoring at DePaul's writing center in September and have been promoted to the Writing Fellow position where we work simultaneously with a specific class, which is about the psychoanalysis of fairy tales—who knew Beauty and the Beast had so many complexities? 

Social norms and the internet tell us that having acne or "problem areas" should be covered up. I'd like to believe that this norm has been gradually dismantled, while the trend of "natural beauty" is making its way to the forefront. Flaws, insecurities, and stereotypes lead us to believe that the only way we can be accepted is through self-validating beauty norms that drive us to Sephora and emptying our wallets. 

My story is that I've come to realize that it's all bullshit. Finding confidence and acceptance of your insecurities takes strength. I'm not quite sure when I came to realize this, but it must have started my senior year of high school going into college. I was done putting on a mask and as I continue to enjoy using makeup, I've reevaluated its purpose in my own terms, to feel good about myself and not for anyone else to decide how it makes me feel. 

Accepting ourselves is a constant, life-long struggle—we all have things we wish we could change, alter, or modify our physical selves. Resisting these norms, saying "I don't need makeup today," and at least considering more broadly how the things we're exposed to online affects us internally. It's something I've managed to ignore and inspire others to do the same. 

Sometimes I like to play a sleepytime playlist and it was only until recently that I found out you can set your music on your phone to a timer so that it stops when you fall asleep. I'm always reaching for my wireless headphones before bed and am thankful that they are comfortable to sleep with. I've even explored meditation apps like Headspace to help with uneasy sleep. If there are any other ways I can get good and restful sleep, I am always open to trying it. What are your bedtime routine essentials? 

New Year, New Manifestations

As the new year falls upon us, and we're wishing it was still Christmas, snuggled up in bed, the reality of work and routine dwells and consumes our schedule—whether we want it to or not. This time of year has its cheerful highs: seeing old friends, eating beyond belief, late-night Hallmark binges, going to the movie theater (three times consecutively in a week) and being able to recharge with the joys of consumerism and homemade meals. What's more to love? 

I am lucky enough to have six weeks off for winter break, yes I know, it's a crazy amount of time off and it is one of the bittersweet perks I get for being at a trimester school. Now that it's my second day back, I am in awe at how fast time can fly when you're doing absolutely nothing. You get a sudden surge of guilt and a feeling of unproductivity as the weeks go by. However, I took it upon myself to give myself a break and enjoy relaxing, I really needed it. Sometimes the flip of a calendar can really relieve the weight of a not-so-cheery time. 

I haven't expressed much on my blog, but this past quarter of school was one of the most mentally challenging and emotionally draining. My motivation and attitude towards my goals were slim, and I kept pushing through but realized it became a lot harder this year once I put more on my plate—an imperfect balance. I was a workaholic and it began to deter my mental health more than I thought. The past is in the past, and I've come to learn through these challenges that I need to move forward with a more positive outlook on my days and doing things I love and that truly fulfill my needs and make my heart full. With this, I'm turning over a new leaf.

This might have just sounded really good in my head and is probably really stupid to read aloud. Rather than coming up with "resolutions," which we all hate, dread, and never follow through on as they're cultural expectations and just bonafide bullshit that we chain ourselves down to because we need to society makes us think that we need to "fix" ourselves. I say NO.

"Manifestation" popped into my head, probably during a shameless episode of Law and Order: SVU, and quickly I Google searched it to be, "an event, action, or object that clearly shows or embodies something, especially a theory or an abstract idea". Now I don't know about you, but why isn't it "New Year's Resolution" and not "New Year's Manifestation"? I'd like to think that eating less sugar in 2020 embodies the weightloss theory to some extent, or perhaps actually waking up on time will encourage the likelihood of increased productivity?

Well, for my own sanity, I thought it would be a good idea to list out twenty things I would like to "embody" in 2020 and not things that will hold me to a brick wall. These are the things I would like to manifest and acknowledge throughout the year because I do believe things will change for the better and I do believe in new beginnings. However, I will not hold myself to these, in fact, I can completely disregard them. These are just ideas, proposed goals, and ways in which I would like to see myself grow.