As I sit here, watching the rain pour outside my window, the only thing I am inspired by is the peanut butter toast waiting for me in the kitchen. I planned today to be a day to shoot and write, but Im really just feeling like I need a nap. The worst part about vacations is leaving that vacation and having to come back to reality. It's been a real treat being able to travel so much already, but when you get home, responsibilities hit you hard. At least, they hit me hard.
Over the past years, I have dealt with creative ruts and being uninspired. Some other creative writers or bloggers might find it easier to find a new strategy, new product, new medium, etc. to foster this new creativity, but as a college student who has an internship started, a nannying job, and a dog to take care of, it can be difficult to balance it all. If only I can balance it all once school starts! I guess I wanted to make this post a check in and also a way to find creativity and inspiration in places you might not realize—because eating this peanut butter toast is going to do any of that.
Luxurious week or even month long vacations can be amazing and there's lots to get inspired from, but the motivation to do anything after is a real struggle. Sometimes I feel like it takes me another week or so to get back on my feet. My mom had me double checking my calendars because I started overbooking myself as soon as I got back from Europe. Finding the will to continue work, especially in the summer, can be the worst. Here's what I've realized:
Stop What You're Doing
The only way I've actually gotten back into creative projects and blogging is just by leaving everything where it is and doing nothing about it. Sounds like a reverse way of handling it, but I guarentee that taking a break from what you're doing is going to give you a better headspace about it. I always find what makes it easier is to put my energy towards something else, whether it be yoga, being outside, biking around the neighborhood, taking a walk, reading a book or magazine, or even shopping can spark new ideas.
Take a New Perspective
When I come back to the drawing board of blog posts I want to write, it can be so hard to figure out how to make the next one different and better than the last. Developing my own brand on my blog has taken hours on end, so fluidity and consistency are key. However, if it seems like your old ways are biting the dust, change them. Try writing from a different perspective, using a new photography technique, or going out and being the subject of the photos. Find something in your work that can be changed or modified—as they say, spice it up. Take a new direction. New ideas will come.
Embrace the Process
It's going to be even harder to get inspiration if you don't embrace the creative process. Ideas take time, but they can also pop up in the middle of nowhere. It can be very challenging when we put deadlines on ourselves to get things up and published, but I would rather much have a developed idea than a last-minute, half-assed one.
Change the Environment
Sitting in the same living room or at the same desk during a time of writer's block and lack of inspiration might be one of the reasons no ideas are coming to you. Change your location, change the desk you are sitting at, create outside and hear the birds chirp, go to a local coffee shop, the library, someone else's house, etc. Find a place that gives you inspiration or at least isn't the place you always write or create at. You will get a fresher sense of atmosphere and if nothing comes, observe your surroundings. What do you see? Smell? Hear? Feel? Start thinking and relax wherever you are.
There's only so much you can do when inspiration becomes an agonizing feat of despair, but to put it lightly, it takes time and you need to allow yourself to get there. The internet is filled with content and creative work, so I always find myself looking for ways to be different.
The truth is, you probably won't be, but you have to love the work you're doing no matter what. Sure, I've had better posts than others, but I am satisfied with it and if you're not—I would suggest thinking about what type of work makes you passionate.
We all get into these ruts every now and then, but don't let them consume you. Vacations and relaxing are necessary for our bodies to take physical and mental breaks, it's normal if you feel like you can't get right back into it yet. If you're truly stuck on an idea, maybe it's time to change it. Write some goals down, outline, make a plan. Come back another day and try again. You will be thankful that you took the time to think things through, rather than rushing to figure out just an "okay" idea.
It felt like a dream.
One minute I was in Chicago, the next I was walking around the beaches of Cannes not missing any of Chicago's inclement weather, and breathing in the fresh French Riviera ocean air. A dream it was. Now that I'm finally home after three weeks, reminiscing all of the moments and memories I made, I think it's about time to share my adventures studying abroad in France, The Netherlands, and Spain. All countries have very different, rich cultures, and I was eager to explore it all.
My two professors, Juan and Marshall, worked very hard to manage a group of 15 girls and one guy. We were all very grateful to have two experienced travelers and prestigious DePaul advertising professors who taught us during our three weeks. The international advertising program consisted of our professors giving us briefs every Sunday catered towards a global client that we had to create an entire advertising campaign for—an opportunity to really build our portfolios on a global scale. Stay tuned because I will be including my final portfolio within the next week.
Advertising was not something I considered to be a career trajectory because if you're like a lot of people, all you want to do is skip an ad, mute the commercials, swipe past catalogs on your browser, and upgrade to no-ad premium subscriptions. All of which I have participated, but this trip made me see ads differently. Not as a way to sell or manipulate, but to share messages and facilitate authentic connections with people. Sure I'll still skip an ad, but this industry is really challenged by the way that ads shape our culture and an impatient one at that. It takes real talent to make people like advertising and it amazes me at how impactful a slogan, a word, a picture of a hamburger, or a puppy-monkey-baby can make #1 on Superbowl Sunday.
Cannes, France
This is me happy in my new French dress that I bought at a store called Mango.
After surviving a surprisingly pleasant eight-hour flight into Zurich, Switzerland and a connection to Nice, France, we were off to Cannes for the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, which isn't the Cannes Lions Film Festival, but close. It is an annual five-day celebration of some of the largest leading names in the ad industry, as well as, celebrity guests who discuss and honor their creative achievements this past year. It felt like an honor to be there, especially as a student. The festival is commonplace for creative minds and innovators. There were brainstorming workshops and creative presentations that everyone was able to experience. Every day we were required to visit two talks and reflect on them as our daily homework assignment. We saw the CEO of Edelman, John Legend, Laura Dern, Big Sean, Katie Couric, Kerry Washington, Jeff Goldblum, and many more.
The parties were filled with complimentary food and drinks (which we definitely took advantage of), fun activities like photo booths and playground equipment, and a chance to mingle with all of the professionals and presenters there. Though some of us just danced the night away and forgot we were here to get work done. It truly felt like a vacation.
I also met a Youtuber Caspar Lee, who I used to watch when I was a tween and just shouted his name at Pinterest Beach. We walked around the streets with an abundant amount of shopping and amazing seafood and French cuisine—escargot, of course. It felt like I was living in a fairytale and all of my stresses went away. No one can be unhappy in a place like that. Not even the accordion playing man.
We also took a free day to explore the island of Sainte Marguerite and took a train to Monaco to celebrate my group's success as we won our first campaign, named France 20/20, and did we gamble? Well, I definitely splurged a bit that weekend.
This was taken on Twitter Beach alongside Juan Mundel (middle) and a visiting professor Julie Ferguson (left) on a warm, sunny day filled with engaging presentations and happy hour.
This was taken after my big girl purchase at Gucci and a much-needed refreshment in Monaco, Monte Carlo. You can tell how blissful I looked and felt.
I fell in love with France, swimming in the sparkling blue water, perfect sunsets, beautiful people, amazing parties, delicious food, and constantly exhausting the phrase "Merci beaucoup". I really want to go back and explore different parts of the country. It all went by a little too fast, but we were all ready to move onto our next city, Amsterdam.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
We arrived in Amsterdam during an inferno heatwave and were all wishing we were back at the beach, but we were also very excited to see the brownstones and canals as we bused up to our hotel.
Bikers dominated the streets and everyone was ready to see the new city, but also focus on our work this week. We were earning for a bit more structure in our schedule after all that partying and met at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences every day from 9 to 12 to work with some of the students we got to meet and hang out with after class.
One of the many canals and bridges I saw during my trip. The bikes border the entire bridge.
Amsterdam is a very unique city, after class, we would work on our campaigns promoting a new coffeeshop to arrive in Chicago, these are basically cafés that legally sell weed, which was a very interesting thing to experience. So many people smoke weed there, it smells in every alley. We also toured the canals, the Anne Frank House, the Rijksmuseum, did the Heineken Experience and explored the brewery, and biked along the countryside to see some windmills.
I felt like Amsterdam was very similar to Chicago in some ways like the amount of traffic, the proximity of every bar and landmark, the diverse demographics, and so many different types of restaurants. Moroccan, Indonesian, Argentinan places, etc. Also, the canals were as murky as the Chicago River. Some days the weather was actually breezy and cool like the city. I was surprised at how I could feel a little at home there. 
Amsterdam is known to have a lot of nightlife, so I was going to bed around midnight every night and the sun never set until 10:30. We kept saying that time never exists in Europe.
I really enjoyed having the whole day to do everything and not feel like I had to rush to do activities while it was still daylight. Amsterdam was very different than the two other cities. One that was more frugal, modernized, and progressive.
My favorite parts of Amsterdam were along the canals and finding small boutiques, thrift shops, bars along the water, and eating as many stroopwafels as I could before we left. I also really loved walking down the side streets in the residential areas and peeking through balconies and getting a feel of what living there was like. It felt like we were walking through a movie.
These were some of the Dutch students we got to meet, work with, and spend time with. I got close to the girl named Jette (pronounced yett-a) and two boys, Terry (left) and Nathan (right).
Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona has a special place in my heart. I think I fell in love with it the most. For some reason, I found a connection with this city more than the others. I was able to speak and understand Spanish and could communicate with the locals. It was a revealing practice of my self-confidence and boldness, for sure. It's empowering to know a language and that's why I plan on continuing my studies with Spanish at DePaul.
After a while, I got very comfortable talking to people and asking around for the best tapas places. Our first night there we made it a goal to get tapas and sangria. Which inspired our last advertising brief which was to make McDonald's now serve tapas–McTapas. This was the hardest challenge for me because I struggled to elevate something that was already as good as it is, Mcdonald's, but now with tapas. I tried so hard to think of something more creative, outside the box, but sometimes maintaining brand equity in advertising has the most successful feedback.
I was on a mission to find an authentic painted fan and I found this beautiful one, along with two for my sisters, at a MercerÃa, which sells handmade fans of all colors and flamenco costumes. I made sure to bring it to our flamenco show—it also saved me and my friends from overheating.
We explored the historic alleyways of Gothic Quarter, Las Ramblas and the shopping district, La Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, Gaudi's House, and scoped out where the Cheetah Girl's filmed their second movie and all of the markets where I got to try kangaroo meat (it does taste like jerky) and drink lots of sangria.
We had a rooftop pool at our hotel, so on very hot afternoons during siesta time (between 1 and 4) we spent swimming after class and some people even made it to the beach. I also loved just staring at the architecture around every corner of the city. Terra cotta roofs, intricate balconies, breathtaking cathedrals, I definitely got some inspiration from them. Our Fourth of July was spent seeing Flamenco dancers and treating our professors to a final salud at a local pub.
I was very fortunate to have had this experience. I mean, it was a trip of a lifetime. Every moment was just amazing and there is so much more that I want to share, but also keep for myself to remember. Thankfully, there were no problems, issues, breakdowns, injuries—nada. I made lasting friendships and connections with people that I will carry on forever. I would one hundred percent recommend studying abroad to any college student thinking about it. Apply now, do it, you will regret it.
I never had doubts about applying for this trip. I knew exactly how bad I wanted to go and I persisted. I remember being so nervous because we had to interview for this program and it meant so much to me. On one of our first nights in France, I was standing on an old church ruin on the hilltop Notre Dame d'Espérance overlooking Cannes and just cried. I was so grateful to experience a view so perfect and a trip that my whole family probably wouldn't be able to ever go on together. Traveling is expensive. This was not something I could just "come up with," but every penny spent was worth it and I am willing to pay that debt.
There can be so much worry that aligns with travel and I'm sure there are lots of other reasons, such as financial, for why it is so hard to drop everything and get on an airplane. However, as clichè as it sounds, I want to lead a life of adventure and knowing that I can get out of my comfort bubble if I just allow myself to be open and spontaneous. I have to work for it.
I learned much about patience, maturity, problem-solving, adapting to a new culture, communication skills, and more about myself in the past three weeks than I have in college for two years already. I knew I was going to learn something more about myself and knowing that I can do it on my own makes me motivated to reach for these big, life-changing decisions and take risks every once in a while. These are experiences that I will take with me through life.
Traveling can be a very emotionally challenging, personality revealing, stress enduring, and life-changing time—I have proved to myself that I can do it. I hope you've enjoyed reading the beginning of my travel journey. If you have dreams of travel, continue to work towards it.
Someone once told me that if you aren't scared of your dreams, then they aren't big enough.
Where should I travel to next?
As I begin to prepare for what seems like a trip of a lifetime, I literally today have started getting everything I need and packed. Honestly, packing is one of my favorite things to do, but one of my largest pitfalls because I overpack SO much. The places I'm going to, France, the Netherlands, and Spain for three weeks are all going to be pretty warm during the day, but I still can't rely on just my knowledge of Chicago weather and think that all countries get extremely hot days next to extremely cold and rainy ones.
This trip has required me to do some research and a lot of asking around to see what other people's experiences were like travelling abroad. I got a lot of mixed information from a lot of sources based on personal preferences, ages, time of the year travelling, and just an overall consensus that travelling is really dependent on many factors and is different for everyone. My feelings toward studying abroad is mostly excitment, mixed with a little bit of nerves, but I think it's all normal and my attitude about it all is go with the flow and open to trying new things.
For one thing I really don't know how I am going to be on an eight hour flight, but it has to be better than a 21 hour bus ride to Florida. The excitment of going and getting there will make it all feel fast. I would say I am a pretty good traveler, but going in a big group can be overwhelming at times just based on the fact that we all need to work seamlessly together.
Being with a group of students can really relieve discomfort and I am grateful that I have a big group to relate to and get to know more. To be honest, I have already connected with some of the girls in our class. I'm sure that I will come back with new friendships. You know while traveling with a lot of people can ease the feeling of homesickness, I also really like to keep to myself at times. I know we have packed schedules each day, but sometimes all I want to do is chill out and not worry about other people. Pacing myself in this aspect will be necessary if I'm going to need times to reboot during the trip.
I have the expectation that all is going to be great, but I also have expectations that there will be times that I feel sad, confused, distraught, lost, etc. Being in a new place, for an extended period of time with people I hardly know yet, can bring up these feelings and I want to make sure that my headspace doesn't dwell on these things because I am there to enjoy every minute of the trip and make the most out of everything available to me. Embracing the sense of the unknown, figuring out how to navigate, and adapting to new social sitations will be a test for me.
I know there are many people who have already travelled to a ton of different countries and probably remember the first time they traveled abroad for the first time, too. I don't really know what to expect, how everything is going to go, but the people that have made this possible at my college really know what they're doing and are well experienced in it.
The emotions I have are totally normal and I think I am more than ready to have this experience. As I am writing this now, within a week I will be away and my plans for blogging are going to be on hold as I take in everything I can while I'm away. I will be documenting my travel and of course, sharing a post about it as soon as I get back in early July.
When I think about all the things that could happen, I try to remember that fear is probably the main factor that pulls people away from experiencing the world and going beyond what they know. I really want to travel as much as I can and that takes a lot of strength and mind power to do, but I know it will all be worth it in the end. Let me know what your travel plans are this summer! I can't wait to tell you all about it.
Bon Voyage!
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