In honor of the end of my freshman year, I have included my top ten absolute favorite experiences from the second semester (I counted- we went on 50+ adventures this semester! 😱😍). I am confident that my friends and I will cherish these unique experiences for years-- no, decades-- to come... 💖🌊🌈☀️🎵 ENJOY (as much as we did)!!!:

1. VIP Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival 2017

Coachella is always the highlight of my year, and this being my third time to attend the festival has not diminished the excitement it brings in the least. Even hung out and talked extensively with Cole Sprouse, Shay Mitchell, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Paris Hilton, and more.

2. "Mirage," Desert X

A mirrored oasis in the middle of nowhere, this art exhibit presented itself to me as a both functional and whimsical piece. As an artist myself, I have cultivated a distinct appreciation for unique art and architecture. Unfortunately, the exhibition ended April 30th, so those of you eager to see it, better luck next time? 🙃

3. Carmel-by-the-Sea

My close friends and I took an unforgettable trip up to Carmel, 7 hours north of L.A., where we enjoyed the fine dining, shopping, golfing, beaches, and, of course, celebrity sightings. The quaint town- which doesn't even have addresses on the homes/shops!-is home to many stars, billionaires, and intriguing figures. Plenty more to explore, would love to return next semester.

4. Attending the Golden Globes, Emmys, and the Oscars

Fine. You've caught me. I've drawn a tie between attending all THREE of the Golden Globes, Emmys, and the Oscars. I feel so privileged to have been able to be a part of three of the most monumental televised awards shows that I have always idolized. There are no words.

5. San Diego

Although my sojourn in San Diego was only 2 days long, we seem to have explored the city and the surrounding area in its entirety. I loved hiking Torrey Pines and watching the sun set at Sunset Cliffs, in particular.

6. Palm Springs

The section of the desert down south home to Palm Springs, Indio, La Quinta, and Coachella will forever hold a special place in my heart. Both the memories we made there and the gorgeous succulents will always stand out to me as significant contributions to my decision to live in California permanently. Oh, and the Mexican food. Don't forget about that guac, y'all.

7. Hauser & Wirth Presents: Jason Rhoades, 1994-2006

One of my favorite international curation experts put together the best of Jason Rhoades, an incredibly talented neon lights and aesthetics artist. As an art fanatic, this Arts District experience awed me, as his work is both difficult to obtain the rights to display and extremely controversial.

8. Kismet, Los Angeles' #1 Restaurant

My fav foodie friend and I ventured into Los Feliz for the fritters, tabouleh, rabbit, jeweled crispy rice, and more. We had to see what all the critic raving was about! Let me be the first to say, Kismet deserves to be number one restaurant in the United States, if not the world!Best food I've eaten in a WHILE, and that's saying something.

9. Traveling to Tokyo for spring break with my best friends

I attended USC Marshall School of Business' Learning about International Commerce (LInC) party/work trip (WORK HARD PLAY HARD. USC motto at work. Bam.)- despite the uncomfortable, long business meetings and semester-long essay, lecture, and presentation-heavy course we had to take, all the clubbing, exploring, discovering, and enjoying we did and the crazy memories we made were WELL worth the work we put in!

10. Teaching yoga sculpt to the most epic community of all time

Every week of my freshman year I taught 3 of my #westYS (west= me + YS= yoga sculpt, duhhhh) class in the on-campus recreational yoga studio. Being the youngest fitness instructor as well as the first-ever yoga sculpt with weights instructor at the University of Southern California, I pioneered this program, and am happy to say that I will continue the honor of teaching my class here in the fall! Woohoo! One of the best parts of my week, no matter how many cool adventures and explorations I go on, is always my yoga sculpt class. I love giving back to the community and bonding with my fellow Trojans through sweating, praying, and slaying!

Thank you so much to everyone who made my freshman year what is probably the best one anyone in the entire world has ever had.

Fight (And Party!) On This Summer,

ARW

Follow me on social to keep up with my amazing adventures throughout Los Angeles, the rest California, and, soon, D.C. and then Milan!

Odyssey: https://www.theodysseyonline.com/@westxphoto

Personal Insta: https://www.Instagram.com/amandaromewest

Profesh Insta: https://www.Instagram.com/westxphoto

https://www.twitter.com/WEST_notkanye

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westxphoto

Twitter: https://www.pinterest.com/amandaromewest/

Snapchat: @amanda_please6

VSCO: http://vsco.co/thewestcoast/images/1

Tumblr: https://www.sooo-westcoast.tumblr.com

Spotify: @arwxo

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We don't buy into these... just like how we don't buy our friends.

8. "The whole philanthropy thing isn't real, right?"

7. "I don't need to buy my friends."

6. "Oh, so I'll bet you love to drink."

5. "Can you tell me some of your secrets?"

4. "What do you do at your meetings?"

3. "Do you guys haze really badly?"

2. "Is it just like in the movies?"

1. "Sororities are so basic."

There are plenty of obstacles that come when taking care of kids, but it's a very rewarding experience.

1. You get excited when the parents purchase season passes to the pool.

2. You've become friends with the stay-at-home moms in town.

3. You get a chance to eat "kid foods" again.

4. You've traded in your cute purse for a large tote bag.

5. You have at least one car seat in your backseat.

6. Their nap time is your happy time.

7. Lunch time can be a disaster.

8. You have to play the same board games repeatedly.

9. You catch yourself using the same lines your parents once told you.

10. Your "mom-mode" kicks in at times.

11. Your heart melts a little when they do something cute.

You'll never find any souvenirs with your name on it

1. You know you are up next when the teacher pauses while taking attendance

2. When “I’m going to do my very best to make sure I know all your names” is said, it may or may be an empty promise

3. “Wow! That sounds so cool! Where is your family from?”

4. You dread when people ask you to repeat your name over and over because it “sounds so cool when you say it”

5. There’s a 50/50 chance that your name will come back either correct or incorrect at Starbucks

6. People try to find shorter, easier nicknames for you instead of calling you by your actual name

7. When someone famous or fictional character shares your name, you get so happy

8. “What’s your name?” “It’s [name]” “I’m sorry, what was it again?”

9. You’ve pretty much seen every misspelling and heard every mispronunciation of your name throughout your life

10. When you find another person with an “ethnic” sounding name, you both get excited

11. Despite the struggles, your name is pretty unique… just like you

Can I be excused for the rest of my life?

Don't Be That Person

1. “Oh, so you/your family are immigrants!”

2. “Is Puerto Rico near Mexico?”

3. “Do you speak Puerto Rican?”

4. “You look too light/dark to be Puerto Rican.”

5. “Do I need my passport to go to Puerto Rico?”

6. “Geez, you are obsessed with your flag. We get it, you’re Puerto Rican.”

7. “Why are you so loud?”

8. “So does your family know English?”

9. “Oh my god, Puerto Ricans are so spicy.”

10. “So did you eat a lot of tacos?”

11. “Are you Mexican?”

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