Have you ever tried to get a point across and you feel like you are screaming and hollering at those around you and yet nothing is being accomplished? Have you ever considered that your pen and paper will always speak louder than your lips ever will? Yup, that would be it, and this is why I decided I would write for the Odyssey. I have so many opinions, so many ideas I would love to get across, I have a dream just like Dr. Seuss's The Lorax who states "I am the Lorax I speak for the trees," well I am Taylor I speak for those in need. I want to be the voice of the voiceless, the people society overlooks, the individuals who are labeled as less due to something they are unable to control, those who are labeled broken, disabled, and that horrible "R" word (retard). Now when such terms are used within an article it is not meant to offend anyone, it is simply trying to make sure the proper word is being addressed. In anything that I throw at all of you willing to read, there is no intention to offend anyone, at all, to target anyone, at all, it simply is every d*mn opinion I have. It can be anything from how I saw a man walking his dog and that dog proceeded to go number two in the yard of someone, who it looked like spends maybe too much time on their yard, but the owner then looked to make sure no one was looking and then walked off. Well buddy someone saw; and that someone kind of wanted to hurl. Or it could be something like I am currently living through a grandmother take-over! I am blessed to still have my mother's mother (X) and stepmother (Y), and my father's mother (Z) all still present in my life (and of course my step-parents mother's but we are talking blood and in my life too long by now excluded for this time being), but I can also say that I still have my great-grandmother (W) in my life. I am currently on summer break from college and am trying to spend time with the family while I am home so I spent the day Monday of this week with Y who is cleaning out her years of history as she readies herself to move into assisted living, then that night ended with me crashing at X's house so that we could leave at 3:30 am Tuesday morning to board a plane at 7am to leave for Florida, where we will spend three weeks! Woohoo, right?! Not so much, first off no college kid wants to get up that early even to go to FL, and secondly I am great grandmother sitting in easy terms. I will stay with W for those three weeks, 90 and still kicking she is. However on Sunday I will stay the night with Z who lives there now, she may be a bad "A" biker grandmother but that is still a lot of grandma within a week! Looks like I will be on my best behavior, but trust me when I say none of my grandmothers are the definition of normal... just wait until I tell you about next week.
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1. When you see each other after a hiatus it is like no time has passed.
Regardless of what you may have gone through, nothing can change the banter and personal communication you and your friends share. Nothing feels awkward or forced because you are having too much fun catching up!
2. You plan your outings around each other's schedules.
Your friend's work schedules or class schedules are memorized like the back of your hand. They are your priority, and you will do anything you can to get them to join you on adventures when it is convenient to do so.
3. You say 'I love you' on the phone.
Yes, you may say it in real life too, but saying it after a phone call means it has become a customary for you to validate your appreciate for one other. Like a significant other or family member, you feel the desire to express your love at the end of a conversation.
4. Nothing is boring when you are together.
No matter what you do together, you always have a good time. Why? Because your friends' company is all you need. With the right people, you can make any situation memorable.
5. You share weird inside jokes no one else understands.
And you would like to keep it that way. If you are anything like my friend group, we share a strange family dynamic that has lasted as a running joke forever. No matter what it is, your inside jokes and sly smirks will keep the spirits up for ages.
6. You plan to hang out for a couple hours but end up together the entire day.
So now you just expect it and prepare for a 24-hour long get-together. Naps are often a part of the agenda.
7. The hugs say a thousand words.
Perhaps you do it a little too much, but the hugs you share are always meaningful and comforting. Gotta love those group hugs especially!
8. You go on spontaneous adventures together.
It is where your favorite memories come from. Even though you might not be able to do them as much as you would like, you are always down for a trip, big or small, with the group.
9. You consider each other family.
Because you consider each other family, you treat each other like family. Constant love, constant support, and a tremendous amount of meals spent together.
10. They make you a better person.
It is not a special friend group unless you learn from one another. You had to be selective when choosing your friends and when you did, you felt like they could teach you a thing or two. Their actions influence who you are and you could not be more thankful.
11. You can't imagine life without them.
The very thought scares you and sends your heart racing. Thankfully, the ultimate friend group is right there with you so you never have to second-guess their loyalty. Instead, you can bask in the glory that is your ultimate friend group. #squadgoals.
1. No school = no stress.
There are no essays to write, no books to read, and no deadlines to meet. The only worry in the world is keeping track of putting sunblock on.
2. Country music is more fun to listen to.
All true fans will listen to country music 365 days a year, but we all know that it's so much better in the summer when you can roll down the windows.
3. Your skin looks and feels better.
Even if you don't have the type of skin that tans, there is more color there than in the winter ... maybe. Freckles, tan lines, peeling burns and clear skin make for a happier camper. You'll forget all about the ghost version of yourself that was shedding dry skin like a snake over the winter.
4. Being barefoot 24/7 is an option.
Obviously wearing no shoes in the middle of a blizzard isn't acceptable. You know what is, though? Wearing no shoes in the summer ever because why not?
5. Ice cream is an acceptable snack.
For people like me who can't resist ice cream even on a 10 degree day, summer is a giant ice cream blessing. Not only does it taste like heaven, it's actually refreshing.
6. Minimal clothing is required.
Is there anything worse than having to put on layers in the wintertime only to sweat to death the minute you come back inside? No need for more than a tank top and shorts in the summertime.
7. Going to the beach daily isn't weird.
Now that it's hot, it's beach season. If you live near the ocean there is an excuse to drive there day or night, rain or shine. Staying there all day is an option for those who don't burn, and for those who do, you can always come back at night for a bonfire.
8. Cookouts.
Even when they lead to disaster, summertime cookouts are the best. Nothing completes a cookout more than watermelon and corn on the cob.
9. Night swimming.
Oh the thrill of jumping in freezing cold water in the middle of the night. Good thing the air becomes colder than the water, making the pool like a giant bathtub.
10. Spontaneous adventures.
Summertime gives you the freedom to wake up in the morning and decide to do something totally out of the blue that you've never done before. Hiking to a waterfall, rock climbing, going to a museum, or even road tripping are all great summer options.
Even if the heat isn't really your thing, it's undeniable to admit that life really is better in the summer. There's so much more free time, opportunity, excitement and sunshine. Only four months to go!
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