The Bat's out of the Bag

Well, the bat’s out of the bag. 

No, that isn’t a typo. I fully meant to say bat instead of cat. But before we get into that, let’s rewind. 

Remember how once upon a time I had a roach problem in my apartment? Well, to help with that  we got these little lifesavers called roach motels that are essentially boxes with sticky stuff inside so as their tagline goes, “roaches check in but they never check out!” 

Turns out, it’s true. They really do catch the suckers (and other things)...But enough about them, we have since moved onto bigger and “batter” things. 

FAST FORWARD to this summer, one week ago to be precise. 

I was in the bathroom and noticed that the roach motel that was normally horizontal on the ground under the cabinet was vertical. Hm, that’s odd. Maybe I kicked it with my foot and flipped it by accident. Then I saw a bunch of paper debris around it, stuff that looks like what goes inside a hamster cage. Hm, that’s really odd. 

I go to flip it over and immediately can tell by the weight of the motel that there was something in there and it was NOT a roach. I got down on the ground to see what it was and when I did, I was met with TWO BEADY LITTLE MOUSE EYES STARING AT ME. That did it for me. There was no way I could reach my hand toward it to throw it out. I called my neighbor and he came up in a jiffy and took care of it. 

I thought life would go on. Well, a few days later I saw what at first I thought was some lint in the bathtub, but after I picked it up and investigated it I realized it was some sort of droppings. Awesome. Amazing. Fantastic. I bleached the tub and my hand (not really but cleaned it well) and went to work, texting my landlord to have the exterminator come first thing Monday.  

I got back at around 8:30 that night and was on the phone with my parents so they could be with me to check the bathroom upon my return, you know, just in case. I checked the traps, I checked under the cabinet and I checked the tub: nada. Just when I thought I was off the hook (and my parents thought they could carry on with their Saturday night) I saw something clinging to my shower curtain. 

It all happened so fast. I saw it. I started to cry. I slam the door. I find my safe space sitting on the kitchen chair and the kitchen table. It was like the floor was lava, nothing could touch the ground in fear that something would run across my toes. 

If it was alive, I was not going in there. 

If it was dead, I was not going in there.

Either way, I was not going in there to deal with it. Whatever IT was. 

So, I called my neighbors once again (the best in the whole world) telling them there was a mouse on my curtain and they needed to get rid of it. Eventually, they got here but when they went to go check, there was nothing there. IT WAS GONE. 

My heart sank. You have got to be kidding me. How was I supposed to carry on with my night knowing that there was a creature using my bathroom? Literally - it clearly had been pooping in the bathtub. I sent them on their way after they set some more traps and I tried to go to bed. 

I was just staring at the ceiling, trying to fall asleep when I heard a SNAP. 

No. No. No no no no. The trap went off. I also really need to pee. But I can’t go in there! Not if the trap just went off. 

SO my neighbors came up once again to check the trap. Guess what? NOTHING WAS THERE.

This little sucker was playing games and I was not in the mood. Right after the boys left, I went in there to check myself. The first thing I see is dirt on the toilet seat and ground next to it. How was this not a red flag to the boys? Do they think I live in FILTH? I look up and see the creature just chilling right above me on the gas meter. 

FRICK. Frickitty frick frick frick. 

I ran to my front door, swung it open and yelled “GUYS COME BACK THERE IS SOMETHING IN HERE.” 

When they opened the bathroom door and looked up, they immediately said: “Megan. That is a bat.” 

Sidenote: They had dealt with a dead bat in the dryer just a few days before, so they knew exactly what it was. And don’t ask. I couldn’t tell you.

I didn’t cry. I didn’t even freak out. I handed them the Swiffer and told them to take care of it. To which they then said, ummmm no. You need to call animal control. 

SO - I called animal control. They said it would be about an hour wait because there were other matters to tend to first. WHAT COULD BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THIS? The guy showed up at around 12:30 Saturday night - talk about a crazy, wild, college weekend night!

He had a container the size of a Sabra Hummus tin and that was it. No gloves. No fancy bat catching contraption. Just a little plastic container. Clearly, he knew what he was doing though because he came out with the little sucker and tried showing it to me, to which I shielded my eyes and said get that thing away from me. 

I proceeded to ask about disease, cleaning protocols and what my next steps should be. 

He asked if I had been bitten by the bat. Of course, I frantically start examining my arms to search for bite marks or signs that I am about to turn into a vampire but I couldn’t find any. He said that meant I didn’t have rabies and WHAT A RELIEF THAT WAS. 

After I asked a dozen more questions about cleaning, he walked out. By then it was almost 1 in the morning and I had to clean the entire bathroom, rinse the bat off of me and try to sleep. 

FAST FORWARD to today: 

The holes in the bathroom have since been patched up, the exterminator has come and life has resumed. Am I still walking on eggshells? Yes. Do I look up every time I enter the bathroom? Yes. Was it scary? Yes. Did I cry? Maybe a little. But am I ALIVE TO TELL THE TALE? Frick to the yes. 

Stay safe out there and when in doubt, call animal control. They will pick up the phone no matter what time of day it is and will be at your door to help you. And at the end of the day, isn’t that the kind of friend we all need?

Also, if anyone feels like they need to see photographic evidence of this event, send me a message and I will gladly send you a photo at your own risk.

My Sabbatical

Growing up, my main gig was soccer. It’s what I played from the time I was 5 to when I was 19. My weekends were filled with traveling hours for games, weeknights were spent at late practices and holidays were spent in the middle of nowhere for tournaments. 

I loved it and it was so much fun, until I didn’t and it wasn’t. 

Being a center back, I loved how I was able to see the whole field. I loved how communicative I was with my teammates and how much I was able to trust the others on the back line. But, I was also the last line before the goalie. If a goal was ever scored, I saw it as my fault. 

The earliest memory I have of me crying because of a loss was when I was 10 or 11. We lost 5-0 to the ladybugs and I completely shut down. I didn’t talk to my parents, I stayed in my room until dinner crying on my bed, and when it came time to eat, I walked to the kitchen without making eye contact, quickly ate and got up and left. 

As embarrassing as it is to admit, that pattern would continue for pretty much the rest of my playing career to some extent. I pretty much saw any loss as a direct failure of mine - not super healthy, I know (I learned a lot about this in a Sports Psychology class last semester and if you have this at your school you NEED to take it, athlete or not.) Sure, as I grew older and I got into more competitive levels of the game, there was more pressure. But to think about where that pressure was coming from, I realize it was just coming from myself. 

I was the only one blaming myself for x,y and z mistakes. I was the only one blaming myself for a goal being scored that was simply not going to be stopped, not by myself or the goalie behind me. I started to dread games. I would always have an upset stomach hours leading up to them. I was so worried about what everyone in the stands thought of me and how I was playing. I got so in my head. It was draining and I think it made me feel a little burnt out. It’s not that I ever stopped loving playing or the game itself, I just couldn’t keep up with the standards in my head. 

The same thing kind of happened with my blog and podcast recently. 

If you are an AVID Operation Happiness follower, then you would have noticed that I haven’t been posting much on the blog, the podcast or on the Instagram over the last few months. 

Throughout the school year, I was able to consistently push out content and balance it with my schoolwork. I put in the hours to edit all of my podcast episodes and get them out in a timely manner. I didn’t want to keep anyone waiting and wanted to keep people engaged, active and interested in my blog. I have been able to juggle this for almost three years now, and yet, all of a sudden I couldn’t. When school ended and I had to shift my focus to my internship, I had a hard time finding both the time and the energy to put into it like I had done so easily before. 

I had recorded my first podcast of the summer on a Tuesday and had planned to get it out by the end of the week. Well, a week went by, and then another, and then another. I tried to sit down to edit it but had no motivation to take the time and do it right. Weird, that hasn’t happened to me before. I saw the days go by on my planner, with the red slash of Sharpie signaling the end of another day and still, no new blog, no new podcast, no new Instagram post. 

I recently saw a friend of mine who I hadn’t seen in a while and she mentioned to me how there hasn’t been as much activity on the page or blog lately and I freaked out. People have noticed? Oh no. And honestly, they had. Every single day I noticed people unfollow the Instagram account. Sure, it bothered me a little. It’s easy to get caught up in the number of followers and likes and comments, which is just draining in itself. When she said that, I thought about cranking out another podcast episode or writing some blogs about who knows what just so I could post something and be back on people’s radar, or at least, I felt like that is what my reaction SHOULD be. But should be according to who? My followers? Or me? 

Maybe I was burnt out. Maybe it was a combo of me being tired from working all week and having no time or energy to put into this. Whatever it was, I just needed to take a step back. 

During the time I was on my sabbatical, if you will, something happened where I learned to let go a little bit. No longer did I need to plan out my posts in order for my feed to look a sort of way. No longer did I need to care about how many visits my blog was getting in order to reach the (now unattainable) goal I had made for myself at the beginning of the year. No longer did I need to care about likes or comments or shares. All of those things were building up to create one big stress ball (and no, not the good squishy kind that I sell on my website). 

When I first realized the feelings I was having,  I told my sister. Once again, for I think the third time now in relation to this blog, she gave me the reality check I needed and basically said, this blog isn’t your personality trait or all you are. You do other things. It’s okay not to post all the time. Bless her cute soul. 

I needed that time to basically reevaluate what my priorities were and realize what this blog and podcast and platform means to me. Why did I start it in the first place? Was it to have a billion followers and readers? Or was it to serve as an outlet for me and my thoughts and to make myself and others feel better? Do I want to be putting out content consistently based on a schedule that only exists in my head because I feel like I HAVE to...or else? Or do I want to be putting out content that I genuinely care about and have thought about, on a new schedule that might not be as consistent?  

I think I just have to remember that I am a college kid doing this for FUN, F-U-N FUN, as a way to meet other people and a way to (hopefully) make others smile. There was a time last year where I thought that I would want to make this my BRAND or make this my full-time gig after college. Now, not so much. And THAT IS OKAY. This isn’t my 9 to 5. The only person putting pressure on myself and making up deadlines is me. You know what they say, you’re your own worst enemy. 

After quitting club soccer and suddenly having ample amounts of free time on my hands, I was given the time to MISS the sport and MISS playing. I love watching games and I literally dream about playing again. After taking my sabbatical from posting on the blog, I realized that I was excited to come back and start again with less pressure and some new ground rules for myself. 

Senior year Megan takes Operation Happiness. Let’s do this thing.

My College Kitchen Menu

I have a really good ice breaker for all of us to do together. 

Let’s say our favorite cable network television channels together on 3! Ready? 1...2...3 

FOOD NETWORK AND HGTV

Make fun all you want, but those channels are my go-tos. Watching cooking shows makes me want to cook and watching home renovation shows makes me want to become an interior designer. 

You are LYING if you say you have never narrated your steps while cooking or baking. I’ve done it. You’ve done it. We’ve all done it. We’ve all pretended that we were recording an episode of our non-existent cooking show. If I had my own, I would end it by chomping into whatever dessert I just made and saying Smile. It’s good for you. 

Classic, I know. 

Unfortunately, I most likely will never, ever have a cooking show on the Food Network. For starters, I am not a cook. Another reason is the fact that I eat the same handful of meals on a rotation, so I would run out of episodes and things to cook real fast. I also don’t cook with cheese or meat so that eliminates about half or more of the viewers. Anyways. 

Being a college student in a big city means that I have access to lots and lots of yummy restaurants at all hours of the day. It also means that money can easily fly out of my wallet so I try to cook as often as I can and honestly, I love it! I eat healthier when I am in control of my groceries and my meals and I honestly find it really fun. Plus, it helps when you are obsessed with your grocery store as much as I am obsessed with mine (Trader Joe’s). 

Like I said before, I basically eat the same five things (kind of being dramatic but also not really) throughout the week, so here is my rotation of various meals! I would say there are some recipes that I only make on occasion and others are my ride or dies. Special occasion meals with get a * next to it. I am also naming them as if I own a restaurant, so enjoy! So fun, I know.

~ BREAKFAST ~

PB + H(on)EY

Peanut butter and honey on a toasted English muffin with a side of sliced fruit

(right now that fruit is either a kiwi, plum or clementines and this is my STAPLE breakfast, eat it almost every single day)

Ready, Set, BurritGO*

A warm tortilla with a thin spread of avocado and salsa, scrambled eggs and chopped up Trader Joe’s Quinoa Cowboy burger 

(I have to be in the mood for a really filling breakfast for this one)

Jack’s Breakfast* 

Named after the famous song Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson…these easy vegan banana pancakes are a GO-TO. 

2 mashed bananas, 2 cups of flour, 2 cups of almond milk, 4 teaspoons of baking powder, add as much vanilla as you like and top with honey or syrup

(I usually cut the recipe in half and it still makes a ton)

The Grass is Always Greener Smoothie 

A refreshing green smoothie made with spinach, frozen pineapple, banana, ginger cubes, frozen mango and almond milk. 

~ LINNER (LUNCH + DINNER) ~

FUNjitas* 

Your classic fajita filled with sautéed peppers and onions with a twist: Trader Joe’s Quinoa Cowboy Burgers and Chili Lime Seasoning. 

(You can also skip the tortilla and put it over a bed of kale or rice instead) 

Pantry Bowl

Roasted chickpeas, broccoli and sweet potato over a bed of sautéed kale and white rice or farro, topped with coconut aminos. 

(Use whatever veggies you have, roast them in the oven and put over greens or rice!) 

Look Ma, Curry!  

Named after the feeling of PRIDE I felt after learning my first “adult” recipe…roasted chickpeas, sautéed onion and yellow pepper in a yellow Thai curry and coconut milk sauce over kale or arugula and white rice. 

(Let the veggies cook first, then add the coconut milk, let it simmer and thicken, and then add the curry)

Pea is For Protein Pasta 

Chickpea pasta and Trader Joe’s Turkey Meatballs with garlic tomato Sauce or garlic olive oil on top of sautéed kale

(So quick, so easy, so filling, so protein-ey)

Cowgirl Salad

Lettuce with roasted corn, chopped cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, crushed tortilla chips and a Trader Joe’s Quinoa Cowboy Burger dressed in Trader Joe’s Green Goddess Salad Dressing

(Trader Joe’s please sponsor me)

Time’s Up Bowl 

Veggie dumplings with white rice and sautéed kale and broccoli with coconut aminos or peanut sauce

(Just because it is another quick and easy meal)

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT FOLKS. 

I hope I have given you a few ideas of some new meals to try and if you have any questions about how to make them or ingredients or things like that, don’t be a stranger. As you can see, a consistent theme of mine is chickpeas, kale and TJ’S Burgers. Those are the three things I would bring with me if I was stranded on an island. No doubt.

So, what is your go-to breakfast, lunch or dinner while at college? 

My PB + H(on)EY :)

My Cowgirl Salad :)

My Time’s Up Bowl :)

My Ready, Set, BurritGO :)

My Pea is For Protein Pasta :)

My Look Ma, Curry! :)

When in Boston...My Ultimate Visitors Guide

Some people call me the hostess with the mostest. Well actually, no one calls me that, but I like to think that my guests do. So maybe I am a sucker for putting out a nice bowl of chips or decorating for a birthday or coming up with fun things to do more than the average person, so what! 

This past week I had my twin and one of our best friends come and stay with me in Beantown for a few days. So, naturally, weeks before their arrival I started coming up with an “Itinerary of Opportunities.” 

I wanted to make sure that we covered as much ground as possible within the three days that they would be with me, and let me tell you...covering ground was not an issue. We walked a half marathon in just one day alone! 

Between Sunday and Wednesday, lots of activities were done and lots of food was consumed. Let me break it down by detailing how our days were spent and what treats we ate. In my opinion, this little travel guide will work for anyone, and there is definitely MUCH more to do if you have some more time to kill. 

SUNDAY

Red Sox Game + Fenway Park 

One word: Sox. If you are in Boston during the spring / summer and DON’T go to a Red Sox game, you are not doing it right. I understand that many of you may have a strong dislike toward Boston sports teams, and that is totally fine. My sister hates them. No secret there. But she had an amazing time at the game because Fenway Park is so incredible in itself. With that being said, if you are visiting during a time that is not baseball season, I would still recommend going to walk around Fenway and checking out the big Sox store and all the little bars and restaurants around it. The whole area has a really cool, historic vibe that I can’t really put into words. We ate sausage and peppers, as one does at a baseball game. We spent 5 bucks on a bottle of water, as one does at a baseball game. Oh, and did I mention we were on the JUMBOTRON?!

Eats and Eateries 

• Little Miss Cupcape 

  • Custom-made birthday cake for my sister 

• Fenway Park 

  • Sausages with peppahs and onions! 

MONDAY

Charles River + Cambridge + Newbury Street 

After picking up our friend from the train, we walked back down Newbury Street which is basically the main shopping street in Boston. You want it? That street’s got it. Then we spent the afternoon exploring Cambridge, despite not necessarily having a concrete destination I wanted to show my guests. I live on the other side of the river, so walking down the Esplanade past all the boaters and runners and bikers was gorgeous. We then walked across the Harvard Bridge which is plain old LOVELY in the sunshine and it took us right into Cambridge. Fun fact, there was a guy who went to MIT in the 50s who while pledging his frat had to measure out the length of the bridge in his own measurement. Yeah, that means he had to lay down however many times all the way across the bridge. The measurement is called Smoot! Once over the bridge, we walked through MIT and a little bit of Harvard, just because why not and then eventually made our way all the way through Cambridge, back over the bridge and back home safe and sound.

Did I mention that we ended up walking a HALF MARATHON that day? Yeah. We certainly walked up an appetite, which is good because where we went for dinner certainly did not disappoint. Before I get to dinner, let me just say that before our Cambridge Excursion, we enjoyed (and inhaled) a Chocolate Challah from Japonaise Bakery and Cafe.  Unfortunately we ate it so fast we didn’t take a picture. This time, the phone didn’t eat first.

Now onto the next course. For dinner, we went to Joe’s American Bar & Grill on Newbury and the service, the brussel sprouts and the vibes were IMMACULATE. 10/10 would recommend. 

Eats and Eateries 

• Japonaise Bakery and Cafe 

  • Chocolate Challah 

• Joe’s on Newbury 

  • Ginger Lemonade 

  • Local Beer Flight 

  • Crispy Brussel Sprouts

  • Chili-Lime Grilled Chicken Salad

  • Caesar Salad 

  • French Onion Soup 

  • Barbecue Baby Back Ribs 

TUESDAY

Coolidge Corner + Faneuil Hall + The North End 

This day, this day was a good day. Why, you may ask? Because today was the day that we explored Boston, Italy and Spain ALL IN THE SAME DAY. 

In the morning I took my guests to Coolidge Corner, which is a cool(idge) neighborhood in Brookline. See what I did there? We went to one of my favorite bookstores called the Brookline Booksmith which is my go-to for fun gifts, cards, bargain books and more. Oh, it’s also my go-to for dachshund clip chips, which I picked up for my dad’s birthday. It’s a quiet neighborhood that doesn’t make you feel like you are in the city and with all the stores and places to eat, I would definitely recommend checking out COOLidge Corner. Thrift stores, a cinema, a general store, a Trader Joe’s, I mean the options are really endless. 

I was able to check off both the history and the food boxes with our next two stops, Faneuil Hall and The North End. Basically (according to Google) Faneuil Hall was a marketplace and meeting place for the Patriots leading up to the American Revolution. That’s right, we ate our lunch at the same place the Boston Tea Party was planned. Quincy Market has a bunch of different food vendors ranging from Greek food to smoothies to sushi to frozen yogurt and outside of it there are tons of shopping stores like Urban Outfitters, a Boston store, The Black Dog, Crocs and more. 

We grabbed lunch at Quincy Market and then, as if we weren’t full enough, we walked on over to The North End. Basically, it is Boston’s version of Little Italy so it has no shortage of incredible goodies to eat. It is also home to the famous Freedom Trail and Paul Revere’s home. Pre-COVID, I went and took a tour of his home and it was so awesome. I am someone who loves being inside old homes and seeing how people lived, so if you also like to do that, that is something I would recommend. If you don’t know who Paul Revere is, think THE BRITISH ARE COMING THE BRITISH ARE COMING. And if you don’t know what the Freedom Trail is, think of a 2.5 mile long brick road that passes all the essential stops that are attributed to the American Revolution. 

We went to two bakeries to get some treats: Mike’s Pastry and Bova’s Bakery. Now, while there are dozens of bakeries in this area and I can guarantee all of them sell cannolis, Mike’s is the place that is best-known for them specifically. 

After we went to Italy, we jetted home to make it to Spain for dinner. The three of us went to Spain in high school for a school trip and I decided what better way to end our girls trip than eating at Barcelona Wine Bar, where we could eat the foods we ate when we were over there years ago?! It’s a tapas place so it’s a perfect place to go to with a bunch of friends so you can share plates and things like that! When we were in Spain, we actually went everywhere BUT Barcelona, but the food is pretty much the same. The one thing I made sure to try everywhere we went was Tortilla Española, which is like an eggs and potato dish. WELL THEY HAVE IT THERE, so naturally, I had to get it. Also, if you like cheese (which I don’t but my guests do) you can order your own cheeseboards. Go wild.

Eats and Eateries:

• Quincy Market 

  • Lobster Mac and Cheese

  • Clam Chowdah

  • Lemonade 

  • Pepperoni Pizza 

• Mike’s Pastry 

  • Classic Cannoli 

  • Chocolate Cream Cannoli 

• Bova’s Bakery 

  • Raspberry and Chocolate Rugelach

  • Lemon Bowties 

  • Italian Fig Cookies

• Barcelona Wine Bar 

  • White Sangria 

  • Ginger Mocktail 

  • Kale Salad

  • Potato Tortilla 

  • Albondigas 

  • Fava Bean Hummus 

  • Ham and Cheese Croquetas 

  • Eggplant Caponata 

  • Personalized Cheese Board

WEDNESDAY

Bye Bye + Burgers + Bookstore
This was a travel day for our friend, so I kept it simple. We walked around my campus and did the whole bookstore thing to get some swag, making sure to walk down my favorite streets with insanely large houses along the way. Then we went to Tasty Burger, The Official Burger of the Boston Red Sox, before she boarded her train. And that was that!

Eats and Eateries: 

• Tasty Burger 

  • Chicken nuggets 

  • Cheeseburger 

  • Fries 

OVERALL: We walked a lot. We explored a lot. We laughed a lot. We ate a lot. We came, we saw, we conquered BOSTON. I think my guests had a pretty rockin time! And even though there is still a lot left to do, there is always next time, right?

A little Sausage and Peps at the Ballpark.

Little Miss Cupcape birthday cake for my twinny!

Watch out Boston, they’re here!

There was a crystal store in Cambridge…love.

This reminds me of those experiments we did when we were little when we filled up glasses with different liquids to see what sound it would make. You know what I mean?

Just a girl and her ribs.

Lauren sure does love her chowdah.

An artsy picture courtesy of Alexis.

Alexis’s classic cannoli.

Just three girls in Spain…kind of.

The Yankee Fan enjoying her Official Burger of the Boston Red Sox

The storm was a’comin!

Alexis’s first Fenway game

The Harvard Bridge to Cambridge

The Local Beer Flight featuring us.

Best. Brussels. Ever.

My AMAZING salad from Joe’s. Gosh I love crunchy thingys on my salads.

Alexis and her HUGE lobster mac.

Lauren’s Chocolate Cream Cannoli.

Not from this trip, but best bread from Bova’s.

PAUL REVERE’S HOUSE! How incredible.

THIS IS TORTILLA ESPAÑOLA. Looks different than in Spain but it still tasted good!

The North End is so dreamy.

The Ultimate Showdown: City College or Campus College?

Growing up in a small town and going to school with the same kids my whole life, I felt very safe knowing that I knew everyone and everyone kind of knew me. I liked running into people at the deli on Saturday mornings and I liked being able to drive down the street and pass everyone and their mothers, waving out the window. 

I am also someone who isn’t great with change, which is probably why I order the same exact thing every time I return to a restaurant, even if I have only been there once before. (You can’t go wrong with a salad and grilled chicken, that is hard to mess up and hard for me to not like.) 

So, when it came time to decide where the next place to call “home” would be, aka college, I never even gave a city school a thought. While I grew up living outside of the city and loved going every now and then, I never thought I would want to live and go to school in one - way too many unknowns. 

A small-ish campus school in a little college town would be perfect for me. Or so I thought. After going to a campus school for my freshman year I soon changed my mind. While there are perks to both lifestyles, I learned that what I thought I never wanted was actually what was best for me. And to think, I had never even given it a chance! This is why we check all boxes people. 

I asked my readers to send in some of their own pros and cons based on their experiences, so let’s see what they had to say! 

Here are my thoughts on these submissions. 

For starters, the campus school lifestyle. On one hand, I agree with a lot that has been said. Going to a campus oriented school rather than going to school in the middle of Manhattan definitely has its perks. Sure, there might be more grass and quieter places to sit. But that doesn’t mean those two things don’t exist in the city! I have found a quiet park that is five minutes away from my apartment, and when I am there it sounds like I am back at home in the suburbs! Just some birds, lawn mowers and the wind. You would never even know that two blocks away is the busiest street in Boston! ALL I am saying is that those things are available everywhere, it’s just easier to find at a campus school. The safety aspect is definitely true to an extent; there are a lot more strangers in the city. In terms of how I feel walking at night, I will be kinda scared of the dark wherever I am and would still recommend the buddy system, whether you are on a campus or the city streets.

Tip: if you are in the city and find yourself walking alone at night, do not have your headphones in and try and have someone on the phone! I call my mom or dad on my walks back from work at night.

In terms of making friends, I think that at a campus school you can feel super connected to lots of different people if you make the effort to join different groups of people, otherwise, you are just surrounding yourself with the same group day after day. In the city, I think it is easier to become acquainted with different groups just because the city itself is so diverse. While it might be easier for some to make friends when you are all in one area, that doesn’t mean it won’t be hard. Effort is needed in both places. And, with everyone and everything in one area comes the isolated feeling like you are stuck. Like someone said, you are operating in a closed off bubble with limited access to Chipotles, puppies and Targets - tough, I know. There is definitely not as much to do compared to being in the city, but some people like the remote, closed-off little world environment. To each their own. One thing I disagree with is the social life being better at a campus school, but I think that is really a personal statement and it depends on what you like to do! College is definitely a time where we get our freedom, but I think that there is more freedom to be had when you live in a city from an independence point of view. Now, let’s get into the pros and cons of going to school in a city! 

I think I agree with just about everything on this list, both the pros and the cons. Never have I ever been surrounded by so many different groups and types of people all at once. Honestly, it was kind of a culture shock at first! I’ve also never felt more like an independent adult. I no longer feel like I am in high school or the extension of high school that I experienced my freshman year of college. Playing off of that, I love how there is no pressure to do anything except the things that you want to do. In fact, no one gives a shiitake mushroom what you do! Excuse my french. There are so many people in this city that no one has the time or energy to keep track of what you are or aren’t doing on a Friday night. If you want to go to a bar and stay out all night, amazing. If you want to go out to an early dinner and then get in your jammies and eat candy and rewatch Schitt’s Creek, incredible. THE WORLD IS YOUR OYSTER. My favorite part of living in the city? There are puppers EVERYWHERE. If you need to pet a dog, you can find one. Mark my words, that won’t be a problem. 

In terms of the cons, YEAH, IT’S FRICKING EXPENSIVE. My god. It takes some getting used to, you know, the whole not buying everything in sight. That is something that maybe differs due to the social scene between the two types of schools. At a smaller campus school, all of your activities happen within that radius, which means you rarely need to Uber anywhere. Here, the city is so big so whether you are Ubering or taking the train, you are going to be spending money to go out and do things. That just comes with the price of living in the city. You learn to budget and not buy something from every bakery you walk by, but it takes time. You will learn. I promise.

I also agree with the sense that it is harder to make friends. We are surrounded by millions of people and yet, sometimes I feel like I really only know five or six. Those are the times I miss seeing the same people at the coffee shop or the gym or the dining hall. That sense of community at the small campus school is harder to find here, but I do find myself walking by familiar faces and it is definitely possible to make your own community. For example, within your specific college, your job or within the area where you live. There you will see the same puppers and runners and regulars at the shops. Sure, you might not KNOW them, but you know you will see them again soon and hey, that is comforting to some degree. Hey neighbor!  

I am thankful for my experiences at both types of schools because they both taught me a lot about myself and the things that I like and don’t like. To people who have come to me for advice about transferring, I always say that you just don’t know until you get there. If you are in a city and decide it is too hustlin’ and bustlin’ for you, go visit a friend at a campus school and see what it’s like there. Maybe it’ll be more your speed. Same goes to those who are at a campus school and feel like it might not be enough stimulation. That’s how I felt and there is no shortage of stimulation and room for activities here. Go take a weekend and explore a city. TRANSFERRING IS ALWAYS AN OPTION PEOPLE. You are never stuck. I promise. 

So, are you team city living or team campus living?

City Campus Megan.

College Campus Megan.

Stress Series Post #3: Everything Happens for a Reason

Everything happens for a reason. 

After reading that first sentence, I bet you just: 

• Rolled your eyes 

• Sighed 

• Were reminded of a time you felt crappy and someone said that to you and it made you feel even worse 

I hear you. We’ve all been there. 

Never have I ever heard that phrase more in my entire 20 years and 364 days (my birthday is Saturday) on this earth than I did during my senior year of high school. 

Everyone was so high strung, especially first semester. Whenever someone didn’t get into their top school or Early Decision choice, they would be bombarded with text messages and pats on the back to reassure them that everything happens for a reason. It just wasn’t meant to be! Everything would be a-ok! 

Not exactly the kind of thing you want to hear when all of your hopes and dreams come crashing down. But, it’s TRUE. 

During the weeks leading up to the heavily anticipated arrival of my college decision, people would tell me the same things: to not worry and that everything happens for a reason. It’s like they were using it as a prep and landing for my inevitable rejection. While I know people were trying to be comforting and helpful, it was literally the last thing I wanted to hear. No, I was thinking. There is only one acceptable outcome and result and if it isn’t the one that I want, then no everything is not going to be okay. 

Well, spoiler alert: I got accepted. All was right in the world. It was the happiest day of my life. All of the stress and tears and sickness that I brought on myself out of worrying was finally met with the answer I was longing for....

...And then my freshman year of college happened and I was suddenly doubting my decision and all that came with it. 

That was the hardest year of my life thus far, hands down. I cried almost every single day and was absolutely miserable. Totally lost myself. Transferred. Blah blah blah we don’t need to rehash it but you KNOW WHAT? I wouldn’t take the year back. Nope. I wouldn’t. Want to know why? Because now that I am a few years removed from it, I realize alllll that I learned about myself. What I enjoyed doing socially, what I didn’t enjoy doing socially. What I wanted in a friend, what I didn’t want in a friend. What I needed that I didn’t have access to, the list goes on and on. 

I am a completely different person now. For the better, I think. And I am totally fine using the “everything happens for a reason” excuse as a justification for my loaded freshman year. Now, it’s not an EXCUSE excuse like, oh my dog ate my homework. I don’t think it’s a cop out to use it because I believe in it. 

Instead, I find that I use it as a sort of coping mechanism when it comes to feeling stressed or anxious or overwhelmed or if something doesn’t go my way in the moment. I kind of take a step back and remove myself from the situation and think to myself, what is one good thing that can come out of this? Or, in a year from now, how will this decision positively impact me? 

Sometimes, it is hard to see it in that moment. Especially when something really bad happens. Those are times where I understand how hard it might be to believe that it happened for a reason. Whether it has to do with death, rejection, moving, relationships, etc. I think that it is something that could take years to realize. 

I also think it is a lot easier to project the notion onto someone else and their situation. Let’s say a friend didn’t get the job they wanted or they got broken up with. It’s so easy to say, hey, everything happens for a reason! Meanwhile they probably want to kick you out of frustration and sadness, and I get that. I do. Kick me. 

But I think it takes a lot more to be able to apply the reasoning to your own life. To be in a sucky situation and rather than sink with it, be able to take a step back and say, you know what, this might make sense a month from now or three years from now, and to trust the hope that something better is going to come along or something good will come front this. THAT is hard. 

A friend pointed out to me that those who are usually optimistic and see the good will tend to somehow find a way to believe that everything happens for a reason, which I guess is true. There are some who just choose to see things that way. Almost like a glass half-full mentality. 

Here are a couple scenarios that I have dealt with where I chose to look at it from the “everything happens for a reason” perspective. 

• A boy I liked ghosted me (for those of you who may be a little bit older than myself, that means that they simply stopped talking to you.) Yeah, yeah, it happens whatever. Moral of the story is, while it sucked in the moment, I chose to look at it like, you know what Megan, he probably hates The Office or hates puppies or something insane like that. So, everything happens for a reason. It would’ve never worked anyways. Moving on. 

• I have lost some friendships over the years as I’ve gotten older, who hasn’t? While it was weird in the moment, I came to the conclusion that maybe we were just too different and weren’t beneficial for each other. Totally fine. No harm, no foul. Everything happens for a reason. Moving on. 

• Being sent home from school to quarantine last spring. Honestly, if you know me you know that I love home and my family so it really wasn’t a huge bummer for me. While it was really scary to watch the news and see the world seemingly crumble around us, I was sent home from school for a reason. One, for my safety. But two, so I could spend an insane amount of time with my family and puppy and sister! Everything happens for a reason. 

I think I try my best to see things that way. Don’t get me wrong, I complain, like a lot. Just ask my parents! They’ll be the first to tell you.

But I have really been trying to work on my mindset and looking at things from a different, outside perspective and I think it helps me calm down a little bit when I get super stressed or in my head about something! So, whether you choose to believe that everything happens for a reason or not is completely up to you. Maybe you can apply it to some things in your life but find it too hard to do so for others. That is also totally fine. To each their own. 

I hope you enjoyed the three-part Stress Series this month in honor of National Stress Awareness Month! If you want to read the last two, I will link them down below. 

Smile. It’s good for you. 

Post #1: https://www.operationhappinessblog.com/no-lifeguard-on-duty/2021/4/1/stress-series-post-1-dont-suppress-the-stress

Post #2: https://www.operationhappinessblog.com/no-lifeguard-on-duty/2021/4/11/stress-series-post-2-my-meditation-experience

Stress Series Post #2: My Meditation Experience

I can be a little bit stubborn sometimes, or maybe impatient is the better word to use. Moral of the story is when I was a freshman in college, meditation was something that was recommended to me as a way to help clear my mind. I told that person that yes, of course I would try it. In my head though? I was thinking, heckkkkk no. 

To me, meditating sounded boring. Why would I do that? It’s not going to do anything for me. I remember sitting on my bed one night and downloading the Headspace app. I put on a quick little guided meditation and tried to do it. I think it was three minutes. Maybe five. 

I was restless the entire time. I couldn’t focus. I was still thinking. My mind wasn’t clear. It didn’t work. So I gave it up. As if sitting still for three minutes ONE time was going to solve all of my problems.

Meditation is a PRACTICE and as we’ve all heard since we were little, practice makes perfect. 

Regardless, I have negative amounts of patience and that was the end of my meditation journey. Until…

Suddenly, 2020 was over and it was time to make the inevitable resolutions that wouldn’t last longer than a week, two tops. Instead of telling myself that I was going to work out more and eat better, I decided to try something new and make a resolution that I genuinely wanted to follow and was interested in continuing. 

My one main resolution was to start meditation. 

So, I started. At first I was using the Headspace app. I think I started out with three minute guided meditations. That may seem like no time at all, but when you are just sitting with your eyes closed and breathing, it can feel like forever. THE POINT being, of course, that eventually you CAN meditate forever and have it not feel like any time passed at all. 

Is my end all goal to be able to meditate for five hours straight? Absolutely not. First of all, I wouldn’t be able to go that long without eating a snack or having to pee. Second of all, that isn’t something I feel like I need to accomplish. 

Now, I do five minute meditations and have been using guided meditations posted by @Zucchini.Who on Instagram (I did a podcast with her all about nutrition and you should totally go give it a listen.) And again, while that may not seem like a huge jump or a lot of time, it is all I need and I am still working on getting in the flow of it for just that time. 

I honestly don’t even remember how the first meditation went, but I remember that by the third day I was doing it, I already felt better. By better, I mean that my days were going by without me worrying as much about the little things, or spending my time thinking about one thing for way too long and for no reason. 

The act of starting my morning by just sitting, breathing and focusing was quite literally clearing my head. It’s been almost four months since I started and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon! Now, do I do it every single morning? I would be lying if I said yes. It’s definitely something that I try to do and there are more mornings than not where I do take the time to do it, but sometimes, things happen. I try not to beat myself up about it if I don’t get to it because I feel like that almost defeats the entire purpose.

The other day was one of the first times where I think I truly “zoned out” during my meditation. Sidenote, in high school I took Walking and Meditation one semester for gym class and we would do 15 minute meditations. Did I actually meditate? No shot. I took the time to get a quick little cat nap in. I quite literally zoned out during those sessions. THIS TIME, I mean I zoned out, but in a good way. I wasn’t even really listening to the person guiding my breathing at that point, I was just, well, breathing. Eventually the minutes were just, up. It felt kind of cool. 

I think one of the main reasons why it is so easy to give the practice up is because it can be frustrating and feel like it isn’t working. Or at least, that is what happened to me. I thought, why am I still thinking about things while I am meditating? Aren’t I just supposed to be breathing? 

I hate to break it to you, I really do, but you are ALWAYS going to be thinking about something. I think the point of meditating is to eventually be able to just have the thought and let it go without actually spending the time THINKING about the THOUGHT.

While on the topic of having thoughts while meditating, there are a thousand other things that can distract you during those few minutes. Someone texts you. An ambulance is going by. You hear dogs barking (those last two might not apply to you, but I’m a #citygirl so.) Whatever it may be, things happen. The point is that eventually you will be able to block those things out and not feel like you need to open your eyes and check your phone or look out the window. If it helps, turn off your ringer or sound on your phone for those five minutes. 

Sometimes, if I am really trying to help myself get in the zone, I will count. I will count how long my breaths are and how many I am taking. I’ll even tap with my fingers, going through them in one direction and then all the way back. Honestly, now that I am writing this out, doing that probably keeps me from getting in the zone because I am focused on counting. Oh well.

In terms of my positioning...Do I sit with my legs crossed repeating Ohm over and over again? No, but close. I usually sit on my bench in my room with my legs crossed and with a pillow in my lap. I find it more comfy :)

Right now, five minutes is what is best for me. Maybe one day I will work up to a longer session, but I am content with where I’m at.

Whether you do it in the morning, during the day when you need a break, or before bed, I think that you should try taking a minute or three to just inhale and exhale...AND DON’T give it up after trying it out for a day or two. I want you to try doing it for...hmmmm...let’s say a week. Even that is a short amount of time, but if you aren’t feeling it after seven days, I won’t hold it against you. Promise.

Namaste. Smile. It’s good for you.

One Year Later: Everything I have Learned Since Making The Operation Happiness Instagram Account

Making an Instagram account for Operation Happiness was something I always thought about doing and the initial few months of quarantine gave me the time to finally sit down and make it! While the website is my main focus (and my baby), I figured that another way to gain some new readers and exposure was by creating an Instagram account to advertise my new posts and spread some more positivity. Plus, it was at the beginning of the pandemic and I figured everyone could use some more smiles. April 5 marked one year since the account launched and boy have I learned a lot. So, let me break it down for you. 

You are not going to have 1 million followers overnight. 

I hate to break it to you, I really do. But you simply will not be hitting Justin Bieber level numbers overnight...or even after a year. Or at least, I haven’t. AND THAT IS OKAY. It took me some time to realize that in order for something to organically grow, it takes time. The fact that over 550 people follow me on there is so wonderful. I remember how excited I got every time I hit a new “milestone” number, whether it was 100, 200, 250 or 550. Would it be fun to have more followers? I mean, sure. But I don’t want to MAKE people follow me or make them feel like they HAVE to. I want them to follow my account because they like my content and they want to! So if right now, that means 550 people follow me, so be it.

Don’t get caught up in the social media scene. 

This was hard. Initially, I was planning every single post in a separate app to make sure that my grid looked cohesive and flowed well together. I was posting about smoothies and skincare favorites and workout routines. Although those are things I do enjoy, they weren’t Operation Happiness. They were things that every other blogger or Instagram influencer I saw was posting about and I felt like that was the only content people wanted to see. My sister gave me a major reality check and made me realize that that wasn’t the kind of content I NEEDED to be doing because that isn’t the kind of content people want or need to see from me. I made a video announcement saying that I was going to “start over” and post my kind of content. I stopped worrying about how my grid looked and whether or not it was the “right” stuff to be posting and just stuck to my roots and posted what I enjoyed posting, which were things pertaining to my blog. I swear, for a split second it’s like I thought I was an INFLUENCER or something. Like, come on. People really don’t care what my favorite lotion is. (But if you do, it’s the Santorini scent by Skin Apothetique and it is AMAZING.) 

Likes aren’t everything. 

If you are a fellow small business or blogger account, you would know how hit or miss the algorithm is on that app. Some days you might have hundreds of people looking at your stories within 7 hours and others, you will have 62 views in 7 hours. Sometimes, you will get hundreds of likes on a picture and other times you will get 30. It can be discouraging at times, I will admit. Sometimes I worry that if a new potential follower comes across my account and sees that my most recent post only has x amount of likes, that they will click away and not follow because they think my account isn’t “legit” enough or worthy. Again, that all goes back to worrying about what people think and worrying about the numbers instead of worrying that the content you are putting out is genuine. It’s also hard to not compare your numbers to someone else’s. BUT JUST TRY NOT TO. There is literally no way to make any sense of the engagement nonsense. Just do you. 

Try and be consistent. 

I find this with the blog and podcast sometimes, but especially with having a business or blog account: There is so much pressure to constantly be putting out content and interacting with followers so you can try and get more and lose less. But, there are times when I am either experiencing writer’s block on the blog or posting block on social media. I don’t want to force things out so there have been times where a week goes by without me posting anything. I try to post on my stories at least every other day to stay in touch with my followers and keep up the interaction. I have also tried to plan out some content in my journal to keep up with the posting schedule. But, you know, life happens. 

People in the community are so supportive. 

No matter how many likes, how many followers or how many comments you get, I have found that the people in the online blogger community are SO supportive regardless. You can always count on them to lift you up. They don’t care about the numbers you have because they were either once in the same spot that you are, or they are in the same boat. It’s all about supporting each other and reading each other’s posts to not only boost engagement, but just to show that you care and to acknowledge the hard work. Because let me tell you, it is hard work. I have made so many friends through making this account, whether it’s a small fashion blogger, mental health blogger, college blogger, blogger blogger, whatever. Everyone just wants to help each other out and it’s really special. 

SO…..If you are reading this and don’t already follow @operationhappinessblog on Insta...go and do that. IF you want. And if you already do, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUPPORTING ME ON THAT PLATFORM! And if you have a blog or a small business and are thinking about making a separate account to try and reach a wider audience, I say go for it! But remember...do not expect Justin Bieber numbers. 

Stress Series Post #1: Don't Suppress The Stress

My fellow Smiley Faces (what I am calling my followers), welcome to April! 

You know those calendars that tell you when a random national holiday is happening, like National Corn Dog Day? By the way, I hope all of you who celebrated had a wonderful March 20. I am not much of a corn dog eater myself. 

I honestly don’t think I have ever had one before and there is no reason why I should end that streak now. I also don’t really eat meat but that is a story for a different time that involves a fourth-grade Megan watching an episode of Oprah after school (as all fourth graders do) that showcased just how burgers are made. 

Anyways, moving on from corned meats. 

April is a month filled with speciality holidays and awarenesses. Can I be the first to wish you a Happy National Fresh Celery Month! May these next few weeks bring you lots and lots of celery stalks. 

While we can all agree about that green, watery vegetable being of utmost importance, a holiday that I think pertains a little bit more to the blog is Stress Awareness Month. 

That’s right, this month was made for us here at Operation Happiness! I don’t know about you, but I think I was born stressed. It’s a part of me. My driver's license says the following: 

NAME : MEGAN 

SEX : F 

EYES : BLU

FEELING : STRESSED 

My first memory of being stressed and overwhelmed was in the first grade. I was sitting at my table in class trying to do a math problem and I got so worked up that I started to cry. That continued to happen pretty much all throughout my school years. I remember in seventh grade I had a writing assignment. You would think that would be a piece of cake for me. Well, I was overthinking it so much that I stayed up until 10 doing it. I was surrounded by eraser bits, sniffling away the tears, with my dad sitting on my bed wondering why I was getting so worked up about this and when I would finally put it to bed so that he could go to bed. 

Needless to say, I am someone who has always been a stress case, a worry wart, an overthinker. Now that I have gained a little bit more perspective, I definitely still get stressed out. But I have learned different ways to cope and justify certain scenarios. I will be sharing those over the course of a few posts in a STRESS SERIES throughout the month, so be on the lookout for them! 

On my Instagram the other day, I asked my followers a few questions related to stress. Have you always been a stressed person or is it new? What are you like when you are stressed? How do you cope with stress? Things like that. 

Someone said that they get anxious or overwhelmed easily and THAT stresses them out. 

Someone said that when they are stressed they get headaches, their hands start to shake and they become irritable. 

Someone said that they are either stressed with a smile on or are stressed and irritable, but that it depends. 

Let’s chat about that last one for a hot sec. I know that I like to tell you all “Smile. It’s good for you.” but I never EVER want you to feel like you have to hide the way you are feeling. If you are stressed out, let yourself be stressed out. 

Trying to suppress it will probably just make you feel even more stressed! Just letttttt it outtttttt. That’s what I do. I tell everyone and their mother within a 5-mile radius from me that I am stressed and feel a cry coming on.

DON’T SUPPRESS THE STRESS. I like that. It’s catchy. 

We all get stressed. If you don’t, what the frick...How...Share your secrets and help a girl out.  

Moral of the story is it is OKAY! Squeeze an Operation Happiness stress ball. Shed a few tears. Do what you need to do. Try and step away from what is making you stressed to put things into perspective...and stay tuned for a post about what I do to help put things into perspective in a series post later this month! 

My Stressful Socially Distanced Social Life

I am someone who is super social. Hiiiiiiiii. 

I am also someone who gets super stressed. Byeeeeeeee. 

But never have I ever been someone who gets socially stressed. 

Sure, there have been times where going and doing things stressed me out because of the people I was going to be around. But that’s different. These days, I keep my circle of people I see on a regular basis quite tight and when it comes to certain social situations I get super duper nervous because of the actual situation itself. 

It all started back in April - holy moly that is almost a year ago - when we were still new to the whole quarantine lifestyle. I hadn’t seen anyone except my family and I was going to go on a socially distanced walk with my friend. I actually wrote a blog about this and I will link it right here but the moral of the story is, at first I told him yes let’s walk, and then I sat and thought about it some more and then did my famous overthinking that I do so well, and then I started to cry, which I also do so well, and then realized that no, I wasn’t comfortable with it. The walk, yes. The worrying about what if I get him sick or what if he gets me sick? Not so much. 

(And remember, crying is good for you too, per another blog I wrote that I will link here. Full of self promotion today, aren’t we.) 

I tend to do that. You know, the whole doing things before I actually think about how they will make me feel after the fact? It’s something I am sure we can allll work on. 

So, fast forward a few months to when I am back in Boston at school. Going on walks with people was really no longer an issue. They were one of my favorite (and honestly really only) things to do with people here in the city. 

What was the new social situation that caused a lot of stress? My forever favorite activity: Eating. 

Going out to eat with friends when it was nice outside was a beautiful thing. I didn’t have to worry about eating inside, there was a nice circulation of fresh air flowing around me and life was good...as was the food. 

But, there were times where I felt stressed because in my head I worried that I was being a bit of a nuisance to my friends. Sometimes we had to wait a long time for an outdoor table which is annoying to begin with, but probably a lot more annoying when everyone but one person (me) feels comfortable enough to ditch the line and head inside. They reassured me that it was totally fine and to stop worrying, that it was a nice night outside and there was no reason not to sit there. They were right, but still, I worried. 

Eventually, the seasons changed and the half of the year that becomes cold and cranky rolled around. 

Woo hoo.

Hi my name is Megan and I am someone who isn’t comfortable eating indoors. There, I said it. While it’s for some people, I have come to realize that it really isn’t for me. Restaurants do the best they can to separate the tables and enforce mask wearing and if it really wasn’t safe I know that it wouldn’t be happening, but still. I just feel better sitting outside. 

So, as it started to get colder and my friends were making dinner reservations, I would find myself having to ask if they could make sure it was outdoors. Again, really not a difficult question to ask but because I was the only one who cared it felt like I was being a bother. When the next week would roll around along with the next reservation, I would get a pit in my stomach and start to worry about how to make sure it was outside. 

Should I have my friend ask if it was outside this time so it’s not me asking Every. Single. Time? She did. Because she is the best. Should I say I am allergic to everything in that restaurant and we need to go somewhere else? Solid idea. Should I try and make the next reservation so I can make sure it is somewhere with outdoor seating? Honestly, smart.

After eating outside all semester, it got really cold the night of our last dinner before break. Eventually, I sucked it up and ate inside. It was fun, the food was good, I was okay. But looking back on it, it just wasn’t something I needed to be doing again. 

I have been back to school this semester for exactly a month now and within those four weeks there was an instance where I agreed to indoor dining and then had to back out. I think I originally said yes due to a combination of me wanting to see my friends but also not wanting to be annoying about my own reservations about their (dinner) reservations.

I told my friends that I would do it and they immediately asked “are you sure?” 

They knew I wasn’t comfortable with it. 

I knew I wasn't comfortable with it. 

But I still said, “Yeah of course. It will be fine.” 

I do this thing where if I am not 100% sure about something, I try and talk myself into it by literally saying what I will be doing out loud and why it will be okay and what I will be doing to make sure it will be okay. Odds are if I am doing that, I probably shouldn’t be doing whatever it is I am trying to talk myself into. Anyone else? 

Well, within 24 hours I retold my plan a dozen times to myself and my friend, called my parents 5 times, stress cried about it, went to sleep thinking about it and then woke up saying JUST KIDDING I CAN’T MAKE IT. SORRY. 

I then went back and forth a dozen more times and decided that I wanted to see my friends and that I would be as safe as I personally possibly could be by staying masked up when I wasn’t eating. I was even planning on not eating the chips and salsa...which is like...crazy of me. But I was willing to do it. 

Originally, I had texted them saying I couldn’t make it. Hours later, I then said I actually was coming but that my pretty little face would be masked up the majority of the time. Did I need to preface the dinner with that tidbit? No. But I think I did it to prevent potential questioning of it. I don’t know. But we don’t owe anyone an explanation when it comes to our comfort. Remember that.

Anyways, I was so nervous on the way there and when we went inside to find our table, the manager said that the rest of our party was already seated outside in a little house / igloo thing. Oh my gosh! WHAT A RELIEF. And to think I wasn’t going to go! Sometimes, things just work out. I ended up having such an amazing time. I still wore my mask when I wasn’t eating, I didn’t feel weird about it and it was so good to see my friends. 

Listen up buttercup: 

1. Don’t apologize for not being comfortable with something. 

2. Don’t feel like you need to do something just because you are the only one on the opposite side of the spectrum. 

3. Don’t feel like you are the only one. You aren’t. 

4. Do what makes you feel your best. 

5. Stop and think: Am I going to be worrying about this later? If the answer is yes, don’t do it or don’t go. There will be plenty of other dinners and you can still interact with your friends, just in a different setting. 

6. REMEMBER THAT THESE ARE YOUR FRIENDS AND THEY WILL SUPPORT YOU NO MATTER WHAT!!!!!! Or at least, they should. I’m lucky mine do :) 

Whether you get stressed out about the amount of people you see, the amount of people you don’t see, the activities your friends are doing that you don’t really have any control over, the activities you wish you could be doing and are missing out on, eating indoors, not wanting to get takeout food at all, hugging people, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON AND ON with this pandemic. Just don’t worry about what anyone else is doing and focus on you. Focus on what makes YOU feel safe and comfortable and calm, cool and collected.

With all of that being said, it is important to still try and live your life and make memories and be social - or at least, that is what my mom tells me. Just make sure you do it in a way that makes you feel the most comfortable and don’t worry about what other people will think! I know, I know. That is a lot easier said than done. But just try. 

And remember to smileeeeee. It’s good for you.

The Three Words You Need to Hear: Start a Blog

If you ever find yourself in a rut, a slump, a period of just feeling overall bleh-ness, I have just the thing to cheer you up. Heck, if you’re not in a rut and you are feeling like an 11/10 on a day-to-day basis (go off by the way,) I still have just the thing to bump that 11 up to a 12. In fact, I know just what you need to hear.

Three words. 

No, it’s not I love you. 

But I do. I do love you. 

It’s:

Start a blog.

I’m serious. I promise you that doing that will increase your mood by 100%. I am here to take you through why you should start a blog if you are feeling meh and to talk you out of all the excuses to not start one. 

I have given this advice to a few of my friends recently who have called me up and said that they weren’t feeling their best lately, whether it be something about school or friends or just themselves in general. 

I truly believe that having something to not only distract you, but something to make you feel proud, productive and BOSS-like is just the best medicine around. 

Now, I asked my lovely followers on Instagram for reasons why they didn’t start their own website / blog even though they wanted to. Here’s what we got.

Megan that sounds great! But….

I have no clue how to do that. 

It sounds really time-consuming / it’s a lot of work. 

It seems like I will get really stressed trying to make it perfect. 

I don’t know how to make it aesthetically pleasing. 

I don’t know what I would write about. 

It sounds expensive. 

I don’t want anybody to see it, though. 

HAVE NO FEAR YOUNG CREATORS.

For starters, it is not as hard as it looks. If you are someone who can’t even figure out how to turn subtitles on on Netflix, fear not. You are all much smarter than you think. I designed and made mine all by myself with no help (go me) just from messing around with the different features and buttons. If you need a little guidance, there are also so many how-tos and guides for whatever platform you use along with site help centers. I also know someone who is willing to help...her name is Megan and she has this awesome blog called Operation Happiness. Ever heard of her?  

Next. Nobody is telling you that you need to work on it every single day and post three blogs a week. A lot of us are in school or have jobs and spending more hours than we already do at the computer is just not in our cards. So, if you want to spend one day every week for 20 minutes updating it and maybe writing something quick, do it. If you want to spend an hour every single day fidgeting with layout and punching out some blog posts, do it. It is YOUR blog. YOUR rules.

The thing about designing your own website is that you are the one who can make changes whenever you fricking want to. If you set it up and then look at it a week later and hate everything about it, change it. Hate the colors? Switch it up. Hate the photo you used? Byeee. No need to get stressed out about this. This is supposed to be fun and mood BOOSTING! I know that for me personally, the blog that I made two years ago is NOT the same blog I have today. My tagline changed, my content changed, my tabs changed. Change is a (sometimes scary) beautiful thing. It is YOUR blog. YOUR rules. 

Again, nobody is saying that your blog needs to look like *insert your favorite website or blog here.* I trust that by now you all know what colors go together and what is pleasing to the eye, but if you don’t, who cares! Just remember, less is more. Start with simple colors, simple pages, simple everything. Make it easy to navigate and easy to read. People like pictures, so put some pictures in there. People like interactive things, so maybe include some links or a video or a poll or your Instagram feed for people to see and click on. Or if you don’t want to include any of that stuff and just want a clean, simple sheet, do that. It is YOUR blog. YOUR rules. 

Having writer’s block about what you want to write about on your blog? Don’t. Stop that right now. Who says you need to know? Whether it’s niche and is all about movies or fashion or its net is a little wider like culture or lifestyle or it serves as simply a collection of your thoughts and writing, nothing is ever set in stone. I know so many bloggers who were once totally and only fashion bloggers, but are now putting out more personal and other content. We change. We grow. And our ideas come with us as we do that. So don’t stress about that. Nobody is going to get mad at you for changing your mind. It is YOUR blog. YOUR rules. 

As for the Benjamin Franklins...it depends. A lot of websites offer a range of free templates and layouts and options to choose from and then block off certain features that require you to cough up some cash. For example, if you want to own your own domain, that might cost you a few dollars (literally, only a few, depending on the name.) If you want to have an unlimited amount of emails to send out, that might cost you a few dollars. But all in all, you can absolutely make a blog without spending a fortune. *This is what is true for the platform I make my blog on which is Squarespace. It might be different for other ones.*

In terms of an audience...When I first started my blog, it was for my eyes and my eyes only. Well, and maybe my mom and dad every now and then, but I really didn’t advertise it or show it to anyone. Eventually, I changed my mind and wanted the WORLD to see it, but if you want to keep it to yourself, no problemo. It’s kind of nice to have something just for you! Like an elevated diary... ALSO, if you want it to be public but only to some people, I know Squarespace has a feature where you could require a password in order for people to get to the page. Either way, whether you show it to everyone or show it to one person or show it to no one, you will and still can be super proud of what you made. 

The night I started my blog I stayed up late after my roommate went to sleep, in the dark, sitting on my bed uploading different photos and starting to configure the website. I was so excited I didn’t want to put my computer down and go to sleep! Now, that also could be the part of me that is impatient and likes to get things done ASAP - SO, don’t worry about getting it all done in one day or a week. Take your time. Plan it out. Play around with it. No rush.

It’s just about you creating something and working on something that is your own. I promise you, that having a creative outlet like your own website is the best thing to have by your side. I work on my website a lot. It’s something I really am proud of and it is a really, really good feeling. 

If you were waiting for a sign to fall out of the sky telling you to stop what you are doing right now and start planning out your blog, do it. And then tell me about it because I am so excited for you.

My Favorite Comfort Zone

We as human beings lean into our comfort zones and favorite guilty pleasures when we need a little extra love, which is why I’ve seen The Office six times and have jaw issues from eating too many Mike n Ikes and other chewy candy. 

While people usually hear ‘comfort zones’ and think of an actual zone, place or a bubble we confine ourselves to, I like to think that there is a little bit more to it than that.

Our comfort zones can be a playlist or an album, a book, a type of food, an activity. Those are the kinds that are easy to travel with to school or wherever you go. Then there are comfort zones that involve actual places, like your childhood bedroom, your grandma’s house, the deli in town. 

Since we can’t pack up our grandma’s house and bring it with us to college, although you can certainly do your best (I have the perfume that my grandma wears with me at school), we have to find new comfort zones when we leave the nest. 

One of my favorite comfort zones here at school? That’s easy. Trader Joe’s. Sure Target is like a second home and shopping at Zara is all fun and games, but nothing compares to how calm, cool and collected TJ’s makes me feel. 

I don’t know about you, but going grocery shopping is very relaxing to me. Have there been times where I freeze in the middle of the aisle because there are a thousand people around me and I start to freak out because there is a pandemic and I wonder how the heck all of these people were allowed in here and I think about telling an employee that they should really reconsider their maximum capacity number? Sure. But I try to avoid those situations by going to the grocery store at the crack of dawn with all the moms and elderly folk. My kind of people. 

I just love it there so much. Every week I try and buy one new thing to rate and review over on my Instagram. Who knew food shopping could be so fun! Today, I bought a sweet potato. I know, I know, VERY out there and mysterious. Do I eat sweet potatoes? Basically never. Did I buy it because there was a cute man standing by the potatoes? Yeah. Yeah I did. And now look at me: I am stuck with a potato I don’t really want and no cute new man to eat it with. 

Grocery shopping tip: I know they say your eyes eat first, but just because there is a cute person buying something doesn’t mean you also need to buy it. They don’t care about you or your potato. I know, the truth hurts. 

Besides the fun experience, I look forward to my grocery shop every single week because it provides me with some me time. It gives me a solid hour where I can just walk, listen to a podcast, see strangers and not have to interact, take five minutes to block up the dessert aisle while I weigh my ice cream options and then walk back. ALL while spending time with myself! Did I mention it’s about a mile each way? I definitely get my arm workout in while walking back, having to rotate and stretch my carrying hand every two minutes.

Another thing. As much as I love being with my friends, I simply cannot let them come grocery shopping with me. I just can’t. First of all, that would defeat the purpose of having me time which is what I count on my weekly grocery shops for. But also, I’ve tried it before and I always forget five things that I need and get five things that I don’t, despite me making an extensive grocery list because I make lists for just about everything. Now, it would probably help if I didn’t leave the list on my desk, which I do 90% of the time, but it’s the thought that counts.

Long story short, the grocery store is a beautiful place for you to be an independent grown-up where you can do some quality self-reflecting, for you to fill your cart with healthy foods you don’t want but feel like you need to buy and for you to literally get lost in the sauce. 

So, what is one of your favorite comfort zones when you are away from home? Is it a song? A restaurant? A movie? And if you are having trouble finding one, can I recommend your local grocer? 

My dear friend Crosby took this photo of me for a school project last year. Of course, it was in a grocery store. Now, it wasn’t Trader Joe’s but it was a grocery store nonetheless and look at the JOY radiating from my face!!!!

Cry. It's Good for You.

They say home is where the heart is. Ain’t that the truth. 

I have always been a homebody. I miss it when I’m away and I don’t want to leave it when I’m there. This is about to get cheesy so please feel free to roll your eyes. But as I’ve gotten older I realized that it isn’t really my home that I like, but the company. I mean, I love my home. It’s where I grew up for Pete’s sake! But, now that I have my own life in my own apartment in my own city, which I love just as much, I realize that my childhood home isn’t supposed to be where I live full-time anymore. 

If you know me and are shocked by that statement because you know how homesick I used to get and how attached I still get, believe me, I’m right there with you. I guess I am growing up! 

It’s just that, when I’m home I don’t have the same motivation I do when I’m at my apartment. I have less drive to workout, I eat worse, I find it harder to focus on getting work done. It makes sense that now home is supposed to be somewhere I visit, somewhere I come back to, somewhere I go to relax and take a break. A vacation of sorts. 

While I love my bed there and my shower and my desk and the living room couch, those are all things that I can bring with me elsewhere. Well, maybe not the shower, but I can try to replicate the water pressure for sure. What I can’t bring with me is my family. So, what I love most about going home is seeing my sister and my mom and my dad and my pupper. 

I love walking into my sister’s room a billion times a day to bother her or just say “heyyyy” or “whatchya doing?” and then walking out. Eventually, she stops saying “WHAT MEGAN????” and invites me to watch One Tree Hill with her on her bed or random Cody Ko videos. Are we Team Lucas or Team Nathan by the way? I go back and forth like every other day. 

I love going on drives to Target and the grocery store with my mom and yelling at her for changing the radio station 500 times in two minutes. “MOM. STOP.” I laugh because it’s so ridiculous. She doesn’t even give the songs a chance! We have since graduated to listening to podcasts on longer drives where we both laugh and leave the dials alone for a long time.

I love going downstairs while my dad is trying to work, sitting on the couch across from him and staring and smiling until he looks up and laughs. I then proceed to bug him and ask him stupid questions until he tries to get stern, telling me I need to go back upstairs, but then he laughs out of love (and frustrated defeat) knowing that I won and I will never stop pushing his buttons. 

I love taking Chloe on poopy walks and seeing her light up after she does her business, walking fast and proud, eventually running all the way home with those short little legs of hers. I say, “do you feel lighter on your feet Chlo?!” and she goes “yupppppers!!!!” She looks so funny when she runs. 

In the days leading up to the gang being broken up, I would joke and say that I am staying and nobody has to worry, I’m not going anywhere. 

“Yeah okay Megan.” 

“Whatever you say Megan.” 

“Oh, great.” 

I was joking. But I think part of me wouldn’t mind staying and was waiting for them to say the same. The other bigger part of me knows though, that it is time to leave so I can come back home again some other time. 

So, when my sister left a few weeks ago I hugged her and literally didn’t let go. She had to squirm her way out of my arms and I watched her drive away, jumping up and down and waving until we couldn’t see the car anymore. I walked around her room to make sure that she didn’t forget anything. I also use her bathroom when she is gone just to, you know, make sure the water is still running and stuff like that - it also may or may not be about 15 feet closer to the living room.

The day before I left, I cried to Chloe. “You don’t get it,” I said. “I’m leaving for a while.” I always wonder when I leave for school, if she ever really notices how long it’s been. My dad told me that she doesn’t really know time. I hope that’s true. I cried the morning I left when I was hugging her goodbye again, holding her and kissing her everywhere. She ate deer poop about a week ago so I wasn’t letting her kiss me for a while, but I let her that morning. I hope she breaks that bad habit of hers while I am away this time. It’s not a cute look.

I cried hugging my dad goodbye while he said everything was going to be great and fine and amazing once I get to school, which I knew to be true. We drove off and I was still crying. I didn’t stop crying until we got to the highway. My mom grabbed my leg and shook it. “It’s okay Megan.” 

“I know it’s okay,” I said. And I do. Everything is going to be totally fine and I am so excited to get back to school and my friends and my apartment. I had been missing it while being home and I was eager to get back. But I still cried. It’s a natural reaction for me at this point. 

My mom dropped me off at my apartment and stuck around for a few minutes but had to get back on the road. I hugged her and said “BYE MOMMY I LOVEEE YOU” even after she shut my apartment door. I went to my room to watch her drive off and she knew I would be there. She waved to me from the car as she left. We’ve been doing that since freshman year of college. 

I am 20 years old and still cry when I leave my family sometimes. AND THAT’S OKAY. Crying is good for you, I think. To me, it’s therapeutic. It is a stress relief. Sometimes I just feel one coming on or I just cry out of nowhere. Just let it happen. Besides, after being home for so long during the pandemic, this is the most time I have ever spent with my family, all of us being under one roof for so long. I got attached. That’s normal. It’s okay. 

Like my mom said to me, it’s okay to like to come home but you need to leave it so that you have something to miss and something to want to come back for. 

Moms always know best. She’s right. Shocker. 

I normally say “Smile. It’s good for you.” And that’s true. Don’t stop smiling. But sometimes… “Cry. It’s good for you.” 

I have a stuffed animal that looks like Chloe that I bring with me to school. I wanted them to snuggle before I left so she would smell like her. It didn’t work. But I got a cute picture out of it.

New Do's in the New Year

I don’t think I have ever really kept my New Year resolutions. Honestly, I never write them down so I tend to forget what they even were by the end of the month. I would imagine that all of them probably had something to do with eating more vegetables and less candy or working out more but I am DONE making those kinds of resolutions because I will never ever ever stop eating candy. Never.

It’s kind of like we can’t start a new year without telling ourselves or other people that we are going to eat better and exercise more. Have you noticed that? I say enough is enough. Just keep eating your Oreos. No one will judge you for it. I certainly won’t, considering the fact that when we do have them in the house, I eat one every time I walk into the kitchen. Also, unpopular opinion but the golden Oreos are better than the original ones. 

I have a couple of things in my head that I want to try out or do more of this year. The only reason why I wanted to wait a little bit after the New Year began to post about them is because I wanted to see how they were holding up. Let’s just say, they’re holding.

So, here are some things that I am looking forward to doing and trying in the New Year: 

Reading more 

When I was younger, my favorite place to go on the weekends was to the local Borders with my dad. We would get a hot chocolate from the Starbucks downstairs and then go look for some books and sit on the carpeted steps in the children’s area. I used to read SO much but as I’ve gotten older and that thing called college happened, I haven’t had the time. THAT will change. Mark my words. How? Because I am keeping myself accountable through the new 2021 READS tab on my website, which shows every book I read this year. So far, I have three down. I know that once I get back to school it will be harder, so I am cramming in a bunch right now. Follow along with my progress on the website and leave any recommendations for me there!

Learning to meditate and actually giving it time to work 

I am not someone who has a lot of patience. Because of this, I have never given meditation a real chance. I’ve either tried it once and couldn’t focus or just gave up on it entirely after doing it for two days in a row. I now realize that I just never gave it time to do its magic. This year, I really want to focus on being in the present and not worrying about things that happened or could happen. So, I want to get into meditation. I did it for three nights in a row the other week and then just stopped doing it, but let me tell you, I could already feel the progress in my head during the sessions. I just have to stick with it. If I can spend x amount of time watching Love it or List it, I am pretty sure I can set aside five minutes each day to just breathe. 

Spending less and saving more 

I have always, always been a shopaholic. I like to treat myself to some alone time while treating myself to some new goodies. I also like being able to make my own money and spend it. For example, I work at a clothing store in Boston while I’m at school and I am super lucky to get an employee discount. How great, you might think. You must be saving so much money! HA! No. I’ve probably barely made a profit considering all my money goes back into the store. The moral of the story is, this year I want to spend less money on clothes and things that I don’t REALLY need, like everything I own from Homegoods, and start making a list of some nicer things that I want to put my money toward. I am an adult now. It’s time to save up. 

Cooking new things 

When I am at home, I make myself peanut butter toast, eggs or a green smoothie. When I am at school, I make myself peanut butter toast, eggs or a green smoothie. For dinner, I rotate between the same three meals of orzo with vegetables and meatballs, rice with vegetables and falafel or taco bowls. It is TIME to switch it up folks. My poor taste buds are probably screaming for something new and exciting and not so bland. My goal is to start looking up recipes and making more complicated and different things for dinner. I am an adult now. It’s time to chef up.

If you have any easy recipes that don’t include cheese (I hate cheese) send it my way. 

Starting a dream journal 

I am someone who dreams a lot when I sleep and I have always been interested in what my dreams mean, so starting a dream journal was something I wanted to do this year. Ideally, I would’ve purchased a really cool notebook and decorated it and made it all pretty, but when I wake up first thing in the morning, I don’t have time to go get my notebook. Dreams go away fast. So I just write them on my phone. Sometimes, the more I try and remember a dream the faster it leaves my mind and it is SO FRUSTRATING. Sometimes if I wake up at 6:30 randomly and had a dream, I will write it down and go back to bed. I even had a dream that I was writing down my dreams. Who knows how long I will keep this up but for now at least, I want to document them to see if there are any patterns. I also hope to get a dream specialist on the podcast one day...a girl can dream! (ha ha)

Spending less time on social media 

The only social media that I enjoy using these days are my Twitter and my Operation Happiness Instagram. Honestly, my regular Instagram just makes me feel, bleh. So, those will be the two that I keep up with. Everything else, peace out Girl Scout. Who knew that when you don’t spend all your time scrolling, you actually have time to do things like read a real book! 

Growing even more! 

In terms of where I want this blog to be in a year from now? I am super happy with the growth over the last year - I more than doubled my readership! I am going to put these numbers into the universe so that they happen this year: I would love to see 10,000 visitors and 20,000 page views. I would love to sell 200 stickers / stress balls. I would love to hit 2,000 listens on my podcast and 100 ratings/reviews. IF nothing else, just some good old natural progression would be lovely and perfectly fine with me :)

These really aren’t super difficult or time-consuming things, but they are things that will make me feel better and give me some more ‘me time’, which is the best kind of time in my opinion. What are some things you want to do in the new year for YOU? 

this is one of my favorite pictures from Christmas 2019 on the Cape :)

14 Things I Learned, Accomplished and Experienced in 2020

Never have I ever met a bigger Debbie Downer or Party Pooper than 2020. HOWEVER, there were some happy sprinkles throughout the year that attempted to balance out the good and the bad. I’ve compiled a list of 14 things that I learned, experienced and accomplished this past year and wanted to share them with all of you! Go get some potato chips or something because this might be a long one. 

Things I learned: 

Fresh air really IS good for you

This is my mom’s go-to response for any complaint my sister and I throw her way. Whether I wake up with vertigo, my sister’s back hurts or I won’t stop asking what’s for dinner, my mom will say “Go get some fresh air. It’s good for you!” Now, is that what we want to hear? No. Is she right? That’s not the point. Over the course of the last two years, but especially this one, I learned that it is really important for me to get a walk into my daily schedule. It’s my time to listen to a podcast (I hear the podcast Happiness Talks is a really good one to walk to) and just chill out for a little bit. It might be hard to get out there but you will literally NEVER feel worse after coming back from walking. It’s just not possible. 

Who you want in your circle 

This whole pandemic thing really made me reevaluate my social situation. I have always been someone who values having a large group of friends. I don’t mean having a “clique” but I mean having friends all over the place! While I still value that, the pandemic has forced me to sort of tighten the circle of people that I see the most. I literally have 3 consistent people in my circle at school and one of them is my roommate so there are plenty that I am just not seeing a lot. Those friendships aren’t going anywhere, but now that I’m not meeting up with a new person every day to get food with, I have narrowed down my circle at school and at home. That doesn’t mean that I care any less about everyone else and I’ve realized that Facetime is a beautiful thing. Love it. Call me, beep me. I will always answer. 

Lonely is something you can see 

There are some people who really haven’t seen a shift in their daily routine with this pandemic because they are more introverted and really value alone time and personal space. If that’s you, great! But, there are people on the opposite end of the spectrum who have really struggled. I am part of both parties. While I really like my me-time and am introverted in many ways, something I miss is touch. I am an affectionate person and I miss HUGS. There are others who I’ve seen throughout the months who are clearly wired the same and are really struggling and it shows. You can see it. If you have someone in your life like this, give them a call. Go on a walk with them. Show up with some food or a gift or something just to remind them that it is allll going to be fine. 

I’m not a germaphobe but I’m not NOT a germaphobe 

Okay so hear me out. I have always been someone who likes to keep myself and the space around me clean. However, this pandemic has taken me to a whole new level. Am I the only one who has to shower and change my clothes after coming back home in order for me to sit on my bed or couch? IT MAKES SENSE OKAY. DIRTY CLOTHES = DIRTY GERMS = NOT GOING ON MY PLACE OF REST. 

I’m working on it. If anything, please just wash your hands. 

Stick with what makes you feel comfortable 

Doing this sounds a lot easier said than done, especially when everyone has their own levels of comfort in these crazy times. I know that for me, I am really careful about who and how many people I see at once and that I’m not really comfortable eating indoors. There were times where I felt like I was holding my friends back because we had to wait a long time for a table outside or we had to change our plans, but they were really supportive of it of course, because, well, because they are good friends! There were times where I didn’t WANT to have to ask if the reservation was for indoors or outdoors because I was TIRED of having to ask. I didn’t want to be THAT person. But you know what, you do you and I’ll do me. Whatever makes me feel comfortable is what I am going to stick with. Period! 

Things I accomplished: 

Attending my first press conference and asking BEN PLATT a question 

This was literally the coolest thing I have ever done in my 20 years on this earth. Moral of the story is, a seasoned journalist friend of mine asked if I wanted to tag along with her to cover the Harvard’s Hasty Pudding Club Man of The Year event. It just so happened that the man was Ben Platt. I got all suited up and took a first row seat, sitting next to journalists from places like People Magazine. When it came time to ask questions, my friend told me to raise my hand high. I was chosen! I literally blacked out. I didn’t even introduce myself or say where I was from. I jumped right into it and it was AMAZING. He was literally less than five feet away from me and there is a photo of him staring right into my eyes while I ask a question. Best day ever. 

Starting my podcast, Happiness Talks 

If you don’t already know and are living under a rock (I’m sure it’s a lovely rock), I launched my podcast back in October. It was something I always wanted to do, and actually, it was what Operation Happiness was originally supposed to be. It’s been so well-received and I have been able to interview really, really cool people so far. If you’ve taken a listen to an episode and really enjoyed it, feel free to head over to the podcast app on your iPhone and give the pod a rating or review! Would be greatly appreciated. 

Having a cupcake created after me and my stickers sold in a store 

This ALL happened because of my podcast! For my second episode I interviewed Taylor Stump, the owner and founder of the bakery Little Miss Cupcape in Boston and on Cape Cod. It was such a fun episode to record because we are both big balls of energy and together, well, we’re a lot. I had asked her at the end what kind of cupcake Operation Happiness would be and she made it and sold it at the store the next day. IT. WAS. DELISH. Plus, for now, you can get my stickers there too! So cool. So thankful. 

Getting involved in a non-profit I really care about 

Once Alex Trebek passed away after battling Pancreatic Cancer for four years, it really lit a fire under my butt to get involved. My grandpa passed away from the same disease when I was eight, and even though it’s been over 10 years since, I still feel like people aren’t aware of the disease any more than they were then, or at least, people my age. I am so excited to say that starting in the new year I will be joining the social media team at the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Boston affiliate! I have so many great ideas and can’t wait to bring them to the table and raise awareness around the disease. WOOHOO! 

Becoming a master binger of television 

I am sure that everyone can relate to this, but ever since the OG quarantine began, my family has watched a lot of TV shows and movies together, which has been cute and wholesome and fun. Here is a list of all the shows I can remember that we have watched together since January:

Jack Ryan, Ozark, The Queen’s Gambit, The Wilds, The Crown, Handmaid’s Tale, Defending Jacob, Schitt’s Creek, The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Hunters, All American, Pick of the Litter, High School Musical The Musical The Series, The Last Dance, In the Dark, Selling Sunset, The Politician...
Greyhound, Hillbilly Elegy, The Prom, Happiest Season, The King, Ben Platt Live from Radio City Music Hall, Kevin Hart Zero F**ks Given, Trolls (x100), Trolls World Tour (which we paid $20 for), The Highwaymen…

That should be enough to get you through for now.  

Things I experienced: 

Going to Georgia for the first time 

Literally the week before the country shut down, I was in Savannah with my mom and sister visiting some family, living it up on vacay. It was really, really cool! Walking around downtown and seeing a ton of old, historic buildings was really awesome. I’m a sucker for stuff like that. Plus, I got to tan for a day. PLUS, the food was delightful. PLUS, the airport, which I normally hate because I hate flying, was really lovely. It’s funny because while we were there, we were hearing all the colleges start to announce that they were extending break for a few weeks. It’s crazy to think that we were traveling on an airplane seated so close to strangers without a mask or gloves essentially during the pandemic. Weird.

Developing a new worst enemy 

I try my best to be friends with everyone, I really do. But sometimes, lines are crossed and you realize that that relationship is toxic and will never work out. Unfortunately, this happened to me with dozens of...cockroaches. Yeah. You heard me. I can’t even get into the specifics because I am still TRAUMATIZED but go to my Twitter @megancklein and scroll - you will find the whole saga there. It has spiraled into a legit fear of those suckers and all bugs to the point where I have dreams, no, nightmares, about them. My roommate is the biggest trooper in the world for dealing with them and ME. 

Moving into my first apartment 

This was big-girl sh**. It really was. All of a sudden I was in charge of maintaining my own homestead, all 900 square feet of it. My roommate and I have experienced our share of hiccups with the building and apartment itself and to clarify, they weren’t OUR hiccups. It was stressful at times, a lot of times, BUT there is something about being able to go to Marshalls whenever you want and bring something back that you don’t need to your OWN home. Like a random glass candy jar or marble trash can. I fricken LOVE home good stores!

Making some sacrifices 

We all made sacrifices this year. Whether it was missing out on a vacation, summer camp, an internship, prom or Thanksgiving. Some may seem a little bit more important than others but missing something is missing something and it’s no fun regardless of what it is. I think that those sacrifices and what you cared about missing the most really showed what matters to us in the world. I know that for me, it was a major bummer not being able to do lots of things, from going to a baseball game to going to visit friends, but the event that made me the most upset was missing Thanksgiving. It’s my favorite holiday! I got over it and the day ended up being totally fine but it made me realize how much I value my family time.

And with that party people, I hope after reading this you reflect and think of at least one thing that you learned, experienced and accomplished over this insane year. Wishing you the happiest of holidays and a very happy new year!

My mom made me a smiley cake over the summer!

Me and my little Ben Platt press pass!

Nothing like listening to some live jazz in Savannah!

Operation Happiness cupcakes!

Just Ben gazing into my eyes…

Me and my sister at a Purple Stride Walk back in high school!

Selfie in Savannah!

Stickers and smileys!

Sister-sister in Savannah