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Out-of-state School Break Tips!

It’s that time of the year! The semester is ending, and preparations for the journey back home (if you dorm) are underway! Coming from the suburbs of Southern California, here are some helpful tips I take in consideration getting ready for winter break!

First of all, make sure to pack wisely! – nuff said! Overweight luggage give you unwanted fees! Most airlines have a limit of 50 lbs. per checked bag, and don’t worry, your belongings are safe to be left in your room!
Make sure you are at the airport/train station/bus terminal early and prepared to board! Major airports can have lines that take up to an hour to go through, so don’t miss your flight by arriving 2 hours before your departure!
Find the best deals for you! – As we all know, traveling can be expensive. By researching thousands of websites out there that are touting the lowest rates. I personally use Google Flights, which monitors pricing and gives you real-time statistics. SUPER helpful!

Getting my “Fall Fix”

Happy October Blogosphere!

I first wanted to share a fun fact with you all. It’s been exactly one year to the day that I was accepted as a FIT Admissions Blogger! I know that thanks to the trusty “Timehop” app, which I definitely recommend you all downloading on your smartphones. It has been such a great experience writing for the Admission Blog. I am so grateful for this opportunity and to be able to share my experiences at FIT and in NYC with you all! 🙂

It is officially Fall, and I am so happy to be able to “say” that…or “type” that. October is the peak month of the season. I’m a lover of all things October. Bundling up – sweaters, scarves, boots. Pumpkins find their home for the season upon people’s doorsteps. Robust mums step into the spotlight as everyone’s favorite perennial. The air becomes perfectly crisp again, without having the bite of winter air or the weight of summer’s. Yet my favorite change will always be the trees. Ohhh lord, the beautiful trees. Every year feels like a surprise to me, as if I’ve never seen fall foliage. The deep reds, purples, bright yellows and oranges continue to take my breath away. I feel like I’ve been abducted and taken to a new planet – the planet of October. I can’t necessarily say I want to go back to where I came from 😉

New York City is a wonderful city to be in during the fall. However, I have to say I am biased to upstate New York, which is where I grew up. The sights, smells and tastes are what I identify with fall. Pumpkin flavored everything, cider donuts – my personal Fall favorite. Naturally, the fall season begins earlier upstate and works its way down. So, currently the city is slacking a little compared to the beauty of upstate New York.

Since I am not living at home throughout the school year, I make it a point to take a weekend during the fall and travel upstate. I have to get my “fall fix,” as I like to say! Spending time with my family is also a major plus 🙂 So, I chose last weekend as that weekend for my fall adventure.

Taking a small trip every month or so is something I definitely recommend to students living in the city. I don’t mean you need to go home all the time. But small excursions are exciting and help to break up your semester. If you’re lucky enough to have grown up only a few hours away from the city, it’s obviously easier and cheaper to take a quick trip home. I feel that my trips home help to keep me grounded. As much as I love the city, it’s calm, quiet and familiar at home. I can breathe fresh air and enjoy nature. I can recharge and come back to the city fresh faced.

It was a truly wonderful weekend. I am so grateful to have been able to spend time with my friends and family and enjoy all the beauty of fall in upstate New York. Here are some highlights:

One of the days, my mother, Mindy, sister, Kate, her puppy, Jax and I went apple picking! As must do if you truly want to get the fall experience. It was a beautiful day when we ventured to a local apple orchard. As you know, New York is famous for their delicious apples!

Mom, Kate & Jax at the orchard! <3

I’m not that short…but the best apples are at the top 😉

GOURD-geous! Get it?

The most beautiful fall foliage is best seen in the Adirondacks, which is a famous state park located in TRUE upstate New York. It’s filled with mountains, forests, lakes, rivers and streams. One of the days I went on an amazing hike at the Adirondack Interpretive Center. I can’t begin to explain how beautiful some of the views were, and how relaxing and quiet our hike was. I’ll try to let some of the pictures do the talking.

Breathtaking

To be honest, I didn’t want to leave…how could I?!

Thanks for reading, everyone! Get out into nature and enjoy this beautiful season!

Peace and Love,

Brendan

Notes from the 6 Train: Creating New Traditions

College, for many, is the first time that they may spend the holiday season away from their family. However, this not mean that the feeling of the season should simply disseapper! This is the perfect time of year to create new, exciting traditions tailored to your interests. For students who may not be able to travel home, ( like international students, or working students who can’t miss work, etc.), it’s the perfect time to start the holiday tradition you may have always wanted as a kid, but never had! Like a pink tree or eating pizza for holiday dinner.

For me, it was to create a safe space for my friends and I during the holiday season. Having lots of family around can be joyful, but being under the scrunity of prying family members can also be stressful. This is especially true for young queers. My solution was to create a safe haven, if only for a few hours. This was the original idea behind the annual “Queer- Friendly, Ugly Christmas Sweater Potluck.” A place for us all to congregate to eat, drink and be merry, with no uncomfortable table talk about relationships or other topics many students don’t want to discuss during the holiday season (grades, plans after graduation, etc.). This year will be our fourth potluck and every year it grows. It’s become a tradition that I’m asked about every year, and grows annually. It’s amazing to see that this event has picked up a life of its own and is apart of my holiday traditions.

Remember, family comes in many forms. For some, immediate family is really important, and others find family within their friend group. The holidays are what you make them.

All things Color, Love & Fashion,

Ayanna L.