Zoom University Review

Zoom University, what a concept.

It definitely had its ups and downs, so I decided to put together a little reflection with some ratings for all of you out there who maybe didn’t take classes remotely or aren’t in college and want to know what it was like. I broke it down into five essential categories: 

1. Ability to snack

2. Ability to be comfy 

3. Ability to focus

4. Ability to make friends 

5. Ability to fatigue 

I will be giving each category a rating out of 10. Let’s get crackalackin. 

The ability to snack during Zoom University: 10/10 

This was probably my favorite thing about remote learning, especially because three of my classes were once-a-week 3 hour ones. If I was sitting at my desk and needed a snack, I would just pick up my computer and bring it with me to the kitchen or would blast my sound so I could still hear the professor speak. Now, I would never actually blend a smoothie during class because that is just plain rude BUT I am guilty of bringing my smoothie cup to the sink during class to rinse it out so it wouldn’t get all, you know, old smoothie-y. 

Here were some of my favorite things to snack on during class this semester:

• Chips and salsa

• Cut up apple with peanut butter

• Green smoothie 

• Belvita breakfast bars 

• Berries 

• Pita chips 

• Candy (Mike and Ike’s or candy corn probably) 

The ability to be comfortable during Zoom University: 10/10

Now, before this whole pandemic hit, I never wore pajamas or sweats to class. Ever. Even in high school when we had pajama day, I tried to wear the loungewear that most resembled real clothes. Being put together just makes me feel more productive, so jeans were always my go-to. I even went through a phase in high school where I wore skirts and tights and boots. Go off, young me. 

However, times have changed. And if I’m going to be sitting in my house or my apartment taking class, I most likely will work out right before and just wear those leggings and a sweatshirt to class. I will say this, though. On days where I felt like I needed a little boost of confidence or motivation, I threw on a pair of jeans. 

In terms of where I sat while going to class, 99% of the time it was at my desk. I only sat on my bed during my big nighttime lecture where my camera was off and I knew I could just lay down, listen and take notes. I don’t know why but for me, I always found it to be a little rude to be all propped up in bed. I tried it once, but it just didn’t feel right. Maybe that’s just me, but it’s still class. If you wouldn’t fall asleep during real class, don’t set yourself up to do so now.

Here were some of my favorite pants to attend class in: 

• Aerie Real Me Legging

• Old Bar or Bat Mitzvah sweatpants 

• lululemon Align Joggers 

The ability to focus during Zoom University: ?/10

This one I am not really sure how to rate. Last spring when we were all sent home from school and had to continue classes from our childhood bedrooms, it was really really difficult. The turnaround time happened overnight and it was something we never had to do before. This fall, there really wasn’t any sudden transition that we went through, rather, remote learning was basically our only real, consistent option. When we came home for the holidays and had to finish our classes and assignments here, it was no different than what we had been doing or had done last semester. Yet, I still can’t decide which was harder and which one I had a harder time focusing during.

I think that I had a much easier time hunkering down and doing my work when I was at school, even though I was in my bedroom surrounded by a billion distractions there. It didn’t matter because I was in my room at SCHOOL not at HOME. It makes a huge difference. At home I was still able to get all my work done, but it took longer than it probably would have had I been at school doing it.

Home is so much more distracting! There are cute puppies and a kitchen filled with Mom’s baked goods and dads to annoy while they try to do work in the basement, you know what I mean?

I would be lying to you all if I said there weren’t times where I found myself checking my email during class or texting my parents (because who else?) And if any student says otherwise, I would be a little concerned because that means they are robots. Distraction is just a part of the game. It’s how we work around it though, that counts. At the end of the day, I did my part. I got my work and assignments done, asked a lot of questions and did my very best to form connections and make an impression.

The ability to make friends and form connections over Zoom: 5/10 

I am the girl who loves making friends in class. I think it’s such a great way to meet people who have similar interests to you and especially being a transfer last year, it was a really great way for me to meet people in general. Over Zoom, I can’t just sit next to someone or tell them I like their boots. You have to slide into their Zoom messages, which, I have done a few times. With that comes the rejection of being able to see that person’s eyes dart around on the screen to read your message and then you sitting there waiting only to never get a response. It hurt. It really did. But I took it like a champ.

Although I didn’t really make a ton of friends in my classes this semester, I would say I was still able to form good connections with my teachers at least, which is equally as important. I feel for the freshman or transfers though who had to make their first college friends this way - it’s not easy. The thing to remember if you are in that boat is, nobody in your class has any idea what year you are or if you are a transfer or not. It’s a clean slate for everyone, so just go for it!

The ability to get TIRED from Zoom University: 9/10 

Oh baby. This. This became an issue by the end of the semester. I never thought I would see the day where I wanted to genuinely throw my computer into the ocean and never have to stare at a screen ever again. That’s dramatic - I love my computer. BUT, going from really only having to use your computer to do homework to having to use it to actually attend class, take notes and then do your work is a lot going on in one place. My eyes were killing me by the end. It’s really important to take breaks from your screen or at least wear some glasses that can protect your pretty eyes a bit. By the end of the day, I was DONE-ZO.

The only solution I could possibly think of is for teachers to not give us anymore homework or papers! Professors, if you are reading this, it’s just a suggestion but…

Walks were also a great way to break up my time between classes or going to Trader Joe’s. Fresh air people, it’s important.

I had the option to attend three of my four classes in person, which is really lucky and I am sure plenty of people would pounce on that opportunity if they could. I went to two of them in person for the first week or so but came to the decision that I would much rather be in the comfort of my home, without a mask on, in my pajamas and in walking distance to my fridge. At all times. 

Cheers to a better spring semester!

You got two feet, use ‘em! Go on a walk.

Operation Happiness Gift Guide: The Happiest Little Gifts

FA LA LA LALALALALA! HO HO HO! TIS THE SEASON! 

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and no, I’m not talking about the Bath and Body Works candle day sale where all three-wick candles are only $9.95. Which by the way, I did try to attend but the line at the mall was INSANITY and I knew that if I waited I would be stuck with the suckiest smelling candle. 

What I mean is, IT’S HOLIDAY SEASON! If you aren’t like me and didn’t start shopping for presents before Halloween, don’t worry. You are a normal human being. And I am also here to help. 

Welcome to the Operation Happiness Gift Guide! This is a collection of all of my personal favorite things that make me feel happy, feel less stressed and feel good. From books to therapy dough to yummy smelling things, I got you covered. Plus, I figured that all of you know someone who also likes to feel happy, less stressed and good so, here you go. Enjoy! Don’t blame your bank statements on me after this one!

*All of these photos were taken from the respective yellow buttons under each gift

14,000 Things to be Happy About By Barbara Ann Kipfer 

Okay people. I’ve said it on here before but I will say it again. This is the book that changed everything for me. My mom left it in my room when I was home from college during my freshman year - and if you are new here and don’t know by now, freshman year was not the best year of my life. Anyways, it’s literally a book of an ongoing list of 14,000 things that the author wrote down over the years of things that made her happy. It made me realize that it really IS the little things in life and there are so many things every single day to be happy about. It totally changed my mindset and eventually led to me starting my Take 5 Write 5 journaling technique, where I Take 5 minutes at the end of every day and Write 5 things that made me happy. I would literally recommend gifting this book to anyone. Whether they need a pick-me-up or not, it’s truly inspirational. Plus, it’s fun to read the things she wrote!

You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life By Jen Sincero 

This is another book that everyone should have on their nightstand. In fact, it would be a great idea to gift the two of these books TOGETHER! Jen Sincero has a ton of other books similar to this on different topics, but this one is the OG. This book is essentially a bunch of chapters filled with reasons why there is nothing you CAN’T do. Again, it’s a game-changing book. I left the book at school BUT before I came home I was trying to read a chapter every night before I went to bed. Plus, the cover is yellow, and we all know how much I love yellow. 

If your loved one doesn’t love to read, like really hates it, that’s okay too. Because “You are a Badass” has a whole line of products ranging from a calendar to a talking button to notecards and more. Check out all of that good stuff by clicking that cute little button down below!

Pinch Me Therapy Dough 

Do you ever feel like you need to squeeze something that isn’t your favorite Operation Happiness stress ball that is available for purchase and would make a great stocking stuffer? Well, if so, I have the perfect thing for you. Pinch Me Therapy Dough is basically like adult play-dough that smells fabulous. It comes in a bunch of different aromatherapy scents like ocean, sun, grapefruit, spice and MORE. Plus, a portion of each purchase goes toward The Wounded Warrior Project which is awesome. I keep a big tin of this on my desk at school and just roll it around during class or when I’m watching TV. The fun never ends!

Purity by Philosophy Face Wash

This is the #1 face wash in America according to the website. So. In case that doesn’t speak for itself... I will speak some more. I have tried just about every face wash in the biz. Some of them were good for exfoliating my skin, which was all fun and games but didn’t take my makeup off. An expert taught me that makeup wipes are awful for your skin and eyes so I needed a face wash that was going to do the trick in a jiffy. This one will be your saving grace. Its smell is minimal and it leaves your skin feeling smoooooth as a baby’s tushy. The face lotion is also fab. Just take my word for it. It comes in cute little travel sizes too which would work great for a stocking. I just realized this…of course it’s yellow. Go figure.

Foil Resin Jewelry Tray

Bijouxbycatherine is one of my favorite small businesses to support. She makes beautiful jewelry, accessories and most recently these GORGEOUS jewelry trays. I feel like this is something that a lot of people don’t think that they need, but once they get one, they will never go without one ever again. Or at least, that’s how it went for me. I keep one on my bedside table and keep my everyday earrings and rings on it to take off right before I go to bed. Not only is it convenient and makes it so you won’t lose one fricking back to an earring - hate when that happens - but they are PRETTY TO LOOK AT and won’t be an eye sore in your room or bathroom or wherever you want to keep it. If not for jewelry, I would honestly use these as coasters or keep them in my kitchen. They are definitely not meant for that but I’m just saying…she’s a beaut.

I mean….come on!

Did I mention that you can get 15% off your order with the code ‘Happiness15’ ? Well, you can. So if that isn’t an incentive to go ham…

Voluspa Candles 

 I’m a huge candle gal. Who isn’t? I used to like getting big ones but I found that because I would accumulate so many and it took me forever to burn through them, that getting a bunch of smaller ones was the better bet. You can find these ones at Anthropologie, Sephora, Bloomingdales, No Rest For Bridget, etc., or just on their website. My favorite scents are the Mokara and Moso Bamboo. What those mean? No clue. But I can tell you that the first one smells refreshing and light and the second reminds me of Christmas. Plus, they are gorgeous, gorgeous candles. You can get a cute little tin or a big beautiful glass textured jar with a pretty patterned top. Love these guys. Their room and body sprays are also wonderful. 10/10 would recommend. 

Capri Blue Volcano Candles 

I just ordered this one…She will look amazing on my desk.

Have you ever walked into Anthropologie and been hit with a wonderful smell? Yeah, that’s the Volcano scented Capri Blue candles. In case you need another candle, you can never EVER go wrong with these. Like literally never. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my Voluspa ones. BUT, I have to say that these are the best because even when you don’t burn them they just make your room smell amazing. If you like the scent but don’t want a candle, they also make soaps, lotions, body washes, even laundry detergents. They also make beautiful holiday ones - so check them out. 

The Perfect Journal 

I have a gray suede tie one similar to this and I love it so much I don’t even want to write in it.

Coming from someone who buys journals like they’re candy, you can never have too many. I have a wonderful stack accumulating under my desk of empty notebooks that I know I will fill one day, just not anytime soon. I use probably five different journals at once, all for different things. You obviously need one for Take 5 Write 5, then you need one for planning your blog, podcast and life, then you need one that serves more as like a diary for more dramatic or feely moments and then I have one for random notes. Needless to say, I have a bunch and I love them all. With that being said, they are all different and you can never have enough. Getting someone a really nice leather or suede journal elevates the gift from just being a bleh notebook to a WOW notebook.

The Perfect Planner 

 Okay. This is probably the coolest thing on here. If you’re like me, you like to plan your life down to a T. My planner is my baby. I love her. I don’t know what I would do if I lost her. HOWEVER, I want 2021 to end and it hasn’t even started yet just so I can buy a new one already BECAUSE I want to order a beautiful, customized one from Papier. I am a sucker for a monogram and anything personalized. I think that if you were to get a planner that you MADE and designed you will be much more likely to use it. One of my friends just bought one and it’s lavender themed and so dainty and pretty. The website has so many different options and you can change the font, the color, the boldness, EVERYTHING. Go go go. NOW.

Operation Happiness Stickers and Stress Balls

Last but not least, I had to throw these in here, but because I’m #humble, I stuck them at the very bottom. There’s not much to say about these other than the fact that they make me smile and it makes me smile when I see other people put them on their computers or water bottles or mirrors, or send me a picture of the stress ball on their desk. The whole reason why I even made these items in the first place was to help spread some positivity and smiles. If you’re interested in any of these items, just reach out to me on Instagram @operationhappinessblog and I will hook you up!

What to Buy for the Men in Your Life This Holiday Season

Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I have a slight shopping problem. But, I can honestly say that I have been much better with spending money over the last few months. Sure, I get a Chipotle bowl here and there. Yeah, I regret it every time. Does that change the fact that I always go back for more? No. Overall, I can proudly say that my mother would be pleased with my bank statements.

Well, that all went down the drain ever since I started my Christmas shopping…in October…but, if I spend it on other people, it doesn’t really count towards MY shopping problem, right?

Although present shopping can be really fun, there is always that one person that is impossible to shop for. For us ladies, it tends to be the men in our life. For some of you maybe that is a boyfriend. For me? It’s my dad. 

I don’t know about you guys, but my dad is the simplest man on this entire planet. His uniform consists of the following: a gray or navy Champion or Nike crew neck with a gray Champion or Nike or college shirt underneath tucked into an old pair of jeans with his Sambas or Chuck T’s. Like first of all, be cuter. But second of all, be better. How am I supposed to work with that if he wears things he has owned since before I was even BORN??? 

It’s not like I can think out of the box here and buy him something fun, because it would literally sit in the corner of his closet forever and ever alone and collect dust and be sad. We don’t want that.

I have decided to put together a list of things I have gotten for him over the years and things that I have gotten other people that COULD work for him to help you all with buying things for the special men in your life. Let’s hit it. 

For the Pet Loving Dad:

So in my family, it’s crystal clear who the favorite child is, and no it’s not me or my sister. It’s our dachshund, Chloe. Ever since we have had her, which is now over a decade, we have celebrated a very merry, dachshund Christmas. Dad always gets us gifts pertaining to a weiner dog, whether it’s shaped soap, socks with Chloe’s face on them, pajama pants, shirts, hats, coasters, you name it. I keep the theme going by always giving him something that has to do with Chloe in return.

Shutterfly is your best friend. Trust me. They literally ALWAYS have some sort of sale going on and they have just about a billion things to choose from. You can do some sort of frameless frame, as pictured here, a puzzle, an ornament, a bottle opener, whatever tickles your fancy! 

If you walk into his closet, the shelves are filled with Chloe items. Last year’s was probably my favorite: it was a Chloe Cube. Everyday he switches it over to a different picture that I picked out. Super cute. Super great. Love it. Do it and you will be the best daughter eveeerrrrr.

For the Candy Loving Dad:

If you ever come to my house, you will see that we either have a ton of candy or no candy. If you arrive and are welcomed with the latter, it’s because my dad or I have gotten into the stash. We have no self control. Apple, tree. See what I mean? If there is a bag of M&Ms out on the table, every time I walk into the kitchen I will grab a handful and by the next day it will be empty. SO, how do you solve that problem? You create a never-ending stash. Go to Walgreens and get the 5 pound bag of M&Ms. Not only does it look really big in a bag, but there is enough to go around. He will be very happy.  And so will you.

Or, instead of going the drug store candy route, you can go to your local chocolate shop and get a box of fun goodies! Maybe some toffee chocolate covered pretzels - my dad loves those. I feel like every dad loves those.

For the Book Worm Dad:

Every year for years, I have gotten my dad a book for his birthday, Christmas, Father’s Day, all of those holidays. I tend to stick to two themes: Dogs and History. Very different, I know. But those are two things that we both enjoy reading about and I know we can read together. Not together as in he will read me a bedtime story, but together in the sense that we can both read the book.

Go to a local bookstore and find a cool autobiography on one of his favorite singers or athletes. Or maybe a book all about the history of Fenway Park. Or maybe a book all about Dachshunds. Whatever it may be, books are just really easy and really thoughtful gifts. Need some recs? Click that link below this to see my favorites - half of them my dad has already read.

For the Coffee Addict Dad:
My dad drinks water and lemonade. That’s about it. So I would never get him a mug BUT, I did get my sister and mom these mugs last year that could totally work for ANYONE in your life. Wherever you are going to school at the moment or wherever you’re living, you have a Starbucks near you. That is one thing you can at least count on. In those said Starbucks shops, you will find a mug that has all things “Boston” on it or all things “Massachusetts” on it. They are part of the Been There Series. Unfortunately they don’t sell them on their website but you can find them on Amazon!

I don’t drink coffee either but I almost wanted to buy one for myself just to keep on my desk and stare at it. I think they are dope. End of story. Get one.

For the Classic Dad: 

Here is a fun little game. On the count of three, let’s all say the first word that comes to mind when you think of dad things.

1…

2…

3…

WALLET. 

Over the course of your dad’s dad career, they will maybe go through three wallets. For some reason, they like to keep them in their back pocket until their pant pocket has an indent of where the wallet normally goes and until the wallet itself is practically falling apart at the seams. HAVE NO FEAR. That is about to change. 

If you go to Madewell, they have just short of a billion different leather goods and you can get them MONOGRAMMED FOR FREE! You might have to join a member program but that literally is just an email and it is so worth it. I have gotten a few of my friends hooked on the monogrammed card holders - they just make the perfect personalized gift! You can also get numbers, smiley faces, question marks, whatever you want. Maybe you could do his lucky number, the year he was born, the year you were born, anything. I love it. He will love it.

There you have it. A handful of little gift ideas.

Keep in mind that any of these gifts could also work for literally anyone else in your life. Dads do not have ownership over candy, books or wallets. But, they do like them very much. 

I hope this helps anyone who hasn’t been sleeping at night because they are stressed about what to get for their dad, uncle, grandpa, cousin, mom, grandma, aunt, sister, sister’s boyfriend, dog, cat, whatever. You got this. I believe in you.

Tis the season!

The one and only man in my life! Garbear!

The Chloe Cube that gets turned over every morning when my dad goes into his closet. Gosh she is so cute.

This is what I mean by frameless frame. It’s literally just like, a photo without a frame but it’s not paper it’s hard. Does that make sense? They are great. I have a few of them. Shutterfly!

Very Merry Dachshund Christmas 2019 !

The Been There Series mugs I got for my mom and sister last year. So easy. So cool.

My cute little monogrammed card holder that I literally carry with me everywhere. No more sticky card holder on the back of my phone.

Halloween? No thanks.

I hate Halloween. I know, I know. Hate is a strong word. I guess I could say that I strongly dislike Halloween if that makes you feel better or less offended. I didn’t always feel this way, for the record. Besides, I am much more of a Thanksgiving and Christmas kind of gal. 

When I was younger, it was so much fun. We had a Halloween Spooktacular Assembly in elementary school, all of the teachers would give us candy, we would decorate cookies and more. Oh, and we can’t forget about the Halloween Safety program where older students came to our classes to tell us not to eat candy that was already unwrapped - we already know everyone ate candy that was unwrapped. We were young and we were animals when it came to sugar, sue us! 

The plans were always made and we did the same thing every year. My friends and our parents would go trick-or-treating on this one street that everybody and their mother, literally, went to. We would all eat dinner before and play outside, go out and then come back to trade and compare our candy. It was familiar. It was easy. It was fun. Except the time I got an apple...who the FRICK gives out APPLES on Halloween? Dentists, that’s who. Or crazy people. 

I am someone who gets really scared really easily. I don’t do scary movies or the dark or haunted houses. I would probably pee my pants. But that isn’t even why I don’t like Halloween. 

As I got older and left the comforting halls of elementary school, Halloween lost its touch. Why? Well, we all know how girls can be, right? If you don’t, bless your soul. I’ll break it down for you. 

Girls can really suck sometimes. No offense. There is just always some sort of drama and gossip and competition going on. ESPECIALLY when it comes to friend groups and cliques and blah blah blah. It would literally be the second week of school and girls would already be claiming their costume for the year. 

“Well we are being vampires so you can’t be vampires.” 

“We have dibs on the hot pants and button down.”

I don’t even know what costume that is, but DON’T try to get between a girl and her American Apparel hot pant shorts things. 

God forbid you tried dressing up on your own. If I could’ve been a hotdog every dang year, I would have. But, I let the peer pressure get to me. For those of you out there who want to be a hotdog but are feeling like you need to be a cop or a nerd or a sexy something, stay strong. Do your thing.

Then there would be the drama of where you would be going on the actual night of Halloween or the weekend before. Who was having a party? Would you be invited? What else is there to do, go trick-or-treating?

I remember one Halloween party I went to, a few of my friends and I left to go trick-or-treating on the street and then went back later. Just a quick candy break - and drama break. Plus, a house on that street was giving out FULL-SIZED candy bars. I have a special place in my heart for those houses.

Moral of the story is as I’ve gotten older, it has gotten less fun. Plus, I eat candy literally every single day. My kitchen is always stocked. So it’s not like Halloween is a special sugar crazy occasion like it was when I was younger. I don’t need my mommy to buy me candy - besides, if she knew how much I was buying she would yell at me and tell me to eat a vegetable. Hi Mom 😚

My favorite Halloween memory from me being in high school was this: I brought my hotdog costume and my mustard bottle costume over to my friend’s house. We put them on and walked into town to eat dinner at the Thai restaurant. Yes, we were still wearing our costumes. It was iconic. And because you are wondering what I ordered, it was my Thai usual: Chicken Pad See Ew.

Oh, another reason why I don’t love this holiday is because people make me feel bad about genuinely enjoying candy corn. IT IS GOOD, OKAY? In fact, I tweeted about it and it got 12 likes and 1 comment so basically I am Twitter famous. Go follow me @megancklein 💛😚

So to all the young kids out there, cherish your young Halloweens. Before you know it, the night won’t end with you sitting in a circle with your friends counting up your candy and trading your mediocre Milky Way for a bag of sour Skittles. Wow. That was deep.

Just two hotdogs. This wasn’t even for Halloween. It was just another day at the Klein house.

Gosh I was cute.

The origin of the hotdog costume. I look scary.

Halloween ‘16 for the win.

Sorry I was the cutest clown of all time.

I like candy corn. THERE. I said it. Hope we can still be friends.

— Megan Klein (@megancklein) October 21, 2020

Smelt it, You Dealt it: Our Nose's Memory

I want to shed light on something that I feel goes unnoticed day to day and really deserves more credit than it gets…

The nose.

Yeah. You heard me. The cute little snot machine smack dab in the center of your face. Just hear me out, okay? 

My nose literally has a better memory than I do (I might as well be a goldfish when it comes to what I ate for dinner last night.) But that’s because our noses basically do have their own memory. Olfactory memory is the “recollection of odors” according to our handy dandy Wiki. Here is a quick little recap I found from an article that sums up the science nicely: 

“Incoming smells are first processed by the olfactory bulb, which starts inside the nose and runs along the bottom of the brain. The olfactory bulb has direct connections to two brain areas that are strongly implicated in emotion and memory: the amygdala and hippocampus. Interestingly, visual, auditory (sound), and tactile (touch) information do not pass through these brain areas. This may be why olfaction, more than any other sense, is so successful at triggering emotions and memories…” (Lewis, Psychology Today). 

Are you ever just minding your business, doing your thing, when all of a sudden BAM - you are hit with the smell of something that immediately takes you back 15 years? Was it a laundry detergent? Someone’s perfume? 

For me it was the smell of hose water. Over the past few days I have walked by numerous lawn sprinklers or people watering their bushes. The warm, stale, mineral-ly scent of the water takes me back to when I was a toddler. 

My sister and I would run around in our front yard with diapers on (for the time being) through the big yellow sprinkler that hooked up to the hose on the side of the house. Oh how young, wild and free we were. Actually, I think the song Young, Wild and Free was written about us at that very moment - I could be wrong though, maybe someone can fact check me on that. 

My nose also holds some pretty strong grudges against smells that it remembers...and doesn’t like. 

It remembers that one time when my friend had a camping themed birthday party and gave out lollipops that were marshmallow flavor...I can still smell it in my head. Makes me nauseous. But happy birthday and thanks for inviting me! 

It will also never, ever like cheese or dairy products. I don’t even know if there was ever something that specifically happened that made me hate the smells of those foods, but I just do. 

For example, when my family puts grated parmesan cheese on their hot pasta, I gag. Literally, the smell makes me gag. Greek yogurt? Forget about it. I have video evidence of this if anyone is interested. The cheese aisle at the grocery store? I have to HOLD MY BREATH. I promise you I am not being dramatic. There is just something about it that my nose has always hated. It’s honestly very inconvenient, but hey, that’s me! 

Putting the cheese on hold for now, in all seriousness, I think it’s really incredible how our memory works that way. I love how certain scents are associated with different people or memories in my head. Here are some examples: 

Kai fragrance - will always remind me of my grandma 

Men’s Speed Stick deodorant - will always remind me of my dad 

Hot pavement - sitting and waiting for my mom after a scorcher of a preseason session 

Santal Vanilla Voluspa spray - smells like my freshman year as a whole - can’t describe it

Chloé perfume - my bat mitzvah 

Hose water - playing in the sprinklers when I was younger 

Mom’s homemade Chex Mix - Thanksgiving morning while watching the parade 

Hairspray that I don’t know the name of - getting my hair done for prom 

Neutrogena Grapefruit face wash - summer camp when I was 13 

New carpet - my grandma’s old apartment building

I’ve spent so long trying to think and come up with examples. It’s hard to think of them when you try, but when you smell whatever it is, you immediately remember and you know. It’s kind of magical. What smells are associated with your life? 

Me and my purple, pink and yellow nose back in high school at a Color Run event

My Trader Joe's Receipt

I feel like every blogger and their mother has done a review of their favorite foods from Trader Joe’s, so here I am, doing exactly that. 

I’m fairly new to the whole TJ game, so I haven’t had the chance to try as many things as all of you seasoned Joes have. While I don’t do my FULL grocery shop there, I do get plenty of goods. So, here are some of my favorites and some great deals! 

THINGS THAT ARE INEXPENSIVE THAT I AM NOT GOING TO BE WRITING ABOUT BECAUSE THEY ARE BORING BUT ARE STRAIGHT-UP BARGAINS:

• Whole Wheat English Muffins - $1.69 

• Vanilla Unsweetened Almond Milk - $1.79 

• Salad Organic Baby Spinach - $2.29 

• Broccoli Cauliflower Duet - $2.29 

• Multigrain Sourdough Bread - $2.99

Now, let’s get to the good stuff. 

Dill Pickle Hummus - $1.99

Now, I don’t really like eating pickles by themselves, but I love pickle flavored things. And I don’t really like eating plain hummus, but I love flavored hummuses. So naturally when I saw pickle flavored hummus I had to pick it up. If pickle Lay’s chips had a dip form, this would be it. It’s tangy and refreshing and cold and pickley. Throw a carrot in there, a water cracker, a pita chip, whatever pickles your fancy (see what I did there). Get this to put on your charcuterie board that you will post a picture of on your Instagram story and I promise it’ll be a huge hit. 

Scandinavian Swimmers - $2.99 

These Scandinavian suckers are literally Swedish Fish on steroids. Dolphins and lobsters and seahorses, oh my! This is about as close as I’ve gotten to a beach in a while. If you are a candy person like I am, go buy yourself these. I will never be eating a Swedish Fish ever again. These are so much more fun! 

Speculoos Cookie Butter Spread - $3.69

I mean, do I even need to say anything else? I eat this stuff by the spoonful. The consistency is like a thick creamy peanut butter and it tastes like Christmas in a jar. It’s warm and has a teeny tiny HINT of spice. I pair this stuff with a spoon and my mouth or I put it on a date with some chocolate chips. Don’t knock it till you try it. 

Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread and Muffin Baking Mix - $3.99 

I thought I knew what pumpkin bread was supposed to taste like, until I tried this mix. Sorry mom, your bread is good but this is just better. First of all, it’s gluten free. That means I can eat the whole box and still feel bad, but not AS bad, right? Second of all, it’s light and airy but dense at the same time. Are you confused? Me too. I don’t know how Joe does it but man, he really does it well. Kudos. 

Fully Cooked Falafel - $3.99 

I recently became a big falafel girl. But, I’m picky about my falafel. I’ve had some falaf that has way too much going on and some falaf that just misses the mark. I decided to pick up a bag of the frozen balls and see what all the hype was about. To my surprise these were just seasoned enough to the point of bland perfection, my favorite. This is a great way to get protein in if you don’t have a bag full of frozen chicken breasts on standby like I do. Make a little rice, some veggies, a nice dipping sauce and BAM. 

Carrot Ginger Miso Dressings - $3.99 

I love salad just as much as the next person, but it really depends on what the dressing is. I am a huge HUGE fan of Thousand Island dressing which is just so terribly awful for you. I can’t help it; it’s my weakness. I’m trying to wean off of it however so I picked up this ginger miso dressing. It reminds me of the dressing that would come on the salads at Hibachi restaurants. It’s good. It’s no Thousand Island, but it’s good. 

Breaded Chicken Tenderloin Breasts - $7.99 

Okay so this is probably the most expensive item I have purchased from there so far. It’s a huge bag of frozen breaded chicken strips and it really comes in handy. Who has the time to bread and cook their own kitchen? I barely have time to watch Netflix. What’s great about these is their versatility. One night I will make one and cut it up on top of a salad and another night I will make pasta with red sauce and put the rest of the sauce on the chicken. When you have a bag of frozen chicken, the options are endless. Go crazy. 

So there you have it. For under $50 you can get all of the things I mentioned. That’s pretty fricking good. Here are some dishes you can make with these items!

• Spinach salad with ginger miso dressing and falafel on top (or the chicken) 

• Falafel and dill pickle hummus over spinach 

• Sautéed spinach, broccoli and cauliflower

• Cookie butter on an english muffin 

• Chicken and spinach on toasted sourdough

• Cookie butter on pumpkin bread...brb trying that this INSTANT. Genius.

Honey, I'm Home! Things All First-Time Renters Should Know...

Well, I did it everyone. I left the nest. I moved back to Boston almost a week ago and boy, what a week it has been. 

Let’s ignore the fact that there is a nation-wide pandemic going on, because that has actually been the easiest part to manage. Why didn’t anyone tell me that living in a big girl apartment was going to require me to be a big girl and do big girl things? I think I have spent more time at the hardware store than in my actual apartment. 

After LESS than a week of living in it, I have already compiled a list of things that every first apartment renter should know. Let’s begin. 

Always lock your door. 

Mom and Dad, please don’t stop loving me after you read this. I make mistakes. I am human. Now, I know what you’re all thinking. Duh, Megan! That’s an obvious one! Lock your door! And it is for me at night, but I came back to my apartment during the day, and didn’t lock it because I was in there chilling and doing things. Well, big mistake. I was in my room in a sports bra and shorts (luckily not my chic towel dress) when the door opened. I peaked because I thought it was my roommate, but no. It was a man. A stranger man. He had an accent so I couldn’t really understand him but I think he was looking for the management office? I was like, no...gave him a weird look and then he seemed extremely apologetic and was like okay I’m so sorry and left. Now, maybe it was the welcome mat that says Good Vibes Only outside my door that gave him the impression that the management lived here, or maybe he was a creep and my soon to be stalker. Only time will tell. Moral of the story, lock your doors people. Even in the daylight. Oh, and also, lock boxes are great to have as well to keep your personal belongings in!

How to use a gas stove.

I grew up in a household that has electric everything, so never have I ever worked a gas stove or oven before. I really didn’t think it was going to be that difficult, but I was a little nervous because I have this thing with fire - but that’s another story. Anyways, I was boiling some water to make pasta and simply turned the knob. Why does it smell like gas in here? Did I do this right? I asked my roommate. APPARENTLY, you are supposed to push the knob in and THEN turn, or else gas just comes out, hence the smell. That would’ve been really good to know and had I been home alone, who knows what could’ve happened. But, I lived to tell the tale. 

Dealing with renovations 101. 

Let me preface this with saying that when I toured my apartment back in February, it was disgusting. The stench. The dirt. The dishes piled to the sky. The substances on the floor. I knew that we would have to at least clean the place upon arrival. I didn’t expect, however, to receive an email the morning I was leaving for school from my landlord stating how bad of a condition the apartment was in and everything that was going to be fixed. The kitchen and the bathroom basically needed to be gutted, lights needed to be changed, window screens, paint. You name something in a house and I guarantee you it needed to be fixed. Normally, parents undertake the stress with renovating a home. Well, my parents aren’t here. It’s just good old Megan and her good old roommate. I may or may not have had a little mini breakdown about it all. It’s fine though! I’m fine! Just make sure there is clear communication about what is being done and don’t be afraid to ask your parents for some guidance. After all, I’m just a 20-year-old college student, what do I know?

You might need to get down and dirty. 

Literally, down and dirty. You aren’t closing on a brand new farm style home - although I wish - you are renting a city apartment for a year. In our case, the previous tenants left us quite the treat. It is now day 6 of living here and I am still picking lovely little black hairs off of the bathroom walls and floor! It’s like they are falling out of the sky! Did I mention that my roommate and I are both blonde? I may throw up in my mouth a little every time I have to grab one, but hey, someone’s gotta do it, and apparently, it’s us. I made a new best friend since being here, her name is Bleach! 

Money flies out of your hands faster than a dog chasing a squirrel. 

If you don’t get the reference, it’s fine. But dang does my dog MOVE when she sees a squirrel. Anyways, I think I’ve said this before, but apparently money doesn’t just grow on trees. I have literally been back in the city for less than a week and the amount of money I have spent is absolutely crazytown. I am applying for some jobs nearby, because having an income is cool and right now Frick. stickers and stress balls just aren’t leading to early retirement anytime soon (but please continue to purchase them because maybe I’ll get there one day.) And that’s okay. My advice for spending money in college would be to buy all of your essentials up front, like olive oil, cleaning supplies, things that you will keep for a while and won’t have to replenish every week. Then, budget out your groceries. Buy what you NEED to buy, save a few dollars for something fun, in my case candy, and try to eat out only on the weekends. Just try. 

I can’t wait to keep you all updated with my Beantown shenanigans. Hope these tips were either helpful or just made you crack a smile - I am here to do both! Oh, and don’t forget to lock your door. Oh, and smile. It’s good for you. 

I painted a picture of my childhood home and hung it above my bed! Check out @operationhappinessblog on Instagram to find out more about it.

My first sunset back on the Charles. Ain’t she a beaut!

My work area isn’t too shabby. Look at that natural light!

My fabulous roommate made me my very own Operation Happiness tote bag and I literally haven’t taken it off of my shoulder since!

How a Video of Random Strangers Triggered Grief

I try to keep it positive on this blog but I also try to keep it really real and relatable. So, I wanted to talk about something that is more of an idea than something that people discuss on a day to day basis. 

Grief. 

I feel like people associate grief simply with tears being shed and being sad when someone you know passes away. Or maybe that’s just what I used to think. I now realize that it is something that can hit you at any point after the fact, whether it be days, months or years. Anything can trigger it. A photo, a milestone, a memory. What did it for me recently? A random video of strangers, 12 years later.

Yup. You heard me. A video of complete strangers made me cry about my Grandpa dying. Let’s break it down a little bit, shall we? 

My Grandpa passed away in 2008 from a six month battle with Pancreatic Cancer. I was only 8 years old. I remember my sister and I being sat down by our parents in the basement one day in August of 2007 to tell us that Grandpa was sick. I probably just nodded and took in the information without it really processing - 8 is really young to do that sort of thing. I knew cancer was bad but I really didn’t think about it too much. 

Six months went by, he got sicker and sicker to the point of him not being able to talk or get up off the couch. I remember going to say bye for the last time. I whispered in his ear “I love you,” left the room and the next day or two he was gone. 

The funeral was the first time I ever saw my dad cry. Sob, actually. My cousins were crying too. They were only a year or three older than me, so I figured I should be crying too. But I wasn’t. I couldn’t. I remember looking around the temple seeing strangers crying. He was MY grandpa. I SHOULD be crying. I made myself yawn so that my eyes would be watery. 

Fast forward five years later in the same exact congregation that the funeral took place where I couldn’t cry. It was my Bat Mitzvah. I was giving a speech about my grandpa’s battle with Pancreatic Cancer when I suddenly choked on a word and started sobbing. In front of everyone. It only took five years and my grandpa missing a huge milestone in my life for me to cry about him being gone. 

Since then, I’ve teared up and probably cried a few times about it, but never to that extent. That is, until a few weeks ago. 

Like many, I have a slight teeeeeny tiny addiction to my phone. The other day, I was just doing my thing and saw a video of a grandpa behind a glass window in a hospital, sitting in a wheelchair. On the other side were his two grandchildren in their graduation caps, gowns and diplomas. Cue the waterworks. The grandpa was crying, the grandchildren were crying and I soon joined in. Yes, it was a touching moment and I probably would’ve teared up regardless. But the tears were flowing and I couldn’t stop. 

I think about him all the time. And over the years there have been times where I got upset that he wasn’t there to see something. My grandpa never saw me finish elementary school, middle school, graduate high school and he won’t see me graduate college. The only cap and gown he saw me in was when I graduated from preschool. Not much of an accomplishment, but an accomplishment that he got to experience nonetheless. 

Is it wrong that I get jealous when I see my friends with their grandpas or both of their grandparents? I can’t help it! It just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside seeing them together, but a little bit sad at the same time. 

For now, there are two things that remain constant: I spend way too many hours on my phone and I think about my grandpa every single day. Miss you! Love you!

💛

Little Artie killing the ball game at Princeton University.

First day of Kindergarten!

My Boston Menu - Collection of My Favorite Foods from Beantown

When this whole quarantine thing began and we were told we couldn’t come back to school, I think the hardest thing for me to come to terms with was that I wouldn’t be eating my favorite foods from my favorite restaurants for the next six months. People say home is where the heart is. No, home is where the good food in Boston is, and boy have I found a few. 

Since I’ll be returning to Boston in less than a month, I decided to do a round-up of my favorite foods I discovered in my first year there and put them into a little menu. If any of you are in need of a quality brussel sprout or strawberry frosting, hold your horses. I’ve got you covered. So, put your napkin on your lap and get your elbows off the table. I have a four course meal coming your way!

Drink: Red Velvet Hot Chocolate from Jaho OR Coconut Daiquiri from Sol Azteca 

I know what it’s like to feel backed into ordering something, so I gave you two options for your beverage - two polar opposites in fact. I don’t even like red velvet cake, but when I say this hot chocolate is a game changer, I mean it. The color is this pinky-red and it is silky smooth going down. Perfect for a cold day in Boston. Your second option is a super sugary and sweet daiquiri (virgin of course). I tend to play it safe with the good old strawberry flavor, but I had to switch it up and boy am I glad I did. You may be sitting on a sidewalk in Massachusetts, but it will feel like you are sitting in the sand. One makes you feel like Christmas and the other makes you feel like summer - the best of both worlds!

Appetizer: Crispy Brussel Sprouts with a Miso-Caramel Dipping Sauce from Joe’s American Bar and Grill 

Let’s start our meal with the thing your mother always tells you to clear your plate of: greens. 

I can only recall one time throughout my childhood where I had to sit at the table, while everyone else’s place settings were cleared and put away, having a staring competition with the broccoli on my plate. I love broccoli! Not sure what point I was trying to prove, but we all know I’m dramatic and like a little bit of attention so I’m sure it was some act I was putting on. Now, I haven’t found a real nice dish of broc’ but I found something even better, even healthier: the best stinking brussel sprouts you will literally ever eat. If you need to find a way to get your kids to eat them, this is the way to go. You will NOT regret it. I told my cousins about this dish and they were a little hesitant about the caramel part but seriously, it’s no biggy. You definitely won’t confuse it with a caramel apple - it’s still your favorite vegetable!

Entrée: Pho Ga (chicken) from Beantown Pho and Grill 

For those of you who are soup lovers, just wait. If you’ve never had Pho before it’s not too late. I myself was very late to the Pho game, only having it for the first time right before I went to college. You might be wondering, what is Pho, Megan? Well, it’s essentially just a broth with rice noodles, different herbs and your choice of meat. It’s like a next level, Vietnamese version of chicken noodle soup, but so much better. Hit it with a littttttle bit of hot sauce and some hoisin sauce and BAM, you’ve got yourself one big hot bowl of deliciousness. It’s so smooth going down and makes your nose run, but isn’t that the sign of a good time? If you feel a cold coming on or are just craving a nice bowl of soup, this is the dish for you.

Side dish: Truffle Tots from Grill 23 & Bar 

Okay. Before you say anything, just take a deep breath in and close your eyes. Picture yourself walking into a fine dining restaurant on a Friday night during Parent’s Weekend at school with your roommate and her dad. This is not just another Friday night at Chipotle. The lemons come with little skirts on them so the seeds don’t pop out and the waiters are all dressed like it’s a black tie wedding. You take a glance at the menu and immediately spot TRUFFLE TATER TOTS. These aren’t your cafeteria tots. These are little potato pouches fried to a golden crisp, accompanied by a truffle dipping oil. Is your mouth watering? Mine is. I could literally eat an entire KFC bucket filled with those suckers. They are even featured on Food Network...so you know that they are legit. I wish I had a picture to show you but I inhaled them so fast. Naturally. So I took one from Trip Advisor. Thanks Trip Advisor!

Dessert: Birthday Cake Whoopie Pie from Mike’s Pastry OR Strawberry Frosting Shots from Little Miss Cupcape

I am a sucker for literally anything birthday cake or funfetti flavored. I don’t even like whoopie pies that much, but the second my eyes saw the sprinkle infested cake in the case, I knew I had to have it. It’s dense; I won’t lie to you. It might reside in the micro-fridge in your dorm room when you get back to eat later, only for your roommate to find it and eat it (with my permission of course), but it’s definitely a necessary purchase. Staying with the birthday cake theme, if you’re someone like me who can sit and eat an entire container of Betty Crocker frosting, not only can we be best friends but I can even help you out! I found the perfect way to control my frosting addiction: frosting shots. They are the perfect sized little to-go containers filled with different flavors of frosting. My favorite? The lemon or the strawberry. Keep one in your pocket, your purse, your car, your pencil case, wherever. They are the perfect little treat. 

So, there you have it. Some of my favorite foods from Beantown or Boston. Next time you visit, make sure that you eat solely based off of my menu. Okay? Bon Appétit!

Me going “eeeeeep” before eating my birthday cake whoopie pie from Mike’s Pastry.

The Pho Ga from Beantown Pho and Grill. Yum.

Hi little frosting shots from Little Miss Cupcape!

THE Truffle Tots from Grill23

photo credit: https://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g60745-d321931-i308287473-Grill_23_Bar-Boston_Massachusetts.html

13 going on 25

Everyone looks back at their 13-year-old self and cringes at the amount of peace signs they have in their bedrooms, their puppies in sneakers poster, the wall of photo booth pictures from Bar and Bat-Mitzvahs or how they wore a hot pink and white striped off the shoulder cropped tee shirt with a cherry on it, biker shorts and pigtail braids every single day. Oh wait, is that just me? 

Sure, my style has changed. The puppies poster has been replaced with high school soccer team posters and the photo booth wall has been taken down and contained in a little box. But can I at least have credit for being way ahead on the biker short trend? Thank you. 

Can we revisit that photo booth wall for a second? That wall provided all the evidence in the world that my social life as a 13-year-old was one that compared to that of a girl in her 20s living in New York City.

Let’s break it down. 

Between seventh grade and the first half of eighth grade, it felt like I went to a party almost every single weekend. I’m not talking about your afternoon birthday party with pizza and cake. This was bigger than that. Every Saturday night, I would be out on the town, dressed to the nines, attending a Bar or Bat-Mitzvah.

For those of you who doubt my party animal capabilities, you clearly didn’t know me when I was 13.

First, cocktail hour. The time where I would inhale three Shirley temples, a virgin strawberry daiquiri, a plate of mini hotdogs, spring rolls, pizza bagels and chicken tenders before the party even began. This was also the time where the photo booth stations were open and ready for action. 

Now, I look back on my outfit choices and am definitely not mad, just disappointed. The one-inch heels didn’t really give me that boost of confidence I needed and having braces did not help. There were definitely some young ladies that wore some things that my Grandma would not approve of, but I was always modest. I expressed myself in other ways....like on the dance floor. 

If you know me you know I am the worst dancer of all time. I hate people looking at me while I dance. I don’t have the hips or the rhythm. Everyone would be doing the “Wobble” effortlessly while I looked like a stiff string bean. And now that I think about it, the five pounds of fried food I ate before dinner was served definitely contributed to the cramping on the dance floor. Despite all the struggle, I still showed. I would go up on that stage and do my best to win whatever prizes the motivational dancers were rewarding the best dancer with. To this day, I’m so proud of the Angry Birds winter hat I won. I’ll cherish it forever. 

After my fifth drink of the night, it was time to be picked up and brought home. Depending on where the party was, I would get home between 11:30-1 in the morning. I would walk into my house and either 1) eat some Goldfish or snack on something because I had the after-party munchies or 2) roll right into bed. Sound familiar? 

I would sleep in the next morning, wake up with mascara under my eyes and pony-tail creased, straightened hair, throw on whatever hoodie or sweats I got as a party favor and make my way to the kitchen. Breakfast would consist of the sweets I collected at the candy bar on the way out the night before and instead of scrolling through my phone to look at pictures, I would physically flip through whatever photos I had printed out in soccer ball frames or in the rainbow pixels effect. Oh, how times have changed. 

By the end of the year, I would find myself dreading having to go out to another one. Not because I wasn’t appreciative or because I didn’t want to go, but because I could really use a night in. Plus, I needed a salad and some new tunes. Pizza bagels, again? That LMFAO song is playing, again? I was about ready to hang up my one inch stilettos for good. But man, I didn’t know how good I had it. I was a 13-year-old living better than a girl in her 20s, with no care in the world. 

I now know that they don’t serve chicken fingers upon arrival at most gatherings, nor do they give you donuts or hot chocolate on the way out. You have to pay for every Shirley temple and virgin daiquiri you order because life is not an open bar. If this teaches you anything, let’s learn to live in the moment and appreciate the free finger food you are offered. 

And to all of you tweens and young teens out there, live it up. 

*I would like to thank my MacBook photo booth for capturing all of the beautiful moments that are shared with this post. 

Is this really a room from 2013 if it doesn’t have a Keep Calm and Carry On poster?

Hi puppies in sneakers! Don’t ask me why I am posing like that.

Really showcasing the peace sign obsession and photo booth wall.

The Angry Birds hat - my pride and joy. Again, don’t ask about the pose.

Another photo showing off the peace signs and photo wall. Ignore my laundry.

The Color Yellow

If we just met, I can almost guarantee that I will ask “what is your favorite color?” It’s just as important as your name, if not more. Favorite colors tell a lot about a person. Growing up, mine was green. And it’s still my default answer. Whenever I meet people whose favorite is also green, I immediately feel closer to them and like the bond has somehow now been validated. Anyone else?

But, over the past year, things have changed. My perspective has changed, my wants and needs have changed and I have become much more focused on one thing: doing things that make me happy. While I was experiencing a lot of unexpected changes my freshman year of college, one of those changes happened to subconsciously be my favorite color. I didn’t mean for it to happen. I didn’t even realize that it happened until it was too late. Heck, I didn’t even know it was possible to change your favorite color! I mean, obviously it’s not illegal or anything but I just figured I would always stick with green because that’s what I said and thought for so long.

Green is now on the back burner. I am proud to announce that I am now very gravitated toward the color yellow. It makes me feel happy and warm and smiley. It’s a very positive and optimistic color, two things I try to be. The second I created this blog, yellow moved to the front of the line.

Here are some traits about the yellow personality from a color psychology website ...

• You have a happy disposition and are cheerful and fun to be with 

• You can be very critical of yourself as well as others - you are a perfectionist

• You analyze everything, all the time, and are methodical in your thinking 

• You have a strong independent streak in you and are selective with your choice of friends, keeping a small group of close and like-minded friends rather than being involved in team events or large social gatherings

• You tend to hide your emotions, putting on a brave face in times of adversity

• You are good at networking and getting information out of others. Journalists often resonate with the color yellow. 

• You can be stubborn but dislike pettiness and spitefulness of all kinds

• Your deepest need is for logical order in your everyday life...

I feel attacked, but in a good way. That is a list of things that I feel! It even says JOURNALISTS. Could it be any more spot on? After reading more about the color yellow, it just makes sense that it is now my favorite and one that I lean toward at this stage in my life. I would really recommend reading up on the personality and psychology of your favorite color, and maybe even colors you don’t like to see what they say about you!

Even if yellow is not your favorite color, how could you possibly dislike it? To me, I just don’t understand how you can see something yellow and not want to smile or feel relieved. As bright as it can be, to me it is such a therapeutic color. I don’t have a ton of yellow things, but the yellow things I do have I treasure very much. Here are two:

A few months ago I came across this tassel keychain with different shades of yellow. First of all, I love anything with tassels. Second of all, I love ombre. Third of all, as we know, I love yellow. It was a no brainer. We were attached at the hip all day - literally, I put it on my belt loop. There was no one for me to show it off to but I didn’t care. I wore it for me! Clearly, it’s the little things. I recommend getting a little something yellow to have around whether it’s a keychain like mine, a sticker (cough cough) or a phone case so you can look at it and feel ~happy. 

And just last week, I went out shopping for the first time since quarantine started and I found myself a pair of light yellow joggers. It was probably 80 something degrees out that day but I put them on the second I got home and wore them for the rest of the week. Wearing them just put me in a better mood, as do most sweatpants. You know that Beatles song that goes We All Live in a Yellow Submarine? It’s a great song. But I would change the words to We All Live in a Pair of Yellow Sweats. Now that is a message I can get behind.

Are you now feeling like you should treat yourself to something that is your favorite color or something new to make you happy? Good. That’s totally normal. Lucky for you, I can help with that.

You can now go to www.bijouxbycatherine.com to get your very own yellow tassel keychain, a pretty new piece of jewelry or anything else you see that makes you smile for 15% off! Use the code ‘Happiness15’ site-wide so you can get yourself some goodies :) 

If you order anything, let me know! I want to see, please. Below are four things that are in my cart right now! The keychains come in so many different colors and the rings are beautiful…

The keychain and the pants in action!

I keep it right here on my desk :) Featuring my Take 5 Write 5 journal.

I wasn’t kidding - I literally wore it as an accessory for the entire day.

Why Creating My Blog Is The Best Thing I've Ever Done

I saw an Instagram post featuring seven reasons why you should start a blog right now, this second. With all of this free time we now have, I agree that creating a blog would be a great way to take up some time. The seven reasons were this: to share your passion, entrepreneurial skills, discover your purpose, flexible work schedule, new people and experiences, financial freedom and promote a venture. As I was scrolling through the seven reasons, I found myself being able to resonate with almost all of them. I’ve met new people, shared my passion through my words, found a purpose. Money? Not so much. But that’s not the point right now. Although those reasons struck a chord with me, I wouldn’t say that those were necessarily why I started a blog in the first place. 

The other day, a friend of mine asked me how Operation Happiness came to be. It was totally out of the blue and it made me so happy. People ask me all the time how my blog is doing, but no one asks me how it started. I found myself rambling on and on, or at least that’s how it sounded in my head, about every little detail and aspect behind the blog. I love talking about it! 

I’ll give you the rundown of what I said: 

Basically, I was unhappy at school and was dreading going back second semester. I had a friend who felt the same way at the time, and one day I had texted her “Operation: Happiness,” meaning that was the goal of the next semester. We thought of making it into a podcast once we got back to school to entertain and occupy our miserable selves, but as fun as it sounded, I knew it was never actually going to happen. Fast forward to the first weekend back at school - I was at boot camp for the school newspaper. Someone had mentioned something about having your own website as a portfolio or just to have and the next thing I know, I am Googling “make my own website for free” and totally zoning out of the training. I am the least tech savvy person ever but somehow, I figured out how to design my own blog. I stayed up late that night, even after my roommate went to sleep and the lights were out, just working on layout. This was the first time in a while that I was genuinely excited about something. Fast forward a year and a half later and here we are! Reading this! The beautiful birth story of my baby, my blog. 

I was inspired by the post I saw and decided I want to give you my own seven reasons as to why making this blog was the best thing I ever did...

I feel proud of myself 

When I first started the blog, I never advertised when I had new posts. I would send the link to my family and a few friends, but at the time I thought that if I posted about my own writing, that the self promotion aspect was wrong and it would be as if I was forcing people to read what I wrote. It took me a few months to realize that that was the ONLY way that people would read what I wrote. How else would they know about it? I’m proud of my writing style and how people can hear my voice in my words. I’m proud of what I put out there and the way I organize things. I’m proud of how invested I am. Although it may not have my name on it, Operation Happiness is my own and I love sharing it. 

It provides me with structure and time management 

Ideally, it would be nice for me to have a posting schedule. I planned on doing College Confessions every Monday, maybe a regular post every Friday. I soon realized that I can’t follow a timeline like that, not because I don’t have the capability to do so (If you know me you know I love a good schedule) but because I can’t just force myself to write something good enough to share if I don’t have anything to write about. A week can go by without me sharing a post on No Lifeguard on Duty and yes, it will bother me, but I wait for it to come to me. So, by structure I guess I mean that it has provided me with something that I always fall back on when I need something to do or to take my mind off of things. There is one time daily where I find myself tweaking and checking up on my blog and that would be once I go to my room at night. I like to write before I go to bed - prime time. 

It helped me realize what I want to do later in life 

I say I love to write. And I do. But this blog really helped me narrow down what types of writing I like to do best and that would be lifestyle, features and obviously...writing all about college. People ask me what I want to do with my journalism major and assume that I want to go write for a big time paper. As amazing as that would be, I’m not sure that would be for me. A week or so ago, I was in bed about to fall asleep when I had this lightbulb moment. Or maybe it was in the shower - both are great think tanks. Anyways, I realized that what I really want is to be able to write about my college experience over all four years in depth and be able to help and guide college students forever and ever. It’s what I love to do the most. I picture myself on a book tour, visiting and speaking at colleges, having products to sell. I wish I could speak more to that but I literally have no idea what I would actually be doing. So. Stay tuned. But it’s going to be awesome. 

I’m basically like an entrepreneur on Shark Tank minus the Shark Tank part 

A few months after I made Operation Happiness I was already planning and designing hats and t-shirts. Obviously, they never happened, but my point is that I was five steps ahead. At the end of April, I created a line of stickers that I am in LOVE with. Don’t worry, I’m in the works of creating more. I’ve also experimented with making notecards, sticky notes, journals. I want to make sweatshirts, hats, conversation cards and of course, write a book. I can see Operation Happiness or Smile it’s good for you or even FRICK becoming a brand name in itself and it’s fun to think about. You have to think big people! Dream big! 

It taught me a new skill 

I don’t mean to brag...but I made my website all by myself. Bill Gates, watch out. I’m the type of person who hates not being able to do things by myself. It’s not that I don’t want to ask for help; I have no trouble doing that. It’s that I am such a control freak that I like to know that things will be done when I want them done and exactly the way I want. I am still finding new tools and little tricks on Squarespace and I get so excited every time. If anyone reading this wants me to help them make a website, PLEASE reach out. I find it to be so fun and relaxing and I would love to help. 

It makes other people happy 

I think that originally, this blog was something I made for myself. It was something that I needed to have as an outlet and a distraction. And to be honest, I didn’t even think that that many people outside of my friends would care about it. So, to have people from my high school, old sleep away camp, even freshman year of college that I was never super close with follow the blog, send me a message saying they loved a certain post or just love what I am doing in general, is just so NICE. Seriously, just so nice. I like to think that a lot of what I write is relatable. The whole reason why I created College Confessions was because I wanted people to know that it was okay to have a problem while away at school and that it is much more common and usual than they thought. If I can just make one person feel better, the job is done. 

It makes me happy 

Man, what a bummer it would be if my own blog called Operation Happiness didn’t make me happy. Lucky for me, it continues to make me happy every day. I am constantly thinking about it, ways I can make it better, new ideas, etc. When I’m in a bummed out mood, I scroll my website. When I’m bored, I scroll my website. When I’m trying to fall asleep at night, I’m thinking about scrolling my website. I am a little obsessed. Sorry I can’t help it. Having something like this is so therapeutic and relaxing, being able to pick colors, fonts, size, logos, placement, everything. It’s amazing.

So, if you take anything from Operation Happiness at all, it’s this: Make a blog. Make something that is your own, for you to work on, update, share. It’s special and it feels good. Whether you are bored, lonely, need a new project or feel like something is missing, this is the gig for you!

Berries, Beets, Battlestar Galactica

You’re welcome, is pretty much all I have to say. You don’t even know what you are thanking me for yet, but you’re welcome. 

It’s now been almost four months since we lost our sense of normalcy and our every-day routines. It’s now summer, which means you should probably be getting ready to go to or send your kids off to summer camp. Or, you should be sitting poolside, beachside, lakeside, whatever body of water is your cup of tea. Unfortunately, most camps either closed down or are very restrictive and we can’t travel to our favorite destinations just yet. 

I obviously don’t have children of my own, but I know how hard it must be for parents to have had their little ones home for these past few months. Or in my case, for my parents to have had their grown children home for these past few months. I’m a handful, what can I say. We are all a handful.

I am here to help all of you out. I’ve got the perfect new outdoor activity for you to do with your friends, family, imaginary friends, strangers, anyone you fancy really - except pets, no pets allowed. It involves a farm. 

No, not Schrute Farms. I fricking wish. Sometimes, when what you really want isn’t available in life, you have to pivot. So, I went with the next best thing. When you can’t go beet picking, you go berry picking because it’s on your cousin’s summer bucket list of dreams!

(And if you live under a rock, that is Dwight Schrute’s family beet farm. And if you live under a boulder, Dwight is from The Office.)

At first, I laughed. BERRY PICKING?! Where do you want to go, Whole Foods, DeCicco’s or Shoprite? (Ha ha.)

But then I realized, hmmm. I’ve grown up going apple picking every year, but never have I ever gone berry picking. I don’t think any of us had ever gone, and our ages had a pretty wide range (Hi Grandma! Xx). Never too late to try something new! So, we were in.

Lucky for us, it really wasn’t rocket science. It’s the same premise. There were no new rules except you have to wear a mask AND the farm store would be closed which meant no donuts, no pies, no jam. The no jam thing really tore me up - I love a good piece of jelly toast. 

Our neighboring pickers were mostly mothers with their little kids, but we didn’t mind. We went off and did our own thing. We had an hour time slot to pick our four quarts of strawberries, which was definitely much more time than we needed. It was very hot, so we got in and got out. 

What was the biggest thing we noticed? Funny enough, it’s that the strawberries themselves were the farthest thing from big. They were so small! Like, we’re talking the size of a generously large cherry tomato. We assumed it was because they hadn’t been genetically modified or something in that realm of the pesticide / chemical world. But I’m no scientist. Regardless, they are definitely much juicier and sweeter.

These days, it’s getting more and more difficult to find something entertaining to do that is safe, but also is something that you haven’t already done 500 times. So, maybe drive for an hour and go some place new. Take the morning and go pick some berries or vegetables or whatever tickles your fancy! Spend the whole day up there! Who am I to to restrict your timeframe!

Oh and in case it wasn’t clear, the strawberry picking idea is what you are thanking me for. Really, my cousin for. So once again, you’re welcome.

So, now that we checked that off the list, it’s time to move onto the next thing: kayaking. Stay tuned!

Disclaimer: Items in the image are larger than they may appear.

I swear. They are smaller than they look.

My adorable, champion strawberry picker of a Mother

Let's Talk about Prison - The Last Prisoner Project

Let’s talk about prison. And I don’t mean Orange is The New Black or The Shawshank Redemption - great film. I mean real life, real deal prison for bad people who do bad things.

For as long as I can remember, I have been absolutely fascinated by the prison system. Some people find that a little odd, but I couldn’t be more curious. Although I am interested in all aspects, one thing that has always confused me is the process of sentencing. How is it possible that a murderer gets out of prison before someone who was caught with possession does? Do they just pull a random number out of a hat and call it a day? I understand never letting the Kingpins out of prison, but other people with minor offenses shouldn’t be treated like El Chapo.

This past fall, I took a class at school called Drugs and Securities in the Americas. Its focus was on drugs like Marijuana, Cocaine, Opiates and how they originated, who they are associated with and their roles in the War on Drugs. 

President Nixon first announced the War on Drugs in June 1971 in response to rumors that soldiers in Vietnam were returning as addicts and to try and get on top of the world-wide epidemic. Little did he know that he would be announcing a war that would seemingly never end. It’s now 2020, and on top of the drug problem in this country, the always existing racial problem has now surpassed the initial one - the one that the War was supposed to fix. 

In my class, I learned all about the difference between powder cocaine and crack cocaine. How one is the “rich man’s drug” and one is the “poor man’s drug.” I learned that the typical sentencing for the poor man’s drug is often much higher than the sentencing for the rich man’s drug (5 grams of crack and 500 grams of powder are both 5 years minimum.) That is absurd. Mandatory Minimum sentencing was set in the Bogg’s Act of 1951 and later re-introduced in the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986. Again, it is now 2020.

I always knew that incarceration affected POC much more than it did nonPOC. However, the recent spur of the Black Lives Matter Movement only intensified that realization. 

I came across a non-profit called the Last Prisoner Project. Its mission is to free each and every prisoner who is currently sitting in jail due to a cannabis arrest - there are currently 40,000 behind bars. This organization not only helps free them, but helps clear their criminal records of these offenses through their Cannabis Clemency Program. They also help with reentry into normal life through their Prison to Prosperity Reentry Program. The following are some statistics from the organization’s Instagram: 

• 74% of Americans incarcerated for drug possession are Black 

• 55% of Americans convicted for drug possession are Black 

• 35% of Americans arrested for drug possession are Black

• 1 out of 2 people in federal prisons are serving time for a drug offense 

• Every 48 seconds someone is arrested for a cannabis offense 

• In the federal system, the average Black defendant convicted of a drug offense will serve nearly the same amount of time (58.7 months) as a white defendant would for a violent crime (61.7 months)

Do you see the pattern? The problem? 

It drives me crazy because I know that privilege plays into this, heavily. I grew up in a primarily White town. A lot of White people I grew up with smoked weed, some even sold it. There were instances involving getting caught at school or by the police and it always ended with a minor suspension or getting out of something that should’ve been much more serious. If it were any other town and if it were Black kids instead of White, they wouldn’t be getting out of it.

If you go onto Last Prisoner Project’s website, there is a section where you can read all about different prisoner’s stories, female, male, Black, White, etc. Here are three: 

Why are people still in prison in states where their offense is no longer an offense? Or rather, why are people serving life sentences for what really should have been a misdemeanor? Killing someone or raping someone will always be unjust, wrong and unexplainable. Nothing you do will ever replace the life you ruined. But dealing with small amounts of now somewhat decriminalized and legal drugs? Some may see it as wrong, but it’s definitely not unjust. I think 25 years behind bars, the loss of your mother, father and only son is punishment enough. 

Don’t you? 

The Last Prisoner Project posted this article from Self Magazine entitled “How the War on Drugs Fuels Racist Police Violence” on their Instagram. It states: 

“While a Minneapolis police officer held his knee on George Floyd’s neck, another joked, “Don’t do drugs, kids,” to the crowd that gathered. When Louisville police officers forced their way into Breonna Taylor’s home under a “no-knock warrant” and shot her, it was to carry out a drug raid...the war on drugs gave police a justification to enact lethal violence on Black people.”

Whether or not that justification started with a lie of “but they smelled like marijuana” or ended up with someone behind bars, it provided a new meaning to what it was like to have power. Although the fight against the War on Drugs started in order to combat a growing drug epidemic in the country at the time, it has also created an arguably bigger problem among the treatment of the human race. 

I would encourage you to read both that article and through the Last Prisoner Project website, as well as look at their Instagram, to learn about the staggering statistics and read their stories. If you have a class at your school on the topic, I would also highly recommend you take it!

https://www.self.com/story/war-on-drugs-racism-police-violence

https://www.lastprisonerproject.org/stories 

https://www.lastprisonerproject.org/

A Tribute to Mr. Matthews: The Greatest Fourth Grade Teacher

When I was in Kindergarten, we had fourth grade reading buddies that would come in probably once a week and, well, read with us. They were old enough where they didn’t need to be escorted by their teacher, but sometimes he would come with them anyways. A tall man with salt and pepper hair, wearing a plaid button down shirt, jeans, black clogs and a huge smile would enter the room with this positive energy following right behind him. His name was Mr. Matthews. 

For the next three years, I thought about how I had to have him in the fourth grade. He was the coolest. He was the funniest. He had a Taco Dance. Need I say more? So when the class list came out that August and I saw my name under his, feeling excited was an understatement. Here are some of my memories and thoughts...

The Taco Dance lived up to its tale. Before heading down to lunch on Taco Tuesdays, he would play a certain song and we would all dance our chaotic 10-year-old energy away. Well-played Mr. Matthews….He had this box filled with hundreds of question cards and for every 25 we finished we would get a homework pass. Boy, could I have used one of those passes while I was up late doing homework in college... 

And when the biggest scandal of the year hit us like a rock - the theft of my sushi-shaped erasers, he had my back. He made an announcement to the whole class that stealing was not okay and that whoever took them should return them. No one ever did. If you took them and you’re reading this, can you just shoot me a text so I know? I’m not mad. It just really keeps me up at night. 

I went back as a fifth grader to visit him. I’m so glad that I did. He was what every future teacher should aspire to be. He had our respect. He laughed with us, and sometimes at us. He cared. 

When I found out he had passed away, I was heartbroken. He was just one of those teachers. I knew I had to write something and my mom suggested that I reach out to my class. So, I became an FBI detective and tracked down everyone from the Matthews 2009-10 class and created a group chat. So many memories suddenly rushed back into my head and I was immediately taken back to the best classroom. The words my classmates wrote below can attest to that. 

Although I didn’t keep in touch with him like some other students did, I feel as if I just spoke with him. I can still hear his uplifting voice, see his eyes that literally seemed to sparkle and feel the comfort he exuded among all who were around him. 

Rest in Peace to the unforgettable Mr. Matthews. You are so loved and looked up to. And I am so lucky to have known you. 

Jackson Gautreau - 

He asked my mom over Facebook for my phone number and he called me while I was at school. I thought it was a little strange but he really meant well. He wanted to tell me that he remembered when *teacher* made me cry and he apparently confronted *teacher* about it. He was apparently very concerned that it had left an emotional scar or something, and he felt the need to reach out ten years later. The fact that he was still so distraught about this specific memory that I hadn’t thought about in a decade says so much about who he was and how much he cared about his students and people in general. 

Olivia Schultheiss - 

He really was a great teacher. I know it’s not much, but some fun memories I have from his class are the taco dance and the evil chicken. 

Rachel Ornstein - 

That class was genuinely one of my favorites. He always made learning so fun for us and the taco dance will never be forgotten. He also just exuded the warmest, brightest, kindest energy of any teacher I’ve had. One of the things I remember is him talking in funny voices when teaching us or literally just in general and making me laugh a lot which was much appreciated as a fourth grader. 

Scott O’shea - 

RIP. I remember getting in trouble a lot but Mr. Matthews always meant well and he wanted to help better us as people as well as students. So many great memories with such an amazing teacher.  

Guy Savino - 

Mr. Matthews will always be that teacher you remember. I don’t recall a time that he was ever negative towards his students. He was always full of love and wanted to see his students do the best that they can while being themselves. I remember at the end of the school day, students that had Mr. Matthews in the past would come back and visit him and talk about how much they loved the class. I only wish I could do that now. 

Sean Persson - 

While I haven’t lived in Chappaqua for about 8 years now, I will always remember Mr. Matthews as being the most kind teacher I have ever had. I don’t even recall the names of 90% of my elementary school teachers but I will always remember his. RIP Mr. Matthews you will be missed greatly. 

Miles Bomback - 

This news is incredibly sad and he truly made a difference in so many people's lives. Mr. Matthews connected with me on Facebook about a year ago to just say hi and catch up. The fact that 10 years later he still wanted to see how I was doing, the same way he did in fourth grade, shows how much he cared for his students. In our conversation he reminisced about our grade referring to us as a “magical classroom.” I remember Mr. Matthews always trying to make the classroom a special and warm environment for his students. I feel so lucky to have been able to have had him in the 4th grade. He will be greatly missed. 

Emma Parente - 

To this day, as a college student, I still tell people Mr. Matthews was my favorite teacher. It’s hard to remember 4th grade, but looking back I know that was a great year for me because of him. He knew how to make class interesting. I specifically remember him talking about his passion for cooking, his ability to make us laugh and his entertaining class traditions. I remember telling my sister that I enjoyed being at school more than being home just because of how much fun Mr. Matthews made learning. At the end of the school year I made him a pencil holder with the entire class on it. I remember him being really excited about it and that made me so happy. He really knew how to make students feel special. I definitely think he had an impact on my life and who I am today and I’m so thankful we were able to know him. 

Tori Sternkopf - 

When I was in 4th grade I struggled a bit with spelling and was also not a great reader. Mr. Matthews suggested I buy this thing that was sort of like a little digital dictionary that helped me learn how to spell / taught me lots of words. It was really helpful because that way I wouldn’t have to be embarrassed about going up to him and always asking for help, instead I could figure things out on my own. This is a really special memory for me because I did like reading and writing when growing up but constantly having to ask for help was really embarrassing and often made me feel bad. He offered me a way to grow on my own and to avoid feeling self-conscious which I think played a big role in my development of a passion for both reading and writing as I got older. He was such an amazing teacher with great energy that made class a warm and welcoming place - I feel so lucky to have had him as our 4th grade teacher.  

Michael Maitland - 

Mr. Matthews is one of the best teachers I’ve ever had. He was so fun and creative and did things that no other teacher did. From the Taco Dance, Do You Know the Muffin Man, to Challenge Cards, he made sure that we were all excited to go to class. One memory that always sticks with me is that Josh and I used to compete with each other with the number of Challenge Cards we did. As we got pretty far in them, I didn’t know long multiplication or long division, and even though we weren’t at that point in the curriculum yet, we were somehow excited to spend extra time learning how to do it. He found creative ways that made us engaged in what we were learning as opposed to showing up and learning because that’s what we had to do. I will really miss him and we were all so lucky to have had him. 

Elizabeth Wendel -

I remember he would take breaks during the day to dance or make jokes with the entire class. He genuinely cared about how each of us felt in and outside the classroom. I looked up to him so much; I remember I wrote in our yearbook that I wanted to be a chef when I grew up just because he was really passionate about cooking and I wanted to be more like him. I will always remember him as a role model and key adult in my life. When I graduated from Greeley, he sent me a card in the mail and told me how proud and impressed he was with where I ended up. I remember being especially proud of myself because he was proud of me. I don’t think I would have the same confidence in myself or my school work without him. 

Jacqueline Goldberg - 

I hadn’t thought about this class in a very long time, but when I do I remember how special it was for me. I made great friends and was happy to be learning and I believe that was all made possible by Mr. Matthews. He was a great teacher because he cared about us. He cared to listen and learn about us as individuals and teach in ways that we would respond to. He was warm and positive with the greatest energy and made coming to class everyday fun whether it was Taco Tuesday or one of his quirky stories he loved to share. I have always felt lucky that I was able to experience him as my teacher. 

Serena Sheth - 

It was really hard to adapt to a new school in a new country. However, Mr. Matthews made me feel so welcomed and comfortable right away. He showed that he truly cared about us. He taught in a way that would engage us and make us want to learn. He also told the best stories! He had such a positive vibe and always had a smile on his face. His energy would radiate through the class and I am so grateful to have had him as my teacher.

Gillian Zankel -

It is so evident what a positive impact Mr. Matthews had on all of us. One of my favorite memories I have is when he made the birthday hugs so all of us could have a personalized card for our birthdays signed by all of our classmates. Having a summer birthday, I never had the chance to feel like it mattered, but Mr Matthews went above and beyond to make us feel special and cared about both inside and outside the classroom. His energy, positivity, and passion for learning has always stayed with me. His influence is still a big reason why I believe spreading positivity to others is so important. He will be so incredibly missed.

Rachel Beran -

Reading period was always (and still is) the hardest time for me. I wasn’t able then and am still not able to sit still for anything longer than 10 minutes to read. One day during reading time, Mr. Matthews saw me pretending to read sitting under a desk. He called me over to his desk and had me read from a learning to read book. He had me read a few lines which were “I can ride my bike. I can tie my shoes.” Then he had me read the next page out loud and I read, “I can read.” And then he said, “Now go read.” I still think of this moment and laugh. I think back on it now and think of how clever it was and it brings such a smile to my face. Mr. Matthews was an amazing teacher who catered his style of teaching to individual students and was an amazing person. I am so thankful for Mr. Matthews and the fun and creativity he brought to my fourth grade class.

The 2009-2010 Mr. Matthews class.