1Eighteen8

July 2nd

I know I have not been able to write here, but it's really no surprise because I said earlier on that I will not be able to keep up writing every day and every week. 

Ever since June 21st, I have had a lot of fun. I turned 18 on the 23rd, and I've been out and about with friends every day. 

My 18th birthday celebration was really fun. It was the first time all of the most important adults in my life and all of my best friends were together in one location. My best friends from elementary school, middle school, and high school were all in one place, along with my siblings. My parents, aunt and uncle, and my most favorite "replacement parents" (who are just really my friends' parents) were all there, too. On the 23rd of June, 23 of the most important people in my life celebrated my 18th birthday with me. Isn't that cool?

Although I did not have a big party, I felt so loved and so blessed to have celebrated my birthday with people who I know I have shared memories with and will see me grow more throughout the years. It felt amazing to know that I have 23 constants in my ever-changing life. I truly saw how blessed I was. :') 

Nothing has been different since I turned 18. I know it is a glorious moment for those who want to smoke, or get tattoos, or go to strip clubs, or have future gambling problems. However, I am not one of those people, so turning 18 has not been "fun," so to speak. The only privilege of being 18 I have gotten to enjoy is being able to register to vote and actually vote for next year's presidential elections. 

Oh, and a later curfew and the ability to legally drive my friends around. 

That has been a blessing because I have been able to explore nightlife in California.

The other days I have been with my friends, it is usually out to the movies, or walking around the city, or simply relaxing at my house while we talk about college and reminisce on our high school memories. 

Those are the times I appreciate the most about summer. I get to spend time with my best friends without needing school to force us to be together. I am able to see friends I do not usually see because of busy school schedules (i.e. my college friends are back from all over the U.S.!). I get to stay up all night talking to anyone and not feel bad about the both of us being sleep deprived in Calculus class the next day.  

The most important day that has happened since I last posted was when my friend visited last weekend. It was so good to see her again, though I am still quite bitter about that weekend because none of our plans worked out and instead of being able to spend a whole Saturday with her, we only got to see her for two hours early in the morning... 

When she visited, it felt like high school all over again. OG was complete. I was with all three of my high school best friends. Those two hours on a Sunday morning we spent with her will probably be the only time we will be all together this summer. Her next visit isn't even confirmed yet, and there is a chance that I will be busy on the weekend she visits again from Nevada. 

Man, our schedules suck.

But it is okay because this is just the beginning of our long distance friendship. With college around the corner, and our future careers, families... I have to start getting used to not seeing them every day, every week, or even every month. Adulthood slightly sucks, doesn't it? 

There is a quote I always remind myself with: "Friendship isn't counted by the miles, it's measured by the heart."  

Anyway, here are other pictures I took when I was out recently. I try to take pictures whenever I go out, but I forget a lot of the time. 

Remember that it is a lot more important to enjoy the moments. You don't always need to take a photograph of everywhere you go because there are plenty inside your head! 

There was a day one of my best friends and I spent literally six hours at Starbucks. All we did was work on a bunch of papers we were writing/reading, talk about high school memories, talk to strangers, and discuss future college plans.

Anyway, this is all for now.

Seven more weeks until college, and you guys have no idea how excited I actually am... I'm done school shopping already!

Peace out.

Much sun,

Annika.