2017 Reader Resolutions--Update!

At the beginning of the year, I posted my reader resolutions for 2017:

Now, we're about halfway through the year, so it's time to talk about how these resolutions are coming along (hint: not well).

1) READ 50 BOOKS
Okay, so I'm doing all right on this one. I've read 18 books so far this year, putting me only 5 books behind my goal. I started the summer off at 10 books behind. This still seems feasible to me.

2) BE CONSISTENT
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha


hahaha

hah

I don't even want to talk about this.

3) STRIVE FOR QUALITY
If we disregard my failure at resolution number 2, I think I'm doing okay with this. For the brief amount of time that I have been posting, I've been fairly pleased with the content I'm producing. I've had some reviews and other posts that I'm proud of, and I've also come up with some new ideas that I cannot wait to implement!

4) READ MORE POPULAR BOOKS/NEW RELEASES
I'm working on this, actually! Out of the 18 books I've read so far, 6 of them were published this year! (And the 2 that I am currently reading were published this year). Out of the remaining 12 books, 10 of them are quite "popular." Also, several of the books I plan to read are new releases as well. I'm feel like I'm doing well on this one.

5) READ MORE SERIES
I'm doing better on this one than I did last year, but that doesn't mean I'm doing well. I've read one trilogy so far and two sequels. Will I read more series this year? Stay tuned because I honestly don't know.

6) INTERACT MORE
Again, pretending I didn't fall of the face of the planet for a few months, I'm doing okay with this. But only on my blog and twitter. I'm making an effort to reply to comments on my blog and comment on other blogs. I'm also trying to be more active on twitter and reply/rt/like people's stuff. I got a lot of work to do on youtube and instagram, though.

7) BRANCH OUT IN MY READING
Ummmmmmmmm this isn't happening. Like, at all. Of the 18 books I've read, 11 of them have been YA contemporary. I'd hardly call that branching out. To be fair, I had to read a some stuff for class that was out of my comfort zone, like certain short stories and literary theory essays. Also, next semester I'm taking a graphic novels class so that will help me branch out more.

8) READ MORE CLASSICS
I've read exactly 0 so far this year. BUT. I've bought SEVERAL, and I got a couple for my birthday so I'll probably read them soon, right?? Isn't that how tbr piles work?????????? *denial* And I'll be taking an American literature class next semester, so I'm sure there will be a few classics in there.

Moral of the story: I'm doing a pretty mediocre job living up to these goals I set for myself. But there's still half a year left. Who knows what will happen in that time!?

HOW ARE YOUR READING/BLOGGING/BOOKISH/LIFE GOALS COMING ALONG?

Well Hello There!

It's been a hot minute, y'all. I knew I would struggle to maintain my blog this semester, but I didn't expect to just fall off the face of the earth in the first week. But I want you to know that I'm still alive, and while I'm temporarily out for the count, I'm not gone!

It has been a rough semester. My roughest one yet. I'm not 100% sure why it has been so tough, to be honest. My classes aren't super hard or a lot of work, but I'm just so mentally, emotionally, and physically drained all the time and it's hard to find motivation to do anything. I have read a few books for class (though not as many as I'm supposed to have read heh), but that's about it on the reading front. Finals start tomorrow (I'm currently supposed to be editing a fiction piece for a final project but here I am), and then Tuesday the semester is over and I get a whole month of freedom--and I have big plans so stay tuned!!

I did want to update y'all on my life, though, just in case you're interested at all. Here are some of the highlights of my semester:

1) I got a cat!!! 

This is my baby Rascal! My roommate and I got him at a piercing parlor a couple months ago, which I know sounds incredibly strange, but the owners had a bunch of stray cats around their shop and they caught them and were trying to find good homes for all of them. We live in on-campus apartments, so we're definitely not supposed to have a pet, but he's the love of my life and we haven't been caught so far. Fingers crossed we don't get caught this semester haha!

2) I joined a(nother) sorority

As you may or may not know, I joined a sorority last fall (Alpha Sigma Tau), and this fall I joined Sigma Alpha Iota, which is an international music fraternity for women. Whereas AST is a social sorority, SAI is a service organization, which is why I am allowed to be in both. I am really excited to be a part of this organization with some of my best friends! I'm a gigantic choir nerd, so this is the perfect place for me. I just got initiated last weekend.

3) I get to do good deeds

I have been selected as the Director of Philanthropy for my chapter of Alpha Sigma Tau, and I am so excited. As you may or may not know, I am truly passionate about philanthropic work, and this position provides the opportunity for me to channel that passion. The overall philanthropy of our sorority is women's wellness, and my particular chapter is working for the American Heart Association, so I'll be planning events to raise money for them and other organizations that promote women's wellness. I'm unbelievably stoked!!!

4) Friendship

(this is me and some of my friends at a Halloween party. I was Tyler Joseph from Twenty One Pilots!)

This semester, I've grown a lot closer with some of the friends I made last year and I've made some truly wonderful new friends. These people are like family to me and I am so grateful that I've had the chance to get to know them. 

Um...now that I think about it, that's pretty much it. I told you it's been a rough semester haha! There have been other positive things in my life, but these are the major ones. As tough as this semester has been, I'm truly #blesst.

I can't wait to come at y'all with some fresh bookish content, so keep a lookout, and in the mean time, update me on your life. I need some positive vibes to get me through finals, so let me know some of the good things that have happened to you recently.