Sassy turns 21!

Fifteen Reasons Susanna deserves a great birthday:

1. Her nickname is Sassy. Enough said.

20th birthday bash

2. Susanna still watches movies like The Cheetah Girls and High School Musical. Disney channel will never be foreign to this newly twenty-one year old, and the lyrics to their movies won't either.

3. Once Susanna woke up and found a Sonic hamburger in her closet.. Hopefully one day she can remember where the trash can is.

4. Everything she owns is hot pink. Her Tory Burch flipflops, her Lilly Pulitzer agenda, her J. Crew shorts, it's all pink. Her birthday celebration? Pink.

5. If Sassy laughs hard enough, she cries. When this happens in public places it is so entertaining and embarrassing at the same time. Let's hope many tears are shed tonight though, only for good reasons!

6. Her mother, Diva Dee, has forbade her from watching the movie Remember Me and all of her friends are in on it too. Sassy will literally lock herself in a room just to watch this movie. The first time she watched it, she was depressed for a few days (maybe weeks) and wouldn't come out of her room. Valentine's Day 2013? We all went to see Safe Haven and got depressed and cried (romantic, eh?). Then back at the dorm, Susanna says she is going to her condo. Betsy Kate knows what will happen. Sassy tells us she is going to watch The Cheetah Girls, not any depressing movie. BK is so clever though, she looks inside the movie case. Sassy has hidden Remember Me inside of The Cheetah Girls case!! Sassy, you are 21. While you are able to make your own decisions, the decision should never be to watch Remember Me.

7. If you ever need a ride, Susanna will drive. She hates being a passenger and this is very convenient for her friends and the squirrel girls.

8. She has touched Celine Dion's hand and looked in to her eyes. Of course Sassy randomly decides to see Celine in Vegas and is presented with THIRD ROW AISLE SEATS. It's ok, that's only all I've ever hoped for in life. Since she's touched Celine (still crying and can't believe it), she deserves a great birthday.

9. Switching to Accounting as her major from Education, she met the love of her life. Since he is faculty at Ole Miss, I won't say his name. Let's just say though that Susanna would only wear makeup on days she was in his class, would go out of her way to go to his office hours, and Google searched his name over 100 times.

10. She is one of my only friends who only refers to me as "Chan" 99% of the time. The only time she says "Chandler" is if it something very serious and dramatic. Examples: telling me about touching Celine Dion, talking about previously mentioned accounting teacher, "guess who I just saw" sentences, and if I say something stupid.

11. Sassy really is a caring friend. She never forgets your birthday, if you're sick she sends you things, she sends care packages to our friends far away, and is always there to lend a hand. 

12. While some may think she has her life together, on the inside she is Sham City. (shambles). Everyone is shambly in their own way though, which is what makes us all friends. Whether we are sipping Passion Tea out of our Anthropologie mugs or taking turns in your bathtub to take bubble baths, everyone's problems fade away with the help of our friends. Sham City is real, but it helps that we are together as one.

13. On Spring Break Sassy was determined to get in the Flora-Bama bar. That's all she talked about. All Sass wanted was that geotag on Instagram, and what Sassy wants, Sassy gets. 

14. When in doubt, fly. Why walk when you can fly? You know where you were supposed to be Susanna, you know ;)

15. Susanna has such a big heart underneath her diva status and is such a caring friend. Everyone loves to be around her and when she is there everyone is laughing. Whether it is a trip to "the Chili's" or a move night to watch Twilight (yikes), it's always a party with Sassy. I'm so glad we became friends sophomore year, and you finally learned my name after a year of being in the same pledge class. Being neighbors in Crosby brought us together and I can't wait for this year and the next. Love you Sassy!!

Happy Birthday, Sassy! Let's celebrate!

Dancing around Journalism

Over the past few days I have been thinking a lot about my new major. I am in the introductory level classes of journalism and am loving every minute of it. When I think about taking the higher level classes, like magazine editing and public relations, I get way too excited. Finally I realized that I have been dancing around this new major for a while now.
When I first entered high school, I did not really know what I wanted to do with my life, but to me it felt like the day would never come when I had to make the decision. All throughout my four years at Centennial High School, I had incredible English teachers who all impacted my life. From this experience, I thought I would want to be an English teacher. I knew I loved to write and I wanted to give back to future students. To me, I felt like I wanted to impact other students lives just like those four English teachers at Centennial had impacted mine.
After graduation and moving to Oxford, Mississippi, I began my major in elementary education. Although my goal in high school was to become a high school English teacher, for some reason I settled with elementary education. In those classes I really did enjoy all my time learning about elementary ed. When I was twelve I began babysitting and still do to this day, and I was even a nanny this summer. Kids loved me and I loved being around kids. I learned a lot through this major like patience and to always have a kind heart.
In the beginning of the summer though, I felt like everyone was doing something with their summer and I was stuck in Franklin, TN babysitting and mainly relaxing. Within the first few weeks into summer I was looking for internships in New York but realized obviously I was way late in the game. I was trying to find way to tweak my elementary education major into being someone's personal assistant. See how that was hard? (by knowing how to teach your kids math, I promise I can help you style a photoshoot...?) Trying not to be discouraged, I looked into switching my major and making my "second life" come true. You can read about that here.
Now that I am a journalism major, I realize that I was dancing around it the whole time. I knew I liked to write and I knew I liked being around people. It is funny how life takes you around your dream in a perfect little path and finally you end up where you are supposed to be. I was dancing around journalism when I envisioned myself as a high school English teacher. I was dancing around journalism when I Googled about a hundred internships a day in May of this year. Now I am no longer dancing around journalism, but I am dancing with it.
God's plan may not reveal itself to you immediately or the way you think it will, but once doors are opened and you learn to trust in the Lord, paths are made clearer. Without relying and trusting in the Lord, I would still be dancing around with no real insight into where I want to go in life. I'm not saying I have it all together and that I know exactly where I will end up in life, but with the guidance of the Lord and His greater plan, I know I will end up exactly where I am supposed to be. It is comforting trusting in Him and knowing He knows what is best for you.
I think that if you are struggling with where you want to go in life or what you want to do and be, give up those worries to the Lord and let Him establish your plans.

I especially like this verse right now because being a Journalism major, I am always working with my hands. Whether I am frantically typing away or writing down thoughts, I want the Lord to strengthen my hands.

Happy 21st Birthday Cristina!

Ten reasons Cristina deserves the best birthday:

1. She is my big sister in Tri Delt & this is a bond that cannot be broken. I'm always happy to see her face around the house.

2. We look so similar and people confuse us all the time. If I had a dollar for how many people have said, "Do you know who you look like? Cristina" I would be a millionaire.

3. If you need a hug, go to Cristina. She's always snuggly and cuddly and who doesn't love that? She's so loving and always lets her friends know that she loves them.

4. People call her "Stanka" as a nickname and that is enough in itself. 

5. Tina loves a good selfie and Snapchat. Good thing I do too, and we are never afraid of a hideous photo. Nothing stops double chins and crossed eyes.

6. Before rush & when I barely knew her, somehow we ended up being on the same tube at the lake (it was a sign). I said I would go tubing first and Cristina volunteered to ride with me. After the ride my hand that was near Tina's was so bruised & swollen from hers bumping into mine. Pain is love.

7. Our idea of fun is throwing a babydoll up at a ceiling fan and watching it fly across the room. Even when we should be studying for finals, baby Abir is always ready for a joy ride with Aunt Chandler and Aunt Cristina.

8. Both of our names have 8 letters, start with a C, we have brown hair, brown eyes, brown skin, go to Ole Miss, are Tri Delts, and like to say "Shalom."

9. My face when I saw you on bid day pretty much sums up my feelings for you.

10. You really are such a great friend and sister to me! You have such a loving and caring heart. You're good at telling people how you feel and loving on them. I love you so & will not let you leave me next year! 

Happy 21st Birthday, Cristina!

Monday Inspiration

Tri Delta House

Are you wondering what it is like living in a house full of sorority girls? What is it like when you walk upstairs to our bedrooms and what goes on behind these walls? In the Tri Delt house's little kitchen off of the main kitchen (dining hall), there is a painting I love. It reads, "Oh, if only these walls could talk."
Thinking of all the girls who have lived in this house, me and my friends living here now, and how many girls in the future will live here is weird, but awesome. How many other girls will sleep in these bunk beds and what does their future hold for them?
So far I've spent four nights living in the DDD House. I love my room, my roommates, my bunk bed, and being right in the mix of things. It has been so convenient this week, Rush Workshop week, living just a set of stairs away from where I need to be in the mornings. Living among the seniors is fun too because we have not all been around each other this much. We see them out, we see them at DDD events and in the house, but we have never all lived a few steps away from each other.
The coffee is already waiting for me in the kitchen, the staff is always there to tell you "Good Morning!" or in this mornings case, "I like your bunny slippers!" Our house mom, Mrs. Martha, has made some incredible changes and the house looks better than ever.
The first few days living here have been incredible and I feel so blessed to be able to live here this year, and hopefully next year, too. I know it will only get better each day. We will all discover new things together, bond together, and most importantly love each other. I can't wait to see how these friendships grow over the next year.

So, here's to the first year in the Tri Delta house. And oh, if only these walls could talk!

Entrance

 Sunroom 

Little kitchen

New downstairs bathrooms

An inside look into my room later on in the month!

Pep Talk

With only a few days before I return to Oxford, Mississippi to begin my junior year, I felt like I needed a little pep talk.

I'm ready to make this year awesome.
Are you?

Shot at Poetry

For my summer school class that I took online all summer, we had weekly assignments. I chose to write eight pieces of poetry and two prose pieces. Here are a few of my poetry pieces that I wrote towards the end of the summer. None are too formal, and they are nothing to blab about, but through this course I learned to not hate poetry or be afraid. 

Each week we posted our submission to a discussion and everyone in my class read each other's works and made comments. A lot of the comments I got were that my ideas could be made in to children's stories, especially the one about the shark. At first when I read those comments, I was a little offended, but then I realized maybe that is a good thing. Instead of being able to write serious and deep poetry, which I do not like to read often, I am able to write witty and childlike poetry. I really enjoyed my summer school class and I can't wait to weave creative writing into all my future writing. 

Look For You 

I look at the stars to find you,

Where you are or what you are doing.

What is life like up there with the big man?

Do you fish together, and dream together?

I look around nature to find you,

There I wonder if you are looking down on me.

Can you see that I have a different path in life?

Is this something that would make you proud to see?

I look into the ocean to feel your soul,

Thinking and remembering ever moment we shared together.

The afternoons full of coffee or talking over our country style lunch.

Are you able to hear me all the way up there?

I will eventually look for you in heaven,

Where I hope you will be waiting to greet me.

Am I able to run into your arms after running to His?

I will always look for you, until the day I find you.

Lollapalooza

Into the Windy City we traveled

Bags packed with crop tops and floral headbands

Hair chalk and converse in tow

We piled in the hotel

Cramming way more than allowed

Grant Park was our final destination 

Our blue wristbands tightly wrapped around our wrists

Many backpacks filled with rain jackets and water bottles

Even sneaking in water bottles full of what should not be there

Sunglasses shielding our eyes from the sun beating down

We did not know what to expect

But what we experienced what phenomenal

Incredible live music from lunch to midnight

Filled with pure happiness and tons of laughs

Not one thing would bring down our mood

At night we left the park to head to the bars

Trying to get drinks with our wristbands from the festival

Walking to Subway at three in the morning

Passing the hobos and street wanderers of Chicago 

Finally reaching the room and crashing into our beds

This was a weekend I will never forget

Every moment was completely soaked in

The friendships are even stronger now

And our next two years will be unforgettable

Lollapalooza, this is my ode to you

I love you, Lollapalooza

Vegetarian 

No, thank you,

I do not care for you.

No drips of oil, no grease stains,

From all of you I must refrain.

No, thank you,

I used to love you so.

But now I am much greener,

My life is much cleaner.

No, thank you,

I will pass on eating you.

Rice and beans now curve my appetite,

To the animals now, I am polite.

No, thank you,

I do not eat meat.

And although this was quite the feat,

I do know this journey will not know defeat.

 

You

My eyes opened wide,

From the presence of your love.

My heart more aware of You,

Noticing little things that are a constant reminder.

No trial or tribulations will separate us,

My sins always forgiven.

Your love is unfailing and never ending,

Even when I stumble and fall.

The father of all,

The maker of the world.

My right hand man, my best friend,

My companion, my guardian.

While thinking I needed to impress you,

With an act or sudden life changing event.

I searched you out for the longest time,

Before I realized you were always next to me.

Now life with You is incredible,

And knowing we have all of eternity.

For You to be you, and me to be me,

I am forever thankful for You,

The stories, the words, the prayers, and acts.

My life would not be,

If it were not for You.

Are You My Friend?

Are you my friend, sir?

You have such big teeth.

I have never known you to know defeat.

The way you move with such determination and speed,

Others moving out of your way when they see you coming.

Are you my friend, sir?

Your skin is so slick.

Most are fearful of you,

It must hurt your feelings,

When not knowing your sensitive side, others flee.

Are you my friend, sir?

I would like to pet you like a dog.

I would like to glide my hand across your gray body.

I would like you to greet me with your many teeth.

I would like to be your friend, Mr. Shark.

Are you my friend, sir?

Summer Reading

I had a summer full of great books. Normally, in the beginning of May right before exams, I picture what my summer will look like. It involves lots of: pool time, reading great books, shopping and discovering new places. Last summer however, I found myself most days laying in bed on Netflix watching Brothers & Sisters. This summer I did watch all of Gossip Girl, talk about consuming your life. I felt like I was best friends with Blair and Serena, and most of the time I was wishing I was dating Chuck. Once I finished the series quickly in the summer, let's be honest you can't watch that slowly, I took the time to read like I once wished for back in May.

Spooning one boyfriend, icecream, while watching my other boyfriend on screen, Chuck Bass.

I started my summer reading Grace: A Memoir by: Grace Coddington. The first time I realized who Grace Coddington is was when I watched The September Issue. I knew about Vogue, duh, and about Anna Wintour, but why had no one ever mentioned Grace before? After watching The September Issue incessantly, I Googled Grace. Come to find out, she had a memoir. Also, in December she came to the Frist in Nashville to speak.. Of course I was clueless then to who she was (my luck) so I didn't get to go. 

I think the reason I love Grace so much is her attitude and lifestyle. In the documentary, she is so real. She lets no one push her around and she stands by what she think is right. If she likes the pose and outfit in a picture that she put together but no one else does, it doesn't matter and she isn't changing her mind that she thinks it is great. I also loved the way she dressed, in all black. My friend gave me the memoir for my birthday and all though it took me about a month to read, it was so entertaining and enjoyable. Reading about when Grace began at British Vogue, her relationships, clothing choices, and the final move to American Vogue was so pleasant and I felt like I took the journey with her. Some parts were a little slow, but especially once you hit the chapters that are more current and talk about her work at Vogue and with Anna Wintour, you can not stop reading. I would definitely recommend this book to any fashionista or someone who just wants a good story to read before bed.

 How fabulous is this paragraph? If only one day I can walk along the Seine with someone I love and be dressed in fabulous clothes.

One of my favorite chapters, "On Anna," that I read on a rainy day. White chocolate hot cocoa on the side and a little henna tattoo on my arm from Free People.

After reading and being completely obsessed with the fashion world, I read another book given to me by a friend (my friends are the greatest) called "Where We Belong" by: Emily Giffin. I love Emily Giffin's other books, especially "Something Borrowed" which was turned in to a movie and I have only watched it about one-thousand times. Her style of writing is brilliant and I love how she develops her characters. I picked up "Where We Belong" thinking it would be a love story about two people who realize they finally belong together. Boy, I was wrong. The story is told by two different characters, a teenage girl and a young adult who produces TV shows in NY. I don't want to spoil too much, but one day the teenage girl finds herself on the adult's doorstep because that is her mother. Reading both sides of their story is so cool, I love when authors do that, and the story is really cute. I will always recommend any Emily Giffin book.

 One afternoon Kendall and I sat on the patio reading our books. Finally, I've convinced her to read Sarah Dessen's books. I think I read every single one at least three times in high school.

Emily Giffin favorited my tweet. It's fine.

The third book I read this summer was Girls in White Dresses by: Jennifer Close. I relied on Pinterest for this choice. Somehow when I am scrolling I always come across a list called "Top 20 Books to Read in your 20's" and number one is this book. While I definitely did not learn any life lessons or be inspired, Girls in White Dresses is a great beach read about recent college grads trying to get it all together. The characters are amusing and relatable, especially Lauren who reminds me of my roommate, and it is funny to see what they get themselves in to. If you're going to the beach and want an easy but entertaining read, this is a good book, but the next one I'm about to tell you about I would recommend more. 

One day while I was shopping at Anthropologie this book caught my eye. It was "The Best Things to do in New York." The book lists of 1,001 things to do in NY and it is so cool. This book makes me want to visit New York ASAP and definitely live there one day. The things to do aren't numbered by which they think are the best, it is in different categories like food or shopping. I circled all the things I definitely want to do, but will always keep the book and one day it would be awesome to complete the whole book. While this isn't a real book that is inspiring, it is fun to read in the mornings while drinking coffee or on a long car ride. Especially if you are a New Yorker, get this book. And if you aren't living in NYC but have a love for the city, you should get it too.

At the beach I read "Brooklyn Girls" by" Gemma Burgess and oh my how I loved this book. This book had a similar description to "Girls in White Dresses" so I was unsure if I wanted to read another book like this but "Brooklyn Girls" is way better. It is about a girl named Pia living in a brownstone in Brooklyn with her four other friends. Sometimes they all don't get along, some get drunk and do drugs along the way, some get fired, some lose an important loved one, and some finally find love. Pia is such a relatable character. All the girls except for one are recent college grads trying to live a dream life in New York, find love, and love their job, but nothing is working out for them. This book had me actually laughing out loud. I am beyond excited there is a sequel coming out in early 2014 and I will be first in line to get it. 

 I was laughing out loud reading this part of the story. This group of friends is hilarious!

After the beach I read "Love Does" by: Bob Goff which had reviews with soaring colors. A lot of my friends from school had read the book as well. I had never heard of Bob Goff before, but let me tell you he is an amazing man. Through this book he shows you how love not only exists, but love does. He shows you through personal experience how God has shown him love and placed different experiences in his life where he was able to give love. One of my favorite quotes from the book is: "You know what it is about someone that makes them a friend? A friend doesn't just say things; a friend does." If you want to be inspired and feel the need to love on others, while still relying on God and loving Him, I would read "Love Does." The short stories/chapters are easy to read but sometimes take longer when you are too busy trying to highlight or underline each sentence, then write down the really good ones in your journal.

Lollapalooza

Lollapalooza, noun. A person or thing that is particularly impressive or attractive.

I think it is safe to say that I just experienced something I might not ever experience again, and that those were three of the most fun days, ever. Going into Lollapalooza I did not really know what to expect. I knew I was very excited, but I was also very anxious. I have friends who have gone to Bonnaroo and Hangout, but no one I knew had ventured to the middle of Chicago for a music festival. 

These three days were full of incredible music, the skyline of Chicago, some great friends and pure happiness. 

 Loved this view of Chicago 

The greatest Lollapalooza group I could ask for
Luke, Kendall, me, Margaret, Ryan and Scott

Early Thursday morning my dad and I headed to Chicago. My other friends had taken the train from Memphis overnight and they were already in Chicago. If you're wondering why my dad flew up with me and flew back the same day, we had to have a 21-year-old check us into the hotel. Huge high five, endless hugs and multiple thank you's later, my dad flew with me for the day. He's pretty cool you could say. We met up with my friends, all from Ole Miss, at the hotel and went to find some deep dish Chicago pizza. We walked along Michigan Avenue and the Chicago River until we found the pizza place we wanted.

 Deep dish cheese pizza

Big thank you to my dad!
After we said goodbye to my dad and he hoped back on the plane to go to Nashville, the six of us went back to our hotel and crashed. Five of the six didn't sleep well the night before because of the train. Once we took a two hour nap, to the subway we went and we headed to Wrigley Field to see a Cubs game. We bought the cheapest seats we could and wouldn't have had it any other way. You could the the Chicago skyline in the background and we got to watch the sunset. The only thing I would have done differently is not passed up the chance to get icecream in a little Cubs plastic helmet. When I would go to the Sounds games with my grandfather when I was younger, I would always get the icecream and it was so good. I know he would have loved that I went to a Cubs game.

 Wrigley Field

Kendall, Margaret and I

Friday morning we were all up pretty early because we didn't know what to expect. We all got dressed, three of us representing America and wearing an American flag somehow, and headed to Grant Park. Our hotel, The Palmer Hilton, was just a few blocks away. While walking around we saw some crazy outfits and some crazy people, but I loved taking it all in. When we entered the park, we headed to the BMI stage to watch American Authors. I had never listened to their music before but loved it! My two favorite songs were Believer and Best Day Of My Life.

First on the list of who I wanted to see was Emeli Sande. Her most popular song is "Next to Me" and I'm sure you would recognize it from the radio. She was incredibly good and it was so fun to watch her perform on stage. I love her accent and the way she dresses. Basically, she's awesome.

 

After Emeli Sande we were all waiting for The Killers, but they didn't perform until 8 pm and Emeli Sande was done at 1 pm. My other friends are huge Killers fans, so they wanted to be front row. We didn't leave the Red Bull Sound Select stage all day. The Lake Shore stage was right beside Red Bull, both stages alternating all day, so we got to hear and see some of their artists, too. From Red Bull we heard Icona Pop and Imagine Dragons.
Some bands we got to see on the Red Bull stage that we didn't know about were the Smith Westerns, who I didn't like very much, and Crystal Castles, who is probably the scariest person I've ever seen. The Smith Westerns did not have bad music, but they were a little boring to watch and they didn't utilize the stage. Crystal Castles on the other hand, was just plain crazy. She would pretend hang herself with the microphone cord, went crowd surfing in a skirt, and had glazed eyes.

The last two of the day were New Order and finally, The Killers. We had all made our way up to the front row with only a small VIP section between us and the stage. SO many people were piled in for New Order and I think it was mainly to get a good view for The Killers. New Order was pretty cool, but then at the end of their show they were showing pictures of the KKK and we all got pretty confused. Not really sure why they did that or what that was all about.

Front row
When The Killers came out and opened up their show with Mr. Brightside the whole park went crazy. Everyone was piled in like sardines. I only stayed at The Killers for about four songs because a few of us also wanted to see Lana del Ray, so getting out what quite the issue. About half-way through the crowds, a few pushes and a few middle fingers later, we were free. Walking to Lana del Ray we could still hear The Killers which was fun. I was actually disappointed with Lana's stage when we got there after pushing through thousands of people to get there. There were no screens to see her up closer and she was so soft spoken, even when singing. I did make it in time to hear her sing "Born to Die" and "Young and Beautiful" which are two of my favorites.

 The Killers

That little person in the red dress is Lana del Ray

Saturday was my favorite line up. We were going to see Ben Howard, Matt & Kim, Ellie Goulding, HAIM, Mumford and Sons and Postal Service. Sadly, I didn't get to see Eric Church or The Lumineers, but got to hear the last two songs of The Lumineers. All my favorites were performing but HAIM and Lumineers overlapped. I figured the chance to see The Lumineers would appear more than HAIM, so I saw them in that time slot instead. For the Ben Howard performance, we laid on our sheet and ate lunch. It was nice not standing for ten hours in the same location like we had the day before. Ben Howard had a really good performance and it was really nice to hang back and relax.

 So excited for Lolla day two, we were lovin' life and lovin' blue hair even more

Tri Delt's love Lollapalooza

 Check that skyline in the back. We were right in the middle of the city

 LOLLA

 Ben Howard

Ole Miss takes the Windy City

The crowd for Matt & Kim was insane. Margaret, Luke, Scott and I headed over though and snuck up to the side of the stage. We thought we had beaten the crowds by going up the side, but it turns out we couldn't hear a thing. I only know a few Matt & Kim songs, so we decided to go ahead and head to Ellie Goulding and get good spots for her instead. Scott and I walked to her stage & Luke and Margaret went to see Eric Church.

The crowd for Matt & Kim


Ellie Goulding is incredible. I went to her concert earlier this summer in May at the Ryman which made me even more excited to see her at Lollapalooza. You know how girls joke about having girl crushes? She is definitely mine. I think she is extremely talented, especially when she plays the drums, and her voice is so unique. I was on cloud nine at her concert. I even asked this guy beside me to let me get on his shoulders, which is so not my personality. If that doesn't tell you how badly I wanted to see her, then I don't know what would. We were really close to her and the energy she gives off, you feel it too. (Did I really just type that...) This was not our final meeting though, Ellie Goulding. I will be seeing you again, you can count on it.

 Killing it

So this happened..

After Ellie Goulding I went to see HAIM, a band of three sisters from Los Angeles. Their sound is so confusing to describe, it's like rock meets indie pop meets r&b. Once you listen to them, you can't stop. Their first CD comes out in September and you can pre-order it right now. Even though they only have about five songs, I know they're going to make it big. During their set they cussed like sailors, Este cried when telling us how just a few years ago she & Danielle were in the audience of Lollpalooza, they talked to a man who climbed a tree to get a better look at them, and they were overall so appreciative of the crowd; they were competing with The Lumineers and Kendrick Lamar.

Once HAIM was over, a few lost friends and finally found friends later, I made it to Mumford & Sons to watch a few songs before then heading to Postal Service. I have never seen so many people at one stage as I did for Mumford. Their crowd took up two entire stage locations, the Red Bull stage which is the stage they were on, and the Lake Shore stage. It was like everyone who was at The Lumineers on Lake Shore just simply turned around to watch Mumford & Sons. I didn't have a good view of them since we were late getting there, but hearing them was still really cool. I had been wanting to see Mumford and although the experience wasn't like if I saw them at the Ryman in Nashville, it was great to see them live.

My side view of Mumford & Sons

I had never even heard of Postal Service but my friends were big fans. After hearing about five/six Mumford songs, we headed to the complete opposite side of the park to see Postal Service. I was told they only had one album and that the one of the singers is also the main singer in Death Cab for Cutie. I really enjoyed Postal Service and thought the girl resembled Florence Welch from far away, so obviously I was a fan.

The clouds were so weird that night, so with the stage and skyline of Chicago, as well at the clouds, the scenery was insane. I hope I can remember what everything looked like in that moment forever. I really liked Postal Service and it's pretty cool to say that I got to see their reunion concert and them taking their final bow.

Sunday we did not go to the park until later in the afternoon. We started at Alex Clare which you would recognize from this song, but one of my favorite songs of his is Hummingbird. It was really humbling to see how appreciative Alex Clare was for his crowd. He was a little awkward at first when taking the stage, but after everyone was singing along, he told us this was the largest crowd he had ever played for. As the show went on he loosened up, took his sunglasses off, and moved around more. At the end he thanked us, and you could tell he was completely sincere.

A few of us made a quick run to see MS MR while the rest held down the fort for Two Door Cinema Club, Vampire Weekend and Phoenix later in the day. I only knew one song by MS MR, Hurricane, and I didn't get to see them perform it because they saved it for last. I still enjoyed all the other songs I heard them sing and love their voices.

I can't name you one Two Door Cinema Club song, and I'm not sure if I will ever want to be able to. I enjoyed watching them perform, the main singer came out wearing a suit and drinking a glass of wine, but overall I've liked many more bands more than them. Looking back I wished I would have gone to see Tegan and Sara, but then I would not have been able to see Vampire Weekend up close with all my friends. Tegan and Sara were on the complete other side of the park. It's also ironic I wanted to see Tegan and Sara because I'm pretty sure I spent my high school years making fun of them, when I never even gave them a chance or listened to their music. Actually, in high school if you would have told me that I would be going to a music festival, and Lollapalooza at that, I would not have believed you. Life is funny like that.

The people in front of me were apparently huge fans

Sunday was a day of listening to bands I had heard of, but didn't know many of their songs. I was thankful I gave Vampire Weekend a chance because I had such a great time during their performance. My friends told me I would recognize some of their songs, and they were right. Everyone was jumping up and down & singing along. For not listening to them before the festival, Vampire Weekend turned out to be one of my favorite performances and I haven't stopped listening to them since I got home. Funny what happens when you give things a chance..

 Vampire Weekend behind us

The last show we saw for the night was Phoenix. We moved to the back so we could all dance around and not be packed in like sardines. Their set was great and this was another band of the day I had never heard of. We met people from Baltimore who were great dancers and got swung around a little, watched the boys sing their hearts out and let the last few hours of Lolla sink in. 

 Phoenix

 Entirely too much fun this weekend

Overall, I could not have loved Lollapalooza any more. Every moment was filled with so much fun and happiness. I couldn't have asked for a better group of friends to go with, or more perfect weather. The line-up was great and we had a good view at every show we went too. We got to ride the subway around Chicago, go to a Cubs game, become familiar with Grant Park, and hang out with other Ole Miss people. 

You were good to me Chicago & Lollapalooza. 

This is not goodbye.

Our final selfies before leaving some of the greatest days we've all ever had.

To read my post on HelloPerfect.com about Lollapalooza, here is the link:

http://www.helloperfect.com/lollapalooza-through-my-eyes/