I can't fight this sentimental feeling anymore.

I'm all packed.

Which is weird to say because it's been two weeks of work, including most of the last three days, to get me to this point. I didn't realize how much junk I owned until I filled the back of a van with stuff and my room still doesn't quite feel as empty as it should.

I feel closure that I didn't think I'd feel. I've done the things on my summer bucket list and I'm ready for 'the big city' of Halifax and 47 books between now and April. Bring it.

I'm ready for new adventures and new challenges. I'm ready to be around copious amounts knowledge. I'm ready to lived in an ivy covered stone building with Hannah in a room that will probably be a cozy shrine to Monet, Beyonce and hot beverages. I'm ready for reading three hours a day. I'm ready to meet the likely colourful characters of King's grad class of 2017.

I'm having a cliched 'first day of the rest of my life' feeling. But that's probably because all my stuff is in boxes, I've spent the past few days saying goodbye to nearly all but half a dozen people in my life for a minimum of a few months and I need to hang on to something other than sadness. I'm hanging on to the fact that I'm moving towards what I want to do, what is going to lead my life in the direction I want and feel it should go. I'm confident that I'm going the right places and I appreciate when I can feel certain towards anything anymore.

I've always felt that I would take Journalism in university. I'm not sure if it's the field I'll end up in but wherever it leads I'm sure I'll make the most of it. The school and the program itself will take me on crazy adventures, not to mention whatever comes after it. For the first time in a long time, my excitement has overtaken my fear about the future. It's a nice change; I hope it sticks around.
Hearts,
Julianne

Believe it or not,

Despite all the bitching and complaining in the past year, I'm going to miss Starbucks.

I won't miss that green apron, sweeping and mopping, consecutive closes, mind numbingly slow days, or dealing with a few people who are consistantly shitty human beings*.

I'll miss talking to the regulars who are friendly and interesting**, working with some pretty cool people, experimenting with new drinks, being skilled at something that doesn't mentally drain me, giving my friends free drinks (under the radar), getting a pound of free coffee a week and about $10 of pocket change a week from tips plus a paycheck.

Though it took a while and I didn't think it would happen, I genuinely enjoyed working in the service industry. Most people were awesome, and all said, Starbucks isn't a bad company to work for once you adjust to how intense some of the people you work with get about it. I'm more comfortable with taking to people now, a good change from 15 year old Julianne who went through most of 9th grade without talking to anyone. It's surprising that I can come out of this saying that I genuinely like people more than I did before. Also, nearly a year of good job experience and a good set of skills for future jobs. I'm getting a liberal arts degree so coffee shop experience is important *snark about future job prospects.*

7/10, would do again if necessary.

*I dislike you very strongly, Venti Kenya, you entitled little asshat. 

** There's Frank who appreciates my sass, and Mike who tries to convince all of us to get our motorcycle license because he teaches the course. And there's this one guy who followed the Obama campaign in 2008 and after unintentionally overhearing a few of his conversations it feels like he walked out of an Aaron Sorkin TV drama. That said, we bonded over The Newsroom.
Hearts,
Julianne

So few days ahhhh.

I should start by noting that it's very important to me that Grimes and 2 Chainz accidentally wore matching pants to the VMAs. Iconic fashion moment right there.

Also, I worked my last coffee slinging shift yesterday and I feel a little weird about it. My closet is full of too many options and colors because I'm no longer obligated to be a monochromatic coffee slave. I'm honestly pretty overwhelmed. I'm far too used to choosing one of three shirts and four pairs of pants in addition to my ratty before or after work clothes. I've haven't had to put together a legitimate outfit in the morning for what feels like months. I wonder when it's going to hit me that I'm not getting a regular pay cheque anymore. My family is thrifty so I'll get by fine, it's in my genetics.

I also have nowhere I must be until Friday when I move. The two friends I spend the most time with, Moriah and Maegan, have already moved away so I have time cleared to see other people before I go. However, I've either turned to tumblr or sewing things whenever I actually try to do things lately. I feel like I should probably see people for closure if anything but I really don't want to leave my house lately. Probably because I'm overwhelmed with the knowledge that there will be an avalanche of new people and places thrown into my life before the week is out.

I start driving up on Friday and I'm moving into my dorm on Saturday. That's so few days.  
Hearts,
Julianne

Music that defined my summer.

In light of my summer coming to a close, I decided to make a playlist. I saw some of these at Osheaga and others are songs that stuck around for the summer. It seems like the right thing to do after a summer of essential teenage experiences including working at a coffee shop, going on a road trip that was planned during a high school journalism class, attending a music festival, late night pizza runs, regularly sitting on the boardwalk for hours at a time, coming home at 2am and generally stumbling into adulthood in the company of my friends before heading off to university.

1. Intro - Alt-J
2. Radioactive - Imagine Dragons
3. Oxford Comma - Vampire Weekend
4. Time to Pretend - MGMT
5. Flowers In Your Hair - The Lumineers
6. Tessellate - Alt-J
7. It - Rich Aucoin
8. Keep Your Head Up - Ben Howard
9. It's Time - Imagine Dragons
10. Youth - Daughter
11. Oblivion - Grimes
12. Diane Young - Vampire Weekend
13. Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe - Kendrick Lemar
14. Young and Beautiful - Lana Del Rey  
15. Nancy From Now On - Father John Misty
16. Last Known Surroundings - Explosions in the Sky (It's long but worth sticking around for the entire song)

Hearts,
Julianne