Don't Stop Me Now

My darling friend Gabbie Amontree of Solo Tandem Ride was lovely enough to take my senior // graduation photos for me. She sent me the rest of the set yesterday & I wanted to share them on Stellar Piece. As you can see, my favorite pose involved me gripping on to a tree branch for dear life.

In all seriousness, I can't believe that I've graduated from college. It's been two weeks since I walked across the Sun Dome stage & it's still surreal to me. 

When I graduated from high school in 2010, I had legitimately no idea what I wanted to do. I went to community college for two years, which I honestly recommend to anyone. I thought it was going to be the worst place ever, but HCC was pretty cool because I didn't know what I wanted to do anyways. To be honest, I was super lazy while I was at HCC though. I would go to class, eat and sleep. I gained a bunch of weight & didn't feel very passionate about anything.

Everything changed when transferred to the University of South Florida in the fall of 2012. After taking a marketing class during my last semester at HCC, I realized that it was something that I wanted to learn more about. I decided to major in Mass Communications with a concentration in Advertising. Right after school began that fall, I created Stellar Piece. It was just meant to be a random place where I could put my photos and thoughts but it's turned into much more for me.

Then I found CollegeFashionista. I began writing as a Style Guru a year after I was settled in at USF. I've been in love with it ever since. Amy, Melissa & Sammy have taught me so much about fashion, writing and photography. They always give me such great feedback, feature my articles on the homepage & allow me to participate in various brand campaigns. I love it so much that I've decided to write for them during the summer while I'm in NYC. I cannot wait to to be their marketing intern in the city this summer.

I guess the point is that I made fashion, photography & writing the main priorities in my life. They changed everything. They gave me the confidence I was lacking. They kept me busy. They made me want to search for & pursue opportunities. Now I'm less than two weeks away from leaving for NYC where I'll be working with CollegeFashionista & Marie Claire. I'm thrilled to work my ass off, prove my potential & see where my passions take me. 

 "Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." - George Bernard Shaw

Love,

A

Details: Dress: Zara // Shoes: Nine West 

// Photography: Gabbie Amontree

Lil' Lunch Date

I love eating. I love food, I love trying new food, & I love recommending good food.

I also love A. I love eating food with A, exploring new places with A, & I especially love lunch dates with A.

One of our favorite things to do is find little hole-in-the-wall, off-the-beaten-path spots in Tampa and make them our regular stops. Last year, we first tried Mel's Hot Dogs off of Busch Blvd., and we've been going back ever since. One time, A wrote me a note while we were eating here saying she loved me, and took a photo of me on a disposable camera. (That picture is hanging in her room now). 

This week, we made our triumphant return to Mel's for the first time this semester. For two quirky little people, this place fits right in: 70s radio pop blasting from above and gourmet snack foods. The walls are adorned with some seriously dated photographs of Mel's enthusiasts rocking their logo t-shirt in different parts of the world. Bottom line: Mel's is an experience. And we all know that A & I love hot dogs. 

I think my favorite part of today was how our little hot dog lunch date felt like a little escape from the mundane day-to-days that my daunting college schedule has me running this semester. We hopped into the car in between our short break between classes, & for a little while I didn't think about responsibilities at all. My best friend & I just talked with our mouths full of chili-cheese & Mel's Special dogs, took selfies in front of their impeccable mirrored windows, & ran daringly into the middle of the street to get a photo next to the place's sign. 

Thanks for keeping me grounded, A. It's one of the things I love most about you. Let's keep adventuring until we're old & gray. 

Love,

J

PS - Thank you to the amazing staff at Mel's Hot Dogs, for not judging either of us one single time for taking so many photos in & around your restaurant. You guys are the best!

PPS - Happy 13 months, A!! We've eclipsed a year and sailed right on into a new one. Luv u~~*

Aisha // Jacket: H&M // Dress: Forever 21 // Boots: tout ā coup // Watch: Nordstrom // Bracelet: Pulsera Project 

Jake // Shirt: HUF // Pants: Supreme // Shoes: Nike SB // Sunnies: Ray Ban