Flip flop hooray

I was born and mostly raised in the South. Between Atlanta and Houston, I took my first steps and played hide and seek in a humid, sticky heat that lasted mostly year-round. Then I moved to Connecticut, then Philadelphia. I was no longer afforded the luxury of outdoor swimming pools in February or sleeveless dresses in November. However, what I missed the most was warm-weather footwear. I was known to rock my translucent jelly sandals until multiple inches of snow fell. To this day I wonder why I go to college above the Mason-Dixon line or anywhere that is not San Diego. Things haven't changed much, however, and I've established a protocol for dressing for the weather. You can either:
   a) Try to predict and adjust for the weather. A few days ago I wore a huge Gortex windbreaker because my smartphone stupidly told me it would rain. It didn't. Which is why the other choice is...
   b) Ignore it completely.

I often choose choice B. March 1st. I stepped out in flip flops. My toes were not happy with me and threatened secession from my metatarsals. Whatever, March is the beginning of flip flop season and I'm supporting it. Which brings me to the point of my positivity blog post. There are few things better than slipping on a pair of flip flops, especially when it's actually warm enough to wear them outside. Flip flops mean so many things:

Photo credit goes here!

• Amazing weather: It is proven fact that good weather means good mood. Wearing flip flops just lets your feet in on the good vibes outside. 
• Changing seasons: Happy days are here again! With every flip and every flop, you're putting behind you the gloomy days of salted sidewalks and air so cold your esophagus hurts when you breathe. It can only get warmer from here.*
• Comfort: Whenever I see Rainbow Sandals in a store, I have a compulsive urge to purchase yet another pair. Yet I always come back to the pair I've had since eighth grade because the leather has worn down in all the right places. They look nothing like they did when I bought them, but they're lovingly distressed.
• Convenience: Say goodbye to that pesky, physically exhausting task of pulling on boots or tying laces! Flip flops literally slide on your feet as you walk towards them. Besides saving your precious energy for more important things, most flip flops tend to go with anything, from gym shorts to a sun dress. A slightly fancier pair even went with my graduation gown, to the dismay of several nuns and my mother.
• Reminiscence: Everything good happens in the summer, and for that reason my flip flops have been beneath me for some of the best moments of my life. From tailgating countless Dave Matthews Band concerts to endless hours on the beach to senior week to my first day of college, my trusty Rainbows have been there for me and I always recall how awesome life is when I slap around in them.

Currently, it's sixty degrees and sunny where I am. It'll probably get much chillier as night falls but honestly I don't care. Flip flops on. So I urge everyone to break out your own pair, maybe get a pedicure if you need it, and rock your flops! Celebrate with this classic, because I'm think Naughty by Nature got the lyrics wrong. Flip Flop Hooray, Hoooooh Heyyyy Hoooohh.

* Global warming political statement

Keep calm and carry on.

Don't get me wrong, I love college (in both the Asher Roth way and the Sam Adams way) but this whole academic obligation/homework/paper/exam aspect of college is really cramping my style. I thought that without my parents to nag me about everything, living on my own a few hours away would mean no worries for the rest of my days. However, the fact is that I'm here to learn. And almost just as importantly, get good grades. This past week has been extremely stressful, with presentations, speeches, exams, and papers all due on top of one another. It's so easy to get caught up in making flashcards, checking my grades on Angel, pulling all nighters, and complaining about how stressful my life is. But the truth, that I often forget, is that no matter how I do this semester, everything's going to be alright. Doing my best in everything is definitely worth it, but stressing out about it is definitely not. There have been countless times in high school when I cried into my physiology textbook and nearly fainted when I failed an AP Gov test. If I'd known that I'd be doing as well as I am today, I could have saved myself the hysterics. That's what we have to keep in mind when school gets stressful. Life is good! If you just stay calm and do what needs to be done, everything works itself out. And even if it doesn't, a bad grade won't kill you. Seriously. Take a page from Timon and Pumba and chill out and get happy! We're all gonna make it through this semester.