What I've been up to...
Hello Daydreamers,

life has been pulling me in different directions and I'm learning that I have the power to decide where I want to go. A lot has happened to me since the last time we checked in. For starters, I'm in college now, but I won't jump into the deep end just yet, there are so many lessons that I've learned in the past month. As some of you may know I went to Northern Italy with a Girl Scout troop based in Los Angelos. I was able to attend this trip because of how many cookies I sold (2,050 boxes of cookies), I am so grateful for all the support I got during cookie season. Thank you for helping me go on a Girl Scout Destination trip.
Side note: I've been a Girl Scout since 6th grade and I am currently a lifetime member Gold Award Girl Scout. If you are interested in learning more about my journey through Girl Scouts or want to get involved with the organization, please reach out to me. I am happy to answer any questions. Some of the benefits are travel, connections, scholarships, events, and community service, there are so many different aspects of Girl Scouts that you can tap into.
As I was saying, I'm very grateful that I was able to go to Italy. I visited Milan, Turin, Cinque Terre (my favorite), Parma (great aged cheese), Bologna, San Gimignano (amazing architecture), Lucca, Florence (I loved seeing Ponte Vecchio), Rome (home to the Trevi Fountain where I made a wish and the iconic Colosseum). I truly had a great time, but COVID-19 put a wrench in my plans. Suddenly, I had to isolate myself and be separated from the group in Florence. My sister had to come from Philadelphia to stay with me (in a separate room) while I quarantined. But nevertheless, I was determined to make the most of the trip, my sister dropped off food at my door every day, I wrote, I watched Rom-coms, and I talked to my friends until I finally recovered. At first, I was so upset that I had COVID-19 that I just wanted to mope in my hotel room and mourn the loss of the trip that could've been. But instead, after getting that negative COVID-19 result from the pharmacy, I decided to take a day trip with my sister to Florence. I was determined to see the magnificent Ponte Vecchio, so my sister and I got two train tickets and went to see it. We even went out for dinner, which was incredible! I learned that even when things don't go your way, it doesn't mean you have to give up. Sometimes you need patience, and sometimes it takes a wrench to be thrown in your plans for you to realize you've been running on auto-pilot and you need to start experiencing life and stop running through the motions.
After I came back from Italy I had to get packed for Cape May. We took a family road trip to Cape May which was really fun and grounded me in the present moment. One of my favorite things is looking up at the trees and seeing a gleam of light. It reminds me that there is hope and God is always with me. After I got back from Cape May I needed to pack for college. One thing about me, I'm not the biggest fan of packing, so that was a struggle but I finally got all of my stuff packed away, and I was ready to embark on my new journey.
Now, I'm in college, attending Northwestern University, and feeling so grateful for all the experiences that brought me to this moment. I'm currently looking at Lake Michigan, watching the bird fly across the light blue sky, and feeling at peace. I'm not entirely sure what this next chapter of my life has in store for me, but I know I am going to continue trying new things, connecting with people, and sharing my poetry with the world.
Take care,
Cydney