Hi everyone! My summer break just started, which means I have much more free time to focus on my blog!

Finals are over, and I am in fact back in Atlanta for most of the summer! Here’s what you can expect from me in the next few weeks/months:

COLLEGE REFLECTIONS –

One of the ways I cope best with major changes is through writing. My first year of college has drawn to an end, and the past few days have been slightly emotional. I’ll be writing and refining my thoughts, posting them on this site for you all to read. Whether you’re still in high school, a recent graduate prepping for college, a first-year like myself, or out of college, I’m sure you’ll be able to relate to me in some way.

RESTAURANT REVIEWS –

Over the school year, my food critic blog has been a bit stagnant! Despite eating out a lot, I often forego taking pictures and writing down notes about the meal depending on who I’m with. But with summer here and lots of free time, I’m going to be recharging my reviews! Check out Cat the Critic!

RECIPES –

One downside to living in a dorm is that it was awfully inconvenient to cook. I was largey restricted to dining hall food, takeout, delivery, and eating out. What I missed over the year was cooking for myself and for others, and I am so excited to be back in my kitchen for most of the summer to experiment with fresh produce, and also to have an apartment kitchen for next year! I’ll be sure to post my favorite recipes on Cat the Critic!

THIS KID I KNOW –

A few friends’ birthdays and half-birthdays are coming up. This Kid I Know is a section on my blog devoted to appreciating others and wishing them a happy birthday, much like a public Facebook post. They always garner lots of attention when I share them on my social media sites, because friends of friends always wonder what someone will say about them on a public blog. Well, I’m excited to be open and share snippets of the friendships that I’ve formed over the past few years!

MUSIC REVIEWS –

Earlier in the year I had an idea to start a music review blog with the concept of one-line reviews describing feelings and sensations that I get when I listen to a song/album. Readers would listen to a song if they wanted to feel the way that I feel. I’ll be experimenting with this concept over the summer, as well as practicing with conventional music reviews!

BOOK REVIEWS –

I am not alone in my desire to read more. My peers often express their dissatisfaction with the way they spend their free time, surfing the internet and foregoing the fulfillment of getting lost in another literary world. I want to read more novels and books about the world and books that make me think. And if/WHEN I do, I want a notebook by my side to write down all my thoughts. I predict that I’ll be writing both traditional book reviews and reflective reports.

JOURNALISM –

Since switching to Northwestern’s journalism school, Medill, I have learned how to write a conventional news pieces and profile pieces, shoot audio, video, and photo stories, and much more. I’ve learned how to interview strangers and perfect my question-asking skills. I want to take the time this summer to creatively experiment with all of the things I’ve learned in the past months while at home. Look out for primarily photo stories and hopefully a lot more! I’m not looking to put out perfect stories, but rather to create a collection of work from summer 2015 that I’ll look back on and be extremely proud of.

What are your writing goals this summer?

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