In my last post I talked about how much value I tend to put in Instagram, and how I'm really working on not caring about it so much. I think every single person I spoke to after writing that brought up that part of it and told me that was what they related to. It blew my mind a little how many of us felt the same way- that our appearance on Instagram defined us.
I think a lot about how different growing up now is from when our parents were teenagers. If they wanted to know what was going on in someone's life they had to pick up the phone and call them. We check their snapchat story. If they felt left out from a friend group it was because someone told them they hadn't been invited. We see it on Instagram and hate that we weren't in the photos. Its just a different experience you know? Its hard to imagine a time when everyone we know wasn't available at the touch of a button.
It's not all bad- actually I wouldn't have been on this trip if it wasn't for cell phones and FaceTime. The summer after freshman year one of my favorite people in the world moved across the country to San Diego. At the time it felt like the end of the world. But we text and face time all the time and to be honest, I think we're closer now than we were then.
But its hard to find a balance. Between social media's beauty and ugly. I know! But I don't think its impossible.
As I said last post- I love a perfect Instagram photo!! And that's not a bad thing!! But I also have to remember those 479 other ones in my recently deleted folder that didn't seem to be good enough. Because those are special too!! The ones with your finger covering the camera or your face out of focus. Sometimes those make me smile the most.
And thats why I loved these little disposables cameras. You get one shot. Its perfect or its awful and theres no way to tell. But its real. Its real time memories and if you laugh or you blink as the flash goes off thats what you get. My finger is in the lens or my eyes are closed in more than half of the photos I got back, but I love them more than anything.
So yes, I did decide to take these because its cute and David Dobrik does it so it MUST be cool. But I got memories I'll get to hold onto for a long time. and a way to show you the mess and imperfections that don't always make it to Instagram. a little blip in the highlight reel.
BC ITS OK IF YOUR FINGER IS IN THE LENSE.
Mel modeling at the University of San Diego. There was no one there and we walked around admiring the church and flowers for hours. It was so stunning.
Me n Jess getting ridiculously sunburned on the bus at San Diego Zoo. The lions were worth it!!!!
One of the first photos I took. You can't see anything going on but we had the best time this night. Also Whataburger is so much better I'm sorry I had to say it.
Every morning Mel's sweet family would make us the yummiest breakfasts and we would sit and eat and drink coffee with them for hours. They were so insanely kind to host us and the mornings were such a highlight of the trip:,) If you're reading this- love u guys.
YOU GUYS BETTER BUZZ COFFEE IS LIKE NO OTHER. I had it the first time I went to San Diego and I have thought about it everyday since. Its the reason I go. Not really. But kinda.
My favorite photo in the world. The one day we decided to go the beach it was freezing cold and super cloudy and obviously that wasn't the plan so everyone was a little bummed- until we decided that we didn't care and decided to run into the ocean anyways. Long story short we lasted about thirty seconds. but I've never laughed harder.
Jess in her natural habitat. Checking her snaps from her 76 streaks.
literally no one:
me: IM DAIRY FREE
(found this dairy free ice cream at Baked Bear and I 've never been happier)
Your mom on vacation in Hawaii circa 1997.
We decided we didn't want to lay on the beach (you guys know I feel about that) so we found this line of shade and laid in the grass while we listened to the waves. and the families of six with children screaming that they wanted ice cream. heaven amiright??
The sky ride at the zoo!!!! peep me already messing up my henna. (also if you were one of the boys that sprayed us with bubbles- hey)
This one makes me smile. and I'm not even going to bring up how expensive those tats were. oops already did.
Getting ready to see Why Don't We!!! The flash is covering literally everything but I still feel our excitement when I see this one. I thought val was going to explode.
THIS ONE MIGHT ACTUALLY BE MY NUMBER ONE FAVORITE. If you don't know- Val is obsessed with giraffes. Like obsessed. I swear all we talked about the entire trip was how excited she was to see them at the zoo. Need I say more? (my heart is literally exploding)
Waiting for EBEN to come on stage. I'm internally screaming.
HOW ARE THEY THIS GORGEOUS. (told u my finger is in all of these).
Val is a concert film photographer now. DM for prints.
Incredibly washed out but incredibly happy. Prob right after they sang These Girls. We went hard.
I guess we were really excited about our post-concert fries....
Cleaning up n packing to go home:,( Tell me these don't look like photos we'll show our kids in a photo album one day.
If you made through all of these thank you. I love these memories and these people more than I can put into words and my heart is so freaking full looking back at them.
loved this summer. love y'all. HAPPY SENIOR YEAR. (omg)
xoxo, em
"For nothing will be impossible with God." Luke 1:37
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