Living Archives » dani kate

Life Lessons: A letter to my younger, 22-year-old self

Posted on April 27, 2017April 28, 2017 by dani

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all of my April-born readers! Earlier this week I turned 27, which prompted a lot of introspection as to where I am at in life. Most notably, I’ve come to realize certain life lessons that I wish I could have learned a little earlier. Therefore, as part of this reflection, I decided to write a letter to my younger, 22-year-old self. If you are at a similar transitional point in your life, I hope that some of these might resonate with you. Dear 22-Year-Old Me, I know how you’re feeling right now. Everything in your life is …Keep Reading

Noteworthy Articles: April Showers Edition

Posted on April 6, 2017April 5, 2017 by dani

Are you already sick of my word play on “April showers” yet? Sorry about that! If Chicagoland would just stop raining, I wouldn’t have rain on my mind. In fact, it’s pouring as I write this post! It probably also doesn’t help that I LOVE dreary, rainy days. I embrace my introversion tendencies, what can I say? This week I wanted to share with you a few noteworthy articles I came across that hit home for me. In a perfect world, all of these articles would have been written this week. However, the world and my life are both far from …Keep Reading

What was that noise? – New apartment adjustments

Posted on February 1, 2017April 5, 2017 by dani

“What was that noise?!” I exclaim to my new roommate Desi from the living room of our new apartment on the third (basically fourth) floor in Chicagoland. “I have no idea,” she says looking at me with wide eyes. “Maybe it’s a ghost!” I exclaim excitedly. Settling In Moving into a new apartment always comes with its fair share of drama and struggles. For awhile we had Amazon packages arriving at our door almost every day. Boxes littered our spare bedroom, and artwork rested against the wall on the floor. Trash Day was dreaded, as we had to take down stacks and …Keep Reading

How to NOT get overwhelmed living alone

Posted on May 7, 2016April 5, 2017 by dani

To those of you who have never lived on your own or are gearing up to move out and have some reservations, fear not! I’ve compiled a quick list of helpful advice to help combat the prospect of becoming overwhelmed. (Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that I am in no way insisting that everyone must do these things to succeed. These are just some tips that have worked for me over the last few years.) So, without further ado (and yes, it’s “ado” not “adieu.” I checked on my favorite grammar resource Grammar Girl!)… Keep up on your chores so they …Keep Reading

Living Alone: Mostly a blessing, not really a curse

Posted on April 30, 2016April 5, 2017 by dani

Living alone is not some horrific ordeal that you must struggle to “survive” if you find yourself sans roommates at some point in your life. In fact, I’ve discovered that it is often to the contrary. In my opinion, living alone is actually a rewarding opportunity that you should experience. As I’ve previously mentioned, it’s quite possible that I am predisposed to love living without roommates based on my personality and just who I am as an individual. Therefore, it has always bothered me when I read articles or editorials that put living alone in the categories of clichéd tropes involving sad, single people. They then …Keep Reading

An extroverted introvert in a [not so] lonely world…

Posted on April 16, 2016March 22, 2017 by dani

Growing up I always felt a little different than the people that surrounded me. I felt like I was a little too independent, a little too unorthodox, a little too inside my head. Don’t get me wrong. I loved being with my friends and belonging to my dance studio. However, the constant activity and surge of adrenaline I enjoyed so much also inexplicably drained me. The only way I could recharge was to be by myself, or at least retreat inside my imagination, for hours on end, usually by reading books. It wasn’t until much later when I was in …Keep Reading