Metro Diner: Tuscaloosa, AL

When I wrote and celebrated my 18th birthday, I had no idea what the world would come to! I celebrated my birthday at school giving out donuts. I got a nose piercing (now covered by my mask) and then went to a Laker Game at a sold out Staples Center. Could you imagine that now? 
I can’t wait to celebrate my 19th with all my college friends and back in my second favorite city (LA you still have my heart, and good weather)

Now, here are 19 more things I am excited for and some goals I have!

1. Making new memories!
   My Private story (it’s called A 3 but I’m funny) has really seen it all and some of the viewers have lived it all. These are the stories I am racking up that I’ll tell my kids one day and they’re making up for all the times I stayed in bed instead of going out in high school. 
2. Meeting new people!
   Maybe it’s my bad memory, but I feel like I meet new people everyday. Sometimes the conversations are a simple “hi!” while in the meal line at the House, and sometimes twenty minute conversations with someone I met in the quad. 
3. A job!
   I’m one of those people that thrive on being busy. If I have a 5 hour break in the day, I’ll spend it napping or on my phone. When I have a shift later, or chapter, or a big test, every minute is important and I can’t waste it on TikTok. I’m not getting a job for the money, albeit it is a nice bonus. I wanted a job to get out and meet more people, put something on my resume/have experience, and start feeling more like a “Big Girl”
4. Writing more!
   It’s been a hot minute, but I am hoping to bring you guys new reviews at least once a month. As always, feel free to send me your own butter reviews (it literally makes my day) or request a place using the recommend tab! I still have my writing position at Her Campus. 
   1. NEWSLETTER
      1. ​https://hercampus.us17.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=fa7db6029185ab45f5ba7c741&id=a16f5275d5 
         
   2. APPLY
      1. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfg9WacEowZLJ8C-rV_uDpm27rYqIxV6O2xzSdi9HG8-zfcCQ/viewform
         
5. To stop taking bullshit from everyone!
   First semester, I let people use me as a doormat, and that has to stop. I wasn’t good with setting boundaries for fear of hurting their feelings or having them think I didn’t care. Well, fuck that. I am happy to be a shoulder to cry on, and give you advice, and I’ll be there for you, but I can not be your 24/7 therapist especially if you don’t take my advice. I have to start speaking out on things that bother me  instead of letting them harbor inside before it explodes and the aftermath becomes too much. I have to be clear with what I’m okay and not okay with because the fine line of silence is not a safe place to be. 
6. Saying “Roll Tide” more than ever
   The joy that comes from hearing “roll tide” anywhere at any time is indescribable. Alumni have come up to me telling me their stories from school, and some prospective students have asked for some advice. With our 18th championship, and our good basketball team, I’ve been hearing it a lot- and loving it. 
7. We Live For Each Other Wednesdays
   “We Live For Each Other” is the motto of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority and every Wednesday we post to prove it. Sisterhood is so real in this chapter and I count my diamonds everyday that I am an Eta. By the way, I’m the assistant finance chair and sisters there’s a bill due today!!!!
8. Taking care of myself 
   When I was back home for the break, I found it so easy to push things aside and save everything for later. While a mental break is good every now and then, it becomes a problem when the only thing you do is nothing at all. At school, I walk 4 miles everyday to and fro the sorority house, class, friend’s dorms, and it was so easy to be sedentary at home. I also wanted to eat everything that I missed for the 15 weeks I was gone-- Import’s Pizza, In n Out, sushi, my dad's pasta and my mom’s grilled cheeses. I weirdly missed the house Brussel sprouts and my favorite Alabama salads. It is annoying how much better I feel when I do more than lay in bed and eat chips all day, and how much better my skin looks when I wash it daily and actually do that whole skincare routine Hiram has been talking about. 
9. Embracing my Jewishness
   In middle school we read “The Diary of Anne Frank” and when I explained that I was Jewish and what the holocaust meant to me, the boy behind me, whispered “I guess they missed you.” Since then, I hid it and only told my friends. When I arrived at school in the south, I was really worried about the anti-semitism I might face, and I had never been more happy to be wrong. Everyone thought it was really cool that I was Jewish and when Hanukkah rolled around, I was filled with warm messages, and my friends were asking me about the history of Hanukkah. I used to be so afraid of backlash if I spoke up about semitic things-ya know like Neo Nazis storming the capitol with shirts reading “Camp Auschwitz” and “6MWE” (6 million wasn’t enough). I have to get over my fears and realize that being Jewish is part of who I am and I have to embrace it. 
10. Rebuilding my wallet
    In the excitement of celebrating the National Championship win on the Tuscaloosa Strip, my wallet fell out with my Driver’s License, cash for my birthday, another ID ;) and of course I lost my wallet itself. It was definitely a slap in the face and a lesson in responsibility. 
11.  Travelling
    While it is not safe to travel now, I can’t wait to explore more once the world opens up again! I’m planning to save up for a summer abroad. 
12.  Going to Class!
    January 13th marked the first day of second semester, and it is already off to a good start for me. I changed my major to News Media/Journalism (lol remember when I was Pre-Med) and I like all my classes. College is already a big financial and time commitment, it wasn’t worth it for me to spend time and money on classes that I didn’t enjoy or where I cried everyday. 
13.  Keeping my room clean
    Next semester, I’ll be sharing a room for the first time in 19 years. I can be pretty messy, but I’m not dirty. Like I have clothes on the floor and an unmade bed, not rotten food sitting in my garbage can. Even in my private suite, I’ve been trying to keep it cleaner as more friends are seeing it.      
14.  Late Nights
    Some of my favorite memories are walking back from Waffle House at 4 a.m. or having movie marathons until the sun comes up. I do like my sleep, but I can’t catch up on memories with my friends. 
15.   Trying new things
    I find myself staying in my comfort zone in a lot of aspects of life. I go out with the same people to the same places, and while I love that, I want to adventure more! I don’t have to do some over the top thing to feel like I’m reaching this goal- it could be something as small as ordering something new at a restaurant or switching up my routine at the gym. 
16.  Taking a lot more pictures and videos
    At the end of the semester, I wanted to do a first semester recap/photo dump, and I felt like I had posted everything already! 
17.  Keeping up with current events
    It’s easy to tune out the news and stop doom scrolling, but then I find myself uneducated on topics that I should definitely be educated on. If I want to be on the news one day, I should probably actually pay attention to it. 
18. Spending less time on technology
    Even with the blue light glasses, I get headaches from being on my phone and computer all the time. I should figure out how to entertain myself without my phone. 
19. Enjoying 19!
    19 is the legal age in Alabama which means I can do so much more! I really have been enjoying my life and all the ups and downs that come with it, and I can not wait to see what 19 brings! 

The butter itself

Creaminess- 2/5 Very thick and stuck to my mouth
Saltiness- 2/5 distinct butter taste
Spread- 5/5
Softness- 4/5
13/20