Just like that, my time in Boston has come to a close. Since I was early (as usual) to the airport, I scoped out the free WiFi password, and I’m coming to you live with lots of thoughts (26, to be exact) about this unforgettable summer. Here we go!

A is for Always an adventure

From weekends spent roaming around Boston to busy afternoons in the office, I always had the best time with my intern pals. We managed to turn routine rides on the T into one-of-a-kind adventures (and photo-ops). I’m so lucky to have spent the summer with such a great group of people!

B is for Bevi

Bevi is a fancy water machine that provided hours of entertainment for the HC interns—until it broke and was out of service for multiple weeks. When it was finally back to its usual lemon-water-self, one of the interns took this picture of me and shared it in the group message to announce its revival. (It’s the little things!)

C is for Charlie Card

Having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got a Charlie Card (aka the Boston transit pass that was my version of a golden ticket).

D is for Don’t forget to look around

Here’s to all the beautiful buildings and classic architecture of Boston (and NYC, pictured below).

E is for Editorial

This summer, I learned the ins-and-outs of all things editorial—pitching, writing, editing, brainstorming new kinds of content, meeting with editors, planning new projects, etc. I loved working in such a creative environment, and it feels amazing to know that my love for editorial isn’t just a fluke—it’s really what I want to pursue.

F is for Fenway

The cherry on top of my time in Boston was a visit to good ‘ol Fenway Park with the Her Campus team. A Red Sox game really is quite the experience, even if you’re not a foam-finger-wearing baseball expert and are just there to admire the historical stadium and atmosphere (like me).

G is for Green Line

Ahh… the beloved Green Line T—the bane of my existence (and also the source of lots of funny memories and great people-watching). All I can say is that no matter if your train is going aboveground or below, if you think you left early enough, you probably didn’t.

H is for History

There’s something so magical about being in a place where old meets new (at just about every corner).

I is for Inspiration

Everything about this summer has made me more inspired than ever to pursue a career in media and to continue making time for projects that make me happy, like blogging and potentially writing a book in the future.

J is for July Fourth

I loved celebrating America’s B-Day at the Boston Pops Concert, an iconic Independence Day festival.

K is for Keep an open mind

It’s sounds cliché, but especially when during an internship, being open to trying new things, working on brand new projects and collaborating with different people is vital to making the most of the experience. You never know what you’ll pick up on, who you’ll click with and what skills you’ll end up learning (or loving).

L is for Let your work speak for itself

At the beginning of the summer, Her Campus co-founder and Editor-in-Chief Stephanie Kaplan Lewis told the interns that you can’t expect every single person to understand or appreciate the work that you do—and that it’s important to let your work speak for itself. As long as we know what we’re pursuing is meaningful to us, we shouldn’t waste our time comparing ourselves to others.

M is for Making use of what’s in the fridge (?)

The picture doesn’t do it justice, but one day, I decided to get creative when packing my lunch. I made a makeshift burrito bowl (well, there was really nothing burrito-y about it, but it’s the thought that counts) with spinach, avocado, veggies and rice, and it was really good! Watch out, Chipotle. (Just kidding… kind of.)

N is for the North End

Boston’s historical North End is full of character, cobblestone streets and cannolis. Taking the T to North Station and exploring the winding alleyways and rows of Italian restaurants and family businesses is basically the same as going back in time.

O is for Opportunity

One of the most special experiences of the internship was attending Her Campus’s annual conference, Her Conference, in NYC. It was an incredible opportunity to network with and hear from inspiring panelists and keynote speakers—and being in New York with the interns was also a ton of fun. I’m thankful for all the opportunities I’ve had this summer!

P is for Pen and paper

People in all professions have tools that are important to them. Though my laptop is without-a-doubt my most-used tool, I’m still a pen and paper lover at heart. In my mind, opening a blank Word doc does the trick, but it can’t be compared with the magic of cracking open a notebook and clicking on my favorite pen(s).

Q is for Quincy Market

This tourist trap is extremely crowded and a little overwhelming (and overpriced), but it’s worth a visit. This food market is full of different vendors and has everything from lobster rolls and pizza to huge bagels and sick-looking bakery items.

R is for Roam if you want to

Advice for city-goers: the iPhone “Maps” app can come in handy, but trying to keep up with the directions is sometimes more confusing than it is to just walk and follow street signs like they did in the pre-smartphone days. The best discoveries (and views) happen without Siri!

S is for Sunsets

I’ll miss the views of the Charles River from the BU bridge—especially when the sunset looked extra special, like this night.

T is for Tortaria

Exhibit A of “The best discoveries happen without Siri”—finding the most amazing guacamole-clad restaurant in NYC, Tortaria, with my fellow intern, Ashleigh. Simply put, this taco joint wasn’t on Google Maps… so the fact that we found it was pure destiny.

U is for Up, up and away

Leaving Boston has made for some hard goodbyes, but this is still just the beginning of more than I can even imagine, and there’s so much to look forward to.

V is for Video

You guessed it: Here are some highlights of my summer in video form!

W is for World Trade Center

When I was in NYC for Her Conference, I also paid a visit to the 9/11 Memorial. It was my first time seeing the finished memorial, which is incredibly powerful and beautiful.

X is for HCXO

‘X’ is always the hardest one! What am I supposed to put!? X-ray? Xylophone? The only logical option I could think of was HCXO, which is a figure of speech (of sorts) in the Her Campus community. Just like sports teams have chants (“Go Gators!” / “Orange! Blue!” “O-H! I-O!”, etc.), Her Campus has HCXO, an expression that has become an iconic part of the community (and a popular email signature).

Y is for You’ve got this

When I first arrived in Boston in June, I was excited, but it still felt surreal—and I was nervous that my experience would be a lot different than how I’d played it up to be in my head. The truth is that I did it—I lived here on my own and made the most of everything—and it just makes me more excited to return to a city such as Boston in the future.

Z is for “the memZ”

“The mems” (spelled with a Z in this case) is just a Millennial-esque way to say “the memories.” From new friendships and invaluable professional experience to Boston adventures and intern inside jokes, it’s safe to say that this summer has made for too many “memZ” to count.

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Here’s to returning to Florida with so much more than I could’ve ever imagined—new skills, perspectives, friendships and experiences.

Until next time,

Darcy