Welcome back to The Darcy Diaries, which has been on a mini-hiatus for the first chunk of this year, as I’ve had my plate full with school and lots of other writing — and (in true Millennial fashion) I’ve just needed a teensy break from the blog to “get my life together.”

It’s now mid-March, aka mid-semester… aka I’m almost a senior (*insert wide-eyed Emoji here*). And as a junior-going-on-senior, I’ve realized that a lot of the day-to-day college frustrations or ordeals that seem life-altering are really not. My focus has shifted a lot toward the future, and right now, I’m feeling really excited about what the near future has in store.

I’m on the cusp of my last summer as a student, which is crazy to think about because summers have always been an important part of my life. From ages eight to 16, I spent some of the best summers with some of the best people I’ve ever known at a camp GUCI in Indiana. I made friends for life, wrote handwritten letters to my parents every week and (somehow) survived the midwest heat advisories without air-conditioning.

I even had my fair share of interesting summer swim camp experiences — which came with their own lessons (i.e. the first and last time I ever locked myself out of a dorm room, circa 2009 at the University of Michigan), laughs and levels of exhaustion.

I took a screenwriting class, went to Israel with camp friends, studied abroad and lived in Boston. Each summer has brought something different, exciting and valuable.

This summer, I’ll be taking on the Big Apple as I intern for The Style Line, a website I’ve been admiring from afar for a few years. I was introduced to The Style Line via an article on Twitter. I immediately loved it, and I’ve been following it ever since.

Earlier this month, I was sitting in my signature spot in Library West. (It’s the quiet section on the second floor, the part with the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook University Avenue — because it’s good people-watching.) It was right then and there that I emailed The Style Line’s CEO and Editor-in-Chief, Rachel, unsure when I would hear anything about the nonexistent position I applied for — if I would get a response at all.

Less than an hour later, fireworks went off in my head as I landed a phone call for an internship with this platform I’ve admired for a long time.

Fast forward a few weeks later, and things have fallen into place in an unexpected and exciting way — the way I used to think was only possible in novels or movies. This summer, I’ll be working alongside The Style Line’s inspiring CEO and Editor-in-Chief, writing stories, content for brands and helping with lots of other creative projects — big and small.

Time and time again, I’m reminded that very rarely is there a linear, black-and-white path to happiness, success — anything, really — especially when it comes to searching for what’s right and wrong in a creative field.

And instead of being frustrated over the uncertainty that comes with pursuing a career in this always-evolving media landscape and industry, I’ve drawn on inspiring mentor figures and a little  a lot of my own courage to embrace the fact that the only way to make it (see: dreams, aspirations, what I really want to do in life) work is to be persistent and to do everything I can to make it happen.

It’s not always easy to know when to say YOLO (you only live once) and cold-email an editor or when to sit back and wait — but in just the past few weeks, I’ve found that, as cheesy as it sounds, it does pay to take risks.

As I once learned in my reporting class: Unless you ask, the answer is always no.

That brings me to the song behind the title of today’s post. It’s “No Rights No Wrongs” by Jess Glynne. She’s best known for the single “Rather Be,” but if you’re ever in need of an uplifting beat, she has a lot of other great songs on her album “I Cry When I Laugh.”

I just love the lyrics of this one because it’s about trading in the pity parties for *making it work* and taking the leap, even when things are scary or uncertain.

no rights, no wrongs, take it from me
’cause the answers are living indefinitely
it’s time to face it, ’cause you can’t change it

Don’t get me wrong — I am overflowing with excitement about what I’m going to create, work on and learn this summer, but I also know there are going to be lots of new challenges that come with navigating New York (and I don’t just mean literal navigation or subway routes). All I can say is that the stories have only begun.

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If you need me from now until May, though, I’ll still be right here — in a Gainesville state of mind.

Until next time,

Darcy

See ya soon, NY.