When Kate Was 18

Hi StressCase readers! This is "Cute Apartment" here, ie: Kate, from Diary of a Blonde. Check it:

 Whenever Nurse Bestie asks me to guest blog I jump at the chance. I was especially excited to write about what life was like when I was 18. I'm 26 now so it's crazy to look back to see how much I've grown and how far I've come since then. I'd like to say that it wasn't that long ago but it was... Almost a decade, and boy does it feel like it. I'm so old that I didn't have any digital photos of when I was 18, everything had to be scanned. So please excuse my picture quality and read on StressCasers. And enjoy!

When I was 18:

I thought I was with the man boy I was going to marry. We had been together since we were 15. He was my first for everything and he was my best friend. Although we are still friends, we hardly speak anymore. Crazy, I just received a high school graduation announcement in the mail from his triplet siblings who were just youngsters when I was 18.

My parents were still together. I think that their separation was for the best, but I remember a time when we were really happy together as a family. It was nice.

(This was the photo on our family Christmas cards the year I was 18.)

I went to Prom. We didn't do the whole stretch limo thing, and to be honest I think we might have only been at the actual prom for like 20 minutes. We were horny teenagers and went straight to our fancy hotel. My dress was beautiful though and I'll never forget the look on my dad's face when I came down the stairs. I felt like a million bucks.

I graduated High school.

I remember on the way home from the graduation rehearsal driving home to get ready, listening to this John Mayer song:

And wondering where on earth my life would take me. If only I knew what was in store!

I got my first new car! I had a 1999 Civic, and for my graduation present my grandma bought me my very own brand new 2004 Civic. I'm still driving it today, and while it has seen better days, it's been nothing but a good car to me.

I went out of the country to Cancun with my boyfriend to celebrate our graduation and took advantage of Mexico's 18 year old drinking laws.

(Our Hotel- The Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun. Say that 5 times fast!)

I suffered my first heart-break with boy above. I was moving for school and he was staying. It was a mutual decision but hurt nonetheless.

I moved away from my small little town for college. By myself. To the beautiful city of San Diego. 

(I took this photo, and it has always been one of my favorites.)

I studied fashion design, worked at Abercrombie & Fitch and found my own very cool new group of friends. I was hot stuff!

(I was so happy the moment this photo was taken. I remember feeling so independent and cool.)

Coincidentally 'Break Away' by Kelly Clarkson was a hit song when I left home. 

You better believe that I sang that song at the top of my lungs every time it came on the radio.

It's funny. As I'm writing this I am reminded at how great my life was, and still is, but it's nice to sometimes look back and remember. Thank you Casey for giving me the opportunity to reminisce about my life, when I was 18.