Anchalee Pagsanjan

19. Even though it would be nice to say 21, I'm glad I'm only 19. I'm feeling old. My friends who are 20+ keep telling me "at least you're still a teen," but doesn't change how I feel about being 19. Well, goodbye 18. Hello 19.

For the past few birthdays, I've been going somewhere to celebrate. I'd rather so an activity than just eat dinner. So for this birthday, I went hiking!

Mt. Tammany trail near the Delaware River Gap was definitely a hike. In fact, I would like to say it was borderline rock-climbing. Crawling over the multitude of rocks and boulders has earned me my Wilderness Badge. I really want to get into hiking. I used to run in the trails of my local park for cross country but after this, nothing is comparable. Now, I want bigger, longer, and harder....trails of course. But here are the downsides: 1. Bears 2. Snakes

I think the best part of this trail was the waterfall. When I saw the waterfall, I turned into a 5 year old child in a candy store. Just shows how much I love nature. Truly a deep appreciation for it -- probably a photographer thing. I was so happy that we were able to wade in water. The super cold water felt so good on our sore muscles. Nature's ice baths for athletes. After a long day of hiking, I went to my favorite place to eat -- Sushi Palace. Well deserved all-you-can-eat sushi for a starving and tired girl.

A birthday shot exactly at 12:00am on July 6 with highschool friends over a bonfire was the perfect way to end my day. And the chocolate truffle cake was good.


Note To Self: Savor my 19th year. Because once I turn 20, I'm basically a grandma.