The Blog
what my brain is thinking today.
Coping With Spiraling Thoughts
Just like this staircase, I know quarantine can feel like a swirl of emotions. It twists your stomach in knots, and allows you so so much time to think.
While this can be a good thing since you get time to reflect, it can also leave time for your thoughts to spiral out of control.
When this happens, which is more often than I’d like to admit, I like to remind myself of my life before quarantine. I like to think about my blessings and what is waiting for me just over the horizon.
The reality is, the “old life” before quarantine you once felt happiest in is still there - you just might not be able to see it well right now!
Think about it, you are still you, your dreams are still the same - if not even bigger now! Think of it like huge tree branch on the sidewalk blocking your walking path. Even though there’s a roadblock in front, the path itself has not lost it’s identity! Yes, the path might look a little different, but once that branch is cleared, the end goal of continuing on the walk is still there!
I’m not sure if this makes sense, but what I mean to say is that although this time in history sucks (we all know), you still have so much left to discover in life! I find focusing on the big picture helpful when I get overwhelmed with current situations. Although we’re always reminded to be “living in the present,” it’s okay to be excited for the future too!!
Simple DIYs from a Non-Crafty Person
Looking for simple DIYs that are actually doable? Cause believe me, I’m NOT a skilled craftsman lol!
After a suggestion for a YouTube video from my good pal, Miss Molly Gaffney herself😌, I decided to try two easy DIYs to cure my boredom!
There’s been a big fashion trend recently with tie dye - but instead of tie dye, people are using bleach on regular clothes to get the dye effect. Thus came the name bleach dye. I found out how to do it online, after watching a plethora of videos and different people’s advice. In my YouTube video (linked above), I explained the process step-by-step, but I think sometimes it’s easier to have a bulleted list to follow! So here are my recommendations:
what you’ll need:
- bleach/cleaner with bleach (I literally used Clorox toilet bowl cleaner lol)
- rubber bands
- old shirt
- gloves
instructions:
Wet the shirt and tie it into a ball with the rubber bands.
Spray one side with bleach and wait 15 minutes.
Spray the other side with bleach and wait another 15 minutes.
Untie the shirt and wash it with cold water for the amount of time you usually would wash items.
Dry the shirt like you regularly would and BAM now you’re “trendy!”
Next up in the video, I decided to make my own cold brew coffee, simply because we ran out in my house ha! Now I know this is a super easy process that most of the country has figured out, but this was my first time trying to brew my own and I was super impressed with the results (being I’m nowhere close to a barista)!
what you’ll need (to make a pitcher):
- 8 cups of water
- 1 ounce of choice coffee roast (I chose the medium roast blend from Starbucks)
instructions:
Pour 1 ounce of choice coffee roast & 8 cups of water into a pitcher.
Stir until you see the typical dark color (highkey looks like iced tea).
Refrigerate this for approx. 12 hours (I left mine in the fridge overnight).
After 12 hours, strain the congealed coffee on the surface out, until only liquid is left (I strained mine 3 or 4 times to fully get the liquid result).
Note: Straining is easiest when having coffee filters, but this also can be done with a regular strainer & paper towel overtop.
Pour into a glass & enjoy (or add your fave creamer like I did)!
Overall, I had so much fun doing this video, and definitely surprised myself with how good the results turned out!! I would definitely recommend these DIYs if you’re a beginner and the have time!!
Get Uncomfy!
A few days ago, I challenged myself to try something for a YouTube video that I had been putting off for awhile. I wanted to recreate celebrity photos, but I was unsure if I’d be comfortable enough to actually post the photos. So here we go!
These are some photos that I took from the video on a self timer, literally just in my house impersonating celebrities 😂. I’m not gonna lie, I had a lot of fun during the process too! Looking at the photos definitely makes me a little self conscious, but it was a fun day and a moment where I wasn’t bored, so want to share them!
This made me think of how much people overthink their social media posts. We’re all trying so hard to create this perfect image of ourself, that sometimes we forget we should be posting what makes us happy & not what makes us look perfect (believe me this is a battle with me sometimes too).
My good friend once told me that if someone does like what your posting, they can just unfollow you (and that’s their loss may I add)! It shouldn’t be something that requires so much stress. The original idea of social media was to share things you like it and to stay connected with one another (as weird as that is being digital).
“If someone follows you, they’re interested in what you’re doing. So post what makes you feel good!” - Teddy
I know social media might be a huge deal for some, and mean absolutely nothing to others, but I think this is a good thought to keep in the back of your head if you need it!
Why I Love Icecream
So I was asked by the lovely Molly Gaffney to talk about icecream! What a fun topic right?
I tried to think of a way to tie this into a bigger picture, and at first I struggled, but then it came to me while surfing the internet lol!
I’m always joking around about loving icecream…it’s literally my THING lol! I know it sounds wayyyy too deep, but I have such happy memories getting ice-cream with my family at the beach or with friends around town, that it’s become such a positive thing in my life haha!
This is a simple post, but I’m curious to know what your happy things are! What do you look forward to? What’s something that can always put a smile on your face?
College Dance
YES. Let me start off by saying that real quick. Wow where do I begin?
Okay so, dance has been such a huge part of my life. As corny as it sounds, in this crazy, changing world, dance seems to be one main constant in my life. My interests have obviously changed over time, but I think dancing is one thing I’ll never get tired of.
Disclaimer: now I’m not saying that I’m this incredible professional by ANY means LOL. I just know how much joy it brings me and I never want to forget the feeling I get when I’m performing, or simply dancing around the house annoying my family.
Any dancer will tell you, when they dance, their troubles go away. Your world is reset for a moment and you’re simply living in that moment. I know this sounds superrrr cheesy, but it’s 100% true.
When I got to college, I’m not gonna lie, I was extremely nervous about how dance was gonna go. I knew that I wanted to keep dance in my life, but I was unsure about how to go about it. I put on my “brave shy freshman girl tennis skirt” (lol #iykyk), and I took myself to the activities fair at Penn State. My first goal was to obviously search for the club dance section. This is where I found my current dance team, Rêve Dance Company!!
We’re a smaller dance team that focuses on all different types of dance! We’ve gotten to perform at a ton of school events and functions like parades, talent shows, showcases, and even Penn State’s THON (literally one of the BEST experiences in the world…tell me I’m wrong…jk don’t… just trust me on this one, it’s amazing).
Let me tell you how GLAD I am that I tried out for Rêve! These girls have literally become my family and are some of my closest friends at Penn State!! After being in the studio together 24/7 and hanging out outside of practice, I can genuinely say that I feel like these girls know me better than myself sometimes!!
For me, having a smaller community within a school of 46,000 was SO huge! It’s made an at-first daunting place feel like a home for me :)
My overall point is, if you’re passionate about something, DO THAT SHIZ! Do whatever it takes to make yourself happy! I know that’s super easy to say, but I can’t imagine what I would’ve missed out on if I had let my fears stop me from trying out and continuing to pursue something I love!
The Crazy Timing of Life
Have you ever really sat down and thought how wild the timing of life is? This kinda hurt my brain to think about so prepare yourself lol!
Think about the people in your life and the friends you’ve made. You could’ve been alive at any point in time in history, but you’re alive at the same time with the friends and loved ones you have now.
Think about how all your life experiences have led you to this exact moment in time - you reading this post. Personally, when I think hard about the quote “it’s up to the universe” or “if it’s meant to be it will be” - it’s beautiful yet super strange!
Life is so unpredictable and random. While this can lead to hardship and stress, this is also what keeps life interesting! Isn’t that wild?
Recently, I got a suggestion to talk about my puppy Tank, and I think he’s honestly a great example of this concept! My family (and the entire world obvi) had no idea there was a pandemic coming when we decided to get a dog. We could’ve gotten Tank at any other time in history, but we brought him home a month before the quarantine began. Some will call this luck (and it probably is), but I think it’s such a beautiful blessing that came out of the weird timing of life!
This made me think about the world’s overall situation right now. The world is sad and scared at the moment, but maybe after all this there’s an even bigger blessing looming on the horizon for us?
While sometimes it would definitely be nice to control the world (trust me I’m an intense over thinker), I think leaving it up life’s crazy timing is somewhat freeing in a way!
The Perfect Date
Recently, I was asked what my ideal date would be. Let me #expose myself real quick and say I’ve never dated anyone (big oof I know)!
But for some reason, I always find myself giving my friends relationship advice….I don’t know why either! People always say “the coaches don’t play the game” right? 😫
Anyways, I started to think about the advice I’ve given people in the past and what it would be like to be in a relationship. I thought about my “ideal date” and honestly, it was a super clear answer for me….that I didn’t care!
I think there’s so much pressure now, since social media is so prominent, to have the “perfect” date with everything meticulously planned out. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a sucker for those cheesy couples posts and can definitelyyyyyy be a hopeless romantic sometimes.
But for me, my perfect date would be plain and simple. Whether we’re getting coffee or having a moonlight picnic, I just want to be able to be myself. That’s it! I think the best date would be one where I would feel comfortable being me.
One of the best feelings in the world for me is how comfortable I feel with my closest friends. I don’t have to act or be a certain way, I can just be my weirdo self without judgement.
I know a simple date isn’t a life-long marriage proposal and it will inevitably be uncomfortable at first, but I think it’s an important thing for me to be able to be myself (as cheesy as it sounds) around the person…
…and if all else fails in the future, I’ll just sign up for the Bachelor 😉
A Complete Guide to Adventures in Eastern PA
Entrance to Hawk Falls
Hawk Falls
Conestoga House & Gardens
The White Cliffs of Conoy
Twin Valley Coffee
Hello! As per request by queen Gina (@stuffginadoes), I present you with a comprehensive list of adventures in eastern PA!
I say eastern because beyond centralized State College, I have not been to many places in western Pennsylvania if I’m being honest (so Pittsburgh friends don’t come for me, I know who you are hehe).
Disclaimer: obviously, please don’t go venturing to these places right now, while we’re in quarantine. Please stay home and keep your social distance if you have to go out!
So here we go, I will try my best to provide visuals through YouTube links and the photos, since I’ve made videos in most of these places hehe :)
Adventures in Eastern Pennsylvania
Philadelphia
I’ll always love Philly so this is an obvious choice for me hehe. If you’ve never been to the city I would suggest visiting: Rittenhouse Square, The Philadelphia Art Museum (where the famous “Rocky Steps” are located), Fairmount Park, and Old City Philadelphia (my favorite spots in Old City are Elfreth’s Alley and The Franklin Fountain Ice-cream Shop on Market Street).
Bushkill Falls (Pocono Mountains, PA)
According to the internet, this is considered the “Niagara Falls of Pennsylvania.” My mom and I went here and loved it! There were many trails, overlooks, and the waterfall was huge! I will warn you though, there were MANY steep steps - so take caution lol!
Glen Onoko Falls (Jim Thorpe, PA)
Glen Onoko Falls was by far my favorite waterfall adventure I’ve had! When we went, you actually could climb up the cliffs around the waterfall to the top of the falls. Unfortunately, I think this part of the hike has been closed since we went 2 years ago, but I do think the park it’s located in is still open for hikes! It’s a beautiful place to visit regardless, and the info about the park is all over the internet!
Lehigh Gorge State Park
This state park is BEAUTIFUL. We were able to see many things here in one trip because they were pretty close by and easy to get to!
We first went to Hawk Falls (Albrightsville, PA). This trail was super scenic, however, I will warn you that the entrance to it looks super sketchy - HA. It’s literally just a break in a guardrail on the side of the road near a parking lot. However, it is a very well-known trail in the area and very safe! It’s a known tourist attraction so have no fear! We next visited a really cool field of rocks in Lake Harmony, PA. Yes you read that right….a field of rocks. But the cool thing is, as dull as it sounds it was SUPER interesting and the farthest thing from dull. There’s a whole history about how the rocks got there/the spiritual legends around it online. Definitely worth a visit!
Finally, just walk around the park! There’s a beautiful river nearby and many waterfalls in the area.
Raymondskill & Dingmans Falls (Delaware Water Gap, PA)
So these waterfalls are located right on the border of northeastern PA and NJ. Although this is a farther venture, they are bigger falls and definitely worth the trip! The trail has many photo-worthy spots and cute bridges along the way!
Ringing Rocks County Park & Fonthill Castle
I highlighted these areas in this vlog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRCGHmXDqlA&list=PLCPq-ooVQ7cvyvhKkw-zVx3fZYZ5BuXW5&index=30 .
Ringing Rocks County Park is located in Upper Black Eddy, PA. It’s another park that has a waterfall (only when it’s rainy out though) and another cool rock field. The thing about these rocks is that they make a really interesting metallic/clanking/hollow-ish sound when you hit them with something (a ton of people legit bring hammers into the woods to do this so don’t be alarmed lol) due to the type of rock they are.
Another cute place near here is called Fonthill Castle. This place reminded me of like a Pennsylvania version of the Downton Abbey castle in England. It was owned by a wealthy man who owned a textile company! There are scheduled tours of the inside of the castle you can go on once you’re there (my mom and I didn’t have time to go inside, but it looked super cool)!
If you’re in the area and hungry, I would also suggest going to downtown Doylestown for a quick bite to eat! This is located near Delaware Valley College, so it kind of has the feel of a college town, with a fancier twist on it! Very cute boutiques and places to eat! I loved walking around this town!
Lancaster, PA
Lancaster is a little more west than the previous places I described. It’s less in the woods, and more open land/rolling hills if that’s what you’re looking for.
Lancaster itself is such a cute city. It gives off Old Town Philly vibes with cute brick walls and cobblestone streets. It also has the BEST places to eat and get coffee wow. Some of our favorite include: Prince Street Cafe, Rachel’s Crepes, and Square One Coffee - got the best caramel latte of my life here. We’ve made multiple an appearance here in my vlogs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmkf0-DfTw4&list=PLCPq-ooVQ7cvyvhKkw-zVx3fZYZ5BuXW5&index=28
Another really cool place to take photos is a place called Conestoga House & Gardens. It’s literally just a HUGE estate that’s open to the public. This was the place we called “The PA Palace of Versailles” or “The Bachelorette Mansion of PA.” It was super cool and I’d definitely go back! It’s right in the city of Lancaster too, just double check the times it’s open before you go. You are allowed to take as many photos and videos as you want, just not for commercial purposes obviously. Here’s the vlog where we visited the house and gardens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unP13pxsq_E&list=PLCPq-ooVQ7cvyvhKkw-zVx3fZYZ5BuXW5&index=12
The White Cliffs of Conoy (Bainbridge, PA)
This was the area highlighted in my vlog titled “Surfacing the Moon.” I made this trip right after visiting Lancaster because it’s super easy to get to from the city (we went while we were waiting to pick up my sister from the Lancaster train station).
Located about a half hour outside of Lancaster, it is DEFINITELY a pretty long walk. The walk isn’t hard at all, since the road is paved, but about one way is 4 miles….so just keep that in mind if you’re not up for a long walk LOL. The total trip took about 2 hours to complete (plus videos and pictures of course by the rocks). You feel like you walk for forever, but once you pass the clearing I described in the vlog, the view is so worth it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFg8a7q-388&list=PLCPq-ooVQ7cvyvhKkw-zVx3fZYZ5BuXW5&index=10
Chickies Rock County Park (Chickies Hill Road, Colombia, PA)
So let me preface this place. Yes, this was the video where Madi and I got significantly lost. The address you’ll see online will take you to the top overlook (where we were in the beginning of the video). There are different trails that you’ll see leading down to the water…where we were trying to get all along.
We ended up going the wrong way and hiking down a very intense trail (WOOPS). When you reach the trail, there is a sign that gives you the option to go to Marietta, PA or Colombia, PA. We chose to go to Marietta, PA which I DON’T suggest.
Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with the area, it was a super beautiful trail. However, this direction leads you back to the road and not down towards the water.
Although we didn’t go to Colombia, PA, we noticed afterwards that Colombia was the address of the water gap we were looking for in the first place…. so dumb move on our part lol!
Here’s the video for reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5THAXQbxoUE&list=PLCPq-ooVQ7cvyvhKkw-zVx3fZYZ5BuXW5&index=27
(We also chose a very hot day to do this hike, so I would suggest STOCKING up on water so you don’t run out like we did haha)!
Twin Valley Coffee (Twin Valley, PA) & Poole Forge (Narvon, PA)
If you follow any of my media, you known that I’m a coffee FIEND. So let me tell you something about Twin Valley Coffee. This is by far one of my favorite coffee shops EVER. They make incredible drinks and the people there are SO nice!
My order (that I HIGHLY suggest you get) is an iced toddy with nitro cold brew and French vanilla creamer. Yes, that sounds like a lot, but the people there will walk you through it all if you’ve never been don’t worry.
Also, if you’ve never been here before, I will warn you that it’s very easy to miss! It’s a tiny gazebo on the side of the road (it’s right across from Sonic for reference). There’s always a TON of cars there, and there will be a sign next to the road saying ‘Twin Valley Coffee.’ Yes, that sounds weird, but TRUST me and any local when I say that this coffee is so worth it!!!!
Poole Forge is a place that’s about 20 minutes out from Twin Valley Coffee. It’s another cute place for photos that is open to the public (once again check the times). The grounds are super pretty and if you’re looking for your next outdoor photoshoot, this is the spot! I took my senior pictures here and can attest that it’s great for photos! The drive there is also very scenic and farmland-y (lol that’s Pennsylvania for ya).
We visited both these places in this vlog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhq2whCf0GI&list=PLCPq-ooVQ7cvyvhKkw-zVx3fZYZ5BuXW5&index=2
THAT’S IT! That is my master list of must-see places in eastern Pennsylvania!
If you are interested in visiting these places, or have further questions, feel free to shoot me and email or DM on instagram (@marybeefilms)! I’d be happy to give more you specifics! If you do visit these places for an adventure, tag me so I can see!! :)
Happy Easter
Happy Easter!! 🐰🐣 (if you celebrate it)
Even though we’re isolated today, there is still so much beauty in celebrating!!
Here’s a little list of some things that made me happy today:
Serenading Madi with a horrendous rendition of happy birthday
Giving my friends Caitlyn and Bryan a random house tour at 2am
Struggling to make whipped coffee with my mom and sister
Surprising my siblings with ratchet Easter baskets filled with things I found in my desk drawer
Having an Easter egg hunt that lasted a soaring 1 minute
(I guess that’s why it’s not meant for a 15, 19, and 22 year old....)
Receiving a super sweet message from @lorissjerezz
And dressing up and having our annual photoshoot (and still wincing at the bees flying around based on the second pic lol)
I hope you have a great day!! 🐣🐰
Zoom University: How to Survive It
So by now, we’ve all gotten over the “honeymoon phase” of this quarantine. As comforting as it is to be home, this two-month long “spring break” isn’t necessarily comfortable.
But that’s okay!
I think we all forget to give ourselves a break once in a while. We all strive to be so great that we get mad at ourselves when there’s a set back. We even get mad at ourselves for being mad!
Even though I’m incredibly grateful and fortunate enough to be safely quarantined and in good health, I still recognize that it this will be a time where I will have to continuously work at being positive.
Thanks to my good pal Teddy (@teddy_cebulski), I was given the recommendation of talking about balancing school and home life! So here we go…
Before I start the list, I want to add that this is an easily attainable list (not too ambitious or over the top). I know there are a bunch of “ways to achieve success” out there, but they often seem super hard to actually do.
May I present to you a so-called “master list” of tips & ideas that help me keep life balanced right now:
Try to keep your school routine as normal to the regular times as possible to help you stay productive.
Obviously there are exceptions here - don’t overkill this if you’re in high school. I know 7 hours straight on a computer is SUPER intense.
Be kind to yourself!
Try to allow yourself to feel emotions you’re not comfortable feeling, like anger & sadness. I’ve found that letting myself feel things fully is easier than pretending like the emotions aren’t there.
Make more time for what makes you happy!
This is super easy to push aside right now to make time for “work,” but I think it’s equally important for your mental health to do activities you actually enjoy. This could be taking time to FaceTime a friend, exercising, or even failing to create DIY projects - my favorite current activity. Whatever it is, make it a crucial part of your day & schedule that in! Your happiness is worth more than the “work” ever will (but also like …don’t fail school either….lol).
Finally, recognize that this is happening to everyone, everywhere.
It’s so easy to feel alone right now, but this is not true!! We have to take a step back and realize that even though we are separated, this is literally a global pandemic.
A global pandemic people.
This means the emotions you’re feeling right now are probably felt by millions as well. Yes, it’s easy to generalize, but I think it can help us feel less lonely when we put it in perspective. We’re all fighting this together, and as cliché as it sounds, we’ll all get through this together.
My email and comments are always open to talk if anyone needs anything at all. Please don’t hesitate to reach out, and hang in there!
Feelings
What. A. Word. LOL.
This single word could literally have a thousand definitions. I think when most people hear the word “feelings” they associate it with romance in a way.
My friends and I often joke around that we hate that word! You’re always telling yourself “don’t catch feelings, it’s a trap!” Which could be true, but what if it didn’t have to be a negative word?
I think it’s interesting how people associate different experiences or emotions with different words. For example, if I say to you “ugh, gag me with a spoon” or “that’s radical man,” you might first, look at me like I’m a psycho, and second, think about a previous time in life when those sayings might have been popular. You may even associate a time in your life to when those words were more relevant.
Obviously, people having “feelings” for each other is not a new concept. But I think the internet has taken the word “feelings” and twisted it into something people associate with relationships, and dating. This one word could unfortunately have negative effects on people as well.
But what if someone didn’t have that same experience? What if the word “feelings” could be associated with its original meaning, how you felt in the moment?
I chose this picture specifically because when I look back at this moment, all the “feelings” that were running through my head come back. This was taken in a small, coastal town in Spain called Tossa de Mar. It was the most quaint town I’ve ever seen, and I had so much admiration for the local culture there. After our trip, I decided it was one of my favorite places in the world.
I remember thinking to myself that it was a moment I didn’t want to forget. More importantly, I don’t want to forget what I felt being there.
I realize now that the “feelings” I have throughout my experiences become the most important part of the event for me. Who knew one eight-letter word could mean so much?!
The Leap of Faith
“Take a Leap of Faith!”
We’ve all heard this expression since we were little. But what does it really mean?
Personally, I don’t think there’s one meaning to the phrase. I think it’s a beautiful thing that it could mean something different to each person. Ultimately, everyone has their own struggles and worries they go through, whether we want to admit it to ourselves or not.
Obviously not everything can be “left to the universe” to decide, but isn’t it incredibly freeing to just “take a leap of faith” and let things happen for you?
I want you to go back and read the first sentence of this post. What first came to your mind when you read that?
Whatever that thing you were thinking was… I hope it all works out for you ;)
The Thing About Trends
Do you remember when peace signs were “the trend?” I’m thinking like early 2000s not the 1960-70s. I’m talking peace sign wall decor, peace sign outfits,”throwing up the peace sign” hand gesture, and even peace sign earrings! If you think this is crazy, it 100% is….but I’d also be lying to you if I said my friends and I weren’t the BIGGEST culprits of the peace sign fad.
What’s interesting to me is that this symbol being everywhere obviously wasn’t new, and had been used in decades past. Even so, the trend seemed like it took over for some time, and now is just a distant memory we look back and cringe at while seeing old photos.
This concept of trends fading in and out isn’t a new idea, and has been happening ever since humans have had capacity to start something and copy each other. But I wonder what makes these ideas so appealing? What makes everyone want to start “hopping on the trend?” Is it weird for those who have lived through both the time of the original trend and its rebirth?
The popular “trend” I see taking over the internet now (even though it’s an app so I guess it’s bigger than a trend) is definitely Tik Tok. Don’t get me wrong, dancing with my little sister or making funny videos to pre-existing sounds is super fun (I’ve guiltily tried to learn a popular dance on the app, “the renegade,” hundreds of times)!
But I remember when Tik Tok first came out, people were skeptical and hesitant to join. I remember thinking to myself, “that’s not very original” or “it’s just a copy of the old app, Vine.” Whether that’s true or not, the app seemed to take off overnight!
So this has me thinking back to my 8 year-old peace sign-loving self. Could she have started a trend? Does the trend have to be something extraordinarily new to catch people’s attention? Or does just the right person being bored enough to copy someone get a trend started?
I’m sure there’s a ton of research done about this, but honestly, how do we know the definite answers? Maybe I’m overanalyzing or maybe I’m just super bored myself! Who knows, but I’m excited to see (and probably take part in) whatever trends come in the future!
Why I Point a Camera in Your Face
So, there’s many reasons why I love to make films. I mentioned a few in my “A Little Background” post, but I thought I’d share one of the most meaningful part of the process for me.
If you’re a close friend or family member of mine, you’re probably used to me pointing a camera in your face and recording funny or memorable moments we experience.
Although this is a fun hobby for me, it really is part of something so much bigger for me. Making videos is a way for me to keep my memories alive. I have the privilege of recording moments so that I can feel how I did in that moment again.
While there are many downsides to technology, I think it is also such a blessing. Our memories don’t have to be so distant anymore because now we can almost relive exactly what we were feeling and seeing through the screen.
In times like these, where I miss more than anything the feeling of adventuring with my friends, I can look back at those old videos and remind myself that those times will come back.
Like I said before, my goal when making videos is to have my audience feel something. Whether they were actually pictured in the video or not, I hope that it reminds them of a time in their life where they felt alive.
I don’t ever know if my thoughts make sense or sound cohesive, but what I do know, is the feeling I get when I think about the moments in my life I had the gift of living through - and recording along the way! :)
Morning Coffee
(My grandmother’s banana bread and iced cold brew :D )
So, it’s not really morning. In reality, it’s probably around 12 or 1:00. I should definitely be eating lunch, and I’ve already consumed more coffee than water.
I’ve never been a morning person….like ever. I’m pretty much notorious in my family for being the hardest child to wake up and get ready in the morning.
But, quarantine has made me really appreciate the simplicity of the morning. Coming downstairs, making breakfast and coffee, and getting a huge greeting from my dog, have become the highlight of my day! Things I used to take for granted are my entire world now.
Even though times can be boring right now, I've challenged myself each day to find the day’s “highlight.” Obviously every day won’t have a huge life-changing moment - and I’m still trying my best to learn this - but picking a positive each day like a “morning coffee” to focus on has really helped me :)
A little background…
Let’s get to know each other!
I’ve been told by my parents that my love of film began when I was 12 years old and discovered that I could make my own movies on a computer (lol shoutout to them for watching the countless horrible films I made as a preteen OOF).
My mom said that when we’d watch movies, I would point out little things like the angle a certain scene was shot from, or the lighting on different characters. Yes, SUPER nerdy I know, but it always fascinated me!
Fast forward a few years and I’m making videos non-stop and studying it in college! I find it so interesting that a film can move people to think differently or manipulate its audience in certain ways.
For example, when you are introduced to a main character in a film, whether they’re a good, moral person or not, you always seem to associate yourself with that character. In a sense, no matter who they are, you’re invested in watching their story play out in some way. I think that’s what makes film so beautiful. It’s a make-believe way to make people feel real emotions.
Hello!
Welcome to my website!!
My name is Mary Banco - my friends call me Mary Bee -and I’m a current sophomore at Penn State University Park. I’ve been wanting to do this for awhile, and after some encouragement, I thought it would be a great way to share some extra thoughts with you! I upload a bunch of YouTube videos every month (linked at the top right hehe) and I thought it might be interesting to tell you more about what goes on behind the scenes! I have a passion for making videos and connecting with others and I’m super excited to share that with you!!