A Piece of Taylor's Story
Meet Taylor Cones; an easy-going student who doesn't sweat the small stuff. Her laid-back attitude has helped her adjust while studying abroad in Spain! Read more about who inspires her most, her love for northern Spain, and how she unwinds after a long day! Thanks Taylor!
WHAT ARE YOU UP TO RIGHT NOW? ARE YOU IN SCHOOL, WORK?
Right now, I am struggling through my last year of college. I am so eager to graduate that my motivation for studying is rapidly decreasing! I have had a great experience at Calvin, but I am ready to move on.
WHAT'S YOUR DAILY ROUTINE LIKE? ANY UNIQUE MORNING RITUALS?
My morning routine involves hitting the snooze button a few times, walking around in my robe while I figure out what to wear and probably finishing up last minute assignments before class. Lately, I have been doing this thing called "oil pulling" in the morning. Basically, I swish coconut oil around in my mouth for 15-20 minutes each morning. It's supposed to remove bacteria and toxins from your mouth. Another ritual (requirement) is to tame my eyebrows before I leave the house. Shout out to Anastasia Dip Brow!
WHAT DOES YOUR IDEAL DAY LOOK LIKE FROM START TO FINISH?
This is a great question. My ideal day would start with waking up at 9am. in my opinion, this is the perfect time to wake up. I would then walk my dog (I don't currently have a dog, but I plan on having one in the future) and once our walk is finished I would make a healthy breakfast for myself. There would be music blasting all throughout my home; I don't believe in cooking without music playing. Once breakfast is done, I would go to my work station because ideally, I will be working from home. After my workday is complete, I would meet my friends for drinks and then return home to watch Netflix with my dog. The end.
HOW DO YOU REPRESENT THE TRAIT EASY GOING? IS THERE A MOTTO YOU LIVE BY THAT EXPLAINS YOUR EASY GOING NATURE?
I represent the trait through my calm and laid-back attitude. While I do have moments when I may freak out, I tend to be very calm about most situations. I don't have a specific motto that I live by, but for most situations that may seem stressful, I usually just say "oh well" and continue on. If there's nothing I can do about the situation, I try not to dwell too much about it.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO UNWIND FROM A BUSY DAY? ANY TIPS ON HOW TO RELAX?
My favorite way to unwind from a busy day is to put on a face mask and watch YouTube videos. My tips on how to relax: spend time with yourself, read a good book, FaceTime with your best friends, eat your favorite meal and drink wine.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR SEMESTER ABROAD! WHAT WAS IT LIKE? THE BEST AND WORST?
My semester abroad was the most amazing experience of my adult life. At first, I was slightly nervous to go to Spain because I knew very little about the country. When I arrived, my nerves quickly faded away and I was overcome by the beauty of the country. There are so many great things that I could say about Spain. My favorite moments were going out with my friends and walking around the various cities until the early morning. The worst experience I had while in Spain was when I had to open up a bank account. That's when I realized how much I sucked at speaking Spanish.
ASIDE FROM BEING EASY GOING, WHAT ARE THREE OTHER PERSONALITY TRAITS THAT DESCRIBE YOURSELF AND HOW SO?
Passionate, Intelligent, Loyal. When I become passionate about a particular thing, I cannot stop talking about it. My passionate nature has gotten me into interesting situations because I feel strongly about what I stand for.
Intelligent goes along with passionate. I believe that I am pretty knowledgable on things that I am passionate about. However, being intelligent doesn't mean that I know everything. Being intelligent means admitting when I am wrong and being able to learn from others.
Loyalty is very important to me. I make a daily commitment to be loyal to God, myself, and those around me.
DOES BEING EASY GOING HELP WHEN YOU TRAVEL TO NEW PLACES, OR HAS IT BEEN CHALLENGING?
It definitely helped me in the past. When you are traveling, things usually do not go as planned. Being easy going has allowed me to be flexible when plans changed in an instant.
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE SPOTS FROM SPAIN? ANY PLACES WORTH MENTIONING IN CASE WE EVER VISIT?
In my opinion, Spain is known for its southern cities. While I loved all of the cities in the south of Spain, I think northern Spain deserves a bit more credit. The north is a lot more laid back and quieter, which is what I loved about it. I remember visiting a beach called La Playa de Las Catedrales and it was beautiful! That is a must see!
WHO IS YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION AND WHY?
My biggest inspiration is my mother. She's so cool and stylish and funny. My mother is a very selfless and compassionate person, so I always strive to model her in my daily interactions. Another inspiration of mine is Elaine Welteroth. She is the current editor-in-chief in Conde Nast's history (she's 29). She is also the second African-American to do so in that company! Mind you, Conde Nast has been around for many years. Since she has made the transition into a new position, there has been a major shift in the stories that Teen Vogue publishes. I feel as though their stories are a lot more real and relevant to what's going on in our society. It's amazing how content can change once you put the right person in charge; she has allowed women of all different backgrounds to share their voice in an honest way #BlackGirlMagic
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN FIVE YEARS FROM NOW?
Lord willing, I will be living in a place where it does not snow, sharing a one bedroom loft with my dog and debt free.
Check out more from Taylor below!
Email: taylorhcones@gmail.com