when i was little i always thought the flea market was the free market.

Just a bunch of casual slapped on. Today is one of those lazy days where I don't want to leave my room, but I had to throw out the trash and buy food and go to the mail room (where I was greeted with an empty mail box, surprise surprise). The dining hall is on holiday hours, meaning they close at three in the afternoon. In addition to shorter hours, there's also less food being served.

Lately I've been doing a lot of grocery shopping and cooking all of my dinners. I was going to buy instant ramen yesterday but I forgot, but I guess that's for the better. I bought two bags of groceries from Trader Joes, and they were heavier than I could handle but I had to get it back to my dorm so I toughed it out and pulled my back.

vest and pants from free market, jacket from forever 21, shawl thrifted from Atlantis Attic

A few of the things I wore today I got for free. When I went to the flea market as a kid, I didn't understand why you had to buy things instead of getting it for free. I always thought it was called the 'free market.' The same way I thought Valentine's Day was 'Valentimes.' I'd figured valen was a synonym for love.

A while back my school had posters around for a "free market," and they went around dorm rooms asking for donations from people of stuff they no longer wanted. Then they set up a table next to the cafeteria and had all of the donated items, and anyone could go and take things that they wanted. I think it's a really great idea. Recycling is good.

I think it went on for three days? Maybe four? I went every day and took something whenever I stopped by.
I got a pair of pants with my school name on it, which also happens to be my only school gear. There's the check shirt, and then the check vest, and also a pair of hipster glasses (not pictured) and a big Urban Outfitters eco tote that I took (not pictured). But the big winner is that bow belt! I can't get over how cute it is.

While the free market is closed for now, the students who were running it said that they're trying to make it a permanent thing, where we'd have a store on campus that we can donate to and all the donations would be given out for free. I'm excited for that.

Love, Kaia