Shadowing Practice: my first week in my new apartment... - Learn English Speaking with Video

Good morning guys, it's Syd and welcome back.

Today it is Monday, we're doing a week in the life, my dad's arm.

Dad you're in this.

Yeah, what am I supposed to say?

Hi!

We're doing another week in the life vlog.

It's Monday.

It's 10 a.m.

My dad is starting out the week with me because he's visiting me in New York.

I'm glad to be here.

I'm glad to be helping Sydney move to a new place for sure.

Oh, that's so nice.

I'm starting out my Monday very unusually.

I'm sitting on a park bench.

That's about it.

Because my dad's in town, we wanted to do something a little different.

We decided to walk a half an hour to the Brooklyn Bridge, which I've actually never been to or like walked on.

Said it's me, you, a few people, and a lot of pigeons.

My dad is a little dad jokey today.

We definitely got a lot of steps in, so I'm happy about that.

But it's so busy, guys.

Look.

So yeah, we're going to walk around, look at the views.

And then after, you already know what I'm going to be wanting to do after this.

So i'm not even gonna say it predict it in your mind and we'll circle back

I cannot believe i've lived in new york for almost two years

And this was my first time walking on the brooklyn bridge

that in itself is sad But i'm glad

that I finally did it really cool to do it with my dad too

After you already know where I ended up Hello testing can you hear me?

I hope so we are now in brooklyn my dad Decided to get pizza down the street, which I want to get some after this

But you already know what my priorities were after that walk if you guessed coffee You were correct.

I got an iced vanilla latte I wanted to try somewhere different, but I ended up going to Joe coffee,

which I'm pretty sure is a chain I was trying to find somewhere else, but this was like the most convenient I think it's one

of my first times having it I'm kind of like forgetting at this point

because I've tried so many coffee shops But it is really really good.

I'm pleasantly surprised.

We are right by the bridge Let me show you guys the view right now.

I feel like a tourist today.

It's tourist central over here But it's

so beautiful I like never really come over here

and I feel really weird in this vlog like starting out the vlog this way

So I feel like I'm just waking up on a Monday morning doing touristy things

But since my dad's in town it just made the most sense

and he really wanted to do this So that's why we're here.

Look at this view It's crazy.

After we got back from Brooklyn, my dad really helped me work on my room.

If you didn't see my last video, I did just move apartments.

So my dad helped me to set up my bed.

We kind of figured out exactly where in the room we should position it.

Super thoughtful, nice dad things.

My dad is the best.

I woke up and he had already left.

good morning guys it's tuesday i was up

so late working on my room

because i wanted to make some good progress on it

and i feel like i actually did i'm loving how my room's coming along let me show you it's looking

so much better already my dad hung up

that picture yesterday I actually brought it from my old apartment and I really love it.

And then over here We have my desk

which i'm still working on I need to figure out like an organizational system here

and like get these put away I also have to figure out where to put

that mirror But and then I have that picture up there

that I love my rug which is so pretty

which we put up last night also And I did Work on my closet as well.

This took So long you guys there is so much going on I actually have some more to organize.

So I might do that with you guys later.

I'm honestly pretty sad right now because my dad left this morning.

It's really hard when you live away from home and you're so far from your parents and your family.

It's something that's like never gotten easier for me.

I've actually lived away from home since I was 18.

I'm 25 now.

And every time they leave me, it's still so hard and sad.

I'm so grateful that he came because he was so helpful

and like helped me set up my whole apartment he was like working

so hard yeah i'm just like really grateful for him

so thanks dad but i need to get back into my routine

and back to reality now i have been really wanting to

go to central park the leaves are starting to change i can feel like the temperature dropping

and i just like first instinct was to go to central

park for me before i go to central park i do have

so much to do a lot of it has to do with my old lease ending at my old apartment.

I have like so much paperwork to fill out.

I also have like health insurance claims that I need to submit.

Like, okay, I don't know why I'm telling you guys this, but I have like a lot.

I have a hefty list of things to do and also work stuff.

I'm getting in the fall spirit today.

I'm having pumpkin and spicy yogurt for breakfast.

I don't even really like pumpkin that much

but i wanted to get in the fall spirit so here we are it's actually pretty good so

all right guys

so i'm back home now i ended up being pretty productive

actually i got a lot done i always say this

but i feel like i focus so much better

when i'm not in my apartment And I know some people are the opposite.

They focus better when they're not out like that But i'm ready to go to central park.

You guys know i've been wanting to do this all day

I'm in my closet right now Obviously the best closet i've ever had in my life

that I can't believe I have I'm gonna pick out my outfit for today

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and I kind of wanted to figure it out with you guys Because I don't know what I want to wear.

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My vibe today is cute cozy and chic.

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I want to be comfortable But I really want to embrace fall.

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Okay, maybe this flannel.

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It's cute but I don't know if I love it for today.

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Maybe this linen top.

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I'm going to try this next, actually.

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I love this top.

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It cinches at the waist so nicely.

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It's so pretty.

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I kind of think I might wear this.

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It might be a little bit dressy though.

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So I have one more option I was thinking, this cozy sweater.

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Okay guys, I think this is the outfit for today.

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I'm just so comfortable in the sweater that I don't want to take it off.

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I want to dress it up though a little bit.

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I might put on some like boots maybe some shorts

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or jeans it's actually like not

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that cold out i just like i'm pretending it is

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because i want it to feel like fall now i'm gonna try to accessorize this

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and figure out what would look cute

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because i'm not gonna wear these sweats today as much as i want to outfits are trial

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and error for me

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so i just have to like try modeling things on i'm thinking maybe these shorts

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which i know is kind of like an odd combo

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but hear me out let me get a belt and some boots Okay guys, the outfit's coming together.

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I think it looks actually pretty nice.

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I've been trying to like switch up my outfits a little bit recently so I am kind of like experimenting, you guys know.

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Do you guys like it?

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I hope you like it.

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I accessorized with just like a little jewelry.

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I wanted to keep it kind of clean and simple.

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For my purse, which is the most important part of this outfit, this is the Coach Tabby bag.

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I am in love with this bag, you guys.

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Just such a staple and it goes with like any outfit.

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I love how it looks really chic but it has almost this like distressed leather to it.

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I love the silver Coach logo.

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It's just the perfect perfect staple bag.

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You guys are going to be seeing me wear this all the time.

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Ever since I got it I've been wearing it every day.

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Coach is actually sponsoring this video so thank you to them.

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You guys know they are one of my dream brands ever to work with.

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I also love a good shoulder bag and this has such great storage.

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I'm going to go to Central Park. so on

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my way to central park i decided to make a stop

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for this bakery it's called padoka bakery it's in in the Upper East Side.

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One of my friends posted this on her story and the second I saw this latte I knew.

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I knew I had to come here.

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I have never seen a latte so cute and adorable.

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I do want a ghost on my latte because why wouldn't I have a ghost on my latte?

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They put two of them on.

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One on the front and one on the back.

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That's one of my favorite things about New York is there's just like so many different cafes and places to try.

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It's so cute.

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I'm never gonna get over it.

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Now every time I have a latte without a ghost on it, I'm going to be sad.

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Anyways, I'm going to take my latte, go on a walk to the park, and do nothing.

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so i'm in central park as you can see i have my coffee my bag and it's

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so peaceful every time i come here it just really grounds

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me the nature like especially the greenery just like reminds me of home

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and not being in the city i didn't grow up in the city

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so stuff like this is just really like puts me at

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ease i just love people watching it's my favorite activity

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so i usually just sit here

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and people watch i'm also as i'm people watching listening to

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a podcast i love this podcast by the mindset mentor his name is rob dial

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so i usually listen to that in the mornings

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when i get ready but I forgot this morning

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and I was like super busy so I didn't get the chance

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so I'm listening to that right now as I just sit in peace just

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so relaxing to come here there's also so many dogs here

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and I have sort of contemplated getting a dog

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but there's just no way I could do that

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because living in the city I just don't think that would be good for me oh my gosh there's birds

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oh my gosh they're coming very close to me there's

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so many cute dogs here I really want a dog I know I can't.

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Like, I really can't.

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One day, I'll get a dog.

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There's always something going on at this park.

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There's either someone singing, someone like doing tricks.

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There's a guy over there playing his guitar.

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And that's what I love about New York.

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It's just, there's so many different types of people.

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I just love people watching.

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What can I say?

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And dog watching, dog scouting.

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At this point, I want a dog.

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My ghost came off of my coffee guys rip, but it was cute while it lasted.

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Thank you.

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it's later in the evening now i'm back at my apartment

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i'm having tea you know new apartment same mug i've been

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editing my vlog right here in bed ever since i got home about two and a half hours ago.

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I microwaved my dinner.

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Nothing glamorous.

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Anyways, I'm gonna go to bed.

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I'm so tired.

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Love you.

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I'll see you in the morning.

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Good morning, guys.

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It's Wednesday.

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As you can probably tell, I am about to go work out.

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2025 is my year.

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I know it's almost over.

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My day is always so much better after working out, so I really wanted to prioritize getting a workout in this morning

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and actually my new apartment where i just moved has a gym it's so convenient

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and it kind of just like makes me have no possible

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excuse to not work out it's also such a beautiful gym

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like i cannot believe it i'm gonna have to show you guys

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when i get there my gym out for today it's pretty

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basic the sportswear i'm wearing is from aloe my leggings are

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from story i forgot to take the little size tag off

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when i got them and then i put them in the dryer and now it's permanently imprinted.

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Anyways, today I'm hoping to honestly just like stay home a lot of the day.

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It's really gross out today and like cloudy and rainy.

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So I just like want to get cozy, go to the gym, get some work done.

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I need to do laundry later too.

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My room is coming along guys.

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I can't believe that I live here.

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Truthfully, I'll never get over it.

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Anyways, I'm gonna get ready and go to the gym.

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I will never complain about working out again because look at this view that I get on the treadmill.

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I feel so lucky.

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This is like the best gym experience ever.

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My workout is pretty much the same.

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I really focus on the treadmill for a while.

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I do about 40 minutes walking on an incline

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and then sometimes I'll follow like an ab or butt workout

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that I find on YouTube which is what I decided to do this day

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and then after I went back up to my apartment took a quick shower I did some dishes

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that desperately needed to be done and then I started getting ready for something fun which I'm gonna explain right now.

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So I got home from the gym and I feel so good.

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As you guys saw I just showered and then I did some dishes and like tried to clean up a little bit.

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I also had a meeting that I didn't show.

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My roommate Olivia and I kind of last minute we're going to a hockey game tonight.

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It's the Islanders versus the Rangers.

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I'm from Minnesota so I really like don't know much about these teams but I do love watching hockey.

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Growing up my dad always like was obsessed with hockey.

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I'm really excited and that is what I'm getting ready for.

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I really don't know what I'm gonna wear to this.

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I'm thinking a jacket with some jeans and boots.

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That I feel like is always like my go-to staple outfit rotation

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so update i

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picked out my outfit um i'm in like a little bit of a rush

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because i'm running late as always i have on this top

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it's from vs pink i also have on some black jeans from abercrombie some boots.

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These jackets from Garage.

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And then of course my bag that pulls it all together from Coach.

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Since the outfit is pretty neutral, I did want to really accessorize it with like a thick, chunky necklace.

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It may or may not be coming to Ophelia soon.

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We are going to go to dinner first at this place called Fellini and then we're going to go to the game.

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So see you guys there.

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Olivia and I decided to make this hockey game into just a whole fun girls night.

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So we started out getting drinks and dinner

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which was amazing felleni in the west village you must go

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and it was so pretty in there it was

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so cute the hockey game was also so fun

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and hockey just reminds me so much of home in minnesota

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so i will always love watching hockey

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and going to games it was just like be perfect girls

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night good morning it's thursday obviously i just woke up

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i leaned over grabbed my camera oh no i already got

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self-tanner on my new pillowcases that's tragic i'm really stressed about

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how many things i need to do on my laptop like i have

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so much work that i need to do that the first thing

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that i want to do this morning is go sit somewhere

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and just grind out a ton of work

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so that's what we're gonna do let's go little hack i find

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that if i put my workout clothes on earlier in the day

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and i just i'm wearing them the likelihood of me going

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to the gym is infinitely higher it's less of a task

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it's less of a chore to go back home change get

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ready to go to the gym it's like i'm already in my outfit i might as well just stop in

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so i do tend to wear a lot of like athletic gym outfits even on days

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that i don't really work out just because it's comfy convenient

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and it will hopefully motivate me to work out later so i guess we'll see

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All right, guys, I'm back.

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I got quite a bit done, although I still have a ton more to do, which I'm going to do later.

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Today's just going to be a heavy laptop day.

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So I wanted to take a little break, and I'm going to go do some laundry right now.

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We don't have laundry in our apartment or in our unit.

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I mean, it's on a different floor.

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So I haven't been down there yet to do laundry, but I have an accumulating pile that desperately needs to be done.

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So I'm gonna go check out the laundry room, do that.

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I really like don't know what to expect down there.

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It's actually an upgrade because my last apartment, I didn't have any type of like laundry in the unit or like in the building at all.

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So I'm really glad that I don't have to at least like go to a laundromat.

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So I'm gonna go check that out.

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And I think I'm gonna head to the gym after because, well, we already know I planned this with my outfit.

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The laundry is accumulating, as you can see.

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I actually just got this laundry basket and it has this little bag inside.

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So it makes it easy, I think, to transport.

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Okay, here she is, my giant laundry bag.

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I missed you luck.

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Laundry in New York is so funny because you basically do it all from an app on your phone.

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Definitely something that was super foreign to me when I moved here.

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But my first time in the new laundry room was a success.

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All right, I just finished my laundry excursion.

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It seemed to go well.

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I had to like download this app.

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But now I decided I would go to the gym

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because I have about 35 minutes while I'm waiting for my washer cycle to finish.

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And you know what?

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I have my workout outfit on anyways, which was the whole strategy this morning, as you guys know.

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good morning guys happy friday it's such a beautiful day out it's

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so sunny my mood is instantly better i got ready this

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morning pretty quickly i just threw on a little comfy casual outfit actually let me show you guys

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so this is my outfit top is brandy headband i think

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amazon my jeans i'm from abercrombie have some adidas shoes coach bag of course i always feel better

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when i put myself together a little bit in the mornings

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so my first stop this morning i wanted to get a

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little coffee from a different spot than i've been called le

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pond i think it's a french cafe i've walked by it a couple times

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and then i wanted to sit in the park this park i keep walking by

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and i've never like actually taken a second to sit down

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in there i feel like it's kind of hard to find spots like that in New York.

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So before working today, I thought that was like a nice peaceful start to the day.

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I've been pretty stressed out with just so much happening with my move.

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So I figured this would probably be like a good way to start my day.

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Here I am sitting on a park bench being awkward.

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Yes, thank you.

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This coffee is really good.

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I don't know if I was just craving it so badly

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that that's why it tastes good or if it's actually just great coffee, but it's really good.

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Moving to a new area is so fun

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and just like eye-opening it's kind of like starting a whole new chapter

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because for example this park I've never even like seen before I moved here I'm still like in Manhattan

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but I'm living in a different area

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and I just like want to explore a new area it's so fun

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and just like starting a new routine like finding like your new favorite spots all over again it's just like

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so exciting I'm really glad I came to this park it's really peaceful

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and calm and it kind of feels like I'm not even in New York

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which is what I love about it

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because you don't really find quiet areas like this very often

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in the city especially being from like minnesota i just need like a moment sometimes outside of the city

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but i just wanted to come

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and do absolutely nothing i usually would bring like a book

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but i really just wanted to come here

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and embrace the quietness my thoughts and not like distract myself with even music

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so that's the plan no you're fine and then we'll see

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what else but it's the perfect start to a perfect morning

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so i'm back home now i'm having a little snack this

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has been my recent snack fixation you guys know i go through different phases with things where i find something

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and i become like initially obsessed with it

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and i eat it every day every hour until i'm sick of it so right now it's peppers

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with hummus so good and just like

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so fresh i'm still on the hunt to find like my favorite hummus

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so if you have like a good hummus recommendation let me know i am pulling out my laptop

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because i have some work to do

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so i'm just gonna work from my desk here so i'll probably be here for quite a while.

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I'm still working, but I decided to move to my bed,

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which I know is actually not good.

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You're supposed to like separate doing work stuff in your bed, but it just happens.

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Anyways, I'm honestly probably going to sit here for the rest of the day.

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I'm actually going to be working on this video too that you guys are seeing right now.

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So I just wanted to say thank you guys for watching A Week in My Life.

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This was so fun.

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These are like some of my favorite videos.

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because every week is just so different and we love a good long vlog.

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I know you guys love a long vlog.

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Thanks so much for watching.

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Love you guys and I'll see you in my next vlog.

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Bye guys.

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Exploring Daily Life in a New Apartment: A Language Learning Journey

The video follows Syd’s first week in her new New York apartment, sharing moments with her dad—from walking the Brooklyn Bridge to setting up her room. This casual, conversational vlog is perfect for IELTS speaking practice and learning real-world English, as it’s filled with natural phrases and everyday interactions.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

"We're doing a week in the life vlog" – A common way to introduce a video series about daily routines.
"I'm starting out my Monday very unusually" – Useful for describing a break from your typical schedule.
"We definitely got a lot of steps in" – A casual phrase to talk about physical activity (great for small talk).
"You already know what my priorities were" – A playful way to hint at a known habit or preference.
"It made the most sense" – Perfect for explaining a logical decision in everyday situations.

Step-by-Step Shadowing Guide for This Video

This vlog’s relaxed pace makes it ideal for shadow speech practice. Here’s how to use it: 1. Listen once to get the gist of Syd’s week. Notice her tone—friendly and conversational, like chatting with a friend. 2. Shadow short clips (10-15 seconds). Pause after each line and repeat, focusing on matching her rhythm and intonation (e.g., the casual "guys" or the excited "it's crazy" when describing the view). 3. Focus on filler words like "so," "like," and "actually"—these make your speech sound more natural, a key skill for IELTS speaking practice. 4. Practice with a partner (or record yourself) reenacting the dialogue with her dad. This helps with real-time conversation flow. 5. Use a shadowing site to slow down tricky parts (like "I'm pretty sure it's a chain") until you can say them smoothly. Whether you’re learning English with videos or honing your shadowspeaks skills, this vlog offers a fun, relatable way to practice everyday language. Dive in, and you’ll be speaking like a local in no time!

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on	i've been wanting · I've been trying · I've been wearing
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	I've actually never been · i've lived · I've tried
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	be done · was obsessed · i've been called
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing	rug which is · purse, which is · YouTube which is

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

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