20somethings in love ...

Abington graduate shares dating misadventures

Whether you are involved in a relationship or in recovery from one, Gina Mizvitowicz has some advice this Valentine’s Day: Don’t repeat your mistakes when it comes to love.

Gina, who graduated from Penn State Abington in 2013, delves into the mystifying world of dating in your twenties in her first book “Kissing Frogs: Lessons, Blessings, and Notes-to-Self to Help You Find (and Keep) Your Prince.” And she doesn’t sugarcoat her misadventures.

“I wrote this book to share the lessons learned from constantly falling for the wrong people and not letting them go when they wore out their welcome,” she said. “I was doing the exact same things, winding up in the exact same situations over and over.”

The first time author, who published under the alias Mary Anne Thomas, managed to write the book while enrolled in Abington’s corporate communication major, working full time, and maintaining a healthy social life.

"It is so therapeutic and the amount of raw emotion you release when you put pen to paper is extremely liberating and empowering," she said. "I wrote this book with the hope of helping others, but I realized that I had helped myself tremendously.” 

Gina said her love life continues to be a work in progress, and she is compiling new material for her next book. She works as an admissions director in the senior care industry.

An excerpt from “Kissing Frogs:”
I remember leaving for Ireland for a week and really having that time to consider what I wanted in my life. … It wasn’t until I was sitting on my balcony one afternoon … and watching the people of Dublin carry on with their lives that it hit me: I needed a guy that - no matter what is going on - can always make me feel like I am back here on this balcony, relaxing, without a worry in the world. Jimmy was that guy. Not any of the others. Jimmy. It was always Jimmy.
 

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