10 Things My Boyfriend Does That Every Guy Should Take Note Of

As a woman, all of us want to believe that our man is the most perfect guy out there. Or at least, I feel that way. Everything my boyfriend does, I never take for granted; however, after listening to women my age talk about their boyfriends, I have come to realize how lucky I really got. I've listened to my friends complain over and over about their boyfriends/ boys they're "talking" to, and I have got to say that my life is a heck of a lot easier with my boyfriend. So, ladies, if your man isn't taking the time out of his day to make you feel special or even doing any of the things listed below, maybe you should re-think some things.

1. Tells me I'm beautiful every day.
   To most, this might seem a tad excessive. But coming from someone who has suffered from self-image issues basically their entire life, this turns my day completely around. I could think I am the ugliest human being on this earth, but my boyfriend still tells me I'm beautiful. And it's not that I need to be told that every day. I'm not like Tinker Bell and will die if I don't get enough attention. But having my boyfriend call me every day with a "hey, beautiful" is enough to make me smile.

2. Doesn't blow off my feelings.
   For some reason, people in my generation have issues communicating with one another. A lot of my friends have boyfriends that don't really like to talk over their problems. A lot of the time it's a "I think you're overreacting." My boyfriend will let me rant to him for hours about something he did and he'll try and see it from my point of view. We rarely have fights. In the almost two years of dating, we've only had one big argument and we resolved it fairly quickly. But that did involve communication. Not once in that argument did he ever say "you're overreacting." If you're boyfriend makes you feel like you should apologize for your feelings, something is wrong. If you're boyfriend makes you feel like you can't tell him he did something wrong the moment it happens, something is wrong. My boyfriend and I have a rule that if one of us does something that bothers the other, we tell them right then and there. It doesn't matter how silly it is, because keeping it bottled up causes more harm than good. I tend to overreact a lot too. There was one time we were driving and nobody would let me over into the other lane; so, we missed our exit. Not going to lie, I cried and even got a bit fussy with my boyfriend because he didn't tell me to turn into the exit right away. But my boyfriend held my hand and said "Emily, it's okay. We'll find a place to turn around. Just breathe." And he directed me to the next exit. He didn't tell me I overreacted even though it's obvious I did.

3. Loves me even when I'm bloated, crampy, and gross.
   This is pretty much a deal breaker for me. I had an ex in the past who refused to associate with me at all when it was my time of the month because he said it was gross and a hassle on him. Sorry the natural processes of my body grossed you out? Or moreover, sorry that me being in so much pain that I pass out and throw up is a hassle on you. I just chose to be a woman one day, just to be a hassle on men. You're right. But my current boyfriend always buys me ice cream, cuddles with me, tells me he loves me when I'm crying over nothing, and will feed my whatever weird cravings I have. We went to the gym once because I read somewhere that it would help my cramps (FYI it didn't), and he left early because I was doubled over in pain. Now those who know him know that he NEVER leaves the gym early for anything. But he'll always leave the gym early for me. He wasn't mad. He was understanding and he told me we could go eat anywhere I wanted and we could watch whatever movie I wanted. In the end, he bought me Moe's and ice cream, so he made my day just a little bit nicer.

4. Is ALWAYS loyal.
   I am aware that this a no-brainer. However, for some reason people my age don't really grasp this concept. For me, cheating is anything you do behind your significant other's back that would hurt the other person. For example, I had an ex that would get nude pictures from other girls but that "wasn't cheating because he didn't use them." You can decode that for yourself. But it involves other things too. Flirting with other girls or straight up checking out other girls in front of you hurts. Now just like all men, I'm sure my boyfriend checks out other girls. However, he makes sure to acknowledge that I look better than anyone which is a huge plus. Also he doesn't text any other girls without telling me. Now you might be thinking that I can't possibly know that. Furthermore, he could by hiding things behind my back. But I would trust him with my life. He hasn't done anything to betray my trust. We had an issue in the past but after seeing my point of view he never spoke to this girl again. In fact, he deleted her number because he never wanted me to feel like there was someone else in the picture. We tell each other EVERYTHING. He also never compares me to anyone. We asked each other, if you could date a celebrity for a day, who would you date? Without hesitation, I said "Zac Efron" (obviously!). But he told me, that he didn't need to date a celebrity because he had me. Although his response made me feel terrible after mindlessly shouting "Zac Efron", it made me realize how much he must care about me.

5. Makes time for his friends and me.
   Sometimes it is hard for us to balance time. I know couples who lose their friends because they only spend time with each other. The last thing you want is to be friendless because you and your boyfriend can't be separate people. Furthermore, guys reach a whole new level of clingy without their friends. One of my exes gave me zero space because I told him that I was tired of not being a priority in his life. I guess to him that meant "let me spend every waking moment with my girlfriend." I couldn't even breathe without telling him about it. Please, never put yourself in a position like that. My boyfriend is okay with me hanging out with my friends and family without him and the feeling is mutual. If he has friends over, I'm not going to interfere. It's harder to make plans the older you get, so he rarely sees his old friends. When they do come into town, I make sure that he gets enough guy time with them. Now, he does invite me to everything because he wants me to feel included; but, he is always happy when I decline too. We're around each other a lot, so he needs some guy time. It is a problem though when your boyfriend won't let you see your friends/family. If your man is keeping you away from your friends/family or preventing you from doing things you want to do, that is actually a sign of psychological abuse. Furthermore, it is just not fair. You should never let your man control you. It's your life, not his life. You have to find a proper balance between doing your thing and doing things together.

6. Loves to hear about my goals and passions.
   I cannot tell you how many people tell me "nobody cares" when I talk about science. Science has been a passion of mine since I was very little. Naturally, I talk about it a lot. My boyfriend never tries to interrupt me when I'm talking about my passions or goals. Instead he is very supportive. I talk about outbreaks, diseases, and parasites a lot. Most of the time he'll tell me he doesn't understand but he still allows me to explain it. He always listens. In fact, he got a question right on his anatomy test because of something I told him. When he plans his life, he plans it in a way that we can both pursue our goals. For example, he knows that I am happiest in a lab; so, he was looking for places to live that would have a nice research facility and a place for him to open up his own gym. Furthermore, he asks me about school sometimes. He'll ask me about things I've learned and even my advice on his workout supplements. Here's a tip for all guys out there: complement a girl on her brains and not just her body!

7. Is constantly seeking new adventures with me.
   As you get older, you realize how difficult it is to plan vacations. Money and work both play a significant role in the matter. But you can do new things without spending a lot of money. Working retail, my hours are sporadic and I never get weekends off. However, when I do get a day off, my boyfriend tries to find new things we can do. Granted a lot of the time we just sit at home, eat pizza, and watch Netflix. However, when we both magically get a day off, we don't take it for granted. We like to try new things together whether it be a new craft or going somewhere new. The world is a big place and we want to experience it together. When we plan vacations, it's not so much what have we done that was fun. Planning a vacation is more of "what haven't we done together that would be fun." Free time is a rarity for most people, so we shouldn't take it for granted. Experiencing something new with the person you love just makes things so much more exciting.

8. Never skimps out on date night.
   Many couples stop going on real dates over time. Even my boyfriend and I don't have a set date night every week. It seems that most couples stop chasing after each other after so long. This is a depressing fact. Me and my boyfriend will plan date nights if I'm not working that weekend. I'll get all dolled up, he'll pick me out, and we'll go do something fun. Fact: having fun does not require absurd amounts of money. One of our date nights consisted of buying a lot of snacks and a movie from the $3 bin at Walmart. This may not seem like a date, but you can have date nights in. Sometimes we'll go out to eat and see a movie. Sometimes we go bowling. We love going to Gatti-Land and playing games. The important thing is that we make each date count. He is a real gentleman too. I am a firm believer that relationships are about balance. He shouldn't always have to pay for our meals/dates. But he always does despite my wishes. He'll open the door for me and always let me order first.

9. Goes out of his way to make me feel special.
   Again, this might seem obvious. However, I can't tell you how many of my friends rarely get spoiled by their boyfriends. By spoiled I don't mean just by material things. Your boyfriend should do nice things for you on more than just your birthday, Christmas, and anniversary. Each day, he should be striving to make you feel loved. When I'm having a bad day, my boyfriend will do everything to make it better. Whether that be cuddling me, watching my favorite movie, going for a walk in the park, or giving me my space, he will do it. With him, I feel special 365 days out of the year. He is constantly doing things to make my life easier or going out of his way to make me feel great. Everyone has those days where they just feel down, but my boyfriend can make me smile even on my worst of days. He'll listen to my rants and try to be understanding. He never gives me unsolicited advice either. Sometimes you just want to rant about something without someone telling you what to do. He's always there when I need him.

10. Strives for us to move forward as a couple.
     Let me stress that I have no intentions of getting married until I'm about 28 years old. I have a while before I can even consider it. However, if you're dating someone, you should see them as a candidate. Many couples love the idea of each other more than actually being together. I like to think of these couples as stationary. They're not really taking steps forward because they don't really want to move forward with that person. It's silly to be with someone if you don't see a future with them. My boyfriend and I are constantly moving forward as a couple. Granted, it is baby steps, but we're moving forward. We make plans with each other that are in the future such as living together someday. We plan our own personal futures with each other in them like where we'll live in 10 years or how many dogs we'll have. We want to do new things with each other and experience the world together. But the point is that we're constantly on the same page about the future. We don't take our relationship on a day-by-day basis. We're constantly seeking ways to improve ourselves when we have differences and seeking new things for us to experience together.

My Life in Retail

I have always wanted to make a post about working in retail, because for some reason people really just don't get it. People are under the impression, it seems, that retail workers have it very easy. Now you're probably thinking, "well retail can't possibly be that hard." The work itself isn't hard (most of the time). But the work itself can be mentally and physically exhausting. Not only do we have to work holidays and weekends, but our hours are all messed up. We don't get to come home at 5 or 6 everyday. There are days where I am at the store until 3 AM. We spend time away from our families during holidays to meet the needs of the holiday shoppers. We work Christmas eve, the 4th of July, new years eve, you name it. Here is some things people need to realize:

1) We don't just sit around all day doing nothing.
    Rarely do we ever just sit around. In my 3 years of retail, never have I ever had a chance to just "sit around." There is always something that needs to be done. I worked a 12 hour shift before, and the only time I got to sit down was on my 30 minute break. Anybody in a customer service industry can tell you that if you have time to sit around, you aren't doing your job correctly. There are days where I need to fill 8 different shelves and help 4 different customers all at the same time. As a customer, snapping your fingers at us and yelling for us to come over to you, will not make the process any easier for us. I understand the frustration of needing help and not being able to find it, but I promise that we will get to you if you're confused. We don't intentionally ignore customers (even though sometimes we might want to), so if you feel like we are, let us know. You can do this in a polite way, I promise. There is no need to yell at us and accuse us of bad attitudes. A simple "excuse me ma'am, but I need some help" will do just fine. Chances are though, we will always come up and greet you first.

2) We don't make company policies.
     This is an exception for privately owned businesses. There is this common misconception that we set store prices, marketing, product availability, store hours, and even sales tax. I have had several customers in the past, yell at me because of sales tax. Obviously, my store out of the hundreds of stores in the nation set their own sales tax. Moreover, we were specifically targeting you this time when you walked in the store. We thought "how can we make this specific customer pay more" and thus, raised the sales tax. The sales tax is in no way set by the government. That is obviously some conspiracy. We set sales tax based on each individual customer. Also, we make sure to hide all of the products people want. Our back room is a never ending abyss of items, almost like a Mary Poppins bag. The backroom is like Narnia. Our shelves are always stocked with every single item, but we just choose to not put them out because we want to inconvenience you. And yes, we specifically hid those items from you. There is no possible way we could be out of any of our items since we have complete control over our shipments.
    I hope people understand that this is sarcasm. Although for some reason, people are under the impression that this is true. I promise that although we try to make sales, we do want to do what is in your best interest. If you don't want to buy something or are looking for a certain price range, let us know. Yelling at us at the cash register over something beyond our control will not solve the problem. Our job is to understand the policies, and even then we don't always 100% agree with the decisions the company makes. We also want to do what is in the best interest of the customer. If you're confused about something or are looking for something specific, don't hesitate to ask. But understand, that we are aware that being out of a product is an inconvenience and we will let you know when we should get it in.

3) There is a huge difference between helping us improve and being a jerk.
   Constructive criticism is one thing. We all make mistakes. We aren't perfect people. We may forget to take a sign down, change a price tag, or even scan an item wrong. But understand, that most of the time we have been running around for the last 8+ hours. Obviously we're tired. If something seems wrong to you, point it out to us. Let us know that we need to improve on something. New flash: you can do this in a polite way. If a total seems wrong, you can ask "oh I though this cost x dollars" or even "how much did this item cost." Saying "that can't possibly be right. You obviously messed up," will not make me magically fix your  total. 99% of the time, the employee is comfortable with the promotions and knows how things should ring up. If coupons are involved, we know how they work. We know what works for each coupon. Heck, we even allow customers to use expired coupons sometimes (this might vary by store. Don't hold me to this). I have been called incompetent at my job by a customer for the fact that I would not allow her to stack coupons. At my job, we only allow coupon stacking on Black Friday unless the coupons came together. We customer service employees can tell when you're lying about your coupons. Don't tell us you miraculously went against company policy at our store yesterday. We are all familiar with the way things work since we're there practically everyday.  Again, we aren't out to get you. We do want to save you money and we will honor your coupons if applicable. Understand, that after so long we don't get upset after yelling at us. We get used to it after a while. Therefore, yelling at us will not benefit you in any way, shape or form. Just be a decent person. I have been called uneducated, incompetent, and many foul names in my retail career. It comes with the job. Causing a scene to embarrass us will embarrass you even more. Don't be that person.


I hope everyone can appreciate the people who work in customer service. Shopping in general can be a very stressful process, but I promise we will try and make it a little easier for you. Just be polite and I promise the whole experience can be a little bit easier. :)

I Tried Different Brands of Leggings and Here is What You Need to Know

If you're like me, black leggings are a necessity. Many people still haven't boarded the leggings as pants train, but I promise once you're on it, you can't get off. My morning routine consists of me getting up late, rushing to finish my makeup, and throwing on clothes. Black leggings are my lazy girl hack for when I want to wear a baggy sweater or a flowy top. I bought a bunch of black leggings from several different places. I don't like to limit myself to one brand since I go through leggings really fast. If you're like me and have thighs that rub together so badly they could ignite a fire, then you probably suffer from pants that form holes in the thigh area over time. My leggings have this issue. Thus, I set out to find the one pair of leggings that wouldn't be destroyed in a month. I tried leggings from Forever 21, Walmart, Victoria's Secret PINK, and LuLaRoe.

Forever 21
I came across these leggings by accident. I used to love Forever 21 back in high school, but now it is impossible for me to ever find clothes in there that don't make me feel like a back-up dancer in a Britney Spears video. But my boyfriend insisted I take a look since I used to love it back in the day. That's when I saw it: a sign that said "$3.90 leggings." How could I resist? Walmart doesn't even sell leggings that cheap. The material was not as soft as I had hoped, but I decided to buy a pair anyway. As soon as I got home I washed them. The next day I put them on and was a little disappointed. I could feel my thighs rubbing together violently with each step I took and I knew these were not going to last. I tried to stay optimistic because it was only the first day. Well, I am on day 5 of owning these leggings and the fabric is already thinning at the inner thighs. I give this a 2/5 because they were only $4 so I did get what I paid for.

Walmart
Walmart is my go-to when I am in a huge hurry. I was down to my last pair of leggings and had to waddle into Walmart because I was trying to conceal the hole that had formed in the inner thigh of my leggings. They weren't super cheap but I thought I would give them a try. For $12 I felt like I had nothing to lose and they were probably the cheapest place around to buy leggings. I can say with pure confidence that these might be the best leggings I own. I have had this exact pair of leggings for 4 years now and still have no holes. My only complaint is that the fabric is a little cheap so it kind of sags near the butt, but I wear long enough sweaters that it is not noticeable. Even though the fabric is cheap, my leggings are fairly soft. It almost feels like I am wearing pajama pants which is a plus when I'm sitting in my 8 AM lectures. 4/5 thank you for not letting me down, Walmart (like you usually do).

Victoria's Secret PINK
Every girl ever has probably owned something from Victoria's Secret. But if you're thinking about buying their knit leggings, think again. I bought two pairs of fashion leggings there, a knit pair and a synthetic blend pair (I'm not quite sure what fabrics they were but I think it was polyester maybe?). If you're familiar with this brand, you know they aren't cheap. My leggings were on sale for 2/$40, which is a pretty great deal for that store. The polyester? leggings were great. I have had those since high school and they're still just as nice as they were the first day I bought them and I wear them all the time. However, my knit leggings only lasted me a few months before my entire leg could physically fit through the hole that had formed. All-in-all I felt like I had wasted my money because my Walmart leggings lasted longer than the knit pair and they were almost half the price. These leggings were highly overrated or maybe they just don't take into account girls can have big thighs. Overall 1/5 for the knit pair (seriously these things were not worth $20) and 4/5 for the polyester? pair.

LuLaRoe
I obviously saved the best for last. I could live in my LuLaRoe leggings. I got a pair for Christmas from my sister and since then have accumulated quite a collection. These leggings are so soft and are truly one of a kind. I bought a black pair recently which was pretty much impossible to do. If you're familiar with the brand, you know that black leggings are a rarity and they only make so many of each print. In other words, each pair of leggings is a rare find. I am completely in love with these. It doesn't even feel like my thighs are causing the next big forest fire when I walk in the them. My thighs are thanking me to be honest. The fabric hasn't thinned a bit after owning them a month! Plus the leggings were not that expensive. They were $25 which seems like a lot. However, if you compare it to the PINK ones which are almost identical in price, you'll see how spending an extra $1 is not that bad. This brand also makes a One Size (OS) and Tall and Curvy (TC) size in leggings; so everyone can fit comfortably in a pair! 5/5 I would buy 100 pairs of these if I could.

I hope this review helps all of my fellow leggings lovers find peace in their leggings purchases.

What I'm Reading This Week: A Brief History of Time

Hi, friends. It has been a while since I last wrote. I must admit, it has been a while since I last opened a book. I did get a little carried away and am currently reading two different books: This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper and A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking. Both of these books have been out for a while now; so most of you have probably read these. If you have not, I strongly encourage you to at least give one a try. I have always had a strong fascination with science ever since I was a very small child. So, you can imagine how excited I was when I finally bought a copy of A Brief History of Time. This book was written by Stephen Hawking and not only gives small incites into his life and his brain, but also explains his theory he came up with as a PhD student. Now I am not going to lie, I was a little skeptical at first. I love science, but I am more interested in viruses and bacteria than I am in physics. However, Hawking explains in such a way that even those who are not interested in physics or know nothing about physics can appreciate and understand his work. I am about half way done with the book, but so far I am intrigued. The book challenges you to ask the big questions about the history of the universe and time itself. Furthermore, if you come from religious background, it does not criticize people's beliefs. In fact, Hawking gives several examples of how you can allow a creator in this theory. Overall, I recommend this book to my fellow science lovers or people who just want some answers about our universe.

We as Women Need To Stand Together

Feminism is a word that has acquired a negative connotation over the years. A few years ago, if you would have asked me if I was a feminist, I would have laughed in your face. I would have said, all of these feminists are just women who hate men and do not actually understand what oppression means. Now I will admit I am far from political. If you ask me anything about the last election, I could not tell you a thing. I can admit that I did not vote in the last election nor did I pay much attention to it. However, I can proudly say that I am a feminist. A few days ago the women's march took place. Unfortunately, the march had much backlash. A lot of negative posts I saw regarding it came from women. Here is my problem: no person is perfect. Therefore, who are we to judge the individuals who have a desire to stand up for what their own beliefs? Who am I to tell a woman that she just needs "to get over it" or that she "doesn't understand what oppression means?" As a woman, I stand for all women. Whether you're democrat or republican or independent, I support you. I may not necessarily agree with everything, but I understand that my own opinions do not have a right to dictate how other people live their lives. Just because you personally have never been discriminated against as a woman does not mean that there a millions of women in America who do not get discriminated against. Just because you do not have a desire to take birth control/do not need birth control does not give you a right to tell a woman to just keep her legs shut and call it a day. If you are lucky enough to not ever endure sexual assault, do not tell the women who have to get over it. I understand that here in America women do have a lot of rights. However, we are still so far away from being equal among our men. Now I know some of you are saying that women are not designed to do everything a man can. To an extent you are right. Yet, in the workplace, women can do just as much as men and yet they are still treated unequal. I am sure my mother could tell you countless stories about her experience working in a male dominated field. I, too, can recall a time in which I experienced discrimination. As a women educating my way into a science field, I have labs several times a week. In this specific lab, I was assigned to an all-male group. My professor looked me in the face and said "don't worry. Just stand there and look pretty and they'll do all the work." He had the audacity to tell me, a well-educated student, to just stand and look pretty. At first, I thought it was a joke but I was very wrong. My group and I got to the first section which entailed quite a bit of math. The group leader was giving assignments only to get to me and not give me an assignment at all. He said I was welcome to check everyone's work, but other than that I could just relax. Even when I checked my peers' work, none of the people in my group would listen to me. This continued on for the entirety of the lab. No matter how much I argued with my lab group and the professor it was the same reaction: a laugh and a simple "sweetie, it's okay." Now this does not even come close to what some people face, but it was enough for me to understand that as a woman of science I am going to have to push myself harder than most would. I have seen so much hate these last two days about women telling other women to suck it up. Again, we as women have to stay together. I actually saw a post where a woman told another woman that work discrimination does not exist and called her a "libtard." Is that what we have become now? Name callers? This goes both ways for women and men: name-calling never wins an argument. In fact, it comes across as more idiotic than anything. Moreover, arguing about someone's own personal experiences is ridiculous. If you have not experienced something, do not tell a person who has that they should get over it. We need to stop letting our political views and personal opinions get in the way of us being decent human beings. It is so easy to be kind. It is so easy to be understanding. Just because you may disagree with this women's march does not give you a right to tell the women who have been beaten by their loved ones, who have been sexually assaulted, who are simply speaking for the women who do not have voices, to suck it up. Just because you have not experienced it, does not mean it does not exist in America. This is more than just women's rights. This goes for everyone. I am so saddened by the hate spread from people with opposing political views. The truth of the matter is that each of us individually has the power to make a difference in this world. We need to be decent to each other. If someone is trying to tell you something, hear them out. Listen. Then speak. You may find yourself learning something you did not know before. More importantly, watch your mouth. Your words are so much more powerful than you believe. You can be kind and disagree with something. I have a friend who has political views differing from my own. But when he talks politics, you don't see me calling him a "libtard" or bashing his views. I simply nod my head and say "I never though about it like that before" or "I don't necessarily agree but I see where you're coming from" and end the discussion. Proverbs 18:21 says "the tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." Even the Bible says that we must choose our words wisely. So I am ending this post with a dedication to all of my fellow women out there. You are so loved and so strong. Do not let anyone tell you differently. I long for a world in which we can stand together, both men and women, equally in peace. But this cannot happen if we are going to hate on any single person that tries to take a stand on their beliefs. Remember: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Martin Luther King Jr.

What I'm Reading This Week: An Abundance of Katherines

   It has been a while since my last post. With school and work, I definitely fell behind on my reading. In the time span of my last post, I've read only four books. I just came across An Abundance of Katherines by John Green and I immediately fell in love. If you haven't heard of John Green yet, I highly recommend you check him out. Most of his books are for teens so they are an easy read; so you can actually finish his books relatively quickly. I picked up An Abundance of Katherines this morning and I have roughly fifty pages of it left. Trust me; you will love John Green if you don't already.
   Our story centers around a recent high school grad, Collin. He is a child prodigy worrying about his future on top of girl troubles. He always falls in love with girls named Katherine. But his last relationship with whom he addresses as Katherine XIX left him depressed. She dumped him like all of the other previous Katherines. For Collin though, this break up was different. This time he really loved her. John Green put Collins break up in probably the best wording I have ever read. Collin's friend Hassan is always complaining how Collin should get over it  and how after 19 breakups he should be used to this by now. Being the prodigy Collin is, he compares his break up to a punishment seen by the Greeks. They pulled out all of this person's teeth. Just like teeth pulling is a monotonous task, so is getting dumped. However, now matter how many teeth you pull or how many people dump you, it doesn't hurt any less. I absolutely loved that. Collin in a last ditch ever to win her back and make her see that he is indeed a genius tries to find his "eureka" moment. He sketches a graph of his breakups and tries to come up with an equation to predict the outcome of a relationship. Just as Pythagoras believed that math can predict anything, Collin feels the same way. Numbers can predict love.
   I highly encourage this book to all of my John Green readers. It is definitely not a new book, so I am sure many people have read it. If you haven't though, definitely check it out. An Abundance of Katherines puts a new perspective on how to see relationships and offers some comic relief as well. John Green is a talented writer who offers a realistic perspective on romance. His books aren't fairy tales. The characters are relatable. We don't expect every relationship to work out perfectly. Nor do we expect to fall in love with the first pretty person we see. The same goes for John Green's stories. In An Abundance of Katherines, Collin is able to acknowledge all of these attractive girls but no matter how much he wants to move on, he can't forget about his first real love. John Green depicts break ups both poetically and accurately. He puts love in a logical and mathematical way. If you want an interesting and new romance novel, then this book is definitely for you.

What I'm Reading This Week: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Jonathan Safran Foer)

   After finishing my book on the human genome, I thought I would read a fiction book for a change. My waiting-to-be-read pile of books has definitely accumulated over the past several months so I just decided to start from the top of my pile and work my way down. Little did I know that I would choose arguably the most compelling book I have ever picked up.
   Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close follows the adventures of a young boy, Oskar, seeking closure and answers to his father's death. Just as the plot shows, the book is one of sadness but also one of hope. Jonathan Safran Foer really takes us on a journey of emotions. One second I feel like I'm getting closure and the next I'm feeling hopeless and depressed. The book is written in the view point of Oskar which makes it much more personal. I really feel like I am in Oskar's head feeling all of his emotions. Oskar once had a very close relationship with his father only to have is father taken away from him by the devastating event of 9/11. He is feeling lost and mistreated even a year after his father's death. However, he finds a mysterious key while rummaging through his father's old things in his closet. This key takes him on a wild adventure, solving the last mystery his father left him. The book is raw emotion. Not only do you get to see how 9/11 affected a little boy, but you see how it affected the citizens of New York. How are people rebuilding their lives? How are people coping with loss? This book answers all of those questions. In the end it seems all we need is a little friend to get us by. I haven't finished the book just yet, but as of now my favorite quote is on pages 73-74. Oskar has just finished speaking with his grandma.

              "We need much bigger pockets...We need enormous pockets, pockets big enough for our                      families, and our friends, and even the people who aren't on our lists, people we've never met but still want to protect."

   Taken out of context this quote might not make much sense. Oskar is referencing to his question about why matches are so short. However, the quote is a reoccurring theme throughout the book. All we ever want to do is protect those we love. We survive in numbers. Therefore, when it comes right down to it, we really do just need to protect each other. For in the end, everyone loses everyone anyway. It is a sad book. However, it also has its happy moments. Oskar's interactions with his fellow citizens of New York bring comedic relief and hope for a new tomorrow. 

   My only complaint is that Oskar is relatively scatter brained so it is hard to understand what he is trying to say sometimes. Then again, that might be why I love it so much. We really are in the mind of a little boy, not just some fictitious character. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is wanting to read a different type of book. This book is unique just like its characters. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Sad is compelling and overall very special. I will definitely hold a place for it in my top favorite books.   

What I'm Reading This Week: Mutants - Armand Marie Leroi

Since I am so passionate about reading, I'm starting a new segment every week about what I'm reading. If you know me, you know that I read fairly quickly. My goal is to finish a new book every week. Also, this might help my fellow book lovers find a new book to read. That is assuming of course their pile of books waiting to be read is finished.
This week, I am reading Mutants by Armand Marie Leroi. This book explores the human genome documenting many cases of gene mutations. Now I realize this book sounds like a typical science book and some people just simply aren't into nonfiction books. However, I find this book fascinating. The book discusses how all of us are considered mutants seeing as all of us exhibit mutations in one gene or another; but some of us are more mutated than others. If you like science this is definitely a book to look into. I just finished the section on "cleppies" which discusses ectrodactyly and other congenital disorders in the limbs. The best part is that you don't have to be a scientist to understand the material. The book really goes into depth to help someone who isn't educated in the field to understand.
Mutants explores the history of genetics and gives rise to possible answers to scientific theories. For example, the book tries to justify how Hox genes are the last judgements of our fate as an embryo. The book also discusses various genes and what they do as well as where we experience our mutations as we develop. Mutants is highly informative in topics such as cyclopia, conjoined twins, fibrodysplasia, and gigantism. The book also emphasizes the importance of scientific evolution. Science is always changing over time. Leroi gives a historical perspective of each mutation as well as a brief overview of the discovery of each genetic anomaly. Even genetics isn't your thing, I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in science or going into a science related field.

Why Reading Should Be Everyone's New Hobby

A bibliophile is someone how loves or collects books. I pride myself on my love of books. However, I am a bit displeased to find out that not everyone loves books the way I do. Last weekend, I was telling my boyfriend about the book I had just finished. Although he never actually understands the things I tell him, he always listens to my rants and facts about books and characters. I really appreciate this about him. However, I told him to read The Harry Potter series (who doesn't love that series?). That is where things really went downhill. He had the audacity to look me in the face and say "But I've seen all of the movies." I was just appalled that he would even think such an absurd thing. I know he's not the only person out there who feels this way. I have several friends who feel the exact same way about books. Why read the book when you can just watch the movie? I like to imagine that books are like a house. You have the foundation which is sort of like the plot. It holds the whole story together. Then you have the necessities like a door and some windows. Maybe a chimney thrown in there too. Those are the characters. I like to think of the roof as a conclusion that finishes the whole house. However, you wouldn't just live in a pile of wood or a pile of bricks would you? That is basically what a movie is. The movie compared to the book is just an unfinished house. You can't really establish a story in an hour without taking things out. I want everyone to reestablish their love for reading.
I know a lot of you are thinking "I just don't have the time." Well you have to make time. You don't need to go out and buy a 900 page book to love reading. There are so many books out there. If time is truly an issue you can always buy audio books and listen to them in the car. There are no excuses. Also, "I hate reading" is definitely not an excuse. The only people who hate reading are those who have never done it properly. Our school systems do a severe injustice to us especially in high school. In high school I had to read so many books I really just didn't like. Being forced to read really takes the enjoyment out of it especially if it's a book you have no interest in. Don't base the books you read in school on all of the books out there. There are billions and billions of books in the world. You just need to find that one. Your book soulmate. You'll know when you find it because it will make you fall in love with reading. It will be the book that you go back to every time. I'm lucky. I fell in love with books at a very young age. I don't have just one book soulmate. I have entire series. I love the Harry Potter series. Those are the books I go back to when I've finished all the books I need to read. I keep going back to those books because they make me feel like I'm falling in love with reading all over again. Not everyone is like that though. Finding your book takes a lot of trial and error. I've read so many books in my lifetime. I'd be lying if I said that I loved every book I ever read. Some books will disappoint you. Some books will make you cry. Some books will take you on a journey. Books are so powerful. Think about it: tiny words on paper have the power to educate and inspire. How amazing is that? There is a book for everything. There is a book for everyone. I promise. I encourage everyone to go out tomorrow or the next day and just read. Just take 30 minutes out of your day to read a book. You will not regret it.

5 Stories That Will Give You Hope This Valentine's Day

With Valentine's Day approaching, I have seen an increasing number of negative posts about being single. Well being single isn't all that bad. Being the awkward and embarrassing human being I am, I have composed a collection of my top 5 most embarrassing/awkward moments to either a) make you thankful to be single this Sunday or b) give you hope that there is somebody out there for you. Because Lord knows that if someone can find me to be the most beautiful creature on this planet, anyone can find someone.

1. "National Kissing Day"
I'm fairly certain that there are at least ten National Kissing Days per year but I will never forget the first time I experienced that day about three years ago. So this guy from my school started texting me (typical high school thing, I know) and long story short he asked me to go on a walk with him. Everything was fine and dandy because we were semi-friends and me being the silly girl I am thought "hey we might actually become really good friends." Well boy was I wrong. As we were walking he tried to hold my hand. "Hm I don't think I like this," I thought because I really was not into him at all. As we approached my house things took a sudden downturn spiral. Here is a brief overview of our conversation:
              "So, do you know what today is?" he said with a really strange and creepy half smile.
              "Uh (insert random day of the week)," I said with a really awkward laugh knowing perfectly what day it is but not wanting him to get the wrong idea.
              "No. Guess again," his smile getting wider and much creepier.
              "Uh (insert random day in July)," I said panicking, plotting how to get out of this uncomfortable situation.
               "No. Try again," he said.
So instead of doing what any normal person would do and tell him that I really was not into him in that way, I did the most awkward thing ever. I gave him a side hug. I gave him the hug that you give to strangers that you are desperately trying to be friendly around but always end up embarrassing yourself around. I said goodbye as fast as I could and scuttled myself back into my house never looking back. About thirty seconds later I received a text that said "It's National Kissing Day..."

2. Disaster Date
I always ask people about their most awkward dating experience. My current boyfriend had a major disaster date, but to be honest I think mine might top his. I had this friend who wanted me to go on a double date with her. She had been dating this guy for about six months and thought it would be neat to meet him and go on a blind date. That should have been a red flag seeing as most blind dates NEVER go well, but I thought "sure why not." So I planned on meeting a super cute guy and we'd be really compatible and things would go well like in the movies. Well obviously that plan was short lived. I went to the movies with my friend and her boyfriend showed up. He said his friend was running late. It wasn't a big deal because I was nervous anyway. Things just got worse. His friend shows up and he is not the Zac Efron I anticipated. But I thought that it was no big deal and that looks are not everything. After all, I'm no Angelina Jolie. His friend approaches me and gives me a side hug (I guess I'm just notorious for those). He didn't even introduce himself first. Still, I was optimistic. Then he tells me he forgot his wallet, so naturally me being the generous person I am paid for his ticket. We get into the movie theater and the first thing he tries to do is put his arm around me. "Woah there, mister. I just met you." I think. Then he leans in for a kiss on the cheek. I panicked and reached down for my purse. "I'm going to get some snacks," I announced already getting up and trying to make my mistake. "I'll come with," he said. After the longest movie of my life and trying to avoid his hand holding, kisses, and cuddles we all decided to go out to eat. During this meal he called me his valentine and told me he loved me. That is how I ended up eating a huge basket of chicken tenders and a large popcorn in the span of three hours to avoid making conversation. How do you even respond to a stranger saying they are in love with you? It was quite the eventful Valentine's Day.

3. Flirting Tips
For some strange reason my friends always flock to me for relationship advice. I'm not sure why they even think this a good idea seeing as I'm really bad at dating. I'm really weird and loud and sometimes I forget most people aren't into that. This story will give people hope in life. The first time I ever met my current boyfriend was at my graduation party. I was single for the first time in forever and I thought "hey, this boy is really cute. I should talk to him." Now don't even ask me how I got that confident because typically I just assume most boys are questioning why a manatee like myself can even exist out of water. However, this time I thought I would go for it. So I go up to him and introduce myself. Nothing crazy just a typical "hey, I'm Emily and that's Erin." Well we got to talking and I guess in my head the things I were saying were normal but now I look back on it and think how weird I was. Instead of trying to hold a normal conversation I asked the most bizarre questions. He can vouch for me on this. The first question I ever asked him was "have you ever read To Kill a Mockingbird?" Keep in mind reading was not even mentioned in our conversation prior. Can I ask even weirder questions? You bet. "Do you like bananas? I don't." I actually said that. Now for some strange reason that actually worked on him because now he thinks I'm majestic and beautiful and basically the queen of everything. However, I don't think that would work on any other occasion. The point is that if you just be yourself, someone will love you for you and that's all that really matters.

4. The Great Water Fiasco 
This story might be my most embarrassing moment to date. I still can't walk into Kroger without feeling somewhat anxious and embarrassed. My sister and I were having some friends over. We were going to play capture the flag. I decided to get some water bottles seeing as we would all be doing lots of running. So there I was in Kroger by myself trying to hurry because people were already arriving at my house. For some reason everyone was out at Kroger. I don't know if Kroger just had a special invite that they sent to everyone or if everyone just decided that it was national shopping day. I don't live in a really big town so this was uncommon. My goal was to just get in and out, but little did I know I would be causing a huge scene. Water bottles were scattered everywhere so I just grabbed the first case I could. If you know me, you know I am very clumsy and trip over everything on a daily basis. Well I couldn't see where my feet were going and tripped over a case that was beside me. Now most people have enough balance to catch themselves and just go on with life. I am not one of those people. I tripped over the case of water and dropped the case in my hand. Not only did I fall flat on my face but I knocked all the water on the shelf over and busted half of the water bottles in my case that was now on the floor. Next thing I know all the surrounding workers are rushing to my aid asking me if I'm okay 1000 times. I was fine just a single bruise on my elbow. I apologized for the busted water bottles, grabbed a new case, and waddled out as fast as I could. I never looked back.

5. Why I Have No Friends
Something I always tell myself is to not sign up for 8:00AMs. Yet, for some reason I always end up with and 8:00 AM class. Now typically in my 8:00 classes I find myself trying to stay awake especially since chemistry is my least favorite subject. This particular day I was very tired and chemistry just wasn't keeping me awake. I kept zoning out. Eventually my day dreaming turned into actual dreaming. That was until the guy next to me cracked his neck really loudly. My boyfriend does this all the time and I'll touch his really strong and attractive arm muscles to reassure him that that is not normal and probably not good for his health. I guess since I was half-asleep I forgot where I was because I did that to a total stranger. He just looked at me as I said "No, don't do that" in a calm tone while touching his bicep. He gave me the look of someone who was severely creeped out and replied "Um okay." Guess who never sat by me again? Although I'm pretty sure he forgot about that event because he now sits by me in another class. I also think he got used to my weirdness because he handed my a syllabus a few weeks ago and I responded "thanks, pal." We aren't pals. He doesn't even know me. This is probably why I don't have friends. But that's okay because the friends I do have put up with my weirdness and still want to be around me.

I hope these stories inspire you to be ultra confident and meet someone new. If I can be confident and weird, there is hope for everyone in this world.

How I Learned To Never Settle For Anything

   Since it is Monday, I thought I'd write something to celebrate Motivational Monday to get people through their week. In the past years I have learned so much about myself and what I'm capable of. Through that, I have learned that their are several things you should never settle for: men and your success above most things. How did I do this? How did I overcome having the worst self confidence? I am here to enlighten you on that journey.
   Growing up at my high school, I faced a lot of ups and downs. I was a good student, but you would never think of me as that way because there were lots of good students at my school. Instead of being above average, I was just average. I blended in a lot, you might say. Excluding my senior year, I took a lot of hard classes from the hardest teachers. Most of my classes were college level and were very challenging. It was not uncommon for me to receive a B in a challenging course because I was overwhelmed by the large amounts of homework piling up on me all at once. I was so used to this lifestyle of never being complimented and always being compared to my sister who didn't necessarily have the same teachers as me. Not to say she didn't take hard courses, because she did. She was and still is very smart, but we are two different people and should not have been compared in such a manner. I took five years of Latin. And the teacher I had challenged me everyday. I worked hard and sometimes I just wasn't good enough. He saw enough potential in my class to give us tests that were nearly impossible. I appreciate this now, but at the time I didn't appreciate my GPA not meeting up to my standards. I was screwed over a lot at my high school. It was an excellent school and I appreciate the teachers I had and what I've learned, but the politics in the school overcame the benefits of the students. Even going into my senior year I felt like I had nothing to offer for the future and that my success would be based on pure luck. As much as I loved science, I knew it would amount to nothing. I was very successful in science olympiad (Forensic State Champion twice!!) and still this wasn't enough for people to think I was smart enough. However, after I graduated my teacher gave me a speech. He told me that he was actually proud of me and that he knew I was going to do amazing things. He handed me a playing card that we used in our Latin classes to translate out loud and I knew after 5 years of having him as a teacher, I would be okay.
   Recently I have been thinking about transferring schools, because I no longer feel like settling for nothing. I look at that playing card and I know what I am capable of, as silly as it sounds. Sometimes you just have to stop listening to the people around you and take control of your own life. Sometimes it is scary. The future is always scary. Grey's Anatomy said it best "the carousel never stops turning." But I do believe we make our own destinies. Some people are born to greatness and other times we have to find our greatness. I believe that everyone has potential to be successful, it just takes time and effort. For me, I want to work for the CDC and I won't take no for answer to get where I need to be to obtain that goal. If you want to be the president of the United States, you can do that. If you're awful at math and science but want to find the cure for cancer, you do everything in your power to meet that goal. You deserve the best there is. Never settle. Never limit yourself, because the second you start doing that, is the second you will start regretting your past. You will make mistakes, but that will only make you stronger. You will fail many times before you can succeed. You will get there. I will get there. We can all get there together.
   Finally, I have learned to never settle for a man. In fact, no girl or woman should EVER settle for a man. You are absolutely beautiful and you should never date a man that makes you feel any different. Through all of my relationships the biggest thing I've learned is that all men are idiots. He could be the most perfect guy ever and he will still do stupid things. That's okay though. That just means when you do something stupid, he can't get angry. My current boyfriend treats me like an absolute princess and I am very grateful for that. However, he still says stuff and does things sometimes and I just think to myself "why would you think that is okay?" For some reason it seems like all men don't know how to speak properly to women. If you find a man who actually has this skill, please let me know. Still my boyfriend thinks I am the most beautiful creature on the planet to which I think "yeah I am. Glad you can see it too." I remember back in high school, I dated a guy who made me feel absolutely terrible. He had the audacity to flirt with other girls and get pictures from them as long as he didn't do anything with them. For some reason he thought this was okay. But no matter how I looked, I was still never good enough. Finally I drew the line. I knew I deserved and could do better. So we broke up and I took a year to just be by myself. I focused on myself and on my grades and didn't worry about the way I looked or how to please people. Through that process, I started to find beauty within myself. I decided that I was done settling for people. I wanted to find someone who thought I was the most beautiful person on the planet and wouldn't treat me like garbage. So, if you're settling for that guy you dated in high school who still acts like he's in high school, you're dating the wrong man. If you find yourself crying over your man multiple times a week, then he probably isn't worth your time. He should treat you like the queen you are and not make you feel like you need to change yourself for him. Never, I repeat NEVER, change yourself for anyone. My boyfriend told me one of the reasons he likes me so much is that I know what I want and I'm unique in the sense that I know who I am and have no intentions of changing for anyone. The fact that this is an uncommon trait among girls concerns me. Now most people do suffer from self-esteem issues and I will always have my insecurities. But I assure you, you're still beautiful and amazing. Don't let a man make you question your self worth. Don't let a man be the reason for your happiness either. Love yourself first. Then you can focus on someone else.

10 Times the Walking Dead Ruined My Life

The Walking Dead is a show that everyone has heard of and hopefully watched at least once before. It is my favorite show by far. But the show has been an emotional roller coaster for me. I have had my ups and downs with it whether it be a character dying or waiting a week or several months to provide some type of comfort over a cliff hanger. So, I've decided to document the top 10 times TWD ruined my life. This post might contain some spoilers so if you plan on watching the show or missed a few episodes, now may be the time to stop reading.

10: Carl having to shoot Lori after Judith's birth.
   Lori will forever remain as one of my least favorite characters on The Walking Dead, so to be honest I wasn't devastated to see her go. However, witnessing Carl shoot his own mother is another story. My heart broke for Carl and for Rick. What's worse than finding out your wife died giving birth to your best friend's baby? Pretty much nothing. Her death had a lot of awful consequences including Rick losing his title of leader. Yet her death did cause a lot of good stuff to happen. Carl became a man and Rick isn't afraid of losing anything anymore. Also, we don't have to deal with Lori whining about her personal problems which is a total plus.

9: T-Dawg's Death.
  T-Dawg was a very minor character. Yet, he did have a special place in my heart. He sacrificed himself to save Carol and for that I am grateful. After being with us for three seasons he succumbed to the prison's hoard of walkers and lost his life helping out Carol. Thank you, T-Dawg for allowing Carol to still be with us and grow after all this time.

8: Walker Sophia emerging from Hershel's barn.
   In season 2, we were all dealing with Sophia's disappearance. Daryl put more effort into finding Sophia, Carol's daughter, than anyone. However, Shane reveals to everyone that the walkers must come out of Hershel's barn and despite Hershel's rules, Shane lets them all loose. After what seems to be the saddest walker death scene ever (watching all of Hershel's friends and relatives dies) Sophie emerges from the barn as a young walker. After a whole season of trying to find Sophia, we realize that her fate has turned for the worst and that she is gone. Something about child walkers really bothers me and for that Sophia's death will always stick with me.

7: "Look at the flowers, Lizzie."
   Lizzie's death was something I saw coming the whole episode. What I didn't expect was for Lizzie to go psycho and kill her sister. Again, I hate seeing children succumb to these awful fates, but the show is all about killing off characters in the worst way possible. Carol, the motherly figure of the group, has to shoot Lizzie in a fashion similar to that of Of Mice and Men. I would be lying if I said I didn't tear up a little bit. Lizzie just wanted to help the walkers, but instead she got to join them.

6: Any flashback ever.
   The Walking Dead is notorious for showing flashbacks of the character's lives before the outbreak and even flashbacks of people before they died (AKA Shane appearing in the smoke when Rick is having some type of delusional episode). Any flashback of a character is a quick way to ruin me. For example, seeing Abraham's troubled life between him and his family made me develop compassion towards him. I actually feel sorry for Abraham all the time now, and I blame knowing his backstory for that reason. Furthermore, these flashbacks make me become even more attached to the characters because I genuinely feel like I know them. After all, I get the luxury of seeing them at their worst moments. So if one of these characters dies, I feel like I have lost someone I personally know (Thank you TWD for always killing off my favorite characters!).

5: Andrea's death at Woodbury.
   Despite popular opinion, Andrea was one of my favorite characters. She made some bad decisions, but falling in love with the Governor might have been the worst. She tried fixing her mistakes, but despite her efforts the Governor ended her life. He tied her up, shot Milton and Milton bit her. The saddest part of it all is that Michonne is the one to kill poor, sick Andrea. My heart broke in a million pieces watching Michonne kill her best friend.

4: Carl shooting Shane.
   Kudos to Carl for always shooting Rick's closest friends and family. This seems to be a reoccurring theme for him. Although Shane went a little crazy towards the end of his life, Shane was always one of my favorites. He was a good leader. He may have done some bad things, but if it weren't for him, Carl and Lori probably wouldn't have made it past season one. Even though we all saw it coming, I was devastated when I saw Shane come back to life as a walker. But, I guess he had it coming. Carl saved Rick and that is what truly matters.

3: Hershel's unfortunate encounter with The Governor.
   Who didn't love Hershel? He was the sweetest and strongest old man of the apocalypse, I'm sure. Unfortunately his care, compassion, and fairness all led up to his demise. As soon as the Governor had Hershel and Michonne on their knees in front of the prison, I knew something bad was going to happen. A part of me was hoping that someone would come and save the day, but if there is anything I learned in TWD it is that you need to expect the worst. The Governor chopped Hershel's head off and my life ended for about 3 months.

2: Merle's final sacrifice.
   Merle might have been one the of the most dynamic characters on the show. He started off as a jerk who ended up working for the Governor only to leave for the benefit of his baby brother, Daryl. Now if you don't like the Dixon brothers then you really need to reevaluate yourself. My twin sister and I always talked about how Daryl and Merle were our favorite characters, which should come at no surprise that one of them ended up dying. Merle develops a plan to destroy Woodbury involving leading a hoard of walkers to Woodbury's walls and killing off the guards. It all works in his favor until the Governor catches on shoots Merle. And as if there wasn't another reason to hate the Governor, here's the catch: he doesn't shoot Merle in the head. So guess who finds Merle as a walker? That's right. Daryl. And guess who has to shoot Merle? Again, Daryl. That whole scene broke my heart. To see Daryl cry, made me want to cry. Nothing is worse than shooting the brother that took you three seasons to find again only to have him change for the better and turn into a walker. We all still miss you, Merle.

1: Glenn's dumpster mishap.
   Now, Glenn's death still hasn't been proven, but that doesn't make this whole event any less sad. As a collective group, every TWD fan did like Glenn. I am sure of it. What isn't to like about Glenn? He never did anything bad. He saved people, even the ones who didn't deserve it. Nicholas shot himself and took Glenn down with him and unfortunately we still haven't found out if Glenn is dead or not. In my mind he is alive, but based on previous experiences I foresee death in his future. The saddest part about everything is that my boyfriend and I had a conversation and hour before the episode aired about how Glenn was our favorite character. Also, Maggie has lost literally everyone she ever loved so to have Glenn gone would be a tragedy. Until, I see Glenn alive and Maggie running into his arms, my life will forever be over in the The Walking Dead world.

My Break-Up Story

   So I know what a lot of you are thinking, "you're so young. what could you possibly know about relationships?" Well believe it or not, I may know a thing or two. A couple months ago, I dealt with a really bad break-up. The kind where both people really did not want it, but it needed to happen anyway. I never wanted to talk about it up until now, because I just was not quite ready to let people know how it really went. However, I think it is important to let people know that these things do happen and that it is okay to be upset by them.
   A little over two years ago I started dating a guy who is now my ex. Nobody saw it coming. We were so different on everything. At the time that was okay. We learned a lot about each other and we really enjoyed our time together. However, these differences really took a toll on us as a couple. In public we were happy and no one would suspect that we had issues, but we were never on the same page. He wanted one thing and I wanted something different. No matter how hard we tried, there was just no future there. Yet we were together for two years which is honestly a long time for someone my age. As time progressed we became two different people. Neither one of us were happy in our relationship and as much as it pained me,  we both had to say goodbye. When I look back on it, I think we stayed together as long as we did because we were so attached to each other. I think a lot of the time, couples stay together because it honestly is really hard to imagine starting over with someone new. So, the idea of being with someone is a lot better than losing them. A lot of my friends have gone through relationships with that idea in mind. It is human nature to form relationships and we need those relationships to survive. But you should never be afraid of being alone. You need to be happy with yourself before you can be happy with another person. RuPaul said it best when he asked "if you can't love yourself how do you expect anyone to love you?" There is a lot of truth in that question because you need to find out who you are and what you want and the rest will fall in place.
   So how did I move on after two years? I think this part of a break-up is different for everyone. I am an optimist and to me I looked at it as an opportunity. I was too young to cry over a boy who wanted nothing to do with me anymore so I took some time to be sad and two months later I was with another guy who makes me really happy. Grieving is okay. In fact, you should grieve. It is okay to be sad. When we broke up I had so many questions through my head. What was wrong with me? Did I do something wrong? Could this have been prevented? Will I find someone new? It was a constant struggle with what I wanted mixed with so much uncertainty. But I found happiness and no matter how awful things seem now, that guy that you thought you loved will just be a learning experience. You have to go through a lot of toads before you find prince charming. But don't just assume that two months is a proper time before moving on. Everyone is different. It is okay to spend some time by yourself. After a long relationship, you can lose your sense of identity. I think it is important that you figure yourself out again before finding someone new. This might take two weeks or even two years. For me, I knew I was ready when I didn't care to be by myself anymore. I knew I was ready when I didn't have to question if I still had feelings for me ex anymore. I knew I was ready to move on when I could look in the mirror and love myself as much as I had been loved before. There is no right time to move on. You get to be the judge of that. No matter how many people tell you otherwise that you should get back on your feet and find someone new, only you can be the judge of when you're ready. Everyone copes differently, but everything will be okay.
   The moral of all of this is that you should never settle. Everyone deserves to be treated as if they are a princess. Not every girl gets the luxury of becoming a princess when they get older (my mom taught me this at a very young age) but you can still feel that way with the right person. There is a difference between Mr. Right and Mr. Right Now. Don't be afraid of being alone. Chances are that if you're not happy with your relationship right now, you probably won't be happy down the road 10 years from now. It's a lot of trial and error. No, I still haven't found Mr. Right. But I'm young. I have plenty of time. However, I do know what I don't want in my relationships. I do have an idea of Mr. Right in my head. But now I'm wiser and stronger and I know what I deserve. Every woman is beautiful. If your man can't make you feel beautiful or loved or important, then he probably isn't your Mr. Right. He's Mr. Right Now. But when you do find the one, you'll realize why it never worked out in the first place. When you find that person that loves you unconditionally and makes you feel like the princess you are, keep them. That is who you deserve.

The Day I Became the Mom of My Friend Group

   We all have that one friend that we consider to be the "mom" of our friend group. She is the one that takes care of everyone in your friend group. She is the responsible one. She is the one who lectures you for eating that cookie before dinner or being out too late instead of studying for your exam. She is the friend that you rely on to keep you on the right track and help you out when you need it. If you cannot think of a friend like that, chance are that that friend is you.
   Throughout high school I had one friend that was definitely the mom of our friend group. I was one of those teenagers that did not think before I acted. Typical am I right? She was always there to pick me up when I was down and was there to correct my mistakes and prevent me from making the same mistakes over and over again. The funny thing is that my friends and I always joked about how she was the mom of our group and none of us wanted to be that way. However, somehow I have evolved into the mom of my friend group now. I don't know when it happened or how it happened, but I am the new mom among my group of friends.
   It all started yesterday. I was dropping off one of my friends after a few hours of playing board games. As soon as he left my car and I drove off I got nervous because I never actually saw him walk into his dorm. I started panicking because what if he had gotten kidnapped and I didn't know about it (this was seriously in broad daylight too)? So I texted him and called him to just make sure and of course he was fine. Then it hit me. That was a total mom move.
   Now I think back on all of the mom-ish tendencies I have. For example, while most college students go out and go to parties, I stay in and read books and knit the occasional scarf that I still have not finished. Furthermore, I always find myself cleaning the apartment as a distraction from school. In high school, my nickname was "Mama Henderson." I got this nickname from being prepared for every scenario during Latin Convention. I was always there to help out the other Latin kids. Whether someone forgot to pack an extra shirt or someone got a paper cut, I was the first one there to their aid. I just want to take care of people. I am the friend that will lecture you if you come home too late and have not done your homework yet. I am the girl that gets anxious if my friends don't text me as soon as they get home. I am also the girl that cleans up during parties. We had a group of friends come over during the summer. Everyone was playing games and having a good time and I was following everyone around making sure they did not set a drink down without a coaster or lay their trash somewhere other than in the garbage can. That is just the type of person that I have become.
   I know the whole mom-of-the-friend-group concept has a negative connotation to most people, but it is not all that bad. If someone tells you that you're acting like a mom, take it as a compliment. I look at my mom and think of how wonderful of a person she is. She is so strong, hardworking, and the coolest woman I know. If someone is calling me a mom, then they are basically comparing me to her and to me that is a total compliment. If I can be anywhere near as cool as my mom, then I have fulfilled my life goal. Furthermore, if you're the mom of your friend group, you have authority over all of your friends. They look to you for guidance so you're their new leader. They will listen to what you have to say. You're the responsible one remember?

5 Reasons Why Rooming With Your Best Friend Isn't A Bad Idea

  We have all heard it before: "Never room with your best friend in college, because it'll ruin your friendship forever." Yet, I am rooming with my best friend and we still love each other. We still consider each other sisters. Now, I will agree that rooming with a friend is not for everyone. Everyone's friendship is different, but do not be afraid to room with your best friend. Here is why:

1. It's a sleepover 24/7.
    Remember when your mom said you couldn't have friends over on a school night? Well those days are gone, because you get to spend the night with your friend every single night. My best friend and I constantly watch movies and even do each other's nails and gossip (yes, this actually happens!) just like how we did in high school.

2. You always have someone to hang out with.
    Starting college means meeting new people which can be scary to some. Rooming with your best friend can take away the anxiety of it all. You already have someone you know, so it is easier to go places and meet people. You'll always be comfortable in a room with your best friend. Let's be honest. Plus you always have a study buddy.

3. Late night Taco Bell runs.
  Okay, so I know I am not the only one who does this. Sometimes if you're up studying late, you forget to eat dinner. This has happened to me on more than one occasion. Yet, not everyone is down for a Taco Bell run at 1 A.M. You know your best friend will always be there for you though. My roommate and I make Taco Bell runs together during those late night study sessions even if one of us is already in bed. That is what best friends do.

4. They know everything about you.
   They know you like your poptarts toasted in the morning or that waking up is the absolute worst. They know that you don't like that one person in your class and know you'll rant about that person for 20 minutes. Plus, they know all of your secrets. Your best friend has seen you at the best and worst times of your life. They know all of your quirks and can put up with them already.

5. They love you know matter what.
    Whether it is the way you leave crumbs all over the floor (I am so guilty!) or how you forget to take your laundry out of the dryer, there are things that will annoy your roommate. But at the end of the day, your best friend is willing to put all of that aside and just enjoy spending time with you. Your best friend will never see you as the annoying roommate because they have seen you through it all. They love you no matter what you do. Friendship conquers all!

Welcome!

  Welcome to my new blog. You may know me from my movie reviews. On this blog specifically, I will discuss a variety of topics. I want people to really get to know me through my writing and I would love to make a difference through my writing as well. I hope you all enjoy!