Hello Again!

Hello world! It has been quite a while since we have spoken, and I apologize. School has taken over and well, you know how that is.

I have since made the executive decision to start doing some beauty blog posts as well as pointless ramblings. I am forever a slave to Ulta, and I love a good beauty product. So I figure what the heck, why not share them with you guys!

The first product I'm going to share is my foundation.

I've been using the Clinique Even Better foundation in that shade 01, Alabaster. I will say that I am pretty fair skinned, but not porcelain. This is the lightest shade they carry in the Even Better foundation, and it is a bit dark for me. But it blends out pretty well.

My skin is fairly dry, and can get just a bit oily in the t-zone. Other than that I did have some acne problems and with that comes acne scarring. This foundation claims to over time, perfect and reduce the appearance of dark spots, and it seems to be taking care of my acne scars!

The consistency of this foundation is quite thick, but it does blend out very easily. The coverage is absolutely gorgeous on my skin. It moisturizes where I need it, and tames the oil in other areas. It wears fairly well throughout the day without a primer.

You can find it at your Clinique counter or online for anywhere between $20-$30. It is a bit expensive for me, but my philosophy is if you're going to splurge on makeup, splurge on foundation. Think about it this way, the majority of your makeup routine is devoted to your face, right? If you take care if your skin, it will reward you. That's why I don't mind spending a bit extra on a good foundation.

Social Networking ... Not So Social?

DISCLAIMER: The following post is filled with irony. After all, it is hard to discuss social networking sites with the masses.


Facebook, Twitter, E-mail, you name it ... have all had huge effects on our social lives whether we realize it or not. 


When you have a 10 page paper due in two days, what do you do? Write your paper of course?! Pssht of course not. You spend the night planning your wedding on pinterest.


When a friend makes you angry, you confront them in person and discuss things. Yeah right. You post an obvious status about it hoping they won't notice.


When your boyfriend takes 5 minutes to text you back, you wait 10 minutes to send him a reply. Yeah, that'll show him.


When you go to the bathroom, you tweet about it. Hashtag, get a life.


We have become so consumed with social networking and the devices that come it. Now I am not totally bashing facebook and twitter. They are some of the greatest developments of our generation. We can stay in touch with distant friends and family members and meet new people. The opportunities are endless. When these tools are abused however, they serve as a hinderance to the human race.


Relationships have ended because one person isn't willing to make it "facebook official." Now please tell me. Who in the world told you that you had to get Mark Zuckerberg's approval to date someone? Hours and hours are spent inside, in front of a MacBook screen, scrolling through picture after picture of people we hardly know.


I say all this out of experience because I have definitely been a victim of social networking abuse. But I really don't think it would kill us to still utilize some of our God given social skills, and step away from the computer and iPhone. I promise they won't disappear. Instead of leaving snide, indirect txt cmnts tht look lyk thiz, take the time and actually address the person. I guarantee that you both will benefit from it. So will your grammar. 

19 Years of Wisdom

Even though I've only experienced 20 years of life thus far, I believe I have learned a lot. What good would it be to keep such knowledge to myself? None. So I will share :)

1. Don't stress the little things.
They are referred to as little things for a reason. In the grand scheme of things, they don't matter. Life goes on whether you want it to or not. Don't waste your time worrying about things you have no control over.

2. NEVER over use I love you.
I am so guilty of this. We claim to have fallen in love with someone, when it's really falling in like. Just because you get butterflies in your stomach does not mean you love a person. Over using I love you leads to a stale relationship.

3. Don't let others influence you.
If you constantly follow the crowd, it's easy to lose yourself. You are the only person that knows your true thoughts and desires. If you give up on them, you're giving up on yourself.

4. Ladies. Please. Don't act dumb.
I don't know what girls today are thinking, but guys do not find it attractive when you act like a complete retard. It's not cute. It does not make you more attractive. It gives the rest of us girls a bad reputation.

5. Listen to music.
No matter what you fancy, there is music to soothe any kind of heartbreak.

6. Take lots of pictures.
Chances are, we aren't going to remember every minute of college by the time we hit 80. Take a camera with you everywhere you go, because every moment is a kodak one.

7. Appreciate those around you.
The people in your life are obviously there for a reason. Trust me, they wouldn't just stick around for the heck of it. Everyone single one of your friends and family members has a purpose in your life, and let them know it.

8. Forget the past.
Yes we do learn from our past experiences, but that doesn't mean they need to affect our future. Keeping your mind on a past boyfriend can interfere with any future fella's. Get yourself over him, and move on.

9. If you aren't happy with something in your life, change it.
There is no use in being complacent with anything that makes you unhappy. Get rid of it, change it, do something to get it out of your life. The longer you wait, the harder it is to do.

Procrastination at its Finest

Today has probably been one of the most productive days of my life!
In a mere 12 hours, I completed the following tasks:

• Read and wrote reflections on two chapters for comm theory
• Revised my most recent news story
• Created a speech/power point on Fran Drescher
• Studied for a midterm

All of which are due tomorrow. 

I also:

• Went to my 2nd job interview for Best Buy
• Painted my nails
• And wrote this blog post

What is the reason for these achievements? Stress of course! I have found that I work best while under pressure. It seems that the majority of young adults today function the same way. We are most motivated when our time is limited. 

Most people have become complacent with last minute work, it's an unavoidable side affect of college. But why? What is so taboo about completing an assignment more than three hours before it is due? It's obvious that if you work on a paper over a period of five days, it is likely to be better developed than if you were to write a paper over a period of five hours. Starting work earlier allows for more time to refine and edit. Of course with starting earlier comes more effort, and more work. And my generation is pretty lazy.

I have learned to work so well under pressure because of my incredibly lazy habits. But in the end, these lazy habits have rewarded me with a great amount of focus, and eventually completing the task on time. So my question to you is, should we be ok with our last minute habits, or strive to become over achievers? 

Living a Happy Life

By no means do I consider myself any sort of professional counselor, but I find myself to be a fairly happy person. So why not share my secrets :)


1. Take time to smile.
So many people walk around all day with glum faces. It is absolutely amazing what a smile can do for yourself and others. After all, smiles are contagious.


2. Surround yourself with good people.
And by good people I mean people that will have a positive influence on your life. The friends we choose to surround ourselves with have a huge impact on our lives, whether we recognize it or not. 


3. Let your mind wander.
Take a little bit of time out of your day to just sit and think. Let your mind roam wherever it wants to, and follow it.


4. Accept Compliments.
Many people, including myself, feel quite awkward when receiving compliments. If someone makes a positive comment towards you, simply smile and take note of it. A little bit of a confidence booster never hurt anyone.


5. Don't let ignorance get the best of you.
Seriously. This is one of my biggest pet peeves. That's all I have to say about this one.


6. Take time to smell the roses.
I don't care how cliche this is, it's true. 


7. Say thank you.
Two simple words that let a person know they're appreciated. A sincere thank you can leave a lasting impression.


8. Take care of yourself.
Physical and emotional well being are vital components of a happy life. Treat your body right, and it will function properly. Give your mind the exercise it deserves and it will reward you.


9. Don't let your past influence your future.
Our past is our past for a reason. Don't dwell on something that happened yesterday. Whatever happened, happened, and there's no use in wasting energy on something we can't change.


10. Take pride in who you are.
There are no two people in this world that are alike. What makes you different is what makes you, you. Take time to discover and develop yourself as an individual, and embrace your unique self.




Word of the day:
pabulum
n: a suspension or solution of nutrients in a state suitable for absorption; intellectual sustenance    

Lonely Grilled Cheese

While enjoying my delectable grilled cheese at lunch today, a glance around the cafeteria really got my wheels turning. There I sat at a table, by myself. A guy sat to the table to my right, by himself. To his right was a cafeteria employee, by herself. 


Notice a pattern here? The three of us lonely grilled cheese connoisseurs were all sitting by ourselves. We occupied three separate tables, when we could have easily condensed ourselves to one.


Table conservation aside, I want to know why? Why do we insist on choosing an unoccupied table? We are humans, and in order to function as healthy humans, we need to socialize. One would think that this primitive need would even drive us to sit with strangers.


Striking up a conversation with a new acquaintance is not difficult. After all, it is how we make friends and build relationships with one another. So why are we so hesitant to do so most of the time? My question may remain unanswered. 

Singing in the Rain

Call me emo, but I love the rain.


Don't get me wrong, I do love the Carolina blue sky. But there's just something about overcast clouds that give me comfort.


I feel compelled to start dancing and singing everytime I carry my umbrella. One of those moments where you expect everyone to break out into random song and choreographed dance.


But it's a beautiful thing really, to look outside your window and watch the raindrops cascade onto the ground below. Hearing thousands of tiny drops hit the bedroom window with such gentle knocks can put anyone to sleep.


This blissful gift falling from the sky isn't always so kind. A sweet little raindrop can turn into a horrendous thunderstorm when a little bit of unstable air and humidity collide.


The tiny drops hitting windows suddenly morph into a monstrous monsoon, drenching everything in its path. Along with the flood comes angry thunder and lightning. Lighting up the night sky after every heart pounding boom.


These treacherous thunderstorms do not last forever, nor does the gentle rain. So instead of complaining about the dreary weather, throw on your rain boots and jump in some puddles.

Word of the day:


bathetic
adj: characterized by triteness or sentimentalism