1000 Squat Challenge by Cassey from Blogilates

You read the title correctly: 1000 Squat Challenge. If you are not familiar who Cassey is, she is an exercise instructor and owner/creator of Blogilates. I am a dedicated fan to her videos and have utilized her regimen for a while now. She is known and famous for her Squat Challenge which has racked up 4.5 million views, respectfully. Now you are probably wondering why I brought up her recent challenge of 1000 squats. It is because I am in the process of doing that exactly, 1000 squats. Call me crazy, but it is worth a try though urging with caution. It is abnormal to do that amount of squats to your legs, glutes, quads, and calves which is why Cassey put up a disclaimer and warning, as I am too. Before writing this post, I just completed a little over 300 squats -- the peak of which I started to sweat. Now, I am pretty proud of myself because achieving a little over 300 squats while just starting to sweat is impressive in my opinion. Read further for updates on my goal to achieve 1000 squats.

Update: I just reached 550 squats and break. Physically I am fine, the increased heart rate is a little much considering I only reached a little over the half way mark. I am accompanied with a cup of water, and I cannot WAIT to hop in the shower though I feel invigorated and a little too sweaty. 

Update II: I reached a total of 800 squats. My legs feel like jello and I can only imagine how they will feel as I finish. I only have 200 more squats to go until I reach 1000 - words I never though I'd say because I never imagined doing 100 squats, let alone 1000. The next update may be my final update as I [hopefully] have reached 1000. If not, read along for my next update, and the update after that!

Update III: Very much back with my final update of 1000 squats. I did it thanks to the help of Cassey, my cats (will fill you in later), and water! I cannot tell you how I will feel tomorrow ... presumably sore and stiff, but I don't care. The 1000 squat challenge is a long-term achievement, the side effects are short. The final stretch of 1000 was fairly easy, I had to resort in using my carpet floor (sorry, tailbone) because my yoga mat is not with me at the moment. My joy with the carpet comes along with my cats. I was in my hallway, and they were watching me like I was a maniac, if you make it to 900 (congrats!), you will understand. 

Nonetheless, I learned the journey matters more than the number itself. Yes, I have completed 1000 squats but the journey in reaching 1000, is greater. I took breaks when needed, drank water, and stretched. I have no idea how Cassey did the challenge with no breaks, but regardless of this we were in it together. If you managed to do 100, 200, or even 50 - congratulations. Do not be hard on yourself because that is more than an average amount of people can do! If you are struggling, take breaks as long as you finish satisfied and remember to not focus on the number, rather the journey it took to reach your personal goal. 

Wisdom tooth extraction experience (to ease your nerves)

Hello, hello! Earlier today, I was reminiscing on the time I had my wisdom teeth removed, and how curious and nervous I was for that day to come. Now imagine, you are the first sibling in your family to undergo this procedure and the only sufficient person you know who can relate, is your father. Fantastic right? Only it would be if he remembered every detail. 

I understand how you are feeling: nervous, anxious, curious, and wondering if you're going to say ridiculous things as you are under anesthesia. Now I have no idea how these patients come up with what they say while medicated, but the nurse I had said it won't happen to me. She was right - I didn't say anything embarrassing, in fact the only thing I said was "I feel fantastic" after the Doctor asked how I was feeling as he filled my IV.  Here's my story I hope will help you, and ease your nerves before you experience one of the best decisions you'll make as a late teen. You will be rid of the pain of your wisdom teeth growing, and be that much wiser. (now you know why babies sob when they are teething!) 

Essentially you are indicated by the nurse, to not eat or drink 24 hours before your surgery. Mine was appointed in the morning, I do not remember a specific time, but it was before 11AM. The day before, I gave myself the "last" of everything: the last time I eat breakfast, the last supper, and the last time I'll be able to actually take care of myself - for now, at least. Insert tip one: drink water. I don't mean the minimum of what you're supposed to consume in a day -- I mean drink SO much water, you're sick of it. It is very important to remain and stay hydrated before your appointment. Something I failed to do prior. 

It is the morning of my appointment, and I'm feeling okay. I remember my appointment was made in August, which happens to also be my birthday month. I check in, fill out papers, and sign a release form; which by the way freaked me out but is required. Now remember, I was 19 [turning 20] at the time, and I can say I was pretty open minded. I had made it my plan to bring my iPod (go figure) for the procedure. As soon as the nurse saw my beloved iPod, she said "No, no we cannot allow you to listen to music while put under because we want your brain to 'relax'." Basically, if I listen to music being sedated, I will technically still be awake, and my brain will be active. Now I opted for sedation - no gas mask. I will be conscious, not put under but I will have no memory of the surgery. In addition to this, I will be able to answer the Doctor as I am sedated ... How crazy is that?! 

I sit myself in the chair with my dad and mom (who didn't last long). The nurse puts an oxygen mask on my face, and preps the IV while the Doctor finally comes in, and assists the nurse with medication and his utensils. As this is happening, the nurse is jotting my information such as my weight, height and age. They use this to determine how much medication they need to use in accordance to your size. The nurse brings over the needle and the first thing I said to her was "please don't hurt me" - she assured me she would not. The IV was a breeze, didn't feel a thing and I felt pumped. Now as this is happening, the Doctor is making me feel comfortable by engaging in small talk, while he works with the nurse to fill my IV bag. As I mentioned earlier in this post, the Doctor asks "how are you feeling?" and I say: "I feel fantastic!" - a great indicator that the medicine is working. Before I become sedated, I remember vividly sitting in the chair, the room is spinning, everything becomes blurry, eventually black. 

Literally what felt like 20 minutes, was more than an hour of surgery and I am awake. The nurse wastes no time in waking me up, pretending as if nothing happened. I get up by myself and finally meet my dad and brother in recovery. The nurse tells my dad care instructions, questions he may have, all the information needed to take care of me for the next week. I get up and my nurse helps me into the truck and finally I am on my way home. The car ride home felt like 5 minutes (it wasn't, it was a good 25), but I remember sitting in the truck beside my brother and I wanted to text my sister. I have no idea what I said to her, or how I was able to function a phone, but I did text her and it was gibberish. 

I am home. I open the door and my mom is anxiously waiting expecting me to be incoherent and not able to move on my own. Her maternal instincts are in full gear, she greets me, and the first thing I do is run to the living room saying to my mom "I am okay". Now I cannot describe to you the dizzyness I felt after my surgery and for the rest of the week which is why I ran to my couch and laid there all day. My mom went to the pharmacy to fill my prescription and came home. The first few hours post-op was my dad changing my gauze full of blood every half hour of so. Super gross, not fun, or cute. Finally after the bleeding stops I lay down, and relax. It sucks because you cannot eat. No straws, no solid foods, no cold or hot drinks, nothing. My diet for the week consisted of protein shakes used for hospital patients because it was all I could consume as I was incapable of chewing. 

Me being the superhero I am, I didn't use my prescription. The next morning after my surgery I felt fantastic. I had no pain, and I felt good - but still dizzy. My entire week consisted of me laying down on the couch, only getting up to rinse my mouth, and take care of myself. It sucked but it was my temporary reality. 

Overall, everything went okay. Recovery was ironically better than the surgery itself but nonetheless I came out and made it alive. Everyone reacts differently to surgery, and while I was able to survive mine post-op without my prescription, you may be opposite. Don't get me wrong, there was discomfort, but nothing to the extent of needing medication. 

How to PREVENT dry socket: One of the frequent correlations to having your wisdom teeth removed is the chance of getting dry socket. Dry socket occurs when the blood clot in your gum prematurely falls out, causing the wound to be exposed to air, and particles. You do not want this to happen and I was thankfully able to avoid this completely. I was SO paranoid of getting dry socket, I diligently cleaned my four wounds every hour with salt water. There was a point when a blood clot did fall out a few days later and I'm not gonna lie: I freaked out but it was natural in a way it did not affect healing. I urge you to clean your wounds and make sure your mouth is in perfect oral hygiene. If you do get dry socket it extends your healing to another week or two, depending on the severity and you need a prescription from your Doctor to aid in healing the infection. 

Post-op: A misconception with this surgery is after one week, you are free. Not true. When your mouth is healed entirely, you literally have only just begun. It takes an extra four to six weeks for the wounds to close if your Doctor did not surgically stitch them, and even if your gum is stitched, you still need to be careful. Before and after you eat MAKE SURE your gums are clean of food in the sockets. It's tedious, and gross but it has to be done. 

Kim Kardashian Hollywood tips

I'm not a huge game fan on my iPhone 5, but once in a while I come across a game I genuinely like. The Kim Kardashian Hollywood app is an app I never though I'd play for longer than a week. The game objective is, your newly moved into Los Angeles, and you happen to be friends with Kim Kardashian. She utilizes her fame to allow you to grow as a future celebrity. One of the first tasks is to work at her store, earn money, energy, and attention. As time goes on, you move onto working in small photo shoots, to national spreads, and even interviews. I am now a B-list "celebrity" and I am working the tedious task of runways. As the game progresses, you get perks to flying to different states such as New York City, and Las Vegas; and countries around the world. Essentially the more connections you have, the more you become noticed. In addition, it is imperative to speak only positively amongst other people in the industry as your fame can dwindle down rapidly. Here are some key tips, and tricks you can utilize in the Kim Kardashian Hollywood app.



1) Save your energy
This is a large complaint if you search the reviews on this game; energy. Essentially, you're given energy appearing as lightning bolts, set with a limit of 24. This energy is used to complete tasks within the project you accept and dwindles down fairly quickly. If you use all of your energy, you will have to wait  30 minutes to 2 hours before being able to complete another task. It is time consuming; use your energy wisely and pay attention to how long your project will take. If you have 1 hour left on the project, use some; but if you are down to minutes - save!

2) Be picky on the tasks you choose
In the beginning of the game you will be assigned a manger, his name is Simon. After you progress, you will be assigned a second manager named Maria. Both are vital in this game, however Simon is your go-to. He will call you to set up projects to complete such as national photo shoot spreads, to low profile photo shoot spreads. There is a difference, so pick wisely. In addition, you will be able to complete appearances, and interviews all within a time frame. If you feel you can and will benefit from your project to increase fame, then I suggest in doing so.

3) Meet people
I wish I had noticed this sooner .... meeting people allows you to gain connection. You can call someone in the business while you are on a project; for example, if you are famous enough to participate in a runway show, you can call a friend who is in the industry (i.e. model) to join you. This will give you a chance to earn more stars on your performance. 

4) Memorize locations and cities
Early in the game you are given basic cities within California to travel to. As you gain fame, you are able to travel to NYC, Las Vegas, and tropical places. Eventually when you progress, your manager assumes you know where said location is and won't tell you the location, only the name of the building. To save travel costs (because it's not free,) memorize where you have to go.

5) Invest in nice clothes
It is humorous reading the comments you receive from other famous people in the game. You will be faced with insults on your outfit but don't feel bad, you are not alone. I suggest saving money and splurging a little. Buy nice dresses and outfits that correspond to the event you need to attend. 

6) Be careful with gossip
I was so close to becoming a C list celebrity - like literally, I was shy away from one positive feedback and boom, I would have been that more famous. But no, you see. I had an 'interview', and he asked my relationship with Willow Page (you will meet her in the game) and I clicked "no comment", as in I have nothing to say but it doesn't really give you an answer to your question. He interpreted it negatively, and essentially blasted me on social media thus I lost 100,000 fans. I was devastated.


7) Aim for four stars
Try to aim for four stars while completing projects. This will ensure your fame, money, and fans (sounds cruel, right?). Majority of your projects take 2 hours, unless you're on a date or interview - make notice to time, energy, and how much energy a task will take because this effects performance. If you choose to use your energy on a task that takes away 1 energy, you will earn one star - if you choose a task that takes away 8 energy bolts, you will earn eight stars. 

8) Save your money! 

Save your money! You can buy multiple properties within the game - this is also suggested to boost fame and fortune. Be aware of what you are spending and how much. I was able to buy So Chic boutique, and a condo in Hollywood through being frugal and sacrificing energy for opportunities I knew will benefit long-term.

My Makeup Story

The "My Makeup Story" tag is popular amongst YouTube videos from beauty 'gurus', I thought it would be fun to share on my blog. I always love to share my makeup experience with friends because everyones is different and I always find I am the youngest to have experience in the use of makeup!

1. How old were you when you started wearing makeup? 

When I first tried makeup I was in grade five, around 9 or 10 years old. This literally consisted of eyeshadow and lip gloss. As soon as I entered high school, I experimented with eyeliner and mascara; I think the more aware I became of my appearance as I got older, I was able to try more out. 

2. How did you get into makeup?

I always talked to my mom about the concept of makeup and she was very open to the idea of me trying it out. I had three older sisters and I think she knew I was going to bring it up one way or another BUT she never had a problem! 

3. What are some of your favorite brands?

For mascara, I am a devoted Maybelline fan. I have tried only L'oreal, Cover Girl, and Lancome and Maybelline reigns the highest. I try to not spend too much money on mascara because I feel they are universal in the sense of purpose, and formula. With that being said, I am a large Lancome fan of their foundation, and concealers. I admire basically all of their products. Urban Decay is fantastic for eyeshadow and eyeliner selection, and MAC, I use for blushes and their collections. 

4. What does makeup mean to you?

Makeup means a lot to me. It represents a freedom to be able to try colours, and products you like. There are no rules, with the exception of the basic fundamentals of applying makeup. 

5. If you could only wear 4 products on your face what would they be?

Mascara, Anastasia eyebrow pencil, MAC lipstick, and MAC highlighter.

6. What is your favorite thing about makeup? 

Being able to try different looks. If I don't feel like wearing too much makeup, I can limit myself to only certain products; but if I am going out then I can achieve a dramatic look by adding onto what I already have and more. 

7. What do you think about drugstore makeup vs. high end makeup? 

Drugstore makeup I find is good for beginners because it is generally cheap. I am only experienced in buying drugstore mascara because I feel you should spend a little more when it comes to foundation and concealer. I think especially in the makeup industry, you get what you pay for. An extra $10 on a foundation can be a difference in formula, shade selection, and amount of product. 

8. What is one tip of advice you can give a beginner?

Start out slow and practice. I remember it took me weeks before I was able to "successfully" apply eyeliner in a way I liked and suited me. In addition, it is important to experiment! Find out what colours look best on you, and go from there. 

9. What is one makeup trend you never understood? 

A makeup trend I never understood was the crazed bronze look. Girls would pile their face up with orange under-toned bronzer literally in the contours of their face, as a blush, and on their forehead (think Jersey Shore, but before the show aired). SO not cute and I'm glad that trend is over. 

What do you think about the beauty community on Youtube?
The beauty community on YouTube is tough. I pay large respect to the girls who stuck it out, and continue to make videos for their channel regardless of the comments and feedback they receive. I am not on YouTube but it's not to say I may sometime join the 'community' of girls. I hear from 'gurus' on YouTube stating the personal community on YouTube i.e. the girls who own popular YouTube beauty channels are very catty and like to gossip - not sure if this is true but it is safe to say it might be. I don't feel it's fair to also narrow communities on YouTube because there are hundreds of other genres of channels on YouTube who also exhibit hate and animosity from their viewers, too. 

  

Four things I wish I had done differently with my first job

Life is full of firsts. First walk, first word, first kiss, first job, first love.

Everyone has experienced having a first job, whether it's a family business, or otherwise, you remember earning your first paycheck with sheer excitement. I have so far lived an unconventional life and I didn't "get" my first job until I turned 20. I wouldn't consider this job a typical first-job experience as it wasn't in a fast food place, and I received more than minimum wage (thank-you college!) Regardless of how I paved my way to finally building a resume, there are things I wish I would have done differently when I earned my first paycheck. 

1) Saved every penny
This sound kind of unrealistic, but when you're 20, living with your parents, not paying for school, and literally have zero responsibility, I had no excuse to not save every penny. There were times when I didn't spend a paycheck, but there were also times where I worked overtime and felt I deserved to splurge a little. With the amount of time spent working with the said company, I should have been a little more frugal. 

2) Work with the company longer
As mentioned in 1), I wish I stayed with the company longer. Today, I realize it doesn't look good on your resume if you cannot stick to a single job for more than six months. This shows the hiring manager your inability to commit or multitask between your life and work. It is understandable if you are in school, but it may be easier to just ask for weekend hours and limit yourself respectfully. 

3) Learn to balance work and school
Again, this correlates to 2) though this can be a give or take. Learning to balance work and school can only be done if you are in school and work. I feared this notion and decided to leave because I was worried just how would it be possible to go through school while working? Well, it is possible and I have seen it, though never experienced. I think if I went through college working while studying, I would have gained a lot more than I know today -- however, I know my grades wouldn't have been as good through this. 

4) Appreciate in the present of working
With work, I was always wondering how many hours I clicked in, and what my next paycheck will be. I can fully admit I was a workaholic and I tried to get as many hours as I could for the week because 1. I loved my job and 2. I loved the money, and I felt I had a responsibility. It is important to enjoy and appreciate what you're doing, and worry less about how many hours you're working and the money your making. 

"Being Outgoing, but you're actually Shy"

I came across this entry titled "18 Struggles of having an outgoing personality, but actually being shy and introverted". 

The 18 "struggles" could not reflect my personality, thoughts, and overall demeanor more perfectly, I had to blog about it. If you are kicking yourself to figure out why you are shy in one way, and why you are extroverted in another, then I highly recommend reading this article. Before I begin, I want to add you are normal, and represent maybe half of the population who are just that. In the workplace specifically, I have been questioned, and taunted over my shy-ness and the fact I need to speak up. It's hard when you aren't comfortable, and harder when you are being forced - which is why I embrace every part of who I am. Now, don't get me wrong, I am well aware of my actions and I know when I need to speak up in certain situations, though I find it unnecessary to remind a worker of this. I actually had someone who I was shadowing insult my personality because they were polar opposite to who I was, poking fun of me for this fact. Through the negative, comes positive and I have had coworkers, and friends who appreciate my calm demeanor and say it's a compliment to us ['us' being myself, and the coworker or friend] within the relationship established. 

I want to highlight some of the 18 struggles I found hilarious and frighteningly true:  

1. You’re not anti-social, you’re selectively social.
I have said this comment for years. I am not anti-social, I just choose who I interact with. If I don't have a good feeling about you, or we have little in common, I am more likely to not initiate a conversation with you. Trust me, it's in both of our favours. 

2. At any given point, you have one (maybe two) best friends who are your entire life.  You’re not a “group of friends” person. You can’t keep up with all that.

Groups stress me out, yet I can manage well with group work. Having a large group of friends gives me pressure to managing my friends -- we also have that one friend who you either get along really well with, or not at all. 

9. You retain an air of mysteriousness about you, completely unintentionally. (There’s no mystery. You just feel no need to update the social sphere on what’s going on in your life every two hours.)
Every other guy I meet, always indicate how mysterious I am. When followed with a "how?", they can never pin point exactly what makes me so mysterious. I guess it may have to do with my inability to open up entirely to people when I meet you for the first time. 

12. You’ve never really understood the whole “introvert vs. extrovert” dichotomy (can we call it that?) Because you’re… both…
Believe me, I have days where I am an introvert or extrovert - it all depends on my day and how I am feeling. Though I can never explain exactly why I am feel more than another, it just happens; so I apologize if we hang out and I talk less than we did yesterday. 

18. It’s taken you years to figure out that you’re shy. Literal years. And when you tell people, even your closest family members, that you’re “actually just shy” they pause, and then their eyes go big, and they go: “Oh my god you so are.”
I have had many moments in my life where I try to figure out exactly who I am. Am I really shy, or do I not just feel like talking? It can be complicated the more you think about it, but less complicated the less you think about it. If you're quiet-er, own it and embrace everything in your personality that makes you, you!

Side note: I do not want you to think everyone has their individuality set out based on if they are introverted or extroverted. They're not. We are all unique in a variety of way, for example, our experiences, culture, lifestyle, and how we are raised. Being more introverted, and less extroverted (or vice versa) does not and should not define you, but more or less give you an idea as to determine your level of comfort when in large or small groups. 

Hex Codes and HTML

I remember when I was 12 years old and came to the discovery of the world of HTML. 

It was a time where Google was first discovered, and anything surrounding the Internet was bursting with views. I taught myself how to code, read, and write HTML and while I forget some, I still remember the basics. It is something I am proud to say I love to geek-out at, and from time to time, use HTML and hex codes for various things. If you are not aware of what a hex code is, it is a formula of numbers and letters to code a specific colour. For example, a typical format for a hex code begins with a # and six numbers following. With this post I thought I'd share some neon hex code colours taken from here and other pretty colours I remember off heart. Another very helpful website that groups colours together according to shade, and category is this site - enjoy!

Neon pink #ff0099 

Neon yellow #f3f315

Neon green #83f52c

Neon orange #ff6600

Neon violet #6e0dd0

Baby pink #ff6699

Light grey #cccccc

Light-er grey #999999


Dark grey #666666

Black #000000

Surviving your first Orientation Week

Most Universities and Colleges across Canada have Orientation Week. 

Orientation Week is one week full of activities to meet people, accustom yourself to campus, and have a smooth transition to living on your own. I will be talking about my experience of Orientation Week based on the university I attended. Though the school will be undisclosed, it is a similar format to most universities in Ontario. If you are living in residence, it is likely you will have a meeting with your building to know your leaders, RA's, cheers, and ice-breakers. It can be nerve wracking because you literally just moved in. You probably haven't finished unpacking, reality hasn't set in, and you are still trying to meet your roommates. Don't get me wrong, Orientation Week is fun and exciting but it is exhausting and there may be some activities you won't feel comfortable participating in. 

I am a quiet person, and I and the average amount of people find discomfort in cheering, singing, and letting yourself go in front of strangers. This isn't to say I am not social; I am - it just happens I am more social with people whom I know, and are comfortable with. If I can give you any piece of advice I wish I had known prior to participating in Orientation Week is to have fun and don't hesitate. I didn't participate in all of the activities I paid for, and while I had reasoning behind them (exhausted, timid, not my interest), I probably could have succumbed enough courage and went with it.  The Orientation Week I participated in did make my transition easy from home to living in a new city and while I was older-ish than my friends, it felt nice to feel welcomed and comfortable. I realize now, the reason I became timid was because I was adjusting to everything and I wasn't aware of it. Until after Orientation Week came to an end, was when I realized I was in a completely new environment, living in a new place, meeting new people, having no food (literally), and just everything was a [positive] shock. 

I conclude: To survive your first Orientation Week you should ...

1) Stay hydrated and eat
This may sound obvious, but it can easily be overseen. For daytime events, bring a water bottle and if possible, carry a backpack with snacks and necessities. If you plan to attend evening or night events, they may not allow water bottles or bottles in general as the security personnel do not have time (because of the hundred of people entering) to check if it is actually water, or alcohol. 

2) Meet people within your residence
Meeting people, especially in your residence building is fun but can be intimidating at first. I only have experience in a suite style building (four bedroom, apartment style) so meeting other students wasn't too challenging. If you have one roommate, or are by yourself, be proactive and introduce yourself to whoever is living in your hall.

3) Keep in contact with family
Expect to have a busy week. You will be surprised to see how you can go one day without talking to your parents or friends from home. Set out some time during the day and call your family, or if you're having too much fun, send a text. 

4) Shower, and take time for yourself
Nothing is like your first shower. Orientation Week is much like camp and you forget to live a little for yourself. That first shower feels SO good because it will likely be hot, humid, and you may have a small tan from being outside all day. Also, whatever you normally do to relax, do it and do it well.

5) Have a group to do activities with
You will likely to have meet people throughout the day or two and it is helpful to have a group to hangout and explore with. Your Orientation Week may be divided into faculties so you may not see your group of friends as often [if in a different faculty], but for other activities and adventures have a group.

6) Do not get too drunk
This, as rule #1 is also overseen. There will likely be many 'fresh out of high school' students who want to break free and drink. This is fine [if it is done legally], but do not get too drunk! I can count AND recall seeing students being carried and walked home because of their inability to walk or stand. It is not fun, cute, or something you [won't] remember. Please be safe, and aware of your limits. 

7) Wear sunscreen
Another "thing" I wish I knew before hand: sunscreen. I never realized the amount of time spent outside and I did get a sunburn on my face, not on purpose either. Carry and wear sunscreen before you head out, and your skin will thank you. 

8) Go for walks on campus in the evening
You will get a campus tour with your assigned group, but nothing is nicer than walking on campus when it's quiet, seeing the sunset, and just exploring. You will see a lot of small details on campus, but won't necessarily appreciate until you stop, and look to see how beautiful your school really is.

9) Get personal 
As you get to know more students in your building, you will begin to feel comfortable. It is amazing how many conversations I had my first week of Orientation with people I hadn't even known for more than 48 hours. The relatable experience you both are going through allows a barrier to be broken to let yourself go. You will be up late at night, talking with people, and getting to know them as if you've known each other for at least six months. 

Most importantly, have fun and stay safe.

The Beauty of Writing

Blogging is something I have always had at the back of my mind to achieve. I love words, writing, and editing so it became a no brainer for me to start. The initial problem I had is what to write. Believe me, there are TONS of things I could [and tried] to begin - such as a makeup blog. Makeup is one of my guilty pleasures, and I easily choose cosmetics over clothes - any day. It is a way to express my creativity, and something I can explore with colours, and palettes. It is a different world every girl either loves or hates. So I tried. And I realized, I didn't like the idea of forcing out product names, and what I should write about them. I was essentially turning something I loved, into a responsibility. 

Another option I had, was nail polish. Shocker right? I have a huge collection of nail polish and there was a point in my life where I had long, manicured nails ... until I got a job that prevented me from working. So I cut them, but I still love my collection. It's funny because most people blog about what they like or are interested in, and here I was trying to write about two things I admire, but I did not feel like I was being at all sincere because I loved it too much. One day, I had an idea and I figured I would create a blog and write about what I wanted to write. I didn't want to make my blog too specific, or not specific enough; which is why I narrowed my writing to Advice and Lifestyle. These two go hand in hand in the sense I can write about real-life scenarios or experiences, while giving advice if needed. I can honestly say I enjoy writing for this blog - it has become a pleasure. 

Here are my views on the beauty of writing: 

1) You are constantly refining, and editing, and refining ...
I love to write, and edit. It keeps me on top of my writing skills and the way I express myself. As you write in your blog, you will realize small tendencies and try to improve them. For example, do you use exaggerative words such as 'very', 'many', 'always', 'so much'? Try to replace or remove unnecessary words to create  formal sentences for your readers. Remember: the more you edit, the better you will be as a writer. Also, never, ever put yourself down if you find you can edit a post more than you notice before submitting. It only is an indicator of your improvement!

2) Imagination
Having a blog is great because you are your own boss. You can write whatever you wish, and the viewers you attract are the ones who find your content interesting. The sky is the limit, and as long it is tasteful, and grammatically correct [see #1], keep on writing!

3) Your blog is personal and impersonal
Your blog is personal and impersonal. What do I mean by this? It is personal because this blog is yours, and you are the writer. You support and own your content. Though it is impersonal, because your viewers do not know who you are; you're essentially anonymous in the best way possible, hopefully helping your viewers remain entertained and interested.

4) Reaching out to readers who need you
One of the main reasons you created a blog is to attain readers. You want to reach out to readers who need you in many forms such as advice, writing from personal experience, or different points of view. I haven't received comments yet, but with every post I write, I hope I can reach out to a reader who needs a perspective from someone who maybe, is on the other side of the world from you. 

My advice: If you want to start a blog, do it. You will be fascinated at how much your writing, editing, and imagination improves with every post you submit. I will also leave you with one of my most intriguing and favourite quotes spotted on Instagram: 

Social Media and Relationships

Picture this: You log onto Facebook, and do your normal routine and realize, you are minus one friend. Normally you would shrug this off, but curiousity kicks in: who removed me from Facebook? Do I know him or her? Are we friends? Have we talked? Before you know it, you are on a mission to find who deleted you off Facebook (or any platform) and come to realize it is not a big deal.

I understand the awkwardness and feeling of being removed from any social media account. It's not fun, but it isn't impossible to get over. When I first experienced this, I honestly felt hurt. I wondered why someone would delete me from Facebook, because I never did anything personal to hurt them and I wasn't someone who constantly posted status updates, and shared articles. So what did I do? I realize now, people go off and delete people they haven't talked to in a few years, regardless of their relation. It doesn't matter how you met, or how long you've known each other, it is bound to happen at some point and it is important to accept this fact. 

Being aware of the concept of being deleted from social media accounts, and the impact it has on connection, and relationships, proves how impactful and strong this outlet is. Before our generation had any source of online connection, you wouldn't go up to your friend and say "I'm deleting you from my life." You just wouldn't talk to them - but now, it's a time where we sort of say "I am removing you from my life" and this removes most communication and relationship from happening again.  

I read an article once, and the author explained how removing someone from Facebook is counterproductive. In fact, it shouldn't be done because you lose professional connections. If an old friend is hired at a new job in your field, and either you or her deleted each other, you have no means of finding the said company, or be able to use the person as reference (and vice versa). A question you should ask yourself is, if you have removed a whole bunch of people from social media, then it is possible that person has felt the same way. Regardless, it's been done and it isn't impossible to get over. A possible solution instead of removing a whole bunch of people, is to create a fresh, new Facebook or social media account. I've seen tons of my friends do this, and instead of deleting hundreds, they only re-add about 60 people or so. 

The choice is up to you.

Why The Fault in Our Stars is more sad than romantic

** This post will contain spoilers **

I remember the first time I saw a preview of the film, The Fault in Our Stars. I instantly knew it was a movie I had to see. It is a movie based on a true story, and a novel has been published prior to coming out in theaters. If you are not aware of the synopsis of the film, The Fault in Our Stars is about a young girl named Hazel, who has cancer and wants to live as normal of a life as possible. She hated the idea of going to counseling sessions with other patients because she felt she was not able to live her life as a teenager. Through the sessions she meets a boy named Gus. Gus is charming and witty and finds interest in Hazel. Throughout the film their love grows and it becomes an absolute tear-fest.

As you can imagine, there is a love story, but after watching the film I felt it was more sad than romantic. I have no experience dealing with the illnesses in the film, though I feel the depiction of the emotional, and physical strain was exceptional. There were many scenes where I gushed because Gus and Hazel are a fantastic couple, and to watch their love grow so quickly is inspiring. The movie begins with the story of Hazel and her hardship through dealing with cancer, and then you realize, Gus also [has] had cancer and the reason he attends the sessions, is for his friend who is slowly losing his vision.

You are rightfully wondering where I am trying to make my point with why this film is more sad than it is romantic. Primarily, it is because you are able to see Hazel and Gus' love grow and you are hit with the scenario of Gus out of remission and is, as he put it, dying. The entire film, the viewers nor Hazel were made aware that Gus' cancer is back, and on their trip to Amsterdam, his health is deteriorating. His friend, Isaac eventually loses his vision and is legally blind, though the trio are inseparable. There is one scene in the film that allowed me to feel this movie for the first time: when Gus invites Hazel and Isaac to their Church for the purpose of writing his eulogy before he is sent to heaven (and yes, it is as grueling as it sounds). 

The film ends with Gus passing away, and while he is passed, their love is not.  The simplest example I can give is if you have seen the film A Walk to Remember - which by the way is in my top 5 of favourite movies of all time. Imagine AWTR, without the love between Jamie and Landon. Impossible. 

Failing within your lifetime (and why it can be a blessing)

Failing. The dreaded word. Nobody likes to fail, and it has been instilled in our brains to not fail in the early years of elementary school. It is unfortunate, but failing gives you the opportunity to learn about yourself, and your life. For a very long time time, I was one of those people. I never wanted to fail - ever. The idea of the possibility of failing seemed horrible, and if I ever did, I would feel like less of a person in doing so. Regardless of what I thought, I have failed a few times and it has only allowed me to give me a different perspective on where I actually want to be as an established professional. As a 23 year old, it is easy to feel like time is against you by the 'standard' way of living. 

By the time you are 25 you should be engaged, or at least in a steady relationship. By 26, you should have "it" figured out in terms of what and where you want to be in life, and by 27 you should be established. Turns out, that is not the case for myself, and many other young adults in this day in age. I still haven't earned a Bachelor's degree which I intended to start at the tender age of 18. Instead, I went through schooling to earn myself a two-year diploma which I can say gave me so much perspective. It is something I never realized how much it truly meant, and how much I love the field I studied for two years. I then decided it was time to go to university. But ironically, it was complete opposite to what I studied or ever had expected. I was in school, having no idea what I was doing and I was 22. This decision baffled me in so many ways, I decided to ignore it. I figured I can still study even if I wasn't as interested as I was when I was in college. Big mistake. This only lead me to failure (again) and I stopped. To some, this could have been an obvious mistake, but to me it wasn't. I am a very determined individual and the type of person where I have to realize things for myself, regardless if I fail or not. 

So what is my conclusion to the concept of failing? It will happen, but don't expect it. Live your life as your living, and if there comes a time where you fail in school, your personal life, your job, realize it can be a blessing in more than one way. Putting life into perspective is hard, but this is the beauty of experience. We are still young and are living in a time where school comes first, and pursuing a family and/or career, second. Embrace failure because it makes you humble, and realize too, failure can lead you to better things because maybe the first option just wasn't it. 

Why Running is a Good Idea

Running. Running is something I discovered last summer of 2013 and it has stuck with me as one of my fondest memories of exercise. I have talked to countless friends, and family and I have yet to meet an avid runner who loves the sport as much as I do. Now, instead of depicting running as something to be easy; it's not. I have never been inclined to sports, and I appreciate this fact now then when I was younger and I figured as running doesn't require too much of a fitness criteria as other sports, I can be acclaimed as a runner, rather leisurely. So as most new runners do, I woke up, and said to myself that I would go for a run. Now a "run" in my head was actually finishing a lap. Not so fast! It took me weeks before I was able to complete a track and I was elated. I set myself a schedule of running three times a week, every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and sometimes weekends. In between my two break days I would focus on other areas to exercise, such as my arms, shoulders, and abdomen. Progressively I became better and could run two laps without stopping after one month of consistency. Eventually the two laps turned into three, and so on. On my more determined days, I would run the track twice, and run an extra 1 or 2 kilometers from the park to my house (the longer way). 

Running gave me the opportunity to challenge myself on levels I never knew existed. I was able to set goals, achieve them, while looking and feeling fantastic. If you ever find yourself in a plateau of exercise: i.e. not being challenged enough physically; I suggest running. Running has no limits and when you engage in the running community, you read stories of success that are truly inspiring. Everyone has their purpose of running - to relieve stress, going through difficulty, leisure purposes, or to stay active. It is an all around challenging, and stimulating sport I encourage you should try at least once in your lifetime! 

Five things you should try in University

As a first year University student, I can say I have experienced some things I may have regretted at the time, but I probably would have done it otherwise. Here are my five things you should try within your four years at University:

1) Go to the bars during a school week 
Oh and did I mention to also make it to class the next morning? Going to the bars in the middle of the week with your friends feels like your rebelling against your Professor and I highly recommend trying this once. It's impulsive, super fun, and you will be shocked to see just how many people thought the exact same thing.  

2) Do home-coming and day drink
Most Universities have a home-coming where Alumni and current students celebrate the welcome back of the school year. It is usually accompanied with a football game, and shameless day drinking. Your day begins at 8AM and ends by 4PM so choose your activities wisely though I can assure you, it will be one of the most memorable days within your undergrad. 

3) Explore the city
If you live on a large campus where 90% of the people you see are students, it is easy to feel comfortable and neglect the rest of the city you live in. I recommend leaving the premise of campus and venture around. Go with a friend or if you're feeling really gutsy, by yourself to see what your city has to offer!

4) Get lost with your friends
This may sound insane, but you may experience getting lost in your city at least once - especially during the first year. I'm not saying to purposely get lost, but rather, accidently. It can be fun if your with a group of friends because you're not alone and as number 3) states it can give you the fun and crazy opportunity to explore your city. 

5) Experience having roommates
Having roommates is like having friends already waiting with you. Granted, some do not always get along with their roommates but they are nice to have. You will experience feeling home sick, wanting to go shopping, plan study dates, or venturing downtown for some drinks. All of these things can be done with having roommates, while meeting other people. You will also come up with crazy traditions and experience their weird habits, and routine friends don't normally see. 

Your undergrad should be filled with experience and fun. Try as many things as you can within your four years on campus because time flies when you're having fun.