5 Things You Should Stop Worrying About Right Now

Life gets hectic. There's no way around responsibilities, no matter what that word might mean to you. Meetings, classes, deadlines, relationships, obligations, events, work - everything adds up. It's difficult to keep from constantly thinking about such matters, but here's a list of just a few things that aren't worth worrying about. Life is too short to be concerned with little issues.

1.) How you look for the day.
The truth of the matter is that nobody actually cares what you look like or what you're wearing. Wear whatever you feel comfortable in and what you think looks good. Wear as little or as much makeup as your heart desires. Don't feel like doing your hair? Awesome. Feel like making it look extra special? Sounds wonderful. Try out new patterns and prints to spice things up.


2.) Comparing yourself to others.
Everyone is different, and that's a fact of life. No two people are the same, which means that not everyone is going to look the same or have the same skill sets as each other. Find your passion and hold onto it. Grow through it, and show the world what you have to offer.

3.) Petty arguments.
You're not always going to get along with everybody, especially if you're particularly close with them. Instead of letting such disagreements stress you out, keep in mind that things will more than likely be cleared up soon. Chances are, you'll look back on this and laugh.

4.) Making a mistake.
Sometimes, we screw up without even realizing it. Making mistakes is human nature, and they are there to help us learn from them. Don't be so hard on yourself, because there are always plenty of opportunities to try again.

5.) Over thinking.
I am perhaps the biggest culprit when it comes to over thinking about things. I think of situations in my head and play out every possible scenario that could come from it. I manage to think of every thing I might have done wrong to explain why I haven't gotten a call from someone yet, what the future holds, etc. Lately, I've been finding that this is one of the biggest wastes of time. Life is meant to enjoy the little moments, and not to dwell on the non-existent ones. One step at a time is all we can take.

Sidenote to my rambling: If anybody knows where I could get the shirt in the picture included please let me know because why wouldn't I want it?!?

How to Stay Focused On Right Now

Nostalgia seems to be my best friend. My memories get triggered by the simplest of things, including songs, quotes and pictures. I had an incredibly blessed childhood and am thankful for everyone and everything that I have in my life. Honestly, it's both a blessing and a curse.

I think back on some of my best memories, but some bad ones creep in every once in awhile, too. I understand that I can't really do anything about things that have happened, but that doesn't mean that I don't dwell on them every now and then.

As a student and a girl inching toward her twenties, the future is definitely a place that I fast forward to. I think about every possible scenario that could happen and the outcomes, and it can get me pretty stressed out. 

When I was in high school, my English teacher introduced the C.S. Lewis book "The Screwtape Letters" to my class. While discussing the book, she mentioned how it can be easy to find ourselves trapped in our past and worried about the future.

She also made a very strong point in saying that staying focused on the present is the important thing to do. I remember thinking about how difficult it was to imagine myself staying only in the present and not in my past or future.

I've been thinking about this a lot for some reason lately, and have found that maybe  took that out of context a bit. I realize now that, while we're meant to learn from the past, we aren't supposed to live in it. The same goes for the future; we can aspire to achieve goals and work towards fulfilling our dreams, but fearing it won't do us any good.

I guess that what I'm trying to say is, be happy with right now. Look around you, and think about everything that you've accomplished to get where you are right now. You've made it this far, congratulations! Now, focus on setting your future up, but be happy with now. Don't settle, and do the best you can in everything you do. Everything can and will work out in the end.

Why Wishful Thinking is Important

My personality can be best described as a dreamer. I constantly think of what I want for the future, who I want to become, and what I want to do with my life. Today's world has a tendency to say that we need to be more realistic, but I disagree.

Wishful thinking allows us to open the door of creativity in our minds. Imagination is key to success, especially when we have big plans for the future. Whether you hope to land a dream job or live in a big house with a wonderful family, hard work tends to pay off in the end. There's something magical about holding on to hope.

Ultimately, we have dreams because we want to pursue them and make them a reality. With enough perseverance and determination, we can. Regardless of the "social norm" or "realistic expectations," aiming to break this barrier is one step closer to reaching our goals.

We hope. We dream. We have faith that, someday and somehow, our wildest dreams will come true - and there's nothing wrong with that in the slightest.

Dear High School Girls

Over the weekend, circumstances brought me back to a high school. As a sophomore in college, it's been a while since I've been sitting on a set of gym bleachers, surrounded by high school students anxious to celebrate homecoming. One thing that really stuck out to me was the cliques of high school girls around me, and how I was in their place only a few years ago. It really got me thinking about how I wish someone had given me some advice while I was still there, so that's what I'm going to do now for you girls.

Stop getting yourself involved in "drama." It's petty, it isn't worth it, and it honestly amounts to nothing in the end.  When you graduate, are you even going to remember the reason why you stopped talking to your best friend for a week? Sure, you'll probably learn to laugh about it down the road, but there's no use in getting yourself worked up about something stupid.

Which brings me to my second point: boys. You don't have to try so hard to "impress" a guy that you like, and if you do, he's not someone that you want to be with. If you do have a boyfriend, make sure that you don't devote 100% of your time to him and only him. You're going to find that if you do that, you're going to lose valuable friendships along the way. You'll go through your fair share of heartbreak, but what you don't realize now is that you have a whole lifetime ahead of you to worry about relationships and finding someone that you want to be with. Chances are, you'll find him in the most unsuspecting place. For now, worry about finding yourself.

High school is one of the biggest opportunities to find out who you really are. If you want to join a club or take up a hobby that other people think is lame, do it anyways! The only thing that matters is if you are happy, not about "following the crowd." Be your own person and make your own happiness.

These four years are such a small portion of your life compared to what is to come. If you're going to college, you're going to discover that there's a whole world out there that you have yet to discover. Everything will work itself out, even if it doesn't seem like it. I promise that you will find happiness in the oddest of places. Right now, focus on your friendships and doing well in your classes. Forget the negative and do what you want to do, because in the end, it makes all the difference.

11 Ways to Stay Calm During Midterms

Feeling stressed before taking your midterms? Most students are. Whether you have one test or five, here’s a list of 11 ways to keep your cool during this time of year.

1.)  Remember that break is just around the corner.

Incentives are a great thing to help you stay focused during a week of tests. If you’re going home for break and you’re excited, that’s definitely something to look forward to. If you aren’t, treat yourself to some online shopping or a much deserved iced coffee.

2.)  Keep in mind that one test or class won’t matter years from now.

Tests do not determine the course of your life. One bad grade will not decide where you end up working or how well you do in the rest of your academic experience. Although you should definitely study and aim for a high grade, don’t get too discouraged by your score if it’s not what you hope for.

3.)  Stay focused.

Your friends’ Snapchat stories can wait. The more important thing to pay attention to is studying and making sure that you know what to expect on your exams. Put your cell phone on silent and turn on some music that won’t distract you.

4.)  Don’t overthink things.

Personally, I know that I have a major tendency to overthink everything when it comes to tests and what might be on them. Instead of trying to retain every last bit of information from your readings and/or notes, try to understand the key points and phrases and what they relate to. That way, when test day rolls around, you’ll be able to see a word or phrase and know what it’s about.

5.)  Use your time wisely.

Cramming the night before a big test is never a good idea. Instead, try spanning out your time and scheduling when you want to study for different classes.

6.)  Try out different study methods.

Flashcards, slideshows, and highlighting textbooks or notes are just a few ways to keep your mind on track with what you need to know. Try a few methods out and see which ones work the best for you.

7.)  Study in different places where you know you’ll stay focused.

Personally, I know that I’ll get distracted in my room. By going to the library or the café on campus, there’s a much better chance that I’ll get things done with limited distractions.

8.)  If you don’t know the answer, take a guess.

Leaving an answer blank on your test isn’t going to get you any points at all. With a guess, you at least have a chance of earning full or partial credit.

9.)  Get plenty of sleep.

One of the most important things to keep in mind is getting enough sleep ahead of time. Taking a test too tired can result in a bad grade. Plus, there’s the added fear of sleeping through every alarm that you set for yourself.

10.) Eat something before the test.

By eating at least a granola bar or an apple before your exam, you’re more likely to focus. Besides, nobody likes to be that kid who’s stomach can’t stop growling in the silence.

11.) Try your best.

No matter what the grade comes out to be, you’ll still know that you tried your hardest. At the end of the day, that’s what counts. Like I said in #2: one bad test grade isn’t going to determine the rest of your life, and it really won’t matter down the road.

Good luck!