Happy Monday everyone and Happy Birthday to me! I've been doing some reflecting today and just thinking about everything that has happened in the last year. I just wanted to share the 21 things that I learned. Some are very generic and cliche but no less true.

1. Although 21 is the legal drinking age in the U.S., it's not for everyone. At least not in the same way. There's nothing wrong with not consuming the way others do, if you choose to at all. Don't let anyone bash you for only have one drink or none at all.

2. Schedules and other priorities can make friendship difficult . Once you're out of school everyone is trying to start their lives. It can be difficult to manage friendships at the same level of intimacy and devotion that you used to. But, small things means the world. A simple text, a quick phone call, etc.

3. Even though you're legally an adult when you're 18, it doesn't always feel like your an adult. For some people there are times when you have no clue what you're doing and in spite of having been away at school, you still need your parents and there is nothing wrong with that. The only caveat is avoiding complete reliance.

4.People will pick and choose when they see you as an adult.

5. You cannot please everyone. There are people who will find any reason to disagree with you or put down your actions or views.

6. Coupons are clutch. Use them!

7. Grocery shopping for yourself is harder than it looks. 

8. Living healthy is expensive. Who knew asparagus would cost so much?

9. Days were far easier when you have someone else to decide what to eat or just make you food. Why is it so hard to decide what to eat.

10. You won't be happy everyday.

11. You'll feel a lot better if you say what's on your mind. I've found myself thinking a few times, "I should have just said something." 

12. Sometimes when you have no motivation you just have to do what needs to be done.

13. You can save yourself so much money if you do things yourself instead of buying everything. DIY projects are fun and so helpful most times. You can make things out of things and ingredients you have sitting around.

14. Everything does not deserve a meltdown. Sometimes things happen and they feel like the end of the world and you find yourself overwhelmed, only to realize some time later that it wasn't even a scratch on the surface.

15. Sometimes things and people change and there's nothing you can do about it.

16. Working with other people while hard, particularly on projects, planning events, etc., is not impossible. If no one wants to be the leader, save everyone time and stress and take the role. If your leader doesn't know what they're doing help them out. 

17. Don't expect people to pick up on ques and do something. Everyone doesn't have the same mind set, moral compass, or common sense that you may have. Everyone was raised differently so you can't expect them to react the same way you would.

18. Everything isn't for everyone. That goes for clothes, T.V. shows, music, people, etc. Nothing wrong with not liking the same thing as everyone else. There are people out there who love what you love so don't worry when a majority say, "I've never heard of that." Someone has.

19. Don't rely on other people to make you happy or comfortable. 

20. You can do everything for people, but don't expect them to do the same. Just because you spent a lot of time and effort doing things for someone or helping them doesn't mean they will reciprocate. Some people just don't understand that balance.

21. The best way to start your day is to pray and say, "Today is going to be a good day," even if you don't know for sure or you feel bad. It will boost your mood, I guarantee it.

Excited to see what 22 things I learn over the next year!



-Kira Elise

Dear sixteen year old me,

     It's your junior year of high school and a lot has happened recently. You know, so no need for me to remind you. Unfortunately, things are going to keep happening. Your feelings will be hurt, you'll want to quit softball, and you'll second guess yourself. Fortunately, some of those things will help you grow. Some will become your favorite memories from high school. You're going to realize that you can't be friends with everybody and some people will only be your friend when it's convenient for them.

Don't be discouraged by people who make fun of the purple hair extensions you wear because your mom won't let you dye your hair. Those same people will be dying their hair red or some other color that's brighter than purple. In a few years people will be dying their hair all kinds of colors. Imagine this; people will dye their hair gray on purpose and it's going to look pretty cool.

JoJo at the 2015 MTV VMA Awards From Getty Images

Another week gone by and another song has caught my eye. The honor this week goes to JoJo and her single When Love Hurts. The single is one of three new songs dubbed the "tringle", her first musical release since 2004. I remember singing my heart out to "Too Little Too Late" and "Leave" when I was in elementary school and knew nothing about relationships or love admittedly. The lyrics aren't my favorite because I'm not a fan of the "true love hurts" ideology, but because it's her comeback I'm more willing to a little bit forgiving.

The song is definitely more Pop than R&B, a combination that was equally balanced the last time we heard from JoJo. With time comes changing music enhancements and software. Auto-tone is seemingly normal in the industry nowadays. Which is why I wasn't surprised to hear some auto-tone during the chorus. I'm glad that she didn't let her legal battle keep her from returning to music, because her voice is amazing. JoJo is now signed with Atlantic Records and I can't wait to see where she goes from here. I suspected she was planning a comeback when she started increasing her social media presence. Now, I'm off to listen to the other two singles!


 

Update: Adele had to go and slay me this morning by dropping her new single Hello this morning. I couldn't NOT mention her. If you haven't already seen the video and thought about calling your ex, check it out below. Her album 25 comes out November 20th.

Anyone who knows me know that I've been in love with the Jonas Brothers since I was in elementary school. I lost my voice when I saw them for the first time at Six Flags when I was 13. That is why it's no far stretch to say that I am a huge fan of Nick Jonas and his solo career. My song of the week is Levels.

While I was expecting him to use another one of his songs from his self-titled album, maybe Teacher. I'm not complaining about new music at all. Levels clearly reflects Nick's love for Funk and R&B music. The bass line is fun and makes it hard not to dance as we can see Nick doing in the video.Who knew the guy could dance? Not super well, but it's still dancing.

The video is fun and sexy, but I could have done without the scantily clad girls. It made it feel like Nick was trying a bit too hard. You're single, Nick. We get it. (slides into his Twitter mentions). You can check it out and judge for yourself.


Honorable mention of the week, How Deep is Your  Love by Calvin Harris and Disciples.

Last night, I saw a blog prompt online that simply asked, "What inspires you?". It's a common question and one I've had to answer more than once in writing classes.

I'm inspired by what's outside my window. It's the easiest place to look and one of the first things I do when I wake up. I take in the way the sun hits the trees or the variations of grays in the clouds on overcast days. I look out for birds and any other creatures who might be lurking about.

Photo by Rob Ellis

I'm inspired by music. Songs are my backdrop for all things creative. Music, although its own type of noise, quiets my mind and helps me block out all other outside static. This is one of my favorite playlists to write to.When I'm out and about or in a certain moment, I like to imagine a song that fits the emotion and situation playing in the background like in a movie.

I'm inspired by my dreams. Somehow, I manage to have very vivid and detailed dreams. My subconscious creates patterned drapes, road exits, and a whole cast of extras. The premise for the novel I'm working on came from a dream I had. The first thing I did when I woke up was find a pen and write down as much as I could remember.

One of my biggest inspirations is time. If I'm stuck on a project, whether it be a press release, graphic for social media, or a story, I take a step back and go do something else for a few minutes. If I'm not on a deadline, I take more time. Give it a break for that day and move to something else. I find in the middle of another thought I'll get a flash of inspiration and a big idea hits me. These are some of  my favorite moments.

Don't limit your inspirations to people. If you find yourself lacking inspiration simply look around you. Try turning on some music. Close your eyes and let your dream world conjure up something. Let time do its work.

Hey everyone!

Summer is coming to a close and I'm sure everyone has perfected or tried to perfect their desired summer look by now and are prepping for fall favorites like scarves and boots. This post is dedicated to a brave look that I've considered but haven't found the guts to try out; pastel and or gray hair.


As you've seen all over magazines and social media the trend of pastel and gray hair is still popular. I'm surprised it's lasted this long honestly, especially among celebrities. I mean there seems to be a new trend every week for them. I think the long life of this trend comes from the versatility of the look. There are so many colors and options to rock. You can go with highlights, ombre, dying only the ends of your hair, or maybe even just the back. I've seen it all.

Pastels

Kelly at the 2013 SAG Awards Getty Images | Fraizer Harrison

Starting in 2013, Kelly Osbourne was one of the first to dye her hair a pastel color. Kelly was the perfect person to start this trend (I'm assuming she did. If I'm wrong, sorry) because of her status on Fashion Police, before the Zendaya hair comments made by her now former co-host Giuliana Rancic. At first, I was on the fence about her lavender hair but it has since grown on me. The trend grew on others too as girls around the globe joined in and dyed their locks a variety of shades including cotton candy pink and sky blue. 

It's not hard to keep up with the trend since media outlets seem to go crazy every time some celebrity changes their hair. With girls testing out lighter and bolder hair, it wasn't long before the color gray caught everyone's fancy.


Gray/Grey


Now check out looks from one of my favorite Instagram users, Marycake. The first is her take on pastel ombre, going from a navy blue to a sky blue. The second, an ombre look featuring gray. This girl can work any look and I'm a little jealous!

It's that time of year again, college move-in! As someone who recently graduated from college, I can tell you that I spent the last four years trying to make the best out of my experience. In the beginning, I was lost because there were so many options. Along the way I found my niche and friends that made the last few years of my life ones that I will never forget. Here are my tips on how to make the next few years of your life some of your best.

1. Get Involved

Moving away from home can be a scary thing. For some school is close or for financial reasons you're staying at home. Either way, a great way to improve your collegiate experience is to get involved on campus. Most schools will hold an event at the beginning of the year showcasing all the clubs and organizations that the school has to offer. Most schools have a HUGE variety of options from a cappella groups to club sports and chapters for organizations like Students Helping Honduras.

Myself and my club softball teammates

I've met some of my closest friends in the groups I was a part of. I've also had some amazing experiences with a variety of people through community service events and group-hosted events like game nights and dinners. By joining a club, Greek life, or a group related to your major (Public Relations Student Society of America, Criminal Justice Student Association, etc.) you will find a place to have fun, network, and grow with your fellow classmates.

If you live off-campus, being involved is a great way to make friends at school outside of the classroom. 


2. Start Early

I know this sounds cliche, but I'm not joking. DON'T wait until the last minute to do an assignment, read for class, e-mail your professor with questions, and so on. You will save yourself so much stress and late nights. Most likely if you email a professor right before a test or the night before a project is due, they'll be less inclined to reply at all. Do what you can to avoid stress, which can cause weight gain, headaches, and even more serious outcomes like anxiety attacks.

3. Speak Up

Raising your hand and answering a question or giving your opinion in class will seem like a pain. There will be an ominous silence and everyone will be avoiding the professor's eye. Speak out. You will prefer this to the feeling of annoyance when you tell yourself, "I knew the answer to that. Why didn't I just raise my hand?" You'll gain so much more when you actively participant in class instead of simply observing like a lawn gnome. Now, don't just spew out nonsense. Your professors want comments that you at least try to present with rational thought.

4. Find Your "Social Style"

When I say social style I mean how does a person like to spend their free time or hang out with friends? Some people like to go out every weekend, some people like to sit on the couch and watch Netflix (me!), and others like to do a little of both. There's nothing wrong with any of those options. The key is to find friends who have the same social style as you.  If you're a homebody you may find it hard to be friends with someone who wants to go out all the time, especially if that person complains about you wanting to stay in.

There's nothing that annoys me more than the stereotype that if you don't party, you're boring. Find friends who want to do things you like or don't mind doing. Find people who won't begrudge you for your style. If you like to go out on the town and hit up clubs, do it. But, remember to be careful and be aware of your surroundings. If you like to stay home, curled up with a good book, do it. DO try to spice things up from time to time. Don't let your desire to stay in make you anti-social to the point where you have no one to call besides your parents.

5. Realize Your Options

There are some things at my alma mater that I didn't even know about until my last semester. Don't be like me. Look at all the different programs, study abroad options, networking opportunities, and community connections that your school has. If you're looking for an internship, know that there are alumni looking to hire someone from their school or know someone and can pass on an opportunity. Do you want to travel? Do research on what options your school has for study abroad. Maybe you can do a semester or just a mini-mester (winter or spring break) in another country or doing a volunteer project. I never got the chance to do it, but my friends who traveled loved it, one even went back to Europe this summer for round two.

With that, I wish you all the best of luck during your first year of college!

-Kira Elise