If people try to tear you down, it’s only because they are envious of you or are simply below you. Happy people who are confident in themselves do not try to bring others down. Whatever you do, if somebody does this to you, do NOT stoop to their level. Nobody likes a mean, snarky, or bitter person. Be better. Rise above.
I have a very serious problem. I’m addicted to picking nail polish off my nails. I don’t know why, but there’s something so satisfying about peeling it off. Call me crazy, that’s okay.
Anyways, I’m always on the hunt for polishes that are difficult to peel/pick off. As a broke college student, I don’t have money for manicures or expensive polishes. So, I’m limited to the typical drug store selection.
I recently discovered the Maybelline New York “Color Show” polishes that are a gift from above – very affordable, long-lasting, quick-drying, and come in tons of colors. The best part about these is that once on, they do not chip or peel easily – making picking at them impossible. The polish dries really hard and thin on the surface so that it’s almost like another layer of nail. I’ve bought so many colors since originally buying these first two to experiment on and I love them all.
This is the best drug store nail polish I’ve found yet. Do you have any favorites? Share them in the comments section below!
“I want to write a love letter to these”
That was what I told my roommate when I came back from Target with every color they had available of the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stains. There are actually a lot more colors than pictured above, but these were the only ones available at the store near me.
I have been on a quest for as long as I can remember to find the perfect lip stain. I never wear lipstick because I don’t have the kind of money you need to invest in one that is long lasting, non-smudgy, and highly pigmented. So I have spent hours scouring the shelves of drug stores to find the perfect stain. Stains are fantastic because they go on extremely thin and actually really do stain your lips. They’re the definition of long lasting.
Now, I’ve tried a lot of stains. So many of them are too thin. The lighter colors show up translucent and are completely ineffective. The dark colors tend to turn the skin around your lips a darker color – making your makeup look smudged and messy. On a whim, I picked up the 025 Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stain because I wanted a hot pink lip. I tried it at home and was astonished – the color was so pigmented and bold! I fell in love. I wore it all day to work, through my night class, and every meal. I left the dorm at 9am and returned at 10pm. The stain was STILL there! Not only was it still there, but it was the same hue, texture, and color. I was beyond thrilled. When I went to take off my makeup, I literally scrubbed my lips for several minutes because the stain was that strong. I will say that the only difference between 9am and 10pm was that the look was much more matte and not a gloss anymore (which I like better anyways). If you want to keep the glossy look throughout the day, I would just dab on a bit more stain to the lips to freshen it up occasionally. But besides that, there’s no need to touch it up at all.
I was a little weary about buying the 040 color because I hardly ever buy anything with orange in it. However, I was excited to see that it wasn’t a tacky neon color – but an understated and mellow orange. As far as the other colors go, the 001 is a very natural look – it was the exact hue of my lips which was perfect. I love wearing natural colors on my lips for a polished everyday look instead of just going with some chapstick. The 055 is a deeper red – it has darker tones to it and is more of a wine red than the typical bright red lip. It’s the perfect shade for the holiday season!
Anyways, two huge thumbs UP for these stains! I’m so impressed. Highly pigmented, long-lasting, ability to be a gloss or matte, and very beautiful colors – I couldn’t ask for anything better. I’m so glad I can say I have finally found the perfect lip stain!
The past couple of months, I have really struggled with becoming frustrated with everybody around me. My roommates, the people in my group project, my best friend – everyone seems to set me on edge. Since I usually pride myself in being very understanding and patient, it’s made me even more frustrated when I find myself becoming this impatient and irritable person. I despised this road I was heading down. So I had to ask myself – how do I turn around?
Finally recognizing that I’ve been gravitating towards these negative thoughts and allowing my anger to overtake me has been the first step in turning around my attitude. Gaining control of my emotional state made me feel much more secure in myself. I started being aware of my emotions and checking myself every time I felt that anger bubbling up inside of me. When I felt myself losing control, I was aware of it. Usually, it was caused by a very silly matter – the members of my group project weren’t responding to my emails or my roommate left her dirty dishes out on the table. Why would I allow these silly, small things have so much control over me?
The biggest revelation for me was grasping the fact that I cannot control what other people do – only my reaction to what they do. Letting go of control of other people allowed me to gain control over myself.
I focused on reacting much kinder and simpler. My mom’s favorite thing to say to me is, “Be calm.” There is no malicious intent behind my roommate leaving her dirty dishes out. She does not mean to harm me or anybody. Taking her actions personally is what fired me up. I found myself becoming defensive and angry at her – which we all know is counterproductive. When I took a step back and reassessed how I should handle the situation, my mindset drastically changed. Nobody wants to listen to the nagging of an angry roommate. When I addressed her kindly, calmly, and nonchalantly, she was much more receptive to my feedback than she would if I had come at her, guns smoking. Treating others with respect and giving them the benefit of the doubt allows many more positive thoughts to flow into your mind and the negativity to be pushed out.
The next simple strategy I used was simply being silent. I am a natural leader – I do not shy away from delegating tasks, confronting people, or being firm. However, sometimes it is more appropriate to sit back and allow others to be in control. In group projects, I usually am the one to assign people jobs, make sure everybody else completes their tasks, and figure everything out. This most recent group project of mine, I sat back and listened as somebody else took on that role. It was excruciating at first, but then it became a relief and I found myself able to relax. When I give up control of what others do, I gain control of myself. I find that listening to people and staying silent instead of constantly sharing my opinion is just as beneficial. I find that when you really listen to people, they like you better. I find that when you give somebody else the reigns, they will usually surprise you and do just as good of a job as you. Being silent is not to be weak; it is to be strong enough to appreciate the silence and the ideas of others. You will be shocked at what you will learn and how much more you hear when you’re not focused on what you’re going to say next.
Finally, I have begun practicing active positive thinking. By consciously forcing myself to have positive thoughts, it has become a habit. I go on Pinterest and search for inspirational quotes. I post them on my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I share positive news with others. I look on the bright side. I look for the good in everyone. When I hear somebody complaining about something or someone, I try to help them see the positive side of the issue. When I think positive, negative feelings such as frustration and anger have a much more difficult time controlling me.
I am crushing hard on two major fashion trends right now – giant chunky knit sweaters and lovely statement necklaces. I’ve always been fond of treasure hunting for big, cozy sweaters in thrift stores, so now that this oversized cuddliness is now in style, I couldn’t be more thrilled. My favorite aspect of big sweaters like this is that you can literally throw them on over anything – a skirt, dress, jeans, leggings, whatever. When I lived in Washington, the daily battle consisted of asking myself the question, “Do I want to be warm or cute today?” I found solace in sweaters because of the happy medium they offer – yes, they can look sloppy, but paired with the right accessories, you can transform it into a polished look! I found that I could look good while remaining warm and without much effort – truly a life-saver on those 34 degree drizzly days. Pair a chunky sweater with a cute statement necklace (like the one pictured), throw on a cute pair of earrings, or for extra warmth, add a scarf. Combined with a nice pair of denim jeans, black leggings, or flowy skirt (with tights of course), and a cute pair of boots, you suddenly have a look that’s not only warm, but one that’s going to turn heads. If you’re in California or a warmer state where you don’t have to ask yourself the warm vs. cute question, pair a chunky sweater with some high waisted shorts or some colorful pants. Beware, fashionistas, it is VERY easy to look sloppy when wearing a large sweater, so be sure to balance it out with some nicer elements.
Sweater: Forever 21, necklace: Forever 21, skirt: Nordstrom
Statement Necklace from Forever 21
Chapman’s chapter of Alpha Phi, Panhellenic as a whole, and the organization I Am That Girl hosted a screening of the incredibly empowering and thought-provoking documentary “Miss Representation” this afternoon. Absolutely elated, filled with joy, and bursting to share what I had learned with others, I quickly texted one of my closest friends to go watch it. The conversation goes something like this:
Me: “Hey! Go watch the documentary ‘Miss Representation’ it’s amazing!”
Him: “It’s about women empowerment?”
Me: “Yep!”
Him: “I’m not a lady so I’m not inspired.”
This reaction epitomizes the issue the documentary addresses – gender equality pertains to our entire society.
For those of you unfamiliar with the documentary, it essentially addresses all of the major gender issues in today’s society. From unequal pay to the lack of female CEOs to the media’s incredibly biased coverage of women to the sexual objectification of women in rap/hip-hop videos, this film covers it all. Not only is it a call to action, it’s a call back to reality. It asks the questions, “Why are we okay with what is happening?” “When will somebody take a stand?” “How is this STILL an issue?”
“Miss Representation” explores the effect mainstream media has on the under-representation of women in America – especially those in influential positions. It challenges the limiting image of women the media portrays. It illustrates how difficult it is as young women to be strong, independent, and powerful when all we see are conflicting images in the media. Watch the trailer for the film here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gkIiV6konY
I left the screening of this documentary buzzing with excitement and encouragement. I suddenly began re-thinking all of my life choices and reconsidering my career path. As somebody studying public relations and advertising as well as marketing, I have always been highly aware of the issue of women being objectified and misrepresented in the media. However, I had never taken the time to consider how this would effect my future career choice. I need to find a way to channel my passion and expertise into something productive and beneficial to society. As Katie Couric (a personal role model of mine) eloquently describes, “the media can be an instrument of change, it can maintain the status quo and reflect the views of the society or it can, hopefully, awaken people and change minds. I think it depends on who’s piloting the plane.” We see this every day whether we watch E! News as our guilty pleasure, scan BBC’s website each morning, scroll through Twitter while waiting in line at the pharmacy, or listen to the radio at work: the media has the power to influence society in incredibly destructive and beneficial ways. This documentary highlights the destructive tendency the media has to destroy our self-worth and diminish our role in society. I know that I must find a way to channel my skills into something that turns this theory on its head and further empowers women (and all under-represented people!). I’m not sure what that is yet, but I know now that is my new focus and anchoring point.
Another aspect of this documentary that really hit home was the concept of women perpetuating these negative images and feelings towards women in our society. We constantly compete against one another to fit men’s ideal and further ourselves. What we don’t realize is that by consistently putting each other down, it sends a message to men that it is acceptable to think of women this way. Instead of competing against each other, we need to be encouraging mentors and role models to each other – lifting our peers higher. The only way any change will happen is if we all work together to be the best versions of ourselves possible.
A girl in our discussion offered up the simple first step of avoiding the word “bitch” for a week. This word often describes assertive women in power such as Hillary Clinton or Condoleezza Rice – dehumanizing them and diminishing their power. If we work on eliminating that word from our vocabulary, we will be less likely to contribute to this problem. If we also stand up to people we hear perpetuating these negative terms and tearing down women, we will also show our solidarity – making us stronger as a whole.
Another simple way we can help each other is to seek out female mentors. We can learn so much from each other, why not take advantage of it? Instead of feeling competitive with the woman who has a better internship than you and then talking badly behind her back, ask her out to coffee and seek advice on how she was able to get such a great internship. It’s so simple, yet we rarely do it.
Overall, I was so impressed and inspired by “Miss Representation.” I need to take a step back myself and really pay attention to what I’m doing to help resolve this issue. I also need to figure out how my career path can benefit society more and how I can direct my life into a more positive path.
I feel incredibly blessed to be part of a community that appreciates these messages and encourages participation in social justice movements. I can’t wait to see where we go from here!
For more information:
http://film.missrepresentation.org/
@RepresentPledge
One of my ongoing passions is styling hair. I first became interested in doing hair when one of my soccer teammates decided to attend beauty school instead of college. She was always doing hair for girls on my team and I decided to start trying some hairstyles on my own. I got the hang of french braiding, fish-tail braiding, braiding bangs, etc. fairly quickly. I bought myself a wand curling iron and experimented with curling/waving my hair. Soon my little sister started asking me to do her hair for her school dances and Homecoming. I fell in love with it! Since coming to college, there have been so many events that require people (especially sorority women) to dress up and look their best. I’ve volunteered to do a lot of my friends’ hair for different formals and events. I finally decided to make it more of an official hobby for myself and advertised my services on Facebook. Welcomed by a HUGE response of girls asking me to do their hair, I started a Facebook page for my hair styling services. After advertising for only two full days so far, I am already booked up for 5 appointments for a fraternity formal on Saturday and then six appointments for my sorority’s semi-formal in two weeks. Even though I lack professional training, I was overwhelmed by the amount of girls that wanted me to do their hair. Pleasantly surprised, I can’t wait to further develop my skills and learn more.
I’ve added some photos of hair that I’ve done in the past and can’t wait to grow my portfolio even more. My dream is to attend the Gene Juarez academy – a 13 month prestigious program in Seattle, WA – after graduation. I love expressing myself artistically and making other people feel beautiful and confident in their own skin. I have found something that truly brings me joy and I can’t wait to learn more about!
Eating healthy while in college or having a hectic schedule is extremely difficult. One of the ways to avoid fast food, snacking, and starving is to plan out your meals for the week. As a busy college student, my class and work schedule doesn’t allow for me to make it to the cafeteria for lunch during the week. Because of this, I have to pack my lunch for the day. I could easily just pack peanut butter sandwiches or Easy Mac. But after living off those freshman year (and gaining the typical freshman 15), I have no desire to continue this unhealthy lifestyle. Yes, planning out your meals for the week requires extra time and thought. But I promise it’s worth it.
One of the easiest meals to prep for the week is mason jar salads! These are really popular on Pinterest and one of my coworkers makes them regularly. So I decided to try it out for myself and have been pleased to find that it is a life-saver! Not only are they super quick to prepare, they are extremely healthy and convenient.
What you need:
– a mason jar or any kind of air-tight jar
– salad ingredients of your choice
How to pack your mason jar salad
Step 1: dressing
– add one or two tablespoons of your choice of dressing first to the bottom of the jar
Step 2: non-soluble (non-absorbent) veggies
– add any kind of non-absorbent veggies such as corn, carrots, etc.
Step 3: beans, grains, pasta, seeds
– pour in your source of carbs or vegetarian protein by adding beans (rinsed and drained), grains, pasta, whatever you choose
Step 4: cheese, eggs, meat, protein
– add in whatever cheese or hard boiled eggs, chicken, meat, or tofu you’d like
Step 5: absorbent veggies and fruit
– add your fruit or more soluble veggies such at tomatoes
– if you are prepping these for the week, add these ingredients the morning you plan to eat the salad just so they stay as fresh as possible
Step 6: absorbent grains, nuts, and seeds
– this is where you can add more absorbent products such as quinoa and flaxseed
Step 7: salad greens
– now you can add your fresh spinach or lettuce
– this should fill your jar to the brim. Pack it fairly tightly
Ta-da! You’re done! Now seal the jars and store them in the fridge. You can make these on Sunday night and they will remain fresh until Friday afternoon! Keep in mind, although they are stored in air-tight containers, they will only stay fresh for 5 days. When you are ready to eat your salad, pour the contents into a bowl, toss, and enjoy!
