Dating Dealer Breakers

Okay so every girl out there has a list that's a mile long of things that they want in a potential guy. And if you don't you're lying. And that may float your boat, so that's cool. I, on the other hand, have one of those lists, however it's a list of my dating turnoffs. Call me a pessmist, but at least I know what I don't want. Somehow, it's better.

You Can't Date Me If;

• You can't at least tolerate homosexuals. One of my best friends is gay, and he's a major part of my life. I am not saying that you have to become bests friends, or to change your own views.  But, if you insult him in my presence, than it's a problem. This is actually one of the biggest deal breakers for me because if you can't at least respect my friends and their way of life, than I can't respect you. 
• You don't respect the fact that I want to do things that don't involve you. Yes, that sounds harsh. I am sorry but, I can't be around someone 24/7. I am not even near my phone that much. I like you, but I have other things in my life too. My friends, this blog, my family, my position as a writer for the school's paper, my job, and the other hobbies that keep me busy. Yes, if you're my boyfriend, you are a priority. But, keep in mind, that we have more than one priorities in life. 
• I can't date you if you pressure me into doing things  that I am not comfortable doing. It's a big turnoff when someone's too aggressive with me. Yes, you're hormones are raging and you want me bad. That's awesome bro. But, trying to make me uncomfortable by pressuring me into doing something isn't cool. I have a funny story (that may or may not be featured in this blog). Literally pressuring me to be in a relationship with you or going farther than I want to is a huge no-no for me. If I like you, then you will probably know it and be in a relationship with me. Besides, a good relationship is when BOTH parties wanting it. Not just go being a jerk. Plus, being pressured to do something isn't exactly cool either.

I know it sounds like I'm being picky, but I honestly don't care. Those are the things that I don't want in a guy, and I really can't deal with them. What are your dating deal breakers? Comment below! 

Music Monday; All Time Low

Back in middle school, I was really into alternative rock. AFI, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, and countless others that I have completely forgot about. It was the beginning of my rebellious phase, before I had sunk my teeth into the whole classic rock thing in 9th grade. Although, I don't listen to too much of alternative rock, there are a few bands that I follow intensely. One of them, is All Time Low.

All Time Low has been together for about ten years. In 2006, they have released their first EP called Put Up or Shut Up. In 2007, their first big album, So Wrong It's Right came out. This is about the time that I have discovered them. Hits like Six Feet Under the Stars, and Remembering Sunday are from that album. I liked the sound of that album because it sounds like summer, which I liked because in New England it's really cold. In 2009, Nothing Personal was released, and were packed with fun, yet insighful songs. (Fun fact; I wrote a review for my high school paper for this album). In 2011, Dirty Work was released and the year after followed Don't Panic.
I like their songs because they are fun, yet they have insightful. They have meaning, but they are not presented in a manner that's not as serious. Their music reminds me of the beach, which is one of my favorite songs.
All Time Low helped me through my awkward teenage years. Therefore, you are this week's Music Monday.

All Time Low Songs That You Should Listen To;

• Do You Want Me Dead
• Forget About It
• Guts
• Under a Paper Moon
• Too Much 
• Daydream Away 
• Merry Christmas Kiss My Ass
• I Feel Like Dancing
• Toxic Valentine
• Wieghtless
• Damned if I Do Ya, Damned If I Don't
• Walls 
• Therapy 
• Sick Little Games
• Coffee Shop Soundtrack 
• Running From Lions
• Lullabies
• Dear Maria Count Me In
• Remembering Sunday 
• Six Feet Under the Stars
• Shameless
• Vegas
• If These Sheets Were States
• The Beach
• So Long Soldier 

Gift Guide for that Special Lady In Your Life.

Okay, so the holiday season is in full swing. The music is blasting on your radio, the channels on the TV are playing nonstop holiday movies, and of course, the stores are packed with people and holiday attractions. Needless to say, it's the holiday season folks. With ten days left til Chirstmas, hopefully the names on your gift list are hopefully down into the single digits. However, what if you don't know what to get someone? Here's a few different ideas for the different women in your life;

For Your Mom;

• Alex and Ani 'Mom' bangle. (Alex and Ani.com and in stores for $28) These bracelets are on everyone's wish list. A mom one is very personal, because you're one of the few people who actually can give her one.
• 
• A sweatshirt that represents your school. After all, she's your biggest fan. Therefore, help mom represent your school. I gave one to my mom last Christmas, and I'm pretty sure she wears it all of the time. 
• Anything that has to do with perfume, or bath products. (This includes lotion, shower gel, those fancy little lotion sets that you see at Department stores). Hey, moms need to relax too. You can get them anywhere pretty much, from Bath and Body Works, Victoria's Secret, and Kohls.

For Your Sister;

• Alex and Ani; I think I am going to say this for all of these, but these can be given to anyone, and since they are personal, they are sure to be a crowd pleaser. My pick for a sister? The 'sister' bangle, which is also $28.

• Does your sister have her mind on a specific movie, or book? That could also be a good thing to get her. 
• Pearls. I believe that pearls are classic and will never go out of style. It's a gift that will last for years to come.
• Vera Bradley ID Wristlets ($36-$49) Is your sister a student? This is the perfect gift because it's perfect for showing your id, and you can fit your phone, and keys as well. I like it personally, because it's a wallet, and a wristlet at once. It also holds my phone, which makes everything super convenient. The fact that it holds my phone is also helpful because I like everything at once. Plus, the fact that it comes in cute colors and patterns really makes it more fun than an average wristlet. 

For Your Best Friend:

• The best friends alex and ani ($48 for a set of 2) Also, for friends try the feather, which symbolizes birds on a feather. ($28). 

• Vera Bradley ID holder. ($12) Perfect for your friend who lives on a campus. It holds your id, and can be put on a lanyard. It also can be used as a change purse. Like the wristlet, these also come in cute colors. 

• Initial Necklaces. This gift is inexpensive and personal. Plus, you can find it just about anywhere. 

Hope that sparks a few gift ideas for the women left on your list! If this still doesn't help you with your holiday gift list, please comment below or shoot me an email!

Society and the Single Girl; To Balance

Okay so one thing that I hate about some girls is that they tend to put their boyfriend before their friends. As being a single girl for life, holla, I think that is completely and utterly screwed up.
Friends were there for you before you knew that the dude's name. So therefore, you shouldn't put someone that you have known for a shorter time than a person that you've known for a less shorter time. Chances are friends are the people that are important to you as well as the person that you are dating.
I think that its important to have things going on besides just dating the person. We have tons of other things going on with us, such as school, hobbies, and other things that make us happy. Therefore, when you are entering a relationship, one can not expect the normal activities to end once they have a significant other. If you do, then it would be bad.
One of my friends and I were talking about this the other day. Basically, from our conversation shadowed her opinion of how she thinks that if and when I enter a relationship that we will no longer have crazy nights. However, since last time I checked, I am young, and I am not about to be into someone and have them be my only life. That's simply unhealthy.
Being a person with many friends, and other things that I like about my life, I doubt that this will ever effect me. I promise to never ditch my friends for my boyfriend, unless he's dying or something dire that requires me to be there for him. I think that girls nowadays make their boyfriends their lives. That's bad because what are you going to do or be when he does his own thing? YOU need your own thing as well, and I think that people often forget that. You have more to you than just a relationship. That way, you're not mad at your boyfriend for having a life. I have so much going for me. My friends are awesome (I love my girls Heidi, Theresa, Verenized, Iris, Alessia, Paige, Emily, Emma [she has a blog called The World According to Emma, check it out here! http://emmajudy.blogspot.com], Bethany, and Marissa) and I would never, intentionally put someone else ahead of hanging out with them. They were there before, so why would I forget my friends.
I believe that there should be a balance in one's life. I think that there should be love. But then, there should be life outside of that. It doesn't matter how much you love the person, or how committed you are. Being eclipsed in a world that solely you two is unhealthy. I don't understand how people can do that.
Basically, I think balance is key.

A Finals Week Pep Talk

Okay so it's finals week. That means it's time for the cramming sessions to start, and for people who haven't exactly been working as hard as they should to try to get their act together. The library's packed, and anxiety is all around.
Yup, my college readers know what I am talking about.
I hate tests. So much. Whenever I get them, sometimes I just blank. It sucks because I put hours and hours of studying into these tests just to blank. Now whose had that happen before?
So to all of those taking finals this week, good luck! Study hard, eat lots of cookies, and remember one thing-you in fact can get through this. After finals are over, you have a long break ahead of you. Work hard now, and party later.
May the force be with you everyone!

What I Learned As A Psych Major

I was a psychology major for about 6 months. During that time, I have taken three classes, not including the one I took in high school. I dedicate this entry to my teachers who I've had over the past six months for my psychology major experience. You guys really taught me a lot, and the following blog entry wouldn't be possible if it weren't for you.

As a psychology major, I learned a lot. Being in classes for the past two months that literally had nothing to do with what I actually wanted to do with was kind of weird. However, I believe that it wasn't for nothing. Being in those classes taught me about how to relate to humans, how to understand them, in addition to learning a bunch of interesting facts about the human brain. 

My favorite part about being in these classes though was learning about how mental disorders can truly affect one's overall functioning. I think having a mental disorder is even sadder than having a physical one because once you lose your mind, it doesn't matter how healthy your body is. I mean it does to some level, but if you can't function mentally, so much more is lost. The human mind, I've learned, is a complicated matter. We have thoughts, processes, and emotions. We have the capacity to do things that other species can not do. 

One of the things that I learned in psychology was to understand people. I will always carry that with me, no matter what field I am. I feel like that would help me as a writer because it's helped me see the world through a magnifying glass. It makes us look at human nature in a different way. Being in those two  psychology classes, particularly my introduction to mental health one, has taught me to never to judge unless I got the full story. As a journalist, I think it would be helpful because no matter how much a story breaks, sometimes I may never get to understand the people who are behind that breaking story. As a journalist this would make me become less biased. I also think that more journalists need to develop empathy, and therefore having that extra insight would help me understand the people that I interview as well. 

 It's helpful in real life because it helps me to be curious about people, and not just write them off. There are so many different kinds of people in the world. American culture is known as the melting pot, and I believe that it's true. I've developed more empathy, and understanding, which are two things that are important in relating to humans. I will take that to all aspects of my life, not just my professional side.
Learning about people and the way that they work is something that will always fascinate me. Discovering someone's behavior patterns and the way that they react is something that will interest me. 

I see the world through a broader range, and I thank my classes in psychology for that. I will never be able to say that I am a mental health professional, and that's fine. However, my attempt in psychology didn't leave me empty handed. As I walk into the English side of things, I can say that my experience as a psychology major taught me great lessons. I can honestly say that I got something more than facts out of the classes. I will always be grateful for the experience I've had, and the friends that I've made. And, at the end of the day isn't that what school is about?

Music Monday; Kacey Musgraves

I would like to take the time to focus on an up and coming artist for this Music Monday. Kacey Musgraves tried to get on for a while, while appearing on the show Nashville Star, songwriting for the cast of Nashville, and self releasing three albums. However, she didn't hit it big until the album Same Trailer Different Park came out.
I just got the album the other day, and I can't stop listening to it. Her songs are different than anything that I've ever heard before.. They have a good sort of meaning to each and every song. For example, the song "Merry Go Round" talks about how standards differ from person to person. It's a cross of a singer that you would hear at the coffee shop, and some of that old fashioned country music. Her album is catchy, but the songs are just orginal.
I can see Kacey lasting for years, and years. I loved her debut, and I can't wait to hear her sophomore attempt.
Songs from the Album Same Trailer Different Park That I Enjoy;

• Silver Lining
• Merry Go Round
• Blowin' Smoke
• Step Off
• Follow Your Arrow
• It Is What It Is