Summertime = relaxing, fun, cleaning, crafts, classes?

That's right I am taking summer classes again... I don't dread taking summer classes, I prefer them over regular semester classes. Seriously if I could take one class a month for every month (4 in the fall, 4-5 months in the spring, and 2-3 in the summer)I would be happy. Could you imagine how many classes you can get done with in a year and how well you could do in that class since you are putting your sole focus into one class. I know it is different for everyone, I just would love to do that myself, I enjoy it a lot more. Think about it, if you go for one full year, taking a class a month and each class equaled 3-4 hours (we have science labs to think of and what your major is), at minimum that would total to 36 hours in one year, maximum could be up to 52! How awesome would that be.

Sounds insane, but I would love to take a class a month.

Moving on, this summer I am at the moment taking just two classes. I am taking developmental math and Business and Technical Writing class. For my math it should not be too difficult, I only have modules 8 and 9 left! I am excited. And the Business and Technical Writing Class should be fun.

I may add another one on as well because I would love to get a class out of the way, but I want to be able to have a bit of a summer to and hang out with my family, friends, and my boyfriend. Also I will be finishing up my math around early July and since I only have 2 modules left I should be fine. But I have to consider the other factors along with the fact that I want to have a job, I'm not sure yet though.

Besides taking classes I will be looking for a job, begin working on the responsibilities it takes when it comes to being Treasurer for the group I am a part of Gnosis. I will be cleaning my room, throwing stuff away, and donating stuff. I have been a pack rat for a long time so it has been hard but I have been really doing a good job. What I have realized going through all of my stuff, is that I have a lot of arts and crafts supplies. With realizing this I have decided that I will make this a craft filled summer so that way I can use as many craft materials as I possibly can, without needing to buy more (and if I do buy more I will buy less than more, just so that way I won't have anything left over). Hey who knows if I do a really good job I could sell the stuff on Etsy. Another little project I will be working on is more academic...I know as if college was not enough. Well I am interested in learning more about Holodomor and I want to eventually do a presentation about it so that way people are more aware about the topic. That itself is another post for another day, unless I get in the mood later on to talk about it.

Until tomorrow...

It's Time to Grow Up! Part 2: Your Momma Ain't Here No More

This won't be as long as yesterdays. But let's recap the first part:

In Part 1 of It's Time to Grow Up! I talked about those that live at home with their parents and how they should act if they are going to be doing so. I discussed how many like to take advantage of their parents and the fact that I find it disgusting. If you are interested and can't find it, here it is.

Although more and more children are living with their parents, there are more and more children living on their own, but their parents still take care of them. Let me explain, using a college student scenario:

I am talking about those that have their own apartment, their own car, go to college, have other expenses (pets, bills, go shopping at expensive places, etc.) and they don't have a job. If they are in college they don't feel like living in a dorm and as a result the parents will have to pay more money out of their pocket just so that way their kids has a place to live (apartments are more expensive. The reason is because you have to pay your own wi-fi, electricity, water, gas, etc. Dorms in the long run are less expensive and you can get loans to help you with that more likely than you would be able to for an apartment. Now before you say I have roommates from hell, I have issues. Guess what, get over it. No matter what you do you will come across the roommate from hell. However, it will not always be like that. Now if you throw other expenses: food, bills, car, and if you get a pet (depending upon the kind you get that will be an added $300-1,000 per year, sometimes more) all of that adds up.

Now if you did all of this and had a job, I commend you and in my eyes you are awesome. But if you have all of this, you don't have a job and your parents are paying for it....yeah I have trouble seeing you as an adult. I would have trouble seeing you as responsible and I would not take you seriously.

If you are going to be living on your own you should:

1. Have a job. No if, ands, or butts.

2. Be able to take care of yourself, it's understandable to ask your parents to give you advice and help you occasionally. They shouldn't be there at your every beck and call. If you are old enough to have your own place, you should be old enough to take care of yourself. Also if you are thinking about getting a pet, you should be able to ask yourself how many hours do you spend taking care of yourself. Then multiply that by 2 (0r 3 again depending on the pet) and if you can;t handle taking care of the pet for that many hours, don't get one. That way you won't be tempted to throw it onto your parents when you are unable to deal with it or pay the bills left over from the vet visit.

3. Just because your parents love you and can help you doesn't mean you can take advantage of it. Yes they may want to do whatever you want, but do you want to make them go broke? Especially in this economy.

4. If you can't afford to get it, don't go to your parents every single time you want something expensive. I don't care if it's a new camera, the latest coach purse(and I love coach), the newest game system, etc. However you can let them know you like it so it could be a future birthday or Christmas (Kwanzaa, Chanukah, etc. ) present. By the way not every day is your birthday and your un birthday and half birthday is not a reason to get a present either.

5. Don't get a condo or loft if you can't afford it without help. Ask yourself, do you really need all that space. Do you, if your place looks half empty and it's pretty big, you might want to think of downsizing. If there are more than 3 bedrooms in the place and you are not sharing it, you don't need it. Unless you can afford it by yourself, than go ahead and have fun with it.

Of course as always there are exceptions, those that just lost there job and are looking for one, (you can always downsize your place and/or sell your stuff) your health may be bad (it may be better for you to move in with your parents) or a number of crazy things have happened that have prevented you from doing the above.

I said this yesterday and I will say it now. I know times are hard for a lot of people, I know the economy is going down the drain every day. My boyfriend, my wonderful amazing boyfriend with a college degree, who has worked since he was 16 has no job. Yes, he teaches guitar to a couple of students and gets some money from that, but he has to rely on unemployment to pay for everything and his own will to find a job for himself. It is not easy, but he does and he doesn't even live with his parents he is still able to pay for rent and some food.

So I do understand, life is hard and it can suck. But guess what all you got to do is keep moving, at the end of the day there is only one person that is stopping you from being a true adult and that is you.

First Day Back to Classes

Well Christmas break is officially over...back to classes.

I am so glad to be back. Yes, it does sound weird, it's just that I was getting a bit of cabin fever and I wanted to get out and do stuff besides be stuck in my room all day. I was starting to become lazy and bored with the stuff that I was working on, drawing, painting, making collages, reading, writing, and even dare I say blogging. The last one for me has definitly started to feel like a chore, the reason...I had to figure out what I was going to talk about. I feel all talked out so to speak.

Well not now, I am very excited about this week. I am only taking 4 classes again this semester. It may not seem like much but I like doing this so that way I can dedicate as much time as I can to each class and get higher grades. Yes it may take me longer to get done with classes, but at least my GPA will be awesome. Besides....I have to work my butt off to get into grad school. I still have a long way to go.

I already know 2 of my professors. I had one of them for math last semester and the other for french. The other 2...no clue who they are, but I will find out.

Other than that nothing much is really going on. I do have to find this one program for math which costs a lot. Actually its just a slip of paper with a code on it and I think the price to pay for it is ridiculous....anywho. I have to find that by Monday or I am screwed...wish me luck on that.

I only had to buy 2 books this time, which was really nice. I already had my french book and workbook from last semester, which I don't like but at least I won't be lost or have to buy another book. These textbooks are expensive though, really 2 textbooks equals $182??? What does the book contain...the secret to life? Yes I know...I'm being a little dramatic. It is just annoying, well it doesn't really bother me that much. It is more like a fly that is buzzing around the room annoying instead of buzzing in your ear annoying.

Wow I am going on a random tangent. I have to get going though I have to get ready for classes.

Wish me luck!

Being Stylish & Fashionable

Today I am going to talk about fashion and style. Yes I do not usually talk about it, fankly I am still learning. Growingf up being a Navy Brat (yah love that) on middle class working budget. Style & fashion went back to the wayside. Also everything I have learned about fashion and clothing has been pratically self taught.

I know the basic difference between fashion and style. Style is a personal thing, like your signature. While fashion is what everyone else is trying to live up to. That's what I have come to understand it to be.

There is one problem that I have with fashion and style...ok to be honest I have several. There are many misconceptions that people have about it.

Here are my list of problems with it:

1. You have to buy designer clothes or labels in order to be deemed fashionable or stylish.
2. Anyone that does not have these labels, you are a disgrace to fashion and style.
3. Those that don't have labels are rednecks/ ignorant.
4. Once you shop at one brand store(like American Eagle, Abercrombie, Aeropostle, etc) it's bad to shop at the other, you have to stick with that one brand.
5. You can only have one style
6. etc.

You get the idea. I will first begin by talking about the first one.

#1, 2, &3

These are pratically the same, so I put them under one heading.

• Do I like Designer clothers? Yes
• Do I like lables? Yes
• Do I have a few designer clothing? Yes
• How did I get the labels? Either always on sale or as a special gift. I don't ask my parents or my boyfriend to get me stuff thats over a certain price. That way I know they got something for me on sale. I don't mind it in the least.
• Do I shop at stores like American Eagle, Aeropostle, etc? Yes
• Do I only shop there? No
• Do I shop at places like Walmart, target, and even goodwill? yes :)
• Do I think it is important to have labels & designer clothes in order to be fashionable? NO

You see there are many average people out there that cannot afford designer labeled clothes. They can't, they shop at places like walmart, target and goodwill stores. Seriously why the heck would you spend $35 on a tshirt? I am a college student without a job right now, I am not going to go out and spend money to try to impress someone. Granted I am coming from a perspective of not having a lot of money and if I did have a lot of money I would probably decide if I really liked that shirt or not before getting it.

You can just get as many fashionable stylish things from the places I mentioned above. Are they high end,no. But guess what most of the clothes out there look the same,and if I ripped off the label from the clothing would you be able to tell which store it came from. I bet only maybe 10% percent of you could ( I'm taking into account that there are many fashionistas out there that stalk the fashion magazines like Twilight fans stalk Robert Pattison or Taylor Lautner).

Just because there is not label, it does not mean it is not fashionable.

Also the fact that people are not considered fashionable or stylish unless they have these labels is absolutly absurd. Just like I mentioned above how the heck are you going to honestly know if it is a label.

And to call the people that can't afford ignorant or disgusting of anything of that nature... well that is just plain nasty and rude.

To say that you have to only shop at one special store and you have to remain faithful to it, that is like saying that you will eat only at one restaurant and stick to that one.

And the last is that apparently you can't have more than one style.

I find this one very hard, simply because of the fact that I like all different kinds of clothing that I enjoy, there are many styles I want to convey. The reason everyone is complex, no one is fully preppy, goth, classic, etc. I like some clothing, some would consider gothic others preppy....I am a complex person so my style reflects that. I don't know why a person has to have one style.

Maybe it is to make it their signature, but your clothes should not define you. You wear the clothes, not the other way around.

I don't know... it just seems all silly to me at times.

Any Girl Can Get What She Wants

Another amazing book that I have read within the past few months is The Go-Getter Girl's Guide. This book is a must read for anyone that wants to succeed and look amazing at the same time. I got this book over a year ago and just read and finished it a few months.

Title: The Go-Getter Girl's Guide

Author: Debra Shigley

Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Genre: Self-Help

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5

"Combining the practical career wisdom of What Color Is Your Parachute? with the savvy fashion guidance of The Little Black Book of Style, this dynamite guide is sure to bring out the Go-Getter in generations of women to come."

This little blurb is what sums up what this book is all about. I have not read either of the books that are mentioned above (a few more added to my, What I have to read before I die list). I was so glad I got this book.

This book is written by Debra Shigley who has written numerous books, multiple national television shows, is a journalists who is a senior editor for the magazine Atlanta, and has appeared many more.

In this book it teaches and inspires women in all professions, whether they are in the field already or they are just college students. You learn how to deal with office politics, how to negotiate to get what you want, get mentors, get ahead even though you may not have the qualifications just yet, and how to take care of yourself and look fabulous all at the same time.

For me I thought it was great that someone wrote this book for Women cause it is necessary. This book is not the kind that once you have read it you are done. I not only recommend this book to everyone, I recommend that you reread it over and over again until you have everything burned into your mind.

With how the economy is so bad right now everyone needs all the help they can get to make sure they succeed at life.

My favorite chapters are

* The Best Education is Self-Education

and

*Learn the Art of Negotiation

Both are great chapters I will reread again and again. The only reason why I gave it a 4 1/2 out of 5 instead of a 5 out of 5 is because I believe that she could have written more.

This book is for every woman.