Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Be My Valentine! Gifts For Her

In a little over a week, Valentine's Day will be here!

Need to drop a hit for your beau?
Shopping for your significant other?
Don't have any gift ideas?

Whether you want to save or splurge, here are some Valentine's Day Gift Ideas!

Saves





Essie Nail Polish in "Really Red"

More gift ideas:






Splurges






More gift ideas:
Gift Ideas For Her by intrepidity on polyvore.com

Personally, I do not think that Valentine's Day is a day to spend a lot of money on gifts. Honestly, I think it's silly to spend hundreds on Valentine's Day. After all, it celebrates love, not materialism. To me, a perfect Valentine's Day would be a movie, pizza, chocolate dipped strawberries and all-night cuddling with my beau- if I had one, that is!


Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Is Feminism Overrated?


fem·i·nism


: the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities
: organized activity in support of women's rights and interests


Feminism is a word that strikes fear into the very hearts of our male counterparts. Whenever a woman claims to be a feminist, men steer clear of them. Why is this? In out society today, everything has developed its own "image" or stereotype. Sadly, feminists are stereotyped as unattractive, angry men-haters who are single and despise relationships. 


Feminism was established in the mid-1800s, and the Feminist Movement started in the 1960s. Feminism has become increasingly popular, however with its increase in popularity, the typical definition of a feminist has changed. For the worse, I might add. In the media, celebrities claim to be "feminists" to gain more popularity. As I said above, the feminist has developed its own image and stereotype. In my opinion, the popularity of feminism has been decreasing over these past few years. It's a term that has become overused in media, and as more and more fights feminists have been winning, its seems that women should be having equal rights as men. Right? Wrong. Modern feminists still have much to overcome...

So, the question remains: Is feminism overrated?

In my opinion, NO

Feminism is most certainly not overrated in any way. It's simply misunderstood and over-exposed. Women's rights still remains a problem that faces the world today. Modern feminists merely have different obstacles to overcome. During the feminist movement, women were fighting for abortion rights, domestic violence, rape, and sexism. We women have gained many rights by fighting for our equality, however there still are major problems that are unsolved. Today, modern feminists face the "final feminist frontier." This "final frontier" is overcoming gender inequality in the workplace and gender inequality in domestic labor. Some would say that the genders are pretty equal, however this is not the case all over the US, and it certainly is not the case for certain foreign countries. The major barrier feminists must overcome is the media. The media can easily be manipulated to shine a negative light on any topic. The media and pop culture is responsible for the stereotype feminists have today. Modern feminists have the tedious job of altering that image. 

Feminism is undeniably a worldwide problem. Women struggle in other countries around the globe. In certain countries in the Middle East, such as Afghanistan and Iraq, women's rights are greatly suppressed. In Saudi Arabia, women still do not have suffrage, and women who are victims of rape can be charged with crimes. Abortion on Ecuador is illegal. Illegal. The rights of women are so suppressed, its mind-boggling. Don't men realize we are humans too? We are just as capable as men, maybe even more. Us women are a force to be reckoned with.

Not enough people realize the importance of gender equality. There is a wide spectrum of gender equality. In the Us, women are allowed to have abortions, vote, and freely express their opinions, contrary to the little to none rights women have in other countries. Think about it, in some places in the world, men walk away innocent form rape, and women constantly live in fear of abduction or worse. When I say women, I also include teens and children. Imagine your closest female loved one have to endure a life of suppression. If you are a guy and you are reading this, imagine that you could not go out, talk, vote, and you are constantly humiliated and ridiculed by the opposite gender. Put yourself in the shoes of the millions of women who can't live their own life.

I hope I have shed some light on this topic



 To lighten the mood, here are some funny feminist pictures!







Sunday, February 2, 2014

One Oxford, Five Different Looks


If its one article of clothing I can never part with, it has to be my classic button down oxford. It is so classic, timeless, and clean-cut. However, most importantly, it is versatile. They go with just about everything. I don't know about you, but I hate spending tons of money on something I'll end up wearing only once or twice. Button downs are pricey, however they are worth the cost. I recommend buying them from Ralph Lauren or Vineyard Vines. I love wearing oxfords because they are just too easy to style! When I am in a rush in the morning, my go-to is an oxford and some leggings!

Here are five ways to style an oxford:


Saturday, February 1, 2014

Weekend Wanderlust




Cinque Terre, Italy

Chittorgarh Fort, India

Glow Worm Cave, New Zealand

Halong Bay Vietnam

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany


Sea Of Stars, Vaadhoo Island
Mendenhall Caves, Alaska


Tunnel Of Love, Ukraine

Tianzi mountains in Wulingyuan, China

Edinburgh, Scotland
Longji Rice Terraces, China
Serengeti, Africa


Angel Falls, Venezuela

Plitvice Lakes, Croatia


Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Sanqingshan, China

Bamboo Forest, Japan

Zion National Park in Utah, North America



{Disclaimer: None of these  photos are mine, but kudos to the photographers for the amazing photos!}

Thursday, January 30, 2014

How to Be Happy

Laugh


After all, laughter is the best medicine!  

Smile


Smiling is a sign of happiness. Smile every morning when you get up, smile to everyone you pass on the street, and smile when you go to sleep. Smiling is the best way to brighten your day, and everyone else’s around you!

Have Fun


Just have fun. Find the things you love, and do them! Love what you do, and do what you love. It only makes you happier!  

Forgive but Never Forget


Do not be one to hold grudges. Learn to forgive people for their mistakes, however you should never forget them. Learn from your mistakes to avoid the same situation happening over and over again. Although you should remember what people have wronged you, forgive them and love them. If you forgive someone, your soul is freed from whatever they have done, and you are able to recover. “IF you really want to love, you must first forgive”  

Be Optimistic


Always have a positive outlook on life. Always think that the glass is half full. When you are optimistic, it automatically improves your mood. Even if you suffer from a failure, keep a positive view, because that is the only way you can succeed. Being optimistic includes loving the little things in life. Love every single small pleasures in our life.  

Believe in your worth


You are important. You must realize that the world needs you. You are priceless, and regardless of who you are, what you have done, you must know that you are your number one priority. You must learn to love yourself.

Fill your life with loving people


Get rid of all the negative influences in your life. They key to being happy is surrounding yourself with people who love you. Being around loving people who support you will make you happy.

Release your emotions


If it’s one thing you should never do, it’s to tent up all your emotions. If you are feeling low, or you have something that has been troubling you, tell somebody. It increases your happiness when you tell someone your feelings. If you don’t you will only be a bomb that will inevitable explode.

Love



Love and compassion will make you happy. Love others, and you will be loved back. Help others, too. If you have ever helped volunteer for a cause, or helped someone less fortunate than you, then you understand that feeling of accomplishment and happiness that you get afterwards. 


Life will always have its up and downs. Sometimes you will feel on top of the world, however sometimes you might feel depressed. It's all about being happy!

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Survival Guide: Midterms Week


Ah, Midterm week. The year is never really halfway gone until Midterm week is over. Its a week of stressing out, tiresome tests, and hair pulling. Its a week when school ultimately controls your life. 

So, how do you survive Midterm week?




Midterms Survival Guide

Study

Obviously, you have to study to do well on your midterm exams. Try not to cram all your studying into one night. Spread out your study time, and never study last minute! Everyone has their own study habits, however what helps me most with studying is making a study guide for every subject. Even if you are confident you know everything, make a study guide. Writing everything down helps me remember all the information. Reading textbooks are also a great way to study.

Take Breaks

Taking breaks is the key to having a relatively enjoyable midterm week. Do not overwhelm yourself with work, take short breaks! I like to take 15 minutes off and play my guilty pleasure game, Candy Crush Saga.  Also, I always feel more motivated and energized after taking a break. It really helps!

Group Study Sessions

Yes, I know that a study session with friends can be very unproductive, however it is very helpful. When you study with another person, and talk about the material, it helps memorization. I usually get better grades when I study with others. Just make sure you don’t get sidetracked too easily!

Confidence

Be confident! Be optimistic! Believe in yourself! Do not psych yourself out! If you are confident, you won’t be as stressful.

Eat

A hearty breakfast is so so so important. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially during Midterms. You do not want to be hungry during a test. It is essential to eat a filling breakfast. Don’t forget to bring snacks and water!

Sleep

In general, sleep is super important, but it is increasingly so during Midterms. Make sure you get at least 8 hours. Ditch the caffeine, sleep is the only way you will feel fully awake!

Fun

Between all the studying and testing, have fun! If you play a sport, attend the practices. If you play an instrument, practice! Go out with some friends! Just because it’s Midterms does not mean you can’t do anything other than studying! Have some fun!

Keep in Check With Time

During testing, this is something to keep in mind. Pay attention to the clock to make sure that you will finish.

Wear Comfortable Clothes

Comfortable clothing is key. You do not want to be uncomfortable during testing! I highly 
advise against wearing skinny jeans, make up, or tight clothing. I prefer to wear leggings and a 


Arrange Something Afterwards

After Midterms, reward yourself! You finally made it halfway through the year! Arrange a little something with your friends to celebrate! A movie date or a brunch are great ideas! My friends and I are going to see Anchorman 2 tomorrow, when Midterms are finally over!




Sunday, January 19, 2014

Snapshots of the Ordinary













I was never really interested in photography, until I realized that photography can make ordinary objects seem extraordinary. Naturally, I decided to take out my camera and take a few shots, and this was the result!

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