Freshman Year [Check]

Today was my reality check that my freshmen year of college was over. Today my first year grades were posted, and needless to say…It was not what I expected.

Besides grades, I learned a lot. I learned that college really does take up ALL of your time. College was a taste of what the real world truly has in store for me.

My freshman year had its ups and downs.
I lost some friends & made many new friends for life.
I met some guys who hurt me & ones who I can lean on.
I did horrible in some classes & pulled my grades up in others.

I guess now that freshmen year is done and over, I’m living on the motto.. If you try your best & don’t succeed, try again.

What if Your Parents Won’t Let You Date?

We have alot of teens asking as what to do if your parents won’t let you date.  Our team had a few suggestions to share.  For example, one girl told us she isn’t allowed to date until she’s 16 (which is another 2 years)!  She’s not sure if she gets asked out if she should say no, or how to do it if she does.   Here’s some thing to think about for those of you trying to figure out what to do about your dating dilemma.

#1 When I was younger, I was worried about dating because of my parents too. Try talking to your parents about it. Set some guidelines. Ask if you’re allowed to have a date to a dance. Or if just hanging out with a guy friend and some other people counts as “dating”. Think of what you want to ask them before you bring it up, that way you can figure everything out in one conversation. It’s better to have talked about it with them so you know what you can and cannot do, rather than going behind their back. If a guy asks you out and you would like to say yes, just simply tell him that you would really love to go, but that your parents are strict about dating. Also, ask your parents what they would want you to say in that situation. Most important is that you don’t lie to your parents or go behind their back for the guy. If he really does like you, then he’ll understand that you’re just following your parents wishes and will still want to be friends. You never know, maybe he’ll be the first to ask you out when you turn 16!

#2 I would first ask your parents what exactly do they mean. Some parents mean you can’t go out alone with a guy on dates, but you can have a boyfriend and hang out at school or go out with groups of friends. So first figure out what they are ok with and what they aren’t ok with. Try to remember that your parents always want what is best for you, even when it’s not exactly what you want. But if you do have to say no to someone who ask you out, just answer how you are comfortable with. You can always say something like “I’m sorry, but my parents don’t want me to date until I’m 16 and I respect that” or “I like you, but I’m just not ready for a relationship yet” Just remember it’s only two years, so if you can’t date just enjoy the time you have with your friends. Have fun with them and it will fly by!

If guys start to ask- that’s just the beginning of it all. This means you’ll continue to be asked out so don’t worry about a shortage. But when a guy does ask, make sure to respect your parents wishes. Tell the guy that you’d love to be friends and maybe you can try it in a few years. That way, when you turn 16, you’ll have some guys to choose from and some great lasting friendships.

Truth or Dare?

When my friends’ parents would ask me what I wanted to go to college for… I would say something along the lines of…

“I want to major in business and study abroad in Spain.” A year later, I’m still in the same boat. I’m a marketing management major with the intention of studying abroad. However I realized that college is a lot more than getting a degree.

In high school, my school became a part of me a lot more than I became a part of it.  Since August, my college taught me a lot about myself. I slowly learned that there are things I have passion for.

I have always known that I love to dance, that I love fashion, and that I will overcome my life obstacles.

Truth? I’m scared. Truth? everyone is scared.

I feel like there are all these dreams, these ambitions that everyone has in their lives but so many people don’t dare. They just dream.

This year, after lots and lots of fear, I finally applied for a scholarship to a fashion school in California.

I got a tattoo that represented my past, present, and future. Dare.

There’s a lot of truth in our lives that we don’t want to accept so we just dream.

Dreaming only works when we dare to act on it.

Do What You Love

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” These are the words of writer Henry David Thoreau. Could this man be any more intelligent?

Probably one of the most important things in life is enjoying yourself every step of the way. Not literally every step necessarily, because where would we be without the priceless mistakes that let us grow daily? But the only way to make sure you’re getting the most out of the life you deserve, is to do what makes you happy.

Summer break is here, and you know the first two words that come into mind when I hear that? Free time! You’ve got a whole three months to do with what you please, and that can mean many different things for everyone. According to Mr. Thoreau, we should spend this time doing what makes us happy.

Are you a dancer? Dance. Do you enjoy time with your family and friends? Make the time to be with them. Enroll in a clay making workshop. Go on a hike. See a play. Be in a play. Sing your heart out to your favorite CD like nobody is there. By finding what makes you happy, you’ll be going in the right direction in no time. With a whole summer ahead of you, you’ve got plenty of time to decide.