As the the world decides to dress herself with the most vibrant hues of red, yellow and brown, it dawns on me that the end is near.
Autumn is the season of change - there is a certain melancholy in the air. The sun sets faster, scary movies flood your Netflix suggestions and baristas asks if youâd like pumpkin spice flavored syrup pumps in your coffee.
Now before you dip your nose into your cabinet filled with musky Bath and Body Works candles, it is easy to forget that we are still living in a capitalist world where responsibilities are made to be full-filled.
With all the evil thatâs happening in the world right now, it would honestly be so much easier for all of us to sit at home and forget our obligations by watching something less scarier than the outside world, an example being literally any horror movie on Netflix.
I will however, pass down my wisdom upon you and suggest a few things you could do to stay productive as a remote worker or student.Â
1. Stop Being A Slob
When the lockdown happened in spring and everything got cancelled, my structured life went to shit, mornings turned to nights and before I knew it summer was over. I am grateful to have been privileged enough to have lead a somewhat flexible lifestyle but I certainly did not use it to my advantage. Instead of doing the Chloe Ting exercises and being productive, I ended up packing up a lot of weight by stuffing caramel popcorn down my throat till 5 am and losing my lifeâs purpose.
The first step for me was changing out of my pjs every morning and doing my bed. When I decided to stop being or at least feeling like a slob, I was encouraged to do the next step.Â
2. Set Up Your RoutineÂ
Despite coming off as free spirited and sporadic, believe it or not - I have a morning routine. At first, I refused to be confined to a routine, as silly as that sounds. I hated the idea of conforming to any sort of time-framed regime until I caved into its benefits, which in turn allowed me to do whatever I wanted to do with my time later. So, what is setting up a morning routine? It depends. For me, my routine consists of waking up everyday at a similar time frame, drinking some water, working out, having a healthy breakfast and finishing up whatever I prioritized to do so before 3 pm.
3. Organize Yourself
Take a few minutes once a week to look over any deadlines coming up. Clean up your environment, clear your desk from any useless papers laying around and maybe start working on your assignments in advance. Make sure to set a plan of attack for everything and that includes allowing yourself to not lose sight of tasks you truly enjoy.
4. Breakdown Your Priorities
Write down what youâd like to do today and try distinguishing when based on specific time slots. Rank your tasks in order from highest to lowest priority. A good tip would be to knock down the hardest of tasks in the beginning of your day so you donât procrastinate at night.
5. Get a Planner
This is not my shopping addiction forcing you to go down the rabbit hole with me. I think buying a planner is important because it gives you a safe space to lay down your tasks in a systematic order. You donât need to waste your time figuring out how to organize how you write down your tasks. Buying a good planner makes you plan ahead your deadlines, upcoming readings and quizzes. But the perfect planner lets you keep track of your personal life and hobbies in order to balance out everything.
6. Participate
Active participation is vital for online meetings or classes. Speaking up allows you to become a familiar name in a virtual setting and most importantly helps you not fall asleep in the middle of your zoom session. Personally, I felt a boost of confidence ever since I allowed myself to participate in online sessions.
7. Reward YourselfÂ
We tend to rest the second we feel physically exhausted, but I believe mental health is just as important. And no, do not skip your classes and ditch your homework. Instead, try the 50/10 rule: take a 10 minute break every 50 minutes of work to speed up your productivity. Remote online work/school can be very tiring and almost detrimental to your mental capacity and productivity levels when you donât optimize your time. The lack of distinction between work and school environment may be draining. Since our responsibilities are usually handled online, try to step away from electronic devices.Â
Not to mention that looking at a computer for hours on end can make your brain hurt. So put your phone away, go for a short walk or coffee run, and just recharge for your next online class/meeting.Â
8. Just Plain Effort
Despite the virtual setting, responsibilities are still just as important. Do not get things twisted - synchronous meetings are still meetings. You just need to put the same amount of time, effort and dedication to online work even though it does not feel necessarily real. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you what works for you because I honestly donât know your medium or better yet, your sweet spot, however; part of the process is figuring it out.Â
In light of the spooky season approaching us, it dawned upon me to research more about a topic most twenty-something year olds avoid talking about: Love.
And it had me wondering: what really is love, and does it even exist?
A few existential crises later, I decided love is based upon the push and pull theory.
After failing to push through my scientific courses in high school (that required a lot of pulling left side brain energy); I discovered that the notion of love is proven through history but is based on not-so ironically quantitative topics.
Ultimately, love comes down to attraction - and not in a superficial way so keep reading to understand why.
A simple thought that pops into your head has some sort of vibrational frequency. And from whatever I learned in-between naps in physics class, quantum mechanics has explained that a wave frequency can be altered with its own definition of peaks and pitfalls; which is the ongoing energy we face throughout our journey in this life. And what makes up and holds our galaxy together? Mostly stars.Â
And the stars, they really resonate with us. The stars are the stars we lean on to foster our inspiration, grow our imagination, alleviate our stress and remind us how small we really are.
Continuously romanticized in our culture, stars are merely huge balls of gas that contain so much bullshit; that it radiates gravity that ultimately holds our existence together.
Our very own sun is a star that was fortunately too far to pull us in and burn us into ashes.Â
The gravity of stars is so strong that it squeezes the gas atoms together so tightly, triggering a nuclear fusion; the process of having the center nuclei of atoms get stuck together and fuse. This process releases a powerful magnitude which in turn contributes to the heat of the stars. This energy works its way from the inside to the surface; then far into space.
In conclusion, our naked eye gets to see the end result of a couple to a million years ago.Â
And each star that radiates such light is unique in its own special way, with its different sizes, colors and frequencies.Â
Some stars even orbit around each other; we call them binary stars. And even stars - they get lost into the far galaxy, so what chance do we really have? When even something so much bigger and brighter than us loses itself.
With all its glory, these stars have their own magnetism. And with magnetism, there is always resistance. There is no other way.
Even if you are in the most perfect dynamics of love - there is always someone pulling or resisting because that is the law of attraction; like does not attract like.
And if you donât believe me, try pushing someone. Do it and say I said so. But chances are, theyâre going to push you back and thatâs not my problem. But if you go ahead, grab someoneâs hand and pull them towards you, they will inevitably have to pull away from you at some point.Â
When you look towards grasping for something you really want, chances are itâll stop you. Working to repel something may actually contribute to you waking up one day and finding it sleeping right next to you in your very own bed.
And no you donât have shitty luck, itâs really always been this way.
If you have never realized it yet, then you will figure it out soon enough.
We have all experienced being the puller or the shoved one. We all starred in either being the lover or the beloved.
The role of the beloved is to resist; otherwise we wouldnât have all these collections of sad beautiful love songs. However, the best pieces of art are the ones that make you sad because thatâs what makes love worth meaning - itâs your goal to reach.
The journey is on-going, much like the wave frequency, with its high and its lows; but when it reaches a plateau, love dies.
And if you are about to click off because whatever I am saying is truthful, donât be upset about being a lover - we all are.
Actually, there is something so divine about being the lover and so dogmatic when being beloved. In the dynamics of these binary stars or two average mortals with a connection, there is always someone who is beloved in this space or time but is simultaneously a lover for someone elseâs pleasure because it is impossible to believe that there is one person in the universe for you.
Defining someone as your one and true soulmate makes us human beings. Notice though that human beings are constantly perpetrating terrible massacres to their emotional wellbeing because they are committing to something that is not true.
To leave as a lover is a crime, but the beloved is supposed to do so. This notion of separation is so vital because the separation is a test; the hardship is what creates the journey.Â
But donât get it twisted, the beloved is supposed to respond, not with the same cry of affection. Ironically, no response is a response at times.
With an increase in philosophy and education, the beloved has become more resistant towards the lover because they understand that there is no obligation to reciprocate feelings.
It may seem like nothing is harder than watching your beloved not understand your love, but the reality is: you are part of the majority.Â
And no, you should not go beg for sympathy or deem yourself as doomed either. Instead, you should try your hardest to express yourself and fight for what you believe in, even if your object of desire is begging you to stop.
And you may reach your goal or simply move on because there are billions of stars left.
But the thing is:
your love is truth; it resemblance of what you think the truth is. The truth is what you aim to seek. And my truth is to just live in the heat of things because there is no meaning to love essentially.Â
Because it is the one thing that allows you to understand why you have these tingly feelings; essentially there is no right reason for it.
COVID-19 has taken over our lives and will rightfully continue doing so until further notice.Â
At first we may have brushed off the idea of how incredibly serious this virus is, but slowly and surely enough: flights got cancelled, institutions closed and governments instilled house arrest policies.
And worst of all...New York Fashion Week will return in September, but with the two depressing options of either holding it virtually or at 50% capacity. Things are pretty serious...
Instead of spending your mornings sweating in pop-dance yoga classes, munching on the newest gossip at brunch dates, or even working in an office where youâre certainly under-appreciated; things took off in a different direction as of March.
Quarantine has certainly welcomed sudden religious and spiritual outbursts in many (as if that would change our fate at this point).
Some of our health gurus are taking advantage of this ânew normalâ to basically get their sh*t together, as can be expected from anyone with an idealistic mindset. You know the drill - organizing their rooms, catching up on business emails, preparing healthy meals, working out to yoga videos online, aligning their chakras as well as their petsâ, etc.
Yâknow - just the casual to-do list.Â
Now for us average mortals, we naturally are much more inclined to some coping mechanisms that may not be necessarily the healthiest for us. The list usually goes as the following: âpromiscuity, binge-watching netflix, smoking, drinking, emotional eating, caffeine overdose, compulsive spending, surges of anger burstsâ... The list goes on.
And in this article - weâre not here today to talk about what you are doing but rather What Would Blair Waldorf Would Do.
In honor of rewatching Gossip Girl for the 100th time (as yet another of my many coping mechanismsâŠ), I totally need to talk about what Queen Bee would have done. This upper east side princess would have definitely had a few things up her sleeves we could all easily copy or implement into our new ânormalâ lives.
1. Treated Herself With Chocolates
Ah, yes, Lady Godiva and other self-bought chocolates to eat as we lay in bed.
Contrary to her leggy blonde BFF Serena Van der Woodsenâs probable juice cleanse, Blair would definitely indulged without guilt.Â
In mourning of our past lives before the virus, one must drown themselves with the finest of chocolates. We choose Lady Godiva, our only friend.
2. Cleared Up Her Space
Now before you grab onto those fairy lights, itâs still September. We are months away from Christmas. And you are not 13 years old anymore, so for the love of god just stop.
If you are looking to add some form of lighting, make sure it is tasteful! Blair would rather be caught dead than recreate a 2011 tacky room decor. (This is me projecting)
Instead, design your room with a modern touch. Adjust your living space by moving a few things around, with the help of Dorota, of course.
3. Drew Herself a Bath
And when her silk sheets no longer feel luxurious, Blair Waldorf would have definitely drew herself a bath. To copy her, we would suggest purchasing a bubble bar or bath bomb from Lush.Â
4. Watched Her Favorite Movies
Before COVID, Queen B did not have enough time to squeeze in a Netflix Night-in snooze session because waking life was so much better than sleeping in New York.
But in times of uncertainty and anxiety, Blair would have made sure to rewatch all her favorite movies to assuage her desire for some answers. She used to drive her ex-boyfriend, Nate Archibald, crazy for doing this but her reasoning behind replaying the same films was the sense of comfort she felt because she knew exactly how things would end.
And in case you were wondering her favorite movies are the Roman Holiday and Breakfast At Tiffanyâs.
5. Listed out her SMART Goals
Throughout the show, B was known to be an overachiever her entire life. She had the highest grades in her year, was the president of all of Constance Billard School for Girls committees, scored an almost perfect SAT score and maintained a very busy social life filled with drama.
She believed that destiny was for losers and she had strategic schemes in order to manifest her life.
Whenever Blair waged war against anyone who stood in her way, she made sure to set out SMART goals with the help of Dorota. She made sure her goals were specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bond. This strategy was her secret weapon all along.
In fact, Blair would have listed her SMART goals down in her now free time to plan the next 10 years of her life. Feel free to do the same and be the one who always gets her way âsomehowâ.
6. Created A Routine
Do you think Queen B would sit and dwell over circumstances she cannot control? Absolutely.
Moving past the identity crisis she would have probably went through the first week of quarantine, Blair would have made sure to remind herself that she only lost the battle, not the war.
Much like being rejected from Yale, she opted to try making the best out of NYU. She then transferred to Columbia but whatever.
Despite her failed sushi parties and gift bags that may have not landed her the queen of popularity, she still was able to set a routine by familiarizing herself with what she deems as her ânormalâ.Â
We can learn from her mistakes by realizing that falling back into familiar coping mechanisms may no longer serve you anymore. Blair went back to her high school after failing to impress her peers, just to be treated like a âqueenâ all over again. However, she soon realizes that she is far too old to try to reign over high school girls again.Â
Whether your coping mechanisms may be even different or even unhealthier, realize that from this moment forward that old habits may die hard but they need to die for a reason. Itâs time to set a new routine.
Routine can give us the steadiness we are yearning for and when we lose that sense of stability, psychological disruptions occur. To ground yourself again, start scheduling and building a personalized routine.
7. Learnt A New Language
Whatâs there not to love about France? The land of the 3Cs - Croissant, Chanel and Champagne. We all know that B speaks french fluently and goes to France every year. I mean, she got engaged to a french prince (for fuckâs sake).
I am sure that Queen B would either be practicing her French or taking up a new language to compliment her domineering evil side when communicating with her spies/minions. Our best bet is that Blair is learning Italian, with a side of gelato of course.
To best imitate her, try downloading Duolingo. We canât all afford private tutoring lessons.
8. Ran Away to The Hamptons
Blair would have definitely visited the Hamptons with her best friend, S. While Serena tans away with Lonely Boy, Blair would have enjoyed the serenity and read her books in SPF 80.Â
Now, we donât all have secluded mansions in the Hamptons, so I suggest either booking a staycation that follows up with serious social distancing precautions or just reading up Blairsâ favorite books in the comfort of your bed. Here are a couple of her favorites she has mentioned throughout the show.Â
9. Baked Her Famous Pumpkin Pie
Okay so I suppose weâve all either baked or at least attempted to bake in quarantine. Knowing Blair, she would have probably made her dadâs famous pumpkin pie at some point to reminisce her favorite memories.
I believe we all have that one special traditional recipe that brings us back to happier times. To imitate Blair, check out the recipe she has mentioned Harold stole.
And if pumpkin pie is not your thing, you can always browse pinterest.Â
10. Zoomed Her Happy Hours
Pre-Corona, we would have definitely caught Blair sipping on Martinis at the Empire, but long gone the days of the Bass Drama and crowded bars.
Instead, we believe that Blair would be in her room, drinking some champagne in her silk sheets while gossiping with Serena on Zoom.
I believe that you too can easily copy Blair here by scheduling a Zoom meeting with your best friends.Â
11. Played Dress Up
Blair Waldorf would have definitely forced her minions to take a PCR test and threw a huge annual quarantine slumber party.
She would have stolen all of Eleanor Waldorfâs clothes and thrown a dress up party to criticize the way her minions matched clothing items together.
While you may not have minions or a fashion designer mom, you could call up a friend who has been socially distancing as well and meet up for a fun sleepover.
12. Cried it Out
As strong as she may seem, Blair is actually really sensitive. She puts on an act until she inevitably breaks down.
We are living in a pandemic; it is hard and no one is prepared for it. It is okay to cry.
There is a difference between genuine optimism and toxic positivity. Toxic positivity is the culture of pretending to be happy with whatever is going on. However, pushing away your emotions and ignoring them does more harm than good - of course, youâd think Blair would have learnt that by now.Â
The best way you can cope with the feeling of distress and sadness is by just accepting your negative emotions. Chasing happiness actually makes it unattainable so the remedy to sadness is just crying it out.Â
13. Travelled to France
Whenever Blair felt too overwhelmed, she would stomped her Jimmy Chooâs all the way to France in order to see her Dad, Roman and her cat âCatâ.Â
Although not all of us can afford to run off to France, what we could learn from Blair is the importance to prioritize time with our family and friends.
Isolation is lonely and anxiety-inducing. We have a lot of questions and no answers. It is a time to reach out to our loved ones and embrace what we all have in common: the mundanity of such times.Â
Despite all the negativity we have endured during this period, I believe that everybody is slowly realizing the importance of building social connections.Â
Blairsâ emotional walls would have definitely been torn down during quarantine, similar to a lot of us reading this. The level of social acceptance to reach out has never been this exquisite. There is definitely a mutual degree of social comfort that allowed a lot of us to tear down any obstacles that may have stopped us in the past.
Despite the reasonings to why connections were strengthened, there is a silver lining after all. It may have taken a life threatening pandemic to appreciate the little things in life, but hey at least it did the job.
10 Reasons Why Carrie Bradshaw Wasnât THAT Bad...
Sex and the City is the most elite series Iâve ever watched - and I was so excited to purchase the first season when I turned 18.
I would listen to my mom and my sister gossip about the show when I was younger and feel so left out. But, my mom would refuse to let me watch it until I became an adult. Thank god.
Being an avid fan now, I sometimes scan through Sex and the City articles on the net, and canât help but notice dozens of articles filled with âCarrieâ slander - which kind of makes me nervous.
Although it was true that years ago girls were labeling themselves as the âCarrieâ, âSamanthaâ and âCharlotteâ of the group - the serious and less glamorous friend got stuck with being a âMirandaâ; it is kind of an insult now to be deemed as a Carrie.Â
As we all matured, we realized that being a Miranda is amazing and we should all strive to be just as successful - but Carrie Bradshaw is still a valid character and Iâm here to prove why the âsexual anthropologistâ is not all that bad.Â
Now before I dive into why I totally get Carrie Bradshaw, I would just like to point out before hand that I am aware that she is just a fictional character and hopefully you are too. If you are not informed, then I apologize for this harsh revelation. However, letâs continue.Â
1. She was average looking
While we can all agree that her physique only gets stronger and leaner throughout the series, she was still not exactly perfect looking. Despite her fit body, she was not model like or necessarily tall. She did not have a perfect nose. She did not have the biggest âlady partsâ. She did not have the plumiest lips. She did not have perfect facial symmetry.
But, she was okay with it. And has mentioned that by the age of 30, she was over being uncomfortable with her looks and decided to move on.
Despite constantly bumping into models and having to accept that men can be total âmodelizersâ - especially in the capital of the world aka manhattan, she chose to embrace her natural beauty, which in turn has allowed her to walk the runway in her underwear.
2. She was selfishÂ
Yes, the new trend is to be selfish and say no - because that is âself loveâ.
If that truly is the case, then there was no denying then that Carrie was selfish throughout the series.
As human beings, we are selfish by nature. But since we now identify ourselves in societies with expected norms and values, being selfish disqualifies you sometimes from your environment. To avoid being lonely, we try to let go of being selfish or at least hide our selfish traits.
Unfruitfully so, our selfish instincts at times fail us - exposing our true colors. And whenever that happens, people arenât too afraid of pointing out what you did wrong. It doesnât make us necessarily evil, just makes us human.
To avoid being Freudian in this post, letâs just sum up that Carrie is harmlessly selfish at times - that includes being late to every event, asking her friend Susan Sharon if she could trade in her cashmere sweater birthday gift for cash, accepting a pair of 600$ shoes from her other super rich friend, and cutting off Charlotteâs possible infertility problem discussion to talk about her Manolos.
The list goes on, I mean - this is just classic Bradshaw behavior. However, this character cannot be deemed as bad. She was just under the spotlight, and if we were under it too, we would find out that we do have these moments as well without realizing it. We are not perfect. However, Carrie does reflect on her mistakes often, which is something we should be doing more.Â
Sometimes, her selfish tendencies can really get out of hand.Â
It was not okay when she got angry at Charlotte who did not offer to lend her money after she blew it all off on Manolo Blahnik shoes instead of rent. It was not okay when she threw away Aiden down the drain. It was not okay when she slept with a married man, even if it was âMr. Bigâ.
We cannot shame her though because we all have hidden skeletons in our closets...itâs up to you however to peak in and see which faults make it or break it for you.Â
3. She was a working womanÂ
No offense to chastity ball princess Charlotte, who wanted to be a housewife to any rich man who crossed path with her, Carrie Bradshaw was by all means an âall starâ business woman. Despite being unconventional unlike Samantha Jones (PR executive) and Miranda Hobbes (Harvard-graduate Lawyer), Carrie Bradshaw was a restless woman that worked in multiple fields all at once despite being so undermined.
She had so many tasks to tackle all at once while juggling multiple projects. She ran around between the fields of Journalism, Content Marketing and Public Relations. She was able to get invited into all the âfabulousâ events and meetings because of the hard work she invested in all by herself as a freelancer who lived in a huge place like New York. Carrie finally reached her goal at the age of 40, which was working at Vogue. She even wrote multiple books as well.
4. She was unconventional
Despite the show running in the early 90s, Carrie Bradshaw decided to be a sex columnist. She never gave up on her weird unconventional job and was proud of her career despite the looks or comments people would make. She had a weird exterior in addition to how upfront she was about the physical makings of life.
Carrie Bradshaw had a deluded concept of adulting that at least most of us had or still struggle with. She was not a healthy adult with financial stability and a well thought out regime. However, she still managed to be fabulous.
She had poor dieting habits, which made her sometimes skip dinner to buy Vogue instead. She believed that shopping and gossiping were the best types of cardio. She was not the cleanest and had a messy apartment at most times. She did not care about the way her living space looked like, which she later on freaked out about in fear of being judged as an imperfect adult according to Mr Big. She paid so much on shoes that she could no longer afford her rent. She believed that investments must be seen in her closet. She drank at least six dollars worth of coffee per day. She would smoke and drink way too much for a thirty year old woman.
6. She was a good friend
Carrie Bradshaw had so many friends that it almost put her PR bestie Samantha to shame. To be honest, Carrie may have not been a perfect friend, but she was as good as it gets realistically.
What made her so realistic in her friendships was her ability to be there for most of her friendsâ hardships. She had her ups and downs with her empowered female group because sometimes they would feel like she was too problematic and vice versa. For the most part, it is impossible to be as passionate to your friends as you once were the first time you guys met. But what makes a friend a good one is that they never voluntarily try to find excuses to leave you behind.
Carrieâs love towards her friends in her good and bad times showed that she valued them like family.Â
7. She was lost
Carrie was probably more lost than she would have liked to be. She had a tendency to dwell on what should have been and could have been. We all have regrets and sometimes she voiced hers out more than other characters within the show. She would sometimes yearn over the years that passed by her. She even went to extremes such as dating a college boy just to remember what it was like to âjust kissâ. Rookie Mistake, Carrie.
Just like Carrie, as time goes by at any age, we look back at the spur of events that created our timeline and take note sometimes of which events we deem as either life-changing, traumatizing or both.
8. She was experimentalÂ
She may not have been as promiscuous as her friend Samantha, but she was unarguably adventurous in all aspects of her life. Although the most obvious aspect may have been her outfits, her wild colors and funny textural accessories were just a preview on how eccentric Carrie Bradshaw truly was. She mentioned that her younger years were a genuine pursuit of fun in every shape or form, which most twenty-something-year-olds cannot deny.
She emphasized that she fears living life as a cautious person because of the hurt she has endured. However, she truly defined throughout the show what it means to be eccentric, empowering the ones who fail the experiments of life to get back on their feet.Â
9. She was flawed
Carrie Bradshaw believed in the glass half full rather than half empty throughout the series. Despite being unbearably flawed to the point where her friends no longer wanted to listen to her problems, she decided to see a shrink which is something that would have been especially socially-unacceptable in the 90s. Carrie still overcame her mental issues and found other remedies which in turn has led her into accepting the way things played out.Â
As we grow up, we, like Carrie, need a little bit of help in order to realize that temporary issues will fade away into lessons and the permanent ones that are out of our control can be accessorized into our lives accordingly to the way that we want it to look like.
10. She was in love
Her love towards Mr Big was illogical - almost completely insane. But what made her character so special was the fact that she never continued her relationship with Aiden because she knew deep down that it was Mr Big all along and never gave up on it; despite all the signs that kept telling her that he was bad for her. He was at the time indeed bad news, which made her feelings towards him fluctuate between love and hate.
Now, the psychology behind her and Mr Big does not justify why you should call your ex right now so put your phone down, but it is something to think about.Â
Carrie took the road not taken for most women, especially during the 90s where gender roles in love where still a bit rigid. While it is true that it is always easier to date lovers who make the effort to chase you rather than pursuing it yourself, the easiness does not create the âfairytale loveâ that most of us strive for.
Carrie once described her love towards him as a crash rather than a crush. But if something deep down is telling you that someone is your person, shouldnât that account for something? Shouldnât we all just go for â ridiculous, inconvenient, time-consuming canât-live-without-each-other loveâ, and get it right just like she did?
The One with 17 Things Youâll Learn In University Told By Friends
"This sucks! I canât wait to leave home and get to university already,â grungy 13-year-old me would say.
Eating magically appeared food? Wearing self-cleaning clothes? Sleeping a minimum of eight hours a day? How horrible!
Canât wait to live on my own with huge responsibilities and experience no privileges whatsoever! Wooo!
I canât help but look back and feel envious of myself during my school years. I know that every period of our lives has its advantages and disadvantages but let me tell you something: I would totally go back to school for just one more day.
Donât get me wrong, graduating school is an achievement and hard work for most. I am #blessed to have had the opportunity to graduate high school. Every high school graduate should pat themselves on the back every once in a while to remember that unlike other people we know thatâŠâŠ
the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell.
But now that I am almost graduating university in a semester, Iâm going to scrabble down the glorious wisdom I withhold in my hands that clueless 13-year-old wouldâve appreciated with the help of my Friends.
1. Youâll Discover Yourself Everyday
Remember when Rachel Green left Dr. Barry at the alter and how she kept saying her whole life everyone was calling her a shoe so she woke up one day not wanting to be one anymore?
Without the offer done by your dad to receive a hat in exchange for marrying a boring orthodontist, you instead are going to wake up and feel just as confused as her.
And thatâs totally okay because you are in your twenties, which means that you might feel like a purse one day or like a hat the day after.
Donât let anyone judge you for the mixed feelings, ideas and thoughts that youâll process throughout your stay in university because we are all going through so many changes here whether we like it or not. You donât owe anyone anything.
You may be confused and it can be tough at first but youâll adapt to the changes youâll continue to face. Youâll accept your new thoughts and ideas because thatâs your tool to figure yourself out. To make things worse, you may graduate university and still have not figured things out yet.
For so many people, this lack of familiarity may be straight up daunting.
The pressure of now, the trauma of the past and the anxiety of the future is not something we should undermine. Some days are good and some days are just plain bad. We need to accept that weâll all recover just like Rachel Green did at our own pace.
So if youâre freaking out over choosing the right major, starting or ending a relationship, applying for a new job, moving into a new place... just trust that you are capable of achieving what you currently think is best for you.
2. #FreshmanFifteen Is RealÂ
Listen, youâll hear about the #FreshmenFifteen at three different stages of your life.Â
The first time will probably at someoneâs new dorm as a freshmen and instead of being cautious youâll shrug off the theory as something that would never happen to you. Indulging in food does not mean youâll gain fifteen pounds, right?
The second time youâll hear about it is when your roommate blames your shrinking pants on the #FreshmenFifteen. But sheâs got it wrong, itâs the washing machine dude, duh!
The third time youâll hear it will probably be you warning freshmeat about the #FreshmenFifteen because youâve experienced it firsthand and got it over with.
3. Roommates Are Complicated
This one in particular is either a hit or a miss.
Some people choose to be like Ross and live alone because they think having a roommate is either pathetic or sad, when the truth is they are just annoying to live with.
I mean what was THAT about. Taking up so much space, jazzing up the answering machine and totally not compromising? Nope.Â
âŠ.and letâs not forget about that creepy temporary replacement, Crazy Eddie, that would watch Chandler in his sleep.
But other times, having a roommate you get along with is like coming home everyday to your best friend! Joey and Chandler were the perfect example. Rachel and Monica, despite their constant bickering at times, were pretty great too.Â
And sometimes like Phoebe and Monica itâs best to move out before you guys hate each other forever. You can stay friends! Phoebe rocked the lone wolf look.
You may need to experience a couple of roommates to get the right one but when it works: it works.
4. Making Friends is Hard
Okay well given the amount of students - meeting new people in university is so easy, but actually getting a hold of new faces and making them familiar? Now thatâs tough.
It is kind of clique-y in there, and sometimes one thing may break it or make it for you.
Remember when Rachel got the new job at Ralph Lauren and they all just started making plans without her during their cigarette break so she had to start smoking in order to be included in these plans?
Well, there is always going to be that one thing that keeps you in the loop and itâs different in every social circle. You either have it or you donât. And if you donât, trust me, move on.
5. Maintaining Friends Is Harder
Ever felt like you had to disappear for a bit, get your shit together but realize you donât have plans anymore on a Saturday night?
Usually youâll be okay because people generally understand, so reach out to them. They could be hibernating as well, you never know.
6. Partying Happens More During The Weekdays
Youâre going to party, a lot.
And thatâs expected I mean itâs college.
But what I didnât expect was that plans at my first two years at university were on Wednesday and Thursday nights rather than the weekend.
And that made us freshmens think that we were the coolest.
I have no idea what that was about. But it was a pretty cool concept I supported fully.
I still do in theory, but I guess we can all agree that it just got...predictable.
We all got less excited and eventually started savoring doing nothing on the weekdays.
7. You May Feel Unsafe Sometimes
Whether itâs walking on campus alone at night, being in a party without eyeing your surroundings at all times, or sitting alone with a friend... things may get weird or even scary.
Always listen to your gut, shit seriously happens sometimes and there are a lot of psychos out there.
Your friends may surprise you.
There are some ways to prevent unfortunate events, although we are not the responsible ones for it in the first place.Â
If you find yourself in at a certain situation, please get all the help you need and speak up as soon as possible.Â
8. Sleep is like... SO IMPORTANT
Okay, so partying is cool and all.
Meeting up with friends and hanging out is so damn radically cool.
But sleep?
Sleep is so important.
Friends who nap together stay together. Me and my friends seriously do this.Â
Remember when your parents used to bust your door at around 10 pm and force you to sleep? Those were the days man.
And from what Iâve seen...a lot of university students need some serious new sleeping regime.
Sleep hygiene is a thing and waking up in a different timezone is not cool... itâs sad. No judgement though, weâve all been there.Â
9. Coffee Is Everything
Hate coffee, now?
Youâll learn to love it. Since coffee breaks are now the new cigarette breaks of this generation, so many university students start experiencing caffeine addiction.
It is hard not to drink coffee, the temptation is everywhere with like at least 4 different coffee machines or shops on campus.
Bonus points, if you and your friends suddenly have your own Central Perk.
Donât like the taste? You will learn to bury it with milk and sugar or sweet nâ low.
By the end of university, youâll graduate with a specifically weird complicated coffee order with a complimentary sneeze muffin on the side.
10. To Study Abroad or Not Study Abroad
Almost every university has the option of studying abroad or not.
In a population filled with students, youâre placed into either two possible categories.
The first category being the group that did not study abroad, refuses to admit that they really wanted to and instead hate on those who talk about it.
The second category are the ones who did study abroad and wonât shut up about it.
To be fair, I do agree with the saltiness of the first group. The second category claims that their semester abroad was so life changing that everything now is perfect because of that one trip!
The second category reminds me of Phoebe and Monicaâs old flatmate Amanda Buffamonteezi, a New Yorker that moved to England and started faking a British accent, narrating to her ex-flatmates her very âperfect lifeâ.
The world does not need more Amanda Buffamonteezis. Please!
11. Youâll Overpack
One mistake youâll make is overpack, for sure.
No, you donât need all your shoes.
Stop that!
I see you reaching for that pair of heels that you once wore in Halloween 2015. No, you wonât âprobablyâ start wearing it again.
And yes, we all want to look good on our first few days of university but trust me there are better ways to go about this.
Tip: Youâll probably need a few of your best items in your closet. Youâll go shopping throughout your stay, considering the fact that youâll be managing your money for the first time ever.
12. College Relationships Are A Scam
A lot of people join university with a shattered heart because of their recent break-up with their high school sweetheart. There are several reasons to why the precious relationship faded away such as long distance issues, new âthreatsâ or general futuristic disagreements.
So, to all the high school girls who are ready to meet new eligible mature college boys I have one thing to say and one thing only:
Lower your expectations. College boys are the worst.
They are still boys - with a whole lot freedom. They may seem like theyâre great but itâs a trap, trust me.
Remember College Chandler aka the asshole who body shamed Monica and drooled all over her a year later?
Ugh, theyâre such visual creatures.
And please, onât be like sister Rachel, donât. Years later and sheâs still trying to bury the idea of swapping saliva with Chandler.
13. Being Single Sucks Though
Listen, you have two choices here: either be in a relationship or get bored.
Itâs true that it may seem like itâs fun to be single in college at first, but after sophomore year weâre all (including boys) are dying to get into one of those relationship thingies!
As much as âall boys suckâ, some suck less than others.
14. Speaking of Suck: 8:00 AM Classes Are Inevitable
No matter how much effort you put into investing in making sure all your classes start past 11 am, you will get stuck with a mandatory class at 8 am somehow.
But hey, at least you heard it from me first. NOT.
And if you are used to being a night owl, the first few weeks are kind of going to look like this.
Bonus Tip: Keep your mouth shut and donât answer yes to any of your professor who may call you out, you just might end up finding yourself in Tulsa if youâre not too careful.
But, after a while, youâll be thankful for that class. The timing forces you to get your shit together and follow a nice sleeping schedule.
Itâs fun waking up with the average population.
I promise you that youâll be looking like this by the end of the semester.
15. Professors Are Everything
Okay, screw your 8 am or 12 pm class timing if your professor is not great.
And no, a good professor is not a professor that just reads slides and gives good grades for fun. What makes a professor great is one that is passionate about the subject and an overall knowledgable person.Â
Ainât nobody got time for Debby Downers who donât want to be here like Judy Geller.
I mean - weâre both here, so can we please just make it enjoyable?
Bye Felicia!
16. People Still Lie About How Much They Study
I cannot stress about how weird this is to me. Actually, itâs more insulting to me if anything.
Are you telling me that you figured out in the heat of the exam how to solve Goldbach's Conjectureï»ż Creative Commons?
I think not, you big olâ freak!
I mean weâre not in high school anymore, itâs kind of cool to care.
17. No One Cares If You Study
Truth is no one really cares about what youâre doing or not doing anymore. You are above 18 years old and initially grown up enough to accept whatever consequences that land in your face due to your wrong doings.
It baffled me at first how accountable I was for my own life.Â
Just last week, I called in for my own dentist appointment.
Because the truth is: youâre on your own, kid.
And donât get me wrong, itâs not that your parents or significant others donât love you anymore. They just believe in you, so donât disappoint them.
And that my friend, concludes this weekâs series of gifs and truth.
Authorâs Notes:
I know this post may be heavy with some negativity. But this is me telling my truth with faint humor.
College has been a genuinely rough and amazing experience for me all at once. Besides the vigorous education Iâve been receiving for the past few years, Iâve discovered who I was from one textbook to the other.
Rachel Green was the main character in this thread because she truly has inspired me throughout the years as a person. She developed the most out of all the characters throughout the whole 10 seasons of the show. She truly does motivate me. Watching her struggles on screen along with her friends makes me feel less lonely, sometimes.
And hopefully, besides the chuckling and mindless background noise we associate Friends to, we should truly enjoy the sitcomsâ meaningful values.
5 Beauty Products You Need To Try Based On Your Zodiac Sign Pt. 1
Okay, okay before you click off because you think horoscopes are not real (which they totally are), promise me youâve never checked the horoscopes page in a magazine or blog out of sheer curiosity. Yeah, I thought so too. Â
Personally, Iâm kind of what you call a âHoroscope Snobâ. Iâm not an Astrologer but I do believe in Zodiac Signs. Iâm not here to impose my beliefs just check your sign based on your birthday and consider the products I recommend below based on the alignment of the stars!
 If youâre born between March 21- 20 April, youâre an Aries...
(Iâm an Aries stellium)Â If so, you are blessed with energy, optimism and independence. Hands down, Ella Woods (portrayed by Reese Witherspoon) is the queen of all Aries Women. Other Aries women include Sarah Jessica Parker, Maraiah Carey (skinny), and Lady Gaga.
You guys are extremely enterprising and maybe a little vain, but wouldnât you be too if you got accepted to Harvard Law School?Â
These products will keep you energized and reflect your true colors
1. Balls in the Air - Goop
To maintain energy in the long run, subscribe to keep your lively attitude and fitness levels in check! Make sure to use your energy towards things or people who improve your life and bring you joy even if it seems more fascinating to start fights for banter.
2. First Aid Beauty Body Scrub
The most athletic people I know are Aries Women. Their energy is so divine and super fiery. If you donât exercise regularly IÂ highly encourage you to do so, Aries, because itâs going to keep you from combusting. Instead of starting fights, get that endorphin rush from exercising!
That being said, I highly recommend you keep your skin looking great in between those workout sessions. This product contains 10% AHA which means itâs great for exfoliating and shedding off dead skin.
3. Yves Saint Laurent Water Stain Lip StainÂ
The color that symbolises an Aries is red. This newly launched product is easy to use and you can throw it in your purse for a light touch up whenever you want. I think all red undertones suit Aries women, but I recommend mostly the âVague de Rougeâ color 602 - a popping strawberry red one.
4. Hair Oil - Ouai
Aries Women are not afraid to take risks, they are tomboys at heart and don't shy away from doing crazy experiments with their hair. Every Aries woman is different when it comes to this but we can all agree that their hair needs to be tamed by this hair oil! A lot of times you just need to wear your hair untamed and completely wild.Â
5. Dr. Barbara Strum: Anti-aging PrimerÂ
Your impulsive nature is charming - but it may be what's destroying you. To keep yourself from running thin, use this product as a part of both your skin care and makeup routine. Doubling up as a primer and day cream, investing in this will not only keep your skin looking as young as your spirit but also gets rid of any uneven texture or dullness!
 If youâre born between 21 April - 21 May, youâre a TaurusâŠ
(My Moon Sign and Midheaven) You guys are your own best friends, like seriously, I get you. Youâre ambitious, stubborn and you take your pleasure seriously. Youâre a boujee bitch, treating yourself is a lifestyle, not a hobby. But you deserve it, you work hard and play hard. Ruled by Venus, you tend to be either attractive or extremely charming, Taurus women also include Gigi Hadid, Megan Fox and Audrey Hepburn.Â
1. Gimme Brow KitÂ
If Taurus women have one thing in common, and we all know what it is - eyebrows. Brows are so important to them, I mean they either make you or break you right Taurus? I recommend any Benefit Cosmetic Brow product when it comes to this field. These women knew about this secret before â fleekâ was even a thing - and their secret is finally out!Â
2. Dior Backstage Glow Face PaletteÂ
Iâve personally purchased this twice. I feel like every Taurus woman would love this product! Dior is such a signature brand that hits every Taurusâ sweet spot when it comes through with their products. The bronze, color and glow you get in one palette is insanely luminous!
3. Slip Silk Pillow Case
Most Taurus people I know can take a nap anywhere however if it was their way they would be sleeping in gold-made cloth, letâs be real. Is Silk a close second, Taurus? Hear me out, Slip Silk Pillow case brings so many benefits for your skin and hair, so no more bedhead and irritated skin for you! I just believe there is no sign that deserves this more than you - no shade but invest in your bed, Taurus! Youâre always in it.Â
4. Sunday Riley Auto Correct Brightening and DE puffing Eye Contour Cream
Kind on the pricey side, but is that really a problem for you? Use this product to depuff your under eyes after all that sodium you consumed last night. Instead of feeling bad, youâll be waking up as beautiful as ever -Â NO REGRETS.Â
I donât get why you guys get a bad rep for being lazy - youâre just selectively active! This hair tool would help make your hair look amazing and sleek in just 7 minutes. All you have to do is brush your hair and watch it de-frizz. This was made for you, youâre welcome.
If you were born between May 22 - June 21 youâre a GeminiâŠ
Honestly you guys scare, but in a good way. Every Gemini I know has the facial expression of someone thatâs about to bite you, but again in a good way. Seriously jokes aside, you guys are a blast to be around. You are adaptable, outgoing and extremely intelligent. Although you guys have a male spirit, you also have a flirtatious provocative side â I mean Naomi Campbell and Marilyn Monroe are the queens of Geminis! They love being different and challenging - keep reading!Â
1. Flaunt it Butt Sheet
You guys have a hard time sticking to anything unless itâs super interesting or eye grabbing. I gotchu, hereâs a sheet mask, not for your face, but for your butt. I know youâre intrigued, go ahead and purchase it.
So youâre ranting to everyone about how the world is ending soon due to pollution and our lack of care towards mother earth while chugging down water from a plastic bottle. I mean itâs outrageous to you! Here is a gift from Mother Nature, go ahead and use this CBD oil to calm down your worries and pimples.
3. Winky Lux Confetti Lip Balm
This lip balm is the perfect one for you, Gemini! No seriously, it swipe this clear balm on your lips to get the perfect shade of pink depending on your PH, itâs just for you. Itâs your shade.Â
4. Dr Jart Shake & Shot Rubber MasksÂ
Okay so maybe youâre over the whole over-socializing lifestyle, maybe for two days you want to convince yourself that you want to be tamed, so hereâs a cool milkshake face mask to get you going. (donât let it explode)
5. Eyeliner Brown Marc Jacobs
Hands down the best eyeliner. If youâre tired of your look, go ahead and do a small brown eyeliner for a small change. And if weâre being honest, whenever youâre really tired of your look dare to create fake freckles all over your face with this product and pretend that theyâve always been there.
 If youâre born between June 22 - July 22 youâre a CancerâŠ
Sigh, the mother of the zodiac signs. My sister is a Cancer and the rumors are true â I have two moms. You rock the girl-next-door look but you tend to be more reserved or cold at first. When you guys are not hiding in your shell, youâre emotional, sensitive and caring. And if anyone were to glance at your loved ones the wrong way, letâs just say your mama bear claws come out to play.
And sometimes you might feel like youâre so alone on this earth because youâre overwhelmed by your emotions, but itâs okay Margot Robbie and Ariana Grande can relate! Finding products for you may be hard due to your already built in routine but here are some suggestions:
1. Kat Von D Tattoo Liner
Okay so secretâs out: you guys cry a lot. Go ahead and deny it profusely as you purchase this eyeliner â it seriously does not want to come off, even if you want it to.
Now, I know you guys have a hard time switching products especially skincare because you think you found what already works and I totally respect that, but if your routine does not include this then please reconsider. Itâs so good that it kinda has its own cult and itâs kinda weird.Â
Hold on to your hats Cancers, here is another thing you have to worry about: protecting your skin due to the blue light thatâs emitted from our phones and computers. No worries though, use this product that helps protect your skin from these lights! After applying the velvety material go ahead and enjoy your faboulous day of screen watching!Â
5. Â LancĂŽme Doll Lashes
I really donât want to make a joke about crybabies anymore so Iâll stop. But seriously, this is hands down one of the best mascaras ever (itâs not waterproof though sorry) and this is coming from someone with very short straight eyelashes. Itâs made for you Cancers and itâs the ultimate mascara to complete the Girl Next Door Look.Â
 If youâre born between July 23 - August 22 youâre a LeoâŠ
We get it, youâre a Leo!! Iâve never met a Leo who did not miss a chance to say they are a Leo. I understand why though, these creatures are charismatic, honest, generous and honestly boastful! Queens of this sign include Jennifer Lopez, Madonna, Kylie Jenner and Selena Gomez. Now, I know this thread is for suggesting products based on peopleâs signs, but I know for a fact most Leos scrolled down to this section to read whatever compliments I have to say about them.Â
Now before you click off read a few SUGGESTIONS that may improve your already extraordinarily beautiful self.
1. Gisou Hair Oil
The ultimate Leo stereotype is that their hair generally matches their ego â theyâre both big. Tame your hair and make sure itâs healthy with this golden honey infused serum.
2. Salted Caramel Kylighter
A highlighter approved by King Kylie. This highlighter wonât let your face go missing in the crowd. It will surely make you glow between your friends. Super attention grabbing, this highlighter is strong but not enough to let anyone think youâre a greasy chicken. (if you know you know)
3. Radiance Plus Golden Flow Booster Clarins
To protect that precious skin of yours while still maintaining your after-vacation bronze, use some of this product to make sure there is still warmth in your face all year round.
4. Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating CleanserÂ
After using so many products on your face to look glowing and bronzed all the time, letâs talk about unclogging those pores! To be used only a few times a week, this exfoliating cleanser works like a charm in revitalizing skin.
5. Tom Ford Perfume
I just feel like Leos need a perfume that is attention seeking, and we all know Tom Fordâs perfumes can be smelled a mile away. Leos please use this scent in order for the crowd to genuinely prepare itself for whatever performance you have in mind.
 If youâre born between August 23 - September 23 youâre a VirgoâŠ
I attract a lot of Virgos in my life and thank god for that! You guys can get a bad rep due to your detail oriented vision and anal uptight attitude. However, ruled by Mercury you are extremely in-tune with your body and feel bad when things arenât physically your way, which isnât good but I think the world would collapse without you. Your vibe is standoff-ish but honestly, I would be too if I had this much of my shit together. Critical but honest, youâre not alone â Queen Bee herself is a Virgo and we adore her! Virgo women tend to be perfectionists and harsh on the way they look but honestly it pays off. I loved following up other Virgos including Blake Lively and Lea Michele. Take a few steps back and look over the suggestions:
1. Spirit Dust
Okay so itâs time for your post workout breakfast and you have no idea what to eat, right? Add this to your smoothie to help you destress and enjoy your endorphins all day. You really need this.
2. Tarte Concealer
How many times have you asked a Virgo for advice and didnât take it? Always. And how many times have you went back to a Virgo and apologized for not taking the advice? Again, always. Virgos are just known to be the helpers of the zodiac sign, and Iâm not saying that theyâre perfect (they are)Â but sometimes they need to hide their shit up due to this reputation, thatâs why they need this concealer!
3. Dyson Hair Dryer
You need something fast but also extremely effective to make sure you look effortlessly flawless. I know you canât stand anything less than perfect, so here is to blow-drying your hair in less than 10 minutes and looking better than everybody else.
4. Ilia Multi Stick Cheek and Lip
Because Virgos have a practical vibe to them, they love using multi-functioning products. This product can be used on your lips, cheeks, or eyelids! Did I mention itâs certified as âCleanâ at Sephora?
5. JO Malone London Diffuser
Super practical and amazing to put around the house. Virgos love practicality and this is the perfect product to get, you donât need to worry about a candle burning your house down or refilling your machine with batteries when you have this! You donât need to think twice!
Thatâs it for the first half of the zodiac signs, enjoy.
if youâre bad at math stay away from department stores
I entered AĂŻshti department store in Antelias Lebanon in order to complete my Parsons assignment. The store was launched in 1989, known as the biggest retail store in Lebanon for all things fashion, luxury home goods and anything Art.Â
Anyone who has ever gone to a clothing store knows that size is a relative thing, although we may not admit it to ourselves because we hold on to the faith that we are small, medium or large. As a victim of this past belief, I decided to go  try on different sizes of clothing items, selecting multiple brands in order to see whether medium still truly fits me.Â
I went on and tried on multiple garments â tops, bottoms, dresses, pants, coats and swimsuits! In general, that day I was ranging an average of medium in pants, small in tops and medium in swimsuits. Dresses and coats vary but I lean towards medium as well for a comfortable fit. However, this observation is just an average of a few brands. For example I was oddly enough a small in Off-White tops but a medium in Rag & Bone ones. This realization may not be news to you but hold on, things are going to get weird in a minute.Â
I choose a shirt from 7 for all man kind and tried the same three identical shirts of the same size. (and yes the sales lady was dying to kick me out)
And what happened next was kind of revolutionary for me.
The first shirt had more arm space than the second and third shirt, while the second shirt had a bit of a tighter stomach space than the rest. The third shirt fit the best from the rest. I was so shocked, but learned according to my course that the Fashion Industry can produce multiple âidentical sizedâ garments that actually vary by 1/2 inch without being sued.
After my clothing size crisis, I concluded that one should never measure their beauty based on how well clothes fit them in certain brands. Because these brands can vary their clothing by half an inch relevance, so please donât be sad if that half an inch made you struggle to put on your jeans in the changing room even though youâve been eating your salads for the past month. Or, donât let it convince you that shoving Big Macs down your throat is the reason why these jeans are looser than usual. who said that?
Why is it that we categorize ourselves as small, medium or large? Do we hold on to this comfort of classifying ourselves to feel like we know our bodies or that we have an idea of how it looks like? Or maybe itâs because we just donât want to admit that we donât technically know how we ACTUALLY look like in reality because all we can really see of ourselves is quantitative measures and hours of pictures/mirrors...
So, letâs stray away from making turning Fashion into something toxic and let us instead use it to express ourselves through colors, texture and layers, not through skinny thighs or bigger butts. And yes the idea of not knowing what others see 100% is scary but honestly I can see you and youâre looking great!Â
