I Wanna Stay Up All Night

During their time at college, students have many rites of passage to experience. One important rite, however dreaded, is the "all nighter." Of course no night full of studying and lack of sleep is complete without ample coffee and other caffeinated beverages. 

I have to admit, this week I did not give myself enough sleep and found myself reaching for another soda to keep awake. But what are the consequences of drinking caffeine? 

Some say a couple caffeinated beverages a day won't do any harm. The Mayo Clinic Staff agrees that two to four cups of coffee isn't the end of the world but you do have to be careful with caffeine. It effects everyone differently and some people can grow dependent on it. Too much caffeine intake can cause insomnia, irritability, nervousness,  restlessness, and physical reactions such as increased heart rate and upset stomach. In college especially, these side affects can make life more difficult and less enjoyable. 

When it is coming up to four o'clock in the morning and you are about to reach for that coke, stop and think about the other ways you could stay awake. Though caffeine is an easy and convenient way to get an extra boost of energy, there are other, more natural, ways to get that same boost.

For example, when you are beginning to doze off, shake yourself awake and try some yoga breathing techniques. This might seem a little silly at first, but it can be a good way to regain your focus and be able to power through the rest of your work. A quick 20 minute power nap can also help get you re-energized. The short break from your studies can do wonders; it gives you a little bit of your much needed rest along with helping your brain get ready to do some more work when you are done. The last tip I have for you, my personal favorite, is play some upbeat music. It gives you more energy and can improve productivity.  I understand that not everyone is able to focus when listening to music. However, I can tell you from experience, sometimes it is helpful to simply take a short break from your work and dance on a table to "Live While You're Young" by One Direction. After the quick three minutes you will be ready to power through your essay before the sun rises!

Sharing Your Opinion or Brutal Attack?

It is good to be politically informed and I respect people who have strong believes and opinions about issues that affect us all. When it comes to the political spectrum I am pretty moderate and take my stand depending on what the issue is. To be honest, I don't know enough about a lot of topics and am not informed enough to have a strong opinions about them.

One issue that I know where I stand is gay marriage. It's a human rights issue to me and it seems like there is no reason two men or women shouldn't be able to get married.
With that being said I respect people who disagree with me and have the opposite view (on this issue and any other). What I don't like, and what I think hurts the cause, are extremist who attack the other sides view and make it seem, that because they think something different, they are stupid and dumb. 

While I was on facebook today I saw this picture:

While I agree that many of the religious reason people think gay marriage shouldn't be legalized don't always make the most sense everyone is initiated to there own religious believes and I understand the importance of being religious. The way this poster is worded seems awfully disrespectful to me. I am filled with mixed emotion, on one hand I do agree that homosexuality is in NO way sinful, the point of the poster. But on the other hand the flow map is telling people that their religious beliefs are completely invalid in a snarky and disrespectful way. The points could be written in a more respectful way to help make the argument more persuasive. It just kills me to see this because it turns a good thing, supporting gay rights, into a disrespectful attack on others beliefs. This isn't the way to get people to change their mind, especially when, things like religious beliefs are deep rooted and are unlikely to change. Unfortunately  many people who are against homosexuality because of religious reason or because they think it is gross aren't going to just change there mind like that and an attacking sassy statement like this just cause more tension and conflict that help. I wish people, especially those with strong believes, could step back for a second and but themselves in the other sides shoes. Then maybe we could have civil conversations and resolve issues like this more reasonable... 

Hopefully one day we will be able to talk civilly and find a solution to this issues. Until then we will just have to work to be respectful and let majority rule.....

Speaking of posts I never published... Look what I found... This is SUPER OLD... First semester senior year old......

I was going to vlog because it sounded really fun but I don't have the time and energy to figure out how my dad's webcam works, etc. But similar to what my vlog would have been like I will talk about the first thing that comes to my head...

Dog food really is disgusting.

It smells so badddd. Whenever I feed my dog I hold my breath to try and block out as much of the grossness as possible. Unfortunately for me I am neither a swimmer or a singer so I can't hold my breath for very long... I have never been daft enough to try dog food but I bet it is one of those foods that tastes exactly how it smells. Blech. I don't know how my dog eats that stuff! I guess it's just a matter of eating what your served. Thankfully we don't give him wet food, just dry, because wet dog food is one of the grossest thing ever.

We used to dog sit for our old neighbors. The last time we watched him we had to give him half wet food because he was medicated and would only eat his pills if we mixed it in with wet food. I wanted to barf every time I saw or smelled it. And my mom put in into a tuperware in the refrigerator, so it was right next to all the food I ate. Blechhhhhhh it was so icky! I have heard that dogs prefer wet food. Too bad for my dog, I am not about to get him any.

My dog is awesome but I will spoil him in other ways than fancy food.

19 Days.

19 days is all it took and now its official. Homesick. It's an interesting word but for those who have felt the feeling, it describes it perfectly. To feel physical and mentally sick, for the only cure to be back home with friends and family that you know and love. Though for many of us who have gone of to college we realize when we do come home nothing will be exactly the same. I wasn't sure if I was going to feel homesick. I knew I would miss my dog and my friends. I assumed I would miss my family at times but I had no idea if I would feel the overwhelming feeling homesickness the way I did. I have been really luck to live in a dorm with people I get along with a feel like I'm connecting with and can become good friends with. But even so I miss the familiarization of being with the same people I have know for years. The feeling hit me when I was in Rosh Hashana services. The service was similar to what I knew but yet so very completely different and I didn't like it. I wanted my Rabbis and my melodies and my synagogue. Then that evolved into wanting to sleep in my bed, hang out with my friends and be in my house. But change is inevitable and probably easier when you just embrace it instead of fighting it. No matter how far you go, everyone feels homesick sometime in your life. But it passes and it will be interesting to see, maybe over the summer I will become homesick for Madison... Only time will tell! I will keep you posted :)


Also, I really like how I have an idea for a blog post. Start writing it. And then never edit or post it so it just sits as a draft until weeks later I finally finish and post it... :)

Off into the Real World

When we got our invisible fence for my dog, Ollie, it was exciting. No longer did I have to walk out in the freezing cold Minnesota winter shivering in my boots as he noses the ground finding the perfect place to poop. But an invisible fence is never fool proof. You can show your dog not to go out of yard, that there will be negative consequences, a painful shock. Even so, when you open the door to let him out the first time you never know if your training actually worked and he will in fact be smart enough to stay in the yard. 

A few years ago I had a revelation. Before my older brother, who was born 2 and a half years before me, my parents had never been parents and when I was born on that lovely spring afternoon, at a convenient 1:24 in the afternoon, I would be the first and only girl my parents ever raised. As I grew up and found my way in life my parents also were trying to figure out how to guide my brother and me to a successful life. It was a weird revelation to make.  Growing up you always think your parents know everything but in reality they are trying to learn how to be parents and you are trying to make your way in the world (well by now I feel like the Duggars are past the point of learning, after the 19^th kid you probably have an idea on how you are going to raise your kids…). Now, as my parents drop me off at college, they can only hope they raised me well, that they could teach me from their mistakes, instill good values and leave me with the study skills to succeed in school. They have even less certainty that I will stay in the yard, on the right track, then I had with Ollie. I get my final lectures but after they help me move and get settled into my room they aren’t staying, they are getting back in the car and driving home. I will be on my own, independent for the first time in my life. I am not too concerned about this, I think I have been taught well and will be just fine. But there is a cloud of uncertainty around going out by yourself and being on your own, one night of mistakes could completely change your life. And when you make a mistake you don’t have your parents to help fix it. Because I have never had to deal with living by myself I feel like going to college will be even more beneficial for me, you are around other people who are in the same situation and there are people around to help you, it’s a good transition period so after college I’ll be ready, at least mentally to live on my own, we’ll see if my wallet agrees.

As I am off on this next adventure I hope I am prepared, am excited for all the new things I learn,  and ready to be independent. We will see if my parents trained me well so I’ll listen, otherwise I will just have to re learn it through trial and error. Hopefully the shock won’t be too painful!

I Had A Dream

When I was in 8th grade and in Mrs. Boschee's language art class I wrote this little number about my dreams for the future. I think it's interesting to look back and see if my "dreams" for the future are the same now as they were back then. I copied and pasted the paragraph from it's original document so only the colored comment are added. 

                                                                                                                                      

My Dream

            I have many dreams. I want to go to a nice collage, preferably on the east coast So much for that... At least I'm going to a nice college (or collage, you know whatever I can spell). I also want to get a good job that I love and get a golden retrieve Though I still love golden retrievers I don't know if I want one anymore... I need a dog that doesn't shed.. I love my labradoodle ;). Along with the classic, not plausible dream, of world peace On my way to be the next Ms. America! Just has long as I am not Ms. South Carolina ("I think the reason that people in the United States can't locate it on a map is because they don't have maps... Iraq and South Africa... Yeah we should help them...). But one dream I have that are shared with many other people in the world but is not as big as world peace. I really want to meet J.K. Rowling. Joanne yep we are on first name basis. No big deal. I even call her Jo some times. Nickname basis. Really it's no big deal... Just saying is a great author and I would love to just have one lunch talking to her. I would ask her all about the thinking of how the story played out, if she planed to write more and how she felt killing off many of her characters. Along with that I would ask how she sees her characters. She thought of Dumbledore as gay, what other things did she imagine and not write down? Look at me being all questioning etc. Making up for my Ms. America like comment earlier...  Also I want to get married and live at least partially happily ever after I am a dreamer. What little girl wishes to live partially happily ever after? But I guess I was in 8th grade then so I was smarter and less naive about the world than a little girl. Travel the world Definitely still want to travel! with my husband then settle down and have a family. I have many hopes and dreams for the future. I can only be optimism that they all will come true.

                                                                                                                                    

So maybe "my dream" can still come true. Lots more to be decided. Though I feel like I am over confident about meeting J.K.R.... Whatever I will just go to Scotland and stalk her and make her have lunch with me. It will happen. It will. 

Now I think I would add becoming a published author, going to school in another country, living in a big city and possibly writing a screenplay (wouldn't that be fun? But I wouldn't care about getting it produced) to my list. But it's weird to think about your dreams for the future. I have ideas of things I would like to do with my life but I am an indecisive teenager so my thoughts about tomorrow are changing every day. 

*Note: Sorry the formatting is so messed up... It is really bugging me but I am not sure how to fix it...

I can't "Oh is that a squirrel?"

Today I have had the worst time focusing. Think of every way you distract yourself.... I'll wait, make your list longggg. Think of EVERYTHING!

Is your list a couple pages now?

I did all those things tonight.

Ughh I just can't focus it is so annoying. So instead of trying to work on my homework I am making a blog post, which is something I have sadly neglecting doing since AP comp ended... I know I am an awful human being.

So now I am sure there is a lot hype about this post. Lot to live up too... Yeah too much press for a slacker. So yeah this is it... I will try to post more often. and sorry this post sucks, but like I stated before, I can't focus right now.

p.s. BO BURNHAM IS SO CUTE. I am now watching one of his first videos, the My Whole Family... song, and he is so cute, he is like a little kid, he is so precious.

"Maybe it's the way that I walk that make's them think I like.... boys."
"Easy bake oven was just a phase"