How To Be Good At Being Busy
Midterms, homework, projects, clubs, and social life - they can all keep you super busy! As much as we love chilling in bed and not leaving the comfort of our rooms for anything, responsibility is a basic aspect of life, especially if you’re a college student! Because of this we might be tempted to only participate in the bare minimum of college life, which is homework, exams, and social life. Over the last month, I went out of my way to do the opposite of this - I went out of my way to stay as busy as humanly possible.
I say “humanly” because I’m not a robot - I still need to eat, sleep, and have some chill time by myself. I’ve been going out of my way to make academic and career appointments for myself and scoping out cool events happening on campus. I’ve also been undertaking projects for the on-campus clubs and organizations that I’m currently part of. Another super productive and experiential way I’ve been keeping myself busy is through something super awesome that happened to me just last week: I became Editor in Chief of Odyssey at Stony Brook University! As you can imagine, this involves a ton of professional planning and organization, as well as recruitment!
I recently saw a Facebook post targeted towards college students that implies that we cannot possibly balance all the aspects of college life that I previously mentioned all while having enough time to get well-deserved 8 hours of sleep. I’m here to say that this is actually possible!
First of all let me just say that I am not a fan of anything that explicitly or implicitly states that millennials are “lazy”, “incapable” or anything along those lines so, despite the growing majority, I did not ‘Like’ the post or that page and I was determined to get to writing about my own personal experiences with staying busy and living a balanced college life.
As I told the Managing Editor at Odyssey, there’s a difference between being busy and being good at being busy. Many students, unfortunately, struggle with the latter. It’s not our fault if we stumble a little with that process (and maybe actually trip once or twice) but it is our fault if we don’t do anything about our screw ups. Without further ado, here are my tips for being good at being busy:
1. Find things to keep yourself busy.
The first step to being good at being busy is finding things to keep yourself busy! I know some people who only concern themselves with class, homework (if they choose to do homework) and exams (if they choose to study for exams). You have less to worry about so you give yourself more leeway to mess around and be lazy. I usually advise people to find other things to occupy themselves. Join a fitness class at the gym and make it your duty to attend weekly. Join a club or organization on campus that will keep you engaged! These are simple ways you can busy yourself if you’re one of those people who are basically married to Netflix.
2. Keep a schedule and update it weekly.
Every Sunday I update my schedule for the week to include all the new appointments, meetings, events, and things I have going on. I usually start by adding my classes first followed by fitness classes then I include appointments and meetings and such. Afterward, I like to allot for study time and homework time. A schedule is helpful because it allows you to keep track of everything that needs to get done without any hesitations. It also provides a visual way for you to gauge your availability on any given day and time. You never want to double book yourself or schedule an appointment for a time you think you’re free only to find out that you have another commitment at that time. This wastes your time and the time of the person you were supposed to meet. The default calendar app on your laptop is great for creating weekly schedules that you can stick to! Hint: this will only work if you’re diligent about actually updating it every week!
3. When updating your schedule, consider all aspects of your life.
Don’t just include class and appointments for the week; make sure your schedule reflects the time you allow for workout sessions (if you go to the gym a lot), study time, and homework time. If you have errands to run make sure you include those errands. Surely, you have more than just homework and exams to worry about so make sure you can express that in your schedule!
When I want to meet with friends to go to an event I mark that down in my schedule so that I’m aware that I have a commitment at a certain day and time. I realize that friends aren’t as important as studying and work but if you want to have a little downtime make sure you can allow time for such by considering everything you’re supposed to do.
4. Be diligent about sticking to your schedule.
Don’t just add things to your schedule without a plan to actually do those things! You’re reading this to learn how to be good at being a busy person so I assume you’re already expressing your willingness to give into your diligence. By continuously adhering to your schedule you’re building good habits and a good work ethic. Staying organized and following through on commitments will become easier and easier. Keep in mind that good habits can be difficult to form but if you keep at them you’ll have no problem staying on top of a busy schedule.
5. Have a little patience!
You certainly won’t get good at being busy overnight! Like I said, good habits can be difficult to form but easy to break. It might take a good two weeks of practice in order for you to get the hang of your schedule and all the things you’re taking on but if you persevere, this will become a familiar thing.
6. Know your limit.
I find that staying involved in a variety of things definitely helps you get your foot in the door by keeping you active within your campus community and it forces you to stay on top of all your plans, however, you don’t want to bite off more than you can chew! We all have different limits to the amount of commitments we can handle and it’s your responsibility to know yours. Aside from classes other commitments I have are: Pink Gloves Boxing, I’m a teaching assistant, Campus-Community Emergency Response Team, Contributing Author at Her Campus (my school’s chapter), Editor in Chief at Odyssey (my school’s branch), Marketing & PR for Camp Kesem, Zumba Toning, and, of course, my blog! This is pretty much as busy as I’d like to get. Some people might think this is nothing and some people might think I’m insane! You can’t be good at being busy if you can’t efficiently manage the things that keep you busy!
7. Make room for a little fun!
Make sure you can treat yourself for all your hard work! If there’s something going on on campus that you think would be fun to attend then definitely go for it! You’ve earned it, after all. This is a good way to just relax and a good way to spend your down time (I promise you will have some amount of down time if you orient your obligations properly!) I found that people who are less organized have less time to do something enjoyable. Sometimes, they’ll make plans only to cancel at the last minute because they suddenly realized that they have a test to study for or homework to finish. Make sure you can enjoy yourself when you want to!
How To Be A Better Interviewer
Interviews can be like a door at the end of a dark hallway - we kind of have to go through it to get to other opportunities but at the same time we get really anxious of what lies behind it. Do we get the position or are we rejected? Does the company not need us at the moment but would like to stay in touch? I did an article a while back on tips for interviewees which you can check out right here but what about interviewers? Does a book of guidelines exist somewhere? Are there helpful hints to get you on your way to conducting a splendid interview? Possibly! But if you don't want to dig through the many layers of the internet to find one then here's one just for you!
As you may or may not know, I'm a current college sophomore and I'm involved with a few organizations on campus where I'm in a position to conduct various interviews with students. One such position is my membership on the recruitment committee of my campus emergency response team. This required a strict degree of professionalism with more rigid organization-selected questions. At the same time I'm also an author for my college's chapter of Her Campus, where you can check out my articles here. For "Campus Celebrity" interviews that I conduct, I can design my own questions for my interviewee.
It's only been two months of school and I've already conducted so many interviews with people! Here, I share with you hints and tips that I've come up with and used for conducting a fruitful interview:
1. Obey question limits.
Sometimes your editor may put a cap on the number of questions you can ask your interviewee. Make sure you obey this limit even though you secretly think it really sucks. If you don't then your editor will just cut some questions when you submit the interview and you'll be unhappy anyway. For a recent interview I pitched to my person in charge, I was told I could only ask my interviewees 5 questions each. I didn't agree with that because I felt there was so much more I could ask and I really couldn't show off these people in just five questions. There are actually ways around this! Read on to discover them!
2. Ask meaningful questions.
If you are in charge of the questions you ask make sure that they are questions really probe the interviewee and force them to dig deep. For Campus Celebrity interviews that I do, I already know why this person stands out and why I picked them so my goal now is to discover each of their stories. You can't discover anything if you aren't willing to dig. This is where your interviewee can get really personal and therefore give you some great stuff. Your questions should serve as a trigger to this gold mine. Some good trigger questions have to do with asking your interviewee to describe their growth from a situation or what their idea of a related concept is. To see these kinds of questions in action you can check out my interview with Campus Celebrity and Pink Gloves Boxing Co-Instructor Krista Pullen here.
3. Make sure your questions cannot be answered with 'yes' or 'no'.
If your question can be answered in just a word then it is not a good question and you need to work on that! A question like this does not allow an interviewee to share anything more than just a few fast fun facts about themselves. Try to structure your question in a way that forces the person you're interviewing to elaborate without you having to ask them to do so. Plus, it'll just annoy you to have to ask multiple times for them to continue. If it is at this point then the quality of the interview is extremely forced and very subpar. This is also one way I get around having to conduct a very limited interview.
4. Ask two-part questions.
This is another tactic I like using when I have a limit on the number of questions I can ask my interviewee. You pretty much compile two questions into one number so you still kind of adhere to the cap but you're still working around it. For example, a question I asked an interviewee was "How did your role within the organization foster your growth as a student and how do you use this growth in everyday life?" Allow your interviewee to answer in two parts so it's not just one big jumbled mess. Doing this contributes to the quality of your interview because you ask two important questions in one and this promises a quality response.
5. If your group interview is separate you must do this!
Recently I was working on a Campus Celebrity piece where I had three people as the subject of my interview. Interviewing more than one subject at once is absolutely ideal however it did not work out for me that way. All four of us were free at different times from the others so I could only interview them one at a time on different days.
Only I'd know that the group interview was separate but if you want to make it look like this was done when you were one big group then here's what you should do: When asking your second and third interviewees questions, give them a brief summary of what their colleague said. You don't have to go in depth - one sentence is fine. This ensures that your interviewee doesn't repeat information. You absolutely positively do not want repeated information all throughout your interview! It's extremely boring to read your interviewee could have put more thought and energy into answering the question from an untold point of view.
6. Always arrive on time if not early.
This is important because first of all, it's a basic code of professionalism - even if you're conducting a fun, silly interview you must be professional to some degree. Second, this asserts that professionalism because it shows your interviewee that you take your task seriously. Third, if you're late it cuts into your interview time, which is a big deal if you have more interviews lined up right after or if you're operating on a tight schedule. For one Campus Celebrity interview I was conducting, I was 1 minute late to the interview because I woke up a little late. You're probably thinking that 1 minute is no big deal but in my mind it was, especially since my interviewee was waiting for me when I got there!
7. Have your interview materials ready.
Don't fumble for your interview materials in front of your interviewee! This is also a good reason for you to arrive early when interviewing someone. In case you were wondering, for that one interview where I was 1 minute late, I already had the question document pulled up on my laptop so all I had to do was sit, open my laptop, and begin the interview. There was no searching for the document or any last minute question corrections!
8. Start off with light conversation.
I like doing this because it calms down a nervous interviewee. You don't need to summarize your whole day but just a few words of exchange before the interview are ideal. You could discuss the nature of the interview if you'd like to talk about something related.
9. Tell your interviewee when you are getting into the actual questions.
Especially if you have a light conversation with them right before, let them know when you will begin asking questions pertaining to the interview. Something along the lines of "We will now begin the interview" is completely fine. If they know that basically everything they say from that point on will be recorded for the interview then they are going to try to give their best formulated answers. It would suck if two questions into the interview your interviewee finally realizes that the previous questions were not part of light conversation!
10. Let them know you will be taking notes during the interview.
Not everyone feels acknowledged when the person they're speaking to is heatedly writing on a piece of paper or doing something that doesn't allow them to make eye contact. I like to let my interviewees know that even though I'm looking down writing or typing I am still listening to everything they say. This tells the interviewee that every part of their response is noted so they will want to make sure they give substantial responses.
11. Don't be afraid to push them for more detail.
Ask a follow up question even if you didn't plan to do so. If your interviewee can provide more details in response to a question then make sure you ask questions such as "what do you mean by this?" "can you give an example of ____?" "how did you feel about ____?" These are all good ways of politely pushing your interviewee to elaborate. You certainly don't under any circumstances want to say "can you add more to your answer?" or anything along those lines! This will make them nervous and less likely to provide good answers for future questions. Keep in mind that by pushing them to elaborate you are essentially making your interview piece better - no one wants to read a super boring, underdeveloped interview. Your name is attached to this - build a good reputation with good interviews!
Whenever I feel like an interviewee is lacking in his or her responses I always ask the above stated questions, especially if they aren't hitting a point that I want them to hit. As an interviewer, I care a lot about the interviews I submit and I don't want to add completely fresh sentences to the interview afterward because I feel like it's dishonest since your interviewee didn't explicitly say that exact thing. These questions are designed to help your interviewee along without basically talking for them.
12. Acknowledge what your interviewee says.
By this I mean you should find something to comment on in what your interviewee says. In one interview I conducted, the guy I was interviewing was talking about how he chose to be part of a certain organization because he hadn't done anything with his college career yet and wanted to get involved with something. I then proceeded to relate that many students on campus feel the absolute same way and, off the record, we spoke briefly about how students feel they can get the little push they need. Acknowledging a response in this sense makes an interviewee more calm and less nervous (if they were nervous to begin with). Furthermore they might end up saying something that you would like to include to further supplement the interview.
13. Don't praise their responses.
Ummmm...what? When I was an interviewer for the emergency response team, one of my partners would always tell the interviewee "Good answer, that's what we're looking for". Please don't do this if you're interviewing an applicant who would like to gain admittance into your professional organization. First off, since they now know that that's the kind of answer you like to hear, they're going to try to tailor the rest of their responses so that you hear what you like. This doesn't give you a true feel for whether or not the applicant is a good fit for your organization. You could end up accepting someone who shouldn't have been accepted.
Second, you will make them think that they have some kind of huge advantage and will likely get into the organization. Even if you like what they said for question #4 you may not like the rest of the interview or your colleagues may not think it's a good idea to accept this person. Avoid saying anything that will give your interviewee false hope.
14. Ask for them to repeat themselves.
Do this as necessary to ensure that you have recorded everything that was told to you. You're probably afraid that if you ask them to repeat themselves a few times it means that you're "inattentive" but truth be told, how inattentive will you be when you have a rockin' interview? If you're interviewing from a journalistic point of view then you should know that the job of a journalist is to get the best obtainable version of the truth. If you aren't catching what that person is saying and not asking them to repeat themselves then you're missing some pretty good pieces of the truth. Don't set yourself up to return home after the interview, take a look at the responses and then say, "crap, I didn't catch that part!"
15. Tell them it's okay to take their time.
Don't rush perfection - or anything close to perfection! If your interviewee wants to take their time to formulate a response then it's actually better for you because of the quality. I know, I know, long awkward pauses will get on your nerves as soon as they stop being awkward and are just long but handle this professionally and let them know they can take their time to respond. For a professional organization, however, this may be a bad sign if the interviewee is taking really long to respond to a question. Nevertheless, letting them know that you will wait will make them a little less nervous and spazzy.
16. Handle your mistakes politely.
Hannah Montana once said, "Nobody's Perfect," and she couldn't be more right. Sometimes we interviewers will make a mistake ourselves. It's completely fine but it's how you handle that mistake that speaks volumes. Don't laugh really hard and obnoxiously - it's cool that you can laugh at yourself when you make a mistake but please don't bring that oh-so wonderful "good sport" attitude to this situation. Say "excuse me" and correct yourself or "I'm sorry I meant to say ___" because this sounds way more professional. This goes for any kind of interview you're conducting - it doesn't have to be just for a professional organization. Bringing this as an interviewer is a good way for you to practice this kind of etiquette which will be extremely useful anywhere you go in life. Your interviewee will not judge you for tripping over your words but you don't want to be seen negatively by your colleagues because you giggled like a school girl when your brain didn't match your words.
17. Do your best to write down everything that is said.
You don't want to miss a beat! Even if your interviewee says something you think is strange or unrelated now, you might like it later or realize that it can be used for something else. You want to make sure you keep a record of everything that is said. If you're typing the responses as they're said then this makes your job relatively easy if you can type faster than you write. If you must write, try using abbreviations or write in script since your pencil hardly leaves the paper when doing that. Only write in script if it's readable and you can understand what you wrote without having to think too hard.
18. Worry about grammar later.
When I type during an interview I save grammar for last. I focus on writing things the exact way the interviewee says them, even if they don't have splendid grammar. I don't capitalize everything that should be capitalized because in my mind it saves me time when I'm not pressing Shift or Caps Lock during an interview. Other than periods, I don't use punctuation during the interview. I save all that technical stuff for afterward when I'm reviewing and editing the interview. If you're going to fuss about misplaced commas while the interviewee is speaking then you aren't going to catch everything they say and you will likely miss some pretty good stuff.
19. Don't delete anything, even if they ask you to.
During one of my Campus Celebrity interviews, my interviewee gave me a response that I thought was nice and then he paused and said, "actually, completely scratch that, I want to redo that part." Of course, I allowed him to redo that segment and I really liked what he said the second time around but there were a few things he said originally that I wanted to keep. This being said I was glad I didn't delete anything when he told me to. Try to hold onto things you think are essential. The interviewee may not see it as great but you have to go with your gut on this. Chances are, saving that should-be-forgotten response will pay off.
20. Let them know they have reached the last question.
I like doing this because to be honest the interviewee is probably wondering when the interview will end. As an interviewee at a certain point you just want to get out of the hot seat and put that interview behind you even if you think you did really well. Also, some people just don't like having the spotlight on them so knowing that they are nearly at the end of the line is reassuring. The interesting thing is that knowing that they have reached the last question actually motivates some interviewees. At the end of one of my Campus Celebrity interviews, I said that we were on the final question and my interviewee said, "okay, I have to really make this one count." The person being interviewed is more likely to try to give one heck-of-an answer if they know that they only have one last chance to do so.
21. Ask if there are any questions they'd like to return to.
Sometimes your interviewee may be worried that they didn't get the chance to say everything they wanted to say. Don't lie - we've all been there at some point and we just really wish we could go back and add that one extra point to really seal the deal. Once every question has been answered, I say, "At this point are there any questions you would like to return to?" This improves the quality of your interview as well because your interviewee gives you more details to make everything way more substantial.
I hope you enjoyed these tips and will consider implementing some of them if you're an interviewer - or if you aren't then I just hope you liked reading this =) Remember that these interviews have your name and reputation attached to them so do your part to make sure you put out work that you're proud of!
We know Spencer Hastings as the academically gifted personality of her group from the ABC show Pretty Little Liars. Spencer always has an arsenal of genius test scores and witty comebacks. She isn’t afraid to bring a little old school flair to her look or to prep it up with an outfit that gives off school-girl vibes. These 11 totally totally cute wardrobe pieces have "Spencer Hastings" written all over them - perfect for getting in the mood to study or for grabbing coffee with a group of friends! Break out your inner Ms. Oxford with Spencer’s preppy and sophisticated outfits.
1. Coordinate your cloche with your outfit.
A cloche is the raspberry-colored hat you see Spencer rocking. The color perfectly matches the button down she’s wearing and the hat just adds some sense of royalty to the outfit.
2. Get down to business with a blazer.
Everyone will know you’re serious about studying for that midterm (or serious about your shopping spree!) The blazer look on Spencer says, “maybe I have time for a 30 second conversation with you” - she’s a super busy bee after all!
3. Bonus points if you can manipulate a trench coat to work with your outfit.
Only Spencer Hastings would pair a sleeveless trench coat with a button down, black tie, and leggings and pull it off! The look has quite a few components to it yet still looks clean. A job well done, Spence!
4. Become best friends with plaid.
They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend but for Spencer it’s probably her calculator, field hockey, and plaid. Although flannel can be seen as free-spirited, Spencer turns it into pajama fit for a workaholic!
5. Knee socks are a wardrobe staple.
Spencer can usually be seen sporting knee socks with some kind of boots and a dress. Knee socks add an extra hue to your look and keep you calves warm in the chilly Autumn air while bringing your outfit together.
6. Have an arsenal of funky belts.
Spencer’s intricate belts are paired with outfits to cinch her waist just enough to create a put together look. What’s cool is that she doesn’t wear her belts through the loops in her jeans - she goes the extra mile with her style and wears them over her shirts.
7. Add a little prep in your step.
Spencer’s oxfords add a hint of preppiness to her overall look while also providing her with comfort. Cute and comfy - a very wise decision. Just what you’d expect from a Hastings.
8. Polo + headband + glasses = yes!
This is a big triple threat - you kill three birds with one outfit when you include these three elements. Spencer knows when to celebrate her victories - look at that winning smile.
9. Live for messy buns.
You can tell that Spencer’s messy bun is the result of the blood, sweat, and tears that she puts into all of her endeavors. The strands of hair hanging from her bun don’t make her look unkempt but rather serious about her ambitions.
10. Don’t leave home without a cardigan.
Spencer clearly has a diverse collection of cardigans at her disposal. They give her different attitudes and a different light: from colorfully chic to candid and mellow to Autumn-ready heiress.
11. Add layers to a warm sweater.
Spencer knows how to style a casual sweater and a serious button down for a style that’s comfortable but attentive. This is an effortless yet well-versed outfit and the combinations of sweaters and button downs are limitless! Bonus points if you pull of Argyle!
If you were born with, grew up with, and still have super curly hair, then chances are at some point you’ve envied the girls with straight, luscious locks - I know I have! It seems like a lot of extra work to add to your hair care routine and, like many curly Sues out there, I’ve gone through bottles and bottles of products claiming to tame my mane but to no avail. I used to hate my hair because it never seemed to cooperate or fall casually around my shoulders the way hair seemed to do for other girls. It was when I learned to stop fighting what I was born with and instead work with it that I was able to capture the true beauty of my awesome curls! All you curly girls out there catch my drift. Here’s how you can stop wrestling with you hair and start looking even more fabulous.
1. Create beautifully voluminous buns.
Buns are super easy to create on anyone and are a cute way to keep the hair out of your face when you’re at the gym or you’re running late and you don’t want to swat the hair off your cheeks. Curly hair is already big and volumized so this guarantees a chunky and full bun that you can pile on top of your head. This is so easy to do and your hair is ready for class in just 30 seconds!
2. Redefine a flirty ponytail.
Don’t try to do those adorably messy loose ponytails where you’ve got a few strands of hair sticking out and the elastic is slack. You also don’t need a dramatically sleek ponytail either. You need a ponytail that’s smooth, casual, and effortless. Your curly hair makes the ponytail flirty and bubbly - and you didn’t even need a curling iron!
3. Do romantic twists.
If you want to spice things up a bit, twists are a perfect way to change up your look. Like the bun, you can create thick twists without a problem. To do this, you can take a chunk of hair from the left side and right side of your head. Start with one side at a time. Divide the chunk into two sections and twist them around each other in a Dutch braid until you reach the end. Do the same with the chunk on the other side. When done twisting, pull the left braid across the back of your head towards the right side and secure it in place with bobby pins. Pull the right twist to the left side and secure with bobby pins. Leave the rest of your beautiful locks to go free! Now you have a fun hairstyle for a date, for class, a party, or just ‘cuz.
4. Give your curls some air.
You don’t even need to tie your hair up or do anything fancy to it. Letting your curls hang down your back looks gorgeous all day, everyday! Curly hair has a youthful body. People will never get tired of staring at your intricate locks. This look can be wild and crazy but it also naturally gives off a free-spirit kind of vibe and is a super down-to-earth look that curly girls are born with.
5. Flaunt flower crowns.
This is an exotic way to show off your hair texture. There’s something about flowers in your hair that gives you a preciously tropical vibe. Your curls are already super flirty - all you have to do is, literally, top it off with a pretty flower crown from Claire’s or Forever21 and you’ve got an easy way to decorate your curls.
6. Skip gels and mousses.
After trial and error and countless bottles of hairstyling gels, mousses, “gum”, and such, I’ve learned that there aren’t really any products that provide proper hold to ensure that the frizziness and flyways stay at bay without making the hair hard and crunchy. Ugh, crunchy hair is a huge hair texture turn off and all that product will, without a doubt, make your hair feel sticky. I know, I know, it can be difficult to manage your crazy curls when everyday is a struggle against humidity and frizz so getting a little help from squeeze tubes of pretty smelling gel can be rather tempting. If you must apply a product to your hair, opt for a light hair oil instead. Argan oil has many beneficial properties for hair of all textures but it’s a great product to use to make frizzy flyaways settle down and it won’t make your hair stiff.
7. Hair masks are the saviors of dry hair, damaged hair.
Curly hair craves moisture. No, it needs moisture.If your throat was dry you wouldn’t ignore it, now would you? Your hair should be treated in the same manner. Your hair will inevitably be dry and you’ll need something to soothe it. I find that applying hair masks as part of my hair washing routine really helps keep my hair smooth and super soft. My hair is usually noticeably less dry and stringy after applying a hair mask and washing it out. This is imperative because many shampoos contain sulfates which further strip the hair so applying masks religiously will help downplay that effect and make your hair feel and look softer.
8. Don’t wash your hair everyday.
This is another sure fire way for you to dry out your hair! I know a lot of people think it’s “gross” if you don’t wash your hair everyday or at least every other day however, for curly hair, that’s one of the worst things you can do. When you wash your hair so often, you strip it of its natural oils that are in the scalp to condition and moisturize the hair and what’s the one thing that curly hair craves? Exactly. Washing your hair once a week is a better alternative for curly hair so your natural oils are released and your hair will be less dry.
THE TANK TOP EVERY GIRL SHOULD HAVE
You walk into the gym and get hit by the smell of sweat, protein shakes, and progress. Guys are going hard and perfecting their deadlifts in the weight room. You see the occasional sprinkle of girls with their hair tied back tightly sporting a dark top and matching bottom so as not to draw too much attention to themselves. Yes, I said girls in the weight room.
While it is becoming increasingly common for girls to workout at the gym just as much as guys do, there is still a societal stigma that girls can either be buff or fragile. Sometimes when asked to picture a very fit girl who works out regularly at the gym, people can’t help but imagine a tall, 5’10’’ girl with bulky biceps, quads, and calves. Many people are actually surprised to see obviously smaller girls try their hands at lifting weights. When I told one of my guy friends a while ago that I was joining a fitness class focused on toning and sculpting the body he replied with “what, are you trying to look like those super big, sweaty, buff girls?”
There’s obviously nothing wrong with girls who look like that yet I’m always being warned that if I continue working out I will bulk up - a warning that I still do not heed.
I’ve pretty much never heard these girls being described as the type to dress up, wear makeup, and throw on heels. It’s as though it’s expected that if you aren’t one of these girls then the alternative is a girly-girl with half a pound of makeup on her face wearing super cute and flirty dresses to class every other day. Let me just say that there are many girls out there who like to look pretty and can throw a knock-out of a punch when needed!
I am that girl who works out at the gym with full face makeup on. What can I say - I love a good workout and I love my mascara! This brings me to the gorgeous tank top you see pictured above. “Muscles and Mascara” - two seemingly contradicting words - so why are they printed together on the same piece of clothing?
When I first laid eyes on this gorgeous piece of work of a shirt I mentally applauded its message - simple, sassy, and so true. Why can’t I have the workout ethic of a dude and the beauty skills of a true guru? Why can’t you have the workout ethic of a dude and the beauty skills of a true guru? The answer is simple.
“For me, ‘muscles and mascara’ means that I can lift weights and I can look pretty as hell - just like a badass,” says sophomore Wendy Zhao as she states her reaction to the message. And that’s exactly how girls who come in contact with this shirt should feel. They should get that surge of confidence and pride knowing that they embody something that is both strong and beautiful - the perfect middle ground. Wearing this tank top should make girls and women feel like superheroes - an army of Wonder Women who are impervious to the shade thrown by stereotypes and, justly so, bask in their own beauty.
This empowering piece of clothing should be a reminder to society that girls can get toned and still enjoy enhancing their beauty - it doesn’t have to be one or the other! This adorable alliterative mash-up challenges the stereotypical fragile nature of girls who are one with their makeup bags.
NEVER Do These 7 Things During An Interview
Interviews for jobs or other positions are stressful enough as is. With wardrobe, hair, and comfortable footwear, we all try to do our part to make sure we make a great first impression as an interviewee. But how much of an edge will that fancy pantsuit get you if you make these five mistakes at an interview:
1. Don’t condescendingly correct your interviewer.
No, you most definitely are not inferior to your interviewer just because they hold the fate of your job in the palm of their hands but doing this can be seen as rude. I’m part of the Emergency Response Team at my college and recently we were conducting interviews for new recruits. I worked with a partner to interview a girl and my partner didn’t realize that he he asked the same question in a different way. Our interviewee proceeded to say, “Umm, didn’t you already ask me that?” …
After the interview my partner made sure to note that he didn’t appreciate the remark she made and I, needless to say, agreed with him. You, as an interviewee, might be annoyed at having to give the same answer twice because your interviewer made a mistake, however, if repeating yourself annoys you that much there are more polite ways to indicate to your interviewer that this question was repeated. For example, you could say, “As I said before…” This is more polite and you aren’t correcting your interviewer in any way.
2. Don’t repeat the same strengths or skills over and over.
Your interviewer will definitely take note of this. This shows that, first off, you don’t seem to possess many useful skills that will convince your interviewer that you’re the right fit for the job, and second, this shows that you lack substance behind any experiences you’ve listed. Also, this makes for a very boring interview - imagine having to talk about your positive attitude for thirty minutes straight!
Referring to the same set of strengths and skills during an interview also seems very generic - anyone can be organized and this is probably one of the most generic strengths ever listed.
3. Never forget to supplement the experiences listed on your application.
Show your interviewer that you really got something out of your previous internship or your last job. You could have travelled to China and helped build a new elementary school for kids but if you can’t elaborate on the skills you used and how they impacted you and your colleagues then you certainly won’t be as strong of an applicant as you think!
The proof is in the pudding, or, in this case, the elaboration. Prove to your interviewer that you developed and used a valuable set of skills. It’s great that you’re quite the volunteer and enjoy helping people, however, if you don’t have any substance behind your work then you might end up being a ‘Maybe’ or even a ‘No’.
4. Don’t blank on a question.
Yes, I know - you’re nervously sweating buckets already and to top it off you get hit with an impossible question that you can’t find the answer to. You then proceed to say ‘ummm’ and ‘hmmmm’ and put on your best thinking face while your eyes dart from corner to corner of the room. We all get those questions that take us by surprise at some point but many times, these questions are there to asses your thinking. The best way to handle these questions would be to come up with a creative solution.
When I was being interviewed for the Emergency Response Team as a freshman, my interviewer asked a question about an experience that I didn’t think I’ve had yet. As you can imagine, I had a mini panic attack in my head - “Crap, this question could be the difference between me making the cut and me getting rejected!” Instead of leaving a long awkward, tense silence in the air I simply told the interviewer that I couldn’t think of a past experience and asked if I could give a hypothetical situation instead. If all else fails, come up with a hypothetical! Your ability to do so also demonstrates quick thinking!
5. Never have your phone out.
This is a definite distraction. If you have your phone in front of you during your interview and your screen starts glowing from a message you just received, chances are, you can’t help but glance down at your phone. Give your interviewer 110% of your undivided attention! Keeping your phone hidden during an interview is a good interview habit to develop.
Your interviewer is taking time out of his or her busy schedule to meet with you to hear you out while you bolster yourself for this position - do you really want to throw it away over a message on a phone?
6. Don’t talk crap about bad former co-workers or employers.
We’ve all likely been put in less than tolerable situations at work or at an internship but despite this, avoid trash talking the people involved, especially if you listed this particular employer as a reference! You need to show your interviewer that you were able to make the most of a bad situation. One of my interviewees described a situation in which she had to work with a girl who wasn’t a good partner but then proceeded to describe how she maintained civility during the project and tried to make the best of it.
My partner and I definitely made note of her positive attitude during the situation and listed it as a definite pro. Fight the urge to talk crap about your disastrous former co-worker or your wicked witch of the west of a boss!
7. Never curse!
Do I really have to tell you how bad it is to curse during an interview? You won’t win any brownie points no matter how colorfully creative your vocabulary is. Save your potty mouth for when you’re hanging with friends!
Hope this list was eye-opening! I have both been an interviewee and an interviewer in professional situations so I hope my two cents are adequate enough to show you, my readers, a few don'ts that can really hurt your shot at getting the desired job or internship!
7 QUESTIONS GIRLS WHO DYE THEIR HAIR ARE TIRED OF BEING ASKED
1. "Is your hair, like, really damaged?"
Probably. When you do anything more than deposit color in your hair you basically have to bleach the life out of it, which is what causes the bulk of the damage to your hair. There are many, many brands that offer boxed hair dyes that claim to not contain peroxide, however, many still contain harmful chemicals that can ultimately weaken hair and cause hair fall. Even if you can’t see a plethora of split ends, your hair is still broken. Keep in mind that it puts most people in an awkward position when they announce to you that yes, they’ve sucked the life out of their hair and it’s bad.
2. “Can I touch your hair?”
Really? You and I both know that the only reason you want to touch my bright purple hair is so you can feel how brittle and dry it became after the dyeing process. In the first place, some people are more particular about having their hair touched than others are so anyone who asks this question is already running the risk of having an irritated look shot in their direction.
3. “Did you do that yourself?”
I’m proud that I managed to dye my hair at home and end up with the results I wanted but I’m also nervous to say ‘yes’ to your question because right after saying ‘wow,’ you’re just going to tell me how dangerous it can be to not go to a professional and have it done right. Clearly, I understand that there is way more room for error, disappointment, and tears when we play with hair chemicals ourselves. I made the choice to do it myself - no one forced me to - so I really don’t need your input on hair dye safety. Thank you very much.
4. “How many times have you dyed your hair?”
This question always seems to have an ulterior motive because on one hand it is actually interesting to know how many times a person has dyed their hair in their lifetime but on the other hand, that question is probably being asked so the asker can lecture you on how damaging hair dye is.
5. “Did you dye your hair to copy Demi Lovato’s style?”
Whoa, hold on a second! Sure, Demi Lovato has awesome hair and so do lots of other celebrities with crazy cool hair color but have you thought about how insulting that question sounds? It sounds as though the person can’t make hairstyle decisions for himself or herself so they must copy looks from celebrities. Umm, no! Even if someone looks to celebrity hair for mere inspiration that’s still far off from someone going out of their way to make sure that they get a certain hair color because Kylie Jenner has it.
6. “Why’d you choose that color?”
When you say it like that, you make it sound like the person’s current color doesn’t suit them. Dyeing your hair is a big change by itself that, depending on the person, can really take a lot of courage to do so asking this question with that kind of connotation can be a real downer! Maybe the person is satisfied with the results but you’re making it sound like the results aren’t as nice as previously thought.
7. “Why do you like dyeing your hair so much?”
Umm, excuse me but I didn’t realize I had to validate my decision to dye my hair to you. It can sometimes make a person feel alien when they’re asked this question; it’s as though they’re being scrutinized and probed because they wanted to mix it up a little and try something new and fun with their hair. In any case, can this question really be answered substantially? Any response would probably earn a rebuttal about hair damage anyway…
These questions are basically unavoidable - if you dye your hair you will likely hear at least one of them at some point. At the same time, don’t feel that the best way to avoid questions about your bright green hair is to just not dye it bright green (even though you really, really want to). Tackle that crazy color with pride - not everyone can understand your creativity!
WHY FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS ROCK (EVEN IF YOU MAKE THEM FOR YOURSELF!)
Friendship bracelets aren't little gifts exclusively for friends - you can rock your own creation just as well! This is typically what I do - I make bracelets and I wear them. Myself. Don't get me wrong, I've dished out a few to some really close friends in the past! These bracelets seemed to have been a cool trend a few years ago (2 years ago?) but you might not see too many of them in stores at this time. I guess consumers could say that they've lost their popularity - they're a thing of the past. Here's why I think that friendship bracelets should never ever lose their appeal:
1. They easily add casualness.
Friendship bracelets are chill - super casual and easygoing - that's the kind of vibe you might get from people who wear them, at least that's the vibe people get from me when I wear them! They top off your look by adding just enough casualness to your outfit. Pair them with a flannel top and ripped jeans for a super down to earth look.
2. They never tarnish.
Unlike silver bracelets and necklaces that you can get from Claire's or Forever21, friendship bracelets are made of string (called embroidery floss) and you won't get an ugly tinge on them from oxidation. Don't get me wrong, I will still buy cute necklaces from Forever21 but the fact that you won't have to throw these bracelets away because of tarnish is definitely a plus!
3. They are very easily customizable.
These bracelets are extremely easy to make, or maybe I'm just speaking for myself since I've been making these bracelets since Elementary school! Never fear, they actually are easy to make on your own, which means that you can pick your desired colors and create the patterns you want. If you're a beginner then a great pattern to start off with would be an easy chevron, pictured above at the bottom, it is the second, third, and fourth, designs from the right.
4. No weird clasps to work with.
Bracelet clasps can be super annoying sometimes! Some of them are so hard to open and it can take you several tries before you successfully put on a bracelet with just one hand. Friendship bracelets have a zero tolerance for annoying bracelet clasps because they don't have any! I like making adjustable friendship bracelets, which are very simple to make. All it requires is being able to pull string, so if you can pull string, you can work this bracelet!
5. They're great for all genders.
Unlike a lot of jewelry on the market today, friendship bracelets aren't just for girls - guys can rock them too! A guy can probably wear the same design a girl can wear and be cool with it, since I don't know too many guys who would willingly wear a girls' necklace from Claire's.
6. They make you feel so creative!
Whenever I wear my friendship bracelets to class that I've made I always feel so talented and artsy! This is a great confidence booster and is actually a cool way to let people see another side of you without you ever having to open your mouth! I've found that for me, these bracelets are a cool ice breaker because I get lots of compliments on them from random people and before I know it, we've had a 20 minute conversation!
Maybe one day friendship bracelets will re-claim their popularity as a fashion statement. Maybe one day we'll have a friendship bracelet empire. Okay, maybe not but friendship bracelets are still really cool! Let me know what your favorite fashion piece is!
10 TIMES YOU SHOULD PLAY YOUR FIGHT SONG
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| PLL "How The 'A' Stole Christmas" Episode. Alison DiLaurentis is making her big appearance after a rough time as she walks into the song "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten.
For those moments when you want to throw your hands in the air and cry a little on the inside, your fight song is there to help you power through it all - like during these moments:
1. You refuse to get out of bed for your 8a.m. class.
Likely because you’re giving into your inner couch potato - or bed potato! You might feel like you’re punishing yourself by waking up to trudge to your bright and early class but you’ll feel so much better knowing that you managed to shake the yawns and be where you’re supposed to be.
2. You’re at the gym and you have one more set of reps.
Sit-ups, burpees, squats, deadlifts, bicep curls - you name it. There are very few things that feel more satisfying than a daily workout seen to 100% completion. Yes, it hurts and yes, your arms and abs are crying but no pain, no gain! This is when your fight song should come on in your head (or on your iPod!) so you can finish strong!
3. When you have to do 20 real push-ups.
Ummmm, I can do a maximum of exactly 5 and they aren’t even that proper…Needless to say push-ups for me, like many other people, are like punches in the face: so not fun and kind of painful! During my boxing class, students go through intense conditioning circuits and even though push-ups are my least favorite thing to do I manage to find the strength (from God knows where) to hit the mark.
4. When you really don’t want to write that paper.
Get pumped to get done with your assignments! The sooner you finish that ten-page paper, the sooner you can chill with Netflix and catch up on your beauty sleep. Once it’s all over you can breathe easy knowing you conquered that struggle.
5. When you want to give someone the finger.
Don’t let them get away with telling you what you can and can’t do. You might really just want to flip them off but this is the best opportunity to prove them wrong! Show them that “You can’t” are just words to you by fighting for yourself. Don’t count yourself out of the challenge just yet - or ever. You’ve got more fight than you think.
6. When your dark side is trying to win.
We all fall victim to one of those sulky moods where all we can think about are the negative experiences that we have. Only the mind can make negativity powerful. Get that fight song going for a quick pick-me-up and to remind you that you are so much more and have so much more to offer - it will all pay off eventually.
7. When you need to seriously kick butt.
On an exam, during an interview, during a competition - anything that you’ll need a little more adrenaline for. Get in the zone and stay focused on the task at hand. All that tension will dissipate and you’ll loosen up and be able to really concentrate or put your energy into making an amazing impression.
8. When you just can’t.
For those times when you’re completely out of everything and at any moment might even forget the first letter of your own name, your fight song will be there to help you recover from those dull moments.
9. When your friends give you a lousy pep talk.
Your fight song is probably the best coach you’ll ever have. Even when it doesn’t sound like your friend’s pep talks carry much weight, your fight song speaks volumes! Need some extra motivation? Need a bit of reassurance? You know where to go.
10. When you’re looking for a confidence booster.
You don’t need compliments on your hair or makeup and you don’t need a guy to notice how nice your outfit looks for a boost in confidence. Hold your head up high knowing that you have something to remind you that your awesome for reasons other than how you look.
This piece was inspired by Rachel Platten’s “Fight Song”. If you’re looking for a mood booster, some reassurance, a green light, or even a source of inspiration, remember to play your fight song.
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HOW TO SURVIVE ZUMBA CLASS!!
WHOO! I love zumba class! First semester of college I got the chance to join a Zumba Toning class and I went for it! So much fun! Awesome music and moves! Such a great workout! I guess I'm a fan of exercise in general but especially zumba! For people who are unsure of joining a zumba class or don't really find these classes fun, I share with you 5 tips on HOW TO SURVIVE ZUMBA CLASS!!!! <3 <3 <3
- GRAB A BUDDY! Everything's better with a friend! Bring one to your zumba class and you guys will have fun together! If you don't have a friend to go with then go to the class alone and make friends. When I joined my first zumba class my friends wanted nothing to do with zumba so I went by myself. My first day there I started randomly talking to a girl and now she's actually one of my closest friends! We went to the zumba class together every single week! It was so fun to have a friend to move to the beat with!
- MOVE TO THE MUSIC! Let loose! If you're too busy worrying about how you look while you dance or who's watching you dance you won't have much fun! Go wild and dance to the beat! I highly doubt that it's possible to overdo zumba! Really getting into the music and the moves not only helps you have more fun but you'll really work up a sweat and do great things for your body!
- HAVE A GOOD MEAL BEFOREHAND! Once I invited another new friend to zumba and although she was psyched to join she spent most of the class sitting out in the bathroom due to an upset stomach because she didn't eat breakfast beforehand =( Have a balanced meal - it'll give you the fuel you'll need to keep up with zumba so you can power through the entire class!
- WEAR COMFY SHOES! The first few zumba classes I went to my feet were killing me and it really took away from the experience! The discomfort made me just want to stop for a bit to shake it off even though the songs had infectious beats. The shoes I wore just weren't right for my feet, since I am flat-footed. After the first couple of classes I switched shoes and had a much better experience! Wear sneakers that really support your feet and that you can move continuously in for at least an hour.
- KEEP GOING BACK FOR MORE! Don't get discouraged if you can't get the hang of the moves the first class! Some routines can move really quickly and you may find yourself fumbling around at first, which really isn't fun. Keep going to the classes regularly because practice makes perfect and once you've got all the routines down, you won't wanna stop dancing!
WHY I'M PROUD TO BE A BAND GEEK
We've probably all seen those tv shows where the kids who play an instrument in the school band are always super geeky, no-personality, popular-kid wannabes - essentially portrayed as "losers." I probably don't have to tell you that tv couldn't be further from reality. I was a high school band geek - and prior to that I was a middle school band geek. My instrument of choice: the clarinet. My clarinet has been with me through the middle school marching band, pep band, pit orchestra, and, of course, my high school concert band (and a taste of symphonic orchestra). Did that make me a "loser"? Did that mean that I envied the popular kids who weren't in band? Absolutely not! In fact I couldn't be more proud of my dedication to music. Unfortunately my college schedule doesn't allow me the time to be part of any musical group on campus, however, here are reasons why I'm proud to be a former band geek:
1. I appreciate the classics more
Many people today think of the classics as really old music with no words, no music videos, and no Beyonce - essentially people have a distaste for the classics. Being in band for as long as I have, we are constantly exposed to old pieces - we have to be able to perform them inside and out for concerts, after all! Some pieces that I have rehearsed from band actually remain as some of my all time favorite songs! I kid you not! I enjoy pieces like the 1812 Overture, The Grand March from 'Aida', and many more. You're probably like...what... but these pieces are really spectacular! The coolest part is that we band geeks get to see how it all comes together instrument by instrument; member by member.
2. I discovered more composers
Quick - you have two seconds to name three musical composers!
...
...
...
I bet my California roll that you said "Mozart," "Bach," and...yeah, exactly. Maybe you were able to throw in some Vivaldi...or maybe not. Mozart and Bach are very well known names but some people still wouldn't be able to tell you exactly what they composed. As a band geek I was introduced to numerous composers that I love as much as I love 5 Seconds of Summer and Fall Out Boy! Yes, you read right! One of my favorite composers is Steven Reineke, who is also the conductor of the NY Pops Orchestra. He composes absolutely amazing pieces such as The Witch and the Saint, Goddess of Fire, Sedona, and Fate of the Gods. Many of his pieces are centered around some kind of world mythology (fantastic theme!) and tells the audience a story - we, the band members, get to be part of that story! And fyi, my high school band got to meet Steven Reineke and he conducted us for the day! =)
Fun fact that I learned in my high school concert band: Gershwin attended my high school! This news caused several jaws to drop during class, as we were rehearsing one of his medleys for a performance. Gershwin is famous for Broadway musicals such as Guys and Dolls and Porgy and Bess. Anyway, being in band for several years taught me that there's more to music than Mozart and Tchaikovsky and way more to music than Chris Brown and Kelly Clarkson.
3. Music became a source of inspiration
You're probably rolling your eyes right now and whispering to yourself "This girl is full of b.s." but I KID YOU NOT I AM 110% SERIOUS ABOUT THIS - the music I played in band literally became an inspiration to me!! There have been many times when I had to write an essay describing something such as a passion or about art and I opted to write about the story behind my high school band pieces. I was never denied acceptance into any program for which I chose band music as the focus of my essay. The feedback I was given on those papers was that they were always well-written and very vivid and really showcased the passion behind the music. It was a subject I could write pages on! I never didn't know what to say about music in an essay.
4. I got great study music
It's not uncommon to see college kids bobbing their heads to the music blasting through their headphones while studying from a textbook or typing feverishly at their computers. If you were to ask students what song they were listening to, 9 times out of 10 you'd have a reply that consisted of some kind of rap song, some kind of Beyonce song, or any other songs with lyrics. After band, I realized that I actually prefer to study to the pieces I've performed in the past. These songs have NO lyrics - only instrumental - which means that I'm way less likely to be distracted by the words in the song so I can pay more attention to the words from my lecture notes!
5. One instrument is never enough
The clarinet gave me an amazing start - I really hit the ground running with that instrument! Ever since band I feel the need to practice other instruments such as the saxophone (tenor is my favorite!!) and explore string instruments such as the violin. I have friends who own several instruments because they had such amazing experiences with their first one. It really motivates you to keep playing - more than one instrument if possible!
6. I want to hear the band arrangements for all of my favorite songs
Now I'm talking about Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson, and modern artists. After band, I'm always curious as to what my favorite modern soundtracks would sound like if all the electric guitars and modern sound were replaced with clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, and trombones. Thanks to YouTube I have found some really great arrangements for songs such as Call Me Maybe, Set Fire to the Rain, and Love Me Like You Do (SO AMAZING!) Even after I graduated from high school, I still went back for the winter concert last year and our symphonic orchestra was performing the opening theme to Game of Thrones and it was absolutely spectacular! I could listen to it all day long!
Sigh. Good times, good times. Band has never, ever let me down! If you have something you're passionate about, keep supporting your passion! Until next time! =)
5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT GETTING AN EAR PIERCING
You sit in a chair, swinging your legs nervously as your eyes dart around the shop. The employee cleans and loads the piercing gun as the butterflies in your stomach remind you that you're really about to go through with this. I got my third piercing about five weeks ago and my second piercing a little over a year ago. Maybe you're considering finally getting your first piercing or maybe you very very recently got it and you're surfing the web for a few pointers on getting used to it - it's a hole in your ear, after all. I'm here to share with you some pitfalls and things I learned about getting lobe piercings based off of my experiences.
1. Alignment vs. Aesthetic
Alignment will probably win. When you get a piercing the piercer will mark your ears as a way of knowing exactly where to put the earring. When I got mine done the piercer was more concerned with proper alignment of the new piercing relative to my first piercing. That's why they make you remove all earrings you have on. Proper alignment is important, however, I noticed that on one ear the earrings look further apart from each other than the ones on the other ear look. When I remove the earrings, the holes are perfectly aligned, though. Your piercer will do his or her best to make the piercing look the way you want it to, however, keep in mind that they are also trying to work with proper alignment.
2. Don't be alarmed by swelling
Swelling and redness is normal for the first TWO WEEKS after getting a piercing. My third piercing had swelling and redness that persisted more than a few days so I nervously went through the internet trying to see what people might say about the situation. Many said that it was NOT normal and that if this is the case, medical attention would be needed. Don't let this scare you - swelling is normal for the first two weeks. That's when I remembered that my second piercing was red for the first two weeks as well. During these first two weeks, try not to sleep on the piercing either - try your very best to not irritate it in any way that might prolong swelling and redness.
3. Follow your ear care routine
I got my ears pierced both times at Claire's and I was told to clean the piercing 2-3 times a day everyday for 6-8 weeks (for the third one) and 4-6 weeks for the second one. Many people end up with an infection because they fail to follow the after care procedures as directed. They get lazy and skip cleanings or they try to use other solutions as a substitute for the liquid they are given. The best way to ensure that you don't make a mistake is to do exactly what you're told.
4. Keep shampoo AWAY from your ear
Obviously no one shampoos their ear but a week after I got my second piercing I was washing my hair and trying to be super careful not to let my product anywhere near the new piercing. Apparently my efforts were in vain because I got out of the shower and one side where the piercing was became red and irritated! It burned a little and became slightly swollen. To combat this I used the ear care solution that I was given from Claire's and saturated the area with it. Within about twenty minutes the effects had subsided. This is no joke - KEEP ANY AND ALL PRODUCTS AWAY FROM YOUR NEW PIERCING!
5. Touch it as little as possible
This is to ensure that whatever germs or bacteria might be on your hands won't get near your new piercing. A new piercing is essentially a wound in your skin and you wouldn't want that wound becoming infected, would you? Try to touch your piercing as little as possible - especially during the first two weeks. I've probably mentioned "first two weeks" a lot but that's because that time period is crucial to the aftercare of your piercing. Not many people would tell you this but from experience I can definitely say that you need to try to take the best care possible of your piercing during this window because otherwise you could end up with prolonged irritation and swelling and maybe even an infection.
If you had questions about piercing I hope this post cleared some of that up for you. If you have questions about the procedure Claire's uses, pain levels, and more in depth after care then feel free to email me at toomuchofagoodiesthing@gmail.com or follow me on twitter @some_cool_stuff and tweet to me! =)
PLL PREDICTIONS/THEORIES:
I, like many other fans, have my own theories about the characters on the show so I decided to do a post about that!
- Shana and Maya are twins: There has been lots of talk about twins being revealed on the show and people who read the books before watching the series know that in the books A was Alison's twin sister so when rumors of a twin surfaced and a mysterious girl named Bethany Young hit the series everyone thought that Alison and Bethany were the twins. I never liked this idea much. Now with Charles DiLaurentis' true identity unknown so far fans are throwing around the idea that Charles and Jason are the twins. That would be pretty obvious...I think that Shana and Maya are twins! That's right, I don't think Maya is really dead! As for Shana, though, she is def dead as a doornail. Shana was probably A until she was killed by Aria (who was trying to protect her friends from Shana). Recall that A didn't start tormenting the girls for a while after Shana's death. Maybe during that time Maya was finding out about her twin being killed and enlisted in the A army. I don't think that Maya is BigA or UberA (or whatever the head honcho is called on this show) but I would love to see Maya part of the A team.
- Wren and Ian are twins: Remember Ian? Melissa's husband who tried to kill Spencer in the bell tower only to be shoved over by Alison and then the body mysteriously vanished but Melissa always thought Ian was still alive? She enlisted Wren's help (her ex) to get medication to Ian because she wanted to know where he was hiding. The biggest and probably only reason I think that Wren and Ian are twins is because Wren insisted that he go with Melissa to see Ian. Wren and Ian's connection was never clear and it didn't appear that they even knew each other! So why would Wren insist on only giving help as long as he was able to see Ian? I think they are twin brothers but that secret was always kept hidden or maybe only Wren knew but Ian didn't. Don't ask me who I think the parents are cuz I have no clue! But I think this would be interesting, maybe a little unnecessary, but interesting.
- Leslie Stone was Spying on Aria at Hollis: Two episodes ago we got a glimpse of A's figure (but not A's face! Aww!) spying on Aria at Hollis' photography room. In the picture A is 100% female but then that leaves the question of which of the female characters is A. The show is trying to make it look like Lesli Stone is A but where the hell was Leslie Stone in seasons 1, 2, and 3?? We only saw her when Mona "died." We do know that Lesli is psycho but I really don't think she's A. I think that she wore the black hoodie so as not to get noticed spying on Aria. Why was she spying? Then again why did she have unassembled human-sized cages in the trunk of her car? Who knows!?!?! But I think that depicting A as female was done on purpose by the producers to throw us off. That was probably Lesli.
WHO IS A?
(Image obtained from abcfamilyallacess.com)
So I'm a big fan of PLL and with the show in its 6th season it seems that we fans have been kept in the dark for far too long. So come on! Who's A????
- Aria??? It would be an interesting twist if A was actually one of the liars. Aria seems to be the most common option and for a short while I did think Aria was A because in my opinion she pretty much never really gets hurt. There was that one time on the Halloween Train when A put her in a crate and tried to push her off the train beaus A actually hit Hanna with a car and nearly killed her, A drove a car straight into Emily's living room, A injected HGH into Emily's ointment, causing her to have an ulcer, Emily also got a swim career-ruining shoulder injury because of A, Spencer ended up in Radley Sanitarium, need I continue? Also because of various tweets from producer Marlene King that painted Aria as an A suspect I, like millions other, thought Aria was A. HOWEVER, due to recent episodes it would seem that Aria can't be A...unless she can be in two places at once! A photo of A was taken (of course, we couldn't see A's face) by a photography studio where Aria was developing pictures. A was lurking outside the window he/she was caught on camera in while Aria was inside.
- Wren??? Everyone says that Wren is A for dozens of reasons that I don't even want to list because there are quite a few including the fact that A seems to have access to medical records and since Wren is a doctor he can get those easily. Also, we don't know a lot about Wren's past so this is something the producers could easily just fill in if they reveal Wren to be A. HOWEVER, recent episodes show that A is clearly female! Is A actually a girl or is this just the producers messing with us to get us to think that A is female so we start pointing fingers at some of the female characters? Who knows?
- Jason??? From a few seasons back I wanted Jason to be A. Ever since we found out that Mrs. DiLaurentis knew who ambushed her daughter but didn't report it to the police because she was protecting someone I automatically thought that the person she was protecting was her son, Jason DiLaurentis. It would make sense why she'd want to protect her son and we know Jason and Alison never had a good relationship as siblings. We also know that the summer Ali went missing Jason was hardly in control of his actions and still doesn't completely remember things clearly so anything could have happened!
- Charles DiLaurentis??? Everyone thinks that Charles is A but that the name 'Charles' is an alias for a character we already know since apparently Charles DiLaurentis killed himself at a young age. But did he really? On PLL the dead never stay dead - Mona? Alison? Toby? And I have a hunch that a few other characters we thought were dead and gone will return towards the end of season 6. What if Charles DiLaurentis is a way to connect a character to the identity of A? Maybe digging up Charles' past will give us clues as to who A really is. It would seem that that is exactly what the liars will be doing in the episodes to come.
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