How to Cure Your Hangover

Tonight we will be ringing in the New Year with booze and friends. Tomorrow we will be waking up looking through our phone for bits and pieces of the night, a pounding head and our mascara halfway down our cheeks.

After 3 and a half years at college, I have come to give you advice on how to pull your life together when it all fell apart just 8 hours before.

I want to start out with some tips to help you before you go out:

1. Make your bed, and lay out your PJs, make up remover (if you're wearing it), and hair tie and brush (again, if you need it) on the bed. Coming home drunk to a nice made bed and your essentials ready for you will only make life better.

2. Set out your gatorade and/or water on your nightstand along with some asprin. I'm talking like multiple bottles. 2 or 3. Maybe more. Drunk you will thank sober you 1,000 times. Bonus, wrap some slices of bread in some cling wrap and put it there too. Or the whole loaf. Whatever makes you happy.

3. Set your trashcan with some trashbags next to your bed. Some of us aren't lucky enough to have a bathroom in our room, and if we do, sometimes we don't make it. Take it from me.

4. Tidy up any major messes. Tripping over your clothes all over the floor will only make things worse. You don't have to deep clean by any means, but if your room is chaotic, make sure you clean up the floor so you won't get hurt on anything or throw up on your roommates favorite slippers.

5. Eat a big, greasy meal before you go out. It will help slow down the breakdown of the alcohol.

Now that you have set yourself up for when you come home drunk, it's time for some tips on the next day. There is no real cure for a hangover, though. You just have to wait for all that alcohol to get out of your system. But this will help make the process a little better.

1. STAY HYDRATED. I say that again. STAY. HY. DRA. TED. Drink water or gatorade, The cause of a hangover is because you are dehydrated. Water will keep you hydrated, and sports drinks will replenish all those electrolytes you last night dancing your heart out at the Attic. Or whatever bar you turn into a shit show in. 

2. Eat food. Some people can't eat certain things when they are hungover. For example, me and my roommate usually take a Burger King trip, because greasy food makes us feel SO much better. Soup is a great remedy, because it has sodium and is light on the stomach.

3. Sleep. If you are have nowhere to be the next day, sleep. Although you'll pass out pretty quickly, alcohol affects the REM cycle of sleeping, which is the most crucial part of sleep. So, after you drink some water and eat some soup, go back to bed.

4. Light exercise. Ew, exercise after a night of drinking? Yeah, exercise after a night of drinking. Don't do anything strenuous by any means, but a light jog will help.

5. Shower, preferably cold. Just standing there with the water running on you will help you feel refreshed and less icky. 

6. Take some asprin. Not Tylenol, but asprin. Tylenol will have to make your liver work harder, so stick to your asprins.

7. Hair of the dog. Something I don't recommend, but I've seen it done. Just keep drinking when you wake up. You'll get quick results, but it'll only be worse later. So pick your poison here!

8. Alka-Seltzer. This is something I've never tried, but I know people that LOVE this stuff. It will help with a queasy stomach, but probably not much else.

9. Coffee. This is something else that can be good or bad. If you are an avid coffee drinker, this may or may not help. It could make you feel worse, but it can also help. So maybe don't chug a whole pot of coffee. Take a few drinks and see how you feel in half an hour. If you aren't much a coffee drinker, just skip this and drink your water.

Ultimately, it's extremely important for you to know your limit. Your gender, weight, race, age, experience of drinking, will all effect how drunk you get in how much time. Never ever ever EVER drink and drive. Call a cab, call a friend, but NEVER drink and drive. Please drink responsibility! So maybe things can go wrong on a night meant to have fun, and no amount of alcohol is worth it. So have fun, but have fun like the smart adult you are.

How to Set the Right New Year's Resolutions

With the New Year approaching, millions of people will be pledging resolutions that will most likely never be fulfilled. So in one year, all those people will be setting the same resolution for probably the 5th year in a row.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with setting resolution. There is, however, a problem with starting them and not finishing them. 

I think there are few problems as to why people set these goals and don't finish them. Anything from not being passionate about it, keeping themselves motivated, there is a huge list. To prevent yourself from trying to lose weight for the 10th year in a row, I have some advice on how to set the right goals and keep them!

1. Make sure your goals are realistic. For example, setting a goal to "travel to all 50 states" when you are 30,000$ in student loan debt to the government trying to finish your masters may not be something you can accomplish. Instead, make your goal to visit a new state, 2 new states, or plan a vacation. That way, you are starting somewhere, but also setting a very attainable goal. Another example is, instead of saying you will run a marathon the end of the year when you know damn well you can barely run to the end of the road, set up a more reasonable goal, like to be able to run a 10K or 5K by the end of the year. When you give yourself reasonable resolutions, there is always room to surpass it, but if something happens to where you can't reach that goal, or even your smaller goal, then you won't feel so down.

2. Make your resolutions for yourself. Above all else, your life is for you. So do not try and make a resolution to get into a relationship, to convince your man to propose, any of that nonsense. Your resolution is just that, yours. 

3. Word your resolutions differently. Instead of "lose 50 pounds," say "get healthy," or instead of "make Dean's list," say "get better grades." This goes back to making your goals more attainable. But you also won't feel the pressure to lose 50 pounds like you will to drink less beer and eat more fish. 

4. Set smaller goals along the way. To go back to losing weight, instead of saying to lose 50 pounds, set your resolution to be "lose 8 pounds a month," "work out at least 5 days a week for 30 minutes a day," "cut out 2 fast food trips a week," whatever it is you do on a regular basis that will inhibit your ability to achieve your resolution. Breaking it down into smaller goals will make that losing 50 pounds look a lot more feasible. 

5. Write out your resolution, the smaller goals, and put it somewhere you will see every damn day. By your mirror, your nightstand, your fridge, your planner, or even set it as your phone background. Having it stare you everyday will remind you what you are suppose to do. It will motivate yourself not to let yourself down that day.

6. Share your resolution with your friends, put in on instagram, put it on a T Shirt if you really want. But letting others know what you want to do will motivate you to do it. It's like when you were a kid and claimed you weren't scared of something, even though it scared you to death, but you didn't want your friends to think you were all talk and no action. That's the same principle. It's self motivation, and your friends will always be there for encouragement and support when you need it.

7. Don't get discouraged  by setbacks, and keep your goal in mind. There will be off weeks, days, months, even. But it is never too late to get yourself back on track. If you do fall behind, it may be a good idea to set yourself a new goal. The most important thing is not letting yourself get discouraged to the point you give up. Pick yourself back up and keep truckin'!

8. Treat yo self. Whenever you hit a point you thought you'd never hit, then it;s your time to celebrate. You have to make time for the little victories. Chances are, you never thought you'd accomplish what you did. So you need to give yourself a pat on the back. This will also keep you motivated to keep going, and make you feel incredibly accomplished. Because you are!

9. Keep remind yourself why you are doing what you're doing. I love the quote "whenever you feel like giving up, remember why you started in the first place." It is incredibly important to remind yourself why you are trying to change your life. Whenever you write down your goals, be sure to include why you are doing it. 

10. NEVER GIVE UP! To combine everything that's been said, when it comes down to it, 365 days will go by very fast. You don't want to look back to January 1st on December 31st and think about all the time that went by, and nothing changed. That time will pass no matter what, so you should put it to good use. 

Life is too short not to do what is best for you. The beginning of the year is the perfect time to wipe your slate clean and start over. No matter what your New Year's resolution is, you can do it!

Stocking Stuffer Ideas!

One of my favorite Christmas traditions has to be a stocking. They are adorable decor, and can make a room so cozy hung over a fireplace. But there's also the tradition to fill the stocking with little gifts and candy! So if you're struggling for ideas on what to stuff in your family and friend's stockings, just keep reading!

1. Giftcards

2. Candy

3. Mini bottles of alcohol (over 21!!)

4. Coloring books and colored pencils

5. Fuzzy socks

6. Headphones

7. Lotions and perfumes

8. Make up

9. Coffee mugs, the ones with the lid

10. Jewelry/a watch

11. Food

12. A handmade ornament

13. K Cuos

14. Stickers and pens for the planner lover

15. Smash books

16. Personal stationary

17. Chapstick

18. Hand warmers

19. Scarves/hats/gloves

20. Tights

21. Mini Speaker

22. School supplies

23. Hair accessories

24. A Coupon book

25. The mason jar cookies from my DIY Gift Guide

26.  Fruit

27. Hand sanitizer

28. Their favorite soup (people we are getting into the sick season!)

29. Small pieces of art (TJ Maxx and Hobby Lobby are the best)

30. Picture Frame

31. Mini Candles

32. Toys

33. A wireless mouse

34. Pet accessories if they have a pet

35. Books

36. Granola bars/Rice Krispie Treats/Protein Bars

37. DVDs

38. Clarisonic. This is pricey, but great for anyone that has problem skin. There are also many other face brushes from other companies

39. Slippers

40. Work Out accessories

When it comes to stocking stuffers, it's definitely all about the person and what they like! When all else fails, two bags of candy will fill that sucker right up!

DIY Gift Guide

As we near Christmas, hitting single digits until the jolly day, something I think is important to stress is that the holidays are a time of giving back. I really wish I had all the money in the world to buy things for all my loved ones. Unfortunately, I don't, and not many people do. So the perfect way to give back to someone you love when you don't have a lot of money, or even if you do, is to make them something. It's a gift that screams "I love you and I want you to know it," because it was something you had to sit down and make. So if you can't think of something, I have you covered. I have put together a wide arrange of gifts that I may or may not have made for my loved ones this season.

So tell your wallet to take a break, grab your scissors and let's get started!

DIY Gift Baskets

This is a gift that is open to do anything. You can make a gift for what someone likes; cooking, crafting, make up, a basket based on their major, Legend of Zelda, etc. All you need to buy is a basket, and objects to fill it with!

I'm making someone a spa basket, and along with things I can buy like lotion, nail polish and tools, and exfoliating glove, and a candle, I also have FOUR spa DIYs:

Bath Bomb:

What you'll need:

-One cup baking soda -1/2 cup corn starch -1/2 cup citric acid -1/2 of epsom salt -essential oil -food coloring -water -bowl -whisk -mold (I got mine as a heart shaped Christmas ornament mold at Hobby Lobby) -Bowl -whisk

Directions:

1. Mix you baking soda, corn starch, citric acid, and salt together.

2. Add your essential oil, maybe a little more 3 tablespoons

3. Mix in one teaspoon of water VERY VERY VERY SLOWLY! Your citric acid will react with the water, and if it does, it will not react in the bath. I poured in literally one drop at a time and immediately stirred. This is so important to do for it to work.

4. Separate the mixture into bowls, depending on the colors you want to use. I did about 80% blue and 20% I left white, but the possibilities are endless.

5. Fill both sides of the mold compactly with the mixture. You need to make sure it's compact or it won't hold it's shape. Also make sure you overfill the molds a bit so it will stick together.

6. Put the molds together, and I wrapped some rubber bands around the mold to help it stick. I put it in the freezer for an hour and afterwards, I took it out and let it sit for about 10 minutes. I tapped on the molds to help get the bomb out.

7. Let it sit for a day or two about giving them away!

Sugar Scrub

What you'll need:

-Sugar -Mason Jar -Coconut oil/Extra Virgin Olive Oil -Essential oil -food coloring -Bowl -Whisk

**Tip: I was making a candy cane sugar scrub so I used peppermint essential oil and red food coloring. If you are having trouble finding essential oil (Like I did) check out TJ Maxx

Directions:

1. Mix 2 cups of sugar (the kind you just get at Kroger) with 1 cup of coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil (I use olive oil). If you don't like the consistently, you can also add oil to make it more gooey or sugar to make it more grainy.

2. Add your essential oil and mix, 

3. Separate your mix into whatever sections you'd like to color. I divided it in half and dyed half red and white half white.

4. Add to your mason jar is whatever pattern you'd like.

Lip Scrub

What you'll need:

-Sugar -Extra Virgin Olive Oil -Small chapstick container (I found a little round one at the trial section in Walmart, 2 a pack) -Flavoring (I used bubble gum flavoring I found in the baking section of hobby lobby) -Bowl -Spoon

1. Mix 1 tablespoon and 1/2 teaspoon of oil, and mix.

2. Add your food coloring (I used red, because mine is bubble gum lip scrub) and mix

3. Add your flavoring (if you can't find the bubble gum, you can also use vanilla extract) and mix.

4. Put it in your container.

Bath Salts

What you'll need:

-Epsom salt -Food coloring -Essential oil -Bowl -Spoon -Glass Container

Directions:

1. Mix together 2 cups of epsom salt with essential oil (you can use more or less depending on the size of your container).

2. Mix in your food coloring. I keep mine all one color, but you can also do different colors!

3. Pour into glass container!

THAT SIMPLE! As you can tell most of these require the same materials, which is what makes it so simple! You also can make them individually, you don't have to put them all into a basket!

Mason Jar Cookies

Here are DIYs for mason jar cookies, chocolate chip, M&M and sugar cookies!

Chocolate Chip

What you'll need:

-2 cups Flour -One tsp Baking Soda -3/4 Cup Brown Sugar -3/4 Cup Sugar -One tsp Salt -Chocolate chips -Mason Jar

Directions:

1. All you need to do is add the ingredients to the mason jar in a stripe form. Add your ingredients in this order: flour, baking soda, brown sugar, sugar, salt, chocolate chips.  

Sugar Cookie

What you'll need:

-2 cups Flour -1 tsp Baking power -1 tsp Baking Soda -1/8 tsp salt -1 cup white sugar -Sprinkles -Mason Jar

Directions:

1. Layer your ingredients in the mason jar in this order: Flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and sprinkles. 

M&M Cookie

What you'll need:

-1 1/2 cup Flour -1 tsp Baking Powder -1/2 tsp Baking Soda -1/3 cup brown Sugar -1/2 cup sugar -1/4 tsp salt -M&Ms -Mason Jar

Directions:

1. Add your ingredients to the jar in this order: Flour, Baking Powder, Baking soda, Salt, M&Ms, Brown Sugar, White sugar.

For all of these, make sure you add the instructions as well as the cook ingredients they will need. Tie it on with a little ribbon and wala! A sweet treat gift!

DIY Mug

This is a gift that is so easy to personalize. You can do this in so many ways, so I will explain three ways to decorate a mug!

Glitter Mug

What you'll need:

-Mug -Glitter -Mod Podge -Tape 

**Tip: To make this dishwasher safe, you dishwasher Mod Podge, Otherwise, it can only be hand washed.

1. Clean your mug

2. Tape off any sections of the mug you do not want glitter on. You do a geometric pattern, an initial, whatever you want to do.

3. Pour your mod podge on the mug wherever you want glitter.

4. Pour your glitter on and shake off an excess.

5. After a few minute pull your tape off. Let it sit a little longer then add a coat or two of mod podge over the glitter to help it set.

Watercolor Mug

What you'll need:

-Mug -Nail Polish -Water -Tupperware container -Top coat -Toothpick

Directions:

1. Clean your Mug

2. Pour water into a tupperware container 

3. Pour your nail polish colors into the water and swirl it around with your toothpick

4. Dip your mug into the polish

5. Lay it upside down and let it dry.

6. Once it dries cover the nail polish with a top coat.

These are NOT dishwasher or microwave safe

Marker Mugs

What you'll need:

-Mug -Sharpies -Oven 

1. Clean your mug

2. Draw on the mug with whatever quotes, picture, etc. you want 

3, Heat your oven to 350 and place your mug in before it's preheated. Keep it on 350 for 30 minutes then turn it off, still keeping your mug in the oven. This is so it won't crack.

4. Repeat that step if you'd like, but mine never rubbed off.

Coasters

This may seem like a "wtf?" gift, but trust me, any person that just moved into their first apartment will LOVE it! They are very personable as well, and I will show two ways to make them!

Photo Coasters

What you'll need:

-Tiles -Mod Podge -Photos to fit the tiles -Paint Brush -Felt -Glue Gun -Rubbing Alcohol

Directions:

1. Clean the tiles with rubbing alcohol

2. IF your photos are too big, trim them down to the size of the tile.

3. Mod podge the tile, and add your photo. Push it down to make sure it sits on the tile

4. Top it off with a layer or two of mod podge

5. Cut your felt to the size of the tile, and hot glue it on the bottom of the tile so it won't scratch surfaces!

The photos you use can be photos of you and the person yo uare giving the gift too, photos of patterns, etc. Go crazy!

Marble Coasters

What you'll need:

-Tiles -Felt -Marble Contact Paper -Mod Podge -Glue Gun -Rubbing alcohol

Directions:

1. Clean your tile with rubbing alcohol

2. Cut your contact paper into the size of the tile and stick it on, smoothing it out with something like a ruler or credit card

3. Add a layer or 2 of mod podge

4. Cut out felt and glue it on the bottom of the tile.

Marble is a very popular thing right now, I love it and most others will too! They look expensive and elegant, but are so inexpensive!

**Tip: This can also be done with wood contact paper for a more rustic look, or any other pattern contact paper yo uthink your recipient would like!

Tech Case

This is a gift that can be made for an iPad, iPhone, any phone, any electronic that needs a case! There are endless ways to decorate a case, but I will show you 3 ways!

Case One

What you'll need:

-Clear case -Scrapbook paper -Mod Podge -Exacto Knife -Pencil 

Directions:

1. Lay your scrapbook paper with the design down, lay the phone case on top with the part that holds the phone fact up 

2. Trace the outside, the camera part, and any other holes in the case.

3. Use your exacto knife to cut out the outline and all the holes

4. Add a lay of mod podget inside the case, and add the scrapbook paper. Let it dry and add another layer

Case Two

What you'll need:

-Scrapbook paper or paint -Letter sticker -Clear phone case -Mod Podge

Directions:

1. You can either do what I showed you for case one, or paint the case any color you'd like

2. Add a sticker of the person's first letter of their first name to the outside of the case, and add a layer of mod podge.

Case Three

What you'll need:

-Glitter -Mod Podge -Clear phone case

1. Add a layer of mod podge all over the case

2. Pour your glitter all of the case and let it sit

3. Add a layer or two more of mod podge and let it sit

These are all so simple, and have the ability to add any decorations you think the person would like!

I have many many more DIY Gift ideas, so if you would like more, please let me know! 

DIY Ugly Christmas Sweater

Probably one of my favorite things I have ever made was my ugly Christmas sweater. I made this last year for a little over 10$, and I get compliments every time I wear it. When I made it, I could even have it play music! So if you are wanting to make your own light up ugly Christmas sweater (for cheap too!!) just keep reading!

What you'll need:

-Crewneck (mine was 6$ from Walmart and I got it a size too big) -Tinsel -Mini Ornaments -Star Ornament -LED Battery Operated lights (it's important they are LED) -One mini stocking for the lights, two if you want it to play music -Other decorations of your choice -Hot Glue -Piece of cardboard

**I got everything except my sweater at Dollar Tree, definitely check them out to keep the project so inexpensive!

Directions:

1. Lay your sweater flat on a surface and place the piece of cardboard inside, this is so when you hot glue it won't seep through and stick the sweater together.

2. Start by taking the tinsel and laying it out in a snaking pattern from the bottom of the sweatshirt to the top, with the bottom being the largest part and the top being the smallest. This is your tree! Hot glue it down and let it cool.

3. Glue on your mini ornaments in whatever pattern you would like, but keep some distance between them for the lights

4. Glue down one stocking right at the bottom corner of the sweatshirt, and stick the battery pack into the stocking. From here, run your lights throughout the tree in whatever pattern you would like. These need to be LED lights so that nothing will catch fire. I cannot stress that enough, please be sure they are LED!!.

5. Glue your star on the top of the tree!

6. If you want your sweater to play music, find a stocking big enough to hold your phone, and glue it on the opposite end of the bottom of the tree you glued your other stocking. When you want your sweater to sing, just hit play on your phone and stick it in the stocking!

7. Finish decorating how you'd like! I added presents to the underneath of my tree, I also added Santa and Frosty heads from headbands I found at Dollar Tree. Bows, jingle bells, and some ribbon would also be cutely ugly!

And you're done! This is not machine washable, obviously those is a big no-no. Spot clean it if you need, but I don't wear mine in situations where it could get completely ruined,

Pair this with some ornament earrings, plaid leggings, glue a giant bow on a headband and stick in your hair, throw on some red lipstick, and dominate the ugly sweater party!

How to do Service Over Break

For anyone that has ever done service in some way, they will agree when I say doing service is one of the best feelings in the entire world. To give unselfishly of your time and energy is the most rewarding and positive things someone can do that it baffles me everyone isn't out doing service. So for anyone trying to do service over break, but don't know how or where, I have a list of ways for you to give back!

1. Go to your humane society. This is my favorite. Generally, you have to have training to handle the dogs, but there is a cat room where you can just go pet cats. Fo free. lots of beautiful furry angels right at your finger tips.

2. Donate to the humane society! Litter, food, whatever, ask what they need and go collect it!

3. Volunteer are your local homeless shelter.

4. Volunteer to collect donations for the Salvation. If you can play an instrument, that's even better!

5. Start a canned food drive in your neighborhood

6. Adopt a family that needs Christmas presents and help give them a great Christmas! this would be a great idea for a group of friends, and spend the afternoon buying presents and wrapping them together!

7. Donate toys to Toys for Tots

8. Volunterr at a food pantry

9. Volunteer at a Children's hospital. You can read to them, play with them, a variety of things, and the children absolutely love it!

10. Go a nursing home and keep them company

11. Make a box for a soliders overseas

12. Operation Christmas Shoebox! 

13. Make tie blankets for Project Linus

14. Freerice.com. It's so easy and you can do it from home!

15. Have a bake sale to raise funds for a charity you're passionate about

16. Run/walk/volunteer at a 5K happening around you

17. See if you're local Ronald McDonald house needs any help

18. Write a letter to your congressman about a change you wish to see and are very passionate about.

19. Put together hygiene and food care package and hand them out to any homeless you may have. It also wouldn't hurt to sit down and talk to them; we all have a story to tell and learn from.

20. Visit DoSomething.org. They are looking for volunteers to help out in a field you're interested in!

"The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others." If you've never done service, now is the time to try! I've never met someone who isn't in love with doing service. Tis the season of giving, so give back to your community!

Christmas Music Playlist

As I've stated before, I start my Christmas music in November. Sometimes I'll even listen all year round. Really I can't help it; it's just so damn good. So needless to say when it hits December 1st you can bet your ass 101.5 will be playing in my car constantly, and my Christmas playlist is on repeat. I'm listening to it as we speak. I listen to it walking to class, going to bed, in the shower, and everywhere in between. So if you're looking for some new songs, or want to relive the classics, I have put together a list of the best of the best.

Grab some hot cocoa, hit by the fireplace (or this fireplace on your laptop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDfjXj5EGqI) and relax to some Andy Williams, Frank Sinatra, Pentatonix, and Michael Buble.

What it's like to be legally blind

When I was born, I had optic nerve atrophy. The optic nerve is what sends the image to your brain, and from what I understand, mine aren't fully developed, It affects my far sight, my near sight, my depth perception, and my perception of color. I am legally blind. When I was little, I was told I would be blind by time I hit my teen years and I could never get glasses. So being the fact that I'm 21, not blind, and have had glasses for 10 years is really nothing short of amazing. Thankfully, it hasn't gotten much worse. But it's not getting better. Even with my glasses, I still only see about 20/70. And there's no treatment. Like any nerve, once it's gone, it's gone. So the odds of me ever having good eyesight are slim to none, though I stay optimistic. I've never really been teased about it, thank goodness, except "omg you're so close to your phone!" or "you're so close to your computer!" as if I didn't know that. But I always get the question, "Why not get better glasses," again as though it had never crossed my mind, like I thoroughly enjoy being blind.
What people don't, and probably never will understand, is that what I have, it's a disability. I have never had, nor will I ever, have a normal life. I've spent most of it in the front of the classroom, doing horrible because I can't see, and no one helps cause they do not understand why I can't "just get better glasses." I've had to teach myself to retain information by only hearing it, because I can't always see, and that can be extremely stressful and overwhelming. I generally have to rely on my other senses to do everyday tasks, or on my wonderful friends. The night before I went to renew my licences, I sobbed for hours at the idea that at 21, I would not be able to get my licenses again and have to be completely dependent on someone to help get me places I needed to go, and for anyone that's terrifying, but especially at my age, I couldn't handle the thought. Did I pass the eye test? Hell no. But the guy felt sorry for me. But, like everything else, I've learned to drive blindly, and I do fine about 98% of the time. When you can't see you can amazingly innovate ways to do things people take for granted everyday.
I've gotten to the point where, if someone asks me "why don't you get better glasses?" I turn into a sarcastic asshole. Although they ask out of genuine curiosity, it's an incredibly stupid question, and honestly, I find it incredibly rude. As far as I'm concerned, it's like asking someone hard of hearing why they don't get better hearing aids, or an amputee why they don't just grow a new limb. Because we fucking can't, we would very much like to, but we just fucking can't. I even had one girl, that I had never met, ask me once in a lab if I had bifocals. When I said yes, she goes "why? you don't look that old," I responded telling her that there is no age limit for bad eyesight, and there was obviously no age limit on being an asshole either. I never got an apology but I think she learned her lesson. 
I haven't always been that way, I use to educate people on what I was facing, but as the years went on, I realized that I owed no one an explanation for what was wrong with me. I already had to come to terms with it every single day, and the last thing I wanted was to have to have someone else come to terms with it everyday (although they never do, they just shrug about it, I roll my eyes, and  we move on.)
What's it like to be legally blind? I don't know how to describe it except to say difficult. I've spent my entire life, and always will, learning to adjust to the things normal people can do. But since I've always been this way, I don't know how different it is from someone with normal vision. But I can tell you it's hard. For anyone that has a disability where you have to compensate in creative ways to keep up with the "normal" people, daily tasks are hard. But you get use to it. It's tiring, but it's just your routine. I can't complain too much, because I should be blind. But please don't take your eyesight for granted, and don't question other people's hardships. We are all facing our own hardships, and it's no one else's place to be questioning that.
If you're like me, and have some sort of "disability" that impairs your everyday life, you're great. Never let anyone tell you otherwise, and never let anyone else get you down, you are important. Take the lemons life gave you, add some tequila and salt and tell life it can never bring you down. Never let your disability break you, let it only make you.

MORE DIY Holiday Room Decor!

We are officially less than two weeks from Christmas! Although, I've realized as I've gotten older than I enjoyed the time leading up to Christmas a lot more than the actual day. The actual day is great, too, but the holiday season is really so magical and special, then we have to wait a whole year for it to come again. So what do I do about this dilemma? I make myself feel better by crafting. So here are 3 more crafts to help get you through until the end!

Countdown Blocks

What you'll need:

-2 Cube Blocks -A slab of wood the two blocks will fit on -White Paint -Holiday Paper -Mod Podge -A Sponge brush -Scissors -OPTIONAL Letter and number stickers (if you have awful handwriting like me

Directions:

1. Start off painting all your blocks white, and the slab of wood. Or whatever color you'd like. you don't have to this, but I did because I wasn't going to be cutting the paper to completely cover the block.

2. Cut out squares from your paper. I made a few millimeters too small so I could have a boarder.

3. Decide how you want the design on there (I used 5 different prints of paper and didn't want some next to each other), and mod podge the paper on.

4. So I used stickers for this part, but you don't have to. I put "days left" on the slab of wood. I wanted to put "days until santa" but it didn't fit. 

5. Next, you will need the numbers 0,1,1,2,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9. 0,1,2,7,8,9 will go on one block and 1,2,3,4,5,6 will go on the other. Unfortunately I couldn't find ANY number stickers so I had to use raise paper cardboard hybrid. material, but it still works.

Now you can count down how many days until Santa comes!

Ornament Garland

What you'll need:

-Tinsel -Ornaments

Directions:

All you have to do is put the ornaments on the tinsel in whatever pattern you;d like. That's it! So simple, yes so festive.

Bonus: I also did this with mini stockings and twine. SO CUTE!

JOLLY Letters

What you'll need:

-Letters (wood or paper mache, preferablly ones that can stand on their own) -Mod Podge -Paint -Sponge Brush -Glitter 

Directions:

FIRST OFF, GET LETTERS THAT STAND ON THEIR OWN. Being the impatient I am I got letters that are extremely thin and won't stand without support, and so there's not much I can do with them.

1. Paint the outline of the letters whatever color you'll be using for glitter.

2. Put a thick coat of mod podge all over the letter and them pour your glitter on.

3. Once it dries, put on another coat of mod podge to seal in the glitter.

By far this is my FAVORITE thing. I wish I had been patient and gotten letters that can stand on their own, but next year I'll probably add some red ribbon to the back and hang them on the wall. Problem solved!

How to Destress from Finals

Finals can break even the most emotionless of souls, forcing them onto their knees in a fit of tears and despair that could be considered the eighth wonder of the world, and it hasn't even started yet.

In recent years college students have reported record high stress levels, and it's only going to get worse. 

Like I've said before, above all else your mental health is the most important thing to focus on during finals week. Below are 25 ways to help deal with the stress of finals.

1. Take a walk

2. Take a nap

3. Listen to some music

4. Dance like no one is watching

5. Go have a drink at a bar. But don't get wasted, that'll only make you feel worse.

6. Have a spa night with your friends

7. Take a nap.

8. Play your favorite video game

9. Do some volunteer work. The humane society is always looking for cat cuddlers.

10. Have a movie night with your friends or significant other

11. Skype/call your friends or family 

12. Indulge in your favorite hobby.

13. Watch funny YouTube videoes

14. Play an instrument, if you know how to.

15. Get some coffee and read a book in your favorite coffee shop.

16. Look for activities hosted by your university. Many will host events to help Destress during finals. 

17. Surf the Internet. Or browse Pinterest. 

18. Retail therapy. My favorite, but don't go crazy and spend more than you have. 

19. Do some yoga or meditate
20, Take some Buzzfeed quizzes
21. Clean your room/batheoom/whatever is dirty
22. Take a shower and wash your face. Bonus points if you shave.
23. Cook a homemade meal.
24. Order some Chinese takeout.
25. Do something you've put off.

Don't put finals before you, everybody. College is hard, everyone understands that. Do what you need to do to keep yourself sane and healthy!

DIY Holiday Treats

We are now on what is probably my favorite thing in the entire world - FOOD.The holidays are a great time to put a few pounds, and there's nothing wrong with that. Nothing goes with a good time like good food. All these treats are easy and cheap, perfect for anyone of any age!

Candy Cane Suckers

What you'll need:

-Candy canes -Chocolate Chips -Sucker Sticks -Sprinkles -Parchment Paper

Directions: 

1. lay two candy canes with the curves touching each other and the end touching each other, to look like a heart, on some parchment paper. You can keep them regular sized or cut off the bottom to make them mini

2. Place a sucker stick between each set of candy canes, right through the center of the heart of candy canes.

3. Melt your chocolate chips. You can use any kind you like, most use white chocolate but there is colored chocolate out there if you'd like to use green, red, blue, etc.

4. Pour the melted chocolate between each set of candy canes, filled the heart spaced space.

5. Before the chocolate cools and hardens, add some sprinkles to the chocolate and let them cool!

Rice Krispie Snowballs

What you'll need:

-Rice Krispie cereal -Any ingredients the box calls for to make rice krispie treats -White chocolate chips -Parchment paper -Sprinkles

Directions:

1. Being by making the rice krispie treats via instructions on the box. When it comes time to form the treats, shape them into balls of any size you prefer.

2. Melt your white chocolate. *Tip, make a lot in a large pot so you can just drop in the rice krispie balls, instead of trying to drizzle the chocolate on. 

3. Drop your balls into the chocolate and rotate until completely covered. Fish them out and place them on the parchment paper.

4. Add sprinkles! I suggest fine white sprinkles to give the glittering snow effect, but whatever you'd like!

**You do not have to add the candy canes, it's the only picture I could find. If you would like to make them look more like ornaments, though, feel free too!

Santa Hats

What you'll need:

-Brownie mix and ingredients on box -Mini cupcake tin -Whip Cream -Strawberries

Directions:

1. Bake the brownies in the mini cupcake tins, and wait for them to cool. *Tip: if you do not have a mini cupcake tin, most grocery stores sell bite sizes brownies in the round shape. You can also bake brownies regularly, and cut out small circles.

2. Wash the berries, then cut the stem of the strawberries while the brownies are baking

3. Once the brownies are cool, remove them from the tin and spread white white cream on the top.

4. Place the strawberry on top of the white cream, pointed end up.

5. Put a tiny bit of whip cream on the tip of the strawberry.

Grinch Kabobs

What you'll need:

-Toothpick -Green Grapes -Strawberries -Mini marshmallows -Bananas

Directions:

1. Pull your grapes off the vine and wash them along with the strawberries

2. Cut the stem off the strawberry

3. Peel your bananas and slice them to whatever you thickness you prefer; but not too thick or not, since this is the bottom of the hat.

4. Assemble the toothpick starting with the grape, then a banana slice, a strawberry with the pointed end facing away from the banana, and lastly, the mini marshmallow.

Preztel M&Ms Hugs

What you'll need:

-Red and Green M&Ms -Hershey's Hugs -Small Pretzels (The squares of twisted) -Parchment paper -Cookie Sheet

1. Preheat your oven to 200F

2. Place your pretzels onto the parchment paper on the cookie sheet

3. Unwrap your hugs and set on in the center of the pretzel

4. Once your oven is heated, place the hugs and pretzels into the oven for about 6 minutes. If they start to lose their shape take them out.

5. Before they cool off, gently push an M&M down into the center of the kiss.

Ornment Cupcakes

What you'll need:

-Cupcake mix along with ingredients to make them -Regular sized cupcake tin -Cupcake liners -M&Ms and/or sprinkles -Cupcake Liners -White Frosting -Food Coloring -Mini Reeses (the unwrapped kind) OR Rolos if someone is allergic to peanut butter

Directions:

1. Begin by baking the cupcakes per the directions on the box, putting the liners into the tin and filling each cups about halfway with batter.

2. While your cupcakes are baking, divide your icing and add colors to each division, for different colored ornaments.

3. When the cupcakes are done, let them cool completely.

4. Ice the cupcakes and decorate however you'd like!

5. Add your Rolos or Reeses to the side of the cupcake, wherever the top of the ornament should be.

I hope you add these treats to your family traditions, try them out and let me know which is your favorite!

**These pictures are not mine. I pulled them from pinterest.

White Elephant Gifts

White Elephant; the more exciting cousin of Secret Santa, the only game in which being number one sucks the most.

Some people take the opportunity to be funny and outlandish with their gifts, while others just give regular gifts.

Here are some gifts that are both, but mostly some humorous gifts!

1. Fish and chips. And by fish and chips, I mean a live goldfish and some pringles.
2. Money candy. Put an empty toilet paper roll in a mason jar and put money or a giftcard in it, and fill the space between the roll and the jar with M&Ms!
3. Snowman Poop: fill a ziplock bag with mini marshamellows and label is as "snowman poop." Reindeer poop: fill a bag with Hershey kisses and label is "Reindeer poop." Elf poop" Put some red M&Ms in a jar and label ot "elf Poop." Moose poop are chocolate sprinkles and grinch poop is geen M&Ms.
4. Ugly Christmas Sweaters!! You can DIY one, find one on Etsy, or Wal Mart has some really cute but ugly sweaters.
5. Tube of cookies. Bake some cookies, and put them into a pringles can. You can either decorate the can, or, for a little more fun, don't decorate it but just tie it up with ribbon so no one can peek inside and see it's actually cookies!
6. Holiday jewelry. You can find lots of cute holiday accessories, like jingle bell earrings or present bow headbands. If you can't find, they are also super easy to DIY!
7. Chia Pet. Enough said.
8. Funny toilet paper. Check amazon, they have toilet paper that looks like 100$ bills. Cha-Ching!
9. This is more about the presentation than the gift. You can find joke boxes online, like "earwax candle" to package your real gift. You can also find them at Meijer if you live in that area.
10. Giant candy bars. Reeses have 1/2 pound cups packages in twos, and I've also seen pound sized Snickers. Give the gift that keeps on giving!

You can also find lots and lots of funny gag gifts online. Give your gifts a chuckle this holiday and give the gift they will never forget (and possibly regift)!

Gifts for Him

I have accepted the fact that I will never master the art of being able to shop for men. No matter what man in my life it is, no matter how well I know them or how predictable they are, I just can't do it.

So for this post I pulled in some reinforcements from the man in my life. Thanks Eric!
I tried pulling gifts from a wide range of activities, interests, and cost ranges. Some things you can make, but most of things to buy!

**I want to make a note that by no means are these gifts exclusive to men. I want to promote gender diversity, and these gifts are not bound to any gender. However, these are gifts that many people may find more suited for a dad, brother, boyfriend, any male figure. But hey, like whatever it is you like!

1. Video Game
2. Console accessories (controllers, headsets, etc.)
3. Dress shirts/Any shirts really
4. Cologne
5. Work out equipment
6. A new wallet
7. Memory box
8. Picture frame (preferably with a picture of the two of you)
9. Ties
10. Lotto tickets
11. Tickets to a sporting event
12. Tickets to a concert
13. Bag (duffel bag, briefcase, etc.)
14. iHome
15. Wireless phone charger
16. iPad
17. Speakers
18. His (or yours maybe?) favorite body wash
19. Tin signs (you know those "man cave" things)
20. Boxers/underwear
21. FitBit
22. Watch
23. Cuff Links
24. DVD/Video Game stand
25. Gloves/Hats/Scarf
26. Boardgames/Card Games/Cards Against Humanity
27. Jack Daniels Soap Dispenser
28.  Sports Team memorabilia 
29. Sunglasses
30. Tie Blanket

A Thank You Letter to my Pledges

To all my pledges,
In the Spring of 2014 I ran for pledge educator, and lost. A brother said to me, "don't get discouraged, you're still a great active brother and it's just not your time." So I ran again in the fall of 2014, I lost again, and it was even more devastating the second time. I never intended to run again, because I didn't want to face the let down of losing again. But the same brother and one more brother pushed me to do it. I was worried if I lost again, I would lose my APO spark ,and not want to be part of the chapter anymore. But I ran, and when the SAA came out and told the chapter that me, Jenna and Kayla won unanimously, all I could do was scream. I got lots of hugs that night, and the one brother that had been behind me the whole me the entire way said me "this is your time."
As soon as we won, the pledge eds got together and started work to make this be best semester of your life. All we wanted was to make sure you all felt right at home in Alpha Phi Omega, and would strive to be the brothers everyone would look up to. As you probably know, from day one we were stressed. It seemed that every move we made caused problems, nothing seemed to go right and no one seemed to be happy with what we were doing. But we kept going, because you were our only priority. After pledge ceremony, we were all so giddy about what a fantastic pledge class we had. We were so proud and overjoyed to have such great pledges. I looked forward to every single Monday night, to see all of you and know you more and more. As cheesy as it sounds, I felt like the parent to 41 college kids. I wanted to see you all succeed, I loved you all for who you were, and on top of it all, I was, and still am, so damn proud. 
Your pledging semester is hands down the hardest semester in your APO career. But every single one of you handled it like a boss. All the while I was going absolutely crazy. Things were piling up, more things were going wrong and it seemed like everyone was against us, except you. All the texts and conversation, all the facebook messages and written notes about how great we were doing, that our hard work never went unnoticed, and how lucky you all were to have us as pledge eds. I can't put into words how happy those made me, more than you all will ever know. 
It was you all the kept up my passion and morale for this position. Watching you all get initiated was one of the best moments of my life, and I have never been so overcome with happiness. Looking back on it, I'm so glad I lost, because this semester was my time. I wouldn't trade the experience you all have given me for the world, and with the semester ending and your first active semester beginning,  I have faith that you all will change this chapter for the better. There is no other group of fantastic men and women that I would want to have guided and taught, and learned from, than the pledge class of fall 2015. I may have been your pledge educator, but all taught me how to be a better brother, and how to not take life so seriously.
Love,
Samantha