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I'm so excited to do this blog post for you guys. I don't do many book related posts but if you guys don't know me, know that I love to read. Unfortunately though (and it's not just me, maybe there's just a universal age where we all just don't read as much. It definitely has something to do with high school and college work loads and teenage/adult responsibilities but I won't go into that right now) anyways, I don't read as much as I used to and when I do, I'm much more selective. So this year I wanted to challenge myself to A. read more! (Duh). And B. To break out of my comfort zone and read books that I normally wouldn't pick up on my own. It's definitely going to be a challenge since I'm a binge reader (so I'll sit and finish a book in one sitting, no breaks in between) but it's good to break old habits. Besides, I learned that it's okay to read and have to come back to a book as long as I finish the book. So that's what this list is. It's a personal goal to read at least twenty books by the end of this year. Of course I want to read more but I feel like twenty is a good number to start with. I can't take all the credit for this list though. I have to give a shout out to this YouTuber I found named Katherine Cassidy who has the most amazing energy when doing book reviews. I love the amount of detail she gives to the books descriptions and how she doesn't just read the back of the cover. She talks personally about certain aspects that she loved throughout the novel without giving any spoilers and any apprehensions she had before reading (not to mention, she had many books on her own list that I've read and loved so I'd say she has good taste. lol). So, most of the books on my list are inspired by three of her videos which I will have linked below. Now, I will warn you, I'm a softy and so my favorite (and pretty much only) genre to read is romance. Contemporary and steamy are my go-to's so the videos down below and some of the books on this list fall under this category, so don't judge but you have been forewarned. Haha. However, since I'm challenging myself, I threw in a few surprises just to push myself (and you) into new territory. I have two poetry books, I have comic books, and I have one non-fiction. I don't think I have any fantasy but maybe if I can finish my twenty books before the year is over then I'll throw one in. It took me so long to finish this list because number 20 was going to be a mystery but I wanted to make sure these were books that I would be able to come back to during my busy schedule and I don't think I'll be able to do that right now for a mystery in order to remember what's happening. (But don't worry Rossena, I will eventually read and finish Gone Girl. I promise. lol). Okay, so now that all introductions are out of the way, let's jump into the list!
1. Shatter Me by Taherah Mafi
I've been trying to read this book for at least a year now. 2019 wasn't the year for it but hopefully in 2020 this book will finally have its time to shine. I have the physical copy of it too so I hope that'll inspire me to get to it faster since I love physical books opposed to reading online. (It's such a hassle, painful for my eyes, and if it's not free it's not for me. Lol.) Anyways, this book is a dystopian thriller which is way out of my comfort zone. Dystopian, for sure (loved The Giver) but thrillers are usually only for movies within my range of interests. I was mainly drawn to this book for its unique writing. One line is written, another has a line through it. I loved that because it's exactly how we think, how we write. We say one thing, cross it out, edit. It was interesting to me but it's something that I'm going to need to dedicate time to reading since this isn't purely romance. Although, for a girl with a fatal touch it must be a pretty interesting story to see how all her relationships work...especially while locked in a cell. Long story short, this'll be fun.
2. Collide by Gail McHugh
This book seems like your typical 'bad boy romance' and I'm totally here for it. I'm not one for love triangles (I hate them actually) but the plot didn't hint at the love triangle so much as having one person in Emily's life and then finding another who is determined to have her. (Cue eye roll) but I love second chance romances so we'll see how it goes.
3. Not So Nice Guy by R.S. Grey
Do some titles ever make you question "why"? I mean, covers, I'm not surprised. When it comes to romance it's no surprise if it's just a variation of a girl and a guy, but this title makes me wonder why Ian isn't as nice of a guy as he apparently is made out to be. In my head I'm wondering if this is hinting to some freaky stuff or maybe a troubled past...I don't know. What do ya'll think? Anyways, I've never read a teacher-teacher romance before. I've read teacher-and something else so I'm excited for this read. It's your typical best friend trope where they end up falling in love but I'm excited to read this one because of the new setting. I hope they keep it pg in front of the kids though because the description didn't say they were professors. I'm all for a good scandal but not with fifth graders in the next room. Lol.
4. Walk of Shame by Lauren Layne
This is a book that I've already crossed off my list (I started out pretty strong this January so a few of the books I'm listing here are crossed off so I'll just tell you what I thought before reading it and then how I felt after reading it). When I started reading it, I was so intrigued. I love cliche romance stories with (mainly) interesting lead characters, that way it gives things a twist. Otherwise, there needs to be a dramatic twist somewhere along the story line in order to keep me hooked. That being said, this book sounded so good! Especially in the way Cassidy described it in her review. It's about this guy and a girl who live in the same building and they each meet each other at five am-him on his way to work and her on her way back from a night out- I was like oh yeah. Opposites attract, here we go. Because usually when I hear this story line starting out with the leads having a common interest, I thought-so maybe the guy and the girl both workout at this same time-but from right off the bat my attention is drawn to the differences. I loved it! Anyways, I have the book linked up above (click the picture!) so that you can get a better feel of the actual description but I must say I was very disappointed after reading this book. It started off so good but in the end it was all just...fluff. Although I didn't expect much from the description but I did expect a whole lot more. Though, as much as I'd really like to go into the details about this book and how I felt about it, I think I'll do full book reviews on each of these after I complete the list. (I know, I totally suck for keeping you hanging like this). But trust me. It'll be worth it. Besides, maybe you'll read this book by then and have an opinion to share about it instead. I'd love to hear what you guys think.
5. Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas
I'm going to be honest, I'm putting off reading a lot of the books on this list until the last possible moment, even though I really shouldn't. It's the stubbornness in me to read what I think, I know I like (because you never really know until you try) but even though this books falls under romance, for me, it's a little risky. There's a huge age gap and listen, I'm all for a little scandal between 25 and 37 but hot damn, 19 and 38 had my heart stopping just for a second. THAT BEING SAID...Cassidy said that it wasn't freaky or weird and so I'm going to try it out. Besides, the description on Goodreads was enticing so I'm going to try to go into it with an open mind. I'll let you know how it goes.
6. Getting Lucky Number Seven by Cindi Madsen
I looove me a good girl/guy bestfriend-turned-lover-relationship. I love them even more if 1. They're in college (Like Me!) 2. The guy is in sports (which he is) and 3. There's always the nerdy girl with determination and a bucket list. And Number seven, of course, is to have mind-blowing sex. HULLO! Right up my alley. You know, people really are missing out when they say romance novels don't have that much thrill. Because I'll tell you right now that I'm so thrilled to read this book. I hope it's good.
7. The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros
This was the book I was most excited for on this list and so it was the first book I read after I learned about it. And it was sooo good. It's romance, but for me it felt like more than that. It felt like a story about family and the strengths love can have to build relationships. I don't know how to explain it but it was just a beautiful story, not just a great romance story. It's about a single mother who writes to her brother's best friend who's in the military. (And fun fact about me but I love a good soldier. Count. me. In.) Anyways, They're pen pals for awhile until Beckett comes home and lies to Ella about who he is in order to help her raise her children after something happens to one of them. It's soo good guys. Usually I don't read single mom stories either because not all the times are the kids easily integrated into the story or, sorry to say, but the stories are too mature in the sense that they're really boring. lol. But this one was perfect. Highly recommend.
8. Brooklynaire by Sarina Bowen
I'm not sure why I'm more hesitant to read this one. It's definitely within my usual genre and I actually like hocky romances (despite my disinterest in the actual sport). I think it's because it's not hinting to the buildup of their romance as being the main plot of the story, but rather what happens after they have their one night (and that can either go really good or really bad depending on how the story is written). But I promised myself that I'd go into each story with an open mind and I'm determined to do so. Besides, I like the name Brooklynaire. It reminds me of the city. Haha.
9. The Unhoneynmooners by Christina Lauren
I love Christina Lauren! (From the one other book I've read by them. lol.) This best friend duo of authors has really changed my perspective on female main characters in the best possible way. That being said, highly recommend Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating because that was just spectacular. Best female lead award goes to that book. Hands down. Anyways...The Unhoneymooners. I was intrigued! Perfect plot and perfect setup and given my great experience before, I was expecting ten out of ten reviews for this one too...and to be honest I don't know yet. I haven't finished it, I'm almost done but a bulk of the novel is almost done and I'm not completely satisfied. I'll let you know what I really think when I'm finished with it but for now I've put the novel on pause since I'm worried about how it's going to end (or rather, how I'll feel once it does. Can you tell I don't do well with conflict? lol).
10. The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dane
This is one of those risky novels again. Haha. I love period films but if the cover of a novel has a woman wearing a corset, a poofy dress, and is in the arms of a man in a billowing linen shirt I'll always say pass. (Sorry, but I most definitely judge books by their covers. Oops). Anyways, I'm usually apprehensive about historical romances too because I've read some pretty...offensive plot lines and I'm sorry but no amount of open mindedness will ever allow me to read a romance story based around no consent. Period. On that note, this plot line doesn't seem too bad. I'm hoping the book is better than described on Amazon, especially since I'm going off of Cassidy's energy solely for this one. I'm very interested in writing this book review though, especially for the more risky ones. I want to see how much my perspective has changed either for the book or that sub-theme in general.
11. Never Have I Ever by Lauren Blakely
This book said single sexy dad? Here. And boy am I there. I'm actually really excited to read this book. I had to look up the description again to give you guys my full thought process behind it but I'm 100 percent here for this book. (Which is such a relief after talking so much about my apprehension on the other one's on this list. lol). It's an opposite's attract trope (which sometimes I love and sometimes I'm 'eh' about to be honest). But for me it's the kid that's making me swoon because oof. I'm really excited to see where this goes actually. Plus wedding planners are so cool to read about. I just hope the lawyer has more depth to him than the stereotypes write them out to be.
12. The Risk by Elle Kennedy
Elle Kennedy! Ugh. I love her and have loved her but you know, now I'm not so sure...Anyways, let me jump right in here to say that I've loved Elle Kennedy for a minute. I read her entire Off-Campus series which I absolutely adored and highly recommend. (The Score and The Goal are my two favorite, in that order). So, when I heard that she was doing a second series with FITZY? Ah! I nearly died. I've been waiting on that book for a minute. But not gonna lie, wasn't too thrilled (which is why it's not on this list. Also because I already read it in 2019. Let me know if you guys want me to add a review to that book when I do these since that book is technically the first book in the series. The Risk is the second.) However, This book is a standalone! Other characters are mentioned from her Off-Campus series and from the first book but you don't need to read them in order to understand this one. Anyways, despite my initial disappointment with the start of this series, second chances and all that so I'm here, back again. I was very interested in Brenna as a character from the first book though. I'll get back to you on how I actually felt about the book but it was all good vibes. It's another college hocky romance which I enjoyed and they're rivals. OOOh. So yeah, I was hype.
13. The Play by Elle Kennedy
Okay, so I know I keep mentioning this book review that I'm going to do. Blah Blah Blah BUT even though this may be considered a spoiler on my thoughts to this book, it needs to be said. I liked...some of this book. The ending was pretty awesome not gonna lie HOWEVER the main character is mixed. She's black and latina and before we get too excited about "ooh diversity! Ethnicity! Melanin!" I lowkey felt the stereotypes here. Listen, I'm not saying people can't write diverse characters and perhaps a lot of research was put into this book but to me, I felt like there were a few things that seemed way too surface level to be considered well thought out. This is my one opinion though and I'm really so interested on what you guys think about this. To be honest, this all stirred from one scene (guys, no actually, please read this just so we can talk about this one scene. It's the dance scene. You'll know when you know). But anyways, from there on I started nitpicking every little thing in the entire book about the character and even one reference made about a black guy made in The Score (even though I loved that book but it was just one line that made my brow go up). That being said, I still hope you guys will read it and given the ending you guys will hopefully understand that yes, romance has it's fair share of cheese but damn it's those plot twists we really live for! Okay, enough about this book. Onto the next.
14. Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
Oh. M. Gee. You guys, I'm not going to lie. It's really hard not to rant and rave about these books after having read them but can we just talk about it. Can we just talk about this PLEASE? Because girl, I nearly died. Yes, I know I'm late to the gravy train but I really am one of those people who just doesn't do things when they're popular. I don't even know why! I swear it's not a thing I force myself to do but it's really just a turn off for me. But anyways, you guys probably already know about this book because HULLO who hasn't? Rupi Kaur really killed y'all in 2014 because she really slayed my ass in January 2020. I can't even lie. This is literally the next book I'm buying on my Amazon wishlist. Anyways, read it again if you haven'tread it awhile. Read it again if you read it yesterday. And tag me with your favorite poem from the book on Instagram because I have plenty. And if you haven't heard of or read this book yet, prepared to be slayed and laid by one true poetry queen. And that's all I have to say about that. Look to Amazon for the boring description because I can't even muster one up without excitement. It doesn't do this woman justice.
15. A Warning by Anynomous: A Senior Trump Administration Official
Guys, I don't know what I was thinking when I picked up this book and said "this will be a great idea not only to read but to add to my list". I had really hoped I wouldn't lie to myself and you this year but this book is mighty hefty and a little dense and I don't know. I may or may not be finishing this book this year. lol. But I sure as hell am going to try! And I really want to, simply because I want to try to be more proactive about my learning, especially keeping up to date with politics. I don't want this book to feel like homework (because the only other nonfiction I've read for fun were magazines and a lifestyle book. I own four and even out of those four I've only finished one. Sadly.) but I feel like this could be something worth pushing through my boredom if it gets to that. But I never know, I could actually love the style of writing and learn something at the same time. There's no pictures though and my lifestyle book had pictures so we're definitely competing for captivity here. lol. Anyways, it's basically a book about the behind the scene's of Trump's presidency and the first words of a senior official who's words of warning "rocked the nation's capitol". Yup, totally copied that from the description but I'm pretty sure the billions of other websites before Goodreads explains this book a whole lot better.
16. Permenant Record by Mary H.K Choi
Mary H.K. Choi! Her name was the first thing I recognized after reading the back of this book. But first, let's talk about how cool the outside cover is. I first picked this book up in Target and it was a hardcover. All I have to say is, if you can find the hardcover, do it just to look at it in person because I personally think it's so freaking cool. Anyways, I recognized the author because she was interviewed by Teen Vogue (I think. I'm pretty sure it was Teen Vogue) about a new book and I just really loved what she had to say to fellow writers. I think I saved the quote from her or at least wrote it down in my notes. She said, "If you want to be a writer, just write. Don't wait for permission...it's really ugly, it's really intolerable but just do it." And you know, it was nice to read that quote again to motivate me. Anyways, I saw her name on this book (and luckily for me, I loved the story behind it first) and so now it's on my list. This book is about a guy who's a year out of college and a internet famous girl who cross paths in Brooklyn (we really need a Bronx love story out here guys. We have so much to offer!) but it's so beautifully modern that I'm so excited to read this story. It's also pretty thick so I feel like there's going to be a beautiful story told on these pages. And then based off of the cool cover, I don't know why but I just feel like this is going to be a good book.
17. The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur
And of course, after reading her first book I looked up her others. And this one is a thick queen and I'm so excited to read it. I read Milk and Honey literally in an hour. (I swear, I was like a bee slurping up honey. It was that good. Wow, the analogies man!) That being said, I want to be able to dedicate that much time to this book as well because I have another poetry book that I've been "in the process" of reading for over a year now and I really fear it's never going to get done. lol. So I want to do this book justice and dedicate a spring break vacation day just to this book. (And hopefully to my other books as well) but at least one day to this book specifically. (Now let me look up what this one is about because I honestly don't know, forgot and didn't care simply because it was another poetry book by her). Okay, The sun and her flowers has five chapters about growth and journey and...hell. Amazon guys. Amazon has all the answers.
18. Teen Titans: Beast Boy (Comic) (Coming September 8, 2020) by Kami Garcia Illustrated by Gabriel Picolo
You know, I found this comic (series? Right now this book will make it a duology but I'm not sure what the contract is on this. Anyways!) because I had followed Gabriel Picolo on Instagram. I had found his artwork five years ago randomly on Pinterest and now years later I'm following him and Kami Garcia and they come out with a whole comic book! I was stoked. Now listen, I can't say I'm a hardcore DC fan (because come on. Those movies really be slacking. Endgame? DC could never) but aside from that, their TV shows are pretty cool and I loove the Teen Titans. And I'm not talking just the Cartoon Network cartoon but the actual cartoon movie. (The Judas Contract was so great.) Anyways, my newfound obsession came with the cartoon artwork of Raven I had been recently seeing and so of course I wanted to write her story with her and Beastboy because HULLO power couple anyone? But yeah, we won't talk about that. Haha. Long story short, I read the Raven comic in a flash (I totally planned that joke. I can'r even lie about my corniness at this point. Lol) and now I've been waiting impatiently for the Beastboy comic WHICH COMES OUT IN SEPTEMBER! So I'm super hype for this to be my summer read. I think I'm going to buy it hardcopy too just because Beastboy really is such a king, man. Highly recommend reading Raven first though. Not because it's not a standalone but because why not? lol. The beastboy comic is a standalone though and the story actually looks so great. It's talking about our lovely teenage years and friendship and growing into our identities...really a good read. I love comics!
19. Grimm Fairy Tales Volume 2 by Joe Tyler and Ralph Tedesco (Sorry no pic for you guys on this one but click on the link and you can see it.)
I must admit, I have not talked about this comic series as often as I probably should considering how much love I have for it. Shout out to my dad for introducing me to this (and comic books in general, I guess. lol) because this series is AMAZING! Let me give a little context though. If you didn't already know (because Disney deceived me during my childhood as it probably has most of us and to be honest, I'm still not mad at it) but anyways, the grimm fairytales are actually quite...grimm. Lol. I'm pretty sure these comics have taken the original stories and modernized them for us 21 century folk but my goodness, my dad gave me volume 1 and all I want to do now is read more about the twisted tales of Cinderella and Red Riding Hood (because honey, humanity really is twisted. lol). Anyways, this is volume two and each comic is a standalone full of 5 short stories (at least in this one). They're all of stories we probably know and love so I personally recommend volume 1 as well but read volume 2 with me just so we can talk about it because whew. I'm excited for this one. I'm definitely buying a hard copy of this because just to own one will make my entire year.
20. Maybe Now by Colleen Hoover
I love Colleen Hoover. As in, if her brain were a walking talking human I would marry it and just listen to the stories it creates for hours. That's how in love I am with Colleen Hoover. Her other book, It Ends With Us, is perfect and I cannot recommend it enough. I read Maybe Someday years ago when it first came out and I fell in love. (I was still into my nook back then and realized-sadly- how much I still hate reading online unless it's free) and then she started posting the beginning chapters to this book on Wattpad. I followed them like an addict until she just stopped and I forgot all about it. But thanks to the power of social media (and her giveaway at the time) I was reminded of it again and instantly decided this would be the perfect ending to my list. Granted, after I finish The Unhoneymooners I'll probably read this one next but I'll try to hold out for as long as I can to at least give the other books a chance. Maybe Now is the third book ending this duology (with one novella in between) so it is highly recommended that you read Maybe Someday first but you don't need to read Maybe Not (the novella) to understand this one (from what I remember) unless you want to, which, trust me, you'll want to. I know this list took so long to get through. I really was just ranting and raving by the end because I couldn't help it. Some of these books have history even if I haven't read them yet. But I'm really excited to complete this list. I'm proud of myself for even starting so soon though so yay me in 2020 for starting off the new year right. I know it's February though but better late than never. Also, HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH! Celebrate black authors and writers in spirit of this month and this post. Comment down below your favorites. Also comment any books you think I should add to my list whether you think I'll like it or not. Really staying on trend here with versatility. Lol. Overall, I really hope this list gave you guys some ideas for some things to read for this year. If not, I hope it challenges you to go out of your comfort zone to read outside of your genre or maybe it'll push you to simply read more this year. Either way, I hope you enjoyed. Until Next Time! With love, Arianna Katherine Cassidy's Videos: Steamy Romance Book Recommendations Episode 1 Steamy Book Recommendations Episode 2 Steamy Book Recommendations 3
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1/26/2020 0 Comments College 101: The TruthHI GUYS! Welcome back to the blog. I'm very excited for this post because I've waited soo long to finally talk about this and now...I think it's time. (P.S. Click on the photos to listen. ;) Pride is something that usually is a double edged sword. You either have too much of it (for yourself) or it’s an overwhelming, heartfelt emotion. But no matter on which spectrum you fall, at which time, I think pride deserves to be outwardly expressed even if it may come off a little conceited, and here’s why. When you accomplish something-even with help-you were the one who went through all the trials and tribulations; you thought you wouldn’t get there but somehow you rallied and pulled through-and I think you should allow yourself to feel that pride. No matter what it took for you to get there, or how long, at the end of this journey you accomplished something. I didn’t feel pride when I first got accepted into college. Now don’t get me wrong, I was excited, I was happy, I was relieved, maybe a little shocked but pride? No, for me it took me a long time to feel the pride of having done something to get into the school of my dreams. It’s not the direct fault of anyone but I had many different people who played so many different roles in my life, people that I value and respect, tell me that the path I was trying to take wasn’t going to be worth it; that there was a high possibility that it wouldn’t work, and to look at other options. Long story short, I was discouraged and it was so discouraging that when I actually accomplished my goal-I got into the school of my dreams!-I was still so worried and it took away this overwhelming feeling that I should have been reveling in: the same ones I’m telling you to revel in. College is a risky business to play. There’s the statistics and then there’s a lottery. You’re either exactly what they want or you’re not and it sounds harsh but it also has nothing to do with you even if you’ve put in the work. It may be that they don’t have that many slots to fill and you just barely made the cut. But the truth is, you never know when it comes to institutions, you just have to do everything you can and hope for the best. That being said, there are so many things that can be discouraging on its own aside from waiting anxiously for schools to get back to you, not to mention you’re still a full time high school student. However, try not to let all the pressure dissuade you not only from the process itself but from the possibilities of doing or being something great or from doing what you want to do just because of the stats. I wanted to give advice for high school students through the college process. I wanted to talk more about the SAT’s versus the ACTs (I liked the ACTs better by the way) and I wanted to talk about the pros and cons of going to a state school versus a city school; private institutions versus public; six hours away versus an hour and a half. I wanted to go into detail about the FAFSA process and CSS but...I realized that me writing a list of tips and tricks wasn’t going to help you if they all sounded like every other person who’s written advice on college. It also wasn't going to be easy or fun for me to 1. Remember everything that I went through in order to give you sound and solid advice and 2. Write things that even I’m not educated on. Instead, I wanted to share some of the personal aspects of the college process with you guys, knowing this is the best way you can get a feel for the experience and it’s the most real coming from me. The college process is daunting (or at least, that’s the way it was presented as for me). I wasn’t one of those kids in sixth grade planning to study nursing at Cornell. I didn’t even really decide my major until junior year and it was because I had to. (Luckily for me it didn’t take that long to guess my passion but still) college is all about planning and the future, two things I don’t like to do (I’m a “live in the moment kind of person, to be honest). But starting from my freshman year of high school, I was already being programmed to work hard so that I could get into a good college. Which, on one aspect, I appreciated because it taught me incredible work ethic and to value the skills I learned in school but on the other, it made college seem like the end all be all for life and success which created a ton of pressure and anxiety that I didn’t enjoy. College is a future plan that not many people know if they truly want to commit to but it’s “the only way to get anywhere successful” and we’re all striving for success, right? Eh. Maybe, but not always in that way. Not to mention, the type of school and the name are such bigger factors than they need to be but with the way our society is built, it’s equally as important. I didn’t choose a school that was as well known to the people working with me through the process. It was a shot in the dark, a private institution six hours away with a low acceptance rate...it was a risky business. I put all my cards into this school. I passed up opportunities to further myself in other applications, I traveled the distance numerous times just to push myself forward but only for this school. If things didn’t work out, I could have been left with nothing and that was scary for the people around me but for me, but I felt like this is what I wanted. This is what I needed in a college and I was going to get in. And I don’t say this with arrogance or even confidence but with as much determination as I could muster. (And I did. I got in!). But as much as I was pushing forward to make things happen, there were many voices nagging for me to look at other options or to perhaps take those same steps for my one school, towards the others as well. Now I just want to jump right in here and say that my mom has stood by every decision I’ve ever made and not naively at that. We discussed our options for hours, we weighed the pros and cons, we made a financial and life plan and at the end of the day she's the one who kept pulling me back from all those other voices, reminding me why I'm doing what I'm doing and that this is my life and I'm the only one who has to live it so it should be my choice. And it was, but it wasn't without her constant motivation and encouraging words. I also want to point out that the other people in my life who were also a part of this process were equally amazing. I recognize the roles they had to play and despite their outward concerns there has never been a time when I've needed something and haven't been able to sit down with them and they helped me get through it. This isn't me bashing their name or the responsibilities they had because I know all of their concerns were from a place of valid love and concern. However, the outward caution led me to have many doubts and insecurities throughout and after this process. Though, I look at that as a part of my journey that helped to keep me humble so I didn’t get too lost in the glamour and excitement of everything. It also helped me to look at the reality and responsibility of everything I was doing-It made me fully understand the outcome of my decisions if things didn’t go well-and I made that decision fully knowing what I was walking into and I appreciate that. Though, even after I got in I questioned whether or not I was doing the right thing. Was this the right decision for me? Should I have stayed closer to home? But I’m here now and… I walk past landmarks on my campus that first drew my head high, dropping my jaw with wonder and I just have to stop mid stride and say wow. I’m actually here and I’m living my dream. I didn’t listen to those voices around me but that didn’t mean they didn’t get to me. But I’m also a firm believer in what’s for you will come to you in due time. I also don’t want to say “don’t do what I did” because if you feel passionately about a school or anything in life really, no matter the risk, do it. But just understand the risk that you’re taking, accept that these are your decisions and that results will be from the impact of your actions. Win or lose, be prepared to be proud of the fact that at least you tried. (And it never hurts to have a backup plan, even if it’s a last resort). Maybe you were supposed to learn something from that journey. But don’t give in to the voices if they’re telling you to give up your dream completely. Just remember the reasons for why you’re doing this, picture yourself doing all these amazing things at this institution because it will eventually become your home for the next four years. Don’t lose sight of your goals but when you get to that finish line, push the voices out of your head because you did this. I did this-despite the naysayers. I worked hard to get here-despite how hard and how long it took me. It all paid off-despite all the odds against me. I deserve to feel pride in getting here, in now being here-and you deserve to feel pride after you’ve accomplished all the goals you’ve always wanted to achieve. I say this to you to let you know to keep going, to remind yourself of these things, and to perhaps use me as an example. Now, I’m not saying not to listen to those closest to you when they give you advice, especially through the college process. The people who help you are there to help you but so often people who have been in the business for a long time know the odds and focus on the numbers instead. The odds of doing things for you can either be either really high or really low but I also think you know yourself best and you have to make sure you make decisions that work best for you. Deep down I knew that this is what I wanted. This was the school for me and I worked my hardest to do everything I could to get in and I did.
Dreams do come true if they’re meant to be for you. But if you listen to everyone who whispers in your ear what they think, the things that come your way aren’t going to really be for you, it’s going to be from them. This is your life, live it the way you want to because you’re the only one living it and you deserve to be happy. Hell, you deserve to try and maybe fail and learn from that too and then gain something even better. The college process is long and tumultuous but in the end, if it’s what you want, it’s worth it. So, pride...allow yourself to feel it. Not just after you’ve gotten into college but after you get an A on that test or even a C when you thought you’d fail; feel pride when you graduate even if you didn’t get honors; feel pride for making your bed in the morning when you usually don’t. Allow yourself to feel pride because it’s not always a bad thing. Sometimes, it’s all you can feel to express the relief and gratitude at the end of a journey. Your accomplishments are your own, take pride in that. Until Next Time! With Love, Arianna 9/17/2019 0 Comments New beginningsI recently just changed my description handle for blog from “fashion and lifestyle” to “poetry and lifestyle." -And I’m loving the change.
Ever since I started my blog, I knew I wanted to write, I just didn’t know about what. If you’ve followed me since I started last year, I wrote a post on Niche’s-what they are, how do we fit into them, should we care and what it means for our (if you’re a fellow blogger) or my blog. I came to the conclusion that it didn’t matter. Create your own niche. But now... I'm not so sure. I still stand by my views of creativity and nonconformity but not fitting into a niche is, in itself, fitting into a niche. (Funnily enough.) And it’s not a bad thing! But at the time, when creating my handle, I felt that, because I watch a lot of fashion and lifestyle vloggers and read similar bloggers that I was built to do the same thing and write the same way. But I don’t actually like to write and talk about fashion. So then came the question, “So what do I write about?” “And what the HELL do I put into my handle?” I ended up deciding to write whatever makes me happy, whenever I felt like it (and keeping the original handle because, why not?) But only part of that’s worked for me. I thought, maybe one day I will decide to write about fashion. Maybe one day I’ll love it. Of course the time never came but I could never come up with something else to go with lifestyle. To be honest, I’m not sure why I thought I had to. (Maybe because having two titles has a better ring to it than one. Who knows.) Anyways, deciding to write whatever I want has made me happy and I’d say extremely successful in the sense that I know my readers enjoy my content because I enjoy my content. It’s quality work, I take time and effort into everything I do, and sure I make mistakes but my readers can feel my passion through my writing. If I didn’t write what I liked, if I didn’t have FUN then neither would you. However, I recently read an article about how prioritizing your blog is so important because it’s my brand. It’s an extension of who I am personally and who I want to represent professionally should someone ever hire me to write for them someday. But my inconsistency has been my downfall. I’m a student first and foremost. Moving from high school to college, things are only going to get harder but I’m an adult now and when I graduate college I’ll have my degree, expertise and my blog to show for myself. But if I don’t post frequently, or I don’t engage with my readers the way I should, then what am I really doing? This is essentially a really long intro but when I first started my blog, things were different. I started it for different reasons with a different goal in mind and now things have changed. Here’s why. When I first started my blog, I was writing for myself. It was my first public platform, I hadn't even created a personal Instagram account yet! But my mom encouraged me after seeing how many fake blog posts I would make. They were silly things about celebrities but I really loved the artistic side of it. I loved making the posters and putting them together, but more than anything I loved writing to you guys, my imaginary audience. lol. Back then I couldn't even fathom that someone other than my mom (thanks mom!) would read my blog posts. But even now, I get comments and dms about how people genuinely love what I have to say and that's what it's about for me now. Writing so that people 1. know that I have something to say and 2. sharing whatever wisdom I can with the world. I know what it's like to look elsewhere for some personal or even professional advice so anything I think could be helpful: about school or life, I want to be there for you guys. My community is slowly building but I want to continue to nourish it so that it can grow. So now when I write, I think about you guys, What will you think about this? Can you relate? I wonder what you guys are going through in your lives right now as I go through mine. And it’s important for me to write for you guys, and to you guys because I want to inspire and I want to help you pursue your own dreams and aspirations; I want to inspire confidence and show a good example of what a real life person goes through. And part of that process is emotional and academic struggle. Don't be alarmed! School is good and I'm actually getting better at maintaining my metal health but creating a schedule and keeping a healthy balance is hard. And even more so now that I'm in college. (I currently just finished a 27 page essay and have two midterms this week but balance is taking that break to write and maybe watch a movie before I have to start studying for my next exam. You may be sitting here wondering why I'm telling you all of this or why should you care but it's basically so you guys can know and understand that things are going to be changing. I want Intuitive Minds to be actually what it stands for: a group of intrinsic minded souls connecting with one another. And I'm someone who has a hard time staying connected online but this blog, this platform means so much to me that it has to be up there on my list of priorities along with school, family and friends. So, it's time to adapt with the times. Expect more creative content, a better look into the life of me. I'm taking more photos to show you guys what my life looks like and hopefully you guys can follow me through this process. You are now why I do this. And it doesn't sound as bad as it seems, I want to do this. I write so that we can share our lives together, so that you know you’re not alone and life can be free and fun and messy. I’m allowing you guys to follow me on my metal health journey so that you know that it’s OKAY to be sad and have bad days but it’s okay to share it and lean on other people if you want to and that you’re not alone. And I'm telling you about my favorite books because fuck, reading is fun man when you have the time to do it and maybe you've read it too and have a different opinion or maybe you've never heard of the title and wanted a different perspective. It’s a huge world, and often we can get lost in the crowd but this blog platform has allowed me to share my voice in ways I didn’t think I could. But now I can. So I’m figuring out my social media for you guys, so definitely follow me on my Instagram. (I made one just for the blog!) And I just want to end by saying thank you for sticking around and reading and allowing me to fumble my way through THIS process because it’s still a process but it’s one I’m looking forward to mastering in the end. Until Next Time! With love, Arianna 5/1/2019 0 Comments LOve Actually After creating the title I realize that it’s the title of a movie and one that I’ve actually seen. Haha. Though, this post is going to be about Five Feet Apart which I actually adored. There were some slow parts, and the setting was stagnant (in the hospital), and to be honest there wasn’t a lot of character development...now that I think about it, the movie wasn’t all that fabulous but I loved little aspects of it and oh my gosh the music. I went with a friend of mine and we laughed more than anything else but we also shed some tears so if you can go on a Tuesday for 5$ then it’s worth it. Anytime else, I wouldn’t highly recommend.
Though I just wanted to talk a little bit about it because the aspect of love in today’s world, or should I say generation, is such an abstract concept-at least to me. So often we discuss the idea of online dating, or the “hook up culture” which is so prevalent in today’s society but what about the fairytales and Cinderella stories we used to dream up of as little girls? Are they completely lost or do we still have a chance at finding our Prince Charming? I think deep down we all want to find love; to be with our significant other for all eternity because that’s how we were created-as emotional beings meant to connect with other emotional beings-but the fear of being foolish or vulnerable by putting yourself out there puts so many barriers between us as people which leaves so many disconnected and single. Not saying that single is a bad thing and that every single person is lonely and sad and pining over a guy/girl they want but can’t have, but what happens when you have the money and the car and the dream job? When you have the nice house with no family? No one to turn to, to go home to, and even if you don’t want kids, I believe soulmates should always be someone to have. Best friends are great but if they get partnered up, where does that leave you? Just a little food for thought. I don’t really have any answers or advice, I just thought I’d rant and rave and talk about these things with you guys. In a way I tie it into Five Feet Apart only because when faced with impossible circumstances and nothing else to loose there’s no way to be anything than who you are and to put yourself out there because you don’t have the time to waste. I think some of us forget that we are mortal and our time is not our own. The more time we waste being scared of something that has no real power over us only leaves us more unfulfilled in any aspect of our life. So, risk it all like you have nothing to loose because you may not be dying at the moment but we will die and you don’t want to go through this life alone. Fall in love, believe that there’s someone other than yourself in this world willing to do the things you want. Soulmates do exist. Song: Don’t Give Up On Me Until Next Time! With love, Arianna 2/21/2019 0 Comments Marvel at this meLanin! In honor of Black History Month I thought I'd show you guys one of my favorite spoken word poems from YouTube. For a long time, I was worried about posting this on my blog. I don't want to offend anybody but I also have to stay true to myself and this poem really means a lot to me because of what it reflects and represents for me as a young African American woman. So I've decided to put out a disclaimer and a little background so that you can understand a little of what's going on BEFORE you watch the video. There are going to be bad words and metaphorical humor so if you're light of heart, then you can choose ahead of time to easily skip this post and all will be right with the world. However, if you do watch it and don't agree with what is being said, be respectful. I don't want anyone starting arguments or attacking the creators for making this video. And to be honest, what is being said, although highly metaphoric, is very true. Some of the conversations I've had with my friends and family over deciding whether or not I should post this was, I don't like feeling like I should have to censor my words on my blog because I'm afraid of what people will think or say of me. And not in the sense that I care what people think, but in the sense that I'm about to go to a college, a PWI (Predominantly White Institution), and I'm soon going to need to apply for jobs. The world is changing and I'm not sure if it's all for the better, but if my future employer looks at my blog as my resume, sees this video with no explanation and is offended, them there goes that job. But then I thought, if someone can't understand me for who I am and what the contents of this video means, do I really want to work for them? In conclusion, no. And I would hope that anyone who reads my blog can understand that I never come from a place of hate, but I also can't expect everyone to see things my way. So for now, I have to try to do what's best for me and my future. So, if that includes explaining things that may be obvious to some but not to others, then that's what I have to do. And I hope anyone reading this who comes from the other side of things can understand that as well. Every time I watch this video, I get so inspired. Anthony McPherson (the one in the floral with the killer fro) just has a way of putting such power and sardonic humor into his performance you just can't help but laugh and cheer. And Steven Willis (the one in the polka dots with the groovy beard ) really grips your soul with his lower register tone of voice, really speaking to your soul. Okay, I'm a little dramatic, I know, but let me explain. In a world where White Privilege is not only common but celebrated (as they so clearly put it) it can be easy for people to see Black Panther as the one in Batman's shadow. Well, these guys explain things a little differently. As they talk about common struggles of being African American-how we have to work twice as hard to get the same amount of appreciation as a white person does; Or how if we're rich, "anything can come easy to you"-they tell us as the young (and old) African Americans growing up that we don't have to be in anybody's shadow because we're just as great, just as powerful and if no one can see that and praises us for that then that's their loss. Black Panther is OUR hero, the hero we get to look up to for greatness. Now this came out before the movie so we had to read about him in the comics but if we want to talk about black hero greatness there's Storm, and Luke Cage, and Bishop and of course, Black Panther (just to name a few). There's a lot of stigma against us but this poem talks about the things that we DO, who we are and how we're superheroes, each and everyone one of us in our own way. We don't have to have a lot of money, we don't have to look a certain way, we don't have to be Batman, we just have to stay true to ourselves, believe in ourselves and know that being Black is powerful. So now that my long winded rant and praise is done (yes, I know, it's finally done. haha.) enjoy the video. Black History month shouldn't be celebrated just one month out of every year because everyday black people are rising up above the status quo and proving the world wrong. But as we honor February with so many great African Americans-poets, activists, scholars, musicians, etc.-remember that we've come a long way but there's still a long way to go. But we're doing it and I'm proud that this is who I am.
Thank you guys for celebrating this month with me. Until next Time! With love, Arianna Quote: "I never want to be anything more than what I am; what I don't have, I don't need." -Louis Armstrong 1/27/2019 0 Comments Spider-man: into the sPider versefirst. Can we talk about how cool these graphics are? I don’t own them of course (I own literally 5% of the photos on my blog fyi) but my goodness, just looking at this picture brings back strong emotions. Anyways... I feel like I always walk out of a Marvel movie speechless. (Except after Fantastic Four where I was in a mixture of confusion and disbelief. We don’t talk about it. Ever. It shall and will never be mentioned again.) Aside from that, Spider-Man into the Spider Verse is by far the BEST Spider-Man movie EVER CREATED hands down. And I’m talking just...everything. The story line was phenomenal-and gosh I really wish I gave spoilers but I can’t do that to you guys so PROMISE me you’ll watch it-the GRAPHICS...Oh my gosh I was nearly blinded just from the intro but they were so amazing! And I loved how real it felt. Like, you really experienced his teenage youth for a majority of the movie. He was embarrassed of his dad, super smart but wanting to fit in and make friends, and extremely unsure of himself. And a lot of us are! Imagine having to terms with having super powers, Spider-man powers?! I can barely come to terms with being normal and taking mid terms and AP exams. So that’s crazy and for a 17 year old (I’m only guessing. I don’t really know his age) that’s huge! And scary and so there was a lot of doubt and fear and uncertainty but he had the support of all those other Spider-Men (and women, shout out to my girls!) so I really loved that as well. In this one he wasn’t alone, he had help and the transition into his powers came a lot from within and motivation from the people closest to him which I felt was really cool. It wasn’t an immediate “oh I got bit by a spider, I’m sangry about my uncle (sad and angry), I’m Spider-Man, COOL!” so I liked the growing period and slow transition while watching the rest of the story unfold. Along with that, we got to see Peter Parker develop as a character (with a twist) so that was interesting all on its own. It was like they were both evolving together so I loved that. I loved EVERYTHING if you couldn’t tell. Haha. On that note, I also loved that it felt like I could relate on so many levels as a teen. And then, the big thing I loved was having an Black and Latino on the big screen playing A MARVEL SUPERHERO. Now, don’t get me wrong. Black Panther was everything-Wakanda forever- (they really should make that an emoji) but African American AND Latino from Brooklyn! That’s huge. And I kept thinking about is how THIS is going to be the first Spider-Man I show my kids. Taking a quote from the movie itself, I want to show them that everyone can wear the mask, especially minorities who are rarely ever shown on the big screen. So many things are changing in our world and this is such a huge step that I’m so glad Marvel took. It made me feel proud because I finally saw myself up there, you know? That was me in that movie. That was some of my friends. That was my family and my neighbors. Along with that, the family dynamics were not only amazing but so on point and the comedy was phenomenal. I literally couldn’t breathe at one point, it was just so good. Lastly. So I say all of this to say, that 1. Marvel did good. Thank you for making Miles Morales for all the little boys and girls who never got to their faces on the big screen wearing a superhero suit until 2018. 2. Go see the movie. 3. Again, best Spider-Man movie I’ve ever seen. 4. Go see the damn movie. 5. I even shed a tear so that’s telling you it’s GOOD good. 6. GO SEE THE DAMN MOVIE!
And when you do please comment below and let me know. No spoilers! But I’d love to hear what you think. And Marvel, if you’re reading this, thank you. And Stan Lee, up there in heaven, you really made my world. Until Next Time! With love, Arianna Quote: "Today is the tomorrow you talked about yesterday." -Unknown 1/21/2019 0 Comments Why i’ve been slackingsong: Thursday by Jess glynne I never want to become an image of what life is “supposed” to be. I just want to be…me.
Let me explain. When I started this blog I knew I wanted it to reflect who I am, who I’m growing into and who I want to be but I never wanted it to become a different part of me. I think when you take as much of yourself and have to turn that into something that becomes content and a product for not just yourself but everyone else to have access to, it can be draining. Everything on my blog is from the heart, never scripted but always thoughtful. I take a lot of time and thought into the words I say and the things I write about. I never want to offend anyone but I always want to be truthful. I don’t want to expose too much of myself but I try to be as transparent with you as I can. So I hope I’m being honest to myself and to you guys when I say this, but the truth is. I’m struggling. When I started blogging, I also never realized how therapeutic it would become for me in my hardest times but as I’m growing with my blog and with you guys, I’ve realized that I struggle from anxiety and depression. It’s taken me some time to come terms with it for myself but I wanted to share it with you guys because I want to de-stigmatize the talk around mental health, especially in young people. I think we’re growing into a culture that tries to laugh things off or try to normalize how often students don’t enjoy school, stress, lack of sleep, etc. When in reality, it’s quite damaging to us as a society and as people. For a long time I blamed myself for having bad days, for the pressure building in my chest, for feeling tired after weeks of suddenly being happy only to crash. But it was never my fault and I want to let you know that it’s not yours either. I tried out therapy and gosh, it’s amazing. It’s helping to uncover all the baggage in my life and to help me work through things for a better future. But I also want to emphasize the importance of reaching out to the people closest to you. I worried that I’d be a burden or that I would be bothering my friends and family with my personal struggles, but those who really care for you will be there for you. Lean on them when you need to but make sure you communicate when you’re struggling—if and when you can—but also make it clear that it’s not their responsibility to say the right things and always know what to do. Make sure that they always have the space to tell you when they’re also not mentally and emotionally available, that way your friendship isn’t tainted by imbalance (you sharing and they feel like they’re never being listened to or heard). You’re also not too old to be struggling—I’m only 18 and I though I’d have everything figured out by now and boy was I wrong—but I also learned that everyone has a mental health, and when you neglect it for too long, things will eventually build up. So take care of yourselves; journal, reflect, meditate, and you don’t always need to go to a therapist just because something is “Wrong” but it’s great to have another person to talk to about your life who isn’t actively involved in it. Outside perspectives can help you foster different perspectives for dealing with any problems you may have and it can actually be fun. Struggling with your mental health doesn’t make you weak and you never have to worry about being lonely because you’re never truly alone when you reach out for help. Everyone has baggage. And that’s okay. You don’t have to come in guns blazing to defend yourself, pushing away all the things you’ve been through just to show the world you’re okay hone you’re really not. You also don’t have to tell everyone you meet that you’re going through something. To be honest, I was so scared of putting this online because now I’m allowing you, the outside world, into something that’s incredibly personal to me, but I want this to be a space where we understand that we’re not perfect, and that’s okay. I want to build a community that’s going to build each other up and also have support to lean on when you need it. I want to de-stigmatize talking about mental health and talk about the benefits of reaching out when you’re struggling, first by changing the words we use to communicate about our struggle. I’m not slacking because I’m choosing to be “lazy”, I’m demotivated because I’m dealing with other things at the moment and that’s okay. And I want it to be okay for you too. I'm really looking forward to 2019, so stay tuned. I don’t want my blog to only be a reflection of the good things in my life—an alter ego filled with only 85% of me—I truly want it to reflect who I am and this is who I am. This is me. Thank you so much for reading and supporting me. I love you all so much. Until Next Time. With love, Arianna Quote: “You are enough. A thousand times enough.” -Unknown (I don’t own any of these photos.) 11/22/2018 0 Comments The Poet Poetry wasn’t something I always enjoyed writing. I didn’t think I could do it, that it had to sound a certain way and be “perfect”; but the thing about poetry is that it’s not perfect. It’s rough and raw but that’s what makes it so amazing. It can be forgotten thoughts, tangents of an old conversation, or the whispers of a dream only you can hear. It doesn’t always have to be lyrical, you don’t have to worry about punctuation if you don’t want to; it doesn’t even have to be in a straight Line. It just IS. And as soon as I stopped being so intimidated by it and gave it a go, I found that I could use poetry as a way to develop my skills as a writer. I just read something on Pinterest the other day and it said: “It takes years to develop your craft. Do not romanticize the idea of an ‘overnight success’.” And it really hit me that I’ve been writing so long because I love it, but how can I call myself a writer if I don’t try every writing style there is; If I don’t branch out of my preferable genre, if I don’t read the “odd” books in the bookstore, just to see how it is? Maybe I’ve romanticized myself as an overnight success. Maybe I’m too hard on myself for my imperfections not realizing that in order to get good, I need to know how to fix what’s wrong; and in order to get really good, I need to know what I can improve. Maybe I just need to accept the fact that I’m still a student in my field and I’m growing and learning every day. I’m not even in college yet and I still have so much to learn and apply to my life so my writing may not be perfect for a long while and that’s okay. But when there are all these doubts and negative emotions whirring through my brain, that’s when projects begin to build up and my hiatus begins to become more of an excuse not to write rather than a break to think about what I want to write about next. When I don’t write for long periods of time, my writing obviously isn’t as good as when I’ve been writing everyday. And if I’m not writing, I need to be reading, but if I’m doing neither... This is where poetry comes in. It’s not easy, but writing never is. Though, when paragraphs are too long and sentences seem pointless, poetry is a great way to keep up with your skill. And it’s so much fun to read! If you have a good poetry book, you can keep it in your everyday bag and pull it out for ten minutes as you wait for the train, or while you pump your gas. It gets your mind whirring, and your creative juices flowing and for me, it allows me to try something new. But it can be hard to just switch over sometimes. When we get in our comfort zones then it’s to hell with everything else, and even if we didn’t try it, we don’t like it. But why not give something new a chance? Write a mystery story instead of sci-fi for once, see where it goes. Write in prose instead of poetry, try poetry instead of short stories; And you never know, you might discover something new about yourself, and 'Bonus!', you’d have unlocked a new skill in your creative writing. So these are three poems I wrote awhile ago. I’m trying to read more during the break, but school has been keeping me occupied these last few weeks so I’m hoping to find some poetry books that really strike my fancy. A few friends recommended some but if you have any others, let me know! Poem: The Red Queen The world did not end in a bang, or a whisper, but rather, one scream at a time. “Everyone knew that this world would soon be mine.” The Red Queen sat, gleeful as she claimed her throne Those below her, watched; fear had claimed their homes. Terror had taken over the town and death had claimed the ones they loved. She had wanted the crown and now that she has it, the world must fall. The world would crumble, before it was to rise again, but those who stood by her side would be spared of the wrath her reign would begin. The Writer: My mind is a mess my head a myriad of ideas. I tend to forget so excuse me if I forget your birthday this year. My brain moves too fast, faster than I can type so one project just piles up after the last always incomplete never quite right. But I have a passion that runs deep, and knowledge that I’m not afraid to show. I can correct your grammar in a heartbeat and I hate it if you read too slow. I’m a romantic by default It was programmed into my genes. I love to sit where the flowers bloom and then write about it as they seem… so… distant. I can be lost for days. Disappear into my own head, my room I get cranky about early mornings; That’s because I hate waking up. When the sun comes out, that’s when the inspiration stops. So I’m a night owl, that’s why I’m always up. Late. Too late, everyday Going to bed early just isn’t my thing but as soon as I’m awake and this poem is done then you’ll see, that I can change people’s worlds With only a few verses and fancy words… And here comes the sun. Who am I? Fireworks: The first time you kissed me, I tasted the sky. Weightless, limitless, endless, You were my oxygen keeping me alive. My helium keeping me afloat. It was from that first kiss that I knew, You were the one. When you kissed me the second time, I tasted fireworks and orange popsicle. It was bursting, and exploding, and nerve wracking to my core, But then you pulled away with a smirk, Leaving me panting at your front door. But every time I kissed you or you kissed me, The moment our lips touched home, I breathed you in like my life depended on it. Because every time you pulled away, you left me gasping for more. So every time we kissed, I tasted the sky. You are my life line, Every. Single. Time. "There are always three choices in life: give up, give in, or give it all you've got." -Charleston Parker
Thank you so much for reading! Until Next Time! With love, Arianna 11/1/2018 0 Comments Fro-Fidence!!!Growing up as an African American woman in today’s society is so exciting, especially when it comes to hair. Now, I’ve gone through my fair share of styles but I always come full circle back to the fro. Afro, natural, whatever you want to call it, it’s the hair that you were born with, the soft stuff the grows from the root of your head, the hair that isn’t always seen depending on who you are. Recently, I just took out my fabulously red dyed tips and decided my head needed a break. I felt how physically tired it was from being in braids and tied up for so long so I decided to go natural for two weeks and honestly I didn’t expect such a revelation from it. The first day was a lot of fear. Fear and uncomfortably. For me, I’ve been doing protective styles for the better part of three years but every once in a while I like to give my hair a break. This is the first and the longest time I’ve gone with nothing but product in my hair and there was a lot of uncertainty. For the first time in three years I felt very vulnerable and I hated it. But I couldn’t help but think, “What would people think?” “What would people say?” “Would I be accepted?” I went through my fair share of horror stories in regards to my hair a few years back. Long story short, it broke off and it hasn’t been the same ever since. So a lot of those insecurities of it being too short or too thin festered and grew the more I tucked it away, tried to protect it and grow it back; but the night before, when I looked in the mirror I finally fell in love. Even still my hair isn’t the way I want it to be but the confidence is there. It’s not a total transition but I’m adjusting and I’m growing into my fro-fidence as the days go by. Going to school and having events where I need to present the best version of myself, I feared that others would look at me and think, “Why didn’t she do her hair?” But then I realized, just because my hair doesn’t look like yours doesn’t mean I didn’t do my hair. Wearing a fro takes a lot more work than just waking up and walking outside. I still spend at least fifteen to twenty minutes combing it out, putting in product so that it’s big and curly but when everyone else around me is wearing braids or their hair is straight, it’s natural to feel insecure or worried. Even still, from friends, to teachers, to acquaintances, I received a lot of love for wearing my hair out and it really made me think about how much society has changed over time. It doesn’t matter what side of the spectrum you’re on, you shouldn’t have to feel the need to hide or protect the better parts of yourself for fear of judgment or ridicule. Everywhere you go, people are going to judge you. But good or bad, there’s nothing you can do to change the way people think. There is something you can do to change the way you think. A lot of my insecurities grew from comparing myself to others who had bigger, curly afros but it wasn’t the hair I was envious of, it was the confidence. If you have the confidence that’s all you need. No one is going to look like you, and you can’t measure your looks to someone else’s because you will never look like them. Especially when it comes to hair, in all different shapes, sizes and textures, you just have to figure out what style works best for you and rock it. As soon as you start to learn to love the way you look in the mirror, the more everyone else will. So I’m making a new pact with myself to wear my afro more often and grow my fro-fidence day by day because I have nothing to be ashamed of and nothing to fear. This is me. Now, since I went an entire two weeks of going natural I had to figure out what works best for me. What styles the best, what makes it curl and most importantly, what moisturizes? So I thought I'd share the products that I've been using and absolutely love and hope they can help you when you wear your fro. So my hair has never been straightened so the hair you see here's is as natural a single they come. However, my hair texture is a weird mixture of curly and straight so I absolutely love this curl cream by Cantu which really enhances my curls. It makes them more defined which helps make my curls more uniformed. It also has Shea Butter which moisturizes so that the curls can last all day and stay soft. Thursday was picture day so I wore my hair up in a ponytail but to tame the curls I used this moisturizing gel from the dollar tree and it’s surprisingly really good! The thing I hate about gels is after it hardens it turns white and really crusty. But this is very moisturizing and holds the hair very well. The hair wasn’t hard at the end of the day and I was even able to go one more day without reapplying. The ponytail still looked fairly well so I highly recommend this product. And finally, if you’ve just finished washing your hair and are getting ready to go to bed or need a good styler, I use this leave-in conditioner as a detangler and a moisturizer. Sometimes, if I don’t condition in the shower with my shampoo I just use this and works wonders. The brand is Shea Solutions and aside from smelling amazing, it’s very moistening. It even helps to bring out some of those curls I enhance with the curl cream and I use it everytime after I get out of the shower and even right before I style my hair if I need something to loosen it up. And that’s it! I’m still on the lookout for products that help with curl control and I want to start using natural coconut oil for my scalp but these are just the things I use on a daily basis. If you guys have any products that you recommend please let me know. I’m always looking forward to trying new products and I really hoped that helped. I hope you all enjoy. Thanks so much for the support. A lot of you have been DM’ing me on Instagram that you’ve read and love my blog and I really appreciate it, so follow me on Instagram. My account is private but I usually accept all follow requests so don’t hesitate to reach out and please dm me if you don’t feel comfortable commenting below. Thanks again and Until Next Time! With love, Arianna
Instagram: successstory1625 9/29/2018 0 Comments Life Update: It's been awhile... They say the best way to cure writer’s block is to write even when you don’t want to. Well, what’s worse is when you have writer’s block and want to write, so you do, and you hate every word you end up putting down. So, I guess this is an introduction to an explanation of why I haven’t posted in three weeks. Although, now that I look at it, it looks more like an excuse. I’m sorry. I could blame school and college applications (FASFA opens October 1 by the way!) but I'm done beating myself up about it. Instead, I figured I don’t need to have a topic to write to you. I figured we could just talk. Writer to writer, senior to senior, high school student to high school student, etc. So, how are you guys? How’s the school year going? Loving it, hating it? Comment down below. Now, where should I start first?
Well, senior year was exciting for all of an hour. The initial hour in which I got to go around and see all of my friends and we got to talk and catch up before the first bell. And then I was in class, (English, A period. Woot woot!) when I realized, dag, I’m tired already? I have a substitute math teacher, I switched out of my art class into music (thank goodness because my art skills stop at mediocre stick figures), and I’ve fully submersed myself into becoming a double major: Music (vocal) and Creative Writing. Yes guys, I can sing. And play two instruments (well) and two other instruments (okay). But my first audition ever was in eighth grade and a total bust, so you can understand my reservations. Also, colleges require a lot more than I expected. And not just for auditions. Supplemental's, even better SAT and ACT scores, recommendations (that I didn’t know needed to be confirmed through TWO different sites) and then you realize, “Crap, I’m a lot less prepared for college than I thought.” I played with an amazing band from Germany (many of whom didn’t speak English, but they played Mamma Mia and Moon River, so I was in love) and then I played for the Queen of Berlin? Belgium? I can never remember. Whichever one is a country. I got a 95 on my math quiz, took my first AP Psych test, caught a lovely cold, (thought I was going to pass out on my way to my Ed Sheeran concert)… Oh! I went to my first concert ever, Ed Sheeran, and we were terribly late, but so was most of Philadelphia it seemed. I missed Anne Marie, so that was disappointing, but it was a lot less thrilling than I thought. And not for the lack of talent. Ed Sheeran was amazing, and I was still in awe. Maybe it was just because I was holding out for songs like Small Bump and I’m a Mess. Even though the Feeling Good/I See Fire mashup had me screaming my head off (even if I was the only one). I loved Nancy Mulligan and Give Me Love too, of course. I did my first (and last) presentation as a leader of my World Youth Alliance group last week. The topic was bullying, and I broke down the different types of bullying, societal bullying and what it means for us as young people. Then I evaluated those definitions for characters from popular Netflix movies and shows like Sierra Burgess is a Loser and Insatiable. I’ll see if I can post the PowerPoint for you guys, especially since I wasn’t able to pull it up in class at the time. So now it’s a lovely Saturday morning and I’m typing to Believer by Imagine Dragons, my phone is beside me buzzing as my friends talk about (what else) college, and I had toast for breakfast. So, yeah. Writer’s block sucks, but it’s not an excuse. But this, this I can do. I want to be real with you guys. I want to build a community where you guys know me for me, and I know you. So, this is all authentic, no bragging, no whining, just raw and real me talking about my everyday life and what I’m going through right now. I hope you all enjoyed and hopefully the next update won’t take so long to post. Haha. Until next Time! With love, Arianna. Bullying PowerPoint (Teaser) |
AuthorI'm an 21 year old girl who lives in NY. I love to read and write and fashion is my life. Follow me to find out more! Archives
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