Means to an End

The life of a college student is filled with hectic schedules, all niters, procrastination, and letting loose on the weekends. Some people will spend most of their lives in school and in debt but it is all a means to an end. There’s that light at the end of tunnel. One tiny glimpse of hope that helps me suffer through the pain.

The stress of college is impacted by the stress caused by bills that need to be paid, getting a decent job, and making sure you are setting yourself up for success later in life. College isn’t required but in order to make enough money to live comfortably receiving a college education sets you on the right track to making sure you don’t struggle through life. College is simply a means to an end. College is the highway to a job in a field that you’re interested in. If you look at it this way college is simply the background that you need to have solidified before reaching your end goal.

I try to look at things from perspective and looking at college from this point of view makes the process seem less miserable. Perspective is everything in life. College is a good transition for people to go from kids to adults without having to be a full adult yet. I think college is also a time where you find what you are interested in and things that you enjoy doing that you maybe have never done before in your life.

When I came to college I had no idea what I liked to do (hobbies), what I wanted to do with my life, and what I wanted out of the whole college experience. First of all, moving away from home is hard enough. I cried all the time when I first left the house it takes an emotional toll on all of us. Then you have to make different friends and learn social skills. After my freshman year my perspective changed. I saw college as an opportunity to meet a bunch of different people, attend different events, and experience new situations. However, the media industry has depicted college from strictly the social aspect not properly displaying the real lives of college students. Here you can find most of the popular college based movies.

Even though we all complain about the stress of college, college is the best time of your life. You have the opportunity to experience all different kinds of things from parties to dry caving. Challenge yourself more than just in the classroom. Get out and enjoy being in college!

Word Count: 436

Book Review: If I Stay

This book is one of the saddest yet inspiring stories I have ever read. If I Stay by Gayle Forman (201 pages) is about a girl, who plays the cello, and loses her family in a car accident. Forman does an excellent job writing this story in a way that is insightful coming from a 17-year old girl named Mia. Throughout the story, Mia struggles with a decision. A decision that is life altering and she is struggling between staying or not (hence the title, not a spoiler)in terms of living or dying. Going to heaven in hopes of seeing her family again or staying for her boyfriend whom she loves. She is faced with the ultimate choice and she is the only one that can make that decision.

This story makes the reader place his/her self into Mia’s shoes. What would you do without your family? What would happen if you suddenly became an orphan? Life would dramatically change and Mia is now faced with this reality. The author also does a really good job engaging the audience. There was never a dull moment, in fact I was sitting on the edge on my seat the whole time.

I won’t spoil the whole book for you because I think it is definitely worth the read. I would suggest that you should read this book because you will be pleasantly surprise in the plot itself but the way it is written. I think the author really does a good job to get the message across throughout the novel. However, it is a very sad story but it makes you think about life. It might even make you appreciate your life a little more. Overall, this book has a lasting effect because it provides realistic situations that some of us might face, you never know what lies ahead. Be thankful for the people you have in your life because one day they might be ripped away from you. Mia shows that choices, even the toughest ones, are things you can get through. She is a powerful figure in this novel and inspires me to follow my passions and to find that one true love.

Read this book! Challenge yourself or go out of your comfort zone because this book will not disappoint!! Click here to preview/buy the book. HINT: Watch the movie after you read it!!!

Word Count: 395

Adventure Awaits…

This week for my Geology class I went dry caving! I never knew there were even caves in Florida to explore but this experience was amazing! The cave that I explore with my peers was the Bat Cave located in Gainesville, FL. It is a maze like cave that goes pretty far underground.

Initially, I was scared to do this. I was almost tempted to back out of it as I was going down this tiny hole that was pretty much straight down. However, I would have been greatly disappointed to have missed this opportunity. After this experience, it made me think about opportunities in life that allow you experience things you would have never thought of doing. Getting outside your comfort zone is so important in life. I think that sometimes in my life I get complacent but this week I realized that doing things, like caving, that I would never normally do creates happiness. Although, at first I was fearful that fear turned into interest, excitement, and joy. Another element this experience provided me was a chance to learn and see things that I have learned up close and personal. One thing that we saw was droplets of water that were seeping through the rocks in the cave. We could see tree roots growing through the rock as well. It was fascinating to witness nature hands on!

Adventure and exploration is something I feel we have lost as Americans. With the wave of new technology, going outside and exploring or going on an adventure are things we don’t consider. Instead we are hovered around the TV, Xbox, or computer. The excitement to go out and experience things is getting lost. To me, experiences are much more valuable than watching TV or achieving a new level in your video game.

Therefore, my advise is to challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone and experience something new. Try something you have never done before whether it is physically going outside (hiking, biking, running, etc.) or inside activities (painting, drawing, knitting, etc). If you want to enjoy the experience even more try to get friends together and as a group experience something new. Not only will you bond but you will gain an experience that is priceless.

Word Count: 380

 

Greys Anatomy, the best TV show you’ll ever watch!

If you have never watched Greys Anatomy then you are missing out!!! This show pulls at your emotions in ways you never knew. I recently have started watching this TV show again on Netflix. Almost every episode has a compelling story and at the same time you feel like you are learning something. I will say that some parts can be gross, i.e. when they pull half of a guy’s face off. But you can just look away at those parts if they bother you (that’s what I do). Plus there are some pretty hot doctors in the show which makes it even more enjoyable!

With each episode the show varies based on the problems the hospital faces that day. Some episodes focus only on the Doctors complicated lives or mostly on how to save the patient at that time. This variety between episodes makes each episode unique and makes you wonder what could happen next. I am not going to spoil this show for you because you should watch it to find out all the crazy stuff that happens to the people you least expect. In the first episode we are introduced to Meredith Grey and Dr. Shepard from this point on the relationship will vary between them, going through ups and downs.

This show has had a significant impact on my life because I watch it with friends but also I use it to escape reality for an hour or longer. I will warn you that this show is addictive and you might not be able to stop watching it! Even after you have finished every episode you always go back and watch it. Greys Anatomy is a show like no other because of the amount of drama that has been put into it. Shonda Rhimes the creator of Greys Anatomy, is not afraid to make dramatic decisions when it comes to the characters and the plot. This show is really a great show so whenever you have time pull up Netflix and watch Greys Anatomy, you wont regret it!

Word Count: 344

The Seven Deadly Sins: Wrath

Number two in our series of posts inspired by the Seven Deadly Sins is provided by Jon Teckman talking about the tricky subject of wrath. What is it about the publishing process that can turn a mil…

Source: The Seven Deadly Sins: Wrath

Recently, I was searching my Goodreads to find a new book to read and I came across a book that seemed really interesting so I decided to give it a read! If I haven’t already established this, I am a sucker for a sappy romance book. Going into this book I was expecting just that. What I didn’t expect was to connect with the characters so well. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell (335 pages) is one of the only young adults I have really been able to relate to.

This book is all about when two people, Eleanor and Park, cross paths and believe that love is something worth seeking. This story is about how these two high school kids fall in love in an awkward and cute way. Eleanor and Park aren’t the most popular in school but that doesn’t matter because they have each other.

I liked the way Rainbow Rowell wrote this book because it switches from Eleanor’s perspective to Park’s perspective which makes the dynamic of the story change allowing the reader inside the minds of both characters instead of the perspective of just one person.

This b0ok is for all the romance lovers out there. It is a very good read and I know you wont’t regret reading this because I know I enjoyed it. Young love is always something that is inspiring and allows the reader to live through the characters. Not only is this story about love it is about acceptance. At the end of the day that’s all anyone wants, to be accepted. I think that at some point in everyone’s life they struggle with this issue, I know I did and still do. Rowell is able to capture this and use it to create a connection between the reader and the characters. If you are looking for a great easy read then this is the perfect book for you!!! I would read this again and again (and probably will)!!

Word Count: 330

Marvel fan or not this is for everyone! THIS IS A MUST SEE!!

For anyone who is a fan of the Marvel movies such as, Spiderman, Batman, etc. this movie will blow your mind. But if you didn’t like those movies I would still recommend you see this one! It isn’t like anyone of those that you may or may not of regretted seeing. The movie is Deadpool 2016. I went to see it not knowing anything about it at all and I enjoyed every single moment of it.

I usually hate action movies or super hero movies but this movie was more of a comedy than anything. Ryan Reynolds, who plays Deadpool, falls in love but is then faced with a terminal illness. However, a doctor convinces him that he can not only cure him but make him immortal. Spoiler alert! Deadpool’s love is harmed by the bad guys and he has to go and save her. The plot is much like Spiderman except for the way they show the movie. They show it in more of a commentary style which allows the viewer to see things from Deadpool’s perspective  which is really cool and unusual. This commentary style of the movie made it more interesting and kept the audiences attention, as well as, made it more funny.

This movie has romance, comedy, and action which makes it enjoyable for all. I would however recommend that you don’t bring small children or see this with your family as it could get awkward quickly. There are a lot of sexual puns and innuendos throughout the movie but that’s what makes it so funny. There is also some nudity which is not good for the little eyes, either! Just to be clear it’s rated R for a reason! But other than that the movie is a definite MUST SEE!

Also, I will give you a tip! Stay after the credits because there is a small clip that is really funny at the end! Hope you go and see it!

Word Count: 324

Why is Valentine’s Day a big deal?

Well since Valentine’s day is coming up I thought it would be fitting to talk about it.

I recently was dumped and it was hard to go through it knowing I planned this big elaborate surprise for him. I spent over a $100 and I don’t even know how much time and thought went into it as well. But now that pressure has been lifted and honestly I feel a lot better going into this years Valentine’s day.

After this break up it just made me realized why do you have to wait for this day to do something romantic or show the person you care about how much they mean to you. Why can’t this be a normal, regular event? I mean if you care about someone that much you should be willing to show them that on a regular basis. I just don’t understand why so many people make a big deal about it.

This Valentine’s day I am going to be my own valentine. I think that girls/women get caught up in what other people think of them or how the outside world views them. Social media plays a big part on self confidence and for these girls/women it is hard when the world doesn’t accept them. Translating to them being alone and not having anyone to share with. I believe that I was getting sucked into this dark black hole and it was leading me down a road that I didn’t necessarily want to be on. I think a lot of the time we do things or date people just for the social satisfaction that we are loved and that someone in the world actually cares about them. Unfortunately, these moments don’t last forever and those people fade in and out of our life.

I learned from this break up that I need to fall in love with myself again. Focusing on what people think of me and how people see me changed how I acted, the way I dressed, and the things that I did. I just started to not recognize myself in the mirror anymore. I didn’t know who I was and I still don’t know who I am but I feel like that is the most important thing in life. We always learn to put other before ourselves but sometimes you have to put yourself and your needs over anyone else. So this Valentine’s day if you are feeling lonely, sad, or like no one loves you remember to look in the mirror and whoever is looking back will always be there no matter what. The person in the mirror is what everyone else sees but true beauty lies within. Once your love what’s inside you can learn to fall in love with the outside. Love yourself.

 

Word Count: 463

Not your average book review

For this assignment we were told to read a book (over 200 pages) and write a review on it. For me finding a good book to read that you will be interested in reading, instead of painful forcing yourself to do so, is the hardest part of reading. That’s why when people write reviews it should be a good one that makes the reader interested. Bust sadly not everyone can do so therefore a lot of good books get overlooked.

However, this book review is not the case.

The book that I read is titled, I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai. This book is a national bestseller and one of the best books I have ever read! This book is about a girl named Malala who stood up for the education of women. Malala was shot by the Taliban for doing so because they were tearing down the school, which Malala attended, and Malala stood up protesting that women should have the right to be educated. The book is introduced with a quote “To all girls who have faced injustice and been silenced. Together we will be heard.” Malala was only a teenager when she stood up for what she believed in and to do that takes a lot of guts. I don’t think there are many people who would be willing to take a bullet for that.

Many of us in the United States look at this and cannot understand the significance of what Malala did. In the United States education is open to anyone and I feel like we take that for granted. Embrace the opportunity we do have here and realize how special it is to have the right to be educated. For women especially, seize the opportunity you were born with because the other side is a lot worse. I believe she has made a huge difference in the world and her impact will only be bigger overtime.

I found this book to be inspiring. I am amazed at what Malala has done and continuing to do for education. She motivates me to become a better person and to look at life from a different point of view. Reading this book would be one of the best decisions you will make and for me it was life changing.

Word Count: 383

YOU HAVE TO READ THIS!

Finding a good book can be difficult but I am here to hep you out a little bit. First you have to identify what genre you want to read whether it be mystery, romance (my personal favorite), drama, and action. I am a sucker for a love story. I like reading a lot of Nicholas Sparks books but the endings are always so sad. Sparks really knows how to make the reader cry. However, I do enjoy other genres of books and I think once you step out of the comfort zone when it comes to reading you may find things you never thought you’d be interested in. My favorite books that I have read is Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. This book is a powerful story about how people can be very deceiving. I think the movie doesn’t do this book justice. Flynn does an excellent job writing this book to keep you wanting more and more. I think this book has impacted me because I am not normally a fan of mystery, suspense books.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is one of those books you absolutely cannot put down. From the start you are hooked. This book is about a story of a man and woman who were recently married, maybe 5 years or so, and on the night of their anniversary the wife goes missing. She plotted to frame her husband of her murder. The evidence the wife purposely left behind must have taken months on end to figure out. From leaving a well thought out journal that laid the foundation of framing her husband killing her the wife had planned this for months and timing is everything. This book will have you wondering what the heck happened to the wife. The author purposely makes the supposedly loving supportive husband look like the killer of his wife. So what exactly happened to his wife?

I am not going to spoil it for you but trust me when I say you will never regret reading this book!

Word Count: 338