Halloween Blessings

My home, located in a small neighborhood, has always been a safe zone.  Within its walls, you'd find a spirit of family and security.  Outside its walls, whether it be my front yard or down the street, the safe zone extends.  Danger can be found anywhere, even in the streets of a small, family neighborhood, let's not be ignorant of that.  Do not assume safety is concrete.  However, I can say I have grown up in a neighborhood where I could play four-square at the neighborhood park with out a looming nervousness or extreme caution.  Yesterday, Halloween night, represents an explosion of neighborhood activity.  Every house hoards buckets of chocolate bars and sweet treats; Every porch, a home to carved pumpkins.  The streets are lined with giddy children, even adolescents, dressed as bloody characters, wicked witches, sports players and disney princesses.  The younger children hold the hand of parents while the older ones galavant up and down the sidewalks.  For me, Halloween was scary not because of my neighborhood but because of the creepy monsters and ghosts that I believed lurked about.

As a college student at BYU, neighborhoods become less critical to the Halloween scene.  In your apartment, you buy your own candy and leave it on the table for all your roommates to share.  You create a costume from odds and ends at the bottom of your closet or you make a quick trip to Deseret Industries thrift store.  As for the activities, you probably attend a stake Halloween Dance or you watch a scary movie with the people in your apartment complex.  Going door to door tends to not be on the agenda.  This year, for me, was going to look no different.  I had plans to carve pumpkins and watch a movie with a good friend, no neighborhoods involved.

                                                                                                                                                          While sitting in my French class on Thursday, my professor announced that there was to be a trunk or treat at an elementary school in Salt Lake and volunteers were needed.  Last year, he told us, only three cars showed up.  He then explained the importance of this activity.  90% of the students that attended this school were under the poverty line and 100% were eligible for free school lunch.  Trick or treating did not happen in their neighborhood due to the safety risk.  The school put together the trunk or treat to provide a safe environment for these children.  The trunk or treat began at 5:15 and was predicted to last around an hour.  Acknowledging that my plans were not until eight, I found a carpool buddy and figured I would go.  

We had no need to buy candy because my French professor provided us with five large bags of sweets.  It didn't take long after we pulled of the freeway exit to realize we were in a different neighborhood.  Every building and home was surrounded by a chain-link fence.  The houses were small and worn.  Overgrown bushes and plants crowded the walls and the paint was pealing.  No one seemed to be walking the streets.  

With the help of a small prayer and GPS, we were able to find the elementary school.  As we pulled into the parking lot, we saw about twenty cars in the lot.  With relief-filled hearts, we eagerly parked and set up camp.  We opened the trunk of my classmate's small car and wiggled inside.  We covered ourselves in my rainbow, polka-dotted blanket and began to open the big bags of candy.  Children and their parents were lined along the edge of the school, waiting for the sugar rush to begin.  When every car was parked and ready, the teachers announced that the trunk or treat had begun.  The kids came one by one, many of them dressed as Spiderman, Scream, and dead brides.  We saw many Mario and Luigi costumes as well.  Some came in no costume at all.  Many of the parents dressed up too.  Some kids had pumpkin shaped baskets and others brought a pillow case or used a garbage bag.  Many kids were timid when they approached our trunk.  When the boys approached, we acted terrified by their costumes causing them to smile and blush.  When the girls approached, we told them how pretty they looked in their princess gowns.  I have never seen little girls grin so big.  All of the children seemed giddy with excitement.  And the parents seemed to enjoy themselves as well.  Many thanked us as we dropped candy in their children's bags.  Some didn't speak English so they would nod and smile.  Some of the kids asked why were sitting in the trunk and one little girl told me my necklace looked like a string of gum balls.  

Cars around us began to run out of candy so they packed up and left.  By the end, we were the only car in our row so families stopped walking over.  But we still had a full bag of candy!  For a while, we would call kids over showing them all that we had.  Then, instead, we hopped out of the trunk and began passing out candy at the exit.  We ended up giving a quarter of the bag to two little boys.  

The activity did as it promised, only lasting for an hour.  I watched as multiple children from the same family would pile into the front door of tiny apartments.  I wondered if they would organize their candy like my siblings and I always did.  We would always set up our own store and trade candy with each other.  As we left the school and drove back through the neighborhood, something felt strange.  It was still light outside and no kids were roaming the streets.  They had all already returned to their homes.  

The smiles on the faces of these children kept passing through my mind.  I had been to trunk or treats before and I know I never smiled like they did.  These children, many in ragged costumes, seemed so happy.  Even in their circumstance, candy and smiling faces made them ecstatic.  

I began to feel guilty about my complaints: not having enough money to buy a new shirt, waking up early in the morning, doing cleaning checks and the inevitable self-pity for no reason at all.  

As I observed these children, I figured they must know that, financial wise, they've been given a tough lot.  Yet in the midst of this hardship, they were able to smile and allowed themselves to be happy.  After thinking through this experience, I figured out a little motto I want to try and live by.  Recognize your problems and put trust in The Lord; Recognize your blessings and thank The Lord.  We all have adversities that need to be faced but rather than facing them with fear, face them with faith that God will "visit his children in their adversities" (Mosiah 23: 14)  However, we all are given blessings we need to acknowledge as well.  No matter your current circumstance, we all have reason to be happy, a concept these children seemed to understand.  

When thinking on the Halloween's to come, I hope to not only focus on the candy, the costumes and the neighborhoods but to remember what I am thankful for.  Who says you can't count your blessings a month before Thanksgiving?

Time for an Adventure

It is adventure time! And no I'm not talking about the television cartoon.  Tomorrow, I begin my trek across the United Kingdom!  I leave from the Salt Lake City airport tomorrow at eleven and arrive in Scotland at 2 o'clock the next day.  I still seems unreal to me.  A few months ago, I would have never dreamed that I would be doing anything like this.  I am leaving the United States to go on a hike across another country, leaving behind my computer, my wardrobe, my family to focus on my writing, getting to know the people in my group and embracing a new culture.  I have never been so ecstatic! However, I already miss Utah!  When I first started college, I didn't expect to like Utah.  Compared to Washington, I saw it as dry and hot and brown.  However, Utah actually has seasons.  Unbelievable right?  The mountains are magnificent and the colors are beautiful in the fall.  The winter is bitterly cold but it looks like a winter wonderland.  In the spring, the temperature is perfect and the sky gets really blue.  I have never lived in Utah in the summer but I'm sure it is great.  This school year has been amazing.  When my freshman year ended, I thought I would never have a school year as good as that one.  I met great people, I had a great ward, great roommates and made so many memories.  However, this year has been just as, possibly more, wonderful.  The people I met were the best!  Everyone was so kind, funny and had wonderful personalities.  Anyway, there is a purpose to this tangent.  It seems to me that it doesn't always matter where you go but who you are with and what you learn.  Though I am about to leave to United Kingdom, I will miss the people back home, especially my family.  Still, I am so excited to embark on this grand journey across the English countryside for the next two months (and then to Paris for three days)!  I won't have a computer so I don't know the next time I will have internet so this might be the last blog post until I get home.  I can't wait to tell of my tales when I return. Au revoir! 

A Reason to Smile

When life becomes stressful and circumstances aren't turning out the way you hoped, it can sometimes be difficult to find a silver lining.  If we are unable to find a positive detail within a matter of moments, we tend to give up and the negativity finds it easy to cloud our minds.  In these times, I encourage everyone to find a reason to smile because I promise you can always find one.  President Gordon B. Hinckley once said "In my ninety-plus years, I have learned a secret. I have learned that when good men and good women face challenges with optimism, things will always work out! Truly, things always work out! Despite how difficult circumstances may look at the moment, those who have faith and move forward with a happy spirit will find that things always work out.” We live in a world of comparisons.  We constantly compare our lives and ourselves to those around us.  I believe that is the quickest way to poison self-esteem and belief in self-worth.  When you are having a hard day, count your blessings before you mourn what you don't have.  You might find that you will forget your hardships amongst your blessing counting.  One of the best ways to rid yourself of negativity is to give someone else a reason to smile.  More often than naught, the people you come in contact with are facing their own hardships and need a little pick-me-up.  Today, when I was walking to class, two girls stopped me on campus.  They asked if they could ask me a few questions for one of their classes.  After their interview, one of the girls said "You are such a wonderful person and I am so glad we got to meet you."  To be honest, I was caught off guard at first.  I was amazed at how sincere she sounded. With all the stress of finals and everything else that life brings, I was so grateful to this random girl for giving me a reason to smile.  If you serve those around you, you will find true happiness in your life.  Keep your head up and find a reason to smile :) Here is a super cute video of a person who shares his smile with everyone.  I could learn some lessons from him!
It is a little long but worth it!

 

As a Christian

In light of today being Easter, I thought I would explain what being a Christian means to me.

Yesterday, I had the amazing opportunity to go to the Festival of Colors at the Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork, Utah.  A few friends and I drove to Spanish Fork from Provo and participated in the religious ceremony.  When we arrived, we bought colored corn starch that looked like chalk and gathered by the Krishna Temple with thousands of other people.  At the beginning of the ceremony, we were told the story of Krishna and the history of the religion.  Then we were taught some religious chants and, on count down, threw our colored chalk into the air.  We all became engulfed in a cloud of color that stained our clothes rainbow.  We looked so cool!  Here are a few pictures from our experience :

                                                                                  

 Though I am sure I will be sneezing and coughing rainbow forever, the experience was totally worth it!  As we walked back to our car, we happened upon a commotion that quite disturbed me.  A man, holding a yellow sign with black letters, was shouting at the people passing by.  He exclaimed that those who participated in this ceremony could not consider themselves Christians.  His protest took me back.  What about the ceremony caused this man to be upset and make such absurd accusations?  True, this religion has a different belief system and God than I do but why should that matter?  They believe in a higher power just like I do.  Though our beliefs differ, we both believe in coming together to worship.  I was thankful for the opportunity to immerse myself in a different culture and learn about their lifestyle.  Am I not a Christian for feeling this way?  Absolutely not, of course I am still a Christian.  The Eleventh Article of Faith (if you are not familiar with this term, visit this website http://mormon.org/articles-of-faith!) says "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may."  As a Christian, I am commanded to love my neighbor and not to judge others.  Who I am to judge others on their beliefs if I want my beliefs to be respected?  Everyone worships in their own way and based on their own beliefs.  As a Christian, I want to be accepting of others and learn all I can about the people and cultures of this world.  This world is a magnificent place if you open your eyes to the beauty of its people.  We are all God's children and He loves us all equally.  Jesus Christ came to save ALL men, whether they are Christian or not.  So when someone says Christianity constitutes abstaining from learning about and accepting God's children, I would have to disagree.  Being a Christian, to me, means filling your heart full of charity for your fellow men.  See the people around you as God sees them and you will find love for every person you meet.

Today reminds us of the most glorious miracle; the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  As a Christian, I know that Heavenly Father sent His son to this Earth to bring men unto Him.  As a Christian, I know Christ came to atone for the sins of men.  As a Christian, I know He was crucified as a perfect being.  As a Christian, I know He rose from the dead three days later.  As a Christian, I know my Savior lives.  Sometimes I wonder how all of this can be.  How could God send His son to die for me?  Why did Christ agree to come?  They have a indescribable love for us, to put it simply.  I truly stand all amazed that Jesus Christ would descend from His home on high to dwell among imperfect men and then die for them.  His sacrifice was the ultimate sacrifice of love for His Father's children.  After He suffered for every sin, mistake, unhappiness and burden, He gave His life on Calvary.  Today, we celebrate His return on the third day.  He broke the bonds of death and set all men free.  Sometimes, I don't think we realize the significance of that miracle.  Christ rose from the dead and through His sacrifice, he seals the promise that we can do the same.  I cannot wait for the day when I can kneel at His side and feel the nail prints in His feet, hands and side and cry thanks unto Him. I am so thankful for this Easter Sunday and for the opportunity to rejoice in Christ's resurrection.  As a Christian, I know my Savior is our perfect example.  He is my brother and my ever constant companion.  He fills me with a peace and a hope that encourages me to follow Him and find everlasting life.  As a Christian, I know my Savior lives.  As a child of God, I know my Heavenly Father and Savior love me.  As Paige Whitney, I know I am never alone for they will always be in my corner.  I wish everyone a wonderful Easter, filled with thanks for Christ's ultimate sacrifice and glorious return.

My Family Tree

I have a new obsession and it is taking over the strict homework schedule I set for myself this week.  Family history is the best.  Family history has always been on my interest list but I have never gotten around to it.  Now, I haven't done any of my own work yet but I have been studying the work that my family members have done and I am falling in love! I learned that I have some Native American ancestry.  I mean, I have an ancestor named New Moon so that is awesome.  I also have an ancestor named Peter Parker....so I'm related to Spiderman.  I'm related to Scottish, Hungarian, English, French, Swedish, Polish and Norwegian royalty.  I always knew I was a princess, I could just feel it.  However, nothing compares to finding that I can trace my ancestry back to Adam (like first man Adam) on my dad's side! Crazy! This line goes through Joseph of Arimathea, Mary, Jesse, David, Noah, Abraham and all the way back to Adam and Eve.  I almost started crying when I saw "Eve: The First Woman".  It was so amazing. There were so many names that it is hard to believe I am related to all of them.  I have a really big family.  As I was walking around BYU campus today (this may seem weird) but I was observing all the people around me and a voice entered my head that said "These are my children".  The experience I have had learning about my family has taught me that we are all family because we are children of God.  We all have roots that go back to Adam and Eve.  I love seeing all the names and realizing that these are REAL people not just names on a computer screen.  I am so thankful for the family I have and for the opportunity I have to keep them forever.  I don't think there could be a greater blessing.  So go and research your family history even if it is just a few minutes here and there!  I promise it will be time well spent.
I wrote a poem for my creative writing class last semester about family history so I think no is the perfect time to share it!

The Home Among the Trees 

                                                                                                           

Sheltered by the shadows

The home among the trees        

It has long since been abandoned

But still protected by the leaves

To think of all the hands

A single tree could hold

For every branch, a hand

A family to unfold

To think if only one day

The house were found again

The secrets come unlocked

The Past, our forgotten Friend.

Each ring on every stump

Each vein on every leaf

Behold, the line of Adam

The blood of fairest Eve.

Though now the house is empty

The trees are growing still

Though now the house is empty

The trees are growing still

Belated Valentines Day

I know that Valentines Day has come and gone but it is one of my favorite holidays so I can't put it on my post back burner.  I LOVE VALENTINES DAY.  My fourteen year old sister's birthday is on Valentines Day so this holiday has always had a good connotation for me.  To me, Valentines Day is centered around family.  In my family, we have red and pink mailboxes and through out the month we leave little notes or treats in them.  It is so much fun!  On Valentines Day, we celebrate Raegan's (my sister) birthday and, at night, we have a candlelight dinner. I think a lot of people dislike Valentines Day because they see it as "Single Awareness Day" and don't realize that you don't need to be in a romantic relationship to enjoy this holiday!  Celebrate the relationships that you do have instead of mourning the ones you don't!  I love that we can set apart one day to make sure that we show our love to our families and friends.  This year I had such an amazing Valentines Day!  I absolutely love making valentines.  You get to use different colored construction paper and make any kind of card you want!  I was able to make valentines, receive them, make yummy pancakes, send a package to my family, receive a package from my family (that included a grow your own boyfriend) and hang out with some wonderful friends.  How can you not love this day?  You don't have to spend money to make it meaningful.  I wish everyday felt like Valentines Day.  I mean, why can't it?  It shouldn't be hard to show our loved ones how much we care about them.  Why not make everyday lovely?  I found an awesome quote that I am going to use to make sure that everyday is a good one!

I am blessed to have so many people in my life that I love and that love me.  This Valentines Day made me really miss my family but also made me realize how lucky I am to have them.  I love them so much!  I have so many wonderful friends who mean so much to me.  I have met some amazing people this school year and I am so happy to have them in my life.  So, next Valentines Day, don't dread it because you are single or whatever your reason, enjoy it!  It will become one of your favorite holidays if you do, I promise!

Late Night Poetry

This past weekend has been so uplifting.  There were so many wonderful talks at stake conference that left me feelings content with where I am in my life.  Last night, however, I found myself slipping into disappointment with a few situations and I began to be frustrated with some of my circumstances.  Luckily, before too much damage was done, I caught myself.  I was being so ridiculous! I had just had an amazing weekend and within in a couple of hours, I had forgotten everything I had learned.  I remembered Sister Bednar's talk and when she said "Enjoy where you are in your life".  I thought about what in my life made me happy.  As I thought, I began to write.  Writing always seems to lift my spirits and gets me out of my head.  I ended up writing a poem about a child speaking to Heavenly Father.  I felt the Spirit really strong, testifying to me that everything will be alright and that i should be happy with where I am.  Here is the poem I wrote; I hope you enjoy it!

The Father and His Child

“Father,” said the child with longing eyes of blue

“What will my life be like the day that I leave you?”

The Father took His child up and set him on His knee

“Oh but don’t you know my child that that shall never be?”

“But Father,” said the child “is that not what you said?”

“I’ll go to Earth, for a time, and return when I am dead?”

The Father took the child’s hand and put it to His face

“For a time, my darling child, you will leave this place.”

A single tear began to fall as the child cried,

“But Father, I ask you please, don’t make me leave your side!”

The Father wiped away the tear and said in all his glory,

“My blessed child, don’t you fret and listen to my story.”

“I love you more than you could see, more than you could know,”

“I have given you a gift, you see, if you will let me show.”

“This gift will let you laugh and play, let you jump and run,”

“And you will be just like me when all is said and done.”

“You shall have hands to feel and eyes to look and see,”
“Ears to hear and lips to speak and a mind to help you be.”

“Be what?” asked the small child, as he hugged Him tighter still,

“To be what you can and will become, to be and do my will.”

“But how can I do your will, if you will not be there?”

“How will I act or live or think, if I’m not in your care?”

“Oh sweet child,” the Father soothed “You surely sound confused,”

“I will be there to hold you tight when you’re hurt, broken and bruised.”

“You may not see my face or sit upon my knee,”

“But still, you will hear my voice, and you will know it’s me.”

“And what about my brother? Will he be with me too?”

“Of course He will, my little child, for He will die for you.”

“He will also come to Earth, like you, and teach about my plan,”

“And he will die, upon a cross, for all the sins of man.”

“And with his blood and his tears, this promise we ensure,”

“That you will always belong to me, and I’m forever yours.”

The child looked up and wrapped his arms around the Father’s neck

“I promise Daddy, I will try to make it safely back.”

The Father kissed the child’s head and while they were alone,

He held the child close and said “I will bring you home.”

Why I Chose BYU

When I was accepted into BYU, I didn't really think about why I wanted to go to this school.  I had wanted to come here my whole life and I wanted to be in a LDS environment.  Over the past year and half, my reasons for choosing BYU have become clear to me.  First, it is amazing being around young adults that share my beliefs.  I love be able to talk about the gospel in any situation.  The people at this university, more specifically the people in my ward, have truly strengthened my testimony through their examples.  Second, I love that I can feel the Spirit while gaining secular knowledge.  In all of my classes, we start off with a prayer and sometimes we sing a hymn.  Whether it be French or Astronomy, I feel the Spirit in all of my classes.  Third, there are so many spiritual opportunities at BYU that you can't really find anywhere else.  This morning, I attended the adult session of stake conference.  Elder Bednar was presiding.  Just having him and his wife in the room brought an amazing spirit.  His talk was phenomenal.  He talked about agency and the promises we make when we make covenants with the Lord.  He promised us the same strength that the Prophet and Apostles receive.  What an amazing blessing!  After he spoke, I was able to shake his hand!  I was really nervous and almost started crying when it was my turn to meet him.  He and his wife were so sincere and I felt their love simply through their smiles.  This was my first time meeting an Apostle and it was amazing.  A few weeks ago, President Uchtdorf spoke at a CES fireside, last year President Monson spoke at morning devotional, Elder Oaks has spoken at two firesides and Elder Nelson spoke at a fireside as well.  It is such a privilege to be able to hear the Lord's Apostles so often.  I cannot imagine being as happy as I am at any other school.  I have made amazing and unforgettable memories here and I am so thankful for all of the blessings this school has brought me.  I know that this is a holy place and that the Spirit resides here.  I know that this Gospel is true and that this is the true and living church.  I am so thankful for my Savior who has provided me with the ability to become clean and live with Him and my Heavenly Father again someday.  I am so thankful for personal prayer and revelation and the peace and strength that I receive on a daily basis.  I am thankful for all the blessings and trials I have been given in my life and I look forward to serving my Heavenly Father until I meet him again!  I am so blessed to have the knowledge that families are forever and I am thankful for the wonderful and loving family I have been given.  I know that the restored church is on the earth today and I know that we have a living Prophet who gives us direction from God.  I love this gospel so much and I bear my witness of it in the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen. 

Professional Blogger

I am officially a professional blogger.  I am in the club.  Well, I am not sure if there even is a professional blogger club but, if there was one, I would be a member.  Why?  Because I finally have enough posts to have an "Older Posts" button at the bottom of the page!  I never thought that I would enjoy blogging as much as I do but it is quite fun.  Anyway, I felt like rejoicing for a moment.  Hooray for "Older Post" buttons!

You'd Think I'd Learn

You know the saying "Humans are creatures of habit"?  I never really considered myself as one.  A creature of habit I mean, I do consider myself a human.  Sure, I brush my teeth twice a day, take a shower everyone morning, eat three meals a day (though my ability to do that has been tested since becoming a college student) etc.  I have a habit of daydreaming, speaking to fast and taking a nap once a day.  However, I wouldn't call those routine or anything.  Today, however, I became of one habit that I need to break.  When I walk home from campus, I always am listening to music.  I have my headphones in, my music up pretty loud and I am completely unaware of the people around me.  If I am not listening to anything, I get bored on my walk home.  The first time this habit caused a problem was in September.  I was walking home from British Literature and I was plugged in, as usual, when I looked to my right and realized that a young man was walking next to me.  I took out my headphones because it appeared as though he was talking to me.  I smiled and said "Um, hi....were you talking to me?"  He looked at me, kind of embarrassed and said "Ya, sorry, I didn't realize you were listening to music."  Apparently, he was the kind of person that did not need an acknowledgment to dive into a conversation. What if this guy had been telling me a personal story or something and I had had been unaware?  He probably thought I hate him. I apologized and we talked until I reached my apartment.  Overall, it was not a terrible experience but I was embarrassed for myself and for the random guy next to me.  For about two weeks after that experience, I did not listen to music on my way own.  And what would you know, no one else talked to me.  I figured that the silence would continue so I returned to my old ways.  Today, I was reminded of why I needed to break the habit.  I was about two minutes away from home when I felt a tap on my backpack.  I turned around a saw a good friend of mine walking behind me.  He told me he had called my name but I didn't respond.  He was the one who suggested that I probably ignored the stranger man's life story.  We only got to have a 30 second conversation and too think it could have been so much longer if I would have stuck with my no-headphones goal!  I am going to try and learn my lesson.  I would pick a good conversation over a repeated playlist any day! 

Beautiful Heartbreak by Hilary Weeks

I absolutely love this song/music video!  I saw it a few weeks ago and I found it very inspiring.  It makes me quite grateful for the blessings I have in my life and for the knowledge that I can overcome anything :)

Broken Back

Ok, maybe my title is a little dramatic but my lower back definitely feels broken.  One of my New Years resolutions was to exercise three to four times a week.  I did pretty well the first few weeks but last week I was a total slacker.  Yesterday was the first time I went this week....obviously, I am not doing so hot this week either.  Anyway, my cousin and I went to the gym that is apart of my apartment complex.  We ran on the treadmill for about a half an hour and then decided to use some of the other machines.  It sounded like a good idea at the time but I regretted that decision later on.  I started out doing some lunges, some arm exercises and some stretches.  Then I headed over the ab machine, or whatever it is called.  I started doing sit-ups with a decent amount of weight on my back.  I was in an ambitious mood so I cranked it up a few levels.  Mistake Number One.  Once I got used to the weight, I was feeling good about myself so I started doing the sit-ups faster.  Mistake Number Two.  My back started to hurt but I ignored it.  Mistake Number Three.  It only took about five minutes after our workout for the pain to set in and for me to realize I was not a smart cookie.  By the time we got home, I felt like a 90 year old lady.  I woke up this morning, barely able to move.  That was fun.  I have never been so thankful for heating pads and ibuprofen.  On the plus side, I can use my "injury" as bragging rights.
"Ya, so I was working out hard core last night and pulled a muscle in my back." Oh my word, I would never say that.  I would feel like such a lame-o.  Anyway, that is how I broke my back.....I mean, pulled a muscle.  Ya, that doesn't sound as cool.  I probably sound like a wimp but the extent of my injuries are a scraped knee or bruise so I feel cool when I have an "injury" worth talking about. 

Scare Tactics

This past school year I have become really good at scaring my roommate.  Whether it is hiding behind the couch, sneaking under her covers or jumping out when she comes out of the bathroom, I never seem to fail.  However, while anticipating the attack, I cannot keep a poker face.  My face looks like this while I wait,

My whole body is usually shaking with laughter by the time my roommate is in position.  Yet, I still seem to scare her silly every time.  Some may think that I am the worst roommate of all time.  If you lived in our apartment, you would soon realize that it is a funny site to see.  So I love scaring people...I don't consider that a bad thing :)  But, I must admit, I can't claim all my tricks as my own.  Where do I get my inspiration? Elle Degeneres, duh.  She is the queen of pranks.  Almost every person who has been on her show has been frightened at some point.  My favorite prank was when she scared Taylor Swift.  Ellen hid in the bathroom and jumped out and screamed when T Swift walked in. Classic.  Take a look.

Pure genius.  Someday, that will be me....oh, wait I already do that.  My poor roommate.  I always think that she will try and get me back.  It has yet to happen.  Until then, my spooking spree will continue :)

The Flirting Bible

Last year, my old roommate received this book as a White Elephant present.  What a gift.  Every night for the next couple of weeks, we would all sit down and study this guide to being a "fabulous flirter".  Some of the tips given seemed like they would be affective and others.....not so much.  For example, you know that humiliating moment when you walk out of the bathroom with toilet paper on your shoe?  Well, according to the Flirting Bible, have no fear.  If this happens to you, just casually wait outside the bathroom.  If you are lucky, your wonder man/woman will walk by.  As they approach, ask if you can use their foot and motion down to the oh-so-obvious tissue.  If they are willing to help, they will step on the toilet paper and free you from your doom.  To thank them, ask them to buy you a drink, or if you don't drink (like me) ask them to buy you an ice cream cone or something (the ice cream cone was not one of the options in the book but that is what I would ask for).  *Que laughter*  This strategy is ridiculous to say the least. First of all, what kind of kook wants to stand outside of the bathroom with toilet paper on their shoe?  Not me.  Second, how long are you supposed to wait there? And, lets be honest, how often do you see your ideal man/woman walk past the bathroom?  From my experience, you are gonna be waiting there a long time.  Finally, if they are the ones getting the toilet paper from your shoe, why are do they have to buy the drink? Or ice cream cone or whatever.  Maybe its just me but I feel like there are some pretty major flaws in this plan.  How about avoid the situation all together and do it yourself?  Another interesting tidbit I found was the chapter about the male flirting stance.  Apparently, when a man is trying to show interest in a woman, he stands a certain way.  Here are the steps:
1) His feet will be positioned 18 inches apart
2) A few of his fingers will be in his pocket or in his belt loop
3) His stomach will be sucked in
4) His chest will be puffed out
5) Finally, his eyebrows will be raised
So, I had one of my friends follow these steps and lets just say if any man stood like that he would earn my pity not my interest.  Anyway, if you enjoy a good laugh and need a few tips on how to get your flirt on, I highly recommend this guide.

Sweats > Jeans

 

I am all about being comfortable.  I choose sweats over jeans ANY DAY.  When I wake up in the morning shivering, thanks to the wonderful Provo weather, who can blame me for wanting to go to school in my warm pajamas?  It is times like these were I miss pajama day.  I slowly climb out of bed, only to get into a shower that stays warm for five minutes, if I am lucky.  So after waking up cold and then taking a cold shower, I have to mentally prepare myself for what comes next: picking out an uncomfortable outfit.  No wonder I am not a morning person. Once prepared, I proceed putting on those tight, dreadful jeans.  Guys are lucky; their jeans are roomy.  Putting on jeans can be a difficult task, especially recently-dried jeans.  Once you have both legs in, you have to put your fingers through the belt loops and hope and down to get them on.  If they are still too tight, you practically have to do yoga to stretch them out.  The beautiful thing about sweats is that you just put one let in and then the other and poof! Life is ten times easier.  I'll admit, jeans aren't that bad once you have been wearing them for a few hours.  But still.  When I get home from wherever I am, I have to force myself to stay in my presentable clothing.  Sometimes I can lounge around my apartment for a few hours wearing my jeans but other times I don't last very long.  However, changing into comfy clothes has some downfalls as well.  I kid you not, the second I put my grungy, baggy clothes on someone decides to come to my apartment.  Time is cruel.  Maybe it's a sign or something, telling my to wear cute clothes more often.  Sometimes, I will wear a scarf with my sweatpants and t-shirt just to feel somewhat presentable.  My aunt once told me that you should never even go check the mail with out a good outfit.  I laugh when I picture myself walking to the mailbox in a blazer and heels.  That is never going to happen.  To clarify, I am not saying cute clothes are awful.  I like looking cute as much as anyone else.  I am not some lazy lady who only sits around eating Cheetos while watching re-runs of Friends....well, I do watch re-runs of Friends but that's unimportant.  At the end of the day, comfort is the main goal.