So you want a kitten? What to know.

You're laying down in your comfy bed, curled up under the covers having your usual Netflix marathon. The tweets and DM's are okay, but it would be much less lonely if you had a little kitten by your side. But you know more than anyone that your Amazon cart is just filled up with useless things you don't need so you go to sleep in hopes that you'll soon forget about it. Spoiler alert: you don't. In fact, weeks even go by and you realize you can't shake this thought.
Just know this, whether you're adopting or taking a kitten off the hands of a friend,  you are awesome. In doing my research, I found out that 3.4 million cats all over the globe find their way to an animal shelter every year. So, really, everything does count.
Here we go, things you should know for your new little furry friend.
Supplies: This should go without saying, Like duh. I know you know the basic things to get, so I won't bore you with this one. All I have to say is make sure you do your research on the different foods to get. I do know there are brands out there that are not so safe for your little animal friend so just be careful.
Beds: I made this mistake. When I got my kittens, they absolutely loved the bed I got them... for about a week. Sure, it might be a good idea to get this for your little kitten until he's comfortable with his new surroundings but unless you have a dog or someone else who would need it, skip out on this. A nice basket or mat for them to stay in at first will do.
They're cute but: They are cute...BUT a lot of work. For the most part, they take of themselves. But sometimes, they do need a little TLC. So next time you have homework to do and sweet little Sophie just won't leave you alone, remember this warning.
They get into EVERYTHING: Consider your house a jungle gym for your new little friend. He will want to go exploring everywhere. Especially, as little as he is, expect him to get lost under couches and tables. Don't worry though, he will find his way back to you!
Outside: Rookie mistake. If you want your kitten to explore the yard, that's fine. Just know two things: 1. They will get fleas. 2. They will be meowing until the end of time to go outside again.
They are adorable: Above all these things, nothing is better than having a little furry pet to cuddle up with. They will love you unconditionally and they are just so darn cute! Seriously, nothing is better than a pet.

Speaking In Public: How Can I Get Over It?

You walk up to the front of the room immediately feeling the stares into your skin, turning it a bright red color. Your palms become sweaty and your fingers grip to that notecard for dear life. It might be a good idea to run, you think, but that could cause more problems. Dumbfounded is the look planted on your face; you forgot what you were going to say. They're making fun of me, you can't help to tell yourself, they will remember every awkward move I make up here for the rest of my life.

Ah yes, something we all have done or have to do at least once in our lives, public speaking. According to Infogram, public speaking is feared more than some other common fears such as spiders or even heights. 75% is a number revolving around the idea, that 3 out of 4 people fear public speaking. That means 3 out of 4 people in that one row of people staring up at you when you're giving a speech is just as scared as you are up there. Doesn't seem so bad anymore, does it?

Nonetheless, my statistic may not have convinced you, and that's my goal here. So let's break it down. Think of all the things that could go wrong while you're up in front of a room full of 30 or more people to speak. Well, for the people in the back, I'll go ahead and list a few off.

1. You can trip
2. You forget what you're going to say/say something stupid
3. You have a wardrobe malfunction
4. You had something in your teeth
5. You wore the wrong shade of foundation
6. You have issues with technology
7. You throw up
8.  People give you dirty looks/laugh at you/talk about you
9. The teacher fails you before you even speak
10. A fire starts

Now I know, you may be thinking why the heck would you scare me even more? And although some things on this list seem a bit silly, it's perfectly normal to think these things. When we over think, our brain tends to make up elaborate ideas. But realizing the fears we have about public speaking can really help us break it down and tackle this.

For example, you think about the day you have to get up and speak. You're not sure until you pinpoint the exact reason why you're scared. You realize it's because you may trip, throw up, or even forget what you're going to say. On a speaking day, it's important to dress appropriately. Don't wear anything that may be a distraction to you or your audience, unless of course, that's what you're going for with your speech. Wear some shoes without laces so you'll be less likely to fall. Eat something light that morning. Also, organization and practice what you're going to say so you're less likely to mess up. And even if you do mess up a little, who cares? No one is perfect.

It's good to keep in mind that while you can't help the actions of other people, no one wants to see you fail. If you're in a class, everyone is reaching for that one goal, to pass. If you're not in a class and you have to present an idea to a boss or give a speech to a board of some kind, the rules still apply. No one ever sees someone about to speak and thinks "you know what, I would really love to see them break down in front of everyone." Support others and you will likely get the same back.

Now you got some advice and a bit of a pep talk. You may be thinking, "Well, I'm just not good at public speaking. The attention on me is too much." While that may be true, we use communication every day of our lives. Whether it's a crowd, group of friends, or even a one on one conversation, you're constantly talking and exchanging ideas. So, really, you've built these skills up to that scary speaking day.

 So get out of your comfort zone for a few minutes and kick that speech's ass! And always remember to always be proud of the speech you're giving.

EveryBODY is different

Body positivity is social medias new all around trend. It should be no surprise anymore that we see a variety of different social media accounts on about how you should love your body, keep it healthy, and how to stay confident. Food, workout suggestions, and even confidence tips are spread to the young impressionable viewers from the comfort of their own homes. Newsflash: this should not be a trend.

As we're all aware, social media is a very tricky thing. It allows everyone and anyone to access just about anything right from their handheld device. But what happens when the viewer is more impressionable than we're aware?

We all know tweens, preteens, and teenagers over the years have always had some sort of public influence during their awkward stage but this day and age makes it way more complex. The previous generations of teenagers, before the internet, relied on television and magazines for beauty goals and standards, making it way more straightforward. These days, however, it's easier for a teen to go on the web, see an Instagram account that caters to their liking and follow it, making their standards a lot different than the next.

If you're aware of how the internet works, you would know that all cultures and lifestyles are shown. Naturally, we are opened to things that are different for us. For example, maybe you had no idea you could live substantially on a diet without any animal products until you stumble across VeganGirl101 on Instagram. Or maybe you didn't know that your body type could be accepted until you read the comments on a girls photo with the same body type as yours, getting nothing but positive feedback. Really, it is a fascinating, refreshing, and positive time for not only the impressionable but everyone else.

But here's my thing that we all should take into consideration: being body positive should not be a trend. I can't help myself but get a little giddy every time I see a man or a woman post a picture of their "unaccepted" body confident and in return, get positive feedback from others. It makes me really believe that we can, in fact, love and accept others for who they are.

A trend, however, is a change in which people are behaving and as we know, these trends change quite frequently. Instead of just accepting each other for a short amount of time or because that's the trending hashtag on Twitter, we need to really stick up for each other and all body types. Because let's face it, this time is amazing. It's such a positive and refreshing thing for us to all really be happy and confident and accepting of others. It's great for the children to see and overall an amazing thing to practice. Let's not let this just be a trend. Let's turn this into a normality.

That Old Dresser

I have this old dresser in my bedroom I got six years ago. It's tall, narrow, and brown with splotches of red marker from the previous owner. It's rickety and the drawers on it are hard to open and when you do finally get it to after hours of pushing and pulling, it gives a screech loud enough to bust your eardrums.

This dresser is awful and because of it, I use it to store my personal things that I don't need every day, such as my old writings, CDs, and other memory-related things. I only use it actively for the top of it to keep things on it such as makeup, my water bottle, and other miscellaneous items. On the other side of my room, however, I have brand new clean white dressers that open and close perfectly.

It's so big and annoying that I never had plans to do anything with it. I always told myself that if anything ever falls from the top and gets under it, I should just consider it gone. Well, that was until yesterday. I'm not the type that has to wear makeup everyday but like your average female, I do like to wear it every now and again. My foundation fell under it and of course, that meant I had to do the unthinkable: move this dang dresser.

That's exactly what I did and in the process, I cleaned everything. No, I didn't find anything under it that was life-changing and yes, I did find my makeup and yes, there is a point to this blog post.

As I began to clean under it, around it, and even on top of it, I thought to myself, how many things get tossed to the side because it's old. How many old relationships of any kind get tossed away just because it was something that happened more than five years ago? This dresser didn't do anything to me, it just didn't do anything for me. But letting it go wasn't right on my part. When I do that, it collects dust, gets dirty, and becomes more run down than before. When you let a person go, it does the same for your relationship.

Every once in awhile, I catch myself missing someone I used to converse with. I eventually let it go, thinking why does it matter? Obviously, they don't miss me so why should I miss them? Surprisingly, I'm not the only one who does this. When two old friends think this same thought, you build an unnecessary barrier between the both of you and those five years can turn into ten. It can damage the amazing relationship you once had with this person just because you didn't give them that phone call first. And, for lack of better terms, it sucks.

Sure, I have shiny new dressers (or new friends) but that dresser and I have history and at the end of the day, it is not useless. I took the time to clean it. I actually appreciated it for what it was and what it has done for me in the past six years.

You have to do that with people. Even if you still talk to said person, make sure you take time out of your day to really let the person know how grateful you are for them in your life. Sometimes, we take those simple things for granted. You have to appreciate what you got and love every little last piece of it.

If you take anything from this blog from a crazy lady having an emotional connection with her dresser, think of this: there is at least one person that you miss that most likely misses you too. Sometimes rekindling old friendships aren't so bad, even if things weren't left on such good terms. So seriously, take my advice and run with it. Don't let those relationships become old run down dressers.