Helping Hands

Being in college has it's difficulties, amongst them are roommate issues. If we are all lucky, and I have been so far the present school year, we have roommates that get along, share, and respect one another. However, there is one issue present in my current apartment that I have encountered at others over the last year or so.

For some reason, everyone likes to point the finger when it comes to messes and cleaning. This is understandable, because no one wants to clean the bowl of melted ice cream with goldfish floating along the top, but sometimes it goes to far.  I have literally had someone tell me to avoid doing certain tasks, which are no sweat off of my back, so that another person has to deal with the mess. I am sorry, but stepping 4 extra feet with the vacuum cleaner is not going to kill me, and not doing it probably won't make much of a difference to everyone else.

Being that I am currently couch crashing, I do a little extra cleaning when the stench in the kitchen calls for it. If you see a trash bag overflowing and the person responsible continues to neglect responsibility, go ahead a take it out for the sake of the other individuals living in the apartment. Or, if there are no clean dishes and the washer is full, take out the plates, and if you make it a speed game, you may even trim a few inches off of the arm come summertime. 

My greater point is, we all have hands and some times when they are empty we can use them to finish the work of others. Besides, in the grand scheme of life, the poor girl that doesn't know how to clean up after herself is going to be lonely in a smelly house right? Okay, that was harsh, but you laughed a little. ;)

So roomies all across the globe, stop pointing the finger while you are sitting around doing nothing, which is certainly not going to make the stench of a dirty household disappear. Sure, we are just in college and cleaning up is not a priority, but if that is the case, then complaining about others who don't shouldn't be one either. Lend a hand and do a little extra if you can. Besides, being able to take care of yourself and home is important. Next time you are cleaning up your roomies dishes, put on some pink gloves and don't forget to Winc. ;)

Challenging the Chase

Today I am a she-woman man hater. You heard  me right, I am shamelessly telling the world I am a certified feminist, meaning I am tired of taking s*&% from worthless men. Living with two boys for two weeks, yes it only lasted that long, confirmed my suspicions about young men and their intentions with women. One night while hot tubbing, both of my roommates were speaking about a "relationship worthy" girl vs a "fun time." (By the way, I would hope any girl they deemed worthy of dating could see clear through their front, lord knows I have taken at least one person at face value)

Anyways, their conversation consisted of "yeah if she will make me chase her, she is worth it. Otherwise, I will just... well, you know." Now that we have confirmed men are simply animals of competition, lets further our understanding of what they really want. From person experience, I can tell you sometimes the chase is not enough to build a lasting relationship.

I let someone step a few feet to get me before and it was not even that I made him chase, but I made him wait to prove his worthiness. Well, after several months of getting to know one another, I felt he was trust worthy enough to take the next step... I was wrong. Some girls get a little more intuitive after taking the next step, maybe a better word is suspicious, and it is for good reason if you ask me.

My latest boyfriend seemed like and angel until he got what he wanted. Before I knew it, he was out every single weekend. His excuse? His best friends wanted to go do something fun. The logical reason: he got what he wanted from me and he went looking for more because he was bored. Yeah, I know, what a jerk right? Right! And after my male roommate experience I was more sure then ever that going out for some guys is just another way of saying I am going fishing. So being patient and understand making them "chase" is not enough to be secure anymore. WE ARE ALL IN DANGER.

What needs to be acknowledged is the fact we are living in a fast digital age where people want to be simulated at all times. Dressing up and going out clearly is not good enough to break relationship boredom. I just used this to vent current frustrations so do not take anything too seriously, but watch your back. We are living in the 21st century and we need to get with the times. I am an old soul, and far too trusting, so it took me a few first hands lessons.

Challenge the chase, be more patient then ever, more self focused then ever, and more cautious when it comes to a love life. We are all too beautiful and powerful to waste a day on heartbreak. Put on your running shoes and don't forget to Winc. ;)

The Self- Induced Six

I am reading a fantastic book at the moment, written by a sociologist named Deepak Chopra. As a 20 year old, this material should in no way be applicable to my life style, but due to circumstances out of my control... I have managed to begin living my life on a windy chaotic road. While reading his story, I noticed 6 very damaging factors that I am learning to eliminate in my life. They are as follows: Unpredictability, Disorder/ Confusion, Accidents, Trauma/Sickness, Violence, Chaos.

Now I am not trying to point a finger, but prior to my winter break, I had managed to escape most of these psychologically induced illnesses. However, December came along and with home came a small space filled with children and "chaos", a difficult decision regarding school, and a few overly aggressive family members. Yes I will admit it, my family is just as dysfunctional as yours ( at least I will tell myself that so I do not feel alone.)

Anyways, after break and during, I got sick for the first time in a long time, left home with a shattered self esteem, and ended up in the ER for stomach problems. Yes, it is true, having your life filled with all of these unhealthy habits will affect your body. I will give a brief summary of each damaging factor, least to most disruptive. End the madness before it gets out of your control.

Unpredictability:
Irregularity in your life: hours, eating habits, sleeping habits, everything that is present in your life as a routine. Chopra says we need to live our life with rhythms. When we change our rhythms unexpectedly, our lives begin to resemble that kid always dancing off beat in high school (just a hot mess.)

Disorder ( my most difficult area):
Confusion, procrastination, doubting ones self. Lack of control in these areas can have a serious affect in your life. It makes your restless and a "drifter" for lack of better words. You can either drift from place to place for 3 months, and be still and actually allow growth in your life.

Accidents:
Unfocused, self-destructive, distracted. All of these things take us from the present moment. Therefore, we are not paying attention to the things going on around us. Rather, our minds separate from matter or our physical environment. A personal example of mine; Just a few weeks ago, I was attempting to move to So Cal and broke my friends glasses when we went to the pool. I was busy thinking about how I should have stayed in Oregon opposed to being fully present at the moment.

Trauma/ Sickness:
Choosing unnecessary risks and danger, gambling with safety. By ignoring well-known guidelines for healthy living, we expose ourselves to all of these traumas. There are some healthy life style choices that are safe to live by.

Violence:
Choosing to be out of control, unleashing anger and rage. This fires up your cells to a high alert. As control in these areas breaks down, control over time breaks down as well. Then we become late to work, miss out on opportunities, and lose the most important part of ourselves (self-love.)

Chaos:
 Living in total disorder: crime, domestic violence, war. Sleep, digestion, and metabolism become seriously compromised in this area if we do not control these factors. This is how a 20 year old ends up in the ER with stomach pains ( i'm just saying.)

Anyways, I have spent several weeks letting almost all of these affect me. I advise you not to do the same. Should we all know better? Sure. Do we? Not in the least bit. Stay calm, enjoy life, and pick up a safe hobby. Oh, and don't forget to Winc ;)