Black Is The New Black

Throughout the past few months, I really have come to notice my liking of the color black. Something about a black wardrobe intrigues me. Every time I go shopping, I come home with bags filled with black, white, and grey clothing (sometimes it's without notice). There's something in the simplicity of the color black that makes it so wearable. You can't wear the same red shirt over and over again, but you most definitely can re-wear a black shirt as many times as you want. There's so much you can do to make a black shirt unique every time you wear it, which is why I love the color so much. Changing the bottom you wear, adding a printed scarf, and even layering it with other clothes are all options. You can probably wear the same plain black shirt three to four times in a row in different ways, and chances are no one around you will have a clue.

The color black also makes every outfit look that much cooler. I don't know about you, but I tend to migrate towards people dressed in sleek colors (black, white, grey) rather than colorful people. Maybe that says something about my personality... maybe not. I also get bothered when people say "_____ is the new black." No. No color on the spectrum could ever replace the powerful, yet simple color of black. (At least in my opinion.) I see 2015 as the year of black and white (of course, wherever there is black and white, there is grey). People could have so many different looks with just two colors. One day you could go for a rocker-chic look (credit to my mom for that term), while the next day rocking a simple, classy look. There are so many possibilities for style with just one color. I don't think you could ever go wrong with black clothing.

I'm sure you're concerned with how to rock black during the spring and summer seasons, and I'm not sure how to answer that. Perhaps once the "colorful" seasons arrive, fashionistas across the world will have found a way to incorporate the basic, dark color into the colorful, seasonal wardrobes. Anything is possible. As for now, I'm going to enjoy the rest of the winter season wearing my 90% black wardrobe loudly and proudly. They do say simplicity is key. And besides, black is a slimming color. Just saying.

A wise shirt once read, "Life could be colorful, but it's better if you stay true to black." Like it? find the shirt at your local Zara store on sale for only $12.99!

NG

2014 Has Come To A Close

As 2014 comes to a close, I can't help but think about everything that has happened throughout this crazy year. When 2014 started, I was finishing my last year of high school. Now as it comes to an end, I've just finished my first semester of college. It's strange to think about how fast time really does fly. This past year was filled with so many ups and downs, and I'm sure most of you could agree. I'm grateful for all the lessons learned and all the memories made. 2014 was strange. Here are a few things I learned throughout the past year:

We live in a world that's obsessed with butts. Don't even try to deny it. It seemed as if mostly everything in 2014 was geared toward some type of butt obsession. Why were so many songs (All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor, Anaconda by Nicki Minaj just to name a few) written about butts? Do people not have anything better to write about? (I guess I can answer that question myself.) Oh and lets not forget when Kim Kardashian tried to "break the internet" with her behind. Hopefully this booty craze will stay in 2014.

Online slang is very, very catchy. How many times a day do you catch yourself saying words like "bae" or phrases like "or nah"? Although I am one of the top users of these phrases, I really hope they don't follow through as heavily in 2015. I can't even begin to imagine what's going to pop up in our vocabulary in the upcoming year. I'm not sure if I should be nervous, or excited.

Embrace your self(ie). Sure, embrace your actual self too, but really; don't be ashamed to selfie-it up a little! 2014 brought with it what I like to call the "Selfie Movement". Everywhere you looked you would see someone taking a selfie, no matter who they were. Why are some people embarrassed to take selfies? The person next to you probably took one a few minutes ago! Own your selfie game and don't be ashamed of it. Who knows what 2015 will bring for the Selfie Movement.

Life is short. As sad as it sounds, it's so true. So many people I know lost loved ones this year, way before their time. I saw #RIP______ way too often on my Twitter timeline, and I know anyone with a Twitter can agree. You never know what's going to happen in this big, crazy world. If you miss someone, tell them. If you love someone, tell them. Everything can change in the blink of an eye, and you don't want to regret not saying something once it's too late.

With all that being said, I wish everyone a safe and happy New Year. May 2015 bring you everything you need and more, whether it be happiness, success, or relief. We get to start fresh in just two days, so try and make this new year a great one for you, however that may be. I'm not saying to bring up the basic "new year, new me" stuff, because we all know you aren't going to change that much. It's a new year, try taking it on in a new way. Don't change yourself (unless you really should), change the way you live. If you're usually a stress freak, relax a little. If you're always negative, try smiling and looking at the up side of things. Travel. Make new friends. Fall in love. Stay safe on New Years Eve, drink lots of Champagne (Uber home if you're out), and spend it with people you love.

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...
Happy New Year!

NG

Let It Go

I've noticed that many people tend to hold grudges nowadays. For what? To add unneeded negativity to our lives? To cause our beautiful faces premature wrinkles? I feel like holding grudges is one of the most detrimental things we can unconsciously do to our mental health. Think about it. When you're holding a grudge against someone, you're constantly worrying and stressing out about something that really doesn't even need to be thought about. For what? Sure, there are situations in which you may feel the need to hold a grudge against someone, but it really shouldn't last more than a couple of days. I'm a strong believer in "forgive and forget." I may not become your friend if you do something that truly hurt me, but I believe that simply putting everything behind me and moving on with my life is so much better for my well-being that constantly stressing over some irrelevant situation/person.

Everyone has that one person who just rubs them the wrong way, and that's totally fine. It's impossible to get along with everyone on this planet of 7 billion people. But I'll never understand why some people allow this to get to them so much. If you don't like someone, remove them from your life. There's no reason to go out of your way to inform the person you don't like them. There's clearly some issues (or insecurities as I like to call them) present if you feel the need to simply talk to someone just to inform them that you "hate" them. If they really bother you that much, why are you going out of your way to incorporate them into your life?

So, in the wise words of Princess Elsa, "let it go." It's not necessary to all of a sudden become best friends with the one person in the world you really don't like. Put your pride aside and be mature. If you don't like someone, don't involve them in your life. It's that simple! Once you do that, I promise that so much negative energy around you will begin to disappear, and your daily life will be that much better.

Yours truly,

NG

And That's A Wrap!

It feels as if I blinked and my first semester of college was done. I can hardly believe it! Four and a half months have gone by and it seems like it was just yesterday that my family was helping me move into my apartment. I guess time does fly when you're having fun...or studying... My first semester away at school was definitely one to remember. From all the nights binge-watching Netflix, to my weekly Pub outings, and to my millions of road trips (ok it was about six... millions sounds cooler),  I can definitely say that Fall 2014 was one for the books.

I know a lot of you are finishing with finals this week; don't give up! All of your all-nighters and all the coffee you've ingested will surely pay off if you set your mind to it. Get your rest and stay focused on your exams. You'll be back home before you know it, doing whatever it is you do when you're home alone for seven hours (in my case).

This next month is the really fun part though: Winter Break. Hearing those words just makes me want to run around and sing Christmas carols. As soon as all of my friends finish their finals, this break is going to be amazing. There's so much time to sleep, go shopping (yay!), and do so many other things that I missed from home! I can't wait to have everyone back in Miami again. It's such a good feeling when you go months without seeing your friends and you can act like you just saw each other yesterday when you next see each other. Enjoy your few weeks home with all your loved ones. It's the happiest time of the year!

Hopefully next semester is as good, if not better, than this past one. I'm looking forward to more road trips (maybe I'll go somewhere new?) and meeting new people. I hope this break brings everyone exactly what they need, whether it be sleep, or (some) partying. Bundle up! It seems like this holiday season is going to be colder than our usual 80 degree Christmases! (That's kind of exciting!)

Happy Holidays,

NG

T Minus 31 days!

Can you believe November is already over? In other words, can you believe 2014 is over in 31 days? I feel like time goes by faster and faster each year. In a week, I'll be done with my first semester of college... Didn't I graduate high school yesterday? One stress-filled finals week and back to the MIA I go. I am beyond happy that I get to spend most of the month of December at home with all my loved ones. (Sorry that I'm missing your birthday Mom. You'll receive a love-filled phone call and a hug three days later.) Enjoy the last month of the year as much as you can. I came across a quote on Instagram that said, "You have one month to finish the book of 2014. Make the last chapter a perfect one." I was so intrigued by that quote. I love viewing my years as books. Each month is a chapter and all of our weeks and days are the sentences. It makes life seem so much more meaningful when you look at it that way. 

The month of December has so much to offer (besides Christmas, of course!). Endless family time, Christmas shopping, and the most important: Christmas cookies. Why should Santa get all of them? The holiday season always puts me in the baking mood. (I baked cookies before coming back to Orlando today.) As I've gotten older, I also enjoy buying gifts for other people more. I feel as if Christmas is all about receiving presents when you're younger, but as the years have gone by, I have found more and more gratification in giving gifts to the people I love. 

So what are you waiting for? Make yourself some hot chocolate and grab some cookies. Cuddle with your mom and look through a Christmas catalogue. Remember how fun it was to circle all the toys we wanted from Santa in the Toys R Us catalogue? (Or Target if your mom is as obsessed as mine is.) Appreciate the time you have with your loved ones during this time of year. They do say it's "the most wonderful time of the year," so make it that way. End 2014 in the best way possible, even if you've had a rough year. The better you end 2014, the better you'll start 2015. 

Happy December!

NG

 

#Thankful

As cliché as it may be, I find it extremely necessary to have a Thanksgiving post (even if it's a day late).  We spend every day ignoring the beautiful things that life has blessed us with. How many times a day do you stop what you're doing and look outside and admire the beautiful world? I know I don't do it enough. Although we should be thankful everyday of our lives, it's nice to see everyone so appreciative, even if it's just for one day. 2014 has brought so many ups an downs. It has definitely made me understand that life is short, and we really must live each day with extreme appreciation.

I hope that everyone really took the time yesterday to be thankful for everything they have in their lives. Not the material things, but the things in life we can't put a price on. Your mom forcing you to take 100 pictures (you'll love them in twenty years), your cousin's nonstop singing to weird songs, and your grandma drinking way too much wine. You know your life wouldn't be the same without all those things. I hope that Black Friday didn't make you forget or ignore all of the blessings which you already have. The sales usually last all weekend, anyway.

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving to all my readers. I'm beyond thankful for all the support and feedback I have gotten since beginning to write. I hope I can continue to enlighten you with my thoughts and experiences, one day at a time.

Gobble Gobble!

NG

R & R (Rain and Relaxation)

From what I've been seeing on many social media platforms throughout the day, today has been a rainy day just about everywhere. Grey skies and wet sidewalks call for many things, and I feel like today was perhaps the most perfect rainy day. Why? Nothing specific, really. But something about the sound of the rain dripping off the gutter right outside my fifth floor window has brought me a sense of serenity.

Being that today is Monday, I wasn't too thrilled to start my day. Everyone knows what Mondays call for: waking up early, a whole four days until its Friday, and if you're me, no food because you haven't gone grocery shopping. After snoozing my alarm four times and finally getting up, I ventured to take on my typical Monday. The day started off with really nice weather; I'm not sure at what point of my three hour Netflix binge it took a turn for the dark side. Oh, and I took care of the whole no-food situation, thankfully.

I've been alone for most of the day, not including minimal interactions I came across on campus or at the grocery store. Two of my roommates are back in their hometown and the other one has been in class all day. I'm not complaining, though. Sometimes all you need is a little alone time. I don't know about you, but sometimes being alone and just thinking is exactly what I need. I don't think about anything specific, either. I love letting my thoughts roam while listening to the little noises outside my window. I also decided to finish season ten of Grey's Anatomy, and might I say, it was phenomenal.

Although plenty of people would complain about it being Monday, or the gross weather that the "Sunshine State" was blessed with today, I have zero complaints about this day. I tend to be a negative person, so I'm trying to see the good in whatever life throws at me (even if it is rainy and gloomy). Appreciate the gloominess. Embrace the rain. If you look outside, not much has changed. The trees are still green, cars are still driving, and your favorite fast food restaurant is still up and running. If none of that is changing, why should our mindset? Don't let some dark skies bring you down. I've been in my bedroom for most of the day with the lights off, but I couldn't have enjoyed my cozy Monday more! Everyone could use a party-of-one cuddle session every now and then. (This tends to happen more often than not for me... that's another post in itself.)

Don't dwell on the depressing fact that Friday is so far away, be happy that this rainy day isn't over yet! There's so much that could still be done; don't let a little water get in your way! Go do what makes you happy, whether it's getting in your car and driving somewhere, dancing in your mirror when no one is watching, or just cuddling in your bed with your laptop. I'm going to stay in bed because thats what rainy days are made for in my book. Make some hot chocolate and pick up your favorite book (currently reading White Girl Problems by Babe Walker, highly recommend it). Embrace Florida's wet weather and turn it into a good thing!

NG