Midnight Rant

I've come to notice that a lot of people nowadays hold back on what they want to say. They feel as if they'll be judged or ridiculed for having their own opinion, when in reality we should really be speaking our minds. I'm not necessarily talking about anything in specific. On the contrary- there are so many things that need to be said in the world that are simply left unsaid, behind the fear of ridicule and being ignored. So many people in our world live by the common phrase "be the change you wish to see in the world" (me being one of them), but I find that difficult to do in a society that judges you so much for simply having your own opinion.

By talking about different things and situations that you deem necessary to speak about, you encounter people who have the same beliefs as you, and together you can possibly make a difference or greatly contribute towards whatever that cause/idea/feeling may be. Maybe its on a large scale; maybe it's the just growth between you and another individual person. Whatever you think needs to be said (rational things, hopefully), go ahead and say it. Don't be afraid of what the people around you might think. Chances are, someone wants to say what you said but just didn't know how to.

The fact that it's already the last week of July 2015 says a lot. Time goes by faster than we seem to think it does. Tomorrow might be too late to say what you wanted to say today. I guess what I'm trying to get at is that nothing should stop us from expressing how we feel. There are so many platforms available to us to help us speak our minds and express ourselves, and I don't feel as if everyone is taking advantage of them. I was once stumped by the question, "Would you rather not say something and regret not saying it, or say something and regret it afterwards," and I think I've recently found my answer. If you never speak up, you'll never know what could have happened. I don't know about you, but I hate living with unchangeable "what ifs" in my life. If worst comes to worse and you say something that doesn't go as planned, life goes on and at least you made an effort.

Speak your mind without the fear of people around you judging you. The people who actually mean something to you won't be the ones judging you, it'll be the irrelevants (I don't think that's a real noun but we'll pretend) who wish they had something meaningful and un-rude to do with their lives that will be. Ok I'm done with my midnight rant... for now. It'll probably continue on the twittersphere.

NG

P.S. Keep up with me even when I'm not blogging by following me on Twitter at @nicki_gee!

Bruce or Caitlyn- Who Cares?

I want to start this post off by saying that it is not a post about Bruce Jenner becoming Caitlyn Jenner. Although that is the main drive behind this post, I don't feel like shoving my opinions and thoughts down your throats like everyone else seems to be doing. I have my point of view, and I really do not care whether you feel the same as I do. Whether you agree or disagree, support or are against her actions is up to you. I'm sure you have your valid reasons for having your specific point of view. As I like to say, you do you.

Now that that's out of the way, I want to direct this post to those individuals who unrightfully think they can insult others for disagreeing with them. There is no right or wrong in this situation; it is simply how you feel about it. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. For those of you who don't remember what an opinion is, dictionary.com defines it as "a belief or judgement that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty" or "a personal view, attitude, or appraisal". Basically, you have an opinion based on what/how you think about a certain situation. It is not concrete- therefore, an opinion can neither be right nor wrong. 

I don't think it's right for people to be called "ignorant" and "disgusting" just because their views differ from others. Caitlyn Jenner is, and always will be a controversial topic, and not everyone is going to be on the same page. While it is not right at all to degrade her and her decision to become a woman, it also isn't right to insult people who do not agree with the situation at hand. I'm tired of people trying to shove their viewpoints down others' throats through social media. People can agree, or people can disagree. It's a great big world, especially on the Internet. Have your opinion and and don't judge/ridicule others for having theirs. 

I consider myself a liberal person. I'm open to new ideas and changes that come with the modernizing world. Caitlyn Jenner is still weird to me, considering I've been watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians for years- with Bruce being one of my favorite characters (alongside Scott, of course). I frankly don't care what she does. Good for her for making a change in her life she felt necessary. At the end of the day, it does not affect my life (and probably not yours) at all. 

Keep it hate free,

NG

How To Order At Chipotle In 3 Easy Steps

I know what you're thinking- "Just get in line and order...duh." And yes, technically, I guess you could do that. But, you'd probably just do it wrong and waste your time, energy, and money. There are a few easy steps to ensure you get the most out of what you're paying for. Here they are:

1. Mentally prepare to wait in an extremely long line.
I've never, ever, been to Chipotle and not had to wait in line. Right when they open, ten minutes before closing, and any time in between, there is going to be a line. If you have the mobile app (I do), you could order ahead, but I feel like they kiiiinda rip you off. Them not having to look you in the eye as you order tends to lead to a shortage on the ingredients. So just don't go to Chipotle if you're in any kind of rush. Not worth the stress/anxiety.... fine maybe it is.

2. Order a bowl. Always. 
You like tacos? Order a bowl. You're a burrito kind of person? Order a bowl. Unless you're weird and you get quesadillas at Chipotle (sorry not sorry), always order a bowl. By ordering a bowl, you get double the amount of food than you do in a burrito- and like, a thousand times more food than if you order tacos. Also ask for it "to-go"- even if you're eating it there. The lids are useful for mixing up your fabulous creation of goodness. Get your bowl, fill it up with all the yummy ingredients you want, and ask for your burrito/taco tortillas on the side. They're free. That way, you can make two full burritos (one for now- one for when you get home from going out), as many tacos as you want, and still have some delish bowl left to your enjoyment. Side note: make sure you get enough sour cream so your bowl kind of turns into a dip. This will be handy in the next step.

3. Get chips.
It's not a waste of money. Chipotle chips are soooo good and they go perfectly with your food. It's also awesome to dip them in your bowl, or guac if you're into that. And yes, Chipotle employees, we know the guac is extra.

Now that I've given you my advice on how to order at Chipotle, I hope you take it to heart. I know a lot of you already do this, so maybe share this with your parents. They don't seem to understand. I just feel bad for people who don't get bowls. What's your deal anyway? Happy eating- I'm going to go into my food coma right about now.

Chipotle Lover & Advocate,

NG

An Open Letter To My Best Friends

Before I get into anything, I want to start by saying that I have the best friends in the entire world. You guys are amazing and I'd probably be a different girl today without you. Being that you're all together back home and I'm currently roaming the sidewalks of school, I thought this would be a great time to thank you guys.

Thank you for being my friends with open arms as soon as we started high school. For helping me with Bio homework freshman year, AP World homework sophomore year, AP Environmental Science homework junior year, and Calc homework senior year. For being not only good influences academically, but all around. My rebel ways might have gotten the best of me without you. Thank you for covering for me on multiple occasions, in school and out. For warning me when there was a cellphone check in high school.

Thank you for being loyal Instagram likers. Thank you for not judging me (as much as you should) when I take a thousand selfies. For dealing with NG when we go out on Friday nights. For loving NG and her conceited personality. Thank you for driving me to McDonald's or Taco Bell after a night out. Those calories are better with you guys by my side. For always being down to hang out at my place or get ice cream when there's nothing to do.

Thank you for always being honest with me, even if it was difficult. Thank you for being there for me when I needed you most. Thank you for sticking with me these past five years, no matter what happened. For making the best out of all the shitty situations we've experienced. For finding a way to make me laugh when I cry, even if it's by insulting me. For holding my hair in certain situations (we've all been there). For dealing with me complain about boys almost every day of my life. And most importantly, for always letting me third-wheel when I was home alone with nothing to do. 

Although I'll see you soon, I wanted to take a few minutes out of my day to let you know I appreciate you with every piece of my heart and soul- even if I seem annoyed by you. I love you all tons, and thank you for being fabulous. I can't wait to see what life has in store for us.

WP 4 ever,

NG

It's Time For Change #FedUp

I don't even know where to begin. If you know me (my mom used to get annoyed, she's used to it now), you know that I've been a big supporter of eating non-GMO foods for about three years now (thanks to my junior year AP Environmental Science teacher). We've all seen the movies- Fast Food Nation, Food Inc., Super-Size Me, etc. These movies really affected how I felt about inorganic meat and fast food, but unfortunately, it isn't as easy as it seems to make a change. 

This past week, I came across a documentary on Netflix called Fed Up. Unlike the other films, this one is focused on childhood obesity in America. My jaw was dropped throughout the entire movie. Of course I knew obesity was a huge epidemic across the country, and of course I knew Type II diabetes was becoming more and more prevalent among kids. It was just so shocking to learn the harsh truth that although it seems as if our government wants to help us out, they really don't care. Yes, some political figures, such as Michelle Obama, have started to advocate for healthy eating, but that isn't enough. As long as unhealthy foods are being produced, sold, and consumed, they're making tons of money (duh). 

Sugar is a GIANT issue within American eating habits. As most of us know, sugar is absorbed so quickly in our bodies that our livers and pancreases have no other option but to release insulin and turn all that excess glucose into fat- for storage purposes. One can of soda contains over 100% of the daily allowance of sugar. HOW are we allowing this into our bodies as if it's water? Another fact that shocked me was that although a product is "reduced fat" and contains fewer calories, it still contains the same amount of sugar as the non reduced fat product. Processed foods contain so much added sugar that it seems as if there is no escaping it. Studies show that in the near future, 95% of Americans will be overweight or obese. I don't know about you, but those percentages don't sound too enticing. 

We need to stop buying foods with added sugar and begin to eat healthily. Not for one month. Diets don't work. We need to eat healthy every day- forever. There's no getting around it. Instead of eating granola bars which contain so much high fructose corn syrup (sugar), we can eat natural nuts with bits of dark chocolate. Instead of regular pasta, eat whole-grain pasta (I promise it tastes the same). Cut out soda from your diet. Studies show that soda and sugary beverages (sports drinks, juices) are as addictive as cocaine. People have the same withdrawal symptoms when taken off coke (the drug) as when cut off from coke (the soda). Same name... creeeepy. Coincidence? I think not...ok maybe.

I also want to send a message to all the people who are fortunate enough to eat whatever the heck they want and still rock a six pack (shout out to my best friend). Doctors have found that although you are skinny on the outside, you might as well be obese by the way your insides look. Obesity isn't at the hand of the individual and we have to stop blaming them. A person could watch how many calories they intake and exercise every day, and still not lose any weight. It isn't about calories- it's about what is inside every piece of food we consume. Like the film mentions, imagine if soda cans had a label on them like cigarettes do, warning you about the extremely detrimental effects about drinking it. It really puts things into perspective. 

I know this was a long post, and I really hope you took the time to read it. There's so much more information that I feel everyone should know that I couldn't include on here or it would be considered a research paper. If you aren't convinced that we need change by this, take two hours of your day to watch Fed Up on Netflix. We can't wait for the next person to make a change- we have to do it ourselves. If every individual person decides to make this positive change in their life, it will turn into hundreds, and then thousands. 

I'm fed up, are you?

NG

Monday Morning Inspiration

You know when you feel like you've had something to do at every hour of the day? That feeling of pure exhaustion? That's what I've felt like pretty much every day for the past few weeks. I feel like I haven't had anytime for myself. I've either been busy with my sorority, or busy hosting guests in my apartment (not complaining- always fun). So, on this fine Monday morning, I decided to skip my Intro to Communications class (sorry mother) and just have a little me time.  My me time obviously consisted of me sleeping in and getting Starbucks. How would I get through this day without my White Mocha Latte? (I wouldn't).

Final exams are approaching and that's a good and bad thing. Good because, well, final exams equal summer (for two weeks at least... then I'm back to 1509). Bad because of finals. Studying. Cramming. Confusion. There are so many words to describe the negatives of finals week that I'm beginning to wonder if this whole semester has even been worth it (yes I'm dramatic). All I can advise is to not wait until the night before to study, drink coffee if you're planning on spending the day at the Library, and take study breaks. There's no way you can study for countless hours and retain all that information. Have small break periods and get back after about 30-45 minutes. Also- I know this isn't what you want to hear, but try avoiding stimulants like Adderall and Vyvanse (unless prescribed, of course). I'm sure they really help you study but you don't have a *legitimate* prescription for a reason. You don't need it. If you study little by little instead of an all-nighter the night before, you'll do just fine. Ok sorry, enough with the mom lecture.

With that being said, look at the bright side. This semester is so close to being over. I can't believe I'm about to finish my first year of college. I really feel like I graduated high school a few weeks ago. If any seniors are reading this- enjoy your last few days in high school. I know you're eager to get out and some of you to move out, but enjoy it while you can. Summer is creeping closer and closer with each day. I can almost taste the endless piña coladas and frozen lemonades. Our drinks with little umbrellas are at our finger tips; end the school year with a bang.

Good luck with finals!

NG

Sorry That I've Been MIA!

I know I've been MIA for a little while; sorry! With spring break and midterms I didn't have much time to write. Here's what I've been up to the past couple of weeks:

It's true what they say: you can be in love with cities you've never been to. This was proven to me on my trip to Los Angeles last week. It was everything I could've imagined, and more. I grew up in Miami my entire life, so the city-life atmosphere wasn't really different. I don't know what it was about LA, but I completely fell in love. I never thought I'd love a city more than New York, yet here I am. If you've never been, I really recommend visiting. The people are amazing and the food is even better. There's always something to do and always someone to do it with you. The four days I spent in LA completely changed my mind about what I want to do in the future. After I graduate from college, I am determined to pack up my belongings and move across the country.

In other news, I feel like I need to change some things up in my life, starting with my diet. I feel like I'm constantly eating junk food and fried food, and that has to change asap. This isn't necessarily to lose weight, but to be a healthier person overall. I'm currently having a bowl of fruit and green juice for breakfast, so hopefully my day doesn't suck. Goodbye soda & goodbye fast food *insert sad face emoji*. I also want to be more attentive to what's going on around me, rather than attached to my iPhone. So many people that I hang out with legitimately get anxiety when they are away from their phones for more than five minutes. I do not want to be like that. I'm also going to spend more of my free time studying and doing homework. I'm not saying that I'm going to stop going out and stay locked in the library 24/7 studying, but I figure doing some extra chemistry problems will benefit me a little more than scrolling through my Instagram feed.

I hope everyone has a happy monday and an amazing start to their week. Click here for some tips on how to survive this dreaded day. It doesn't have to be that bad!

Xoxo,

NG

Here are a couple of pictures I took while on my trip to SoCal!