Memorial day isn't about the swimming, barbecuing, and bonfires

Happy Friday!

The image I chose, a gif, specifically, perfectly describes how I felt walking out of work today and I'm sure others felt the same way. I probably could have actual ran but I just got off after working a 9-hour day and, boy, I was ready for my 3-day weekend. With that being said, I hope everyone the best in regards to any traveling or camping. Stay safe and enjoy, and for most of you all, the day off. I do realize that some people don't have the luxury to have Memorial Day off, so be courteous to others who might be required to work.  

Here's the link to my latest Odyssey article: To The People Who Don't Feel Enough. 

Before I get on with my post for the week, I wanted to give a birthday shout-out to a couple of important people. One being my second-oldest cousin on my dad's side of the family: Sam Curtis. Happy birthday! I hope you enjoyed it! Maybe we can to get together sometime soon. And the other being my aunt Debbie. Happy birthday, Aunt Debbie! I hope you spent the day enjoyably surrounded by loved ones. 

Memorial Day is, anymore, became a holiday whose meaning gets overlooked. For many, people look forward to the barbecuing, bonfires, spending time with loved ones, baseball, and etc. It's like the official kickoff to summer. But that's not the meaning of the holiday. That's not why we celebrate it. 

It's not even a happy holiday, so to speak. The meaning behind this day is quite sad actually. Memorial Day is a holiday dedicated to those military members killed in actions. That's why it's called "memorial", as in "memory", for those who laid down their lives to protect us, to protect what this country stood and continues to stand for, to protect the freedom we have to live each day knowing that there are brave men and women out there fighting for us. 

Thank you, brave men and women across America. Thank you for putting your country before yourself. Thank you for putting everyday people, like myself, before yourself. Thank you for being brave and tough and doing what you think needs to be done to protect this country and what it stands for. Thank you for sacrificing time with your loved ones, like friends and family, to fight and defend. Thank you for your service.

Until next week,

Thought of the day

Life is a delicate balance of pretty much everything

Happy Friday!

Well, if you're reading this, it means you're alive and breathing. If that's not something to bask in, then I don't know what to tell you. I told a co-worker to treat her self to a cookie because she deserved it. 

With starting two jobs, it's been a crazy week. Don't get me wrong; I am loving my new job as student assistant to the library's Public Relations committee! It's my chance to take what've learned in my classes and apply it. The old saying goes, "life is the best teacher," and it is. I'm truly blessed to have this opportunity to do this, to get this experience and been able to use the skills I'm learning now for future job interviews. But getting into the grove of working two jobs? That's going to take me a couple of weeks to find a routine or a grove. 

I think it's safe to finally congratulate my fellow college students (of those who haven't graduated yet) on surviving another semester of stubborn professors (not all, of course), reading-based classes (Humanities, I'm giving you the side eye on this one) or test-based classes, relationship drama, pesky or slightly irritating co-workers (not mine, because mine are pretty awesome), and more. To be honest, this was honestly my most stressful semester yet with all the of new challenging classes, personal relationship changes, and the stress that comes with "adulting". 

Here's the link to my latest Odyssey article: Tell Your Anxiety No More.

My post this week will likely be short because I'm creatively exhausted and physically worn-out. 

Life is a balance. Exercising not enough and exercising too much. Always giving and not taking. Always taking and not giving. There needs to be a balance of giving and receiving. This is needed in relationships, workplaces, family affairs, and in life. 

There shouldn't be one person in a relationship that's always giving in to the other for a multitude of reasons. This isn't right. This is unhealthy. It isn't new that people who have differing opinions, thoughts, principles, and etc. And when there's a difference in opinions, there's a disagreement or fight. Fighting in relationships is normal, healthy even; a lack of fighting is a sign of someone always giving in. We don't always know how to fight. Yes, that is something that we should learn how to do. We might think we know how to because growing up with friends, parents and/or siblings. But something I think we forget is the relationships we have are different. How we fight with our siblings is different from how we fight with friends. How we fight with one friend to another is different, as well.  

Until next week,

Thought of the day

 

Why does it take a tragedy to bring people together?

Happy Friday!

Well, another week in the books. This week wasn't as stressful as last week, but there have been many other issues that have stressed me out. But, as you can probably can tell, I'm still here and breathing and surviving.

I hope all is well with all my readers. Before I get today's topic, I want to take a moment to tell you thank you for reading my blog. It doesn't matter to me if it is one post or all my posts; every little bit counts to me.

Here is a link to my latest article with The Odyssey Online. 

What I want to talk about today is something I talked about a few posts ago. This topic is something that I feel strongly about, and if you can't handle it, please feel free to stop reading. It won't hurt my feelings; I would understand if you felt the need to stop. 

I was completely speechless when I heard. Even right now, as I type this, I am still shocked. It's hard to type this, but I would like to talk about the serious tragedy that suicide is. 

On Wednesday, a tragedy struck the UNI family. Caitlyn Burns, a freshmen, took her own life by hanging herself in her room. 

Can you imagine being the roommate, who was her best friend from high school, finding her body? Can you hear the screams? Can you picture the distraught and disbelieving look on her face?

Can you imagine being the twin brother and finding out that your literal other half killed herself? Can you hear the silent tears flowing down his face? Can you imagine what's going through his mind right now?

Can you imagine being the resident assistant of the floor and finding one of the girls you were supposed to help and be there for? Can you blame her if she doesn't want to be an RA anymore?

Can you picture the person who had to call her parents and tell them that their happy college girl killed herself? Can you picture that person cursing their job at that moment?

Can you? Because I can.

I didn't know her, but does not mean it hurts any less nor does not mean it is any less tragic. She still was a beautiful human. She was another person who most likely felt she couldn't take the pain anymore. 

Honestly, I wonder how many suicides it will take for people to realize that mental illness is real and is not something people make up. I wonder how many suicides it will take for people to realize that it is not okay to say hurtful things or make jokes about mental illness. I wonder how many suicides it will take to change the people who believe that taking your life is the cowardly way out of life.

After this news blown up on social media, UNI came together as a family and supported each other. (Just another reason that reassures me that I chose the right college.) It didn't matter how well you knew her; the only thing that mattered is that you were there and supported one another through this. 

The biggest question that has been on my mind ever since I heard the news: why does it take a tragedy to bring people together? I posed this question to a friend of mine. She said that this is how society works most unfortunately. And she's right on both counts. This is how society works, and it's wrong. We don't always realize that we are going through our own versions of Hell. We need to come together as a society to be there for each other in any way we can. 

I ask only this of you. 

• Go tell your friends you love them and appreciate them. 

• Go call your parents and tell them thanks for all they did for you and you never meant "I hate you" when you said it. 

• Go call your grandparents and ask how their day went and respond with how you are doing. 

• Go call your siblings and tell them how much they mean to you. 

• Smile or compliment a complete stranger. You just might make their day.

Caitlyn, may you finally be a peace now. See you again. 

You are never alone. 

Whatever you need, we'll be there for you however we can.

Until next week, 

Thought of the day

A moment of silence is when one hears best

Happy Friday! 

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Once again it is finally Friday. So give yourself a pat on the back for surviving. While some people find this stupid, it does serve as a reminder that you are here and surviving by doing the best you can.

A quick update on my life: I have another article for you all to read - 500 Words on Stress and Anxiety. Early into the semester my allergies acted up terribly, and now they are making an appearance again. (Apparently, they love making me feel miserable.) For all you visual learners, just picture me trying type while sneezing every 10 minutes and sniffling every other second. For all you audio learners, ah, so not going there right now.

School/classes are stressful as they usually are in the first couple of weeks (re: all semester), but I'm pushing through as best I can in the way I know how.

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