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Why I’m Happy I Didn’t Join a Sorority

posted on : April 29, 2017 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment

Happy Friday! It’s actually a pretty nice day here in Seattle, so it’s starting to feel like Spring! I really need to get some good vitamin D soon, because all of this rain and cloudy weather is seriously making me feel so blah.

As this year is coming to a close, I was reflecting back on what this time was like during my senior year of high school, and what all has happened these past three years at college. I found myself talking to my friends the other day about Greek life, and I remembered the decision I was struggling to make just three years ago, about whether to join a sorority or not. Since I’ve never talked about it on my blog, I decided today I would do just that! I feel like a lot of bloggers out there are really involved in Greek life, and that’s great! I just wanted to bring a new perspective to the table, and show people that it isn’t the only option in college, and that you can still find really great friends and a wonderful place to fit in.

When I went to the “accepted students tour” at the University of Washington, I saw that there was a panel on Greek life (basically, sororities and fraternities). I was interested about it and read further about all of the sororities on campus. I had never really thought about rushing before, and I had just assumed that I would find a roommate and live in the dorms. I had never really had any exposure to Greek life; my family doesn’t have some long line of being in a certain sorority, and none of my friends who had gone onto college had ended up joining sororities.  The idea of having a group of girls you could be close with sounded really great to me, so I started to think about possibly rushing.

A couple of girls in my orientation group had decided they were definitely going to rush. We were all on the same level, though, and none of us had joined sororities. They were nice, and we quickly became friends. They were fully consumed in wanting to rush, and were extremely excited to find their sorority. The prospect of living in a house with upwards of forty girls didn’t scare them, like it did me. At the time of my orientation I had already been talking to my future roommate on the roommate finder app my school had (it was seriously like online dating!), so I was pretty sure I was going to live in a dorm.

Still, though, a little part of me wanted to rush and join a sorority. I don’t have any sisters, so I thought it would be cool to experience what that was like. However, I am an introvert, and the idea of living with a ton of girls, and having to be energetic and sociable didn’t appeal to me. It seemed a little overwhelming the sheer amount of events sororities hold, and a lot of work as well. I like alone time, and peace and quiet when I get stressed out, and I didn’t think I would get that in a house full of girls.

I thought a lot about the possibility of rushing throughout orientation; I met a lot of different girls with a lot of different opinions about rushing. By the end of orientation, I decided I didn’t want to rush, and my friends who did quickly lost contact with me. I don’t hold any grudges about that, our lives are very different, and we made other friends with similar interests. It was a little disappointing that they decided they didn’t want to remain friends with me once the school year started, just because I wouldn’t be involved in Greek life.

When I got to school in September, I had so many mixed feelings. I was upset about leaving my family (especially my dogs!) for an extended amount of time, since I never had before, but I was also really excited to finally have some freedom. Ultimately, I’m really glad I was able to go through these emotions in a dorm room with my one roommate, instead of a giant house filled with a lot of noise and other people.

The dorms were quiet at first – people were nervous to open their doors and interact with others when it was their first day of college. That nervousness was broken, however, with a night of Cards Against Humanity in the lounge. We all got to know each other, and I made friends I’m still close with today – I actually met my boyfriend that night even though we wouldn’t go on to date until December of 2016! Dorms most made me nervous because I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to make friends or that people would be really closed off. My floor was the opposite, though, and a lot of us kept our doors open most of the time so we could all hang out. We all quickly became close, and I found girl friends who I could talk to and spent most of my time with. I had found the connections I wanted from a sorority, without going through all of the other factors I had no interest in.

My experience not joining a sorority has been great; I have found great friends, and joined clubs that allow me to be as social as I want to be, and I’m so happy I lived in the dorms for the first two years for college. There is absolutely nothing wrong with joining a sorority if you think that’s what you want, but if you’re wanting to make friends in college, it definitely is not the only option out there. Don’t let what your friends are doing influence you, it isn’t bad not to join one.

What’s your take on Greek life vs. dorm life?

Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂
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My 20th Birthday Wish List

posted on : April 1, 2016 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment

I cannot believe that I am turning 20 next week. My teenage years will officially be over, and I will be entering the second decade of my life. That is a crazy thought! It seems like it was just Christmas; this year is seriously flying by. It always felt like it took a crazy long time to get to my birthday when I was younger, but now that I’m older time is starting to move a lot faster.

Since my birthday is in exactly one week, I thought it would be fun to share my birthday wish list with you all! I do not expect to get all of these things at all, it’s just fun to see all of the new items out right now and dream of getting a couple of goodies!

Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Collection
Honestly, I would be so happy to get anything from the new Tarte collection. You all know my love for Tarte, and this new collection looks so gorgeous! All of the lipsticks that are out look so pretty, and the foundation and skin care products sound divine.

Copper Birkenstocks
My love for Birkenstocks runs deep; I wear either my brown or floral pair pretty much everyday during spring and summer because they are so comfortable and cute. They go with pretty much everything, and are also so practical to wear with all of the walking I do around campus! Birkenstocks actually provide a lot of support for your feet, and I recommend them to everyone.
Calvin Klein Bralette
I know this is very “basic” of me, but I really want a Calvin Klein bralette! They are supposed to be super comfortable and soft, and I basically live in all of my lace bralettes, anyway. Also I probably only wear a bra maybe once every week or two, oops…..at least this would get a lot of use!
Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens

Or…

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens

I’m not sure which lens I want yet, since I’m going to be using them when I study abroad in Europe this summer. My family has a friend who is a photographer, so I need to ask him which one would be best for scenery pictures, as well as taking pictures of all of the gorgeous architecture. 


Barnes and Noble Gift Card
Honestly, I am always so happy when I get gift cards to Barnes and Noble! I am an avid reader, so there is no better gift than a good book, or a gift card that can buy a good book. Some people don’t like getting or giving gift cards since they seem less personal, but I really don’t mind it because I know they just want me to buy something that I will genuinely like.
Tickets to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in LA
Last but not least, this is a gift that I would probably just pass out if I received it. I know the likelihood of actually getting this is slim to none, but hey, a girl can dream!
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I am still in shock that my birthday is only a week away. The years go by faster and faster as you get older, which is really scary! I don’t feel like I should be 20 years old, and it also doesn’t feel like it should already be April. Where is 2016 going so quickly?!
As I get older, it also gets harder and harder to actually think about what I want to receive for my birthday. With every year, the things that are important to me are becoming less material; I now value time with family and friends over anything else, and the simple feeling of happiness. When we’re little it’s so easy to get caught up with the latest and greatest toys, and be happy just from the gift of things. I think that’s a part of everyone’s childhood, and it’s a natural, healthy experience. As we get older, though, our set of values change, and it’s no longer important to receive a ton of presents. What’s truly important is that we spend our time being happy with those we love.
Do you find it harder to make birthday lists as you get older?
Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful weekend! 🙂
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The Year I Learned How to Love Myself

posted on : January 1, 2016 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment
2015 was a very important year for me, and I’ve been working on a special project for a while now. Today, the last day of 2015, is the day I decided to post this video and blog post, and I can’t believe it’s finally here. I have really poured my heart and soul into this project, and I’m so proud of how it came out. I made a video, and wrote a longer explanation post, so check both out, and let me know what you think! I hope you like it!
            Loving yourself does not come easy. It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do, but have never felt like I had the ability to. Because of this, one of my goals for 2015 was to learn how to love myself. I knew it would be hard, but I at least wanted to try.
            I have never felt comfortable in my own skin, and I always compare myself to others about everything: thoughts like “that girl has tanner skin than me”, “look at her tiny waist”, or “my arms will never look like hers,” constantly fill my head. I’ve always been insecure about my body, and myself in general. My body image has also never been good, and I especially struggled with it while growing up.
When I was 12 years old, I was bullied by a boy in my class. He called me fat each and everyday, which was one of my biggest insecurities. I wasn’t fat by any means – I was a dancer who had muscles in order to enable my body to do the sport that I loved. I mean sure, I wasn’t the tallest or thinnest girl in my class, but I come from a short family, so long and model thin legs were never going to be in my future. That was okay, but as a young girl going to school, being told that I was fat by a boy in my class hit home, and I started to truly believe it. He didn’t know that I spent hours each day at my dance studio to improve my dancing, all he saw was that I was different from the other girls. I also read too much according to him, and he thought it was strange that I was so much quieter than everyone else. I was never the loud one in my friend group, and they all had no idea just how much I hated myself and my body.
            I started wearing sweatshirts to school every single day in order to cover up my insecurities. The sweatshirts to me were like a shield against everyone else; they cocooned my body so no one could really see it, and they made it easier for me to not stick out in class. If I could just hide myself from that boy and everyone else, I thought, eventually the voice inside my head constantly putting me down would stop. It didn’t, and if anything it made it worse. With the extra baggage over myself, the boy realized his words had an impact, which to bullies, realizing they are actually hurting someone is like striking gold. His remarks only got meaner, and he put me down every chance he got.
            I never told anyone, even my family who was extremely close and supportive of me, that I was getting bullied, or that I hated myself. I wouldn’t even look in the mirror because I was afraid of what I would see, and I avoided the camera at all costs. My mom and I would pick the cutest outfits out for school, but I would always put a sweatshirt over them and tell her I’d just take it off when the day warmed up. That time never came, of course, and I kept the sweatshirts on the whole day, no matter how warm I was. They were my security blanket, and they hid me from everyone else. I don’t think anyone realized just how insecure I was about my body, or how inadequate I felt. It didn’t help that I had the meanest teacher in our grade, whom was sexist against girls and constantly put us down while praising the boys in the class. This only empowered my bully because he felt so untouchable.
            My struggle with my insecurities continued on for the whole year, but between the summer of sixth and seventh grade, I took off my sweatshirt in front of my friends because it was so warm. They were so shocked at seeing me without my second skin, and it was in that moment that I realized just how crazy it was that I had been wearing them every single day for a year and a half.
I went into middle school and discovered makeup, which I loved to play around with. I probably wore way too much to school, but it was something that I loved and made me feel more confident. I started wearing those cute clothes my mom and I picked out, without covering up with a sweatshirt everyday. I switched from dance to cheer (a decision I now regret), and ended up finding a best friend. I had also met two girls in orchestra, who would later become two of my closest friends in the entire world. My confidence kept getting better and better, and by the time I was a freshman in high school, it had vastly improved from when I was 12.
            Freshman year arrived quickly, and with it came many ups and downs. I quit cheer, a decision I am very happy with, and decided to join the swim team full time (I had swam on and off my whole life). It was something I was good at and something that I absolutely loved. I found wonderful friends who were fun and exactly what I needed at the time. They were accepting and supportive, and I’ll always be grateful to them for letting me into their close-knit group. For the most part, the year was great, and I started liking myself more.
The end of the year was where the down started. My best friend at the time, the girl I met cheerleading, started acting like a completely different person from the one I got so close to. Our friendship ended, not horribly, but not on a good note either, and I spent the summer being pretty lost. I’m grateful to her for being there with me in middle school, and we truly did have great memories from that time. I was able to go through those two years with someone who accepted me, and no matter who the person she is today, the girl I was best friends with was wonderful.
That summer was hard for me because I had just lost my best friend, and I felt so lonely. I started hanging out with two other girls, however, and found the best friendships I’ve ever had. Joycie and Rachel were there for me in a way they probably don’t realize; I could literally be the weirdest person in the world and there was never any hesitation on their part that we were sisters in all but blood. They were my best friends then, now, and will be always, and I can’t thank them enough. Because of their total acceptance of all my weird quirks (trust me, there’s a lot), I was able to start accepting myself as well. I thought if these two girls don’t care about my faults, why should I? With them, my supportive family, my friends from swim, and swim itself, I was in the best place I had ever been.
The rest of high school was both good and bad – as all experiences with high school are – and my confidence varied from time to time. I took hard classes with incredible teachers, and my love for English, Spanish, and learning about different places across the globe solidified. I got my first serious boyfriend at the end of junior year, but it wasn’t the best relationship. He made me feel lesser in every way; less beautiful, less smart, and less of a person in general. I don’t think he called me beautiful once, but I also learned that our relationship was not what healthy ones were like. It was short-lived, luckily, and I actually learned a lot about myself through the mistakes that we both made. Ending the relationship made me stronger and more confident because I learned how to stick up for myself.

The summer before college was spent making memories with my best friends, and we had a blast. I was nervous going into college because I was afraid I would be homesick every day, not be able to do well in my classes, or that I wouldn’t find a solid group of friends. None of these things happened, and though freshman year wasn’t everything that I expected it or wanted it to be, it was everything that I needed, and I wouldn’t change a thing about it. I made awesome friends, and ended up absolutely loving it there (and I still do today!).
 I came out of winter break and into the new year, 2015, worried that I wouldn’t be able to keep up this track of being happy with myself. So, that’s why one of my goals was to learn how to truly love myself. I have always loved the idea of self-love, and thought I would achieve that when I looked or felt a certain way. I thought that when or if I got a gorgeous guy’s attention by looking the way I had always wanted, it would all just click for me, and bam I would love myself. Well, ladies and gents that is not how it works. Like any relationship, loving yourself takes time and effort, and you have to love yourself before you can love others.
You would think it’d be easy to get to know yourself because, hello, it’s not like you haven’t met yourself, but it is hard work. Loving every single part is hard, hard work. You have to love the quirks and “faults” as well as your best qualities. Let me just say, though, your quirks and shortcomings can be some of the most beautiful parts of you. They are what set you apart from everyone, so make sure to give those parts some extra lovin’.
Body image is also a huge part of self-love. I have always had horrible body image; I’ll be the first to admit it. I saw my body as a failure because I wasn’t the tallest and thinnest girl out there. Again, comparison comes into play here big time. I compared my body to probably everyone I met, which was not a healthy thing to do at all. No, I don’t have model long legs, or world-class abs like Olympic stars; however, instead of thinking of these things as failures, I choose to love my body as it is. Sure, I work out everyday to stay in shape, and simply because I enjoy working out, but I no longer think “I’ll love my body when…” because that isn’t how anyone should think. I work out and eat right because I love my body. It does amazing things for me, and allows me to pursue the crazy dreams and goals I have. It lets me see the people I love, and go on adventures with. I can see all of the incredible sights this world has to offer because of my body, whether or not I have the “perfect” one, if there is such a thing. Our bodies do some pretty crazy things, and allow us to live this life we’re given. To not love it is a half-life; doing awesome things, but not appreciating the vessel we can do them in. I know I’m not the prettiest girl in the world, but there’s no one else out there like me, and there’s no one else out there like you. You are the only person who can be you, so never compare yourself to others. They are living out a completely different story to yours, so of course they’re going to be different.
My journey to self-love was a long and hard one, as they so often are. It’s hard to love yourself when there are people telling you that you won’t amount to anything, that you aren’t anything special, or that you’re ugly. We’re all special in our own ways, and you get to decide how far you go in life, not other people. Yes, there are going to be hard things for you to go through, but you react in the way that you want to, ultimately. You can let those people knock you down, or you can try your hardest to prove them wrong. I hope one day I can simply tell that boy from grade school that I made my dreams come true, despite how hard he tried to crush them, and that I love my body now. Please, please, please, don’t ever let anyone stop you from doing what you love. Regardless of whether or not your dreams are the “right” ones, or if they’re “too big” for you to reach, at least try. Honestly, what is the hurt in trying? You will truly never know if you can make it, if you don’t ever try. And don’t just give half the effort – fully and truly go for your dreams with all you’ve got. We get to decide what we do with this life, so you might as well do as much as you can.
So, the reason for this long, long rant is for you to realize that loving yourself is one of the best things that could happen to you. It takes a lot of time and effort, but the best relationships do. Start with small things, and work up to the bigger and harder things. And please also realize your body is beautiful – flaws included. They are what make you unique and interesting, and what set you apart from others. Never compare your body to others, or feel like it isn’t good enough. I mean really, just ask yourself, what is it not good enough for?
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Thank you SO much for reading and watching, and I hope you have a wonderful day!
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Dealing With Endometriosis

posted on : June 3, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment

So, what is endometriosis anyway?
Endometriosis is a condition that a lot of people don’t know about, but is becoming more and more prevalent among women today. It’s a disorder that is oftentimes very painful, where the tissue that usually lines the inside of the uterus grows outside of it, usually around the ovaries, bowel, or the tissue lining the pelvis. The extra tissue outside of the uterus causes cysts to occur because the tissue has no way to exit. These cysts are very painful and sometimes have to be removed with surgery if they don’t go away on their own. Endometriosis can also cause scar tissue around the uterus, which can lead to fertility problems later in life.

My Story
(Side note, this story contains a lot about periods so if that isn’t your cup of tea, you have been warned)

I have always had really bad cramps while on my period. Even from my very first one, my periods have always lasted a solid week – sometimes even 8 days. My mom was the same way, though, so we really didn’t think anything of it. Fast forward a couple of years, and I was working as a camp counselor over the summer when I started to have really bad pains in my lower stomach. They persisted through the night, and finally in the morning my parents took me to the ER. The doctors first thought I had appendicitis since they found fluid in my stomach around where my appendix was. A surgeon came to my room and told me not to eat or drink anything because they would be performing an appendectomy on me later that day. Naturally, I was terrified because all of a sudden I would be getting surgery when I thought I just had a bad stomach bug.
One of the OBGYN’s (women’s doctor basically) in the hospital saw the results from the CT scan and thought that instead of having appendicitis, I must have had a large cyst that had just burst, resulting in the fluid around my appendix. They told us to go home and wait for a day, and if the pain subsided a bit, then the most likely cause of the pain was the cyst. We did just that, and my pain did lessen. After all of this, I had to go to an OBGYN in order to determine the cause of the cyst, which meant multiple doctor’s visits and ultrasounds. Seriously, I think I’ve had more ultrasounds than a pregnant lady. So, once they were pretty sure the cause was endometriosis (all of the symptoms were there, long and painful periods, the whole cyst fiasco, pain in my lower stomach random times throughout the month, etc.), my doctor decided to do a laparoscopy to know for sure I had endometriosis, and to get out any scar tissue or remaining cysts.
This time, surgery wasn’t so scary (although I did almost pass out while talking about it – I don’t do so well when talking about myself getting surgery, but with other people I’m fine…weird I know) since I had time to prepare, but I was still nervous to see what the doctors would find. About a week and two small incisions later, my doctor told me I did in fact have endometriosis, and that there were a couple of ways we could keep it under control since there’s no cure. She decided to put me on a really low dose birth control to keep a handle on the hormones that cause the extra tissue to grow, and if that didn’t work, I would have to get a shot every three months that put my body in a controlled menopause state. My family and I opted for the birth control since there were a lot less risks, and it worked really well for a couple of years. Recently, I have been developing cysts again more frequently, so my doctor decided to change up my prescription, which has helped a lot.

How I Deal With Endometriosis
Now that my endometriosis is mostly under control, the pain has lessened immensely. Before we knew that I had it, the pain was sometimes unbearable which caused me to occasionally stay home from school and lie down for most of the day. I had no idea that other girls didn’t get such bad cramps, or feel pain in their lower stomach throughout the month. I’m actually really allergic to ibuprofen so I can only take pain medication with Tylenol in it, so I typically just lie down and let the pain subside. Using a heating pad can really help sometimes, too! Since the hormones that cause the tissue to grow uncontrollably are under control, I have a lot less pain, and a lot fewer cysts.

Why I Decided To Post About Endometriosis
When I first heard the term “endometriosis” I had absolutely no idea what my doctor was talking about. We of course came home from the doctors office and researched it as much as possible, and found some great resources. It turns out it is a hereditary disorder, and affects the women in my own family on my dad’s side, and a couple on my mom’s side as well. Endometriosis is something that needs to be talked about a lot more because it’s affecting more and more women. It’s something that can easily be controlled once known about, but also something that can get out of control if let alone. There are some great resources, like the Endometriosis Foundation of America, that have information about endometriosis and just general support. I learned a lot from their website when I found out I had endometriosis, and it made the whole situation feel a lot more manageable!
I wanted to post about endometriosis, though, so there’s a little bit more awareness about it. I really think more people should know about it, because it’s something more and more women are suffering from, but they don’t even know it. Early detection can literally be life-saving, because some women become infertile if left untreated. This has happened in my own family, and it’s so sad when it happens, especially to women who really want children.

Symptoms
-Pain in the lower stomach and back, especially during your period
-Excessive cramps during your period
-Heavy flow
-Excessive fatigue, especially during your period
-Basically, every symptom during your periods are far worse than normal

Treatments
-Pain medication
-Hormone Therapy
-Low-dose birth control pills
-Surgery (laparoscopies usually)

When should I see my doc?
If you are having sever symptoms during your period, you should just go see your doctor to get things checked out. Periods suck in general, but if they are debilitating to you, then you should really go in. Early detection is key with anything, so it never hurts to ask your doctor if you could be experiencing endometriosis. It can be a little scary at first (I was only fifteen at the time so I was quite terrified to say the least), but it’ll work out in the end, and you can always take someone with you to the doctors! I had my parents with me every step of the way, and the rest of my family was there for me after my surgery to constantly check in on me, so that was really wonderful.

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Wow, this ended up being long! I’ve been wanting to write about endometriosis for a while now, though, because like I said, it’s something that I believe needs more awareness. I’m also in the middle of dead weak (finals are in a couple of days!), so it was nice to take my mind off of studying and just write about something that’s been a big part of my life in recent years.

Have you ever heard of endometriosis?

Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂

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One Year a Vegetarian

posted on : May 31, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment

May of last year was when I officially became a vegetarian. While I had mostly stopped eating meat in April, I really officially became a vegetarian in May. I haven’t really talked about being a vegetarian on my blog, not because it’s super personal or anything, but I just honestly haven’t gotten around to it. I became a vegetarian for moral reasons – animals are treated horribly today and I don’t think how they are thought of simply as products is right at all, and it makes me so sad to think about the cruelty they face in meat factories. On the flip side, I definitely don’t judge others for eating meat. I know it’s a hard decision to make and just generally a difficult thing to commit to for some people who love meat. My family was really concerned when I became a vegetarian because they wanted to make sure I got all of the necessary nutrients, so my parents made me do a lot of research about any supplements I would need to take, or certain fruits and veggies I should eat more of.
Becoming a vegetarian was really easy for me because I’ve never been a huge meat eater. The only meats I really liked were turkey and chicken, but even then they definitely weren’t my favorite food. Actually, the most difficult part of being a vegetarian so far has been when I’m at other people’s house and they fix meat and something with wheat in it – my choices are then super limited to say the least. I usually just try to give people a heads up, and being in college now, it really doesn’t come up a whole lot. Now that all of my family is used to me being a vegetarian, it’s not difficult to have other things to eat besides meat at family gatherings and holidays.
Another difficulty I’ve faced about being a vegetarian is actually not from my own doing, but questions and criticism from other people. My family especially was confused and concerned about whether or not I would be able to get the proper nutrients from fruits and vegetables alone. My dad really loves meat, so he didn’t get why I would voluntarily remove it from my diet. My mom was just worried that I wouldn’t get enough nutrients, but in time they both accepted the fact that this was a permanent change for me. Some people I’ve met have also been surprisingly critical of being a vegetarian and simply don’t understand why I became one. It’s sometimes frustrating when people do this because I never ask them why they eat meat and choose to do so. I’ve never been critical of anyone who eats meat; I believe it’s a personal choice, and neither is more right. It’s just how I choose to live my life and it really doesn’t affect anyone but myself.
So far, I’ve only missed eating meat during Thanksgiving. I have always loved turkey, so it was hard watching everyone else eat it, but I just took some extra mashed potatoes 😉 There are actually so many meat-free dishes you can make during the holidays, and they have tofurkey! I have never tried it but I definitely will next year. Other than Thanksgiving, I haven’t felt like I’m missing out on anything. There are substitutes for virtually every meat nowadays, so if I ever have a dire craving for a cheeseburger I can easily eat a veggie burger. Honestly, I like veggie burgers way more than I ever liked regular cheeseburgers! I think it just comes back to the whole non-meat fan growing up, but veggie burgers taste so much better to me.
Becoming a vegetarian has been such a good decision for me – I have so much more energy because I have to eat fruits and vegetables literally all of the time and I don’t miss meat at all. I have also always loved animals, so I feel like I’m making a difference – even though it’s a small one – and helping them. If you’re on the fence about becoming a vegetarian, I say definitely go for it because you won’t regret it. You may have a rocky start, but just start cutting meat out gradually and soon you won’t even miss it. I know it can be a lot harder to become a vegetarian for people who love meat, but it’s definitely worth it in the long run. I think the meat industry really needs to change, and I’m not even going to get started about the fishing industry. I’ve always been a bit of a tree hugger, so for me these issues are near and dear to my heart and I could probably talk about them for hours…
Well, anyway, I don’t want this post to rattle on and on about the woes of the world and environment, so I’ll leave it at that! It’s just important to myself that I kind of recognize that it’s been a year without meat. I’m so glad I decided to make the switch to vegetarianism and I think I’m going to start posting more about things like vegetarian recipes, tips, etc.!

Is there anything you’ve dedicated yourself to?

Thank you so much for reading and have a wonderful day! 🙂

About Me,Inspiration,Inspire,It's a Bug's Life,Life,Lifestyle,Pinterest,Quotes,Self-love,Thoughts,YouTube

Imperfections

posted on : May 18, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment
I have always been a perfectionist. Ever since I can remember, everything that I’ve done has had to better than just “good enough” which has always pushed me to try my hardest. Because I had to do everything perfectly, I’ve often held myself to those very same standards and have found it difficult to accept imperfections.
Imperfections are very tricky things; we all have them, yet try our hardest to deny them. Society today makes it seem as though you have to be perfect in order to be successful, and the person with the least amount of imperfections is automatically thought of as the best. We reject these parts of ourselves because we believe they make us weak and not good enough, when often times they are the very things that set us apart and make all of us unique. If we were all perfect human beings, the world would be an extremely boring place because everyone you meet would be the same.
I have many imperfections – I’m extremely stubborn, indecisive, self-conscious and I worry way too much. It’s hard sometimes to accept these things because I hate to feel weak, but they’re also the things that make up who I am. As humans we’re of course way more than our imperfections, but they are fundamental to who we are. The people who love us have to accept our imperfections, and even come to love those too. I think it’s really important to accept them ourselves as well. When you love every part of yourself, life gets a lot easier to handle. And when you accept every part of yourself, it’s a lot easier to be comfortable with yourself in every situation.
I was tagged on YouTube for the Imperfections tag, and I’m so glad I was! It was so cool to think about my own imperfections and how they make us all so human. I think it’s a really good idea to think about our imperfections and accept that they are a part of us. It helps so much to accept them because once you accept the “worst” things about yourself, the good things are so much easier to notice! One of my New Years “resolutions” was to start loving myself, so this was such a cool thing to think about. So let’s spread around some much needed self love!

What are your imperfections?

Thank you so much for reading, you are all beautiful, and have a wonderful day! 🙂

About Me,Ancestry,DNA,Family,Heritage,Life

I Sent Out My DNA?!

posted on : January 16, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment
You might be thinking “What the heck do you mean Kendra?!” but I promise, this isn’t a part of some strange cult. I have always been interested in genetics, ancestors, and things like family history, so I asked for the DNA Kit from Ancestry.com for Christmas. I actually heard about the DNA kit from the show America’s Next Top Model (a guilty pleasure of mine), and have been wanting it ever since!

The whole process is really easy; you get the package in the mail, spit in the little tube they give you, activate your test online, and then send the tube back to them in the prepaid box given to you!

 This was actually the day I got my hair done – the last couple of pictures before I colored my hair!

 Wow read those instructions Kendra.

 Starting to spit hahaha.

This may be the best picture of me ever.

You get the results in 6-8 weeks, and they basically just tell you what you are, ethnicity wise! I know I have Scottish, Irish, and Native American in me predominately, but it’ll be so interesting to find out just how much I have, and what else I am, if that makes sense haha. I will definitely be sharing the results once I get them!

Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂

Disclaimer: this is NOT a sponsored post.

About Me,Holiday,Inspiration,Inspire,New Year

2015 Will be the Year…

posted on : January 7, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment

1…..That I go out of my comfort zone and try new things, and talk to new people.

2…..To celebrate myself, and learn to love the person I am. It might take the whole year, but this year I’ll learn to love myself.
3…..That I will go on great adventures and STUDY ABROAD.
4…..To expand my blog/work on it more/post more/generally make it better.
5…..To consistently post YouTube videos and work on my channel.
6…..That I will study everyday.
7…..That I workout at least five or six days a week.
8…..That I will eat healthily, and continue vegetarianism.
9…..That I will go out and be with nature more.
10…..That I will read as often as I can.
11…..That I will write at least a little bit everyday (or most days as school permits).
12…..Of random acts of kindness.
13…..Of mistakes that I learn from.
14…..To break out of my shell, and try to be more outgoing.
15…..That I start living my life to the fullest!
I hope you all have a wonderful 2015, and I wish you the best of luck! 🙂
About Me,Favorite,Inspiration,Liebster Award

Liebster Award!

posted on : March 10, 2014 posted by : kendralstricklin 0 Comment
Hey guys!
So today I really didn’t have an idea of what I was going to post about, since I like to post on Sunday’s because they’re so lazy and wonderful, and then the lovely Becca from Being Becca nominated me for the Liebster Award! I have been nominated a couple of times but I have never gotten around to actually doing it, however this time it seemed like a lot of fun! So basically you write eleven facts about yourself, answer eleven questions from your nominator, come up with eleven questions of your own, and nominate four other people! 
So here we go!
Eleven Facts About Me:
1. I am an extremely shy person at first, but once you get to know me I tend to be a little crazy!
2. I absolutely love to read and write.
3. I hope to be a successful writer one day, but I also want to be an anthropologist, archaeologist, journalist, screenwriter, or maybe a criminal profiler…I really don’t have it figured out at all!
4. I adore animals, and have three dogs and four cats of my own! They are seriously my life.
5. I love classic cars, and basically cars in general, which I get from my dad.
6. I have never lived in a neighborhood, and I hope to keep it that way! I love living on acreage and having the outdoors to explore around my house.
7. I want to travel to many places, Paris, Greece, and Scotland being the top three as of now!
8. I am turning 18 in less then a month now, and I have absolutely no idea which college I will be going to next year, or what I will be studying, and that scares me so much!
9. I am addicted to Jamba Juice and I go there so much that the employees know my name and order. I get the Orange-a-peel and oh my gosh my mouth is watering just thinking of it!
10. I am a home body and I really don’t mind being alone.
11. I always have to have my water bottle with me and I freak out whenever I forget it somewhere!
Becca’s Questions:
1. Why did you start blogging?
I felt like I had so much to say, and I really wanted a place where I could share my life, random thoughts, likes, dislikes, fashion ideas, outfits and the beauty products I use. I also love to write, so I feel like this little space on the internet is mine to do whatever I want with.
2. What is your current favorite item of clothing?
I got this green tribal print cardigan for Christmas and I absolutely love it(it is the sweater from my January favorites). It is perfect for days where I don’t really want to make an effort, but still look nice, and it is nice and warm! However, for the spring I am so excited to wear my lilac-y grayish kimono cardigan!
 3. Favorite skincare brand?
This is a hard one because I have so many skincare favorites from so many different brands, but my favorite drugstore brand is Burt’s Bees (they came out with a line for animals recently!) and my higher end favorite is First Aid Beauty.
4. What is your current occupation?
I am a student currently!
5. Disney or Harry Potter?
Ahhh I love both! However I have an obsession with Harry Potter so I’d have to choose that. I have read the books and watched the movies too many times to count… I also went to Harry Potter world at Universal Studios last year in Florida, and I just about died. That is my ultimate dream summer job!!
6. If you had to dye your hair a color other than natural colors such as blonde, red etc what would you choose?
This is surprisingly easy because I think it is so pretty when it is done right, and that is lilac! I don’t know why I love it so much, but I think it is gorgeous. I have seen so many pictures of it on tumblr and I just love it. However, I will probably never have the courage to actually do it!
7. False eyelashes or extensions?
Hmm…probably extensions because I think long hair is so pretty.
8. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
On a warm, white sand beach, laying out in the sun with a good book!
9. If you could only watch one program for the rest of your life, what would you choose?
Probably Reign! It is such a good show and I love history. And for some reason I have always been obsessed with Mary Queen of Scots so it has quickly become my favorite show. The characters’ dresses are also SO gorgeous. 
10. One rule you live your life by?
I have several, but my dad has always told me “It ain’t nothin’ but a thing” so I try and think of that whenever I’m doing anything scary. Honestly, I love trying new things even if they terrify me. I get so nervous sometimes before trying things like zip-lining or a particularly scary roller-coaster, but I just tell myself it’s just a small thing that will be over in a couple of minutes, so I might as well try it! It’s something that doesn’t allow me let myself down, because honestly if it weren’t for my dad and his saying, I never would have ended up so ambitious to try new things!
11. Your favorite food?
Salsa and blue corn chips!
My questions:
1. Who is your biggest inspiration?
2. What is your favorite thing about blogging?
3. What is your dream job?
4. Favorite store?
5. What is your go-to look? 
6. If you could only use one make-up product, what would it be?
7. What is your favorite book?
8. Favorite type of food?
9. What is something that you are looking forward to in the next couple of months?
10. Biggest life lesson?
11. Favorite quote?
My nominations:
I love all of these girls’ blogs, so please check them out!
 
Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a great day! (:
About Me,Favorite,Inspiration,Liebster Award

Liebster Award!

posted on : March 10, 2014 posted by : kendralstricklin 0 Comment
Hey guys!
So today I really didn’t have an idea of what I was going to post about, since I like to post on Sunday’s because they’re so lazy and wonderful, and then the lovely Becca from Being Becca nominated me for the Liebster Award! I have been nominated a couple of times but I have never gotten around to actually doing it, however this time it seemed like a lot of fun! So basically you write eleven facts about yourself, answer eleven questions from your nominator, come up with eleven questions of your own, and nominate four other people! 
So here we go!
Eleven Facts About Me:
1. I am an extremely shy person at first, but once you get to know me I tend to be a little crazy!
2. I absolutely love to read and write.
3. I hope to be a successful writer one day, but I also want to be an anthropologist, archaeologist, journalist, screenwriter, or maybe a criminal profiler…I really don’t have it figured out at all!
4. I adore animals, and have three dogs and four cats of my own! They are seriously my life.
5. I love classic cars, and basically cars in general, which I get from my dad.
6. I have never lived in a neighborhood, and I hope to keep it that way! I love living on acreage and having the outdoors to explore around my house.
7. I want to travel to many places, Paris, Greece, and Scotland being the top three as of now!
8. I am turning 18 in less then a month now, and I have absolutely no idea which college I will be going to next year, or what I will be studying, and that scares me so much!
9. I am addicted to Jamba Juice and I go there so much that the employees know my name and order. I get the Orange-a-peel and oh my gosh my mouth is watering just thinking of it!
10. I am a home body and I really don’t mind being alone.
11. I always have to have my water bottle with me and I freak out whenever I forget it somewhere!
Becca’s Questions:
1. Why did you start blogging?
I felt like I had so much to say, and I really wanted a place where I could share my life, random thoughts, likes, dislikes, fashion ideas, outfits and the beauty products I use. I also love to write, so I feel like this little space on the internet is mine to do whatever I want with.
2. What is your current favorite item of clothing?
I got this green tribal print cardigan for Christmas and I absolutely love it(it is the sweater from my January favorites). It is perfect for days where I don’t really want to make an effort, but still look nice, and it is nice and warm! However, for the spring I am so excited to wear my lilac-y grayish kimono cardigan!
 3. Favorite skincare brand?
This is a hard one because I have so many skincare favorites from so many different brands, but my favorite drugstore brand is Burt’s Bees (they came out with a line for animals recently!) and my higher end favorite is First Aid Beauty.
4. What is your current occupation?
I am a student currently!
5. Disney or Harry Potter?
Ahhh I love both! However I have an obsession with Harry Potter so I’d have to choose that. I have read the books and watched the movies too many times to count… I also went to Harry Potter world at Universal Studios last year in Florida, and I just about died. That is my ultimate dream summer job!!
6. If you had to dye your hair a color other than natural colors such as blonde, red etc what would you choose?
This is surprisingly easy because I think it is so pretty when it is done right, and that is lilac! I don’t know why I love it so much, but I think it is gorgeous. I have seen so many pictures of it on tumblr and I just love it. However, I will probably never have the courage to actually do it!
7. False eyelashes or extensions?
Hmm…probably extensions because I think long hair is so pretty.
8. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
On a warm, white sand beach, laying out in the sun with a good book!
9. If you could only watch one program for the rest of your life, what would you choose?
Probably Reign! It is such a good show and I love history. And for some reason I have always been obsessed with Mary Queen of Scots so it has quickly become my favorite show. The characters’ dresses are also SO gorgeous. 
10. One rule you live your life by?
I have several, but my dad has always told me “It ain’t nothin’ but a thing” so I try and think of that whenever I’m doing anything scary. Honestly, I love trying new things even if they terrify me. I get so nervous sometimes before trying things like zip-lining or a particularly scary roller-coaster, but I just tell myself it’s just a small thing that will be over in a couple of minutes, so I might as well try it! It’s something that doesn’t allow me let myself down, because honestly if it weren’t for my dad and his saying, I never would have ended up so ambitious to try new things!
11. Your favorite food?
Salsa and blue corn chips!
My questions:
1. Who is your biggest inspiration?
2. What is your favorite thing about blogging?
3. What is your dream job?
4. Favorite store?
5. What is your go-to look? 
6. If you could only use one make-up product, what would it be?
7. What is your favorite book?
8. Favorite type of food?
9. What is something that you are looking forward to in the next couple of months?
10. Biggest life lesson?
11. Favorite quote?
My nominations:
I love all of these girls’ blogs, so please check them out!
 
Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a great day! (: