A Weekend To Remember...

Prom 2013
     This past weekend was prom weekend for my high school, and it could not have been more perfect! My friends and I had been looking forward to this weekend for almost the entire year- we were so ready for one of the biggest moments of our high school years.

     Many people at school had been asking me what I was going to wear to prom because they thought it was going to be something crazy. I decided to just wear a Black & White Vera Wang suit because I felt the look was classic and something different than what most guys would be wearing. I loved it. Everyone looked absolutely perfect. From my girls with their sparkling and fabulous dresses to my guys with their sleek and stylish suits, we all looked great! We took pictures by the beach and then were on our way to prom via bus. It was pretty cool to arrive at prom all together. Immediately everyone looked at all of us arriving through the glass. Not to sound conceited, but it was pretty nice to have attention on all of my friends and I at once- we deserved it!
     So, prom. A couple of my friends and I were actually the ones who picked out the decorations, and I could not have been more proud. The decorations were everything I had expected and more! Everyone from school looked amazing as well... Oh, and I won the award for Best Dressed! At the end of prom, they played our class song, we gathered around the floor, and it really began to hit me. Senior year was coming to an end soon.
     After prom, we got back on the bus and went straight to our beach house that we had rented for the weekend. Saturday night was so much fun at the beach house! We just went crazy having fun with each other and it was nice being around people that were just like me, and being around some friends that I have known for pretty much my whole life. The whole weekend at the house was fun... We created so many memories with each other. I am so glad that I was able to share this weekend with my best friends, I could not have asked for anything more. Simply, prom weekend is a weekend that I will never forget. Now, we have graduation to look forward to, then- it's the rest of our lives.

-B

Proving Yourself

     As humans, it is natural for us to feel as if we constantly have to prove ourselves to others. We always have to be the best, we always have to be right, and we can never make any mistakes. Understandably, we try to achieve all of this because society has pressured us into thinking we must. But, the truth is, we do not have to prove ourselves to anyone except for ourselves. 
     As long as you are genuine about things you do for people, it does not matter how you look or what people think about those actions, as long as you know that you are doing them for the right reasons. Help people to help people, not just to look good or to gain any favors in return. Tell the truth. As long as you know you are not lying, do not worry if someone is accusing you of being erroneous. As far as mistakes go, we all make them. Own up to your mistakes and your situation will be easier than it would have been had you not. Allow people to see your flaws, for how you handle your mistakes is what creates your character. 
     Do not worry about what others think of you. If you know how to be an authentic person and stay true to who you really are, you are set for life. Life is not about how people perceive your actions, it is about your actions and, personally, how you feel about your reasons for your actions and the results. Do not play yourself and get caught up in what others think. If someone wants to believe that you are inauthentic, prove them wrong by proving to yourself that as long as you know what your intentions are and that they have positive impacts, you could care less about what others think. The key to feeling great and to helping others feel great is being genuine and real, ignoring all of the noise.

-B

One Month

     We only have about one month left of school until summer, and for us Seniors, we only have about one month left until our lives change for good. That being said, do not start slacking now! It is time to really kick it into gear and finish off school strong. Stay on top of your work, study for those AP tests and finals, and make sure you do everything you can do in order to ensure your success... If you work hard now, you can play hard later!

-B

Challenges

Dealing With The Unexpected...   
     Life would not be life if everything ran smoothly at every moment. You must always expect the unexpected, however this is kind of impossible because you won't know what exactly to expect if it is going to be something unexpected... So how can you prepare? You can't. There is no way of preventing something that you won't know will happen, all you can do is react. Life is about actions and reactions. Always maintain your mental stability by staying calm and knowing that everything will work out in the end. Like I always say, there is no other option but for things to be okay in the end. Deal with your situations accordingly, think through how you will solve unexpected issues, carry out your plans, come to a resolve, learn from your mistakes, and prepare for the future. Stay confident in knowing that you can fix unexpected challenges, and if it is truly something that you cannot fix, stay confident in knowing that you will come out of your situation stronger and smarter than before. In a way, challenges are blessings in disguise. While they may not be positive at all, you will pretty much always walk away from every challenge knowing more than you did before your experience. The next time you are faced with a challenge, look at it head on and say, "I can handle you, and if you end up finding a way to defeat me, I realize that the real defeat is the one being placed on you, because I will leave this challenge an overall better and more prepared human being." Everything happens for a reason, so don't let unexpected challenges stress you out or tear you down. Whatever happens, was meant to happen, so accept it- this is the way your life was meant to be. Stay strong.

-B

What Do We All Need?

Support. 

     What would life be without it? Whether we choose to acknowledge it or not, the truth of the matter is that we all depend on support to get through life. There is not a thing wrong with this, of course we need support to become successful- but we must not fully depend on it from others. It is important to support ourselves… But what exactly does that mean? Independence and Strength. You must be confident in your ventures and give yourself support by knowing that you can achieve whatever it is you set your mind to. By acknowledging your capabilities, you are allowing yourself to grow into your success. With confidence, persistence, and resilience, one can achieve almost anything in this world. All of these things also bring forth self-support.

     That being said, on the flip-side, it is important to support others. Just how does one do that? Be there for people. Always listen to what they have to say and encourage them to branch out and reach for whatever it is they truly want to reach for. Whether it be a job, grades in school, or even a relationship, be supportive. You must be real with your friends and peers, and always let them know how you see it- but you must also respect their decisions and support their goals, whether they be long-term or short-term. You should want to see other people succeed, so you should always be there to give words of advice and encouragement. Do not let your opinions wander too far though, do not overstep your boundaries of being overly-involved in someone’s life and personal decisions. Be there to offer your assistance, but always support someone’s decisions (unless, of course, those decisions are dangerous).

     Remember, support is the key to success, whether you are supporting someone else, or they are supporting you. Go out, give confidence to others, and encourage them to do the same for others as well!

-B