Guide To Packing!

So talking about Road Trips we might as well talk about what to pack right? When I went on the Ireland trip I packed horribly! It was my first time leaving the country and I didn't have a clue on what to bring or how to pack so I am going to try to help you. Everyone is different when it comes to packing but here is just a broad way of packing because everyone can put their own individual spin on it. So first of all you're going to need a bag depending on how long you stay the bag will vary. Some times you will just need a duffel bag because it's only two days or so. Sometimes just a small suit case or other times a big suit case. The next thing you are going to want to do is check the weather where you are going because you may think "oh it's summer it should be hot" down in Texas where I live the weather changes within seconds and laughs in your face. I would check the weather, and then check it again.
Once you check the weather then you can decide on what to wear! YAY! A girls' favorite and worst thing all at the same time. So I don't know about you but I don't dress up everyday, I try to but sadly I don't, and especially not on road trips or vacations. Keeping that in mind I would put anything fancy or cute at the bottom because that would not be something you want to grab in the morning after a long road trip. After you put some clothes in then you can put the normal clothes you would wear day-to-day on top of them; shirts, tanks, pants, shorts. Once you have your outfits picked out then you can go on to night meaning pajamas. Those are probably the most fun because pajamas are so much fun and cute with all the different designs. After doing the clothes its time for undies. Now I am not one to show my underwear off in front of people, unless you're my close friend but probably then I don't go flashing my undies to everyone, so if you have a small laundry bag or a small bag then you can put your undies in there and then use it for dirty clothes.
Next you can put your shoes in the open zip thing in your suit case so that it does not get your clothes dirty and you can see all your shoes in one spot so that you can pick them easier. After that if you did not pack to much you should have some more room, hopefully, which is where bathroom things will go. Not everything bathroom because I like to keep another bag for easy, simple, fast things. I have my roll up bag and within it is some more make up that did not quiet fit in my make up bag, some lotion, body wash and perfume, moisturizer, and shampoo and conditioner. I would just throw my roll up bag on top of everything as well as some hair products I would need like a curler, straightener, or anything else. I have a small red bag that I just put all my hair accessories in like; pony tails, bobby pins, hair bands, rubber bands. I just put that beside my roll up bag to make it all together for hair and make up.
Next I would get the duffel bag I mentioned earlier. This bag should consist of things easy to grab, especially if you are flying because this is all you get. For Ireland I packed a suit case, a ruffle bag, and a big purse. I regretted that decision so much! So for the duffel bag pack things like your clothes for the night and next day, some magazines or things you would want to look at on the trip. You could even bring a card game that you and whoever is beside you can play. Next you can put everything that is essential to you; toothbrush, a brush, gum for the trip, phone charger, any other electronic charger, books, some things you may need that you don't want to get out of from the suit case.
Lastly you should bring a backpack if your trip is a long one. The backpack is for your benefit in the day of the trip. In Ireland we hiked around and walked EVERYWHERE. Remember how I sad I packed poorly and mentioned a giant purse? I was not joking that thing hung down me so much I was so frustrated with it. So I am telling you I suggest getting a backpack. Even if it is just a small one, get a backpack! You can put anything that is helpful for the day in there. If you are going to be on a bus to go place-to-place then you can bring your tablet, and headphones so you don't waste your phone battery. Then you can bring a charger and a great thing to have during trips is a portable phone charger. They are the best things in the world, literally. Then you can pack the chargers you need for every electronic you have. Then you can pack batteries for your camera or a charger for your camera. Also you can pack some snacks for the trip and LOTS of water. Another thing is that in the airport you are limited to only three bags so I personally would put my purse in my backpack so that it is so much easier to hold because its not on your side becoming annoying it's in your backpack and when you need it to shop you can just pull it out. Also you can put a journal or something small in there to just sketch or write what you see because when you forget the moment you felt the ocean breeze in another country and you forget the tiny moments you can pull out the journal and remember. Mostly the back pack is for every essential you would need for the trip instead of what you will need to wear or anything that you want for the trip. If that even makes sense?
Packing is fun though because you can always decided on what to wear and get excited for the days coming for the special events!
"Better to see something once, than to hear about it a thousand times."

Did anyone say Road trip?

Road Trip: Noun. A Journey via automobile, sometimes unplanned or impromptu.
For as long as I could remember we went to Dallas every year. Whether it being for just a summer trip, a week trip, or for a special occasions we went every year. It wasn't that hard though my aunt and her two sons lived there so it was pretty easy going there and staying the night for a couples days, or weeks. Road trips are a journey that you travel somewhere planned or not.
I don't know about the guy next to me but I know I love traveling. Not necessarily the travel part, because I get car sick SUPER easy! But I do like love traveling to different places. I wouldn't say Dallas is a different place for me considering that I go every year. This year though I have gotten to travel to more places, for example I went to Canyon which is home to the school of West Texas A&M, I will be going back to Dallas for multiple, multiple, reasons like; color guard competition, go to see Baylor, Arlington, more color guard competitions, and to go see family. Hopefully I will go see Austin, considering that I have never been before, and hopefully other places as well.
I love traveling just last spring I actually went to Ireland, with my band. AHHH! It was so beautiful and amazing! I was so honored to go and see the world and wished my family got to experience that little part of the world with me. I want to travel around the world, or just around America for right now, because I want experience.
I want to go on fun little road trips with my friends to just small little towns and just have fun with them. I want to go and do different things that are out of the ordinary for me because fun is out of our comfort zone and everyone needs to experience that! Whether it is to the next town or city over I encourage you to go see the world or place. If you want to go to some far off city that is so beautiful to you but you don't have enough yet save up! Do anything to where you get to live your dream and have fun going to different places. Road trips are a journey.
Journey: Noun. Traveling from one place to another.
I personally like to think of Journeys, or Road trips, as an adventure. "Adventure is out there" and everyone deserves an adventure or road trip. Road Trips are something fun with people that surround you whom you love. Also going on road trips means that you can play games. You can play eye spy, or you can color (no judging on the bus to football games that is what we did), you can get card games and play in the car, or you can look at the clouds and guess what the clouds look like to you. Another thing fun about road trips is packing. You may think it is boring because "Oh my goodness I have to pack all these things for a lousy trip I don't want to take" but to me those lousy and boring trips are the best because you get to spend time with people who make you happy. I love to pack because I literally pack EVERYTHING in my closet. I get scared because I don't know whether or not the weather will change so I pack for everything even if it is just a lousy two day trip because those are the most fun I have.
"Travel. It leaves you speechless, the turns you into a storyteller."

Birthdays!

Birthdays. What is so amazing about birthdays? Lets think about that. Is it that you get to throw a party and get presents? Because lets be honest that is kind of amazing. Or is it that you turn a year older and get to do things you didn't in the past year? For example when you turn 15 or 16 in most cultures you are looked at as an adult in some form or way but often times you are not treated as it as we would like. We are only 15 or 16 though so I guess we can't really complain. When you turn 17 you get to watch rated R movies that so people have been watching far longer than when they turned 17. When you turn 18 that is when you are counted as an adult you get to legally vote as well as buy cigarettes and do other things that are counted as legal now. When you turn 21 though that is when you can drink alcohol legally which is what most people wait for so they can drink. In some countries though when you turn I believe 16 you can start drinking but that doesn't really fly where I live.

Birthdays though have so much more meaning that waiting until you turn 21 to finally drink and have the time of your life. Otherwise you will be wasting your whole childhood on one day in one near future and just miss everything in front of you. That to me is pointless because your age now is something to celebrate now. Birthdays mean one whole day is dedicated to your birth. YOURS. Can you believe that? You were born, however many years ago, and everyone you know gets to celebrate that. They give you this special day to put everything aside to just focus on you. I don't know about you but I think that's pretty amazing.
I am turning 18 tomorrow. 18. The big 1-8. Now looking in the other paragraph at 18 I can legally vote. Now I don't know about you but the past few years my birthday has not been "amazing" because I have either been in a fight with a friend, let my friend pick my birthday dinner, or I just slept late and looked horrible on my special day. Let's not talk about disasters that have happened though. Lets talk about ways that I can do to make tomorrow NOT become one of those horrible teenage birthday years. Lets talk about how we can spend the day to ourselves and not let anyone ruin it. Sound good?
First another thing that I did not mention about turning 18 is that you can legally get pierced or get tattoos. So if you are into those things I recommend going to get one of those on your birthday to show that you are your own person and have your first adult moment in the world. I would love to get a tattoo tomorrow morning, of something meaningful to me, but because I am in color guard I sadly cannot until my season is over. Although I cannot do that yet I do think I will get one eventually and I hope that if that is something you want to do you should go for it because you don't get to 18 ever again and that is something you should get to do if you want too.
Secondly another thing you can do for yourself on your birthday is shop. Every birthday you throw a party and people give you gifts, that you may not like, or money. Well no one knows you like you do. So go shopping before the party, or after. If you like a dress, or an outfit that is your style buy it wear it to the party or wear it to school or just wear it too feel pretty. You don't even have to buy anything, although buying things is amazing, you could just go window shopping. If you don't want to walk around the mall all day just too look then bring your best friend and you and her can go into the stores and try on the outfits and take some cute pictures with the outfits on. Something you will always have of your special day.
Thirdly you can always go out to eat. And I mean GO OUT TO EAT. Don't think oh well I'll go eat but I'm just gonna order a salad. Yes salad's are healthy, yes you won't gain fat. BUT WHO CARES? It is YOUR special day. Don't worry about those 10 pounds you have tomorrow. You'll be another day older and wiser tomorrow but today is your day to worry about yourself. This is your day to feel special. If you want to eat a salad then fine go eat your salad but when you are done look at the dessert menu because you deserved it after-all it is your birthday.
Fourthly I want you to treat yourselves specially. If that means eat out, shop, or buy a princess crown from the dollar store or Walmart, something that is cheap, then do it. You don't get to turn that age again. Don't forget to dress like a princess. Also take pictures! Make this day rememberable because it is about you after all. You can even go on a spa day to make yourself fell all relaxed and get your nails and toes done.
My friends and I have no been very close lately and I should say that is mostly my fault. For a week I have been debating on if I should throw a party and invite them or just have a thing between my best friend and I. My friends have asked me for the past two days what I am going to do on my birthday. To be honest I have no idea because of my dilemma. If you are ever stuck in this situation I don't want you to be a push over like me. I would want you to say the truth. Don't invite them if they have made you feel bad about your birthday. I told them my theme and they shut it down. If your friends do that then don't invite them. It is your day after-all. In a couple days, or months, it will be their day and you will have to do what they want but today is yours. Don't let people decide your birthday plans because you will never get this day or any day that passes back. Make your day count and never take anything less than awesome in return of your day.
Another thing I don't want you to forget on your birthday. Your birthday is special because it represents you. It represents you being born and you coming into this world. You may have some struggles in the world but your life is something you should fight for. Your birthday is something special you should celebrate and it represents how you are special you are something unique that is a gift. You have a talent and although you may not recognize it yet you will soon. You are important and your birthday is not something you should take lightly. Without your birthday you wouldn't be born. There would not be a person in this world like you if you weren't born. That is why I want you to have an amazing birthday because it was the day you were born the moment you became something important in the world and you should not take it for granted you should fight for it.
"Today you are younger, and older than you have ever been."

What's a good friend?

Ever looked at the people you were surrounded by and just felt amazing like you guys were suppose to be friends theres a purpose to your friendship? Or thought well these friends have gotten me into some bad choices I think I need new ones? Here is how to find good friends to you. Friends are people that are your family without being blood related to you. Your friends are reflected all on you, it reflects your personality and they way of your views because you should share the same interest.
One thing your friends should do is build you up and you the same. If the relationship is about competing then there is no real friendship it's just competition. No friendship should do that you should push each other to become better and praise each others accomplishments and help each other faults. Another thing friends should do is laugh with you no matter what. Whether you are having a bad day or they are at the end of the day it is better for you guys to laugh at all the bad rather than not laugh and have your lives become boring.
I read once that soul mates are real not just for your life long partner, which is important also, but with your best friend. I am not saying that all friends should be best friends but it is good you think of them as being really important to you that they are, essentially, your soul mate. You guys click and have the times of your life always not just sometimes.
My friends and I always have fun when we hang out whether that being just sleepovers or going bowling and other activities. The only thing, to me, that falters in our friendship is that I try to hard to make everyone happy. That is not something you should do because you will get hurt because you will always try to put others ahead and try to make everyone ahead and make everyone happy that you just forget to make yourself happy altogether. I am not saying don't put friends first, because they should have an important role in your life, but if they stop caring for you and start putting others before you then that is when you walk away because you are not as important to them as they are to you. Trust me on this because I have been there before.
The people who are your friends are people that will stick by you no matter what. Even if you guys have fought and if you guys are still fighting and it has been months since you have talked but push all of that aside and they will still be there that means something. Your friends don't have to react and treat you the exact same way you treat them but theres a fine line between friendship and fake friendship.
Besides all of those things if your friends go through so much to make you happy, push you through all the hard times in your life as well as walk with you through them then you have an amazing friend that will be there for you no matter what. I read a post on tumblr that people say I love you in many different ways. For example, "Do you want my fries? Here is the rest of my candy. How are you doing really? Don't forget to where your jacket it's cold outside..." and may many others the list can go on. If you have a friend that does any of those or at least one then you should know that you have a true friend. That is how you know you have a good friend is because they prove it to you without having to prove it to you. Y'alls friendship should be tough and last forever.
"Friendship is not a big thing, it is a million little things."