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."

Appreciation Days!

What is an appreciation day you ask.

Well appreciation days are something that my friends and I have every two weeks. It is a social event that we decided to do this year. It is where we buy a gift from $5-$10 and surprise the "appreciation person". The day starts out with everyone gathering in a circle and then we each give the lucky person the gifts and name on thing we appreciate about them. This event has been happening since september 9th and will sadly be ending soon.

The reason we came up with this is because one of my other friends and her group of friends did that over the summer and I loved the little key chain she got from them. I thought it would be a good idea to do that with my friends. The reason we do this is not because someone else does but because it brings us closer. No matter what we do or how bad our life is we come together every wednesday of the second or fourth week of the month. It makes our friendship stronger. 

I love the idea and how we come together to bring each other small little presents that might not mean anything to anyone else but means a lot to us. Each gift was picked out independently and we will cherish them in our hearts forever. 

I am happy for my friends who will agree to doing appreciation days because I asked. I'm also happy for friends who appreciation one another and just let our friendship grow.

"Friends are like stars, they come and go, but the ones that stay are the ones that glow."

College, What Career Should I Choose?

Growing up everyone is asked "What do you want to do when you grow up?" Most of the time children have a different answer when you ask them because their life is always moving they are different characters each time. In High School every thing feels real. As seniors you feel you should have to make a decision now and stick by the decision for the rest of your life.

Lately that has been my problem, what should I do? Should I still go into Speech Pathology? What about Writing? Neonatal sounds Good! Fashion Designer, I love Fashion. I keep changing my mind when it comes to a career I want to pursue for the rest of my life. I mean common I'm only 17 not even 18 and you want me to go to College and pick a career I have to have for the rest of my life? Yeah that seems easy...... not. 

I have always been told to go into the medical field because that's a perfect job. This year I have been told to go into something I will love because it's the rest of my life. Well I love all of those things and it's hard to choose. When I think about my future job I have to think:

Could I see myself waking up happy to go here everyday?

Will I get tired of this, or will it intrigue me still?

Will I like the people and environment I am around all of the time?

Here are my answers for each of these:

Could I see myself waking up happy to go here everyday?

All of these I could see myself waking up happy to go working for them. I would love to wake up and be Child's Speech pathologist. I love to work with kids and everyday the same kids helping them would be amazing. I love to write, Writing about anything and everything, and if that was my job I would love it. Neonatal is an amazing job as well, I get to be with premie babies or babies period. Who doesn't love that? A Fashion Designer would be fantastic because I love fashion and to make a new world of myself with fabric. 

Will I get tired of this, or will it intrigue me still?

I think some of my answers in the last question go for here but still. No I don't think I could get tired of any of those. Working with kids, or babies everyday would be a fun and amazing experience to see the start of beautiful lives before they make themselves of this world. I don't think Writing would be a problem since I am writing now and when my english teacher has me write 4 400 word essays and 1 500 word essays in a 6 week period I can do it easily. Not to mention the million essays I have to write to apply to colleges. I think writing will broaden my view of the world as well as my imagination, meaning I could make a new story every day or further the story from the past day. Fashion would be wonderful as well because you can show people how you dress, Fashion is another form of art and you can express yourself in that way and let everyone follow their form of art by being a Designer.

Will I like the people and environment I am around all the time?

I don't have an exact answer for this but I have a vague idea. I think this is the question that means the most because I have different ways of thinking of the answer to this question. Yes and No. Yes I would love working with kids all day but some adults would be good too. Yes I would LOVE to be by myself writing stories but some time with friends and family is always valuable too. Yes I would love to work with famous Fashion Designers, but no I would not want their judgments on everything I do. 

Growing up I was told what career I should do or what I shouldn't. Now I am getting told to do what I want even though I have these thoughts from growing up of what to do. I want to tell you to do what you want. Don't pick a career because it pays better or because your parents did that job. Do it because you have a passion for it, because you don't mind going there everyday and being with those people everyday. Be happy with your career and do what you want. Let your heart choose your career and go from there because it is your life and it is something you will do your whole life, don't let someone else push you into choosing you career. 

"Don't think too much, let your heart decide...." -Mega Puji Saraswati

Band...Band...Band...

Last year I tried out for color guard in the band, and i made it. This past year was exciting for all of us because along with me joining, two other friends of mine joined. This year was a new experience for all of us because this year was the first year my school had a color guard competition in another city. During this past year with all of my friends we have had a lot of time together, having to spend everyday together can change your friendship. Luckily for us it changed ours for the better, yes we have had some fights I mean there is eight of us girls you can't really help it. Even though we have had a lot of arguing happen between all of us we still all our friends, and I absolutely love it! These girls have helped me through a lot and even though some more than others I love them all equally. Last week we had to go to school for color guard to learn the routine and all that fun stuff during summer. This monday we started actual band camp and it has been a blast! Who doesn't love being in the hot sun for 3 1/2 hours with your friends doing something you love? I know I do! I am happy my friends told me to try out for color guard that day after school and I'm happy I stuck with it. Color guard has been amazing and I absolutely love every bit of it. These are the memories I will always have in the back of my mind and I'm so happy I can share it with seven other friends. 

Marching Band

Today my brother, friend, and I had a marching practice. This year my brother will be a Freshman and my friend and I will be Juniors. My freshman year I had to practiced with the All-Lubbock marching band because we went to Rose Bowl in California, but this year it's my brother's first time marching with a pretty big band, let alone marching itself. Today was his first time to march ever and he gets to march tomorrow at the fourth of July parade here. He will be marching and playing his trumpet while me and my friend are using our flags. This year will be the first time for all three of us to march in the 4th of July parade and have a good marching experience. I'm happy to be celebrating this holiday with my family, friends and to be marching and let's all the kid's be happy for a parade.