Glitter Diaries: Graduation

Well, they day I have been waiting for has arrived. Five years have passed since I stepped into this high school to begin 8th grade, and really started to actually care about school. So many memories have been made over the last few years. I still remember my first day of 8th grade, and 9th grade like it was yesterday. I still have memories from elementary and middle school that will last a lifetime, both good and bad. It blows my mind that this whole phase of my life is over and done with. Faces that I had once seen every day, I will never see again, unless I happen to come across them somewhere, or decide to go to high school reunions. While I am kind of sad, I know that there is so much more that lies ahead.  There are new people to meet, places to go, and memories to make. This is the time to change my life for the better, and set the way for the rest of my life.

A new life is within close reach. I will be moving this summer, and college is just months away. Getting a job and making money is also really close. I'm just a few short years from graduating college and hopefully working my dream job. Who knows, within the next few years I may even find the boy of my dreams. You never know what might happen. It's really scary, not knowing what the next few years will bring, and all that lies ahead, but it's also really exciting. I am now in control of my own destiny, and surely there will be obstacles that will come up that could change my path, or make it harder to reach. But what would life be without it challenges? It would be dull and boring if you could always get your way, and you wouldn't appreciate it as much when things did go as you planned. Don't be afraid to take chances, even if it goes wrong, you have learned something from it. 

I still have a ton of growing up to do, and it has yet to hit me that I am actually an adult now. Which is why instead of moving out on my own, I'll be moving up to where my Dad lives this summer. It's a change of scenery, but I won't be on my own. This also helps because I know I won't be able to balance a full-time job with college. Let alone adding in a social life and blogging. I want to be able to use my first few paychecks to go shopping, rather then using them to pay bills, LOL! The moving date isn't set in stone yet, but hopefully it'll be sometime in July. I have never gone through a move before, so it's a really exciting thing for me.

This last weekend has been full of excitement. From my graduation on Saturday, and my step-brother's graduation on Sunday, then our combined graduation party on Memorial Day. Which, while I am a day late... Let's not forget those who died in the line of duty fighting for our freedom's. Without the brave soldiers, and their families who make this sacrifice, my life would not be of the quality that it is today. If it wasn't for them putting there lives on the line, I wouldn't be sitting here writing this blog post. I wouldn't be able to complain the way I do at times. I may not even have the choice in the way I dress. I also might not have been able to achieve getting my high school diploma. To all those who died in the line of duty, currently serving in the military, will be serving, and have ever served our country, thank you for all you have done to keep this country safe and free. 

The last few years have been quite a ride. They have had their ups and downs, and there have certainly been times when I wanted to hurry up to this moment, as well as slow time down. There is certainly so much more to come from here. I am getting off the roller coaster of my childhood, and heading to the bigger, and scarier yet exciting roller coaster of adulthood. I  plan to keep you guys updated on anything exciting that happens in my life. I will continue writing my beauty and lifestyle posts for Angelic Glitter for as long as I can! I will post as much as I can this summer, and no matter how busy I get, I'll try to find some time to write some posts for you guys. While I do only have a small amount of readers, you guys all mean so much to me! I have always wanted to write, and have my own blog, and now it's a reality. I hope to grow my audience in the future... I just have to keep at it!

I would like to thank all of my followers for the past 5 months. Blogging has made my final semester of high school amazing! I would also like to thank my family and friends for getting me to this point today. I will not forget any of you as I continue my journey. Even if I didn't always get along with my family, I still appreciate the things that they have done for me. And to my high school friends, while we are going our separate ways, you have certainly made my time here at RHS worth while. :)

Congratulation's Class Of 2013, We Made It!!

What I Want Out Of This Summer

Well it's official, I'll be graduating on Saturday, and Thursday is my last real day of school, plus as far as I know we get out early that day. This school year is winding down really fast, and it's time to start thinking about summer time. Typically around this time, I would be thinking of how I want to improve as a student, and as a person, both personality and looks, for the next school year, as well as some other things I want to do over the summer. However, as I will not be returning to the school I grew up in, and will be moving this summer, I am thinking more towards a completely fresh new start, as well as actually doing the things I want to do over the summer. This fresh start is the opportunity of a lifetime for me, it's my chance to really make a positive change in myself, and to make my life better then it has been throughout my years here. 

We all have ideas of what we want to do, and goals we want to achieve over the summer. Some may be related to the next school year, bettering yourself, getting a job, or just having a good summer in general. I have similar goals and ideas of what I want to do as I had in the past, but I also have many new ones, and I plan to actually work towards these goals and wants this summer. Especially as I will have more freedom once I move to do these things. This is the summer for me to start taking chances and meeting new people, rather than trying to fit in with people back here.

The worst thing you can do with your summer is to do nothing at all, or to make it all about getting ready for the upcoming school year, and do nothing to actually enjoy it. And that's what I ended up doing throughout my high school years. I just stayed home all day, and slept in a lot. Let me tell you, staying home everyday and doing nothing is BORING! It also gets really lonely when I'm sitting in my room alone all day playing computer games. It's often hard for me to stick to any kind of goal or plan where I am now due to a few environmental factors, but that's all going to change this summer. 

I want to make Summer 2013 the best summer I've ever had, and change my life for the better. I want to actually enjoy the summer time, rather then think about college the entire time. I also want to challenge you guys to make this the best summer ever, and do all of the things you want to do, especially if you are shy like I am. Take chances, you never know what good may come out of it! Please, tell me the things you want to do over the summer!

This Summer I Want To Am Going To...

-Move To A New Place, I will be moving up to where my dad lives this summer, an hour away from where I live now. A new place to live comes with so many opportunities. From decorating my room to how I want it, to having new things to do and meeting new people. 

-Get my driver's license. Yea.. I'm 19, graduating, and still haven't gotten my license. It's hard to go many places without a license, LOL! I am terrified of learning to drive, and to get on the road, but I am also excited that I'll have my own car, and I won't need to be driven around anymore. 

-Get out of the house and not sleep all day, like I've said, I have a terrible habit of spending my summer indoors playing on the computer, and sleeping until 3 p.m. What a waste of a day! I need to get myself up at 10 am, not to early, but not to late either, and get outside more often. Even if it's just going for a walk, it's better then spending the day trapped in my room.

-Go to fun places, and to summer festivals. I would love to go to a place like Cedar Point if I can, but that can be very pricey. But that doesn't mean I can't find local festivals and celebrations to go to and enjoy. I haven't been to a community festival since middle school, and at the time I was limited by my mom on what I could do there. This summer I want to go to a 4th of July celebration, and not just go to watch fireworks, but to hang with people and have a good time too. I want to go to community festivals and celebrations and meet new friends. I want to make the best of everything this summer. I want to try to get to the beach, and to the pool as often as I can, and just have a good summer time before it gets all cold and icky again.

-Meet new people, make friends, this is probably the most important thing to me, and why moving is such an opportunity for me. I will have a fresh start with people who don't know my past, and can't judge me based on my actions in my younger years. This is my chance to become more outgoing, be a nicer person, and show people the best side of me. I haven't had the best experiences in the past, and I'll tell you more about that later on in the summer. It means so much to be to be able to go out and meet some amazing new people to hang out with, get to know, and become friends with, without them knowing my dark past. The most important thing to me is just meeting some nice girls (and boys as well) to just be great friends, and to make memories with. And who knows... I may even find a boy I'll fall in love with this summer. But I'll just see where this summer goes.

-BLOG! BLOG! BLOG! I can't forget about you guys! I love blogging so much, and school has really slowed me down over the last couple months. I have so many ideas on what to blog about. I also plan to start that YouTube channel I said I was going to start back in January.

-Work on bettering myself. A typical summer goal for me, eat healthier and exercise, work on being a nicer person, ect... But this year I don't just want to do it for college... but for the people I will meet over the summer and throughout life. 

If I can I would love to do these things as well...

-Change my hair, I've never colored my hair before. I'd love to get some brown highlights! Maybe even get some layers too!

-Get a tattoo! I really want to get a cute or really pretty tattoo sometime... I already have ideas on what I wan't to get! I don't wanna go to crazy and get like, sleeves, but a cute tattoo would be nice. 

-Go to a fun place like Cedar Point. I've been to Cedar Point a few times with my high school choir... but our time was limited and some people didn't want to go on certain rides. I'd love to go with a few friends when I can afford to go!

-Go to a Blood On The Dance Floor concert!! I've mentioned many times how much I love BOTDF, and I have never been to a concert in my life. This is looking more towards fall.. but they will be playing near where I live on September 15! It would make for an amazing night.. just to be able to see them. I'd love to meet Dahvie and Jayy! 

Yummy Treats: Mini Breakfast Quiches

For the last cooking lab of the school year in Foods & Nutrition, we made these yummy little breakfast quiches. They were absolutely amazing! I am pretty much at a loss on what to make for breakfast most of the time, so I thought this was an amazing idea, so I thought I'd share it with to guys. With this being the last cooking lab, this will be the last Yummy Treats post I got from school, unless I decide to add the ones I haven't added yet. Otherwise any recipes I put on here will be ones I came up with or found on my own. 

Mini Breakfast Quiches

What you will need: 

-2/3 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese

-1/3 cup finely chopped ham

-3 eggs

-2 tablespoons milk

-1/8 teaspoon pepper

-1 package refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (about 177 degrees Celsius). Combine cheese and ham in a small bowl. Beat eggs, milk, and pepper in a medium bowl until blended.

2. Separate biscuits; Press or roll into 5 inch rounds on a lightly floured surface. Grease the 10 outside muffin cups, and place one biscuit in each, leaving the 2 cups in the center empty. Press firmly to the bottom and at the sides of the cup, and form a rim at the top.

3. Spoon 2 tablespoons of ham and cheese mixture into each cup, pour in egg mixture, dividing evenly.

4. Bake in center of 350 degree oven until filling is set and biscuits are a deep golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Remove from pan and serve warm. 

Enjoy :)

(Post) Prom Series: Thinking WAY Ahead

Most schools have already had their prom, or will very soon, as the rest of the school year winds down. The prom shopping and excitement for this year is all done. Now it's just the wait for summer vacation, and graduation for seniors to come in a couple weeks. Anyhow, I had a great time at prom, and I hope that all of you that went had a good time too! I know that a lot of you probably didn't go for several reasons; not old enough, you didn't have a date (trust me though, you can still have fun without a date), or maybe prom just really isn't your thing. But if you have any wish, at all, to go to prom, then you most definitely should. It's a really fun and memorable night. 

I do know however, sometimes the reason that some people don't go to prom is because they just can't afford it. And believe me, I know how expensive prom can get. Dresses can range anywhere from a $100-$500 or more. Then getting your hair, make-up, and nails done, not to mention accessories and prom tickets, can add a lot more to it. Some people just simply can't afford to pay that much for one night. However, this shouldn't completely stop you from going... There are ways to save a lot of money. Choosing to do your own hair, make-up, and nails can save a ton of money already. You can also save a lot of money on your dress if you think way ahead.

My Prom Dress, It Was Only $10!

Do you guys wanna know a little secret? I only paid $10 for my prom dress. I bought it way back in August as I was doing my back to school shopping, so the price was marked way down from the previous prom season. As prom season starts to come to a close, many stores are going to start really marking down the price on prom dresses, so you can get them at a huge discount. My favorite store personally to look for discounted dresses is Debs. They have so many gorgeous dresses, already at the lower end of the price range for prom dresses. You can also consider looking for homecoming dresses on sale here, my homecoming dress was $5 on sale. You can also find huge markdowns on casual clothing at Debs as well. :)

As time goes along, the prices will get lower and lower, but so will the selection. The selection was very small when I bought my dress in August, but I still found a really pretty dress that I loved. If you want to look earlier and have more selection, the markdowns now are still really good, any money saved is good. If you do choose to wait however, you might just find a dress for under $20! 

Don't let a high price tag be the only reason you don't go to prom. Look for discounts after this season and prepare for the next season. Sure your dress will be from the last season, but that doesn't mean it won't look absolutely beautiful. Plus then you'll have a dress that you didn't have to spend a ton of money on. Honestly, nobody will even know the difference unless you tell them, and if you did, they might be very impressed!

Girls Only: That Time Of Month...

Warning: I'm just going to be straight up before I start the post. This post is about periods/menstruation, or whatever you choose to call it. This post is intended for girls who want some advice on how to manage it a little better. Boys, I can't stop you from reading, but just beware. Also keep in mind, girls, that I am not a doctor, and can't offer professional advice. Also note that I will be using words such as vagina, sperm, and obviously period in this post. This post contains some mild bad language. 

Every girl knows, or will know at some point in her life what I'm talking about. The cravings, the mood swings, the cramping, the breakouts, the... eww (yes I mean bleeding), it's a monthly occurrence. Every girl will experience these symptoms in slightly different ways. They can go from very mild, to moderate, to severe. Some lucky girls may even have the complete absence of some of these symptoms, and that's perfectly fine as well. There are many ways to manage these symptoms, and different girls will find that different things work better for them. I will be primarily sharing things that work for most girls, and things that work for me. If you have something else that works for you, please share it in the comments section of this post. 

I will not be getting into the specifics of what a period is, and why we have it today, but basically, it is a 28 day cycle (can differ from girl to girl) in which an egg goes through the female reproductive system. Every month an egg is released, and the uterus build up a lining, preparing for pregnancy. At the end of the cycle, if the egg is not fertilized, the egg and the uterine lining will exit the body through the vagina, this is your period. So that, bloody gooey mess, isn't as much blood as it is uterine lining, although a little blood does come with it. It'll take a few days for it to exit the body, and how long it takes depends on your body. 5 days is typical, but it could be a longer, or shorter time frame. Other symptoms such as cramps and PMS may come up along with your period, each with varying degrees of severity. Cramps are caused by the contracting of the uterus during your period. PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) is caused by the changes in hormones around the time of your period. Hormonal changes can also lead to more breakouts around this time of month.

Yea... So in general periods suck, or at least that's my, and many other girls opinion. Unfortunately, all of us females will have to deal with them. But hey, look on the positive side, when you get your period, at least your not pregnant (well, unless your trying to get pregnant, then it still sucks). We can't stop it from coming, but we can at least manage it, and do a few things to help out our symptoms. Today I will share what works for me, and for most girls. Feel free to try these out, and try out your own methods as well. 

Bleeding

Flow can range from light to heavy. Flow levels can also vary from day to day. 

How to manage- As far as I know, there really isn't much you can do to control your flow. However, it's important to choose the right pad or tampon for your flow. You don't want to use one that's to light, or you'll have to change much more often, and your more prone to leaks. But you don't want to use one that's too heavy either, especially with tampons.  

When to change- Pads should be changed about every 4 hours at the most, and tampons should be changed about every 8 hours at the most, or when it's full to prevent leaks. This can be a way to determine what absorbency you need. If you are filling up a pad or tampon in less the the full time, you may want to bump up in absorbency. Although some girls may want to change more often, just to feel a little fresher. However, if you don't fill a pad (4 hours) or tampon (8 hours) in that time, you'll want to move down in absorbency.

Cramps

Cramps can range from mild to severe, some girls may not even get them at all. Pain levels can also vary from day to day. You may have them only one day, then not have them for the rest of your period, or they could last the whole week, or even just a few days.

How to manage- Different methods work for different girls. Many girls say that light exercise helps with cramps. You can also consider putting a warm heating pad over your lower tummy. I personally find that taking a nap and just getting some rest can really help out a lot. If you have things to do, taking pain relievers such as Aleve or Tylenol can really help out a lot. If you are under 14, ask a parent before taking anything. Only take the recommended dose. Taking more then needed is dangerous, and won't help any more with cramps. If your cramps are so bad that you can't do anything, and nothing helps, you may want to see a doctor.

Breakouts

Breakouts can occur at any time of the month, but the hormonal changes near menstruation can cause more acne to pop up at this time. How much you breakout, or if you breakout at all, depends on you.

How to manage- Simply keeping a good face washing routine down all month can help to keep blemishes down. This isn't a 100% guarantee that you won't get blemishes, but it'll help to keep it down. However, don't over wash your face. Over washing can cause breakouts as well, and can dry out your skin. Keep your hair clean as well, oily hair puts more oil onto your face, and can clog up your pores. Don't forget to keep the rest of you body clean as well, your face isn't the only place you can break out. Plus it's nice to feel fresh and clean month round anyways. If you feel your acne is disrupting your life, ask a dermatologist for advice.

Cravings

Chocolate, CHOCOLATE!! Well, not every girl craves chocolate, but many of us get cravings for something we really like around our period (or at any time of month). Though hormones can really kick up those cravings.

How to manage- When it comes to cravings, remember that it's okay to give in once in a while, as long as you don't over do it. To much of anything is never good for you, including healthy things like fruits and veggies. If you want to stick to healthful eating, a nice piece of fruit, or a smoothie, can help to settle the cravings for something sweet. You can also try some Nutella on toast if you wan't something chocolaty. But then again, it's nice to have a brownie, cookie, or bowl of ice cream once in a while. A little indulgence, and special treat will never hurt. Just don't forget to eat healthy foods as well, along with exercise. 

PMS/ Moodiness

You many find that you are a little more irritable, or that you get mad or sad much easier, and for no reason around your period. This is due to the changes in hormones around your period, and it's perfectly normal. I personally find myself getting a little bitchy around this time. PMS can range from mild to severe, and generally occurs within a few days before the start of your period. 

How to manage- Keep a mood diary, and write down how you are feeling every day. Mark down when your period starts, this will also help you determine your cycle. If you experience PMS you may find that within a few days before you period starts, you're mood may take a turn for the worst. Remind yourself that it's because or your period coming soon, and that it's not your fault. If you find yourself getting mad and snapping at people easily, it may be best to stay quiet. If needed, you can tell your friends whats going on, but don't use PMS as a constant excuse for being mean. Try your best to keep negative thoughts in your head in social situations. For example, it's best not to tell someone to "shut the $%^# up" or to call them a moron, especially if you don't know them well, or in professional situations. You can also rattle off your feelings to a trusted family member, or a close trusted friend if needed. You can also consider writing down your thoughts if they may hurt the persons feelings. Just remember, these feelings should pass soon after your period starts.

Warning- If negative feelings linger for a few days after your period starts, or won't go away at all. Or come at other times a month (without reason), and last for more then two weeks. You may want to see a doctor. There may be something else going on. Also see a doctor if PMS symptoms become hard to manage and significantly impact your life. If you are having any feelings of hopelessness or thoughts of suicide this is not PMS, this is a serious mental illness and needs to be treated IMMEDIATELY. Remember, there will be ups and downs throughout the month, but the feelings should not linger for to long. 

I hope you enjoyed my first Girls Only post. From time to time, I'll be making more of these posts about puberty, and growing up. I also write many advice posts, as well as posts about make-up, and other fun things on my blog. I encourage you to comment things that work for you here, as it may just help someone else. Keep in mind that I am not a professional, and I can not offer medical advice. I can simply tell you what works for me, and give some tips and tricks. 

How To Deal With A Break-Up

Only the very few lucky ones will never have to experience it at some point in our life. The heartbreak, regrets, and just the general sadness that comes with a break-up. It's never an easy thing to go through, and some break-ups are harder than others. It's never a fun thing to deal with, but while it may not always seem that way at the time, it's for the better. It just wasn't meant to be for one reason or another. Whether it be distance getting between you, loss of communication, family issues, loss of interest, conflict, or more serious problems. There are times that you should make the choice to walk away as well. 

Breaking up will be hard on both ends, even if it doesn't seem like it. It's hard for someone to work up the guts to actually break up with someone. Think about it, if you were the one who wanted to end the relationship, it would most likely be hard for you to do it, and it would take a lot of courage to do it. The other person may not always even actually want to break up either, but issues beyond either of your control came up to where the relationship can't continue. If they left you for someone else, then they most definitely weren't worth it to start with. At least then they had the guts to tell you instead of cheating on you. You can't blame yourself, or even the other person for the break up. Things happen and people change, there isn't a whole lot that can be done about it. It's just a part of life. The best thing you can do is pull yourself back together and move on. 

The most important thing is to be mature about it. Don't lash out or start crying in front of the other person, and NEVER beg for them to give you another chance and not leave you. They already have their mind made up, and lashing out at them, or screaming at them will only create a bigger mess. Keep negative thoughts to yourself, and never ever threaten suicide. (Suicide is never the answer to anything! The hard times will pass, hang in there. Talk to someone if you are in crisis!) This will only make the other person really uncomfortable, and acting this way will make them think a lot less of you. If they get back together with  you at this point, it's only out of pity. Be mature with the other person, and don't be afraid to ask why they are breaking up with you, but don't force them to tell you. If the other person starts being rude, or if you feel like your going to blow up on them, it's best to just walk away and get away from the situation. 

Okay... Now I know your upset. Once you get away from them, get your feelings out. Have a good cry, scream at a wall, vent to a friend. Do the things you would usually do to feel better when your upset. Write down your feelings, focus on the things you like to do, and most importantly spend time with your friends. Talk to them about how you feel, and start spending more time with them. Odds are you haven't hung out as much when you were in a relationship, so it's nice to get in some more girl time (or boy time for any guys that might read this). Do the things you used to do before you were in a relationship. Surround yourself with friends and family that care about you, don't try to deal with this all alone. 

Of course it wouldn't hurt to pamper yourself a bit too. Give yourself at at home spa day, or even go to the spa if you can afford to do so. Take a nice hot shower or bath with those special spa products, do your nails, or get your hair re-done. You can even do something as simple as giving yourself a lazy day. You might even want to indulge in a special treat. You can even spoil yourself and buy something for yourself, but keep in mind that buying things won't really make you happy. It's just a way of giving something nice to yourself. Money won't buy happiness. 

As for how to get over the other person, it's best to distance yourself from them as much as you can. It'll be really hard at first, and you can't expect to get over them right away. Avoid contact as much as you can. Delete them off Facebook, Twitter, and any other social networking sites you have them on, and don't re-add them. This will also keep you from seeing any of their posts that can potentially upset you even more. Don't answer their phone calls or texts, no matter how tempting it may be. Delete their number, and just don't respond if their number pops up on your phone. You may need to see them in classes or around town, just try to avoid them as much as possible. Focus on your studies or what you went there for. If you can, avoid going to places they go often for a while. Or at least don't go alone. If they try to talk to you, politely tell them you can't talk at the moment. This isn't to say you can't ever talk again, or even be friends in the future, but for at least the first few weeks, it's best to avoid each other. 

You may also want to distance yourself from their friends and family. You don't need to completely shut them out, but it's best to distance yourself from them a bit. If you do talk to their friends, don't talk to them about the other person. You might find out something you didn't want to know, and it may make you look desperate. You also wouldn't want anything negative you say to possibly get back to them. Just try to keep cook around these people, and have casual conversations. Even if they bring it up, tell them you'd prefer not to talk about it.

There will come a time when they will start seeing someone else, and there will be a time when you do too. It will sting a bit to see them with someone else, but remember you'll find someone else too when you are ready for it. When you start to feel your ready to move on, start flirting a little bit, acting cute around other guys you have a crush on. Make yourself available (but don't look desperate). You'll eventually get someone new, and probably even someone better. There are plenty of fish in the sea, you can't beat yourself up because the first one, or few got away. One day, you will find the one. You are still young, there is no need to settle down just yet. And you can't expect to find someone to settle down with in middle school or high school, nor should you want to. Love yourself, and enjoy all the fun times you have with everyone along the way.

"Every long lost dream, lead my to where you are. Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars. Pointing me on my way, into your loving arms. This much I know is true. That God blessed the broken road, that lead me straight to you."

-Rascal Flatts

What do you do to deal with a break-up?