Be Kind :)

Hey guys, I just wanted to create this post about somethingg that I care deeply about. First, I'm the type of person to go up to the new kid at school when no one else will, or stick up for the kids who get picked on all the time even though I'm like half the size of most people. You never know when you can make someone's day, or be a friend when someone absolutely needs one. Anyways, I just encourage everyone to be the one to make a difference. Even if you think it's something little, it may be something huge to someone else. Don't judge. Bring out the best in people, be there, and just be encouraging and friendly to those who need it. You never know what't going on in others heads, so you can definitely make a difference just by saying 'hi' and trying to be their friend. Even if you've never gotten along with someone, just try to be there if you think they may need it. I promise, if you take one second to look someone in the eye, that can say a lot more than words can't..
I've been amazingly inspired by Rachel Joy Scott, who was shot in 1999 at Columbine High School. Her story is amazing, and even though she's dead, she continues to live through so many people. She has touched so many lives, and she's definitely a role model of mine. All she wanted was to change the world, and so do I :)
-Ashlyn

--If you'd like to learn more about Rachel and her story, check out this website :)
http://www.racheljoyscott.com/index.htm

Summer Idea?

Hey guys! So I would like to share with you what I have been doing ALL summer :)
This next school year I will be a junior. I know, where does the time go?! But anyways, I was thinking to myself, "Isn't high school supposed to be like the best time of everyone's life?" High school is where I made new relations and figured out who I was as a person. So I figured, hey, why not document ALL of my memories? So I ran to the store, got a little binder, some sheet protectors, and then went to work. So basically what I'm doing is writing about all of my memories and significant events in order from freshman year. For example, that year, I joined FBLA and got my braces on. I also include pictures and other items that I would want to look back on such as my high school ID's. When you sit down and actually really think back on what has happened, it's A LOT. So I recommend that you try to write down everything in order and a piece of paper first. I just feel like these memories should be cherished and I can use this documentation to look back on 20 years from now and potentially share it with my own family in the future :)

I started it off with my 8th grade Certificate of Promotion :) Some important things that I would definitely include is your classes and a description of them and the teacher, sports or different activities, a summary of the whole school year, and then things like summer vacations or whatever. Hope you try it out and enjoy yourself!
-Ashlyn

Relationships...

Teenage years are SO hard when it comes to relationships. Girls are going crazy trying to find the "right one" and guys are just crazy hormonal. There are countless times when I see a couple crazy for each other, and then they're broken up like a week later. So here are some tips from personal experiences & observations. Enjoy!
1. Girls, you DO NOT need a guy to define you or make you happy.
2. Don't beg for attention. If you seek attention, it is very likely that you WILL get attention, just not the type you want
3. Don't be afraid of being alone! Revisit tip #1--you DO NOT need a man to define you! And what ever happened to being indpendent?
4. Don't put up with stupid crap. If your significant other puts you down, cheats on you, or isn't even attempting to keep things going, then forget them. I PROMISE you will find someone way better
5. Never think that you deserve getting cheated on or put down. What you deserve is someone who will treat you RIGHT
6. Never think that what you currently have is the best that you can get. I mean, we're teenagers. There are millions of fish in the sea. ESPECIALLY if you aren't completely happy. So please don't waste your time on half decent people just because that's all you can find at the moment.
7. Don't think that you can walk all over your significant other. Treat them like you would want to be treated--with RESPECT
8. Don't put their feelings before yours. If you have a problem, then confront them. Or if you feel the need to break up with them, then do it before it gets too serious. It'll only get harder.
9. Don't try to change the person who you are with. Either accept them for who they are or find someone that meets your expectations. It's a waste of time trying to create someone completely different, eventually they'll go back to the way they were
10. This one kind of goes hand in hand with Tip #9. Don't go into a relationship THINKING that they will change or that you will be able to change them. Like I said before, it's a waste of time.
11. Don't settle because you want a relationship. At this point, it's just a status for you
12. Don't be too concerned about what your friends will think. If the person that you want to be with totally makes you happy, then go for it!
13. Communicate. As hard as it can be sometimes, it's SO important. Say what's on your mind and talk about problems
14. If you have trust issues with the person you are with, it won't get better on it's own..Or very soon for that matter. If you can't grow from it and try harder, then it's not worth it.
15. Don't suffocate your significant other. Like don't try telling them what they can and can't do or who they can and can't associate with.
16. Girls, our jealousy gets crazy. But don't get jealous and all butt hurt when your boyfriend TALKS to other girls. He can have friends too. You should be able to trust him
17. Don't let previous relationships influence or get in the way of your current one. Every one is different
18. Don't let your significant other pressure you into doing anything you don't want to do. Put yourself before them, they'll get over it
19. Have a RELATIONSHIP. Hang out and actually talk. Don't develop a relationship over text. You won't really know what to say in person. Talking on the phone and hanging out allows real communication between the two of you
20. Be with someone that truly makes you happy. Someone that won't judge you, and accepts you for YOU.
Those 20 tips came completely from the top of my head, and came from things I've actually witnessed haha. There's only one more thing I want to say to the ladies:
MANY times I have seen girls run after guys for acceptance or attention because they don't have a good relationship with their father. Trust me, some boy absolutely will not fill that hole in your heart. You may not believe that, but it is completely true. Just keep in mind that a father's affection is completely different than some boy's affection..
Anyways, I hope this helps :)
-Ashlyn

Nail Ideas Anyone?

So over the weekend I was really bored, so I got on my favorite website EVER--Pinterest :) It gave me lots of ideas for hair, makeup, and nails soo here's something that I came up with on my own.

So you will need THREE colors. A base color, and then two kind of poppy colors. My base color was the blue looking color.Then, I chose black and this glittery silver. You should also put on a clear top coat. Keep in mind that you do not have to do this step by step, the purpose of this is to open up your eyes to knew ideas and ways to do it.

So what you'll want to do is get some type of flat edge tape. I used this nail tape from a french manicure set. You first paint the base color, let it dry really good, and then place the tape on your finger nail really carefully on the spot where you want the next color to be. So after I put the tape on the place where I wanted my nail painted, I painted the upper right corner black. I recommend taking the tape off right after the nail is painted. Let it dryyy!

After the second color has dried, place some tape on the next spot that you would like painted. Or you could just stop at the second color. I decided that just the black corner was too plain, so I wanted to add more. I painted the lower right corner silver. And voila!

If you're a horrible painter like me, I suggest taking a Q-tip and dip it into some nail polish remover to take off the coloring on your skin.

So I hope this gave you some cute ideas for the summer! I will be doing different crafts and ideas for hair and makeup really soon so I'll put some more ideas up here ASAP. I don't want your summers to be as boring as mine :)

-Ashlyn

Hardships of HIGH SCHOOL

High school..It could be the best four years of your life or the worst. I guess it just depends on how you view it. For example, if you wake up every morning telling yourself that the day ahead of you is going to be horrible and that school sucks, yeah, that'll probably be the outcome. But if you just let the good things outweigh the bad, then school will go good. For me personally, I cannot WAIT till school's over!! But, I don't dread going to school everyday. Yeah, there's always those days when school's the last place you wanna be and whatever, but that's just normal (for most people). I have no problem getting up and going to school five days a week. I mean, what's there to complain about? I'm getting a FREE education that'll eventually make me some money, I have lots of friends that I see everyday, and I'm overall surrounded by cool people. Soo since the school year is almost coming to an end and the days just seem to drag on as the end gets closer, here's some tips on how to get through the rest of the year :)
1. Don't be like, "Ughh school sucks, I hate school, I hate my life, I wish school was never invented, gosh it's so early, why do I have to be up this early, I hate school, my life suks right now." Haha no, with that attitude your life will suck.
2. Look forward to seeing your friends
3. Avoid drama (very important), it's pointless if you think about it
4. Surround yourself with fun and positive people
5. Don't slack since it's the end of the year, school's still as important as it was in the beginning of the year
6. Have fun with school. Don't get into trouble, do what your teachers says and assigns, and just get those things over with
7. Stop procrastinating. It took me all year to not do that :)
8. Don't get involved with other people's drama
9. Don't form enemies and alliances
10. Be respectful and nice to the people who you aren't so cool with
11. Get away from the people who bring you down
12. Join a club or sport!!! I'm in FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) and it made my year go by sooo much faster
13. Don't dread going to school just because you have to see someone you don't like or whatever, those people shouldn't even matter
14. Just be happy and stop focusing on the negative things in life
15. Expand your friendships. Don't just have one "group," go to others
16. Make as many friends as possible
17. Just do your own thing
18. Don't care what other people think of you. As long as you're happy and you're having a good time, it shouldn't really matter what people think
19. Spend quality time with people who might be moving, graduating, etc.
20. And last, think about how SHORTLY school will be over instead of how much longerr you have to be in school
Personally, I get really involved with school and I actually look forward to going everyday. I don't waste my time dreading every moment left of the year. I study up, acheive my last goals of the year, and just make it the best that it can be. That right there is how to make school a more pleasant experience :) Good luck and keep your head up!
-Ashlyn

Teen Pregnancy

A pretty good friend of mine pointed out something very true. It went a little something like this:
Guys: Hey, you gonna get it in at prom??
My friend: Umm, no..? Why?
Guys: Why wouldn't you??
What my friend said was kind of amazing. He said:
Why would I do that and risk ruining her life? We have our whole lives ahead of us to do that. Either we will be together for a while and we'll get married, and that's when we'll decide to do it, OR we won't last, I'll meet a different girl, we'll get married and we'll do it then. What's the rush?
That is COMPLETELY true, and the sad thing is that most people disagree with him.
Here's some stats:
1. About 820,000 teens become pregnant each year
2. 4 in 10 teeange girls experienced their first intercourse at the age of 13 or 14 but report that it was unwanted and involuntary
3. The main rise of teen pregnancies is girls UNDER 15 years old
4. Only one-third of teen moms finish high school and get their diploma
5. 80% of teen moms end up on welfare
6. The daughters of teen moms are 22% more likely to become teen moms
7. 67% of teens who have had sex wish they would have waited

Well, some may ask "How can I prevent pregnancy?" It's a no-brainer. WAIT to have sex. What's the rush?? Trust me, it won't make you popular or make people like you more. And if you think it'll make your significant other happy or make them stay with you, ask yourself if they're really worth it. If you feel pressured, either have a talk or end the relationship. Plus, don't risk getting any type of disease, especially if you don't know one another that well. This is a HUGE issue, and even if you think you're fully protected if you do decide to do it, think again. You are never 100% protected. EVERRR. There is always that risk, so don't chance it.
-Ashlyn :)

Hair Dying Tips :)

Okay so I did my moms hair last night because a lott of her gray was showing. I was a little nervous about doing it but it turned ou AWESOME. Here are some tips/steps of how to do a good job:

1. First, you will need your hair dye and whatever else it calls for in the directions. If you're getting your hair dye from like Sally's Beauty Supply or any other beauty store, everything will probably come separate so make sure you READ THE DIRECTIONS!! You will also need gloves (very important), some type of brush. You can get them at Sally's for like $1. Some type of clips. Metal ones work best for me. A brush, a comb, and a bowl that you can mix the dye in.

TIP #1: Before I dyed my hair about a month ago, I had some highlights coming through so I really wanted to cover them up once and for all. So I went to Sally's and I go this hair stripper. Its a little package of powder and you can get it for like $1. So just do what the directions say and that works REALLY good. It basically strips all of the waxes out of your hair so there isn't any type of layer blocking the color. But your hair will feel reallyy dry and stringy afterwards. but after you put that in, wash it out, wash your hair, and then dry it.

TIP #2: If you know you have lots of hairspray or like any heavy hair products in, go wash it out and then dry your hair. You want the color to saturate as much as possible.

2. Brush you hair!!! It makes everything soo much harder when your hair is all tangly.
3. Put gloves on
4. In a bowl, mix the hair dye and other ingredients. Mix with the coloring brush really well for at least a minute.

5. The easiest thing to do is to split your hiar into pieces. To start off, I put hair into four equal pieces. Start at the bottom, that's the easiest. So the picture is showing the top of the hair pinned up starting from where the top of the ear is. Then, I split that into two easy pieces. On the bottom, I cut the hair in half vertically.

TIP #3: My mom's hair is black, and I dyed it black just to cover up gray. But if you want to go from really light to dark or vice versa, I'd split the pieces of hair even smaller just to make sure you get EVERYTHING.

6. You want to apply the color starting from the roots and then go to about where the clip is in the picture. Safe the ends for last.

TIP #4: When you do the roots, make sure you lift the hair up and do it on the bottom as well as the top. Then you might want to take a little bit of dye on your fingers and massge it in. But don't waste too much of the dye.

7. So when you get to the top, you should probably split the hair into 4 pieces. There is a lot more hair to cover and there is more room for error.
8. Once again, start from the roots and work your way down. Be extra careful up here because this is what you always see, so triple check and make sure you got EVERYTHING.
9. After that piece, make sure you only put the dye about halfway down your hair. Then, start letting down other pieces in an order that you are most comfortable in.
10. Once all of the roots are finished, apply the dye to your bangs (if you have any).
11. With your brush, work the dye down your hair to the bottom. I usually just take a bunch on my hands (with gloves on!!) and just kinda massage it through, or put it in as if you are putting in conditioner or something.
12. So when you're done, make sure you check you got everywhereee. It never hurts to check more than two times. If you are applying the dye to someone else, look around by pulling random pieces of hair up and checking if the dye is everywhere. If you are doing it to yourself, I'd make sure I got it everywhere by taking the remaning dye in my hands and run it through my hair, focusing mainly on the top.
13. When I wait for it to dry, I take all of my hair, twist it, and pin it up.

What you don't want to happen..

 To avoid getting it on the skin (because it WILL stay) put lotion or Vaseline on your neck, ears, and top of forehead to avoid the dye completely dying your skin.

TIP #5: If you want your color to last, I would definitely buy some color protectant shampoo and conditioner. I use Ion Color Solutions and it works great! I would also think of getting some type of deep conditioner so your hair doesn't feel so dry. By the way, I use Clairol brand hair dye and it works really good (it's a gold box that you can get at Sally's or any other type of beauty supply store).
I wish you all the best of luck!!
-Ashlyn :)