Truthful Talks

Self care and self love are two things that are talked about quite frequently, yet not a lot of people actually follow through. Especially in my generation, adults, friends, and family are always saying to "do what's best for you" and to "take care of yourself" and to "love yourself more" but what does that really mean? There are many ways self care and love can be defined, varying from person to person. I believe that it's all about taking time for yourself, understanding and acknowledging your thoughts and feelings, and coming back to who you are. It's very easy to get caught up in what other people think, comparing yourself to others, and putting yourself down, especially in todays' society. But it's time to stop and reevaluate. The main point of it self care and love is the word "self." It's all about YOU! You are the one person who will always be there for yourself no matter what, so learning how to take care of you...

One of the most important things in life is being able to have a space to call your own. Having an environment that you control and maintain. Somewhere that you feel safe and happy in. For me, it's my bedroom. Since moving back home, I've redecorated and rearranged my room in order to create an environment that I need. My walls are a neutral light green color so I picked other colors that would generate a calm and peaceful yet happy vibe to decorate my room with. My bed is my safe space, a place where I can just sink into the mattress and relax. Where I can curl up in a ball with a cup of tea and watch a movie in my pjs. I chose a lavender duvet cover and shams, a gray faux fur blanket, and comfy pillows to symbolize the soothing energy that my bed brings. My desk area is my work space, the place that I sit and do homework or get things done at. Thus it's very organized and clean, so as not to make work seem overwhelming. This organization adds a sense of peace to an ar...

Fall and winter are seasons that most people get excited about. The foliage changes all around you, you can hear the crunch of leaves as you step on the ground, the fall air, the first snowfall, curling up with a blanket and cocoa watching a movie, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. There are so many things to be happy about during this time of the year, but for some people it's a little harder. When daylight savings ends and we have to change our clocks back, the days can become more gloomy for some. The sun sets at time that's earlier than our bodies are used to, leaving people feeling swallowed by darkness. No one wants to be feeling down in the dumps for a whole season or two, so here are some ways to keep your heart, mind, and soul happy when you're feeling the seasonal blues. Go outside! Even though it can be cold outside, that doesn't mean you can't emerge from your warm cozy house. Grab a coat and a scarf, slip on your fuzzy boots, and take a ...

Mental health. It's a topic that's not openly talked about by many. It's something that 1 in 5 adults struggle with and an issue that is rapidly growing within youth today. It's a conversation that makes people uncomfortable. But why? I've struggled with depression and anxiety since I was an adolescent. Being a victim of bullying, having trust issues, and get made fun of for my racial background didn't help the situation either. I would get anxiety attacks every week and would struggle to find the motivation to get out of bed in the morning. When I was officially diagnosed I was put on medication and saw a therapist regularly. A year and a half later I can say that I'm doing a lot better than I was when I first got diagnosed. Now that's not to say that I've been cured because I'll always have depression and anxiety, but now it's more manageable. Sadly, there's been a stigma that has been attached to the topic of mental health. Peo...

The first seven weeks of my college experience were hell to say the least. My original roommate couldn't attend the university and let me know three days before move-in. I walked into my dorm room on move-in day to find a complete stranger had already claimed her side of the room. Unimpressed but trying to stay positive I introduced myself and my parents to her. She was cordial and kept to herself the entire time I was moving all my stuff in. After my parents left, my new roommate proceeded to tell me about herself and I knew right away it was not going to work out. Our living styles were completely different and throughout the first week I knew something had to be done. I talked to the people I was supposed to but none of them were much help. I went to the assistant director of student housing placement and told him about my situation. He was sympathetic but told me to file a hall change request form so that something could be done. So that's what I did, I filed a hall change ...