High School Graduation Speech

I’d like to begin this post with a quote. As every person who has ever given a graduation speech once said, “I’d like to begin this speech with a quote.”

This weekend I returned home to play the role of Proud and Supportive Sister in the production of Some More Kids Graduate High School. Which includes lots of photos, stress, and discomfort (at least for a thriving social butterfly like me). And of course the speeches. I’ve been to four graduations in four years, so I’ve heard my plenty of speeches and to be fair, I feel none the wiser. Of course, this could just be my own deficit produced by some combination of self-importance, snarkiness, skepticism towards authority, and taking everything with a barrel of salt.

Now most graduations I’ve seen include at least a commencement speaker – someone role-model worthy – that’s been chosen by students to share wisdom about College and Adulthood and Life. Then there’s the valedictorian who is already Smarter and Brighter and Holier Than Thou who gets to give a speech to their peers about how high school was Really Hard but now they all have a Special Bond. (Also, I had to look up how to spell valedictorian, which explains why I wasn’t one.) Finally, the head of school gets up and makes some pop culture references to seem relevant and tries to validate the four years of hell that is high school by telling the students that they have Made It.

You might be thinking this is going to be a very cynical and self-indulgent post. I just want to assure you that you’re not wrong.

How to Love Yourself when Others Won’t

“You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and there’s still going to be somebody who hates peaches.” Absolutely true. Dita Von Teese nailed this one, and what a wonderful motto to live by. But what happens when you meet someone who loves peaches? And thinks you’re the juiciest one in the whole world? And they love you and cherish your fuzzy skin and ripeness, until one day they wake up and decide they don’t like peaches anymore. How do you deal with that rejection?

I’m going to go ahead and assume that everyone, on some level, fears rejection. But there’s nothing worse than the rejection of someone you believed loved you unconditionally. Nothing prepares us for the cold shoulder from someone we didn’t wrong, the same shoulder that we used to lean on. And you know what sucks the most? Not getting closure.

Redecorating Your Room and Your Life

In high school I was always anxious about showing people my bedroom. There was a good chunk of time I was really trying to pull off a detached, I-don’t-care cool-chick vibe (and I still do a lot, because my heart is so full and it feels too much sometimes), but that demeanor was contradicted by my baby pink walls and the portrait of baby me in front of a rainbow backdrop (this is not an exaggeration by any means).

On Pain

If you know me at all, you’ll know that I adore the vlogbrothers, YouTube channel of John and Hank Green. They both have done and continue to do incredible things for their viewers, the artistic community, and promote global well-being in so many different, fun, and empowering ways. You might have heard of author John Green, two of his books have been turned into movies: The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns (one of my all-time favorite books). But both John and Hank are more then entertainers – they are artists and intellectuals. Which brings me to the video posted above.

Calling All Friends and Family, Readers and Writers

Happy Wednesday – I hope the week has been treating you well! As I reflected in my last post, I want to write more, personally and on this blog. But as I’ve been brainstorming new topics and posts, I realized that I really want to create contact that you enjoy reading and can interact with. I want to put up relevant, pertinent, and entertaining posts that you can and will read to your heart’s content. Whether you’re a new reader or old, subscriber or not, please give me some feedback! What would you like to see on this blog?

Now this comes with a disclaimer. As much as I’d like to, I don’t think I will streamline this blog into one topic (beauty, lifestyle, politics, books, politics, etc.) for two reasons. 1. I am not an expert. On anything. 2. I’m interested in way too many things and want to be able to express that through this blog. However, what I want most out of this blog is to be a source of amusement, information, inspiration or just a place for people to give their minds a break at the end of a day.

What would you like to see posts on? I promise that if I’m not familiar with the topic already, I will do my research. I want to help, empower, and entertain, so leave me a comment below requesting for whatever your heart desires!

xx. Diana

Starting Your Semester Right

Most of my college friends are a bit luckier than I am because their winter break is longer and semester doesn’t start until later. But I joined my fellow UMich students yesterday to begin the winter semester. We are getting a very enthusiastic greeting from Michigan winter weather with snow storms, ice, and temperatures that make my eyelashes freeze and cheeks sting. All that aside, I’m really optimistic for this next semester and am doing all I can to start off on the right foot. Here are some tips that I’ve picked up and have helped me a lot in the past.

Effectively Creating and Keeping Your Resolutions

“New year, new me.” With the start of every new year, a lot of us want to reinvent, improve, or change ourselves in one way or another and adopt different resolutions to do so. However, a week passes and we begin to falter and eat junk food, watch too much Netflix, or gossip, breaking our resolutions. If you’re determined to keep your promises to yourself this year, here are some tips on how to create and implement your resolutions this new year.

Little Ways to Relieve Stress

For many of us, it’s finals time, and just hearing the words “essay” or “exam” make our muscles tense or faces cringe involuntary. Or maybe it’s the holiday season. With the pressure that comes with the end of a calendar year, we are all tying loose ends without trying to get too tied up ourselves. Due to my general disposition and innate neurosis, I’ve picked up a few tips on how to beat the winter blues and relax your mind and body.

1. Organize your space

A happy home can help lead to a happy self. Oftentimes, the clutter of our physical environment is reflected in our heads. If you feel like you’re stuck in a rut, or just want to clear your mind, try cleaning your bedroom, office, dorm, etc. We are stimulated by what is around us, so create an area that will motivate you and inspire great thoughts. Organization in your external space can lead to the same in your internal space. Plus, keeping a clean area is a form of productivity that you will thank yourself for later.

Holiday Gift Guide

My favorite part of the holiday season is buying presents for friends and family. I love gifting something sentimental to people I care about, leaving little mementos that symbolize my affection for them. This year is going to be a bit difficult, though. I usually give homemade gifts, but finals are around the corner, making it difficult to spend time crafting. Plus, purchasing items is pretty costly for a student’s budget. Luckily, I’ve found some viable options for some people in my life! Hopefully these ideas will help you too! Click the pictures for the links!

Making Your Dorm Your Home

A lot of things about college are exciting. Intellectually stimulating classes, a variety of clubs, new friends, and more freedom. But if you’re a freshman like me, you probably experienced something a little less than excitement seeing your dorm room. I mean, ideally it’s exciting to have a blank slate and customize your living area, but actually seeing the hospital-esque lights and less-than fantastic floors or carpeting is sort of discouraging. But I personally crave alone time and absolutely need a space I can call my own. My roommate Jenna and I were determined to turn our dorm into a home and still love our room! Here are some tips on how to maintain a comfortable and personalized environment in your dorm!