Everyone Needs a Best Friend Like This

As you may have noticed from past posts, I go to a college that is well over a thousand miles away from home. Because of this, I have had to really put myself out there in school in order to feel at home away from home. I've met so many good friends this way and it has really put me into perspective about different people. I'm incredibly thankful to all of the people who have welcomed me into their lives and their homes.

One friend in particular I met freshman year because we were on the softball team together. She was actually the second player I met and she was the sweetest one right off of the bat. An example of this is about two weeks into the semester, mind you she hardly knew me, she invited me and another player out with her family for her birthday because she knew both of us were from out of the state. That was the sweetest thing that anyone had every done for me. It was just a preview of what a kind-hearted person she is.

Fast forward to first semester of sophomore year. We were both having a particularly trying week. She was upset about her boyfriend and I wasn't much better. Because of this we were in her room and feeling pretty miserable about ourselves. One of our ways to fix problems like this is slushies. We enjoy slushies late at night because that is when they taste the best. Nothing is better than a giant plastic sized cup of sugar at three in the morning. On this particular night, we were dressed to impress. I had slept over in her room so I had riding boots, yoga pants, and a baggy sweater. While she had sneakers and tall socks over tights. This began the tradition of wearing whatever we have on to go out and fetch slushies-no matter how ridiculous we look. Honestly I felt so much better after that. It was so refreshing to look ridiculous and I'm so thankful for a best friend who is willing to look like a fool for me.

Personal Struggles

Lately circumstances in some of my relationships have caused me to take a lot of steps back. It's certainly not an easy thing to balance your needs and others. For me it feels like if I give in I am backing down and not being true to myself. I definitely struggle with this on a daily basis and because of this at least one relationship has struggled. This has forced me to reevaluate the things that I want, need, and the things that the people in the relationship with me want and need.

One thing I realized was that just because you're using kind words instead of yelling, it does not mean that you're weak or that you don't feel strongly about the issue- just that it is counter-productive to be loud. When people yell at me, I tend to shut them out. It's taken me a while to realize that the same is true for if I yell. Nobody wants to be screamed at and then be forced to admit they are wrong. This is one aspect that I have been working on.

Pointing fingers. I despise the thinking that anyone will force me to do anything. But when I get mad, the blame is immediately on the other person because it must be their fault because they made me mad. I definitely struggle with this all time and am working on being patient and learning when it is worth fighting.

Staying quiet or walking away from an argument is not easy. I've learned over the past few years that I do better when I can walk away from an argument and talk about it later when I am calm. However this can also lead others to feel like they are being shut out. I'm working on finding the happy medium.

Apologizing doesn't mean you're wrong and I struggle with that. I'm not perfect but I'm working to be more productive when upset.

Always,
A

Unilever Dry Spray Review

As I've mentioned before, I participate in a great online freebie site called Influenster. Recently I was given the opportunity to receive and review the new Degree Unlilever Dry Spray.

Now I'm a pretty picky deodorant and I've had a hard time finding one that I really like. I usually prefer to use Secret deodorant which can be pretty expensive so I was really excited to try out a different brand.

The first thing that kind of threw me off was the fact that it was a spray. Although the bottle is very attractive looking, I wasn't sure how I would feel having to spray on deodorant. I managed to get it on, only managing to get it in a few other places, and was good to go for the day. I wanted to test this out on a normal day and so made the decision to wear it on a class day where I could really trust the results.

First off, I did enjoy the scent. I've read a few other reviews from other bloggers that it was too strong but I didn't find it to be that overwhelming.

Secondly, the deodorant seemed to hold up well throughout the day and I never felt sticky or damp.

I would definitely recommend this product if you're willing to try something a little out of the normal.

*Disclaimer: I received this product complimentary for reviewing purposes only.

#TryDry #Walmart #contest @Influenster