savedbythebelle

4 years - 720 days - 5, 040 hours - all spent in a single building, with the same people, with similar goals. Yes, I'm talking about high school. Though everyone's high school experience is drastically different, there are aspects in each that line up. There will always be that group of girls who constantly create drama, those teachers who can't seem to give you a break, those nights you feel so misunderstood & alone, and that certain someone you just can't get out of your head. No matter where you live or what school you attend, we all learn the same lessons. No, not y=mx+b or that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell, but things you can't learn from a textbook. Here are just a few of them... 1) You don't have to look good everyday - nobody really cares! I'll admit, every morning from Freshman to Junior year, I'd wake up at 6:00 am, fry my hair with a straightener, apply an obscene amount of eyeliner, slide on the "trendiest&

     Happy sunny, yet freezing, Saturday everyone! Today's blog post was a highly requested one, and I only hope to cover this topic to the best of my ability. As you may have guessed from the title, this entry relates to mental illness and the stigmas our society places on those suffering with some form of it. According to Psychology Today, one in five Americans is living with a mental illness, yet many suffer in silence due to fear of judgement or ridicule. I'm not here to diagnose you, to tell you what to feel, or even share my own experiences - because as we all know, there is no "cookie-cutter" explanation of a mental disorder. Everybody interprets and reacts to traumatic events in their life differently. For example, following the death of a close friend,  Person A becomes isolated, introverted, and falls into a depressive state. Person B develops anger management issues and cannot hold stable relationships. Whereas Person C  grieves for the time being, but cont

As the national holiday of love approaches, it seems as though more and more singles are outwardly "advertising" their best qualities onto dating websites and social media. I recently had a close friend disclose to me, "I just want a boyfriend, I've been single way too long." As much as I wanted to be on her side and encourage her ~thirsty~ behaviors, it kind of bothered me. When did relationships become so mainstream and public that when single, girls feel out of place/unwanted? Why has the title become more important than the relationship itself? These are the things keeping me up at night... sike lol, catch me in bed at 9 PM! But in all seriousness, what I do know is that women deserve more than what they're selling themselves for. Lowering your standards to simply claim that you're in a relationship is quite sad, and anyways, you're better than that! So chins up girls, here are a few tips & tricks on how to make the most out of your Valentine

Well here it is, folks. We're finally hitting those last few days of the year, and a range of different emotions have probably began to consume your thoughts. Feelings of accomplishment, relief, or excitement for the upcoming year may be running through your head - whereas some of us tend to experience guilt, regret, and even uncertainty regarding the future around this time. I think we can all agree in several aspects that 2017 was not the best year. Rather than ripping apart every tragedy and global crisis that occurred over the past 365 days, I want this post to have a more positive affect. We need to address the bad, but not linger on it. We need to learn from our mistakes, but not blame others for creating them. We need to take responsibility for our actions, and then take  action. For starters, let's reflect on this past year and bring our attention to the combined factors that made 2017 so difficult. Here are 7 things we are definitely leaving behind in 2017: 1) T

Everyone has their favorite season. Whether it be the scorching heat of summer, the breathtaking flakes of white snow in the wintertime, or the blooming flowers of spring that please the senses, Fall always seems to be a crowd-pleaser come September. As soon as that first leaf loses it's green glow and separates from the tree, collectively, the American people store their shorts and flip-flops in the back of the closet to make room for warmer wear. So, why is that? Why as a society do we crave that Fall feeling, that indescribable sensation, that #mood? The answer is simple (as simple as 8 detailed descriptions can be) as to why exactly Fall is hands down the best time of the year. And, now that the cool temperature finally has arrived, this post seems so very fitting. Let's get into it! #1. Fall Holidays Autumn has some of the very best holidays falling under the months of September, October, & November. Halloween, being the most celebrated, is an ever-so-popular o

Welcome back & happy Friday everyone! It's been quite a while since my previous post and a lot has happened since then - not only on a personal level, but within our country as well. There has been a significant amount of tension and fear amongst the American people whether it be from hurricane destruction, forest fires, the expiration of DACA, or Taylor Swift's disgusting new song (sorry, not funny). So it got me thinking. All sarcasm aside, if anything destructive were to happen to Fort Wayne, I would be crushed - literally & figuratively. Fort Wayne is where I was born and raised, where I rode my first bike, took ballet lessons, visited the zoo, met lifelong friends, and spent the majority of my childhood summers. Despite how frequently I complain about growing up in a small-town area, I wouldn't trade these memories and experiences for anything. For today's blog post, I've compiled a list of telltale signs that you grew up in Fort Wayne, IN, and just how