Sunday, December 04, 2016
Pardon The Interruption
We interrupt our regular scheduled programming to bring you this message...LOL, don't worry, the guest post is still coming later tonight....this is one of those spontaneous posts that I just kinda wanna put out there you know, The spontaneous posts strictly based on feelings, emotion and heart...are lowkey my favourites, cuz I don't really hold back cuz I'm all emotional. I just wanna express how thankful I am for this blog and for you, the viewers and readers of this blog. On the days it feels like my friends are busy, that I can't talk to nobody or that nobody is there at the moment...aside from God, it's such a comforting feeling knowing I can come to this platform...like my own personal space...and just talk to y'all...about whatever I want. Sometimes it's a bad thing because maybe I come here too often instead of my actual friends...but other times...this space is always here for me whenever I need it. I'm not great at making new friends (I don't mean acquaintances, but friends you actually chill with) and I'm probably even worse at maintaining friendships...and I sincerely apologize. Life...through trial and error...has taught me that sometimes you just gotta keep your circle small...to be careful and cautious when it comes to letting people in, to protect yourself, to protect your happiness as selfish as that sounds. But I'll get into that later on once the week of guest posts are done...till then, PEACE OUT.
Saturday, December 03, 2016
Guest Writer #24: Nuji
Day 3/31
I'm thoroughly enjoying the positive feedback from the guest posts, so without further delay, here's today's guest post.
#8: TC
#18: SpeakingMyMind
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What do we want our legacy to be? I challenge everyone to ask themselves that.
It varies by person. To me, legacy means leaving an impact on individuals, societies, or on a bigger scale, the world. There is a notion that you have to be recognized in order to leave a legacy. However, I do not believe this to be true. It comes down to making a difference to people, places or things that one personally feels is important. I can teach a kid how to play a sport that contributes to his life and I consider that as leaving a legacy. On a higher level, I want to leave a legacy that positively impacts the lives of kids around the world. When I read the news, I hear about the many challenges and obstacles kids from different countries face, it really bothers me. I want to be able to help them break down barriers and overcome limitations so that they can pursue their life dreams. Being able to help kids realize their potential and providing resources to help them do so is what legacy means to me.
How do we get there? Two words – hard work
We have to be willing to work hard at all times no matter the situation. To a large degree, accomplishments determine legacy. At our age, we do not have many accomplishments but that is okay. We are still young but we need to be hungry. This ultimately means every morning, we need to have the desire and passion to work hard so that we can eventually leave a legacy.
For any kids that read this, you cannot teach self-desire. It’s a mindset that comes from within. One thing I ask of everyone is to please work hard in school. Use that self-desire to be the best student you can be. Challenge yourself to get the highest marks in class. Do not be lazy; put the effort with homework, assignments and while studying for tests. Over time, it becomes a habit and you carry that work ethic as you grow older. Create a list of things you want to accomplish, whether it be short-term or long-term, and challenge your self to surpass them.
I want to look back at the age of 60 and be proud of my accomplishments. I want to leave a legacy and be remembered for something that positively contributes to society. If you ever need inspiration, watch some Ted Talks videos or Google your role model to see how they became what they are.
Lastly, shout out to Rodmond for keeping this going throughout the years. It’s easy to start a blog and not keep up with it. He puts in the work and he actually wants to inspire people through his words.
Friday, December 02, 2016
Guest Writer #23: G
Day 2/31
Hello friends, hope y'all enjoyed yesterday's guest post, I don't got much to say, so I'll just leave y'all with today's guest post.
Hello friends, hope y'all enjoyed yesterday's guest post, I don't got much to say, so I'll just leave y'all with today's guest post.
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Dear 17 Year Old Me
First off, I'd like to thank Rodmond for asking me to guest blog. Won't lie, it was a bit out of the blue and unexpected, but it was great because it made me go back to writing things out to reason out some of my thoughts; which I actually haven't done in a while. Words definitely come with an immense power, so thank you for letting me remember that through this.
A little about myself; I'm a 20 year old who just moved downtown for her first year of pharmacy school. I was immensely blessed to get into pharmacy after 2 years of undergrad, usually most people get into pharmacy school after finishing their undergrad - sometimes even after a Master's or PhD.
Now, it's funny because I remember getting rejected from a highly competitive pre-pharmacy program which basically guaranteed students a spot in pharmacy school after 2 years of undergrad. I remember reading the rejection email & feeling like it was the end of the world. I remember thinking that I'd never get into pharmacy school after 2 years of undergrad like I had planned to. I remember thinking I'd probably never even get in after my undergrad/masters/PhD. I remember feeling like a failure.
So, I wrote this letter to 17 year old me in hindsight of it all; wishing I was less hard on myself, wishing I slowed things down.
Dear 17-Year Old Me,
You probably feel like a massive failure right now, but stop being so damn hard on yourself, because things will all work out one day. Have faith that whatever is meant for you through God's will, will be set apart for you, and things set apart for you will eventually gravitate towards you. Remember that. It may not be the path that you imagined. You're gonna have to work a lot harder than others and a lot harder than you planned to, but it will pay off - so don't lose hope. You're gonna get your first 60 in organic chemistry later on, and you're gonna feel like your chances of ever getting in are ruined for sure. But, you will get into pharmacy. In fact, you'll get in being one of the youngest in your class; and it's gonna be hella scary being the underdog, but you'll adjust.
But remember to slow down and enjoy things while you can. Say yes to your friends when they ask you to go to the mall after school because they're gonna all end up going to different universities than you and you're gonna wish you spent more time with them. Your friends that you'll meet in September at Waterloo; say yes to them more as well. Even though they're super understanding about you having to study for your upcoming test, don't take them for granted. You're gonna end up leaving them too by the end of 2nd year. You're gonna miss them so much when you go on to pharm school - wishing you could simply walk over to chill, until you realize you can't anymore. Spend more time with grandpa - even if that means watching wrestling with him, because 2 years down the road God's going take him back.
You're gonna take the risky chance of trying out for university-level competitive cheerleading. You're gonna freak out at try outs, seeing girls who did all-star level since elementary school while you only have 2 years of high school experience. You'll end up making it on the team somehow and you'll find out that it's cause the coach loved your smile and personality (and your adequate skill; of course). Keep doing that; keep showing people who you truly are & keep taking opportunities that scare you.
Speaking of opportunities, stop turning people down! Give some guys a chance. After all, dates usually consist of food (and we both know how much your fatass loves food). It's okay to say yes because it's not like you're gonna end up dating every guy you go on a date with. Stop worrying that boys will distract you from school. Also, don't use the lame excuse of being too busy with school/clubs/cheer practice to convince yourself not to say no, because we also both know you're capable of watching 6 episodes of Grey's Anatomy in one sitting. Plus, you're only going to get busier, so learn to make the time. If you keep turning people down, you're gonna end up thinking about a lot of "what ifs"...it might drive you a little insane.
You're gonna have a lot of late nights; late nights studying, late nights watching movies, late nights out...but take care of yourself - physically and most importantly, mentally. A lot of people around you are going to end up feeling depressed by 2nd year - which is when "school gets a lot harder". "It's common", is what a lot of people will tell you. In fact, your best friend is going to end up with some pretty serious depression. It's gonna affect you and your mental well-being as well. You're gonna really learn why people kept yapping about mental wellness. Remember that no person, no such thing, no exam, no degree should ever come before your mental health. As cheesy as it sounds, you and your best friend are gonna get through it together.
I know 3 yrs doesn't seem like a lot of time, but a lot is going to happen. Hold tight onto your faith and never forget that above all, God's got you. Life's got a funny way of taking care of us afterall.
Much love,
20-Year-Old You
First off, I'd like to thank Rodmond for asking me to guest blog. Won't lie, it was a bit out of the blue and unexpected, but it was great because it made me go back to writing things out to reason out some of my thoughts; which I actually haven't done in a while. Words definitely come with an immense power, so thank you for letting me remember that through this.
A little about myself; I'm a 20 year old who just moved downtown for her first year of pharmacy school. I was immensely blessed to get into pharmacy after 2 years of undergrad, usually most people get into pharmacy school after finishing their undergrad - sometimes even after a Master's or PhD.
Now, it's funny because I remember getting rejected from a highly competitive pre-pharmacy program which basically guaranteed students a spot in pharmacy school after 2 years of undergrad. I remember reading the rejection email & feeling like it was the end of the world. I remember thinking that I'd never get into pharmacy school after 2 years of undergrad like I had planned to. I remember thinking I'd probably never even get in after my undergrad/masters/PhD. I remember feeling like a failure.
So, I wrote this letter to 17 year old me in hindsight of it all; wishing I was less hard on myself, wishing I slowed things down.
Dear 17-Year Old Me,
You probably feel like a massive failure right now, but stop being so damn hard on yourself, because things will all work out one day. Have faith that whatever is meant for you through God's will, will be set apart for you, and things set apart for you will eventually gravitate towards you. Remember that. It may not be the path that you imagined. You're gonna have to work a lot harder than others and a lot harder than you planned to, but it will pay off - so don't lose hope. You're gonna get your first 60 in organic chemistry later on, and you're gonna feel like your chances of ever getting in are ruined for sure. But, you will get into pharmacy. In fact, you'll get in being one of the youngest in your class; and it's gonna be hella scary being the underdog, but you'll adjust.
But remember to slow down and enjoy things while you can. Say yes to your friends when they ask you to go to the mall after school because they're gonna all end up going to different universities than you and you're gonna wish you spent more time with them. Your friends that you'll meet in September at Waterloo; say yes to them more as well. Even though they're super understanding about you having to study for your upcoming test, don't take them for granted. You're gonna end up leaving them too by the end of 2nd year. You're gonna miss them so much when you go on to pharm school - wishing you could simply walk over to chill, until you realize you can't anymore. Spend more time with grandpa - even if that means watching wrestling with him, because 2 years down the road God's going take him back.
You're gonna take the risky chance of trying out for university-level competitive cheerleading. You're gonna freak out at try outs, seeing girls who did all-star level since elementary school while you only have 2 years of high school experience. You'll end up making it on the team somehow and you'll find out that it's cause the coach loved your smile and personality (and your adequate skill; of course). Keep doing that; keep showing people who you truly are & keep taking opportunities that scare you.
Speaking of opportunities, stop turning people down! Give some guys a chance. After all, dates usually consist of food (and we both know how much your fatass loves food). It's okay to say yes because it's not like you're gonna end up dating every guy you go on a date with. Stop worrying that boys will distract you from school. Also, don't use the lame excuse of being too busy with school/clubs/cheer practice to convince yourself not to say no, because we also both know you're capable of watching 6 episodes of Grey's Anatomy in one sitting. Plus, you're only going to get busier, so learn to make the time. If you keep turning people down, you're gonna end up thinking about a lot of "what ifs"...it might drive you a little insane.
You're gonna have a lot of late nights; late nights studying, late nights watching movies, late nights out...but take care of yourself - physically and most importantly, mentally. A lot of people around you are going to end up feeling depressed by 2nd year - which is when "school gets a lot harder". "It's common", is what a lot of people will tell you. In fact, your best friend is going to end up with some pretty serious depression. It's gonna affect you and your mental well-being as well. You're gonna really learn why people kept yapping about mental wellness. Remember that no person, no such thing, no exam, no degree should ever come before your mental health. As cheesy as it sounds, you and your best friend are gonna get through it together.
I know 3 yrs doesn't seem like a lot of time, but a lot is going to happen. Hold tight onto your faith and never forget that above all, God's got you. Life's got a funny way of taking care of us afterall.
Much love,
20-Year-Old You
Thursday, December 01, 2016
Guest Writer #22: Inner Self
Day 1/31
GREETINGS FRIENDS...HAPPY DECEMBER, I don't wanna waste too much of yall's time, but as promised, A MONTH OF POSTS STARTS....NOW!!! What better way to start off this month...than with a FULL WEEK of guest posts because it's been such a long while. Anyways, I don't wanna talk too much and takeaway from today's guest post...SEE Y'ALL IN A WEEK.
GREETINGS FRIENDS...HAPPY DECEMBER, I don't wanna waste too much of yall's time, but as promised, A MONTH OF POSTS STARTS....NOW!!! What better way to start off this month...than with a FULL WEEK of guest posts because it's been such a long while. Anyways, I don't wanna talk too much and takeaway from today's guest post...SEE Y'ALL IN A WEEK.
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Hello everyone! Just want to say thanks to Rodmond for letting my write on his blog. So I have a story to tell you guys. This goes back almost one year ago. I was at school hanging out with my friends and it was getting late so I have decided to go home. MY friends were walking with me to the bus stop and all the sudden we hear people yelling free pizza in the lobby. I barely ate anything that day so when my friends and I heard free pizza, we went straight to the lobby. When we got to the lobby, there were like 4 or 5 people there only… at the moment I knew something was weird because there are like A LOT of people that lives in the res but only a few of them were there. I didn’t care though because I was so hungry. So we stayed and we finished like 2 – 3 boxes ourselves. After we finished, we were getting ready to leave and one of the people that were hosting the free pizza event told us that we can’t leave because it wasn’t jjust a free pizza event… it was actually a workshop… a workshop about stress in university. The host said that because we ate the pizza, we needed to stay for the whole workshop. At that moment, my friends and I knew we screwed up big time. (Everyone stay with me! The good parts are coming! THE GIRL IS COMING SOON!!!) So we were forced to stay at the workshop and listen to what the host had to say about stress. The host started talking and it ended up being really interesting and helpful! One thing she talked about was how stress about work or relationships will always be apart of our lives. She said that we should not be afraid of stress, instead we should embrace it. Stress is good! It helps us prepare for the future, it forces us to get off our lazy butts to put in work for whatever we are stressed about. After that workshop, my life had changed for the better. I know it sounds really cheesy but it’s true. Whenever I’m going through stress, I just think about to what the host said (I forgot her name LOL). To all everyone who is reading this, if you’re going through stress, just know that stress is good for you, it helps you to prepare and overcome obstacles in your life. And to everyone that thought this post was going to be about a dime girl… I’m sorry, there isn’t a dime girl in this story. I couldn’t think of nice title that will capture your attention but hopefully this title I used made you check this post out. Have a good day everyone.
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Are You Ready?
Let me just say that I am super excited for December...for a plethora of reason, yeah I used the word plethora...scholar ting over here. One, it's Christmas season of course...as mentioned before; the snow, the busy malls, the holiday spirit and of course...the time off school. Which brings me to my next point...tomorrow, December 1st...as I promised, begins a WHOLE MONTH of blog posts...EVERY...SINGLE...DAY. That's one of my presents to you guys this Christmas. As well, tomorrow is my last exam...yeah weird I know, no exams in the exam schedule, mostly tests and assignments. So I'm pretty much done after tomorrow, but I still have class next week, that's like the last week of classes I believe, but I've already handed in all my assignments, so the evil kermit inside of me is telling me not to go to class next week lol. I'm so excited...to catch up on sleep and to be off coffee and caffeine for the most part during December, before I'd drink iced coffees or french vanillas (and as of late straight coffee) recreationally and for enjoyment...but once school kicked it up a notch, I felt like I needed the boost in energy you know. I definitely paid the price because I've been feeling hella tired from the lack of sleep and excess caffeine. Some days, my heart would beat like hella fast and I'd be all twitchy and literally tripping out. So I'm super excited to be able to just rest and recuperate. I literally have like a month off, it feels damn nice saying that. But real talks, I'm actually beyond stoked to crank out these posts you guys...and let's just say I have a VERY special surprise to start off December, but yeah man, I'm excited to just throw out posts to you guys, they're gonna be random as heck trust me...cuz usually you read the blog and it follows a pattern, or at least the pattern of my moods and how they change accordingly. December is just gonna be all over the place I know it...blog posts are gonna come spontaneously at times and other times I'll dig them out from all the ones saved on my phone,I'm just happy to share it all with you you know. Also if you pay attention to the blog, you'll know a very special day is coming up, if you don't know what that day is, then I can't tell you and you'll have to wait and see for yourself. Other than that man, I'm just feeling really good right now...knowing this school grind is halfway done...that whatever happens, I know I've been working my butt off so far. Anyways, that's all I wanted to say, time to get back to studying for my last exam tomorrow, peace out.
Sunday, November 27, 2016
Don't Think, Just Do It
I don't want this title to sound like a nike ad LOL, I was gonna put "don't think, just do"...but that sounded kinda lame in my opinion.So one of the biggest things I learned about writing (whether poetry, essays or raps) is to just write. To literally just write what's on your mind and what's on your heart. Your first draft, is always the most raw, filled with the most emotion and of course filled the most mistakes. But it's real, you're not thinking, you're just writing what comes to mind. That's one reason why a lot of my posts have grammar or spelling mistakes sometimes lol, cuz I rush, but I just write to be honest. But with essays, that's a different story, obviously I go back and edit and correct as best as I can. But for most of my poems, blog posts, raps, I just write...it doesn't matter if it makes sense or rhymes, I can always fix that later, it keeps it real. Same kinda thing with life...I wrote a post a long while called "Count To 3", look it up, I think it's dope. It's about doing things, not waiting too long and convincing yourself out of it. The more you sit and ponder on whether you wanna do something, the more you convince yourself not to do it. Whether speaking in class, asking for a girl's number or just helping someone in need...sometimes you just gotta do it and think later. Obviously that's not always the best course of action, it depends what you're dealing with, but I think for the most part, it's a good way to think. A lot of the times, we think about what to do in situations, and in my honest opinion I think we think too much about what to do...I certainly do. Should I do it, what happens if I do, I'm pretty sure someone else will do it, how will I look, what's gonna happen after? The more you think, not only does the more time go by, but again...the more you convince yourself not to do it. Sometimes you just gotta do it and be like welp...at least I did it, whether it worked for or against your benefit, at least you did it you know. Part of life is about taking action, doing things, taking risks, stepping out of your comfort zones...and sometimes that might mean doing things you're scared or uncomfortable doing. That's when you just gotta not think...and just do, till next time friends...take care.
Saturday, November 26, 2016
We Need To Talk
Let's just chat guys, I feel like once in a while, I just need to talk to y'all you know...no stories, no venting or trying to be all motivational, just talking to you guys. I have so many posts lined up for y'all it's crazy man, I started writing one just now, but then couldn't get into the emotional mind state, starting writing a different one, same thing...so I'm just like whatever, I'm just gonna talk to y'all. School has been such a killer these past couple of months, I won't lie I've been skipping class a bit more in November, like it's almost winter break...cut me some slack lol. So many essays, so many seminar discussions, so many iced coffees and a whole lot of sleep deprivation. I'm almost there tho, the halfway point is in plain sight. What else has been going on...honestly, school has consumed the most of my thoughts to be honest. The occasional free time I get is spent giving my mind a break or chilling with my friends. I haven't touched my xbox since maybe like September. I also haven't spoken to many of my 'friends' in a long while...months. Don't get me wrong, I've some with some people and on some occasions, but it's like, you throw a ball against a wall and it doesn't come all the way, it kinda just slowly bounces towards you, so you're just like whatever...does that analogy make sense? I tell all my friends that life's been moving real fast, but real slow at the same time Real slow in a sense where days go my slow, classes go by slow. But it goes by fast in a sense where I feel like I don't have enough time sometimes to study or do my assignments. It goes by fast when I look at the weeks ahead and the stuff I have to do or the stuff that's going on and I'm just like wow that's creeping up pretty fast. You wanna know something weird today...so I was kinda looking around my room and just chilling today when I started looking at my arms...my tattoos specifically...and it kinda hit me like a jolt, I was like, wow...these are permanent, these writings, pictures, works...are a permanent part of my body. Like part of me I guess hasn't let that sunk in fully because it's become like a part of me, I can't see myself without it cuz it's always on me from when I wake up and brush my teeth in the mirror to when I go to sleep in bed at night. I laughed then I smiled for a bit, it was a happy feeling...letting this sink in like wow, this is a permanent thing, it's on and with you for the rest of your life...from when you find a girlfriend, a wife, have kids, get a job...it's gonna follow you, and I kinda had this thought in my head where I was looking forward to all of that. Weird eh, I know. Oooh, another thing...I can't wait for the first like big snowfall...just a huge snowstorm, the ground covered in snow, walking around campus, shoveling...just the first couple days of course, after a week, I'll probably be sick of it and wanting to stay in my bed all day. I'll tell you, one thing I'll miss after this year is walking around campus, taking the outdoor paths, being in the library, being in classes, just the school atmosphere. But who knows, I might do more school next year, possibly even at York, or I might just go work. I'm kinda like in a boat right now the paddle's there, but I'm just enjoying the view, the ride and letting the stream take me, letting life take it's course, I think that's been my mentality for a long while. Letting life take it's course, letting God's plan kinda unravel and going with the flow because it's all for a reason. That kinda plays into why I'm always so mellow, chill or as some people would call it "not serious" LOL. Trust me, I understand when the situation calls to be serious, but most of the time, people just wanna laugh, chill and take it easy, if anything, I feel some people are TOO serious you know. Don't take things to heart fam, chill out. But yeah, this was a great conversation, I love talking to y'all, that isn't sarcasm either, I appreciate that you guys are such great listeners, it's dope. Till next time, PEACE.
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