Things I Learn From My Communication Research Methods Class

Communication Research Methods. It's a class. It's really hard. I'm going to fail. Ha! Okay. That's not completely accurate. I think I'll do fine, however, my brain exploded when I found out I had to take this class. The first day, I sit down and I'm in sheer panic. I don't know what to expect from this class, but all I know is it's going to be really hard. Truth be know, it wasn't as horrifying as I made it out to be. Instead, I actually learned something. My professor started talking about a wall she encountered as she was going to grad school. She called it the Statistics Wall. She said that as she took more and more statistics classes she felt like eventually she would hit a wall. She imagined the wall being 20 feet high, all completely cement with barbwire on the top. She kept taking classes and kept acing them and wasn't hitting any kind of wall. Even though she totally hated statistics. When she decided to finally graduate...(she's one of those crazy teachers that LOVES school and was in school for like 25 years...) she went to talk to her statistics professor about taking another statistics class and she ended up telling him about her imaginary wall. He looked at her and said "It's not a wall, it's a door." She explained that, that statement changed her life and that instead of thinking that she'll eventually hit the wall and become a statistics puddle, that she flows freely door to door, picking up every kind of information she can possibly get. MY MIND WAS BLOWN. And I began thinking about how I could apply that in my life. Instead of believing that I'll eventually fail and become a "statistics puddle", I should believe that every opportunity is just a door. It opens and closes and I have to make the choice to open the door, whether I fail or not. I won't hit a wall. I just close a door. I don't fail at something. I just close a door. I don't get rejected. I just close a door. And it's not like I won't ever be able to open a particular door again because I've already got the key that unlocks it. Life shouldn't be about hitting walls. It should be about opening doors.

Human Beings

Along with the millions of other people in the world, I am a human being. I make mistakes and I am terribly insecure. I'm prideful, arrogant, rude, and obnoxious. I was sitting in church today and I wasn't feeling particularly happy, I was letting my natural man get the better of me. I looked over to my right and there was a boy sitting on a pew all by himself. I had a prompting to go over and tell him that he should come and sit by me, but I didn't follow through. Half-way through the meeting, a different boy goes over and sits by this boy that I should have sat by. I was furious. I was annoyed that this kid had done what Heavenly Father clearly wanted me to do. I was annoyed because this particular boy was kind of a jerk to me, but then he turns around and does such a Christ like action. As I started to get more furious, I had a thought.. He's a Child of God. Just like you. My pride and arrogance trickled away. I realized that I was being a human being and I needed to be a spiritual being. My epiphany continued as I began to realize that even though this kid was kind of a jerk, he's a human being too.  He makes mistakes and I shouldn't think that he's a jerk because Heavenly Father doesn't think so. He's a Child of God. Just like me. And Heavenly Father loves me, even on the days when I'm being a jerk.  Even on the days when I don't say hi to that kid that passes me every day. Even on the days when I think mean thoughts about my roommates. Even on the days when I pull away from Him because I don't think I need His help in my life. He loves me, no matter what and having that knowledge makes all the difference in my life.

I'm SOO Funny

Don't let the title deceive you: I'm not funny. I'm not witty or charismatic or clever. I try to be, but more often than not, being funny just leads to embarrassment. Ya know. That awkward moment when someone tries to be funny. You still think they're cool, but they're just not funny. People tell me I'm funny, because when I'm not thinking about saying some witty remark, I actually say something quite hilarious. Why does that happen? When you're NOT thinking about being something or doing something, it actually happens. As much as I wish I was funny, I also wish I was one of those people that other people notice. I know that's super selfish and conceited, but I notice people.  And when I notice people, I wonder if they notice me. I'm sure I stand out. I mean, I'm a girl who's the average height of a man. But do people notice me? Do they notice that I try my hardest to be kind? Do people notice that I try to with all my heart to conform to their opinions because I just want them to like me? Do people notice that I get really uncomfortable in certain situations? Or that I blossom in others? I guess the point of this post is maybe I just need to not worry about it and more often than not, people will notice me. Even if I'm not that funny.

I've Never Gotten Flowers

There are thousands of different guys in the world. Hipsters and Nerds, Football players and Church-goers. But all I want is a nice guy. The kind of guy that will go out of his way to say hi to you. The kind of guy who genuinely cares about the well-being of others around him. The kind of guy who is just.....nice. He's amiable, pleasant, and well-mannered. I want the kind of guy who will have the courage to walk away from a fight when needed, but the determination to stand up for what he believes in. I want a guy who's ethical and fair, who will give me flowers because I've never gotten flowers before.

I Believe

I believe in rejection. I believe in taking risks that will lead to failure. I believe in stretching your comfort zone to outrageous limits. I believe in these because I have never done them. I want to though. I want to take risks. I want to stretch my comfort zone. What's holding me back? Fear. More specifically, fear of people. I'm afraid of ridicule and humiliation. I'm afraid that people will un-friend me on Facebook. I'm afraid people will stop being nice to me because I failed. I'm afraid people will tarnish my well-earned respect because of one meaningful act of strength. I see other people become the people they want to be and I'm envious. Covetous, even, because those people have what I so desperately crave. It isn't about love or getting a successful job or climbing Mount Everest. It's about the little things. The girl that is kind to everyone no matter who they are. The boy who holds the door open for every person, not just girls. The human beings that make other people feel wonderful by just being in their presence.  The girl who knows without a doubt that there is a God. These people stand up for what they believe in and they take risks for it. It's easy to stand back idly and have a neutral response to situations. It's easy to agree with someone just so there isn't contention. But what's really hard is taking a stance. What's really hard is being the person, deep down inside, you know you can be. What's really hard is treating others the way you want to be treated, no matter how socially awkward they may be. What's really hard is believing.

Hope. Awe Hope.

Hope is like a recipe. A cup of opportunity, a teaspoon of fantasy, and a pinch of faith. I often want to shout to the world of the hope that eats up my heart. And I'm talking about love. Romantic love to be exact.  Because while Elise might whine about boys, I whine about the hope they instill in your heart. It's silly, really. Many people tell me "you've got plenty of time" and (the classic) "you're still so young", but you're never too young to dream.  Or to hope. You're never too young to lovingly wish for that one brilliant male to make your stomach feel horrid & wonderful all in a single moment. That moment is what I wish and hope for on a daily basis. I plot, scheme, and fantasize about that moment.  Maybe I'll be running late to class and my books with fall out of my backpack and he'll help me pick them up? Or maybe he's liked me since he was old enough to know that girls are supposed to be pretty? Or maybe he'll be smart & tall & nerdy & a band geek? (my fav kind of man) Or maybe he'll be short & bald? (my notsofav kind of man) I have no idea. All I know is that I still hope. I hope that one day the boy I've liked since I was 14 will begin to look at me a little bit differently. I hope that one day, I'll stop expecting love to happen & something wonderful will come of it. I hope that one day, I'll blog about how blissfully ecstatic I am that I am a newlywed. One day. It will happen. Because I believe that hope is the start that creates a magical opportunity to fall into place. 

Gumball, Anyone?

Yesterday, I went down to Layton to visit one of my dearest friends.

Her name is Tangerine.

Just kidding. Her real name is Justine. Her camp name was Tangerine.

I missed her lots and it was so good to see her!

We ate at the Brick Oven (has anyone ever been there?), we went shopping & ate gourmet gumballs!

Also, we might have found a giant barrette at Macy's.

Totally would have bought it if it had been useful.

There's Something About 'Um

There's something about an elderly couple walking hand in hand towards the temple that lifts my heart and makes me smile.

There's something about running your guts out and smelling the light May breeze that makes me think about all of God's magnificent creations.

There's something about a boy smelling fabulous that makes me giggle inside.

There's something about thinking of going on a mission that makes me beam with joy.

There's something about getting a text message that makes my mind incessantly excited.

There's something about working at Quiznos that I thoroughly dislike.

There's something about knowing that a boy thinks I'm cute that gives me that self-confidence booster that I need daily.

There's something about realizing that my favorite bloggers read my blog. You guys are my idols. :) Thanks!

There's something about reaching deep inside you to find the courage to be happy.

Oh What Do You Do In The Summertime?

Summertime is here people!
My little sisters know how to do summer right:

(instagram: follow me @ fashioncrime)

In the summertime, I make goals.
Yup.
I'm a goal-maker.
I decided that there were three things that I needed to improve upon in my life:
1. Being Healthy
2. Being Smart/Wise
3. Being Spiritual
And how do I go about accomplishing that?
With these three goals:

1. Go running EVERY DAY!! Even if it kills me (which it might).

2. Spend money WISELY! Basically, only spend money on food this summer. I've gotta start saving my money.

3. Read my scriptures EVERY NIGHT!! When I'm dead tired, that's when I should be reading my scriptures the most. I'm also going to record what I read & the promptings I get from the passage that I read.

Alrighty, now that you know about my overzealous ambitions, you have to hold me accountable. Mmk?

I liKe to bE NicE

Ashley from the Shine Project issued a challenge:

If I could change one thing in the world, what would it be?


The first thing that came to my mind the instant I read that question was:

Be nice.


If everybody was nice, how much change would we see in the world?
I believe we'd see an axis rotation change.
Yeah...it's gonna be THAT big.
My challenge is going to be: ALWAYS be nice.

Be nice when a really cute guy only studies with you to get a good grade.
Be nice when your roommates decide to be psychos & treat you like yesterday's lunch.
Be nice when your parents decide that you're a grown-up & treat you as such, but you don't like it.
Be nice when a stranger in the grocery store yells at you because they're having a bad day.
Be nice when a creep is just a creep.

Some things that I'm going to do to be successful:
--ALWAYS look for a positive characteristic of someone before I start to judge them.
--NEVER give up. Even when people are mean to me. Be nice back.
--TELL the people that mean the most to me that I love them.
--SURROUND myself with quality people...people who love me and have the same standards and values as me.
--LOOK for the little ways to serve others. Losing yourself in others is the surest way to happiness.
--BE confident. I have to like myself before I can be nice to others.

Modern Day Pollyanna

Pollyanna is quite possibly one of the best shows in the entire world.

Heartbreaking.

Lovely.

Irritating.

AND
Down-right adorable.

 












Lately, I've thought about becoming a Modern Day Pollyanna.
You know,
the type of girl that speaks her mind & ruffles everybody's feathers.
However,
I don't usually speak my mind unless it's in confidence,
rustling someone's feathers definitely doesn't sound fun,
AND
I'm not blonde.
Hmm....
this could be a challenge. :)
OR
maybe instead of becoming a Modern Day Pollyanna,
I'll become a Modern Day Elisabeth.

You know,
the type of girl who finds the positive before the negative & makes it a priority to put others before herself.
Hmmm...
this is definitely the kind of challenge I can handle. :)

Alright, Alright, I'll Be a Conformist :)

YEAR IN REVIEW!!!
Everybody's doing it these days. Didn't ya hear?
Besides, I like being a conformist. :)
Except...I can't really remember back that far. :/
How do all you fantastic bloggers do that??
Sooo because my mind happens to draw a blank....I'm going to do a
HALF-YEAR IN REVIEW!!!
Starting with May...

May
Biggest event in my life?
Graduated high school. :)

Right after I turned the tassle. :) Go me!








June to July
Moved away from home to work at a Girl Scout Camp in Park City.
Craziest summer of my life.
I learned soooo much about people and I ate WAY too many cookies. Especially Samoas!! :)

yes, this is me touching a deer! SOOOO AWESOME!!
(Notice my Aggie pride before I even started school??

I'm just that fantastic.)

Polar Bear Dip!! Basically jumped into freezing cold water at 7:30 in the morning. 

Exhiliarting to say the least.

August
Moved to Logan & became a full-fledged Aggie!!
No.
I'm not a TRUE Aggie. Yet... ;)

September
Found out that my cousin Megan happens to be one amazing chica.

October
Was a nerd for Halloween

Also, I started a love affair with blogging!!!
AND
I met this amazing lady who happens to be SUCH an inspiration to me. :)
Okay...technically we met in August...but whatevs. ;)

November
Hardest month for me.
It kind of sunk in that I'm a grown-up.
What?
Grown-up?
What kind of a word is that, right?

December
I...
Found out that my 12 year old sister is better than me at the piano.
Realized that I'm an amazing girl despite being boyfriend-less.
Had an epiphany about the kind of person I really am: Kindness goes a long way.
Discovered Justin Bieber's song "Mistletoe" (made my life a whole heck of a lot easier) ;)
Grew closer to my Savior Jesus Christ.
And of course
December wouldn't be complete without Christmas. :)


HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!! Thanks for following my blog! Love you guys! <3