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The Passing of Time & Our Expectations of Productivity

BrookeLeave a comment

Hello everyone!

As I have mentioned a few times on this blog in the past, I write all of my posts for an upcoming week the weekend beforehand, scheduling them to go up in advance. The day this post will go up is my last day of winter break, when I will most likely be writing my posts to go up the following week. You may be thinking, why would I bring this up? Well, there’s a few reasons. Winter break flew by, and I had all these expectations of things I could get done: tons of volunteer opportunities, tons of homework and extra credit assignments, studying for finals, holiday parties and fun plans with friends and family, summer program applications, blogging, cleaning, and writing with the intention of submitting to competitions.

Yes, it sounds like a lot- but 16 days of no school also sounded like a lot of time to do it all. To no one’s surprise (not even really my own), I wasn’t able to do everything. Time flew by, slipped through my fingers, and what I thought was a huge chunk of time still wasn’t enough to do everything I thought I could, regardless of how productive I was or wasn’t. I always feel like time is passing me by because I just want to do so much, and even at my highest levels of productivity and motivation, it’s impossible to do it all. Balancing fun things and obligations and things that fall under both categories is a lot no matter who you are, but I’ve also found that I almost want to overload myself since there’s so many things I’m interested in and I constantly discover new things I want to be a part of or think of ideas I would like to execute.

I don’t know whether to blame myself for time management issues, or blame myself for having unrealistic expectations- maybe I should be doing both? I would make a list of things I wanted to get done each individual day and I would take everything one step at a time, but I just never ended up knocking enough things off the list. I guess the “culprit” could’ve been the fact that I made a lot of plans with friends, but it’s winter break and the holiday season; it was kind of a given that I would be going to holiday parties and such. I shouldn’t feel guilty for wanting to be social on one of the only substantial breaks from school of the year. On a normal weekend, I don’t see my friends at all- I’m shut up in my room doing homework and other work on my computer or writing, and then I’ll possibly go out for food and volunteering. I knew there wasn’t going to be another opportunity for me to have this much time to just do something fun, so I said yes to all the plans my friends asked me to participate in.

It scares me how fast time has been passing in general. My first semester finals are in a couple weeks (a huge reason why I had so much work over break), and that means I’m about to be halfway done with sophomore year. I had so many plans and ideas and thoughts about how I wanted to approach this year, and it’s flown by so fast that I couldn’t even try to implement most of them. Sure, I’ve had a full schedule and it’s not like I was being lazy, but I’m confused how I never have time to do anything. How do some people have time to manage a full and difficult course load, a social life, their hobbies, and tons of other random activities and responsibilities both inside and outside of school? I’m managing things okay, but not with a good balance between work and play, and with barely any extra breathing room.

This is more of a question almost than a real post. I’ve offered my situation and my thoughts for you to mull over, and now I’m asking: what am I doing wrong? Am I doing anything wrong? Are any of you experiencing the same thing? Feel free to let me know, we’re all in this together!

Brooke

Should You Seek Private College Counseling?

BrookeLeave a comment

Hello everyone!

Last year around this time, I had a rude awakening to just how competitive college admissions is today. I’m currently a sophomore in high school, so I was only a freshman at the time this happened, but I started to panic- we had a little meeting with our school counselors to plan out our sophomore year classes and make sure we were on track for the future, and so many people were taking summer school and trying to get ahead and game the system. I didn’t even know there was a system, I thought it was just about doing well in the highest level classes available to you at grade level, and being decently well-rounded outside of school. I didn’t realize there was so much planning and outside factors going into crafting the perfect college application as soon as freshman year. Keep in mind, I go to a competitive public high school, so this may not be the same in your school or different areas; maybe it’s even more competitive, I know at private schools and prep schools it definitely is.

My school counselor wasn’t a huge help due to her having 600 kids to advise and it was difficult to get a 10-minute appointment even if you only had a very immediate concern like a schedule change, and I felt lost after trying to get advice on the Internet from websites like College Confidential. I wasn’t trying to focus my whole life around getting into college in a couple years; I just wanted to know if I was on the right track and what I would need to do to prepare myself. Therefore, I asked my parents if we could go to a consultation with a local college counselor. They reluctantly agreed and we went- it seemed like a good vibe, and I was desperate for answers so it was really helpful to get some. My parents were skeptical to commit to anything because of the fairly high price tag, but they agreed because it was a one-time fee for guidance the rest of my high school years. I feel somewhat guilty that they paid so much since there are good and free resources online, but it was what I needed for peace of mind at the time, and it has proved very helpful to get personalized recommendations and advice.

I apologize for the long-drawn context, but I feel it’s necessary. If you’re feeling helplessly confused like I was and are currently considering whether you should consult a professional, you’ve come to the right place! I’m going to explain a few reasons why you should or should not hire a private college counselor based on your personal situation.

If these things apply to you, YES, you should:

  • You have the resources and time – I feel like this is one of the bigger things to consider. My parents were able to set up a payment plan so it wasn’t as much of a dent at once, and they felt better about it since I would be able to use the service from then until senior year. If you’re starting early, it can be more bang for your buck.
  • You’re an older sibling or only child – I’m personally the oldest sibling and the first one in my family to navigate this process. A lot of my friends are younger siblings and already knew so much about the process- some of their older siblings even had private counselors! They’ve also visited colleges with their older siblings, so they just overall are a lot more familiar with how everything goes.
  • Your parents have no clue about anything admissions-related – College admissions has changed a lot since our parents’ generation applied. My parents also both went to community colleges and transferred elsewhere, so they didn’t even ever go through the traditional college application process, only a transfer one. This led to a lot of frustration from me when they didn’t even believe me about how competitive it is to get in these days.
  • You’re not really sure what you want in a college, or what you want to study in college – I am super all-over-the-place in terms of interests and I don’t have a clear-cut path I plan on following in academics, extracurricular interests, or anything; I just know I like challenging myself and there’s a lot of things I’m interested in. And as far as the actual college search goes, I have no clue what I want either; I think I want a small or medium-size school and want to go far from home, but that’s pretty much it. It’s nice to have someone with a lot of knowledge on different people’s experiences and different schools to talk you through things.
  • You get along with the counselor and like them as a person – It’s so important to pick a counselor that you actually like if you’re going to be working with them throughout high school and paying them a lot of money. You’ll want to pick someone with good reviews online who knows their stuff, and seems like they really care about you.
  • You don’t have a strong relationship with your school counselor and/or another mentor who could help – I actually got a new school counselor this year and I really like her, but it’s still so hard to get appointments. Because there’s not a lot of individualized attention at my school, it just made more sense to seek it out for myself. I don’t have any other connections outside of school that would be able to give me advice when necessary, so I had to find my own.

If these things apply to you, NO, you shouldn’t:

  • It’s too much money and/or time – It’s definitely not worth it if you’d be struggling financially to pay for it. There are free resources online which I will write a post about soon, and your school counselor can help you. Similarly, if you’re a senior, it’s somewhat late in the game to take advantage of the full benefits- I would just go to someone who could read/edit/critique your application and essays if you’re a senior.
  • It seems like the counselor/service will require you to be unauthentic and/or unethical – Anyone who will encourage you to lie or cheat on your application is an automatic no. Even if they are suggesting that you do certain activities you’re not necessarily interested in, I would consider that unauthentic as well.
  • You already have a pretty good idea of what type of school/what school you want to go to and your interests for what to study there – A lot of the input a college counselor will give is related to narrowing down your options and figuring out what your actual plan is. If you already have a plan for yourself, they’re a lot less useful to you. For example, if you’ve decided you want to go to UCLA and major in biology because you love it, you don’t really need someone to tell you what else you should be doing. Yes, you might want someone to read over your applications and essays, but that can be done for cheaper come application time, and anything else you need to know can be found through online research.
  • You’re a younger sibling and/or have parents well-versed in college admissions – As I stated, a lot of my friends have already been through the process with their older siblings and have a pretty good idea of what they will need to do as well. In these cases, there’s not really a reason to ask for outside help when you can work closely with your family members and other personal connections.
  • You have a hands-on school counselor or other unpaid service/connection that can help you with these services – If your school fosters a more personalized connection between counselors and students, you may have never even needed to worry about seeking a counselor outside of school. Similarly, if you have a family member/friend/other connection who works in college admissions or has some other tie to the process, you could easily go to them for simple questions and such.

I hope this helped any of you out there who were having trouble deciding how to take action. Keep in mind this is just based off of my personal experiences, and your experience could be completely different depending on the services offered and the involvement of the program. Only do what you feel comfortable doing, and don’t feel pressured to use a private counselor at all! It can be a great resource and help you out, but it’s definitely not the end-all be-all or ultimate key to success. In a lot of ways, it’s more impressive if you can get through everything on your own 🙂

Brooke

5 Easy Ways to Be Eco-Friendly in 2020

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

As we all know, sustainable and environmentally-friendly products have become a lot more accessible recently. A lot of people, myself included, want to reduce their own contribution to pollution, waste, and all of the harm we are doing to this planet. I’ve really been trying to become more aware of my choices and the waste I create, and it’s important to know that there’s actually a lot of easy and affordable ways to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. If you’re looking to reduce your waste in 2020, keep on reading for five simple ways to do so!

  1. Use reusable cups, straws, and utensils on the go – I know reusable water bottles like Hydro Flasks and metal straws have become super popular, but there’s even more you can do. Bring your own thermoses to coffee shops if they allow it, and keep a set of bamboo utensils in your car if you’re getting takeout or food where you would otherwise be using plastic cutlery.
  2. Pack lunches and snacks in Tupperware or lunch boxes instead of Ziploc or paper bags – Similar to reusable utensils and cups, packing your lunch in a way that produces less waste can also help you cut down a lot on plastic. This is something I plan on doing more this year, since at the moment I bring a paper bag lunch and there’s usually a couple snacks in ziploc bags. It’s an easy way to limit your waste on a daily basis, and it’s probably cheaper in the long run since you only have to buy a lunch box or nice Tupperware set once.
  3. Support sustainable companies and/or charitable companies with products related to the environment – Lots of these companies will be a lot pricier, but the products are often designed to last longer and in some cases they are more ethically made as well. For example, Reformation is known for their sustainable clothing, but it’s also very pricey. There are also companies that create their products on the basis of charity, such as 4ocean that takes a pound of plastic out of the ocean for each bracelet bought.
  4. Buy thrifted/secondhand clothes – This is helpful because it’s also a cheaper shopping option. Sites like Poshmark, Depop, and even eBay (less people go on eBay to buy clothes so you can get great deals) have tons of clothes you can get for super cheap, and it prevents people from throwing out their clothes. Also, going to your local thrift shop is just a fun experience 🙂 Of course, make sure to sell or donate your own clothes when getting rid of them so they don’t get thrown out either!
  5. Take notes / do schoolwork online – This is more about reducing paper than plastic, but I’ve seen that a lot of students have recently gone paperless. If you would rather take notes and complete all assignments online, it’s a great way to reduce waste- it does save some plastic in the long run as well because you won’t have to buy notebooks with the plastic covers, folders, or binders that have plastic in them. I know this doesn’t work for every person’s school and studying situation, but it’s something else to be mindful of. If some of your teachers have options to turn everything in online but some don’t, just take advantage of the opportunity for the ones who do.

Hopefully this inspired you to make a few swaps in your daily lifestyle. Remember that you really can have an impact and change starts with these small choices. On the other hand, remember no one is perfect; it’s difficult to completely shift your lifestyle and there will definitely be slip-ups or times when it’s not feasible to center your shopping around sustainability. The important thing is that you try your best and keep the earth’s best interest in mind. We’re all in this together 🙂

Brooke

Should You Believe in Astrology/Horoscopes? Here’s Why I Do

BrookeLeave a comment

Hello everyone!

I’m always looking to discuss new topics on this blog and see what people are open to reading about, and today I realized I hadn’t talked about astrology, zodiac signs, or horoscopes before. It’s been on my mind the past couple days a little bit more than usual, since I received a book all about my zodiac sign (I cannot find the other signs, this isn’t even my sign but it’s the only one that came up) as well as a candle related to my birthday and zodiac sign for Christmas. I read the entire book before lunchtime on Christmas morning, and I was excited to learn a couple things about my sign that I hadn’t known before.

I would like to say upfront that I am by no means an astrology expert and I’m not a diehard believer in everything that horoscopes or astrology claims- it’s just like anything else where you have to take information with a grain of salt. That being said, if you’re interested in hearing my perspective on why I follow my horoscope and other astrology information or are skeptical on your own beliefs, I encourage you to keep reading and learn more.

To give a little background, my mom is a big believer in astrology, psychics, horoscopes, crystals, and lots of spiritual things that are often associated together. She has her own books on all of these things that she reads, and she’s been reading me my horoscope since I was little. It was only natural for me to become interested in my zodiac sign and learning more about astrology as well. I’m a Leo born on August 14th, and my moon sign is also Leo. It’s interesting because I don’t see myself as such a full-blown Leo; I’m introverted and quite shy at times. That being said, I think I see it more in my internal self and my goals/dreams for myself in life- I definitely have big dreams.

I think seeing that I’m not the “stereotypical” Leo is the main thing that’s deterred me from being a full-fledged believer in horoscopes and all things astrology, because right off the bat that’s a big shift in my personality that makes a lot of the horoscopes I read seem inapplicable to myself. However, there is still something for everyone to learn as you start reading more about your zodiac sign. In contrast to my mother, my father doesn’t believe in any of this at all. He says horoscopes are general things that could apply to anyone, and it’s just another marketing tactic. I read horoscopes from a variety of different places, and I think it depends- reading from an astrology website is different than reading the little horoscope slide on Snapchat’s news. Similarly, I have no clue where those accounts on Instagram that make little memes/posts about the different signs’ opinions on different topics get or come up with their information.

Since I’m not an otherwise religious person, astrology is a way for me to have some sort of belief in why I am the way I am (tongue twister!) and possibly learn more about myself. I know that may sound silly, but when I was reading the book I got for Christmas there were a few traits of Leos they described that I didn’t even really notice I had before, so it made me feel more connected to my sign and have a bit more faith in astrology. As I’ve stated before, it’s important to take everything with a grain of salt and know that not everything you read will apply to you personally, but it’s still fun to read and learn about. Also, if you believe in the Law of Attraction and manifestation, reading positive horoscopes and believing them might make them actually come true!

I hope this helped you gain a little bit more perspective on why some people enjoy learning about astrology and their personal zodiac signs. I apologize if there’s anything in here that was incorrect or offensive in anyway to what you might believe, but I tried my best to explain it from a neutral perspective. Keep in mind I am not an expert- I just read my horoscope and the occasional book or article to learn more about my sign, and I’ve searched up my personal birth chart a few times in the past. Other than that, I’m just another basic girl who likes having jewelry that depicts their sign 🙂

Brooke

How to Learn From Your Mistakes – High School Edition

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

I know we’re all still on break, but I figured before the new year and semester start, I would throw out some advice for you freshmen. Honestly, anyone in high school (or middle school!) could use this advice; I just figure that kids my age or older would already have learned similar lessons. If you’ve had a rough first semester or rough 2019, here’s some advice on how to use your past to enhance your future! Trust me, it’s not as hard or ~deep~ as it sounds.

  • Be able to recognize your flaws – Being aware of your mistakes is the first step to learning from them. Think about the past few months: what went well, and what could’ve gone better? Why did the things that went wrong occur? What part did you have in them? These are the questions you should reflect on when you’re thinking about what you can change in the future.
  • Take responsibility- don’t blame others – Others may have had a part in your mistakes or shortcomings, but you can only worry about yourself. Own up to anything you’ve done wrong, and leave anyone else to do the same for themselves.
  • Apologize when you’ve done wrong – This goes along with taking responsibility, but it’s so important to apologize to anyone you may have hurt or impacted negatively. It goes a long way in showing you understand how your actions affect others- mustering the courage up to do this shows a lot of maturity.
  • Accept others for who they are – A big mistake a lot of people make (I definitely have quite a few times) is trying to change their friends or complain about their flaws and then expecting them to change. Sometimes people do change, but you’re not the one who’s going to change them. If you’re going to surround yourself with people, make sure you know they’re people that will lift you up and make you happy to be around. If that’s not the case, find new friends- it’s up to you to make those choices.
  • Stay open-minded to change – Sometimes we look around at all the things we wish we could change about other people, but it’s completely out of our control. So what is in your control? Well, you! If you’re able to recognize your mistakes and flaws now, you should see the things that you wish you could change about yourself. It’s completely up to you to make an effort to change these things- nobody’s perfect, but you can try to be a better you.
  • Think about your good characteristics/strengths – What are the best things about you? Your favorite parts, and/or the characteristics other people compliment you? These are the traits you should try to bring out in yourself most often, and reflect in your everyday life. Again, nobody’s perfect, but it’s best to show off your best self.
  • Be as kind and friendly as possible – This isn’t really about learning from your mistakes, but it helps you put your best foot forward in new situations/when meeting new people and sets you up for better outcomes and relationships in the future. Also, people who may have known you in the past when you weren’t as proud of yourself can see that you’re making an effort to be a better you and change.
  • Understand that you’re going to make a lot more mistakes – Everyone does. As I’ve said multiple times, nobody’s perfect. This advice can help you prevent some silly mistakes, but everyone gets themselves in tough spots from time to time. Build your internal “toolkit” and problem-solving skills, and you’ll be just fine working yourself out of future issues.

I know some of this advice is pretty generic, but I think that’s kind of the point. We’re all getting older, and we have to actually apply the typical advice and wisdom adults have always given to us. I know I’ve matured a ton in the past couple years, and I’m still definitely not a perfect kid. That being said, let’s be our best selves in 2020 and make it an amazing year.

Brooke

2020 Vision: My Goals For Next Year

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

There are only two more days left of 2019, and it’s that time again where everyone writes up their goals for the new year, me included. I’m not a big fan of New Year’s Resolutions since they never end up getting kept and I like initiating change whenever a new goal strikes my mind. That being said, there are a lot of things I’d like to accomplish this upcoming year. If you’re looking for some inspiration or would just like to hear about another person’s goals, keep on reading.

  • Visit different regions of the U.S. (and California!) – There’s so much of this huge country that I haven’t seen, and I would love to explore more of it. It also makes sense to do so since I’ll probably be going on more college visits in the East Coast and other parts of the country.
  • Become conversationally proficient in Spanish – I’m in Spanish 3 this year and plan to be in Spanish 4/AP next year, so I’m hoping that I’ll really improve my skills. There’s a lot of Spanish speakers here in southern California so it’s a useful skill to have, and I’ve always wanted to be bilingual or close to it.
  • Attend a summer program/get an internship over summer – I want to have some sort of summer activity/independent project that I can be proud of. I’ll talk more about summer plans soon, but I definitely know I’ll be busy somehow.
  • Maintain a healthier lifestyle – I don’t mean a diet or anything too specific. I would just like to exercise a bit more and be more conscious of my eating choices, hopefully getting healthier as I go along. I feel better when I do these things, but sweets are so tempting.
  • Produce less waste – I’m also trying to be more sustainable- metal straws, reusable bags, and the like. I’m not perfect, but in 2020 I plan to mainly support more sustainable brands.
  • Improve my writing – I’m not exactly sure what this entails, but I’m hoping to pursue my interest in writing a lot more this year. Hopefully this means submitting to more journals and competitions, and just writing more in general.
  • Take initiative/be a leader in some way – Again, I’m not exactly sure how to approach this. I’ve been working on my self-confidence and leadership skills a lot in 2019, so I’m hoping I can put them into use in 2020. I want to start my own club or some sort of group at school, and we’ll see where that goes.

Hopefully this inspires you to make your own list of goals for the new year! I have no clue what 2020 has in store, but if it’s anything like 2019, it’s sure to be chock-full of crazy memories and new experiences that I can’t wait to see for myself. I’m trying to tell myself that all of these goals are definitely possible and I’ll be able to successfully complete them, so let’s hope for the best 🙂

Happy almost new year,

Brooke

My 10 Life Essentials I Can’t Leave Home Without

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

Whether you lug around a large purse or you keep your essentials floating around somewhere in your pockets or car, you probably have certain things you can’t leave the house without. These can vary greatly depending on what your interests are and what your day-to-day routine looks like. As a high school student, my essentials range from very silly to very practical; they’re pretty typical for a girl my age, but I still thought I’d share. I know the holiday season’s pretty much over, but if you’re still in the market for a gift for a teen girl, all of these are practical items she’d love to have if she doesn’t already.

  1. Hydro Flask/water bottle – I bring water with me everywhere. It’s good to stay hydrated, and you never know when you’ll need it. Hydro Flasks are the most popular brand at the moment, but any reusable bottle that prevents you from using single-use plastic bottles and constantly having to buy water when you’re out should work great.
  2. Portable phone charger – I’ve had a Mophie powerbank portable charger since middle school, and it still works perfectly and charges my phone super quickly. It takes a while to charge the portable charger itself, but it’s worth it since it holds up to four charges worth of battery power. I recommend splurging on a high quality portable charger because it will last you a long time and they usually really do charge more efficiently.
  3. Chapstick – I always have at least two forms of chapstick around me at all times. My two favorites are plain ol’ Carmex (cheaper option!) and Glossier’s balm.com in any of the untinted flavors (a bit more pricey). I have super chapped lips so these are a must, and it’s always nice to keep your lips in good shape with a nice scented product.
  4. Hand sanitizer or some form of wipes – When you’re at school or out all day, you’re bound to encounter a lot of germs. I have hand sanitizer and/or wipes in my backpack for before I eat or for when cold and flu season hits. It’s no substitute for washing your hands, but school bathrooms are so disgusting that it’s still a better option during class. Bonus points for a cute/scented hand sanitizer!
  5. Scissors – This is probably the most random one, but I’m always the girl with scissors. Whether it’s to cut a string off of someone’s shirt, to put together school projects, or to wrap gifts, scissors are actually pretty useful in a typical day. It’s one of my odd things, but I’m pretty particular about it- my favorite are Fiskars non-stick scissors since you can cut tape with them.

I hope you enjoyed discovering more about the things I use everyday- I think it says a lot about me and my daily life. I am currently on winter break as I write this and as it will be posted, so hopefully you all are on break and enjoying yourselves as well. Happy end of December!

-Brooke

5 Fun and Productive Ways to Spend Winter Break

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

Winter break is upon us, and it’s finally a good, long, hard-earned break from the craziness of school. It’s time to indulge in all the things I love about the holiday season- especially hot chocolate and movies. That being said, there’s a lot of other fun ways to spend your break that are also productive! In case you’re searching for another activity to supplement your Netflix-bingeing, keep reading.

  • Volunteer for a good cause – The holidays are a great time to give back to your community since there’s so many people in need. You can serve a holiday dinner at a soup kitchen, help collect donations for a toy drive, work with charities that help veterans and foster kids get presents- the possibilities are endless, and there’s so many worthy causes.
  • Spruce up your room for the new year – This might not be fun depending on who you are, but I plan on doing a deep clean and some reorganizing of my room over the break. If there’s decorations you get as presents or something you’ve been wanting to change in your room, now’s the time to put that all together!
  • Make plans for the summer – You can get a head start on planning summer trips, or applying to summer programs since applications open soon. I’m personally trying to figure out what I’m going to do over the summer, especially since there’s so many options and things I’m interested in doing. This is the perfect time to figure it out and do research if you’re not sure where to start.
  • Exercise and get a head start on your New Year’s resolutions – We all get busy and end up cutting exercise out when we’re short on time, but we also all make “be healthy!” and “exercise more!” our New Year’s resolutions every year. While I have the time, I’ll try and have a more consistent workout routine over these couple weeks. It’s probably a good idea with all the holiday food I’ll be eating anyways, right?
  • Start a passion project – Do whatever that thing is that you’ve been wanting to do but haven’t had time to. Read a book series, write something, make art, start a mini-business, start a blog! The hardest and most time-consuming part is getting started, so this is the time to do it so you can keep it up easily once break is over.

I hope this gives you some ideas for how to spend your break. Remember to keep a balance and spend lots of time with family and friends, enjoying the holiday season and celebrating each other’s presence. Personally, I have to study for finals, so I am going to have quite a busy break! Happy holidays 🙂

-Brooke

10 Festive Things That Remind Me of Christmas

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

As Christmas quickly approaches, I’ve been trying to get myself more into the holiday spirit. With the last week of school before winter break coming to an end, I can now fully appreciate all the things I love about winter and Christmas. Here in Southern California, it definitely doesn’t get super cold or snowy, so we kind of have to use our imagination and try extra hard to be festive.

  1. Driving around and looking at Christmas lights – My neighborhood has a couple streets that go all out, and it’s so magical to walk by and soak it all in. My family has never been the super festive type that goes all out with decorations, but I love to look at houses that do. My friend’s neighborhood has a bunch of great streets, so I usually drive around there.
  2. Drinking hot chocolate – I LOVE hot chocolate. Honestly, I’ll drink it from winter until summer as long as it’s not too hot. Whether it’s from Starbucks, my favorite local coffee shop, or the kind from a packet in one of my favorite mugs at home, it’s the perfect winter treat- especially with mini marshmallows.
  3. Watching Christmas movies, or any movies – I’m not the biggest fan of Christmas movies, but watching any movie on a cold day with hot chocolate gets me in the Christmas mood. It’s kind of a weird Christmas movie to watch so much, but I watch Good Luck Charlie: It’s Christmas every year, since it reminds me of my family.
  4. Eating a candy cane – I used to love candy canes even more when I was little, but I still love to eat one. I like swirling it around in my hot chocolate too. Bonus points if you get the end of the candy cane to a sharp point.
  5. Lighting candles – I’ve already mentioned this quite a few times, but I absolutely love lighting candles. It makes the atmosphere so peaceful and your house smell amazing.
  6. Ice skating with friends – I’m definitely not the best at ice skating, but it’s always fun to go to the local rink with friends or family. My local rink decorates for the winter season with fake snow and trees in the center- it almost feels like we live in a place with real winter!
  7. Wearing beanies and gloves – Being cozy is the best thing ever, and cute winter accessories add to the look!
  8. Wearing sweaters and sweatpants – I love being comfy year-round, but in winter it’s actually acceptable to wear sweatpants around. Actually, maybe it’s not- oh well.
  9. Wrapping presents – I’ve really improved my wrapping skills over the past couple years. I love picking out presents as well, so it’s even more fun to put them together and give them to the recipients.
  10. Baking cookies – There’s nothing better than the smell of fresh baked goods. I love making fresh chocolate-chip cookies, or those pre-made ones with the winter pictures on them (you know the ones).

I hope this inspired you to get in the Christmas/holiday spirit and enjoy your winter break. There’s so much to enjoy during this time of year, so let’s soak it up while it lasts.

-Brooke

Christmas From a Non-Religious Family’s Point of View

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

As part of my quest to find unique post ideas relating to Christmas and the holidays, today I will be discussing how my Christmas celebration/experience differs since my family is not religious. Christmas is still a tradition in our house because both my parents were raised fairly Christian and celebrated it, but neither of my parents really stuck to a religion when they were older. I’ve never been to church in my life, and I don’t celebrate the religious aspect of Christmas.

In my family, Christmas is mainly about celebrating the spirit of giving and being generous towards others. My dad is in our local Rotary club, and he gets assigned four kids to buy Christmas gifts for every year. I also usually donate to my school’s Toys for Tots drive, and volunteer gift wrapping gifts at Barnes and Noble through my charity group. I put a lot of effort into making/finding the perfect gifts for my friends, teachers, and family, and I get excited to help my mom decorate the house for Christmas.

People always say that Christmas is about celebrating Jesus and not the gifts- I definitely agree that it’s not all about the gifts, but I don’t think you need to be very religious to take part in celebrating Christmas and its other typical traditions. All of the things I love about Christmas don’t really have to do with its religious roots- I think anyone can understand the importance of giving and celebrate.

I hope no one takes offense to this- I would actually like to go to church on Christmas one day and experience that aspect of the holiday as well. I have a few other Christmas post ideas that will be up soon, so keep an eye out!

-Brooke