10 Things I Would Tell My 16-Year Old Self!!

I know that I always wish I could go back and change things...I'm sure EVERYONE does...but some of these things would have been beneficial to know 13 years ago!! (Man I'm getting so oldddd):

10. Get better grades!  You were capable of so much more, and could have gotten a scholarship if you would have applied yourself more.

9. AP classes, although tough, are more important than being Office Aide.

8. The Moffatts will break up in 2001. (Yes I know they are brothers...but brothers can break up haha) This will change a lot of things for you but it has helped you gain a whole new family, who will be stuck with you forever! So enjoy every trip and every second of each concert. You will be devastated when it’s over. (I was…I cried for weeks and people thought my family had died or something haha)

7. A website will be invented where you will be able to see everyone after high school, even if you aren’t interested in seeing them. It’s called Facebook. And it will prevent you from going to your 10-year reunion because you already know what everyone is up to. And this makes you relieved, because you still live at home and that’s something you don’t want to announce to the world. HA! Maybe 15 will be more inviting.

6. Don’t take your time with people for granted. Some of them won’t make it past 25, so enjoy every waking moment you spend with them. RIP Scott (my first boyfriend ever) and RIP Ryan (my senior BFF and prom date).

5. Don’t be ashamed to be different. Yes, the boys in your grade are going to make fun of you for loving Hanson and the Moffatts. Yes, they are going to write obsessively about it in your yearbook. But those will be some of the greatest times/memories of your life, and none of those people can take THAT away from you.

4. One day you will be more confident in your own skin. Although confidence has always been a struggle, I can’t remember a time when I felt less sure about myself. The “GI Bubble” was never comfortable for me, which is why a lot of my friends during my teenage years were from other cities. I never fit the mold at GIHS…but I fit in with so many other people.

3. Forgive and forget. You have always been good at this, but it will be important to remember after senior year when you lose some of your best friends over some stupid boys. It won’t last forever, but it’s a tough time. Luckily you will make lots of new friends in college.

2. Your attitude can make a world of difference. I tend to be pessimistic about things and get down on myself easily. Attitude really does change things, and that's something I always need to remember.

1. Your best years are still ahead of you! College ended up being the most spectacular time of my life. I had lots of friends, people liked me, and I did well in school. IT GETS BETTER!!

Take a listen

Favorite Song

I find myself able to relate to this song all the time. It's been a favorite of mine for a very long time. Depending on how you take it, it can sound kind of morbid. But to me, this song is about finding peace when turmoil is all around you. If you just let go and let things happen, you may face some hardships, but you just have to trust that you are doing the right thing.

"This Is Not An Exit" 
Saves the Day  
Tonight will be the night that we begin to ease the plugs out of the dam. 
And we will stand knee deep in the flow, the undertow will grab our heels and won't let go. 
And while we hold, our legs quivering, the water rises now to our teeth when we just let go 
and sail belly up to the clouds, the rocks scraping our backs. 
To breathe in the air will be the only thing that we have 
and all the wasted nights and empty moments in our lives 
are flushed away as we sway with the rhythm 
of the waves bobbing us up. Crests fall to troughs, feel our gills open up 
and sail belly up to the clouds, the rocks scraping our backs. 
To breathe in the air will be the only thing that we have. 
And if the hook sets in the bottom of our lungs, we'll rip it out and lick the blood off with our tongues. 

Despair could ravage you 
if you turn your head around and look down the path 
that's lead you here, cause what can you change? 
You're a vessel now floating down the waterways. 
You can take your rudder and take your ship, just don't bother with the things left in your wake. 
Just sail belly up to the clouds, the rocks scraping your back. 
To breathe in the air will be the only thing that you have 
and your love will be warm nights 
with pockets of moonlight spotlighting you as you drift, the actor in this play. 
And you walk across the stage, take a bow, hear the applause, 
and as the curtain falls, just know you did it all 
the best that you knew how 
and you can hear them cheering now. 
So let a smile out and show your teeth cause you know you lived it well.

I can't even describe how much I relate to this song. It says everything.

Goodbye Facebook!!!

Ahhh hey!
I'm on a mission to simplify my life during these crazy times, which led me to deactivate my Facebook. I was spending too much time on there worrying about everyone else. It just felt right when I did it today. I felt a peace and calm come over me. So in order to express my thoughts, I'm turning back to my twitter. I don't have to read any status updates there. Heck, I only have 2 followers! Much more simple. My username is @laurenjayii if you are interested! I also plan to update more often. I can't PROMISE since life has been crazy but I have good intentions :)
With love from the Mitten-
Lo

Challenge #2: 3 Fears

#3: I am terrified of not having enough money to pay for the things I need.

I am not sure where this fear came from; I think I may have been born with it. I’ve always been careful about certain things, and I’ve never been one to spend my money all in one place, per say. But in the past few years, I have become terrified of not having enough money to get a house and pay for all of the things that go along with it. I want to be able to do things myself, so it’s hard for me to hear Nick say things like “I have X amount of money saved for a house down payment.” Even though we’re getting married. I guess I feel like he earned that money, and I don’t take handouts easily. I will be the first person to give someone money if they need it though.


#2: I'm afraid to fail.
This one doesn't really need an explanation. I am completely afraid to fail at anything.


#1: I am afraid of change.

I know that change is part of life, and that things are constantly changing and evolving. I know that things can't always stay the same. I just do not deal well with change at all. Especially big changes. Sometimes I even have a hard time with good changes. I think change makes me feel that in order to take on or begin something new, something else has to end to make room for it. I hate endings. (Unless we are talking about the end of the work day or week, then I don't mind them!) I think changes scare me because you are dealing with the unknown. I have a hard time with that.

A playlist for bad days.

Challenge #1: 20 Random Things

20. I’m short. I mean really short. 5 feet short! I guess if you know me in real time you know this already!

19. I’m organized, but not neat. This seems like it isn’t really possible doesn’t it? How can you be organized, but not neat?? Well, I know where things are – but they aren’t always labeled and filed and put in nice places. I guess I have the whole “organized chaos” thing going for me.

18. I’m indecisive. Like, BIG TIME. In college my roommates and I called ourselves “Team Indecision” because we could never pick where we wanted to go or what we wanted to cook for dinner. We also called ourselves JaLauMeg because we basically thought we were one person. But that’s beside the point.

L-R: "Meg", "Ja", "Lau" and Erica

17. I change my hair color a lot. I can’t ever decide if I like it better blonde or brown. So I usually have varying shades of one or the other. I am currently blonde though.

16. I just recently upgraded my old-school cell phone to a fancy smart phone. I never thought I’d ever really want one, but I am IN LOVE with my iPhone. It’s phenomenal!

15. I can’t sleep with socks on. Everrr. I hate the feeling of it.

14. Fall is my favorite season. It’s so incredible in Michigan. I love it when it takes its time to cool off, and you can go outside with just a hoodie and jeans on. I love the smell of the leaves as they fall and the chill in the air. I just love everything about fall.

13. It takes me an entire day to clean my room. Usually it’s not that messy, but I start to go through things and start lots of mini-projects on the side, so it usually takes hours upon hours for me to complete my original task. I guess it’s ok since I get a lot of other things done, but really it would make more sense to just finish one thing at a time. Organized chaos, I tell ya.

12. I drink tea almost every day. I used to drink coffee a lot for a couple of years, but before that I wouldn’t touch the stuff. Now I always drink tea, because it’s better for you plus it tastes better. And it has very little to no calories!

11. I love love LOVE my cat, Sophie. She is beyond precious. Usually a brat, but she’s just so cute that you forget about it after awhile. She is Tonkinese, you don’t see a lot of those types of cats around. I always knew I was going to be a cat lady one day!!

10. I tend to be an insomniac. I spend the better part of my work week staying up until all hours of the night, then I end up crashing by Wednesday or Thursday night. I can't really help it, and I hate it a lot of the time.

9. I have always driven an SUV. I had three different Explorers throughout high school and the beginning of college, then I got a Ford Escape my 3rd year in college. I had that until last year when it died, and I bought a Jeep Patriot. I am hoping to have that for awhile...but SOMEONE is not allowing that once we get married. We will see about that!

8. I'm way too sensitive for my own good. I take a lot of things to heart and I take a lot of things personally. The good thing is that I am so used to it that it doesn't usually take me long to get over something.

7. While we are on the topic...I'm WAY too forgiving. I guess I always believe that people deserve second, or third, or fourth chances. I mean it really depends, but if someone wants to be your friend so badly and tries, even after they spite you or do wrong things to you, well then you might as well be their friend. It's hard to explain, and not everyone gets a lot of chances, but there are just certain people that I think you are always stuck with, no matter what they do to you.

6. I LOVE MUSIC. So very much. And I don't discriminate, except against country music. I am not a fan and will always hate it.

5. My favorite movie is "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World". Haven't seen it?? I guess not everyone thinks it's as funny as I do...but I DIE every time I watch it!

"Have you seen a girl with hair like this?"

4. I'm a loner Dottie, a rebel. I guess I have too many hobbies that don't involve socializing. (Reading, drawing, painting, crafting...)

3. I've spent more than half of my life involved in Competitive Cheer. I cheered from 7th grade through senior year, then started coaching the summer after I graduated. After 10 years of coaching, I am ready for my break!

Coaching at the first District Championship...we won!

2. My favorite cupcake flavor is red velvet. I'm drooling just thinking about it!

1. My cat snores.

THE END!