anahorvath.com

Author: Ana

  • Let’s Be Mindful

    My heart hurts for our country right now. It hurts for those affected by the recent events. It hurts for those suffering from coronavirus. It just hurts. Everything that has happened recently has just made me sad, I find it the most saddening that people think rioting and violence will solve our issues. In my opinion, that does nothing. It creates more tension, more hatred, and it discredits those trying to peacefully evoke and promote change. I believe in peaceful protest and the freedom of speech but there is a HUGE difference between that and destroying your lovely downtown to make a point.

    More than anything, I think that the hatred and anger really needs to come to a stop on social media platforms. I understand that social media and technology are an extremely influential and easy way to share information and opinions in our day and age. There are MANY great ways in which social media helps spread positivity and promote change. With that also comes a lot of negatives too. People, myself included sometimes, tend to be a bit more courageous online. People seem to think that there is a barrier between them and the world and that what they say truly has no consequences or repercussions, so they say whatever they feel comfortable saying. There are consequences though! Real people are on the other side of that screen and words you say may not hurt you or that video you post may not bother you, but it may offend others or remind them of past traumas that they’d prefer to not be brought up.

    I know that with recent events, MANY people were posting videos that should not have EVER been shared on social media. I understand the anger and I understand the true frustration but videos like those that many people my age were posting on Instagram were triggering. The intent was good, but the impact was devastating and extremely inappropriate.

    As mentioned before, I firmly believe in speaking your mind. But I also believe in respect, not only for others but for yourself. I believe in being MINDFUL- mindful of yourself and others. The things you post online, whether that be words, a picture, a video, or even a series of emojis, WILL IMPACT OTHERS. Your intent may be something different from how people are impacted so it is important to be mindful of that.

    You don’t have to agree with me on this, but I think that social media shouldn’t be about spreading a political agenda or riling up a bunch of young people to say things that they truly don’t even understand. Social media should build others up and spread positivity. It can raise awareness, but we shouldn’t use social media to “fit in” and we DEFINITELY should not use social media to spread hate and anger, even if that is something that people claim they aren’t spreading. Focus on how that post or that tweet may impact others. Focus on educating yourself on the issues at hand and improving yourself so that we can all make a difference.

    Be mindful, stay safe, and have a good week.

  • Let the DAT Studying Commence…

    DAT
    Photo by Marten Bjork on Unsplash

    This upcoming week is finally the week that things kick into gear. I begin my study schedule for the Dental Admissions Test or the DAT. For those of you who don’t know what the DAT is, it’s basically the SAT or ACT, but for dental school and it’s tough.

    There are four sections on the exam, the survey of natural sciences, reading comprehension, quantitative reasoning, and perceptual ability or the PAT. In total, I believe the exam is 4.5 hours and there’s an optional 30 minute break at some point through the exam (Thank goodness!). The highest you can get is a 30 and most dental schools admit students who average a 20 on the exam. From what I’ve heard, the PAT section is the toughest, and based on my study program, that seems to be the case, as there is a lot of focus on the strategy behind that section.

    For the PAT, there are 90 questions and you have 60 minutes to answer them. The questions on that section are supposed to include keyhole, cube face, folding, and hole-punch problems that all come with their own twists and mind-breaking characteristics. From what I’ve heard, that section is meant to test how you do with visual things but it’s also meant to destroy you and tire you out mentally. Yippeeeee. I’m most nervous for the other sections.

    The survey of natural sciences section is exactly what it sounds like, a survey of all things from basic biology to organic chemistry. The reading comprehension section involves scientific articles and those articles are followed by a variety of questions testing how well you understood the article. The quantitative reasoning section on the DAT is the math section of the exam. As far as I know, it’s supposed to cover algebra through pre-calculus, which is super manageable for me.

    To prepare for the exam, I’m going through DAT Bootcamp. It’s a program created by a student who did extremely well on the DAT and has shared their study schedule as well as a BUNCH of incredible resources to crush this exam.

    I’m nervous to begin this journey but I’m also really excited because I look forward to the progress I make and all that I get to review and learn this summer. You’re all on this ride with me so let’s crush this DAT! See you next Sunday. 🙂

  • This Semester is Finally Over!!

    semester
    Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

    I never thought this day would come after all that has happened in the past couple of months. I did it, you did it, we all did it! This horribly long and dreadful disaster of a semester is FINALLY OVER.

    This past finals week I was supposed to have three exams: one for my physiology class, one for my organic chemistry class, and one for my accounting class. The final for my physiology class ended up being optional and I was fortunate enough to have a high enough grade that I didn’t have to take the final. For my organic chemistry and accounting classes, that wasn’t the case, but both of those finals were open note, which was nice. Both finals went well and I’m going to get the grades I’ve worked for which is awesome, but I still feel like my organic chemistry grade could have been even better. With that in mind, I’m still thankful for what I got, even though I struggled quite a bit with the online transition for that course.

    I finished everything on Wednesday which was awesome and around this time last year, I was moving out of my dorm and celebrating my first year of college with my family. I was hoping to get to do that this year, but a little virus named COVID-19 definitely put a damper on those plans. It was a bit odd not getting to celebrate all the hard work my sister and I did this past year at a nice restaurant with my family, but a good dinner at home was still fun. Different, but fun.

    With all of the stress that came with my course load and also the switch to online classes as a result of the pandemic, I’ve never felt so mentally exhausted from a semester and I can imagine that many of you are also feeling that way. When I hit that “Submit” button on my accounting final, I just remember feeling this wave of relief rush over me. It was all over. FINALLY.

    Of course I’m still taking a summer class, but that won’t be starting until June. I still get a bit of a break though and I’m hoping I stay healthy and that my family stays healthy and that humanity starts to gain the upper hand on this troublesome virus so that we get a chance to start our normal lives back up again and enjoy some of our summer. I’m also studying for the Dental Admissions Test (DAT) this summer so that’ll definitely be something you hear about as my test date approaches in August.

    I hope you’re all staying healthy and taking care of yourselves! Take some time to celebrate this weekend, whether you just graduated from high school or college or even if you just finished a semester, like me. 🙂 We deserve it. See you next Sunday!

  • A Different Kind of Mother’s Day

    Photo by nikohoshi on Unsplash

    Happy Mother’s Day to all the mamas out there. I hope you feel love and appreciated not only today, but every day of the year. 🙂 This year, since we’re in isolation, Mother’s Day was a bit different. It was still good, but it was just a little different.

    As usual, my dad, sister, and I surprised my mom with roses and some of her favorite chocolates with caramel. My dad also went out and got her some cute cards for us to all sign and a really yummy turtle cake too.

    Typically, we go out for lunch or dinner on Mother’s Day, but we couldn’t do that this year, since most if not all restaurants are still closed because of the CDC’s guidelines. I always enjoy going out for dinner because we really get to enjoy quality family time together in a different environment, and my mom doesn’t have to worry about cooking for that meal! Since we didn’t get to do that this year, it was a bit weird, but my mom enjoyed cooking both a really yummy lunch and dinner. We had coconut shrimp (one of her favorites) at lunch and then grilled chicken and mac and cheese for dinner. Both were great meals and my family and I still got to enjoy some time together! 🙂

    I spent a lot of today studying for my organic chemistry final that’s coming up on Tuesday. Wow am I SO excited to be finishing up this upcoming week. This semester was long enough already and with the isolation, it has just draaaaaagged on. I’m trying to finish strong, so let’s all hope that Tuesday goes well and that my accounting final goes well on Wednesday too.

    I hope you all enjoyed Mother’s Day and got a chance to do something special for your moms this year. They deserve a little extra this year, considering that we’re all crammed in together right now. Hug your mom real tight and tell her you love her tonight! Have a good week and I’ll see you next Sunday.

  • I’ve Never Been So Mad at a Book

    book
    Photo by Humble Lamb on Unsplash

    DISCLAIMER: This post discusses a book that contains hardcore 18+ content and while that is typically not something I ever like to talk about, I feel the need to with a book I recently had to read for a class. If you’re under 18, please come back next weekend. I really don’t want you here to read this post. I don’t discuss anything in much detail at all, but this just isn’t something for you to read.

    There was this book that I had to read for one of my classes called Justine or The Misfortunes of Virtue by the Marquis de Sade. Never in a thousand years would I recommend this book to anyone nor would I ever recommend you look it up. Learning about it through this post and my experiences should suffice, because I promise you, this book is absolutely horrendous. I have never been more disgusted by a book in my entire life. 

    The book was written in 1787 by a horrible and twisted man, the Marquis de Sade. Based on the horrors expressed in his book, the Marquis CLEARLY suffered from a mental illness and most definitely trauma as a result of abuse he suffered from during his childhood. Not only was this man mentally disturbed, but he was atheistic and the ways in which he mocked and poked at Christianity make me sick. Quick disclaimer: I have nothing against atheism or people who believe there is no God, but I do have an issue with people that mock religion and bend its morals and what it stands for to satisfy their own sick pleasures and mock religion. 

    I’ll try not to go into any details, but this story is about a very unfortunate girl named Justine. She is virtuous and believes in God while her sister Juliette does not. Following the death of the sisters’ parents, Justine’s virtue finds her in a lot of trouble. She becomes a victim of extremely gruesome and horrendous sexual violence because of her religion. Each of her abusers justifies their actions, stating that Justine must suffer because that is how she will get into Heaven. They also tell her that poor Justine is bringing them pleasure by listening to her abusers and captors, so she is doing the right thing and pleasing God. Absolutely. Horrible.

    There are a few things I’d like to say in response to the Marquis de Sade and this disgrace of a book:

    1. To some Christians and their denominations, they believe getting to Heaven involves a life of suffering. The way in which the Marquis de Sade mocks this idea is sickening. No person should EVER have to go through what Justine went through in that sick novel in order to think that a life like that will get them to Heaven, oh my goodness. I was raised to recognize that some have this idea of suffering and how it helps you go to Heaven but more than anything I was raised to recognize that Jesus is my Lord and that God brought him back from the dead. With this recognition, I may have eternal life. In addition, asking God for forgiveness for my sins and surrendering my life to Him may also get me to the Kingdom of God some day. 
    2. If women were treated as poorly as the Marquis de Sade depicted in France during the 1700s, that’s just so sad and so pathetic. Sade very sickly described pregnant women and how they often would lose their babies as a result of the actions of the men in the book and to me, that was just- I don’t even have the words to describe how mad and upset that made me feel. 
    3. Finally, I acknowledge the fact that some books exist today purely for the fact that they are evidence of what literature was like in humanity’s past. In what world though, is a book like this a part of the curriculum for a class, let alone an honors seminar?! This book is potentially triggering to those who have been sexually abused and it is also triggering to those who haven’t been! The amount of detail that the Marquis de Sade puts into the many horrible, horrible events he describes is just so, so, so unnecessarily horrendous. And then to have to try and analyze a book like this to see how the author feels about the world is just an impossible task. I’m so busy trying to stop my body from shaking and get rid of the feeling of throwing up that I have no energy to delve into why Justine was branded with the mark of a thief as opposed to some other mark!!! If a person can feel traumatized from a book, I have definitely been traumatized. 

    To recap here, if you’re looking for a good book, this is NOT it. If you’re in the slightest bit curious about Justine, DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT PICKING UP THAT CURSED BOOK, LET ALONE LOOKING IT UP. There are better ways to learn about oppressed artists during the time of the French Revolution and there are probably much better artists to learn about from that time than the sick Marquis de Sade. There are better books to read in general…

    Hopefully I can cleanse my soul and try to erase what I’ve read in this horrible excuse of a book… Have a good week everyone.

  • Some of My Favorite YouTube Channels

    favorite YouTube channels
    Photo by Kon Karampelas on Unsplash

    We’re continuing the trend this week after I broke it last week. This week, we’re talking YouTube! If you’re not big on TV or streaming and binging TV shows, maybe check out the wonderful world of YouTube during this COVID-19 lockdown. I think we’re hitting week 5 now? I’m not really sure. Anyway, here are a couple of my favorite YouTube channels and I highly recommend all of them if you’re bored or just looking for something different to watch. I’ll link one of my favorite videos from each of the channels if you’re looking for a sample too! 🙂

    CARLY CRISTMAN– Carly is a big fashion and home decor YouTuber. I really like her aesthetic and sense of style. She also has a daughter who turned 1 in October and actually shares my birthday which is pretty cool.

    SIMPLY NAILOGICAL– Cristine (Simply Nailogical) has always been one of my favorites and she’s really funny and also incredibly smart. She recently-ish started her own nail polish line, Holo Taco, and I’m a big supporter of it. 🙂

    SCISHOW– This is a more educational channel, and considering that I’m a STEM major, I really enjoy this channel. If you know Hank Green, he’s one of the hosts!

    PEWDIEPIE– In my opinion, he’s the king of YouTube. His channel offers a lot of variety and I’ve always been a fan of Felix and Marzia, his wife. His meme reviews are pretty good and I occasionally enjoy his gaming videos.

    JENNA MARBLES– She’s just a lot of variety and is just an incredibly carefree, pure, wonderful being. Jenna does whatever she wants, whenever and I just love how little she cares about what others think. If you’re looking to laugh or just feel good, Jenna Marbles is the girl to visit. I’ve got quite a few favorite YouTube channels so far, can you tell? 🙂

    GLAM & GORE– Mykie (Glam & Gore) makes a lot of makeup videos and tutorials, some glam and some gore. I find her SFX makeup stuff to be really fun to watch, but I’ve really enjoyed her health and fitness journey which she has shared on her channel as well. She’s just a really bubbly and likable personality in my opinion.

    MICHELLE KHARE– Michelle has a series called “Challenge Accepted” where she takes on some big challenge that involves a lot of training and has some show or end test and it’s really cool to see all that she’s done. I really enjoyed her videos where she trained with the FBI, firefighters, and also her video where she trained to become a Disney Princess. She also trained as a professional ballerina for six weeks and that’s a good video too!

    JACKSFILMS– Jack’s channel is a variety of things. It’s fun, it’s weird, and he really likes poking fun at a lot of the popular trends today, which I enjoy. If you’re looking for someone who dedicates a video series to grammar (like myself) or if you’re looking for something just a bit more silly, this is the channel to check out.

    KAYLEY MELISSA– Kayley Melissa is the hair queen of YouTube in my opinion. She provides a bunch of wonderful and fun and beautiful hair tutorials for all occasions and events and she also provides a bunch of videos on more extravagant hairstyles that come from TV shows and movies, like Game of Thrones. Kayley is an extremely beautiful person inside and out, from what I can tell and her bubbly and lovely personality is a good one to keep up with on YouTube.

    SAFIYA NYGAARD– Safiye is another person on YouTube who’s personality is really likable in my opinion. She’s a bit awkward but I feel like her awkwardness and quirks make her an incredibly fun and likable YouTuber. She’s the queen of bad makeup science and if you’ve ever wondered what putting all of the candles from Bath and Body Works into one candle would smell like, Safiya has the answer.

    And that’s the tip of the iceberg on my favorite YouTube channels! Beside this list, I’ve also enjoyed videos by CallMeKevin, the Fisher family, the Labrant family, Colleen Ballinger, Anthony Padilla, Brad Mondo, Maddison Bush, Buzzfeed Multiplayer, the Rybka twins, and Tyler Rugge. If you’re interested, you should check them out too! There’s clearly a lot of variety here, so I hope you find something to enjoy from this bunch of YouTubers.

    I hope you’re all staying healthy and taking care of yourself this week. See you next Sunday!

  • I’ll Never Take it For Granted Again

    granted

    Hi everyone! I hope you’ve all had an okay week and are dealing with the stay at home orders alright. This past week at dinner, my sister asked the question, “After all of this ends, what’s one thing you’ll never take for granted?” It was a really good question honestly and it made me think quite a bit. What is one thing I’ll never take for granted again, after all of the social distancing recommendations and stay-at-home orders are lifted?

    There’s so much I have now realized that I am extremely grateful for with my sister’s question. For one, I’m thankful that I have a home to shelter in and complete my school work in for the semester. I have a family to go through these strange and uncertain times with and I also have friends that I can remain in touch with over FaceTime, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams. 

    As much as I hate it and struggle with it, I have a way to finish my coursework and a quiet place to complete everything for my classes this semester. Online schooling has been absolutely miserable so far, and I cannot imagine the stress that professors are dealing with as we have transitioned to remote learning. I’m honestly not sure who has been more stressed, students or teachers. I’ve felt really grateful to be able to study in my own room at home and know where everything in my room has been and who has been in my room. I know that I can stay healthy and that those around me are also healthy and that is extremely comforting. As mentioned, I have not been a fan of how many of my classes have been delivered for the remainder of the semester, but I’m thankful that I still have the opportunity to learn even in these strange times. My organic chemistry lab has been extremely accommodating and I’m truly thankful for the amount of work that people like my lab TA and our lab coordinator have put into allowing us to finish our semester strongly and also cut us some slack and understand that learning from home is new, different, and weird for most. With the exception of my organic chemistry professor, things have been pretty okay. 

    More than anything, I am truly grateful and will never taking being outside for granted ever again. As a result of this whole lockdown thing, my family has been super duper limited in what we can do and where we can go, as have most of you. My life for the past however many days it has been has included going to the grocery store and taking my dog for a walk. That’s all the outside time I have recently gotten. I’m used to walking to class every day or playing tennis several times a week and this lockdown situation completely changed that not only for me, but for all of us! So many of us are so used to being more active and getting outside, especially here in Colorado. Every little chance I’ve been able to get outside, I take it. I absolutely LOVE going for walks with my family and dog every chance I get during this stay-at-home order and I truly wish I were able to play tennis, but for now, that’s not an option, but when it is, I’ll take it up first chance I get. Fresh air, the warm sun, and a gentle breeze are all I need to be happy after all of this is over. 

    So Allyson, to finally answer your question, one thing I will never take for granted is the great outdoors. No, I am not a super outdoorsy-go-hunting-dig-in-the-dirt-kinda girl. But I am the type of girl who loves to go for walks and spend time outside with family and friends. Any chance I get from here on out, as long as the world gets healthy soon, I plan to spend my time reading a good book, curled up in a chair on my patio, hitting on the tennis court with my sister, and just living life to the fullest under the sun. Sunscreen will of course be worn. 🙂 

    Going into this week, I want you all to think about my sister’s question too. What’s one thing you’ll never take for granted again, after this lockdown ends? If you want to share, feel free to leave a comment or reach out to me at my contact  page! I’d love to hear from ya. Have a wonderful week everyone! Stay healthy and I’ll see you next Sunday.  

  • Some Music Recommendations for Your Quarantine

    music
    Photo by Malte Wingen on Unsplash

    Happy Easter everyone! He is risen today so I hope today is a day for rest and celebration. 🙂 I am so grateful for God and his son and all they have done for us. God has given my family health and security and comfort in these uncertain times and I truly hope that He has done the same for you. This will pass. We will get through this. Spend time with family, talk with friends and distant family over FaceTime or Skype. Stay active and listen to music.

    On a different note, I enjoyed sharing some of my favorite books and movies and TV shows with you all to pass the time as we go through this quarantine and lockdown due to COVID-19. This week, I decided I would share some of my favorite songs as of right now! My taste in music tends to slide more toward alternative, pop, and classic/light rock. I’m pretty open to most music genres with the exception of heavy metal, hard rock, and rap. I can’t deal with that. So if you enjoy those genres, this might not be the list of recommended music for you.

    Whether you’re just looking for some music to listen to while you clean, or as you work out, or even just to create some noise at home, here’s some of the music I’ve been listening to as of now, in no particular order:

    1. No Shame by 5SOS
    2. Nightmare by Halsey
    3. Graveyard by Halsey
    4. 7 Rings by Ariana Grande
    5. What a Man Gotta Do by the Jonas Brothers
    6. Tightrope from The Greatest Showman
    7. Last Hurrah by Bebe Rexha
    8. Paper Rings by Taylor Swift
    9. Lover by Taylor Swift
    10. London Boy by Taylor Swift
    11. Show Yourself sung by Idina Menzel from Frozen II
    12. Lost in the Woods sung by Jonathon Groff from Frozen II
    13. All is Found sung by Kacey Musgraves from Frozen II

    Maybe this list didn’t really appeal to your taste, and that’s okay! I also really recommend anything by Imagine Dragons, FUN, and Half Alive. They’re all great groups with great sound in my opinion.

    There’s also a lot of classical/instrumental music I enjoy listening to. I really enjoy a lot of the music from Game of Thrones, so if that’s a show that you were into, or really enjoy instrumental music, I highly recommend that! I find that instrumental music is great for studying although I typically don’t recommend listening to music while studying since I find it as a huge distraction. If you’re someone that can listen to music and study, then give classical or instrumental music a shot. If you’re just looking to relax a bit more, music without words is the way to go.

    I hope you all listen to some good music and take care of yourselves this week. And as a church in my hometown said, keep praying and wash your hands. And again, Happy Easter! It’s crazy to think that we’re in full swing with spring now and here in Colorado, we’re expecting snow. I mean it is Colorado, but it’s just crazy! See you all next Sunday.

  • Quarantine is Real- Some Ideas for Free Time

    quarantine
    Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

    It’s Palm Sunday everyone! Not going to lie, I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to post this Sunday, but then I got it. We’re all at home and some of us have nothing to do, so what’s better than a list of recommended movies and TV shows and other things to do to clear up those quarantine blues and boredom that may be growing?

    MOVIES

    As far as movies go, here’s a couple of movies I recommend. If you’re not really into chick flicks and rom-coms/comedy and Disney movies, this may not be your list. And if that isn’t the case, maybe this is a list of movies that you consider? I was going for a feel-good, happy, something-to-make-you-laugh bunch of movies with this list, so if that’s something you’re looking for, here are my recommendations:

    • Clueless
    • Mean Girls
    • Miss Congeniality
    • Police Academy (1, 2, or 3)
    • Parental Guidance
    • Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter is Dead
    • Bad Hair Day
    • Adventures in Babysitting
    • Storks
    • Boss Baby
    • Wreck-It-Ralph
    • Ralph Breaks the Internet
    • Cinderella (live action and animated)
    • Frozen
    • Frozen II

    TV SHOWS

    As far as TV shows go, I was going for a similar, feel-good, pick-me-up vibe for the most part. I’m not really all that big of a TV person, considering that school is typically my entire life, but when I do have time for TV, there are a couple of things I watch. If you’re gonna watch a TV show, binge watching can be a lot of fun, but I’d try to limit it to an episode or two, for health’s sake.

    • 9-1-1
    • Game of Thrones– definitely NOT a happy show to watch though, heads up
    • Lego Masters
    • The Good Place
    • Schitt’s Creek
    • Saturday Night Live– I recommend watching older seasons. In my opinion, they were just more funny then.

    BOOKS

    I’ve been reading a lot more lately, and honestly, I recommend that you all do the same. I’ve always loved reading but school literally sucks up so much of my time and it’s sad how little I’ve read over the past year and a half. This quarantine has given a lot of people so much free time. You are free to do whatever you want with your free time, but I’ve really seen this as an opportunity to develop (or redevelop) some new and more healthy habits, involving less screen time. One of those habits, has been reading, and so I’ll share some of my favorite reads of all time and as of lately that may interest you:

    • The Selection series by Kiera Cass
    • The Siren by Kiera Cass
    • Heartless by Melissa Meyer
    • The Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard
    • The Jewel series by Amy Ewing
    • The Winner’s Kiss trilogy by Marie Rutkoski
    • The School for Good and Evil series by Soman Chanani
    • The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins- she’s making a prequel to the series!!
    • Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling – these are good movies to watch as well
    • Unstoppable by Maria Sharapova
    • Rafa by Rafael Nadal
    • With All Due Respect by Nikki R. Haley
    • Driven: A Daughter’s Odyssey by Julie Heldman

    And if you’re looking for something else to read, this blog is another option. 🙂 I’ve been posting for the past five years on this blog and I update it every Sunday, so if you’d like to receive email notifications when I post, you can subscribe at the link below! I promise you won’t receive any annoying emails, just notifications for when the next post goes up!

    Make of the most of this quarantine and good health and time with family. Most importantly, I hope you are all taking care of yourselves, friends, and family. Despite the fact that I just shared a bunch of books and TV shows and movies for you to enjoy during this quarantine, I encourage you to get outside if you can and get some fresh air and enjoy nature. We all need it. If you feel like you need someone to talk to or want to see your idea as a blog post, you can always reach me on my contact page and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. 🙂 Stay happy and stay healthy. I’ll see you all next week.

  • Spreading Some Happiness

    happiness
    Photo by Matt Flores on Unsplash

    I hope you’ve all had a decent week. Things have been different and intense and strange but we’re all still here and that’s what matters. This week, I’d just like to spread and share some happiness. We could all use some in times like this. 🙂

    I talked about this a bit in my post last week, regarding all of the negativity I dealt with at the grocery stores and Costco, but just to say it again, please make sure you’re kind to those around you. Please, pay it forward and be a kind person.

    I can speak for Colorado when I say that we’re in a stay-home order, so for most of us, the only people we truly interact with are family members. And it can be tough to see the same people so often in such close quarters. Cabin fever may be setting in, or maybe it already has, wherever you are. If that’s the case, maybe you feel like you’re going a little crazy and you’re starting to feel irritated. I hope that’s not the case but if it is, there’s a couple of things you can do:

    • Talk out what’s bugging you. It’s better to share than ball up your feelings and thoughts. Happiness doesn’t have to be the only emotion you feel, but you also shouldn’t constantly feel frustrated, annoyed, and all of those other negative feelings and emotions.
    • Plan activities with your family. With my family, we’ve been planning walks and movie nights and Just Dance tournaments on our Switch and various other little fun things we can all do together so that we enjoy our time together and have a chance to let loose and burn off any negative feelings or emotions.
    • Find something nice (and genuinely nice) to say to someone or find something you can help with. Cleaning always puts me in a better mood, so if you’re like me, try that! You’ll feel good for sure, and maybe that’ll lift the moods of those around you too. Complimenting and lifting others always improves the moods of others too. We’re here to get through this together, not bring each other down.
    • Going off of the helping thing in the last point, just ask what you can do around the house. If you’re not preoccupied with other things, ask what needs to be done around the house and help take care of it! In times like this, it’s important to be helpful and do what you can to support those around you.

    On a more general note, if you have the opportunity to get outside the house and go for a walk, please remember to stay at least six feet apart from others and cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. And please wash your hands for at least twenty seconds with warm water and soap too. 🙂 Say hello to others if you get a chance.

    And if you’re not able to go out, hang in there! You’ve made it this far! We’ll get through this together. 🙂

    Read books. Hang out with family. Clean the house. Walk. Exercise. Rest. Do your homework. Smile. This will not last forever. Wherever you all are, I hope that you are well and that you are taking care of yourself and your families. This too shall pass and I really hope we all see the light at the end of this tunnel soon. Stay positive, stay in this together, and we’ll see the end of this soon. Spread some happiness, spread some kindness. See you next Sunday. And also enjoy these cute animals while you’re here. 🙂