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Since I was a little girl, I often dreamt about dancing on a big stage. I would dance to almost every hot rap song on the radio! I remember pleading with my mother to purchase music magazines just so that I can rip them up and hang all of my favorite artists all over my wall. Watching Juke Box, MTV videos, and dreaming was my kind of life. The only issue I faced was that my mother was a single parent. She worked two jobs that consisted of working long hours just to put food on the table. Expressing to my Mom that I wanted to be a dancer was a big deal but she couldn't express to me that she could not afford the extra expense. Dance wasn't reintroduced to me until I reached adulthood and could be fortunate enough to afford the lessons on my own. I would never fault my mother because I now understand that there were little to no resources living in the roughness of East Baltimore.

Because of this, my passion is to make little girls dreams come true. I have meant so many beauties who are incredibly talented and want to dance but Mom can't afford the classes. Over the last few years, I was blessed to teach many kids in the Baltimore City area and introduce to them the joy of dance. It's amazing how much talent you come across just walking into a room. The sad part is that although I am much older, many single parents are still struggling today. I've meant many strong Mamas that knows deep down that their child is gifted and wants them to strive for the most but of course there are always funds involved. I decided to reach out to a few parents and let them know that I care and want to help put a smile on their babies faces! Many kids, particularly in urban communities, use dance as an outlet, art form, and a true escape from daily reality.

I kicked off a solo project and meant a few awesome dreaming beauties! My project will show the community that dance is needed during the school day and it is a must to obtain a child's full happiness. Dance during the school day would lift an extreme load off a parents shoulder and may likely help improve grades and subject study. I strongly believe that this form of art is just as important as physical education, soccer, and even basketball. My hope is that many public schools will embrace this idea or at least offer dance to the students without money being an issue.

I promised to not give up on this and fully support this idea! To my many dreaming beauties out there, don't ever give up. Keep dancing, keep smiling, and most of all keep dreaming.

Cover Image Credit: Elle Tenille, Christina Allen

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I'm The Girl Without A 'Friend Group'

And here's why I'm OK with it

Taylor Grace Abrahams

Taylor Grace Abrahams Apr 3, 2017

537345

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Little things remind me all the time.

For example, I'll be sitting in the lounge with the people on my floor, just talking about how everyone's days went. Someone will turn to someone else and ask something along the lines of, "When are we going to so-and-so's place tonight?" Sometimes it'll even be, "Are you ready to go to so-and-so's place now? Okay, we'll see you later, Taylor!"

It's little things like that, little things that remind me I don't have a "friend group." And it's been like that forever. I don't have the same people to keep me company 24 hours of the day, the same people to do absolutely everything with, and the same people to cling to like glue. I don't have a whole cast of characters to entertain me and care for me and support me. Sometimes, especially when it feels obvious to me, not having a "friend group" makes me feel like a waste of space. If I don't have more friends than I can count, what's the point in trying to make friends at all?

I can tell you that there is a point. As a matter of fact, just because I don't have a close-knit clique doesn't mean I don't have any friends. The friends I have come from all different walks of life, some are from my town back home and some are from across the country. I've known some of my friends for years, and others I've only known for a few months. It doesn't really matter where they come from, though. What matters is that the friends I have all entertain me, care for me, and support me. Just because I'm not in that "friend group" with all of them together doesn't mean that we can't be friends to each other.

Still, I hate avoiding sticking myself in a box, and I'm not afraid to seek out friendships. I've noticed that a lot of the people I see who consider themselves to be in a "friend group" don't really venture outside the pack very often. I've never had a pack to venture outside of, so I don't mind reaching out to new people whenever.

I'm not going to lie, when I hear people talking about all the fun they're going to have with their "friend group" over the weekend, part of me wishes I could be included in something like that. I do sometimes want to have the personality type that allows me to mesh perfectly into a clique. I couldn't tell you what it is about me, but there is some part of me that just happens to function better one-on-one with people.

I hated it all my life up until very recently, and that's because I've finally learned that not having a "friend group" is never going to be the same as not having friends.

Cover Image Credit: wordpress.com

Taylor Grace Abrahams

Taylor Grace Abrahams Apr 3, 2017

At University of Missouri

15 Thing Only Early 2000's Kids Will Understand

"Get connected for free, with education connection"

Juliana Baumgardner

Juliana Baumgardner May 22, 2019

841

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This is it early 2000's babies, a compilation finally made for you. This list is loaded with things that will make you swoon with nostalgia.

1. Not being accepted by the late 90's kids.

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Contrary to what one may think, late 90's and early 00's kids had the same childhood, but whenever a 00's kid says they remember something on an "only 90's kids will understand" post they are ridiculed.

2. Fortune tellers.

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Every day in elementary school you would whip one of these bad boys out of your desk, and proceed to tell all of your classmates what lifestyle they were going to live and who they were going to marry.

3.Bunnicula

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You could never read this book past 8 o'clock at night out of fear that your beloved pet rabbit would come after you.

4. Silly bands.

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You vividly remember begging your parents to buy you $10 worth of cheap rubber bands that vaguely resembles the shape of an everyday object.

5. Parachutes.

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The joy and excitement that washed over you whenever you saw the gym teacher pull out the huge rainbow parachute. The adrenaline that pumped through your veins whenever your gym teacher tells you the pull the chute under you and sit to make a huge "fort".