Con: Opening birthday presents in front of the Christmas tree.
I have to admit it does add some excitement to my birthday morning, and a great Instagram caption for my birthday last year. However, it does distract from my birthday as well.
Pro: It’s over winter break.
I have never and will never be in school on my birthday and it's absolutely amazing.
Con: It’s over winter break.
As much as I love being able to do whatever I want on my birthday, there's still a part of me that wishes I was at school. I don't want to have to go to class or anything, but to be able to spend the day with all my closest friends would be pretty amazing. Although I'm referring to college, I thought it for years. I missed the pity "happy birthdays" in the hall, friends decorating my locker, birthday announcements in high school, etc. etc.
Pro: Guilt causes your parents to overcompensate and get you more birthday presents.
Some people think it's the exact opposite and you barely get any presents, but I know my mom has told me sometimes she felt bad and tried to make up for it with the number of gifts.
Con: Everyone is always traveling.
My birthday party was always a couple weeks before or after my actual birthday because everyone, including my own family some years, was always traveling or had family visiting for the holidays. Most people were tied up from Christmas Eve until after New Year's.
Pro: My birthday always lasted a little longer than everyone else’s.
Since everyone was traveling or bust with family, my birthday party wasn't near the 27th. That meant the festivities got dragged out and it made my birthday last forever, which was pretty exciting growing up.
Con: Opening birthday presents on Christmas.
I get that people want to see my reaction when I open their gift, but still, I'd much rather wait two days.
Pro: It feels like the entire world is gearing up for your birthday and not Christmas.
Especially when I was younger it was hard to differentiate between all the Christmas preparations and my birthday preparations. Obviously, I didn't think Santa was responsible for my birthday presents, but with all the joy, special celebrations, and desserts that came with the holiday, it was hard to draw the line between my birthday and Christmas.
Con: No birthday cake.
This wasn't an every year thing, but sometimes depending on how many Christmas desserts we had left, a birthday cake wasn't really in the cards. I've had birthday cakes, leftover Christmas cakes, ice cream out of the freezer and even Christmas cookies with candles in them over the years.
Pro: It's something everyone born then can relate to.
Anyone I've ever met born around the same time as me, completely gets where I'm coming from. And it will be a great thing to bond with Louis Tomlinson (born December 24/Christmas Eve) over when I meet him.
Con: By January I'm asking for things for Christmas.
Come December 28th if I want something, but am being a cheapskate (aka I don't want to spend my own money), the closest holiday to ask for it is next Christmas.
Pro: There’s no day after Christmas blues.
While everyone else is thinking "now, what?" on December 26th, I'm busy gearing up for the next day…and constantly reminding everyone that tomorrow is my birthday.
Con: Confusion about presents on other people’s birthdays.
When I was little I didn't really understand why I didn't get a gift on my brother's birthday, when he got a bunch of new stuff right around my birthday.
1. Everybody is bananas for bananas
GiphyEverybody's healthy go-to snack is bananas. You would see bananas everywhere, from people eating them on their way to class, in people backpacks, and in people's pockets when exiting out the dining halls. Everyone at UCLA is bananas for bananas.
2. Walking around campus is a workout
GiphyWalking around campus is a workout, there is no need to go to John Wooden and workout cause the hills kill you at UCLA. You will find yourself out breath when walking up Janss Steps or to your class in the first week of school or if you are like me, you will find yourself whipping out your inhaler because you are not used to the hills at school.
3. "I'm Premed"
GiphyIf you ask every freshmen or individual who is from south campus what field they are trying to pursue, the likelihood of them saying "I'm premed" is very high. The dream of becoming a doctor at UCLA is common.
4. Birds
GiphyBirds have dominated Westwood and everyone is using them to get around campus. Birds are the new way to avoid all the hills.
5. Hydro Flasks and Birkenstocks
Playbuzz
Hydro Flasks and Birkenstocks are everywhere at UCLA. You would see a people carrying their Hydro Flask in their backpacks with stickers on them. For Birkenstocks (aka Jesus sandals) the sun does not have to shine for people to be wearing their Birkenstocks around campus.
6. The dining halls
GiphyBruins do not lie when they say that UCLA dining hall food is the best. The food at UCLA is pretty damn good we have food for all the health nuts, Asian cuisine fanatics, for all the pizza and sandwich lovers. UCLA serves bomb food so Bruins watch out for the freshman 15!
7. The boba craze
GiphyWhether it is at Lollicup, Rendezvous, or Sip people are walking out with their bobas 24/7. There is a boba craze at UCLA and people could not escape it.
8. Princess & Elvis
Daily Bruin
If you have not seen two huge husky dogs being walked around campus by a man in a fedora, I can only assume that you have been living under a rock. Paul Flaherty is the man in the fedora who always walks his two dogs, Princess and Elvis. The dogs and Mr. Flaherty are popular around campus, students are Bruins talking to him and taking pictures with his dogs.
9. You have been asked to sign a petition
GiphyWalking down Bruin plaza can be annoying sometimes when you rushing to class and people are following you with their clipboards asking you to sign a petition.
10. Radical Preachers
Radical preachers sometimes make their way around Bruin walk and scream their nonsense shit out in public. Radical preachers have stupid and mean statements all the time, but I think its cool how there are students who stand up against the shit they say.
11. The superstition behind the inverted fountain
UCLA
Touching the water from the inverted fountain after orientation is a sin at UCLA. If you stick your hand in the inverted fountain before you graduate, good luck with graduating on time. Bruins, we all know that touching the inverted fountain before graduation is a sin, so don't touch it!
If you bleed blue and gold you may have seen or experienced all of the above. For new incoming freshmen well expect to see all of this to happen next week! Good luck and go Bruins!
30 Instagram Comments That Don't Revolve Around Your Friend's Body
Because "You look great! Have you lost weight?" isn't a real compliment.
Unfortunately, we live in a society where thinness and weight loss are equated with health and happiness. However, this assumption is false. Weight loss or gain tells us nothing about a person's health, happiness or the way they live their life. For example, the same person who is praised for their weight loss may be struggling with an eating disorder, terminal illness, poverty, depression or a plethora of other issues.
Assigning morality to weight - seeing thinness as "good" and fatness as "bad" - is a dangerous mentality. To many, comments about weight and appearance can be highly triggering and they shift the focus away from the things in life which are actually important. Luckily, I've provided you with an extensive list of things to comment on your friend's Instagram post (or Facebook, Twitter, etc.) that have nothing to do with their body or weight.
1. "You are glowing!"
2. "You look so happy :)"
3. "This is a great picture!"
4. "YOUR DOG IS ADORABLE"
5. "I'm so happy you're happy! I can't wait to meet your partner."
6. "This looks like fun! I hope you had a great time!"
7. "I miss you, let's reconnect soon!"
8. "I am so proud of you"
9. "You're inspirational!"
10. "I am so happy you exist"
11. "You have such a great sense of style!"
12. "I'm loving the confidence!"
13. "You have a beautiful soul"
14. "This is such a cool spot! We should go here together sometime"
15. "You are an incredible person"
16. "I am so glad I met you"
17. "I was just at this spot recently and I love it!"
18. "I'm looking forward to seeing you soon!"
19. "You rock"
20. "I love that shirt where did you get it?"
21. "Have a great trip!"
22. "This post made my day!"
23. "You are royalty!"
24. "Beyoncé would be proud"
25. "You two are my favs"
26. "I'm loving that color on you!"
27. "Your makeup looks amazing"
28. "This is so cute!"
29. "Your eyes look so lively"
30. "Come through with the self love!"
After scrolling through this list, I hope you'll find at least one comment that you can use to support, affirm and empower your friend without the potential harm that comes with commenting on their body. Because at the end of the day, worth and value do not come from physical appearance, but from so many other factors like compassion, kindness, humor, and drive. Weight is just about the least interesting thing about a person--you can be more creative than focusing on that. And if you truly cannot think of something to say that doesn't focus on the shrinking or expansion of your loved one's body, a simple double-tap will suffice.