(Wo)man in the Mirror

Looking back at the past couple years, I've realized something about myself: I've changed. A lot. Who I am today and who I used to be just a couple years ago are two very different people. I guess it's just a part of growing up, but it still surprises me how I'm making decisions today that I would have never even considered in high school, and how my perspective on life has completely changed. 

But I think, for once, I'm finally happy with who I am. All through high school, I was struggling with...I guess you could call it an identity crisis. I didn't really know how I felt on a lot important things- mainly dealing with religion- and I felt confused for a lot of high school. I had trust issues and never really confided in anyone, which was difficult at times as well. Now don't get me wrong, I wasn't one of those emo kids. I loved high school, sometimes even wishing I could go back to those days, but I felt like I was constantly having to hide who I am.

This past semester, I've done a lot of thinking and have been analyzing myself, trying to figure out what I believe in, my own strengths and weaknesses,and in general - who I am. I used to be the type of girl who was scared of what people would think of her, and now - I couldn't care less. If people can't accept me for who I am, do I really want them in my life? Why should I change myself just to fit their ideals and expectations? Thanks, but I'd rather not be around judgmental people, anyway. 

It seems harsh, but its true. I don't have room in my life for people who are going to judge me based on the way I act, talk, or dress. This means standing up for myself and I may have to break off relationships, but trust me: it'll be worth it. There is no point in being untrue to yourself and the rest of the world, because you will never really be happy. I want to live life, not a lie. 

Just something to think about.

:)Adios.

I Still Feel Like I'm on a Rollercoaster

So I went to Cedar Point yesterday with a bunch of my friends/girls from my masjid. It was super fun, but going with that many people + aunties and uncles is not always the best idea. Next time - its just me and my girls. 

My biggest complaint: Arriving at the park 2 hours later than planned, and uncle wanting to leave 2 hours earlier than planned. We had pretty much strategized our day based on what time we were going to leave, so leaving so early threw us off and we didn't get to ride a lot of the rides we wanted to - including Millennium Force, which was a fail.

However what made it all worth it was riding Dragster front row. It was my second time on the Dragster, and as Faiza and I sat down in the seat looking out into the nothingness that was in front of us, we started freaking out. "Why did we think this was a good idea?" But it was all totally worth it. Best. Ride. Ever. 

After the Maverick of course. While the Dragster gives you thrill, the Maverick is simply fun. The launch up the hill, twists and turns, and the second launch through the tunnel - are all super fun. Probably my favorite ride at Cedar Point.

I definitely want to make another trip to Cedar Point before it closes for the winter, though. Who's in?

Oh, and I seriously think I'm allergic to the sun. Every day my face has been breaking out in rashes after being outside and yesterday was just horrible! I'm hopefully getting it checked out soon, so I'll let y'all know what comes of it. 

Summer's almost over?! WHAT?

Now that the TMO dinner I was planning is finally done and over with (thanks to everyone who came out and supported me and the rest of the award winners!), I finally have some time to do some things I've been putting off all summer:

1. CLEAN. I need to do clean out my room at home - closets, drawers, under the bed, everything! Over the past couple months, I've somehow become a pat rack and my room is full of useless things that I no longer need or use. I need to throw out all my junk and organize the rest of my stuff, and hopefully keep it that way. My apartment in Ann Arbor needs the same treatment, but I have a feeling that's not going to happen until I move into my new place!

2. READ. I haven't had a chance to read at all this summer, and it makes me quite sad. I want to make up for the lack of reading that has occured, but I only have a month to do it. Is it possible? By the way, I need suggestions for books to read, so if you have any good ones, send them my way!

3. DECORATE. Me, Sana (my new roommate), Rimsha (my old roommate), and Reema (her new roommate) all went shopping for stuff for our new apartments, and I am now super pumped to start decoarting and setting stuff up! Although we bought a bunch of stuff, I have been inspired to create a whole bunch of DIY decorations. There were so many things I wanted to buy, but looking at them, I thought, "I could totally just make this myself and save a bunch of money!" So far on my list of DIYs?

• Mirror dry-erase boards - I want to buy various sized round mirrors that you can get at Michaels or Jo-Ann, spice them up with a ribbon accent or something and put them up around the apartment to use as dry-erase boards!
• Slipcover - Sadly, my turquoise ottoman no longer matches the color scheme for my new apartment, so I need to find a way to make it work! Slipcover idea compliments of Design*Sponge
• Photo cubes - I wanted a cool, creative way to showcase my pictures, and although my roommate bought these super cute picture frames from Bed Bath & Beyond, I didn't want to spend the $20 on 9 frames, so I decided to create my own photo cubes from blocks of wood
• Storage - I need to come up with a fun way to store things without buying expensive shelves, and crates. Any ideas?

4. WORK OUT. I started Jillian Michaels' 30 day-shred, and I only have one word for it: INTENSE. It's a great 20 minute DVD and I feel insanely worked out afterwards. I love it! Now, I just need to stay consistent. Let's see how much I can lose before school starts up again.

That's all for now! I'll try to keep you updated on my summer (I guess its really just August) projects, and let you how my DIYs turn out!

:) Adios!