I Just Wanna Be A Girl!

Hermione Jean Granger, the brightest witch of her age. Now, that's not all she is. There is much more that people sometimes forget to remember about her.  One of the first things that we can look at is that she was socially awkward. In the first year, she didn't have any friends. Ron, of course, was quick to notice that and ridicule her. She was also called a know-it-all. She never really outgrew this title. Needless to say, her talent did come in useful in the future. But, it didn't stop her from being distanced initially.  The next thing is that she was extremely loyal, both to her friends and to her house. One such instance is when she helps Hagrid fight for Buckbeak. She manages to make time to help out her friend even though she has so much on her own plate. She has a kind soul. This is shown when she starts SPEW for the welfare of house-elves.  It's also important to know that she does have her flaws. She can be mean and she can be narrow-minded. She can be argume...

The most important rule in the 'girl code' is to rescue any girl who looks like she needs help. She might be your worst enemy, but you should never leave her alone in an unsafe situation. If she asks for help or signals you for assistance, you must help her.  The next one is to be honest. If a girl asks you how she looks or if something needs fixing, it's your duty and responsibility to be honest. You have to tell her if she needs to adjust her clothes or if she is too showy. (It's up to her whether or not she listens to what you have to say. You just have to make sure someone tells her. You never know if she is clueless or just attention-seeking.)  Then there is the basic rule about relationships. Girls, don't try to get with your friend's ex. Siblings are out of the question too (unless you have permission). Think about how the situation would make your friend feel. You don't want to have to choose between her and the object of your affection. That certain...

This is the title of a song from The Tortured Poets Department. To me, it feels like the singer is telling us that people have a habit of underestimating her.  I'm sure a lot of people feel like their abilities are often underestimated. People don't realize what you are capable of until you prove it. It's not enough to just say something. You have to show the world that you can do it. That's the only way you will earn their respect.  Here, the narrator is a monster or witch descending on a town who has shamed her. This town doesn't fear or respect her. She is trying to change that. She wants to show them just what she is capable of and terrorizes the town.  "So I leap from the gallows and I levitate down your street. Crash the party like a record scratch as I scream..."  The picture this creates in my mind is one of a devilish figure. She is all ready to be executed when she breaks her bonds and jumps onto the street. There's a party, where people are ...

This is pretty controversial. Most men think that women are people that need to be protected and aren't capable of protecting themselves. I believe that women are just as capable as men of protecting themselves. They will ask if they need help. I think there’s no need to smother them under the guise of ‘taking care of them.’ On the other hand, some women like to be taken care of. They might not need it but they appreciate it if a man takes the time and effort to take care of them. She definitely wants this man to know that she can protect herself and that she is allowing him to take care of her. Taking care of a woman is a hard job and men have to know what kind of woman they’re dealing with. Men need to know where to draw the line.  Women, I think, like to know that they are appreciated and cared for. However, in today's world, they are worried to show weakness. They are scared that they will be exploited if they show weakness - which is a pretty valid fear... Think about it.....

I am slowly learning that being a good driver isn't just about being confident in your driving. Self-confidence isn't all that matters. No matter how good of a driver you might be, you can't assure your safety on the roads.  I recently started driving myself to and from college. I knew I could do it. What I learned is that other people on the road are always in a rush. They aren't going to care that you are still learning. They aren't going to care that you are just being careful. They are going to be single minded and all they want to do is reach their destination as soon as possible.  Then, there are the buses. The bus drivers aren't going to care about you. You might be following all the rules and driving safely. However, that doesn't guarantee your safety. They are on tight schedules and have to reach each stop on time. Because of that, they have to drive this way. If they are worrying about everyone on the roads, they will never reach their destination....

This is the title of a book that I'm on the verge of publishing. It's my first book and I'd love you all to give it a read.  It's a story about a seventeen-year-old girl from Brooklyn, New York, Andrea Morgan. She is a stereotypical city teenager. She lost her mother when she was young and was raised by her dad, an FBI agent. There was always something unique about her.  This is a typical coming-of-age story. This story has a strong platonic theme. It shows the love between siblings, even though they aren't related by blood. Through the course of the story, the protagonist learns what unconditional love is while she deals with loss and grief. Andrea finds her rightful place in her world. This book is aimed at readers between the ages of 11-14. The main reason I wrote this book was that most of our supernatural (vampire and werewolf) media is A-rated. I wanted my work to be something that younger readers could enjoy. I wanted it to be something that parents would fee...

Consistency isn't just something that teachers advertise. It's not something that you should just put out of your mind. There are some things that consistency gave me, that I think are pretty important.  The first one is that it gives me a sense of self-worth. When I do something consistently, I feel like I'm actually capable of doing something. I feel like I don't need anyone to tell me that I'm doing a good job. I know that I'm doing something useful and that I'm being responsible.  Next, being consistent shows other people that you are reliable. It tells people that they can trust you. These days, it's hard to find someone to count on. If you do something consistently, it means that you know how to appropriately manage your time. It's proof that the work assigned to you will get done. This is really important, especially in the professional world.  Consistency can also be extremely rewarding. For example, we were promised rewards like cash prizes ...

Why do people assume that things can only get done if you do them without any emotion? I mean, doesn't having emotions make you better suited to make decisions. You can make good decisions if you feel passion for what you do. Isn't passion an emotion?  On the other hand, sometimes I have wondered whether it would be more convenient to turn them off. I have to admit that they get in the way sometimes. Also, emotions hurt. They can make you lose your mind and lose your cool. They might lead to divides in relationships - any kind of relationship. You might feel like you are being too clingy or that your affection isn't reciprocated. Without emotions, you can simply focus on your goals. You can drive all of your determination into what you have to achieve. But, again, what's the point in accomplishing anything if you can't be happy about it.  Losing your emotions can also protect you. It can protect you from getting hurt. It can help you make reasonable decisions. (I do...

My inspiration today came from the lecture I listened to first thing in the morning. We were talking about the essay 'The Eloquent Sounds of Silence,' by Pico Iyer.  He says "Silence, then, could be said to be the ultimate province of trust: it is the place where we trust ourselves to be alone; where we trust others to understand things we do not say..."  The meaning that we derived from this was pretty intense and deep. My professor claimed that a true relationship doesn't need idle chitchat. A relationship where two individuals really trust each other completely doesn't have idle chitchat. They have serious sit-down discussions but they don't feel a need to always talk to one another. On the other hand, individuals who don't fully trust their partner feel the need to constantly keep up a conversation. She gave us an example of a husband and wife. She talked about how the couple don't sit around talking all day - maybe in the initial days of their...

I woke up this morning with no motivation whatsoever. I had nothing to look forward to during my day. For a few moments, I contemplated whether or not it was worth waking up. I did have to get up though. I got out of bed and got ready for college - still not looking forward to anything. I thought it was just going to be another mundane day.  My first two classes went by without action. My day became brighter when my brother woke up. He had an appointment and I got to accompany him. So, here's the thing... I hadn't seen my brother in a while and missed him quite a lot. I was pretty ecstatic to get to see him. I left campus to meet him. We had a chance to catch up as we were waiting. After the appointment, we drove around aimlessly for a while - which is something that we both enjoy. The best part was the light drizzle of rain. It reminded me of one of the first times we hung out. (It was pouring buckets that day.) As the rain picked up, we sought refuge at a friend's place.....

So, here's the thing. When you tell someone that you are going to do something, they end up counting on you. They might be someone who hates expecting anything from anyone. But, they can't help but believe you when you promise something to them. It could be really petty, or serious. In that moment, they trust you, whether they want to or not.  Now, imagine that the thing you promised them is something really important to the other person. It was something that they were really counting on. In the end, you end up breaking your promise. Imagine that this is a really personal situation. You were the only person they needed.  Think of the pain they would be going through. As I said before, they don't trust easily. But, they chose to trust you. They hoped that you would bring them relief. But, you couldn't. You couldn't keep your promise. You were their last hope. Now, all that's left for them to do is disappear. They were really hoping that you would be able to help...

Comfort can be found in many different places. Your comfort zone is a place where you feel safe or at ease. What you find comfortable might not be comforting to someone else. (That's important when you are trying to comfort someone. You don't want to force someone into something that they dislike.)  Your source of comfort could be reading a book. It could be listening to music or playing a musical instrument. It could be working out. It could be binge-watching your favourite TV show or series of movies. It could be walking or just sitting alone. It could even be eating. It doesn't really matter what it is that brings you comfort. The only thing that matters is that after you enjoy your 'activity,' you feel relaxed and at peace, and that the effects last for a while.  Your comfort zone could also be a person. They could be your home away from home. You could feel totally safe by their side. You don't even have to be with them physically. You could be talking to t...

Sometimes all you need is someone to talk to. You don't need to know them well. They don't need to be very familiar with you. That might make it easier for you. When you talk to someone you aren't close to, you feel like they won't judge you for not being yourself, because they don't know what your true self really looks like. You can just open yourself up to them.  When you start sharing your problems with someone, you feel like they are less daunting. You might not be looking for a solution to your problems. All you crave is someone who will take the time to listen to you. Unfortunately, that's hard to come by these days. People usually end up patronizing you. Finding someone who simply offers support is something that's really special and rare. After you talk to someone, you feel lighter. You feel like someone has heard your cries for help. Someone has heard what you have to say. You feel peace after being able to express yourself. For a little while, you...

When you lose your best friend, you feel like you lose a part of yourself. You find that everything reminds you of them. You are also reminded of the fact that they aren't around anymore. Everywhere you look, there's only emptiness.  Imagine your best friend. The one person who you could trust completely. You would quite literally put your life in their hands. You might not have known them for long, but the bonding that you share is inexplicable. They were your constant companion and were pretty much a ray of sunshine. You would turn to them if you needed anything at all. They were your source of inspiration and the only one who kept you going.  Now, think about this situation. You are the only one who has the time to miss your best friend. All you have is time and that hurts. It hurts so much you feel like tearing your heart out of your chest. You feel like it would be better to simply turn off all your emotions. You feel like a burden. You feel like you are clingy. You feel ...

I just published something a while ago (I'd rather not say what it was). I was astonished to find multiple little errors in my work. It might seem like a little thing to you, but imagine that you have the eyes of the world of you. You can't miss anything. Your grammar has to be flawless. You have to make sure that you don't leave any holes in your work (fiction or non-fiction, it doesn't matter).  You have to be sure you check your work over and over again. You might be sure that you wrote things correctly the first time, but I'm sure there are things that you missed. I mean, mistakes are okay. They are natural. But, the thing is, as I said earlier, you have the eyes of the world on you. You don't know who's going to read your work.  You need to make sure you know your facts. People reading your work might know more about the subject than you do. You can't make mistakes when it comes to basic information about the subject you're writing about. It...

Lady Danbury is - in my opinion - one of the most powerful and strong characters in the Bridgerton series.  Her troubles start early. She is subjected to marital rape multiple times. Her husband was an elderly man. During this time - time period - she couldn't raise her voice against the abuse she suffered. She was betrothed to him at the age of 3 and was pretty much raised for him - for his pleasure and to his liking.  When her husband died, she didn't know whether or not her son could inherit his father's title - Lord Danbury. She realized that her security was at stake. This was the time when the colored and white sections of the society first united. Financial security was very important. She needed to assure her family's well-being. She played a cunning game with Princess Augusta to ensure her fortune.  During this period, Lady Danbury was both a colored member of society and a woman. That meant that life was very hard for her. She secured a place for herself in th...

In my opinion, this song is pretty much a tribute to someone who the narrator misses more than anything. 'The Very First Night' refers to the first night that the pair spent apart. I think it's the night after they fell in love. They couldn't stay together. That was the moment that she knew how much she really loved the other person. It's obvious that you can't miss someone you don't love. To miss someone after knowing them for a short period of time is a sign of how deep the love is.  Over the course of the song, the narrator says that she doesn't let her friends know that she's brokenhearted after the relationship ended. She keeps it all to herself. She lets them believe that she is happy and content with her life when in reality, she's pretty heartbroken and lonely. The love she shared with this person was surprising. They fell in love unexpectedly. No one expected them to fall in love. In my opinion, that's true in every relationship. Rel...

There's a picture that the chorus of this song paints in my head. The chorus goes "'Cause I don't know how it gets better than this. You take my hand and drive me head first. Fearless. And I don't know why but with you I'd dance in a storm in my best dress. Fearless."  So here it goes. There's a girl who's usually very prim and proper. She prefers to stay indoors. She sticks to things she is familiar with and she doesn't regret it. She is the last person you would expect to be outdoors. But, for this one guy, she would set aside her morals. She would do anything for him.  This reminds me a bit of an argument between Damon and Elena from The Vampire Diaries. Elena says that she sets aside her morals and everything that she believes in for Damon. Now, this might seem toxic, but in the song, this just shows how pure the love between the two people is.  This perfect girl is willing to dance in a storm in her best dress. It shows that she cares for ...

I admit, I'm not an Evermore fan. But, there were a few lines from this song that stood out and demanded my attention.  "I was never ready, so I watch you go." This lyric shows us that we can't keep waiting for the opportune moment. We have to take things by storm. If we keep waiting, we might lose something that we love. We might never be ready for what could happen. But, we can't let that stop us from trying. You'll never know what could happen if you never try. Here, the lyric refers to a relationship. The narrator wasn't ready to confess her feelings for the other person, so she ended up losing him.  The beginning of the song talks about how the narrator broke someone's heart. She tells us how he left him stranded, and how she let go of him while dancing. She says...  "Your heart was glass, I dropped it." This line reminds me of something my friend used to tell me. "Trust is like a broken glass. Once it's broken it can't be f...

Let me get one thing straight. I just want to talk about the significance that Taylor Swift's Eras Tour had on young girls and swifties. I don't want to talk about any of the other factors now. The Eras Tour has created a huge impact on the lives of so many people. From learning the chants to guessing the surprise songs to making friendship bracelets to trade, there is so much more to the Eras Tour than a simple concert.  For starters, it's a place where women and teenage girls feel safe. I mean, have you seen the costumes that they prepare for the tour? They dedicate a lot of time to their outfits. These outfits aren't things that you can wear out on the streets. They might be representations of some of Taylor's songs or they might be similar to Taylor's own costumes. Some costumes are the Lover bodysuit, the Reputation bodysuit, and the Lavender Haze jacket. Here, girls and women can dress up however they want to and embrace Taylor and her songs.  Next, there ...

Everyone has different ways of showing their love. That's why we have the whole idea of love languages. This song talks about a beautiful relationship.  The narrator is telling us about the various reasons she loved her guy. She tells us about all the reasons he was a gentleman. She says that she couldn't ask for anyone better. I'm sure a lot of us can relate to this. We feel like the person we are in a relationship with is the best person ever and that we could never have anything better than that person.  Then she reminisces about their relationship before they were together. (This is what I think is happening. I can't say this is what the song actually means.) She tells us that their relationship wasn't always as smooth as it is now. She tells us that there were ups and downs. She tells us that they had plenty of arguments. But, she tells us that the relationship was like a rollercoaster. It was scary and unexpected, but it was still magical and exciting. Again, ...

What does it mean to be a girl's girl? It's actually pretty simple.  I think it's really beautiful to be a girl's girl. It's really important for women to support one another. It's all about a woman being kind or genuinely good to another woman. She is a girl who respects other women and who knows how to treat them. One of the main things to keep in mind here is to respect the girl code.  This trend can be put in contrast to the 'pick me girl.' A pick-me girl does everything in her power to push other women down in order to get herself to the top. She is selfish and is willing to sabotage others. She is easily jealous and covets things that other women have worked hard for.  A girl's girl, on the other hand, celebrates other women. She feels genuine happiness for her friends. She would do anything to help a girl in dire need of assistance, even though she might be her greatest enemy. She might harbor some enmity, but she would help the girl if it was...

It's the little things that matter more than anything that's materialistic. Materialistic gifts are nice to give and receive, but they don't come close to the little things. By little things, I mean the things that show you that you are important. Things that make you feel loved and appreciated.  Imagine how good you feel when someone takes the time to listen to you talk. They listen for hints of what you like and don't like. They take the time to get to know you. Those are some of the little things I'm talking about.  Another one is when a person makes time for you. No matter how busy they are, they make sure to spend some time with you. Or, they at least make sure to let you know that they are busy and that they will come to talk to you as soon as they can. They don't leave you waiting is what I mean to say.  They make you feel like a part of their life. Their future plans might include you - or rather, they include you in making big plans or decisions. They t...

There are a few lyrics in the song 'All Too Well Ten Minute Version' that stood out to me. The first one was "And you call me up again just to break me like a promise, so casually cruel in the name of being honest."  The second one is "You kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath." These are lyrics that touch my heart in one way or another every time I listen to them. The second one especially. It talks about the difference in the level of commitment that two people have to each other. To one person, it's not very serious. To the second person - the narrator of the song - the amount of commitment that she shows towards her partner and their relationship is magnanimous.  Going back to the first lyric now, one aspect of the lyric is that honesty - or the truth - does hurt sometimes. Her partner - or rather her ex - says some things to her that are really cruel. But, in the end, he was being honest with her. Yes, you should be honest, but can'...