How to tell if he's really into you

So after my previous post I was asked how you can tell if a guy is really into you or not. Here is a list of things I've noticed guys do when they are interested in a girl.

1. He talks to you as often as he can

The amount varies from guy to guy but when he's into you he loves to talk to you. His favorite mode of procrastinating is talking to you. It doesn't matter what your talking about, he just wants the opportunity to talk to you so he'll take any chance he gets.

2. He remembers small details that you told him

While any decent friend should be doing this, it's also a tell tale sign that a guy is interested in you. He might mention in passing, oh I remember you telling me how much you like this random thing. Or hey you were talking about this the other day. The thing about guys is when they care about someone, they tend to remember the small details about your life.


3. They confide in you

When you like someone, you start to trust that person more. When a guy likes you he'll start to tell you about his fears, his accomplishments, what he loves etc. They'll be small things, you won't immediately pick on them, but when you look back you'll realize that the reason they started liking you is because they started trusting you with their "secrets."

4. They make you feel wanted

When a guy likes you, he wants nothing more than to make sure you realize it. Of course he'll start small, but eventually (unless you're me) you'll notice it. They'll pay full attention to you when you talk, they'll listen to everything you have to say, they'll make sure they have time for you. If a guy cares about you he'll make sure you know it. No one wants to spend the effort without letting it be known. Sure they won't start of grand and big but eventually they will either get to that stage or they might give up (in which case they weren't the one for you anyways!) This is where the cheesiness of a relationship comes into play. I have seen guys do crazy and (no offense) kind of hilarious things in order to woo a girl with their wild charms. The amount of cheese that you get depends on a guy, some guys are like cheese dip (super cheesy) and others are like salsa (not so cheesy). (Aside: Do they have cheese flavored ice-cream? Would it even taste good?)

5. Let's get philosophical

No I'm not getting philosophical, the guy is. When guys are interested in you the conversation tends to get deeper. Instead of the casual how are you? Guys want to talk about more in depth subjects. They want to know your thoughts on a specific topic. They want to hear you get passionate about something you believe in.

6. It varies

No guy is the same. Everyone expresses their feelings differently. These are just some common trends I've seen in some guys, obviously there are things I'm forgetting and things that other guys do that these ones don't.  Also most of these things are stuff any good friend should already be doing. Don't get to paranoid by this list because there are some guys out there who are just amazing, decent gentlemen who value your friendship and don't want to ruin that.



These are just some of the basic things to look for when you think a guy is interested in you. If there is something glaringly obvious that I am forgetting or that I should omit, let me know because I based these points off of my personal experience with guys, I don't really know how guys think so I don't know how accurate my observations are. 

P.S. You're probably wondering, why did you do it from the guys perspective. The answer to that question is simple. I pay more attention to what other people do around me and less attention to myself. Therefore I don't really know what I do when I'm interested in a guy but I do know what guys do when they are interested in other girls. 

Questions about college

So this is for all of my high school friends that are about to go off to college. The summer between freshmen and senior year is one that is full of opposites. At the same time that you are euphoric to move on to the bigger and better things in life, a part of you wants to hold on to your high school memories. They are a thing of comfort in a time where you have no clue what the future holds in store. It doesn't help that your college years will be a factor that shapes who you are and who you will become in the future. These thoughts fill you with worry, especially the thoughts of: will I make friends?, how's the food?, the weather?, the workload? Every question answered generates another dozen.

While answers to some specific questions do change based on where you are going, there are some common questions that I can answer with my own experiences.


1. How's the workload? 
Honestly it depends from person to person. Just like in high school there are things that take one person 30 minutes to finish and another person hours. Graded homework is assigned in some classes but not all. Others just expect you to do problems for the benefit of practice.  So on average I'd say on a daily basis you'd probably spend 3-4 hours a day working on homework and then this will increase when you have projects, tests, or anything stressful coming up.

2. Can I get assistance with coursework?
Of course. Most colleges offer some sort of tutoring program that will help struggling students with the coursework. If you need the extra help, I urge you to take advantage of it because a little extra help never harmed anyone and learning a new study strategy along the way is never a bad thing.

3. What is it like living in a dorm?
This is honestly the most difficult question to answer because it really depends on how lucky (or unlucky you get). I got lucky and got a roommate that was easy to talk to and even though our living styles were way different it was easy to just talk through and find a compromise. However some of my other friends didn't get so lucky and had roommates that were argumentative, disrespectful, and very hard to approach. But the thing is the way you and your roommate interact is up to you. While it doesn't make sense to argue over everything you disagree about, do try to compromise on the issues that really matter. Don't argue over how loudly she chews her popcorn when you're more annoyed of the fact that you get sexiled every weekend.

I know this answer might seem a little scary but remember, it's YOUR room too and if you and your roommate keep on getting into disagreements, talking to the RA is not a bad thing.

4. How is the Greek Life?
Again the answer to this question really really depends on where you go. If you go to a huge state school you might end up with fraternities and sororities with the big parties you see on MTV. However if you go to a private institution the Greek Life is more service oriented. Also there's a difference between social and profession fraternities. While I can't speak for the social side, I am a member of Alpha Chi Sigma (the Professional Chemistry fraternity) and even though I've only been a member for a year, it has really shaped my freshman year. Through AXS I was able to connect with people I wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet otherwise and I had a really great time doing service events and just generally having the opportunity to be a part of something that means so much to so many people.

5. What do you do for fun?
There is a plethora of things to do for fun. Different organizations across campus like to host different events so there's never a shortage of things to do on the weekend. Just keep your eyes open and there should be posters/fliers/facebook events for all the different stuff going on around campus. Plus you'll have friends who will want to do stuff around campus or watch a movie so you don't have to worry about having fun.

6. Do you get homesick?
Initially yes but it also varies from person to person. It's weird being in a place where you don't really know many people on campus and if you're going out of state you are not even very familiar with the city. Also there are many factors that feed into why you are homesick. Some people miss their family, their friends, their significant others, the atmosphere, everyone feels homesick for a different reason. The good news is that eventually you get over it. Once you start talking to new people and making friends and discovering more about campus it's easier to lose the homesickness.

7. How do you make friends?
The first few weeks are not a time to feel shy. Talking to complete strangers is out of most people's comfort zones so stop thinking of all the unknown faces around you as strangers! They are your classmates, your peers, your potential friends/romantic interests. Everyone is a mystery and the answer to that mystery is not stranger, but it's up to you to figure out who they are. Talk to people, find common interests and remember they are feeling the same exact way you are. You aren't alone.

8. How do you keep in touch with your parents?
So this one definitely varies from person to person. I've met people who call their parents multiple times during the day, to once a week, or a month, even to once a semester. This is something you're going to have to talk out with your parents. How often do they want to hear from you and how often do you want to talk to them? Also to keep in mind as time goes on, your habits and frequency will definitely change.

9. How well do you keep in touch with friends back home?
I know you're going to hate hearing this but you're large extensive group of friends most likely won't last. The thing about high school is that you become friends because you don't really have a choice there are only so many people in your grade/classes. In college you make your friends based on who they are, not because you have no other option. In a place with over 6000 students you don't have to pick your friends because they are in your class you pick them based on personalities and if you drift apart chances are you won't see them at a lot of things anymore.

Basically what I am saying is you might not have your giant group of friends but you will still have that small group of people you do care about and you're going to keep in contact with them in your own way. Everyone does something differently from playing video games with their friends to just snapchatting them everyday. How you keep in touch is up to you.

10. What if I'm in a relationship?
So yeah the whole long distance thing really sucks. It's hard trying to talk with your other half when you don't get to see them everyday. It's hard because you want nothing more than to talk to them for hours on end but when their schedule is different from yours you can't really do that. But if you're serious about each other you'll make it work in a way that works best for you. There are many options that people in LDR opt for such as being in an open relationship. Other people (if it's possible) just promise to see each other as often as they can.

The way the relationship plays out is up to you. Sometimes things aren't meant to work and it's for the best that you break up. Other times you'll last through college and even well past that. You can't predict the future so focus on what you have now and just cherish that.

These are just some of the questions I've been asked about college, if you have any other question you'd like me to answer just comment and I'll answer it as soon as I can :)

The amateur's guide to facebook stalking

With the advancement of technology it has become increasingly easier to know intricate details about other peoples' lives. With a click of a few buttons you can know what music they are into, their favorite movie, places they've been, they're accomplishments etc. all before you even meet them in person. But what discerns you from being a stalker* and being a stalker** (there is a big difference between the two!)?

1) Looking at profile pictures

To avoid being a stalker proper protocol insists that you only look at the 3 most recent profile pictures. That means you're allowed to press their profile picture and click the right scroll button twice. And if you don't know the person the left scroll button is completely off bounds! You've never even met the person before and you want to see what they looked like when they were in 8th grade?


2) Scrolling through their wall

To avoid being a stalker only go as far as you need to. Which means, unless they have explicitly given you permission, no more than 6 months is ever necessary and even that is stretching it a little. If you haven't met them before you have no business knowing what they did prior to the 6 month deadline because 6 months is a long time and anything stupid they've done can be condoned (since they've "grown up" since the time, and anything super-cool will undoubtedly be mentioned again). However exceptions always apply (for instance if someone mentioned something from 2 years ago you can always do a fact check on facebook).

3) Likes and dislikes

Go through everything! Do you really want to be friends with someone who doesn't like your favorite show, musician, or movie? That's exactly what I thought. But seriously, if you're going to look up a person and look at their likes, you might as well check everything out. It can tell you a lot of about the type of person they really are.


*stalker- someone who causes determines information of someone they know first hand and therefore the act of online stalking is not as sketchy

**stalker- has never actually met the person and chances of meeting are slim. However this person goes through the person's social media profile in order to determine more about the person. Stalkers are borderline sketchtastic.


DISCLAIMER: please don't take me seriously -_-

Ask them out already!

Okay so I want to preface with the fact that I can count the number of relationships I've been in on one hand, so I'm not an expert or anything of the sort. But there is one thing I do know and that annoys me so much. No one is going to know your true feelings until you say them out loud!

Like I get it, it's a huge deal asking someone out. I've been there I know the feeling all too well. You don't get butterflies in your stomach, you get huge giant anvils churning around. Your confidence melts away to doubts. Do they really like you? Or were you just misreading the signs the whole time? It's a scary place to be because you don't know how much they like you or how willing they are to start a relationship. There are plenty of people who want to be in relationships but it isn't their main priority at the moment, there are also people that like you but don't want to ruin the friendship you have, and lastly, and the most dreaded, there are people that just aren't into you.



But I mean hey, it happens. You can't get too hung up on one person who rejected you. Sure it might feel like the end of the world but it's really not. There are billions of people on this planet, you just have to reach out for some of them. I'm not saying to do something drastic like die your hair and style it like a mohawk while wearing riding boots and blasting metal music (unless that's your thing). Be yourself but talk to people. Take a friend with you and sure at first it'll be awkward when you're trying to think of what to say but try to find common ground: interests you share, stuff that you're passionate about, simple stuff like that and then from there expand. Basically going around and talking to people is a sure fire way to help you get over your rejection and hey you might find someone you like on the way.


Also don't let the thoughts of getting rejected stop you from asking the someone you're interested in. It's stupid. Life will move on like nothing happened. You probably won't remember that moment 20 years from now so get over yourself and just ask them out. I'm not saying it's easy but you'll never know if they like you back if you don't ask. Sure you'll have doubts ever step of the way. You'll probably back out a few times before you actually tell them (I definitely did). And then when you tell them it probably won't be that smooth. I ooze confidence on a normal day, all of that flew out the window when I started talking. I stalled for a solid 20 minutes (which worked given the situation) and then managed to convince the guy that I'm not interested in dating him (oops!).

Basically what I'm saying I guess is it's not going to go perfectly, but does life ever go perfectly? Life is like a rickety old railroad that is constantly being built. You'll have your ups and downs but in the end you are the architect so make your life how you want it to be. 

What happened to TV?

Remember all the great shows we used to watch as kids? You know the ones with important life lessons? The ones with the comedy? The ones that actually had a decent plot?

Who remembers shows like Spongebob (no the new episodes do not count), Rugrats, The Amanda Show, Lizzie McGuire, As Told by Ginger, Wild Thornberries, Jimmy Neutron, Chalk Zone, Even Stevens, Phil of the Future, Proud Family, Kim Possible, Lilo and Stitch, All That, Zoom, Out of the Box, The Brady Bunch, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Dragon Tales, Maggie and the Ferocious Beast (okay yes it's a preschool show but it was awesome!), Avatar the Last Airbender, Power Rangers (when they were good), Drake and Josh) to name a few.

Yes there are many many many more television series out there that deserve their name to be on this list but I don't want to put every single one of them up there because that takes more effort than necessary and like most human I am somewhat of a lazy person. Instead I want to point out how the quality of television has just decreased in the past few years. I mean think about it. Dora is just as clueless as ever, Joe (from Blues Clues) still can't see the paw print, and Squidward still gets annoyed with Spongebob. You'd think after a decade these people would have figured their lives out by now (This must make you feel so much better about the quality of your life right now).

But okay in all seriousness, television has really gone down the drain. Sure there are some great children networking shows but they're more like diamonds in a coal mine than anything else really. For instance Disney Channel today airs:

•  Dog with a blog- which is, you guessed it, about a dog with a blog. You know this show could have had great potential but it's really not about anything. The children get into a situation, talk with their parents, fix said situation, ends with the dog typing in his blog. Overall very predictable and leaves nothing to the imagination. 
• Jessie- Nanny in New York. Children get into a situation. Talk with nanny, fix said situation.  Overall very predictable and leaves nothing to the imagination. 
• Austin and Ally- Two aspiring singers working towards the big time. One of their friends manages both of them. The other friend is there for comedy. It's a comedic show with a simple, predictable plot line, oh and there's a budding romance. 
• Ant Farm- group of student prodigies who get into situations and use each others "tal-ants" to find a way out. 

So yeah these shows might be a little useful in helping children think about life situations and all of that, but for the most part as TV shows they are highly predictable and are focused around the same exact plot line just using different characters. This is where you might argue that older shows did the same thing. But the difference is that older shows let children use their imagination. It wasn't about laying out the story, it was about setting the plot and characters and letting the audience fill in the blanks for some details. 

Also when we were little, there were more shows that allowed us to use our noggins. There were a plethora of shows similar to Zoom and Out of the Box which focused on presenting DIY ideas to kids about science, other education, and just straight out having fun. These shows fostered the imagination and encouraged kids to get off of the TV for a while and have fun doing stuff elsewhere. But today the most imaginative you'll get in a TV show is them asking you which tool, color, object is necessary and for you to yell at the TV. Shows today encourage kids to mindlessly sit in front of the TV for hours, which makes them inferior to the shows that we got to experience a decade ago. 

This issue isn't about the plot anymore, or even just general quality. The issue is about what shows throughout the decade are encourage kids to do. 10 years from now do we want a generation of young adults who grew up glued to the TV or a generation of young adults who can think for themselves and who know how to think outside of the box?

The true meaning of summer

What exactly is summer?

Is it a name? A season? A state of being? Throughout the year we look forward to this one word but what exactly is it?

When I think of the name Summer. I think of a long, slender chick with auburn hair. Obviously she's really preppy and you guessed it, she's wearing a summer dress. She also has a huge smile plastered on her face and she's a genuinely nice person. Her favorite color is probably pink and she loves flowers. Did I mention she's probably valedictorian too? Yeah if there was ever a word for perfect, it's Summer. She's got everything going for her but it makes her a little cocky at times. 

What we probably know the word as best. Summer is the season conveniently located after spring and before fall. The opposite of winter. The months of hell, oh wait, no one calls it that... But yeah you know these 104 days of summer vacation and all of that jazz. Since the first school year, summer has been the season every person looks forward too. Three whole months of no school and a odd feeling bordering on feeling carefree (until you remember how much work you actually need to get done). 

As for it being a state of being I think this one might only apply to me. So I have this weird thing that every memory I have is set to a nice summer day. Even the ones that blatantly happened in the dead of winter with snow all around me. I mean the ones that happened outdoors have their appropriate background but the ones that occured indoors are set to a summer background. So like most of my memories take place in the room that it happened in, but with no windows and it's not like I'm seeing a summer day with the heat and everything but it's more of the mood is like a summer day mood. I could probably spend a lot more time discussing this feeling but I don't think it'll ever be fully clarified...

Bonus!!!

Summer=a person who sums! Duh, it's been so glaringly obvious this whole time. It's not a name, it's not a season, it's not even a state of being, it's been an occupation this whole time. I bet you all feel really stupid right now. If it's any consolation, the answer to the problem above is 3 and not gummy worm. 

Recent Addiction: How I Met Your Mother

So recently I've been watching a ton of how I met your mother. I don't mean like an episode here or there but like an entire season in one night type of addiction. But the world doesn't like me and took off most of the seasons on netflix and the sketch sites have become really sketch (I was watching season 8 with Italian subtitles). But the reason why I'm so addicted is because it's extremely easy to relate to the show. Sure there are certain characters that you relate to more than other but in the end you sort of have a bit of everyone in you. No one is completely Barney or completely Robin, they are a mix. Personally I'm a blend of Barney and Ted with a dash of Lily. I'm not going to explain this further so take it as you want :P

Also their friendship is incredible. They are a group of people who truly, legitimately care about each other. Sure Lily and Marshall went through that phase where they only wanted to hear problems if they were an 8 or higher, but at the end of the day they realized that they wanted to be further involved in the life of their friends. Sure not every friend group is like this and most of the time it's usually only seen on TV, but I've been lucky enough to find a friend group just like HIMYM's. My friends and I tell each other everything, we ship each other with people, and we always have each other's backs.


Marvin Waitforit Eriksen! He's not the only legendary baby in the show. Don't forget that the show has some incredible ideas like bro-parents. "I mean, what’s better than raising a kid with your bro?! No arguments, no touchy feely-ness, none of that. Just you and your bro, broing the hell out of your major city of choice. Plus, they dont’ get mad when you turn around and check out the chick who passed by. AND I CAN USE THE CHILD TO GET CHICKS!!!!" Like seriously this is the best idea ever!!! If I adopt a baby with my best friend we'd get all the guys, a great tax return, and it'd be a great experience.

Also the show is just plain AWESOME!! I mean they have the perfect balance of sadness and comedic relief. They show you how to get through the tough parts of life and how to enjoy the happy moments. Also they don't try to hard to be humorous. They just are. Sure the laugh track can be annoying at times but there are genuinely funny moments. And sad moments. And cute moments. And infuriating moments. The show just basically sums up life in short 30 minute doses that are meant to watched for hours at a time.  

That's a wrap!

With finals coming to an end and the end of the year quickly coming to a close it's weird to think that my first year of college is finally done. It's been a rollercoaster of a journey from meeting a ton of new people, dancing in the snow, to going on crazy adventures. It's been a great year and if I had the opportunity, I'd do it all over again. Sure everything wasn't perfect and there were times were my stress levels were off the charts, but over all it was a great experience. I was able to meet new people who showed me so many different things, who taught me more about myself, who made me realize how beautiful time really is.


 Sometimes life is just like a really slow video, even though you're annoyed that it's taking forever to buffer, sometimes in the end you're somewhat happier because it meant being able to spend more time with your friends laughing and just hanging out (TOTALLY WORKED IN THAT ANALOGY! BOOYAH!). The one thing we all look forward to every year is summer but for the first time in forever I don't want summer. The thing about college is you get so used to seeing your friends all the time it'll be really weird not being able to see them on a day to day basis.
 Like seriously, if I'm ever bored I literally walk out of my room and go bug someone (several friends can attest to this). I mean yeah everything will be "back to normal" once we're back in the fall but it's kind of weird thinking about how close I've gotten to a certain people these last couple of months.

        But this post isn't about me being sad or even bittersweet. It's kind of amazing just to look back at the past year. I've learned that life is really just a series of coincidences that sometimes work in your favor. Where I am right now (not physically but like mentally) would not be possible without the little things that happened in the way. For instance during orientation week had I decided to continue hanging out with my "friends" at the time, I would never have even met the people I'm friends with now. Instead I had decided to head over to Raymond and the people there were playing cards and I decided to join them. Because of that decision I'm friends with some of the most amazing people.(#+emergency rainbow).