weird Walmart people...

Walmart Graveyard Shift

   First of all, it needs to be said that Walmart can be a very odd place at times. Late at night to be exact is when it is at its peak. My mom used to take my brother and I there late at night into the early morning because she did not like the traffic of people during the day. I actually like it better at night not only because of less people, but mainly because of the people you encounter (or at least walk past) during your time there. It is quite a fun experience, similar to that of carnival grounds.

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   I love how empty the aisles are almost like a little ghost town. When I was younger I actually used to like to pretend we were in a zombie post apocalyptic type place. Yes, I was a very weird child, but in my defense my mom owned a lot of scary movies that she let me watch. 

   Anyway, while the empty aisles always promised an enchanting air, the other wackos gallivanting around the same shop were the best part. They dress up like since it is nighttime they are not technically in public. It gets ridiculous ranging from slacker shelf stocker to wardrobe failure (level: expert). 
 

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   Wally World at night is quite an extraordinary place. I recommend that everyone visit there at least once in their life at night. The later the better because the the freaks come out at night. 

How to PROPERLY study for Finalsss

     Okay, let me start off by saying this in NO way will aid you in your current study technique. This is strictly a brief peek into how procrastinators spend their time when they actually should be "hitting the books" for finals, or any assignment/task for that matter. This is how you should act accordingly if you are in fact contemplating becoming a procrastinator yourself.

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  First rule of studying: IF YOU HAVE A CELL PHONE USE IT. Everyone who has a smartphone should ALWAYS be on it whether it be looking up useless facts about life (or whatever) or playing stupid app games.

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  Second: JUDGE ANYONE WHO IS NOT ON THEIR PHONE. Judging is a big part of the procrastinator process, but try not to judge too hard otherwise you might strain yourself. Procrastination is all about relaxation, so don't strain yourself. 

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     Thirdly: EAT AS MUCH FOOD AS POSSIBLE. No one wants to die of starvation. What a horrible way to go. Therefore, eat for all the people you do NOT know who have died of starvation in the last movie you saw where people died of starvation. Sucks for them, but not for you so get to the refrigerator. 

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   Fourthly (if that is even a word): SLEEP BECAUSE YOU COULD DIE WITHOUT REST. Heck, maybe you don't feel tired but someone somewhere has had a very hard day and will not be able to sleep, so sleep for them. Naps are not just for babies anymore, college students not studying for their finals like them too.   

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   For fifth's sake: TRY TO FIGURE OUT THE MEANING OF LIFE. No one has "hit the nail on the head" yet, and you are in school so maybe you will be the first. Just think about all the awards that will come with it. The prestige and fame, oh you will be drowning in money. No need for college after that. Heck, who knows maybe you can buy your own college and give people an education for free that way they will never know the pain that comes with the Financial Aid Office.      

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     Running up to sixth place (ha, running somewhere that's funny): IF YOU FAIL AT NUMBER FIVE, AT LEAST ATTEMPT TO FIGURE OUT THE ENDING TO INCEPTION BECAUSE NO MOVIE SHOULD LEAVE AN OPEN ENDING LIKE THAT. I think if you have ever seen the ending you know exactly what I am blogging about right here. Did he make it back? Is he still dreaming? You probably need a couple of days right there alone to figure it all out. 

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   In seventh place: BRAG TO ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS (OR WHATEVER) WHO ARE STUDYING THAT YOU DO NOT NEED TO PARTICIPATE IN SUCH A MUNDANE PRACTICE BECAUSE YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY VERY SMART IF YOU ARE ATTENDING COLLEGE IN THE FIRST PLACE, THEREFORE YOU HAVE NO NEED TO "STUDY" OR WHATEVER IT IS THE "PEASANTS" DO. This may aid in you losing some friends, but who cares. Not you because caring takes effort, and you are far too lazy for that.

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    Coming up slowly (oh so slowly) in eighth: SLEEP AGAIN. The first time around was just a nap, and your final is tomorrow so you need your sleep. You may feel a little nervous twinge in your gut about not studying AT ALL, but if you sleep on it then your brain will be fresh and ready to pull up months old information about whatever subject you are testing for. Who needs a review when you have got eight-plus hours of sleep.  

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   Answer to life number nine: EAT SOMETHING YUMMY FOR BREAKFAST. So what if eating something yummy requires work. It will not lose you a second of sleep if you convince your parents to make you something the night before so you will not fail your test because you are hungry. Throw in a cute little pouty face too so it comes off slightly needy and a little desperate for mommy's attention. 

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   Big number ten: BRIBERY. If you just realized that maybe you should have studied for that test after all, do not be afraid to dip into your desperate side. If you know your teacher likes hot coffee in the morning, you make an effort to bring it to them. If there is a coffee machine in the teacher's lounge already, *cough* break *cough* it *cough* accidentally of course. Maybe if they have their usual zing of caffeine they will not grade as hard. It is worth a try. 

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   Need to know number eleven: SURVEY THE ROOM TO SEE WHO ALL STUDIED AND JUDGE THEM HARDCORE. If overhearing conversations does not suit your personality, then do not be afraid to throw out a casual open ended question regarding the act of studying that potentially everyone will answer. Gather as much information about this subject as you can to evaluate how truly "screwed" you are. 

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   Lucky number twelve: FIND THE SMARTEST KID IN THE CLASS. Now, you are desperate. The test is coming up very soon (within the hour), and you have officially decided that you do not want to fail. Therefore, if you do not want to fail you need to find the smartest kid (or kids) in the class and try to freak them out about the test as much as possible that way they fail worse than you and the teacher grades on a curve because no one "aced" it. Or you could try to convince them to help you *cough* cheat *cough* if they are willing. Either way you have to turn on the creeper charm. 

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   Lastly number thirteen: STUDY HARD FOR THE RE-TAKE BECAUSE YOU PROBABLY JUST BOMBED THE TEST. Procrastinating is an art. It requires dedication and a general lack of commitment for anything else. It is a gamble every time you incorporate it as opposed to an actual study method. This rule really only applies to the people who are new to the whole "procrastination" thing because anyone who has been practicing for years and still got into college knows how to cram and utilize their short-term memorization skills to retain just enough to, at least, pass so they do not have to put in effort to taking another test. 

     P.S.- On a quick side note, this is not encouraged on any level so do not practice it if you actually want to get somewhere in life. And vandalizing school property (the coffee pot) and being extra creepy to make people fail are highly frowned upon so really do not do those. Good luck on your exams all procrastinators!! Not you, "Study People" because you don't need luck obviously.

Lyrics that Mean Something...

     Like the average human being, I appreciate music. I love all differ genres from all types of cultures and backgrounds. They are all good to me in their own way and respect.

     However, when it comes to my favorite type of music I have to admit that it is more soul and R&B pop records. Now while that may sound confusing, I am actually trying to relate my music taste back to artists like Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, and anyone else who fits inside their clique.

     Now I'm not saying that I'm the type who listens to only slow, semi-sorrowful songs like Give Me Love because I also enjoy the occasional party song that makes me move. On the other hand, I am saying that if it came down to a choice as to what kind of music I could not live without I would have to circle.

     What I love about them does not necessarily have to do with how "jumpy" the beat is (or in my case how morose it sounds), but what they are saying and how they choose to convey the lyrics.

     Let me just provide you with a few examples:

     In Sam Smith's Latch, he is expressing the depth of his love for this other person by telling them that they are his world, and he wants to "lock in their love" for the long haul. Throughout the song he tells them how mystified they have got him by just being themselves and allowing him to love them because of it. Then, in Safe With Me (another one of my favorites by this particular artist), Smith conveys to his loved one that whatever their secrets (or their worries) to just lay it all on him because he feels like he was made for them to bear their burdens and make them feel better. No matter what the problem, he has got them.

     One of my absolute favorite singers, Ed Sheeran, always blows me away with his lyrics. He really is an artistic genius of sorts (probably has something to do with his "ginger" powers, just kidding sort of). His song A-Team was on the radio for a while which I was enormously proud of because before I thought only my friend (who introduced me to his music) and me were the only people who knew about him. However, one of my favorite songs by him Kiss Me is the lucky number up for discussion. The lyrics alone are a sweet love poem that anyone would "blush up" over. Another song asking for love, only this time Sheeran takes the time out to describe what he yearns for from this person (e.g.- "Settle down with me And I'll be your safety You'll be my lady"), and how it feels the whole ride through (e.g.- "This feels like falling in love"). While love songs like that may not touch you in the slightest bit, at least come away with a little side-note on the meaning behind some of Sheeran's songs.

A-Team, originally titled Little Lady, was written after Sheeran read about a girl who had been prostituted out by her uncle when she was supposed to be attending UNI. He got her addicted to drugs and brutally murdered her in the street, leaving her body to whither in the cold snow.

 

Small Bump was written in memorial to a friend of his who endured a tragic miscarriage. You can hear the pain in the lyrics as he progresses from the hope of hearing about the baby and everything it will be to the death and sorrow that comes with the confusion that followed why something like that would ever happen to people like them.

 

     Do not get me wrong though, I do not believe only slow songs convey a deeper message because there are faster paced songs that also convey a sense of longing and genuine enjoyment in another person's company.

 

Heartache on the Big Screen  by relative new-comer 5 Seconds of Summer is quite a nice pop-punk, high energy song about how a bad relationship plays out like a movie in their head every time they think about it and how it ended.

 

If These Sheets Were the States by All Time Low is another high energy, punk-rock song that conveys feelings of longing for their loved one while they are away (I am assuming on tour).

 

     When I listen to music I like to feel as if I am connecting on a deeper level that I can always relate back to whenever I want. Although Shots by LMFAO is a nice party song, if I try to "rock out" to that when I am 80 I will probably end up busting a hip. 

Restrictions for "Peace of Mind"

Modern School Uniform

  Dress codes are not uncommon in the world of today, or yesterday either for that matter. Uniforms serve many purposes whether it be to represent a certain set of ideals or to serve as a sort of "gateway" to unifying the group of people who choose to wear "said" clothing.

     In the article Hooters Translates in China, by Craig Simons, it is mentioned that the uniform for the popular restaurant Hooters is used to represent a name and set of ideals. In China, the symbol of Hooters represents the promise of America and the powerful reach of Western civilization in general.

     However, in terms of school uniforms they are used more to uphold and promote the moral standards of society. By mandating that young girls and boys wear age appropriate clothing it promotes a sense of humility and sensibility that a growing number of younger generations without dress codes are missing out on.


Popular Brand = Popular Kids

     In an online article primarily focusing on the pros and cons of school uniforms, it mentions that by applying the dress code policy they are in fact helping the younger generation make lasting relationships based on character and intelligence rather than image and name brands.

     A few pros provided by said website are that overall attendance in school improves. There is a decrease in the peer pressure brought on to wear trendier brands. School uniforms can be recycled and reused. And possibly the most important of all, school intruders can be more easily identified.

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     A few cons provided by the same article states that while there is no pressure to wear expensive brands, a child's creative ability could be subdued in a bad way. However, it also states that a child's individuality will always find a way to shine through, only if there is a dress code then it could possibly lead to more drastic body modifications such as piercings and tattoos. And most importantly (in this case) it could be a bit of a burden on lower income families that have more than one child in a uniform mandated school.


     Although there is no concrete proof that dress code is better than free dress more schools are now beginning to enforce it. USA Today states that "more than half of public schools now enforce dress code." They say there is a sixty percent growth in the requirement for uniforms even though the research on whether or not it encourages a safer growth environment is inconclusive.

   On a personal note, I have attended both a school with as well as without a dress code and have experienced both environments to the fullest extent. I feel that dress code was more helpful in focusing on studies. While there were still kids who brought expensive purses and backpacks to school to showcase to the rest of us it was a pretty similar crowd, all of us dressed almost exactly the same. However, in high school we were allowed to pick our own clothes and that could at times cause a bit of a distraction. Kids were forced to separate into cliques based on how they dressed, and at times it was a little more difficult to socialize with people who I didn't dress similar to. I feel like the use of a dress code gave us all a similar plight to complain to each other about that set us all on the same platform providing us with at least one thing to connect over and expand from. Dress restrictions provided us with a sense of connection that might have been lost otherwise.

 

Human Hair!!

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     Coming from a background of color (my mother is African-American), I have seen a wide range of various hair rituals in my time. Heck, when I was a young child I would love when my mother would get weave braided in because I found her new, long hair incredibly fascinating for some reason. I have never gotten weave put in myself because I've been blessed with ferocious hair that refuses to stop growing for some reason so I've never felt a need for it, but I feel like there are some things to be said about the practice even for those who do feel like they need the extra few inches of length.

     I remember a time when the women would rave about how horse hair was the best, and even as a child I knew that was kind of weird. At first, I thought it was exciting because I was young and had this weird obsession with wanting to be an animal, but as I got older I realized how weird that was. Who would want an animal's hair as their own?



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     So naturally, when the public started talking about how Indian hair was a better choice I thought
"oh good, at least it's human." In the essay 100% Indian Hair by Tanzila Ahmed, she argues that it's gross to not know where the hair a person puts on their head is from, but would it be any less "weird" if they did know where it came from?

     I figure it's not "gross" because at least it gives the women buying it a sense of convenience and natural beauty (not that women shouldn't feel beautiful the way they are made). I believe that having human hair woven in makes it feel a little more natural, and obviously naturally long, glossy hair is the ultimate goal for every girl. Women spend hundreds trying to get the hair they fantasize about, and if all natural Indian hair is the way to do that then more power to the practice!!

Entertainment in America...

     It seems like each decade comes with a sort of era attached to it. The nineties into early two-thousands was the high school movie era with greats like Scream and Mean Girls. The early two-thousands into twenty-tens dived head first into the supernatural scheme of things with blockbuster hits such as the Twilight and the Harry Potter series.

     However, if I had to choose my favorite era so far it'd definitely be the current one going on right now. Right now, vampire/werewolf love triangles are being forced to take a backseat to works of literature (yes, comic books included) as well as gruesome horror flicks. Every time I go to the movie theater now it's a combination of books/comic books into movies intermingled with gruesome "watch your back" possession flicks.

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   Everyone knows what I'm talking about. When I said book to movie you probably formed a picture in your head of either some Marvel movie like  Thor or The Avengers. Equally true in regard to the horror topic as well with popular movies such as Evil Dead or Paranormal Activity.

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     From what I can tell the horror fetish is quite obvious. What's scarier than the thought of some malevolent and seemingly unbeatable creature living in your house terrorizing you. I know I was scared to go to sleep without my Bible within reaching distance after watching The Conjuring. I don't know the exact reasoning behind why paranormal entity related horror movies are on the rampage through Hollywood now, but I can only assume it may be because slasher flicks are too easy and the public wants something a little more challenging and unknown.  

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     On the comic book note, all I can say is that the first Marvel movie I ever saw was Spider-man, and I thought it was amazing. Apparently, so did everyone else because then comic book movies started popping up all over the place. I suppose it could be because everyone that ever watched a Saturday morning cartoon about superheroes are mesmerized by the idea of their childhood hero's back story and how that might relate to the world of today, or maybe because it's just nice to have something fresher and a little more alive and outlandish than what everyday life has to offer...

Body Art!!

     Tattoos and body piercings are old practices that still continue into today. Even with the "mainstream" popularity that seems to surround them and cloud the original meaning behind them they still hold a sense of self that holds true even to today's populace. 
  While tattoos may not represent a right of passage in America like they do in other countries around the world such as Samoa. It does still hold a sort of "express your inner self" connotation. People in today's American culture either love them or hate them, but either way they still hold up as a symbol of one's accomplishments or views of the world. 

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   Piercings are a little more tricky. While tattoos hold their own through incredible works of art. Piercings act as more of a "young, wild and free" fad for mostly teenagers. 
   Piercings are a temporary way to appease an adventurous spirit because unlike tattoos, which are permanent unless surgically removed, piercings can be taken out and scars closed.
   As far as whether or not people should be allowed to get either of them is up to the individual who wants to. Obviously, there are some rules that go along with the practice such as a certain image to be upheld at the office or in any professional environment, but if a person is serious about participating that type of thing shouldn't bother them too much. There are steps that can be taken in order to cover one's self properly while on company time.

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   However, while expressing your life experiences on your canvas (a.k.a- your body)is important based on whatever personal values you hold dear it should NOT be a thing used to jeopardize close relationships such as with family. If your family is like mine and they don't "believe" in the art of tattooing I just recommend waiting until either A.) you wear your mom down with pathetic begging techniques or B.) simply waiting until you leave the house to live on your own because your house your rules.

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   **On a last quick note: MAKE SURE YOU REALLY WANT THE TATTOO YOU'RE GETTING PERMANENTLY INKED UNDER YOUR SKIN!! Don't go in "half-cocked" because something looks cute. Make sure it means something personal to you that way you don't wake up one day regretting something stupid.