Cheers To the New Year and the New Age!

Well, it’s official! I have officially turned the big 2-1!

Other than the fact that I have been a lazy bum and haven’t opened a word document in I don’t know how long; life has been great to me!

So great, that the other night when I turned twenty-one and I sat at the head of the dinner table with my family and best friends in the entire world it was all so clear to me how lucky I am.

My best friends flew in to celebrate and my parents made sure the day was extra special.

I have really great people in my life and sometimes I take that for granted. 

Other times I question the people that I let into my life (especially boys!)

I’m just so trusting, and I assume that because I mean everything that I say and I have such an open heart, that everyone else does too.

That’s not always the case.

Recently, I let myself down yet another toxic path with a boy.

Granted, it only lasted 72 hours until I got a call from his current girlfriend.

The point is, that I (and every other girl on this planet) have the opportunity to be very picky in this world. I started thinking that this is what I deserved and that I would always encounter bad apples (lol) like this one.

I thought a lot today. I’ve come to the conclusion that you know when you have those special people in your life and with that being said you also know when you have those temporary people who come into your life.

So why do I constantly keep making room for all of these temporary people?

That's what I'm trying to figure out.

Sitting across from my friends and family made me realize that life goes on when someone is mean to you.

People who lie, and cheat, and hurt people will never make it to the top.

People like me will.

I’m really fortunate that I get to wake up everyday go to school, have two amazing internships, and work for a really awesome company.

Have I said that I chose a grad school?!

Yeah, that’s new for me.

Oh, and I’m currently picking a dress for an Oscar’s party right now. So that’s cool too.

Thanks for reading. I haven’t blogged since September. Sorry Sorry Sorry!

Getting back into the swing of things!

xoxo

Goodbyes, Vampire Diaries, and Great Friends.

Wow. I haven’t blogged in forever!

My summer was definitely bi-polar, but so beautiful I still can’t believe all of the amazing things that happened!

Like everyone else, I am back in the library every day hard at work.

Well…I guess you could scratch out the “hard at work,” part and add “Obsessively watching Vampire Diaries,” because that really is all that I do.

Going back to school is always hard for me because I take on so much stuff during the summer and I am never able to let it go back when school starts.

Juggling a major AND a minor, an internship, interns (and more interns), back and forth to California, and then of course my own personal sanity.

It sometimes is rough, but I know it will all be worth it once I make that long awaited move to California!

Oh, have I not mentioned that I am moving to California next year? It’s real guys!

I can hardly wait, but I really don’t want to talk about my plans yet!

Speaking of plans, I try not to make them anymore.

Plans have a way of falling through and people have a way of changing their minds.

Have you ever tried to be friends with someone that you broke up with even you know deep down how much they suck, but you still give them the benefit of the doubt anyways?

Guilty.

There comes a point when your friends with someone or even dating him or her that even their toxicity becomes too much for you.

Eventually, you just have to take a deep breath in and block that person out of your life 100%.

That’s something that I have never had to do and told myself that I never would because I believe that people always deserve second chances.

Not anymore, I’ve decided two things:

1.     I have decided that I will no longer love someone who loves other women. It’s funny that I have to decide that now, and because there was a man in my life who made me have to start thinking that way. Kudos to you buddy!

2.     I like focusing on me. I like coming home and hanging out with my mom and telling her about my day and on the weekends driving to California with her. I like not having to worry about what girl is being used to cheat on me. I also like the fact that I don’t have to worry about anyone but myself. Most importantly, I like following my dreams.

That’s the important part right there my dreams.

Because they aren’t anyone else’s but your own. I’ve learned that if someone shows you their true colors, don’t try and repaint them because that is whom they are inside.

Along with that, I’ve become so in love with my newfound friend-time.

There is nothing better than waking up and realizing that you get to spend the entire day hanging out with your best friends in the entire world, even if it is in the library.

My friends teach me so many lessons everyday, and I have all of the important people in my life to thank for helping meand believing in my dreams and me.

I have a lot going on right now and all I really want to do is take a nap.

I hope that no matter where my life takes me I am still able to change lives and help people.

I know I have said that in numerous blogs, but that is all that I really want to do.

But who could blame me?

The people in this world are so awesome; I just want everyone to experience the happiness that I feel right now.

A Little Piece of Advice...

I don’t want to accept the fact that summer is officially over.

This Thursday I start school for my junior year of college, and then it’s finally coming…

I’m graduating next December. This can’t really be happening.

From New York City, Las Vegas, and multiple trips to California my summer was one for the books.

Speaking of books, I can already feel my wallet breaking in half as I sit here and order mine for my classes that start on Thursday.

This growing up thing really gives a girl anxiety!

With my junior year of college just days away, I thought I would give some advice to the younger generation and what I wish I had known as I was finding myself in

high school.

1.     Be Individual!

In a world where there are so many copycats, it’s really hard to be your own version of you. If I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t let the pressure of the student body form who I was and turn me into such a people pleaser. Granted, I loved everyone I went to school with more than words can explain. But sometimes you just gotta learn to say no and stand up for yourself!

Be you! Have your own opinions, your own style, and your own voice!

2.     Be Smart.

Now, some of those math tests are really killer and you have no other option than to just fail it – it’s okay. I’m talking about street smart (if that’s really a thing.) Don’t let negative people influence you and don’t make a permanent decision on a temporary situation. I was very lucky and had an amazing group of friends whom never did drugs. They are to this day, still some of the most positive people in my life. If I have any advice for you, be like us (in that aspect of course.)

3.     Be Happy!

High School is such an adventure! You learn so much about yourself and others. Make it a point to be involved and meet others. Sitting in the back of your classes and going from home to school and back every day will not give you your desired outcome. Get involved and join a club, it is one of the best decisions I have ever made!

Looking back to how I started the summer, I realized how thankful I am for the people in my life – especially my parents.

It gives that popular line,

“Started From the Bottom, Now We Here”

An entire new meaning.

Just remember this:

Tough times don’t last, tough people do.

I am so thankful to be on the path that I am now, and I know that I am never looking back!

My Downtime Is Story Time.

I’ve been awaiting this moment for weeks, let me paint this picture for you:

I am laying in my bed with Chipotle chips & salsa to my right, my cell phone is MIA, and I have nothing going on.

Although I was awoken to my loud Ed Sheeran ringtone to a conference call that I had forgotten about at 8:00AM (yeah, I was embarrassed) but that isn’t going to kill the amazing mood that I am in.

So many people love being busy and not taking time for themselves.

I use to be those people.

Back in July when I was at Student Council Camp for my fifth year in a row; I had woken up on the last day to the realization it was the last day and I had to go back home and go back to my normal life.

Life happens so fast! My mom always tells me that I take on too much and that I need to lay in bed all day when I can because my body is going to get sick.

Spoiler Alert! – I never listen and she is always right.

With awards season high on my tail and a flight that leaves for Las Vegas on Monday bright and early, I am so thankful for this much needed downtime.

Gearing up for the Teen Choice Awards, Emmys, and now the Video Music Awards is taking it’s toll on me and I’m only twenty years old.

But how lucky am I that I get to be a twenty something reporter on the red carpet? Too lucky.

I woke up reflecting on a moment, a moment that will stay with me forever and ever (and ever.)

I was a junior in high school and I had the biggest ambition of becoming what in the Student Council world is called a “State President.”

Now what is that?

Well let me tell you, it’s this amazing position where you hold a president position over every council in the state of Arizona – and that was the biggest dream I had when I was seventeen.

I worked so hard to prepare for my application and getting everything ready, because I knew that I was going to be the best state president there could be.

I had been asking my advisor at the time to write me my recommendation letter for three months, and she kept putting it off.

I never thought as to why she was putting it off, I just figured that we were so busy it was the least of her worries and I understood that.

On the day that my application was to be postmarked, December 10^th, I waited until after school and I walked into Ms. Mac’s classroom and I asked her if she had written my letter.

I think the only person I will ever name who was mean to me, will be Ms.Mac, because even though what she said to me made me cry for months it helped me reach even bigger goals.

She also was a teacher, who was suppose to build her students  up instead of tearing down their dreams in mid-flight and that’s exactly what she did to me.

“Ms. Mac, I’m on my way to send off my application and all I need is your recommendation letter.” I said to her after some awkward silence.

After the drop of some papers and some more silence she finally looks up from her computer and says this,

“You know Shelby. I’ve been really struggling with this letter, because quite frankly you’re just not good at anything and I can’t put my name on anything that has to do with you. Everything that you do, you fail at. I hope you understand.”

I was only seventeen when the woman I admired most told me that I wasn’t good at the only thing that I loved: Student Council.

I nodded and said thank you and I walked out the door and threw away my packet and other recommendation letters right outside her doorway and went to my car and cried.

Years later and looking at where I am now, I’m so thankful that she knocked me down because that only meant that I could build myself up.

I hope she can read this one-day and realize what an awful person and teacher she was to Apache Junction High School.

She did do one thing right, she made me stronger and that’s the only thing I will ever thank her for.

Oh! Adding to the list of things that I fail at, I also became a published writer! It’s kind of cool. Feel free to check out both articles.

One is even in the Entertainment Daily (heavy breathing!)

http://www.diyfashion.com/events/blue-carpet-fashion-turns-red-haute-young-hollywood-awards-86348

http://www.entertainmentdaily.com/young-hollywood-recap-122