"Having the time of 'my' life"

So, I am actually going to try and write more often, I know wouldn't that be a freaking miracle! :) Anyways, my life is INCREDIBLE!!! This past weekend I went to Cherry Hill with my family. I moved back up to Logan, like the second week of June so it was nice to get to see them and Cherry Hill is so much fun! If you haven't ever been then I definitely suggest you give it a try. It is a water park, at a camp site. We went down the water slides all day saturday.... which was a blast; however, I am as red as a freaking cherry! (and my skin doesn't usually burn, so I am in so so much pain!....but my sister and brother are so much worse) Although we are all burned to a crisp we all still had a blast and decided it should be the spot for our family reunions for the rest of our lives.

I am back in Logan! I moved back to Logan on the 10th of June, and I probably will be 'living' in Logan at least until I graduate with my degree. Which is weird and scared me, but I couldn't be happier!!!! I am one of the managers of the Logan Plato's Closet. That is what brought me back to Logan. I have the best job anyone could ever ask for. I LOVE what I do, I love the customers and customer relations I get to establish and enjoy on a regular basis. I also work with and for some absolutely incredible people! I am on cloud nine with what my life has and is at this point. I stress all the time! (in case you hadn't noticed... and if you haven't you apparently haven't been paying very much attention to me.) lol! Anyways, I haven't been stressed for the past two weeks, I am constantly smiling and just enjoying my life! I feel like I have wished and hoped for something for what feels like my entire life... and I finally feel like I have it! I feel like for the first time I am where and doing exactly what I am suppose to be doing!!! Thank you everyone for letting me be who and what I want to be! I am on cloud nine and loving every moment of every day!!!
Anyways,
Love you all!!! ~Barbie!!!

"Don't Judge a Book by its Cover!"

Hey!!! :) So I have been wanting to write about a certain topic for a very long time, but just haven't had the chance. So now I am actually writing it. People judge others far to fast!!! And honestly it just makes me sad. I tried this last semester to meet a lot of different types of people and to make lasting friendships with many of these different people. Some friends have blossomed into a beautiful creation; however, other  friendships didn't even get to start. Take a second to look at me and what do you see?? What type of person do you automatically assume me to be?? Okay, Stop! I would have hopped you would say things about the type of person I am on the inside and the things I stand for. But is that even close to what 95% of the people thought?.... NOPE! The first thing that comes to most people's mind is that I am high maintenance! For some reason that stereo typical opinion automatically categorizes a high maintenance girl as a snob, brat, spoiled diva, and selfish. I dream that one day the girls and guys up at Utah State would remove their judgemental blinders to allow them to see people for who they are. I am not a spoiled high maintenance girl! I love to dress up and I love my high heels, but I also love camping and would love to run around in the rain till I are dripping wet. I am passionate about my platform;-"Loving the Person Within"-and what the program-Power in You-stands for.

Sadly, I am getting used to the dirty looks and disapproving stares I have received from my peers for as long as I can remember. I am tired of Logan guys meeting me and automatically assuming I am a brat and selfish. Haven't you ever heard the saying "Don't judge a book by its cover?" I think the saying transfers directly to the human race! Don't judge a girl by her looks!!  Just because I like to dress up and look nice doesn't mean I am not fun, it doesn't mean I can't get down and dirty to have a good time. I just like to dress up. Who knew there would ever be something so wrong with that......

I hope and dream for the day that a guy looks at me and doesn't automatically think "what a high maintenance brat" I wish for days to come where guys at Utah State will actually get to know me before they decide the type of person I am.

If you know me at all you know, yes I like to look nice, yes I like to fancy things, yes something unique about me is that I love running for pageants, yes I am a proud girlie girl, YET YES I like to play in the mud, YES I suck and dislike playing all sports but that I would love to play against you if you asked (just promise not to laugh), NO I am not studying to be something girlie, ( I am majoring to be an Accountant, sorry to shock you) NO I am not a stupid, YES I constantly write about bullying and helping others become and love who they are, YES I love math, ..... These are things you judge me for.... these are things you never knew because you didn't take the time to hang out with me beyond a simple hello, in fear of getting wrapped up in some crazy drama.........

This is to mainly men but girls too. If you don't ever look past my cover, you will never get to see ME. You will never see the girl who lives inside my high heel, big hair bow style. I have tried and tried and tried to show you all who I am...... Sadly, 95% of you turned me away automatically assuming I was a snob based on how I dress, but this is what I have decided. I would rather be assumed to be a snob based on my dress and girlie ways but still be true to the person inside my heart, than be the person who dresses "normal" but is a judgemental snob inside. 

If you can't look past my cover (or anyone else's cover) what does that make you??? Is that girl that dresses in heels and designer clothes the selfish snob or is the selfish snob looking staring at you when you look in the mirror??  


If you have gotten to know who I actually am, I would love for you to share a comment about the person you know!!

Much Love,
~Barbie!

My paper and MY LIFE STORY!

Hi guys! :) I did it! So as many of you have heard me complain... sorry about that, I have been working on a PRE a Persuasive Research Essay for pretty much the whole semester, but more intensely this past month. I wrote my paper on bullying or in other words Bullying: The Legal Crime!  As if you all don't already know, I live everyday thinking of my platform of "Loving the Person Within" and what I can do and say to help others. This paper ties directly to my drive for my platform. (If any of you are wondering, I did not make it within the word limit!  I am very close but I just couldn't get it all the way down to where it was suppose to be!) I did however decide to share with you my pretty much final product of my paper! Hopefully it makes you want to do something, or learn who I really am. My heart and soul is in this paper and I hope you enjoy it!

Bullies: Only You Can Prevent Them from Hurting More of Us

Abstract:

                Having spent many years of my life under the influence of a bully, I am in shock that people have let bullying get so far out of hand. Bullying has become deadlier than ever before. Students are being victimized on a daily basis, if not multiple times throughout a single day. In order to protect students from being bullied, students should participate in a student driven anti-bullying intervention; because, the students being bullied are relatively more comfortable talking about the bullying issue with peers than with adults, the students see the bullying first-hand, and the students can learn life skills. As students, you can take a stand and reach out for your peers. This essay is composed of my personal opinions and the opinions of several experts which are noted throughout.

            Bullying is not always what it seems. As students, you all share the same common desire of acceptance, by your peers, but how each of you tries to obtain that acceptance is completely different. I know from first-hand experience that being bullied is something that affects you for many years to come. I understand that some think that bullying isn’t a problem, but it is a serious problem. In order to protect students from being bullied, students should participate in a student driven anti-bullying intervention; because, the students being bullied are relatively more comfortable talking about the bullying issue with peers than with adults, the students see the bullying first-hand, and the students can learn life skills.

 In the beginning of fourth grade I thought I had it all, I was doing okay in school and I was friends with the “popular” girls. One day I made a mistake….I said I liked something that they thought was lame. At recess they called me out in front of everyone and told me they never wanted to talk to me again. I thought my life was over, but of course the next day was worse. It was a sunny spring day as I walked around the playground desperately trying to find someone that would play with me; however, I felt colder and colder with every person that walked away or ignored me all together. I felt so alone! My mind racing, stomach churning, heart pounding, maybe they are right. I’m stupid, ugly, weird, annoying, fat, and there is nothing I can do about it. I am a loser!

            Many of the current bullying intervention programs rely entirely on adults; however, bullying predominantly occurs where adult supervision is minimal. These interventions mean well, but the adults involved don’t fully understand everything bullying has become. Olweus, a professor of psychology,  defines bullying as “when a child is exposed, repeatedly and over time to negative action on the part of one or more other students” ( qtd. In Piskin). His definition shows that these victimized students are made to suffer at the expense of a select few.

            I started junior high wanting to start over. Throughout the next three years I bounced between so many different friends; I could have set a new record. As I walked down the mile long hallway to my locker, the whispering, laughing, and pointing all grew so intense. It’s as if I had my own theme song. The song’s chorus goes, “Don’t be that girl’s friend, she is a lesbian.” My heart breaks every time the lyrics pierce my ears. Biting my lip, I held in the flood of white water tears raging inside. This rumor like many others started from those I thought had once been my friends.

            A question often asked by students is ‘do teachers even care about preventing bullying?’ A study done in Australia showed that a substantial amount of the students surveyed were of the opinion that teachers were not interested in stopping bullying (Rigby). Some teachers do care, but students don’t have the desire or feel comfortable enough to ask their teachers for help. In fact, students usually keep the experience of being victimized to themselves or share it only with peers (Rigby). If students are more likely to tell a peer, then why not create an anti-bullying committee of peers?

            School was a living nightmare. ‘Why was no one helping me?’ I finally got the nerve to ask for support from my teacher. My teacher said, bullying is part of life and that I need to stop trying to get attention. ‘Attention?!? Are you kidding me? Who would want this kind of attention; can’t they see I need help?’ Finally my ninth grade year arrived and I became friends with “Sally.” I did everything Sally said and wanted without even realizing. It had become so natural to do anything to please others; I thought it was what I wanted as well.  When my senior year of high school finally arrived I thought the bullying had ended. I actually had friends! Having these close friends made me start thinking that maybe I was happy and I just didn’t know what happy felt like. Sadly, my senior year proved to be the opposite of my dreams and hopes for happiness.

            Millions of students are being torn down, trampled, and belittled by the people they attend school with. Not only is bullying continuing, bullying has continued to become an even larger problem than before. Technology has increased the speed of many of our everyday routines; however, it has also increased how quickly a bully can reach each of his or her victims. John Cloud, an Ambassador for the U.S. says, “at least bullies of previous decades had to hold you down before they could spit in your face” (Cloud). Today bullies not only bully you to your face, but they also use texting and social networking sites.

            Sally literally stabbed me in the back. The summer before my junior year I met this guy that lived in Michigan. We talked on the phone for over a year; we liked each other. Sally didn’t approve of this and took it upon herself to destroy it and me. She almost succeeded. My life had rapidly gone from an upbeat chick flick into a horror film. She harassed him by texting him calling him names and saying unbelievable things.  

            Bullying involves only a perpetrator and a victim (Graham). This is a myth because several people, such as bystanders, are affected and participate in the bullying. Being a bystander, not only gives you an automatic role in the bullying, but also increases bullying (Marlowe). “A study of bullying incidents on playgrounds found observers present in 88% of bullying situations but intervening only 19% of the time” (Marlowe). When was the last time you were a bystander that did nothing?  

            He stopped talking to me altogether. Although the harassment wasn’t directed to me, I was a bystander and was directly affected. I was a total wreck for over a week. My body was shaking uncontrollably, I couldn’t eat anything, I had a splitting headache, and what felt like a sword in my heart.

            Becoming a part of a student bullying committee does more for students than just preventing bullying. “A primary way in which individuals acquire knowledge is by doing. By being involved they are learning social skills necessary to address similarly complex issues in the future” (Marlowe). Being a member of this committee allows students to be creative, be a leader, and be involved. Students have the ability to not only change others lives forever, but also learn a variety of life skills. 

            Soon after the nightmare is when things really hit me… I didn’t know who I was. This realization was the sequel to my ongoing horror film. It was one of the scariest things I have ever experienced; I had lost myself. I didn’t know my own likes or dislikes, something that was so simple had been taken away from me. It was definitely a rocky road, but the rest of my senior year was remarkable and I wish it hadn’t ended. I found me! My story has a happy ending, but sadly most bullying stories don’t.

            Students are the ones that see the bullying, hear the bullying, and experience the bullying going on at school; therefore, why haven’t students been the ones to stop it? It is important to remember that you, as students, have a valid opinion and perspective in dealing with this issue. Making an effort to say only positive things about others and standing up for those who are being bullied are easy steps to eliminate bullying altogether. Your peers are hurting and they trust you to help them through. You can stop being a bystander today, by preventing the bullying before it begins. Think of all the lives that can change for the better, and the skills you will learn in the process. A student driven anti-bullying approach is the key to prevent bullying!

Work Cited:

Cloud, John. "Bullied To Death?." Time 176.16 (2010): 60-63. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 17  Feb. 2011.

Graham, Sandra. "What educators need to know about bullying behaviors." Phi Delta Kappan 92.1 (2010): 66-69. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 8    Mar. 2011.

Marlowe Smaby, et al. "WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT: A STUDENT DRIVEN ANTI-BULLYING APPROACH." Education 125.4 (2005): 546-556. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 17 Feb. 2011.

Piskin, Metin. "School Bullying: Definition, Types, Related Factors, and Strategies to Prevent Bullying  Problems." Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice 2.2 (2002): 555. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 17 Feb. 2011.

Rigby, Ken, and Dale Bagshaw. "Prospects of adolescent students collaborating with teachers in  addressing issues of bullying and conflict in schools." Educational Psychology 23.5 (2003): 535. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 21 Feb. 2011.

WELL....  There you have it! I hope everyone is having a fabulous day! As always I would love to hear your comments! :) 
~Barbie! 

Word Limits?!?!

Why do teachers put word limits on all of my papers?? I have been working on my PRE (persuasive research paper) since the semester started really. I have just spent the last three hours straight working on it. (I didn't even get on facebook or anything, I was way proud!) I surprisingly love my paper, it is only a draft, but I really like how it is coming together. I feel like I pretty much have my paper. BUT teachers always put stupid word limits!! And I'm not talking about a limits "your paper has to be ### long..." I'm talking about the limits that say "your paper can not exceed ###"  You might think this is a good thing, then you don't have to write like twenty pages, and yes that is good. However, my limits are always tiny! I mean hello it is a persuasive research paper. I have to persuade you into something and provide a bunch of research. I am just so upset, my paper is good! It is very different than what you would expect it to be. It is interesting! (at least I think so) and did I mention it is a good 400 words over my teachers limit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!! Now my paper is nothing, it cant be over, so therefore it can't be my paper!!

~Barbie! :(

Me as a shoe!

So I have been wanting to write a post about my new shoes since the moment I got them; however, I have been extremely busy with school and work and so I decided today was the day. Well it is now actually Monday... So you would guess right by guessing things did NOT go as hoped today! I woke up took pictures of my shoes for all of you and then went to get my camera cord to import them. My cord was no where to be seen, in a panic I started looking everyone, I literally thrashed my room in a matter of minutes, and my cord was still nowhere to be found. I sat down after about an hour of looking feeling defected. I decided to look once more in the bag I usually store it in and sure enough there it lay. (I was very happy to find it and also mortified with how my room now looked). Anyways by the time I found the cord I needed to start getting ready for church and I have just been busy since.


So shoes.... but not just any shoes HIGH HEELS! High heels are my favorite accessory. If you know we very well at all you know I am absolutely obsessed! I wear high heels ninety percent of the time. My shoes are all very different and all express a part of me in a different way. Here are some of my favorites:

 

Black Bowed Cheetah:

 Polka~Dot Madness:

Sexy Black Ribbon Toed:

Metallic Party Gold:

Now for my newest addition to the family, I know I'm insane! The shoe you are about to see is literally ME! I have fallen in love harder and faster than I ever have before! Okay are you ready..... drum roll.... Here comes Kimberly as a shoe (the camera just couldn't do them justice)

 Kimberly: 

 

I love my new shoes and can't wait to wear them. If anyone wants to take me out on the town to show them off just let me know! ;) Well, there you have it, me as a shoe!


Love,
Barbie!

SURPRISE!

Look at that, I did it! Don't get your hopes up, its nothing special. My sidebar is already getting super long, but I guess that is good right?

Who knows..... definitely not me, since we all know I haven't got a clue what I'm doing!

Anyways, Welcome world to my life! Get ready for a wild ride!

What am I doing?

So I am in the process of starting a blog. I'm not entirely sure why. And if you know me very well at all you now that..... well I SUCK at technology stuff so this is going to be an adventure in it and of its self!