How to Cheer Yourself Up

I just read on an email about a lady who started random acts of kindness and started a movement of niceness.  It is a rare thing to encounter a kind-hearted person, but it is also extremely contagious!  If you're having a bad day, why not get your mind off of yourself by doing something unexpected.  Here are some "college-student-safe" ideas to get your creative juices flowing...

• Invite a friend who lives in a different dorm to come over and just talk.  If you're really fancy and have pop corn or ice cream, share!
• Branch out of the usual Easy Mac or Ramen Noodle routine and get a couple of friends to help you cook a full course meal.  Yes, you can make amazing food without a full kitchen!  Ask around to borrow a crock pot, rice cooker or griddle.
• Go get WiFi with a friend and laugh at YouTube videos.
• Go for a Sonic run and surprise your professors with their favorite soda.  If you don't already know their preference, text someone who knows them well or check their Facebook (people like to put random facts about themselves on the internet!).
• Stop by Walmart and get a bunch of flowers, then put one in each of your best buddies' mailboxes.
• Most campuses have a bookstore that's loaded with what students really want: candy.  You know someone on campus is having a worse day than you, so give them a sweet treat.
• Go into town with a friend and get your mind off your troubles by taking advantage of an attraction your city has to offer.  One of my friends took me kayaking on the Oklahoma River this week, and we had the time of our lives!
• Read a good book.  I'm not talking about the romance novels that make you depressed because you'll never meet your Mr. Darcy... I mean wholesome, meaningful reading like Passion and Purity, Lady in Waiting, and Preparing to be His Help Meet.  Go to the "May I Recommend" page for a list of my favorites!

If you can think of any others, please leave a comment!  These are some that are accessible to me as a college student, but surely you have some ideas that are appropriate to your stage in life.  I know life can be discouraging, but it doesn't have to stay that way!  Start a movement of kindness on your campus (or wherever you live!).  It will cheer up others and you!

Remember?

There is not a single life this day did not touch.  Everyone old enough to comprehend the fear and uncertainty this day brought can recall exactly where they were when they got the news.  I was twelve years old, and my mom, little sister and I were at Staples when Dad alerted us of the attack and encouraged us to head home where it was safer.  Being just a few hours from Washington DC, we started getting really nervous when the news broadcasted the attack on the Pentagon.

Let's turn this into a discussion... Where were YOU on September 11, 2001?  How old were you?  After you learned about the terrorist attack, what did you do for the rest of the day?

Long Awaited Post on Wedding Blog!

A few of you seem interested in following up on my wedding blog post concerning how to order a wedding dress from China.  Just to make everyone aware, the post is up and ready! =) I had to think for a minute about how I could integrate biblical principles into this one, but the point is simple: We must be careful stewards of the Lord's money!


So for all of my wedding enthusiasts out there, the long awaited success story has finally been written!  Click here to read about how I got the dress of my dreams for $195.  (No, it's not a typo.)


Don't take this post the wrong way; there's nothing wrong with buying your wedding dress from a bridal salon.  However, the specifications of modesty I needed could not be fulfilled in a typical strapless gown.  If you're like me and need a completely custom-made dress, this route is practical in every way.  But don't just do it without looking into it... let me give you some pointers!