5 Tips to Help You Avoid the Freshman Fifteen

The freshman fifteen…. I was certainly a victim. 

If you don't know, according to Wikipedia, the freshman fifteen " is an expression commonly used in the United States and Canada that refers to an amount (somewhat arbitrarily set at 15 pounds, and originally just 10) of weight gained during a student's first year at college," Wikipedia Freshman 15.
If you are dreading this because you just graduated high school or just finished your first year of college, please read my article, 5 Tips to Help You Avoid the Freshman Fifteen, published on College Mate, for their June Monthly Writing Contest. The freshman fifteen is preventable. 
Thank you College Mate for your critique, advice, and for giving me this opportunity. I love writing for the Monthly Writing Contest, and I hope to continue to work with you in the future.

-Pinkspen 💋

COLLEGE MATE

For some high school graduates, gaining the freshman-fifteen is one of the scariest things about going to college.

I can honestly say that I knew very little about gaining weight that fast in the first 2-3 months of college, but when it happened, I was 20 pounds heavier and so unhappy with my new freshman body.

I spent so much time hanging out with friends on campus in the Student Union, that I didn’t realize that everything I did revolved around food and dining.

So to avoid gaining the freshman fifteen yourself, here are 5 tips you should follow.

1. Don’t Hang Out in Food Spots

Don’t just sit in the café and the food court every day talking to your friends between classes. More than likely, you will overeat, because there is so much food around.

During my first year of college, I spent most of my time in…

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How to Maintain a Happy Long Distance Relationship

My article How to Maintain a Happy Long Distance Relationship has been published on College Mate by Alexis Chateau, PR !!!!

Maintaining a LRD can be difficult and college life does not make that any easier. Learning ways to keep the spark when you are miles away from each other is possible, despite the odds.

Please view the original post to support me and learn ways to maintain your relationship, long distance.

I love and appreciate all of you fellow bloggers and readers; hopefully you will provide me with your feedback on the original post! Looking forward to talking to you about your LDRs. 

-Pinkspen

COLLEGE MATE

Relationships are tough; adding distance to the mix doesn’t make them any easier. It’s hard enough to trust the partner you live with. Imagine trusting the one who lives a world away.

Because of this, some may say that long distance relationships don’t work. But the truth is, all relationships take effort. Some just take a little more than others.

Are you dating someone who is already in college? Is your significant other not going to college, but you are? Are you and your high school sweetheart going to different colleges?

If so, here are four ways to maintain a happy relationship while you’re apart.

Communication is Key

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It’s not always easy to keep up with everything that goes on in each other’s lives, but making the time to talk without distraction is an important part of making it work.

This doesn’t have to mean talking on the phone multiple times…

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I have been published!!! 

PLEASE VIEW LINK!

Hello to my fellow bloggers and to the 400+ followers who have taken the time to check out my blog, keep in touch, and support my dreams….

College Mate has published my article “Decoding the Bro Code: One Night Stand or Long Term Girlfriend?” for their March Monthly Writing Contest (please go to COLLEGE MATE to learn more).

Continue reading “I have been published!!! “ →

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Decoding the Bro Code: One Night Stand or Long-term Girlfriend?

I am overjoyed about COLLEGE MATE publishing my article for their March Monthly Writing Contest.

Please check out my article, Like, Share, Comment, Re-blog!!!!!
I seek to uplift, empower, and challenge women to be the best versions of themselves. 

College life is difficult for relationships and helping college freshman females to navigate through the differences between a FWB or a real intimate relationship, is my goal!

These are the signs to look out for if a guy just wants you as a Friend With Benefits…

COLLEGE MATE

I started college with big expectations of college guys. Most of those expectations were based on what I knew about high school boys; and college boys were supposed to be even better! I fully expected to find my college sweetheart, and live “happily ever after”.

Instead, what I found was that most college guys had one goal: to get you in bed. They would use every pick-up line, and give every compliment, just to trick you into  dropping by their dorm room to “watch a movie.” 

I found myself repeating this cycle until one day, I had to face the truth. I cried as I looked at myself in the mirror, and realized I was still single and lonely. I wanted a boyfriend, not casual sex.

Ladies, don’t be fooled, as I was. As freshman females, you are the fresh meat on a college campus.

College guys love to check out the new…

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College 101 for Freshman Females

University College of the World
College 101 for Freshman Females
Fall-Spring 2016-2017, LIFE 12345, 67890
M/T/W/Th/F/S/Sun 12:00a-11:59p
4 credits

Instructor: Ms. Pinkspen, MSW
Office Hours: M/T/W/Th/F/S/Sun 12:00a-11:59p
Contact: ladyhoodjourney.com

Welcome & Introduction:
Welcome to College 101 for Freshman Females. I am your instructor, Pinkspen. We will begin this course together where we will work together to prevent the most common mistakes that freshman females make when it comes to various forms of relationships on a college campus. This class is for freshman girls in college, “upper-classwomen” (Pinkspen), and high school girls who will someday graduate and be shipped off to a world that I wish someone prepared me for. Enroll in this course today!

Continue reading “College 101 for Freshman Females” →

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Dear 18-year-old me

Dear 18-year-old me,

There are just 3.5 months in between your high school graduation and your first day on a college campus…

Just because you are 18, you are not officially an adult; there are still parts of your brain that have not fully developed.

It’s okay to call your parents for help!

Continue reading “Dear 18-year-old me” →

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All the Single Ladies…

“I need to be in a relationship.”

Every time someone says these words, it just shows that “a relationship” is the last thing they need… (don’t get mad, just listen)

In 2007, I graduated high school. I was in a relationship that was slowly falling apart. I remember being at a welcome event on campus in the gymnasium with my friends. We were seated in the middle of about 60 rows of seats. I turned around, and there was this guy walking in late at the back of the room and I honestly just stared at him. Later on that day, there was a meet-and-greet for the Black Student Union on campus, and I saw him sitting outside in the quad with another freshman female. They were sitting really close together, so I assumed they were involved in some way. I continued to mingle and get to know students on campus at the event. Somehow, he ended up standing next to me as I stood in a group of friends, talking, so of course I said hello. We exchanged pleasantries, and after talking and laughing for a bit, I could tell he was interested but I didn’t forget that he was just all “booed up” with another girl a few minutes ago and I was in a relationship. Over the course of the next few weeks, I continued to see him. He would be outside of the Student Union on campus, at the gas station; I would see him driving his car, walking down the street, at the gym; he was everywhere. My boyfriend and I were not in a good place. I was young, and I needed a drama free life, so our relationship ended.  Now that I was single for the first time on a college campus I wanted to enjoy that life. I went out with my girls and went to every house party I could. One night, while at a party, as I danced in a circle with my girls, I saw him standing in the corner with his boys and I got super bold and walked over to him and we conversed for a while. The party ended with the police shutting it down, and of course, there he was to save my life. He drove me back to my dorm and we exchanged numbers. I had never expected a relationship of any kind, because I was trying to be single, but overtime, in my first year of college, I was in another relationship within a month.

This was a big mistake. Of course I learned a lot during this relationship; about love, life, and myself, but I jumped into this relationship way to quickly!

Companionship is a natural desire, but it is not what you need.

You may want a relationship, but what you need is much more important.

I have never found a quality relationship when I was looking for one. You know why? Because, being single is about taking care yourself not focusing on trying to find a man…It is about loving yourself; growing and becoming a stronger you.

How can you love someone else, if you do not love yourself?

The most important relationship next to your relationship with your greater power, is the one with yourself.

If you come into a relationship, broken, then you will break the other person. Hurt people, hurt people…and when someone you love hurts, you hurt too.

Although I am in a completely new and stronger relationship now, it happened when I was not searching…

If you have been single for a long time, and you are wondering why, you are on the right track. Asking yourself ‘why’ is essential to your personal growth.

Of course being single can be difficult, but so is being in a relationship…

Find a mentor or a counselor. Stop talking to your friends and family, their biases will steer you in the wrong direction because they love you…

So let go and let God! And don’t pray and worry…he will come when you are truly ready for him.

If you want a relationship, focus on yourself. Stop saying that you want a boyfriend, a girlfriend or a significant other. That special someone will come as soon as you stop searching…that is how it always happens!

Falling in Love is always accidental…

-Pinkspen

I had someone tell me to add my personal experiences to this post, so I did. We can all learn from one another…this is part of my story. I’m sure everyone has more than one story of how they met someone thay they fell in love with. LADYHOOD is a journey that never ends. Let’s  support, empower, challenge, and learn from one another. 

SINGLE

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Quote Source: Google

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