Author: Lauren Curry

Lauren Curry is a twenty-something writer living in Washington, DC with an interest in sarcasm and a debatably unhealthy obsession with television. In her spare time, she enjoys taking pictures, spending too much money on shoes, and crying over fictional relationships. Twitter handle: @lcurry789 Facebook URL: https://www.facebook.com/lcurry789

5 Lessons You Learned From Your First Love

You First Love

The Lessons

First loves almost never last forever. When you meet someone at a young age, it’s nearly impossible to predict that the person you’ve found at 16 will be the same person you want to be with at 26. But despite its fleeting nature and possible heartbreak, your first long-term relationship is a lot more important than you think.

Regardless of the quality or length of the relationship, a first love can teach you a number of invaluable lessons. Such as:

 

1. Don’t Be Too Clingy

When you fall in love for the first time, the boundaries between infatuation and healthy relationship aren’t always entirely clear. If one or both of you have ever accused the other of being “too clingy,” you quickly learned that your constant presence wasn’t always as appreciated as you may have thought.

 

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8 Foods That Always Taste Better After You’ve Had A Few Drinks

Like all of life’s most interesting phenomenons, there’s even a science behind the drunken munchies. Almost as soon as you imbibe a few drinks, your sense of smell heightens, and according to a recent study, this may help to explain why food is so much more enjoyable when you’re drunk. Anything for science, right?

Just about everything tastes better after you’ve had a few drinks, but what’s the best option for your drunk and hangry self? Here are eight choices you’re sure to enjoy a little too much:

  1. Nachos

    Chips and salsa, waffle fries and cheese, bruschetta and mozzarella–the basic combination doesn’t matter all that much. As soon as you pile on the the fixings and toast that messy tray of nachos, you’re basically done for. Any amount of melted cheese and soggy, almost-burnt chips (how does that even happen?) don’t stand a chance of lasting more than a few minutes out of the oven when you’re drunk.

  2. Ice Cream

    One of the greatest and most noble American pastimes involves noon drinking on a hot summer day, rounding up your friends, and chasing the ice cream truck down the block after you’ve all had one too many. There’s usually a healthy amount of stumbling and obnoxious screaming involved, but that King Cone or half-melted Scooby Doo pop is totally worth the effort. Ice cream trucks should really consider operating year-round.

  3. French Fries

    The quintessential “old reliable,” french fries are practically a necessary component of any self-respecting night out. Plain or otherwise, ketchup or no ketchup, spicy or tossed with minced garlic, french fries require neither utensil nor fanfare.

  4. Grilled Cheese

    Just like mom used to make for your after school snack all those years ago–nothing’s more powerful than nostalgia and cheese.

  5. Bacon

    If you’re jonesing for “hair of the dog” after a long night and a crippling hangover, make sure you pair your self medication with a few slices of crispy bacon. There’s something almost saintlike about the alliterative (and greasy) combination of beer and bacon, and it’s the quickest way to make you forget you actually swore off alcohol a few hours earlier.

  6. Pizza

    After 10:00 pm hits, and the regular, sober customers clear out, most pizza places located strategically within walking distances of a bar crawl hotspot turn the pizza ovens back on, break out of the buffalo chicken and ranch dressing, and prepare for the onslaught of drunken passersby. There are few things in life more satisfying than that one, fully-lit food establishment in the distance, and at 2:00 am on a Friday night, it’s usually a pizza parlor.

  7. Fried Chicken

    No night of drunken revelry is quite complete without something fried, and sometimes, chicken is the only thing that fits the proverbial bill. For less than 10 dollars, you can usually get an entire bucket of fried chicken at all hours of the night, and who are you to turn down a delicious opportunity like that?

  8. Cheeseburgers

    These days, you don’t even have to rely on a subpar fast food cheeseburger to quell your drunken cravings for ground beef and cheese. Most trendy bars and clubs offer more than a few “artisan” cheeseburgers on their food menu, so enjoy that third beer with a ciabatta roll, sprouts, brie, or even a veggie alternative (if you’re into that sort of thing).

5 Reasons Your Best Friend Will Always Be There For You

You probably have a lot of friends in your life–several different people with whom you love to pass your evenings, share drinks, and trade laughs every so often. But among those people is one who stands just a few legs above the rest: your best friend.

It’s hard to define the difference between your “regular” friends and your best friend, but even if you can’t put your relationship into words, you can comprehend the divide every time you two spend time together. Circumstance put you both in the same place once upon a time and gave you hundreds of interests in common, and now, you just can’t imagine a life without your best friend by your side. Of course, that’s not to say that your other friends are disposable, it’s just that losing your best friend would be like severing a limb.

Thankfully, you’re not all that worried about having to live without them, because…

  1. You’ve Already Been Through a Lot Together

    Sure, you might find yourself in a tricky spot every once in a while, but it’s not like your best friend hasn’t helped you through a similar conundrum in the past (and vice versa). Your hardest moments are just par for the course of your friendship, and your best friend will never make you feel like your problems are too much for them to handle; because at some point or another, they probably already have.

  2. They Love You Like Family

    One of the main reasons your best friend hasn’t abandoned you for a less troublesome companion is because they can’t conceive of a life without you. To your best friend, you’re as close as family, and they wouldn’t think twice about dropping a sibling or parent. The bond you two share is fostered on love for one another, and love like that always manifests at the right intervals.

  3. They See Themselves Through You

    Maybe you two grew up together, or maybe you met each other in college while you both followed a similar career path. Whatever the case, you have a lot in common, and your best friend is as much your peer as anyone else. And as such, they identify with a lot of what you’re going through on a fundamental level. Your struggle is or will someday become their struggle, and viewing the way you’ve navigated through life’s complications gives them insight into their own potential problems.

  4. They’re Invested in Your Happiness

    Because they know you so well, and they know what you’ve been through, your best friend is often the biggest supporter of your general happiness. Sure, they’ll be there for you when you aren’t, but they really do want to see you in a more positive state of mind again. Your friendship probably began on jovial terms, and your best friend can’t wait to share a few laughs with you when you’re feeling up to it.

  5. You Would Do the Same for Them

    At the end of the day, the glue that holds you two together is mutually supported. Your friendship goes both ways, and you’re both totally aware that any problems one of you encounters are much easier to solve with the other fighting his or her friend’s proverbial corner. You both have each other’s best interests at heart, and you always will.

7 Character Traits You Should Look For In Significant Other

 As the saying goes: there really are plenty of fish in the sea. When you’re looking to find a special someone with whom to spend your time and share your life, you will always have several different types of people to choose from. And with all those options and possibilities on the table, choosing the right person often feels like an insurmountable feet.

Feeling a little unsure of what you should be searching for? Here are seven of the most important personality traits to look for in a new boyfriend or girlfriend:

  1. Honesty

    Every good relationship is built on trust, and that trust is created through absolute honesty. He doesn’t have to divulge every gruesome detail on command before he’s ready, but if you’re looking for an honest answer to a particular question or situation, he should be willing to give it. The right partner wants you to feel like you can depend on the things that he says and the actions he takes.

  2. A Sense of Humor

    She’ll want to make you feel at ease at all times, and laughter is a big part of that feeling. Even if she isn’t particularly good at telling jokes, she’s really good at hearing them without making a big deal out of a little playful mocking. A good sense of humor is a two-way street, and she should be equally willing to tease and be teased.

  3. Respect

    If you’re the type of person who requires a lot of space and alone time even within a relationship, he’s the type of person who is happy to give it to you. A good significant other respects all things about you: your mind, your body, your feelings, and your needs. He’s aware of the natural boundaries you’ve set for yourself because you two had an adult conversation about them, and he’s never going to make you feel intentionally uncomfortable.

  4. Vulnerability

    She doesn’t have to be emotional and nostalgic at all times, but she should be willing to let you in on some of the deeper aspects of her personality. Nobody wants to date a brick wall, so look for a significant other who is able to show you the softer side of who she is every once in a while, and who encourages you to do the same.

  5. A Willingness to Fight

    A good, raucous fight is healthy every once in a while, and your significant other shouldn’t avoid a confrontation with you for the sake of keeping the peace. When two people are angry about something valid, the peace cannot be kept for very long. Unless you both state your feelings and put them out in the open, you will never, ever resolve them, and you’ll both build a cloud of  destructive passive aggression around your relationship. He should be completely comfortable with the realities of a disagreement, and not shy away from letting you know how he feels when he’s upset.

  6. Creativity

    You two don’t have a ton of money, but somehow, she still manages to put creative effort into your lives together, and the dates that she plans are always exciting in their simplicity. She’s the type of person who’s able to look at something bland and turn it into something special, and she approaches most situations in her life in a similar way–including her relationship with you. A partner with a creative streak will always keep you guessing, and no, she doesn’t have to be Leonardo da Vinci to be artistic.

  7. Affection

    Your relationship should function on the mutual attraction and admiration you feel for one another, and a little physical reverence goes along way to illustrate your feelings. He doesn’t overdo it on the PDA, of course, but he enjoys being in close proximity to you, and often finds little excuses to hold your hand or keep his somewhere near you whenever appropriate. You two have a comfortable, affectionate rapport, and his presence only ever enhances the physical intimacy you share.

6 Reasons Your Parents Hate Your Significant Other

There’s nothing so frustrating as having to play mediator between your parents and your significant other. You love all three of them, and the last thing you want is for one or both parties to dislike one another. When two (or three) people who are thrust into close situations don’t get along, complications almost always arise. And who wants to be put in the position to have to choose between the people who raised you and the person you love?

If your parents seem to hate your love interest, it might be because…

  1. He’s Obnoxious

    You might be blinded by love, but your parents certainly aren’t. If your significant other is a little too much to handle for the average person, he probably just rubs your parents the wrong way. Some people simply don’t mesh well with others, and unfortunately, your boyfriend might be a difficult person to get along with.

  2. She Was Raised Differently

    Maybe your girlfriend wasn’t taught how to behave around her significant other’s parents, or her version of etiquette and respect is just a little bit different than yours. Whatever the reason, a culture clash might be to blame. Both your parents and your significant other should recognize that we don’t all come from the same background, and certain things that they value might not always translate directly. If this is the case, it’s best to impress on both parties that the tension is unintentional.

  3. Your Parents Would Hate Anyone

    Some parents are totally irrational when it comes to their little girl or boy. They don’t see you as a grown man or woman capable of navigating your love life accordingly; they see a preschooler who still needs mommy and daddy’s help. You need to explain to your parents that what you feel for your girlfriend or boyfriend is valid and worthy of respect, and they’re just going to need to understand that “good enough” is your judgement call–not theirs.

  4. He Doesn’t Treat You Well

    Of course, sometimes, your parents’ dislike for your boyfriend is totally justified. If you’re dating a cruel person, or someone who doesn’t treat you the way you deserve, they’re going to hate him. And they’d be right to.

  5. She Isn’t As Serious As You Are

    If your parents recognize that you’re ready to propose to your girlfriend, but she’s absolutely not ready to accept, their disdain is probably more pity than actual hate. They know you’re about to get your heart broken, and they know it won’t be anyone’s fault. It isn’t personal; they just love you.

  6. You’ve Changed Since You Two Started Dating

    Your parents love you, and they want you to be true to the person they raised. If you’re behaving like a chameleon and changing a little too much of yourself to fit your girlfriend or boyfriend’s standards, they’re going to be disappointed. They adore you for exactly who you are, and they’re going to want your significant other to love you, too.

5 Hobbies That Aren't Too Expensive For You To Try

These days, all the best hobbies seem to come with a steep price tag and a weirdly excessive time commitment. And oddly enough, the people who find the most enjoyment in these expensive activities always seem to have all the time in the world to invest in them. How they finance that lifestyle is a mystery for the ages, and the answer probably won’t help you find something cheap to do with your limited time off work.

If you’re looking for a new way to spend your free time without blowing through your three-figure paycheck, here are five cool hobbies you might actually be able to afford:

  1. Hiking

    Even if you don’t live near a particularly mountainous region, getting outside and taking a hike through the woods is a seriously underrated form of exercise. You’ll sweat, you’ll experience nature, and you’ll probably be treated to a spectacular view and a wonderful sense of accomplishment once you reach the top. You don’t need a special outfit or expensive boots to finish a well-worn hike, so throw on some old clothes and get outside.

  2. Knitting/Crocheting

    If you feel like you need to invest in the highest quality yarn, needles, and pattern books, knitting can get a little pricey, but a simple project almost never exceeds five or six dollars. And once you build up your collection of needles and learn to field the best sales on WEBS and Knit Picks, you’ll rarely spend more than two dollars making a gorgeous wool scarf.

  3. Drawing

    Even if you can’t draw stick figures, drawing is one of the cheapest and most relaxing activities out there. Seriously, just buy yourself a Frozen coloring book and a 64-pack of Crayola Crayons. You won’t regret it. Draw some happy trees.

  4. Writing

    If you have a computer or some paper and a pencil, you already have all the tools you need to craft the next great American novel.

  5. Ultimate Frisbee

    If you’re a college student with a little too much time on your hands, you should probably be playing Ultimate Frisbee. It’s basically free, and if you take a walk down to your college’s grassy areas (the quad or the athletic fields), you’ll likely find at least ten people throwing a frisbee around at any given time. Strike up a conversation and start a pick-up game. And no, you don’t actually have to be a college student to play.

How To Navigate Twitter During A Major Social Unrest

These days, it seems like there’s always a new hashtag movement gracing the trending topics of Twitter. When something controversial happens in the world, the young and the old alike take to the Internet to express their frustrations and have a conversation with those who are not connected by physical proximity. Information spreads, and issues that were once separated by thousands of miles find a way to combine forces and make change together.

Unfortunately, this concept of hashtag activism is still incredibly new, and as result, there are still a lot of kinks to work out. Most people are a lot more comfortable being obnoxious hidden behind the protection of the Internet than they are in real life, and the squeaky wheels among us have a tendency to pollute even the most cordial of conversations. 

If you’re struggling to find your place on Twitter during a major social event, try keeping the following in mind: 

For Every Original Tweet, Reblog As Many (or More) Tweets Made by Those Directly Affected

This should be a standard rule. If you’re the type of person who has a ton of followers waiting to retweet every little thing you say, understand your popularity is a powerful tool. Say what you will, but be sure you don’t do so at the expense of others. Every time you make a statement, make sure that the people who are affected directly by the social unrest aren’t being drowned out by your voice or privilege. Retweet the disenfranchised first.

Don’t Be a Troll

Why does this need to be reiterated so often? You might not find value in everything that’s going on in the world at any given time, but as you can clearly see, thousands of other people do. To them, this issue is real life, and your senseless mocking is a lot more hurtful than you think.

Understand What’s Going on Before You Comment

Before you go in with guns (or keys) blazing, find out what’s actually happening. Maybe you read a few out-of-context tweets, and your rage is totally unjustified? Understand the movement before you take offense. Curb your reactions.

Be Respectful of Those Involved

Calling strangers names or using anecdotes to try and prove someone else wrong doesn’t make you a devil’s advocate–it makes you a jerk. Understand that the people who started this movement did so to enact change, and for them, this is an important and necessary social event. Those who protest do so because they believe in their cause, and they deserve your respect.

Know Your Facts

You might think your Tweet sounds pithy and clever, but to others, you might sound bias and uninformed. Avoid that. Educate yourself before you comment, and get as many facts as possible before you take in or spread any information. The only invalid opinion is the ignorant opinion.

Take a Step Back

If you’re feeling a little in over your head, or confused by the concepts and discussions, take a moment to listen. You don’t need to speak as often as possible in order to learn. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is to sit back and read what others have to say. Your patience will inevitably breed a better understanding of what’s going on in the world around you, which will, in turn, help you to eventually speak from a position of education and empathy.

Why Your Weekend Napping Habits Are Actually Really Healthy

Despite manifold evidence to the contrary, naps are still treated like an inferior means of passing time not spent otherwise occupied. Often, we hear (from the unenlightened non-nappers) that there’s a whole world out there waiting to be conquered, and any time not dedicated to running around trying to do just that is a total waste.

People who take naps are generally called lazy and unmotivated; but those of us who prioritize a regular weekend napping schedule know better. Naps are seriously underrated.

If you’ve decided to forgo an active weekend in favor of a few extra hours spent in REM Cycle, here’s why you shouldn’t feel even the least bit guilty: 

You Probably Didn’t Get Enough Sleep During the Week

Most people don’t. In fact, the CDC calls our collective sleep deficit a “public health epidemic.” Of course, you shouldn’t let your weekend nap plans replace any sleep lost during the week, but if you’re feeling more tired than usual after a long and exhausting few days, you need to take the time to make up the difference. Just an hour or two on Saturday or Sunday (or both) will leave you feeling refreshed and ready to start Monday off on the right foot.

Less Coffee Will Be Needed

Coffee isn’t awful for you, but you should consider giving your body a break from the caffeine overload on the days in which you don’t need to wake up early. Instead of reaching for the coffee pot when the afternoon crash begins to set in, take a power nap instead. Twenty minutes of shut eye is enough to increase motor performance the same way a cup of coffee would, so skip the caffeine and curl up on the couch.

Shutting Off Your Brain is Important

Sometimes, zoning out with an episode of something mindless on Netflix just isn’t enough to give your brain a rest. Your brain is a muscle, and just like any other, it requires a break every once in a while. If your eyelids are beginning to feel heavy at four o’clock on a Saturday afternoon, don’t fight it.

You Can Nap with a Buddy

Cuddle up with that special someone instead of piling on the blankets to keep warm. Body heat always trumps the artificial, and who doesn’t love being close?

You Deserve a Break

Really. You work incredibly hard, and you’ve earned every moment of time spent on the down low. Of course, just because your days off the clock are limited doesn’t mean you need to shove a ton of excited plans into your weekend–sometimes, the best thing you can do for yourself and your peace of mind is absolutely nothing. Take that nap and achieve deep sleep.  You’ll feel so much better about life and the week ahead.

6 Reasons You Haven't Quite Healed From Your Recent Breakup

It doesn’t matter how amicably you and your former love interest parted ways–breakups are always the worst. At one point or another, we’ve all spent time pining over lost love, and wasting what little time we have dwelling on everything that went wrong in a once promising relationship. Was there something we could have done to prevent it? Absolutely not. But we ask ourselves that question ad nauseum regardless. The truth is, some of us take years to heal from a particularly traumatic breakup, and if you and your ex shared a serious relationship, the period you each spend mourning the loss will be compounded.

Of course, even if you think you should be a little further along in the healing process, you may be unintentionally setting yourself back a few months without even realizing it. Here’s why:

  1. You’re Still Contacting Your Ex

    Even if he or she has been texting or calling you first, if you still feel compelled to respond, you’re part of the problem. You need to set some strict rules directly following a breakup: no contact until you’re both ready to be “friends,” and a total understanding of the fact that that may not occur. You might never be able to talk to your ex in a platonic way, and neither of you should expect to go back to the way things were before you dated. Relationships change the way you see each other, and it’s hard to think of the person you once loved as someone less special. As hard as it might be, it’s time to stop communicating until you’re fully ready.

  2. You Look for Any Excuse to Talk About Your Ex

    Do you bait your mutual friends and acquaintances hoping they’ll catch on and divulge all the details of your ex’s life spent without you? Do you still bring up him or her in every mundane conversation? If all your discussions are still centered around your ex and your recent breakup, your mindset is, too.

  3. You “Stalk” His or Her Social Media Profiles

    Do you spend the majority of your free time scrolling through her Facebook posts and mentions on Twitter? Did you spend your lunch break at work 50 weeks back on his Instagram? Are you still “following” her on Tumblr and reblogging her posts? You need to cut yourself off, because this constant immersion in your ex’s online presence isn’t doing you any favors. There’s a very big difference between longing and obsession, and you’ve officially crossed the line.

  4. You Aren’t Looking to Date Anyone Else

    Sometimes, the quickest way to get over an ex is to find someone new, but if you’ve permanently removed yourself from the dating scene, you’re never going to get over that breakup. You deserve an attractive distraction. It doesn’t have to be serious, but it does have to be fun and enlightening. Holding an eternal flame for the ex is not a good look, and it isn’t helping you heal.

  5. Your Friends and Relatives Are Afraid to Mention the Breakup

    If you’re starting to feel like your nearest and dearest are walking on eggshells around you, you’re probably right. The people closest to you are worried they’ll upset you by mentioning your ex boyfriend or girlfriend, and this behavior is most likely learned through experience. If you’re still tearing up at the mere mention of your ex, you need a new game plan.

  6. You’re Jealous of All His or Her Potential Love Interests

    To you, any man or woman who dares to come within 50 feet of your ex is a threat even if you two have absolutely no plans to resume your romance in the future. You don’t own your ex, and your irrational jealousy is preventing you from moving on.

Why You Need To Stop Trying To Please Everyone

Sometimes, being a nice, dependable person is kind of exhausting. The world doesn’t always provide the necessary tools to teach us the difference between right and wrong, and we’re often at odds with the lessons we were taught as children, and the ones in which we have learned through our own experiences. As a result, many of our decisions come under scrutiny by those closest to us.

Pleasing the people we love might seem like a no brainer, but unfortunately, many of us find ourselves giving up a little too much of who we are for the sake of someone else’s contentment. There’s a lot of honor in being a giving person, but there’s a fine line between giving enough and giving too much. If you’re suffering to please all the people in your life, you’re absolutely giving too much

Because….

Some People Can’t Be Pleased

There are certain people out there who are just determined to take issue with everything, and unfortunately, you will run into several of them throughout your lifetime. Maybe your boss is one of them, or your father, or your best friend’s significant other. Regardless of where the connection stems, or how long you’ll have them in your life, you will deal with someone who cannot be pleased at some point or another. Understand that no matter what you do, they will always look for a reason to be bothered by you or the decisions you make. Recognize who these people are as soon as possible, and don’t waste too much of your time trying to seek approval from those who will never give it. 

You’re Worth More Than Someone Else’s Approval

If you feel like you’re using too much of your energy trying to please all the people around you, take a step back. You’re a lot more valuable than your ability to provide for others, and you need to take care of your own needs before you take care of someone else’s.

Pleasing Someone Else Might Involve Compromising Who You Are

Being a good person is important, but sometimes, you may find that doing the right thing and doing what others expect isn’t always the same thing. Often, some people are on the wrong side of an issue as a result of isolation or ignorance. History will prove them wrong; you don’t need to waste your time doing so.

It’s Basically Impossible

Repeat after me: I will never please everyone. No matter how hard you try, you will never be able to make absolutely every person in your life statistically “happy.” You don’t have that power–no one does. Your friends, family, and coworkers have their own duty to make themselves happy, and they should not rely on you to satisfy their every want and need. If you desire to be the sort of person people depend on, good for you! You’re a decent human being. But understand that being good doesn’t come with God-like responsibility. Do what you can to make the world a better place, and don’t kill yourself trying to get there.

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