Go Bra-less: An Ode To Sweatshirts

Having a smaller-than-average rack is often liberating on its own when it comes to wardrobe choices, but there’s one time of year that calls for true boob equality. It’s Sweatshirt Season, and it’s the perfect time for all chicks to go braless.

 

Do you hear that wind outside? It’s the collective sigh of relief from women on college campuses all across the country.

Even those lucky ones in SoCal, with their 70-degree sunshine and glove-less hands, are met with chilly weather through much of their second semesters. But the chance to wear a sweatshirt softens the blow of an unpleasant breeze every time.

I’m writing this in a sweatshirt and a pair of leggings.

That’s right – I wear leggings as pants, though I’m alone in my apartment so having bottoms on at all is a stand-alone feat. I am, though, missing an important component of clothing and my chest is lovin’ it like a hungover sorority sister loves a large order of greasy fries.

Wearing a sweatshirt sans undergarments in the comfort of your dorm room is a small luxury, but it goes without saying that wearing that same braless outfit in public (during class, while shopping, or to your hair appointment) is an entirely different beast.

If you’ve never braved the cold winter weather in a sweatshirt without your supportive underwire, you’re missing a glorious part of your young life.

After all, going around town looking like a comfort-driven, overworked student won’t fly when you’re 40 and supposedly have your life pulled together. Plus, the benefits of your chesty freedom are endless.

For example, the thick fabric of your sweatshirt masks high beams. Hey, there’s no shame in feeling a little chilly in the cold winter weather, but that doesn’t mean that your fellow females are happy to see your nips beneath your t-shirt or that your male teachers aren’t going to uncomfortably avert eye contact with you when you sit near the classroom vents.

As if that wasn’t enough, the soft feel of fleece against your bare skin is really something to celebrate. Even the most comfortable bra camisoles and sports bras aren’t lined in cozy fleece.

Your sweatshirt might as well be coated in Xanax because you can actually feel relaxing vibes penetrating your boobs.

Then there’s the whole no-one-has-to-know thing. I mean, it’s like going commando for your top half. The sweet escape from convention is your little secret. Sure, you may decide to wink and tell that hottie in Biology-201 about your bouncy blessing, but that’s only because the rush of your rebelliousness is all too exciting.

I bet you thought we were done. We’re not! You can’t forget about the total sexiness of not having spandex lines etched into your body when you finally get home to undress. No need to spend the next 10 minutes itching your irritated skin when you skip the boob booster because you skin is still silky soft and, obviously, grateful.

If we haven’t convinced you to go to the store to buy a cute new sweatshirt, you’ll just have to take a leap of faith.

Sweatshirt Season is one of the best things that can happen to your perky pair this year and, should you take advantage of it, you will find yourself a new woman by springtime.

10 Things To Appreciate When You're Feeling Completely Overwhelmed

The lives that many of us lead today are filled with instant gratification, high-stress situations, and constant temptation. The pushing and pulling of each day can wear on a person, and you don’t have to have a high-powered job or be taking extra classes on campus to feel the tugging. It’s the 21st century, and appreciating what comes with it can be difficult.

As you feel this persistent tension in your life, whether it is in the car while stuck in traffic or during class when you’re asked a question to which you don’t know the answer, you may find yourself experiencing lower self-esteem and more stress. Those are the last things that you need to lose track of when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

Next time that you find yourself grasping at air, think about this list. We’re sure you can appreciate at least one of these things when everything else is making you totally freak out.

1. There is plenty of air.

Some of the most incredible things are the most easily forgotten. For example, we live on a planet that has plenty of air for us to breathe. Without the combination of air that surrounds us now, we might not exist.

2. You can feel your pulse.

Somewhere, if you trace your body with your fingers along your neck or wrist, you can feel the rhythmic beating of your own heart. Steady, slow, or speedy, you can take a moment to appreciate this very real evidence that you are alive.

3. You can think about thinking.

Isn’t it neat that you can not only form thoughts, but then you can form thoughts about forming those thoughts? The mind is an incredible, difficult to define construct in this life and you are lucky enough to have one that is capable of many things.

4. You know that someone, somewhere loves you.

No matter how down you feel, someone out there has a heart that is happy to accept you. Whether this person is a friend or family member or someone you haven’t met yet, you will never go unloved.

5. Someone invented donuts.

This happened and it has been making people smile on rainy mornings for decades. Sure, it may not be the best thing for you but at least you can enjoy its taste when you’re in a crowded airport or at your desk when you have a dozen things to do that day. Savor it.

6. You’re able to access the Internet (if you’re reading this).

Could you imagine living in a time when there was no Internet? Most of our readers are pretty young, so we’ve never experienced life without the World Wide Web. The list of things that the Internet allows us access to is practically endless, and we are fortunate to be able to utilize this incredible tool in the present day.

7. There is music.

Whether you can hear every note or can only feel the beat, music can speak to you. Take the time to listen and feel a new song today.

8. People donate their time to help others.

In a world full of free will, there are people who are willing to take their precious time on Earth and spend it helping others improve their lives through any given number of means. That is a remarkable reality.

9. You have a memory of something that makes you happy.

Whether this memory is a new memory or a memory from long ago, you have the power to recall a moment that filled you with happiness. It is a secret weapon like no other when you are feeling overwhelmed and you never even have to speak about it to make use of it.

10. You’ve made it this far.

If you are reading this, you have survived in the womb, through infancy, through childhood, and beyond. You are a miracle. Soak up every bit of this experience and make every day from today forward a particularly excellent one.

8 Awkward Things That Will Happen At The Pool This Year

Well, if it isn’t almost summertime. The sun is shining, the trees are flashing their green leaves, and the lawns are just starting to yellow in the warmer temperatures. That sounds like a promising set up for summer fun!

Of course, with summer come masses of people hanging out in the same place. You’ve got crowded concert lawns and outdoor shopping malls. Then there are the oceans and pools. Ugh. The pools.

Something about community pools really rubs me wrong. I can’t resist the cool water and smell of chlorine, though. It calls to me. It begs me to swim in it and open my eyes to the burn. Unfortunately, there are lots of awkward things that go down in the pool.

  1. The Guy That Sweats

    This person uses the pool as a replacement shower for after his workout, after he has been tanning, or after he just gets really sweaty by being out and about in the warm weather. You watch his glistening body jump into the pool and you immediately decide to leave because the idea of being that close to his prolific sweat makes you gag.

  2. The Person That Pees

    I say ‘person’ because this is not necessarily a child who lets it all out there. When you’ve been swimming with a friend for hours and they’ve never taken a potty break, you know you need to end your friendship.

  3. The Kid That Poops

    This one is my personal favorite. Sure, chlorine is a pool miracle or whatever. But unless you wrap the poop in a coating of antibacterial gel and then set it on fire, you should still be grossed out. After all, it’s usually been in the water for a while before you find out about it. Plus…farts.

  4. The Drive-By Grazer

    This is the desperate swimmer who goes to the pool to get saucy with other people. If you think you just accidentally got felt up in the public pool, you’re wrong. You just intentionally got felt up by the creep who liked the way you looked in your bikini. Hot.

  5. The Person That Spits

    Some people never learned that they should swim with their mouths closed. These people take cues from whales and swim with their mouths happy to slurp up the water until they realize they have no blowhole. So they spit the water out. In the pool. Near you. Germs.

  6. The Swimsuit That Falls Off

    Talk about an awkward incident. There is always a person at the pool who suffers a wardrobe malfunction. I’ve been that person. You’ve been that person. Your grandma has been that person. Trying to act like it didn’t happen when you know your brother just saw your nipple, well, it’s rough.

  7. The Maker-Outers

    Now and then you get a couple in the pool that seems to have forgotten that this is not, in fact, their own private sex tub. When I see a duo making out, legs wrapped around one another, I get out of the pool. I ain’t trying to get pregnant. #OldWivesTale. #Yuck.

  8. The Obnoxious Drinker

    While I’m not necessarily against the idea of absorbing my alcohol through my skin, I don’t find this to be an effective way to get wasted. So, thank you anyway, Mr. Obnoxious Drinker, but I’m actually going to get by without you sloshing your beer all across the water while you talk about your glory days. Really.

Why Having Patience Will Change Your Life

Being Patient And Its Benefits

Patience. They say it’s a virtue.

What it really is, though, is a lifeline. Dictionary.com defines patience as “the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like.” Because patience allows a person to refrain from extraordinary reactions where they likely aren’t warranted. And patience can provide peace of mind for the person who practices it. Additionally, being patient makes it possible for people around you  to experience a similar relief.

If one can handle the pressure of life while maintaining a level of patience, great things can happen. Check them out:

You will experience a more beautiful life.

Without a cloud of frustration fogging your take on the world, you have the potential to appreciate more in your life. And you will learn to slow things down, while weighing the experiences testing your emotions against the consequences of them. Moreover, you will  absorb the experiences for what they are – learning ones, trying ones, or wasteful ones.

If you can experience life with a sense of patience, you will be better equipped to sit with the reality of those experiences. And make them positive encounters. That means you will see a traffic jam as a reason to look into other routes before your next commute. And understand that a child’s tantrum is a way for them to learn about boundaries. So rather than letting these be inconveniences that have ruined the course of your day, you soak up the good vibes.

Your relationships will benefit.

When you exhibit patience among your friends and family, you will find that your interactions go more smoothly. And that you can enjoy their company far more. Patience means to accept the way that life is unfolding.

Certainly, when people take advantage of your patience by consistently being late for dinner dates or not putting away their dishes after eating on them, you have a right to be upset.

But patience will aid you in these experiences, however, because you can approach any issue with a sense of calm seriousness, rather than clouded emotion. Try this out and watch your relationships change before your eyes.

You will become better at your job.

Even at workplaces where urgency is critical, patience can make you a more effective employee. Stress can simply pull the mind away from what matters most, instead of zeroing in on priorities.  When you practice patience, you will see that stress becomes less of a barrier to success. You will handle coworkers and clients with more tact. And you will not put the same pressures on yourself as you typically might under other circumstances. So you will better be able to evaluate your own output.

A patient person can be a happier person. And happiness at work is currently underrated. Invest in your patience and see your productivity and workplace satisfaction flourish.

4 Extraordinary Things The Brain Does That We Take For Granted Every Day

The brain is pretty impressive. It does all kinds of neat things for us throughout the day and into the hours that we’re asleep. It keeps our hearts beating, it lets us know when we’re touching things that will burn us, and it helps us to weigh the pros and cons of major life decisions.

While those examples just scratch the surface of the incredible things that our brains are capable of on any given afternoon, it goes without saying that we take our brains for granted when we’re multitasking at the office or enjoying a night downtown. Shouldn’t we sometimes stop and reflect on all of the cool things our brains can do?

If you’re feeling down today or generally need to slow your life down and appreciate the little things, try reading through this brief list of things our brains do for us. It might help you feel a little more grateful or a little more relaxed – after all, your brain has you covered.

1. Recognizing Faces.

Every day, we greet people we know from across the room and enjoy photos of friends on social media. We can recognize a client during a happy hour outing and know what to ask him about his circumstances since the last meeting – all before he even speaks. You can tell people apart just by looking at them thanks to the fusiform face area. Some people are unable to recognize a person simply by looking at a face. Instead, context clues like size of the body, style of clothing, or distinct vocal pattern is what takes a person from misrecognition to, “Oh, that’s Sally!” Having a functioning ability to identify a person just by sight is pretty handy.

2. Remembering A Conversation While It’s Happening.

There are times when we all space out during a conversation and miss the last few seconds of chatter. It can be embarrassing, sure, but it’s not the norm when it comes to engaging in a discussion. You are probably able to carry on a conversation for many minutes, or even hours, and still remember what has been said from one sentence to the next and recall it accurately more or less a few days later. For people with some kinds of amnesia, remembering anything after the amnesia sets in can be difficult. Some people are even unable to remember what happened just seconds in the past. You can imagine that the confusion and frustration relating to that would make life incredibly difficult to navigate. Thank goodness so many of us have healthy memory centers!

3. Adapting To Substances.

Our brains help our bodies to maintain equilibrium on many fronts. When we frequently ingest something that messes with our neutral state, like alcohol, our bodies adapt by changing things up to take care of those substances more quickly the next time they show up in our systems. When we reduce our intake, the body goes back to normal. If our bodies didn’t adapt so seamlessly, it would be easier to overdose or shock the body with every day mishaps. Additionally, our body can predict our actions based on our habits and surroundings. If you always have coffee in the morning, your body can actually fight the alertness that the caffeine will cause by prepping your body to be drowsier as you walk to the kitchen. That way, when you drink your coffee, you’re less likely to get more alert than your physical baseline. This is why drug addicts that change up their routines (use a different color needle or otherwise miss the trigger that warns the body what is coming) can overdose on the same dosage they would normally use. The body didn’t have time for that second level of preparation. Upon reflection, we’re lucky we have any of these defenses!

4. Judging Depth.

Whether it’s just realizing that we still have one more step on the staircase or we are at the edge of a cliff, being able to perceive depth is kind of a big deal. If you weren’t able to sense a drop, you might not have such a fear of heights but you’d be stuck with worse consequences like injury or death. The brain judges these kinds of differences in distance and size through cool visual cues, like the degree of lens’ bulge on the eyeball or the tension the eyes experience as they turn inward to focus on an object. There are also the tips and tricks that we pick up on as we experience different settings throughout life, like shadows and comparison against nearby objects. Understanding our world as 3-D when we can only really see it as 2-D is pretty remarkable and makes our lives easier each and every day.

5 Reasons Why Dating A Mr. Military Officer Is Unlike Dating Anyone Else

When you date a military officer, your life changes. Suddenly, you’re part of a community that has its own culture and your time becomes both more and less valuable, depending on the circumstances. You can go to extravagant balls, take part in milestone celebrations, and move to places you never thought you’d live.

Of course, not all of the things that come with dating a man in the military are awesome. Some parts of the relationship will kind of suck. It takes a special person, after all, to stick it out during deployments and long-distance schooling and sudden moves to other states. Sometimes, though, the balance works in a way that benefits both parties, and you have time to really enjoy one another for the time that you do have together.

If you’re dating an upstanding military officer, we bet that you have your share of fun stories, crazy stories, and stories that hit you in the feelings. So do we…

1. He Is More Loyal Than You Could Imagine

Loyalty is one of the most important character traits of a man in the military. He is taught this throughout school and endures practice after practice relating to loyalty before putting his lessons into action in the field. Naturally, his loyal tendencies apply to you, too. He will protect you if he feels it is necessary, he will go out of his way to make it known that he is a promising partner, and he will be proud to introduce you to his friends once he knows that you are loyal to him, too.

2. He Sticks To His Promises

A man of his word, he will always keep his promises when the military doesn’t get in the way. What we mean is that he values his commitments and, since the military often determines how he spends his time, he takes advantage of opportunities to follow through on his promises when he doesn’t have duty getting in the way. Time is valuable to him and he hasn’t forgotten that when he is in your company.

3. He Hasn’t Forgotten About Chivalry

One of the most impressive aspects of dating a military officer is that he still knows how to treat a lady in a way that makes her feel special. He still holds the door open for you when you walk into a building, he still calls your mother “ma’am,??? he still gives you foot rubs if you’ve been wearing heels all day, and he still pays for dinner. As long as you speak up, though, he’s happy to let you take the lead as he’s comfortable with the fight for female equality in his line of work and understands the importance of a level playing field.

4. He Puts Tradition Before Convenience

Depending on your personality, this part of dating a man in uniform can be awesome or a bit of a struggle, but it’s something worth appreciating either way. He wants to get married at the church associated with his branch of the military just as much as he wants to sing fight songs during his college’s football game by himself in the living room. He won’t skip over asking your father for your hand in marriage, either. Tradition is a part of him, so anything less would feel wrong.

5. He Has Friends Who Put You First

You not only get your man when you date an officer, you also get his friends. They’ve seen their girlfriends and boyfriends navigate the challenges that you are experiencing and they can help you through tough times before you realize you’re going through one. You always have people to talk to and to be joyous with and you’ll never feel like you don’t fit in with them. It’s the perfect bonus to an already pretty cool relationship.

6 Things Suburban 20-Somethings Want That Can Wait Until Later

It’s one thing to reward yourself with something reasonable after you graduate from college, but making a habit of spending entirely too much money in your twenties isn’t a great long-term plan. 

Whether you really enjoy dining out or you simply have an over-the-top shopping habit, it’s important to recognize that life has just gotten started and there is plenty of time for fancy things later on in life. Rent, food, and a family all cost money but your priorities matter, too.

We’re ready to help you weed out your vices. Check out our list and see if you can relate to some pretty typical temptations for recent graduates in their twenties!

  1. A New Car

    For a lot of people in a lot of places with a lot of jobs, a car is a necessity. Public transportation isn’t always an option, riding a bike isn’t always realistic, and hitching a ride leaves you incredibly dependent on another person. Buying a new car, though, doesn’t need to be the first thing that happens after a 20-something graduates from college. A lot of us have crummy cars from high school that still run perfectly well even if they don’t look shiny and current anymore. Those of us that don’t can always opt for a well-maintained used car instead. Spending so much on appearances is, for many entry-level professionals, a waste of money.

  2. A Nice Apartment

    Nice and safe are different from one another. When watching shows like House Hunters on television, it becomes very apparent that many young people expect stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors, updated fixtures, and more. Sure, our parents may have these nice components of a home but they’ve also been working for an extra 30 years. There’s nothing wrong with doing our time in safe but modest housing with (Gasp!) brass knobs, kind-of-gross carpet, and laminate countertops.

  3. Designer Accessories

    We expect our significant others to shower us in Michael Kors and Kate Spade, and some of the truly crazy actually ask for Louboutins at Christmas. Whatever happened to a heartfelt card or a romantic gesture? After all, money is usually kind of tight at this age and there are lots of other ways to say, “I care.” We’re too young to be keeping up with the Joneses, so shop for less expensive accessories and don’t expect too much from your loved ones. They have to pay rent, too.

  4. An Engagement Ring

    This is more of a thing for early 20-somethings. After dating for a year or two, sometimes the engagement ring is expected. While that may work out for both parties, sometimes it’s best to test the waters for a bit longer before the question gets popped. College life is different from the real world. Figure out how you and your significant other handle the job hunt, finances, paying rent, and balancing your social lives before you assume you’ll be the right fit for the long term.

  5. A Senior-Level Paycheck

    The cost of living in some places really sucks. A lot of entry-level jobs aren’t paying what you need in order to live comfortably, but you also don’t need to be getting paid the same as your sister who is five years older than you. There is something to be said for working your way up from the bottom, assuming the bottom is still a respectable wage for your experience, education, and rent expectations. Pick a company for the potential of growth and avoid selling your soul for a crazy cool paycheck right after school.

  6. A Gourmet Coffee Lifestyle

    I’m guilty of this one, so this is more of a personal pep talk than it is a scolding. You see, having worked at a business where employees and clients waste a ton of money on gourmet coffee, I became consumed with doing the same. Working part-time, I would make maybe $150 per week and find myself with about $20 after my trips to the café. Opting for at-home coffee can easily save you a huge chunk of your monthly budget. You can splurge once you’re rich and famous.

5 Style Trends You're Going To Regret In 10 Years

Fashion. It’s wonderful and frightening all at the same time. Right now, everything seems ‘on point’ – even the comeback of the denim pencil skirt, which is still questionable. Of course, years down the road, we’ll look back on many of the trends and wonder why we ever tried to pull them off. Case study #1: popcorn shirts.

So, while you’re getting dressed today or scheduling your next hair appointment, take a moment to consider what you’re rocking. There’s nothing wrong with being trendy, but some fads are better than others.

See if you agree with our quick list of questionable fashion and beauty moves, below!

  1. Ombre

    Now that ombre’s more subtle and mature sister balayage has stepped into the ring, you’re sure to look back on your more desperate lightening attempts with a sense of disapproval. Who thought that distinct roots looked awesome and why did you choose to color your ends to one that the sun could never lighten your hair to in real life? Orange is not a flattering mid-shaft hue. #RealRegret.

  2. Too-High Heels

    Shoes that not only have soaring heels but also have a wobbly platform base in order to make you six inches taller than you stand normally are, in fact, ridiculous. Sure, standing practically on your toes might make your legs look fantastic, but unless you’re half-mortal, half-god, you cannot look awesome walking in those when you’re tipsy.

  3. Dark Lipstick

    Pause. Think about looking at your favorite female celeb from the 90s and bring to mind her frosted, iridescent pink lip gloss. While I admit that I still compliment some of my darker-skinned friends on their deep plum choice of lip color (probably because I wish I could pull that off with my fair skin), something tells me they’ll regret the gothic corpse look a few years down the road.

  4. Bedazzled Nails

    There is nothing wrong with blinging out your fingernails with glitter accents, funky designs, or lumpy rhinestones, but I consider that to be the colored barrette of this decade. Everyone does it and is impressed when they see someone who has pushed the limit tastefully (arguable…) but they’re a bit gaudy and going to be rightfully claimed by the elementary schoolers again before we know it.

  5. Manbrows

    I’m a huge supporter of letting your brows have space to breathe, or filling them in manually if they’re beyond repair. Adding some framing to your face isn’t a crime, after all, and it can really add character to your look. If your brows are particularly bushy, though, some maintenance is beneficial. When it comes to letting your brows run totally free, for example, or creep in for a handshake over your nose and generally look like an unkempt man’s brows – well, I just think some people might not look back on that phase too fondly.

Life After School: Finding Your Purpose Between College And Your First Job

You’ve just graduated from college. What does your upcoming week look like right now? If you’re one of the grads living the dream, you probably have a job lined up and you’ve given yourself a week or two to relax before diving into it. If you’re like a lot of graduates, though, you might not really know what to do.

College took up a pretty huge chunk of your life and picking a career can be frightening – What if you pigeonhole yourself in a line of work that you don’t realize you hate until it’s too late? What if you go to a hundred interviews and never get hired? What if you take a job that pays too little and wind up with serious FOMO while your friends are all buying their first cars and starting to invest in their futures?

Whether you’re actively job-hunting without any real leads or you’re just unsure of what to do next, we can help you make the most of your time. No, we’re not going to tell you to travel the world or give you pointers for a 20-something bucket list – that’s a different article. We’re just going to help you find some worth while you’re navigating that ‘in-between’ stage. 

First, if you want to work, reflect on why you aren’t doing that. Have you not had the time to hunt for a job? Has nothing seemed quite fantastic enough? Do you have commitment concerns? Write down a plan and work toward that next step.

If your issue is time, take three days a week and set aside two hours each day to job hunt online using search engines and networking sites. In addition, open your schedule once or twice a month to attend conventions and networking meetings. You can find the time to look for a job as long as you make it a priority.

If your standards for your first post-college job are too high, you’ll want to rein them in during this time of ultimate flexibility. You don’t necessarily need to be making $50,000 right away. Dream big, of course, but there’s nothing wrong with taking a lesser job for the growth potential that it has within a company so long as there is a more senior position that you can keep working toward over the next few years. Most importantly, though, remember that you can get a job that isn’t quite your ideal job now and continue looking for another job while you’re employed.

For some graduates, applying and interviewing for positions isn’t the problem. The problem is choosing what line of work you want to be in for the next few years. Doing research on a few types of jobs can help give you clarity on these options. If you love helping people, as an example, consider human resources, donations departments, public health, and teaching careers. Sure, those are areas that come with very different career paths, but once you have a goal then reaching that position becomes easier. Do you need certifications or a master’s degree for a prosperous career in that field? It’s time to look into schooling. Do you need basic internship in administration before you can be hired? It’s time to pick up a part-time position at a local office. Do you just need to be more knowledgeable on the topic in order to nail the interview? It’s time to pick up a how-to book. Being proactive with respect to your life path will keep you sane during the gap between school and employment. 

Aside from career moves, you can find purpose in less concrete ways. Taking on some level of responsibility for your mental and physical health can lead to a great feeling of accomplishment, off-setting the stagnant sensation of being unemployed after graduation.

Achieving mental clarity and calm is a great place to start. Focus on tactics that relieve stress, like daily meditation. You might find that there is more time in the day to read a great book on the porch, broadening your mind, so take advantage of that. Perhaps, instead, you benefit from writing in a journal because you’re better able to think through your emotions that way. Maybe, though, you just want to start sticking to a schedule in order to minimize blocks of unconstructive time – whatever works for you. Putting your own sense of mental health at the front of your to-do list will allow you to be more confident in your decisions and in yourself, which can be crucial to having a sense of purpose during this confusing time.

Then there’s the physical side of things. Jump on the treadmill or go for a walk every day to keep your body from feeling sluggish or anxious. Stretch before you fall asleep to relax a little better or simply join an exercise class to keep yourself feeling socially relevant while working up a sweat. You’ll probably find that you sleep better and feel less physically inept when you maintain some level of fitness. Moving toward overall wellness, including in the physical realm, will promote your sense of ability and self-worth – two things that come across clearly during a job interview. 

Above all, though, focus on your relationships. Once you’re employed, you may have less time to spend with friends, family, and significant others. Suddenly, those days that you were free to stop by their offices for lunch or able to drop by for drinks in the evening become a distant memory and seeing those people once a month becomes the norm. While you have the time, foster those relationships, romantic and platonic, so that they still have a past to stand on when you do finally get employed. We sometimes miss out on opportunities to feel companionship, camaraderie, and belonging, which can offset experiences like depression. Very few periods in life support relationships like this time does. Soak it in before it’s too late!

9 Things To Know When Dating A Girl With A Big Family

As the youngest of five children and having many friends who come from smaller families, it has become incredibly apparent that my family is different from the others. It’s not just that we all have strong personalities or that half of us can outdrink anyone in the neighborhood (we’ve got Irish blood) but instead that having so many people in your immediate family changes up the playing field that we think of as ‘growing up.’

From dinnertime conflicts with practice schedules; to getting ready for school with just two bathrooms; to planning for college and the coming of the big 2-1 for each teen – having a big family makes life anything but traditional nowadays.

Dating is no exception to the list of special experiences that come with having a handful of brothers and sisters. Here’s why:

  1. You’ll Be Interrogated At First

    It’s not that the family assumes you aren’t good enough for the special girl in their lives, it’s that they rightfully have some questions for you. When meeting a smaller family, you only have to throw out a few answers for the curious brother or nosy mother. When it comes to a bigger family, though, you’re fielding questions from a bunch of different people who all have different lines of thought that they need satisfied. Some families are friendly, some are fun, and some are serious. All big families, however, will leave you feeling like you just had a two-hour job interview after that first meet and greet.

  2. You Can Make Mistakes

    There have been so many boyfriends and girlfriends who have come and gone between each sibling that the parents have developed enormous sympathy for the guys and girls who have to brave quality time with them. They’ve have had so many children, in fact, that they’re comfortable with an accident happening every day, with an emergency always being on the horizon, and with good intentions often falling short. That’s life. You’re in good hands if you crash and burn.

  3. You Won’t Be Everyone’s Favorite

    Just because you’re awesome doesn’t mean that you’ll get along perfectly with everyone in the family. There are just too many people, too many personalities, and too many opinions to make you a dead ringer for the title of Favorite Significant Other. Knowing this ahead of time can make it easier to relax – be yourself and you’ll probably end up with at least two big fans. You’ll just have to grow on the others.

  4. You’ll Have An Army To Fight For You

    Once you’re welcomed into the family with open arms as a long-term partner to the daughter and sister, you’ll have a group of people who will do anything for you. If you need a ride to the airport, they’ve got you. If you need a recommendation for a job, you’re covered. If someone is bullying you at the bar, they better be ready to fight an army. Big families treat loved ones like their own.

  5. You’ll Never Want To Discuss Politics Or Religion

    There are just too many opinions in there: Back up! Even members within the family probably know better than to discuss hot button issues amongst one another. While you may know that your girlfriend has certain tastes or affiliations, you’ll likely never know how strongly members of her family feel in any direction on a given topic. Stay away from politics, religion, or any other touchy subject when hanging with a big family.

  6. You’ll Need A Good Sense Of Humor

    Part of the survival strategy of kids in large families is the development of a sense of humor. Harmless teasing is more common than polite conversation. Pointing out the flaws of others is a test in humility because wit will always be used to turn clever comments back on you. And if you struggle with sarcasm, be prepared to do a lot of innocent smiling. You’re going to be thrown into the thick of the jokes when you start becoming close with a big family. Have some comebacks in your back pocket for when you need them.

  7. You’ll Never Be Bored

    Someone is always going to be doing something impressive at work, having a relationship crisis, or in “a mood” when you’re close with a big family. You may not know all of the details, but you’ll know that there is never a moment to rest because you’re either celebrating, circling the wagons, or simply being present for someone in the group at any given time. This is just one reason for why big families are so great.

  8. You’ll Always Be Welcomed With A Drink

    I’m sure there are actual statistics on this that would prove otherwise, but I’ve never known a large family that didn’t like to throw one back on the weekend. It probably has something to do with dealing with all of those people – you’ve got to stay sane somehow, right? If you’re a fan of a beer after work or a family reunion complete with sangria and something stronger, you’ll always be in good company around a big family.

  9. Once They Love You, You’ll Mean The World To Her

    A girl with a big family usually cares about what her brothers, sisters, and parents think. When it comes to whom she’s dating, though, the stamp of approval is particularly important. Once she realizes that they are really fond of you, you’ll bury your way deeper into her heart. It’s a win-win, man. Just hold out a little bit longer!

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