I SURVIVED | BLOGMAS DAY 9

^^^^ ME RN ^^^^

Guys, in the past 24 hours I have written 12.5 papers. I'm almost done with the last paper of my marathon from hell night of homework. My brain is mush. My eyes are bloodshot. My fingers can't even type words properly anymore (this is taking painful concentration to make sure I spell nothing wrong). I almost fell down the RB death stairs because I closed my eyes and got lightheaded and lost my balance. Am I even a human being anymore? I'm not sure. Pray for me. I love Fetty Wap also I ordered the Rap Year Book last night in my drunk-on-caffeine induced haze. It looks frickin hilarious (thanks @blymanwarrior for the recommendation). I can't wait to get it and read all about the moost prominent and influential rap song of each year. I'm pretty typed out at this point, so I'm gonna go finish that last .5 of a paper (it's on saving the whales) and then close my eyes for a half a second before I have class and then work. Don't worry though, I have absolutely no plans tomorrow except for the plans I have made to stay in bed all day. CAN'T WAIT. Criminal Minds.......here I come. 

XOXO,

gabs.

MY WILL | BLOGMAS DAY 8

Hey guys! Taking a quick little break to let you all know that I'm alive and probably will not be alive tomorrow. I got a cute lil email from my TA at 3 today saying that all the assignments that previously thought were due on Friday are actually all due tomorrow which means all nighter for meeeeee! I'm doing mad work tho, cranking out these papers like it's my frickin day job. But just in case I don't make it out of this night alive, here's my will:

My money - there's none of it, so it goes to no one.
My clothes - try to sell them on eBay like the Kardashian's do with all of their old clothes. When that doesn't work, give them to Plato's Closet so I have at least a little bit of money to give to my parents from the grave. My sisters/close friends are allowed to pick 5 items each before this happens.
My shoes - separate from my clothes, for SURE. Bury me with my shoes. THX.
My social media accounts - the passwords are mine & mine alone, but please don't do that lame thing where you report me as dead so my account gets taken down. Leave my social accounts up so people can scroll through & remember me for the hilarious pop culture icon that I am. Also make sure to go back and RT my old tweets at random times. Thanks guys.
My Spotify playlists - once again, don't touch these babies. Make sure to archive them and then go back and listen to them every once in a while in my memory. My ghost will come jam with you.
My signed copy of Selfish by Kim Kardashian - bury me with this also.
My books - give 'em to my mom cause I mark them up like crazy and I think she'd like that.
The pan of fudge on my counter - give it out to people on campus outside of the library because my fudge is frickin' fantastic. Don't give any to my game night friends because they didn't appreciate my fudge while I was alive so they don't get to enjoy it while I'm dead.
The expired gallon of milk in my fridge - mail it to my enemies.
My phone/iPad/laptop/etc.. - destroy them. No one can see the screenshots I have.

K THAT'S LITERALLY ALL THAT I OWN, SO THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR HONORING MY REQUESTS. LOVE YOU GUYS. MAKE SURE TO USE MY BEST SELFIE AS MY OBITUARY PICTURE.

XOXO,

gabs. 

SPOTIFY YEAR IN REVIEW | BLOGMAS DAY 7

I missed yesterday but sometimes bad things happen to good people and it's how we get through those challenges that define us as people. 

Today I got my Spotify Year In Review music analytics, so I thought I'd share with you guys what I learned from that. Some of these will be surprising, some will be not surprising at all. 

The first song I listened to in 2015 was How To Be A Heartbreaker by Marina & The Diamonds. Obviously I learned nothing because all of 2015 was very #single.

My most listened to artists were: (1) Halsey, (2) Kanye West, (3) Big Sean, (4) Rihanna, and (5) Shawn Mendes. Kind of surprised about the Rihanna one, but then again I listened to American Oxygen on repeat for like 3 weeks when it came out, so not really surprised I guess.

My most listened to albums were: (1) Dark Sky Paradise by Big Sean, (2) Handwritten by Shawn Mendes, (3) BADLANDS by Halsey, (4) BEYONCÉ (Platinum Edition) by Beyoncé, and (5) My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West. All of these are phenomenal albums.

My most listened to tracks were: (1) Monster by Kanye West (guys I can rap this like nobody's business), (2) Ugly Heart by G.R.L., (3) The GRAMMY NOMINATED (!!!) Back to Back by Drake, (4) Bad Intentions by Niykee Heaton, (5) Feeling Myself by Nicki Minaj ft. Beyoncé

My top genres were: (1) Pop, (2) Dance Pop, (3) Pop Rap, (4) Indie R&B, (5) Hip Hop. Not many surprises there lol.

My top 3 listened to artists of each season are as follows:

Winter - Kanye West, Halsey, Avril Lavigne (LOL angsty phase maybe??).

Spring - Kanye West, Big Sean, Shawn Mendes.

Summer - Rihanna, Halsey, Big Sean.

Fall - Halsey, Drake, Shawn Mendes.

I listened to 739 different artists. 

I listened to 2,378 different songs.

I listened to 46000 minutes of music. 769 hours of music. 32 STRAIGHT DAYS OF MUSIC. Can't wait to break that record next year. 

XOXO,

gabs.

JUST A LIL QUOTE | BLOGMAS DAY 5

"It is easy to forget how full the world is of people, full to bursting and each of them imaginable and consistently misimagined."

- John Green, Paper Towns

XOXO,

gabs.

WATER | BLOGMAS DAY 4

Once again this is gonna be a quick lil post. I talked about this last year on my blog, I don't like the concept of New Years resolutions, I think it's dumb to wait til the beginning of year to change something about yourself. I am, however, a huge believer in birthday resolutions. You grow a year older, your goals and motivations grow a year wiser. Unfortunately for me, my birthday is December 30th aka right before the new year, so my resolutions are basically new years resolutions. Meh. Still counts as birthday resolutions. ANYWAYS, this year one of my birthday resolutions (cause I plan them far in advance, I take them very seriously) is to drink 2 quarts of water every day, which is a LOT but it's how much you should be drinking you guys!!! In order to accomplish this goal of mine, I bought a quart smart water bottle. This thing is HUGE you guys.

The past few days I've only drank half of one bottle (so basically 1/4 of what my goal is to be drinking) and it's definitely way harder than I was expecting! This will be an interesting goal to accomplish hahaha I'll keep y'all updated on my daily water intake. The purpose of this post is to remind you guys that drinking water is important especially in these winter months when it's so dry and also when everyone is so sick. Drinking more water fixes all yo problems! Let's make it a goal TOGETHER to drink more water. IT'S IMPORTANT.

XOXO,

sorry this sucks I was just really excited about my water bottle that's bigger than my face lol,

gabs.

PONDERIZE | BLOGMAS DAY 3

I am currently sick AF and tired AF and have like 3 papers to write so this is gonna be a really short post :) I considered not posting anything but I made a commitment to myself to write everyday and I'm gonna write everyday, dang it. So here goes. STORY TIME.

Last general conference, we were all introduced to the word Ponderize. This week is the first week that I've actually picked a verse and really tried to study it. It started on Sunday night when I could NOT fall asleep for the life of me. My thoughts were racing and I just couldn't calm down enough to fall asleep. I was getting up really early the next day and had been sick so I knew I needed a good night's sleep. I prayed asking Heavenly Father to help me calm down and fall asleep quickly, and had a really strong feeling that I should read a quick scripture. At first I was like "no way José" cause I have read COUNTLESS articles about the blue lights from your phone being so bad for your eyes and waking you up/making it so you can't fall asleep and how this generation have so many sleep problems because they're on their phones too much too late at night. So I was pretty hesitant to follow that prompting. But, I eventually gave into the feeling I was given and opened up my scriptures app. Now that I'm thinking back, I totally could have grabbed my hard copy of the scriptures hahaha I'm such a millennial you guys this is so embarrassing. In my defense, my lights were already turned off and I didn't want to get out of bed to turn on the light and grab my scriptures. But now I know what to do in the future hahaha  OKAY ANYWAYS, I grabbed my phone, opened up my scriptures app, and remembered there was a verse that I read a while ago and really liked that was in Romans. I couldn't remember the chapter or verse numbers though, so I just started skimming through Romans trying to find the scripture. I never found the one I was looking for, but I did come across a scripture that really stuck out to me. It's Romans 12:21. It says, "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." As soon as I read it, I just kept rereading it. It's short and simple but I love how it says that we need to overcome evil with GOOD. A lot of times I think of temptation and how we're just supposed to just avoid it and not do the thing. But no, we need to not do the evil thing and then do good things instead. Sunday night after I read it, I just kept reciting those words to myself, and I actually fell asleep really quickly afterwards. Promptings are real, guys! I wasn't planning on ponderizing this scripture throughout the week, but all day Monday it kept popping back into my head. That night I did the same thing, I read the scripture right before I went to bed and I was able to fall asleep right away! Which isn't a big deal to most people but I have such a hard time falling asleep, it's been a huge blessing for me. This past week, I've found that I've been more positive and not as anxious as I usually am! By taking temptations and focusing on good things instead, it brightens your whole day and gets your priorities where they need to be.

Kay, hope you enjoyed my little story time! This is the scripture I'm focusing on for the rest of this week, I'll let you guys know what scripture I choose for next week. Message me or comment if you have a favorite scripture, and why it means so much to you! I love hearing from y'all. 

XOXO,

gabs. 

A MN GIRL'S GUIDE TO SURVIVING WINTER | BLOGMAS DAY 2

Okay guys I just have to write this because guess what's been happening recently? Snow. And everyone and their MOM has been complaining about it. And I'm just confused because like.... it's winter..... this is what happens in the winter.......... why is this causing such an uproar?! I love winter. I THRIVE in the winter months. This is my best time of year. The sun is only out for like 6 hours a day, it's acceptable to wear blankets as clothing, and people don't judge you if you stay inside all the time. Because of this, I decided that for #GabbyDoesBlogmas day 2, I will share with you all my top tips n tricks to surviving the winter season. Because it really is the best time of year, and anyone that doesn't think so is weak and natural selection will come for them soon.

TIP #1: BUILD UP YOUR IMMUNITY TO THE COLD

Don't you DARE pull out your warmest jacket as soon as it hits 40 degrees. That is potentially the dumbest thing you could ever do. You gotta build up your immunity to cold!! I, personally, have 3 different levels of cold and a different jacket/coat for each level. You may want to add more levels if you're from like California and think 50 degrees is cold (lol), but personally I have found that 3 different coats gets me through the winter season comfortably. You can always add layers/sweaters/sweatshirts underneath. 

I start with limiting myself in the fall when it first starts getting cold. If it's above 35 degrees then I won't wear a "winter coat". I wear windbreakers, Columbia fleece jackets, or thick sweaters + a denim jacket. ~extra special tip~ I buy my Columbia's in a children's XL because children's sizes run $20-30 cheaper than adult sizes. I understand that not everyone can get away with that, but if you're small definitely make sure to benefit from that! 

My next level of cold is 5-35 degree weather. My jacket for this one is a fur-lined parka. Very warm, very comfy, very fashionable. Your middle level jacket is one that you should splurge on to make sure it's cute, because it's the one you'll be wearing most often through winter. I recommend longer jackets because nothing is worse than a cold bum. It's super comfy, super warm, and there's cheetah print on the inside which is my absolute fav. I got my jacket at Forever 21, and they no longer sell it but they sell similar ones. American Eagle also sells really cute, warm nice ones. Any kind of parka, faux fur coats, or cute ski jackets work great! Just make sure that they keep you warm in addition to being adorable. Also, make SURE they have a hood because nothing is worse than walking around while it's snowing and having your neck/head be exposed. 

Third level, fashion goes to crap. This is the 5 degrees or below weather, where you literally only care about staying warm. Down puffy jackets are the only way to go, my friends. These can get a big pricey, but a good coat will last you a long time! Stick with a solid, basic color, and once again make sure there's a hood on this jacket. I got my down coat at J.C.Penny's on Black Friday on mad sale, and it's lasted me 3 winters. Quality is important here. Also the heat-reflecting coats are bomb & highly recommended.

TIP #2: GET CUTE DURABLE WATER-RESISTANT BOOTS

I'm not talking about the combat boots from target that everyone and their mom owns. No, you need to get waterproof leather boots that are hardcore punk rock weather resistant. I bought a pair of Dr.Martens my junior year of high school and I still wear them all the time. Sorel boots are really awesome for winter boots as well. Please - don't get boots that have a fur lining that puffs out the top because as soon as you wear them in the snow, the fur will start pilling and getting nasty and you will hate your life. Also, UGGS are awesome but same deal, as soon as they get wet they lose their shape and look low quality. Buy some nice leather/rubber boots, and you'll be set for life! These are the docs that I have, and I love the burgundy color. It matches absolutely everything! Also, when you wear docs you are instantly a punk rock diva from the 90s. It's the best.

TIP #3: FUZZY SOCKS ARE NOT YOUR BEST FRIEND

Everyone always gets so excited for winter because fuzzy socks and cozy blankets etc etc and I have to admit, I love me some nice fuzzy articles of clothing BUT, wearing fuzzy socks out of your house is dumb AF and here's why. When you wear fuzzy socks with nice warm boots, your feet are warm at first and it's awesome but then soon you'll start to realize that your feet are sweating and BAM for the rest of the day you're stuck with sweaty-but-still-kinda-chilly feet. Fuzzy socks trap heat and absorb the sweat and cold also so it's basically your feet's own personal hell. What you need to do instead is wear either wool socks (not super thick ones, cause that causes the same problems as fuzzy socks), or just thicker normal socks. Target has some really nice thin wool socks that I recommend stocking up on. Also, Nike elites are absolute bomb for wearing with boots. Perfect amount of warmth. And by all means, wear fuzzy socks around your house 24/7! But if you're serious about staying warm outside, don't wear them with your boots. Trust me on this.

There you have it, my top 3 tricks on staying warm in winter! Hope you enjoyed, and I hope you all can stay warm this winter. And honestly, the biggest tip/trick/winter life hack is just to stay inside. Cozy up by the fire with your favorite book or netflix series on the TV and enjoy the laziness of winter! 

Love y'all, talk to you tomorrow!

XOXO,

gabs. 

CHRISTMAS SONG OF THE DAY: 

Jingle Bell Rock / George Strait

My mom LOOOOVES George Straight, so his Christmas album was a staple in our house during the holiday season. Jingle Bell Rock was my favorite, my sisters & I would choreograph dances to it and put on shows for our parents. You can't beat that, folks. Country twang with a Christmas song. What a tune.

TOP 10 BEST CHRISTMAS SONGS aka BLOGMAS DAY 1

Hi friends. Merry almost Christmas! As a way to keep my holiday cheer strong and my brain away from the depths of despair aka school pressures & the upcoming doom of finals week, I decided I'm going to blog every single day this glorious month of December. HAPPY BLOGMAS!

(new header for this blog cause we festive AF here)

Each day of blogmas I'll be covering a different topic. Whether it's a gift guide for your friends, a list of my favorite (fill in the blank here), a book/movie/album review, or just a stream of consciousness, I am dedicated to writing on this cute lil blog of mine everyday all month! And hopefully this will kickstart my new years resolution of actually paying attention to this site and writing more often than once every couple months.

If there is any specific topic you guys want me to dedicate a post to, let me know!! You can either contact me through my email (gabby.heroux@gmail.com), or message me on one of my social media profiles (twitter, insta, FB)! I want this to be a fun month full of content that everyone enjoys, so your input is definitely welcome. Especially since 31 days of posts is kind of daunting and I'm not sure I have enough ideas on my own hahahaha.

Since everyone is trying to get into the Christmas spirit now that it's officially ~DECEMBER~ (best month ever), this post is dedicated to The Greatest Christmas Songs To Ever Be Released, Probably. Like all my other posts, this is a list based on my opinions, and please don't be mad if this isn't how you see it. THX.

10. LAST CHRISTMAS

Not gonna pick a single artist, because this has been covered by everyone and their MOM. It's basically the Hallelujah of Christmas songs. This song is on the list because it's iconic. EVERYONE HAS RECORDED A VERSION FOR A REASON. Some of the most notable covers are (in no particular order): Ariana Grande (very pop synth vibe), Carly Rae Jepsen (also pop synth vibe), Hilary Duff, Glee cast, Taylor Swift, JIMMY EAT WORLD?!, and most importantly, Cascada (recorded for a Dutch children's Christmas album HOW GREAT IS THAT). This song is an absolute Christmas necessity and I have many different versions on my Christmas playlist.

9. Drummer Boy - Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber's entire Mistletoe album instantly becomes the soundtrack to my life once Thanksgiving is over, and for good reason. The album is filled with classics and gems like Drummer Boy. Featuring Busta Rhymes, this isn't your average cover. This song features (maybe sacrilegious) raps, including "I only spit hit cause I'm playin' for the Son/Playin' for the King/playin' for the Title/I'm surprised you didn't hear this in the Bible." Need I say more?

8. Christmas In Harlem - Kanye West

How is this not being played on the radio constantly!? Yeezy's calming voice rapping about egg nog and last minute Christmas shopping is absolutely legendary. Despite Kanye's reputation, it is completely appropriate and will add a nice hip hop vibe to your Christmas playlist this season. The hook by Teyana Taylor will get stuck in your head in the best kind of way. ICONIC.

7. DC Christmas Medley - Destiny's Child

Who doesn't want Beyoncé (and a couple back up singers I guess lol sorry Kelly & Michelle) singing a mashup of every iconic Christmas song?! This one really sets the holiday mood and gets you feeling extra festive. The early 2000 hip hop vibe really adds to the production of the song and makes it a medley to remember.

6. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays - *NSYNC

OKAY but this song is seriously the happiest of all of the Christmas songs. Who doesn't love boybands, specifically a cute baby Justin Timberlake in a boyband singing about Christmas and the feeling it brings?! HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE. MERRY CHRISTMAS.

5. Sleigh Ride - Pentatonix

This song is my personal favorite ~traditional~ Christmas song, and Pentatonix's version is so well done. I love all of the songs on Pentatonix's Christmas album, but this one really stands out as one of the best.

5 (AGAIN). Carol of the Bells - Pentatonix

This one is tied with Sleigh Ride mostly because they're both Pentatonix arrangements and Carol of the Bells goes OFF. Once again, Pentatonix's version is well above average. A little classier than the other songs on this list (lol JB), it gets you into a slightly fancier Christmas spirit than the other songs do.

4. Baby It's Cold Outside - Idina Menzel & Michael Bublé

This song is a classic, despite the fact that it may or may not be about a boy pressuring a girl to stay the night when she obviously does not feel comfortable with the situation (lol love it). I added it to this list mostly to give props to both Idina Menzel and Michael Bublé for being the queen & king of classy Christmas music. The other songs in this playlist may not be acceptable to play at your family's Christmas dinner, but Idina & Michael's Christmas albums are definitely classy Christmas approved. And both of them singing together on this song is an iconic piece of art that will be loved and cherished for years to come.

3. All I Want for Christmas is You - Mariah Carey

OF COURSE THIS SONG IS ON THE LIST. This is the definition of getting into the Christmas spirit. If you don't dance around to this song in your room singing at the top of your lungs trying to hit all the riffs & high notes then you are a GRINCH. Mariah is the QUEEN of Christmas music (Sorry, Idina. You can be the princess of Christmas music instead) and she KNOWS it. I greatly enjoy the version of this song with Justin Bieber, but there's just something about the classic that makes me want to hang up my stocking and bake cookies for Santa.

2. All I Want for Christmas is You (Extra Festive) - Mariah Carey

This ranks higher because it's extra festive....need I say more? Although I can't really tell a huge difference between the two versions, I'm pretty sure the extra festive version has more sleigh bells jingling and a stronger drumline. Either way, it's extra festive and that's all that you need to know.

1. Where Are You Christmas - Faith Hill

Is this even a question?! It is a fact that this song is the greatest Christmas song of all time and I will fight anyone on that. I even wrote a full blogpost about this song last year, because sometimes analyzing a song from a popular children's movie is what you need to do to get through finals week. Read it HERE. But guys I'm not kidding, this song makes me cry every dang time I hear it. An iconic song that we do not appreciate enough.

Hope you enjoyed this list of the 10 best Christmas songs, and please keep in mind that there are many many other songs that I love and enjoy but did not include. That does not mean that I don't like them. Please don't attack me for my opinions kthx! Love you all and hope you have a very festive and happy December!

XOXO,

gabs.

P.S. If you need help getting into the Christmas spirit, here are my two Christmas Spotify playlists. Feel free to follow and message me if you think a song should be added! Turnt Christmas for when you're just tryna ~dance~ and Classy Christmas for when you want to be a normal festive human being. And yes, the first song on both playlists is Where Are You Christmas. IT'S A GREAT SONG OK.

ENJOY!

HOW TO: Turn Your Messy Life into a HOT Messy Life

It's been a minute since I've written on here, so I thought I'd come grace your lil blog-reading eyes with some words of real life #wisdom, on a subject that's near & dear to my heart. I'm about to teach y'all how to make people believe that you have your life together when really you have no idea what you're doing. I consider myself an expert on this topic because let's be real -- I don't know what I'm doing with my life at all. My room is messy, I haven't washed my hair in a few days, I wear the same pair of black leggings almost every single day, but from an outsiders point of view, I appear as if I have somewhat of an idea of what I'm doing (hopefully maybe idk?). Here are my quick tricks & tips to turn your life from a grade-A mess, to a HOT mess with a booty that just won't quit ;)

1. INVEST IN A LINT ROLLER

This helps to disguise the fact that you've worn the same leggings for an entire week. Also if you're anything like me, you have a thousand fuzzy blankets that shed fuzz bits like CRAZY and get all over your black leggings. A lint roller will help you hide the fact that you just rolled out of bed and are wearing the black leggings that you slept in. 

2. DRY SHAMPOO. DRY SHAMPOO. DRY SHAMPOO.
If I had a dollar for the amount of times dry shampoo has saved my life, I would have over a million dollars probably. 

3. CAFFEINE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND -- JUST ACCEPT THAT 

Like health is okay but staying awake is more important. You just need to come to terms with that. Also I'm definitely #TeamSwig, sorry friends.

4. GET REALLY BIG HEADPHONES

.....and then wear them always. Walking to class, if you have big huge headphones on then no one's gonna stop you and try to talk to you and be your friend. This is important especially when you're late for your 11o'clock class because you slept in till 10:45 and attendance is mandatory (not speaking from personal experience or anything....... sorry mom). Also, you look pretty BA with some cool beats on your head, which makes your just-rolled-out-of-bed aesthetic look PURPOSEFUL. That's how to be a hot mess. Make everything questionable that happens to you look like you did it on purpose, and no one will question you. 

5. BUY A FRICK TON OF BEANIES*

mostly because they make anyone look BA. Beanies are the perfect accessory for the just-rolled-out-of-bed aesthetic, which you are undoubtedly rocking because you literally just rolled out of bed. Also helps for when you run out of dry shampoo and don't have time to fix the hair. Just cover it up! You'll look like you purposely styled your hair to look good in the beanie, when really you're still rocking the same curls from a few days ago. It's fashion!
*baseball hats work too.

6. THE BAGS UNDER YOUR EYES ARE DESIGNER

Celebrities pay TONS of money to get the "I got no sleep" bags under their eyes, right? K probs nah but OWN THAT SHIZ. Under-eye circles are a pain to cover up, and usually they look even worse if you try to make them go away (cake-y makeup is the lazy girl's ultimate enemy). So, throw away that concealer (or keep it, cause makeup is expensive) and embrace the no-sleep fashion that is happening on your face! Use it to your advantage - dark circles under your eyes really help with the whole "don't talk to me" vibe, so walk around with your resting B face on display and let the lack of sleep be seen!

7. BOMB PLAYLISTS ON SPOTIFY = BOMB LIFE

The amount of time that I spend on my Spotify playlists instead of on real things that could benefit my future is ridiculous. Like, HOURS of my life is dedicated to those things. But it's so important. You need at least one kick-butt playlist that you can listen to while rocking your huge head phones walking to class (see tip #4). Mine has a ton of Kanye & Big Sean on it, they really help me get in the don't-mess-with-this-hot-mess zone. You'll also need an acoustic jams/slow sad songs playlist, for when you actually decide to do homework/study, and you'll need a pop vibes playlist because anyone that says they don't like pop music is a LIAR and doesn't known what they're missing out on because top 40 pop music is the bomb and I'll fight anyone on that.

8. ACCEPT THE FACT THAT YOU WILL NEVER BE ON TIME

Like, just always plan on leaving your house 10 minutes late. That's okay. Find friends that accept this about you, and are okay with waiting for you (thanks chels).  At the same time, adjust. If you're going on a date and he's picking you up at 8, pretend that he's picking you up at 7:45 so even when you're late, you're still on time. Know yourself. Drake.

9. EYEBROWS MUST ALWAYS BE ON FLEEK

Cause even if you don't have time to put on makeup or make yourself look acceptable, if your eyebrows look good, then you just feel good and others are still threatened by your good looks. Like, you may be ugly but you have bomb eyebrows and not everyone can say that. Eyebrows on fleek, hot mess on fleek.

10. YOU CAN WRITE A 7 PAGE PAPER IN 2 HOURS. YOU CAN, AND YOU WILL.

BUT, those two hours you HAVE to be hyper focused. Like, no distractions at all. Get some caffeine, your acoustic Spotify playlist, and do WORK. And then you don't have to do homework until the next paper is due in a month. But then that night, you have to be willing to ignore everything and work hard on that paper. Procrastination doesn't have to be a bad thing. Just don't let it screw you over in the end. You have to commit to procrastination. 

11. USE YOUR CURLING IRON TO TAME FLY-AWAYS 

Okay this one is so random but it WORKS guys. Throwing your hair up into a ponytail? Good, me too. BUT, right when you start getting ready, turn on your curling iron. Then, when you're done getting ready approximately 5 minutes later, your curling wand is HOT, and ready to fix your mess of a hairstyle. Take the curling wand and seriously just run it from your part to the end of your hair. It will make your fly-aways go the same way as your hair, so they aren't sticking straight up. It's a little way to make your bun seem more intentionally-messy-chic than the reality of it being the same bun you put your hair in the night before.

12. ALL NIGHTERS ARE OK BUT YOU GOTTA DO THEM RIGHT

TIP 1-don't do them often. TIP 2-you're gonna want to kill yourself, accept this early on. TIP 3-do the most important work early on, so if (when) you decide "this all-nighter isn't happening, I'm going to bed" then you won't be totally screwed the next day! TIP 4-caffeine in INTERVALS. Drink from 8-9PM, 12-1AM, 4-5AM. Then, you won't be jittery and shaky all day the following day. Also, drink a lot of water in addition to the caffeine. Pop dehydrates you, so that one's way important!! TIP 5-ten mins of social media for every 45 mins of studying. Always. Gotta treat yo'self so you don't go insane, obviously.

13. ALWAYS CHECK YOUR HOROSCOPE
Knowing your horoscope means knowing what's coming. Like for instance, my horoscope yesterday said that I was gonna be really busy the beginning of the week, but this weekend I'm gonna have a fun and flirty weekend (direct quote). Now I know that I need to work really hard at the beginning of the week so I can have a carefree and fun weekend! It's good to know these things, I promise. Also, it's nice so if your life is crashing and burning more than normal, you have something to blame. 

14. WHEN YOU GO GROCERY SHOPPING, BUY THE NECESSARY THINGS

don't even bother buying a ton of veggies and fruits because there's no way you're gonna eat them all before they go bad. Buy 1-2 avocados, a small package of grapes, and then cereal, spaghetti-o's, frozen dinners, mac n cheese, and steamable veggies. Also don't forget butter or else you can't make mac n cheese and then you'll get sad. 

15. WEAR MATCHING SOCKS

It's the little things. You'll look more put together. Even if your socks aren't visible, what if you somehow end up somewhere you need to take your shoes off??? Nothing more embarrassing than having ratchet socks. Invest, and take the time to match them after you wash them so you don't have to waste time in the morning finding matching socks. 

16. SLEEP ON TOP OF YOUR DUVET

I have like 5 fuzzy blankets I use, and I sleep on top of my actual duvet. Then, it's like you made your bed each morning even though you did nothing. Literally nothing feels better than coming home and having your bed be made. So, sleep on top of your actual comforter, and sleep with extra blankets so you don't have to worry about it. Also if people surprise you by coming to your house, you don't have to rush around and be stressed that they think you're messy because YOUR BED IS ALREADY MADE. So, obviously you have your life together. Right? lol riiiiiiighhhhhht *sly emoji face here* 

17. DRINK A TON OF WATER
Water makes your skin clear, keeps you hydrated, and carrying around a cute water bottle makes you look like you have your shiz together.

18. USE THE 2/3RDS RULE WHEN GETTING READY
I've talked about this before. It's foolproof. Every day before you leave, make sure you're at least 2 for 3 in your appearance. Between hair, makeup, and clothes, make sure at least 2 of those 3 categories be acceptable. If you don't feel like putting makeup on, you can still have a good day if your hair is acceptable and your clothes don't look like you just rolled out of bed. Hair not working? Put on a lil bit of mascara and a sweater instead of a tshirt and you're golden. Days you need to be fierce, go for 3/3. Rough days (aka normal days probably) can be 1/3. If you're ever 0/3 just text me and I'll bring you soup or something because obviously you're having a bad day. It's a good system that has never failed me once.

19. REMEMBER THAT NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING
No one actually has control of their life, so really you're no less of a person than anyone else. The only difference is that your lack of control is a lot more outwardly visible than other peoples may be. You just need to accept this, adopt the aesthetic of a hot mess, and then rock that vibe for all its worth. You are beautiful, messy, and lost in the world. THAT'S OKAY.


Hope you guys appreciated this, also just a little bit nervous that now I'll get called out for all my tips & tricks so here's hoping that no one actually reads this lololol.

LOVE Y'ALL

TUNES:
Stone // Alessia Cara

Rock Bottom // Hailey Steinfeld

GABBY REVIEWS SHIZ - PURPOSE & MADE IN THE AM

I'm like hey, what's up, hello. I am here today to review the albums Made in the AM (by One Direction) and Purpose (by Justin Bieber). Usually I live-tweet when new music comes out but since there are two albums to be reviewed, my poor little Twitter followers wouldn't be able to handle all of what I'm trying to say. So, here we are. I got the deluxe versions of both albums, which I highly recommend. I'm rating these songs on the classic "1CHAIN'S SCALE OF 1-10 CHAINS". Songs will get between 1 and 10 chains. 1 chain means it's absolute trash, 10 chains means it's a straight banger and basically heaven in a song. 

VOCABULARY I USE A LOT IN THIS: 

bop/bopper: a song that makes you bop your head. very good.

banger: a song that makes you bang your head. very good.

vibes: the general feel of a song/person/album as a whole.

First, I'm going to listen to Purpose by Justin Bieber. Track by track. Starting with the first song, Mark My Words, and listening to it straight through. Let's do this.

1. Mark My Words

first thoughts: ok yes sing it Justin. Simple. I already love this album so much because I really feel like Justin is letting his vocals speak for themselves. This is his comeback album - the one where he needs to prove that he deserves everything he has. And letting his vocals be the main focus of this new album, taking a step back from all the techno and heavy beats that was on Journals was genius. He is TALENTED and I am so excited for the rest of his album

favorite line/part: "Mark my words, that's all that I have." yo.

overall reaction: Perfect opening track for his album. Simple, leaves you excited to hear the rest of the album. Maybe a little too simple, but that's what the intro/first song should be. Leaves you wanting more. 

rating: 4/10 chains

2. I'll Show You

first thoughts: Okay so I heard this one last week when it was released early as a promotional single. I love it. I feel like Justin Bieber is really just owning the fact that he kind of sucked for a while and now he's trying to make a comeback. And it's really working for him.

favorite line/part: the whole chorus, and the harmonized "I'll show yooooouuu". Like I said before, he's letting his vocals do the talking. The vibe that he's going with in the simple, acoustic techno is really perfect for his new sound. He's been working with some BOMB producers. love it. 

overall reaction: Well, I cried the first time I heard this. He's being so honest and VULNERABLE. That makes for a great album. Props to JBiebz. 

rating: 6/10 chains

3. What Do You Mean?

first thoughts: SO FRICKIN CATCHY. This is the song that when it starts you're like "oh yep here we go" and then all of a sudden it's 3 days laters and you're still dancing to it because you just got lost in the moment cause it's SO CATCHY.

favorite line/part: "I wanna knoOOOOOOW" (2:34)

overall reaction: It's great. so catchy (can I use that word anymore? C'mon gabs find a thesaurus), really encompasses his new sound as a whole. The perfect song to have as the first single.

rating: 7/10 chains

4. Sorry

first thoughts: Am I the only one that's like HEY SELENA, THIS SONG IS FOR YOU. Because it totally is. And dang it Selena, just let the poor boy apologize and make it up to you.

favorite line/part: ALL OF IT

overall reaction: this song makes me wish I had an ex-bf that kind of did me wrong so he could sing this to me and I could forgive him as it played in the background of the movie that is my life. 

rating: 7/10 chains

5. Love Yourself

first thoughts: kay to be honest I didn't like this song at first but then after listening to it a couple more times, it totally grew on me. 

favorite line/part: "my momma don't like you and she likes everyone" like there's no way you listened to that and DIDN'T go "oh shiz". Also the sax solo for the bridge. SO UNEXPECTED BUT SO RIGHT.

overall reaction: a chill bopper that you can jam to with your girls but also listen to after a breakup when you're pissed at your ex for using you and being a jerk. Also, perfect for subtweets. Justin pulled a Taylor Swift with this one and I LOVE IT.

rating: 8/10 chains

6. Company

first thoughts: kay this officially begins the songs that I haven't heard yet. So the real reviewing begins now. Justin sounds like 13 year old Justin that I listened to and obsessed over while in 8th grade and I love it. Especially because 13 year old Justin is singing about grown up stuff now. 

favorite line/part: 45 seconds in, that pre-chorus tho. 

overall reaction: not a total banger, definitely more relaxed. One of the filler songs on the album, for sure. It will make a great addition to my study playlist. Kind of scandalous because he's literally singing about a one night stand but hey, he makes a one night stand sound kind of tempting. (just kidding mom)

rating: 5/10 chains

7. No Pressure (ft. Big Sean)

first thoughts: Before I actually review this, I feel like it must be stated that I LOVE BIG SEAN. Like.....so much. And any Justin Bieber/Big Sean collabs are instantly bangers to me. So hopefully this lives up to my hype. Ok pressing play..... first thoughts. This is weird but I'm into it for sure. Different than Memphis (their last collab) but I like it. 2 mins in.....big sean where u at. This is very r&b feels, which I looooove. I'm into it.

favorite line/part: all of Big Sean's rap. Justin's part is good but like....I feel like I've heard it a thousand other times on this album. Kind of dragging here tbh :/

overall reaction: This kind of just sounds like all the other songs on this album. But at the same time, it's catchy and the Big Sean verse was way good (obvi my boy Sean DELIVERS). Another simpler song that will probably be added to my homework playlist and forgotten about. Sorry biebz. 

rating: 6/10 chains

8. No Sense (ft. Travis Scott)

first thoughts:  okay this just sounds like a Travis Scott song. He definitely added his vibe to this. Sounds more like a Travis Scott song ft. Justin Bieber, rather than the other way around, which I don't really mind. 

favorite line/part:  Justin's mad falsetto in the chorus, and the BEAT CHANGE after the chorus. That was dope, definitely added a couple chains to this song for me. 

overall reaction: this sounds like something that would be on soundcloud and people would be like "yoooooo you heard this dope new song?? it's not on Spotify" and then I would get mad because I can't add it to my spotify playlists. I like it. Travis Scott really does it for me, anything he touches is gold. 

rating: 6/10 chains 

9. The Feeling (ft. Halsey)

first thoughts: I love Halsey and am excited to hear how their voices mesh together. Different sounds, but I like the intro so far. Okay Justin started singing and I love what's happening. 

favorite line/part:  the whole chorus is a BOP. Love it. Especially at 3:07, the different beat drop.

overall reaction:  Favorite song on the album, hands down. Halsey really adds a special something to this track and I can only hope that they collab again in the future. Is it bad that I want every person at BYU to listen to this, especially for the line "Am I in love with you or am I in love with the feeling" bc no way you're in love with the boy you met last week SORRY NOT HOW THAT WORKS OUT okay sorry I'm done back to the review this song is fantastic. Sounds different than any other song on the album, and I really liked the change of pace. 

rating: 9/10 chains

10. Life Is Worth Living

first thoughts:  This song hasn't started yet but somehow I feel like I'm gonna cry while listening to it? The piano is a good sign. Justin with a piano can do no wrong (Pray, anyone??)

favorite line/part: Yo. All of this is my favorite. Play this at my funeral (that would be kind of ironic hahahaha actually do it please) 

overall reaction: I cried and I don't even know why it was just so beautiful. The piano and his beautiful voice and the message. LIVE ANOTHER DAY. People make mistakes. Life is worth living again. JUSTIN YOUR COMEBACK IS HERE. Simple, beautiful, just overall amazing.

rating: 7/10 chains

11. Where Are Ü Now?

first thoughts:  Okay, we all know this one already. All I have to say is that I'm really glad I'm not Selena Gomez having to listen to these songs knowing they're about me. Dang. Just forgive him already!!!

favorite line/part: the dolphin screech at the chorus is catchy as frick and don't even lie and pretend you haven't tried to recreate the sound at some point in the past couple weeks. 

overall reaction: total bop, will be remembered as the song of Justin's comeback. Some would argue that the repetitiveness is annoying, but I think it's perfect. Gets in your head and stays there for days and days and days.

rating: 7/10 chains  

12. Children

first thoughts:  really really liking this one. It's different. I feel like Jaden Smith would really like this? Also @KanyeWest "LISTEN TO THE KIDS, MAN. LISTEN TO THE KIDS."

favorite line/part: all of it all of it all of it.

overall reaction:  SPEAK FOR OUR GENERATION, JUSTIN. SPEAK FOR US. WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN? WHAT ABOUT OUR GENERATION? WHO'S GONNA BE THE ONE TO FIGHT FOR IT? WE'RE THE INSPIRATION. DO YOU BELIEVE IN IT ENOUGH TO FIGHT FOR IT? This is the anthem that we didn't know we needed nor do we deserve. I love it. Totally bop.

rating: 8/10 chains

13. Purpose

first thoughts: Justin and the piano again? My heart can't handle this. (2:40) OKAY JUSTIN'S FRICKIN SOLILOQUY?? Really can't handle this right now. Feeling really really weak. Send help or cookies.

favorite line/part:  "You give me purpose" so yeah probably need to dance to this at my wedding? Yep. It's happening.

overall reaction:  As the album namesake, this song is GOOD. Once again, you can just feel his vulnerability and it's overwhelming. You FEEL for ya boy Justin. This song is deep AF and I really can't handle it. 

rating: 6/10 chains  

14. Been You

first thoughts:  more upbeat than the past few songs. Good pickup after Purpose for sure. Enjoying the summer-y vibe of this a lot. Reminds me of Beauty & A Beat era. I like it.

favorite line/part: the obvious pop feel of the chorus.

overall reaction:  Reminds me of the classic teenage boy Justin Bieber vibe, Beauty & A Beat era. I like it.. It's a mini throwback to when he was stealing girls hearts as a 14 year old. This will at some point be all over the radio, I guarantee it.  

rating: 6/10 chains

15. Get Used To It

first thoughts:  this is kind of psychedelic? Or I might just be way tired. Either way I think I like it.

favorite line/part:  funky chorus techno thing

overall reaction: Good addition to the album. Not outstanding, but still makes you want to dance. Feeling pretty "meh" about this though.

rating: 5/10 chains  

  

16. We Are (ft. Nas)

first thoughts:  Catchy. His vocals are bomb in this. Justin could sing a song about a huge dump he just took and it would still sound magical.

favorite line/part:  Nas is good in this. I think his voice goes with Justin's really well. Definitely added something extra to this song. 

overall reaction:  Another song that I probably won't skip, but probably won't be adding to my queue anytime soon. **After listening to this one more time, I take that back. It's already grown on me. Adding one chain right now, it went from 5 to 6**

rating: 6/10 chains

17. Trust

first thoughts: this is giving me like early 2000s r&b hip hop vibes and I am LOVING it. Really feeling this one.

favorite line/part:  The jazzy piano riffs are everything

overall reaction:  I like how this song sounded different from the other songs. You can tell it apart, it has its own unique sound. 

rating: 7/10 chains  

   

18. All In It

first thoughts: this feels like the Justin Bieber Christmas album. So festive. 

favorite line/part:  did he say Water Runs Dry? As in Boyz II Men Water Runs Dry? Definitely my favorite line.

overall reaction: Are we sure this wasn't supposed to be put on the Christmas album instead? I feel like there should be sleigh bells in the background during the chorus and that I need to be cuddled up next to the fire with my boo drinking some hot chocolate. Meh. It's a little more cheesy than the other songs. We needed at least one really cheesy Justin Bieber song, so I'm really glad they didn't forget it. Didn't really enjoy this JB soliloquy, although heartfelt and vulnerable, it felt out of place and kind of awkward. That ruined it for me.

rating: 3/10

19. What Do You Mean REMIX (ft. Ariana Grande)

first thoughts: WAY EXCITED FOR THIS. Ariana is amazing, and it's about dang time her & JB collab, even if it is just a remix.  

favorite line/part:  OBVIOUSLY WHEN ARIANA CAME IN. Her voice is so perfect for this song I am seriously crying right now THOSE HARMONIES.

overall reaction:  Didn't think this song could get any better but then Ariana comes along and riffs her way right into my heart. JB+ARI 4EVER. 

rating: 9/10 chains  

Okay, I'm taking a short 10 minutes break to finish up the work email that I started writing two hours ago and still haven't finished because #purpose BUT then I will begin listening to Made in the AM and we will do this same process but for 1D. CAN'T WAIT. 

1. Hey Angel

first thoughts: so sweet of them to write a song about me. This whole beginning intro reminds me of the song Feeling A Moment by Feeder (good song, I recommend it). Kind of slow, but I think that's the vibe they're going for now? I'm into it. 

favorite line/part: The oooooh's are giving me LIFE right now. Love it. 

overall reaction:  Good first song, once again. It's seriously giving me such early-2000 soft indie alternative vibes, which obviously I am all about.  

rating: 5/10 chains

2. Drag Me Down

first thoughts: this song came out a while ago so we all know and love this song with all our hearts. Still, for reviews sake, I will review.
favorite line/part: The claps to build up to the chorus, the syncopation, the repetitive lyrics that make you want to sing along even more, anytime Harry Styles decides to grace the world with his beautiful husky voice (ESPECIALLY THOSE RIFFS AT THE END? Like seriously how dare he), literally every single part of this song.
overall reaction: THIS SONG IS A STRAIGHT BANGER. Honestly this gave me hope for the rest of the album. I don't know how else to say it, this song goes hard and I'm obsessed with it and have nothing else to say.
rating: 9/10 chains

3. Perfect

first thoughts:  we already know that I'm so obsessed with this song. OBVIOUSLY IT'S ABOUT TAYLOR SWIFT. It's so catchy and like duh of course I'm going to sing along as loud as I can because there's no other way to listen to this.

favorite line/part:  "IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO WRITE YOUR BREAKUP SONGS ABOUT, BABY I'M PERFECT" @taylorswift13 hello sorry we have a song written DIRECTLY TO YOU. Also whenever Harry Styles sings the word "rendezvous", my heart leaps into my throat. It seriously needs to be illegal for him to exist. Also after the bridge when most of the instruments go out and it's just Harry singing.....be still my soul.

overall reaction: EXACTLY WHAT I WAS HOPING FOR WHEN THIS ALBUM CAME OUT. Serves us some good boy-band vibes but also a more grown up sound. Like a grown up boyband. Whatever. It's absolutely perfect. Hehe see what I did there cause it's called perfect and I said it was perfect

rating: 9/10 chains

4. Infinity

first thoughts:  this song was released as a promo single so I've listened to it about a thousand times already. It's a great song for driving around at night just thinking bout stuff. 

favorite line/part:  "when everybody wants you....." I relate to this line a lot because like everyone wants me too so it just really speaks to me I guess

overall reaction: but for real.... this song gets mad real. The lyrics got me thinking about the boy I had a crush on in 8th grade that moved before I got to tell him that I liked him. Like.....I wonder how he's been lately, you know? One Direction singing vulnerable songs has me more vulnerable than I'd like to admit. No I'm not okay. Send help + cookies (again).

rating: 6/10 chains

5. End of the Day

first thoughts: chill vibes, makes me happy. I can't stop smiling. 

favorite line/part: all of them singing in the chorus just makes me so happy cause they're so cute and a boyband and all singing together and when they tour in 2017 and perform this song I'll probably be crying happy tears all over the place, whatever.

overall reaction: Doesn't sound like any of their other stuff, but I'm really into it. They're definitely taking a huge step away from the classic boyband style, and I thought I would hate it, but I'm kind of supporting it. Also those high notes at the end, obviously they're doing just fine without Zayn.

rating: 7/10 chains

   

6. If I Could Fly

first thoughts: okay simple piano and Harry Styles singing, those aren't tears in my eyes that's just a twig or like a branch or something. frick this song. I'm too emotional for this. But I love it. Way too much.

favorite line/part: When Harry sings "I hope you don't run from me" and all the other instruments/voices cut out. FRICK.

overall reaction: Definitely adding this to my wedding playlist. This is making me so happy-sad. I'm genuinely shaking right now because this is so beautiful and simple.

rating: 9/10 chains

7. Long Way Down

first thoughts: acoustic guitar, loving it. Seems v chill.

favorite line/part: Harry singing "it's a long way down from here" OK BYE 

overall reaction: This song is chill AF and I love it. Usually I don't like these kinds of songs, especially from 1D (cuz I want those fun pop bangers you know??) but I really do like this.

rating: 6/10 chains

   

8. Never Enough

first thoughts: sounds like "in the jungle...the mighty jungle...the lion sleeps tonight" hahaha I don't think I can take this song seriously. stay tuned.

favorite line/part: THE UNIFIED SCREAM-SINGING "C'MON"

overall reaction: Okay just kidding I think I like it? There's so much happening all at once, I'm very overwhelmed but I'm pretty sure it's in a good way. Yeah, definitely good way. Still overwhelmed though. This song would make for a really good vid on the a capella app. Still not sure how I feel about this. 

rating: 4/10 chains

9. Olivia

first thoughts: why is my name not Olivia? Again, kind of overwhelming because a lot of things are happening but I can't stop smiling so it's all good things. 

favorite line/part: "I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE OLIVIA"

overall reaction: listening to this over and over again until I'm convinced that my name is Olivia. 

rating: 5/10 chains

10. What A Feeling

first thoughts: psychedelic funky vibes, but like an acoustic version of psychedelic funky vibes. into it. Again with the early-2000 soft indie alternative vibes. 

favorite line/part: meh.

overall reaction: once again, not sure I'll ever add it to my queue but won't skip past it if it comes up on shuffle. Got bored halfway through. 

rating: 5/10 chains

11. Love You Goodbye

first thoughts: But why does this remind me of Gotta Be You? Like Liam singing in his cute little soft voice. I'm imagining them all in scarves on a train again. Now I'm crying #TBT 

favorite line/part: Louis's high note at the bridge and then Harry's low haunting voice right after. NOT FAIR TO MY HEART. Also the first line "It's inevitable everything that's good comes to an end" because this band is so so good but after this album it's coming to an end and don't look at me I'm so sad :( 

overall reaction: heartbreaking sad I'm so sad and vulnerable and empty inside but also so many emotions are inside of me one direction how do you do this to me all the time it's seriously rude. But for real, this song is one of my favorites. Unexpected, but so good.

rating: 7/10 chains

12. I Want to Write You a Song

first thoughts: I'm already crying??? THIS SONG. Kind of reminds me of that song from Juno, with the simple guitar & melody. I'm all for it. 

favorite line/part: literally all of it. It gave me that happy feeling inside my heart, I can't stop smiling it's so perfect. Niall's last little verse though definitely stands out as my favorite. It's so good.

overall reaction: Yet another song that has been added to my wedding playlist. IT'S SO SIMPLE AND PRECIOUS. I wanna cuddle while listening to this. Hey future husband, sorry but you're gonna have to learn this on guitar and sing it to me every night before we go to bed. THX. Love this so much. I'm still crying. Lol help. 

rating: 10/10 chains (THE FIRST AND ONLY PERFECT SCORE)

   

13. History

first thoughts: JACK JOHNSON + JOHN MAYER VIBES. All for it. Hoping that this is the vibe that Niall goes with for his solo projects. 

favorite line/part: Anytime all 4 of them sing all together, I die a little inside. So, the whole chorus. 

overall reaction: I'm really loving this album as a whole so far, I feel like each song has its own individual vibe. Like each song is distinctly its own, which I really love. 

rating: 6/10 chains

14. Temporary Fix

first thoughts: THIS IS GIVING ME MIDNIGHT MEMORIES VIBES UP THE WAZOO!!!! I love it. I love it. I love it. 

favorite line/part: "I'll be your temporary fix" that part for sure when they just belt it ooohweeeee YES.

overall reaction: This is giving me boyband flashbacks! Love that they included at least a couple songs that are obviously boyband to feed my little fangirl soul.

rating: 8/10 chains

   

15. Walking in the Wind

first thoughts: I'm sorry am I on a beach in Hawaii? I feel relaxed just listening to this. 

favorite line/part: ??? genuinely don't know if I like any of it enough to have a favorite part. It's all very meh to me. Nothing stands out as exceptional.

overall reaction: this really sounds like it should be on the soundtrack for Lilo & Stitch 2. Not sure how much I actually like this. Cool.

rating: 4/10 chains

16. Wolves

first thoughts: once again...chill John Mayer on the beach vibes? The chorus is good though. Didn't think I was gonna like this but I'm into it.

favorite line/part: anytime they go "oooooooooh" 

overall reaction: It's very predictable, which usually I don't like in music but it works for this song. Also love the imagery of Harry Styles and a wolf just hanging out in a very punk rock way. I feel like this song will grow on me, but for now I'm feeling average about it. 

rating: 5/10 chains

   

17. A.M.

first thoughts: "Oh won't you STAAAY WITH MEEEE" fav if you also thought that when it first started. 

favorite line/part: the whole chorus because #harry #styles

overall reaction: love love the simple guitar in this. This song is the perfect capstone to the album. It feels like a farewell though, like this is the last new song they'll ever make together and that makes me so sad but I'm so proud of them. This is getting sappy. Overall, I really enjoyed this album. Like I said, there's a distinct sound to each individual song but they all come together to make a beautifully put together album. 

rating: 6/10 chains

OKAY, if you made it to the end of this I am impressed and give you mad props. Please remember that these are my opinions and please don't hate me if you don't agree with what I had to say. Also I listened to these albums late in the night when I should have been asleep so I'm excited to listen to them again when I truly am awake and not as emotional/vulnerable as I am right now. I just wanna say a huge thank you to One Direction & Justin Bieber for making such amazing albums and putting the time, hard work, and effort in to create quality music for their fans. Love you guys til the end of forever. K bye.

XOXO,

gabs.

I would do a music recommendation like I usually do, but that doesn't really make sense seeing as how I just recommended like 3 hours of music for y'all to listen to. Go listen to both albums, and let me know which ones are your favorites! 

Oh, and don't forget -- follow me on the socials. We can chat about music on here.

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ALLOW ME TO RE-INTRODUCE MYSELF

My name is HOV, H to the O-V. JK, it's Gabby. My name is Gabby. And when I made this blog approximately 1.5 years ago (wait what?!!) I was a whole lot different than I am right now. So, I'm bout to introduce myself again to all the people who read this (hi, mom) because sometimes a re-introduction and a new layout is all a girl needs to get back into the blogging life, you know? Let's do this thing. In the form of a list, because I'M A MILLENNIAL, AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE SHORT ATTENTION SPANS, OKAY.

1. My name is Gabby Heroux, I am 19 going on 20, I'm from Minnesota, I attend Brigham Young University, and I'm a short human being.

Here's a picture that my insanely talented roommate/BFF took of me this last week:

2. I am definitely not a natural blonde. I know, what what?!! But yeah it's way fake and way fun and I love being blonde! Haters back off!!!

3. I love vibin' to some good tunes. Also apparently I love sounding like I'm a hippie from the 70s but whatever, I really do love good music. If you have a song you love, send it my way! I love hearing new things. I also will always always always end blog posts with a song of the moment. Pinky promise.

4. I work for BYU Athletics as a social media specialist which basically means I get paid to tweet about BYU sports. It's awesome, my work fam is the best, and I'm seriously so lucky to have the opportunity to do what I love most in the world!

5. My fam is life. We are actual squad goals.

6. Like I said in item #1, I go to BYU. I'm applying to the advertising program this fall and I hope to someday own my own social media management company. 

7. This blog is way random and definitely always a party. It's a way for me to remember the most exciting part of my life, and so because of that, everything I write about is exciting! Right, mom? Hahaha just kidding, I really am here to have a good time though and I can't wait to start sharing more of my life with all of you! Fair warning - I have no idea what I'm doing. Like, at all. But that's what life is all about right?!

8. Spaghetti-o's, gushers, and diet coke are the way to my heart. Seriously. Future husband, take notes. #health

9. I'm almost always craving sushi.

10. I'm a Mormon and it's the greatest thing in my whole life! Want to know more? Click here.

11. My favorite movie of all time is Clueless. Cher Horowitz is my idol. What an icon.

12. I'm a Capricorn (this is very important).

Okay okay okay that's not ALL you guys need to know about me, but I'm sure we'll get more acquainted as this blog gets updated more and more. This little post is hopefully the kickstart I need to start blogging more, so check back here regularly for my tiny little thoughts and ideas and rants! Have a great day everyone!

XOXO,

gabs.

TUNES ON TUNES:

Panic Cord - Hucci Remix // Gabriella Aplin

Classic // The Knocks ft. Powers & Fetty Wap

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MY SOCIAL MEDIA FAST

This past weekend, I completed a social media/technology fast. It was cool. And I'm about to tell you everything I learned via a social media website (cause I learned a ton, duh). But first, I'll tell you why a social media fast was necessary/how it came to be/why it's such a big deal. 

Last Thursday as I was walking into work with Chelsea, I was walking through a parking lot and texting on my phone - as one does. I might have accidentally not been looking where I was going and I might have accidentally ran into the side view mirror of a truck. When I actually got into my office, there was a pretty huge goose egg on my head from the truck. DANG YOU, TRUCK. Well, my bosses noticed and they decided I needed an intervention. The questions, "what would you even do without social media for 48 hours? What are your hobbies? Do you even have any hobbies other than social media?" were thrown around, and with those I was determined to prove to everyone (and myself) that I could go without social media for 48 hours and be perfectly okay. I have tons of hobbies, I'm social, and I got mad pride so I was not about to turn down this challenge. Somehow 48 hours got changed to 3PM Thursday to 8AM Monday, and no social media got changed to no technology, internet, or anything of any kind besides phone calls. Here is the list of official rules for #GABBYSTECHNOLOGYFAST:

1. No internet

2. No social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Pinterest, etc.)

3. Phone calls ONLY (no texting)

4. No Spotify

5. No Netflix

6. DVD's & cable TV only

7. May not announce the fast beforehand

8. May not look at anyone else's social media

I'm still not sure how Spotify and Netflix got thrown in the mix. But it happened and I survived this fast! Over 100 phone calls happened on my phone from Thursday afternoon to Monday morning. But it happened. And however much I hate to admit it, it was kind of nice to be unplugged for a little while. It happened. I probably won't be handing over my smart phone anytime soon, but it was fun to be in the present and not have to worry about what was happening online or on social media. Here are some things I noticed throughout the weekend:

1. Making plans via phone call is a LOT more efficient than text. Seriously. You call the person, make the plans, hang up, and then you're done. None of this "what do you wanna do later" "idk man" *15 minutes later* "maybe we could do this"...... you just make the plans and then they happen. It's awesome.

2. If you're in the car with your friends, PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN and just jam to the radio. I might have lost my voice a little bit this weekend from singing so loud. It was kind of embarrassing but also so fun. No phones to scroll through = refreshing.

3. Actually falling asleep right when you get into bed is kind of nice. I have a problem of staying up way late just scrolling through my feed, but I felt really well-rested this weekend and I think a huge part of it was actually going to bed when I got into bed. 

4. Not once last weekend did I wake up with my phone charger wrapped around my neck. Which happens more often than I'd like to admit. But yeah, that was cool.

5. One of the bad outcomes of this fast was that Kanye West's shoes (YEEZY BOOST 350) came out on Saturday and they sold out in less than an hour and I DIDN'T GET ANY. Which was probably a blessing because let's be real I don't have money for those, but man I wanted them really bad. And my social media fast held me back from getting them. But that's okay because sometimes bad things happen to good people, and it's how you get through those challenges that define you as a person. 

6. Life really isn't confined to a 4 inch screen. This is so cheesy but my life was really fun last weekend because I got off my phone and went outside and made an effort to hang out with my friends and experience life rather than just observing everyone else experience life through my phone. 

7. Smart phones are awesome. There were so many times during my fast where I had a question, was trying to make plans, needed to fact check, look something up, etc., when I felt very inconvenienced because I couldn't use my phone. Even if you hate all social media, you gotta admit that smart phones are dang useful.

I probably won't do something like this again anytime soon, but it truly was an eye opening experience. I still have the notifications for my social media accounts turned off, so I can stay a little bit unplugged throughout the entire day instead of getting alerts every 5 seconds like before. 

Also, should I start blogging more? I'm kind of feeling it. July resolution? It might happen. We'll see.

XOXO,

gabs.

so many things

What is up my blog readers? How are you all doing tonight? I'm doing well. It's 10:45(pm, duh), I had a long day, and I thought before I went to bed I should probably post on my blog because I haven't for a while now and avoiding responsibility is a lot cooler and trendier than being responsible. A lot of things have happened since we last chatted. Not really. But I'm pretending a lot has happened cause I want to be able to show my kids my blog and be like "See? Told you I was cool." So here we are. Let's pretend that what I say is exciting and interesting.

1. Okay I think the biggest thing that has happened since we last talked is that I DYED MY HAIR! AND CUT IT! AND DID THINGS TO IT! I am now half blonde half brunette (because I have commitment issues) and my hair is short(er than it has been in a while). HERE'S A PIC: 

#ShamelessSelfie #FollowMeOnInsta (@gabbyheroux)

It's fun and weird and exciting having short blonde hair. It's been a couple weeks, and I'm still not sure if blondes have more fun, and it's stressful cause I have to filter my pics a different way now, but I'm adjusting. It's an adventure. This is what life is all about. Taking risks, having a good time.

2. The only pair of tights that I own - a beautiful burgundy color, that had a velvet-like quality to them - RIPPED. Now I have zero tights. This is so so tragic for me because I hate shaving my legs and tights were my foolproof way of getting out of shaving my legs. If you would like to contribute to the Gabby Tights Fund, please send money to 2107 Chipman Hall, Provo UT 84604. Or if you just want to send a cute care package or a letter or anything. I'm not picky, just desperate for mail. No shame.

3. I sat near Elder David A. Bednar at a BYU men's volleyball game. For those who don't know, Elder Bednar is a prominent leader in the Mormon church. Basically a celebrity. And he came to a BYU volleyball game, because the team is so so good this year, probably. I was working that game (aka sitting on press row tweeting my lil heart out) when I saw someone tweet that he was in attendance. I responded to the tweet asking where he was sitting, then opened up snapchat and it was on front facing camera and I looked and saw Elder Bednar sitting TWO ROWS BEHIND ME. Obviously I took a pic. Obviously he didn't know that the picture happened. He looks a lot older in person. Also he wore a suit to a volleyball game. Who does that? Apparently General Authorities do.

 4. I had a dream that I got engaged and it was really realistic and ever since then I've wanted to be engaged. Not in the I-ACTUALLY-want-to-get-married way, just the I-want-a-pretty-ring-on-my-finger way. Casual.

5. It's seriously been like 60-70 degrees in Utah for the past week. It is heaven and so beautiful. I kind of wish there was snow because I own a really cute winter coat and like, I didn't suffer through 18 years of Minnesota winters to not be able to brag and show off how much the cold doesn't affect me while at college. But, whatever. Hopefully snow comes soon. If it doesn't, then that's cool too because it's so fun walking around in February without ten layers of clothing.

6. Last Wednesday was National Signing Day, which before this year I seriously did not care about at all, BUT now that I work for Athletics, it was a very exciting and eventful day! I had to be at the office at 5:30 IN THE MORNING, which seriously was the worst. Last time I was awake at 5:30am was because I hadn't been to sleep yet. Even when I was in high school and had seminary at 6, I didn't wake up till 5:50 (no seriously, ask my parents). So, getting up at 5 was the worst. BUT, it was so worth it. BYU signed a 6'7 410 lb guy named Motekiai Langi. FOUR HUNDRED AND TEN POUNDS. That's literally FOUR OF ME. He just left to serve a mission, so we won't be able to see him in real life for a couple years, but I will make SURE to get a picture with him when he does play for BYU. #FOUR #OF #ME. The entire day was really great, BYU marketing did some amazing things and made it a crazy awesome experience. If you're interested, HERE'S a quick video that shows what the day was like. I make a quick appearance, working away at that social media table. REPRESENT. 

7. I was thrown around like an actual football a couple days ago. One of my friends who is on the football team just picked me up and threw me to his teammate, who then threw me back. And then I got thrown some more. I WAS AIRBORN. It was slightly terrifying, kind of exhilarating, and I have never felt more connected to the sport of football (mostly because I WAS a football for this time). Not really sure why this made the list. Whatever.

8. According to my tweets (in case you haven't noticed yet, I'm literally going through my own tweets to see what has happened in my life since last blogpost) I've almost died like 7 times, for various reasons ranging from homework, school in general, BYU basketball, drinking redbull for the first time ever (on signing day of course) and then drinking another redbull right after the first one, and carrying 6 loads of laundry up two flights of dorm stairs in one trip. I'm not dramatic at all.

9. Watched Pearl Harbor for the first time ever with Chelsea. THAT MOVIE. So emotional.

9.5. Also watched the movie The Best of Me, also with Chelsea. THAT MOVIE. My favorite Nicholas Sparks movie, which is saying a lot because Safe Haven and The Last Song and Dear John and The Notebook all exist. Highly recommend it. Be warned though, there are a couple fast forward scenes. And be prepared to be emotionally drained. Also be prepared to cry. (GABBY FUN FACT: this movie was the first time I cried in front of Chelsea. Pearl Harbor was the second time I cried in front of her. Friendship is COOL.)

10. KAILA GOT HER MISSION CALL TO THE LAS VEGAS NEVADA MISSION! I am so so proud of her decision to serve. She is going to be an AMAZING missionary. She will also be an amazing companion because after living with me for a year, she'll be a pro at living with crazies. 

11. I had my 4 year Twitter anniversary. January 21st, 2011 was when I signed up for Twitter. This is actually note-worthy because a lot of great things have happened because of my Twitter, and I'm #blessed. If you wanna follow me on there, my twitter handle is @gabbyheroux. Follow me to get an inside look at my brain and a lot of commentary about BYU sports and the life of a freshman girl.

12. Okay sorry this is probably the worst blogpost in the history of forever BUT this is my brain and what has happened to me this past month so deal with it.

My life is good and I am happy and tired but mostly happy. I hope you all have a happy week and an extra good Valentine's Day. Don't forget to treat yo'self cause you rock & deserve it. 

XOXO,

gabs.

TUNE TIME: 

Is There Somewhere // Halsey

Okay, I heard this song earlier tonight and have been listening to it constantly since then. Absolutely phenomenal.

FourFiveSeconds // Rihanna, Paul McCartney, & Kanye West

I love Rihanna. I love Paul McCartney. And I LOVE Kanye West (probably too much, oh well). This song is seriously fantastic and I have had it on repeat since it came out like a week ago. ENJOY.