I cannot believe that it’s been over three months since my trip to Dubai. Getting to experience the Arabian Peninsula and everything it has to offer was such an amazing experience. It is one thing to learn about other cultures within the United States, but to actually experience another culture in a foreign country is a whole different experience.  My professor told me to take a travel journal along with me during my trip and write in it as the days go by so I can remember specific things and

I never knew how much hate existed in the world until I committed to my hijab...I started wearing my hijab in February of last year at the age of 21, but I did not fully commit to it until May. not many of my friends knew I was Muslim..I honestly thought it wasn’t a big deal. but when I first started to wear my hijab in February I was very adamant about not posting on social media because I did not want people to look at me differently...I was not ready for the negativity I was soon to receive.

I have survived and I will continue to survive. Hit me, 2018. I’m more ready than I’ve ever been. You won’t be able to beat me.

Cannot stress this enough... protecting your own happiness isn’t selfish. you deserve every ounce of happiness.

The best lessons I ever learned in life came from the worst experiences in my life.

Part I What is the price of perfection ? I ask As I am surrounded by those with beaten down faces and broken down smiles , With bloody fingernails and bleeding hearts , Searching for the perfect piece of affirmation in the letter "A" , That can only come on a sheet of paper in bright red ink , With late night lessons and sleepless slumbers , Where the goal is to pass the class Without failing ourselves in the process , With days that last longer than our minds can , Leaving us with hollowed

It has been 365 days since you were last here on this earth . 365 days since I last got to see your beautiful face . 365 days since we last talked . It's been a year since you been gone ; a full year..I think about you all the time . Not a day goes by where you are not on my mind . I still cannot come to terms with all of this . I wish you were here . I wish we could have you back but I know it doesn't work like that . I know God has a better plan for you . and now that Asa is up there with you

Goodbyes are not forever , they are not the end ; it simply means I'll miss you until we meet again .. Today I got to say my final goodbye to Asa...I still cannot believe that this is real . I'm still trying to come to terms with all this . I don't want to accept the fact that you're no longer here with us . Asa , you were truly one of a kind . I appreciate the time we got to spend together . You made camp incredibly memorable . It's really really hard saying goodbye . It's not at all easy

Tonight I got to say goodbye one last time to Andy Zambrana . I love you man...to the moon and back . You will truly be missed . I am so glad I got to meet you because you are an incredible young man with the sweetest heart . It's never easy saying goodbye . It's sad to see you go . But I'm happy that you got to go out on your own terms with pride ; that you didn't let your cancer own you...you owned your cancer . I know this has hit us all hard...from your family at Camp Fiesta to your actual

I am so lost for words right now...I really want to pretend this is all a dream that I can wake up from right now . Please tell me this isn't really happening . Please tell me you're not gone . Please tell me this bullshit is all just in my mind . I've lost yet another very close friend of mine this week thanks to this damn disease . Bruh , FUCK CANCER ! Like for real...when will this ever stop ? How many more times do I have to keep posting these statuses and posts ? Rest in paradise Asael

Another one gone way too soon ... I seriously cannot believe this is happening . I just saw you last Sunday (12.13.2015) at the Christmas Party and you were as happy as could be . Now you're gone . At least you're in paradise now . With your fellow family members . I know that you , Emily , Pablo , Catherine , Laura , Natalie , Jose , and Michael are watching over all of us and protecting everyone you love . You will be missed dearly . I know you were fighting until the very end...and even

I really can’t believe that’s it’s been 244 days since you've been gone … I think about you everyday . My cousin got her permit today .... Instantly made me think of you and how excited you were to take on the world . You are truly a gift from God . One like no other . I didn’t know you for very long and it sucks that it has to stay that way , but you were just absolutely amazing . Your vibe & energy could make any bad situation positive again . Seeing that beautiful smile throughout camp was

Depression Hotline: 1-630-482-9696 Suicide Hotline: 1-800-784-8433 LifeLine: 1-800-273-8255 Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386 Sexuality Support: 1-800-246-7743 Eating Disorders Hotline: 1-847-831-3438 Rape and Sexual Assault: 1-800-656-4673 Grief Support: 1-650-321-5272 Runaway: 1-800-843-5200, 1-800-843-5678, 1-800-621-4000 Exhale: After Abortion Hotline/Pro-Voice: 1-866-4394253 If you ever want to talk: My blog ask is always open.

On October 31, 2008 I was diagnosed with stage 3 Ovarian Cancer. A week and a half before Halloween I was hospitalized at like 3 in the morning due to some really serious stomach pain. I was fine that entire day, like I went to school & then I went to our Barnes & Nobel night at Barnes & Nobel of course because my really good friend was performing for hand-bells & then for chorus & I told her I’d be there for support. I felt perfectly fine, I wasn’t having any stomach pains or anything. Just

Alhamdulillah! I cannot believe the day is officially here.  Graduation. I have been waiting for this day since I started college four years ago, but today is extra special to me since this time two years ago I was looking at a 1.9 GPA with no hopes or chances of graduating but here I am today graduating with above a 3.0 and walking across that stage with the biggest smile on my face. Alhamdulillah. I am eternally thankful. Well, I'm keeping this short and sweet as I have a lot to prepare for

I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling 22. happy birthday to meeeee! weeell, I basically just woke up..don’t judge me but I stayed up until like 6 am watching Rugrats episodes on Nickelodeon. hey, it’s my birthday, why not?! Hamdan got me a cute little Carvel ice cream cake last night and sang me happy birthday in his horrible voice when the clock struck midnight. I don’t know what candles he got, but they just wouldn’t blow out. I don’t need a fancy dinner or a lot of presents on my birthday,

Alhamdulillah for everything. wow, this was such an amazing experience for me. I had an absolutely wonderful time here. I am so thankful for all the experiences. beyond grateful for getting to have this once in a lifetime opportunity. I would once again like to thank all the people who helped make this possible for me. I will forever cherish all the amazing memories that I’ve made with some pretty great people.

screaming Happy 15th Birthday to my not so little, little brother. I cannot believe that you are 15

9 years ago today I was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer and I must say that since then I’ve been blessed with so many different opportunities, met so many wonderful people and took chances that I never thought I would take. yes cancer is a horrible thing and I cannot wait until we live in a world without it, but without it, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I kicked cancer’s ass and everyday is just another opportunity to make myself a better person. ------------ ​can’t believe 9 years ago on

yesterday was a long day for us; physically, mentally and emotionally (so excuse us for looking rough)...from waking up at 6:30 (me) to packing up our apartment and loading up the uhaul to running all over town like chickens with our heads cut off to unloading the uhaul and hiking everything up 4 flights of stairs...we managed to survive without cutting each other’s head off. yesterday was stressful, but I wouldn’t want to go through it with anyone else. here’s to our very first official

life is way too short to sit around and not truly enjoy it..appreciate every day you have with every single person you cherish because they can be here one day and gone the next. always tell the ones you care about “I love you.” never go to sleep upset or angry. always talk to God; for the good and the bad. be happy that you’re here, because others are not so fortunate.  I, myself, have learned to stop living life for other people and to start living it for myself. I was born with one kidney and

thank you for a wonderful day and an even amazing year. I love you.

I’m committed to right now is bettering myself.

I’m thankful for my struggle because, without it..I wouldn’t have stumbled upon my strength

October 2008 is when a wild journey began for me...I was in middle school, 7th grade to be exact, and I remember that we would have this thing called Barnes & Nobel Night like once every quarter where my school's handbells and chorus would go and perform and the teachers, students and their families would go watch and be able to buy books and have Starbucks while giving back to my school's arts department. I went to one of my school's B&N Night to support my really good friends whom one was

Rest in paradise Cynthia

Even your worst days only last 24 hours.

if you were to ask someone what their favorite time of the year is, they'd probably say Halloween or Christmas or New Years or even Thanksgiving...but if you were to ask me, I would most definitely say that mine is spending nine days over the summer with the absolutely most amazing people I or anyone else could ever ask for...my second family! a family who I can truly be myself with and not be worried about being judged because they'll love me for who I am no matter what. to be around people who

I will teach my daughter how to love, but most important how to stop. they never teach you how to stop.