Youthful Life: X

Being a teenager is all about knowing your own personal temperature. No I'm not talking about playing doctor and shoving a thermometer up your arse, or under your tongue or the awkwardness that is under your armpits (those roller-head ons are cool, but weird because it's like applying nonexistent deodorant to your forehead). I'm talking about being conscious of your body language, which includes whether you're coming off as hot or cold to all the people around you. You've got to be aware of the levels your giving off or risk running a wild fever of crazy, complete with cold chills of bipolarity. This is ice cold. Knowing the temperature of a room is an important skill for sure. As soon as you walk into a place you can tell how people are feeling, whether or not your jokes will work, and if people are having it. There's always those awkward moments where you forget to brighten up and you walk into a room and shut everyone down. Your tone of voice, your body l...

Being a teenager is all about making it through your hardest days. People don't like to admit it but each and every one of us has deep dark fears, anxieties, wants and desires. It's the human condition where we repress the "bad" and only display the best parts of ourselves. What people see is not actually what they get, they just don't get to see the whole picture. When all else fails, it's when the most repressed darkest, and most real parts of ourselves come out. It's the end of the road. Failure is one of the hardest things you may have to deal with in college. Things aren't always going to work out the way you expect. It's just a fact of life. Things happen, ish gets cray, and stuff goes down. It's when you've reached rock bottom and you can fall no further, that things get as real. Revelations are made, and you have to deal. When you're pressed up against wall, you can either back down or breakthrough. This past weekend for me ...

Being a teenager is all about getting the full story. It's about discovering the real person inside the person. It's about getting past all the surface stuff. The fronts we put on, the superficial quirks we pretend to have, and the masks we put on to hide our true selves. College is the time to dig a little deeper, pry just a little bit more, and ask the questions that you've always wanted to. Smile your on candid camera, no wait - we're behind the scenes. Behind the scenes is all about learning. Learning about not only yourself but the people around you. It's about asking those questions that make people think, that force you to be frank with yourself, and that take everyone of out their comfort zones. Check this vlog extra for more on "going behind the scenes" with stories from my week, random dancing and a movie of  "the Perks of Being a Wallflower." Getting a sneak peek into the classically deranged world of my teenage life may or may...

Being a teenager is all about being strong. I'm not talking strong in the sense of a body builder or Taylor Lautner style Twilight Saga abdominals. I'm referring to the kind of strength that takes real maturity. Strength in this sense is about being conscious, active, and aware of not only yourself but everyone else around you. It's about thinking before you speak, actively listening to someone other than yourself, and picking your battles carefully. Confrontation isn't always the answer, being strong enough to see that is. This is strength. Guess who's kind of a become a little bit of a YouTuber - this guy (*points to self with thumbs). Check out this vlog post all about being strong and aware of your strength in college. Video includes super sexy "hey's" with Joe, random dancing and post weekend faces outtakes. College for me takes so much strength. It takes courage, gumption, and an understanding that things will not always come out the way...

Being a teenager is all about doing you, and that means always being on the outlook to improve yourself. College is one of those special places because almost every single day pushes you and challenges the very fabric of your being. Things come up, things happen, and you're forced to adapt, change, or stand your ground (all while trying to stay true to yourself). All kinds of craziness gets thrown at you, and you've got to be prepared when it comes to braving the elements. Braving the elements means armoring up, getting ready, and being secure in yourself to tackle any obstacle that comes your way. College literally gets you to think about things that you probably never even considered in ways no one could have ever predicted. It makes you question your very existence, your morals, values, and convictions. If you're not ready for what might come your way, then the elements can overrun you and you'll end up a different person than you ever wanted to be. For me, it...