As I sit here on my fifth full day in New York City, diligently searching on Craigslist for a safe but inexpensive place to live, I am in awe that I am really here. Did I really just pack my two new Samsonite suitcases up one day and leave my home of 22 years in Florida behind the next? Yes I did, and I love it. I'm stronger for it! Moving, even though I haven’t done it until now, is stressful, and a royal pain in the butt, but it's also a process that can teach us so much!
Take me for example. I’m a blonde, green-eyed, “y'all” speaking, Southern girl from Tallahassee, Florida who has always dreamed of working for a fashion magazine. I finally had the opportunity, and I jumped for it (no — leaped for it)! Now, here I am, becoming a professional couch sleeper in a friend’s apartment until I secure a good part-time job and a dorm, or apartment, cheap enough for me to afford. No, it isn’t the ideal situation, but just think of the opportunities and experience I have already gained and will continue to gain by me making the big move — not to mention a big move to the city that never sleeps!
I learned that everything is a stepping stone that will take you to where you want to go. It might be tough at first, but learn from it. Don’t ever forget where you are going, how you were able to get there, and the people that helped you. Enjoy it, embrace it, live it, write it, speak it! Someone brilliant once said, “Enjoy where you are, on the way to where you are going…” Don’t meet your big move with fear and apprehension but embrace it with confidence and excitement!
Does anyone have any big moves coming up for the fall? Are you moving away for college or maybe an internship? What are your fears and reservations? I promise you are not the only one. Share your advice!
xoxo,
Olivia Putnal
Fashion Intern
This morning we dropped Alix off at the airport (he’s flying back to Johannesburg to welcome the counselors and youth ambassadors and make sure everything with the program is going smoothly). Then we began the three hour drive up in to the mountains of KwaZulu-Natal where the schools, Sinegugu and Emtshawazo, are located. The views were absolutely gorgeous: a sweeping, mountainous landscape with shafts of sunlight coming from the thick clouds and illuminating everything in a golden glow. There were tons of pine trees as well, which I wasn’t expecting. Our driver, Michael, who is from South Africa, explained to me that logging is actually a very big industry here. It’s this country’s winter now, and up in the mountains it’s FREEZING. I’m writing this sitting in front of the space heater at our bed and breakfast!
Talk to you tomorrow!
Eva
We left at 7 am this morning for Durban, a city on the eastern coast of South Africa. Once we arrived in Durban, we picked up our rental car. I rode in the front passenger seat on the left (you drive on the other side of the road in South Africa) and it felt so strange to be on that side of the car without a steering wheel in front of me! We did a little driving tour of the city, and it was great to be able to see the ocean. It’s a beautiful city, but such a juxtaposition of poverty and wealth. After lunch we tried to hit up the local market but by the time we got there all of the vendors were closing up their stalls. We’re determined to make it when we come back through Durban next week!
More tomorrow.
Eva
We arrived in Johannesburg after almost a 20 hour flight. Thankfully we slept for most of it. We dropped our bags at the hotel and went to the mall down the road to find something to eat. It was late - 10pm - but still so crowded. The restaurant we ate at had “monkey gland sauce” on the menu – not something you see every day in the States. Although, apparently it’s not made from monkey glands. We asked the waitress and we’re slightly disappointed. Afterwards we met up with Gaby, Alicia, and Alix (the coordinators of the HERO Program) and went over the schedule. This year will be much different from the more rural Namibian trip we went on last year. I’m excited to visit different schools, meet the U.N. partners on the ground and see a different aspect of the HERO program. Can’t wait for the next 2 weeks to get underway!
More tomorrow!
Eva
I've got an awful habit I'm trying to break, and it's one I can barely control: Mirror Face.
Somewhere along the way, I must have decided that I look best if my eyes are slightly widened, my cheeks slightly sucked in, my chin tilted down, my mouth frozen in a vaguely sultry expression or lips-only-no-teeth smile. Because without thinking about it, my face automatically arranges itself into that expression every time I look in the mirror. I can't do it on command, and I actually have to concentrate to look in the mirror without it.
I didn't even realize I did it until college, when I was getting ready with my roommate and we were sharing a mirror. She saw my reflection and turned to me. "What are you doing?" she asked. "That thing. With your face. You look so...severe. You don't look like that normally." Every day after that, she'd call me out on my Mirror Face if she saw me doing it — which was always, because I couldn't help myself.
I think that without realizing it, I decided I looked best with a certain expression. Obviously I don't always have a mirror face on — I, you know, smile and laugh and talk and scrunch my eyebrows and make weird expressions — but I'm choosing to see myself in what I must think is the best possible light. That makes sense to a degree, but it's not really fair to myself: I'm essentially telling myself every time I look in the mirror that the way I normally look isn't good enough.
Plus, it looks pretty silly to other people. Actually, what got me to try to stop my habit was seeing a friend of mine do her mirror face a couple of weeks ago. She's doll-face pretty, with big blue eyes and pink bow lips — that's what I see when I look at her. But when she looked in the mirror, her lips pouted out, she blinked and opened her eyes super-wide, and she cocked her head. She still looked pretty, of course, but she didn't look like herself. She looked like she was on a very uncomfortable first date. Honestly? She looked ridiculous. I thought, Is that how I appear?
So I'm trying to quit. I'm trying to just look at myself like I'd look at anybody else — not concerned about whether my cheeks are slimmer or my chin tilted down. I'm trying to look like me.
Is it just me and my friend who has a Mirror Face? Do you have a Mirror Face? Tell me about it!
-Autumn
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When you hear an incredibly good (and unbelievable) story, it is your obligation to pass it on. So ladies, I'm giving you the story of the "greenis." There's not much else I can say, except that once you read this you'll be in total shock and want to immediately text your friends so they can read this, too.
xoxo,
D
It’s still over a month away, but already I can’t stop thinking about breaking out my backpack (OK, giant carryall tote) and going back to school. Reminders of the coming school year are everywhere – in stores, as retailers redline their summer merch to make room for sweaters and coats, and right here in the CosmoGirl offices, where interns are slowly starting to head home (what?! Already?)
While I’m not so crazy about the early-morning/late-night-study-session aspect of heading back to college, there’s still something amazing about the beginning of a new school year. The first day back is a lot like New Year’s Eve: both are a chance for a fresh start (and of course, both require a killer outfit). In the same way that I carefully pen my New Year’s resolutions every December, I also like to make some plans for the new semester ahead. As I’m going into my senior year of college this fall (eep!), those little back-to-school resolutions seem more important than ever. Though they range from serious – like my annual number 1: “be more organized” – to silly (“throw more theme parties”?), I love making a little checklist of the things I’d like to accomplish (or at least try to accomplish) in the months that follow. And although I may never create a perfect filing system for my notes (alright, probably never), at the end of the day, I write my resolutions to remind myself to make every day count. And if all else fails, at least I’ll still have that list of “the top ten wildest theme party ideas ever”.
So spill – are you making any big plans for the upcoming school year?
Xoxo,
Drew Taylor
Fashion Intern
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I just registered for the Nike + Human Race on August 31. I'm scared. It's a 10 K (which is 6.2 miles) and the most I've ever been able to run at one time is just less than five miles - and that was persuading my lungs not to give up on me during the last mile. So, I roughly have 3 weeks to train and it's not looking good.
The good news is that I'm running for a great cause. When you register, you get to pick one of three charities and start collected pledges. As some of you may know, I'm a huge animal lover, so naturally I chose the World Wildlife Federation. The race is happening in 25 different cities all around the world. Check out their site to see if a race is happening near you.
More on the hatred of cardio later.
xoxo,
D
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Ever since I started college, I’ve found myself more and more inspired by learning new things. Seriously, sometimes I feel like a newborn baby with those wide-opened eyes. I want to retain everything, share it with others and find out more (thank god for the Internet).
Some of the reasons for this new fascination are that I have changing concerns as I enter the Oreal’ world, I’m meeting all kinds of new people, and I’m more involved in student organizations and my community than ever before. But a lot of the fascination stems from just being in college. Unlike high school, I’m paying for my education and choosing what I want to study. It’s made me value learning so much more.
On that note, I want to share something fascinating with you that my older sister told me yesterday. Billions of honeybees in North America (about 1/3) are mysteriously dying,which could lead to the loss of fruits, vegetables and flowers (maybe even Winnie the Pooh). That’s because honeybees are a major crop pollinator and 30 percent or so of fruits, vegetables and nuts, etc., rely on pollinators. Scientists are looking into stress, pesticides, and new viruses and parasites as possible causes for the phenomenon. Isn’t it crazy that we haven’t heard more about this (except in “The Happening”–I thought it was made up)?!
Luckily, companies including Burt's Bees and Haagen-Dazs, whose flavors often include ingredients that are pollinated by honeybees, are supporting research to figure out and fix this problem. Proceeds from Haagen-Dazs’ Vanilla Honey Bee flavor and Burt’s Bees’ Colony Collapse Disorder Lip Balm go toward the research. If you want to know more about the honeybee decline, check some YouTube videos about it.
Anyway, I love being inspired all the time–it’s an awesome thing to be. My only wish is that I was more inspired when I was in high school. How about you? Do you enjoy soaking up the world and all there is to learn? If you’ve started college already, have you noticed any change in your desire to do so?
xoxo
Emily Moorhouse
Editorial Intern
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Did you know that the pay gap between men and women begins right out of college? A recent study conducted by the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation shows that women make about 20 percent less than their male counterparts straight out of college, and that percentage increases over time to about 30 percent after 10 years.
Luckily there are people out there making a difference and doing something about gender inequality, like Amy Sewell and Susan Toffler, co-directors of a recent documentary entitled "What's Your Point, Honey?" The movie puts a new face on political leadership by introducing seven possible contenders from the CosmoGirl Project 2024 internship program, while at the same time revealing inequalities that still exist today.
Now, with inspiration from the movie, Look to the Stars has started a weekly column entitled Honeys We Love, an initiative that profiles men who support gender equality issues. The first Honey to be profiled was Emmy Award-winning musician John Kimbrough. His song “1971” is actually featured in "What's Your Point, Honey?". Visit Look to the Stars to hear a snippet of his song and to learn more about the initiative.
Gender equality is an issue that the CosmoGirl Project 2024 program stands tall for and is working to improve. Have you started any gender equality initiatives recently? Feel free to comment below!
With girl power,
Erica Swallow
Get out your video camera and start recording ... you've got four days left to apply to be Nike's next field reporter. Why would you want to do that? Because it's only the coolest job ever. If you've got what it takes, Nike will fly you around the country (dressed in some sweet Nike gear, of course) to meet and interview top athletes like Maria Sharapova and Gretchen Bleiler. Your interviews will be featured on nikewomen.com, you'll have your own blog, and you'll get tons of journalism experience. Afterwards, who knows? You could end up as a sports correspondent on television. I met last year's Nike field reporter, Brittany Jones-Cooper (that's her interviewing Lisa Leslie in the photo), and I can tell you she loved the job. So, if you're 18 - 24, check out nikewomen.com for more information. Good luck!
XO, Jenn, senior beauty and fitness editor
Whether you’re the next HGTV interior decorating star or an incoming college freshman without a clue, pimping out your dorm can actually be more stressful than taking finals. Luckily, my mom and I aren’t afraid to wield a power drill for the sake of creating my super-luxe dorm. All it takes is a little creativity—and a lot of 3M Adhesive Hooks. Here are my top tips for creating the space-saving dorm of your dreams.
Create your own furniture. Dorm furniture is bulky and only comes in one of two colors: turquoise or magenta. I wanted my room to look sophisticated, not like Barbie’s dream house. On top of this, I needed a lot more space.
To solve this problem, my mom and I went to Home Depot and assembled what later became known as “The Unit.” A custom, multi-level shelving unit made from PVC piping and duct tape, the unit created a canopy over my bed and created enough space to store tons of items. I bought curtains from Urban Outfitters to cover “The Unit,” and voila! The cutest shelves ever assembled for under $30!
Be the Princess and the Pea. Under the bed is one of the best storage places. Forego the tiny plastic bed risers in favor of Rack Raisers—they can raise your bed up to 25 inches off the ground! This gives you an additional 50 cubic feet of storage space.
IKEA it up. IKEA has funky, inexpensive linens, lighting, posters, and rugs. Forget the John Belushi “College” poster and hang an artsy black and white photograph or a Matisse print—they only cost $10 but bring a grown-up sophistication to your cinderblock walls. IKEA also makes giant, decorative wall stickers called SLÄTTHULT that look like wallpaper.
Let there by light. A dreary space instantly comes alive with additional lighting. Add a desk lamp at the least. I bought a plug-in children’s chandelier at Target that made my room feel like a palace.
Items to Avoid. Giant chairs (butterfly, sphere, dish), filing cabinets, big safes, drying racks, ironing boards (steam your clothes in the bathroom when you shower), non-school books.
Happy dorm doecrating!
Do you have any tips for decorating your dorm? What are your favorite space-saving tips and places to shop for college?
I’ve always loved to read. Right now, I’m flying through the Twilight series and I’ve just finished Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and Schooled by Anisha Lakhani. Almost as much as reading the book, I love passing on my new favorites to my friends so that we can gush about characters like Edward Cullen together.
Last week, I confidently recommended The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch to one of my friends who is still in high school. This book has become one of the most meaningful books I’ve ever read. I’m not much of a crier when I read, but this book left me in hysterics by the end. To my surprise, she replied, “Thanks anyway, but I already watched his real lecture on YouTube.” I couldn’t believe she didn’t want to read it. When I asked her why, she clued me into the fact that it’s not because she didn’t want to read it, but that her and her friends prefer to read online now. She considers books to be “slow news” when she can read the information quickly online or watch a video about it instead.
Once I started researching this, I found out that there is a huge debate about whether or not reading online is beneficial to today’s tech-savvy teens. While teens say reading online allows them to find different points of view, academics say that these “points of view” are poor sources, often angry rants by unsatisfied parents, and have a tendency to contain more spelling and grammatical errors than an article that’s been through a rigorous editing process, say, for a newspaper or a magazine
This blog itself is an example of online reading. Am I considered to be a “poor source”? Supporters of online reading say that it gives less experienced writers, like me, a chance to publish their work. But is my writing considered harmful to young readers because I didn’t publish a novel yet? I would hate to think so.
At the same time, I also hate to think that online reading is replacing books. As much as I appreciate the .com world, scrolling down a Webpage just doesn’t give me that sense of accomplishment I feel as I place my bookmark further and further toward the last page of a book after reading it late into the night.
Do you prefer reading online, or in print? Do you think schools should test online reading comprehension just as much as they test students on books? Is reading online just as valid as reading a book?
When I was twelve, I started my own animal-rights club. I was inspired by my love of animals and the work of PETA – that’s People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a collective known for their attention-grabbing tactics, like throwing tofu pies at an unsuspecting fur-clad Anna Wintour during Paris Fashion Week – although the farthest I ever took my activism was crafting a crayola-colored sign or two. While my little club fell by the wayside pretty quickly, my love of animals never did. Which is why four months ago, I decided to give up meat. (Full disclosure: I’m actually a pescetarian, which is a vegetarian who stills eats seafood. My apologies to fishies everywhere, but I’m not giving up my sushi addiction anytime soon!) Having thoughts about trading turkey for tofu? Here’s what I’ve learned about going meat-free, painlessly:
“Vegetarian” is not code for “diet”.Just because you’re dropping meat from your diet doesn’t mean you’ll drop pounds – there are tons of other foods that have just as many, if not more, calories per serving (what’s up, carbs?) That being said, plenty of veggie fakeouts are way healthier than their real-meat counterparts: for example, a typical veggie burger has just 100 calories and 3.5 grams of fat, while a real ‘burg has 280 calories and a whopping 20 grams of fat! If you’re looking for a way to ease into the vegetarian scene, or just want to eat a little lighter, try swapping one of your daily meat servings for a soy substitute (Morningstar Farms makes the best “soy-sage” and “fake’n bacon” that I swear taste just about as good as the real thing!)
Don’t start beef over beef! When Jessica Simpson wore a “Real Girls Eat Meat” tee earlier this year (allegedly a dig at her beau Tony Romo’s ex, known vegetarian Carrie Underwood), she set off a firestorm of criticism among the veggie set. PETA devotee Pamela Anderson even had some choice not-so-friendly words for Jess in one particularly heated interview! Take a lesson from the whole t-shirt debacle and remember that just because you’re making a lifestyle change doesn’t mean that your friends and fam have to, too! Offer to cook them your favorite meatless dish – but don’t get mad if they’re unwilling to give up the occasional Big Mac.
Finally, if you’re seriously contemplating giving animal products the axe – talk to your doc. Many vegetarians develop anemia or other health problems because they don’t get the proper nutrients from their meatless diets. By working with a nutritionist or health practitioner, you can ensure that your veg lifestyle is good for both you and your furry friends!
So tell me—have you ever thought about giving up meat? Why or why not?
xoxo,
Drew Taylor
Fashion Intern
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