Friends are one of the most important relationships anyone can have. They are the people you pick to have around you. You could meet them in sports teams, at social events, or maybe you are just friends with them because you have to see them five times a week in class. No matter the case, friends are great people to have in your life.
To be clear, there is a distinction between having good friends and having many friends. Sometimes a lot of people are trying to be popular and increase their number of Instagram followers and number of likes on their posts. But trust me, as you get older, the number of friends that you have will not matter in five years.
Reach out
If you thought about a certain person when reading this post about friendship, they are probably someone special to you so make sure to tell them that you appreciate them and are grateful for the them.
Getting into your first relationship is exciting. After all the hours you’ve spent over-analyzing every text, all the flirting, and all the Instagram stalking you’ve done, you’re finally dating the person you’ve been hardcore crushing on. But when I got into my first relationship, I didn’t know what the heck I was doing. I’m sure a lot of you feel the same way. So, to help you out, here’s 5 five things I wish I knew before I started dating.
I know, I know. Your S/O is really cute and amazing and you just want to spend every second of every day with them. But your S/O should not be your whole life! While it’s completely normal to spend a lot of time with them, especially in the beginning, remember that you are your own person and that you need time alone to grow and mature as an individual. And don’t forget about your friends and family! They were there way before your S/O came along and shouldn’t be tossed aside just because you’re in a relationship now.
It’s okay to love who you love.
Everyone remembers their first love, and mine was this nerdy guy that sat next to me in English class. He was really sweet and treated me like a queen. But throughout our relationship, people would always tell me that he was “weird” and “ugly” and told me that I could do so much better than him. Their words made me feel ashamed and embarrassed for liking him. I ended up breaking up with him because of what they said, even though he was super sweet and nice. Don’t make the same mistake as I did. Never let anyone make you feel like there’s something wrong with you for loving who you love. As long as your S/O treats you right and makes your life better, forget about what anyone else says! Your happiness is all that matters 🙂
Know your self worth.
I let my exes get away with a lot when I was with them. I constantly felt drained and unhappy in these relationships because they kept treating me like trash. Every time I confronted them about it, I bought all their lame excuses and gave them endless chances, even though they definitely didn’t deserve it. If you find yourself constantly unhappy because of how they treat you and you aren’t seeing a change in their behavior, think about whether you really want to be with them or not. You’re all kings and queens and you deserve someone who treats you that way!
Communication is key!
Your S/O isn’t a mind reader! Always tell them how you’re feeling or what’s on your mind. You feel like your S/O isn’t appreciating you enough? Tell them! They said something that upset you? Tell them! You want to get In-N-Out for lunch? TELL THEM. Even if your inner dark Kermit is telling you not to, don’t listen to him and communicate with your S/O! It’s a simple solution that’ll save you from a lot of arguments and heartache later.
It’s not going to be easy.
I know it seems impossible that your S/O would ever hurt you- they’re cute and funny and they make you so happy. But every relationship has its ups and downs, and you will get hurt during one of the low points. No one’s perfect, not even your S/O, and in order for it to last, both of you need to put in effort to get past these challenges and make your relationship stronger. Relationships are hard work and it’s not always going to be easy, but the highs will make going through the lows worth it.
Meet the Author
Hi guys! My name’s Cynthia and I’m a first year Psychological and Brain Science and Communication double major here at UCSB. I’m from a small town in the Bay Area about five hours away from here. In my free time, I like to go to the beach, pet cute dogs, and hang out with my friends. I hope you find our blog helpful! 🙂
Family love is not always like you see in the picture above. Most people try to hide the bad parts of their families. When they go out to events it is like they put a filter over their entire family to look picture perfect. It can get tiring and sometimes fights can happen between family members. Getting through those fights is what makes you stronger.
When I was growing up, I never got along with my mom. It would be so bad that my step dad once asked us to stop for a day. We always fought about the most random things. No matter how much we fought we would always apologize at the end of day because we knew we never really meant any of it.
Once, I researched Zodiac signs, and it turns out my mother’s zodiac and mine do not get along.
We always resolved everything by talking things through. This became more necessary because when it came to choosing a college my parents did not approve of my decision, but talking it through helped us. In the end, leaving for college made our bond stronger. Now that we have distance we value our time together when I come home and do not fight as much.
Family can be a pain, but they will be the ones to listen to anything you have to say and they will always stand by you when you need them most.
Friends are one of the most important relationships anyone can have. They are the people you pick to have around you. You could meet them in sports teams, at social events, or maybe you are just friends with them because you have to see them five times a week in class. No matter the case, friends are great people to have in your life.
To be clear, there is a distinction between having good friends and having many friends. Sometimes a lot of people are trying to be popular and increase their number of Instagram followers and number of likes on their posts. But trust me, as you get older, the number of friends that you have will not matter in five years.
Reach out
If you thought about a certain person when reading this post about friendship, they are probably someone special to you so make sure to tell them that you appreciate them and are grateful for the them.
Hello everyone! My name is Michelle and I am a first year Biology student. I am from San Diego, California which is about three aways south from your middle school. I’ve lived there my whole life which is probably why I love going the beach and being outdoors. For my writing 2 class I was assigned to make a blog post specifically for all of you so I hope you all enjoyed reading my piece 🙂
From middle school until now, I’ve learned how to build my accounts on professional websites like LinkedIn, Handshake, and Glassdoor, how to write awesome essays in MLA format, and I’ve been able to distinguish professional relationships from typical ones. Now that I’m a little older, I’ve learned that the relationships you share with family members or your best friends are totally different from the relationships you share with professionals.
A few examples of professionals you will meet in your life are:
Teachers
Professors
Employers
Coworkers
And let’s be real here… most adults!
Here are some ways you could build your own PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS!
Address professionals with “Dr.” or “Mr./Mrs.” instead of “dude” or “bro” like you usually would with your friends and classmates.
Show up to classes and meetings on time
Dress neatly and appropriately
Be respectful of those around you
Meet the Author
Hey guys, I’m Cortney! I’m from West Covina, CA, but I went to school in a little town called Duarte. I’m currently a Pre-Communication major over at UCSB, and I’m loving life here so far! Whenever I have free time, I enjoy making music, binge-watching shows on Netflix and Hulu, and hanging out with my friends. If you ever need guidance, feel free to contact me at cortneyho@ucsb.edu. I hope you enjoy our blog! 🙂
When we feel happy, a chemical called dopamine is released.
WAYS TO START LOVING YOURSELF
Make a list of 10 things you love about yourself
Create a vision board for your dreams
Take a 30 min walk in nature and/or watch a sunset
Try an empowering workout
Try to get 7 hours of sleep and drink water
Spend a day with little to no Internet
Taking care of yourself is VERY important. Don’t get me wrong here. I understand sometimes we have so many things going on in our lives that we sometimes forget to prioritize our well-being, but it’s good to start building healthy habits early on. Trying something new for yourself such as going a day without the Internet can be difficult at first, trust me I know, but it’s definitely worth it to take some time off the Internet to go enjoy a walk outdoors! Smell the fresh air, listen to the sounds of birds chirping, feel the breeze… Want to take on a challenge? I dare you to do as many of the things that I have listed.
With final exams and midterm exams, college can be stressful. What UCSB has is a quarter system which means the school year is divided into four quarters (fall, winter, spring, and summer). Currently, I am in winter quarter and am almost in spring quarter. What this also means, unfortunately for me, is that everything here is fast-paced. Without a balance between academics and fun, it’s very easy to get caught up in the schoolwork and feel overwhelmed. Ways I like to cope with the stress are watching sunsets at the beach, tanning, taking walks, hanging out with friends, and watching movies in my spare time.
About the Author
Hey guys! My name is Jasmine Te. I am a freshman at the University of California, Santa Barbara and am planning on graduating in 2023 (hopefully 2022). I am a Classics Major with an emphasis on Greek and Roman culture. Basically it’s the study of Greek and Roman culture. I am 18 years old, and something I like to do in my free time is binge watch Youtube videos and movies on Netflix.
Relationships 
