treat YO'SELF 22

Before I start quoting Taylor Swift I need you guys to know that my 22nd birthday snuck up on me.

My birthday fell at a strange time; last week I was at KACTF, a theatre conference and within the next week my closest pals and I will be celebrating spring break in Florida; So with stressing out about competition, rehearsing, being gone, draining all of our sad theatre sorrows in boxes of limerita's, saving money for Spring Break, still planning the trip, TRYING TO DO EVERY DETOX IN THE WORLD BECAUSE IM ABOUT TO BE IN A BATHING SUIT; my birthday fell by the wayside.

22 is a strange age, I mean 21 was great, everyone is ready to party with you, buy you drinks, see you cry/naked/happy/passedout but with 22........ are you supposed to have a classier party? Is this the age I serve wine and cheese at my nicely decorated apartment? At this age it is unacceptable to get really close to all your friends faces and tell them how much you love them? Is it frowned upon to make -out in a bar? I need to know!

lots of anxiety happened a few days before the big two. two.

at midnight on my 22nd birthday I came home from the gym around 12:30 A.M.
(sometimes I go to the gym late; no one's there, it gives me full range of the gym and it's kinda neat)

I walked into my apartment and my lovely roommates of course had "22 by Taylor Swift" blaring, balloons everywhere and a candle lit cheese cake ready to make my first birthday wish! They are honestly the best and so fab- here's a shameless plug for my cute fashionista roommate http://misterratcliff.blogspot.com/

anyway my roommates Tyle and Austin made the first few hours of being 22 extremely special, I love them for that.

the rest of the day was all up to me, it just so happened that I did not have class or work on my birthday so I got to fill the day with stuff  I wanted to do! 

-----> which brings me to this small segment of

TREAT YO'Self 22

If you think your birthday is going to be less than stellar, you need to take the day into your own hands and treat yourself like the birthday queen you are. 

1. Start your day off with uninterrupted time of doing something you love.

this could be anything you love- if reading is your thing, Read! Cook! Paint! Sleep! Do something you love doing; for me it was running and yoga. If you start your birthday off with something you love it is almost a guaranteed great day.

My Polar Watch had a cake on it all day :)

2. Go to your favorite treat place and shamelessly get your favorite item.

Maybe you love bagels from Panera but always refrain or maybe you really love their mac and cheese! It's your birthday go get your favorite thing and treat yo self. I went to a smoothie place and got a green monster smoothie FOR FREE! (pull the birthday card everywhere too!)  

3. Listen to My Humps by Fergie

I promise. Just do it! 

4. Go get a mani/pedi/hair blow out/ massage/ or do these things at home.

It's your birthday!! You deserved to be pampered! So whatever beauty thing you need at the moment, go do it! 

5. Wear your favorite accessory (even if its ridiculously obnoxious)

You have a floppy sun hat you love? Wear it! That weird belt buckle no one but you likes? Wear It!  It is 2 degrees outside and you want to wear a flower head band?- DO IT! I think on your birthday you should be able to wear anything you want. You were born this day- this day gave you life and the need to express yourself, so do it! Wear whatever- be who you are- its your day. 

6.  Other small tips to remind yourself just how special you are on your birthday! 

• Screen shot all the nice text and instagram/facebook shout outs you get, refer to them on a different day and relive your birthday bliss all over again
• kiss someone who thinks you are wonderful
• revisit old songs you used to love
• walk in and out of your house to get reoccurring love from your cute doggy
• look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself facts about you I am beautiful, strong, independent- Sounds lame but its really empowering 
• watch your favorite movie
• call your grandma 

We are completely capable of having the best birthday- with no actual party. 22 is fun cause you are stuck in the middle of how adult am I and how young can I be? No matter what age, your birthday matters. So treat yourself, be with friends and embrace your age happily. 

"happy, free, confused and lonely at the same time"

     ~ you didn't really think I could go with out quoting it at all?

Cheers! 

Sierra Carter