Recently, I’ve been re-watching One Tree Hill on Netflix and falling in love with Brooke Davis all over again. I’m always drawn to those “mean girl” type characters in everything I watch. These girls are tough, fiercely independent and can out-bitch you in every situation. On the contrary, they’re also loving, caring and will be the first person on your side as soon as you need them. Brooke Davis is a smart, confident woman who looked out for the people she cared about and always put others before herself and will forever be my main chick.


So here a few reasons why B.Davis stole my heart and why she continues to be the best thing to happen to Tree Hill.

1. She was never afraid to tell her friends what they needed to hear- whether they liked it or not.


2. She showed us that's it okay grow out of old relationships and never miss someone that wouldn't miss you.


3. She showed us it's totally okay to drink wine from the bottle. Who even needs a glass?


4. She taught us to never compromise who you are in order to make others happy. 


5. She taught us that even if you grow out of your bitchy phase, it's completely acceptable to bring that bitchiness back in order to stand up for your loved ones.


6. She taught us to always be true to yourself. 


7. She taught us to take a stand against double standards. 


8. She took a stand against the glamorization of eating disorders in the fashion world.


8.  She told us to go after the things we want, even in our love lives.


9. She also showed us that in our love lives, it's okay to put yourself first.


10.  She taught us to never let a guy define who we are. YOU get to decide who you are.


11. She taught us that if you've lost your way, you get to decide what happens next.


12. She wasn't afraid to be the first to call someone out on their bull.


13. She taught us how to perfect the art of "bitch-craft".


The true Supreme of Tree Hill.


Okay, by now I’m sure you’ve all heard of the incident at the University of Oklahoma involving their chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) and the video of some of their members chanting racial slurs. This is not the only instance of racial events surrounding Greek Life; there have been a few events of Greeks on campus holding theme parties with themes where the members wear stereotypical racial costumes like black face, traditional Mexican, Asian or Indian wear, and more. Greeks are often associated with allegations of hazing on campuses. To add to this, there have also been a few accounts of rapes occurring at fraternity houses.

Because of these events, many feel Greek Life as a whole is the blame and that’s just not the case. First off, just as many non-Greek students at colleges and universities cause problems as well but when the issue is attached to a pair of Greek letters the issue becomes much bigger.

People then look at Greek life as something that’s toxic and should be banned from campuses altogether. Let’s get something straight, the issue does not lie with Greek life. People make decisions based on themselves, their choices are a reflection of their character, background and their own mindset and it’s those few that give Greek Life a bad name.

Greek Life has a lot to offer and can do a lot of good. The Greek community is strong and filled with individuals who have awesome leadership skills, a strong focus on academics and extracurricular activities, philanthropists’, and they each hold their organizations values and morals to a high standard. The choices of those few that chose to behave poorly are not a reflection of me, my sorority, or my fellow Greeks.

Becoming Greek enhanced my college experience in an amazing way. I was part of a community of diverse, intelligent, strong individuals, we maintained a strong focus on academics within our chapters, a strong presence on campus, with many of our members being involved in other clubs, athletics, Greek Honor Societies, helped raise thousands of dollars of charities, participating in volunteer work and became leaders on and off campus.

Greek Life isn’t as ridiculous as it seems on TV and in movies. Do we party? Hell yes. Can I make a toga out of anything? Yes. Did I use glitter excessively while crafting for my little and recruitment parties? Yes. Did I partake in racist theme parties with people in black face? Absolutely not.

Many people are under the impression that once you become Greek, you automatically become a part of the problem. As if when I received my bid into my sorority the card read: “Welcome to Our Sisterhood: You are now a racist, vapid, over-privileged whore.” You wouldn’t believe the things I’ve read from those against Greek Life. I am a proud sorority woman; I have family and friends in the Greek community, I have family and friends in SAE, did that video represent who they are? NO.

Greek Life has taught me so much and has given me many amazing opportunities. It’s taught me how to be a better leader, how to work well with others, to stand up for what I believe in, how to run a business, how to bring people together, it’s given me many volunteer opportunities, the chance to raise money for amazing organizations like the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals which is my national sororities’ philanthropy, it gave me an amazing support system and a home away from home and it’s ultimately helped me become a better person. I’ll be damned if I let the actions of a few take away something that’s meant so much to me and so many others across the country and take away the opportunity for it to help change the lives of those that come after us.

The actions of those individuals that chose to spread ignorance does not define me nor does it represent who I am, what my sorority stands for, nor does it represent the many other Greeks that work hard to uphold the standards of their organization and work so hard to fight the stereotypes that plague us as Greeks.


Greek life has the power to do a lot of good and we should not be damned due to the actions of a few. They do not speak for me- I do

For anyone that knows me, they know one of the things I’m most obsessed with is watching YouTube. If you see me out and about, looking at my phone I’m most likely browsing the YouTube app catching up on my subscriptions.

YouTube is a widespread community filled with witty, humorous individuals dishing out tons of amazing content each day. It’s not all cat videos and insane viral videos anymore, though you can still get your fill of those- trust me. YouTube has many channels dedicated to video game commentaries, daily vlogging, comedy sketch shows, science-related channels, and more. It’s a creative community and it’s a force to be reckoned with. With many YouTubers becoming more involved in television and movies it’s been inspiring those working in the two mediums to bring their content over to YouTube for the entire world to see. The internet is a powerful place and it’s a key aspect in getting your content out to an even wider audience than most could have ever imagined.

With that being said, here are a few of my personal favorite YouTubers that you need to subscribe to (if you’re not already).

1.      Grace Helbig


From her days as “Daily Grace” creating content for My Damn Channel, to starting her own original channel, “It’s Grace,” Grace Helbig is definitely making a name for herself and it’s a name you better remember. Helbig is a comedian, actress and a best-selling author. She released her book Grace’s Guide Book: The Art of Pretending to Be a Grown Up last year, it serves as a tongue-in-cheek handbook about everything surrounding adulthood- trust me, you’ll need this. Aside from writing, she was also featured in side projects like the travelling show titled Hey USA with fellow YouTuber, Mamrie Hart on the channel Astronauts Wanted, which is gearing up for its second season. Helbig also starred in the comedy flick Camp Takota along with Mamrie Hart and Hannah Hart. It’s on Netflix, when you’re done reading this, grab some popcorn and watch it. Grace is also shooting footage for her brand new television show that’s going to air on E! Network called The Grace Helbig Show which premiers April 3rd at 10:30pm. She’s doing big, amazing things and I couldn’t be more proud.

2.      Hannah Hart.
I discovered Hannah Hart one night just casually strolling through YouTube and I found something called My Drunk Kitchen. Being a college student I knew two things- I love drinking and making weird but delicious food. I’ve been hooked ever since. Hannah’s infectious personality and wit kept me coming back until I realized I had sat there and watched her videos until 5 in the morning and I had an 8am class that day. Hannah took her love of drunken cooking to the next level when she released her own cookbook last year titled, My Drunk Kitchen: A Guide to Eating, Drinking and Going with Your Gut. I’m not gonna say I got drunk one night and used a few of these recipes but…I got drunk one night and used a few of these recipes. Hannah is also an activist that speaks out frequently for LGBTQA+ rights and has made videos to help those that have come out or in the process of coming out to cope with things they might be dealing with. You can find these videos on her second channel, YourHarto. Hannah also started a movement called Have a Hart Day where volunteers from across the country can come together and help package food for the hungry. Also, did I mention she’s cute as hell?

OH BIG NEWS: Hannah and Grace are also starring in the new superhero flick Electra Woman and Dyna Girl. You can follow the production and get updates by going here.

3.      Mamrie Hart.


Straight outta my home state, North Carolina, this southern belle is one of the best things to happen to me. Mamrie Hart has a channel called You Deserve a Drink where she creates themed cocktails, shots and other various mixed drinks based on what’s happening in pop culture. Her Avengers themed drink was my EVERYTHING. Not only is this girl hilarious, she’s creative and inventive- yeah, she’s not just a pretty face. Remember that movie I mentioned earlier, Camp Takota? Yeah, well Mamrie wrote it! Mamrie is also releasing a book called You Deserve a Drink: Boozy Misadventures and Tales of Debauchery set to be released May 26 this year! Someone should make her a cocktail because if anyone deserves a drink, it’s her.

4.      Tyler Oakley


When most people think of YouTube, they think of Tyler Oakley. He’s one of the biggest supporters for #TeamInternet, supporting his internet comrades every step of the way on their way to success. Aside from being one of the most notable YouTubers and being featured on various television programs, he’s been nominated (and won) awards for Kid’s Choice Awards Choice Web Star, Choice Web Collab, Streamy Entertainer of the Year, and Streamy Activist Icon of the Year. Oakley is very involved in LGBTQA+ rights and has participated in work with The Trevor Project, an organization for the prevention of suicide in LGBTQA+ youth by working with his viewers to raise thousands of dollars for the organization. He was featured in Generation Like, a documentary on how teenagers are interacting more directly with pop culture, which I had to watch in my media class- let’s just say I silently fangirled from my seat and promptly tweeted about it as soon as class was over.

5.      Dan Howell


I didn’t think it was possible but I might have found the male version of me in the form of Dan Howell, better known as Danisnotonfire on YouTube. From the moment I watched his video on how he dreads human interaction and his video on cringe attacks, I knew this was fate. Seriously, do you how many times a day I think about some of the awkward things I’ve done and curl up into a big ball of nope? Dan is a video blogger, or “vlogger” and features many comedic segments on his show where he talks about his misadventures in “Reasons Why Dan’s a Fail,” offers advice for the things his viewers send in during his “Internet Support Group” videos, and other hilarious anecdotes (often called “Danecdotes”). Along with his best friend, Phil Lester, AmazingPhil on YouTube, they host their own radio show on BBC Radio 1 where they report on internet news, what’s been happening on the interwebs and in pop culture. Dan and Phil also have a series of videos titled “Phil is not on fire” which are just hilarious Q&A videos filled with randomness and cat whiskers. I may or may not watch them frequently.

6.      Phil Lester


So obviously, I can’t talk about Dan and not mention Phil, right? Right. Phil Lester, aka AmazingPhil is also a vlogger, re-telling hilarious accounts of his awkwardness. His general nerdiness and love of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is what won me over. Anyone that shares my love of Sarah Michelle Geller is okay in my book. Along with their radio show on BBc Radio 1, Dan and Phil also co-host their own gaming channel called DanandPhilGAMES which features commentary on games such as Five Nights at Freddy’s, Donkey Kong, and The Sims where you can follow the life of Dil Howlter and trust me when I say I’m more involved in the love life of that sim than my own (I’m rooting for you and Eliza Pancakes). The duo also had the opportunity to be featured in a small role on Disney’s Big Hero 6.

7.      Rhett and Link


This package deal hailing from North Carolina, Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal have a show on YouTube titled Good Mythical Morning, which has essentially become a part of my daily routine. Nothing like some GMM and a cup of coffee to get things rolling in the morning while I’m getting ready for class is what I always say. GMM is a weekly variety show where the duo set out to challenge themselves and report on theories and more. They’ve tackled things like taste testing, “Will it Taco,” “Will it Donut,” strange findings on the internet, ways to fall asleep and more. GMM is in its seventh season now. Rhett and Link also host a show titled The Mythical Show, which is another variety show that has featured other YouTube personalities like Smosh, Chester See, and other guest like Kat Von D, Wipeout host Jill Wagoner and more. They now have a new feature on the channel called “Song Biscuits” which will be released every Saturday.

8.      Lilly Singh


Lilly Singh, better known as IISuperwomanII on YouTube has become a recent obsession of mine. Lilly is a motivational speaker and comedian. Lilly is Indo-Canadian and she proudly incorporates her Indian culture in many of her videos. She also speaks out against abuse, racism, and homophobia, especially within the South Asian community. I came across her channel when I discovered her Girl Code video, featuring other YouTube personalities, Hannah Hart, Jenna Marbles, Mamrie Hart, Miranda Sings/Colleen Ballinger and Grace Helbig. and I pretty much kicked myself for not discovering her sooner. Lilly is the bright spot of sunshine on a cloudy day and you need her in your life. Also, if I were to ever meet her, she is definitely someone I want on my flip cup team.


I will definitely be doing a follow up to this because there’s too many YouTubers that I love to even fit them all in this post. YouTube is a growing community filled with smart, crazy-talented people and they need to be recognized. Now I’m off to go watch more YouTube, feel free to leave any suggestions as to who I should subscribe to!

#DearMe


Some of my favorite women from YouTube participated in this new campaign entitled #DearMe where they made a video talking to their younger self. The videos were all about telling your younger self the things you needed to hear. Words of encouragement, inspiration, assurance that things do in fact get better and anything else you needed to say. Some of the people I admire like Hannah Hart and Grace Helbig made videos for the campaign and it inspired me to tell my younger self some things I definitely needed to hear.
Dear Me,
            So here’s the deal, we've got to talk about your life choices and how you treat yourself. You have got to stop tearing yourself down and learn to love yourself. I know how hard that’s going to be, with everything that’s happening in your life but you cannot beat yourself because you already have people in your life trying to destroy you and you don’t need to add to that. Don’t let what others say at school or at home make you hate yourself because you’re going to spend a lot of time hating yourself and you are so much more than that. It’s going to get dark for a while and you’re going to feel like nothing will ever change and you’re going to turn to hurting yourself as a way to cope with that dark time and but I promise you it’s going better. You’re going to put down the razor and learn to love yourself. You’re going to get more involved in your writing and the things you love and pull yourself out of that self-destructive path and you’re going to be so proud of yourself. Depression and anxiety are going to get the best of you sometimes and it’s going to feel like you’re drowning but you’re going to make it and you’re never going to turn to hurting yourself ever again. Don’t waste your time with silly school-girl crushes because 1. They’re all fuckboys and not worth your time and 2. You’re literally only pretending to like them so you have something to talk about while your friends talk about boys. In the grand scheme of things, boys fall very low on your list of importance. Unless they’re over 30 and wear superhero costumes for a living because, let’s not even get started on your obsession with The Avengers- you’ll get to that in a few years. Learn to say no and put yourself first. A lot of the people in your life that you bend over backwards for will not do the same for you and you need to learn to say no and put yourself first. Right now, you have plans for the future doing things you love, you’re a part of the most AMAZING company ever, Kiss My Southern Sass, you have the best KMSS Big, you have wonderful sorority sisters and you’re still cheerleading. You’re writing about the things you love the most- makeup, horror movies, and fashion. You talked to Naya Rivera. You got involved in musical theater again. You saw Panic! At The Disco live and yes, it was everything you ever wanted it to be and more (and yes, they performed your favorite song). My Chemical Romance will break up and it’s gonna ruin your life but it’s cool- they’re all still making music separately and if you play your cards right you’ll get to see Frank Iero in a few weeks (CROSS YOUR FINGERS). You’re doing things that make you happy and you have some pretty awesome people in your life.

Just know that you’re not a waste of space, your life has purpose and you matter. I’m so proud of you for sticking it out and not ending things when you wanted to. There’s so much more to come and I’m glad you’re still around to see it happen.

Love, Your Future Self.


Please check out the #DearMe videos and join in and create your own video (or write about it) and use the hashtag #DearMe to share your story.

February Style Spotlight


Alison Henry

As we enter into the first week of March it’s time to reflect on who I was obsessing over during the month of February. My pick for the February Style Spotlight is Alison Henry, better known as AlisonLovesJB on YouTube. I first came across one of her makeup tutorials a few years ago and was blown away by her skills. Alison is a 21 year old, self-taught makeup artist from Atlanta. Her channel AlisonLoveJb, has tons of in depth makeup tutorials, hair tutorials, hauls and more for her viewers to enjoy. This blue-eyed beauty has some serious skills. Her Instagram account that features her makeup portfolio gives me so much life (#makeupgoals).

Her style is a mix of girly, boho-chic and edgy. Markkit, a style boutique that I’ve mentioned before where YouTube personalities and other influencers can go and create their own clothing line and collections, features a clothing and accessories line designed by Alison. There, you can find bags, long charmed necklaces, flannels and more. Everything my little heart desires, is in this collection. Definitely check it out and explore other collections as well! Markkit features daily deals and you can spin to win great discounts so you can treat yo self without breaking the bank.

Alison has tutorials for tons of looks, whether you’re feeling dramatic or classic that day. I’ve followed many of her tutorials before and tried things that I ended up loving. One of my favorite looks she’s ever done was her music festival tutorial- BEYOND GORGEOUS. Definitely check her channel out, you need her in your life.

Her latest video:

You can find Alison Here:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/alisonhenryy
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/AlisonLovesJB
 Instagram: http://instagram.com/alisonhenryy
Facebook: http://facebook.com/alisonlovesjbyoutube

Markkit: https://markkit.com/collections/alisonhenry-collection.html


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