fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
12/24/2020
By: Serafina Medina
Tags: Self Sabotage, Friends, Inner Thoughts

Welcome back to another episode of, “Do My Friends Hate Me? Or Do I Need a Nap?”
Whom do I call my Friend?
By: Sarayu Gautam
Tags: Friends, Relationships, Monologue, Personalessay372, Frienship

I have been updating my group of acquaintances. This I am doing well. Being an unstable person to forever be with, I move from one flock of people to another. Not because I prefer diversity to keep myself from getting bored, but because I do not want that group of people to be bored of me, and think me of a freak, as I sometimes judge myself to be.

The thing that depresses me most is that, throughout these past 9 + months, I have only been surrounded by the members of my family. Occasionally I visit my uncle’s house, but they possess the same genes. Right now I am the average of my family members as they are of me. It’s a loop and I am struggling to get out of it.

I was not from a computer background and it was hard for me to keep up with others in my field. After immersing myself for two years in my study, I got out of my comfort zone in this lockdown and started connecting with experts and beginners in my field. I took part in communities, tried to code for money, became more social. All this at the cost of my sanity. I am not sorry. I won’t lose my sanity for networking next time. A lesson learned.

I used to be a shy girl, having only a couple of close friends in my school days. Those friends varied from year to year as my school was big and comprised multiple sections. Though I had a good deal of hi, hello friends, there was never a person who stuck with me for over two years in the same class as a best friend. I sometimes meet my friends near my home; we exchange our how abouts and where abouts; we cry and exclaim at the pace of time; we meet twice or trice after that; we promise to always keep in touch and then boom! We meet after 2 3 years, repeat the same thing. This happens to me for almost all of my school friends.

I have some close acquaintances in my bachelor level. But I am not sure if they’ll stick with me post-graduation, except my boyfriend. If they stick with me, I do not think I vibe with many who’ll help me be my ultimate self.
Hostel nights at IIM Lucknow
By: Gaurav Upadhyay
Tags: Iiml, Friends, Iim, Inspiration, Life

Hostel nights at IIM Lucknow

After spending almost 10 hours in classroom we are back in our hostel room “executive hostel”. Our hostel is different from IPMX or PGPSM folks as all flagships programme participants and visiting faculty used to stay in our hostel. We being from junior batch has to mandatorily stay on either ground or first floor and share common floor with faculty. But bearing the fact to be in close proximity to faculty or industry executives can’t stop us from having fun. Our room gathering usually starts at 11:00. Who should go out to buy booze is a regular discussion and generally sincere guys were always pushed to collect deliveries. I being one of the notorious students somehow manage to skip on these deliveries. Other than studies most of the time we discuss on politics, movies, geography, placements and how to cheat in quizzes. Life at IIM is lot more than grades. Many of us had cooked up lot of aspirational stories for the question “why you want to join IIM” but the reality was IIM is lot more than just finding your dream job. It makes you love, hate, cry, fight, cheat, commit, shout, smile, sleep and many other verbs you haven’t even thought of. It makes you a better person and as one of our professors of strategy said “ rewards is for those who serves the society”.
New Year Wishes For Friends — Best Good Wishes (updated 2021)
By: Teg Official
Tags: New Year, Wishes, Friends, Happy New Year, Friendship

New Year Wishes For Friends — Best Good Wishes (updated 2021)

New Year Wishes For Friends: New Year is almost here so getting your new year wishes, greetings ready is important for the big celebration.

At New Year eve, we usually share wishes with our friends and loved ones.

Happy New Year Wishes for Friends 2021

May all of your wildest dreams manifest in this coming new year. Happy New Year.

Another wonderful year has ended. Let’s decorate our life with unlimited colors of joy this year too. Happy New Year.

I wish the upcoming year for you to be an exquisite one, which is crammed with joy and pleasure.

May this new year come with glows of hopes in our mind for a fresh start. Happy New Year and all the best for new ventures to my friends.

Trying to be a better friend to you this year to deserve friendship you give me. Happy New Year.

Wishing that you simply would have many blessings within the upcoming New Year. Enjoy the holidays.

I remember saying this 365 days ago, but happy New Year.

Wishing you make the most of this new year too. Happy New Year.

I might wish to many thanks for everything that you simply did to me within the last year. Wish you a happy new year.

My Dear friend, I wish you all the best for this year, and may this a year be full of love and happiness. Happy New Year Friend.

Let’s make this year unforgettable in the most incredible way. Have a blessed Happy New Year.

I even have seen you improving throughout the past year. Keep it up within the next year also. Happy New Year.
Love
Tags: Anxiety, Love, Self Love, Friends

Tonight I had a beautiful conversation with one of my very dear friends (another blog to come about that) we talked about my struggles, the grief we have both gone through, and just overall girl talk. We talked about my recent interest in blogging my world and she reminded me of something that I had written last year. I posted on Facebook, but quickly deleted as I’ve mentioned I’m my own worst critic when in comes to my writing.

I know I have mentioned a couple times the reason I do this is because it’s, A) therapeutic for me B) if it helps anyone out there to understand they are not alone in this struggle…then high five, I’m all for helping someone find their words. Tonight, through conversation, I was reminded of this poem (or piece) I had written and my friend mentioned she had sent it to a friend of hers that had been struggling.

It took some time to find it, but when I finally did, I read it out loud, for the first time since I wrote it, and honestly it almost brought me to tears. So, I wish to share with you now because, well…why not.

It’s very difficult, sometimes, to verbalize what goes on in my head. A lot of time I can’t understand it either. My words repeatedly crash into each other, my thoughts are held hostage in my mind, and the tailspin begins. No rhyme…no reason, it just happens. When it begins I put on my best face, laugh abundantly, and keep the optimism/positivity close by my side. But really, on the inside, I feel like I’m dying. Losing myself in the never ending cycle of doubt and fear…irrational, self hating, and reevaluating almost every decision that (I feel) has lead me to failure that I’ve had throughout my life, and it slowly simmers like a pot of boiling water.

Then the anxiety kicks in. As every day passes, it’s as if my mind raises the temperature to the pot of boiling water, until it begins spilling over. That’s when it gets dangerous. Every insecurity comes pouring out at once. Every sense of failure and disappointment streaming down my face, as they take the physical form of tears. Nothing can stop it, nothing can control it…except love and words.

The warm embrace of a friend, the soft shoulder they offer me to cry on, their carefully articulated words of encouragement and love. THAT stops it. Although everything may seem lost to me in those moments, I’m gently reminded that I AM loved, I AM worth it, and I HAVE gotten through far more obstacles than I care to think.

LOVE is what holds me together.

LOVE is what reminds me to keep going.

LOVE is what I have…in my life…through my family, and through my friends who surround me without hesitation, and they hold me together as I’m falling to pieces. And their LOVE is what keeps me alive.

XOXO — Belen
This is my first of many entries.
By: Juan Ortega
Tags: Rant, Friends

This is my first of many entries. . I don’t know what my topics would be but I’ll probably just rant for the most part because I talk to nobody :(. I don’t really know how people stay friends for so long because I constantly feel like I’m a bother and it kind of sucks when you’re the one who has to ask to hangout you know? Don’t get me wrong those people who become your friends really mean a lot to you but we never really know how they feel about us. I constantly just let people drift away and I’m not sure if that’s a bad thing or not let me know what you guys think. That’s probably it for right now because I don’t want to get onto another topic. I hope you all had a good day and an even better rest of your night!
A PLACE CALLED FRIENDS
By: Blessing Njodzi
Tags: Mess Up, Friends, Émotion

She moves her eyebrows like the waves of the ocean

And when she is around me, she exercises caution

Her skin is dark as if scorched by the sun,

She moves with style, she provides so much fun,

But when you approach her, she produces a gun,

And says ‘Hands up, you better run,’

And I reply and say you have won.
Last Minute Christmas Gifts for family and friends!
By: Gavin Naasko
Tags: Friends, Last Minute Deals, Family, Christmas, Great Product

These gifts are guaranteed to arrive before Christmas Day! First gift is a nice affordable pair of fuzzy slippers. The same slippers that Oprah marked as one of her favorite things! The next item that’s guaranteed for your friends or family to enjoy is The Dash Popcorn Maker, it pops kernels with hot air instead of oil for healthier snacking. With its compact design and vintage style, your friends or family will surely love it! The last great deal I’ve found for you is one that I personally bought myself and for others and that is, the AmazonBasics Water Resistant Bluetooth Speaker. This speaker is amazing for all occasions and its water resistant so when your in the pool with your friends you’ll have no problem playing your music for everyone to hear with no worries of it getting broken.
A year in reflection
By: Wesley Dias
Tags: Friends, Reflections, Family, Hope, Never Give Up

It is once again the time of the year, when one looks back in reflection of the could have and should haves.

However, this year will always be remembered for the ages due to Covid. For many it defined, what really matters.

This year changed the way we look at the big picture as well as the small things.

Let’s start with the big picture.

We have come to realized that, the work, can disappear, jobs can be lost for no fault of yours. You can be the most skilled or the best at what you do. But there will always be circumstances that can beat you. And you cannot control that.

We are not the god of our environment. Nature will always rein supreme.

Personal relationships are important outside your 8am-6pm life. These are the relations that keep you sane, in testing time. They one’s who had a socially strong, support system in the form of family, friends, colleagues in the times of Covid, would have handled the difficult year much better.

As for the smaller things.

The meetup with friends after work at a bar, or just that drop-in to a friends place for lunch or dinner.

Due to closure of schools, the discussions with your little one’s about all what they felt was important events at their school.

That coffee break in between work to help you get your mind off . With “work from home”, how many of us were constantly tuned on from start to finish of our day.

In summary, if your still in the midst of fighting the good fight, don’t give up, your not alone in this struggle. There are a million people, facing what your going through. But we will do what we do best as human beings, Hope!!! Hope that the new years brings in a change in your favor and a brand new ending.

I have learnt to appreciate, life a lot more from my experience in this year, than all the other years combined. So, if you still have your job, a healthy life and beautiful family and caring friends by the end of this year, don’t forget to drop a note a note of appreciation to the people that matter in your life.

Here is wishing everyone a Happy holidays!!!
On Death.
By: Mustafa Abbas
Tags: Death, Anxiety, Overthinking, Friends

Death has always fascinated me. It’s one of the most mysterious thing that can happen to you. Do you seize to exist, or are you reborn? Do we go to heaven or hell just disappear from the face of the earth? and as the arms of the clock move past four thirty I get under my blanket and call Abi Ali after three rings he picks up the phone, he says, “dude do you realize what time it is” yes, “I’m the one who called you idiot,” he says, “what do you want at this ungodly hour?” I just had a quick question what happens when you die?. “Dude are you fucking kidding me?” you’re calling me in the middle of the night to know to what happens when you die? I say, “yes”. I don’t know and I don’t care its the middle of the night and please for fucks sake do not tell me that you’re still thinking about your dad and how he died. “No I’m not thinking about my dad and the fact that one night he got a heart attack while he was asleep leaving his whole family behind. “Okay listen, Mustafa please just go to sleep stop overthinking this and go to sleep we’ll talk about this in the morning. “No please I wanna know,” what happens “Oh God you’re not going to let me sleep are you?” do I really have to say that out loud? Oh god, okay listen as we’ve been taught since we were kids when people die they either go to heaven or hell, I say, “but what if we don’t, what if we just seize to exist what if that grave is the only place we exist?” what happens then? I mean humans have taken amazing strides at every aspect and they’re still oblivious to this fact. “I’m just scared of dying.” I say. I know says Abi Ali taking a big yawn and saying, “look dude I’d love to hear you rant about it, but I’m really sleepy we’ll talk about this in the morning.” And as he cuts the call I stay asleep till morning reading the works of Fredrich Nietzsche and hopelessly thinking about his philosophy.
9 Crazy Amazing Facts About Dogs You Probably Didn’t Know!
By: Shiksha Verma
Tags: Friends, Dogs, Pets, Puppies, Facts

A blog about our best furry friends is all we need to brighten up our day!

So here’s a list of some really fun facts about dogs that you’d wanna know.

Dogs have a sense of time

Togo ❤

(Unlike much people, dogs have a sense of time. It has been proven that dogs know the difference between an hour and five hours. If conditioned to, they can predict future events, such as regular walk times!)

2. Dogs can differentiate between colours

Gabbar ❤

(Myth buster- Dogs can not just see black and white colours, but they also have the ability to distinguish between blue, yellow and grey colours! This limited colour perception is called dichromatic vision)

3. Like humans have unique fingerprint, dogs have unique noseprint!

Coco ❤

(Every dog, whether of the same breed type or not, have a different and unique noseprint)

4. Dogs have a high tendency of dreaming

Fluffy ❤

(Ever notice your dog barking or cuddling up or moving their paws in their sleep? Yes, they do that because they’re dreaming. And that dream is probably about food! The last part’s a joke..)

5. Dogs live in the moment!

Posto ❤

(This is the reason why your dog does not have grudges or piled up emotions! They can’t be upset for too long- Any negative emotions will go away as soon as the cause of being upset is gone, like say, they’ll forget that you left them home alone as soon as you return and fill you up with kisses!)

6. Dogs don’t sweat like us humans

Tyson ❤

(Dogs only sweat through their paw. To cool themselves down, they stick their tongue out and pant! Which is probably why we could get them a bucket full of water and give them a nice mani-pedi session. However, we do not recommend trying this joke..)

7. Dogs like sleeping with their humans!

Leo ❤

(If your dog likes to sleep with you, he/she likes your company, feels secure and comfortable with you and probably even considers you a member of the pack! You must be a heck of a hooman for him/her!)

8. Dogs are ticklish! (Involuntarily )

Coco ❤

(Dogs feel ticklish, though slightly and not in the same way we do. Notice that way they move their legs when you’re scratching that one spot on their belly? That is actually an involuntary reaction to tickling. It’s a reflexive reaction to actually try to scratch themselves in the area you’re petting!)

9. And lastly, Your dog actually thinks of you as his family.. Voila!

Dani ❤

(Finally, a love that is requited! Dogs not only think of their humans as family but also rely on us more than they ever did on their own kind for affection, protection and everything in between!)

Rush to your dog and cuddle them up and let them know you love them as much as they love you!

This blog is dedicated to my little lab puppy- Togo and all his beautiful friends who are featured in this blog! You make our lives better!

Thanks for reading.
Don’t drown with me — Rose Thorne
By: Rose Thorne
Tags: Friends, Sad, Poem, Depression, Melancolia

I’m afraid I

can never open up

to you.

I don’t want to

push you

away and don’t you

dare pity me.

I’ll keep it hidden,

pushed back inside

far, far from the

surface until my

last dying breath,

until my floors

turn into rivers

of tears because

neither of us knows

how to swim.
To Be The Therapist Friend
By: Beth Frances
Tags: Friends, Life Lessons, Struggle, Mental Health, Friendship

If you’re not your friend group’s therapist, then please go check on whoever is.

I found it therapeutic to talk to other people and give them advice. I was the therapist friend, and everyone came to me with their issues and struggles. It didn’t matter when or where I was the girl with words of wisdom at school who you could talk to for hours. I was the girl dragging her drunk friends off the dance floor and telling them how beautiful they still look. I was the girl at the party whose words were slurring with undeniable truths to the girl in the bathroom she just met. It was great, I was mentally in a good place, and even when I wasn’t, I could convince myself I was fine by talking to others about their problems.

But so came the day when I wasn’t fine. I became a stranger to myself and my struggles. My friends were still there, but I could never bring myself to actually talk about what was happening. Sometimes I would hint at it and try to get someone to see my cry for help.

To ask for help was to accept the reality of my situation, and I simply could not do that. It was not until my friends reached out to me that I could start to open up about the torture my mind had been putting me through.

So please check in on your friend who has a way with words and gives the best advice. They will hold their pain in their hearts until one day and ruin themselves, trying to convince everyone they’re fine. They will isolate themselves and push people away so no one can see the broken soul. Check-in on your friends.
Know The Value of Friendship In Our Life
By: Be An Inspirer
Tags: Friends, Relationships, Life Lessons, Friendship, Values

Hi Joren, Thank you for posting, enjoyed reading it!!

Having some precious friends in our life is as important as having a heartbeat in a heart. But still, have we understood the value of friendship in our life properly? Probably not, because the meaning of friendship is not as easy as we have made it.

All the friends you have in your life today are necessary for you in many ways.

Whenever you befriend someone, you completely ignore their caste, color, religion, and many other things.

The value of friendship cannot be described in words, even if you are the most significant philosopher.

Perhaps we all do not know what true friendship is and what people do to fulfill it.

The value of friendship in your life is limitless, pure, and uncontrollable.

Thanks again!!
Wardrobe
By: Tahnia Heidra
Tags: Friendship, Friends, Life Lessons

Repeatedly reading the sentence, absorb and thinking which part of my life I could associate with.

The word ‘friends’ popped up.

Well… since lovers or others would proudly be labelled as significant others, popularly stick to one. So the only ‘few people’ occupy importance room of my life are friends.

As I grow older, I fed up with the idea of keeping a small group of people for whatever you are going through. Like ‘home’ you can always come back to. But as I read the sentence above, some random nerves in my brain pushing the thought of

“friends is not a home, is a pile of garments or clothes.”

Why? Simple, they have their own unique charms and would show its true nature in a different environment they comfortable with

I would have friends, who I found great at speaking about unlogical-random-weird stuff all the time.

I would have friends, who like fancily, always, hiped up with the idea of ‘social group interaction’, bluntly called party.

I would have friends, with the complete opposite of me. Less panic for exceeding punctuality but can totally be freaked out over trivial things, but, miraculously, get along very well, every day.

I would have friends, where I don’t have the needs of physically present, at all times, but always comfortable to share my deepest secret, even when our world feels foreign.

I would have friends who one call away. Like online delivery man, who will come to wherever you are and will accompany you everywhere.

I would have friends, where I should not be worried about having ‘mutual feelings’ when we jokingly say sweet romantic words all the time. Cause we shrugged and laughed it off after.

I would have friends, who share identical personality, feels foreign whenever we are in a room, alone, but could understand every joke & understand each other when others couldn’t

I would have friends, who passively share a conversation in the physical world, but without hesitation showing support & admiration through the cyber world.

I would have friends, who I’m not afraid to cry my heart out and discard the worry of cry-pooled-art-stain I created on its shirt.
What Makes Our Community Special
By: Cody James Howell Phd, Raiden
Tags: Friends, Community Update, Life Lessons, Travel, Blog

What Makes Our Community Special

Dear writers and followers of World Traveler’s Blog,

Marcus and I started this publication with a purpose in mind: to build a better travel community where we could share both our adventures and the knowledge we gained from those experiences.

We had both, independently, searched for a travel community on Medium and didn’t find what we were looking for — a group of like-minded writers and readers interested in coming together over their love of the world and the experiences we can all share together.

I can only travel so far in this lifetime; but by reading about your adventures, I’m able to experience more of the world than any one person ever could! That is one of the central values this blog hopes to offer its readers.

But we also want the World Traveler’s Blog to take a big step further.

We want to get to know you, the writers and readers behind the screen.

We want to know what you seek from this community, and how it could better serve you.

Marcus and I both have a love for finance and finding creative ways to fund our travels. We are also camper van/van life aficionados. In addition to travel blogging, we both came together to share our love of these topics.

These are the things that brought us together.

But we want to know, what brought you to our community? What is your story? What topics, beyond travel (obviously!), would you like to see in the World Traveler’s Blog?

This is your opportunity to, in the comments, provide some details about yourself, provide a link to your “about me” article if you have one, and/or provide some feedback on the community as a whole.

Darrin Atkins R. Rangan PhD Patrick Duane Jairam R Prabhu Rosa Diaz Katharina Daun Malky McEwan Josh Balerite Acol Sean Suskind Muhammad Nasrullah Khan Gina Pacelli Hello Katie Kodes Mil H. Liv Mello Maria Barros Elan Cassandra Olivia Wilkinson Galit Birk, PhD L. Wachi Taylor Ashley Danielle Gibson Karen DeGroot Carter Richa Khare Ahmad Abdullah Jax Hudur Sam Dixon Brown M Sakahawat John Levin Eunice X. Aimée Gramblin ◦•●✿ Christina M. Ward ✿●•◦ Joe Love Vespera Lucia Nick Keehler Leah Brodsky Orit Rindner Ajita Amanda Yuk Katie Sheps Panos Grigorakakis Alison Marshall Kristina Jancar Barbara Radisavljevic LucyWolf Sanduni Samarakoon Fatimah Alayafi Charlotte Brown Cristinamiceli Zaineb Nawaz Aigner Loren Wilson Cody James Howell PhD (Raiden) Anne Bonfert Gaby Spadaro Sutong Cathy Clarke Kaitlyn Holmgren Sumera Rizwan Indubala Kachhawa Emma Comeaux Quy Ma Sh*t Happens - Lost Girl Travel Nanda Jurela W.Y. Chan Marcus Franke

We would REALLY LOVE to hear from, and about, you all!

Stay safe, travel well, and keep writing!

-Cody and Marcus

You just read another post from World Traveler’s Blog

A collaborative project from a diverse group of adventurers and digital nomads sharing the world through inspiring stories.

The more you know, the better you travel!
I’ve realised that not everyone has the same way of expressing in friendship.
Tags: Friends, Random Thoughts, Friendship, Random

I’ve realised that not everyone has the same way of expressing in friendship. Some say that I love you, you’re my friend and one of the most important person in my life while others show it by their actions and small gestures. It doesn’t mean the ones showing it by words or the others don’t value you it’s just that their ways are not the same as you.

For me it is by gestures like standing up for my friends even if I’m tired af and am ruining my schedule. It’s really difficult for me to express in words how much I value them. I think they know but obviously it seems that sometimes you need to change a bit of your ways to express it in their way. Not because they will stop giving value to you as a friend but to remind them that they are important.

My friends express it in words that mean a lot and I value them the most. Even a small ‘I miss you’ text. I think without their advices and support(my family’s as well) I would have survived but definitely would’ve ruined things a lot cuz I’m not the decision maker kind. I’m the go with what your heart says kind.

But sometimes even if they do tiniest thing in the world to show their love and care like waking up in middle of the night cuz they know that I’m stressed even though they’ve not got a good night’s sleep or listening to my small rants even though they’ve got bigger issues to deal with. It means the world to me.
Love Story in A Stable | An Indian’s way of story telling
By: Tuli Das
Tags: Friendship Day, Friends, Love, Lovestory, Friendship

‘Why Bella lied? I always thought her to be my best friend!’ Tim, the small pig sobbed.

Tim remembered the good old days when Bella, the small neighbor dog, first came to meet him at the sheep house.

Tim was only one month when George had brought him from his friend. He was the only pig in the farmland of George. George has a herd of sheep, cows, horses and a few dogs to keep a watch on his flock.

Love Story in a Stable| Airofeast |An Indian’s way of story telling

Tim was a sweet pink piglet. It was raining heavily when George had brought him wrapped in a baby blanket and kept him on the huge stack of dried grass under the shed to keep him warm.

Tim was a bit wet; he was shivering. All the sheep and dogs inside the stable were watching him from a distance, nobody came near him in unease. They thought pig is a lesser animal and now he is being added in their group of which they were made suddenly aware of now!

Please Click below to read full Story

https://airofeast.com/a-love-story-in-a-stable/
making new friends. as a child, I was insanely social. I…
Tags: Help, Friends, Relationships, Advice, Friendship

as a child, I was insanely social. I never had a problem going up to people and making them my friend. I would make friends with anyone, anywhere, at any time, no matter what the situation was. the hardest part of making friends is obviously, ‘the first conversation’

I'm going to help you make a great first impression and guide you threw the do’s and dont’s

1. your approach

when approaching someone you want to think about how would you like to be approached. try thinking to yourself how would you react or feel if you were in their shoes.

BREATH, breathing helps your nerves and keeps your anxiety in check. being calm is the key. if you ARE feeling nervous, try your best to fix that before you approach them

when you are calm and feel ready to approach them, make sure you don't have an intimidating presence. walk at a slow speed and remind yourself that there is no rush. keep your head high and your shoulders back. this helps you look less intimidating

2. those first words

if this is your first time ever talking to this person, really think about what you are going to say before approaching them. No one wants to be stuck in that one awkward situation where no one knows what to say. be prepared

know who you're talking to! acknowledge the way they are and how they act. this will tell you a lot about her/him. maybe ask some of your friends or fellow colleague if they know anything about them. the reason why this is so important because this will help you figure out what to say.

finally, when talking to her/him make sure not to speak in a tone with attitude. try to talk with a smile and a happy tone.

Positive energy! positive energy! positive energy!

3. holding the convo

again, going back to the Plan. you should have a plan or at least an idea of what the topic is and how you're going to keep the conversation strong.

change the way you ask questions . for example, instead of asking “how was your day today” try asking “what did you do today”. this tricks that person into sharing more information with you . another good example is instead of saying “how was your weekend”, try saying “tell me about your weekend”

relax! even though it's good to have a plan don't think too much about it or else it won't sound natural and you will come off as tense. practice your breathing and be yourself

I have so many more tricks up my leave; stay tuned xoxo ❤
having hope, then losing it.
Tags: Friends, Relationships, Memories, Hope, Friendship

you know sometimes when you think you’ve found something, or someone, that you become completely life dependent on them, you trust them with your life, and then something happens and all of that kind of vanishes? it kind of happens a lot, I’ve had friends, significant others, even a parent, that i would have died for and now that they’ve left my life and are in my past, it makes me think what about that person made me want to drop every single thing just to be by their side, just to get the reassurance that they’d be there for me as much as I would be there for them.

I had a friend of 2 years, we spent every hour of almost everyday together, we lived in each others pockets and I loved her as if she was my sister. Now whenever we see each other, it’s a small smile, and a quick but memorable flashback of all the times where I thought I would never lose her.
How do I know when I am expecting to much of someone?
By: Justyce Lapotko
Tags: Friends, Family, Life, Boyfriend

How do I know when I am expecting to much of someone? I keep getting disappointed by the people I love and I’m not sure if I’m expecting to much or they really just don’t care about me.
5 Questions To Ask in Awkward Situations
Tags: Awkward, Funny, Friends, What To Say Next

Hi Guys, I hate awkward silence and nothing pains me more than the death of a conversation. So here are some things I have come to realize really bring the room back to life when said. Read at your own will.

Agh! Classic awk convo! (google)

How often do you gallop? Do you wish more people galloped?

This ones good. Always a conversation starter. Especially if you really like horses. Personally I’m not much of a horse girl, but this question usually ends in the person you're talking to trying to gallop, and what could be more entertaining?

2. Where do you stand in the whole toad versus frog favoritism debate?

Having a conversation with people that just give off the “Wow I love amphibians” vibe really strongly? Well here you go. They get so passionate over this. Trust me. Personally I just pick the side they don’t like and argue with them. Makes for a really fun debate. Go bull frogs. Toads for the win?

3. If you could be any song on the Sean Kingston discographies, which would one would you be?

This one is absolutely fantastic because you almost always get the same three answers: Beautiful Girls, Eenie Meenie, or the classic Fire Burning. Tell them which one you resonate with. Bond. We all know these are his best three songs, but if you want to get spicy, look through the rest of them and make fun commentary. Absolutely so much fun. *Fair Warning: This one can lead to people thinking you really love Sean Kingston*

4. What ever happened to Soulja Boy anyway?

I personally am a HUGE Soulja Boy Stan, so I know exactly what happened to him. I could talk about his career for hours. This one makes for a fun time because I ensure you that there is a 75 percent chance the person you’re conversing with knows the Crank Dat dance. Turn your Swag On, vibe, and discuss the new edible empire our forever homie Soulja is building. Nothing’s awkward when Pretty Boy Swag is in the room.

5. Do you wanna see a picture of my open toe, open heel, fur boots?

Ok so maybe this one is specific to me. These shoes are my life. They make your head hurt just to look at. A crowd pleaser. Now I am not saying you need to buy them, you could always just show them the photo. But everyone always has questions after this topic is brought up. Fantastic way to confuse your friends and add depth to your personality. I’ll insert a photo for you down below ;)).

My infamous open toe open heel boots in action.

Well I hope you guys enjoyed this read. Actually, I don’t know if anybody read this. But it was a really fun way to procrastinate my college apps, and for that i say thank you. Hopefully you put some of my favorite questions to use. Let me know if you use them and instantly become super popular with new people.

Stay Swaggy,

Anela
Just take that one step
By: Neeraj Kumar
Tags: Friends, Blue Insights, Best Friend, Lost Friends, Friendship

I hear you,

every moment in my mind,

missing you like no one else,

Do you hear me?

Where are you?

Come back,

Just take that one step,

one step for both of us,

and I’ll take the rest,

to save our bond,

built under the stars,

come back,

O my dear friend!!
Christmas is Fun With Friends
By: Dr. Preeti Singh
Tags: Friends, Poetry, Christmas, Acrostic Poem, Creativity

Christmas is Fun With Friends

Christmas is the time for fun with friends, so let us make a plan,

Hiding and seeking all the gifts and then playing in the snow,

Ready everyone for some fun I ask them,

I am absolutely ready so will you all join me?

So everyone is ready and I am making a plan for all,

Tomorrow we shall be playing in the snow after church,

Morning is the best time to be together,

After I am ready I will call you all,

Sending you all love, peace, and joy, hoping to have fun together.
Why You Should Prioritize Your Pals
By: Rosa Diaz
Tags: Friends, Relationships, Health, Life, Friendship

Photo by Kimson Doan on Unsplash.com

I like to think we have lots to thank our friends for, from stepping in when we don’t have a pet sitter, to being there when the going gets tough, to listening to every detail.

Research reveals that these reliable companions do more than just have our backs: They can make us healthier.

A study found that young adults that had large circles of friends, were able to tolerate physical pain better, because they had higher levels of endorphins, the body’s feel-good chemicals.

Friends bring benefits later in life too. A 2011 study by Rush University Medical Center, in Chicago, concluded that the rate of cognitive decline was reduced by about 70 percent in socially active elderly adults, compared with those who socialized less often.

For older adults, supportive friendships have been found to be a stronger predictor of health and happiness than relationships with family members and spouses. We tend to spend leisure time with friends, while more obligatory relationships can often lead to mixed emotions and even stress.

In fact, going at it alone is now being seen as a real and quantifiable threat. Here’s the shocking part for me — experts say that the lack of social connections carries the same risk for premature mortality as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and exceeds the risk associated with obesity and physical inactivity.

It’s actually straightforward science. We are social animals. When we are around others that we trust, we feel safer. By contrast, feeling isolated puts us on high alert, which can interfere with sleep, raise our blood pressure and levels of the stress hormone cortisol, even rev up inflammation.

Time with friends provides a unique kind of emotional support. Unlike family or coworkers, friends choose to be in our lives. When they show up for us, it is incredibly validating. It helps us feel appreciated for who we are.

The sad consequence? A 2018 Cigna survey states that nearly half of Americans suffer from feelings of loneliness.

What is most important is how you feel about the relationship: Are you supported? Will they pick up the phone in the middle of the night? Those are the ones worth investing in. And those investments should be safeguarded.

I say we need to take these relationships just as seriously as we do diet and exercise. In other words, make like a middle schooler, and put your peeps first.

Gain Access to Expert View — Subscribe to DDI Intel
Here to Stay
Tags: Gratitude, Friends, Poetry, Wisdom, Friendship

I used to think I needed many,

long list of all I loved and

who loved me

But, they didn’t and

I probably didn’t either

but we pretended

Age and wisdom —

yes, they’re companions

exposing the truth

You probably have

only one true friend

if you’re lucky

More than one

is miraculous

almost greedy

You lose people,

like hair and teeth,

as years pass

Thinking they’re

here to stay

like those extra pounds

But, they aren’t,

those fantasy friends,

they dissipate like fog

You look about and

there is nothing but air

and that one friend

The one true friend,

who overlooks

what others didn’t

The one who loves

despite the holes and

and midnight calls

The one who clears

a cluster of vines

just because

You wanted garden space

and because you are you

and she is your friend

And you know that

others will come and go

but this one’s here to stay.

© Dennett 2020
Interactions
By: Danial Naqvi
Tags: Presence, Friends, Talks, Interaction, Voices

Small interactions can make a big difference.

Human voice on the other end of the phone is always welcome.

I think we take advantage of the little things.

We should take the time to build ourselves up and respect those things that seem inconsequential.

Interactions
Beautiful poem and all of it is so true.
By: William J Spirdione
Tags: Nature, Friends, Poetry, Green, Gardening

I will not be told what to think. It can be explained to me.
Friendship and my thoughts about it
Tags: Study, Friends, Friendship

Hi everyone! I think it's time to speak about relationships and what place they take in my life. To be honest, i don’t have a boyfriend and never had one, but i have got an experience of true friendship with my classmate.

So, i met her for the first time in seven grade. We went to the same journalist clubб but i never spoke to her before those lessons. Then we started chatting up with each other about k-pop music and so one. Surprisingly, we had a lot of in common so we made friends. And it was a start of our way.

Its been six years since we met each other and our terms become better and better. She is the first person in my life who knows everything about me, sometimes i think that our friendship came from a teenage movie, because i never got relationships like these and i have seen it only on a TV screen.

In conclusion, i don’t even know what this post about — my best friend or friendship. But i am sure that i wanted to wish you to find someone special, and it doesn't matter who he/she will be in your live, the most important is love and support that he/she could give to you.
WHAT IS A BABY FLAP?
By: Anant Raj Singh
Tags: Friends, Blogging, Family, Love, Blog

Earlier, most people lived in joint families. Children who had lost their parents stayed with their relative as part of their family. In today’s lifestyle, when there are fewer joint families, it is difficult for orphaned children to become part of a family. That is why there are orphanages to take care of these children, and some lucky ones are adopted and hence they find a new home. In a family the children are protected and given emotional and financial support. Apart from having a family, it is also important to have friends.

Why some parents are married and others are are not?

Many couples prefer to get married, and then have children. Others do not marry, and live happily together with their children. In some cases, the parents get divorced and live separately. The children then live with one of the parents. If the parent finds a new partner, who may also have children, they often make a new family together.

What is a joint family?

In a joint family, several generations live together. Children live with their grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts, and cousins. Earlier, joint families were quiet common, but today they are an exception. In a joint family the workload is shared among the members. In most cases, the parents work and take care of the financial needs, the grandparents take care of their grandchildren, and the elder children either go to school or help in household or the fields.

What does adoption mean?

Being adopted means that an adult assumes the role of a parent for an orphaned child. Even children whose parents cannot or do not take care of them often love in an orphanage and can be adopted. Adoption can be done by a couple or a single person. Adoption is a lengthy process, and it often takes long time till a child gets a new home. A lot of checks re done before the parents are given permission to adopt a child: do the adopting parents have adequate space for the child? Do they have enough money to raise a child? Can they provide a stable, healthy family? The only important thing is that the child should grow up with security.

What is a baby flap?

Sometimes a woman feels unable to cope with her new born baby, and things that it would be better if someone else takes care of the child. Mothers like these can anonymously leave their babies in ‘baby flaps’ provided in some European hospitals. The babies left at the baby flaps are considered to be orphaned and can be adopted by new parents.

Why are friends important?

One can have fun with friends who have the same interests and hobbies. Friends play together and often go to the same school. One can share certain secrets with friends, which one would not share with parents or siblings. Friends need not to be of the same age, and children can also have adults as friends. There should be a good understanding and mutual trust among friends.
We Should Re-think the Term “Best Friends”
By: Beth Nintzel
Tags: Friends, Lifehacks, Life Lessons, Best Friend, Friendship

We Should Re-think the Term “Best Friends”

It’s not a title I enjoy using — “best friends”. It denotes that one or two of my friends is the be all end all, cut above the rest of the other beautiful people I have in my life. Friendships are a fluid beast — sometimes people are closer and sometimes they orbit farther away. Life and circumstances will often dictate both.

This is something I wish we were taught as children, or maybe as teenagers. People will come and go and that’s okay. It doesn’t mean someone necessarily did anything wrong, but we go about it as if we have. I don’t know about you, but I used to beat myself up over “lost” friendships as if pieces of me were no longer wanted so I must learn how to fix those pieces of Self to become a better, less “throwaway” kind of friend.

In reality, that’s just not true. We see friendships as these black and white entities, all or nothing. How does that help anyone in the long run? How does that aid in creating stable relationships down the line or even a stable relationship with who you are and what you have to offer?

I’m not talking about throwing people away all willy nilly, or even that a person doesn’t have things to work on within themselves to be better, but more the organic ebb and flow of how life operates. It’s inevitable that we will lose some of our best friends. We all operate in different stages of life and sometimes those stages just don’t line up. How many times have you had a friend where they, or you, experienced a huge life event like having a child, entering into a new relationship, or even experiencing the death of a loved one, and one or the other party felt “disconnected” from the other? It wasn’t anything you did, or they did, or didn’t do, but life has a way of… happening.

I have friends that use the term “best friend” for just about every friend they have. Doesn’t that devalue it? I have nothing against it, really, and you do you if that’s your jam, but I think instead of leaving people out we can reframe the way we think about friendships entirely.

That’s why I now use “nearest and dearest” to describe someone who may be the closest to me at any given point and time.

A hierarchy of friendships doesn’t help anyone feel good. It often leaves people out, especially people who may have looked to a person as their best friend and if they aren’t referred to that back, it could be very hurtful.

There was a time when I took those types of things personally. How dare someone not hold me as close as how I feel about them!

But it has nothing to do with me, or them. We weave in and out of people’s lives. Sometimes it’s personal, oftentimes it’s not. Sometimes, that person has hurt us and we don’t know how to properly state that to them. Maybe we don’t want to hurt them by expressing how they hurt us. Sometimes we need boundaries and we don’t have the language skills to convey them, or we don’t feel that what we have to say in regards to that will be well received, so we back off. We disengage from someone’s orbit or they disengage from ours.
14 December 2020
By: Someone
Tags: College Life, Friends, Diary, Problems, Parents

Sometimes you will taste the bitterness and sourness of a glass of milk if you keep it too long
Beyond our imagination
By: Sivin Kit
Tags: Friends, Family, Imagination, Kristiansand, Norway

View Full Post

Never did I ever imagine that we would spend a little over three years and a half in this beautiful country, Norway. We only have less than a month left before getting on a KLM plane and then Malaysian airlines to return home for the next adventure. Hopefully, in the midst of packing and saying goodbyes, we can savor as much as we can; we plan to bring back more than luggage: magical memories, beautiful friendships, and much more.