Blog 10B. As I was reading a book, I realized while reading a chapter in it, that making friends is not the only way to live life. Yes, It is important to have a social circle but they are not your life. Sometimes books can be your friends too. I have always been an extremely outgoing person who has a lot of friends, but after coming to Purdue University(My College) I realized that having friends is not the only important thing in life. For a while I thought that the reason I am having such thoughts is that I am not able to gel in this place and get a lot of friends and I am just trying to comfort myself by saying such thing but honestly, No. That's not at all true. I am thinking straight now. Having friends is important, you need to have friends and a life if you are away from home, but just for a while you can escape and lose yourself in this *book land*. It's fun too and if you try more often, you never know it can be your best friend some day.  

Blog 10A. In this busy life, people often ignore their health and avoid eating healthy food or going to the gym. Staying fit and healthy is one of the most essential thing in life. Eating something substantial and for diet is a smart choice. There are a lot of ways you can stay healthy and avoid being sick also by following these tips you can prevent cancer. The first one is to maintain a healthy weight. You have to integrate your physical activity and movement into your life in order to maintain a healthy weight. Also, You have to eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. In addition, Choose smaller portions and eat more slowly. The second tip is to do what you like, exercise in a manner that interests you, like walk if you like that, go running etc. Also, make exercise a habit so that you can do that regularly and stay fit. Try to hit the gym during lunch time or take a long walk after dinner. It's always suggested to exercise with someone so that your enthusiasm doesn’t go down the drain and you stay motivated. The third tip would be to avoid unhealthy habits like, drinking or smoking. If these habits are hard to quit, then keep trying as it takes about six or seven tries until you reach a point when you actually quit. You can also take help from the outside. Join a program which offers health care, maybe in an institution where you work. The fourth tip would be, to eat healthy, even though it's a cliché line and you must have heard it a lot of times but it's important to follow a healthy diet. Try fruit and vegetable salad which may also taste good, try new recipes. Also eat fruit as a snack. Choose dishes made with olive oil and canola oil, which are high in healthy fats. Also, Buy a 100 percent RDA multivitamin that contains folate. The fifth tip would be to protect yourself from the sun. Steer clear of direct sunlight from 10 am to 4pm. It's the best way to protect yourself. These are a few tips that can get you to living a healthy lifestyle and help you stay fit.  

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BLOG 9B.
After failing my last Physics exam I had lost all motivation to study for my next physics exam. I mean why study when you have failed once? I felt like do I even stand a chance to score anything well after failing my first exam? I mean how could I have done better in the second exam which was apparently harder. All I had was motivation to go home, since I haven't seen my parents in 1 year. College does that to you, my friends. But Then I thought to myself, when I'd meet them and If they'll ask me for my grades, I don't want to feel guilty. Despite of having the coolest parents in the world, I didn't want to let them down. So yes, I started studying for my Physics exam. One subject I never thought I could do, But I studied so hard for it, that I made it. I finally scored so well that I had just missed one question on my exam sheet. Felt so proud, although funny but I realized If I could do physics I could probably do anything! Scoring in physics wasn't the big deal, the big deal was to fight my fear. Which I certainly Did! I taught myself watching Khan academy's videos and did what I never thought I could do.  

BLOG 9A.
Life gets different for people who suffer from depression. The feeling when you feel that there is no one who could understand you, When you feel that this crowd is not yours to fit in. It's not something anyone should take lightly. Feeling lost may be one of the worst feelings anyone could ever get. At that moment in life, Happiness looks like a dream. Depression could be caused because of many different reasons, reasons like Abuse, conflict, death or loss, major events, and other personal problems.
Abuse can be of different kind, verbal abuse, physical abuse, any sort of abuse could put you into such a phase in life where you feel lost and depressed. Past physical, social, verbal or emotional abuse can cause severe depression, and it's such a deep phase, from which it's hard to recover.
People who are biologically vulnerable often get depressed due to quarrels with family and loved ones. There's a high percentage of people who get into depression because of the loss of their loved ones. They feel as if they've lost a huge part from their lives. They feel that emptiness and such a void which can never be recovered. Major events can also cause depression, like feeling left out at a graduation party, or being laughed at, at a huge event may give people bad memories for a life time and put them in depression. Problems such as social isolation can put people into misery and make them feel terrible about themselves. Depression is a disease. Try and help people get out of it.

http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/causes-depression#1

BLOG 8B.
Were you loved and were you shown affection while growing up? Well, most kids are not as lucky. It's very important to tell your kids and express as to how much you love and care about them. According to a studies, people grow more caring and happy and have the capability to trust more if shown more love and affection as a kid. There can be so many effects on the kids if not shown the right amount of love. The effects could be: Indiscriminate friendship, by that I mean, is the kids will go to anyone if shown love. They can literally get attracted to anyone who'd show them love.  They can have a huge impact on the kid's brain too. The brain development gets affected. Brain development in children is directly linked to the level of affection they receive. Another affect it could have on is Mental health. Trusting people and building a healthy relationship with a trustworthy person or people is very important, for the present and for the future. Another effect is on Physical development: Children who do not get enough love, may have stunted physical development and may not have a good self-image when they grow up. Showing love will help kids gain good self-image, confidence and good physical, cognitive and emotional development. Caregivers can show love in an appropriate way by touching appropriately, listening to all the little stories kids talk about, that's extremely as that is also a way to show them that you are listening that means, you care, hence you love them! It's important to express love if you want your kids to have the ability to show love and care about other people.  

http://www.livestrong.com/article/525439-a-lack-of-affection-in-childhood-development/ 

BLOG 8A.
There are times in everyone's life, when they think they should just change and give up on people or their loved ones. When their loved ones let them down or make them really sad, Even people who never give up on their loved ones, aren't left with any option. But I feel isn't it easier to just walk out of someone's life or let someone out of your life. Why not take the hard path, why not fight for what we have and want to keep. Why give up so easily, be on people or on things. In my opinion, It takes a really strong person to fight for and never give up on the people they love. In this world filled with people who can be selfish sometimes, why not be someone different? If you have it in you, if you are that person who won't give up on their loved ones, don't change that. No matter, how hard it hurts. You know why? Because that is YOU. That's what who you really are and honestly, that's a gift. And if you have people like that, never let them go, because people like that are hard to find. Don't let a small incident change you. Embrace of what you are. Embrace the quality that you have. And, that's just simply being you!

BLOG 7B.
Does everyone crams right before the exam or is it just me? But somehow it never works. Yes, It may sound shocking to a few and may not to the rest but cramming never works before the exam. In the busy lives that all of us handle, Cramming does look and sound like the best option but it's really not. It looks easier to do because it doesn't have a specific plan or we don't have to set any study goals, it can even allow more room for us to participate in other activities but that does not mean it's the best solution. What we can do instead is try spacing. Now by that I mean is, we need to use the method of spaced-learning. One way of doing that is be an active reader, the more you read, the more knowledge you'll get about things. While reading your course material, think about what you just read, you can also take notes and ask questions and then you will notice that you understand and remember better. Anything of your own version would stay and help longer. The next step would be to test your own memory. After you read something, just write it down in your language and ask questions to your own self, always works. You can also repeat the material, right after you read it. Post that, review your work in chunks of about 20 minutes or less, this aids you to absorb and grasp the material in a better form. Most kids do not sleep for a longer while, while they study, and some kids choose not to sleep at all. So, the next advice would be to balance sleep and study. Sleep is just as important as studying, in fact sleeping after studying helps retain information quicker. So here were tips for not cramming and what can we do instead.  

http://getcollegecredit.com/blog/article/why_cramming_for_tests_often_fails_and_what_to_do_instead 

BLOG 7A.
While writing the last draft of my fictional writing for a class, I realized, what If our life stories were actually written in a story book. What if there was a peddler who wrote our stories of how our parents would meet and how they would fall in love and what would our future look like. Someone, who would have all the answers to the questions about our future that we always wanted ever since we were kids. What if there was a possibility that there was no god(I totally believe in god). But do we really need the answers? What would happen if our future won't look like of what we desired. What if I would end up being a mathematician instead of a psychiatrist. Honestly, I have read this phrase like a million times, that future is created and I do believe in it! Maybe god has given us a kick start but it's us who creates our future, plan it and make it work. Of course, life can take us to many different places in our lives and offer us different paths, but it is definitely us, who has to choose the path, the right one or the wrong one, the longer or the short. Yes, I got all of that from writing my last draft. Well, It was fictional.  

BLOG 6B.
Who says going to California, or calling it a day on the beach in Miami makes your spring break fun. I stayed back on campus and that was fun too. A week before spring break, I had 3 exams and after taking those exams, I had no energy left in me to travel. I was exhausted and all I wanted to do was to chill. I just wanted to sleep, bond with my friends, cook, watch my favorite movies and complete my homework. I thought to myself that, am I growing up? Because for the first time I did not want to travel. All I wanted to so was stay in my room. Am I becoming old too soon? But I then thought to myself, why not? Growing up is not that bad. I had a fun teenage, and yes, I am going to turn 21 soon and it gives me the chills but at the same time, I can't wait to embark on the journey of my adulthood. I made the most out of my teenage, I am not going to do any less with my adult life. Maybe, just maybe, Life is not about going out with your friends on trips, of course making memories is important, but jus sometimes staying back home and living with your friends can give you a different set of memories which you can look back to when you grow up, so cherish every moment!  

BLOG 6A.
I was running and as I was just about to reach the end and win, I fell. My roommate got scared and woke me up as I was yelling in my sleep. I was dreaming. It evidently was not a very pleasant dream, that dream was shaky and very scary as I was falling from the edge of a really high mountain. I and my friend we were racing and as I was going to win, I fell. Google does make things easier for us to know and it also validates our thoughts, opinions and dreams. Dreams are often said to be insights to our own psyches. Some people have an opinion that dreams are full of symbolic messages and we are supposed to understand them and as they always try to say something and have their own meanings. There are many common dreams people usually tend to get, Falling, running but going nowhere, teeth falling out, flying and one of the most popular and common dream among students is taking an exam and forgetting that you actually have one. All of these have their own unique meanings and most of them occur due to anxiety. The dream that I had, indicated that I was falling and that was particularly symbolizing my insecurities and me being completely anxious. And, sometimes it can also mean that things are not in my control. Dreams can have different meanings and symbols, untangling and getting the real meaning out of it can either make us feel good about ourselves or terribly atrocious.     

http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/dream7.htm

BLOG 5B.
A few days back, studying for more than 12 hours and then while doing an assignment with my group I realized exams can easily stress out kids. Before joining college we kids expected parties, real fun and a lot of other fun activities, and that's fair for us to expect after studying for more than 12 years in school, but college is nothing like we expected it to be. It's full of homework, in fact more than that. Exams every alternate week does not make anything better either. Kids do feel a lot of pressure but one thing I know for sure, a few years down the line when we would look back, we would be proud of ourselves that we got through college with flying colors, a lot of beautiful memories, and a lot of friends out of which a few taught us a few lessons and some are going to stay with us for a lifetime. Yes, College is nothing like we expected it to be, but neither we are. We are not kids anymore either. We are adults who need to focus on our career and make a living out of it. Taking a lot of stress is not going to get us anywhere so why not take a little break, chill with your friends and make some new memories, because you know what? This time, this very moment is not going to come back. So either make the most out of it or crib over what life has got you into. Because my friend, life is just going to get better so it's better to pick the first option and make the most of your college days. That group project out of nowhere gave me a beautiful lesson.   

BLOG 5A.
Does anyone ever pay attention to people who are always hilarious? Always making jokes or puns around? Does anyone ever think if they are trying to hide something? What if they are using it as a defense mechanism. Doesn't this idea remind you of someone? Yes, Chandler from F.R.I.E.N.D.S. He had a rough patch as a kid, His parents split up, he had no idea of how to handle such situations and he had to stick to the social norm of "Guys can not cry", He was left with humor. Dark Humor. Most of us, whenever we crack a joke, it usually is rooted from truth. Something that had happened to us before, which we can take a look back at. Humor can most likely be rooted from anger. Sometimes, using this technique, that is to crack jokes, make fun of something can actually help pacify. Humor is an indispensable part of our lives, without that life would be so dull. Laughing increases pleasure, there's definetely more joy in life because of that and it leads to happier moments and happier life. Sometimes, Humor can easily be used to mask the underlying "Truths" of the individual and some other times it can help suppress the anger at appropriate times. It is usually a reflection of our desire to reach out and experience happiness. Humor can definitely make someone's day better and even yours. Why not try it!

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-second-noble-truth/201302/the-jokes-who

BLOG 4B.
Studying with a set of friends is just not constructive (Most of the times), but It's fun too. I have my share of friends, I prefer studying with them or doing my homework when I am with them, I just feel that I am more productive when I am with them. Most of the times I am able to finish all my homework on time but when I do not, they help me not stress out, they motivate me in a way that I start believing in my own abilities. The idea of group study is not just fun but it helps you focus more too, and just in case if you get stuck somewhere, you always have your personal teachers with you.  

BLOG 4A.
In this generation of exploring new places, different kind of food, street food, the woods, exciting parties, new movies, people often tend to forget exploring themselves. My brother once told me, obviously must've heard it himself but he wanted me to know, that before spending time with anyone at any place, you get to spend the most time with your own self, so make yourself interesting. I truly believe in that fact. See what you like, what you actually think, explore your perspective, notice of what really is the difference between your opinion and other's or do you just agree to fit in. Ask yourself if you really want to be right all the time. These little questions really make a difference, if you want to be like someone or if you want to be you. There can not be anything in this world that can give you more happiness than finding yourself. This can actually be done in a few steps for example, Make sense of your past, ask yourself of why you did that and who did you do that for. If we have has painful early experiences, we can see through them as to how we defend ourselves and how we look at ourselves. For example, having harsh parents can change our outlook of the surrounding, the way we behave and many more things. So get to know more about why is your behavior actually like that, resolve your issues and get comfortable with your past and finally let it go. Past is called past for a reason. Then see what you are really looking for in your life. Seek meaning, what you really want from your life. Ask yourself what set of values do you really possess, what really matters to you, is it your loved ones or is it wealth or is it your health. After that, see what are you really good at. I believe every person has a super power. Look out for your super power, notice of what you are really good at, Is it writing, or is it reading people, or is it science. It can be anything. One more important and distinct feature about knowing yourself is friendship. Knowing the true value of friendship and relationships, how much do you respect it and what you really seek out of it. What really is your definition of friendship.   http://www.psychalive.org/finding-yourself/ 

BLOG 3B.
There's this one cool show that I started watching the last week with my best-friend "Once upon a time". It is one awesome show. It is about all the fairy tales that we read when we were kids, but it includes evil winning at the end, and there's only one person who can change it, change the ending of the stories where good wins over bad. There's just one character, named Emma who is apparently Snow White's daughter who has magic in the real world and can change everything and who is fighting against the evil queen. This show runs simultaneously between the real world and the fairytale world. It lets you imagine different things. I am pretty much addicted to the show.

BLOG 3A.
Throwing food, pulling someone's hair, being rude, doesn't it say anything about anyone? Some kids do such things in order to get in the limelight or to get someone's attention. The general thinking is that Attention-seeking kids are always looking for opportunities to jump in and enjoy the limelight but sometimes it can mean different too. What if they are missing something from their lives? And, sometimes, when it's over done, can cause many problems in later life.  Personally, when I was a kid, Sometimes, I did everything to get my elder sister's attention as I love her a lot and she was my role model back then and honestly, I used to consider her to be one person who was too cool for me. I wanted to be like her, so each time she wasn't paying much attention like talking on phone or watching television when I needed her, I used to do things through which I could easily get her attention. It was so much fun as I felt extremely pampered. But, She did not let this become a habit which until now I totally appreciate. On the contrary my best-friend when he was 5, used to do it continuously, everyday, which then, later in life led him to be threatened of abandonment as when he was a kid, his parents did everything as he said and got him everything he asked for. 

Few kids like to seek attention of their family or friends as they feel their parents do not give them enough time. For example, if parents are overwhelmed with their work load, kids do weird things to get their parents attention as they deeply miss parental contact.  

These little things could actually rupture a kid's life and childhood. There are many ways through which it could get better, like parents can notice the child's good behavior and encourage them and take time out to be with them. Second method could be that they could sometimes ignore the child's bad behavior(sometimes) and be nice to them and pay close attention to what they are saying. And stay consistent, as children understand better if something is done in a consistent and standard manner. Child care is a big issue and attention-seeking is one method opted by the child to let you know that they want love. See it, notice! 

https://psychcentral.com/lib/what-to-do-about-attention-seeking-kids/ 

BLOG 2B.
My conference time with my English professor was unexpected and really unusual. It was that way because I thought what I wrote for my first draft did make sense, since the topic was really cool and interesting too. It was "Love and Intimacy", well who doesn't want to read that but when I went to her to listen to her feedback, it did not go the way I thought it would, she told me it was not something that she was looking for her, at first I did not understand but later when she explained it to me clearly, I started seeing her point, I realized that she is right, I wrote on a very broad topic, anything could come under it. There are so many things one could think if they hear the topic "love and intimacy". She made me realize that it wasn't as cool as I thought it was. So then I started writing on Criminal Witnessing, at the end of my 2nd draft I realized that this is a more narrowed and specific topic and I can learn more from it.