Shopping

When I'm having an awful day, I find that something that can always cheer me up is shopping. It's the perfection of finding a pair of shoes or jeans that can make you feel so fulfilled and happy. I believe shopping can take your mind of the troubles that you are facing and just let you relax to do something that is truly exciting. It can be a pair of earrings to a dress, it doesn't matter the size as long as you like it and it was exactly what you had in mind. It can just cheer you up in a second. Shopping is a way of meditating (it might sound stupid, but it's true) because it is an easy way to enjoy yourself and find excellent things instead of worrying about school or other problems in life. The best thing about shopping is when you find that perfect thing that you weren't even looking for but when you saw it, you directly knew it was meant for you. It is such a great feeling and can make you forget everything around you since you are only thinking about that dress, shirt, or pair of jeans that you just bought. I also like coming home and I start putting the clothes in the closet because it gives me time to admire the things I bought and just imagine myself wearing them to some special occasion or just simply for school the next day. You don't even have to feel sad to enjoy shopping, you can have fun shopping any day, any time.

BIG 8

BIG 8 is a basketball and soccer tournament for people in the Varsity teams (15 years or older). BIG 8 is one of my favorite things during the whole school year because you get to meet new people, play sports, and have a lot of fun. This year will be my second BIG 8 as a basketball player, and I can't wait to go. I think it will be very exciting especially this year because all of my closest friends are going. One of the best part of this tournament is the game playing because here people actually come to watch the games and cheer for the athletes, which barely ever happens at Chapel. At BIG 8 there is actual cheering, and people, who show their support for you and your teammates. This tournament brings together eight different schools from all over Brazil, and even some other countries. This makes it even better because you get to interact with new people and make new friends. It is also a great way to have an amusing time with the friends you already have. You get to be together for a week and it usually brings you closer together. It's a awesome memory to have because you can look back and see how easy and fun life was, even if it was for only a week. And of course, another good thing is you miss school :)

Cinema

There is something so different from watching a movie in the cinema compared to watching it at home. It doesn't matter if you have a surround system or a big screen at home because there is something so different with going to the cinema. Not only is the screen huge, but it's totally dark and you feel like you are in the movie because everything is quiet and everyone is concentrated on the movie (at least if it's a good one). The cinema I prefer right now is the one in Shopping Cidade Jardim, the seats are really comfortable since they are formed so you can lie down and the sound is awesome. The food that you can buy is completely ridiculous, they have champagne, petit gateau, and all other sorts of things (they still have typical cinema food like popcorn of course). It's definitely the best cinema I've ever been too. However I don't think it really matters which cinema you go to because today most of them have equal quality and high standards. You'll probably have a pleasant time going to the cinema, and it's very cheap too which is always a plus. Going to the cinema is a great way to hang out with friends, and just do something simple but still fun.

Traveling

There are so many destinations in the world to travel to depending on what you want to experience, or see. Do you want to see animals up close without being in a zoo? Do you want to relax in the sun with the crystal blue water only some meters from your hotel? Do you want to experience real city life? Do you want to go skiing in high, beautiful mountains? Today there are so many places that can satisfy whatever you want to do. Traveling is a great way to see life through a new perspective, learn new things, acknowledge different ideas, meet diverse cultures, etc. I really enjoy traveling because it's a way to learn new things through fun activities, and just get away from my daily routines. I think everybody sometimes have to get away from their usual lives to experience something fresh, and enjoy themselves. I've always appreciated traveling even if at first I'm might be a little reluctant to go to a certain place, such as Pantanal, which is only forest and animals. One of the essential things to have when traveling is an open mind, you have to be open to the new things so that you can really appreciate the whole trip. For example, trying new foods that you could never have imagined eating, or snorkeling in a sea full of sharks. I find it hard to sometimes do these kinds of things but when I do it, I feel so much better afterwards because it has usually been fun and exciting. Traveling is one of the best things in life, and I love it!

Memories

No matter what happens in life, no one can take away your memories. You can lose absolute everything but at least your memories will always be yours. There are sad, happy, horrible, funny, tragic, embarrassing moments that happen throughout a person's life. Even though people say they would only like to keep the good ones, I don't think they really want to forget memories just because they were "bad" because it shaped their character, and might have changed their perspective on things. There are many things in life I could live without, but my memories are not one of them. I just can't imagine forgetting or losing all the moments I've experienced throughout my life. My memories are mine, and all material things in life don't measure up to them, and definitely not to the people in my memories. They can make you happy, feel good about yourself, make you sad, ashamed, and 1000 of more emotions that would take the whole blog to write. In the end, you are left with your memories, and it is one of the most precious things you have in life.

Sports

There are so many sports these days, including soccer, basketball, handball, volleyball, swimming, horseback riding, cheerleading (yes it is a sport), skiing, gymnastics, the list goes on forever and ever. Practicing sports are good for your body, and mind since you are exercising but still having fun and usually letting go of all your stress. I think sports are a a really good way to relax, and just enjoy yourself while you are still improving your health. I'm in the basketball team in school, and I have also been a cheerleader. Many people say cheerleading is not a sport which is a total lie, people say that because they have never been part of a practice! Although I'm only doing these sports I like a lot of others, such as soccer because it is a great team sport, where many people can participate. Several people don't like to exercise because they think it's boring to go to the gym by themselves , but doing a sport with your friends is a awesome way to stay healthy, and have a great time.

The photo was taken from here

Internet

I don't see how I could actually survive without internet after being used to it for so long. It's not like I can't be without it for a week or two, it is just that I can solve so many problems and do so many things on it. I can find answers to almost any thing I would need help with, talk with friends, play games, make new friends, buy things, waste time, have fun, watch TV shows and just relax. The internet is important in almost everybody's lives today, and as technology gets better, and the internet improves, I think it will just become more and more useful. Internet is such an obvious thing these days, and most people take for granted that everyone have access to it. Of course, this is not true but most do even if it's not at home, they can go to an internet cafe, or maybe use the internet from their school or work. It's not good to spend hours and hours surfing on the web, but there is nothing wrong with doing it every day for a moderate amount of time. Internet is part of most people's daily lives today, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Magazines

When you just feel like reading something fast but that is still interesting, a magazine is a really good option. The information is small, and one magazine includes so many different topics, for example the magazine "Seventeen" has quizzes, interviews, fashion, interesting facts, competitions, gossip, and a lot more. I really enjoy magazines because they are faster to read than a book, and sometimes when you are too lazy to really focus on what you are reading, at least you can look at the photos and it still makes sense. It's a great way to relax, and it's something that everyone can appreciate because there is a magazine genre for everyone. There are magazines about fashion, science, history, gossip, politics, culture, psychology, sports, religion, cars, etc. So there will always be a magazine out there which can please and satisfy your interests.

Photo taken from here

Lazy Days

I love lazy days because they just let me relax, and have some free time for a change. It's important to sometimes just do nothing so that a person can forget about their many problems, and take time only to let go of all tension, even if just for an hour or so. Being stressed is really harmful not only to people around you but to yourself too. When you are stressed you tend to be more angry towards the people around you, and easily irritated, but you are also tiring yourself out, and might have trouble to calm down. Although everyone needs to have lazy days, some people need it more than others. I believe students in high school and college, who tend to be exposed to a lot of pressure that may result in feeling stressed, should try to fit in more lazy days than others. It doesn't have to be a whole day but it can be a day where even if you are doing homework, you still take some time off to do other stuff that are calming such as reading, watching TV, exercise etc. Anytime I don't have homework, which happens ones every century, I like to consider it a lazy day because even though I do things, I tend to be more relaxed and happy.

Photo taken from here

Books

Reading a good book is a great way to relax, and even for just a couple of minutes, forget about all your problems. An excellent book makes you forget about your surroundings, the date and time, and just forces you to keep on reading although you know tomorrow you won't be able to wake up. I love those books where it feels like I'm a part of it because everything is described so well in the book that it makes me believe I'm actually there watching and participating, rather than just reading it. There can really be pleasure in reading as long as you pick a book you will like, and that is your style since then you will probably want to read it instead of just reading it because someone told you to. Some books, I even enjoy reading again because I just love them so much, and can't get enough of them even though I know what will happen. An awesome book also leaves me thinking about it after, dreaming about what it would be like if I was one of the characters or what I would do in one specific character's situation. I love basically all genres of books, from romance to comedy, fiction to nonfiction.

Some of the best books of all time are:

• The Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer
• My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
• The Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling
• Fifteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
• The Gossip Girl Series by Cecily von Ziegesar

Family

Family is safety, family is comfort, family is not being alone, family is happiness, family is problems, family is fun, family is friends, family is supporters, family is listeners, family is laughter, family is helpers, family is fights, family is tough, family is hurtful, family is best, family is perfect, family is essential, family is love.

I cannot imagine my life without my parents, and sisters because even though we have a lot of disagreements, I need them. We all need to know we are not alone, and if everything is going wrong at least we know our family will stand by our side. There are no times where I think life would be better without my family, even if we are fighting because in the end those fights don't matter. Our family always has our best interest at heart, which makes them so special because there are not many people in life that would put another person before themselves, and be genuine to us at nearly all times.

Movies

One of the best things in life is to make popcorn, make yourself comfortable in the couch, and just watch a great movie that you have already seen a thousand times but still can't get tired of. There aren't many movies that are really excellent enough to make you want to spend 2 hours watching it again, and those movies that are should be sacred. I tend to get sick of a movie after about 2 times because then I just know everything that is going to happen, and I can't find a reason to waste time watching something that feels like I know it by heart. However, there are always exceptions, I mean there are movies that I can't ever get tired of because they are just all time classics, that needs to be seen.

Examples of movies that I can watch for a hundred times without getting bored by are:

• "Twilight" (based on the books by Stephanie Meyer)
• "The Devil Wears Prada"
• "Grease"
• "She's the man"
• All the Harry Potter movies
• "The Notebook"
• "A Walk to Remember"

Music

I believe music is one of the best things in this life, a good song can change your mood in seconds. No matter what the lyrics make you feel: happy, sad, excited, tired, etc. it has the power to make anyone feel better, amazing lyrics that touch your heart is sometimes more soothing than getting counsel from a friend. Music is beautiful because every person thinks differently about it, this is because we are all individuals with our own opinions and ideas that make us feel diverse about the same, simple sentence.

Some of the songs that make me feel those feelings I mentioned above are:

• "Good Girls Go Bad" by Cobra Starship ft. Leighton Meester, listen to it here
• "Goodbye" by Kristina DeBarge listen to it here
• "When Love Takes Over" by David Guetta ft. Kelly Rowla listen to it here
• "Hurtful" by Erik Hassle listen to it here
• "No Promises" by Shayne Ward listen to it here

Friends

A friend is someone who will be there for you when no one else is, makes you laugh when you feel like crying, tells you the

truth when you really need it,

knows when something is wrong

although you are smiling, doesn't need to say anything to make you understand, listens when you need to cool off, but most important, a friend loves you for who you are.

For example, today I was hanging out with a friend, and we weren't doing anything special but just that she was here made my life much better. We were just acting like children, playing with airplanes and fooling around with my sister but still it was a long time ago that I've felt so carefree. It was just an awesome day with lots of embarrassing stories, and happy moments.