Original photo by D Sharon Pruitt

Nobody can deny that Starbucks is the leading coffee company in our country. But what’s the deal with teenage girls and Starbucks? Starbucks has become more than just a coffee shop for teenage girls; rather, it’s another aspect of personal style. Walk into school with your North Face backpack, out-of-bed messy ponytail that you secretly spent 20 minutes trying to make look perfect, with the Nars bronzer not overdone and a Venti skinny vanilla latte from Starbucks, and you’ve suddenly become the coolest girl in the school.

Little does anybody [ ...continue reading ]]]>

Original photo by D Sharon Pruitt

Nobody can deny that Starbucks is the leading coffee company in our country. But what’s the deal with teenage girls and Starbucks? Starbucks has become more than just a coffee shop for teenage girls; rather, it’s another aspect of personal style. Walk into school with your North Face backpack, out-of-bed messy ponytail that you secretly spent 20 minutes trying to make look perfect, with the Nars bronzer not overdone and a Venti skinny vanilla latte from Starbucks, and you’ve suddenly become the coolest girl in the school.

Little does anybody know that you secretly hate the taste of coffee. But for some people, that doesn’t stop them. You want everybody to think that you’re drinking the coffee to wake you up from your endless night of studying, when secretly you recorded “Gossip Girl” on your DVR because you were in bed by 9 o’clock. Somehow, the Starbucks cup in your hand has become your ticket to one of the top Ivys in the country.

In the past couple of years, the good grades stereotypically go to the girl who stayed up the latest studying. You automatically feel threatened by the girl who studied for two hours more than you when—before talking to her—you felt prepared for the test.

Don’t let the unhealthy habits of other girls influence the way you make your decisions. Not only is sleep one of the most important elements in succeeding on tests or getting through the school day aware, but also caffeine stunts growth and becomes a habit rather than a fashion statement.

The next time you see the girl holding the Venti Starbucks and claiming that she stayed up until 4 a.m. studying, remember to stay true to yourself and the way that you have been succeeding thus far. Ask yourself this question: Has it ever let me down? And if the answer is no, Starbucks or no Starbucks, you are going places.

College is a word we start to hear at the beginning of junior year along with scheduling SAT’s early, the choice between SAT or ACT, signing up for clubs so colleges think you’re involved, fulfilling community service hours [ ...continue reading ]]]> The rumors are that junior year is the hardest year in high school. As a junior myself, I can definitely attest to the fact that junior year is challenging, but no more difficult than any other year of high school, as long as you learn how to balance school and fun, work and play and remember to put everything into perspective.

College is a word we start to hear at the beginning of junior year along with scheduling SAT’s early, the choice between SAT or ACT, signing up for clubs so colleges think you’re involved, fulfilling community service hours and the other stresses associated with being a teenager. Sleep becomes a privilege, hanging out with your friends has turned into library study sessions on the weekends and “you” time has pretty much come down to the time you spend in the shower.

I am a huge advocate for balance in life—and this is the message I am trying to express. Life is too short to spend all of your time trying to fit into the mold of the “perfect” student. Yes, school is important and setting goals is going to be part of junior year, but remember to maintain balance in your life. I’m not telling you to completely lose sight of the college chase, but take a day off and spend time with your friends, sit outside and listen to music, go for a run and just push the pile of work you have to the side of your desk for half a day. The time you spend with your friends will always be more important than the test you bombed in physics. Remember to always take some time to assess your character and to be the kind of person you would want to be friends with. People will remember the kind of person you were, not the grades you got. Ultimately, when you look back on your last day of senior year, make sure you won’t have any regrets and that you’re happy with the person you are, the friend you are and the decisions you made. Someday, you won’t even remember the grades you got, but character stays with you forever.