The Mecca , So Far

Well I am three days into Freshman Week at Howard University and it feels like I've been here for years already. Most of the people on campus are extremely friendly and in my dorm hall the doors are always open. I have to admit though that I am the thing that I am anticipating the most is the official start of classes. I'm a loser I know, but there is something about being taught by an AFRICAN AMERICAN who is one of the most notable persons in the field that intrigues me. I can't wait to hear stories about how America used to be, I am excited to gain knowledge that a PWI just can't offer me. I'm excited to learn.

Thanks for the Support!

THANK YOU! I'm still getting countless texts from people telling me that they are supporting me and that they just brought my book. I'm truly blessed to have such amazing people in my life and if you haven't brought my book yet SHAME ON YOU!

Click the link on the right for buying information.

Holst: The Planets

Classical music does what modern music cannot. It takes you to place without clouding your judgment with words. When groups of people listen to classical music they each paint a different picture in their mind. Of course the composer helps guides your way with the arrangement but each person’s final interpretation is different. Currently my classical addiction is Gustav Holst’s  ‘The Planets’, I adore this suite. For me this arrangement takes me to a science fiction picture, where all I see are characters of Star Wars fighting it out. I strongly encourage anyone who hasn’t heard it to go listen to it, whether you are a classical fan or not. It’s a must hear. 

In Four Days

It is just now hitting me that I am leaving home in 4 days. That’s it. I have four days left as a permanent residence of my childhood home. That’s it. I have four days left to bask in the joys of my family as we gather together for jokes and laughs about Alana’s basketball career and my horrible card giving skills. That’s it. I have four days left to spend time with my friends whom I have countless jokes with. That’s it. I have four days left to stare at my orange and pink walls and peek out the door to see my sister watching basketball. That’s it. I have four days left of pestering my parents to check the mail as I wait in angst for a letter from my Howard campus pal. That’s it. I have four days left to enjoy “childhood”. That’s it.

Once I officially become a college student my mindset will be forced to change. I will have to go from do I really want this candy to do I really want these extra pounds. I will have to go from do I want to get up and go to my friends house to how long is it going to take me to get to the library.

I feel as a college student you have to change, it’s a part of life. The purpose of college is to expand your horizons as an intellectual thinker and that requires change. It requires change of an environment, it requires change of mind, and finally it requires a change of spirit. With all these changes that I must make to succeed I know that I will need a deeper connection with God. I know that I must seek him completely and he will give me the desires of my heart. I know the task before me isn’t going to be as easy as I wish it was. I know that the devil will try and tempt me with drugs and wrong friends and things that will kill me but I must resist temptation. I must do what Eve could not. I have to succeed, because in four days I’ll either sink or swim. 

It's A Tuba Thing!

It's a Tuba Thing!

She has her copy. Do you have yours?!

Goals

Today I was talking with my sister about law school. I’m thinking about going, I was thinking about going to become an entertainment lawyer. But after I did some research I found out it is just as boring as all the other lawyers. Now, I’m going to stick with being a publicist and developing my writing craft. I am still considering going to get an MBA in business management or something along those lines because I know that eventually I will own my own business and I want the training.

My only for sure goal that I have is to become a New York Times bestselling author. I will do anything to make this goal happen.

These are my goals for my freshman year

1)   Get a 4.0 GPA

2)   Obtain an Internship for second semester of Freshman year

3)   Score the Summer Disney Internship

My goals for Howard so far (more to come)

1)   Graduate Magna Cum Laude

2)   Get “It’s a Tuba Thing” in the Howard Bookstore by the time I graduate

3)   Graduate with a job and entrance into a Graduate program

It's A Tuba Thing!

I have mine! Do you have yours?!

Strength in Smiling

What is strength?
Is the power to lift tons?
Or is it the power to look your love on in the eye and break their heart?
How about the power to live through all your troubles?

The definition of strength takes on many forms. To some it is the power to overcome all "weak minded" individuals and take everything that they worked for. To others it's the ability to get up and go to a job that they despise just to put food on the table for their children.

To me it is smiling when something deep inside me is wailing like they were just beat. To me having strength is being able to smile. I can smile! I CAN SMILE! People have called me this, that, ugly, pretty, broken my heart, stabbed me in the back, kicked me when I was down, and the list continues to go own. But I, can smile. I am STILL smiling! The strength that I gain from smiling is stronger than any human or machine on Earth. My strength comes from God.

Nothing the devil has done or will do will get me down. Because I can smile. I am smiling. I will smile.

One of my favorite Kirk Franklin songs is off of his new album "Hello Fear". The song is entitled "I Smile" and every time I hear the song it warms my heart.

I smile, even though I hurt see I smile,
I know God is working so I smile,
Even though I’ve been here for a while
I smile, smile..
It’s so hard to look up when you look down.
Sure would hate to see you give up now.
You look so much better when you smile, so smile.

These lyrics are so empowering to EVERYONE. You can smile, through the hurt, the pain, the trials, and the rain YOU CAN SMILE!

So smile

(:

Lifestyles

My friends and I often use the phrase "She's not about that lifestyle" or a more ratchet phrase of "You ain't about that lifestyle". This phrase has become more applicable to my daily life as I am finding out that some of the people that I will be surrounded with for the next four years are "Not about the lifestyle".

How are you going to be in the PRESTIGIOUS John J. Johnson School of Communications and you CANNOT COMMUNICATE? You are not about that lifestyle honey. Just because you are in a new environment doesn't mean that you should shut down. I understand that you're nervous but dang! You should be able to handle new situations, with new people. That's something that you need to be able to do.

You AIN'T About That Lifestyle.