According to Variety, the actress has decided to pull out of the film, citing a busy schedule.
"Sadly, I'm no longer able to commit to Barbie due to scheduling conflicts," she told Variety. "The film has so much promise, and Sony and Mattel have been great partners. I'm bummed, but look forward to seeing Barbie on the big screen."
Production was supposed to begin for the film this summer, but with both a tour for "Snatched" and shooting her upcoming film "She Came to Me," on her plate, we understand why she wouldn't have time.
After announcing she'd be taking on the role in December, Schumer faced tons of backlash from body-shamers who felt she didn't live up to the doll's unrealistic body shape. Of course, in typical Amy Schumer fashion, she wasn't afraid to take on the haters by clapping back via Instagram.
"Is it fat shaming if you know you're not fat and have zero shame in your game? I don't think so," she wrote in an Instagram caption. "I am strong and proud of how I live my life and say what I mean and fight for what I believe in and I have a blast doing it with the people I love. Where's the shame? It's not there. It's an illusion."
"We respect and support Amy’s decision," a Sony spokesperson said in a statement. "We look forward to bringing Barbie to the world and sharing updates on casting and filmmakers soon."
While the project still doesn't have a director, Mattel and the film's producers have confirmed that they are all still on board.
Alright, listen up everyone. Us proud women of 5'3" and under would like you to know a few things. We love that you are just ~fascinated~ by our general smallness and think that we are the cutest things on the face of this great earth, but there are a few things we are sick and tired of hearing. Let it be known that you should NEVER say one of the following things in our presence ever again!
1. “I bet you could fit perfectly into the Mickey Mouse costume at Disneyland!”
We could also play Minnie, Wendy and Alice for your information.
2. “You would have done sooo well on that season of America’s Next Top Model for short people.”
*Gags*
3. “Do you know the height to be considered a legal midget?”
It's under 4'11", but thank you for implying that you're curious about whether or not I qualify.
4. “You’re not short, you’re fun size!”
You just stole that phrase from a t-shirt that existed back in 2006. We've all seen it. Let it go.
5. “Your head, is like, the perfect height to be an armrest.”
DON'T YOU DARE REST YOUR ARM ON MY HEAD!
6. “Can you grab me that–uh, nevermind.”
Puh-lease, we can reach anything by climbing.
7. “Is it hard for you to date tall guys?”
No.
8. “I almost didn’t see you there!”
Yes you did, stop pretending.
9. “Your poor children are going to be so short.”
Well, guess I better just not have any kids then, right?! I don't want to ruin their poor little lives by birthing them out to be SHORT!
10. “Wow, can you fit into children’s sizes?”
Just because we are short doesn't mean that we are the size of stick figures.
11. “You’re so lucky. You can wear heels and you’ll never be taller than your date.”
But who wants to wear heels anyway?
12. “Here, you stand in front for the picture because you’re shorter.”
Oh, should I even bother trying to sorority squat too? No? Okay.
13. “Can you leave the tall guys for the tall girls please?”
No.
14. “Can I pick you up?!”
No.
15. “The only reason your weight gain is noticeable is because you’re so short.”
Thank you for thinking that in depth about my body.
16. “Do you ever wish you were taller?”
Do you ever wish that you were smart enough to come up with better conversational questions?
17. “It must be a bummer to always have to get your pants shortened!”
Yeah, you definitely have us on this one. It is a bummer!
Oh, the joys of being a student leader. Being a role model for other students is an amazing feeling, but sometimes we just want to crawl into a corner and hide from the stress and responsibilities that come with it. What stress, you ask? Read on for eight of the biggest struggles that all student leaders deal with. #relatable
1. You check your email way more than you check social media
And you expect everyone else to do the same, too. Admit it. “I am constantly responding to emails,” says Reilly Tuccinard, a junior at the University of South Carolina. “I think I check my email more than I check Instagram. Taking the time to sit and respond to 10+ emails a day can be pretty stressful.”
While it’s a hard habit to break, try not checking your email all the time, especially if you’re with friends or working on schoolwork. It’ll just stress you out more. Take 30 minutes out of your day two to four times per day to answer your emails, and that’s it. No one else responds with lightning speed, so you don’t need to either.
2. When your members are sad and tired, you’re sad and tired
When something goes wrong with your group or organization, it’s easy for members and leaders to get into a slump. “It can be a real struggle when morale is low,” says Sarah Self, a sophomore at Belmont University, “Regardless of why, you have to remind them why they're doing this in the first place. Things may be hard in this moment, but you've got to go uphill to get to the top of the mountain, and that mountain is worth it.”
As the leader, try to stay positive through the tough times. You’re a role model; your members are reflective of your actions. “Make sure they know their problems are heard too. If they feel valued, they'll give you so much more,” says Sarah. Make time during meetings to listen to feedback so you know how to keep your group running smoothly.
3. Schoolwork is the last thing on your to-do list
Often, as a student leader, you have so many things to do for your organization(s) that academics get put on the back burner. Plus, most of the time, answering emails and talking to your executive board is way more fun (and feels more important, let’s be honest) than finishing your biology lab report. “Whenever I sit down to do homework, I usually end up spending at least an hour working on leadership stuff before I even get to schoolwork,” says Reilly.
Prioritizing your groups and organizations isn’t inherently bad, but you are in college for a reason. Try setting a timer for 25 minutes and doing academic work for that amount of time, and then take 25 minutes to work on extracurricular tasks. It’s all about balance!
4. Overscheduling is your middle name
You told your friend you would get lunch today. You told three others the same thing. You also didn’t realize that it was impossible to go from class to the city for a photo gig in 10 minutes. “Overscheduling restricts the soul. It makes it seem like college is just a to-do list,” says Jacqui Fricke, a sophomore at Temple University. “You just end up getting more stressed when you realize how many things you signed up for. Be spontaneous, but when it comes to your organization, get a planner so you know what times you can be spontaneous.”
Writing in your planner might seem tedious, but in the end, it’s a tool of freedom. It organizes everything and keeps all of your obligations in check. Plus, there are just so many cute planners in this world, so why not buy one?
5. You take on everyone else’s jobs instead of just doing your own
Doing everyone else’s work is a common practice of all perfectionists. You want to make sure everything is the best it can be, which isn’t bad in itself, but it can be perceived negatively by your group members. It can also lead to unnecessary stress on your end.
“I try to do everyone’s job for them and then I end up overworking myself,” says Tiara Curow, a junior at Central Washington University. “I don’t know if it’s because I have control issues or I just don’t want to put too much burden on my executive team. I usually end up getting stressed out or not completing my other tasks to my full potential. What I try to remember is that my executive team would not have taken their positions if they weren’t aware of what the jobs entailed.” Remember that your organization is a team effort; it’s not every woman for herself. Pitch in when others need help, but try not to take on everyone else’s tasks.
6. What’s a social life?
While your girls get ready to go out on the weekends, you’re holed up in your room, answering emails, meeting deadlines, contacting event coordinators and just trying to keep everything in line. Sometimes it’s nice to stay in, but you’re definitely tired of scrolling through Instagram and having FOMO every single weekend.
“Having to stay in every weekend to do work for my organizations and homework that I neglected during the week due to said organizations gets old,” says Emily Miller, a senior at Temple University. “I’m not a huge party girl, but I would like to hang out with my friends and visit the city during the weekends.” It’s tough when there are only 24 hours in a day, but we suggest picking one night or day out of the weekend to socialize, and then using the rest of the weekend to focus. While academics and leadership are incredibly important, you can’t restrict yourself from a college experience. We know you; you’ll get your work done.
7. You never give yourself “you” time
You’re so busy trying to make everyone happy that you forget about what matters most: your happiness. “One of the things I find really difficult as a student leader at my university is being able to balance time I spend on that and time I spend doing things for myself,” says Emma Hoey, a freshman at the University of Vermont. “I feel that after I put so much of my free time into something that takes a lot out of me I deserve to relax and de-stress. But my commitment to being a leader for all these girls is so time consuming that I find myself skipping yoga class again to read more current events, or missing out on a group outing because I'm planning so much stuff in my head to get done.”
Remember that an empty cup can’t pour into others. You need time to fill yourself up with what makes you happy, whether that means watching The Office on Netflix for two hours, journaling or getting your nails done. If you’re a spiritual person, take time out of your day to meditate or pray. Keeping your happiness in check is more beneficial than running yourself dry.
8. Your planner stresses you out way more than it needs to
What’s a leader without her planner? Nothing. Planners can be the most beautiful organizational tool, but they can also cause issues. “As a student leader my biggest struggle has been overlooking my schoolwork and relying too much on my planner,” says Tiara. “Usually if something isn’t written in my agenda it doesn’t exist and that has created issues.”
We’ve all written down events, assignments and deadlines that get canceled or changed and we forget to fix them. That’s why it’s important to write in pencil. Or use different colors to mean different things, like “definitely happening,” “possibly happening,” etc. And remember, you have a planner for a reason—use it! Carry it with you everywhere, or else you run the risk of overscheduling yourself (see #4).
Being a student leader can be a major struggle, but if we didn’t want the hustle, we wouldn’t have taken the position. Be proud of your leadership positions, but above all, make sure that you’re happy. Your well being is worth more than any position.
If you've scrolled through Instagram or Twitter sometime within the last few days, you've probably spotted the hashtag #MissingDCGirls, which started trending after claims that 14 black and Latina women in the Washington D.C. area went missing within the same 24 hour period. (Naturally, the Internet was alarmed for obvious reasons.)
Can someone explain to me how 14 black girls go missing in 24 hours in DC and it's not a goddamn news story?!? pic.twitter.com/o1WnG3uKUW
Thankfully, it's looking like at least (some of) the terrifying information circulating the web was blown out of proportion. Here's what happened: according to NBC Washington, since March 19, D.C. police have tweeted out 20 missing person fliers - 10 of which were for minors. While the police told NBC that the number of missing persons in D.C. has remained relatively steady, their new practice of tweeting missing person fliers in hopes of finding people sooner backfired by causing people to think the number of missing persons had shot up dramatically.
"We've just been posting [the fliers] on social media more often," Metropolitan Police Department spokeswoman Rachel Reid told NBC Washington.
D.C. area police have also said that claims on the Internet, including those posted by celebs like Taraji P. Henson and LL Cool J which stated that 14 girls went missing in one day, were untrue. New York Daily News writer Shaun King, who recently wrote about the issue of the lack of attention given to missing women of color, noted that many of the images used in the viral post were of girls who weren't even from D.C. and have been missing for years.
Dear People Advocating for Missing Black Girls,
Please be sure you are spreading the truth and actual facts. It matters. It really matters
However, that's not to say that there isn't a problem with the way we treat missing persons of color. 510 minors have been reported missing in the first three months of 2017 in Washington D.C. alone. As Vox points out, children of color go missing far more often that white children, but their cases are given far less news coverage and attention - which is a real problem that deserves far more of our attention than it's received.
Just when we thought we couldn't possibly love Joe Biden more, the former vice president reached peak Joe Biden with the best possible response to Donald Trump's wiretapping accusations.
ICYMI, President Trump made headlines several weeks ago when he took to Twitter to claim the Obama administration wiretapped phones in Trump Tower during the 2016 election - and basically offered little to no evidence to support his information.
During an appearance on CNN, Biden was, of course, asked about the claims and whether or not the Obama administration had wiretapped Trump Tower. In typical Biden fashion, he responded with, "Yeah, five or six times," obviously sarcastic, adding, "Are you joking? Are you serious? Are you serious?"
Nailed it. Especially considering the president has been unable to bring forward any further evidence for his accusations three weeks later, Biden gave the wiretapping claims about as much consideration as they deserve.
On a more serious note, when asked about whether Trump should apologize, Biden told CNN, "I think any gentleman would."
Joe Biden ladies and gentlemen, the hero and national treasure we will always need in our lives.
It's no secret amongst beauty addicts that NARS's Orgasm blush is a well-known cult favorite product, both for its universally-flattering shade and its, erm, not-so-subtle name - so it's no wonder that Kylie Jenner tried to follow in NARS's provacative footsteps when naming her blushes. However, the Internet is accusing her of going too far with her own product names.
A post shared by Kylie Cosmetics (@kyliecosmetics) on
Earlier this week, the Kylie Cosmetics Instagram account teased the latest additions to the makeup brand's lineup: five new blushes, with names like "Virginity,""X-Rated," and, get ready for it, "Barely Legal." Considering much of Kylie's customer base is young women, the Internet wasn't here for it. Not to mention, as New York Magazine points out, the fact that Kylie was rumored to be dating Tyga as early as 2014 when she was still underage makes "Barely Legal" a little too ~relevant~.
@KylieJenner trying to follow in @NARSissist footsteps with risqué names for blushes, but 'barely legal'? Wow
Kylie nailed some super flattering colors for her most recent release, but spending a little more time thinking through the names might have not been a bad idea.
Your semester is just starting, or maybe you're already back into the groove of being back at school. While the first couple weeks of classes may have been a little rough, you finally feel like you have academics under control, and now you’re able to focus on some awesome on-campus activities.
While your main priority at school may be your academics, some of the best parts of college are all of the wonderful extracurriculars you can get involved in! Not only do they give you something else to do besides homework, but on-campus activities can also help you professionally. Whether it’s a couple of academic activities or a service club, being involved on campus gives your resume some personality and substance. Plus, activities can round out your skill set outside the classroom, which is something you always want to highlight. Here are some clubs and groups we suggest you get involved in to boost your resume!
What better way to complement your academics than with an activity that incorporates your major? There are a lot of clubs on campus that combine what you learn in class with opportunities to explore possible career options.
“A lot of campus clubs are related to career interests; for example, an accounting club,” says Nayelli Perez, career counselor and assistant director of Hofstra University’s career center. “Being a member of [these] campus clubs not only provides…opportunities to meet other students with similar interests, but also provides a chance to meet alumni or employers in the field.”
Future employers will be impressed that you’ve pursued your career interests outside of the classroom as well as the practical skills you’ve gained from them. “Consider what activities will provide you with a chance to expand skills important to the types of jobs you will pursue,” says Tom Dezell, career advisor and author of Networking for the Novice, Nervous, or Naïve Job Seeker. “For example, if you are pursing media work, try to help the university radio station. Should you see yourself working in roles where communication skills are important, join activities that will require you to make speeches or write.”
“[Professional associations] allow students to immediately establish a network of professionals…as well as possibly forming mentorship relationships,” Dezell says.
Most students can join professional organizations at a discounted price and then can attend lectures from prominent speakers in the field or participate in networking events. “It’s a win-win situation,” Dezell says. “Students get to realize the benefits of an association membership early, [which] makes them more likely to remain active as their career progresses.”
No matter what your major is, consider pursing activities related to it outside of the classroom. You can learn more about your potential career field and gain some experience!
While your school might have a large repertoire of clubs to join, there’s always a chance that it doesn’t offer what you’re truly interested in. Quick fix? Create a new club yourself!
“A unique activity that could help boost your resume could be starting a new campus club that covers a topic of interest to the campus,” Perez says. “Then, on your resume, you could add that you were the founder of the club, which is pretty impressive.”
Inventing a new club shows employers that you can take initiative. “Any activity that reflects growth and accomplishments is impressive,” says Nancy Dudak, the executive director of Villanova University’s Career Center. “The good news is that not all activities need to be career- or professionally related. Growing an organization is impressive.”
Do you and your friends love trying new Pinterest recipes? Start a baking club! Have you read all the Harry Potter books and wish your school was more like Hogwarts? Consider forming a Quidditch team (played on foot, not flying brooms)!
“Students that want to found a new club should to go their campus’s student activities office to ask how they can make that happen,” Perez says. “The important thing to know is that starting a new club on campus is doable, worthwhile, but also a process.”
While every school is different, you’ll most likely have to create a petition of students interested, describe the objectives or goals of the club and possibly outline a budget. Most clubs also require a faculty adviser, so make sure you contact someone early on who’s willing to put in extra time to help your club grow.
The best part is that starting a new club shows off your awesome personality. “It makes you interesting!” Dudak says. “Aligning yourself with an organization that is wrapped around an interest or hobby further develops this interest and fills you with energy.” Your new activity will make you happy and boost your resume in awesome ways!
3. Organizations you lead
One of the main benefits of being involved in on-campus activities is the set of skills you develop from them. “No matter what career path [you] choose, landing a job will require [you] to show skills and abilities beyond academics,” Dezell says. And one of the most common skills employers look for across the board is leadership.
“Leadership positions are very important to highlight on a resume because employers view them as predictors of future behavior,” Dudak says. “If you are a leader in your current environment, it's likely that you will continue to seek leadership opportunities. The great thing is that these leadership experiences can be found in any number of places—student organizations, class projects, service projects, at jobs and internships.”
Not sure how to gain a leadership position? “Try to join at least one or two campus clubs as early as possibly in your college career,” Perez suggests. “The sooner you start, the more time you have to make an impact…and have a shot of making it to its [executive board.]”
Become an active member of your club by participating in discussions, volunteering to help at events or fundraisers and just putting 100 percent into whatever task you’re given. The executive board will remember your hard work and dedication, which can help you land a leadership position later on. Leadership can help you in any career, so take advantage of leadership opportunities while you’re in college!
Another way to contribute to a stellar resume is getting involved in service activities. Giving back and getting involved in your community is always a way to impress your future employers.
“Service to your community demonstrates your interest in improving, that your world is bigger than your immediate circle,” Dudak says. “That’s very impressive [to employers].”
Depending on what field you’re considering, service can also potentially seal the deal for a job or internship. Kathleen Welch, a senior at the University of Delaware, landed an internship partly because of her service experience. “I had a phone interview with a nonprofit organization, and they asked me specifically about my involvement with Habitat for Humanity,” Kathleen says. “The employers were impressed by my experiences and said I would fit well with their company’s mission. I got the internship shortly after.”
Besides nonprofit organizations, service can be beneficial for a number of other careers and companies. “There are plenty of opportunities to tie your career interests to specific service projects,” Dudak says. “[For example], an education student could work with children or youth, an accounting student could assist with pro bono tax returns, a political science student could support a city project.”
To make your service activities stand out on your resume, add some extra details about your experience. “Beyond just listing the groups by name, try to include numbers that reflect the size and scope of the activity,” Dezell says. “Some examples [may include] people served, funds raised [and] outreach.”
While community service helps others and makes you feel good, it can also be an asset to your resume!
Whether you’re interested in learning more about your major through an academic club or trying something new in a unique organization, on-campus activities can strengthen your resume and make you stand out to employers. No matter what you like to do with your free time, go out and get involved!
There is a realization that every woman has at least once in her life that inspires her to learn, grow and love herself—the realization that she deserves better. Whatever the situation, be it an emotionally unavailable significant other, a fair-weather friend or an internship or job that fails to recognize your worth, the realization that you deserve better is an integral part in your self-happiness. When you realize you deserve better, you learn to forgive, move on, love yourself and find the happiness in your life you’ve been missing.
1. You’ll understand everyone in your life serves a purpose—the one who made you realize you deserve better was a lesson
So there’s no use in hanging on to “what ifs” and “could have beens." Once you realize you deserve better, you’ll begin to understand the purpose each person plays in your life. Some are meant to stay, and some are meant to teach you valuable lessons and then depart. It's not your choice which ones are which.
2. You’ll learn the importance of self-realization, or realizing for yourself that you deserve better
The first step in attaining self-worth is realizing when you’re in a situation that isn’t advantageous to you in any way. Once you realize you deserve better, you strive for better and attain better.
3. You’ll realize time is the most precious asset you have, so don’t waste it on someone who plays games
Your time should be viewed as invaluable, and once you realize you deserve better, you’ll understand the importance of genuinity, getting straight to the point and not wasting your time or mental capacity chasing after someone or something you don’t deserve.
4. You’ll finally understand that sorry doesn’t always mean “it won’t happen again”
Sometimes, it is too late to say sorry.
5. You’ll be confused why you ever put up with certain situations in the first place
Once you realize you deserve better, you’ll look back at all the times you settled for worse.
6. You’ll learn to stop making excuses for people
Because hollow promises and empty excuses just don’t cut it anymore.
7. You’ll learn to stop being petty and start understanding the importance of moving on
Because being petty is a waste of your own mental energy.
8. You’ll probably remember your friends told you so
They were right, and you probably ignored them, and they’re probably going to tell you “I told you so,” but just know that they mean well.
9. While you’re at it, you’ll probably realize your mom was right
Pro tip: she always is.
10. You’ll learn the importance of letting go of past insecurities
They’ll haunt you if you let them—just know you are more than your insecurities.
11. You’ll learn to hold yourself to a higher standard
Because you’ll stop settling for less, and won’t ever be satisfied until you get what you truly deserve.
12. You’ll learn that being happy is more important than seeking revenge
Revenge does not equate to happiness because revenge is external and happiness is internal. Once you are truly happy with yourself, you no longer seek revenge, and instead forgive—for your own sake, because you deserve it.
13. You’ll understand the difference between giving up and moving on
Because there is a difference—don’t feel as though you need to stay in a situation out of fear of “giving up,” there are no losers or quitters when trying to improve your quality of life.
14. You’ll learn to stop comparing yourself to other people and situations that don’t apply to you
Because when you realize you deserve better, you realize you’re not going to get that “better” by competing and comparing.
15. You’ll understand that everything in life happens for a reason, and what is not meant for you will never be yours
So stop stressing about it, and understand that when you realize you deserve better, and hold yourself to that standard, your life will dramatically improve, and slowly everything will work out in the end.
16. You’ll realize your self-worth does not decrease based on someone else’s inability to see your value
Your past does not define you or your value, and you do not need someone else do validate your worth.
17 You’ll realize no one will ever love you like you love you—and that’s okay
You’re kind of stuck with yourself forever, may as well love yourself.
Although March 25th is a sad day for One Direction fans with it being the anniversary of Zayn leaving the group, it turned out to be a pretty amazing day for one other member of the group: Liam Payne.
Yesterday, Liam and Cheryl Cole, the adorable couple that met on the X-Factor all those years ago, posted the first picture of their newborn baby boy and it will literally make your heart melt.
In Liam's post, he gives credit to Cheryl for being amazing and that he is "completely in awe of his [the baby's] incredible mother and how she has been the whole way through this, she's really made my dreams come true." He also added that he is "incredibly happy to welcome our new baby boy into the world, it's a moment that I will never forget for the rest of my life and my favorite memory I have so far."
In Cheryl's post, she revealed the baby was actually born on March 22nd but kept it under wraps for a few days, saying "on Wednesday 22nd March Liam and I became parents to an incredibly beautiful, healthy baby boy, weighing 7lb 9 and looking like a dream. Although he still doesn't have a name he is already stealing hearts. We are all madly in love and overwhelmingly happy with our little arrival." The couple never actually made a statement to the public about the pregnancy so it's no surprise that they wanted to maintain some privacy.
Although the baby boy does not have a name yet I am sure it is going to be something adorable and fabulous because obviously. Congratulations to the new parents!
Today is a great day to be a fan of all things One Direction related. Firstly, Liam Payne welcomed a baby boy to the world with Cheryl Cole, which is basically the best news ever, and Harry Styles just announced when he will be releasing his first single. So yeah, great day to be a fan.
According to Cosmopolitan, yesterday in the U.K., Harry Styles released an extremely mysterious TV advertisement hinting at new music and his debut single. In the commercial, Styles is shown dripping wet and walking to the light with quiet piano music playing in the background. And at the end, April 7th pops on the screen. Soo what does it all mean?
Well, fans on Twitter believe this is the day he is releasing his newest single and obviously they are a bit excited about it.
Apparently Harry Styles is dropping his first single on April 7th which means I only have 2 weeks to prepare for the end of my life
It was only a few months ago when Ashley Graham took the cover of Sports Illustrated and showed the world how gorgeous she really is. Although, we really didn't need a reminder. Now, she is sharing some behind-the-scenes footage from the shoot in Fiji and they are absolutely stunning.
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As well, according to Cosmopolitan, Sports Illustrated shared some BTS footage for themselves of the same shoot and obviously, Ashley looks flawless. Why don't I look that good when I am rolling around in the sand? (Don't answer that.)
Ah love is in the air. Birds are chirping, the sun is (sometimes) shining, and people are getting married! Well, not just anyone; Samira Wiley and Lauren Morelli from Orange is the New Black!
According to Martha Stewart Weddings, the couple who met while filming OITNB- Wiley working in front of the camera and Morelli working behind as a writer, got married this past weekend in Palm Springs, California and the wedding looked absolutely stunning.
The brides looked like perfecting wearing custom Christian Siriano outfits but that wasn't the only thing that stood out. As Cosmopolitan reports, the wedding was confetti-themed with guests sitting under "colorful garlands and strands of lights." And they even had an explosive blast of confetti during the first dance.
To celebrate tying the knot, the couple is now off enjoying a lovely honeymoon somewhere tropical and warm and it looks like a blast.
Cover a friend's shift at work? Single-handedly organize a last-minute fundraiser? Babysit your cousin's three kids on the night before a major exam? Yes, why not? We've all been there. Request after request comes flying in from all areas of our lives and before we know it, we've said yes to them all. One look at our planners will tell us that we've overbooked ourselves because we just can't say "no." Whether we think it'll make us seem rude or we've convinced ourselves that we can handle it, too many of us are filling our plates with way too many obligations. Here’s the deal on how to deal.
1. Simplify
First off, decide what really matters in your life. That sounds complicated, but it isn't if you just take a closer look at everything on your to-do list. Are you involved in four different clubs at once? Which of those have something directly to do with your major or something you're passionate about? If you find yourself in horseback riding club, scuba club, poetry club and student government but you're on track to become your state's next senator, consider weeding out a few of your less necessary commitments.
"I was the captain of my Division 1 varsity golf team, wrote a weekly column for my student newspaper, took 18 credit hours, and I managed the Her Campus chapter at my school," said Jaime Ritter of University of Alabama at Birmingham. "I balanced things by DVRing my favorite shows as a treat when I got done with my homework, blogs, and practice."
Kylie Cole, Prevention and Education Coordinator & Staff Psychologist at the University of Maine, has a few tips for those who have trouble saying “no.”
"Saying ‘no’ is really difficult in the moment, so it is great to make a plan about how much you are willing to take on in a given semester (or week) and try to stick to that," she says.
2. Be truthful
Here is a secret most collegiettes don't know: you do not have to please everyone. In fact, it's impossible! Your job is to do your best in school, enjoy your short time as a college student and follow your dreams. The rest are just details. If you are overwhelmed, be honest! One week you could have a midterm exam, two papers to write and two shifts at work, not to mention an argument with a friend or roommate that's weighing heavy on your heart. This would not be a swell time to add something else to your schedule.
One collegiette explains, "I've come to terms with the fact that I can't please everyone, and that has lifted a lot of weight off my shoulders."
People reach out to you for favors most often because they know you are responsible and can juggle several commitments at once. However, you're not doing yourself or anyone else a favor by stretching your time so thin that you end up feeling miserable and overworked. You will put less energy into everything you do, and you can bet that person won't want to rely on you again.
"People often expect more of themselves than they do of others, so learning to cut ourselves a break and allow ourselves to take time to take care of ourselves is important," says Cole.
Say your schedule is cramped as is and a member of your debate club asks for last minute help with her speech. Think twice before agreeing. Sure, you want to help him out and be a friend, but you have to be realistic about how many commitments and tasks you can handle at one time.
So if your schedule really has you feeling swamped, tell the person or organization who's asking, politely, "no, thank you. I'm sorry I can't help you out right now but I'm just too busy. Please ask me again at another time." That way you aren't burning bridges but at the same time you aren't adding another impossible to-do to your already never-ending checklist.
Sure, extracurriculars and added events can be fun, but when you're already working a part-time job and being a full-time student, even an hour or two a week of free time can be more precious than gold. Try making a list of all your time commitments, including work, studying, recreational or social time and any extracurriculars.
Next, make a schedule for everything on your to-do list. Sort them into the above categories and once you see it all on paper, you might realize you have more time than you thought! If the opposite is true, take a look at what can be shifted in your schedule and what could possibly be removed.
Nicole of George Washington University recently got so overwhelmed by her crazy schedule that she forced herself to sit down and look at everything that was taking up her time.
"I just bought a planner, and I took the syllabus from every class I am taking and wrote [down] all of the assignments from now until the end of the semester," Nicole said. "I feel better. If someone asks me to do something for them, I can check how much time I have every day to do it."
4. Practice
You know what they say about practice—it makes perfect. So if you are the female Jim Carrey in Yes Man, start saying "no" to small demands in limited areas of your life. For example, if a coworker asks if you can take a four-hour shift for them a week in advance, try saying "no." It's only a few hours, and that far ahead of time your coworker can surely find someone else to cover her shift. Soon you'll see how painless saying "no" can be.
"I have a tendency to say ‘yes’ all the time, but then I end up getting overwhelmed as my responsibilities pile up," Erica says.
Saying "no" can be surprisingly freeing. If you start small, you'll eventually have the strength to say "no" to bigger questions, such as, "can you do the rest of the work for this group project on your own?" I think you already know the answer.
5. Be cautious
Of course, there are some areas of our busy lives where it's a better idea to just say yes. For example, at your internship, it's usually best to say "yes" more often than "no."
When your boss asks you to run around the corner for three extra-hot soy lattes and you'd really rather sit behind your tiny desk and check Facebook again, say "yes." It may be annoying, but you never know how far a little determination and positivity will take you in the workplace.
"I often ask students who come to see me at the Counseling Center if they are doing something because they want to do it or because they feel obligated or pressured to do it," Cole says. "Knowing the difference, even if you still decide to do the activity, can help you understand your feelings about it."
Think before you say "no," but mean it with all your might when you do. There's a fine line between being strong and letting someone walk all over you, and collegiettes, we never want you to cross it. With any luck, you've had enough time in your packed schedule to finish this article, and you can walk out the door a new woman—one who says "no" when she needs to and “yes” when she wants to.
What's the point of doing homework and exercising when you could get through a whole season of Gossip Girl, eat five bags of cookies and sleep for three hours? Now that sounds like real productivity. Here are 15 signs your plans are probably the same.
1. Your favorite kind of plan is doing nothing whatsoever
2. You've been awake for a couple of hours but don't move from your bed
3. You open the Facebook app more than five times in only a couple of minutes
4. No amount of doing nothing seems to be enough
5. You literally watch all the movies you can in one sitting
6. Meeting up with friends seems like too much effort
7. You can sense the responsibilities building up, but you keep ignoring them
8. You plan on doing nothing but watching dog videos all day
9. You download the most random games on your phone and play for hours
10. You stalk people on Instagram until you find their very first post
11. You stare at all the apps on your phone until you decide to just take a nap
12. You tell yourself you're just going to chill all day because you deserve it
Name: Christina Grasso Age: 27 Job Title: Social Media Editor at Stylecaster College Name/Major: Saint Mary’s College, Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and Italian Website: Stylecaster.com Instagram Handle:@thepouf/ @stylecaster
What does your current job entail? Is there such a thing as a typical day?
Christina Grasso: I oversee all social media platforms for Stylecaster, and I also do quite a bit of writing for them, as well, so it keeps me quite busy! Every day is different, but typically I like to wake up early, put on the Today Show, and do my skin and makeup routine while having coffee with my cat, Betty (who also drinks coffee, she’s very refined). This is really the only quiet time I get, so I cherish my early mornings to myself. I head into the office around 9 am if I don’t have a morning event, and work until around 7 pm give or take. After work, I usually have some sort of event, and if not like to meet up with my friends for dinner or chill out with a glass of wine on the couch. With social, I am pretty much “on” 24/7, so it’s very important to me, especially as an introvert, to find time to reset.
What is the best part of your job?
CG: Overall, I feel really lucky to be doing work that I genuinely enjoy, and that I’ve worked so fiercely all my life to be doing. Otherwise, I love being able to use my creativity in a productive way and having the opportunity to collaborate with a lot of inspiring and talented people who motivate me to be better every day.
What was your first entry-level job in your field and how did you get it?
CG: My very first entry-level position was as an intern for Elite Model Management here in New York. When I was 14 years old, I was approached in a mall by their Head of Scouting who encouraged me to pursue modeling. Long story short, I didn’t grow past 5’7, but we kept in touch and I was offered an internship instead. From there, I completed several other internships until I landed my first “real” job in fashion PR.
What words of wisdom (well-known quotes, an anecdote from your boss) do you find most valuable?
CG: When I was an intern at Oscar de la Renta, I was lucky enough to work with a very dynamic team who truly cared about my development not only career-wise, but also on a personal level. One of my supervisors, Martha, told me something I will never forget: Speak when spoken to, and always remember the lessons and values instilled in me by my parents. In fashion and in New York in general, it’s extremely easy to lose sight of what’s really important in life, which to me is my family, working hard, staying grounded and true to myself, and giving back as much as I can. My career and professional success is very important to me, but the most meaningful work I do is through Project HEAL, a non-profit that funds eating disorder treatment for those who cannot afford it. Having gone through an eating disorder myself, it’s extremely fulfilling to help others along the same path I have walked.
What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?
CG: I have made A LOT of mistakes along the way, but the good news is I don’t see mistakes as mistakes if you can learn from them. One that sticks out in my mind, however, happened when I was interning at Oscar de la Renta. For one of the shows, I pouffed my hair into a beehive and couldn’t fit a headset on top, which was a problem to say the very least. I guess the lesson here is to leave the major looks on the runway when you’re trying to work!
What has been the most surreal moment of your career thus far?
CG: I have had so many pinch-me moments, but I have to say the first fashion week I ever attended is probably up there. I flew in from rural Indiana where I was in college, and despite dreaming about experiencing New York Fashion Week for 18 years, I had never seen the industry so intimately. Now that I’ve had years of experience, the glitter has worn off a little bit so to speak, but I will never forget how magical that moment was for me. I finally felt a sense of belonging, and since then I’ve known, for sure, this is the place for me.
What do you look for when considering hiring someone?
CG: For me, it’s not necessarily about having the most experience, but having a hunger to learn and a spark I cannot really explain, and that’s something I can feel in the room within the first 2 minutes. Also, a sense of humor is absolutely vital. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard, as they say!
What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations?
CG: Always say yes and figure it out later, and offer to work for free when starting out to get more experience. The latter is never ideal but in this industry, you really have to hustle. Also, know that you can come from the middle of nowhere and still succeed, as I am originally from a VERY small town in Western PA (we are talking a place where you see Amish buggies parked outside Wal-Mart) and moved to New York knowing less than 5 people. With hard work, anything is possible. And most importantly, always be gracious and kind. I think if there’s anything that’s gotten me anywhere, it’s treating everyone with kindness, even if they’re a total jerk.
What's the one thing that's stood out to you the most in a resume?
CG: I love to see when people dedicate themselves to causes that they are passionate about, outside of work. Volunteer experience usually tells me that someone is willing to go the extra mile without getting anything in return, which usually indicates a strong work ethic and an understanding of the value of treating others with dignity and kindness.
In celebration of Muslim Women's Day, we've rounded up some of our fave Muslim beauty bloggers and MUAs. P.S.: There are just SO many talented Muslim beauty gals, much more than we can fit on this list!
These Muslim beauty sensations are helping to break down stereotypes and redefine the faces of beauty. Although we're superhappy that the beauty world has been taking small steps to better inclusion, there's still much more to be done—we love that these lovely ladies are diversifying the beauty landscape (although it is not and should never have been their responsibility).
This trailblazer is taking over the beauty world. She has over 18 million followers on Instagram alone! Huda Kattan is a MUA and beauty blogger turned entrepreneur, who has grown her beauty empire through her makeup collection, Huda Beauty. She is launching a highlighter collection, the Huda Beauty 3D Highlighter Palette, this year—and it looks exactly like what highlighter dreams are made of.
This beauty blogger and Youtuber was named an ambassador for CoverGirl's So Lashy! BlastPro Mascara campaign and became the first woman to appear wearing a hijab in one of their campaigns. Nura Afia told Refinery29, "I hope [this campaign] will show Muslim women that brands care about us as consumers and we're important, especially hijabis. [We] can be featured on TV, [we] can be featured on billboards in Times Square. [We] can be represented." We sure hope so too!
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Want to step up your contour game? Tamanna is your gal. Known as Dress Your Face, this beauty educator has tutorials and makeup classes on contouring, smokey eyes and more.
Amena is a beauty blogger and YouTuber with a seriously impressive portfolio. Not only is she the founder of Pearl Daisy, a Hijab company, but also a co-founder of Ardere Cosmetics. She was also featured in L’Oréal's True Match campaign. It's safe to say that she is killing it in the beauty scene.
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This 22-year-old beauty vlogger created a collection of hijabs for diverse skin tones and designed for both men and women! Talk about breaking down norms and increasing inclusion. Talking about her Hijab Line, she told BuzzFeed News, “I wanted to do something where everybody was [included] and I wanted to showcase different people together. I wanted to break the barrier of having too many companies who just used lighter-skin models.”
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Um, okay her brows are just freaking perfect!! Upgrade your brow game, learn how to get smouldering smokey eyes and more through Sabina's Youtube tutorials.
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Dalalid is a beauty and style blogger and YouTuber who has been in the game since 2012. Her aim? Empowerment. "The goal is to empower women; to provide them with confidence, and to encourage them to become their own stylists and makeup artists,"says Dalalid.
Her highlighter game is seriously strong, among other things. Shahd Batal is a beauty vlogger who discusses everything from fashion, to beauty and self-love.
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This UK glam beauty has been taking the beauty world by storm. She is a fashion and beauty blogger, the author of Blogging Made Easy, has her own app, and uploads vlogs, reviews and more to YouTube.
Her lip art is seriously mesmerizing and so are her eyes and eyeshadow. If you love admiring lip art, strong eye shadow game or beautiful photography, Fatimah is your girl.
This 21-year-old Canadian beauty vlogger talks about everything beauty-related on her YouTube channel. But aside from her beauty tutorials and vlogs, Aysha also has travel vlogs and gets real about topics like body image.
We all already know that Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively are the stuff of our dreams, the perfect couple. Ryan's recent interview with Elle only tells us even more about their life as loving parents and spouses.
When asked what Blake has taught him, Ryan said, "Alphabetical or chronological?" Because obviously they have both taught each other so much.
His serious answer? "She's as handy as any home-improvement character you'd ever meet. Her mom will say, 'Ryan, how do I back up this hard drive?' And I'm just looking at her going, 'You're asking the wrong person. Blake is right there.'"
Though Ryan said he's naturally very polite, he learned another virtue from his two daughters: patience. "I can comb a doll's hair for six hours and suddenly remember to blink," he said.
But perhaps the most fun part of the interview was when he talked about watching his wife kiss other actors. "I don't mind that as much. I don't mean that in a creepy way. What people don't realize is, there are 50 or 60 tired, hungry, overworked crew members standing directly behind them."
This comes after Blake said it was torture watching Ryan's sex scene in Deadpool—on a plane of all places. Ryan agreed that watching those steamy scenes would be "tough" to do on a crowded plane.
