For the Love of Writing

Needless to say a blog post is way over due. To be honest, any form of writing is long past over due. Eight months post graduation things are going better than ever imagined. Especially after reading the last few blog posts on here.

On the brink of graduation, worry and doubt loomed in the waysides. The "state of our terrible economy" and the "ever rising unemployment rates" did not predict a promising future. However, a job, no, a fantastic and unexpected, dream job reared its beautiful face.

Again, eight months post graduation, and I, Sharayah am a social media marketing manager at a digital marketing agency. WHAT? How does that even happen? The LORD provides, my friends, the LORD provides.

It passes my lips frequently, but this job was and is a blessing. It could not be asked for to have a better job coming out of college. Each day brings a new opportunity for learning and bettering myself in not only my career, but as a person too.

In addition to the career development and building, a total of at least 15 lbs since last reviewed have been lost. My diet and exercising regimes have changed drastically, but without a doubt have been changed for the good.

There's just something about putting on a shirt that fit snuggly back in college, only to find it has gotten much looser since then. Self-confidence and excitement are building. 2014 is going to be a great year. The LORD has amazing things planned, I can feel it.

The Real World

This evening I made my first Adult To Do List.

Now you are probably thinking, Sharayah, you are 21 years old, on the brink of turning 22, and you just made your first adult to do list?

Well, kind reader, yes, I am 21, however, a week from yesterday I graduated from college with my Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Media.

Graduating was a big step for me, and I cannot believe how quickly the last four years went by. I am not the shy young woman that I entered California Baptist University as my freshman year.

I feel like this is the step my teachers from high school always talked about. Leading up to graduation from high school I would be pushed into the real world. However, college did not feel like "the real world."

College felt more like high school at a much faster rate, with nicer people and more homework.

This in between stage that I am currently living in is my bridge to that real world.

I spent the first week of my life as a graduate, re-watching "The Office" from the beginning, searching for a potential corgi to adopt and really just sitting about. I hardly left the house, and when I did it was mostly to run small errands.

I feel that the making of this to do list was a waking up process for myself. I am not in college anymore, it is time for me to continue my journey in growing up.

Yes, some of the items on my to do list are trivial, but I feel like I need to get my life in order. I need to push forward. I am an adult and I can face the real world.

Seventy-Six Days and Counting

For those of you who are unaware, May 4, 2013 is the day I walk across that stage and become Sharayah Le Leux, BA.

Now for the most part of my senior year I've been trying to remain positive and just continuously work forward to the completion of all the hard work that I have been pouring into my school work for these last four years.

However, lately I am finding more and more reason to desire for the time to pass by faster and just run across that stage toward our University President, grab my diploma and run off stage.

And although the thoughts of all the students loans I've accumulated lurk right above me for once I do indeed graduate, I feel more than ready to face them head on.

I don't have a guaranteed job once I graduate just yet, but I'm starting to feel that everything will be alright.

As I sit here putting off my homework, typing away all the feelings of anxiety, unappreciated and sleep deprivation, I cannot help but count off the days until I'm free.

Seventy-Six days and counting.

VidCon 2012

Vidcon in one word. Amazing.

I've been putting off thinking about VidCon, mainly because it's over and I'm not ready to accept that just yet. But then I realized keeping it all locked inside is pretty selfish of myself. However, I just can't get my feelings out. I've tried vlogging about it a few times, but I just can't get the right words.

So here I am, returning to my blog, once again. Hoping that maybe this time it will go somewhere. That maybe I can form the words that I don't know how to verbally say. Written word after all, is my strong point. I'm not blessed with words from the mouth, rather words from my finger tips.

So in short, VidCon was amazing, but really it was so much more.

Although, VidCon is something I countdown the days until, and quite enjoy, it's also a very overwhelming time for me. I am an excruciatingly introverted person, and big groups of people quickly tire me out. VidCon's crowd is always increasing and there were 8,000+ people there this year. And even hanging with the group of friends I've formed from the YouTube, at times has overwhelmed me.

However, this year, I went in with an open mind. One that I hoped to enjoy every bit to the fullest and just come out of my comfort zone. Went to all the panels I could successfully get into, danced and sang my heart out like no one was watching or listening during the concerts and dance parties, took loads of photos :] and no footage :/, had meaningful conversations with good friends and gave as many hugs as people would accept from me. haha.

And as a result, I think that this year, for the first time, I succeeded; well, somewhat. The first night, I did feel a little overwhelmed. But this was mainly because I could not believe that so many people and friends were all in the same place once again.

After having gone so long without seeing and interacting with one another, we were all together again, and it was like nothing had really changed in our absence. The ability to pick right back up where we left off. To be able to welcome new friends into our world, and be able to connect so quickly in the span of two-three days.

It baffles my mind how quickly VidCon can bring people together. I think it's because we realize that we don't have much time with one another, and so we have to cherish it. And live the time we have to the fullest. And although, the goodbyes hurt when they come, we know that we will see one another again, very soon. Whether it be a year from now, or those little wonderful trips we make to one another in between because we just can't stand the distance.

I love YouTube, and the opportunities and friends it has blessed me with. But regardless, of how close the Internet can bring you, I still think that ability to touch and hug a person is just so much more satisfying. And although it can be overwhelming at times, I'm glad I was able to make the most of the time I had. :]

And I reappear

So it's probably bad that I do not recall writing the last blog post I left you all with, especially since after a long hiatus from blogging I just vanished again. Nice going, Sharayah, how are you ever going to captivate an audience if you just leave them high and dry?

I'm happy to report my spring semester went well, passed all my courses, kept my job at OPS and am now the Editor-in-Chief of The Banner newspaper. God has blessed me immensely in the last four months, and I am so thankful.

I am currently on summer break, working my tail off at OPS and preparing for the new road that leads me ahead. (Okay, maybe it's not much of a break, but I am glad I have something to keep me busy through the summer).

There are so many transitions that will be taking place in the next year, and as much as that terrifies me, I also find myself excited beyond belief.

I cannot wait to witness the work that God is going to be doing in my life and in the lives of those around me. I desire for Him to use me in my new found places. And although, I am not entirely sure where He is leading me I wish to follow Him wholeheartedly wherever it is.

And with this coming year being my senior year at CBU, I hope to live it to the fullest. I want to have all the experiences a student at CBU should have. Do all the things I meant to, but never got around to doing.

Be back soon, I promise. <3

One door opens...

I have been away from my blog for far too long. And you all missed me, right? haha. It is okay if you did not.

I can say things seem to be going great. All that hard work paid off last semester, I almost had straight A's. There was one B, which I was perfectly fine with because I just really wanted to pass. So achievement unlocked: I made it out alive and am just a few short days away from tackling the second have of my junior year of university. Which is terrifying as well as thrilling to see all the work I have accumulated over the past 5 semesters paying off.

I in a way lucked out this semester. I am taking 15 units, 3 of which are being taken online, while the rest fall onto only Tuesdays and Thursdays. Which for me is rather odd, because if anything I pictured myself as a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday student seeing as most of the journalism classes take place then. However, this seems like a blessing nonetheless. Less work, right? WRONG.

On top of only taking Tuesday and Thursday classes, I will be working on campus with the Online and Professional Studies department dealing with Search Engine Optimization on Mondays and Fridays, while still attending to all my webmaster duties for the newspaper.

I find this exciting because SEO was exactly what I was wanting to learn in order to hone in on my social networking and media knack. I hope that this will help me later when looking for a job once I graduate, so you can bet I am looking forward to this job.

But I also find it worrisome because I will not be as involved with the newspaper as I would like to be. I want to be more hands on so that I can get to know the new writers and get a feel for who they are as well as their writing styles. I definitely will be coming in as often as I can, but I cannot guarantee it will be like I wish.

I'm hoping this all goes well. I know the Lord has a plan for me. He had been opening plenty of doors for me and I know and am aware that at any moment one of these doors can be just as easily closed. But with having said that I will put my faith in the Lord because He is in control and His plan is the best plan for me. I just pray that He would show me the way and that I would follow it with my whole heart.

Please keep me in pray. Pray that I be confident in the Lord and that He would guide me as to what I shall do in these situations and experiences He has planned for me. That I will continue to grow stronger in my relationship with Him and that I will be strong in my faith and walk.

Thank you and God Bless! :]

Can we be done now?

School and I are best friends. I love going to school and hate when I have to miss class. But ever since midterms began I've been in a fit. I really do not want to work and I procrastinate as much as I possibly can until I have to do the work because I freak out I'll fail.

Example, this week I planned to get everything done and planned everything out strictly so there was no time for shenanigans at all. Well, that back fired and I ended up waiting till the last minute on each assignment. Resulting in having to stay up until 5 a.m. on Thursday night to finish the 5-8 page paper that was due Friday afternoon.

I don't know what seems to be wrong with me. I'm in a bit of a school work slump and don't really want to do anything that does not involve newspaper. Luckily I'm almost done with General Education requirements. I hope to be done with all of them by next fall. I think I'm taking just two GenEd classes next semester which is pretty sweet. And then all the rest are writing classes for my major and minor! YAY!

Is it bad that I just want it to be Winter Break already and just want to sleep and sit around the house all day? I think so... That's probably really bad. I don't know what's wrong with me. :/

Guess I'll just have to tough it out for another month and 10 days. WHOA! Is that ALL that's left?! Dang... maybe I can tough it through this. I think I just got a rush of pumpage to keep going. Especially since a week of that is Thanksgiving break. So it's more like a months and 3 days... WOO! haha. XD