It is September which means that Fall is here, or at least in our hearts because the weather DOES NOT WANT TO GET WITH THE MEMO. It's fine though. *note extreme sarcasm* This, however, is not about how much I despise Tennessee's bipolar weather. So without further ado, welcome to my Fall Playlist! 

I have many more songs, but I don't want this post to be like 500 years long so I'm gonna wrap this up. See you guys next Wednesday! Here's a hint: Footballs and Dances

First off, if you haven't watched the actual speech than please do. 

I did not plan to write about this, but while I was watching and listening to this I was hit with some thoughts. I'm sorry if some of this doesn't make any sense, so consider this my brain dump/ lecture. I do not write this because I'm a big fan of BTS or just want to promote their music, but I write this as a person deeply affected by the message they put out. I write this as a human being learning how to love myself. 
​The man giving the speech is Kim Namjoon or RM, which is his stage name. He is the leader of BTS and is a pivotal part in making their music and speaking their message. Namjoon starts off his speech with talking about growing up in the small town of Ilsan, South Korea. He talks about how as a boy he would look up at the stars and dream your usual childish dreams. He continues talking about how he started caring about what other people thought about him. How he tried to make himself fit into the mold that society had created. 
​I think the most powerful thing he said in this speech was "We all lost our names. We became like ghosts." I think growing up we try to fit into the mold. We try so hard to be like everybody else that we shut off the voice inside our head that's telling us to be our authentic selves. We ignore the things that make us truly happy and what makes our hearts beat. We listen to what the world says. Namjoon tells us to speak ourselves for who we are. He tells us to find our name, find our voice, and to tell our story. 
​You may be wondering "Noelle why is this even important?" Well if you haven't noticed we live in a age of extreme self hatred, depression, and anxiety. Young people today are told that they have to fit a certain mold to be accepted and loved, and if you don't do that than no one will love you or care about you. I'm here to tell you differently. I myself battle with anxiety, depression, and self-hatred, but I have started looking at myself in a different light. I no longer see myself through other people's eyes but I see myself as a person trying to become a better person. This speech is important because it says a message that the young people need to hear. 
​As I'm ending this post I would like to say one last thing. Well I think it's better said by Namjoon, "What is your name? Speak Yourself." 

I believe that college is the most exciting but scariest topic to talk about. I have recently submitted two college applications and I have already been accepted into one of them. The one I have been accepted to is actually my back-up school. I'm still waiting to hear from my number 1 choice. It has not been a very stressful process, but it has been quite expensive.
Tip #1: SAVE UP MONEY FOR APPLICATION FEES! These fees range from free to $30. The first application I submitted was $20 and the second one was $30. Some of the applications range in length. Some may require an essay others may not. It depends on how big the school is some of the times. It's not as stressful as some people make it out to be, but it is a lot of filling out an information. The really stressful part about it all is the waiting. Some colleges send you an email the says "You've been accepted" or they send you an actual letter in the mail. 
Tip #2: FILL OUT SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS RIGHT NOW! This is KEY if you want to get into college without debt. I am currently filling out applications. It is a lot of essay writing, but it is SO worth it. They also have scholarships for EVERYTHING! It's actually funny some times. I recommend scholarships.com when filling them out. 
​Tip #3: Be confident in what you do: This one may seem odd, but you have to trust that the college or scholarship you applied to understands you. Be confident that they know who you are even if they haven't met you yet. 
​I hope these 3 tips help you on your journey to getting into college. I'm excited to be on this journey of applying to college. I have been filling out applications for about a month now. It's really exciting to me. I think that's all for now! See you guys later! -Noelle-

School has begun. I hate saying that, but I'm actually kind of excited for this school year because I'm a senior! It's a bittersweet year, but I'm trying to make the most of it. Granted I haven't been to a single football game, but that's not the point. 
​So far this year I have had too write multiple stories for my Advanced Honors Creative Writing Class, gotten Dunkin Donuts coffee almost everyday (It's REALLY addicting), and have submitted two college applications. I have to apply for scholarships and take the my second ACT in October. I'm trying to start studying again, but it's hard to be consistent after not doing something for so long. I'm having a really fun year and I'm making a lot of memories. 
​One thing I'm really excited for is FALL!!! I know it's only September 3, but it's always good to prepare in advance, right? I already have my fall decorations out, my fall music playlist ready, and my candles are LIT! That was really cringe worthy. I apologize. Anyway, that's were I am in life right now. It's pretty straight forward.

​Bye guys!!