Peace, love, happiness, and a balanced diet.

Life is all about balance--but I believe that you should balance things in your own way.

For instance, I'm not the kind of person who can spend all of my time studying, but I also can't goof around all the time. I can't spend a ton of time with my friends, but I can't be without them for long stretches of time, either. The biggest thing is that I have to be going constantly. I can't "stop and smell the roses." That drives me insane.

So far, I feel like I'm leading a pretty balanced life at college. First and foremost, my diet has certainly become much more balance. I eat a lot more fruits and vegetables, and I almost never eat pizza and other junk foods. I'm making straight A's in all of my classes as well as spending time with my friends and going out a couple nights a week. I've been able to do extracirriculars, too--I'm very involved in fashion board and Delta Zeta. I don't always excercise at the gym, but I do walk most places--I ususally spend an hour or more walking every day.

The only thing that's not very balanced is the amount of sleep I get. I don't always get enough, that's for sure. Red Bull has become my best friend because of my lack of sleep. However, the way I see it, it will all pay off in the end.

Keep it classy and fabulous!
xoxo, Laura

A 6th grader beat me at checkers...twice.

So far, I've only had two mentoring sessions with my mentee. The first session was just kind of getting to know her, learning names, etc. This second session (the one that just ended less than an hour ago) was the first "real" session so to speak.

Today, we just sat and played checkers in near-silence. It seems to me that Alice just needs someone to hang out with. She's a very motivated young woman--she wants to get and stay organized, and she wants to make good grades. She's taking steps to make that happen. What's nteresting to me is that she seems to be able to force herself to do the work that she doesn't particularly enjoy, like math. She told me multiple times last session that she doesn't like math, but today she told me that she thinks she did well on her math test! The arts seem to be more her thing though--at school, she's involved in art classes and orchestra. Several of her drawings were displayed on the walls at school.

The only thing I think I need as a mentor is a list of discussion questions...I never really know what to talk about!! She's a very sweet girl, but it's hard to get her talking.

Keep it classy and fabulous!
xoxo, Laura

You know that I could use somebody...

Recently, "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon has become one of my favorite songs. I love the raw power and angst of the song, and the lyrics are beautiful. They sound more like a poem than a song. Obviously, I love the original version of the song, but I've also heard several covers that are AWESOME. Margaret Durante's version is pretty good, but I much prefer the versions by Pixie Lott and Laura Jansen.

Each voice gives the song a different tone--the original version by Kings of Leon has a wonderful roughness to it, as does Pixie Lott's version (though hers is slower and a bit softer). I'm not sure if I like how "pop country" Margaret Durante's version is--the song seems to lose a lot of the angst and pain that make it good in the first place. Laura Jansen's version is the best of the females--it retains the pain and power of the original version while still making the song soft and smooth.

Listen to all of them and let me know what you think!!

Keep it classy and fabulous!
xoxo, Laura

Life is no good without a little spice.

I'm a firm believer in learning about other cultures. I believe it makes us question our own world view and makes us better people. Which is why I'm a huge fan of diversity.

Prior to coming to Carolina, I thought of diversity on more of a world scale--I thought of "diversity" in terms of countries--Japanese people, Chinese people, Hispanic people...it wasn't really I saw in my own backyard. Since coming here, I see it more and more in my everyday life--people can be diverse in terms of their talents and interests, not just the color of their skin or what holidays they celebrate.

Take, for instance, the girls in my sorority. Outwardly, I suppose, we look similar. However, once you get to know everyone, you know that we're all different--some of us like Twilight, others like to read case studies. Some are pre-med, some are pre-law, and some are fashion. Some people are better leaders and some are better followers. Some eat only salad and others eat like 15-year old boys. Some are athletic, some are artsy.

I see it in terms of the other students here on campus, too--there are Greeks, non-Greeks, those who are involved and those who are not, the introverts and the extroverts, the northerners and southerners, the haves and have-nots.

I haven't really been at Hand Middle long enough to see how diverse the school really is, but these are my observations so far: my mentee, let's call her Alice, is hispanic. She's certainly not the only Hispanic child there--there are white children and African-American children as well. It's a very well-balanced school in terms of ethnicity. In addition, Alice has a talent for the arts, not so much for math and science (very similar to me). Other kids at the school are more athletic, while some are more academically-oriented.

Basically, diversity is not just about the color of your skin--it's about who you are and the way you live. Where do you see diversity in your life?

Keep it classy and fabulous!
xoxo, Laura

The original is always better.

I've loved indie music since I was a freshman in high school, and one of my favorite indie songs (well, indie when I first heard it) is "The Mixed Tape" by Jack's Mannequin.

It is an absolutely beautiful song, and, initially, it had an awesome animated music video, which I felt captured to essence of the song perfectly. However, the music video was soon replaced with a live-action version not nearly as good as the first.

This evening, thanks to the miracle of YouTube, I found the original animated version. And it was just as epic as I remembered.

Enjoy. :)

Keep it classy and fabulous!
xoxo, Laura

In need of a change.

I hate structure. I really do. The structure I need is a lack of structure. When things get too structured or boring, I have to change it up.

Usually I do that via my hair.

It's dark now, but it's lightening up again (thanks to months of bleaching it beyond belief). I need a change. I was thinking dark blonde (like Jennifer Aniston), or even light brown with blonde highlights (like Mischa Barton when she was on The O.C.), and maybe some bangs. (The bangs are a big maybe).

Option 1...
Option 2...

Let me know!
xoxo, Laura

The big picture.

I've said it more than once--fashion is my life.

Thus, it only made sense for me to come to Carolina and major and fashion merchandising (if you want to get technical, my major is actually retailing with an emphasis in fashion merchandising). My family was very supportive--they know I'm good at what I do--but other people don't really get it. They say to me, "Fashion merchandising? What kind of major is that? What are you going to do with the rest of your life? SHOP?"

In a word, yes. Sort of.

Throughout my undergrad years, I want to study abroad in London and Paris. I would also like to do something in Los Angeles and New York. For my major, we actually have to do an intership one semester--I'm planning on doing mine in Paris and simultaneously studying at the Paris Fashion Institute. Hopefully that will be the second time that I will be working there!

Once I graduate, I want to work for a big designer like Chanel, Diane von Furstenberg, or Yves Saint Laurent. I would like to work in styling and public relations. Another option is styling for a magazine like Elle, Vogue, or W. A third option is becoming a buyer for a large department store such as Neiman Marcus or Bergdorf Goodman. No matter how it all works out, I'm sure I will be very happy--as long as I'm in fashion, I'm good!

Even if money and education weren't factors, this is what I would want to be doing. It's not a glamorous lifestyle--there's long hours, endless travel, and an exhausting amount of work involved. It's not like what you see on TV on shows like The Hills and The City. The thing is, though, when I think about working in such an intense environment, I get excited. I WANT to work those long hours, I WANT to live out of a suitcase, and I WANT to feel like I'm going to drop dead at any moment from exhaustion. I want to run on coffee and red bull and fruit salad, deal with jet lag, and work until 2 AM...it sounds crazy, but it really is my dream. For me, working in fashion is not an option--it is something that is GOING to happen.

What's your dream?

Keep it classy and fabulous!
xoxo, Laura

Gaga for gay rights!!!

This is reason 212 why I love Lady Gaga. She is such a strong, powerful woman, and she always stands up for what she believes in.

Click here to watch Lady Gaga at the National Equality March Rally, held yesterday (10/11) in Washingston, D.C.

Keep it classy and fabulous!
xoxo, Laura

I brushed my teeth in a creek.

I survived the woods! No cell phone, no makeup, no bathroom. Click here to see pictures and some commentary about the trip!

Keep it classy and fabulous!
xoxo, Laura

The semester thus far.

So far, I've had quite the journey.
I've come what I came here to do--I'm making a 4.0, I've made a ton of new friends, I'm now a member of Delta Zeta and Fashion Board, and I've adopted a healthier lifestyle.
I've made a ton of new friends here--in particular, Jordan (my roomate), Natalie, Krystin, and Lauren. Of course, there are a LOT of others! Those are just the four that stand out in my mind the most.
My sorority sisters are fabulous--everyone is so down-to-earth and easy to get along with. I immediately felt accepted. We have, arguably, the most diverse sorority on campus--we have girls from the North, the South, blondes, brunettes, redheads, tall girls, short girls, and every major you can think of, from pre-med to neurological science to public relations to fashion merchandising. We all love to have fun though, and we all love each other!
I haven't really had any negative experiences (except the E-Z DZ thing, obviously--see "an open letter), and the ones that have been slightly negative have turned out to be positive things or just a good story to tell people!
The one thing I really want to focus on going into the second half of the semester is being more regimented about going to the gym and eating healthy. I've made a promise to myself that I will go four times a week (not hard--Sunday-Wednesday night), and that I will take a least one pilates class and yoga class a week. I also would like to focus on completely cutting out junk food. I'm already doing a pretty good job at that--I don't drink regular soda, and I only eat one small dessert a day. I think leading a balanced lifestyle like that helps out not just your body, but your mind and emotional well-being as well.
Well, guess we're headed into the second half of the semester...here we go!

Keep it classy and fabulous!
xoxo, Laura

P.S. Keep an eye out for my "personal challege" post...I'm going camping. In a tent. In the woods. With bugs. And dirt. I'm sure it shall prove to be quite interesting.

"Service Learning" is a redundant phrase.

I think the phrase "service learning" is redundant.

When you serve other people, you learn more than you could ever realize. You learn how good you have it, how blind you've been to the problems of the world, and how selfish you are some days.
Understand, though, that service is not just giving your money. It's about giving your time. My dad was huge on serving other people--he basically made it his life. Our family was fairly affluent, and he told me that the reason God had given our family so much was so that we could give it to other people who needed it a lot more than we did. He also said, though, that our money was worthless if we didn't give our time to other people as well. He gave his time and himself as often as he could--helping out with Salkehatchie (see one of my older posts), working in Haiti, Honduras, Mississippi, North Carolina, or anywhere else he could.
When you give your time to other people, when you give your whole self, you can't help but learn. Even if you aren't necessarily learning about a specific issue, you are learning about other poeple, and their situation, and how they view life.

And that is why "service learning" is a redundant phrase.

Keep it classy and fabulous!
xoxo, Laura

NEW OBSESSION.

I found this website on a sidebar at PerezHilton.com. I clicked on it out of curiosity, and now...
my life is complete.

Click here to find out what it is.

Keep it classy and fabulous!
xoxo, Laura

An open letter to the jerk who messed up my DZ sign.

So today, someone decided it would be funny to write "E-Z" on the Delta Zeta turtle on my door. So I decided to write an e-mail to everyone in my dorm:

Capstone Scholars:
There have been multiple cases of vandalism to sorority signs throughout Capstone. Vulgar messages such as "____ sucks cock," "E-Z DZ," etc., have been written on these signs. To remind everyone, vandalism/destruction of someone else's property is ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE under University Policy. In addition, messages such as this perpetuate negative stereotypes of not only sororities, but Greek Life as a whole. Also, when you destroy a sign bearing the letters of a sorority or fraternity, you are not insulting one person--you are insulting an entire organization, which amounts to hundreds of people here on the USC campus.
The vandalism to these signs has absolutely got to stop. It is disrespectful and extremely hurtful. As Carolinians and Capstone scholars, we are expected to hold ourselves to a higher standard. Thus, this kind of behavior is unacceptable and unbecoming to anyone at USC and in the Capstone program. So whoever you are, STOP.

Sincerely,
Laura Dixon

Safetay.

Everyone has been bombarded with all sorts of safety advice their entire life.

Look both ways before you cross the street. Don't talk to strangers. Wear a helmet. You get the picture.

Yes, safety is important, but when you're in college, personal safety is more important than ever. You're out more, you're on your own, you're by yourself, and you have to think about keeping yourself safe a lot more. Those of us who go to USC have to be doubly aware because of the fact that we all live in the city, where crime is more prevalent. Us women who go to USC have to be even more aware.

When we attended the safety presentation on Wednesday, I was please to see how many things USC had implemented to keep all of its students safe. Things like emergency call boxes and multiple escort services are just the tip of the iceberg. Students can keep their things safe by registering their bikes and expensive personal belongings such as computers, iPods, and cell phones with the police department. That way, if it's ever stolen, the police can get it back much more easily. (By the way, I am definitely doing that.)

Honestly, while I found the presentation to be informative, I'm already doing a lot of things to protect myself, like keeping the phone numbers for campus police and the DUCK escort service in my cell phone. In addition, I don't go anywhere alone at night, and I make sure I lock my door.

I hope all of you are being safe!

Keep it classy and fabulous!
xoxo, Laura

We don't do fashion. We are fashion.

Fashion is my life.

I live it, breathe it, eat it. I think about fashion every second of every day. Even when I have a "bum day" (and those are rare), I'm still conscious of my fashion choices. Fashion, to me, is everything.

Naturally, Fashion Board was the perfect club for me. I was so excited when I got that yellow application on my first day. I immediately filled it out.

When I attended my first Fashion Board meeting, I was so intimidated. There's almost 150 people on Fashion Board, and all of them are...well...fashionable. But moreso than anyone would expect. It's like taking the 150 best-dressed people at USC and sticking them in a room together. And then, the be-all end-all of fashionista divas stands up--his name is Marquis Bias, and he is (as far as I can tell), the only male on fashion board. He makes all of us girls look like frumps. I've never met anyone more fabulous in my entire life. Naturally, I was (and still am) intimidated by him.

When I tell people that I'm on Fashion Board, they don't get it. They're like, "What do you even do? Sit around and talk about Project Runway?" In a word, no. We do all sorts of things--we host USC Fashion Week in the spring, we help out with fashion shows, we have speakers come in and talk to us about how the fashion industry really is, we have sewing classes, we host style workshops, and we do community service.

Today we had our first event--Lee Denim Day Jean Drive. We raised a ton of money for breast cancer research by selling baked goods on Greene Street and at the Coliseum. We also collected clothing to give to foster children. It was a lot of fun, and it was all for a good cause.

Fashion board is definitely something I will continue doing throughout college--after all, as our motto says, I don't do fashion. I AM fashion!

Keep it classy and fabulous!
xoxo, Laura