Changing Our Vocabulary

Hi friends,

I am very nervous about posting this because I know some people will read this and think that I am "sub-blogging" them or will just not like what I am talking about. So I would like to get it out of the way and just say that this is not about one or two people, it is about many many people that I have either talked to or overheard throughout my entire life. 

Our world is changing and becoming so much more accepting but there is still a lot of progress to be made and I think one of the biggest ways this can occur is through our vocabulary. Regardless of what your opinions on any of this are, we, as a society, need to learn to respect one another. I really do believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and have the right to believing whatever they want to believe, but so many people really struggle with how to have that opinion and not be disrespectful and judge mental towards others who disagree with you. Now I am not saying that I am some saint who never judges someone who disagrees with my opinions because that would not be true but I make an effort to not because I don't think that is fair of me. Anyways, back to the point of this post, I really think there are a few words that we should try to remove from our vocabulary because they can be very offensive but they are so common that you don't even realize you are being offensive when you say it. 

I know I can be very naive about the world, but I like to believe that there is more good than evil in every person I meet. And I like to believe that if people knew how much their words are hurting someone they would stop saying them. I know that this is not always the case, but here are some words that if we could remove them from our vocabulary, or learn how to use them in the right context the world would be a little bit happier.

1. Gay - this word is not an adjective. Just because someone is attracted to someone of the same sex, does not mean they are weak or stupid or uncool. All it means is that they attracted to someone of the same sex. Literally nothing else, well it can also mean happy but thats beside the point.

2. Retarded - I absolutely hate when people use this word as an adjective to describe someone who they believe to be stupid or who has just done something they think is stupid. Retarded does not mean stupid. Retarded is a word that is now pretty dated medically speaking but was used to refer to a mentally challenged person. 

3. Faggot - very similar to number 1. This is a word we should just stop using all together. It is only used to be hurtful. Be kind, people.

4. Racial Slurs - This covers several words that I would prefer not to mention, but I know you know what words I am talking about. The color of a person's skin or where they are from does not determine their worth. It does not mean they don't deserve respect and it shouldn't be used as an insult. What if someone made these comments about you? how would you feel?

These are just a few words and if we could just learn to use them properly and not as an insult it would be a big step towards a happier, better world. Use your words to inspire others, not to tear them down. Many times when people use the words they don't think they are offensive because they are saying them to their friends. You never know how your friends truly feel about them, and you also never know just how many people are listening to what you are saying. 

Be kind and be loving.

Until Next Time,

Morgan

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The Sunday Post

Hi friends,

One of my favorite blogs, Hello-October, makes a post each sunday that she calls the Sunday post. It has always been one of my favorite reads and I always look forward to getting to read it Sunday morning. So I thought I might try it out on here with my blog.

The past two weeks have been crazy to say the least. I think I have experienced every emotion possible since I arrived here in Lubbock. Today marks exactly two weeks since I said good bye to my parents and started living on my own for the first time. 

In these two weeks I have been tested physically and mentally multiple times. I have started college volleyball workouts that have pushed me more than I have ever been physically pushed, but in only two weeks I have already seen such amazing improvement which has been an extremely rewarding feeling. However, I do not think I will ever get used to waking up at 5 a.m. but maybe with time it will get easier. I also have had to navigate my way around a large campus and try not to have a panic attack every time I have 10 minutes to be somewhere and have no idea where I currently am let alone where I am supposed to be going. I have had break downs of missing home, my dogs, my friends, and my family. But it has also been fun getting to meet so many new people and learn so much about myself even in the short time I have been here.

My first week was very hard for me. I am not a very outgoing person until I get to know people so making friends can be very difficult for me. However, I have met so many kind and wonderful people here and they have made it a lot easier for me to not be as closed off. 

I know that this journey will have plenty of ups and downs but I am so excited to see where it takes me!

Until Next Time,

Morgan

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Stop Worrying, Start Living

Hi Friends,

As I have recently moved out and started my college years, I can only sit and laugh at all the little things I spent so much time worrying about that really had a very, very small effect on me. Even if you are not very close to me you probably know that I am a worrier. I constantly over-think and worry about every little thing. I spent countless hours of the last four years worried about if I was in the right friend group, why I didn't have a boyfriend, if I had the perfect date to the dance, or if I was following the latest fashion trend, so to sum it all up I worry A LOT about what people think of me. Well I can honestly say it is not worth your time to worry about these things. It wasn't until this year that I really felt comfortable doing the things I really love. I have had a blog for four years. FOUR FREAKING YEARS and it took me until this year to not feel embarrassed to tell people about it. I think I always wanted to keep things more on the private side because once people read my blog it gave them a reason to judge me, and as much as I would like to pretend I was one of those people who just did not care what others thought of me, I am 100% not that person. I hate the idea of people talking about me when I am not around. I tried to keep so much of me hidden for so long and it is like now this little person is inside of me screaming to get out. I now feel confident that I can tell people what I think and my opinions on things. I feel okay telling people that I love musicals and I think I will always prefer a night in instead of going out and pretending to be someone I am not, and that took a really long time for me to accept. I was so scared that people wouldn't accept me because I personally chose some different things than a lot of my peers to be interested in. However, I have now learned that those things really don't matter. Do what you love. Do what you want to do. Being concerned of what someone else thinks holds you back not them.

I am not saying I am now one those people who just doesn't care at all what others think because I am far from that person, but now I am making a constant effort to stop worrying. Worrying is a complete waste of time. Don't spend your life worrying about it, spending your life living it. So if you want to dye your hair pink, do it. If you want to monogram everything in your room, do it. DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO, not what your friends, teachers, parents, siblings, or anyone else says or does. You do you and I'll do me.

Until Next Time,

Morgan

P.S. This confidence didn't come overnight. However, with the right friends, you will learn it is a lot easier to be yourself and not worry so much. So here are some of the people that I will forever love because they allowed me to me, and I can never thank them enough for that. 

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Life Chapters - Club Volleyball

Hi friends,

Every person you meet will have few or many "chapters" in their life that they may or may not share with you. These chapters are really a funny thing. I would say for most life chapters you really don't know they are happening or ending until the chapter is completely finished and you are about half way into your next chapter, but sometimes, you do know. And today I did know.

Today, a chapter of my life came to an end. After 8 years of volleyball and 7 years of club volleyball in a skyline jersey, my time in that chapter has ended. Today, I stepped out on the court with some of the greatest people I know to play a sport we all love for one last time. It was a very weird thing. I remember being 12 years old and watching Skyline's 18's team play one of their last games and thinking about how crazy it would be when it would be mine. 7 years later, with one of those 18's players now coaching me, it was my turn to play my last game. Now as some of you know, my volleyball career is far from over, but the next time I step out on a court it will be completely different.

This chapter has been a complete rollercoaster. I would be lying if I said there weren't times that I wanted to end this chapter early but I am so happy I decided to make it to the end. I have met so many beautiful people and learned so many life lessons and I really don't know where I would be without this chapter.

As I am sitting here typing this, it is really starting to hit me. This part of my life ( a part that I really thought would never end) is over. It is a very bittersweet thing. However, I am very excited for the next chapter.

In two days, I will pack up my car and make the 6 hour drive to my new home. I have no idea what Lubbock has in store for me but if it is anything like what my last chapter was like, I absolutely cannot wait.

Until Next Time,

Morgan

P.S. sorry for the bad quality of pictures, I don't know why they look like that!

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