What's Next?

As kids, we always know what we're supposed to do next. We know after 5th grade we go to 6th; after middle school, high school. Most people go straight to college after high school. You don't have to think about what path you're going to take, it's already laid out in front of you. You know that to be "successful" you have to graduate high school then go to college (or at least that's what conventional wisdom says). 

After college though, so many people stall out seemingly waiting for someone to tell them what to do next. They drift along in a retail job or waiting tables, living with their parents, mumbling about the economy and telling people "thinking about grad school!"

Don't get me wrong, I know the economy sucks and I know a lot of people live with their parents out of necessity not choice. But don't use the economy as a crutch. Don't use the fact that many more people move back in with their parents after college than ever before as a reason to do so yourself. By doing these things you're selling yourself short. You can get a job in this economy. You can get an apartment. You can support yourself financially. 

There's no clear path to success after college, as we've been conditioned to believe since kindergarten. But that's a good thing. What it means is that there are many paths to success, unlike in school when the only way to succeed is through doing what your teachers say and getting good grades. There are jobs you've never heard of out there. There are ways to do exactly what you want and get paid for it. As a grown up, you call the shots. You decide if you take a year off to travel, if you quit your job to freelance or start your own business. But first, you have to begin your life after college.

The time to start your life is now. 

Go out there and do something remarkable. 

You're ready. 

Let's go.

How to be More Creative

Realize Nothing is Original 

 Stop trying to come up with things from scratch, even the world's best artists have to start somewhere. Once you can get past this you'll have a much easier time creating things.

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Let Yourself Be Inspired
 This is really the key to becoming more creative. People who think they're not creative just aren't letting themselves be inspired enough. If you don't know where to start, get inspired by other people's art: DeviantArt, Tumblr, Pinterest and Flikr are all good places to start. Try letting something completely random from the real world inspire you-- converse sneakers, kitchen tools, insects, taco bell commercials, etc.

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Take Your Time
 Don't try to rush creativity. Wait until you really have some time (preferably alone) to really go at it.

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Don't Be Afraid of Screwing Up
 I can pretty much guarantee that you won't like the first thing you create; whether it be written, sung, composed, painted, decoupaged, sketched or whatever else. But that's okay, if you're just being creative for fun, there's no reason you need to be hard on yourself. Throw it out and start again. I can guarantee that any successful artist didn't create something inspiring their first try.

 

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Repeat & Don't Quit
 There's a reason "practice makes perfect" is such an overused phrase-- it's true! You can't expect to get better if you try something once and quit. So your first effort at drawing a Day of the Dead skull looked like a flower patch vomited on the page. If it's something that you're really interested in, you'll get better as long as you keep trying. 

Easy Nail Art Tutorials

As most people have figured out by now, nail art today is much more modern than the gaudy fake talons of the past. Recently, the trend has been towards crazy colors, bold patterns and innovative designs. And although it's tempting to try out the craziest designs first, it's best to start out with something simple. Luckily there are several nail art trends that are easy for beginners.


1. Glitter Gradient 

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Glitter gradient is one of the coolest new trends in nail art. It's simple, sparkly and interesting and will definitely get people to notice your nails. You can do the glitter gradient with a bare nail underneath or with a colored base coat-- either way it makes an impact. A bonus to the glitter gradient is that since there are several coats of polish on the tips of your nails, they're less likely to chip!

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2. Chevron Stripes

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Chevron stripes are everywhere and with a little tape and a couple colors,  you can have the same look on your nails. I've yet to try this myself, but it's definitely on my list of trends I want to try.

Tip: Whenever doing designs involving tape, make sure the base color has completely dried before you put the tape on. If you don't wait long enough, the tape will pull the color up with it and leave residue when you remove it. 

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3. Diagonal Stripe

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The diagonal stripe may be easiest of the three, since it only involves two colors and not much taping. It can also be the boldest, depending on the color combination you choose. I personally like this design the best because there are so many possibilities. One of my favorites (that of course I never took a picture of) was fuchsia and coral, which appears color-blocked. Of course if you're not feeling daring, you can always use colors that are close to each other for trendy yet conservative look.

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