REAL LIFE

How I Ruined My Life This Time
(And Why It's Going to Be Oh So Worth It)

By Cassondra Lynn, age 16, California

Several AP classes, advanced classes, community college courses, president of the National Honor Society, president of the California Scholarship Federation, secretary of the Animal Protection Club, member of the Kiwanis Key Club, member of the Go Green Club, honor roll student, starting my fourteenth year of dance, volunteer hours, three times as many hours of homework ...

Some of you may have guessed it: Junior year.

You might remember my articles from about a year ago - I began writing for SDM in October of 2007. If you don't remember, I ran away from home, became prone to self-destructive behavior, and slept with a guy who used me for his own gratification. But then I drifted away from SDM. Since then I became obsessed with losing weight, lost twenty pounds, then, after two months of school, gained about ten.

But that's the negative stuff. Positively, I'm still with my boyfriend. It's been a year and three months now, and I've discovered my passion - business marketing. Seriously, it's my niche.

And now we'll get to the point of this article.

My hectic schedule, as you can imagine, has completely ruined not only my social life, but also my body (I'm gaining weight, and I can already see Botox in my future), mind (headaches, burning eyes), and soul (I haven't been writing much, I don't listen to as much music, I rarely get to read which is my first passion above all else). My body aches almost all the time, and I only eat junk, because it's easier to just grab than to take time to make something.

And this chaotic schedule, all the stress, the panic attacks, the breakdowns that have me collapsing in tears in my boyfriend's arms, the hair I've pulled out, these new self-esteem issues, the agony ... It's all going to be worth it.

My goal is UC Berkeley, arguably the top public institution in California. It also is the hardest UC (University of California) to get into, accepting only about 23% of its applicants, versus other UCs which accept about 60%. And when that acceptance letter is in my hands I know it will all be worth it. Every tear, every bruise, every bead of sweat, every strand of hair, every fiber of my being, it will all have been put to good use and I will never regret these moments. Scheduling fundraisers, volunteering, hours of homework, the mathematical equations I'll never use in real life, the chemicals I'll never have to mix, the history I'll never hear about again, and God knows that no one is ever going to come up to me on the street to ask me to state a fallacy or to write a syllogism ... It will all be worth it.

When I'm sitting in my corner office with some big shot explaining to me a multi-million - heck, how about a multi-billion? - dollar business deal, it will all be worth it.

For those of you who maybe haven't put much thought into their schedules or really haven't done much in your school or community, remember that if you put the effort in, it will all be worth it. Whatever your dream or passion or love is, you have to work hard to achieve it. And you can. Realize that life isn't a Disney movie, dreams don't always come true, and some things really are impossible ... unless you're self-motivated.

Don't think that your dreams will be handed to you on a silver platter. Don't think things will fall into place. They won't.


I'd like to thank Stephanie for all the work she puts in on SDM, and for motivating me to write this article. Everyone reading this online magazine should really take the time to say thanks to Steph. She does a lot for all of us. Thank you.



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February & March Magazine Issues

March 15, 2012

The February and March issues of Sweet Designs Magazine are now online, featuring a combined 53 new articles and features!!

- Cover: Stephanie Lynn reflects on 5 years
- Cover: India (of Darn-licious knitwear)
- Life in the dumps (moving in with my bf)
- The difference between men and women
- Angels among us (parts 1 and 2)
- Arts graduates & the dark night of the soul
- Triple threat (how I survived my teen yrs)
- Dating isn't easy (my true story)
- How to turn not-so-great gifts ... (fashion)
- Ten reasons to love being single
- Taking the big leap (college)
- Valentine's Day (not what you'd expect!)
- The last of the cold (hopefully) (fashion)
- A month full of love
- Ten tips for successful airline travel
- Reasons I love writing for SDM
- Who needs love?
- They're not all the same
- The life I'm glad I don't have (fiction)
- Professional dress/ finding Fendi (fashion)
- An airport anniversary: a true story
- Inappropriate Facebook photos
- The perks of a big city (college)
- A night(mare) to forget (part 2)
- The Anita Blake series (book review)
- Saving June by Hannah Harrington (book)
- Under the Mesquite by GG McCall (book)
- The Lullaby by Sarah Dessen (book)
- If I Stay by Gayle Foreman (book review)
- My sweetheart (original poetry)
- Isn't it funny (original poetry)
- The stranger (original poetry)
- A winter wonderland (original poetry)
- One night valentine
- The thick envelopes (college acceptance)
- Southern love
- Healthy hair and vitamins
- It's a date (dating idea alternatives)
- The 30 hour famine
- School's out forever!
- Marching right back into spring? (fashion)
- Dear John
- When TV shows depict your life
- 3 Fun ways to rock spring's hottest trends
- Neglected teeth
- Starting something new
- Guy movies
- To hesitate or dive in?
- Deadly, by Julie Chibbaro (book review)
- Beastly, by Alex Flinn (book review)
- I don't care (poetry)
- Together, alone (poetry)

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