Helpful Holiday Tips-Halloween Edition

Hey All! I'm back!

So as you may have noticed, I have not posted in a while, but I have been so busy with school and clubs, Ive just had no time! But luckily, I am back and I am here to answer any of your questions and offer advice for everyday life.

Today is October 9th, meaning Halloween is is only 3 weeks away!! While it seems far away, it'll be here before you know it o.0

With that in mind, I am here to offer some Helpful Holiday Tips for that ooky, spooky Halloween Day!

Now if you are like me, a holiday is the perfect excuse to hold a party and just have fun with friends. Whether you are hosting or attending a party, here are some helpful hints to have a great time!

First, let's talk about hosting a party, shall we?

Hosting a Halloween Party:
Invitations- Send them out with plenty of time so your guests can get off work, reschedule events, or have your invite be the first invite they get so they can plan on attending your party.

Decorations-If you don't have any decorations, or have a few, I recommend picking some decorations up at your local Dollar Store, Dollar Tree, or any small, low cost store. Odds are, they will have plently of decorations and at a low price too!

• Windows-Window Clings are  easy, simple, no mess decorations that easy attach to your windows using static electricity. (Finally something good comes out of that, instead of shocking people). Plus, they are not only great for windows, but also for bathroom mirrors as well. Just a few on the mirrors around your house is sure to get you into that holiday spirit!

• Doorways- As your guest arrive, you want to them to get into the holiday fun as soon as they walk through the door! I always found streamers to be helpful, not just for walls, but doorways too. For walls, take some orange and black streamers, twisting them together, and then attach them to the wall with some scotch tape. When it comes to door ways, take some streamers, cut them into stripes and then tape them to the top of the door frame. The stripes should hang down and should be able to move with the slightest breeze. These streamers will not only be entertaining for guests to walk through, but also provide some secrecy, in case you want to surprise guests in the next room.
•  If streamers are not your thing, stores sell plastic door covers. all you do is unwrap them and tape them on. However, if you like the idea of the streamers in the doorway, then buy a door cover, cut into strips, and attach just like the streamers!

•  Walls- Walls are great for holding many decorations and stores sell many decorations you can easily attach to the wall. Pumpkins, witches, tombstones, and anything else you can imagine, it can go onto a wall. Once you make a trip to the store and feel like your walls are still bare, then you can make your own! Construction paper is a wonderful way to decorate your house without spending a lot of money. Draw and cut out your own pumpkins, skulls, witches, and what not! Best part is, construction paper is light, so your decorations can easily be held up with simple scotch tape. Get creative and use your imagination! Each room in your house can have a different theme! The Kitchen could be a pumpkin orchard, the living room can be a witch's den, and the bathroom can be a cemetary. Your ideas are limitless!

• Ceilings- You would be surprised with how much you can decorate using your ceiling and your ceiling fans! Spiderweds, skeletons, paper pumpkins, and bats are just a few spooky decorations to hang from your ceiling! Since October is usually cool, our ceiling fans just hang there. But, with some spiderwebbing, you can turn your ceiling fan into a spider's nest. Just like the walls, the ideas are limitless!

Food- Halloween parties are known for their sweet delights and tasty snacks. Yum! Simple tricks will make sure your guests will satisfy their sweet tooth.

• Party Mix-The classic pretzels, chips, and chex pieces is a great snack that is cheap and everyone loves. Personally, I am a fan of the cheese version!

• Candy-Let's face it, when people think of Halloween, people think Candy! So save some of the treats that you were going to offer to the trick-or-treaters and set up the candy in a nice arrangement on a tray,

• Baked Goods-I love to bake! So whenever Fall comes around, I only think of cooking one thing-Pumpkin! People love pumpkin so make some pumpkin cookies, pumpkin rolls, or pumpkin pie. Not only do people love baked goods, but they will appreciate the trouble you went through to make them. Find great recipes at www.cooks.com

• Chips-With all those sweets, it is a good idea to have something salty, or just, well "chippy" for guests to balence out their taste buds. After hosting many parties myself, people love these snacks: Doritios, Sour Cream and Onion chips, Cheetos, and Cheese Balls. While these are oldies, but goodies, dont be afraid to offer something new to your guests. People love trying new things and who knows? Your favorite treat might be their new favorite treat.

• Drinks-When hosting a party, it is always important to keep your guests hydrated! Those costumes can get pretty hot! Always remember, if youre over 21, make sure to drink responsibly. Your drink selection should include Apple Cider, Water, Pop, and Juice drinks. Like the chips, try serving a drink many people have not tried before. For example, I enjoy the Mexican pop "Jarritos." Many of my friends have never heard of it, so sometimes I like to offer it at my parties.

Entertainment- Dig through those old records and pull out your monster mix cd and let it play. It provides a nice backround noise and helps provide the mood for halloween. Also, replace some lightbulbs around your house with blacklight bulbs. The dark, ultraviolet glow will be sure to delight your friends.

Now that you got your decorations, snacks, and drinks; you are ready to host night of fright and fun!

Attending a Party:
~If your party is a costume party, make sure to go in a costume that is either simple and you can wear the whole night, or a costume with removable accessories so it does not hinder your movement, or bothers anyone around you.

~If you are driving, make sure your costume does not interfere with your ability to drive. If need be, drive to the host's house and change in the bathroom. If you feel akward about changing in a friend's house, have someone drive you to the party.

~If you are someone 21 years or older and there is alcohol at the party, make sure you drink responsibly and/or have a designated driver.

~Ask your host if you can bring anything. Simple things such as a bag of chips or cookies, it is not only courteous, but it can also stregthen's your friendship.

~Most importantly, have fun!! Make some memories, share some laughs, and have a ball!


So whether you are hosting or attening a Halloween Party, by following these helpful hints, you can have a very memorable Halloween party!!

                                                                    (Hope it treats you well!)

Do you need any advice?
Send your questions to raysofyellow@yahoo.com

Feel free to comment with your own ooky, spooky ways to celebrate Halloween!

Words to Live By: "It seems the people who try and keep others happy and cares for others is often the most lonely. Strange but true." So remember, say more than thank you, show your appreciation
Until Next Time Readers,

~Joey S.

A Confusing Connection

Hi All!

Sorry I havent posted in a while. I got my wisdom teeth out last Thrusday and I certianly was not in good health to answer your advice. But now that Im all better I am back again to help make your life a little bit better each week! Next Wednesday I return to SRU for my Sophmore year! Just wanted to say I had an absolutely wonderful summer and I had so much fun with all my friends! Stay in touch you guys! Speaking of college, a friend I meet at college last year sent me this question:

Dear Joey,

I met this girl bout 3 years ago at a relay for life at 1 am, we both were walkin alone for our team and she happened to start talking to me. we ended up walking and talking until 11 am the next morning, never was there a dull moment that night with her it was amazing. Since then we have been friends but only sometimes did we talk. it seems as though everytime we both r single we end up talkin to eachother and sometimes messing around, never to the point of sexual activity but i personally dont need that at this point. she stayed the weekend with me last yr at school and the weekend was amazing but at the end i asked her out and she said she didnt feel that way for me (even tho the whole weekend we kissed and acted like a couple). after that she dated a guy which didnt work and now this summer she has talked to me again, we hung out one time and at the end she asked me y i didnt kiss her? i was confused by this since she said she didnt like me like that. this upcoming school yr she wants to come stay with me and me stay with her several times at our respective colleges. she says she wants to stay single but if we get close then its whatever happens happens u know?im just confused that she is ok with me and her acting like we r together but she doesnt want to date me, i guess the question in all of that is what shud i do? how shud i go bout this "relationship" or friendship? should i push for a relationship or just see what happens? any advice u can give wud be a big help. Thank you :)

Sincerely,
A 4th floor friend

Dear a 4th floor friend,

To start off, thank you for volunteering your time for Relay for Life! It is always important to get involved and help those around us so thank you!  Sounds to me that you and this girl are practically best friends and knowing you, I know you would do anything for her. My advice for you my friend is to allow some time to pass before you try to go any further in your relationship. It sounds to me that she is confused about her feeling towards you. She loves you as a friend but is not sure about her feelings towards you as a boyfriend. Girls have complex emotions and sometimes they can make huge swings from one emotion to another. As guys, we have to understand it is not always easy for a girl to determine her emotions. As a young adult, she is in the middle of transforming from a young girl to a young miss and that process can be hectic. Just as for guys, they are turning from boys into young men. This being the case, our emotions can run haywire and make it difficult to form an opinion one way or another. I know me telling you to "just wait" may be an easy answer, but its the best one for your case. Sometimes the simpliest choice is the best. If you dont want to wait, then simply ask her if there is a possibility for you two in the future. If she says Yes, then you two can work on it. If she says I dont know, then ask her to give you a chance. If she says No, then say Okay and move on and still be good friends with her. Im still good freinds with all my ex crushes and it works out well. I wish the very best for you two and I hope it works out!

Your 4th floor buddy,
Joey S.

Hey Everyone! I hope you enjoyed this week's advice blog! If you need advice on anything, send me an email at raysofyellow@yahoo.com

To get involved for Relay for Life, check out their webpage at http://www.relayforlife.org/relay/

Advice to Live Well: "Compliment someone. Not only does it brighten their day, but draws your friendship closer"

I hope everyone's summer was wonderful and filled with success! To all my pals in "The Bubble" stay in touch and drop me an email every now and then. I love to hear from you!

Until next time, enjoy the summer while its here

Your Ray of Sunshine,
Joey S.

Surviving College 101

Happy Last Friday of July!

"Wait, what?!"

Yep. You heard me right, it is the last friday of July. Which means school will be starting back up in August! Wahoo!! I know some of you are just /sooo/ excited for school to start again :/

Others I know are absolutely excited, I myself am one of those people, for school to start again!  Only 25 more days until I am back at Slippery Rock University with all my 4th floor family again :) Until then, I am just spending this summer with my friends and trying to save up some money before college takes it all away haha.

For some of you, this past year was your last year in High School and now you are heading into your Freshman year at College! Some of you I know just cant wait to get out of the little towns you come from! Other, I know, are a bit cautious about College and dont know what to expect. Well, Im here to help settle any college rumours you heard and give you the 4-1-1 on how to succesfully survive your first year at college!

To start off, let's clear up some of those pesky college rumours you've probably heard of.

1.) I'm a Freshman, so that means Freshmeat.

Okay ladies (and guys) no need to sweat it here.  No one picks on the freshman at college. Most of the older kids are nice and treat the freshman with respect because they were in your shoes once. Now I cant account for some hazing if you pledge a fraternity or sorority, but they are not that bad haha.  Only a few are those extreme crazy frats but you'll be fine :) But really guys, everyone is usually very nice to the freshman.

2.) I hear the classes are really hard and you have to study all the time!

Alright this one is only true depending on which professors you have. Like High school, it all depends on the teacher and how rigorious they make the class. Now for my freshman year, I had a bunch of really easy teachers and they were very caring and kind to all the students. If you are worried, go to ratemyprofessors.com. Its a free site that allows you to read reviews about your professors. Sometimes though, those reviews are wrong. I got a professor with a really bad score, but he turned out to be a great teacher who helped raise my GPA :)

And if it turns out you get a professor that gives you tons of work, you will have plenty of time to do it during your breaks in between classes and still have time to hang out with your friends! So dont sweat it! You will have plenty of time to have the college experience of your life!

3.) I am worried I will have a terrible roommate and we wont get along.

Fear not reader! There are plenty of ways to deal with a troublesome roommate, but most likely, you wont have to worry about that. It seems more and more colleges these days are having the upcoming freshman fill out a survey about how they live. Like 'What time do you go to bed?" 'Are you a smoker?" etc. Then using the survey, the college will match you with a roommate compatible with your answers. For the most part, they get it right!

 For others, well not so much. But dont worry! Most colleges offer a roommate exchange after 2-4 weeks into college to give people with bad roommates, the opportunity to switch to another room; so there is always that.

If you do happen to be stuck with a bad roommate, fear not! Here are some ways you will be able to get through the year.
1.) Hang out with your friends alot. The more you are out of your room, the more time you have away from your roommate.
2.) Your roommate could be busy with their friends or clubs and what not so they will be out of the room a lot.
3.) Observe your roommate. Perhaps there are some things you two can get along on. Any topics or ideas you two share will make the tension go away
4.) Communicate with them. Make small talk, such as how was classes or the weather. Odds are, the things youve experienced about college so far, they will have too. Youll most likely have some of the same classes so talking about that can help.
5.) Go home. For some of you, its not an option due to distance or you dont have a car. However, go home on the weekends and give yourself a break. You probably deserve it

4.) My neighbors will be loud, obnoxious, sex-maniacs.

My 4th floor neighbors

This one made me laugh a little to be honest. If you are worried about loud neighbors, get to know them at first and become friends. A lot of your neighbors are nice people and may even become some of your best buddies at college. Then if they ever get to loud, just ask them to keep it down and they will gladly do it. I had a neighbor who balsted his music last year, but all I had to do was send him a facebook message aslking him to turn it down and he gladly turned down the music. No problem. If you still have a problem with noise, tell your Community Assistant, Resident Assistance, or whoever is in charge of your floor about it and they will help you out.

Now sometimes your neighbors will bring home "special friends" and they will make some noise that is unpleasent to hear. Dont worry, it is just as akward for them as it is for you. Now if your neighbor is a friend, I usually just let them have their night cause as a friend, you wouldnt want to spoil their evening. Even if it annoys you. Thats when I just put on my iPod and fall asleep to Owl City.

However, if you and your neighbor do not get along you can:
1.) Blast some Gospel music. Trust me, no one gets off to hearing that cause it reminds them about what they are doing.
2.) Knock on their door, ask if you can join in, and then just run away before they answer the door. :P
3.) Run down the hall and announce your neighbor is having sex and say "Come hear a freak show 25 cents"

Your neighbor will probably hate you, but hopefully they will get the message.

5.) I wont make any friends at college.

Yes you will! It is almost impossible to not to make friends at college. All you have to do is speak up! Lets face it, all of the people in your classes are probably freshman and are nervous and shy like you. All you need to do is say "Hello" intoriduce youself and get the ball rolling. Ask them questions and they will talk back. Trust me. It works! If you dont know what to ask, here are some questions you can use.

1.) Where are you from?
2.) What's your major?
3.) How did you find out about (Insert College Name) and why did you come
4.) What music do you like?
5.) How do you like college so far

Question like these are big enough so the person you are asking wont feel like you are digging into their private enough and are great cause you can answer them too once the other person answers them.

Another great way to make friends is to join a Club or Organization they offer on campus. I cant tell you how many friends I made joining the clubs I did! Below is a picture of myself with the members of the American Sign Language Club!

                                                           ASL Club after a performance

So really! There is not a way you cant make friend at college! You will find some amazing people at college and will make a TON of friends. Believe me! I was skeptical too but it is absolutely true!

If there are not any clubs you want to join, then become friends with your neighbors on your floor! I did and we are as close as a family. We go to dinner together, play games, watch movies, and everything!

                                               Me and my nieghbors playing Just Dance

6.) People drink a lot and the parties are crazy!!

Well this one is half-true, but it is not as bad as you think! While some college students love to drink, they only do it on weekends and off campus so you dont have to worry about the noise. If you do go to a party. there can be pretty hectic! Which is why I recommend going in a group. That way, you always have people to fall back on. Also, be sure to have a plan if something goes a miss and have someone who will be able to pick you up if you need to get back to your room in a hurry. So have fun!

Now that we cleared out some of those nasty rumours, here are a couple Do's and Dont's for college.

Do:
-Get a Laptop over a desktop. Laptops are light, easy to manage, can travel, small, and if the power goes out, they still work. Laptops may be a bit more costly, but turst me, it will be worth the cost.

-If the room does not provide one, get a mircowave. When you go to college, you will find out just how useful a microwave can be. I suggest you getting The Pasta Boat. If you havent heard of it, it is a way to cook spighetti using the microwave. I can tell you from personal use, it works. I find it nice to have if you dont feel like going to the Dining Hall to eat, or if you are really busy.

-Get Sticky Notes. Those things will save your butt. I like to keep some in my drawer on the top shelf because if you are like me and forget things easily, just reaching for one and writing down a thought is a great way to stay ahead in college.

-Get to know the people around you. Not only your roommate, but your nieghbors, and your CA or RA. Itll come in handy if you ever need help.

-Get familiar with all the buildings on Campus, especially the Library. Odds are, you will stay at your college for 4 years and you will probably have a class in all the buildings. If not for class, chances are you will most likely have to go into all the buildings during your four year stay so its good to know where they are. The Library will be you "to-go" place for quiet study and all your resources for your classes so get to know it.

-Do remember to write or call home. As much as we dont like to think about it, our parents miss us and just want to hear that we're safe.

-Do know how to do your own laundry. If you cant go home every weekend, you better learn how to do your laundry! Dont forget the quaters for the machines, detergent, and softner! Ask your Mom or Dad, Im sure they would love to teach you.

-Do bring a first aid kit and/or illness basket. You never know when you will need a bandage or something. And odds are, you might get a cold at college so fill your illness basket with cough drops, Nyquil, and other cold remedes.

Dont:

-Dont keep to yourself. College is a great way for you to open up and discover who you are: as well as make life long friends. Socialize and put yourself out there!

-Dont feel the need to get a Macbook Pro or Notebook. Odds are, you wont actually be needing it for class. Lots of professors give out powerpoints or just give you the notes. But if you like to type your notes, simply bring your laptop. You dont need to spend extra money if you dont need to. Trust me, buying books will do that for you!

-Dont overpack! I know you may want to pack alot, especially if you are going far away and wont be able to go home for stuff, but those rooms are not that big. If you ever need something, simply have your parents mail it to you.

-Dont always buy your books from the bookstore or ahead of time. If you are looking for a way to save some money, go online and buy the books you need. They will be much cheaper than the bookstores. Also, talk to people who have had the classes you are about to take and ask them if they needed the book. If so, then get it online or see if they still have it and buy off them. If not, boom, money saved haha

-Dont forget to HAVE FUN!!! College is an exciting time in your life and maybe even the best years youll ever have! Go out and just have a ball! These are your years so take them and have a blast!!


I hope this guide helped with any questions or concerns you had about college. If you want to know anything else,  or if you need advice with anything at all send me an email at :toucan1234567891@aim.com

Thanks for reading everyone!!

Advice to Live Well: "Spend a day with your grandparents! They will enjoy your company and will have many delightful stories to tell. Plus, I hear grandma makes some pretty good cookies :)"

-Joey S.

Room for One More?

Dear Joey, I'm in a new relationship with a girl who i've known all through spring and summer. Everything is absolutely great but the only problem is she wants to date another guy too. I love her with all my heart and just wanna make her happy.  She wants to bring him on dates with both of us and have us be friends. idk what to do please help!

Thanks,
two guys and a girl

Dear Two Guys and a Girl,

Allow me to introduce some French to you: Ménage à trois. In others words,  a three-way relationship in which all members are romantically involved with each other. Or basically, what Britney Spear's song "3" was all about =_= . However, I can tell you from what I've seen, those never work out. A three-way relationship is never a good idea. Ever. And here's why: When a guy enters a relationship with a girl, she becomes his girl. (And ladies, he becomes your man so its a two-way street) so a guy is very protective of his woman. He does not want anyone else hitting on his girl because that is his girl. If you've ever watched a movie with a bar scene, there is always a scene where one guy hits on this girl at a bar, and then some macho meat-head comes up and says "You hitting on my girl buddy?" Then usually a bar fight breaks out. So guys are really protective because guys actually care a lot about their girlfriends. I know it might be hard to believe ladies, but it is true. Trust me! With that being said, I can see you care a whole lot about this girl and will do anything for her but allowing her to do this is too far. And I dont have to be a mind reader but Im guessing you dont want this guy in your relationship. I dont think any guy would be okay with that. I know her happiness is important to you, but so is your's. In order for you both to be happy, you both need to find ways to be happy with just each other. No third wheel. You need to make an ultimatum-A final choice. She needs to pick you or him. I know you have probably been told this before but it is true. And you also need to search inside yourself and think "Can I really be in a relationship with a girl who doesn't love me as much as I do her?" Cause if she did, then you wouldnt have this problem. If you are worried she might leave you, let her know no one else cares about her and will treat her as greatly as you do. I know you don't want to, but sometimes ultimatums have to be made in order for a successful relationship. Get to know why she wants a third guy to join up. As my mother said "You can't have your cake and eat it too" Meaning she can't date two guys at the same time. Plus I dont think facebook allows for a "In a three way with" relationship option haha! I hope I was able to help out and let me know how things go. It is always nice to hear feedback on how my advice turned out. Thanks for writing and take care!

Your buddy,

Joey S.

Advice to Live Well: "Send a Hello text to a person you havent talked to in a while. Odds are, theyll be glad to hear from you"

To see Britney Spear's "3" video, click on the link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTs6oQx1WJY

If you need some advice, send your dilemma to: raysofyellow@yahoo.com

Thanks Everyone! Hoped you liked it!

Welcome! One and All!

Hello Everyone!


Welcome to the first blog for Advice for your Life!


I am here to help you with any problem you might have!


To start off, allow me to introduce myself:


My name is Joey Streiff. I come from a small town  just twenty minutes north of Pittsburgh. I graduated Hampton High School in 2010. Currently, I am a sophmore at Slippery Rock University. If you read my information I posted about myself, you will see growing up in a small town didnt leave you to do much except to get to know the people around you; so that's what I did. I enjoy talking to people and learning about them!  You can find out some incredible things about someone just by listening to them. Although I am young, the people I have meet in my life have shown me the world without ever leaving my seat. And now I am here to share my worldy advice with you!


About my Blog:I will be posting a blog once a week on either Wednesdays or Fridays. When I post my advice, feel free to comment with your own thoughts and/or questions. If you have your own advice, feel free to tell us about it! Send your questions to raysofyellow@yahoo.com. You may also send them anonymously if you wish!

That is all for now, so be on the look-out for my next blog!

Advice to Live well: "Smile, its the nicest gift you can give someone"

Until next time, remember to smile,
Joey S.