I am changing my blog name! I wanted something simpler and something that included all of my current life craziness and delight. I have also decided to move my blog to wordpress, because I think it looks prettier and is much easier for me to manage. You can now find me at delightfullyuprooted.wordpress.com

New place, New friends, New life

Coast to coast!

Wow has this past year been crazy. So much has happened and so many plans have changed! The most exciting change of all is that Zack and I got married!! After finishing up school and getting my degree I decided to move down to San Antonio, TX for a few months while my husband finished some military schooling. We are now in North Carolina and loving every minute of it! While it has been tough to completely uproot my life and move to an entirely new place on the other side of the country, it has been a very positive experience so far.

My husband is away during the week so I've had to get used to being in our new apartment alone with little to do. I have learned how important a positive outlook and frame of mind are in situations like these. It would be so easy for me to mope around and be upset that I am away from all my friends and family in a new place that really wasn't my first choice. Instead I choose to be happy about our situation- I am in a new place that I probably never would have been to if it weren't for the military. My husband and I get to see different parts of the country and explore different environments, history, and culture. I am surrounded by different people (many of who don't know what Idaho is haha!) and I am able to gain perspective through all these experiences. While I often wish we could just forget the military and be back home where I know my way around and have plenty of family and friends around, I am thankful for our far-from-normal lifestyle and all the perspective it has to offer.

So while this blog has predominantly been about my vague journey into my twenties, I am excited for the new content that will come as a military wife on the move!

Why are you a Communication Major...?

                                Netflix

A wise Comm professor once told me, "It isn't about what job you can get with a degree in communication, but about what job you want and how a communication degree can get you there". Thanks John!

It is true, and if you ask any student majoring in Communication, they'll tell you that almost every person they've told their major to asks them the big question, or a handful of questions that all boil down to one, "But why?" or my personal favorite, "What are you gonna do with that?"

It's funny actually, because it is as if the entire world is unaware that communication is the jack of all trades. It is quite literally a major component (if not the most important) of absolutely every professional field and/or business.

I have taken this frustration and turned it into a list of popular questions that all comm majors are tired of hearing.

1. So you probably chose this major because you don't like math?
 This one is almost always accompanied by a chuckle or two. And quite frankly I'm not sure why because it isn't all that funny! No, no I do not like math. It sucks in many people's opinions and yes I would prefer to have a career where math was not required of me on a regular basis. Did I choose a major in Communication solely based on the fact that it did not require any math classes? No, it would be pretty lame to choose a future career path based on something it lacked. Is it a bonus that my major and my future career prospects don't involve a subject in which I find little to no enjoyment in? Hell yeah it is! But no don't worry, I did not spend an ungodly amount of time deciding my major based on what I would not have to study. (Hint: I chose it because of what I do get to study).

2. Don't a lot of football players study Communication?
This one seems to be one people find really funny too. (Hell, maybe all of these questions are asked because people think they are funny and that no comm major has ever heard them before). Anyway, yeah, yeah they do. I don't have the answer to everything but my guess to this would be because many college-level football players hope to land a professional football career after (or before) graduation. Wouldn't it make sense then that these football players are not interested in a specific field of study like engineering or nursing? Communication is a broad field that encompasses a variety of different things. I would guess that football players are not interested in the specifics of another major, and chose Communication because it is broad and forgiving, and also yes probably because they hate math too. And while we're at it, if this is your way of implying that comm majors are dumb, you're so terribly misinformed and I don't even have anything to say that will bring you out of your state of stupidity.

3. But what are you gonna do with it?
This one is my favorite! I love the look on people's faces when I tell them exactly what I would like to do with my Communication degree. The real answer to this question though, what can't I do with it? I mean really, have any of you had a job where effective communication wasn't a huge part of the company's success? I think our society is under the impression that unless you have a definitive, direct, and less than abstract major, then you don't actually know what you want to do with your future. And you are probably just going to college because you didn't know what else to do and you are still trying to "figure it out". This is such a stereotype that is far from the truth. I've found that Communication majors often enjoy and are good at several different fields of study and did not want to choose just one. Communication is a broad and very diverse field that can serve as a tool for several different professions.

Still don't know what Communication majors are able to do with their lives after they graduate? Let me enlighten you with a list of professions that someone with a Communication degree can hold: journalist, news anchor, sports broadcaster, broadcast journalist, film producer, film director, comedian, politician, marketing specialist, public relations specialist, human resource specialist, author, CEO, and political correspondent, to name a just a few. These famous people all have degrees in Communication of some sort: Matt Lauer, David Letterman, Matthew McConaughey, Stephen Colbert, Brian Lamb, and John Gray.

4. So you're studying something everyone already knows how to do?
This one gets me every time. It is the equivalent of thinking well everyone knows how to eat their lunch so why would anyone need to study nutrition? Communication is so much more than studying basic conversation. In fact, that is hardly what studying communication is at all. Comm majors study a variety of things like intercultural communication, conflict management, media theory, mass communication & democracy, public relations writing, gender studies, and criticism rhetoric. All of which could be majors in and of themselves because of how much there is to learn in each of them. Communication encompasses so many different things that are so useful to know and learn about in order to understand and know how society works.

5. How nice, you must have it so easy!
This back-handed compliment is so far from the truth. I dare anyone who falls victim to this myth to do research and read old comm theory and rhetoric and tell me what an easy subject it is to understand. Then write a twelve page paper on the importance of that theory and rhetoric. And then do all that while you have a presentation due tomorrow and a test to study for the next day. Communication is a reading and writing intensive major. To receive good grades and pass your classes as a comm major you must read all of the assigned material and be able to participate in class through discussion about it. So while a communication major's homework is not the same type of work as a STEM major's homework, the fact that it is different does not make it easier. It's just a different kind of hard work. 

6.  Did you major in Communication because you didn't know what else to major in?
Thank you for your concern here, but no. Why the hell would I spend thousands of dollars a semester studying a major that I chose because there was nothing better to do? Choosing to study communication was not a last resort or last ditch effort to get my degree in anything. I chose communication because the study material, learning environments, and skills learned were all aspects of the degree that aligned with my interests. Personally, I took a semester off to find my perfect major and did so much research on majoring in Communication. I found that it was exactly what I was looking for in a major and profession. Don't get me wrong though, this might be true for some people. Because receiving a degree in anything is better than no degree at all. And what better field to study than a broad and diverse one like Communication? There is nothing wrong with being unsure of what you want to do while you're in college. Communication is a great gateway into several other fields of study and can also provide students with opportunities to study journalism, public relations and marketing, media production, and advertising.

So the next time someone tells you they are a Communication major, don't bring down their spirit by asking them these questions or assuming that any of these myths are true. Without communication departments and students studying it our world would be so different. There would be no media for you to consume (news, movies, TV shows, newspapers, magazines, etc.), businesses would fail without proper branding and advertising for their companies, there would be no one to serve as a watchdog to the government, and so much more. Another thing to remember: many communication majors are studying it because they enjoy it. We don't care what you think because we know that we are in the right place and are on the right path to a career that we'll love. With that, here's what I have to say to all of the haters:

Let Summer school begin!

This post is a little different than my usual. It is school related, but I wanted to write about it to help anyone that might be a little unmotivated about school or has had an experience with others telling you that you can't do something. After writing a lengthy blog on the subject, I've decided to split this into two parts- so stay tuned for part two next week, which will focus more on how I have learned to overcome what people say about what I am studying, why I am moving, and saying graduating early is impossible.

The spring semester just came to a close last week, and I got a whopping three days of a break before my classes started back up again! I'm not complaining, I am excited to knock out these classes I need over the summer so that I am able to graduate a semester earlier than originally planned. I have 30 credits left until I can graduate with my Bachelor's degree in Communication. My academic plan was to graduate in the spring of 2016, but life happens and I am now determined to graduate this December, 2015. Without boring you to death about my life story, I am graduating early so that I can move down to San Diego in late December/ early January to be with my boyfriend who is in the Navy. It has been such a roller coaster of a process trying to "figure out my life", as us twenty-somethings like to say. For any of you who care to read about this roller coaster, here you go:

When we first discovered my boyfriend's ship date and a timeline of when he would be in San Diego, I jumped the gun and said, "Alright I will graduate early then!" Then I was planning my courses and figuring out the specifics, and thought "Crap, maybe this is impossible to do." I set up an appointment with my student advisor who ultimately told me that I was in over my head and that I wouldn't be able to graduate in December, because 12 or 15 credits in the summer was just an impossibly difficult course load to take on. And even if I did take that many credits over the summer, it still wouldn't work because some pre-req classes I would need to complete before my Fall courses weren't offered in the summer. I left his office that day in tears and walking across campus contemplating what in the hell I was going to do in school for another year while my other half was in sunny San Diego fulfilling his dreams. I was already so bummed about him leaving so soon and knowing that we wouldn't be able to live in the same state for another year was really disheartening. I was bummed out for a few days and then I did a little more research and double checked my advisor's calculations and realized he was wrong- I could graduate early. (He thought I had to take certain courses that I actually didn't need). I quickly let him know of his mistakes and was determined to prove him wrong!

Long story short, I am taking 12 credits (four classes) over the summer so that I can be a semester ahead to graduate this December. So yeah, summer courses are a bit of a bummer because they are hard work and don't leave much room for a break between the spring and fall semesters. But the fact that I will graduate and be able to move to beautiful San Diego within the next seven months is keeping me motivated! I am excited to take what I am studying and passionate about and applying that to a professional career.

Chocolate Banana & Almond Smoothie

I'll be honest, I totally surprised myself with this one! After my HIIT workout this afternoon, I was craving something cold and refreshing, as it is so nice and warm outside!  I didn't feel like my typical fruit smoothie, and I just bought some chocolate protein powder earlier this week that I wanted to try. The results was this wonderful healthy smoothie that tastes just like a chocolate milkshake.

Here are the ingredients:
*2 cups ice
*a handful of almonds
*5 Ounces of yogurt
* 1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almondmilk
*1 ride banana

This recipe yields about two servings. 

Throw it all in a blender and have at it! This is my new favorite go to dessert because it is sweet enough to take care of my sweet tooth but also guilt-free. Give it a go and let me know how it turns out! 

Blueberry Banana Smoothie with Coconut Water

Smoothies are seriously my favorite thing. It's so fun adding all sorts of different ingredients that are healthy. For example, I add spinach in all of my smoothies and can't even taste it, but it's great because it's in there and I'm still getting the great nutrients from it!

Frozen berries are my smoothie recipe holy grail. I always keep them stocked in my freezer, especially frozen blueberries (so I can make my killer blueberry muffins!), because they always come in handy for smoothies.

Here's what I used:
-1 cup of frozen blueberries (or unfrozen, just add more ice) 
-1 cup ice
-1 ripe banana
-1 cup coconut water
-5 ounces of Greek yogurt 
-2 tablespoons of chia seed
-2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed
-1 scoop whey protein powder

Throw it all in your blender and go crazy! These are rough measurements, as I typically add more or less to adjust the consistency of the smoothie.

I used this coconut water from Trader Joe's:

I topped mine with a few more chia seeds and some dried cranberries :) Give it a try! 

70 Calorie Blueberry Muffins with Vanilla Protein Glaze

I got the idea for these amazing blueberry muffins from simplytaralynn.com. One of my favorite healthy lifestyle blogs. They are almost the same, with a few adjustments :)

Here's what you'll need for the muffins:

-1 1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
-2 Tsp Baking Powder
-3/4 Cup Stevia In The Raw or baking Truvia
-1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
-3/4 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
-5 Ounces Vanilla Greek Yogurt
-1 Large Egg
-2 Tsp Vanilla Extract 
-1/2 - 1 Cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
-1-2 Cups Freshly washed blueberries

Here's what you'll need for the glaze:

-A scoop or two of vanilla protein powder
-2 tablespoons (give or take) of unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Here's the recipe:

-Preheat oven to 350°
-In a bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together (flour, baking powder, stevia, and cinnamon)

-In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients, except for the milk. (applesauce, egg, yogurt, and vanilla extract)

-Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients.
-Whisk together, and add 1/2 to 1 Cup of almond milk. (I use 1/2 a cup, depending on ingredient brands you may need a little more!) Batter should be a little runny, but still thick.
-Pour freshly washed blueberries into batter and whisk well.
-Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners, and pour batter. Liners should be almost full but not quite!
-Place in preheated oven on the middle rack, and bake for 15-20 minutes.
-While muffins are baking, you can prepare the glaze.
-Test when muffins are done by using the toothpick method.
-Let cool for a few minutes before pouring glaze on them.

How to make the glaze:

-Pour almond milk and protein powder into a small bowl.
-Mix together with a spoon until a thick paste is formed.
*I always play around with the almond milk to powder ratio, the key is not to make too much! So I add a little at a time.

I am not known to be the greatest in the kitchen, and found these to be very simple and easy, and a huge hit among my family and friends. The original version of these muffins also had walnuts in them, so give that a go if you feel like it!