~*SWEATYBANGSS*~: surrounding yourself with beautiful souls

My manifesto:

If there is one thing that I strongly believe in, it is this: The people you surround yourself with will greatly impact how you feel.

Up until senior year of high school, I felt that friendships were very one dimensional. It was mostly just about exchanging gossip, giving each other "advice" when it came to crushes and mostly me trying to convince these "friends" that their boyfriends were actually scum & then being told I was just jealous (yeah right!), and copying each others homework. That's it. Yes, I had some fun moments with some friends in middle and high school, but it was mostly me being unhappy with myself and being unhappy with the friendships I was in. They were not benefiting me, I couldn't talk to any of these "friends" about my feelings, my depression, my uncertainty of life. I was stuck with people I basically only used to not be alone at school. I felt uncomfortable and hopeless.

This all changed when I began to meet people who understood me. & when I say "understood me" I mean in more ways than one. Not only did they listen to all this really cool music & play in a rockin' band, but we had deep conversations about life and complex ideas. I will forever be greatful that senior year I met the vaginas + Rene. They did so much for me & i'm sure they don't even know it. Now that I have moved 500+ miles away, it is hard to talk to them all, but I think we have all done the best we can & still remain friends.

I moved from Los Angeles to San Francisco, I was freaking out. How could I have left such an amazing group of friends back home?! Who was I supposed to talk to?! I had met one really cool girl (Karla), but I hated asking her to hang out with me because I thought I was annoying? First month of college recap: lonely, netflix, crying, homesick, emptiness, chipotle (lol). I was going crazy being alone all the time!!! Thankfully, Karla invited me to hang out with her and her buddies & even though it was kind of awkward at first, I LOVED THEM! I felt so happy being with them. I later went on to hanging out with them basically ALL THE TIME!!!! I was soooo happy because I was surrounded by people who listened to hella good music, expressed themselves, & encouraged me to be me!!! They assured me that I wasn't alone in anything, and that means so much to me. We became this group of beautiful people with beautiful minds, and even though sometimes they frustrate me when they tell me something I don't want to hear, I end up appreciating it. I mean they only say it because they care. All the laughs and good memories we share are something I will cherish forever, the midnight adventures & Beyonce dance parties. Everything. Being with them and being surrounded by them brought me so much happiness. There were many occasions where my stress and anxiety made me feel so shitty, but then i'd just go over to the trap house and i'd alleviate some of it. If there is one thing I learned in my first year of college it's that the people who you choose to surround yourself with have the ability to impact you so much, and these people have impacted me in such a positive way. I love making them laugh (even if they aren't laughing with me, but more so at me) & I just wanted to extend this as a "thank you" for being themselves. I have never felt more comfortable with a group of people, I mean we all even fart in front of each other!!! Wow!!!

Find a group of people who push you forward, make you laugh, & fart in front of you.

I have found my people, & for that I am forever grateful. In these pictures I really wanted to capture the essence of them & their personalities, enjoy!!!