Michelle Obama Slays JSU Graduation

Jackson State University is our Alma Mater.  We met there. We created a lot of memories there. It is because of Jackson State, we have prospered in our personal lives and careers. Each year Michelle Obama chooses one Historically Black College or University (HBCU) to speak at the graduation ceremonies. In her husband’s final year in office, she chose to speak at Jackson State University in Jackson, MS.  We, the alumni, and the current student body and staff are so grateful she chose JSU!

Although we could not physically be there, we were able to watch via live stream. Mrs. Obama was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by JSU President Dr. Carolyn Myers. Elegant and poised, yet exciting and relatable, she began her speech with, “Hey y’all! I’m a Tiger now!!”

Mrs. Obama touched on racism, sexism and the recently passed MS religious freedom bill which grants businesses the right to refuse service to people based on their sexual orientation. Not only did she congratulate the graduates; she motivated them, encouraged them, and she told them everything a young 20-something should hear before branching out in life.  Heck, she motivated us and we were not even there! She didn’t just come and deliver a random speech; she really knew and understood the magnitude of this moment for the students and for our city.

Here are some of our favorite takeaways from her speech:

“We continue to make progress here in America but we also know that the shadows of the past have not completely disappeared.”

(When discussing racism and racial profiling) “The question isn’t when you will come face to face with these issues. The question is how you are going to respond when you do.”

“When they go low, I go high. That’s the choice Barack and I have made.”

“Excellence is the most powerful answer you can give to the doubters and the haters.”

 “The power of voting is real and lasting. So you can hashtag all over Instagram and Twitter but those social media movements will disappear faster than a snapchat, if you’re not also registered to vote.”

Friends, you can see the full video of her commencement address when you click here.  We feel inspired, how about you?

Why Our Friendship Works!

“The only way to have a friend is to be one.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

We have always heard how difficult friendships can be, especially amongst women!  We have been fortunate enough to have an easy friendship.  We are two friends brought together by the choir at Jackson State University.  Shoutout to JSU!!!!!  We don’t claim to be experts on friendship, but we have mastered OUR friendship. We support each other, we laugh with each other and we value each other.

1)  There are a few rules we have that make this thing work: If one of us starts singing a song, the other has to jump in and sing it too. We are not just talking about in the car with the radio, although we do that too. We are talking ‘in the middle of a conversation’ singing. Recently we were out shopping and reminiscing about the hilarious things we did when we were younger. Without warning we burst out singing Adele’s “When we were young!  When we were youuunnng!”  All the lyrics may not be relevant but you get the picture.  There is a song for every situation.  Use it or “get eliminated.” See what we did there?!

2)  If one person is whining, you meet them halfway with your whining OR you bring the bottle of wine. “Girl, I’m tired and my ankle is hurting today.”  “Girl I understand how you feel!  I didn’t sleep well either and my whole leg hurts!”  Misery loves company and friends don’t let friends whine alone!  How is that not a written law? Oh! I think we just wrote it…

3)  Our other friendships don’t diminish our friendship. Our friendship is not an exclusive contract to be each other’s only best friend. We both have other important friends and neither of us feel threatened by that.  We just acknowledge we have a great friendship that is unique.

4)  We do a lot of things together, but there are a lot of things we don’t do together. Our bond is not based on us enjoying ALL the same things. It works because we like A LOT of the same things.  We’re free to like whatever we want without judgment from the other.

5)  We cheer each other on. Not that superficial “that’s great girl” pat on the back. We’re talking all out excitement!!! Friends believe in and encourage each other. “What if my best friend is making a terrible mistake?” You believe in their comeback! If one of us tells the other, “So I’m thinking about trying to {insert really scary thing here},” the other literally chants “Do it, do it, do it!”  We’ve heard mistakes build character and some other great stuff. Let your bestie take a risk!  She just might succeed and then the whole squad wins.  Cue the music:  “Go best friend, that’s my best friend!”

6)  We genuinely care about each other. So anyone that REALLY knows us knows we get sick easily.

Elencia – “There was this one time that Bridget had a stomach bug. I wanted NO parts of it, but I knew that she needed crackers and Gatorade (you know, the things moms swear by). So I ran to the store and picked up a few things for the sick and shut-in…and politely left them on her front door! Like I said, I wanted no parts of it and was NOT going in that house! I texted her as I drove away, and she eventually gathered enough strength to crawl to the door to get her care package.” Bridget- “Ummm, thanks.”

7)  We laugh! We laugh at everything, the good, the bad, and the ugly (we’re talking about you, stomach bug)! There’s nothing like having a friend you can truly be yourself around and laugh with until you’re physically in pain!

Friends – What are your unwritten rules of friendship with your besties?  Leave a comment and share this post with your besties to join the conversation!

 

 

Text Have Mercy!

 

Nooooo!

OMG!

Why!?!

That’s usually the reactions we all have when we press send on that text message…to the wrong person. Hopefully, your mistake is a harmless one; but have you ever sent one and thought, “This is how my life ends.” Maybe that’s a little dramatic but you know the feeling. Your stomach drops, you’re embarrassed, and even a little ashamed.

 

Here at The Bestie Chronicles, we are no strangers to texting blunders and it can be AWKWARD.  We want to share our unfortunate texting experiences.

Bridget-

“While in a group text with my classmates for a project, we would brainstorm ideas.  After about 10 minutes of radio silence, my phone buzzes.  I checked my phone and my classmate just asked his group mates, “How about some nudes?” My first reaction was confusion.  After rereading the morning of texts, I realized this guy must have been chatting with a lady friend and accidentally asked us for nude pictures!  I don’t know how the rest of my team responded but I of course sent it to my bestie for a good laugh. I wonder if anyone sent him a pic? I never asked.”

Elencia –

I am the MASTER at sending the wrong texts to the wrong people! Bridget can tell you, I am forever sending her texts and she responds with, ” Um…yeah, pretty sure you sent this to me by mistake!!” I am a chronic texter, and I’m likely to be in the middle of three different text conversations at any given time.  That’s great for time management, but not so great when I get my text conversations mixed up!  Let me just tell you, my BIGGEST fear in LIFE is that I’m going to send a text or pic to my Dad that was meant for my husband. He doesn’t need or WANT to see some of our texts! I’m not sure which one of us would die a thousand deaths first if that happened!

Friends – Have you ever had that “oh crap!” moment? Tell us some of your most memorable texting mishaps! Leave a comment and share this post with your Besties to join the conversation.

 

Doing the Do

Ever had a GREAT idea, but forgot all about it? Maybe you’ve had a ton of amazing ideas and dreams in your head but can’t seem to get going on any one particular thing. Maybe you’ve actually gotten started but have found yourself at a standstill. Nothing is worse than having a great idea for your career, your blog, or even your decorating project, but then losing your focus and motivation! We’ve all been there, haven’t we?Here at The Bestie Chronicles headquarters, we’ve determined that it is time out for procrastination. It’s time to start “Doing the Do!”

We’ve come up with five easy steps that will help you do less talking and more DOING:

1) Write it down!
So here at The BC, we are constantly coming up with new ideas and fun things we want to try EVERYDAY!! This is great, but the only problem is that on the “Completion Scale” of 1 -10 we are sitting at a raggedy 3! We’ve come to realize that the best way to get started is to simply write it down! Jot down what you’re thinking even if it’s just a few words. Don’t let those good ideas go to waste! You can always go back and…

2) Organize your ideas!
Now this is a tricky one. Organization means different things to different people. Some people prefer to create to-do lists, while others prefer “was that due today?” lists. Whatever your preference, take your list of ideas and prioritize what should be done and when it should be done. This will help you to stay on track, and ease your chaotic mind! Projects won’t complete themselves, so start organizing.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao-tzu

3) Research resources and knowledge needed to succeed.
This isn’t always fun, but you must do your homework, friend. Babies crawl before they walk, and you’ll have to gain the knowledge needed to succeed at your venture. Research your project. Become familiar with the pros and cons, as well as the potential obstacles that may come along with what you’re doing. Take the time to determine expenses tied to your project and the time commitment it may require. We know, we know…there goes your social life! But don’t think of it that way. Didn’t your mom tell you nothing comes easy? No? Just our moms? Well, you get the point. Just don’t sell yourself short. Whatever it is you want to do be the best at it, and equip yourself with the tools to succeed.

4) Get feedback and find inspiration.
Once your amazing idea or project has taken shape, consider getting some feedback from friends or those who have experience in your area of interest. Be sure to ask for honest feedback, nothing like having good old constructive criticism. The internet is also a perfect place to go to find inspiration and information. We love CYBERSTALKING (insert evil laugh) on Instagram and Pinterest to see what kinds of things other people are doing and to get fun tips and ideas for our own projects.

5) Just do it!
Sounds cliché, right? But seriously, you can spend so much time trying to make everything perfect, but sometimes you just have to jump! Start your business, publish that book, create that product you’ve been dreaming of, write that screenplay, start selling sea shells by the seashore! Whatever it is, just do it! You’ll be amazed at all you will learn about yourself and be proud that you’ve finally followed through on something!

Best friends – What have you been talking about but have not found the motivation to DO?

Leave a comment and let us know if these tips were helpful. We’d love to hear any tips you may have as well!

Hey Friend!

Welcome to The Bestie Chronicles! We are two besties with over 16 years of friendship! We always have lots to talk about whether it be entertainment, shopping, creating, or daydreaming but MUSIC is the tie that binds us. Our love of music is how we met!

We are excited to have you join us as new friends in our own little space!