9 Reasons Why Instagram is Taking Over Your Life as Told By Kim Kardashian

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 It seem like having social media accounts are becoming more of a hassle than a way to express yourself, especially Instagram, in my opinion.  In the past couple weeks, most of the conversations I have had with some of my friends were about Instagram, which I find a little crazy.  

1. Spending more time picking the caption then taking the photo

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I personally love coming up with a creative caption for a photo, but some people take it to the extreme.  They make a list of captions to put on future posts, or keep changing the caption after the photo is posted.  Honestly, no one reads the caption anyways.  People just scroll through and double tap without reading. Next time, say something crazy and see if anyone even notices.

2. You notice when people unfollow you

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I honestly do not know how people know when someone unfollows them, but this trivial thing is actually destroying friendships.  It’s the ultimate stab in the back today; it makes the news when celebrities unfollow people and comes up in conversations between people my age.  

3. Having to take multiple pictures that are pretty much all the same

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I really dislike getting my photo taken and don’t ever understand why it’s necessary to take a bunch of photos with the same backdrop and the person is standing in the same position.  Instagram has a great editing system, so there is really no need to take any more than one picture.  

4. Posting a picture at the wrong “Instagram time.” 

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I will tell you that the best time to post a photo is Wednesday at 5pm, but that’s only if you’re using Instagram as a marketing technique.  If you’re just looking for likes from your friends, it honestly does not matter.  Everyone scrolls through their feed, therefore all of your followers are going to see your photo.  That means it doesn’t matter what time you post it.  

5. Double-guessing your posts because it may not fit your overall “aesthetic.”

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Instagram is not your photo exhibit at a art gallery in New York City, you do not have to have a “theme” and not every photo you take has to be perfect.  For example, I love Lauren Conrad, don’t get me wrong, but her whole Instagram is the same idea, with the same filter, and it’s not that interesting. Being different never hurt anyone.

6. Not enjoying whatever we are photographing

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I have already told my whole family, that if they ever come over my house for future family gatherings, phones are going in a box and can be given back when the night is over.  I feel that Instagram has made us not enjoy what we are actually doing because we are so worried about getting the “perfect” picture.

7. Not hitting your “like” goal

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Does it really matter if you only get 43 likes on a photo and not 44, no, it does not change your life at all. This brings be to another point, when people post the same photo because it doesn’t get enough likes.  Don’t worry because if you like the photo what does it matter what other people think?

8. Not posting a photo because you have to “Schedule” your posts

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 Instagram, in my opinion, began as a way for people to post their photos, because for the first time everyone has a camera at their fingertips with an iPhone, but then it turned into pleasing your followers.  Why do we care about what people from high school think of us?

9.  Feeling extreme envy while going through your feed

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Let me tell you the truth, no one is as cool as their Instagram feed.  Chances are, the person took a hundred photos to get that perfect one, edited it to make it look even more envious, and then took about 15 minutes to come up with a perfectly witty caption.  

11 Steps to Having the Best Day on Martha's Vineyard

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There are three day trips on the Cape that are a must: the Vineyard, Nantucket, and Provincetown. There's something about visiting these places. It seems like time goes by faster than ever, and you don't want to miss out on anything.  Here's some how to's and tips to make the best of Martha's Vineyard.

How to get around... Biking.

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It’s the best way to get around the vineyard.  You’ll never get stuck in traffic or have to sit next to a sweaty tourist on the bus.  Also, there are bike racks everywhere around the vineyard.

Rent at Corner Cycle - Photo courtesy of aol.com

One of the downsides is finding a place to park your car.  Parking in Woods Hole is possibly harder than parking in most cities.  There's rarely street parking, and all the lots are sticker parking.  A tip for free parking all day: park at one of the bike path lots.  The bike path goes right to the steamship and the ticket to bring your bike over is very low.

Get a coffee at... Pie in the Sky

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This place does get extremely busy, but the line moves pretty fast and it’s extremely worth it.  Not only do they have great morning pastries, but they also have the best coffee in town.   

Grab a drink at... Woods Hole Market

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spoonuniversity.com

Woods Hole Market is one of the best parts of Woods Hole.  They have everything you could possibly need, including a great roof deck.  It is a great place to grab a drink -- you'll need it for your bike ride.

After the boat... Start biking

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Once you get off the steamship, go left and after a short bike ride on the sidewalk, you'll find the bike path.  This path will take you straight to Edgartown. This bike path is perfect because it is long, but there are plenty of places to stop and

Stop for a quick swim at... Jaws Beach

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As many people know, Steven Spielberg’s popular horror movie featuring a killer shark was filmed on Martha's Vineyard. You can't leave the vineyard without jumping off Jaws Beach.  

Grab Breakfast at... Among the Flowers Cafe

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It’s a very cute little restaurant that also serves a great lunch.  The service is wonderful, and the food is the most reasonably priced. 

Shop at.... Edgartown Books

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vineyardgazette.com

I'm not a bookstore person (I love the books I get for a penny on Amazon), but whenever I go to the vineyard, visiting this bookstore is a must.  There's something about the atmosphere of the book store I just love.

Süka of Martha's Vineyard

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This is one of the guilty pleasures of the vineyard.  It’s always been said that there is no place to get cute clothing on The Cape, and in some cases that's true.  It's taken me 20 years to know what the best places on Falmouth are for everything.  This place is a little pricey, but it’s worth it in the end.  

Get your sweet on at.... Murdick’s Fudge

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murdicksfudge.com

If you're imagining the perfect fudge, this is your place.  Nowhere else have I seen the fudge being made right in front of you.  They also have some amazing brittle if fudge is not your thing.

The Scoop Shack

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Before I had to give up dairy, this place was my heaven.  They have everything from your favorite ice creams to frozen yogurt, obviously with some sweet toppings to choose from.   

 Finish the night off with.... Flying Horses

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I don't care if you're five or 85, you can never be too old to ride this carousel. It's the most interactive carousel ride ever, and I still remember when I first did it when I was a little kid. 

5 Stores That Make You A Better Person

Most of the clothing we wear is typically from another country, made by people that are making less than a dollar an hour. This does not provide them with enough money to feed their families or to live above poverty. Here are some companies where their clothing is socially beneficial and has no sad story behind it, only happy beginnings.

1. Mata Traders 

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Mata Traders started with three best friends, who during a wanderlust found themselves in India, surrounded by markets, locals, and breathtaking textiles. Mata Traders is driven to be different, create a fair trade brand that is passionate about ending global poverty. Their designs are made by artisans in Nepal and India.

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2. Everlane 

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 Everlane is constantly challenging that status quo.  Everlane may be the only fashion company that reveals their true costs and then shows the markup.  They spend months finding the best factories around the world and build relationship with the owners.  This is the best way to ensure the factories integrity.  

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3. Elegantees 

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Elegantees was created by Katie Martinez, who after working for a fashion company in New York City moved to Iowa in the pursuit to start her own business with a socially responsible background.  When she was studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology, her heart broke when she learned that girls were being abducted and sold into prostitution.  With her company she is trying to make a difference, and all the profits from Elegantees benefits a non-profit fighting sex trafficking.

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4. Oliberte

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Oliberte is a sustainable brand that is supporting workers right is sub-Saharan Africa.  This company makes premium quality products and also offers a lifetime warranty.  Oliberte is passionate about workers rights, everywhere in the world.  In September of 2013, they became the world’s first fair trade certified footwear company.

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5. Krochet Kids

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Krochet Kids was formed by three high school buddies, who wanted to empower people to rise above poverty.  During college, after hours of working, they were sitting in a simple brick hut in Uganda.  They were accompanied by women and bags of yarn, and watched the women master it right in front of their eyes.

Photo courtesy of krochetkids.org

The reason I decided to write this is because fashion, in my opinion, is one of the most inspiring things in this world.  It’s wearable art, but there’s a fault in the fashion world.  Top designers are having their clothing produced in countries where there are unfair wages and working conditions.  Someday, when I graduate college, I would love to work in a world where fashion is socially responsible.  Instead of buying that designer bag that is hundreds of dollars, just think about who you’re supporting. 

5 Reasons to Join Good Luck Sock

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Good Luck Sock is a company I just recently found, and am a little too obsessed with these Toucan socks I got. Literally the cutest thing ever.

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1. Your sock game will be the strongest ever

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Their socks have some of the most unique and creative ideas out there. They also work with a great blend of colors and designs.

2. They do a monthly club

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Getting something in the mail, at least for me, is so much more fun than going out shopping; plus, a little surprise once in awhile is cool!  They offer a monthly club, which even makes the socks less expensive.

3. The way they are made 

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Socks for me either last forever or are a one time wear. Currently, my most well made socks were Huf socks and you can't really wear those everywhere. So far, these socks are hole free.

4.  The variety

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Maybe you like your socks goofy or a little conservative, but nothing close to plain. Good Luck Sock has socks for everyone and everyone’s different personalities - everyone from the Phoebes of the world to the Rachels.

5. Because toucans are too adorable

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These socks are kinda like a nice pair of jeans, you know, the pair that makes your butt look just perfect. And like those jeans, you like them so much you buy another pair.

4 Steps to Have a Spa Day at Home

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There's one thing I've always wanted to do, but like most kids my age who are not privileged enough with a sweet trust fund, we should probably spend our money on food and rent before going to the spa.  ToGoSpa offers these sweet and inexpensive eye treatments to bring the spa to the comfort of your own living room.

1. Cut Off All Technology 

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 The best and easiest way to relax is to cut off any technology.  It's very under thought, but technology can be very stressful - especially today. When you start your at home spa day, turn your phone off and find that book you've been wanting to read.

2. Wear a Bathrobe 

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There is no need to wear anything less than what’s extremely comfortable. Wear that robe you bought and never wear because honestly sitting in bed wrapped in a soft robe is pretty comfy. 

3. At Home Relaxers 

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Put on some light relaxing background music or some relaxing nature sounds. It's not worth it to spend a Saturday just relaxing and having some me time for a change.

4. ToGoSpa 

This will become your spa bae. DIY beauty treatments do work, but they can sometimes be a mess. These are classic and simple. They also help you feel more relaxed because they also act as a cold compress. 

Why Candy Club is the best thing ever

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 When something comes in at the perfect time, you have to praise it and that’s what I did when a box of sweets from Candy Club arrived at my doorstep. When college gets stressful it’s ok to turn to a little candy to brighten the gloomiest of test days.  

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These people are the candy experts. I'm from the Cape and I thought I've tasted the best homemade taffy possible, but the cotton candy taffy I got in my box was more addicting than anything I've ever tasted before. It's probably a very good thing it was the smallest part of my box.  

The jelly beans were very good, and always the blue one was my favorite.

My feelings on the sour strips (sour belts) and the gummy butterflies were split. They were both good in their own way, but they lost their appeal after a while.  

This box is great, and if you join their mailing list you can get a great deal for some specialty candy. Also it's delivered to your door and nothing can get better than that. 

The Evolution Of Fashion

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Clothing was first used as a way of survival - to stay warm when the weather got colder; it wasn’t until the 1790’s when clothing started to mean something.  The first use of clothing in American history was not as fashionable as one may think. Similar to the Scarlet Letter, people who were accused of adultery were forced to wear the letters “AD” on their outermost piece of clothing as their punishment.  

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    It wasn’t until the 1790’s when women started to create the first trends in fashion.  The first trend was empire style dresses.  Women would get ideas about fashion not from designers, but rather from their children's dolls clothing, and would copy these items of clothing.   

    Today, I never thought that a simple piece of clothing or trend could cause an outrage, but history has proven that clothing can catch people’s attention.  One hot topic currently is dress codes in schools and girls being more penalized than boys.  When I was in high school, I was asked to put on a sweater because my tank top straps were too thin, but no guy in my school ever got asked to put on a sweatshirt for violating the dress code.  For example, guys would wear a cut out workout shirt, that pretty much both sides of it were missing, and never be questioned.  Bloomers where the first piece of clothing linked to women's rights. Bloomers were ankle-length pants, that were worn with a mid length dress. Even though few women did wear this style, it caused a public outrage because traditionally women were not seen wearing pants.  

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    Unlike famous celebrities in the 1800’s and early 1900’s, celebrities today are making a lot of money endorsing products.  In 1908, Paul Poiret designed the first corsetless dress.  A corset was used in all dresses before this.  A corset is a tightly fitted undergarment that is tied in the back worn to shape the figure of the women.  The reason they used corsets at that time was to make women look skinnier; their belief was it would make them more appealing to men.  A few years back, I had to wear a corset for a halloween costume and it was possibly the most uncomfortable piece of clothing I’ve ever worn. Today they’re not called corsets anymore, they are called “waist trainers” and are being endorsed most famously by The Kardashians.  The Kardashians are a popular family from a reality show and have one of the biggest followings on social media.  Body image is a problem that affects everyone and one of the biggest issues is how society views beauty.  Feminist and proponents of health and hygiene were criticizing the problems with the corset years before it was removed from all dresses. When people endorse these it is taking a step back from there being a positive change in society's view of beauty. 

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    Fashion itself has always been a very controversial world. It’s constantly being changed by designers and society.  Some of those changes are supported and some are highly criticized.   One of the most recent successes in fashion is American Eagle's company Arie.  Photoshop is used in all fashion photography, whether if it is only a picture of a dress on a site or a national magazine cover. Recently, Kerry Washington spoke out about how there was so much Photoshop used on her cover, she couldn’t even recognize herself.  Arie is the first company to use no Photoshop on any of their models and are using models of every body type.  It was a risky move because no one has done it before, which is what fashion is all about. 

Why You Need to Start Drinking Driftaway

 

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My favorite thing about Driftaway Coffee, besides the product itself, is how they started. Like Driftaway Coffee, I was also feeling a little stuck.  I was stuck in a major I despised, while they were stuck in a life they were just content with.  Like me, they took a risk and decided to start Driftaway Coffee.

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COA- Columbia 9.7

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Coa is a medium roast coffee from Huila.  Huila is bordered by the eastern and central mountains that run through Columbia. 

RMP- Rwanda 8.6

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When you buy a product, you want them to be passionate about it, not just creating a product to make money off.  Driftaway makes exceptional coffee that smells better than anything you could get at Starbucks.

Mel- Mexico 8.6

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Mel is a medium roast from just north of Guatemala, which is perfect for the late winter months. 

HOB- Honduras 9.5

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To be completely honest, I’m not a coffee addict, and am far from it. What is great about Driftaway is they completely label all their coffee, from what farm the beans are from to what the tasting notes are.