Broken Home

As most of you know 5 Seconds of Summer is a band that means a lot to me. They have just released a new album and created "The New Broken Scene" that gives their fans a realization that everything will be okay and that it is okay to feel whatever they are feeling about whatever is going on in their lives. 

One of the songs on the album, Sounds Good Feels Good, that stuck out to me is Broken Home. When I first listened to the album I forced myself to listen to it straight through instead of skipping to the songs I knew I wanted to listen to. I had heard there was going to be a song on the album about family issues, depression and different stuff that the fans go through on a daily basis but when I heard Broken Home for the first time I was speechless.

The lyrics completely caught me off guard and were more than anything I could have ever envisioned. I would never imagine that a song could make me feel as many emotions as I felt when I heard Broken Home. As some of you know, I grew up in a broken home and it wasn't easy. I am not going to talk much about it as I feel that my personal life does not need to be on the internet for the whole world to read about, but growing up was definitely a struggle and I was never able to find words to describe exactly how I felt until I heard this song.

Here are the lyrics:

Broken Home by 5 Seconds of Summer

They would yell, they would scream, they were fighting it out
She would hope, she would pray, she was waiting it out
Holding onto a dream
While she watches these walls fall down
Sharp words like knives, they were cutting her down
Shattered glass like the past, it’s a memory now
Holding onto a dream
While she watches these walls fall downHey mom, hey dad
When did this end?
When did you lose your happiness?
I'm here alone inside of this broken home
Who’s right, who’s wrong
Who really cares?
The fault, the blame, the pain’s still there
I'm here alone inside of this broken home, this broken homeWrote it down on the walls, she was screaming it out
Made it clear, she’s still here, are you listening now?
Just a ghost in the halls
Feeling empty, they’re vacant now
All the battles, all the wars, all the times that you’ve fought
She’s a scar, she’s the bruising, she’s the pain that you brought
There was life, there was love
Like a light and it’s fading out

Hey mum, hey dad
When did this end?
When did you lose your happiness?
I'm here alone inside of this broken home
Who’s right, who’s wrong
Who really cares?
The fault, the blame, the pain’s still there
I'm here alone inside of this broken home, this broken home

You've gotta let it go, you’re losing all your hope
Nothing left to hold, locked out in the cold
Your painted memories that washed out all the seas
I'm stuck in between a nightmare and lost dreams

Hey mum, hey dad
When did this end?
When did you lose your happiness?
I'm here alone inside of this broken home
Hey mum, hey dad
When did this end?
When did you lose your happiness?
I'm here alone inside of this broken home
Who’s right, who’s wrong
Who really cares?
The fault, the blame, the pain’s still there
I'm here alone inside of this broken home
This broken home

A Room with a View

We only see what we let ourselves see, so we often miss all the beautiful things around us.

The change of the leaves in the fall
The first snow fall
The sweet greetings from a cashier
That new song on the radio
The smell of an old book
Every rainfall, big or small
Those smiles from a passing stranger
Children playing with no care in the world
Friendly banter between friends
The smell of freshly cut grass

All of these things are a part of life that we often pass by without a thought. The next time you pass by your bedroom window; look out at the world you pass by everyday. Look at all the things you see but never notice. It just may change your view on life.

Stress and How I Found Ways Around It

College is an amazing time filled with adventures, late night studying, and basically the opposite of every movie you've ever seen. Don't get me wrong, college has its times when you feel like nothing could ever be better than that moment, like you are in one of those movies. Except majority of the time it is very overwhelming; in between classes, homework, studying, work, friends, significant others, family, extracurriculars, and your basic needs like sleep and eating, life can get complicated and stressful. I have found through my experiences that relieving this stress is not very easy and stress relief happens differently for everyone.

And yet here I am. I have listed and explained a few ways I have learned have helped me relieve stress and how they can help you.

1. Shower: Whether it is a hot/warm shower or a cold shower just being alone under the running water to help you think or even to help you stop thinking. Showers are great because you need them. Granted if you take too many showers it is bad for your skin and will dry you out but a little extra time when you are stressed to help relieve your mind isn't going to kill you. Also it will help make sure you don't smell.

2. Hot Tea: Tea is an amazing stress reliever because it is warm and unlike coffee (unless you get caffeinated tea) won't keep you up and jittery. Wrap yourself in a fuzzy blanket and drink a cup of tea (possibly after that shower) to ease your mind of whatever is on it.

3. Movies: Now a movie marathon is never not a good thing. Put in your favorite movie and relax. The basis of this is to distract yourself from whatever is stressing you out. I am not a person that can sit and watch movies all the way through because I get anxious and want to do other things so if you are like me, pause the movie, do your laundry, make some food, just keep yourself distracted.

4. Bake: Baking is fun because in the end you get a fun treat to indulge yourself in and you are distracting yourself at the same time. Whether it is baking from scratch or from a box, turn on some music or a movie, and eat as much of the batter as you want. If you don't want to eat whatever you made bring some to your family and/or friends I am sure they will love you for it.

5. Have a Dance Party: This is by far my favorite. There is nothing better than dancing around to your favorite song without worrying what others are going to think of you. Do it alone in your bedroom, with your best friend, with your brother or sister, release all of the negative energy into positive fun.

Life is interesting and crazy and nothing is truly better than taking time and relaxing. I hope everyone can take inspiration from this and find their own ways to release stress and find ways to be happy and healthy.