Transition

Yesterday brought back overwhelming nostalgia, and a warm feeling of promise for what is to come. The week has finally come for me to move to Arizona for graduate school -- my PhD program is 5 years btw, so this move is huge. I went back to my hometown to clean out my old bedroom, and I stumbled upon way too many old memories from elementary, junior high, and high school. As I was rustling through everything in an attempt to decide what to throw away or keep, I was reminded that with this move I am leaving so much behind. Nearly anything that has ever brought me joy or pain in life lies within Ohio. 

I am grateful for everything here that has brought me pain, because each painful moment forced me to grow. I am grateful for each moment of joy, because with each moment I was reminded that there is beauty to be found in our world's haze of despair. Ohio has left me with nothing more to give, so it's time that I see what I can offer the west coast. 

Today will be spent packing up my apartment in preparation for this cross country move. With this move, I am at peace. There was no better time than now for me to continue my journey elsewhere. At this moment, this is exactly what I should be doing. My future is promising, and I am blessed with the opportunity to start anew.

My last few days here will be spent making a few more memories with those who I love. In less than a week I'll be the Grand Canyon state's newest resident! 

You could say that I'm elated. I will not argue that.

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xo, 

Deija 

My 7 Commandments for Long & Healthy Natural Hair

When you have thick natural hair [no relaxing chemicals or extensions], you're bound to get at least a few questions here and there about your hair care and/or products used. Keep reading to find out how I keep my hair healthy, long, and thick! 

Disclaimer: I am not a professional, this is just what I do to my hair, and what works for me :) Also, yes I am 100% black. 

1. "Dust" your hair frequently. 
A "dusting" is what is done to remove split ends that you can visibly see. A professional cosmetologist would probably tell you that this is unnecessary, but I cannot stand to look at a split end and just leave it there. I have a pair of shears (not normal scissors), and I cut off split ends whenever I see them. Every once in a while I do a trim where I actually take off about an inch all over, but for the most part I just do a dusting whenever I see an end that I don't like. 

2. Only use shampoo when absolutely necessary.  
Shampooing too often dries my hair out, and strips it of it's natural oils. The only time I put shampoo in my hair is when I am about to straighten it. I find that I need to remove the product build - up to get it as straight as I'd like. The shampoo that I have used the past few times is the Paul Mitchell Instant Moisture Shampoo, and I pair it with the Paul Mitchell Instant Moisture Daily Treatment Conditioner. When I get out of the shower I put in It's a 10 Miracle Leave In. My hair usually stays straight for about 1.5-2 weeks, so during that time I am not shampooing or co-washing. When I leave my hair in it's natural curls I only use a conditioner to co-wash. For the past few months I have been using the Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner. 

3. Take deep conditioning seriously. 
The most difficult part of maintaining my naturally curly hair is retaining the moisture. For deep conditioning I put the product in my hair, put my hair in a bun, sleep, and wash it out in the morning. I use coconut oil and Joico K-PAK Intense Hydrator. 

4. Drink water. 
I limit any beverage that is not water. I drink water with every meal, and drink it frequently throughout each day. It is essential to your overall health, and it definitely helps with your hair and skin. Read more about how I keep my skin healthy here. 

5. Eat well. 
Aside from the curly fries I'm eating in the photo shown above (it was a treat),  I eat healthy for the most part. My diet is full of avocado, eggs, apples, watermelon, mango, lean ground turkey, whole grains, and chicken breast. When I grocery shop I limit putting unhealthy foods in my basket - so if I get hungry during the day at home, I only have nutritious choices to reach for. 

6. Sleep on satin. 
Split ends are the bane of my existence, so I do everything in my power to avoid getting them. Sleeping with a satin bonnet or on a satin pillowcase/sheets is important. 

7. Do not detangle wet hair with a comb. 
I am very gentle when detangling my hair. I only detangle it with my fingers. It takes a while sometimes, but it's must better than yanking at it with a comb. 


Products I Use When My Hair is Naturally Curly 
Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner 
Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie 
Kinky Curly Curling Custard 


Products I Use When I Straighten My Hair 
Paul Mitchell Instant Moisture Shampoo 
Paul Mitchell Instant Moisture Daily Treatment Conditioner 
Joico K-PAK Intense Hydrator 
It's a 10 Miracle Leave In Conditioner 
Tresemme Heat Protectant 
Biosilk Silk Therapy 
Redken Anti-Snap Leave In Treatment 

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I hope you enjoyed reading! 

Find the nail polish I'm wearing here. 
Use the code LAUGH10 to get 10% off your purchase site-wide on LoxaBeauty's website. 

xo, Deija 

Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken

Finding time to prepare a meal for yourself while being a full time college student is difficult. but it can be done. During my senior year I bought a crockpot, and I've had many great meals because of it. I wanted to share one of my favorites! 

My best friend recommended that I try this Honey Sesame Chicken, and it has never let me down. Throw some thawed chicken breasts in your crockpot, toss in the ingredients for the sauce, and let it cook for 4 hours on low. I will admit I don't follow the recipe all that closely, so feel free to add in more or take out whatever you do not like. After all, you're the one eating it! :) 

Ingredients: 

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 

salt and pepper 

1/2 cup of honey 

1/4 cup of low sodium soy sauce 

1/8 cup ketchup 

1 tbsp. vegetable oil 

3 cloves of garlic, minced  

1/4 cup of diced onion 

1 tsp red pepper flakes (I usually use more)

2 tbsp cornstarch 

sesame seeds & chives to sprinkle on top  

Instructions: 

1. Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt & pepper. Put them into the crockpot. 

2. Throw in the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, vegetable oil, garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes. 

3. Stir it around the chicken, and ensure that it is covered. 

4. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 1-2.5 hours 

5. Remove chicken from crockpot and cut it into pieces at your desired size. 

6. Put cornstarch into the sauce to thicken it up. 

7. Put the chicken pieces back into the crockpot, and coat it well. 

Serve your chicken over rice. Sprinkle on some sesame seeds and chives, and enjoy! 

This recipe was modified from TableForTwoBlog 

xo, Deija 

Bold Shoes - Valentino Look for Less

Lately I've been obsessing over heels.  This pair is comparable to the popular Valentino Rockstuds, but they cost much less.

Since this shoe is so bold I kept the outfit simple to keep the focus all on the shoe. I paired them with one of my favorite pairs of jeans (they are so comfy AND they're on sale right now) and a black tank.

Jeans/ Similar Top/ Bag/ Midi Rings/ Bangle/ Shoe in Pink (black pair is sold out)/ Necklace/ Lipstick (Amorous)

Find my nail polish here. Use the code LAUGH10 for 10% off sitewide on LoxaBeauty.

I made sure to pack these shoes, and some of my favorite jewelry pieces shown in this outfit for mine and my best friend's trip to Miami Beach this weekend. I'm so looking forward to seeing everything this city has to offer! If you have any suggestions about places to go or things to see, let me know :) 

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Photos By: Hope Hicks
Thanks for reading!
xo, Deija

Lessons I Learned In College: 5 Things I Would Tell My Freshman Self

College is about much more than your classes. I could write an entire novel about the lessons I learned during my years in undergrad. For now, I'll keep it short. If I were able to go back to talk to myself on the first day of college these are 5  of the things I would say. 

1. Filter out the bad advice from people your own age.
At some point you're going to need some advice on a situation. Don't expect other 17 and 18 year olds to know all (or any) of the answers. You need to seek advice from significant older figures in your life who know what they're talking about. This could be anyone - family members, advisors, campus counselors, etc. If you're faced with a dilemma, you can almost guarantee that one of these older people have experienced something similar at some point in their lives. Lean on them for advice. 

2. You will fail at something, and that is ok. 
This is still hard for me to accept, because I try so hard to be a perfectionist at nearly everything. While I would like for everything to go as I'd like, that is not realistic in the real world. There will be an exam you won't do so well on even when you studied all night, there will be a position you'll interview for and won't get, and you probably will not get accepted into every single grad school or med school you apply to. At some point we must accept that life is full of these speed bumps, but you have to get over them and learn how to move forward. 

3. Do whatever makes your heart happy - even if that means doing it alone. 
Your friends are not always going to be into the same thing as you. That isn't a reason why you should not do it. I used to only go places if I had someone to go with. Now I am more than happy to go on outings by myself. If you want to go to the gym but have no one to go with - go anyways. If you are dying to see a Pixar movie but no one wants to see it with you - walk to the theatre, get yourself some popcorn, and enjoy. If you want to go to church service on Sunday- do it. You cannot spend your life waiting around for everyone else all the time. Don't let your college experience go to waste. 

4. Don't forget your cheerleaders once you get on campus. 
Everyone has different cheerleaders. Mine are my family. Once you get to campus don't forget about your family and those friends from high school who are supporting you from afar. Make sure you keep in contact! These are the people who helped get you to where you are in the first place. 

5. You are going to meet plenty of people with different beliefs than yours - do not judge them.  
In the 4 years of undergrad you are for sure going to do or say something that you should not. So why judge anyone else for what they do? You aren't perfect. Every person on campus has a story that dictates their decisions, beliefs, and perspective. Instead of judging them, take time to learn from them. There isn't a person on this earth who you can't learn something from. 

Photo By: Hope Hicks
As always, thanks for reading! 
xo, Deija 

The Versatile Blog Award

I was recently nominated for the Versatile Blog Award by the lovely Rebecca who writes the blog Life As A Dare. Everything about her and her blog is fabulous, so please take the time to check it out :)

The rules to this award are as follows:
1. Thank the person who nominated you
2. Link to their blog
3. List 7 things about yourself
4. Select 15 blogs/bloggers that you've recently discovered or follow regularly

Now, let's get on to the 7 random facts!

1. My favorite animals are manatees.
2. I can name all of the US presidents in order. 
3. I'm obsessed with Ed Sheeran.  
4. My little brother is the best thing that's ever happened to me. 
5. My favorite color is white. 
6. I've listened to Sam Hunt - "Leave the Night On" over 20 times in the past 24 hours. 
7. I never went to preschool. 

The Blogs I Nominate (sorry I couldn't think of 15) 
Lornaheartstoday
krystal- Nicole
Anna-Alina
Totebag and Cotton
The Blonde Breakthrough



I recommend each one of these blogs. Have a great day! :) 

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Thanks for reading! 
xo, Deija 

High Waisted Shorts & Fringe

High waisted distressed shorts and fringe go together like peanut butter & apples.  They're both a summer staple. I also love high waisted shorts, because they tend to give the illusion of longer legs. 

I paired mine with simple jewelry, a pair of old white converse, and a baggy shirt. The perfect comfy outfit for a day at a fair, carnival, or festival. 

Similar Shorts/ Shirt/  Shoes/ Similar Bag/ Necklace / Lipstick (Amorous)

Find the nail polish I'm wearing here. Use the code LAUGH10 for 10% off any purchases on the LoxaBeauty website.

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Photos By: Hope Hicks
Only a few more days until the 4th of July! What are your plans? 
xo, Deija