Taking The Field By Storm

College: a place where study, friendship, growth and fun collide into a beautiful, magical and chaotic firework show. It's a place where you learn the skills that will project you into your career path. You bond over books and beer with the classmates who call you "sister" and "friend." College is a place where you grow up into the person you're meant to be.

Every day on college campuses across the nation, you'll find students pouring over books and feverishly typing on laptops. These students go to the bars as regularly as they go to the library, take naps in the quad, and laugh over Netflix with their roommates in their dorms and Greek houses. Each day, these students create countless memories that blur together into a nostalgic experience that can't normally be pinpointed by an exact moment in time.

But every once in a while, a night so magical, so experiential, so fun happens and creates just the distinct moment every college student desires to have tucked away in their memory.

For LSU students, that night happened Saturday Oct. 25, when the mighty Tigers squashed their longtime foe, the Ole Miss Rebels, in a hard-fought, vicious and violent battle in Death Valley.

The night was destined to be magical. After the Mississippi State Bulldogs beat the Tigers in Baton Rouge, LSU was humiliated in Auburn the very next week. Signals of hope emitted when LSU clenched victory from the Florida Gators in the Swamp, and when LSU crushed a less-than-stellar Kentucky. But what the Tigers really needed was an exciting win at home against a strong opponent. And what a better time to get that W than on Homecoming night?

Thousands of alumni arrived in Baton Rouge last week to visit their alma mater, and to hopefully relive the memories of past-matchups against Ole Miss on Saturday.

Magic happened in Death Valley that night.

Personally, I've never heard the stadium so loud, the aura so electric, the students so alive. In that night, we shared pride and love for our university, our dear LSU. We wore our stripes and cheered our Tigers to victory and celebrated communally on the eye of the Tiger that night. Chanting "LSU" over and over again, slapping our armor-clad, jersey-wearing classmates on the back, kissing the loves of our lives, hugging the necks of friends and sisters and brothers and strangers, we loved LSU so fiercely on an exclusive level reserved only for current students. How wonderful it is to gain an education from the place that blessed us with memorable nights like this with friends.

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How I'm Using Twitter to Decide Who to Vote For Congress

I am so thankful to live in a country where I can vote for my representatives. I'm also thankful I live in an age when communicating with candidates has never been easier.

I live in Louisiana's 6th Congressional District. The seat was filled by Bill Cassidy (R), who is now running against incumbent Mary Landrieu (D) for one of Louisiana's Senate seats. The Democrats have put forth one real liberal contender, who also happens to be a state felon. Edwin Edwards, who served as Louisiana's governor, is prevented by law to from holding a state office. However, he can still run for federal office. Numerous Republicans have thrown their hats in the ring. They all claim they're the best for the job, but it's a lot of mumbo jumbo to me. Chances are, there will be a runoff between Edwards and one of the Republicans. Because I will not be voting for a crook, I wanted to know how all the candidates feel about the issues that I care about.

So, I did a little experiment. I tweeted out to all the candidates who had a Twitter account, and asked them a simple question: "Why should I vote for you? I care about the environment, education and low taxes." I even tweeted out to Edwards just to see if and how he would respond.

Four days later, Republicans Dan Claitor, Craig McCulloch and Lenar Whitney and Democrat Richard Lieberman still have not responded.

Republican Paul Dietzel was the first to respond. He sent out out eight tweets in response to me. Dietzel directed me to the homepage, about page and "other policy" page of his website. He said I should vote for him because he has private sector experience, education and a "new perspective." Should he be elected, he said he would be accessible and transparent. Based on his quick response on social media, I believe that statement to be true. From the links and tweets he sent me, Dietzel believes Louisiana's coastline should be restored by a public-private partnership; higher education should "adapt to prepare students for jobs of the future;" and taxes should not be raised. Finally, he tugged at our connection of education background. He is an LSU Manship School of Mass Communication alumnus; I am going to graduate from the school in December. I was most impressed by his obvious desire of my vote. When I asked follow-up questions, he quickly responded. Dietzel is a millenial who wants to connect to other millenials.

@daniellenkelley I will post a summary on each vote I make so our people know my thought process on pieces legislation.
— Paul Dietzel II (@PaulDietzel) October 21, 2014

@daniellenkelley we need a new perspective that wont be found in career staffers, politicians or bureaucrats. Policy: http://t.co/q4iL0S5eOA
— Paul Dietzel II (@PaulDietzel) October 20, 2014

Republican Garret Graves was next to respond. He sent a link to a YouTube video of him speaking at TEDxLSU about Louisiana's coastal problem. Graves formerly served as Louisiana's Chairman of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, so he is an expert of Louisiana's environment issues. Graves didn't tweet to me about his views on education or low taxes, but he did offer me to direct message him if I had any more questions. The next day, my sorority president (who is interning at Graves' office) told me Graves asked her about me because he looked at my Twitter bio and saw that we're sorority sisters. I was impressed because he took the time to read my bio and make the connection to an intern. This also proved that Graves tweeted himself, and an intern did not send out those tweets. I did not direct message Graves, but I did watch the TEDxLSU talk.  I was most impressed by his passion for Louisiana that emulated when he spoke about Louisiana's land loss. If elected, I know he would fight for help in Washington for our coast's erosion.

@daniellenkelley anytime. Please stop by our office or send a private message with contact info so we can answer any other questions.
— Garret Graves (@garretgraves) October 22, 2014

Edwin Edwards responded third by tweeting back to me, "there are 3 great reasons why you should vote for me." I asked him to elaborate, but he didn't reply back. Even though I wasn't going to vote for Edwards in the first place, I was surprised he didn't even try to win my vote.

@daniellenkelley there are 3 great reasons why you should vote for me.
— Edwin Edwards (@EdwinWEdwards) October 21, 2014

After this research, I've narrowed down my vote to Paul Dietzel and Garret Graves. I'm going to continue looking over both candidates' websites, reading newspaper articles and tweeting to the candidates. Whatever your political affiliation or age or sex or income level or education level, I encourage you to do to two things. First, VOTE! It's your right to vote, so don't waste that right. Second, RESEARCH! You can skim headlines, look through candidates' websites or even tweet to them like I did. Become an educated voter. These men and women are going to be representing YOU and what YOU believe. It's best to cast a ballot for someone you align with. Voting is a one of the most just things in the American government system, and I'm so thankful for it.

Thinking about whatever is just,
Danielle

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8 Songs For Your Anti-Anxiety Anthem Playlist

I'm constantly looking for ways to make my fight against anxiety easier. One way I do this is listening to uplifting music with encouraging lyrics. Below are some of my favorite songs to listen to when I feel stressed or worried. They also make great workout music! Have songs that you would include in the playlist? Leave them in the comments below!

1. "Brave" by Sara Bareilles
Standout lyrics: "Maybe there’s a way out of the cage where you live / Maybe one of these days you can let the light in / Show me how big your brave is"

Why I like it: It can be tough keeping feelings locked inside. It helps when you talk, and whenever I'm racking up the courage to speak, I listen to this song.




2. "Secrets" by Mary Lambert
Standout lyrics: "They tell us from the time we're young / To hide the things that we don't like about ourselves / Inside ourselves / I know I'm not the only one / who spent so long attempting to be someone else / Well I'm over it"

Why I like it: While I do believe we have to power to improve ourselves, there are some things about ourselves that we can't control, like anxiety. So why should I care who knows that I fight anxiety? If anything, my community can help me through this journey. Also, the song is super catchy.



3. "Greater" by MercyMe
Standout lyrics: "Every day I wrestle with the voices / That keep telling me I’m not right / But that’s alright / ‘Cause I hear a voice and He calls me redeemed / When others say I’ll never be enough / And greater is the One living inside of me / Than he who is living in the world"

Why I like it: God sees past my anxiety, and God is greater than "the voice that keep telling me I'm not right." This song gives me such hope!



4. "Shake it Off" by Taylor Swift
Standout lyrics: "But I keep cruising / Can't stop, won't stop grooving / It's like I got this music / In my mind saying, 'It's gonna be alright'"

Why I like it: Ok, maybe these lyrics aren't "standout" per se, but this song puts me in THE BEST MOOD. And when the dark thoughts come, songs like this push them in a corner.



5. "I Lived" OneRepublic
Standout lyrics: "I, I did it all / I owned every second / That this world could give / I saw so many places / The things that I did / Yeah, with every broken bone / I swear I lived"

Why I like it: This song encourages us to live life to the fullest. Check out their video about a teenager battling cystic fibrosis set to this song.



6. "My Lighthouse" by Rend Collective
Standout lyrics: "I won't fear what tomorrow brings / With each morning I'll rise and sing / My God's love will lead me through / You are the peace in my troubled sea"

Why I like it: This song reminds me that God doesn't promise a life without fear or bad times, but He does promise us that He'll never leave. As long as we remember to look toward Him, we'll be taken care of.



7. "Every Good Thing" by The Afters
Standout lyrics: "There will be days that give me more than I can take / But I know that You always make beauty from my heartache / Don't wanna forget or take for granted / That it's a beautiful life we live / I'm not gonna miss the moments like this / This is a beautiful life You give"

Why I like it: While it's difficult for me to control the negative thoughts in my mind, it's easy for me to appreciate the things God has blessed me with. This song reminds me of "every good thing" in my life: my family, friends, education, home... the list goes on!



8. "Anything Could Happen" by Ellie Goulding
Standout lyrics: "Letting darkness grow / As if we need its palette and we need its color / But now I've seen it through / And now I know the truth / That anything could happen"

Why I like it: With the pulsing beat and uplifting melody, this song puts a smile on my face and reminds me that "anything could happen." Why worry?



I'm always looking for new music, so feel free to leave your favorite anthems in the comments below! Until next time, I'll be praying that we can fight mental illness together.

Thinking about whatever is just,
Danielle


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The secret is out: I go to therapy.

I've had something of a secret for a while, and today - World Mental Health Day - I want to let you know that I battle anxiety. I have been visiting a therapist for seven months now, and I can honestly say I am a more relaxed, more content and more joyful person than I was when I tried to fight anxiety and stress on my own.

It has been a difficult journey, though. I've had to relive traumas in my memories I would rather not talk about. I've explored the foundations of emotions - the deep, dark, gritty stuff no one wants to talk about. My therapist asked me questions with answers I'd rather not talk about.

But here's the thing. I talked. And it was hard. And it felt bad in the moment. But it was worth it.

And that's why I'm letting the secret out. This society has got to stop stigmatizing mental health issues! We've got to talk about anxiety like mine, and we've got to talk about even scarier mental illnesses like severe depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorders and more!

So I'm doing my part, and I'm talking about it.

I've vented, and I've cried. I've experienced anger, abandonment, disappointment, sadness and fear.

But I can tell you that experiencing these emotions with a licensed therapist is a lot more preferable than experiencing them alone. So I ask you, are you stressed? Do you have problems falling asleep because your mind is racing? Is it difficult to push aside negative thoughts? Is it maybe even impossible to control the negative thoughts? Do you feel like you're fighting a battle inside your own mind? If you answered yes to any of these questions, I urge you to seek help. This war is not yours to fight alone. Seek counsel from a loved one, a friend or a religious leader. These people want to help you. I also ask you to seriously consider seeking professional help from a therapist or counselor. My therapist is an amazing woman who has helped me explore my mind and control my mind. You don't have to do this alone.

If you need immediate help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK.

I pray for peace in all our minds.



Whatever is just,
Danielle