7 Easy Ways to Make Friends After You Graduate

Week One (October 1st - 6th)

To get our yoga challenge started, we're starting off nice and slow so that your body as well as your senses can awakened. Over the next seven days, let these yoga poses help you center your energy so you can feel present. Trust us - your inbox can wait 10 minutes for you to ease into your day.

Energy-Centering Morning Yoga

Day One

This yoga routine keeps things light by allowing you to perform most movements in the sitting position. They'll help you begin to release any recurring tension you've been feeling.

Day Two

Begin day two of the yoga challenge with another morning stretch that elongates your spine and helps loosen any lingering tension in your hips.

Day Three

Continue stretching your way into day three of the yoga challenge with these soothing stretches.

Day Four

If things are beginning to feel repetitive today, don't give up! The goal is to help your body get used to being stretched before you start powering through your to-do list.

Day Five

If you have an extra five minutes to spare, try this 15 minute morning yoga routine for a slight change of pace.

Day Six

Things are starting to get interesting with this power flow yoga routine. This requires you to finally leave the sitting position and we know you're grateful for that.

For day 7, take the time to give your body a break from your first week of intentional morning yoga stretches! Make your favorite tea or pumpkin spice latte drink and enjoy the crisp fall air! The fun picks back up October 8th!

Figuring Out A Diagnosis

While they can feel similar, there is a difference between having ADHD and just feeling overwhelmed. "On the one hand, feeling overstimulated may emanate from several stimuli, including stress, lack of adequate sleep, excessive noise, or sensory overload," Nwogwugwu says. "ADHD is a neurodevelopment disorder characterized by persistent patterns of inattention, impulsivity that significantly impair daily functioning, or hyperactivity and are present in multiple settings."

So overstimulation is the result of outward elements, but ADHD comes from inside your brain. And while stress can have its up and downs, ADHD and its symptoms are consistent.

Nwogwugwu also says claiming ADHD when you don't actually have it can be harmful. That's why it's important to talk to a pro (like a psychiatrist or a psychologist) instead of using TikTok to self-diagnose.

"Self-diagnosis may lead to misunderstanding, eventually preventing the individual from accessing appropriate support and proper treatment," she says. If you self-diagnose and treat one disorder when you're really struggling with something else, you won't get the help you truly need.

That being said, don't feel like you have to dismiss consistent patterns or habits if they're interrupting your daily life. Nwogwugwu points out a few behaviors that could indicate you have undiagnosed ADHD, like "difficulty concentrating and focusing on tasks that are not particularly interesting or stimulating."

"Undiagnosed ADHD could manifest through impulsive behaviors such as acting without thinking, interrupting others while talking, or a high inclination to risky behaviors," she continues. You might also misplace items, lose track of time, and constantly forget and miss appointments, but that's not all.

"An individual with unorganized and difficulty that results in a cluttered environment could have undiagnosed ADHD [and it] could manifest through restlessness where an individual has challenges relaxing and always feels 'on the go,'" she says. "In addition, it could manifest in challenges in following instructions [or] difficulty in multitasking effectively, and difficulties with impulse control."

Living In The Present

Like so many other areas in the health and wellness space, ADHD can manifest differently in different people! That means that there's no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to getting diagnosed, which emphasizes how important it is to talk to your doctor.

One specific area where it depends on the person? ADHD affects women differently than it affects men.

"Inattentive symptoms are predominant in women, while hyperactive and impulsive symptoms are common among men," Nwogwugwu says. "Besides, co-occurring conditions such as depression, anxiety, and eating disorders are more common in women than men with ADHD."

Women living with ADHD can also end up internalizing their problems, which impacts emotional regulation, self-confidence, and self-esteem.

Nwogwugwu also mentions how important it is to form an individualized care plan to make sure you're taking care of your specific needs — including your mental health. "Hyperactivity, impulsivity, and difficulties with impulse control may lead to interpersonal conflicts and social difficulties, affecting an individual’s self-image and self-concept adversely," she says.

Struggling with organization, attention, and time management can affect the people around you, which in turn might leave you feeling like you aren't meeting expectations for work or your relationships. We've been there, and we also know that stressing about those details can make it easier to mess up next time.

"This may cause frustration, feelings of underachievement, or actual underachievement that would lower an individual’s self-esteem," she says. "Persons with ADHD can face judgment, criticism, and stigma from society and feel rejected by peers because of their poor social skills. The negative experiences could have adverse effects on self-concept and self-esteem, especially among children."

Moving Forward

But the good news is that your life doesn't have to come to a standstill because of an ADHD diagnosis. Whether your doctor recommends lifestyle changes or steps that are a bit more extreme, there are also some calming habits Nwogwugwu recommends adding into your routine.

"Breathing exercises and yoga could help address the feelings," she says. "The techniques slow down the heart rate and reduce cortisol levels resulting in improved and sustained attention and affect." Since breathing techniques are grounding, they help you focus on something besides what's making you anxious.

"Talking to someone who can help, this can be a therapist, friend, a family member, or a counselor can be a great way to get some relief," she adds. "It helps one to express emotions or sentiments openly, which may relief the burden. Expressive writingcould help in regulating emotions through neural activation. In other words, writing could be therapeutic for overstimulated or overwhelmed individuals by helping them feel in control of the situation."

Here's How Often You Should Cut Your Hair, According To Professionals

I’ll admit it — it had been eight months since my last haircut. My hair had lost its shape, my layers were nowhere to be found, and my ends were begging for mercy. Life got busy over the last few months and I was neglecting my haircare like never before.

My hairdresser could immediately see that I was beyond due for a cut and said I needed to get more taken off than I was hoping. I was definitely disappointed — I'd been working on growing out my hair for a while now, and it just felt like my hard work had completely gone to waste. He explained that getting consistent haircuts is the key to growing out healthy and strong hair, rather than letting it grow and grow until it eventually breaks. So let's dig into the top three things you can do to avoid this scenario!

1. Just Get The Dang Haircut

Also avoiding a haircut like I was? You might want to schedule one at your nearest salon. Like my stylist said, when you wait too long between trims like I did, you risk your hair becoming heavy, dull, and lifeless. When the hair is dry or even dead, it’s nearly impossible for it to hold a curl or style, essentially collapsing on you and taking on more and more heat damage all the while. I know the pain of spending time on a blowout only for it to fall minutes later — it’s the worst.

According to Jack, getting a haircut every 10-12 weeks is the best time frame or your ends will pay the price. Between blow-drying, curling, straightening, sun, and weather, our ends get dry and start to break without the proper care. Getting consistent haircuts allows hair to bounce back, shine, and perform the way we want in a healthy way.

2. Leave-In Conditioners Are Your Friend

His top piece of advice to keep your hair looking and feeling hydrated between trims? Invest in conditioning treatments. Jack swears by the Olaplex conditioning system, specifically the No 3 Hair Perfector. Made with patented OLAPLEX Bond Building Technology™, this conditioning treatment repairs and prevents damage in as little as three minutes. No 3 promises to reduce breakage and visibly strengthen hair, so it’s the perfect assistance to keep ends fresh between cuts. Another conditioning treatments I’ve used and loved for years is the Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Mask, which is designed to restore moisture, elasticity, and shine to dry hair.

3. Switch Up Your Shampoos

Switching shampoos frequently is a pretty hot tip that I honestly hadn't thought of. Our hair gets used to the same products and grows tired of them, resulting in lackluster locks. Jack’s advice is to switch brands after finishing every bottle of shampoo to bring life back to your hair. Have two brands that you’re loyal to? Even switching back and forth between them after every bottle should make a big difference in your hair. I’m a huge fan of the R+Co Dallas Biotin Thickening Shampoo, which makes my hair look thick and full, as well as the Moroccanoil Hydrating Shampoo, which is so hydrating and gives so much shine.

In the end, navigating your back-and-forth relationship with haircuts often feels like a rollercoaster ride between wanting that fresh look and cringing at the receipt. Luckily, by using conditioning treatments and switching up your products,, you can keep your locks healthy, shiny, and full of life between trims. But take a newly learned lesson out of my book: don't let your ends pay the price for procrastination and just book the haircut.