#niadiaries vol.1 – post-grad job hunting blues

I’m frustrated dawg. Like, I’m more than frustrated. I’m confuddled. 

Call me naive, but I never expected the journey to making my first post-grad career move to be so ridiculously discouraging. I feel like I’m doing something wrong, but I can’t pinpoint what exactly that is. It seems as though there are rarely any jobs that are popping up in my field, at least where I’m at locally. My official qualification (that

My official qualification (that thang that my transcript will tell ya) is that I have a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications with a concentration in Broadcast Journalism, with a minor in English. Basically, words are my thing. I’ve been applying for different marketing (primarily internet-based) types of jobs, but no one’s hit your girl back up yet. I even applied for a job as a librarian (which oddly, I really wanted so I was tight that they never got in contact with me) That leads me to believe that there’s something wrong with how I’ve been going about it. Either there’s something wrong with my resume, or something wrong with the cover letters that I’ve been dropping like mixtapes at all these companies and what not. I will figure out what’s wrong though; maybe I just got to get another pair of eyes to look at them.

I had a job interview the other day at a local department store. It was my first one in about a year, so I was ridiculously nervous. I dressed up as much as I could to combat how nervous and nauseous I was, so I wore a dress that resembled this NY&C one (Thank You Auntie!!!). I brought my resume; wore my “It’s Time for Business” wig, and slicked down my edges to match it. I was ’bout it ’bout it.

The interview went okay. I rambled a lot and didn’t think I made much sense. Like usual. But, I had an interesting convo with the woman who interviewed me about my actual career goals. I think she knew that I didn’t want to work at a department store for the rest of my life. She told me she’d hire me on the spot if I really wanted the job. (Which I didn’t really get cause I thought I did terribly but hey I try not to block my blessings). She said she didn’t want me to be at that job forever if that was the case. She also told me that the job wasn’t really full-time (as the posting had previously stated), and the pay wasn’t that great. Like, really not that great.

What she said made me think, that maybe I should give myself a bit more time to find a job that fits me better. Is it bad to say that I know (or at least, have an idea) of my worth and I feel like I’ve worked hard enough in college/high school/life and I should be compensated accordingly?

I’m blessed to be in a situation where, at the moment, I don’t have to put myself in a position that I don’t want to be in. My parents still think I’m kind of an okay person, and they haven’t thrown me out the front door like Uncle Phil did to Jazzy Jeff.

I’m trying to give myself another month to look around, pray about it, and hopefully stumble into a position that’ll fulfill me and also aid me as I try to make these adult-ish steps in the next year or so.

But after that time, I’ll probably just throw myself to the wind and take whatever I can get my college debt-ridden hands on. Being broke is just not the business. But, A$AP Twelvvy said it best…

Any tips for the finding jobs in the communications/internet marketing/literally I will write anything for you field? I’m open to all suggestions/links/kind words fam.

 

{90s/2000s R&B playlist} for colored girls who are lost in their own mind when the current state of america just isn’t enough

In the words of the one and only Vic Mensa: there’s a lot going on. Whether it’s the aftermath of Charlottesville or the depressing state of our current legislation, current events have been quite suffocating (for lack of a better word). Personally, I’ve been quite on edge emotionally. I suffer from anxiety so it doesn’t take much to get me in a mind-state that I’d rather not be in. So, you can only imagine how I’m feeling right about now.

Over the years I’ve always utilized music in an effort to make myself feel better. Recently, I’ve put together this semi-short 90s R&B playlist on YouTube. It gives me the time that I need to decompress and clear out my head of the negativity and the nastiness. I figure, if anyone can get me out of this emotional black hole it’s Jodeci.

Take a 30-minute breather with me and listen to some soul-cleansing R&B.

What do you do to calm yourself down when you’re stressed out? I’m always looking for something new to try, so I’d appreciate the suggestion for sure.

love, Nia Simone 

xoxoxo

 

THANK YOU FOR 100 FOLLOWERS!!! IT’S LIT LIKE BIC!!!

What’s up love muffins? Guess who just reached that 100 followers mark! Ya girl that’s who! 

I appreciate all of you beautiful people so much for choosing to rock it with me. I’ve got so many ideas to make a reality for y’all including but not limited to:

Music Reviews

Brand Spankin’ New Artist Showcases

Thrift Hauls (hauls in general, let’s be honest) 

DIYs (a.k.a when you’re broke but you still want to be fly) 

Music-inspired fashion 

Aesthetic posts 

Personal journaling-esque posts (a.k.a what ever pops up in land of lil’ nia nee) 

And, whatever loveliness comes to mind!

Also, ya girl is in the process of getting her own super professional and super dope domain name. I will surely update y’all when that becomes a reality, but I’m very excited.

Make sure to follow me all throughout social media to get updates on all the dopeness! 

Instagram: @loveniasimone

Tumblr: @niasimone

Facebook: Love, Nia Simone

Snapchat: @niaatastic (search me up & look for the cute black curly haired Bitmoji!) 

Again, thanks for taking a shot on me. You smart. You loyal. You grateful. I appreciate you.

Love, Nia Simone 

xoxoxo

(P.S. here’s one of my fave turn-up tunes and an exquisite classic of my generation’s music. roscoe dash’s verse will forever be legendary.)

Seven Ways I​ Utilize My #SelfCareSunday ft. Throwback Drizzy

In my mind, Sundays are always soon. No matter what ridiculousness the world may bestow upon me during the week, Sundays are my day to do what makes me happy.

This often includes endless marathons of The Office and chamomile tea. A perfect combo, if I should say so myself.

Here are a couple things that I do on Sundays to make sure the rambunctious mind of Nia Simone stays in tact: 

1. Keep track of my hydration throughout the day
2. Brainstorm blog ideas for the rest of the week (they don’t have to be amazing; as long as they’re there)
3. Listen to some (The Internet/SZA/Frank Ocean/ (older) The Weeknd) on Spotify
4. Watch a new movie on Netflix (that can often be hard to find, but I stumble upon one I’m interested in eventually)
5. Take a selfie (Cause why not?)

And more importantly of all,

6. Relax

How do y’all spend your days off? Is it more preparation than relaxation, or the other way around? Let me know in the comments section below.

xoxoxo

P.S. here’s some throwback drizzy drake to relax you further (and probably get you in your feelings)

the 22nd chapter a.k.a happy birthday to me

I just turned 22 on August 8th. (Cue a smash-up of Stevie Wonder’s Happy Birthday and 2 Chainz’ Birthday Song)

22 is quite the awkward age. You’ve spent enough time in adulthood that people mistakingly think you have your life together. They ask questions like: When are you getting married? When am I going to see some babies?. As if when you drunkenly reach the finish line of college you spontaneously sober up and strut into the magical land of marriage and little ones.

Even I’m surprised I made it this far y’all; college was an uphill battle in itself. 

I’ve ever only thought this far in life. Even as a child, my mind was always reaching towards: I want to graduate college. Now that I’ve reached that milestone my life can go infinite different ways.

That’s a frightening reality. But, I desire to turn that fear into excitement. I’m planning on spending (at least) a year at home saving money and trying to do the dastardly deed of figuring the rest of my life out. Or, better yet, just figuring out the next step. The next step probably won’t involve marriage or babies. Give it like three more steps. I’m just trying to find my happiness and make sure that I’m good mentally, physically, spiritually, and financially.

21 was a dope year for me though. I accomplished a lot and I’m definitely in a better place now than I was a year ago. I’m ready to take on this first year of (sorta) adulthood and see how far I can get on this long and squiggly journey of figuring it out. I have a lot of ideas for the future bouncing around in my head; I’m just trying to turn them into reality.

I’m ready to adult.

Kinda sorta.

What are some of your goals for the rest of 2017? Have any passion projects in the works? Any tips for conquering adulthood? Let me know how you feel in the comment section below. 

#TBTJam BRITNEY SPEARS – toxic

90s and early 2000s pop will always have a place in my heart. It’s small, oddly shaped, and squished in right next to Flavor of Love re-runs and Creamy Chicken Instant Ramen. But it’s there y’all. Toxic is one of my faves from this glorious era of bubblegum pop. I remember it being stuck in my head from my beloved copy of the video game Karaoke Revolution Volume 2, which came out in 2003-ish (I was about 8).

Definitely adds to the extensive list of inappropriate songs that I sang at an age where I surely didn’t know what the hell they were talking about.

Still love it to this day though. Take a sip of this nostalgic goodness.

What’s a song that you remember from childhood that you know you weren’t supposed to listen to? I’m genuinely curious, cause like I said; my list is long. 

xoxoxo

#niathoughts – how to attack life ft. seeking a friend for the end of the world

I often spend my nights running through the endless field of weeds (and spontaneous roses) that is Netflix. I can often be an indecisive person so something as extensive and never-ending as Netflix can be a source of anxiety for me. Even though I want to find something new, fresh, and interesting to watch I have so much to choose from that I stress myself out, and end up watching another The Office episode for the seventeenth time.

First world problems, I know.

Last night, I stumbled across a movie that I’ve been vaguely aware of for years now: Seeking a Friend for the End of the World. With Steve Carell (a.k.a Michael Scott) as the movie’s front-runner, I figure that it would at least keep me interested through the flick’s run-time. Now that it’s over it’s got me thinking. Movies these days rarely get me to do that sort of thing.

Grasping the finality of death is something that many people shy away from. But, when you’re met with the impending doom of the apocalypse you really have no choice but to face it. In this movie, the main characters are given a sure-fire date of their demise. It happens to be three weeks from the start of the movie. That’s not a lot of time at all.

It just makes me think, what would I do if I (along with everyone else) only had three weeks to live? How would I attack life? One of the most important questions I pondered over was who would I want to spend time with? It’s honestly saddening to wonder about, but I’m thankful that situation isn’t my personal reality.

The movie just made me realize that you don’t have to be facing catastrophic circumstances in order to go after what you want. Lately, my life’s been at quite the stand-still and I’ve been stuck in a monotonous routine. But, life’s about taking risks. It’s about putting forth the effort to experience firsthand the beautifully awkward and wonderful world around you.

I challenge you, random-reader, to do something for the first time today. You don’t have to do something drastic first off. Broaden your horizons just a smidge. Whether it be going to a different place for lunch or finally take up journalizing, shift your routine. Thankfully you don’t have the fear of the apocalypse looming over your shoulder so changes can be more gradual if you need them to be. It all starts with the first step.

Or, you can just skip all the steps and make that move across the country to Los Angeles to be with your first love that you’ve always been day-dreaming about. It’s all up to you. It’s cool how life’s like that.

 

innanetape, freshman year, & my music collection feat. vic mensa’s the autobiography

Chicago rapper Vic Mensa played a substantial part in the growth of my music taste…whatever that may be.

Mensa’s 2013 debut solo mixtape Innanetape was one of the first tapes that I downloaded off of the uber popular free mixtape site DatPiff. This tape built the infrastructure of my now hefty music collection.

There’s something so special about a person’s music collection. It isn’t just songs that you listen to by chance on the radio. You put in an effort to make these songs a part of you (by downloading, purchasing, etc.). They are what you connect with in some way, and they’re the soundtrack to your life.

I have intricate memories linked with songs from Innanetape such as Tweakin’, Orange Soda, and Hollywood LA.

Hollywood LA, in particular, reminds me of my first year of college. Learning about my ever-changing music tastes was how I found out more about myself. I remember coming back to my dorm from a day of class and drowning myself in smooth, jazzy rap like Hollywood L.A. while I dozed off to sleep on my overly decorated Twin XL bed. It was the perfect way to de-stress from a heavily stressful situation.

Ever since Vic signed with Roc Nation a couple of years ago, it’s been hard to predict the timing of Vic’s first studio album. Singles like Down On My Luck and U Mad have hinted at a larger project coming, but we’ve only witnessed a couple of EPs. I haven’t necessarily connected with his later projects as much as I did with Innanetape, but I was always intrigued with his rather squiggly path through the music business.

I just finished listening to The Autobiography, Vic Mensa’s long-awaited first studio album. He’s dipping into more personal territory (with a name like The Autobiography, it’s expected) but it was dope to get a clearer peek into the trials and tribulations of Vic Mensa. Part of me has fallen into “I miss the old Vic.” territory, but I have to remind myself that Vic’s grown up. Vic’s world’s gotten bigger since Innanetape. Tastes are bound to change and adapt. I can dig that.

I vibed with a good amount of the songs on first listen, like Memories on 47th Street, Homewrecker / Gorgeous (They’re equally as lyrically terrible, but they’re also hilarious. I’ll probably add them to one of my grand Spotify playlists if only for a laugh.), and the closing track We Could Be Free.

Maybe I’ll fall in love with these songs too in due time. I’ll twist them into my memories like I did with Innanetape, and maybe in a couple years, I’ll be talking your ear off about what that these songs mean to me.

We’ll see.

7/10

INSECURE SEASON 2 EPISODE 1 RECAP/REVIEW

I love Insecure.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen a show that’s so unapologetically black. I swear the room smells like cocoa butter every time I have the pleasure of watching this program. Being a black woman in today’s society, it’s hard to find a TV show with characters that represent you accurately. But Insecure, let me tell y’all. That is MY show.

Season 2 of Insecure premiered on HBO last night. I just caught up with the new episode earlier this morning on my new best friend, HBOGO. And y’all, I just have to talk about it.

****SPOILER ALERT SPOILER SPOOOOOILERRRRR********

So, basically Issa’s still in the same place that she was at the end of last season. Just, you know, sans Lawrence.

Who is still as beautiful as ever.

She’s still working for that non-profit and living in the same place that her and Lawrence used to kick it at. The only thing that’s changed is that she’s started to date other guys. Each of them seems more and more irrelevant than the other. She tells Molly (and all of us) that she wants Lawrence back, but doubts it’ll happen. Even though they haven’t spoken in weeks she’s been trying to finesse Lawrence into seeing her again. Later, she gets super hyped up off of the fact a notice for jury duty came for Lawrence, so he HAS to come see her to pick it up.

Even though they haven’t spoken in weeks she’s been trying to finesse Lawrence into seeing her again. Later, she gets super hyped up off of the fact a notice for jury duty came for Lawrence, so he HAS to come see her to pick it up.

I was dying at that scene!

Meanwhile, Molly’s actually seeing a therapist even though she doesn’t seem to want to talk about her problems. But, isn’t that the point?  Then later, she finds a check that reveals her white male co-worker is making more than her. Molly is taking too many Ls in this episode and I’m not here for it. I want her to win!

And then there’s Lawrence. Ah, Lawrence. He’s staying at his friend’s crib while he’s “looking for an apartment”. He’s still working, which makes me happy. What surprised me, is that he’s still hooking up with Tanya (She’s that one girl that works at his job; I had to remind myself where she was from too). I personally thought that was going to be a one and done type of thing, but I was wrong y’all. It doesn’t seem to be an official thing from what his friend was saying, but Lawrence seems to like where he’s at with her. Probably cause there’s no risk and a whole bunch of reward.

But the last scene. THAT LAST SCENE.

Lawrence finally shows up at Issa’s place to get the jury duty mail and…things happen y’all!

I was like:

You better gon’ head girl!

But, I have so many questions for the rest of the season: What’s the future of Lawrence and Issa’s relationship looking like? Will Molly finally get the praise that she deserves at work? Will Issa’s Blood neighbor ever say a C word? 

All I know is that every week my butt will surely be on the living room couch every Monday night (or, Tuesday morning) getting my Insecure fix. I am hooked like a sea bass honey.

Do you watch Insecure? How’d you feel about the premiere episode? Do you have any other TV recommendations for me? Let me know in the comments section below. 

xoxo

#fbf CRUSH ON YOU – lil kim feat. lil cease

On the car ride back from my out of state trip, I was on a heavy female hip hop streak. I started with Cardi B’s Bodak Yellow  (a surprisingly catchy bop) and faded my way through some of my favorites from the sub-genre (Missy Elliot, Nicki Minaj (sometimes), and Lauryn Hill). But, my absolute favorite is Lil Kim.

She’s such an iconic female figure in music and her influence in the hip hop genre is forever. All your fave modern day female rappers learned a thing or two from Lil Kim.

For sure.

She’s gone through so much over the years and I admire that she’s been able to stand strong through it all.

Check out this classic video up above and soak in the authenticity that is Lil Kim.

(P.S. I think it’d be dope if I could work out one of these outfits from the video for Halloween this year. Lil Kim’s has some incredible monochrome fits!)