As a young adult in her early twenties, I watch an excessive amount of YouTube, especially when terms and phrases such as “procrastination” and “I should be doing something productive” are thrown around. Some binge Netflix. I binge YouTube. One series I’ve come across recently that I have grown a slight obsession with is Allure’s “Celebrity Tries 9 Things They’ve Never Done Before.” They bring a famous celebrity into their studio and have them do nine things they’ve never tried before, ranging from “trying pickled watermelon rind” to “having a stare down with a clown.” While they are rather entertaining to watch, I thought I would try my own “7 Things I’ve Never Done Before” challenge this week and see where that takes me. Branching out is always a great thing and who knows, maybe I’ll come out of this with a new favorite food or hobby. I have a feeling, however, it won’t be staring down a clown or indulging in vinegary watermelon.
1. Try an Exotic Fruit
Courtesy: NDTV Food
At first, I really wanted to try a dragon fruit, and don’t get me wrong, I would still love to, but I am missing a few key facts: when is dragonfruit season; how can you tell if they’re ripe; and how can I obtain one? I could not find a dragon fruit for the life of me. Are there dragon fruit dealers I should be aware of? Perhaps an underground dragon fruit ring? Either way, a dragon fruit was not secured in the time being. At this point, I was desperate for any exotic fruit your girl could find. That’s when I strolled into Lucky’s Market and stumbled upon a fruit called “red bananas” straight from Honduras. I’ve had yellow bananas, sure, but red? I could have never imagined such a sight! Let’s get down to the looks and flavor results. Look-wise, they aren’t cute. I mean, they are small, I’ll give them that ounce in the cuteness factor; however, other than that they are more of a deep maroon-y brown rather than red on the outside and appear very sausage-like. The taste is very sweet, I would say even more so than a regular banana. I am very particular about my bananas and I don’t see myself investing in another bunch of these red little guys. I do recommend trying them though, especially if you are looking for a healthier way to satisfy your sweet tooth.
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2. Create a Fan Page on Instagram
Courtesy: Rosalyn Wilsey
I’ve always wanted to create a silly Instagram honoring one of my favorite celebrities or truly anything I deeply admired. When making this Instagram account I realized that I don’t really care enough about a particular celebrity enough to make a fan page. I also was not ready to be involved with other fan pages of the same celebrity or crazy fans that have the potential to come with the experience. Instead, I created a fan page of one of my favorite things that never fail to make me smile, baby cows. Before you go on judging me, have you ever seen a baby cow? They are simply adorable. I created the Instagram handle “Two_And_A_Calf_Hens” if anyone is looking for a page to fulfill their every dairy pun and baby cow needs. I’m pretty sure that’s my bio as well. As bizarre as it feels to have an Instagram for animals that do not have opposable thumbs nor could ever possibly know what Instagram is, I am still pretty excited to see where this page takes me. The first post is expected to debut this weekend, yeehaw!
3. Wear Stick-On Nails for a Day
Courtesy: Kmart
This is the one I regret the most. Halfway through putting my fake nails, I realized that I can barely function before with short nails… I could never imagine being able to function with nails longer than a few centimeters. I was putting them on before a night out with friends when I realized that I not only had to put on makeup still but also pull up my skinny jeans with my new pterodactyl claws. Somehow, I managed to pull those tasks off and now I am stuck typing this article with these long nails, where my typing speed is now estimated to about two words per minute. I also picked out the most ridiculous pair of glittery nails I could lay my hands on because I figured go big (we’re talking length and glitter baby) or go home. On the upside, I do love the ASMR clacks of my new nails when I tap them on any surface. Major props to anyone who has long nails on all the time, my respect goes out to you. Now if anyone knows how to get these bad boys off, please do not hesitate to reach out.
4. Try Bacon Cotton Candy
Courtesy: Grubbits
I am an avid Dollar Tree shopper and every time I step into one of these stores it’s hard not to notice all of the bizarre food and flavors they offer of common treats people normally consume. For example, I love cotton candy, however, the dollar store did not just offer me cotton candy, but they also made sure that I was aware that they also had bacon-flavored cotton candy just in case I needed something more substantial. My first thought was “I will never try this” and therefore was then immediately added to my “Things I’ve Never Tried” list and crossed off of my “Things I Will Never Try” list. The smell wafting from the bag when you first open it is absolutely overwhelming; however, I can’t stop there. As far as taste goes, it is not as bad as you would expect. At first, the bacon flavor hits your tongue right out of a skillet but then as it dissolves, it becomes more tolerable and begins to taste like cotton candy that maybe isn’t soaked in artificial bacon flavoring. I wouldn’t recommend but I also would not not recommend.
5. Post a Secret Anonymously
Courtesy: Huffington Post
I originally wanted to post my secret anonymously via PostSecret.com because they create an art form out of secrets people around the nation send them. In order to do that I had to write my secret on a postcard and mail it in. I could not, however, find a postcard in Tallahassee. I guess the capitol isn’t enough of a statement piece to be put on a card. You’re telling me that Pot’s didn’t make the cut? I’m kidding, but could you imagine getting a postcard from Pot’s with just a picture of a Lunchbox on the front? I wouldn’t be mad about it. Anyways, I wanted to share a secret anonymously so I found another way to do that and it was through ThisCloseIt.com. While it was not as artsy nor meaningful as PostSecret, it still felt nice to take a weight off my shoulders and be able to share a secret without any backlash or consequences. A secret with no strings attached, a concept I only thought possible in a perfect world. And while this secret will hold over on this site, for now, I plan to mail in a Pot’s postcard to PostSecret one of these days.
6. Learn a Secret Handshake
Courtesy: Giphy
I’ve always wanted to learn a secret handshake. I’m not quite sure my fascination behind it. I think I just love the idea of having a little secret movement with someone else without either of you having to exchange words. It’s kind of magical. One particular handshake I’ve always wanted to learn is the Parent Trap handshake, you know, the one that little Lindsay Lohan and her butler have. So, I took it upon myself to learn the little jive and maybe I can convince one of my pals to learn it with me. I guess I can teach them now that I know it! I learned the handshake through watching many a YouTube tutorials, and I think I finally have it nailed. Now to go find a butler and my long-lost twin.
7. Genuinely Give Myself Five Compliments in the Mirror
Courtesy: Shutterstock
As much as I value self-love, I still fail to give it to myself as much as I should. This week I made sure to look in the mirror and find things I truly love about myself, instead of pointing out my flaws, a nasty habit I need to stop. I recommend that whenever you get the chance to just look in a mirror, tell yourself some things you love about you. Whether it’s a “Yas Queen!” or even a genuine smile to yourself, these things can go a long way. Don’t forget to love yourself, it’s one of the most important things. You have to love yourself before you love others, in the grand scheme of things that is the ultimate truth. Go give yourself a wink and a smile, no one deserves it more.
Make sure to go try something new today whether it be one thing or seven. Branching out is important and who knew there were so many fun ways to do it. I found out a new handshake, that long nails aren’t for me, and that loving yourself is more than ok, it is needed. Who knows what you’ll discover next. You’ll never know unless you try.