7 Positive Habits You Should Adopt ASAP

Posted on Tagged , , , , Leave a comment

dd775cc02e1f2e81cee7f37cc55a78ef

  1. Talk to yourself
    • I love chatting to myself! Whether it’s talking through a situation or giving myself a pep talk, self talk puts me at ease. Once you get over the stigma that self talk is “weird”, you’ll feel more comfortable with events/circumstances and be able to visualize your thoughts better.
  2. Surround yourself with people who make you happy
    • This may be one of the most difficult tasks, trust me I understand. However, the negative people in your life suck all of the energy and positivity out of you! So to accomplish this, put these people on the back burner (ex. stop texting them or looking them up on social media) and focus/spend time with people who bring more joy and laughter to your life.
  3. Meditate or breathe deeply at least once a day
    • Now, I’m not saying you need to burn incense in your home or fold your legs up like a pretzel. However, taking time to sit in silence, breathe deeply, and just forget about everything bothering you for a good ten minutes can keep you not only sane, but less stressed and more inclined to think happy thoughts.
  4. Start a positivity board on Pinterest or in your room
    • Sometimes it’s really difficult to stay in a good mood because giving into negativity is easy. But, if you have a board on Pinterest filled with pictures and quotes that make you happy, it will only take a few scrolls to get you back in the zone!
  5. Practice gratitude
    • It’s so easy to think that everything is going wrong in our lives or that life sucks. But, what we often don’t realize is that someone out there has it 190 time worse than us. There is so much in life to be thankful for (ex. our families, being able to walk on our own two feet, or having a place to call home) and taking time to be thankful for the simplest things will always help you stay grounded and happy for what you have.
  6. Write a journal
    • You really don’t need to write a five page essay every single day, but by just writing down your high for the day, something that made you smile, and what you’re thankful for once and awhile will keep you thinking positively!
  7. Forgive yourself
    • This is the most crucial step! We all make mistakes, have bad days, and do/say things we don’t mean. By learning how to let things roll off your shoulders and move on will help keep you chugging along and focused on what really matters: being happy.

Now, I hope you incorporate these seven simple steps into your everyday life because you will start creating a positive mindset and outlook on life! So, what are you waiting for? Put your positive pants on and get going!!

What Could You Do If You Weren’t Afraid?

Posted on Tagged , , , , , Leave a comment

Fear. We’ve all felt it creep up on us and let it take over our minds. It comes in waves; slowly picking up momentum by whispering doubts, then crashing down on us causing anxiety, regret, and even a change of mind/heart. Most of the time, fear holds us back, especially when it comes down to our most precious dreams.

But why? Why do we give the unknown so much control?

Yes, I wholeheartedly understand that the a abundance of possibilities is frightening because we can’t calculate the outcome. But do we really want to live a life full of what ifs? Do we want to spend our old and gray days full of regret sitting and thinking about the dreams we never pursued or goals that we deem to hard to reach?

img_2065

What if you tried reaching for the stars for once? There is a 50/50 chance-meaning there is 50% chance that the event, dream, and/or situation could go in your favor. Now yes, there is a 50% chance that it won’t but then you’ll know that it wasn’t meant to be and that is a much better answer than “Oh I was just too afraid to even try!” In the past 10 months, I have tried to cast my fears aside when it comes to things I truly want to try. Now, I’m not saying I’m never scared because, believe me, I am. However, I push my fears aside to truly start to experience life in my own hands rather than in fear’s and that’s how I have become the person I am today- and I couldn’t be any happier with where I am.

Again, I understand that casting our fears aside is incredibly difficult, but the reward is much bigger than the risk (I’m all about the calculated risk). Think of what you could gain: confidence, peace of mind, accomplishment, and even happiness. Isn’t that so much better than doubt, uncertainty, and fear?

To help us overcome our fear we can:

  1. Confide in a friend or family member
  2. Make an appointment with a counselor
  3. Go with your gut feeling
  4. Talk/pray to God for guidance, strength, and peace of mind

These are relatively easy tasks to help you move on and stop living your life in a constant bubble of anxiety.

If you’re still having trouble understanding this concept, think about the Sims games. Each Sim has a list of wants and, once they’re accomplished, the Sim feels more fulfilled, happy, and closer to reaching their lifetime aspiration. Yes there are fears that the Sims can come across, but never do they change the Sim’s goals.

So you want to be like a Sim? Don’t you want to life a full life? Don’t you want to know that you tried?

Honestly, you could have everything you ever dreamed of if you learn to look past your fears and come face to face with your dreams. There is so much positive possibility in the world and all we have to do is just say “yes”. Cast your fears and doubt to the side and God will take care of the rest. Trust me, I promise things will work out in the end.

So now,you can either Forget Everything And Run or you can Face Everything And Rise- the decision is yours.

5 Reasons Why You Should Befriend Your RA

Posted on Tagged , , Leave a comment

When you move into college your freshman year, you’re (most likely) going to have an RA [aka resident assistant] who will help you navigate the university and college life. Now, typically, I feel as though RA’s get a bad rap because they are there to enforce rules. However, RA’s aren’t just there to scold you, so here are five reasons as to why you should befriend them:

  1. They’re older than you– this means that they have been in your shoes!! Your RA has already survived their freshman year and can help you overcome any challenges you may encounter.
  2. Older (Typically) means they’re wiser– By wiser I mean they can help you schedule and pick out classes, give you advice on what professors to take and/or avoid, how to deal with roommates, help you with tricky homework problems, and show you all of the amenities that your college has to offer! Also, besides school, they may have encountered a similar “life crisis” (a break up, the loss of a pet or loved one, or failure) and can help ease the pain/make wise choices.
  3. It’s their job to be there– Whether or not you are in need of advice, guidance, or a helping hand they have been trained for a multitude of situations and can help you with virtually anything OR will find someone who can.
  4. You may find that you have a lot in common– For example, you both like the outdoors, traveling, or anything and everything in between. Also, you both might have the same or similar majors. This means that in the future, you could be in the same classes and you’ll have someone to study/compare notes with!
  5. They may become one of your best friends– First off, making new friends is a little tough, so befriending them gives you an advantage! Secondly, I can truly attest to this! My freshman year I bonded with my RA, Danielle, after hang
    ing out a few times and getting lunch together. We were inseparable! Soon after, we decided to room together the following year and it was one of the best decisions I ever13112621_10208016486843398_274800255_o made. Her “senior year” and my sophomore year were filled with an abundance of laughing until our stomach hurt, crying until we couldn’t breathe, excessive pizza and dance parties, pranks, buckling down to get homework done, and being each other’s cheerleaders! She has helped me up, dusted me off, and has pushed me to be my best countless times and I would (and always will) do the same for her. Danielle has attributed to my college experience by making it fun and memorable.
    Honestly, I couldn’t have made it this far without her and I don’t want to live a life where we aren’t friends. I am beyond lucky to have had her as my RA.

See?! RA’s aren’t so bad! So everyone, putting your class standing aside, if you have an RA please take your time to get to know them or even just say “Hey wanna get food sometime?”. I pinky promise you won’t regret it!

What’s Your Superpower?

Posted on Tagged , , , 1 Comment

As people, we go to the movies and eat up superhero movies like they’re candy. We dream of being able to fly, be super strong, or even be invisible because it’s exciting to think we can! But has anyone taken the time to reflect on everyday actions to find our superpower? Of course there are parents, guardians, doctors, police officers, firefighters, etc. However, I’m talking about our own abilities and hobbies.

There are people who are able to create beautiful artwork with their hands or voices. People are able to write incredible stories that take us to adventurous and daring places in our minds. I like to think that my superpower is that I have such a big heart. For so many people, even those I don’t know, I would give up everything I had to give them happiness and the world. I love until it physically hurts. I worry for their safety and wellbeing. While sometimes my actions don’t always work in my favor (which is physically impossible, I know), I know my heart was in the right place and that alone keeps me at peace.

Each one of us was crafted with unique talents and abilities that I am absolutely certain we are all superheroes in our own way! Never, ever, EVER doubt yourself and your abilities because I know you’re special and, hell, even as amazing as Superman. So, what’s your superpower?

image

 

Definitive Ranking of Takeout Pizzas

Posted on Tagged , , , Leave a comment

Well, it’s no secret that I LOVE pizza! I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and all the snacks in between. But honestly if you’re not allergic to any of the ingredients, how could you not love the superb combination of bread, sauce, cheese, and array of toppings?! So, I believe that it is my duty (and God-given right) that I rank takeout pizza places for your own good (how kind of me, I know)! Without further nonsense here we go:

  1. Pizza Hut – Where do I even begin?!?! The buttery pan crust? The garlic knot pizza? The great deals? I don’t know about you, but I can safely say that pizza has it all. Pizza Hut has the best toppings, flavors, AND OMG THE CHEESE IS TO DIE FOR, I just can’t get enough. ALSO, they have recently come out with a bacon and cheese stuffed crust…I think I’ve died and gone to heaven. Don’t even get me started on their cheesy noodles!
  2. Hungry Howies – Holy flavored crust. Give me the butter garlic please. Out of all six of these pizzas, I have to say that Hungry Howies definitely brings it when it comes to flavor! Every time I take a bite, I swear my taste buds do a little dance. I also appreciate how they keep it simple and straight forward, keep doing you HH!
  3. Cottage Inn – *wipes drool from mouth* I think the best part about Cottage Inn is the cheese. 1. It’s always hot, 2. It melts in your mouth, and 3. TASTES DAMN GOOD. And the best part is that they put it on their delicious cheese bread too! I give Cottage Inn two thumbs up!
  4. Papa Johns – Let us take a moment for the butter garlic sauce
    *bows head* I DON’T KNOW WHAT GENIUS CREATED IT BUT GOD BLESS YOU. Papa Johns has a wide array of different pizzas that have yummy, gooey cheese, flavorful sauce, and soft crust! HOWEVER, they have the weirdest types of pizza. 1. Buffalo Chicken Pizza. WHAT THE HECK???? PLEASE EXCUSE ME WHILE I GO PUKE! 2. Cheesy Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza. THIS ISN’T A 5 STAR RESTAURANT THIS IS A PIZZA PLACE, GO HOME YOU’RE DRUNK! See what I mean? But the normal stuff is super yummy, so I’ll still continue to eat it.
  5. Jet’s Pizza – Jet’s Pizza’s cheese (God bless) it’s 10297633_10205051324276187_5069314006495881968_ngooey and perfect. Their sauce has a nice flavor and I appreciate their square crust to make room for their delicious cheese. This pizza is a tad on the greasy side, so if you’re afraid of clogging your arteries stay away from a slice of Jet’s pie.
  6. Little Caesars– I’m sorry, but Little Caesars falls a little short with me. While I do appreciate their bacon wrapped crust pizza, the flavor just falls short now that they don’t put much sauce on their pizzas. A pizza must have an appropriate blend of spices and flavor, but theirs just tastes like cardboard (what a shame). On another note though, their crazy bread is pretty dang delicious.

Honestly, I eat so much pizza I am EXTREMELY surprised that I am not on featured on TLC’s “My 600 Pound Life”. Regardless, I just really love a good slice of pizza and it can transform a bad day into a good one. So, if you’re ever trying to decide where to order your pizza from, use this list as a guide (and eat a slice in my honor)!

 

Music is What Feelings Sound Like

Posted on Tagged , , , 2 Comments

Music. It can bring thousands, even sometimes millions of people to the same place and can even make them all feel the same emotions. It’s such a power that musicians, song writers, and performers hold over all of the world. If you sit down and think about it, it’s amazing and awe-inspiring. a1c01d995f9aa2e951ba695fa1dbbd6fMusic is therapy and a mood setter. I am most certainly not the only one who uses music to heal or express my excitement or any other emotion that I can possibly express. So, today I’d like to share my favorite songs for any particular emotion, situation, or moment in life!

Heartbreak: All You Had To Do Was Stay- Taylor Swift; All I Ask- Adele; Irreplaceable Beyonce; Best Days of Your Life- Kellie Pickler; Makes Me Wonder- Maroon 5; Love Yourself- Justin Bieber; Bust Your Windows- Glee Cast; You’re So Vain- Carly Simon; I Don’t Fuck With You- Big Sean; Someone Like You- Adele; Amnesia- 5 Seconds of Summer; Jessie’s Girl- Rick Springfield

Contemplating life: Lost Stars- Adam Levine; Paradise- Coldplay; Landslide- The Dixie Chicks; Hallelujah- Rufus Wainwright; Drops of Jupiter- Train; Big Yellow Taxi- Counting Crows; Chasing Cars- Snow Patrol; Bohemian Rhapsody- Queen

When you’re feeling Christmas af: All I Want for Christmas is You- Mariah Carey

Feeling like a boss ass bitch: Upgrade U- Beyonce; Dangerous Woman- Ariana Grande; Hell On Heels- Pistol Annies; Sexyback- Justin Timberlake; Run the World- Beyonce; Independent Women Part I- Destiny’s Child; Don’t Cha- The Pussycat Dolls

Just finished your last final/stu-dying for finals: I Will Survive- Diana Ross; Survivor- Destiny’s Child; Eye of the Tiger- Survivor

Full of anxiety for whatever reason: I Won’t Back Down- Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers

When you want to stay in your pajamas all day: The Lazy Song- Bruno Mars

Pissed off at the world: I Don’t Fuck With You- Big Sean

Pissed off at your friend(s): Bad Blood- Taylor Swift

Pissed off at your ex-significant other: You Give Love A Bad Name- Bon Jovi; Irreplaceable- Beyonce; Sorry- Beyonce; When Did Your Heart Go Missing- Rooney; You’re So Vain- Carly Simon; Grenade- Bruno Mars; Leaving’- Jesse McCartney; Cold Hearted- Glee Cast

Falling into love: Fallin for You- Colbie Caillat; What I Like About You- Lillix; Lovin’ So Hard- Becky G; Kiss on My List- Hall & Oats; Heaven is a Place on Earth- Belinda Carlisle

When you feel like you’re not good enough: Try- Colbie Caillat; What Makes You Beautiful- One Direction

When you wanna dance for no reason: Livin’ la Vida Loca- Ricky Martin; WTF- Missy Elliot; Telephone- Lady Gaga; Mickey- Toni Basil; Formation- Beyonce; Beat It- Micheal Jackson; Walk Like An Egyptian- The Bangles; Livin On A Prayer- Bon Jovi; Mamma Mia- ABBA; Dancing Queen- ABBA

When you’re craving a sunny vacation: Margaritaville- Jimmy Buffett; Kokomo- The Beach Boys

When you feel like nothing is going your way: Up- Shania Twain

You’re thankful for a special companionship: On the Ride- Aly & Aj; My Life Would Suck Without You- Kelly Clarkson; History- One Direction

When you need a confidence boost: Feeling Myself- Nicki Minaj; Booty- JLo; Brave- Sara Bareilles

Getting ready for a date: Party for Two (Country Version)- Shania Twain

When you’re scared of the future: Unwritten- Natasha Bedingfield; Follow Your Arrow- Kacey Musgraves

When you need someone to guide you/you feel lost as hell: Never Gonna Let You Down- Colbie Caillat

When you’re beating yourself up about something: Fight Song- Rachel Platten; What Doesn’t Kill You Makes Your Stronger- Kelly Clarkson

When everything is gray: Pocketful of Sunshine- Natasha Bedingfield; Happy- Pharrell Williams; Good To Be Alive- Andy Grammer; Chasing the Sun- Hilary Duff

When you’re feeling silly: She Don’t Use Jelly- The Flaming Lips; Ew- Jimmy Fallon; Cheeseburger In Paradise- Jimmy Buffett

When you want to put on your leather pants and rock out: Crazy Train- Ozzy Osbourne; Highway To Hell- AC/DC; Hotel California- The Eagles; Welcome to the Jungle- Guns n’ Roses

When you’re in love: Best Part of Me- Landon Austin; Sugar- Maroon 5; Marry You- Bruno Mars; Ho Hey- The Lumineers; Like I’m Gonna Lose You- Meghan Trainor; I Won’t Give Up- Jason Maraz; Halo- Beyonce; All of Me- John Legend

Looking to take a chill pill: Wonderwall- Oasis; Coming Up Roses- Keira Knightley

When you want to try something new: Welcome to New York- Taylor Swift

The cure-all: For almost basically anything: Shake It Off- Taylor Swift

Sophomore Schooling

Posted on Tagged , , , , , Leave a comment

As my sophomore year has come to an end, I feel as though this year was filled with so many more life lessons than my freshman year. So without further nonsense, let’s get started.

  1. If you don’t like what’s going on in your life/you’re unhappy with a situation MAKE A CHANGE: LET ME SAY IT ONE MORE TIME FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK IF YOU DON’T LIKE A FACTOR IN YOUR LIFE MAKE A CHANGE. This is one of the most important things I have taken away from my sophomore year. For example, during the fall semester, I hated the classes I was taking for my major. I was so incredibly unhappy with where my major was taking me and I didn’t feel like what I was doing was right. So one afternoon I sat in my room and took career path quizzes literally all day. Once I got over the fear of disappointing others and putting my happiness first, I changed my major. After I sat in my first advertising class of the winter semester, I knew the change was for the better.
  2. Listen to your gut: Your gut, conscious, or whatever you choose to call it is always right. When it tells you to leave, get the hell out. When it tells you to speak up for yourself, let your voice echo from the mountain tops. When it tells you something isn’t right, it isn’t and you need to stick to your morals. Just listen to your gut, please do it.
  3. Put yourself out there: This can be in a class, group, club, or whatever else life throws at you. If you just sit around and don’t push yourself to get where you want to be, you’ll never get there. Yes, yes, yes it is terrifying to possibly face  rejection. However, this way you’ll be getting your name out there and show people who you’re interested. Without change and stepping out of your comfort zone, you’ll never grow or get what you want.
  4. Take the initiative: Be a leader. Stand tall. Take charge. Whether it be in a group project, sorority committee, or talking to someone new! If you want something take the initiative to get it because no one can read your mind.
  5. Cry if you need to: While I’m very in tune with my emotions, sometimes I hate to cry. First, because I’m an ugly crier. Second, because there are times when I don’t want to feel any emotion and try to be strong. But this year I have learned that to feel better, you just need to let those tears flow! Once you’ve had your pity party, then you can come back happier than ever!
  6. Be honest: It’s honestly as simple as it sounds. Tell people how you feel. They’ll have more respect for you when you do.

Well… I’m a junior. Holy heaven above it’s crazy. I’m so excited where life is taking me and I can’t wait to learn more! Love life, smile more, and enjoy the ride!

xoxo,

Marissa

Complain Less, Be Thankful More

Posted on Tagged , , Leave a comment

Hello Lovely Readers!,

This topic has been in the making for quite some time now and today I’d like to address the topic of complaining. Lord knows I am guilty of this and I know I’m not the only one out there. Ever since I have been trying to rid myself of toxic, negative energy I’ve noticed that I complain less about school, projects, and the like, but I notice that I complain about the absolute most stupid things. Literally everything that doesn’t matter or no one cares about. For example, the way my hair looks, the way I phrased something in a conversation and worrying if they took it the wrong way, or not having the kind of attention I want from certain people. Honestly, as I am sitting here typing this waiting for my class to start I am EMBARRASSED that I even let this take over my mind.

The other day 07cf4ace9343f9b0ee69b405acff75efI was sitting with a friend and she was telling me about family health issues, as well as her own, and how it has been affecting her life. As she continued on, I sat my head back in the car and squeezed my eyes shut while I thought to myself “Marissa, honestly what is your problem? You’re groaning on about something you’re not even going to care about in two weeks while your friend is going though something life shattering.” I wanted to slap myself because I felt so ashamed for being incredibly selfish.

But why do we do this? Do we honestly get so caught up in the stupid, minute details of our life that we can’t recognize that there are actual problems in the world? There are people who don’t have
a safe place to sleep, are dying of incurable illnesses, have no food to eat, or don’t have a support system to fall back on. Not only do I think that this is a prevalent issue in my own life, I think this is a problem with our culture as a whole. We are so caught up in our own lives and frivolous issues that we don’t stop and think about what others are going through…and let me tell you it could be a lot worse than you’re hair being frizzy.

Whenever I get to complaining about my unimportant problems that don’t affect anyone but myself, I try to step back and think “It could be so much worse. You should be thankful for your family and wellbeing.” I try my gosh darned hardest to put other’s first because I believe that’s important to do so, but lately I’ve been having some selfish slip ups and I want to personally apologize for that. While I do realize that it is important to get your troubles off your chest and take time for yourself, you always need to ask “Is this honestly important enough to complain about?”

It’s definitely not an easy task for some to try to be completely selfless for .08 seconds, but I’m really challenging all of you to sit down and ask someone how they’re doing. It’ll be a nice refresher to get a look into someone’s life and realize that you’re not the only person out there going through a rough time.

Spread Your Wings

Posted on Tagged , , , Leave a comment

2f870dc9e6bb59bce6a1fa304b942577

Happy Sunday my friends! Earlier this week I was scrolling through Pinterest looking for some positive affirmation and I stumbled upon this lovely quote pictured above and it got me thinking.

Lately, I have been into just putting myself out there and immersing myself into things I don’t normally do. It has been a work in progress for sure, but I keep asking myself “Why was I so afraid to fail if I didn’t know what the outcome would be?”

Partly, I believe that deep down I am very self-conscious; I want to appear like I have all my shit together (even though I totally don’t). But also, I believe that there was a part of me that thought I didn’t have to take leaps of faith. I was at a part of my life where I actually thought I had everything together: the career path, the lifestyle, the relationship, and the wise head on my shoulders (which I like to believe I still have). Now that some of these factors in my life have changed, my eyes have actually opened up to what’s really out there: SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES!! There are so many new places, people, and things to see and do. The world, universe, and God have created so many wonderful things that are just waiting to be explored!

Now that I am actually looking at all of the opportunities and possibilities, I have told myself that I’m not allowed to sit and wonder What If?! I have told myself that I have to take chances because otherwise I’ll never grow or learn. I want to be able to look back on my life and not have to worry about what could have happened, but instead look back at all of the opportunities I’ve seized.

So, the next time you’re in a situation where you’re conflicted about the 50/50 outcome, just jump because you’ll never know if you’ll end up flying instead of falling.

Dear My 13 Year Old Self

Posted on Tagged , , , Leave a comment

Dear 13 Year Old Marissa,

First off I would like to say, you are so brave. I have seen the pictures and I have the (cringe worthy) memories, but every time I see you in Grandma Hila’s kimono I can’t help but crack a smile. Even though deep down you care so much about that other people think of you and your appearance, you give off the impression “I like to take risks.” Also, I’m proud of you for telling your friends that you didn’t want to get the dirt on that bully and didn’t participate in that chain email of bashing other people. I’m proud that you stuck to your morals and upheld your values even though you had the chance to be humiliated.

Most importantly, I want to tell you that you need to have more faith in yourself. It honestly doesn’t matter what anyone in Ubly Community Schools thinks of you. One day you’re going to graduate in the top ten of your class, win a shit ton of awards, and start a blog that will inspire people you never knew would give you the time of day. You have SO MUCH potential, kindness, and honesty running through your veins and when you move out of that little town there are going to be people who appreciate everything you’re about. Trust me on this one, you have so many amazing qualities and you’re going to help so many people.

Boys. I’m almost 21 right now and I still haven’t cracked their code. Sorry girl, but it’s still all confusing. However, you’re going to learn from them, grow from them, and make some really great relationships. You’re going to have your first kiss and fall in love! It’s a breathtaking experience if I’m being honest with you, but I’ll warn you to never lose sight of yourself. Don’t let them tell you that you can’t dream big, join/stay in a club, move away from home, or cut your hair. Trust your gut instinct, it’s never wrong and when it tells you to leave, Marissa GET THE HECK OUT OF DODGE. You WILL cut your hair, move away from your tiny town, dream bigger every single day, and be an amazing leader in that club. If they really love you, they won’t hold you back.

Take a chance. If you think that boy you met on that one random day is cute, please slide into his DMs (you don’t know what those are right now, but you will soon). Chances are he thinks you’re cute too and wants to get to know you. The worst thing that can happen is that he says no. If you never take a chance, you’ll always wonder what if.

Friends. Sooner than you think some of the people you hold so close will become jealous of your abilities. It sounds narcissistic, but it’s true. It’s going to be an all out war, but you’ll come out on top. You’ll come out stronger than ever. You’ll be left with the greatest of friends (aka Kady and Sydney are amazing people, never let them go) and you’re going to meet so many more it’s insane!

All in all I’m trying to tell you to be the good and honest person you are. Yes, you’re going to grow and change, but never lose sight of your big dreams and big heart. Marissa, you’re an amazing person and looking back I don’t have any regrets because God will only give you what you can handle. Just enjoy the ride and focus on the good in the world.

xoxo,

Marissa