9 Things You Need to Have for Online Classes

Online classes are no joke! From experience, they require a lot more work than in-seat classes do. BUT! Don't let that deter you from taking them to finished a degree! It can be done, and I'm going to help you.

Besides your computer and text books, here's a list of stuff you need to have for online classes.


1. A good place to do your schoolwork.
This. Is. Essential.
Whether it's your home office, a coffee shop, or your bed, find a spot that will be the most conducive to you getting your shit done without too many distractions. This also includes ambiance. Turn on that classical music, light some aromatherapy candles, put on those jammies. Whatever it takes, dude. Whatever it takes.


2. Post-its
I LOVE POST-ITS. They have been my saving grace on finding references for discussion posts in my text books. I can write notes on them and color coordinate too.


3. Colored pens or pencils
Also the best. I write copious notes, and having the discussion question or essay question written at the top of my notebook page helps a lot. I use a colored pencil to write the questions so they stand out. You can color coordinate these with your post-its!


4. Dedication
Hubs actually suggested that this be on the list. And he was right. You've got to have the dedication to get those tasks done on time. Sometimes it's really hard to push yourself to do schoolwork when there is no set class time. Trust me, I know. But you can always set your own class time by scheduling it out for yourself.


5. A lap desk
Especially if you choose to work from your bed or couch. Depending on the kind you get, you can use it in the car and a coffee shop comfy chair too. Whether you put your computer on it, or use it to take notes from your text books, it can really come in handy.


6. Highlighters
Unless I rent my book or get the e-book, I highlight the crap out of them. It makes finding that info you need much easier, and paired with the post-its, discussion posts and essays will be a breeze.


7. Breaks
Don't forget to give yourself a break from time to time. Especially if you are like me and can get deep into a project or paper and all of a sudden 5 hours has passed. Set alarms on your phone or use your activity band (i.e. Fitbit, Apple Watch, Jawbone, etc.) to send you alerts to get up and move around every hour or two hours.


8. Coffee
No explanation needed.


9. Water and snacks
As with anything, you need to stay hydrated. Your brain just works better that way. And your body will thank you for that bag of goldfish.


Have you ever taken an online class? What would you add to this list?

How Does Infertility Affect Marriage? A Research Project

Infertility takes a huge toll on a person. I've talked about my own infertility and what I've had to go through to get here. I've asked Hubs to write a little something about my infertility from the perspective of a husband:

Hello all, you all know me as the husband of Knock on Wood. Not too long ago my wife shared our story about the battle with infertility. I'm going to add my perspective on our troubles, and the toll it took on us and our marriage. First of all it was rough seeing all the negative tests. The depressed look on my wife's face cycle after cycle, and there was nothing I could say or do that would help. It made me feel helpless and useless. Our love life became monotonous because sometimes it was scheduled, and to be honest, there were times I didn't enjoy it at all. It was a very stressful time for us and I tried to just go with the flow. She just needed to feel sad, or be mad sometimes, so I let her. I listened and just tried to be there as much as she wanted me to.

Now that my wife is pregnant (YAY!!!!!!) Our relationship has been better, she's been more upbeat, and positive (even thought she's sick right now as I'm writing this). I have been learning how to feed a baby and change diapers with my new nephew around (I've never been around babies). I want to end on this note: despite this hard chapter we've gone through, I love my wife with all my heart, and I think we're going to be great parents.

And all of this leads to the question: How does infertility affect marriage/relationships?

Well, I'm taking a research class this session and I've decided to conduct my own little study. I know some of you, dear readers, have fought or are currently fighting your own war on infertility, so I am asking you to help me out. I've created a survey that is completely anonymous that will hopefully give me a better sense of a possible answer to this question. If you would complete the survey for me, I would greatly appreciate it. If you haven't experienced infertility, but know someone who has, feel free to pass it along those you know who would be interested in participating.

Link to Survey

Have you ever participated in an study like this before? 

Does Race Really Exist?

In my sociology class we watched a video called The House We Live In, and it claims that contrary to popular belief, race does not exist. While it may not exist in the biologically scientific sense of the term, it does exist in a sociocultural sense. Why? Because the people of our world have made it real, and therefore, race cannot be cast out as a fictional concept. The same argument could also be applied to the question of the existence of the Gods of religious faiths. If the Christian/Jewish God, the Islamic Allah, or the Hindu Devas/Devis are not biologically real, then do they really exist? Science cannot disprove the existence of a higher power, nor can it disprove the existence of the social and political concept of race, so we are at an impasse of sorts.

An interesting theory in quantum mechanics, describes this predicament perfectly: quantum indeterminacy or more commonly known as Schrödinger’s Cat (if you watch Big Bang Theory, you know all about this). Suppose a cat is inclosed in a box with a vial of radioactive poison. This vial is programed in such a way that it will randomly be broken, releasing the poison which will kill the cat. Because there is no way for us to know, without opening the box, when or if the poison will be released and thus killing the cat, the cat can be thought of as both dead and alive at the same time. If we apply this same concept to race, we can assume that race is both real and not real at the same time.

So where did race come from then? And why do we think the way we do about the different races? I used quantum mechanics to explain the existence of race, now I’m going use behavioral Psychology to explain why people still think the way they do about race. Take, for instance, Pavlov’s Dog. Show a dog a full food bowl (the unconditioned stimulus), and it will salivate in anticipation of eating the food (the unconditioned reaction). To reward the dog for salivating, we then give him the food. Next, we add the ding of a bell (the conditioned stimulus) along with the sight of the food, until the dog associates the sound with the food (conditioned response). Now the dog only has to hear the ding of the bell to salivate whether he gets any food or not. We are the dog in this scenario. The government and the media are the “scientists”, and they used the unconditioned stimulus of poverty, violence, un-intelligence, and ignorance paired with the race they wanted to repress to condition our responses and reactions to people of that race. 

This is where things get sticky. Starting from the beginning of our written history up to our modern day leaders, human governments have taken it upon themselves to define race. Changing their minds as new threats allegedly arose that would negatively impact the control and the power and the wealth they coveted. Meticulously ranking each racial group in order of their own chauvinistic importance and perceived intelligence of others to secure their foot holds on thrones, in the pulpit, atop the judicial bench, or in oval offices. Our very own governments have given us the tools that encourage and facilitate racism with laws and policies determining who gets what, how much they get, and when they get it. And because of these laws, we think that it is OK for this to happen.

Who are we to judge what makes some people better than others based on the color of their skin? Who are we to say what religions and cultures are considered “good” religions and cultures? Who are we to justify the actions of previous leaders because they punished people for being different using these supposed classifications of race? Things are the way they are today because someone somewhere at some point decided that’s they way things were going to be, and no one challenged him (I am going to say “him” because let’s face it, white men started this whole thing) because he had wealth and power. And ever since then we have been conditioned by our leaders and the media to see race in a negative light, and to use stereotypes to make judgements about people without knowing them personally.

I think the bigger question the video is addressing is not surrounding scientific aspect of the existence of race, but the moral and ethical aspects of race. Not “does race exist?”, but “should race exist?” In my opinion, yes. The collection of racial demographics is important information for tracking purposes especially when it is pertaining to medical reasons, population censuses, and sometimes for cultural or historical documentation. This leads me to believe that mere existence of race is not the real issue, because it is only when race is used as a discriminatory factor against some and/or in favor of others that it becomes a problem, in other words, racism is the issue. Racism, and not just the existence of race, is the problem we, as a people, need to tackle.

What do you think? Should race exist?

Follow Your Heart

So... I dropped my Spanish II class. And it had nothing to do with my performance (which was pretty good) in the class, or the teacher, or anything like that. I dreaded every second I had to spend on the subject. D R E A D E D. I never wanted to learn the language. Ever. And I honestly have no idea why I started taking it in the first place, other than it's the only in-seat foreign language class at my campus.

I thought about it for days. I had an intense and in depth conversation with my advisor and the financial aid advisor about my feelings and my options. After getting all the facts, I decided to go with my heart despite the financial losses and time setbacks that would result when I made this move. That's how much I disliked this class, guys.

I'm going to take American Sign Language (ASL) online instead. When I first started school last summer, I saw that it was available to take and got excited. I have always wanted to learn to Sign, I even researched some basics a few years ago. The one downside is that I wasn't sure how I'd do with an online class. So I settled with stupid Spanish. I should have followed my heart. It would have saved me the time lost and disappointment I felt when I had to go to that class.

Sometimes the logical and more practical choice is not always the best choice for you and your wellbeing. So let your heart win from time to time. Buy the pretty shoes, order that slice of cake, wear that bold lip color, dye your hair pink, or put up your Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving (just me?). You'll be happier if you do.

I Just Noticed We're Halfway Through August

August completely snuck up on me. Seriously, where has this year gone? I'm more excited for classes to start again on Monday than my birthday this Saturday. This is how you know you're getting old. Don't have any plans so far, but Hubs did already give me my gift: a complete set of the Harry Potter movies on BlueRay! Let's just say there will be a marathon in our near future.

In other news, I can officially apply for my associates degree. I've completed all the necessary courses and have enough credits to go ahead and grab that sucker on my way to my Bachelors. It's kind of a big deal. I won't be walking in a ceremony or anything, but that little piece of paper means I'm halfway done with my undergrad. And I'll be the first person on my Mom's side of the family to have a college level degree of any kind. Woot!

Also, you've probably noticed the changes around these parts. I stayed up all night last night making this happen. It's kinda cool, I guess. There's a new page and everything. I think the new look has inspired me to pay more attention to this little blog of mine and you'll start to see me around a bit more. I missed it. So guess what that means? DISCOUNTS! 

Use the code "BIRTHDAYGIRL" to get 25% off the Mahogany and the Chestnut ad spots through August 31st!

Is your year flying by as fast as mine is?

Check out my current Chestnut sponsor!

Armadillo Season

Over the weekend, Hubs and I traveled the 30 minutes to get Chipotle and do a little shopping. While we were driving home I counted 14 Armadillo bodies on the side of the highway. I turned to Hubs and said that it must be Armadillo season. That started me thinking about seasons and time, and ultimately the verse you see above from Ecclesiastes came to mind.

The past few weeks have been a bit stressful for me; papers, finals, ongoing craziness at work, and some tough personal decisions that need to be made. I neglected several things, including this blog, and on the one hand I am sorry, but on the other hand, I'm not. I needed to step away bit to keep myself sane and my husband from thinking I'm a hermit. Right now it seems like this phase will never end, like I will never feel at peace with my life again. That's when I go back to Ecclesiastes chapter 3 and I am reminded and reassured that this season of my life will come to an end and a new one will begin.

I've got two weeks until the summer session starts, and I've decided to only take one course. Giving myself a bit of a brain break, especially since the course I chose will be a pretty easy one. Another great thing about this course is that it gives me the right credits to get my Associates Degree. Woot!

Today I am grateful for the reassurance from God that things will get better. I'm grateful to have a supportive husband who's got my back. I'm grateful life gives me options to choose from.

What are you grateful for?

Linking up with

Check out my current Chestnut sponsor!

Boobs Deep

Finals Week is upon me... and I am not prepared.

If I don't post I'm probably trying to stay afloat in a sea of papers, books, and high lighters. Boobs Deep guys, Boobs Deep.

Don't worry! I will take breaks to read blogs and promote sponsors. But trying to write awesome posts in the midst of writing two ten page papers on Asperger's Syndrome is not going to be easy. Pray for me. I need it.

Check out my current Chestnut sponsor!

Conversations

with Kaity

You guys remember by MO Bestie, Kaity? Of course you do, cause she's awesome! Well, I've got another hilarious conversation to share with you between her and I. This particular one happened during class one night (I know, I know, we should have been paying attention, but sometimes... you know. Bored). Kaity got a text, and it distracted me, but because we were in class I couldn't be nosy and ask her out loud who she was texting. So I texted her.

Me: Who are you sexting?

Kaity: My sister's boyfriend.

Me: Why are you sexting your sister's bf??

Kaity: Idk... just felt like it *winky face*

Me: Weirdo. Cradle Robber.

Kaity: We are actually talking about the packages that I sent him. And I ain't no cradle robber!!
(note: Kaity is really close with her sister and her bf, and often sends them little care packages)

Me: Ooohhh. Packages huh? Does Megan know he like "packages"?

Kaity turns so red and is trying not to laugh out loud once she read that last text.

Kaity: Oh yes, she knows all about that floozy belle!

Me: I'm not usually this funny with anyone else. Just you.

Me: You're Welcome.


It's the truth. Somehow I am on my comedic game when I'm with Kaity. I wish I could pull off that funny with other people, especially Hubs. He always has a witty comment about almost everything.

This month I've got THREE lovely co-hosts! Be sure to check them out, as well as the rest of the Conversations posts linked up with us this week.

Sarah

Coffee & Glitter | Twitter | Insta | Pinterest | Facebook | Bloglovin'

Libby

Health, Love, & Fire | Twitter | Insta | Pinterest | Facebook | Bloglovin'

Ashley

That Southern Mama | Twitter | Insta | Pinterest | Facebook | Bloglovin'

Join us and share a conversation you've had lately!

<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.knockonwoodblog.com/p/conversations.html" title="Knock on Wood Blog | Conversations Link-Up"><img src="http://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o740/Seraffine/Blog/ConversationsButton_zps0bb050dc.png" alt="Knock on Wood Blog | Conversations Link-Up" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

An InLinkz Link-up

Check out my current Chestnut sponsor!

The Cutest Mug You Ever Did See

Happy Monday! It's the start of another week, and here's hoping I have a good one.

Mondays are my long days; Work from 9 am - 4 pm and school from 5 pm -10 pm. Sounds fun right? Actually, it kinda is even though I probably won't really get to see Hubs, but we decided one day a week won't hurt us too much. I am excited about the start of this new session at school. After the first week of any break, I start to miss it!

I got some awesome mail over the weekend that I want to share with you! Earlier this month I participated in a mug swap hosted by Kallie from But first, coffee. My partner was Jenn, and she was so fun to get to know. I think I have a new email buddy and I am so grateful for her! Jen doesn't blog, but you can find her on Instagram HERE, go and congratulate her on the purchase of her new house!! I sent her the cutest mug that says "Together is the best place to be" and I'm so glad she liked it, cause when I saw it I immediately thought of her and her fiancé.

Oh but she picked the perfect mug for me. I quite literally squealed with delight and excitement when I opened the box. There was also this amazing chocolate from Brookside in the box, but that got devoured on Sunday while I was at work, oops. It's the Dark Chocolate Pomegranate flavor and I need to find a store that sells it here like right now.

I know Emily will appreciate the cuteness that is this mug. I mean, who doesn't love a baby elephant?? I can't decide if this will be a regular use mug or the most adorable decoration in my kitchen. I am slowly acquiring a small collection of elephants, and I'm not sad about it!


What does your normal Monday look like?
Did you participate in the Mug Swap?
And most importantly, what are you feelings about baby elephants?

linking up with

Check out my current Chestnut sponsor!

Grateful Spaces

The moment you've all been waiting for! The Big Reveal of our new Shed and the progress on the Guest Bedroom!

After a few weeks of building, organizing, cleaning, and more organizing I have finally gotten things presentable. I still have to re-paint and finish decorating the Guest Room, but at least now its a usable space again. And that is all thank to Hubs and his dad building me a shed in our back yard to house our storage items, yard equipment, and other various items that would normally be found in a garage or shed.  I have to say it turned out to be bigger than Hubs and I were expecting and that is AWESOME! We even have a cute little counter and cabinet to go in there (they haven't been installed yet) and father-in-law says he can run electrical out there so we can have a light and plug things in.

I said I needed to paint it. The pink is brighter and more eye piercing in person, but I have enough paint leftover from doing the kitchen to remedy the situation. I'm excited to have a place for someone to stay with us! I can invite my sister for the summer and have my Mom come visit. The room is small, but it functions the way I need it to.

There was enough space at the foot of the bed for me to put a desk. So, now I have a cute little office space to blog and study in a quiet area. And Hubs can play his video games without distracting me, and without me giving him dirty looks for being loud.

I am so grateful to have these spaces. It gives me peace of mind to know our storage shed is locked up and the babes can't get into the car maintenance supplies or get trapped in all the boxes and totes, and that our floor won't fall though with all the weight (this happened to a friend of Hubs' recently). I'm grateful to have a space where I can focus better on school work and blog writing. Mostly I'm grateful that Hubs made all of this happen for us.

What are you grateful for today?

Linking up with

Conversations with...

K-K-K-Kaity

A text conversation with my MO BFF Kaity over our Winter Break.

Me: I'm so ready for school to start

Kaity: Lol Yeah me too!! Just not today...I feel like I'm dying!

Me: Aww! Sick?
Oh! Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to youuuuu!
Happy Birthday k-k-k-Kaityyyyy!
Happy birthday toooooo youuuuuuu!
Pretend I'm singing that. 

*NOTE: her Birthday was Jan 5th*

Kaity: Yeah I have the flu... got it from work this past weekend.
LOL I love it! Thank you so much!

Me: Aww but you wore the sexy face mask!

Kaity: Bwahahaha! Yeah but I didn't on Thursday or Friday because I didn't know that some of them had the flu already and I got it anyway.. blahhh

Me: Yuck! Well. Lots of fluids and NyQuil and Oj and stuff.

Kaity: I can't keep anything down and unfortunately it's coming from both ends. Sorry if that takes it too far.

Me: Not phased. But that so sucks. Still though, stay hydrated. Get some smart water. It's got electrolytes in it. 

Kaity: That sounds good. I haven't had the smarty water before. Mom says it won't ever help me because I'm a blonde LOL.
*NOTE: She's not blonde anymore, so this makes her a Pineapple Head. Blonde on the inside and brown on the outside*

Me: Bahahaha!

This is why she and I are friends. #noshame

Plus Tuesday, our Psychology professor thought we were sisters. #sistersatheart

Do you have a great conversation you want to share? Link up with me and my lovely co-host Kathy and tell us all about it!

Him & Me Blog  |  Twitter   |  Instagram

<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.knockonwoodblog.com" title="Knock on Wood"><img src="http://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o740/Seraffine/Blog/ConversationsButton_zps0bb050dc.png" alt="Knock on Wood" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

An InLinkz Link-up

Through The Lens - November Moments

I was tagged on Instagram by Kristen at Treats and Travels to showcase my favorite photos from November for her Through The Lens Link-up. I loved this idea and I finally got around to doing this post today, better late than never right? School has been keeping me so busy lately, that I almost forgot about it. There were so many wonderful photos to choose from, but I narrowed it down to my absolute favs for you. There's a little story behind each one too!

1. I was snapchatting a few friends and took an amazing selfie. I just had to save it. Sometimes you get the best ones when you aren't trying too hard.

2. Being a Psychology major, I have to write paper ALL. THE. TiME. This sometimes takes away attention from my fur kids, and they do not like that at all. These two snuggle bugs figured out how to get some mommy time while I was finishing up a mid-term paper.

3. Early on in the month I found on that I made the Dean's List!! Now I have proof that I'm smart!

4. My new addiction to Peppermint Mochas at home. *insert heart eyes emoji here* I didn't realize that this creamer was so amazing. I'm glad it jumped into my cart that day at the store.

5. Hubs and I have a date night each week, usually the same day we go to the grocery store. Sometimes I make him stop and pose for a picture. Got a good one this time!

6. After adopting Bear, I realized that he is the perfect motivation for me to get up and get moving more. So now we have a sweet little walk schedule that is benefiting us both!

7. I snapped this little gem the day we adopted Bear. We were waiting for the ok to go meet him, when Pumpkin decided she wanted under the blanket with Hubs.

8. This is my favorite picture right now. One morning, we were taking our usual route, and Bear just stopped. Then I turned around and saw this sunrise. He turned a bit and just stood there very still. It was like he was telling me to take this picture.


What were your favorite photos of November?

Linking up with

A Grateful Snow

Linking up with Ember Grey. for #GratefulHeart Monday

If you follow me on Instagram (or you live in Missouri) you know that it snowed yesterday. Our first snow of the season! I'm excited about it, but I'm probably the only one. And, if you've been around these parts of the interwebs for a while, you know I am in school again, and since today is Monday, I have class this afternoon/evening. Snow + Ice + Cold + Driving = NO BUENO! Especially for me having almost ZERO experience driving on it (I was born/raised/lived in Georgia for 27 years! And it really snowed maybe 3 or 4 times. I drove in it once a few years ago, and nearly totaled my shitty car).

Anywho! Those of you that follow in Instagram also know that Hubs and I just traded in my little Nissan Versa (her name was Sophie) for an F150 4x4. Hubs drives the truck (now named Emmy) and I get to drive the Mustang (named Ruby)! VROOM VROOM! Well, one of the reasons we decided to purchase our truck was my inexperience with winter weather and Hubs' worry that I might get into an accident driving in it to school. Hence the 4 wheel drive. That means I get to drive Emmy when it snows, and that makes me feel so much safer than if I was driving Ruby or even my little Sophie.

Meet Emmy! (Definitely not wearing a tank and flip flops today!!)

So today I am very grateful for our truck, Emmy. But I am also grateful for the beauty that is snow. Even in the coldest of weather, mother nature gives us an amazing view.

What are you grateful for today?

Grateful For Second Chances

This has to be the first Monday I have been excited for since I got married (we got married on a monday). After two weeks of much needed down time I am ready for classes to start again. It might mean I'm weird, but I actually like school and look forward to my classes each week. I guess college is different from grade school because you are working towards a specific degree that you got to choose and (hopefully) you are passionate about the degree path you picked. That passion and desire to learn everything about your subject makes the learning easier and way more enjoyable. Don't get me wrong, there are things I don't particularly like about school (so many papers and presentations!), but those things are in place to help us prepare for what's ahead in our career paths.

I'm continuing with my pattern of one psychology class and one general education class this session. I'm glad it worked about that way again even though non of my newly made friends are in them. They are however a bit earlier in the day this time, so I won't miss entire evenings with Hubs. 

The professors put the course syllabus online, and instead of a traditional research paper in my psychology class, we get to team up with a local volunteer organization and develop a plan for a new program to assist the community. I'm not sure how it's going to work out, but it will definitely be an excellent learning experience. I'll really have to get over my shyness in speaking to people I don't know well to do that assignment. 

I'm truly grateful for this second chance to finish college. To get a degree. To be the first in my family to graduate from college. To make my mom proud.

What are you grateful for?

Linking up with

Premarital Cohabitation: A Snippet of my Research Paper

This session I did my research paper on Premarital Cohabitation for my Lifespan Development Psychology class. This subject hits a personal note with me because I am a strong supporter of it. You don't truly know someone until you live with them. Both Philip and I only want to be married once, so making absolutely sure about each other involved moving in together. At first when I started my research the information was strongly against my beliefs. But as I dug deeper and found more recent articles I found some awesome statistics and studies that support my view.

Cohabitation facilitates the kind of interaction that increases the knowledge of oneself and of a potential partner and of the kind of mutual adaptations that are so essential to a stable relationship. While there are several reasons couples choose to cohabit, one of the main reasons is to test the waters; to see what life would be like if they were married. But what effects does premarital cohabitation have on romantic relationships and/or subsequent marriage?

Cohabitation has been on the rise for several decades now.

The numbers above are a significant indicator of the apparent changes in the progression of romantic relationships between both different sex and same sex couples.

With couples waiting until after college and/or after starting a career cohabiting has become a step in the partner selection process as well as a transition srep into marriage. The steps of a romantic relationship have shifted to include the cohabitation option.

Cohabitation is less accepted in societies with high levels of religiosity, but the advancement of western industrialized societies has increased the tolerance of premarital cohabitation and therefore making it a more widespread phenomenon. There has also been an increasing acceptance of divorce. However, with the continued plateau of divorce rates we can assume that this rise in cohabitation is not associated with a similar growth in divorce. Traditionally, cohabitation is associated with a negative affect on marriage, but in the last couple of years new research has shown a significant change. In fact, one study suggests that living together during the engagement is actually more defensive against divorce than not.

However, age is a great factor that has not been included in previous studies. It’s common knowledge that the younger you marry the less likely your marriage will succeed. That can also be applied to cohabitation. Couples who marry or cohabitate before their mid-20s’ relationships are more likely to fail. Why does this occur? It is due to the fact that younger couples are not yet ready for the roles of “husband” and “wife”.

Another factor that can greatly influence the success and probability of a marriage after cohabitation are the intentions of the couple going into the cohabitation agreement. Upon entering cohabitation, if the couple has definite plans to marry they will experience a level of marriage quality similar to those who had not. 

However, cohabiters without marriage plans only have a 17% chance of actually getting married and experience higher odds of marital dissolution than cohabiters with marriage plans.

As cohabitation has become more widespread its effects on marital instability have declined. It has the potential to improve the quality of life for many poeple, especially women, because it is not subject to the same gendered roles and expectations that may be associated with marriage. In my own personal experience, premarital cohabitation has saved me from making a couple horrible decisions and helped me make the best one of my entire life. The moral of the story here, though, is to only go into a cohabitation agreement with your partner if you are on the same page with respect to marriage and your future together, but only after you have had time to “grow up” and get to know yourself better.

Did you and your spouse cohabited before marriage? If so, did you go into the cohabitation agreement with marriage plans? Do you feel like your marriage has benefited from premarital cohabitation?

References

Baker, M., & Elizabeth, V. (2013). Tying the knot: the impact of formalization after long-term cohabitation. Journal Of Family Studies, (3), 254.

Cohabit. (n.d.). Retrieved October 4, 2014, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cohabit

Grose, J. (2014, March 10). Call Your Dad: Living Together Before Marriage Does Not Lead to Divorce. Slate.

Jose, A., O'leary, K., & Moyer, A. (2010). Does Premarital Cohabitation Predict Subsequent Marital Stability and Marital Quality? A Meta-Analysis. Journal Of Marriage & Family, 72(1), 105-116.

Kuperberg, A. (2014, March 10). Does Premarital Cohabitation Raise Your Risk of Divorce? Retrieved October 7, 2014, from https://contemporaryfamilies.org/cohabitation-divorce-brief-report/

Kuperberg, A. (2012). Reassessing Differences in Work and Income in Cohabitation and Marriage. Journal Of Marriage And Family, (4), 688. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3737.2012.00993.x/abstract

Lau, C. (2012). The Stability of Same-Sex Cohabitation, Different-Sex Cohabitation, and Marriage. Journal Of Marriage & Family, 74(5), 973-988.

Lee, K., & Ono, H. (2012). Marriage, Cohabitation, and Happiness: A Cross-National Analysis of 27 Countries. Journal Of Marriage & Family, 74(5), 953-972.

Manning, W. D., & Cohen, J. A. (2012). Premarital Cohabitation and Marital Dissolution: An Examination of Recent Marriages. Journal Of Marriage & Family, 74(2), 377-387. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3737.2012.00960.x

Oppenheimer, V. (1988). A Theory of Marriage Timing. American Journal of Sociology, (3). 563.

Xu, X., Bartkowski, J. P., & Dalton, K. A. (2011). The role of cohabitation in remarriage: a replication. International Review Of Sociology, 21(3), 549-564. doi:10.1080/03906701.2011.625664

A Grateful List 2

Today I am grateful for a few things. And since we love lists here in Blogland, I'm gonna make one. Let's not make this Monday any harder than it already is.

1. I can't say it enough, but I am so grateful for my husband. He is my rock. You know that quote about the anchor and the wings? Well that's totally us. He's the anchor and I'm the wings.

2. I am grateful I have a couple weeks break in between sessions at school. I didn't realize how mentally and emotionally draining it can be.

3. Speaking of school, I'm grateful my brain didn't explode before finals. I'm fairly sure I passed both classes with a low A or a high B. I find out later this week, so I'll keep you posted.

4. Another things about school and I'll shut up about it. I am grateful for school because it introduced me to my three new best girlfriends. I've so missed having them and they add so much joy and laughter to my life.

5. Pig tails. Yep, I'm thankful for pig tails. I have really think hair and when it's longer like it is now, it gets heavy and gives me a headache if I wear it up in pony tail or a bun for too long. So plaited pigtails circa Laura Ingalls from Little House and The Prairie have become a go to second and/or third day hair style for me.

What are you grateful for?

Linking up with