#AskDar - Gender Equality, Love at First Sight, + More!

It's time for another round of #AskDar and if your first thought is, "ALREADY?" then congrats, we're in the same boat! I try to do one of these Q + A posts each month as long as you guys enjoy them and submit questions so real quick before we get started a huge thank you to everyone who has submitted questions so far for one of these posts. A small reminder that you can submit a question for an #AskDar post anytime by filling out this form right here!

I am always so impressed by the questions you guys come up with because they sometimes catch me really off guard. Other times they require me to really sit down and think about my answers which I absolutely love to do.  I hope you find these posts as insightful and enjoyable as I do! 

With that, let's get right on in to this month's round of #AskDar!

What are your views on feminism, the He for She Campaign, and a lot of the recent political standpoints of gender equality as of late?

I mean if Y'all couldn't guess already, I'm a feminist. I couldn't tell you when I actually started identifying as a feminist because I've honestly always been one. I was raised in a home where my mother was the breadwinner but she also constantly overcame adversity because of her disability. Because of this, I don't think there was anything else I could possibly become but a liberal and a feminist. But I can remember the first time I realized someone was treating me differently because of the fact I was a woman. In gym class (I know we're all cringing about high school gym reading this) I was actually told by my teacher that he was really surprised I had hit a home run "because I was a girl".  (We were playing whiffle ball, by the way).  It didn't matter whether or not I had real athletic ability or not (I honestly didn't but that's not the point). This one caveat to a sentence had a profound impact on me.  One of the most difficult things I've ever experienced has been working in a male-dominated environment. This is something you can expect to see me writing about a lot more in the future!

All of that being said, I believe in not just gender equality but equality for ALL people. I will continue to support people, policy, and organizations that are fighting to make equality a reality for everyone. HeforShe is an amazing organization that was created by the women of the United Nations in order to create a global gender equality initiative. If you've never heard of them, I highly suggest looking into the organization by checking out their mission page.

If you want to hear more about my views on feminism or anything like that, please don't hesitate to comment, email, or DM me suggestions. You can also submit them anonymously here!

If you could change lives with someone for a day, who would it be?

You guys are so good at coming up with questions that I'm not at all prepared for. Without giving it too much thought, I would have to say, J. K. Rowling, because I would then know literally everything about the Wizarding World including the stuff that she doesn't really want us to know... like how Horcruxes are made. Let me know in the comments who you'd switch with!

Do you believe in love at first sight?

I actually LOL'd when I read this question because I can't believe I haven't written a dedicated post to it yet. The short answer is yes but not in the traditional sense of literally falling in love at first sight. I will write a dedicated post to how I knew Justin was the one soon if y'all want but the short version is that I kind of knew right away. I definitely didn't fall in love with Justin upon first meeting, the opposite is actually the case, but there was something unexplainable pulling me to him that made me so sure that he was the person I was supposed to be with.

What is one food you can't stand?

Any kind of sausage that's not made with chicken.

What are some of your biggest pet peeves?

Smacking gum, people who type status updates/comments in full caps when they're not trying to exclaim something, how picky Justin is about loading the dishwasher. 

What is your go-to outfit when you're in a huge rush?

My go-to outfit typically depends on two things: the weather and the occasion. If where I'm going doesn't require me to look TOO presentable, I'll typically throw on a pair of workout leggings, white sneakers, a t-shirt, and my denim jacket. I reserve this outfit for running errands on the weekends. If I need to be more presentable, like going to work, I'll typically throw on jeans and a nice top with some flats. 

Pro tip though: Anytime you want to look really put together in no time at all, wear a dress. Dresses are my go-to in the spring and summer because they literally make it possible for me to get ready for work in 5 minutes. While I don't roll out of bed and head to work I like to get up early to relax with a cup of coffee and work on stuff I might not be able to get done while I'm working all day. My advice is to buy one or two dresses to have in your closet that you know you can pull out and rock no matter what you're feeling like or doing that day. Don't ever underestimate the power of a sleek ponytail and a dress.

Are you still working out as often as you were? Are you still doing the same program?

UGH. I knew someone was going to call me out on this. Winter is super rough for me when it comes to my depression and I have not yet been able to master the art of maintaining a workout routine through the winter. So no, I am not working out as often as I was but now that the weather is starting to look up, I am making an effort to get back into the swing of things. I am still using the 21 Day Fix program through Beachbody which I absolutely love because the workouts are challenging but only take 30 minutes a day and I know it works. I'll also be adding running into my routine as the weather warms up because I love to run in the summer. 

What is your least favorite thing about being a MILSO?

Obviously, I haven't really been "in the weeds" yet with this whole MILSO thing because West Point is nothing like what it's like actually being out there in the Army. But there is one theme that both have in common and that is uncertainty. There is so much uncertainty when you're a MILSO and as someone who struggles with anxiety, it can be very trying to not know anything for certain. Yes, we have orders to be somewhere but you never know when something is going to change when it comes to the military. That's what I struggle with the most.