December 2013

7 Things

To Do This Winter!

Flower Child:

Kiley Explains’how to be yourself!

Access Granted

Introducing, your new Winter crush!

December 2013

December ! s y a d i l o ppy H

Ha Access Granted

Page 5

Flower Child

Page 13

Winter Fun Page 27

......Many More!

You’re too good for him!

Page 23

Crown Headband collection by Taylor Iriving. @Tayknow_

Access Granted Although Grant is usually on his worst behavior.He toned it down for the shoot, and sits down and chronicles his life and future, and how Basketball has been a huge aspect of who he is, and who is going to be.

W

hen you first meet him, you sense an air of confidence, almost imtidating. His concivtions are strong, and his ambition is even stronger. He doesn’t just dream that he is the best,he can already tell you he’s the best before it even happens. When he speaks about Basketball, he says it with such passion, almost cunning. It’s something I didn’t understand, which he playfully kept reminding me that since I am not an athletic, I couldn’t understand. I didn’t understand. He was right, because he puts all his hopes and dreams into one day becoming the best, from practicing every day for hours to playing on multiple teams. He reminds you that you have to work hard in order to get results, you can’t expect to do nothing and become better at it, it’s always room for improvement. He balances his charisma and ambition with humor. He credits God, family, school and Basketball for keeping him balanced and sane, without those things, he doesn’t know where he would be. He plans on going to college and majoring in Business and Sports Management. It’s scary how much he has his life together already, It’s no doubt he has a bright future ahead of him. At the end of the day, He is also a caring person, who doesn’t quite get the credit he is suppose to get, because people just don’t notice the effort he puts into everything that he does. Maybe one day I will be fourtnate enough to get his autograph, if he allows meTo question or to doubt if Grant will someday be on your TV screens is a mistake. He is already in the making of being the next great Basketballer, he is setting new rules, and setting trends. All while he is only so young.

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y a d y r e v e d r a h k r o I don’t w . g n i h t o n r fo

G One thing people don’t know?

I’m a neat freak. If the smallest things get messed up, I flip out.

Who Do You Look Up To? I look up to Floyd Mayweather because he worked hard to become the best at his craft, and did things his way. He took a different route than most athletes, while also being a great business man. He knows how to make the big bucks [laughs].

That’s what I want to do in the future. He is the primse example of a smart athlete, which is the opposite of a dumb jock.

What Do You Want To Do In 10 Years?

What NBA Team Do You Hope To Play For? It really doesn’t matter. Once you get to the professional level, all fantasies and dreams are out of the window because now basketball becomes a business. It becomes your life.

Ten years from now, I see myelf as a star, in whatever I do. I’m not sure what my future holds, but I know whatever I’m doing in ten years. I’m going to strive to be #1.

I don’t work hard everyday for nothing. My goal is to play professionally within the next six to seven years.

Plan B, If Basketball Doesn’t Work Out? I don’t have a plan B. My plan B hasn’t failed yet so why would I speak on Plan B. Basketball is Plan A,B and C.

Jay-Z J.cole

Justin Timberlake

Kanye West

Best Albums Of 2013 Vampire Weekend

John Mayer Katy Perry The National

Fleur De Infant Flower Crown collection by Taylor Iriving. @tayknow_

Music Spotlight Peru was a summary of all my emotions that hit me when my girlfriend went to Peru for a month. The song Numa, and May 26th were inspired directly by her. While she was gone, I started thinking deeply and differently.

My lyrics became more introspective, and I became more creative as a whole. I started on it the day she left, and I finished it about 2 weeks before it was released. I give her credit for my creativity.

t! u o m i h Check h97 t i m s e n @Euge

The song Music for the Slaves was inspired by New Slaves

by Kanye West. I express my distaste for the consumerism plaguing our society. Fly Away was just me expressing my thoughts. The city I've grown up in really inspired it. And I really hate my city. The Ocean was kind of the same inspiration, but more of my personal feelings, expressed for people to relate to, such as how I used to chase love, not realizing that love comes to you. It's Not Easy is basically an anthem for the bullied kids, and kids who don't fit in. I tell the story of what made me the person I am today, and I made the song to inspire people to be themselves, no matter what people have to say. Niggers/Black Men is a song I made to warn my race not to go out looking for trouble. To stay wise. To have respect for yourself. The Peer Pressure was a interlude I included to mirror the thoughts that go on in teen's head. The voices echo, symbolizing the feeling of pressure that overcomes someone as they do drugs to fit in.

The making of “Peru� mixtape by Brandon Smith

Flower Crown collection by Taylor Irving @Tayknow_

FlowerChild be

It takes a while for us to finally find who we truly are, or who we are suppose to

We are suppose to be, but when we finally find our purpose, It’s the most exciting feeling

I

ever!

t took Kiley a while to finally become who she truly wanted to be, because she struggled between being herself or being like everybody else. Her sister told her to embrace her individuality and you would be happier, and she took that advice and became happier and in the process gained more friends. She started to do her own thing. She believes everyone is trying to be like each other, everyone should be different and stop being like other people. “I think I been through alot”, she says, “It has made me stronger when things get tough. When things get tough you just have to put a smile on your face.” She is probably one of the sweetest people I have met, she isn’t stuck up, or even mean. She makes you feel like you been best friends forever and ever. She may be young, but she has alot of wise words to say, and she isn’t finished speaking just yet.

h g u o t t e g s g n i h When t a t u p o t e v a h t you jus . e c a f r u o y n o e l i sm

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#handstandinparadise

#mysticalforest

Hashtag InStagram

Kileyreech #surfsup

#sunset

#byesummer

#gettingmytanon

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h g u o r h t n e e e m b e I d k s a n g i m I th It has en thin , h t o w l r a e g n o str ough. t t ge

New Year, New You!

Tips for being the best you this year!

1.

make some short term goals! Something like getting a job for the summer, or saving for a concert.

2.Drop your loser

friends. This means drop all your friends who haven’t been quite friendly to you lately.

3. Don’t be afraid! This is the year you will finally get your crush, don’t be afraid of rejection because that’s how we find who is perfect for us.

4. Stay positive, and

never negative no matter how bad the situation is because hard times come and go.

5.

Find yourself, this means finding what you like, and what makes you happy!

Don’t follow trends!

Fleur De Infant

Crown Headband collection by Taylor Irving. @Tayknow_

Fleur

De Infant

You’re TOO Good For Him! He’s the cutest boy in your class, maybe even in your school, and you are just the girl who has a huge crush on him. You feel like there is NO way in this lifetime you will ever get him.

You’re wrong, because actually you’re too good for him.

But he’s so cute!

Maybe he looks like Justin Timberlake’s little brother or Drake, but does he have anything else going for him besides looks? We forget that looks aren’t the only thing people have, if you truly got to know the guy would you still feel the same way? Would you still think they’re cute?

Or would their personality make them ugly. You may feel like you aren’t pretty enough but a real boy looks beyond that, if he doesn’t then he’s just not mature yet.

All the girls want him! I have no chance It doesn’t matter if Beyonce, Rihanna and Katy Perry want him. You shouldn’t sell yourself short and assume he wouldn’t bve interested in you. If he’s the player type, run fast! It’s not worth it, he will make you feel like the only one, when truly you are one of many. Don’t get caught up in the games, and keep it moving.

Real Life

I was a freshman, and I had a crush on this junior. It was the most overwhelming and cute feeling ever, but in the back of my mind I told myself, he would NEVER speak to me ever. Two years later, we are still friends, and I’m currently a junior, and he’s a freshman in College, and we still keep in contact. Through all these years I thought he was too good for me, but I grew up and realized all he had going for him was looks, nothing else but looks. He wasn’t doing anything with his life but partying, and wasting it while I was maturing and doing my own thing. He was popular in high school, and once he graduated none of that mattered anymore, he was just another person in the world, no one in the real world knew he was popular in high school so none of that mattered. Just because someone is cute or popular, doesn’t mean they’re out of your league. You’re out their league, know your worth.

I’m not pretty enough

Who told you that lie?! Everyone is pretty, and maybe that’s cliche to say but the same way girls like boys who aren’t cute but funny, is the same way boys like girls who aren’t the prettiest but have a pretty personality. If you have a chill personality I promise you boys will love you so much.

Is he really out of your league?

Does he have more going for him than just looks? Is he really mean to other girls or people?

Does he smoke weed everyday? And do nothing with his life, but just party Does he not have short term goals? He doesn’t plan things he’s going to do to make his life better

Does he always flirt with alot of girls, is he the player type?

! u o Y k n Tha

School Selfies!

n a o t ! s i 4 1 e Her ING 20 Z A AM

I don’t even know where to start. I never thought at the age of sixteen I could even do something as big as make a magazine. I started this whole magazine maybe four months ago, and I didn’t want it to be famous or anything, I just wanted to make a magazine for teens that is relatable, a magazine that has real problems that we are all going through, and so far I believe I suceeded! I find myself up at night finishing articles, and weekends taking pictures because you know if you ever want anything done, you have to do it yourself!

I want to thank you the readers, and I know it’s not a big magazine right now, but I love where it’s at. I have two more years until college, and honestly I don’t know where the magazine will go, but I know it will go far because I’m very ambitious. No matter where I go in life, I just want to thank Affinity for showing me anything is possible.

Follow your dreams!

If you never tell people your dreams, then they can’t shoot them down and bring negavitity. I know of so many people who have tried to bring me down and told me I couldn’t do this or that based on how I looked, and I chose the road less travled and chose to be posititve and listen to myself. Don’t believe what people say, become so confident that you start to believe it, maybe you may come off as arrogant, but use your self esteem to power your dreams.

It doesn’t matter if you want to be a singer,actor or rapper, anything is possible. Don’t let people tell you ,you can’t do anything bececause they are too scared to attempt it.

Winter

s g n i Th ! o D o t Have a movie night!

Make some hot chocolates, and add

some marshmellows, and don’t forget the friends! Watch all the classic movies like Frosty The Snowman or The Grinch!

Snowball Fight

Do a boys against girls snowball fight, and have fun!We all know the girls will already win!

Starbucks Date!

Grab a lucky guy or girl, and grab some coffee or hot chocolate! Starbucks in the best way to keep warm!

Bake!

Create tasty and AHHHMAZING Christmas cookies, and Gingerbead men! And leave some for Santa!

Create a winter music video for Instagram!

Gather all your friends, and family to create a very humilating but funny music video!

Secret Santa

We all used to have to do these in class when we were little but now, we can do it with our friends!

We can gift each other humilating pictures of each other!

Affinity Magazine