If you can’t get a ~real~ Hogwarts letter, these things will do…
Christmas at Hogwarts Greeting Card, £3.76
Etsy
Hermione Sticker In White, £1.54
RedBubble
RedBubble
“It’s difficult for someone in the throes of it to believe they’ll ever feel better again.”
David Bertozzi / BuzzFeed
Before Meg Cabot was a published author of over 50 books, including the beloved Princess Diaries series, she worked as the assistant manager in a residence hall at New York University.
"The first thing I learned there, besides the fact that some freshmen do not know how to take out their trash, was the phrase situational depression." Cabot told BuzzFeed.
According to Mayo Clinic, situational depression is also referred to as adjustment disorder and is defined as "a type of stress-related mental illness." It's a condition that occurs when someone struggles to adjust to a specific life event or point of stress. Individuals can also be affected by stressful, on-going events that occur on a regular basis. Situational depression and adjustment disorder can also sometimes lead to more serious mental disorders, like major depression.
"It's normal to feel stressed about a major life transition or traumatic incident, grief over the loss of a friendship or loved one, illness, job, or even poor grades," Cabot continued. "It's difficult for someone in the throes of it to believe they'll ever feel better again."
BuzzFeed spoke to the author over email and learned about her experiences with situational depression and how she copes with mental illness. Here's what she had to say:
"When you're trying to adjust to living away from home for the first time and have just gotten your first F on a test, hate your roommate, and don't have any friends (or think you don't, anyway), and all your friends back home are posting AMAZING (fake) photos on their Instagram, it's totally normal to feel a little (or maybe a lot) depressed. But your life is not going to be ruined because of that F. Believe me, I got enough of them through college and high school to know. That roommate situation can be resolved. There are people sitting downstairs in that administration office who can help you. You just have to ask. And keep asking!
"The benefit of speaking up about situational depression is you are more likely to find help and you will learn you're not alone. We've ALL been there. I'm living proof of all of this. I've lived through situational depression and I was one of those ladies sitting in the administrative office, wanting to help others get through it. REALLY. I SWEAR. IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY."
Add some things that you’ll actually use to your wish list.
Mallory McInnis / BuzzFeed
"My parents gave me a lunch crock pot for my birthday a few years ago. It doesn't cook anything, but it reheats soups, stews, leftovers, and such. I use it at least three times a week in the office and I don't have to wait for the microwave like everyone else—it's amazing!"
—jessicap42c47c0ce
Buy one here for $24.99.
"I have four cats and (I swear to god) this gets fur out of carpets better than a carpet shampooer or vacuum"
—Claire Walliker, Facebook
Buy one here for $19.99.
Just because your dog doesn’t have opposable thumbs doesn’t mean he can’t celebrate the holidays.
Thisiswhyimbroke.com / Via thisiswhyimbroke.com
Thisiswhyimbroke.com / Via thisiswhyimbroke.com
Play responsibly.
muttropolis / Via muttropolis.com
People on Twitter began comparing Trump to Voldemort after he released a statement saying all Muslims should be banned from entering the U.S.
The case adds a bit of bulk, but it’ll give your iPhone power for days.
To match the battery performance of the iPhone 6S Plus, Apple is offering a new Smart Battery Case for the iPhone 6 and 6S (sorry, everyone else), priced at $99. The case hits stores on Dec. 8, and the company offered me a review unit on loan to test out.
I took the case on a lil' weekend ski trip to see how long I could go without having to charge my iPhone – and this is what happened.
Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed
Nicole / BuzzFeed
You can do it anywhere, any time.
Yumi's self-portrait
Yumi Sakugawa
"Making comics about meditation and mindfulness is my own way of anchoring myself deeper into my practice, to visually articulate for myself and for others what it means to embody the emptiness and inner silence that create openings for your true essence to shine through," she writes in There Is No Right Way to Meditate (And Other Lessons).
