NoBull

Ups and Downs of Friendship

By on November 15th, 2016

This is the fifth post in a series by former FLVS student Makaila, a model, author, and anti-bullying advocate.

blog_thankful_friendsIt’s finally November, a time to be grateful for everything that we have. I am grateful for so much in my life: my family, pets, opportunities, and friends.

However, in this particular case, I am so grateful for my friends.

I haven’t always had the best of luck when it comes to lasting friendships. When we are young, we want to believe that every relationship we form will last forever, and clearly, that just isn’t the case. At first it hurts, realizing that someone will not always be there for you. Unfortunately, that is what happens when it comes to life. But I have learned that people come into your life with a purpose; once fulfilled, they have done their part in making you, you.

This isn’t to say that you will not find your forever friends – rest assured you will have a few. Continue reading


No Bull

By on October 26th, 2016

This is the fourth post in a series by former FLVS student Makaila, a model, author, and anti-bullying advocate.

great-american-no-bull-challengeDid you know October is National Anti-Bullying Month?

Let’s be honest. How many of you have suffered at the hands of a bully but chose to do nothing about it?

I’ve been there too.

As a matter of fact, when I was 14, I was bullied unmercifully.

It all started when I began modeling and I had to lose weight. At 5’11 and a weight of 135 pounds, one wouldn’t expect to be told to “lose 10.” But, I had to – and let me start off by saying it was beyond difficult.

I no longer could eat potato chips, ice cream, or other foods I once loved so dearly. Instead, I munched on veggies, protein, and more veggies. I was proud of myself for establishing some self-control and saw the pounds melting off, but my peers thought I was crazy. My once former “friends” (and I use that term loosely) became some of my biggest opponents. Continue reading


The Best Day of My Life

By on October 3rd, 2016

This is the third post in a series by former FLVS student Makaila, a model, author, and anti-bullying advocate.

teen-shares-anti-bullying-storyToday will go down as one of the best days of my life.

On this very day, my pride and joy officially comes into the world, which just so happens to be a book, my first book:

Blatantly Honest: Normal Teen Abnormal Life

Below you will find a short snippit on a topic that may have touched you in your life.

I can promise that the rest of the book will have content just like this, so please enjoy a selection from chapter one. Continue reading


What Models Don’t Say

By on September 16th, 2016

This is the second post in a series by former FLVS student Makaila, model, author, and anti-bullying advocate.

makaila-nyfwHey everyone, Mak here. If you missed my first post, this year I will be writing about my experiences as a student and in the modeling industry. This week, I wanted to inform you on what the fashion industry is really like – and how it changed my life for the better…but also the worst.

Fashion is the most cut-throat business. One day you feel like the most wanted person in the world, and the next you question what made you join the business in the first place. Many people assume that it’s just fun and glamorous all the time, but it’s not.

When I 14, I was told to look and act a certain way (more on that in a later post), but the point is, I was asked to become someone I was not. I shouldn’t have let them change me, but how was I supposed to know? Continue reading


Meet FLVS Alumna Makaila Nichols

By on August 18th, 2016

This is the first post in a series by former FLVS student Makaila, a model, author, and anti-bullying advocate.

Mak Nichols FLVS Alumna and AuthorHey blog readers! I’m the new kid on “The Virtual Voice” block.

My name is Makaila, but all my friends call me Mak and I’m 18 years young. I was once an FLVS Flex student and attended a small private school in Windermere, Florida. So why did I take classes from FLVS when I was already in school full time?

Opportunity.

I started modeling when I was 14 with Wilhelmina Models and had to spend a lot of time in Miami, Los Angeles, and New York (and not at school).

I found myself on a plane quite often and was always told the same thing by the people I worked with, “take classes online.” So I did – and by the time I completed high school, I applied 18 credits from FLVS to the final total that resulted in my diploma from Windermere Preparatory School. Continue reading