Good afternoon everyone, just taking a break from homework to do this award! Cassie nominated me for the Entertainer Blogger Award and I’m super excited to do it! Also, go check out Cassie’s blog because she’s super sweet!!! So, thank you Cassie for nominating me and let’s get started with the award!
THE RULES:
Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
Add these rules to your post.
Answer all the questions below.
Display the award picture in your post.
Nominate 12 other bloggers who are funny, inspiring and most important of all ENTERTAINING!
THE QUESTIONS
Why did you start a blog in the first place? I love writing and since I’m not majoring in anything writing/ reading related in college, I don’t get to write in school, so I figured I would write outside of school
What is your favourite book? I don’t think I have a favorite book but one I read recently and really enjoyed is Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
What do you dislike the most? When people put others down for doing something they want to do
What is your favourite food at the mall? Starbucks? Not too much mall food is vegan..
What is your favourite pasttime? Probably writing, listening to music, or doing like organizational things
Hi everyone, this week has been filled with school, homework, work, and going to the gym so I will update on all of that in the coming days. However, for the past few months (on and off) I have started off the month by writing a few goals for the month, During August I never followed up with them, but since I am finally back in the swing of things, I will be following up again at the end of the month. Let’s get started with my September goals
Finish all of my homework the day BEFORE it is due. My classes don’t start until 12:55 but I don’t want to spend my morning rushing to finish any last minute homework and not make it to the gym or be late to class.
Go to the gym 5 (or more) days a week. I joined a club called CHAARG which is for girls who love working out and fitness and to liberate girls from the elliptical, so that will help with keeping myself accountable, however, if #1 doesn’t succeed, me making it to the gym after class is a rarity
Call or Facetime my family at least twice a month. I call my dad daily to rant about life and to tell him about my future husband I met this week, but I rarely call anyone else. A facetime during a weekend where I get to talk to my parents, sister, and my dog, of course, would be nice.
Practice good hygiene. I’m good about this in the usual aspects: brushing my teeth, using soap, showering etc. however, my skin sometimes needs some TLC. I need to remember to wash my face twice a day and to put lotion on my face and body twice a day as well.
Go to club meetings. One thing I didn’t do in San Diego was join clubs or hell, talk to more than 5 people, so this year, I am making it a habit of joining 3 clubs and going to as many of the meetings that my schedule permits because I want to make friends here, besides my roommate.
I feel weird. Ohio is weird. It’s my first night here and I just feel weird. Maybe it’s the fact that my sinuses are clogged beyond repair or maybe it’s because i feel like a speck of dust floating in the air, but I feel weird.
I am all moved in, my dad has come and gone, and my roommate and I have exchanged some small talk about our home lives and old schools.
However, as I sit here on my new bedding, looking at my tidy desk and 4 dorm walls where I’ll be spending a great deal of my next 9 months, I can’t help but feel weird.
This feeling is one I’ve felt before. It’s the feeling of being in a new place. When you don’t know what to do, so you float, you just float and float and float until you are given a routine or a task or a human plucks you from thin air and says you are not dust anymore.
I don’t want to be dust. I have 2 full days before school starts and I just feel like dust. Sunday will be fine with floor meetings and involvement fairs and scoping out classes.
But tomorrow, what will be of tomorrow? I might just go out and scope out campus, maybe grab a cup of coffee and write until my heart’s content. I don’t know what will be of tomorrow, or the days and weeks to come after; but I know one thing: I do not want to be dust.
Finishing up my back to school series by doing something I love making; lists of goals. Whenever I start something new; a year, a school, a job, etc. I love making a little set of goals for myself. Here are my goals for school this semester
Go to the gym 6 days a week
Drink 64oz of water daily
Get at least 7 hours of sleep each night- Usually, I’d want 8 but let’s be honest
Finish all of my homework before the day it’s due- Usually pertaining to essays and studying
Get 10,000 steps in daily- With my job on the opposite end of campus, this should be no problem
Try not to skip class more than once a month- The goal is not missing at all but it’s bound to happen a few times a semester and that’s okay.
Use my planner!
Visit my professors at least once each- Nothing says dedicated like going to office hours no matter how small the question may seem
Join an extracurricular activity (or 6)- I’ve already got a few ones I I’d like to join, it just depends on whether or not they fit into my schedule
Aim for Straight As
Read a book or two that wasn’t assigned- I love reading but sometimes I find that Netflix and napping are higher on my list of priorities
Hi everyone, tomorrow I am leaving for Tennessee to see the total eclipse (yes, I’m pumped) so I’ll be queueing a post or two while I’m gone to finish up my back to school series because once I get back… I go back to school. I am super excited to go to school and my room looks like target and bed bath and beyond exploded in it. Nevertheless, Poppy and I can still make our way to my bed which, of course, it all that matters.
Now for the fun stuff. I’m usually known as the parents of the friend group because I’m prepared for everything (I’m only the dad too because I handle everyone’s money when we go out to eat). My backpack will be nothing short of a mom’s as well. In my backpack (or purse when school is not in session) I keep an emergency bag of things that may come in handy to me, a friend, or a random somebody in my Spanish class.
Tampon/Pad– This one is sort of a given and you NEVER know when it may strike anyone while wearing white jeans.
Bandaids- Whether you get a paper cut in class or stab yourself with a knife, having a band-aid (or 10) never hurts
Tide stick- I have a long history of spilling on myself and cleaning it right away prevents staining and people thinking that I don’t know where my mouth is.
Hand Sanitizer- For before you eat or you touched a foreign sticky substance.
Tissues- For when September comes and literally everyone starts getting sick
Chapstick- To prevent triple lip in winter months
Writing utensil- For when you lose yours or that really attractive human next to you needs one
Safety pins/bobbiepins- For bad hair days or when your clothes just aren’t cooperating (not pictured because I used the ones I had and my containers of them are already packed away)
Hair ties- When its lab day and your usual hair is missing or it breaks
Brush/Comb- for windy days or class after the gym
Another thing I like to keep in my backpack is a sweatshirt or something for if you have a large spill or its freezing in a lecture hall
Officially one week until I leave for Ohio and 8 days until move in. In honor of this, I would like to share my guide to moving into college. Obviously, every college is different but I’ve talked to a few friends and we all agree that for the most part, these things are universal (at least at our schools). Move in can be a fun time but when you start to stress and your parent(s) does the same it can be less than enjoyable.
Talk to your roommate(s) about what you are bringing- By doing this it can save you from having 2 printers or 2 vacuums or 2 of any bulk item really. Things like toilet paper and paper towels are fine to bring a lot of because they’re cheap, but why spend $200 on a printer when you don’t have to. Also, if your roommate is bringing something big offer to bring something else (my roommate is beginning a printer so I am bringing printer paper and ink).
Talk to your roommate(s) about which side of the room you guys want- This may seem minuscule and odds are neither of you will care, however, trying to make a good first impression can set the tone for the entire year. Always be considerate to your roommate, even with the small things.
Check before you arrive to see if your dorm has an elevator– This will drastically change how you pack. If your dorm has an elevator, odds are you can use bins to haul up all of your stuff to your dorm. However, if your dorm does not have one, you may want to enlist your siblings to come with and to pack a heck of a lot lighter.
Check what you can put on your walls- Will command strips stick? Can you use nails? How much of your walls can be covered? All of these are really good questions to ask when packing for school and avoiding fees at the end of the year.
Bring a door stop- If your door automatically locks, this makes it easier and quicker to open it with constant trips to and from the car. Also, if you keep your door open, people can stop and say hi while moving in so you can make a few new friends.
Get there early- The earlier you arrive on campus, the fewer people that are there so you get first dibs on the move in carts and the elevator. Also, you’ll be done sooner which means you can relax and hang out with your family before they leave.
Pack smartly- Pack desk items together, pack toiletries together, etc. It will make the unpacking and moving in a lot less painful if everything is sorted and neatly in its own place.
Put your bedding on last- When you’re moving in, and your roommates are also moving in, the floor is not a safe space to put your things.When I moved in at San Diego, I threw everything on my bed and then unpacked accordingly. When I was done unpacking, I put my bedding on and then I’m all ready to relax… I mean study.
What other move in tips do you have to make move in day a breeze?
Good afternoon all, and on this installment of my back to school series, I wanted to discuss some ways to prepare for going back to school, whether it be high school, college, grad school, etc. These are some things I find to be most helpful for me when getting ready for back to school
Get on a solid sleep schedule- As much as people love falling asleep at 6 am and waking up at 4 pm, in school, life that just doesn’t work. Start waking up and going to bed earlier and earlier until you are getting a sufficient amount of sleep with hours that work with your schedule.
Develop an exercise routine- As easy as it is to finish class or work and just want to go to bed, exercise is such a great way to relieve stress and stay healthy so no matter what type of exercise you do (walking, running, weight training, biking, etc.) make sure you get in at least 30 minutes every day.
Stay hydrated- This is a given but if you start drinking your 8 cups or so of water each day before school starts (and in general) you’ll be more inclined to be drinking enough water daily, without thinking.
Create a routine- Something that I love having down pact is a morning and nighttime routine. Whether you take an hour for a face treatment or you read before bed, having your routines set before school makes the transition from home to school such a breeze.
Set goals- Whether it be maintaining a certain GPA, joining a new club, or just going to more office hours, setting small goals along the way is a super helpful way to reach longterm goals (getting a job, graduating, etc.)
Use your planner and get ORGANIZED- My planner is my whole life during school. It tells me days off, tests and quizzes, homework assignments, club meetings, everything. Start using it before school and write down any assignments you know you’ll have or university days off so that when school starts you’ll have one less thing to do.
In the next few weeks, 18-year-olds across the country will be road tripping to their new home and beginning the next four years of their lives. When my dad and I flew out to San Diego 2 years ago, I was terrified, excited, nervous, and every emotion in between. The only thing I could base college off were the movies, and that certainly wasn’t easing my mind. To prevent current and future freshman (or transfers) from having their share of mental breakdowns, I’ve decided to compile a post of some misconceptions my friends and I had about college our freshmen year.
High school prepares you for college- In high school I barely studied, missed school once every other week (or more), and didn’t really care about high school in general. I still maintained a 4.2 GPA all 4 years of high school. However, when I got to college I was in for a major shock. In college, you can’t skip class, you have to study, and you HAVE TO care. These things are vital to succeeding, graduating, and getting a job.
Getting classes out of the way early is a good idea- No. I had an 8 am second semester and 2 9ams my first semester. I am a morning person, however, having to sit in a room with words and facts being spewed into your face for an hour really takes the life out of you. On my days where classes didn’t start until 10 or 11, I had much more energy and was able to get little tasks done in the morning like eating breakfast, going to the gym, and organizing myself.
Midterms and finals are hell-If I’m being honest, they do suck. I won’t lie. Having to know a semester worth of information for 5-6 classes isn’t easy, however, it’s not the end of the world. If you’ve been reading your books, attending classes, and studying regularly, finals will be over before you know it.
Everyone parties-This was probably my biggest fear entering freshman year. I’m usually very introverted and I don’t like large crowds (unless it’s a concert) and I’m more conservative when it comes to attire… college parties are not the place for me. I did go out a few times freshman year (first weekend, halloweekend, etc.) but most of my friends and I didn’t go out most weekends and that’s okay.
You won’t make any friends-Join a club or make study groups with people in your classes and you are guaranteed friends. Freshmen (any year really) are always looking for new people to talk to with similar interests. Go out of your comfort zone and start up a conversation and you’ll be sure to have a few new friends.
The food is bad- I don’t know where this rumor started but the food at San Diego (And Ohio from what I’ve had) is really freaking good. There are professional and student cooks who make such a variety of different foods daily to please everyone’s palette. If you can’t find something you like, you aren’t looking.
Greek life is everything- Greek life is a good way to make friends and be social, but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t join a sorority. At my schools and most of my friends’ schools, Greek life is less than 10% of the student body. If you want to go Greek, do it!, But if not, don’t feel pressured.
You’ll never leave the library- First semester, I went to the library twice and the only reason I was there was to print something because my printer broke. If your roommate is quiet enough and you don’t have a lot of group projects, you are given a really nice desk that can work just as well as the library.
You have to know what you want to do as a freshman- Most people enter college with one idea of what they want to do and end up changing it one, two, or ten times before they really know what they want. Don’t fret if you enter undecided!
People instantly mature when they get to college- Have you ever met a college boy?
To all the new college students, I hope this helps. What else are you nervous for or what were you nervous for before starting college?
Hi everyone, sorry it’s been a bit since I’ve posted last. I’ve been getting ready for college and sleeping on the couch with Poppy so I’ve been exhausted. But, here I am, 9 days until I leave for Ohio, excited as ever.
Since I’ve been doing this whole shopping thing, I’ve decided that since I scoured the internet compiling dorm shopping lists, that I would make my own shopping list for people in college or people getting ready to head off to college. I hope you enjoy and let me know if there’s anything you would add.
Hi everyone, I’ve made a few playlists in the past, and I’ve decided that back to school deserves its own playlist. I made 2 playlists: 1 of some pump up songs to get excited for the next 9 months and the other is an ironic playlist… which you’ll see when you take a look at it.
What are some songs that get you pumped for back to school or other new endeavours?
Hi everyone. I’ve decided to do a little back to school series to get everyone just as pumped for the school year as I am. I figure I will kick this little series off with my class schedule for the fall semester. I am a Spanish Education and Spanish Language double major and I’m trying to minor in something but I’m not sure what that will be yet. So, until then, here are my classes for the semester.
For those of you wondering what all of the abbreviations and things mean.
MWF 1255-1:50 Intermediate Spanish 2
MTWF 200-2:55 Beginner Italian 1
MWF 305-4:00 Introduction to Psychology
M 515-8:20 Intoduction to Teacher Education
T 435-5:55 Transfer Learning Community Seminar
W 5:15-8:15 Technological Apps in Education
This class schedule isn’t ideal (unles I’m the biggest partier in the world… which I’m not), however, the 2 classes from 515-820 were mandatory and the only slots open so those had to stay. Also, in San Diego, I took 2 classes on Wednesday: one from 9-1140 and another from 4-640. I hardly ever went to the 4-640 class because after my 9am I would put my pajamas on, take a nap, go to the gym, and do everything I normally do after classes, and then when 330 would come, I would really really really not want to go to class, so half the time.. I didn’t. With this schedule I can wake up later, get lunch, breakfast, homework, and the gym in all before class starts. Then, on some days… I’ll have 7 hours of class, however it’s all in a rw so I have no excuse for missing a class.
Are you in school? What do your classes look like this semester?
Alicia
Good afternoon everyone and welcome to the final post in my super late Peru series. This post is dedicated to one of the best days in my entire life: the day I visited Machu Picchu.
There are physically no words to describe my time at Machu Picchu. My entire day was surreal and went by far too quickly; from waking up at 330 to returning home close to 24 hours later. I met so many people from all corners of the globe and while I would love to say something more about my time, no words can amount to the indescribable day I spent there. So, instead, please enjoy some of my favorite photos from one of the best days of my life.
Well with a title like this, what do you expect? Just this. Rainbow mountain was an experience like no other, for many reasons: the magnificent mountain itself, the amazing people I met along the way, and of course the title of this post.
Rainbow Mountain, or montaña vinicunca in Spanish, is a 3-4 hour hike from 4500m to 5200m in height to the top of a beautiful mountain of colors and many more in the distance.
To be on my way to la montaña de los colores, I had to be awake and ready to go by 330 am. At 315 I was ready and walked down to the Plaza de Armas where I waited for over an hour with another man (who waited longer as we weren’t in the same tour group) until a woman in patterned leggings yelled out my name. I shot up to meet up with her and another couple before boarding our bus to take us to Rainbow Mountain.
Catedral en Plaza de Armas at 330 AM
After stopping for breakfast, getting a talk about the history of the mountain, time limit, and random facts about the area, we were off on our hike. I met a few nice people at breakfast and the bus whom I talked and walked with for a bit. 1 was from San Francisco, 1 from London, 2 from Lima, and one from a small town in Chile. We discussed our travels and lives back home, before myself, and the ladies from Lima and Chile started not being able to breath too well. We trudged on (we were far too gone to turn around and get a horse) but all of a sudden none of could breathe at all, so we sat down. I took a few hits of my rescue inhaler as one of the guides ran to get us oxygen. The 2 guys from San Francisco and London had been all through South America and had done hikes like these frequently throughout the past 6 months. Us ladies, however, had not. Along with the oxygen came some rescue horses for our group and another group of people past the halfway mark.
We all mounted the horses, oxygen in hand, and continued up the mountain.
The horses can’t take you all the way up the mountain, so for final 200m or so we had to walk up to the top (which happens to be the steepest part of the way).
Walking up
Almost to the top
My new friends and I finally made it to the top and with the little breath I had left in my lungs, it had been taken away by the unbelievable sight I witnessed. The colors of the mountains were unlike anything I’d never seen. I know it’s just how the minerals formed, but it was absolutely surreal. I never had seen something so enchanting in my entire life.
I spent about 20 minutes up there, recovering from the rest of the hike up, taking pictures, taking other people’s photos, and just enjoying the earth’s creations.
I finally started my descent from the mountain and made it as far as I could with no horse until, oh yeah, I couldn’t breathe anymore, so I found a horse, and all of my other rescue horse friends, where we descended the rest of the mountain together.
When we made it back to the start of the hike, there were 10 of us in the bus. Our guide came and told us that we would be waiting a minimum of 2 hours for the rest of the people. We all figured that we would just nap until it was time to leave. Luckily, another guide said that he had an empty van ready for us if we wanted to go now. So, the 10 of us (each friend of mine I’d made that day was on the van with me which I thought was pretty ironic) and our guide started back to Cusco, stopping for lunch and then finally back on the road to Cusco, everyone napping on and off until we were each dropped off at our hostels where we had ample water, ample air, and a nice warm bed for the night.
Hi everyone, once I’d finished my time in Lima, I took a 22 hour bus ride to Cusco, Peru. Since I was there for about a week, I’ve decided to make 3 posts on my time there: 1 for Cusco in general, 1 for Rainbow Mountain, and 1 for Machu Picchu.
I would first and foremost like to say that Cusco is a magnificent city, oozing with culture and history alike. I wish I had more than one week in this magical city because my time was not nearly enough (even though I did spend an entire day in bed recovering from Rainbow Mountain and one day recovering from Machu Picchu).
My first full day in Cusco was a Sunday. I made the quick walk from my hostel to Plaza de Armas, where there was a parade. I wasn’t sure what the parade was for, since I arrived in the middle of it, but from what I saw it was very important and there were speeches and flag raising and marching.
my hostel’s mascot
a french canadian woman I met
The view from my window
Tha Cantuta- Peru’s National Flower
my hostel
The view from the room of my hostel
After maneuvering past the parade and all of its viewers, I began walking the streets of Cusco. All through the streets of Cusco there are cafes, hostels, high end stores, and other smaller shops filled with homemade goodies and tourist items.
It’s Always Sunny
The hike back up to my hostel
Mid parade
Alleyway
I weaved in and out of people, exploring cafes, statues, churches, and shops alike looking for gifts for my friends and family along with trips to Rainbow Mountain and Machu Picchu. I ended up finding a trip to Rainbow Mountain for 60 soles at an agency that had a cute cat who felt the need to sit on my lap the whole time I was there. My Machu Picchu trip ended up taking a bit longer to book. When you’re paying $20 USD for something (Rainbow Mountain) it’s a lot different than paying over $200 USD for something, so i knew I needed to compare prices.
After visiting over 12 different travel agencies, I finally booked my Machu Picchu trip. Initially I booked it for 2 days (leave on day 1, Machu Picchu and come home on Day 2) because I had already booked my hostel for the night. However, I accidentally booked my hostel in Aguas Calientes Mexico instead of Aguas Calientes Peru, so I had to do all of the traveling and Machu Picchu in 1 day. It did work out, but I was a little anxious bout it at first.
Once I booked my trips, I enjoyed a celebratory coffee and went back to bed, awaiting the next few days.
Also while in Peru, I was able to meet up with Martina (one of the girls I met while volunteering) and her boyfriend. I helped them book their tours and we explored Cusco and had a couple meals together. It was so much fun to be able to see her once more before returning home and to be able to see her being super cute with her boyfriend.
Happy August everyone. At the beginning of every month, I always see people making goal posts. I always make goals (small and large) at the beginning of each week, month, etc. so I figured I would jump on the bandwagon and post them here.
Finish dorm/school supply shopping
Read 2-3 books
Develop a workout plan for school
Do not spend any money unless absolutely necessary
Drink 64 oz of water minimum daily
Blog 10 times
Pack!
Spend time with friends before we go back to school.
Deep clean my room (my dog sheds so much everywhere so I needs to clean every square inch of my room)
Living off Leesh 