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Stnkrbug

How to Succeed in College: The Ultimate Packing List + Move-in Tips!

I remember one of the scariest parts before leaving for college freshman year was making sure I had everything I needed. I made multiple lists, pinned a ton, and still ended up forgetting things. My mom is the ultimate packer, though, and got the things I forgot (thanks mom!) luckily. My dad, of course, gave me such a hard time about having a lot of stuff, but hey I was prepared for anything. The feeling of forgetting something doesn’t ever go away from me, but once I made a master list of all that I would need for my dorm, I felt a lot better.

Since I found the list so helpful, I decided to make a digital copy for you guys, so you can use it yourselves! I found packing lists on Pinterest to be really useful, but I wanted to make one with all the things I know that I ended up using after Freshman year. Now a senior, I feel like I have the packing thing down pretty well and know what I’ll end up needing!

Below is both a photo and PDF version of the list I made – print it out and use it how you’d like!

I didn’t want to stop there, though, and wanted to give you some tips on moving in, since a lot of people will be doing that soon and are feeling the stress that moving brings! College honestly just feels like a constant state of moving, and I actually just moved myself into my friend’s apartment for the summer, and I’ll be moving into my new apartment in September. Yay moving!!! (I’ve come to hate it so much). Since I’ve been moving so much these past couple of years – in and out of dorms, and my family moved about a year and a half ago – I want to share what really helps me.


1. This may sound obvious, but make sure you stay well hydrated and fed.
Moving is already terrible enough – add in thirst and hunger and you have a recipe for disaster. I will be the first to admit that I get hangry, so for the sake of my family I try and have snacks available so no one (me) starts getting unnecessarily angry. It’s also the worst when you’re super thirsty and having to do a bunch of manual labor (moving is hard!), so make sure you have plenty of water. If anyone is helping you move, it’s also nice to make sure they have food and water!

2. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes.
While moving, you are going to get hot and sweaty. There’s really no getting around that, unfortunately. To help with this, make sure you wear clothes that will let your skin breath, and won’t be super uncomfortable when you’re having to bend down a lot and pick up boxes and move random things. I also can’t stress how important it is to wear comfy shoes! I made the mistake of wearing a newer pair of sandals that I thought were really comfortable but ended up being a little bit too big, so once my feet started getting a little sweaty (hey, it happens), I got a blister on my heal from the friction. By the end of the day, my feet were absolutely killing me, and all I wanted to do was soak them in hot water.

3. Enlist help
Beg, plead, and bribe your friends and family to help you move. It’s hard work, and you’ll be glad you have the help. Like I said earlier, offer to buy them pizza, coffee, or their favorite food to get them to help you. My parents and boyfriend are the sweetest and graciously helped me move, and I know a lot of my friends ask their family to help, too.

4. Start packing well before the move.
I try and not procrastinate on things, but since I hate packing and moving so much I always wait too long to do so. I packed up my apartment a couple of days before I moved, and ended up staying up till, like, three in the morning and moved the next day. Don’t do this! Learn from my mistakes! Start packing a week or two in advance, depending on how much stuff you want to bring to your dorm. Try and make it as easy as possible on yourself, even if you hate packing like I do. I’ve definitely learned my lesson, and since I know I’ll be moving again soon, I haven’t unpacked a ton of my boxes because I know I’ll just have to pack up all of the stuff again.

5. To help with packing, go through your stuff and get rid of anything you don’t use.
I still need to do this, because as I was packing I realized I have a lot of junk that I really don’t need. I especially need to go through my closet, but being at college is weird because you have some stuff at home, and some stuff at your closet at school, and it’s all kind of a jumbled mess. To lessen the load, though, it really helps to go through your stuff and get rid of unnecessary items that you know you won’t be using at your dorm. You can donate the stuff to places like Goodwill, and someone down the road will use it!

6. Label what’s in your boxes, with a lot of detail.
I like to label my boxes with as much detail as possible, and list a lot of what’s in the box. Oftentimes I’ll label bigger items that are in there so I’ll hopefully remember what all I ended up putting in the box. This really helps for the unpacking process so you know where to put which boxes, and so you don’t end up losing anything. Also, it’s really helpful to know if you won’t need to open a box as soon as you get to your dorm, so you can save some time unpacking and spend it getting to know people on your floor, instead.

7. If you can, use a cart or dolly of some sort to move boxes.
Again, this is fairly obvious, but sometimes you have to reserve a moving cart or dolly in advance, so it’s important to keep in mind! Having one of these is really useful and makes the unloading part of moving go a lot smoother and quicker. Alternatively, if you or someone you know has a dolly, definitely ask if you can use it because it makes it easier to move boxes around quickly, and they’re of course a lot lighter to move.

8. Keep your clothes on the hanger and just bag them up.
This is super nice because you can quickly hang them back up in your dorm closet, and you don’t have to waste time folding and unfolding clothes. I did this my freshman year, and I’ve been doing it ever since!

9. Coordinate with your roommate(s) about move-in dates.
If you aren’t already assigned a move-in date and time, make sure you talk to your future roommate and ask them when they’ll be moving in. This is just nice so you know if you should go earlier or later to avoid two people trying to move in at once, each with a ton of boxes. My roommate was assigned an earlier move-in time, so it was really nice to not have to worry about running into someone else moving boxes at the same time.

10. Keep any decorations you’ll want to use soon handy.
I didn’t do this my freshman year, and I really wish I had at least kept my photos handy. I ended up feeling really homesick the first couple of days so it would’ve been really nice to have photos of my friends and family handy. If you know what sort of decorations you want to put in your dorm, make sure to keep them on the top of a box, or somewhere that’s really easy to get to so you can start making the place feel like home! It’s important to do this soon, especially if you’re a person who gets homesick really easily.

Alright, those are my tips on moving into your college dorm, and a packing list! I hope this post was helpful, and that it eases your nerves just a little bit. I remember how I felt freshman year, and it really helped to know I was prepared to move in. It’s crazy that it’s already August, and that people are going to start moving into their dorms soon!

Also, check out the video I did of this below!

Do you have any moving tips?

Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂

Plan With Me | August 2017 Bullet Journal Spread!

As promised with my last post, here is my first bullet journal “plan with me” post! I’m so excited to be doing these every month, and it’s been really fun to spend time on my bullet journal everyday. The creative side of my bullet journal has also started to come out more now that I’m (a little) more experienced.

For the month of August I did a cacti/succulent theme, and was oddly inspired by my sheets! I got them from Target and they’re covered in really cute cacti. Having a desert theme also seemed perfect because we are having such hot weather in Seattle right now. It definitely feels like a desert here!

You can watch the video version of my plan with me below! It was oddly satisfying watching it come together, and seeing how my monthly spread looked like in a time lapse. I’m a sucker for a good time lapse!

Here’s how the cover photo turned out!

I’m really happy with how the cover photo came out! I used a new watercolor set and I really love how vibrant the greens are. Instead of using a black marker again, I decided to use one of my Tombow Dual Brush Pens in purple to write “August.” I love how it turned out with the greens and I used my Signo pen to add some highlights so it didn’t look flat!
The next page is a calendar of the whole month, and I accidentally messed it up so many times! I added an extra “Sunday” on the far right side because I wasn’t paying attention, but it doesn’t look too terrible! I was going to cover it up with some paper, but I unfortunately lost my glue sticks while moving. I need to make a trip to Michael’s soon anyway, so I’ll pick up something to fix it there, along with some new pens 😉 You can never have enough stationary! 
I decided to do this sort of calendar in the beginning of the spread because I found myself needing to look at my phone calendar a lot when doing weekly spreads. I also just like to have a monthly view like this in the beginning so I can see what I need to do and when! Underneath this calendar I put my monthly goals in a smaller section than last month because I didn’t feel like it needed an entire page, and a to-do section for tasks that aren’t really tied to specific dates.

I also decided to do a vertical calendar next to the horizontal one, because I really like how I can put my YouTube and blog to-do’s there, and my personal events on the other column. We’ll see which one I like having better, or if I end up liking both!

The next page is for my habit tracker and mood tracker, and I loved having this in July! Filling in the squares for my habits really helped to keep myself accountable, because I wanted it to be as colorful as possible! It was also cool to see how my mood was throughout the month.

I’m still playing around with the format of the trackers, but I think this is definitely working for now.

Instead of “ideas” I called this page “brain dump,” which I’ve seen a lot of people do! I liked having a page solely dedicated to my ideas last month, but I felt kind of limited in not being able to put quotes, thoughts, or anything other than “ideas” so I’m excited to see how this turns out. 

In the corner of this page I put my social media trackers, and I think it turned out cute with the succulents on top! I kind of like the format of it last month, but we’ll see how this one ends up working. Either way, I really loved this so I could see how I’m progressing throughout the month!
Here’s my first weekly spread! I decided to use potted succulents for the numbers, and I love how they turned out. These were a reoccurring theme throughout the month, so it was fun to bring them into the first week. 
I like adding a “don’t forget” section as well as another small calendar in the corner so I can see where the week is within the month, and so I don’t forget about any tasks that aren’t supposed to be done on a certain day, or something I have to do throughout the month! 
I am absolutely loving the colors this month, and how this green pops throughout the spread. I’m excited to see how my other weekly spreads turn out for the rest of the month! 
I’m glad I decided to go with a succulent/cacti/desert theme for my second month in my bullet journal, because it’s been really simple so far, but also has been allowing me to have a little more creativity. I didn’t want to go too overboard with decoration, so I feel like this is a really great theme to have for that.
What’s your theme for the month of August?

Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂

Why I Started a Bullet Journal + How to Start Your Own!

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of organization, and that I have a mild obsession with my planner. I’ve been seeing bullet journals around Pinterest and Instagram for a couple of years now, and I really don’t know why it took me so long to start one. I decided to finally check into them more, and hours on Pinterest and YouTube later, I had ordered a journal and some notebooks.

I hadn’t known that bullet journals were not only planners, but actual journals as well – silly, I know. I personally have (or had, now) a planner, a separate journal for my thoughts, and another journal for goals/ideas. Obviously I couldn’t carry around all three, so I’d usually just carry my planner around with me. My phone is full of notes and ideas since I didn’t always have my “ideas” journal with me, so it would result in a lot of lists later that I couldn’t really make sense of.

With my bullet journal, I can have designated pages that are solely for lists and ideas, or anything else I’d like to put in there. I really like the creative freedom you can have with bullet journals, and that you can follow the system loosely and make up your own rules. I’ve found it’s been great to sit down on Sunday afternoon and figure out the week ahead, and see what all I have to do. It’s quickly become a part of my weekly and daily routine to set up the week on Sunday and get ready, and then come back after work and update my journal.

Another part I love about bullet journaling are the different “trackers.” Currently I have a habit tracker and mood tracker, and I think next month I’ll add in an expense tracker, too. Visually checking in with my goals for the month and year has been helping so much in keeping myself accountable, and it’s cool to see them fill in. I love filling in those little boxes, so it keeps me motivated, too! This has also been great in setting realistic goals, and also seeing where I can push a little more to set a higher goal.

So far I’ve been keeping my journal relatively simple, but I’m excited to become more creative in the future. I love drawing and painting, so my bullet journal will be a great place to be able to do that in, since I don’t have a whole lot of time to dedicate to that. I really love how you can get super creative and elaborate with bullet journals or keep it simple if you like!

How to start your own bullet journal

I just want to first say that I’m still a beginner at this – so take what I say with a grain of salt! These are just the tips I’ve picked up from all the reading and watching I’ve done about bullet journals. It’s really daunting to set up your bullet journal at first because there’s so many photos out there of really elaborate journals, but it isn’t as difficult as it looks! 
Start with a key


I saw a couple of people do this, and it’s been really helpful! Putting the key on some thicker paper and then taping it into the inside of the cover has been really useful to have it on whatever page I’m on. The actual bullet journal system is easy once you get the hang of it, but it can be a tad confusing at the beginning. I mixed up the “event” and “task” bullet a lot in the beginning – I still do – so this has been really helpful in remedying that.
Move onto the future log


The future log is really important for your bullet journal, because it allows you to see the year at a glance and write in important events. So far I’ve mainly written down birthday’s and holiday’s, but as time goes on there’s more and more to put in the log. I added little doodles for each month to give it some personality, too!

Then, of course, you’ll need an index


This is really self-explanatory, but the index just helps you keep your journal organized. It’s important to keep track of all of the pages so you can come back to important ones, or yearly logs. With the journal I got, the index is already in there, which is super convenient. I left a couple of pages after the pre-made ones just in case I need more, since I’ve heard people run out of space.

Put in any yearly logs you want, or anything else you’ll want to come back to a lot


For these I put in my half-yearly goals and the books that I want to read this year (I still have to integrate these from my good reads account), since I know I’ll be referencing these a lot. It was really nice that I started my bullet journal in July since it means I have an even six months left in the year, and I was able to check in on the goals I set for this year. A lot of people put in pages like “movies to watch” or “things to keep track of,” but you can really put whatever you want. It’s your journal!
With that, here’s my first monthly spread!

I decided to go with a vertical calendar for the month, which was really nice to keep track of my personal life and blog/YouTube stuff, but I did find myself wanting a larger calendar so I had a more wholistic view of everything. Honestly, I’m a calendar junkie so I should’ve known better that I’d be missing it.

Next are my monthly goals and stats. I really like this page since both sections are based around goals, but I feel like I can fit in a third section to fill up more space, whatever that might be. I’ll play around with it next month and see what I’m feeling!

Then we have the trackers, habits and mood. I saw so many people do this, and I love the idea! I’ve been keeping myself so much more accountable because I actually have to track these things on the daily, so I’m much more motivated to follow through with them. The mood tracker is also really cool so I can see how my emotions fluctuate throughout the month depending on what happens in a day.


Finally, in the initial July pages, is the idea page. I intended for this page to be for whatever I was feeling or thinking about, but it actually really is just an idea page, which I both like and dislike. I think for August I’ll turn it into a “brain dump” page, so I feel like I can write more than ideas for blog posts and videos. We’ll see how it goes!
Now time for some of my weekly spreads!

This was my first weekly spread with some little daisy detailing at the bottom. I really loved how the bottom turned out, I thought it added something really cute to the page since it was so blank at first! Like I said earlier, I was trying to keep this month pretty simple, so I didn’t want to go to crazy on the daisy theme. I think less ended up being more this month!

This was my second weekly spread, and I decided to put a little calendar in the corner this time, and I really ended up loving that. I didn’t have to keep looking at the calendar in the future log or on my phone to see a whole view of the month, so it was really nice. It was really quick and simple to do, and added something to the blank corner under Sunday.
Here are some extra pages I added in for the summer!

I wanted to put in a summer bucket list so I could try and actually do some fun things this summer other than work. the title is simple but super cute, and I’m really happy with how it came out! The banner reminds me of the lanes in Brighton when I was studying abroad last summer, and I love the baby blue.

Here’s a closer look! I plan on continuing to add things to the list and (hopefully) checking them off, so we’ll see how it goes!

Just as I want to make sure I do things this summer, I also want to track what makes me happy! I actually ended up added some yellow to the “happy” to make it a little brighter, but overall I’m happy with how simple it is. I want to make sure I’m really present this summer in everything I do, as well as grateful for all of the great things that happen.


These are some of the supplies I’ve been using

I really love this Signo Uni-ball pen! It comes in a pack of three which is really great, and is only $6 so it’s a great deal. This is useful for covering up any little mistakes I make, and it’s also fun to make a little black box and put white text over it to change it up!

I’ve had this Tombow brush pen for a while now, and I love it so much. This one came in a pack of two: one “hard” tip and a “soft” tip pen. It’s really nice that there’s two different pens for some variety, and to use them for different things! 

Sharpie pens have been my go-to pen for years now. I love how fine the tip is and how dark the black is – it’s great for writing small block letters, or adding fine details to drawings or paintings.

I got these washi tapes at Target for around $3 each, and I really love them! They’re different from the regular floral ones (which, don’t get me wrong, I love), so I thought it would be cool to switch things up!

I got these Tombow dual brush pens for my birthday back in April, and they have quickly become some of my favorite art supplies. I’ve been using them like crazy to make cards, and they’ve come in handy just for coloring, writing, and everything in between!

I’ve seen so many people use these Crayola Supertips for their bullet journals, and now I understand why! The 50 pack was only around $10, and all of the colors are so pretty. I love the variation in them, and they’re really great for adding some color here and there throughout your journal. The lighter colors are also great for more subtle colors, too!

And of course, here’s the actual journal that I’m using! I’m so happy with this journal, the pages are thick, and it’s great that there’s already an index in the beginning. The pages are also already numbered, which is really convenient. I haven’t added anything to the cover yet, and I honestly I might just leave it black. I haven’t decided yet!
Alright, that’s that for all of my tips, how to start a journal, and all the supplies I’ve been using! You can watch the video I did on this topic right here! I go more in depth through my spreads, and talk about them a little bit more. Plus, it’s just nice to see a flip through.

I’m so glad I finally decided to start a bullet journal, and that I get to share what I’ve done in mine so far! I’m super excited to share monthly “plan with me” posts and videos, so be on the lookout for that. I actually am in the process of filming my August Plan with Me, which will hopefully be up in a couple of days.
I also decided to finally start a monthly newsletter, so if you want more updates from me, go ahead and put in your email at the top of my blog! I’m not sure when exactly I’m going to be sending those out, but I think it’ll be early in the month, or a couple of weeks in. This is all still new, so it’s a work in progress. Thanks for coming along with me, and thanks for reading a watching! 🙂
Do you have a bullet journal?

Have a great day! 🙂

This post contains affiliate links.

Seven Summer Essentials!

Summer has officially hit here in Seattle, and it keeps getting warmer and warmer. I’m so happy that it’s been a really sunny summer so far, and honestly this 70 degree weather has been pretty nice. I can go outside and comfortably eat my lunch without getting too cold or hot, and the weekends have been perfect for hiking, going to the beach, or doing anything outside!

With how busy I’ve been doing fun things, (keep up with me on Instagram to see!) I wanted to share with you my summer essentials! I was inspired to do this post by Warby Parker and their new sunglasses collection – definitely check them out because they have some really cute styles right now! I’ve been a fan of their glasses for a while now, especially since I had to get glasses of my own recently, after years of swearing I had perfect vision. I guess that’s what five years of blogging does to you 😉
1. Polaroid camera
 
I invested in a polaroid camera a couple of months ago, and I’m so glad I did! It’s so nice to be able to print photos right then in there, instead of just keeping them on your phone and computer, and never having them in person. I also love the “vintage” quality of the photos, and there’s so many cute ways to display them! You can easily turn them into a focal point in your room, and hang them up wherever you want.
2. Versatile eyeshadow palette
 
 
If you read my last post, you saw that I got the Jaclyn Hill x Morphe Palette! It’s perfect for the summer – and all year round, honestly – since it has some really pretty turquoise colors, as well as a warm shades. You really get it all with the palette! If that’s not your cup of tea, though, there’s plenty of palettes out there that are perfect for summer, like the Urban Decay Heat palette.
 
3. Comfy pair of shorts
 
 
I went to Pacsun this weekend and got a couple of pairs of shorts, and they’re so comfy! They’re mom jeans so they’re high wasted, which is perfect for summer since there’s so many crop tops to wear. I’ve been needing jean shorts for so long now, so I’m really glad to have picked up a couple of pairs! I’m really picky with them because I wear them a ton over the summer, so it’s super important to me that I can wear them for the whole day..
 
4. Comfy sandals
 
 
I have had Birkenstock tan lines for probably three consecutive years now because I wear them year round. I wish I was kidding, but there’s also a little part of me that’s proud of the lines. They’re seriously the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn, though, and I highly suggest looking into them if you haven’t before! There’s also a lot of cute sandals at Target right now, I recently got a pair for around $20 and they’re really comfy!
 
5. Cute swimsuit – bikini or one piece
 
 
I finally got a one piece this year that has a really low back, and I absolutely love it! It’s really convenient to just wear with a pair of shorts over them if I’m walking around but want to swim later, and it honestly just looks like a cute body suit. The plus side is I don’t even have to wear a bra, so it’s a win win. A staple swimsuit is definitely a summer essential though, even if you don’t live by the beach. They’re great to wear while tanning, going to the lake, or swimming in a friend’s pool! You don’t have to break the bank to find a cute one, either, which is great.
 
6. Sunglasses
 
My eyes are really sensitive to light, so a great pair of sunglasses is definitely a must! They’re also great to add a little something to a more plain outfit, and of course they’re really useful on bright summer days. The great thing about sunglasses is there’s an option for everyone, and you can spend as much or as little money as you want on them, since pretty much most clothing stores have them.
 
7. A bag to hold all of these things
 
 
A nice, big bag is definitely a summer essential, especially if you’re having a beach day, or are going somewhere you need to carry all of these things in. I like to just get a large bag from Forever21, or Nordstrom in the BP section because they aren’t too expensive and they have so many cute options. It’s also nice to have a smaller bag in addition to a larger one, in case you’re going to an amusement park, or somewhere you can’t bring a large bag.
Alright, well there are seven of my summer essentials! I’m so excited for the rest of summer, and I definitely hope it’s filled with lots of bonfires, beach days, and warm summer nights.
What are some of your summer essentials?
 
Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂
Not all photos are mine.
This is NOT a sponsored post.

Jaclyn Hill x Morphe Palette | Swatches, Review, and a Look!

I’ve been a fan of Jaclyn Hill for at least four years now, so when she announced that her palette was finally coming out, I was super excited. She’s been working on it for two years now, so the anticipation was definitely high! I bought my palette right at 8 a.m. on the launch date and it came in the mail last week. I filmed a video that afternoon, which you can watch below!

Of course I wanted to do a blog post on it as well and share some photos and swatches! I definitely wasn’t thinking, and didn’t actually take photos of all the swatches, so I had to screenshot them from the video – sorry! I took photos of the palette itself though, and of the look I created using the palette.

I did both brush and finger swatches!

Swatches from the first row

The rest of row one
Row two
Row three
Row four
Row five

The finished look I created!
Overall, I really love this palette! Sometimes the matte colors were a little bit splotchy when I swatched them, but I think it was a combination of me not having enough product on my finger, and the fact that they’re so buildable. They weren’t splotchy at all on my eyes, and they builded up so nicely. They also blended really well! It was super effortless to create this look, and I was so impressed with the shimmers in this palette. They went on so well with both finger and brush.
I really love all of the colors, too! Even though there’s a couple colors in the palette that look really similar on my skin, I do appreciate that there are a couple of options to similar shades. There’s so many looks you can create, and it’s definitely a palette I’ll be bringing with me when I travel so I can have options with the looks I want to create. There’s so many neutral looks you can make, as well as more bold, smokey looks. I’m really glad I have this because I definitely don’t have a palette that’s this big and versatile!
This is the first Morphe palette I’ve gotten, and I’m impressed, so I’ll probably try more Morphe products in the future. The only thing I wish this palette had is a mirror so I could get ready literally anywhere. I have other mirrors, though, so it isn’t too big of a deal. That probably would’ve made the price go up, too, so I can’t complain too much! 
This palette retails for $38, but there’s so many coupon you can find through Morphe affiliates on YouTube, and Jaclyn herself has one which is JACATTACK (I’m not sponsored to say this!). This code gets you 10% so definitely use it! The palette is sold out right now, but will be restocked on Tuesday, July 18th at 8AM PST! I recommend getting this palette whether you are a fan of Jaclyn or not – you will not be disappointed!
What do you think about the palette?

Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂
This is NOT a sponsored post, and all opinions are mine!

Dear Junior Year

My junior year of college has come to a close, and it’s been a crazy year. This was definitely the most difficult year so far – my classes were tough, my schedule was busy, and trying to stay afloat was a struggle. I made it out, though, and I’ve learned a lot. Since it’s over, I wanted to do another “Dear __________ year” because I did that for freshman year and sophomore year.

Dear Junior Year,
I was almost crushed by you. Not only was the academic side of you hard, but all of the real-life things were rough, too. My classes had a workload unlike any other year, and I had to start answering some questions about my future, and think seriously about what I want for my life. That’s not an easy thing to do as a 21 year old. Who knows where I’ll end up in life? Have a plan, you told me, and for most of the year I tried to come up with one.
Well, I did and didn’t succeed, but some things I do have now are options and ideas. I have a couple of thoughts about what I want to do after college, and I don’t know which one I’ll end up following, but you taught me that’s okay. See, you pushed me to think about these things so I’d be comforted in the fact that I’ll be able to figure it out, and I understand that now. After many breakdowns and panic attacks, I’ve found (some) comfort in the unknown, and it’s a little bit exciting. Instead of being stressed about the future, you taught me to be excited about it.
While you were stressful, long, hard, and gruesome, Junior Year, you also gave me so much happiness. You brought people – especially one in particular – into my life that have changed it for the better. I made so many memories with new and old friends that I’ll truly cherish forever. I can’t think of better people to have spent the year with, honestly, and you were there to put them in my life. Everyday I’m reminded by how lucky I am to have people in my life whom I love so much, and give my life so much more meaning.
You have made me stronger, and though I doubted myself – a lot – you also taught me that it’s okay to have off days, sometimes off weeks, and that the sunlight always finds its way back in through the cracks. I made it through the challenges you gave me, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The outcomes from all of these trials are worth way more than the stress they caused, and I’m thankful for all of the mistakes and hardships I went through. My life is better now, because of you, and I have a better idea of who I want to be. I learned that it will most certainly take even more time and even more hard work to get to where I want to be one day, but you taught me that it’ll be worth it, in the end.
Love,
Stnkrbug

How to Succeed in College: Surviving Finals

You’ve probably noticed that I haven’t been posting very often, but I’ve been so busy with studying for finals – go figure. This quarter was one of the busiest I’ve had at the University of Washington, and because of that my blog and channel have suffered slightly. I’m going to have a busy summer as well but I’m trying to get a hold on my schedule early so I can keep up to date. I have a couple of weeks before I start to get super busy, so I’m going to be getting ahead of the game!

As you’re ending the term for your school, I’m sure the scariest part is all of the finals you have to take. It can be so daunting to study for multiple tests, and you’ll probably end up feeling like a zombie. I’ve done a post on how to survive finals, but I really wanted to do an updated one in the “How to Succeed in College” series, especially since I’ve been studying like crazy these last couple of weeks. So, here are my tips!

1. Write down when each and every one of your finals are.
This may seem super basic and obvious, but it’s a great place to start and keep coming back to. If you need reminders, write them on sticky notes and post them around your desk, or wherever you’ll see them a lot. This really does help – it’s so easy to get unorganized and lost while studying for finals, because you’re just focused on reviewing content.

2. Actually make study guides.
I remember doing this in high school was always so annoying, but it can be so useful in college. When you’re writing down all of the topics from your classes, you can get a feel for which ones you need to study more on, and which ones you know really well. It’s also great to have a reference that you can go over when you’re doing simple things like eating breakfast, or even walking to class (if you take a photo of it on your phone, which I highly recommend!).

3. Prioritize your time.
This can be with what you study for certain classes, as well as which finals you study the most for, and when you actually study for them. If you get a head start on studying for your finals that you have first, you’ll have more time to study for finals that come later in the week. It’s super difficult when you have multiple finals in a day, or one after the other, so it’s important to schedule time to study for each different class. I definitely struggled with this Freshman year, so it’s something that just takes a lot of practice and a lot of tests! Also, it really helps to have a planner to organize your time!

4. Block social media websites, and delete the apps if you get distracted easily.
I know a lot of people who actually block websites that they go to often, as well as delete apps on their phones so they don’t get distracted. This is a really great solution if you get side-tracked easily while studying, or you find yourself constantly checking your phone and computer. I personally don’t do this, but it does work well for a lot of people.

5. Change up where you study.
If you are getting tired of the scenery you’re studying in, try simply changing it up by going somewhere else. Getting bored of a certain location that you’re studying in can happen, so try studying in your room, other living spaces, different libraries, cafes, or other buildings around campus. If I’m feeling super burnt out for studying, it really does help me to go somewhere else. This really helps to keep your mind stimulated, and focus on studying!

6. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep.
“Sleep” and “finals” don’t often go together, but it’s important to try and get enough rest during the week. I’ve learned the hard way this quarter just how important sleep is; you end up doing better on tests, and you have more energy to finish up homework. It really does pay off to take the extra time to go to sleep early, or take a nap throughout the day so you can feel refreshed.

7. Make study groups with friends.
Studying with classmates can be really beneficial if you’re struggling in the class, and even when you know the content really well. Chances are you each will have stronger grasps on different parts of the class, so you can teach other in order to fill in those gaps. Also, when you are teaching someone else a concept, you end up really solidifying it in your head, which helps you out in the long run. It can also help to make you feel less alone and therefore less stressed, because you have others to talk to about the test!

8. Stay positive.
This might not seem too important, but it’s really easy to focus on the negatives during finals. If you find yourself really down, try and think of the positives, like being done with finals and relaxing! Spring quarter/term finals can be really tough because you’re thisclose to summer, and finals can feel like they’re absolutely dragging along. Just remember that this is the last step before summer, and that you really are close.

9. Listen to classical music to help you study, or any other study music that helps.
I find that listening to classical music, study music, and even soundtracks to movies (Harry Potter is my favorite choice, of course), really helps me stay focused. If I listen to music with lyrics I find myself just humming along to those, but if it’s instrumental music, I can better focus. This is especially useful if you’re in a busy or loud place, like a cafe, but you still want to sit there and study. It’s been proven that classical music helps, so definitely give it a try if you have trouble focusing! You can literally just search “study music” on YouTube, and they have videos that last for literal hours.

10. Take plenty of breaks.
It can be easy to just drone along and study for hours on end, but it’s really important to take small breaks every now and then. Bring along a book to the library to read, listen to your favorite music, take a nap, waste some time on the internet, talk to your friends – do whatever helps you take your mind off of studying. Don’t feel like you have to be constantly studying, because this can make you burn out really quickly. You’ll lose steam, and the studying you’re doing won’t actually be very productive. Make sure you’re scheduling in breaks!

Alright, there’s 10 tips on how to survive finals in college! Just remember that you’ll survive, and it’s alright if you don’t do well on a test – don’t be too hard on yourself! College really is a learning process, and I promise it gets easier.

What are your favorite ways to study?

Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you’re having a wonderful day! 🙂

NOT ALL PHOTOS ARE MINE.

I’m Turning into My Mom

I’m turning into my mom, and that’s really not a bad thing. My mom is a strong, confident woman who always speaks her mind. When I was younger I was always amazed by this, and I wanted to grow up and be like her. While I am not as outspoken as she is, I’m definitely working on it. She speaks out with grace and passion, and isn’t afraid to show how she feels. My mom has always supported me in whatever I do, and I’ve grown up with a best friend who’s always been there for me.

There’s so much stigma about “turning into” our parents, but for me that has never been a bad thing. If I end up half as strong of a woman as my mom, I’ll be happy. I don’t know how she does everything that she does, while still being such a wonderful person and mom. She is so kind and selfless, it truly does amaze me. She treats all people the same, and will show the same kindness to a stranger as one of her closest friends.
I don’t think it’s a bad thing to turn into our mothers, or at least be influenced by them. They selflessly took care of us as children, and oftentimes still do so much for us when we’re adults. There’s no love like the kind mothers have for their children, it’s one of the most beautiful things in the world. They carry us for nine months, but end up carrying us through the rest of our lives, too. Once we’re old enough to go out on our own, they still support us from afar, and constantly worry about our well being.
There’s so many ways mothers say “I love you,” through asking if we’re eating enough, sleeping enough, how we’re doing, what our plans are for the future, and so much more. They care about you like no one else, and love you more than anything. My mom certainly cares for my brother and I in a way that I hope to have for my children one day, and I’m eternally grateful for her. She made me feel so loved growing up, and when I’m having a rough day the one voice I always want to hear is hers. I know I can call her up regarding anything; if I have happy news she’ll be the first one to congratulate me, and if I’m having a horrible day she’s also the first to console me.
As I’ve grown older I’ve noticed how similar my mom and I are, and I’m grateful for it. She taught me to be strong and speak out against the things I feel aren’t right. She always tries her hardest to succeed, and she fights for what she believes in. I’m thankful to call her mom, and I’m happy that I grew up with her influence. We’re still different, of course, because we are different people and she taught me to be my own person, but we’re similar in the best ways possible.
I love you Mom, and happy Mother’s Day 🙂 

You’re More than a Pre-Existing Condition | “Slam” Poem

It’s probably obvious that I love writing, since I have a blog and everything, but I’ve never really shared any of that writing on my blog, or my channel. I’ve never actually done a slam poem before, but I was inspired by all of the talk about pre-existing conditions, and the possibility that health insurance will be affected by them (in the US). 
As someone with “pre-existing conditions, this news is upsetting. It’s unfair that people should be judged and labeled based on diseases they were born with, or disorders they have no control over. Why should that affect the care that people receive? We don’t have a choice in these matters, it’s all up to our genetics. Yes, sometimes diseases can be caused by our actions, like lung cancer, but many of the “pre-existing conditions” are out of people’s control.
Not only are people of all ages affected, but parents of newborns with these conditions are suddenly forced to face the consequences of paying more for their child’s health insurance, on top of the sheer costs of having a child. All of this talk about “pre-existing conditions” just perpetuates labels, and further makes an “other” category for people in society who are facing hardships and suffering. We should help these people, not force them to deal with their problems in an even more isolated way.
Who are we to judge someone based on something they’re born with and have no choice about? Being able to judge someone because of a condition they are born with make it that much easier to judge them on a more personal level. We’re all different, and instead of letting those differences divide us, we should try and let them connect us and learn from each other.
I obviously have a lot of thoughts about this, so I made a slam poem about it. This is my first one I’ve ever made, and I’m loosely calling it a “slam” poem since I still needed to look off of a paper for a lot of it! I didn’t have time to memorize it before I had a chance to film, but since I really wanted to get the video up, I went ahead and used the paper for reference. If you want to watch the video, you can do so below! I hope you enjoy!

Why I’m Happy I Didn’t Join a Sorority

Happy Friday! It’s actually a pretty nice day here in Seattle, so it’s starting to feel like Spring! I really need to get some good vitamin D soon, because all of this rain and cloudy weather is seriously making me feel so blah.

As this year is coming to a close, I was reflecting back on what this time was like during my senior year of high school, and what all has happened these past three years at college. I found myself talking to my friends the other day about Greek life, and I remembered the decision I was struggling to make just three years ago, about whether to join a sorority or not. Since I’ve never talked about it on my blog, I decided today I would do just that! I feel like a lot of bloggers out there are really involved in Greek life, and that’s great! I just wanted to bring a new perspective to the table, and show people that it isn’t the only option in college, and that you can still find really great friends and a wonderful place to fit in.

When I went to the “accepted students tour” at the University of Washington, I saw that there was a panel on Greek life (basically, sororities and fraternities). I was interested about it and read further about all of the sororities on campus. I had never really thought about rushing before, and I had just assumed that I would find a roommate and live in the dorms. I had never really had any exposure to Greek life; my family doesn’t have some long line of being in a certain sorority, and none of my friends who had gone onto college had ended up joining sororities.  The idea of having a group of girls you could be close with sounded really great to me, so I started to think about possibly rushing.

A couple of girls in my orientation group had decided they were definitely going to rush. We were all on the same level, though, and none of us had joined sororities. They were nice, and we quickly became friends. They were fully consumed in wanting to rush, and were extremely excited to find their sorority. The prospect of living in a house with upwards of forty girls didn’t scare them, like it did me. At the time of my orientation I had already been talking to my future roommate on the roommate finder app my school had (it was seriously like online dating!), so I was pretty sure I was going to live in a dorm.

Still, though, a little part of me wanted to rush and join a sorority. I don’t have any sisters, so I thought it would be cool to experience what that was like. However, I am an introvert, and the idea of living with a ton of girls, and having to be energetic and sociable didn’t appeal to me. It seemed a little overwhelming the sheer amount of events sororities hold, and a lot of work as well. I like alone time, and peace and quiet when I get stressed out, and I didn’t think I would get that in a house full of girls.

I thought a lot about the possibility of rushing throughout orientation; I met a lot of different girls with a lot of different opinions about rushing. By the end of orientation, I decided I didn’t want to rush, and my friends who did quickly lost contact with me. I don’t hold any grudges about that, our lives are very different, and we made other friends with similar interests. It was a little disappointing that they decided they didn’t want to remain friends with me once the school year started, just because I wouldn’t be involved in Greek life.

When I got to school in September, I had so many mixed feelings. I was upset about leaving my family (especially my dogs!) for an extended amount of time, since I never had before, but I was also really excited to finally have some freedom. Ultimately, I’m really glad I was able to go through these emotions in a dorm room with my one roommate, instead of a giant house filled with a lot of noise and other people.

The dorms were quiet at first – people were nervous to open their doors and interact with others when it was their first day of college. That nervousness was broken, however, with a night of Cards Against Humanity in the lounge. We all got to know each other, and I made friends I’m still close with today – I actually met my boyfriend that night even though we wouldn’t go on to date until December of 2016! Dorms most made me nervous because I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to make friends or that people would be really closed off. My floor was the opposite, though, and a lot of us kept our doors open most of the time so we could all hang out. We all quickly became close, and I found girl friends who I could talk to and spent most of my time with. I had found the connections I wanted from a sorority, without going through all of the other factors I had no interest in.

My experience not joining a sorority has been great; I have found great friends, and joined clubs that allow me to be as social as I want to be, and I’m so happy I lived in the dorms for the first two years for college. There is absolutely nothing wrong with joining a sorority if you think that’s what you want, but if you’re wanting to make friends in college, it definitely is not the only option out there. Don’t let what your friends are doing influence you, it isn’t bad not to join one.

What’s your take on Greek life vs. dorm life?

Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂