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Category: Lifestyle

How to Succeed in College: Mental Health

Stress, anxiety, and depression affect so many people, and it’s extremely prevalent in college students. I’m sure if you’re a college student, or have been before, you completely understand why. Between classes, homework, studying, and trying to have fun, it’s easy to not make your mental health a priority. Going into college, I definitely underestimated how much stress I would be under and how it would affect me. I’ve always been a pretty anxious person, but college definitely made it a lot harder to deal with.

Through all of this, though, I learned how to become stronger, and how to calm myself down when it all gets to be a little too much. I also learned how important it is to make sure you are not only physically healthy, but mentally healthy. Mental health is something that more and more people are talking about, but there’s still stigma surrounding it, especially when many college students want to appear as if they are just fine at balancing everything in their lives. It’s also really important to talk about right now with the popularity of 13 Reasons Why!

In my new series, How to Succeed in College, I knew I wanted to do a post all about mental health, so here it is! I’ll be giving you my tips on how to make sure your mental health isn’t suffering, and how to not let the stress of college get to you too much.

You can also watch my video about it here!

Preventative Measures
1. Try and organize your schedule as much as possible.
If you read my last post in this series, Balancing Work, Classes, and Fun, you know how organized I like to keep my schedule. I can’t stress how helpful this is; if you’re anxious like I am, it’s nice to know what I have to do, when I have to do it, and where. There’s no worse feeling than thinking you’re forgetting something, because that just makes you worry even more than you probably already are. Getting a planner and writing your schedule down in it is super helpful, as well as keeping track of work, assignments, tests, and due dates. I usually have my planner with me, and I also use Google calendar so I have my schedule on my phone for the times I don’t have my planner.
2. Try and get assignments done early, as well as study early.
This is so much easier said than done while in college. Chances are if you aren’t doing homework or studying, you’re working or in class. When you’re struggling with your mental health, though, it’s nice to get things done early so you have time to focus on relaxing and unwinding from the day. I’ve been trying to do this lately, and it’s really made a difference on the amount of stress I put on myself. When I get my assignments done a couple of days before they’re due, I have ample time to look over them and change things if need be, as well as be at ease that I won’t be missing a deadline.
3. Get enough sleep.
Again, this is a lot easier said than done in college, but trust me it helps a lot. When I’m tired I’m so much more cranky and can’t focus on the tasks at hand, and my mind feels like it’s in 1,000 places at once. I like to try and get at least 8 hours of sleep per night, but that hardly ever happens. When I at least get 7 I can function a lot better, but a lot of times this is difficult to do. If you find that it’s hard to have time to sleep for 8 hours, try and take a short nap during the day, to do a mini reset on your mind. This helps me a lot, because I’m able to focus more on the homework I have to get done, instead of yawning the whole time.
4. Workout as much as possible.
I feel like I mention working out in any of my “wellness” posts, but that’s only because it helps me so much. When I workout everyday, my mind is able to focus so much better, and I’m just a generally happier person. My parents joke that I woke up on the wrong side of the bed if I don’t workout in the mornings when I’m home for breaks, which is probably true. I get so cranky when I don’t workout because I feel so much more anxious during the day; being able to clear my head for an hour in the morning and only focus on my workout and how I’m physically feeling is so wonderful. I’m not worrying about anything else in my life because I’m so focused on the task at hand and my mind is occupied. 
What to do When You Feel Overwhelmed
1. Get your mind off of what you’re stressing about.
When you’re extremely stressed out or are feeling overwhelmed, it’s really important to give your mind a break. This can be hard to do, because you feel like if you stop stressing about something, or stop focussing on it you’ll fall behind in some way. If you give yourself a break, though, and focus on something else, you’ll feel a lot better. Read a good book, take a nap, watch TV, anything that helps you relax. This will give your mind a small reset, and you’ll most likely have a different perspective on the issue you were facing before. I end up doing this all the time – I’ll stress and stress about something, and force myself to get my mind off of it for a while, and when I go back to the thing that was stressing me out, I find that it’s much more manageable because my view on it has changed. It’s no longer as scary or overwhelming, and I feel like I can actually solve the problem, or get it done if it’s a task.
2. Talk it out.
It can be hard to talk about the things that are stressing you out, but it can also be extremely helpful. Whenever I feel like I have about 5,000 things going on at once, I call my parents or talk to my friends about what’s stressing me out. I don’t know if it’s them giving me advice, or just the fact of me talking through my anxiety that is most helpful, but either way it ends up making me feel a lot better. They offer a new perspective, and my parents are especially good at helping me feel less anxious since they have almost 21 years of experience with talking me down from my stress. Try it at least once; talk to your friends when you’re freaked out over tests, or are just generally really stressed out, because chances are they feel the same way, or have in the past, and can probably offer some great advice.
3. Get some fresh air.
Feeling anxious, depressed, or just generally unwell can make you feel like you’re cramped. I know I always feel like this when I’m feeling especially anxious, and I have found that getting outside and getting some fresh air helps leaps and bounds. Being in a large open area helps stop the feeling of being swallowed up by both my stress and whatever room I’m in, and it also helps to clear my air. Even if you aren’t a super outdoorsy person, getting fresh air can be great for helping you feel better. You’ll most likely be able to get your mind off of the stress, even for just a couple of minutes, and it will help change your perspective.


4. Change your scenery.
Similar to the last point, getting out of the space you’re in can also help change your state of mind. If you’ve been studying (and probably stressing) in the library forever, or your own room, try and go somewhere else. This will stimulate your mind in different ways, and sometimes it’s just great to have a different view. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in anxiety, stress, and depression when you’ve been sitting in the same place forever, or if you are always in the same space day in and day out. Switching up the place where you spend most of your time can be really helpful. Your mind has muscle memory, and you’ll start associating a certain place with certain emotions, so if you tend to feel anxiety or especially depressed in one place, try and go somewhere else.
5. Laugh.
This seems obvious, or even a little ridiculous, but I can’t tell you how much it can help. One of my professors who has a doctorate in psychology told my class that even just smiling at yourself in the mirror can help you feel happier, so try this out. You will feel absolutely ridiculous at first, but it truly does help. Trick your brain into thinking you are happy – it actually does work – and you will feel less anxious. Watching a show that you know makes you laugh, or talking to people who always makes you laugh will help you to get out of your head and just have a good laugh.
6. Make some art, or do something else you love.
For me, watercolor is something that immediately sets my mind at ease. It’s relaxing, and makes me focus purely on creating, something that I love to do. Art is extremely relaxing, and it doesn’t matter if you have a lot of experience, or none at all. When you’re stressed or anxious, get some paper, paint (or pens if you don’t have paint) and just create. This puts your mind at ease, and trying to think of something to paint or draw will take your mind off of whatever is causing your uneasy mind. If art really isn’t your thing, then do something else that you love and relaxes you. As long as it makes you happy, it will make you feel even a little bit better.
Mental health can be hard to balance and handle while in college. It’s extremely important to take care of yourself, and treat yourself kindly when you’re feeling stressed, anxious, depressed, or just generally unwell. While all of these tips are great for helping you deal with stress and anxiety, if you ever feel like hurting yourself, or you see someone you care about harming themselves, reach out for help. There is no shame in needing to talk to a professional, or take medication that helps you control any sort of mental health struggle. Resources like Suicide Prevention LifelineCrisis Clinic, or The Trevor Project are all great organizations to contact if you feel like it is an emergency.

I hope you are having a wonderful day, and remember that you are worth it 

The BEST Dry Shampoo! | Pret-a-Powder Review

Having dark hair is sometimes the best and worst thing. Don’t get me wrong, I love the color of my hair, but it can be frustrating finding a dry shampoo that works with it. And, of course, my hair tends to get oily pretty quickly since I have a lot of hair, but the strands are fine. It’s strange because I have really dry skin, but my hair is the complete opposite. I used to wash my hair every single day, which is really bad, so I had to train it one summer to be able to wash it every other day, even with working out every morning. It’s gotten a lot better, but still gets a little oily on the days I don’t wash it.
The amount of dry shampoos I’ve tried is ridiculous; I’ve tried both salon and drugstore brands, and nothing really seems to make a difference and just ends up making my scalp itchy. I was watching one of Ingrid Nilsen’s videos and she mentioned the Bumble and Bumble Pret-a-Powder, and for some reason it still took me a couple of months to buy it. So, fast forward a couple of months, and I was in line at Sephora and saw this product in the “Beauty to go” section and decided to buy it. The small size is only around $15 so it’s not too bad! Here are my thoughts on the product:

When I first tried this product it literally looked like I had dumped a bunch of translucent powder on my hair, and I was worried it wouldn’t work itself in at all. After a couple of seconds of massaging my scalp and brushing my hair, the powder started to disappear, along with my oily roots! I was impressed with how quickly it blended in with my hair, and it didn’t make my roots look gray at all.

The smell was also really refreshing, and made my hair smell like I had just washed it, which is a huge plus when your hair is feeling a little limp and blah. It isn’t too fragrant, and I noticed that the smell lasted the whole day, and until the next morning when I washed my hair. I am a huge fan of nice smelling hair products, I don’t know what it is, but if something works well but doesn’t smell the best I’ll try and find something else that both works and smells nice. Call it one of my quirks, but I realize that it’s a bit ridiculous.

As well as being a dry shampoo, this powder also adds a lot of texture and volume to your hair, which is just what you want when it’s the second day and your hair is feeling a bit limp. I honestly will add the powder to my hair even on the same day I wash it if I feel like I need a little bit more texture. This really helps when I curl my hair and want the roots to have some volume since the strands are a bit weighed down from hair spray, and the fact that my hair tends to fall flat the minute I start touching and fixing it. My hair is able to hold its volume a lot better when I add this to the roots, and it’s also great when I want to do a messy hairstyle and need some extra texture!

Overall, I’m super satisfied with this product and have finally found a dry shampoo that works with my hair! I won’t be switching anytime soon, and I can even get away with washing my hair every three days if I don’t feel like washing it one day. I definitely recommend trying this product, especially just the travel size since it isn’t too much of a commitment. It actually lasts for a long time, too, which is great! I’m still on this little bottle and it’s been about two months now.

You can also check out the video review I did of this product, if you’d like!

What’s your favorite dry shampoo?

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

This is NOT a sponsored post, and all opinions are my own.

How to Succeed in College: Balancing Work, Classes, and Fun

As I’m sure you know, I am a junior in college, and lately it feels like it’s flying by. This year I have felt a definite shift in how busy I am and the work load I have for classes; things are starting to get serious, and while it’s very scary, it’s also pretty exciting. I’m starting to figure out what I want in life, and I feel like I’m finally getting a feel for balancing my life with everything that is in it – classes, work, clubs, and a social life. Because of this, I thought it would be fun to do a whole series about it on my blog, especially since there are a lot of people starting to think about their first year in college in September!

For the first post I’ll be talking about how to balance your schedule, especially if you have a part-time job and want to have time for studying and having fun. It can be difficult, but it can definitely be done. Here’s a couple of tips on how to get done, and what I do to keep my schedule balanced!

1. Get a planner and write in it religiously.
I’m sure you’ve seen those people in your classes who whip out their planners anytime the professor mentions any sort of date, but let me tell you, those people are ahead of the game. During my junior year of high school I started using my planner more, and once I got to college I made it a point to write everything down in it, because it helped me figure out the times I would be working, studying, going to class, or hanging out with friends. It can be difficult to remember to write everything down in your planner, but once it becomes a habit, you won’t think twice about writing all your important dates down in it. I also like to sit down on Sunday or Monday and write down my work schedule and any other time commitments in my planner so I already have those dates in my head and I don’t forget anything. This also makes it a lot easier to figure out the free time I have to have fun!

2. Additionally, make a to-do list for the week in your planner, or another notebook.
Whether those involve homework goals, errands you have needed to run for weeks now, or groceries you need to buy, this is super helpful for getting things done. It can be so easy to forget to get tasks done in college because you’re extremely busy, but I find doing this helps to make sure I don’t accidentally miss a due date for a class, or get swamped in random things I’ve needed to get done for weeks. This is also great to write down anything you need to get done for work, or anything you can do in advance to help clear up your schedule later.

3. Dedicate a certain amount of time to each part of your life.
Blocking off time for things like studying, doing homework, or having fun can be extremely helpful for balancing all areas of your life. This helps break your life up into a routine that will get more and more natural over time, so you’re able to do all of the things that you want to do, while still getting the things you need to do, done. For me, I make sure I spend the time I have between classes doing homework, and if I don’t have any to do, I will usually call my parents to make sure they know I am alive and well. I also usually have a lot of time during work to study (it’s a campus job, so it’s more geared towards students, which is really nice!), so I know that I’ll get a lot of that done during my shifts throughout the week. After work I give myself some de-stressing time, and will usually watch something like Friends or Parks and Rec – something that doesn’t need a lot of attention. It’s so important to give yourself these structured times to get things done, that way you know you’ll have time to give yourself a break both mentally and physically.

4. If you’re looking to get a job, try and find a campus job.
Getting a campus job is super helpful for students, because oftentimes your boss understands that sometimes you’ll have to have a shift covered due to class conflicts, midterms, or just needing more time for studying. My boss gives us all dead week off in order to have ample time to study, and so we don’t have to worry about devoting too much time to work rather than doing homework and such. This really helps alleviate stress during a usually high-stress time, and it’s great to be surrounded by other students who also understand, and can cover a shift when you need it. Also with campus jobs, usually you have lots of time to do homework and study during the shifts, because they’re usually desk jobs, secretary work, or front desk/welcoming positions. This makes it easy to get two things done at once – you’re able to work and earn money while also getting work done for classes.

5. Communicate your class schedule to your boss clearly and early – school comes first!
Around the time of registration, my boss asks for all of the class schedules of the student employees in order to make sure there are no time conflicts. She understands that school comes first for all of us, so she wants to help us have the time to not only have time for classes, but work and still be able to finish all of our homework. It’s really important to communicate to your boss the time that you know you will not be able to work, rather than telling him or her later on that you can’t come in for a shift. No one likes it when a person cancels suddenly, because all of your coworkers have to scramble in order to get the shift covered, and there isn’t always someone who can cover the shift. If you have any other time commitments, like club meetings, make sure to also tell your boss so you know you’ll be able to go to those.

6. Hold yourself accountable.
Don’t slack off on homework time, or sacrifice it constantly for hanging out with friends. Yes, being social is important for your mental health, but if you find yourself always having fun and slacking off on classes, you have a problem. It’s important to always put school first because you’re there to get an education, and are most likely paying a lot of money for it. If you want to spend more time with friends but still get work done, you can have study dates, go to the library with friends, hang out at a coffee shop while studying, or hang out at one another’s houses/apartments in order to do homework together. Doing this can actually motivate you to actually do homework, especially if you’re surrounded by people who are getting work done as well.


7. But also understand that sometimes you just need a break.
At the end of the day, it’s really important to check in with yourself and see how you’re doing. If you feel like you’re absolutely drowning in tasks, or are feeling extremely overwhelmed take a break. This can be hard to do when you’re super busy, but it can make you feel better mentally and physically, so in the long run it’s highly beneficial. When you feel good, you can do good. Take a nap, take a bath, read a good book, or watch some Netflix in order to de-stress; give yourself the time you need to recuperate, so that you’re able to go back and tackle homework and other tasks with full energy.

Alright, those are my tips on how to balance your work, classes, and fun! It’s important to do this to stay both happy and healthy, but it can be so hard in college. I hope these tips helped, and that you’re able to figure your schedule out!

How do you balance your life?

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

Last Minute Valentine’s Day Outfit Ideas!

This is the first Valentine’s Day that I’ll actually be going on a date, and figuring out what to wear can seriously be so difficult, as is true with a lot of other occasions. I’m the type of person who constantly worries about being over or underdressed, so I put together a couple of different options for myself. Since I had them laying out, I decided to make a post about it to give you a little inspiration, too!

Comfy and casual

Shirt: Pacsun (similar one here)
Jeans: Bershka (similar ones here)
Booties: Nordstrom Rack (similar ones here)

This look is super casual, but still really cute and perfect for Valentine’s Day! This wine-colored bodysuit has been one of my favorites for the winter, because it’s so easy to dress up or down. I’ve always been wearing these jeans a lot because they’re so comfy! I got them in a little shop in Spain, but they’re super popular right now and could easily be found in most stores.

The pattern on the side of the sweater is also really cool and gives it a nice pop!

Girly and romantic

Jacket: Forever21 (similar one here)
Dress: Tobi (link here)
Shoes: Nordstrom (similar ones here)

This look is great for a romantic date! The sweetheart neckline is flattering on everyone, and the flowy bottom adds a feminine touch. This tweed jacket is also extremely warm and perfect for cooler winter nights, since it’s still getting pretty cold in Seattle!

Booties are usually my goto shoes when I don’t want to wear actual heels! These ones are comfortable and I can easily wear them for the whole night.

But can we talk about the back of this dress…

I was immediately drawn to this dress when I saw the back, because I knew it would show off my tattoo! This is great to surprise your date when you take off your jacket, and it’s always just great to have a little surprise to a seemingly simple look.

Bold and surprising

Jacket: Primark (similar one here)
Dress: Tobi (link here

This type of dress isn’t something I would usually buy, but the slits in the front (and back!) really drew me in. Ever since I got my back tattoo, any dress that can show it off is a winner in my book! I’m so excited to wear this dress out, and I’ll definitely be bringing it to Vegas when I go later this year with my friends!

Dressy Casual

Dress: Tobi (link here)

Interesting necklines definitely seem to be making a huge appearance lately, and I’m loving it! This dress has a combined chocker basically, and the large keyhole opening on the chest really makes the well-loved LBD a lot more interesting. Something like this would be great for a night out on the town, or a cute bar!

Alright, there are four different looks for last minute Valentine’s Day outfits! I hope this was helpful, and finding what you’re going to wear is a little bit easier! If you’re looking for some great dresses check out Tobi, they have some great options for both cold and warm weather!

What has been your favorite Valentine’s date?

Thank you so much for reading and have a wonderful day (and Valentine’s Day)! 🙂

6 Ways to Stay Out of the January Slump!

I was sitting in class today and realized that it’s already week four of my university’s quarter. Being on the quarter system means that everything moves so quickly, but the fact that it’s already week four is so scary. Surprisingly, I have found myself to be really motivated this term, which can be hard during winter quarter since it starts out in January, the low point after the high of the holiday season. I’m actually really enjoying my classes so far, so that’s probably a huge part of it.

Every year, though, it seems like I find it harder to stay organized and motivated as January is coming to an end. The month starts out great after relaxing during the holidays, and you feel the freshness of the new year. Towards the end of the month, however, you start to feel yourself tire out from all of the hard work of staying motivated, and it’s super easy to fall into the trap of letting yourself slide back into old habits, and not stay as organized. I hope that isn’t happening for you, but if it is, I thought I would put together a little guide on how to stay out of the “January Slump,” or get out of it if you find yourself there!
1. Exercise at least 3-5 times a week, or make sure to move a little extra each day.
I find that when I stick to my exercise routine, I’m more motivated in the rest of my life. Getting tasks done is easier because I have more energy, and the endorphins from working out really do help. If exercising isn’t really your thing, that’s totally fine! Do lighter activities like stretching-based yoga, walking, biking, or light swimming. You can even just make sure that you stand up throughout the day if you’re stuck at a desk, and do some simple stretches. This helps your blood to keep flowing, which is what you want in order to stay energized and motivated.
2. Fuel your body with healthy foods.
After the holidays, it’s easy to crave healthy foods like fruits and vegetables, but after a couple of weeks of an especially green diet, your body can go back to wanting sweet things. Moderation is key here, and it’s important to not slack off and fill your body with junk again. Sure, you can definitely have a small bowl of ice cream a couple of times a week, but make sure you’re giving your body lots of healthy food to keep energy levels high! There’s so many healthy recipes out there that are also really yummy, so if you need some inspiration, go to Pinterest! Macro-bowls are a huge trend right now, and they’re so great because not only are they super healthy and filled with great nutritional value, but they’re also really hearty and use things like sweet potatoes, brown rice, and quinoa to fill you up.
3. Make sure to use your planner.
This is a great tip if you’re in school, and tend to forget about assignments as soon as you leave the classroom (ahem, I’m pointing a big finger at myself on this one). Whenever my professors or TA’s mention an assignment in class, I make a point to take out my planner and write it down then and there. This gives me no excuse to forget about it later, and helps me get everything done on time. I also like to write down any big assignments I know will be due throughout the quarter, like huge papers, at the beginning of the term, so I have a heads up weeks in advance.
4. Write down your goals for every week.
I got into the habit of doing this last year, and it helps so much. I didn’t know how useful it would be, but it forces me to look at the week in a more wholesome way, and helps me get into the mindset of getting tasks done. Creating little boxes to tick off is also a super easy way to motivate yourself if you’re anything like me, because the satisfaction of marking something off is ridiculously pleasing. Doing this in the beginning of the week is also a really great way to start it out by knowing the things you need to get done, so you aren’t rushed on Friday trying to scramble a ton of assignments and other miscellaneous tasks together.
5. Change up your living space.
This can be as simple as moving your bed into a different part of your room, or putting up some new artwork on the walls. Changing up the spaces your in everyday and see multiple times a day can be a really great way to inspire yourself. I don’t know what it is about moving things around, but I’m always so satisfied afterwards. It keeps my creative juices flowing and motivates me to get other things done in my life. It’s also exciting to come home to a different space, and see how it inspires you in different ways.
6. Clean and organize your living space.
This sounds stupidly simple, but cleaning up your space can de-stress and motivate yourself at the same time. Whenever I’m super stressed and feel like I’m in a slump, cleaning perks me up and motivates me to get other tasks done. There’s just something super refreshing about cleaning up your living space that motivates you in other aspects of your life. I also just feel better when I know my apartment is clean, and it’s super relaxing to come home and be able to unwind in an organized space. Maybe I’m just crazy, but cleaning is one of the best forms of therapy for me.
Alright, well there are six different ways of staying out of the January slump, and how to motivate yourself if you’re already there! Now that I’m thinking about it, I’m definitely going to go and clean my bathroom and organize my desk, which will hopefully motivate me to get all of my class readings done for the week…
How do you stay motivated?

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

How to Achieve Your 2017 Goals!

Happy 2017!

With all New Years come goals and resolutions that we try our hardest to achieve, but might forget about them after about a month. I’m so guilty of this, as I’ve tried to set goals for myself in the past, and easily forgotten about them once I start getting busy with the new year.
Last year I felt like I did a pretty good job about actually achieve my goals and holding myself accountable to them, so I thought I would share some tips with you on how to do the same! I’m no life expert – no one is except maybe Oprah – so of course take these tips and apply them how they would best fit your life. No one is the same so different things work for different people! These are just some things that really seemed to work for me.
Also, if you would like, here is the video I made about this same thing on my channel!
1. Write down your goals.
This may seem obvious, but writing down your goals in a place that you’ll see them often (i.e. a planner, or journal you use a lot) will keep reminding you of them. Constant exposure to them will also inspire you to actually achieve them, since it’s so satisfying to check them off! I don’t know about you, but that is seriously one of the best feelings for me. Whenever I make a to-do list, I live for getting all of the tasks done so I can check them all off. The same feeling definitely applies to bigger goals for the year, especially because you’ll feel even more satisfied once you achieve something greater than getting done a chore list you made for yourself. I usually try and write down my goals in my general goal journal, just on a page of their own that is highlighted and definitely distinct from the other pages. This helps me so much because I’m constantly reminded of them, and there’s no way that I could forget them!
2. Visualize your goals.
Once you have figured out and written down your goals, visualize yourself achieving them. Visualization is something that has been proven to work, because you feel that much more comfortable and confident in doing something or getting it done. I started doing this when I swam and danced, and it helped me immensely. I knew I could do the action because I had imagined myself succeeding it over and over – when the time came to do it in real life, I knew I could get it done! The same really goes for goals, especially larger ones. If you think about yourself having gotten all of these goals done at the end of the year, you’ll be really motivated to make that possibility a reality. If you have a goal that has to do with changing something about yourself, like being more outgoing, visualize yourself talking to more people in situations that usually make you uncomfortable. When the time comes to actually do it, you’ll feel a lot better a out the whole situation, and achieving that goal will be that much easier.

3. Start with small goals.
It can be really easy to want to set huge goals right at the beginning of the new year if you are really hoping for a change, but be careful not to get too ahead of yourself. I’m not saying to limit yourself – if you want to set those goals then go for it! But if you know they’ll end up being too big for you to achieve all at once, start smaller in the beginning of the year and work your way up throughout the rest of the year. If you’re wanting to get in better shape, don’t start by making a goal to workout every single day for an hour if you haven’t been doing so. Start by motivating yourself to workout one more day a week, or maybe 15 minutes longer a day. Starting with these smaller goals will help you build on them throughout the year, and you also won’t get disappointed when you can’t get these unrealistic goals done, or are really struggling with them. This isn’t an excuse to not push yourself, though; on the contrary, this will help you actually achieve more because the small goals will snowball on themselves, and by the end of the year, you’ll realize just how much you’ve gotten done!
4. Check in with yourself.
This is something that is super important for goals. I remember in elementary schools my teachers would have the class set individual goals, write them down on paper, and a couple of months later we would have to read the goals again and see how we were doing. At the time we all thought it was extremely pointless, but looking back, I realized that this just motivated us further to get these goals done. Had we not been shown them again, we probably wouldn’t have been so inspired to get them done, or make a change. Checking in with your 2017 goals about halfway through the year in June will help you see how they’re going, if you need to adjust goals, if you need to work harder, or just simply remind you of what they were in the first place. A halfway point check in is great timing, because you still have six months to achieve your goals.
5. Keep yourself accountable.
Keeping yourself accountable is really similar to checking in with yourself, but it also has to do with keeping yourself motivated throughout the year. Don’t let yourself slack off if a goal is hard, instead try your hardest to get it done. That can be easy to say, but your mind is a really powerful thing. Keep thinking of the end result, and the effort you’re putting in won’t seem as difficult. It can be so easy to forget about a goal or give up, but you’ll be so much happier in the end if you stick it out.

Alright, well there are five tips on how to achieve your 2017 goals! I’m so excited to see what this new year has to offer, and let’s hope that it’s a lot better than 2016!

I wish you the best of luck!

College Apartment Tour! | Christmas Edition

A lot of you probably know that I moved into an apartment this year for my junior year of college. I couldn’t be happy, especially since I was pretty much done living in the dorms! Don’t get me wrong, they were super nice to be in for my first two years of college, and I ended up meeting some of my best friends, but I really missed having my own kitchen and all of the other benefits that come along with living in an apartment (like actual rooms…). 
As soon as I knew I was definitely going to be living in an apartment, I made a board on my Pinterest so I could keep track of all of the decorations I wanted to put up, and other organization tips. Moving in was stressful, and it took way too long to decorate – procrastination on my part – but I finally have up all of the decorations I want, so I thought it would be fun to show you all how it turned out!
I thought the most simple way of doing that would be to post the video I made about it on my channel, since I basically walk you through it! Here are some highlighting photos, though, of some of my favorite things!

I’m so happy with how my apartment came out! It’s really nice being able to have my own space – shared with roommates – that we can just come home to at the end of a long day filled with classes and work. My roommates and I honestly don’t really want to take down all of the lights even after Christmas is over because they make it so cozy in the apartment! Maybe we’ll swap them out for white lights, but for now the colors are super festive and give it such a warm feeling.
Thank you so much for reading and have a wonderful day! 🙂

London Travel Guide + MUST SEE Places!

Since I’ve been back from studying abroad, it’s been so hard to find motivation for blogging, especially since I’ve been so busy with school and work this quarter. I feel super overwhelmed, but as I’m taking a study break during dead week (ugh), I thought I would sit down and write a blog post. I’m feeling really inspired this month, so I hope that means that I’ll again find my motivation for everything and anything since I’ve been so consumed with school this quarter. I have seriously written ten papers this quarter, and still have two more to go, so needless to say, I’ve been feeling a little burnt out lately.

As most of you probably know, I spent part of my summer studying abroad in London before I did another program in Spain. For that reason, and also the fact that one of my best friends will be heading there in about a week (wowow Rachel!) and has been asking for a travel guide, that’s exactly what I decided to do today! I’ve looked through all of my photos, and while they make me extremely homesick for London (I WANT TO LIVE THERE ONE DAY), I picked my favorite places that I visited, and have some tips for getting around the city!


Places you have to see


The British Museum

This one is a bit obvious, since the British Museum is well-known, but even if you aren’t a usual museum junkie, you should definitely stop by! It is a huge museum and has an exhibit that will at least appeal to everyone, so there’s most likely something for you to see there. I split up the museum by spending a day on each floor, because if you try and do it all in one day, you’ll definitely be overwhelmed. There’s a lot of coffeeshops and lunch spots around, though, so if you need a break to re-charge, that’s definitely an option!

Oxford Street

This is arguably one of the best places to go shopping in London, especially if you aren’t looking for designer shops. There is a huge Primark (think, giant Forever21 with even cuter clothes) on Oxford Street, as well as Topshop, and all of your other favorite places to shop. My friends and I spent way too much time and money here, but hey, when in London…

The West End

I didn’t actually realize just how much I love theater until I studied in London. I had been to plays before and really enjoyed them, but I went to so many in London and enjoyed them all. The West End is honestly just fun to visit in general, since there’s so much going on, and there’s usually a lot of street performers who are all so talented. It’s at least worth it to stroll through on an afternoon!

Trafalgar Square/Piccadilly Circus


Piccadilly Circus is actually really close to the West End as well as Trafalgar Square, so you should just generally go to that area. Trafalgar Square is so cool to see – it’s huge in person! – and also a great place to sit outside and have lunch. When I was there a ton of people just hung out in the area, especially since it was summer, and the atmosphere is just a lot of fun to be in. The fountain is also really pretty, and the lions are also really impressive to see, so it’s definitely worth the visit!

Buckingham Palace and the Surrounding Garden

Chances are, if you’re in London, you’re probably going to visit Buckingham Palace. I visited the actual palace one day, and then another day my friend and I were walking to class, and we stumbled upon the surrounding garden (probably the most posh sentence I’ve ever said), and got to see little goslings, a ton of other wildlife, and also some beautiful sights of London, like the London Eye in the distance. That’s probably one of my favorite memories of London, since we didn’t mean to go there at all, and just kind of ended up there. We ended up late to class because we were taking so many photos and walking around the garden, but honestly I’m going to remember that garden far longer than what I learned in class that day.

The Various Churches by Christopher Wren (or any church in London tbh)


Christopher Wren was an architect who built a lot of churches around England. We saw a lot while we were in London, and they were all so beautiful, and had so many intricate designs on the inside. The architecture in even one of the churches makes everything in America look so bland and boring!

St. Paul’s Cathedral

Pro-tip: if you don’t want to pay for a tour, you can always go to a service! You don’t have to pay for them, and you get to see the inside of the cathedral. The only catch is you can’t take any photos, although I definitely snuck a few. I’m sure they get super annoyed by tourists trying to take photos, but it’s definitely worth going to the service! The choir was so amazing, and seeing the inside was honestly breathtaking.

Warner Brother’s Harry Potter Studio Tour


I made a whole post about the studio tour, which you can read here, but I just wanted to reiterate how cool it is! As soon as you know the dates you’re going to be visiting the area, I’d suggest getting tickets for the tour because they go fast! I bought them at the beginning of the program, and had to go at the end of my program (like five weeks later!) because tickets were all sold out until then. It was so amazing to see, especially if you’re a Potterhead like me, and definitely worth the money. Just a warning that you’ll probably end up spending a lot of money at the gift shop afterwards!

Brighton


If you’re willing to take a train for about an hour to Brighton, it’s definitely worth the visit! It’s an adorable little beach town with some great shopping spots in the Lanes, and also a lot of cool historical places to see around town. The beach is also really nice to sit and just watch the ocean! Just know that the “sand” is little pebbles, which can hurt on bare feet, but with shoes you should be fine! The pier is also so adorable, and will live up to all of the arcade/ride/food dreams you had as a kid.

Best Places for Going Out

My favorite places to get drinks with friends is the London Bridge area, Covent Garden, and Camden! All of these places have really cute pubs and bars, especially London Bridge area. The younger crowd is definitely usually in Camden, so the night life there is a lot of fun! There are clubs that have themed nights, and I ended up going to a 90s night with friends, and it was probably one of the most fun nights we went out.

My Favorite Pubs

I went to a lot of pubs while in London – I totally fell in love with them – and I definitely had some favorites!
Ye Olde Chesire Cheese – Blackfriars. This pub has a lot of history since it’s one of the oldest pubs in London. Since it’s in Blackfriars there’s a lot around it, too!
The Churchill Arms  – Notting Hill. Also a really cute pub because of the interesting look on the outside.
The White Hart – Waterloo. This one has really great food!
Wetherspoons – multiple locations, my favorite is in Victoria!
Honestly, you can find a good pub probably in any part of London you’re in, I just recommend doing a quick search on Yelp and reading the reviews!

Tips on Getting Around the City

It’s actually pretty easy to get around London, since the public transportation there is pretty straightforward. The tube goes all around the city, so it’s super easy to go to all of the districts around the city! It can be really confusing at first since there’s so many lines, and especially if you don’t have a lot of experience with subways (like I did), but after a day or two you can start to get the gist of it. There’s also apps you can download like Tube Map and CityMaps2Go that really help, or you can simply use Google Maps! That’s what I did and never had a problem. There’s also maps everywhere in the tube stations, so you can generally figure out how to get where you need to be.

It’s important to know, though, that the tube stops running at midnight, so if you’re out for a late night you have to take the bus, or use a taxi/Uber/Lyft. I never really had a huge problem with this since there’s so many taxi’s around, and you can always call an Uber, but it could get annoying sometimes since the tube gets you where you need to be pretty quickly, and obviously it costs money to use Uber or call a taxi. If you’re splitting the cost with friends, though, it really isn’t bad!

If you’re going to be doing any travel by train, coach, or plane, book your tickets as soon as possible! Usually the most in advance you can get tickets is the best, so try to plan out all extra travel beforehand, rather than going to the train/bus station, or airport and buying a ticket there.

If you ever get lost in the city, it’s best to just stay calm, and ask someone for directions. I found the people of London to be really nice (I mean I’m coming from Seattle, so you can only go up from there, right?), and they’d help me out if I just asked. The police officers there are also really nice, and you can easily find one to ask for directions, especially at night. My roommate and I ended up slightly intoxicated and lost one night, and a police officer helped us out by pointing us in the right direction, and we got home just fine, after only a couple of complications of finding the right bus.

Alright well there is my London travel guide, places you gotta see, and tips on getting around the city! If you are going to London, I am so jealous, but also hope that you have the best time! It’s such a beautiful city with so much to see, and I can’t wait to go back one day.

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

How Studying Abroad Changed My Life

When I first started college, I knew that I wanted to study abroad. One of my majors is International Relations, so it is definitely highly recommended by our advisors to study abroad and actually experience the world. Being in my freshman year, I didn’t have any idea of where or when I wanted to go, I just knew that I had to go.

Fast forward to about halfway through my sophomore year, and I was sitting in my English class (my other major) and someone came into our class talking about a summer program held in London for about five weeks. My interest was piqued, and I felt that this program was perfect for me. I went home that night and looked up the application, and started with my essays. The next week I was sitting in my Spanish class, and another person came into our class to talk about a different summer program – right after the London one – held in Spain. Again, I was super interested, and thought I would enjoy the program. I looked up the application and trip information and decided to apply to both programs, and go to whichever one I was accepted into.


I turned in my applications, and patiently waited for about a month or so. As it turned out, I ended up getting into both programs, and I was so happy, but also super confused about which program to choose. Both England and Spain have been on my travel bucket list ever since I could remember, so I had no idea how to choose between the two. I agonized about it for a couple of weeks – I am an extremely indecisive person – until finally I called up my parents and asked for their advice. My dad told me point blank that I should do both programs. Oddly enough, the thought never crossed really crossed my mind, especially since I didn’t want to spend a whole summer away from my family (and probably more importantly my puppies and kitties). I thought about it, and with my parents full support, I committed to both programs.

To be completely honest, I was excited, but I thought I would be more excited, if that makes sense. When I told other people about it, I didn’t have strong feelings either way, and sometimes the other person seemed to be more pumped up about it than I did. I think that’s because I was subconsciously super nervous, since the only time I had left the country before was to go to Mexico when I was 5, to volunteer. I had my brother and my mom, and later my dad, with me, so it wasn’t scary at all. This would be the first time that I would be leaving the continent, and it was by myself. After the first meeting for the England program, I actually came home and had a panic attack because I was so scared. I started to regret my decision, and had a lot of nerves about going.

The nerves started to ease since I had finals to focus on, and once I was finished with the school year and home for the summer, I was still really scared, but I was getting more excited. I waited until the night before to finish packing, which was a huge mistake, and went to the airport the next day with my parents. Once I was on the plane, it finally started to feel a little bit real that I was going, but I don’t think I quite believed I was going to London until I was actually there. Getting an international SIM card was a great idea, because I was able to call an Uber to get to my homestay, rather than figure out the tube system with my giant suitcase.

When I arrived at my homestay, I was instantly homesick, because I was at a home but it wasn’t mine. My homestay mom was so sweet and fixed me some lunch, and it was so nice to have a home cooked meal. I did miss my own mom, but it was nice having someone there to fix me some food when I was completely, and utterly exhausted. The first couple of nights were really rough because I was missing home a lot. I also had a lot of time to think about and miss home since classes hadn’t started yet, which probably made it a lot worse. I got through the homesickness with Harry Potter and my favorite Game of Thrones book, also my sweet roommate and homestay family, and once classes started, I was fine. For some reason, I was also super worried about traveling to Spain by myself, and couldn’t stop thinking about it for the first week. After getting around London, though, and visiting the surrounding cities, my anxiety about that eased up a bit. I only had two panic attacks in the beginning, and I’m actually really proud of myself that I didn’t have more when trying to use the tube for the first couple of times.

Now you know a bit of the background to my study abroad, here’s how it changed my life!

I had to rely completely  on myself for probably the first time ever.
When I first started college, I thought I was relying on myself, but in reality I was still leaning heavily on my parents. I called them everyday, texted them multiple times a day, and still asked their advice constantly. When I was in London, I texted them once a day to tell them I was still alive, but other than weekly Skype calls, I didn’t talk to them a whole lot. I made decisions for myself, and had to figure out how to use the tube systems and get around the city on my own. Yes, it was scary – terrifying – in the beginning, but after a while, I got used to it, and enjoyed relying on myself and no one else. I’ve always been an independent person, but this was independence on a whole new level.

I learned how to be alone.
Again, I have always been an independent person, but I think I’ve always been a little scared to be alone with myself, especially when I’m so close with my family. I don’t have a huge family, but since we’re close knit, I usually spend most of my time with them. Being in London taught me how to be alone, and that it isn’t scary, but actually quite enjoyable. My roommate and I rode the tube together to class, but usually after classes we went our separate ways. Yes, it was scary to ride the tube completely alone for the first time, but I came to really enjoy it. Don’t get my wrong, I enjoyed her company, but I also loved my time alone on the tube, where I got to read on my Kindle and just listen to music. Long tube rides also didn’t bother me in the slightest, because it just meant I had more time to read, and I ended up reading about six or seven books in my five weeks spent in London. I also wasn’t bothered to eat alone, and actually learned to love to people watch while sipping coffee.

I learned how to take risks.
First of all, I took a risk by studying abroad, since it was something that scared me, but it ended up turning out wonderfully. I guess I’ve always been more of a physical (if that’s even the right word to use) risk-taker, in that I’m not afraid to jump off a cliff into a pool of water (check out this vlog to see what I’m talking about), go on crazy roller coasters, or anything like that, but other risks like forcing myself out of my social comfort zone terrify me. I’m not one to strike up a conversation with a stranger, so going to two whole new culture with two different groups of people from my university who I didn’t know at all, and go to a whole new continent in general was taking a huge risk for me. I don’t mean that I didn’t want to travel, quite the opposite actually. I’ve always wanted to travel, but I definitely let my anxiety hold me back. Actually doing these programs was a huge step for me, and I learned how to take risks, and that they result in wonderful, wonderful things.


Caring about what others thought of me stopped becoming something I worried about.
With so many other things to worry during my time spent in London and Spain, worrying about what others thought of me quickly got put on the back burner. I also started getting so much for comfortable and confident in myself by navigating through the different cities I was in, that I just felt so much better in my own skin. Those theoretical things other people thought about me started not to matter, because all I knew was I was happy with myself, so I didn’t care what other people thought about me. I realized things people thought about me – people I don’t even know – really don’t matter at all, because chances are, I’m probably never going to even talk to those people.

I learned not to judge others before getting to know them.
Something that happens when you go to a foreign country with a group of people you don’t know is judgement. On the first day of classes I found myself making assumptions about people before I even talked to them. Throughout both programs, I learned not to judge someone before getting to know them, or assume that they are a certain way, because oftentimes you will be wrong. On my London program there was a deaf girl, and she was one of my favorite people to talk to and get to know. Her outlook on life and people was incredible; some people in the program were unintentionally very rude to her, but she tried to understand where they were coming from, and saw that they weren’t trying to be rude, and didn’t even get upset about it. Her first reaction wasn’t to immediately get defensive and mad, but try to understand why they would unfairly be rude in the first place. If we all had an outlook on life like hers, I think we would all be a lot happier.


I also learned that people aren’t as scary as I thought they were, and starting a conversation is actually pretty simple.
I’ve never been one to strike up a conversation very easily, but being exposed to a ton of different types of people taught me that people aren’t as scary as they seem. Just because someone isn’t actively talking or smiling, doesn’t mean they aren’t open to talk. Now I definitely never started a conversation on the tube because people appreciate silence, but if I was waiting in line at a busy coffee shop or in a more “social” setting, it was fun to talk to people who were a lot different than me. You really learn a lot about people, and it makes you look at yourself differently.


Eight words: strawberry-lime cider, halloumi cheese, and patatas bravas.
Okay, these things didn’t so much change my life, but ohmygosh I got addicted to them. Strawberry-lime cider was my drink of choice in London, and I fell in love with halloumi cheese. It was absolutely everywhere in London, but I haven’t seen it here in the states. I have heard that Trader Joe’s has it, so I’ll be on the look out, but it definitely isn’t as accessible here. While in Spain, patatas bravas were my friend’s and I’s favorite bar food. We’d grab some after class and snack on them before our (very late) dinner, and wow are they delicious. I haven’t tried to make them since I’ve been home, so I really want to see if I can make them as good! I’m betting on probably not, but hopefully I can get them close.


Going to museums and just simply looking at art made me look at myself differently.
There’s something about looking at art from hundreds of years ago that starts to change your perspective. It’s easier to understand how life was like back then, and also how life now is different. Looking at art also just forces you to reflect, so you find yourself reflecting on more than the artwork in front of you, whether it is a painting, sculpture, or something else. I went to museums in both London and Spain with my study abroad group, and also by myself, and looking at a ton of art really teaches you how to look at things differently, and just reflect in general. I never thought I would enjoy museums so much, but I definitely love them now.

I immersed myself in two different cultures, and it made me look at my own – and myself – differently.
Like going to museums and looking at art from different places from around the world, immersing yourself in different cultures teaches you so much that you really can’t learn anywhere else. Experiencing two very different places was so beneficial for me, and I learned to be so much more open to other people’s customs and way of life. Just because something or someone is different doesn’t mean they’re wrong. You can learn so much from different people and places, as long as you keep an open mind about it. Not only did I learn about these places, but I learned so much about my own culture by comparing it to those of London and Spain. People told me I would learn so much, but I don’t think I quite believed them until I was in these places, actually experiencing them.

I now have the undeniable urge of the travel bug.
Once you get a taste of the world, all you want to do is travel and see other places. Countries that I really didn’t have an interest in visiting before are now places that I really want to see. Basically, there isn’t a place that I don’t want to see, and I have a better understanding that every place in the world has something you can learn from.

Studying abroad this summer really did change me for the better. I learned so much about myself, and I really wouldn’t trade this experience for anything in the world. If you’re considering studying abroad, or even just traveling, go and do it! You won’t regret it, and you’ll probably have an incredible experience. Even if it isn’t completely life-changing, I guarantee you’ll learn at least one thing.

My Time in Spain

As you probably know, I spent this summer studying abroad in London and San Sebastián, Spain. I’ve already done an overview of my time in London, so I thought it was about time I did one for my trip to Spain. I spent four weeks in San Sebastián, with the last couple of days in the fourth week being in Barcelona, and I spent a fifth week in Madrid. I got to travel all over the Basque Country (where San Sebastián is located), and I definitely fell in love with it! The Basque Country is so beautiful, and is a very charming part of Spain. Here’s some photos!

 This gelato was seriously the best!

 My 10th gelato, probably…

 My favorite flavor combo – coffee and trufa negra (super dark chocolate)!

 The cute little town of Pasajes.

 A view of San Sebastián from one of the mountains! My friends and I did a sunset hike and it was beautiful.
 I loved the buildings in the smaller, surrounding towns.

 Caught the sunset one night – so gorgeous!

 This is the “romantic part” of San Sebastián.

 Okay, background to this picture: this was taken on the top of the mountain from one of the most grueling, terrible hikes that I have ever been on. It was one of the hottest days (about 85-90 degrees), right at the warmest and sunniest parts of the day, which our professors thought would be the ideal time for a hike. It was super steep in the beginning, which was fine because we were just starting out, but then we had to go up about 60 flight of stairs to get to the top of the mountain, in which a church was awaiting. Our professors gave us absolutely no context about the church, or why we had to hike the mountain (they didn’t even join us on the hike!) to go see this one-room church. The view from the mountain was exactly the same from the other side, so all of us were generally confused and struggling to find a point to the hike. Also, at the top, a ton of gnats where flying around everywhere. We’re talking get-in-your-mouth-and-all-over-your-body gnats. And the super steep part in the beginning? That was about ten times worse on the way back because we were exhausted and hot. Needless to say, the group was a sweaty, hangry mess by the time we got back on the bus to go to lunch.
 The mountain in question, with about half of the stairs we had to climb.

How beautiful are these sunsets?!

My time in San Sebastián was so much fun – we went to cooking classes, ate at a Michelin Star restaurant (oh la la), went on a boat tour, saw amazing fireworks from a boat during la Semana Grande (a week long party in the city, basically), tanned at the beach almost every day, ate amazing gelato, learned about Spanish culture, got to practice our Spanish, and just generally had tons of fun. It was actually surprisingly a lot of schoolwork, but I can’t complain because I got to do a lot of it at the beach 😉

After our four weeks in SS, we headed to Barcelona!

 The cutest little “eyescream” store!
 Flower gelato!
 La Sagrada Familia!

 Gaudi is seriously one of my favorite architects – the buildings in Barcelona are gorgeous!

 My friend and I went to a fútbol game, too, which was fun!

Even though I spent the majority of my time in San Sebastián, and only about four days in Barcelona, I quickly fell in love with Barcelona. The atmosphere was so fun, the streets weren’t too crowded, the food was wonderful, and the beach was beautiful and warm. Some places you just instantly feel a connection to, and that was Barcelona for me. I can’t wait to go back one day!

After Barcelona was Madrid for about five days!

Churros and chocolate is one of the best combinations.

The buildings in Madrid are so pretty!
Overall, I learned so much during my time in Spain. I loved my time in London, but Spain had such a different culture, and it was so fun to experience a country that’s vastly different than the one I grew up in. The people were so nice in Spain, and it was also super cool to actually use my Spanish outside of the classroom. I also fell in love living so close to the beach – it’s so nice being able to walk for just 10 minutes and have a gorgeous place to relax! I definitely wish the beaches here in the Pacific Northwest were as warm. I also think this is the tannest I’ve ever been, which is pretty cool haha.

I’m going to be doing another post that’s a reflection on the whole study abroad experience, as well as some tips, so be ready for that!

What countries have you visited?

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