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!
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!
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.
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!
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!
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.
Happy 2017!
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!
It is no secret that I am a huge Harry Potter fan. I have read all of the books and watched the movies more times than I can count, so when I heard about Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, I was extremely excited. I was nervous about how I would like it in comparison to the whole Harry Potter franchise, so I was definitely ready for the movie to come out! Since I went and saw it last night, I thought I would write a review on it, and start to get back in the swing of things here on my blog!
There are strong female leads
Tina and Queenie, the two main women of the film, as well as the president of MACUSA Seraphina Picquery, are all very strong females. Tina is very stubborn, and is successful in her career, even though she has hit a rough patch before she meets Newt, which is awesome to see. She isn’t talked badly about for wanting to have a successful career, and is encouraged by her younger sister, Queenie. They are both very supportive of each other, which is portrayed wonderfully. Queenie is not a career women, but she isn’t portrayed as “weaker” or “lesser” than her sister at all. We don’t really get to know Seraphina that well, but the interactions she does have with the main characters leave the audience with the sense that she is a very strong woman. She doesn’t let anyone push her around, and she is strong in her decisions and rules.
The world in Newt’s suitcase is beautifully made, as well as the beasts
We have seen Hermione’s expandable bag on the outside, but we never saw the inside. It was so cool to actually be able to see the inside of Newt’s suitcase, and see where all of his magical animals live. Of course since I absolutely love animals, that was one of my favorite parts of the movies. I’m really glad, though, that they didn’t show the inside of his suitcase a lot in the previews, so that it was more of a surprise for the audience. The creativity that was put into imagining the beasts and his suitcase was so incredible, and the fact that the magical creatures were still relatable to real animals was great. The fact that Newt Scamander had made his suitcase the way he did in order to save these magical beasts was also super touching, and a part of the movie that I absolutely loved.
Eddie Redmayne made an incredible Newt
I had only ever seen Eddie Redmaybe in Les Mis, so it was super cool to see him in something else! His Newt was super quirky, likable, nice, and strong, and he played him so well. He was exactly what you think a magical beast collector/saver/caretaker (?) would be like, but he also had a depth that played into his character development very well. Throughout the movie we learned a lot about him, and saw his softer side, rather than his initial blunt character. Above everything, he cares for his magical creatures the most, and feels a pull to save them, or anyone else in need. He was super relatable, and fit in perfectly with the other quirky wizards and witches we know and love so much.
The incorporation of Grindelwald, and other known families, was done very well.
Through what J.K. Rowling has hinted at, it was clear that this new series was going to include Grindelwald in some way. In the beginning of the movie, it is made clear that MACUSA is looking for Grindelwald after he has committed crimes, but it is unclear where he is at. I won’t give anything away, but the way in which they incorporated his story into this one was done very well. I’m so excited to learn more about him (and possible Dumbledore??) in the coming movies. We also hear a bit about a Lita Lestrange, so I’m interested to see if she has to do more with the coming movies, or if she’ll be included!
Overall, I really enjoyed this movie! It does make me long for more about the characters we know and love in Harry Potter, but I’m super excited to see how the characters from Fantastic Beasts progress and develop.
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.
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!
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!
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!
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!
I hope you are having or have had a great Labor Day! With Labor Day Weekend almost over, back to school season is here, and I’m sure many of you are already at school or are getting ready to be. My university doesn’t start until the 28th of September, so I still have a couple of weeks to go, but there’s still so much to get ready! I remember how overwhelmed I felt the summer before my freshman year, because I had no idea what to pack, or if I was forgetting anything. Because of that, I ended up making a huge master list of things that I would need, after hours of looking at lists on Pinterest. I don’t know why I never thought of putting it on my blog to share with college freshmen faced with the same problem I had, but alas here we are and I have finally made one. The list is broke up into sections – my favorite ways to make lists – and there is a box to add anything extra you think you’ll need. Without further ado, here it is!
Since I’ll be living in my own apartment this year (eeeek!) I have a list made for that, and it’s pretty similar to this one, so it’s been nice to have a refresher. I’ll be posting about what I’ve gotten for my apartment, and of course I’ll be having an apartment tour! I am so excited to decorate, I can’t even explain. Now that I’m home from Europe my mind is definitely stuck on getting back to school and decorating for my apartment, so be ready for tons of posts about that! Anyway, I really hope this list was helpful and that many of you will be able to use it!
It’s around that time of year again – Target is rolling around all of their school supplies, stores are having back to school clothing sales, and universities are beginning to send out dozens of emails to ready students for the coming year. August always takes me by surprise, because it seems like the second half of the month is solely dedicated to getting ready for the new school year. I remember how nervous I was in the August between my senior year of high school and freshman year of college, because the realization of leaving home and embarking on a whole new chapter of my life hit me hard. I spent the beginning and middle of the summer celebrating the fact that I was done with high school, but then it dawned on me that I would be leaving in a month to start a whole time in my life. The nerves hit hard and fast, and I honestly didn’t know what to do with myself. It can be a very scary transition, because it’s probably one that you’ve never experienced before. Just because it’s new and scary, though, doesn’t mean that it can’t be exciting at the same time! It’s important to try and work through the nerves and anxiety, and get excited to start university. Here’s some tips on how to do just that!
1. Focus on buying things for your new space.
Whether you’re going to be living in on-campus dorms, in a sorority, or maybe even your own apartment, it’s important to make sure you have everything for your new living space. Focusing on buying everything you’ll need can also get you excited about moving in, so it’s a win-win situation. You’ll be less stressed about forgetting something, and you’ll also be focusing your nervous energy into doing something productive.
2. Look at clubs on campus, or ways to get involved, before you move in.
Knowing what kinds of clubs or groups you want to join can make the transition a lot easier, because you know for sure you’ll have a way to meet people and make friends. That can be one of the scariest parts of going to college, the fear that you won’t be able to make new friends or find people who you’re comfortable with, so it really helps to have some places to check out to get to know people naturally!
3. Print out pictures to hang up in your room before you leave.
One of my biggest concerns before I left college was if I was going to be super homesick or not. I had never really been away from home for that long before, just week long summer camps, so it was really scary to imagine being away for months at a time. I knew I would visit on some weekends, but it was still the first time that I wouldn’t be living with my family. In order to remind myself of my family and friends, I printed out lots of pictures to hang up in my dorm room, and they were some of the first things to go up to make sure I didn’t get too homesick! This honestly helped so much to calm my nerves, and I highly suggest doing it!
4. Memorize your class schedule, and where those classes are.
I will be the first to admit that my sense of direction is completely terrible. I still get lost at the mall in my hometown, sadly, so the thought of trying to navigate a huge college campus was very daunting. My university actually has an app with a map similar to how Google Maps works, in that it finds your location so you can see how to get to certain buildings, in case you have absolutely no idea where you’re going (this happened to me a lot freshman year). I made sure to download it before I left in September, and I looked at the where the buildings all of my classes were in so I would have some idea of where I was going.
5. Try to spend as much time with your friends as possible, especially if you’ll be going to different schools.
Since they’re in the same boat as you, your friends can be great people to talk about your worries for the next year. They are probably just as nervous as you, so it can be beneficial to talk to each other, just to have some people to relate to! It can really help to realize you aren’t alone, and that other people are in the same position as you. It’s super easy to feel like you’re the only person who is excited but still very worried to be going to college, since everyone seems like they can’t wait to get out of their house and go. That is definitely not the case, though, and more often than not, if you talk with your friends about some of the things your nervous about, they’ll tell you what their worried about.
College is definitely something to be excited about, but it’s hard to see that when you’re struggling with anxiety about it. Just know that everyone else is in the same boat as you, and that you aren’t the only one struggling with the nerves. Try and think about all of the fun you’re going to have soon, and things will get a lot easier! Trust me that college really is so much better than high school, and that you will meet some really great people and have some amazing experiences.
I’m sure I’ve made it painfully clear how obsessed I am with Harry Potter, so once I got to London for my study abroad program, I made sure to buy tickets to the Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studio Tour. I got to go during the last week of my program, so it was a great way to end my time in London! Since I finally have some down time here in Spain, I thought it would be the perfect time to write a post about my time there, share all of the photos I took, and give you some tips on going! Without further ado, here they all are!
Tips:
-Buy your tickets ASAP! As soon as you know the tentative date in which you will be going, buy your tickets – I had to buy mine a month in advance, and even that I was pushing it.
-If you get there really early like I did, kill some time in the gift shop and make a plan of what you want to buy in case you’re in a time crunch afterwards! My friend and I did this, and we’re really glad we did because we only had about 20 minutes after the tour to buy souvenirs in the shop because they were closing.
-Take your time during the tour, and pay attention to small details! There are a lot of cool tidbits of information everywhere.
-Don’t be afraid to look like a dorky tourist – take all of the pictures! I’m so glad I brought my camera and took cheesy pictures of myself in front of platform 9 and 3/4 because I will treasure it forever!
-Keep aside some money for souvenirs, there are some good ones! But at the same time, don’t waste your money on things you could buy cheaper on Amazon.
-Make sure to sit down at the little cafeteria about midway through! It’ll be really nice to rest your feet, and you can have some Butter Beer while you relax! They also had Butter Beer ice cream when I went, and it was so amazing.
-The souvenir Butter Beer cup is only about a pound extra, so if you want a cheaper keepsake from the studios, go for that!
I’m so glad I got to go to the tour, and it was the best way to end my London study abroad. I’m also really glad I’m getting this post up right around the time that Harry Potter and the Cursed Child came out! Everything is kept in great condition, the staff is really great, and you really do feel like you’re in the movies. If you find yourself in London, I highly recommend going, especially if you’re a Harry Potter fan!