A year ago, however, I was so nervous to start college because it was my freshman year! I was terrified I would hate it, or that I wouldn’t be able to stomach the homesickness. Your first year of college is a big undertaking; you’re leaving home for the first time, and it’s on a whole different level when compared to high school. Since it can seem so overwhelming, I thought I would do a post all about how to survive your first year! I read so many last year to try and get caught up on all the things I needed to know for freshman year, so I knew I had to do one of my own now that I’ve been through it.
1. Don’t get too overwhelmed on move-in day.
This can be a very hard day, because you’re unpacking all of the boxes you overfilled, you have to say goodbye to your family, and you’re living in a completely foreign place. Don’t let it get to you too much! Just stay calm, get your boxes (or bags as I did last year) to your room, and just start unpacking. It only gets overwhelming if you let it, so just try and stay calm and excited.
2. Unpack right away.
Don’t let your boxes just sit in your room forever! This gets annoying really quickly, and it’s best to unpack right away while you still have help from your family, and while you still have the energy. If you don’t unpack right away, chances are you will just leave for the next day, and the next day, and the next day…you get it! Unpacking also makes your dorm feel more like home, which really helps when you start to feel homesick in the coming days. So get your closet done, your decorations up, and your supplies out!
3. Wear a comfy outfit with layers.
You will get very warm while lugging up boxes to your dorm, and then unpacking them. I suggest you wear something that is first, comfy, and also an outfit with layers so you can take them off as you get warmer. I did this last year and it really helped! I definitely broke a sweat moving all of my stuff in, so it was nice to just take off some of my layers when it got to be too much. Make sure all of your layers are comfortable and easy to move in as well!
4. It’s okay to be a little sad.
Once your family leaves, it’s totally normal to be sad and to cry a little bit. Everyone is saying goodbye to their loved ones, so you’re all going to be in the same boat! It can be hard saying goodbye to the people who you’ve lived with for 18 years, but try and remember this is an exciting, new adventure. It will get easier as the days go on, but it’s natural to be a little sad at first!
5. Get to know your roommate ASAP.
You are going to be living with this person for the next year, so make sure to get to know her! This will help break the ice, and help you feel more at home once you know the person you’re going to be living with. You both are going to be really nervous, so just talk to her about what all you’re excited for, scared about, etc., and you’ll start to feel better! I talked a lot to my roommate while we were unpacking, which made the whole process go by a lot quicker, and made it easier to not focus on home.
6. If you don’t get along with your roomie, immediately talk it out.
The other side of living with someone for a whole year is the negative one; it’s easy to get annoyed with someone whom you’re sharing close quarters with, which makes dorm-life miserable. The second you start getting annoyed or angry with your roommate, just talk it out. Calmly explain what’s bothering you, and maybe try and come with alternate solutions to problems. This can be really hard and awkward, but those couple minutes of a difficult talk can result in a much better year.
7. Find your way to classes before they start.
Once you are all settled into your dorm, get to know your new campus, and find your way to all of your classes! It’s really important to do this before they start, because you don’t want to get completely lost ten minutes before your 8:30 AM class, and end up missing it altogether. I was so glad I did this last year, because I ended up having some difficulty finding a couple of my classes. Instead of figuring this out right before class, I did it a couple of days ahead and found the best possible route to and from my classes. This can also be a chance to make a friend! Just ask someone on your floor to go with you, and chances are they will be totally down.
8. Print out pictures of home, and talk about it to combat homesickness.
The first couple of weeks are going to be the hardest. You’ll probably be a little bit homesick, stressed about classes, and a little overwhelmed from living on your own for the first time. It really helps having pictures from home hanging up in your room, as well as simply talking about your home with your friends. I underestimated how much this would help, and how much it would allow you to bond with others. They will want to hear about your home, and also tell you about theirs. This kills two birds with one stone because you’re able to make really good friends, and help keep homesickness at bay.
9. Leave your door open whenever you’re in your room.
Leaving your door open to your dorm is kind of a single saying “Hey! I want to make friends so come say hi!” People will actually swing in and introduce themselves, and it makes it so much easier to get to know people! Your floor will become closer if you all meet each other through open doors, and you’ll most likely meet some of your best friends this way. My first week was filled with awkward introductions that we all laughed about later, and most of these people became my closest group of friends.
10. Ask questions in class, and go to office hours.
Okay, this can be very scary, especially when you’re in a lecture hall full of 500 students. I am a very shy person, so it took me a little while to fully become comfortable with asking questions or answering them. This can be really beneficial, though, because you don’t want to be confused in any of your classes! That confusion can pile up very quickly, and make learning other concepts difficult. It’s better to just clear the air as soon as possible, and your professors like being asked questions! It shows you are an engaged student who really wants to learn, and they get to know you better and put a name to one of the many faces they see. You can also go to your professor’s office hours if asking questions during lecture scares you too much, or if you have a lot of questions.
11. Form study groups and actually study with them.
A great way to make friends in your classes is to ask people to study with you! Forming a solid study group you can meet with the whole term is a great way to do well on exams. Your first finals week can be really scary, so it helps you study with other people who are in the same situation as you. It’s also a very collaborative process because you can all learn from each other, and it really helps when you teach someone a concept, because it solidifies the knowledge in your own brain.
12. Make good decisions….
You are on your own for the very first time, so it’s important to make good decisions, because you will have a lot to make! You’re now entering the real world (albeit a more sheltered one being in college), so you will have to make real life decisions. Just make sure you keep yourself safe, and that you don’t put yourself into any dangerous situations. You can always call your parents when you need advice, because they will most likely gladly give you some!
13. …but don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
You will make mistakes, and that is okay! How else are you going to learn? I made my fair share of mistakes last year, and I know I have many more to make. We’re young, so it is to be expected. Don’t beat yourself up over these mistakes, though! Mistakes can be learned from, and the next time you are in the same situation, you know not to make the same decision as last time. Think of them as real-world-life-lessons, and also realize that all of the successful adults of today made the very same mistakes.
14. It’s okay to change your major.
It’s okay if you change your major three times within the same term, we all do it! I had a plan of what I was going to study in college, and it is not the same one I have now, or probably the one I’m going to have by winter quarter. Some people do stick with their original major, and total props to them, but plans can change very quickly in college. You are able to take classes about what you truly love for the first time, and it’s okay to take a class and realize you actually hate it. Everyone does this, and it’s better to figure it out your freshman year, rather than a couple of months before you graduate!
College is the time to get to know yourself, find out what your dream and aspirations are, make mistakes, and to ultimately have the time of your life. You will have so many ups and downs, but at the end of the day, college is really incredible. You have to rely on yourself for the first time, and you make some of the best friends you’ve ever had. These people turn into your family, and you really will make memories to last a life time. So don’t take yourself too seriously (although, take your classes seriously!), and enjoy the ride! Home is also always a phone call away, so when you’re feeling too overwhelmed, take some time out and call your loved ones.
I also made a video all about this, so give a watch to hear me talk about all of these points a little bit more! 🙂
Are you excited for school?
Thank you so much for reading, have a wonderful day, and good luck on your freshman year! 🙂
With school coming right around the corner for some people, I thought it would be perfect to share with you guys a DIY that’s great for motivation. We all have those days where we feel inadequate for various reasons: a failed test, rejection of any kind, or you just feel down because of stress. I find that when I feel like this, motivational quotes, however cheesy, can really help to get me out of a slump. Making some kind of art piece with the quote is even better, since arts and crafts are so therapeutic. Does that make me sound ninety years old? Probably. But as long as it helps me stay motivated throughout the year, sign me up!
Thanks for reading, have a wonderful day, and dream big!
I got some really great things this year from Nordstrom, Pacsun, and Brandy Melville! I went to an actual Brandy store while I was in California, so I was super excited about that! I think my favorite place this year for back to school was Pacsun, though! It’s probably my favorite store in general, so no surprise there, but they always have great deals for back to school! I also just love the clothes at Pacsun, so it was a win-win all around. I’m so excited to wear them all this fall!
I’m really looking forward to going back to school this year, since I’ve felt so inspired this summer. My schedule is going to be a lot of fun next quarter, and I think I’m finally starting to figure out what I’m going to major in, and a general plan for my life! I just hope I don’t go through the “Sophomore Slump” this year, and stay on track with my classes.
You can check out all of the pieces down below in the video I posted on my channel! 🙂 My cat, Perry, makes a surprise entrance, so keep your eyes out for that!
Thank you so much for reading (and watching!) and have a wonderful day! 🙂
It is the end of August, and I am already looking forward to fall. Crisp, cool mornings, pumpkin everything, huge sweaters, crocheting scarves for winter, Halloween…I could seriously go on and on! I grew up with a mother who absolutely lives for the fall, and as I get older I find that I fall in love with fall (ha ha ha get it) more and more each year. It’s the start of the two coziest seasons, and I love watching all of the leaves turn towards the more golden side of the color spectrum.
I have been using almond milk lately since I have a slight sensitivity to milk (I’m just not supposed to have it on an empty stomach), and I really like it! I tried it a couple of years ago and really didn’t like it because of it’s nutty flavor, but now that I’ve been eating more nuts, I don’t mind it at all! I love the flavor it gives oatmeal as well.
You can’t have pumpkin oatmeal without the classic spices that always go into pumpkin pie! I found this really helps give the flavor more depth, and who doesn’t love cinnamon in oatmeal?
Quick oats really don’t take long to make (obviously), but I find I like them best when they are super mushy. It doesn’t sound the most appetizing, but I love gooey foods like undercooked cookies! Super weird of me, I know.
My dad thinks he’s hilarious with his labels on my gluten free foods.
Peanut butter is the secret ingredient here that really finishes this oatmeal! I actually always add peanut butter to my oatmeal, even if only a little bit, because I love how it makes the oats taste! I get tired of bland oatmeal really easily, so it helps to keep it flavorful. And I’m just addicted to peanut butter.
Ahhhh Libby’s pumpkin! I love this stuff, and I’m so excited to be using it more and more in fall-inspired recipes! Pumpkin is also really good for you, folks.
Look at that orange-y goodness. You can add in more pumpkin than this, or less! It just all depends on your own personal pumpkin pallet.
This is after I added the honey, and boy is it pretty! I love using honey to make things sweeter, and to avoid sugar. You can definitely add some brown sugar, though, to sweeten this up! It’s really up to you.
1. Have a planner, and actually use it
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| I have really been loving my Lilly Pulitzer planner! |
Writing your schedule down in a planner is the number one tip I could give you about staying organized. It’s so important to keep all of your important dates in one place, and to write down what you’ll be doing for the coming week. I like mapping out my schedule on Sunday evenings, just so I have a rough idea of what my week will look like. You of course don’t have to put every tiny detail in for the week when you aren’t too sure quite yet, but it’ll help to have an idea of how you’re week is going to go. Plus, it’ll be easier planning things during the week because you already kind of know what you are doing each day.
Using a planner to write down assignment due dates is also very important. As soon as you get your syllabus in the beginning of the term, write down all of the huge due dates for each of your classes because your professors will most likely only remind you the week before an assignment is due. It’s definitely your job now to keep track of due dates and to keep yourself accountable for everything. Plus, you can get a super cute planner from brands like Lilly Pulitzer, Kate Spade, Ban.do….the list goes on and on! Target also has some really cute ones that won’t break your bank.
2. Keep a journal
I like to keep a journal to write down my goals – whether they are my yearly, monthly, or weekly goals, it really helps to keep me on track! I also love to write out organized to-do lists that are more longterm, and focused on my more creative projects. So lists pertaining to blog posts, video ideas, writing ideas, and other creative projects! This helps to keep my brain organized, if that makes any sense. Sometimes it feels like I get so overwhelmed with homework and tests, that I just have ideas swimming around and nowhere to put them! I decided to just write them all down in a journal, and that helped so much. It really helps to give you a creative outlet as well!
3. Use sticky notes
I am seriously a sticky note addict. Honestly, I probably over-use them, but it helps to remind me of important dates, or things that I need to do the next day. When you are finally going to sleep after a long night of homework, it’s so easy to forget things the next morning. I like to hang sticky notes on my desk, or put them on my laptop to remind myself to get important things done, or remember to bring the homework I just finished to class the next day. I know, that sounds crazy, but when you are an exhausted college kid, it’s easy to forget to print assignments, or just leave them in your dorm altogether! Sticky notes are really the best, and should not be underestimated in their importance on your college shopping list.
4. Set phone reminders
This is essentially the digital version of sticky notes, but they can be carried around with you, and remind you of things at certain times! Phone reminders are really great for appointments that you might forget about during the day if you’re super busy. You also most likely always have your phone with you, so you can easily set a reminder when you’re out and about and need a digital sticky note pronto. I personally like sticky notes better because I like physical reminders, but phone reminders definitely have their uses too!
5. Schedule free time and homework time
This goes along with scheduling your week, but having dedicated and consistent time where you are doing homework or taking a break is really helpful for staying sane. I like to get to work on assignments right after I get back from classes, so I can have free time later at night, and not be worried about homework while I eat dinner. Getting to bed early is also a really good idea in college, so getting your homework done right after classes helps you get enough sleep too.
Well, there you have it! Those are my five tips to staying organized in college. If you are going to be a freshman next year, don’t get scared about how crazy your schedule will be! You will find a balance after a couple of weeks of trial and error, and pretty soon you’ll be a college pro!
I made a video about this on my channel as well, so give it a look!
Do you like to use planners?
Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day!
I read the Selection series by Kiera Cass when it first came out, so I was really excited to see that she had come out with a spin-off series. The first book in the new series is called The Heir, and is about the daughter of King Mason and Queen America, who are the main characters from the original book. Eadlyn – the daughter – has to have her own Selection (where 35 young men enter to possibly woo the princess into marrying one of them…basically The Bachelorette for royalty) in order to distract the public from their growing discontent. I was glad there was a larger purpose to this Selection, but it soon became clear that that wouldn’t be the main focus of the book.
It is unclear what Cass was wanting to achieve in this book; to try and get the message of the public’s growing anger with the monarchy, or Eadlyn’s anger about the selection. While at first it seemed like Cass would really focus on how angry the public was about the hard financial times the country seemed to be facing, she seemed more concerned with showing how bratty Eadlyn was, and how poorly she treated those around her. The first Selection series was about Mason and America – both very down to earth characters who I did not think could create a child like Eadlyn. She treats her maid, whom she claims to be very good friends with, horribly, and is very unhappy with having to go through the selection, even though it is to distract the public long enough for her poor father to find a way to help out his struggling subjects.
Cass seems to use Eadlyn’s feminist mind set to excuse her poor behavior, and public shaming of the men in her selection, but it just ends up being way too forced. I totally support strong female leads in books fighting for women rights, but Eadlyn is simply portrayed as being a snobby princess used to getting her way, yet complaining about how hard her life is. She is a fraternal twin with her brother, Ahren, whom was born seven minutes after her. The laws of her country dictated that even though she was technically older, Ahren was to be king due to his gender. Because their parents were so revolutionary, and America was a big advocate of women’s rights, they made it so the eldest child was to be the ruler, regardless of gender. Go them, right? Well, according to Eadlyn, very, very wrong. There is not a moment in the book when she isn’t complaining about how she’ll have to be queen one day, or how she is expected to get married soon. I get it, no one should be forced to marry young, but that doesn’t mean she shouldn’t make the best of her situation, and find a man she is actually happy with, and not some random person she’s betrothed to. She has the choice between thirty-five different men who she never would have met, had the selection never happened. She could at least try and look on the bright side that she gets a choice – something that not all the royals before her had.
I love that Kiera Cass is trying to make feminism a big theme of the book. I think more and more support for women is needed, but I do not like how it was executed in this book. Instead of Eadlyn portraying a strong woman, she is petty and cruel to those around her, especially the young men partaking in the selection. I wanted so badly to root for her and her feminist ideals, but I just ending up staring at the book like this a lot:
She questions why the public hates her, yet she gives them absolutely no reason for them to like her (i.e. at least having some sort of conscience). She insults the boys at every turn, and looks down upon people with “lower” statuses than herself. I found it hard to root for her at all, and instead was rejoicing when her brother tells her off at one point. I had such high hopes for this book since the first series had a strong woman lead, but I was deeply disappointed with this one. Eadlyn is not empathetic at all, and it was so hard to relate to her. Cass made it seem like women have to be completely rude and controlling in order to get anywhere in life. While we women have to be firm in many situations, we can also be human in order to be successful. I’m hoping Cass made us readers feel this way about Eadlyn for a reason, and maybe we will be able to see a drastic change in her for the next book, but for now I am simply disappointed. Feminism should not be portrayed as needing to be so independent to the point where women have to be cruel to anyone who tries to be remotely nice or helpful to them
All of the romance in the book is shadowed by Eadlyn’s attitude towards the whole selection. She treats the selected horribly, which in turn makes the public dislike her even more. There is also the “issue” she has with literally anyone seeing the real her, or trying to get close to her. I didn’t understand what the big deal was with people even asking her how her day was going, especially when she raves about how great and close her family is. The whole book was just a little bit off and forced to me, and it made me really sad. I had such higher expectations and I was definitely let down.
I hate giving bad reviews to books and movies, but honestly The Heir was not the greatest book in my opinion. It did have it’s moments, and for those I just might read the next book, if only to keep up with America and Mason. But by the end of the book, I was definitely questioning why I ever picked it up in the first place. It was very disappointing that this book was a let down, because the first series was really great, and I believe Kiera Cass really is a good writer. Hopefully the next one is better!
Have you read this book? What have you been reading lately?
Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂
While in California for VidCon, I made sure to take pictures of my outfits everyday so I could show you an outfit diary! The weather was actually pretty mild, and not as hot as it has been in Oregon, so that was definitely weird for me. Although it wasn’t as warm, it was definitely a lot more muggy! Walking to the convention center in the morning could get pretty warm just because of the humidity, but overall the weather was really great for being able to wear cute outfits. So without further ado, let’s get into the pictures!
Our first day was spent shopping a little bit, and just kind of relaxing around the hotel!
Crop top: Top Shop (please say that out loud because it’s so fun)
Shorts: Old Levi’s from my mom that I made into shorts
Blouse: This is actually my mom’s as well, and I think she got it from JC Penny’s!
Necklaces: The purple one is from a local farmer’s market, and the other one was made by Joycie!
I also really love how my hair turned out this day
I think this was my favorite outfit! I wore this on the third and final day of VidCon, and I’m so happy with how the full look came together.
Dress: Free People
Necklace: A little independent jewelry maker
The back of this dress is amazing!
I decided to wear a couple of flash tattoos this day since the back was so open! Now I’m really tempted to get a real tattoo there…
I also put another flash tattoo on my wrist! And ohmygosh it took about forty-five minutes to do my hair (you can ask Joycie who had to put up with me while I braided my mane…) but I’m so glad I took the time to do this hairstyle because it really completed the look!
We went to Disneyland on the fifth day and found Tinkerbell’s little garden, so of course we had to take OOTD’s there!
Shirt: Nordstrom
Shorts: Nordstrom
Bag: Ted Baker
Sunglasses: Forever 21
We were shopping and traveling the sixth day, so I didn’t have a chance to take an OOTD, and I was just wearing one of my old tropical print dresses, so I didn’t figure you all would want to see that. But overall, I had a blast in California! The trip was exhausting, but so, so, so incredible! I cannot wait to go back next year for VidCon! 🙂
What was your favorite outfit?
Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day!
I feel like I need to take a deep breath before I even start this post. VidCon was this past weekend, and it was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had. I learned so much, met some amazing people, and gained even more passion/motivation for my blog and YouTube channel. It was incredible to be surrounded by so many like-minded people and creative minds.
I went with one of my best friends, Joycie (from Much Ado About Nothing), and we both got creator passes. I’m very glad that we did, because we were able to attend super helpful panels featuring larger and more knowledgable YouTubers, and man, did we learn a lot! There were seriously panels on everything you can imagine, and we got to meet a lot of the YouTubers after their panels! It was nice to meet them on a more “professional” level, and to be able to ask them questions and for advice. I took a lot of notes, and now I feel like I can make a serious game-plan on how to grow my blog and channel, and I’m so excited!
During VidCon, I also got to be a part of a mentorship program in which I got two sessions with two different mentors (who turned out to be Nikki Phillippi and Meghan Camarena from Strawburry17!!). I was able to show them a video I had made, and ask them questions and advice specific to my channel. They were both extremely nice and helpful, and the sessions were super invaluable!
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| Here’s Meghan and I at our session! |
I cannot thank them enough for the advice they gave me, and I really hope to meet them next year again with much more success from the advice they gave me! I’ve set some goals for myself for this next year until VidCon 2016, so hopefully I’ll be able to tell them how much I’ve achieved!
With Creator passes, we were basically allowed to do everything that Community people were, except get into the signing hall, which was just fine with me. I loved being able to go the main expo hall and go around to the booths, but then also go to the second floor – that only people with Creator and Industry passes could get into – to attend really helpful panels. I don’t do too well with the whole running and screaming crowd thing, so it was nice to have our calm second floor to go to that was much more relaxed. We had our own lounges that we could relax in, and oddly enough, I was able to find gluten-free and vegetarian food on the second floor! That was definitely a plus, because I had the hardest time finding food that was both gluten-free and vegetarian. We ended up eating most of our meals at the Baja Fresh inside the Hilton, since Mexican food can easily be made with corn tortillas and without meat.
While we were at VidCon, we got to meet so many people! I’ll show you guys some pictures here:
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| sWooZie and I! |
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| Louis from FunForLouis! |
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| Cassey Ho (Blogilates)! |
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| Andrea from Andrea’s Choice! |
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| Convos With Our 2-Year-Old!! |
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| Aspyn Ovard! |
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| Shaycarl’s mom! |
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| Estée from Essie Button! |
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| Anna and Jonathan from the SacconeJoly’s! |
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| Austin and Brittany from the Nive Nulls! |
All of the YouTubers I met were so incredibly nice, and were willing to meet all of us! It was so cool to be able to meet them in real life, and to ask them questions. It just makes me even more excited to grow my blog and channel! I have big plans for this next year, and I am seriously ready to hustle in order to make my dreams come true. I figured I would be inspired after VidCon, but I really didn’t know just how pumped I would be! Although I’m sad VidCon is over, I still have this passion that is making me so excited for the future. I am even more dedicated to making my dreams come true; it will happen! Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t achieve something. I am so ready to prove all of those people wrong! Together we can do anything – so get excited for this next year!
I also just want to thank all of you guys who are following me, subscribed, or have supported me in any way shape or form! I am extremely grateful to you guys, and I’m so happy you’re a part of our little family. With time it’ll just get bigger and bigger, and even more supportive of all of us! We are all in this together (cue High School Musical music), so let’s make this next year great! (Okay that sounds weird because in fact it is the middle of the year, but ya’ll know what I mean).
I LOVE ALL OF YOU GUYS.
Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day!