Succeeding in college isn’t only about getting good grades, studying for tests, and doing homework; it’s also important to make sure you’re staying creative and living holistically. It’s easy to get stuck in the rut of studying for classes and getting stressed out, and not having a creative outlet to destress. Personally, I think it’s really important to remain creative throughout college to give yourself a break from all of the busyness, but when you make it a priority it gets easier.
Here are 5 tips on how to be creative in college:
1. Prioritize your time so you have plenty of it to be creative
2. Have a couple of art supplies with you at all times
3. Give an artistic flare to your notes
4. Make art with friends
5. Keep an eye out on Groupon for art classes
I hadn’t known that bullet journals were not only planners, but actual journals as well – silly, I know. I personally have (or had, now) a planner, a separate journal for my thoughts, and another journal for goals/ideas. Obviously I couldn’t carry around all three, so I’d usually just carry my planner around with me. My phone is full of notes and ideas since I didn’t always have my “ideas” journal with me, so it would result in a lot of lists later that I couldn’t really make sense of.
With my bullet journal, I can have designated pages that are solely for lists and ideas, or anything else I’d like to put in there. I really like the creative freedom you can have with bullet journals, and that you can follow the system loosely and make up your own rules. I’ve found it’s been great to sit down on Sunday afternoon and figure out the week ahead, and see what all I have to do. It’s quickly become a part of my weekly and daily routine to set up the week on Sunday and get ready, and then come back after work and update my journal.
Another part I love about bullet journaling are the different “trackers.” Currently I have a habit tracker and mood tracker, and I think next month I’ll add in an expense tracker, too. Visually checking in with my goals for the month and year has been helping so much in keeping myself accountable, and it’s cool to see them fill in. I love filling in those little boxes, so it keeps me motivated, too! This has also been great in setting realistic goals, and also seeing where I can push a little more to set a higher goal.
So far I’ve been keeping my journal relatively simple, but I’m excited to become more creative in the future. I love drawing and painting, so my bullet journal will be a great place to be able to do that in, since I don’t have a whole lot of time to dedicate to that. I really love how you can get super creative and elaborate with bullet journals or keep it simple if you like!
The future log is really important for your bullet journal, because it allows you to see the year at a glance and write in important events. So far I’ve mainly written down birthday’s and holiday’s, but as time goes on there’s more and more to put in the log. I added little doodles for each month to give it some personality, too!
Put in any yearly logs you want, or anything else you’ll want to come back to a lot
These are some of the supplies I’ve been using
This post contains affiliate links.
You’ve probably noticed that I haven’t been posting very often, but I’ve been so busy with studying for finals – go figure. This quarter was one of the busiest I’ve had at the University of Washington, and because of that my blog and channel have suffered slightly. I’m going to have a busy summer as well but I’m trying to get a hold on my schedule early so I can keep up to date. I have a couple of weeks before I start to get super busy, so I’m going to be getting ahead of the game!
As you’re ending the term for your school, I’m sure the scariest part is all of the finals you have to take. It can be so daunting to study for multiple tests, and you’ll probably end up feeling like a zombie. I’ve done a post on how to survive finals, but I really wanted to do an updated one in the “How to Succeed in College” series, especially since I’ve been studying like crazy these last couple of weeks. So, here are my tips!
1. Write down when each and every one of your finals are.
This may seem super basic and obvious, but it’s a great place to start and keep coming back to. If you need reminders, write them on sticky notes and post them around your desk, or wherever you’ll see them a lot. This really does help – it’s so easy to get unorganized and lost while studying for finals, because you’re just focused on reviewing content.
2. Actually make study guides.
I remember doing this in high school was always so annoying, but it can be so useful in college. When you’re writing down all of the topics from your classes, you can get a feel for which ones you need to study more on, and which ones you know really well. It’s also great to have a reference that you can go over when you’re doing simple things like eating breakfast, or even walking to class (if you take a photo of it on your phone, which I highly recommend!).
3. Prioritize your time.
This can be with what you study for certain classes, as well as which finals you study the most for, and when you actually study for them. If you get a head start on studying for your finals that you have first, you’ll have more time to study for finals that come later in the week. It’s super difficult when you have multiple finals in a day, or one after the other, so it’s important to schedule time to study for each different class. I definitely struggled with this Freshman year, so it’s something that just takes a lot of practice and a lot of tests! Also, it really helps to have a planner to organize your time!
4. Block social media websites, and delete the apps if you get distracted easily.
I know a lot of people who actually block websites that they go to often, as well as delete apps on their phones so they don’t get distracted. This is a really great solution if you get side-tracked easily while studying, or you find yourself constantly checking your phone and computer. I personally don’t do this, but it does work well for a lot of people.
5. Change up where you study.
If you are getting tired of the scenery you’re studying in, try simply changing it up by going somewhere else. Getting bored of a certain location that you’re studying in can happen, so try studying in your room, other living spaces, different libraries, cafes, or other buildings around campus. If I’m feeling super burnt out for studying, it really does help me to go somewhere else. This really helps to keep your mind stimulated, and focus on studying!
6. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep.
“Sleep” and “finals” don’t often go together, but it’s important to try and get enough rest during the week. I’ve learned the hard way this quarter just how important sleep is; you end up doing better on tests, and you have more energy to finish up homework. It really does pay off to take the extra time to go to sleep early, or take a nap throughout the day so you can feel refreshed.
7. Make study groups with friends.
Studying with classmates can be really beneficial if you’re struggling in the class, and even when you know the content really well. Chances are you each will have stronger grasps on different parts of the class, so you can teach other in order to fill in those gaps. Also, when you are teaching someone else a concept, you end up really solidifying it in your head, which helps you out in the long run. It can also help to make you feel less alone and therefore less stressed, because you have others to talk to about the test!
8. Stay positive.
This might not seem too important, but it’s really easy to focus on the negatives during finals. If you find yourself really down, try and think of the positives, like being done with finals and relaxing! Spring quarter/term finals can be really tough because you’re thisclose to summer, and finals can feel like they’re absolutely dragging along. Just remember that this is the last step before summer, and that you really are close.
9. Listen to classical music to help you study, or any other study music that helps.
I find that listening to classical music, study music, and even soundtracks to movies (Harry Potter is my favorite choice, of course), really helps me stay focused. If I listen to music with lyrics I find myself just humming along to those, but if it’s instrumental music, I can better focus. This is especially useful if you’re in a busy or loud place, like a cafe, but you still want to sit there and study. It’s been proven that classical music helps, so definitely give it a try if you have trouble focusing! You can literally just search “study music” on YouTube, and they have videos that last for literal hours.
10. Take plenty of breaks.
It can be easy to just drone along and study for hours on end, but it’s really important to take small breaks every now and then. Bring along a book to the library to read, listen to your favorite music, take a nap, waste some time on the internet, talk to your friends – do whatever helps you take your mind off of studying. Don’t feel like you have to be constantly studying, because this can make you burn out really quickly. You’ll lose steam, and the studying you’re doing won’t actually be very productive. Make sure you’re scheduling in breaks!
Alright, there’s 10 tips on how to survive finals in college! Just remember that you’ll survive, and it’s alright if you don’t do well on a test – don’t be too hard on yourself! College really is a learning process, and I promise it gets easier.
NOT ALL PHOTOS ARE MINE.
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.
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 made it to London, and I can’t believe I’m here! I’ve been year for about five days now, but it simultaneously feels like I’ve been here for months, and minutes. I’m so surprised by how quickly I’ve gotten comfortable with the public transportation here; they make it so easy to get to the city, and travel throughout it. I definitely thought it would take me a while to get used to it and be able to find my way, especially with my horrible sense of direction!
The whole journey of getting here was pretty easy, and I didn’t have any complications, other than my suitcase being about 15-20 pounds overweight (all of my books had to go home with my parents instead of overseas with me, sadly). The flights went very smoothly, and luckily there were no screaming babies. It was definitely hard sitting there for seven hours straight on the flight over to London – I had a layover in Detroit – but it went by relatively quickly.
I got into London at about noon on Saturday, the 18th, so I was able to get settled in at the home I’m staying at. The couple hosting me is so lovely, and they have the most adorable little house and family. They have two cats, Rosie and Mackey, as well as three children and four grandchildren. I’ve met their son and his two children, and they are so sweet as well. I definitely lucked out, because I have a great roommate as well! It’s nice staying with a family, especially since I come from a very close one, so I have that homely comfort, and a wonderful place to come back to after long classes. My host mom has even made my roommate and I two batches of gluten free cupcakes, and always makes sure that there is vegetarian and gluten free food for me to eat!
I spent most of Sunday sleeping, basically, because I was feeling pretty sick in the morning and very jet lagged the whole day. I definitely underestimated how tired I would be! My sleep schedule is slowly returning to normal, so that’s very nice. I’ve now spent about three days in the city, walking around as a class, and wandering a tiny bit on my own, and I’ve taken so many photos so far. I thought I would post all of them to this post, since they are of all over London, and not any specific sub-city. I’ll be having dedicated posts for each of the places I go to, but for now this is an initial catch-all post!
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| This is the street of the neighborhood my host family lives in. |
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| The houses are so cute here! |
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| I can’t get over the architecture; everything is gorgeous! |
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| There are so many streets with cute buildings like these! |
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| Soho and the West End is definitely my favorite area so far. |
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| Leicester Square is so beautiful! |
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| There are so many double deckers, and they definitely do not get any less impressive the more I see them! |
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| I had to take a stereotypical telephone booth photo. |
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| I couldn’t believe the shot I got of Big Ben, because the clouds suddenly cleared! |
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| This is Mackey, one of my host family’s cat! She is the sweetest little thing. |
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| My host family has such pretty roses in their garden! |
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| This is Rosie, the rather chubby-but-adorable second cat. |
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| There was a swan (a swan people) just casually swimming about by the park near Buckingham Palace. |
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| As if it couldn’t get any better, here are some baby swans. I think I died in this moment. |
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| This is from on of the monuments from a German bombing. |
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| I really need to start getting more “touristy” photos with myself in them! |
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| We got to watch the guards sign off (?) at four o’clock. The horses were so gorgeous! |
I’ve taken hundreds of photos so far, so I’m really glad I decided to bring an extra memory card! That way I won’t have to worry about the amount I’m taking, and I’ll still have plenty of room for my Spain trip. I’m having so much fun; I’m extremely grateful that I’m here. I was pretty homesick the first full day here, probably because I was so exhausted, and was just lying around the house not really doing much of anything. Now that my mind and body are both so preoccupied, I’m not dwelling on home! It definitely comes in waves, though. I just keep thinking that I’m in one of the most incredible cities in the world, and probably won’t have a chance like this one to be in London for so long, doing whatever I want to when I don’t have classes. I’m so lucky to have my parents who both encouraged me to come here, because I’m seriously having the time of my life so far.
I am leaving for London, my first study abroad program, this Friday and I’m starting to freak out. I’m feeling a nice mixture of nerves and excitement as it’s becoming more real. I’ve been looking forward to this since March when I found out I got accepted into both programs – London and San Sebastián – and now it’s actually here! I want to make sure to make the most of both programs, so I thought I would make a bucket list for each locations! Since London is first, I’ll start with this one, and do my San Sebastián one closer to the program.
1. Go to the Warner Brother’s Studio Tour of Harry Potter.
2. See Big Ben.
3. Visit the Sherlock Museum.
4. Have fancy tea somewhere.
5. Ride the London Eye.
6. Visit Buckingham Palace.
7. Go to Hyde Park.
8. Go to King’s Cross Station
9. Attend a football match.
10. Go to the London YouTube Space.
11. Go to the British Museum.
Things I want to do outside of London…
12. Visit Scotland.
13. Visit Ireland.
14. Go to Stonehenge.
15. Visit Brighton.
I still cannot believe that I’m going to Europe this summer to study abroad! It hasn’t set in that I’m leaving in two days – I probably won’t believe it until I’m actually there. I can’t wait to share all of my adventures with you all!
Also, if any of you live in London or have visited, I would love it if you could let me know where I should go!
Finals are finally over, and we have arrived at the end of the year once again. I have found that college is going by way faster than I ever thought – or wanted – it to. Like last year, I wanted to reflect back on the year with a letter to it, so here goes!
Dear Sophomore Year,
I learned so much from you. I thought Freshman Year taught me a lot, and it did, but you put me through so much more. Because of you, I found best friends who will probably be in my life forever, and I learned that it’s okay to rely on them when I feel incredibly overwhelmed. I met most of these people Freshman Year, but you solidified those relationships and showed me which ones were worth cultivating.
I grew so much this past school year. Through papers, tests, and projects, I not only learned a lot about the subjects I’m interested in, but myself as well, by seeing how I dealt with all of the challenges I faced. I was a lot more comfortable my second year at college, but you made sure I was still put in situations outside of my comfort zone. This ensured that I grew even more, and through these challenges I became more confident.
You showed me just what being confident in myself can do, Sophomore Year. My newfound confidence in myself allowed me to go out of my comfort zone and do a lot of things that I wouldn’t, had I still been afraid of what people thought of me. I joined a new club and got a leadership position in a different one for next year. I’m looking forward to that, but I won’t forget that you, Sophomore Year, were the start of it all. This was the year that I really started to come out of my shell, and I know I still have a long way to go.
This year was full of many triumphs and failures, but overall was a great one. I was accepted into my major, declared my double major, and was also accepted to two different study abroad programs. It was also a very difficult year with classes, but I was able to work hard and get everything done with (most of) my sanity still intact.
I went through a lot in my personal life this year, besides all of the academic stress, but I made it through with the help of my best friends. Joycie and Rachel have been my rocks through you, Sophomore Year, and I honestly don’t know what I would’ve done without them. They experienced many late night, frantic texts when I couldn’t handle all of the stress, and I’ll always be grateful to them for being there no matter what.
I learned so much about myself, and I know that this year was one where I matured a lot. I finally feel (mostly) like an adult, with two decades under my belt, and I’m figuring out how to rely on myself to find solutions to real-world problems. It’s a scary realization that I’m no longer a kid and have to figure things out on my own, but I know I can always call my parents if I absolutely need to. A scary part of growing up is realizing you have to do a lot on your own, but Sophomore Year, you showed me that I really can do it.
Love,
Stnkrbug
A lot of people talk about all of the essentials you’ll need for your dorm, or how to move in, but one of the most daunting task isn’t talked about a lot: moving out of your dorm. Throughout the year, it seems like things just pile up over time, and at the end you are left with a mess of items you don’t even remember buying. All of those old assignments you shoved under your bed or in drawers seem to magically grow ten sizes, and the thought of packing seems like the most overwhelming thing in the world.
I have definitely been there, and am currently there now. This year it’s a lot more manageable since I made it through move-out last year, but still it is a daunting task for anyone. I thought since I was able to persevere last year, I would share my tips on how to move out of your college dorm successfully, and hopefully a little bit easier!
Decide when exactly you are going to move out, and coordinate with whomever is helping you move out. I try and do this early on and let my parents know so they’ll have a whole day free to help me move out of my dorm, which is helpful because there’s no way I could do it by myself! Once you’ve decided when you’re going to move out, make a plan of how you are going to be packing up all of your stuff; do you need boxes to put little things in? Clothes boxes for your closet? How are you getting that mini-fridge out? It’s important to have some sort of an idea of how you’re getting everything out of your room, instead of just blindly hoping it’ll work.
Starting a couple of weeks before, I try and bring home things that I know I won’t need for the last month or so of school. This helps get little random things out of the way so you have more room in your car for other items. Since you’ll be looking through all of your stuff, this helps for you to see all that is in your dorm room, and what will have to come out soon.
There are some things in your dorm room that you probably won’t need over the summer, especially if you’ll be living in a dorm again next year, or a smaller space. Because of that, it’s nice to pack boxes with things that you know you won’t immediately need once home, and can just put in storage until fall. Doing this helps a lot when you’re unloading your car, and need to get to vital things like your favorite books (I know I’m not the only one).
There is no such thing as over-labeling a box, and can be super helpful when you are unloading boxes. Try and put like-items into the same box, for example bathroom things, kitchen utensils, bedding, etc. If everything is labeled really well, it’s that much easier to unpack, and also to see if you even need to unpack a box before you move back into a dorm or apartment for the fall. My family and I tend to over-label boxes anyway just to be funny, so have fun with it!
Moving is hard work, people. It may not seem like your dorm can fit a lot of things, but they definitely add up throughout the year. It’s important to make sure that you’re eating and drinking enough to stay energized, especially since the weather is heating up! Plan ahead and pre-make some snacks or a lunch, and make sure to feed everyone who is helping you! It will be greatly appreciated, and will also help everyone’s spirits stay lifted.
It can be easy to just want to throw everything into the car as quickly as possible, but try and take time and place things in there strategically. Be mindful of breakables, and make sure they aren’t in a location where something could fall and crush it. When in doubt, put the sturdiest and heaviest stuff on the bottom, and lighter, more delicate things on top. This may seem obvious, but it can be easy to forget when you’re trying to move as quickly as possible!
Alright, well those are my tips on how to move out of your dorm a little bit more easily than if you were just to go at it with no plan! That’s what I ended up doing last year and it was way more stressful than it needed to be! I wish you all the best of luck!
Ever since I was a little girl I have wanted to see other places. I knew coming into college that I wanted to study abroad sometime during the four years, but I didn’t know when. This past fall quarter, back in 2015, a representative from a study abroad program in San Sebastián came into my Spanish class to let us know about the program. I was instantly interested, and decided to apply. Fast forward a couple of months to winter quarter, I heard about another summer program in London from the English department, that is conveniently taking place right before the San Sebastián program. I decided to apply to that program as well, thinking I would at least get into one program.
Well, I ended up getting into both programs, and thought at first that I would have to decide between the two. After talking with my parents about it, they asked me, “Why not do both?” Great question, mom and dad. Through a lot of consideration, and a very stressful week of deciding before the deadlines, I have decided that I am going to do both programs this summer. The London program starts just two weeks after spring quarter ends, and goes from June 19th to July 23rd, and the San Sebastián one starts literally one day after, and ends August 24th.
I cannot explain how excited I am to be going to Europe this summer. I have only ever been out of the country once when I was five years old, to volunteer in Mexico. London and Spain are a huge step up from that, since they are on a whole other continent. Both programs are homestays, meaning I will be living with two families, one in London, and one in San Sebastián, which I think will be so fun and a great cultural experience. I have always dreamed of going to both countries – England and Spain – since a huge part of my family is English, and I have been studying Spanish for about six years now. I am also majoring in International Studies and English, with a minor in Spanish, so these programs are the perfect fit for me.
Since I was wondering when I was going to fit in studying abroad, here are a couple of reasons why I decided to do it during the summer.
It would be extremely hard to try and fit in a study abroad program, since I have to be consciencious of all the classes I am taking, and how to fit in all of my major(s) requirements. Dedicating a whole quarter to a study abroad program that only satisfies one of my majors or minors would be very challenging, and not the best in terms of time management.
This summer, I will be getting 30 extra credits essentially, which will make me a senior by next year, my junior year. While this won’t really allow me to graduate early since I have to get through all of my major requirements, I won’t be scrambling to get all of my credits done by the end of my senior year.
College isn’t only about the academics – they are very important – but it is also about extracurricular activities. I am a part of three different clubs, I have a job, and a very big class load, so it would be really hard to take off for a whole quarter, and drop everything, essentially. It’s not that it wouldn’t be doable, it would just be very hard, and not something I want to take on. I am already stressed out enough during the year, and missing a whole quarter would not be the best for my anxiety.
I have looked up so much about the places I will be going, and have talked to natives from the area, and they all agree that summers are gorgeous in England and Spain. Summers can be kind of lackluster here in the Pacific Northwest, so I am especially excited to spend a month in San Sebastián, where I will basically be living on the beach.
When I was in the third grade, we had an exchange student from Spain who is now like family. He lives in Madrid with his girlfriend (they are adorable), and they offered to let me stay with them for a couple of days. I’m super excited to see the capital of Spain, and see what the city is like! Since it’s during the summer, I’ll have plenty of time to stay with them for a little bit.
I am so stoked for this summer, and I can’t wait to not only learn about the class subjects, but more about myself as well! I don’t want to have too high of expectations, but I’m hoping that both programs will be a lot of fun, and that’ll I’ll be able to meet some great people. I’ll be posting all about my experiences abroad this summer, and also tips for studying abroad once I get back, so make sure to check back with my blog!