When I was reflecting back on 2017, I wished I had somehow kept track of everything I was grateful of throughout the year, and everything that made me happy. Looking on Pinterest, I saw so many different people who had done this and all the posts they did when looking back at those memories, so I decided to do just that in 2018.
Over the summer, I did a small version of this, and it was great to think about all the positive things that happened, but I didn’t set one up for the fall because I was so busy, and I stopped intentionally thinking about the positive everyday. Since one of my goals for 2018 is to stay more positive, I am making it a point to reflect on things that make me happy, and all that I am grateful for. These past few months have been filled with too much negative both in my personal life and in the world around me, so I’m going to take my attitude into my own hands, and focus on the good. I realize this won’t ‘fix’ my bad days, but hopefully it’ll make them easier to handle.
Make a special page for it in your journal or planner
Fill a jar with little notes
Make notes in your phone
Take photos of happy memories
I did both brush and finger swatches!
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| Swatches from the first row |
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| The rest of row one |
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| Row two |
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| Row three |
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| Row four |
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| Row five |
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| The finished look I created! |
My junior year of college has come to a close, and it’s been a crazy year. This was definitely the most difficult year so far – my classes were tough, my schedule was busy, and trying to stay afloat was a struggle. I made it out, though, and I’ve learned a lot. Since it’s over, I wanted to do another “Dear __________ year” because I did that for freshman year and sophomore year.
When I first tried this product it literally looked like I had dumped a bunch of translucent powder on my hair, and I was worried it wouldn’t work itself in at all. After a couple of seconds of massaging my scalp and brushing my hair, the powder started to disappear, along with my oily roots! I was impressed with how quickly it blended in with my hair, and it didn’t make my roots look gray at all.
The smell was also really refreshing, and made my hair smell like I had just washed it, which is a huge plus when your hair is feeling a little limp and blah. It isn’t too fragrant, and I noticed that the smell lasted the whole day, and until the next morning when I washed my hair. I am a huge fan of nice smelling hair products, I don’t know what it is, but if something works well but doesn’t smell the best I’ll try and find something else that both works and smells nice. Call it one of my quirks, but I realize that it’s a bit ridiculous.
As well as being a dry shampoo, this powder also adds a lot of texture and volume to your hair, which is just what you want when it’s the second day and your hair is feeling a bit limp. I honestly will add the powder to my hair even on the same day I wash it if I feel like I need a little bit more texture. This really helps when I curl my hair and want the roots to have some volume since the strands are a bit weighed down from hair spray, and the fact that my hair tends to fall flat the minute I start touching and fixing it. My hair is able to hold its volume a lot better when I add this to the roots, and it’s also great when I want to do a messy hairstyle and need some extra texture!
Overall, I’m super satisfied with this product and have finally found a dry shampoo that works with my hair! I won’t be switching anytime soon, and I can even get away with washing my hair every three days if I don’t feel like washing it one day. I definitely recommend trying this product, especially just the travel size since it isn’t too much of a commitment. It actually lasts for a long time, too, which is great! I’m still on this little bottle and it’s been about two months now.
What’s your favorite dry shampoo?
Thank you so much for reading, and have a great day! 🙂
This is NOT a sponsored post, and all opinions are my own.
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.
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!
I feel like I’ve been doing a lot of reviews lately, but it’s because I’ve been branching out and trying new products, when in the past I would get stuck in a rut of buying the same product over and over. I actually hadn’t planned on doing a review of this product, but I ended up loving it so much! Elf is such a great brand because their makeup is really affordable and great quality for the money.
I’ve been using the Boots eyebrow pencil from Target, and when I went to go get another one, they were out. My poor dad was with me at the time, and he tried so hard to find the pencil I was looking for, bless his heart. I put him out of his misery and just decided to try out the Elf pencil. I didn’t really know much about it, and honestly I was not expecting much at all and thought I would end up replacing it when I went to a different Target.
I’m actually not quite sure what the whole “instant lift” part is supposed to mean because I don’t really notice a lift in my eyebrows at all, they just look like a nicer version of my eyebrows, haha. The packaging of the pencil reminds me of the Mac eyebrow pencils since it’s a twist pencil, and the product itself is very similar (for much cheaper). Overall, the packaging does not feel cheap at all, and the spooly is very nice!
I also like the overall size of the pencil, and it’s very easy to grip because it isn’t too thin at all.
Here is a closer look at the product. The only thing that was a little challenging at first was the fact that the pencil isn’t as opaque as other eyebrow pencils I’ve used in the past. It just takes a little bit extra to get it as dark as I like – not that I even like it that dark – but it isn’t like other pencils I’ve used before. At first I didn’t like this, but after using it for a couple of days it’s actually kind of nice because it’s easy to fix mistakes!
I also really like the quality of the product, and the whole formula of it. Some of the pencils I’ve used are kind of waxy and feel like they weigh down my eyebrows, but this one definitely doesn’t. It blends really well and ends up looking very natural. Maybe that’s what they mean by an instant lift, because it doesn’t clump your eyebrows together?? We just might never know.
Here is another look at the spooly. I really like the size of it – it’s a lot bigger than other ones I’ve used before! It’s also nice that it’s covered with the plastic lid. It is a bit rougher than usual, but it makes the product blend really well with my actual brows.
Overall, I am super happy with this pencil, and I would definitely recommend it for those who want natural looking eyebrows, but still want to make them pop. I honestly used to be one of those people who never understood why you would ever fill in your brows, but I’m so glad I started to. I was always just worried that it would make my face look ridiculous, but if you don’t go too overboard, it just enhances your natural brows!
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!
It is Friday, April 8th, which means it’s my twentieth birthday! I cannot believe I am twenty years old – two decades! The years seem to go by faster and faster with every birthday, and here we are at twenty of them! I really don’t feel old enough to no longer be a teenager, if that makes any sense. For so long I have identified as a teen, and now I am a full-fledged young adult. I know I’m still young – I still can’t even drink – but it’s crazy to think that I have entered my twenties. Even though I’m pretty nervous and scared to be in my twenties, I’m also really excited to see what the future holds. I still have to get through college, but who knows where I’ll be after that! That’s a scary thought to have, and I can’t believe that it’s one so real and applicable to my life right now.
Since I’ve been alive for two decades on our lovely planet earth, I thought I would share twenty things I have learned thus far!
