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!
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!
Okay, can we just talk about the packaging?! The whole collection has the prettiest boxes and bottles. They ombre coloring with the gold lettering is so gorgeous and gives off the impression of high quality right from the start.
The bottle itself is also so pretty. The applicator is a little off-set wand, so I just apply it directly to my under-eye area and blend it in with my damp beauty blender. This product goes on very easily, and blends out so well. It also doesn’t crease at all throughout the whole day, and lasts for 12 hours! It doesn’t advertise that, but mine has been lasting for the whole day while I wear it. I set it with my Elf translucent powder and it does not budge.
Only one layer is needed to cover my dark circles, which is really impressive! My dark circles are very dark no matter how long I sleep, which is very frustrating. I can never seem to get rid of them naturally, so my only option is to cover the suckers up. This product does that flawlessly, though, so I’m very happy with it!
The only “bad” thing I found about this product was the smell. When I first opened the bottle, it smelled kind of chemical-y, or like nail polish. I was initially worried about putting it on my face, but I didn’t have any problems with it whatsoever, and I have now gotten used to the smell.
Have you tried anything from this new collection yet?
Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂
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!
I am a chronic last minute shopper. You would think I would’ve learned by now, but without fail, I always seem to wait till the last minute to buy gifts for people. It’s not that I forget about it, I think too much about what to get for people, and whether or not they’ll actually like what I get them. I’m actually doing pretty well this year for Mother’s Day, I just have a couple of little things left to get, but other than that I am all set. If you need some more ideas for something special to get your mom last minute, this guide is for you!
One of my favorite gifts to give people is a framed photo. In this day and age, so many of our photos are just kept on our phones or laptops, so to receive a physical photo once in a while is so nice. I’m just a huge fan of photos in general, and I think it’s really cool to give them to others as well. I personally would probably not go for a frame as cheesy as this, but get your mom whatever she would like!
I am a very quote-oriented person. Call it cheesy, but I really love motivational quotes, especially since I love reading and writing. Words can be transformative, and can give people the courage to make a change, inspire them, or just make them feel good. This week hasn’t been the best because of stress, and I’ve been in this weird funk that I’m trying to get out of. Whenever I feel like this, I always turn to quotes to make me feel better, so I thought I would share some that’s been helping me a lot this week!
It’s really easy for me to get caught up in the stress of life and consequently forget about living in the moment. This quote really puts things into perspective, and helps me live each day to its fullest! When I was at the beach for my birthday weekend, I really felt like I was living in the moment, and because of that I ended up having the best time. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, so I think I’m going to do a whole post about it soon!
This is a very important quote for college students. Sometimes it feels like we are suffering through classes for no reason, but it’s really important to keep in mind that all of these hardships we are going through now will result in incredible futures! Keep this in mind when it feels like you are drowning.
In media today, shaming people is something that is huge. Oftentimes people are spoken badly about, and things get way out hand, and it’s completely unnecessary. I really love this quote because it’s so true; when you try to be kind to people and show them compassion, it makes it that much less believable when people are putting you down. This is really similar to the whole “kill ’em with kindness” mindset. It’s really important, though, to not do this in a fake way. Be your genuine self, and try to be kind; however, on the other hand, never let anyone put you down.
Alright, those are three quotes that helped me get through this long and difficult week! It wasn’t even bad or anything, I just have so many things going on that I’m feeling very overwhelmed. Plus, we’re getting close to the end of the year, so all of my classes have been kicking it up a notch. Hopefully I’ll be able to relax this weekend!
Disclaimer: None of these quotes are mine!
I also made a video on my YouTube channel about my nap routine, so you can check it out down below!
Napping keeps you rested throughout the day.
Happy Earth day! Some of you might not know this, but I am very passionate about helping out the environment. Being from the Pacific Northwest, it’s something that kids are educated on very early in their lives, and it’s drilled into them that something needs to be done to help the Earth. This was how I grew up, and I’m very glad that I did. My family has always been really good with separating out trash and recycle, making sure nothing bad goes into our water, and just generally trying to help out the environment. It can seem like a daunting task sometimes, and people often think that it’s a lot harder than it actually is. Anymore, there are so many easy switches you can make now that can help the environment later; here are five!
I know this one is the most obvious, but it’s also something that helps out a lot. It’s super important to try and find ways to cut out the use of fossil fuels because it’s something that hurts the environment very much! There’s so many different options for getting places, so make sure you check out yours before you immediately get into the car.
This applies to many different aspects of your life, anywhere from plastic packaging to leftover food. Try to remember to bring reusable bags to stores instead of using the plastic ones they give you. If you’re really bad at this like me, put some in your car, or right next to your purse so you’ll see it as you leave. If you do end up forgetting them, use the paper bags instead of plastic since you can end up reusing those for a lot! For food waste, start a compost bin so you don’t have to throw out as much food! There are a lot of great guides online, so I definitely recommend checking those out on how to start one, how to use it, and how to regulate it. There’s also a surprisingly amount of things that you can compost, a lot more than you would think! Also, get a reusable water bottle so you aren’t constantly getting plastic water bottles from the store. This not only cuts down on waste, but is also better for you! Bottled water often sits in a warehouse for long periods of time which allows the chemicals from the plastic get in there, which is not good for you at all.
There are so many ways you can cut down on electricity use, like getting higher efficiency light bulbs (they’re sold at virtually any hardware stores nowadays), LED lights, putting a sweatshirt on instead of turning on the heat, or opening a window instead of turning on the AC. All of these tricks end up saving you money as well, so it’s really a win-win! I love to use little fairy lights to light up rooms rather than ceiling lights, because they are a lot more energy efficient anymore, they look prettier, and I just generally don’t like rooms with really bright lights. You can also light a couple of candles for lighting, smelling, and general pretty appearance!
Cutting down on shower-times can be hard at first, especially when you have a lot of hair to wash, but it get’s easier with time! This is a great way to use less water since people tend to use a lot of it while they shower. If you like to leave the water on while you brush your teeth, turn that faucet off! This uses a lot of completely unnecessary water, and adds up over time. If you really want to save more water, you could even install more efficient shower heads and faucets.
Eating locally is something that not a lot of people think about when trying to help out the environment. Not only will you find some yummy food to eat, but you also eat things that didn’t have to use fossil fuels in order to travel to the store. Big name brands ship out their products all across the country, and consequently, end up using a ton of fossil fuels to make it happen. Eating locally also supports small businesses, and can just generally be a lot of fun to find new places. Local food is often organic as well, which most often means that it wasn’t sprayed with any harmful pesticides. It also feels great knowing where your food comes from!
Alright, there are five ways that you can help the environment in honor of Earth Day! This is such an important day, and really helps to bring awareness to the disparities the environment is facing in the world today, and it’s also a great way to celebrate this awesome planet that we live on!