Stay In or Go Out?

“Should I stay in or go out?” College students ask themselves this question multiple times a week (I know some people who asked this question daily). It’s inevitable. You just got comfy in bed, a movie on, popcorn popped. You get a text from a friend asking if you want to join them in their plans for the night. Should you stay in or should you go out?

Sometimes the answer is more obvious. If you have a test or major assignment due the next day, stay in. Your grades are not worth the sacrifice for one night of fun. Stay in, study your little heart out, and go out another night. More often than not, this is the route I had to choose.

As you may know, I’m in interior design major. This requires hours and hours of drawing and drafting homework. I can’t just put it off until the next day, because the classes they were for were first thing in the morning – and three hours long.

It got very annoying, and I really hated the fact that my girlfriend was out hanging with our friends or my roommate was coming in late after hitting up Sup Dogs. However, I made the honor roll first semester and the Dean’s list the second semester. For me, I’ll miss a few movies and a couple of hot dogs to secure my future.

Maybe you’re like me and you have bad anxiety. It’s so easy for me to stay in and watch a movie while my friends are out having fun. It’s easy for me to say no to my neighbor asking if I want to grab dinner. It would cause me way too much anxiety to have to get dressed, get the plans, and actually follow through with them, so I’m much more inept to stay in.

DON’T DO THAT. GO OUT! If you’re like me (and I’m really going to try to hold myself to this, this year!) GO OUT! Say yes! Go out with your friends on Thirsty Thursday (be careful, watch your drinks, don’t get a drinking ticket, only drink if you’re 21 ;)). Say yes to lunch with your roommate. Say yes to a coffee date with your neighbor a few doors down.

Go to football games. Go to frat parties (see advice above). Go see a movie on campus. Participate in events. Get to know the people in your major. Make a study group. Order pizza with your roommate at midnight and binge watch the Bachelor. Go on a date. Make friends and make memories.

This is all of the advice I wish someone had told me last year. I made really great grades, and I’m really proud of myself for that. But I also wish I could have carved even a little bit more time out for making friends and memories. So please listen to me and learn from my “mistake”. Go out. Or stay in. Do what is best for you. Make smart decisions. Don’t let your grades suffer. Do your readings. Do your homework. GO TO CLASS. But also have fun! It’s supposed to be the best time of your life, so take advantage of it!

Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

This actually might contradict Monday’s post. But it’s time for me (and maybe you if you’re like me) to become comfortable in being uncomfortable. With my level of anxiety, it’s really, really not easy. Sometimes, I’m having anxiety about something, but I don’t know I’m having anxiety because that’s what it feels like for me 100% of the time. Maybe that’s hard to understand if you don’t have anxiety like I do.

Sometimes I genuinely do not realize that the feelings I am having about something is actually my anxiety. How is that even possible? Because like I said above, that’s really what it feels like 100% of the time for me. So maybe in a way I’m already getting comfortable being uncomfortable?

  

College was uncomfortable for me. Until months before I moved out of my house and into my dorm (four hours away) I didn’t even order my own food at restaurants. My mom ordered my food for me until I was about 15. For about a year after Kayla and I started dating, she did the same. Then, she literally forced me to do it by myself.

My mom handled my doctor’s appointments, all of my school stuff (financial aid, etc). I only did what was absolutely necessary for me to handle. I only hung out with people I had hung out with for years and years, unless Kayla was with me. And she HAD to introduce me; because there was no way I was going to do it myself.

Then things started to change once I went to college. I had to take care of my own stuff. I got sick during the school year and my doctor (and mom) were 300 miles away. I emailed my professor telling her I wouldn’t be in class today due to being sick, scheduled myself an appointment at the student center, checked myself in and found everything all on my own.

I got myself a group fitness pass, I ordered my own stuff at the dining hall and restaurants on campus, I hung out with my roommate and her friends, I actually hung out with Kayla and I’s mutual friend alone. I applied and interviewed for the RA job and that is something I never thought I would have done just 6 months ago.

College and being on my own changed me a lot. But, I know I still have a long ways to go. I’m not very good at making friends. I still practice my food order 100 times before saying it to the cashier. I practice saying “here” during roll call, even though I’ve done it the last 18 years of my life. I want to throw up every time I have a presentation to make.

But that’s okay. I know over the years I will get better at all of these things. All of them are part of life, and trust me, those few things I listed they’re not even the half of it. I will always have to deal with my anxiety and getting comfortable being uncomfortable.

Do you have any similar issues you deal with?

Importance of a Routine

A couple of months ago I wrote a post about how I start and end my day perfect. The premise of that post was a routine or a set of things that I want to make sure I accomplish in the morning and at night. I thrive on a routine. I really do. While I love the summers, I hate not being able to know I’m doing this from 11am-3pm or 5-6pm. While my schedule is mostly set because of class, this semester is different from others in the sense that I actually have time between ALL of my classes.

I’m trying to move from my summer schedule to my school schedule in regards to my morning and nightly tasks, still. I have to tweak things and experiment where I when I want to write my posts, do my Freelance work, exercise and a lot more.

Some people just truly hate having a routine and love having their days open to whatever might come at them (yes, Kayla, I’m talking to you). However, I really do think there are many important things to having a routine.

I love a routine, as I’ve said. But it’s only partly because I love writing and marking things off in my planner. I love to know exactly when I have time to run to the gym real quick. On Mondays and Wednesdays I get out of class at 2pm so I know I have plenty of time to get some homework done, get a workout in, do some work and still have time to catch dinner and maybe a free movie on campus with Kayla later that night. But, if I didn’t have a routine during the day and my “structured time”, as I like to call it, I might be struggling to get studying done at midnight with no time for friends or a date night.

Even though I’m extremely organized, I seriously have a hard time remembering to do certain things. When I’m using my system, I just keep my journal opened to the page with the checklist, and I actually remember to wash my face in the morning and at night. Or I remember to jot down a few lines in my journal or catch up on the news. During the summer, it became second nature to wake up, wash my face, brush my teeth and get on with the day. And at night I didn’t even have to check my list to know I had to wash my face, take my medicine and read a chapter of whatever book I’m reading.

For me, there are some things that I really, really want to get done, but I wouldn’t do otherwise if I didn’t have a routine. I know routines, checklists and my system aren’t right for everyone. But I had to make my case on the importance of routines anyway!

Do you have a routine you stick to daily?

Things We Should Definitely Know Before Becoming a Real Adult

Recently, I've been thinking that there are a lot of things I actually don't know how to do. I can't be the only one who doesn't know how to change a tire, right? A couple of weekends ago I drove up to Greenville (ECU) to see Kayla and it was the first time I've ever made that trip completely by myself. At one point I saw a woman on the side of the road with a flat and I was like "I really hope that doesn't happen to me on the way, because I truly have no idea what I'm doing!" Unfortunately, there are a few things that I (we?) need to learn before becoming a real adult!

How to change a tire. Like I was saying above, we're going to be on trips and things, it's SUPER important to know how to be able to change a tire just in case of emergencies!

How to balance a checkbook. Honestly I don't even know what  all of that entails. So yeah. I'm probably going to need to learn how to handle that!

How to do taxes. Okay, my job at the yoga studio is my first real job, so I've never had to do taxes before. What forms do I fill out? What does it all even mean?!?!

How to go to the doctors on our own. Since I've turned 18 whenever I have to go to the doctors by myself. No big deal though right? But there are always questions about insurance, and setting up other appointments and stuff that I honestly have no clue about!

What else do you think people should know before becoming adults?

Summer Job Hunting

It's that time, friends. Time for a summer job! Yes, summer is a time for relaxing and getting away from school and responsibilities for a little bit. However, it's a good idea for you to get a little summer job to keep up with the late night ice cream runs and shopping sprees you'll go on with your friends. I'm here to share a few job hunting tips with you today!

Why should you get a summer job?
If you're a student, most likely you are, you're extremely busy during the school year. You're away at college with 5+ classes, living in a dorm possibly with no car. Or maybe you're in high school and you have a thousand after school activities. But during the summer, there's nothing going on but random vacations and resting. So it is the perfect opportunity for you to pick up a part-time (or full-time if you're feeling ambitious) job for the summer to make some extra cash. This way, you can have some money without having to stress during the next school year.

Where should you work?
First of all, make an all-inclusive list of EVERYWHERE you could ever possibly want to work. Mentally drive through your town thinking of all the places that you could work and write down a list.

The Application Process
Obviously, this is an important part. After you write down your list, it's time to start ticking away at the list in terms of the applications. It's very possible that you'll have to submit a resume, so it's important to have your resume ready to go, and updated. After you're finished filling out the application, write down the number to the establishment next to it's name on your list, for the next step!

Calling Back
This is just as important, if not more important than the application. After a few days, call that number that you wrote down and ask to speak with the manager, letting them know that you submitted an application, that you would love to have an interview, etc. This lets the establishment know that you are truly interested in the position, and it's possible that your name/application could end up on the top of the pile just by simply calling and following up!

Interview
If you're lucky enough to get an interview, awesome, go you! Make sure you are dressed business casually. A nice pair of pants and top are always a great go-to. However, if you decide to wear a dress, make sure it is at least to your knees to prevent it from being too short! Another good tip is to make sure your top doesn't show too much cleavage! Walk into the interview room confident and smiling!

Other Tips
When trying to find a place to work, it's really important to find a place you would like to actually work. I knew for me I did not want to work at a restaurant and especially not fast food, so I avoided even writing those places down. If you're under 18 years old, there are a lot of places that only hire 18+, so it's important to keep that in mind as well. However, if it's been a while and you're not hearing back from places despite your best efforts, it may be wise to widen the search a little bit.

Good luck, and don't stress! You'll do fine!

What other tips do you have for people job hunting this summer?

What I Learned My freshman Year Of College

It's official: my freshman year at East Carolina is over. I finished my last exam yesterday, and I'm moving out in the morning. It's so surreal, I really feel like I JUST moved in. I was packing my dorm a few minutes ago, and I was looking around and I could not believe I was just doing the opposite about 9 months ago! I've learned a lot of things my Freshman year. Here is just some of them:

You will never wear anything other than t-shirts and leggings to class. 
First semester I had an exercise class Monday, Wednesday, Friday so obviously I didn't dress up on those days. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I had class at 9am. And let me tell you, it's hard to want to get up early and fix yourself up. With that being said,

You won't wear all 50 of your t-shirts that you bring. 
If you're like me you own about 50 t-shirts. T-Shirts from high school, college t-shirts and anything you've collected through the years. I ended up wearing about the same 10 and every time I washed my clothes, they would just stay at the top, so I hardly ever dug down deep in my drawer to find one that I hardly ever wore.

You may or may not meet people on your hall. 
You know how everyone says that your friends are where you live? It really wasn't that way for me at all. I NEVER talked to anyone on my hall. Ever. The first day my next door neighbors stopped by and introduced themselves-and we never said another word again. It really depends on your hall, and your RA. Honestly, I wish I would have met the people on my hall, it would have been fun to hang out and have friends that lived with me. But, oh well!

You will be annoyed with your roommate. 
I roomed with one of my best friends since 5th grade, and yeah. She still got on my last nerves. But I would have been surprised if she hadn't. It's a really really small room, and trust me, it gets really cramped, really fast. You and your roommate could be the best of friends, but you will still get annoyed with them from time to time and that's okay. 

You will get sick of the dining halls, really fast. 
I kind of already suspected that would happen. But I didn't realize how fast it would happen. Our dining hall has pretty much the same thing every single and day, and it gets old, really really really fast. So I, naturally, started going to the other dining locations (they include a burger place, a Mexican place, two Italian places, Panda Express, two Chick-Fil-A's and two Subways). One of the Chick-Fil-A's is right by where I have my Interior Design classes (where I spend 3-5 hours in everyday) so I began to just eat Chick-Fil-A nonstop. I cannot wait to not eat Chick-Fil-A for a summer (and definitely the dining halls)

You will be tired 98% of the time.
There is so much to do ALL of the time. And if you don't have homework or studying to do, there's events, parties, the clubs and bars, friends, and so much more. You will get roped into stay up until 2AM with your friends when you have class in the morning. Resulting in you being extremely tired. But, in the end, something similar happens again or you have a paper to write, so you're staying up late again. It's a vicious cycle that never ends. And even when you do begin to sleep on a correct schedule, you still will be tired, don't worry.

You will get homesick, but you'll be glad you're here. 
My family is really close, and I miss them a lot when I'm here. But at the same time, I'm really happy to be where I am. I'm in college, and experiencing about a thousand things at one time. Plus, now that I'm not living with them, time spent with them is much more special. It's the worst when you first get dropped off, but after that, you'll be so busy, the only time you'll have to think about missing home is at bedtime.

You will procrastinate, no matter how organized, ambitious, and driven you are. 
I hate not doing my work. I get severe anxiety when I'm doing something and I could be spending my time better. But I've learned that comes and goes. Because I quickly found myself watching hours and hours of Dexter or Vampire Diaries when I should have been working on my drawing or studying for a test. It was bound to happen, I tried to push it off for as long as possible, but in the end procrastination got the best of me sometimes.

You will make some amazing friends in your classes, and then never talk to them again. 
I learned this the hard way. ECU has 26,000+ students, so it's pretty difficult to have a class with someone again unless you're in the same major or minor. I met some really awesome people that I loved during class time, but after class was over, that was it. I didn't talk to them again. After first semester and I saw one of those "friends" you would say hey but as second semester went on, even that stopped, and that's okay. 

You will make some unexpected friends. 
I met one of my best friends through my ex-best friend. He (let's call him S) had an acquaintance (O) and moved in with O. My now best friend, Jennifer, was O's roommate. It's a weird situation, and it probably doesn't even make any sense, but after a falling out with S, Kayla, Jennifer and I became best friends. I honestly never expected to make a friend like that, but it turns out she's my best friend!

What did you learn this school year?

How To: Create The Perfect Bedroom

Since starting the Interior Design program, my love for beautiful homes and rooms has heightened. Especially now that I can draw and design them! I love all rooms of a home, but designing a bedroom has to be my favorite. I thought I would put together a little guide on how to put together the perfect bedroom as I know many people are moving in and out of dorms and apartments and maybe even their first house!

Decide the Function:

Okay, yeah, obviously the function is to sleep and rest. But if you're living in an apartment or a small house, do you need to include a desk? A dog/cat area? Include extra storage? Think about the rest of your home in terms of where everything is going to go, and see what needs to be included in the bedroom. Anything can be made into something both functional and attractive, you just have to get creative! 

Combining Elements:

If you're living in the situation I mentioned above, it can be useful to combine elements to really be able to get full function out of your space. Maybe you don't have enough room in the rest of your space to place a desk. But you also need/want a vanity. Create an attractive, sleek desk space that can also be used as a vanity. You can display your jewelry above on a jewelry holder, include a small makeup mirror (with a stand) on your desk, as well as a pencil holder, a desk lamp (to also help with being able to see your makeup). It can be both functional and attractive! 

The Bed:

My personal preference is to have a neutral bedspread with some really cool pillows or pillow cases and blankets. Making sure everything matches is a good idea, but remember: even colors across from each other on the color wheel are complements! Red/green, blue/orange, etc. It's important to have a cohesive design, but don't focus too much on matchy matchy elements. For your bedroom, and especially the bed, focus on comfort and relaxation first and foremost. 

Lighting: 

The lighting in the bedroom is important. You don't want it to be too bright all of the time. During the day, you should be getting light in from the window(s), but there is also a light on the ceiling (whatever it may be). When you're in your bedroom it's most likely time for relaxation so you don't want too many harsh lights, but also if you're doing things like reading or writing, you do need some extra light. This is where a small bedside table lamp, or a standing lamp in a corner could come in use for you!

Be Unique:

When designing something as personal as your bedroom, it's also important to be unique! Include personal, unique pieces that you love, and bring you comfort. Your room is about you, and if you love something, or hate something, it's completely up to you. And all throughout this year, that's what professors pounded into our heads. It's not about us the designer's preferences, it's about the client's. 

These are just a few of the tips I have picked up on from my freshman year of Interior Design!

What do you think makes a perfect bedroom?

Organizing For Finals

It's that time everyone! It's finals! If you haven't by now, it's time to start getting ready for them by organizing everything you have. This is important, and I'll explain to you why below. Here is how I organize for finals.

Scheduling:
I talked about this a little bit last semester but like always, each semester is different so you have to adapt!

Agenda: Obviously write everything down in your agenda. This is where you can write the overview of what you have to do today, you don't have to write specifics of "study for health test"; I will show you where I write my exact to do list! Your agenda is good to be able to see your whole week in a format that is familiar to you.

To-Do List Binder: How cute is this little binder?!? This is where I write a little more specifically what I need to do for today. "Study for health test" was on my agenda but in here I write "Make flashcards", "Finish Study Guide". This is also where I write stuff that has carried over, anything I didn't finish and anything extra like my freelance work, blogposts to write, and workout classes I want to try to attend. Apparently my Interior design professors don't like to use blackboard and print outs to let us know what we have to do for our finals (they're all really intense and require a lot of different elements) so this is where I keep the notes on all I have to do for my finals.

Bond Paper: (For non-Interior Design majors-computer paper) Because two to-do lists wasn't enough right? I don't know why this is necessary for me, but I wrote again my to-do list for each day. Basically what's on these papers is the amount of information in between both my agenda and the binder to-do list. I like being able to cross a lot of things off, so if I "study for health" by making flash cards, I have 3 places I can cross it off. This makes me feel like I'm getting a lot done which in turn makes me want to accomplish more.

Supplies:
Stocking Up: Making sure you have all of the supplies you need to be able to study for finals effectively. This includes index cards, high lighters, page markers, sticky notes, plenty of paper, etc. Everything you can think of, make sure you're stocked up!

Trust me, this is important because I ran into a problem last semester right at finals time. I ran out of flashcards. Ya know, no big deal right? Yes it was. There's a little market on campus about a minute from my dorm so I ran down there because they usually have them. NOPE! They were all out and they weren't getting another shipment.

I don't have a car so I couldn't just go to Walmart, and Kayla went home for a few days to visit a friend, so she couldn't take me either. I don't remember what I did. I think my roommate ran and got some from a nearby store. But this would have all been avoided if I had stocked up my supply before finals week! So learn from me and go ahead and get some new supplies if you haven't already!

Organizing: Make sure everything has a place and everything is together how they should be for easy access. The last thing you need to worry about is "WHERE is the other half of my health flashcards?!?!" I obviously color-code everything so it makes it simple for me if I see pink anywhere on it, I know it's for Health! Keep flashcards together with a binder clip to avoid losing things! Make sure you know where everything is. I make sure I keep my blank stickies, index cards, page markers and pencils, etc all in this pencil holder:

Don't keep everything on your workspace when you're studying. ONLY keep what you're working on on your desk. This will curb the feeling of you being overwhelmed and losing things!

Coffee:
Yeah, you're definitely going to need coffee. It's ideal if you keep/make your own coffee so you don't end up spending $100 on Starbucks by the end of the week. I have both coffee cups for my Keurig but I also have the Starbucks coffee that you can pop in the fridge beforehand and then grab as you go. This way if I need to go to the library, or somewhere else on campus besides the study room on my hall, I don't have to bring my travel mug (even though it's super cute-and I probably will anyway).  Like I said above, make sure you're stocked up so you won't have to end up spending money on that expensive Starbucks drinks.

Mental Health:
It's so easy to go a little bit crazy during finals. Spending endless hours in the library or study rooms, surrounded by books, your 3rd cup of coffee, index cards you don't even know what class they're for. You're stressed; it's inevitable because you probably have been slacking on reading and are just now study for your final exam at the end of this week (aka me right now).

This is why study breaks are SO important. It's so important to give yourself a break. It can be simple or it can be going to a half hour yoga class. What I like to do is just walk around the area that I'm studying. If I'm studying in the study room on my hall, I just walk around my hall, refill my water bottle and maybe grab another small snack to eat. Just step away from the computer screens, the flashcards and all the schedules for AT LEAST 5 minutes.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! I know you'll do great! Just focus and breathe!

Other posts about finals:
Finals and Studying Tips
Perfect Studying Stations
How I Study for Finals
Study Break Ideas
Should You Write or Type?
How to Prepare for Second Semester (This could be applied to finals week too!)
Office and School Supply Favorites
Motivating Yourself for Finals
Healthy Study Snacks

How do you organize yourself for finals?