Wants to Run but has Flat Feet

Hello everyone! It’s been a very long time since I’ve made one of these. But here goes nothing…

Organization is a flip-flop debate, most people either love it or hate it. I, personally, on a scale from 0-100, am on the 80-ish side on how much I like to organize. I like it enough to make a post about it. ;)

1. Planners, Agendas, etc.

Who said planning had to be boring? A planner or agenda (whatever floats your boat) is a great way to really remember and plan events such as, birthdays, parties, dinner dates, doctors appointments and more. And they come in a variety of style to compliment what you like best. Lilly Pulitzer, Erin Condren, and even Kate Spade carry planners that match your style. I have a medium size Lilly planner.

2. Color Coding

Color coding may seem like a thing of the past but a helpful trick never goes out of style. I have a system where a specific color is assigned to a specific task, like purple means to exercise that day, etc. Color coding helps you visualize the tasks at hand which can be grouped or preformed together/at the same time.

3. Dividing and Grouping

Speaking of grouping, DAG (as I like to call it) helps projects move along at a better speed. Got a big scary assignment due 3 months from now? Split it into smaller parts to conquer at a much smaller rate of time. If you have too many little tasks, just try grouping them together to make them seem less important.

4. Schedule

If you have a hard time managing your week, start by mapping out 30 minute intervals for a day. Start when you wake up and end at bed time. Make sure to follow this calendar to form a habit of, for example, brushing your teeth every night.

So, I don’t want to bore you guys to death right now, I might do more when I’m feeling less sleepy.

College: What You Actually Need

A friend of mine is starting college in the fall and asked me for some packing advice. Packing for college may sound simple, but it can be extremely overwhelming. After a full year of living in the dorms, I have realized what is actually important to bring and what is completely unnecessary.

There are two main packing categories: what you bring and what you buy. We’ll start off with what you bring. My biggest suggestion is that you start early. I separated my room into four regions towards the beginning of the summer and worked on each part for a week or two. I went through every drawer and shelf and de-cluttered. I threw things out and donated multiple bags of clothing. What this process will help you realize is what is actually important to you. You will be leaving your home and you can’t bring everything, so ask yourself: what can’t I live without for a year? What I soon realized is that the things I could live without, were items I really didn’t need. I mean if you aren’t going to use it for a whole year, when will you ever? By the end of the summer the things left in my room were items I truly valued and used. By tackling one section of my room at a time I didn’t become overwhelmed (well… not that overwhelmed).

Now, what do you need to buy? My school sent out a packing list with suggested items to bring to college. While I found some suggestions helpful, others were ridiculous. First of all, you don’t need an iron/ironing board. You hear me? Almost every friend of mine bought those adorable mini chevron ironing boards and never used them. No one (except maybe those pledging boys) irons in college. And I promise you, if you do find yourself in need of some wrinkle relief, there will be a naive freshman with an adorable mini chevron ironing board right down the hall who will happily let you borrow it.

Any college packing list will suggest the obvious: bedding, towels, shower caddy, hangers… But there are a few items I would like to heavily emphasize. Bring a printer. Even if your school provides free printing (which very few do), I recommend a personal printer. When you’re up writing an essay until 4am, the last thing  you’ll want to worry about is getting up early to print at the library. Having a printer will also help you make friends. I think my friends used my printer more than me and repaid me with paper (well worth it!). Another important item? A robe. Walking to a communal bathroom in a towel is just not for me. Plus, hanging out in your room with your stranger of a roommate can be kind of uncomfortable in a towel. Robes rule! I also recommend bringing stamps for letters to friends, a drying rack for all those items that really shouldn’t go in the dryer (you can’t hang your wet clothes all over your room like you did back home), and a plastic bin for your wet shower caddy fresh from the shower.

Now for a few of my packing quick tips…

-Keep your boots and coats at home: If you plan on returning home before the winter months, keep your warmer clothes at home and get them when you’re ready for them. I swapped out my crop tops and denim shorts for riding boots and vests in November, which allowed for extra room in my dorm closet (if you could even call it that).

-Invest in a Target card: See next bullet point for further explanation.

-Make a list of toiletries: I’m warning you now. If you’re anything like me, you’re going to need a lot of products. My suggestion is to make a list of the products you use while you’re still home, so when you get to college you know exactly what you will be needing. There won’t be enough room in your car (or in those boxes you have to ship across the country) for your shampoo and leave-in conditioner, and sunscreen, and laundry detergent, and dish soap (you forgot about that one, huh?).

-Get crafty: I had so much fun with my friends making DIY wall art for my dorm over the summer. Dorm rooms can be dark and depressing, so definitely bring some colorful items to brighten the space up. Check out these chevron canvases I made a few years ago here!!!

-Command Hooks are your best friend: Enough said.

-Dorm stuff might not be your style: Don’t limit yourself to the “dorm” section of a store. Personally, I think generic dorm bedding is awful. I searched far and wide for the perfect bedding  that fit my taste and I don’t regret it. I also got sucked into buying an acrylic desk lamp from the dorm section of Bed Bath and Beyond and literally turned it on once. It was so ugly! Your dorm room is your home so make it your own.

-Expect a mess: BRING CLEANING SUPPLIES! Clorex wipes saved my life the day of move in. I was not prepared for the amount of dirt and dust I’d find in my room upon move in. I heavily suggest wiping down ever surface before you move it.

-Follow the rules: Before shopping, make sure to review your college’s dorm rules. For example, my school didn’t allow wall decals, extension cords, or toasters.

Packing is a unique experience and you will quickly figure out what works for you. No matter what, even if you forget a laundry basket or some washcloths, you will survive.

Good luck packing!

Bored with your own room? Spice it up with cheap decorations and easy DIYs!

I love decorating my room according to my style. I love pastel colors for my room because it makes my room look settle and very clean. It pops out in my inner girly side but not too over the top. I love putting cute furnitures and wall decors in my room. By this time, I haven’t had the chance to decorate my room. I wanted to paint again my wall another color. I have new pieces of furnitures that I want to move and some old one’s that I want to get rid of. (I’ll make room tour soon! hihi)

If you want to decorate your room and make it extra pretty, keep reading!

Photo String

I saw this at Pinterest. This looks so cute! You can print out motivational quotes and random pictures. You can also use your Polaroid pictures and put it in a yarn or any kind of strings and tadaaa! You can now hang it on your wall. I’ll do this one soon for my room because it will help me get inspired every time I wake up in the morning haha!

Open me (xxxx)

Wall art

This is kinda same with the first one but a lot bigger and chic looking. If you want more settle and chic, you can try this wall art. It will make your wall fancy looking.

Open me (xxxx)

Side table

My side table looks old and boring. I try to put candles on it and some frames with pictures of my friends. I also try to put fake flowers. Flowers make your room look fresh and springy looking. I know it’s a hassle to change real flowers every time it dies that’s why I use fake flowers. Try to put water in the vase to look more real!

How to make real flowers last longer, open me (xxxx)

Lights

This will make your room look calm. Seriously, putting dim lights or even Christmas lights in your room feels like heaven and it’s a lot cozy. 

Open me (xxxx) 

Mason Jars

Trouble organizing your stuff? Try mason jars! You can find it online. I use it in my room, it looks cute when you put your pencils, pens and brush.

Open me (xxxx)

That’s it! I hope you find motivation to decorate your own room!

I don’t care if my life is a mess. My notes aren’t.

I have the step by step guidelines on how to take down notes. I put it in a piece of paper and place it where I could always see it. Do you want my help? Here, I’ll gladly help.

STEP ONE: GATHER ALL SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR THE WHOLE NOTE TAKING PROCESS.

               Have your books, compile your handouts in folders, have a variety of highlighters, pens and pencils, have three notebooks (one is for the book notes, another is for the lecture notes, and the last is for the revised notes), stock up on sticky notes and pad papers. Add other things that you want to have and use (for example: food).

STEP TWO: ADVANCE READ

               Do this before the lecture.

Gather all your reading materials (your text book, handouts, other references), highlighters, writing materials, and a thick notebook where you could place all your book notes for every subject.

You’re probably thinking that you should never place your notes on different subjects in the same notebook. Well, don’t you worry, kid, it’ll be fine. Label your notes – the subject, the title of the module, the date.

Once you’re done gathering, start reading! Highlight all important facts. It’s up to you if you wanna color code or not. You’ve read the selection once already. After you do that, read it again. This time, write down the vital information on the notebook. Write legibly! You don’t want to stare at meaningless spaghetti, do you?

STEP THREE: GO TO THE LECTURE

               Listen attentively, participate, and write your notes. Ask the lecturer if you can possibly have a copy of their Powerpoint presentation. If possible, also, record the whole lecture. May it be in your phone, tablet, laptop or a good old fashioned tape recorder.

               Before entering the lecture hall, though, gather your things. Your book notes, your notebook for your lecture notes, your writing instrument, and water. Make sure you are comfortable. Tie up your hair, wear a headband, wear loose clothes, refrain from wearing make up that will only get smudged, etc. Just make sure you will be distraction-free.

               Have a handy dandy notebook by your side at all times for you to write your distractions on. That way, it will not bother you the rest of the period.

               Write down all the questions fired by your classmates to your lecturer and the answers. Write down everything the lecturer writes on the board. Write down the meanings of the abbreviations and acronyms. Write freely. Just don’t attempt to write everything down. You might not catch up on the flow of the lecture.

STEP FOUR: REVISE YOUR NOTES

               Gather your book notes, lecture notes, and your revision notebook. By the way, your revision notebook should follow the “One subject, one notebook” rule. Gather your writing instruments and sticky notes, too. Color code if you want.

1.       Write coherent sentences on sticky notes and place them on places of relevance on your notes or on the book or on the handouts.

2.       Then organize all your sticky notes (ALL of them) in a logical order. Stick them on flat surfaces. It’ll help if you have a “revision wall” where you could place them.

3.       Transfer those things written on the sticky notes in your revision notebook.

STEP FIVE: SUMMARIZE AGAIN

               Make flashcards or mind maps - whichever you prefer.

Keep all of your notes together. A folder is great for this especially a ringbinder because it is easier to see all your notes at once and flip through them. 

Get a planner or a diary. To keep track of your assignments and due dates. You can also put personal events in here. This will help you plan your time wisely and prioritise important tasks.

Plan out your day. I do this on a separate piece of paper from my planner. This is great for working out exactly what you need to do. You can make this into a timetable or just list the tasks.

Keep on top of homework and assignments. Try not to procrastinate and get them done as soon as possible when you get them.

Pack your bag and plan your outfit/uniform the night before school. This will stop you forgetting things in the morning rush and means that you can have a few extra minutes in bed!

Make revision notes throughout the year. Not only does this help consolidate your knowledge, it also means that you will have all the notes you need for exams/finals.

Use your time wise but also have fun. Work hard and playhard but please remember to rest!

Keep a list of your goals. These can be longterm or shorterm but they will help keep you motivated and remind you what you are working towards!