Hello? Allow me to introduce myself...

It's time for a reacquaintance.  I haven't introduced myself for some time  on this blog and the masterminds of blogger tell me I've got some new friends around here.  I could pretend like I  don't notice, but I've never been one for being discreet.  So WELCOME new friends.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT NICHOLE

1.  I started using my birth name, Nichole, after I graduated high school, because my professors always called me by that name. I got tired of having to tell them at the beginning of the semester I prefered Nicki, it just stuck better as Nichole.

2.  When I was in fifth grade, i was taking karate and I was sitting too close to the teacher, who was showing us a kick and knocked my tooth out. It was hanging by a string. But all in all, I'm glad she did because it was actually loose.

3.  I'm working hard on a goal I made a little while ago to make people feel good about themselves.  Sometimes it's easy. Sometimes it's hard. Mostly it's hard when the people I am dealing with are idiots.

4.  I suck at: texting back, calling back, and emailing back. I usually have it on vibrate so sometimes I actually don't hear it. I'd rather have someone text me than call me. I never leave my phone, if it's not beside me I will actually freak out.

5.  Below you will see the picture of the guy I am dating.  His name is Calvin. I don't always call him that. From here on out we refer to him by his nickname "My Love". We met on a dating site and completely hit it off! Our love story doesn't end there, He told me I was the sweetest girl he has ever met. I told him to come up and make me dinner with his shirt off.

6.  For a living I am a blogger.

7.  Just kidding about number six.  I'm a journalist. I love writing and being in a wheelchair my options are already pretty limited. I really want to someday own my own media company, like have my own newspaper or magazine.

8. I live with my grandparents. they pretty much adopted me, even though legally they just had guardianship over me. I took their name, and they raised me since I was 18 months old. I never knew they were not really my birth parents until I was 16. But it didn't matter to me of those circumstances because I have always know them to be mom and dad.

9.  I was born into a family of two kids. But being raised by my grandparents I was the only younger child. This means I never had to fight for attention and was spoiled a lot. I can still put on a show. One of my favorite things to do as a kid was to always tell acquaintances and friends not smart enough to know better that it was my birthday and soak in the attention all day long. I'm messed up. I know.

10.  I can be bossy.

11.  I actually don't have my license. Meaning I'm always asked "why not?" well because I haven't yet learned hand controls and/or don't have a wheelchair accessible vehicle. However I have ATVs and off road vehicles I drive still.

12.   The best part of my day is the hour at night before I have to go to bed and I cuddle up with James and watch TV and giggle and flirt and drift off to sleep.

14.  The worst part of my day is 5:40 am when my alarm clock rings.  If I had known as a college student that I would be waking up at 5:40 am when I had a full time job you better believe I never even would have considered graduating.

Here’s How to Stay on Top of Your Assignments

College. You think you have pretty much everything together. You're really excited for class to start, thinking you'll love the classes you chose, all my assignments are in order, and everything’s going well. Then the next minute I have five papers due, three tests to study for, and seven blog posts to write all in one week. Ok yes that may be a bit exaggerated, but that’s what it feels like. And I know I’m probably not alone.

College can be a huge learning curve for some people. It’s the first time you really have your whole life in your hands. And if you’re not careful, things can get out of hand (ha see what I did there?) really fast. But, fear not! It can be easy to stay on top of your assignments! All it takes is a bit of planning and not procrastinating to make sure you never miss an assignment again. Today I’m sharing with you the ways that I make sure I never miss an assignment.

Treat weekdays like a 9-5 job

Done with class at 1pm and head back to your dorm/apartment/house and go straight to watching Netflix? Bad idea. I make sure that I’m up by 8am every day and I try to work on only school and blogging stuff until around 5pm.

Instead of treating Netflix as something to fill my time during the day, I use it as a treat before bed (gasp! I know that’s really bad for you, but I live on the edge). If I’ve done all of my homework for the day and gotten some blogging stuff done, then congratulations Nichole, you’ve earned yourself an episode or two of Jane the Virgin.

Have calendars and planners everywhere

I have two calendars above my desk, two planners (one for school and one for blogging), and multiple online calendars set up to help me keep track of my life. Y’all if I don’t have it written down in multiple places, I will forget to do the assignment, show up to class, or show up to an important meeting. 

For online calendars, I love love love Google Calendars. It easily syncs to my phone and macBook, and I can create multiple calendars, such as school, life, and work, all on one account.

As for physical planners, I love my Rifle Paper Co Monthly & Weekly 17 Month planner and any Blue Sky planner from Target.

Set personal due dates

I almost never miss an assignment or due date simply because I set personal due dates for all of my assignments. If there’s an assignment due this upcoming Thursday, I’ll have it 95% complete by the prior Tuesday. It gives me extra time to look over my work, catch any mistakes, and keep from stressing.

Give yourself a due date of two or three days before an assignment is actually due. And if you’re prone to procrastination, you’ll have plenty of time to complete the work!

Take quality notes

Developing a note-taking system was the best thing I ever did my freshman year. Not only do I learn the material even more when I’m rewriting my notes, I’m not frantically flipping through piles of unorganized notes to try to find the one piece of information I need.

This could be anything from taking notes in class and the rewriting them later, taking notes from the lecture slides, or taking notes directly from the textbook.

Grab your favorite set(s) of pens, you favorite notebook, and get to writing. And yes, writing. Not typing. Think typing those notes will help you? Writing with pen and paper is proven to help you remember information.

Need some note taking inspiration? Studyblrs on Tumblr are my life, and they should be your’s as well.

Now, it’s time to slap that procrastination out of your system and hit the books! Treat the week as an opportunity to grow and learn and don’t spend it counting down the days ’till the weekend. Good luck!

What are some of your best ways to stay on top of your assignments?

Corn Life Decal

I'm going to mix things up a little today. I’ve been talking about things from a farmer’s daughters point of view. Today, I want to use the college student viewpoints.

I’m sure a lot of people have seen an image similar to the one shown. So, as I am leaving the college parking lot, I saw a salt life decal. I’m thinking to myself, okay this person either like the beach, or was originally from the beach, I wasn’t sure. But now you live in Illinois which is hundreds of miles from the beach. The ‘salt life’ maybe your dream, although the ‘corn life’ is your reality.

People  have asked things like – what does corn life mean to me and what is corn life. Well to me it means being myself and growing plants like corn for a living. I love help plant and even harvest season, I am an all around farmer’s daughter and I couldn’t be prouder of where I live. Corn life is more than just living in the Midwest and knowing we grow corn. Its about getting close to family & friends, other farmers, watching them plant, knowing the ins and outs of production, and watching growth happen.

If you want a corn life decal, I couldn’t find any online meaning they would have to be made online. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about Illinois.

What does Corn Life mean to you?

What to Let Go of After High School

Since you probably just graduated high school, it’s time to let go of old habits and start fresh. College is time to start new, so with this being your last summer before college, clean up your life, end bad habits, and get ready for new beginnings! If you want to know more ways to let go after high school, look at this here!

Fake friends

Seeing someone every day, it is easy to call yourself “friends.”Even if there are some you don”t care about. When you walk across the stage, maybe you don’t see them again. Don’t hold on to bad friendships. Focus on your true friends and work to maintain those relationships throughout college.

Too cool?

In high school, it’s easy to think others are below you. Certain cliques or things you’re into just doesn’t seem cool. But when you go to college, knowing it’s okay to be excited about stuff, is perfectly okay. It’s a good thing to be passionate about things and you definitely should be! In college you get the chance to find out what you love and become passionate about them, not think you’re too cool to care.

Do you hate all your classes?

Senior year, you think your classes are supposed to be a total drag. It seems as if you aren’t really learning anything. In college, you’re taking classes that apply to your future career, which is really pretty cool. Plus, you (or your parents) are paying a lot to be there, so make sure you show up and show you care about it!

Closed off

Being in the same school for 12 years, you find it easy to close yourself off and be with people you like and things you enjoy. There’s never a reason to try new things. Let that go! Leave your comfort zone! I promise the results will be amazing. You will try so many new things and meet tons of new people when you go to college – don’t turn away anything for any reason.

Are you being rude?

I know when sharing a house with someone, it’s easy to become annoyed. But distance is a good reminder of the best parts of people and how much they care about you. Spend time with them because you will miss them. The saying that distance makes the heart grow fonder really does ring true here!

Fitting in

I never really fit in with everyone in high school, my four years I was in a wheelchair. So yes, it’s hard to leave the status quo in high school – mostly because you do want to fit in, and because you live at home. In college, there are different varieties of people, so you will find your tribe. You never have to pretend when making new friends. If you want to do something completely different, do it there are people who will still like you. Your college years are when you leave behind the social norms and do whatever you want to do (within reason of course!) Don’t let the fear of being “awkward or weird” stop you from being you and doing want you want.

Relationships

If you don’t want to be with someone but your afraid to break up because you would see them, break it off now. If you 100% dedicated to who you’re dating, break it off before the distance makes it worse. Not saying all high school relationships can’t survive the long distance, I’m saying it is hard and both of you have to want to make it work.

Study habits

You may have gotten a great GPA with little to no studying in high school. However, college is totally different. With a few exceptions, college classes require you to study to actually pass. You wouldn’t be able to skate by like in high school. Leave the procrastination and poor studying skills behind when you enter into college. Take this from me – I was a 4.0 student in high school and I thought it would be the same in college – those first few tests were a wake up call!

Moving on!

Well there you have it! Eight things to let go of in order to be a successful college student! Is there anything you can think of letting go after high school? Let me know below! If you want to check out 8 more things to let go of after high school, you an find that post here.

Prepping For a New Semester

Everyone knows there is a new semester about to start (being high school or college), it's time to start gearing up for the fall semester. I know some of y’all are probably counting down the days until your next break, but here are some tips to get help you with preparing for a new semester.

PREPARING FOR A NEW SEMESTER – 5 TIPS

1. Start getting organized -- I understand classes have not yet started, when they do stay organized. Print out your syllabus for each class. purchase your class books, buy school supplies, and write down all your assignments in your planner. 
2. Get back on schedule -- As classes are beginning, you don't want to be dragging your first week. I realize even for myself it is very difficult getting back on track after break but it's nice being able to do so.
3. Create a schedule for yourself -- If you're like me, not only are you involved in clubs or honors but you hold down a job. Make sure you write down  everything important (class, exam,  meeting, etc.) that way you know when you're going to have a busier day in advance.
4. Start working ahead or on reading --If you already have a posted syllabus work or read ahead for the semester, jump right in and be ahead of your game. I always felt better prepared for class if I read/worked on the material beforehand even if it's not feasible.
5. Mentally prepare yourself for the semester ahead -- The first week back to school is always exciting and overwhelming so get your head in the A-game and make sure you have the right mindset to start off the semester.

Hope that your semester starts off strong! Have a great Thursday, y’all.

How do you go about preparing for a new semester? Let me know down in the comments.

How to Prep for College When Still in High School

I'm 4 years out of High School, with graduation upon us, it's hard not to be nostalgic! My high school experience was okay between Art Club, Key Club, and doing about average in classes, but I missed out on a lot of opportunities that could have been really helpful in college.

How to Prep for College When Still in High School

For some background, I took some computer classes, honors (suppose they could be AP), and math classes to help move me along faster in my major, I wasn't completely unprepared. I also couldn't decide my major until mid-second semester, it helped I started at a community college. Pretty much, everyone's high school experience was totally different, but through my experiences these are all thugs I did or believe would help current high school students preparing for college.

Diversify your skills

Being in high school is the perfect time to try something new, you're not in a specific field and you have opportunities to take electives free. Even if You know what you want to do, major in your freshman year, diversifying your skills and experiences gives you more to add to your resume and maybe you find something your passionate about.

Like me, I knew I wanted to become a CEO of a big company my freshmen year, but there's many different areas I didn't even consider. Media, local, music, pretty much any industry you can think of. In high school I took music theory, art, web design, piano, and business alongside my required classes, and I still talk about my experiences in those classes and sports today during a lot of my interviews.

That leads me to my next tip…

JOIN A TEAM OR CLUB AND ACTUALLY INVEST YOURSELF IN IT

Don't just show up to practices, take the time outside of school to get better at whatever you're doing. Like me, what I'd practice outside of school were things I fell head over heels for, gained lessons/friends for life, and talked about in college essays or interviews.

Sports may not even everyone's thing, I enjoyed watching but being in a wheelchair I was unable to participate. When I was still able to walk fairly well, I played softball, karate, dance class; I played in outside leagues/classes but never felt like I loved playing. Competitive sports weren't my thing, but I didn't play sports in high school for health reasons.

Art club was about showing your artistic personality. When you spends hours and hours with people showing their personality and helping each other you make lifelong friends. I would recommend School clubs like this one to any student wanting to show their art and leadership skills.

As for the college connection, all my college essays were written about my experience with Art club and Key club. All those questions as in, "how did you handle times when you felt angry or upset?" are east to give details about when you have easy memories to access. Leadership questions were a piece of cake when you show it through your work or in a group.

LOOK FOR HIGH-SCHOOL LEVEL INTERNSHIPS

I never did this mostly because I didn't know they existed when I was in high school, really take advantage of these offers and go for it! Most of these internships require no experience, making them perfect opportunities to try something you maybe interested in at a professional level.

I'm not a good source to be versed in internships outside of writing and communications, do some googling and you'd find great resources. If you're going into a major like Communications or Journalism, I would definitely recommend checking out these programs:

• 2018 High School Internships
• Journalism Intern Jobs
• Communication Internships

START A PORTFOLIO

Not a lot of majors can do this, but if your work makes a finished product, save it! Add it to a folder (even if it's a online folder) or put it on a website then you'll be able to share it.

TAKE CLASSES AT YOUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE

It requires time and money, but I seriously recommend taking classes at the local community college while in high school.you don't have to repeat what classes you take which is really helpful when you're taking as many credits as possible to graduate in 4 years.

To be honest, the 4-year college versions of the classes weren’t very hard and offered a great buffer between my communications classes, but the real benefit of taking community college classes is that they’re shorter (6 weeks vs a semester), cheaper, and they free up time in your schedule for more interesting classes.

TALK TO PEOPLE AT YOUR PROSPECTIVE COLLEGES

If you know the college you want to go too, great! If not, learn as much as possible about the school's you're applying to before you accept. You don't learn much from the college website, and the best way to gain advice is asking the students who attend.

I would google the college bloggers who attend the college you're interested in, they would most likely have posts written to help you! I get emails every week from prospective AU students asking about how I like Tuscaloosa, what the workload is like, and whether I like my major, and I’m happy to help them out. Bloggers are super friendly and almost always willing to lend a helping hand!

START A BLOG

I’m a little biased here, although when I say starting a blog was one of the best decisions of my life. This blog has helped me pay my rent, meet incredible friends, and connect with companies I never imagined working with. It’s also the project I talk about in about every interview, and several recruiters have specifically told me they think that this experience diversifies me as a candidate! I’ve found several posts on starting a blog, so if that sounds like something you’re interested in, check these out:

• Why You Should Start A Blog In College (or high school!)
• How To Start A Blog
• How To Start Making Money Blogging

If you have any questions about my high school or college experience, feel free to ask in the comments or send me an email!

7 Twitter Accounts Every College Student Should be Following

Being a soon-to-be college student, I don't need to tell you that Twitter is just for fun or friends anymore. These days, we use it for everything- sharing things with friends, networking, news, and yes, to look at funny animal pictures and keep up with our favorite celebrities.

7 Twitter Accounts Every College Student Should be Following

Why should being a college student be any different?

Easy - it shouldn't .

Where you're just starting to look at schools or already in a school, adding these accounts to your feed for tips you won't seem to find anywhere else.

@cnnbrk

Twitter bio: Breaking news from CNN Digital. Now 55M strong. Check @cnn for all things CNN, breaking and more.

CNN Breaking New brings the fastest news on Twitter. It breaks quicker here than any other CNN sources, which is great when writing a paper.

@HuffPostCollege

I'd recommend following this account to any student. This account keeps followers up to date with the latest college news stories, nationwide. They also tweet about handling different situations students find themselves in. This is a must-follow for all students!

@"Your School"

As a student, you should always be following your school. Following your schools Twitter account keeps you up to date and informed about things such as: school closings, events, and deadlines to add or drop classes.

@motivation

I don't know about you, but I find College life is just as stressful as it is fun. Motivation tweets different quotes from successful people. Follow this account, and you might read a quote someday that just might motivate you to get out of bed and make an early morning Monday class.

@TweetMyJobs

If you're an upperclassmen getting ready to enter the world, you could benefit from following Tweet My Jobs. This account tweets job openings in different fields, in areas all over the United States. Get a step ahead of your competition by being the first to hear about job openings that you're qualified for.

@CNN

As a communications major, I've been taught to understand the importance of being media-literate. If you want to be successful in life, you have to know what's going on in the world. I follow CNN because it brings me news from all around the world. Who says you have to watch the news or read the paper to keep yourself informed? You're going to read tweets off of your TL all day anyway, so you might as well read some news too.

5 of My Favorite College Bloggers Everyone Should be Following!

Blogging today is really popular. It seems like everyone either wants a blog or has one and it can be about anything. There are blogs out there for fitness, beauty, fashion, food, travel, cooking, kittens, video games, etc. Name a topic. There’s a blog about it.

Some blogs are about nothing in particular, and are just meant to be fun reads and updates on a person’s life. No matter what your favorite blog topics are, you should check out this list on five of my favorite college blogs out there run by college students. Are you inspired yet?

5 of My Favorite College Bloggers Everyone Should be Following!

Life As A Dare

This blog is ran by Rebecca Lindenbach. She discusses my different topics like college, relationships, faith, and more! The 21 year old psychology grad helps or college student through her experiences as a graduate student and newlywed. As her blog is titled "Life As A Dare" she challenges her followers to, "Challenge yourself, find your purpose, and pursue it with all your heart."

The Swirl Blog

Ran by best friends Gabby and Hannah, "The Swirl Blog" discusses everything from college, lifestyle, travel, etc. Gabby is a junior studying biology, while enjoying "brunch, Birks, and no iced white mochas." Hannah is also a junior who is studying chemical engineering. Her motto is, "You're never fully dressed without a monogram." They may not be at the same college, they constantly collaborate to bring their readers new and interesting posts other college students totally relate too.

Chase the Write Dream

Ran by Tori Canonage, "Chase the Write Dream" talks about millennial life, college & career, healthy eating, and so much more! Tori is a millennial with a bachelor's degree in human services and a masters degree in psychology. She's passionate about helping college students and twenty-somethings find their place in the world.

Dani Dearest

Ran by Dani, a 20 year old college junior, and offers college advice; including fitness, study, and organization tips. "Dani Dearest" began as a small blog, and grown to become an empowering community with many followers. In her "about" section, Dani expresses that she uses her blog to share her thoughts on college, and cope with her anxiety. Dani's posts on college will definitely be helpful to other students.

Sara Laughed

Ran by Sara, a writer, an aspiring programmer, and she lives in the Netherlands. She offers posts in college, being an adult , world , etc. She studied religion at Wellesley College, spent her junior year at Oxford and recently got her degree December of 2016. She uses her blog to share her thoughts on college, and the little in betweens in life. Her posts in all areas of life are very helpful to others.

Things I Learned as a College Freshman

Being a college freshman is quite difficult. It’s a new environment, new students, and you have to make new friends. Going into college freshman year is scary. Anyone who tells you anything otherwise is either lying to you. It is fine to admit that you’re a little bit terrified of new situations. Visiting somewhere where you know nobody is bad in itself, but when you’re being dropped off there and told “see you in three months!” you suddenly realize just how alone you are.

10 things I learned my freshman year:

I just finished my freshman year and I learned so much. There is so much that I didn’t know going into college because nobody told me. I had unrealistic expectations and unnecessary worries. I compiled this list of things that I wish somebody would have told me before I entered my freshman year of college.

• Freshman fifteen

I never done this, I can’t say how great or how much everyone should do this. Although, just because no one says rude things or nags you doesn’t mean you should make good, healthy choices every day. You’re sitting at a desk all day, in front of a laptop, and then sitting in class listening to lectures when you finally get to venture out from behind your desk.

Staying healthy in college is even more important than it was in high school for most of us.

You don’t need to do much–but even if you start small by eating healthy lunches and breakfasts instead of just having pancakes and heavy pastas. When you’re doing a bunch of readings you don’t really need to take notes on, why not try to do some of them while walking on an incline on the treadmill? This year you have a chance to decide who you will become, so please take steps to make sure that you become a healthy person. Maybe not a crazy health nut, but at least stay in shape. Treat yourself right and opt for grilled chicken over pizza every now and then!

• Start a study group.

I learned so much from my friends, we incorporated professional help a few times. Discussing and experiencing studying with friends can not only make studying so much easier but it’s fun too. Discussing and explaining what you’re learning helps commit it to memory far more effectively than mindlessly reading from a textbook. But be careful to study with friends who will be focused on studying, you can have a social hour after your exam.

• You have a chance to start over.

This is really not emphasized enough. I went to a medium-sized university in Alabama after being a small-town country girl for my entire life. University allowed me to completely switch how people saw me–instead of being that small-town girl, I got to be Nichole, a college woman who’s funny, hard working, and a go-getter.

You don’t need to hold on to what you were in high school. This is your chance to become the person that you’ve always dreamed of being–because no one knows who you are! That anonymity is honestly the best gift you can be given, because it allows you to have choice. So embrace it.

• Go to class.

There have been studies that prove going to class is linked with higher grades, not shocking but you’d be surprised how many students make a habit of skipping class. It’s just an hour or two out of your day, one that you or your parents are paying about 50 dollars a class for you to attend, lets not let that money go to waste!

• Call your family.

I know you’re super busy and sometimes it slips your mind, but I can promise you that your parents and grandparents would love to hear from you every now and then.

• Explore!

You are lucky enough to be exposed to a whole new city, state, or in some people’s cases – country! There is so much to see on campus and in the surrounding towns, it’d be a shame to miss out. If your school has one, I’d highly recommend trekking out to the arboretum, University of Illinois has a gorgeous one!

• Create a resume.

If you haven’t needed one yet, I can assure you that you’ll need one soon. When you’re a freshman you can still put all of those high school achievements and leadership positions on there, so take advantage of those while you still can!

• Your syllabus is there for a reason.

Read it, reference it, worship it. At the beginning of every semester your professors will hand you a packet that tells you step by step how to pass their class, yet so many students ignore it. As soon as I got all of my syllabi second semester I copied all of my upcoming due dates into my planner and simplified my life so much.

• Make friends with everyone you can.

BSWs, the cooks in the dining halls, your dorm’s security officers, and the list goes on. Not only is it just a nice thing to do, but they are from your campustown, they can tell you about all of the best places on and around campus and many of them have some pretty great stories to tell.

• Meet your professors.

Professors are people too, and most people are pretty nice. But they are far more likely to go above and beyond for someone that they already know – so don’t wait until you’re in trouble to meet them. If the end of the semester approaches and you’re not doing so hot, chances are they’ll be more willing to help you out if they recognize that you’ve come to office hours and you participate in class.

That’s all that I have for you today! Did I miss anything? Let me know what your best tips are for college students! Thanks for reading!

8 [More] Things to let Go of after High School

Hey there! Getting through high school is the easy part. But what about after graduation? Most students are actually excited about get out into the world. The problem is they still act like they did all throughout high school. So, I decided to write a sequel post, with 8 more thing to let go of in order to have a better college experience.

high school drama

When you’re in high school, and know most everyone in school, it’s a lot easier to get involved or start drama. Everyone has gossip about something or someone. It’s important to let this go once you graduate. Remember, when making new friends no one likes someone all about drama. Gossiping about others only leads to trouble. Its always most important to never start drama with a roommate or others in your dorm. I’m high school it never mattered because you never lived with people you caused drama about. In college however, you don’t want to cuz drama with your roommate because that could ruin your housing situation.

This is very important if people from your  hometown go to the same college. That means you’re more than likely to know things about them they wouldn’t like others to know. Leave them be to recreate themselves and hopefully they will leave you be also. Don’t start or cause drama in college at all, it’s just mean and very basic. I don’t mean to always be nice, but don’t get involved in any kind of unnecessary drama in school.

Fear of being alone

College is all about trying new things, while figuring out who you are as a person. Don’t be afraid to do your own thing or self-conscious about it. I struggle with this still, you might throughout college. I hate going anywhere by myself (even in class the first day), you just have to push yourself. You have to try new things with friends or even to make friends. Be willing to go out of your comfort zone. Try going to karaoke, or rock climbing. Maybe you’ll find something to love! After high school, you can try many things you never thought you’d get too. Don’t let fear keep you from making new memories. Also never put yourself in danger. Know when fear holds you back or when it keeps you safe.

Conventional meal times

These don’t exist in college. In high school, you usually had lunch between 11 and noon for an hour or so. That’s not how college works you don’t get a long lunch or maybe your schedule does not allow for lunch. Gone are the days of three square meals. Welcome the days of “it’s 9 p.m… have you eaten dinner?” “Um… I ate a bag of chips like two hours ago?” Most of my professors allow students to eat in class unless your class is in the computer lab.

Toxic people

Don’t be friends with someone just because it is convenient. This applies to any one, anywhere, at any time (home, significant others, new college buddies, etc.). Don’t ever feel like you have to hold on to anyone because you’re afraid of being lonely. if people in your circle are causing drama, don’t stay with them! One of the best things I did in college on Facebook was unfriend toxic people and drama starters. Letting go of college friends can be harder, because of living within close proximity. Don’t feel like you have to ban anyone, but don’t be friends with people who make you unhappy.

High school clothing

Everyone needs to let this go. Every piece of clothing you have received from your high school, (clubs, events, etc.) need to be removed from your closet. You buy about 10+ t-shirts within the first month or so, meaning you don’t need to bring the ones from. high school. Getting up in the morning at college, it’s a struggle to even put a bra on, let alone a reasonable/normal/dare-I-say-flattering outfit. This also applies to outfits that are weather appropriate; I can’t count how many days there was snow on the ground and I was in shorts. This becomes a fact of life.

Another thing I highly recommend not wearing sweats or pajama pants to class. College is a place where you are preparing to go into the professional workforce, and your professors are those who will write you recommendations in the future. Make a good impression, and always wear decent clothes. This will positively benefit your future.

Bad habits

In high school, is the easiest time to be able to handle your money. For those who drive you were paying for your own gas. Most students have a full-time summer job, and your savings went towards college. Then, everything changed. your paying for books, school supplies, and food, as well as gas, and the remaining amount of tuition. You have way more financial responsibility than before. You’ll soon figure out you will need a job to keep up with expenses. When you move off campus, you’ll need money to pay electric, internet, rent, insurance, etc.

Why do I tell you all this? You need to realize you need to handle your money good. For those still in high school, save as much as possible before getting into college. You will most likely think you have a lot of money, but it will be gone very fast. Be careful with your spending, utilize your dining plan, and you don’t need Starbucks every day.

It can be easy to spend without thinking when you’re in high school, but that has to change when you’re in college. It’s time to start thinking about savings, and budgeting, and bills. Let go of your frivolous attitudes towards money if you want to be a well adjusted adult in college!

College is not job training!

Most high school students definitely believe this and don’t think to let go of this thought. They only think college basically trains them for a ob. They dislike taking anything unrelated to their future position. This is really sad, especially for those who attend a Journalism/Communications school.College is so much more than job training – they are supposed to shape you, teach you how to think for yourself, and make you into the person who you want to be for the rest of your life. The classes unrelated to my major are required for any type of a degree and they are they ones in which I learned the most about myself. Viewing college as job training mean you will never truly be experiencing college to the fullest degree. College is your chance to truly explore who you want to be – not only teach you how to do your chosen area.

Being judgmental

When you’re in high school, it is easy to be set in your ways and judgments. Your friends and family probably agree with you a lot, so your never really challenged. Going to college does that. Even going to a small private school, you are (hopefully), exposed to people with different beliefs than you, and lives other type of lies. Let go of your judgments, and accept people who are different, and that’s okay. Being judgmental of those who do/don’t have sex, drink, worship something different, etc. will only make you seem mean or rude.

You don’t have to change yourself, although be open to accepting others as they are, without judgement. I don’t mean you can’t stand up for yourself or what you believe in, but you shouldn’t force your beliefs or opinions on others. College is about acceptance, so let go of your judgments.

CONCLUSION

I hope that this list of eight more things to let go of after high school can help you! It’s so important to have the right mindset in college, and way too easy to hold on to negative emotions! It’s important to realize that even as a senior in college, I have yet to let all of these things go. I am still learning, and growing. I’m still working to become the best me I can be. Again, you can find the first 8 things here. What is something you wish you had let go of after high school? Let me know in the comments below!

12 Must-Have Apps for Every College Student

School is starting up again soon, and I’m already excited for it! I know it’s strange, but I absolutely love school. I love going to class, writing exams, researching, everything. A lot of that, though, is because I’ve found ways to make studying and student life easier and less stressful than they normally are.

A bit part of making life go smoothly is utilizing the tools available. I personally don’t like bringing my laptop to school unless it’s exam season, although I was getting into the online courses my very first year so I'm starting to feel better about bring my laptop. Since then, I’ve completely customized it to be my own super-school-tablet filled with amazing college apps, and I use it every day to take notes, write assignments, and make sure that I’m staying healthy! All things that are important in student life!

So here are the college apps that I personally love, and what have worked to keep me organized and good to go!

12 Must-Have Apps for Every College Student:

Istudiez Pro- This is my planner, it keeps track of my courses, homework, quizzes, exams, teachers, and etc. Are you having trouble remembering the deadlines of your projects or when your next test or quiz is? Sticking to deadlines is a problem that most college students face and seemingly can’t comply with. This app will allow you to input all your important activities in its calendar so that you will not miss another important deadline again.

Clear- How many to-do lists do you have in college? One for essays, another one for exams, the third one for parties… So, why not synchronize them all in order to get access from anywhere? Choose Clear for this goal, an application which syncs all your to-do lists with other devices and makes it easier for you to open them wherever you can find Internet access.

Chegg- We all know that a new semester means new textbooks. But don’t jump the gun and start purchasing all your books from the school bookstore – unless of course you want to throw tons of money down the drain. Instead, download the Chegg app which lets you search and rent any available textbooks…for much cheaper than actually buying the book! Plus, when you’re done with the book, you can put it back up on Chegg and rent it out to another lucky student.

Evernote- This app goes well with Clear and iStudiez Pro. In this app you can make a checklist, add reminders, take snapshots of notes written on classroom boards, or create a notebook directly on your phone. This app also has a market store that sells great school supplies!

Pandora- I love this app a lot, I'm always listening to music no matter what I'm doing. I love being able to listen to music close or related to a certain artist. If I studying for an exam or a final my go-to is classical music ( either like bach, mozart, etc). 

Groupon- Since college is expensive, and doing fun things usually requires spending some money, this app is a great way to save money. It offers hundreds of coupons. If you want to do an activity with friends, but can’t quite decide what to do, you can check this app and see if there are any great deals at places that sound fun. I had a friend who used a Groupon to get fondue with friends. I can’t have fondue, but it’s still awesome, and there are even better deals!

MyFitnessPal- Dining Hall food is fattening. There is a reason the freshmen 15 exists. There is also the fact that more people start drinking more or start eating more than usual because there are entire sections of the dining hall dedicated to cake, donuts, etc. There is also an increase in soda and coffee consumption because of the need for caffeine. All of these things may taste awesome, but are also pretty unhealthy. When I entered college, I desperately wanted to avoid the 15. I had two plans, first, I planned to lose 15 pants prior to starting college so that if I gained 15 pounds I would be my normal size. Or, second, I would simply watch what I ate, and work out more frequently. The second plan was the route I took. This app will help you monitor calories, workouts and the calories burned, and ensure that you’re body is remaining healthy.

Nike Training Club- Working out relieves all the stress that college puts you under. With the combined chaos of classes, homework, clubs, activities, etc; it can often be hard to find time to make it to the gym (unless you are an organized person who follows her schedule to the dot…). Nike Training Club offers equipment-less exercises and timed circuits that you can do right in your dorm room, no gym required. Sorry to break it to you, but now you’ve got NO excuses to not get your butt into gear.

Cram- Note cards are many people’s preferred way to study, but they’re also hard to keep track of. Cram is just the solution; allowing you to create your own custom flashcard decks or even searching for pre-created decks on your topic of study.

Easybib- Have you found yourself swamped with countless essays to write this semester? While there’s not an app to write the papers for you (at least not yet), there is one to automatically generate citations. EasyBib takes a picture of the ISBN/Barcode of the book and inputs the citation in MLA, APA or Chicago to your phone. You can then email the citations to yourself! No more losing easy points on papers because of citations.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary- It definitely doesn’t hurt to have a dictionary conveniently tucked away in your back pocket (or purse…or backpack – wherever you keep your phone). When you’re reviewing a lecture or reading a text book and you stumble across a word you don’t understand, just take out your phone and look it up. This is great for improving your vocabulary.

In Moment- This is a productivity app to help you stay focused in class and on school work. It helps you reduce your time in and on Social Media by 45% during your first week using this app. You are able to set limits and block Social Media, it rewires your digital habits by setting daily limits for Social Media usage, and blocks access when you're over the limit. You also get charts with time spent in all most popular Social Media.

These apps are my go-to ones, and they have made my college experience that much smoother! I hope they help you, too!

WHICH APPS WOULD YOU ADD? LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS AND I MAY ADD THEM!

Your Guide to Surviving Finals Week

I hate to break it to you, but finals are coming. *starts freaking out*

Okay, now let’s take a deep breath, because I got you covered! I have been through five semesters of finals, so I know how it feels to be overwhelmed. I thought I would gather all of my knowledge and experience and prepare this finals survival guide.

Now, you don’t only want to get through your finals but to ace them! And this guide will help you do just that!

STUDY

Now I bet I can tell what you're thinking, "Obviously, I have to study. It's finals!" Trust me, I know that feeling. But before you get your textbooks out, you need to ask yourself a few questions so you can study smarter and save time! What type of exam am I studying for? Is it more about comprehension or do you need to learn things by heart? Is the exam recapitulative (meaning it’s going to cover the entire semester) or is it only covering the classes you’ve had after your midterms?

PLAN AHEAD

Surely, by now, you’ve found out that the best way to prepare (or to survive college at all, for that matter) is to plan ahead! Make a study schedule and stick to it. Block out hours dedicated to studying and nothing else!I do mine by week. I write assignments and when my finals are down. Then plan out my week by hour, I break it down to prioritize the important things that need to be down first, then add in everything else.
Basically, do what works for you! But don’t forget to use your planner and stick to what you have planned!

PRIORITIZE

That kind of goes with the whole planning thing. Sometimes it can all seem a little too much. Between college, extracurriculars, work, and friends, you don’t know where to put your energy. It can all be a little overwhelming. Make sure you write down what you need to-do and by when if that will help. Make sure it has everything on the list and just homework, write in activities and the times you go to them. PRIORITIZE your list! Don’t be afraid to say no if you think you can’t handle it. Your classes should always stay a priority, even if that means taking fewer hours at work or canceling a few appointments. Don’t forget to think about your health first!

SLEEP

In order to stay on top of your game, you need to get some sleep! Try to get into a regular sleeping cycle, and not only the day before your finals! Sleeping is important when you’re preparing too. Give your mind and body a break, they’ll be thankful!

EAT HEALTHY

I have to admit that this is my weakness. My body is always craving junk food, but even more when I’m under stress. However, feeding your body with healthy food will give you enough energy to give the best performance you can!
Basically, make sure you’re getting enough of everything, that you have a balanced diet. However, don’t go overboard!

How to Be More Productive

Productivity is one the things I struggle most with. Especially around finals, I can’t seem to find proper motivation! And even once I find it, I can seem to get anything done. I sit at my desk with the best intentions, and before I know it, a 10-minute study break turns into an hour of reblogging stuff on Twitter. Needless to say that I don’t get anything done while doing that.

So I decided to share with you a few tips that help me to be more productive. Hopefully they will help you too!

GET DRESSED

We all love to stay in our pajamas all day, every day. I can never get anything done when in my pajamas. It's like a lazy day, I don't want to do anything. Pyjamas are for reading or watching Netflix. Instead, put on some pants and a shirt (it can be an oversized sweater) and get to work! You’ll feel much better, trust me!

WORK AT A DESK

Are you doing your work on your bed? Get rid of that habit! Beds are for sleeping or chilling. You won’t get anything done (or not nearly as much as you could) if you’re doing your work on your bed. I don't do my work at a desk, I find I am more productive at the kitchen table. Do what is best for you to be the most productive at study time.

REDUCE DISTRACTIONS

I think that’s a given. You’re probably thinking “Duh! Of course I need to stay away from distractions!”. But are you actually doing anything to really stay away from them? Your phone and laptop are probably going to be the things that are most likely to keep you away from really being productive. These things take up most of the time we could be productive. This is one of my flaws, I don't always study. I used to think I had all the time in the world.

WORK AT A CLEAN PLACE

Remember that desk I mentioned earlier? Keep it clean! Make sure you only have the necessary things out and remove the clutter. I always feel so much better and can study better because my space is clean and organized.

SCHEDULE EVERYTHING

If you think your assignment will take more time than what you’ve scheduled, break it down into smaller tasks! Write everything down, this will help you in the long run. Studying and just getting homework done for the night or week can help so much, especially with stress.

DON’T TRY TO MULTITASK

Just don’t. I realize we think we can get more things done, but you're not giving 100%. It’s much better to stay focused on one thing at a time and do it to the best of your abilities rather than do more than one things at once. Sure, you might get more things done, but is it the best you could have done?

What are your productivity tips? Do you see anything in that list you want to try out?

How to Write an Amazing College Paper

Doing any kind of assignment is hard. At least for me, I am a procrastinator. I also don't like doing essays because I never know when or how to start the introduction.

Once, I get started it is easy to finish. I have already written two papers out of 4 for my drama class. I would assume for my second English class I will be doing more. Here are my tips and advice when writing a college paper.

If you’re an incoming freshmen who has yet to experience writing a college paper yet, just you wait, you’ll become familiar with them very quickly.

In either case, nobody really wants to write them and everyone is looking for ways to make it as easy as possible. How I write my college papers from start to finish (my advice to you).

1. Pick your question.

Some of you may have a mandatory question assigned, and in that case, you can skip to the next section. If, however, you have a list of questions, or need to think of a question yourself, this is the place to start.

If given a list of questions, don’t just choose the one that seems easiest. Often, questions can be deceiving; the ones that seem easy can turn out to be much trickier or more nuanced than you expected. Choose the essay question that legitimately seems the most interesting to you, regardless of how difficult it is. It’s better to be energized by a challenge than to trudge through a question you find boring. Even if it is difficult, the professor will know that you took a risk and challenged yourself.

Coming up with your own question can be difficult. Take a look at the required reading for the course and the subjects raised in class lectures, and come up with a question for yourself that you find interesting, to which you don’t already know the answer.

2. Make a timeline.

This is like a schedule. Whether you have four days, two weeks or a month to write a paper, make a timeline for every step of the way.  Plan how long you plan to brainstorm on what you’ll write about, then how long you’ll research information and how many pages you’ll work on each week, day, hour etc.

Unfortunately, a schedule like this is often a luxury, and for some classes (or universities!) it’s just not possible. I have 5 classes this semester, I have essays to write every week and every 2 books in my other class. I usually only get to spend three to five days per essay. In that case, I still recommend one day for just research and then to divide the length of the essay over the days you have left.

3. Find all of your resources.

Nobody likes doing research.  Since you have to so some research one way or another in order to write your paper, do lots of research all at once.  It’s better to have more information than you have room for in your paper rather than to have to continuously go searching for more information.

Make sure that if your professor lists an author or book, you get your hands on that source, whether it’s at your library or via inter-library loan. It could make a big difference in your final thoughts on the topic, and your professor may be surprised if you leave the source out of your essay.

4. Note taking and writing your outline.

I prefer to take typed notes when I have the time, because they are cleaner and more organized than my handwritten ones. However, if you prefer to take notes by hand, that is fine and totally up to you.

If I am writing my notes on a computer, I use a Notebook Word document that allows me to put a different author in every tab. An alternative to this would be Google Drive or Evernote, depending on what you have access to. After this step, I write out a list of quotes and summaries as I read.

Yes, I know most people hate being told to make an outline but it really is a great way to keep track of everything that you want to cover in your paper and to make it organized.  You can use your own outline format.

5. KEEP TRACK OF EVERYTHING.

As you work on your paper, find a system to help you see what you’ve already done and what resources you’ve already used.  Not only does it help you keep track of everything, but it also helps to give you a visual of your progress.  I personally like to highlight things as they are completed or used.  That way I can still read them and have a very clear visual of what’s been done.

6. Writing the essay.

Now comes the hard part: writing the essay. If you made a good outline, this part will be a lot easier.

a. Reflecting on previous feedback

If you’ve previously written an essay for this professor, take a look at the feedback on your old assignments to see how to improve. Did you use too many quotes? Were you too wordy? Do your best to take that advice to heart in this essay. If this is your first time writing for the professor, just do your best and see some of my general advice below.

b. Which citation style to use

Always make sure to cite correctly – plagiarism, whether intentional or not, is a very serious offense, and could get you expelled.

Different disciplines require different citation styles. As a religion major, I most often use Chicago and MLA style. For a list of which disciplines require which citation styles, look here. If you’re still unsure, ask your professor!

c. General tips

There are plenty of things I could say here, but I’m going to stick to three pieces of advice. The first is to really engage with the subject of your essay. Really ask yourself the question that you’re trying to answer in your writing, and then do your best to make your essay’s answer as thorough and clear a possible.

Second, try to stay clear in your writing. Don’t get too creative with a thesaurus; clean, elegant writing is always the best way to go. Some great books on this are the Chicago Manual of Style and The Elements of Style by Strunk and White.

Third, try not to over-quote (my biggest writing sin!). Using too many quotes is the sign of an insecure writer. A tip for this is not to have any books or articles open next to you as you write; just go off of your notes and your memory. When you do use a quote, try to go for primary sources, and use a sentence before and after the quote to set it up and explain its relevance.

7. Editing the essay.

You finished your essay! Put it aside for a night if you can before taking a look. This will let you return to it with a fresh eye and a clear mind.
When editing, I find it most helpful to print it out and go through with a pen, crossing things out and marking them as I go. Look for any errors in grammar or citation, and try to make your writing as clear as possible. If necessary, ask a friend or tutor to look over it for you to see if they catch anything you didn’t.

If you struggle with grammar and citation, I really recommend you get a citation guide. Personally, I love the Pocket Style Manual, which was a required purchase at my college and which has saved my butt on more assignments than I can count. It includes sections on each of the major required styles in which to format your papers. There are school-specific versions and a general version, but the differences are pretty small. I recommend the general version of your school doesn’t have its own.

Finally, know when to put it down. If you’ve been editing your essay for hours and you’re about to throw it out and start over, stop. Have some confidence in yourself and your abilities. You didn’t come to college to be the perfect student – you came to learn. Your essay is probably much better than you think it is.

DON'T PROCRASTINATE!!!

How Do I Set Up my Planner for College

I am not always good at staying organized. I really used to have mental breakdowns because I didn't know what was due and on what day.

I know this because the first week of classes I was given all my syllabi outlined with their many assignments and told about the ones not on them and I practically died. Not because it was too much, but because I had no where to write everything down and keep it organized.

Well technically I did. I had a planner, but it just didn’t work for me. There wasn’t hourly planning, and I need hourly planning. I also didn't think about due dates and what not. So, I need a planner with planning times and space to write assignments and their due dates.

That’s how insane I felt.

I have been asked many times how I manage to do it all. Normally, during the semester, I have several classes, a part-time job, and a blog (aka a second job). And at the end of the day, I still manage to get As in most (or all) of my classes. How do I do it all? With my planner. This is the one tool that I use religiously semester after semester and I swear that it is the main reason why I am a successful student.

With the beginning of a new school year comes the time to prepare for the new semester. One of the things I love most about new semesters is setting up my planner. But in order for your planner to work for you, you have to set yourself up for success. Now I’m using the Writefully His planner and I love it.

Having a planner is the number one necessity to staying organized.

The Student Planner is different. It’s a printable planner that comes in three different layouts, and each of them is designed to help students succeed. When you buy the Student Planner, you can access to all versions of the planner! So you’re sure to find something that works for you. What’s even more awesome is that when you buy a dated planner, you get access to undated sheets from the other layouts to you can switch formats to fit your needs and lifestyle! It’s a planner that always works for everyone.

All formats include a goal section, student sheets to organize your semester and succeed, and reflection sections to help you live your best life!

The other part of the planner is the monthly layout. You wouldn’t think so, but I actually use this section very sparingly. I use it for presentations, tests and quizzes, school events, birthdays and other really big things I need to make sure I don’t forget. I also like to use the monthly layout to write things I’m interested in doing/attended but haven’t decided whether I want to commit to yet.

My favorite part of the whole planner is how the whole left sidebar is for to-dos. There’s one on the monthly and weekly pages. I didn’t include a photo of the one with the weekly layout because there was sharpie that bleed through the page before so it looked really gross.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m like to-do lists’ number one fan. It’s so convenient that there are two spots to write what you need to get done, because somethings aren’t as time sensitive (like wanting to go watch tv) and fit in the monthly list but not the weekly list. The monthly list is also useful for things you need to remember to do at the end of the month but you know about now. Like I have a friend whose birthday is in the last week of September, and I need to remember to order her gift, so I put it in the monthly to-do list so when that week comes around I know I already have it ordered.

Another thing with using a planner: color coding really helps.

I have 10 different colored pens I use for my planner, and each one has a different meaning. But I honestly don’t follow it very well. The only things I really keep up with is that red is school work, purple is school events, blue is friend/family related and pink is blog related. Having the different colors really helps to see what you should be spending your time on, and what you need to prioritize.

Color code each event in your life. Some people like to use different colors for each class, but I personally like to do things a little differently. For example, my color code for the fall semester went
like this:

Assignments – orange
Exams – blue
Work – pink
Internship – purple
Study abroad – green
Other stuff – yellow

Each color represents their own section of my life. Once you memorize which color corresponds to which section, you’ll be able to quickly glance at your planner and know what you’ve got going on.

Bonus tip: Use your planner!

The one way to ensure your success this semester is to actually use your planner! There’s no point in setting it up if you won’t end up using it. It’s a reflex for all successful college students (myself included), but it might not be your case. Don’t worry! If you’re not used to using a planner, just become accustomed to using it frequently. Take it out at the start of every class and have it on-hand. That way if your professor says a date that you need to remember, you’ll be ready to jot it down!

So let’s recap:

• Use a planner and take advantage of all of its attributes (hourly scheduling, top three and to-do lists, monthly planning)
• Use the monthly calendar for all your school assignments and big events
• Color code both to keep everything straight and avoid color overwhelm
• ^{_{Keep sticky notes handy for to-do lists, grocery lists and random strikes of inspiration}}

Dream College

My dream college is South Carolina State University. Most younger students don't understand what a dream college is. Most Likely because they just aren't to the stage in life about thinking what they want to do with their life after high school. Well, I'm not going to get into that with my post. I'm going to list the top 5 reasons I want to go to SCSU and why.

South Carolina State University

1. I want to learn how hard being on my own will be without actually being alone. I am in a wheelchair and right now I have both of my parents helping me and I know they won't always be here to help, I want to learn how hard life is being on my own.
2. It is diverse. I hope to learn about new cultures.
3. They have a great Journalism department. My major is Journalism in Mass Media. I eventually would like to own my own big media company.
4. It is out-of state, I don't want to stay in Illinois. I realize out-of state expenses cost more. I just feel like I'm not going anywhere in the state of Illinois. I refuse to move to Chicago because of the violence.
5. I want to get myself out there. You know, Go Big or Go home and I refuse to give up and go home. Getting my journalism skills out there is important to me.

College Application Tips

I am a sophomore in college this year. Time just flew by! I am super excited, to talk about application essays for college with you. I am, of course, not an expert when it comes to these things. However, I wanted to share with you some advice I've learned from my experience being in college as well.

Here are my tips when applying to college: 

Be aware of dates

Nothing can be worse than missing a submission deadline. I have all of my important dates for college mapped out to stay on top of things. Don't be a procrastinator, you don't want to be scrambling around late November to submit your application.

Brainstorm

Don't neglect to skip this part for your application. I find it difficult to just simply start writing an essay. Before you get to typing keep a list of bullet points of details and ideas. That way it will make your essay come much more easily.

Editing

When it comes to rereading your college application/essay, don't do it immediately after you finish. Save the document, and allow your eyes some time for a break. Once you're reading to reread, be sure to read it allow, I promise it will help you catch silly spelling/grammar mistakes!

Get Feedback

A new website that I have been using recently is called EditRevise. It essentially acts as your English teacher or your college admissions officer. EditRevise is an online service that can be used to provide feedback on your college app essays. After submitting my first essay draft, it took roughly (get it?) 48 hours until I got my feedback. (You can also pay a little more to receive the feedback within 6 hours, if you're in a hurry.) The comments I got back I found to be very helpful and detailed. I also liked how if a editor commented on a section, they would provide me with a sample sentence. With submitting three revisions of my essay, I found that it allowed me a great foundation for when I write my other essays.

I hope you found these tips to be useful, I am not an expert so I'd appreciate it if you have any advice to help me in this process!

What I Have in my Backpack

I started college last semester. It’s hard to believe I’m in college, for anyone even myself. It still hasn’t set in that I’m an undergrad. I mean wow! I have friends and family in college too. So between talking to all of them about essentials and knowing what I use and don’t use. I’ve narrowed down the absolute essentials for my backpack so that I’m not lugging around heavy items all day. So let’s take a peek inside my backpack!

What do I have in my backpack?

1. Backpack. I’ve had a Vera Bradley since my senior year of high school. I changed to a Vera Bradley bag that can also hold my tablet. It really comes in handy.
2. Water Bottle. I love my Camelback it’s an easy way to make sure I’m drinking enough water all day!
3. Planner. I found the cutest Blooms Day planner from Amazon and I’m loving it! Look out for a planner organization post soon!
4. Surface Pro 4. Of course I have to have my laptop for taking notes, doing homework, reading, and assignments! Maybe a little Netflix too.
5. Notebooks. I take all of my notes in 1 subject notebooks, nothing crazy, but it’s the best way to stay organized between classes.
6. Wallet. I have this for obvious reasons like paying for lunch or snacks, house key, shopping perks, etc.
7. Pencil Case. I love my pens! I have a ton of different ones and highlighters.
8. Headphones. I keep these in case I stop by the gym or need to listen to videos in the library!

What is one thing you have to keep in your backpack? Let me know below!

Why You Should Major in Journalism

Before I started college, I never even considered being a journalism major. I thought I'd be interested in Computers, English, or Business for other reasons. Finally, I realized that no other major can compare to journalism, because being able to express your opinion to an audience, no matter how big, is a feeling that can't be beat.

Being a journalism major is much more than just writing papers and finding different stories. It's making friends at your school paper, getting coffee so much that your local barista has your order memorized, and talking to people you wouldn't normally talk to, just to hear their stories.

These are just some of the greatest things about being a journalism major:

1. It's an excuse to drink as much coffee as humanly possible.

Because there is always a deadline to meet and nothing keeps you awake like three cups of coffee. You're usually up several nights all night finishing a column or post. Plus you can rack up enough points on the Dunkin Donuts Perks app to get free coffee at least once per week.

2. It's socially acceptable to be attached to your phone and computer at all times.

There is always an email to send, a call to make or a picture to take for an article. Even if you're playing Candy Crush while walking to class, people assume you're probably doing something important.

3. You can justify the hundreds of dollars spent on tattoos and piercings.

Communications employers typically don't mind them and they "express your artistic side."

4. It's amazing to think that the words you say have an impact on others around the world.

Someone from Australia could be in bed right now reading the words you write, or someone in Brazil could be on a train reading your article. Knowing that people take time out of their day to read the words you carefully choose means a lot and makes the midnight deadlines worth all the trouble.

5. You have automatic friends from the media clubs you're basically required to join.

Almost every journalism student is in an on-campus media club, so by the end of freshman year, you'll get to know pretty much everyone in your major. Plus, they're just as quirky and neurotic as you are.

6. You get to listen to some amazing and heartbreaking stories and experiences from others.

The "Humans of New York" account is just one example of learning inspiring stories from people you'd normally pass by on the street without a second glance. Everyone has a story, and getting to experience the most exciting, intimate or heartbreaking moments of someone's life is an experience that can't be beat.

7. You pretty much never need to buy textbooks.

Journalism is something that can't be taught out of a book (minus the dreaded AP Style book) so you save $200 per semester that can be used for buying more coffee or that paid Wordpress account you've been saving up for.

8. You can do almost anything after college with a degree in communications.

Every single company or corporation needs a communications department because that's how money is made. Even if at first it's just a basic secretary job, you'll never struggle to find work after college.

9. It is not an easy major by any means, but it is not impossible either.

Journalism has the stereotype of being an easy or "blow-off" major because we don't need to spend hours studying a textbook in the library. Just because we don't need to study much doesn't mean it's an easy major. The hours we don't spend studying we spend throwing ourselves into every media organization on campus. We're slaves to our editors and our computers.
On the other hand, even though it does keep us very busy, none of the work is impossible and most of it is very enjoyable.

10. You can do anything with writing.

If you're a strong enough writer, you can convince readers that the grass is blue. You can describe the scent of dew in the morning so well that readers actually feel like they're smelling it. You can paint a picture without ever picking up a paintbrush. When you write, even your most outlandish ideas are possible, and usually those are the ideas that make for the best stories.