Traveling

Traveling in college is A LOT of fun. You have friends from practically all over the world and depending on your income and comfort level, you might be able to go home with them over the weekends, or even find a new place to go out of the blue!

My school is near D.C., so a lot of our students tend to stay pretty local over breaks, but my friends and I find every excuse we can to find somewhere new! (:

So, regardless of where you are in the world, here are my college-traveling survival tips:

1. Know what you need to bring to get to where you're going.
• It's probably not necessary to bring your passport to go 30 minutes down the road, but if you're boarding an international flight, it's a completely different answer. 
2. Always prepare for an emergency.
• You're bound to get lost, lose your keys, forget your wallet, etc. at least once in your college career. So, bring extra cash, keep pictures of your I.D./passport/VISA on your smart phone in a password protected App., and make a copy of your keys to keep with a trust-worthy friend. 
3. Ask the locals for the best places to be.
• Find yourself in a new area? Ask a local for the best places to eat, hang out, or things to do in that area. Not only may you find something pretty cool, but you'll also get a pretty good understanding of the area, itself.
4. (With that being said), make your own journey.
• Don't feel like you have to go to the most tourist-y attraction in a new place, feel free to go hiking, walk along a water-way, or even check out historical landmarks. 
5. Lastly, remember that you can ALWAYS Google it.
• Want to go apple picking, cliff jumping, sky diving, etc? Google can help you to find the best/safest places, while also giving you direct-routes of getting there, prices if applicable, and even hints/reviews from people who work there or go there frequently.

So, with all of that being said, have fun getting out there! (: 

My Shower Survival Guide

As someone that grew up sharing a bathroom with a sister, I am no stranger to having to live with other girls. However, being a Junior in college now, I wish that I would have known exactly what to bring to college for this very area of space known as...

The Communal Bathroommmmmmmmm (room, room, room.)

(All jokes aside, communal bathrooms aren't really all that bad, as long as you know what to bring and what you'll actually end up using.)

So, as someone with infinite amounts of wisdom (sarcasm), I now bestow upon you my Shower Survival Guide:

Bring "shower shoes"

• Flip-flops, crocs, anything that can get wet will do, but these are really important because you really don't want your feet to be touching the floor in communal showers for hygienic reasons.

Bring the things you actually use at home

• But not necessarily the copious amounts of goo that you think you use but actually haven't used since bell-bottoms were in style.

Bring a shower caddie

• Trust me, nothing is worse than going to the shower and holding all of your goos while also holding your clothes, a towel, a comb, and well, whatever else you'll end up carrying.

Bring a cheap, netted laundry bag 

• While this may sound strange, it's actually really useful to put your dirty clothes in if you feel uncomfortable walking to your bathroom in a towel, but it's also really useful to put your clean clothes in, if you feel more comfortable getting dressed in the bathroom than your room. It also helps that you can hang it up by the drawstring, so your stuff will stay dry while you shower, instead of being on the floor or the soon-to-be-soaked changing seat.

Bring water-safe Bluetooth speakers

• If you're like me and like to jam out in the shower at home, usually with an Iphone being placed on the counter, college will be a time where you will inevitably kill your device if you don't listen to this point. Communal showers are REALLY steamy because of the amount of people taking hot showers at once. Don't let your phone be the next one to die, invest in speakers so you can leave your phone in your room, but keep your speakers in the shower. 

Bring your own personal cleaning supplies

• If you're not the biggest fan of germs, other girls' hair, and all things uncleanly, and prefer to shower at night, you may want to invest in a pair of rubber gloves and some Scrubbing Bubbles. Most of the time, communal showers are cleaned in the morning (before most of us are even awake), and left unclean on Sunday's. So, if you're the type to shower at night, take five minutes to scrub it yourself and you can guarantee that your shower will be clean!

So, that's all for now. Think I missed something? Leave me a comment! 

Campus Jobs

Just like any other time during one's life, you're left with choices that can dictate everything from where you live, to what you end up doing for the rest of your life... (No pressure, right?)

Well, college is one of those times where you can put on many sorting hats, until you find the one that fits you, however many tries that may take.

For those of you who are like me and prefer decisions, not options, this could be a very taxing and well, annoying for lack of better words, process.

But, with my infinite amount of wisdom, I tell you not to fear! A great way of deciding what works for you (and maybe even what you never want to do again!) is by working on campus...

Now, again, for those of you who are maybe overwhelmed by options, a typical University will have too many to ponder. But, for those of you who LOVE your options, it's more of a blessing, than a curse...

So, my words of wisdom to you are these:

• Try what you think you'll be good at
• This may sound obvious, but sometimes, people confuse what they're good at with what they like... FOR INSTANCE, I like math... but I could NEVER take a job involving calculus because I do not have the training to do so.
• Try what you want to do in the future (or something close to it!)
• Think you want a job on the Hill? Join Student Government.
• Think you want a job as a researcher? Be a lab technician at your school.
• Try something you've been too scared to try before...
• This one's tricky, but I will use my personal example. Public speaking, at least for me, was a terrifying monster when I was in High School... But now, I do it for one of my jobs on campus, as a Student Ambassador. To me, that's something that I was too scared to do, but now I'm really good at it!(:
• Try something DIFFERENT
• Have a ton of experience in "x"? Gain new experience in "y"! This will make your resume POP and it will also make you see the world a bit differently!

So, those are just a few of the tips I have for you, but at the end of the day, you're in charge of your own life and it's up to you to see where that takes you!(:

Have a good one!

Water

Something that I've developed a taste for over the past few years is plain water.

Now, that might seem strange, but I used to be the girl who always had a Diet Coke in her hand, a Sprite at dinner, and other sugary water-replacers that did absolutely nothing for me.

Then college happened.

Now, you may ask why a change in scenery made me give up my lovely soda addiction. Well, here is your answer.

1. Soda is WAY too expensive (and who wants to throw away THAT much money?)

(Besides this cute baby, that is.)

2. Water with lemons is delicious

3. Being vegan has complicated my soda intake because they're not all vegan-friendly

So, now that I understand the value and "thrill" of water, (and if you're interested in that, just Google it) I drink it constantly.

But, for those of you who are like me, water takes some... getting used to.

So, here are my tips for drinking enough H20:

• Add some fruit that you like to your water (seriously, sounds obvious but you're be more likely to drink it if you actually like it... shocker.)
• Keep away from "triggers" (You can't drink soda if it's not there...)
• Don't quit cold-turkey because you'll have caffeine headaches and you'll hate yourself 
• TREAT YO SELF 
• Notice that you haven't had a soda in (remarkable amount of time for you)? Let yourself enjoy one
• If you do buy soda, buy smaller cans
• This serves two purposes, one to make sure you don't drink absentmindedly and two to make sure you know how much you've had instead of "half of a two liter"

SO NOW, let's salute water.

Being Busy

Being busy doesn't have to mean that you leave your dorm looking like a mess...

Or that you don't brush your hair/teeth...

OR even that you have to skip meals.

At the end of the day, your busiest days are the best days to: 

Now, that doesn't mean that you have to scarf down your food...

Or show up to everything you have that day like this:

It really just means that you have to find 20-30 minutes on your busiest days to eat your favorite food, listen to your best "pump it up" song, or whatever you need to do to get through the day and make it your own. 

College is the time to overwhelm yourself, to explore new things, and to decide at the end of the day what you don't want to do tomorrow. 

Don't be afraid to say "no," but also don't let something you might be interested in pass you by. It's all part of the experience.

So, take a minute now, and relax. You'll be fine. 

Hello, all!

Today I learned something new!

I truly love Naked's Probiotic Machine Tropical Mango. It's just enough energy to help get me through the day without feeling like I should end it at the gym. It keeps me awake, takes the place of a snack, and it's mango-filled which is a win right there. (:

So, you might be thinking.. "What's the point of sharing that?" But, the fact that I'm trying to get to is often times, college kids rely on terrible "study snacks" that (should!) take the place of full blown meals.. and that's no bueno. So, instead, try nuts, fruits, and other crunch-filled delights to keep your brain awake.

I know that for me, That means kettle corn, carrots & hummus, and Clif Bars, but for you, it could mean salted peanuts or celery sticks, or maybe even grapes.

Who knows, but as we reach the time in the semester where you're going to be writing your first papers, remember this blog when you go to reach for that Monster cookie that Target had on sale. (;

Well, that's all for now guys!

Sick Days

Just like in high school, in college, you're going to get sick (occasionally).

But, unlike high school, you won't necessarily have your parents or caregivers there to make you soup, or (easy!) access to a full kitchen to make your own "get better quick" fixes. You also will be living with about 200 other people, who you guessed it, probably got you sick to begin with!

So, here are my "Survival" guides for the common college cold:

1. Don't use your "sick day" as a day to do this:

 If you're well enough to have a dance party in a snuggie, chances are you could have sat through a 75 minute class... 

2. If you can, actually get something done. Not only will you feel better about yourself when you make the transition back to being in class, but you'll also feel less overwhelmed by what you have left to do. 

3. With that being said, don't sweat if you can't. Being sick is NO fun and it's completely understandable to take the entire day off and give your body what it needs- REST.

4. Eat your vitamins and minerals! 

A sick day is not the day to order pizza, avoid your greens, or to try that new spicy curry dish. Even if your stomach isn't hurting, still stick with neutral foods that will still provide you with the nutrition you need. (Think all natural and fresh, warm and soupy, and mellow and vitamin C filled!)

5. Vitamin C tablets, cold medicine, Advil, etc. are your BEST friends. 

But, unlike this GIF, DON'T GO CRAZY with them and always follow the directions on the bottle. 

If you want to get well quicker, your body needs to be calm enough to heal you. So, use over the counter meds, see the school nurse, and go to a doctor/Urgent Care facility.

6. If you're sick, remember to TREAT BEFORE YOU EAT.

There is no use in taking medication to only have your body... evacuate it. So, with that being said, take medications, then eat some food. Not the other way around. Trust me.

7. Avoid human contact. No one wants your germs. I promise.

"Sharing is caring, but giving someone a virus makes you the worst person to ever live."

P.S. the person who inspired this post- see point 7.

XOXO, 

Katie Blairs

=

Late Night Posting

Some things are of more use in the wee hours of the morning...

Grammar check...

Doughnuts...

The library...

The list goes on and on.

Unfortunately though, life is full of disappointments.

Your computer can't fix "it's" versus "its," doughnut shops close at 10pm, and Marymount's library isn't exactly open 24/7 either.

FORTUNATELY THOUGH, there is hope.

In late night take-out.

Perhaps I should have followed my own advice regarding the hump-day blues...

Oh well.

... I'm left with my lasting thoughts towards pizza:

Better luck next time, pizza.

Wednesdays: A Survival Guide

The middle of the work/school week can be a lot of things.

It can be a relief that you're almost done, a challenge to persevere through the week, or even your near breaking point where you have 5,000,000 things going on and the weekend is a mythical land that not even magical unicorns can allow you to reach.

But at the end of the day...

But, hump day doesn't have to suck (I promise).

Here are my Wednesday go-to's to make sure that not every "hump day" is a mountain in disguise:

1. Use this day to eat your fruits and vegetables. 
• Your body needs fuel to get through the week and spending your day binging on day-old Chinese food or two cans of Pringles will only make you feel worse. Trust me.
2. Try making a list of goals that you hope to accomplish during the rest of the week.
• Not only will you remind yourself of things to do that you've maybe forgotten, but you'll also become more motivated to actually get them done if you know that you have an incentive (see point 3).
3. Give yourself an incentive for finishing your list.
• Maybe it's being able to play three hours of Grand Theft Auto on Saturday night, maybe it's a night out, or it might just be allowing yourself to eat that can of Pringles... Whatever it is, make that the last goal on your list and DO IT.
4. Lastly, make someone else smile.
• It's harder to hate the world of Wednesdays if you're smiling and laughing your way through the day. Even if it's just that co-worker/classmate that you only say "hello" to when you need to borrow (Insert Office Supplies Here), try to bring a little bit of joy to their life. Who knows, you might make a new friend.

So, embrace the Wednesdays! 

A Reminder...

In college, some things are easier to learn than others.

Like how to cook your own meals...

Or how to avoid gaining the freshman (insert ridiculous amount of weight gain here)...

Or maybe you're just trying to learn how you can possibly save money when you're tempted to spend your life savings on literally everything...

Well, for all of those times in college when your common sense hasn't quite caught up to your ability to regurgitate pre-algebra, this blog hopes to provide you with one easy answer that I've learned through my own journey thus far...

You have to work.

Regardless if that's working out, working on a budget, or even working a job on or off campus, (college) life is a lot of work!

But, also know that sometimes things don't work out just as you have planned, and I promise you, that's okay too.

Through Life, We Learn...

After taking some time to reflect this summer, I decided on one key thing...

Through (college) life, we learn.

We learn what we like, what we love, and ironically, what we don't know yet.

This blog is meant to take the time to remind me (and whoever reads!) that college is more than just a time to learn the basics of psychology and philosophy, but it is also a time to grow as a person...

So, in the spirit of learning, let the journey begin!