College Survival Guide - The Main 10!

To kick off the College Survival Guide Series I wrote just a really broad list of the top 10 things you need to know to survive in college. Here we go!

1. Go to class. I know this seems like a silly tip but in college you are paying for school and your classes, so if ever you decide to skip class you are basically throwing away your own money. So unless you are deathly sick in the hospital

2. Develop good study habits. This is one of the most important things to develop because you are going to be studying all the time whether it is for quizzes or your final exam. Quiz, test and exam grades usually weigh very heavily on your overall class grade so do yourself a favor and take some time and Google "good college study habits" because it will make a world of difference.

3. Get organized. Nothing is worse than having a pile of stuff to do and it is all over the place and there is no starting point. Getting organized will help keep you from falling behind on your assignments and things to do. It will also help you in developing your own routine.

4. Take advantages of the resources on campus. Make sure you take some time to figure out what resources are provided on your campus like writing centers, librarian help, or study groups and research help. Believe me, getting help makes life a lot easier than trying to do it all on your own.

5. Don't procrastinate!!! Ok, I will admit that I suffer from this too, but procrastination is one of the worst habits you can fall into because it will seriously drag you down on your school work and getting important things done.

6. Balance your time. Remember the saying "all work and no play makes me a dull boy"? Well its true. You need to make sure to balance out your work with your relaxation otherwise you will completely fry your brain and burn yourself out. Give your brain and yourself time to unwind and step away from your work. whether it is spending one day a week watching a movie with friends or just simply taking 5-10 minute study breaks to refocus, it is crucial to have a balance here.

7. Get some sleep. Going off of what I just said, not only do you need time to relax but you need time to sleep.Lack of sleep can cause health problems and your brain can actually work and remember things better after you have gotten sleep. So if you stay up all night before a big test cramming, chances are you will forget a lot of what you studied.

8. Find your friend group. College means that you are moving on from high school. And while I'm not saying to completely forget about your friends from high school you can't cling to them either. You have to branch out and find a friend group at your school that can help you with the transition and also help you feel more comfortable.

9. Get involved. Especially in the first month or two of college you basically have to force yourself to be outgoing because that is when friend groups form and you meet most of the people you will know and hang out with. And if you live on campus, don't be a dorm rat! Get out and have fun! There are lots of clubs and student activities on campus. Use it as a way to balance study with fun but remember not to over commit.

 10. Schedule your classes in a smart way. You want to make sure to schedule your classes in a way that is helpful not hurtful towards your success. For example, if you are not a morning person, don't take morning classes, or if you don't like to feel rushed, don't schedule back to back classes and give yourself some time in between. Simply making minor scheduling errors like this can set you up for success. Remember, you are in charge of your schedule now, make it to your advantage.

10 Ways to Cheer Yourself Up and Deal With Anxiety

Hey guys! So I wanted to do this post because I have been suffering from depression and sever anxiety as well as bi-polar for quite a while. But the biggest key is to just find things that cheer you up and make you feel relaxed.

1. Watch a Disney Movie (or really any "kid movie"). Nothing brings back that childhood enthusiasm and innocence like Disney. When you watch a Disney movie you can just feel like a little kid again, when everything was simple. Some of my favorite "kid" movies are Beauty and the Beast, Alice in Wonderland, Tangled and Treasure Planet.

2. Fluffy animals: Petting or cuddling with your pet is actually very therapeutic. A good alternative, Googling pictures of cute, baby, fluffy animals or watching YouTube videos (escaping panda!)

3. Get Comfy. Curling up with a stuffed animal, a cup of hot chocolate and reading a good book. This pulls you out of the real world and into a world of adventure or mystery or the supernatural, wherever the story takes you, it gives you an escape.

4. Meditate. Meditation is a very useful way to relieve stress and anxiety. Through meditation you basically are removing yourself from everything that is happening, removing yourself from your thoughts and just relaxing and allowing your mind to take a break amd sort through everything.

5. Take a bubble bath (or if you prefer a hot shower)! I know this sounds cheesy but bubble baths/showers will relax your muscles and allow you to ease back and take time for yourself. Remember, don't get caught up in thoughts about what made you upset, but try to clear your mind. And people actually do most of there thinking in the shower. 

6. Build a Fort! When is the last time you built a fort out of couch cushions and random stuff around the house? Remember how fun it is to just be a little kid again and be silly and care free. Maybe even invite a friend to join you and have a paper airplane fight or pretend that you are warring kingdoms. Just have fun. (Building a fort blog post: click here!)

7. Watch Funny Videos. Three words: America's Funniest Videos! Or just go to YouTube. They say that laughter is the best medicine and I most certainly agree. After all, who can be sad after you just made your sides hurt from laughing? Laugh until you can feel six-pack abs coming in!

8. Ice Cream. I seriously, who can resist ice cream? Cuz I know I can't! Ice cream has to be 

one of my favorite things in the world. Plus, chocolate releases endorphins in your brain,  basically a "happy signal." 

9. Non-depressing Music! One of the worst things to do when you are down is to listen to music that continues that trend! Put on some funny or silly music. Or even listen to kids music. My happy music is stuff like "If I didn't have you" from Quest for Camelot and the sho-be-do song from Tarzan. 

10. Blowing Bubbles. One thing I tend to do is go to the park nezt to my house and sit on oneof the swinfs and just vlow bubbles. It's a lot of fun and you can just relax and then race around popping the bubbles! Ha ha.

So the moral of this post is that when you are down or upset, do something that makes you happy, find something that makes you laugh. Don't let it get you down! You havepeople who care about you and think that you are an amazing person. Don't be afraid to shine and when things seem at their lowest,  just remember to smile! 

"Regrets are the past crippling you in the present" - Under the Tuscan Sun