Back to School! Goals for Fall 2017

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Holy crap summer is already over?! School is back in session and being lazy is no longer a thing.  I have a lot of fun content planned for the new school year.  Starting off with just a short post to share my goals for this semester.

1. Consistently update calendar with upcoming assignments and "backwards plan" in an effort to complete my assignments ahead of time.  The goal is to do a little at a time and have it done!
2. Study a little every day! This one is a valiant goal, but studies do show that those who study consistently, do better in class.
3. DO THE READING BEFORE CLASS!  This is an area I have consistently struggled with all throughout college and I want to really focus on this, especially because this semester I have teachers who have assignments due at the beginning of class to prove you did do the reading.  
4. Finally, GPA.  This semester I want to shoot for mostly A's. I am trying to bring up my cumulative GPA in order to get into an honor society.  It's one of my biggest goals, but each of the ones listed before are essential to reaching this!

Let me know what your goals are for this upcoming semester and feel free to comment.  Good luck everyone!

<3 Kimmie

My Goals for 2017

Everyone has their "New Years Resolutions" and I feel like a lot of the time these drop off within the first several months of the year.  And to be honest, a lot of the time the goals we make for ourselves are very broad or very large goals that we become overwhelmed by and just forget about or get too overwhelmed by the prospect.

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So I just wanted to create a simple (yet a little vague) list of goals that I want to keep in mind throughout the year...and yes I realize in this list I switch between first and second person a lot lol.

• Be Yourself!
• It's ok to be yourself, and people who aren't ok with that don't need to take priority.
• It's ok to be on my own.
• Learn how to survive on my own!
• Stop putting yourself down!
• Build self confidence and self worth.
• Get to know myself
• Blog, read, and write on a regular basis.
• Work out on a regular basis.
• Complete the rock climbing mile high challenge at school.
• Stay up to date on project pan.
• Read 20 books this year.
• Get my GPA above 3.3.
• Work on developing study plans and sticking to them.

I'm going to try and do my best and update you on some of these that have deadlines. Any related posts will be linked in the list. If my reading goals and project pan posts have not been posted already they will be soon!

What are some of your goals for this year? Share them with me in the comments.

I hope 2017 is a wonderful year for all of you.

- Kim

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Life Update: Graduation and Goals

Hi everyone! I have returned once more lol. I'm sorry for the radio silence, so here is a brief update on what has been going on with me. I graduated from community college about 3 weeks ago, and I just went to orientation for Sacramento State on Monday. Other than that I have just been working like crazy and trying to find something full time related to my major.

I'm excited for this transition and excited that, after 3 years since leaving Concordia, I am back at a university ready to go!

And what the heck, here are my goals for my time at university:

• Join a club - believe it or not I have not joined a club since Concordia.
• Get into both the business and psychology major programs. Bit of explanation, both of these majors are impacted so, come September, I have to complete the supplementary application to be admitted to the major. 
• Here are my long term goals:
• Join an honor society
• Graduate cume laude - which means with honors, having a GPA higher than 3.5. Overall I am trying to aim for magna cume laude which is having a GPA between 3.75-3.889 GPA.

I hope you are doing well and having an awesome summer. Let me know if there are any posts you want to see :)

Big hugs from my computer to yours,

Kimmie

I've Been Accepted, Now What?

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Now that all decision letters have been sent from universities, here comes the even trickier part of the application process. Taking your acceptances and making a very critical decision about the next few years.

Here are some steps you will need to take:

1.  Evaluate your financial aid packages. There is something we can probably all agree on, college is expensive. It is also equally true that the amount of financial aid you get can sway your decision. It is important that you carefully review the amount of aid you will be getting per school and weigh your options.
2. Intent to enroll. Once you have made your decision it is very important to give the colleges your intent to enroll or not. These do have strict deadlines so keep track of them and make sure you give your decision prior to this.
3. Register for orientation. Orientation is where you will get to meet your counselors, get all information about classes, figure out how to register, etc. These are mandatory and extremely helpful.
4. Follow the check list. Much like the application process, the acceptance process has quite a few important steps and deadlines. Make sure you are frequently reviewing these and completing any necessary documents. Many colleges will have a checklist for you on their student portals.
5. Accept your financial aid. The offer you are given through the portal, or mailed, isn't enough. There are some parts of financial aid you will need to accept. Make sure you understand each parts of your offer, along with what is, and is not a loan.
6. Keep in touch with your counselor. The counselors at both your current and future schools can help you out in so many ways. They are the experts on this process and will answer any questions you may have, and keep you on the right track.

Overall, make sure you stay on top of all the deadlines because you don't want your acceptance to be revoked on top of something small. Such as...

Senioritus! It is a thing! And if not the most important, make sure you do not slack off, just because you've been accepted doesn't mean you're out of the woods yet. Keep in mind, your acceptance is pending the receipt of your final grades.

I know you will all do well and I wish you luck as you begin on the next step of your journey. (And good luck on finals!)

Good luck,

Kim

Exciting News and Updates

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Interwebbies! Ok, so since we last spoke here is the lowdown:

1. I am moving to a new place, still in the same city, but it is a very beautiful townhouse that I am super excited about. I will be moving this upcoming Friday the 25th, and I may post a couple pictures once I get everything set up.

2. I GOT ACCEPTED! After 2.5 years of hard work and dedication, I will be returning to the world of universities for another go. (I attended a university for a semester before life happened and since have been attending community.) I will be graduating in May with an associate degree for transfer in business and will be attending Sacramento State in the fall.

3. I did get in a car accident about a month ago, everything is alright, it was pretty minor.

4. Sleep schedule is still a horrific mess...yup probably not gonna change any time soon XD because who doesn't love a closing shift to turn around and work an early morning shipment and then close again that night....it is definitely a roller coaster. 

5. My schedule in general is still cray cray! Haha, if you have been following me at all you know that my life is pretty much always busy. As a college student working two jobs, I don't really have much time for a social life or my poor neglected blog. But I do try, I still love my blog very much.

6. The fur babies are still doing well. And for fun, here are some goofy pictures of them:

They sleep so weird....

During the moving process I will have some posts coming your way that are already scheduled and ready to go. I also have some good content for my College Survival Guide coming up soon! Starting with "I've been accepted, now what?"

If you have anything you would like to see me write about I would love any feed back and suggestions you have to offer :)

Have a wonderful day,

<3 Kimmie

Helpful Note Infographic

Hey guys, wanted to share this helpful picture/infographic I found on Pinterest that has really helped me with taking notes for college. I hope this helps you!

This is my first time ever doing a post this simple, let me know what you think.

<3 Kimmie

The Fear: Getting Sick!

It is the bane of pretty much everyone I have ever met, but it is worse when you have class or work or various other commitments in life. Yes, I am talking about the thing we all dread, getting sick. Especially this time of year when it is the cold and flu season, we are all a bit more susceptible I am going to share a few tips for avoiding getting sick or just getting over your cold faster.

1. This is the most basic of all tips, the thing they have been teaching us since we can remember, WASH YOUR HANDS! This little thing is so incredibly important because it prevents the passage of germs. I would also suggest carrying around a small thing of hand sanitizer from the drugstore or Bath and Bodyworks. They are inexpensive and fit in your backpack, purse, pocket, etc. and especially with how germy college campuses can be, this will come in handy!

2. Don't over work yourself and get those Z's. One of the biggest reasons I get sick is because I am famous for burning the candle at both ends, over working myself and not getting enough sleep. So this is defiantly one area I need to work to improve on. But the more strain and stress you put on your body, the more likely you are to catch a cold because your body isn't fully on its game or it is exhausted. Your sleep is your body's time to repair itself and fight off any potential threats, it is why when you are sick you just want to sleep.

3. Make sure you take your vitamins. I would seriously recommend just everyone, make sure you take a daily vitamin, or at the very least vitamin C to help keep your immune system up and to just help your over all health.

4. Don't forget the C. Vitamin C seriously is amazing stuff and really does wonders. According to WebMD, "the benefits of vitamin C may include protection against immune system deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease, and even skin wrinkling." So yeah, it recommends taking 500 milligrams a day. I would suggest either just daily vitamin C supplements or EmergenC powder packs. This stuff is amazing, especially when I am getting sick it helps so much.

5. Tea time! I absolutely love tea, and let me tell you why it is amazing. Tea has antioxidants which can prevent cancer, hydrates your body, can lower the risk of Parkinson's Disease, and has a whole boatload of other health benefits, some of which were reported on by a little publication called Time Magazine. Health.com quotes ear and throat specialist Dr. Murray Grossman who said "drinking the tea and breathing in steam stimulates the cilia—the hair follicles in the nose—to move out germs more efficiently. Lemon thins mucus, and honey is antibacterial."

6. H2O! Water, water, water! I cannot stress enough how important it is to stay hydrated and believe it or not drinking water is one of the best things you can do for your body. It helps flush out your system and when your body is 80% water, it is good to keep that level up and water in stock lol. One of the main reasons people get sick is dehydration and being sick also makes you dehydrated, so...enough said?

7. Get vaccinated. The flu shot is really a life saver. Many places offer the vaccine for free or at a low cost. Make sure to check the wellness center at your school.

If you are sick:

Take advantage of the wellness center on campus. They have actual doctors and nurses that can steer you in the right direction and help make sure you get back to feeling like yourself quicker.

Don't risk it. Get some sleep, don't push yourself. If it comes down to going to class or work when you feel horrible, possibly getting others sick and making yourself worse vs. taking one day off to sleep, go with the sleep. Your health should never come second. I know I said in my post about going to class that I am the kind of person that goes to class when I am sick, but I still know my limits and I know when to take the day off, you should too.

To reiterate,  drink lots of water, get sleep, take the right kind of medicine for your cold or flu and make sure that you are taking the steps needed to feel better.

Hope this helps, good luck!

<3 Kimmie

Money Talks - Budgeting Tips for Students

Growing up, our parents are always talking to us about budgeting, trying to instil the habit in our lives of saving and sticking to a strict breakdown. Most of us don’t really give budgeting much thought during our adolescent years, however, when entering the college/grown-up world, it becomes a necessity. So here are some tips to get you going and figure out how to master at least this aspect of adulthood!

First step, write down all your reoccurring monthly expenses, the huge blocks that you know you have to pay regularly (ex. Tuition payments, car payments, insurance, gym membership, subscriptions, etc.) By mapping out these regular expenses you can see where your money is going, where you have spending room and/or what items you could cut out.

Now that you have your regular spending blocks set aside, think about how much you spend on other stuff such as gas, food, personal items, etc. These are the categories that fluctuate each month and where it is really easy to spend above your means. One thing I like to do is establish categories (gas, food, personal expenses, etc.) and then look at how much I spend on average and try to find a balance.

Take advantage of online tools and apps. The one that I personally swear by is Mint.com (they have the app for both Android and iPhone). They track your spending, allow you to set budgets and track it for you, and so many other features. For a busy college student trying to manage their own expenses, this is a heaven sent. It is definitely worth checking out to help keep track of expenses.

SAVE, SAVE, SAVE! I can’t stress how important it is to not spend outside your means or just blow all your money. Focus on the stuff you need to pay first, then look at the money you have left, put some of it into savings and you can spend the rest. You always want to have extra money in case or unexpected emergencies or expenses.

The hardest part about a budget is sticking to it. So until the habit develops you really need to watch your spending. One thing that helps me is I have my boyfriend by my budget inforcer, he will even listen to me talk about how there is something I want to buy and will remind me if I have the budget for it or not (then listen to me complain if I don’t LOL!).

Side tips, one way I made extra money was from being a note taker for the disability center. At Concordia they paid me $20 a unit for the classes I took notes for and all I had to do was take clean and decent notes then go to the office and photo copy them. Done. Also, on campus jobs are great because they will work around your schedule more so than most part time jobs.

For more budgeting tips, Mint.com has a blog, newsletters and advice forums and two webpages I went to were Yahoo Finance and Debt.org.

Hope these tips helped and, as always, good luck! <3 Kimmie

Packing Tips for Back to School!

Hey everyone, it’s that time of year again! And therefor, time to bring back, drumroll please, COLLEGE SURVIVAL GUIDE!!!

Now that the school year is ramping up again, as promised, I am starting to write my survival guide posts. I figure what better way to start off than with a few tips for packing for school.

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Many of us are prone to over packing, especially if you are a freshman who’s unsure of what to bring. It’s easy to get sucked into the pre-made lists from big names like Bed, Bath and Beyond and packed full of items that we “need” that in all honesty you really don’t. So here are some key tips on packing for college:

- Sit down and actually make a list. Start by writing down everything you think you need to take, just write down all the things that come to mind. Then, once you are finished, go back through your list and start taking off items that aren’t really necessary. If you have trouble doing this, ask a friend to look over the list. Take into consideration the weather and size of your dorm room.

- Don’t freak out if you forget something. Trust me, this isn’t as big of a deal as we make it out to be. Chances are you can always have it mailed to you or, if you live not too far from home, you could see your parents over the weekend and have them bring it with them. Almost everything can be fixed.

- Don’t take your whole closet with you! I know I touched on this above but you have to resist the urge to over pack because in the end it just makes your life more difficult.

Now that you know what you are going to bring, let’s get packing!

- Pack your essentials first! This is something you should always do, because once you have all the essentials ready to go you can see how much room you have for misc items that you want to bring.

- Pack accordingly. Again, take into consideration the environment you will be living in. Always make sure to bring your casual, everyday clothes, but you should always have at least one professional outfit in case of interviews and at least one set of nice clothes for parties and events.

- Don’t wait until the night before. This is the most age old packing tip and that is because it really is a huge help. Waiting till the night before increases your chances of forgetting items and decreases chances of actually trying to make this an organized and successful endeavor, trust me on this one!

- Roll, don’t fold. Rolling your clothes helps squeeze more of your clothes into your suitcases/bags and maximize your space. I do this even at home. Never forget, in college, space is like gold.

- Double bag your toiletries. Anything that might leak you should take this extra step to protect the rest of your items. If you have a waterproof case, great, but still bag up the stuff inside in a ziplock.

Make the most of what you have! Try packing your sheets and bedding inside your pillowcases, this way any bedding sets you have are always kept together and it won’t take up valuable space in your suitcase/dorm. Pack your bags in other bags. If you have large tote bags, use them to your advantage by packing smaller items like your make up bag (with the make up in it), shoes, or any other bags and small items inside.

- Don’t ditch the hanger. Another example is to leave your clothes on the hangers and just use trash bags as garment bags to keep your clothes safe and organized so they can go straight into your new closet.

For all those out there who are flying: make sure to weigh your luggage before you leave. You don’t want to get hit with baggage feas!

For some more great college tips check out one of my favorite college blogs CollegeFashion.net and there advice posts here, here and here.

I wish you all safe travels and good luck going back to school!

<3 Kimmie

Summer for College Students and Incoming Freshman

School years have to a close, the weather has been getting warmer, people are going to the beach and it certainly feels like summer is finally in full swing. I want to say congratulations to all the high school graduates this year. Four years of hard work has finally paid off. By now you have already picked the college you plan to attend, probably ordered some gear and are on your way.

But how do you prepare for that much anticipated fall?

1. Start narrowing down what you would want to take and put together a packing list. Remember that dorm rooms aren’t that big.

2. Remember that being homesick is perfectly normal. Some people get hit more than others but don't feel bad if the waterworks turn on every now and again.

3. Don't expect college to be like the movies. The way college life is portrayed in movies is so ridiculously over-dramatized and glorified and just flat out unrealistic. News flash: despite what Hollywood wants you to think, college is not one big party. I have a whole post planned on this so stay tuned!

4. Start checking things off the list. Bed, Bath and Beyond has a pretty good dorm checklist, as well as an apartment checklist, for what to bring and what not to bring to college. While not everything on that list is necessary it is definitely a good outline and hits all the major points of things you do need. Don't wait to the last minute to buy your items!

5. Enjoy your summer! Even though you should be preparing for fall there, one of the most important things to do this summer is to enjoy yourself, spend time with your friends before you all go different directions and make memories that will last.

I hope you all have a wonderful summer and wish everyone luck in the fall! <3 Kimmie

The Nitty-Gritty of Internships

The benefit of internships is that you get to work for a company and gain valuable experience and contacts that could really help you in the future. So make friends with your boss.
When it comes down to internships and deciding whether or not to take up one there are several factors you need to consider:

Keep in mind whether or not it is a paid internship. A lot of internships have you doing full time work without getting paid. There are both ups and downs to this yes you get work experience but you are working 8 hours a day with no pay off. If you are looking at an unpaid internship then you have to decide if the benefits are worth it to you.

However, one of the pluses is that there are paid internships, like the one I am at.
The reason why I advocate for internships is because it is like having a job that normally there is no way you would be in. So not only do you get job experience and a paycheck (depending) but you can also learn an incredible amount from the experienced people around you.

One of the biggest parts of an internship is networking and gaining contacts for later. Make friends with your managers and the people you work with because this could be a tremendous resource in the future when you need a job or are looking for a letter or recommendation.

Since it is summer now is the time to start brushing off those resumes and looking into applying, will you be?

Good luck<3 Kimmie

A Message to Incoming Freshman

 Outside is getting a bit warmer and the seasons are changing, people are starting to go to the beaches, summer is right around the corner and graduation seems like it is seconds away.  The decisions on colleges have been made, deposits sent in and now, college isn't just some far away idea, it is real and it is coming up.

I want to say congrats to all of you. You made it, you are going to college!

Enjoy your summer, make the most of it because everything is going to change when you reach college and you are forced to ask, am I ready?

Have faith that you are ready. There are times when it is going to be difficult and you will just want to flat out give up, but the important thing is that you don't. Find a goal, a dream or something and always remember that is what you are striving for. Never give up until you reach your dreams. And if sometimes it just gets to hard remember if no one else, I believe in you and I know you can keep going.

Enjoy your summer and good luck <3 Kimmie

Here are some funny gifs about the application process to make you laugh.

College Survival Guide - Finals!

Lets talk finals. We all know and dread this week, dooms day, hell week, the last step towards the end of the semester. Summer is right around the corner, along with graduation for some, and we are all ready for the school year to be over, but there is one thing still in our way and that is finals.The question of the day is: how do we get through this week as unscathed as possible?

1. Find a good study place. Find somewhere to study that you can focus whether it is the library, under a tree or wherever, just make sure it is somewhere where you can concentrate and won’t get distracted.
2. Study for a little bit each day. You don’t want to overload youself when it comes to studying because it will just lead to you forgetting more than you would learn. What you would aim to do is just study for increments. For example, study for an hour, take a 20 minute break, study for another hour, and so on and so forth.
3. Get sleep!!! Can’t stress how important this is, I even did a whole post about it. Sleeping helps to solidify what you learn in your mind and you wont be exhausted when you go to take your tests. You will be well rested and prepared.
4. Don’t start the day before. Seriously, don’t cram. I cannot this of a worst thing that someone can do to sabotage themselves. As I mentioned before you should study in intervals and also I would recommend starting a week or two before your finals, studying for about 10-20 minutes each time so by the time you take the test you will be able to take that test in your sleep.

Hope this helps you guys be prepared for your finals and I wish you all good luck! (And good luck to me as well.) Finally, I hope the pictures made you laugh or at least smile. <3 Kimmie

College Survival Guide: Toto We're Not in High School Anymore

So by now one thing for all college students is sure, “Toto we are definitely not in high school anymore.”

For some this transition can be very difficult, while for others it is a breeze. But as this first year of college for many of us is coming to a close, I wanted to talk about how college life can change us and the differences between high school and college.

College is a huge change from high school. You are completely responsible for yourself. No one in college is going to hold your hand as you go along. You are responsible for choosing your own classes, turning in everything and so on. Professors in college will also not be as lenient as those in high school.

For me the transition wasn't to difficult, however when I was away last semester I was pretty home sick when I first left. It took me a little bit to get into the swing of being in college on a personal level, but when it came down to academics I was on par. I think it is because I have always been pretty "good" at school.

The hardest part for me was getting everything organized realizing that I was an adult now. How did all of you out there react to the transition? Let me know in the comments down below.

For all of those like me finishing up your first year of college I just wanted to say congrats! We made it! I know college can be difficult, you are moving on from everything that is familiar and comfortable into the adult world. Life changes from being a kid, to being a grown-up. We are responsible for ourselves now. It is our job to stay on top of everything, map out our lives and create our own future. We have just completed the first leg of our journey with much more to go. I wish you all luck on the remainder of your journey and I hope that it goes where you want it.

I hope that everything is what you hoped it would be. <3 Kimmie

Proof that Teachers Do Care

While browsing the Freshly Pressed section through Daily Post I came across this post called "What Students Really Need to Hear." It really stood out to me because I am a student and to me it screamed out "read me!"

The post is written by a teacher who typed out this message he wanted to say to his students to explain to them why they shouldn't quit or take the easy way out. He writes about how despite what we are made to believe, academics are not the main point of school. It is to prepair us for life. To make us strong enough to face the challenges that are set before us. Build our resolve to see each task we face to the end. To open our minds to the expanding world around us.

For all those students out there (and teachers) it is definetly worth reading. It is a wonderful refresher to see how much teachers actually care about there students. This is the comment I left on his post:

"I absolutely love this post. As a student it is very refreshing to see a teacher who generally cares about their students and are willing to fight for them. Thank you for that. Thank you for proving to me and all other students that there are people willing to push us to be our best, even when we don’t want to. Thank you for reminding me why I work so hard in school, because it isn’t just about the acedemics, it is about prepairing for the bigger picture in life and working your ass off to be the very best you can be in every aspect of your life.

You have my respect sir.

Sincearly, Kimberly (the college blogger)"

Hope you enjoy and take a second to read his post. Have an awesome day!

College Survival Guide: How to Create a Transfer/Graduation Plan

One day I got bored in between classes and was trying to think about what classes to take this upcoming fall semester, staring at the list of required classes I would need to transfer. So I just opened up Microsoft Excel on my computer and started putting all the requirements into one place. You could say I went OCD because I now have all my remaining semesters mapped out and a separate tab for my overall classes I need to take, the IGETC requirements and transfer requirements for my majors.

Ok so you are probably thinking, wow that is really in-depth and complicated. But in reality it really isn't and I'm going to show you how!

1. Find out the requirements for your major and general ed needed to graduate/transfer.

2. Write them all down and figure out how many units each class is, this way you can find a balance of units to take per semester. If you are working like me, or don't handle stress well, aim for 12/13 (enough to be full time) to 15 units. If not you can to anywhere up to 18 units, but let that be your maximum.

3. Think about the classes you have to take and figure out the prerequisites. If you have any try to get those out of the was ASAP.

4. Go from there mapping out your semesters or quarters going from your lower classes and prerequisites to the harder, higher up classes as time goes on.

*One key thing to remember, make sure you balance your time. Don't over run yourself and allow yourself to take a couple elective classes.

I will be putting the template I created on Google Drive as a public document if you want to use it or just take a look for reference. If you would like an excel version instead you can always comment and I will email it to you. (For some reason it wouldn't let me upload it as a template but the document is linked and you can copy and paste probably.)

Got any questions? Let me know down below.

Good Luck

College Survival Guide: Go to Class!!!

So as we all know college is EXPENSIVE!!! So one thing you want to avoid at all costs is missing class. Why, you ask. Well that's because you are paying to be in there and any class you miss is loosing you money! Most people don't think about it this way but it really is important to remember.

Also, if you miss out on class most professors will just tell you to get the notes from someone else and you could miss out on important stuff. Missing class is not worth it if you "just don't want to" or you are gaming or whatever. For me, the only good excuse to miss class is if I am really sick and just don't feel good at all. But there have even been a couple times I would get up and go to class when I was sick, even though I seriously didn't want to and I felt like:

Another incentive to go to class is that if you miss a certain number of classes, usually specified on the first day or the syllabus, the teacher can drop you.

I am going to show you how to calculate how much you would loose if you miss a class. If you go to a private university use the amount of your tuition. For example, at Concordia the tuition was (rounding up $5) $15,000 a semester. I know its a lot! So what you do is divide the cost of your tuition by the number of units you are taking. For me, last semester, it was 17. So you just figured out how much you pay for each unit you take. Ex. for me it was approx. $882/unit. Multiply that number by how many units one class is, most are 3. From there just divide that total number by how many class days you have for that class a voila. For community college, most JC's tell you off the bat how much each unit is because that is how you pay. So you would just do the last two steps. You will be surprised and I know I'm making you do math but if you do this it will make you never want to miss a class.

I know this is a really short post but I just wanted to share this advice with you and, again, I am sorry for the math! haha

College Survival Guide: The Freshman 15 is REAL!

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Before entering college the one thing we all hear about is the freshman 15. For those who for some reason you don't know what that is, it is the 15 pounds you gain from eating at the cafeteria and the all you can eat. (Or for some it is the 15 pounds you loose from going to the on-campus gym all the time.)So This is just a quick post about how to avoid gaining that extra 15 pounds!

So the first way is the most obviouse: AVOID THE TEMPTATION! Avoid over eating in the cafeteria. It is the simplest way but you are also really tempted because you have all you can eat three meals a day. So the biggest key here is to make sure your meals are balanced and your diet is balanced this way you can stay healthy and not over eat or gain that extra pudge. One tip for eating a balenced meal is to go onto .

The other way to avoid the freshman 15 is exercise! You are probably thinking "ugh of course Kim we know" and my response is: well then do it! Take advantage of that on-campus gym. Most universities and even community colleges have a gym that is free for student use so go ahead and take advantage. Or if you are not really much of a gym person you can find exercise videos online (believe me there are tons of them on YouTube.) But the one girl I swear by, I talk about her a lot, is Blogilates. Cassey is funny and sweet and you just feel like you are working out with a friend.

So that was my "just a reminder of the obvious" post lol. Good luck avoiding the dreaded Freshman 15!

College Survival Guide: Stress

By now in life we have all come in contact with something that seems inevitable: Stress.

Whether it is from an upcoming deadline for school or work, or it could be about the car payment coming up that you are afraid you will be short on. Whatever it is, stress seems to be an inescapable part of our lives. However, there are ways to combat it and I'm going to show you how!

1. Figure out the stressors in your life. Once you have identified what stresses you out you can use this knowledge to prepare yourself for future stress. Identifying the core issue of your stress is the first step to making a plan to solve it.

2. How do you currently deal with stress? Figure out the ways you currently handle your stress. Unhealthy ways of dealing with stress include: smoking, drinking to much, overeating or undereating, oversleeping, procrastinating, etc. If you use one of these ways to cope, STOP. These are unhealthy and not at all productive. I understand that it will take a while to completely get rid of these habits but it is important to start now.

3. Find a healthier way to manage stress. Your methods of dealing with stress should benefit your health, both emotional and physical. It could be exercising, meditating, reading, etc. Anyting that brings you peace without hurting your body. When deciding which option to choose, it’s helpful to think of the four As: avoid, alter, adapt, or accept.(Listed below)

4. What are you afraid of? Fear of failure, rejection, pain or the unknown? Remember: death or serious physical harm are about the only outcomes that you clearly cannot recover from. Otherwise, all obstacles, with proper planning, can be overcome (and they won’t kill you).

5. Find a support system. Even if it is just one person who you know gives good advice and can calm you down, take advantage. Support systems are there for you, you just have to access them.

6. Avoid unnecessary stress. I personally have trouble with this a lot. I often forget that it is ok to say “no”. You have to know your own limitations and remember not to push them too far, like avoiding situations or topics that get you worked up. Other ways to do this: avoid people who stress you out, because you just don’t need that negativity and blagh in your life and always have a to-do list because this will help keep your crazy life manageable.

7. Alter the situation. Don’t bottle up your feelings, make them known and express them in a productive way, but remember to be willing to compromise. If you need to then be more assertive, don’t put yourself in the back seat of your own life. And, as I’ve talked about before, manage your time.

8. Adapt to the stressor. Make a plan. Detail the steps and map them out on a calendar. Figure out how you are going to deal with this challenge and stick to it, find someone to hold you accountable to keep you on track. With proper planning you can conquer anything.

9. Accept the things you can’t change. Don’t try and move a mountain because sometimes you just can’t and that is ok. One of the hardest things to remember in life is that we can’t do everything so don’t stress yourself out about something you can’t do, just remember to accept it. Always remember to remain positive and optimistic, look for the bright side in what you can’t change. Finally, learn to forgive and move on from the things you can’t change. Let it go.

10. Make time for fun and relaxation. Always, always, ALWAYS make time for yourself. Because if you are all work and no play you will burn yourself out and this can lead to you getting sick or more stress. So just don’t forget to include yourself and reeeellllaaaxxx.

College Survival Guide: GET SOME SLEEP!

Hey all you out there! Sorry I haven't done a survival guide post in a while, been busy surviving hahaha.

So I just wanted to do a short post on something that is important to all of us...sleep.

We all have heard horror stories about college all-nighters, how coffee will become your best friend and how sleep will become a thing of the past. I'm here to tell you that this is not necessarily true.

It is beyond crucial that you get some sleep during college and here are a couple reasons why:

1. Sleep helps revitalize your brain and keep you healthy

2. It helps thing stick in your brain better, so if you study a bit before you get some sleep it will stay better than if you wake up really early and do it.

3. You don't want to be irritable and grouchy (keep others in mind lol)

4. I said this already but the most important part: YOUR HEALTH!

For more info on why you should get sleep from really smart research peoples check out this University Sleep Study.

The key to getting sleep is planning your time effectively and studying for little bits over time rather than cramming. This goes back to time management (which you can check out that post here) and effective study habits (I will put the link here once I get that post up). But a quick Google search can help you find study habits tips and tricks. (One thing you should look into is the forgetting curve, will talk about that later.)

So anyway, just remember over all: find time for sleep. It is not something you should be sacrificing and, at the same time, not something you should be abusing either. Find a balance that works for you as with all things. But for a minimum, as a college student you should be getting at least 6-10 hours of sleep a night.

So here are some tips for sleep (that you can find in the study above):
1. Nap effectively (don't over sleep with naps, do it early in the day and for at most 30 minutes)
2. Establish a sleep ritual and regular sleep and wake up times to get your body on a schedule.
3. Make sure you are comfortable! Don't compromise when if comes to this, this is one of the biggest factors to affect sleep.
4. Don't eat right before bed and avoid alcohol, caffeine and nicotine before bed.
5. Remember that your bed is for sleep and sex! Find a different study place!
6. Get ear plugs for that one inevitable asshole who doesn't realize what time it is and needs to shut up.

Hope these tips help and, as always, good luck!
<3 Kimmie