Happy Halloween!

"...darkness falls across the land, the midnight hour is close at hand"

Today is the day! HALLOWEEN. I hope you're exciting to dress up, see others dressed up, eat an excess amount of candy, and get frightened. Halloween is the perfect day for all of these shenanigans. Ever since my middle school days I've never been super into Halloween. But this year all has changed because of college, it's kind of inspiring watching people buy all of these ridiculous costumes on campus. So I will be celebrating this year with some new friends, old friends, and about a lot of other random people. But if you don't feel like going out you can totally just stay home and watch scary movies, eat candy, and stay warm (it is so cold over here in Illinois!). This year my roommate and I will be dressing up as Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy from Spongebob. I will be Barnacle Boy and I am pretty freaking excited, I haven't put this much thought into a costume in such a long time! Also, for Saturday's celebrations my roommate, friend, and I will be dressing up as 3 blind mice, so it should also be pretty adorable! I will definitely share pictures with you guys to show you how it turned up at some point this weekend or Monday.

So remember whatever you end up doing today, have fun!!! But also if you are going out to trick-or-treat or go to parties, be safe! Halloween can be a pretty scary time in some places so make sure to stay alert and be responsible!

Have a great Halloween weekend!

-Emily 

Goodbye Social Media

I have previously mentioned that I have been getting distracted when I do homework.  Social Media is my biggest distraction.  But more than that, social media feeds a negative part of my mind.  I get stressed about useless situations.  I "creep" people that I wish I was with, I spend time "liking" others memories instead of going out and making my own, and overall Social Media distracts me from my own  reality.  So about a week ago I decided that I would only go on social media sites once a week.  I will continue using it for its original positive purpose of connecting people.  I want to keep in touch with friends and family that I cannot see everyday.  But I don't need to use social media 24/7 to stay in touch with them, once a week sounds fine.

The first step I made was to log out of my social media accounts, and then to put all of the apps in one folder on my phone.  I also put this folder as the very last app on my phone.  This is so I will have to search for it and it will be out of my sight when I use my phone.

1. Tumblr- I love it, but I am trying to stay away from it because it makes me less creative.
2. Facebook- agh the most evil- I shall no longer creep, and be preoccupied with what others are doing
3. Twitter- I do not use it very often, but still it is a distraction- I follow too many celebrities.
4. Instagram- I should just capture moments in my mind instead of worry about the likes my "moments" will get.
5. Yik Yak- I mean it is college related.  But then again my homework is more important than the "funny" comments people have to make about college.
6. Snapchat- it doesn't distract me too much, so sometimes I do still check it.  It's only a few seconds of my day.
7. Pinterest- is the only one that I allow myself to check everyday.  I only check it before bed. Pinterest is more of a tips/helpful app.  I can find yummy recipes, outfit and make up ideas, and much more.  This app makes me a bit more productive.

I also am trying to stray from social media because I want to care less about pop culture.  I want to learn more about world news and subjects that I am not familiar with.

I am not bashing social media at all, its just that for me personally it was making a negative impact on my life.  Right now I need to help myself grow.

-Diana

Running Errands on Saturday Evening

I hope you are all having a relaxing Saturday night.  Today I started of with a lazy morning, then I decided I should try to get something done.  I took a trip to target to pick up some random things that I needed (body cream, a toothbrush, crew socks, face scrub) so fun, I know!  Then off to Trader Joe's I went. I got some pretzels, lemonade, sparkling water, cookies, and chocolate peanut butter cups. I thought these snacks would help me get through this next week while I did homework- so exciting.

Today's outfit- I decided to be casual and comfortable.

White shirt- forever 21
Blue cardigan- Target
Jeans- Hollister
Shoes- sperry's

I planned on going to Panera for Dinner and then Starbucks to get some work done.  So I had to take a purse...

Dark Brown Bag- Fossil
Wallet- Fossil
Laptop- to work on an essay for class
Folders, a pen, and a flash drive

Sometimes I have to get out of my room and do work elsewhere.  

I love going to Panera, I eat great food and get work done- nothing to complain about!

-Diana

Loving Some Simple Things

Oh how we have been lacking in posts this week.  I have missed blogging, but sometimes you just can do it all.  I apologize for our absence, but to make it up, I will be sure to post this weekend!!  

I have listened some simple things, that people may call boring, but to me they are comforting.  I think it is important to value the simple things in life.  This makes life more pleasant.

1. Frank Sinatra

     For some reason I have been listening to him all the time.  I have been finding him relaxing.  Sinatra's voice is comforting (probably because my Dad loves him and I have grown up listening to him.)

2. This show, where should I start?  It brings back memories because I watched it when I was growing up, but now I love it even more.  1. The mother daughter relationship, is just like my mom and I.  We are each others best friends, My mom is goofy and free spirited like Lorelai and I am the more serious one like Rory.  2. I love sarcasm and this show does a great job of doing just that.  It is witty and the dialogue is fast paced.  3. I also love how this show values education.  Not many shows do this and Rory is always motivating me to be book smart.  4. Coffee, I approve of the amount of coffee that these girls drink.  

3. Leaves changing colors in the fall makes me smile.  Walking to class is very pleasant because of the trees.

4. Homework stinks, but what are you going to do about it?  I love Sunday mornings in bed with work and a good cup of coffee.  Sunday mornings are calm and they make doing homework a bit more pleasing.

5. Yellow Legal Notepads

     Legal notepads help get things done.  They are great for making lists and I am always jotting down notes and outlines for essays.

-Diana 

Life Update

Holy cow, who am I? What is life? Why haven't I posted this entire week? College is why. I did not have any midterms this week so why have I been so busy, where does my time go? It goes to homework and other shenanigans. A typical day for me goes like this: wake up, get ready, go to class, come back to my room, take a nap, eat, go to other classes, come back, eat, do homework, shower, sleep. If I am lucky I can slip in a gym workout somewhere in there,writing blog posts, and its an especially good day if I can fit some Netflix in there(aka Gilmore Girls). But this week I have had time to do none of the extra things that I love. But it's finally FRIDAY.

So let's talk about some exciting things I am doing this weekend, shall we?

-Listen to Music

This is so random, but I have been obsessed with 90s R&B music, like its all I want to listen to these days. I have been particularly loving "Killing Me Softly" by The Fugees. I find it to be so relaxing and soothing, so I have been listening to that song on repeat.

The original version by Roberta Flack is also amazing, by the way. 

-Watch Netflix(or catch up on your favorite TV shows)

You best believe I will be watching Netflix (in between studying, of course). I am currently watching Gilmore Girls on Netflix and it has been my life. I have never wanted to have blue eyes more than I do now because of Lorelai and Rory. I am also watching the current season of American Horror Story and am two episodes behind, so I must catch up on that. 

-Cleaning and Organizing My Room

So maybe this isn't very exciting to most people but I am so pumped to clean my room. Whenever my room is organized and clean, I feel like I have my life together. So I will be thoroughly cleaning my room and re-organizing my drawers and closet. 

-Get Halloween Costume 

I am so excited for Halloween! I haven't celebrated Halloween since grammar school, so I am kind of pumped to actually dress up this year (I guess I was too cool for Halloween in high school). My friend from high school will be visiting my roommate and I for the weekend, so it will be a good (but always responsible) time. I will tell you guys about my costume later, I want to keep it a surprise! But I will tell you that is related to Spongebob ;) 

So this is what I will be doing this weekend besides the boring things like homework and studying. I will let you guys know next week how many things I actually accomplish (hopefully everything!). 

Are you dressing up for Halloween? If so, what are you going to be? Let me know below!

-Emily

Setting the Mood

When doing homework it is important that you find what helps you to get it done.  Maybe going to the library, going to the dining hall, local coffee shop, or sitting in bed.

I have found that creating my "work" environment really helps me to get my homework done.

• I turn on the T.V. - I put on MLB network, or an old black and white film.  I mute the T.V. or make sure the volume is very low.  I like to know that there is action, but not enough to distract me.  This mostly serves as background noise.  When I am going crazy or need a 2 min break I look at the T.V. just to get a sight of something besides a computer screen.
• Pandora- Ah my best friend.  I simply need music when I do any kind of work, it is rare that I work in complete silence.  Right now I am listening to John Coltrane Radio.  I love it because it is instrumental and Jazzy.  It is not distracting and sometimes it sounds like a coffee shop.
• Candles- I specifically find that coffee scents help me concentrate.  But over all, candles relax me and the make homework time less stressful.  Also, if you choose a scent to use specifically for homework, every time you smell the scent you will get serious and know that it is homework time.
• Coffee- This is a given.  I not only drink it because I like it, but having a cup of coffee while doing homework makes me get things done.  Coffee gives me the needed energy and is comforting when I start to freak out.  Coffee is that reliable friend.
• Hide my Phone- some people may have more control, however I do not- Social Media= My BIGGEST distraction.  I really have to turn off my phone or put it far away from where I am doing work.  
• Clean room and desk- I have to make sure everything is in order before I start doing work.  If my environment is a mess I get distracted, annoyed, and anxious.  Having an organized work area helps me to stay on track.  I also like to have everything that I need in reach.
• Making my bed- If my bed is made then I will be less likely to crawl in, take a nap, or be lazy.  
• Comfy, but not too comfy- Sometimes I work well In pjs, they allow me to focus on work and I feel comfortable.  However, there are times when being too comfortable is a bad thing.   If I feel like a slob I will want to act like a slob and not do homework.  So other times I have to put on actual clothes and even going out shoes.  This motivates me to act serious and not be lazy.  I guess my homework outfit depends on the day and how overall motivated I am.

In college there are so many distractions.  You have more than enough free time, so managing it is difficult.  Finding a way to get homework done is different for everyone.  Even times of day may have an influence of how well you will work.  So I highly suggest with experimenting and really finding what works for you.  Making a work environment for yourself will make all the difference.

Review: Herbal Essences 'Naked'

Recently, I had been in a shampoo/conditioner funk. I felt like the shampoo I was using was no longer effective on my hair because I used it for a very long time. I was using the Not Your Mother's Way to Grow shampoo/conditioner. The shampoo was light, lathered well, and cleaned my hair thoroughly without stripping it of moisture. The conditioner is really light, so it's perfect for people with thin hair but my hair is really thick so I was kind of disappointed by it. It also does not contains any sulfates, which is also a plus. The major problem I had with these products is how fast they ran out. The only store around me that carried this shampoo is Ulta. So I would have to go out of my way to go to Ulta just for my shampoo.

Right before I came to college, I decided I would try out a new shampoo and conditioner. I didn't know exactly which one nor did I do research before I went to the store (silly me) but it ended up working in my favor. I remembered seeing the commercials for the Herbal Essences 'Naked' line and liking that it does not contain any parabens, silicone, or colorants. So I decided to get the moisture one because my hair tends to get dry because of heat styling and cold weather. After using it for over a month, I can say that I absolutely love it! It cleans my hair thoroughly without stripping the moisture out of it. The conditioner is light and does not weigh my hair down. Also, the scent for this is perfect. It contains mint but is not overpowering, it also has herbs and citrus that balance out the mint perfectly. I'm overall really satisfied with the quality of this shampoo, despite it being a drugstore shampoo. The price is really good and can be found almost anywhere. Another thing that is always a plus about both shampoos that I mentioned is that they don't test on animals, so if that is something that is important to you (like it is to me) I would consider using these brands (even though there are many other brands that don't test on animals).

Have you tried this shampoo? Do you absolutely love a shampoo? Let me know in the comments below!

Have a great weekend!

-Emily