Changes

So we're building a house (see below pictures). With that said, we moved to another state my sophomore year of college started and wow it feels good to write again. I've also moved into my first ever apartment, which I got to decorate much to my excitement with tons of cute stuff, and lots of candles. There's been a lot of changes and for the most part, I won't lie and say it's been easy. I know I'm a college student and I don't even really go "home" often anymore, but I still feel like my parents are where home is. Except that home is a bunch of wood that kinda resembles a sort of house. 

Just starting!

More progress!

My biggest help in dealing with changes is to lean on those around me. While moving has been difficult to say the least (plus you can never find anything anywhere), I've been able to feed on the excitement of everyone else has to see the finished product and become excited myself. And yes, I do miss parts about our old house but not all of it is gone. The neighbors I used to call family are coming up for thanksgiving, and the friends I hold so dearly text me everyday. So I lean on them, and it helps. 

Changes sometimes suck, but they also are a part of life. You just have to make the best of it. 

Except going from sunny Florida to the freezing cold midwest. I'm so done with that change and I want to go back. 

Making Moving (Somewhat) Easier

It comes in everyone's life. Whether moving to a different room to moving to a different country, there comes a stage where changing a part of your life happens. Recently, our family has packed up and moved about 35 miles to a different state. And it reminded me how absolutely overwhelming it can be. I've learned a bit through the process, even though it is very much still happening. Here are a couple of tips:

1. If you want, paint some rooms. I found that this helped not only create some good looks for staging, but it also helped to differ some of the rooms so it can take away some of the nostalgia. 

2. Pack early and often. I found that packing all at once was so overwhelming. Packing a few things every once in a while really eases the process. Start with items that aren't of everyday use, such as pictures, decorative items, out of season clothes, etc. and slowly move through items you use more often. It's never to early to start packing!

3. Stay organized. I numbered the boxes/bins and started a word document that listed everything in that place. Therefore, if it's needed or you're trying to find something when unpacking, it's easier to find and you don't have to go through everything. 

4. With that, I found that bins are so much more useful than boxes. Although pricier, they not only have handles making the carrying easier, bins that are clear give you an idea of what items are in it, also making it easier to pick things out when needed. Plus, they can be reused for later things!

5. And finally, grab some friends! Moving can be difficult for many reasons, and having some supporting buddies can help you not only organize, but also get things done quicker and have some friendly advice about what is needed and not needed. I got a lot of help to slim down on my clothes and old stuffed animals/toys that I once loved but really had no use for. 

Hope a few of these help, and good luck in your moving endeavors!

5 Summer Feel Good Songs

Well it's been awhile.

Hi again.

Summer is finally (FINALLY) upon us, and with summer comes enjoying sunny, warm days outside with some friends and some good music. While the latest hits are always good to listen to, here are 5 songs that may not be at the top of the charts, but are most definitely on my summer playlist. 

1) High - Young Rising Sons

Definitely one of my favorite songs of all time. Very upbeat, I love the artist, and I am fully prepared to listen to it on repeat the entire summer. 

2) House of Gold - twenty one pilots

Another good one (obviously as it is listed), but it is one that I quickly learned the lyrics to and (badly) sing to every time I hear it. It has a catchy but subtle tambourine that just screams a fun song. 

3) Beautiful Now - Zedd ft. Jon Bellion

A VERY beat-filled alternative/techno song, but the chorus is where I love this song. You can probably tell from the title that it's about being beautiful, so how can it not make you feel good?

4) My Type - Saint Motel

This song immediately starts with a catchy opening with an upbeat saxophone. While that may sound annoying to some, I promise if you'll give this a listen you'll see why this song is so much fun to listen to.

5) Colors - April Smith and the Great Picture Show

Definitely different than some of the previous songs mentioned, much more of a pop-y vibe and quite unique. However, don't let that deter you because it quickly turned into a song that my friends and I all belt out whenever we hear it. 

So yeah, I'm crap at explaining songs, but I have no musical background so all I can say is I tried. The only thing I can say now is go have a listen, and I hope at least one of these makes your summer playlist. 

Enjoy the warming weather!

Staying Healthy Through the College Semester

The infamous "freshman 15" is everywhere. While I think the daily walking and limiting the amount of stuff I drink other than water is enough, I do have some tips for staying healthy throughout and maintaining a good mood with it. 

Walk and Bike: The great thing about most college campuses, is that they are great places to find really nice pathways to walk and bike. Walking does your body so much good, more than people give it credit for. So try to park farther away, or walk on a round-about path to give yourself some extra daily steps. 

Buy snacks that fill you up: This doesn't mean you have to buy strictly vegetables, but not necessarily potato chips and sweets that you end up eating a lot more than intended (I'm a culprit. It's so easy!) My strategy is plenty of natural popcorn, carrots and hummus, as well as cheese sticks and the twist I sometimes like to go for is microwavable wild rice. While they aren't just lettuce, they are yummy and fill me up when the dining hall is just not sounding appetizing. 

Get creative: Just because the dining hall serves on dish, doesn't mean that's what you have to eat. I like to spice things up, literally. Don't want a plain salad? Go over to the sandwiches and ask for some chicken or roast beef, as well as some veggies they may not have at the salad bar. Pasta night? Grab some plain pasta, then go to the salad bar and stick some spinach and olive oil in there. I like to add a little red pepper from the pizza line as well, to give it a little spice. Finish with a pinch of salt, and you have yourself a meal. You can even grab a healthy version of a grilled cheese at the sandwich line, by using bread, american cheese (and tomato if that's what you fancy), and have them toast it in the panini maker versus with butter. Add some sides and you're ready to go. 

Watch for boredom eating: I am very bad at this one. I always "feel" hungry whenever I'm sitting doing homework and studying. My tip for this is try to drink water first. It may be that you're thirsty, and just need some hydration. If you still feel hungry, set out a snack in a portion. It's easy to just grab a bag of food and end up eating the whole thing, but if you take the time to put the right amount in a bowl or ziplock, you can control your portions much easier. 

I'll also post about some microwave recipes I've discovered through much trial and error, and what works in the microwave and what doesn't stay tuned!

The Boyfriend Jeans for Beginners

I'm the first one to say that I always have major fashion envy when I see girls walking around campus wearing perfectly ripped up, baggy boyfriend jeans. However, when going to actually try them on, I never felt quite like they suited me. Perhaps it's just perspective, but then I found these at Lucky Brand. While still fitting like a regular jean in the butt and thighs, it loosens around near the knees and ankles. They are rolled up, and even though I never think capri pants suit my shorter legs for my longer torso, it still just works. I pair them with my topshop white shirt and chestnut booties. This outfit is just so casual and chic, but still is comfortable because I feel like I'm wearing normal jeans. 

Little Chat

Hello everyone! So last post I mentioned a new internship, but I never really established exactly what this internship is. I'm doing an internship that is extremely important to me, and also involving something I love. So basically you clue is: 

So yeah, basically I work with sharks. Not directly (yet). I'm a photographer for Shark Research at the University of Miami, where we take groups out to learn about and tag sharks. The work that we do not only gives us a better understanding of a species that is sadly still largely a mystery (for example, a shark species was discovered alive by the human eye a few weeks ago), and also to help these guys with conservation efforts. I can go into the whole shark finning talk of mine, but instead of writing a novel, you can check out this Ted Talk by the leader of the team that gives you all the basic information. 

My life has been pretty busy with this including trips, training, editing, etc. but it really means so so much to me. This hammerhead for example is an endangered species, and also a rare find. We were able to do a full workup, meaning taking measurements, blood sample, sex determination, etc. in a really short amount of time, and the sight for me personally is one I will never forget. We let him go after 4 minutes, and he swam off into a world we know little about. 

Shameless advertising here, but honestly again, it means so much to me to be able to do this work. You can check out a bunch more awesome pictures on Facebook under Shark Research at the University of Miami, and also visit SharkTagging.com to find out a whole lot more information. Sharks need our help, and if one person visits, we can make it one step closer to ensuring their existence for future generations. 

Again, not trying to write a novel (it's hard), but if you have any questions feel free to leave them down below! I'd love to reply, and also I'm a really big geek for this stuff so I love to talk about it. Thanks everyone!

AGH

I should get a prize for worse thought of titles for a blog post. But at the same time, it also is quite accurate. So instead of the average college life week blah blah, I thought that was appropriate. Anyways, I'm going to list a basic rundown of what has happened in the past couple of weeks (aka a lot).

• Midterms (ew)
• Accepted into an internship
• Brother came to visit
• More midterms (more ew)
• Homecoming week
• Keeping up with a running regime
• A whole lot of stuff I can't even think of

So basically there's been a lot. But it's been amazing having a good college experience. I may be busy, but it's the kind of busy that makes moving 1,000+ miles away into an unfamiliar place worth it. Looking forward into the future makes me even more excited, and feeling like I'm more at home bit by bit. If you are still trying to adjust, don't worry. It'll come sooner or later. Just trust your gut, and do what you need for yourself. 

Hope you guys have a great week!