15 Things I Learned My First Month of College

I've officially been at college for a month, and I can't believe that I haven't posted about college yet. But truth be told, this first month of college has been a blur. So much has happened, and it all went by so fast. It's crazy that September is almost gone already!

Anyway, I have a couple midterms this week, so I'll have to keep this blog post short and sweet. Here are some of the biggest things I've had to learn since I've been at Ohio State:

1. It's okay to go to places alone. Whether it be for lunch at the dining hall, or attending a meeting for a new organization, it's okay to go by yourself. Little did I know, no one cares if you go places by yourself. It's what a lot of people do, actually. Soon enough you'll meet people to go to organization meetings with, and even if your lunch or meal schedule doesn't coordinate with any of your friends, it's okay. There's a bunch of people who go to the dining halls alone.

2. It's important to communicate well with your roommate. I had one little incident where there was something in the room that I truly wasn't okay with (since we could get into big trouble if it was found in our room), and so I talked to my roommate about it. Thankfully she was really nice about it, and removed it from the room. So talking things through with your roommate before anything else is a great way to keep up a good roommate relationship.

3. Don't worry about what people think. It's okay to look like a bum sometimes to your early morning class. It's alright to eat that extra piece of pizza. And like I said before, if you want to go somewhere by yourself, it's okay! You only have four years of college, so it's important to make the most out of it and do everything that you set your mind to do.

4. Don't get behind in the reading for your classes. Ugh I've only been at school for a month and I've already gotten myself behind and procrastinated heavily on my Global Politics reading. I had to read 96 pages in one night + do my other homework, which obviously didn't lead to a very good night.

5. If you're going to decorate your dorm room, make sure you have a plan before you get to school.  I love to decorate, but didn't really spend any time over the summer planning any DIYs for my dorm room. So while my roommate had all these cute posters and stuff up, my side looked kind of bare. But thanks to my Aunt's DIY gifts she gave me and some binge Etsy shopping, my room finally (after a month) is starting to look pretty good and more home-y. It's not quite finished yet and I'm still waiting for some things in the mail, but I'll definitely show you some pictures when it's ready!

6. Keep a little food in your room. Odds are, you'll get hungry late at night at some point, and going to the dining hall just won't be an option. It's also quick and easy for when you really don't have the time to go anywhere else.

7. DO NOT wear your freshman orientation shirt to class/around campus. Please. You will get a lot of crap about it from the upperclassmen, and that's just not the kind of attention you want to get. (Just wanted to put it out there that I wasn't the one who wore it out, but I've seen some freshman wearing it get called out for it by people).

8. Use the buddy system. If you plan on going out at night, having a buddy system is important for your safety. Also, if your campus is in a city like mine, there can be some pretty sketchy people about so it's important that you try and stay in a group.

9. Don't start skipping classes. Once you start, it'll be the beginning of the end. Last week I decided to skip a lecture because I had a horrible cold and desperately needed cold medicine, which probably wasn't the smartest idea. But oh well.

10. Watch out for squirrels. On Ohio State's Oval (which is like what other college's call a "quad"), there are some pretty pesky squirrels. They're like so accustomed to being around people, that they walk extremely close to you when you walk near them. My roommate's friend from a different school had one jump out of a tree and nearly hit him, so trust me, be aware of squirrels.

11. Don't wear heels,wedges, or other uncomfortable shoes if you have to trudge all over campus. From having to wear black heels with my business suit, to stupidly wearing high wedges when I had a far walk, I'm sure my feet are not happy with me right now. I have a couple blisters that keep reopening, so unless you have to, don't wear those adorable heels anytime you have to walk real far.

12. Keep your door open. It's the easiest way to meet new people on your floor, and I wish I would have done so more during this first month.

13. Don't forget about your fruits/veggies/ways to get calcium. It's important to get your nutrients and vitamins, so make sure you still find fruit and veggies to eat in the dining hall. I haven't been eating the healthiest of things, so I need to start doing this more. Also, I've realized that I've hardly ever been drinking milk, and I usually don't get enough calcium as it is, so I'll have to start drinking milk more often in the dining halls.

14. Stay in touch with your friends and family back home, but don't overdo it. Don't be that freshman who is just constantly texting and Snapchatting their friends from home, and not making any effort to make new friends and meet new people. It's okay to talk to your friends and family from time to time, but being excessive about it is a real disservice to you because it will look like you don't want to make friends.

15. You're in college, so it's okay to have a little fun. It's okay to break out of your comfort zone, and have fun in college...just don't forget about your school work! ;)

Thanks for reading my list of things I've learned my first month of college! There'll be much more college-related stuff to come, and I'll make sure to include some pictures of my dorm room when it's finished!

And with that, I'll leave you with a lovely picture I took at an OSU game I went to:

Talk to you soon,

Influenster Vitality VoxBox Product Review

Well, it's official! I've been a college student for just about 3 weeks now. It's been a hectic few weeks with just one thing happening after another, so I apologize I haven't posted in a little while! I'll be sure to tell you all about my college life soon, but for now, I wanted to review the items I got in my Influenster Vitality VoxBox! 

For those of you who don't know what Influenster is, Influenster is an online company who sends out boxes of products to try out for free. Basically, all you have to do is connect your social media accounts and fill out surveys to boost your online impact score. And based on that score, Influenster chooses who to send VoxBoxes to. 

I happened to be one of the people Influenster chose to receive the Vitality VoxBox, so let's get started on the products inside:

// The Softlips Cube ($3.49 in stores) was probably my favorite product from this VoxBox. I got mine in the scent Vanilla Bean, and it just smells amazing! On the package, the Softlips cube says that it's for 5 in 1 Lip Care, meaning that it hydrates, replenishes, smooths, protects, and adds shine. And from what I've found, it does all 5 of those things. My lips feel really soft after using it, and it helps a lot with preventing chapped lips.

If you're wondering how this compares to eos lip balm, I would say that the Softlips Cube is a little better. With eos, I felt like within a half hour after I applied the lip balm, my lips were already dried out again whereas with Softlips, my lips do stay hydrated nicely. 

In the VoxBox I also received two coupons for a $1 off a Softlips cube, and I think I might actually use it! This is definitely a product that I will be buying once it runs out. 

// Another product I received was called Bikini Ready Energy Gummies ($14.99 in stores...pictured above is a sample size), which is supposed to be a B-12 vitamin supplement that gives you a boost of energy. It also says that "with a healthy diet and exercise program" the gummies are supposed to "help boost your metabolism and increase your energy so you can maximize your workouts." 

I was a little tentative to try these since I don't normally take any supplements, but when I finally tried them, I honestly don't think they did too much (if anything). They had a weird medicine-like taste to them, and I didn't feel any more energized after taking them. I probably wouldn't recommend these to anyone.

//  The next product I received was Pure Leaf Unsweetened Iced Tea. Pure Leaf Iced Tea is said to be made from "real brewed tea for that fresh brewed taste." Now I'm not a big fan of tea, but thankfully my roommate likes tea, so I gave it to her to try. She said she loved it, and a couple days after I gave her the tea, we walked up to CVS and she ended up buying another couple bottles of Pure Leaf Iced Tea! So for tea lovers, it must be pretty good!

//  Next up is the Elizabeth Arden FLAWLESS FUTURE Powered by Ceramide Caplet Serum ($60 for 1.0 fl oz...pictured above is a sample size). This Elizabeth Arden Serum is supposed to keep your skin looking flawless by reducing signs of wrinkles, reinforcing your skin's moisture barrier, and even skin tone and texture. When I tried it, I think this product did help brighten up my skin a little more, and it definitely made my skin feel moisturized. However, I don't think I'd spend $60 on it. 

//  Another product I received from this VoxBox was the Playtex Sport Fresh Balance Tampons ($3.99). I have to say, my roommate started cracking up when she saw that I got a box of tampons from Influenster. But anyway, I already use this brand of tampons, so I was happy to get a free box! I think they're pretty good as far as tampons go. :)

// Alright and the last product I received was the First Degree Advanced Burn Cream ($5.97-$8.99). This burn cream is supposed to help repair skin damage from all types of minor burns. I haven't had any burns recently, so I haven't had a chance to really use this product. However, I did just put a little on the tip of my finger anyway, and it really does feel cooling (even without a burn). So I guess this will come in handy if I ever get a burn!

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And those were all the products in my Vitality VoxBox! I was actually surprised by how many products were inside, and I think I'll definitely be using or buying some of these products again! 

I hope you all have a great start to your weekend!! I'll be going to my first college football game tomorrow night (football's a really big thing at my school), so I'll be sure to post about that and my other college experiences that I've had so far soon!

*I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes*

I hate goodbyes.

It's 1am as I'm writing this now, and I don't even know what to say. There's only 3 days left until I leave for college, and 4 days until I actually move in. My Grandma and Grandpa invited my family for over for dinner this past evening so that they could see me before I head off, especially since the first time I'll be coming home won't be until winter break in December. I'm glad they invited us over, and that I got to visit with them for awhile.

But the thing is, I'm terrible at goodbyes. I've never once left home for more than a couple nights, and I've never moved before. I've never had to truly say goodbye to someone. I know it's only saying goodbye for a few months, but it's just such a weird feeling. After seeing these people all the time during the first 18 years of my life, it's going to be so different going off to college knowing absolutely no one.

Anyway, now that one of my best friends has already left for college in Virginia and my Facebook newsfeed is filled with goodbye statuses and pictures of dorm rooms, it's finally starting to hit me that there are some major changes coming ahead, and especially in the next few days. I'm thankful that I got to see some of my friends before we all go our separate ways, but again, it's just so strange seeing people I used to see everyday for the the past several years leave for colleges in different states (and for one of my friends, a different country).

I'm definitely going to miss so many people, and I'm starting to realize that college is going to be quite an adjustment. However, I know that deep inside, I'm ready for it. I'm ready to meet new people, make new friends, and embark on new opportunities and adventures. Although I have to say goodbye to some people for awhile, I get to say hello to a whole new beginning.

Thanks for listening to my rambles,

6 Tips & Tricks For Applying to College

Welcome to post #2 of my little High School Series. If you missed post #1 about the Top 10 Things I Wish I Knew In High School, check it out here!

Since I'm just entering my freshman year of college and have recently been through the college admissions process, I wanted this next post in my high school series to be on tips and tricks that I would've found helpful in applying to college. So if you're getting ready to apply to colleges either this year or the next couple of years, you've come to the right place! And even if you've been through the college admissions process already, you can feel free to share any of your own tips or experiences in the comments below! :)

It's easier for me to do this in list form, so here goes:

1. Start Early

Seriously. If you don't read any of my other advice in this post, PLEASE follow this one! It's important to start early in visiting colleges and doing research on schools so that come senior year, you have an idea of colleges you want to apply to. It also helps to start early when applying to colleges. Once you've come upon your senior year of high school and are starting to apply to colleges, make sure you know when the deadlines are for each school's application. Although many school's applications have a priority deadline of November 1st, some school's have a different deadline (so make sure to do your research). This means that you don't want to wait until midway through October to start your applications, essays, and asking for teacher recommendations. You want to start as early as you can, so if somehow there's a glitch and the applications website is down, your high school forgot to send your transcript, or any other unforeseen event happens, you won't be stuck and you'll have time to fix it. This happened to a girl in my AP Gov class senior year, who applied to one of the same school's I had applied to. We both got in and everything, but the thing was, there was a delay in her transcript being sent so although she had her actual application in by Nov. 1st, the school declared her application as not being fully complete by the priority deadline. This meant losing out on a $14,000 automatic academic scholarship for out-of-state students that she could have gotten if she had everything in by Nov. 1st. So what I'm trying to say is, make sure you start on your applications as soon as possible during senior year so that you don't run into any issues. 

2. Write down your passwords!!

If you're applying to several colleges like I had, it's important to write down your log in passwords for each online application you fill out. Each school is different, but for many of my online college applications, colleges had a multitude of requirements for creating a password. Due to these various requirements for creating a password, I had to create new passwords for myself that were pretty difficult to remember. Since I was the first one of my siblings to apply to colleges, I didn't think to write my passwords down. I ended up forgetting them a lot and having to reset them. However, on one of applications, there was a limit on how many times you could reset your password, and I ended up having to call that college for help since I couldn't log in to check my application's status. And I have to admit, it was pretty embarrassing...so don't make the same mistake I did!

3. Apply to a safety school

What I mean by applying to a safety school is to make sure you apply to a school you like, and that you're almost positive you'll get into. That way, if all else fails and the unexpected happens where you don't get into some colleges, you won't be stuck. 

4. Have someone read over your essays

I had my Mom read over my college application essays, and I'm really glad I did! She caught some mistakes in them that I hadn't noticed. Be sure to have someone read over your essays, whether it be by a parent, a teacher, or a friend. It's good to have another set of eyes read your essays so that you can make sure your essays are the best they can be! On a college visit I went to, one of the college admissions counselors there told us about several mistakes they have seen in application essays. For one of them, a guy was supposed to write an essay on what he wanted to be when he grew up. And in the essay, the boy said that all his life he wanted to be a couch. Although he probably meant "coach" the admissions counselor said that she and her colleagues got a good chuckle out of that one (and she later said that no, the boy did not get accepted). Although the essays aren't everything and most colleges try to use a holistic view of you, don't make awkward mistakes in your essays that could have been avoided if you had someone look over your work.

5. Be patient

Especially if you had your application sent in early, it can take a few months to hear back on your decision. I know it's hard to wait, but don't waste your time thinking about everything college when you should be enjoying your last year of high school. College will come sooner than you know it, so take the time after you have finished all of your college applications to just relax and enjoy your senior year. Also, do yourself a favor and avoid sites like College Confidential. I know you may want to read what other people who applied to the same college you did have to say, and read when everyone the previous year heard their admissions decisions. But please avoid yourself the annoyance. A lot of people post their stats (like ACT score, GPA, and a list of like 15 clubs they were ever remotely involved in) and ask others if they think that they would get in to whatever college. When you read these things, you might start to doubt whether you will get into so and so college. But don't doubt yourself. Again, most colleges use a holistic view, and even so, who knows whether these people who post their stats are even being truthful. Whatever will happen will happen, so be patient for your decision and don't let others cause you to doubt yourself.

6. Remember: Everything happens for a reason

Throughout the whole College Admissions process, please remember that everything happens for a reason. Many people have a first choice school that they've dreamed about going to all their lives, and don't get in. It happens, and it's a fact of life. But the good thing is, even if you don't get into your first choice school, there is another college out there that is meant for you. And I can guarantee you, you'll end up where you are supposed to be. 

For me, I was lucky enough to get into all 5 Big 10 colleges I applied to and I was pretty set on one of those schools ever since I was little. My Dad had went to grad school there, and each summer since I was real little, we'd visit. It had a really pretty campus, and I was already accustomed to the school's traditions. Although I got in to that school, there was no way I could afford it. It was an out-of-state school that didn't have very many scholarships to give, so I wasn't able to go there. But the funny thing this, I think because I was so set on my first choice school, I really didn't give the other 4 schools a chance. 

It's ironic actually, on how I came to choose Ohio State. I had applied to the 4 other schools way back in September (2013) of my senior year, but didn't apply to Ohio State. The first time I visited, I thought it was wayyy to big, and it was a little bit overwhelming (I visited back in April 2013). But in about mid-October (2013), I had this inkling that I should apply to one more school. I talked about it with my parents, and they both suggested that I apply to Ohio State since it was a good school and it was near where my Dad's side of the family lived in Ohio. So I ended up applying to Ohio State a little late, but still before the Nov. 1st deadline. 

And it's all down hill from there. I finally realized how much opportunity I would have at Ohio State, from the Scholars program I'm in, to getting direct admit into the business school, to possibly being able to graduate in 3 years (due to AP credit). When I visited again in March 2014, I fell in love with the school. Not only was Ohio State known for good academics, but I also loved the huge amount of school spirit at OSU, and how everywhere you went in Ohio, there seemed to be die-hard Buckeye fans. And the next day after my visit, during the 7-hour drive home from Ohio State, I remember saying to my Mom that day that I finally decided on Ohio State. 

Anyway, I'm not trying to broadcast for OSU. The point is, I just want you to realize that even if things don't pan out with your initial first choice school, it's okay. There's another school out there for you, and you'll end up where you're supposed to be.

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And those are my 6 Tips and Tricks For Applying to College. If you're in high school now, I hope this helps! If your're beyond your high school years, would these tips have been helpful? Or do you have any other experiences or tips to add?

Thanks for stopping by!

Inside My Summer Music Playlist

My favorite music playlists have always been for summer. I just love listening to music during the summer that captures my mood, and blasting it in the car on the radio. I just thought I'd share with you some of the songs that I've played and heard on repeat this summer. Some of the songs are kind of old, whereas others are more recent. I've been listening to a lot of country music (as you can probably tell since 8/11 songs on my playlist are country), which is kind of surprising to me. I was never that into country music before this year, but I've really grown to like it! I was sort of jealous of my coworkers at work who went to Country Thunder back in July...I wish I could have gone! Maybe next year! ;)

Anyway here's the playlist (in no particular order):

Are there any songs that you've listen to on repeat this summer? Any concerts you went to?

15 Days...

Only 15 days until I....

....leave for college

....meet my roommate 

....will be on my own for the first time

....start my leadership program

....leave my friends of 7+ years

....leave my hometown until December

...have to go without Portillo's (my favorite Chicagoland fast food chain)

....officially finish my summer job

....turn in the paperwork for my new job on campus

....have to survive on college dining hall food

....embark on what hopefully will be the best 4 years of my life.

And this list can just go on and on. I know this is a really random post, but I was flipping through my agenda for August and was shocked to see that there are only 2 weeks left until I leave for college. In my head, it still feels like college should be a far way off...but it's finally starting to sink in that my days in the place where I grew up are numbered. I need to make the most of these last 15 days, and yet gear up for all the great things on the horizon. There's going to be lots of changes for me in these last 15 days, but I know I'm ready for them.

Thanks for stopping by,

August Goals

July went by in a blink of an eye. I had so much going on from work, to spending time with my high school friends, to shopping for college, that July was truly a blur. I did accomplish most of my July goals which is good, though! Speaking of July goals, here they were:

Spend More Time With My Family

I did accomplish this goal, thankfully! Since I'll be leaving home for the first time in a couple of weeks, spending time with my family was really important to me. I tried setting aside time to hang out with my siblings...from watching chick flicks with my sister to attempting to play basketball in my driveway with my brother, I'd say it went pretty well! Some shopping trips and family movie nights were had this month too! :)

Finish College Shopping

I wanted to be done with all my college shopping by August, but that didn't happen. I did get a good bulk of it done, but there are still a few odds and ends that I need to get. The Target and HomeGoods bags have already started to accumulate in my room...so I do have something to show for the college shopping I did this past month!

Start blogging again on Dream It Up Nails

This unfortunately didn't happen either. I've just been having a hard time finding the motivation to paint my nails lately, so I haven't been able to blog on DIUN. In fact, I'm still wearing the same nail polish (although now badly chipped) as I had on for the 4th of July. I've been debating on whether or not I just want to stop blogging on Dream It Up Nails all together, and just post about some nail related stuff on this blog. It's also hard to blog about only nail-related stuff because now that I'm going of to college, I really don't have the funds to just blow on collections of nail polish. I'll have to think about it...I guess I'm still a little attached to my first blog.

Become a member of the Her Campus Blogger Network with this blog

Done, as you might be able to tell from the Her Campus button on my blog's sidebar! Although I was already a part of HCBN with my blog Dream It Up Nails, I wanted to be a part of the network with this blog too since I don't know if I'm going to keep blogging on DIUN. But hey, hopefully I'll meet some awesome people through the HCBN and through this blog! 

Start Working Out Again

Ughhh. I really wanted to accomplish this one, but with how much I was working this month, it just didn't happen. I need to learn some different ways to motivate myself to work out....any ideas?

Go Through My Closet

Done! I had a pretty big pile of clothes to giveaway after I was done cleaning my closet. Now I guess there's room for more! :D

Read A Book

Yep! I haven't finished it quite yet, but I'm almost done with it so I guess it counts! I've been reading a book called Buckeye Rebirth, which is mostly about the 2012 Ohio State football season, as well as the hiring of their coach, Urban Meyer. It's actually pretty good, and I wanted to read it since I bought season football tickets and I thought by reading this book, I'd appreciate the football games a little more!

Do a "High School Series" on this blog

Not quite for this one. I did one post on this in July, so I started the series which is good! I hope to do a couple more posts in this series before I head off to college!

Spend time with High School friends

Check! Not as often as I had wanted to, but I got together for lunch and shopping a couple times with my high school friends! Hopefully I'll have a chance to get together with them a few more times before we all head off to college in different states (and countries in regard to one of my friends)!

Now that I've gone through my boatload of July goals ... here are my goals for August:

Pack ahead of time for college

Meaning: hopefully I don't put off packing for college until the night before I have to leave. I can just see myself doing that, so I'm keeping myself accountable by putting this goal on the blog!

Keep an open mind 

This has always been a hard thing for me to do, but I think that when I head off to college this month, this will be necessary. I need to be open when it comes to meeting people, since I'm going to a big school with all sorts of different people. I know that in order to make new friends, I'm going to have to refrain from being to quick to judge. Hopefully I'll be able to keep an open mind about activities too, and that I won't write any activities off just because I might have to go to them alone the first time. 

Make Social Media Accounts for the blog

It's probably about time that I make some social media accounts if I ever want to grow this blog! I already created an Instagram for the blog, so I just need to create some buttons for my blog's sidebar, and maybe create a few more social media accounts.

Plan blog posts better

I really need to plan out when to write blog posts, and have a set time in my schedule to do so. I have a growing list of blog post ideas to pull from, I just need to get more organized in actually writing them!

And those are my goals for August. Hopefully I didn't bore you to death from explaining the statuses of all my July goals! It's weird to think that the next time I will be writing a monthly goals post, I won't be in Chicago anymore...I'll be away at college.

Anyway, thanks for stopping by! Talk to you soon!