I'm always on the hunt for new music to download. Whether it's a few years old or recently released, I love having new music to listen to. I usually listen to a wide range of music (pop, classical, musicals, country, techno, punk, rock, etc). A lot of times I go through different genre phases every week. For those that are looking for something to try out, checkout a few of the songs I currently play on repeat:
Each year college seems to go by faster and before you know it you're a senior holding a black coffee in one hand and a crumpled up job application in the other (probably on the verge of a mental breakdown). It's easily the craziest year of your college career and it has the ability to truly wear you down, but with a few simple tips you can tackle on the rest of your school year no problem.
1. Stay organized.
Your last semester of college means group projects, job interviews, big exams, important presentations, work assignments, and a hundred million other things that your brain probably can't retain. It's wise to use a planner of some sort, whether it be paper or digital, and write down everything you have going on. It saves yourself the stress of having to remember and it guarantees you won't forget anything important. It's a great way to stay on track.
2. Hit the gym.
As Elle Woods once said, "exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy." And she's right. Even for 30 minutes, squeezing physical activity into your day not only keeps you healthier but also relieves a bit of stress. This doesn't mean you have to go to the gym. You can dance, ride your bike, go rollerblading, hula-hoop, really anything. It's all about what's fun and will get you moving.
3. Make time for yourself.
This was something I struggled with until recently. I didn't realize how important it was to set aside an hour of the day for myself. This means time where I'm not hanging out with anyone or working on homework of some sort, just simply doing something I personally enjoy and doing it alone. I found that when I took that little bit of time to watch a television show or read a book, I was less stressed-out about everything else going on in my life.
4. Leave negativity at the door.
It will destroy you like the plague. Stay positive, it's really the best you can do. The idea of graduating is pretty daunting. You have to make sure you pass your classes and get the necessary credits in, as well as hope that you can find a job after everything is said and done. It's an extremely stressful time, but beating yourself up and losing hope will only make everything worse. Keep your chin up, everything will fall into place like it should.
5. Remind yourself you can do this.
It's tough out there, especially in the adult world. Just remember you are awesome and you can do anything if you put your mind to it. At the least, fake it till you make it.
With Spring Break just around the corner, I thought about how one of my goals for the semester was to read more. It's something I've always enjoyed, but life has run a bit ahead of me and my hobbies have been put on hold in result. Now that a break is coming up, it's the perfect time to get started again and dive into a few books. Here are five books I plan on reading next:
A Court of Thorns and Roses
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Fire and Ice)
Red Queen
The End of the Affair
It Ends With Us
If you have any suggestions of other books, leave them in the comments!
The dreaded LDR: A relationship that most people try to avoid, but many end up stuck in anyways. There are a lot of people who believe they simply don't work, how could they? Is it a real relationship anyways? What's the point? Is it really worth it?
When you meet the right person, even with hundreds or thousands of miles in-between, it's definitely worth it.
Of course they aren't easy, and it takes a significant amount of work on both ends. Coming from someone who is on their second LDR, I've learned what works and what doesn't when it comes to distance. There have been a lot of ups and downs, but the ups I've experienced have always outweighed the downs.
Long distance might not be right for some people, but for those that want to make it work, here's a list I've conjured up for the hopeful and the determined:
1. Communicate. Communicate. Communicate.
I seriously can't stress this enough. The most important key to any relationship, especially long distance, is to communicate. Since you don't have the luxury of seeing each other face-to-face, it's vital you express how you feel and avoid bottling in emotions. Whether something is bothering you or you just want to say "I love you", make sure you say it. Silence will break you.2. Take advantage of technology.
We live in the wonderful age of technology, which means you don't have to deliver letters by pigeon anymore. Schedule weekly video calls, make time to hear their voice over a phone call, and most importantly always say good morning and good night to one another. It's gives both of you something to look forward to when you wake up and when you go to bed.
3. Trust each other.
This can break a lot of couples apart, even ones who aren't in long distance relationships. You have to trust that your partner is respecting your relationship and not behaving like their single friends. It's incredibly difficult at times, but trust creates a stable foundation for every relationship and if you both value each other, then trust should come easily.
4. Get creative.
Even though you can't physically be together, there are a lot of fun ways to surprise one another, whether it be sending a package or a card or ordering food from the Starbucks app and sending it to the closest location like mine did for me. You don't have to fall into a routine-there are ways to spice it up and make your significant other feel special (even miles apart).5. Plan visits.
This one is self explanatory, but important. Plan when you will see each other next. It gives you both something to look forward to.
6. Play games.
I mean the fun and digital kind. There are plenty of mobile games you can play with your partner to make things a bit more fun. It's gives you something to tease each other about and another fun aspect of the day to look forward to.
7. Express how you feel.
This is similar to communication, but always express how you're feeling. If you are in a down mood and really missing your partner, tell them! They are the one person who not only feels the same way, but can comfort you and make you feel better. It's better to let out your feelings then keep them in. Containing in your emotions will whither you.8. Keep yourself busy.
Focus on work, school, hobbies, friends and family, really anything that will pass the time. It's easy to feel alone and down when you're bored with nothing to do, so keep your mind busy and find something to work on.
9. Take the time you have to better yourself.
Since you aren't constantly spending time together, this is the perfect time to really focus on yourself. Take the time to check out that book you've really been wanting to read, or pick up a hobby and perfect it. In other words, date yourself.
10. Be patient.
It's not going to be easy and some days will feel harder than others. This is someone you really love and care about, your best friend, and it's hard to not miss them and feel a sense of emptiness without them. The best you can do for yourself is practice patience and know that in time, you'll be together again.
Pride and Prejudice
Little Women
Ever After
Everyone knows the story of Cinderella, but this rendition is my personal favorite. The beautiful Drew Barrymore stars in this film as Cinderella during Renaissance-era France. After her father suddenly dies, she is left with her wicked stepmother and two stepsisters and shackled as a servant in her own home. One day, she dresses above her status as a countess to buy back one of the house servants her step-mother sold. Her outspoken wit and moral intelligence earned the eye of the prince, and throughout the movie she falls quickly in love with him, all the while hiding her true identity.
The Other Boleyn Girl
This story is about the real life events of two sisters after the heart of one king. You might have heard of the cunning and famous Anne Boleyn. She is known for catching the eye of Henry VIII, convincing him to separate the state from church, divorcing Queen Mary, and changing the country of England from Catholic to Protestant. Her story is powerful and interesting, but whats even more curious is the story of her sister, Mary Boleyn, who also caught the eye of Henry VIII at one point. This movie is solely focused on Mary and her experiences with her family and the King. A story full of love, betrayal, and heart break-you really can't go wrong.
I was pretty excited to intern for the 2017 Chicago Auto Show this week, but if there's anything I've learned, life never goes as planned. After a busy and successful day of checking out the show floor, preparing "The Media Center", and completing other typical intern tasks, I prepared for bed excited for another day of learning. Everything seemed to be going fine, except for my fatigue during the day and random and intense sore throat right before bed.
Three weeks prior to that night, I unexpectedly ended up in the ER because of throat problems. I could barely eat, drink, swallow, or even breath. After seven long hours of waiting, I was told I would need a minor surgery on my throat due to an abscess growing on my tonsil. It was my first surgery ever, but after going through that and sticking to antibiotics for a week and a half I was feeling better. At least I thought I was.
Once again, I laid in my hotel bed restless and struggling to swallow or breath properly. I knew something wasn't right again, and at 3:30 A.M my dad left in the middle of the night (technically morning) to pick me up and bring me back home. I was extremely disappointed and felt awful for leaving my internship early, but it ended up being a really smart decision.
I scheduled an appointment with an "Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist" in the afternoon and hoped that someone could finally help me out and find a more permanent fix for my throat problems. This was my third doctors visit within the past month due to an infection, and I was tired of missing school and work and feeling miserable. After a quick look at my swollen neck and face, he decided the best course of action was to get my tonsils removed. "Usually we plan these surgeries two weeks in advance, but with how swollen they are, it's better we admit you to the hospital now and do this surgery tomorrow."
Not exactly what I had planned! The idea of a more major surgery scared me, and needles make my skin crawl, but I was desperate to finally feel better and I was up for anything.
I was thankful for the fluids and drugs they gave me, I didn't get great sleep, but every little bit helped. I wasn't scheduled for my surgery until 5 PM, so the wait felt like forever and the longer I had to wait the more inflamed my throat became. The morning of my surgery, my throat was so swollen that I choked on liquid medicine and couldn't breathe. Liquid medicine! I burst out crying in front of the nurse and was completely terrified.
It finally hit 5 PM and I was in my cap and gown, dad and grandma by my side, and desperately craving a burger. Once I received the anesthesia, I completely blacked out until they woke up me up an hour after the procedure.
Everything went well and according to the surgeon, my throat was so swollen that my tonsils were touching each other. If I hadn't left the Chicago Auto Show that night and went to the hospital, I could have stopped breathing in my sleep.
My throat is still sore and the medicine I'm on makes me tired all the time, but the way I feel now doesn't compare to how much it hurt before the surgery. It's unfortunate I have to miss two weeks of school and work, especially during my craziest semester, but it was a smart decision and I'm extremely happy I won't have to worry again!
It was a scary experience and a pretty sucky way to spend my birthday, but I always try to find the positive side of situations. I received a lot of support and love, and receiving a solution to better my health wasn't such a bad birthday present after all.
It might sound
silly, especially since at some point during your day you’re probably alone
(bathroom breaks anyone?). When I say embrace the art of being alone and happy
though, I don’t necessarily mean in the way that your “roommates are at class
for the afternoon so you have the house to yourself” way.
I’m talking
about right before bed when everyone is asleep and you’re alone to your
thoughts. When your friends are busy and the only person to keep you company over
the weekend is yourself. Those points in time when the world is paying to
attention to everyone and everything else except you.
Sound a bit
scary now?
Maybe it does,
maybe it doesn’t. For some people, they relish in the alone time. This is when
they are completely in their element. For a lot of people though, it’s
intimidating. There are quite a few people in my life I know who will do
everything possible to never be alone and they will surround themselves with
people at all times.
There’s nothing wrong
with socializing, but there’s something to be said about being fully happy
and content with yourself. It all leads to the idea that you have to find a
happiness within yourself to truly feel at peace with the world around you.
It’s something
that takes time, but I encourage everyone to practice being alone and feeling a
sense of content in it. Read a book, watch your favorite movie. Enjoy “you”
time, because usually we don't do that enough.
It might feel like you're alone, but you're really not. You're enjoy time with yourself. That's the best company to have.









