Officially Done First Year!

Wow, I can't believe I've officially made it through my first year of university.
It was definitely an experience, to say the least.
I figured that because I'm now done my freshman year, I needed to change the name of my blog - so, i'm not blogging from... Dancing Through University!
I figured this was an appropriate name for it because I'm a dancer. And I literally am dancing through university - and I'm not talking about just taking dance classes, I actually dance pretty much everywhere. See me in the cafeteria? I'm probably doing some weird dance moves somehow. Alone in my room? One person dance party. It's just something that comes so naturally to me, really :)
Anyway, I hope you like the new title, and I really am sorry for not posting in so long. I had my dance recital and then exams, and before that I had a ton of papers to do. But hopefully throughout the next 4 months until I start school again I'll be able to still blog about school related things. Probably you're going to hear about my house a lot - I'm going to be renting a beautiful house with 4 amazing girls. So I'm going to have to figure out how I want to furnish my room, what I need, and what all we need for our house. (If you have any ideas/tips, please share them!)
Hope that it was a great school year for all of you that are now done, and good luck and finish strong for those of you who are still working!

Tips for first years and things first year taught me

1. You’re going to meet a lot of new people, some of them you’re going to hit it off with immediately, some you’re going to dislike immediately. That’s totally fine, university is about meeting new people - it doesn’t mean you have to like every single one of them.
2. It’s okay to be nervous, but soon you’ll find that there really was nothing to be nervous about!
3. Plan your courses - there’s no point in taking the hardest course as your elective, it’s just going to mess with your average.
4. Plan your timetable well - you might think you’re going to use that 1 hour break in between classes to get work done. You’re not.
5. You don’t have to be best friends with your roommate, but if you end up liking them, lucky you!
6. Learn how to stand up for yourself.
7. Use your meal plan wisely, don’t go crazy buying a ton of food - because at the end of the year your options will boil down to either starving or asking your parents to add more money onto it. 
8. You will probably hate your major at least once, probably more. Stick to it unless you’re 100% sure you hate it.
9. You will see a lot of things at the beginning of the year that will surprise you, by the end of the year they won’t anymore.
10. You’ll figure out who your real friends are - whether they go to the same school or not.
11. There’s still always going to be that one person who always does better than you on everything - just ignore them.
12. Try not to procrastinate too hard, doing 8 page papers the night before is NOT fun. 
13. The freshman 15 does exist - watch what you eat.
14. Your marks will probably drop a lot, but that’s okay. First year is a time for adjustment.
15. You will learn what your professors and TA’s are looking for in papers, sometimes you just have sacrifice what your personal beliefs are, and write what they want you to. 
16. Boys are disgusting.
17. Girls are also disgusting.
18. At the beginning of the year you’re going to care how you look - it doesn’t matter if you’re going to class, or grabbing breakfast at 9am. That will change - soon you’ll be going everywhere in sweats and the fact that you’re in real clothes will be a miracle.
19. Sometimes you just need to cry.
20. If you think you’re good at procrastinating, you’re going to get 100% better.
21. When writing papers, remember to cite. You don’t want to get called in for academic misconduct. When in doubt, cite. 
22. Sometimes even though you’ve worked for weeks on a paper, you’re still going to end up failing it. That paper you wrote in 2 hours at 5am, 4 hours before it’s due? You might get a 90 on that one though. You never know.
23. Just because you’re at university/college, that doesn’t mean people are more mature, at all.
24. There’s going to be a lot of times when you’re going to have to decide between going out and staying in a working. Just remember that YOLO isn’t going to get you a degree.
25. Free food is the most amazing thing that has ever existed.
26. Actually, free anything is the best thing that has ever existed - never turn down free stuff.
27. Become friends with people outside of your major/faculty, there are going to be times where you’re going to want to strangle them all
28. Don’t punch your roommate just because they made you mad. While it might get you your own room, it’ll also get you kicked out a residence for a while.
29. Make good decisions, maybe not all the time, but make an effort.
30. Sometimes all you need is to just stay in, eat junk food and watch movies - but sometimes what you need is to just go out and have fun. Make sure you get a good balance.
31. First year does count.
32. It’s completely fine to change your major.
33. Residence will probably look like like complete shit the first day. Actually, it’ll probably still look like that the day you move out - but it’ll be a shitty place that you’re going to be sad to leave.
34. There’s going to be people who you meet, and their only intention is to sleep with you. If that’s your thing, go for it, if that’s not, thats perfectly fine as well.
35. Some people are going to have ‘kill counts’. No, that’s not a list of people that they want to kill - it’s who they’ve slept with. If you meet someone that actually calls it that, just stay away from them.
36. There’s a possibility that you might get sexiled.
37. Don’t buy post-it notes from the dollar store, they’re about as sticky as a piece of paper.
38. Keep up with your readings if you don’t want your eyes to fall out of your head when it comes to exam time.
39. Buy used books if you can, those things are expensive.
40. You will probably end up buying texbooks that you’ll never end up using to study. Instead you’ll be using your $200 texbook as a step stool. 
41. If there’s unlimited internet - utilize it! Download and stream as much as you possibly can before the end of the school year. 
42. You’re going to meet a lot of people and wonder how they even got into university/college in the first place.
43. At some point in the year, you’ll probably end up taking care of a drunk person. Take good care of them, you never know when you’re going to need them to help you too!
44. There’s going to be people that show up to lecture/seminar/tutorial that are still drunk from the night before - it’s going to happen, whether it be you are someone else. 
45. There are going to be a lot of attractive people at your school. And it will be awesome.
46. Try your best to actually listen in class - if your prof talks about it for 10 minute, then it’s probably important/its going to be on the final.
47. You will have multiple papers that are due at the same time. Get over it, stop complaining and write them.
48. 90% of the time, you’re going to be poor. Get used to it.
49. Get used to spending money you don’t have - hello loans and credit cards. 
50. At one time or another, you will probably hear someone having sex, or at least hear someone tell a story of them having sex. Earplugs and headphones are an amazing invention. 
51. Clean up after yourself, AND clean yourself. If you have to do the sniff test on your clothes, you probably should wash them. If you can’t remember when you last showered, you should probably get on that. 
52. There’s no guarantee that this is going to be the best year of your life. At least try to make it not suck completely.
53. There’s a club for everything on campus, and if there’s not one you’re interested in - start one!
54. You don’t have to party to have fun.
55. You can become whoever you want to be, it’s a fresh slate. Become the person you want to be, and remember to be yourself.

Ending The Year Off Right

The end of the school year is fast approaching... Everyone keeps asking me how many weeks are left. Honestly, I don't even want to think about that at the moment! I still have 2 papers to write, 1 midterm, 1 presentation,  and 2 hours of research participation to do - and that's just before exams!
Around this time people really start feeling run down, exhausted, and ready for summer... Unfortunately, it's not time to pack away the books just yet - for now we just gotta keep on working, and get through the next 2 months.
Here's a few tips to make the last part of the year a success!

1. Don't Start Slacking
Because it's getting towards the end of the year, people are starting to slack. I've noticed other people doing it, and I've seen it a bit in myself! Right now is the time to work harder, and get things done. Papers will be due soon, and exams sneak up faster than you think. I know it's hard with no motivation, but dont slack off yet, you can get through this!

2. Start Thinking About Exams
My exams start about the second week into April, and while that seems pretty far away - in reality it's not! Even if you're just looking at your notes for 30 minutes a day, it's better than leaving it all until the last minute. Start organizing your notes, print off practice tests, and make sure you have everything you need to study and ace your exams!

3. Think About Your Summer Job
While it's not directly related to school, it's still a big thing that you have to worry about! In the midst of preparing for exams and writing papers, make sure that if you're looking to get a job in the summer, you start looking ASAP. Summer jobs go fast and if you want a good one it's best to start looking early.

4. Talk To An Academic Adviser 
If you're not quite sure as to what you have to take for next year, if you have questions about your program, or if you just want to make sure that you're prepared - then go see your academic adviser. They will make sure that you're on the right track for everything, and if you're not, then they'll help you make sure everything is in order.

5. Know When Move Out Day Is
If you're living in residence, or renting a place, make sure you know what day you need to be out by. For my school, if you're not out of your room on time then you're charge $100 for each additional day that you have to stay. Since most of us are broke students, make sure you know the dates and times that you have to do things by. Make sure that you have transportation to go home as well! It might even be helpful to start moving things home now - if you know you're not going to need something for the rest of the year and you're taking a trip home, it could be a good idea to bring it home as well.

6. Don't Forget To Still Have Fun
While I keep saying to make sure that you're on top of your studies, also make sure that that's not the only thing that you're doing! Put some time aside to have a little fun! St. Patty's day, anyone? If it's your first year like me, then make the best of it and do all of those things that you keep meaning to do before your freshman year is over.

Anyway, that's it for now! I need to go try and make a dent in my pile of homework.
Stay smart and make the best out of the end of the year! :)

Dorm Room Workout

Today's post is going to really relate to the title of the blog - surviving the freshman 15. My roommate and I recently decided that we were going to try and get in shape, so we started doing this workout called the 30 day shred. Before I actually talk about this, I just really want to stress the idea that doing this isn't about losing weight and getting skinnier - but getting healthy. A lot of people confuse the two, but there is definitely a difference. You can have a super skinny person that is completely unhealthy, just as you can have a bigger person who is 100% healthy. The idea behind us doing this is to try and kinda of counteract all of the bad stuff that we are forced to eat the the cafeteria.
Anways, the 30 Day Shred is a really great workout for a number of different reasons.

1. It requires minimal equipment. In the video the people use light hand weights, but if you're not quite up to that yet, my roommate and I started by just using water bottles instead.
2. You don't need a lot of room. Our double room is extremely tiny, but we still have enough room for both of us to do it at the same time. Even if you're pressed for space, you can still do it.
3. It gives you alternative ways to do the moves. Throughout the video it'll show you two different ways to do most of the moves, one person will be doing the advanced version, while another will be doing an easier version. You can mix the two together, or just stick with one - it all depends on your level.
4. It only takes about 30 minutes. Personally, I find it really hard to try to fit in time to work out into my schedule. What makes this video great is the fact that you can do the warm up, exercise, as well as the cool down stretches all within 30 minutes.
5. It mixes different kinds of exercises. Instead of just giving you a strength workout, this combines cardio as well as abs to give you optimum results.
6. It starts easy then builds up. The idea of the 30 day shred is that there are three different levels to it. You start out on the first, which you do for 10 days, then move on to the second, which you for for 10 days as well. Lastly, you do level three for the last 10 days. Each level gets progressively harder, but it doesn't do so in an outrageous way.

Really, the workout isn't that bad... And that's coming from me. I'm a total workout wimp, I can't even run for 5 minutes without feeling like i'm going to pass out.
I just thought I'd share this with everyone. If you have any question about it, feel free to send me a message.
Also, if you want to download the videos for it - leave a message and I can send you the link where you can download it for free :)

Have a nice day!

Accepting Your Offer

Hey guys! This post is going to look a little but different than the others, I'm writing it on my iPad before my dance class... So just a little heads up!

Accepting your offer is a big deal, you've gone through all the hard work of deciding where to apply, and them you actually apply. Here in Ontario, you get to apply to 3 colleges or universities, and then the end when you accept one, it automatically rejects all your other offers.

Here are some tips to ultimately choosing which school is right for you:

Don't choose just based on looks
Take academics into consideration, a school might have the best campus ever, but if it doesn't have the program that you're in love with, maybe think about your other options.

Don't choose just based on academics
On the other hand, you're going to be at your school for around 4 years, so you are going to want to love the campus. You can have a school with great academics, but if the campus is hard to get to, spread out, or just isn't right for you, consider your other schools.

Take a tour
One thing that I highly suggest is taking a tour of the school that you were accepted to. This is a great way to not only get to know the campus, but learn about the school. Tours enable you to get your questions answered by a real person, not just an FAQ page. Also, tour guide will bring up concepts that you didn't think of to ask about. Also, sometimes the schools will give your free promotional material - when I visited my school they gave out m&ms with the schools name on them... Always a plus!

Don't choose a school just because your friend is going there
If you're going to be going to a school for 4 years, you're going to want to make sure that YOU'RE happy, not your friend. You will make new friends, and You will have the opportunity to keep your old ones... So you don't necessarily need to go to the same school as them.

Read the instructions on what to do
If there are words, read them because they could possibly be important. You don't want to end up not going to your top choice just because you didn't accept their offer properly!

Consider scholarships
Each school will have different amounts of scholarships that the will offer you. If money is a big factor to you, you can see if schools will give you counter offers. Also keep in mind that your scholarship could possibly go up or down by the end of the year. In my case, my top school was offering me $1000, but by the end if the year I had bumped up my average to a 90, so I ended u getting a iPad and a $2000 scholarship!

Think about where you're going to live
Is the school close enough to live at home? Are you going to commute? Are you living on campus? What are the living or transportation expenses that you will have? There are a lot of things to consider.

Well, I hope this helped some of you! Feel free to write me a comment tell me where it got it! :)

Floorcest

Okay this one is kind of a no-brainer for most of you guys that live in residence.
Personally, it's not a problem because I don't find any of the 4 guys on my floor attractive at ALL. But for some of you that live in bigger floors could run into the problem that you find a guy/girl that you like.
Usually I would say go for what you want, but on this topic, just try to hold off until you move out of residence. Yeah, it would be nice to date someone on your floor, you wouldn't have to walk halfway across campus to see them, and it would just be more convenient... But what happens if you break up?
As my friend would say... AWKO TACO.
The good thing about breaking up with someone is that for the most part, you don't have to seem them again.
...Unless that person happens to live 2 doors down from you, of course.
Imagine how awkward it would be, running into you ex, day after day. And it's not only going to be awkward for you, but probably a lot of the floor.
I know this sounds pretty harsh, but it's definitely one of those rules that you should listen to.
If you're really interested in someone, wait until you move out of rez to further this relationship.

Keeping In Contact With Friends

One of the challenges with going off to school is trying to keep a part of your old life intertwined with your new life. I'm lucky because I know quite a few people that are going to my university from home, but a lot of people don't get that. It's hard to keep in contact with your friends from home, whether they've gone off to other schools, stayed back for a year, or moved to other places. It's tough, and if you ask a lot of people, they're going to tell you that it just isn't possible. I'm going to be honest, a lot of people try, and it just doesn't work - but it can.
Even I'm finding it hard to stay connected to some of my old friends.
I think one of the hard concepts to grasp is that people grow and change... And sometimes we don't understand that and just can't realize that people can grow apart. At times, all it takes is people to grow apart so that they can come together again.
Sometimes we just have to learn to let people go, so they can grow, and so we can grow. Just because you're saying goodbye to someone for now, it doesn't mean it's for forever.
But you know what? You can totally still keep in contact with you friends or girlfriends or boyfriends and whatnot. There's someone on my floor who has a girlfriend back in California, and he's in Ontario. Another girl on my floor lives 10 hours away form her boyfriend. Both of these couples have found ways to make their relationships work. I have a friend at school that is originally from British Columbia, and she's going to school here in Ontario. She still keeps in contact with her friends.
With so many kinds of social networking websites and programs that help us connect to people, facebook, twitter, tumblr, skype, computers, and our phones, the world makes it pretty easy to keep in contact with people.
In the end, it takes two people, and it takes effort from both sides to make something work.
Distance can kind of be like a test; a test to see who is worth the trouble and who is worth it to you.
All in all, I think it's also important that you try to keep old friendships, but also make new ones. If you're always surrounding yourself with the same people, then you're never getting to experience new people. While making new friends can be scary, it's something that you definitely should try.

"Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other is gold."

I know this has kind of been a lame post, but really, keeping in contact is something that you're going to have  to deal with when you're going through school.
It can be sad, feeling like you're being left behind or forgotten, but the great thing is that you have the power to try and change these things, you can make an effort, and you can make new friends.
I've been through this, and you will too, or maybe you already have. I hope that you've made the right decision for YOU if you have already, and if you haven't yet, just stay true to yourself.

Choosing A Major

While this topic might not seem very relevant to people who are currently in college/university already, it actually could be! You might think that the people who are entering school next year only have to deal with this, but it's a concern that people presently enrolled have to worry about as well. People do switch majors, it happens! Let me just get this out there, I think it's complete BS that we have to plan our lives at 16/17/18. When I was applying for university, I was only 16, yet trying to plan the rest of my life. For most of our lives, we're told to act like adults - yet we're never given the chance... until you have the decision to choose your major. Anyway, here are some tips for trying to figure out what you want to take!

You Can Switch Your Major

During the application process, yes, you are asked to apply to specific programs. Does this mean that you have to stick to that decision 100%? NOPE. A lot of people change majors - it's nothing to be ashamed of. If you get through your first year and realize that you've made a huge mistake, don't freak out too much! You can always talk to an academic adviser and get their help in deciding what you can do for the future. With that being said, just make sure to not make a decision too quick. I'll be honest, for the most part, first year courses suck majorly. They're very broad and all over the place and aren't specialized at all. That stuff comes usually in years 3 and 4. So if you're concerned about your major, but still interested in it, just keep in mind that it could get better.

You Can Choose A Double Major or Minor

A lot of people struggle with choosing between two different programs. If you find two programs that you absolutely LOVE, then look into doing either a double major or minor. A lot of times you can't add a minor until at least your second year, so you have time to look into different possibilities. Just keep in mind when picking courses for first year what courses you might need to take second year for your minor - pay attention to prerequisites. 

Listen To Your Heart

Unless you have a crazy supportive family, then you'll probably have people trying to tell you what to go to school for. When I told my dad that I was going to major in psychology, he got really mad. When I told a family friend, I got the reaction "ARE YOU CRAZY?". I know how hard it is to go against what my parents wanted. (well, parent... my mom was supportive and just wanted me to be happy) Don't choose a program because that's what's expected of you. Do what YOU want. This is your life, and you're the one that's going to have to live with the decision. Really, you're going to be tens of thousands of dollars in debt - wouldn't it be better to love your degree than to spend all that time and money and hate it? University/college is the time to find who you are, maybe it's time to start with choosing what to go for.

Think About Future Job Opportunities

I'll be honest with you, some degrees are kind of useless. While I definitely want you to follow your heart and do what you want to do, I think it's also practical to think about the future, and what you're going to end up doing what the degree. 

Your Major Isn't Your Career

When picking a major, keep in mind that just because you pick a certain major, it doesn't mean that it's going to end up being your specific career. Take psychology for example. The first thing you think is a psychologist, but that's no necessarily true! While that is a choice, there are so many more... A social worker, a teacher, a counselor, working in a R&D department - and so many more. Just make sure to keep in mind that the possibilities are quiet endless, you never know where your degree will take you!

Good luck in choosing your major!
If you ever need some help with figuring out what you want to do, talking to the student services or academic advisers at your school can help!
Or, if you want to send me a message, maybe I can help you figure out some things... I've been through it before! :)

Happy Valentines Day! ...Lets Talk About Mental Health

Happy Valentines Day, everyone!
I hope you have a lovely day today, whether you're celebrating with a special someone, spending it by yourself, or celebrating with friends and family. If you're spending it alone, there's no need to be upset about it! There are so many things that you can still celebrate, your love for friends, family - and mainly yourself.
Sometimes with all the chaos in life, we forget to care for ourselves; our bodies, and our mental health.
I decided that now would be a good time to bring up the topic of mental health.
When people hear the phrase 'mental health' a lot of them just shrug it off, like it's something that doesn't really matter or pertain to them. They really don't realize how wrong they truly are.
Everyone has a certain degree of mental health, when you have good mental health, well, good for you! That's awesome. When you have bad mental health is when problems can occur. 

Being a teenager and turning into an adult is hard enough, without throwing in university or college into the mix. Combine these together and you get this mix of stress and confusion and freedom and so much more. Some people handle this change well, while on the other side, some people don't handle it very well. 

Mental health has a negative stigma attached to it - and it makes it hard for people to ask for help. It's just so horrible that someone can be suffering so much, and in silence, just because they're afraid that they'll be looked down on, or that someone won't take them seriously. Personally, I believe that this is total BS. No one deserves to suffer, especially in silence. As a society, we really need to work on this, or else this is a problem that isn't going to go away - it's going to get worse. 

The good thing is that things are happening to help get rid of this!
On Tuesday, Bell had a campaign going called Bell Lets Talk. How it worked was that if you tweeted and tagged it with #BellLetsTalk, they donated 5 cents to mental health initiatives. It happened on facebook too, if you shared their picture then they would also donate 5 cents. 

1 in 5 Canadians will have some kind of mental illness at least once in their lives. 

There are so many different kinds of mental illnesses that one can suffer from, just to name a few: schizophrenia, depression, substance abuse, eating disorders, anxiety disorders ect. All mental illnesses are bad, and they all deserve treatment. 

In university and college, it's quiet easy to lose yourself and end up lost.
I know it can be really hard to tell if someone is suffering, but if you know someone that you think could be wrong with someone you know, or even if you suspect that you might be suffering with something - please talk to someone. On your campus there are probably mental health counselors that can help you and help you decide what the next step is.
Really all I'm trying to say is that you deserve the best, even if you might not believe that right now. If you need help, get it, please.
If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here. If it's anything really serious, there are help lines for pretty much everything - I'd post them here but each area has different ones.
Anyway, that's enough of me ranting for right now. Happy Valentines Day, and I hope you take the time to remember to love and appreciate yourself.

<3

Doing Good For Your Community

I know when you're in school sometimes it's hard to imagine getting all of your work done, and you don't really have the time to think about giving back to your community. But really, there are so many opportunities that are available to you that don't actually take that much time!
In my residence I live in an LLC (Living learning community) and the one that I chose was Leadership and Volunteerism. So pretty much on my floor there's 9 of us in total, we have a peer mentor and each month we participate in an event that enables us to give back to the community.
We've volunteered at an event called Shinerama for Cystic Fibrosis and stood outside for a few hours getting donations, made lunch for the local outreach and support center for teens, and today we donated blood. Unfortunately, I was unable to donate blood because for my height and weight I don't have enough blood - but I really encourage those of you who are able to.

Honestly, donating your time doesn't sound too fun, but there are so many opportunities that you can find. The hard part is finding something you're interested in. Something that I did in high school to get my mandatory volunteer hours was train dogs! You might not be able to find somewhere that you can do that, but I know local animal shelters and human societies are always looking for help.
If you like running, there's always runs and walks that are looking for people to cheer runners on, hand out water and other things.
If you like people, try your local homeless shelter!

Really, your time could make such a difference in someones life - the choice is yours!

Snow Day Surprise

The great winter gods of Canada have blessed us with a snow storm, and today actually is a snow day for me! Woo for long weekends. As great as snow days are, sometimes they can be a bit boring - usually roads are really nasty and you don't want to get into an accident so everyone just stays inside. So, I'm going to provide you with a few things to do to make your snow day (or just normal day... with snow) not so boring!

1. Get Caught Up/Ahead On Work

Yeah, I know, sounds boring. But it's my duty as your university blogger to make sure you don't completely neglect your work. Maybe read a page or two of that textbook you've never opened but should be done... Or at least make a title page for that 10 page paper you should be writing, okay?

2. Play In The Snow

Seriously, you're never too old to play in the snow. Grab a bunch of your friends, and get out there! Build a snowman, make a fort, have a snowball fight, make snow angels, go tobogganing (use lids off of containers if you need to). But really, don't be afraid to get out there and have fun - no one wants a party pooper!

3. Movie Day

If you aren't feeling well (there's a pretty nasty cold going around at my school) or you're just not a fan of the cold weather, snuggle up with some blankets, popcorn, hot chocolate and some movies! You could have a movie marathon... Some ideas:  Harry Potter, Bring It On, Lord of the Rings, The Matrix, Mission Impossible, James Bond, Pirates of the Caribbean, Transformers, Nicholas Sparks Movies (get the tissues ready)

4. Bake

Get together with your BFFs, grab a cake mix and make a creation! If you're feeling really adventurous  you can try a rainbow marble cake! (Instructions here - http://www.paisleyjade.com/2011/05/marbled-rainbow-cake.html)

5. Build a Fort

If you never made a fort when you were a child, I feel sorry for you - because you have been deprived. Get all the blankets in your house/room and make a blanket fort! Not only is it a fun thing to do, but then you have a really cool place to spend the rest of your day.

6. Board Games Day

Get old school and dust off that old version of monopoly and have a games day with your family, friends, housemates, girlfriend/boyfriend or whoever you can find! Collect all the old board games (or any other games for that matter) and make it fun! 

7. Snow Day Party

Yeah it could be short notice, but hey, we're university/college students so we're okay with throwing together a party on short notice... as long as it means we get to party! Make it winter themed, or just have a good time.

In the end, the main thing is just to stay safe everyone! :)
Comment with your ideas/how you spend you day!

I'm Still Here!

Hey guys, I know I haven't posted in a few days - I'm sorry!
But I just wanted to make a post to tell y'all that I'm still here and I'll resume blogging soon.
Right around now is midterms and I have papers to procrastinate and tests not to study for. (just kidding... well, kinda.)
Anyway, I'll probably have a post up in the next few days :)
Good luck on your midterms everyone!

Living in Residence

One of the big choices with going to school is deciding whether or not to live in residence on campus. Personally, I took the plunge and moved away from the home to live in residence.
Now, I'm not really sure what it's like at other universities, but there there's two different types, traditional and non-traditional. The traditional is how you would think a normal dorm room would be, just a bunch of furniture - but here that's divided down even further. You can either be in a single or a double, and depending on what building you get put in, you could end up sharing a bathroom with your whole floor or 1-2 other people. The non-traditional puts you in a townhouse with 4 other people, along with 2 bathrooms and a full kitchen. Again, divided up into doubles and singles.
Anyway, now that you've heard about the boring-ness of how the residence system works here, the point that I'm trying to say is that you're ALWAYS AROUND PEOPLE.
You are never really alone when you're living in residence. Whether you're seeing other people, living with them, hearing them, or anything else - there's always someone.
And the fact about people is that we're not perfect, and there's always going to be the people that annoy you, and that make you crazy. Dealing with these people suck, but it's a big part of being in residence! Here are some tips for dealing with residence and the people involved in it.

1. Give People A Chance
Within 15 seconds of meeting someone, you've already judged them, you've already made up your opinion about them. How much can you lean about someone in 15 seconds? Nothing. Because you never really truly know someone. Something I've learned over the course of my stay here so far is that you really need to give someone a real chance before you make up your mind about them. People will really surprise you. You might become best friends with that person who you thought was a complete bitch, or you might realize that the really nice girl a few doors down is a backstabber. Please, just try not to make a snap judgment about someone.

2. If Something Is Bugging You, Speak Up
Obviously something that you're going to encounter at university/college is parties - anywhere and anytime. They can be loud and obnoxious and bug the hell out of you. If the people above you are partying every night until 4am, and it's getting in the way of your sleep and studies and just your life - you need to speak up. There are ways that you can 'anonymously' complain, call your don (in my residence each room has a phone), facebook them, text them, or whatever. If something is bugging you that much, then it's not right for you to have to put up with it.

3. Be Respectful
On the other hand, if you're the one that's partying, try not to do it all day every day. Friday and Saturday nights are acceptable - Monday nights, not so much. If you want to play music, keep it quiet! No one wants to her Gangam Style while they're trying to study for their midterm. Keep the common room clean, it's called a common room for a reason - everyone uses it!

4. Try To Make Friends On Your Floor
Obviously you're not going to be best friends with every single person on your floor. Some of the people you're going to love, while just the sight of some of them will piss you off. Ignore the people who you don't like - no one like floor drama. But really, it is nice to have friends on your floor.

5. Come To Terms With The Bathroom Situation
If you're sharing a bathroom with your whole floor (like me) it's going to feel pretty weird at the beginning. I was so scared to shower for like, the first month! (don't worry, I still showered... Just at weird times) I was scared I would be like, walking out in a towel and one of the guys was going to come in or something, I don't even know what I was scared of now. Looking back, it seems pretty silly, but it definitely took some getting used to. Really though, don't hog the shower in the morning! Some people need to get to class and that's not going to happen if you decide to take your sweet time.

6. Keep Food In Your Room
Vending machines can get expensive, and sometimes you just don't want to talk to the cafeteria. I really suggest having a mini fridge if you're living in residence. Keeping food in your room is great because then you can decide what you have, and what you don't. If you know you're going to be temped to eat something, then just don't keep it in your room. If you have a morning class and the cafeteria isn't open yet, then keep some granola bars or fruit or cereal in your room.

7. Take Advantages Of Residence Events
At my university, every Sunday we have this thing called crew. Crew is when people from the whole building are invited to get together and participate in something, whether it's a movie night, playing capture the flag outside, watching the superbowl (tonights activity) or even carving pumpkins! I never go, and sometimes I regret it. Okay, well, usually I don't, but when there's food involved I do. But that's just not my thing, but if getting together with a group of people and doing things is yours, then make sure to see if your residence has anything like it - if not, suggest something!

8. Take Advantage of the Caf, But Beware
As much as cafeteria food sucks, take advantage of not having to cook and do dishes while you can. Yeah, it sure sucks eating the same stuff every day, but next year you're going to have to find time to grocery shop, cook, clean and whatnot. Just make sure to not have fries and a dessert with every meal - you WILL gain weight. The freshman 15 is not a myth, it is a real thing and if you're not careful it does actually happen.

9. Don't Go Too Crazy With Your Newly Found Freedom
While it is really tempting to always just do what you want and party and drink and have tons a fun - ultimately, is that the reason why you came to school in the first place? I'm paying $15,000 to be here, and I'm going to get my moneys worth and not flush it down the drain. While it can't be all work and no play, it also can't be all play and no work. Find a good balance for yourself, and don't go too crazy.

10. Be True To Yourself 
All the way through school we're taught about peer pressure. I'm not going to lie, there definitely is pressure at university to do certain things. But the pressure isn't in the way that they always told us it would be. It's not always going to be someone standing there with a beer or a joint or whatever saying "Take it or you're going to be a loser." It's kind of invisible pressure. Honestly, I think most of the pressure is pressure that we you put on yourself. It sucks to be an outcast, and the only person not doing something. I know how it feels, because I don't drink. Frosh week was horrible because it was just people partying the whole time... And I doubted my decision to stay sober a few times. Sometimes it's just easier to go along with what everyone else is doing instead of sticking to your decision. I'm totally not saying that you can't drink - if you want to, go right ahead. Just remember that it's just as bad to judge someone for not doing something as it is to judge someone for doing something. Stick to your decisions and just be who you are - you will find people who have the same views on things as you do, don't you worry.

Well that's all for now, I have a midterm to study for! :)
Keep in mind these are just a few things about living in residence that I've learned! I still have a few more months to go, and I'm sure I'll learn a hell of a lot more.
If you ever have a topic that you want me to do a post about, or some advice - feel free to write a comment! You can do it anonymously if you don't want me knowing who you are, if that's what's holding you back.

Job Hunting

Now's the time where all of us students should start thinking about where we're going to work over the summer. Being a student, getting a summer job isn't really optional for most of us - school's expensive! What we do have a choice in is where we're going to work! I'm in the same boat as all of you guys, so I'm going to share some of my job hunting tips with you!

Start Early
This is one that I learned the hard was last year, when I almost ended up jobless for the summer. Make sure you start looking for a job early... aka. now. Yes it might seem early, but there's going to be so many people applying in the next few months it's better to be early than late. This way you know you won't miss deadlines to submit applications and you'll get pretty much first pick at jobs.

Be Willing To Get Certifications
A lot of jobs now require different certifications, whether it's your first aid, cpr, or getting something like your smart serve (in Ontario it's your qualification to serve alcohol). Even if you don't have the qualifications when you're applying or during your interview, make sure they know that you're willing to get these certifications and qualifications - it'll make you seem like you're willing to do what it takes to get the job.

Dress for the Occasion
When you're going in and handing resumes to places, you don't have to be dressed like you're going for an interview. With that being said, it's also not good to look like a slob. Depending on where you're working, try to tailor your outfit to more towards that, so you fit in.

Apply Everywhere
Even if you think the job is way out of your league, apply anyways! You never know, they could see something special in you.

Follow Up
Some employers are looking for people who seem dedicated and who really want the job. If you are really interested in a job and you've applied but haven't heard anything back, call them and follow up with it.

When In Doubt, Start In Fast Food
While no one really wants to flip burgers all summer long, fast food is a good place to start. My mom works in the office of a store, and sometimes helps with hiring - she said that immediately if they see places like McDonalds, Wendys, Tim Hortons and other places like that, those people go to the top of their list. Fast food shows that you're able to work fast and you can work under pressure. Even if you just work a month at one of these places, you're still getting experience, then while getting your experience there you can go look for a better job.

Physically Hand In A Resume
In a world that is full of electronics, sometimes they create more of a barrier than anything. If you have the choice between handing in your resume in person or emailing it in, do it in person! You could also do both - I got a job once because I applied several times and they figured that if I was persistent enough, then I must have really wanted it. Anyway, apply in person and be confident!

Try Looking Online
A lot of malls now have an employment section on their websites, and it'll show you what stores are hiring, what they're hiring for, and how to apply. That way you know what places to be sure not to miss! Also, you can check websites like kijiji. It may sound a little sketchy, but there are some legitimate job postings on it - just be really careful and do some research first! Lastly, just google something like "part time/summer jobs in ________" fill in whatever area you're looking at, and you should be presented with a plethora of websites that will show open jobs in your area.

Good luck on the job hunting everyone, and I hope you get your dream job!

Self Esteem & Body Issues

          

          Many people think that only girls have problems with their bodies, that only girls are insecure, and only girls can struggle with self esteem and body issues.
WRONG.
That's so wrong it even deserved to be in capitals.
          It doesn't matter who you are, you can experience low self esteem and not be happy with your body and how you look. You can be young, old, a girl, a guy, something in between, and it doesn't matter what you identify as or with - YOU can experience these issues.
Society now puts so much pressure on us, how we're supposed to look, act, do, even what we're supposed to feel. And that is just wrong.
          Being at university or college definitely doesn't make it easier on us students, I'll be honest. If you were the most attractive person in high school, now you're faced with a ton of people who were in the same situation. Now, you're just another person. If you weren't at the top or even in the middle, now you have so many other people to compete with... And to compare yourself with.
          That's one of our biggest problems, we're always comparing ourselves to other people. We think that this is how we can judge our self, based on others. But the truth is, we can't. Every single person is unique in their own way and to base your self worth in comparison to someone else just isn't logical. But yet we do it anyways. Again and again and again.
          Going off to school has made these issues so much worse for people. I won't lie, me included. So many horrible things stem from these types of issues, and yet so many people still suffer from them. It's so easy to go unnoticed, to blend into the background, and to be suffering silently. It's easy to throw a smile on your face, and pretend that there's nothing wrong. It's easy to cry when no one is looking, and to have such horrible thoughts going through your mind. It's easy to have a negative outlook, especially when it comes to yourself. It's easy to be so shy because you're afraid of being judged. It's easy to be so self conscious that you never see how truly amazing and beautiful and great you are. It's easy to do all of these things, but it's really easy for this to happen when you're away at school. Gaining a few pounds in high school sucked, but at university or college, oops, now you're on your way to the freshman 15. Everyone around you could be so different, yet so the same. You like something that no one on your floor does? You're now the new 'freak'. Being away from home you're now completely in charge of yourself, and it's easy to get caught up in so many other things. But you know what? It's so easy to remember your flaws than to think of the things that are great about you. You're going to remember everything that isn't right about you, and forget what makes you unique. Being different isn't a curse - it's a gift, and we all have it. 

One of my favourite authors, Jodi Picoult, said it best:

“When you're different, sometimes you don't see the millions of people who accept you for what you are. All you notice is the person who doesn't.” 

          Being different isn't a bad thing, personally I think being different is a good thing. As a society, and as a world we really need to work on the idea of accepting. Accepting people for who they are, and accepting them without trying to change them. Every day, we're bombarded with things that we should do so that we can be 'better' but really, who has the right to dictate this? No one.

          Anyway, getting back to my original point - self esteem and body issues are things that can stem from a young age, and if they're not taken care of in the right way there can be major repercussions in the later years. By the age of 6 girls are already starting to be concerned about their weight. Age. Six. Girls aren't the only ones to suffer from distorted views of their bodies - 10 million men suffer from eating disorders at least once in their life - and 20 million women do. (Statistics for the US) The Canadian statistics for 2002 say that 1.5% of girls ages 15-24 have had an eating disorder, and those are from 10 years ago. These statistics have been on the rise ever since, and will continue to do so until some serious has been done. 

          Eating disorders aren't the only things that are affecting students though, just having low self esteem and self confidence is detrimental enough. Self harm is another huge issue that can go along with this as well. Horrible isn't the word to describe it, but that's the best I can come up with. It is just so horrible to think that someone can be so upset about their appearance and so upset with them self that they make the decision to harm them self. No one deserves to feel like this, yet so many people do. 

          While I'm not saying that everyone who deals with these issues are going to end up having an eating disorder or self harming, I'm saying that it can happen, it does happen, and it happens more than you would think.
          Next time you see someone that looks like their having a bad day, compliment them. Appreciate people, and take them as they are. Appreciate yourself. Love yourself. Yes, I know that's easy to say, but hard to actually do, all I'm asking is for you to try. 

          You are so amazing, and I really hope that you realize this at some point. Why? Because you deserve to be happy, and be happy with yourself and who you are! Getting confidence is hard, but it's not impossible. Work at it. You're going to have bad days, but those are just the pathway to the happy ones. Forget what everyone says about how you're supposed to look - screw what they say. If you want to dress a certain way, do it. If you don't want to lose weight, then don't - own those pounds!

         I know this wasn't like my usual posts, but it needed to be talked about. I hope all of you reading this has a great day, and know that I believe in you. Show the world how awesome you are. 

Healthier Cafeteria Choices

Eating healthy at the cafeteria is hard. Really hard. With so many choices, it really seems easier usually go grab a burger and fries rather than actually thinking about what would be better. After coming home for the weekend today, it was not so subtly pointed out that it appears that I've gained a lot of weight (always what you want to hear...) so I think I'm going to try and be a bit healthier from now on.
Now, I'm not saying I'm going to be eating vegetables for all meals everyday, because I know that personally, I just can't do that. But I'm going to try and put a bit more thought about what I'm putting into my body.
Here's a few healthier choices that I've come up with:

Instead of... A BURGER
Try... A GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST
A grilled chicken breast on a bun is just a variation of a burger, but a healthier choice. You can still put all your favourite toppings on top (or you can be old school like me and just use ketchup) but instead of having the greasy-ness of the burger, it's just a piece of chicken.

Instead of... PASTA
Try... STIR FRY
At my university, there's a whole stir fry station in one of our cafeterias - and it's a huge hit. You can choose what vegetables to put on it, and if you want noodles or rice. It's not extremely healthy, but it's a better choice compared to a pasta dish with alfredo sauce.

Instead of... PIZZA
Try... A SANDWICH
Sandwiches are super easy, and you can make them to suit your taste buds. Pile it up with your fave toppings, add your cheese in there, and some places will even grill it for you! At my cafeteria we have a choice of about 8 different breads, even a spinach wrap! Play around with different toppings until you determine what you like best.

Instead of... POP
Try... A SMOOTHIE
Smoothies are yummy and refreshing, and will have natural sugars in them rather than the artificial ones that are put into things like Coke and Pepsi. Not only is it a great drink, but you are getting some of your daily doses of fruit too. A smoothie will be a lot more filling if you happened to be in a hurry and have to miss lunch, and you can try different combinations of fruits.

Instead of... PIECE OF CAKE
Try... FRUIT CUP
At the beginning of the year, the mentor for my floor told us that if we wanted to avoid getting the freshman 15, then don't get a dessert after every meal. Personally I tend to avoid the desserts at the cafeteria because a lot of them have nuts, which I don't like. But I know a lot of people that usually get a few a week. Instead of going for the piece of cake or that brownie, maybe try getting a fruit cup instead!

Instead of... BREAKFAST SANDWICH
Try... CEREAL
Now this is one that I personally struggle with because my cafeteria makes the best breakfast sandwiches ever. But instead of that, you can go for a bowl of cereal (hopefully not the one with the most sugar) and some milk. A good one to try is Special K! It's like Rice Krispies for adults, and while it's a healthier alternative, it doesn't taste like complete crap. (Just make sure that it's not expired... Last week I identically bought a expired multi-pack of cereal from the cafeteria...)

Instead of... FRIES
Try... SALAD
If you just want something quick to eat in your hour break in between classes, try grabbing a salad instead of a plate of fries! If you're looking for something more filling, you can try a chicken ceasar salad which can work for lunch or dinner! My school has a grilled salad station so you can get chicken ceasar salad, apple pecan salad, and cobb salads.

Remember guys, the goal isn't to necessarily lose weight, but to try to become healthier and more aware of what is going into our bodies! Just keep that in mind, and you'll be fine :)

*If you ever have a topic or subject that you want me to write about, just leave a comment and I'll be sure to write something up for you!

Dealing With Stress

University and College is stressful, there's no doubt about it. With so many things to worry about, sometimes it seems like all the stress just piles up until you finally crack.
Don't worry, just breathe, and know that it'll all work out.
Here's some tips about dealing with stress... Whether you're in school or not I think they'll be helpful for everyone.

Don't Stress About Stress
I've done it before, and there's a good chance that you have too. Sometimes we just get so stressed that we start stressing about being stressed. (How did I managed to write stressed 3 times in that sentence?) Freaking out about everything you need to do it's not going to help, and it probably won't make you feel better. The first step for getting rid of stress is just taking a big breath and calming down.

Figure Out What Needs To Be Done
Make a list of what all needs to be done, in order from the closest thing to the farthest away. Also, rate these things based on importance and how long they're going to take you. Divide and conquer! This way you'll be able to have a clear idea of what you need to do, and when.

Plan Ahead
I've mentioned it so many times before, but I'm still going to say it again. GET A WALL OR DESK CALENDAR. Or agenda. Whatever works for you. When you are told a date that something is due, write it down. At the beginning of every week, check to see what you have coming up in the next week or two.

Stress Ball or Glitter Jar
A simple way to help relieve stress is getting a stress ball. If you don't want to buy one, they're super easy to make! Just get a balloon and fill it with flour, and then tie the end! Simple as that. Something else that you can use is a glitter jar. A glitter jar is a jar filled with water and sparkles. Whenever you get really worked up about something, you shake it (like a Polaroid picture) and then you watch it until the glitter has settled - by then you might have been calmed down.

It Can't Be All Work And No Play
Yeah, it may seem like if you work for the next 2 weeks completely on your work then it'll get it out of the way and then you can have fun... But we know that's not going to work. If you don't include having fun into your routine once in a while, it'll just suck. Having fun is a good way to get rid of stress, so make sure to leave some time for hanging out with friends.

Find Something That You Like To Do
Whether you like to listen to music, run, dance, sing, knit, paint, read, or anything else - find something. When you're enjoying something, then you're more likely to be relaxed while doing it. Doing this can be an excellent distraction, and sometimes that's all you need, a little something to distract yourself. Experiment and find something that you're passionate about, and use this to your advantage.

Sometimes All We Need Is A Good Cry
While crying isn't going to help the situation, sometimes it can help us feel a little bit better inside. Personally, I'm the type of person that sometimes breaks down and cries when they get really frustrated with something. Don't be afraid to cry, it's not a sign a weakness. Just remember that when you're done with your tears, start again and keep going.

Talk To Someone
Sometimes just talking to someone about your problems can make you feel better. Call up your parents or your friend, your boyfriend or girlfriend. A nice rant session can do wonders. You never know, someone else might had a different perspective on something that could help you deal with your problems.

With all the stress in our lives, sometimes we just need to take a step back and collect ourselves. Everyone gets stress, it's nothing to ashamed about!
You got this, now show the world what you can do.

Doing Laundry The Right Way

I figured that since I'm sitting in the laundry room with my roommate right now (yes, at 9:00 on a Saturday night, we're so exciting) now would be a good time to do a post about doing laundry.
While it seems so simple, doing laundry is a skill that you're going to need for the rest of your life. It's really shocking how many people go off to school and don't know how to do their own laundry (me included).
About the second week of school the laundry room was pack and it was pure chaos. The most often thing you'll hear is "Is this a light or a dark?!" I also got asked a few times but some guys how bad your laundry will be if you don't use a fabric softener...
Anyways, the point is, YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO DO YOUR OWN LAUNDRY.
Here are some steps and tips on how to make doing laundry as painless as possible.

Step 1. Have Soap and Fabric Softener
It doesn't really matter which brand you use, just go with whatever your parents use at home! Personally, I use Tide Pods because it's a lot easier to carry a few little pods down to the laundry room in comparison to a huge jug of detergent. Make sure you also have some kind of fabric softener! Whether you use the liquid kind or the sheet kind, either works. Just keep in mind that if you use the liquid kind, you're going to have to watch for when the dryer gets to the rinse cycle, and then pour it in before the end of the load.

Step 2. Sort Your Laundry
Lights, darks, colours, delicates,  towels, bedding... There are so many different ways that you can sort your laundry. For me, usually I can get mine down to 2 or 3 loads, depending if I need to wash my towels. Lights and darks are the two you need to be careful with... I'm sure we've all mistakenly thrown in that dark/colourful item into our lights and being sure that it wont bleed... and then being completely wrong about the whole thing. (In my case, I turned all my while face cloths a light purple by washing them with my dark purple towels... oops)

Step 3. Know What Water Temperature You Want
Cold water has gotten a lot more popular in the past few years, but it all depends on what you want. When in doubt, I go for cold, but you can just ask your parents what they use!

Step 4. Put the Clothes In
When putting the clothes in, make sure your load isn't too big for the washer - that's not good! Also, make sure they're evenly spread around the middle.

Step 5. Put It In The Dryer
Next all you have to do is transfer your clothes from the washer to the dryer! Make sure you don't have anything in there that can't go in there, and if you do make sure to take it out. Put the clothes in the dryer, add some dryer sheets if you want, and then all you have to do is wait for about an hour.

Step 6. Fold or Hang the Clothes
If you fold or hang your clothes right after they come out of the dryer, then they're less likely to get wrinkled.

Tips:
- Check to see if the laundry room is busy. It's usually pretty packed Sunday nights, so try to go at odd hours if you need lots of machines (my whole building only has 8 of each, so it gets really busy!)
- Get a basket or bag. I started out with using a really big re-usuable bag to lug my laundry, and actually ended up breaking it - so now I'm using a laundry hamper. You want something that is going to be easy to carry and strong enough to hold your laundry
- Bring work to the laundry room. I know a lot of people put their stuff in and leave, but I personally like to stay in the laundry room while it's washing and drying. I'm not worried about people stealing my stuff, but the laundry room is a great place to get work done without distractions!
- Do laundry with a friend. Most things are for fun when you have company, laundry included! I usually end up doing laundry with a friend that way we both get something done that's necessary and we don't have to go alone.
- Wear something cool. Not cool as in like, lookin' good, because lets be honest, if you're doing laundry then you're probably down to your last pair of sweats, so you probably aren't runway worth. What I mean is that wear something that you're not going to get really hot in. If all of the dryers are going, then the room is probably going to get really hot.
- Check the lint catcher. You'd be surprised at how much lint one load can generate... So make sure to scoop it out and throw it out!

Good luck, and I hope your favourite white t-shirt doesn't turn pink!

Getting Sick at School

Winter's here, and it's brought all the nasty colds and flu's with it. While getting sick just sucks in general, getting sick at school sucks even more. In some of my lectures you can't even hear what the prof is saying because there's so many coughing an sniffling. Ew. Being at school makes it so much easier to get sick, especially if you're living in residence, germs spread as fast. Here are some tips to avoid getting sick, and what to do if you do happen to get sick (like me!)

1. Wash Your Hands
Wash your hands or sanitize them as much as possible. It will help to eliminate germs! If you're sick, then make sure to do it a lit - I recommend carrying a little bottle of hand sanitizer with you. Bath and Body Works has a lot of really nice smelling ones, and when they're on sale you can get them 5 for $5.

2. Drink Lots of Water
If you have a sore throat or a cough, then avoid drinking milk and dairy products. It'll make you feel worse and it won't help your cough get better! Drink water and stay hydrated.

3. Take a Vitamin
You probably aren't eating as healthy as you should be, which means you might be lacking necessary vitamins that your body needs. An easy way to solve this is to take a multivitamin once a day, that way your body is getting everything that it needs.

4. Kleenex and Lots of It
Stock up on Kleenexes  No one likes that one person who refuses to blow their nose, and they just sniffle all day, gross. Get boxes of them, and keep a few Kleenexes in your pockets and purses and backpacks - you can never have too many!

5. Use the Appropriate Medication
Make sure to take the right meds based on your symptoms, and don't over or under medicate yourself. Don't take nyquil before your 9 am class, you will probably pass out and possible have the snore and drool combo - not cool.

6. Check Health Services
See if your school has a health services center if you feel something could be really wrong with you. Some sicknesses are quite contagious, like strep throat and mono. You can easily be tested for these and it'll save you the hassle of getting blamed for your whole floor being stick in quarantine.

7. Dont Share Drinks
Seriously, though. Don't be stupid and share your drinks with people, they don't want your icky germs or cooties.

8. Separate Yourself If You Can
If you live close enough, maybe go home for a few days if you're feeling really bad, or at leas try to stay in your room and not get other sick. Its bad enough being sick, but it's even worse living on a floor with 10 sick and very cranky people.

So that's it for now, feel better if you're sick! :)

Dressing for the Occasion

With so many new trends always coming out, it's hard to focus on the ones that are worth trying, especially in university/college. Sometimes there's just no time to look cute, and whatever doesn't smell is the first thing that makes it on you. That's okay! But, for those times where you do consider what to wear, here are some choices for different occasions!

Dress To Impress: Interview

Dressing the part for an interview is always important! While you don't have to look super fancy, looking professional is always key. In this outfit I paired a few basic things to make a great interview outfit.

Here's a formula for a great int

1. Blazer - A blazer is a great thing to have in your wardrobe. Whether you need it for an interview, or it becomes part of your daily wardrobe, you can never go wrong with a great black blazer. They come in all different price ranges and you can get some for pretty cheap.

2. Nice Tank Top - When picking a shirt, make sure you're not showing too much cleavage. Pick a nice but modest looking one, I chose this one because it gives a nice pop of colour.

3. Leggings or Dress Pants - I've worn both for an interview, so choose what you're more comfortable in.

4. Flats or Heels - Again, up to you! Whatever you feel comfortable in :)

Class

I've put together two different outfits here, both of them use the same basic pieces: Jeans, a cardigan, a tank top, and boots.

The first look I created is for those of you who dress up a little bit more, hence the sparkly top.
The second look is more simple, with a a plain but pretty coloured tank top and ugg-like boots. Add a scarf if you want to add a little bit more.
This is for any day of the week, when we all take a break from our sweatpants.

Going Out

Here I did two different types of outfits that you can wear when you're going out.

First: a little bit dressier and edgier. The black body-con skirt is really popular now, and you're going to see it everywhere. The shoes add a bit of an edgy vibe to the outfit. This can either be worn with the lace tank top, or the purple one.

Second: This is for those of you who aren't a huge fan of the whole tight, short skirt thing. You can totally look great, and feel more comfortable! For this look, I paired some black jeggings, a cream lace top and bright red heels to give it a pop of colour. You can also do it with the blue tank top, and switch the colour of your heels around - blue and red don't always go together. 

Weekend

Here's an easy going outfit look that I designed.

Sweatpants are comfy and great for weekends, or just anytime! Grab your favourite kind, a white t-shirt and throw on your fave sneakers or toms! Cute and comfortable.
Another possible option is putting on some comfy leggings and your favourite and well worn band shirt.

Business Casual Events

You never know when you're going to need a classy outfit thats not over the top, but not too frumpy either. Whether you're doing a presentation in front of your class, or going out to a nice restaraunt, you'll probably need something nice to wear over the course of your schooling.

A fit 'n flare dress in a different colour always works, pair it with some tights and either some ankle booties or flats with nice detail and you're ready to rock whatever you've got planned.

Afternoon (or eternity) at the Library

Studying is going to happen, so you might as well be comfortable while you're doing it. Throw on your comfiest jeans, your softest t shirt and some trusty converse, and you're ready to study the day away. Or, pull on your warmest sweater and your yoga pants, slip on your shoes, and you're out the door!

I hope some of these outfits helped you, with so little time in school sometimes it's hard to decide what to eat, nevermind what you're going to wear to the next party.
Enjoy :)

10 Tips For House Hunting

This post is for those of you who are starting to look at places to live next year. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of living in residence, so I'm really excited to live off campus this year! Currently I'm searching for a place to live with a few other people, and it's tough being first-time renters. It's a whole new experience and we weren't really sure how to go about a lot of stuff.
Since I'm currently going through this, here's a list of some tips that I've learned from this:

Look Early
If you're just starting to look now... Well, you came a bit late to the game - a lot of people have already signed leases by now. Don't get too freaked out though, you can still find a decent place. Looking for houses is early if you want to get the best bang for your buck, and the nicest house. It's also good if you/your group is picky.

Know Your Numbers
Not only know how much you can spend, but know how many people you're for sure going to live with. Signing a lease is a legal document, so if someone signs and then decides to drop out then they're going to have to still pay, or they're going to try to sucker you into doing it for them. To avoid this, make sure you know the people that you're living with are 100% dedicated to it. Another type of number to be concerned about it the price point. Talk to your group and set a maximum price that you're willing to pay, and only look at places that are within the price.

Location is Key
Most schools will have housing close by that is unofficially deemed student housing. These are the streets that you can walk down on a friday/saturday night and there will most definitely be some parties, or a few going on. If that's your thing, then that's the place for you. If not, think about getting a place away from this, because it's really going to piss you off if people are yelling and being typical drunks at 1am and you're trying to sleep. Another thing to look at is to make sure the neighbourhood is safe - throughout my search for a place to live we've seen some pretty trashy and dumpy looking places. You want to be safe in your place and not have to worry about putting 10 locks on your front door. Avoid they shady areas. Yesterday my future housemates and I were at an open house and a bunch of prospective renters were standing outside of the house and this guy pulled up in his car and asked us if we were the people giving out free weed... then asked if we were a church group. It's safe to say we decided that wasn't the house for us.

Think About Transportion
Does anyone have a car? Will you be walking to school, or using the bus? These are things to think about when looking for a place to live. You can find a beautiful place, but if it's going to take you an hour by bus to get to school everyday, is it really worth it?

Know Your Future Housemates
No one wants to be stuck living with people you hate, or even worse, people you don't know. Be careful that you don't end up living with 8 people - that could get hectic! Know who you're going to be living with, and make sure that you're going to be able to live with them without wanting to punch them in the face - or without actually punching them. If you have a problem with one of your housemates ideas, be honest about it, you don't want to get stuck in a situation that you don't want to be in.

Don't Get the First House You Find
Unless you absolutely love it and you couldn't imagine living anywhere else, look around. You never know what good deals and good houses that you're going to find. Don't settle on a house that is just okay because you don't want to spend the time looking at others. The time time you put into finding a house will pay off.

Are Utilities Included?
This is a big factor for my group while we've been looking at houses. We want utilities to be included in the price of our house each month, that way we don't have to deal with them. Decide if you want to have to pay for the on top of your house, or if they are included in the price.

Does it Come With Furnishings?
Some places will come with furnishings and some won't. It's most likely that they won't but you will find some that come with pretty much everything necessary. A lot of places won't need too much furniture - beds, desks, tables, chairs, couches - that kind of stuff. This can get costly, but you can also do it on the cheap. Figure out if anyone has any old furniture that they can contribute, and what you'll need to buy to make your future house unique.

Get To Know the Landlord
Landlords can be great and helpful, just make sure yours is actually going to do what they say. If something happens to go wrong with the house, for example, if the toilet starts leaking, they are in charge of fixing it. Make sure that they're the kind of person that's actually going to fix things and not just leave it. Something else to consider is, if you're in a house, who is going to handle the yard work. Is the landlord in charge of mowing the lawn, or are you?

Ask Questions
Make sure to take a tour of the houses, and ask questions! If they aren't willing to answer your questions, or they don't sound very knowledgeable about the property, then you might want to consider looking elsewhere.
Here are some good ones to ask:
- How much is the house per month?
- Will there be a security deposit?
- What needs to be payed upfront? (first/last months rent)
- What does the price include?
- Who else has access to the house?
- Will the locks be changed after the current residents move out?
- What stores/things are nearby?
- Will there be inspections?
- When does the lease start?
- How old are the appliances?
- Are pets allowed?
- Has the house been inspected for bugs?
- When was the last time the house was inspected?
- Does it come with cable/internet/phone?
- Who do you call when there are problems with the house?

Good luck on your search for a house, everyone!