Tag: organization

Categories
Fun Ways to Organize

Planning for a Trip (or Planning to Come Home)

Hello! Hello! Happy Tuesday friends!

As the holiday season winds down, college students, like myself are heading back to school. Back to school means bringing lots of your belongings to your dorm room. Everyone hates packing whether you are in college or not. We worry if we over packed or if we forgot something. My school is a few hours away, so I don’t travel home often. I tend to go home just on breaks. After traveling to and from school for two years now I have a system that works for me when packing. This system would also work when packing for business trips, family vacations, or weekend getaways. Here’s what works best for me.

  • Make a list. Make a list of everything you need to bring and how much you want to bring of it. For example, 5 t shirts, 4 shorts, 1 sundress. Be specific with your list as well, instead of writing jewelry, write gold necklace with hoop earrings. This makes it easier to identify what you are packing and its easier to organize your belongings when you are coming home. I write out a list when I’m planning what to pack and use it the whole trip and when I am leaving to come home to make sure I have everything I came with. *Tip for college students packing to go home*: make a list of things you need to buy or bring when you are at home. It helps to get all your shopping done at home and come back to school with a stocked dorm.
My latest list of things I need to get while I’m home
  • Only bring what you need. Whenever I plan to come home, I plan out exactly what outfits I want to wear. I also have clothes at home, so I try not to over pack or pack doubles. For example, I don’t bring sweatpants and hoodies home since I already have them. Also, when you are planning your winter vacations, prioritize what things you want to wear. Don’t forget to check the weather to make sure you plan accordingly for whatever Mother Nature has in store for you.

 

  • Plan what you want to do. Whenever I come home, I have a separate list for things I want to get accomplished. Things such as doctor appointments, seeing friends, or activities are all examples of things I write down. Whenever I come home, I try to space things out, so I’m not waiting till the last day to do my shopping, seeing friends and getting everything done. The same goes for when you are traveling. Make a list of everything you want to see or do while you are away.

    A list of everything I want to accomplish when I’m home!

As I plan to head back to school this week, I always keep these things in mind. There will always be stress in our lives, but if we can plan ahead to avoid these stressful situations it makes all the difference.

Categories
Fabulous living Fun Ways to Organize

How to Study for Finals and Prepare for the Holiday Season

It’s the most wonderful time of the year….or worst if you are a college student like myself. Finals week is upon us. Time to grab those note cards, pull out the highlighters, and make those study guides. Whether you are studying for finals, or if you aren’t a college student, making your Christmas lists, here are some tips to stay organized this time of year.

Studying for Finals:

-Prepare in advance. – Look to see when your finals are scheduled and plan out of when you want to study for them.

Here’s my day planner. I write down every assignment, meeting, and final down so I don’t forget anything.

– Prepare on your own. – Read through both your notes and textbooks and make your own study guide so you aren’t going back and forth between book and notebook.

-Seek help. – Although we don’t always like to admit it, we sometimes need help. Go to a tutor if you need help in a subject. See your professor with questions you may have while studying. Organize study groups to make sure you are covering all the information.

-Take Care of Yourself. – Finals and the end of the semester are stressful. But don’t forget to take care of yourself. You won’t do well on a test if you are half a sleep or if you are sick from not eating healthy. It may be tempting but try not to skip meals and allow yourself for enough sleep or take a nap if you need to.

Preparing for Christmas:

I am always on my laptop, these post it icons make it easy for me to remember what things I have going on from finals, homework assignments, and extra things I need to get done. Like my Christmas gifts. I like to have it all in one place

-Make a List (and Check it twice). – Make a list for everyone you want to buy gifts for. Think relatives, coworkers, friends, any gift exchanges. You don’t want to leave anyone out on your list.

-Plan out your Gifts. – Do some research and plan what gifts you want to purchase and for whom. This saves time walking around a store waiting for the perfect gift to find you.

-Buy then Wrap. – Get all your purchasing done then wrap your goodies. Put on a Christmas movie and wrap while you relax. It’s easier to wrap everything at one point rather then wrapping things separating at different times.

-Enjoy the Christmas Season. – The holidays can be stressful but It’s important to remember what really matters; family, friends, Jesus. Take time for the family traditions and make memories.

I hope these tips help with preparing for your finals or your Christmas shopping. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, be sure to spend it well with friends and family.

Categories
Fabulous living

A Day in the Life

Wanna know what a typical Tuesday is like for a college student? Well, you are in luck. I documented through photos a day in the life (last Tuesday 10/10/17.)  Granted, every day is different and unexpected things happen but, here’s a peak into my life. Just a warning! I’m not that exciting! Today was pretty average, some days are busier than others.

6:15 the alarm goes off and it’s time to start the day. Rise and shine. I check my phone, emails and social media to start off the day!
7:00After I get up and moving  I go through my morning routine,  making the bed, choosing my outfit, getting my face washed etc. After all that’s done it’s time for my hair and makeup. These are my favorite products! I will be doing a post soon about my makeup routine but until then here’s a quick peek.
Here’s what I’m wearing on this fall day. Jeans, Peep toe boots,and a silk top. I have a few classes and presentations today so I want to look professional and comfortable.
7:15After I am ready for the day. I have a morning ritual. I will do a whole post on this later but, to get a glimpse. I journal  first thing in the morning (this is a journal dedicated to a whole year of saying Yes. Highly recommend.) I also have an app where I get a daily prayer and reflection. Laudate is a great app for Catholics. Starting my day with silence is a great way to begin a day whether calm or crazy.

 

7:30
Breakfast after quiet time. I am into milk and dry cheerios right now. Healthy and hearty. I eat while I am starting on work.
7:45
Getting some blogging done, emails returned, and editing papers for classes. If I have any tests, I do a quick review too. This time allows me to get some work done without distractions. Also, if something comes up I have some spare time to fit it in.
9:00
After getting caught up and ready for the day. It’s time for a little down time before the day begins. I’m currently binge watching Friends, and I’m loving every minute of it. Plus the 20 minute episodes are perfect for a little tv time.
10:00
Class #1 for the day. Children and the Media Studies. We had group presentations on research studies. My group went today and it was a successful class.
11:30
Class #2 Creative Writing, in class we talked about Micro fiction and Fantasy vs. Reality.
12:45
Lunch Break!! For lunch I ate pasta and broccoli. A balanced meal in the middle of the day.
1;30 So here is where my day gets crazy. Typically I would do homework until my class at 2:30 but it got cancelled (it was a gift from Augustine-kudos if you pick up on that reference, that my Philosophy Class got cancelled, this class is no joke!!!) so instead I went back to my dorm and did homework, blogging, and worked ahead on projects for the afternoon. I also relaxed a bit and took advantage of a free afternoon. I saw some friends and hung out on a beautiful fall day!
4:45
Notice how  I haven’t mentioned the gym yet? That’s because due to a full day on Tuesdays and Thursdays I don’t go to the gym in the morning. I try not to overbook myself and leave free time in my day if I need it.  Also I give my body a break after working out every other day. I do go to my Pound Rockout Work out class at 5:00 when I  can make it on Tuesdays where I am heading now. Beautiful day on campus.
5:00 Pound Class with my girls! Shay (my gym guru) and Danielle my other close friend. We went, we sweat, we left in one piece! Such a good workout!
6:00 Dinner with the girls! After a good workout I ate chicken and salad for dinner and we got to catch up for a bit!
7:00
So from 7:00-9:00 is a bit of a blur. I finished homework, got organized for the next day and went over what things I had planned. I showered and relaxed. I even watched another episode of Friends which doesn’t happen often. It was nice to have an easier day and with my class being cancelled I got more done!
While I was unwinding I was craving something sweet! Chocolate is my weakness. I ate these while I was relaxing! I forgot to document but I went through 2 bottles of water though the day. Always hydrating!
9:00 unwinding after a busy and productive day by watching This Is Us. One of my favorite shows. As a mentioned in an earlier post, my shows are my me time. Watching something i enjoy is the perfect way to end a day!
10:00 One of my favorite parts of my day is catching up with my mom at the end of the day. Let me tell you, my mom is the best therapist!
10:22
And good night. I try to go to bed between 10:30-11:00. It doesn’t always happen, on days when i can get to sleep a few minutes earlier…I love it!

And there you have it! That’s a typical Tuesday for me, classes, work, friends, unexpected surprises, There is never a normal day. The day when I am not running in three different directions, is when you should be worried about me. If you are ever not feeling productive. Just document your day and you will see how much you get done. Trust me, you will be surprised.