Being Sick in College: 5 Tips and Tricks

If you are currently sick and away from home, welcome to the club.
Being sick itself is not a fun time, but being away from home where you're loving parents have cabinets on cabinets of medicine well stocked? Ugh.
So here are five medicine and comfort tips and tricks from a fellow college kid to help you get through this flu season:

1. Theraflu Nightime Multi-Symptom Severe Cold Tea (Green Tea and Citrus Flavors)
HOMIES! This stuff is the best. Don't shy away because it's a "tea." All you have to do is put water in a mug, microwave that for 1.5 minutes, then put the tea poweder in and stir. And it legit tastes like fruit juice! I take this within the hour of going to bed. It helps me get drowsy and stops my runny nose and cough for a few hours.
I promise you, this is an amazing product. At Walmart, it's about $6 for a box of 6 packets.

2. Rice Bags
Hear me out. You know those heating pads that you plug into a wall and it warms up? People usually use them for cramps and such. Well, here's a much cheaper, DIY version! I had a friend gift one of these to me my first year of college, and I still use it 4 years later! It's literally a bunch of rice in a cloth bag. I heat it up in the microwave for a few minutes and I'm good to go! When I'm sick, I like to put these at the end of my bed to keep my feet warm, or wherever I have aches and pains.
Click HERE to see how to make one for yourself!

3. Emergen-C
Okay, I have to admit. I don't really like the taste of this stuff, but there are multiple flavors and you an definitely mix it with other drinks and fruit add-ins! While this may not help you get over your cold, it can help prevent one from coming on!
Currently, Walmart is selling a box of 30 for $10, which boxes of 10 are $5.

4. Yoga 
I've had a cold for the past three days, and it has really messed up my workout schedule. As much as I want to get back to the track, I can't! I have a pounding headache and my body just wants to chill out. If you feel the same way, you'll be so excited at this link I found! It's a short yoga sequence for days when you're not feeling well. It'll get your blood flowing and strech your muscle, without overdoing it.
Click HERE to see the yoga sequence!

5.Sleep and Hydrate
These are obvious tips, but they are so important! You're going to need to prioritize here, especially if you're away at school. While classes are important, you probably don't need to be at your friend's house until 1 am. And if you can, try and take a quick nap between classes.
I always have a water bottle by my bed when I sleep, but when I'm sick I usually have two! It's so so so important to keep your body hydrated, even if you're not currently sick. Keep drinking those fluids! 

The Art of Organization

Welcome to a new week, friends! And a new week means new videos...

Today, our video is all about organizing your small space.

Watch above, or click HERE!
Here are three other tips we didn't mention in the video, but you lovely viewers get to read because you follow this blog:

calendar/planner

I mentioned planners in the video, but you may notice that I also write my To-Do's on a calendar as well. I put this calendar above my desk in my room so I can see it no matter where I stand in my room. Having the calendar as well as the planner helps me remember what I have going on, especially during busy weeks where I may not have a second to reach into my backpack and open up my planner.  

de-clutter

Cleaning your room can sometimes be a daunting task. You may have clothes on your bed, notebooks on your floor, and let's not even talk about your bathroom or kitchen. So if you're feeling overwhelmed but don't have hours to set aside, try and pick up and put away just three things right before you go to bed. And if you're feeling ambitious, make your bed in the morning! Trust me, it makes a world of a difference. 
When you do have a few hours to spare, you'll first want to clear your sleeping and work space. Get those random papers organized that have been sitting on your desk for days! You can even take the time to go through your closet and clean out (and donate!) the clothes you haven't worn in a while. 

utilizing your space

I talked about this a little in the video, but this is a very important key in staying organized when you live in any small space. In the video I mentioned using plastic drawers, which are great for storing clothes, just make sure you're folding your clothes the best way possible! Here's a helpful hint to make sure you're getting the most space from small dressers and drawers: 

 

 

Thanks for reading! Watch below or click HERE to watch last Friday's video which was all about the Iowa Caucus and what the candidates wore. 

Not sure what to give a friend for Valentines day on Sunday? Come back to our YouTube channel on Friday to see our video on easy, cheap, and cute Valentines DIY's!
 

College Bound: What To Bring And What To Leave

I wish I had read all the blog posts about "what to bring to college and what to leave at home" before I left for school in Idaho! I brought way too much stuff (and hauled it in a car for 17 hours) which took up tons of space in my room and storage unit. So here's a few items you should bring, should leave at home, and some different options for things you'll need!

• Notebooks, Pens & Pencils: You can buy these in your college town. Don't let this stuff take up space in your car/suitcase! And plus, college town Walmart's and Target's will usually have better sales in your new town right before school starts.
• Tee Shirts: Definitely bring one or two for lazy days, sleeping, or whatever, but don't bring more than that! They'll take up space and I promise you'll rarely wear them. Also, if you go to certain school sports games or club events, you can get free tee shirts! Just in one year at my new school, I've received about 4 new tee shirts!
• Iron & Ironing Board: Don't. Please don't bring it. Instead, try "wrinkle release spray"! It works so great, smells awesome, and takes no time at all. Seriously, this is a must-have for me. (But if you feel like you'll need something stronger, check out this steamer that Carly has reviewed!)
• Dishes & Other House Ware: For those moving into an apartment or who think you'll be cooking often, bringing dishes and cooking supplies may be a necessity. If you don't want to purchase paper plates and plastic forks, I would recommend emailing your roommates or friends you'll be going to school with and asking if you guys can share your kitchen supplies! One person buys the smoothie maker, the other person bring silverware and bowls. If you're not comfortable with that option, I would make the splurge to buy your own things. You will use that stuff for the rest of your life (if you keep it in good condition), so it may be worth the cost. If you're living in a place without a kitchen, you won't need more than one bowl, two plates, and  maybe 1 to 2 sets of silverware. Keep the rest at home to keep it nice!
• Mini Fridge: I'll just tell you right off the bat, I used my mini fridge the entire year. However, they can be expensive. If your dorm or apartment allows them but you're cautious about the money, email your roommate and ask if she wants to split the payment! Then at the end of the semester, you can sell it to incoming freshman or decide amongst yourselves who gets to keep it.
• Shoes: Bring one pair for exercising, one for other "less fancy" activity (like Vans or Converse), a fancy pair (heels or dress shoes), and a pair of everyday shoes like sandals that can be casual or dressed up. Trust me, you won't need more than those.
• Hair, Face, Etc Products: I'm not going to lie, having girls nights are the best at school. They're great for bonding with your new roommates or hosting a girls night when you need to catch up with friends and detox. So I would support bringing some nail polish (and get a cute box with a handle to haul it in). I support that because nail polish can get expensive, so you don't want to be spending money on something small like that. However, face masks are cheap! The single use masks are always around $1 and are super fun. If you're like me and have dyed hair, bringing your own hair mask will be important. But keep in mind, coconut oil once a week can do wonders for your hair, and you can use it for other things too (lotion, cooking,...)
• Jackets: This depends on where you're going to school! Since I'm in Utah, I need a nice coat for events, a snow jacket, and some lighter jackets for everyday wear. However, if you're in California or Florida, you may just need lighter weight jackets (which will be easier to pack and store too!). In that case, I would not take more than 3 jackets. That includes blazers and jackets you can pair with nearly every outfit you're planning on bringing!
• Blankets: If I have one shopping obsession, it's for blankets. I love them. Give them all to me. So naturally, I wanted to bring like 6 to school. But those don't pack well, and they take up a good amount of room. So I have one soft one that I keep folded and on the bottom of my bed and anther heavier one in my car for picnics and emergencies. Blankets are a must for me in school, especially for movie nights, star gazing, and when you leave your window open at night and it surprisingly snows.
• Bike/Scooter/Skateboard: This one really comes down to how big your campus is. The two campuses I have lived on have been very small, so no mode of transportation was necessary. I do have a car which is wonderful now that I'm living off campus, but it isn't necessary. Also, there is a good chance your roommates or future friends will have cars, so don't worry about walking home from Walmart with groceries. I promise you'll be fine. Also, take into consideration the relative weather around your campus. Since it snows during a good portion of my school year in Utah, I didn't bring a bike. I would have to store it and would not have used it enough to justify the cost of that.

Hope this post helps! Let me know if you have any other questions about what to bring and what to leave. Stay tuned for more "College Bound" posts!

College Bound: Decorating Your Dorm

Okay so this will probably be one of my favourite posts to write. And longest. But that's okay!

School is getting out for summer, and for high school seniors, it's kind of a fun-stressful time! You're thinking about your future roommate, your new-you college wardrobe, and of course, how you're going to decorate your dorm! Being me, I started thinking about decor way before school even got out. But let's be real here- those cute string lights, picture frames, and candles are not cheap! So my post today is going to be all about decorating your dorm room on a budget! Let's do this!

CANDLES
Okay so I know a lot of dorms and apartments don't allow candles in apartments, but stick with me here.
Walking through the Target candle section is my weakness. I could be there for hours! But candles don't last me a long time... and for $12? No thanks. So I went to the Dollar Store (If your college town does not have a dollar store... I'm praying for you) and found some vanilla scented candles and cute spherical holders! I got two of each and I'll be placing them on either side of my dresser!The Dollar Store has lots of different jars, and it'll end up looking something like this:

This is the closest picture I could find to what I created. I only have one candle in each jar and the jars are a lot smaller, but you can get the picture!
(I would have posted a picture of my own, but I left all my creations in Utah!)
The Dollar Store also carries flame-less candles! They look (and sometimes smell) just like the vanilla candles I purchased. If you're dorm or apartment is very strict on candle-usage, I'd opt for the flame-less ones!

LIGHTS
Putting up Christmas tree lights in your room is awesome. Especially for those late nights when you're writing a paper (let's be real... you're watching Friends on Netflix) and you don't want to have those ridiculously bright dorm lights on. If you go shopping a few days after Christmas, you'll be sure to find tree lights on sale almost anywhere! But if you need the tree lights now, Walmart sells them anywhere from $4 to $20.
Last semester, I splurged on some lights from Target (mine are white) that were about $15. It's not very long, but I wasn't looking for a lot of lights! They're super cute and I justified it because I wasn't going to be stringing the lights all across my room! I hung the lights just above my closet which provided the perfect amount of light and it wasn't overwhelming!
You can also ask your family or friends at home if they have any Christmas tree lights they are no longer using. Lots of artificial trees now have built-in lights, so your family might have unused tree lights up in their attic!

PICTURES
Wall decor is so important! Your dorm room is going to look so empty without something hanging.
I went to TJ Maxx (my favourite store for home decor!) and found a vertical frame that holds three 4x6 pictures. I then took three postcards and placed them in the frame! My mom recently purchased some Disney postcards from Amazon, so I used three from there! The frame was about $10 which I consider a steal!

This is a really crappy picture, but you get the idea. Keep an eye out on Pinterest for cute quotes, mottos, sayings, etc.! Print them out on cardstock and hang them!
Also, Ikea has some great, cheap options as well. Target has lots of cute ones, but they tend to be a little more pricy.

Another great option is to paint pictures yourself! While this can sound daunting for those of us who are left-brained, it can actually be quite simple. Michaels usually has some cheap canvases. Last week a lot of them were 40% off, so keep an eye out for sales! You'll want to buy the ones that are stapled in the back so you can hang them on your wall. Here's an easy DIY that you can do in minutes! You just need a brush, painters tape, a canvas, and how ever many paints you want.
When hanging, used command strips or hooks! They stick on great and are inexpensive.

FLOWERS/PLANTS
Having plants in your room can make your dorm feel less like a prison and more like home (doesn't that sound sweet?). However, flowers can get expensive. Fake flowers are always an option and can look cute! Find a small bunch of flowers you want, then a small vase. The spherical jars I mentioned when talking about candles would work! Then I would add just a very small amount of water (maybe like 5 table spoons) to the vase, and add a drop of food dye in there! If you don't want to add water, you can always do marbles or small pebbles into the vase as well.
If you want to do plants though, I would recommend succulents. They last forever and don't require a lot of maintenance. Walmart carries some (around $5 and up) along with artificial plants. Also check your local farmers markets! I bought a little succulent last fall for $2.50 and it lasted for a long time!
If you're looking for a cheap pot for the plant, again, go to the Dollar Store.

You can't really see it, but I got this dark red pot from the Dollar Store and I love it! They also had black, yellow, and green, I believe. My darling boyfriend bought me the plant from Walmart, so I don't remember how much it cost, but it wasn't pricey!
As for the soil... we just got some from outside our dorm. #College

PENCILS/PENS/MAKEUP
If I've learned anything from working at Anthropologie, it's that you have to pay attention to the little things. You can have a totally plain comforter, but have some cute throw pillows. You can have large white walls, but add some fun prints and frames. You can wear a tee shirt and jeans, but adding a necklace or scarf really pulls it all together.
So when looking at your desk, you want to have the little things there. Don't spend tons of money on a pencil holder! Take a mason jar from your house or get a cute mug! This goes along with your makeup brush holders. I used a mason jar and hot glued a ribbon around the top! I've received lots of compliments on it!

Also, let's be real. You don't need those fancy $20 pens. I found these cute ones in the dollar section at Target! Keep an eye out for the cute little things and you will easily transform your space.

Lots of the ideas discussed today were taken from Isabella's blog, and Bethany's Youtube channel. Give them a look!


To finish this post off, here are some quick, last-minute tips to making your dorm look great:
1. Have all your clothes' hangers match.
2. Keep your shoes under your bed or in your closet to create space and get rid of clutter.
3. Keep your backpack, books, and other miscellaneous items off the floor.
4. Use small baskets to keep small items organized and away, like makeup, nail polish, and school supplies.
5. And last but certainly not least, do your laundry! Not only will this keep clothes off the floor, but you'll be more organized and be less stressed about the overflowing laundry basket in your closet.

Congrats on going to college! Hope this helps!
Feel free to comment with any more tips and tricks!

*click the links to see examples, prices, etc.

Handling Anxiety In College

For those who don't already know, I have a good amount of anxiety.
I'm constantly stressed, and I'll admit that I bring that stress upon myself.
I take lots of classes, involve myself in many extracurriculars, and tend to procrastinate.

Being at a new school in Utah has given me a much-needed fresh start. I've found a few new coping mechanisms for my anxiety (no medication needed). I know that moving to a new place without family or friends can bring stress, so I've decided to share six tips and tricks I've learned.

1. Don't skip meals.
I know waking up 20 minutes earlier is hard, but making yourself that smoothie before class is going to help you through the day. Even if you have a huge paper due tonight at midnight and you only have your abstract done, make sure you go to dinner. Not eating is going to make you hungry, tired, and moody. Those extra, negative emotions are going to make your mind wander, making it harder to concentrate and get stuff done.

2. Make sure you sleep.
I've mentioned this in previous "being healthy in college" posts, but seriously! Naps are great! 7-8 hours of sleep per night is recommended! I swear if I hear one more person say "Well, I only got 4 hours of sleep last night, so I'm going to sleep 10 tonight," I'm going to throw a rock.
Catching up on sleep isn't a thing.
You're only going to corrupt your sleeping pattern even more.

3. Exercise 
While doing your 60 minutes of exercise everyday is ideal, we don't always have the time. I'll admit, I only do about 45 minutes, 4 days a week! But I also make sure to walk to all my classes, on campus meals, on campus activities, etc. and use the stars in my dorm. Take advantage of the walk!

4. Yoga/Meditation
I'm going to admit it. I'm not a yoga person. I'm not flexible or patient. However, I found a few yoga stretches I can do quickly and easily every night. I take a minimum of 15 minutes per night to stretch (mostly my hips; thats where I tend to hold the most stress) and then spend about 5 minutes after to meditate. When I say "meditate," I mean that I sit cross legged on my floor in a dimly-lit room and just relax. I focus on my posture and clearing my thoughts. Doing this before bed each night helps me fall asleep faster, which eliminates tiredness and eventual stress.

5. Aromatherapy 
After I shower before bed, I use Johnson & Johnson's Baby Bedtime Lotion. Okay, that sounds weird, but it is an aromatherapy lotion designed to help you fall asleep easier. While some of you may not believe in aromatherapy, you may understand that having a set pattern you complete before bed does help wind the body down and mentally prepare yourself for sleep. It builds associations. For example, when you put lotion on, do yoga, or brush your hair before bed, etc., your mind realizes that you're getting ready for bed because you've built these associations by doing the same thing before bed every night before (yeah. psychology.). For my entire pattern, I shower with Bath & Body Works "Stress" body wash from their aromatherapy line. After, I braid my hair and use either Johnson & Johnson's bedtime baby lotion or Bath & Body Works "Sleep" lotion to rehydrate my skin. Then I'll complete my yoga & meditation routine. If I have the time, I'll sit in a comfy chair and read for a few minutes, then turn on my fan and get into bed (I should say "climb" into bed considering the extreme height of my bed, but that's a story for another time).

6. Organize!
Ever since my junior year of high school, I've been attached to my planner. I get a new one every year, and when I misplace it, I admit, I sometimes cry. Seriously, those things are a life saver! I generally write the times of my classes for the day, meal times, and study times/breaks. I also add in events and such when needed. It helps me take a deep breath and say Okay, self. It's all here. 
My planner looks like this:
It's from Target and I love it! I pick the size depending on my course calendar for the semester/year. The more classes I take, the more space I need.

Hope these ideas help! Midterms are almost here, which means stress! Try new things and figure out which ones help you stay focused and calm. 

Thanks for reading!

Healthy Dorm Living

When I first went to college up in Idaho, I lived in a 6 single-bedroom apartment which came with 2 full sized fridges to share between the 6 girls. Having so much food space, eating healthy was not too hard. 

Now at my new university in Utah, I decided to live in the dorm, and I'm realizing just how difficult it is to maintain healthy eating habits. If you want a fridge to hold your fruits, veggies, and juices, you have to purchase one separately. If you think you'll need a snack during the day, you need to make sure your bag is big enough to hold it and make sure you pack it early that morning. Oh, and good thing the gym hours are so limited! Loving life!

I've only been in the dorms a few days now, but here is a small list of things I'm doing to keep my healthy lifestyle:

-Naked Juices

I don't drink a lot of juice (I'd rather eat my calories), but I have a few on hand in my mini fridge for those morning when I'm in a rush. 

-WATER. 

Drink it. You'll feel amazing. Have a reusable bottle or a pack of water bottles in your room so they're easy to grab. And if you have the option of a mini fridge, keep some lemons or cucumbers in there to put in your water.

-Organic/Filling snacks

Keeping snacks in your room is, in my opinion, a great idea. If you don't, you're going to be starving by the time you get to the school cafeteria and fill yourself with pasta and pizza. The snacks I have in my room are almonds, organic fruit snacks/ fruits rolls, reduced fat Triscuits, and Boom Chicka Pop sea salt popcorn. I keep these on the opposite side of my room from my desk, so hopefully I won't feel inclined to constantly snack when doing homework.

-TAKE THE STAIRS

I know there an elevator in your dorm. I know the stairs are all the way down the hall. I know you're tired.

I don't care.

-Sleep

Don't get me wrong, having a social life is a very important part of college. You're going to meet people who might possibly help shape your future into something great! But you also need to keep your health in mind. You're grades, body, mental health, and relationships will all suffer if you don't get the recommended hours of sleep per night. 

  *On that note, make sure you don't do other things in/on your bed other than sleeping. When we read, eat, do homework, go on our phones, etc. in our bed, we build many associations in our brain with our bed. So when we lay down at night and can't sleep, thats because of all those other associations. Our brain is thinking of all the other things we could be doing. So get a comfortable rug and a floor pillow or chair for your dorm for doing things other than sleeping.

-Be clean

Keep tissues, disinfecting wipes, hand soap/sanitizer, etc on hand. Also… please shower.

  *If you feel like you're starting to get sick or you know you get colds often, grab some Vitamin C pills and Airborne from your local grocery store and make sure you're resting well.

I'll probably be posting another, more in-depth list farther into my semester, but here is what I have now! Remember that it all comes back to nutrition. You could exercise for hours a day, but unless your nutrition is well, you're not going to feel or look your best.

Make good choices & let's have a great fall semester! 

Good luck!!