FINALS WEEK: Keeping Sane Edition

Where I'm studying: my dorm's library (it's way too cold to be out late at night!!) because it has windows that give me some hope of survival.

What I'm wearing: fuzzy socks, my Birkenstock sandals, and my North Face

What I'm listening to: the soundtrack from Inception--so amazing for when you're working!

What I'm drinking: Tazo Rest tea (literally the only tea that actually helps me sleep)

What I'm eating: lots of fruit, sometimes chocolate.   Trying really hard to stay healthy.

What I look at when I can't study any more: the picture on the left. I cry from laughing every time I see it

What I do to keep anxiety at bay: morning yoga. Tara Stiles is amazing and I'm convinced it played a part in my perfect score on my last exam of the semester

What I wish I had: headphones that weren't broken

Who I'm jealous of: people who don't have finals, people who don't have challenging finals, people who are already home for break, people who finish finals two days before me, people who don't need good grades on their finals to do well in the class, people who have a room to themselves, people who have the good seat in the library next to the outlet, people who are stressed about extra-curricular activities...umm....well then...

Anyway, on that note, back to the studying. 

Things I'm Glad I Did Freshman Year

The end of the school year is already around the corner--Reading Day is next Thursday and then a week of finals and we're done with an entire quarter of our time in oh-so-far-from-the-real-world-and-reality-college-world. That's scary stuff. But I've grown a lot and I know that there are some things that have really changed the course of my life in the past year. Just thought I'd share.

1. I joined a sorority. Not for everyone, but I love it. 

2. I went to a job fair. And several months later got a job! A real job!

3. I went on a religious retreat and really found myself and God through it.

4. I went swing dancing. (okay this was like yesterday but it was awesome)

5. I made a friend. That could potentially be there for me for the rest of my life.

6. I ordered unwholesomely unhealthy food at 2am. 

7. I went to parties. Can't knock it til you've tried it.

8. I had class with my best friend.

9. I drank coffee, read the newspaper, and rode the bus. So cosmopolitan.
10. I got homesick and learned to love my parents more than ever.

The Best of C-U: Food Edition

via Panoramio

Champaign-Urbana-- my home for nine months, now. It may seem a little like it's in the middle of corn fields [well, it kind of is...] but the food on and off the UIUC campus is pretty amazing. Just thought I would share my picks for the best of the best!

Best Dorm Food: Field of Greens Stir Fry 

I literally planned my Wednesday schedule for next semester around stir fry. That's how much I love it. Every Wednesday, LAR's Field of Greens offers make-your-own vegetarian stir fry. PAR offers stir fry with meat every day, but I prefer this. The guy that cooks your stir fry makes his own "Chef Illini" sauce, and it's always something to look forward to.

Best Coffee: Cafe Paradiso 

I might be a little on the biased side for this one; my friend's family owns the joint. Espresso Royale has a monopoly on most of the campus, but it's more expensive than even Starbucks, so I don't really go there. I am trying not to get addicted to coffee so I don't drink many fancy beverages in general, but I find Paradiso to be much more charming and off-the-beaten path.

College Girl Essentials

So when I came to school last semester, I realized that maybe I didn't know everything about what my new life would be like. You're not supposed to know, but you learn. So I thought I'd offer my advice on what I think everyone, but especially girls, will use constantly at school; this includes the best clothing, appliances, toiletries, and other miscellaneous stuff I cannot live without.

Command hooks

I truly cannot explain how essential these are. The walls of our room were incredibly engineered so that they have such a thick layer of grime and grossness on them from decades of use that nothing, and I mean NOTHING, will stick to them--except for Command strips. After winter break, I transformed my side of the room to make it feel more homey and inviting (and clean), and this would be a total flop without Command hooks. You don't have a lot of options in a dorm room: no nails, no screws, obviously nothing permanent. But no amount of sticky tack or duct tape can keep stuff on our walls. For a semester we grappled with the walls, and it's just not worth it. Even my pictures wouldn't stick to the walls for more than a day. Just go buy a ton of Command hooks. I probably have over 25 Command strips stuck to my wall on my side alone. I even cut the strips in halves or thirds for little posters. They are the only thing that works. Trust me. (Note: Do not use sticky tack--the oil in it will seep into your posters and ruin them!)

Rain boots, and snow boots for that matter.

So it's raining today. And it's January. And let me tell you: no matter how good your bus system is on your campus and no matter how little you think you'll have to walk, if you take the chance of getting your feet soaked, you have to sit with those soaked feet in incredibly close quarters for two, three, or more hours at a time. It's awful! Our buses get really crowded during the winter, so you need to be prepared to walk to class--always. Rain boots are totally en vogue on the UIUC campus. Hunter is a really popular brand (hopefully one day I can afford a pair) and they're nice and tall and warm. They're not nerdy at all and are really useful. Get some. The same goes for snow. We haven't had a big snow issue this year, but if there is another Snowpocalypse, I'd prefer to be ready for it. You have to walk in college--get over it by staying nice and dry and warm!

Water bottle

I'm one of those people that just feels better when I'm hydrated. I feel, look, act better. You can take it to exercise, to class, and just have it for taking vitamins in your room (trying to work on that). They give me a free one last semester, but I'm kind of picky. I wanted a small, inexpensive one in a pretty color with a straw attached (really good for exercising!!) and I just got a new one that filters the water before I drink it. A little overkill, but c'mon, it's recyclable! Check out the Bobble here. Personally, I think water bottles are really good for curbing your hunger during class (sometimes) and keeps you away from soda, which you have access to as much as you want at college. It's a simple way to stay a little bit healthier!

Backpack

This isn't high school. You are here to learn. Most of the time. Everyone else is too, so during school hours, what you carry your books in isn't really too big of an issue. Function over form for this one. I have three classes stacked in a row three days a week, so a tote bag really isn't a great option for me. A backpack allows you to big, walk-jog, text, do other things much easier. No one carries a purse during school, so get over that, too. There are some cute backpack options, but don't worry too much about what other people think because everyone on campus uses a backpack for class. If you really really don't want one, I know Longchamp totes are popular. Not my thing, but it's an [expensive] option. I'm all about the thriftiness!

Suit
Hate to break it to you, but you'll need a business professional suit pretty early on in college, especially as an engineer. I had my first career fair before I finished my first month at school, so it may not get used much, but you still need to have one. Mine is currently all items from Goodwill, and I'm hoping if I get an internship over the summer that my parents will gift me with a congratulatory skirt suit (*Note: for women a skirt suit is considered more professional. Go figure.*). The thrifted one works fine in a pinch, but get yourself a nice one that'll last you forever. There are professional lunches, interviews, internships, career fairs, award ceremonies, professional meetings...even in college. Just get one.

Exercise gear

University sweatpants, fuzzy socks, and outrageous slippers
As I write this, I'm sitting in the most amazing and awkward slippers ever--they literally make my feet look like a Sesame Street character--and it's awesome! When you live in the same place that you're expected to work and study, you find physical ways to remind yourself if it's time to work or time to play. When I throw on my huge sweatpants and awesome slippers, I can finally relax after a long day at school (plus our floor is gross as heck). After a rainy day, your cold feet and legs will thank you!

Carpet
Speaking of gross floors, I really really really wish we had a carpet. It's a little late to consider buying one when it's already a month into second semester, but I really regret not having one. The floor at least looks less gross, and when you wake up, you don't have to walk on the icky tile we have. The rooms I've seen with a big area rug look so much nicer!

Party attire

So at college there are always parties, on every day of the week, for every occasion you can imagine. At some point, you will go to these parties. I can almost guarantee that. You need one formal outfit, I like a dress, that you can wear out to really formal [nice] occasions. I kept an old homecoming dress that's simple enough to be worn many times. This is something you won't get dirty or ripped or messed up because this is a classy party. For the evenings out that might not be so classy, there's only one rule: you have to be okay with getting it dirty. It can be a dress (or dresses) or a sparkly top, anything that you feel comfy in that you can move easily in that won't be too warm if you're dancing that you're not worried about getting dirty. Worst case scenario: people (or you) will spill drinks on it, tear or snag something on it, or even puke on it. That stuff can't always be fixed, so just know that going in. I love Forever 21 for this reason: their stuff is cute, sexy, super cheap, and their polyester has something in it that makes it really easy to clean. I own a dress and a top from there and both refuse to stain permanently or wrinkle. Awesome. I also wear thrifted stuff, but that stuff has a closer place in my heart so I take better care of it.

Bike: Runner Up?

Truthfully, I don't use a bike. I never have. But I know people that refuse to walk and use their bike all the time, so I thought I'd include this anyway. Our campus is an insane during the middle of the day, and since I'm not the most coordinated of people, I would definitely run over people. But they are still very popular on campus.  Just be wary of the pedestrian traffic and be sure to not be too attached to your bike; theft of tires, seats, and whole bikes is a real problem on campus, and it will be exposed to the elements all the time. It does help get across a sprawling campus in record time, and you get to sleep in later and still make it to class on time ;)

Watch: Runner Up?

For most of the time, your cell phone is an easy way to check the time during class or just in general. That's a change from my high school. I usually use it just like any normal human being. But I like having a watch, too. You're not allowed to look at your phone during a Chemistry exam, are you?  Most classrooms in my university don't have clocks, or they aren't easy to see. so a watch isn't truly "essential," bu I think it's nice to have. If it's cute and simple, you'll wear it. I really love Fossil watches like this one, because you can wear them with anything. If I had an unlimited amount of money, I'd love to have a ceramic one (super expensive!). Maybe some day.

Check out the new room!

Decked out the dorm room for the new semester, check it out!
It's DIY madness :)

Things I made: the curtains, the lofted bed skirt, the fabric "headboard," the tissue paper pom poms, the frame display above our microwave, the "Dream Big" decoration on our fridge, the clothespin photo display, all of the small posters on the wall...

Have a question on how I made any of these? Lemme know!

My word, how the time flies!

I am less than two weeks away from being done with my first semester in college, and it couldn't come sooner enough. I should be working right now but I just needed a moment to not be stressing about the enormous amount of work I need to do today.

from the wall of one of the campus coffee shops

college.

**I'm planning on crafting a LOT over break, so be prepared!**

Advice and Things I Learned in College Vol. II

Things I do in College I've Never Done Before

1. I walk a lot. Definitely didn't happen at home.

2. I read the newspaper. It's actually pretty interesting to know what's going on.

3. I use public transportation. It's so convenient--almost always.

4. I take group fitness classes. Dirt cheap.

5. I wanted to join a sorority. And I did.

6. I took an art class. I kind of hate it. But hey, I tried.

7. I hang out with nerds--wait, that's always been the case.

8. I dress nice as much as possible.

9. I'm going to my first concert!

10. I dropped a class. It was awesome.

Advice and Things I Learned in College Vol. I

Even though I've only been here for a few weeks, so many things seem clear to me that I couldn't understand from months of preparation for college--you just have to get here and then you'll get it. I'm just really loving my school, and so if I ever need to give advice to people going to UIUC or any college in general, I'll have this.

1. Once you get here, you get it. No campus tour or overnight stay or any amount of research will truly make you feel like you live here until you actually live here! All of a sudden, things will just make way more sense, so there's no need to freak out. You will, of course, but that's normal!

2. Freedom is awesome. You don't have a bedtime or people telling you how to do anything, so it can be a good or a bad thing. For me, it's okay because I'm used to keeping myself on track. But it is awesome to go anywhere and do anything you want when you want to.

3. Do stuff. It can feel scary with a huge class schedule to do things, but DO something. If it's close to where you live, you're more likely to get involved, like I do Zumba at the rec center because it's next door to my dorm.

4. In my honest opinion, big school > small school. I don't have much experience with other big state schools, but I am SO glad I chose the University of Illinois over Northwestern or Washington University. I realized that even more today. There's nothing at this school that makes me feel like a number or insignificant purely because of the sheer size of it. I have classes from 300 to about 8 people. It's a good variety. And if you are a good student and go to office hours, then your teachers will know you. It's your own fault if they don't. Anyway, so today was our first career fair for engineers, and I have to tell you, the companies that recruit from this school are huge. Google, Facebook, Lockheed-Martin, John Deere, the CIA, Abercrombie & Fitch even! It was amazing. And this was the small career fair! You'd never get the chance at these opportunities at a small school. Never. I have an interview with John Deere on Tuesday. John freaking Deere! It feels like the best thing in the world to be an Illini.

5. For engineering, don't buy a Mac. Engineering software currently isn't made for Macs. Get the highest core processor available. And get that number pad on the keyboard. It helps. Go for Toshiba!

6. Find your quiet place. Mine is the Engineering library. The silent floors are so good for getting work done with lots of space and light. It's a bit of a trek from my dorm but it's worth it.

7. Eat. Drink. Sleep. I've already gotten in trouble for eating and drinking too little with a busy schedule, and eating the wrong stuff when I do. Make time to eat. Bring a water bottle everywhere. And sleep? Just try to fit it in somewhere.

8. People are nice here. I haven't met one person who isn't. Dumb and annoying, yes, but not mean.

9. Go with your gut. If you don't feel like something makes you excited or happy, don't do it. You'll find something else.

10. Be with people that make you happy. It's the best thing you could possibly do.

Career Fair of Hell

Today my engineering mentor talked about how to shake a recruiter's hand correctly for at least 5 minutes. True story.

That should describe in a nutshell how intensely people are pushing for me (a freshman) to get an interview/internship ASAP. I've only gone to college for less than 3 weeks? Um? Something's up. In any case, I need to go to a career fair in a week (!) and be shoulder to shoulder with much more experienced, older students actually looking for a job and act like I'm the awesomest person in in the world. It's bananas. Whatever.

In any case, my nerves are through the roof, but it does give me the opportunity to go shopping for professional attire for like the first time ever. Not really sure what I'll be wearing, but I hope I can get new shoes!

Scholarships =

as if working hard for 4 years weren't enough. you have to work hard to show that you worked hard for 4 years. jeez, people just gimme some money.

Illinois has class...just not where I live.

College visit season! Today we visited Champaign-Urbana for the University of Illinois...I'm so sick of college information overload, but I took some pictures.

It was gorgeous out, so the Quad was overflowing with people!

My dad and I always make a stop to my favorite ice cream shop EVER, recently renamed Kernel Sweetooth in Frankfort, Illinois. If youre ever heading towards the city from central IL check it out! They are completely adorable--I worship their Amaretto Cherry Amour ice cream, the only thing I ever get there.