Category: Uncategorized

How to stay on track despite your thousands of deadlines

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As the leaves fall from the trees, I find myself excited for the Christmas season. I love picking out presents for my friends or wandering through the colorful displays at Target. However, Christmas season comes with a catch. It is also finals season. Assignments are piling up, and I often find myself completely overwhelmed. Fortunately, I have discovered a solution. A cute planner can make scheduling your time exciting and productive.

I got my planner at Paper Source. I especially love this one because of the day-by-day setup that allows me to plan every second. I can mark down when I have a test, a meeting, or a study break.

I use decorative pens and stamps to make the whole process fun, thus motivating me to actually use it.

You don’t even have to buy the fancy pre-designed planner. Pick up an empty notebook and fill it with your personal artwork.

The great thing about planners is that they are fully customizable. Use them to plan your day, week, month, or year according to what you need.

What is your favorite planner layout?

Exploring the city you call home

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Today’s post will be the first lifestyle post of this blog. The goal of this blog is to share the little things in college life that bring me joy. Those joys can be delicious like pasta, but they also can just be delicious for the soul. When I began college I was so excited yet also afraid. Part of me was afraid that people wouldn’t like me, and I wouldn’t make connections with people. Fortunately, my fear did not come to life. I have managed to be in a group of friends that constantly motivate and inspire me. When I reflect on how these relationships started, it often leads back to exploring Nashville. There’s nothing that can bring people together like being lost on the city bus or deciding what pizza restaurant is the best. I’ve created this list of four steps that will help you explore your own city. I wish you the best of luck.

  1. Get lost

The idea of not knowing what lies ahead can be terrifying for some people. I know I always prefer to make some sort of plan. However, some of the best memories are made when you don’t expect them to happen. This can be as simple as changing which Target store you go to or as crazy as getting on the wrong bus. Embrace the unexpected.

  1. Take photos

Taking photos can not only preserve memories, but it can also help you take in your surroundings. When you are looking for the best backdrop or that perfect lighting, you end up exploring deeper. Most importantly, taking photos can also be one of the most funny things.

  1. Get dessert

This step must seem really specific, but hear me out. Getting ice cream or a cupcake can be both delicious and cheap. Find a local bakery or ice cream parlor that has everyone’s favorite flavors and enjoy!

  1. Laugh

This is by far the most important step. Don’t ever take yourself or situations too seriously. It’s ok that you are clumsy ;just embrace it. Watch a cheesy romantic comedy with your roommates. Make knock-knock jokes. Dance in your pajamas to Taylor Swift songs. These things may not help you physically explore your city, but they will help you build a home within your city.

Let me know what you think in the comments!

Feeling hungry? 4 of my favorite products you can make in the microwave

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As the weeks of college go by, the dining hall becomes less and less appealing. I can only handle so much salad and cheese pizza. Sometimes even the thought of trekking across campus has me rethinking whether I actually need lunch. This was until I finally took a trip to Target and discovered the aisles of dorm friendly products. After sorting through the good and the bad, I’ve created this list of my personal favorites.

#1.  Velveeta Shells & Cheese

Okay, this stuff is amazing. I actually preferred it over the Kraft because the cheese comes in a squeeze pack instead of as a powder. I feel like that makes it feel more “real”. It’s super easy to prepare, it only asks for water and it is so fast.

 

#2. Barilla Ready Pasta

These are penne noodles that cook in 60 seconds! I couldn’t believe it when I first discovered the product. You can cook these noodles and dress them up any way you like including Southwest pasta salad, penne Alfredo, and maybe even plain noodles. The possibilities are endless.

 

#3. Purely Elizabeth oatmeal

This stuff is actually incredible. I felt so trendy preparing my bright blue oatmeal. The best part is that it’s totally natural and tastes amazing. Prepare this hot or as overnight oats.

 

#4. Skinny Pop Popcorn

Alright, I know what you are thinking. Popcorn is not technically a meal. However, Skinny Pop Popcorn should be.  The whole experience is magical. The Popcorn pops in this cute box that prevented popcorn from falling on the floor while I was binge watching Netflix and the popcorn somehow managed to taste like movie theatre popcorn while still being low-calorie.

Know anymore good microwave products? Let me know in the comments!

Speedy dorm room microwave spaghetti

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I felt that it was appropriate to begin this blog with the first microwave recipe that I mastered. Spaghetti is one of my absolute favorite dishes, but the process of having to carry multiple pots down to the kitchen didn’t sound all that appetizing. That’s when it occurred to me that I could simply boil the pasta in my microwave and at least save one pot. I tried this the first time I made spaghetti, but still used a sauce pan to warm the sauce. This was going great until I almost burned myself trying to carry the saucepan back upstairs. I knew that there had to be another way. After long research, I finally created this recipe that’s both dorm room savvy and delicious.

What you Need

  • ½ cup of dry spaghetti noodles
  • ½ cup of store-bought pasta sauce
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • Optional: Pinch of crushed red pepper/ parmesan
  • A microwave-safe mug (preferably with a lid)

 

Directions

  1. First you are going to want to prep your spaghetti noodles. The noodles are going to need to be lying straight across in the mug, so I recommend breaking each noodle into four pieces. This can be achieved in a short amount of time, by snapping the noodles in huge bunches together.7592056784_IMG_4224
  2. After the noodles are all lying in the mug, you can add water. Fill the mug until no noodles are above the water line, but overfilling can cause spilling in the microwave.
  3. Cover mug with lid and cook in the microwave for 4 minutes. After the timer runs out, check your noodles. If the pasta is soft proceed to the next step, if not, microwave for 2 more minutes.Mug in Microwave
  4. Once your noodles are done cooking, pour out water using a colander (if you don’t have one, just be careful to not spill any pasta when pouring the water in the sink) then fill your mug with the pasta sauce and stir till it is evenly distributed throughout the noodles.
  5. Microwave for just 45 seconds
  6. Top with crushed red pepper and parmesan.
  7. Enjoy!

 

Let me know how it works out in the comments! 🙂