Sunday, January 4, 2015

New Year....New Me?

Kicking off the year right is something that everybody wants to do, myself included. However, it's always bothered me how people are so wishy-washy about their resolutions.

"I'm gonna lose 100 pounds this year! I'll be so fit and I'll work out like EVERYDAY and eat SO clean!" Yeah, that's definitely gonna happen. 

So this year I decided that I'm just gonna try and be a bit healthier, starting with my skin. I've always had skin problems, starting with some pretty gnarly cystic acne in 7th grade. Over the years I've gone to countless doctors and attacked my skin with every cream, wash, and antibiotic I could get my hands on, prescribed or from the drug store. 

Not anymore! 

Just kidding, I'm still going to use some washes and creams I've been prescribed, but I'm going to add on some (and by some I mean a lot) of natural remedies! But wait, there's more! You get to stick with me through the lot of it! Lucky you! 

Moral of the story: I'm hoping to create a series of blogs honestly depicting me trying out an assortment of acne-clearing remedies, and letting you know which ones work!

If you have any remedies that you'd like me to try out, let me know in the comments, acne related or not! 






Saturday, December 6, 2014

DIY: Getting Through Finals

The time has come. Finals are barely weeks away and you've procrastinated. But hey, who's got time to study when there's Netflix to watch? The struggle is very real. So here I am covering the hackneyed topic of how to survive finals.

Never fear, I'm not here to judge, I'm here to help! Follow these easy steps and you'll be breezing through finals and into relaxation in no time.

Step 1: STOP STRESSING! Okay, maybe a little stress is okay and even necessary, but when you find yourself in fetal position in some dark corner hyperventilating, you've gone too far! Stressing leads to more stress which leads to more stress and then where are you? Stressed, depressed, and not doing well on your finals. Lots of people will claim that loads of stress is just another part of college life, but it doesn't have to be (even if you procrastinate!). Here's the key: take a step back and look at the big picture. Yes, finals and grades matter, but your sanity and happiness matter 100x more. Take time to watch an episode of your favorite Netflix original, hang out with a friend for a bit, do some reading, whatever, just take time to relax. Besides, when has cramming ever helped anyone?

Step 2: Make a good Pandora playlist. Why not? It's a college student's favorite thing too, FREE! Studies have shown that studying with classical music proves to reduce stress, increase efficiency, and help to involve both sides of the brain for more productive learning. Listening to classical music has also been rumored to have healing effects, but I'm no scientist.

Step 3: Eat, sleep, and be merry! Trust me, sleep is not negotiable. Last minute studying is a part of life, but pulling an all-nighter is just plain sinful, and your body won't forgive you for it. You'll just arrive at your final tired, grumpy, and very unprepared. Now onto another sacred part of life: food. I'm not saying you have indulge in a 4 course meal, but eating right the week of finals and having a solid breakfast is necessary. And no, ramen and Frosted Flakes don't count. In order for your brain to work at its highest capacity it needs plenty of good sleep and food (AKA energy). And don't forget to drink a plethora of water, the benefits of that liquid are endless.

Finally, you do actually have to study, sorry bud. Find out what study methods work best for you and work hard, you won't regret it.

I hope these tips helped! Let me know in the comments what I left out or if you have any study strategies that work wonderfully for you, I need all the help I can get with my finals!