College Bucket List

College is an amazing time. Now that I'm almost a college graduate, I like to look back at my college career. There are some things I would like to have done differently and some things I need to make sure that I do before December.

College is the last time in your life where you can be irresponsible and have a ton of fun without feeling bad about it. I mean, it might look a little shady if you roll up to your first day of your real world job hungover from a night of partying, but rolling up to SOC 3500 with a hangover is totally acceptable.

Here are the things I believe every college student should have on their bucket list.

1. Pull An All Nighter

I'm a big advocate of pulling all nighter to do school work and an all nighter to party.  Thankfully, I've only pulled one all nighter to study. I work at my school's union and during finals week we stay open until 2am. I was scheduled to work that night and had a final the next day at 8am. I decided to maximize my time and stay up and study. I've had a bunch of all nighters for party related reasons.  I remember one night I went out with my girlfriends and at the end of the night we went back to my friend's apartment. A few of our bartender friends met up with us there and we went and got breakfast. I didn't even realize how early it was until I saw the sun rising after we left the diner.  Those types of memories stay with you and are totally invaluable.

2. Attend As Many Concerts As Possible

One awesome thing about both my job and my internship is the fact that I get amazing seats at the concerts put on by my school or the theatre.  My boss lets us reserve tickets a head of time so I've been in the second row at some awesome shows and my internship lets me literally be backstage watching Marcus Mumford run around the dressing rooms in his underwear.  I was fortunate enough to get to go to my boss the Mumford and Sons Red Rocks show the week after they played our theatre. It was amazing. We were VIP and got the opportunity to be on that stage. It's an experience I will never forget.  Many universities are able to bring in big upcoming artists and charge a discounted ticket rate to students.  Nothing beats live music and the energy of a crowd.

3. Kiss A Stranger

One night I was sitting at a bar trying to get the bartenders attention when I started talking to this guy next to me. He was so cute. One thing led to another and he just said "we should kiss". So I did. And then I walked away. It was spontaneous and I think everyone needs a little of that in their lives, especially during their college years. 

4. Road Trip!

Road trips are amazing. Being trapped in a car with someone for hours in a new place really allows you the opportunity to get to know your friends in a whole new way. I've been on several mini road trips and one big one.  I flew out to Pennsylvania the summer after my freshman year and helped a girlfriend pack up her Uhaul and drive back to Wyoming.  The road trip lasted about 3 days. It was a lot of fun but I definitely don't recommend doing a trip like that with just one person as they can get annoying after a while.  The trips I've had the most fun on are the smaller ones. One day my friend Brooke and I were talking about what we were going to do one weekend and she suggested driving about 3 hours to Encampment to stay at a friends house. We ended up getting lost and ended up in Northern Colorado and had to turn around. I had so much fun on that trip just talking and singing Call Me Maybe at the top of my lungs.

5. Throw A Party

My roommates and I have had plenty of small parties with close friends just sitting around playing drinking games. Those are always fun but I think it's a must do to throw one huge rager.  One of my friends and I threw and ABC (anything but clothes) party. It was amazing. We had around 30 people packed into her tiny apartment. There was no drama, just a lot of people dressed up in ridiculous costumes making the most out of the last night of summer.

6. Get On The Dean's List

I know that I'm coming off as a huge party girl but academics are important to. I mean it is college after all.  Getting on the Dean's List is a huge deal and an awesome thing to add to your resume.  College is a great way to manage your social life with your academic/work life. Getting on the Dean's List and maintaing some type of life outside of school means that you have a real shot at being successful in the real world. It's all about priorities and managing your time.

7. Live On Campus

I know this one might be on everyone's to do list but I loved living in the dorms. My RA was amazing and my floor was really social. In high school I was painfully shy and introverted. I had a hard time making friends and approaching people so college seemed a little scary at first. I was scared that I wouldn't make friends and I would continue the cycle of being a loner. Thankfully that was not the case.  When you first get to college everyone is in the same boat; they all want to make friends. Living on campus allows you to be on the same floor as at least 30 other people and you're bound to make at least one friend. Knowing you're friend is just down the hall when you're feeling home sick or your roommate is driving you crazy is a great feeling! At first you might be hesitant about dorm life, but trust me it is well worth it.

8. Get Crazy!

I know I'm coming off as a huge partier, but college is all about cutting lose and finding yourself. A little experimentation is totally necessary in order to find out who you are.  Do something memorable like dancing on the bar. I once danced on the bar and poured shots in everyone's mouth. I have no idea how I got away with it but it is a high light of my college career.

9. Participate In Campus Activities

Join a club, run for student government, volunteer on campus. It's important to be involved! You're going to be stuck at this institution for at least four years and you can't spend all of your time in the library or out partying.  Getting involved on campus is a great way to not only build up your resume and network but it's also an opportunity to make new friends and have an influence on what goes on around campus. 

10. Study Abroad

Unfortunately I am not able to do this, but one of my friends is currently spending his semester in London. I am so jealous! He posts all of these amazing pictures of his travels on Facebook and it makes me hate Wyoming more and more each day. Don't get me wrong I love little Laramie but I want to get out and see the world and I'm kicking myself for not being able to right now.

Of course there are a ton of other things you can add to this list. It's all about preference. College is where you find yourself and set out on your own for the first time.  It's the place where you will make some of your best friends and memories that will last a life time. I mean don't you want to be the cool grandma that danced on the bar the night she found out she made the Dean's List and got accepted to school in France?

Chime For Change

Have you heard of Gucci's ad campaign, Chime For Change?

First off, it's not a fashion campaign.  The goal of Chime For Change is to empower and unite women across the world in seeking equal rights in justice, health, and education.

The video posted below states that the ultimate goal of the campaign is to provide a world where "every girl has the right to go to school.  Every woman has access to the care she needs. And girls and women everywhere are protected and celebrated."

I love this idea.  I think that often times we as women do not necessarily recognize how far we still have to go.  There are women all over the world who are not seen as actual people but rather as objects.  They do not have the rights that they innately deserve and they are not given the respect that they are owed.  This kind of mistreatment is evident in every country and in every corner of the world.

The campaign is headed my Beyonce Knowles, Selma Hayek, and Frida Giannini.

If you opt to follow Chime For Change expect 10 short films narrated by both Beyonce and Selma Hayek showcasing the power that women hold and the potential that is in all of us.

Happy Feet

I got new boots!!! I was so excited when the package came today, it was like Christmas in February!!

I ordered these from ShoeDazzle.com (for an invite from me click HERE).  They are called "Mable" and are currently on sale for $23.97!

I love Shoe Dazzle! I've ordered another pair of shoes from them a couple of months ago and was itching to buy a new pair. They have affordable, good quality shoes so I encourage everyone to take a look and see if there is anything they like!

Anyways....my shoes got delivered right as I was heading out the door to go to class so naturally I grabbed the box and tore it open so I could strut to class in my new shoes. I had to change my outfit and then stare at myself and my shoes in the mirror for a little bit which made me a little late to class but it was all in the sake of style.

So this is what I wore today. It was a Pinterest inspiration....and I am pretty proud of it. This style is a little out of the box for me so yay for exploring new fashion avenues!

Scarf: Target

Shirt: Old Navy

Chambray: Forever 21

Jeans: Old Navy

Boots: ShoeDazzle.com

Just A Little Venting....

February is not my month.  I've been so overwhelmed with school and work and I'm starting to feel like the walls are caving in.  There just isn't enough time in the day.

I got my tax return today and wanted to try to deposit it through my mobile app.  Usually you can just take a picture of your check and deposit it that way but apparently I can't do that with the type of account I have so I called customer service. I had to deal with a customer service rep who was more interested in trying to get me a credit card than actually helping me and in the end apparently I can't be helped.  It's very frustrating.

Now I'm trying to get all organized to spend the next 3 hours in the library studying for a monstrous test before heading off to work at 7 and then studying some more.

And to top it all off my jaw is inflamed because I grind my teeth at night when I'm stressed out and it's hard to eat and even open my mouth when this happens which just adds to my stress.

I honestly just want to curl up into bed and watch netflix all day until all of this stops.

Ugh is it summer time yet?

Sparkle & Shine

I LOVE Fonts!

Click below to get the links to all of these AWESOME fonts!

And don't forget to pin pin pin them!!

Newest Ink

On Saturday after a day of pampering with my friend Devon, I decided I wanted to get a new tattoo.  I have 3 already and have been wanting to add to my collection. I decided to get something very meaningful and special to me.

It's 3 paw prints going up my ankle. It represents my dogs Max, Lucy and Charlie.  Max was my first dog. We got him when I was about 7 when we were living in England. He was a yellow lab and the love of my life.  He was such a goof ball and just so full of love for his family.  He passed away from cancer when I was 18. When my parents divorced Max went to live with my dad in California. My dad drove Max out for my high school graduation, he was very sick and had large tumors from the cancer but I was so grateful that I got to see him one last time.  He passed away a few weeks later.  I miss him so much and think about him almost daily.  

 Max 

We adopted Lucy right after we moved back from England.  I think I was about 10 at the time.  She was a gorgeous husky mix. She had one blue eye and one brown eye and could steal your heart in a second.  It was obvious she had been abused from her previous owners but she was full of love nonetheless. She was a little princess and definitely ran our house.  She passed away a little over a year ago. It was very sudden. She had never been sick a day in her life and all of a sudden she just wasn't herself. The vet determined that she had a brain tumor and she was put to sleep that same day.  I was at school and never got to say goodbye.  I miss her every day and I just hope she is at peace now and running around up in heaven with Max.

Lucy

The third paw print is for my dog Charlie. He was a birthday gift from my parents when I was 13.  He is a Boston Terrier and one of the sweetest dogs you'll ever meet.  He is so full of love and tries very hard to make his family happy.  Up until Lucy died he had never been alone, he had always had another dog with him.  Since her death he has changed. He isn't as happy go lucky anymore and you can tell that he is depressed and misses her.  He is getting older and it's tough not seeing him every day. I love him so much and wanted to get something to honor the relationship I've had with my dogs.

Charlie

I know some people don't really get that type of relationship. But to me I know they loved me unconditionally and I cherish every moment I got to spend with them.  I wanted something permanent to represent them and be with me always. This tattoo symbolizes the impact they have had on my life and now it's kind of like they are always walking with me.  

Currently....

Currently Drinking: Peach Tea. Found this in my pantry the other day and have fallen in love with it! Tastes amazing, smells amazing, just all around amazing!

Currently Needing: Everything I see on Pinterest...And to desperately go to the grocery store since I have no food in my kitchen.

Currently Wishing For: My iPad to get here! Tuesday can't come soon enough!!

Current Triumph: Getting through Valentine's Day without wanting to kill anyone....but I'm not bitter

Currently Dreading: All of the readings I have to do! They just keep piling up and I just keep putting it all off.

Currently Loving: Roxi....of course. She had an upset stomach last night and couldn't sleep. I think it's time to change the love bug's food.

Currently Wearing: An oversized sweatshirt, jeans and my slippers/moccasins. And yes I will be wearing my "slippers" to the store later on today.

Current Weekend Plans: Working til 2am tonight (yuck!) and then hitting the town tomorrow night with my single ladies.  And possibly going to see Beautiful Creatures tomorrow afternoon with the roommate.

February 14th

It's Valentine's Day, or Single's Awareness Day, or just February 14th if you don't play into the hype.

I will be spending my Valentine's Day at work catching up on some reading for school. I had originally wanted to spend Valentine's Day with my dog and a glass, well probably a bottle, of wine but getting paid do homework is a nice alternative.

I have never had a Valentine so spending this Hallmark Holiday alone is nothing new for me.  I admit that this time every year I get a little mournful about my perpetually single status and question if I will ever find someone or if I will die alone. A little dramatic, I know.

The truth is, generally I am very content being single.  There are time when I wish I had a significant other, mostly when I'm shoveling the sidewalk at 7am in the freezing cold, but I love my life right now and I don't think I could fit another person into my crazy schedule at this point.

Maybe next year will be different for me, but I kind of doubt it.... 

Do You Need A FaceWash?

Before going on an interview everyone always checks to make sure everything is perfect. You have the perfect outfit, you smell good (hopefully), not a hair is out of place and your resume has been triple checked and then checked once more for some security.  Well one thing that a lot of people forget to check before headed out the door is their Facebook.

During one of my summer classes we discussed how prevalent social media is now days and how employers are checking out your profile now more than ever. It's kind of like they are scoping you out like you scoped out that hottie that sits next to you in your stats class.

Now my Facebook is far from perfect. I definitely have some pictures and posts up there that might raise a few eyebrows. This is why I have practically everything on my profile set to private.  I've become super anal about it all just in case someone decides to tag me in a photo from Sophomore year in less than ideal circumstances.

I've also changed the spelling of my name online. This can get a little confusing when meeting new people but it's for the best.  The harder it is for them to find you, the harder it is for them to judge you off of some picture that was taken at a party 3 years ago right after what's-his-face broke up with you.

Well in case those little precautions don't workout there is always FaceWash.  FaceWash is a new site (still in BETA testing) that explores the ins and outs of your profile and brings up anything that might be questionable.  Now it's not totally perfect. It looks for key words but doesn't examine the context of the conversation or photo.  But, it does bring some things to your attention that you might want to make private of just delete.

FaceWash also lets you customize your search for key words you might not want on there. I certainly can appreciate this new Facebook App and definitely recommend it to all of you.

Your online presence speaks volumes of who you really are and can be the deciding factor in whether you get a job or not.

The End Is Near I Fear

So I've known that I will be graduating from college in December for quite some time now, but just because I've know that does not mean that I've actually accepted it.

Last night at work I looked up the actual graduation date (December 7th) and called my parents to let them know so they can plan accordingly.  After getting off the phone with my mom I had a mini panic attack. I mean I'm 11 credits shy of graduating which means the end is inevitable and I will be a college graduate in less than a year. A college graduate embarking on the real world.  A college graduate with no absolute plan for the future. I have no clear idea what my life will look like on December 8th. And that my friends, scares the living crap out of me.

I've spent the past 6 months planning on what life will be like post-grad, but now that I have a definitive date I am kind of freaking out a little. I have a lot of what ifs right now. What if I move to D.C., what if I get a job in Arizona, what if I stay in Laramie, what if I move back to Denver, what if I find a corner to hide in until I magically revert back to my college freshman self.....

For months I've been anticipating graduation and now I'm completely dreading it.  I could have walked at the end of this semester and taken classes over the summer to finish my degree but I convinced myself that it was not worth the stress. Now in less than one year I will be receiving my diploma and embarking on the real world, is it crazy that graduation is also the anniversary of Pearl Harbor? I mean it's probably just a coincidence that one of our nation's greatest tragedies also happens to be the day I embark on the work force....right?

I know I'm not the only college student to freak out about graduating but I feel an overwhelming sense of fear and mournfulness.  I love my life as a college student and I don't know how ready I am to give that up, but I suppose I don't exactly have a choice now do I?

Today's Random Thought

What is it to live an "inspired" life? Does that mean I have to walk around finding the meaning in everything and taking the time to absorb not only the world around me but the essence of life itself? Well I definitely don't have time for that....

One of my professors started off a lecture last week discussing what it means to be inspired and the importance of "taking it all in".  Now, I was kind of unsure what he meant by that.  It's true that I am often in to big of a hurry to stop and take time to appreciate the ever so annoying construction on campus, the squirrels whom I'm convinced are trying to take over Prexy's Pasture, or the idle conversations of those around me; but does that mean that I am not living an inspired life?

I think what he was getting at was that we are to focused on the future and less focused on the moment.  I can't remember the last time I actually took the time to experience the moment as it was. Even right now I'm thinking about finishing the most recent episode of The Biggest Loser and about how much sleep I'm going to get tonight. I guess my life is much more mundane than it is "inspired". 

I guess it's actually kind of difficult to actually experience the moment you're in since we are always moving onto the next thing before it's even happened.

Just a random thought......

Since You've Been Gone....

Find this FREE graphic HERE

I feel like I haven't been on this blog in FOREVER! I've been totally consumed with being a couch potato and getting ready for the semester that I haven't been very productive.

So what's happened since the start of the new year?

Well.....not much if I'm being completely honest.  I feel like I've been crazy busy with work and my internship that I haven't had much time for any adventure.  I did manage to go out to the bars and a yummy sushi dinner this past Saturday and I bartended an event at my internship Friday night and made some serious bank. Other than that I've been busy trying to prepare for March. March is going to be insane for me! We have a TON of shows going on at the theatre and I'm trying to get the ball rolling on a lot of things so that I'm not running around like a chicken with my head cut off. 

Other than work and the internship I've also been getting ready for the semester. School started on Monday and I must say I am exhausted and I haven't even started the readings I need to get done for tomorrow. Procrastination Central!!!!

I'm just not use to the routine of getting up and actually being productive instead of hanging out on my couch with my dog watching Disney movies all day....

Oh the life of a college kid.

Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backwards

Stressed out about New Year's resolutions, school, work, life in general? 

1. Listen to some tunes - Blast some music and dance like no one's watching. I personally like to turn up the Britney circa early 2000's and shake it to Oops...I Did It Again.

2. Workout - There is no better stress reliever than a good workout to get rid of some of that tension. I take out all of my anger on the treadmill and feel a million times better afterwards.

3. Take a walk - You might be able to couple this with working out but I think there's a big difference to running like there's no tomorrow and taking a quiet stroll to clear your head.  Sometimes all you need is a little fresh air and some time to yourself.

4. Primp - Pamper yourself. Take a bubble bath, do your hair, paint your nails, just do something to make yourself feel good.

5. Chocolate - Indulge a little! Nothing calms the nerves or soothes the soul better than some chocolate, I usually keep a stash around the house in case of emergencies.

2012 Pop Culture

It's been real 2012 and you've given some awesome pop culture contributions but there are a few things I'm hoping won't follow us into 2013.

YOLO. It makes no sense and you sound like a ridiculous 13 year old girl who's trying way to hard.  I hope YOLO stays behind in 2012 where it belongs.

Speaking of YOLO, Swag and Cray are two other things I hope stay behind.  I honestly don't understand what the big deal with "swag" is but I don't like it.  If I wanted a guy with "swag" I would troll the unemployment line and see how that worked out for them. And as for "cray", I can't handle anything Kanye West has had to do with lately.

Now that I've mentioned Kanye, I must say I cannot stand this whole Kim and Kanye or "Kimye" thing.  Now that Kanye went and knocked up Ms. Kardashian I have a feeling that I'm going o hear more and more about this train wreck.   Does she even know that she is still legally married? I hope that when I'm ready for a child and can get knocked up by boyfriend of 6 months and that it doesn't interfere to much with the messy break up of my 72 day marriage.

Twilight. I know this is a somewhat controversial subject.  Twilight has a huge cult following of die hard fans but I never got on the bandwagon.  I prefer stories that empower women and send a message to young girls about being independent and not relying on a man. Needless to say, I'm happy that the Twilight movies are over and hopefully the craze will die down and girls everywhere will realize that it's weird to be so codependent on your sparkly vampire boyfriend with control issues and a pension for stalking.

Taylor Swift.  I'm usually a fan of her songs but her relationship drama is a bit much.  She's had over a dozen relationships over the past few years and then writes songs bashing her relationships when they are over. It's kind of like that one girlfriend we all have who sucks at relationships, but can't stay single and when things take a turn for the worse you have to listen to her sob stories. I just think someone who is as influential as Taylor, should be writing songs telling girls to be more independent and to not let relationships define themselves. I know it's inevitable but I can't say that I'm looking forward to her next single "Wrong Direction".

I know this might all be a bit harsh but after a year of having YOLO, Kimye, Twilight, and Taylor Swift shoved in my face I must say I need a break.

10 Ways To Improve Your Month

It's a new year which means new opportunities to take and memories to make.  Everyone makes New Year's Resolutions that we all hope to stick to but I think of those as more larger, long term goals. It's important to make smaller goals each month.

So here's my list for January. Feel free to follow along with me or to add your own goals in the comments below!

1. Organize my room.

2. Try a new makeup routine.

3. Organize my closet/dresser!! It would be nice to not have my drawers busting at the seams.

4. Drink more water!

5. Cut down on the fast food. If I could eat McDonald's every day I would!

6. Start training for the Tough Mudder.

7. Set up a schedule for work. No more running around the last minute trying to finish everything.

8. Eat out less.

9. Workout in the mornings.

10. Blog more.

 What's on your list?

Free Fonts & Chalkboard Background

I LOVE fonts and anything chalkboard. I think they look awesome on blogs and whenever they pop up on my Pinterest feed.  It's hard to find a great font that goes with a chalkboard background. I look for anything cursive or something that looks handwritten or artsy since it just looks better.  I also try to add illustrations to give more depth to the chalkboard.  

I'm relatively new at the whole graphic thing and using a chalkboard background is the easiest way for me to add a little something to a blog post without spending hours trying to figure out my Adobe Illustrator.

1. KG Makes You Stronger // 2. The Only Exception // 3. Handy George // 4. Heart Doodle //

5. Janda Stylish Script // 6. 5th Grade Cursive // 7. Bergamot Ornaments 

FREE Chalkboard Background

Resolutions

Let's be real here, how likely are we to keep our resolutions throughout the new year? Well probably not all that likely but we still make them nonetheless.  

My resolutions are:

1. Run A Tough Mudder

2. Graduate From College

3. Save More Money

4. Go On More Adventures

5. Do More Of What Makes Me Happy

We'll see how it all goes....