itsthelettera

[itsthelettera]

Taking care of yourself during the school year!

If you’re in school you know how easy it is to forget about taking care of yourself. With deadlines, homework, projects and everything in between, it seems like there is very little time left to yourself! So, here are some of my tips for taking care of myself during the school year! 

(Disclaimer: This is aimed more towards college students but it’s easy to adapt to those in middle and high school. Also, obviously these things won’t work for everyone, so don’t beat yourself up if something doesn’t go the way it’s “supposed” to.)

Leave water somewhere you can see it. It’s super easy to get dehydrated in general, so add in limited focus on anything other than school and bam, a recipe for disaster. To remedy this, try leaving a glass or bottle of water in view and every time you look up from studying and/or your eyes pass over the bottle, take a sip!

Pre-pack healthy snacks. In-between classes it’s easy to stop at the campus store, dining hall or vending machine to resolve your hunger. However, often the options available are things like candy and potato chips. By packing healthy things in advance it saves you money and also saves you from the empty calories. (If you don’t have a dependable way to get fruit, etc. take some extra apples or bananas from the dining hall every time you leave and store them in your room!)

Pre-plan out your outfit the night before. Pack your school bags too! That way you can sleep in a little longer and your morning is a little less stressful, because you won’t be scrambling to get everything together!

Avoid hangovers. Drink a huge glass of water before you start drinking and before you go to bed, and make sure you eat a lot during the day. Not only do hangovers suck, but they also take away valuable study time!

Go to the gym with a friend! Working out can suck, especially if you’re not used to it. So go to the gym with a friend! It keeps you motivated and can even make things fun!

Take a multi-vitamin! Even if you never had to take one during high school, it’s easy to eat horribly/not enough, and getting your daily vitamins is really important!

Don’t give up your morning/bedtime routine for anything. This one might sound a little dumb, but trust me. Skipping a face wash or shower might sound okay at the time, but when you start breaking out or feeling less than your best, you’ll see what I mean.

Buy some Melatonin! Even if you don’t have sleeping problems, college takes away a lot of your sleep and has a lot of distractions that make it hard to fall asleep (ex: noises neighbors). Melatonin helps you fall asleep and sleep better, so even if you only get a few hours, it was a few hours of better quality sleep than it probably would have been. (Because Melatonin is a tablet, it’s important to read the warnings on the packaging and consult a doctor before taking it!)

Buy earplugs. Trust me. They’re a miracle worker when you’re trying to go to sleep, stay asleep, or get some work done in a noisy/distracting place.

Keep your surroundings sanitized. Wash your hands on a regular basis and disinfect your room (focus mores on the things you, your roommate and friends come in contact with a lot like light switches, door knobs, etc.). Carry a little pack of sanitary wipes or a thing of hand sanitizer with you in your backpack at all times. It may sound like I’m going overkill on all of this but the plague is real and consistent in college. You remember how in high school everyone would come back from school breaks sick? Well it’s the same way in college but 24/7. You’re going to be surrounded by people from all over the country (most likely) that come in contact with things you don’t, who will bring them back to school with them. Being sick during college is one of the worst things ever, so try to avoid it if you can!

There we have it! 10 tips on how to take care of yourself during the busy school year! Feel free to add something if you feel like it’s important and I left it out!

[itsthelettera]

guide to the first week of college

hey guys! i’ll be starting my sophomore year of college in just over a week (!!), and while i’m not new to the whole college thing, i will be new to my school this year as a transfer student, so i wanted to share these tips for y’all !

figure out where all your classes are beforehand - there’s nothing worse than being late on the first day, especially if you have small classes. don’t start off on the wrong foot! hopefully you’ll have some sort of orientation/tour that shows you the basics, but if you’re living on campus, you’ll likely be at school before the first day of classes - use this extra time to get familiar with campus and find out where all your classrooms are (not just the buildings, find the actual class if possible - some buildings are ridiculously complicated as far as room numbers go, trust me!). if you’re commuting to school, try to come an hour or so early to do this as much as you can (and you can also use time between classes to figure out where you’re headed!)

become friendly with the people around you - whether this be your roommate, the people sitting next to you in class, or the other people on your floor, it’s always nice to be on good terms with as many people as possible. make friends early - even if they don’t stick (and a lot of early friendships don’t), it’s nice to know a lot of people! get to know people in your classes, even though it’s harder to do this than it might’ve been in high school since often you just have the one class together. you never know when you’ll have to miss a class, and having someone to get notes from is such a relief (also study buddies !! super important !!)

wait until you’ve gone to class to buy textbooks - a lot of teachers will tell you that you don’t really need it, or that an older edition works just fine. whatever the case, it usually doesn’t hurt to wait to buy textbooks until you’re at school (plus, if you’re like me you may end up dropping the class you already bought 7 books for)

try out different study spots - there are so many places on a college campus to study: your dorm room, dorm lounges, library, student union, coffee shops, random class buildings, the quad - try them out and see what works best for you! a change of scenery can go a long way toward helping your productivity!

call your fam - they probably already miss you and with so much new stuff going on you’re bound to have lots to say - don’t get too caught up in the hustle and bustle of a new year!

get comfy with your dorm room - this is your new home for the year, make it work for you! it should be your happy place. figure out good storage systems. & try to have a good relationship w ur roomie(s)! 

keep ahead on homework - it’s easy to put it off when it still feels like summer, but come next week you’ll likely be drowning in work and lack of free time - do as much as you can as soon as you can, future you will thank you!

look into a job on campus - see how your class schedule plays out, and see if working on campus is a good idea for you. there are so many options and there are usually still a lot of openings by the first week, so take advantage of it now before all the positions fill up for the semester! (also from personal experience working in a dining hall is decidedly Not Fun, would not recommend), however

be kind to the maintenance workers and kitchen staff - as well as other workers on campus. usually they go unnoticed, but they’re (from my experience) so so kind when you take the time to say hi and ask them how they are. the kitchen staff i worked with in the dhall were some of the sweetest people i met on campus last year

keep your door open and hang out in your floor lounge - (if you have one) first week is prime time to meet new people, since everyone goes into it brand new. keep your door open and have convos with people who walk by (maybe have some treats and invite them in to share - everyone loves free food !). so many of my friends were made by “studying” (i use the term loosely haha) in the lounge

go to events - they’re probably free and often give out free food/goodies/t-shirts, plus they’re a good way to meet people and see what sorts of things you can get involved with on campus! esp if you have an involvement fair with clubs presenting, go and try to go to the first meeting of any club that sounds interesting to u! there’s no commitment to keep coming back if it isn’t for you, and you never know what amazing groups of people you could meet! i’d recommend only going to two or three clubs regularly though, any more than that can be a bit much (and try to balance fun with academic! - my last school even had a stationery club)

if you have any questions about college/that first week, please feel free to ask me! (also tag me in ur dorm room pics bc i love that stuff!) good luck w uni, frends!

[itsthelettera]

To-do list for Back To School.

Hey guys,I’m so sorry that I’ve been gone for that long but I wasn’t feeling myself lately (mentally and physically) so I decided to take a break,but now I’m back.So today’s post is about things you have to do in order to be ready for the upcoming school year.Let’s begin shall we?👇🏻👇🏻

• Buy your school supplies early: I know that this sounds so basic but having your stationary all ready and prepared and not waiting to buy them one week (or even day) before school starts will actually help you so much.It will inspire and motivate you for the next year making you think about school and all the things that you will need throughout the day.

• Organize your room,desk or generally your study corner: Okay so pay attention to this one cause it’s actually the key to everything (for me at least).In order to keep your mind focused on school,assignments and tests you must have a clean,quite and relaxing place to study.I know that this isn’t for all people but when it comes to children like me who can’t focus if there’s even a paper clip on the floor then it will be a life changing thing to do before school starts, BUT!! be careful and don’t overdo it, keep things that you will only need and don’t put stuff that are not useful cause it will most likely leave you without space to write.

• Pick your outfits days before: Look we’ve all been into this situation when you panic and freak out cause you have nothing to wear for a very special occasion, so picking your outfits early not only for the first week of school but for the whole year in general will help you so much I PROMISE.Because when you’re not in the mood to pick a cute outfit at 6:30am (Don’t worry I got you) it will come so handy if you just have it ready on your hooker waiting for you.Also this can may help you add a thing or two to your shopping list that you really need for back to school like umm a pair of basic skinny jeans or reaped mom jeans EVERYTHING you need will just come out way easier if you just sit down and think about it.

• Get crystal clear about this year’s goals: So in order to succeed anything in life you have to attract it,so if you just start thinking about the things that you would like to accomplish this year and be serious about them (like lose 3 pounds or read 5 books) you will actually make them happen a lot easier.

• Visualize your everyday routine: Here there isn’t much to explain.Its completely up to you.Imagine how your everyday life will be by the time school starts and try make it as productive and joyful as possible (ex. Wake up around 6:00 am,make your bed,wash your face,eat breakfast,brush your teeth,mediate,read a little bit of your book and leave for school).

[itsthelettera]

College Freshman Survival Guide

Academic:

Check your email and blackboard (if you use it) EVERYDAY

You are paying to go to class… so go

STUDY STUDY STUDYYYYYY

If you don’t understand some thing ask your professor, they will gladly help you out

Email signatures are important

Ratemyprofessor is useful… get an idea so you know what to expect that first day you walk in

Use a planner, calendar, bullet journal, just something to keep your life organized

Syllabi are so important, read them

Collectively take notes with your friends during lectures on google docs

Social:

Make friends!!! If you are in your dorm leave your door open, people will randomly walk in and start conversation

Athletic games are fun

Before you go out at night, set your alarms for in the morning incase you partied too hard and forget when you get home

Join clubs or student organizations

Financial:

Try to find text books on amazon, chegg, or cheapbooks. They are usually cheaper than buying them through your school

Apply for scholarships 

Get an on or off campus part time job, the little extra helps a lot

Use student discounts wherever you can get them

[itsthelettera]

College Tips from a Recent Grad

1. Research your professors. RateMyProfessor is a great resource. 2. Check Facebook for college groups. My college had groups for each class and even had a buy/sell/trade page. 3. Rent your textbooks whenever possible. Buy/rent digital whenever possible. Amazon is your best friend. They have most textbooks, and they even have a rental service. 4. Living off campus is typically less expensive than living on campus due to jacked up housing prices and mandatory meal plans. 5. Bring a bike to campus. It is so much quicker to bike than walk, and most campuses have large sidewalks and/or bike lanes. Some colleges even have semester bike rentals. Bring a lock and please please please wear a helmet. 6. Bring reusable bags for those late-night grocery trips. You won’t have a endless pile of bags in your room and you can actually carry more in reusables due to their durability. (Oh and you’ll be saving the planet). 7. Laundry pods are a great way to do laundry especially if you haven’t washed clothes before. You won’t have to estimate the correct amount of detergent (college washers are super finicky). Make sure you have lots of quarters if your college has pay laundry. You can get a sleeve at your bank. 8. Buy 2 plates, 2 bowls, 2 cups, 2 mugs, 2 forks, 2 spoons, and 2 knives for your room. You won’t have to continually buy paper and plastic ones. 9. Buy paper towels, a sponge, and some soap to clean said dishes and silverware and any other messes you may have. 10. Record your lectures if possible. You can take notes normally, but it helps to have a record if you miss something or if you’re an auditory learner. 11. Google Drive will be your best friend. You can work on group projects without having to meet up. You can take notes as a class and even have a class study guide. 12. Quizlet is super helpful for studying. You can create your own flash cards without having to buy paper flash cards, and you can share it with your classmates. Quizlet helped me so much with my sciences and foreign language! 13. You do not need an unlimited meal plan. You will not eat that much. I promise. 14. Check out to see if your college offers meal equivalency. At my college you could get $3-5 off of a meal at a retail dining location during certain times of the day. This helped me save my dining dollars. 15. Take shit from the dining hall, but bring your backpack to do it. Bring a bottle to get milk. Grab some fruit for snacks. I used to grab bananas for snacks. Take some cookies. Bring tupperware to sneak out cereal or even full meals. 16. Buy a planner and set up a digital calendar too. You’ll be glad you have both. 17. Set multiple alarms. You may not always wake up during the first one. Give yourself enough time in the morning to get ready and eat. 18. GroupMe is pretty important too. Classes, dorms, and clubs use GroupMe to communicate. I’ve used GroupMe to coordinate volunteers at my work and to schedule study groups. 19. Buy comfortable and durable shoes. I used to wear hiking sandals or tennis shoes on campus. You will likely walk a lot more than you are used to. I injured my foot my freshman year (initially by playing soccer), but because I wore unsupportive shoes while walking 6+ miles a day I fractured my foot! 20. Wear whatever the fuck you want to wear. You don’t have a dress code anymore. People will always dress fancier than you, but it doesn’t matter. Dress comfortably. 21. But a supportive backpack. I highly recommend a hiking pack. You will likely carry several books and a laptop with you, and your backpack will be heavy. 22. You don’t need a car in college unless you have no way to get home on breaks, you live too far away off campus to walk, and/or your job/internship is too far away to walk. 23. Use public transportation when available. Some colleges have their own bus system. Some cities give discounted bus and train passes to students. 24. Add your campus police and crisis lines to your phone. Have the campus police on speed dial. You never know what will happen. 22. Carry some form of self-protection. I had a brass knuckle type thing was the shape of a cat head and it would poke my attacker’s eyes. I eventually got a knife (for work), but I know people with mace. Get mace with a safe sprayer (so you don’t spray yourself) and a black light dye (invisible to the naked eye). 23. Free stuff is the shit. Sometimes you can get a snack or meal for free! Check out your college’s calendar for a list of events with free stuff. Twitter is also a great resource for knowing when free stuff is being given away. 24. Do not get a pet in college unless you have a schedule that allows you to be home a lot, an apartment that allows it, and the money to afford it. An average vet trip will cost $100. I got a cat my senior year, and he cost around $800 that year between vet costs, pet fees, food, and litter. Visit your local animal shelter if you miss animals. I saw too many neglected animals in college. 25. Mental and physical health are important. Research your college’s health center. Most will offer free or discounted services. My college offered free counseling and a discounted OBGYN. Make sure to keep up with your physicals in college. Being healthy is important!

[itsthelettera]

[itsthelettera]

Fuck me up

[itsthelettera]

Me as a thief: Steals the US Constitution. Replaces it with a perfect forgery, except the Second Amendment has been edited from “the right to bear arms” to “the right to bare arms.” Breaking News the next day: Nation has been misreading the Constitution for over 200 years. Historians mortified. Politicians scramble to save face. Gun control laws go into effect nationwide. School principals trying to punish high school girls for wearing tank tops get slapped with a lawsuit for violating their Second Amendment right to bare arms. I fall asleep on a mountain of money in my mansion in the Bahamas. Suck it Nicolas Cage.

[itsthelettera]

Looking to earn up to $100 daily extra cash online?

[itsthelettera]

I hate myself in a lot of ways you wouldn’t understand

psych0tic-lullabies (via psych0tic-lullabies)

[itsthelettera]

[itsthelettera]

[itsthelettera]

[itsthelettera]

i wanna punch myself in the face for procrastinating and ruining my life

[itsthelettera]

[itsthelettera]

My mother. #momtexts

[itsthelettera]