Monthly Favorites | September 2014

September is always a month that surprises me how different it is when comparing the beginning and the ending. At the beginning of the month, it was 90+ degrees outside and I was just starting my classes and recruitment was nearly here. Now, at the end of the month, I am comfortably in the swing of my schedule and the weather has cooled down to a more bearable temperature for this Northerner. I am most happy that I have gotten over the stress of a new semester and I am almost halfway through my time being away from home (only 58 days until I see my cats and dog, meaning 59 days until you see an obnoxious post filled with their pictures)! But I'm sure you didn't click on to this post to ramble on about my animals, so lets get on with this month's favorites!

Beauty

Before I went back to school, I made sure to make a stop at Ulta because I unfortunately do not have one close to me while I am at school. I was running out my cream eyeshadow that I used for a long time on my eyebrows, and figured I should expand my horizons as far as eyebrows are concerned. After reading amazing reviews, I decided to go with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in Soft Brown. What I love most about this product is how long it stays on/ how durable it is! After a 12 hour clinical day, I am always surprised to come home to find that my eyebrows still look awesome. I can't wait to try more of her products!

Shopping

I know I am way behind every other college girl in the country, but I placed my first Tobi order this month! I needed a white dress for recruitment and nothing in stores was catching my eye. I finally succumbed to online shopping, which I am always hesitant to do because its such a hassle when something doesn't fit. Since I had never ordered anything from Tobi before, I was sent a 50% off coupon code which was put to good use when I ordered a few dresses and crossed my fingers that one would work. Fortunately, one ended up being perfect for recruitment and now I have a bad habit of checking the website weekly (especially when I get an email telling me about a sale!)

Television

First, I just need to say how bummed I am that I haven't kept up with the first few weeks of  Fall television premieres. I am usually a TV addict, but lately I have found Netflix calling my name because of the convenience factor. John visited last weekend and we started to watch the first season of American Horror Story. We were kind of freaked out by it (okay it was just me who was freaked out), but we both wanted to keep watching it to find out what happens! I visit him over this past weekend and we were able to finish the whole... don't judge, there is only 12 episodes! If you have a high tolerance for scary/freaky things then this show is highly recommended...however if you are like me and only have a moderate tolerance for scary things, watch it with someone else!

Activity...?

I didn't know how to accurately describe this category, so lets go with activity. Since this is my first year living off campus while at school, and I no longer have access to the fantastic dining halls for all of my meals, I've been cooking a ton. At first, I was stressed about it because everyone talks about how much of a hassle it is, but I have actually grown to like it. I scour Pinterest looking for semi-easy recipes and usually cook a couple portions at a time so that I have plenty of leftovers to munch on when I am not in the cooking mood. Some days its nice to come home after class and unwind in the kitchen making dinner! I was thinking about posting a few recipes I have been liking on here...they are nothing too complicated, I promise!

What are your favorites this month?

P.S. I think I might participate in #Blogtober14 and *attempt* to blog everyday (or most days)! 

You've cat to be kitten me...

Finally my cat obsession sneaks out on to this blog...Its been hard hiding it these few months! Here are some cat pins I found on Pinterest that made me seriously laugh out loud (sometimes while I'm in class, which is bad). 

I hope these gave you a little laugh to help you through the end of the week!

What do you think of cats?

Autumn Bucket List

With yesterday being the first day of Fall and my new discovery of The Sits Girls website, I thought it would be a great opportunity to hop on their "Back to Blogging" challenge. This topic is my favorite one of the week...my autumn bucket list! If you haven't guessed it by now, I love writing lists so I hope you love reading them!

1. Halloween

To be honest, I used to hate Halloween. I didn't like how scary TV shows and movies got and I stopped trick or treating way before all my friends did because I was just over it all. It has only been in the past two years that I have really come to appreciate this quirky holiday. I like to watch all the scary movies, eat all the candy corn, and decorate with lots and lots of corny decorations (get the pun??) 

2. Apple/Pumpkin picking

I feel like this one must be on everyone's autumn bucket list, right? Who knew that such a simple activity that would have such a significance on our population! There is just something special about roaming through an apple tree field with a big basket, searching for the perfect apples to bring home to make a pie. Afterwards, when your hands are a little chilly from the windy air and picking the cold apples, hot apple cider is the perfect thing to warm up with!

3. Wearing boots

Is this too simple? I have a pair of brown riding-type boots that I got last fall that I absolutely love, and I really can't wait to tuck a pair of dark skinny jeans or some black leggings into them! 

4. Thanksgiving

I know I already listed a holiday, but I can't help it...I am obsessed with every holiday! I love that we have a holiday dedicated to giving thanks, and I love that I spend it with my family. My mom and I usually spend the whole morning cooking and watching the parade (and singing along with all the Broadway tunes). Then, everyone eats all afternoon and finally, kick off the Christmas season by watching a few Christmas movies at night!

5. Changing leaves

Growing up in Maine gave me the privilege of seeing the most beautiful autumn scenes on this planet so it is one of the things I miss most about my state when I am away at school. However, the Virginia scenery is quite a good substitute. I love that the season of autumn is marked with such bold and beautiful colors. It is so majestic and I truly believe it is the king of all seasons!

John and I at my sorority's annual run for JDRF...check out the leaves!

What do you like about autumn?

Are You Trying to Annoy Me?

Do you ever have those days where you feel like every one is specifically out to get you? Its like they know all your pet peeves and make it their mission to subject you to them. While I am being very dramatic right now, I felt like so many of my pet peeves popped out at me this week! Please let me know I am not crazy and these are some of your annoyances too!

1. Barefoot in public

So I am leaving the library on campus, just walking down the stairs and a girl passes me going up the stairs who is NOT WEARING SHOES OR SOCKS. Completely barefoot on a rug that probably never gets vacuumed. I'm sure she just kicked off her socks/shoes while studying and then thought she would pop down stairs to grab some Starbucks...BUT PLEASE, no one wants to see or smell your feet! 

 2. Not using gender-neutral pronouns

If you don't know, I am studying nursing right now in college. In many of my classes, we talk about case studies or my professors always give us hypothetical situations and we have to talk through them. What gets me about these situations and studies are that my professors always refer to doctors as "he" and nurses as "she". My classroom is not female only...there are plenty of guys in my classes and I get mad for them every time it is insinuated that all nurses are girls. Also, I get mad for the amazing female doctors that I worked with this summer who probably have spent most of their careers fighting the stereotype that all doctors are men. Just use a gender-neutral pronoun, please!

Exactly my reaction in class...

3. Sound of people eating

I did a bit of research on this and while I thought the internet was going to tell me I was insane for this to bug me, but apparently its called misophonia. Its the severe hatred of sound and it is usually triggered by the sounds of people eating...Now I am most definitely not saying that I have this, but its nice to know that I am not 100% picky. 

4. Not paying attention while walking

On a college campus, every one is walking. Walking to class, to eat, to study, to hang out, to who knows where. About once a week, I have an unfortunate run in with some one who is not paying attention to where they are walking and I end up doing an awkward "how-do-I-get-out-of-this-persons-way-so-they-don't-run-into-me" dance with the other person never even noticing I am bouncing around them. My rule of thumb is that my feet and my eyes should always be pointed in the same direction...is that such a crazy thought?!

What I really should do.

5. No one cares how much you drank this weekend and general vulgarity

While this title pretty much explains it all, I just can't stand when people brag about how "wasted" they were this weekend or how much they are going to be next weekend. There is a time and a place for talk like that and its not at 8am in my lecture class. No one cares. GRR. 

Thanks for letting me rant, internet! I hope none of you are offended by these things, and keep your fingers crossed that I will have better luck this week with people annoying me so you will not have to be subjected to another complaint list! (But don't lie, I know you liked the gifs.)

What are some of your pet peeves?

P.S. Are you following me on BlogLovin? Click here if not!

iOS 8 Impressions

With the past few iOS updates, I waited a few days after the release so I could find out all the little bugs and annoyances that comes with any new technology. However, with this new update, I figured why not just put my phone down for a bit to let it download and see what its all about before my friends do! 

As far as downloading the update went, it took about an hour on my wifi to get it. Then, it took about 25 minutes for it to actually be installed on my phone. This isn't bad considering I was expecting it to take three hours...Now before I start to talk about what's new with the phone, I want to say that I am not at all an expert in technology/iPhones. I just really like them!

What's new with...

...texting!

The texting app now gives you choices of what words it thinks you might you next. While it felt a bit awkward and slow at first, I think I am going to like to using this shorthand method of typing. It reminds me a bit of T9 word, for those of you who texted through flip phones six years ago!

...photos!

The camera roll album was deleted off of the photo app, which is definitely something I am not happy with. I liked being able to see all my pictures together and easily scroll through. To do that now, I will have to go to the "photos" tab and go through the "collections". This is just a minor annoyance, and overall I'm sure it will be for the best, right?

...new Apple-installed apps!

I noticed four new apps when my phone was done installing the new update. I don't have much use for the iBooks (I am a Kindle girl) or the Podcasts (never was able to get into them). However, I do find the Health app interesting...you can sync all your health apps together in one place. As a student nurse, I find this information very interesting and love the fingertip accessibility! The fourth new app is a Tips app, that gives helpful hints for using the new iOS 8 update. I think this will be helpful for the first few weeks, but I am curious about its long term use!

...iCloud!

I added this as a joke because I don't use iCloud, mostly because I do not understand/don't want to understand it. I have heard many problems that people have with iCloud and I don't want to subject myself to the hidden intricacies of the Cloud! Maybe someday...

After installing the update, I spent the rest of the day constantly checking the newly updated apps that promoted better iOS 8 compatibility. So far I haven't seen anything new and better that stuck out to me, but I will keep you updated!

What do you think of the iOS 8 update?

Afternoon at the Vineyard

My best friend from college paid a visit back to JMU this weekend to celebrate her birthday and I was SO excited to see her! She arrived Saturday and we tailgated a bit before the football game, then went out to an Irish pub for dinner! On Sunday, we went to campus for brunch and then decided to get ready and spend the afternoon at a local vineyard. 

I didn't take any pictures of the rows and rows of grapes...but I got a picture of these hydrangeas!

I had no clue that such a beautiful place existed just 15 minutes down the road from me! I guess western Virginia is known for its wine as I learned that there are many vineyards around JMU! My friends said that the wine they had was good, but the snacks they got were even better! I chose not to have a glass of wine because it always makes me so sleepy and I didn't get a great sleep the night before so I didn't want to be falling asleep at the table! 

One of my favorite pairs of boots!

 I wore a red and navy striped dress from J.Crew Factory, a short sand booties from Macy's, and a dark jean jacket from Old Navy. The day was quite overcast and a tad cold...a dress might not have been the best choice for me. However, the company was great and to make the afternoon even better, there was a musician playing reggae music.

Who knew reggae music would fit so well with a vineyard??

I would love to go back on a day when it is more sunny and warm, and also I'd like to bring John next time! We finished off the night by going to a local Italian restaurant...can you tell we like to eat?!

What did you do this weekend?

PS I swear I wasn't here alone... Since this blog is a little secret of mine, I never include pictures of my friends since I would have to ask for permission to post pictures of them! Maybe some day I will tell them!

How To Survive With No Sleep

Between recruitment, nursing clinicals, and a major test this week, to say I only got a little sleep is an understatement. I have found that college is one big balancing act between doing the things you need to do with doing the things you want to do, all while trying to get the minimum amount of sleep that will keep us sane. While I was running on no sleep this week (and the past year) I have compiled a list of things that worked to keep me awake!

1. Eat something

I know there are a lot of you out there that choose to skip breakfast. DON'T DO THIS EVER (its so bad for you guys!) However, it is especially important to eat something if you haven't got a lot of sleep because food is a major energy source for your body so it might be able to give you a little power boost! On mornings that I am feel extra groggy, I usually make myself a PB&J on whole grain toast. This gives me the energy to get my morning going!

2. Mint gum

When I'm sitting in class and hardly able to keep my eyes open, I usually reach for a piece of gum to try to wake myself up a bit! The mint wakes up the mind and the chewing allows your body to focus on an action, rather than how tired you are.

3. Water

Hydration is extra important when feeling tired because dehydration will make you feel even worse. It'll make you feel more tired and give you a headache! I like to keep a reusable water bottle, like a Camelbak, with me all the time and refill it multiple times throughout the day. 

4. Walk/Stretch

While sitting down when you are tired may seem like a nice way to conserve energy, I find that it just makes me more tired. Whether I am studying or in class, I take advantage of bathroom and snack breaks to walk around to stretch my legs as I feel it gives me a little boost of energy! While it may seem counterintuitive, if you have the time to fit in a whole workout, do it...it'll give you a major energy boost!

5. Coffee or Tea

When in doubt, reach for the caffeine! I would suggest coffee or tea, because energy drinks kind of scare me! If you are able to sneak into the nearest Starbucks, I would suggest the Tazo "Awake" tea (an English Breakfast tea) or a Hazelnut Macchiato or just a boring old Pike with room!

What do you do to survive on no sleep?

What I'm Looking Forward To | September 2014

I am so happy now that it is September as it is always a time that is filled with change and new-ness! Like I wrote in my post yesterday, I have started a new semester of classes and I am trying to get into the flow of a new schedule. I have had a lots of changes in the past few weeks and what it really getting me through all the chaos is the promise of the new season that is upon us. While I am filled with this promise and hope, I figured a post about what I am looking forward to this month is perfect!

1. Sorority Recruitment

I am not sure if I have mentioned that I am a member of a sorority on this blog yet, but I am a sister in Alpha Sigma Tau! I went through recruitment as a freshman at James Madison University and as a senior now, I can say that it has absolutely affected my life in ways that I would have never thought possible. I will eventually do a sorority life post, but briefly I will mention that I have gained so much self-esteem and confidence through my involvement with my sorority, as well as friends that I know I will have for life. I know that I have totally diverged from my original point, so to get back on track...recruitment starts tomorrow! It is a five day process where potential new members get to go to every house on sorority row where they can mingle with sisters and hopefully find the right sorority for them! It is a lot of fun to meet all these new girls and its a chance to spend some quality time with my sisters! It ends Tuesday night and I will write a post that includes lots of pictures of the week!

2. Football Games

JMU has a Division I football program, and we play in a subdivision so nothing crazy intense like some of the southern schools! I said "we play" like I am actually on the field with the team... Anyway, football games on Saturday completely shut down the town and everyone heads down to the game (or the tailgate!) I am specifically looking forward to the family weekend game, when my family comes to visit, and the homecoming game, when my best friend will be back in town to visit!

3. Seeing John

One of my favorite pictures of us together!

Since John and I met in high school, and decided to go to different universities, we have been mostly long-distance for the past few years. Part of the reason why I was so sad to leave for the summer was because going back to school means going back to being three and a half hours away from John. Thankfully, three and a half hours is not bad compared to other long-distance couples that I have read about here across the internet universe! We are able to have a weekend together about once a month and for September, John is coming here to visit! Commence countdown: 16 days. 

What are you looking forward to this month?

New Year, New Me?

You might be shaking your head at the title of this post and be saying, "Meghan, its only September 2..." Yes, I do recognize that it is not New Years Day, however I am a week into a new school year. I have a love-hate relationship with this time of year actually. For the most part, I spent August one-fourth excited to go back to college to see my friends and get back into the swing of a schedule. The other three-fourths was spent sulking about having to say goodbye to my family, my home friends, my awesome summer job and the freedom of summer. 

This sulking is why I haven't quite been blogger extraordinaire. For a few weeks, I found it hard to muster the enthusiasm to write about what I was doing or what products I have been loving or whatever random thoughts pop into my head. On that note, with a new year upon me, I am feeling that I am back on the blog writing grind for good. I find that it helps to clear my head and I think it will be a great creative release when I am about to pull my hair out due to stress from nursing classes. 

I have a few questions for those of you out there in the blogger world that I hope you can help me with. Sometimes I have trouble with inspiration of what to write about...where do you all find inspiration on what to write? Also, what organizational methods do you use to coordinate posts on your blog? I read one blog once where the author had her blog topics picked out a few months in advance! Is this the norm that I just didn't know about? How far in advance do you plan out blogs? Any advice is greatly appreciated for this newbie blogger!

Here's an adorable cat gif in trade for your advice!