Quit Battling Your Skin

one // two // three (evening)

three (morning) // 4 (evening) // 4 (morning)

It's no secret that my skin has been... temperamental lately. I've been trying everything under the sun to get my hormonal acne to clear up but, as I should have known, my hormones can't be beat ;) So, I've found a solution that at least clears up the redness & shrinks the blemishes. That's enough for me! As I'm sure many people struggle with similar skin issues, I figured I'd share what works right now. 

Before I get started, my ultimate, #1, do. not. break. this. rule. rule is don't touch it.

It's hard for me too, but that alone will help it clear up. Okay now on to what I've been using!

At night, I start by taking off my makeup, which I just use Sephora brand makeup remover. From there I tie up my hair and head to the sink. Obviously, I wash my face with warm water and pat it dry. I then use a toner/ clarifying lotion to clean out my pores even better! I rinse with cold water to close my pores and lock in all the good, cleanness. I use an Ultra Repair Cream all over my face and neck. I put on enough that it doesn't all soak in... just to keep my skin hydrated through the night. If needed, I'll use my trusty EradiKate on any blemishes that I'm dying to pop. My mom says that this dries her out so she has to be careful with it... I'm not that way so I can use it pretty liberally. Regardless, it'll clear up your blemishes. You just might have some dry or flaky spots if you're like my mom. Then I go to sleep and wake up with (usually) clear(er) skin! Magic!

Now my routine in the morning is a little different. I work out before class, so I have to get all the sweat and grime out of my pores pronto! I use St. Ives Apricot Exfoliator (not pictured) on my face and body at the end of my shower. When I get out, all I really need is a moisturizer, so I use the Clinique Moisture Surge- side note, this stuff is amazing. It's texture is similar to a makeup primer. It just glides on and makes your skin so. soft. A little bit goes a long long long way!- and brightening eye cream around/under my eyes. I let that all sit and apply my makeup on top!

Disclaimer: this routine has miraculously worked for me. It took some time and lots of failing, but I've kept my skin in-check for now. I have never had "bad" skin so this was all new to me. I have yet to set foot in a dermatologist's office... but that's coming up! This may work for you, it may not. But if you're at a loss when it comes to products, I highly recommend these and I know you can walk into any Sephora and ask for samples!

Also, let me know what works for you or what your skin Holy Grail items are... I'm open to any suggestions!

Valentine's Gifts!

one // two // three

four // five

(cupcake available at your nearest bakery ;))

Okay okay, so not necessarily for your "lover" because let's just say I'd be happy to receive any of these gifts and I'm definitely not in a steady relationship. These could be gifts for your mom, friend, significant other, or yourself! There's nothing wrong with a little bit of self-lovin'. I was just talking to my mom about how simple gifts like this are the most thoughtful. And I always love beauty products or jewelry because it brings memories of the giver with every wear or every time I look and see that bracelet on my wrist. 

My personal favorite on this list is #2. I have been dying to try a Diptique candle and this one is oh-so pretty and limited edition! I just might have to gift it to myself if necessary :) As with all gifts, think it through. And, within reason, get what you think would look great on the recipient. Some of my favorite gifts are items I wouldn't have picked out on my own, and that's the best! 

If I have any secret admirers who happen to be reading this... follow my advice! Hah! 

Happy almost- February and TGIF! 

January Faves

So I used to make "Top 5" posts, where I'd take my top 5 favorites for each month and put 'em all in one post. Well it seems that I'm really loving so many new items each month that I decided to nix the numerical limit and just go for broke! (... but literally, all these new things come with a price!) Okay, it may also be that we just had Christmas and I've been trying out all my little giftys :) Anyways, on with the favorites of this month! 

Beauty

L'occitane Shower Oil A Friend of mine's mom works at L'occitane and gave me a little sample basket for Christmas. I hadn't really thought much of the brand before, but now they're definitely on my radar! I love love love the little lotions and perfumes that she gave me, but the shower oil was definitely the most life-changing. It's an odd concept, but I've never had skin this smooth- especially in the summer! I haven't quite run out of my sample size (a small drop goes a long way) but I'll be buying the full size as soon as I'm out! 

1st Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream It's no secret that my skin hasn't been on its best behavior lately. This stuff was a game-changer. I used some of my Sephora points for a deluxe sample of this and, in combination with Kate Sommerville EradiKate, my skin is almost all cleared up. I've also heard that people use this on their dry hands- I'll let you know how that goes! 

Dior Addict in Dior Kiss I've been really into pink lips lately and this was a great find! I saw it on a whim and thought I'd give it a try- it's the perfect amount of color for my lips without looking like I'm trying too hard. It's casual and comfortable and oh, so moisturizing! Definitely my current everyday lipstick! (plus my old favorite, Love Marc in Have We Met is no longer available. A worthy replacement)

Jewelry

Kendra Scott Alexandra Earrings My lovely mother got these for me for Christmas and they've been so. pretty. I've never had a piece of jewelry get as much attention as these. And they bring out my blue eyes like nothing I've ever seen before! They're the perfect pop of color in the still- drab winter but I know they'll look great in the summer, too! 

Clothing

Lou + Grey I randomly picked up a cardigan (similar) in the Loft a few weeks ago and fell in love love love! I'm not usually one for long cardigans but this line has me converted. Just last week, the Loft was having a huge sale and I bought another cardigan. I've worn at least one every other day since I got them. So comfy and cool- the spring line is calling my name! 

Food

Starbucks Vanilla Latte I'm fortunate enough to have a Starbs on the way to class 4/5 days of the week, and a nice latte or macchiato has been my go-to. I've been working out before class and skipping breakfast (oops!) so I can spare the calories and need the protein and calcium in the milk. I get the sugar-free syrups and count that as my "daily indulgence". 

Books

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov Senior year of high school was my first introduction to Russian Literature and I was intrigued! It was challenging to read and the messages were always a little... wonky. Lolita is no different but I love getting back into an analytical mindset when I read this. It's different from my science-based coursework (I'm taking all science classes this semester) which is a refreshing and welcome change. I've missed reading and have more free time this semester, so I'm hoping to get through many more books! 

Random

My Fitness Pal App I've been logging my workouts and meals here, which has been great! Not that I'm really looking to drop a significant amount of weight... it's just helped me to get healthier by visualizing what I'm putting into my body. Navigating the dining courts can be hard- carbs everywhere- and the fear of seeing nutrition percentages I'm not happy with steers me towards the good stuff :)

Candles need I say more? My sister got me a couple candle warmers for Christmas, so I can finally have candles in the dorm! A welcome change for sure! 

Staying Light Out! The January- February time of the year is the hardest for me. Luckily, we've had a pretty sunny winter here in West Lafayette. It's starting to get light around 7:30 am, which makes getting up for my morning workouts so much easier and it's staying light until 6-6:30 which does wonders for my motivation in the evenings! So far, So good! 

WOW! So this post went much, much longer that I anticipated... maybe I should keep to restraining myself to 5 items haha! Oh well, I just had so many goodies this month... I'll keep playing with the format, I suppose :) Happy end-of January, my friends! 

Red Hot Nails

I have about 7 different shades of red in my nail polish collection and that's a number that's sure to grow. Red nails are just so classic but there's definitely a red for every season, too. I've been looking for the perfect shade of red for a while- not too pink and not too orange. I think I've found it! Essie She's Pampered is a true red. It's not too dark for the summer but not too light for winter- seriously year-round color. 

There is always going to be personal favorites when it comes to nail color, but if you're looking for a great red- give She's Pampered a try. And if you don't love it... well, you can send it to me ;) 

Workout Playlist

There's nothing I find more motivating that new workout playlists.

I can have the greatest shoes, the cutest headband, or the lightest water bottle, but my workout will just be blah without good music. I'm really enjoying my current playlist and I thought I'd share what I'm listening to and what I'm doing to get spring break ready :)

(in no particular order because I work out with an iPod shuffle)

1. Drunk In Love- Beyonce

2. Sledgehammer- Fifth Harmony

3. Flawless- Beyonce

4. Masterpiece- Jessie J

5. Sundress- Landon Austin

6. Uptown Funk- Bruno Mars

7. Cruise (iTunes Session Version)- Florida Georgia Line

8. 3005- Childish Gambino

9. Blank Space- Taylor Swift

10. Style- Taylor Swift

11. Bad Blood- Taylor Swift

12. Say My Name- Destiny's Child

13. Survivor- Destiny's Child

14. Partition- Beyonce

15. Jealous- Nick Jonas

My workouts rarely last longer than an hour and I change up my playlist frequently so I like to keep it short and sweet. I typically do 60 min on the elliptical at medium to high intensity. After that (or later in the day if I'm working out before class) I'll go back and do yoga and abs. The elliptical works my arms and legs, as does yoga, and then I work abs separately, so I hit every muscle group every day. If you're looking for some good beginner yoga classes, here are a few that I started with and still do to this day!

Runner's World Yoga 1 2 3 4 

Tone It Up Yoga 1 2

There you go! Have fun workin' up a sweat this weekend!  

A Little R&R

It's always nice to come back to school and immediately have a 3-day weekend.

This year it seemed like most of my friends went home or on retreats for the long weekend, leaving me to my Netflix and own agenda. I won't lie, being alone for much of the weekend was a little lonely even for this introvert. But I managed to just relax, get some schoolwork done, and pamper myself a little bit :)

Saturday night I had nothing to do and remembered that I had some very ripe avocados. On a whim, I looked up avocado face/ hair masks just for fun. It just happened that I had all the ingredients in my dorm and most of the ingredients overlapped for face and hair. So, I went ahead and covered myself neck-up in Avocado! I was so happy with the results that I figured I'd share what I did! 

Ingredients:

- 1 avocado

- 2 capfuls of vegetable oil

- a tablespoon of honey

I just mixed these all together in a bowl until it had a sort of baby-food looking consistency. From there, I took off my makeup, and rinsed my face and hair. I didn't really have a method other than to use handfuls to apply to my hair and face. With the hair, I'd advise not getting too close the the roots of your hair... unless you like the greasy look. I then let it sit for 45 minutes (approximately two episodes of Friends), then hopped in the shower and rinsed it all out. I then let my hair air dry.

I didn't really know what to expect when I did this, but I figured my hair and skin couldn't get much worse- I've had horrible acne in my chin area and the ends of my hair are so lifeless. But WOW. I don't know if it's just in my head of what but I swear my split ends are un-split not and my face? Still not flawless but It was less red and much easier to cover even with the light coverage foundation I've been using to try to let that area breathe. Back to my hair, it still definitely needs a salon day, but it's so shiny and soft- so easy to brush through! 

And the biggest change? Well the little piece of hair at the nape of my neck is just always gross. I don't know why, but it's been this ratty little mess for as long as I can remember. It doesn't hold a curl or anything. Anyways, It's smooth and cooperative now! 

I think avocados are the fruit of the body gods because I have yet to see something negative from these little guys. 

Work Smarter, Love Harder

picture via Pinterest

So I'm a little late in getting around to a "resolution list" but I really wanted to put some thought into how I'd like 2015 to be remembered in the scheme of my life. I don't want resolutions that are easy to forget about and I definitely want to branch out from the expected. In 2014, I think I really focused on building healthier habits and taking in all that freshman year of college had to offer. But with a big year of what I like to call "the unknown", I want to make sure that my heart and my mind is in the right place.

On that note, I decided to nix the R-word (resolution, that is) and go with Goal. Still a bit overused, a goal doesn't necessarily start on January 1st... and end by January 21st ;) Goals can be picked up at ones own pace and be dropped just the same- of course, that isn't the "goal" but we're all human right? So I have a few goals on my mind for this year but I can assure you I haven't taken them all on- yet! It will come, but at a pace that is manageable and consistent with life. 

Blah, Blah. Enough with my yammering- here are my personal 2015 goals! 

(post-writing note: this got long and detailed so brace yourself!)

3. Save More; Spend Less

It's no secret that college students are at the lowerest end of the financial spectrum. Especially if you're a full time student and don't have time to work... aka me. There wouldn't be a problem if I didn't like to shop so much....... and if I didn't have such expensive taste (oops). I have an "allowance" that, if budgeted correctly, a majority of can be saved. I figure saving a little bit at school can get me into the habit so that this summer when I do have a regular paycheck, I'll be ready to put a larger percentage of that into my savings. 

Since I do still love my retail therapy, I have these mini goals set in place:

I have a minimum amount that I want to see in my checking account and I can't spend anything that would require it to go below that. This gives me an "emergency buffer" in my checking so that I don't have to transfer from my savings if there is an emergency.

When it comes to shopping: shop online less. Additionally, anything I might be looking at, I keep open in a tab for a week. If I still have the tab up at the end of the week, I can reconsider whether or not it's something I "need" to buy. 

2. Work Smarter & Love Harder

This is a little mantra that I came up with on my own. It's absolutely what I need to work on personally. In the past, I think I've worked hard and loved smart- meaning that I put work before personal relationships and invested in relationships that I saw as important i.e. my parents and a few good friends. 

This year I want to Work Smarter... meaning that I find the study strategies that work for each class and for myself and run with them. I wouldn't say it's the "bare minimum" because that sounds so lazy but it's a similar concept: finding what works to get the grade I'm happy with while giving me a personal life as well. 

Which brings me to the Love Harder part. I've previously worked on being less judgmental, more open minded, being vulnerable etc etc. And I like to think that I've improved on those qualities. Loving harder is more about combining all that was previously mentioned. I need to be willing to be vulnerable with anyone, not just someone who I think deserves my love or whatever mindset I have that determines who I love and who I don't. I want to show true support and compassion to everyone I meet no matter how my personal attitude may be effecting my day. This is going to be a hard one, but it's also exciting.

Side Note: I am aware that Love is a "strong" word but it doesn't have to be. I don't see anything wrong with great expression and once read that we should "fall in love every day with something different". Be it a new flavor of coffee or an actual person, the world is lacking in love so I think big hearts and strong emotions are needed to make up for it. Also, love absolutely doesn't have to be a romantic gesture. End Side Note. 

1. Love Jesus

There's not much explaining to do here other than to work on seeking Him every day. It should be the easiest goal of the year because everything should come second to this. 

There you have it: my three big goals for 2015.

Keep me accountable, will ya? 

My Favorite Pins

It's dead week here at Purdue... which really should be called "I'm dead" week.

But in all honesty, I haven't been all that busy since I've gotten back from Thanksgiving break. Classes have been winding down and I've only been studying a couple hours a day for finals. With all this free time plus study breaks, I've been spending more time on Pinterest.

I thought it'd be fun to share a few of my favorite pins I've come across lately. Hopefully you'll like them,and pin them yourself! If nothing else, they'll surely get you in the holiday mood :)

I'm always looking for yummy, festive recipes. We were loving peppermint bark over Thanksgiving, so I thought this might be a winning recipe in my family... I'll let you know how it goes!

Parisian Chic from Vogue. Because I'm always looking for cute outfit inspiration with pieces that can be found in pretty much any closet. Who knew black with a mini skirt could be so chic?

So I need these booties. I saw these on Nordstrom's website back in October and they've lasted the "wait and see" test. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they'll be on sale or, at the very least, still available in my size after Christmas. They're not cheap but I'm been wearing my two year old booties multiple times a week lately, and these are just so gorgeous... I've always been a shoe girl. 

Besides the fact that I can't believe I just found out about WhoWhatWear, I came across this list of 35 quotes and oh. my. gosh. I've said before that words have this effect on me... I don't get it but the right words or quote can completely change my perspective. I loved this one by Anna Wintour... especially because I have been making quite a few decisions lately. 

Holiday party attire... this just screams holidays and I love it so much. 

If I had this dress, I don't think I'd ever take it off. 

So, I'm going to get back to studying and get off Pinterest now! You can follow along here. 

Thanks for reading! 

Pottery Barn

Pottery Barn keeps popping up in my life recently, which is so random but I'm certainly not complaining! When I was home for Thanksgiving, we made a few trips to the mall and so my mom and I took some time to get lost walk around. Furniture stores used to be forms of punishment at the mall so it's so funny to me that I could probably spend an hour in one section now. I guess that's the price of growing up...

If nothing else, I like to just look at the displays. I'm fascinated with presentation of furniture and odds and ends, just because I don't think I could really "stage" anything very well. I'll stop rambling now and just share the pictures I took that make me want to just move into the showroom.

are the notebooks and coffee table books included?

I said that PB has been popping up in my life and that's no joke! When I came back to school, I overheard a couple girls talking about Pinterest and how they love following Pottery Barn. Okay, so 1) why I have yet to follow PB (I now follow them and you should too!) and 2) I don't have the adequate time needed to look at every. single. pin. So that will be a winter break task, I suppose. I seriously feel like a 30 year old woman when I walk through these stores and think about furnishing a house, but a girl's gotta dream! 

Side note, I didn't take this picture but don't you just want every single one of these blankets? Yeah, me too! 

Books, Books, Books

Words have always been a source of peace for me. 

From the minute I could read, I've had a book in my hand and two more (at least) at home waiting to be cracked open.  The same goes for music. I appreciate great lyrics, whether "great" refers to witty or thought-provoking or both.. although forgive me for my love of sugary pop melodies on occasion. Maybe it's an introvert thing- getting lost in the words and thoughts of others- or maybe it's just a Sarah thing. Whatever it is, there's hardly anything that moves me like words. 

To that point, and the fact that Christmas is coming up, I wanted to share a few of my favorite books and a few that are on my "to-read" list...

Okay number one is the American Girl book... I can't remember which year I got this as a gift but it has got to be one of the best gifts I got as a kid. It has all the original Christmas stories in a single book. It embodies Christmas for me and will surely be something I read to my kids. If you don't own it, I'd highly recommend you make the purchase! 

Currently Reading: the Goldfinch

Next "To-Read": How to be Parisian Wherever You Are

Extended "To Read":

Anna Karenina

the Silkworm

The End of Fashion

The Gospel According to Coco Chanel

Lolita

The Woman I Wanted to Be

Decision Points

See? And my list will continue to grow. Some may find a long list overwhelming, but I find it calming and exciting to be able to look forward to hearing from so many authors and characters. There's nothing more enchanting that I long list of books and a very cold winter forecast forcing me to stay inside and read. 

Posh Thanksgiving

I channelled my inner Blair this Thanksgiving and wore classics with a pop of color. We didn't really do anything big- just lunch with family and then hanging out at my aunt and uncle's house. Regardless, I love the opportunity to dress up and take pictures... and eat a lot :) Big thanks to my sister, the resident photographer while I'm at home. Hope y'all had a happy holiday weekend! 

p.s. how cute is this fruit turkey? My dad did this all on
his own... what a guy.

PUDM 2014

There's not much to say but WOW! This weekend was one fore the books- 33 hours without sleep, on my feet at least 18 of them, and a final reveal of over $1 Million raised for the second year in a row!! I've got to get back to reality now with an exam tonight before I drive back home for a wonderful Thanksgiving break :)

I hope you had a great weekend, but I can almost be sure it wasn't as good as mine LOL! 

Put this on Your To-Do List!

I'm not kidding. I've been working on so many applications the past month and I am constantly reminded of the fact that what I put out on the internet "can and will come against me". So I decided to check into it myself. What will future employers/ anyone who might get my resume see if they Google me? It's easy enough to check it out! 

What I got was hardly what I'd say is going to "break" me. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised at my top 3 results. A fundraising page for the awesome student organization and fundraiser, PUDM, my Facebook, and my LinkedIn. A few results down were popular blog posts and my Twitter. 

While the results probably are more important once the links are clicked on (what is physically on my Facebook and Twitter), the immediate results aren't too bad! I like that it shows off a little of who I am- philanthropy, my blog, and links to my personal Facebook and my professional LinkedIn. So, when everyone else is telling you to keep an eye on what you put on the internet... of course don't put anything that may be a red flag for employers, but also take advantage of the ways that you can represent yourself online!

The big threat can actually be your biggest asset!

Reflection

In today's technology-driven age, journaling has taken a back seat to tweeting and updating statuses. In essence, they aren't completely different. The mind associates memories with the senses, so going back and reading old statuses and tweets can and does bring up memories. I jokingly say that my twitter is a source for the writer of my future biography, which isn't necessarily false. But I've been reading so many biographies and autobiographies lately and they all reference personal journals, something that I had just kind of forgotten about.

I used to keep so many journals. I'd journal my trips, the boys I liked, what I did each day. Essentially, I was a 30 year old woman as a kid. But I love going back and reading through those. They're my personal thoughts about each day or experience I had. Key word there- personal. Nobody else was seeing what I put in there, and that's what makes all the difference. Personal reflection is good and doesn't always need to be shared with the Twitter-verse.

On the flip side, journaling is a commitment! I don't want to look back and think "hey, I skipped this day! I wonder what was going on!" How sad is that? So, in an effort to not skip any days I just didn't journal at all. ever. Even more sad.... until I saw this new method that I just love!

Rose. Bud. Thorn. Okay so maybe I'm just way behind the curve or something and this is a well-known way to journal. But I read about it and just loved it! Firstly, my middle name is Rose, so it was kinda made for me ;). But seriously, all it is is this: each day you write down three things from that day.

Rose- for the good. 

Bud- for something you're anticipating or is to come. 

Thorn- for the bad. 

Perfect, am I right? It's seriously so easy and now I just keep my journal on my desk and try to write an entry each night as I wrap up doing my homework. 

A big You're Welcome to the writer of my future biography. 

Let's Talk "Perfect"

This is something I have and probably always will struggle with-

the notion of perfection. Or, mainly, that others think I'm perfect. 

Let's make one thing clear: 

there is absolutely nothing about me that is perfect.

I think it stems from the fact that my family has been blessed beyond measure. As a 20 year old, I've had opportunities that many people only dream about doing, and I try to reflect on that daily. I come from an academically gifted family, so that makes me well-traveled, morally intact and smart, which is probably the holy-grail of "perfection". And then, to add on top of that I'm a "normal" size (whatever that means) when it comes to clothing. From my years of observation, that's what's gotten me to be perceived the way I am. Those factors are what make me "perfect" to my friends and acquaintances, and it's something that needs to be addressed. 

The label has been with me since high school, and I've been able to alleviate it some since I came to Purdue. But it still hold true in some regards, and I hate that I'm seen that way. It puts me in this awkward position- I want to open my heart and build relationships with people, but too often I'm hindered by their feelings that I'm "too good" or "so put together". Which I'm not. It's just not true.

I need to address one thing first:  that I make mistakes. I straddle the line between two worlds on a daily basis. I have thoughts flying around my head at a million miles a minute. I read Vogue between taking Organic Chemistry practice exams. I study for tests while on the elliptical. I wake up two hours early for class so that I can take my time getting ready and make myself presentable. And, I take time to prioritize my well-being over school when needed- do my nails or participate in student organizations. But it isn't easy.

What people see as "perfect" on the outside takes a lot of determination and work. I couldn't do it without the support of my family and friends, who always have my back. There are so many things I wish I could say but just can't see to find the words that work, but what I want to end with is this:

Not a single person is perfect, and I know that. I try not to use the "p word" when describing people, because it adds pressure and stress- which that person is probably already under. 

The College Search

I'm an ambassador for the Purdue School of Pharmacy, which means that my job is going to get much busier. That also means there are countless high school students visiting college campuses. I love talking to students about Purdue... and college in general. I thought I'd answer some of the most common, generic questions that I get here for anyone who might be going into these visits a little overwhelmed. 

1. At a big school, are you completely on your own? 

NO!!! I don't know where or why this rumor started, but it's absolutely not true. I can't speak for other schools but I can speak for Purdue when I say that the professors want their students to succeed. In every experience of mine, professors and course coordinators have been happy to help me in any way necessary. While passing grades are not handed out, they are available to those willing to work hard.

2. Do you get all the classes you need? And how many classes are taught by TA's?

Yes. I get every class that I need. I might not get the times that I prefer (ugh, I hate getting stuck with 7:30's) but I get the classes I need. I was warned that classes could be cut-throat, but never in my experiences or in those of my friends. IF a course does fill up, many times new sections will open up. I really don't ever worry about that. As for the TA's, only the really popular gen-ed classes and recitations/labs are exclusively taught by TA's. 

3. How bad are the dorms?

Not bad. Not great. Every building (and school, I'm sure) is different and there are pros and cons to everything. Yeah, the bathrooms aren't great. But the RAs are great and the social environment is like nothing you've known before. Some of my greatest memories of freshman year are from running around in the dorms, cramming 15 girls in a room for a movie night, and ordering cheesy bread at 1 am. They're only as bad as you make it. 

I get so many questions, but these are among the most common. Again, these answers may not be universally correct. But I can't imagine these answers would be too far off. Be sure to ask any questions that you have- ambassadors volunteer to do admissions events for a reason! We love answering questions and making our experiences available. 

Best of luck on your visits! 

Top 5 October 2014

It's been a few months since I've done a favorites post.

Mostly because my "favorite things" have mainly been sleep and my school books...

  exciting life, I know.

anyways, let's get to it!

Reading

I've really been trying to spend less free time on technology and more in the worlds of others. I like to have physical books, and I've taken a liking to buying used books. Nothing more charming than opening the cover and finding a note to the previous owner...

Halloween

How cliche. But seriously, last year I totally missed out on halloween all together. I had a wedding to go to, and didn't really know of anything going on during halloweekend, so I certainly missed out. I took advantage of that fact and went all-out this year! I made a trip to IU and saw some long-lost friends from high school. It was an awesome weekend that I'll never forget (or remember ;) ). 

This. Album.

So the past couple of Taylor Swift albums have been so-so for me. They've been more annoying than enjoyable. But this one. Oh, this one is on repeat. That's no exaggeration. I have dance parties for one in my dorm twice daily, and I don't see that stopping anytime soon. Thank you for turning my life into music, T. 

Nars Lip Gloss

I mentioned this a couple weeks ago, but I seriously have fallen in love. This gloss is glossy but not sticky, comes in a million shades, and is almost to the point of a stain. I've used it alone for more casual days and on top of lipstick to give lasting, glossy power. 

Bean Boots

It's that time again. This has been one of the wettest Octobers that I can remember. I feel like the ground has been soggy for a month! I've been rotating between these and my rain boots, and it's not going to stop anytime soon. With socks, they're so warm and so comfortable. 

So... that's what I was loving this past month. 

What were your favorites? 

0 to Christmas, Real Quick

Halloween is barely over, but the holidays are quickly approaching.

The gifts shops here at Purdue already have their Christmas trees up (not kidding), Starbucks has holiday drinks and cups, and... Burberry has done it again.

The past couple of years, Burberry has been making these holiday short films. They're the perfect way to get in the holiday spirit, which is sad and exciting at the same time. Because I'm so in love with the fashion house, I have to share.

Watch the Film Here

Don't worry, no Christmas music yet...

which makes it a little more appropriate :)

Business Casual

flats // pants (old, but similar) // jacket  (similar) // scarf // watch // bracelets (old, similar)

It takes a lot for me to get dressed up for class... not because I don't love wearing cute clothes or feeling great about my outfit, but because there's just no point. I either have long days with labs where I don't want to wear nice clothes and risk spilling something or I have short days which I don't see the point in wasting a cute outfit for. 

So you see my dilemma. 

Luckily, there are those few times that I have to dress up. So I take full advantage of it and make sure to take pictures. I've been doing quite a few admissions events lately, and this weather is just so perfect when it comes to looking nice. I love flats and scarves and sweaters, and that's pretty much what I wear. Of course, I add my own flare: my pants are plaid and my accessories are patterned, but I think that's the perfect way to look professional without looking too old. 

Conquering those Classes You HATE!!

via Instagram

We all take those classes that are just... ugh.

You know what I'm talking about- those "gen ed" classes that take up so much time and energy but you just can't really find the relevance? Yeah, that's microbiology for me this semester. It was organic chemistry last semester. 

Now, organic chemistry was a little different because I understood it's importance. I just couldn't understand the material. But microbiology, oh microbiology. It's absolutely my least favorite class, but I need to pass it. I have yet to see the real significance it has in my knowledge of being a pharmacist. In fact, my professor tends to point out when information is important to specific majors (this isn't a major-specific course) and the only time he ever says "now this is important for you pharmacy majors" is when it has to do with anatomy. *annoyed face* We're taking anatomy for a reason, aren't we? I thought so. 

Anyways, rant aside, it's so hard to focus in class and really know the information because I simply don't care about it. And I want to spend time learning about the classes I "enjoy" more than this one, but I have to study more because it just doesn't penetrate the mind. talk about endless circles. I've been struggling with this a lot lately, and I've come to realize that the only way to get myself interested is to focus on those pharmacy-specific areas and relate that to everything else. 

It's not easy, but it forces me to learn the material. If we are given certain drugs that inhibit certain mechanisms, I base my studying off of that. If I'm given the mechanisms, I look up drugs that may inhibit that. I look up what sicknesses such bacteria and microbes may be associated with. 

It isn't a quick way of studying at all. I end up spending at least twice as much time studying microbiology that I do my other classes, but it seems to be working. It's also probably the least efficient way to study for the short-term, but it's got to pay off in the long-run (there's no real way to test this, but I'm just going to tell myself that it will all pay off). 

So, I know we all have those classes. I know I will continue to have those classes. The ones I hate. But I trust that my advisors wouldn't make me completely waste my time and money, and I hope you believe that, too. Otherwise I'd advise you switch schools. So this is the best I can do- make lemonade out of lemons. Find a way to apply your course and run with it

...they say application is the best way to learn, don't they?