What It's Like Commuting vs. Living On Campus

For my first two years of college, I lived on campus. And, now that I only have one semester left, I'm commuting. (Super excited about that, by the way!) I actually commuted to my university over the summer to take a chemistry course and now I'm back at it. I thought it would be fun to share with you what it's like commuting versus living on campus. Maybe this blog post can help you out if you're deciding on whether to commute or live on campus!

COMMUTING PROS

Food. Food. Food.

Commuting to campus allows you to have a variety of food options beyond the dining hall. The dining hall offers the same meals every week. I was that girl that had a grilled cheese three days in a row. #BadIdea 

Freedom.

Your car is your ride to freedom (literally!). With my car, I’m able to venture out and intern where I want to intern-- not where my college limits me to.

Luxury baths.

I know I’m not the only one that missed taking baths when I moved into my dorm. Commuting to campus means I can take a bath whenever I want. Bring on the bubbles!

Your bank account is happier.

Like $10,000+ happier. 

Familia.

You get to see your family everyday. This is definitely my favorite thing about commuting. #HiMom

COMMUTING CONS

When you forget something…

You can’t run back to your dorm. As Scar would say, “be prepared.” Check out my backpack and car essentials for the commuter here.

Driving in traffic sucks.

Actually, if you’re anything like me, driving anywhere sucks. I have about a 30 minute commute to campus. Sometimes, it can be over an hour with traffic.

LIVING ON CAMPUS PROS

Sleep!

You can sleep as long as you like. You can roll out of bed 10 minutes before class starts if you want.

You make friends fast.

Like, really fast. 

I’m an independent woman.

You make your own bed, do your own laundry, manage your own time-- you’re practically an adult! My mom still makes my doctor appointments though. #MakingProgress

Office hours.

Need to see your psychology professor about a research paper? You can go whenever you want!

LIVING ON CAMPUS CONS

Peer pressure is a bit harder to avoid.

One of my old friends and I went to a party. She must have told me 6 times that she needed a drink and that I had to get one with her. I refused to drink at that party-- it was kinda sketchy. She got mad that I didn’t want to drink. Crazy, right?

Long distance relationship? You put it to the test.

During my freshman year of college, I dated the same boy I dated in high school. Over time, we built an incredibly toxic relationship. Our relationship lacked the factors needed for a strong foundation, such as communication and trust. We agreed to end the relationship. Balancing college and the relationship was too challenging. #ThingsHappenForAReason

Roommates.

Roommates can be good and bad; don’t get me wrong. However, sometimes, roommates can violate the Roommate Contract and do things they shouldn’t. I'd rather stay away from that drama all together.

There are definitely pros and cons to both situations. However, I've found that I am much happier commuting to campus. During the day, I didn't spend much time in my dorm anyway. I preferred to study in the library or cafeteria. It's pretty much the same thing!

First Impressions: Senior Classes

My last semester of college is in full swing. For the first time, I feel like I bit off more than I can chew; I'm taking a combination of 300 and 400 level classes. For whatever reason, I thought this would be a breeze like it was in previous years. I was wrong:

Research Methods I

At first, I was nervous about this class. (There's about 30 students in the class.) However, as the weeks go by, I'm becoming more comfortable with the content. Throughout the year, I have to complete a research project. I'm really looking forward to sharing that experience with y'all!

Senior Seminar

I'm taking senior seminar as a directed study. This means I'm taking it a semester early and the professor is working with me 1:2 to help me finish my degree early. We're meeting 5 times throughout the semester for lectures. I'm definitely a little nervous! I'll keep y'all posted!

Latin American Story

This is definitely going to be my hardest class. The class is entirely in Spanish. No. English. At. All.

I don't know every word, so it's easy for me to fall behind. Luckily, I have an incredible boyfriend who speaks Spanish and he's been helping me and practicing with me. I'm so thankful for him!

Brain and Behavior

By far my favorite class so far! At first, I was a little intimidated by the course description, but I'm excited to learn about the different brain pathways. Who knows, maybe I'll go into neuroscience!

Learning Lab

So far, so good! It's definitely not what I expected... but that's okay. Any knowledge is great knowledge. 

Honors English: Poet Priests

I've had this professor before, so I'm prepared for her assignments. However, it is a lot of reading!! Hard reading, too. However, I love love. So, I'm enjoying the romantic poetry she's assigning. 

What classes are you looking forward to this semester?

My Sister's Dorm Room Tour | Florida Southern College

My sister started her freshman year of college-- I can't believe it. Time is flying by! (Feel free to checkout our Lakeland, Florida photo diary!) Way back in the day, I showed y'all what my dorm room looked like. I thought I would do the same with hers; it's so cute!

Her bed.

My sister is super artsy. She actually made her two throw pillows: the red one and the Disney one. She's so talented! Her husband pillow and blanket are by UGG. Soo soft! I'm actually super jealous I didn't make this splurge for my dorm.

Her desk.

This is her clean and organized space where she'll be doing all of her homework. Above her desk, she had a wooden picture frame holder that she got from Kohl's. I love it!

Her wardrobe.

Her wardrobe is super spacious! She has all of her essentials on the door. (Oh, and all of the freebies she's accumulated so far, too!) 

That's all for Natalie's dorm room tour. I'm absolutely in love with her Disney-themed dorm-- it's super cozy. She merged her love of Disney with wooden pieces to remind her of home. Can't wait to see what other decor she accumulates throughout the semester.

Checkout my dorm room tour here!

A Week In My Life | Last First Week of College (Syllabus Week)

My last first week of college has come to an end.  I have had the best two years of my life at Cabrini University, studying psychology, Spanish, and English. I couldn't not document my last first week.

Let's get into it:

On Sunday, I spent the day hanging out with my mom (a.k.a. my best friend). We spent the morning drinking Starbucks while getting pedicures. Then, we spent the afternoon shopping. Later that evening, I started my glow-up routine. 

7:00 A.M. - Wake-up

8:00 A.M. - Shower

8:30 A.M. - Leave For Class 

My class doesn't start until 1:55 P.M. However, Andres was kind enough to pick me up since I hate driving. He picked me up and we listened to Taylor Swift's latest album, Lover.

9:30 A.M. - Library

While Andres was in class, I took this time to hangout in the library. In the library, I dove into my university's portal and looked over the syllabi that my professors posted. (I try to be proactive about this because 7 syllabi thrown at you in a week can be intimidating!)

11:00 A.M. - Lunch

We actually made a quick Wawa run. We brought our lunch to the library and ate in an empty classroom. It was nice to catch up and talk about our classes. 

1:00 P.M. - Go Over Planner

After lunch, we went our separate ways. Andres had biochemistry. So, while he was in class, I spent some time on my laptop: blogging, looking over my syllabi, etc.

1:45 P.M. - PSY-341 (Research Methods I)

3:00 P.M. - Fro Yo

On our way home, Andres and I stopped at Kiwi for some frozen yogurt. We also did a little bit of shopping in the town center. One of my favorite accessory stores was closing so everything was 99% off. I got 10 different shirts, 4 scarfs, 2 cups, and a necklace for less than $3. I know, right! 

5:00 P.M. - Dinner

6:00 P.M. - Homework

I haven't even had my Spanish class yet and I had homework. Andres was super kind and helped me through it. (God bless him!)

7:00 P.M. - Bubble Bath

8:00 P.M. -Go Over Syllabus + Put Dates In Planner

8:30 P.M. - Get Ready For Bed

7:00 A.M. - Wake-Up

7:30 A.M. - Workout

8:00 A.M. - Get Ready for Class

9:00  A.M. - Leave For Class

10:00 A.M. Organize My Life

11:00 A.M. - HENG-306 (Honors English: Poet Priests)

12:30 P.M. - Lunch

1:45 P.M.- SPA-321 (Latin American Short Story)

3:00 P.M. - Go Home

5:00 P.M. - Dinner

6:00 P.M.- Walk

8:30 P.M. - Get Ready For Bed

7:00 A.M. - Wake-up

7:15 A.M. - Get Ready For Class

8:00 A.M. - Leave For Class

10:00 A.M. - Senior Seminar Meeting

12:00 P.M. -Lunch + Hangout with Andres

1:45 P.M. - PSY-341 (Research Methods I)

3:00 P.M. - Go Home

5:00 P.M. - Dinner

6:00 P.M.- Walk

7:00 P.M. - Homework

So. Much. Homework. 

8:30 P.M. - Get Ready For Bed

8:00 A.M. - Wake-up

8:30 A.M. - Shower

9:00 A.M. - Leave For Class

10:00 A.M. -Library

I had to complete a few quick print jobs. There goes 40 of my prints.

11:00 A.M. - HENG-306 (Honors English: Poet Priests)

12:30 P.M. - Lunch

1:45 P.M.- SPA-321 (Latin American Short Story)

It's getting better! 

3:00 P.M. - Hangout

By hangout, I mean do Spanish homework. 

4:30 P.M.- PSY-402 (Lab Experiences in Learning)

Unfortunately, this class wasn't what I was expecting it to be. However, I'm still optimistic! 

7:00 P.M. - Go Home

8:00 P.M. - Bubble Bath

8:30 P.M. - Get Ready For Bed

7:00 A.M. - Wake-up

7:15 A.M. - Get Ready For Class

8:00 A.M. - Leave For Class

Again, Andres picked me up for class-- thank you, Andres!

9:30 A.M.- PSY-304 (Brain and Behavior)

I'm actually looking forward most to this class! (I was actually super intimidated by the course description!) 

11:00 A.M. - Go Home

12:00 P.M. - Lunch

We ate lunch at the mall-- Chik-fil-a. It never fails to disappoint! Then, we got cookies from my favorite cookie shop: Mrs. Fields.

2:00 P.M. - Grocery Shopping



4:30 P.M. - Dinner

6:00 P.M. - Games and Chill

We spent the night playing games and hanging out. Perfect way to end the week!

On Saturday, I spent the morning lounging around. I needed a break after a long week. Then, my mom and I did a little bit of shopping. We went to our local outlets, where I purchased a Kate Spade top (super cute!) and a raincoat for my boyfriend. That evening, I hung out with my laptop. I worked on my blog and completed some homework. 

Let me know what you guys thought of this post! I'm planning on doing similar posts throughout the semester.

Back To College Haul | Senior Year

The academic year is in full swing! It's already going by so quick. So far, so good-- I've been enjoying all of my classes. I wanted to share some of my recent purchases I made just in time for the new academic year: from my new planner to my new shower gel.

2019-2020 Jumbo Agenda by Lilly Pulitzer

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know that I'm obsessed with my planner. Click here to see how I color code my planner.

You Are Entirely Up To You and Remember Why You Started Pocket Folders

Papyrus was having a huge sale. So, I was able to grab these folders for a super cheap price. If you're looking for some cute pocket folders check out the clearance section of your favorite stationary stores. (I know Staples has a wide selection.)

I love these folders because they're not only sturdy, but they have inspirational sayings on them. Perfect for when you're in a mid-semester slug. I'm using one for my syllabi and the other for assignments I need to turn in.

Staples 1 Subject Notebooks

I don't know about you, but I'm loving these pastel notebooks. I only picked up 3, even though I have 6 classes. I'm planning to use the notebooks for the following classes. I'm going to take notes on my laptop for the other classes.

• Research Methods I
• Latin American Studies
• Brain and Behavior

Hard To Handle Notebook from Papyrus

Again, I found this notebook for $1 something in the clearance section of Papyrus. This notebook is super cute and it's small enough to throw in my backpack for those blog ideas that just come to me in the middle of class.

Take Note Dual Tip Highlighter Pens by Crayola

I used to swear by Sharpie pens. Now, I'm obsessed with these highlighters/pens by Crayola. I've been using them for my planner, but they're definitely going to come in handy when I start taking notes.

Marshmallow Pumpkin Latte Shower Gel and Lotion

This. Scent. Smells. Soooo. Good. With fall right around the corner, I had to pick this duo up! (I also just went on the website to add a link and saw they added the exfoliator. I need this!)

Hand Sanitizers

Hand sanitizers are extremely necessary in college everywhere. These are the 3 I picked up:

Leather Lanyard by Kate Spade

I was in need of a new ID lanyard/wallet. My mom was super sweet and treated me to this one from Kate Spade. I'm absolutely obsessed with it! I've been using it ever since she got it for me. 

That's just about everything I got for the school year. Luckily, I still have a ton of supplies left over from my last year.

Wishing you all the best of luck this academic year!

Backpack + Car Essentials For The College Commuter

With classes starting and everything, I thought I would share my backpack and car essentials with y'all! I did my research (via Pinterest and YouTube) to help create a list of items I might need throughout the semester.

Being #OverPrepared is my middle name:

BACKPACK

First things first, I recommend investing in a good quality backpack. I actually purchased mine from L.L. Bean a few years ago. You can find it here. I also got it monogrammed to ensure there would be no mix ups.

Here is what I keep in my backpack:

• Laptop + Charger
• 3 Folders ("To Do," "Turn In," and "Important")
• 3 Notebooks
• Pencil Pouch (Highlighters, pencils, pens, and a mini ruler)
• Planner (See how I organize my planner here)
• Headphones
• Phone charger
• Emergency kit
• Pads/Tampons
• Hairties
• Deodorant
• Lotion
• Chapstick
• Advil
• Mini hairbrush
• Sunscreen
• Nail file

CAR

Crate.

I wanted to keep all of my textbooks on me at all times in case I wanted to do work between classes. I picked up a gray crate from Target to hold all of my textbooks in the back of my car. It was $4; a super cheap and easy way to organize your textbooks in your trunk. 

Tote.

I didn't want to lug all of my school supplies around all over campus. I found this mini tote from Thirty-One. My mini tote includes a variety of school supplies:

• Stapler
• Sticky notes
• Colored pencils
• Markers
• Scissors
• Index cards
• Large ruler
• Post-it tabs
• Calculator

Gym Bag.

A gym bag is essential. I don't want to lug my backpack all over campus. My gym bag includes:

• Sneakers
• Socks
• T-Shirt
• Sports bra
• Yoga pants
• Bluetooth headphones
• Workout band
• Refreshing mist
• Makeup bag (Concealer, mascara, powder, and lip gloss)

Lunch tote.

Snacks are essential. I keep a variety of snacks in the back of my car for between classes:

• Peanut butter pretzels
• Kind protein bars
• Granola bars
• Gold fish
• Veggie straws
• Popcorn
• Fruit
• Extra bottle of water
• Apple juice
• Cherry coke (If I need a serious pick me up!)

That's pretty much everything I have in my backpack and car trunk. Let me know what your school essentials are!

Classes I'm Taking This Semester | Fall 2019

Believe it or not, I am down to my last semester at Cabrini University. I am majoring in psychology and minoring in both English and Spanish. My high school courses allowed me to obtain 30 college credits (which is equivalent to one year). I've also taken a number of summer and winter courses. Not to mention, I've taken 3 more credits than recommended each semester. With that being said, I am able to complete my college career in 2.5 years. Phew!

Here are the courses I'm taking this semester:

Honors English: Poet Priests - HENG 306

Going into college, I didn't have intentions on obtaining a minor in English. However, I am involved in the Honors Program, which requires me to take 4 honors courses. 3 out of 4 of my classes were English classes. I also came in with an English class. I need one more English class to complete my minor, so here I am! It would be silly for me not to complete the minor.

Brain and Behavior - PSY 304

Not going to lie-- I'm actually kind of nervous about this class. Lots and lots of memorization! But, I'm up for the challenge.

Research Methods I - PSY 341

This course is required for my major. I'm actually really looking forward to it! I think this course will help me decide if I want to take a clinical route. Right now, I'm leaning towards school psychology.

Senior Seminar - PSY 400 - DS

I am so, so thankful for the psychology department at my university. Senior Seminar is only offered in the spring. However, because I'm planning to finish up in December, a faculty member is doing this course with me 1 on 1. Like I said earlier, so thankful!

Lab Experiences in Learning - PSY 402 

Within the past year, I got involved in working with English as a second language (ESL) students. I have absolutely fallen in love with it. Part of me definitely wants to pursue school counseling in my future.

Latin American Short Story - SPA 321

The majority of my Spanish classes at CU have been made up of native speakers. So, sometimes I get a little embarrassed speaking it. Luckily, my boyfriend is super patient with me and let's me practice with him. I'm looking forward to getting some more practice in. I've learned to start getting comfortable with being out of my comfort zone-- that's when the best things happen.

Plan With Me For The New Semester | Fall 2019

A new semester is right around the corner-- let's get planning! If you know me, you know I love to plan and I love to do it in my Lilly Pulitzer agendas. This year, I picked up the Jumbo Agenda in Multi Postcards From Positano; I'm in love!

This planner is everything.

I've been obsessed with Lilly Pulitzer planners since I first discovered them in high school. Their weekly and monthly spreads, colorful patterns, and fun stickers make me gravitate to them every July they come out. Usually, I go with the large agenda, but this year I decided to go with the jumbo agenda. It has a ton of room for me to write all of my to-dos.

I specifically like the new layout this size offers. On the left hand side, there is a weekly spread. On the right hand size, there are three different sections: Notes, To Dos, and Don't Forget. I like the extra space this planner offers me for all of my extracurricular activities.

Establish a color coding system.

Having a color coding system allows you to maximize the space in your planner. I recently discovered the Take Note Dual Tip Highlighter Pens by Crayola. They're perfect for taking notes and filling out my planner. It's a pen and highlighter in one. Super convenient!

Here is my color coding system:

Red ➯ Due Date

Orange ➯ Extracurriculars

Green ➯ Fitness

Blue ➯ Personal

Purple ➯ Blog

Pink ➯ School Work

Stickers, stickers, stickers!

If you've been around for awhile, you might remember a post I did with Lavish Paper Co. 2 years ago.. If you don't, you can check it out here. In that post, I showed you how I use planner stickers to organize and maximize the space in my planner. I still have a ton of stickers that the owner sent me. I love them! They're super bright and fun-- which match my planner perfectly.

My favorite part about getting ready for a new semester is purchasing a planner and organizing it to my liking. Get creative and find a system that works well for you.

A Commuter's Back To School Wishlist

I am a bit new to the world of commuting to college, but I couldn't be more excited. Don't get me wrong-- living on campus is great! But, now I don't have to worry about having guests over at 2 A.M. when I have to get up at 5:00 A.M. for a class trip. Of course there are pros and cons to both, but my main motivator is saving some money on housing. (Plus, I only have one semester left!)

Planner

Because I'm commuting, I need to maximize my time to complete assignments. (It's no longer a 3 minute walk back to my dorm. It's a 30 minute commute!)

Highlighters

Again, to help me organize my life. You'll see my planner color coding system in the weeks to come!

Planner Stickers

I love planner stickers. They're a fun way to jazz up and organize your planner to maximize space.

Folder

Because I won't have a drawer to throw random handouts in, a folder will come in handy!

Gym Bag

I won't be able to run back to my room before hitting the gym, so a gym bag packed with my essentials is... essential!

Hair Ties

I'm always losing hair ties. Having a stash in my car will come in handy when I'm headed to the gyro about to take an exam.

Lunch Bag

(I actually got this one for Christmas, but wanted to include it anyway!) I won't be on a meal plan this semester, so I'm going to have to pack my own snacks and lunch/dinner.

Bluetooth Aux

A Spotify playlist is essential for a 30 minute commute-- 5 out of 7 days a week.

Bubble Umbrella

A bubble umbrella protects you against the rain and the wind. The parking garage is on the opposite side of campus compared to the psychology building. A bubble umbrella will come in handy during those ugly days.

Crate

A crate like this one is great to store textbooks in. This will come in handy so my textbooks aren't all over the backseat of my car.

Tote

For all of my essentials!! School supplies, snacks, and all of the other works. This will help me stay organized.