Finals Week

I am sorry to say that I have been very behind on posting this week and we all can thank that to finals being next week, therefore, making this week, hell week. Ah, finals, I thought mid terms were terrible but finals are seemingly worse. As it is I have two portfolios to work on ad 3 finals to accomplish. I must say, compared to some people it really is not that bad but combine that with my laziness and the cold, I have not felt like doing much. So here I am to just give you real quick guide to finals and then off to revise some more papers for those stupid portfolios.

Note cards: I cannot stress that enough, index cards are your new best friends finals week. Put all definitions and anything you need to remember on these babies and study the hell out of them. Bring them with you everywhere, have others test you, study study study.

To do list: have a to do list and write it in about 5 different places. Trust me, you are going to want easy access to it constantly. I suggest you the Microsoft one note on both your phone and computer so that it becomes easily accessible.

Review sessions: attend review sessions; do not try to wing things on your own. I know that review sessions feel like it is ok to skip class but unfortunately it is not. Please attend them, they will only benefit you.

Look at your notes: I do not suggest studying from your notes as this can be a little confusing but writing them down on note cards as discussed earlier will make it easier to figure out, instead of going through pages the note cards make it easy to get both definition and key word.

Highlighters: yes highlight everything. It will make definitions pop out and things will be easier to study, trust me.

Sleep: make sure you get enough sleep, without sleep you will fall behind, you will not remember as much and it will be very difficult to begin your actual final.

Do not lie in bed: lying in bed only promotes laziness, go to Barnes and nobles or the local library and study there. You will get more done than you ever will have from your bed.

There you have it, just some quick study tips to follow that will make finals week a little more bearable!

Favorite Apps of the Week

Whitagram: whitagram is an app that allows you to add a background to your pictures. Typically I would suggest a white color but it gives you other color
options as well. The app gives you the option to edit your photos as well. You can enhance them in anyway, and add any brightness. The app makes your photos seem professionally done. It makes things look simple and pretty! I would totally suggest it for any social media apps and your blog as well!

Picstitch: picstitch is an easy and simple way to put all of your pictures into a collage. You can place two pictures for a simple look it up to about 6 for free! The app simply takes the pictures you tell it to take and puts them into the collage. It's that simple, from there you can easily change the
colors, edit, or enhance the picture in anyway you desire!

Microsoft One Note App

I have already discussed Microsoft One Note but something else I want to discuss is the Microsoft One Note app for the Iphone. If you thought Microsoft One Note was great you should take a look at this app because it is even better. Yes, it is the same exact thing but it is on your phone! You can use it on the go and anywhere you need it. I have countless times put recipes on this app and then while at the store looked at them on my phone all on the app. The app and the computer are all synchronized therefore, anything you write on the phone goes directly on the computer and vice versa. This means seamless tasking. With the various to do lists I have by having a synchronized phone and computer I am able to do accomplish so much more. Multi tasking is a breeze.

Maybe It's Maybelline

Maybelline New York has brought to us the great cheap option to contour your face. The master hi light from face studio is one that gives your face a lift and is easy to apply. It keeps your face light rather than the drab and heavy look of liquid highlighters that easily fade and make your skin greasy. While there is still something to say about liquid foundation, a powder highlighter is just much easier. Especially one that works!

Your Fall Nail Polish

Nail polish is in style every season. However, certain colors are in style depending on the season. Considering it is fall and almost winter now, and it is the holiday season the colors that can be picked are beautiful. So lets take a look at some of the Essie colors that are a must have for this holiday season, as we will call it.

Essie Fall in line: A beautiful neutral color perfect for fall

Essie Penny Talk: The perfect metallic color

Essie Smokin’ Hot: A nice purple color

Essie Emerald: Green for Christmas!

Essie cherry Red: Red for Christmas!

While this is by no means a comprehensive list, it is a simple guide to go by. For the most part the winter and fall call for darker colors and pastels. Oh and be sure to pick up your matte nail polish to accent all of the colors!

BB Cream

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Let’s discuss the ever growing, best thing ever, BB Cream. The thing that is sold in lotions, and sold as colored foundations. BB cream is the reason I can put on my foundation at night and not have it be considered sleeping with makeup on. Seriously I sleep in it basically every single day and not a single major breakout. My face has remained blemish free and I’ve been free to look and feel good when I sleep at night. This stuff is revolutionary. I truly believe that everyone needs to get his or her hands on it. It does wonders on your face. I urge you to buy this product soon!

Blogging 102

I just want to take a moment to acknowledge the fact that blogging is hard. Getting into this I thought I might only need to put in an hour a day, however, it's multiple hours a day, at least 6 days of the week. Blogging and keeping up with your blog is important. So here are just some tips I follow when I blog.

1. Try to post once a day- it could be about anything!

2. Comment and read other bloggers blogs! Trust me, you can learn a lot

3. Download bloglovin'

4. Customize your template

5. Pinterest, pintrest

Blogging is fun, so make sure you have fun with it!

Microsoft One Note

Now I’m sure many of you have heard of Microsoft one note, but how many of you actually use it? Many a blogger have done articles on the app but I really urge all bloggers to use the app. I am able to keep all of my homework organized. Make to do lists of what needs to be done that day/ week/ month. I have a notebook for the blog and then separate sections for each section of the blog. I have a notebook for school and inside is each different class I am taking. The options are endless. Here is a basic run down on how to operate the app.

The first notebook is usually miscellaneous. From there you can create as many notebooks as you want

From these notebooks come the sections that go into each notebook.

From these sections finally, come the pages within each section!

L'Oreal Paris Infallible

I am proud to present the holy grail of all eyeliner pencils/ liquid liners/ and just eyeliners in general to everyone. The infallible pen made my L’Oreal Paris. This pen presents the easiest way to get the thin line you crave with your eyeliner. The tip is very thin making application easy, and you can hold it like a pen so application is simple. I urge you to buy this pen as soon as possible. I swear I really have found the holy grail, and it’s only about 6-10 dollars depending on where you get it. You really cannot beat that.

I'll even provide you with a link

L'Oreal Paris Infallible

Favorite Apps of the Week..

My favorite apps currently

I am a fanatic when it comes to how my apps look on the front page of my Iphone. I change it up about every month sometimes more than once. Currently my apps are all in color order. It makes things a little more difficult to find but it is definitely prettier. Now two of the apps I am currently obsessed with are

TimeHop

Timehop is an app that brings you to the past. It gets the archives from your facebook and twitter pages from years ago and allows you to see the statuses and pictures you put up on this day last year. Sometimes it can be comical sometimes it is just downright embarrassing

Dropbox

Dropbox has been another must have app lately because it allows to me to access the files I have stored on my computer on my Iphone as well. With the launch of the new Microsoft word app I have been able to do homework while I’m sitting around bored, or begin a blog post while in the car (with someone else driving of course). It just makes life that much more convenient.

Matte Nail Polish

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Matte nail polish by Essie is one of the better nail polish inventions as of late. While I find that the nail polish does not last as long, and some colors are still shimmery, when it does work the matte nail polish is the next best thing besides baked bread. I find that it works best on dark blue, reddish brown, black, and many other. However, I find that it does not work so well on white nail polish.  One of the best things about the nail polish is that it makes the coats dry 10x faster than normal. Almost instantly! It rocks. I totally recommend Essie matte nail polish!

Keratin Research

Everyone knows keratin is the new amazing hair product that is supposed to make your hair easier to blow dry, shiny, straighter, and overall healthier. It claims to be the miracle worker on your hair. Now I’ve been doing my own hair for ages. Or I should say my mom has and I’ve tried a million and two different keratin products that all are order from Amazon when I came across the new keratin research. It is a professional keratin hair treatment with natural argan oil and it has to be best thing I have ever tried. It made my hair soft, shiny, and healthy. My hair has not been healthy like this since I was a little girl. My hair is blown dry in about 5 minutes flat and it is practically 90% straight. But most of all MY HAIR IS SOFT. My hair has always been coarse and thick and well annoying. But now it is finally soft and normal! To say I have never been happier is a complete understatement. I LOVE IT. Here is a quick run down on how to use the keratin research product

1. Wash your hair with a purify shampoo
2. Dry your hair. DO NOT USE CONDITIONER
3. Apply keratin research product
4. Dry your hair once again with the product still in your hair
5. Straighten your hair with the product still in
6. Do not wash your hair for AT LEAST 24 hours but 48 hours is recommended.
7. Be sure to wash with a sulfate free shampoo and conditioner in order to have that keratin last

L'Oreal HiColor

Red hair is all the rage during the fall but finding the right color red can be next to impossible. However, for those who desire bright red I have found the perfect hair dye for you. L’Oreal hicolor hair dye. The hair dye in any color is one that will work dye your hair the exact color on the box however, I have only used to red so therefore can only speak about that one. The hair dye is specifically for those with dark hair.

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So therefore, those with lighter color hair should stay away as the color change will probably be a lot more drastic then just a bright red.

The color fully absorbs in your hair and makes it a very bright red. Not only that the color lasts! Everyone has heard about the red colors that fade within two days but this color 90% stays. The trick is to put a bit of the hair dye into your conditioner about once a week. Red hair perfection can easily be achieved in all of its high-end glory! You’re welcome.

Foam Hair Dye

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Now I have used hair dye in a traditional form, I’ve used sally Hansen beauty supply hair dye where the processor is needed and I’ve used foam hair dye. Stay with me here when I say I do not recommend foam hair dye. I am aware it is very popular but my own experiences with it just do not allow for me to promote the product. Foam hair dye is basically massaged into the hair and used sort of like a shampoo; you then leave the product in for about 20 minutes and then wash it out. I feel that with foam hair dye, when you wash the product out it leaves the hair streaky and faded. When applying the foam you basically spread it over the whole head but it can be difficult to determine where the foam is concentrated or where the foam is missing. This in turn results in a streaky head. Another problem is when one washes the hair dye out it fades the hair. I just personally feel that the foam does not stick to or absorb in the head, which causes it to easily fade and result in hair that looked the same as before.

SPLAT! Hair Dye

So when I say I’ve tried out every hair dye and every hair color known to man I am not joking. I used to dye my hair about once or sometimes twice a week depending on my boredom level. Therefore, I am the right person to ask when it comes to talking about hair dye and the colors to use. From red to sun in blonde, with blue and pink stripes I have tried and hated it all. I destroyed my hair and had more than one tantrums at the hairdresser when they tell me I have to cut it all off but thanks to all of that my hair is healthy now and I can give awesome reviews on hair dye. For example SPLAT! Hair dye of basically any color is what I used when I wanted to bleach the bottom of hair or dye random parts of my hair. I totally recommend splat! If you are not that serious about the dye job you are doing. Which splat! Hair colors imply anyway. I have tried everything except for the color green. Splat! Works really well for such a cheap buy. If your hair is on the darker side however you need to bleach the hair first to see any sort of color. The bleach works rather quickly and while it does burn its simple and easy to apply. I would never suggest bleaching your entire head at home however, if you want to do the ends to accomplish an ombre effect splat! Will definitely give you that look. While the bleach can tend to come out a little on the orangey side depending on the color of your hair its easily fixed with another at home blonde hair dye. The blonde hair dye you buy will determine just how blonde your hair is so be careful if you do not want bleach blonde hair, do not buy bleach blonde hair dye. Keep in mind the color will be picked up quickly because you just bleached your hair. If you want the ombre effect leave the orangey color at the beginning of the ombre and dye the tips blonder then the rest. Overall, I would for sure recommend splat! Hair dye to anyone who uses at home hair dye and I am definitely looking forward to the next time I get to use it.

Blogging 101

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Ok, so I’m totally going on a tangent here simply because I do not want to write about my planned blog post for the day. Blogging is a lot of work and honestly the amount of time you put in is usually the amount of fame and fortune you get out. I’ve been blogging for about a week now and usually have about 1 or 2 people check out my posts and for now I’m ok with that. I do not expect overnight success and I am not doing it accumulate a great amount of money. I’m simply doing it because I enjoy it and it is a great resume builder. I believe blogging should be enjoyable. So many of the blogging tips I’ve read have told me to make sure I blog every day and have a plan or a calendar of exactly what I will write about. They tell me to broadcast my posts everywhere, to html code this and create my own domain, and to use pictures, and make sure the post is over 750 words, and create content that wants to be read about. Well I say no. I think blogging should be enjoyable. Write about the things you enjoy and the readers will gravitate toward your blog. Personally, I know when I read a blog I enjoy feeling out the writers personality. Some snarky comments, irony, sarcasm are all things I look for in a blog post. I also look for the writer’s personal success story. I want the writer to share with me his or her own story and opinion not just write about something and that is exactly what I am trying to accomplish with this blog. It’s not all about the money. I’m writing because I enjoy writing and I want others to read my posts and enjoy it themselves. End rant.

Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer

I’m going to introduce to you only the most amazing technology that I have ever heard of. Urban Decay’s original eye primer. Only the most game changing product ever and honestly if you have not heard of it, I have to say you have never of it you must never wear makeup. The primer comes as a sample with the naked palates. And of course every girl knows they have to have the naked palate. The primer comes in 3 different shades original, eden, and sin. Urban decay has done it again with the great names. This primer claims to hold your eye shadow for 24 hours and never crease. I have to agree that it’s true. I’ve slept in the primer and probably worn it for around 27 hours and nothing, maybe a bit of a smudge but it still is there clear as day. Urban decay has done it again. It is my go to makeup products and it totally rocks. Everyone should check it out!

Sugar Cookie Cheesecake

Crust

Baked sugar cookies, unfrosted (I used Pillsbury sugar cookie mix)

5 Tablespoons melted butter

2 Tablespoons sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

1. First, I made the sugar cookies. Do not focus so much on ensuring the cookies look pretty as you will just be crushing them up later on. However, you will not need all of these cookies approximately 10 or 12 should do the trick.
2. Once the cookies are done you will crush them up to make 2 cups of crushed cookie. You can do this using a food processer or manually crushing them. However, I will say that it gets very messy so be careful
3. Once the cookies are all crushed take the melted butter and the sugar and combine the 3 then mix them all together
4. Once there all mixed spread them out in a 9 in pan and stick it in the oven. Make sure the crust fills the side to ensure the cheesecake is easy to remove from the pan.
5. Take it out after about 10-15 minutes or when the crust is a nice golden brown
6. Let it cool

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Cheesecake Batter

2 pounds cream cheese (four 8 ounce blocks), softened

4 eggs

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup granulated sugar

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1. First, mix the 2 pounds of cream cheese with a food processor until it is creamy or at least softer and not in blocks as this is difficult
2. Mix in the 4 eggs, the vanilla extract, and the sugar
3. Pour the mixture right on top of the crust
4. Place back in the oven at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes to an hour or until you can see the top inflate and turn golden color. You should be able to stick a toothpick in the middle without getting cheesecake remains
5. Let the cheesecake cool and do with it as you please. I choose to leave it in the pan but that is up to view discretion.

A side note to this recipe is that you can add sprinkles. However, I would not recommend it as I ended up with a slightly puke green cheesecake rather than a colorful once.

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Dorm Decorating

Decorating your dorm has to be one of the best parts of moving into college but also one of the most stressful parts. While the fun is imagining exactly what you want to go into the space the downside is actually have to do it. I’m going to stick with the fun side here and give you a few pointers for decorating your dorm easily and efficiently.

First off, buy your sheets, if your university offers them for cheaper on a website, do that. You get more bang for your buck and some of the designs are pretty awesome.

Every college girl wants pictures in her dorm, so buy some cheap picture frames, I would suggest target, and get to printing pictures out

The part that was most fun of decorating my college dorm in particular was making my own canvases, I will provide a separate DIY on this later on but making canvases for your dorm is a must

Next, I would suggest string lights. String lights will brighten up any space and trust me those dorms can get very dark. I would check with your university first to see their rules but most of the time they are allowed

Buying corkboards and a calendar are a must for college. Corkboards can be decorating with tape and pictures and they can also be used to hold important paper work that needs to be looked at. Your calendar will be your best friend for the next 4 years so be sure to get a big one that is typically a white board so that you do not have to worry about things being permanent

Storage! One of the most important parts of college dorm life. Buy as much as you can and then some. Trust me you would rather have extra then not enough. Your college closet will not be nearly as big as the one you have at home. Your pens and pencils will not fit inside that tiny college desk and your makeup is going to need a storage bin of its own to avoid mixing with other junk

Lastly, I would suggest investing in an ottoman. I think these are the Hail Mary of college dorms. They double as seats and storage, which are two things you will be running seriously low on throughout the next 4 years

So there you have it, a nice and easy guide to dorm decorating. Good luck!

Babyface Hair Product

Babyface is the new hair product I have recently been using that is working absolute wonders for my hair. Babyface is this obscure product that can be found on Amazon that has no directions on the label, is the tiniest bottle ever, and seemingly looks like it came from China and you were schemed. BUT, it has to be the best hair product I have used to date. I have used many hair products from keratin, to hair dye every week, to oils, gels, and anything else imaginable in order to get my hair to be exactly the way I want it. Unfortunately that took a lot of experimenting and the need for a lot of hair cuts. The end result, a very short cut and a very unhappy me. So I have spent the year growing out my hair and have dyed it only once for a special occasion. My hair is finally where I want it to be minus a couple of inches. I fully think my hair is in this healthy state due to this amazing keratin product I found online, which I will discuss in another post on another day and this new product Babyface. Babyface has made my hair amazingly soft and shiny. My hair literally feels like a baby. I am never happy with hair products but since this has entered my life I have yet to be disappointed. Living away at school I do not bring Babyface with me to my dorm but instead reserve it for when I am home. There are days while I am at school where I count how many washes I have in between me and Babyface hair softness. The product seriously is a miracle worker. Or just pure protein whichever we want to call it. Since there are about zero directions on the label let me tell you how to apply it so you can try this amazing find for yourself!

Babyface Product

Directions

1. Shampoo your hair before beginning but do not condition it
2. Take your conditioner and pour it into a bowl, about the same amount you would use to regularly condition your hair
3. Open the bottle and pour the liquid into the cap until it is just full.
4. With this capful pour it into the conditioner
5. Mix them around
6. Apply the conditioner to your hair
7. Leave in hair for about 20 minutes
8. Wash the conditioner out of your hair
9. Magic! Hello soft hair

Genius Guide to Schedule Making

Schedule making, every college freshmen’s nightmare. What classes to chose, how do you plan your time, what’s the best time to take a class? Making a schedule can be hard to tackle but it is 100% manageable, look at these tips to figure it out.

Make a chart with Monday- Friday in the top row and then times in the columns

Begin by looking at the classes you absolutely need to take aka your general education requirements. While looking at those be sure to see if any of them would also fulfill a major requirement. A double whammy.

Once you have a list of about 7-9 classes you would like to take this semester begin to find out their times. Start with the class you want or need to take the most and write it IN PENCIL in its specific time slot. If it is a class occurring on two days be sure to write it into the two days as well as if it’s a double period, be sure to write them in both slots.

Fill out the rest of your classes and if you have any time conflicts be sure to write them down in the slot as well.

Once all of your classes have been filled out look at the conflicts and see which class is more important to you, then get rid of one class and add another without conflict.

Woo! You now have your schedule. I would suggest making another schedule the same way you made this one to compare which one you like better.

Good luck to all of you with your finals and next semester!

Coconut Oil

 The new craze that most people are discussing for hair products is using coconut oil. You may be wondering what kind of coconut oil everyone is using and why? Well, normal coconut oil used for cooking is safe and good to use on hair and skin. However, for today I will just be discussing its benefits for hair. Coconut oil comes in a container and when opened it will not look like oil. It will be hard and chunky, once you pick it up and place it in your hand however, it will melt and become a liquid substance. With this liquid substance you place it in your hair and run it through with a comb. Place your hair in a bun and then let it sit for 20 minutes or longer. Once you decide to shower take the bun out and shampoo, condition, and style as desired. You may feel the need to shampoo twice depending on how greasy the hair is after the oil.

The more you use the coconut oil the more beneficial it will be for your hair. Coconut oil can increase the shine in your hair, make hair softer, prevent split ends, and overall, increase hairs health. Coconut oil contains moisturizing properties and protein that benefit hair. Protein is one of the best components for hair. When adding more protein it makes the hair stronger and healthy. Another great factor in using coconut oil is that it helps prevent lice and it rids the hair of dandruff. Each are helpful factors.

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Halloween Door Decorations

Halloween may have just passed but that does not mean one cannot decorate their college dorm door as a mummy. In my opinion Halloween decorations belong outside all fall long, or at least until winter decorations become appropriate. After all Christmas is the superior holiday. But, here is a quick decorating idea for your college dorm, or a classroom, or maybe your door at home

Supplies

• Toilet paper
• Tape
• Black construction paper
• Orange highlighter
• Black sharpie
• White paper
• A door

Directions

• Begin by take the toilet paper and measuring it against the door, then in a zig zag pattern begin to make your way all the way up the door.
• About ¾ of the way up tape the black construction paper to the door, then continue the rest of the zigzag pattern up the door.
• Using the white paper cut out circles in the shape of eyes
• You can decorate them any way you’d like; I choose to put my roommate and I’s name on them in black and orange highlighter.
• Finally, tape the eyes on the door and boom; you have your Halloween decorated door.