Weekly Wishes

Last week, I was so busy with my new fall semester program that I was unable to blog. I didn't even have time to link-up with one of my favorite link-ups, Weekly Wishes! The whole week consisted of multicultural psychology class 8 hours a day and homework the rest of the nights. It was an immersion class for the Urban Semester program I am doing this semester in Cleveland (You can check out what I am doing here). So hallelujah to the little break I have today to write up my weekly wishes!

Move. So not last week's wish, but the week before that was to get moved into my new home for the Fall semester. It was a success! BOOM! My family helped me quickly get my stuff in the house and organized in less than an hour. After two years of moving in and out of college dorms, we have moving down pact. The picture above is my new room (so proud of the way it turned out).

Blog. This week kicks off my classes for the semester. Finding the balance between school work and blogging is a challenge. I hope to blog at least once more this week. I know my priorities are to my homework and classes, but I want to be able to blog, too. Any tips for balancing real life and blog life?

Manage time.  I am not a good multi-tasker, but I have many things I have to complete this week. My plan is to organize my time so that I can complete my homework, relax, and blog. I need to work on my organization binder to prioritize and manage my life. 

Interested in sharing your week's wishes? Join the Nectar Collective's Weekly Wishes link-up for motivation and encouragement. 

Have an awesome week!!

 *Special shout out to college students who started class today! 

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What I'm Doing This Fall

Most of the participants in the program + our hall director at Edgewater Park

This Fall semester is a little different from any other fall semester I have had. I will not be attending class or staying on campus at BWU. Instead, I am living the college life in Cleveland. My university has a program called The Urban Semester Program.

10 students live in a living-learning community house in downtown Cleveland. The goal of the program is for students to develop a multidisciplinary understanding of urban issues and diversity. We will complete an urban studies minor over the semester with multicultural psychology, urban politics, urban health disparities, and urban life as our focus. To expound on our classroom (in the living room) learning, we are required to intern at a non-profit organization. Starting next week, I will be the communications intern with Esperanza (an organization that works with the hispanic, latino youth of Cleveland).

We are not only learning together, but living together. The 10 of us share the responsibilities that come with living in a house. We have to budget money for food, plan meals, and go grocery shopping. The house is not taken care of by university cleaning services, but by us! The chores are done daily and weekly to keep the house looking clean and in good shape (especially because professors and BW staff are frequent visitors).

Overall, it is a program created to help us grow and develop personally and professionally in an urban environment. I am very excited to be a participant in this program and seeing the growth throughout the program! If you want to know more, check it out here.

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Weekend Bloglovin' Blog Hop

Welcome to the Bloglovin' Blog Hop!
We had a great hop last week, so welcome back for week #24! I can't believe how quickly the weekend got here! Thank you all for linking up and spreading the word. 
Bloglovin' is one of the best ways to stay up to date on your favorite blogs! So let's make it bigger this week by spreading the word on twitter using the tweet button below. Tweet  You automatically become my favorite when you tweet the hop:)
Our sweet guest host this week is Courtney from Passionately Curious! Courtney's blog is a lot of fun! Make sure you stop by and check it out!
Now let's get started! But first, make sure you follow the host and guest host so you can stay up to date on all of the future link ups and posts Host: The Life Of Faith Guest Host: Passionately Curious    and then go ahead and start linking up! Please make sure you are linking your BLOGLOVIN' account and not just your blog! And don't forget to visit some of the other blogs linked up and make some new friends!!
Would you like to be a guest host and gain over 50 new followers? If you are interested, please e-mail me at farmprincess14{at}gmail{dot}com

Hang in There With Me

Hi readers! This week, I will be unable to post due to classwork. I am taking 3 credits worth of coursework in a Multicultural Psychology Class. My time is occupied with 8 hours of class with homework the rest of the day and night. I will pull through this week and tell you a little about my program next week. Looking forward to posting again next Monday! Thank you for hanging in there with me.

Have a blessed week.

Back-to-College: Dorm Room Essentials

Dorm Room Essentials by cfraley on Polyvore

I may be in a tad bit of denial that I move back to Cleveland tomorrow to start my junior year of college. It is a strange mix of excitement, anxiousness, and some nervousness. My bags are packed, a little lighter of course because after two years of moving, I know only to take what I absolutely need. My freshman year, I had an entire truckload of my "essentials." Sophomore year was a lighter load, but still a bunch of stuff I didn't need found it's way into my dorm room. But I think this is the year, I have figured it out. I compiled a list of my dorm room basics that make a dorm room your personal space. 

1// Cozy Bedding. I think great bedding sets the tone for your space. Personally, I love pink and currently have a bed spread with pink, aqua, and orange daisies.

2// Pillows. Make your bed cozy and cute with accent pillows! 

3//Lamp. A desk lamp is a good idea for the late nights studying when your roommate is already asleep. 

4//Mini fridge. You do not want to find yourself running to the cafeteria or going into town to find that everything is closed at night (well, besides taco bell). A mini fridge is a great place to store snacks and drinks, conveniently in your room. 

5//Rug. Some dorms do not have carpet. You can keep your feet warm with a rug. 

6//Large Calendar. Life can be crazy busy in college. Keep track of your meetings, classes, exams, and more with a large calender on your wall or desk. 

7//Pictures. Have a little reminder of home, family, friends, pets, etc. in picture frames around your room to keep you motivated. 

8//Fun Decor. Add some life to your bare, white walled dorm with some fun decor like a dinosaur plant holder. Bring posters, inspirational quotes, and trinkets.

9//Laundry basket. Don't be the person that carries their dirty laundry down the hallway in their arms. Get a laundry basket to easily tote your clothes to and from the washer and dryer. It is also keeps your dirty laundry at bay in your room. 

10//Fan. Many dorms do not have air conditioning so bring a fan to endure the end of August/beginning of September heat. It is not fun sweating your buns off in your dorm. 

11//Storage bins. Most universities provide a desk, dresser, and closet, but they have limited storage space. It is a good idea to bring extra storage likes bins to store under your bed, in your closet, or on your desk. 

12//Seat Cushion. Desk chairs provided by the university are not the comfiest so keep your tush from going numb with a seat cushion. You can find them in cute designs for around $7-$12.

What are your college dorm room must-haves?

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How to Care for Curly Hair #WearYourHairCurly

*This post was inspired by Garnier Fructis' #WearYourHairCurly campaign to support a girls' rock camp. Check out their Twitter for updates.

For the longest time, I despised my unruly, curly hair. I hated it because I couldn't control it so I would always put it in a ponytail. If it wasn't in a ponytail, it was managed (fried) by some styling tool (i.e. a curling iron or flat iron). My mom would always get so mad at me for straightening my hair. Other people would say how beautiful it was and I would just look at them like, you aren't the one who has to take care of it!

As I am getting older, I realize it is not about taming my crazy curls, it is about embracing them. My curls make me unique and are a part of who I am. After embracing this lustrous head of hair, I learned how to take care of it. Listed below are 8 ways I show my curls some love:

Do not wash it every day. Washing your hair every day can damage the natural oils that replenish your curls. The natural oils keep your curls full, shiny, and healthy. Over shampooing your hair can cause breakage and dryness. To take care of my curls, I shampoo my hair every other day.

Stop touching your hair. I know, I know, your curls are irresistible and you want to twirl your finger around them, but don't. For me, touching my hair causes it to become oily faster and causes it to frizz. Admire your hair with a camera or a mirror, not your fingers.

Do not brush it. Ok...well I do not brush my hair; I comb it. I use a wide-tooth comb right before I get in the shower. My hair becomes very frizzy when I brush it because the brush undoes all of my curls causing chaos. Also, do not brush your hair when it is wet because it causes breakage to your hair, leading to split ends.

Condition those bad boys. I love conditioner. It is my lifesaver. Conditioner helps to prevent breakage and repair damage like split ends and dryness. When I condition my hair, I make sure to only put it on my ends, avoiding my roots. It can make your roots oily.

Combat humidity with gel. Humidity is every curly-haired persons' nightmare. It makes it frizz, poof, and just plain go crazy. Add some gel to your hair to lock in your curls and keep humidity out.

Use a microfiber towel. It is soft and gentle on your hair, unlike regular towels. They are cheap and come as wraps. I bought mine at Forever 21 for $1.50!

Keep away heat. Heat from curling irons (yes, girls with curly hair use curling irons, too) or flat irons can cause a lot damage to hair. Make sure that if you are using a curling iron or flat iron to use heat protectant.

Get a trim. A trim is recommended for every 6-8 weeks. It cuts off the dead-ends and damage that has accumulated, giving your hair a fresh start.

My go-to Garnier Fructis Styling Products. 

Protect your curls and keep them healthier, longer. How do you take care of your luscious locks?

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New Twitter Page!

I caved and made a Twitter page specifically for this blog. So if you would like to easily keep up with my blog happenings and stay connected, follow me here:

Twitter

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Sangria in Sevilla {Travel Tuesday}

To be honest, I had no idea what sangria was until I went to Spain. I didn't know the difference between fruit punch and sangria. (Yes, I know I lived under a rock.) Nothing was better than going out for a drink in the middle of the day (Spanish time= around 5 or 6p.m.) with my 3 best friends (pictured below: Amanda, Kassi, and Hannah). The streets were crowded with families, laughing and hand gesturing at one another outside their usual tapas bar. Their children were swooning in strollers or playing soccer around tables and chairs, pretending to be Cristiano Ronaldo. I fell in love with watching the people. It was almost a hobby, eavesdropping on Spanish conversations and sneakily taking pictures of them, while I was abroad.

The four of us would meet up in central Sevilla to hang out and enjoy local culture. We found out very quickly how tourist it was to drink Sangria. It was not something the locals drank. They prefer Cruzcampo -beer- or a glass of red wine from the Andalusian region. Or, young people, they drink what is called, tinto de verano, it is red wine with Fanta. After finding out how touristy sangria was, I casually switched to tinto. But I still have a love for sangria, especially because you can make a virgin version of it (I'm only 20). Check out my recipe below and try it for yourself!

My last day in Sevilla with my amigas along the River.

My First Sangria Recipe

Ingredients:

4 cups of Cranberry-Grape Juice

1 cup of Orange Juice

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon Juice

1 apple 

1 pear

1 orange

Lemon-lime soda

Directions: 

1// Peel and thinly slice the apple, pear, and orange and place in the bottom of the pitcher

2// Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice into the pitcher

3// Pour cranberry-grape juice and orange juice into the pitcher

4// Stir mixture

5// Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours

6// Pour into a glass mixed with lemon-lime soda and enjoy! 

Cheers!

There are so many different Sangria recipes. I still want to try Virgin Watermelon Sangria (here). Do you have any favorites? 

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Weekly Wishes

What moving to college feels like...so many boxes, bags, and totes.

Last week, I really enjoyed linking up through Melyssa's blog, The Nectar Collective for Weekly Wishes. It is a great way to find encouragement and inspiration in the blogger community. Seriously though, your comments made me smile, your kind words are so appreciated and kept me going. Check it out if you need a little boost of motivation for your week. Have a lovely week! 

Last week my wishes were to finish my Couch to 5k training program, spend time with family, and finish my nephew's present. Well... check, check, and check! 

Run. Couch to 5k is now complete and I am rockin'! It feels so great to have finished this program; I have made a lot of progress over the last 9 weeks (a review coming soon!). On to training for a 10k! 

Spend time with family and friends. This week I was able to spend some much needed time with my boyfriend, grandparents, and friends over dinner, a softball game, a movie, and a trip to the mall. My sister also stopped over for an unexpected visit with my new, baby nephew! I am so happy to be an aunt (his favorite, of course!) and to have such a loving family. 

Finish my nephew's present. The Weekly Wishes held me accountable for finishing my nephew's present that I have procrastinated on for a while. Finally, I finished 3 onesies with snap-on bow ties. They are so precious! He is going to be quite the gentleman.

Moving Madness. This week is my last week before I head back to school on Saturday. So it is officially moving/pack-it-all-up and realize I have too much stuff week. I want to go through all of my stuff and decide what to keep and throw away. I absolutely despise clutter and junk so I am ready to donate, sell, and toss. This week I will be busy preparing to go back to school, but I can't wait to be back in Cleveland.

Happy Monday!

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Cloudy with a Chance of Joy

I love watching Tedtalks. They get me to think, question ideas that never really crossed my mind. The other night, I was in the mood to watch a Tedtalk. So I scrolled and scrolled through videos, until one little square caught my eye. I scrolled over it and the name of the video was Cloudy with a Chance of Joy. Interesting....so I clicked on it. I read the synopsis on the side and come to find out, Gavin Pretor-Pinney is the creator of the Cloud Appreciation Society. WHAT?! Is there such a thing? 

I have always had a fascination for the sky, for those big, fluffy clouds that remind me of the wallpaper (here) in Andy's room in Toy Story. My family makes fun of me for sticking my head out the car window to feel the wind, soak up the sun, and stare at the clouds. Pretor-Pinney says, "they are the most diverse, evocative, poetic aspect of nature." You can tell how much I agree with this by how many pictures I take of the sky, some of which are shown below.

I think the most important point that Pretor-Pinney nails that hits home for me is, "The exotic can be found in the every day." I always thought, especially after being abroad, that I needed some huge adventure to be inspired, happy, or "finding myself".  This just isn't the case. I can find all the inspiration I need just by stepping out the front door, or gazing out the car window, taking the time to slow down and meditate.

With the busy-ness of the world and the digital age swirling around us and clouding our minds (pun intended), we miss what is so beautiful and standing right before us! Pretor-Pinney exclaims, "Pay attention to something so commonplace that everyone else misses it." I encourage you to: Be mindful. Be inspired. Be present. 

Athens, Greece (top of the Acropolis) 

Wicklow National Park, Ireland

Seville, Spain (outside my bedroom window)

Gibraltar, Spain

It is good for your ideas, good for your creativity...good for your soul. 

Malaga, Spain

Seville, Spain

Sanlucar de la Barrameda, Spain

If you live with your head in the clouds, every now and again, it will help you keep your feet on the ground.

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This Shall Be My Purpose {Greek is Greek}

Class of 2015 

Fall of 2011, my friend, Paige, encouraged me to sign-up for Sorority recruitment. I looked at her like she had a million eyes and three heads. Why would I, the nerdy, awkward, freshman, sign-up for recruitment? In my mind, recruitment was for the pretty girls and all the other stereotypes associated with Greek Life (you know them). After a couple of days discussing it and finding out there would be free food (don't judge, free food= gold mine), I filled out my application.

To gain understanding that wisdom may be vouchsafed to me

Through the recruitment process I realized it didn't matter if I was nerdy and awkward or pretty and funny. Sorority life was not about good looks, parties, hazing, and actin' a fool, but, rather, friendship, support, and a valuable college experience. I fell for Alpha Gamma Delta because I saw a group of women, diverse in their passions, talents, and lives, but sharing a common purpose.

My Big, Taylor, and I.

To welcome the opportunity of contributing to the world's work

My experience as a member of Alpha Gamma Delta has developed tremendously in the past two years. Greek life has provided many rewarding experiences and opportunities in leadership, community service, social, sisterhood and scholarship (5 Pillars of Greek Life). I always knew that the people I surrounded myself with will influence me the most, for better or worse. I have truly grown as a person because of these positively influential women and the Greek Life community.

Supporting our philanthropy, JDRF, at the Cleveland Zoo. 

To cherish friendships with but a chosen few

My AGD Sisters are...my support when times are tough. kind. my biggest cheerleaders for my biggest dreams. comic relief. late-night snack buddies. my therapist. my best friends. my motivation to achieve even my most ambitious goals. my inspiration to push myself to do my very best. study buddies. my role models. 

They mean the world to me. I don't think I could ever thank them enough for what they have done for me. Smooches to all of you for being amazing young women; your excitement for life, comedic ability, and kind hearts have impacted me more than you know. Special shout out to my family, congrats to my big who is off to medical school this fall (so proud of you!!) and to my loving little, it has been so much fun watching you grow! I could not ask for better friends, or sisters.

Grandbig, Big, and Little 2012

This shall be my purpose that those who know me may esteem Alpha Gamma Delta for her attainments, revere her for her purposes and love her for her Womanhood.

Over the past two years, I have learned and gained so much from Alpha Gamma Delta. I am a part of a national network of women confided in the same purpose. I am very proud and humbled to be a part of such an accomplished fraternity. The opportunities, friendships, and memories presented through AGD will far exceed the four years of college, lasting a lifetime.

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Monkeying Around in Gibraltar {Travel Tuesday}

Before I left for Spain, my dad told me I needed to visit the Straight of Gibraltar, an English territory in southern Spain. I had no clue what it was, its significance, or why I should visit, but it always stuck in the back of my mind. About a few weeks into being abroad, I found a website offering an extremely cheap day-trip to Gibraltar. I do not remember exactly how much it was (I think around 28 euro) it included a 2 hour bus ride there and back, tour guides, a visit to St. Michael's Cave, time to hang out with the apes, free time, and a bus tour around the rock of Gibraltar.

We left early on a Saturday morning and the day was perfect. I adore blue skies with fluffy clouds and, that day, the sky did not disappoint. Our bus took us to the coast to an impressive view of the Mediterranean Sea, the Straight of Gibraltar, the Atlantic Ocean, Africa, and Spain.

The view was incredible, but my favorite part of the day was hanging out with apes. At first, it was terrifying being around a bunch of apes. I wanted to touch one so bad, but the thought of one eating my face off hindered that hope. We hung around the apes for a good 30 minutes before I started to feel a little more comfortable around them. As we stood next to a fence watching the apes play, they started climbing on the fence, getting closer and closer to us. I stepped back a little afraid, but then nudged myself closer to the ape to see if it would reach for me. And that's when it happened, the ape jumped onto my shoulder, practically hugging my head as it started threading my hair through its teeth like floss.

You can write about one of your favorite travel adventures too. Just link up with Travel Tuesday on A Compass Rose or Found Love. Now What? 

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