Influenster Varsity VoxBox Review

I was super excited when I received my complimentary Influenster Varsity VoxBox. It was a college student focused box full of different products for me to test and review. Below, are my honest, personal opinions about the products I was given by Influenster.

Tide PODS. I love this product! It looks like a dish liquid pack for a dishwasher. The PODS are very convenient, especially for college students. When you're wandering down the hallway, trying to get to the washing machine, fumbling with your bag of laundry, all you have to do is toss the POD in your bag (avoid taking heavy detergents with you). They also smell wonderful. My clothes were so fresh, fluffy, and bright. I have only positives to say about Tide PODS. I would definitely buy these in the future.

Kiss Nail Dress. I was kind of leery of these when I first received them. I did not like the cheetah print design so I let my friend try them out. But just so I had some first hand knowledge of the product, I put them on her nails. I think they are more complicated and take more time to use than just painting your own nails. On the other hand, there is no drying time or anything like that. When I had to file off the excess sticker, it got a little complicated. The sticker would bubble up on the nail because it couldn't follow the curve of the nail. The sticker would also not really stick to the end of the nail because it bubbled up. The package says they stay on for up to 10 days. They started to wear in 4-5 days. I would not buy these as a replacement for nail polish, but I would use them to cut and use as a design on top of nail polish.

Clearisal Daily Clear Refreshing Superfuit Wash. I received three trial size packets of this product. I thought it was a really refreshing face wash. It didn't dry out my skin, which a lot of face washes do. The facewash has rasberry and cranberry extracts which smell lovely.

Airheads Xtremes bites. This is the first product I tried out of the box, mostly because I have a weakness for sweet things and the Airheads Xtremes belts are delicious. I was expecting them to be like the belts, but they are actually sweeter. I prefer the belts, but the bites are good if you are looking for something sweeter.

NYC Big Bold Lip Gloss. I received a full size product. I was really happy about this product because I love lipgloss and neutral colors like pinks and tans. The color is very pretty. As winter is approaching, I put on lip balm and then lip gloss over top of it for that hint of girly. The lip gloss smells good, but does not taste too good. It is not sticky like most lip gloss. Overall, I like this product and could see myself purchasing it or as a present for my sisters.

*All products were complimentary of Influenster. All of the opinions are my own, honest opinions. 

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A New Name, A New Look -Permeating Purpose-

"The purpose of life is a life of purpose"

As you can tell, there have been a few changes around here....new design, new name, etc. I had been thinking about changing my blog name and focus for a while, but it wasn't until I won a free design from Allie at Call Me Sassafras that I took the opportunity and ran with it.

I knew I always wanted my blog to be a lifestyle blog so it will continue to be that way, but my focus is a little different. As a twenty-something, this is my time to explore, discover, learn, love, laugh, etc. I believe it is my time to truly delve into what my passions are and my purpose in life. I am figuring it out as I go.

For a while I thought I was going to be a doctor, but when I realized the sight of blood or runny noses makes me weak in the knees, I moved on from that. Then, I thought I wanted to be a percussion instructor. Well, when I received my first F in my college solfege class because I am tone deaf, I knew music wasn't my path. But through those experiences, I have learned a lot about myself and that's what it's all about.

I love people. I love working with them, hearing their stories, and being inspired by their enthusiasm and passion. Now, I am pursuing a degree in Public Relations. Who knows where that will take me, but I am figuring it out and taking it in stride. Not everything in life needs a plan. In fact, some of the best things happen without a plan.

I am excited about this life of mine, with its ups and downs, knowing that everything happens for a reason. I may not be a 100% sure what my purpose is, but the journey to figuring it out is one of the best parts. I am looking forward to sharing things I am learning, loving, and doing on the blog, using it as a way to express myself and reflect. I want to enjoy life as it comes, laugh as often as I can, relish in the small joys of life, and spend time with the people who mean the most to me.

Here, is to living with purpose, to letting it permeate your heart, soul, and life. 

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Weekly Wishes

Yes, time for another week of wishes! Linking up with Melyssa at The Nectar Collective for Weekly Wishes! This week's theme for participant art is 'selfie.' My picture isn't really a 'selfie', as in I didn't extend my arm out with a camera in hand to take a picture, but this picture captures me pretty well. I am a goofball with an absolute love for life. I don't take things too seriously, appreciate the small things, enjoy adventures and laugh often. 

Blog + do some bloggy stuff. I put off blog stuff a lot and make a lot of excuses, but this week I had some extra incentive, a new blog design and name! I won a free design header, button, and social media buttons from Allie at Call Me Sassafrass. I had to change a few things to accommodate for the new change. What do you think? Halloween Costume. Check! All ready to go for Thursday! I was going to post a picture, but I am going to wait until next week. Catch up with some friends. This was a blessing this week. I was able to catch up with a couple of them. It was so nice to reminisce.

Bedtime routine. I am trying to get more sleep as a way to think more clearly, be less stressed, and feel refreshed each day. But sometimes I struggle to go to sleep because I lay down and then think about the entire day. I want to create a bedtime routine so I can wind down and relax so I can have a more restful sleep. 

Visit the library. Cleveland has an incredibly beautiful library downtown that I have still not visited. I plan on visiting it this week. 

Button Swaps. Now that I have a new design, blog name, and button, I want to swap with others and share some blog love. If you have a swap, let me know and we can swap! 

Happy Monday!

5 Dream Destinations {Guest Post}

Hi there readers of Passionately Curious!  I'm Lisa, a pal of Courtney's, and I blog over at Améliorer la Vie about beauty, travel, and life in general.  Courtney and I both participated in study abroad programs through our respective colleges and obviously both blog, so when we get together we chat for hours about both of those subjects.  We thought it might be fun to do guests posts on each other's blogs about our top five travel destinations, so here I am to tell you about five places I would one day like to visit! 

A place that I've always been dying to go to is to Machu Picchu in Peru.  My uncle, who married a Peruvian woman, showed me pictures from when he hiked to the top.  I just think visiting these ancient Incan ruins would be very worthwhile for the history, mystery, and breath-taking views!

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Another place on my list is to go back to Tuscany.  I've already been to places like Florence, Siena, Cortona, and Pisa and loved every minute of my time there.  I left utterly enchanted with the art, scenery, architecture, and charm of these cities/towns and would jump at the chance to go back again.  I would also like to check out places like Lucca, a walled city worth exploring as well as San Gimignano, a medieval town famous for its towers.

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Although I've been overseas quite a bit, I haven't gotten a chance to explore that many places in my own country!  One such place that has been on my list of places to go to is Seattle, Washington.  A really good friend of mine spent several years living there and raved on and on about how she thinks I will like the city a lot.  When I think of Seattle, I think of the grunge movement and Pearl Jam as well as Starbucks, but some sites I would want to take in would be Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, and Chihuly Garden and Glass, which is an indoor/outdoor exhibition.


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It has been one of my long time dreams to celebrate Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  I had the opportunity to visit Venice, Italy for Carnevale, and it was a truly great experience.  The pictures I see of the festivities always blow me away because the costumes are so wild and creative.  I hope that one day I'll have a chance to go and see this spectacular event in action!  

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Costa Rica has always been one of top travel destinations, mainly because it seems to have it all: bustling cities, relaxing beaches, and tropical rain forests...not to mention that adventure tourism is huge there.  I've been holding off on going white water rafting and zip lining because I want to do those things in Costa Rica one day.  :)

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What are some of your top travel destinations?

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Weekly Wishes

Hello! Thanks so much for stopping by to check out my weekly wishes! I hope you had a great weekend and have a wonderful week ahead. If you need an extra boost of motivation for your week, check out Weekly Wishes at The Nectar Collective.

Well, this week's Weekly Wishes Participant Art theme is creativity. When I was studying abroad in Seville, Spain, I was an English teaching assistant for a 6 and 10 year-old class. It was an incredible experience working work those silly kids who blessed me every week. They were such a joy and just tickled me to death when they spoke in Spanish. I chose this silly picture of them from our very last day together because I think children are especially creative. They are so full of life, love, and just pureness that overflows into their every day lives. Every week, they were teaching me something new. These are my creative kiddos.

I didn't do weekly wishes last week due to school priorities, but I did complete my wishes the week before! I wanted to find some time to read. I was able to find some alone time a few nights before I went to bed to start The Happiness Project by: Gretchen Rubin. I am really looking forward to diving into this book and also starting 20 Something, 20 Everything. My other two goals were to hang out with my housemates and do fall activities. I was able to knock out both at the same time. We made caramel apples, drank cider, and made candy corn door decorations. Fall is simply the best.

Blog + Do some bloggy stuff. I have kind of neglected the blog lately because of school and midterms and all that fun stuff. I really want to dedicate some time this week to writing posts and doing some stuff around the blog. I revamping the whole blog soon (name change and all!!! Really exciting!!) and want to prepare a few more things for that. I also want to spend some time looking at your blogs because I really enjoy your posts! Lots to do in the blogworld and hopefully I can dedicate the time to it this week!

Get my costume together. I can't spill what it is, you will have to stop by next week for the scoop. But I need to get it together because I have a Spooky Science days event this Friday at the Science Center that I am volunteering for!

Catch up with some old friends.  Lately, I have felt really compelled to catch up with old friends from high school. I miss them and this week is as good as any to catch up with them!

Phew, that is a lot of wishes, but I am really looking forward to working on them. Have a wonderful week and good luck with your wishes!

Happy Monday!

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Alpha Gamma Delta Bid Day 2013

Oh, how I love those Alpha Gams so deep, deep so down, down in my heart! 

Sorority recruitment season is a tough, but exciting time! Unfortunately, I was unable to participate in formal recruitment week because of the program I am doing, but I was able to see Bid Day! 

Bid Day is a long day for us, Alpha Gams, at my University. We wake up at 6 or so in the morning to attend an event for our philanthropy. Alpha Gamma Delta supports the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). Every year, the organization host a walk-a-thon event at the zoo. We volunteer to assist with the morning's set-up, snacks, etc. It is an early morning that makes for a long day, but it is always a good time hanging out with other Gams and supporting JDRF. 

Say CHEESE!

After a morning of volunteering, we head back to campus to prepare for our new Alpha Gamma Delta sisters. It was so exciting to all of my AGD sisters and enjoying such an exciting time. I rarely get to see them this semester because of my program off-campus so getting to hang out with them for a day is such a treat! Chanting our hearts out, welcoming new sisters, and getting nutty makes Bid Day the best. This year, we welcomed 26 new members to our sisterhood! Below are some pictures of one of the best days of the year.

My little, Deanna, and I

To my new sisters, I have not had lots of time to talk or get to know you, but I am so happy you are a part of the Alpha Gamma Delta sisterhood. This is going to be such a rewarding and special part of your college experience. I can't wait to be back on campus next semester and hang out with all of you! I hope you have a wonderful fall semester with all of your new and wonderful AGD sisters. We truly are a family and so happy you are apart of it, now.

Our 26 new AGD sisters

My sorority sisters are an important part of my life and my college experience. I am so thankful for their incredible support and love. Always, Alpha Gamma Delta. 

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Weekly Wishes

My favorite part of the week was spending Saturday with my boyfriend, Nathan, to celebrate his 20th birthday! I haven't seen him in a while because of school, work , and just life, in general so being able to spend the day with him was lovely. He is finally the same age as me and I am very excited for him to move into his twenties. Being able to see him and just have a wonderful time really refreshed me for this week and I look forward to the next time I see him. So let's get these weekly wishes started!

My boyfriend's birthday celebration was one of last week's wishes. It was kind of a success. He wanted to eat Mexican food for lunch so we went to a restaurant down the road from my house. It was terrible. The food was not good at all. Poor Nathan was such a champ about it. I felt so bad that he had a horrible birthday lunch, but we came back to my house and the cake that I made him to make up for it. I was extremely busy last weekend so I was unable to edit my sister's pictures. And, to be very honest, I forgot about them.

Read. I have been trying so hard to find some time to read and it just does not happen. I will try to make a conscious effort to at least read for fun for 15 minutes before bed. 

Hang out with my housemates. Sometimes we can get caught up in the craziness of life and miss out on opportunities to spend some time with one another. I hope we can get a day or two in to spend some quality time together because they are cool people. 

Do some fall activities. It's definitely fall time and I am ready for fall activities.  Whether it's making a fall craft, eating candy corn, making a pumpkin treat, carving a pumpkin, playing with leaves, or drinking apple cider, I want to do it and do them all! Maybe not all of them this week, but at least one this week. 

If you need some motivation for your week, check out Weekly Wishes on Melyssa's blog, The Nectar Collective.

Happy Monday!!! 

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I love fall.

Fall Favorites by cfraley featuring red skinny jeans

Fall is the absolute best season of all! 

Browns. I love the warm autumn colors, especially because they compliment my skin tone very well. 

Squirrels. Yes, squirrels are out at all times of the year, but I can wear attire that has squirrels and acorns on it. It just seems more appropriate in the fall. (p.s. squirrels are my sorority's mascot)

Fall scents. Unfortunately, I cannot have candles at school, but I am in love with the fall smells. Apple cinnamon, pumpkin spice, fall leaves, candy corn, etc. 

Pumpkin. ohmygoodness my obsession with pumpkin when the fall season rolls around is quite outrageous. Pumpkin treats, coffee, candles,...everything. 

Football. I grew up in a football-loving family. We are die-hard fans of THE Ohio State University Buckeyes. OH-IO! 

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