MIDTERMS!

The bridge is my favorite spot to take
  pictures and look at the ocean.

I took my first college midterm on Monday and it was probably the most stressful thing college has thrown at me. I've taken one high school midterm my senior, I had this really cool teacher Mr. Bisson who made our class have the whole college feel. It made the transition from high school life to college life a bit smoother. 

My eight grade English teacher told me I have testitis, and I feel like could possibly mean a real thing in the medical world but what she meant is I'm afraid of tests. I knew everything we were taught but the tests would completely freak me out so badly that I would forget EVERYTHING. I'm still really shaky when it comes to taking tests but through the years I've figured out how get through them.

So I get to my first midterm Monday night and I'm freaking out, I just went through work training all day and my only study time that day was the hour before class. I stayed up the night before and finished the homework and studied the best I could. I am not sure if I'm the youngest in the class but I'm definitely one of the smallest. All of the people I sit by have been in college and have gone through this all before. I barely have the confidence to wash the dishes at home, I definitely don't have the confidence to pass this test. In the end I think I got at least a C, I answered every question except one. 

Some tips I would share to first timers is:

1.  Relax; the first test isn't as hard as it seems, if its on the review then its probably on the test.
2. Take notes in class. It seems tedious, silly, and unimportant at the time but when it comes to the test your pointless notes you thought you would never use come in handy.
3.  STUDY! I wish I could have studied more because it would have helped soo much. Study your stupid little notes that you made three weeks ago.

My math teacher is Dr. Monika Laskowski-Caujolle, she is the best math teacher I have ever had and she makes math so easy and kind of fun sometimes. I would definitely recommend her for anyone wanting to take Math 120.

Rather than end with a cat picture, I would like to end with this picture of my cousin Austin and my grandma and grandpa's dog Buddy. This past weekend Buddy passed away. He has been a very important part of our family the past 14 years and he'll never be forgotten. I'd like all college students with pets back home to really appreciate the time they get with them. Check out my last post here and until next time!

XOXO

Ashley

College

The humanities building at 7 am, who
doesn't want to go to school in paradise

High school was a place you were forced to be, college is a place you choose to be. Your success in college in solely based on what you choose to do. Today it’s extremely hard to get a job without a college education. I think that kids aren’t realizing how different college is from high school. 

You’re an equal, here we’re all adults. In high school you’re teacher demanded respect from you and they were always above you. Most professors in college treat you as an equal and will have a conversation with you like you’re an actually human being.

There are no bathroom passes. The most ridiculous thing I went through in high school was my senior year I was forced to use a bathroom pass in the same class where the teacher was lecturing us about being independent and entering the real world. How am I supposed to decide my future when I’m not even allowed to decide when I can use the bathroom? But don’t fret because in college, you go when you have to. Also the toilets here flush automatically so the bathrooms are super clean.

Perfect view of the ocean all the time

The old legend that professors won’t stop a lecture because you have a question is the biggest lie ever created. If you have a question, just raise your hand or state your problem out loud. Their here for you and they want you to pass, they’ll help you if you ask for it.

Your schedule is your choice, you can schedule your classes around your life and if you only want to go to school two days a week in the afternoon, it is possible. I go to school all day Mondays and Wednesdays but next semester I’m going to make it so I leave school around 4 or 5 o’clock simply because I feel like it. 

The most important thing is that you need to remember is that everything you do in college is your choice. College isn't for everyone but you can make college work for you. I hated high school and I wouldn’t ever go back. College has been extraordinary.

This picture was on my graduation announcements, not even kidding. Cats are just my thing. Check out my last blog post here and until next time!

XOXO

Ashley

Auntie Ashley

The first time I 

made Dj smile

Family is one the most important aspects of my life, being with everyone can make every problem in my life seem like nothing.  Most my problems revolve around school, studying and homework so I can't escape them for very long. But there is one person in particular who makes me forget about everything else in the world.

Dj's favorite past time is
complimenting me

January 31, 2013 was the best day of my life thus far. It was more important than my high school graduation, my 18th birthday and even my first day of college. That was the day Dj was born. It was an emergency c-section so I had to wait a few hours to hold him for the first time. I remember pacing the hallways waiting for his arrival and the moment I saw the nurse rolling him out of the delivery room I chased the her down to see him. The moment I saw him I started crying, I had honestly fallen in love with him. It's cheesy, I know.

That's the day I turned from plain old Ashley to Auntie Ashley, this new title holds a lot of responsibility. My sister is currently doing a study in school on why I think Dj is mine and why I would run into a burning building to save him. I think it's ridiculous that there's a study on this because the answer is so simple; Dj is mine. I could never explain why I think this, all I can tell you is I'm not a fan of kids but I'm a fan of Dj. In almost 2 years Dj has completely changed how I see the world. 

Being extremely
responsible

Growling at Auntie

Dj and I talk on the phone everyday and we see each other about once a week. His aspirations include moving in with me so we can play together and petting as many cats as he can. He likes dancing and singing; his favorite thing to sing is lalala. He likes going to the beach and visiting his grandparents. He thinks it's funny when people play peek a boo with him and he likes when people make gagging noises (I have no idea why). He's obsessed with belly buttons and likes to wear his shoes. He avidly plays the piano and likes to have jam sessions with Auntie. He's a cool dude with a BIG personality.

As I said in my intro, Dj is my mini stress reliever. I was diagnosed with depression when I was in middle school and my teenage years were especially hard. I think that Dj has been medication, he seems to know how to make me smile from the silliest things and life isn't so hard now that he's  around. I think Dj made me regain a sense of purpose and somehow made me find myself again. I mean look at him, he's a stud, he could make anyone feel better. Dj has lit up my world from the day he was born and I will forever be grateful for all the joy and love he has given me. I love you.

If you look closely you can see that Dj is treating Missy as a pillow, he shares my love for cats so since this whole post was about how much I love him I think that it would only fit that I end with his very own cat picture. Check out my last blog post here and until next time!

XOXO

Ashley

Am I an Adult Yet?

The first adult thing I did on my
own, Beyonce and Jay Z!

Ladies and gentlemen I am employed. I know I have this blogging thing but now I have a real job that makes me deal with real people not just people online. I shouldn't tell you my job location because I don't want any stalkers (pretty people like me attract stalkers). 

I'm just really excited because I like having money, I get to buy things like the new Sims 4 that I have been dying for and cute clothes for Dj. OH! And of course I get to save my money to finally move outttt! I think just throwing myself out of the house will force me to grow up. 

I've had two official jobs before, I've been an ice cream scooper and a pizza maker. I hated both.The ice cream shop was hell because I'm lactose intolerant and I don't have much self control. When I made pizza it was so hot in the kitchen that I sweated a lot and broke out in some bad acne. The only plus side to the pizza job was I got to wear a name tag, it was a sad day when I had to give that back.

I'm a full time student and this is definitely going to be hard but I didn't go to college to take it easy. I came to college to work my butt off and I knew that would mean no sleep. My freshman and sophomore year I was doing all honors, then softball, then going to work so I know the type of pressure that will be involved. And I should be getting another name tag and that's all that matters.

My mom kept trying to convince me that maybe I shouldn't work this semester. Do you know how hard it is to not be able to go shopping? If you want a job and your own source of income then I suggest you go for it but only if you think you can handle it. 

I can't get over how cute Otto is, I do have another cat but he's all black and doesn't like pictures. Here's a look at smokey. Check out my last blog post here and until next time!

XOXO

Ashley

Love and College

One of the first things I thought about when I turned 18 was “Is it time to make a match.com profile?”. You’ve got to understand that I was really confused on how this whole love thing worked since my older sister has been with the same guy since she was like 14. And now she’s married to him and they have Dj and here I am 18 years old and all I have is my cats. I think I want a boyfriend maybe but that requires liking someone and tolerating someone and like being around them and I don’t know if I want to do that. 

Love is hard especially in college because we’re trying to juggle school work, and our jobs and making sure our family doesn't find out that we aren’t perfect angels away at college. I have three solid friends and only one of them is in a relationship so I don’t have an example to follow besides my sisters perfect love story.

I think I have boy troubles because I’m almost funny and slightly awkward and I hope there are others out there like me because I don’t know what I’m doing or what I’m supposed to do and if anyone has some advice on how all of this works let me know. Hopefully by the end of the school year I can do a follow up and let you guys know if I’ve gotten past all my troubles. 

Here's the best snapchat I've ever made, and just some proof that Otto is my only male companion. Check out my last blog post here and until next time!

XOXO

Ashley

Ballin' on a Budget

Many of you are probably poor college students such as myself, many of you may also be shopping addicts. I know I'm guilty of that. Because shopping is so important to me, I can't seem to stop. I find myself looking at clothes to buy online constantly or wandering in to stores to look at EVERYTHING! I have a problem and I'm okay with this problem and don't worry I'm not in debt or anything just over obsessed. Shopping, cats, and Pretty Little Liars are three things I just can't get enough of. It's come to the point where I jump for joy when my mom mentions grocery shopping.

Some of my favorite stores include Forever 21, H&M, Cotton On, Foreign Exchange, and of course Vans. I own like over twenty pairs of vans, I just really like shoes. My favorite pair have cats ALL over them. I hunted through H&M for some cute attire and this is what I got!

Everything I'm writing about was about $15 or less, which is great because I don't have  money to buy beautiful Gucci bags. This long sleeve is from H&M and fitted really well, I was scared because I thought the sleeves would be tight or uncomfortable but it fitted really well. I honestly was ready to walk out of the store in it even though it was like 80 degrees out.

This is a really great look if your mom is forcing to go to church or attempting you to look nice. And if you don't live with your parents then it's a great choice to go home

 in and make your parents think you

have your life together.

I just want to address that I took these pictures before I cut my hair, I don't have extensions and my hair doesn't grow freakishly fast.

I have a thing for dresses, I like flowy dresses because they don't flatter me much and long dresses make me look like an umpa lumpa. My sister's wedding was practically based off of the dress I chose because I needed a short dress that made me look nice.

This dress on the right is something I would wear out to the beach over my bathing suit or if I was going out to coffee with my friends (I secretly drink hot chocolate because I don't like coffee). I live in a sunny beach town and it's cold for like two weeks a year so I get to use my dresses until they can no longer be worn.

Rather than end with a traditional picture of my cat and I, I thought I'd let you guys see my favorite accessory and the cat that will stay with me forever. His name is Matt the Catt. Matt the Catt is a fun loving kitty with a serious attitude, although he usually doesn't smell too appealing. Check out my last blog post here and until next time!

XOXO

Ashley

Hairs Cut

All the hair we cut off

Thursday, September 11, 2014 I made the biggest decision I have ever made in my life. I cut like all of my hair off and I know this decision won’t define my future, it doesn't change the outcome of my life, and it’ll eventually grow back. But it scared me and made me excited all at the same time, I made the decision so quickly that I didn’t even give myself enough time to think about it. The whole time I sat in that chair just thinking what did I do. In the end I love that my hair is so much more manageable and so soft!

 I mean doesn't my hair cut look so great?

I don’t miss my long hair because it was such a hassle but one thing I really really miss is my family. Most of my family lives in Santa Clarita so I get to see them once or twice a month. My cousin Kaitlyn is who I miss the most, she’s like my best friend and we spend our days at six flags, the mall, and various family pools around town. I hope that when I’m older and completely done with school I’ll be able to live in Santa Clarita to be near everyone I love. 

From left to right: Kaitlyn, Auntie April, DJ, Jailene, and I. We're soaking up all the time we can get together before we leave. It was also like 100 degrees so we tried not to wear very many clothes. It's days like these that I cherish the most.

Here's Otto and I after I got my hair cut, I don't mean to brag but I've trained him to be a model. Check out my last blog post here and until next time! 

XOXO Ashley

MAJOR Issues

Walking across the bridge and looking out at the ocean
helps relieve the stress of my crazy schedule

I, like most people my age, have no idea what I’m doing with my life. I do have a major but I haven’t really decided what I’m going to do with it. My goal in life is to do something great, I don’t know what that greatness may be or if I’ll ever achieve but I’ll find out someday. The thing about success is that you can’t rush it. 

When I tell most people that my major is computer science they automatically think three things: that I’m a genius, that I’m crazy and why is this little girl messing with a mans major. One I am not a genius, I’m motivated. Two I am not crazy because otherwise my mom would have told me so. And three I am not a little girl messing with a mans major, I am just a vertically challenged young woman willing to break barriers.

I chose computer science for one main reason, learning is my passion. Most people have a passion for writing poetry, hockey, or Keeping Up With The Kardashians but I find learning so intriguing that I’ve decided to dedicate my life’s work to it. I feel like we’re all friends now so let me, let you in on a little secret. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT COMPUTER SCIENCE IS. 

Now you’re all probably back to the assumption that I’m crazy, but why would I want to spend the rest of my life doing something that I’m great at from the start. I want to spend these precious years in college making mistakes and learning a whole new trade. I may not know what I’m doing right now but when everything falls into place I will achieve something great.

I think the main message I am trying to convey is that nothing needs to happen right now, we always have someday. Let yourself be young, work hard and allow mistakes. But NEVER ever ever give up on what makes you happy. Be a legacy.

My favorite cat Otto and I
being as thug as we can

I feel a small little tradition here with the cat picture at the end, it allows me to show you a piece of myself. Check out my last blog post here and until next time. 

     XOXO Ashley 

Here It Is

My name is Ashley Rose Hernandez, I’m a first year blogger and student here at SBCC. Some things to look out for in my blog this year will be my weight loss journey, finding my purpose in life, my classes, my friends, and of course my cats.

Disneyland on my 18th birthday, I wore my fanny pack so I could attract all the boys. 

As I mentioned above my name is Ashley, but most people call me princess. I still haven’t figured out if it’s a compliment or an insult. I’m eighteen years old and I don't know how to be an adult. I live in Carpinteria with my mom and my two cats. *WARNING* I have a cat obsession so be prepared for many cute pictures. I have one sister named Jailene (Jay-lean) and she is married and has my adorable nephew DJ, I’m only bringing this up because I’m obsessed with his cuteness and will probably post about him all the time. He’s a funny little dude who likes to dance, sing, play the piano, and he is also obsessed with cats. That’s probably why I like him so much. 

Auntie Ashley is DJ's favorite person.

Now that you know a little about me, I’ll tell you why I chose this school, I’ve already admitted to you that I don't know how to be an adult, so I was scared to death even thinking about going to a university and not living at home. SBCC has great educational opportunities and I knew I would learn enough about being grown up by the time I transferred. Fun Fact: I’ve been on SBCC’s campus more times for school field trips than since the fall semester has started.

I literally have no idea how to end one of these so heres a picture of my cat.

 Missy and I on her 14th birthday.