See Ya Spring 2016

Otto and I are happy to announce that we will be returning for the Spring semester! We will be back soon to catch you up on all of our adventures and how I've survived yet another year of adulthood and college!! You can read my post from Fall 2014 or Spring 2015, and until next semester!

XOXO

Ashley

Stay Inspired

"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible;

and suddenly you are doing the impossible."

Ending the semester strong
(what a familiar title)

I think one of the hardest things in life is staying motivated and allowing yourself to move forward. Most of the time our minds hold us back before we can fully process an idea and try to make it happen. Most people look at things in a negative before they can think of the positive aspects. I know that I'm guilty of putting myself down before even trying something new or giving something a second chance.

College has been one of the best experiences of my life. I've tried to keep myself positive and uplifted but there have been days when I've looked in the mirror and thought "It would be so easy to quit, my life would be so easier right now if I just quit". Going to class and being present is hard, doing all of my homework and understanding all the material is hard. But if I don't do these hard things now, my life will so much harder later. Getting a really good job without a college degree is so hard these days, by the time I'm in the business world it's only going to be ten times harder. 

Confidence, determination, and acting are all important aspects of moving forward and conquering the world. You need confidence to keep spirits, with confidence you won't have much to build off of. Determination is just as importance because without determination you may never make your dreams come true. And you need to act like you have these things until they become a part of you. You aren't born confident and determined, you need to work hard to acquire these characteristics and my best advice is fake it till you make it. 

I think that this time of the school year is a perfect time for people to watch Legally Blonde because whether you want to believe it or not it is a really good movie. Maybe you think it's stupid but it's definitely something you watch and then think yeah Elle Woods graduated Harvard so I can pass my finals this next week. I can make my dreams come true because I can make anything happen in my life.

Otto and I taking a study break

Remember there are many distractions lurking around us in beautiful Santa Barbara so everyone needs to try hard to stay focused and determined and ready to slay all of their finals. If you want to read my super random post from yesterday you can do so by clicking here. And until next time!

XOXO

Ashley

Cool Fun Interesting Title

I get distracted so easily it’s ridiculous. I am horrible at studying and staying awake and alert during this time is hard but staying awake during studying is practically impossible. I don’t sleep much because I’m very busy and I literally survive off of naps. If someone asked me to name the weirdest places I’ve slept I would have like a four page MLA format essay just discussing a few of my weird napping spots. I went to the campus store looking for bandaids and left with two 8 packs of caffeine pills. Actual coffee is such a turn off to me, it freaks me out. So I figured that trying these wouldn't be so bad. Within an hour of taking them I already feel more awake and my eyes have stopped hurting from forcing them to be open. 

So happy

I have a very busy weekend schedule for work since it’s mothers day, so I need something to keep me semi-alive before my finals on Monday. This past week has been especially busy for me because last Thursday my sister had another baby. Yes ladies and gentlemen I am an auntie again. But I’ve spent way too much time looking at cute pictures instead of studying. 

I’ve been doing so many fun and cool things that are totally worth blogging about, and I know I started out the semester pretty well and it sucks that I haven’t been too dedicated and I’m sorry for that. SOOOOO I might as well put everything right now into and let you know what I’ve been up to.

I went rollerskating and it was SO fun besides the fact that I was horrible but I thankfully didn’t fall. I probably spent most of the night screaming so shoutout to the DJ for playing the music loud enough to drown out my screaming. I imagine I made noises similar to those of a dying llama, so it wasn’t very cute. I liked the skates because they made me taller and I was really feeling those extra two inches, taking them off definitely made me feel small again. But going to the bathroom in those things is the scariest thing ever.

Study buddies

I got to hang out with my fellow bloggers once last time before the end of the semester and it was a little sad. They were all really cool and fun and it’s sad that my time with them will soon be over. All of them are completely different and we had such a big group of different individuals. We definitely came together and gave each other advice on the struggles of college and it’s crazy how many similar situations we had despite the fact that all of our majors are different. You can read all of their blogs by clicking here.

I'm swear I'm going to
marry this guy

I accidentally ran into so many of my friends and got to hang out with them and it was like a high school reunion without actually having to be back in high school. My friend Sean and I do this thing where we only hang out if we just happen to be in the same place at the same time and then we mostly forget about each other until the next time it happens. And my other friend Valerie and I just always flake on each other even though we're usually at school at the same time and we could hang out with each other. 

I acted like an actual independent adult for like two weeks. My mom had to house sit and then she was staying with my sister after she had the baby. I had the house to myself which meant I had to take care of the cats and feed myself. I mostly survived off of cereal, no I only ate cereal. This time around I've been eating cereal and peanut butter sandwiches. I'm slowly getting more independent. My fish may be dead because writing this made me realize I forgot to feed it this morning (sorry Mom). 

Yesterday Morning

Yesterday Night

This is probably the most random and unorganized blog I've written so far so if you want to read my last post it was all about getting ready for finals. You can read that one here, and until next time!!

XOXO

Ashley

Time Crunch

100% Me

Each day is getting us closer and closer to the end of the school year. That's probably the most obvious statement ever, but it's just so crazy that this time last year I was still in high worrying about prom and Mattley. It's that busy time when we're all figuring out our schedules for next year and turning in our final projects, and stressing about our final grades. As per tradition I did something completely unnecessary to end the semester rather than studying my butt off I went to Dodger game to cheer on my favorite boys. Considering the amount of homework I have it probably wasn't the best idea, but baseball booty is always worth it. 

College is the experience of a lifetime and even though it's really hard and I don't have a ton of friends I'm still really excited to be here and learning at a higher level. I'm not going to be taking summer classes so I'm ready for a nice long summer filled with sunshine and happy times. I'm always the worst person to get study advice from but this is sort of my job so let's go!

My gals and I 

1. Keep your energy up. Sleep well, as horrible as it sounds don't stay up all night trying to finish everything at once. Instead calculate your time so you can get enough sleep and have plenty of energy for the following day. You'll find that more successful studying comes from this and you'll have so much more free time for fun things. You'll be happier and healthier too!

2. I do this little thing when I do my homework, basically I'll study for 20 minutes and then spend 20 minutes doing something non educational (like cleaning my room or watching tv), then I'll do another 20 minutes of homework but of a different subject. I find that I get so much more done and I'm more motivated to get things finished. It's a really good way to do housework and school work at once. You'd be really surprised by how much you can get done in 20 minutes.

3. Exercise. This isn't exactly studying but it does help clear your mind and helps you feel less stressed. Running in the evening is my favorite time for stress relief, it makes everything feel so much smaller and not so scary. Then when you get home your homework doesn't seem so hard to face.

4. Go to a baseball game. Like maybe not literally but find a way to relax after a day or weekend of studying. If you remember last semester I went and got a tattoo right before finals. It's nice to just go out and do something silly and freeing right before something like this.

5.Take a practice quiz, see if your teacher has some handy or can give your class practice problems to try out on your own at home. If not then maybe you can make your own based off of your notes and handouts from throughout the semester. Your books can be very resourceful and hey we paid them a lot of money for these things so we might as well use them to our benefit.

I wish I could explain this but I can't

Happy last week of classes before finals week, good luck to everyone and I hope you all do well! Life Update: My life is like my hair, surprisingly organized. I've managed to get my life mostly in order and I'm happier than ever. You can read my last blog post here and until next time!!

XOXO

Ashley

Seeing The World

The princess arriving at her castle

If you've never watched the movie Stuck In Love then you're missing out on everything. This movie is pure genius and I seriously had to stop and reanalyze my life. One of the most important of many good quotes is this one, "A writer is a sum of his experiences. Go get some." Although I don't really see myself as a writer, this quote really hit me. Because looking back at the last year of my life I did a lot. I graduated, started college, got a job, got a blog, made new friends, went to disneyland,  got four tattoos, fell in love, fell out of love, then fell back in, cuddled with my cats, lost weight, reconnected with my dad, and became and aunt again. Those are just a few, but I want to keep the experiences coming. Because even though I'm not a writer I do come back here every week to tell you guys about my life and my shenanigans and that is technically writing. 

I started my weekend focused on the notion of going out and experiencing life and all that is has to offer. I went to go see SBCC's newest play "Dead Man's Cell Phone", I went to golf n stuff with my friends, spent time with my nephew and unfortunately went to work.

Dead Man's Cell Phone

The Stage

This play was amazing and I laughed through the entire thing, it was held in the Jurkowitz Theatre. I don't know if any of you have been down there but it's tiny and not at all what I was expecting. But it was a 6 person cast and the set design was very minimal. We sat in the second row because sitting in the first row would have made us literally be on stage. The main character Jean, played by Jenna Scanlon was hilarious and seriously one of the funniest actresses I have ever seen. I could relate to her so well because she was so awkward and timid. 

Golf N Stuff

Our cool tattoos 

I don't really want to discuss the fact that I lost, and I now hate mini golf because that course was hard and the par was always three and I feel like the par should have been at least four or five on some of them. Golf n Stuff was a spir on the moment last minute decision my friends and I made and it was so much fun. It's nice to get away from work and school and go do something fun and childlike. I killed it at pinball and got a score of 3,450,000 and overall we got 115 tickets. My friend Janin and I both have birthdays in July so we got a ring to share and then we all got cool little stick on tattoos that people kept thinking were real. 

I kind of want to spend every weekend like this because it full of fun and I had so many cool experiences and I hope that with each day I will have something to tell you guys about what I've learned or what I've come to realize. My best advice is to go out into this world and experience everything. You can read my last blog post here and until next time!

Me and Otto this morning when I woke up

XOXO

Ashley

From Rabbits to Spanglish

Melanie and I

My day was rather eventful, I had planned on waking up and going to school early for some studying and going to class. Today was supposed to be average day full of average things. Instead of waking up early to do my usual morning exercise I woke up late but I had an invite to lunch and that seemed like a good sign. 

Since I was up and out early I decided that a day like today can't go wasted so I went to school early to get some work done. If you've ever been in the SBCC Luria Library then you know it's like the best study place in the world. The windows make it bright and open and there are so many seating options to choose from. Today I opted for a comfy chair and a foot rest and I spent a good hour catching up on my Spanish homework. Once I did a good amount of that I went downstairs to grab a few books on earthquakes for my math essay and went outside for some sunshine. 

My friend Valerie texted me when I was checking out of the library, she had just gotten out of class and wanted to hang out. Valerie and I have been friends since kindergarten, so it's really cool that we're going to school together still. Since we both have jobs and busy lives this was a great time to spend together and catch up. Valerie had to go to class and I still had an hour and a half left to myself.

Being a loser in the bathroom

I had planned on reading one of my books and laying out on the hill, but on my way over I ran into one of my fellow bloggers Mark and we started chatting. I forgot where I was going and ended up walking with him all the way to BC Building. Since I was there I thought I would drop in to say hi to one of my blogging bosses Melanie. She's a super cool person and if it wasn't for her and Karen I don't think I would have been so confident and ready for college and all of its twists

and turns. Melanie and I ended up heading over to Garvin Theatre and listening to my Spanish teacher lecture about language and it's distinction. Every year a faculty member is chosen to address something of their general interest of a scholarly subject. It was really cool that it just so happened to be my Spanish teacher and she did a really good job and I learned so many new things. 

He's growing on me

The lecture ended a few minutes before my class started and I made it just in time to spend a good two hours learning about asymptotes and all that cool stuff. Dr. Monika Laskowaski-Cajoulle once said, "Now let's learn how to find these damn zeros", and I have used that to broaden my knowledge of math and at the end of the day it's all about finding the zeros. 

There's no need for a life update because this basically a giant life update. You can read my last blog post here and until next time!

XOXO

Ashley

Cool College

As my first year of college is coming to an end I'm getting sort of sad. I'm no longer a young little shy fry who couldn't look anyone in the eye. I'm now confident and cool (for the most part) and I have a better idea and understanding to adult life and what I have in store for the next few years of my life. I still don't know what I'm going to do and it may be awhile before I figure it out but heres a few things I've figured out in college.

1. In the foyer between the library and the LRC there are the cool little couch chair things where you can chill and do homework. There are these little black annoying circles on them that are sort of a nuisance. If you pull up on those little things they turn out to be outlets where you can charge your phone or your laptop. Fighting for a good spot near an outlet is hard in college so that's the place to be. During finals is especially crazy, kids pile up in the aisles of the library leaning against all the books fighting for those charging stations.

College Outfit: Comfortable shirt, hopefully clean
pants, cool socks and cat shoes

2. You're considered an actual human being with feelings and stuff like that. I can never stress this enough but in high school you are treated like crap. Even if your teachers are in love with you, you get little to no respect overall. The most important thing I've learned in college is that your professors actually look at you like you're a person with feelings and it just makes you have a higher respect for school and learning. Also the bs that professors don't accept late work no matter what happened and all those other myths. If you talk to your teacher they can be more lenient with you if something really does come up.

3. EVERYONE IS NICE. Holding doors open for people is a naturally polite thing to do and I'm telling you at CC nobody will ever let the door close in your face. People are polite to each other and making friends isn't at hard as it seems. Everyone is down for a group study and people are always willing to share their notes or explain how they got their answer if you don't understand. If you're in the library and you need to pee, the person next to you will watch your stuff and probably not steal it. The key to continuation of this politeness at CC is for you to do as people do to you. If you're just as pleasant it will spread and continue for years to come.

4. Making lists makes things a lot easier and if you guys haven't noticed I make a lot of lists.

Life Update:

I had a relapse in my diet but I'm back and eating healthy again, Lilly and I decided that our cheat meals once a week always ended with us doing badly so we cut them out. We found some good workout routines that we like and we're also looking to start insanity. People I knew in high school will see me in a few years and probably not recognize me, I think that's my ultimate goal. So here's to the new Ashley. Read my last blog post here and until next time!

Fighting my love

XOXO

Ashley

Summer Sesh

Got to catch up with my #1 guy

As the semester is winding down we are faced with the decisions of next semesters courses and are taking a step farther into adulthood and figuring our lives out. Will your next semester start in the fall or the summer? I've been going back and forth with myself this last week on whether I want to take a summer course or not? Do I want to wake up early four days a week for a three hour math class or do I want to sleep in and go to work whenever I need to. No school for three months presents itself with loads of possibilities. I have two days before I  can sign up for my classes and I'm so lost and so confused. 

I've decided that no matter what I decide Wednesday morning I'm going to register for Math 138 Summer Session 1, just because its the only 138 class offered and I want to hold a place for myself. Over the next couple of days I'll decide whether I really want to take the class and whether I'm willing to take on the challenge. Since I'm getting ready to register for my next two semesters, I decided I would give you all some ideas on how to enroll in your courses and how to be good at it.

I went to CSUCI over spring break

1. Don't sleep in on the day you're allowed access to your schedule. I overslept and forgot about my registration until the day after and I literally got waitlisted in every one of my classes except one. The waitlist is better than nothing but it still sucks and you still have to go into class not registered praying that your teacher will let you in. Being waitlisted for an online class is super awkward because you have to weirdly email them and be like hey can I do this with you over the internet or what. It's not fun.

2. Look up your classes in advance and find a few different schedules that will work well for you. Make sure you have time to walk and eat between classes, be realistic so you can make it on time. I was so stupid last semester and I had my English class 15 minutes after my spinning class which meant very little time for showers (I survived off of baby wipes until I had time for a shower). 

3. Don't log onto your pipeline every single day over summer just to see if something new has happened. Nothing is happening and syllabuses are usually unavailable on Moodle until the first day of class. You don't tinker with your fantasy lineup so don't tinker with your schedule.

That's pretty much all there is to registration, you're first time is always scary so it's probably best to meet with a counselor to make sure you've got what you need and you don't have shit that won't help you out.

My cat hates me

Life Update: I still am doing nothing and I'm boring and I'm sorry I've become more loserish. I did have an impromptu photo shoot with Mark and Melanie today so that was exciting. If you want to read my last blog post you can read it here, I forgot to let people know I posted so none of you have probably read it. Until next time!

XOXO

Ashley

Spring Break

I have some social skills

Most college students look forward to Spring Break. There are parties, lots of beach time, and no homework. If I were a normal college student I would probably laying on the beach right now basking in the sun. BUT I am not a normal college student, rather than relaxing all spring break I'll spending most of my time indoors and at work.

Random Spring Break
progress shot

One of the major pluses about going to school in Santa Barbara (or living there in general) is that the beach is so close that there's always time to take a quick dip in between work shifts and all that fun adult stuff. I have yet to brave the cold waters for a swim but am looking forward to it when I get time off. 

Another thing I was stoked on this spring break is that my old high school has the same week off as I do so I've gotten to see some of them and catch up. A bunch of my friends that I graduated with and ones that are still in high school came to my house and we had a good old fashion hang out. Movies and pizza and lots of jokes and catching up happened, it was a great time. 

Letting Otto take the spotlight

I feel very empty not going to class or stressing about homework and I just hope I don't get too comfortable and used to being lazy by the time next Monday comes. I hope everyone is having a wonderful break and having lots of fun and being safe. You can read my latest blog post here and until next time!

XOXO

Ashley

The New Workout Plan

How pretty is this??

My senior year of high school I had a really cool teacher named Ms. Unruh. I was in her yearbook class, her musical theatre class, her music appreciation class, and oh yes her choir class. She was funny and sassy and a great teacher who taught me a lot. In my music appreciation class we had to play songs on the piano and learn about the history of music and about all of the instruments and stuff like that. Our final project was to play three songs on the piano, I played one song and I played it really really badly. But at the end of the song Ms. Unruh looked at me and said you did a really good job and she clapped. I wasn't deaf, I heard myself play and I know that I played horribly but she still lied. There aren't always going to be people like Ms. Unruh out there to tell me I'm doing a good job even when I'm playing in A Minor when I should be playing in C Major.

My waist trainer

Losing weight is a lot like playing that song. I'm winging it mostly, I miss a few notes along the way but overall I'm finishing the song and I have a lot of people clapping to keep me moving forward. Exercise is probably the thing that has kept me most sane during midterms, finals, tough projects and college overall. I've lost a little over 20 pounds since starting college and although I look similar to what I did in high school, I feel different. 

My friend Lily and I are on a strict diet together because we are both trying to lose weight and be healthy together. Having someone else to do this with helps so much because theres always a little person on my shoulder reminding me to stay below my calorie count and motivating me to not cheat. My diet has made me a lot grumpier but since starting it Lily and I have both lost four pounds with the help of exercise. If we cheat then we have to pay $5 and do 100 extra squats and no 

one wants to ever do extra squats.

Awaiting help

I try to go running at least twice a week, depending on my work schedule because I don't like running after 9 I run on this trail close to my house, it has a great view so sometimes I stop and just look at the ocean. After about a 30 minute run I come home and put on my waist trainer. The waist trainer has helped a lot with shaping my body as I've lost weight. I put it on while I use my spinning bike for another 30 minutes then I do some basic weights, squats, and pushups. At the end of everyday my workouts usually end with me collapsing to the floor and screaming for my mom to help me up.

Otto liked me better when I was more snuggly but he's learning to love me again. I'm passing my classes and doing really well health wise (I'm finally not sick). I am very excited to be on spring break and I promise to have exciting posts about my adventures over the next week. You can read my last post here and until next time!

XOXO

Ashley

Study Break

DMC

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a huge flake and most of the time I will stay home and chill with my cats. With my first midterm, extra credit project, and my history of algebra essay all due these last two weeks I've been even more secluded from the world. So Thursday I dropped all my books and decided to go out with the girls and then Friday I kidnapped my cousin Kaitlyn so I could make my girls night a girls weekend.

So my friends Stefani, Heather and Janin decided to all go out to Chili's for dinner. We were laughy and giggly all night because we all needed the stress relief and a break from work. We ordered a bunch of appetizers and went to town. We couldn't finish it all but we all ate till it hurt. Since then I've gone back on my diet and a night like that won't happen for at least another month. 

Before beating him basketball

I had so much fun with those girls I didn't want the fun to end just yet. So Friday after work I went down to Santa Clarita and brought my cousin home with me. Even though I still had to work we found some time to hang out together. She came up to Santa Barbara after I got off of work and we hit the town. We went shopping and got our nails done. 

I think the best part of my entire weekend was taking Kaitlyn home. Not because I was happy to get rid of her, but because I got to spend time with my family for a few hours. Those few hours are very precious because I only get to see my family about once a month. We ate, we cuddled, I even beat my cousin in a game of basketball (with the help of Kaitlyn), and I even had time for a nap. Family time always makes me feel so relaxed and at peace, I wish it was never ending.

My black blob Smokey

My weekend probably isn't super thrilling and as exciting as it could be. But it was pretty great for me, it was also nice to put the books down for a couple of days. Since then I have been non stop studying and catching up on what I missed. You can read my last blog here and until next time!

XOXO 

Ashley

Uncertainty

Ice Cream Break

I think most would agree that there are some things that are more scary than spiders or rats. These are things we can't see or hear but mostly feel. One of the things I'm most afraid of is being uncertain. It scares me that I will never know what tomorrow will bring me or where I'm going to be in five years. My room may disagree but I like to keep my life organized and kept in routine. 

In my spinning class last semester my teacher would greet us everyday with a new quote. Each quote was similar because they each served the purpose to motivate us. To help us keep going, to help us improve, and to help us find a little piece of ourselves we hadn't quite discovered yet. 

Big surprise everyone I still don't know what I'm doing and I'm uncertain as to when I'll figure that out. The only thing I'm certain about is that I have to keep moving forward; no matter how hard school gets, or how tired I am from work. A little quote that has seriously just helped push me along is "quit pretending to hold them and start opening doors". Basically stop watching everyone around you succeed and follow their dreams while you stand there trying to figure it out. Open your doors and make things happen for yourself. Conquer this f'ing world. 

I'm kind of obsessed with myself

My best advice for uncertainty is fake it till you make it. Pretend you have your life together and things will start falling into place. Organize yourself and make a plan. I keep everything written down somewhere so I can look back and be like hey what did I do January 3? January 3rd I kissed a guy I really really like and that wasn't part of my plan but I did it and it made me overall happier.

I know I say this a lot but I am unsure of myself and to be honest I can't tell you which way my life is headed, the one thing I am sure about is that I will be successful is whatever I do because I could never let myself fail. Most of us have only been adults for a short time and we haven't seen enough of the world to make huge decisions that will ultimately change our entire lives. If anyone is lost and confused don't fret I'm right here with you. 

A really bad of picture of me and Otto
from last week

Life Update: I'm sick again somehow, but I managed to take care of myself and keep myself alive another week. That's pretty much the only exciting thing that has happened to me since I last blogged. You can see pictures of my super exciting life here and read my last blog post here. Until next time!!

XOXO 

Ashley

P.S. I've been so bad at cat pictures lately, I hardly see them and when I do I look very unkept. 

54 and Failing

Me, my test and my new lipstick

Unless you're Danny D then you've probably failed a class before. I'm not going end the with an F, I just have one for right now. I'm usually good at math but this test stressed me out so much and I tried studying multiple times. I even did the review twice and once with a tutor. Cramer's Rule and some other random law definitely threw me off. It doesn't feel good knowing my grade is so low since it's only determined by two midterms, two projects, and the final. Making it up and bringing my grade to an A will be almost impossible and slightly challenging but I think I have it in me. As Jay-Z would say "Difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week".

Since I have both failed and aced classes before I think I have enough experience to give some quick tips on passing classes in college.

1. STUDY GROUPS-In my math class last semester we would have giant study sessions and collaborate our minds, I wouldn't have gotten any of my homework or study guides completed without my classmates. It's a great way to make new friends and get shit done at the same time. They  definitely helped me less scared of college math and what to expect in more difficult classes.

Newest member of the family

2. UTILIZE TUTORS-Getting into Gateway classes is definitely a plus if you're extra but you need help in your classes. Gateway tutors are older students hired to sit in on the classes and help you when you're having trouble and they pretty much assist the teachers so you can learn and understand the work you're given. There are also many labs around campus where you can tutors for almost every subject. To name a few that I have used, we have the math located in the IDC building, a language lab in the Humanities building, and the LRC that's located in the same building as the Library.

3. STUDY GUIDES-If your teacher doesn't provide a study guide for you then make one yourself. Look back on your notes and find key points from throughout the semester and find examples from the book to practice with. My math teacher always gives a harder study guide because if we can get the hang of simple problems then we won't have as much trouble on the test.

4. CHILL-This is probably the most important tip. The night before study your little butt off (at an appropriate pace; no cramming) and do a quick review in the morning. After that just chill, don't think about upcoming test, presentation, or whatever too much. Relax your brain and don't stress over Newton's First Law or how many symbols John Steinbeck uses in his books.

As always Otto loves me

Everyone is different but these have all worked pretty well for me. An update on my life is that I'm still awkward, I'm still not 5'2" and I've recently become obsessed with purple lipstick. If you want to read my last blog post you can find it here and until next time!

XOXO

Ashley 

Stressed, Depressed and Underdressed

I've been staring at this draft for about two days now and everyday when I come home I start to write and then erase it all. I want to be truthful and honest with you guys but I also want to be exciting or insightful and not boring. My life right now is less than satisfactory just because I feel like I have a lot going on. I can hardly keep up with myself.

My favorite thing to tell people when they ask how I'm doing is "My hair is a mess, just like my life".  I think that people have a certain expectation when it comes to me and that they think that I have my life figured out because I'm smart and I seem "organized". I'll be honest for a second or for a few paragraphs and let you know that I don't know what I'm doing with my life. School is stressful, work is stressful, and life is overall stressful. My biggest wish right now is to get a stop watch and pause everything around me so I can just try and get a few things done for a few hours. 

My whole life right now is based off of naps, I take a few naps throughout a 24 hour period so that I can be awake and semi alert while I'm at work, or doing homework, or attempting to be social. I think that since starting college I've learned the importance of naps and how even though I'm "growing up" I'm really just reverting back into myself at five years old.

I'm extremely indecisive. My major has come into major question the longer I pursue it. I like it some days and hate it other days. I don't want to waste too much of my college career learning about something I'll absolutely hate when I'm finished. I want to take a few fun classes over summer so I can really find myself and maybe tap into my creative side and see if I can figure myself out a little more.

It's pretty insane that this time last year I had to ask permission to use the bathroom but now I'm expected to have my life mostly figured out and in order. Sometimes being an adult isn't all its cracked up to be. The only cool thing is probably the fact that I can buy candy and slurpees at school, but that's a story for another day

If you're as stressed as I am then I suggest going to one of the buzz shacks around campus and ordering one of their hot chocolates. They're extremely delicious and a great study buddy. If you want to hear me whine and be ridiculous then you can read my last blog post here. Until next time!

XOXO

Ashley

P.S. These photos are throwbacks because it's Thursday and they represent times when my life wasn't stressful and filled with adult responsibilities.

iNeed my iPhone

Me and my phone, she will be missed

My life is probably over. I feel like such a loser for saying this and reacting this way but my life is on pause until Tuesday and it's killing me. Last night I actually went out with my friends and did things but unfortunately my phone and my hand were involved in a bit of a predicament. I accidentally somehow managed to close the car door on my hand and my phone. My phone is broken and my hand is just a little bruised and sore. BUT my phone is broken. 

Anyone who knows me knows that my phone is pretty much my whole life. I email, text, call, Instagram, tweet, snapchat and Facebook from my phone. I like to stay updated and in the now and it's killing me that  a little piece of me is missing. My replacement phone will be here on Tuesday but until then I'm using my moms old phone. It's one of those droids that were slightly cool in 2009 but right now they're just shitty and useless. I'm really stressed out because I have about 5 games on trivia crack that are going to expire and I dinosaurs on my Jurassic Park Builder that need to be fed. I'm sort of a nerd, don't judge me.

Another precious moment shared
 with my onesie and phone. RIP

Since I had an iPhone and my phone was connected to iMessage I am no longer getting any of my texts from people with iPhones. It's super inconvenient since most of my friends and family have iPhones. I know there's probably a way to fix it but I'm so annoyed by all of this and I'm too impatient to do it. 

I know Tuesday will be a good day because I'll get my phone again and the new episode of pretty little liars will be on. Thanks for reading my mini rant, and I know this isn't the end of the world and I will get over it but until then you can make me feel better and more happy by reading my last blog post here and telling all of your friends about me and my annoying life.

XOXO

Ashley

Mixing and Mingling

Showing love to old friends

As I've come farther into my life as a college student/adult I've lost touch with a lot of my friends whom I graduated with or the ones that are still in high school. It's very hard to find a middle ground with people you hardly see anymore. So I recently got together with some of my old friends and brought one of my new friends into the mix. It was a great way to bring my old life and new life together. 

Although there was the possibility that everyone could hate each other, I took the chance and everything worked out really well. Everyone got along well with our new comer and acted like they'd known her forever. I guess I'm just really lucky to have such cool friends, old and new. It was really great to bring my two lives together and make them one. I remember at the beginning of my college experience talking about how awkward I was and how it's hard for me to make friends and stuff but I've someone gotten the hang of it.

Some tips on making new friends without dropping the ones you've always loved is to find a balance. Don't overly hang out with one and neglect the other. It doesn't hurt to introduce them eventually because you guys could all grow to be really good friends. Tell your old friends about your new adventures without making them uncomfortable, don't make them feel left out of your new life and don't make them think you're having more fun without them. Include them in your adventures by asking them to go along or making plans to do this new thing together. FaceTime them so they don't forget how pretty you are. Your friends pick you solely off of your looks so keep that in mind, if they forget how gorgeous you are then they'll drop you.

My super cuter valentine

I know I always start out with decent advice and then I forget I'm supposed to be serious and helpful so sorry about that. Find a balance between your new life and your old life and good luck to everyone who has midterms coming up. Study hard and if you want to read my super serious tips from finals last semester you can read them here and if you want to read my last blog post you can read it here. Until next time! 

 

 XOXO

Ashley