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