Month: March 2018

My Current Netflix Watch List!

Need some Netflix inspiration? Take a peek at my current watch list!

Hello everyone!

We all have it. The arsenal of movies and TV shows we’re just waiting to sink our metaphorical teeth into. My list is obviously much longer, but these are the shows and movies that I will be watching whenever I have a free afternoon next. So… Easter break anyone?

Black Mirror

My best friend recommended this series to me, and I’ve heard lots about it online as well. I’m not a huge fan of ultra scary shows and movies but she recommended a couple episodes that were especially good that she thought I would like, so hopefully I’ll like them! Coming from somebody who knows me so well, I think I have a pretty good chance.

That 70s Show

Tanner and I have watched up to the sixth season of the show, and then we stopped watching. I still want to know what happens, so I just want one free afternoon to snuggle and finally finish this series off!

Riverdale

I’ve already watched part of the first season, and I’ve liked the storyline so far. I read the Archie comics as a child, so I’ve needed to slowly introduce myself to the new storyline for fear of ruining my childhood. But what I’ve seen so far is so so good, I can’t not watch it. That, and (Spoiler Alert!) I’ve been shipping Betty and Jughead my entire life, so I’m excited to finally be able to see them get together.

 

The Great British Baking Show

I have heard so many good things about this show. And I mean, who doesn’t love a good baking show?

Beauty and the Beast (Emma Watson version!)

I’ve been waiting to watch this remake of a childhood favorite ever since it went into theaters (which was probably about a year ago now). I never get to the theater because it is way too expensive for my small college student budget, but Netflix is just my speed. Hopefully the movie will be worth the wait!

//

Have a favorite Netflix show or movie? I mean, who doesn’t, right? Mine are Gilmore Girls and Friends. We could all use some recommendations for our next binge-watching session, so let me know what some of your recommendations are in the comments below!

XOXO

signature

 

Photo Cred: Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Advertisement

Fitness apps I’ve been using lately

Need a new fitness app recommendation? I share my three favorite apps I’ve used both now and in the past to help aid in my fitness lifestyle.

Hello everyone!

I’m sorry for a late post to start off this week! With midterm season in full swing, it’s Tuesday and I already feel crazed. It’s weeks like these that I need something extra to keep me accountable for my workouts. Especially since I am one of those people that needs help keeping track of my workouts, or coming up with different exercises to do. I also need to be kept accountable. I’ve found that personally, apps are the best way for me to do all of these things, and still keep myself in check during the week when it is all too easy to skip out on a workout. Here are the super helpful apps that I use, both currently and in the past!

Tone It Up

As I explain in my original post about my fitness journey, TIU has been my number one go-to when it comes to fitness. As I’ll write about acouple paragraphs down from here, right now is the first time in about four or five years that I’m not doing their workouts consistently. I still love their workouts, and would recommend them to anyone, from a fitness newbie to someone who just wants to change things up! More often than not, I’ll use their “Daily Workout” webpage, which I have bookmarked on my homescreen on my phone. There are complimentary daily workouts and printables on their website that are just as good as anything you might need to pay for!

To be honest, I’m honestly not super crazy about their new app. Their new subscription service is a fitness “studio” app, where you pay $12 for the ability to enroll in live classes through their app, along with other videos and content they have on there as well. For me personally as a college student, this method doesn’t make sense for me, since I don’t know if I’ll be able to do an hour workout tomorrow morning at 9. However, just because this doesn’t work for me now, who knows about three years from now! I may be all about their “Tone It Up Studio.” But as a junior in college, I would rather put my money elsewhere.

Fitness Tracker

Before I recommend this app, I will preface with a warning. This app is basically a calorie counter. If you don’t think that it would be healthy (mentally and physically!) to use a calorie counter to aid in your healthy lifestyle, then please don’t. I don’t really use this app anymore for exactly this reason. However, I will also recommend it to some because it was really helpful when I was attempting to initially lose weight four years ago.

What I like most about this app is that you can easily record all of your meals, and also your workouts. The calorie counter aspect comes in when you select any number of different foods, which will list the calorie content, and it will count your caloric deficit while taking all of these aspects into consideration. You can also record your water intake, which I appreciated! Another thing I liked was that you can scan barcodes from food packaging when you’re logging your meals as well.

SWEAT by Kayla Itsines

I’ve been using this app for the last month. This is basically the BBG program by Kayla Itsines, just on an app on your phone and not a printable. You do have to pay money for it (the amount is determined by how many months ahead you want to pay for), but I’ve been impressed with the program. The workouts are challenging so I don’t know if I would recommend this app to a beginner, but for me I think it’s just the right amount of a challenge. The app also has a meal plan portion, including recipes and grocery shopping lists! I don’t use this function much while I’m at school, but hopefully over the summer I’ll be able to enjoy that aspect of the app more.

//

As I continue with the BBG program, I’ll review it for you guys! If you have any questions about the program let me know, and I’ll be sure to answer them in the upcoming review. As always, be sure to leave your favorite fitness apps below in the comments as well! I would love to see them!

XOXO

signature

Photo cred: freestocks.org on Unsplash

Feast Your Eyes & Ears #2

Need some new media to subscribe to? In today’s edition of Feast Your Eyes & Ears, I feature YouTubers, a podcast, and an e-newsletter I’ve been loving lately!

Hello everyone!

I’ve been so looking forward to writing this next edition of Feast Your Eyes & Ears! I’ve kept track of the media I’ve been obsessed with for the last month, and here were the stand-out boss ladies that I think deserve some recognition!

Influencer I want to be friends with: Tess Christine

I’ve mentioned Tess in a favorites post I’m pretty sure, but I’ve been so inspired by her content lately I thought I would write about her again. Her weekly vlogs are my favorite videos of hers to watch, but her style is soo effortlessly cool that I enjoy any of her style videos too. She doesn’t play by the trends’ rules, Tess’s style is so original. I always find outfit inspiration in her Insta posts and videos.

Podcast that I listen to when I drive: Keeping it Candid

I have been obsessed with this podcast the last few weeks! This is a “weekly pop culture podcast” (to use their wording) narrated by fashion bloggers Millie Cotton and Sophie Milner. They’re best friends in real life, and you can tell with how their discussions flow so naturally. Whenever I see a notification that these girls have put out another show, I have to press play. Any pop culture and Insta/blog lover will love this podcast.

ASMR that puts me sleep: Batala’s ASMR

My best friend Sammie introduced me to ASMR over the summer, and knock it if you will, but it helps me sleep if I’m having troublesome nights! I Found thisASMRtist recently and I like her content, especially because she doesn’t edit out her personality from her videos. ASMR is probably super awkward to film, and it’s cool to see a successful YouTuber laugh at themselves once and a while.

Tunes that I can’t get enough of: Mermaids soundtrack

Mermaids was one of my favorite movies in early to mid high school. I rediscovered the coming-of-age masterpiece (starring my fave Winona Ryder, along with Cher!) when I found that the movie is free with Amazon Prime (I’ve watched it at least 3 times since lol). I love the old school 60s music that’s featured in the movie, like “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Johnny Angel” the most, and the others are fun to listen to as well. Highly recommend, if you’re a fan of the oldies.

What I immediately read when it hits my inbox: Lenny Letter

I think I found this weekly email newsletter through a podcast called Ctrl-Alt-Delete (which I featured in my last Feast Your Eyes & Ears post). I enjoy a lot of their content, and the creative nonfiction essays are getting me out of my school-assigned-reading rut whenever they pop into my inbox. Because a well-written essay about Feminism is always a welcome change from Middlemarch (it’s 800+ pages long and due in April, guys).

//

As always, given that I’m such a huge pop-culture geek, I would love to hear any recommendations or favorites of yours — leave them in the comments, and we can chat about all things media. Let me know if you like these posts, too, because they’re so much fun to write I might make it a monthly post here on T.G.I.!

XOXO

signature

How I stay healthy in college

I share all of my collected tips and tricks to stay healthy while in college!

Hello everyone!

Staying healthy while in college can be such a challenge. I try my best to keep a balanced diet and a regular workout routine. However, with the work we all have it can be hard to stay healthy and stay afloat at the same time. In my three years at college, I’ve learned a couple tricks to keep myself on track, while keeping up with my schoolwork.

Schedule manageable workouts.

To do this, I use fitness apps to your advantage. I like to use Tone It Up’s app, but lately I’ve been using Kayla Itsine’s Sweat app. Both of these apps send me reminders on my phone, telling me to work out. These little pop-ups can be big motivators, and sometimes that’s all I need. A little nudge.

Also, these apps have workouts that aren’t too time-consuming. Usually they take thirty, maybe forty minutes of my time. Honestly, that’s probably the same amount of time I waste on Instagram a day. Probably even more! There are lots of great workouts on YouTube that are less than forty minutes, click here to see some of my recommendations!

Research your college’s meal options.

My college, and hopefully, most universities, list the nutrition facts of all of the food they make in a word document they have online. They also list the weekly menu in advance, so I can plan ahead. I look at both documents frequently to figure out what I plan on eating. This may seem a little extra, but as a vegetarian, I find it difficult to eat well on any given day without some planning.

I go to a small school so the offerings in the cafeteria aren’t too varied. So, if I don’t particularly like what I see on the menu, I try to bring some things with me to lunch as a supplement. For example, I’ll bring along a yogurt or wrap in my bag to eat and pair with the veggies they have on the menu. There’s also always the option to ask for a veggie burger to be thrown on the grill.

Stock up on healthy (dorm friendly) snacks.

I’m a fan or carrots and hummus. Nutritious, filling, and not much of a mini-fridge hog. Another favorite in my room is chips with guacamole. However, for a quick grab in the morning, I try to keep Kind and Nature Valley bars on hand.

Surround yourself with supportive (and like-minded) friends.

If your friends are health conscious and work out, it’ll be easy to keep a healthier lifestyle in college. It’s just that simple. If you’re the only one who goes to the gym in your friend group, it’s a lot harder to motivate yourself. However, if you have a few gym buddies, they can keep you accountable and make your workout fun!

Know your college’s fitness program.

Does your college have a gym? A track? A dance studio? Are there special fitness classes made available to you? Take advantage of any and all amenities you’re entitled to as a student enrolled at your college. Whether that means a Yoga class on campus or a discount at a local gym (if you don’t have one on campus, as well). Honestly, I try to take as many opportunities for free fitness offerings on campus I can. And thankfully, my college’s fitness programs have lots to offer. Do your research, ask around campus, and see what your options are!

//

I hope this was helpful in your pursuit of a healthier lifestyle on campus. If you have any tips or tricks you live by to be healthier, leave them in the comments below!

XOXO

signature

Photo cred: Cyril Saulnier on Unsplash 

Self Care After a Rough Day

I share all of my favorite self care rituals in this post. When the stress levels are high, treat yourself! You deserve it 🙂

Hello Everyone!

In the wise words of Hannah Montana (sorry guys, I had to go there) everybody has those days. And in midterm season with stressful assignments piling up all around me, sometimes every day feels like one of “those days.” When I feel stressed I like to pamper myself a little bit just to wind down at the end of the day. I find that if I take a few minutes at the very end of the day to relax, I sleep better. And, by extension, I feel a little less stressed the next day. Here are some of my favorite simple things I do just to shower a little self-love on myself 🙂

Smooth on a face mask.

If I’m trying to relax, I love the smell of mint or cucumber. So, I have a peel-off cucumber mask that I love. Or, lately, I’ve just been buying those single mud mask packets at Walmart or Target. The Say Yes To brand is one of my go-to favorites for all things skincare, and they don’t disappoint in the face mask department!

Paint your nails.

A simple and easy activity that I can do during a thirty-minute show (or a 15 minute Spongebob). Painting my nails has always calmed me down because of the monotony (and satisfaction) of the movement. I focus on what I’m doing when I paint my nails, and it clears my head. That, and the colors are always super satisfying to me. If you don’t like to paint your own nails, you can always splurge and go get them done with a buddy. Or ask said friend to do them for you — with the offer to return the favor, of course!

Watch a silly cartoon.

Out of any show on Netflix and Prime, Spongebob and other cartoons are guaranteed to make me laugh. So I love to relax with a short episode, preferably watched with my bestie or fiance. But really, watch any show you know you can lose yourself in. If I’m in the mood for a mystery, I love to watch Monk. This is another old favorite, and Tanner and I have been making our way through the series recently.

Have a little wine.

Everything in moderation, but once or twice a week I like to have a glass of Pink Moscato or White Merlot. My best friend Victoria also introduced me to the Straw-berita from Bud Light, and it’s the perfect sweet treat to pair with the Bachelor. It’s just the right amount, and it’s so good!

Combine all of these things into one evening!

If it’s the weekend, I may just do all of these to make for one really relaxing evening. Watching Bob’s Burgers with rose and freshly painted nails and a soothing face mask is possibly one of my favorite things to do. Especially if I’m cuddling with my fiance.

//

If you’ve been especially stressed lately, I get it. So take it out of gear, and do whatever it is you love to do to relax. Let me know what your favorite pampering session consists of in the comments below!

XOXO

signature

Photo cred: Krista Mcphee on Unsplash

 

When I Want Sunshine (A Playlist!)

If you’re in need of some new tunes to brighten up your day, I share my favorite uplifting playlist here!

Hello everyone!

Music has a place of prominence in my life. Something that I know about myself is that different kinds of music affect my mood. This playlist contains a lot of my favorite songs I listen to when I’m either extremely happy, or I need a pick me up. And then I realized that a couple of my favorites talked about sunshine. Now that can’t be a coincidence. So, I found some other “sunshine” songs, and I compiled it into one big happy playlist. So, I thought I would share my secret sunshine playlist with you!

The playlist is on Spotify, and my username is writerchic in case the embedded link doesn’t cooperate!

https://open.spotify.com/embed/user/writerchic/playlist/1Ok3DPTF3CL57rASFZdAhQ

Since spring is well on its way, I thought this would be a fun post to help get us all in a spring-time mood! I hope this playlist made you happy. Let me know in the comments if you have any favorite spring-y or sunny songs you would like to share! I would love to hear them 🙂

XOXO

signature

Photo credit: Photo by Dapo Oni on Unsplash 

How to reset password on WordPress fom PhpMyAdmin?

How to survive dorm showers!

I share with you all of the things that make showering in a dorm easier!

Hello everyone!

I have a confession to make. I absolutely hate showering — at least while I’m here at school. It can be super uncomfortable to shower in a more public place than your own personal shower at home. But over the years, I’ve discovered ways to make myself want to shower, or even just to get me into the stall. These tips can even be applied to all you gym-going girls out there, because it all works pretty similarly! Here are some of the essentials I’ve come up with over the years here at college to make showering more fun… Or bearable.

 

Find shower shoes with traction.

Take it from me. Foam flip-flops are great for the beach, but they don’t make the cut when they’re completely waterlogged from the showers. I ditched my pair pretty quickly freshman year after I slipped coming out of the shower. Funnily enough, I found my trust shower flip-flops at the beach. They have major traction, and they’ve made it this far to junior year, so they have held up great so far! Invest in a pair with material isn’t too absorbent and has good traction so you don’t fall.

img_7997

Nice smelling soaps and hair products you’ll want to use.

Maybe even look forward to using! Recently, I’ve been loving the Paul Mitchell Tea Tree shampoo and conditioner, which is an old favorite I’ve used since I was a kid. Also, I’ve recently discovered this Beauty & Planet Coconut and Ylang Ylang body wash that smells so good! Because I love how these smell and how they feel, I look forward to using them. Gathering products like these that you’ll enjoy will motivate you to go take that shower… It’s the little things!

img_8005

A plastic shower caddy with room to spare.

I say get one with room because you never want to find that you’re missing an essential in the middle of your shower. It’s the absolute worst to trudge down the hall to get your shampoo while you’re drenched. So, get yourself a big caddy like this from Target and keep all your things inside it. That way, you’re never without your razor or conditioner when you’re in need of it.

A playlist you love. (And a speaker to go with.)

Maybe even to sing along to, if you’re so inclined! If I’m in the mood to sing, I go with Britney Spears. Other days, I go with Japanese House’s “Clean” and “Pools to Bathe In” EPs (I write more about this band here), if I’m in a more reflective mood. Compose a playlist of songs you love and can get lost in while you shower. If you’re listening to good music, you won’t hear… Whatever else you’re liable to hear going on in a dorm bathroom.

As for a speaker, I got a Bluetooth speaker for Christmas two years ago that I love (this SCS speaker). However, my Iphone’s speaker does just as well if I angle it into the corner of one of the tiled walls (which helps with the resonance). Because me being me, I forget to charge the Bluetooth speaker sometimes.

//

If there’s anything that helps you deal with the showers, or even college dorms, leave it in the comments below!

XOXO

signature