Study Tips: Take It From A Junior
So, Syllabus week is over and the recovering of syllabus week is also over. Who am I kidding, the whole month of September was "Syllabus Week" with all the rush parties and on campus events, it nearly felt like college was just Neverland where you can only leave with debt. Tis' now October, the month we all love but college students hate because we now realize that the college semester is real and we actually have to study now, DUN DUN DUNNNNN. So now let's get down to business.
What You're Going to Need
The way I function is: If I love something I will constantly use it all the time and wear it out. Now, who actually likes studying? Not me. So I like to use school materials that I think are so cute or personalize my essentials. My #1 top priority for studying (other than my textbooks, ugh) is my Ban.Do 16-month planner that you can get at Francesca's or Bando.com. I got mine at my school bookstore for only $22. Usually planner's this cute can easily go for $40 like the Kate Spade one (which I also love but I am too broke).
You are also going to need 3 different color highlighters. I like to use one color for definitions, another one for important people, and lastly for general information I will deem important. I got these $3 highlighters at Target because they were cheap and so cute (but any highlighters will work). I recommend that you also keep sticky notes so you can place them on top of your text books to you can refer back to them with out having to lurk through all the pages to find one definition. Lastly you will need a ton of pencils and pens just in case you run out. I sometimes like to carry nice bags to class so I keep all my writing utensils in this Ban.Do pencil pouch just to prevent ruining the inside of my bags and it keeps everything together.
Last but not least, i recommend you use a binder instead of a notebook to write everything down and here is why: Print out all of your teachers slide or anything they post on their site that can help you study, then print them and insert them in the binder. Then you can pencil in anything else you need. You're welcome.
Oh, and you are going to need flash cards. Did you really study if you did not use flashcards? That is what I thought.
Plan it out
Now, it is time to whip out that fresh planner and actually start using it. In the calendar section, write out all the due dates and exam dates that are presented in all of your syllabi that your teachers gave you during Syllabus Week (remember those?). Then again, write them in your weekly sections. And again, if you have a dry erase or chalk board calendar hanging on your wall like I do, write down the dates you need for the current month. That way it is unavoidable the moment you wake up. Do not hate me but, you now have to jot down in your to do list the times you can study. I usually like doing it in between classes because an hour is just enough time to absorb some information. I recommend studying a little bit every other day. For example, today I will study for General Humanities today but I will study Planet Earth tomorrow. Then again, I'll study for General Humanities on Thursday. Your brain needs a break sometimes so plan out your study dates accordingly (or however works for your brain). Great, now it is going to haunt you until you get down and studying.
Study Space
Everyone studies differently. I cannot study with my friends who are of all different majors but I might study with someone who is also a Business Marketing Major; study with someone who understands your pain. However, I usually study in my cubicle of a dorm. As small as it is, it is cozy and that is what I need to focus. The room should be well lit so you do not get sleepy, have everything you need on you (I study on my bed because my back hurts, so my bed is full of crap) so you do not get up and walk around, and have some snacks with you. Typically, I prefer a space where I feel most comfortable in because it inspires me and gives me motivation.
Take A Break (I Gotta Get my Plan Through Congress)
Do not be an Alexander Hamilton. We are not superhuman like he was. Some of us cannot write a series of 85 essays known as the Federalists. Your body and your mind cannot stay in one place for too long so you earned a break. However, do not go out and have a mocktail to come back and study 2 days later, that is not how a break works. Remember when I said we need flash cards? YES! We found a use for them. Shorthand or abbreviate any important information you need onto the flashcards and take them with you where ever you go. You can take them on the treadmill, to dinner, even a date who cares! I'll put these bad boys in my bad and go with my friend to get some green juice (or coffee if I'm desperate). When you come back you'll be able to absorb more information into your Einstein brain.
I would love to hear how you guys study, so comment below :)
Disclaimer: All these photos were taken by me except the 7th and 8th one (it is a stock photo). Thank you
I was always the chubby kid and that might not ever change. I was the big girl in my classes, my friendship circle, and at home. My father blamed it on genetics and my stepmom blamed it on my eating habits, yet, this body is all I have ever known. I would always compare myself to my pretty friends ,who all had their own battles, and my much slimmer sister. It was not until high school that my anxiety, insecurities, and depression collided. I wish I could tell you guys the horrid things I endured my first two years. When I moved to South Jersey I did not want to be the D.U.F.F anymore nor the geeky theater kid. Theater was what I loved but I could not balance that with the gym so I stopped doing it. My schedule went: Go to school, walk to the Gym at 4, get home from the gym at 8, and homework. Everyday. I saw slow progression and it uplifted my ego. Then, I started modeling and I tell you, when you are segregated from your fellow modeling peers and deemed "plus size" at such a young age you may or may not become scarred. I know for a fact I was. I modeled specifically for plus size even though I fit in a size 12. This devastated me but I thought to myself, "I am serving as a role model for girls like me". How inspirational, right? Yeah, until I was on the cover of the Philadelphia Inquirer (photo above) modeling my prom dress. The interviewer asked me questions like, "tell me your struggles on shopping", "what are things you cannot wear as a plus size girl", or my personal favorite, "Who are your role models" because all my role models were slim. Never in my life did I know that there were specific things a girl like me could wear. When I saw, myself on that cover I thought to myself, "How can I be an advocate for beauty when I look like this? Like a whale." That following morning, the newspaper was all over the school and my classmates saw it. This was my Junior year.
Women's Entrepreneurship Week 2016: In Other Words, Week of The #GirlBoss
What makes a girl boss? Basically we take what we want when we want it. Life is out there throwing you some lemons so you better make some lemonade! And hey, if life isn't giving you anything do me a favor and go to the grocery store to get some. It is currently Women's Entrepreneurship Week and I was lucky enough to have Montclair host two events on campus. Read more to hear what I have learned this week, what I read for motivation, and a tip or two on how I plan on waking up a #GirlBoss every morning. Are you sitting down comfortable? Good because this is a long one...
#WEW2016
So, this congratulatory Girl Boss week started in New Jersey 3 years ago At Montclair State University and has spread globally! Now, there are over 12 countries celebrating women entrepreneurs including Greece and Italy. It was all thanks to a man who brought up the idea (let's have a round of applause for feminist men).
We had the pleasure of having Linda Lacina, managing editor at entrepreneur.com, as our moderator and presented our 5 panelists: Barbara Agoglia who is the Vice President of American Express, Adenah Bayoh the Founder and CEO of Andenah Bayoh & Companies, Ruthi Bynre the founder of Zinn Graves & Fields, and Gail Mandel the President and CEO of Wyndham Destination Network, and last but not least, Debra Vizzi the CEO and President of Community Food Bank of NJ. These 5 women gave such moving answers to our questions and this what I have learned from each one of them:
- Adenah Bayoh: Her story just gives me chills because your everyday Girl Boss does not tend to be an African refugee. At a young age, her village was attacked by rebels and she fled with Grandma on foot for days to get away from the chaos. She states, "Business was a natural thing for me...My natural instinct was to go into business." Adenah words spoke pain and truth, especially when she mentioned how women need to start empowering other and that she would like to see "more women stand up for the women at the table that are being marginalized."
- Barbara Agoglia: She studied the arts and came across an opportunity with American Express. She ended flourishing in the industry and realized that this was her calling. "The path is never clear and when it is, it'll get unclear but you'll figure it out," is something she said and it really spoke to me in a spiritual way. Just when I think I got my life figured out it becomes a mess but hey, I figure it out one way or another. When asked about a leader or boss that really inspired them Agoglia states, "She always asked the hardest questions" and that "as a leader people always look to you for your vision" and I could not help but be reminded of my first mentor, Engie Hassan. She always called me out on wrong doings, she always had vision, and she always had ambition. Thanks to her I believe I have potential to be the next boss.
- Ruthi Byrne: Think Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada" and the Queen from "Princess Diaries" in one yet 10x wittier. She did not start her business because she needed to, considering she was economically very stable, but because she wanted to. "Do what you do well not something you can't do. You will never be able to do it well. If you can't hire someone, collaborate with someone," she says and I laugh. I have been so caught up on doing all these different things when I realized, maybe I should focus on one thing and master it. I can always get a photographer to shoot my pictures, a graphic designer to do edits, and an accountant to do my taxes however, no one can write for me. She even went ahead to give us a fashion tip, "As a women you are being judged by your looks...Do your best even if that means to hire a stylist...Like the french, buy the one expensive (as in good quality) piece and wear it!" Thanks #GirlBoss!
- Gail Mendel: Hard-working go getter but a mother first. I could not relate with her as much but what she taught me was that sometimes you need to prioritize whether it is your health, family, or work. Maybe some people who worked with her thought, "why would she give up and quit to take her of her son, that is not ambition" leading her boss to give her flexibility but those people were wrong. A Girl Boss needs to know when to step down and when to rise up. "Kill them with confidence," she says when asked how to rise above.
- Debra Vizzi: You see her so confident and strong but you will never know that she grew up under hard conditions, in foster care yet, she does not let that define her. In fact, it is one of the reasons why she joined a non-profit organization. Goes to show that any hardship in your life can be turned around into a positive but only if you let it.
These women gave me the reality check I was yearning for.
My Must Reads
Girl Boss by Sophia Amaruso
Obviously.... You had to know that this was an option after all the #girlboss comments. Sophia Amaruso did an amazing job at not only writing this book but using her own voice. She's like the big sister that forces you to join the debate team, who tells you "what's the worst that can happen". This isn't your typical self-help book but a journey put down on paper in the hopes that it could lead you into yours. Cannot wait for the Netflix series. *I currently own this if you want to borrow it :)*
Finding An Internship by Lauren Berger
This book saved me, just saying. Every up and coming girl boss needs this book in their library. The cover says it all: you need a resume, you need to network, and you need some experience so, YOU NEED THIS BOOK! If you are in college, visit her website (InternQueen). This is the first step you'll take in building yourself. Feel free to ask for my copy if you really want to read it (and it is signed, not bragging though).
Nice is Just A Place In France by The Betches
This book is not about being a bitch, it is about being a Betch, just to get the confusion out of the way. Now, if you read the back of the book you might find it tad foul but hey, that is life and they are just playing by the rules. When I am feeling not too sure of myself this is the book that gets me to Bad Betch Maddie and has me releasing blog posts. *I also have this book hehe*
Tips from Maddie (Me)
I would like to say I have come a long way and it has been a bumpy road. Some of you may know that my parents left to the Dominican Republic at the end of my freshman year and it has not been financially or emotionally easy for me. But I THINK I finally have some stability in my life become who I have always wanted to be, a #GirlBoss (yes, I use the word....again). Here is how I do it:
- Support your friends: If you empower your friends they will do the same for you. Your friend posted a new blog post? Read it. They released a new song on Souncloud? Listen to it. They have an art Gallery or Fashion Show? Go to it. Share and repost because support won't ruin your aesthetic. What goes around comes around.
- Experience new things: Even if you do not have money to travel, go to a coffeeshop or a new location in your town. I guarantee you that you will gain so many different creative aspects and vision that you can apply to your work. Have you ever read about a blogger who never leaves their home?
- Free Stuff are great: Go to free shows and events. I know Montclair State University always hosts free events that students (and non-students) can attend. The same probably goes to other schools. Get out there, you will never know what (or who) you will find.
- Read: I just gave you a list of books that will help you. Read them. I have one of each so there is no excuse, come and ask me to borrow one.
Well, ladies, Women's Entrepreneurship Week is coming to a close but that does not mean you have to stop celebrating yourself. There are a ton of girls our own age who wake up every day and work on their brand, just please get out there!
Let me know, in the comments, what is it that you do to empower yourself?
Check out these local #GirlBosses on Instagram
Deb Lee: @Deborahleephoto @causeshesagoddess
Nicole Pigott: @nicolepigott
Amanda Scarpaci: @amandascarpaci
Natalia Londono: @natalia_londono @auroras_collection
Engie Hassan: @engiestyle
Disclaimer: none of these images belong to me
Hey girl, it is I, the Queen of self-loathing and out there in the world there are millions of girls who sometimes feel the same way. It is human nature to compare yourself to the models on Sports Illustrated and regret you ever ate that cheeseburger 3 days ago, yet, loving ourselves does not come so easily. There are soooo many blog posts on how to lose weight, beauty routines, and overall "becoming" beautiful (and I have read most of them). However, there are not enough posts about just accepting and embracing yourself. I am not going to give you a guide line on how to achieve this happiness because everyone is different, but I just want to talk and be able to express how I (and my two gals, Scarlet and Moet) feel about our bodies.
Me
I was always the chubby kid and that might not ever change. I was the big girl in my classes, my friendship circle, and at home. My father blamed it on genetics and my stepmom blamed it on my eating habits, yet, this body is all I have ever known. I would always compare myself to my pretty friends ,who all had their own battles, and my much slimmer sister. It was not until high school that my anxiety, insecurities, and depression collided. I wish I could tell you guys the horrid things I endured my first two years. When I moved to South Jersey I did not want to be the D.U.F.F anymore nor the geeky theater kid. Theater was what I loved but I could not balance that with the gym so I stopped doing it. My schedule went: Go to school, walk to the Gym at 4, get home from the gym at 8, and homework. Everyday. I saw slow progression and it uplifted my ego. Then, I started modeling and I tell you, when you are segregated from your fellow modeling peers and deemed "plus size" at such a young age you may or may not become scarred. I know for a fact I was. I modeled specifically for plus size even though I fit in a size 12. This devastated me but I thought to myself, "I am serving as a role model for girls like me". How inspirational, right? Yeah, until I was on the cover of the Philadelphia Inquirer (photo above) modeling my prom dress. The interviewer asked me questions like, "tell me your struggles on shopping", "what are things you cannot wear as a plus size girl", or my personal favorite, "Who are your role models" because all my role models were slim. Never in my life did I know that there were specific things a girl like me could wear. When I saw, myself on that cover I thought to myself, "How can I be an advocate for beauty when I look like this? Like a whale." That following morning, the newspaper was all over the school and my classmates saw it. This was my Junior year.
My senior year, I developed an eating disorder.
I did not realize I was dealing with an eating disorder until a friend of mine pointed it out. I did everything possible to avoid eating and filled the hunger void with coffee. I kept myself busy all day at the gym. I went from a pant size 12 (starting junior year) to a size 8 (start of my senior year). My clothes were starting to look and fit nicer, and I started making friends at this new school. I got invited to parties and out with my classmates, something that did not happen before in my Junior Year. Back then, I associated this with the fact that I looked slimmer so it glamorized my ability to not eat more than one meal when in reality, I started making friends because I let myself; I put myself out there because my ego was going up. Obviously, I did not understand that. I became so shallow. Coming into College, I would make a joke like, "OMG, I forgot to eat today haha". Insensitive, right? I did not realize that one of my friends dealt with anorexia. And I dealt with my own battles as well but no, I was "perf". Social standards ruined a big part of my life and it is not until now that I realize it. I am so thankful to have people in my life, right now, that empower me everyday.
Moet
For my female sexuality project in Digital Imaging, I had asked my friend Moet to model for me because she encompasses true self appreciation. Despite the beauty standards in society she radiates her own beauty. I ask her, when facing beauty standards, what do you do to suppress these beauty "bullies" and she replies, "Shit on them, just kidding, tell them that everyone has their own opinion of beauty and shouldn't judge someone for being beautiful in their own way." I could not have said it any better, Moet. Girls now a days, don't realize that the Kardashian beauty standard will not always be the social norm. It is a trend and trends pass. Beauty standards are different depending on the era and place so, it is physically impossible to fit into all those standards. I think an easier way to just be, is be yourself. Like you literally do not have to anything: Headline "Lazy Girl Way To Looking Good: Knowing You Look Good".
I love this photo of her, it screams "I am feline and I am fierce," which is a second part to my project. Scar tells me, "Learn to accept yourself in all forms, you become happier when you do so. You don't worry about the scale of what size jeans you are. What you want to change, be it your appearance or body, you make sure you're doing it for the right reasons. I have to know and accept that I am built a certain way. I have to accept that it's a process if I'm not fully happy with the way I look or feel, I have to be positive about the process and be consistent with the process." She proves a good point, which is, if you want to better your health or appearance do it because it is the right thing to do. If it males you feel good to have a goal at the gym, then go for it. Just know that you are a beautiful person regardless and should not obsess over outcome; obsessing over an endpoint is what causes unhealthy mentalities. I am glad to have her as my roommate who helps me everyday with my mental and physical stability.
Scarlet
Natalia
I had asked Natalia, who is miles away at WVU, to send me a picture of herself; I did not tell her how I wanted it but she chose to send a make-up free selfie. How many of you can say you feel comfortable going bare-faced? Not me, but I work on it everyday. When I asked her what she would say to a girl who deals with insecurities in her own skin she replies, "I would say that beauty isn't about what you look on the like on the outside, it's more about how you feel on the inside, how you see yourself, how to treat yourself, and how you treat other people. Your body is ALWAYS beautiful. There will never be someone exactly like you so, you're unique and your personality. Treating other people nicely, now that's beauty. How you treat yourself is beautiful." Your body is a temple and you should treat it that way. Decorate that temple however you'd like, just take care of it because you only have one. Not only that, but respect other people's temple because it is not yours.
Hey Girl, it's Me Again
This. This is me. Sometimes I dream that I am someone else but I wake up to her, my reflection. This week, I learned a lot about myself considering I spent a lot of my time alone in my room. I realized that I really love how I look in lingerie and I am not afraid to express my sexuality. I realized that dressing for my body is not a thing, I wore what I liked (all the clothes big girls "cannot" wear). I woke up early in the morning and went to the gym, not because I want to be skinny but because I'm an adrenaline feen. I realized that I am passionate not aggressive, which some people tend to get all mixed up. I noticed I always have a soft spot for villains because I know they were not always like that. I differentiated having to eat and wanting to eat, so I only eat to fulfill a healthier lifestyle. I went back to being a theater nerd and writing, even if it is for my eyes only, more often. A lot of my clothes do not fit me anymore (they're too small) but that's okay because being "plus sized" is not something to be ashamed of. Now, this post does not end with, "Now, I have found inner peace with my body" but I wish it did. The truth is, it is a working progress and you're not going to automatically wake up tomorrow excepting every part of your body but it is the journey and how you get there that truly matters.
To the hunger pang teenager I once was, this post is for you. This is for all of you who thinks they are struggling by themselves, reach out to some one because there is strength in numbers.
So, I poured my heart out but hey, what is a blog for right? I want to hear from you guys though so please comment below any struggle or anything that is happening in your life. Let us go out into the world and spread positivity: it starts here in the cyber world :)
***Disclaimer: All these photos are mine except for the first photo***
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