Meanwhile

Happy Monday everyone!

Dress: Rent The Runway// Heels: Kohls// Necklace: the Limited (old)

You might be missing some posts from me this week! Last week started with a tickle in my throat, and now I found out I have bronchitis. Not just any bronchitis, a strain that is supposed to last three weeks. This past weekend was my sorority formal and senior tea. The first half of this week will be spent in a crisis simulation for my capstone course, and the second half will be spent on my internship portfolio and final project papers!

Due to the fact that I sound like I'm coughing up my right lung every three minutes, I'm not sure how much blogging will get done because rest and school work are my top priorities this week!

How was your weekend? Do you have finals this week or school still? I have 2 weeks of classes left before finals!


xoxo

Fall Semester Finals Survival Guide

Honestly finals are tough for more than just academic purposes. They're so close to Christmas, and you usually don't have that much time in between Thanksgiving and the start of finals to do much. You're worried about packing for home, seeing you friends, buying Christmas presents and more. Here is how I get through finals!

Packing & Christmas
Packing during your study breaks! Bring home pjs, whatever clothes are appropriate for your climate and what you'll need for holiday parties!

When it comes to gifts start a list of who you need to buy for and when you'll give it to them. Next start a list of what you should get them. Decided before you leave for Thanksgiving break so that you have time to shop while your at home (in your pjs if you prefer to online shop like me!)

Studying: 
Make sure you know what projects and papers you have to do before you leave for Thanksgiving break! Create a study plan like you did for your mid-terms before you leave so you come back to school somewhat organized.

Not unlike mid-terms, make sure you start a week before. However you might be covering more material than last time. Allocate for that.

Some people may have papers or projects in place of a final, or both. Make sure to be on track with papers and projects before you leave also.

Study like you would any other test, using note cards for vocab and concepts. Highlight important concepts or facts in your notes.

Make sure that you take a deep breath and remember that while school is important, it does not define your worth!

What do you do differently during finals? What are you most excited for during winter break?

xoxo

Mid-Term Test Tips

I can't believe it's mid-term time already! Here are my test tips, everything from what to wear studying, to snacks to when to start!

What to Wear Studying:
Don't get me wrong, I am all for super comfy clothes, but I have to wear something that I wouldn't want to fall asleep in. It usually means jeans and a sorority tee with some sort of sweatshirt, or leggings with a chambray shirt and rain boots.


Snacks:
A seriously underrated part of studying, here are some snacks that won't make you bloated, give you a sugar crash and taste good.

-Apples & peanut butter
-Almonds, cranberries and sunflower sends
-Cherries
-Cucumber & dressing
-Crackers and cheese



When to Start:
Start studying a week before each test, or a week and a half depending on how difficult the material is. If it means only reviewing your notes for twenty minutes, or working on your study guide for a short period of time each night. (not including weekends unless your test is on a Monday)



What to Do
Create a study guide for your self
If your professor doesn't already have one, or has a very limited study guide create one for yourself.

Calendar of topics 
This doesn't have to be anything fancy, maybe just written on a sheet of scratch paper or outlined in your head (but you really should write it down).

Study for 45 minutes, take a 15 minutes break. 
This can include checking social media, calling a friend for a quick chat, making a snack, a run to Starbucks, a quick workout or watching part of your favorite show!

Study with a group:
Study with people who have different strengths in the class from you.  This way you have some one to bounce questions off of, and they do as well. Make sure that this group can actually focus, otherwise you're just wasting your time!

Night Before/Day Of
Night Before.
Go to bed at a reasonable time, and make sure to have everything you'll need for the test either packed or in a packable position.

Review the material right before you go to bed for 20 minutes. Do this right after you get ready for bed so you have a little break!

Day of
Eat something and drink some water along with that caffeinated drink. Your stomach won't be grumbling and your mouth won't be dry this way, and you can focus on the test!

Get up 15-30 minutes early to review the material one last time.

Arrive a little early to ask any last minute questions of your TA or professor.


What do you do to prepare for mid-terms? I know they are a little harder to study for because you still have events, extra-curriculars and a job/internship to worry about!


xoxo

Back To School: Desk & Study Supplies

Another installment of my back to school series! Today I'll be giving my advice on what study supplies to pack and what you'll want on your desk!

I love study supplies! I'm extremely organized and meticulous when it comes to my notes and study guides. I wanted to give you an idea of what I bring to college with me, and then give you suggestions on which products I buy!

Studying:

Tips!

-Use binders with looseleaf for your classes, that way you can add paper as needed and re-use the binders semester to semester. I suggest 1 inch binders. 

-Use multi-colored pens for color coding notes and your agenda. My favorite are Le Pens.

-Use notecards for vocabulary and studying. 

-Get white out to fix mistakes on your notes and in your agenda.
-Mechanical pencils are great, because you never have to sharpen them! I usually get mine on Amazon, and I love the fact that these are thicker. Make sure to get lead to last you the semester.
-Post-its and a small notebook are great for todo lists and little reminders. Also essential for planning your weeks successfully.


My desk is my safe haven, and I love an organized one. Here are some of my essentials for a great desk and even dresser. Some of these items are also essential for networking.

 Tips!
-Grab a magazine holder to hold small books and important papers.
-Pen holders are great for extra writing utensils
-Notepad for scratch paper and thinking!
-Scissors and a stapler for final papers and projects.
-A fun print from Etsy to liven up your space.
-A tray to hold your jewelry and to put your keys and i.d.
-Thank you cards and plain stationary to send to prospective employers and gift givers.
-Paper clips and binder clips to keep things together and hold your place in your agenda.

Check out Target & Design Darling boutique for the perfect desk supplies!


What else would you have on your lists? When do you leave for school?

xoxo

Back To School: Setting Up Your Agenda

I just gave one of my closest friends a Lilly Pulitzer Agenda for her birthday! My inner organizational freak decided she could also use the Lilly Pulitzer Greek sticker set.  Since I pride myself on a well-kept agenda, I thought I would share some pointers on setting up your agenda!


The great thing about this lists is that you can mix and match tips that fit your lifestyle.

1.Color coding is your friend. At the beginning of each semester assign different activities colors and make a key in the front of your agenda. An example is below. I don't color code my classes but rather use black ink to write down my assignments for the day and then highlight the most important tasks each day.
*If you want to color code even more, assign colors for each of your classes!

2. Write down all important due dates. At the beginning of each semester go through my syllabi and write down every paper, test and project date. I suggest using red so that it stands out from other commitments and I know how to schedule my weeks to add in increased homework time.

3. Write down everything you have to do each week for each class. Each Sunday  go through all my syllabi and write down every assignment due, test to study for and project step to complete. If you have a position in an organization write that down too. Don't forget internship application steps and other important application to-dos.

4. Assign each task a day. Once you have a list,write each homework item or to-do item on a day. If you have a consistent weekly schedule take that into account when you will have the time to do each assignment. You can always move things around later on.

5.Use post-it notes for extra to-do's or changes. During the week use post-it notes to add daily to-dos or to note changes in your schedule! This works great because you can add or remove as many post-its as you need.

6.Add stickers for fun. This may not be an organization tip, but I love that Lilly gives you the ability to use stickers to mark things on your calendar! I use it to mark special events and birthdays of loved ones. It makes my agenda a little more cheery.

7. Re-evaluate your week Thursday or Friday nights. Every Thursday or Friday night (afternoon) go through and make a to-do list of everything you have to do that weekend. It's easier than forgetting something Sunday night right before you fall asleep.

My agenda isn't nearly as busy as it is during the school year, so if you want more detailed photos just let me know in the comments


What other tips do you have for setting up your agenda?

My Tote: Be Prepared!

Back to school! I know some schools down South have already started, but here in the Midwest we don't normally start school until the week before or after labor day. (normally)

I am ready to go back to school, mainly because my internship is over on Friday and most of my friends have left. 

10 days until move in! 

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Here are some of my essentials when it comes to my tote

1// My tote is Longchamp in camel and I am in love with it. I have been using it since I returned from Germany (A very funny purchase story btw). It fits my Toshiba laptop, binders for class, agenda, iPad and food for the day!

2// An agenda. I use the Lilly Pulitzer Agenda , but last year I used the Vera Bradley Student Agenda, which was great too! My agenda is my life, and I have no idea what I would do without it!

3// Food. No joke, I need fuel during the day, so I tend to eat snacks through out the day instead of one big lunch. I usually have a salad with me too. (I am determined to eat healthy again this semester, this summer I've fallen off the wagon)

4// A "what if" bag. I have bobby pins, hair ties, gum, feminine  products, change, & headphones in here. I hope to get a Lilly iPhone charger so that I can charge my phone on the go!

5// iPad. It's basically a mini laptop, and I use it for various activities. Reading blogs, & checking on my own is easier to do on my iPad rather than my iPhone. I also have textbooks on my Kindle app, not all of them but enough for it to be useful!

6// A notebook: A little notebook is perfect for all of my thoughts, rather it be a todo list, blogging notes, or even something to ask MB next time we talk. (I have a lot of random ideas, and to remember to tell him all of them can be a challenge, but he's always a good sport) I was about to order one from May Designs that you can personalize, but I found one with a Jane Austen quote on it in a local boutique, so I had to go with that one! (PS Check out their journals, they have diet journals, address books, & budget journals!)

7// Pencil Bag, binders, & laptop. These are all basic school essentials, but I try to make them fun. I made Lilly print binder covers,( post later), and have a super cute pencil bag. My laptop is kind of boring, but I might be getting a monogrammed sticker or something for it. 

What do you carry with you at all times? Did I miss anything?

xoxo

aVe 

Fall Wishlist

I just said it, fall wish list! It is too chilly here in WI for me to event think about summer clothes, and fall is my favorite season!

1//I seriously need Hunter Boots. Between the rain and snow in Green Bay there would be perfect. I just have to convince myself to buy them!

2// New riding boots. Mine are worn, and I want these Steve Madden ones.

3// Sweaters, Sweaters & More Sweaters. (And some cardigans) I have a feeling I am going to have a staple look this fall, and it's going to involve sweaters and my chambray shirt. I'm hoping Gap has some cute sweaters for me to layer this season (ps HUGE sale going on right now, check it out!)
4//Anything Lilly Pulitzer Tusk in Sun is perfection. If only it was in purple, it would be my print for life!
5// I got this shoe in brown & black. I had the brown pair for a year & a half until they had holes in them. They are the perfect flat from Steve Madden

What is on your fall wish list? 

xoxo
aVe
PS. You can tell that I love shoes. 

Purple & Pearl Goes Back To School: Dorm Room Essentials

Happy Sunday y'all! Yep it's time for school already, and if you haven't noticed stores stocking up for the school rush. Here is a new series called Purple and Pearl Goes Back to School.  I am going to start with Dorm Room Essentials. Here are some things I didn't think I was going to need, and ended up needing.

 Here are some fun ideas!

 Jewelry Dish by Belle in the City// I had no nice place to lay out my essentials in terms of jewelry, so I am going to make this! (At some point)
Brita Water Pitcher// The dorm's water? Ew! This is perfect for water to drink in the middle of the night, or even for water when you're too lazy to walk to the bubbler (water fountain).
Looseleaf & Colored Pencils// You never know when you'll need them for a project, or a late night study sess break.

Best Study Tips!

Finals week! AH! Here are some tips that I have compiled to aid you!

1. Start studying ahead of time, and if you can't do that or forgot to take short study breaks. Go on Twitter and Facebook or even Pinterest for five minutes. 

2. Keep your phone out, but on silent so that you can check your messages, but wait until you take your break to text back!

3. Make a list of everything you need to study, and cross each item off as you review them

4. Use notecards to summarize not to review. That way if you are able to summarize the concept, you know that you can cross it off your list. Also they are a lot more portable!

5. Schedule study time like you would work.

6. Remember to talk to people! You won't feel as tired if you socialize a little bit!

7. Find a couple of your favorite study spots and move around between them! You have a change of scenery, you move around to keep you awake and you have time to grab a snack!

8. Review your notes quickly before bedtime and after. Studies show that you remember the most at night right before you sleep. Also, your brain has the most short-term memory storage in the morning to turn into long-term storage. 

9. Most importantly SLEEP. You won't be able to remember everything that you've studied if you are sleep deprived!

Good Luck on exams, and if you've already survived them good for you!

xoxo

AV

School tips: How to study

Yep. I have been MIA for almost a week now and I apologize! School is starting to really get busy, and I have been rushing around making life decisions. 

But I am still a student, and I still have to study.

Here are some of my tips for studying.

1. Use flashcards: For whatever reason, making myself summarize a concept or just writing down a term really helps retain it. Flashcards are the perfect way to do this. Sometimes I use actual note cards, but since I got my iPad I downloaded the Quizlet app and enjoy studying on there. Plus, if I forget my note cards I can access them anywhere I have internet. 

2. Study Guides: Even if your professor didn't give you a study guide, I go through and highlight the main points from each chapter, and then transfer them on to note cards. Or I just carry around my study guide in order to study when I have time. 

Here is an example from my Human Biology 102 class

(side note: I use OneNote from Microsoft word to take notes on. I love that it is as structured as word, but I can just click anywhere and start typing. It also has some really cool symbols.)

3.Start studying a few days early: I always start studying for a test at least two days ahead of time. That way I have at least looked over the information two days in a row. I learned in AP Psychology that you retain information if you study a little bit each night instead of cramming. I know it's not in true "college student" fashion, but it seems to work for me. 

4. Try to go to sleep a little bit earlier that night: Maybe I just really really like to sleep. But a night before a big midterm I usually try to sleep at least half an hour earlier. That way I don't have to worry about being too tired to read the words on the actual test I stayed up all night studying for. And no, I have not pulled the infamous all-nighter yet. But hey, I'm only a freshman. 

5. Eat breakfast!: Another preparation tip. If I eat breakfast, I can almost guarantee that I won't have the rumblies during the test to distract me, and those around me. 

6. Take deep breaths: Sometimes I psych myself out of getting a good grade on a test by worrying to much about it. Trust in your preparation, and trust in your gut. Take a couple deep breaths which are guaranteed to calm you almost instantly. 

Now you are all ready for finals, or midterms!

Have a great rest of the week, and stay dry! 

xoxo

AV