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Thursday, September 11, 2014

Misbah's Advice: First Week of College

college life, advice
Hello everyone! I'm actually keeping to my word that I would post every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday which means I deserve a cookie. My blog is constantly changing and improving so in addition to the other features that I do on here, I will also be doing advice on a certain topic every month!

College. It's an exciting experience for many because it means living away from home (for some), being independent, and adjusting to a completely new environment. It is my first year in college and to be completely honest, it feels like I've already been in college before. I don't feel like everything is new and I definitely do not feel like the environment is completely different. I feel at home and very comfortable. This is very different from what I expected, but anyway, here's my advice for getting through the first week of college!*

*It seems a bit odd that I'm posting this AFTER college has already been in session, but you never know! Maybe there are some people transferring to a different university next semester. Or this could be used in reference for next year...

1) Go to class and get to class on time.

Now that you're in college, not all classes take attendance. I know, it seems very tempting to skip, but go to class! The first week is one of the most important weeks of the semester. Syllabi are passed out, you get to meet your peers, and find out where your comfortable spot is in the lecture hall. Aside from actually going to class, you definitely need to be on time to class. A lot of the professors do not tolerate late class arrivals and may ask you to leave. Plus, you might get a seat you definitely do not want (in the back where it's hard to see and hear). Being on time ensures that you are prepared for class and are ready for the day's lecture. You won't be that awkward person who disrupts everyone with the shuffling of your backpack and papers.

2) Look up where your classes are the night before.

This is especially important if you're attending a large university. Look up where you class is via a map that your university provides on their website. This helps you get an idea of what to expect when you actually get there and you won't be completely lost! Most universities and colleges have an app you can download. Usually there is an interactive map inside the app. At my university, they have an interactive map that I used my first couple of days on campus. Don't be afraid to pull out a hard copy of the map either. You're not alone - there's tons of freshman just like you who are probably lost as well. This will help you arrive to class on time and snag a good seat during the first week!

3) Begin reading as soon as you can.

textbooks, college, advice

Most universities have their class books already posted. If not, email your professor and ask before school is in session. This way, you will get the best deals on textbooks and you won't end up spending hundreds of dollars. Also, as soon as your professor begins lecturing, go home and read that book! If you're caught up with reading by the time midterms roll around, you won't have that much to study. If not, you're in big trouble. You can't cram 4 chapters of reading in couple of days before your midterm. The more reading you do ahead of time, the better.

4) Go over your notes on a daily basis.

notes, college, advice

After your professor has lectured, set aside an hour at home to review your notes and review them again before class starts. By doing this, you are reinforcing the material in your head and refreshing your brain of the previous class's lecture.

5) Sleep early and wake up early.

This is for you people who have 8am classes! I learned that sleeping early - no matter what - is a lot more beneficial to you than staying up at 1am to study and then waking up at 7am super tired. Also, early bird gets the worm. That saying speaks for itself.

6) Make at least one new friend!

Some of you may be going to a university that a lot of your friends are going to. On the other hand, some of you may be going to a university that you know absolutely nobody at. Whichever circumstance you are in, MAKE A FRIEND. The reason you should make new friends in college is 1) they will most likely be able to help you with class 2) they will probably share your interests a lot better than your high school friends. I'm not saying to ditch your high school friends, but rather expand your friend circle to a comfortable extent. The friends you make in college will most likely be the friends you have for life.

7) Don't fall for that "Get Involved!" spiel everyone talks about

During orientation, you will find that almost everyone there is coaxing you into joining an organization and getting involved on campus. They even appeal to you by saying that if you don't get involved, you won't get that "first year experience". This is a trap. It's okay to join a couple of organizations. But in your first semester of college, definitely think about your work load and how well you will do. If you think that you won't be able to manage clubs and school work, then don't join anything! Most people get so involved that they forget they actually have school. I like to think that university administration encourages you to join every single organization out there, forget about school, fail your classes, which in turn makes you pay more money to the university by having to re-take that course.

8) Buy books online

online, textbooks, they say i say, rent, college

A lot of first generation college students' parents are so excited about college and don't know/realize that buying books at the university's bookstore is actually a lot more expensive than buying them online. Always always always rent and buy books online. This will save you hundreds of dollars.

9) Study in advance for your first midterm

A lot of freshman make the mistake of assuming it's still high school and they study the night before their midterm. Now unless, you have photographic memory (which is impossible), then you cannot simply take in all that material in one night. What will happen is that you will end up learning nothing and falling asleep while studying the night before the midterm. I recommend studying 4-5 days before the exam and leaving one day as a review day. The review day should be the day before the exam. This will allow you to space out the material and it gives you plenty of time to study.

10) Invest in a Contigo water bottle

Most likely, you will attend a campus that requires you to walk everywhere. Whether it's a small or large campus, walking makes your body work and the thirst becomes real. Always stay hydrated and use this water bottle from Contigo. It's really good for college students because you can easily hold onto it with the handle and the spout is covered so that germs cannot get into the spout and infect you with a weird virus. I love my Contigo water bottle! Some are even insulated to keep your water cold for those hot days on campus.

~Misbah

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Fall Fashion Wishlist

Fall Fashion Wishlist




Yay for a seemingly endless summer to finally end with fall right around the corner. Although Texas does not seem to be falling into fall (hehe) very quickly, it still gets super cold down here during the winter. My favorite season is fall/winter because I get to bundle up and wear 90% of my closet which is primarily winter clothes. Instead of finding a bunch of pins from Pinterest and creating a collage of them, I decided to go ahead and make an outfit on Polyvore. 

This is kind of my wish list for this fall! I just picked what looked cute together and stuck them in a collage. Little did I know that almost everything I picked was ridiculously expensive. However, I'm not the type of girl who will be willing to pay tons of money for non-name-brand clothes/accessories. For my fall wish list, I will be on the search for lookalikes of the above!

For my outfit, I decided to go with neutrals since that seems to be the trend in winter, but spiced it up with a bright yellow purse. I love the military jacket (which did not have a source) paired with the booties! I have similar booties from Naturalizer, except they're black and grey. I love wearing dark makeup so for my lips, I went for a deep red. 

 I went ahead and added where you could find all the things and for how much, if anyone is willing to pay. I challenge you all to create your fall fashion wish list on Polyvore and go hunting for cheaper lookalikes! 

~Misbah

Thursday, September 4, 2014

How to Get Over Writer's Block + Get Inspired

As a pretty frequent blogger,  I sometimes run out of blog ideas. I'll usually come up with a bunch of different topics to post, plan them out, post them, and then I run out of things to talk about. Writer's block is the worst especially when you end up getting really frustrated and it lasts a few days to weeks. If you're a victim of this disease currently, I GOTCHU.

Here's a few of my tips on how to cure writer's block and get ~inspired~ :

1. Go out on a nice nature hike or walk. 

I don't have many options to go for a scenic hike, because of where I live. I mean, there's tons of scenic places in Texas but I'm only willing to drive maybe 10 minutes away from home and all the scenic places are 30 minutes. Anyway, there is this nature preserve near me that is so beautiful! It's great for hiking and casual walking. You walk amongst the wild and site all kinds of wildlife on the hike. I've been to this preserve a couple of times and I absolutely loved it. Not only is going on a hike healthy (cardio!!) but it's also calming and lets your mind loose. Nature is great for obtaining inspiration.

2. Go window shopping.

So it might not be the best idea to go shopping if you're a shopaholic. Instead of getting inspiration, you might just spend your most recent paycheck. HOWEVER, a little window shopping won't hurt anyone! Spending time at malls, especially high-end outlet malls are really great if you're a fashion blogger who can't seem to put together the next outfit for Fall Fashion. I love going to malls and window shopping because that way, I can see what's the "new look" and how I would incorporate it into my style.

3. SLEEP.

Sometimes, the cause of writer's block can be due to lack of sleep. Go to sleep or take a nap! Either way, resting yourself is good for you.

4. Change your routine.

We are humans and when we get stuck in this same monotonous routine, we tend to forget the creativity and fun in life. Switch up your routine! Take a day to just chill and spend time with a friend or two! Spending down-time with others will make you feel happy and more alive, which in turn, will *finger crossed* cure your writer's block!

5. Go on Pinterest!

We all know that the hub of creative/cute/pretty/and all things every women would want is Pinterest. It's just the God of pretty things and DIY's. I go on Pinterest daily just to take a break from studying and doing other boring things. I don't necessarily pin things, I just scroll around, cry at things I can't have, and awe at things I can create.

Pinterest is actually really therapeutic.

6. Paint or draw

You don't have to be an artist for this one. I've seen pieces of trash on display at museums. No really, it was a piece of trash - smooshed Coke can on stick with a random paper butterfly glued to the Coke can. Painting and drawing is traditionally used in many treatment centers as a therapeutic medicine. It calms you and lets your creative juices flowing.

So these are my six suggestions on how to get inspired. HOPEFULLY, at least one will help you! If it doesn't, I'm so dearly sorry and maybe ideas will just come to you randomly one day. Do you have any ways to get over writer's block?! Tell me in the comments!

~Misbah