Living the sweet life

As I have mentioned before, college is the sweet life! You get your social independence without having to pay for everything. Plus, being 18, 19, and 20 something is so much fun. All this talk of the good life comes with a warning label....oftentimes, the first, and sometimes, second semesters of college are a difficult transition. Though new everything sounds exciting, and eventually is, transitioning to new everything is hard. Making new friends can be really stressful for a lot of people. Being away from your comfort zone, your family and all you have known for your whole life can be shocking. Managing your entire life is kind of a big deal and many people need a little time to get used to it. Just don't cave in. Go for it. Jump in head first actually. Be persistent and committed to making it work. I personally think if after a year you are still miserable then a change is needed. The good thing about this warning label is to know that time is your best friend. You will get used to it. Your life will come together. It will all be ok. Just give yourself some time.

Bon chance


J

That thing called class...

College is so fun! They are the best years of your life....that is why they fly by so darn fast!! Stay there as long as you can. There is independence, FUN, parties, friends.....and, that thing called class. Amongst all of the amazingness of college are these things called class (and you have to study)! Though this completely blows, it is afterall the reason you are there. ha (I tend to forget that a lot.) The best way to capitalize on the these things you have to do is to know yourself and your strengths. If you are a morning person, schedule all 8:00am classes and get them over with early. You will have free afternoons to do whatever you want. If you are not a morning person, do NOT schedule 8:00am classes. Schedule 9:15am or even 11:00am classes. You will finish a little later in the afternoon, but it would be worth it since you hate the mornings. Right?! :) Also, make sure to be organized. Time management is so so important in college. You have all this free time with no one making you do your homework, study or read your textbooks. But, you still have to in order to succeed in school. You will quickly learn when good times are to take care of this business. And trust me, it is better to take care of it than not to. Also, if you know procrastinating is your thing and you still produce quality work, don't let anybody tell you it's bad or harass you about not preparing more in advance. It has served me well for years and has never held me back!! :) Classes and class work aren't ALL that bad. No worries. They pass and you can still have some fun in between!

Caio

J

You know you are ready for college if you.....

1. Talk, think, eat, sleep and dream about your upcoming adventure.
2. Buy everything in anticipation for college (dorm room, class, and life)
3. are getting tired of living under your parents' rules.
4. are ready to be on your own, doing what you want, when you want, how you want.
5. are ready for something new, different, challenging and exciting.
6. don't know what you want to do with your life.
7. want to figure out what to do with your life.
8. want to play around!

Caio

J

Quote du jour

I thought I would leave ya'll with another quote tonight. What do ya'll think?!!!

"Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says"Make me feel important." - Mary Kay Ash, American Businesswoman.



Caio

J

Customize

I just wanted to let everybody know that Sheri, owner of Dorm Suite Dorm, has been really flexible this summer when it comes to customizing your dorm room. She wants everyone to create EXACTLY what they want for their dorm room. So, brainstorm ideas and give her a call because she can make it happen!!

She is very talented and has a great group of women that work with her to ensure that each girl gets her dream bedding or dorm room decor. Sheri, a resident of Birmingham, AL, loves getting to know YOU! She has two wonderful boys, but also loves the opportunity to hear YOUR story and see what your dreams are. Being a nurse by trade, Sheri's caring nature is all but too large and she is a joy to do business with! Check out her site, www.dormsuitedorm.com or call her at 205-879-8278! You won't regret it!

Caio

J

Holiday Decor

Happy belated Fourth of July beauties! I hope everyone had a restful and fun fourth weekend. It was quiet down here in Louisiana (at least at my house) but it was good! We threw my cousin an engagement party last night so it took all weekend to set up and get things ready for him and his wonderful fiancee! Anyways, with the Fourth of July just passing through, I thought I would write on holiday decorations in your future dorm room. I would really encourage you to participate in this phenomenon. It is so fun and keeps things changing throughout the year. It also gets everyone in a festive mood :) Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break, and Easter are all big holidays so decorations can easily be found at Target, WalMart, KMart, Michaels, Gordons, or Hobby Lobby. Sometimes just a simple door decoration is all that is needed while other times a Christmas tree, lights, ornaments and ceiling decorations are a must. It depends on you. How big do you want to do it? My motto is "Go big or go home." But, if you prefer smaller risks, be my guest!!

Something else that is really fun to do is to decorate your girlfriends' (or guy friends) doors for their birthday. You can wrap it in birthday wrapping paper and put a huge bow. Or, make a really big card for everyone to sign on his/her door. You can always buy those crazy signs like "It's my birthday...." to put on his/her door too. I have even rolled someone's dorm room with toilet paper for her birthday. We snuck in while she wasn't there :) Get creative. Afterall, your birthday is another holiday and just another excuse to have some fun and decorate!!

Caio

J

My life is comprised of quotes!

I love quotes. I feel like other people can put my philosophies into words so much better than I can! So, tonight I want to leave you with a quote that I feel like college has taught me a lot about!! Tell me your thoughts! Enjoy-Caio!

"To play it safe is not to play." (Robert Altman)

Freshman 15 or 20 or 30...

The "freshman 15" is a pain in the butt; but, it is true. Logically, this doesn't make much sense because the typical college experience includes a lot of walking; however, because your diet changes to fattier foods (cafeteria and fast food) and alcohol calories usually increase, most college students gain weight their freshman year. This can be easily avoided, especially if you are aware of the trend. Watch what you eat. Try not to eat fast food ALL the time. Still eat all food groups on the pyramid, not just fried, desserts or junk. Do some sort of higher intensity physical activity 3-4 days a week for at least 20 minutes (60 minutes is ideal). You can find something fun to do. Intramurals are awesome. Flag football, ultimate frisbee, basketball, soccer, softball, bowling, volleyball, you name it, there is an intramural team for you! Stand instead of sit (if given the option). Walk instead of drive. Keep healthier foods/snacks in your room so you won't even be tempted to snack on bad food. Grab a workout/health/diet partner. Help each other stay accountable. Give each other guidance, advice and motivation! This is key. I have my best friend to thank for losing weight and then maintaining my weight. Every time I go home and I don't have her around, things go down hill!! Find someone you can trust and are comfortable talking about your body with. Ask her/him and other random people to work out with you. Working out is ALWAYS more fun with someone else AND, it could be a great way to meet new people :) Don't freak out if you DO gain weight your freshman year. You can always lose it. Plus, it is your first year of college. A lot of things change and you need to have fun. Gaining a little weight won't kill you.