TBT: Leave (Get Out) by Jojo

Hey y'all!

Memories from our childhood are a wonderful thing.

There are things from our past that seem better than they actually were. There are things from our past that are just as great as our memories make them out to be.

Case in point: Leave (Get Out) by JoJo.

I distinctively remember singing this song on the playground in 5th grade. I even remember sitting in front of the computer and watching this music video on loop. ( I also watched Yeah! by Usher an ungodly amount of times, but that's besides the point)

Flash forward, here I am 20 years old and I still reminisce over this song. Anytime I hear someone say "Leave" I can't help but start singing JoJo's empowering anthem.

Since it's Thursday and this is quite the throwback, I leave you with the music video for Leave (Get Out).

Video

With love,

My Favorite Online Resources

Hey guys!

I am online more than I'd like to be.  I don't need to tell you this though, because chances are you're in the same boat.

You know how awesome the internet is. 

 When it comes to crunch time, you know tons of papers, projects and assignments- productivity declines faster than the speed of light and somehow you get sucked into YouTube. Or Facebook. Or Twitter.

Hey, it happens.

However, there are things online that can actually increase your productivity- really. 

Here are my faves:

1. Trello

Upgrade your to do lists to the digital age. Create to do lists online and have them transfer over to Trello's handy dandy app! You can create different lists, invite other people to join them, color code them and more. Trust me, it'll make you want to get things done.

2. Self Control

If you have a Mac and happen to find your mind wandering more often than it should then this is the app for you.  Install this app and gone are the days of How am I on Facebook, I swear I was just writing my paper a minute ago??? It's time to be productive guys!

3. Thesis Builder

Have most of your essay mapped out, but not a thesis? Thesis Builder takes your main points and creates your thesis for you! Now there's no excuse to take social media breaks to "get ideas flowing." (guilty as charged) One of the toughest parts of an essay is done in 2 minutes or less.

4.TED Talks

TED Talks are fantastic resources. The topics and ideas shared are endless AND SO DIVERSE. I'm sure that you've watched tons in your classes, but have you ever watched any for fun? Or for inspiration? My goal is to start watching one a day. If you need help with research or finding particular topics, TED is actually a great place to start. Chances are someone out there did a talk on your very topic. If that's not motivation, I don't what is.

5. The Skimm

Although I'm a Com major, I really don't stay as up to date on the news as I should. Whoops. The Skimm is my life saver. Every morning I get an email with the biggest news stories over the past 24 hours. Not only that but it's all actually EASY TO UNDERSTAND. Less jargon and more humor. With one simple email, I'm in the loop and know all the important details without even having to search for them.

Have you tried any of these resources? Are there any I missed? Let me know!

With love,

Macrobiotic Bowls

This post is a bit ironic, because all I've done today is eat junk food.

In my defense- it's been rainy and just sad, so comfort food is a must.

Right? Right.

Yesterday I saw a video from Blogilates (I've talked about Cassey and all of her awesomeness before here) and I just had to share.

As much as I love pizza... and brownies... and grilled cheese, nothing beats roasted veggies and that's exactly why I need to share this video with you all.

YouTube link here

Are macrobiotic bowls becoming a thing? I need to try this ASAP. Have you seen any yummy recipes or videos lately? Let me know!

With love,

This is the story of how I met How I Met Your Mother

There are tons of things I love. 

Green tea, yoga, sleeping in,  LinkedIn, stupid Buzzfeed articles...

However, there are two things that are at the top of my list that will stay there indefinitely.

One is The Maine. I talk about this music group a lot. 

The other is How I Met your Mother. Which oddly enough, I haven't even talked about on here at all.

So kids, this is the story of how I met How I Met Your Mother...

Growing up, How I Met Your Mother was the show I always saw commercials for, but didn't really care about. I even had multiple friends tell me to watch it. 

Then one day, during my sophomore year of college, I was bored and decided to give it a try.  I hadn't had Netflix that long, the possibilities on what to watch were endless. The rest is history. I was hooked.

5 friends, trying to navigate the ebb and flow of living in New York City. Sure, this can easily be seen as Friends minus a Phoebe, but this show is truly more than that.

Over time, I developed a theory. (Hey mom and dad, this is what I do instead of classwork, aren't you proud?) 

That theory is that How I Met Your Mother is synchronized to my life. Although the initial  story line is 10 years old now it doesn't even matter.  Any episode- even if randomly picked by someone else for me to watch- aligns perfectly with what is going on in my life, almost down to the exact moment.

Even if I've seen the episode in the past, which at this point I have.

It really is crazy.

Ted taught me that it's ok to be a hopeless romantic.

Marshall taught me that my future husband needs to be just as silly and caring as he is.

Lilly taught me to do things with passion or not at all.

Robin taught me that it's super badass to be strong and independent.

And wait for it....

Barney taught me that with confidence and a good outfit, you can accept any challenge.

Replace someone in the above gif to  tv show.  Thank you Ted, for describing my love for your shenanigans better than I ever could. This is my life in a nutshell and I'm perfectly fine with that.

With love,

Dress up your Desktop

Hello there!

I'll admit it guys, I spend a lot of time on Pinterest and nothing sucks me in more than cute tech wallpapers and backgrounds. 

Something about a cute background just makes opening up your laptop to do work more fun.

It's hard to pick favorite, but here are a few of my findings from my last Pinterest spree:

Design Love Fest

Buzzfeed

Sugar Paper

Pommel Co.

Smugg

Make sure to follow me on Pinterest to never miss out on cute tech backgrounds!

With love,

March Favorites

Happy Friday guys and happy first day of April!

Happy April Fool's day too, if you're into that kind of thing.

To commemorate a new month I've decided to do a favorite things post.  Whew- It's been quite some time since I've done this!

It's out with the old and in with the new as the saying goes... However, the items of this list aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

Photo from Fabulous Forever Blog

Over Spring break, my sister and I picked up Hard Candy's new Cheeky Tints from Walmart. I got the shade Ballerina, a pale pink color. These are so easy to apply and are practically fool proof.

I lovvveeee Canva. I was introduced to the site last semester in Dublin, but have used it so much over the past month. My job with The Young Hopeful requires me to use it almost daily. If you love creating graphics, Canva is the easiest tool out there to make your ideas come to life.  Also- It's free to sign up and use. Woohoo! I highly recommend it for all of your Instagram, infographic, Tumblr and presentation needs!

Words cannot even describe how obsessed I am with Netflix's Cuckoo. You'll start it because of Andy Sandberg and Taylor Lautner, but stick with it because it's witty humor is unparalleled.  I finished seasons 1 and 2 in two days- which is very unlike me. Thank goodness season 3 comes out in a few weeks because if I were to wait any longer I simply would not survive.

I wanted to despise Zayn's debut album. I really did- yet I can't. Although he was a great piece in the One Direction puzzle, Zayn's talent shines in his solo work. I can't stop listening to Mind of Mine and if you haven't listened to it yet, I highly recommend that you do! Fool for you, Tio and Like I would are my personal favorites.

What did you love during the month of March? Let me know!

With love,

The Young Hopeful Hits 1K!

Hello there,

It's been a minute. How are you!?

 Since we last talked, I've gone on Spring break and have gotten back into the swing of things at school.

More importantly, The Young Hopeful has hit 1,ooo followers on Twitter!

WOOHOO!

For those unfamiliar, I am currently The Young Hopeful's social media editor. The Young Hopeful is an awesome blog filled with college, career and life advice.

 Creating a hashtag, contest and overarching excitement to hit 1K on Twitter was a fun challenge. I am in love with every one of our fellow bloggers, college students and followers!

Alright, so why am I posting this?

I'm posting this not only to update you on my recent activity, but also to show that it's important to celebrate what you've accomplished!

Big or small, take time to highlight the cool things you're doing. I feel like we don't do that enough. And we should- because what you're doing is great. I can guarantee it.

 Have a great day y'all!

With love,

Ps- If you're not following The Young Hopeful you should. I mean, I am a bit biased... but TYH team has loads of fun producing content for our readers! Join the conversation and never miss an update! Follow TYH here.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Hello everyone!

Today I'm feeling lucky. Today I'm also feeling nostalgic.

Saint Patrick's Day has always been a fun holiday growing up. Now that I've had the opportunity to call Ireland home for 4 months, today is even more special.

Ireland is filled with beautiful people, beautiful places and- of course- beautiful beer. I miss it all terribly, but I'm lucky I got to experience all of it first hand.

Slainte! 

With love,

Friday Factoid: How to Fall Asleep Quicker

Hello everyone!

What's the one thing everyone wishes for?

Better sleep.

It's true. Nothing beats waking up feeling refreshed and ready to conquer the world. Based on the day's events, it's often hard to get adequate sleep. I often find myself tired during the day, but my mind is racing the second I snuggle into bed. It sucks!

I know you've had this dilemma as well, so today I am sharing my favorite sleeping trick.

I learned this, surprisingly enough, in my conflict management class. To fall asleep quicker your breaths need to be stabilized. And so it goes...

Inhale for 4 seconds

Hold your breath for 7 seconds

Exhale for 8 seconds

(and here it is in photo form for you to save!)

That's it.

 Just as this technique helps calm you down during a confrontational or anxiety inducing conflict, it's a handy dandy tool for falling asleep! When our mind or emotions are racing, our breathing tends to be short/rapid.

This technique forces your heart rate to slow down, your mind to relax and you to fall asleep or feel at ease before you know it. You're getting more oxygen into your system, and that makes your body a very happy camper.

I must say it's a bit odd at first, but you'll become a pro in no time. Repeat this as many times as necessary. You'll wonder how you ever fell asleep before doing this!

Sweet dreams!

With love,

Music Monday: Fifth Harmony

Good morning!

How was your weekend? Mine was kinda, sorta productive.

I really tried guys.

Not much stands between me and Spring break though, so the lack of productivity this weekend won't set me back too much this week.

Today's post is all about the song that's been blasting through my speakers over the weekend. It may also be part of the reason I was't that productive, despite it's name.

Work from Home by Fifth Harmony is a tune and a half. It makes you want to dance and jump around. 

One listen and it'll be stuck in your head. You can thank me- or yell at me- later. It's so catchy and definitely gives off a spring/summery vibe.

Watch the video here!

What songs do I need to know about? Let me know!

With love,

My Workout Routine

Hello there!

I've been pretty lucky in the exercise department. I've always liked exercising; it gives me energy and I feel like I can conquer the world!

It's so easy to do the same workouts over and over, but let's face it. Workouts getting boring.

Some people like Zumba, some people like weight training, I like Blogilates.

If you don't know who Blogilates aka Cassey Ho is, you are missing out! She's a Pilates instructor that puts out workouts weekly on her YouTube Channel. (OH- and she designs the cutest workout gear around) Cassey is one of the most positive people on the planet and will make you feel like a million dollars.

Intense Ab Burn // PIIT

Cassey recently rolled out PIIT trainings- videos in which she challenges her viewers to try to do 4 times in a row. They definitely are challenging, but over time you truly see how much stronger you're getting. This is my go to video at the moment. 

If you don't challenge yourself, you'll never make an improvement. You don't even have to do something huge, because at the end of the day- it matters what you're doing not what others are doing. 

My favorite thing about Cassey is that she feels like a friend. She makes each video fun and reminds me that everyone is on their own personal fitness journey! We are all capable of bright and beautiful things!

Legs, butt, abs, back, arms- Cassey covers it all. She also puts out really yummy recipe videos too, so take a peak on her YouTube channel.

Try this video, and when you do- let me know what you think! You can do it!

With love,

Ace The Interview!

Good morning!

If you've been checking back on my blog from time to time, you may be sensing a theme.

My New Year's Resolution was to become more career driven. True to my word, I'm still working on it people!

Then, I decided to dabble in the world of internships.

So it only makes sense for me to keep the momentum going and write to you all about how to ace your interview.

Define your goal, find the internship, secure the interview, get the position.

***

1. Pick your outfit out the day before

Pick out your favorite, work appropriate outfit. If you're dressed in something that makes you feel great, you'll end up looking great and acting confident!  I promise you, your confidence will show. Also, pretty please - for me- iron your outfit the day before too. 

2. Have 3 stories you want to share

Sure, an employer looks at your resume before interviewing you. However, your resume is only compiled of bulleted achievements. You have the power to give those words life.

 I was recently told in an interview to have 3 stories in the back of my head that I think truly define my accomplishments. For example,  if someone asks,  "When was a time you ____?"  I'll know to pull out my story about how I put on an art event for 100+ people in Ireland. (True story) When you have your achievements already laid out in your head, you'll be more comfortable talking about them and won't have awkward silences in your interview.

3. Research, research, research

Never enter an interview blind. Know what you're applying for! It sounds so simple, but because it's an extra step, a lot of people actually overlook this. You may be asked about the company or why you want to work there. If you say something vague, your interviewer will  know.  They interview people on the regular. Dig a little deeper on LinkedIn or on the company's website. Doing your homework will be duly noted and leave your interviewer impressed.

4. Follow up with a thank you

Use the manners your momma taught you! Follow up your interview with a handwritten thank you note or email. You have 24-48 hours to craft a well thought out response to your employer/ interviewer. Thank them for their time, bring up something special from the interview, that you're looking forward to hearing from them etc. Taking this extra step makes you *extra* memorable and shows that you appreciated the employer's time.

***

Interview season is in full swing. And guess what? It may be tedious and stressful, but we're all in this together! ... I may not be as cute as Troy Bolton aka Zac Efron, but boy, do I have as much spirit as him. 

You can do it! 

With love,

This Just In!

Hey y'all!

Remember the other day when I said I had exciting news?

Well this is the news.

Have you heard of the wonderful blog called The Young Hopeful?

If you haven't- get with the program, girl! It's one of the best sites around to learn how to combat all things college and life related. 

How does this relate to me? Well, your girl was just appointed Social Media Editor. Woohoo!

Get ready for super fun gifs, quotes, motivation and exciting tips and tricks!

 I wouldn't be doing my job correctly if I didn't pester you to follow The Young Hopeful! (But let's be real, you want to follow all of this goodness)

Blog

Twitter

Instagram

Facebook

Pinterest

What do you *love* to see on social media? Let me know. It'll help you and get my creativity flowing!

With love,

Hating our Appearance

Hello there, beautiful!

This week for class, I had to read an article titled "Why It's Harder Than Ever For Women Not To Obsess Over Their Appearances". I was hooked before I even started reading.

This Huffington Post article is from 2014- yet nothing has changed. If anything, the way we view women's bodies in the media has gotten worse.

Just the other day it was released that GiGi Hadid- one of the most beautiful individuals on this planet- had her beauty marks removed. Because fashion.

No, no, no.

Photoshop is nothing new, but the direct effects of it still hit hard. On the other end of the spectrum, at least some people are finding the humor in things... 

Snickers just released this ad:

Is blatantly bad Photoshop what it takes for companies to realize they're being absolutely ridiculous or is this advertising campaign just as bad as the rest? 

When are companies going to 'get it'? I encourage you to read the Huffington Post article here.

With love,