Summer Ends *with a* Music Festival!

I love spending time with this girl!

Last Monday may have marked the Fall Equinox, but it's still nice and sunny over here in the Great Southwest! Today was a beautiful 85° the entire day, with clear skies and a nice breeze - perfect weather for a September Sunday!

On Friday, I had the amazing opportunity to attend the Summer Ends Music Festival in Tempe with Em! I had won tickets to one of the nights from The Blaze, ASU's alternative radio station! 

Headlining were the amazing Lindsey Stirling, Capital Cities, and *my absolute favorite* American Authors (if you haven't heard of any of these three, go check them out on YouTube!)! 

All of the performances were wonderful and we had the best girls night. We indulged in a delicious funnel cake while listening to a few different local bands, including a new personal favorite, The Senators. Afterwards, we rocked out to Capital Cities and American Authors from within a hundred yards of the stage! The energy from the bands as well as from the audience left me in awe - I wish I could have gone for the rest of the festival!

Here are just a few pictures from my fun night! Have you been to any music festivals lately?

The crowd went crazy when American Authors took to the stage!

Zac Barnett came out to the crowd and sang only feet away from Em and I!

Fun Fact: My suitemate tickled Zac Barnett.

Capital Cities was pretty amazing as well! Loved their energy!

I've always loved trumpet solos, and Spencer Ludwig did an amazing job!

How did you say goodbye to Summer? Has Fall really kicked in where you're at?

xx
Catch you next time

Soccer Sister's Birthday!

Hello everyone! Hope you're all doing well. I just wanted to let you all know Soccer Sister turned 14 years old today! Sadly, I couldn't go home to spend her this big day with her, but I know my family has a couple surprises in store for her. (By the time this is up, she'll have already seen them!).

This little girl is one that can have you turning on a dime. She has an aversion to dresses, would rather be out playing soccer than doing anything else, and can drop some pretty amazing witticisms at a moment's notice. She is one of the biggest goofballs you will ever meet, and you wouldn't ever regret it.

Although sometimes we fight (I mean, come on, what pair of siblings doesn't ever fight?), we always seem to have a fun time. I'm so excited that she is in high school now, and has the opportunity to expand her horizons even further than she has.

Happy birthday, little sister!

xx
Catch you next time

First Major College Essay

It's just about a month into the school year now and I have finally been assigned my first real, major college paper! When my teacher handed out the essay description and requirements, I'm pretty sure I stopped breathing for a minute. The essay is for my Human Event class, which focuses on expanding global, cultural, and historical awareness through the exploration of classic literature. So far, our readings have ranged from the Enuma Elish to excerpts from the Hebrew Bible to Sappho. The class has actually been really interesting and, despite my nerves, I'm excited to see how my essay turns out. Here are just a few tips if you find yourself having trouble with an essay:

Reread the Material // As common sense as this may seem, a lot of people don't actually take the time to reread what they are trying to write about. Sometimes you skim the literature because you don't have time to read deeply into it and you have a quiz first thing when class starts. This is the same situation as when you re-watch movies and notice new details. Rereading the material is a crucial part of furthering your understanding of the text and in helping you write the best paper possible.

Don't Immediately Start Writing // Brainstorm! Write every single crazy idea in your head down, but don't start writing the full paper just yet. Jot down sentence fragments and phrases that your brain puts together, even if you think you probably won't use them - it is always a good idea to start off with a wide range of ideas before finding the avenue you would rather pursue. The best ideas are ones that you can really develop and write almost passionately about, but that does not typically happen immediately. Read some background resources and take a small break before going back and trying to work.

Find a Happy Place // We all have our different little quirks about studying. On your bed or on the floor? In the living room or at the kitchen table? Music blasting or complete silence? Finding the place where you believe you can relax and be the most productive is extremely important. But, be careful! Beds are wonderful, comfy, and one of my favorite places to be, but sometimes I can't let myself study on one or else I may just be falling asleep before I'm done!

Use Your Resources // As annoying as it gets when everybody (including your mother) says to make yourself familiar with the different resources at your disposal, you have to admit they may be a little right. If you have trouble writing essays, you should talk to your academic counselor about the tutoring resources your school offers. Not everybody was taught the same way in high school, making adjustments harder for some people. Don't be afraid to ask for help! It's a lot easier to ask for and receive help when there is plenty of time for improvement without the ultimate suffering of your grade.

What sorts of things do you do when you have a big paper coming up? 

xx
Catch you next time

Visiting Old Friends

While I was writing my 10 for 10 post the other day, I realized I hadn't posted about my fun little weekend adventure! In high school, some of my closest friends and I always joked that because the schools are a half-hour drive away that it would feel just like high school. It was great to spend time with these crazy kids again! We did everything from pool to foosball to table tennis to bowling. I missed these guys like crazy - I haven't seen them since the beginning of August! So here are some highlights of my little trip with Theatre Geek down to 'Lope Country, told through the infamous square pictures. 

I swear, sometimes I really don't know what I would do without my best friend and big brother, Theatre Geek.

I GOT THE PIZZA PLACE TO DRAW A DINOSAUR IN OUR PIZZA BOX!

Quite honestly, the scariest game of Giant JENGA I have ever played.

A-Team and I winning the first game of pool for the night.

Andy, Jackie, and I :)

Our faces when I won a game of pool by myself.

Trying to do cool trick shots is a lot of fun but it sure does a number on your score.

The group minus A-Team, who had to leave our little party early.

I am so lucky to have some of the best friends in the world. No matter what gets thrown at us in this world, I know we'll all be there to help each other out. How have you kept in contact with old friends? Do you schedule meet-ups or do you carry on your relationships with media?

xx
Catch you next time

A Giveaway That Will Brighten Your Day

I follow quite a few different blogs here on the Internet, but one of my favorites is Class to Closet! Nicole is such a fun blogger and her posts are always interesting, I definitely recommend you check out her page!

Today has been a rather slow and muggy-feeling Wednesday so far, but it started to feel a little brighter after I stumbled upon Nicole's post about this new Vineyard Vines and Tieks collaboration giveaway! Each company is giving away THREE $200 gift cards! What better way to bring in the new season with some new cute Coral Tieks or a classic Anchor Print Shep? It's one of the best times of the year! You can enter here for a chance to win!

Just letting you know, if you enter using my link, I do get an extra entry. Good luck!

xx
Catch you next time.

Going 10 for 10: A Recap of My Past Week and a Half!

This photo is from the Powder Paint War a few weeks ago, but I felt it captured how I feel pretty well!

Long time no see? If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know that this past week and a half has been more hectic than I thought it would be! It seems even with all of the planning and time I allot to different activities that there's always something else to be done. I tried to keep these short and in chronological order, so enjoy!

Corporate Challenge Winner Dinner // All business students at my university are expected to attend a quick two-to-three day camp called Camp Carey. My team (Maroon 4!) won the Corporate Challenge at our camp session and thus was given the opportunity to meet and present our ideas to actual Coca-Cola Company representatives! I haven't been able to really break out my trusty powersuit since NatQuals earlier this year, and it felt so good to wear it again! Hopefully I'll have plenty more occasions to bring it out again!

I'm forever in love with my nude pumps and my favorite Michael Kors bag!

Rainy Day Review // There's really nothing like a rainy day to make you think about everything going on around you - from how classes are going to what you're really looking forward to in the following weeks. Last Monday, there was a huge torrential rain storm which flooded areas around the university. My Communications class was cancelled (YAY!) and *somehow* managed to use my extra time quite productively, though I did promise myself that I would find another day to really dance in the rain.

Broomball Fun // Okay so if you haven't seen or heard of broomball, this video is a pretty good idea of it. Except for the fact that the men in the video are professionals. And wearing helmets. And padding. It's really a lot like a mix of lacrosse, field hockey, and curling - on ice! Imagine over eighty college kids, wearing their own shoes, and running on an ice rink while holding large wooden sticks, trying to hit two orange plastic balls into opposite nets. It was actually a lot of fun, and the hot chocolate afterwards was a great way to close the night. I even got a snazzy t-shirt for checking-in early! 

I guess I didn't get the memo about the "game face!"

Bestie Birthday // Last Wednesday, my wonderful friend Gymnastics Chick turned 18! I have known here since junior high and I can't believe we've come so far. It was really awesome to turn off homework for a few hours, have a nice off-campus dinner, and spend time with my lovely girlfriends (and I mean, come on, who doesn't love an excuse to dress-up and feel cute?!). Although we haven't been able to hang out as much as we would both like, it's awesome knowing we are both nearby if we ever need anything.

From Left to Right: Tech Princess, Tiny Genius, Gymnastics Chick (Birthday Girl), Business Blondie, and yours truly!

September 11th, Never Forget // September 11th is a day for thought and remembrance. In between my classes, I watched memorial videos and feeds about the event. I think it's important to keep ourselves from becoming desensitized to events like that one, and educate our younger generations about it. Whether it's a special holiday or not, try to take the time to think about the brave men and women who risk and give their lives for our freedom and safety. When you see a member of our armed services, don't be scared to walk up and simply say, "Thank you." 

Bonding Over Life // Everyone on my dorm floor has always been really busy, so it was nice to finally spend a little time together! Our Community Advisors organized a little game night based off the theme of our floor: The Game of Life! I have never finished a full Game of Life, and honestly, I never really paid very much attention to the game itself because my friends and I would always get distracted. Setting aside a little time to get to know the people you're leaving with is always worth it when you have a little fun.

The Electric Tea Party // My adorable suitemate Sara is the "mastermind" behind ElectroSwing AZ and this past Friday was the second ever ElectroSwing AZ party! ElectroSwing is essentially swing dancing to remixed versions of old 1920s-1950s big band and swing music! The event was Masquerade-Alice in Wonderland themedIf you ever have the chance to go ElectroSwing, or even just old-fashioned swing, dancing, GO DO IT! I have only been dancing for about three weeks and I love it.

Visiting Old Friends // Sometimes Theatre Geek does things that make me really question our friendship (but don't all best friends?), but this weekend definitely proved his worth tenfold. Spending time with my best friend is always a fun time, but he outdid himself and took me with him to see our awesome best friends currently attending Grand Canyon University. I didn't want to make this post too long so I'll be posting more about it in my next post! 

Just one of the many photos we took - I've missed these guys like crazy since college started!

New Friends and Greek Dancing // Last night, I had dinner with a girl from my Human Event class. Two of her friends joined us, and *BAM* I made two new friends! I know I'm always talking about how making friends is important (both on the blog and to my other friends) but it seems the novelty of meeting new people still hasn't worn off for me. I love getting to know people from other majors (they are both music majors!) and learning about their interests. One of the girls has been teaching traditional Greek dances, and she offered to teach me a little! This video has a few of the moves she taught me. I love learning about new dances and cultures, I just find them so fascinating! Even if you think you look ridiculous, I highly recommend trying it. Once you get the footwork done, it's a lot of fun!

I'm a Pledgling! // In my last Freshman Five post, I mentioned that you shouldn't make yourself join a sorority or fraternity unless you believe you are ready to put in the time and effort it requires. I chose to forgo rushing for a regular sorority to instead rush for a professional business fraternity. Delta Sigma Pi is a co-ed Business fraternity here at my university. I was a bit apprehensive on whether I could take on this commitment, so I took some time to sit down and think. After a lot of thought, I decided to attend an event and fill out the application. I was called back for an interview, and now I'm a pledge! I'll be posting more about DSP soon!

What has been happening in your life? Have you tried anything new? Done anything exciting? Let me know - I want to hear about what y'all have been up to!

xx
Catch you next time

On My Playlist

Happy Friday! I have a really, really long day ahead of me from three classes to the Winner Dinner for Corporate Challenge from Camp Carey (Woo, Team Maroon 4!), and some awesome swing dancing! As I was winding down last night I was cleaning, editing a paper, and listening to music. It wasn't until my suitemate pointed it out to me that I realized the drastic differences in some of the music I was listening to.

One of the things I love about music is how diverse it is - there really is something for everyone. I love a lot of different kinds of music, oftentimes what I want to listen to just depends on what I'm doing. Studying? Classical. Bored? Musicals. Jamming in the car? Alternative. Cleaning? Pop and Country. Here is just a list of some of the songs I've been finding myself listen to frequently over the past couple weeks. This list is a bit all over the place, but they're all great songs nonetheless. 

Stay With Me - Sam Smith

Boom Clap - Charli XCX

Pop 101 - Marianas Trench

This is Gospel - Panic! At The Disco

Sing, Sing, Sing - Benny Goodman

All of the Stars - Ed Sheeran

Hideaway -Kiesza

Lovesick Fool - The Cab

Chocolate - The 1975

She's a Lady - Forever the Sickest Kids

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik Movements 1-4 - Mozart

It's Not Right But It's Okay - Whitney Houston (The Glee Cover)

Shake It Off - Taylor Swift

What kind of music are you into? Let me know some of the songs you've been playing on repeat lately!

xx

Catch you next time.

Random Acts of Kindness

One time at a Speech and Debate tournament in my junior year, a girl I had met in a round gave me a slip of paper that said "Your smile is awesome - you should show it off more often. Pass this on to the next person you see with a great smile. #RandomActsOfKindness." It was one of the sweetest things and it definitely helped me smile a bit more (that tournament was a particularly stressful one). In a way, I have always held the idea of Random Acts of Kindness, but I hadn't known it was a real "thing" until that year. I really love that idea - just randomly doing something nice for someone, whether you know them or not. 

This morning I was really tired, stressed, and a bit upset, but my day brightened up a little bit when I found out my family had sent me flowers! They even added our dog's name onto the card, how cute is that?! Sometimes the best Random Acts of Kindness, however, are the simplest. Some of my favorites are buying dessert for a stranger, taking in your neighbor's trash cans from the curb, and giving "Thank You" notes to people working in the dining hall. The official Random Acts of Kindness website even has a huge list (with filters!) of little things you could do to try to make somebody else's day better. A common thing to do is trying to do at least one act a day. What are some of your favorite Random Acts of Kindness?

xx
Catch you next time.

Happy Tuesday!

Doesn't it look delicious? The cup was huge!

Sometimes Tuesdays feel like Mondays and it's not exactly the best feeling in the world. Coming off of a hard night of catching up on homework from the weekend really does a number on the body, but sometimes when you get up early and force yourself out of bed, something great can happen! 

My friend Tennis Chick and I left early for Economics because she wanted to print some stuff out and we found a cute little restaurant called Freshii! They have different options for breakfast and lunch - and they're all healthy! This morning I tried parfait for the first time and loved it! I'm a big fan of fresh fruit, and the honey on top of the granola was a nice add-on too. 

I'm working on trying to be healthier to avoid the Freshman 15 (Freshman 5 doesn't sound too bad!) between eating better and walking to all my classes. 

What do you do to make your days feel a little better and brighter?

xx
Catch you next time.