Stay Safe this Weekend!!

Now I know everyone must be pumped for this weekend. I mean Halloween is one of the biggest holidays for college students, and probably also one of the most dangerous weekends of the year, especially in Isla Vista. As I'm sure you know, Isla Vista has been know to have riots among other things during the course of Halloween weekend, which can not only ruin your weekend if you get caught up in a fight or riot, but may also lead you to more consequences, ranging from safety issues, to a night in jail, ect.
I was in Isla Vista last Halloween, so I'd like to offer a few tips for all of you who plan to spend your weekend in Isla Vista.

First of all, I'd like to point out that even though you may not think that the city will round up over 200 cops and patrol officers to keep an eye on Del Playa Road, they will stand to their word. There was an abundance of police roaming all of IV last year for Halloween, however, this does not mean that you won't have FUN. All of the cops are super friendly, and if you aren't causing any trouble or doing anything illegal, they will be your friend..maybe even play frisbee with you (as they did with my group of friends last Halloween). Just remember that they're there for your safety, and you should be happy about that.

Next, If you plan to stay with a friend in IV, make sure you are able to get a wristband (which they obtain through their landlord or leasing office). If you don't have a wristband, you won't be let into most apartment complexes, as each complex only hands out a certain amount of wristbands to try and limit out of town visitors. I found this out the hard way last year. I really didn't think they would have security checking for wristbands at literally every entrance of the main complexes.

The final point I'm going to make is to just make sure you stay with a group of friends and take care of one another. Although we don't ever think anything will happen to us or our friends, things actually do happen. Remember that there are going to be a lot of people, and a lot of out of towners, and you never know peoples intentions. So always stay with your friends or in a big group of people, and never set your drink down because I have heard of people getting drugged in Isla Vista. Just watch out for yourself and your friends and be aware of your surrounding and you will be aye okay!

Other than that, I hope everyone has a fantastic and SAFE halloween!!

Polaroids

Last weekend I was shopping on state with my family and of course, with three girls shopping, we got drawn in to Urban Outfitters. I am way past the point of having too many clothes, and by that I mean there is not space for another hanger in my closet, and I have to use the drawers in my desk for extra clothes storage... But anyways, because of this I strayed from searching through all of the clothes, and headed over to look at the knickknacks... and thats when I came across the polaroid camera. 

Purchasing this camera was probably one of the best decisions that I've made. I am a very artsy person, so the fact that I can take pictures and have them print instantly for me to hang up all over my wall is very exciting! Aside from being able to to have the pictures in the palm of your hand instantly, polaroids are, in a way, much more meaningful and sentimental when compared to snapping a shot on your phone. Polaroid film is super expensive and you only get about 15 film strips in every box. So every picture you take only gets one shot, so every photo is intentional and thoughtful-and thats the beauty of the polaroid. Another great thing about having a polaroid camera, and actually having the prints of the photos is that you don't risk loosing a bunch of your pictures and memories if your phone or computer were to crash.

So I'm sure I will be posting lots of polaroid pictures, since taking pics is my new favorite past time!

I hope everyone's having a great semester, and remember, just keep grinding out that school work, it will pay off in the end, and thanksgiving break is almost here! WOOO!

HOW TO PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER

I think most of you can agree that we have reached that time in the semester where it seems like all you are doing is homework and studying and stressing about the next quickly approaching midterm...

Lately I have been dedicating so much time to studying and class work that I barely have time to eat let alone do anything else. And in addition, I haven't gotten a good nights sleep in a while due to all of the grueling hours I have spent on homework lately.

Now I know that pulling an all-nighter definitely isn't the healthiest thing for anyone, however, we are in college and puling off a few all-nighters is going to be inevitable so I've decided to share with you a few things I do when I realize that I have way to  much homework piled up to get any sleep.

Numero Uno:
Prep your environment-
Grab anything you think may be of use to you in the next long hours of studying; this includes chargers! So many times I have forgotten my laptop charger and have gotten to the library to only to realize my computer was at 20% battery--not only does this start your night of terribly and put you in a bad mood when you have to turn around and go back to grab your charger, it also takes away precious time from your night.
If you are staying at home to study, make sure you are in an area with the least distractions as possible. Also, when I am at home studying, I always make sure that I turn all of the lights on and bring out the fans (since I don't have AC) to keep the room well-lit and cool in efforts to help me stay as awake as possible.

Dos:
If you are doing homework that needs to be done on your computer such as writing an essay or researching over the internet make sure you turn off those little notifications that appear in the upper right hand corner of your computer. If you are constantly seeing that you have a social media notification, you will be so much more likely to click on the tab and deter your study time. While I'm talking about using technology wisely... you can make your phone useful to your study time. Use it to set a few alarms to make sure that you don't dose off. You can also use your phone to play relaxing music so that its not dead quiet while your eyes are fighting to stay open. However, put your phone on airplane mode so that you don't even have to worry about being distracted from the many things on your phone that could help you procrastinate your work... you've already done enough of that....

Tres:
Fuel properly:
Make sure you have snack. Whether or not you believe it, your body is burning energy by not only using your brain for your homework but by also trying to keep awake. Another must is caffeine. Come on, this is college people. I don't even think I need to say anything about this one. Caffeine is a new food group for college students and is nonnegotiable when it comes to pulling off an all-nighter.

Most importantly remember, that life will go on after this grueling night. Sure you may be tired the next day, but you will have finished your homework, AND you most likely will not have another night like this for quite a while because you will remember how tough it was!

Good luck to everyone who is pushing through midterms right now. YOU CAN DO IT! And remember, if an all-nighter is necessary it is not the end of the world and you will grind through it!

One of the best decisions I've made this semester

As I'm sure all of you will agree, the college life is a very, very busy life. From going to class all day and then coming home and going to work, only to get off of work and come home to piles of homework and notes to study, and then devoting the other, very minimal free time you have to your social life....you barely even have time to eat. That being said, there is definitely not much time left over to dedicate to exercising or working out and usually with a busy schedule, exercise is the first thing to go, especially since the last thing you want to do when you get home from an exhausting day is hit the track or go to the gym.

That being said... I took it upon myself to make sure I stay healthy this semester and decided to enroll in a PE class for credits. My roommate was enrolled in intermediate spinning and on the first day of class she convinced me to go crash the class. I ended up getting the last spot in the class and I am so happy I did. I think deciding to take a PE class was one of the best decisions I've made regarding my schedule. 

By adding a PE class, it forces you to work out, and not just put it aside because you 'have better things to do..like watch netflix. Because the class counts as credit, attendance is mandatory. At first I was a bit hesitant because I felt like there was going to be days where the last thing I wanted to do was go to spinning, but actually I feel the exact opposite. I actually look forward to my Monday and Wednesday afternoons because of spinning. The spinning coach, Kristina Bautista, is wonderful! She really takes into account how the majority of the class is feeling and bases the workout on what everyone wants to work on for that given day. 

Not only has my decision to take a PE class been beneficial to my physical health, it has also proven extremely helpful to my mental health as well. I have already mentioned the importance of destressing and giving your mind a break, and taking a PE class is definitely a fantastic way to do so. Every time I step into class, I free my mind from all of the hectic school and work worries and focus on myself and my over all health. I have also noticed that I am much more alert in class, and much more productive when it comes to doing homework after spin class. 

I 100% recommend enrolling in a PE class next semester. SBCC offers many different kinds of PE classes, ranging from dance classes, to pilates and yoga, to kickboxing and self defense as well as ocean swimming and surfing to name a few!Take advantage of all of the great classes that SBCC has to offer, I promise you won't regret it!

Managing School and Work

This semester has been my first time attempting to manage 16 units as well as a part time job and let me tell you, this has not been exactly easy. 

I started working at Blenders in the Grass on the mesa this summer to collect some extra money before school started and wasn't sure if I was going to continue working throughout the semester, but when it came time to decide, I realized that my spending habits really didn't leave me with any choice; so I decided to continue working to see how it went. (Not to mention I met a lot of really cool people through working at Blenders, which made it A LOT easier to stay......Which brings me to another point-if you are an incoming freshman, getting a job is such a great way to meet people!)

Anyways... The first couple weeks of school were absolutely brutal. I ended up having to add calculus to my course load, along with taking neuroscience, sociology and anthropology, which was of course a big stressor. Figuring out how to balance a significant amount of homework as well as an ever-changing work schedule proved to be very hard. Since the work schedule at Blenders is different every week, I had a hard time adjusting and finding time to do homework...and eat. But let me tell you, the determination I had to make everything balance out and work in my life really paid off. After a couple of weeks, I began to get into as much of a routine as I could, and the schedule at work seemed to level out to where everyone had basically the same shifts every week, give or take a few shifts. I ended up bringing my homework with me to work and getting some of the busy work done on my breaks. I am so happy with my decision to continue working because it is so nice to be able to have your own money that you earned to go out and spend freely. It has also given me such a sense of accomplishment to be able to balance 16 units as well as a part time job, achieve good grades and still have a bit of extra time left over to hang out with friends and do all of that fun college stuff.

My advice to you:

If you have been considering getting a job, I would highly recommend it. It is such a good experience for life down the road-you really learn how to balance your time and even if it is hard at first, it will get easier once you get into the swing of things! And sure, there are going to be days when you're exhausted and have to stay up extra late finishing up that essay after work, but it will all be worth it when you get your big pay check at the end of the month!

Managing the stressors of the college life

College life has many great and wonderful aspects, but as exciting as it is at times, it also has numerous stress-inducing aspects. There are not only the academic hurdles to jump over, but also the stresses of balancing school, work, homework and social relationships as well as the huge lingering stress of trying to figure out what we are meant to do with our life. Although those listed above, are almost unavoidable stressors, there are some stressors that we, as college kids create for ourselves; those are the ones that we can manage and try to lessen as much as possible.

Do not procrastinate

Due dates for all projects, assignments and papers are typically written in the syllabus that you receive for each class at the beginning of the semester. Time pressure is a major cause of stress in college. So have all of your assignments organized by due date and have all of your syllabi handy so you can ensure that you have enough time for each project and paper assigned throughout the semester.

Ask for help

I have said this many times before, but I will continue to reiterate it. Every professor I have had here at sbcc has been more than willing to help me, either in office hours or in an appointment that we set up to work around my busy class schedule. I really do mean it when I say that the professors here at sbcc want you to succeed. So if you feel lost or are having trouble on a specific lesson, contact your teacher right away to clear things up!

Don’t expect yourself to be perfect

This was something I struggled with at the beginning of college. I am definitely somewhat of a perfectionist and when I would get papers returned with a lesser grade than I had expected, I would beat myself up. Something to keep in mind: this is college, grading is definitely harder than in college and so is the information that you are expected to retain. Don’t get me wrong, you should definitely try your very hardest, because school is important, and ultimately the reason you are here… but getting a paper back with a C even though you are generally an A student isn’t the end of the world! You will be just fine.

Don’t over commit

There are a plethora of ‘extra’ activities on which to spend time on in college. Social events, internships, jobs, sports, or even just hanging out with friends. One thing you should drill into your brain right now is that you cannot do everything. If this is your first year attending college, limit your extra curricular activates first semester to see how much time your study allows, then add on if you aren’t too overwhelmed.

Learn to laugh it off

You have to search for the humor and happiness in life. Even stressful situations have a brought side; look for this and make yourself laugh or even smile. Laughter relaxes tense muscles and soothes the brain. Laughter lets you know that it is okay and life will go on after this 10-page paper, you will get through it and you will survive! If you really cant find anything to laugh about in your situation, turn to something else to brighten your day, watch your favorite comedy or turn to friend and loved ones who you know can put a smile on your face! 

Keep yourself healthy this school year

Since it’s that time of year again, I thought I’d reiterate on how important it is to keep yourself healthy during the school year. For those of you who are first year college students, this is quite a big change, as you progress into the nest step of your life where, suddenly, you don’t have anyone to tell you when to go to bed, when to wake up so that you’re on time, in addition to not having your parents around to make sure you eat breakfast or study for your exam next week. The same goes for all of you continuing college students only this wont be your first rodeo; although, you are probably more than happy to be back on your own without all of that ‘parental supervision’. This means that even though you get to go out and party whenever you want and have endless amount of social time, you also have to do all of your own laundry, cooking, cleaning, time management and in some cases, bills.

Here’s some ways to either get you started with your college journey or get you back into the swing of things.

Establish a daily routine

At first you may take advantage of the freedom that first encompasses you when you head off to college. For example, the freedom of eating meals at whatever time of day you wish, or going to bed at two a.m. and waking up at twelve. However, that freedom isn’t so cool when you oversleep and miss your first morning class and notice that you don’t have any clean shirts left… and realize that your assignment that is due is no where to be found.

The best way to prevent this series of unfortunate event from happening would be to create a routine for yourself right off the bat. Establish patterns for an organized and orderly day. Keep things such as your student ID, keys, ect. In a designated place for safekeeping. Keep materials for each course in separate folders and stored either in your desk or backpack. Set aside a time frame to eat dinner, a time frame to study and also make sure you have time in your day to get a sufficient amount of sleep. Which brings me to my next point…

GET ENOUGH SLEEP

Sleep is so important because it gives our body the time it needs to recharge after a long day of trekking across campus from class to class and all of the long hours of burying your faces in textbooks. When deprived of sufficient sleep the brain does not obtain information as well, which makes it extremely hard to learn. I mean don’t get me wrong, I know that sometimes pulling an all nighter is inevitable in college, but as a general rule, try to allow yourself at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night!

Eat properly

Make sure you are getting sufficient balanced meals with all of the nutrients in them. MAKE SURE YOU EAT BREAKFAST. If you are getting enough sleep, this means that your body has gone without fuel for at least eight hours. Even though you may not feel hungry when you wake up, wait a few minutes and then make sure you get your macros anyways because whether or not you choose to believe it, your body needs and wants that morning fuel to get going and allow for a productive day. An example of a superb and ideal breakfast would be scrambled eggs with cheese, toast and milk or juice. You could also go with yogurt and granola for an easier, less maintenance approach.  If you skip breakfast, you will go through your day and feel sluggish and wont be able to concentrate nearly as well. The other two meals are important as well. You should make sure that you are getting an even balance of carbs, proteins and fats, with some added in fruits and veggies to ensure that your body is functioning at it’s best.