Travel
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Finding the 'Perfect' Carry-On
Travel post #1 as I start prepping for Scotland involves searching for the 'perfect' carry-on tote. Yes a tote bag, that I will also use as a carry-on, but I also hope to get something that can be used for future travel and possibly on the day-to-day basis. What exactly do I want in my carry-on: a bag to hold my computer, pockets for my wallet/passport/tickets, shoulder strap so I can wear it as a cross-body, and space for all the extras. There are of course some bonus bags that also have a separate compartment for shoes, making those bags ideal for weekend trips!
Finding the 'perfect' bag seems to be impossible, but I do have 7 that I am debating between. I personally love #2, the Lo & Sons OG bag, and #6, the Longchamp Le Pliage tote.
If any of you have the perfect carry-on tote, let me know, all advice will be appreciated!!!
College Tips
Ten Things To Do Before You Graduate
One of the most exciting/scariest/saddest parts of your college experience will be graduation. This one day puts an end to all the late night, study sessions, and sleepless nights that you have had to get a piece of paper. It's a crazy experience but also one that you and the people close to you will cherish.
One of the best parts before graduation is making sure to enjoy every last moment that you have at your university. For me, it was great because we had a week in between exams to spend time with the people who were there for me over the last 4 years (and then 2 years with my Masters). This meant lounging by the pool, having some drinks and sharing all the memories that we had made.
So before you toss your mortarboard into the air and say peace out to the place you've called home for the last few years, here are some things that you should consider doing!
One of the best parts before graduation is making sure to enjoy every last moment that you have at your university. For me, it was great because we had a week in between exams to spend time with the people who were there for me over the last 4 years (and then 2 years with my Masters). This meant lounging by the pool, having some drinks and sharing all the memories that we had made.
So before you toss your mortarboard into the air and say peace out to the place you've called home for the last few years, here are some things that you should consider doing!
- Go out with friends/host a get-together/go to a tailgate. Whatever floats your boat, make sure that you spend time with the people who make you smile, make you laugh, and people that you will miss once you leave college. Believe it or not, after you leave getting together with everyone is exponentially harder.
- Make a badass resume and a general cover letter that you can use for applications (jobs, internships and graduate schools included). Have a professor look at it this way once you're out in the real world you will be ready to get the job you want!
- DO SOMETHING THAT YOU WILL REGRET. Drink on the roof of a building on campus; go out with that guy who you have a crush on; go out to a party and enjoy it so much that the morning after is miserable. Whatever it is, make sure it is something that you have been wanting to do and haven't had the guts to do.
- Head out and support a sports team or a school activity. Believe it or not, going to a game is not miserable, there is a pre-game tailgate! Plus showing school spirit is part of college.
- Talk with your professors, the ones that have had an impact on you, and tell them that. They will be the ones that you will need for recommendations letters and possible job connections, so showing them that they impacted you will pay off.
- Take a last minute weekend trip/ road trip with your friends. Rent a cabin, go camping, head to the beach and watch the sunrise. Moments like those are the ones that you will remember
- Break into the campus pool and throw a senior pool party. I did this at Wingate and although the water may have been freezing, the thrill of breaking in and then running when the campus security guard broke it up, I will forever say it was 100% worth it.
- Clean up your social media. While I totally prefer the 'fun' things on this list, making sure that you are ready for the adult world is a necessary thing to do. And it is 100% true that some bosses will Google and check up on you before your hired, it happened to me in Indy.
- Go through all of your coursework and books and figure out what to keep. Creating a college reference binder will help for graduate school and reviewing things for your future jobs.
- Learn how to write a proper 'Thank You Note'. Not only will you need these for all the graduation gifts, but they are also lovely to give as one final Thank You for your professors.
Study Abroad
1. The first thing to do is find where you want to apply to. This search/process should start about a year before you would be starting there. Graduate Applications for me were due at the start of February with a Fall start that I then pushed back to spring.
2. Once you apply and GET ACCEPTED, the fun stuff starts. Now you will need to work towards getting you an unconditional offer. An unconditional offer for me meant that I had to have proof that I have my Masters degree, for others this may mean proving that you have your bachelors. Whatever you need for you unconditional offer make sure that you try to get this done asap.
3. Once you have an unconditional offer, you then get your CAS. This is what you need for applying for your visa.
4. Applying for your visa. Things differ from place to place but here is the rundown of what I am doing for mine.
Of course, you also need to include finding an apartment/place to live, anything that your university may require that you do, and say your goodbyes.
Study Abroad: Where to start?
Now that I am officially done with my thesis, aka the most stressful event in my life so far, I can now focus on actually getting to Scotland. Now I am pretty sure the second most stressful event in my life will be all the fun that comes with actually getting to Scotland. With this joy of an application process, I thought that I would share all that I have figured out as both a guide for anyone who plans to study abroad in the future and also to anyone who has done this and can point out any tips that they have!
- Online application and the information that you need for the application.
- CAS Information
- Passport Information
- Parents information, where they were born and birth date.
- Travelling plans aka why you need a visa.
- Financial information
- Pay your online fee (about 500 USD) and schedule your appointment for fingerprints at a biometrics centre.
- Send in your application to finally be processed. This includes sending in:
- Passport
- 2 passport sized photos
- CAS letter
- Biometric Information
- A printout showing that you paid your application fee
- Shipping label to be used for sending back your passport to you.
- Wait and hope that you pass. They may also request that you submit additional information, so be ready to submit anything that they may ask for.
Well, hope this list gives you kind of idea about 'Where to start when you want to study abroad'.
College Tips
Making a College Syllabus 'Cheat Sheet'
With almost ten years of college/university/post-high school education under my belt, I would like to think that the one thing I have mastered is attempting to avoid mistakes that I had previously made. According to prior mistakes especially is true for the ones that are the easiest to avoid - like forgetting that I have an insane week in the middle of the semester or that all of my professors conspired and had placed three tests all in one week!
Now fortunately for me as a post-graduate student (Ph.D. life), I get to avoid tests/practicals / general things that were all I had to focus on as an undergrad and masters student. While I may not have the "due dates" like I used to, I still believe that using some 'cheat-sheet' for essential dates is a must need for anyone in school.
The start of the year (or semester) is filled with all the joy of being one step closer to being done, a new class that you are looking forward to and of course the class syllabus. Something that used to be considered an easy first day becuase all of the professors would generally go over what was in store for the class, but is often disregarded after that moment.
Sure student may go through and highlight the importannt dates, file it away in the apporpriate binder (folder), but I have firmly believed that the syllabus should be something much more than an easy first day of class.
The critical thing that we need to focus on is the course outline filled with all the IMPORTANT DATES. Highlight anytime there is an assignment due, a quiz or class test, or any other things that require more preparation than just a day.
Now fortunately for me as a post-graduate student (Ph.D. life), I get to avoid tests/practicals / general things that were all I had to focus on as an undergrad and masters student. While I may not have the "due dates" like I used to, I still believe that using some 'cheat-sheet' for essential dates is a must need for anyone in school.
The start of the year (or semester) is filled with all the joy of being one step closer to being done, a new class that you are looking forward to and of course the class syllabus. Something that used to be considered an easy first day becuase all of the professors would generally go over what was in store for the class, but is often disregarded after that moment.
Sure student may go through and highlight the importannt dates, file it away in the apporpriate binder (folder), but I have firmly believed that the syllabus should be something much more than an easy first day of class.
What is in generally in each syllabus?
The basics such as the professors office, email, course number, honor code, and grading policy of the class.
The critical thing that we need to focus on is the course outline filled with all the IMPORTANT DATES. Highlight anytime there is an assignment due, a quiz or class test, or any other things that require more preparation than just a day.
Key things from the syllabus
- Due dates
- Exams
- Quizzes
- Mandatory Class Participation (aka outside of class dates)
- Anything that requires more than one day to plan for and complete.
Creating a syllabus cheat sheet
After collecting all of your syllabus, for me this always took at least two days, as I had class on an M/W/F and Tu/Th, sit down and prepare to plan out your semester for success, or at least have an idea of how the semester should look.
- Grab a different color pen/highlighter/marker for each of your classes. To be extra on top of things try and create a paper version and one that you can keep on your phone (or include it as a portion of whichever calendar app that you use)
- Go through EACH syllabus and highlight all of the critical due dates/ papers/ anything that will take you more than a day to do (and I am not talking about a procrastination day of cramming last minute)
- For the paper version: I go through and prefer to do things on a monthly basis with each month getting its piece of paper.
- Each class gets its color with the key dates being highlighted. Let's say that I know I have 'other' meetings going on as well; I will add those to my sheet just so that I can have them on the overall view of the month, as well as in my calendar.
- Each months 'cheat sheet' is made using the same color-coding and abbreviations from the earlier versions. This helps to keep everything the same allowing you an easy to glance out an overview of your month.
- Make a copy of the sheet - I recently started making them in Excel allowing me to print off multiple copies along with them staying organized. Hang the 'extra' sheets wherever you may do work around your room/apartment.
- Each week check to see what you have going on (preferably the weekend before) this way nothing should come up as a surprise!
- UPDATE THE SHEETS - nothing is more annoying than trying to be organized and having a class assignment pushed or a date change from what you were expecting!
Like I said I recently started using Excel to make my sheets - my handwriting is terrible plus it's easy to change things around. More importantly, I can print off 5 or so copies to keep with me or hang around my flat, so I don't miss anything!
Do you have any advice on how you keep up with all of your classes/assignments/meetings?
Travel
Question for everyone----
Roadtrip: Mystic Connecticut
I am back finally. I am terrible at getting on a schedule with all of the road trips that I have been on. Lucky me though today I head back to school and am back to writing, research and prepping for the start of the semester! Well, this past week I headed Connecticut for my little brothers Navy Sub School Graduation. There will be a post showing the graduation and the sub museum in Groton, Connecticut!
First I wanted to share the fantastic seaside town of Mystic Connecticut! It is home to Mystic Pizza the pizza shop that inspired the film Mystic Pizza with Julia Roberts and Matt Damon. Some amazing ice cream shops, a charming drawbridge that you can sit by and watch the boat pass under and also some of the best seafood I have ever eaten! So hope you enjoy all the pictures and I am happy to be back blogging!!!!
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| Dinner with a view and the place to go in Mystic! |
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| Food at The S&P Oyster Company! (L-R) Stuffed Poblano Pepper with crab, shrimp, cheese and some other yumminess. Fried oysters. Veggie Quesadilla. |
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We didn't eat at Mystic Pizza, but this photo proves we're close!!! 
Shopping and art around the town! This whale was at the local bookstore!
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| Note to self - Having your brother and BF take pictures of you tends not to work well! |
Well there they are Mystic Connecticut told through photos! I must say I loved this town and wish I could live there in a houseboat!!!!
Question for everyone----
Who has seen Mystic Pizza? My mom continually told me to watch it (I still haven't seen it) and yet she said it was a famous movie.
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