Living Large

1) Use a Planner I joke and compare my planner to my Bible. Planners can be so helpful for laying out upcoming and long-term assignments, especially for visual learners. I recommend one with a cute design which will get you excited to use it. I’ve been using the Large 17-month Lily Pulitzer planner for years and absolutely love it! 2) Snack As silly as it sounds, it is very important to snack while studying for finals. Some of the best snacks are grapes, edamame, apples, smoothies, nuts, healthy chocolate bars, eggs, and protein. These will stabilize your brain energy levels and maintain your focus. I personally can never focus if I’m hungry, so I always like to have snacks handy or pack some if I go to the library. Nicotine, caffeine, and sugar or fat-filled treats might give you a quick burst of dopamine, but this is only a temporary boost of energy. 3) Drink Water Studies show that students who drink water during an exam score an average of 5% higher than thos...

When I was in high school I struggled with keeping a friend group and never felt I had a place of belonging. I reached out to my Young Life leader to get coffee and talk about this one day. He took out a sheet of paper from his notebook and made a T chart. "I'll never ask you to do anything that I wouldn't do myself," Jack said. He numbered the margin from 1-7 and asked me to write down the 7 people I am closest to, not including my family. He said the way I number the people didn’t matter, and family was excluded from the list because they are a permanent part of one’s life, unlike friends who could leave you at any moment. Initially I thought that coming up with seven people wouldn't be that hard, but I was wrong. The first person that came to mind was my friend Catherine, who I've been best friends with since 6th grade. Then I listed off a couple high school and cheer friends. I was at 5. I didn’t really have 7 people I could put down. He comforted ...

Hey guys!! Welcome to my blog :) I am very excited to start this because I've always had a passion for writing and enjoy sharing it with others. To get to know me a little better, here is a piece I wrote when I was graduating high school for my Creative Writing class. It is a list of things I have lost in my life: Many, many pairs of Under Armour socks that were a size too small. A High School Musical “Gabriella Montez” necklace that my mom bought me at the Westchester Mall. The CT spelling bee when I was in fourth grade because I couldn’t spell “carriage” correctly. The chance to go to a senior party when I was freshman because my mom refused to let me go. Sleep. So much sleep. My mint-green water bottle that my friend got me for my sixteenth birthday.  My innocence in eighth grade when my grade was playing Bingo and Mrs. Warren called out O69 and the whole class started chuckling but I looked around confused. My friend dragged me into the library that day and wrote down what the...