Looking Back

This morning I woke up, made hazelnut coffee, and started writing my morning thoughts in my journal. I thought I'd share them.
I'm officially finished with my first semester of college classes after I take my two finals this week. The past four months have been quite the adventure and have shaped me more than I could've ever imagined. Moving away from my family, my hometown-from everything I've ever been used to has been the biggest change in my life thus far. I don't regret one second of it. There's no doubt I have questioned everything, cried, and experienced new feelings, but the knowledge I've learned is irreplaceable. Each and every day I discover more of who I am and the person I would like to be. Not only have I learned an abundance of information from my courses this semester, I have learned lessons that life teaches you...from having a dead car battery, experiencing a flat tire, insane traffic causing you to have complete road rage, making new friends, living with 3 strangers the first few days, dealing with homesickness, handling money, and ultimately laughing at things you can't control. My goals have changed and my perspective has been altered. I have made a life long friend who I'm more than grateful to have here. Sticking this decision out has been a pretty good decision.
I'm excited for what is to come, where I end up, and who I become.

"To live would be an awfully great adventure." -Peter Pan 

Snackin'

Keeping snacks that are good for you in your dorm is very important! Living on your own can make eating healthy a bit harder, especially when you don't have your own kitchen and appliances and have access to lots of junk food. Thank goodness there's a Trader Joe's and a Whole Foods just a few minutes away from me! By prepping your snacks/meals, being cautious of what you're eating, and treating your body well, it's a bit simpler. Below are some of my favorite snacks and breakfast meals that you can make in a small space with few ingredients. Anyone can make these, even if you aren't living in a dorm.

Yogurt Parfait:
-1 cup vanilla yogurt, 1 cut up apple, granola added to the top, sprinkles of cinnamon
-1 cup Greek yogurt, handful of blueberries, 1 banana, handful of almonds
Make in a plastic cup or a paper bowl so you can just toss it once you are finished!

Hummus:
A few spoonfuls of hummus with carrots, pretzels, cucumber, and celery is one of my go to snacks. I put it in a tupperware container and enjoy when there's time between classes.

Oatmeal:
Most stores have individual oatmeal cups you can purchase, such as a single serving. Those are great, but it's much cheaper to buy a whole box with about 10 packs and it lasts a lot longer. Oatmeal doesn't have to be a boring food! Load your oatmeal up with berries (blueberries, strawberries, bananas), granola, cinnamon, honey, nuts, and enjoy this delicious breakfast or even late night snack!

Bread with various toppings:
So many possibilities for this one:
-1 slice of wheat bread with peanut butter/almond butter and 1/2 cut up banana on top
-1 slice of wheat bread with a hummus spread and 1/2 avocado sliced on top
-1 slice of wheat bread with a jelly spread & cut up strawberries added to top
-1 slice of wheat bread with Nutella and strawberries
These are also delicious on english muffins.

Wraps: 
All you need is tortillas and whatever you'd like to go inside. Use your hummus and veggies from above to create a wrap!
Spinach, tomato, avocado, cucumber for a veggie wrap.
Create a PB and Fruit wrap with strawberries, bananas, and a few blueberries over a peanut butter spread with a handful of granola all wrapped up.

Must Haves: 
My mini refrigerator and snack basket always have these things and they don't expire right away:
Apples
Almond Milk (lasts so much longer than regular milk!)
Granola Bars (Nature Valley, Kind Bars, Z Bars)
Almonds
Green Tea
Dark Chocolate covered Acai Berries
Yogurt cups
Honey Nut Cheerios
Vegetable Soup
String Cheese

Other Tips: 
1. Drink water! There's many vending machines with soda options but water is a zillion times better for you. Carry a water bottle with you throughout the day. Stay hydrated and happy!
2. If there's free fruit, take it, always.

Have a beautiful day!

"If you can learn to love yourself and all the flaws, you can love other people so much better. And that makes you so happy." -Kristin Chenoweth 

New Life is Starting...Now

The past couple of days I have been at college orientation! It's consisted of meeting tons of people (and then forgetting most of their names two seconds later), adjusting to living in a dorm, and getting a feel for the campus. So far, it's been really great! Everyone here is extremely friendly, which definitely makes things more comfortable. It's pretty crazy to think I'm actually in California away from everything I'm used to. There are students who are here from all over the country and even different parts of the world! I can't wait to post more once classes start and I get more of a set schedule established for myself. 

My roommate and I are in love with our dorm room so here are a few photos! We coordinated our colors and some of our decor, too.

For any college student who hasn't moved into their dorm yet, there's a few things I would suggest. 

1. Make your bed comfortable! My bed has about three layers of padding and down comforters which is so nice, especially to have a comfortable place that feels closer to home. 

2. Talk to your roommate before move in day to coordinate who is bringing shared items such as a mini fridge, microwave, TV, Keurig, and all that good stuff.

3. STORAGE! Under your bed is the ideal place for all of the things you won't be using daily. Just buy a few containers from target and label them with what you will be storing. 

4. Have everything organized now, so you know where everything of yours is and aren't overwhelmed when classes start. (your desk, clothes, snacks, bathroom necessities...)

If anybody would like to know my address to mail something, let me know and I'd be happy to give it to you.

Oh yeah... tomorrow is Labor Day, so have a fantastic day off! Thanks for reading xx 

"Life is pure adventure, and the sooner we realize that, the quicker we will be able to treat life as art." -Maya Angelou