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The Ultimate Guide To College Game Day

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the ultimate guide to college game day

Attending college football games on my campus is one of my biggest goals this semester. You see, I don’t know the first thing about football and I never really cared to go out to any of the games. But this past weekend I went to my school’s football game and actually had a really great time, despite my lack of knowledge for the sport. Plus, it was my first ever time attending a football game as a spectator so I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect other than going, sitting, and, well, watching the game.

If it’s your first time going to a game and you need some super cool *insider knowledge*, here’s what I learned at my first football game:

1. Familiarize yourself with your school’s policy on attending sports games.

Do you have to reserve tickets in advance? Can you just walk right in and sit anywhere you want? If you bring family members how much do the tickets cost? These are questions you should find the answers to before game day arrives! I had no idea that I needed to reserve a ticket for the game; I assumed that because I’m a student I could just show my ID at the gate and walk right in. It was a good thing my friend told me the proper way to attend games at our school.

2. Wear your school’s colors.

At my school, there is never a shortage of red t-shirts that say, “WHAT’S A SEAWOLF?” Wearing your school’s colors is an easy way to feel connected and feel like you’re really one with the thousands of other students who go there. I’m a major sucker for cool collegiate apparel so I have two hats, two sweatshirts, sweatpants, two t-shirts, a long sleeve top, and a football jersey with my school’s logo and whatnot on them (told ya I’m obsessed with this stuff). But if you aren’t going to wear your school’s colors then MAKE SURE you DON’T wear the rival school’s colors accidentally!

3. Do fun nail art to show off your school pride.

Showin my SBU pride with #gameday nail art! 🐾🏈

A photo posted by Jasmin | College Blogger (@xoitzjazz) on

I love combining beauty with school spirit! For the game this past weekend, I did SBU-themed nail art using my school’s colors and it was not only super fun to do the night before, but it was also cool to show off. Get creative and make your eye makeup match your school’s colors! I didn’t have red eyeshadow on me, but if I did I would’ve also done that. If you don’t believe in your makeup skills (don’t worry, I believe in you!!) you can never go wrong with stickers. Just buy star-shaped stickers in your school’s colors and put them on your face, but don’t do this if your skin is sensitive to the glue!

4. Dress in layers if you aren’t sure about the weather.

The weather can be surprising sometimes, especially out here in Long Island. On game day, I thought it would be a bit colder because of the wind, so I wore a sweatshirt over my football jersey; if it got hot, at least I could just take off the sweatshirt, and if it got cold I could put it on. Something as seemingly small as a change in the weather can really take away from your experience — you might even be inclined to leave early if you’re too hot or too cold.

5. Be prepared to spend about 3-4 hours at the game.

Football can be a little slow because the timer stops frequently. There is no exact time limit for the game, so it can really go on for a while. If you know you have a lot of work to do but you’re still determined to have a good time at the game, get as much of your work done as possible before the game, because you might be haunted by the thought of all the exams you still have to study for and you might want to leave early. Also, make sure you have adequate phone battery. You probably won’t bring a portable charger with you (especially not if you carry a tiny crossbody) so make sure your battery can last at least until the game is over.

Btw, don’t forget to check out my post on how to get organized so you can keep track of all your assignments and not miss a game!

6. Don’t bring food or drinks with you.

Security at the gate will make you throw it out before entering. And don’t think you can get away with hiding it in a big bag because they check your bags as well. If you’re intent on not spending a dime for overpriced concession stand food, eat a big meal and hydrate before the game. I caved and had to buy a cheesy pretzel (which a WASP crawled on!) because I didn’t eat enough before leaving my room.

7. Get to the game on time.

But if you’re attending homecoming, plan to get to the game early because you may not get the seats you want if you arrive late or even on time. Homecoming is, like, a next level football game that literally everyone and their mother wants to go to because of all the festivities going on, so you must account for all that. During normal football games, sometimes it doesn’t get really crowded until around half-time, but if you really want to take your football experience to the *next level* you should try to make it to see the whole thing.

8. Beware of bees!

It was still fairly hot for September weather and bees and wasps were EVERYWHERE. I know that they say the key to conquering those little mother truckers is to just stay calm and be still and they’ll leave you alone. But let me tell you, I cannot count the number of times when a wasp flew near me and even though I was still and tried to not pay attention to it, it only got bolder and got all up in my face. It seemed like there was no actual way to win, so I ended up just standing behind the rail rather than sitting in the bleachers because I got sick of all the buzzing. Just keep in mind that if you want to beat the bees, you might have to try to attend a game later in the season.

9. Don’t stay glued to your phone screen the entire game.

Look up and actually try to follow the game. I know the temptation of wanting your Snap Story game to be strong that day, but just make sure you also try to follow what’s happening. And if you’re like me and don’t understand what the terms mean or why they stop the game every 30 seconds, it doesn’t hurt to go with a friend who knows a little something about the sport and can explain to you. It’s hard to genuinely have fun when you don’t make the effort.

10. Really get into the game and have fun!

Get on your feet and cheer! Sing along to any songs and join in on any chants for your school. I sometimes think that I’ll look ridiculous cheering and singing but then I realize that I feel awkward when I don’t. Just getting into the vibe of things can really help you have a lot more fun and ultimately enjoy your experience. So don’t be afraid let yourself enjoy the game!

I really hope this post provided some insight into how to prepare for a college football game, and even motivated you to go out to one if you haven’t thought of it. I definitely hope that I can make it to all of the home games this season!

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and Twitter to keep up with all of my posts and crazy/fun happenings! 

Have you been to a college football game? What was your experience like? 

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11 Things To Do When You Feel Overwhelmed In College

Jasmin - Macarons & Mascara 4 Comments
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Is it bad that I’ve only had three weeks of classes and I already want the semester to be over? No? Okay, good. Don’t get me wrong, I do love most of my classes and I feel like they’ll only get better and better, but I wish that were true of the amount of work I have to do! I definitely feel like I’m always doing homework, no matter how much of it I complete; when I finish one class assignment, I have to start preparing for the next. Ya know what I mean???? And if you have a packed schedule, it feels way crazier!

I’m very good at managing multiple tasks and I don’t get stressed often at all, but this week it really hit me hard and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t upset about it. If you’re in the same boat as me, here’s how I started dealing with this stressful week and how I will continue to manage it.

1. Keep track of your assignments and obligations.

I know, doing more work is the last thing you want to do at this point, but at least knowing exactly what you have to do will help you stress less because you won’t have to rip your hair our trying to remember what assignment you had to do for Chem lab, or when your English paper is due. My post on how to get organized in college has more snazzy organization tips.

2. Break up your obligations into manageable bits.

Don’t try to complete assignments for five classes in one night! Knowing your limit can really help you pay attention to your own needs as a human being because, believe it or not, you still need to eat and sleep. If you know that you get tired by midnight and can’t focus anymore, aim to complete assignments for just two classes that day and you can plan to do the others on other days. Also, if you know that one particular assignment is very big and you doubt you’ll be able to finish it in one sitting, plan ahead to break it into chunks so that, first of all, you don’t procrastinate the assignment, and second, it feels more manageable.

3. Reconsider your schedule.

I’m not saying you should drop every single class that requires you to put in a little more effort than you expected, but if there’s a class that’s giving you absolute hell, or you feel like the number of credits you’re taking is a bit too much for you at the moment, drop it. I can be really stubborn when it comes to this because I used to think that just powering through it — no matter how stressful it might get — is better than quitting. Boy was I wrong! There’s no shame in needing to drop something from your schedule! This is something I learned during the first two weeks of class last spring. For the record, I absolutely do not regret dropping the class I dropped! Good riddance!

4. Give yourself a break.

Like, actually take a night off to just chill and do something you want to do. If you feel like you need an hour or two of “Gossip Girl” treat yourself to it! If you just feel like taking a nap, more power to ya. I hate forcing myself to do work when it feels like my brain is turning to mush! Besides, I’m unable to retain what I’m studying if I can’t get my brain to focus. Even if you aren’t tired, it’s still important to take a *short* vacation from the books and just hang out with friends, chill by yourself, or do something fun.

5. Cut out any social drama. 

Seriously, this is the last thing you should be worrying about when you’re already stressed. Being mad at your friend or having one of your friends be mad at you can honestly really hit you hard; I’d be lying if I said that I wouldn’t feel even a little upset if a good friend of mine was angry with me for something. You don’t need to have this take over your mind, so to try to avoid drama, misunderstandings, and all that other annoying stuff, be straightforward and honest with your friends about everything — if someone does something you don’t like, tell them politely! Don’t talk crap behind their back because they’ll likely find out and it’ll cause so much unwanted crap!

6. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. 

If you’re like me, then you probably love getting involved in pretty much everything going on and you tell yourself, “yeah, you got this, you can take this.” Stop doing that. You’ve likely got enough on your plate as it is, and adding more obligations to that smorgasbord won’t help you feel less overwhelmed! There are definitely some things that I would have loved to do this semester, but I know that if I add anymore obligations to my schedule I basically won’t sleep. Like, at all. We can’t be the president of every club we like, and we can’t grab every part-time job we’re able to swing.

7. Drop whatever doesn’t work for you anymore. 

This might be what you have to do if you somehow managed to fill your plate a little too much. If there’s an obligation that demands too much from you and doesn’t give you even half the return you expect after putting in so much work, then maybe it’s time to let it go. There are some things that are definitely worth the blood, sweat, and tears (even if there are lots and lots of tears) but use your discretion to figure out what just isn’t, especially if it’s the thing that’s causing you to feel the most overwhelmed. I know that just dropping something sounds even a little selfish but you shouldn’t have any qualms about looking out for your personal health!

8. Do some work in the company of friends. 

Friends who struggle together stay together, after all. That was totally a joke (kind of). But I find that when I’m literally losing my sh*t I tend to feel better if I at least do it in the company of others. Ranting to your besties about how much work you have to do feels really good, and in return you get to hear them rant about all the work they have to do and that kind of reminds you that you’re all in the same boat together. But it’s cool because you’ll get through it together, too. Seriously, just talking to a friend about how you feel can make a difference. Likewise, if you feel that speaking to a therapist will help, don’t be afraid to schedule an appointment.

9. Exercise. 

That doesn’t mean you have to go hardcore at the gym and run six miles to sweat out all your tension; doing less strenuous activities can also be very alleviating so don’t forget about those! Simply taking a walk around the track while you listen to music can help you unwind. If your campus gym offers free fitness classes, definitely take advantage of those, too!

10. Take a nap.

I never nap. Ever. But if I feel like I have the weight of 30 textbooks on me, then a nap sounds pretty damn good (I’ll probably take a quick one after I’m done with this post!). Naps are very refreshing and I feel like when I wake up again my mind is a lot more clear and I have a little more energy to complete any tasks that need to get done. But also don’t force yourself to take a nap if you aren’t actually that tired because you’ll likely just end up laying in bed playing with your phone for three hours instead.

11. Appreciate the little things in life. 

I always enjoy getting to play music in the morning while I brush my teeth and shower. I love putting on lively, happy music so that I start my day the very same way. It’s small and sounds cheesy but it makes me look forward to the rest of my day, and even makes me feel like I can just fly through everything and basically be a badass. My post on how to make your mornings more exciting has more suggestions on small things you can do.

I hope you found this post really useful and if you are feeling very overwhelmed right now, I hope you’ll consider trying out one of these tips! Of course, everyone’s different and what may work for me may not work for you and vice versa.

What are your tips for managing stress in college? 

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7 Matte Lipsticks Under $8

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7 matte lipsticks under $8

Beauty confession: I’m in absolute love with matte lipstick. To be fair, I prefer a matte finish to basically everything — eyeshadow, foundation, eyeliner????????? — so I really love the look of perfectly mattified pouts. While I do splurge from time to time and buy a more expensive lipstick so long as it’s the right shade and the consistency and finish are amazing, I’m also cheap AF and like to keep the costs down so I turn to drugstore lip products.

But to be honest, I used to absolutely hate lipstick! Yep, I was a lip-balm-goes-with-everything kinda girl (which is still pretty true for me because if you’ve read my post on college essentials you’d know that I hoard lip balm like it’s my job. But anyway, I started experimenting with lipstick about a year ago when I dyed my hair blue because I just really wanted to travel outside of my comfort zone and try something new to see if I’d like it. Well, I certainly fell in love with lipstick and I wear some pretty much everyday! Over the span of that year, I have found a few really awesome lipsticks that my life wouldn’t be complete without (okay, I’m being dramatic here). But nevertheless, If you haven’t already tried these products, give them a go!

1. NYX Lip Lingerie in ‘Teddy’

Let me start off by saying I love products from NYX and always run straight for them because they’re affordable and of really great quality, and there’s always a large selection of everything. Second, I adore a nice, brown lip. Brown lipstick is one of my favorite shades, especially on dark, gloomy days when I want to look a little edgy without going for a full blown black or dark purple lip. Brown lipstick also just goes so great with my tan skin and silvery hair! ‘Teddy’ is a fairly dark brown (think of the fur color of one of your favorite teddy bears!) so those who aren’t used to wearing browns may be a bight shocked to see that it’s really pigmented and dark. The liquid lipstick dries very quickly, but I have never felt that it was too drying on my lips. I hate super dry matte lipsticks that leave your lips feeling parched, so this is just perfect for me! $6.99 is very affordable for a matte lipstick of this quality, and I actually decided to purchase this because my Urban Decay matte lipstick in ‘1993’ (a much lighter brown than ‘Teddy’) wasn’t matte enough for me.

2. NYX Liquid Suede Liquid Lipstick in ‘Sway’

Like I said, I adore products from NYX! I also really seem to love liquid lipsticks, too, maybe because I feel like applying lip products with a wand applicator gives me much more control and allows me to apply it more precisely to my lips. But anyway, let’s get to the good part about why ‘Sway’ is too damn perfect to ignore: IT’S PURPLE. But not like a dark, vampy, plum-y purple; IT’S LAVENDER. I thought that having lavender lips would look really cool and be really fun at the same time, and it has taken me a lot of trial and error before I finally found the perfect lavender shade to go with my skin tone, but this is finally it. The Liquid Suede line is extremely matte and dries very quickly, and at $6.99 a pop, you really can’t not fall in love! The line is also pretty big and has other pretty shades that you should try — I also mention a few others here as well!

3. NYX Liquid Suede Lipstick in ‘Cherry Skies’

Like ‘Sway’, ‘Cherry Skies’ costs $6.99 and is, again, ultra matte. The one thing that can be a tad bit off-putting about this particular shade is that it’s a bit more drying than the others I have. But ‘Cherry Skies’ is such a gorgeous, deep red and I love it so much that I’m willing to tolerate it! To combat it, though, I just apply a very generous layer of lip balm (again with my lip balm obsession!!!!) and the liquid lipstick glides right on. The lip balm doesn’t affect the application of the lipstick in any way, nor does it affect the pigmentation — another thing I LOVE about this lipstick is that everything is extremely pigmented, so there’s no need to layer on excessively (unless you like to). This shade is a fab fall lipstick because it’s really dark and pretty sexy, so needless to say, it’s going to be my go-to for any fun, fall events at my school!

4. NYX Liquid Suede Lipstick in ‘Soft Spoken’

I promise, this is my LAST NYX product on this list!!!!!! I think you definitely believe that I’m in love with these products by now! I have a lot of very show-stopping lipsticks in my collection, which is why I wanted to make sure I didn’t leave for college without buying just one more toned down lip color. ‘Soft Spoken’ is a pink-brown that looks more natural against my skin, though, it still provides really nice pigment. It’s my new favorite for those days when I’m not exactly sure which lipstick to apply, or when I’m really rushing to leave my room but want to apply something quickly. Just bear in mind that, like I said, this looks a little natural against my tan skin, so if you have lighter skin, this may come off a bit more brown than you might expect and if you have darker skin, this may seem a bit more pink. Guess how much it costs — $6.99!!!

5. Katy Kat Matte Lipstick in ‘Maroon Meow’

This is the first Katy Kat Matte lipstick I’ve ever tried and I’m really excited about it!!!!! This line just seemed so beautiful and cute and I just needed to grab even just one, so I chose ‘Maroon Meow’ which is a bit of a plum-y shade — a significantly darker purple than ‘Sway’ from NYX. I love purples so I really enjoyed this color. The one thing that was unimpressive about this lipstick is that it claims to be matte but I didn’t really experience that here. As weird as this is going to sound, I wish that it was a little less slick and moist looking because what really caught me was the ‘matte’ element I expected to find. Maybe we can call this more of a moisturizing matte?????? It’s still a very pretty color and if you actually aren’t sure about diving into the wonderful world of matte lipstick, this would be a really good sort of “test” line that doesn’t give you straight up matte your very first time using it because sometimes you have to get used to the feeling of matte lipstick. I got this at Walgreens for $6.99.

6. ULTA Matte Lip Crayon in ‘Sparkle’

This lip crayon costs around $8 at ULTA but I actually received this for free in a swag bag from Her Conference back in July and I was so excited to try it out! ‘Sparkle’ is a really pretty pink shade that’s actually matte, which I was a bit surprised by because lip crayons I have used in the past were a little more slick than I had expected them to be, so this was a very pleasant realization. ‘Sparkle’ was a bit less pigmented than I would have liked, and even though it’s a medium pink, it was just a bit too light for my skin tone, however, it looks perfect on my mom’s lighter skin!

7. Wet n’ Wild MegaLast Lip Color in ‘Don’t Blink Pink’

Wet n’ Wild holds a special place in my heart because it was the first makeup brand I turned to when I started using makeup in high school. I remember the first product I ever bought from them was a waterproof mascara and it became my go-to! Wet n’ Wild is a super affordable brand (these lipsticks only cost $1.99!!!!!) and they have some really great quality products. ‘Don’t Blink Pink’ is a really hot pink — like really hot! Surprisingly, it’s one of the most daring shades I’ve ever purchased (yes, more so than lavender colored lipstick) because this lipstick just screams “LOOK AT ME AND MY FAB LIPS.” The lipstick itself is really creamy and is, in fact, matte and even when I rub it off after a long day, the tint still remains on my lips, so props for staying power!

I hope you decide to try out some of the lipsticks on my list (because they are the bomb dot com!!!!!). And if you love this type of post, definitely let me know in the comments what makeup products I should round up next because I feel like I own and have tried a lot of different products that I can definitely talk a lot about with you!

What’s your favorite matte lipstick? 

Don’t forget to check out my post on college beauty essentials! 

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter!

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The Ultimate Guide To Organizing Your Life In College

Jasmin - Macarons & Mascara 1 Comment
how to get organized in college

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by May Designs. As always, all thoughts and opinions are completely my own, I’d never lie to ya! 

Whoever said college was easy is a big liar and I’d like to high-five their face with a chair. It’s not necessarily always the academic part of college that makes things difficult — it’s the balancing other aspects of your life with the academic part that really gets us every time. As a fairly ambitious collegiate, I can say that without a doubt, it gets difficult to organize your duties and plan your time when you’re looking out for your school work, job, extracurriculars, social life, and even your personal life too!

The good news is that when that…rather large…slice of life gets a little crazy, getting into the habit of staying organized can really help you digest things a little easier. Like, you’ll actually be able to breathe a little! This is definitely one of my favorite posts because first, I can go on and on about organization for hours (but don’t worry, I won’t chat your ear off this time!) and second, I love an opportunity to just organize myself and lay everything out right in front of me so that I never feel like I’m blindly running through college (and tripping and falling on my face in the process!).

1. Hang a dry-erase calendar on your wall and look at it every. Single. Day. 

But don’t put it directly above the head-side of your bed because it might fall off and give you a good midnight surprise! My terrible attempts at being funny aside, keeping a calendar in sight in your room can help you plan ahead — appointments, campus events, meetings, parties, due dates of homework assignments, etc. I like using colorful dry erase markers to make my calendar look a little prettier and more exciting so that way I actually enjoy looking at it! Because of this, my calendar is also a great piece of dorm room decor for me, so now you have even more of a reason for buying one. But remember to always refer back to it so that you stay aware of important dates that are approaching.

2. Create a to-do list on your phone. 

I’m an avid user of to-do lists, especially when I list things out in the exact order that I want to complete them in. All you need is a pen and paper and you can feel the sweet victory of crossing things out on your list after completing them. Ah, what a wonderful feeling it is! While I usually write lists in my planner, I have really taken to writing lists in the Notes application on my phone because I always have it in my hand so it’s easy for me to take a quick peak while I’m on my way to class if I forgot what other things I needed to do that day. Sometimes I have those days where I even need to list the fact that I have to go to class just so I can look at everything collectively! Yeah, it happens, we have those moments.

3. Make homework one of your priorities. 

Not gonna lie, I’d much rather go through a season of Gossip Girl than a chapter in a textbook, but homework is a necessary evil. You should probably do it. Correction: you must do it. Turning in homework assignments can be the difference between an A- and an A, or a C- and a C, so don’t squander those points! You’ll be super upset with yourself if you put it off for the last possible minute and have to stay up until all hours of the morning to complete it. Keep homework assignments near the top of your to-do list. I like to make sure I finish at least one big upcoming homework assignment before I hang out with friends. Plus, hanging out with people is a good study/homework break!

4. Use a journal to keep track of your fitness goals. 

May Designs Notebook

Like I said, college organization isn’t just about the schoolwork. If you have some fitness goals you’d like to achieve, keeping a journal is a great way to not just keep track of them, but to also motivate you to keep at it! The one above is from May Designs and it’s not only super gorgeous but it helps me keep track of my meals and snacks, and daily water consumption, and I can leave myself notes in case I think of something like a nutritious recipe I want to try out, or if I want to reflect on the day.

How To Get Organized In College

Organization in college

On the first page of the book, you can write out your goals to remind you of why you’re working out and eating healthy. For me, it’s because I’m asthmatic and my freshman year of college was my first time having an asthma attack in more than five years. Looking back, I think it might’ve been because of my weight gain (Freshman 15 doesn’t play games!). So I’m determined to shed some weight and put myself back in a healthier position so that I don’t suffer through another asthma attack like that.

How To Get Organized In College

But inspirational story aside, I am very much in love with this journal and I also love that you can really personalize it to make it your own (who doesn’t love monogrammed things????). I have my name on it and let me tell you, it took me DAYS to finally settle on a design and monogram style because there are so many designs to choose from and they are so beautiful!!! And if freedom with your book’s cover isn’t enough, you can also choose what your inside pages look like. I chose for mine to be the fitness journal, but you can also choose weekly and daily agendas, a prayer journal, budget planner (hint, hint if you love saving money in college!), and more. I received the ‘Classic Book’ which is 5” x 8” and contains 80 pages.

5. Set up a routine for calling your parents. 

Crap happens and before we know it, we’re forgetting to call our parents, who would probably love to hear from us even just once a week! Keeping up with your family can be a bit crazy when you already feel like you barely have time to eat and breathe, but planning a time to call mom and dad and adding it to your schedule will ensure you don’t forget to do it. If Saturday mornings before you start the day work for you, then make that your day and time for phoning home. It’s nice to hear our parents’ voices when we’re miles away from home, plus, they’re great people to rant to when everything about everything is seriously irritating you!

6. Speak to advisors for advice on your classes. 

But don’t just see your advisor one time at the beginning of the semester; try to meet with him or her at least two or three times throughout the semester so that you’re still in the loop of everything you need to do for your degree, and so that they’re still in the loop of your career goals. They can’t help you properly if you don’t tell them what’s changing for you. You don’t have to figure out this sort of stuff all by yourself!

7. Wake up at the same time everyday. 

I adore the days when I can sleep in a little, but to be fair, sleeping in for me is waking up at 9:30 in the morning, so maybe I’m not really an expert on that! Waking up around the same time everyday will help you get approximately the same amount of sleep every night (assuming you’ll be going to bed around the same time as well). This allows you to have some type of consistency with your schedule, and even if you wake up at 7a.m. when your first class doesn’t start until 1p.m., you’ll be more likely to use all that time to be productive; go to the gym, do some homework, go to work, make time for appointments, etc.

8. Keep track of all the jobs and internships you apply to. 

Sometimes I apply to a position and then a week later when I continue my search, I happen upon the same opportunity and think, “whoa, this is totally up my alley, I should apply!” and then it finally hits me that I already applied…That, my friends, is Jasmin’s forgetfulness at its finest. Be sure to keep track of all these opportunities — even the ones you get rejected from or aren’t qualified for — so that you don’t forget that you already looked into them. I like to simply organize them in a Word document as though I’m writing an outline. So helpful for referring back to!

Btw, be sure to check out my guide to resume-writing for some pretty top notch tips (if I do say so myself!) on how to stand out and write a pretty freaking good resume!

9. If your current shift at your job doesn’t work too well anymore, look into changing it. 

I know that’s sometimes easier said than done because managers often need to consider other factors before giving you the thumbs up to change your shift, but it’s worth an inquiry. If your shift in the campus library ends at 4:50p.m. and then you have a three-hour class at 5p.m. and therefore no time to eat a meal and catch a breath, consider switching your shift to a time in your schedule that works better for you. When everything in your schedule is literally back-to-back, it can get hard to, well, survive. Make life a little easier by working this out.

10. Set specific days for doing your laundry, and cleaning up your room.

Don’t succumb to wearing the same pair of underwear four days in a row because you forgot to do laundry. Also, don’t get into the habit of not cleaning up after yourself in your room because dorm rooms are smaller than we sometimes think they’re going to be, which means living in filth and untidiness won’t give you a comfortable college lifestyle and you might be less productive. Remember to take care of yourself while away at college. Add these chores to your handy-dandy weekly calendar so you don’t forget!

What are your college organization tips? 

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10 Secrets For Making New Friends In College

Jasmin - Macarons & Mascara 4 Comments
how to make new friends in college

Social life can play a big part in your college experience, whether you want to believe it or not. You don’t need to be the most popular kid on campus, and let’s be real, that contest has “cliche high school food pyramid movie” written all over it. I like surrounding myself with people because I find that I enjoy all my experiences more (yes, even studying!!) when I have friends with me. I know, it feels like forever since we had to introduce ourselves to new people, and actually get to know someone, so it may feel like you’re a little lost (a.k.a. me almost my entire first semester!!!!!).

There is no concrete “method” for making new friends in college guaranteed — you won’t make one little change and then end up with 50 new friends in a few days. But you can try doing a few different things to get to know some new people and possibly become friends with them.

1. Don’t hole up in your room all day long.

I made this horrible mistake for my first few months as a college freshman, and I honestly regret it. I didn’t know how to talk to people or how to make new friends since I haven’t had to get to know new people since high school. I was also too comfortable with the two friends I did have, so if they didn’t want to go to an event that I wanted to go to, I just decided that I should stay in because I didn’t know how to do things by myself. Eventually, I realized that that kind of attitude was holding me back from getting to know people, so I started going to events, taking up recreational classes, and thus began making new, amazing friends! Moral of the story: unless your dorm room has some magical gravitational pull that just attracts potential new friends without even trying, don’t hide in there all semester.

2. Get to know your roommate.

Your roommate could end up being your first new college friend, so don’t squander any potential opportunities to become friends with them. Get to know a little bit about where they’re from, what their major is and why they’re interested in the field, and other cool details. There’s so much you can bond over with your roommate. And if you live in a suite, the more the merrier! You’ll have the opportunity to get to know even more people. If you live in corridor-style accommodations, it might be even easier for you to get to know all the people on your floor because you’ll be sharing a bathroom with them and will be able to see them almost everyday. Did you check out my post on what to do before you meet your roommate? It could really help you avoid any potential conflicts with them!

3. Remain committed to the clubs you join.

It’s really easy to just sign your name and email on a sheet of paper for a club at the club fair, but don’t attend three meetings for the entire semester and then stop going to meetings; you won’t actually be able to enjoy the club and you’ll definitely miss out on getting to know a group of great people. Pre-professional clubs on campus are a great way to meet people who have similar career goals as you. You’ll definitely be able to help each other out and become great friends. Also consider joining Greek Life. Not every organization will be for you or have the same values as you, so don’t let some digging around deter you from joining something that can really change your life.

4. Small classes are the best for making new friends.

I say this because it may be a little difficult to do this if your class is in a lecture hall with 300+ people, but if you have even one college class that’s really small it’ll be really easy to make casual conversation with a classmate. In my Italian class, the professor makes us do textbook exercises in small groups, so this is the perfect way for me to talk to my classmates and get to know some of them. I actually already made a new friend this semester from that class! You don’t do group work in large lecture halls. You’re lucky if the professor puts a problem on the board and asks you to turn to your neighbor and discuss it for a minute, but that rarely happens. All of my journalism classes are really small (under 20 people) so it’s a great way for me to get to know people. Also, small classes usually begin with some type of icebreaker or with the professor asking for everyone to introduce themselves, so at the very least you’ll know everyone’s names.

5. You might only get one chance to add them on social media and get their phone number!

The other night, my floor had a meeting so we can all socialize and get to know one another and I met some really cool people, except I forgot to ask them if they had Facebook accounts so we could connect with each other. And I couldn’t find them on Facebook myself because I didn’t even know their last names. Oops. If you speak to someone and they seem cool and you guys get along, don’t forget to ask for their social media or even ask for their number. Asking for someone’s number isn’t as terrifying as it seems (if you remember to do it, unlike me!!!). When I was a freshman I was always surprised by how quick the people I met were to ask for my number. It showed me that there’s no harm in wanting to text someone one day to grab lunch or to go to an event. This also made me more likely to ask someone else for their number because you may not miraculously run into them again.

7. Actually message them to go grab some food or hang out.

After you get their number, don’t forget to actually use it, especially if the two of you really hit it off! One day I decided to take a Zumba class at the rec center on campus and I met a cool girl there. We exchanged numbers and the following week I messaged her to see if she was planning to go to Zumba again, and lucky for me it was a yes. From then on we met up and walked to the rec center together and we’ve been doing that for three semesters! Sometimes all it takes is that one text to start a real friendship. Even if you aren’t usually the kind of person to reach out to ask someone you just met to hang out, give it a try and see where it goes. I have already learned from experience that it’s rare to have incredible experiences if you keep staying in your comfort zone; besides, college is a lot about trying new things!

8. The first few months of school are the least awkward time to meet new people.

I say this because during the first maybe two or three months, everyone wants to get to know everyone; people don’t really have their “groups” formed yet; and people are generally the most friendly at this time when the course load hasn’t yet spurred the urgency to stop hanging out with people and start getting down to business (ah, what a rush that is). I’m not saying that it’s *ABSOLUTELY FORBIDDEN* to try to make friends after the first three months of school, or worse yet, if you do try to make friends afterward *ABSOLUTELY NO ONE WILL TALK TO YOU*, but you might feel a little awkward trying to meet new people then. I know I definitely felt like it was ‘too late’ for me to meet new people and I wasn’t really motivated to try, which can really hold you back from, you know, trying. This is definitely going to sound cheesy, but it’s never ‘too late’ to try anything! The only thing holding you back is yourself.

9. Make a good first impression by just being yourself!

Don’t act like someone you aren’t just to fit in; it simply isn’t you and you owe it to yourself to make friends who love the real you, not someone they want you to be. Sometimes I’m weird, like really, really weird; I tend to babble on and on, my eyes tear up when I start talking about something I’m really passionate about, and I can laugh nonstop like a hyena when I find something really funny. But, hey, that’s just me. I usually have those moments where I meet someone new and I just let my whole self out and then realize that there’s a chance they’re thinking that I’m really weird, but it’s okay; if they welcome my weirdness it means they genuinely like the person that I am. Plus, some people can just tell that you have a great character, so don’t hide that!

10. Don’t be afraid of cutting off people who aren’t genuine friends.

I certainly don’t go to college for drama so if I smell it brewing or if I think the person I’m talking to is two-faced or just not genuine, I stop talking to them because I don’t need to hang with that crowd. You owe it to yourself to stay committed to your personal values, so don’t feel like you have to stay friends with someone if you don’t like their attitude. Making the right friends is just as important as making friends!

What are your tips for making new friends in college? 

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6 Things To Do To Make Your Mornings More Exciting

Jasmin - Macarons & Mascara 4 Comments
how to make your mornings more exciting

Sidenote: The cupcakes in my photo have absolutely NOTHING to do with boring morning routines. I just thought it was a really pretty, fun picture on my camera roll so I decided to use it for this post! Aren’t they delicious? Anyways…

Sometimes I hate waking up early in the morning. Correction: I hate getting out of my nice, warm bed early in the morning. Waking up at 7a.m. to get ready for class can be such a mundane routine, and the list of things I’d much rather be doing goes on and on! Despite the drawl occurrence, I have found a few ways to actually make getting out of bed in the morning much cooler. No, seriously! I actually like, and maybe even look forward to, waking up early just because of a few small changes I’ve been making for a while now.

So you’re probably wondering what *magical* things I do to make some of the most boring morning activities surprisingly appealing. Sadly, there’s no actual unicorn magic involved here. But you can use your cool college student powers (that was totally the most bogus thing I’ve ever made up, and so to quit while I’m still ahead I’m just going to cut to the tips now!).

1. Play music while you shower.

Instead of listening to the water trickle from the showerhead in the morning, I like to listen to some Beyonce, Pitbull, and some of my other favorite artists. It really just makes me happier and makes me feel more lively and ready to take on the day. Plus, I also use the songs as a way to tell approximately how much time I’ve spent showering. I adore really long showers, but I can’t spend a lot of time showering because I have class to get to. Plus, it’s inconsiderate because my suite mates would need to get ready to start their days as well and I wouldn’t want to hog the bathroom. Each song I listen to is approximately three minutes long so I make sure that I don’t stay in the shower for longer than three songs. Btw, you don’t have to pay money for music — just use Pandora or another free music service! My post on how to save money in college has even more tips for not completely ruining your bank account in college!

2. Wash your face with a really nice smelling facial cleanser.

There are so many delicious smelling facial cleansers now from brands like Neutrogena and Olay. They all smell so yummy that it makes me so happy to use them in the morning! It even improves my mood if I wasn’t feeling so great before. Maybe the nice smells release endorphins in your brain or something (this is why I’m not a science major!). I currently use a facial cleanser from Neutrogena® for acne because it was recommended by my dermatologist and, unfortunately, it doesn’t have any distinct, beautiful smell (*sad face*) but I have tried the grapefruit line from Neutrogena® and the the Morning Burst® line from Clean & Clear® and both are heavenly!! A good facial wash is also one of the things I mentioned in my college beauty essentials post because it’s such an easy way to clean your face and get totally refreshed in the morning before class. What’s your favorite facial wash right now? I’d love to hear what you guys are using! 

3. Create a breakfast tradition.

Is there one specific place on campus you just love eating breakfast at? If you can, make it a habit to go there and order your favorite breakfast items to start the day right and satisfyingly. Don’t succumb to the bad habit of not leaving yourself enough time in the morning to have an actual meal — this can actually ruin your day because you’ll be hungry and in a miserable mood. My favorite place to have breakfast is at my school’s Starbucks because I love ordering an iced green tea latte with an everything bagel with cream cheese. Perfecto! Another breakfast “tradition” you can do is simply having “pancake day” with your roommate or suite mates. Your group can get together and make and enjoy pancakes together. Plus, this is a great way to bond and get to know each other better. You’ll definitely look forward to these food-filled mornings!

4. Walk to class with friends. 

If someone who lives on your floor in the residence hall is also in your first class of the day, introduce yourself and walk to class with them. Walking across campus by yourself is really boring and not very fun. Having someone to talk to can really lift your spirits and make you feel really good about going to class — even if it’s at eight in the morning! Plus, having a friend to sit with in class can also make the class itself more enjoyable — especially when you have to sit through six straight hours of lectures all day long!

Also, if your schedule is nauseatingly long and tiring this semester, be sure to check out my post on how to survive back-to-back classes.

5. Change up your hairstyle regularly. 

I don’t know about you but my *super diverse* lookbook for hairstyles consists of my hair let down or in a really simple ponytail. Clearly, I’m super creative when it comes to styling my hair. Taking a little extra time to have fun with your hair in the morning can really make you feel more excited to go out and start the day so everyone can see how cool your hair looks and compliment you (compliments are always nice to hear, haha!). Plus, you get something pretty to show off on Instagram! I actually would like to start varying my hairstyles more to make things a little more fun. There are so many interesting ways to add a little pizzazz to a simple bun, braid, or ponytail and I’d definitely like to start trying them out!

6. Do ANYTHING that’s a little out of the ordinary for you! 

Go for a quick jog before you start class. Do some yoga in your room to loosen up before you start the day. Go to the most peaceful spot on campus and just sit there and chill for a few moments — do ANYTHING that you wouldn’t normally do! Changing things up a bit can be really exciting, especially if you initially think you won’t like the change but you end up loving it. Personally, I think I might try to do some yoga in the morning because I feel like yoga is very out of my element; the movements are slow, controlled, and graceful, but I’m used to very fast-paced workouts so this would be an extremely interesting change for me. I might end up liking it and I may decide to include it permanently in my daily routine!

What’s your favorite way to spend the morning? Also, I’m looking for new hairstyle ideas! Let me know in the comments if you have any! 

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How To Survive Back-To-Back Classes (With No Breaks In Between!)

Jasmin - Macarons & Mascara 11 Comments
how to survive back to back college classes

Last year, I had a lot of gaps in my schedule — like, I’d have my first class at 10a.m., then a FIVE-HOUR break, and then class again. I learned how to deal with that in a way that worked extremely well for me, but this year I have back-to-back classes almost everyday, and while it might not be my favorite way to set my schedule, I’ll have to deal with that too. I know multiple classes in a row can be extremely exhausting (with good reason!) so if you’re worried about your back-to-back schedule (a.k.a. days that never seem to end) then, don’t worry, I totally feel you. We’ll just have to survive them together! 

1. Eat a proper breakfast.

I’m not kidding about this; no matter how many jokes you hear people making about having gum for breakfast, or not eating since lunchtime yesterday, working on an empty stomach is NOT a laughing matter. If you have seven hours of class back-to-back, you won’t be having a grand time when you feel like you’re about to throw up because you haven’t eaten all day. Make yourself some breakfast, even if you have to wake up 30 minutes earlier to do it. In my post on how to make college life easier, I talk about a super cool frying pan that’s perfect for your dorm room and can help you cook breakfast efficiently, so you should check that out! I like to have my favorite cereal in the morning, and if I don’t eat that then I have scrambled eggs on some toast. It’s very possible to eat like a queen (maybe not the queen) while you’re in a dorm room. For tips on that, be sure to check out my post on how to cook meals in college.

2. Pack a quick snack.

Of course, you’re still going to get hungry somewhere in between even after having a good breakfast, so be sure to pack a snack. Most professors don’t really care if you eat in their class so long as you clean up after yourself and don’t make too much noise. You can likely get away with this easily if you’re in a large lecture hall (my freshman year, I used to eat a complete breakfast — sausage, eggs, hash browns — in my biology lecture), but if your class is tiny and you don’t want to piss off your professor, explaining your schedule to them and asking if it’s okay for you to sneak a quick snack during class can alleviate any of your worries.

3. Don’t stay back to try to speak to the professor in between classes.

I know, that sounds terrible — don’t get me wrong, speaking to your professor if you have questions or don’t understand the material is extremely important, but when you have back-to-back classes you can’t really afford to be late to your next class. Sometimes, 7-10 minutes to get to speak to your professor AND get to your next class won’t be enough. Besides, most professors would just tell you to come to their office hours with questions, anyway, so do yourself a favor and just hurry off to your next class. You can email them your concerns or visit their office hours for their full attention.

4. Get to your next class early so you can get the seat you want.

This ties into my previous point on why you should just email your professor rather than hang back to speak to him or her. If you hang back, you probably won’t make it to your next class on time and you’ll likely end up with a sucky seat, because people have no chill and will take your seat (though, we don’t technically own the seats) even though they’ve been sitting elsewhere the entire time already. Believe me, people can be savage when it comes to classroom seating. Last semester I loved sitting with my friends in this one class that I had right after another class, so if I didn’t make it to the fourth floor library classroom on time, someone else would take my seat (grrrr!).

5. Stay hydrated and get proper sleep.

I always bring water with me wherever I go. In my tips for saving money in college post, I suggested using a refillable water bottle so that you can save money and sip on it throughout the day. Besides, you’ll need something to wash down the snack you packed for yourself. Also remember to actually sleep! Despite how many all-nighters people brag about pulling when they get to college, not sleeping is actually not cool — it makes you miserable and unfocused. You will seriously feel like crap. If you don’t get enough sleep the night before, you’ll hardly be able to pay attention in any of your classes, so you’ll basically be a zombie all day long. This might sound very diva-ish but I always get eight hours of sleep because I know I can’t do anything properly with fewer; even six hours is a red flag for me. You won’t have any time to nap in between classes because, well, there is no in between classes if your schedule has you going to lecture halls one after the other!

6. Do all the homework that needs to be done ahead of time.

You don’t have any breaks in between classes to finish up the conclusion for your research paper, so make sure you get it completely out of the way ahead of time. You may also find that you have multiple exams in one day because of this type of schedule. Procrastination will NOT be your friend, so make sure you plan your time well so that you aren’t scrambling around for slivers of free time to study, or read an extra chapter, or wish that you hadn’t skipped your assignment so you could finish watching Grey’s Anatomy (love that show too much btw!!).

7. Use your “days off” wisely.

If you have a lot of back-to-back classes then chances are you might also have at least one or two days during the week where you have ZERO CLASSES. If this is you, I’m not gonna lie, I’m kinda jealous. But really, days off mean nothing if you don’t use them wisely. As amazing as it feels to just kick back and browse Instagram and watch movies, make sure that this isn’t the only thing you do during your free days. Use your free days to get started on work that may be due in a few days or in a week or two. If you’ve fallen behind on school work or you just haven’t been able to understand the recent course material taught then you should use your day off to seek help and try to understand everything.

8. Stay as engaged as possible in every class — no nodding off!

Sitting and having to retain focus for a long time isn’t my specialty. I simply suck at it. I might be as attentive as a hawk for the first hour and then it all goes downhill from there. If you’re like me then you probably know that, like, six straight hours of class SUCKS, and sitting there while your brain is basically mush doesn’t make it any better. Stay as engaged as possible so that your brain stays as awake as possible. I find that when I actually raise my hand to participate in class (answer a question, ask a question, contribute to conversation, etc.) not only do I feel more active, but for some reason time seems to go by faster. I don’t know, that could just be me talking crazy, though. But my insanity aside, even doing small things like stretching before your next class begins can really help wake you up. Avoid napping during class — especially in those huge lecture halls!

9. Make friends in your classes.

I love talking to people before and after class, and just sitting with my friends during class. I don’t know why but having friends around you makes everything more lively and therefore more tolerable. If you aren’t lucky enough to have some of your friends in the same classes as you, make some new ones! Simply making small conversation with a classmate regularly is also great. I actually feel like I hate people a little less when I smile and speak to someone, haha!

10. If your schedule is too much for you, consider dropping a class.

This is one of the most important things to note when trying to survive a full back-to-back schedule: if you are struggling to keep up with it all, simply drop a class. Trust me, I know the feeling of wanting to take the maximum number of credits so that I can graduate on time (or even early, but one step at a time, haha). But loading yourself up and feeling miserable because of it is not worth it in my opinion. If you need to take a winter class or two because you couldn’t handle the extra class during the fall or spring semester, then so be it. Sure, you might be spending some more money on the intersession classes, but at the end of the day your personal well being is way more important.

11. At the end of the day, take some time to chill.

Without a doubt, you’ve had a long day, and even though you may be *super* eager to crack open even more textbooks after class is over for the day, at least take a brief moment to relax at the end of the day. I like to chill for about an hour — watch something on Netflix, play on my phone — before I go back to filling my head with journalism knowledge for class. Giving yourself some time to take a load off is a key ingredient for surviving such a full schedule — don’t overlook the power of some R ‘n R!

What’s your schedule like this semester? How do you plan to survive it? 

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13 Tips For Saving Money In College

Jasmin - Macarons & Mascara 2 Comments
how to save money in college

So you’ve probably heard over and over again that “college is expensive” and “you’re going to spend a lot of money,” and I can tell you with absolute confidence that all that is 100% true if you don’t know how to save a couple of bucks. You will find yourself buying things in a hurry — cold medicine during flu season, headphones to replace the ones you just lost in the library — and the expenses can add up pretty quickly. Now, I’m not saying that being a penny pincher is the best way to save money because, let’s face it, sometimes you shouldn’t deny yourself some things that are absolutely necessary. But you can save yourself from spending extra money.

I’m not necessarily going to say things like, you need to aggressively coupon (even though couponing is super cool!) because let’s be real, we’re probably too lazy to clip coupons let alone search for them in the first place! Even if you don’t label yourself as a broke college student, you’ll still want to save some money for a rainy day.

1. Don’t buy all of your textbooks new.

In fact, it’s better if you can completely avoid buying any textbooks at all. Rent used copies of the books you need because school bookstores are seriously expensive and you can get a book elsewhere for much cheaper. My freshman year, I spent almost $500 on science and math textbooks and I will never forget how much of a waste that was, especially since I ended up changing my major!! For more on how to buy textbooks like a savvy, money-saving pro, check out my guide to buying textbooks.

2. Don’t make impulsive purchases.

Sometimes I see really pretty things that I really want to buy (sound familiar?) but then I think about how angry I’ll be at myself when I actually buy it and visit my wallet again to see that I spent a lot of money on the item. That’s usually enough to convince me that the instant gratification of purchasing said item isn’t worth dishing out the extra dough. Here’s another rule to help you really think a potential purchase through: if you will only use or wear the item once or twice you should probably skip it. When I’m buying clothes I try to think of at least three or four other outfits I can create with a top or bottom before I decide to buy it. 

3. Don’t order food multiple times per week.

If you have a meal plan, actually use it! I know sometimes campus food is less than desirable, but even then there’s always something that will make a fulfilling meal. There are so many takeout places around my campus — pizza, Chinese, Greek — so it’s very easy to just order something when you don’t feel like walking to a dining hall, but you can actually make a bad habit out of eating out all the time. Limit yourself to only ordering food once per month, or better yet, only when you want to celebrate a birthday in your group of friends. This will seriously help you save a lot of money! 

4. Don’t waste your meal plan on junk food all the time.

I love a chocolate bar as much as the next sugar-loving college kid, but buying snacks with your meal plan is the easiest (and quickest) way to spend out your balance and have to start paying for meals with cash. You likely paid a lot of money for the meal plan, so I doubt you want to go into your wallet for meals on campus. Besides, snacks on campus are WAY more expensive compared to the prices you’d pay at off campus retailers. Buy actual meals with your meal plan — snacks are good in moderation. My college has an app that we can download on our phones that tells us the remaining balance on all of our campus accounts, including the meal plan. So if I’m ever unsure of how much money I have left, I can always take a quick peek and know what I should cut back on so that I don’t run out of money early.

5. Use the free resources on campus.

Some college medical centers provide students with free medicine for colds, headaches, and allergies, so if you feel allergy season coming on and you forgot your medicine at home, run over to the medical center to grab a few free packets of medicine instead of spending money on it elsewhere. Your college will also provide free academic help for some classes, so this is a great alternative for paying for a tutor, just make sure that you make the effort to engage so that you can get the most out of it. Also, I had no idea that my college gives out free copies of the newspaper in several places around campus (as a Journalism major, reading the newspaper is essential to the course work because we get quizzed on the front pages every week). I didn’t want to pay for the subscription (haha, no) so it was a major relief to find out that I could still study for my quizzes for free!

6. When you go out, always create a budget for yourself.

If you brought $400 in cash to college with you, DON’T bring all $400 when you go out to dinner with friends at Applebee’s! Decide on a budget and stick to it. Don’t have any shame in telling your friends that you’re going to skip dessert because you don’t want to spend another dime. Your budget should work for you. 

7. Avoid smoking and drinking.

These products can really eat up your money, so cut back on them or avoid them all together. Vice items can also be addicting, and that’s where your piggy bank might run into some trouble…Bragging about how much alcohol you just bought for the lit dorm room party you’re about to throw might feel awesome, but then a quick look in your wallet might make you wish you hadn’t spent all that money!

8. Only use your credit card in absolute emergencies and make sure you can pay it off!

I’m not an avid user of credit cards, but from what I know about them, you should make sure that you’re able to pay off whatever purchases you made, because otherwise you’ll have to pay interest. If you’re going to use a credit card, make sure you partake in good credit-building habits because your parents won’t always be able to help you pay off your purchases.

9. Use Spotify to listen to music for free.

If you need to listen to some tunes while you work up a sweat at the gym, don’t pay for your music — use free services like Spotify or Pandora. I have really liked the songs I’ve listened to on Pandora, so that’s probably going to be my go-to music service for studying, working out, and just chilling. What songs are you currently obsessed with? Let me know in the comments!

10. Stop buying plastic water bottles; use a refillable one instead.

Don’t spend money every time you need a bottle of water — that stuff is expensive AF in college. I get a large refillable water bottle so when I’m thirsty I just go to the nearest water fountain for a refill. I got my water bottle from PINK and it holds 24 oz., which is great so I can sip on it throughout the day and add more water as needed. I keep a case of water bottles in my room just in case I don’t have time to refill a bottle and I just need to grab a bottle and run out of the room, but I make sure that I never purchase loose water bottles from dining halls!

11. If you can’t finish a meal, save it for later rather than throw it out.

I’m not saying you should salvage every crumb and toss it in your mini fridge, but if you left a significant portion of your meal uneaten, you can definitely pack it away for dinner (or breakfast the next morning!) so you don’t have to spend money again for your next meal. I have done this many times in the past, and sometimes it works out really well for me when there are torrential downpours outside and I don’t want to walk outside to the dining hall. Keeping tupperware or resealable bags is perfect for doing this.

12. Carry a snack to class with you on long days.

If you carry a snack in your backpack, you’ll be way less likely to spend money on a snack in the dining hall in between classes when you get hungry. I like to carry a banana and a granola bar (and water, of course!!). It’s not a full meal but it keeps me going until my classes are over for the day and I can hit up a dining hall with friends or take food back to my room.

13. Take care of your belongings. 

Don’t toss your headphones around anyhow — you might lose them or they might break and you’ll need to buy another one! Taking care of the items you currently have is one of the easiest ways to save money, because then you won’t have to put out money for anything that’s damaged. Take good care of your laptop, phone, anything technology related (and, you know, super breakable), and even try your best to keep your clothing in good condition so you don’t feel the need to re-buy things you already have.

I hope these tips can really save you some cash this semester! If you loooooved what you read and looooove my blog in general, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @jay_su_ I’d love some new Twitter friends!

How do you save money in college? 

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12 Things I Learned From My First NYC Editorial Internship

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12 Things I Learned From My NYC Internship

This summer I had the amazing experience of interning at Revelist.com, a super cool, super badass site for millennial women that publishes articles on a variety of topics. I was a lifestyle intern, which meant that I would cover stories related to food, beauty, and style, to name a few. I also ended up doing a few articles on viral videos and the occasional celeb post. My internship was located right on 5th avenue in New York City (I know right!!!!!!!!) and while I have had my work published online in various places before, this was my FIRST EVER INTERNSHIP. And it was just the other day that I declared myself as a Health Science major and thought I was going to med school (haha, funny!). I learned a lot of things from the experience that I really want to tell you about in case you would like an editorial internship, or you would like to go down the same career path as me!

1. Your basic knowledge of organization will save you. 

Sometimes you’ll have a really busy day where you get multiple assignments, and as I said in my post on things to not do at your internship, you need to make sure that you don’t leave the office without completing all of the assignments for the day. It’s not like a classroom assignment where if you don’t finish you can just come back another day and pick back up where you left off; things are really fast paced and you need to get today’s headlines out today. This is where some organization comes in. On days when I had multiple articles to finish and multiple other things to do, I created a to-do list in the exact order that I wanted to do them (in order of importance and time-relevance, of course). This helped me keep my focus so that I could carry out all my tasks properly.

2. Do things right the first time.

Don’t rush to finish an assignment because then you might have to go back and fix whatever mistakes you overlooked. This didn’t happen to me but it’s always something you should remember no matter what type of job you do. Plus, keeping this in mind will also remind you to go back and review your work before you submit it to your boss. I have found that when reviewing my work, better ways to say some things came to mind and it ultimately made my articles way better. You should also use this chance to watch out for any grammatical errors.

3. As an intern, you need to be a go-getter.

There’s no room to be lazy! Plus, you’ll need all the practice you can get, so don’t try to dodge a pitch your editor sends your way. My first time being assigned a celeb post, I was a little worried because I actually don’t pay much attention to celebrities at all and even though the Kardashians are always making headlines, I still never knew anything about their lives, so I thought this assignment would be a little challenging for me. But it ended up being just fine because I researched what I needed to know and I made note of any improvements I could make for the future. It’s okay to take on things that are a teeny bit out of your comfort zone!

4. There was no coffee-fetching, or personal errands to run.

I know a lot of people think of coffee-fetching when they think of an editorial internship in New York City, but mine wasn’t like that at all. I was treated like any other employee and never made any personal errands. I know those horror stories are insane, but just know that not every experience is going to be like that.

5. You can’t be shy to reach out to people outside the office.

I did a bit of emailing to photographers and PR reps for inquiries, and I know it sounds terrifying but they’re people just like me and you, so it’s not as scary as you might think it is. In the future you might be reaching out to people for actual interviews and maybe even meetups so you definitely have to learn to shed some of your shyness in this field.

6. Having an internship while you’re still in college is a great idea.

I know many people decide to have an internship after graduating from college and I know some people think that that’s exactly how it should be, but getting an internship as a current college student really showed me how different things can be when you’re doing assignments in a classroom setting vs. doing them at a real platform (more on that later). I got some great experience and I definitely think that my approach to articles and headlines has changed a bit, so it’ll definitely give me an upperhand when I start classes again, and I’d be more than happy to help out any classmates too!

7. I want to work in lifestyle after graduation.

At first I thought lifestyle was about healthy eating and tips for improving your life, but then I realized that in the media industry, ‘lifestyle’ covers much more — beauty, style, food, dating, etc. This was an important thing for me to know because in the future I may have been looking for ‘beauty writer’ positions and not having much luck, whereas I should’ve been searching for ‘lifestyle writer’ positions. It seems to me that companies usually use the term lifestyle when seeking a new member for that specific team. It was definitely a lot of fun to work on this team and I can definitely see myself on lifestyle in the future!

8. I don’t just want to write.

I also want to be in front of the camera in the future and go out and travel to write articles. One of my co-workers was particularly inspiring and me realize that in the future I want to do fun (and even crazy) stuff in front of a camera for millions to see and know my face. Live it up, right?

9. If I had to pick just one category to write about, I have no idea what I’d pick.

Like I said, I want to be on the lifestyle team in the future, but I don’t know if I’d want to focus specifically on just beauty, style, or food — I just can’t choose because I love them all! Some of my style posts have been really popular, so that’s encouraging, but hopefully I’ll end up working somewhere where I don’t have to commit to just one category.

10. Commuting to the city is TIRING.

An hour and a half each way can be very…ugh, especially when the train is really crowded. I learned that bringing a book (and not relying on the fleeting wifi to use your phone) is a great way to pass the time. I also picked up on some safety tips that I may do an upcoming blog post on. While I don’t have to live in the city to work in the city, it just may make things a bit easier for me.

11. Writing at an internship is VERY different from writing for a class assignment.

So I touched on this before, but yes, it’s VERY different. I’m not saying you should b.s. class assignments because they’re just for class, but at an internship there’s no professor to slap you on the wrist when you forget to fact check and say, “fact check next time.” No, failure to do this could cost you your job, and you’re making the platform look bad when you forget to do something like this, or completely overlook it. Writers are responsible for fact checking!! Also, in class you may have a week to do an assignment, but in the industry your editor may ask you to have a story ready in an hour.

12. I love being able to insert my personality into my writing.

This is probably one of the biggest things that pushed me to become a journalism major and want to write for magazines. I simply love being sassy on paper, and I write the way I would speak to a friend. You can’t exactly do that in a bunch of other fields, but I love being witty and devising clever puns that I get to share with millions of people. When I look for a job in the future, I’ll definitely look for one that allows me to do exactly that!

So that was what my experience was like as an intern this summer (for the first time ever!!!!!!!) I really feel like I’m doing extremely well for myself (more on this in my NYC Conference post) and I truly feel that I’ve found my calling.

How was your summer and if you’ve had an internship before, what was your experience like? 

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9 Things You Need To Make College Life Easier

Jasmin - Macarons & Mascara 4 Comments
9 Things You Need To Make College Life Easier

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Single Edition Media.

What’s a huge investment, can be super stressful, but can also be really fun and totally worthwhile? College, of course! Yeah, there will definitely be some moments of victory and some moments of eye-rolling chaos, but there are also some things you should have on hand to make things a lot less ugh and a lot more YAS! I was lucky enough to be able to receive some of these game-changer items in my BabbleBox College Shevival Box (how cute!!). Yep, you know things are serious when I use the word ‘game-changer.’ So before you leave for college, make sure you pack these items to have more of those ‘like a boss’ moments!

1. Lip balm.

You’ve probably seen me profess my undying love for lip balms in my college beauty essentials post, and I’ll admit, I’m basically bonkers for lip balm; I hoard that stuff like it’s my job and I have no regrets. But can you blame me? Lip balm keeps your lips super soft and super moisturized, and if you’re like me and hate that dry, tight feeling of your lips when they aren’t hydrated, you can definitely find a deep appreciation for taking care of them. So instead of constantly licking and picking at dry, chapped lips during class, keep some lip balm in your backpack. Palmer’s FlipBalm is my new favorite. The packaging reminds me of a cute, little, colorful egg and you just have to flip it open to unveil the smooth lip balm inside — you can literally do this with your thumb. You can apply this while you’re hurriedly walking to your 8a.m. class without missing a beat! It comes in Creamy Coconut, Ripe Mango, and (my favorite) Juicy Watermelon.

9 Things You Need To Make College Life Easier

things you need to make college easier_5

They’re made with natural ingredients like cocoa butter and raw Shea butter. My family is Caribbean so I grew up using products containing those ingredients and LET ME TELL YOU, they are fantastic for the skin, which is why I love seeing them used by many brands. This lip balm is extremely moisturizing, and the soft, supple feel lasts for a really long time.

2. A durable backpack.

Don’t put yourself through the agony of buying a no-good backpack that can barely hold three books and will break on you a month into the semester. College isn’t like elementary school where you felt like you needed to have the coolest or prettiest looking backpack in order to feel like a cool fourth grader. Honestly, no one cares if your bag is a monochromatic mass, or decked with colorful buttons and flowers. Invest in a backpack that’s strong and big enough to fit everything you need on a daily basis. I’ve been using the same one for the last two years, and I’ll be using it for a third year!

3. A cute camera.

Because it’s college, we all know you’re going to want to take pictures of everything: your freshly decorated dorm room; hangouts with your new college bff; homecoming festivities; the campus — you get what I mean. So do your phone storage a favor and don’t take a hundred pictures with it! You’ll need all that valuable storage space for downloading some awesome apps college students need. Get a good camera, like FUJIFILM’s Instax Mini 70. It’s an instant camera that lets you watch your beautiful pictures print right before your eyes in like 90 seconds (mine is in the color Canary Yellow).

9 Things You Need To Make College Life Easier

The prints are about the size of a credit card and they’re so perfect for hanging around your dorm room — easy dorm decor literally at the touch of a button! I have been DYING to get an instant camera for a while now, especially since I’ve been getting more and more into photography. The camera itself is small and perfect for carrying in your backpack, because you never know what kind of action you can capture on campus (trust me, there’s always something photo-worthy!). And, yes, that down there is a selfie that I took using the cool selfie mode on this camera. How do I look??

Fujifilm Instax

I really hate buying things that are time-consuming to set up and use, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that the only ‘setup’ I needed to do was place the film pack in the camera and start taking pictures — I was printing pics in a snap and maybe having a little too much fun.

4. A planner.

Between you and me (and anyone else who knows me), I’m a planner junkie. If planners were kale, I’d be the healthiest eating person in the world. But alas, they’re not kale, but they are great for planning ahead, jotting down assignments, and basically helping you get your crap together when you feel like your crap couldn’t possibly be more far apart (please excuse my lame attempts at being funny). Don’t underestimate how easy a good planner can make life. Instead of having multiple homework assignments strewn across different pieces of paper, your planner will be the one and only place for you to create those important reminders. There are so many cute ones to choose from, and some even offer daily bits of motivational quotes to keep that smile on your face.

5. Pens, pens, and more PENS.

9 Things You Need To Make College Life Easier

What else are you going to use to fill up your planner??? I mean, I guess you could use pencils but they’re so boring; colorful pens are way more fun. I like to use colorful pens when I’m studying or annotating my notes because they make it easier for me to see what things I’ve added, like summary points. Pens from Zebra Pen are great for adding splashes of color to an otherwise monochromatic page of notes.

9 Things You Need To Make College Life Easier

9 Things You Need To Make College Life Easier

The Sarasa gel pen ink’s formula is really smooth and it dries really quickly, so you don’t have to worry about smudges, and we all know how cringe-worthy smudges can be! I’m seriously loving my Z-Grip Plus Ballpoint pens and the F-301 BCA pen, which writes in black! And to make things even more fun and colorful, the Zebra Pen H-301 Steel Highlighter is great for highlighting key points when studying, and other important information. You’ll be able to spot the most important points from a mile away (okay, maybe from your bed). You’ll probably never leave your dorm room without these ever again.

9 Things You Need To Make College Life Easier

6. Dry shampoo.

If you’ve ever found yourself in a situation where you just simply didn’t have enough time to wash your hair, girl, I feel you. Your coursework, extracurriculars, social life, and even part-time job may keep you running on a tight schedule, but using dry shampoo is the easiest way for you to get fresh feeling hair without waking up extra, extra early to wash it. It has saved me so much time on those days when I just can’t, though it shouldn’t be used as a permanent substitute for washing your hair! Just give your hair a good spritz and you’ll be good to go!

7. Cleansing cloths.

So I have a confession to make: I’ve had (more than one of) those days when I was fast asleep one minute and then the next gaping in horror at the clock on my my desk because it’s 7:40a.m. and my first class starts at 8a.m. Aaaaaaand, of course, I hadn’t brushed my teeth, hadn’t showered, had no idea what I was going to wear, hadn’t eaten breakfast yet, need I go on? I may have skipped showering in the morning a few times to make it to class on time in this situation, and as someone who’s a fan of showering in the morning, I felt like I still wanted a way to stay fresh. Simply Sensitive Cleansing Cloths from Summer’s Eve® are probably the answer to all of my fresh feeling prayers. They’re lightly scented (available in Island Splash® and Sheer Floral®) and feel so nice and refreshing on my skin, and because they’re great for sensitive skin (which I have) I don’t need to worry about getting any rashes or weird reactions. But if you’re convinced that you’ll never wake up late for class and have to skip showering, you can still use these cloths when you’re on the go, like working out at the campus gym, because they’re small and fit conveniently anywhere.

Summer's Eve

8. Tupperware.

Even if you pack just one food storage container, I guarantee you will use it, especially if you plan to cook yourself some meals in college. You’ll need tupperware to store any leftovers, which is way better than leaving it in the pot or pan you cooked it in until you’re ready to eat it again! Likewise, if you find that you bought a little too much food from the dining hall, storing the extra inside of tupperware and keeping it in your fridge is also a great way to save food and meal points. And if your college dining halls follow buffet style dining, you might find yourself walking out with full containers of food on a regular basis. Btw, if you want to see what other things you should pack for college, check out my ultimate packing list.

9. A non-stick pan.

A girl’s gotta eat (those dining hall prices are through the roof!) so the GreenPan Mini Ceramic Non-stick Square Egg Pan is an absolute must! First of all, it’s so cute and small, so it definitely won’t take up much space at all in your dorm room (and we know how precious space is). It’s absolutely perfect for making a quick breakfast in the morning before class (especially since you won’t need much oil to cook in it, and you won’t be treating burns thanks to the stay-cool, non-stick grip), and I don’t know about you, but the interesting square shape of the pan really spoke to my creative side, so I used it to make Oreo pancakes for breakfast! They were fantastic and ready to eat in almost no time. Everyone else in your residence hall would be totally jealous of your breakfast! If you’re curious about my enviable recipe for Oreo pancakes, feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll be happy to share it with you!

Oreo Pancakes

But I couldn’t stop there so I also followed the recipe in the mini recipe booklet that came with the pan in my BabbleBox to make French toast! I didn’t have any blueberries on hand, and I hate maple syrup so I just gave it a very generous dusting of powdered sugar. It was SO delicious, and very photogenic if I do say so myself.

French Toast

And because I love ya and hope that you eat like a queen in college, don’t forget to use this Back To School Promotion Offer for 20% off your GreenPan and free shipping. The code is SCHOOL20 and it’s valid from 8/14-9/4. Enjoy!

So all that being said, I think it’s pretty fair to say that I’m even WAY more excited for the new semester to begin, so I can tackle it prepared!

What are some things you won’t leave for college without?

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The Ultimate Guide To Buying Textbooks In College

Jasmin - Macarons & Mascara 3 Comments
The ultimate guide to buying textbooks in college

With tuition to pay, dorm essentials to buy, and general back-to-school shopping, you’re probably wondering, can college get anymore expensive?? Yes, yes it can. Possibly more stressful than college move-in day is textbook buying for your classes. It isn’t like high school where you got your textbooks for free and had to give them back at the end of the year (sorry, we’ve kissed those days goodbye the instant we bought our colleges’ crewnecks and sweatshirts). Textbooks are expensive! My freshman year, I spent close to $500 buying textbooks for my classes — some of them were absolutely necessary for homework; some of them I would’ve been completely lost in class without; and some of them just sat there. Yep, took up valuable space on my already cluttered desk and collected dust.

Since saving money in college is literally a breath of fresh air, I’ve compiled all the textbook buying tips I’ve amassed over these last few years of going through it. WARNING: tips in this blog post may be more awesome than they seem!

1. Avoid buying textbooks before the first day of class.

I was always that kid who thought that because a textbook was listed for a class it meant that it was necessary, and therefore I must buy it. Sophomore year I was so annoyed when I ordered like three different textbooks for ONE class only to have the professor tell us during the first week that we won’t be using the books at all! As you can imagine, that’s a huge waste of money. Your professors might tell you that you won’t be using a textbook, or they might tell you which ones are actually useful for the class, so don’t plan ahead by buying your books before classes start!

2. Avoid getting textbooks from your university’s bookstore.

It’s no secret that items on campus are outrageously overpriced, and textbooks are no exception. Don’t be surprised if you see your school’s $100 textbook elsewhere for like $85. Buy a book from the school bookstore if you really can’t get it cheaper elsewhere, or if the book you need was written by your professor (in which case, there’s no way you can get it elsewhere!).

3. Talk to students who took the class before you did.

Ask them if they used their textbook (and how often), and if the book is necessary at all. Some questions I like to ask are: where did you originally get the book and how much did you pay? How did you use the book to study (i.e. outline chapters, highlighted, etc.)? Did the book help you understand the class material better? Can I still understand the material and do well in the class without the book? You can even ask if they’d sell their old textbook to you.

4. Do you need the textbook for homework?

If your textbook is essential for completing homework assignments, then unless you can find a free copy online you’re going to have to get a physical book. Some classes only give you assigned textbook reading as homework, but I have found that whether or not you actually spend three hours doing the reading, it isn’t even helpful for some classes because the professor might not go over it, or what you learned in class that day is different from what you read in the textbook. If this sounds like the type of ‘homework’ you need your textbook for then you should probably skip it. But sometimes you just can’t get out of getting the book…For my Italian class freshman year, all homework assignments were online and we needed a unique access code that CAME WITH THE TEXTBOOK in order to complete homework, so watch out for that!

5. Is the textbook only going to be used as a reading supplement in the class?

This is kind of what I was talking about before. The textbook is only a little extra reading in case you get lost in the material, and even though the professor assigns it on the syllabus, he or she doesn’t ever refer to it in class. You should use your discretion for this one. Give yourself a few weeks and if you think that you might fall behind on the material then you can decide to get the textbook.

6. Rent books instead of buying them.

This is a super easy way to save money — even at your school’s bookstore! Most of the rentals I’ve gotten were less than $15 each, and the most expensive book I’ve ever rented ended up being $40 by itself. Just remember to return your textbooks at the end of the semester so you won’t be charged extra for it! There are also websites that let you rent textbooks, but more on that later.

7. Rent + Used = match made in heaven.

Sure, you can rent a brand spanking new textbook that has that new book smell, OOOOOOOR you can pay even less for renting a used textbook. The price difference may not be super dramatic, but if you love being as frugal as college students come, every dollar counts! This is my preference when it comes to spending money on books so much so that if a bookstore associate tells me that I can only rent the book if it’s new I’m actually very disappointed! Usually, used textbooks might have a few sticky notes on random pages, some underlining, and some highlighting, but there’s nothing too serious like pages falling out, ripped book covers, or mold growing between pages. You can write in the textbooks so long as it isn’t a copious amount to make the bookstore decide to not take the book back.

8. Intensely search for a free copy online.

Don’t give up if you can’t find a PDF to your textbook after viewing search results on page one!!!! I personally can be really impatient when I can’t find the results I’m looking for and I just give up and succumb to paying extra money for my books, but maybe if I had dug a little deeper — taken even just an extra 40 minutes to search online — I might’ve been able to find PDFs to a couple of books. I know surfing the web for free copies of textbooks isn’t the most appealing thing to search for (trust me, I’d much rather be drooling over pretty notebooks, planners, and cupcake recipes online) but giving this a good shot can definitely save you some major dough!

9. See if you can borrow the book from your school’s library.

I had no idea that some textbooks were actually available in my school’s library!! I was contemplating renting this expensive textbook for one of my journalism classes last semester, when a classmate of mine told me that he just checked out that textbook from our university library. Needless to say, I abandoned any intention of putting up money for that book and hauled ass to library to snag a copy for myself. Before you even think about renting the match made in heaven, see if the library has the book so you can borrow it for an entire semester for just $0. My one caveat with this is that if the library does happen to have the textbook, it likely only has one or two copies, so you need to jump on that before anyone else does!

10. Buy textbooks from students who are selling theirs.

Many older students sell their textbooks on Facebook, so you should definitely pay attention for an opportunity to buy a used book from a peer. Even though they want cash for their books, they aren’t going to charge you an arm and a leg because they know that if they were in your position, they’d likely say, “hell no” and walk away from that price. Don’t underestimate the power of empathy, my friends. Sometimes they’ll even throw in a study guide or class notes, so you might actually get some bang for your buck.

11. Order books online.

After I completely screwed myself over freshman year from buying all my textbooks NEW from the BOOKSTORE, I decided to give online textbook ordering a try, and for the most part, I was very satisfied. Last semester, I spent no more than $120 total on textbooks. I rented used copies of EVERYTHING I decided to get, and I actually felt like I had come out on top of this wild textbook hunt for once. I used Chegg.com because my roommate used it the semester before and it just seemed really easy — search for your books, create an account, order. At the end of the semester, you just log back into your account to print out the shipping label to return the books, pack them into a box (doesn’t have to be the one they arrived in), slap the label on there, mail it out and boom, you’re good to go. My Chegg order also came with some free samples of things like Vitamin C supplements, Tide laundry pods, and a coupon to use on this website I can’t remember the name of! That was a pretty nice surprise. What are some other online services you’ve had success with for renting or buying books? I’d love to know in the comments! 

12. Avoid sharing textbooks with your friends or other students.

I know, you’ll get to save some money because you might both pay for half of it, or maybe your friend already got it and agreed to let you use it from time to time, but this can actually be really inefficient, especially if you actually need the textbook for a good chunk of the semester. You’ll have to go through the stress of figuring out a textbook sharing plan, and there could be conflict if you both paid for half of it but one of you doesn’t get as much textbook time as the other does. You’re better off finding some other way to have access to the textbook, trust me.

13. Find the price that best suits you.

Sometimes you’ll have to do a little extra work to find the best deal on a textbook you’ve decided to pay for. What’s most important is what you can afford and what you’re willing to pay, so don’t feel like you need to make decisions about textbook purchases as soon as you set foot on campus!

What are your tips for buying college textbooks and getting the best deals? 

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The Ultimate Guide To Dorm Decor + Free Wall Art Printables!

Jasmin - Macarons & Mascara 8 Comments
the ultimate guide to dorm decor

If you’re as excited for the Fall 2016 semester as I am, you’re probably already scouring Pinterest for really cute dorm decor ideas. I don’t blame ya; there are some seriously drool-worthy dorm rooms on Pinterest…if dorm rooms were food that you could drool over, I suppose. Bottom line: those decorations are perfect and we’re excited to make our dorm rooms even half as pretty. Not gonna lie, you might find yourself spending a lot of money to have the Pinterest room of your dreams, and sometimes you’ll buy decorations and in the end you’ll realize that you didn’t even use them (been there, done that!). So before you run to the nearest Target or Michael’s for string lights and chic wall art, here are some decorating tips that are practically life-savers!

1. Check your school’s list of prohibited items.

I’ll say that again to emphasize how important this is. CHECK YOUR SCHOOL’S LIST OF PROHIBITED ITEMS. Some of those super pretty decorations, like string lights, may be PROHIBITED at your school, and there would definitely be consequences if you’re caught with them in your room! I saw these really cute pineapple string lights (I may have a slight obsession with pineapple-themed things) but I can’t use them for decor because string lights are prohibited at my school. Knowing what things aren’t allowed can save you some major cash when shopping. If you aren’t super sure about this whole ‘prohibited items’ thing, check out my post on things that aren’t allowed in dorm rooms and what you can bring instead.

2. Don’t buy anything that needs to be hung via nails in the wall.

You aren’t allowed to damage the walls in any way, so steer clear of anything that requires you to hammer a nail into the dorm room wall. Sure, this might be your chance to use the mini toolkit you’ve been itching to use, but trust me, you’d rather not. Instead, bring painter’s tape (the blue tape) or command hooks for taping and hanging things. These are very easily removed and don’t leave any marks or dents on the walls. If you need to mount things like an art canvas, mounting tape is the way to go. Just don’t press it into the wall too hard because you may not be able to remove it completely when you need to.

3. Set a budget for yourself.

Avoid spending like $100 in dorm decor. I don’t think anybody needs that much decor, but maybe that’s just me. Having a budget for decor is super important because there are other (more important) things you need to buy for college, so you, quite literally, can’t afford to get super caught up in the too beautiful decorations. Think about what you want your room to look like and come up with a small list of decorations you might need, so that way you don’t go all decor-crazy in the store! Figure out approximately how much money you might need for that stuff and that’s your budget. It also helps if you take some time to really look for other ways you can get the item for cheaper.

4. Come up with a color palette for your room. 

I know, that sounds way more intense than it actually is! Basically, what I mean is that you should pick two to three colors that will be your theme. I picked black, white, and light blue, so my bedding, storage boxes, and a few other things are in those colors. This makes it easier for you to match things and really make your room look put together.

5. Dabble in some DIY.

Many DIY projects are so easy to do and you can really personalize them to your liking. I love watching DIY dorm decor videos on YouTube and I always feel really inspired. The milk bottle flower holder in my main blog photo is actually a little something I made myself, and since I already had some of the materials I only spent about $2 for the glitter and a cheap bunch of flowers from the 99 cent store. I painted it that shade of blue because my room’s color scheme has been white, black, and blue since freshman year and I plan to keep it that way. Don’t be afraid to try some cute DIY’s for your room and don’t forget to really have fun with it!

6. Spice up bland walls with some wall art.

It’s no secret that dorm walls are pretty bleh, so you’ll have to work your magic to make them a little more enjoyable to look at. Last year, I printed out some quotes I thought were really funny or so me and I taped them to my wall, and I used sparkly decorative tape to create a border around them like a picture frame. It came out looking pretty great if I do say so myself.

IMG_2438

 

In case you can’t see it clearly, it says, “Some people just need a high-five. In the face. With a chair.” That is LITERALLY my mood 100% of the time, which is why I thought it would be perfect for my wall. If Googling funny quotes doesn’t do it for you, there are lots of cool blogs and websites where you can download wall art completely free, and the art is SO pretty! I basically plan to decorate my wall in printable wall art with decorative tape borders. So here’s your first piece of wall art for your room: I created this FREE printable wall art (below) because I love giving you guys free, pretty things!

the ultimate guide to dorm decor free printable

Just click right here to download your free wall art! I also have a second version of that printable in case you want something with a little more pizzazz. Click here to download that one.

the ultimate guide to dorm decor printable

Because I love decorative tape so much, I bought another roll for only about $2.99 to create the perfect fake picture frame for my wall art.

the ultimate guide to dorm decor

Yay for super chic, fake picture frames made out of tape! I know it looks a bit weird because of my camera angle, but I promise you it’s much cooler in person!

7. Get pretty pillows. 

Using pillows or pillowcases with really pretty print, patters, or quotes on them is an easy way to jazz up your room while making a purchase that’s actually essential for dorm rooms. You don’t really need too many extra pillows, though, so try to avoid buying like three throw pillows (they may prove to be really annoying to have around). You can get two regular sized pillows and one decorative pillow, for example. Alternatively, you can just use two pillows that have really cute designs on the cases. I once saw these super cute pillowcases that are plain white with eyelashes printed on them. So cute and so appropriate for bed decor!

8. Make your room extra cozy with a rug. 

Rugs can really bring a room together and make it look extra comfy. Sure, it can also make a room look smaller, but they’re still really cute. If you’re a rug-type of person or you just like having something warm and soft to put your feet on (or you don’t mind setting aside some time every week to clean said rug) then you should definitely invest in one for your room. There are so many really cute and really quirky ones that you can get. I personally am really feeling those white, fuzzy ones, but I know they’ll get dirty quickly and honestly, I don’t think I’ll have the time I think I will to keep it clean, so I’m trying not to fool myself. But you can try getting a colored rug that matches your room’s theme.

9. Add some more life to your room with tiny, potted plants. 

I really hope to buy tiny succulents for my room this year because they’re really cute and just having plant life form in your presence can be relaxing and give your room an overall more relaxed vibe. Of course, you can get plants in whatever size you’re cool with (or whatever size your university allows) but if you want something that will take up minimal space, fun size is always great. Just be sure to check that plants are allowed in your dorm room first!

10. Put up some personal photos. 

This is an easy, and heartwarming, way to decorate your room with things you already have. You may have seen those cute hung photos on string with clothespins on them — a super cute way to decorate your pictures. You can use photos of you and your family, friends, and other people and things that are important to you. You can also tape them to your wall in any fashion you want.

11. Show off with some monogrammed items. 

Monogrammed items are really cute and often really simple. Something as small as a coffee mug with your initial on it can make your desk look so cute! Honestly, anything monogrammed adds a personal touch to any space, and there are so many different things to choose from!

12. Less is more. 

This is one of the biggest pieces of advice EVER when it comes to dorm decorating. Adding too much stuff can definitely make your room look and feel extremely cluttered (and dorm rooms are small to begin with!) You don’t need string lights AND garlands; you also don’t really need monogrammed wall art AND 3D initials to stick to your wall. Also keep in mind that you’re going to have to bring everything back with you at the end of the year, so choose carefully!

13. Decorate ONLY your side of the room!

Pretty much don’t be that character in the movies who thinks that the entire room belongs to her because that’s extremely unfair to your roommate(s). If you think a rug would look cute by the door, but the door is on your roommate’s side you need to be considerate and respectful of what your roommate decides to do with her space. Likewise, if you have the window side and your roomie thinks that plants on the windowsill would be absolutely darling, she needs to respect your side as well to avoid conflict.

14. Do something that’s YOU. 

At the end of the day, your room is representative of you, not the edgy, glam girl down the hall, not the boho princess on Instagram; YOU. Don’t try to turn your room into something you aren’t because you’ll just feel out of place in it. Also, remember to just have fun with everything!

What’s your favorite way to decorate your dorm room? 

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5 Things To Do Before You Meet Your Roommate

Jasmin - Macarons & Mascara 5 Comments
things to do before you meet your roommate

Your roommate is going to be a huge part of your college life whether you plan to try to be besties with yours or ignore them day in and day out (but try not to decide on the latter). Unless you’re dorming with a friend from high school, you’ll probably be rooming with whatever stranger was paired with you, usually according to preferences you chose in a survey. Whether you’re excited or nervous (or both) about move-in day when you finally get to meet said stranger, there are some things you definitely need to make sure you do beforehand.

1. Email them to say ‘hi.’

This actually isn’t as weird as you might think it is, even if you aren’t usually the type to be bold and reach out to someone. It shows that you’re friendly and open to getting to know them, and honestly it’s nice for everyone to at least know that they might actually get along with their roommate. It doesn’t have to be a longwinded email (unless you want it to be); you can just introduce yourself as their roommate, ask how their summer has been going so far, and say that you can’t wait to meet them. Trying to make contact ahead of time will also make you both feel more comfortable around each other on day one, because at least by then you’ll both know a little more about each other.

2. Ask their likes and dislikes.

When you get to the room, you’re going to have to fill out roommate contracts. This is basically your co-habitation constitution and you SHOULD take it seriously! This is sort of an ‘ice breaker’ for the two of you to say what things get on your last nerve so that you can both try to avoid annoying the hell out of each other. Asking this ahead of time can prepare you for what’s to come. One of their dislikes might come as a surprise to you and you might not know how to react to it. You won’t always agree on everything with your roommate but at least this way you’ll have a few days or a few weeks to think about the situation before move-in day.

My roommate for sophomore year was a girl I met freshman year in one of my classes and we got closer as roommates. I had a really bad experience freshman year with my roommates leaving the window wide open all the time even when it was brick city outside (and MY bed was next to the window!!!), but luckily my roommate had a similar experience and we could both agree on that dislike. This is also a great example of how getting to know each other’s likes and dislikes can draw you closer together!

3. Figure out who gets which half of the room.

Settle this ahead of time so that regardless of who arrives to the room first, you already know which side is yours and you can just go to it and begin unpacking worry-free that your roommate will suddenly bust in with an awkward, horrified look on her face because you took the side she wanted. Also be forward about what you would like. If you really want the bed near the window but don’t say anything, don’t hold a grudge if your roommate takes it. If you both end up wanting the same side of the room, you have time to figure it out in a civil manner that won’t cause anyone to get butthurt.

If you’re tripled (like I was for a semester my freshman year!) you might have a little extra figuring out to do…Some triples have three beds but only two desks, two dressers, and two closets, so you’ll definitely need to work out who’s sharing what with whom. Hint: you definitely DON’T want to save this conversation for move-in day! My freshman year, I had the type of room I just described and I realized that it was actually a lot more difficult to share the space than I had anticipated, especially since not all of the things I’m telling you about were discussed beforehand (whoops). If you want me to do a future post on surviving a triple, definitely let me know in the comments!

4. Find out approximately what time they’ll begin moving their things into the room.

This is so that you avoid arriving at the same time as them. I know, that sounds terrible but let me explain! I usually try to avoid arriving at the same time as my roommate so that we can each have our space when moving our lives into the room. The room WILL be small and everyone WILL have a considerable amount of stuff to move into the room, so the more breathing room you and your families have to do that, the less stressed everyone will be and the easier it will be for you to get done quicker. You don’t want anyone getting in your way, and likewise, no one wants you trampling over them and their items either. I find it much easier to arrive before my roommate so I get all of my things settled. Then, when my roommate and her parents come in, I give them the space they need. If my roommate got there before I did, I’d want her to do the same for me, so it’s only fair. Of course, you can always offer to help your roommate move in (that’s always really nice) but if you aren’t needed, stay out of the way.

If move-in day kinda makes you nervous (it’s okay if it does) check out my post on tips to make move-in day easier!

5. Find out if the two of you will share any items.

If you’re both willing to share some items like a tv or a mini fridge, then it can be pretty easy to come up with a plan for sharing. Keep in mind that although some people are ready and willing to split items, there are also some people who aren’t so cool with doing that and that’s okay. If you personally aren’t up for sharing, then you just need to politely say that you’d rather have your own item. Likewise, if that’s how your roommate feels, you should respect that. Some items that are totally shareable include mini fridges (a 3.0 cubic foot one is pretty good), a tv, a full-sized mirror, and if your school allows it, a microwave. You might also want to discuss if the two of you will share cooking items such as pots and pans if you’ll be cooking in the communal kitchen.

I don’t suggest splitting the payment on anything big you want to share because then there’s always going to be the question of who should take it home at the end of the year. You might want to keep the tv at your house since you paid for half of it, but your roommate might also think the same thing. Pick an item and bring it if you guys want to go that way. Also, if you promise to bring something for the room, try to follow through on it because your roommate will be counting on it.

So I kinda suck at closings (because I always want to keep talking!) but I really hope you find these tips useful. Even small gestures like simply emailing to say ‘hi’ can honestly have a big impact on your relationship with your roommate.

What are some other things you should do before you meet your roomie? 

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10 College Beauty Essentials

Jasmin - Macarons & Mascara 6 Comments
college beauty essentials

I love talking about beauty, and I also love talking about college. And that’s how this post came about! In all seriousness, the stress of packing for college can make us do some crazy things…including forgetting to pack some really essential beauty items. Now, I love my lipstick, eyeliner, and mascara, but I’m not going to tell you what lipstick shades you need for the fall, or everything you need to pack in order to do full-face makeup because not everyone enjoys diving into makeup and I don’t want to assume that we all do. Plus, it’s not exactly ‘essential’ if we can do without it without giving it a second thought (my dear red lipstick, I’m deeply in love with you but I can, in fact survive college without you).

So for the sake of short and sweet intros, let’s talk beauty essentials…

1. A really good facial wash.

I can’t stress enough how important washing your face daily is, but it’s just as important that you remember to use a wash that has everything your skin needs. When you’re in college, you’ll find that you don’t have as much time to run to the pharmacy and grab skin products. In fact, when you’re on campus the nearest pharmacy might be a 15-20 minute drive away in the car that you don’t have on campus! Pack a face wash that suits your skin type and any skin concerns you may have, and use it day and night to keep your face clean.

Also, in case you’re interested, I also have a post on important ways we can pay more attention to our skin.

2. Sunscreen!

Listen to all those skincare articles and the fabulous beauty bloggers who tell you to keep sunscreen as your beauty bag staple. It’s still bright and sunny when you first start college in August — even in September — so make sure you protect your skin from damage caused by the sun. You never think that it’ll be your skin that gets damaged until it actually happens to you.

3. Nail clippers.

Everyone clips their nails — even lovers of long nails and the nail polish obsessed (like me!). But sometimes people forget to pack their nail clippers and it’s sometimes hell to find someone who’s willing to lend a pair. I’d also say that you shouldn’t forget to bring a nail file because your nail might break (annoying!) and you’d want to file it down asap. There’s nothing more annoying than having jagged nails!

4. Lip balm.

I. Live. For. Lip. Balm. If you aren’t a lipstick kinda girl, you should definitely at least carry around lip balm. The colder it gets, the drier your lips will get and you NEVER want to lick your lips because that actually dries them out even more! Lip balm is overall great for keeping the skin on your lips healthy and moisturized, and there are so many good ones to choose from. Bonus points if you get a lip balm with SPF, and if you take it up a notch and get a gentle lip exfoliator.

5. Makeup remover wipes.

Even if you don’t wear makeup you can still benefit from use makeup remover wipes. They’re great for taking with you to the gym so you could give your face a quick swipe after a rigorous workout. They’re also fantastic for just making your face feel refreshed after a long, hard day in class or a study session. My favorite two brands for makeup remover wipes are Neutrogena and ELF (believe me, I’ve tried so many wipes and many of them don’t cut the mustard!!!). 

6. Dry shampoo.

Dry shampoo can be a major time-saver, especially as a busy college student. I’m going to be honest here and say that sometimes I really want to wash my hair but my schedule has me put it off for a day or two. I know, you might be turning up your nose at that, but guilty as charged! When my hair is a little too greasy for my liking, I spritz some dry shampoo into it and it works really well to absorb some of the extra oil. Just remember that you shouldn’t use dry shampoo as the ultimate substitute for washing your hair because it’s not meant to work like that. You also don’t need to stock up on it; one can of dry shampoo is more than enough for the entire school year!

7. Hair ties.

As college students, we’re never short of tea and iced coffee (God bless), but for some reason our hair tie game needs work. Major work. We all know the struggle of not having a hair tie to pull back our hair on an extremely windy day, or to keep our hair from being plastered to the back of our neck when we sweat at the gym. Bring many hair ties and keep them all organized in one place so you don’t lose half of them! 

8. Q-tips and cotton pads.

These are perhaps one of the most forgotten beauty essentials, yet one of the most important. Aside from using them to clean your ears, you can use Q-tips to clean up any makeup smudges quickly and precisely. Psst, they’re also great for cleaning and applying ointment to cuts and scrapes, but that’s a story for another time! They’re also awesome for cleaning up excess nail polish you might’ve gotten on your skin after doing your nails. 

9. Nail polish.

Now, I know not everyone wears nail polish on the reg. but hear me out. You can actually use this nail candy in some non-beauty related ways. When I was younger and had to wear a school uniform (ugh, those were the days), sometimes my stockings would begin to rip, so to prevent further damage my mom would apply some clear nail polish to the source of the rip. Worked like a charm! Got too many keys to count hanging on your keychain? Use nail polish to color them so you’ll always remember what’s for what. Do you know any other awesome uses for nail polish? Comment below! 

10. Eyeliner.

I know I said I wouldn’t focus on actual makeup, but in all honesty, almost every college girl will use eyeliner at least once in college if they haven’t already, so you might as well come prepared. You might apply a quick swipe of eyeliner for a night out or a job interview, and you don’t need to buy $20 eyeliner; a simple eye pencil will definitely suffice. Eye pencils are also very inexpensive and won’t take up a lot of space when you pack for college. If there’s just one makeup product every girl should bring to college it would probably be this. 

So I hope that you really consider packing these beauty essentials for college because, believe me, they’re super worth the buy and the attention! Don’t overlook these items because whether you wear makeup daily or not, these are items that will greatly benefit your college beauty bag. 

What are your college beauty essentials? 

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17 Tips To Make College Move-In Day Much Easier

Jasmin - Macarons & Mascara 10 Comments
how to survive college move-in day

The day you’ve been (excitedly? nervously?) waiting for is finally here…but maybe you aren’t quite ready for it. Move-in day can be a bit nerve-wrecking because you might be worried about what your room will look like, if you packed everything you need, if you overpacked, but for me my biggest concern my freshman move-in day was how the hell was I moving everything from the family car to the room??? How do your items go from cozily crammed in the car to Pinterest-worthy dorm room?

Move-in day doesn’t have to be as insane as you think it might be. Sure, everyone — parents, siblings, roommate, you — may feel a little stressed on this momentous day, but I’ve got some tips that’ll definitely help you get settled easier and thus worry less. I’m about to be a junior in college, so this is going to be my third time doing all this, and I’ve definitely learned a lot the first two times!

1. Pack your storage bins ahead of time. 

Stacked organizers and bins can definitely be packed ahead of time with the things you intend to keep in there. This saves space in the car and gives you much less stuff to unpack when you get to your room. I like keeping any extra towels, bed sheets and laundry supplies in one of my bins, so I make sure I designate all related items to that one bin — and I don’t even have to remove a thing from it!

2. Tape things shut.

PLEASE tape any drawers or open things shut, including the door of your mini fridge! You don’t want the door flying open while you’re trying to move it through the hallways! If you have even a sneaking feeling that a container or organizer might open itself up on the way or while you’re moving it, trust your gut unless you want your belongings scattered on the floor of the parking lot.

3. Put cling wrap over the tops of bottled items to prevent spills.

I started using this hack on my makeup bottles and hair and body products and it actually works! I get paranoid that my bottles of lotion will open up and spill all over the inside of my bag *shudder*. Just unscrew the cap, place a small square of cling wrap evenly on top of the opening of the bottle, and screw the cap back on tightly. A mess in your bag or suitcase will no longer be a worry!

4. Remove bulky packagings ahead of time.

There’s no reason to keep the packaging around a pack of pens or pencils, or the annoying plastic flashlights come in when packing to leave. You’re going to need to remove them when you get to your room, so you might as well get rid of the packaging when you’re still at home and can take a meat cleaver to particularly annoying packagings. Bulky packaging only takes up space in your containers and bags, and the fewer boxes and bags you can bring with you, the better.

5. Bring water and snacks.

Moving is tiring. Make sure you bring enough water for you and your family. You’re kidding yourself if you think that you won’t want even a sip of water by the time you’re finished with everything. I also like bringing granola bars and my favorite flavor of Cheez-its as a snack (you’ll also likely get hungry in the process).

6. Arrive as early as possible.

Most colleges have a designated time period during the day for students to move in (because building offices might close after a certain time of day). The earlier you get out there and get started moving in, the earlier you can be done with it all! Plus, if you realize that you need to run out to a Target or grocery store because you forgot something, at least you’ll have more time to do so.

7. Decide ahead of time who gets which side of the room.

Hopefully by move-in day you will have spoken to your soon-to-be roommate at least once. Decide who gets the window bed and who gets the bed by the door ahead of time so if you get to the room first you don’t have to worry about taking the side of the room your roommate wanted.

8. Bring a hand cart.

This is extremely useful when moving large, heavy items like a mini fridge because you sure as hell don’t want to drag it with your bare hands from the parking lot to the fifth floor of your building! My parents and I also use the hand cart to stack my suitcase, travel handbag, and duffle bag all in one go — so fewer trips to the car!

9. Locate the building’s RA office first.

You need to go to your building’s office to check in and receive the key to your room. DON’T forget to do this! If you do, you’ll arrive at your door and realize you don’t have a key to get inside (if you’re unlucky and the people you’re living with haven’t arrived yet), and you’ll have to trek back downstairs to look for the office and get your key.

10. Find an elevator.

You’ll definitely have at least one item that you’d hate to have to lug up the stairs! Elevators are Godsent inventions for soon-to-be weary college students. Sometimes they can be a bit slow when everyone’s trying to use it at once (another reason why it’s good to arrive as early as you can!) but it beats using the stairs when your arms are wrapped around three different containers.

11. Disinfect everything.

The desk, he dresser, the mattress! I like to take a can of disinfectant spray and mist it over the mattress before I start putting on any sheets. It’s also a good idea to give the desk and dresser a once-over with Lysol wipes to remove excess dust (especially if you have allergies, like me!).

12. Need space to move around? Temporarily put some things under the bed.

I’ve lived in suite-style living for the last two years, so if I needed space to move around in the room, I kept belongings I didn’t need straight away in the living room area. But if you’re in corridor-style living and don’t want to leave some belongings in the hallway where they can get in the way of passerbys, temporarily chuck them under the bed. This way, you can just reach under and pull them out as you need them and you’ll still have space to move around in the actual room.

13. Plug in your mini fridge and get items that need refrigeration inside.

If you have FROZEN items or items that just need refrigeration (like yogurt), you need to get them in the fridge ASAP, especially if you just drove 2+ hours in the late summer sun without refrigeration for your food. This is one of the first things I do when I get to my room because I don’t want anything to spoil. Plus, since the fridge is bigger, I like to find a space that works well for it; it’s easier to find space for smaller items.

14. Get your family to help!

Need your bed to be raised a little higher? Better get dad to help you out before he leaves! Get your family to help you do whatever they can so you don’t have to beg your roommate to help you move the couch later on!

15. Know the location of the nearest Target or Walmart. 

Just in case you need to quickly run over there to pick something up! Speaking of knowing the locations of things, also know exactly how to navigate to your dorm building because nothing stresses people out like not knowing which turns to take when they count the most!

16. Help your roommate get settled as needed. 

If you’re all done but your roommate could use some extra hands, you should try to help out. If it were you, you’d be grateful for the extra help. Plus, this is a great way to make small talk and get to know your roomie better (and start off on the right foot with them!).

17. Relax!

Because you just survived move-in day!

Hopefully you’ll find my tips and tricks for conquering move-in day helpful! Like I said, move-in day doesn’t have to be super stressful; make it easy on yourself so that you can live to survive another move-in day!

ALSO, don’t forget to check out my post on things that aren’t allowed in college dorms and what you can bring instead so that you can save money and space!

What are your tips for making move-in day easier? 

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