How to Survive Your First Semester

In honor of all you high school graduates heading off to college this week, may I present: 

HOW TO SURVIVE YOUR FIRST SEMESTER

(tips and tricks from someone who has) 

1. Rooms Are For Sleeping Find somewhere else to study. Your dorm  room is too full of fun and distracting stuff to really get any work done.  Go to the library, coffee shop or study room instead. That way, when you get back to your room you can relax. Also having a set place to study really helps in getting work done.

2. Dress Up For Test Day There’s truth to the power of dressing for success. Intentionally dressing a certain way signals to your brain that it is go time. The extra confidence of looking your best also goes a long way. So on test days I get dressed up, do my hair and makeup wear nice clothes. However some of my guy friends wear pepto bismol pink bathrobes on test days. Find whatever works for you, but dress up on test days.  

3. SLEEP! 

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****FUN FACT****

The performance difference on an intelligence test due to one hour's difference in sleep is larger than the difference in performance between a normal 4th grader and a normal 6th grader. Losing one hour of sleep over 3 days is equivalent to a loss in 2 years of cognitive ability.

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Teenagers and college students need an average of 7 1/2 hours of sleep each night. This is the best way to improve your learning and your grade. SO GET ENOUGH SLEEP!

ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzZZZZZZZzzzzzzzZZZZZZZzzzzzzzZZZZZZZzzzzzzz....

4. Use a Planner  You will NOT be able to keep track of all your assignments in your head. The day you get your syllabi write down every single assignment in your planner. That way you can see exactly when everything is due.  Plan your schedule precisely and well in advance. Make sure to block what and when you will be studying in as much detail as possible. Try building your schedule in 30 minute blocks. Make sure that you schedule downtime and fun activities into the schedule as well, you’ll literally go crazy if you don’t have a little fun every now and then.

5. Make Your Bed Not only is your room the place you sleep, it has now become your living room, kitchen and study space. At home when your room gets messy you can move to a different room. That doesn’t work as well in a dorm. Making your bed automatically makes your room look 80% cleaner and will actually help you keep the rest of your room somewhat organized. Remember dorm rooms are small and you don’t want the reputation of being THAT slob of a roommate.

6. Keep Your Door Open When people leave their doors open, dorms feel more like home and less like hotels. Especially during the first few weeks when you’re in your room, prop the door open so people can stop by and say hi. Do the same when you see others with THEIR doors open. (Additionally, please note: friends can be bought with baked goods)

7. Attend EVERY Single Formal Dinner You Can Not only is the food exponentially superior to anything you’ll find in the cafeteria, but these events are also usually awesome networking opportunities. Remember it pays to have friends in high places.

8. Use Your ID Other Places Besides School 
Restaurants, hardware stores, museums and concert venues often have really sweet deals for College students. Take the time to find out where the bargains are in your town. You’ll be glad you did. 

9. Get Some Rain Boots and Good Umbrella Sitting through a lecture soaking wet is NOT fun.

10.   Leave the T-Shirt Collection at Home 10 shirts are probably more than enough because ***if you get involved*** by the time you leave, you will have an additional 15 to take home. True story. 

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And...
Just in case that was enough, check out this video from my favorite Canadian video blogger (remember this guy?) for more survival tips

Asheville {Part 3: Blue Ridge Parkway}

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

--{Romans 1:20}--

Today mom and I hit the road, exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway. After stopping at the Folk Art Center just outside of Asheville, we enjoyed a traditional Oglesbee picnic (peanut butter bagels) then hit the trail, making the short climb up Craggy Pinnacle.

Contrary to popular belief, the bat cave can be found in NC

After our hike we made our way to the Western North Carolina Nature Center (which was basically a small zoo). 

"No, no, please, no pictures"

"Ah, it's just too much, darling"

"Fine, if you must"

And no girls get away would be complete without some chocolate. So, as to end our time in Asheville we stopped by the French Broad Chocolate Bar for some dessert. Like everything else we've had, it was delicious. 

Chocolate Creme Brulee (lick the bowl clean good)

Asheville {part 2: The Biltmore Estate}

No visit to Asheville would be complete without a visit to the Biltmore. In fact visiting the historic home of was the main reason mom and I chose Asheville as our vacation destination.  As we walked through the house I was amazed not by how lavish everything was, although it certainly was magnificent, but by how high tech it was. George W. Vanderbilt originally  had the "house" built as a vacation home. When it opened 1895 and the whole thing, all 250 rooms of it, was equipped with electric lights and indoor plumbing. In fact, the house boasted 43 bathrooms, quite the feat for 1895 single indoor bathrooms were scarce!

All together the 117 year mansion contains 250 rooms (40 acres of house!), including a 70,000 gallon, 10 foot deep indoor swimming pool and bowling alley. One of the first rooms you visit on the tour is the seven story dining room, complete with record sized trophy heads and gigantic pipe organ. Why would someone ever need a pipe organ in their 7 story dining room?  To sing Christmas carols around their 40ft Christmas tree of course!
But seriously, the house was stunning and touring it with my mom made it so much fun! 

{A picture of a picture: so classy}