It's come to that time of year again... The leaves have fallen from the trees and it's getting colder. I can smell it now, the scent of Black Friday shopping. :)
This is such an exciting time of year. Thanksgiving dinner brings families together to celebrate just before the big annual shopping extravaganza where we all leave the safety of our homes to try and get the best deals on presents for our loved ones.
I've spend the last few years of Black Friday shopping in Chicago on Michigan Avenue, and let me tell you, there is nothing crazier than that street on the Friday after thanksgiving. The stores are almost as packed as the sidewalks and getting around is extremely difficult. But there's no better place for a girl like me, who has always been a little too fond of shopping and seeking out the best day of the day.
Here's some things to keep in mind so you can be a smart shopper this season:
Wear good walking shoes. Tennis shoes that are comfortable work the best. If you're doing it right, you'll be doing a lot of walking. Also bring band-aids, just in case anyone in your "clan" gets a blister, (this has happened to me once or twice).
Wear clothes that cling close to the body to avoid getting caught on things in a hustle and wear a small purse that can hang around the front of your waist so it's not lost or stolen.
Make a list. Write down all of the people you aim to buy gifts for, and a general idea of what to get them. If you're really savvy you can make an excel spreadsheet and print it out to take with you on your adventure.
Have cash on hand as well as a debit card. Keep your cell phone, or walkie-talkie if you're hardcore, within easy reach and have all of your coupons safely stored and ready to go. Know all the major door busters and deals of the day and when they start/end, you may have to get out earlier than you expect to beat the crowds and catch the deals if you really want them.
Don't get frustrated if you don't end up with all the things you set out for, it's supposed to be a fun day. And besides, there's always next year.
Now you're all ready to shop like a pro this Black Friday. Good Luck and have fun!
Word count: 414
Sunday, November 9, 2014
15 minutes
It happens at least once a week. I go to bed late, I get up late. I haven't showered. I have "nothing to wear." Surely it's going to be an awful day... Or not.
The girl's guide to getting ready in 15 minutes: If you know it's going to be an early morning, try showering the night before. It'll save you 15-20 minutes of the actually time it takes to shower, plus the 5-10 minutes of drying and combing out your hair and styling it.
If you wake up late and didn't make it into the shower the night before, don't panic. All you need is some dry shampoo and a hair tie. Use the shampoo to quickly dry up any access oil from your hair, make it smell and feel fresh and clean, and throw it up in a pony, bun, or braid. Problem solved.
Check the weekly forecast and pick out your outfit the night before. This is a must. You can even pick out outfits for the entire week. I can't count the amount of times I spend in the morning pondering over what I should wear, only to get frustrated and cause myself to be late. Lay out everything you need including shoes, socks, underwear, etc. so you wont have to scramble around in the dark of the early morning when you're half asleep.
Also, separate your accessories. The last thing you need is to go to grab your favorite necklace, only to find it tangled into 3 others. A simple nail on the wall trick can solve this.
Establish an easy morning makeup routine that only takes 5 minutes. Skip the foundation and just use concealer under your eyes and on any blemishes. Curl your eyelashes without applying mascara to give your eyes a quick boost and give your eyebrows a quick touch-up with a brush instead of using a pencil to fill them in.
Grab breakfast on the go. Snag a banana or an apple from the kitchen and eat it on the way to school or work instead of sitting down to eat. Even better, pack some snacks in baggies the night before and throw them in your bag to eat throughout the day.
Word count: 396
The girl's guide to getting ready in 15 minutes: If you know it's going to be an early morning, try showering the night before. It'll save you 15-20 minutes of the actually time it takes to shower, plus the 5-10 minutes of drying and combing out your hair and styling it.
If you wake up late and didn't make it into the shower the night before, don't panic. All you need is some dry shampoo and a hair tie. Use the shampoo to quickly dry up any access oil from your hair, make it smell and feel fresh and clean, and throw it up in a pony, bun, or braid. Problem solved.
Check the weekly forecast and pick out your outfit the night before. This is a must. You can even pick out outfits for the entire week. I can't count the amount of times I spend in the morning pondering over what I should wear, only to get frustrated and cause myself to be late. Lay out everything you need including shoes, socks, underwear, etc. so you wont have to scramble around in the dark of the early morning when you're half asleep.
Also, separate your accessories. The last thing you need is to go to grab your favorite necklace, only to find it tangled into 3 others. A simple nail on the wall trick can solve this.
Establish an easy morning makeup routine that only takes 5 minutes. Skip the foundation and just use concealer under your eyes and on any blemishes. Curl your eyelashes without applying mascara to give your eyes a quick boost and give your eyebrows a quick touch-up with a brush instead of using a pencil to fill them in.
Grab breakfast on the go. Snag a banana or an apple from the kitchen and eat it on the way to school or work instead of sitting down to eat. Even better, pack some snacks in baggies the night before and throw them in your bag to eat throughout the day.
Word count: 396
Stop stressing
Final exams are coming and these weeks are the scariest weeks of the year for high school students, especially junior and senior year, when your grades have a huge impact on college applications and getting accepted into the school of your dreams. But stressing out over these tests won't make them any easier and it certainly won't make them disappear. Not to mention the fact that an overload of stress is not good for your body, it can cause you to gain weight and break out all over the place; and that's the last thing you need. So here's a few ways you can try to relieve your anxiety these next couple weeks.
Start studying WAY earlier than you think you should. If you can get ahead of the game, so to speak, and ahead of the rest of your classmates when it comes to memorizing information for a test, you'll be setting yourself up for way less stress when the test approaches. You have heard every teacher tell you not to cram the night before, and they don't just tell you that in attempt at giving you extra work. Studies have proven it, so get started early at preparation.
Get organized. Go through all your binders and folders and get rid of old papers. While doing this you can review all material you haven't seen in a while to refresh your memory. If you can get yourself organized it gives you one less thing to worry about (not to mention that you can kick 5 pounds off your daily load). Chances are that you're carrying around tons of old papers you don't need anymore. I did this last week and I feel so much better.
Get lots of sleep. This may sound like a no-brainer, but staying up late cramming isn't the way to go. You are only hurting yourself. Set a reasonable bed time and stick to it. Your "morning-self" will thank you later. Your body works best on schedules, so start going to bed and getting up at around the same time everyday, even on weekends, to build the habit. Start this a good 15 days ahead of your exam date. Your body will start to adjust and get up automatically. You'll wake up feeling more rested and ready to take on the day. This applies year round, but mostly during the school year when the stress of the workload sets in.
Word count: 407
Start studying WAY earlier than you think you should. If you can get ahead of the game, so to speak, and ahead of the rest of your classmates when it comes to memorizing information for a test, you'll be setting yourself up for way less stress when the test approaches. You have heard every teacher tell you not to cram the night before, and they don't just tell you that in attempt at giving you extra work. Studies have proven it, so get started early at preparation.
Get organized. Go through all your binders and folders and get rid of old papers. While doing this you can review all material you haven't seen in a while to refresh your memory. If you can get yourself organized it gives you one less thing to worry about (not to mention that you can kick 5 pounds off your daily load). Chances are that you're carrying around tons of old papers you don't need anymore. I did this last week and I feel so much better.
Get lots of sleep. This may sound like a no-brainer, but staying up late cramming isn't the way to go. You are only hurting yourself. Set a reasonable bed time and stick to it. Your "morning-self" will thank you later. Your body works best on schedules, so start going to bed and getting up at around the same time everyday, even on weekends, to build the habit. Start this a good 15 days ahead of your exam date. Your body will start to adjust and get up automatically. You'll wake up feeling more rested and ready to take on the day. This applies year round, but mostly during the school year when the stress of the workload sets in.
Word count: 407
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