Backstage At Ralph & Russo Spring 2017 Couture

Gemma Ward @ Alexander McQueen Fall 2006

a quick guide to art journaling

[ don’t repost / claim as your own ]

How I Changed My Feelings About Mornings

Or, a less anxiety-inducing Morning Routine guide from the worst morning person in the world.

If you’re anything like me, mornings are pretty much the worst part of your school day. In fact, mornings used to be the most anxious part of my day. I’d stay in bed past my alarm, rush to get ready, eat “breakfast” in 5 mins, and drive to school with what I call, “Morning Traffic Anxiety” (you know the feeling). But a few years ago, I came to the conclusion that although my anxiety would never truly go away, I did have the power to make my mornings feel a little more like “me time”. Here are my tips on how to start off your day in the best way possible.

I don’t care how confident you think you are; You need alarms. That’s right- alarmS- plural. This isn’t just to wake you the hell up; I’ve learned that setting several alarms is the best way for you to keep track of how much time you’ve spent doing something. And, if you’re anything like me and know you like to stay in bed past your alarm, set your first alarm even earlier. For example, my first alarm for “waking up” is 5:30, the alarm for actually physically getting up from bed is 6:00, out of the bathroom by 6:30, downstairs by 6:45… you get the picture. Not only are alarms for waking up, but they’re also for timing yourself. My alarms are set in 15-30 min. increments away from each other, but do whatever floats your boat.

Commit to your sleeping/waking up schedule. I love sleeping-in on weekends as much as the next girl; but please don’t torture yourself by over-sleeping. You’ll just regret it by the time it’s monday morning. Stay (somewhat) consistent and your body will thank you for it.

Listen to music while you get ready. This is one of the best and mose effective tips I’ve ever come up for myself, self-care wise. If I’m feeling particularly anxious, I’ll put on a peaceful, calming playlist to get ready to. If I want to wake up more energetic and am getting ready for a busier day, I’ll play more fun and upbeat songs. Whatever music you choose, I promise it’ll change your mood. (If you need some morning music recs, you can find my playlists here!)

Plan out your Tomorrow Outfit. I know, I sound like your mom. But trust me, it really does help and it saves you so much time! If you don’t want to physically put out your outfits, at least have an idea in your head for the next morning.

Please. For the love of God. Eat breakfast. Even just a little bit. I never understood how some of my friends and classmates could, dare I say, SKIP breakfast and survive class. This concept leaves me in awe. I personally feel like I’m going to collapse if I don’t eat breakfast. Please eat; even if it’s just a little bit! Find the time to actually make a good breakfast, or even pre-make a good breakfast the night before. Bagels, toast, and oatmeal are great quick and wholesome-enough breakfast choices. Also, remember that your morning is YOU time- take this time to enjoy your favorite coffee/tea without rushing! It feels good, trust me.

As you can see, a lot of working on bettering your mornings is about time. Speaking from experience, I can confidently say that rushing is not fun. I hate being late, and being in a hurry just makes my anxious mornings even worse. The best tip I could ever give is to find a morning routine that works for you, practice it, and stick with it. Just like any other struggle, making your mornings more enjoyable just takes commitment; but it’s 100% do-able!

Get more confident

Becoming more confident is a long journey full of hard work. I’ve always had very low confidence but in the last few years I managed to become more confident than I ever imagined I’d be. Here are the things that helped me with my confidence the most:

Wake up with music that makes you feel good -Create a playlist of songs that make you feel alive and powerful and then listen to it every morning. If you aren’t waking up to Everybody loves me by OneRepublic… What are you even doing?

Stop being mean to yourself -So many of us call ourselves a disappointment on daily basis without realising it. I want you to imagine you are talking to a friend, not yourself. You wouldn’t call your friend useless every time they mess up, would ya?

Wear clothes you are comfortable in -I’m not necessarily talking physical comfort. You should feel beautiful in your clothes. It can be wearing sweatpants or croptops, it’s your choice!

Declutter your space -Throw away things that make you feel bad. All the clothes you don’t like wearing, all the clutter that makes you feel like crap at home. Even throwing away the shampoo that doesn’t smell nice to you is helpful.

Work out -Again it’s not as much about looking good but feeling good. You want to feel strong or fast or whatever your goal may be.

Appreciate small victories -A great journaling prompt is just to sit down every single evening and write down at least 3 small or big victories of the day.

Try new things -Get out of your comfort zone and try the things you’ve always wanted to do. For me personally it was talking to more poeple. I found more friends and realised I can make people laugh and that was a great confidence boost.

Walk with your head high -This is a sort of “fake it ‘til you make it” type of thing. Don’t look down when you walk and keep your back straight. Walk like an assassin on a mission.

Find what you’re good at -Get to know your talents.

Don’t rely on compliments from others -Learn to appreciate and compliment yourself.

Find what kind of vibes you want to have and work on that -Do you want to be a ray of sunshine? Smile more and wear bright colours. Become who you want to be.

Take care of your body -Force yourself to feel good in your skin.

Get familiar with your body -Stop avoiding mirrors. Find the things you love about it and accept things you don’t like. Be grateful for your body taking care of you the way it does.

As alwas I truly hope I helped at least some of you and have an amazing year full of self love!

photos under my "dream home" board in pinterest.

How to Deal with Study Burnout

As students in this day and age, it’s quite common for us to juggle rigorous academic responsibilities and overwhelming extracurricular activities. As a result, we might feel burnt out. But what exactly is burnout? 

Burnout is when you feel physically and mentally exhausted as a result of constantly lacking the energy required to fulfill the demands of your studying.

Burnout can be broken down into three parts:

Exhaustion is what causes you to feel tired all the time and unable to concentrate. You could also get sick or have trouble sleeping.

Cynicism or depersonalization is when you feel disconnected from those around you, e.g. your friends and family.

Inefficacy is a decrease in productivity, efficiency, or quality of your work.

How do you know if you have burnout?

Symptoms may vary, but they include:

Being unable to absorb new information

Intellectual exhaustion

Decreasing academic performance and productivity

Feeling like you need to prove yourself

Making yourself work even more, even though you’re exhausted or being unwilling to study further

Neglecting your needs

Long term fatigue

Showing disinterest in things you normally enjoy, e.g. hobbies or friends

Denying that something’s wrong with you (may manifest in the form of aggression)

Avoiding social interaction

Feeling empty and depressed

What can I do to fix it?

Here are some short term solutions for dealing with burnout.

1. Take a power nap Power naps are life changing. They help you recharge your energy and get you ready to start working again. They also improve learning, memory, creativity, alertness, and mood. I would recommend napping for 30 minutes at most, because anything more will lead to a longer sleep session.

Optional: drink coffee before your nap - something that takes a short while to consume like a shot of espresso - so that you’ll feel alert and revitalized afterwards!

2. Take a shower A cold one will wake you up, but a warm one will calm you down. I suggest starting with warm water, then ending with cold water.

3. Exercise Whether it’s playing soccer or doing yoga, the important thing is to get moving! Exercise releases endorphins or happy hormones that help you combat stress.

4. Run a quick errand This will help take your mind off things while also getting something done! You’ll also end up walking, which is technically a form of exercise.

5. Call or visit a friend Sometimes what we’re lacking is social interaction, and hanging out with a friend definitely helps. Whether it’s providing you with a distraction or giving emotional support, your friends are always there to help you. Plus, science has shown that being with friends reduces your cortisol (stress hormone) levels.

6. Eat a snack Preferably a healthy one. Eat something with proteins, vitamins, and fibers to boost your mood. Here’s a list of mood boosting foods.

7. Surf the web This requires A TON of discipline, but it’s definitely a game changer. Surfing the web is one of the most relaxing things you could do. I personally look for a good laugh during my study breaks, so I’d watch a comedy or scroll through memes to get those happy hormones up and running.

8. Do an activity you find interesting, e.g. a hobby We all need happiness in our lives, and our hobbies are perhaps the best way to find that joy. You could sit down with a page turning adventure, or go outside and shoot hoops, or listen to a podcast, or even bullet journal, as long as you’re having a good time.

9. Listen to music Music is one of the ways we gain energy, so I always make time for it during the day. However, you should choose the right music, because not all the music you love is going to make you feel energized. For me, it’s pop punk with hard hitting beats, thundering guitars, and really upbeat, enthusiastic vocals. Some of you might be energized by mellow music with dreamy vocals that make you feel like you’re floating in the clouds. If you choose the wrong music, you might just end up feeling sluggish and drained.

10. Get some fresh air Your brain needs 20% of the oxygen in your body. Fresh air brings more oxygen to your brain so that you can think more clearly, feel less tired, and concentrate more easily.

How do I make sure I don’t get it in the future?

Avoiding study burnout in the long term has a lot to do with our study habits - as well as our daily habits. We need to make sure that our bodies and minds receive the things they need, and that we aren’t overworking them.

1. Study a little at a time Break up your notes into smaller, more easily digestible pieces and learn a little at a time. This way, you’re not overwhelming your brain, and you have time to let that new knowledge settle in.

2. Time management Having a good study schedule is crucial in preventing burnout. You don’t want to force yourself to work at your slow hours. Aside from that, you definitely shouldn’t leave things until the last minute, and sticking to a schdule will help you pace yourself. Here’s a post I wrote on How to Make an Efficient Revision Schedule and How to Beat Procrastination.

3. Get enough rest I cannot stress enough that sleep is so important for you. It improves your cognitive functioning and also enhances your mood, making it less likely that you’ll get burnt out. Make sure to take power naps, too, if you feel like you need them. 

You also really shouldn’t pull all-nighters. Sleep is also involved in cementing memories in your brain, so if you study a little before you sleep, you’re bound to remember more than if you studied a chapter during an all nighter.

Having trouble sleeping? Here’s a post I made about my night routine and how to get better sleep.

4. Cycle your study environments Your body and mind are bound to get tired from being in the same location for prolonged periods of time. The best way to fix that is to study in different places: at your desk, your backyard, the dining table, a cafe, a friend’s house, the library, etc.You should find a frequency that works for you. I like to switch it up every 2-3 days; some people change locations every week.

5. Eat well As I’ve mentioned before, healthy foods with protein, vitamins, and fiber greatly improve your mood and your physical health. Proper nutrition will give your brain the power it needs to push through. Also make sure not to skip meals; honestly you’ll just end up feeling terrible afterwards.

6. Take frequent breaks Let’s face it, we’re human, we’re bound to get tired from studying for a long time. Taking breaks enables our brains to digest the information we just learned in a pace that works for it. Breaks also help us focus on something other than studying, so that when we do get back to it, we’ll be ready to digest even more information.

7. Set realistic study goals You’re gonna memorize all 500 pages of your biology textbook in one day? Good luck with that. Some of you might be compulsive studiers, but this kind of habit isn’t very good for your brain or your physical health. Studies have shown that excess studying can lead to lower productivity, fatigue, and - you guessed it - burnout. In the end, this will result in lower academic performance, perhaps even in the long run. So instead of trying to study so much in one sitting or one day, break up your material into chunks.

8. Maintain your social life Wherever you lie on the introvert-extrovert spectrum, everyone needs social interaction once in a while. It keeps you sane and healthy. Go out with your friends, have a sleepover, or maybe even a study date.

9. Start the day right What we do in the morning can significantly affect our mood for the rest of the day. Sometimes we don’t even feel like getting up in the morning, or doing anything that day. One thing you should do is create a morning routine you enjoy to jumpstart your day. Here are 8 Morning Habits for Productivity.

10. Think positive When we’re feeling burnt out, it’s hard to not think negatively about everything. In reality, that just makes our condition worse. So think positively! Start small, like congratulating yourself for getting out of bed today, and then work your way up to bigger accomplishments, like finishing 2 chapters of your textbook.

11. Keep a stress diary This is kind of a new concept for me, but it’s really great. How it works is that each day, you would write down all the things that made you stressed and how they made you stressed. This will help you identify the things you’re doing that’s causing your burnout, e.g.

Too long study hours? take regular breaks

Too much time in the same place? cycle your study environment

Not eating properly? set aside time to eat healthy meals at least 2 times a day

Not doing the things you love? schedule in time for that, e.g. during your long breaks

Not getting enough human interaction? make a study group

Too much negative thinking? adopt a positive mindset (you can always start small)

Not getting enough sleep? fix your sleep schedule

And that’s all I have for you guys this time. Hope these tips will help you manage your stress and study burnout whenever you have them. And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to drop an ask!

P.S. if any of you want to see the images in this post in better quality, click here (link to google drive)

things i wish i’d known in my first year of university

I’m reaching the end of my time at university and it’s got me all sentimental. and regretful. There are a number of things that I had learned during my time at university that I wish I’d known during first year. 

Read everything. The only valid excuse for not reading everything on the reading list is that you didn’t have time, not that you found it boring, or that it wasn’t useful. Because there’s nothing scarier than trying to write an essay on something you studied a month ago, and you have no notes on the topic. 

Revise constantly. I wish I’d revisited everything I did a week after I did it, just as a recap. I tended to focus on what I was doing in the moment because it felt the most important thing at the time. Well, during exams, everything is equal. And it’s so frustrating not quite being able to remember something. So, revise. Even just for ten minutes.

Don’t spend all of your money on impulse. I’ve bought so much rubbish that I really don’t need. And if I’d saved that money, I could have gone on holiday. Save every last penny you can. 

Eat well. I just said that you should save all the money you can, but I think that food is one exception to that rule. Try and save money where you can, obviously, but don’t go for days and days without fresh vegetables because you’re saving money for a holiday. Your mind, as well as your body, needs food.

Go and talk to professors in their student hours. I used to find this so awkward. To be honest, I still do. But if you’re going sending them an email and asking for clarification on a topic, consider maybe popping into their office when it’s open to students. And tell them if you’re struggling! If you don’t let them know, then they can’t help you.

Take hot drinks with you, to your lectures or to the library. Don’t spend all your money in the library cafe. Bring a flask of tea, and loads of study snacks in a packed lunch box. Trust me on this.

Make time to meet up with friends you haven’t seen in ages. Don’t wait for them to ask you. I make sure to socialise with my friends at least twice a week. And by socialise, I don’t mean getting blind drunk and going clubbing. Sit down and have lunch together. Chat. Get to know each other properly. Friendships formed over alcohol never last as long as friendships formed through actual conversation.

Do stuff that the university puts on for students. Join societies. Get involved. One of the best nights I ever had at university was a masquerade ball that my college put on. And for some reason, I’ve never done anything like that since then? And I don’t understand why! University is for making memories, and I don’t really have many!

Travel around your university town. If you’re university is on a campus, don’t let your life revolve around that one place. If you’ve travelled away from home to go to university, then make it worth your while! See the sights, be a tourist, get on a bus and go to a random town and buy ice cream. 

Experiment. This is the time. Dye your hair blue, join a weird and random society and take up a hobby you’d never dreamed of.  If you want to try drugs, make sure it’s a safe environment and do your research before hand. If you don’t want to do that kind of thing, then don’t judge other people for doing so.

Give yourself a day off per week. When you’re at university and you’ve got loads of work, it’s tempting to just work constantly - or at least, to work every day, if not all the time. But it’s so much better for your mental state to take a day off to just relax. 

Keep up with your chores. When you’re stressed about an assignment, you don’t want to be also stressed about that pile of washing up accumulating by the sink. Keep your room tidy too - clear space, clear mind.

Be kind to everyone. You’re going to meet a lot of people at university, some you’re going to hit it off with immediately. But there will be some who really rub you up the wrong way. Don’t worry about it, it’s completely fine to not like someone. But don’t be mean to them. This isn’t high school, you’re all here to learn and there’s just no need to make them feel bad about themselves. It’s just petty and childish.

Think about the future. I know that you’re completely wrapped up in your university life right now, but you’re going to have to venture out into the real world at some point. Do things that might help your future career: volunteer, get a job, join a sports club, make connections. University isn’t, sadly, forever.

There you have it! The advice that I would have given myself in the first year of university. Whether you’re just about to start university, or whether you’re just about to leave, I hope this is useful to you.

Cary Elwes + tummy

Press Ctrl+F or ⌘F to do a quick search!

bookboon // for accounting, business, economics & finance, engineering, IT & programming, languages, marketing & law, natural sciences, statistics & mathematics (+ career & study advice, strategy & management)

booksee // for arts & photography, biographies & memoirs, business & investing, computers & internet, cooking, entertainment, health, history, home, law, literature & fiction, medicine, references, religion, science, sports, travel, and other categories

bookstacks // for popular classics

boundless // for accounting, algebra, art history, biology, business, calculus, chemistry, communications, computer science, economics, education, finance, management, marketing, microbiology, music, physics, physiology, political science, psychology, sociology, statistics, U.S. history, world history, writing

california learning resource network // for mathematics, science, history

ck-12 // for elementary math, arithmetic, measurement, algebra, geometry, probability, statistics, trigonometry, analysis, calculus, earth science, life science, physical science, biology, chemistry, physics, sat exam prep, engineering, technology, astronomy, english, history

college open textbook // for anthropology & archeology, art, biology & genetics, business, chemistry, computer science, economics, engineering & electronics, english & composition, health & nursing, history, languages & communication, law, literature, math, music, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, science, sociology, statistics & probability

Keep reading

@rose-colored-studies