Current Japanese Study Routine + Resources 🎀

Nine People I'd Like To know Better

@alby-noted tagged me so I figured why not!

Last Song I Listened To: Too Sweet by Hozier or Pink Venom by Blackpink, I don't necessarily remember

Currently Watching: My Demon, Avatar The Last Airbender (Live Action), and I want to start watching Shogun and a Spanish tv show soon!

Sweet/Savoury/Spicy?: Savory and Spicy!!! (my favorite indulgent meal is spicy cheesey ramen!)

Relationship Status: about to hit 2 years with my man that I've been long distance with for the last...8 months? I love my boyfriend <3;

Current Obsession: watching study/productivity youtube videos, specifically studyquill, The Bliss Bean, Study To Success, Mikayla Mags, Lindie Botes, etc (and also being efficiently productive)

No pressure to anyone I tag! much love 🩷

@mystudyrecords @study-diaries @tokidokitokyo @gretheresa @zzzzzestforlife @slavic-roots-western-mind @winryrockbellwannabe @wonyoungismind @alcnek

I tagged people I'm mutuals with since I don't really know anyone here (besides maybe my accountability buddy zesty!)

Day 11 - 90 Day Challenge 🎀

Yesterday (11-25) was kind of productive? I ended up working a 5 hour shift at my job instead of the 8 hour one I was supposed to which by no means upset me because I still made money either way. I tried to get some stuff done beforehand but I honestly just took the morning for rest. I also go back to work this morning as well so I'm really happy to get back to routine.

🏋‍♀️ Physical Health

took a 30+ minute walk around campus before I had to go to work

walked 9778 steps total

ate a really good salad with tomato, cucumber, romaine, shredded carrots, and balsamic vinegrette. (who knew balasamic vinegrette was so yummy!)

drank half a liter of essentia electrolyte water

stopped eating breakfast when I was comfortably satisfied and didn't push past my limits

ate 2 servings of fruit + 1 serving of almonds + 1 serving of cashews (so yummy, cashews and almonds for the win)

🧠 Mental Health

nothing that I can remember at the moment

❤️ Emotional Health

some more retail therapy. bought myself some oversized t shirts online to use as gym shirts/everyday shirts. I may be plus size but I still love me an big comfy t shirt, especially to workout. I think I bought 11 or 12 shirts? cost me 90$ USD.

📚 Intellectual Health

does it count if I said I did a lot of budgeting for what I was buying?

because otherwise, nothing else

🏘 Adulting

worked a 5 hour shift

phone call + zoom call with my boyfriend

took care of some laundry I had previously washed (still have more to take care of)

🥰 Self Love/Care

morning skincare

that's about it, but I think the walk helped my anxiety, and retail therapy always feels like self love because I used to feel guilty for buying myself stuff

Yesterday was a good day for sure. Today, my goals are to make it through my work shift, complete my reflection paper that's due tomorrow night, drink one liter of essentia electrolyte water, answer a journal prompt, and set myself up for tomorrow morning (I have a 730am class on Mon and Wed, so I gotta be up bright and early tomorrow!)

My Mondays are always so busy. Here's a little breakdown for those who are curious:

Wake up early, get ready, coffee, skincare, pack school bag, set out work stuff

Class at 730am to 845am

class from 9am to 1015am

quick snack at the dining hall at 1025am

review homework/tasks for the week

gym from 11am to 1215pm

walk home

shower, eat something proteiny, get ready for work

walk to work 130pm

work from 2pm to 10pm

get home, change/shower, zoom boyfriend

go to sleep by 11ish pm

I love Mondays tho, the routine always sets me up for the week!

Anywho, that's all for now!

Til next time, lovelies 🩷

can anyone recommend a good textbook for learning Spanish? I really like studying using textbooks and I have two from when I took Spanish classes but they are the most unhelpful textbooks ever and I absolutely despise using them unless I have no other choice.

preferably I’d like a textbook that focuses on grammar as vocabulary is pretty easy for me to pick up given how widely Spanish is spoken in my city.

I’m also open to any music, song, movie, book, tv show, and any other spanish language learning material! I want to be able to speak spanish with some of the people I work with and I think it’s a great and beautiful language for me to learn overall, and definitely will be the most helpful!

*I am still going to self study Japanese during my six week break from classes, but I am going to try to divide my time between spanish and Japanese with a stronger focus on spanish! May even start a six week language challenge during my break to keep me motivated and accountable!

so if you guys have any recommendations for someone learning spanish (and even Japanese) , please comment/reblog this!

thanks in advance <3

Daily Check-in: April 7, 2024 🎀

Today was such a good, productive day. I woke up early, had my entire room and bathroom reorganized and clean before 12noon, did homework, and started my depop shop (which I'll link below!) super happy with today, has to be one of the best Sundays I've had so far!

🩷 What I Accomplished:

completed pre class stuff for chem that was due today

completed pre class stuff for chem that was due tomorrow

reorganized bedroom

cleaned bedroom

reorganized bathroom

deep cleaned my bathroom

started my depop shop + uploaded some listings

called my dad to come help donate the stuff I'm not selling (he's gonna help me tomorrow)

planned out some more stuff for this week

got an extension on the Lab report that was originally due last Wednesday but my friend has my lab book (by accident) so the profesir extended the precious extension

did dishes

cooked a yummy dinner

washed my comforter

washed my sheets + pillowcases

washed all my towels + robe

washed all my laundry and put it away

threw out a bunch of trash from my room/bathroom

decluttered my closet

did some reflecting on the previous week

🩷 Good Things That Happened:

got the extension for my lab report

got a lot done after waking up early

my dinner was really good

my depop listings are getting likes

a rental house i really want to get is back on the market

🩷 Things That Could've Been Better:

my boyfriend and I got into an arguement, so not doing that would've been better

did not drink enough water

🩷 Stuff to do tomorrow:

reading quiz for psyc

study Spanish

update depop shop a bit

financial aid meeting with advisor

work an 8 hour shift

not the worst day. It's definitely been a good day.

check out my depop shop! will be uploading listings regularly!

til next time lovelies 🩷

I need to really learn and implement all of this!!!

Basic Financial Rules To Live By 💰✨

Create a plan that shows how much money you get and how much you spend. This helps you see where your money goes.

Set aside a part of your money as savings. Try to save at least 10-20% of what you earn.

Be careful with borrowing money, especially if you have to pay back a lot of extra money (interest).

Save some money for unexpected things like medical bills or losing your job. Aim to have enough to cover your living costs for a few months.

Put your saved money into different things that can make it grow, like stocks or real estate. Be patient, as it takes time.

Don't spend more money than you make. Stick to buying what you really need, not just what you want.

Decide what you want to do with your money, both in the short term (like a vacation) and long term (like retirement).

Set up automatic transfers to your savings and bills so you don't forget to save or pay your bills on time.

Make saving money a top priority before spending on other things.

Regularly look at your money situation, adjust your plan as needed, and see how your investments are doing.

Pay your bills on time and use credit wisely (like credit cards) to keep a good credit score, which can help you get better deals on loans.

Save money for when you're older and don't work anymore. Use retirement accounts to help with this.

Think before you buy things. Don't buy something just because you want it; think if it's necessary.

Keep learning about how money works and how to make smart money choices.

Only use your emergency fund for real unexpected problems, not for things you just want to buy.

Daily Check-in: May 5, 2024 🎀

I disappeared for a few days, I'm sorry! life got busy, I was working non stop and really bad nothing to post about other then work and sleep it felt like. But Sunday was a semi productive day despite having woken up at 1am and not gone to sleep until 10pm that following night. But, we have finals go study for so we persevere.

🩷 What I Accomplished:

did an actual hair oiling routine before I showered

used the Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Pore Cleansing Mask

did my morning journal and skincare

read 13 pages of Good Vibes Good Life

purchased a new book on my kindle app! (You are a Badadd at Making Money, I can't wait to read it. There's another I want to buy soon too)

washed all my towels and put them away

washed my laundry (haven't put it away)

made pasta

planned out my week

studied Spanish for 11 minutes (trying to build a daily habit right now, so consistency is key)

made a packing list for my work in Colorado this summer

had a date night with my boyfriend (we watched two movies over video call together <3)

💞 Good Things That Happened

rested and relaxed

took a 2 hour nap in the morning

had a really long, nice shower

had enough money to order more coffee creamer

my friend was able to book the same flight as me for our work in Colorado!

spent some good time with my boyfriend

talked to my dad on the phone for a bit

💗 Stuff For Monday

study Spanish 10 minutes minimum

read 10 pages minimum of a book

complete some re opened chemistry homework

study for chemistry final

prepare for psyc exam

take psyc exam at 1pm

work a ~7 hour shift

Sunday was good, Monday will hopefully be good as well. I'm feeling positive!

💕 Song of The Day: IVE - Holy Moly

IVE songs have been on rotation for me once again. I love their sound and their energy.

til next time lovelies 🩷

Day 5 - 90 Day Challenge 🎀

I forgot to update last night with what I accomplished and I almost got confused with the days but Im going to say yesterday was Day 5? That just makes the most sense to me right now!

What did I accomplish yesterday?

🏋‍♀️ Physical Health

Read 1 Chapter of Fast Like a Girl

Slept a lot

took my morning and night medications

tracked my food in my journal

🧠 Mental Health

AM + PM Guided Journal

❤️ Emotional Health

took a lot of rest

📚 Intellectual Health

completed a homework assignment

asked for and was given an extension on the 2nd assignment

completed 1 chapter of Spanish lessons on Busuu

🏘 Adulting Tasks

found my social security card

🥰 Self Love/Care

sleeepppp

I was so tired yesterday, I slept so much because of how tired I felt which is so unusual. and I noticed my sugar cravings were at an all time high too? so odd. today's been better so far, will update Day 6 tonight <3

til next time lovelies 🩷

Your version of top ten kpop song this year ?

It's such a hard question to answer, but here's my version!! (not necessarily in order, but these are my favorites, and yes, I doubled most cause there's so many good ones)

Queencard by (G)-Idle (this is actually my number one of all year, a repeat, a favorite, the best)

I AM/Baddie by IVE (I don't remember if I AM came out this year but ughhh soo good, and Baddie is in so many of my playlists right now)

OMG/Ditto by New Jeans (both were on repeat this year)

Bet On Me/Cake/Kill Shot by Itzy (both are so good, i wanna go on a run while listening to Bet On Me, its so motivating. The whole album was phenomenal)

ETA/Super Shy by New Jeans (again, both so good)

Unforgiven/ Perfect Night by Le Sserafim (I actually prefer the Japanese version of unforgiven cause of ADO and how good it sounds in japanese)

I Love My Body by Hwasa (such a girly bop about self love, heck yes)

Drama/Spicy by Aespa (Drama has me in a chokehold right now, and Spicy makes me feel like a bad b)

Bite Me by Enhyphen/LA LA LA or S-Class by Stray Kids (I am such a Stray kids stan now, this year was chefs kiss for their music, and Enhypens Bite Me was like, etheral)

Set Me Free/Moonlight Sunrise by Twice (I am such a Twice stan too, they are so close to being no skip discography for me)

Honorable mentions -

Rover by Kai

Young, Dumb, Stupid/Love Me Like This by NMIXX (I learned part of the dance for these two, so addictive)

Set me Free pt 2 by Jimin (finally freeeEEEeee)

Antifragile/Fearless 2023 version by Le Sserafim (antitititititititi fragileeeee)

Memories by Riize (so good sooo goood)

Off The Record by IVE (ughhh I fell in love after the first listen

don't know if these are kpop technically but Social Path by Stray Kids and Do Not Touch by Misamo were absolutely amazing and I played them on repeat together for so long)

Agassy by Soojin (*Mariah Carey voice "She's baaaaacccckkkk")

3D/Seven by Jungkook (he killed his solo songs)

Haegum by Agust D (too good to describe)

Hold On Tight by Aespa (catchyyyyy)

okay, I'm done but yes I love kpop and I am a multistan and I love this music genre so much

til next time lovelies 🩷

Current Skincare Routine(s) 🎀

I have a morning skincare routine and two separate night routines depending on the day of the week and what skincare products I use. For example, on a night I use my AHA/BHA toner, I do NOT use my retinal eye cream. I'll also include some tips that work for me at the end!

My skin type leans more towards Oily-Combination!

🩷 Usual AM Routine -

If I washed my face and did skincare the night before, I simply splash my face with cold water and pat dry with a clean towel. If I did not do my skincare the night before, I wash my face with the Cerave Hydrating Face Wash. This is the only face wash my skin likes, but I'm still looking for alternatives for my night routine!

Once I dry my face, I use the IUNIK Centella Asiatica Calming Gel Cream moisturizer. My skin loves this moisturizer. It helps with my redness and makes my skin feel so nice.

After that's soaked into my skin a bit, I rub in a layer of the Beauty of Joseon Rice and Probiotics SPF 50 sunscreen. I put this on my face and neck!

I typically apply a 2nd layer after the first one drys for some extra protection if I know I'll be outside for a bit during the day.

Cocoa Butter Vaseline or Blistex on my lips for some nice, not chapped lips before I do makeup and/or apply lip gloss/lip stick.

My morning routine is super simple and quick because I usually just want to get it done and move on with my morning. I still enjoy it, tho, because it makes me feel accomplished early on in the day!

🩷 PM Routine: Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat

I have an app that breaks down my skincare routine so I'm doing this off memory and what I remember from my typical routine for these days, but I do know these four days are different from the others for sure!

Occasionally, I will double cleanse and use my Hiemish All Clean Balm to remove sebum and oil impurities, but I'm not sure how I feel about this cleansing balm yet.

I wash my face with the Cerave Hydrating Face Wash using warm water and do a final rinse with cold water. Of course, I pat dry with a clean towel. I am looking for a water-based foam cleanser to follow the oil cleanse, so if you have any recommendations, please let me know!!

I then use two cotton balls to rub some Cosrx AHA/BHA Toner along my face to remove dead skin and then I spray some of the toner on my face, patting it in gently with my hands. I have to be careful with my eyes cause it will burn them if I get it in my eyes.

While the toner is still a bit damp on my face, I pump some Cosrx Snail Mucin Essence onto my cheeks, forehead, chin, and a little on my nose and pat it in gently.

I let the essence dry a little bit and then apply some Good Molecules Hyaluronic Acid serum while it's still damp. I pat this in as well, as it's better for absorption than just rubbing it in. I used to use the ordinary brand one, but omg, the Good Molecules one is so much better, in my opinion!!

I need to buy a new one, but occasionally, I'll use a niacinimide serum on my forehead, nose, above my upper lip, and chin as those are my more oily areas. I used to use The Oridnary Niacinimide, but I want to try to Good Molecules niacinimide.

Next, I use my Cerave Eye Repair Cream (the blue one) under my eyes for extra hydration while the hyaluronic acid absorbs into my skin.

Depending on how I'm feeling, I'll use either the Cosrx All in One Snail Cream or the Etude Soon Jung 2x Barrier Moisturizer to lock in everything. I usually choose the Cosrx Cream as I prefer it, but it again depends on how I feel!

A little bit of vaseline to end the routine so I can wake up with soft lips!

I feel like this night routine is more complex then my other night routine but it always depends on the products I use.

🩷 PM Routine: Tues, Thurs, Sun

I do not oil cleanse and instead just wash my face with the Cerave Hydrating Face Wash, patting dry after rinsing with cold water.

I then use some of the I'm From Rice Toner, patting it into my face. I layer this one on twice, being careful with my eyes cause this one will burn them like crazy.

I follow up with the Cosrx Snail Mucin Essence, patting it into my skin.

Next is the Good Molecules Hyaluronic Acid serum.

After the serum dries down, i apply a quarter to a half pump of the Beauty of Joseon Retinal Eye Cream underneath one eye and another quarter to a half pump to the other undereye areas, patting in gently while avoiding my actual eyes. If there's any leftover I gently pat into the surrounding areas. I'm not sure how my whole face will react to retinal so I'm careful with this one.

I then rub some Cosrx All in One Snail Cream over my face to lock in all the other skincare products and moisture.

A little bit of vaseline to the lips to ensure smooth, soft lips when I wake up!

I haven't noticed a difference with the retinal yet due to my inconsistent use but I do like how it feels the first few times after I use it, so I plan on continuing it.

Now, for some Tips:

Pat your face dry, never rub it with a towel. Rubbing it causes friction and pulling on the skin while patting is way more gentle on the face.

Initially wash with warm water but always final rinse with cold water. A while back I heard this helps with your pores, so I've just always done it and it makes my skin feel nice, especially in the morning!

Try to use either paper towels or a departed face towel (not your body towel) when drying your face. I myself use a separate towel for my face that I wash 2x a week and my skin doesn't typically break out.

Brush your teeth before applying skincare! This way, you don't disrupt the skincare surrounding your lips when brushing your teeth, flossing, or using mouthwash.

Always wash your hands before starting your skincare routine to minimize bacteria getting on your face.

Always try to patch test and figure out what works best for your skin, never just use what's viral or popular because not everyone has the same skin type. I feel lucky that my skin typically likes most products, but my skin is very picky with cleansers. I haven't found a cleanser besides the hydrating cerave one that my face likes. (The B.Lab Matcha Foaming Cleanser was so stripping my face turned red and peeled in certain places, a definite no go for me.)

Korean/Asian based skincare typically focuses more on hydrating the skin, while Western skincare tends to focus more on drying out the acne. I personally, as you have read, love Asian based skincare. Most of what I use is Korean skincare, and I'm still looking to expand my skincare collection because I love it so much!

Do your research! When I find a product that interests me, I watch pintetest and tiktok reviews, read the reviews on the actual shopping app, and read as much as I can on the Asian Beauty subreddit before making a purchase. I also like to read ingredient lists, application directions, and details on products, and I always Google what products can and can not mix together. it's helped me determine what to buy and what not to buy, and so far, my skin has loved it!!

Try to wash your pillowcases at least once a week and avoid touching your face with dirty or greasy hands. Also sanitize/disinfect your handheld devices/audio devices (cellphones, iPad or tablets, headphones, etc), eye glasses/sunglasses, and really just keep anything that touches your face as clean as possible. All of this helps to minimize how much bacteria and dirt make contact with your face.

Research different things that may help with improving skin. Ice rolling, gua sha, silk pillowcases, physical exfoliates, face masks, etc. Look into stuff that might help your skin or make a difference in your skins appearance and health.

This should've been higher up, my apologies, but drink your water!! Staying hydrated on the inside definitely shows on the outside, and being hydrated is an essential component to health overall!!

Wear your sunscreen!! Apply it in multiple layers to both your face AND NECK, as both are exposed to the sun for long periods of time and can suffer from prolonged exposure without proper sunscreen application. Along that line, don't be afraid to apply skincare to your neck!! I've seen photos of older individuals who took care of their face and not their neck and the difference between face and neck skin was astounding, so I personally like to rub excess hydrating serums and moisturizers into my neck as well.

Don't pop your acne! If you do get pimples, which I used to get all the time tho it's slowed down a lot, use a warm/hot washcloth or something similar to apply heat to the pimple. This will help it pop naturally, although popping your pimples may allow for the oil, dirt, and sebum to spread to other areas which may cause more acne. Popping acne with your hands may also cause scarring.

Love your skin!!! Skincare results take time, and there's going to be ups and downs while trying to find what products work for you, so try to love your skin throughout the process. Acne and other skin issues are caused by things sometimes out of our control, such as genetics, hormones, climate and weather, etc, so try not to be too hard on yourself!! Things will improve, and if they don't, after some time, seek out a reputable and trustworthy professional for an opinion and better direction on how to care for your skin!!

Wishing you all the best!! Does anyone have any experience with ice rolling or Gua sha being extremely effective? I haven't tried either, but I am looking into it as I feel like ice rolling, especially, might be beneficial, but I'm unsure. And can anyone recommend any Asian beauty water-based foam cleanser that I can use after an oil cleanse? I fear that my cerave isn't enough to fully remove all the cleansing balm residue from my face, which might end up being detrimental to my skin health.

Also, let me know your skin type and products or tools you recommend, as I am always open to including new things into my routine!! I love doing things for myself so expanding my skincare routine is definitely an interest of mine!

Til next time, lovelies 🩷

In Need of Motivation 🎀

can anyone recommend some good studyspo YouTubers or just any studyspo content, study motivation advice and tips for right now?

I have homework and studying I need to work on but can’t find the motivation to move from my bed to my desk.

I might try a Study to Success video, or an old video from Studyquill.

also, I’m curious, what keeps you guys going to get some work done when you don’t feel like doing it? What sparks your productivity?

🩷