School. School can either be the best thing in the world or the most draining thing... As a Type A person, I love school because it keeps me occupied and I have a set schedule everyday. However, school can sometimes get the best of me. As a history major, all I do is write paper after paper after paper. There was one point last semester where within the span of 1 month, I had to do 13 papers and assignments. Crazy right?

So, in order to keep myself from going insane, I have a few motivation tips to get me ready to succeed!

Studying out of my room was probably one of the best things I could ever decide to do. When I'm in my room sitting on my bed or at my desk trying to do work, it actually ends up not being productive. I'll put on my string of twinkly lights and salt lamp to get in the mood to do work, however, I'll end up going on Pinterest, online shopping or even taking a nap! This is because my room is mainly used to be a relaxation point and for me to escape from the stresses of school. So, when it's time for me to do work, I end up doing something else instead.

So, my best suggestion is to go to the library or find another cozy spot to study on campus. I personally like the library because it's usually really quiet and I can get in my own ZONE to get work done. Even though the main library is a long-ish walk from my dorm, it's totally beneficial! 

2. Make a calendar!

As I stated above, I'm a Type A person, which means if I don't have an organized calendar I would probably go insane. However, even if I wasn't a Type A, I would still make one because I find it super helpful! 

I prefer to use my Apple calendar on my laptop because it's easily at my disposal and I ONLY use my calendar to track my daily events (so no school work). I have a separate planner to write down all of my school assignments. I think it's beneficial to have two separate calendars for events and assignments because it keeps my mind separated from my two types at school...social and academic. 

3. Use Post-it Notes!

Whether it's real Post-It notes or sticky notes online, they will always be helpful to remember reminders and due dates!

I use both real and online Post-It notes. I use real ones to put in my planner usually to make a to-do list of things I have to get done through out the week. Then, I also use Apple Stickies for my laptop and those I use strictly for upcoming due dates. I normally put my Apple Stickies right on the side of my home screen so as soon as I open my laptop, I see my due dates and I don't procrastinate to get them done!

4. Take needed breaks!

I'm not one who can just sit down and study for hours and hours on end. So, I need to keep breaks to keep me sane. I normally stick to the 25-5 rule! This rule means I study for 25 minutes with NO distractions (yes that means putting my phone away!) then take a 5 minute break after; then I keep repeating the cycle. After the 3rd time I took a 5 minute break, I usually take a 30 minute break to eat and relax.

I always find taking breaks to be really helpful, especially when I'm writing essays or studying for a test. There is a certain point where all of the information starts to mush together and I'm not writing as effectively as I can. So, taking breaks when needed is really helpful when my brain needs to recharge. 

5. Take pretty and colorful notes!

Taking pretty and colorful notes really motivates me while I'm trying to study for a while. Since I'm not an artist whatsoever, I usually lean more toward the color notes side.

I normally pick a color to use for the day as my titles and headings, use black to write my actual notes then highlight any really important info. I find this method super helpful because it brings out more of my creative side when I'm trying to study and it's easy to find information I'm looking for when I go back to review. 

Would you believe me if I said the first time I went out of the country was when I studied abroad for a month in France? 

Well...it definitely took some guts for me. Being 9 hours away from my mom and dad was definitely hard on me.  Dealing with a 6 hour time difference between France and home was strange because when I would call home they would be just waking up and I would be almost done with my day...weird right?

However, even though I was nervous about being out of the country for the first time (and especially by myself) I am so glad I went, and I hope if you all take the time to read this, you can do the same!

The south of France is a place I would've never thought of going to but in true reality I loved it even more than Paris! Montpellier is near the Spanish boarder of France and is about 30 minutes from the beach. Having a major southern French city around me and the shoreline so close to my disposal, I was able to explore when I wasn't in class for the 3 hours I did a day. 

I didn't know it then, but on the trip I met one of my best friends! Olivia and I became "travel buddies" and ended up doing most of the exploring just the two of us (which was so much nicer having a small group to travel with!). We also met a few international friends, more specifically from Germany! They were in the same program as us also studying French. I can't stress enough how amazing it was meeting friends from another country and we were united knowing the French language! I still keep in touch with them today!

Plus, the FOOD WAS AMAZING! Every day after class, my friends and I would go to happy hour at cafes around Montpellier.  We got food anywhere from crepes, croissants and the best ice cream! Trying new foods was one of my favorite parts of the trip!

In order to get new, exotic foods, that meant we had to travel to other places outside of Montpellier! A few of my favorite places we traveled were to Arles, Les Baux, and Sète (as pictured below). A few oceans, caves, crêpes, villages and castles later...all 3 of those cities definitely made my list of top places to visit in France!

Finally, when it was time to depart Montpellier, we had the opportunity to spend 3 days in the City of Love! I will probably write a whole new blog post just about the shopping, but Paris was such a beautiful place to visit with such rich history.

And speaking of history, here comes the history geek in me again because my favorite part of the whole trip was going to Versailles! As an European historian, the palace was such a humbling experience for me. The fact that it was a main site of the French Revolution had me in tears (yes...really.) In order for me to take that experience in, I actually spent most of my time at Versailles by myself and I got everything out of it I could've ever imagined.

Well, that was my FRENCH experience! Studying abroad is something I would recommend to everyone! I loved it so much that I am going to Germany for a full semester this fall! I can't wait to explore a new type of European culture!

-Jenna

Well...it's the weekend before Valentine's Day!

Before Valentine's Day actually strolls around on Wednesday, I wanted to take this time to reflect on how thankful I am to have my boyfriend, Joshua, in my life.

Josh and I met this past year after I was going through a really tough time in my life. I was struggling to find myself and find self love. When people say "you find love in unexpected places" it really is true!

We went on our first date and we talked for 45 minutes before we even ordered our food! We realized we had so much in common and we saw each other almost every day after that. Honestly, we never lost things to talk about and things to joke around with. 

Then as you could probably tell, going back to Loyola for my forth semester was very, very hard (and that's still probably an understatement). Josh and I powered through and talked on Skype and the phone many times. When you're in a long distance relationship, communication is key! That was what really helped us get through; and when we saw each other, we got to cherish the special moment.

So, by taking this time to reflect on how far we have come, I wanted to say thank you for listening to my corny jokes and my rants about school. You never let me get down about myself. You remind me every day that I am smart, beautiful, and worthy of more than I thought. My self esteem can sometimes be not the greatest, I know that, but you are my number 1 fan and I'm so blessed to have you in my life. 

You are so unique and special to me and I just wanted to give you a special THANK YOU FOR BEING YOU!

Thank you for living this life with me. There are so many things I can say but "Thank You" is definitely all I really need to say. You're appreciated more than what I can put into words. I love you!

I'm currently in my sophomore year at Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore; and I study  history and political science. Even though being in Baltimore has its perks, one of my favorite parts of living here is only being an hour from our nation's capital!

D.C. has so much to offer and I try to go as often as I can!

It is SO easy to get to D.C. from Baltimore! I just take the MARC train from Penn Station in Baltimore to Union Station in D.C. for just $16 ROUND TRIP! You can't get much of a better deal then that!

I go to D.C. because there's so much history for me to explore. For those of you who know me, I'm a real history geek! (and I still think that's an understatement!) Every time I go, I learn more and more about our nation's history!

For example, last year, I was lucky enough to attend the Presidential Inauguration! It was one of the best experiences and I am so happy I was able to witness such an important time in our nation's history.

My favorite place to go is the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Being in a space that has actual primary sources from so long, long ago leaves me in awe. I never lose that amazing feeling no matter how many times I go and look at the same exhibits!

Another amazing place I love going to is the National Mall! Just from walking around the capital to glaring up to the top of the Washington Memorial, it always makes for a great day! Sometimes, I'll just go just to walk  across the Mall to get my steps in so I'm getting exercise while having fun!

Finally, being so close to D.C. means taking field trips to the city! Last year, I was taking an Art History course, which I absolutely HATED by the way. However, our professor took the class on a trip to the National Gallery of Art. It was an amazing experience because I had the opportunity to see the pieces of art we were learning about first hand! Another time, Loyola advertised that a World War II history course I wasn't in was going to the Holocaust Museum. I decided to just hop on the trip and I had a humbling time learning more about WWII history since that's one of my favorite things to study.

Overall, living so close to D.C. has really enriched my education and I am so blessed for the opportunity to go as often as I can!

-Jenna