My Preppy Apartment

In early August, I'll be leaving home for the first time truly on my own! I'll be moving into an apartment closer to work (the two hour commute from home is killing me!) and while the process of apartment hunting is stressful beyond belief, I've found a way to rid that stress by planning the decorations!

I've decided to build a registry list on Overstock.com and Target.com (you can view those lists here and here! and are welcome to gather inspiration!) This way, I could make a public list for my family (read, my parents) and actually purchase things.

It's so weird to think it's all coming together! I'm no longer planning for fun, soon I'll have a real apartment with real furniture!

My apartment will be kelly green and bright pink with navy and white as neutrals. Think Lilly Pulitzer meets Vineyard Vines, plus a little offbeat indie/vintage for good measure.

My Preppy Apartment by alysonnnnnnn on Polyvore

What do you want your dream apartment to look like? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,
Alyson

Motivation

With the crazy weather and post-spring break blues, it's hard to stay motivated!

I've gone back to making daily lists, but it's still not enough. Where did my motivation go!? I seem to have developed a horrible case of senioritis.

Via

While I'm sure scientists are struggling to find a cure right this second, in the mean time, I'm stuck with a lack of will power. A big list and "no time" to spend on it. And by "no time" I mean there isn't a time I want to do anything.

So how can I, alongside the class of 2013, beat this case of the senior blues? So far I have little results, but I do have one solution...

Instead of procrastinating by fiddling on Facebook or twiddling on Twitter, I'm cleaning my room, doing dishes, and sorting through my clothes.

I've justified these actions by noting that a clean room is a happy room, and it's easier for me to work in since I'm not thinking about how dirty it is; clean dishes mean I can cook whenever I so desire and do not fall to the tempts of crappy food; and of course, I have a ton of clothes, and I need to clean out my closet anyway.

Of course, this isn't a substitution for actually doing my work, but it's nice to break in between activities. This, along with power study sessions at the library are slowly getting me through my last semester in school.

I'm slowly getting things crossed off my list. I'm sure I can tackle it all - and you can to.

Via

What do you do to improve motivation? Have any tips? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,
Alyson

Card carrier

Recently, I realized I lacked business cards.

For someone without a job and therefore, not much to put on a business card, I didn't really think it mattered... until I went to my internship interview for that Big Company and didn't have one to attach to my resume!

It wasn't a big deal, but it's always better to be over prepared. So I took advice from The College Prepster and ordered some cards from Moo.com!

I used the 50 free sample cards offer instead of buying a ton of cards. I didn't need that many and I don't feel like the small Moo logo on the back would be an issue.

I designed my own cards featuring a Moroccan/Quatrefoil print (a little homage to Phi Mu!) and my name, phone number, email and Linked-in profile.

I got my cards in the mail quickly and they turned out fantastic! They were glossy, professional and no where close to boring!

Next task? Finding a sassy card carrier! I had a Phi Mu one but I used it to carry my loyalty cards and have since misplaced it. Wah!

While I look for it, I also am looking for other options. I like metal carriers, but they're often a little blah. Leather is always good, but finding quality ones in other colors than black is a little challenging.

Do you have business cards? What do you carry them in? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,
Alyson

Pay Day

Unfortunately not the candy bar, pay day is a mythical day that comes rarely as a college student.

I manage my school's online newspaper, so I get paid $150 per month to read, edit and pass stories through to post every week.

I typically like to save $50 from each of these paychecks, but last month was a struggle. I had all that I needed, but I did not like seeing my bank account dwindle, so this month I started out by saving $25.

It's hard to predict money. It fluctuates, for one. Some months there are really important things to pay for, some months there are only cute clothes to pay for. Sometimes you want to spend all of your money on sushi. It changes so frequently and it's hard to plan!

So how do you plan by ear?

1. Save something. Like I said earlier, I prefer to save $50 each month, but even half that can be helpful later.
2. Withdraw cash for food. I always get annoyed when I see a $3.25 charge for a snack. I withdraw about $20 and use it for food. If I need more, I'll get more. This also keeps unnecessary snacking down.
3. Decide if you want to save more. How did you first week go on your paycheck? If you didn't spend a lot, consider moving more money into savings. Even $10 per week in between checks can make a difference.
4. Treat yourself. If you haven't needed to spend your money on bills, food, or surprises, consider treating yourself to a little something. A piece of cake or a new necklace, it's important to keep you in mind.

Do you have a college paycheck? How do you budget? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,
Alyson

Thesis Update: Topics

Drumroll, please.... I've picked the topic for my senior thesis!

I've decided to discuss the pendulum effect of privacy on the internet. How private are the things we post, really? This is sort of my main focus, including a brief history of social networks and privacy laws.

Do you have a big project or paper this semester? What are you writing about? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,
Alyson

Plan Positive: Organizing your planner

I recently purchased a new planner recently. I liked my old planner, but it was a little too small and I didn't realize that I would have so much stuff to put in it! So I transitioned into something roomier.

Did you have any doubt that it would be Lilly?

I've developed this system to organize my planners. It involves stickies, highlighters and book marks.

First, I have a highlighting key
Green - Class or Assignments
Blue - Work or Meetings
Orange - Extracurricular Activities
Pink - Phi Mu or Greek Events
Yellow - Fun things

Busy as a bee!

Then, I add stickies for busy days.

 I turn sticky notes into daily to do lists!

I use the larger calendar in the front of each month for special events, weekend long plans and birthdays.

Sometimes I like this view because it makes me feel less busy

Finally, I use two bookmarks. A paperclip in between the large calendar and the week I'm currently on. The second bookmark holds the previous months in place. In theory, I could get one large binder clip and ditch the other bookmark (but first I need to find some pretty ones! Any suggestions?)

Pretty sure I found this clip on the floor of my room. 

It doesn't have to be fancy! But I'd like to find a nicer one.

Do you have a system for your planner? Or do you stay organized a different way? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,
Alyson

Desk for Success

I have a thing with desks. I love them, but my desks always look totally crazy.

I like having a specific workspace, but no matter how hard I try it always turns into a crazy mess! I have a love/hate relationship with desk drawers: I love shoving random stuff in them, but I hate not being able to find anything!

I had to come up with a solution... but so far, the only one that works is not using my desk drawers.

And with all of my papers slowly stacking up on the corner of my desk, underneath textbooks and clipboards, I realized it was time for a change.

The 'Desk for Success' Scavenger Hunt

Before... not so bad, but needs improvement!

Find: Things of Sentiment
Yes, I know the little notes your sorority sisters slipped under your door are sweet, but if it just says "Love, Jane" reconsider keeping it. Does it bring you lots of smiles? Consider taping it to the wall or put it on your memory board. Is it a gift tag and you use the gift every day? Toss the tag.

Secondly, is it on your desk because you were sitting there last when you looked it? Probably. Find a new home for your sentimental notes!

Find: Receipts
Remember why you kept your receipt. For online shopping slips, I keep them in case I need to make a return and because I paid with my card. For regular receipts, I keep everything except cash receipts.

I started storing receipts in a little accordion folder to keep them from going everywhere. After a year, I toss the receipts.

Find: Homework and Assignments
These are a challenge, but not with file folders. I simply stuff them into a manila folder with the class labeled on them and forget about it... until I need it. Then, all I have to do is open my desk drawer and rifle through the stack of folders. (Hint: Leave current assignments in a neat stack or paper tray)

A good use for a desk drawer!

Find: Chargers, cables and jump drives, not in use
I got Pinterest-y with this one. I had a fantastic Voluspa candle that smelled like peaches, so it was easy to burn down. I didn't want to throw away the black and gold tin (which just so happens to be my school colors) so I froze it and scraped out the remaining wax.

It looks like a fancy candle... but it's secretly my junky cables and chargers!

Then, I rolled up my cords and squashed them into the jar. Ta Da! A fairly attractive tech keeper. I plan on doing this again with all of my Voluspa candles and the pretty tins they come in!

Find: Cables and electrical cords, in use
This one is tough. Cables are unattractive 99% of the time. I usually just stuff the cables behind my desk and hope for best.

Sigh.

I was given a picture frame early this year and it's just the right size to cover up my surge protector.

Much more pleasing to the eye and still totally functional!

Find: Trash, snacks and bottles.
Sipping fresh juice out of your new Lilly tumbler? Great, but it's still sitting on your desk. Awkward... go wash that sucker and put it with the rest of your dishes.

Got a water bottle from your last work out? Is it empty? Drain it or drink it, then recycle the bottle. Trash from an earlier snack? You know what to do.

Did you find everything? 

Can you find the little whales that surprised me while cleaning? 

Can you also spot the two drinks I haven't finished?

What does your desk look like? Do you have your own organization system? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,
Alyson

Build Your Own Salad, er, Resume.

I really love build-your-own salads. I can get the things I like and skip out on the things I dislike, leaving me with the perfect taste sensation.

Shouldn't your resume be like a build your own salad? Things employers like, minus their dislikes and leaving a metaphorical good taste in their mouth?

Obviously, you can't win them all. So how can you build a resume that's meaty but not over-bulked?

The Lettuce: Work Experience
Obviously, a resume needs to include work experience and education. Even if the job is meaningless, like your first job at a really lame mall store with a goofy uniform.

This is important because it shows that you've taken the initiative. You've had a job - even if it was totally unrelated to your field - which already puts you ahead of someone who hasn't had any work experience.

The Veggies: Education
Like your favorite veggies, education is also an important base. It adds more freshness to your Resume Salad. Like work experience, it shows your initiative, but also shows that you have learned important skills for your potential job and that you can and are interested in learning.

The Premium Toppings: Related Skills and Experience
Skills and related experience is like bacon or grilled tofu. It's a bit harder to come by and is a little extra to get, but it's worth every forkful. Related skills and experience help showcase your abilities and support your competency for the job.

The Cheese: Recognition
Lightly sprinkled, awards and honors are a great way to showcase your success. But be careful, too much and you come across... cheesy. Be sure to include recognition that is valid and not just goofy, as well as easily recognized as an important award.

Finally, the Dressing: Your Profile.
Some people like a lot of dressing, some people like theirs on the side. Your profile is really up to you - after all, it's a brief showcase of yourself. Think of it this way: If the recruiter or hiring manager only read your profile, what would you want them to know about you?

It's important to make sure your Resume Salad is balanced, just like your diet. Still having doubts? Ask your campus career counselor, your mom, or favorite professor to look it over.

Do you have a resume? How did you format it? Share with me in the commets below!

Stay true to yourself,
Alyson

Back in the swing of things

It's back to school for students all over, as spring semester began on Monday!

It's the last semester of my senior year - I'm so nervous! It's the wrap up of all four years and even though the classes aren't that hard, it feels so much more challenging because it's near the end!

I have to write my senior thesis this semester. So far, all I know is a vague topic: how social media changes journalism. I've got some whittling down to do - it's a bit too broad!

Writing my thesis means I'll have to be super organized and focused. I know I'll need to be even more organized than I already am and I'll need to budget my time exceptionally well. I'm best with tight deadlines (hence why I enjoy journalism!) so hopefully the long process of thesis won't lose my interest.

Are you tackling any big projects this semester? How are you planning on staying organized? Share with me (and give me some ideas!) in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,
Alyson