Healthy Summer (part one)

For those of you who don’t know me personally I LOVE health and fitness. I also love food (especially chocolate). Throughout my college career I have learned so much about my body, what it needs, and how to give my brain what it wants without ruining my body’s hard work.

Between now and my triumphant return to university in the fall I will be completely dedicating my blog to fitness. As this is a college blog I will be focusing on food and workouts that are accessible to the college crowd but, they are a valid option for anyone out there.

Now, here are the basic rules I’ll be living by this summer and I hope you join me!

1) Mix it up! I think variety is the spice of life! This summer my goal is to try 20 new healthy recipes and 20 new workouts. I promise to never feature to workouts that are too similar and I guarantee there will be something for everyone

2) Don’t say no! Be open to everything that is coming your way. In the spirit of a YES attitude I will try any idea or suggestion a reader throws my way 🙂

3) Happy thoughts, Happy face,  Happy body 🙂 Your body hears every bad word you say about it. You won’t get the results you want if you constantly beat yourself up. This blog is for positive thoughts only.

4) We’re all in this together! This is a community effort. Do it with your friends, your sorority sisters, your mom, WHOEVER! Just make sure you’re not doing this alone.

I will gladly be your summer partner as well, just talk to me!

So, what do ya’ll think!?!

xo collegiates,

E

Dead week

I don’t know how things work at your university but traditionally the week before finals at UT is called “dead week”. Everyone is studying like crazy, getting no sleep and getting very grumpy. I can guarantee of the roughly 200 people I know here in Austin less then 5 of them will go out partying this weekend. This is when shit gets real. 

The tests have yet to come. You have no relief of a job well done, an essay finished, or a compliment from a prof. This week is pure stress so I’m going to offer a few tips.

1) Alcohol and Caffine- make them your friends (in moderation, not bff status)

2) EMOTION- do not try to have a serious conversation with ANYONE this week. Bridges will be burned.

3) Sleep- this pretty lady is who gets BFF status. Spend quality time with your eyes shut this week

4)EAT- if you dont youll be extra cranky. Also there are lots of foods that can boost your study power.

Are you ready for finals? Hows Dead week where you’re at? Tell me in the comments!

Good luck these next few weeks!!

xoxo collegiates,

E

College Girl Guide To Respect and Boundaries

This weekend I had the unfortunate experience of having that one nightmare every college girl shares.

I became the victim of a sexual predator.

This is not something I intended to share with the world. I wanted this to disappear from my consciousness until maybe my heart could forget about it. But then a dear friend gave me the reason for this blog: college campuses are the most likely place to be sexually assaulted and the majority of the time it will be by someone you know.

I’m not going to give a list of cliche tips(wear a whistle, buddy system, etc) because you already know all of that. This is my guide on what to after,God forbid, you have this awful experience

1) Cry. I mean ugly cry till you loose breath. If you don’t let it out it will strangle you.

2)Tell. Every single person who thinks this is ok NEEDS to be charged like the criminal that they are.

3) Look in the mirror. You are still beautiful, powerful, and wonderful no one can ever take that away from you.

4) Be quiet. Don’t feel the need to rush into everything right away. breathe. take time for you. watch lifetime. cry. 

5) Be loud. Share your story. We are so much stronger together ❤

 

Xo collegiates,

Erica

Guide to Break Ups

I haven’t written in awhile, a very long while because my life sort of fell apart. Here is some quick background: I’ve never been the fall in love girl. I’ve always been the goofy best friend awkward girl. I’ve dated but it’s always been casual. Two years ago I met someone who made me want much more than casual. I became the fell in love girl and promptly dove in head first. 

We talked all day every day. He listened to me crazy rants and put all my ridiculous insecurities to rest. I can honestly say I have never felt more important or more loved by a human being. We had all those cliche couple conversations (kids,marriage, future tv rooms, the usual.) but with him it never for a second seemed like small talk. I could picture my entire life with him and it seemed like is was destined to happen.

We started to fall apart during thanksgiving break. It was a messed up situation with mutual blame but, it was mostly my fault. We tried to patch it back together but it was hanging by the tinniest of threads. By January it was done and neither of us wanted to admit it. 

I still cry if I think on it for too long, and yes I know how pathetic I sound. I have learned so much throughout this whole experience. I don’t have nearly enough answers to give you but I do know, regardless of how it ends or how much it hurts, always remember that you matter. You are loved. You will move on. It’s going to be fine. I promise.

xo collegiates,

E

Guide to Breaks at Home

Breaks at home can be tricky, especially the first few times. One of the hardest things to figure out is how to answer the hundreds of awkward questions from your overbearing caring relatives. I thought I’d put together a quick list of how to answer such questions

1. Have you met any nice boys? If drunk hook ups count as “nice” then I’ve met bunches. I didn’t really worry about that this semester, I had allot going on.
2. How’s your dorm? It’s a bleak jail house that  smells like pot and hookers It’s cozy and quaint, I’ve definitely adjusted to it.
3. Do you like your roommate? She steals my shoes and has herpes.  We’re very different but we’re making it work
4. Did you get good grades? I failed the classes for my major but I got an A in volleyball. I didn’t do as well as I wanted to but that just means I need to buckle down next semester.
5. Was finals week awful? The adderall helped a lot.  I just had to prioritize, it wasn’t so bad

Overall, just divide reality by 10 and add a dose of sunshine. Your family loves you and wants to know whats going on in your life but they really DONT want all the details.

Have a great winter break undergrads and look out for my next guide coming shortly!

Welcome To My Life A&B

Every time I have a new niece or nephew on the way I write them a letter. This time around I’m waiting on 2 babies which means twice the letter, so I decided to share.

To my dearest Aislinn Faith and Braylen Grace,

Oh my precious perfect ladies, I can not wait for you to finally be here! As I write I still have about to weeks to wait and I’d love it if you could hurry up. I thought you might like to know a little bit of how the world was before you made it oh so better.

First there was your Mama and Abba. Abba loved your mama the second he saw her,but she took a little convincing(2 months to be exact). They fell madly in love and were married exactly 10 months to the day that they first met. Abba defends our country and our freedom and Mama works sells shiny, pretty,amazing computers. Your little family lives in one of the best cities in the world within walking distance of the stadium where the awe-inspiring Chicago Cubs play. (God IS  a cubs fan my dears,don’t let anyone tell you different.)

After awhile they decided that two of them wasn’t quite enough. They spent two years waiting,praying, crying,testing and hoping. Finally, they got the awesomeness that is your big brother Jayson. Jayson brought so much light into your parents lives. He was a little slice of Abba that kept Mama sane while he was far far away. When Abba came home they decided 3 wasn’t quite enough and without any waiting, crying, or tests they got YOU. You are two perfect little miracles which is why you have the middle names that you do. “Justice is getting what  you earned, mercy is not getting what you earned, and grace is getting what you could never earn.”  You my love, are proof of  the grace God gave your parents.” Faith is being sure of what we know  and certain of those things we can not see” You are the result of the unceasing your parents have in God.

Now that you know the story of before you got here I want to pray for everything that will happen after you get here.

I pray you have the COURAGE and STRENGTH of your Abba

I pray you have the KINDNESS and CREATIVITY of your Mama

I pray you have the JOY and INTELLIGENCE of your Jayson 

I pray you have the WISDOM of your Saba.

I pray that you get to fully live the amazing beautiful lives God has ready for you. I pray that you will seek him in everything you do. I pray safety over you as you recklessly chase after his love for you. I pray that you always know you are loved, adored, and wanted. I pray you always know you have a safe place to land.

With more love than you know,

Aunt E

Just another college blog

I’m a college junior. I’ve been reading blogs about college since 8th grade. Allot of people will probably ride this off as another cliché college advice column, but that’s not the intention.

I get asked questions about my college life everyday. How do I stay in shape? What do I eat? How do I make my dorm not suck? ETC, ETC, ETC….

I think that if 10-15 people I interact with everyday have these questions other people must too.

So here’s the College Girl Guide to life. No subject will be left unturned and it will all be delivered with a sunny disposition and a biting wit!