Sunday, April 21, 2013

so I made a youtube channel


I started a youtube channel as an extension of this blog. I'll start posting regularly on there in a couple of weeks, so keep your eyes peeled! If you're interested, go ahead and subscribe! :)

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

read, watch, play

So, I'm hoping to make this a semi-regular occurrence on the blog (maybe once a month or so along with monthly favorites). The title is pretty self explanatory, so let's get into it!


THE FAULT IN OUR STARS 
by john green


The Fault In Our Stars is a young adult fiction by author John Green. You may know him from the youtube channel, vlogbrothers. I had heard great things about this book for a while now, and finally decided to read it when I recently acquired a Nook and was looking for something to start off with. Best decision ever. It's such an honest story about life as a teenager, young love, cancer, and death.

There were multiple times throughout the book where I was both laughing and crying - something I rarely find myself doing. I felt so immersed in this book and felt so connected to the main character, Hazel - it was truly refreshing to be swept away into a different world (and a different perspective) for awhile. After I finished the last page, I found myself in a melancholy state of mind. I think John Green put it best in one of his videos. It's a quote I find myself thinking a lot about these days.



DAILY GRACE 


If you are unfamiliar with the youtube channel Daily Grace, then number one - shame on you, and number two - you now know and you're welcome. Grace vlogs everyday, five days a week, and five days a week, I anxiously wait for her video to go up. My day is not complete until I watch her channel. I love her humor and lighthearted sarcasm, it just gets me through the less than enjoyable days. I suggest you make her channel a part of your life - you won't regret it. *ding!*


TINY TOWER


So, I'm not necessarily someone who plays games a lot, but I do like to have one or two fun and easy apps on my iPhone to play when I'm in between class or on a roadtrip. Tiny Tower is my current addiction. It's an easy, passive game where you essentially build a tower with different shops, apartments, or recreation floors. You build your population of "bitizens" to work in your places and make money to continue to build and populate. It's a pretty simple concept that reminds me of a mix between tiny tower and tomagatchi (remember tomagatchis!?). It's a free app for the iPhone and android - so check it out if you're bored!



*Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with any of these companies, publishers, or persons. These are my personal opinions and recommendations.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

homeward bound


Three years into college now, I've had my fair share at road trips. If you're like me and live away from home, there will be holidays and weekends where you need to make the long haul back to see family and friends. Luckily for me, I go to school about two hours away from my hometown, so my drive is too horrible. I also get some lovely scenery to pass by on the way.

Anyways, since I have some experience in the driving home department, I thoughts I would share with you guys some of my tips for being trapped in a car for hours at a time.

Tip #1
If you can bring a passenger, do so.
My first couple years of school, I drove by myself almost every time. Now that my boyfriend lives here as well, we get to make the journey home together. Having a car buddy definitely makes the journey more fun and time passes by much more quickly. If you have a rather long trip, you can take turns driving as well.
(On the contrary, though, I do think it's nice to take a long drive by yourself once in a while. It gives you a chance to clear your head and enjoy the music and breeze.)

Tip #2
Pack snacks, and fuel up beforehand.
 This may seem obvious, but I've had times where I was so eager to just get home that I forgot about the necessities. Sometimes I'll spend so much time making sure I have everything for the weekend, that I forget about the trip itself. Making sure you have gas beforehand will prevent stops along the way. I always make sure to have some water and/ or coffee and treat for the drive as well.

Tip #3
Tunes
When you're driving through different cities, often times the radio stations will change. Unless you feel like listening to NPR the entire drive (not always a terrible thing), you should make sure you have some backup music. I always make sure I have my car charger so I can listen to my iPhone in the car. My favorites for the road as of late are Ellie Goulding and Bon Iver. 

Happy driving!
Let me know if you have any tips of your own for trips home.