Things I Would Tell My College Self

They say college is the best four years of your life. I can't say whether I can agree or not just yet, I'm sure I have many more great life experiences to come. But my college years were definitely some of the most important in my life. I grew up, met amazing people, and started figuring out what I wanted to do with my life. But at the same time, if I had to do it all over again, I would do some things differently. I'm not one to regret but there are definitely things I wish I knew during my college years to help me make better decisions. Here are a few:

1.  Take classes that have nothing to do with what you intend to major in or what your interests are- I was very generic with the classes I choose to take to fulfill my basic requirements...english literature, statistics, intro to chemistry, etc. Pick things you normally wouldn't. It's one of your only chances to explore.Who knows, you might just find a new interest or even your career path.
2. Study Abroad - I had considered going aboard for a semester but in the end, I didn't because I was too scared to be so far away from home. But I should have. When you're in the so-called 'real world', it's hard to take months off just to travel and explore.
3. Roommate with a stranger - For the two years that I lived on campus, my roommate was someone that I knew from high school. We had known each other for years so we didn't have any awkward new roommate phase to go through... we were already comfortable. But it was a missed opportunity for me to meet someone new, someone with a completely different story than myself. Roommate with someone you don't know if you have the opportunity to.Yes, it might not turn out to be the perfect situation but on the other hand, you could meet someone really awesome.
4. Figure out what you enjoy and then figure out how you can make a career out of it - I always followed the path that I thought I should follow - major in something I can make money in. I ended up with a business degree. I don't regret it but do I think it's what I want to spend the rest of my life doing? No. Figure out what you really enjoy doing and then figure out how you can make a career out of it. Money isn't everything. Do what you love and you'll love what you do.
5. Have fun - Some people wish that they took college more seriously. I'm the opposite. I was a little too serious and spent too many long nights in the library. It was worth it but I could've spent a little more time living a little. Go out, party, have fun (responsibly of course). You'll have the rest of your life to work. 

These are things I wish I did or knew. So if you're heading to college this fall, take some time to think about what you want out of the next four years. Work hard at it but don't forgot to take some time to have fun along the way. Four years go by faster than you might think.

Unboxing My Birchbox | July '13

I've been a Birchbox subscriber for almost two years now and I really do look forward to it every month. My July Birchbox came last week and unfortunately, this is another underwhelming box. Maybe I need to tweak my profile a bit but I use to love the boxes I got. I like receiving more makeup samples but lately, I've been been getting mostly skincare and haircare (Birchbox, I don't need another body cream sample!). Well at least that's better than a perfume sample, right? Sigh.

As you can see nothing too exciting- a face cream, a 'prep & protect' for hair, a few packets of body cream, and a sample of the girl meets pearl luminizer from Benefit. I usually love makeup by Benefit but I'm not a fan of luminizers in general- I'll still give this a shot though. And they also threw in a couple bobby pins this month. Cute but I miss those chocolate samples of boxes past!

So not a great month for me this time. One bone to pick with Birchbox though, my boxes seem to come later and later in the month. I use to get my box the first week but now, it's been arriving the second week at the earliest. What's up with that, Birchbox?

Living More...With Less

I stumbled upon an article in the New York Times a few months ago that struck a chord. It was entitled Living With Less. A Lot Less. In it, Graham Hill talks about his success launching a start up, selling it off, and making the big bucks. With the money, he ended up with all this 'stuff'. He eventually sold it all, traveled and started more companies right from his laptop. Now, he lives in a 420 square foot studio - and he's happy. It really got me thinking, what is my relationship with 'stuff'? I've come to the realization that its not the healthiest.

I love to shop. I live in New York City- arguably the mecca of over indulgence and consumption. Everywhere you go, there's something you can buy. And, I've never been good about resisting. Don't get me wrong, I'm not bad with money. I end up saving about half of my monthly take home income. But I still don't think I'm saving as much I can. I buy because of wants, not needs. Do I need this dress? No but it'll look good on me when I wear it. Do I need a $5 latte? Of course not but it tastes so good. The list can go on and on.

As I've gotten older with more money to spare, I've started to really think long and hard about how I'm spending and what I'm spending on. I've never really thought about what my goals were - financially, personally, professionally. I've always pictured being a home owner some day. But I don't have a solid plan. I've always thought that I was too young to think about these things But if I want to own a home in the next 3 years, is it too early? Or am I already too late?

I also love stuff. This might sound sad but I love the thrill of finding something I like and then calling it mine. But is it worth it? Most of the time, no. I don't really need another shirt. It might shrink after a few wears. Or I might even throw it in the back of my closet and forget about it. Is there something I could be spending more wisely on? Perhaps a trip? I'm sure the memories of traveling with stay longer with me than new shoes.

And so, I leave this post with a lot of open questions. That's because I haven't really answered them myself yet. But it's a least a first step to realize that I need to reassess. That was the easy part.

Last but not least, I want to share with you a documentary I saw recently saw called The Queen of Versailles. The film follows the Siegel family in the midst of building the largest home in America and then hitting financial turmoil during the economic crisis in 2008. It's quite thought provoking...and really makes me love my one bedroom apartment that much more.

TGIF | Food for Thought

it's really that simple!

happy friday and have a great weekend!

(photo found here)

Deals | Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Pencils

I just received this little gem of an email in my inbox and I wanted to share.The 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil by Urban Decay is one of my favorites and lucky for me (us), their spring/summer colors are all on sale for 50% off. Still debating whether I want to pick up a couple since I'm on this saving-spree and all but if you're looking for a new eye liner in fun summer colors, check this out here.