My blog, my rules: what to bring to college (pt. 4)

After growing up in a snowy mountain town in Oregon, one of my best childhood friends decided to move up to Spokane, Washington to face the snow for another four years. As a student at Gonzaga University, my friend Geneva has only perfected her approach to snowy weather. Read what she has to say about packing for college in a snowy environment!

My freshman year at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA taught me many valuable life lessons. Possibly the biggest lesson I learned was how to deal with the climate. We are North; North enough to encounter the clutches of my biggest enemy: snow. Now, don’t get me wrong-- I’m from the Pacific Northwest so I’ve experienced this frosty foe before, but Spokane took snow and cold to a whole new level. We are talking two layers of pants, people! And don’t be fooled by the coined term, “Spring” Semester. Spring doesn’t exist until the last month of school. Until then, it's still a brutal winter. So how do I deal with these Arctic conditions that last until the late months? Heated tissues to wipe my frozen tears. In all seriousness, I will give you a list of my top five must-haves in order to survive the frozen tundra of an arctic campus such as Gonzaga University.

1. Leggings: Besides the fact that they make any booty look great, they are perfect for layering. I remember days where I would compete with my friends to see how many pairs of leggings we could wear at the same time. Although this seems like a silly competition, it was mainly an act of survival. Layering is key in the cold and leggings are the perfect medium to do so. 

2. Rubber-sole snow boots: My favorite brands are Sorel, Merrell, Columbia, and even LL Bean. Ditch the Uggs. Seriously, those in the snow are just a wet, furry, death trap. At this point it's not about fashion, it's about function. What is going to get you across campus with the least amount of slipping on ice? Nobody will judge you for your clunky boots, but they may, however, laugh a little at the wet stain on your butt if you slipped on the way to class because you weren’t wearing appropriate footwear. 

3. Tank tops: This may seem weird, but it all goes back to the idea of layering. In the winter, professors tend to crank up the heaters a little excessively at times. I always found myself sweating by the time I walked three flights of stairs in all of my snow gear. This allows for you to not overheat during class. Just remember to layer up before you head outside again.

4. Sunscreen and sunglasses: Do you think I’m crazy yet? There is actually research showing that the UV rays from the sun can be more intense when it is overcast. I’m not going to get into the science of this, but just trust me from experience of being the girl to have many awkward goggle sunburns from skiing in the winter. Also, snow is white, so it reflects light, therefore you walk outside and are blinded. I saw more people wearing sunglasses during the winter than during shorts and flip flop weather. 

5. Moisturizing and waterproof makeup: Moisturize. A lot. The cold air dries you up, which can cause flaky skin and acne, so lather up. Same goes for your poor wind-burned lips. Get some good chapstick: my favorites are Maybelline Baby Lips, Dr. Rescue, and Burt’s Bees Refreshing Lip balm Grapefruit. The wind can cause me tear up so I always go for waterproof eye products.

My blog, my rules: what to bring to college (pt. 2)

Though I attend a Jesuit school that doesn't have a Greek life, I am well aware of the importance of Greek events. As much as I wish I could give advice on the (often amazing) style of sororities, I'm unfortunately too inexperienced to do so. So, I finagled my friend MacKenzie into writing this piece for me about what to bring to college for Recruitment week. Read on if you're interested in rushing, or if you're looking for a glimpse into what Recruitment week looks like.

Recruitment week is a whirlwind for everyone involved. The days are long, the emotions run high and the anticipation can be both exciting and scary. With all that a potential new member experiences during Recruitment, it is important to come equipped with a few important tools that will help make things as easy and as comfortable as possible. Here are the top five things I recommend everyone going through sorority Recruitment bring along for the ride:

1. Comfortable shoes. You will hear this one from everyone you ask, but it is without a doubt the make-or-break comfort piece for anyone going through Recruitment. Depending on your school, the walks from each house can be long and trying to get from house A to house B in 10 minutes while wobbling in your five-inch heals will be miserable. While I am sure your new pumps are adorable, you will end up wearing your flip flops instead to run from house to house with your cute heels stuffed in your purse. As a final point on this topic, please do not feel pressured to wear killer heals at all. If you feel most confident in your sandals that are perfect to your feet, the house that you belong in will love that you wore those instead of heels!

2. Cough drops. Recruitment will take you into some of the loudest, noise-filled rooms you have ever been in. You will spend your days yelling in order to try to tell the story of what you did over the summer and by the time the day is done, you will most likely be hoarse. Being able to give your throat a coat in between parties will be your best chance at still having a voice by the end of the week.

3. Clothing options. Comfort and self-expression should absolutely be what you aim for when deciding what to wear for Recruitment. As with shoes, comfort is going to be your best route when you’re choosing outfits. It is also always best to err on the side of conservative rather than revealing. During the week you will be doing a lot of walking up stairs or sitting on the ground. The last thing you want is to be worrying about and focusing on making sure that you're not popping out of any of your clothing, no matter how cute the dress is. It just doesn't send the best message. I learned this the rough way on one of the days of my Recruitment experience. I wore these adorable pink shorts and, during a house tour, I glanced in the mirror and noticed that my bright blue underwear were completely visible. I was then so distracted by it that I spent the rest of the day trying to tuck my shirt into my underwear in the hopes that maybe it would hide my thong. I have no idea if I was successful, but I'm sure I looked ridiculous tugging on my pants all day. While I’m sure you know not to wear bright underwear with a light colored bottom, my story is just an example of how getting ready in the morning while nervous for the day can cause last minute outfit crises. It's best to try on all your outfits at home beforehand, keeping in mind that they should be comfortable, relatively conservative, and a confidence booster for you!

4. Questions! As someone who is now going through the prep process on the other side of Recruitment, I know that the girls already in the houses are not only going to be as exhausted by the speed-dating-like conversations, but are also nervous just like you! It is important to know that about one third of the girls in the houses are only a year older than you and that they want to seem cool, nice, and collected. It's great to break the ice by saying things like, "I am so nervous! How are you doing?" or "How does it feel being on this side of rush? Did you feel differently going through?" or "When did you know you wanted to be in this house?". The girls already in the houses want to give you the most information possible, so feel free to ask any questions you may have. Your Recruitment leader will go over what is and is not appropriate to ask, but in general you should ask anything you might be wondering. After all, it is your choice where you end up and you should have as much information as you want before making the choice of where you are going to be living for the next couple of years. A piece of advice my dad has always given me when I'm nervous to talk to new people is to remember that people always love to talk about themselves. Ask your conversational partner about themselves if there is a lull in the conversation!

5. An open mind. "Be yourself and everything will work out" is something you will hear constantly throughout the rush process. While it may be the oldest advice in the book, it really is the best mantra to remember while embarking on Recruitment. You may know girls in the houses from high school, have heard stories or reputations about each chapter, want to follow what houses friends are leaning towards, or even want to form an opinion on a house based on really liking or disliking a certain girl that you meet during rush. However, no matter what you hear before or during rush, you should base your opinions and decisions only on your own personal experiences with the houses. The popularity of the houses does not matter because, at the end of the day, it's the girls inside that you will be spending time with. On a related note, trust that the girls in the house know whether or not they think you will be happy in their house. So many girls start fixating on a house early on in Recruitment and get their heart set on only being in that house. But if that house doesn't think that that girl will be a good fit, chances could be they aren't going to call that girl back. While it may be upsetting at the time to not be invited back to a house you felt you had a connection with, it’s important to trust that because the girls in the house know their chapter best, they will know that you wouldn’t be as happy in their house. Houses may love you as a person but just not think you will fit well in their own chapter. What a great opportunity, then, to gain those girls as friends! In setting her sights only on that house, that girl could become discouraged from the process and not be able to see that the other houses that DID invite her back really do want her as a sister, and think that she would be happy there. Keeping an open mind and being yourself really will be your best bet.

If you end up choosing the sorority life, the right house is out there and those girls are waiting to greet you with open arms. Take a deep breath, trust the process, have fun along the way and you will do great!

My blog, my rules: what to bring to college (pt. 1)

It's almost time to go back to school, which, for some of us, is synonymous for packing up our entire lives and moving to a new city (or state). If any of you incoming freshman are anything like I was this time last year, you're freaking out about what this whole packing thing entails. Not to worry: there are plenty of packing lists online from those of us who've gone through the process before. 

I'm making my contribution to this wonderful source of support with a five part guide to packing for college. This first part is brought to you by my dear high school friend Madison Walker, a fellow blogger and a soon-to-be-sophomore at Baylor University in the crazy heat of Waco, Texas. When you've finished reading her advice, check out her baking blog at bendbakingbliss.com!

1. A small fan. The dorms air conditioning isn't great sometimes,

2. Oil blotting sheets. Your skin gets really greasy in the heat! 

3. Dry shampoo. Your hair also gets really greasy in the heat. 

4. A small deodorant to carry around in your bag. You're gonna sweat, but you don't have to smell like you've been sweating since you woke up. 

5. A hydro flask or a good water bottle that keeps your water cold. You'll be drinking a lot of water since it's so hot out.