Spaces & Faces: 3201

Welcome to my apartment! (Finally). I've lived here since October 2015, but apparently it's taken me over a year to finally get my room to the point where I can put it on the blog. Now, just in time for me to move out in a couple weeks, here is a look at my living space.

My bed is where I spend most of my time. I've had most of these pillows and this duvet cover since freshman year, so my room aesthetic has largely remained the same. Emily painted this beautiful piece of art as a rough draft for an incredible gallery piece she did, and I got to keep it because I was one of the people that posed for her.

I've slowly been building up this gallery-style wall since I moved in: it was originally just the quote cards, but has since grown to incorporate my first-ever wedding invite, my sister's grad announcement, some DIYs, and some miscellaneous pictures.

I love the aesthetic that hanging up my jewelry creates. Not only is it like a little wall of art, but it's a super practical way to store my necklaces.

I love my &s: I hope to acquire more of them as I continue decorating my living spaces.

The foot of my bed features some of my own paintings of little succulents.

All of our furniture came from the university, but we do our best to spice it up with our own unique touch, like these DIY wine bottle vases.

Carolyn has a bunch of really cute quote canvases: these are two of my favorites. It doesn't hurt that they're both so aesthetically pleasing.

Living with two dogs (and three women) is a whole bunch of fun. We spend a lot of Friday nights together on the couch watching Harry Potter movie marathons and sharing junk food.

My Time With Her Campus

I came upon Her Campus as a lost but ambitious first-year college student. I was a declared psychology major, but had no interest in pursuing psychology beyond my years at school. My only campus involvement was with the school's small Jewish Student Union, which only met once a month. I'd just started this blog on a whim, but had no idea what I wanted to do with it. I felt like I was wandering, directionless, through life. I wanted– no, needed– something to define myself.

I've always loved writing, having decided to become a writer as soon as I could do so. I wrote stories and poetry in middle school, was a newspaper and yearbook editor in high school, and wrote a novel during my year abroad in Spain. Writing had been something I'd used to define myself throughout most of my life, but I simply wasn't doing enough of it my first year of college to still think of myself as a writer. When my friend Bridget told me about a new club on campus that she thought I'd be interested in, I immediately asked for her to forward me any information she had on it. She sent me the introduction email she'd received from the newly formed chapter of Her Campus at Seattle University, and I went to my first meeting with high hopes.

Unlike most things in life, my experience with Her Campus has exceeded the high hopes I had for it when I first started. I went in knowing the bare minimum about Her Campus: that it is an online magazine for student writers to create and publish original content on. I quickly learned that it's so much more. Her Campus features some of the best student writers I've ever read, writing about everything from goofy zodiac sign articles to serious examinations of mainstream feminism. The content offers something for everyone (whether they be readers or writers), but it doesn't even end there. Her Campus also puts on inspiring and motivational events, such as Her Conference, and provides a space for ambitious high schoolers to get a kickstart on a journalism career. Plus, everything in their store is to die for, and their Instagram account is seriously hilarious.

Her Campus gave me a reason to write again, and the pride I'd forgotten I got upon being published. I had tried to convince myself that writing essays and the occasional journal entry were fulfilling my love of writing, but that was simply not true. There's something much more satisfying in writing about something I was truly interested in, like Beyonce's involvement with the Ban Bossy campaign, that I'd been missing. There's nothing like being able to write in a fulfilling way in an encouraging and supportive environment.

I also found something in Her Campus that I didn't know I needed until I found it: an amazing group of supportive young women. I'm obsessed with my truly spectacular friends, but my relationships with them are very individually-based. They don't provide me with the group dynamic of being involved in something like Her Campus. I've met some of my favorite people in Her Campus, and I love getting to know them in the group setting of meetings and bonding events. 

My involvement in Her Campus has grown to define me. I have gone to every single meeting (minus one or two when I've been sick) since joining, and even had the honor of being named one of the Chapter Correspondents when the two wonderful women who started the chapter graduated this winter. I was accepted to the Her Campus Blogging Network this year, and have been able to grow my blog significantly through it. I even took a tour of the Her Campus HQ in Boston when I was there over spring break.

Writing for Her Campus made me remember just how much I love to write. Though my days of writing poetry are behind me and my novel is on hold for the time being, I've found so much happiness in writing online content. My blog has grown so much, thanks in part to the motivation I get from Her Campus. I now write for CollegeFashionista, an internship I applied to last summer when I was missing writing for Her Campus. I define myself as a writer again, and couldn't be more satisfied with that.

It's been just over a year since I joined the Her Campus team, and, in many ways, not much has changed since I joined. I'm still lost but ambitious, though I'm much closer to graduating and being forced into the real world. I'm still a psych major with no interest in becoming a psychiatrist or therapist or researcher, though I've fallen more in love with the subject than I ever thought I would be. I'm still looking for my purpose in life. At the same time, though, so much has changed because I decided to write for Her Campus, and I couldn't be happier with that.

Photos via: Her Campus Seattle University Instagram

Did this post inspire you to want to start a chapter of Her Campus at your school? It's so simple: just go to this page and submit an application by August 15th. If your school already has a Her Campus chapter, you can find it by clicking on the "My Campus" button on the Her Campus homepage.

How to Breathe

Those of you attending a school on the trimester system know it's already time for finals. As for the rest of you, finals will soon be upon you. Taking so many giant tests and/or writing so many colossal essays in such a short period of time can be overwhelming to say the least. As someone who feels like they're taking a life-changing test at least once a day, I feel qualified to give some tips for calming down.

1. Before anything else, close your eyes. It's so easy to be overwhelmed by the stimulation around you, so blocking some of those sensations out can help you to center yourself.
2. Stand up straight. My acupuncturist told me that this can help your breath flow better, which I can only imagine is a good thing.
3. If you're sitting down, cross your legs. This often forces you to sit up straighter. If you already have your posture in check, completely relax your legs and sit however feels most comfortable. Comfort is key in relaxing!
4. Breathe through your nose. This is another acupuncturist tip, meaning I can't explain why it works but it does.
5. Put your hands behind your back. In addition to helping you straighten your posture, this position forces you to use your diaphragm to breathe, which supposedly is a "healthier" way to breathe.
6. When breathing, stick to a rhythm. I do the "in-two-three-four/out-two-three-four" breathing technique, which essentially just means you count to four while you breathe in and count to four while you exhale. Even just concentrating on sticking to that rhythm can take your mind off things.
7. If you can't figure out how to breathe with your diaphragm, try putting your hands over your head.
8. If that doesn't work, stretch out your tummy in an upward facing dog pose. Stretch out as you inhale and relax as you exhale.
9. Take yourself into the fresh air and try meditative walking. Really all this means is walking as slowly as possible to focus on your breathing and the feeling of moving your limbs to clear your mind of distractions.
10. Drink water and decaf teas during times of stress. Staying hydrated is almost always the answer to any physical problem (and anxiety is often very physical) you may have.

What's In My (Book) Bag

A couple months ago I did a post showing you all what I carry around with me in my bag. Nowadays, the only bag I carry around on a regular basis is my book bag. So, what do I bring to school with me that keeps me prepared for class and the general hectic-ness of the day?

1. An awesome Maya Moon keychain.
2. My handy-dandy to do list.
3. My favorite Melissa and Doug markers.
4. My prized Lilly Pulitzer agenda.
5. College-ruled notebooks.
6. Cough drops (every season is flu season in a dorm).
7. My cute and indistinguishable pill box.
8. A 100 pack of notecards.
9. A mini stapler.
10. My camera in its adorable little carrying case.
11. Highlighters (and lots of them).
12. My CollegeFashionista notebook.
13. Sticky notes.
14. "Purse snacks," usually a Luna Bar.
15. Lots and lots of blue pens.

So All About That: Studylists

Not to brag or anything, but I'm pretty good at procrastinating. One of my favorite ways to procrastinate is by making 8tracks playlists inspired by my reading assignments. It's not exactly "stylish" work, but it certainly is entertaining and at least I can consider it a relatively productive activity. Check out my 8tracks account to see all 34 of my school-inspired playlists, including these five.

1. "Antigone" by Sophocles

2. "Phaedo" by Plato

3. Purgatorio by Dante

4. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

5. "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Dorm Room Essentials

I've been at school for just over a week, but we're not all entirely moved in yet (it's hard to move in, catch up with friends, and start class all at the same time!). While I work on getting that taken care of to allow for the best dorm room post of all time, I figured I'd provide you with my dorm room essentials as learned from my two years living on campus.

I love this blanket-- and the little angel peeking out from under it! I took a bit of a risk getting it in white, but it so reminded me of something Kim Kardashian would put in her room that I couldn't resist. Besides, it reminded me of this white sheepskin rug I used to lay on as a baby. It's always nice to have something that reminds you of home in your dorm room.

For some reason, I can never bring myself to buy art or posters. I have approximately one poster from an xx concert hanging in my room at home. Other than that, I have photos, paintings, and drawings decorating my walls. However, I will make an exception for these particular posters. To be fair, I did design them and they're available for sale in my Zazzle store. Sure, this is a little bit of shameless self-promotion, but I wouldn't have made them if I didn't truly love them! *Bonus*: use the code ZFALLSPECIAL and save 15%! Buy left middle right.

This isn't even the beginning of my stash of tea memorabilia-- I also own sugar, honey, an entire container of assorted teas, and an electric kettle. Tea is so important to have in your dorm room because it can provide so many things. It helps a sore throat, can aid in waking you up, and the ability to make yourself tea in the comfort of your own home instead of having to go to the dining room (like you do whenever you're hungry and/or thirsty) gives you a much-needed sense of control. Plus, how cute are these mugs?

I'm not exaggerating when I say I use washi tape on everything. Beyond spicing up some boring old containers from Goodwill, washi tape lines my bookshelves, the light switch, and my desk. It's such an easy way to make your space yours, especially when anything you do to your room has to be reverted at the end of the year.

We have Christmas lights lining our entire room (the school-provided fluorescents will kill your self confidence and make waking up that much harder), but these little flower stems are my favorite alternative lights. They're cute on and off, and can serve as everything from a night light to a lamp to ambience lighting.

Back to School

Boots: Similar from CiCi Hot
Socks: Similar from Nasty Gal
Dress: Similar from Forever 21
Jacket: Similar from REI
Lipstick: Revlon in Plum Baby from Target

Dressing for the first day of school is always a hard task. After having spent three months away from your fellow classmates, you kind of want to show them what they were missing. Sure; maybe you spent those three months camped out on the couch in front of all 10 seasons of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, but your awesome outfit doesn't necessarily need to reflect that.

Somehow, I managed to wear an outfit entirely composed of pieces I'd owned since my freshman year. I'd like to think I made it look a little more mature and grown-up, but I'm not too sure. At least these new thigh highs made an interesting addition to the outfit!

So All About That: Maya Moon Designs

For those of you who've read my post on local designers and artists, you know that I love supporting local brands. Being able to see where the inspiration for any given item came from is so magical to me. So, I was very lucky to be able to meet with Maya Bauer of Maya Moon Designs a couple of weeks ago to learn more about her design and creation process. I've almost grown up seeing her pieces in my favorite local shops, and each stage in my developing style has seen a different Maya Moon item. That's my favorite part about Maya's work: there's something for everyone.

I was packing for school after meeting with Maya when I came up with the idea for this post. I was trying to figure out which bags and purses I would need up in Seattle and I kept thinking about all the beautiful bags Maya had shown me. I found myself wishing that I could take these five bags in particular for one reason or another. I managed to find suitable equivalents in my own closet, but it still got me thinking about the five bags I strongly believe every woman should have available to her.

Confession: I don't go out. I don't do well in crowds, and my bedtime is around the time that people often want to go out. However, even I own my fair share of clutches to take with me on dinner dates or to events. This is the bag I tend to buy in an interesting color, pattern, or design; it's so small it'll be noticed, but it's not too big to distract from the rest of your look.

I brought: 

An orange envelope clutch from Street Level.

This isn't just essential for college students; everyone needs a bag that they can carry their computer and even a couple magazines in (that's what my book bag is used for in the summer). Something neutral ensures it will go with anything from business casual to full-on professional attire.

 I brought: 

My mom's Dooney & Bourke briefcase.

Everyone travels, be it by plane, train, or automobile. A larger bag that can go through security, be stored in an overhead compartment, or reside by your feet is definitely a necessity for traveling. I especially love that this Maya Moon bag has arrows on it-- it's more than ready to go somewhere!

I brought: 

This dog carrier from Bark-n-Bag... I can use it to travel by myself or with Luxe.

A tote bag is perfect for shopping (either of the grocery or clothing variety), traveling, beach days, and much more. I personally like to use mine as an alternative to a reusable grocery bag. It's much cuter and still serves the same purpose of eliminating unnecessary paper and plastic waste.

I brought: 

An old Victoria's Secret special offer tote that I "borrowed" from my mom.

Whether you're going camping, to the gym, or on a multiple-day excursion, a weekend bag is a larger bag that every woman should own. Bonus: when you're not using it, it's big enough to hold all your other bags!

I brought: 

A Nike duffel bag. I don't have a weekend bag quite yet, though I have my eye on this one from Maya Moon... 

To purchase a handmade Maya Moon bag, visit Maya's Facebook page or contact her by email at inquiry@mayamoondesigns.com.