Be Your Own #SquadGoals

So it's the beginning of a new year in my life, which means it's time to reflect on my life up to this point.

(happy birthday to me!) 

This has been a year of transition for me, starting college and moving away from home, so there's definitely a lot to think about. 

But the one thing that is super prominent, is my friendships. I had a really rocky year with friends. I had a fight with one of my best friends before I left for college, I became close with some of the girls in my dorm who actually hate me, I gained over a hundred new sisters, and I've been separated from some of my best friends in the world.

It's been an experience, I can tell you that. I learned a lot about myself and my friends.

See, I've never been the type of person with a big group of friends that always hangs out and parties; in high school, I just didn't fit in and I accepted it and I was bullied out of my elementary school. I expected that in college I would have a huge group of friends and I'd love each and everyone of them and that they would all love me. 

I was completely wrong. 

I became friends with a bunch of superficial girls who wanted me to go along with whatever it was that they wanted to do. Frankly, I'm too independent for that. I won't give compliments if they aren't sincere and I won't do something I don't want to do. They weren't about that. They didn't invite me to go on the big spring break trip with them (lol bye). 

At first, I was really sad. I was convinced there was something completely wrong with me because I couldn't seem to ever have friends. Then I realized that I am a strong, independent, young woman and I have friends that love me for who I am. 

(This is where the squad goals part comes in)

I have great friends at college and I have great friends at home, but many of them are from different social circles. But that doesn't mean that I don't consider my friends to be on Taylor Swift's Bad Blood Squad Level. 

Each and everyone of my friends is someone I can trust. I know that I can go to them at any time and they'll be there to support me. I know that if I want to grab food they'll be down. I know that while they may mock me for my Starbucks order, they actually love me a latte. 

From impromptu coffee runs after class, Friday night Chipotle dates, running errands, trips to the beach, to late night drives around town, my friends from home have been there through it all, and I'm eternally grateful for their love and support, even if we fall out of communication sometimes. 

Surprisingly enough, I pretty much do the same things with my friends from college and I love them just the same. 

I don't have any desire to want someone else's group of friends. I don't need to covet what someone else has when I have such a golden group of friends. 

I wouldn't want to be weird with anyone else. 

I Don't Have a Guilty Pleasure and Neither Should You

So here's a cute pic of me on the Lawn with my copy of The Declaration of Independence and Other Great Documents of American Importance, 1775-1865. I'm obviously doing school work here, right?

Wrong. 

You see, I have a special fascination with the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, George Washington's Farewell Address, and the Gettysburg Address. 

Yeah, I know that's pretty nerdy. Like super nerdy. Like "maybe you shouldn't tell anyone about that, Elle, people will think you're weird" nerdy. 

But the thing is, I don't care what other people think about the things I like. 

I like documentarys about prominent political figures (highly recommend Ken Burns' The Roosevelts, an Intimate History!), musicals about Founding Fathers, blogs about history jokes, Disney movies, Disney World, the Indiana Jones movies, planning vacations, Star Wars, Nancy Drew books, One Direction (at least while they were around) and HGTV. 

I really don't care if people think that anything on this list should be considered a guilty pleasure. I don't really think anything should be considered a guilty pleasure at all. 

I just don't understand the concept. Why do we think it's okay to tell people they should be embarrassed for liking something? Why are people afraid to tell other people what things they like? 

I will literally talk for hours about how Alexander is a really underrated political figure and how Thomas Jefferson doesn't deserve his bad reputation. I would love to tell you all about my vacation to Disney World. I am always ready to crack a joke about a Greek god. 

I'm not ashamed of any of the things I like. I mean, sure, other people might think I'm socially inept for talking about things I love so openly, but I don't. 

Because sure, I can talk to you about history, movies, or music, but I can also talk to you about conflicts in the Middle East, the ongoing election, or the importance of education in developing nations. 

Any way, my point is that I've heard way too many people say "okay don't make fun of me, but I'm really into [insert 'guilty pleasure' here]," and that's not cool. No one should have to justify things they like. No one should have to feel stupid for liking something with a passion. 

While it is much easier said than done, don't let others' negative perceptions affect the things you like or talk about. 

You don't have to please anyone but yourself, ever. 

How to Nail an Interview

The season of summer internships is upon us, which also means you're going to need a killer interview. 

They get it; you're qualified for the position. You go to a good school, you have good grades, and you have enough experience that you won't colossally mess up. 

So they call you in for an interview and now you have to talk to someone. 

Yikes. 

But have no fear! It really isn't that bad. 

You just have to relax and be a more polished and professional version of yourself (like sorority rush!). 

Obviously, you should be able to talk about anything on your resume, but other than that, don't feel the need to prepare statements or anything. I'd advise against it, because it will seem like you lack adequate social skills, which could hurt you, especially if your job is like mine and you have to spend a lot of time talking on the phone. 

So tip #1 is to just be yourself and have a natural conversation. 

Tip #2 is to look presentable and memorable. 

This means makeup, but just enough to look professional (a thinly lined eye, foundation, mascara, concealer, nude lipstick, little bit of bronzer) and hair done. Your outfit should be professional but have some aspects of your personal style--even if that just means tying a cute scarf to your bag!

Here are some outfits that I've worn to interviews before.

                                  

Obviously each outfit is appropriate for different types of offices, but use your discretion! 

Now go get hired!

Brace Yourselves, Finals are Coming

(and coincidentally, so is the new season of Game of Thrones, which personally, I'm super excited for)

The post midterm-season is great. There's not much homework to do, there are plenty of parties, you have ample free time, and if you're like me, you binge on Netflix. The school year is almost over and you're ready to squeeze in those last few things you haven't done yet.

That's the thing though--the school year is almost over.

And that means it's time for finals.

Finals come faster than they should. It's the beginning of the semester and then suddenly it's the end of the year and you have to cram three days before your exam.

But that's not what you should be doing. Yes, it's easier to procrastinate and wait until the last minute to study, but it's way less effective. 

So here's a basic list of my study tips and habits. It's not comprehensive, and they don't suit everyone's learning style, but I recommend you check them out!

1. Take advantage of whatever resources your professor or TA gives you. This may seem self-explanatory, but you'd be surprised. If your professor or TA gives you old test questions, practice problems, practice tests, or anything else, use it. If there's a review session, go to it. There's a good chance it will be similar to what they expect you to know for the final, because they want you to do well. 
2. Go to office hours or to a help session if something is unclear. It's super easy to get confused in class, especially since you learn so much. So if you don't understand something, go to office hours and get clarification. Or if you're too shy, go to a help or tutoring session with another student. Check out your school's resources to see what's available to you!
3. Start studying at least a week or two in advance. It's easier to learn material in little chunks. You'll have more time to fully understand. Plus, your professor will be more willing to help you if you come to them with your questions more than two days before the final. 
4. Synthesize your notes from the readings and from lecture. Sometimes professors will leave out information from the textbook because they think it's self-explanatory or common knowledge. Whatever the professor doesn't cover in lecture but is covered in the textbook will probably be something you need to know. That's just how the universe works.
5. If you have friends in the class or that have taken the class, ask them what they think is important. It will be different from what you think is important, and it'll give you an idea of some of the major themes in the course.
6. Find a nice and quiet place to study. For me, this is a specific place in the library. For you it might be your room, the lounge in the dorm, or somewhere else. But quiet is the key. Places like the quad or the Lawn often have lots of people, which creates an easy distraction. 
7. If you study with music, listen to music without words. Music with words also creates a distraction. If you're thinking "I don't like Mozart or Bach or any of those guys," you're in luck. Here's a great playlist created by yours truly: it's movie scores! Relive Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, Mary Poppins, Cinderella, Star Wars, and Indiana Jones while you study for Intro to Macroeconomics. 

Got any tips? Comment below!

Good luck on your finals!

A Little Bit of Self Motivation

In high school, I learned that no one else cares if you aren't doing everything you should be.

Your teachers might, your parents proably do, but your peers? Absolutely not. 

This means that you have to motivate yourself.

Have a paper due tomorrow morning but you'd rather binge watch Grey's Anatomy on Netflix?

No one is going to say, "hey, shouldn't you be writing a paper?" because they don't care if you're writing your paper or not.

You have to motivate yourself. You are the only person that always has your best interests in mind at all times. 

You have to take matters into your own hands and think about:

a) what it is you want to do

b) how you're going to do it

c) when you're going to do it

d) who has done it

And then you have to figure out how to motivate yourself. 

For me, it's by drawing inspiration from powerful women and by using quotes. 

In my dorm room, I have a little shrine to motivation, and it's the first thing I see every morning and the first thing I see before I go to sleep. 

The powerful people that are considered inspiring are different for everyone. But for me, Amy Poehler's Leslie Knoppe, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Michelle Obama, Sandra Day O'Connor, Madeleine Albright, Malala Yousazfi, Reese Witherspoon's Elle Woods, and Amal Clooney are among them.

But the quotes I use are applicable to everyone and everything. And since it's difficult to see some of them, I've written them down here so that you can be inspired too!

"If you can dream it, you can do it"

"Even miracles take a little time"

"Esse quam videri; to be rather than to seem"

"Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try'

"You may be pretty and you may be talented, but nobody will remember that if you're mean"

"If you keep on believing, the dreams that you wish will come true"

"It's a new day, bend and snap"

"Be the Leslie Knope of whatever you do"

"Promise me you'll always remember, you're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think"

"You must always have faith in people, but most importantly, you must always have faith in yourself"

"I want adventure in the great, wide somewhere"

"This is just part of growing up, a little adventure, a little rebellion"

"Never look back, darling, it distracts from the now"

"If you want something you've never had, you must be willing to do something you've never done"

"Hakuna matata, it means no worries"

"Make life sparkle"

"Never half-ass two things. Whole-ass one thing"

"You have to be the best version of yourself, and if that means you have to be a bit self promoting, then it's okay, it really is. Because who's going to believe in you more than yourself?"

And most importantly,

"Have courage, and be kind"