Expectations of Graduate School!

Happy Thursday Everyone!

We are almost there, it is almost the Weekend!!

The topic of today's post has been on my mind for the last couple of weeks. 

I am only into my second week of Graduate School, but so far I am loving it. I was scared at first of how difficult the course work must be as well as how I would possibly not be able to have a life of my own haha.

Before I started Graduate School, my expectations were:

- Everyone would be very serious

- Extreme amounts of course work

- Not able to have any free time

- Basically "living" on campus

- Teachers expect you to know everything

If you don't get an A, you will fail

What I actually found out was:

- Everyone is in the same place as me. Meaning, most of my classmates are in their first or second semesters of grad school and are still new into the world of Psychology

-Yes there is a large amount of coursework. I am not going to sugar coat that but it is completely doable and actually kind of fun. It is very manageable as long as you stay on top of your readings and such.

- As I said before, there is a lot of coursework but it actually is very easy to make time yourself. I have always been a big planning person but I have become a even BIGGER one since I started school while working 2 jobs. Always make time to study. I am very fortunate that my classes fall on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. That leaves plenty of time over the weekend and at the beginning of the week to take care of everything.

- Professors definitely DO NOT expect you to know everything. However, they do expect you to have some knowledge about the courses. As I stated previously, most of your classmates are new too. Whether they are new to grad school or just to the class, everyone is there to learn. Professors understand that you are new and expect you to be professional by asking questions and engage yourself in the material. I used to not be a big question and class participation person. It was not that I was a shy person, I just did not feel comfortable asking questions in a large group setting. I feel so much more comfortable with class participation and raising my hand in my grad class. I think it is because we are such a smaller group and it is easier to relate to the input of the other classmates. 

- In order to pass, you do not have to have straight A's. Unfortunately, you are not able to achieve a C or lower and be allowed to pass. As I always say, try your best, study hard and apply yourself. 

Like I said, I am only the second week but honestly I love it and feel so much more comfortable!

Looking to Start Improving Your Life?

Happy Hump Day Everyone!
As you can all see, I have been a bit of a self improvement kick lately.
I guess it is pretty self explanatory haha so here is another post containing different ways to help improve your body and daily lives!
1. START drinking More Water 2. START eating Breakfast 3. START eating more Fruits and Veggies 4. START exercising 5. START reading 6. START going to bed earlier 7. STOP having negative thoughts 8. STOP dwelling on the past 9. START to enjoy the little things 10. STOP judging and comparing yourself to others 11. START meditating 12. STOP procrastinating 13. STOP eating Fast Food 14. START stretching daily 15. START being organized 16. START wearing what makes you happy 17. START throwing away things that you do not need 18. STOP caring about what other's think 19. START doing whatever makes you happy 20. START to go outside more 21. START saving money 22. START waking up earlier
How are you all improving your daily lives?

How To Make Friends While In Grad School!

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

I am not sure why but today was a bit of a struggle. I had the hardest time getting out of bed this morning.

Any who, I am only into my second week of Graduate School, and let me tell you. it is definitely different from Undergrad.

From having classes at night, to living off campus and even having fewer people in your classes are just some of the major differences.

I am completely serious, in my Orientation to Counseling class, there are only seven of us and that is not including our professor. 

Graduate Schools are contain a wide variety of students. You will have some students who are fresh out of undergrad and some who are much older who are going back to school.

Whatever the case may be, we are all here to learn but we are also here to socialize.

I am 22 years old and I am a extremely social being. One of my big concerns about Graduate school is not being involved or social enough to met anyone. It's not like Undergrad where there was always some event going on or seeing thousands of people on a daily basis. 

Since this my first semester of Graduate School, I really wanted to get involved and see what John Carroll's social life is like.

Of course, this is where the Internet came in to play.

I searched around the Internet to see if there were any tips on how to put yourself out there because of course, I knew that I was not the only one going through this situation.

Some of the helpful hints were:

1. Don't sell yourself short

- You know what kind of person you and what you feel comfortable with. Don't trick yourself into thinking that no one wants to be your friend. In order to be a friend, you have to be one as well.

2. Things to take time

- Unfortunately not everything happens in a instant. Sometimes, making a friend has to take time and effort. You may click with a person right away but other times you may have continue talking to someone until they open up to you.

3. Don't wait for people to come to you

- Put yourself out there and you never know what may happen. Don't be afraid to ask questions or approach someone. For all you know, someone may want to talk to you but are too shy to approach you.

4. GET INVOLVED!

- This is one thing that I can not stress enough. I was very involved during my undergrad and I met a lot of people through it. It may be scary joining a new surrounding but as long as you embrace it and are willing to learn something new then you would fit right in. Theme/Concept clubs are a great way to get involved. Every college has tons of clubs that pertain to certain hobbies. For example, John Carroll has a book reading club, Psychology club and many others. There is always something to find. Also, if you cannot find a club that fits with your hobbies, you could always make your own club! You do not have to only get involved on campus, there are plenty of events and organizations to take part in around your community.

5. Step out of your comfort zone

- I tend to struggle with this. It can be very difficult to step out of your comfort zone. I tend to value my alone time and always want to relax in a calm environment haha. Being by myself is great and all but sometimes you just enjoy the company of others. Venture out into the world and go to a event or place that you would never see yourself going to.You never know when you may learn something new. 

I hope these tips helped someone in any way. I know that they definitely made me more comfortable with putting myself out there.

Get Pumped To Be Healthy!

As part of my New Year's Resolutions, I have been trying to get my health back in shape. I am just looking to get back in shape and to starting eating healthy again. 

I know that sometimes doing the same routine and eating the same foods over and over can become a bit boring.

While I was cruising around Pinterest for some fun work out tips, I came across a pin by the Daily Makeover.

They had a post titled 101 Ways to Lost a Pound that was a eye opener and really inspiring.

I as well as many others will tell you that diets do not work. Trust Me! When you want to lose weight, you want to lose it quickly. That right there is the main issue that we all struggle with. Losing weight needs to be more practical and realistic.

According to this post, there are very many activities that you could do to easily help lose a pound or two. Instead of working out three times a week for a multiple hours a day,why not do a more simple and possibly fun activity for less time every day?

P.S it does not always have to be physical exercise to lose weight!

Some of the amazing tips from this post are:

1. a 60 minute Cycling session

2. Swap out eggs for egg whites

3. Spend time with "like-minded" people

4. Take a 2 hour Power Yoga class

This can help one relax and focus solely on themselves.

5. Instead of adding Coffee Creamer, try adding nonfat milk instead

6.A 2 hour walk at a moderate pace

This can also be very relaxing and you can even do it with a walking buddy. Going for a walk is also a great way to get outside and experience the world around you.

7. Cut out one thing at a time.

It is very difficult to stop cold turkey and could have major negative effects on your progress.

8. Use a measuring cup instead of pouring cereal straight out of the box to help cut your calorie intake half

9. Drink less soda and more water!

10. Also, make sure you are getting enough sleep. 

Sleep is a important body function. It helps your body restore and recharge itself. 

I will definitely being using some of the great tips!

You should definitely check out this post to see the rest of their amazing tips.

Happy Monday Everyone!

P.S I am in no way meaning to upset anyone. This post is specifically general. I am just sharing something that I thought was interesting and someone else out there might find it interesting as well.I know that some things may be a touchy subject and I am by no means intentionally targeting anyone. 

Thank you all for understanding!

How To Get Enough Sleep?

Happy Friday Everyone!
This has been one crazy week. From working full time, to also working my part time job, to classes and of course homework, I barely had any time left to sleep.
If you are like me with a busy schedule, you find it hard to find the right times to sleep. Sometimes it seems like you almost have to schedule in a time. Unfortunately, this might also mean that you are sleep deprived. 
They say a healthy night of sleep is about 6 to 8 hours. I would say that this week I am only averaging about maybe 22 hours of sleep. And of course, now its Friday and I am exhausted and all that I want to do is sleep.
Since I am in dire need of creating a healthy sleep routine, I thought that I would share some tips as to how to make sure you are getting an adequate amount of sleep every night.
1. Cut off all electronics at least one hour before bed.
I know that we are all guilty of this, especially me. I swear I am always looking at my phone before I fall asleep.
2. You should stop drinking caffeinated drinks at least 6 hours before bed. 
3. It is never healthy to go to bed stressed or anything.
If there is something on your mind before you go to bed, your brain would continuously think about it and there can keep you up at night. 
A easy solution to this may be to write out a list of things that you need to do the next day so that it is not sitting on your brain all night long and can help you relax. Also, if you are feeling angry or sad etc, write your feelings down before you go to sleep. This may give you some closure and just help you vent so that you can have a peaceful night's sleep.
4. Sleep in a dark and quiet room. 
5. Do something that helps you get comfy and relaxed before bed.
Whether it is a bath, a good book or just listening to some music. 
6. Make your bed every day.
According to a poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, people who make their bed every morning are 19% more likely to report having a better night's sleep
I have learned a lot while doing research on this topic and there a lot of tips that I really would like to try out.
What helps you sleep better at night?

National Hug Day!

It's National Hug Day Everyone!

Photo via

A hug could go a long way.

Giving someone a hug is far better than just a handshake or a pat on the back.

A person does not have to be sad or upset to get a hug or give a hug.

Actions do speak louder than words.

A hug today could save a life tomorrow.

Step out of your comfort zone and give someone a hug!

Any Ideas?

Happy Hump Day Everyone!

I am really struggling with coming up with new topics to blog about.

I am really trying to have a creative post every Monday through Friday but it is becoming difficult to come up with brand new ideas.

I am the type of OCD person that I do not like to have the same post twice, so I literally have to come up with brand new ideas and plan them out. 

I also want to reach out more to you all.

I want to know about the different things that you all want to see or well not want to see on "The Prep Way".

I am always open to new ideas so please share!

Feel free to comment below with any ideas or tips you may have!

Thank you ALL for sticking with me!

Happy Tuesday!

There is not going to be a normal post today!

My week has been very chaotic and it is only Tuesday.

I worked both of my jobs yesterday and did not even get home until after 10 pm. I then had to get everything prepared for my first day of Graduate School today.

I only averaged about 5 hours of sleep last night and sadly, I did not have enough time to create a eye catching post for today.

Once again, I would like to apologize for the lack of post.

Tomorrow, The Prep Way posts will be back up and running!

Have a Safe and Warm Tuesday Everyone!

Books on My Radar!

Happy Monday Everyone!
It's that time of the year when all of the brand movies and TV shows are premiering! Little know fact, it is one of my most favorite times of the year. It is always that time of the year when books are making their appearances on the big screen.
I am always the type of the person who would rather read the book first and then see the film/show second. 
I always want to read the book first so that I could get the full story first and then see how the film/show compares. 
Some of the books that are premiering in 2016 are:
1. The Choice by Nicholas Sparks 
In Theaters: Feb 5
I am currently reading this book. I picked it up at Target yesterday and even though I have only read the prologue, I am already addicted.
2. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey 
In Theaters: Jan 22
I am not always a fan of the Sci-fi type stuff and for reason I just really want to see The 5th Wave. I had no idea that it was even a book, let alone a whole series. I am definitely going to be read this book second.  
3. Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
TV Series on FREEFORM:  Jan 12
I have been knowing that The Mortal Instruments was a series for quite some time. The film version of the book City of Bones was released back in 2013. During that time I swore I was going to read the book because I was dying to see the movie. Sadly, till this day I have yet to see the movie or even finish the book. So low and behold, Freeform, previously known as ABC Family, premiered the television debut of Shadowhunter
4. How To Be Single by Liz Tuccillo 
In Theaters: Feb 12
I do not know much about this book. I just saw the trailer for the film the other night, starring Rebel Wilson, who is just utterly hilarious, and the film does look really funny. It does look like a classic chick flick so I will definitely be going to see this with my girls. 
Enjoy your Monday Everyone!

It's Another Fabulous Friday Everyone!

Happy Friday Everyone!
We have braved the snow and cold and we survived the week!
Here is some inspiration to help get you through your day until the weekend haha 

I will be having some what of a productive weekend. I will be moving some more stuff over to my apartment and of course unpacking it. Also, I start Graduate school on Tuesday and i want to get a jump start on all of my readings for class. In addition to getting prepared for next week, I will also be catching up on some much needed sleep.
What will you be doing this weekend? Do you have any fun plans this weekend? 

Do You Want To Know More About Me?

It is almost the weekend everyone! we can make it!
It's been quite a while since I have done an "About Me" post. So I think we are all about due for one haha.
Here is a lovely list containing 100 different characteristics and things that describe me perfectly. 
1. Supernatural 2. Mint 3. Coral 4. Chevron 5. Blue 6. Green 7. Dogs 8. Christmas 9. Artistic 10. Books 11. Planners 12. Creative 13. Organized 14. Flowers 15. Lacrosse 16. Dinosaurs 17. Whales 18. Hair Bows 19. Clinical Psychology 20. Taste in Music 21. Comedy 22. Transformers 23. Peter Pan 24. Great Listener 25. Strawberry Lemonade 26. Chicken Broccoli Alfredo 27. Color Coding 28. Candles 29. Bucket lists 30. Cryptozoology 31. Disney's UP 32. Chicken Ranch Pizza 33. Apple Cider 34. Fries 35. Alpha Phi Omega 36. BGSU 37. Nail Polish 38. The Theory of Everything 39. Low Pro Vans 40. Pretzel M&M's 41. Mac Miller 42. iPod 43. Headphones 44. Unique Laugh 45. Family 46. Tall 47. Bowling Ball Necklace 48. The Nightmare Before Christmas 49. Johnny Depp 50. Marine Biology 51. Colors 52. Party Planning 53. Monograms 54. Extensive Movie Collection 55. Friendly 56. The Grinch 57. Walmart 58. Hobby Lobby 59. New York City 60. ABC Family's 13 Nights of Halloween 61. ABC Family's Countdown to the 25 Days of Christmas 62. ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas 63. Super Duper Kyle 64. The Big Bang Theory 65. Hatred of Spiders 66. Decorating 67. Cranberry Juice 68. Pineapples 69. Phoenix, Arizona 70. Netflix 71. Woolly Mammoths 72. Whale Sharks 73. Singing 74. Cleveland 75. New Girl 76. Voice 77. Random Knowledge 78. Even Numbers/OCD 79. Shrimp Scampi Pizza 80. Jamming Out 81. Smile 82. Student Manager 83. The Prep Way Blog 84. Honda Cr-V 85. Perfumes 86. Surface Tablet 87. Pens 88. Night Owl 89. Winter 90. Spring 91. Erin Condren 92. Pearls 93. Baking 94. Tunics 95. Swimming 96. Textbooks 97. Funny 98. Cares for Others 99. Rainbows 100. March

101 Things In 1001 Days!

I promised you all a list of the 101 things that I want to do in 1001 days!

I have seen a lot of bloggers doing this and a lot of pins on Pinterest about it and I thought why not?!

I know some of my tasks may seem simple and plan but to me, they are things that I like to do and obtainable goals for me.

Starts: January 13th 2016

Ends: October 10th 2018

(Coincidentally that is my dad's Birthday)

So without further adieu, here is my wonderful list:

1. Come up with 101 Things (1/13/2016)

2. Inspire someone else to create a 101 in 1001 list

3. Obtain my Master's in Clinical Psychology/Counseling

4. Visit 5 new cities

5. Start sending out fun and creative care packages

6. Host a Dinner Party

7. Send handwritten letters to people instead of Email

8. Adopt a Dog

9. Learn Photography

10. Continue learning German

11. Go to at least 5 concerts

12. Join a club/organization

13. Have a girl's weekend

14. Not to shop for a month

15. Send Christmas Cards

16. Go somewhere fun and exciting for my Birthday

17. Create a Address Book

18. Expand my blog

19. Attend a festival

20. Start drinking more water every day

21. Get caught up with all of my favorite shows

22. Start Meal Planning fro every week (1/6/2016)

23. Go apple picking

24. Treat my family to dinner

25. Start Volunteering

26. Start working out 3 days a week

27. Run a 5k

28. Grow something on my own

29. Be a Party Planner

30. Finally achieve my fashion "look"

31. Create art for all of the blank spaces of my apartment

32. Start doing Yoga and Meditations

33. Start doing creative and fun Date Nights

34. Read a book a month

35. Attend a show at the Theater

36. Visit all of the major Aquariums in the US (Already have seen Shedd Aquarium and Georgia Aquarium)

37. Visit the Museum of Natural History in NYC

38. Attend the Supernatural Convention in Pittsburgh, PA

39. Go to NYC and see a show on Broadway

40. Create a Budget and stick with it

41. Sign up for a library card

42. Go to a Tailgate Party

43. Attend a Alumni even at my Alma mater Bowling Green State University

44. Stop eating any and every fast food

45. Try out 3 new Restaurants

46. Learn how to paddle board

47. Grow out my hair longer

48. Organize my Pinterest boards

49. Stay current and caught up with my Class readings

50. Start a Journal

51. Reconnect with a old friend

52. Surprise my mom with flowers

53.Increase my blog views

54. Start a collection of something

55. Get a new blog design

56. Post 1 new blog post every day for a month

57. Donate Blood

58. Get straight A's for a semester

59. Go camping

60. See a TED Talk Live

61. Strictly follow a schedule for 2 months

62.Create a Inspiration/Motivation Board

63. Make a Photo Album/Scrapbook

64. Visit Universal Studios

65. Clean out my Macbook

66. Clean out my Email

67. Go Snorkeling

68. Go on a Cruise

69. Attend New Year's Eve in New York City

70. Go to a Halloween Party

71.Write a Song

72. Start writing Poetry

73. Send a letter to a Disney Character (I have no shame haha)

74. Crochet a scarf

75. Go to Disneyland and Disney World

76. Watch all of my favorite movies again

77. Crochet a blanket

78. Take another class about dinosaurs

79. Make my bed every day for 1 month

80. Collect a postcard from every state

82. Get a Pen Pal

82. Have a DIY Night

83. Blog about each completed task

84. Host a summer party

85. Celebrate 10 random and unique holidays

86. Meet my favorite Musicians

87. Listen to every song in my iTunes

88. Unsubscribe from stupid junk emails or ones I don't use anymore

89. Learn the lyrics to some of my favorite songs

90. Create the perfect study space

91. Get back to my goal weight

92. Read a book before it becomes a movie and then see it in theaters

93. Go to bed before midnight every night for a month

94. Do a Color and Glow Run

95. Paint a beautiful picture to hang on my wall

96. Over come my shyness and be more outgoing

97. Start going out more

98. Organize my jewelry collection

99. Become a mentor

100. Introduce myself to someone new

101. Finish my list of 101 Things!

What are some of the things on your Bucketlist?

Thank You Everyone!

I am so sorry guys!

I know I promised that I would have a exciting post for today but I am having a difficult time trying to come up with new ideas for my new year of  blogging.

I have been doing some research and I think i finally figured out how I want to start this year off right!

I have complied a list of fun topics that I am hoping that you all will love.

To start off right, I am jumping on the 101 things in 1001 days bandwagon.

So starting tomorrow, there will be a new post containing the 101 things I want to do in 1001 days!

Stay tuned everyone and thank you for sticking with me!

Stay Tuned...

Happy Monday and Good Morning Everyone!

I hope everyone had a great weekend! 

My weekend was filled with all sorts of craziness.

As soon as I got off work on Friday, I picked up the keys to my apartment and we immediately starting moving in. We finished moving everything that night. On Saturday I finished moving all of my other odds and ends. Saturday and Sunday were my first official nights in my apartment. 

The weekend would have gone perfect if the weather wanted to cooperate. It rained all day Friday and it was freezing, It also rained on Saturday but thank god it was warm. We had our first official winter snow yesterday and everybody in the world was out trying to go to the store to get prepared.

This coming week I am going to finish unpacking and get everything set up. My mom is going to visit this weekend and of course she will help me decorate. 

Stay tuned for tomorrow's exciting post.

Have a Happy Monday!

Happy Fabulous Friday!

Happy Friday!
I hope that everyone is having a great Friday!
Does anyone have any fun plans this weekend?
This weekend is going to be a busy one for me.
I am moving into my first apartment by myself and I could not be more excited!
Any tips on moving?
Here's some funny pictures to help you stay motivated until you start your weekend:

3:30 can not come soon enough ...

Stay Strong Everyone! The Weekend is almost here!

Have a Happy and Safe Weekend!

When It's Cold Outside...

Happy Thursday Everyone!
Everyday it is getting colder and colder and I am absolutely dreading it : (
The colder it gets the more I want to stay inside.
So in honor of wanting to stay inside, I complied a list of the top 10 movies that would make staying in worth while.
The 10, by no means in any particular order, are:
1. The Theory of Everything 2. Jurassic Park 3. Peter Pan 4. UP (One of my all time favorites) 5. Remember Me (If you like romance/sad movies) 6. A Walk To Remember 7. Grease (A Classic!) 8. Harry Potter 9. Pirates of the Caribbean 10. The Notebook
Of course there are many many other amazing movies to watch!
What are some of your favorite movies to stay in and watch?

I Apologize

I would like to apologize for the lack of entertaining and interesting posts.

This week has been really crazy.

I have been getting everything ready for school which starts January 19th, my mother's birthday is also on the 19th and I just recently rented my 1st apartment so I am doing a lot of packing and moving. And of course, since the Holidays are over, I am doing all of that and working full time. Bye bye free time : (.

I promise that tomorrow will be a fun post

Happy Hump Day Everyone!

To Yoga or Not To Yoga?

Photo via 

As part of my New Year's Resolutions, I wanted to start the year off right by being healthy not just physically but also spiritually.

I have always been interested  in Yoga but I didnt think that it was something I could do.

Yoga has become more and more popular so why not give it a try.

Since I will be getting my own apartment soon, I would like to create a morning routine that involves working out at least 3 times a week. Winter has slowly started to take over my town so I would much rather do exercises that I could do within my own residence. 

What are your thoughts on Yoga?

Any tips for a beginner?

My New Year's Resolutions!

Happy Monday Everyone and Happy New Year!
Since it is the beginning of the year, I thought that it would make sense to have a list of resolutions.
I never really created resolutions let alone keep them.
Since I have gotten older and more mature, I really wanted to create a list of resolutions that are practical and obtainable.
This year I would really like to:
Personal Resolutions:
1. Stay Motivated 2. Stay Productive 3. Work out at least 3 times a week and keep track 4. Join a Organization 5. Keep current on School work 6. See myself in a better and more positive light 7. Stay organized and clean 8. Be positive every day! 9. Be more outgoing  10. Try something new 11. Start Meal Planning
Blog Resolutions:
1. Create eye catching post pictures for every post 2. Create a post Monday through Friday (and Saturdays and Sundays occasionally) 3. Keep track of new ideas 4. Keep current and consistent on The Prep Way 5. Keep current on Bloglovin' and Pinterest 6. Start and stay current on The Prep Way's Instagram
What are some of your New Year's Resolutions?