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!