Easter + Finals

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Happy Monday everybody! Yes...even though it is the beginning of a very trying time I like to call Finals Week it is still a pretty solid Monday! It is absolutely gorgeous in Pittsburgh today and yesterday was Easter and the weather for that was just as fabulous. We went to the 10 AM mass and then followed up with a delicious brunch which I capped off with, of course, ice cream.

Unfortunately, after brunch my Easter was pretty much over so I did what any student on this campus is doing...studied for finals. I grabbed a blanket and sat under the Sun making my notecards for astronomy. Today I was out there again for a good two hours studying and get a good bit of color--no burn though! My roommate and I have also started packing up our room. It is a pretty heartbreaking task, honest. We have had so much fun in this room and have had many great nights hanging out with out friends. But at the same time we are pretty pumped to come back in August and move our stuff into an APARTMENT! We cannot wait to finally have a kitchen and our own rooms.

However, for now I can't be thinking those happy thoughts yet. I have to get through the stress of exams and final papers this week as well as packing away my sophomore year memories. Happy Finals Week, folks!

<3 Ashley

Donut Mess With Me

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I know, I know...it's been pretty much the entire week. What's my excuse now?? Pretty much the same; I have been bombarded with so much work. The semester is approaching its end and my professors are under the impression that "Eh...maybe we can fit in like three more writing assignments." What a horrible idea! Anyway, that's my story. Also it has been so nice out lately that I have been spending as much time outside and off the computer as possible. It's nice to disconnect once in awhile. 

Also, my mood has been a little out of hand only to be briefly stabilized by nice temperatures. What's the matter? I willingly removed ice cream and donuts from my life for 40 days. I like to give something up for Lent despite the fact that I'm not the most religious person in the world...I try though. This year I really wanted to give up something difficult. For me that is ice cream and donuts--my blood is pretty much one part cookies and cream, one part boston cream, and one part coffee. I actually have done extraordinarily well with this too! Up until this week I had not even thought about dessert. However, Easter is so close yet so far away. I'm starting to get restless and have had increasing fantasies about dipping donuts in ice cream. Plus, I've been so stressed with all this school work that there is nothing more I want than to stress eat a pint of Cherry Garcia. I plan on staying strong though! I've already made it this far!

<3 Ashley

Is there something you've given up? How difficult has it been for you?

Some Closure

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If you've been following along with me throughout this fall semester you will recall how many times I have stressed out and have been completely wiped. This was definitely a difficult and mentally taxing semester for me. Finals week nearly destroyed me--I actually fell asleep in the lounge on Friday while I was studying for my algebra final. Thank God for the fantastic guys on the floor who woke me up in time for the exam! Overall, I had felt that I did average on the exams and was not too sure that I was going to be closing out the semester on a high note.

This morning I finally got a look at my final fall semester grades. Overall, they were okay. I did manage and A+ in one class, Bs in two classes, and the other two classes were Cs. Algebra and psychology definitely were not the kindest to me. But at least their over, right? That's my feeling right now...I'm upset that I wasn't able to do better but at the same time I am so relieved that it is all over and I am getting ready to take on a new semester with a few more classes more focused on my major, minor and certificate--and just a couple gen. eds.

<3 Ashley

Are you finding closure as the year is winding down?

Finals: In Retrospect

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Okay, so really I'm only halfway through finals (or at least I will be by 2 PM) then I have two finals tomorrow. But already there are things I wish I had done because I am stressed to no end right here. Honestly, the only reason I am blogging right now is because it is so therapeutic for me. I also think I'm so frustrated and crabby because everyone else on my floor is finished with their exams already and started having their fun last night. Seriously, yesterday I woke up early to study and there were people in the lounge studying. This morning I did the same thing...I am the only one here!

Anyway, I have under 3 hours before my psychology final and I still don't really think I am retaining any information (except I could tell you all about personality disorders; but I won't!) I really think that maybe I should have started at least making up my notecards and study guides maybe a week or so ago and not over the past weekend. I also wish I had done more of the readings assigned throughout the semester. Just so everyone knows, there's a lot of nice thorough information in these books that would probably have been useful in furthering my understanding of these concepts. But here we are, three hours before the exam and it's a little to late to do those readings.

A perk, however, is that yesterday I took my rhetorical process final (this class is for my major!) and the grades are in. Who's got two thumbs and scored a perfect grade on that exam? This girl! I was honestly speechless for an hour after seeing that grade. My final grade over all in the class is a 98% and that is just fine by me! Hopefully, I can get through the rest of these finals well enough!

<3 Ashley

What little triumphs have you had this week?

Currently

Since I'm so busy lately and still want to do at least a few posts this week, I figured today I would bust out a short but still very fun post about what I am currently up to...like right now. As we speak. So I am currently...

listening to: "Just Want You To Know" -Backstreet Boys (Note: going to see them tonight here on campus and I'm already fangirling pretty hard!)
eating: Nothing :( But I am drinking some nice water...
wearing: My long, comfy gray sweater and yoga pants
working on: Blogging aside, I am studying for finals. Rhetorical Process to be exact!
loving: My gift from my Secret Santa! Those pillows in the picture up there ^^^^ very festive!
disliking (because hate is a strong word!): Everything about the music video for "Saturday" by Rebecca Black. Like just stop...

<3 Ashley

What are you doing currently?

Weekend Wrap-Up: Friends and Family

Happy Monday everyone!

I apologize in advance for the silence that you will no doubt get from me sometime this week; it's finals week. Today and tomorrow is all studying and then Wednesday is when all the fun starts. I have two exams Wednesday, one Thursday, and two Friday. Sounds like a great time, right? Then on Saturday I get to go home for a long and lovely winter break.

Hands down my favorite room at Phipps. It's always decorated so beautifully.

Santa's workshop!

Steelers v. Dolphins. It was just a little chilly; note the snow.

This weekend was definitely the calm before the storm, and I really appreciate all the fun that I was able to have before buckling down. On Friday night, the ladies and I went to Phipps Conservatory and walked through all of their holiday lights and decorations (which were beautiful as always!) Then on Sunday, my dad came to Pittsburgh and we went to the Steelers game against the Dolphin...which the Steelers lost. It was an absolutely freezing game, and despite the outcome, a very fun one!

<3 Ashley

How was your weekend?

Day 21: Favorite Posts

Day 21: List your 5 favorite posts on your blog.

I have written about a lot over the past year on this blog, and today is the day that I get to highlight some of my favorites for you!

1. Reflections: Freshman Year 
I loved all of the feedback I got on this post! This was by far my most popular piece that I've written all year. Whenever I reach something that I consider to be a milestone I like to take a breather and think about how far I've come, how I have changed, and what I need to work on.

2. Shopping Tips: Too Expensive?
This post was the result of a shopping trip and personal experience. I find it's always best to write what you know, and I love sharing tips that I have found to be successful (at least in the situations I have used them in!)

3. Spring Inspired
I believe this was written when it was still quite cold in Pittsburgh; there may have even been snow on the ground! I don't do many styling posts but I thought it would be nice to get a little glimpse of spring and what was coming. It was a hopeful post!

4. Some Down Time
I am a big supporter of what I refer to as sanity time. This post was written during a point when it was cold out, everyone else was in a late class, and I had no work to do. What a beautiful time!

5. The Final Countdown
This was written during finals week at the end of the fall semester. That is the time where, if you haven't learned yet, you learn how you study. This post was just as list of things that I found helpful for me.

What kind of posts are you interested in? (Consider this feedback! I will use it for the upcoming year!) 

<3 Ashley

Reflection: Freshman Year

Well that's it! Finals are all finished and I have nothing left to do but move out; I am no longer a college freshman. I will admit that it is a little bittersweet. While I am very excited to go back home and see some faces that I haven't seen in a few months, I am sad to leave some of the faces that I have gotten to know really well. I won't see them for 4 months! I am also a little upset that it's over already; freshman year was fantastic and Pitt has certainly been very kind to me.

I loved the freedom of making my schedule for the first time, and loved the independence that I was given my first time away from home. I loved the feeling that all of the firsts gave me. That's why freshman year will always be a year that I remember. It certainly had a "fresh" feeling and gave me the opportunity to start over. This year I was able to challenge myself a little harder, push myself a little further out of my initial comfort zone and allow myself to get to know some truly awesome people and places.

I have slowly been packing up everything but today is the big packing day! Most of my day will be spent doing laundry, sorting clothes, and getting lost in boxes and packing tape. Here's a few shots of my last week:

Getting my caffeine fix and doing some last minute studying.

And the boxes are back! Desk is cleaned out and everything is off the walls.

The current state of my once full and decorated window shelf. Need to find somewhere to put these books!

All of this paper is from one class. Insane right?

I still have clothes to relocate to bags, books to box and cosmetics to store. That doesn't sound like a lot but this will take me forever! Haha!

Any packing tips for someone who may have accumulated more than what she came with?!

<3 Ashley

The Final Countdown

Well it's here: finals! Yes, the dreaded f-word is upon college students nationwide. As this semester comes to a close we spend these next few days up late in the library, chugging coffee by the gallons, and driving everyone around us crazy or even shutting themselves in and keeping everyone else out. While being in the throws of it all for the past few days as a newcomer I have compiled this list of steps to success when you go into the test room. Let's call it The Final Countdown.

5. S-L-E-E-P! This is possibly the most neglected thing during finals week but it is also the most important. I am not going to tell you that you should get 8 hours of sleep. While that would be absolutely ideal, I recognize that it almost completely impossible. However, it would be a huge mistake to spend all hours in the library when you could be sleeping. This week, aim for at least 4-6 hours of sleep per night. Your brain works a lot better when it has time to rest and process information.

4. Don't overdo the studying Yes there is such a thing. You can only study so much before all the information becomes muddled together and you can't tell chem from calc. Be realistic and listen to your brain when it says "We've hit the wall." 

3. Make time for fun This goes along with overstudying. If you don't break up the reading and outlining, your brain may explode. What I like to do is reward myself for 5-10 minutes after every full hour of studying. I use that time to check Facebook, get on Pinterest, or anything besides worry about the Civil War and Reconstruction. 

2. Watch the caffeine intake All I will say is, keep it under six cups! Eventually that stuff will begin to get toxic. 

1. Be healthy Sleep well. Drink PLENTY of water. Exercise (do jumping jacks after every chapter or practice test you complete) Eat something that is recognized as food and doesn't come in a crinkly bag (I'm talking about you, Doritos!)

Happy Finals and may the odds be ever in your favor ;)

<3 Ashley

How do you get through finals?