How To Survive Finals

Finals time is upon finally upon us. *Insert collective groan from entire student population.* Every semester we know that finals will inevitably be here before we know it, but somehow we never seem to be prepared. In honor of finals coming up, here are a few tips to help you survive!

Music
Music is a huge part of studying for me. Personally I listen to film scores because they don't have distracting lyrics, but it also doesn't put me to sleep like classical music does. A great way to hear a bunch of awesome film scores is to listen to the Harry Potter film score radio on Pandora. Another station a lot of people like is the Hans Zimmer radio. No matter what I kind of music you like, I would definitely recommend something without lyrics or anything super distracting for intense studying!

Caffeinate and Snackinate
I totally made those words up, but don't forget to keep your body fueled! Of course coffee is the natural go-to (because caffeine, duh!), but don't forget to drink plenty of water as well! (I like to drink 2 bottles of water for every cup of coffee) and eat plenty of snacks, but don't forget to eat real meals as well!

Plan Plan Plan!
When it comes to finals time, planning is key! Plan out your study times and when you are going to study for each class. First, make sure you write down when and where every single one of your finals is. As well as writing everything in my planner, I also printed out a calendar to hang on my wall above my desk so I have it readily available. I like to plan to study an hour then take a ten or twenty minute break (to read My Life As Hayden, duh!). Make sure when you are studying to be completely off of social media! I've found that putting my phone across the room (on silent or vibrate) is the best way to not get distracted! Don't forget to study plenty in advance (aka NOT the night before!) your final!

Write in all of your due dates and finals so it's easily accessible!

Make Your Space
Whether you're working at your own desk or at the library, a clear work area is a must! Not only does it help keep you from being distracted, but it helps you feel more productive as well. I like to spread out all of my notes and other study materials because it helps me feel less cluttered (and ultimately more productive) and I like to be able to see everything at once. Make sure you have everything you need (pens, notes, computer, flash cards, post-it notes, etc.) before you start studying so you aren't constantly interrupting your study time.

Learn How To Study
Figure out how you study best and utilize it! For me, color coding and flash cards help me best. Flash cards are my go to study tool (try Quizlet if you are in a pinch and want to use online flashcards), but if I can't do flash cards, I love to rewrite my notes and color code them. There are some awesome study tips on Pinterest that I would definitely utilize!

Study Comfy
I am a huge believer in oversized tshirts and leggings. If I'm going to hunker down for some intense studying, I want to be as comfortable as possible. Please, avoid wearing your onesie to the library at all cost, but make sure you're not dying because you're in "real pants"!

The Day Of…
Dress for success! On the days I have tests I love to dress up (aka wear real pants and not a tshirt) because it makes me feel like I have my crap together. There's nothing like walking into an 8 am exam looking -and feeling- super confident even though you stayed up until 3 the night before studying. "Dressing up" always puts me in a "YOU GO GLEN COCO" state of mind, which I think results in better test results!
When it comes to studying the day of the test, don't. Yes, you heard me right! In my first semester of college, my calculus professor told us "Cram, cram, cram the night before if you need to, but on the day of the test, take it easy. I wouldn't even open the book!" Now while I don't intensely study the day of an exam if I can help it, I do review the test material. Usually I'll make flashcards or an outline of important topics and quiz myself. In doing this, you are calmly going over the test material without the added stress of cramming the day of. Just relax, and you'll be in a better frame of mind for taking the test!

Stay hydrated in the cutest way possible…with a Future First Lady koozie!

Don't forget to reward yourself after studying, either! Head over to Future First Lady and get 10% off your purchase with the code HaydenL. Finals only come once a semester, it's totally ok to treat yourself with some retail therapy ;)

How To Survive A Group Project With BAND

Group projects are the bane of every student's existence. There's nothing worse than trying to communicate with a group of people to get together to do an awful project worth a good chunk of your grade. Group texts don't always get delivered to everyone, GroupMe chats are way too hard to follow, and Facebook is a huge hassle.



That's were this awesome app comes in. BAND is the best way to communicate with just 2 or even 1,000 people. It gives you the best of all the social media worlds with things like a post feed, group chat, calendar, polls, and even file sharing.

It's super easy to invite everyone that you need to!

With the calendar option, there is no more miscommunication about meeting times and locations! You can even add an RSVP option so you know who all will be there!

Instead of arguing over which kind of pizza to get, you can add a poll option and let everyone vote. No more "I don't care, whatever you want" answers! The polling function can also be useful for determining things like topics for your group project.

Because pizza makes even group projects better!

You can share pictures and load them into individual albums, and you can also share files! Sharing files through BAND is way easier than trying to email everyone files, and BAND even has a desktop site for easier access to these files!

If you need to chat with your group, utilize the group chat feature! It's great for when everyone needs to communicate all at once!

BAND isn't just for group projects, either! I have a BAND with a group of friends that meets every MWF for breakfast, and it's been a great way to communicate (aka send screenshots of each others funny snapchats, plan our "Monday's Suck" pizza parties, and share Buzzfeed quizzes.)

So go download BAND right now (band.us) and tell all your friends about it to save the lives of group projects everywhere. You'll be everyone's favorite group member. #beyoncestatus


Let me know what you thought about BAND and how you survive group projects! Use #bandtogether and share the love on social media!

*This is a sponsored post and all opinions are 100% my own, but I'm sure Beyonce would agree with me, too. *does hair flip*

The Best Days of The Year: GAME DAYS!

Gamedays are my favorite days, and here in Alabama we take our game days very seriously! This past week was my school's homecoming so there were a lot of festivities! We had a banner competition, dance and skit competition, Tailgate for Troops (a cooking competition), float competition and lots of other activities. And of course we had game day! I love getting dressed up for tailgates and games, and since it felt like it was 110 degrees outside, I still got to wear a cute dress! Here are some pictures from this homecoming week!

Our awesome banner committee

Pep Rally fun!!

Homecoming parade with my little!

I'm so obsessed with our Lilly letters that my sisters hand painted!!

And how PERFECT is our tent banner!!

I love dressing up for games, and this was probably the most comfortable dress I've worn yet! It's a super lightweight dress I got at Target. I ended up changing into Chacos (don't judge me) for the game so my feet wouldn't be killing me all day. Want some more game day outfit ideas?! Check out this awesome link up I'm participating in with Classy South Blog & Loulla Reese! 

Here are some of my other favorite game day outfits:

What's your favorite thing to wear on game day?

Bringing Outdoors In… How To Eno In Your Dorm Room

So as y'all might know, my birthday was last month! My sweet, sweet brother got me an ENO since I've been wanting one for a while now! If you don't know what an ENO is, it is a hammock that you can hang up practically anywhere!! I have the single-nest hammock with the Atlas straps! I absolutely love it!!

Lately, there's been rainy weather at school so I haven't been able to take my ENO out *insert sad face*! But, I had this super awesome idea! I decided to try to hang my ENO up in my dorm room! *Spoiler alert* IT WORKED!

I'm a burr{eno}

I wrapped the Atlas straps around my hall door and my closet door and pulled them tight. I shut the doors and tugged on the to make sure they wouldn't come loose, then I attached my ENO! It actually held up, and I even took an awesome nap in it! (Priorities, people!!)

Where do you like to take your ENO? Have you tried hanging it indoors?! I'd love to hear about it!

PS. A huge CONGRATS to Amanda Cross for winning my giveaway! Thank you so much to everyone who entered!!

How To Stay WELL At College

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College campuses are a breeding ground for all types of sicknesses! My freshman year of college, I seemed to stay sick! After my umpteenth visit to a doctor's office, my mom said it was like I was back in preschool. When you think about it, it's very similar. There's not really any place to escape sicknesses, especially if you live on campus!  So, here are a few tips to help you stay well:

1. Take your vitamins. I take Vitamin C and B12 pills, but talk to your doctor about what would be best for you!

2. Wash your hands! This seems like a no brainer, but some places on campus can be just plain g-r-o-s-s!!

3. Check your vents for dust and mold. One of the reasons I stayed so sick first semester was because we had mold in our bathroom air vents. Check all of your vents and make sure they're clean! If you live in on-campus housing tell your RA if you need anything like that cleaned!

4. Clean! The best way to prevent gross stuff from growing in your room/bathroom to make you sick is to keep it clean!

5. Keep up your personal hygiene.

6. Stay away from people that are sick!

7. Exercise. You don't necessarily have to go to the gym everyday, but a walk around campus won't hurt! I've been a lot more accountable with my daily exercise since I've gotten a FitBit!

8. Finally, drink LOTS of water! I started drinking a lot more water this summer, and I've already noticed a difference in my health! The best way to stay hydrated is to keep a refillable water bottle with you at all times!

Even though these seem like common sense, being aware of these tips will hopefully save you a few trips to the doctors office! Do you have any tips on staying well? Share them in the comments!

Also be sure to check out Her Campus's post about the illnesses you can catch in college!

Student Rate Partners With Alex and Ani

A few days ago I saw Kristin from The Dixie Daisy blog about the new Alex and Ani bangle she just got. I've been wanting one for a while, and seeing her post made me want one even more! With the semester just starting I am b-r-o-k-e! (Those textbooks will cost you your first born child, be warned!) But, I found this awesome site, Student Rate, that will definitely help you save money! Student Rate partners with major online retailers (think Alex and Ani, LuLu's, PB Teen, Charlotte Russe, etc.) and provides you with either a discount or cash back offer when you shop! Love all of the stuff that you have seen in my dorm room? You can get cash back or discounts when you online shop at places like PB Teen, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, Wal-Mart, and even Anthropologie through the Student Rate website! Want to sign up and start saving money (to buy things like Alex and Ani bangles?), sign up here!

Meanwhile, my birthday is in September if anyone is feeling generous and wants to get me an Alex and Ani (totally just kidding, unless you just want to ;P )

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Have you used Student Rate before? I'd love to hear about your experience!

Sophomore Dorm Room

I'm finally moved into my dorm room and settled down! I'm absolutely in love with how my room turned out and how homey it feels!

Here are some before pictures:

And AFTER!:

My awesome headboard is from Artist Tree

I actually painted the wall piece by myself! I'm super proud of it!!

You can find my wall monogram at Southern Proper Monograms

How cute is my monogrammed owl door hanger?! Another awesome Artist Tree product!!

How do you make your dorm room feel more homey? Share your ideas in the comments!