Studying Abroad: A Reflection Halfway Through

Image from The Abroad Guide
I have been studying in London for the past two months; it is about midway through the semester, and as I reflect on my time here thus far, I'd like to share some of what I have learned.  ​Expectations…as humans, we naturally tend to anticipate and ponder our futures. Before going abroad, it was difficult to avoid this tendency; thinking back,...
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The Timeless Band

From www.grammy.com
Over the past summer, many movies have come out. One, in particular, piqued my interest: Yesterday, the movie recalling the classic band, The Beatles. When I heard about a movie in which everybody on the planet, besides one man, has forgotten about The Beatles, I knew I had to see it. Although this movie was not great, it made me remember my l...
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You're a Wizard, Harry

From Bustle
 As I went through the typical stages of growing up- adventuring outside, discovering hobbies, making friends- there was one thing that was a constant: reading. I loved reading book after book, meeting new characters, learning about fantasy worlds, and pretending I were inside the pages. Reading always felt so safe and comfortable to me- If I ...
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Persevering in the Face of Long Distance

      This summer I experienced being in a long distance relationship with my boyfriend of nine months. As this was my first time doing the whole long distance thing, it was not until the summer actually began that I realized I would be putting  much more effort, energy, and time into the relationship now that we were not a...
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Fitness Dos and Don’ts

from girlslife.com
When beginning your fitness journey, you may feel dread, stress, or just have general questions. However, once you are aware of some basic guidelines, you will likely feel more ready and confident about your understanding of fitness and the ways in which you should be treating your body. Do:ExperimentWhen I first started making my fitness a pr...
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Excellence is Contagious

Northwestern University Class of 2019
The week was finals week at my university and I was feeling the pressure of final exams, projects, packing, and leaving all my friends behind. On top of my academic commitments, my sorority had asked if I could set aside a day to take photos for the graduating seniors, as some of them were unable to pay for a professional photographer for the ...
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Tips and Tricks for the Active Mind: Everyday Mindfulness

from tiny buddha
I have always found that my mind and thoughts are extremely active; they tend to come whenever, wherever, especially when I am intending to stay present. Luckily, through lots of exploration, I have discovered ways in which I can bring these thoughts to rest, and try to remain calm. Find YOUR exerciseWhen you hear the word exercise, you might get t...
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Six Books Written By Badass Women

We all have books that inspire us, whether they were childhood favorites or books we discovered as adults.  Sometimes it’s the main character that serves as our inspiration; other times, it’s the author themselves.  When I was trying to come up with my list of books that changed my life, I noticed most of them were written by women.  ...
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5 bSmart Lessons I've Learned From Horses

I started riding horses when I was three years old.  For my family, horseback riding was a tradition brought down through the years; my mother rode jumpers at a farm in her small New Jersey hometown.  It was my father, however, who first got me into riding at the same age that many of my friends were just learning how to walk.  He sh...
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Panhellenic or Pathetic? An Unpopular Opinion on Sororities

When I began my search for the perfect college in high school, I looked at a variety of factors.  Availability of majors, athletic rank, sexual assault statistics (unfortunately), and the involvement of organizations in campus-life.  No doubt, I wanted a well-rounded and ‘full’ college experience- but I had to ask myself what I was willin...
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3 bSmart Tips to Make the Most of Your Summer

Do you remember the feeling you used to get as a kid when summer was approaching?  Like you were so ready to soak up every ray of sun and roll around in water, soil, or sand?  Like you could do absolutely anything because school was out?  As adults, it’s sometimes harder to find that magic when summer comes around — you’re just hot a...
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The Perks Of Owning Succulents

You may have heard of the succulent, an indoor plant that is becoming increasingly popular.  These plants are native to desert regions but can also be found in forests and mountains.  Succulent means ‘full of juice,’ an apt name given a succulent’s ability to conserve water by storing it in its leaves.  After owning succulents for a ...
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How to Enlighten Your Male Friends on Feminism (Without Tearing Your Hair Out)

Experience isn’t something that can be easily taught.  We can try to share our experiences and hope that others learn from them, but ultimately, it takes experiences to truly learn.  For this reason, it can be difficult for women to maintain close friendships with men as they get older.  It’s not only difficult because we’re conditio...
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I’m Sorry For Saying Sorry

We learn to say ‘I’m sorry’ the same time we learn how to share and tie our shoes.  From a young age, we use this common phrase as a way for us to acknowledge when we’ve done something wrong and to make amends. As we grow older, however, its use becomes more frequent – but not necessarily because we’re making more mistakes.Shop 'Sorry Not Sorr...
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bSmart Tips to Speaking Out in Difficult Situations

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in a room full of people arguing about politics, had an idea, and been too afraid to share it.  That isn’t to say I’m shy, or that I typically withhold my opinions.  My friends, family, and pretty much anyone I’ve ever met can confirm; I talk a lot.  When it comes to political debates with la...
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I Am Gay and I Am Proud

Hello readers and fellow humans of this world!  As you all know, last month was pride month, a month dedicated to recognizing and supporting the entire LGBTQ+ community.  All 30 days are devoted to a group of people who receive too much hate for no good reason, which begs the question: Why are people so quick to judge differences?  E...
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Why You Should Do Things You're Bad At

Our society tends to hold people to high standards.  It’s easy to feel like if you’re not always working on something productive and churning out perfection, you’re doing something wrong.  If someone other than a child tells you they love drawing, singing, or playing soccer, you probably assume they’re accomplished in that area, right? &n...
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An Introduction to Origami

When I was in eighth grade, my middle school embarked on a challenge to fold as many paper cranes as possible.  If I remember correctly, it was part of an international campaign to support Japan and help rebuild after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.  We learned how to fold them in art class, and for a couple of weeks, we spent every free...
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11 Ways to Ditch Single-Use Plastics

As an environmental studies student, I sometimes wonder if people can sense my pain when I see someone throwing a recyclable milk jug into a garbage can.  Often, we can’t see the environmental impacts of our consumption choices; rather, they place unequal burdens on vulnerable populations that have to deal with our waste.  Just because we...
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8 Ways to Subconsciously Stop Stigmatizing Mental Illness

Sometimes, we’re not always aware of how impactful our words can be.  In such a technological society, how can we strive to be constantly aware that our words have consequences and that nothing we say is actually off the record?Purchase Baja East Baby Doll Tee here!‘Political correctness’ (PC) is often confused with being respectful of people’...
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