As much as we're all excited about it, when you know that you're about to embark on a new path in a new chapter of your life, the ambiguity of the future brings about fear. And, fear can prevent us from living our best lives and being the best versions of ourselves.

When it comes to college, fear has no place in that experience.
There's just simply no room for it.

Fortunately for us youngsters, college is a time for self-improvement. It's a space that is specifically designated for growing and changing. I mean, no one goes into college thinking they're going to be the same person they were when they entered.

In my personal experience, I have a lot of regrets when it comes to my college experience. Most of it stems from how I spent my time freshman year. And so I start us off with this:

Your freshman year sets the tone for the rest of your college experience.

Some people may not agree with me and that's okay. But, I strongly stand by this statement.

I've worked in student affairs for most of my time in college. Actually, the entirety of my (almost) four and a half years in university. Starting from being a building representative to working for student housing to being a peer mentor and now being editor-in-chief of my schools' newspaper. I know students pretty well.

And, time and time again I see the same thing. Students that were unhappy with their freshman year usually stay unhappy with the rest of their college experience to some degree.

Now, that's not to say that it's impossible to change this. But, that's a blog post for another day.

We're here to talk about the number one fear you need to conquer before going to college. So, now the question is, what is that fear?

Your fear is simply this:

What other people think of you.

I remember it like it was yesterday. It was the summer of 2014 and I had just gotten back from Japan. I had a little less than a month to get ready to go off to college. With not a clue as to what I would need, I started with a simple search on Pinterest and came across thousands of blogs and sites telling me about the hundreds of things that I should bring with me to college.

Believing in most of the things I was being told, I bought just about everything on those lists with the exception of what I already owned (because tbh I'm not rich).

After trying to pack all of the items into my car and embarking on a 6-hour ride to my new home, I quickly realized that I had too much stuff. Once I was moving in, it was clear that I had brought too many items and didn't have enough room for most of it.

As the semester went on, I was surrounded in my cramped dorm room by items that I literally never used. Ugh, what a waste.

To prevent you from going through what I did, here are some items I would recommend you not bring with you to college.

Ironing Board and Iron

Coffee Maker

Printer

Toaster

Alarm Clock

A Bike

Well, there you have it. A whole list of unnecessary items that so many college students bring with them on move-in day. Save yourself the trouble and ensure that you'll have a great time in college without all the clutter.

Have more recommendations of what not to bring to college? Leave a comment or let me know via Twitter and Instagram @bria_alex_.

As young adults, we find ourselves being lost quite often. Wandering and stumbling through life. As we stumble, we hit bumps in the road. These bumps can make us feel down and out about the decisions we have made in life. For college students, bumps in the road can be failing a class or hearing negative things about the job market for a particular major; leading to feeling discouraged and unsure. It's perfectly normal. Personally, I've changed my major several times, but that's another story for a different day. Today, we're going to work through the discouragement and uncertainty that is college majors.

Let's start with understanding why we feel discouraged:

As I have mentioned, these feelings can stem from not passing a class, negative rumors about a major or from professors in that major. No matter the reason, take that information and find out if it is because

1. Someone or something triggered the negative feelings
   
   OR
2. You really want to change your major

Why did you choose this major?

What do you feel is the right decision?

What can be done to help you feel better about your major?

If you do change, what are you going to change to? And why?

What you carry around in high school and then in college are quite different. For starters, you get to have a locker in high school to store most of your textbooks and folders, whereas, in college, you have to carry it all around with you.

I prefer to carry as little as possible, while still being prepared for anything. Here are the few essentials I have to carry with me to school.

Folder

Many of us are back in school and that means back to living with our roommates. As much as we all wish we could be friends with our roommates, that's not always the reality. I would know, I've had about 10 of them in the last 4 years. Some are easy to live with, others are more difficult and few are near intolerable. Either way, we can make this experience more bearable.

Not all of our roommates were picked by us, so we have start with understanding that everyone comes from different places and were taught different things. When living with people we don't know, we have to be empathetic towards them and use good communication skills to reach a happy medium.

Set boundaries

Do your chores

Don't be petty

Congrats! You made it through the Fall semester!

Now, I hate to be the bearer of bad news... but, we now have to get through the Spring semester.

I know what you're thinking. "Another 16 weeks!?"

Yes, but we're going to set ourselves up to be as successful as possible and get through this semester as seamlessly as we can. Basically, the faster (and better) we get through the Spring semester, the sooner we can get to summer break.

Here are a few things you need to do before the semester starts:

Get organized

Meet with your advisor

Use a planner

Bag vs. Backpack

My Current Backpack

Let's Get Decorating!

Pins

Patches

Last year, I did a post about Dorm Room Shopping. If you are looking for ways to figure out what you need or what you don't need, I would highly recommend reading that post here.

So, now that we know what we need let's talk about some things you might encounter while living in the dorms.

Roommates

Having roommates can be very exciting and a great time, but they can also be not so great. Either way, it's okay. Personally, I found that living in the dorms was a great experience and I was able to learn more about sharing my space. Which is something I had never done before. (Only child here!)

In my college career, I have had 9 roommates, but not all at the same time. Some of them were great, some were okay, and some were just awful. Either way, I enjoyed the company.

Meal Plans

If there's anything I don't like, it has to be dining halls. That is the one thing I DO NOT miss about living on campus. I hated eating the food. It always tasted weird and made me gain weight very quickly. If you can, avoid the dining hall. Also, note that all schools are different. Some have amazing dining halls and others have really bad ones.

Moving In and Out

My biggest tip for anyone living in the dorms is: What you move in with is what you move out with.

I worked for my college's housing department for nearly 2 years and the moving in and out process was always the most difficult part for most students. They either brought too much or too little. Then when the school year was over, they had accumulated WAY too much stuff and had to throw away a lot of perfectly good stuff.

Don't over pack or over buy. Only bring what you need and only buy what you need.

Personally, I enjoyed the moving in process. I did not like moving out. It's all good though.

RAs

Every residential hall has one. Whether there's one on every floor or just one for the building, they exist. I, for the most part, loved every single RA I had. I was really close with most them and we are still friends today.

Residential Advisors put on events, workshops, handle your work orders, and are usually a good listening ear in times of need.

But do remember that they are students as well. They can't always be available but they do their best to be.

Your Friends Are Your Neighbors

The one thing I miss about living in the dorms is the access to my friends. My freshman year most of my friends lived in my dorm hall on my floor. I loved that we were able to hang out near 24/7 all year long. I always had a study buddy or someone to go to the dining hall with. We had late night adventures and it was always a good time.

I think this is the greatest pro I have for you today.


Those are just a few of the pros and cons you may encounter. Remember that everyone's experience is different. What I find a con you may find a pro and that's okay. We all just going along for the ride.

Let me know what are looking forward to about living in the dorms this year! You can contact me via my social media pages. I would love to start a conversation.

It's that time of year once again. This is also my favorite time of year! Back to School season! For the rest of the month, you can expect new school and college related post every Monday for the rest of August! Starting with today, where we talk about how to prepare for a new school year.


On many college blogs, we talk about the many ways you can do well in school. As a matter of fact, I did a post about last year. But, doing well in school doesn't just miraculously happen. It takes time and most importantly, it takes preparation. So, I'm going to give you some really great tips on how to prepare to do well.

Have a Positive Mindset

I find that this is one of the most important steps in setting yourself up for success, in academics, and in life. If you go into the semester knowing that you are capable of doing well and promise to do your best, it can give you a little boost.

This isn't to say that you should make unachievable or unrealistic goals. Which leads me to my next point.

Make Realistic Goals

If you know me personally, then you know that I love all things stationery! If I was ever really stressed out, I would drive to Target just to feel the notebooks and look at pens. Basically, I love stationery, so I figured, "Why not make a new category/topic/segment on the blog?" So here we are! I think that I a great way to start this not topic is to show the what pens I have been using in my planners currently and over the years. Let's get into it!

Muji Gel-Ink 0.5mm Ballpoint Pens

These pens are a new addition to my collection. I bought them at the Muji in San Jose late last year. I had seen these pens all over the studyblr community of Tumblr and was eager to try them out. So far, I use them more than any of the other pens in my collection. I love how smooth they are and that the ink dries quickly. I also like that there are a lot of colors to chose from. I recommend these pens to everyone.

Stabilo Point 88 Fine 0.4 Pens

Also, a newer addition to my collection. These pens are not my favorite pens to write with. Depending on the quality of paper you are using, they tend to bleed through a little. I love to use them to draw. I don't bullet journal, but I do like to draw some doodles here and there in my planner. I think these pens are great for that purpose, but not much else.

Pilot G-2 0.7 Gel Ballpoint Pens

If you have ever taken an AP classes in high school, then you are very familiar with these pens. Pilot G-2 are super high quality and are great to write with for everyday use. The gel also dries quickly and doesn't smudge as much as some other pens. Although, these pens tend to mess up or have troubles staying fluid while writing.

Uni-ball Signo 207 Ball Point Pen

I have used these pens since my freshman year of high school and always keep these on hands. I love how these pens feel when writing and I love to use them to take notes. I have noticed that writing from this pen is very, even though it's only 0.7. I have used these pens the longest, they are forever my favorite pens!

Expo Dry Erase Low Odor Marker (Fine and Ultra Fine

I thought I would add these because I use these weekly for my white board calendar. I personally prefer the Ultra Fine markers for calendars that are small and I have noticed that they last longer than the Fine markers. I also recommend these for small whiteboard doodles.

Those are all the pen sets that I have in my collection. I have a special place in my heart for each set and I do use them all; some more than others. What pen(s) do you use? Do you use any of the ones mentioned? I'm always looking for more recommendations, so feel free to leave some in the comments.

I would say that G.P.A is not the most important part of high school or college, but it does hold a good amount of weight in regards to each person's future. For example, it can dictate if and what school a person can get into. Whether you are trying to get into college or are already in college, here are some tips that have helped me get and keep a high G.P.A.

Go To Class

This is the simplest tip I can give. You need to go to class. Even if the teacher doesn't actually teach or the class is too far away or attendance is not required. Just go! Attending class can give you hints and tips on how to complete assignments or tests with a high grade. Because who knows how to pass a class better than the teacher?

Take School Seriously

This is especially geared towards those that are in college. I understand that the first few years of legal adulthood is spent living it up going to parties or on random late night trips. (All of which I have done...). But you need to remember why you are in school. I'm pretty sure having fun isn't the only reason.

Also, for many students, this education costs a pretty penny. The worst thing you can do is fail your classes or end up on academic probation when someone else's, or your own money is on the line.

Now for high school, middle school, or so on, if you want to attend a university or college, you need to do well in high school first. How you do in high school can dictate what school you get into, how much financial aid you can receive (scholarships included), and what classes you can take. Therefore, my biggest suggestion to you is to take it seriously, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it as well.

Stay Organized

An important part of keeping a high G.P.A is staying organized. By this I mean, don't just get organized, work hard toward staying organized. Keep your homework in folders, save previous work, use a planner, make daily, weekly, or monthly to-do list, and so on. Doing this is a great way to prepare for assignments later on in the semester and can help you prepare for a final test or paper.

If you are looking for some ways to get organized check out my Tumblr. and Pinterest for more tips from myself and others.

Create Good Relationships with Professors

Approaching professors can be extremely nerve-wracking for many students. Which is understandable, but it doesn't hurt to try. We all have one professor or teacher that we absolutely love, which is great! Spend some time during the semester working on that relationship. Keep them updated on how your educational journey is going and feel free to stop by their class or office to say hi.

If you get nervous from the idea of talking to a professor or teacher outside of class, try to email them or work toward gaining the courage and strength to spark up a conversation with them.

And remember, they are there to help support you in your future endeavors, not bring you down. But if you do encounter a professor or teacher that you don't work well with, no worries. You don't have to be friends or even get along with all of your professors or teachers.

Try Different Things and Find What Works For You

Although I'd like to think that I've given some great tips today, they may not work for everyone. Therefore, I really advocate trying new and different things as much as possible in order to find a way that works for each person. Also, these are just a few different things that I have done in order to get and keep my G.P.A high.

Do Your Best

What I want everyone to take away from this is to just do the best you can. Getting and maintaining a high G.P.A comes at a cost. High stress and little time for one's self. It's a sacrifice, but it doesn't have to make you miserable. So, again, do the best you can and I'll leave you with my favorite quote:

"The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed." - Chinese Proverb

Moving back home is no easy task, especially as a college student. Nevertheless, I did it. In this post, I tell all about what made me finally take the leap of faith and leave college to move back home.

I Never Really Adjusted

This is one of the biggest reasons for my decision to leave. To make a long story short, I spent 2 and a half years at my university. I knew after the first semester that I really didn't want to be there. I knew so well that I had prepared to transfer and continue my education at a Community College. However, my dad convinced me to go back and try again.

I would spend another year and a half trying to adjust and enjoy my time at my university. Now, don't get me wrong. Even though I love my school I just don't belong there, and that's okay.

I Wanted to Save Money

This a common reason for students to leave college. Personally, I went to college about 5-6 hours away from my hometown. This doesn't seem too far to some, but for me, I was a long way from home. As a result of living so far away, I had to live on campus. Living on campus is very costly. It can be anywhere between $4,000-6,000 per semester. This cost meant that I had to take out loans. Over time, I found that it was easier and better on my wallet, both short- and long-term, to move back home and live pretty much rent free.

The Programs Weren't Good

While at university, I kept changing my major. Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with changing majors. I wrote a post about it last year. Anyway, I changed my major several times and when I finally felt like I knew what I wanted, my school didn't have the greatest program and that made me feel like I wouldn't be able to gain the skills necessary to succeed in the workplace. That was a good enough reason to move back home.

More Opportunities Back Home

As my "About Me" page states, I'm from Los Angeles, California. The big city, full of opportunities. I went to college in the middle of nowhere, so finding jobs or internships within the area would be virtually impossible. If I found anything, I would have to travel between 1 to 3 hours to get there. That didn't really work for me or my schedule.

I Missed Home...

The last and most important part of all this was my mental health. I was away from my support system and when you combine all of the other things that I've talked about thus far, I really needed to come home. I needed to be able to work on myself without worrying about money, working, and adjusting.

In Conclusion,

Being in college taught and reminded me about the importance of mental health and self-care. I know that many of you might feel the same way I have and do, and that's okay. You don't need to pressure yourself to attend a college that makes you unhappy. It is better to take a chance on a path that might lead to happiness than to do nothing at all.

I hope this helps some of you. If you, or anyone you know, has experienced some of the same things, feel free to comment. I would love to read about it and have a conversation. Until the next post!

I love planners and I love planning. I've tried many different types of planners, including the Bullet Journal. The aesthetics of bullet journaling is so wonderful. It allows for such creativity and freedom. Check out my Tumblr. for some Bujo inspiration. Unfortunately, this system doesn't work for me.

Now, some major Bujo (the shorter and combined version of Bullet Journal) fans and users might say, "Maybe you just haven't found a routine or layout that works for you?" This is very true, I haven't. On a negative note, I probably never will mostly because I'm officially done trying to make Bullet Journaling work for me. Here a few good reasons why I don't Bullet Journal.

There is no REAL Structure

Bullet Journaling is great because it allows the user to find a system within it that works for them. It also allows for major customization. These are all great, but this doesn't work for someone like me.
I'm a perfectionist by nature, therefore, having the freedom to mess up and not tear up the page when I do drives me bonkers! If the line isn't right, or the ink bleeds through the page, or I come up with some better layout, I'm stuck with what I already made. I just don't like that.
Also, I'm just used to regular, structured, already made planners.

Too Much Memorization

In a Bujo, you can have a page dedicated to how many cups of water you drink in a day. That can be really helpful for some, but that is just too much to keep track of. I already struggle to remember what homework is due, so I highly doubt I can remember what I ate, spent my money on, or how much I drank in a day.

I Can't Plan Ahead

As much as the saying, "Live in the moment" is true and great, it's not realistic. Personally, and like many others, I have a lot to juggle and stay on top of. Examples are 2 jobs, 4-5 classes, a blog, family life, friends, eating, sleeping, staying hydrated, etc. I need to plan a lot of things ahead of time. I can't do this with a bujo because I don't know how many pages I will need for other important things. It's too difficult to keep up with for someone as busy as I am.

Final Thoughts

I feel like this post was quite negative, so I want to clarify some things before I end this post.

- I understand that I might have to change my lifestyle in order to use a Bujo.

Believe me, I get it. But it's just not something I can do right now. I am more than willing to try again in the future.

- Just because it doesn't work for me, doesn't mean it won't work for you.

In all honesty, I really love the idea of bullet journaling. It can provide so much freedom and flexibility for others, and it can allow someone to be creative in their own way. So, if you've been thinking about trying it, please do! And let me know how it goes, I would love to hear about it.

Whew... You finally finished moving in all of your belongings and now you're hot and dehydrated. You look around the room and realize that you're not quite done. There are a few things you should do after moving in. Here are some suggestions, just to name a few...

The first week of school is around the corner and everyone is trying to get ready and prepared. Here are a few tips and fun things to do during your first week of college.

College is an experience that is full of twist and turns. A lot of the time spent in college is about learning and trying new things. Here are 10 Things that I Wish I Knew Before College.

Welcome to Part 1 of Becoming Bria's Back to School Series! This series is here to help you get ready for the next chapter of your life. I know how exciting and scary going to college can be, so I hope this series will be of great help. Feel free to comment or email me if you have any pressing questions! Let's get into the post!

Self-discipline is an important part of college or any schooling for that matter. Discipline can help you focus more and procrastinate less. These tips can apply to many different grade ranges, especially for high school  and college students. So, here are a few ways that you can start developing self-discipline for studying.
“I attribute my success to this - I never gave or took any excuse.” ― Florence Nightingale

Making excuses have never helped anyone. Be honest with yourself about the steps you will and need to take in order to develop discipline to accomplish your goals. 

Try Different Methods

I know that for some students the summer has just started, but now is a great time to start making the pre-college to-do list. There are all sorts of lists and ideas for how to spend your summer before you start the next chapter of your life so, here are some just to name a few!

Start a Blog

Of course there's a bias toward starting a blog seeing as how I'm a blogger myself, but the one thing I regret is that I started a blog after my first year, so I don't have any written material about my first year experience. Don't be like me and find an awesome way to document your experiences and help others as well.

Plan a Going Away Party

Now this tip can be taken the wrong way but I think it's important. A Going-Away party is an easy way to get financial support from family and friends. I know people that threw one and they were able to pay for school without any problems. So, if you're concerned about money or being able to afford textbooks and so on, try putting together one of these. If you do, I'd love to hear about it!

Go Dorm/Apartment Shopping

This is my favorite thing to do! Unfortunately, I won't be doing it this year because I feel like I have everything I need already. I find that shopping during the end of July and all of August is a great time to catch those Back-to-School/College sales. This is also a great time to bond with friends and family! From my experience, my mom and I got really close and had a lot of fun dorm room shopping the last two years.

Just Relax

Ah, my favorite thing. I love relaxing and especially before school starts (because I find that college can be very hectic and I want to be as relaxed and prepared it as possible and you should do the same). A lot of people like to stay busy, but it is important to take time to just relax. Try taking a nap or try soaking in the bath. Whatever floats your relaxation boat!

Now that we've covered 5 things to do before leaving for college, it's time for me to go do these things as well. My summer is coming to a close shortly and I still need to heal my ankle. (I sprained it about 3-4 weeks ago).

It's already that time of year again. Midterms...
Midterms can be so draining because, for some of us, the school year just started. No one wants to take a 50 to 100 question test, especially this early in the school year. So to take some of the stress off, here are 3 of my best tips for getting through this tough time! *Plus a bonus tip! 

Make a Study Schedule

Although these aren't actual finals, they can still heavily affect your grades in the long run. The easiest way to make time to study is to actually plan and make the time to do it. If you just say, "I'm going to study at 2pm", 2:30pm will roll around before you know it and nothing will have gotten done. Especially if you're obsessed with Tumblr., like I am. Speaking of Tumblr., here's a link to an awesome blog that makes study schedule printables!

Don't Study on Your Bed

I try so hard to study in my room because my room is such a nice and comfortable, but I just don't get anything done when I do. Before I started writing this post, I tried to write it while I was on the bed and I couldn't do it. I got hit with major writers block, aka my worst enemy. Anyway, your bed can distract you mentally because your brain associates your bed with resting and sleep, making you less productive. Now, this doesn't apply to everyone of course, but most people struggle to study on their beds. Move to your desk or your roommates room to study. Studying with others can be a total productivity boost because you're both getting stuff done. Basically, studying anywhere but your bed can help you get more studying and homework done.

Rethink Your Study Routine

This is a new tip for me! Throughout high school, I kept thinking that I didn't needed to study for anything. Man, was I wrong! A lot of people can get through high school without studying or studying very minimally. The problem is that when people get to college they continue this thinking and continue to struggle in classes. To combat this, try rethinking how you study by trying a new method or two.
For example, try studying based on how you learn! Are you an auditory learner, visual, read-write, or kinesthetic. If you study in a way that accommodates your learning style, you'll retain information better and stress less!

Now its time for the bonus tip! 

Bonus: Try a Study Party

This is a great way to relieve stress and stay productive! Now, you can get super distracted by having a lot of friends over, but if you rent a study room in library or hang out in a place that requires you to be pretty quiet, that will keep you productive. Bring snacks, plenty of water, an awesome playlist, and get to studying!

Now that's it for the tips this time around. But check out of a few of my other tips on my blog! Also, let me know how midterms are going or how you plan on studying. Catch you in the next post!