Get away Scot free!

Waiting for my UK Student Visa...still. Which freaks me out massively. When I told my cousin, he sent me this video of a comic named Michael Macintyre. He drops some f-bombs, so there's your warning right there. But I laughed so hard, I cried. The man is a total hoot!



So hopefully this visa will come in before school starts (eek! I'm really freaked out) so I went ahead and got myself a new laptop/net book/computer thingy

via Amazon

It's pretty! and really tiny. Go me for not picking out a crap-tastic laptop!

I'm also looking for a coat, because I get cold when the temperature gets below 70 degrees (fahrenheit), which it apparently does across the pond. So, appropriate coats are necessary. Warm coats, with insulation. That make me look like a fluffy penguin. Yay (ugh).

Of course, I fell in love with this coat...impractical as it may be.

via

And this one is pretty

via

But neither will keep me warm like a puffy coat will. sadness.

I want to see Brave!

I've gotten lazy about going to the movies. I don't know why really, but between how expensive it is, and then trying to convince my debt strapped friends to go with me it's next to impossible some times.

But even if I have to sit by myself, with a bunch of kids (ok...that sounds creepy), I'm going to see this movie.

Because I'm going to Scotland for University. And even though this film is animated...it's Scotland.

Grad School Wardrobe

I've been in a panic.

Not because I'm moving

Or because I'm going to be paying for school, while living abroad, on a part-time salary.

Or even because I know absolutely NO one where I'm going.

Nope. It's because I have no cold weather clothes and have no idea how to pack up my closet.

Yup. My priorities are in the right place (my closet).

Since I'm from the south, I'm used to muggy weather and lots of Lilly.

Lilly Eryn dress

I don't even own a heavy coat...and snow is not something that happens. Do you know what happens in the UK? It snows! It gets cold! Goodness!

So, in my blind panic, I've been trying to find the essentials to my wardrobe. I had a basic list until I realized that it was more... "American" style wardrobe...and still southern. (10+ dresses? Why, of course!).

Plus, in theory, a graduate school wardrobe should be slightly more professional (in the business sector at least) than an undergraduate. So I suppose my sparkly heels will have to stay behind. Boo.

So I googled British packing list and somehow got on THIS site...which talks about the difference between British and American style, plus guides for all sorts of regions around the world. Things I've learned...I have NO idea what a "festival" look is, but if it's anything like coachella fashions...I'll pass (on that style).

• British vs. American style - observations from a British Girl Abroad. Some great comments as well. 

They have a master archival section about wardrobe + packing for studying abroad, as well as specific sections, thank the lord.

image from College Fashion. net

I'm going to have to learn to layer. And find a coat. Like, a real heavy duty coat. And sensible shoes. 6-inch heels while walking around the city is not happening.

I'm thinking of bringing the basics and buying the coat over there. That makes sense right? And cold weather stuff over there too. Because I'd have to order that anyways.

• What do I wear there? Study Abroad in the United Kingdom and Ireland
• Study Abroad Archives

Zombies! + the CDC's and UF's zombie preparedness plan

Let's talk about zombies. There has been some weird stuff happening, due mostly to drugs (drugs are bad y'all) and crazy psychopath killers (who are also bad!). But my FB page exploded with people talking about zombies.

I'm not going to crack any jokes about the face eating thing, or the body parts thing. I think it's really sad and not in any way funny. So instead, I'm going to crack on a "rival" undergraduate school. Rival in the sense that if I followed sports I would care about the rivalry.

Zombies at the Swamp

A couple of years ago, the University of Florida (which is a great school btw...even though I didn't go there!) released it's plan for a zombie invasion. There was even a form that a UF employee could fill out explaining why they had to kill their infected co-workers. They had to show "symptoms of "Zombie Behavior Spectrum Disorder (ZBSD), like references to wanting to eat brains, or lack of rational thought (although this was noted to be confusing, as managers also had this symptom).

It also called for the University Police to form a UF Zombie Response Team. Also, operational tactics like how to distinguish "zombie moans" form "other moaning that might be encountered in the workplace".

This was obviously a joke, and most universities have actual disaster plans in place. And I can promise you that every university in Florida has one that deals with hurricanes/flooding.

Cracked.com has some articles that cracked me up (and come up under a google search of zombie apocalypse), titled 5 scientific reasons a zombie apocalypse could actually happen and 7 scientific reasons a zombie outbreak would fail (quickly).

the ACTUAL poster from the CDC. 

But don't worry, the US Government has your back. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, you know, the guys that talk about what to do in emergencies (remember Anthrax?)  and public health, have a great sense of humor. It started off as a bit of a joke, in order to engage the American populace to pay attention to preparedness messages. Now, it's just epic. The CDC's official (seriously, it's legit) Zombie Preparedness guide, in order to be prepared for a zombie apocalypse. They also include a basic zombie emergency kit that can, coincidentally, also be used during Hurricanes.

Granted, since all the real life crazy-people attacks, the CDC had to release an official statement saying that zombies didn't exist.



Extra articles: 

If for some reason (like, you don't live in America or Canada, and have no clue what the zombie news stories are...here you go). This is the non-funny stuff

1. Cannibal eats roommate in Maryland. He's been arrested for murder. 
2. Guy from Miami (who was thought to be on bath salts/god knows what) who went crazy and attacked another man and tried to eat him. He was shot and killed by the police. The victim is still in the hospital. 
3. Porn star who sent decapitated body parts to Canadian political offices. He's since been arrested in Berlin. 

The fun zombie extras!

• University of Florida's Zombie Attack Memo + zombie dispatch form
• Explanation of UF's zombie plan

studying abroad update

Oh dear, I'm not quite sure where I'm going yet. I've heard back from three schools. I got accepted into two, but not the last one. And I'm okay with that. I was pretty sick during my undergraduate and my GPA suffered because of it so I wasn't expecting miracles.

But as soon as I accept, I have a couple of weeks before I apply for a visa and then move. It's absolutely terrifying. And knowing me, there's going to be huge, detailed lists of things I need and things I need to do. Considering some of the schools I applied to have an actual winter...I'm going to have to buy a new wardrobe.

I just don't know where to shop for winter/cold weather clothes. We'll see how this all turns out.

Stupid farmville leads to new awesome nails!

I think the only thing more stressful than the applications to college has been paying the application fee...for anything out of my home state.

It's just that paying my applications fees is happening the same time as some jerkface in New Jersey tried to steal my credit card number to play games on Facebook. Luckily, my card company caught it and wouldn't let any of his payments go through (or mine). And when they called me to tell me, we had a lovely time wondering what game he must be playing (farmville? mafia wars? some zombie plant game...We never could figure it out).

Sadly...nothing got paid on my end and I get to wake up tomorrow and try again. Which involves me calling the cc company and asking nicely for all these payments to go through. As long as it's not farmville.

Considering I'm completely useless tonight...everything is a go except fees...I might as well re-do my nails. And I'm thinking of trying something new. An "ombre-stain" mani or gradient nails. I went to Lauren Conrad, Amy Nadine and Kristin Ess' website (The Beauty Department) first because I remembered a post that they did involving a sponge and nail-polish.

from The Beauty Department's website. That's Kristin, Lauren and Amy.  

I also did  a google search and found another website...because one is never enough! It's called the Nailasaurus. How cute is that?

So, the basic premise is to mix the nail colors together-but not completely- and then dip the sponge in the color and transfer it to your nails. Easy-peasy.

Here's the tutorial from The Beauty Department. They also have step by step instructions (for instance...in picture no. 2, the sponge is soaking in water...not another clear-liquid-that-my-cousin-is-quite-fond-of). So you might want to hop on to the link in the paragraph (it's straight to the page) in case you want to read their tips.

I have old makeup sponges that I've never actually used (multi-pack for Christmas...from like...middle school days. oh wow). So this is for sure happening tonight! But I'm not feeling doing the gradient nails exactly. I'm thinking simpler and only about two (or three). Since it's my first time. So I'm going to mix and match but mostly use Nailasaurus' tutorial.

She has step by step instructions as well...but I'm only going to show two pics because I don't think I could explain it better than she does.  Basically, mix the polishes and put on your nails. I think I'm going more contrast...since I'm so artsy (I'm so not).

grad school apps

Image from Pinterest, Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory

I've been sooooo bad. Grad school apps stress me out...so I took a break. I just couldn't do anymore. I only have about three left. And I have everything done on them but filling in the online forms. All the essays are written, teacher recommendations are done...it's just the forms. But today is the day. They're all going to get done today. I'm feeling good about it!

Uggghhhh

Image from here

I feel like crap today. I think my horrible eating habits (for like a month...it's been fast food) and stress level have finally caught up to me.

Plus I got "the look" from my doctor when I told her that I've been fairly sedentary and eating the big-mac diet.

these are soooo yummy. Fried cheese is never gross... except that it's technically gross for you

So, I hit up the grocery store, and the gym is happening tomorrow. I've got to get back to healthy! Plus my jeans were tight today. Uh-uh.

As a mini (so freaking mini) rant...I hate the food pyramid. And I'm glad the changed it. It always confused me for a hot second because it looks like this. But, (and maybe it's a "me" thing) in my head, the top is the part you strive for (strive up?) and not the bottom. But that's not how you're supposed to read the pyramid. Strive downwards. See...that doesn't even make me happy. Who strives down?

image from here

The plate is more visual. I can handle the plate. It makes total sense to me. Plus my doctor LOVES the plate. She can wax poetic on how easy this type of system is to explain to people (so I suppose I'm not the only food pyramid hater out there).

From Harvard Medical School's Website

She also loves My Food Diary.com. It costs moneys (30 cents a day) but I suppose it's not the end of the world. Basically she told me to start behaving myself. 

There is good news though! I got accepted into one of the universities I applied to! Yay! I have a future!

Budgeting for College...Applications

budgeting means putting my credit cards on lock down. sadness :( 

Before I started applying (or writing my essays) I looked up how much it was going to cost for me to actually submit an application. Mostly so I would know before I turned it in. And to get the shock out of the way first.

I estimated that each school was going to cost me about 100-200 (American) dollars. Which was super excessive with some schools and right on target with others. Whatever remained I split between my future college costs and my "congratulations/splurge account".

For instance...after completing five applications, I bought myself a new dress and a new belt and a coffee.

1. Mossimo Crepe Dress with Cascade Ruffles. In blue, found at Target
2. Skinny belt. I tried to put the teal one I had on their but oh well. In real life, it's teal...
3. Nude pumps

After applications are all done (I've got a couple more) I'm going to start figuring out my future budget for college. Which might be slightly excessive. But I'd rather be incredibly prepared than broke and stuck. No matter where I end up going, I want to go exploring in the surrounding areas, shop, eat out with friends, party (although I can't drink) and live more or less comfy. So, budgeting is the way to go. 

While perusing Google images for student budgets and grad school budgets, budgets by countries, budgets for certain schools (it's going to be awhile on those budgets), I found an info-graphic that I love. I got a little snapshot but the entire info-graphic has a ton of information and is kinda scary. 

Via: Infographic called How Much Americans Save Annually. 

Apparently Americans spend more than 90% of their disposable income. That's scary. 

Perhaps I should add "budgeting the Chinese way" to my google search? 

Image Sources: 

• credit cards on lock-down (WeHeartIt.com)
• clothes found via shopstyle.com. Individual links listed above
• How do American saving habits compare globally from the infographic How Much Americans Save Annually from the webpage Finance Infographics. 

More Grad School Applications!

Not to sound super boring (but it is) but I'm finishing up my college applications this week. Somehow my application to Paris didn't go in (even though they said it originally did) so I need to figure that out and I have to send off some extra things (like my resume) to a school in Australia.

No fun Thursday night for this girl :(

I also need to do some housework. This is seriously not going to be a fun night.

The good news is that I'm learning a bit more about how to make my blog nicer. Like adding a menu bar. Whew..a bit harder than I thought (I want a pretty one!). We'll see how that goes...it might be a disaster. An EPIC disaster.

Image from We Heart It:

(This entry : http://data.whicdn.com/images/25433659/1384_c899_500_large.jpeg)

still doing applications but I found my perfect job!

I think the first step (as in the first weeding out session) of college graduate applications is to send in the application packet. So far I've had to hunt through about ten pages of this one particular college website to find what needs to go in. I still have no clue, but they're just going to get everything I've got. And hopefully I've covered it.

I did find my absolute perfect job. I would be so freaking good at it. In fact...I'd be the top dog at this profession.

Professional Hotel test sleeper. I'd sleep the crap out of those hotel beds! Hire me, please!

Ms. Zhuang (a professional Hotel Test Sleeper for Qunar) tests out a bed at a business chain hotel

Checking the bed

Pictures from MSNBC Photo Blog of "Hotel Test Sleeper"

Grad School Apps

Silly Grad School Applications

I have to really start being more realistic about my time frame to complete an application. I assumed I could do three last night. I finished one in about four hours. Ugh.

Well, one down. I need to have one more done by tomorrow. And then the first deadline for the third is in April. I'm going to try and get all of them done by mid-April. Before Easter at least.

Graduate Applications are possibly the most stressful things I've done in awhile. Who knew five pages (give or take a page) would cause so much grief? I had planned on getting all the apps done by around nine (if I started at five ish), then take a long wonderful bubble bath and read a good book.

Grad school...you are messing with my relaxation routine. Stop it.

Granted, some of my problems come from the fact that half my applications are to schools abroad. GPA is an American term. England and Australia put random "u"s in half the words (that's not really confusing). I hope any mistakes I make (and I'm sure there have been a ton) are forgivable.

Anyways...the applications this week are for one American school and two Australian schools. Wouldn't it be fun to study in Australia? I mean...it's Australia! And no, nothing anyone says will convince me that Australians aren't some mix of Hugh Jackman, Simon Baker and Heath Ledger. Nothing.

Sydney

Koalas

Kangaroo

Kangaroo, Koalas and Sydney images from Pinterest

Grad School...

I've taken an hiatus from applications. Just a few days off. I find the whole thing incredibly stressful because I really have no clue about my prospects. My GMAT score is decent but I'm coming to a business/econ degree from art history. I can lead a tour through the Smithsonian-no problem...but I don't have any "business" experience. Still, I'm fairly excited and I hope I get accepted to one of the schools I'm applying to!

From here

First grad school app done plus more organizing/cleaning

So I officially (sort of) turned in my first ever grad school application! Yay!! The sort of was because I learned that my uploading skills are quite....uh...

Well, lets just say that this weekend I might plead for some of my more tech-savvy friends to explain how to alter PDFs in case I re-upload. You see, I can make them. I just don't know how to fix them.

One thing that completely confused me was the fact that I had to upload a picture for the application committee to look at. Because my passport photo looks like all sorts of hot messes I went up to CVS and got them to take another photo. They swore up and down (well, it was mostly half-assed promises) that it would be the perfect size. It wasn't. But luckily I found the "re-size" button on my computer (I got them to give it to me on a disk). Go me.

I turned in ALL my documents. Congratulated myself on not being a procrastinator (ok, not turning it in the day it was due). And then I checked my email. They had extended the deadline. I view this as divine intervention. It makes me even less of a procrastinator. Fabulous!

Tonight I'm going to chill out at home. I'm actually looking forward to it because I told all my friends and family that I was going to spending Friday night yelling at my computer and crying over my application. But since it's done I'm going to catch up on trashy TV shows and eat bad food.

Of course, this weekend is a different matter. I have to hit up the front hallway. Majorly clean that up. The house I'm living in hasn't been deep cleaned in years. At least seven. It's nasty. Well, perhaps that's not fair...it's clean for two guys (hi daddy and brother!) but it's making my eyes twitch living here among their version of "clean".

I'm thanking all sorts of heavens that my front hallway does NOT look like this. I mean...could you imagine cleaning it? Ick.

Candy Spelling's house in Beverly Hills

I am going to have to convert the front hall closet into dish storage. My mom has all sorts of dishes for the holidays. She would hit up Tuesday Mornings and get the cutest things. So my chore this weekend is to organize them and label them in some form of order. 

I've got a ton of dish storage thingys that look like this

Via

So we'll see how it goes. I'm shooting for this level or organized...except contained in those dish storage containers. 

Images from : http://weheartit.com/ 

College Applications

My first college application is due on the tenth. As in...a few days. That tenth.

I think I should have everything in by tonight. Tomorrow at the latest. The goal was not to be a procrastinator. So I figure as long as I have it in before the tenth then I've got my stuff together.

I swear I'll have the other applications in at a better time. Eeek!

Harry Potter

I have a confession.

I haven't seen the last Harry Potter movie. I have a reason, I promise!

I was about a week away from taking the GMAT, and I was panicked and in the (study) zone. I did partake in the "Butterbeer Latte" at the coffee place where I was studying

The Butterbeer Latte and my oh so pretty GMAT book 

Also, the local cupcake shop made Harry Potter themed cupcakes

Pretty cool and delicious. But I never did go see the movie. Luckily Netflix has it and it's sitting on my counter as we speak. So tonight is a Harry Potter night.

Also, J.K. Rowling is writing another (non-Harry Potter) book.

Grad School (sorta panicky) Blues

So I must be crazy because I thought writing my college application essays would take me around a month. It's been two months and I've only written four essays. I can't decide if I have a ridiculous amount of faith in my abilities or I've misjudged the time it takes to turn in graduate school applications. Well, ok, I know which one it is. These essays are hard.

For example, one school wants me to explain all my activities in about 100 characters are less. Including spaces. I've re-written it about five times because I'm absolutely terrified that it sounds like a very boring, bullet  list of things I've managed to to join and do. I still think it's a hacket job but the deadline is looming and I really can't justify writing it again and again.

And I haven't even started on teacher recommendations (that's tonight...and after that...I'll sit in the corner and cry).

What's really depressing (and to be honest, incredibly annoying) are these people on grad school messaging boards or business school messaging boards that leave messages along the lines of:

• "oh? you only scored above that on the GMAT? Well, I did around 750 and I'm on Harvard's waiting list"
• "Maybe you should consider taking the GMAT again...and hope to score 400 points higher"
• "You still have a social life? Well..you're doing something wrong"
• "All my essays are in, plus I'm working two full time jobs...what have you been doing with your time?"

Who are these people? I mean, I'm going to assume they are pretty smart (if those scores are true) but goodness...my eye twitches when I read their responses. There are nice people on the boards as well, and I did learn a lot (for instance, how I didn't actually want an MBA). 

Oh well, I'll get it together and hopefully get into a lovely school. Eek!

Lin-sanity

Have you heard of Jeremy Lin? He's a basketball player for the New York Knicks. And you know you've made it if I've heard of you (well, in sports at least). I couldn't begin to tell you if he was a decent basketball player but I do know he graduated from Harvard with a degree in economics.

I think some of the fascination with Jeremy Lin is because of his degree. I searched through google and had a hard time finding any list of NBA players that had a college degree (although apparently it's around 21%) . I did find numerous articles of how a majority of players go broke after their career because they mismanaged their money and then have nothing to fall back on. So I'm going to go out on a branch and assume if there are degrees, they aren't helping these guys out.

Some athletes I found with (some form of) degrees: Shaquille O'Neal, these guys (Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green and Kevin Durant), and Darrell Stuckey. I'm sure there's a ton more but that was just a quick google search.

Here's the stories I found, apparently this is an issue (although one look through my college teams degree choices would have told you that as well).

• Degrees of success: athletes after college
• College athletes studies guided toward major in eligibility
• NBA players make their way back to college

I Love You x 100 ("After Valentine's Day Special")

Granted, this is for a company but I still thought it was cute! Consider this an after Valentine's Day extra tid-bit

 Nothing exciting for me today...just more college apps. Here's an exciting thought though...one of the schools I'm applying to is in....

FRANCE! 

Valentine's Day

Don't let the picture fool you, I absolutely adore Valentine's Day. It's also a wonderful excuse to eat lots of chocolate without any regrets. 

(oh my lord...that looks delicious!)

Sadly I'm going to spend my evening writing essays for graduate school. Sadness. To make up for this dull evening I ran to the bookstore and TJ Maxx. The TJ Maxx near me put all their Christmas surplus on clearance and since I need more random knick-knacks off I went. It was fairly picked over but I did manage to get some cute note cards and some hand warmers. 

(not exactly as cute as this)

The pocket warmers are these little gel packs that fit into a little knit sack. Then the little sack goes into a coat pocket. Genius! 

I hope everyone else has a lovely valentine's day and I hope I get these essays done!