Hi guys, it's been a few weeks since I last updated my blog and I thought I would take today to explain why. My college recently decided to join many other colleges in ending in-person classes and going online for the rest of the semester. This not only meant that I had 4 days to move out of my room and fly home but also meant that I would be saying goodbye to my friends and professors a few months earlier than expected. I flew home last week and am back in one piece, but I won't lie it has been an extremely stressful and hectic few days. Anyway, I thought I would leave some tips for other students who may also have to move out on short notice.

1 | U-Haul Offers Free 30 Day Holding

For students who don't have anywhere to store their stuff due to the coronavirus, U-Haul is offering a free 30-day deal. I would suggest trying to go 50/50 with a roommate or friend so that you aren't footing the bill yourself.

2 | Ask Close Professors and/or Advisors Whether They Can Help You

My advisor actually housed my minifridge in her office and helped me transport the place I was keeping them at and another professor brought his truck to help transport the bulk of my things. Had I not emailed these professors about the issues I was facing I would've never gotten their help. In the end, you do not have if you do not ask and it doesn't hurt to at least ask.

3 | Try to Fly on Cheaper Days

I can't speak for every college, but I know that some of my friends at other schools (and my own) were able to get an extension on the deadline for leaving or get their tickets reimbursed if they emailed and asked. Personally, I used United Airlines Discounted fares to get a slightly cheaper flight on short notice. I noticed it was $6 cheaper for me to fly on Tuesday or Wednesday than Monday or Sunday so I flew on the cheaper day.

Tip: Make sure to check and see whether you are getting the best price for the flight by checking different days on an incognito window.

4 | Donate Food/Snacks You Can't Pack with You

Please do NOT throw away all of the snacks you can't pack in your luggage. Email your college town's local food pantry and see how you can donate these items to help others who may be in need. If you don't have the means to get to your local food pantry, email and see if your college has its own food pantry on campus for students who have been approved to stay on campus. If you don't have access to any of these venues then leave unopened snacks out on your hall with a sticky note saying they are free to anyone who wants them.

5 |  Take heart in knowing that everything WILL be fine. :)

Maybe it's my faith in God or my knowledge of history, but I know that in the end, we will come out of this stronger and more united. Lean not on your own strength, but

Have you had to move out because of Coronavirus? What are you doing to stay sane during this time?

Now that we are nearing the end of February, prom is firmly on the horizon! I may be in college, but I did go to multiple proms in the last 3 years. That's why I know that my more proactive high schoolers are probably searching for the right dress or date for the occasion. Some of the "OG" followers of this blog know that I went to my first prom my sophomore year. If you want to know how it went then check it out here. Either way, this prom inspired me to create a checklist to help keep you on track (and on budget) for your prom.

Prom can be super expensive which is why it is super important to figure out what you can and can't do by yourself. I personally decided to do my nails and makeup myself for prom. This cut out a solid $100 from my prom expenses. While I admit that I was able to do this because I felt comfortable in my makeup and nails skills I totally understand why others may still consider this necessary which is why I suggest booking any appointments at least a month or so in advance so that you know exactly how much you will pay before you get to that counter. This also ensures that you get to see the artist or hairstylist you want because their schedules typically get packed quickly during prom season.

I also included a free budget planner! You can check it out here now.

What tips do you have to make prom (or any dance) run smoothly?

1 | Royal purple is my favorite color.

2 | I don't like coffee*. I prefer tea.
*I will drink frappes that drown the coffee in sugar, cream, and ice that's been blended into yummy goodness.

3 | Broccoli is my favorite vegetable.

4 | I played soccer for 13 years, and this is my first year not playing. :(

5 | "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston is my favorite book.

6 |  Mac and cheese is my favorite food.

7 | I'm a Christian.

8 | I like to listen to instrumental jazz music when I'm studying. YouTube makes this so easy. There are new 6+ hours videos every day.

9 | Journaling is one of my favorite destressers. Plus it allows me to look back and see what things I was dealing with earlier.

10 | I love wacky socks...they make me happy haha. My boyfriend just bought me a new pack and I'm so excited to wear them once I'm back on campus.

11 | I'm an August baby!

12 | Airpods are probably my most prized (tech-related) possession.

13 | Calligraphy is my favorite destressor.

14 | I wear glasses.

15 | According to Spotify Unwrapped, Ariana Grande is my favorite artist.

16 | I have a youtube channel you can check out here. :)

17 | I prefer summer to winter. It's not even a question. I love when the sun bakes my skin and that just doesn't happen during the winter months.

18 | The Great Gatsby with Leonardo di Caprio is one of my favorite movies of all time.

19 | Christmas and New Years' are my favorite holidays.

20 | I have a very loud laugh. when I went to visit my high school again some teachers knew I was back from my laugh alone.

21 |  I've been out of the country 12 times.

22 | When I was younger I wanted to be an astronaut because I did a project on Mae Jemison and thought she was super cool!

23 | Trevor Noah, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver are my favorite comedians. I can always trust that one of them will have a video to get me out of whatever mood or funk I'm in.

24 | I would love to travel to Bali, Indonesia, and hope to do so soon.

25 | As a kid, I wrote short stories and I still write today.

What are some facts about you?

What does your winter morning routine look like?

1 | Winter Break

It's so odd being on break and having absolutely nothing to do. On one hand, it's incredibly liberating. But on the other hand for a person like me who is lowkey a busy body, it is the worst kind of hell. How can I be productive when I have no direction? The only answer...throw myself into building back my YouTube channel and blog. I know that reveals more about my failure to fully recharge and relax when given the time to do so, but I also think that the first step to fixing any problem is admitting that it exists. Plus I like to think that this isn't a "waste" of my time. This is something that I enjoy doing and more importantly, it's something that allows me to document my thoughts over a course of time. I feel worst when I look back and have nothing to look back at, and I'm super excited to see what the year holds. On a completely different note, I can't ignore all the fun things I was able to get in during this break. I was able to see Knives Out and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I also got to get a massage which was super relaxing. More importantly (to me at least) I was able to get my fill of Moe's burritos which I am unable to have when in Lexvegas.

2 | Missing my Boy

I won't lie I didn't think that I was going to miss the company of my boyfriend that much*, but now I have a newfound respect for those in long-distance relationships. I've known for a while that I probably wouldn't be able to do a long-distance relationship, and even now after being away from each other for a month I know that I would prefer to avoid that. It's a weird feeling wanting something that you can't have. It hits you in waves, small at first, larger other times, but always there gnawing on you. And maybe I'm being melodramatic, but it's interesting seeing how attached we can get to people we grow accustom to being around.

(*= Don't get me wrong, I knew that I would miss him quite a bit because Thanksgiving break was only a week and I definitely missed him during that short time. I just thought that the holiday season and being with my family would distract me from fully feeling this way.)

3 | Hard Semester

I've tried to mentally prepare myself for the terror that will be this semester. As of now, I will be taking Econ 100, Acct. 100, Jour 201, and German 262, and while I'm slightly scared I also know that God has given me the strength to not only allow me to get this far but to reach the finish line. With God on my side, there is absolutely nothing I cannot do. Plus, I've already bought my Economics textbook so, at least for that class, I'm in for the long haul now haha.

4 | Heading Back to W&L

Despite, the first point about not fully taking advantage of the relaxation part of my winter break. I'm still not ready to head back. I want to see all of my friends again, but I don't want to do the work just yet. I still want to live on the cloud nine of last semester's grades. However, I also know that I could be

5 | Missing my Family

I've said for awhile, that I knew homesickness would hit me harder second semester because I would've grown accustom to being around my family again, just to have to leave all over again. Today is my last full day in Alabama before I head back to VA, so it'll be interesting to see whether those feelings manifest like I expect them too. Yet, I will also say that I am not speaking that over myself. Not that I'm not allowed to feel those feelings, but I don't want to allow those feelings to prevent me from enjoying my school year.

6 | 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting

Every January (and August) my home church asks the church body to come together for 21 days to pray every morning. At the start of the year, my church also includes fasting as a way to dedicate one's life at the start of the year. Since, I go to college out of state I will only be able to attend one of the prayer services in person, but I'm excited to still participate online and through fasting while I'm away. I'm also excited to see and hear about the amazing things God will do during this time. This year I decided I was going to fast Twitter, Instagram, and secular music. I also would like to fast bread, but I'm not sure how possible that will be when I get back to college since the eating options are few. If not, I think I will end up fasting lunch instead, but stay tuned for more details in a recap post that will be up later this month.

What are some things you are looking forward to in January?