I am nearly halfway through my freshman year of college and I think it's been pretty good. It was mostly adjusting to college itself and having to live away from home, but it has been an overall positive learning experience for me. I feel like I can get through the rest of the year; I'm familiar with the campus, I'm involved in at least one organization at the moment, I have a solid few friends, and my classes are changing. 

04. I have all this time on my hands and I really want to go visit some family. I have no idea who, but I know that within these five or so weeks, I should be able to drive and see some people that I haven't seen in a while. Some people take vacations for granted, and while I love to just sit at home with my family, I know that I can also spend quality time with people that I never get to see that much. I know everyone is dying to hear my college experience so far. Isn't that what holiday breaks are for? 

05. I want to approach the up and coming year with a better mindset. Every December I always look back on the year (too fast amirite?) and kind of reflect a bit on the things I've done. It can be cringey to think of the bad things that may have happened, but I like to focus on the good and also look forward to the year to come. How can I change the next year to ensure a happier and healthier me? Maybe I need to start making little changes like not worrying about the things I can't control. Or maybe I need to just stop eating snacks at 11 o clock when I watch my binge of Stranger Things. Who knows what the next year will lead! 

06. Speaking of Stranger Things , I am obsessed. When I first watched season one, I was like okay this is boring. And then I was hooked after like the third episode because I knew I couldn't leave after the first one. Joe Keery who plays Steve Harrington is actually a DePaul alumni, so that's pretty sweet I guess. Even a better reason to watch and support a fellow blue demon. I am so ready for the next season, yes it was just announced, and I am curious to see how the story continues. 

07. I think my final goals is to honestly save my money. After all this Christmas gift shopping for my friends and family and going out with friends, my wallet is gonna start crying at me. I have many babysitting jobs this break and every bit helps so much. The babysitting industry is so real and big right now and I am so lucky I have so many families that trust me with their kids. Ha! 

I think that's all my goals for right now. I'm keeping up with my blog posts as much as I can and it's been so nice to just be able to have a lot of time to focus on my writing, as well as, myself and my mental and physical health this break. Also, tune in for some upcoming gift guides! I am really excited to share some of my ideas for those of you who need some inspiration this year. I'm just living my best life I guess. We can only try, right? 

It's that cozy time of year again when all I wanna do is cuddle up in my blankets, put on some Stranger Things, and drink some warm hot cocoa. This is probably my favorite season because I get to whip out all of my really warm scented candles. Also, since I'm home for about a month, I am allowed to actually burn candles now since I'm not in a dorm. My mom and I did a big candle shop over the past month and I always love sharing which scents I get with people because sometimes you can always discover new ones you've never heard of before. 

I've been introduced to so many different brands of candles that have fed my candle addiction, but to tell you all the truth, Bath and Body Works is like my holy grail when it comes to candles. I don't know what about the ingredients or production of these that make them so great at burning well and filling up the room with an awesome and mostly accurate scent to what they describe. 

The first two are more for your kitchen, but heck I love the fresh smell of these in the bedroom as well. They're great for pretty much any time of year, too. I have this Tea and Lemon candle which is so refreshingly citrusy. I also have this Bergamot Mint candle which is probably my favorite scent so far. Bergamot is a mix of citrus and I have just recently been introduced to it. I love how bergamot is very fruity and is more of a lime smell. Also, the packaging is uber cute. 

Sweater Weather is probably my favorite candle that Bath and Body Works has made. It honestly smells like a crisp fall day at an apple orchard or something. It's very woodsy and has hints of berry and sage. This is one I like to light before I get all comfy beneath my covers.  

This next one is called Sunlit Cedar and is probably like many Christmas tree candles. It's another very woodsy and has a little hint of mint. It reminds me of a time when my mom would host a candle buying party and she would invite all of her friends and our neighbors to come in and buy holiday themed candles while Michael Buble was playing in the background and all of our Christmas decorations were up. It's funny how one familiar smell can take you back so many years. 

Of course, we needed something a bit more sweet to balance all of the wood-like smells out. We chose Marshmallow Fireside as a classic sweet fragrance. It has hints of amber, woods, marshmallow, and vanilla. It makes me want to have bonfires all the time! I also love the knitted detail on the lid of a couple of these candles. It reminds me of a cable knit or some type of crocheted sweater. What do burning candles remind you of during this season? 

I recently found a more inexpensive dupe for both the concealer and corrector, which is the Almay Smart Shade CC Concealer + Brightener. This is a great duo for traveling and has the same consistency and coverage as both the corrector and concealer. It is a great option for someone who doesn't want to spend so much on face products, especially as little as these ones are. I always have concealer, if not corrector, on hand with me when I feel like my face needs a little help sometimes on bad skin days.