Hey guys! Ugh the ever-so-anticipated post. It's finals week and that means stress, stress, and more stress. But, not so fast! I have the sacred and very helpful tips and tricks you need to survive (or maybe to just pass) your semester exams/finals, so don't fret any further!
In my town, it's finals week. Every school district has different exam schedules, but since I have only two weeks of school left and my exams are coming up in the next couple of days, I thought that I could share the things that I make sure to remember and do in order to fully succeed (or at least pass the class...because it's the end of the year and I understand that some people get a little 'lousy' with studying and putting in work haha). I like to make sure that I start the studying process and prepare at least a week before my finals. I know that some people prefer to start like three or two weeks before, however, I still have like projects due and other work to finish up. So, my school has at least 3 days of finals. They set up a totally different schedule because you need at least an hour for each test. It's different for everyone so this may or may not apply to you.
1) Start Preparing
I know that this is kind of a given but, to reiterate, the only way you'll ever make it close to passing is by preparing for the exam. Make sure you have all of your study guides, notes, and books in order to make sure that you have all you need to study with. Ask your teacher for past study guides with the answers on it or go through you old notes and staple the important papers you need together to make it more organized.
2) Organize
I think that it's important to have a folder or some sort of organizational system to help you de-clutter all of the worksheets or notes you have received over the past semester. You could probably skip this step because I know a lot of people don't really care about being neat and that works out fine for them but, for some, I know that it might be a struggle and a hassle when they have to go back and find all of their work from like two months ago.
3) Plan Out Test Dates
I would advise planning out when you're going to study and when your tests are. I like to write them on my calendar and make sure I'm not late to any of them.
4) Find a Strategy That Works Best
A lot of people have different things they like to do to study. For me, I like to make sure I have all of my study guides done (some of my classes don't provide finals study guides, though) and if I have like vocab or notes, I use a whole stack of flash cards to study with. Sometimes I go to my public library with a group of friends and use my note cards to review. At the end of exams, I'll have like four stacks of note cards. When you make flashcards, you're pretty much reviewing as you write them down. When you're on the go or if it's right before the exam, you could test yourself easily with them.
I also like to ask my teacher about the exam: What to expect, how many questions, things I will need to know or not need to know, stuff like that. It's good to just check in with your teacher before the exam and ask questions you are unsure about so you make sure you know what to expect during the final.
Remember that it's about finding your way of studying. Which ever works best for you and makes you the most comfortable is best. If just reviewing your notes or re-reading the chapters helps, do it. No one's stopping you from getting that A+!
5) CALM DOWN!...
Normally, the final exams are only 20% of your overall grade. It doesn't determine your final grade so chill out! I know a lot of people are like, "Oh my gosh I'm gonna fail the class!", no you're not. It would probably only bring down a couple percentages if anything.
I had a really bad habit of stressing out over the final exams. Since I am on my third year of high school, I have learned that it's nothing to really worry about. Don't get me wrong, you need to take these exams seriously so that you can get a good grade and pass the class but, if you don't study "enough" for one of the tests, just calm down. YOU WILL BE OKAY.
6)...And Relax
Everybody needs to take some time to themselves and just take a break every now and then. If you are in between studying, take a little nap or eat some food. It's only healthy to give yourself breaks every now and then especially during finals. I like taking a bath and using a little bath bomb or essential oils to calm myself down. I like to do this the night before the finals, too!
7) Worry About You
Worry about what you need to know and what you want to accomplish. If just passing or getting a B in the course is what you want, don't worry about the other kids that always get A's. Study what you need to study and focus on what matters most. All tests count and yes, strive for that A+. Realistically, it's pretty hard to get all As in your classes if you aren't like those other kids that get them all the time. Worry about yourself!
8) Manage Your Time
Manage your time while studying and taking the test. Don't procrastinate. Do make time for studying and taking the test. You want to make sure you give yourself a comfortable amount of time and also make sure you finish those tests.
The Night Before...
- Make sure you have all the things you need: your backpack, ID, #2 pencils, your calculator, a snack, water, comfy clothes, and anything else that your teachers tell you to bring.
- Don't cram. I have done this in the past and it doesn't really help. Sure, you can review notes but, don't stay up till 3 a.m. doing a bunch of study guides you forgot to do.
- Relax: read a book, take a bath, listen to music, drink some tea, do some yoga, meditate, eat some ice cream, watch a movie. Do things that will make you calm.
- Go to bed early. Everyone tells you before exam day to do this. Get good sleep and don't stay up binging that Netflix show.
The Day of...
- Wake up early and get ready as you normally would. Don't sleep in and miss the bus!
- Eat a good breakfast to fuel your body.
- Don't forget anything.
- BREATHE... INHALE...EXHALE... you will be fine!
During the Test...
- Take the test with the intention you set at the beginning of the whole studying process. What did you want to achieve or accomplish?
- Remember what you already know. You got this!
- DON'T CHEAT... it's stupid, don't do it.
- Manage your time... Like I said before, make sure you finish the test.
Maybe these things will or will not benefit any of you. Or maybe you have heard these from your teachers already and don't need these tips. Whatever helps and works for you! Take these or leave them, I just thought that these would be very helpful for you guys who might have finals soon. You will all do amazingly on your exams and I wish you all good luck for the next week or two on all of your tests!
What are some tricks that help you study?
Xoxo, Nat
Hi everyone! Mother's Day in the US is just around the corner! Sunday actually. I know that Mother's Day is different in the UK and I almost got scared like a month or two ago because there were so many Mother's Day posts going up and I was worried that I totally forgot about it. Thankfully, I did not, but it's cool how the days are different and I wonder why that is.
Every year I ask my mom, "Hey, what do you want for Mother's Day?", and she'll just say, "Nothing". My mom does so much for my family and there has to be some way to make Mother's Day really special for her. You don't have to go out and buy her like a brand new car or puppy (even though my mom would love it). A nice gift or thank you would be nice.
I want to point out that everyday is Mother's Day. You should always do great things for your mom even if it isn't Mother's Day. Our moms do so much for all of us and maybe a little card saying "Thank you" or "I love you" would suffice. Sometimes I will just go out and buy my mom flowers just because. My mom doesn't expect anything, and that's why I love getting her a nice card or write her a lovely letter telling her how much I appreciate what she does. I have a few ideas of things that you could easily get your "mum" for her special day!
My mom likes to pamper herself sometimes. However, she forgets to because she's either working, cooking, cleaning, or just tending to me and my sister's needs. A really nice face mask or cleanser like this Glam Glow Mud to Foam Exfoliating Cleanser would be a very nice gift for any mom. It is a very awesome cleanser and is great for days when you really need to treat your skin. I did a more in-depth review of it here.
I don't know if many people buy makeup for their mom's, but I know that a lot of moms love it when they do. My mom has this one lip gloss that she uses every single day and I think if you got your mom a nice lipstick or something that she would use daily, it would be a great thing to do for her. This Laura Mercier Velour Lovers Lipstick in French Kiss is a great pink shade; it is very moisturizing and very great quality for your very deserving mother!
My mom loves Oprah. She also loves Ellen, too. I don't think Ellen has her own magazine, though. Every day she watches Ellen at 4:30 and makes sure to record it so if there is traffic after work, she won't miss one bit of it. She also loves to sit in our living room chair and read her Oprah magazines while drinking her Starbucks she just made in the Keurig every morning. I think a magazine subscription would be very great thing to get your mom.
I have talked about this candle before and I am going to talk about it again. I finally went out and bought the full-size Capri Blue Volcano Candle at Anthropologie and I am forever in peace. My life is complete. Haha, this candle is life changing and your mother would enjoy burning this all day. My mom has at least three candles burning every single night in my house and we always get complimented on how nice it smells throughout. This candle is a bit expensive, but isn't it just beautiful? It's iridescent and copper! Look at all of the pretty detailing on the lid as well! I might have to keep the jar after I go through it. I wish there was a way you could all smell how amazing it is. It's very fruity and sweet, but not overly scented.
This candle comes in various designs, scents, and sizes. I went to Anthropologie and there was this massive, head-sized one that costed about $178! It was humongous and so expensive!
I have piles on piles of note cards and I have been dying to actually have a use for them because there aren't many holidays in the spring! How cute are these cards I found for a dollar at Target?
I mean if you can draw and are really artistic, then I think making a card for your mom would be even better! Sometimes I'll buy a card and then draw like a little picture of a memory or something; cheesy stuff that our mothers love so very much.
If this helped any of you that don't have a clue in the world of what to get your mom for Mother's Day, I might do the same for Father's Day, too. I don't actually know what to get my dad ever because all he likes is sports and candy...we'll see if I come up with anything in the next couple of months. Until then, I hope everybody has a wonderful Mother's Day and remember, it's not about the gift, it's about the thought behind the gift that truly counts. Maybe just a hug and an "I love you" to let your mom know how special she is!
Tomorrow night is the Ellie Goulding concert and I am so so sooooo excited to be seeing her live! I don't think I will be blogging about it, but pictures will be up more or less on my social media. What will you do this weekend? For Mother's Day?
Xoxo, Nat
Hello everyone! It's May already? Time flies so fast... well, that means a brand new beauty favorites post! Since it's about the start of spring and the end of the school year (yippee), it's time for spring cleaning! I have been trying to use up a lot of the products that I already own and throw out the ones that I have had for a couple years. I feel like I should also do a post on when to throw out makeup. Some people don't know the rules; like keeping a mascara for more than a couple months could actually cause eye infections. Let me know in the comments if that would be a good idea to write about. Today I have a few products that I have been loving and wanting to share with all of you.
The color pink has been one of my favorite colors to use lately: nail polish, blush, eye shadow, and lipstick. I have been really enjoying the light and natural makeup look for this spring and lip stains and lip balms have been a staple in my makeup collection. I did a review of these Jordana Twist & Shine Balm Stains in the past and I always reach for them whenever I do my makeup. They smell like cupcakes, they are super moisturizing, and leave just enough pigmentation on the lips to give a subtle bit of color to your look. They also last all day, which I find awesome when I'm out and I don't have to worry about reapplying. They're each about a couple bucks and are really worth the change!
It is always hard for me to find a blush that I really like and I finally found one! I have had many blushes in the past that were either too dark or just the wrong shade of pink for my skin tone. This Tarte Amazonian Clay blush in Blissful is a very warm, peachy shade. I love this because it looks great for the spring and summer. Tarte blushes are awesome and they stay on for 12 hours! (Or at least that's what it says online). I got this in the Sephora Favorites "Paint it Pink" box and I was so impressed. Love this product!
A new product that made it to my collection was this Marsk Mineral Eye Shadow in You're Toast. A friend happened to give this to me because she doesn't really use makeup anyway. I was really interested in Marsk because I have never heard of the brand before. She said that she got it from an Oprah show, so it must be good, haha! And it really is. It's a very pretty copper shade and applies very smoothly. It's very easy to blend, as well (blush and eye shadow shown below).
That same friend gave me a sample of this Skin & Co Truffle Therapy Serum. Oprah served her well! Now I heard that this serum was actually like a holy grail product, and I have to agree. Since I am pretty young yet to be using anti-aging products, I try not to firm up my skin too much. I would recommend this for anyone who really needs to prime their skin before they apply foundation and need to conceal wrinkles or fine lines. It's a really great product and my skin felt very nice after I used it. I probably wouldn't use this everyday, though.
I have been trying to paint my nails as much as I can this season (I really don't want to be lazy with painting nails like I was last year). I also try not to buy a crap ton of nail polish because I can never get through a bottle without it going concrete and gross. I do have to say that I have found a couple that I really enjoy using enough. This OPI one is called "A-Rose at Dawn...Broke By Noon" (lol isn't that a great name? Good job OPI). I love how it's really metallic and shiny. Very pretty for this season and I love how long lasting their polishes are. I have also been loving Essie's Geranium. This is a pretty orange-red, coral shade for the summer, and I love wearing it on my toes!
Last, but not least, is this product that has been talked about on a ton of beauty blogs. I wanted to know what all the commotion was about! The Glam Glow Mud to Foam Daily Exfoliating Cleanser is worth the hype. I had to like hide this from my sisters because this product does WONDERS. I'm a pretty clean person. Let's get that straight. But, before I received this product, I didn't know what clean was! This cleanser is the bomb of all cleansers. It is probably one of the strongest cleansers I have ever used. This is just a sample and a little goes a very long way; I use it very sparingly now. You put it on, wash it off with warm water, and BAM. You have the face of God. Okay, I'm getting a little out of control. This thing you put on your face is amazing. Buy it now.
I hope you guys enjoyed this past month's favorites! I love sharing with you all the products that I have really been using and enjoying. I also love reading other people's favorites, too! Please share what your favorite beauty product was (or still is) last month and maybe I will go try it out!
I'm probably going to have a Mother's Day post up later this week because Mother's Day is this upcoming Sunday. If you are having trouble with gift ideas, please stay tuned! Until then, I hope you guys have a great week and enjoy the awesome spring weather!
Xoxo, Nat
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