Plan With Me (8/17-8/23)

Before you watch my very first "Plan with Me" video, there are a few things I need to acknowledge!

First off, I know this video is from last week....fail. I was so excited to get this video made and uploaded, but then, VERY sadly, forgot that it was still on my camera..

Second, don't judge it! I'm still new to the entire idea of decorating weekly spreads, and getting myself organized in an entirely new way. Also I did struggle with getting the correct angle, and keeping my planner in the shot, so please, work with me.

Third, don't mind my rambling...I talk to myself a lot..

Here's the final picture of this spread, and I absolutely love it! I think it's so bright and fun! The only think I want to improve next week is to organize myself better, when it comes to what activities go into the larger box, and what activities go under the "To Do" list.

Both of the paperclips are from Turning Pages Co as well as some of the stickers featured:

Glitter Nerd Glasses with a Pink Bow Paperclip

Glitter Mustache Paperclip

"To Do" Stickers

Heart Check List Stickers

I had a lot of fun making this video, and showing you guys how I organize myself. I do plan on making more "Plan with Me" videos in the future, but there are a lot of obvious kinks I need to work out. I hope you enjoyed! And if you decorated your weekly spread, feel free to leave a link down below, I would love to see what you came up with!

This Week's TBR

The next six days or so, are going to be VERY uneventful for me, due to everyone I practically know, going out of town. 

Besides the obvious blogging, and other work, I won't have all that much to do. However, I do have to spend most of the day at home, because I'm spending these six days, puppy sitting.

Am I going to be lonely? YES! Am I going to be bored? NO!

Why? Because I decided I'm going to lock myself in, surrounded by puppies and marathon read!

I honestly have no idea how many books I'll be running through, but I decided to get started with these two, 

The Offering, by Kimberly Derting.

"True love—and world war—is at stake in the conclusion to The Pledge trilogy, a dark and romantic blend of dystopia and fantasy.

Charlie, otherwise known as Queen Charlaina of Ludania, has become comfortable as a leader and a ruler. She’s done admirable work to restore Ludania’s broken communications systems with other Queendoms, and she’s mastered the art of ignoring Sabara, the evil former queen whose Essence is alive within Charlie. Or so she thinks.

When the negotiation of a peace agreement with the Queendom of Astonia goes awry, Charlie receives a brutal message that threatens Ludania, and it seems her only option is to sacrifice herself in exchange for Ludanian freedom.

But things aren’t always as they seem. Charlie is walking into a trap—one set by Sabara, who is determined to reclaim the Queendoms at any cost."

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, by Benjamin Alire Saenz.

"Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be."

Once I've finished those, I'm going to start either one of these!

Enclave, by Ann Aguirre.

"New York City residents, decimated by war and plague, live underground in Enclaves, barely past age 20. Deuce 15, trained as Huntress, pairs with odd Fade, who was boy Topside. Elders ignore warning, exile both. Monster Freaks, more organized, killed nearest Enclave. Guided by old memories, in gang-infested ruins, pair face apocalyptic world with new dangers and feelings."

City of Bones, by Cassandra Clare.

"When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know..."

I know that my TBR only consists of four books. But I've decided that I don't want to restrict myself too much. Plus! If I finish all four of these I can easily continue reading Ann Aguirre's trilogy, or The Mortal Instruments series!

What are you reading this week? Marathon-ing any AWESOME series?!

The Pledge, by Kimberly Derting

The Pledge, by Kimberly Derting.

Released November 15, 2011.

"In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.

Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime. "

Kimberly Derting is without a doubt, one of my favorite authors! I love her stories, and how different they are from everything else in the YA genre. I love her characters and settings, they're dynamic and dimensional. I love her female leading characters, they're smart and don't completely depend on a male. And don't even get me started on her endings...

The Pledge is the first installment, and I had such high expectations due to reading and loving her Body Finder books! If you haven't gotten the chance to pick up either of these series, you really should!

The Pledge takes place in a modern society, where classes determine how well you live, what your career will be, and the language you speak. There is a general language that all classes use to communicate with one another, but each class has their own separate language, that only they can understand...unless you're Charlie.

The Queendom is not only run by harsh laws and unfair consequences, but also by an evil Queen, with powers. Citizens are hung and imprisoned for the smallest of crimes, and classes are completely divided.

Charlie and her little sister have grown up keeping their powers a secret, if anyone found out, not only would they be hung in the middle of their city, but also their parents, for not turning them in.

Only females in the royal family are called to rule, and the Queen's time is quickly coming to an end. Which means, she is desperately looking for a female heir, but with the royal line dwindling, and with only two grandsons, she needs to search in the extended family. She knows there has to be at least one heir, somewhere out there, and if there is, she's going to find her.

Overall, I enjoyed The Pledge, the characters and the society it took place in. Before starting this story, I wasn't sure how Kimberly Derting would pull of all of the different languages, and keeping us (the readers) in line with them. After a few chapters, I quickly realized that this wasn't going to be a problem, and that she had the entire situation under control.

The book ended on the perfect note, without keeping us drooling or wondering about what's going to happen next! YES, there is still incentive to continue reading the series, trust me, but it didn't leave off with a HUGE cliffhanger.

There was one thing I wanted to point out that did bother me a bit in The Pledge, and that was the first encounter Charlie had with the Queen. Charlie was told not to go into the castle, in case the Queen can somehow point her out in the crowd, and somehow make the connection of who she is....even though the Queen has never even meet or seen, or heard of Charlie. Of course, Charlie goes anyways, and of course the Queen makes a point of seeing this "random girl".

This isn't that big of a deal, because the rest of the story blew me out of the water, but while reading it, it was a bit disappointing the way the scene played out. What now? Of course I plan on continuing the series, because I've actually already read The Essence and plan to read The Offering very soon! You should too!

Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my review of The Pledge! Feel free to leave a link to your review in the comments. I would love to see what you think!

Printer Update

This is just going to be a quick post updating you on my entire printer dilemma.

Old History:

Over a month ago, I purchased a brand new printer for about $95 plus tax. I purchased the Canon Maxify MB2020, in the hopes to not only use it for my Etsy shop, but also for school, which starts at the end of September.

As some of you may already know, from previous posts, that this first printer stopped working, after just a few days. Unlike my old printer, when there's a error on this printer, you can't exit the error message, to quickly fix the problem and continue on. This printer basically only allows you to turn it off and unplug it.

Once you've replugged and turned it back on, it's you against time. Whatever is wrong, or whatever needs to be fixed, needs to be done before the error message pops back on; which can be anywhere from 10 seconds to 2 minutes.

After doing this a few times, I decided to call the customer support hotline. Turns out they basically "couldn't" do anything for me, besides send me a new printer.

So they did, and it came in within 10 days.

Recent-ish:

Finally the second printer comes in, I get it installed (which I can already do without even looking at the directions), and it seems to be going fine.

I walk into my room to grab my laptop, to install the wireless printing. As I come back into the other room, I am greeting by the same error message. AWESOME.

By this point in time, I am so frustrated. The first printer lasted a few days, and this one hasn't even last an hour. I ask my dad to call the customer support hotline, because I know I wouldn't be able to hold my temper.

They spend well over an hour trying to walk him through fixing it, but each attempt is abruptly stopped by the same error message.

Instead of doing this a few more hours, they inform us that they will send ANOTHER printer, but this time they will already have the printer set up, and the problem fixed, before sending it out. Another 10 days pass, and it comes in the mail yesterday.

Yesterday:

I am greeted by the mail man, who also delivered the last printer, with the third Canon Maxify MB2020 printer. I warn him to never by this printer, and wish him a good day.

Thankfully, the printer is already set up, so I don't have to do that entire process for a third time, and just have to plug it in. I do, and also turn it on, just to be greeted, RIGHT AWAY, by the error message.

You have no idea how frustrating this is.

Again, my dad calls the customer support hotline to complain.

Resolution:

You're probably all like, "Oh my goodness, so what happened?"

Turns out, the third guy my dad talked to, ACTUALLY knew what the error code on my printer meant. It's not broken, and it's not trash. It just means that my wireless router doesn't use the same "route" that printer uses.

The employee on the phone informed us that quite a few routers don't work with their wireless products, because of this...and that the only solution is to use a USB cord, or buy a new router...

So to use this $95 dollar printer of theirs, I either need to buy a new $200+ router, or use a USB cable, which defeats the entire purpose of "wireless". AND by the way, the printer didn't even come with a USB cable.

A Few Questions For Canon:

1. If you're printer is only compatible with certain routers, one of them not being a Comcast Xfinity router, wouldn't it make sense to put a warning on your products?
2. How do your employees not know what the support code 6910 on a "wireless" printer means? Especially if it means that the "wireless" isn't working?
3. Do you really expect people to buy a brand new router to use your wireless products? Why own your "wireless" printer, if I need a USB cable to use it? ....a cable you didn't even bother including?

First off, I want to thank the third man we talked to on the phone. Thank you for clearing everything up, and thank you for actually doing your job. If I knew your name, and could contact your manager, I would tell them to give you a fat raise!

Second off, I want to apologize to the first two people on the phone, that you were put into the position you are in, without the proper training or knowledge. That is of no fault of your own.

And third off, I want to thank you guys for not only listening to my ranting, but also for being patient with me and my etsy shop. Because of this entire printer situation I haven't been able to produce any stickers

Staying Motivated in School

We've all received an exam, or two, back with a grade we weren't expecting. We've all walked into taking an exam feeling decent, but once you're handed it, you completely blank, or none of it was actually what you've studied. 

I've been there! We've ALL been there, at one point in time.

Also, everyone has bad days. Maybe you're not feeling good one day, and it happens to be the day of a pop quiz. Maybe you've completely forgot to do your homework. Or maybe, you simply just don't understand the material. 

Trust me, you're not alone.

I understand how disappointing it is to receive a grade that you didn't expect. I know exactly what it feels like to work really hard on a paper, and to even feel excited about turning it in, just to find out that what you did wasn't what the assignment asked you to do.

At that point in time it seems the world is ending; it's completely crushing. Some of these moments have even made me ask myself, "Why do I even bother?"

But one bad grade shouldn't make us do this. One bad grade shouldn't make us reconsider what we're doing. One bad grade shouldn't make us doubt our ability to reach our goals.

Instead, that one bad grade should become a learning tool. That one bad grade is just a wake up call. That one bad grade is what's going to motivate you to studying harder for the next grade, to write down a reminder for you to do your homework, for you to read the assignment requirements more carefully.

That one bad grade, is what's going to make you better. Don't let it become what's holding you back, make it what pushes you forward.

My Experience With Commuting To School

Two years ago, I made the decision to attend a university that is very close to home and gave me the option to commute to school and back.

I had a few reasons as to why I chose this school, and one of them was the availability to commute to class. The other reasons include financials, the business program the school provides, as well as it being a university, instead of a community college.

...I'm not going to name the school, because you know...there are creeps out there!

During my senior year of high school, my friends were excited to head off to college, move into their dorm rooms, become best friends with their roommates, and attend parties, I wasn't. I was more excited to attend a program that followed what I hope to do in the future. I also didn't want to spend twice as much, just to be crammed into a small dorm room with someone else.

I enjoy being home, I enjoy being around my family and my boyfriend. I enjoy not having to move into and out of a dorm room every year. Also I enjoy the fact that I don't have to travel during the holidays to come home, because I'm already here.

Don't get me wrong, I understand why people like moving out of their home and into a dorm room. They get to decorate their room however they want, and they get to be on their own for the first time. But I basically have the freedom to do both of those things anyways.

After commuting to school for the last two years, I could easily say that I don't mind it. It takes me approximately twenty five minutes to get from my house, to my classroom. I buy a parking pass at the beginning of each quarter, so I'm not paying the outrageous hourly parking, and I also don't have to leave in the middle of the class to renew the parking meter.

Thanks to the school being pretty close to home, and to my fuel efficient car, gasoline and the price thereof isn't an issue.

When it comes to scheduling classes, I try to fit them all in order. That way I don't have a big break in between, I don't have to drive twice a day, and I also don't have to go to school all five days, but instead two or three.

Would I recommend commuting to school?!

Ultimately, this is your own personal decision, and to commute, or not to commute, is based on a lot of different factors. How close or far away do you live from campus? Do you have a bigger car that uses a lot of gas? Does your school provide assigned parking, or parking passes? Would commuting be convenient with your class scheduling?

Would I recommend commuting? If you're considering the idea, I would have to say yes. Do some research, check to see where you would be parking, how long it would take you to school, and how much gas you would be using.

If you're on the edge, and not truly sure if it's worth it, I would have to say no. I haven't had the entire "dorm room" experience, but if living on campus seems to make sense to you, then you should do it.

If you decide to commute, or not to commute, you're still going there for the same reason; getting your degree. So enjoy it, while you can. Do what you have to, to save money and get to class.

I hoped this post gave you a little bit of insight what it's like to drive to school everyday. But if you want a more detailed post on the entire process, from actually driving, to finding way to save money, to making sure to find a parking spot, please let me know! I can try to answer any questions.

42 Days Of Summer...So What Am I Going To Do?

I spent the first half of my summer break attending bridal showers, bachelorette parties, a baby shower, a camping trip, a Great Wolf Lodge trip, and even a Seaside Oregon trip! I also quit my job, and started my own business. 

(Pictures from one of the wedding we attended!)

Basically what I'm saying is that the first half of my summer break was absolutely crazy and busy, but also fun, and filled with amazing memories.

Now I'm sitting here, without anymore trips or vacations planned, until the beginning of school. I have 42 days of freedom still ahead of me, until I need to crack down and get back to studying and earning my degree.

There are some obvious things that I plan to work on...

1. Become more consistent with Youtube videos, and make them more often.

2. Starting blogging every day again. I miss it so much!

3. Provide new merchandise to my Etsy shop every week, as well as amazing customer service!

There are also some not-so-obvious things such as,

1. Provide better quality videos, with improved editing techniques.

2. Write blog posts, filled with colorful pictures, and intriguing content.

3. Learn how to take better pictures of my Etsy merchandise to REALLY catch the eye.

These six things all revolve around work, but there are also some things I want to work on in my personal life, and who I am.

1. I want to be more careful with what I eat. I want to delicious food, that is also healthy and good for me.

2. I want to be the same person I was before I started working at the coffee stand, before I was too exhausted to even dress up or do my makeup.

3. I want to stay on top of my cleaning, and keeping everything tidy and neat.

4. I also want to find true happiness, within myself. I want to be able to make myself happy, instead of seeking it through someone else.

5. And finally, I want to do something physically active everyday; get on the treadmill, walk my dogs, lift weights, mow the front and back lawn, something to get me sweaty and breathing hard.

Instead of going on anymore trips or vacations, I'm going to stay home and work on myself, my business, my blog, and my videos. I want to improve the person I am, and I want to work on what I love. And that's what I plan on doing for the next 42 days, and more.

Top 10 Essentials to Surviving a School Day!

School is just around the corner for some, for others it's still a month and a half away! It is for me at least! I don't start until September 30th, which means I still have a few weeks of freedom. While I'm sad to see summer go, I'm also excited to get back to school and continue learning. As well as continuing to work on my degree, and to work on my overall goal.

I also love school, because it keeps me busy. I have a more strict schedule during the school year, due to classes, to blogging, to making videos, working on Etsy, and to finishing homework. Being busy feels REALLY good and I enjoy working towards something.

AND the start of school, means the start of Fall. AND the start of Fall means, it's the start of cute boots, scarves, jackets and layering clothes! AHH I'M SO EXCITED!

But surviving a day of school is tough. Weather, traffic, lectures, homework, tests, and practically anything else the universe can throw at you, are just a few of the struggles to overcome. So I've come up with 10 essential items to help you survive those long and stressful days of school.

These 10 items are things I've learned to carry to school over the last few years, due to various experiences I've had. You don't have to use all 10 of these things, but I do hope you find some of them useful!

#1. Stapler.

Many professors are very strict about having assignments stapled, and they should be. They have over 100 papers to grade, and don't have the time to find any missing pages in the stack. Some professors are so serious about this issue, they will even take away points from your grade if your papers aren't stapled.

Go and buy a mini stapler! They are ONLY $2-$3!

#2. Feminine Products.

All you girls should already know this! You need to always carry some of these unmentionables! They should be hiding in your backpack, in your purses, and even in your car! I'm sure the health building on campus may have some, if you don't have any. But you should always be prepare for your monthly visitor.

#3. Sanitizer, Chap stick, & Tissue.

Who wants germ invested hands? Who wants chapped and dried lips? And who wants to be the kid in class who is constantly sniffling, and sucking their snot back into their brain? ....no one. Don't be that person! These three things are small, they can easily fit into your backpack!

#4. A Water Bottle.

My school days are usually pretty long, simply because I try to fit all of my 3 or 4 classes into 2 or 3 days of the week. Meaning a water bottle is essential. On an average day, I'm at school for about 7 hours, and I'll probably drink 3 or 4 bottles of water during that day. Yes, you can buy water in the student convenient store, but why? Why do that if you could save money and the environment?!

#5. An Umbrella.

Depending on where you live, you might not need this. But I live in the Pacific Northwest, which means it rains 70% of the year. Walking from your car all the way to class in the rain sucks. Then sitting in class all day, completely soaked, also sucks. And finally walking back from your class to your car, in the rain, just sucks the most...just bring an umbrella.

#6. Snack.

Again, this depends on how long your school days are, but bringing a snack is a good idea if you're there for a longer period of time. You can't go out to a restaurant during breaks, and convenience food can add up quickly and become pricey. I recommend bringing a banana, a granola bar, some nuts, or an apple. Basically anything that can hold you through class.

#7. USB & Printer Paper.

If you plan on printing from a computer at school, you need a USB and your own printer paper. A USB to carry your assignments from one computer to the next, and printer paper, because some schools don't provide it. Student convenient stores usually sell printer paper, but at 15 cents a piece. Why do that to yourself?

#8. Ipod & Head Phones.

You will have breaks in between your classes; a lunch break or just a class in between, that just aren't long enough to go home. I recommend bringing your Ipod and head phones, so you can sit down and study, or do some homework. Hallways and sitting areas can be pretty loud sometimes, so having some music playing instead is a huge help!

#9. Sticky Notes.

I need sticky notes to survive. I stick them all over my house, my computer, in my car, on my notebooks, every where. I use them to remind myself, or even to make something stick out to catch my attention. I love them, and would recommend them to everyone.

#10. Comfy Shoes & Hoodie.

Again this one might not work for all of you, but if you commute to school you can easily leave a pair of shoes or a hoodie in the trunk of your car. Some classrooms might be freezing, or your shoes might get uncomfortable after a few hours, you never know. Run to your car and grab your shoes or hoodie. There's honestly no harm in having these stashed away in the back of your car. Especially when they become a life saver!

I hope you guys can use some of this advice! I know some of it seems pretty obvious, and some might seem unnecessary. But honestly, on those days where nothing is going right, where you don't have enough change to buy water, your starving, your shoes are getting tight, or you completely forgot that your friend is visiting, these small things can become huge lifesavers.

If you have any essentials that I didn't list, please feel free to leave them down below in the comments! I'm still attending school and looking for any advice I can get!

Tips & Tricks To Surviving School, Passing Classes & Making Friends!

Hey guys!

I don't know if you're as excited as I am for school to start, but I'm DYING over here! Not only did I already do my school supply shopping, but I even went out and bought some new clothes! I can't wait to see what my new classes will be like, what I'll learn and who I'll meet.

Over my four years of high school, and my two years of college, I think I've gone through enough, and dealt with a lot of different situations, to give you all, ten tips and tricks to surviving school.

I'm leaning this more towards college, but many of these tips, if not all of them apply to high school/middle school as well. So take what you need from them!

Let's get right into? Or what?

#1. Get To Know People!

There are so many different opportunities to get to know people, it's amazing! When I was starting high school, my biggest concern was that I wouldn't make any new friends, simply because I wasn't playing any sports...looking back now, that is completely ridiculous.

You can join clubs with people who have the same interests as you! You can stay after class, and get help from not only the teacher, but classmates as well. You can go to office hours, or tutoring sessions. Some of these will be run by the professors, others are run by tutors, but still your classmates are battling the same homework assignments and the same tests, why not fight together?

#2. Stay Organized!

This one sounds like a big "DUH". But it's true. I'm an extreme neat freak, so everything needs to be in it's place, especially when I'm doing something quiet like studying. If my room isn't clean or my bed isn't made, it'll be the only thing I think about, while trying to focus on balance sheets, and t-charts.

Keep your back pack clean, and organized! No loose papers, no old food, and no trash. Get your school work organized in binders or folders. This prevents anything from tearing, or crinkling; you'll even be able to find it much faster! And finally, keep the documents on your computer all organized by quarter/semester, and by class. This way you'll be able to find an assignment, much quicker with out having to scramble to find it and freak out if you don't right away.

#3. Write It Down!

There are so many assignments, quizzes and tests. You can't keep it all straight in head. You need to write it down. Get an agenda, a planner, a note pad, make a "To Do" list, or even leave notes for you on your desk! Do something, ANYTHING to remind yourself.

The worst thing is losing easy homework points, just because you forgot.

#4. Be On Time!

Again, DUHH! But it's true! No matter how hard it seems, you need to wake up on time. Make yourself a little breakfast, and dress to impress. If you take a little time for yourself in the morning, to not only feed yourself, but also to make yourself look and feel good, you'll have a much better day!

#5. Sleep!

Your brain needs to sleep! (Thank You Mr. P in PSYCH110)

To absorb and retain information, your brain needs sleep. Go to bed early, so you're brain can do it's job....AND so you can wake up on time!

#6. Take Notes At Home.

Some professors upload their slideshow notes online. None of my teachers in high school did this, but so far, every one of my university professors have.

Take the notes early, or even print them out! Doing this allows you to actually pay attention to what the professor says in their lecture, instead of scrambling to keep up with the slides. Keeping up with the slides isn't going to happen, and if it does, your notes are going to be messy, and you won't even remember what you wrote.

Take them early, and just enjoy the lecture!

#7. Highlight & Bold Any Important Information!

Bring a highlighter or a stack of sticky notes, and whenever the professors says something important write it down and stick it on your notes. This can include assignments, things that will be on the test, important dates, math formulas, anything.

Write it down, and make sure it sticks out! This will ensure that you won't forget or over look something.

#8. Keep Assignments Neat.

Anything that needs to be turned in physically needs to be neat. Meaning no ripped pages, no crinkles, and it must be stapled. Also if your professor has a format they want you to follow, you MUST follow the format. Some professors are really strict about this, to the point of even docking down your grade if the guidelines aren't followed.

#9. Making Studying Fun!

Get a study buddy or a study group. Not only will this make studying fun, but it will also ensure that you actually study. When someone else is depending on you, turning down a study date is harder, than just deciding not to study for yourself.

Don't just study for exams. Meet with your study group once a week, or more. Do homework assignments together, or discuss class notes after class. Keep connected and keep learning.

#10. Take A Break.

Studying, going to school, and learning isn't easy. Its exhausting and stressful, so don't forget to take a break. Go on a walk, grab some food, or do something fun for a few hours. It's okay to take a break. Just don't procrastinate or plan to study the entire night before! Cramming isn't the answer.

I hope that these tips helped you in preparing yourself for the new school year. These are all things I quickly learned in the first two years of attending college, and a few in high school.

If you guys have any other tips or trips to surviving school, please let me know! I still have 2-3 years left in school, and any information or advice is helpful!

Very First Clothing Haul...WHAAA?

Don't get me wrong! I'm no where, near close to being a fashionista. I'm a jeans, t-shirt and converse kind of girl. I enjoy flats with my dresses, and flip flops with my high waist-ed shorts.

I'm also not a bum, though I do enjoy comfy and cute pajamas on my lazy at home days! Who doesn't though? On those kind of cold and gloomy days? Whats better than some cute pajama pants, an over sized sweater, and a cup of coffee? NOTHING!

But I am a girl, who can't turn down a sale, or a shopping trip to the outlet mall.

(I'm actually scheduling this post ahead of time, so while you're reading this, I'm probably shopping my heart out at the outlet mall in Oregon, or sitting on a beautiful beach....or watching the Seahawks play against the Broncos!)

With school starting back up again soon, and the fall season just around the corner, AND the fact that I haven't shopped in quite a while (which is odd, I'm usually shopping every weekend), I decided it was about time I treated myself.

I did hit up my local mall, and purchased things from Papaya, Forever21, PINK, JC Penny and Aeropostale.

Papaya:

I love going into Papaya, but usually don't end up buying too much there. I love their clothes, but usually their tops don't fit my very well, in the chest and arm pit area. But occasionally I do find some goodies, especially for amazing prices!

This time I picked up a flowy dark blue shirt, with a floral pattern for about $8 as well as thin long sleeve sweater for $17, and summer flowy shorts that were on sale for $5.

Forever21:

Forever21 is a hit or miss for me. Some days I'll be determined and dig my way through each and every room, others I'll just stroll around to see if something catches my eye. If you've never been to a physical Forever21 store, they are completely unorganized, and the one where I live is MASSIVE! Two stories!

There I was able to pick up some awesome fall and winter finds! A beanie for only $3 and a scarf for only $6. I also picked up a big white knitted cardigan for $16, a flannel for $16 (I think?) and a pair of super cute and comfy pajama pants for only $10.

I also had a Forever21 bag hiding the back of my closet from a previous shopping trip with a white flowy, hippy kind of a shirt. I'm not sure exactly how much it was.

I was hoping to also get some knee high knitted socks to wear with boots, but wasn't able to find any cute ones.

PINK:

These goodies are actually from the semi annual sale back in June. I completely forgot I had put this shopping bag in the back of my closet, hoping to save it for a haul. I decided to show you guys the cute sweater I picked up, as well as a few unmentionables.

JC Penny:

I don't think I've ever purchased clothes at JCPs...maybe when I was younger, but not within the last few years. I happen to stroll through though, because they had huge red signs, claiming to have an amazing clearance section.

I didn't find any clothes, sadly. Their junior section isn't very "junior", but much more middle school, filled with weird patterns and graphics. But I did find two scarves, originally $20 for only $3.99 and another originally $28 for $4.48!

Aeropostale:

I was actually able to go to Aeropostale during their employee discount sale, meaning everything was an additional 30% off. I was originally going to pick up two things, but decided not to, when I discovered what the real price was. It was marked at $17, but they told me that the price hanging RIGHT ABOVE the shirt, wasn't it's price. That the price of the shirt was actually ACROSS the AISLE....really?

But I did pick up this cute long and knitted cardigan for only $16. I was hoping to also get it in the maroon red color, but sadly they were out of my size.

Conclusion...

I hope you guy enjoyed this haul! I've never done an official clothing haul, and would love to know if you all want to see more. I don't enjoy buying overpriced items, so I'm always looking for amazing deals.

If you want to see what I purchased in Oregon this weekend, please let me know down in the comments!

Update: First VLOG, Why I'm Frustrated and No More Canon Products for Me!

Originally this post was going to go up yesterday, and originally it was only going to discuss my vlogging adventure and the very first time I decided to record myself for an entire day.

But things changed, I got frustrated and lost hope.

As some of you know from previous posts, I've had issues with the brand new, and not-so cheap Canon Printer. It's the Maxify MB 2020, in case you want to avoid it.

I purchased this printer with my Etsy shop Turning Pages Co, as well as my last two years of university in mind! I've had my old and cheap Kodak printer for well over five years, and it lasted me throughout most of high school and half of university. It wasn't anything special, but ultimately it got the job done.

So why did I get a new printer in the first place?

With starting Turning Pages Co, and school in a few weeks, I figured I would be printing a lot more, and needed something bigger and stronger. Also the Kodak printer was old, and the quality just wasn't where I wanted it to be anymore.

So yes! I decided to splurge, because school is very important to me, and so is the quality of Turning Pages Co stickers. I want a product that is defined, bright and makes people happy.

But after only printing a few sheets of stickers, the first printer stopped working. I called the support hotline, and was informed that this was an issue they couldn't fix, and would send me a new printer, free of charge. A week later, it showed up at my front door, and I was dying to finally get printing.

I was hoping to crank out some new designs and add some new sheets to Etsy. But, just like the first printer, it just stopped working. It gave me a support code, and wouldn't allow me to do anything else, besides turn the printer off.

I'm completely frustrated, because this printer claims to be able to do so much, yet I can't get two of this type of printer to print more than ten pages.

I have over 50 designs ready and set to go. But I can't do anything with those designs, if my printer isn't willing to print.

So I gave up on everything yesterday. I just needed a day to cool off. My dad spent an hour on the support hotline trying to get it to work, but again they promised to send me ANOTHER new printer, but this time, they'll have it set up and ready for me to go.

I am so thankful for the friendly people who helped me at Canon. They have excellent customer service skills, and are more than happy to help. But I don't think I'll be purchasing any Canon products, any time soon. I've had enough technical difficulties when it comes to this brand.

I mean, how ridiculous is it that I've had two of their "best" printers, and neither one of them has last more than ten pages of printing? How is that even possible?

I love watching vlogs on Youtube, and decided to give the entire idea a go! I didn't want my first vlog to be of me, sitting in my PJs, sipping on coffee and blogging all day, so instead I did it on my busy day of the week...MONDAY!!! Dah, dah DAHHH!

Monday is usually the busiest day of the week, simply because I run to all of the local craft stores to see what they have on sale, and what new items were added to their clearance section. Also fall and Halloween are just around the corner, so I've been keeping my eyes open for that as well.

And since I'm already out and about on Monday, I usually end up going to the Bank that day, and the post office; to make sure transactions went through properly and to drop off any packages that need to be shipped out.

Vlogging is definitely an interesting experience. I didn't film very much in public, because I wasn't too sure if I was allowed to film in certain stores, or what. I don't really mind taking a camera in, and talking to it, people staring or questioning me isn't a big deal...my biggest issue was that I didn't want to be kicked out.

It was my first time attempting it, so obviously my skills aren't all that and a pack of crackers, but it was still fun! I'm uploading the clips right now, and editing it once they're all ready to go. I'm pretty excited to see what I come up with, and what you guys think of me vlogging!

I don't think I've mentioned this just yet, but I'm going on a mini beach vacation this weekend! I'm leaving tomorrow morning, and coming back Sunday afternoon. I'm spending two nights at the beach in Oregon, with Joshua and his family!

I went two years ago, and it was so much fun! I can't wait to go again! The water isn't warm enough to swim in, but the beach is gorgeous, the town is beautiful and there's so many fun things to do! Like go shopping at the local outlet malls, walk through antic shops, ride carnival rides, get our faces painted, take car rides and look at views that will take anyone's breath away.

After yesterday, and this entire printer situation, I could definitely use this weekend off. To just spend time with myself, with Joshua and with family. It will be nice just to hangout and relax.

I do however, have a lot of things to do before then. And I hope to make an entire blog post, showing you guys what I did there!

Thank you guys so much for stopping by! I hope I didn't rant too much!

This Week's Sticker & Paper Clip Releases At Turning Pages Co!

There is good news and there is bad news when it comes to this week's releases!

The bad news, is that I wasn't able to print or cut any new sticker sheets. My new printer came in the mail on Friday afternoon, and I wasn't able to set it up until Sunday morning. If you don't know about the entire "printer situation", feel free to read the post I blogged a few weeks ago, explaining the entire mess.

The good news is that I did release new paper clips, some of which are for the fall! Besides that, the other good news is that I plan on releasing over twenty new sheets of stickers next week, some for daily living and also some for fall and Halloween!

I'm excited to show you all of the new stickers I designed and created, but first comes this week, and the cute paper clips that made it on Turning Pages Co, in the last few days!

Paper Clips:

Gold Glitter Bow & Gold and Black Chevron Bow!

Only $1.50 each!

Fall Mason Jars

$3.00

Patterned Leave

$2.00

Jack-O-Lantern

$2.00

Pumpkin

$1.50

Caramel Apples

$1.50

Candy Corn

$1.50

Jelly Fish

$3.00

Glittery Nerd Glasses

$2.50

Glittery Mustache

$2.00

Hot Pink Alphabet (A-Z)

$2.50 each.

Bookmarks:

4 Pack Magnetic Bookmarks

$3.50

5 Pack Magnetic Bookmarks

$4.00

These are all of the goodies I'm excited to present to you this week! I hope you head over to Etsy and check them out! Also, please let me know what you think about them, or if you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or even concerns, leave them down below!