School Supplies: A Much Needed Checklist

Have we figured out yet how much I love lists? No? Well here's another list for to spark your memory! Today I;m sharing with you my much needed school supplies list. These are all the things I feel are essential to making your college experience a success and less stressful. When you have everything you need, you have no need to worry! Print out this list, head over to your local school supplies store and stock up! And if you have a tax free week or weekend coming, wait until then! In Florida, ours is happening this weekend, Friday August 1 - Sunday August 3! 

Get the printable version, here! 

How To: Avoid The Freshman 15

This post is mainly about me giving you the tips I wish I had known in college. I fell victim to the freshman 15. And then the sophomore 15. And then the junior 15. And then the senior 15. Over my course in undergrad I ended up gaining around 100lbs. So that's more like 25lbs a year. Ridiculous, I know. But that's what I want to help you avoid. All of the things I wish I had known when I was a freshman, and a whole lot slimmer!  

Before College vs. After College

1. Get a meal plan 

When I went for orientation, we had to eat at the various places on campus that were included in the meal plan. And I really wish I would've gotten one. Every cafeteria or restaurant, not really sure what to call it, had a fresh salad bar, and other healthy food options. They all had vegetarian options and had a suitable balance between healthy food and pizza and french fries. When you have a meal plan, you're less likely to eat out at fast food restaurants which could really save you in the end.  

2. Utilize the fitness center

It's a full service gym and fitness center! And it's included in your tuition! Use it. At FSU they had personal trainers that would develop workout plans with and for you. There were so many group exercise classes that you could join if you didn't want to workout alone. I loved the spin class! Kicked my butt, by man was it hard core! Do your research and you'll find so many ways to stay fit! Take a dance class for the semester, join a running group, or just go to the gym. I know that at the school I'm attend for my MBA there is a running group and an outdoor, heated swimming pool to use year round. 

3. Drink a lot of water

You hear this all the time. Just being healthy in general, you should always drink water. The recommended amount is 64oz per day. You can always get yourself a filtered water jug, fill up your cute water bottle that's reusable, and take it with you all day on campus. Refill your bottle when you stop for lunch! And when you work out, drink it up! Staying hydrated will help you maintain your weight, avoid illness, and have amazing skin! 

4. Eat healthy snacks 

Keeping healthy snacks in your dorm room is essential. There are so many healthy options at the grocery store nowadays that it's quite easy! Granola bars, yogurt, fruit cups, and so much more. Below I have 2 recipes for you that are cheap and easy to make. The first is frozen yogurt dots and then a frozen fruit cup. Bring the yogurt dots with you to the library and snack on the fruit while you hang out in your room!

Frozen Yogurt Dots: Shutterbean Recipe

Frozen Fruit Cups: Ree Drummond from Food Network

5. Always eat breakfast

For real though. Don't skip breakfast. Have an 8am class? Eat fresh fruit. Or granola. Or a fruit cup. Have time for a real meal? Grab a veggie filled omelet, or a fruit and veggie smoothie! There are tons of healthy options for breakfast. You mainly want them to keep you full and keep you from over snacking! High protein and fiber breakfasts are the best. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and you want to keep your mind strong and sharp for class! Especially during exam time!

How do you fight the freshman 15? 

How To: Keep Organized In College

With limited space in your dorm room, organization is key. And there are plenty of stores who have some amazing organizing products. Down below is just a sample of some of the products you can get from the retail giants: Target, Walmart, bed, Bath, & Beyond, Hobby Lobby, and Michael's. The great things about most of the products used for college, they are so versatile. You don't have to use the photo storage box for photos. I used to use mine for makeup! I had 2 and it held everything but the larger foundation bottles! Loved it. Anyways, I hope this helps you on your journey for picking out what to buy for your dorm room! 

1. Clear Extra Large Photo Keeper

Where: Hobby Lobby

Price: $34.99

What: Makeup, Photos, Pens, Pencils, Hair Ties, Bobby Pins, etc. 

2. Sterilite 3-Drawer Wide Cart

Where: Walmart

Price: $18.97

What: Clothing, Shoes, Binders, Books, Movies, Cables, Hair Tools, etc.

3. Household Essentials Nested 2-Piece Box Set

Where: Walmart

Price: $21.97

What: Cables, Supplies, Beauty Products, Lotion, etc. 

4. Room Essentials Sea Going Caribbean

Where: Target

Price: $9.99

What: Laundry

5. 24 Pocket Canvas Shoe Organizer

Where: Target

Price: $14.99

What: Shoes, Clutches, Hair Tools, Misc, etc. 

6. Grommet Storage Tote 

Where: Bed, Bath, & Beyond

Price: $5.99 - $12.99

What: Cleaning Supplies, Kitchen Items, Bathroom Essentials, Misc Desk Stuff, etc. 

7. Recollection Storage Desktop Carousel

Where: Michael's 

Price: $44.99

What: Pens, Pencils, Keys, Tape, Paper Clips, Staples, Push Pins, Calculator, etc. 

What are you best tips for keeping your dorm room organized? 

Dorm Living: The Essentials Checklist

If this is your first time living in a dorm, then you're gonna need a checklist. Or maybe you're just like me, and you just enjoy having a list. Either way, this is for you. I've put together my essentials for living in a dorm. Of course some of these items are optional and they all depend on what is already available to you through your school. For example, you always need a toothbrush, but maybe you don't need a printer because you plan on utilizing the one in the library. Also depending on the size of your room, you could always bring more stuff. Just remember, the more you bring, the more you have to move! 

For the printable version, click here! 

College Advice: Top 5 Freshman Tips

It's college week here on my blog, so to start us off, I wanted to offer up my top 5 tips for freshman. I decided on the freshman because, for me, that was my hardest year in college. I was in a new city, I had now friends, I was living off campus, and so much more. Also, funny story, my dad dropped me off at college in the middle of a hurricane. Good times. 

My Undergrad Days

1. Live on campus

I can't stress this enough. If only just for your freshman year, live on campus. Living on campus offers so many great benefits, I really feel like I missed out. You can get a meal plan, make so many friends, be closer to class, not worry about parking, always be close to your room, do better in class, and have constant security. Living off campus only causes stress for a freshman. You have to learn to navigate your way through not only your college, but now a new town. Make your first year of college easier, and live on campus. Be on the look out for a "Dorm Living Checklist" coming out tomorrow on here!

2. Utilize campus services 

Most colleges are going to have an array of services at little or no cost to students. And it's best that you take full advantage of them. From my experience, I was provided a fitness center, counseling services, tutoring, homework help, volunteer opportunities, and much more. Finding out what services your school offers can be a life saver. Also, look into any low-credit classes that allow you to relieve stress and help your GPA. At FSU, I remember a friend of mine taking a class called "Stretch and Relaxation". It was a 1 credit class where all you had to do was show up and stretch. It was awesome. Our fitness center was open pretty long hours, always giving me a chance to get in a good workout or joining a spin class. Finding ways to preoccupy yourself, so you don't get too stressed out, will help you cope with all the major changes happening during your first year of college. 

3. Consider joining a sorority 

This is something that I really wish I had done. All of my friends that joined a sorority have absolutely loved it. The thought of making so many friends, volunteering, and so much more. Some of the things I heard about a few of the sororities at FSU are: they have a 2 hour study period each day, the continuously raise money for charities and do philanthropic work, bonding with other women, and creating career connections for the future. A friend of mine loved her sorority so much that she eventually became it's chapter president. If you're going to a school without many friends and want to be in a group that's always doing something, consider joining a sorority. 

4. Order textbooks online

Textbooks can be expensive! I had a calculus book set me back about $500 once. No thank you. There are many websites available online that allow you to purchase or rent textbooks at a much lower cost. My all time favorite textbook website is Chegg. You can save up to 90% on your textbooks and use that money to buy your groceries. Every now and then, schools will come out with special edition books that are only available through the school bookstore. If that's the case, and renting is an option, just rent it. You'll save money and be less likely to lose any investment when trying to sell back a special edition book. Another tip is to order your books online through the bookstore. If your able to save more money through your bookstore, then by all means, go for it. But I do suggest preordering your books so you don't have to wait in a line for 3 hours while 500 other students are also purchasing their books. When I would order my books, I would walk into the bookstore, hand them my order confirmation, be handed my books, and leave. 15 minutes tops. 

5. Do NOT lose touch with your family

Now I know this is not the case for everyone because every family is different, but it helped me a lot. I talked to my dad every day. I called him on my way to school or on my way home if I had early classes. I moved 6 hours away. This may not seem far to some, especially when people go out of state for school, but for me and my dad, it was rough. With so many advancements in technology, there is always a way to keep in touch with your family. FaceTime, Skype, texting, email, calling, and so much more. It's nice to have that familiar voice to keep you going throughout the day. Through the good and the bad, I always talked to my dad about it. Call your dad, mom, sister, brother, cousin. It doesn't matter. Just keep a piece of home with you when you go to school. 

What tips do you have for college freshman? What would you have done differently in college? 

Motivational Monday: Finding Your True Potential

Life can be considerably overwhelming. And it doesn't matter what stage you're at in your life, it can still be a handful. I remember my dad always asking me, "You're in high school, how are you stressed out?" I used to laugh it off and try to explain to him ever thing that was going on in my life. He would just smile and reply, "Just wait until you're in the real world." What I think he forgot, was the for me, high school was the real world at the time. Moving forward in my life, college was the real world, my break in between undergrad and grad school is my current real world, and in 1 year, grad school will be my real world. The real world isn't some destination full of stress and anxiety, it's what you're living right now. 

In order to being to fully comprehend your greatest potential, you have to become overwhelmed. This isn't a bad thing. People make stress out to be such a horrible thing. I remember learning in my AP Psychology class in high school that there was good stress and bad stress. We all go through both forms of stress, some more than others, but when we lack ourselves of good stress, all we have left is bad stress. That's when we begin to look at life in a negative way. 

I thrive on stress, now. In high school, I loved it. In the beginning of my undergrad, I lost control. And now, good stress is something that keeps me motivated on a daily basis. I have a heavy work schedule, I have to work on my blog and YouTube channel, I have Briam to include in my life schedule, my family has to go in there too, and then we add my friends. Of course it doesn't seem bad, because it's not. It's a lot of good things all going on at once. 

The other day I had a customer ask me a very important question. It doesn't seem like it's that important, but when I had to formulate my answer for her, I really had to look within myself. She asked me, "If you have a Bachelor's degree, why are you working as an associate in a retail store?" It took me a second to answer, because really though, why was I working a job where I fold panties for a living when I have a B.A.S in Organizational Management. I finally answered, "Because I know there are greater things out there for me. Everything that challenges me and gets me excited requires a Master's Degree. So that's what I'm doing, I'm going back for my MBA." 

I could easily find a respectable job, with financial stability, benefits, and all sorts of great things, but nothing excites me. I know that I'm struggling with things right now, but after I have my MBA, it's all going to look brighter. You will never know your true potential if you don't struggle and push yourself to be the best version of you, you can be. 

Swanky Sunday: Summer Garden Party

A Sunday afternoon, high 70's, ice cold sweet tea, delicious finger food. Can you just imagine it? The southern belles gathering to talk about the week gone by and the week ahead. Sometimes I feel that I was born in the wrong era. Maybe not. I don't know. I just want to have brunch on a Sunday, in fancy dresses with my friends. Is that too much to ask for? I think not!

Sundress / Headband / Clutch / Sandals / Perfume / Lipstick / Nail Polish / Bracelet / Watch 

Insta-Weekly: Jul 13 - July 25 (It's Been A While...)

I'm adding an extra week onto my first "Insta-Weekly" post! Double the time, double the fun.

Make sure to follow me on Instagram: @christinamartinaxoxo

Life Challenge: Use It Up, Throw It Out

One of the biggest problems that I have is being able to finish things. Now I don't mean projects, or food, I mean items. For example, I have 7 different body washes. I don't need 7, but I liked all of the scents. And when you're trying to save money and pay off credit card bills, that becomes an issue. 

So I've decided to start my own "life challenge" and use up everything that I have in excess before I purchase new things. I've given myself a 1 year time frame, give or take a month. I've made a list of everything that I need to use up and I'm going to share it with you today. One of the best things to do when trying to accomplish a goal is to share it with someone. In my case, the internet. But either way, this helps keep you accountable for what you're trying to do. 

Body Wash:

Body Lotion:

Perfume:

Candles:

Makeup:
I can't even begin to take pictures of all my makeup, so here's my makeup collection video!

Hair Products:

Samples:

The only "thing" that I'm not giving up is my monthly ipsy bag. It's only $10 and it's kind of like the medicine that keeps me from running to Sephora and racking up my credit card. Handled.

Also, if you read or watched my Bath & Body Works SAS Haul, then you know that I also have a large quantity of hand soap and hand sanitizer. Seriously too many things to take pictures of. That's why I gave up at the candles and hair products and just took pictures of them where I actually have them stored. My closet and a shoe shelf, respectively. 

What do you do to keep your products organized and in control? Do you have the same problem of hoarding as I do? Let me know if you're going to embark on this life challenge with me! And then we can be "accountabili-buddies"! (To quote South park, of course!)

Friday Favorites - Nature Is A Beautiful Thing

Favorite Summer Sunglasses: Ray Bans in Every Color

I'm seriously loving these Ray Bans! If you collected them all, you could wear one for every mood. They're so versatile and wearable. I should start saving now! Found on Pinterest, here. 

Favorite Outdoor Wedding Reception: Beautifully Natural 

How gorgeous is this outdoor wedding reception? I would be the happiest bride in the entire world if this were my reception. I'm going to have to put this on my idea list! I dream of having an outdoor wedding with the reception happening just as the sun starts to go down. So much beauty on a glorious day. Found on Pinterest, here. 

Favorite Tattoo: Fearless 

I don't plan on ever getting a tattoo. I'm not against them, I think they're pretty cool. But because of how sensitive my skin is, I'm pretty certain that it would just end badly. Anyways, if I were a normal person with skin that didn't react to every little thing, this would be my tattoo of choice. I love the concept of being fearless. When you've gone through struggles in your life, you have to learn to be fearless and overcome all obstacles. One word, so many emotions. Found on Pinterest, here. 

Favorite Procrastination Laugh: Banana? 

I literally laughed out loud when I read this. There are days when this describes me perfectly. You'll find me sitting at my desk, looking blankly at my day planner, just so zoned out. I could walk around my house for hours trying to figure out what to do, even though I have a planner for that exact reason. I don't know, some times we need to zone out to refocus our minds. Found here on Pinterest.

Favorite Dream Home Backyard: Nature Escape 

If this were my backyard, I would never leave. It seems so luxurious. We could roast marshmallows, read books, have a nice drink, or just sit around and chat. This scenery would even look beautiful when it rained. There is truly so much beauty in nature. Found on Pinterest, here. 

Beauty Basics: My Top 5 Summer Nail Polishes

If you know me or have been reading my blog for a while, then you know that I have an obsession with nail polish. It's true, I do. And because of this obsession, I like to create lists of my favorite nail polishes for various occasions. Well today I'm showing you my top 5 favorite nail polishes for summer! 

395 - Folly / 952 - Hazard / 940 - Rise and Shine / 951 - Why Not / 949 - Nirvana 

All of the polishes are from Sinful Colors and I just love them. About 85% of my nail polishes are from their collection. Highly pigmented and easy to paint on. And the best part, they're super inexpensive! When I acquired my collection, I got them from Walgreen's with an awesome coupon bringing them to less than a dollar a piece. From what I've seen, Walmart also carries them and I believe CVS too. 

What are your favorite nail polishes for summer? Do you have a nail polish obsession like I do? 

Ipsy Bag - July Unboxing and June Review

It's that time of the month again when I show you want I got in my ipsy bag and review last month's bag! Here it comes, the good, the bad, and the blue.

What I got in July's ipsy bag:
Hang Ten Dark Tanning Oil, Tints & Sass Fabulous Lip and Cheek Stain, Bare Minerals 5 in 1 BB Advanced Performance Cream Eyeshadow, Pur Waterproof Big Look Mascara, and the Be Fine Food Skin Care Daily Moisturizer.

What I'm excited for:
I'm pretty excited for the lip and cheek tint, the cream eyeshadow, the mascara, and the moisturizer. I think this bag is going to be a pretty good one! Being excited for 4 out of 5 things sets the bar pretty high this month, but only time will tell.

What I'm on the fence about:
The tanning oil. I'm pale. Really pale. I don't really frequent the outdoors in a way that I would be using tanning oil. If anything, I'm reaching for the spf 100. I haven't had a tan since I was in high school. So that's over 6 years ago. I don't know, I'll give it a try and see how it goes.

NYX Butter Gloss in Eclair
I was already a huge fan of the butter glosses before I got this. So basically this was just an addition to my little collection. The consistency is so smooth and silky and the color is great. I would definitely repurchase this after I run out.

Carol's Daughter Sacred Taire Anti-Breakage & Anti-Frizzing Styling Cream
LOVE THIS! It smells so freaking good and actually does what it claims to do! My hair has felt a huge improvement since I started using this before each blow dry. Another amazing product that I would repurchase!

Nicka K New York Shimmer Eyeliner in Blue
No. Just no. I hate blue eyeliner. I couldn't even convince myself to wear it to the club.

OFR Universal Eyebrow Pencil
In my last ipsy post, I mentioned that I wasn't a huge eyebrow person. I like my eyebrow game. But this pencil does the job when I want just a little extra oomph. I liked using it at night when I would go out to dinner or out with friends. Didn't smudge and lasted quite a long time.

Realtre for Her Perfume
I need this is full size, forever and a day. I love the smell of this perfume! It's sexy, musky, refreshing, and everything you could possibly want in a perfume! I tell you now, I will have a full size bottle one day!

I hope you enjoyed my review of the June ipsy bag! Let me know what you thought of your June and July bags! Did you get what I got? Or did you get something else?

If your not an ipsy bag member, become one! It's only $10 a month! It cures your beauty fix and is well worth the cost. Each bag is worth way more than what you pay. And you get to keep the cute little bag!

Click here to sign up for your own ipsy bag!

Beauty Basics: My Summer Skin Care Routine

With Summer in full swing, especially down here in south Florida, skin care has taken a high priority over makeup! Nothing like sweating your makeup off! So for me, I prefer to have a clear base. I have different products for the morning and nighttime, just because my skin has different needs in the morning and at night. I tend to use lighter products in the morning and heavier products at night. But anyways, down below are all of the products I've been using during these hot Summer months to help my skin keep doing it's thing! 

Morning: Lush 9 to 5 Cleansing Lotion

Night: Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Facial Cleanser

Morning: Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Toner

Night: Lush Tea Tree Water

Morning: Clean & Clear Dual Action Moisturizer

Night: Neutrogena Naturals Multi Vitamin Nourishing Moisturizer 

Morning: Planet Spa Greek Seas Soothing Eye Treatment

Night: Burt's Bees Sensitive Eye Cream

What are your favorite Summer skincare products? 

Ulta Collection Eyeshadows: Swatches and Review

I love a good eyeshadow. I especially love a good, inexpensive eyeshadow. And that's exactly what the Ulta Collection offers. Of course there are a few shadows that miss the mark (and I'll point those out) but for the most part, the shadows are pretty awesome. So let's go through the pros and cons of the Ulta Collection Eyeshadows!

Pros:
3 finishes (Reg)
2 finishes (Demi)
50 color choices (Reg)
27 color choices (Demi)
Inexpensive ($3-$7)
Online and In-Store
Very pigmented
Silky feeling
Long lasting

Cons:
Some fallout
Flaky glitter
Rough glitter

Side notes:
I have all but 4 regular eyeshadows: Buttercream, Hopeless Romantic, Innocence, and Wide Awake.
I have all but 10 "demi eyeshadows"
When I first purchased all of my shadows, there was no separation between regular and demi eyeshadows.
I have 24 eyeshadows that are "temporarily out of stock" online.

The regular shadows are currently on sale for $3 right now but usually sell for $7. You can buy them online here, or at your local Ulta.

The demi shadows are currently on sale for $3 right now but usually sell for $6. You can buy them online here, or at your local Ulta.

AVAILABLE ONLINE: REGULAR SHADOWS

Aztec Gold / Amethyst / Au Naturel / Bayou / Bermuda Sands

Bloom / Bone / Calla Lily / Camel / Eggplant

Elegance / Flutter / Galaxy / Glittering Sands / Gold Dust 

Gunmetal / Ice Queen / Iceland / In The Buff / Key West 

Lustre / Mink / Molten / Moonbeam / Mystique

Naked / Organza / Peacock / Pearl / Pink

Plum Smoke / Sable / Sage / Sandstone / Seashell

Silk / Social Climber / Stardust / Sterling / Tiara

Toast / Trendsetter / Truffle / Twilight / Yogurt / Zephyr

AVAILABLE ONLINE: DEMI SHADOWS

Going Green / Mimosa / Thrill Seeker / Honey Bee / Cherry Bomb

Mosaic / Electric Lights / Magic Hour / Wisteria Lane / Plum Noir / Milk Chocolate 

Love / Sapphire / Seaside / Verdigris / Deep Sea / Turquoise 

NOT AVAILABLE ONLINE

Sunkissed / Firework / Granite / Platinum / Glamazon / Sunburst 

Flirty / Mystical / Majesty / Cafe Ole / Cashmere / Brown Sugar 

Golden Olive / Rose Dusk / Chianti / Mint / After Hours / Mesmerize 

Complicated / Sin City / Shamrock / Rags To Riches / Copper Bronze / Envy