College Supply Organizer: Using JanSport Digital Pouch

Of course I'm doing another College related post, but hey going to College consumes 85% of my life. This semester, being the first semester I'm at a actual University I will be spending a lot of time there. So I need to make sure I have everything I'll need through out the day. 

This is the JanSport Digital Pouch or as the tag says "Pixel Pouch Gryrbbitsylvd" online as "Pixel Accessory Pouch". I bought mine at Academy for $14.99 online at Jansport.com its $18.
This is the front side

This is the back side with a zipper pocket. 

The inside comes with three stretch mesh pockets, a mesh zipper pocket, expandable pocket, and pen pocket in the center. 

This is everything I hope to get in it. 

1. My ear plugs that came with my iPhone 6 in an cool case.

2. Different sizes of post it notes.

3. A mini stapler

4. Paper clips (I ended up only using the big paper clip. 

5. iPad charger

6. My Livescribe 3 Smartpen Pro Edition which you can look at here. I'll be doing a review over this soon. Although I will point out because I'll be taking most of my notes with this pen, the other pens I have are limited. 

7. A flash drive from my community college I went to.

8. I have the Sharpie Clear View Highlighters, you can get here.

I have a regular sharpie.

Pilot G-2 Retractable Gel-Ink Pens, I couldn't find the ones with the cool design but these are the same type. 

And last, my Zebra Pen, this is the BEST pen. It writes amazing. You can get it here. 

9. I have Bic Whiteout Tape 

10. My Zebra Pencil, lead, and a Pentel Clic Eraser. 

Here it is full of everything. I didn't put the black Pilot pen or the regular paper clips.
I found I didn't need them. But everything fits pretty well.

The side pocket holds my highlighters, pen, pencil, and eraser. 

This is with everything in it and zipped up. Its a little bulky but it holds everything I'll need for supplies. 

So how do you organize or carry your school supplies? 

Leave any questions you may have...

Thanks! 

My Goal For Myself!

I just turned the big 21! Party! No, not even close actually I'm not the party type.

But I decided this was when I was going to change and actually SAVE MONEY! Those words together is something I haven't been able to put together. I love food, clothes, and make up. I mean what girl doesn't. I applied for a credit card and well I'm starting to think its was a BAD idea.

Though I'm not going to give up, I'm going to get my self together pay off my bill and learn to control myself. Because my goal is to

1. Save 75% of my checks
2. Only buy stuff when I need it
-small bills (I still live at home)
-pads
-contact solution
-hair products
-face wash
-medicine
-food for work on friday nights
-every day essentials I have to have

3. I don't plan on buy anything because I think I have to have it.---Will see how well this works! For this is my biggest problem!
4. I want to be smart about the things I do buy
-go to thrift stores
-use things I already have


5. And most importantly saving $10,000 in the next year! That doesn't seem like a lot but I'm a full time college student and work 25 hours a week at a restaurant (and I'm not a server). My boyfriend however works a way better job and he's checks will be paying/ going towards the saving account for our future house. My contribution will be more towards furniture and appliances.


So fingers crossed I can do it. And leave comments for any advice.

College Help: Tips to get you through your first semester

When it came to my first semester of college I was terrified, I thought I was going to get lost, get over my head, or worst even drop out. 

But, I made it, I'm getting ready to start my 6th semester of college and I've learned a lot about how to stay organized, stay calm, and get a 3.8 GPA! 

So what are my tips well…

1. Go check out the school you'll be going to. Whether that be a tour, or just going to walk around on open house. Getting to see where all your classes are will help calm your nervous.

-If the school website offers a map print it out and use that (when I go to my university I'll probably do that) 

2. Invest in a good backpack, you'll be carrying a lot around and you don't want your back to be hurting. This site is a great place to hunt down the perfect backpack for you. 

3. Get a laptop or tablet, I can't begin to tell you how important this is. Some colleges do have computer rooms but not all are always available. Heck some even let you rent a laptop or tablet for the semester. Buying a laptop or tablet really depends on the your personal perspective. I use this one and I love it. 

4. Always have your computer set up with the right software such as 

    a. Microsoft Word  this lets you make PowerPoint, word documents, and excel all that you'll need for    college classes 

    b. At least two kind of search engines (safari, Google chrome, etc) I don't no if this will work for none Mac computers, but I say this because some of my power points and word documents wouldn't open on certain search engines. 

    c. Evernote this has been a life saver for me in college. I can scan my notes into my computer into my Evernote account and search my notes. Yes, you read right search my notes. It's incredible. Also I just got a email this morning, saying you can buy a pen to write with on your iPad/iPhone and it syncs to your Evernote account. I'm thinking save some trees and go this direction.  

   

5. Get a good planner one that has everything you need. These are really good one 

• PlumPaperDesign Here you can pick your front cover, add your name and whether you want the classes inserted in or blank. This is my personal planner and I love it each class has it's own box and it's so organized.

• 

  I love this design so much 

  

  This is what the blank classes look like I do recommend this because college classes change every semester.

  
   
• Erin Condren Life Planner a little on the expensive side but well worth it. The only reason I picked the PlumPaper was because of the classes. But Erin Condren Planners have a pencil couch, stickers and really awesome accessories. 
• Target also has really cute planners 

6. My favorite part school supplies, in college its really all about how organized you are. Now I know everyone has their own way of doing things, but this is the way I've found works well for me. 

• Have a separate notebook for every class (I am actually combining two classes in a 5 subject notebook this semester) I like this method because I no all my notes/ homework are in one place. 
• Have a "Home" for everything. I use Flex fives star folders (I recommend the 2 inch one) they have individual pockets. I use my label maker and each class has their own tab so now I have a place for Homework, Important and just to store all that extra paperwork. 

• Use something to hold all your pencils and post it etc. I use this and love it, its holds all my things post it, pens, white out, stapler, pens, pencils. 

• But I also found in a YouTube video that, you buy this and put it throw the flex folder (the rings open up) and store everything here. I myself am going to try this, this semester and see how much I like it. 
  

• Have something to store everything in after the semester is over. I use three ring binders and have them organized into subject, but I'm getting close to ten of those. So I'll probably go to a normal plastic bin.
• Find a good pen to take notes with I use two

 
I love these pens. The Bic one has four colors light colors the other one has dark colors. I love these because it's easier to change up your color coding when taking notes.
The Sharpie pens write amazing there smooth and don't bleed through the paper. I honestly can say the Sharpie pens are my favorite.

• The best notebooks are the five star ones I can't find a better one. 

7. The number one thing every college student needs to master is, Note Taking Skills  This part is very important because it's how you study (most of the time). My tips are mainly to write with good hand writing, use color coding, highlighters, and use the Cornell system it just has a good layout to find things later. 

http://we-get-shit-done.tumblr.com

*Honestly every class I take notes differently: If they have notes up on the board I write in the Cornell, if its just lecture I literally just write and hope to stay caught up, or I read the chapter ahead of time and t write my own notes (in the Cornell) and when I get to class I add to the notes as the teacher talks. The read chapter before has really worked for me.

8. Now, for the most important things I could share with you as a first time college student is simply.

1. Don't stress- there is simply no reason to (I no its easier said then done) but if you take good notes study at least 45 minutes a day prier to the big test you'll be fine.
2. DON'T CRAM: Your in college, therefore; everything you're reading/ studying will come back to help you. Especially if it's your major class. Actually study what your reading. 
3. Get a tutor. I plan on getting one this semester because I'm going into a harder math class and I HATE MATH!   
4. Keep everything I no seems a little over board but it really does help. I've gone and looked at my old papers to help me remember the layout. I've even used my old assignments to help me with others. 
5. Keep your major classes, I'm a elementary education major so all of my elementary classes I've kept everything. 
6. Take time in-between studying. Don't just study for a solid hour without a break you'll probably burn yourself out and you still have another five hours of studying to do. What I do is study for about 45 minute then get up and walk around.
7. Don't get on social site, YouTube, or Pinterest in-between your breaks you'll get side tracked and forget to study. 
8. Be organized.
9. Have a certain spot to study, my first semester I studied on my bed and it was a bad decision. At night I couldn't go to sleep, my mind was constantly running. So I bought a desk and now I sleep way better because my bed is for sleeping not for studying.
10. You'll change your mind, not even kidding. When you get to college some people know what their going for others not at all. So if you get two semester or even years in and change your mind, that's fine change it. It's whats best for you. I was going to college for Physical Therapy then I got one semester in and changed my major to Elementary Education. I can tell you I'm a lot happier with my decision to change and my family thought it was a better choice also. Update: I've actually changed my major again, I'm doing child psychology. And I'm really excited. But I'm one semester away from graduating with my associates in teaching so I'm cramming my last semester and I'll be graduating with two associate degrees in May 2015. I'M VERY EXCITED! 

Well, I hope my advice helps I'm not an expert at all but I have had my share of college struggles. So keep your head up, study hard and make some friends. 

Have extra advice then leave a comment. 

My College Experience/ Survival Tips

I am a sophomore in college on my fourth semester, so I've had my share of college experience.

I can say one thing I'm going to a community college; therefore I'm use to the SMALL college environment.

Why I go to a community college?

      I got a scholarship called A+  the summary is you get TWO free years at a community college with in your state.

Some basic things about it are:

•   It only last four years AFTER you finish high school

•   You have to keep a 2.5 GPA at all times 

•   Fail a class you get put on a academic probation

•   You only pay for books 

I don't know if it’s available to each state. 

But, anyways on to my college experience-

Lets just start off by saying I was scared to death to go to college, like crying and shaking scared. The sad part is the college I go to is about the size of a Walgreens (not even joking- there actually rebuilding a new one right now). So being scared was funny at least to my boyfriend. 

Being scared is okay though, it something new and COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THEN HIGH SCHOOL.

 The first day I was going to school to become a Physical Therapist, I was taking basic classes to start off with, then my anatomy and physiology class. After two weeks I wasn't happy with my major anymore and did a completely 360 (well to me it was) and changed my major to Elementary/ Early Childhood Education. So after that decision I was set and went on about my first semester. The first day I made friends I has 3 classes with them so we just stayed together. 

The things I learned,

1.Don't buy any schools supplies till YOU GET TO CLASS, and then ask what they think you'll need.  (I buy everything before hand and had way to much left over)

2. Buy a big planner see here for what I mean. A planner will be your life savor in college literally. The big planner it's a lot easier to write all my classes stuff on instead of cramming it on a little one. 

3.Get an email if you don't have one, sometime the college gives you one but I don't always use that one. 

4.Buy your books before the first day of class- it's crazy the first day so avoid it 

5.Were you sit the first day usually is where you are ALL semester long/ the people around you become your lab partners PICK WISELY! I always pick up close to the front and toward the end of the table you can see all the notes better (yes I no teachers pet but I get side tract really easy if I'm not up front). 

6.Make a least one friend in each class- you need to make one friend to be able to email, Facebook, text and get information if you miss a day. I say this because I am a keep to myself and don't talk much unless it's to the instructor. (Some of my instructors will email what went on in class that day if you email them saying you can't make it. 

7.Don't expect to miss EVERY single day of class then show up for finals YOU WILL NOT PASS! Most people who do this I never see again. Remember it’s a small college you'll see everyone once or twice. 

8.Have a study plan; break days up to study for curtain classes. What I do is complete things as they are due 

   Example: If I have math due on Tuesday then I’m not going to work on the history I have due Thursday. Finish things, as they are due first.

     9. Learn to get sleep. The whole stay up all night and study crap doesn't work! I actually heard of a study, people who study then went to bed at a decent time did better on test. Then those who study and stayed up all night did worse. 

    10. Find a place to study- this place will be where you are always going to go to study. My example I studied in my bed for a whole semester then I found my self not being able to sleep at night because my bed was for studying not sleeping. So I bought a desk and started studying there it made a big difference. I really did. 

    11. And the last but best advice I can give (as of right now) is each instructor should (might) give a syllabus  Spring 2014 Course Schedule this will be your best friend through college.

•   I have a teacher who gives a week-by-week guide to what to expect.

•   I also have teachers who give you stuff each day so it’s important to show up to these classes. 

College is something everyone should get to experience I know its not always possible but don't think you can't ever go back because you can. And never give up! Get through those test, essays, and math assignments. I promise when you start check marking off the classes and get closer to your degree it makes all those rough day worth it.