Surviving Spring Dead Week

Dead Week: True or False?

• The week before finals that where you only review in classes and have endless amounts of free time to study and nothing is due. 
• FALSE

For me there is nothing 'dead' about dead week. Tomorrow I have my first final and a final essay due. Thank you for adding to my anxiety professors, really. This week I've spent my time studying in Starbucks around campus and trying to avoid the crowded library at all costs. Also, if you wonder why I'll be sporting a hunched back for the next few weeks, you can talk to my full backpack. So here are my tips to surviving Dead Week.

• Have all materials with you.
• Avoid going back to your room by having everything you need to study that day with you. This will help you avoid going back to your room and sitting on your bed watching Netflix. 
• Don't buy new materials.
• Use all of the pens and notecards you have in your room. I have at least 30 pens and 10 highlighters that I could use within the next two weeks. This will save you money and time, not to mention space when you move out and go home.
• Study smart.
• Color block whatever you're studying. Do not use the same color for the whole page because you'll begin to just stare at the page. I got this advice from my favorite professor!
• Do not make notecards for classes like psychology because everything works together and these notecards could lead to forgetting important parts of the main ideas. 

• Take study breaks.
• Watch one short episode on Netflix or check out unread blog posts!
• Relax
• At the end of the day, if you're stressed now, you'll be stressed during finals. Stop calculating your grades and start studying. Hang out with friends. Go get ice cream with friends. Do anything to get your mind off of the grades that you 'have' to get to get the grade you want. Overthinking will not help you know!
• PS I've already gotten ice cream with my friends twice this week and cookies! 

As for study materials, here is what I take with me to study:

Backpack: Filled with a binder, folders, blank paper, chargers, and books. 

Laptop: Have to write that essay on something, right?

Pens: I love using Staedtler pens to study to give my notes some pop of color

Pecans, oven roasted by my Nana. 

Study hard and finish strong my friends

What's the Matcha With You?

Thank you Starbucks for introducing me to a drink that is cheap, healthy, and delicious: Matcha Water. For just $0.89 I can get a Venti Matcha water with two scoops of matcha. 

For those of you who have no idea what matcha water is, think of it as an iced green tea latte without the milk. Personally, I don't think green tea and milk should be mixed, so matcha water is thing green tea drink for me. So what is matcha?

Matcha is a concentrated form of green tea that is a traditional Japanese tea and is full of antioxidants with a ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) of 1,440, which is higher than those special super foods that we all like to consume. 

Now for those of you who don't care about ORAC levels (I don't either, just thought it was an interesting fact), here are some of the amazing benefits of drinking matcha:

• Relaxation of the mind to increase awareness and focus (perfect for those finals study sessions, am I right?)
• Induces apoptosis aka promotes the death of those cancerous cells in your body
• Improves breath
• Improves skin
• Increases metabolism (to help drop the Freshman 15 we all refuse to admit we gained)
• Bye, bye hangovers (perfect for post Little 500, IU friends)
• Cheap, so so cheap! A venti with two scoops is just $0.89!!

I'm on my second venti matcha of the day, but no regrets here! 

I recommend trying matcha water in a grande with one scoop before going all in for the venti with two! Also, make sure you mix the drink before you drink to avoid drinking clumps of matcha!

Information Obtained from Elite Daily

Little 500

Little 500, it's the greatest college weekend in America. Ask any IU student, any student that visits, and even Urban Dictionary. 

As a IU freshman, Little 500 is what everyone talks about as the epitome of IU. The hype is there, but it's just not partying: it's bike races. Women and men from all over campus train all year long to compete in 100 laps around a track. It can be compared to the Indy 500 on a much smaller scale. Before the races, there are the parties that lead up to the races. 

It's a week full of partying for most, but for some, like myself, you wait until you're done with most responsibilities and for your birthday. This week was full of fun and excitement and I can't wait for next year. Also, my ankle was sacrificed this weekend. Happy sprained ankle #7 or something like that to me. 


Here are some photos and videos from the week:

Capri Suns are the way to go to the beach 

Women's Race Day

The send off for our amazing bikers

Congrats Kappa Alpha Theta for winning!

Today (Sunday) is the last day of Little 500 and it's time for the men's race!

Men's Race

Congrats to the men of Sigma Phi Epsilon on winning the men's race! 

Even though the Women's race of Little 500 was fun, the IU community was struck last night by the murder of a senior. However, through tragedy IU has been able to rally and be there for her sisters of her sorority. Please I ask all of you, when and if you go out, use the buddy system and never go anywhere alone! 

Everyone be safe this weekend, finish the semester strong, and leave IU's campus if you don't go here.

Birthday Recap

Am I really 19? Well according to the people that keep asking me if I feel 19, yes I am. 

The hard part about having a birthday is people can wish me happy birthday like my dad did, "Happy Earth Day! I mean birthday. Well what about both?" Okay great dad, thanks, really. 

I spent my birthday going to classes and then went to dinner with some of my sisters and friends where my parents surprised me with balloons, talk about embarrassing! I am a lover of Italian food so of course we went to the Italian restaurant on the square for dinner! 

Here's a recap in photos:

Watch out for a Little 500 post tonight or tomorrow!

Mainly Monday

1. PHA Chapter of Excellence 

If you follow me on Tumblr, you would have seen a screenshot of a tweet saying that Phi Mu Delta Alpha Chapter won PHA Chapter of Excellence, out of 22 PHA chapters,  for the second consecutive year last night! I am so proud to be a sister of such as great chapter and sisterhood. As my pledge class didn't have any affect on this award, I can only hope that we win the award again next year. It was a wonderful surprise to hear it announced! Happy Mu Monday to all of my wonderful sisters, I'm so happy to be party of an amazing sisterhood!

2. Cousin It for a day

I'm hoping you all know who Cousin It is, and if you don't, shame on you and your cow or something like that. I forgot my hair clip and hair tie in my room today so my hair has been in my face all day long! I resemble this, but not as cool: 

photo 

3. Almost out of here

There's only three weeks of school left, including finals week and I can't wait to be home. However there are a few things that I'm looking forward to for the rest of the semester:

My 19th birthday

Little 500

Sisterhood Retreat 

Let's just hope it stops raining sometime this week. I am so tired of dodging worms on the sidewalk on the way to class!

Have a great Monday everyone! 

So Philanthropic

Every person has some stereotype about Greek Life that they feel like defines the whole system. Sadly, philanthropy is something that most people over look. I'm amazed the things that I over hear on campus and even more amazed at the fact that none of my friends from home wanted to attend Phi Mu's philanthropy benefiting Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, specifically Riley Children's Hospital, because they thought it was just for show. 

Riley's is a very important hospital in the state of Indiana and once you're a Riley kid, you're one for life. I'm not a Riley kid, but a few of my close friends have been closely affected by Riley's. 

So Saturday, April 18th, Phi Mu hosted Bonnamu, a philanthropic event. Think Bonnaru, Lolla, or Outside Lands on a much smaller scale in a backyard with local artists. Bonnamu featured six music acts along with local grilled cheese food truck that offered a free sandwich with the purchase of a ticket. The total raised has not been released yet, but it's estimated to be somewhere around $7000 raised for Children's Miracle Network! 

Check out some of the pictures from today:

So philanthropic, much fun, very sunburnt

Act of Kindness

Being away at school, I miss the little acts of kindness that happen at home. Even though I'm still in Indiana, mannerisms are completely different. Guys don't open doors for you unless you're right behind them. No one says thank you. And when I hold the door open for people, they seem genuinely surprised. 

My PC tries to do at least two acts of kindness one Wednesdays (when we wear our letters). It's nice to do acts of kindness to remind people that are still nice people out there. 

What are some nice things that you can do during your day? 

Mom's Weekend 2015

Quote of the night: "Wait, you mean the party starts at 10:15? I thought it ended at 10:15!" - Mom

Well, it's official, I know who I get my awkward party dance moves from. I got'em from my momma. 

This weekend was Phi Mu's Mom's Weekend that began on Friday with a meet and greet at the house. I'm positive my mom was happy to finally meet all of my friends that I am always talking about and their moms.  Isn't the Mom's Weekend banner cute?

Saturday morning we went to Wine and Canvas with some sisters and their mommas to attempt a ridiculously hard painting. And no, despite how messy I can be, I did not get paint on my sweatshirt. 

Then Saturday we had our Mom's Weekend banquet to raise money for our Little 500 bike team. Sadly I didn't win the coveted parking spot at the house so it looks like I'll be parking my car on the street (insert crying emoji). Here are some pictures from the country club that it was held at: 

3/4 of my Greek am

Cara and Lakin, as we recreate a picture from formal

Momma and I 

90% of the time we're laughing at something I did. 

Always the awkwardly tall friend, never the short one. 

Dress from American Eagle and kimono from Urban Outfitters

And last but not least, my mom went out past her curfew and danced to music she knows.

"I really like the pledge pick up. Especially when they're cute" 

Mostly commonly said thing to my mom- "OMG is that a Lilly shirt" 

Okay Momma, you need to chill, you're married. 

If you need me, I'll be dancing to Superstition and Uptown Funk. 

Easter Weekend Adventure

Happy Easter everyone! I came home for Easter and got to spend Saturday with two of my best friends from home, Ramie and Eric. We went shopping and then went on a little adventure to use the selfie stick that I got from American Eagle! Yes, I said American Eagle. Since I spent over $75, I got a selfie stick with my purchase. I'd say that was the best purchase I've ever made there! If you're looking for t-shirt swing dresses, head to AE because they have quite a few! 

First, I came home to a lovely Easter basket from my parents complete with my next read, The Girl on the Train, and a Russel Stover Cookie Dough Egg (please please please try one), among other things.  Friday night my parents and I went to my favorite restaurant in town to find out that they stopped serving sushi. I literally cried in the restaurant, I'm fine, really. Now I'll just eat their crudo instead. At least they kept my favorite entree on the menu. Yay for Gunthorp chicken pasta and gorgonzola cheese! 

Saturday Ramie, Eric, and I headed for a little road trip to go shopping and lunch. Below are the pictures that we took with the selfie stick. Can you tell that we were having a little too much fun? Also, it might not be a good idea to walk in the mud with white shoes on (cough, cough that was me). This blog post is mostly pictures, don't hate me. 

Meet my friends, Eric and Ramie!

My car was not in motion, I promise. 

I swear my hair has a mind of it's own. 

Now an exploration wouldn't be complete without some outfit of the day shots:

Eric's OOTD: Polo, American Eagle belt, Shorts from JC Penny, and Polo Ralph Lauren shoes. 

Also, Eric found a Vineyard Vines button up at TJ Maxx for $40 so he wins the purchase of the day. 

My OOTD: AE Skinny Jeans, Piko top, Sperry shoes, Splendid Cardigan 

Complete with an iced green tea from Starbs and my car keys!

Confession: I bought this sweater Saturday because I was cold. It's available in this ivory color (on sale) , black, and gray from Vonmaur. 

And I forgot to get Ramie's outfit, don't worry Ramie, ily. 

I'm sure there will be more posts with those two and many more of my friends. Until then, keep on, keepin' on. 

PS: Am I really me if I don't have Starbucks (and my car keychain) in my hand?