Reno Travel Guide

Today's post is going to be the first guest post I've shared. My friend Eric spent the summer in Reno for an internship so I asked him to share some of his favorite places to visit in a guest post.

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Hi everyone!

My name is Eric, and I’m a hometown friend of Mal’s. After spending my summer in Reno for an internship she has asked me to write on my experiences, my favorite places, and any recommendations that I may have. So here goes nothing.

Kings Beach

Reno was an ideal location for an internship for many reasons. It is conveniently located to other cities and it is home to University of Nevada Reno (about 25,000 students), so it was very easy to make friends and gives Reno a very ‘young-adult vibe’.

First off, TAHOE. Lake Tahoe is an easy 45-minute drive from Reno and where I spent most weekends. There are several cities around the lake, so it’s important to either enter from the north or the south. The north route takes you over Mt. Rose, which is beautiful in itself, into Incline Village, and the south route will take you through Carson City into Stateline/South Lake Tahoe.

Emerald Bay on the south shore

Because Tahoe is a popular winter destination, a lot of the towns around the lake are aimed at the skiing/snowboarding tourist populations. For that reason, the focus of the summer season is obviously the lake.

One beach that I would recommend is Zephyr Cove. It is a popular destination on holidays and weekends, especially for college students. Although alcohol and glass containers are prohibited, the scene is similar to a Florida party beach (especially during the 4^th of July). Another great beach is Chimney Beach. It’s on the east side of the lake and it is both family friendly and pet friendly. It is notorious for a standing chimney that remains from an old house. My favorite beach on Tahoe is certainly Kiva Beach. It is a popular dog beach and has the most beautiful view of Tahoe.

Sand Harbor

Kiva Beach 

Sand Harbor

Regardless of what beach you choose to visit I would definitely recommend researching parking options. Parking fills up very fast at beaches with lots, so having alternatives is necessary.

Within Reno there are several hiking trails, including my favorite, Hunter Creek Trail. It is a six mile (roundtrip) hike that ends at a beautiful waterfall! In the city I would also recommend visiting University Ridge Park, which overlooks the entire city. Every building downtown is illuminated with bright, colorful lights, making it a spectacular view.

Hunter Creek Trail 

One of the most appealing aspects of Reno is the nightlife. It is the main draw for tourists, considering the large amount of casinos and clubs. I’m glad to say that throughout my nightlife experiences in Reno I always felt safe and never had a reason to feel uneasy, although I can’t speak for everyone. I am not interested in gambling, so I cannot give advice on casinos, but the Peppermill Casino has a nightclub called EDGE, which is a higher-end club. Overall, I preferred to stay downtown. My favorite bars downtown are The Rack, Faces, Lincoln Lounge, Imperial, Five Star Saloon, and Our Bar. If you decide to go out, I’d certainly recommend taking Uber everywhere you go. Some streets are poorly lit, especially when you get further from downtown.

I didn’t broaden my palette too much this summer, but I definitely have a few food recommendations. First, I highly recommend brunch at chez louie. It is a small French bistro located in the first floor foyer in the Nevada Museum of Art. You can enjoy a nice breakfast, a few mimosas or Bloody Mary’s, and finish your afternoon exploring the museum. My favorite lunch locations were various Vietnamese restaurants. I’m a huge fan of pho, so Pho Cali and Golden Flower were two of my favorite lunch locations. An amazing dinner/evening location is The Eddy. It is an outdoor space with three bars and rotating food trucks. It’s an amazing location for socializing, and you can play jumbo Jenga, cornhole, or bocce with your friends. For late night options, I’d suggest either In-n-Out (duh) or Roberto’s, which is a 24-hour taco shop (perfect for late nights).

As I stated earlier, Reno is very conveniently located to other cities. This summer I was able to visit San Francisco a few times, Sacramento, and Los Angeles. I first went to San Francisco for SF Pride, and it is an easy 3-hour trip from Reno on I-80, which takes you through Sacramento. Not only is the drive to San Fran beautiful, but San Fran itself is spectacular. If you find yourself in Reno, make the drive to SF, even if it’s only for the day.

In addition, flights out of Reno to California cities are very affordable. I visited a friend in Los Angeles for five days, and my last minute plane ticket was about $200 on American Airlines. The flights from Reno to both Las Vegas and Los Angeles are only about an hour each, so it’s a very easy commute and well worth it.

At Griffith Observatory 

At the Getty 

Thanks for reading and comment down below if you have any Reno or Tahoe suggestions or recommendations. I'll be sharing another guest post with tips on obtaining internships and scholarships soon!

Eric

Dear College Freshman

Dear college freshman,


By now you've probably finished your first week of classes and you're probably thinking that you've entered the best time of your life. Well, you have. In a way, I'm so jealous of you because you have so much time left to live your best college life.  You have four years ahead of you, full of tailgates, night outs, and basketball games. You still have the opportunity to make new friends that you'll still have as a senior and hopefully after you graduate. So, I thought that I would write down a few words of advice for you. If you want any advice from a senior wishing she had more time on campus, keep reading.

Talk to those people next to you in class

I recommend sitting down in lecture and talking to at least one person next to you. This way, if you have to miss a class, you'll have someone to ask for the notes that you missed. Discussion sections may seem like the bane existence of your week, but trust me, if you make the effort to talk to those people sitting next you, you'll still be friends with them senior year. I met two of my closest friends in my freshman chemistry discussion, and I will never forget all of the good times we've had since then. (Plus you'll have friends  to study with when you really need someone to study with). Plus, the friends that I've made from class are the friends that I hang out with the most. Having friends that understand your need to study all of the time for exams and that also want to succeed will make your social life fuller because you'll probably be available at the same time.

Do not go home every weekend

Seriously, please don't be that person. If you live in-state or in the surrounding year, and you go home every weekend your freshman year, I guarantee your friends will probably have more fun than you. You'll be missing out on making new memories with friends and eventually you'll realize that those trips home every weekend were not worth it. If anything, make the most of your time in college.

Learn how to cook

If you don't know how to cook, you'll be living off of ramen, delivery, and mac and cheese once you have an apartment. Trust me, you don't want that. During the summer after your freshman year, ask your mom or grandma, or whoever cooks in your house to teach you a few things if you don't already know how. If you learn how to cook, your wallet will thank you for not going out every meal and your body will thank you for nourishing it with healthy food.

Get tickets for sports events

 At IU, basically all of the sporting events are free except for basketball and football. I usually buy a basketball/football ticket package when registering for fall classes so that I know I'll have seats for the home games. Especially if you love going to sporting events, I recommend looking into your school's ticket prices. However, only get the tickets if you plan on going to the games. Most student sections only have a certain amount of seats and if you purchase tickets and then don't go, there is someone else that could've had your seats if you hadn't purchased them. Also, check to see if your student section has group seating. If so, keep up to date on when the group seating opens and then create a group for all of your friends to join. This way you will all be sitting together.

Do not skip class

 I know that sometimes it is really rough to get out of bed and go to class, but I promise you, that you can make it to class. "I woke up later than expected" or "My alarm didn't go off" are not excuses when you have a phone with an alarm on it as well as access to stores that sell alarm clocks. If you want your professors and your peers to respect you, go to class. I also promise you that your professors notice when you don't show up, even when you think they don't. Set your alarm for every day during the weekend and don't turn it off. That way, if you have a long night out, or at the library, you can still make it to class on time.

Sit in the "T-zone"

Want to stay focused in class? Sit in the "T-zone". This zone includes the first few rows of the lecture hall and the middle of the lecture hall. The closer you sit to the front of the class, the less distracted you will be, and if you sit in the T-zone, your professor is more likely to see that you come to class. Plus, if you introduce yourself to your professor in either office hours or at the end of a lecture your professor may bump your grade up at the end of the year if he or she noticed that you were in lecture regularly. 

Attend office hours

Office hours are set times during the week that professors set aside so that students can come into their office or wherever they hold their office hours without having to make an appointment. These times are for your benefit. You can go in, meet your professor, ask questions about homework, tests, quizzes etc. Plus, if you get to know your professors through office hours, they are more likely to write you a letter of recommendation when you ask them. 

Do not wear a lanyard around your neck

Are you currently doing that on your way to class? If so, immediately take it off and put it in your backpack. This is not high school and you're not going to get detention from not wearing your ID on you. I guarantee everyone thinks you are nuts as you walk around campus.

Don't forget to workout

It is possible to avoid the freshman 15, and I wish I had avoided it. Odds are your school offers you free access to your campus rec center in your tuition. For example, I think about $77 of my tuition at IU goes to access to our campus cardio and strength gyms, group exercises, pools, and tracks. I didn't take advantage of this freshman year and I gained at least 15 pounds. So, take advantage of something that you already pay for.

Join clubs

Please, if you do one thing, join at least two clubs. Maybe join a sport club and a professional club or maybe a club for helping care for dogs. Grab some friends and join some clubs. Plus, most call out meetings have free pizza, which is always a bonus. If you haven't gone through recruitment yet, start thinking about whether you want to join Greek life. I'm personally in Phi Mu, Physical Therapy Club,   CHAARG, and Future of Human Biology.

Lastly, I've collected list of things that I want to tell you that I think don't need to be explained:

1. Tailgate, but tailgate safely. 
2. Do not walk in front of a campus vehicle even if you really want your tuition paid for.
3. Study a little bit everyday so that you're not behind when it comes to exam time. 
4. Explore your college town with friends.
5. Call or FaceTime your family and friends from home.
6. Actually visit the health center when you're sick.
7. Do carry pepper spray if you're walking alone at night.
8. Do not listen to your music if you're walking alone at night.
9. Don't just hang out with the same three people.
10. Get numbers from at least one person in a class for when you miss class and need notes.
11. Go to local concerts.
12. Go to the local farmers markets.
13. Realize that you've started the best four years of your life.

Sincerely, 

A senior that's jealous that you still have four years left  

If you have any other advice for college freshman comment below! 

Currently Loving Vol. 05

Currently Loving

Dress (Umgee, similar) | Shoes | Purse 

I went to our local winery with my mom for wine slushies last night before dinner and I wore this dress. I am obsessed. T-shirt dresses are a staple in my wardrobe, so when I saw this one I knew that I had to pick it up. See it on Instagram, here.

Currently Reading:

So I'm still reading The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, but I plan on finishing it today so I can read the two library books that I checked out before they are due.

Next:

Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis
Argo by Antonio J. Mendez

Books finished this summer: 19

I honestly can't believe that I've read 19 books this summer. My goal is to read 26, but I don't think that is going to happen by the time senior year starts.


Currently Listening to:

Some of my favorite artists released new music yesterday and while listening to those releases, a few more songs caught my eye. Check out my new music picks below.

ICYMI This week:

• I shared my favorite stationary on Monday 
• I shared five things college students can do now to get ready for school. 

Is there something that you want to see on in blog post or in a 'Currently Loving'? Comment below! 

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Five Things To Do Before School Starts

First, it's Miracle Treat Day! Make sure to stop by your local Dairy Queen today, July 27th, in support of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals! Your purchase of a blizzard goes to providing children at CMNH hospitals the care and treatment that they deserve. CMNH is very important to me as many of my friends have had siblings who are Riley kids.  I've been involved with Riley Hospital for Children (Indiana's CMNH) through dance marathons (high school and college) and through my sorority, Phi Mu.

Now to the point of the post:

I know what you're thinking, "A back to school post when it's not even August?". YES!

These are five things that you can do now that won't have you dreading class and will help you start out the year organized.


1. Purge your closet

Clean out your closet, including shoes and jewelry, and then divide things that you don't want into trash, donation, and sell piles. I sell my clothes to Plato's Closet and Poshmark. Selling your clothes will also give you spending money for the upcoming school year.

Tip: If you sell to Plato's, look up your local store to see what pieces they're really wanting at the moment. They'll be more likely to take those pieces. 

2. Purge your room 

This can be good for two things. One, you can find things that you want to take to your dorm or apartment. Secondly, you can figure out what you really don't need anymore. I always clean out my nightstands before I go back to school (somehow an abundance of chocolate and cough drop wrappers end up in a drawer) to find chargers that I need to take and to just organize everything that is in there.

3. Set up your planner

Setting up your planner before you move in can save you from forgetting about events and can save you from the hassle of rescheduling.

Tip: Color code classes, clubs, work, social, fitness, etc. 

4. Order your textbooks

I know a lot of people wait until classes start to get their textbooks, but I recommend ordering them before hand because you can always return them within a week of picking them up. If you order them before school starts, you'll have your books that you need just in case they go out of stock. You never know when your professor is going to assign an important reading.

Also, ask friends who may have had the same professor before if the textbook is that important. If it isn't, then maybe wait until class starts to determine whether you want to purchase or rent the book instead.When ordering your textbooks, make sure to compare prices. I usually order mine from Amazon or my campus TIS because of how easy it is. I'm not a huge fan of Chegg, but if you like it, use it.

Tip: Save money by ordering used books (or by renting). 

5. Make a playlist for walking to class 

I always make a playlist for walking to class. I think that's important to have just the right kind of music on right before you walk into a boring hour long lecture. I'll be posting my back to school playlist in August before I move into my apartment.

Grab a blizzard and get some work done before school starts!

Shop this post: 

         

     

Snail Mail Stationary

I love sending cards to my friends. I have two friends that I regularly send post cards and cards, sometimes just to say what I did that day. I think our generation has gotten too caught up in our social media or how easy it is to send a text instead of sitting down and writing a message. Today I'm sharing some of my favorite pieces of stationary, take a look.

A lot of my stationary is Rifle Paper Co. because I'm obsessed with the cute patterns. I usually get these from a local boutique called Elysian Co. I found two cute packs of cards from the brand Papyrus at my local Meijer and I just had to have them! These two packs are the cards with bikes on them and the cards with quotes!

Snail mail can be fun, if you use the right stationary!

My two favorite. This Isaiah verse is one of my favorite verses. 

My favorite Rifle Paper Co. Cards

Robot Set | Global Greetings | Set of Happy cards | Parisian Card Set | Muchas Gracias 

Currently Loving Vol. 04

This post contains affiliate links. Hoosier State of Prep may receive compensation if you click on certain items. 

Currently Loving 

I picked up Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend while I was in Kansas City and I have been using it on avocados and yesterday I used in in the egg in the hole that I made. 

I purchased the Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette and I am so excited to try out some looks with it. It's been too hot (and humid) this week so I haven't been wearing much makeup. 

Currently Reading 

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

Currently Up Next on My Shelf 

Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis
Argo by Antonio J. Mendez

Currently looking for apartment decor

I've purchased my new desk, nightstand, and bathroom accessories, but I still need to buy some little decorations for my apartment. Here are some decorations that I'm looking at. 

         

        

Currently thinking of renaming 'Hoosier State of Prep'

So big news, I'm thinking about renaming Hoosier State of Prep, but I can't think of a new name. All I know is that I don't the new name to include 'Prep', but I do want it to include my name. If you have any ideas, email me at hoosiersstateofprep@gmail.com or DM me on Instagram. 

ICYMI

I shared a dupe for the 'it' summer bag by Cult Gaia 

and 

I shared my weekly fitness routine plus my favorite nutrition bars

Is there something that you want to see on in blog post or in a 'Currently Loving'? Comment below! 

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Fitness Routine + Go-To Snacks

This summer I'm focusing my fitness routine back to a schedule while supplementing it with more plant based meals along with quick, easy snacks.

My summer fitness routine is somewhat similar to my routine at school, but I've added in workout classes from my favorite local gym. At school I try to workout 5-6 days a week depending on school work load. I switch between arms, legs, full body, and cardio while supplementing with HIIT, body barre, rowing, and Zumba. 

Here's a basic run down of my weekly fitness routine:

Monday: 3 mile walk + Dance Fuzion + Barre

Tuesday: 3 mile walk with sprint intervals + Arms

Wednesday: 3 mile walk + Dance Fuzion

Thursday: 3 mile walk +  Legs

Friday: 3 mile walk + HIIT or Fully Body Workouts 

Saturday: Rest

Sunday: Rest 

It works better for me to rest on the weekend because my parents and I are always on-the-go on the weekends.  I use 8 pounds for my heavy weights and 4 pounds for my light weights. 

During my workouts, I track my steps and activity with my FitBit and use the app CharityMiles so that my miles can go to donating money to a charity of my choice. I personally have my app set to donate to charity:water. 

Go-To Snacks 

During high school my go-to pre(and post)-tennis match snacks were Luna and Clif bars, but I started looking for more options once I got to college. Since I've been in college, I've added three more healthy snack bars to my snack bin. More often than not, I grab a nutrition bar for a quick breakfast on the go.

1. The RXBAR 

What I love about the RXBAR is that the bars don't have any filler. What you see on the wrapper is what you get, and the bars are delicious. With no added sugars, preservatives, dairy, soy, or gluten, it's basically what every one is wanting right now. I'm not dairy or gluten free, but I appreciate the care that goes into these bars to make sure that only healthy products go into the bar. I've been trying to limit the amount of dairy I'm intaking so these bars are right up my alley. My favorite bars are the Chocolate Sea Salt and the Peanut Butter Chocolate.

2. GoMacro

A new addition to my bin. Some of the friends that I've made in CHAARG recommended GoMacro to me after having them at the national leadership retreat. So, I decided I had to try them out. GoMacro is a sustainable living company that makes nutrition bars that are vegan, organic, R.A.W, C.L.E.A.N, kosher, and non-GMO. I was sold on the non-GMO and organic, but I also love that there are no refined sugar either! I know a lot of vegans have talked about having issues finding nutrition bars, but I recommend checking these out. Check out these nutrition bars, here. 

 My local store only had the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, but I visited Fresh Market this weekend and hit the mother load so I stocked up! I'm so excited to try the rest of these flavors.

3. LARABAR

What I like: gluten free and only have 9 ingredients (or less). Honestly I just really love the flavors available. 

Comment what kind of workouts you do and what kind of snacks you eat before or after your workout.