21 before 21: Make a Post Graduate Decision

5. Make a post-graduate decision.

I can't cross this one off yet, but it's been on my mind a lot lately.  I have four options, and now it's about deciding which is the best fit for me and my future, wherever it may take me.  Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of time to think.  I'm already interviewing for summer internships, and those could lead to job offers as early as next August. I would have to take the LSAT next June in order to apply to the schools I am interested in, which means an LSAT preparedness class in Spring.  I am trying to get my goals aligned so I know what I am working towards.

1.  Law School:  This summer, I was set on law school.  I didn't feel as into retail as I used to be, and law is something that I've always pondered--it was my 5 year old grown up dream, believe it or not!  Law is something I know I could do well, and would give me something to do if I don't get a job offer out of undergrad.  It's also a way to do something that matters (I won't be writing contracts for corporations, that's for sure).  
2. Merchandising: The retail college is geared toward jobs in merchandising.  I could work for a large company like Macy's as a buyer, planner or merchandise analyst.  While I think  I could be successful and satisfied in merchandising, I'm turned off by the idea of corporate culture and very little room for creativity.  Of course, these are outside perspectives.  I am hoping to snag a summer internship in the field  so I can get some hands on experience and make a better informed decision.  
3. My Own Store: This is probably the most exciting dream of mine.  I have so many ideas for several stores, including exclusive lines, events and product offerings that I think could make my stores unique.  I have a strong desire to work for myself and build something up from scratch.  Unfortunately, this takes a whole lot of capital and personal risk.  I don't think it's something I could do at 22 with a Bachelor's Degree and no income.  
4. MBA: I know for sure it's one or the other: I am definitely continuing my education at some point.  A company's tuition reimbursement program is really important to me, because I'd like to know that my higher education pursuits are supported.  I also think it could be extremely beneficial for me to have an MBA to run my small business.  

I will accept any votes or opinions you have on the subject, y'all, because I truly have no idea at this point.

Style Icons: Lauren Conrad

You may know her as reality good-girl from The Hills, or from her LC by Lauren Conrad or Paper Crown fashion lines.  It's no secret that I love Miss Conrad.  I envy her effortlessly feminine style & her (current) professional life as an author, designer, and professional blogger.  I'm an avid follower of both thebeautydepartment and her website, where I've found some extremely useful beauty and fashion advice.  I think she has a lot of confidence in her styling and girlfran knows what looks good on her.  She is my go-to for everyday casual inspiration.

Her style is very California feminine, a chic mix of casual and girly pieces.  She always looks well put together in an this-only-took-me-5-minutes way, though I'm sure it absolutely does not.  

 It's amazing how much she inspires my everyday styling.  Take, for example, the fact that I never wear headbands/scarves.  A week into re-living Lauren vs. Heidi, I'm wearing headscarves like it's nobody's business.  I'm also hooked on playing with hair a lot more, trying to incorporate some LC favorites like boho waves or braids.  

Stayed tuned: I am planning on featuring a favorite style icon/inspiration each month :)

 xoxo,

Internship, Week 2

This week I started my first regular work week {working 12-5 Monday and Friday} and I am insanely exhausted, but I totally love it.  I had a ton of open space in my schedule that this internship has now filled, so I've been scrambling to make time for my classes and piles of homework.  {I'm even putting off a class until next semester and bringing my 18 credits down to a manageable 15...eek}

Monday I:

+continued my therapist search, though we have widened it to occupational and play therapists now, which makes my job a little easier

+met the sales and marketing director (and her new baby!) and the woman in charge of product development in a long strategy meeting, which was an absolute blast.  Dr. Fox told me after that it's so important to him to have a relaxed, fun atmosphere at PlayAbility, and so his goal is to make meetings a hoot, and it really was.

+learned about a plethora of new projects for interns, and I get to have my pick of 'em!

+sat in on a meeting with the media arts intern and the man in charge of our website, which was really interesting in terms of how the site can improve.

+talked to my boss about Project Runway.  Jealous?

Friday I:

+got my first real project assignment.  They have decided to put each intern in charge of a market segment, learn everything they can about that market segment, specifically the wants and needs in toys, and develop a strategy to sell to this market.  I am in charge of autism and ADHD.  

+began some research research research!  First I just compiled the basics on autism as a reference, but through these sites I found communities and blogs and other special needs toy sellers.  Also more therapists for the previous project I had been working on.  

This market segment project is a HUGE deal.  There is so much to do! After the research stage, which will take awhile, we are going to draft some posts or emails to these bloggers and communities.  When I say we, I mean interns.  We really decide what to say and the uppers will help us revise.  It's incredibly exciting :)

Well...

I didn't get a puppy.  I kind of panicked when discussing financials.  We met some dogs and a few cats, but no dice.  We're talking about trying to get a bigger place next year (maybe even at Christmas if conditions don't improve) and being able to get the larger dog Sam really wants.  

Anyway, it's been a rough day.  I don't want to bother you with my grumps so I'll just go try to relax and move past today.  It reminds me of high school, how I would always lament that Thursdays were the worst days.  

xoxo

Going to the Humane Society today...

I'm hoping one of these babies is still there...if they are, I may just come home with a new roommate and no money :) 

This is all thanks to coffee with Emily, because her puppy gave me the push I needed to just do it.  I showed Sam these patooties last night and we had a long talk about how we're going to handle things and I think it's going to be great.  Essentially, new puppy will be my personal and financial responsibility.  But if he falls in love, I'm sending him the bill --he doesn't know that part yet--:)

I will be back tonight either disappointed or ecstatic! Ciao beauties!

Managing Stress

{Photo Credit}

Starting an internship with 3 impending tests was a little bit of a nightmare, mental health wise.  Now I'm on the other end, breathing a little easier, but it got me thinking about different ways to handle stress.  We're a very high-stress household--full-time students, internships, research positions, very low income--and some of us don't deal with it very well {*cough* Sam!!}, so it's up to the rest of us to come up with some tricks to combating that hard-to-shake feeling.  
+make lists
I cannot stress {HA get it???} enough how much this helps.  I write down everything everywhere constantly.  I write my assignments, schedules & events for the day in my planner but I also write the assignments I want to tackle that night.  Then I get home and write out everything in priority order, just to get focused. 

+differentiate topics
This is especially important on huge homework block days {Sundays over here!}.  If I have to read 3 chapters for one class, I absolutely cannot do it in one sitting.  My eyes start to cross and gloss over and I stop thinking about what I'm reading.  So, if it's Sunday and I have a bazillion things to do for each class, I'll do my online Management homework first, then read a chapter for Marketing, then analyze some poetry, then work on a Stats lab, then come back to read another chapter for Marketing.  Breaking up the monotony really helps me get through 12 hours of homework.
+take a break
Hours and hours of straight homework makes me physically ache.  Our general rule of thumb is if you are close to tears or going to faint, you need to park it in front of a television, stat.  

+indulge in your guilty pleasure
We're very dependent on Netflix here, and half-hour shows like American Dad, Parks & Recreation, The Office and 30 Rock really get us through the hard times.  When you're stressed and required to think analytically about everything for hours, whats the last thing you want to do when you get home?  We love our television shows but the really good ones require you to think and pay attention and make connections and I'm not having it.  We save Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad for Saturdays.  

+take a shower
This is the biggun.  This is the cure for a nervous breakdown, generally.  When one of us is freaking out, we practically shove the other under hot water and make 'em soak.  The best thing about stress relieving showers, in my humble opinion, is a myriad of things: you're expected to be in there awhile, so you can take unjudged long showers, you can cry without having to explain yourself or worry about your ugly cry face:

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 you're expected to sing Celine Dion...or maybe that's just my house {really just me...}


So that's really it.  They aren't new ideas by any means, but their the golden standard around here, because, well, we're not the most adept at handling super stress {read: we're hot messes}.  


xoxo

I'd love to know how you guys handle things! Leave me a comment if you've got a trick you think could help us :)

PS: Does anyone else ever Google to find appropriate images for your posts?  These are two of many that came up during a search for "stress."  What?

Photo Credit

Photo Credit

September 11th, 2001

I was just a kid when it happened.  

A friend's dad stopped my mom in the parking lot and asked if she had heard. 

No, she said, and I waited patiently for the grown-ups to finish so I could go to class. 

A plane flew into the World Trade Center this morning.  My mom gasped.  He was somber.  

I didn't think it was very serious.  

They didn't let us watch the news in class, like some people got to.  I remember being jealous.

When I got home, my mom told me she had been on the phone all day, trying to contact family back East.  

A cousin was a pilot.  He was okay.  

My mom didn't let me watch the news either.  

We made posters in remembrance, talked about safety and went on with our lives at school. 

I didn't grasp the gravity of the situation.  I didn't want to.  

It's ten years later, and it's been on my mind the last few weeks.  

The families torn apart, the lives lost, and I didn't care.  

My guilt will always be with me, my thoughts with those lost and those grieving.