You were the furthest thing from what I expected.
Looking back, it feels like everyday was a surprise.
I didn't see any of it coming.

I took myself completely out of my comfort zone and did something I never thought I'd ever do.
And it brought me to the most amazing person and love I've ever known.
This love surprised me day after day.

I moved on from an unhealthy situation.
I completed my junior year of college and half of senior year.

You taught me how to love and take chances and brought me everything I never even knew I needed.

There were hard times.
These hard times you brought to me were teaching moments,
and taught me that sometimes I need to be willing to put aside my pride and doubts and fears and insecurities and just love unconditionally.

It's been real, it's been fun, it's been real fun 2016.
You came and you left and it all still feels like the craziest, happiest, blur.
And I'm so excited for the foundation you've set for the new (probably crazier) year to come.

Wind: What do you want to look like?
+ Me, lol.

Frost: Do you believe in magic?
+ Yeah, I think so - like in very, very different ways.

Empty Trees: Describe something, or someone, that comforts you.
+ Kyle, obviously, haha. But rain and like soft soothing rain sounds and music, and like peaceful smells? I dunno.

Fat Birds: What age do you want to die at?
+ I think when I'm good and grey and ready.

Gray Skies: What would you change about the physical world?
+ Sometimes I wish that people did things during the night time instead of the day time, like a reverse way to think about time and light, lol. But I'm sure I'd hate that after awhile.

First Snow: Describe a favorite fantasy from when you were a kid.
+ I'm not sure that I had any.

Finals Week: What do you want to be when you "grow up"?
+ Happy, and secure, and full of good memories and experiences.

Evergreen Trees: Share a memory that shaped you.
+ Too many.

Blizzard: Do you believe in soulmates?
+ YES! But I also believe that like everyone has more than one soulmate, depending on what paths they choose to take - idk if that means that we still only have one soul mate bc we always end up making the exact choices we're supposed to, but I just really think that we are able to choose our own destinies and no matter which one we choose we'll end up with someone who fits and appreciates the journey we took to get there????? Does that many ANY sense????? Haha.

Poinsettia: What winter movies or TV shows do you return to?
+ Elf, Polar Express, Home Alone, the classics haha.

Candle Lit: Favorite books to read in December?
+ I don't usually read books in December specifically for December, but I think I'd love to just stock up on all the little kid picture books to look back on when I get older.

Arguing About Starbucks Cups: What issues matter to you?
+ Childhood obesity, mostly honestly, lol. And obviously the huge issues concerning the public education system, and college tuition, etc.

Hymn: Are you spiritual?
+ I think so?

Hearthside: Do you celebrate any rites of winter?
+ Hm, not really. Winter isn't really a thing in AZ.

Solstice: Tell your perfect, utterly perfect, December day.
+ Maybe like a snow day, but not a blizzard - just a nice, constant snowy day. So obviously I won't have work or school so I can curl up in my PJs and drink hot cocoa and watch Christmas movies and listen to Christmas movies.
OR...
+ A nice rainy, and grey day so I can crack a window open and listen to the rain (and hopefully not freeze to death) and curl up in a warm throw in my PJ's drinking hot cocoa and watching Christmas movies.

As finals week and this fall semester has come to a close for me I can officially say... I did it.
I took eighteen credit hours this semester. (side note: I've done this for most previous semesters, BUT, this semester was the first semester I took 18 FULL BLOWN science credits and two labs - which was 100% so totally different, haha.)

How I do it...

1. The way I survived this semester specifically was definitely through utilizing the hybrid/online options I had for my required classes! If you know you're going to take on a heavier load of classes, definitely look out for the online classes that are offered by your university! I've heard from classmates before that they hate online classes because they forget to actually watch the lectures/do the assignments but honey...................... if you're paying 300+ per credit/class, just don't forget. Like, don't throw that money away? Lol. Anyway, like I said - I needed to take ochem this semester which would have been [(50 minutes x 4 times a week) + (170 minutes)] at least at my university, a 2 hour 50 minute lab is required as well as a 50 minute recitation on top of three 50 minute lectures a week. So definitely being able to watch those three 50 minute lectures here and there throughout the week on during my down time helped me feel like I had better control of my time and it was definitely way more flexible for me b/c some weeks I had to spend more time on one class than ochem, so I was able to without worrying about missing lecture attendance points!

2. Planners. If you've read any of my previous college blog posts you know that my planner is my life, haha. You seriously have no idea how many people comment on how hardcore and type-a my planner is because I write down everything. Personally, I need my planner to be of everything going on in my life, meaning I don't have a separate planner for school work and another for like everyday life stuff. The planner I use has each day on a separate page and each day is planned out in 30 minute intervals! And the to-do list section is like 30 bullets long and it allows me to seriously plan the heck out of my day. I write all the major due dates on the monthly spread, and I write in all the smaller assignments on each individual day! But planner preference goes far and wide depending on the person, so find a planner or planning system that works for you!

3.Working ahead. I am the furthest thing from a procrastinator when it comes to huge term papers and projects. Most professors give at least a two week heads-up before a paper/report is due (if they didn't already tell you about it in the syllabus *hint hint* READ THAT THING). Thankfully, each weekend I found out I had a paper due in the upcoming month was always pretty relaxed (meaning all I had to do was study and all the normal weekly class to-do's) so I was able to crank them out two weeks-a month early and be totally stress free the week it was actually due! If you're able to work on an assignment ahead of time, or even just reading chapters ahead of time, do it. You'll thank yourself the week you have two exams and three reports due on top of all your other weekly to-do's.

4. I READ MY DANG SYLLABI. Honestly, you could ignore all my other tips and do just this one thing and be golden during busier semesters (maybe). I know all my class syllabi like the back of my hand, they're my friends, they point me in the right direction. Seriously though, if you are always keeping track of your syllabi and your tentative schedules and planning around those things and taking everything one day at a time, you will feel so much better about the busy semester and you won't be surprised about upcoming due dates! Checking off each day and each "to-do" from my tentative schedules helped me feel way less frazzled during the semester! Utilize them!

I could probably write 5-8 pages in APA format with a full bibliography for you guys on just the topic of "tips and tricks on how to kick each semester's butt", but I won't do that haha. Just breathe, and believe in yourself! I think I had a breakdown every two-four weeks and that is OKAY (actually, it's not - you need to TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, but it is normal. Just, don't think that a breakdown means that you're incapable of succeeding!!!!!!!!) Sometimes I just needed to pause in the middle of studying and cry and browse through a few studyblrs until I felt inspired again (or instagram/pinterest, take your pick!) Just know that the stress and craziness you may feel once in awhile during the semester will NOT last! You'll be okay! You'll do great! And you'll move on and grow and learn from the experience! You can do it!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxox, me.