Ending 2018 The Right Way

                     

                                        

"Often when you think you are at the end of something, you're actually at the beginning of something else "     -Mr.Rogers

Good Morning, Babes!

   I can't believe I'm about to say this but 2018 is soon coming to an end. We are t-minus 2 months-ish away from starting a crisp brand-new page of a new year.The poetic and fresh feeling of the opportunity of a clean start can inspire you to put forth your best self in hopes of achieving every single hope and dream. You think "this is my year" and start the year off with a loud and productive bang. 

  BUT before we can place a shiny, clean bow on 2019 we have to finish packing up 2018. In order to allow for success and a focused mind-set to keep us energized and powered up for the whole year, we have to reflect and look upon past mistakes in order to prevent ourselves from making them again. So here's my dandy tips in order to finish off a great year and start an even better one.

                                 

              

                                     

✰ WHAT WORKED & WHAT DIDN'T

     It's important to keep an open mind when reflecting on our experiences from every year. Our goals and expectations for ourselves could have changed completely- so on that note, figure out what ended up actually working out! For example, if you had made it a goal to spend 5 days per week in the gym but ended up spending every morning doing yoga instead, then you found a new way to incorporate the same goal. Although you had intentions of spending your workouts in the gym, it didn't appeal to you the same way yoga had. So make a list. Make ten lists if you need to. Write out the things that worked out for you this year and those that didn't. Find methods and techniques that make your goals seem a little bit more interesting and appealing.

•   •   •

✰ BE MINDFUL OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS

     The end of the year is a time for reflection and that includes every corner of our lives. We tend to forget that the people and environment we surround ourselves with can turn out to be very toxic. You should always surround yourself with people that encourage you to thrive, make you feel good inside, and make life feel a little bit more fun! As well as people, your surroundings should reflect a positive environment as well. Remodel your room/home, create a dream board, spice up your decorations, do something that makes you feel fresh and keeps your space exciting!

•   •   •

✰ FOR NEXT TIME...

     This is the most fun and creative part! Take those achievements from your "what went right?" reflection and create some new goals that help you expand on that list. Challenge yourself, allow yourself to get creative and make sure you're enjoying the things that you're expecting of yourself. As much as the fresh start and clean slate of the new year can be tempting to just cancel-clear-delete the past, we can only grow through the lessons we learned.

   Most importantly, keep thriving!!! You've come so far and accomplished so much. I can only imagine how much more we're going to grow and shine! I hope you have an amazing rest of 2018, enjoy the holidays and accomplish the rest of your goals. Love you bunches, I'll see you next time.🖤🖤

xx,

Antoniya Todorova

My ATI-TEAS Study Schedule & Tips

                            

Good Morning, Babes!

              It's about that time of year where us nursing undergrads begin to prep for the exam that determines the next step in our career- the TEAS exam. I've been super nervous about this exam but have come to realize, it's just another stepping stone towards the bigger goal. Some nursing students, depending on which school you're applying to, consider between taking the TEAS or the HESI exam. I would strongly recommend on looking up your school requirements before paying that $100 nonrefundable exam-registration fee.

            Being an obsessive organizer I made my own study schedule depending on my personal time-line of how I was wanting to study for the exam. Of course everyone has different schedules and study availability, but feel free to twist and turn my schedule into your own. 

WHAT IS THE TEAS?...

       The ATI-TEAS is a 3.5 hour (give or take) exam that tests your general knowledge over 4 main subjects- Reading Comprehension, Mathematics Skills, Science Skills, and everyone's favorite Grammar Skills. I've broken down the details down below.

                             

The cool thing about the TEAS is that only a portion of each section is graded, so not every question counts. This gives you a bit of wiggle room and eases up some of that performance pressure. 

       Now each section has their own topics that they would like you to know. I'm going to recommend an amazing study guide & test book that includes 3 practice exams and chapters that covers each topic specifically. You can find it HERE!! (ATI TEST BOOK)

MY STUDY SCHEDULE...5 WEEKS OUT

        I started preparing for my TEAS exam about 5-6 weeks out mostly because I'm taking some pretty advanced classes this semester and I wanted some wiggle room. A lot of other nursing students that I've asked feel comfortable starting just 3 weeks out-it really just depends on how many hours a day you can dedicate to study-time. My study schedule is completely based off of the structure and chapters covered in the test book I linked (up above) so like I said, everything is super flexible. 

           When I started studying for the exam I had about 39 days to prepare, so I spread out the three practice exams that come with the test book for every 12 days. This gives me about 2 days of review and clarification before the actual exam. The rest of the schedule, in October, isn't planned until I finish with September only because I want to analyze and schedule study-days according to my weaknesses and strengths from my first practice exam.

       

   

MY TIPS...

      (1)My biggest tip for you is to incorporate a little bit of test-prep in every day! It gets exhausting having to balance school, test-prep, work, and a personal life but allowing yourself to do little by little each day saves you a lot of stress later down the line. 

      (2) Please, please, please do not cram for this exam! It's an overwhelming amount of material and cramming (although sometimes unavoidable) is toxic to your mental and physical health. 

      (3)Please take things slow, keep things interesting (pictures, coloring, color-coding) and take breaks! You're allowed to retake this exam up to 3 times in a year, so if need-be you have more chances and opportunities to improve!

I wish you the best of luck and always feel free to email/dm me any questions you may have! Get to studying!🤓

XOXO, A

How-To: College Lecture Notes

                             

   

Happy Sunday Babes!

           Congratulations on finishing your second (or third) week of school! Now that you've gotten your groove going and experienced all that lectures and labs have to offer, it's time to start getting down to business. If you're a first year you probably feel super overwhelmed and soon maybe you'll realize that your study methods in high-school may not work for you in college. As far as second/third/fourth years, if you haven't found your rhythm and what does and doesn't work for you as far as studying and notes- then I wanna help. What works for me may not work or appeal to someone else, but I've noticed it's really helped me in the last year. I hope you try my method and branch out from there!

My Favorite Journals...

        →Greenroom Notepads: The first two I use are Greenroom Journals. These journals are completely recycled and they're incredibly affordable. I love the sleek look of them. They come with about 200 pages (for the small one) and 100 pages (for the legal pad). I couldn't find the exact link for the ones I own but I found very similar ones at Target. ( you can find this HERE Greenroom Journals)

       → Cambridge Journals: This has been my favorite brand for journals since high school. I love the structure of the pages, how it's college-ruled spaced lines, and that it usually lasts me for the whole year. This time I bought a smaller journaling-type notes book just because they CAN get kind of pricey. If you're willing to/can spend the money, I definitely recommend these! (you can find this HERE Cambridge Journals )

Add Color...

            A HUGE difference I've noticed when taking notes is how adding a bit of color, creativity and design can definitely make the material more interesting. We've all heard the old saying in reference to highlighting-"highlighting your notes can make the material stand out and will be more easily remembered." Why not apply the same concept to our note-taking in general? To explain what I mean further, when it's time for me to take notes I pull out my colored pens, highlighters, markers, colored pencils and my notebooks. I create cool titles and take time to draw animations of what my notes mean so I can gain a better understanding of it (almost crucial to do when studying for science classes.) I find that if I make my notes "pretty" and if I make them interesting to look at it makes me want to, well, LOOK at them. (some examples below)

   

Record Your Lectures...

       If your lecture classes are anything like mine, then they're usually 3 hours long with no break in between and by the end of them you're absolutely fried from keeping up. Recording your lecture may seem like common knowledge but you'll be surprised how many people just KNOW about it but don't actually USE it. For classes that allow you to have your laptops out, there's this app that I use called "Simple Recorder." It records your lectures without you having to use up your phone battery, buy a recorder, and (my favorite part) once you stop recording it saves right onto your desktop. This really helps when teachers talk super fast and you didn't quite understand a topic the first time. It gives you the opportunity to go back and pretty much take the class again in the comfort of your own home. 

A Journal For Class, A Journal For Home...

      My last tip for you is to have two different journals for taking notes. You don't necessarily need a journal, it could be lined paper, but it gets useful for class notes. Usually the professor is talking fast and your notes don't usually end up being too understandable, so being able to write down what you hear in class and then further explaining it in your notes at home gives you more resources to look at when studying. Personally, I like to open up a Word document and type all of my class notes during the lecture (I type faster than I can write) but it's personal for everyone.

     I know this post was a lengthy one but I have so many different tips to give you guys! I get a lot of questions on my notes and how I go about keeping things put together when studying, so I hope this answers all of your questions. All of my inspo for my notes comes from Pinterest or Instagram study accounts. If you have anymore questions, please feel free to message me and ask!

                                   XOXO,

                                          A

Pinterest: My Pinterest Study Board

Instagram: Note Inspo

The Perfect Morning Routine for Productivity

   Good Morning Babes,


         With school right around the corner I decided this was the excellent time to share the perfect morning routine and my best secrets for ultimate productivity. To me a structured and balanced morning routine is crucial for success. Not only can your mornings be productive, they can also inspire you and motivate you to conquer the day ahead of you. If you're in college, like me, you know that the luxury of creating your own schedule can sometimes sneak up on you and make you feel like you don't have enough time in the day to squeeze in homework, class, work, and other responsibilities. That's why I'm a big pusher for structure, balance and purpose. Let everything in your mornings be appropriately structured, find balance between leisure and responsibility, and let purpose fuel you in the mornings as you conquer the day. Keep reading for my morning tips and I wish you a successful and inspired school year loves.❤



     ⤗ discover your "why"
                 Now I know it sounds super cheesy and almost like common sense but figure out exactly      why you're wanting to have a productive day. It could be because you have a deadline you're needing to meet and adding some structure could get you there faster, or you're wanting to try something new and organizing your days out could help you fit that new hobby in. Your reason could even be as simple as just feeling like you're in a bit of a rut in your life and having something to look forward to every morning could slowly help you get out of that. Either way, whatever the reason, discovering your "why" could help you keep your purpose in mind every morning when you don't feel like getting out of bed and starting the day.

    ⤘ find that one thing that you enjoy
                  Personally the thought of waking up in the cold morning and brewing up a warm cup of coffee to start my day is the thing I look forward to the most. Finding your little piece of joy to start your day is so important in using it as motivation to keep going. Find your small bit of morning happiness and use it to get you going in the morning.

    ⤗ do everything important the night before
                 I'm pretty flustered in the morning and it's hard for me to naturally wake up and accomplish everything I need in order to leave the house prepared. I spend a pretty good amount of time the night before planning my outfit, packing my school bag and purse, setting my alarm clock, and writing in my planner. It's tedious work but it saves you time in the morning if you accidentally wake up late, aren't feeling up to organizing and planning, and puts you in the right mindset before bed.

   ⤘ clean, clean, clean!
                My last and final tip for you go-getters is to keep things organized! Love the space you're in and keep it clean. I'm HUGE on the space and environment you thrive in and it's important that it's a space that you feel comfortable, safe and inspired in. I don't always stick to this (there's never enough time in the day) but I always try and clean up my room and my kitchen before bed. There's something about a clear space to wake up to that clears up your head and removes any stress about having to clean up in the morning. Of course, we don't all have the leisurely time to keep things clean 24/7 but it's a huge tip from me if you're feeling clustered in your head and need a refreshing touch.

      I hope this inspires you to get going in the morning and you feel excited for the new challenges that the school year will bring. Don't ever forget- challenges build character, create discipline, and accomplishing them can only motivate you to reach further and make yourself proud. You got this babe! Always feel free to comment down below, email me, or message me to ask for more personal tips or even ask for some motivation if you're feeling uninspired. I'm rooting for you!

                                            XOXO, A❤                                               

       

Changing Majors, Transferring Schools, and A Lifestyle Change- A Genuine Life Update

             Hello Hello,

         

               It wasn't until I put my own two feet into it that I realized college really wasn't all that I thought it was going to be. In fact, it was the complete polar opposite of the experience I was expecting to have. Granted I'm only just now finishing my first year and I do agree that there is a lot more that could happen in the next three years to contribute to my experience, but this last year has been one of the most life changing, challenging and beautiful experiences I have ever had. All in one year I switched my college major and direction in life, changed my style and look, got to work with 3 different brands on collabs/photoshoots/projects (cool dream of mine), began a new full-time job, signed my first lease and filled out a transfer application to a new uni. It's been hectic.

               One of the best things I could have done was change my major. I grew up always thinking that nursing was the best, fastest, and easiest track I could do for myself in college. Don't be fooled, nursing is quite the challenge and it sure comes with it's load of work to keep up with. However, after months and months of unhappiness, boredom and lack of motivation to even go to my classes, I decided that I couldn't keep pretending that this was what I wanted to do. So hello hello, you're looking at your new psychology major! Being that my psychology classes were my most interesting lectures and the work associated with psychology was definitely something that always caught my attention, I finally chose to work in clinical psychology. My career and educational goals, for those asking, are to graduate with a bachelors of science in psychology and then attend medical school to get my PhD in clinical neuropsychology. I want to be able to open my own practice and work with children with mental health disorders. It's a long road ahead but it's one I'm looking forward to!

             One of the most common questions I get is about my current uni and where I'm planning on going to school. Being a big city European girl I quickly figured out that Denton, TX was not the place for me. After a lot of careful consideration and months of research, interviews and phone calls I have narrowed it down to two very different but amazing schools. You'll just have to wait until next semester to see where I choose to continue my education.

            Lastly, I wanted to share one of the biggest and most important things I have come to during my first year of college. I wasn't a big believer on the idea of "finding yourself" after high school. To be honest I didn't think much of it and thought the concept was silly up until everything that I believed in, routines that I had created, the lifestyle that I swore by and the goals I had created for myself had completely shattered. At first I was completely lost and had started to handle the dramatic changes in my life in all of the wrong ways. It wasn't until I started to piece things together and realize that maybe this was all happening because the lifestyle I was living just wasn't for me. It was clear that there was a lot I needed to improve on, new goals that I needed to set and I was in desperate need of a new mindset if I had any hopes on making it through the next couple of years. Don't get me wrong, I've had so many enjoyable and amazing memories this last year but I had finally realized that I just wasn't living up to my fullest potential. Thats when it's important to make the change.

      My advice to all new high school graduates and continuing college students is that it's incredibly important to put yourself first. You will get overwhelmed and you will be unprepared no matter how much you try and mentally prepare for the experience. My best words of wisdom is to come into the experience open-minded, ready for change, and most importantly to just not give up (cheesy I know but so true). So here's to us- the new grads, the continuing college students, and the ones who are done. May we all get those degrees and the career of our dreams!

xoxo, A

                 

How to Study for College Exams: The Right Way

  Hi you,


      If I've learned anything in my first 3 months of college, it's that college tests are nothing compared to high school tests. The material taught is very vague while the material on the test itself is way too specific, you don't have nearly enough time to prepare for one particular test because you're too busy studying for just about every other class and lastly, curves are rare and underused. However, even under the pressure and new intensity, I've luckily found a system that works. Fortunately I've managed to make at least an A on all of my college exams so I'm here to share my methods with you! Keep in mind that everyone learns differently and requires different things to understand the material so make sure to customize my study tips to fit you!

First Things First, Identify What You Know...

     To be able to perfect a subject, you must identify what you actually know about the subject. This has been a huge help in allowing me to focus my time and energy learning the things I haven't exactly mastered yet rather than the stuff I probably already know well enough. If your teacher is kind enough to provide you with a study guide, I would recommend printing it out, sitting down with a pen and paper, and writing down everything you know about each vocabulary word/main idea/concept/etc. Make sure to take your time while doing this so you can really write it all down. The work seems tedious but in order to get the results, you have to put in the work.

Create An Outline...

     I've quickly noticed that college professors (well teachers in general really) would rather you get the bigger picture of a concept rather than it's small details. Now that doesn't mean it's not important to know certain details, but keep this in mind: what's the point of memorizing the details if you don't even understand why you need to know it? What I'm pushing here is that it's more efficient to spend less time memorizing information and more time understanding it. Taking the time to understand what you're learning will probably help you memorize things quicker because you'll be able to connect the bigger picture. This being said, create an outline. Identify the key concepts and general ideas of that particular unit and write them out. After you do that, write down the vocabulary words you need to know under each concept and the details that go with them. Laying out your information visually can help you understand how it all connects.

YouTube is Your Best friend...
   
   You probably already know this but I'll go ahead and throw it out there just for funsies. Watching YouTube videos (the right ones) over what your learning can really help. Sometimes teachers don't really cover absolutely every detail and unfortunately may not help you connect all the dots that need to be connected. Watching another student/teacher/whomever explain it to you through a video and be proven more than helpful. It's nice to hear the same information more than once in many different variations. Take advantage of your resources!! There's a lot out there that can help you.

Quizlet is Key...

    We all use it and rightly so. Many people actually take the time to create a quizlet over the test material after they've already taken it believe it or not. Fortunately for us, it's free and easy to access when we need it. Quizlet has features that allow you to use the information by practicing with flashcards, practice spelling everything out, play different types of games and it even creates practice tests for you with all of the information. Take some time to play around with the different quizlet sets out there and take advantage of the different ways you can use it!



    Those are all of my handy dandy tips on how I've successfully gotten through the majority of tests this first semester of college and so far its working for me! I hope you try some of these and they end up working for you too!

love always, A

How To Get Your Life Together: College Edition

   

Welcome Back!

          October is coming to an end and midterms are only just beginning. It's that time of year where the ammo you had lined up to get you through the fall semester is slowly running out and all you can think about is your month long Christmas break. It's about halfway through a semester that symptoms from lack of motivation start to show and break your concentration from that 4.0 you've had your eye on when you started school in the first place. Lucky for you, if there's anything I specialize in it's helping someone get theirselves together and out of a bad situation. So if you've been experiencing any of troubling issues I described earlier, give yourself a break and keep reading...

The First Step in Fixing a Problem is Admitting You Have a Problem...

     

     As cheesy as it sounds, the only way to get out of a rut is recognizing that you're actually in a rut. Identifying your problem and thinking about how exactly you got there is the key to finding your way out of it. This step here is very important. You have to sit down and really be realistic with yourself and remind yourself what your goals were when you started and whether you've kept up with them or not. This part kinda stinks and isn't the most esteem-boosting step, but in order to move up and get back on track you have to start being honest with yourself and start somewhere.

Make Goals That Actually Challenge and Interest You...

    Now I am never one to recommend settling or straying away from a challenge because you feel it's just too hard, but in order to successfully accomplish a challenge you have to assess your strengths and your weaknesses. Sit down and write out exactly where you want to see yourself at the end of the semester. Make new and fresh goals that actually appeal to you, make you competitive, and help you wake up excited to accomplish them. That can range from having a 4.0, perfect attendance, acing microbiology, waking up earlier in the day, or even reaching a workout goal. After identifying what it is you want to accomplish this semester, ask yourself why it is that that appeals to you. What are you wanting to gain? What is your end goal?
   A huge mistake that a lot of young people tend to make is making goals that they feel will impress others or make parent's happy. While looking good and having parental approval is dandy, in the end you're not gonna feel motivated to actually accomplish your goals and will probably just end up in an even bigger rut than you were in before.

          ↪ example...
 ⇾ goal: I want to make a 4.0 average at the end of the semester.
 ⇾ why: This will help my chances of getting into nursing school and make me feel as if I really challenged myself and learned the material.

Change Things Up A Bit...

       A lot of times a repetitive daily routine can be a big cause in why we fall into a rut. Our minds get too used to doing the same things over and over again each day and we don't feel challenged. The very first thing I do when I start to feel bored in my life is change things up completely. I start with dissecting my morning routine and figuring out how I can make it more fun to wake up each and every morning and look forward to my day (coffee always does it for me.) Another way that helps me change things up is by rearranging my room. Having a new space to live and work in helps declutter my mind and can even help me become creative and inspired. Sometimes even cleaning out your closet that you swore you were gonna do 2 months ago can really help you feel like you have a handle on things and freshen up your mind and thoughts. The point I want to get across is that changing up a routine and space can do wonders in making you feel like you have a fresh start on things.

Clean, Clean, Clean...

    We don't like to do it, but we must. I find that the number one way to help me feel like I have my life together is by cleaning my space. This includes doing my laundry, cleaning out my closet, throwing away the trash, throwing out things I don't use anymore and maybe even buying new decor for my space. I couldn't explain it to you but there's something about being in a clean space that allows you to think clearly.

Surround Yourself With Good People...

    Unfortunately I'm going to be cheesy again but I'm only speaking the truth. Surrounding yourself with people who inspire you to work harder and achieve your goals can be one of the most important things. People who are full of bad energy and negative intentions can usually take a lot of time and energy out of your day. It's important to reflect on who you spend a lot of your time with and whether they're truly good people for you to be around. Once you find a group of friends/people that help you want to be better and do better, it can do amazing things in changing your work ethic, energy and even your drive. 

Lastly, Remember Your Purpose...

     You're clearly where you are because you had a purpose and point in mind. Sometimes when things get difficult and you feel tired and unmotivated, you tend to forget about why you're still doing it. I personally struggle with this a lot when anatomy homework piles up or chem gets extra hard, but in the end you have to think about why it is you're doing this in the first place. Whether its to get a degree or accomplish a specific goal, we started with a purpose and I think we all owe it to ourselves to finish our goals.

   College is hard and life in general is even harder, but thankfully it's completely doable with the right mindset. We all have setbacks sometimes and that's okay, because sometimes it takes a setback in life to create an even better comeback. 

    If you have any comments/questions feel free to message me or find me on social media and I'd be happy to answer them!

love always, A