My Freshman Year Life in Videos & Blogposts

Hey everyone! Once you read this, I will be starting my sophomore year at Providence College. I wanted to make a post will all my content that was about my freshman year for those who need some advice, guidance, or are plain just curious. I don't like to dwell too much on past events that weren't the best, but I did talk about the hardships and the happy moments I had throughout my year. Since I am starting a new year, I wanted to make an archive for those to see how my first year went. I have plenty of ideas for my second year at college (move-in day vlog, dorm tour, day in the life, more sit down videos), but I don't want to disregard my first year. Please check out these videos and posts from the last year, and I will definitely comment back! If you have any questions or want to see more of life you can follow me on Instagram: @christinaxmadeleine and on Twitter: @thisfashiongirl. Or just keep checking my blog and subscribe to Youtube. I am so thankful for all the support and over 120,000 views!!

Blogposts about my freshman year of college:

1) I am officially a #collegeblogger: http://www.thisfashiongirl.com/2018/08/i-am-officially-collegeblogger.html (August 8, 2018)

2) What happened to me in my first month of college?:http://www.thisfashiongirl.com/2018/10/whats-happened-to-me-in-first-month-of.html (October 6, 2018)

3) Thoughts and Ramblings of a First Semester College Freshman: http://www.thisfashiongirl.com/2018/12/thoughts-and-ramblings-of-first.html (December 11, 2018)

4) Dorm Tour *Freshman Year at Providence College *: http://www.thisfashiongirl.com/2019/01/dorm-tour-freshman-year-at-providence.html (January 6, 2019)

5) Second Semester Planning and Schedule: http://www.thisfashiongirl.com/2019/01/second-semester-planning-schedule.html (January 24, 2019)

6) Family Weekend 2019: http://www.thisfashiongirl.com/2019/02/family-weekend-2019.html (February 24, 2019)

7) Second Semester Positive Moments: http://www.thisfashiongirl.com/2019/04/second-semester-positive-moments-youtube.html

8) My Freshman Year Experience at Providence College: http://www.thisfashiongirl.com/2019/06/my-freshman-experience-at-providence.html

Youtube Videos at College!

My Weekend as a freshman at Providence College! *First vlog* 

Freshman at Providence College Weekend in My Life (3/29-3/31/19)

Weekend in the Life of a Providence College Freshman: Spring Concert, Shopping on Thayer, Dinner...

Weekend in the life of a college freshman: seeing After, going to a darty, + seeing John Mulaney

weekend in my life: my dog comes to visit + so many food places! | providence college

week in the life of a providence college freshman: finals weeks, my birthday+ traveling home

Lastly, I made a two-part Q&A about my freshman year with two of my friends who go to Boston University and Loyola Maryland. The first part is up right now:

spilling the TEA on our FRESHMAN YEAR| Providence College, Boston University, Loyola Maryland

 

I hope this archive makes my content more accessible! I won't be doing posts like this often, but since it's the beginning of a new school year; there is a lot of uncertainty an questions that go around about college. 

See you back at school!!

xx

Christina Madeleine

tips for how to start being eco-friendly

Hey everyone! Happy Summer! I am currently at my kitchen table eating watermelon and sipping a coffee that I made myself at home. Lately, I've been very aware of how much plastic I waste and money I spend on things that I will throw out immediately after I finish it. With all the talk about climate change and global warming, I question why I haven't made any lifestyle changes. Granted, the biggest causes of harm in our climate is from global corporations and the meat and dairy industries; but by not making a lifestyle change...humans aren't helping the situation.

I mentioned that I was drinking coffee because that's how I came up with this blog post because I am using my Starbucks tumbler that I bought for $10 in Vietnam. Here are some ways that you can be eco-friendly and work on reducing your carbon footprint.

1. Invest in a Reusable Cup from either Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, or a Coffee Shop (and also a metal water bottle)

It's so simple to bring your own coffee cup places. Lately, I will bring my Starbucks iced beverages reusable cup to every coffee shop I go to (even though it says Starbucks there is no issue), and tell them how many ounces it holds. This way, the coffee shop is not giving me a plastic cup that I will throw out not even an hour later. Once you get into the mindset of bringing the reusable cup places, you won't even want to buy a drink if you don't have it. There's also hot drink cups that are available for purchase. Corporate coffee shops, particularly Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts, have discounts for using a reusable cup. Local coffee shops will even give you free refills with your own cup. The pros outweigh the cons of having to bring an empty cup with you.

*Starbucks even made temperature changing cups https://www.delish.com/food-news/a27334797/starbucks-color-changing-reusable-cups/ and also sell regular cheap reusable cups at check out.

Another investment is metal, refillable water bottles. Yes, Swell bottles and Hydroflasks are all the rage, but you don't have to buy a ridiculously expensive bottle. I bought two "thermoflasks" for $15 at Costco, and they are just as good as any other mainstream brand. Bringing your own water bottle is beneficial because 1) you can constantly hydrate yourself 2) you aren't buying single-use plastic water bottles. Many colleges have hydration station all over their campuses to reduce waste, and usually, restaurants and shops can fill up your water bottle if you asked them.

Here's more information on using reusable water bottles: https://biofriendlyplanet.com/green-alternatives/reusables/the-environmental-advantages-of-reusable-water-bottles/

2. Bring a Metal Straw if you Can

Everyone has seen those photos of turtles with straws stuck in their noses. Plastic straws can't be recycled, so they end up in the ocean instead. Even if you personally have never encountered them in the oceans, millions end up there. No one will judge you for taking out a straw at a restaurant if they do... ask them why aren't they using one. There are also so many brands of plastic straws ranging from cheap ones at the dollar store to collapsable ones that you can put inside your bag.

*Final Straw is a brand that has reusable metal straws that even clip on to keychains, more info is here: https://finalstraw.com/

3. Go to Farmer's Markets & Bring Your Own Bags 

If you have a local farmer's market, start trying to buy produce there instead of a supermarket. Farmer's markets are usually cheaper for the bulk amount of produce, and let you pick out as much as you want. Also, buying locally grown food not only helps the economy but lessens the amount of produce that travels. Do you really need your fruit from Florida if you live in a different state? Also when you buy produce at supermarkets, it's usually in plastic that is just going to be thrown out once you make a salad or cook a meal. Why does our arugula have to be in a plastic container? There are more sustainable methods.

* The Environment Benefits of Local and Organic Food: https://observer.com/2008/05/the-environmental-benefits-of-organic-and-local-food/

I have a dog, so we sometimes use the plastic bags given to us for when we take him on walks and have to clean up. For the most part, if you can bring your own bags to a grocery store instead of being given  10+ plastic shopping bags.

4.  Start doing 'Meatless Mondays' or trying to find a few days a week to remove dairy and meat.

I am not vegan or vegetarian, but every time I mention to someone who is like me the benefits of going meat and dairy free the responses are usually, "That seems too strict" or "I can't imagine doing that". You don't need to go vegan or vegetarian, but being anti-that lifestyle is not beneficial to anyone. Biologically, humans don't need to eat meat every day or even if at all. The issue lies within our meat and dairy industries that are destroying our environment.

Instead of going strictly vegan or vegetarian, cutting down the amount of meat and dairy will beneficially affect the environment and reduce your carbon footprint. It's not about cutting out all food and dairy but reducing the amount. There are plenty of alternatives as well, such as milk alternatives and fake meat, but also by adding in more vegetables and fruit. Meatless Mondays should not be a punishment, but more of a way to make a small lifestyle change.

On an ethical basis, there are plenty of arguments about going vegan because of animal cruelty. Especially with new developments such as the Fair Oaks Farm Scandal, where the cows are severely abused: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_quX1acHGks&feature=youtu.be. A way of dealing with unethical dairy practices is to not buy products from the companies that abuse their animals if you can't give up the food group total. Educating yourself on the practices of the meat and dairy industry will help you become aware in your decisions and what practices to do.

Another thing to think about is the effects of raising cattle on the environment, and how it would be beneficial to cut the number of cattle raised. 

5. Don't Be Too Hard On Yourself and Others When Making a Lifestyle Change

Many people won't start using reusable products or cutting meat out if they feel forced to. That's an issue that's been going on forever and is the major criticism about trying to save the environment. The first step you should do is research the benefits of everything you're going to do. Don't see the point in using a reusable straw? Google it and read some articles about it instead of yelling at the person that suggested it. It's very easy to just listen to politicians that will most likely not be alive to see the Earth become a hazardous place to live (if we don't make a change). Also, if you mess up one day, it's not the end of the world. Forget to do Meatless Monday? Then just don't eat meat on Wednesday. You'll fail at a  lifestyle change if you're too hard on yourself. 

Here are some videos I found helpful:

( watch this if you want to help save the planet - (eco-friendly tips)) - Hailey Sani

My Morning Routine in the Year 2050 - Kristen Leo

Also, my friend, Francisca Rockey (http://www.franciscarockey.co.uk/ ) has a podcast on Spotify where she talked about the plastic straw ban, veganism, etc. It's called #honestyhour and you can listen to her latest episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7kEPQjtCw9XwRooOrQmLo8?si=kbFjdm21TqeQWWP731p2Nw

Thanks for reading! Let me know in the comments (all you need is twitter or email!) about how you intend to be more sustainable and eco-friendly!

xx

Christina Madeleine

My Freshman Experience at Providence College

Hey everyone! Today, I wanted to talk about my first year at Providence College, and how I made the most of my time there. This is more of a serious post, but I will have some new posts and videos up this week!

First, I want to talk about my expectations for what college was going to be like. I thought that every freshman would want to be open to making new friends and talking to people. I thought it would be super easy to make friends and find things to do.  Right off the bat, people weren't super welcoming from my own grade (class of 2022). Yes, the orientation leaders were super sweet, but the people in my orientation group who did a pre-orientation program (basically moving onto campus five days before me) were not as welcoming as people who just moved in on the same day as me.  Moving in is hard, especially when you aren't close to home, and so everybody probably was nervous about what was to come. Starting college was particularly hard for me because I felt like I didn't belong for the first for a long time. I didn't relate to a lot of people in the way I thought I would, I cried a lot during my first few months, and overall was depressed. Granted though this time, I met some wonderful people like my roommate (who I absolutely love) and some of my super close friends (Alex, Becca, and Colleen I'm looking at you). Those people have stuck by my side and have continued to be good friends to me.

I would say my biggest tip for anyone going to college is to remember that the first people you meet don't have to be your best friends. I know that the original people I was friends with are going to see this in some way, so I am going to keep this part short. Deep down, I think they are nice people; but it wasn't meant for us to be close. It doesn't have to be a malicious fight to break up the group, but if you feel uncomfortable or uneasy by the actions of the people you are hanging out with or the way they treat people; it's completely okay to have other friends.

I made the bulk of my friends starting February (literally five months after move in!) through Providence College Television and my roommate. These were all people who had been nice to me from the beginning of the year, but it took me being treated poorly by others to realize how good the people around me are. The friends I made the second semester helped me come out of my shell more by going to parties (especially Natalia causing me to go out on Wednesday nights), having movie nights in our rooms, making videos for PCTV, going to Thayer Street, and so much more. My last night on campus I was surrounded by so many friends who I know I will have for the next few years. Good friends are hard to find, and particularly hard when everyone is 17-20 years old and freaking out about being at college. The friends I made the second semester made me feel at home at school, and made me start to love Providence College even more. I couldn't have grown as much as I did without the help of Colleen and all the other people who stuck with me. From March on was when I started to be absolutely happy at Providence, and that's when I started to make vlogs because I wanted everyone to see how my school is such a great place. Although it's tough not being happy at your school until March, when things are good they are so good. I've been told that you continue to meet more people during sophmore year, and I am so excited to feel more at home at Providence and take on the second year with my friends.

I spent a lot of freshman year comparing my experiences to those of people from home. Social media was incredibly toxic to me because I would constantly question why everyone was having a great time but me at their schools. I did have fun times on campus during the first semester, don't get me wrong, but I was constantly not in a good mental place. I would be so upset that my friends from home seemed to be having the time of their lives. This caused me to not live in the moment during the first semester because I was so obsessed with how everyone else was doing. My wake up call was when a friend from home told me it seemed like I was having "the best time" because on social media it was just me at parties, even though that was a facade for how I really felt. In January, I tried out for Orientation Leader, Friars Club, and Board of Programmers; and got rejected from all of them. My school doesn't have Greek Life, so I thought this would be my in to make more friends. During the interview process, I came to the conclusion that I was saying all the "right" things about how I loved Providence College without actually feeling it. Being rejected from all the clubs was hard, but it was what I needed in order to focus on making more friends, not being obsessed with friends from home's lives, and start living in the moment. I, immediately, started putting more effort into PCTV and the people within that club. That was one of the clubs I knew I wanted to be in from the time I first got accepted to the college, and I knew that is where I needed to put my passion and efforts into. In February, Colleen and I got the 12am-2am radio slot for WDOM 91.3 Providence and would do a two-hour show called "Cracked Up" where we would play alternative and indie music. Almost every single time we did our show, people would come and visit us and hang out, and this made me so happy. Some of our friends came almost every week and would even text us when they couldn't come. This was part of the turning point of the year I mentioned before.

Now, I am going to talk about how academically my year changed. I spent a lot of high school thinking I wasn't that smart, but in college, my mentality about my classes changed. I went in as a Marketing major, and the first semester I took solely business classes and Western Civilization (I have posts up already about my classes).  Business classes are hard in the sense that high school doesn't prepare you for it. I had to put a lot more effort into my classes in order to do well, but I wasn't at all interested in some of the topics. I did well the first semester, but I could do better. Second Semester, I started taking an English class; and that's when something clicked inside me... I needed to be an English major. I've always loved writing and reading, and the whole first semester I only wrote two essays. After about a month of taking Intro to Literature, I emailed the head of the English department and within the week I had declared a double-major with Marketing and English. I was warned that this would be a hard thing to do since there is very little overlap between the two subjects, but I couldn't stop smiling. I was finally going to study my favorite subject.

In my other posts, I've talked about the best parts of about college like constantly learning new things, meeting new people, going to academic events, exploring a new city, attending concerts and sports events and so much more. I did feel like I was lying at times because I was having such a hard time, but now I am so happy to be at Providence College. I know some people have a great experience from the start, but as someone who struggled; I can now come to say "I love friartown'. I can do a post in the future about things I love about the school because there is so much. Being surrounded by people who are supportive and uplifting, studying topics I enjoy and focusing on finding happiness has changed my whole perception of college and made the last three months incredible. The proof is in the vlogs, and I am so excited for people to see a side of me where I am enjoying my time.

Although I don't go back to college until August, I have so much hope and excitement for what the next years have for me. I don't think I will ever feel as sad as I did my first semester because I've seen a light in all the hardship. I know there are challenges for me in the future, but after the year I've had; I am so ready to take them on.

I hope you enjoyed this post!

xx

Christina Madeleine

Second Semester Planning & Schedule

Happy Thursday! I've been getting back into the grind of school, so on Sunday I wasn't able to post, but here I am still on schedule (sticking with posts Sunday and/or Thursday). I've now made it a week and a half into my new semester of college. As you know, my first semester was rather rough (check that out with my posts: " Thoughts and Ramblings of a First Semester College Freshman and Whats Happened to Me in the First Month of College ). Not to dwell too much on my first semester, but I already have such a better feeling about this new semester! I was able to make my schedule myself opposed to last semester where they just gave it to me.

Here's what classes I am taking and what time's (it's slightly hard to wake up at times, but I love it).

Western Civilization (Semester 2 out of 4)
In my previous posts, I've mentioned Development of Western Civilization (or 'Civ' as everyone at Providence College calls it). This course is mandatory for every student to take, which makes the school very unique to others. It's four semesters and this semester is more focused on the Enlightenment and the high middle ages. I am currently reading The Two Lives of Charlemagne and The Song of Roland for this class. My first-semester experience with Civ was very positive, but I changed to a different team of teachers, so I still have to adjust.
My class times are Mondays (8:30am-10:20am), and Tuesday/Thursday (8:30-9:20).
This is my only class on Thursday's! So I have the day free to do work and catch up on all my readings for class.

Intro to Literature
On top of my core curriculum- my college makes us fulfill proficiencies (this course would fulfill an Intensive Writing-1), but I am also taking this course because I definitely needed to take an English class again. I am planning on pursuing a minor in writing, and this course is the first step in doing so. We are currently reading The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and I am so excited to be reading it again, and possibly doing a book review on it. Other books we are planning to read are Long Day's Journey into Night by Eugene O'Neill and Sula by Toni Morrison. We are also doing units on poetry and writing, which I am absolutely excited for!
My class times are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays (9:30am-10:20am)

Elementary Italian 101
My father's side of the family is Italian, and my mother's side is Irish-American; so, I've never been completely exposed to the language or culture from Italy before. I have been able to meet and skype with family from Italy, but I finally wanted to be able to learn the language. I love learning languages and I would ultimately one day want to be able to speak Italian, Spanish, and French (which I have no knowledge of ). I've been a bit nervous in class because I want to respond in Spanish, but overall I am excited to be taking a language course again. I've been even contemplating studying abroad in Italy my Junior year of college.
My class times are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays (10:30am-11:20am)

Microeconomics 101
Since I am part of the business school (Marketing major!), it's part of the Business core to take both macroeconomics and microeconomics. Last semester, I took macroeconomics and I loved that class, My teacher was so fun, and I found that I could easily comprehend the material. There was even a point in time that I considered changing my major to Economics, but alas I decided to stay in the Business school. Micro is a bit less exciting than macro, but the material is very useful. Economics helps you have a better understanding of political financial decisions and what's overall better for the economy. I recommend taking a basics course, but also Khan Academy and other free websites have great videos about the subject.
My class times are Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays (2:30pm-3:20pm)

Managerial Accounting 
Accounting has been one of my worst struggles in college. Accounting is another requirement to fulfill in the Business school (one semester Financial and one semester Managerial), and it's the hardest subject for me to grasp. My teacher is very helpful (and even make YouTube videos), and he explains everything very clearly, yet when I am on my own I can't seem to do the problems. This is definitely the subject I am going to have to put the most time and effort into. My father also studied Finance and Accounting in college, so he is always a Facetime away.
My class times are Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays (1:30pm-2:20pm)

Data Applications in Business (DAB)
This course is also a requirement for the Business school, and it's to make students proficient in Microsoft word and excel. It's definitely a skill that's worthy to learn.
My class time is Tuesdays 12:30pm-2:15pm


So... my schedule is a bit busy! Last semester, I felt as if I wasted so much time because I wouldn't have my first classes until 10:00 or 10:30 in the morning. Now, I have an 8:30 or 9:30 every day and I've been enjoying my day more. I'll wake up, make a coffee in my Keurig, and then go to breakfast before class. I also find myself planning my schedule a lot more for the week because I have my classes more frequently now. A downside is there are about three days a week where I will have four classes, but it never feels overwhelming.

I've also been making a goal for myself to go to the gym because I am more focused on taking care of myself this semester. I think going 3-5 times a week would be ideal and going to Zumba and Yoga classes, but also using the cardio and strength machines. Last week, I had gone to the gym three times and I already felt better than I had the month I stayed at home. Also, I've been sleeping better because of my hectic days + making time to workout. Although I go to bed between 10:45pm and 11:30pm I still am able to get up and feel awake (except for a few days where you can find me taking a nap in my dorm room between my last class and choir) and stay awake for most of the day with a little help of my water bottle and coffee.

I'm trying my best to achieve my resolutions, and I have the motivation so far.
What are some tips that you have to utilize your day? or to remain/get healthy? How are your resolutions going, if you have any?

Follow my new Instagram for the blog to see my life daily!
https://www.instagram.com/christinaxmadeleine/

xx

Christina Madeleine

Thoughts and Ramblings of a First Semester College Freshman

So...it's been a month since my last update. To me, it's very strange that I haven't updated in that long because I am constantly talking about my blog and thinking of ideas, yet don't write anything. I've decided instead of apologizing in every post, that I will make 2019 my year with 'This Fashion Girl' because, at this point, this blog is part of me.

What's this post about? Well, I have learned a lot in the last 3.5 months of being in college, and have some thoughts and experiences I want to write about.

1. The first two weeks are the absolute worst

In all the movies and stories, you hear about how college is such a magical time from the point of moving into your dorm to graduation. My first day was so stressful starting with finding a bug into my desk to not being able to find half my items. Also, there was a pressure to "go out" that night, and I was so exhausted I just went to bed. My orientation group was not very friendly, and it's funny now because I am very good friends with my leader for activities, but not close with all the initial people I met. I also cried so much during the first two weeks because it felt that everyone found friends so quickly, which is absolutely not the case. There is also a jump from taking high school classes to college classes (different times, and time management), which is hard at first.

2. It's 100% okay to not feel like you fit in 

I say this all the time to my friends here, but I don't feel like I fit a type of mold that the people at my school are. I stand out in different ways (for example I am one of the only people that come from New York City in my grade) or I will wear some eccentric pieces that no one would care about at home, but here people will stare. I also try my hardest in classes (even ones that are slightly boring), and I am very eager to learn, and sometimes it feels like everyone around me hates being in classes. There are times where I feel like I stand out for negative reasons, but I've also met people that like to be creative, and talk about intellectual things, and those people who are "your people" come in time. As long as you love the college you go to, fitting in should never be a worry. People are drawn to those who stand out than those who blend with the crowd.

3. Everyone is struggling, it just might not seem like it 

The worst part of the beginning of college was looking at the social media of my friends from home, and feeling like they are having so much fun...and I wasn't. Everyone posts on social media their new friends, and all the parties they go to, but no one will post all the times they cried, stressed, or homesick.

4.  Some friendships from home are just "high school friendships"

My best friend from home, Bree, said this to me a few weeks ago when I was very upset about how a friend of ours had been treating me since they stepped into college and before. I am not saying ditch your friends from home as soon as you get to college (those are some of the worst types of people), but if a friend from home isn't treating you right; it's okay to let go of them and just keep the memories.

5. You meet people in the weirdest ways

My friend group in college was formed by a bunch of coincidences, and honestly, I can't picture life at PC without them. My childhood friend from pre-school and I reunited this year, and through her, I met two girls who happened to live two dorms down from me (and I didn't even know that until three weeks into the school year), and our group grew to six people. These girls have been my rock for the last few months, and we have gone through some whacky adventures in Rhode Island. I've also met people through getting ready on the floor bathroom, filming videos, and going to Bingo.

6. Taking part in activities that YOU enjoy is a saving grace

The first club I joined when I got to college is a choir. As you know, I sang in my high school choir for four years, and I decided to continue in college. Singing is very important to me, and to have a small community of people I spent two hours a week with sounded like the thing I needed to not be so sad at school. I also joined PCTV (you can check out the tab to see the videos that feature me), and I did that because that's what I wanted to do and be part of. In the next semester, I plan on joining more activities in order to meet more people, and further develop my interests. '

7. Working hard is SO IMPORTANT

College is no time to slack off. In most of my classes, our homework counted for very little and our grades were solely based on group projects and tests. In group projects, you need to pull your wait or your group will be penalized and everyone knows the person in the group that is doing nothing. If you don't understand something, the professor moves on and you need to go to tutoring or office hours. A few posts ago, I talked about how much I didn't like my classes, but when I worked so hard this semester to understand and honestly it hasn't been that bad. Two of my best classes were Macroeconomics and Math when I really thought it would be Western Civ. I felt so defeated in high school and felt as if so many people were smarter than me, but at PC I feel so smart and accomplished. Professors will recognize hard-working students and be more thankful and nice towards the students that seem interested than the ones who look bored.

8. I definitely need to take better care of myself

There were times when I would go to bed at 2am and wake up at 9am for my 10am class, and I honestly hated going to bed that late. I wasn't doing work. I was on my phone. Next semester, I need to go to bed early, eat better, and go to the gym. It's so easy not to workout and makes excuses, but I would waste so much time on my phone when I could've gone to a yoga or Zumba class. I would find excuses to eat dessert at every meal and feel gross later in the day. I have found errors in my ways, and honestly, it's hard to not eat badly when everyone around you is. Also, colleges give out so much free food that might not be the healthiest but is so good (i.e Insomnia cookies and chicken wings).

9. Continue following your passions

I have so many career goals that I want to achieve in my life, but I also have passions outside of my major. I plan on pursuing a writing minor (and possibly economics) with my Marketing major because I love English (can't you tell?). I am working next semester to take classes that not only fulfill my core requirements but also make me want to go to them. I plan on sticking with blogging and posting more because that's what I like to do, and in the long run I know will be worth it.


Thank you so much for following me along this journey of self-growth and education.

Here's a picture of me in Haven Brothers diner at 12:30am.

My outfit:

Skirt- TopShop

Black Tights- H&M

Black Bodysuit - Forever 21

Christmas Hawaiian Shirt- H&M Men

Here's a picture of me and Ailish on our last "free" night before the rest of finals week

xx

Christina Madeleine

Tips for the American College Process

Hey everyone! If you have read my blog anytime in the last year, you would see me constantly talking about the stress of the American college process. I started the process in early January 2017, and I am finally finished! I will be attending Providence College in the fall, and I am part of the class of 2022. High school isn't over for me yet (five more months, as of today), but I am still so excited for the journey that awaits me regarding college. I can't wait to decorate my dorm room and explore Rhode Island (as of now, I have only been to that state three times). Since many people all over are starting the process, I decided to give some tips I have learned over the last year of my life.

This photo is of me with my Providence College Acceptance on December 18, 2017.

1. Don't slack off Freshman and Sophmore Year.

When I was a freshman in high school, I had a really hard time adjusting to my new school. I was also super focused on making friends and extracurriculars. I was struggling in Biology, and I should've gotten more help in my classes and/or a tutor. Although it doesn't seem like freshman and sophomore year would affect your chances of colleges, it definitely sets the path for the rest of your academic career. I was never good at science, but by junior year I had found a tutor who helped me through Physics. Even if your freshman year grades aren't the best, an upward curve in grades throughout high school is looked on positively.

2. You Don't Have to Be in All Honors and APs.

There is way too much pressure to be put in honors or APs. I have met people who thrive in honors and APs, and others who crash. Personally, I was never in honors classes and I still did well in school. Many colleges don't look down upon those who are not in advanced or honors classes, they look to see how well you are doing in the classes you took.

3. Take a Practice ACT and SAT Before Prepping For Either.

 I took a practice SAT in my sophomore year and my junior year of high school. Both were given out at my school. I also took a practice ACT but didn't take it seriously because I thought that I liked the SAT better. If I had taken both with the same attitude, I would've realized how the ACT was the better test for me instead of taking the SAT.

4. Take 2-3 Tests (unless you get a perfect score).

There was no way I was going to get 1600 on the SAT or a 36 on the ACT because I had not prepped enough in order to get that high of a score, and my education didn't meet what I would've been tested on. I was held back in math when I had switched schools, so I am taking pre-calculus as a senior even though that subject is on the standardized tests that I took as a junior in high school. I had done an SAT course from January to March 2017, which was run by Kaplan (do not recommend) and by the time I took my SAT I had only gotten 1140. When I had taken a practice SAT with no prep, I had scored only 10 points lower. My SAT course barely helped me. Then, I bought both an ACT and SAT prep books because I signed up for both in June. I took the ACT because many people told me it would be "easier." The second time I took the SAT, I received 1200. On my ACT, with barely any prep I received a 27 (equivalent of 1300 SAT score). There are so many different factors that go into scoring a higher test score such as the testing center, amount of preparation, previous knowledge, the ability to answer all the questions in a short amount of time, and a clear head. The first testing center I went to caused me to become very stressed out, and I ended up not doing as well as I could.

5. Talk to your guidance counselor if you can.

 My guidance counselor is an absolute blessing! She compiled a list of twenty schools and worked with me to find the ones that I should look into. She's actually the one who gave me Providence College, to begin with, and here we are! Your guidance counselor is the person who should help you the most with the process, and help you find schools that are good for you. It's also a bit of a reality check when certain schools are far reaches meaning really hard to get in, even if you have everything they want. They are also the people who can give you fee waivers, and help you get in touch with representatives from the school.

6. Visit Schools and Do Interviews!

If you had asked me where I would want to go to college a year ago, I would've said, "possibly Boston College" and don't get me wrong...it's a lovely school, but once I visited it I decided not to apply. During my spring break, I visited three schools in Boston, and two in D.C, and ended up applying to one of those schools. After visiting schools, I decided that I wanted a campus school with lots of sports outside of the city. In June, I visited Lehigh University and Providence College and decided which school I wanted to be at. By visiting schools, you get to experience what it's like to go to that school and get a feel for the people. In August, I scheduled an interview at PC in order to express my interest there. Expressing interests in schools definitely helps because your interviewer will either take notes on you or be the person who eventually reads your application.

7. Spend a lot of time on your personal essay, and make people read it over.

I didn't have my personal essay done until two weeks before I turned in my applications, but once it was done my old English teacher read it and helped make it more coherent. Finding a topic and writing your story is a crucial part of the whole college process. You want the reader to get a feel for who you are because in the end, they are the ones who accept or deny you. Your test scores and grades are just one part of you, the personal essay gives your profile a personality.

8. There's no such thing as safety schools.

You will hear so many people talk about safety schools. As much as you can be certain a school will accept you, there is always the chance for some reason they don't (unless there is a 100% acceptance rate). There are so many colleges and universities to choose from, and they all have different things they look for in a future student. There are people I know that were accepted into schools with 12% acceptance rates and denied from 75% acceptance rate schools. There's no exact science to getting into a certain school.

9. You'll get in somewhere!

Many people become scared that they won't get into a university. If you apply to schools that you have a good chance of getting in, along with your dream schools...you'll get in somewhere. I was deferred from a school that everyone thought I would get into, but two others schools accepted me and then gave me scholarships before I even found out from my top school. Although everyone is different, you'll end up at a university no matter what.

I hope this post was helpful to those of you who are entering the college process! I am sure you'll be fine. If you have any other questions or need advice, my twitter handle is @thisfashiongirl. I am in no way an expert on the college process, but I definitely wanted to give advice because the whole process is super scary. 

For those of you not from the United States, comment what the college process is like in your country!

                                                                              xx

                                                                Christina Madeleine

                                        

School Tips: Resources for Studying & Homework

Hey everyone! Education is a wonderful thing to take advantage of, but school can be very hard. For me, I find science incredibly hard, and it's not my favorite subject. What've I learned in my 14+ years of being in school is that it's 100% okay to ask for help when you need it. Teachers go very fast when they are teaching, and sometimes they can't make sure everyone understands the concepts. Today, I am going to give you guys some resources and advice when it comes to asking for help in school.

1. Chegg online tutors

My sophomore year of high school,  I was having a hard time in Chemistry because I couldn't grasp the concepts in my 75 minute class. During my frees, I would meet with my teacher, but sometimes it wasn't enough. Chegg Tutoring is available at all times through the day, and it matches you with a tutor in minutes for live sessions. I have used Chegg tutors for SAT prep, Physics, Chemistry, Algebra, and Geometry. The tutors are very helpful, and you can talk to them through messaging, video chat or phone calls. You can even see the tutors credentials, and usually they are either teachers or college students who study the topic you need help in.  The program costs some money, but it's not expensive. I really recommend this website, especially since it's a 24 hour service.
http://www.chegg.com/


2. Crash Course

I am a huge fan of John and Hank Green. They are such great people to look up to, and specialize in educating younger people (as well as  adults) on what's happening in current events, and in the past. Crash Course is a Youtube Channel that has 15 minute videos in topics such as World History, Chemistry, Literature, Physics, US history, etc... Some of there videos are narrated by John or Hank, but other videos are taught by people who have degrees in the subject. The videos are very concise, engaging, and also have fun facts to not just teach students, but help them retain the informations. All of their videos are fact checked and accurate. I use these videos for history class as a review before tests.
https://www.youtube.com/user/crashcourse

3. Memrise

Memrise is an app and website that was originally made for learning languages, but can be used to study vocabulary of any type. I take Spanish at school, and we have vocab quizzes quite often so I put them onto the Memrise app on my phone and download the list, so that I can study on the train. This app is super helpful because you can test yourself, and it even tells you what words that you're having more problems remembering. I've been using this app since I was a freshman, and it's helped me so much in my English and Spanish classes.

4. National Honors Society tutors 

National Honors Society is a group of juniors and seniors, who have a 3.7 or higher GPA, who are designated to help out students in certain topics. Many schools offer NHS tutoring for free because it's just peers helping out, but usually these students have passed the class with high scores and can clarify concepts. I wouldn't recommend NHS tutors for all the time tutors because they are students too, but meeting with them for 30 minutes before or after a class can be very helpful. I have previously had NHS tutors in Spanish and Geometry, and it made quite the difference.

5.  Group Meetings

Everybody is different, but I prefer to study with a partner or in a small group for big tests. Every year during finals, my friend and I sit in a classroom or facetime in order to study everything we know about a topic. Talking with a partner definitely helps me retain information because we take turns explaining certain topics. At my school, you can meet with a teacher and bring three people and have a mini lesson to go over topics. Teachers are meant to help you, and they want you to succeed. Working with other people can be beneficial, and it's so rewarding when all of you do well. Tip: unless you are using your phone to study from, make your whole group put their phones on silent, so that there are no major distractions to take you from your studying.


 I hope these resources help you. I start school on September 6 (the beginning of my senior year of high school!) and I want to do my best, so I wanted all of you to do your best as well! A mind is a terrible thing to waste, so become educated and get excited to learn. School can be tough, and sometimes defeating, but it goes faster than you think. 

                                                                     xx
                                                       Christina Madeleine

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