Tag: lifestyle

Back to School Week | 5 Tips for College Success & Survival

Happy Tuesday! Today’s Back to School Week post is going to be something a little bit different here at Adventures in Polishland. I wanted to share with all of you some of my tips for having a successful and positive college experience. College was a very difficult time in my own personal life. While I loved my classes and professors, I just didn’t fit in with the social atmosphere. I went to a small liberal arts school, and felt isolated and really unhappy my freshman year. It was my first time away from home, and I really missed my family. In addition, my roommate and I completely clashed, so I was uncomfortable in my own room. To top it all off, I don’t drink, so it was extra difficult for me to make friends outside of class and find things to do on the weekends. All of that being said, I tried to make the best of my situation, and by the time I graduated I had a great group of friends, and a lot of positive experiences I can look back on with fond memories. I hope that this post will help those of you just beginning college this year, or those who are struggling to fit in just like I was. Without further ado, let me share five tips for college success and survival!

5 Tips for College Success & Survival | Adventures in Polishland

1. Join an On-Campus Club or Organization

My first tip is what I consider the most important, and that is to join at least one on-campus club or organization. I joined a lot of clubs my freshman year, and even became the president of two of them later on. Not only are clubs a great way to meet classmates with similar interests, but it gives you the opportunity to get out of your dorm room each week. I met some amazing friends through the clubs I was a part of, and got to experience some really amazing events as well. I suggest picking one or two clubs to start, and perhaps even adding a couple more from there. I can guarantee your college will have at least one organization for you, whether it be an intramural sport, political club, or something else.

2. Change Up Your Study Location 

Now let’s talk about your studies. That is why you go to college, after all! Many students like to find that one study area where they can go on a regular basis. It’s definitely a good idea to find a study location where you are comfortable, but I recommend having about three or four locations that you rotate on a regular basis. That way, whenever one location isn’t working, you can change it up and go somewhere else. I liked to study in my dorm room, in the library, and in my school’s atrium. The change of scene helped me stay on track, but I was still comfortable studying in each location. I also picked spots that had food available nearby (gotta have that caffeine boost!).

3. Write Letters to Friends and Family 

While social media and phone calls are a convenient way to stay in touch with your family and friends back home, I really enjoyed writing letters as well. There is something special about getting something in the mail, especially in today’s world. Make sure to swap addresses with your friends before you leave for college, and try to write to them at least once per month. It might sound silly, but it’s a lot of fun, and you’ll get to know your friends in a new way. You can even save the letters and cards in a scrapbook to look back on them later in life.

4. Take Advantage of School Freebies and Student Discounts 

It’s no secret that the price of a college education is ridiculously high, so be sure to take advantage of all the freebies your school offers, as well as student discounts. My college had free laundry, free printing, and free gym facilities. We also had the opportunity to buy discount movie tickets. Moreover, my college had a free shuttle bus to take us to the local Target, grocery store, movie theatre, and train station. I could also go on and on about all the goodies they gave out at events, too. I always took advantage of these freebies and discounts, not only to save money, but to get off campus once in a while. Plus, your tuition is paying for these extra goodies, so make them count! Believe me, I miss having that free laundry big time!

5. Stay True to You

Last but not least, you have to remember to stay true to you. College is a great time to reinvent yourself and to grow as a person. However, never feel pressured to anything you don’t want to do. It was difficult to be one of the few people in college who didn’t drink, but I knew that I would rather be myself than just do what everyone else was doing. During my senior year I decided not to attend many of the senior events that celebrated the countdown to graduation. Looking back four years later, I don’t regret that decision one bit! I much preferred the quiet night in my dorm than feeling uncomfortable at the event. Sometimes it won’t be easy to stay true to you, but always remember to stay safe and never do anything you don’t want to, no matter what your own personal limits may be.

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That brings us to the end of this post! I hope you found it helpful as you either begin or continue on your college experience. If you have any questions, or would like more advice on a particular topic, please let me know in the comments! You can also email me at adventuresinpolishland@gmail.com if you’d like to ask a question there. Best of luck to those of you heading back to school!

The Best Delicates Laundry Wash Bags | Review + Coupon Code + Giveaway

Happy Thursday! Welcome to one of my first lifestyle posts as part of the Adventures in Polishland relaunch (more information on that HERE). Today I have a review of some laundry bags from the brand HaveSome Goods. I’ve been wanting to get some wash bags for delicate items because a lot of my items were getting damaged in the washing machine. Of course, I could hand wash everything, but who has the time for that?! I was so excited when I got the opportunity to review the aptly titled The Best Delicates Laundry Wash Bags. Let me show you how they work, and share my experience with them! Plus, stay tuned to the end of the post for a giveaway!

The Best Delicates Laundry Wash Bags Review

ABOUT THE PRODUCT & MY EXPERIENCE

The Best Delicates Laundry Wash Bags ReviewThe Best Delicates Laundry Wash Bags come in a set of three bags in the sizes small, medium, and large. The mesh fabric is designed to be strong yet soft, and can be put in both the washing machine and dryer. I really like the bright colors on the zippers, as it adds a pop of color to the bag that is purely decorative, but makes the bags a bit more fun to use. I decided to put all three to the test in one load of laundry right from the start!

The Best Delicates Laundry Wash Bags ReviewThere are two things that I absolutely love about these wash bags. First, the mesh fabric is thick enough to not snag in the washing machine, and I know it will hold up for many washes. At the same time, it allows for the soap and water to still pass through freely so your clothing will be thoroughly washed. My items came out smelling just as fresh and clean as always, and the bags held up perfectly through the washing and drying process.The Best Delicates Laundry Wash Bags ReviewIn addition, I also love the elastic band detail around the zipper closure. It allows you to hide the zipper so that it is not clanging around in the washer and dryer. It is a small detail, but one that is pure genius. Not only will you not hear that annoying clanging noise, but the zipper will not get caught on anything else in the laundry. I’m really impressed!

Finally, I wanted to mention how much you can fit in these bags! I placed two bras in the small bag, and there was definitely room for one more. I put two delicate blouses in the medium bag, and at least one or two more could fit in there as well. Lastly, I put one of my big cozy sweaters in the large bag. The large bag could hold more items for sure, but I wanted that sweater to go in alone because it has a tendency to snag easily. As you can see, these bags are perfect whether you’re doing just your laundry or your entire family’s!

WHERE TO BUY

All in all, I highly recommend The Best Delicates Laundry Wash Bags! I will be using these on a regular basis to care for my clothing from now on. You can buy this set of three wash bags on Amazon HERE for just $18.99! I think that is a fabulous price for bags that you can use again and again. In addition, HaveSome Goods offers a lifetime warranty, so you know this is an awesome product to invest in for the home.  HaveSome is also offering a coupon code for all of you! Use FH8HR6YK at checkout to save 20%.

GIVEAWAY

HaveSome Goods is kindly sponsoring a giveaway! Enter to win one set of the wash bags using the Rafflecopter widget. Please read all of the Terms and Conditions in the widget before entering. This giveaway will be open for one week starting today.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post is sponsored by HaveSome Goods. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Adventures in Polishland 2.0 is Coming!

Happy Monday! Today I am excited to share with you some big news for Adventures in Polishland! I first began this blog back in April of 2012, and back then it was purely a nail polish blog. I was inspired by the fun nail art looks on Pinterest (a website I had just joined!), and when my friend casually mentioned in conversation that she “read the nail blogs,” I knew I had to be one of them! About eight months into my blogging journey, I decided I wanted to blog about more than just nails. I opened up the world of Polishland to include beauty products, too. It felt natural to include things like makeup, skincare, and hair care with nail polish, but I didn’t want to go too far beyond that.

Throughout my three years here, I’ve done a few lifestyle posts here and there – fashion, technology, housewares, you name it! I’ve tossed in some random posts and hoped you would all enjoy them. However, I didn’t want to lose my nail polish and beauty audience, and blog about things outside the Polishland realm. Well, the truth is, I am a person with a lot of different hobbies and interests. I love to read, go to Broadway shows, go antiquing, and the list goes on and on. I would love to share these hobbies with all of you! For a long time, I kept a separate blog to write about these things. But that blog never got a chance to grow or shine. I loved Adventures in Polishland way too much to focus my energies on another, separate blog.

Thus, today I officially launch Adventures in Polishland 2.0! While Polishland was originally just a land of polish, it is now a place that represents me, Christina, online. I love nail polish and beauty, and will continue to blog about it three times a week. On the days where you don’t see a beauty post, there may be something else for you! Here is what the Adventures in Polishland posting schedule will look moving forward:

Monday / Wednesday / Friday: Nail Polish or Beauty Post

Tuesday / Thursday: Lifestyle Post (when I have one to share)

Saturday: #PlanWithPolishland (2-4 times per month)

Sunday: off

You will always get my nail polish and beauty posts every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and in addition you will get something else when I have it to share. I think this is a great way to incorporate more into Adventures in Polishland without changing my focus. All of my beauty-lovers will still get the same great content every week, and bonus content, too! I like calling the upgraded Adventures in Polishland a lifestyle blog with a beauty focus.

I hope you are all excited for this change! It will allow me to create an even better Adventures in Polishland because all of my blogging energy will be focused right here. In the coming weeks, I will be working behind the scenes to update the way this blog works. I want the categories to be user-friendly, and the layout to look great. I know it will take a lot of hard work, but I am very excited for this upgrade. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to ask in a comment or email me at adventuresinpolishland@gmail.com.

Welcome to Adventures in Polishland 2.0! I hope you’ll continue on the adventure!