A week in the life with my friends, who give me love and support and motivate me to be all that I can be. My home away from home, a lighthearted break from the usual serious topics that I talk about in my videos.
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Politics and Activism
Buddy the Elf's Guide to Surviving Finals: 15 Tips for a Stress-Free Winter Break!
"How'd You Sleep?" "Great, I got a full 40 minutes."
7h
279
jarviscity.com
Finals, the time we all dread. Amidst trying to juggle a social life, lack of sleep, exams, essays, and classes, it can be more than overwhelming to juggle this crazy season of life. Thankfully, Elf gets it. Here's 15 feels of finals week before winter break, as told by Buddy the Elf:
When someone asks, "How'd you sleep?"
Anything greater than zero is a good night.
Checking your grades online.
Honestly a lot like being hit by a taxi.
Apologizing to your parents in advance for your GPA.
The perfect apology for any injustice, really.
When your professor assigns another assignment on top of your finals schedule and suddenly you're trying to manage 100 responsibilities.
IT'S FINE I'M FINE EVERYTHING'S FINE.
Stress Eating Everything In Sight.
Hungry GIFfrom Elf GIFs
PopTarts, Spaghetti, Marshmallows, Candy Corn….and Syrup.
Kissing up to the professor for the sake of your grade.
Works like a charm.
When someone tells you that finals aren’t that bad.
LIAR.
When your professor gets mad at your class for not turning something in on time
A very angry elf.
Realizing you forgot to do an assignment.
Sheer, paralyzing panic.
Having your sixth cup of coffee for the day.
*Pours in a bottle of syrup for the extra sugar boost.*
Nearing the end and making plans with your friends for when you get home:
Only the essentials.
Crushing the final you thought you'd fail.
#NailedIt.
Failing the final you thought you'd crush.
*Faceplant, broken limb, sadness.*
Finally being finished.
*Cries*
Self-assuring yourself in the aftermath of finals, verbally and physically.
Now go take a nap and stress-eat some Christmas Cookies. You’ve earned it.
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Photo by Benjamin Voros on Unsplash
Personally, Autumn is one of my favorite seasons. The air is crisp but not too cold, there is so much to do, and you're not collapsing from the heat. I asked some friends and family what their favorite and least favorite parts of Fall. Below is the list I put together:
1. Pro: Leaves change color
The scenery changes from green leaves to orange, red, and yellow. The atmosphere brightens from the color change but dulls from the fog. It is a peaceful medium.
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
2. Pro: Clothes get cozier
Sweaters and long sleeves are starting to be worn without dying from the heat. However, shorts are still wearable without your legs freezing. Throw on shorts and a long sleeve shirt and you’ll feel comfortable in what you're wearing all day.
Photo by Heather Ford on Unsplash
3. Pro: Football!
Football is one of the best sports in the Fall. The tailgates create a closer community and the games bring students together while they cheer on their favorite teams. All in all, they create a lot of memories for everyone.
Photo by Riley McCullough on Unsplash
4. Pro: Peaceful walks
The air gets so cool, the wind is crisp all making long walks bearable. If you walk at night, you’ve probably seen a harvest moon - it is the best looking moon ever. The sky is clear and the moon is orange as if a pumpkin was sitting in the sky.
Photo by Ashleigh Robertson on Unsplash
5. Pro: Fun fall activities
Apple Picking is one of the most fun activities to do with a group of friends, your family, or even on a date. Another great fall activity is carving pumpkins. I remember when my brothers and I would sit at our kitchen table and carve pumpkins the day before Halloween. It was always so much fun.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash
6. Pro: Start of holidays
When fall rolls around so do the holidays that follow: Halloween is right around the corner and then Thanksgiving is next, the day where you can eat as much as you want without being judged. However, always remember the meaning behind this holiday. While you shove food in your face, remember to be thankful.
Photo by Sebastian Coman Photography on Unsplash
7. Con: Allergies and colds
As the cool weather begins, the colds and allergies follow in its track. No one likes being sick especially in such a great season. Allergies are definitely a con.
Photo by Diana Polekhina on Unsplash
8. Con: Inconsistent weather
During Fall, there is nice crisp weather in the morning then as the day goes on it gets hotter and hotter. At night, it is very cold compared to earlier that day. The weather fluctuates too much which makes choosing an outfit pretty difficult.
Photo by Craig Whitehead on Unsplash
9. Con: Raking leaves
This is a chore that is not fun for anyone. Once you have all of the leaves picked up, you want to jump in the pile, spreading out the leaves again just so you can jump back in. It is torturous cycle.
Photo by michael podger on Unsplash
10. Con: Summer is over and winter is coming
Winter is without a doubt my least favorite season. I get cold very fast and I don’t like it. During fall I can bear the cold weather because it is not completely freezing, it’s cool– there’s a difference.
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
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Student Life
10 Reasons Why The Arts Are Important In Our Lives
The arts have helped me a lot, they will help millions of other people, too.
19h
214704
Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash
I have always heard sayings like "Why study art? Why not Engineering, Science or Commerce?", "Art won't get you anywhere," "Art is useless," "You won't get a proper job" etc. I have also heard of situations of the school board planning to cut arts in schools, thinking that students won't do well in their education. Well, you know what, you all are wrong! Arts make a huge impact on our lives! Here are the reasons why art is Important.
1. Arts improves your creativity skills
Whether it is cooking, painting or music, we do art as if its our own.
2. Arts gives you joy
I smile whenever I sing my favorite song. Any kind of art can give you so much happiness.
3. Arts relieves stress
Don't you go to another world when you just sing or listen to a favourite tune?
4. Arts gives you the opportunity to showcase your talent
Even words don't give that much opportunity like art does. By showing our talent, we show that there is something special about us.
5. Arts gives you confidence.
When I sing or perform, I feel so good about myself. I feel there are no worries, hence I perform confidently.
6. Arts helps you do well academically
Trust me, just a few hours of art will help you relieve stress and give you happiness. With that, your mind will be clear, and that would help you focus on your studies, and that would help you get good grades. If you don't do art for a few hours, your mind will be stressed and you won't be able to focus and do well.
7. Arts helps you to communicate with other people
I connect with people through music. I have met most of my friends because of music.
8. Arts helps you learn visually
Thanks to art, I have become a visual learner. Learning Visually helped me a lot in studies.
9. Arts helps you to express your emotions
I use singing to showcase my emotions, whether I am happy, sad or angry. And above all...
10. Art is a different language
Art says things that even words cannot say. You don't need a language to understand Art. Just a small painting, or a food item, or improvising a tune or a step, can express a lot of things without words.
Arts have helped me a lot! As you may be aware, I have special needs! Due to that, I could neither communicate well nor do well academically. If there was something I could do well, it was music. Music has changed my life. Now I want to use music as a way of connecting with people. If it helped me, it could help a lot of other people who went through difficulties.
Arts is not a waste of time. It is not useless. Arts are very essential to our lives. Yes, I may not get a wonderful job, but as long as it gives me happiness, gives the best out of me, and at least gets some payment, what's the problem?
So my request is to please take the arts seriously. Don't treat the arts as a useless thing. Don't think that it destroys education because it doesn't!
To the education board, please don't ever think of cutting the arts. If you care about your student's education, then please consider the arts in your school. The arts bring out the best in everyone. Hope you understand.
And for all the parents, relatives, neighbours etc. Try to consider your son/daughter/acquaintance's choice. If that's what makes them happy please support them. Don't be so money-minded, and don't worry about what society says. Hope you guys understand too, how essential art is.
With art, we could bring in a lot of change! It could help millions of people! Hope one day, the arts will be considered seriously by most people!
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Featured
7 Reasons Autumn Is Hands Down The Best Season
From vibrant foliage to cozy vibes, explore the undeniable charm of Fall. Don't fight me on this one!
13 November
966
Instagram
One of the most debated topics revolves around which season is actually the best; of course, this is mostly dependent on where you live and whether or not there are four seasons throughout the year. That being said, in the context of Marist students, here is a definitive list of the reasons why autumn is actually the best:
1. The colors
One of Marist's most significant characteristics is its campus, which is right on the Hudson and its coastline. During the fall, this coastline turns bright red, orange, yellow, and everything in between. You'd be surprised (not really) at the amount of Instagram pictures that show up on your feed from the end of September to mid-November.
lake sorrounded by trees
Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash
2. Pumpkin Spice
Call me a "typical white girl," but I love everything pumpkin; having Starbucks on campus and Dunkin down the road, it's safe to say Pumpkin Spice (and other fall-y coffee drinks) are coming in hot. As a result, I will spend around a tuition's worth of my savings at the aforementioned staples of America. I'm not sorry.
cup of coffee
Photo by Heidi Kaden on Unsplash
3. Pumpkin/apple picking
You thought your Instagram was flooded with the same pictures before? Just wait until it's apple picking season. Marist is lucky enough to be a short drive from an adorable little farm in New Paltz, where you can get all the staples of autumn in one area: pumpkins, apples, apple cider, apple cider doughnuts, etc..
I'm going to be honest: I look forward to the punny apple picking captions that flood my social media.
Photo by Natalie Grainger on Unsplash
4. The weather
Don't go ahead and tell me that the term "Sweater Weather" doesn't get you excited. Fall weather is chilly enough to wear big, baggy sweaters and comfy pants; who doesn't love being cozy in an oversized hoodie? Bad people...bad people don't.
person in brown knit sweater
Photo by Giulia Bertelli on Unsplash
5. Thanksgiving
Now, don't tell me a holiday literally MADE for eating heaps of food isn't something to be excited for. There's such a broad horizon of food offered that it's nearly impossible to be unhappy.
The best part? There's always seconds encouraged. Yes, I'll have four more plates of potatoes, please.
woman in white long sleeve shirt holding wine glass
Photo by krakenimages on Unsplash
6. The crunchy leaf sound
Maybe this is just a me-thing, but that crunchy sound that fallen leaves make when you step on them is amazingly satisfying. No, I don't like when the pretty leaves fall from the trees, but if nature takes its course, I'm going to take advantage of it.
Also...don't even get me STARTED on peeling the leaves after they fall..
dried leaves
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
7. Bonfires
Definitely not something you can just light up in your dorm, but bonfires and smores in this kind of weather are unparalleled. Add some hot chocolate to the mix and you have one of the most overlooked experiences of this fabulous season.
marshmallow
Photo by Sidney Pearce on Unsplash
So there you have it people, a definitive list of valid reasons why autumn is the best season. So next time you get into an argument with your friends, pull up this list and win the argument. Thank me later.
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Health and Wellness
The Pros And Cons Of Having Too Much Free Time
It's not as easy as it sounds.
10 November
8540
While the idea of free time without a stressful job or an abundance of schoolwork looming over your head may sound like a dream, it can be a nightmare at times. Having a couple of days to decompress is needed for a healthy mind and body. But when too many days go by, it can cause a downward spiral of thoughts and feelings.
As a recent jobless graduate, I was ecstatic to be free from responsibility and take a break from my normal life. That was until I realized just how responsible I had been and needed to be to continue being self-sustained. I learned a few things in this month of unemployment that encouraged me to find a job as soon as possible.
PRO: More time for self care.
As we all know, caring for yourself is beneficial for your mind and body alike. Sleeping in a bit longer than usual, pampering yourself in the bath/shower, and buying small treats here and there can be a positive influence. With a break from responsibility, you become solely focused on yourself.
CON: More time to overthink.
There are twenty-four hours in a day and seven hundred twenty hours in an average month. You think about situations and events even in your dreams. All those hours are spent thinking about things and delving deeper into them. It turns into an endless abyss of thoughts. Definitely not favorable in a time of no to low stress.
PRO: More time to spend with family and friends.
Family and friends are important rocks in your life that will be there at all times. It's important to cherish them and make memories. Whether it's out shopping, out to dinner or just lounging around the house, all options pose a chance to spend time together.
CON: More time to get into trouble.
Having freedom allows you to go after what sounds exciting without fully thinking through the actions or consequences. It can lead you down the wrong path even when things are going right.
In every aspect of life, there is always a limit to how much of that thing is actually necessary. After having such a large amount of time to spare, I realized I need to keep busy in order to keep my life on track. That may not be the case for everyone. Some individuals may find they need a longer period of time to function. It's all about finding what works for you.
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