Hi guys! The second post in my back-to-school series is here! Today, I’m sharing with you my favorite school related life hacks. Whether you’re an incoming freshman, a transfer student, or just headed into a new year and trying to get as prepared as possible, read on to make your school year a whole lot easier!
Hack #1: Set your schedule as your phone lock screen.
For the first week or two of the new school year, having your schedule as your phone lock screen is invaluable. I have been doing this since I was a freshman and it is a lifesaver. It gets so annoying to carry around a piece of paper all day, or constantly getting it out of your backpack. Most teenagers have their cell phones on them 24/7, so this is a super easy way to not get lost and accidentally end up in the wrong class! Even if that happens, shake it off, we’ve all done it at some point!
Hack #2: Put dryer sheets in your gym sneakers!
This is a simple way to avoid being the person with the smelly gym bag. Keep a few extra sheets in your gym locker (if you have one), just in case you happened to give 110% during that last lap of the mile run. Pro tip – if dryer sheets are nowhere to be found in your house, use tea bags (just don’t brew any tea with them after!).
Hack #3: Paperclip Zipper
If you’ve ever experienced your backpack zipper breaking like I have, you know just how annoying that struggle can be. Do you continue to wear it on your back with the pocket wide open and your stuff hanging out? Do you attempt to hold it closed as you trek up the stairs and quietly suffer while avoiding the awkward stares? Before you start to panic, just use a paperclip! It’s a perfect temporary alternative, and most teachers have them at their desks. It also works great for pencil cases and even jackets!
Hack #4: Establish a routine
Okay, okay, I know this technically isn’t a “hack”, but it is a good tip nonetheless. When you sit down in a classroom, it’s always good to get in the habit of writing down the homework and other important information in your planner. Planners are absolutely essential for school; I’m lucky enough that my school provides us with ones, but you can get them cheap at pretty much any office supply store.
Hack #5: Command “F”
My English teacher taught me this last year! If you ever need to search something on a webpage, hold down the “command” key and the “F” key at the same time, and a little search bar will pop up on the screen. Then, you can easily get the info you need without scrolling through pages of nonessential material!
Hack #6: Wake-up call
This hack is a blessing as much as it is a curse. Set your alarm 10 to 15 minutes earlier than you need to get up. That way, when it goes off, you have that 10 to 15 minutes to chill, go on your phone, and basically wake yourself up so that when you actually have to get up, you won’t waste precious time lounging lazily in your bed (not that I’ve ever done that…hahaha).
Hack #7: Dance out the door!
This is my personal favorite from the list, because it involves music! By creating a playlist, you can set time limits to help yourself get ready. For example, you can say you have to take a shower within two songs, have to do your makeup in three, get dressed and do your hair in one, etc. etc. Here is my back-to-school playlist. It’s a work in progress, so if you have song suggestions, leave them in the comments below!
xo, Liv
Hi guys! It’s been a while (2 weeks to be exact). I apologize for no post last week, I’ve been a counselor at a local theatre camp! While working with kids is such a joy, it’s also extremely tiring, and last week I was super burnt out. In any case, I am back with a brand new post for you! Today I’m talking all about gorgeous skin and how it isn’t as hard to have as you might think. It’s a common misconception that expensive skincare products equal better quality, but this is absolutely NOT true! All of the products I mention are under $10 and completely cruelty free. To hear how I keep my skin clear and glowing without breaking the bank or harming any animals, read on!
We drove through coastal towns, with beachfront motels and seafood restaurants galore. We stopped in York (loved this beach!), and Ogunquit to stretch our legs, do a bit of shopping, and stock up on vegan treats like pastries and truffles. After that, we were Portland bound! The city of Portland isn’t as small as I thought it would be. It’s funny though, because during the duration of my time there, the city felt like my own. It was relatively quiet, peaceful, and there was an abundance of artsy thrift stores, galleries, and flea markets to explore. My dad and I even participated in an outdoor Contra Dance to live music. Dinner at “Green Elephant” Vegetarian/Vegan Bistro was delicious.
The third day, we went back to Portland to explore some of the stores we missed the first time around. We had breakfast at “The Holy Donut”, which offered some of the best looking, best tasting vegan donuts ever. Later, we did a bit of shopping downtown. I really took a liking to this super cute vintage/consignment store called “Material Objects”, filled with all kinds of eclectic clothing, shoes, and accessories. Of course, I had to get a pair of “hippie pants” that look like something Princess Jasmine wore in Aladdin.
You have probably heard this before, but you guys NEED to roll your clothes. It totally saves room! If you need even more space, I would recommend using a space bag (those plastic bags that you vacuum the air out of). That way you don’t have to worry about cramming your entire wardrobe into your suitcase!
If you’re traveling with family or friends, it’s more than likely that you’ll accidentally mistake your electronics for another person’s. By putting the same pattern washi tape on your electronics, it’s so much easier to identify your electronics from the rest. Not to mention, it looks super cute too!
If you don’t like putting your shoes on top of your clothes when you pack your suitcase, you can use a shower cap instead! Stick your shoes inside a shower cap before placing it on top of your clothes. Alternatively, you can use a plastic grocery bag or a Ziploc bag, anything you have on hand to prevent your clothes from getting dirty! Super easy and neat!
This will save your butt if you ever get your wallet stolen. What I like to do is put money in a few different places, so that if one stash of cash gets stolen, you have other stashes hidden around.
Olivia Gaidry 
