As an add-on to yesterday’s post, here are some quotes that inspire me to study hard for midterm exams!
Best of luck! xo, Liv
How To: Survive Midterms (study tips)
Midterms. The very word sends a shiver through any high schooler’s spine. But with these tips, you’re sure to breeze through them without too much pain. Read on…
Tips ~
- Be Prepared!! – This tip may seem extremely obvious, but midterms are not something you can cram for. Start studying in advance so you can avoid the stress that comes with cramming.
- Organize – Using an agenda to plan out what subjects you will study each day makes it so much easier. In addition, making sure you have all the necessary study materials available saves you some hassle. Having an organized space helps you concentrate!
- Highlight – Highlighters will be your best friend while you study. Seriously. When studying, annotate your notes. Color coding important information makes your brain remember that information better. With that in mind, make sure to only highlight IMPORTANT information. Highlighting an entire paragraph won’t do you much good!
- Block Out Distractions – It’s difficult, but turning off your cell phone will keep you focused.
- Reward Yourself – Taking a break once in a while is healthy. After a decent amount of studying, allow yourself 10 minutes of social media or a snack. Make sure to set a timer to keep yourself on track.
- Stay Active – Sitting at a desk for hours on end is nearly impossible. Every hour or so, get up and do a quick 5 to 10 minute exercise before getting back to work.
- Your Future – Be sure to keep in mind that in high school, things really count. Doing well in school will set you up for a successful future.
Hacks ~
- Maintain good posture while studying. Having good posture will help you be more efficient and awake.
- Designate a specific type of music to each subject. For example, listen to classical music while studying math, indie while studying english & rap while studying history. *if listening to music while studying distracts you, don’t do it!*
- Chew gum, it helps to process facts.
- Let your hair down while you are studying to prevent headaches!
Good luck! You got this!
xo, Liv
How To… Make a Smoothie
It’s time to face the sad truth: winter break is coming to an end for many of us students. No more sleeping in, and no more lazy days. *sigh* Because I’m going back to school starting tomorrow, I won’t be blogging as much. My goal is to upload a post every Sunday. Stay tuned! Now, back to the post…
It’s especially hard for me to get up in the morning on school days because I have to wake up incredibly early, we’re talking 5:30 A.M. people! Last year, I skipped breakfast before school because I was in too much of a rush to make anything. It really wasn’t a valid excuse and I always felt like I was starving once I got there. Over my winter break, I came up with a delicious vegan strawberry and banana smoothie recipe that takes only a couple minutes to make! It’s perfect for those school days when you need to be out the door. Try it out and let me know what you think!
Ingredients:
- 1 whole frozen banana
- 1/2 cup of strawberries (I use frozen to keep the smoothie cold)
- 1 tablespoon of almond butter
- pinch of chia seeds
- vanilla almond milk (I usually do about 1 & 1/2 cups)
- ice (to add thickness if necessary)
Blend all the ingredients together in a blender and enjoy!
xo, Liv
How To… Style Winter Staples
It’s January and winter weather is finally normal where I live! Today was a perfect sunny day so my good friend Gigi and I decided to go shopping. Here, I put together an outfit that puts all of my winter fashion essentials into one look. Check it out…
- Legwarmers – These ain’t your momma’s leg warmers from the 80s. As a dancer, I wear leg warmers on a weekly basis. However, they also add flair to an outfit (not to mention keeping your calves cozy).
- Boots – Nothing says “winter” like a great pair of boots. Here, I’m wearing my favorite brown riding boots from B.O.C., while Gigi opted for a pair from UGG.
- Leggings – You really can’t go wrong with a pair of leggings. You can pair them with virtually anything. I wore a classic black pair & Gigi rocked a burgundy pair.
- Sweaters – Sweaters are basically synonymous with cold weather. I could LIVE in these. Gigi and I both wore cream sweaters, mine a scoop neck from Gap and hers a cable-knit cowl neck.
- Scarf – Ah yes, the infamous scarf. Anyone who knows me personally is aware of my scarf addiction. The gray scarf that I’m wearing has cutout details that make it interesting. Pairing a scarf with an outfit gives it a final touch that makes the look complete.
Having these 5 staples in your winter wardrobe will keep you stylish while staying warm…have fun! Cheers!
xo, Liv
How To… Make 2016 Resolutions
Scrolling through Instagram on New Years Day is basically just scrolling through a sea of pictures captioned, “new year, new me”. *rolls eyes* Don’t get me wrong, I think the new year is the perfect time to set goals and resolutions, but you shouldn’t feel the need to completely reinvent yourself. Setting realistic goals takes some thought, but it’s not hard to do. Here’s some ideas…
- Exercise Daily – doing a little bit of exercise each day will be much more beneficial than doing an overload of exercise in one day.
- Eat Healthier – making gradual changes to your diet will help you feel better!
- Make New Friends – this year, get outside your comfort zone and meet new people, you might be surprised at who you connect with!
- Accept Others – restraining judgement and being more accepting will help you keep an open mind.
- Compliment of The Day – giving someone a compliment each day will not only make that person happy, it’ll make you happy too!
- Aim For Better Grades – winter break is coming to an end, and midterms are coming up. Now is the time to work hard. You got this!
- Study Frequently – this will de-stress you and reduce the number of cram sessions before an exam.
- Save – saving money for things you really want is more important than spending it on temporary things.
- Travel to New Places – this winter, I’m going to Canada, and I’m headed for the Catskills when summer rolls around. Travel experiences are so much fun and the memories will last a lifetime.
- Drink Water – 8 glasses a day sounds tough, but the benefits will be amazing.
- Spend More Time With Family – family is forever, after all.
- PUT DOWN THE CELL PHONE – it’s hard, I get it. This is an era where everything is digitally shared. But take a break, detach, and think about what’s really important.
- Stay organized – 2016 is going to be the year of organization for me. I am a naturally scatterbrained person, but this year, I vow to be more organized in my everyday life.
- Make Decisions – I am also a very indecisive person. Learning how to say yes or no is a skill that I am going to fine tune this year.
- Try new things – again, getting outside your comfort zone is healthy. Whether it’s a new food, experience, or hobby, embrace it and see what unfolds.
- Become More Confident – My confidence level has risen this past year, but in 2016 I expect even more growth in myself.
- Be Appreciative – Think about everything you have and take nothing for granted.
- Be your own “goals” – instead of focusing on what other people are doing, achieve what you want to do.
- Instead of thinking “new year, new me” try “new year, revised me” – you don’t need to change who you are. Simply think about the things you want to improve upon, and make that improvement happen.
- Be happy with yourself by the end of 2016 – The ultimate resolution is to make lifestyle changes that will satisfy you by this time next year. This is your year. Make it a great one.
It is my hope that you all have a wonderful 2016. Happy New Year!
xo, Liv
Welcome to Liv’s Life!
Hey there! I’m Liv and this is my blog! Here you will find my lifestyle tips and tricks; everything from beauty and health to organization and leisure. I’m so excited for this new adventure, and can’t wait to take you with me!
xo, Liv
Olivia Gaidry 