It can take new grads 3 to 6 months before landing their first job, so don’t feel bad if you don’t have a job lined up before you walk across the stage. Instead of rushing to the real world and adult-sized responsibilities, you can use the time after graduation to enjoy life and your freedom.

12 Ways to Productively Use Your Time After Graduation

1. Travel

Everyone always says that the best time to travel is during college or directly afterwards because your time and freedom is unlimited and unburden with adult responsibilities. While many college students are strapped for cash, don’t let that stop you from living out your Pinterest-inspired travel dreams. You can always go backpacking across Europe or hop into the car for an extended road trip around the states.  

In case you need some travel inspiration, here are a few travel guides that I’ve put together over the years:

• Miami, Florida Travel Guide
• Johannesburg, South Africa Travel Guide
• Richmond, Virginia Travel Guide
• Wilmington, North Carolina Travel Guide
• Asheville, North Carolina Travel Guide

2. Start therapy

If you are ready to change your life and grow as a person, then therapy is a perfect way to utilize your time after graduation. Many students find it hard to handle the harsh reality of losing a part of their identity as a college student. Add in not having a job that you love immediately after graduation can add an extra layer of difficulty. This can cause recent graduates to slide into a season of depression and anxiety that isn’t talked about enough.

The great part though is that this generation have turned therapy into a normal dinner table conversation, and therapy is less taboo than it used to be. I hope that you remember that this period is just another season of your life and it too shall pass.

3. Pick up a new hobby

Remember all of the time that you spent in college saying that you wished you had MORE time to learn a new skill or read more books? Well this gap period before you start your first job is the perfect time to start learning a new hobby or skill. There are endless number of options to choose from such as learning a new language or instrument. If you like learning things by video, then you’ll love the classes on Skillshare. The classes are quick to the point and are easy to follow along.

This past winter, I started taking pottery classes at a local studio, and it’s been really fun to utilize my brain in a different way than I’m used to. I will say that pottery is quite humbling, but I love the endless possibilities of learning and creating.

Some of my recent pieces that I’m obsessed with…

4. Spend time with family

Between school, work, and a social life, it is easy to let time pass you by and forget to spend quality time with your family outside of holidays. During this awkward time after graduation, take a road trip to visit your family members that may not live close to you or your immediate family. It doesn’t have to be a big deal or an elaborate trip. Enjoy the company and the peace while you wait for job offers to come rolling in. 

5. Learn how to manage your time

One thing that I’ve learned this past year is that time management isn’t about long to-do lists, taking no breaks, or pushing yourself to the max on a daily basis. Time management is more about learning how to prioritize your time to fit the goals that you have for yourself, and it’s an important skill to have in adulthood. Once you start your first job after graduation, time just seems to go by in a blink of an eye, and it can be hard to continue to find time to do the things that you enjoy.

Using a paper or digital planner has really helped me schedule out my days to make sure I accomplish everything that I want to that day, week, or month. Another great tip is to time how long it takes you to do certain tasks so that way you have a better idea of how much time you’ll actually need the next time around. If you need more help with learning how to improve your time management skills, then read this guide that I wrote outline all of my tips and tricks around time management.

6. Start a fitness routine

Fitness always takes a back burner when people get stressed out, but life doesn’t get any less stressed once you start your first job. Start a new habit after graduation and get serious about exercising, eating healthier, and loving yourself thoroughly. You’ll not only feel better but you’ll also feel more confident. Once you’re able to create a new habit of working out, it starts to feel less like a chore and more of a safe place to release all of that negative energy from the day. As a healthcare professional, it is super important to find a healthy outlet that you enjoy. Trust me, it’s a lot harder to take care of your patients if you’re not also taking care of yourself at home. 

7. Update your LinkedIn profile

Before you head off and start applying for every job you see online, you’ll want to take a step back and update your LinkedIn profile. The biggest mistake that people make when it comes to LinkedIn is simply not using it to its fullest potential. As the biggest professional networking platform, it’s an amazing tool to grow your network and connect with future employers outside of a job application.

Some things that your profile should have are: a clear image of yourself, a well thought out bio, and your employment history. A full LinkedIn guide is on the way, but for right now, this will give you a few ideas to get started with. 

8. Apply for jobs

Obviously the most common thing that people do once they graduate from college is start applying for jobs. But the key isn’t to just apply for any and every job that you see with the same basic resume. Before hitting submit on a job application, you should be tailoring and personalizing each resume to fit the description of the job posting. This is the easiest way to get past the computer system outside of directly messaging the hiring manager for the company (which by the way you totally should do!).

9. Invest in your passions

It’s easy to get overwhelmed in college and forget to actually enjoy life. Use the time after graduation to invest in your passions, whatever they may be. and truly put your heart into it. Have fun and be willing to try something new. I started this blog that you are currently reading while I was in pharmacy school. And while it was (still is!) a ton of work, I love being able to write new content and interact with every single reader. If you have no idea what you’re passionate about, don’t be afraid to try out new things and just see how things go. You might very well land on something that you love to do.

10. Take on a seasonal (part time) job

While many new pharmacists think that they have to go right into a pharmacist position, that isn’t necessarily true. Before your career truly begins, you can always use the summer after graduation to take on a seasonal or part time job. You might want to be an au pair for the summer, star as an extra in a movie, or become a social media manager for some extra money during the summer months. Even though these jobs aren’t necessarily in your field, you can still learn valuables skills that you can then use in your next role. 

11. Learn a new skill with online courses

Learning doesn’t have to stop once you graduate from college, and it doesn’t have to be from a boring textbook either. Nowadays there are plenty of online classes where you can learn everything from coding to crocheting to marketing right from the comforts of your own bed. Personally, I’ve used SkillShare to learn more about marketing, LinkedIn, and even how to build a resume (one that landed me multiple interviews from a variety of companies).

Whatever you choose to learn, make sure that it either 1) fulfills a passion of yours or 2) can help you in your career. You’d be surprised what skills can translate to more money at your future job or how a unique skill can help you break into a unique field.

12. Study for the pharmacy licensure exams

After you graduate from pharmacy school, the next logical step in your pharmacy career is to study for the NAPLEX and the MPJE exams. To practice as a pharmacist in the United States, students are required to pass both exams within a certain time period of each other. While these exams are difficult, they are not impossible with proper preparation and a good study plan. You can read more about my study tips on how to pass the NAPLEX and the MPJE here.

You may also like:  How to Land Your First Pharmacist Job, 11 Study Tips to Help You Pass the NAPLEX Exam, and Varsity Tutors Review: My Experience with the NAPLEX Exam

The post 12 Ways to Productively Use Your Time After Graduation appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

While there’s plenty of complex hacks and tricks online, I’ve learned from personal experience that the best way to stay organized is to keep things simple and efficient. You’ll want to find a method that works for your lifestyle and easy for you to implement, which will most likely look a little different from your fellow pharmacy classmates. If you’re ready to learn how to stay organized in pharmacy school, then let’s dive right into the organizational tips.

Use a planner

The easiest way to stay organized in school is to keep a planner, either a paper or electronic version. It’s pretty difficult, no matter how good your memory may be, to remember everything that has to be done in your personal life and for school. Throw in a part-time job, and it’s nearly impossible to keep everything straight in your mind.

This is where keeping a planner comes in to clear out the clutter and help you stay organized. In your planner, write down all of your future exams, assignment due dates, work schedule, and any other events you don’t want to forget about. My favorite planner right now that I’ve been using the last few years is this customizable one from Cloth & Paper. It’s pretty luxe (aka pricey) for a college student, but I’m obsessed. If you need a more budget friendly planner, then check out the Recollections planner from Michaels. It’s a complete dupe for the Erin Condren planners for half of the price.

Keep your class schedule visible

With a constantly changing schedule, it’s pretty easy to forget when and where you have class each day. At the beginning of the semester, place your class schedule in a visible location for easy access and help keep yourself organized during a busy morning. I always used to keep a copy of my schedule in the back of my agenda, where I could easily flip to it before I headed off to campus for the day.

Plan your days

At the beginning of each week, sit down and look at what you already have written down in your agenda for the week and make sure to update it with anything new. Once you have an overview of how your week is going to look, you can start to plan out your individual days. Lately, I’ve been using this method called the Top 3 Method, where you write down the top 3 most important tasks that need to be done for the day.

The goal for the day is to get those three tasks done, and if you have time or energy later, then you can work on the other items on your list. With the Top 3 Method, it helps declutter your mind and helps you focus on the tasks that actually matter, instead of wasting time on items that won’t make a difference. Use this idea whenever you feel like you’re getting overwhelmed and just need to cut through the mind clutter.

Break down long-term projects

It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed or stress when you have a complex project or a task that is due months down the road. Instead of letting procrastination to get the best of you, try breaking up your big project into smaller, more manageable tasks. Posters, manuscripts, and seminar presentations are all examples of large projects that usually take a few weeks to complete and can be quite stressful.

By breaking up your long-term project into bite-size tasks, it tricks your mind into thinking that the project is less intimating, and it’s easier for your mind to stay focus on the task at hand. Depending on what the project is, you may be able to break down the task based on categories, due dates, or some other method that works best.  

Use the right tools

Having the right tools and equipment in your arsenal is an easy way to stay organized in college plus it’s easy to keep up with.

• Zebra Pen G-450 – These are my favorite pens right now. The ink that Zebra Pen uses is super quick drying and doesn’t smudge, which makes it perfect for note taking.
• Highlighters – Highlighters are a must for your school supplies. I went through so many of these during pharmacy school. I use them to highlight any important details in my notes, so they stand out when I’m studying.
• To Do List – I always keep a running to do list, either on paper or in my phone. If I don’t write it down, then it most definitely won’t get done as I can be quite forgetful. I love any lined notepad, but this one on Etsy is especially cute.
• Binders – These are self-explanatory, but I used to keep my notes in one binder during pharmacy school.
• Binder Dividers – You’ll need these to divide up your binder and make it easier to keep your classes separate from each other.

Complete one task before moving on to the next

Yep, you heard me right. If you want to learn how to stay organized in pharmacy school, then the first step is to learn how to complete one task before moving on to the next. Distractions can happen so easily, especially when you allow your mind to wander from the task at hand and lose focus. When you’re constantly hopping from one task to the next, you may find at the end of the day that you haven’t gotten much done on your to-do list and have left a huge mess in your workspace. Instead of jumping up right away when your mind wanders, write a quick note to remind yourself to do it later.

Don’t be afraid to declutter

My favorite hobby is the art of decluttering. Whenever I feel like I have nothing to wear or my space is getting extra messy, then I know it’s because I simply have too much stuff. When you’re in college, it’s so easy to feel overwhelmed with the amount of stuff that you have in your small dorm room or off-campus apartment.

From the free stuff that everyone gives you to the stuff you brought from home, it can all add up and make you feel even more anxious than you already are. Organizing your life doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task nor does it have to be a long process. Whenever I’m about to start to declutter, I always pick one thing to declutter at a time, such as my closet or kitchen, to break it up.  

Use your wait time

When you have a full schedule, it’s imperative that you use your time wisely including your wait time. This may look a little different for everyone depending on where you are and what you need to get done throughout the day. One example of how to use your wait time is to wash some dishes or clean up the kitchen while you’re cooking or waiting for your food to warm up. You’d be surprised about how much you can get done or learn with those few extra minutes throughout the day.

Clean up before bed

Right before bed, take a few minutes before you go to bed to clean up your space. Trust me that your future self will thank you later and you’ll feel so much lighter. Seriously you’d be surprised by how much better you’ll start to feel when you start doing this right before bed. It doesn’t have to be a deep clean or anything either. Take 5 or 10 minutes to pick up your clothes, wipe down your counters, and a few other things to get ready for the following day. 

Listen to your body and sleep!

Pharmacy students are notorious for not getting enough sleep, but I promise that nothing is more important than sleep, your mental health, and your physical well-being. There are so many studies that show how important sleep is for happiness, memory, and so many other things. While I won’t dive into the science behind it, you should be shooting for 7 to 9 hours a sleep a day to stay alert and happy throughout the day.

What is your favorite organization tip that has helped you in pharmacy school?

The post 10 Easy Ways to Stay Organized in Pharmacy School appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

For most students, college is the first opportunity to be an adult, live on your own, pay your own bills, and basically do whatever you want. But with freedom comes a big responsibility. So when you’re attending college, keep that in mind.

When I first started at the University of South Carolina, I was literally into everything. I couldn’t get enough or fill up on my planner with events to attend or volunteer opportunities or with club meetings. I really invested in campus and because of it, I was able to network with some amazing people, grow with those individuals, and learn a different side of me that I never knew about.

While I’m not done with college, I still get the opportunity every day to really be successful in college and to make it the best chapter of my life. Are you ready to do the same?

Here are my tips on how to be successful in college that are easy to do and can be done right now!

Take studying seriously

As always, I have to mention it, but you’re in college to get a degree! This means that you have to take the time to study, ask questions, and get to really know the material. Hopefully, it’s material that you enjoy and want to learn more. While studying doesn’t have to take up your entire day, make sure to set aside some time every day to sit down to dive into the books. Want to learn more study tips? Read this guide that I put together of the very best study advice. 

Take every opportunity that comes your way

College is all about the adventure and the challenges that come with finding yourself, learning more about your likes and dislikes, and learning through your mess ups. If you are given an opportunity to do something, such as being a part of a research project or to job shadow an influential person in your dream field, take it! You never know where an opportunity might take or who you might meet during the journey.

But that doesn’t mean you have to wait for an opportunity to fall into your lap. Go out there and find their own adventures to join! Figure out what you’re interested in and see how you can get involved.

Choose the professor, not the course

Many people believe that the course is what’s going to decide whether or not you pass the class or the difficulty of the material. But the real reason for that is the professor. When you’re choosing what class you want to take, take a look on Rate My Professor to check out the reviews of the teachers teaching the material. You can learn a lot from a harder professor or learn nothing from a horrible teacher, depending on the teaching style the works best for you. Take a moment to think about what you are trying to get out of the course and what kind of teaching are you going to need to pass the class.

Teachers are an important aspect of college that can truly make or break your experience, not just with the material but with the entire major itself.

Get connected to campus life

Nobody wants to go to college by themselves so trust me when I say, everyone is looking for companionship and friendship in college. Getting connected to campus life could mean that you join an organization, rush in a sorority or fraternity, or it could mean that you run for office of your entire class. I promise you that whatever you’re interested, there’s more than likely a club out there waiting for you to join!

Make friends, join an organization that strikes an interest with you, and enjoy the journey that is college. Plus, once you’re connected to campus life, you’ll be more open to the opportunities around you and have more confidence about taking those opportunities to heart.

Try things out of your comfort zone

College is literally the perfect time to try new things because it’s at this time that you’re learning about yourself as an individual, as a student, and as an adult. If you’re scared of doing something or scared of looking foolish in front of your friends, I want you to just imagine the regret you’ll feel later on because you didn’t try something really fun.

For me, I was so scared of dancing in front of people and being laughed at. I was thinking all kinds of horrible things, like maybe everyone will think that I am a terrible dancer or they’ll laugh directly into my face. And guess what? It wasn’t like that all, and I actually had an amazing time once I joined a local hip-hop dance team on campus. I still won’t dance in front of people, but the team definitely grew my confidence, and I made a ton of lifelong friends who I know have my back.

Learn to listen and take care of yourself

For me, the worst part about college is the stress. We as students are under so much pressure to do well in school and to always be on our A-game, but that’s not usually the case. Some people, like myself, know when enough is enough and can take a step back to take a break. Others need a little nudge from others to go out and have a good time every once in a while. Not that doesn’t mean to just become a party-animal! But it does mean that even when you’re in college, you deserve a mental break too.

Go to office hours or get tutoring

The funny part about college is that the teachers actually really and truly care about your success, especially in their class. They want you to succeed, but a lot of people are too scared to sit down with them and ask for help. Don’t be like that! Ask for help and make time to go get the help that you need in a class before it’s too late.

Go to most of your classes

I say most of your classes because you can miss a class here and there without doing poorly in the class. Most classes have a restriction of how many classes you can miss before getting docked a letter grade while other bigger classes could care less. Just check what class category that your class falls into and to plan accordingly.

You’re going to learn so much more when you get the opportunity to actually listen to the teacher and be able to review your notes after the class is over.

Test out your career field before settling down into a major

No matter what major you are in, please try to job shadow or network with people that are currently doing what you want to do for your career. It could be a simple phone call or an actual job shadow experience, but it’s such a great idea to be able to see where you want to go.

Plus, you won’t really know for sure that a job is something that you want to do forever, if you’ve never actually done it before. Like before I picked pharmacy school, I went through a pharmacy technician program and worked in a pharmacy before choosing my major in my second year of college. I wanted to be positive it was something that I wanted to do before I wasted my money on classes.

Take a class just for fun

College is meant to be a fun learning experience, so take a class that isn’t in your major just to see what it’s like. You might be surprised and find out that you’re really interested in that subject matter. One year, I needed an extra class to maintain one of my scholarships, but I didn’t want a hard class that would actually make me study. So, I decided to take a horseback riding class, because I always interested in riding but it can get expensive quick! I had so much fun during the class and was actually able to get over my fear of big animals! See, something like that could happen with you or you could find another major that interests you more.

Well there you have it folks: my 10 tips to be successful in college, which are all super easy to do and can easily be implicated right NOW!

Did this post help you or did you learn something new from this post?

If so, then please give this post a share on your social media platforms and leave a comment below! Thank you!

The post 10 Tips to be Successful in College appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

I’m so glad that I went ahead and bought my first Erin Condren Planner. It’s amazing and keeps my head on straight when I super stressed out.

Why I Love My Erin Condren

Between the sleek design and all of the customization opportunities, no two planners are alike and that’s what I love about my Erin Condren. Plus being in pharmacy school and working two jobs, the spaces in the writing section are the perfect size to hold all of my assignments and work schedules. It’s also a bigger size than I am used to, but now I really love how big it is. It’s basically the size of a book, definitely bigger than the ones they used to give out in high school.

Customization Options on the website:

• Style: horizontal, time, and vertical designs
• Color scheme: colorful and neutral
• Cover options
• Length: 12 months or 18 months (for an added $5 charge)

How I Use My Planner

For me as a college student, my planner is literally my life encompassed into a book. I use it to keep up with my assignments, meetings, work schedule, my bills, and anything else that I can fit into my planner. While I love being organized and keeping my tasks in order, it can be hard to juggle everything and keep things straight. With my Erin Condren, I don’t have to worry about that anymore. Once a month, I take a few hours of my day to schedule and plan out my planner.

The best part of planning out the month is being able to use fun stickers and washi tape to decorate my planner. I literally find every single one that I use off of Etsy from anything from phone bills to taking out the trash to washing the clothes.

Besides decorating and writing down my entire life in my planner, I also set my planner in an outline fashion where I leave room to be able to cross each item off or checkmark it once it’s completed. That way I can see exactly what I need to do and what has already been done.

Here are some of the Etsy stores I recommend for stickers and covers:

• VintageLilacPaper
• Stylish Planner
• RainbowBunnyCo
• AmeliePlanner
• JeePapeterieShop

Why Everyone Needs a Planner  

Literally, I have no idea what I would do without my planner! Everyone could benefit from having a planner just for the organization skills that you learn when you keep up with it. With the Erin Condren planners, you can customize the planner to whatever you need it to be whether you are a teacher, a bride, or an exercise junkie. There’s a planner meant and structured just for you on the website!

Here are the main reasons you need to get a planner today:

Organization: You can keep everything you need in your planner, even loose papers with the folder in the back. There are also some stickers for holidays and appointments so you can plan ahead and not forget an appointment.

Availability: I love having everything I need in one place, from homework to my work schedule to my blog calendar. That way if I ever forget something I only have to look in one spot to reminded of what I needed to remember.

Better memory: It’s an actual fact that you’re more likely to remember something when you write the information down on paper.

What planner works best for you? Is there another brand you’re obsessed with?

Thanks for reading everyone and I hope I influenced you to check out the Erin Condren Life Planners. If you enjoyed this post, go ahead and give it a share on your social media accounts. It really helps me out a lot and it only takes a few minutes of your time.

Don’t forget your gift! If you sign up for Erin Condren, you can get a $10 off reward for your first purchase!

The post My Erin Condren Planner Review appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

The opinions of any guest posters are entirely of their own and may not represent the views of Uniquely Mickie.

It’s hard to believe I’ve already been out of college for almost half a year. Time has definitely flown by recently, and it feels so weird to not be starting classes this fall. I miss school so much, I’m in the process of applying to graduate programs in my local area so I can keep studying what I love. In light of the new semester, I wanted to share some of the things I wish I knew before graduating college!

Apply to jobs before you leave college

I started applying to jobs 4-6 months before I graduated, and my career counselor told me this was too late! Honestly, I think she was a bit crazy, and starting any earlier than that wouldn’t have made much sense. Because I applying to jobs while I was still in college, I was better prepared to financially transition from college to the “real world.”

Now, I work as a freelancer, and if I could go back I would have spent more time building my own business. Knowing what I do now, I would have liked to spend more time looking into my options for careers after graduation. I felt really lost and unsure of myself in the weeks leading up to graduation, and it took a few tries to figure out what I really wanted to do with my time.

Think about graduate school

In my senior year, I didn’t really give grad school much thought. As an English major, I couldn’t really find any logical reason to go to graduate school unless I planned to teach, which I didn’t. Now, I wish I had explored more options while I was still in college, because applying after graduation is a bigger hassle. Yes, I have more time to prepare for the GRE, but now I have to reach out to past professors which can be challenging since I’m no longer on campus. If I had thought about graduate school seriously sooner, I could have arranged professor recommendations and other application materials from the comfort of campus!

Spend time on campus

After my first year, I moved off campus. This worked for me since it was cheaper to live off campus, and I enjoyed the freedom. However, looking back on my time in college, I wish I spent more time on campus. I commuted 15 minutes each day to campus, and I missed out on a lot of local events on campus and around town.

Take advantage of everything

My biggest regret is waiting too long to take advantage of all the opportunities college has to offer. I spent the majority of my college experience working 25+ hours a week to pay my living expenses. Because I worked every day after classes, I was never able to join clubs or organizations.

It wasn’t until my last year of college that I cut back drastically on work hours and started to get involved. I was able to do an on-campus internship with the New Department which then led to me becoming the Editor in Chief of my college’s literary magazine. The latter became one of my greatest joys, and has led to a lot of opportunities after college. I wish I had time to discover these passions earlier!

Remember college isn’t everything

I think a lot of the fear that comes along with leaving college is rooted in this idea that college is the best time of your life. That’s what all the movies and TV shows say, right? Everyone says college is supposed to be the best four years of your life, so live it up while you can. Honestly, that’s a really depressing thought.

The truth is that college is great, but so is everything that comes after! I mean, I get to spend my days writing in my PJ’s and if that isn’t the American Dream than I don’t know what is. If you had a great college experience, that’s awesome! If you didn’t, that’s okay too!

The point is that college is temporary, and it is in no way the best experience of your life. You have the rest of your life to learn, make friends, and have fun! I wish I had someone to tell me that when I was having a nervous breakdown before graduation! Ultimately, I’m not going to tell you to make the most of college. I’m going to tell you to make the most of every day, because the fun doesn’t end after graduation!

Sam can be found at Samanthability.com where she blogs about the struggles of transitioning from college to the “real” world. When not writing, you can find her obsessing over books and watching bad reality TV from her home in Orlando, FL. 

The post 5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Graduation appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

Travel in groups
There is strength in numbers and that totally stands true when it comes to walking around campus. If you can, step up a buddy system when you go studying or go out partying. That way someone always has a buddy with them and is never left alone for someone to grab.

Let someone know your whereabouts
While it can be annoying letting someone know your every whereabouts, it’s so important to staying safe while traveling on campus. The reason why it’s so important is because if you don’t show up to a meeting spot, or come home after a night out, then someone knows that there’s a problem. They’ll start worrying about you and potentially get the police or family members involved until your found. This goes both ways though. Keep up to where your friends and family members are so that you can notice if something doesn’t seem quite right.

Use a campus escort system
A lot of campuses have a campus escort system. While the names of the system may be different, the general idea is the same. It’s a buddy system of two people that will walk you to your car or anything other location on campus that you need to go to late at night. I used to volunteer with my local campus escort system called Walk Home Cocky, and it was so much fun! You get to connect with all sorts of individuals as well as get a lot of homework or studying done.

Keep a self-defense device on you
Depending on the rules of your campus, some of the options for a self-defense device may not be allowed on campus. But if they are, I highly recommend you carrying a stun gun, pepper spray, or something else that can help protect you and makes you feel safe. Make sure that you practice or get trained on each item so that way if you every have to use it, you’ll be ready. But let’s be honest hopefully you’ll never have to use it.

Stay in well-lit areas while traveling
It may seem like a great shortcut through a dark alleyway or quick dash across a parking lot deck, but the time that it might save you isn’t worth it. Take a few extra minutes to stay in well-lit areas so that you can see if anyone is trying to approach you or snatch your backpack. Plus a lot of campuses have those call button boxes that you can call for help, and they usually located in common walk paths, so stay close to those.

Use a safety app that keeps you safe
While I don’t use this one directly, but I know a lot of other friends who use the app the Guardian to keep them safe on campus. You get to set different rules or requirements like if you don’t make it to your car in 15 minutes and turn the alarm off, the app will notice the police with all of your information and location to come rescue you. If this is something that would work for you, then totally go ahead and download it. It really works!

Learn self-defense
Learning how to protect yourself, through a self-defense class or some other fighting class, is so beneficial to college students. Sometimes you don’t have the option to have a study buddy or to let someone know your location, you’ll totally feel safe on campus when you know how to physically protect yourself. There is power in knowledge and feeling confident in yourself.
Most college campuses offer free self-defense classes as well as other fitness courses to help prepare and train you for any event.

Stay alert when walking on campus
Take your headphones out and put away your phone when you’re walking around campus. In our generation, people are so used to staring down at their phone that they sometimes forget to look around their environment. Predators and thieves are going to take advantage of that and prey on those who aren’t paying attention. Don’t be that person! Stay alert and watch your surroundings for any suspicious activity.

Be wary of strangers in your dorm
After the initial move in day and the rustling of everyone getting settled into the dorm room, you shouldn’t see any older people in the dorm. While I don’t mean that, every old person walking around is dangerous, but you need to look out for them. Strangers will sneak in behind another student or walk in through a door that is cracked to cause trouble. If you see someone that you haven’t seen before, then go to the office of your dorm or to a security guard and let them know. Go ahead and tell them any valuable information that you can give them, including a full description.

What is something that you always do that makes you feel safe on campus?

 

The post A College Student’s Guide to Staying Safe on Campus appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

With this backpack necessities guide, hopefully you can get set for school and not miss a beat!

Snacks

Imagine having to sit in a cold classroom for hours on end and your stomach starts growling. Yea, it’s not a fun picture to imagine and it’s definitely not fun in real life. For me, I have to have snacks in my backpack for those emergency situations where I’m hungry in class or when I have to quickly run out of my apartment before class. I can’t sit still and pay attention to the professor if my stomach is aching from hunger.

My favorite snacks to bring to class:

• Cheez-its
• Poptarts
• Granola Bars
• Chips

Planner

If you’re a student, then a planner is an absolute must. My personal favorite is the Erin Condren Life Planner. It’s a little pricier but it’s totally worth it in my opinion and you get to have fun with decorating with unique stickers. You can pick from a few different layout formats including horizontal, vertical, and time. By having a good planner that works for you, you’ll be able to stay organized, keep up with all of your assignments, and never overbook yourself.  

Here’s my planner so you can get a look inside! You can get a free $10 coupon for your order if you want to purchase this great planner from Erin Condren!

If you love my cover as much as I do, you can get it  or other cute covers from this great Etsy shop called StylishPlanner!

Lotion

I never thought this was a necessity, until I needed lotion one day and I didn’t have any on me. As the seasons start to change, our skin starts to need a little more TLC than before and can easily become scaly. Keep those alligator hands or white, ashy feet away by keeping some lotion in your backpack. I also get the trial size or travel size just so that I’m not lugging around a 16 oz. bottle of lotion.

Tylenol

Sometimes you never know when you might need some Tylenol or aspirin on you. From headaches, menstrual pains, to accidently knocking your toe into a corner of a desk, you’ll never know when you or a friend might need a pain reliever on the fly. They have travel size Tylenol that is perfect to stash in your backpack or purse for those emergencies.

Female products

When I first started having a period, I always was taught to keep a few pads or tampons in my backpack as well as in any purse that I carried around. It’s just a safe precaution to do just in case shark week takes you by surprise one day! Plus you never know when you’re in the bathroom and someone else’s needs a pad because they didn’t think of carrying them on them too.  True story, this has totally happened to me and the girl was so thankful that had a backup in my backpack to give her.

Chapstick

Nobody wants to kiss someone with crusty lips nor does anyone want to look at your dry lips, so keep some chapstick in your backpack, just in case your lips need a little TLC on the go. My favorite chapstick by far is the original chapstick brand in the cupcake flavor. It smells like heaven and is super moisturizing on the lips.

Tide to go pen

This is a recent add-on to my backpack essentials. When you’re clumsy like me, I’m always getting stuff on my clothes that I desperately don’t want to stay there forever. A tide-to-go pen will be your best friend for battling stains while in class or during lunch hour. It’s small and compact size so it won’t take too much space in your backpack nor weight you down.

Headphones

I don’t think I need to explain this one for us millennials. I personally love playing music between classes or while I’m waiting for class to start. If you’re interested to see what songs I’ve been loving for the summer, then you can check out my playlist here on my blog. When you’re deciding on what pair of headphones you should store in your bag, keep you mind that you want comfort and accessibility. I wouldn’t recommend lugging around your big Beats headphones, but if you like to, then do you boo!

Computer & Charger

Once you go to college, your computer and charger will literally be the life of your college career. It’s the most important piece of information that you can carry around with you so it’s a definitely must have for your backpack essentials. I would recommend keep your laptop dimensions small and compact so it’s not too heavy, especially for those long walks across campus.

Water bottle

Staying hydrated while working hard on campus is an absolute must, if you want to get the full benefits of all of your work efforts. Keeping a water bottle on you while in class will leave you with no excuse not to drink water throughout the day.

Umbrella

You never you want to get caught on campus in a drenching down pour! Talk about ruining your computer or any textbooks you’re carrying around so keeping an umbrella on hand is a must-have for a college backpack. Keep it small and compact and you’ll never get stuck in thundering rain on campus again. Okay, maybe you will, but at least you won’t be soaking wet once you arrive to class or back home to your dorm room apartment.

Fluffy socks

Yes, fluffy socks are totally a must have, at least for me. I’m always getting stuck in a really cold room in the library or in a long lecture class that’ll actually take off my shoes and put on my fluffy socks. They keep warm and are super comfy so I can easily stay focus while in class or cramming in the library. For me, I just can’t hardcore study in shoes like I need to be comfortable.

Thanks for reading everyone! If you enjoyed this post and think that others would to, then please share this post on your social media accounts. It only takes a few minutes of your time and it helps me out tremendously!

What are your backpack essentials that you can’t live without?

The post Backpack Essentials For the On-The-Go Student appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

Then I was scrolling through Instagram and I saw a sponsored post for Qapital. I was hesitant at first at trusting an app to help me save money, but it has totally changed the saving game for me!

What is Qapital

Qapital is an app that is an actual bank that is federally insured, so your money is safe with them! In the app, it allows you to set goals and specific rules that help you save money without you even knowing it.

Why I love Qapital and Why You Will Too!

The main reason of why I love Qapital is how simple and easy to use it is. Literally anyone can use it and understand how it works. When I first started using the app, I only used one rule per goal. But if you really want to save money quickly, then you’ll actually need to set up two to three rules per goal. My personal favorites are automatic, round up, and the apple health rule. Girl needs to get her steps in for the day!

Okay, so here are some more reasons of why I love Qapital and why I know you will too:

• Easy to set up your goals and rules
• Overdraft protection: your bank account will never go lower than $100
• Automatic withdrawals for your goals
• The encouragement: the app will send you cute pop ups announcing that you reached 10%, 25% or 50% of your goal.

How It Works

Step 1: Download the app and sign up with Qapital

The app can be found in the Apple or Android store and the logo is mainly white with a tri-color color. They also have a website if you want to access your account on your computer. Click the link here to sign up, on your computer or on your phone! If you use my link to sign up for Qapital, you’ll receive a free $5 deposit to your bank account once you complete your first deposit on the app.

Step 2: Connect your banking information

Once signing up for the app, you’ll be asked to plug in your banking information. Have your bank name, account number, and your routing number ready to enter into the app.

Step 3: Create a goal

Now you’re ready to start saving! Go ahead and think of some things or items that you want to save up for. Maybe you want to save up for a new pair of shoes, or go on a vacation, or just start saving. You can then create a goal! Qapital will ask that you set a cover photo, name the goal, set the amount of money you need to save, select the rules you want to add to the goal, and who are the savers for the goal. If you want to save with a friend for a spring break trip, you can totally can with the app and see how much each person has saved for the goal.

Step 4: Set up the rules for the goal

The biggest part of Qapital is the rules that you can set for each goal. These rules will dedicated how much you save and when you save. You always have the option to change or deactivate a rule for a goal, but the more rules, the more money you’ll save without knowing it.

Here are some examples of the rules that you can choose from:

• Weather: Save money every time a meteor flies by earth or if it starts raining in your local area.
• Automatic: Set up a schedule that the app will follow, such as save $10 a week, $50 a month, or save $1 every day.
• Round up: This rules rounds up each transaction that you make and rounds up to a dollar amount that you decide. I use this rule to round up every purchase to $2 and I save the change.
• 52 Week rule: Each week that’s the amount of money that the app will take out. For an example, week 1 the app will take $1, week 2 $2, and week 3 $3, etc and etc.
• Apple Health: Get rewarded every time you reach a health goal, such as reaching a step goal of 10,000 steps or walking a few miles a day.
• Guilty Pleasure: Every time you purchase at a location that you are trying to avoid, the app will take out a set amount. Don’t want to spend any money at Target or McDonald’s, then this is the rule that’ll work for you.
• Spend less: You get to set a budget and if you come under the budget, then you’ll save the difference.

Step 5: Let the savings roll in!

Once you’ve set your goal and activated the rules, you’re all set to start saving! Now you can go ahead and add more goals if you would like or you can just leave it at one goal at a time. It’s totally up to you!

My Money Saving Plan & What Worked for Me

I’ve been using Qapital now for about a year or so, and I’ve learned a lot about my spending habits as well as what savings plan worked best for me. By learning your habits, you’ll learn what rule and goal will work best for you on the app. For me, I do better when my money is automatically saved and when I have multiple goals going on at one time.

How I was able to maximize the use of Qapital:

• Setting multiple rules for each goal
• Aggressively wanting to save money
• Not touching the money until I had saved the entire amount
• Have multiple sources of income coming in: Learn how I made money from these two apps, Poshmark and Rover.

This is not only for college students; the app truly can help anyone save money without even batting an eye. If you sign up for Qapital using the link, please leave a comment below if you love it as much as I do. I honestly think you will, but I would love to hear your success stories.

The post How I Saved $2,000 in My 20s: College Edition appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

Start Early

Nothing’s worst than trying to move your whole life into a small apartment in the hot sun and with a ton of other people doing the exact same thing. Trust me when I tell you that it’s not fun at all, unless you want to meet friends as you sweat your butt off. On the big day, go ahead and start early. Wake up early and hit the road before everyone else does and before the sun starts shining. By starting early, you’ll be able to beat the heat and the traffic that comes along with every college move-in day. Plus the good thing is that if you’re the first roommate in the apartment, you’ll get your first choice of the kitchen and bathroom cabinets. When I first moved, I was the last one to move into the apartment and I didn’t get my desired choice of cabinet space. Not that it was totally bad, but I would’ve preferred to have kitchen shelves that were closer to the floor. (aka I’m really short and I hate having to use a step stool to reach everything.)

Bring a Cart

Some dorm apartments will have carts for you to use, but they are usually first-come, first serve and there are only a few for a couple hundred of students. I would highly recommend getting to your dorm complex early enough to get a cart or rent a cart from a place like U-Haul or something similar. The first time that I moved into my first apartment, I had a cart and it was so useful carrying my big or awkward pieces to my room. Plus you won’t have to break your back by doing all of the heavy lifting yourself!

Rearrange the existing furniture first

I won’t even lie that the first time that I moved, my family and I totally didn’t move the pre-existing furniture before moving all of my stuff into the room. We ended up having to shove of the items back into the hallway and stepping over the other items to rearrange the furniture to my liking. I love having my bed near a window for sunlight as well as to have a place to put my décor pieces that I wake up too. Also before moving all of your stuff into your new bedroom, you’ll want to complete the inspection checklist and mark any damage that you visibly see. This is the only contract of proof of what the room looked like before you move in so you’ll want to be very thoroughly in completing the paperwork. It’ll save your behind from any hidden charges at the end of the semester.

Wait to go grocery shopping

The task of grocery shopping truly depends on what dorm style that you have. I had an apartment style dorm so we had a fully functioning kitchen and roomy living room to share with four girls. But that is not the typical case for a freshmen dorm room. The typical dorm room style is sharing a room with two people and having a community bathroom that you share with the whole floor. If you do have this style, then you’ll want to think of quick snacks or things you can easily make in a small space. But if you have the apartment style that I had, then you have the option to truly go grocery shopping. I would wait to do this until after everyone has moved in that way you can split up the fridge evenly and possibly share the bigger items, such as milk or eggs.

Shop for dorm room supplies early

Early bird gets the worm, or at least that’s what the saying goes and it’s totally true for dorm room shopping. If you want to get the best items, then start shopping at the beginning to middle of summer. As the summer comes to an end, you’ll end up getting the last scraps of what the stores have and you don’t want that.

Start packing as early as possible

Avoid the stress of move-in day by packing as much stuff as you can before the big day. Packing up all of your stuff and loading it into the car early on will save you a ton of stress and the frenzy of possibly forgetting any important items. When you start packing, make sure to make a checklist that you can cross off as you pack up each item. I would always recommend putting your items into large totes so that they are easy to carry up to your new living situation. It’ll make your life so much easier in the long run!

Double-check any paperwork & any bills before the official move-in day

You don’t want to be the student that shows up on move-in day and can’t move-in because you didn’t complete all of the paperwork or pay any outstanding bills. This doesn’t usually happen, but I would just double check everything before the big day.

Connect with your roommates before the big day

Being able to chat with your future roommates will allow you to meet them and learn as much as you can about them before moving in. You can also discuss any questions that you might have, such as if they will have overnight guests, and coordinate the room décor if you want. Another big question you’ll want to ask if you both want to split the bigger items, such as a large trash can or mini fridge. Talking to your future roommate over the summer will ease your anxiety of living with a new person as well as being able to make your first college friend.

Welcome to the end of this guide! Hopefully this guide helped you see the light at the end of tunnel called Move-In Day. If you enjoyed it, please leave a comment and share to all of your social media outlets. Sharing is caring and it would truly help me grow my little internet space that I call home.

Moving into your first place outside of your parent’s home is such a great feeling. It’s finally a place where you can make your own rules, decorate how you like, and eat whatever you want at any time of the night. While you gain freedom, you also gain a different kind of responsibility that I’m sure you are totally ready for!

Do you have any funny move-in day stories or any tips to give  students moving away from home for the first time?

You may also like: The Ultimate Guide to Dorm Room Essentials that Most People Forget, 10 Tips to Building the Perfect Class Schedule, and 5 Creative Ways for College Students to Make Money

The post How to Have a Successful First Move In Day: A Survivor’s Guide appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

Without further ado, here’s the ultimate guide to places that gives students a discount or massive savings. (They understand the college lifestyle-aka a broke college student)

Shopping
Missguided 40% off
Topshop 10% off (in-store & online)
Charlotte Russe 10% off
ASOS 10% off
Boohoo 50% off
Amazon Prime  6 months free of Amazon prime with student email
Express 15% off
J.Crew 15% off with valid ID in-store
Goodwill 10% off (certain locations)
Kate Spade 15% off
The Limited 15% off
Banana Republic 15% off
Vineyard Vines 15% off
Steve Madden 10% off
Ann Taylor 20% off
Rugby by Ralph Lauren 15% off
Club Monaco 20% off
Juicy Couture 15% off

Food (certain locations)
Waffle House 10% off
Buffalo Wild Wings 10% off
Arby’s 10% off
Subway 10% off
Dairy Queen 10% off
Chick-fil-a Get a small drink when you show your ID
Burger King 10% off
Chipotle 15% off
Pizza Hut 10-20% off (depends on location)
TCBY 15% off

Technology
Apple Music 50% off for students
Adobe 60% off Creative Cloud
Office 365 for free with student email (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Microsoft Teams)
Spotify 50% off with a Spotify Premium Account
Apple 8% off (online & in-stores)
Radio Shack 10% off

Hopefully, this guide helped you and kind of opened your eyes to all of the discounts you could receive just by flashing your school ID card. To be honest while writing this blog post, I didn’t realize how many places give student discounts and I could’ve been saving so much money, especially on the brand name stores. If you know of any other places that give out student discounts, please leave a comment below! I would love to include them in this post.

Don’t forget to please share this article to your social media sites so other people will see this guide too! Sharing is caring right?!

What are your favorite places to shop at or get discounts from?

The post The Ultimate List of Discounts for College Students appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.