Finals Week

I kind of love finals week. Not that I love taking tests but I love the feeling of accomplishment. Finals week definitely brings me a sense of accomplishment. I passed my hardest class yet, which is the best news I received today. I have one more test tomorrow and a paper due Friday. I am not done yet but I already have the feelings of accomplishment sinking in and I am proud of the work I did this semester.
It was a busy one for me with 15 credits, but it needed to be done. Next semester is my last and it is only 12 credits, so a much easier work load and only one of those classes is actually required for graduation in April. The rest I am taking just as electives and for fun.
It feels so surreal to be this close to the end. I honestly am having a hard time believing it because it has taken me so long to get to this point. I graduated high school in 2006, so to think that it would take me 7 years until I graduated with my bachelors degree is so odd. Of course I served a mission in 2009 and was gone for 18 months. That gave me a little bit of a break. Overall it took me 10 semesters to finish my bachelors degree, 5 years which is average for most undergraduate students.
There were so many times I wanted to quit, let me tell you. I always had a job during school, whether it was full time or part time I was always working and paying my way through college. The last few semesters I was able to qualify for grants and have the government pay for tuition which was so nice. I remember having some of the hardest classes and toughest teachers. I have met some wonderful people who have helped me stay on track to graduate and I can't wait to have a big graduation party with all of them. I am just so grateful that I have gotten to this point in life and although it's not the end yet, I can feel the end coming near and it's exciting to see that happening.
I am so grateful for Zack, he's such a wonderful husband and I could not have accomplished all of this without him. He is working full time to pay most of the bills so I could finish my degree, he has sacrificed a lot for this and I am grateful he loves me enough to want to see me successful. Now that I am done with my toughest class of the semester, I feel like I can relax and focus on some upcoming projects I have in mind. I need to clean out our study closet (it's a huge mess, just wait until you see the before pictures, they are awful), clean off my desk and organize it better, organize the study room in general, and organize my closet. I have a lot of things I have to get done in the three weeks of Christmas break and I am excited to get started on all the projects.
With that being said, have a happy finals week this week. I will post more later this week.
XO
Caitlin

What I have been working on lately

I have been pretty busy with the end of the semester assignments I have, so blogging hasn't happened a whole lot. I have been working on a few side projects in between my papers and studying for tests. It gives me a good excuse to have a break. I have a paper due Thursday, a 10 page research paper due Friday, a test Monday and another test Tuesday. Also I have a test this Friday as well, I forgot about that. So busy week with lots of studying to do. Its been good to keep me busy but I will be so glad when I have a break, even if it is only two weeks long.
For this project I have been thinking about opening up an etsy shop. Mostly offering some printables and downloadable word art. I have a few of my favorite movie quotes and other quotes typed out already and just want to preview them to you guys for the time being. So here we go, right now they are going to be offered for free until my etsy shop opens. I estimate that the shop will open in January so get your quotes you like while you can and a lot more will be coming. When I do open the shop they will cost only $3.00 and look really great in your home. Enjoy these ones for the holidays.

(click here to get your free copy)

Reads the best thing to hold onto in life is each other -Audrey Hepburn 

(click here to get your free copy)

Reads her price is far beyond rubies- proverbs 31:10

(click here to get your free copy)

Reads: Marriage is a gift from god to us, the quality of our marriage is a gift from us to him -L Whitney Clayton

(click here to get your free copy)

Reads: He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same. -Wuthering Heights

(click here to get your free copy)

Reads: Falling for you was like laying taking an afternoon nap, promising myself only a brief slumber, But as soon as I had fallen, I was already dreaming -anonymous

So there you have it, hope you enjoy the first batch. I have a few more coming and will post those next week sometime. I might post them Friday if I get through all my homework between now and then. Hopefully I will come on and post about our Christmas decorations and some fun activities we have been doing for Christmas. It's my favorite holiday and I can't wait for it to come. Have a good Tuesday.

XO 

Caitlin

7 tips to get you through finals week

Everyone knows that navigating through finals week is really stressful. It can be an overwhelming time for everybody. Learning useful tips to help you get through it a little smoother is always appreciated and helpful.

So here are some tips as I enter my last semester of college I have finally figured out how to survive finals. 

1. Back up all your files! I can't stress this is enough. I am a little crazy when it comes to this step. I have had some bad experiences in the past with loosing work before its due and starting completely over. This is never good during the month of December. I back up all my files at least three times. If it is a really important assignment (for example: I have a research paper due in a few weeks worth 100 points) then I back it up four times. 

My number one way to back up files is on a flash drive. Its nice and convenient. I put every assignment from the semester on it, that way I always have it on my person as I go to class each day. The bad part is that the flash drive can be easily lost, this is why I don't rely on it for everything.

The second way I back up files is on my desktop. Of course I save it on my computer but I put the folder on my desktop in case I need to call my husband and have him send me an assignment, its in a place that is easy to find. 

The third way is that I email the assignment to myself that night before, again just in case. I know this seems like a lot of work but honestly its better to be safe then sorry. 

2. Clean your house the last weekend of November. Zack helped me clean and it has been so nice to have everything nice and organized when I get home. I haven't had to stress about a messy bathroom, or vacuuming. Of course I still have to do the dishes and laundry but that is a lot easier to do when everything else is already cleaned. We even cleaned out the fridge before December. Having a clean house helps me to study better so if you live with roommates see if you can all get together and clean up your apartment. Everyone will feel a lot better. 

3. Get a planner! This is so helpful. Get something you like whether its colorful, lots of room to write, etc. Mine comes from Jennifer over at I Heart Organizing. Its great and has a ton of room. At the beginning of the semester I get the syllabus from every class and fill out the calendar. Writing down every assignment helps me see when the due dates are and I can plan ahead. Time management is a huge thing when it comes to finals week and a planner helps to see what your priorities are. 

4. Find a favorite place to study. My favorite place is in my kitchen on the dining table. It is huge (thanks to my in-laws for donating it to us) and has enough room for me to spread out all my paperwork. I always take up a lot of room when I study so its important to have a big table. If you like the library that is great, I have never been able to study at the library but  a lot of people can get more work done there then at home. Wherever it is make sure you feel comfortable enough that you can stay a while and get some long studying hours in. 

5. Take a lot of breaks: Sometimes I use laundry and dishes as an excuse to get up and move around. While the laundry is going I study for an hour then have a 10 minute break to switch the loads. I also like to watch my favorite shows, whether that's catching up on current episodes or watching re-runs of the office. I usually pick the office when I need a laugh, cause it always makes me laugh out loud. Just remember to take breaks. 

6. Eat food during those breaks: make sure and take your food with you to your study area. Its important to keep hydrated and your belly full. 

7. Ask for help. Professors love it when you have questions. Really they do! My professors are always grateful when I ask them about assignments. Whenever I am stuck on a paragraph for a paper I will email it to them and they will help me go over it. Its great to get their feedback and boost my grade. If you can't ask professors ask your classmates. Someone in class might have the same question and already have the answer. Also work on assignments together, its helpful to get someone else's opinion on your work. 

Well those are my tips. Hopefully one of them is helpful to you. Enjoy this time, I know I am because next semester is my last, three more weeks and then I am done. Woo Hoo. So excited. 

XO

Caitlin