My College Visiting Experience!

Posted on April 27, 2015April 27, 2015 Posted in Lifestyle PostsTagged Boston, Cities, College, Decisions, education, family, Junior, Lifestyle, post, QWERTY blog, Road trip, School, Syracuse, Universities, VisitsLeave a comment

Hello My Beauties!

It’s crazy to think that in less than one year I’ll be packing my bags and leaving the city, and home, that I have known for thirteen years! 365 days is not a lot of time to get my s***t together and apply to all of the schools that I want to, so my family and I decided to be proactive for once (sorry, I know you read this, but I love you!) and we took a road trip to go see Boston University, Syracuse University, and Emerson College. I’m not going to talk about Emerson because I wasn’t really excited while visiting. They have nice dorm rooms though!

After traveling across the amazing, and quite desolate, Canadian countryside, we arrived in Syracuse, New York. Honestly, there wasn’t a lot to see in the town. I feel like we didn’t explore it enough because everyone keeps telling me that it is really cool, but we didn’t really have a lot of time to immerse ourselves in the local culture. Sorry Syracuse.

The school on the other hand was beautiful! I loved the old buildings and little college town attached. It was also more secluded than the other schools, making it very, very safe. I really loved going into the Newhouse building where the School Of Communications is located. Best of all were the people; they were completely clade in SU gear for no real reason other than to show their love for the school! In the end, I’d not regret going there at all!

Then we traveled all the way to Boston University. Now, I was slightly biased because this has been my number one school since I learned of its existence! Since living in New York City for a little bit, I have loved the idea of going to school in a city. Just not New York city. Once we arrived I became emotionally confused– just 4 hours ago I was so sure that Syracuse was the place for me, but Boston had such a cool vibe! The city was lively, full of history (YAAAASSSS), and the people seemed to be so proud to be who they were. The school was secluded, but not nearly as distanced from the city as Syracuse was. It was bigger too. Yet I liked the mentality of the students, and a part of me felt very drawn to this place.

I mean, how could I not like the place that Mindy Khaling grew up in?! — I mean, how could I not like the place that Mindy Kaling grew up in?!

In the end, it came down to whether I would let my small-town, down-to-earth side of me that adored Syracuse take over my other more lively, active, and social side that was drawn to Boston. My father really helped with this, saying that I can always retreat from the city if I’m feeling overwhelmed, but at Syracuse there wouldn’t be a city to disappear from. Boston appealed to both sides of me, and would most definitely challenge me intellectually. So BU stays at #1, but in complete honesty SU is a lovely second. Both are so different it’s hard to compare them, but BU had something that really captured me, and I think it might be love! Until next time…

Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks,

Marin X

PS: If Boston University is looking at this post because I put the link in one of my essays, just know that I’d LOVE to be accepted! Thank you 😉

It’s Been One of Those Weeks

Posted on April 23, 2015April 22, 2015 Posted in Lifestyle PostsTagged advice, Lifestyle, post, QWERTY blog, tough week, troubles, week2 Comments

Hello My Beauties

This post is going to be a little more serious than usual. I haven’t been posting, or really updating, anything having to do with my blog because some personal issues have gotten in the way of me doing this. I don’t want to go into any detail because it’s all very fresh, but I do want to apologize for dropping the ball when it comes to this blog. I want to continue to produce good content for all of you, but for now I’m having a hard time doing anything with the confidence I used to have.

A large reason why I’m writing this is because I wanted to reach out to all of you. I want to extend a hand to all of you going through rough times or struggling with some internal battle. It’s hard to cope with, and my best mechanism is to help others and then write about it. So I would like to give you some advice, starting now:

I want to tell you that it will get better. It just has to get better. And if it isn’t better, than it isn’t the end.

I want to tell you that you are so strong, that whatever is thrown your way has nothing on you because you can be bigger than it and overcome it and grow from it.

I want to tell you that you are not alone. Whether you find support in friends, family, or internet support groups, you are never, ever alone. It sure as hell seems like you are, but I promise you, you’re not.

And finally I want to tell you the most cliche thing ever: Life is short. Be confident in yourself, in who you are, and for the people who just cannot accept that, it might be best to not have them in your life at this point. This doesn’t mean they are horrible people. It just means they can’t be there for you like you need them to be, or vise-versa. And for the people who are destructive, I hope that you take the first three points into account and feel that you deserve to do what you need to do.

Daily life is completely unpredictable; we have no clue how we, or others, will feel day-to-day. It is our jobs as individuals to make sure that we can cope with these unpredictable moments, and that we know what to do when situations arise that we don’t know how to deal with. It is also very important to know who your support team consists of because they will be absolutely vital.

It took so much energy to write this post for you, but I needed to do it because I want to reach out to all of you. I want to make sure that if anyone is struggling, you know that you are not alone. Thank you so much for reading, and please take these words to heart.

Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks,

Marin XO

Meet Jodie! | Monthly Interview

Posted on April 8, 2015April 7, 2015 Posted in Monthly InterviewsTagged advice, Beauty, bloggers, Fashion, interview, interview questions, Lifestyle, monthly, Monthly Interview, Q and A, questions, QWERTY blog2 Comments

Hello My Beauties!

Intro By Jodie: A La Jode is a London-based fashion and lifestyle blog. Born in October 2014, it aims to bridge the gap between aspirational and accessible.

1. So your blog seems to be a mixture of elements all focused around what makes women happy. Can you tell me what drove you to create it?

I’d been reading blogs for a while and after seeing a friend grow hers I thought, “I could do this!”. It was time I finally joined in with the community I’d been observing for a while. It was only once I started my own blog that I realised what an amazing community there is – and I’ve never looked back.

2. While maintaining your blog, you are also a Digital Marketer. How do you balance both your work and your blog?

I’m really lucky that my work and blog complement each other so well. My blog was one of the main reasons I got the job as it was how I heard about the company, the reason I knew the industry existed, and had given me a good foundational knowledge of blogging and SEO. I spend my days reading blogs at work and then come home and put what I learn at work into practice on my blog!

3. What has been one exciting thing that you’ve gotten to do because of your blog?

I’ve had so many amazing opportunities from my blog, none of which I ever expected when I started. I was just a girl, sat in her room, wanting to know what this blogging thing was all about and now I have some incredible experiences to look back on. If I had to pick one thing, however, it would be the huge South West Blog Social event I organised last June. It started with an idea to go for drinks with some local bloggers and quickly turned into a one-day conference covered by several magazines and with over £13,000 of sponsorship from leading and upcoming brands!

4. What is your favorite post and why? (Include link!)

Now that’s a tricky one! I would probably have to say my 2014 highlights post as I had a lot of fun putting it together. One of the best things about blogging is that you have a kind of virtual record of everything but it was only when I began pulling it all out that I realised just how much my little blog and I had been through in one year. Looking back on it all made me feel a little emotional – and super glad I have it all saved to look back on.

5. What is something that keeps you motivated to continue blogging?

Without a doubt, the number one thing that keeps me here is the number of amazing people I’ve met through blogging. From Twitter chats and blog comments, to events and meet-ups, I’ve met some of my closest friends through blogging. It’s so much easier to connect with another blogger as we seem to have that instant bond and it’s a really powerful thing.

6. Finally, what is one piece of advice you have for beginner bloggers who want to be successful at it?

Only blog about what you love, but don’t worry if that changes over time. It takes us all a little while to find our feet and some of us have changed our blog’s main theme multiple times over the years. Also never post something you’re not proud of as your most recent post will be the first one people see when they first land on your site. Finally, don’t compare yourself, never underestimate how many skills blogging will give you and make sure you get out there and meet other bloggers. They could become some of your best friends 🙂

I hope you all enjoyed this post and liked reading about Jodie! She is so sweet and very experienced in her craft! Make sure to stay updated, I post Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday!

Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks,

Marin XO

My Story Board

Posted on March 23, 2015March 23, 2015 Posted in Lifestyle Posts, Youtube VideosTagged Board, Change, Collection, comment, Cork, DIY, Ideas, Items, Lifestyle, memories, Photos, post, QWERTY blog, Story, Video, YoutubeLeave a comment

Hello My Beauties!

I created this video because I wanted to bring you all a little bit closer into my life, and what’s more personal than a cork board covered in things from my past?! A lot of stuff is, but that doesn’t matter right now, we’re just going to focus on the cork board.

There is a crazy amount of stuff on it, ranging from bookmarks to photographs to trinkets from momentous occasions! And it’s so neat to look at this space and see parts of yourself reflected in your successes, your memories, your favorite quotes, and your sources of inspiration!

Even though I actually got this idea from some random movie ages ago, I encourage all of you to try it. All you have to do is collect little trophies and memorabilia from your everyday life, whether it’s a ticket stub or a drawing, and pin it up in your room/dorm/living-space-area. After you do it for a while you’re able to see the growth and progress and CHANGE you have made! I have photos from 6th-9th grade up there! And the best thing is is it’s about you. Take it with you wherever you go; take it to college for goodness sakes! Watch it grow and flourish until you don’t have anymore room to keep adding things, and then KEEP ADDING THINGS! If anything it will be a great conversation piece.

So that was my little rant on the matter! I hope that you’ve enjoyed and please comment about anything! I love hearing back from you guys, it’s always a great pick-me-up! Until next time…

Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks,

Marin XO

March Interview With Sydnee!

Posted on March 9, 2015March 9, 2015 Posted in Monthly InterviewsTagged advice, Blog, bloggers, Fashion, Inspiration, interview, interview questions, Lifestyle, makeup, monthly, Monthly Interview, Opportunities, quotes, QWERTY blogLeave a comment

Hello My Beauties!

This interview is very late, I missed both January and February! But no worries, I will definitely be getting back into the swing of things once my schedule calms down. Anyways, please enjoy this monthly interview and I will have another post this Wednesday!

Sydnee: Hi my name is Sydnee, I’m 23 and I’m a OCT qualified teacher here in Ontario, Canada. I am a very loud and bubbly person who loves to meet people and make new friends both online and in real life. My passion for helping others is one thing that also encouraged me to start my blog, YouTube channel and go into teaching. My blog and channel began back in 2011 while I was a full-time undergrad student. It’s been a challenge keeping up with it while a student & now I’m gearing up to start my teaching career so I have a chance to focus a bit more on developing my blog as I grow as a person. 2015 is the year for me to grow my channel and my blog & see where it takes me.

1. Why did you start your blog? I started my blog as a creative outlet while in university. I needed something different to do & I had played with the idea of starting a YouTube channel as well (which I did). It gave me a place to talk about things I enjoyed and share my thoughts.

2. Who is your biggest blogging inspiration? To be honest I don’t really have someone as inspiration. There are aspects of lots of bloggers that I enjoy (Chriselle Lim/Shirley B Eniang) reading and take inspiration from but you have to be your own person and have your own fire & drive without completely emulating another blogger.

3. Other than maintaining your blog, what do you do in your spare time? I have a YouTube channel that I upload 2x a week to and I’ve started to explore fashion illustrations as another activity. Outfits based on my looks as well as fashion I see on IG/online.

4. What is one amazing thing that you’ve been able to do because of your blog? To be quite honest, not a whole lot because I was always a full time student while doing it. Now I’m out of school and transitioning into the working world (I’m a teacher) so I have a bit more time to dedicate to it. I have met some great local bloggers & there have been some events that I’ve decided to scope out in the future. I think I will always blog and I’m hoping that it will take some adventurous turns down the road.

5. Finally, what is one piece of advice you’d like to give to new bloggers? Do it because you enjoy it. Don’t do it because you think it’s going to make you money or to become “online famous”. If you aren’t feeling inspired it’s better to not force a post because you said you “have to write something”. You can’t force it, people can tell but always be yourself, no matter how quirky! Also, something I didn’t realize for a long time is if you want people to read your blog, you have to read theirs too! Leave (meaningful) comments on fellow bloggers posts & build up relationships with them. Participate in Twitter chats & follow hashtags, great way to network and learn things from others. There is no true recipe for success, it really can just come overnight for some and take longer for others. Just keep it mind while you started and always enjoy doing it. If it becomes work & you’re convincing yourself to do it, it may be time to take a break or perhaps change your focus. You always want to enjoy what you do!

Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks,

Marin XO