gift guide : on a college student budget

When I was in high school I never believed the whole “college budget” thing. The thing was, I didn’t understand college finances. I mean, there’s a Starbucks five minutes walking from my dorm. There’s a huge fancy mall just a short bus ride away. And don’t even get me started on all of the delicious restaurants that can be delivered thanks to an on campus delivery service. College life is easy, but I’m spending way more money than I ever expected. Next year I’m sure to be a broke college student.

However, with the holidays coming up, it’s time to buy gifts for all of my friends. I have always been the kind of person that is obsessed with gift giving. I love brainstorming what to give who and then finding that perfect item. It’s somewhat of a scavenger hunt with such a rewarding ending. I’ve compiled a list of gifts that I want to get my friends and they all happen to be under $25 which is awesome. 

Let me know in the comments below what you’re giving and/or what’s on your list! I’d love to know! 

mug / candle / socks / banner / earrings / pouch / iphone charger

Thanks for reading.
xox
chloe

Pedaling into Fall

This post is sponsored by Flonase® Allergy Relief. 

One the days I don’t have time to hike, I still have to get outdoors. Biking saves me when I’m in a time crunch, when I’m looking for a low-impact way to spend the afternoon outdoors, or when I feel like exploring Denver.

Luckily, I’m not the only one in the family who enjoys riding bikes. In fact, our garage is completely overrun with cruisers, mountain bikes, and road bikes… and I wouldn’t have it any other way! Although a few of us in the family enjoy hiking, everyone looks forward to our bike rides. It may have something to do with the fact that our favorite pathway leads right to our favorite ice-cream shop!

I also love how biking has become so popular. There are tons of new products on the market, and some other items that every rider must-have! A few of my must-haves (and wants) for my bike rides include:

1. Bike: Go high tech, go cute or go both. In pink, obviously.

2. Pink helmet:  Since you’re going to wear a helmet, make it a fancy one that also protects. Bonus points to this helmet for also fitting with the sunglasses.

3. FLONASE® Allergy Relief: Blowing your nose on a bike ride is not only hard, but annoying. My allergies won’t give me a rest! Fall is one of the worst times for my allergies and Flonase is my go-to remedy. Suffering from fall allergies? Here are some fun facts that may explain why:

“Ragweed pollen is the source for many common fall allergy symptoms. It grows throughout the United States and releases pollen from August to November. Mold is also a typical trigger for autumn allergies. Molds are fungi (not the ones you eat in salads) that thrive in moist, damp environments. The rotting leaves of fall provide an excellent home for mold growth, and to the detriment of allergy sufferers, release spores into the air to reproduce. These tiny spores are often the culprit for those runny noses and watery, itchy eyes you see in allergy sufferers.” You can read the full article on Flonase.com here. 

4. Bike bell:  Don’t be that person who scares runners by not letting them know you are coming!

5. Pink sunglasses:  Why wear cycling sunglasses? Well, yes, they are definitely a fashion accessory but lightweight, polarized sunglasses protect your eyes from bright sunlight and harmful UV rays, and also offer shield you from the wind, rain, dust, grit and bugs that can impair your vision. 

6. Smarthalo:  I’m dying to get this smart hub for your bike. The SmartHalo finds routes and bike paths by syncing with your phone and giving you directions on a light halo right on your handlebars. It also tracks your progress as soon as you start pedaling. It’s a night light, that can’t be stolen. But wait, there’s more. SmartHalo notifies you of incoming calls and SMS, directly on your handlebar and also gives weather alerts. But the best feature is that if anyone bothers your bike, a loud alarm will sound. Seems like the only thing it can’t do is pedal for me.

Image by Terry Bicycles via Pinterest

After your bike ride, wind down and check out the Flonase® Fall of Fame to see some of the cutest pets in the country. Be sure to vote for your favorite submission here.

Have fun pedaling your way into fall!

~Kim

an embarrassing story

I’m the queen of embarrassment. Not a day goes by where I don’t embarrass myself somehow, in someway, somewhere. It doesn’t matter if I’m with my best friend, my mom, my brother, a boy I have a crush on, or just by myself. I will embarrass myself. 

So with that being said, I have an embarrassing story to tell. Every time I post an embarrassing story on the internet, I ask myself why, but then I think it could make someone chuckle (and therefore make their day a little bit better) or someone can relate to me and make me feel like less of an embarrassment to society. Either way works, really. 

So, it all started Sunday morning. I woke up pretty early for a weekend, we’re talking 7am, and a boy on my floor also happened to be awake. We went outside to sit by the pond by our dorm so we could talk without waking everyone else in our dorm up, and while chatting, we decided that we should take a little drive up to the mountains by our college. I was super excited to get off campus for a little bit and explore the beautiful scenery up close, because I usually only stare at it from afar. 

So we then hopped in his car, took a pit stop at Starbucks for some breakfast, and then headed up the mountain, windows down, music playing. 

When we got there, we parked in a little parking lot and walked to the lookout point. It really wasn’t too far of a walk, but there were a ton of rocks that we had to climb over. I jokingly told my friend that if I hurt myself it was his fault.

We finally made it to the lookout point and sat and enjoyed the scenery. It seriously was prettier than anything I had ever seen before. After we finished taking in the beauty, we headed back to the car. 

I made it past the big rocks, and by the time I got to the little rocks I stopped paying attention because they really weren’t that intimidating. This was a big mistake. I ended up tripping on a little baby rock, falling to the ground, and severely hurting my ankle. 

I didn’t realize how badly I had hurt myself until I stood up. Luckily, my friend had taken my arm, because the second I stood up, I felt intense pain and all the blood rushed to my head. I then proceeded to faint. On top of my friend. 

I remember waking up sprawled across him wondering how the heck I ended up on the ground. I was absolutely mortified that I knocked him to the ground, but luckily he only ended up with a few scratches. 

So not only did I severely sprain my ankle, but I fainted on top of my friend. 

This story is so embarrassing that I feel like it will be one that I end up telling my kids and eventually my grandkids. Everything that could have gone wrong on our little adventure did go wrong. 

As I type this, three days later, I have a big boot on my foot and can barely walk across campus. Life is rough as a clumsy college student, let me tell you. 

Do you have any embarrassing stories that I need to hear about?
Thanks for reading! 
xox
Chloe

a little rant

You know that thing you do every day that is kind of “your thing?” 

It’s like a little secret part of you that none of your friends know about. It could be anything from researching poems to journaling your dreams to watching someone on YouTube. 

We all have these little parts of us that we keep to ourselves because, at the end of the day, they remind us of who we are and who we want to be. They keep us grounded and make us feel safe and at home. Sometimes these things are weird, sometimes they’re cute and quirky, and sometimes they’re just “boring.”

College has been kind of amazing in teaching me about the person I want to be and the person that I am. Being constantly surrounded by people is this amazing learning tool. I’ve learned more about myself in these past five weeks than I ever imagined possible. I’ve learned that, as much as I love being around people all the time, I also need at least one or two hours in the day of just being locked in my room to decompress. I’ve learned that faking confidence is just as good as having the real thing. I’ve learned that having a few real friends is better than having a million and one fake friends. I’ve learned how to help people when they need it most, even if it’s just sitting in silence with them. 

I realize I started this post with the intention of sharing my favorite YouTuber, Casey Neistat, but it kind of transformed into a reflective piece that only my mom will probably appreciate. I apologize for that little rant in the paragraph above, but I digress…

If you ever find yourself needing to spend a few minutes a day doing something unproductive but want to feel productive at the same time, I highly suggest you check out Casey Neistat’s YouTube channel. It’s filled with inspiration and beauty and interest and really just everything. I find myself watching his videos daily when I need a few minutes of alone time (the decompressing time). Whenever I find someone who also watches Casey's videos a little piece of me gets so excited that we both share this common interest. I don't really talk about watching his videos, and my friends have no idea that I do, but when it comes up it's exciting to share! 

So there you have it. Another post about nothing really in particular. But do check out Casey’s videos, I promise you won’t regret it! 

Thanks for reading! 
xox
Chloe

Hiking

This post is sponsored by Flonase®

I always look forward to fall with its crisp, fresh air, turning leaves, and a promise of flaming fireplaces and snuggly sweaters. Since moving to Colorado and taking up hiking, I’m also anticipating cooler days and changing scenery as I explore some new areas and return to some well-worn ones. Looking at the fall colors from the car is always a treat, but walking in the middle of the changing scenery is a majestic treat! But it’s not only the fall foliage that captivates me, I’ve realized there are 3 things I really look forward to seeing on a hike:

1.    Kids and parents. I remember when I used to go hiking with my parents in the woods behind our home. We would hike for hours, or so it seemed, until we came to the end of the wooded area, or one of us sat on a cactus (that would be me). Those days instilled in me a love of wandering and a thrill in being outdoors. It’s a place where I find myself thinking more logically, letting go of the mundane, and focusing more intently on tasks at hand. There’s no other activity that revitalizes me so completely.

2.     A beautiful view. Considering that I’m in Colorado and the landscape is so different from anywhere I’ve lived, every view in Colorado is spectacular. But some are more memorable than others, such as The Burro Trail in Breckenridge or a view of Red Rocks from multiple hiking areas. The wildflowers and the peaks remind me of Switzerland… or the opening from the Sound of Music. My only drawback while outdoors on a hike is my allergies. When a breeze kicks up dust or we are hiking after a rainy day, my allergies can spring up and ruin my day. I’ve learned that the one thing I have to remember before heading out is to take Flonase® Allergy Relief (now available over the counter!), which allows me to be greater than my allergies. Once I do, I feel set for whatever adventures await on our hike!

3.     Hikers and their dogs. What is it about a trotting, panting dog that makes me smile? It’s probably the memories of the dogs in my life, and the love I see between the owners and dogs that I pass on the trails. They are all filled with happiness, and the energy they give off is contagious. Some dogs are carrying packs, some are happy to see people, and some are intent on finding wildlife in the area. But all of them are bursting with energy, which must mean they are enjoying their hike as much as their owners.

Seeing so many dogs on our hikes has made the conversation of having another dog in our family a constant discussion. We are seriously considering having a dog again and if we get one soon, I’m definitely going to enter our dog, who will undoubtedly be adorable, in the Flonase® Pet #FallofFame photo and video contest. Entering is easy. Show you and your pet being greater this fall for a chance to win the $5,000 grand prize & other prizes (like $250 in gift cards) here.

Please let us know if you enter, we would love to see your dog!! This weekend we are off on another hike… and I hope you are enjoying fall too.

Happy Hiking! ~Kim

procrastination station

This summer has been absolutely, positively, jam packed. I feel like I can never catch a break. Between working at the golf course, hanging out with friends, or just chilling with family; I’m constantly on the go. However, I’ve been trying to take a few minutes to myself each day to just chill so I don’t get too burnt out on human interaction. What else would I do to unwind but scroll through the amazing thing that is the internet? I’ve compiled a list of a few share worthy links so if you’re in need of a time waster or a little break, don’t you worry, I’ve got you covered. 

via

-This compilation of vines is amazing. Do yourself a favor and watch it. 

-If you’re a wanna be writer (or an actual writer) why not send in a story to Man Repeller’s Writer’s Club. This prompt is an awesome one! 

-I just bought this dress and the firs time I wore it received multiple compliments. One from an uber hipster guy selling popsicles, and I think that’s when you officially know you’re dress really is fabulous. 

-I don’t really know anything about makeup, but this is too cute. 

-If you’re on the hunt for the perfect pair of Espadrilles, here’s an amazing guide. 

-School is right around the corner, so make sure you have the cutest supplies out there. Ban.do makes it easy for you. 

-I thought this was pretty funny. 

Please share any good links that you have or know of with me! I would love to procrastinate! 
xox
chloe