Skincare, podcasts, lifestyle, oh my!

I wanted to end this series, this month, on a high note and share some of my favorite products, platforms, and little things from this season. I know I've done a couple of these posts before, so if you're not into the hodgepodge that becomes of these kinds of posts, I completely understand. 

Current obsessions: 

• The Bitch Bible Podcast
• Seriously, she is hilarious and reminds me of an older sister. If you're looking for a hilarious, confident woman who speaks her mind on anything and everything you need to check this out! I can definitely see myself playing a episode of hers while I get ready in the mornings
• HeyDay Wireless Earbuds
• Honestly, I needed a good pair to wear at work and, with a spur of the moment decision while at Target, I grabbed a pink pair of HeyDay earbuds off of the shelf and decided to go for it. They are extremely cheap, but don't let the price throw you off. They work for 8 hours (and trust me I tested this; they held up throughout my entire shift at work) and stay put quite well. I prefer to use these when I need to charge my phone at the same time, and it's so much easier to do so when you have wireless buds. 
• Keratin Protein Hair Mask
• After being introduced to the world of hair masks through my friends over at Grace & Stella, I have been on the endless hunt for more nourishing, healthy goodness for my hair. I have noticed a huge difference since using them, but have also began to see a difference in my Hawaii hair versus my Colorado hair. For instance, in Hawaii I used moisturizing shampoo and conditioner and have found it to work wonders in maintaining the moisture level in my hair without making it look greasy. Here, however, I have noticed too much moisture buildup and have been in a rut on how to fix this. Using the Keratin Protein mask has definitely helped combat these excessive oils, plus for $1.25 you get up to four uses! Major win. 
• Hempz Lotion
• The holy grail of all lotions, Hempz is a brand I have never been let down by. Currently I am living for their pomegranate scent. Not once have their lotions ever burnt my skin or cause inflammation. For my readers with sensitive skin, I beg you to give them a shot. FYI-- they're $23 at Ulta and $10.99 at Home Goods. You're welcome in advance. 
• Tazo Matcha Blend
• As much as I love Starbucks, what I don't love are their prices. For my usual, a grande soy matcha latte, the price is always too expensive for my liking. In all seriousness, it's juts milk and matcha powder, so how is the price equivalent to that of a seasonal drink? It's always baffled me and, as of late, I decided to try and DIY my own matcha latte. I have been loving the Tazo blend and, when paired with soy milk, it's hard to distinguish the two drinks! Definitely going to continue buying while in Hawaii. 
• Charcoal Cleansing Bar by C&C 
• The charcoal cleansing bar is exactly what it claims to be: a bar of soup chalk full of charcoal that cleanses and exfoliates. While it's advertised as being extremely foamy, I haven't noticed it come up with foam at all. However, it does seem to do the job in clarifying and cleansing.

What have been your favorites lately? Let me know below what you've been loving or hating.  

Hello collegiates!

Many of us are well into our second week at school and I wanted to bring to light something that is going to be on many of our minds during this time: goals for the semester.

Making goals are important and should be done frequently, but making realistic goals are something different altogether. So many of us frequently make goals that are either too large or not practical, and in the end we either can't reach these goals or we give up on them. Here are a few things to remember this time around that are sure to help you set those realistic goals!

• Think about what you did right last semester, not what you did wrong. Don't dwell on what you couldn't do, but use the same strategy you employees to get the goals right and apply them to your goals now. 

• Make categories for your goals; categorizing them can help the goals appear more attainable. You can break them up by time you're giving yourself, either weeks or months, or by areas, such as fitness or health. 

• Hold yourself accountable!! Above all, you need to maintain some accountability throughout the completion of your goals, and if you know you can't complete a goal you need to be honest with yourself. Too often we push things into the, "I'll get to it later" category and never get around to doing it. Don't do that this time around! 

• Treat yourself when you complete a goal. Setting goals, and rewards, can help motivate you and keep you on track. Now, I'm not saying go out and splurge on each goal, but recognize when you complete some of those hard ones! 

• Think about what you want to get out of this semester and don't sit back expecting things to come to you without work. If you want to lose the weight, don't stay at home and expect the weight to fall off while you sleep. Rather, dedicate a couple hours a week to going to the gym and put in some of that crucial hard work! If you want to get better grades, don't go to the library without a list of what you plan to get done! Instead, go to the library with all of the materials you need and crank out some good work!

Hi everyone,

We are now officially in the single digits, people! This doesn't yet feel real, that I'm going to be leaving for a few months. I can't believe that 3 years ago I went to China and here I am going back. I always knew I would go back. 

My time in Hawaii has taught me an abundance of life lessons. I believe that, contrary to other colleges in the country, there are some things you can only learn in the islands. Today I want to share with you a few of those lessons; the ones I'm going to take with me to China.

Life is better when lived spontaneously. 

There is so much more around you than you realize. 

You are not alone. 

The earth is powerful. 

You are stronger than you realize. 

Fear is temporary; take the leap

I cannot wait to share with you my coming experiences and new endeavors. I hope you are excited to be along on this journey with me. 

All the best,

Hello ladies and gents!

Can you believe a week ago I was in Los Angeles, exploring the City of Angels? Through my instagram, I was able to show you guys what I was doing and take you along with me through the week. For those of you that don't follow me on that platform, this post is for you! So sit back, grab some iced chai, and get ready for my week in Los Angeles. 

On Saturday I arrived in LA with high spirits and an appetite. With myself and my friend, Hailey, studying abroad this year, I wanted to go say goodbye before we both left for our separate terms. I flew in on Saturday and, once landing, was soon picked up and began the week in SoCal. Our first stop was Mendicino's, where I got a caprese sandwich that had red peppers instead of tomatoes. It wasn't bad, but I was surprised. After Mendicino's we went to Pressed Juice, where I tried my first juice. I went with the "Citrus 3", which was quite tart at first. Colorado doesn't have many places like this, at least not where I live, so being around all of these vegan and health-conscious food options was a bit overwhelming. I can see why people are drawn to LA, though. 

After Mendicino's we enjoyed the rest of the day at The Getty Museum and got Chick-fil-A for dinner. We also made a quick stop at Sip, a matcha store near the UCLA campus. It is definitely aesthetically pleasing and the matcha was top-notch. I would go back in a heartbeat. 

On Sunday we went to Manhattan Beach, Daiso, and got Korean barbecue with some of Hailey's friends from high school. Out of all of my days in California, this was our most relaxed day. We ended it with a nice drink at 85 degrees, and took some goodies home to eat while watching a movie.

On Monday we woke up bright and early to drive to the Hollywood sign. Hailey had never been, so this would be a first for both of us. After driving up narrow and windy roads, we soon came face to face with lots of pedestrians and we knew we had arrived. The sign itself can be seen clearly from many locations, but we chose to go to Lake Hollywood park and take pictures from there. 

After the Hollywood sign we drove to Koreatown and had lunch and browsed around. Koreatown is huge and, if you've ever been to the Chinatown in San Fransisco, consider Koreatown to be three times as large. Seriously, I couldn't believe it. 

That evening we went back and enjoyed dinner at home and with Haileys mom and the neighbor's. After the fact, we went to the pier and got some ice cream sandwiches. 

With Tuesday being my last day in Los Angeles, we spent the day in Abbot Kinney, looking at shops and eating breakfast at Urth, to playing at the Santa Monica pier. We walked around the town and bought a ticket for the ferris wheel. All in all I would say it was a very relaxing, albeit slow, day. 

Los Angeles is nothing like Denver, and is especially different compared to San Fransisco. I can see why people are drawn to living here; the healthy environment and beautiful scenery, but I cannot justify the housing market for those amenities. LA seems to me to be the type of place where, if you don't fit their mold, you aren't made to feel welcome. But that's just my two cents. 

Have you been to Los Angeles before? Let me know what you saw and what you recommend!

Hey guys,

Ahh, the last post in this mini-series. I have to ask, have you found anything helpful in my posts or do you feel like you were already well versed on studying abroad. For those of you that are still curious, today I'm going to be answering YOUR questions related to study abroad. 

Q: How do you decide which country to visit? How do you chose between two places you love? 

A: Choosing between two places was the hardest part for me. When I first got accepted to study abroad in South Korea I was thrilled. A huge wrench got thrown in my plans when I was shortly thereafter accepted to studying in China. Ultimately, had to look really hard at what I wanted. If I went to Korea none of my classes would transfer whereas in China all of my classes would transfer. The cost difference was aa major part, too. If you're picking between two places you love I would advise to look at what you're going to gain, not what you're going to lose. For me, I would gain experiences but lose money in Korea, where I would gain experiences and lose experiences in a new country. 

Q: What are you looking forward to most about your trip?

A: Recently I've been watching a lot of videos from people in China who go and bargain at the different malls in China. Previously abroad I didn't try to haggle, but this time around I'm really excited to try and see how good at bargaining I can be! 

Q: How long is your semester abroad? 

A: Compared to Manoa, who has school from mid August to mid December, I'm going to be abroad from early September to mid December. 

Q: How much money do you plan on spending on stationary?

A: For those of you that don't know, I love stationary. China has some of the most inexpensive and really cute stationary for very cheap prices. While I'm planning on bringing my own school supplies, I do hope to grab a bit of stuff right before leaving. All in all, I don't anticipate spending more than $50 USD on stationary, but keep in mind that $50 USD is roughly 300 RMB, which is a lot!

Q: How do you plan on communicating with those back home while you're away?

A: China is a really strict country when it comes to communication, so what I'm going to have to do is download WeChat (to use for texting) and a VPN to use for my socials. I'm planning on taking 2 VPN's abroad just in case one of them doesn't work!

--

What do you think? Do you have any questions for me that I didn't get to answer or that you're just thinking of? Let me know in the comments below and I'll try and answer the most I can!

Until next time,

Hello everyone!

I hope you enjoyed the collaboration from earlier this week. It was so fun to be able to collaborate with another collegiate and share our experiences thus far. I hope to incorporate more of these collaborations in the future, but for now I'm going to continue on my own. I am curious-- who would you like to see on the blog? Is there a blogger in particular that you would like me to work with? Let me know in the comments below!!

Now onto todays post: My hopes and fears when it comes to studying abroad. 

My hopes:

1. I hope, above all, to feel comfortable and confident in my language abilities
2. I hope to visit difference provinces and famous places like Shanghai Disney or the section of the Great Wall in Nanjing
3. I hope to make friends who encourage and support me throughout this semester. Ideally I hope to make friends with people who will help me study Chinese and encourage me to do better!

My fears:

1. I fear I will take longer to acclimate to China than I did previously 
2. I fear my teachers will not be understanding of us international students and that they will expect us to have the same diligent attitude as the Chinese students
3. I fear I will struggle in class and not enjoy myself

Hello everyone,

I'm so excited to get a little more personal with you guys in sharing why I am choosing to study abroad. 

I've always wanted to study abroad and could not wait for the time to arrive when I could fulfill that part of my academic journey. I distinctly remember in high school when my physics teacher made an offhand comment about how, "My biggest regret is not studying abroad in college." and from that day on I've always remembered her words and knew I did not want to share those sentiments in the years to come. 

I also knew that I wanted to study abroad during my junior year, the more traditional route. I didn't want to spend a year abroad, I knew that, too. And, above all, I wanted to go someplace that didn't have too much in common with American culture. In hindsight, this is ridiculous expectation but it justified why I did not choose to study in England or what have you. 

With my minor being Chinese and my interests being Korean, I was stuck choosing between Tongji University in Shanghai and Ewha Womens University in Seoul, South Korea. Both schools are amazing and I very well wish the Korean university was more financially attainable. However, I did not pick Shanghai because of the financial reasons but because of the long term pay off. 

I am choosing to study abroad in Shanghai for a multitude of reasons. First, I love China and Chinese culture. I had such an amazing, impactful time when I last went to China that it would only make sense for me to want to go back. Chinese culture, cuisine, and customs are all very unique and the way I was treated in China, especially as a foreigner attempting to learn Mandarin, makes me excited to go back. The respect, encouragement, and admiration from locals who got to know me made my last experience all the more personal, so I am excited to be going back. 

Second, studying abroad in Shanghai allows me the possibility to earn enough credits to complete the major! How often is it that you can take enough credits that you'll be able to come back to your home university with one bachelors already completed?! This opportunity is not frequently presented and, as such, I know it would only benefit me to take advantage of it. This is another reason why I am choosing to study in China and not Korea. Because the classes from Korea were likely to not be transferrable. Studying abroad in Shanghai guarantees my classes will be transferred. 

Lastly, and you're going to have seen this coming, I am studying in China because of the cost. Studying abroad in Shanghai is approximately $7,000 for the semester. For reference, semester tuition at Manoa is approximately $15,000. Studying abroad in China includes tuition, housing, meals, and more. The only thing it doesn't include is the airfare. And, what is most interesting, is that the price is up to you. There are many factors that go into this price and depending on what I choose to buy or take part in can affect whether or not there is an increase or decrease. For example, if I choose not to buy a Chinese cell phone I will have saved $800 USD! Studying abroad in China is definitely the more economical choice. 

What do you think about where I'm studying? Let me know in the comments down below. 

Hey everyone!

This week I have teamed up with fellow collegiate Vanessa, author behind blog "Vanessa's Voice" to bring you this piece on our biggest college regrets. I've briefly mentioned mine on here, but today we are going to share our three biggest regrets since starting college. I hope you enjoy!

Hello collegiates,

In todays post I am going to be sharing with you how to pick your perfect program. Your program will oftentimes determine where you study, so rather than spend time looking at the where you need to look at the what. Make sense?

In my experience, I knew I wanted to study political science and that I wanted to go to Asia. Easy, right? 

Often times there are many hidden tricks and traps when looking into study abroad programs. For instance, many of the programs at my school are language intensive. One country I looked into, France, required you take French and live with a French family. Personally, this seemed very irrelevant to my studies and would not help me given what my goals are. I think it's awesome many of these programs are language intensive, or language required, but I don't agree with the lack of options when it comes to this process. Given that I am familiar with Chinese and *some* Korean, I feel almost excluded from the other countries because of the language. I don't see myself using French in the future, but if I want to go to Paris than is it fair to say I would be wasting my time learning the language if I'm only going to use it while in France? 

One of the biggest stressors in this search process is cost. In my experience, the European schools are extremely overpriced and expensive. Obviously they are the more popular choices with American students, but I recommend looking into the cheaper programs, too! Do not rule out a place on the cost alone, but do rule it out based on the programs. 

At the University of Hawaii at Manoa, there are many schools for students interested in going to Europe, but if you're interested in Asia you're going to have a much harder time finding a program. This is where many hidden requirements are enforced, and unfortunately the Asian programs are not often explicitly talked about. I will explain this a bit later on. 

Once you know your program (architecture, history, art, biology, etc) you can easily narrow down your options. Programs that are more popular majors, such as art or biology, will have more options for places of study, but programs like architecture or even nursing, limit your options greatly. For me, I was left with about five places of study after determining my major! With 18 places you can pick from, to only be left with five places was a big deterrent to me. NOTE: Manoa will often advertise that a program is "fit" for your major, but many of their programs were not, in fact, advertised as being suitable for the aforementioned major. In my case, Manoa said there were ten programs for political science and then, when you look into it, only about five are actually suited for political science students. 

Lets take it a step back now and look at some of the hidden parts of programs. Financial aid is a big one, and many times no one will want to talk to you about the aid until you've been accepted and paid down your first deposit. I disagree with this and believe that the money matters and can impact your ability to go, so why be so quiet?!

One of the biggest aggravators came from financial aid, and while you shouldn't rule a program out on cost alone, you should be very knowledgable of where your money is going. Be sure to ask many questions and, if possible, try and request an example of a cost-breakdown for that program. 

Yay! Now you know your major and have narrowed down your options. This is where the fun begins. Explore some of the classes offered and how many credits you could take. Think about the location of the campus, is it in the countryside or the city? And try and find the school on social media and see what current students think about it. Look them up on instagram and youtube, for all you know there may be a couple helpful videos on that school on either platform. 

Lets talk a minute about what this process was like for me. As we know, I'm going to Shanghai this fall. Shanghai is language intensive and language required, meaning there is absolutely no way I can get out of taking Chinese (Mandarin) classes. This isn't too big of a problem for me as I've been learning Mandarin for upwards of seven years. However, what the university doesn't tell you is that when programs are language intensive it also means you probably won't have any room to take a class not language related. 

Let me explain. 

The Shanghai program is advertised as being suitable for political science students (among others). But once you apply and pay your deposit you could very well learn that this isn't the case. Once we had our first pre-departure meeting, those of us going to China found out that we would be taking Chinese language classes and would likely not have the room in our schedule to take anything else. This alone is extremely problematic because the program is advertised as being a good choice for those interested in political classes, but only after you pay do you learn of the reality of what you're going to be studying. In my case, I will be taking 16 credits of Chinese language classes and cannot add an elective due to the demands my classes may have.

 

Contrary to what the website says, this program does not allow you to choose from a variety of courses and you will most likely be left with little room to add a class. I do want to add a quick disclaimer and say that your school could be different but this is my experience with the department at my school. 

Obviously a situation like this could very well be a problem for other students, and it should be, but because Chinese language is my minor I am not too upset about this situation. I 100% understand the frustration of students whose programs are not Chinese language and who wanted to study here say, for planning studies or communication. 

Take everything that I've said above into consideration when researching this important time in your academic career. Of course, studying abroad isn't necessary, but that doesn't mean you should not put in as much time as you can into the research! 

Have you studied abroad before? Where did you go? Let me know in the comments below. 

Hey everyone,

I am so excited to implement a new series on my blog where I share my study abroad journey with everyone. Lasting 4 days, I am going to tell all of you the ins and outs of my decision to study abroad. Are you excited? I know I am!

Here is a little bit of what you can expect this week: 

Day One: Picking Your Place and Program

Day Two: Why I'm Going Abroad

Day Three: My Fears and Hopes Abroad

Day Four: Q&A

What day are you looking forward to the most? I have to say I am so excited to share my experience pre-departure and can't wait to answer some of your questions! 

Hey guys!

With yesterdays post being such a serious one, I wanted to rebuttal with a much more lighthearted post. Back to school time is my favorite time of the year and I wanted to bring you some of my favorite back-to-school deals just in time for the weekend! 

For your supplies needs:

Here is a link to Michaels' 40% off any one item coupon! I use this when buying my planner supplies.

For your bedroom needs:

Target is currently having an up-to 25% off of dorm furniture and dorm home on their website. 

Bed, Bath, and Beyond is currently having a 20% off entire order when you purchase college supplies and this goes for anything! They also take expired coupons, so save all of those letters! Here is the link to get your coupon.

For your kitchen needs:

Office Depot is currently having a bulk sale on "necessary" kitchen supplies, here is the link to view! 

Walmart is also discounting their microwaves, fridges, and keurigs. Check out your local ad for exact prices. 

For your clothing needs:

American Eagle is having 60% off sale on all clearance and 40% off regular priced leggings. Steal!

Francesca's is having a bogo 40% sale on all clearance. 

Urban Outfitters is having 25% off all womens and mens graphic tees. 

There you have it! How cool are these deals? If you scoop anything up be sure to leave a picture and comment on this post; I would love to see your steals!

Hey everyone,

It seemed that everyone and their mother had an internship this summer..except for me. And I'm sure many of you were wondering why that is, right? 

As a political science student I'm sure its surprising to come across a student in this field who wasn't interning this summer. Tack on the fact that I'm an incoming junior and I'm sure you're even more confused. I mean, isn't it expected that college students start to intern at my age? The answer is more complicated than you think. 

I wanted to make this post to disprove the judgement, and potential stigma, around those of us who chose not to intern. Sure, it looks like everyone is doing it, but there's more to it than just an application. 

So why is it that I chose to work full time instead of intern? Honestly, a huge part of it was for the financial aspect. I pay for college on my own and, in making the decision to intern or not, I realized it was more suitable for me to work instead of intern. 

But what about paid internships? Sure, those are real and there are options out there, but the point I'm trying to make it that the money from a paid internship would not equate to the same amount that I could come up with working full time. I could have certainly applied to some, but I knew that with my upcoming semester abroad that it would not be wise of me to intern and then turn around and just expect the academic year to pay for itself. College just doesn't work like that. 

Secondly, internships are not easy work! Finding the right internship, for myself, was a daunting task in and of itself. I would like to do something political, but I also enjoy journalism and PR. So the question then becomes, do I work in a state capitol or for a company managing their online presence? Do I try and work at a consulate or do I work for a magazine and work with PR or marketing? If I'm honest, the latter sound so much more enjoyable and entertaining. My goal is to figure out a way to combine my interest with passion, and this is where I'm hit with a major roadblock. 

Whatever your reason for not interning this summer, or not working and choosing to intern, stand by it! Don't feel pressured to have your entire life planned out and do not feel that one summer you don't work or don't intern is going to ruin your academic career. That's just ridiculous. 

How did you spend your summer? Let me know down below. 

Hey guys,

Nothing gets me more excited for the semester than watching college move-in videos and dancing to some good music. Weird, right? To help pump you all up, here are some songs I have been loving lately:

1. Better Now (80s Remix)

2. We Belong (Odeza Remix) : Rac Katie Herzig

3. Girl Crush : Harry Styles

4. Forever Young : Blackpink

5. Shoot Me : Day6

6. LATATA : (G)I-DLE

7. Here We Go Again : Mama Mia 2

8. Waving Through A Window : Dear Evan Hansen

As you can probably tell, I have quite the eclectic music taste! I wanted to incorporate more than just pop music or indie, so I sprinkled in some musicals and kpop for you guys.

Hey everyone,

Today I wanted to elaborate on my post from yesterday, "How Summer Break Recharged Me". 

I made a point to say how I would rather work during the mornings rather than the evening, and I'm sure, to some, this was quite the juxtaposition. Why would I, if I'm not a morning person, prefer working in the mornings and not enjoy sleeping in?

The answer is simple, but long enough to where I wanted to elaborate on why I believe I function better that way.

Short answer is because I value my time in the day. Easy, right?

Long answer is because I cannot stand to not be up and at 'em by a certain time in the morning. A typical morning for me means that I have to be awake by 8, anything later and I feel like I'm missing out on my day or what I could be doing. I may not be your typical "night owl", but I'll be damned if I don't take advantage of every hour I'm given for that day.

It's how I've always been and I don't ever see that changing about me. For class I would rather have the 8am than the 3pm, and the same goes for work. Some days it's hard, like really hard, to wake up but the mornings go by so much faster than the afternoon, in my opinion. Anyone else agree with me here?

Regardless, I'm not saying that by any means do I like being more prone to early morning rising, but I am saying that I feel much more impactful and effective by waking up and starting my day before noon. 

Do you find yourself more productive in the mornings or the evening? Let me know your thoughts down below!

Hey everyone,

Summer break is almost over for most of us, so I wanted to take the time to reflect on what summer break did for me. 

Summer break is when I am able to kick back and focus on nothing more than my work at hand. I don't take summer classes, so only needing to worry about the work day provides for a much different atmosphere during the school year. 

This summer I had the privilege of working at the senior living facility once again. With a new group of workers, I wasn't sure how I would end up liking it but I feel like, overall, I've fared quite well. I work from 6am to 2pm and am so thankful to have my afternoons off! While I'm not a morning person by any means, I would much rather work in the morning than afternoon. 

My work schedule is a bit frustrating, working Wednesday through Sunday, but it's not too bad when I clock out at 2. It makes for going to the pool, hanging out with friends, and running errands much easier.

Summer break allows me to try out new hobbies, crafts, and even travel to new places. This summer I was fortunate enough to go to Fort Collins, in north Colorado, the city of Boston, and soon Los Angeles! I didn't realize how much traveling I would be doing this summer, but looking back I appreciate the times I could.

Summer break is when I also get to see many of my Coloradan friends, and this helps me put into perspective how cool it is to have friends who are enjoying school and living their best lives. I love catching up with them and hearing about what they get up to, because it makes me realize how fast summer is going and how fortunate I am to have done the things I do.

Going forward, I'm not sure how much "break" there will be in my summers to come, but I hope that, if anything, I can travel more than I did this year and that I have the opportunity to work with more amazing people, in and out of the workplace. 

Now tell me, how has summer break recharged you? 

Hey y'all!

Surprise! Here is a little extra something for all of you heading to school in Hawaii this year! This is an exciting time for many of you, and while you are undoubtedly going crazy with the thought of "Well what do I need?" or even the classic, "How am I getting my things over there?" I'm here to help. Without further ado, here is your Back to School Supplies List: Hawaii Edition.

First, you need to understand that it is hot in Hawaii and that the dorms don't have air conditioning. Seriously, your dorm room will not have AC. This means you're going to want to invest in a quality fan for your new space. I've seen everything from clip on fans to tower fans on top of desks. The number of fans you purchase are also going to depend on where you face, for instance my room faced Mauka (the mountain) and got a lot of wind, so I only had one fan for myself and my roommate had one fan, too. Funny thing is that the two of us actually slept with our fans on our beds! The other way you might be positioned is facing Makai (the ocean), and while your view is going to be incredible you're going to need three times the amount of fans because you're not going to get any wind. Here are three of my personal favorites:

Fan One: Holmes Lil' Blizzard Fan (I have this one)

Fan Two: 37 In. Tower Fan 

Fan Three: Vornado Compact Fan

Next, you live on an island now, which means you're going to need at least one beach towel (I recommend two to three). I've used various ones in the past, from ABC Store to Billabong, but they're just not as good as my newest: the Active Towel. Oftentimes towels bought from stores such as the aforementioned are too thick and take hours to dry. And trust me, when I'm driving from one side of the island to the other a damp, soggy towel is not what I want sitting in my car. However, I've found that the Active Towel dries extremely fast and does not retain water (or sand!). It is lightweight, durable, and gets more absorbent with every wash. This means that when whether you're taking TheBus to your destination or your roommates' car, you can trust that your towel won't stay wet and heavy during the trip. Plus, how convenient is it that Turkish towels are also easily compact? If you're a student who plans on going to the beach often, investing in a towel that you can roll up and won't take up a lot of space in your whole bag is a must. Also, for all of you marine biology students, the Active Towel is eco-friendly! Below is a link to buy your own Active Towel and, if you use the code STUDENTS18 for 18% off of non-sale items. Trust me, a quality towel is a must for the islands. 

Towel One: Aegean Cotton (My personal favorite and the one I'm sporting below!)

Towel Two: Cape Cod Cotton

Towel Three: Stonewash Turkish Cotton

Third, you're going to quickly realize that everyone and their mother owns one of those tin water bottles with the little man on them. If you don't already have one, you should really look into buying a hydroflask. Yeti's are comparable, but the go-to for many students at UH are the classic hydro. With no AC in the dorms and horrible humidity every day, investing in a water bottle that is going to keep your water cold all day is a must. Here are three that I personally like:

Hydro One: Wide Mouth with Straw (I have in white)

Hydro Two: Wide Mouth No Straw

Hydro Three: Standard Mouth No Straw

Last, and arguably the most obvious necessity for Hawaii life, is sunscreen. Seriously, sunscreen. I'm speaking from experience here, but sunscreen goes far beyond what you would slather on at the beach. You need sunscreen every day, and especially on your face. I can't tell you how frequently I started getting new freckles and red spots by not wearing sunscreen, and now I apply it every day to my face. Outside of class, where you can also get sun exposure! you're going to need sunscreen for the beach or for the numerous hikes you could do. Some classes, like Oceanography, also require you go out and do field work, so this isn't me suggesting something crazy but rather something you may need for a class you take! In my experience, I turn very red and will get a horrible burn if I use anything higher than 12 SPF (I'm not kidding) and I can't use spray-on sunscreen. While everyone prefers something different, here are three of my personal sunscreen favorites. Also, stock up before you leave the mainland because sunscreen prices are much higher on the islands!

Sunscreen Type One: FaceShop Natural Sun SPF 40 PA+++

Sunscreen Type Two: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer SPF 55 (for your face!)

Sunscreen Type Three: Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch SPF 15 

And that's it! Do you feel prepared yet? I hope you are as excited as I am to go back to the islands, even though I have a few more months. Best of luck to you this school year and, as always, leave me a comment if you're heading off and whether or not you'll use any of these products!