New and Improved Cristina on Campus

Thanks to everyone who took my Cristina on Campus survey! It's still open if you haven't gotten a chance to give me your input on your favorite types of posts, when you like to see them, etc.

Cristina on Campus 2015-2016 survey

I thought I'd let you know a little a bit about what I found out through the survey, and how I plan on using that information for this blog. I won't go through all the questions, just the ones that directly effect the blog. I couldn't decide if I wanted to share the results or not, but you guys are my internet family. Though this is a huge part of my life/my main hobby, I do it to help and build a connection with you as well.



**Speaking of that, there's a suggestion box at the end of this post. If you think of anything you'd like to read, let me know. Fashion, health, lifestyle, you name it! 


Favorite types of posts to read 

The top pick was Lifestyle/DIY.  I absolutely love sharing posts like these because I think they are the most personal and I get to put a lot of my voice into them. Posts that fall into this category will definitely be on the blog each week, but if you have any specific requests, let me know!

This doesn't mean these are the only types of posts I'll do. I have a love for fashion, so you'll see some of that sometimes (hello fall style!) and health and fitness is also a huge part of my life that I love to share. 

I feel that a blogger I follow should post

There was a bit of a tie with the answer choices here, so in order to accommodate most preferences, I plan to post on Mondays and Thursdays every week and sometimes Saturday. By "sometimes", I mean there will be a post that Saturday if there is a collaboration or promotion I need to fulfill, something that can be helpful right then, or if I have so many ideas that I just need to get one out!

When do you have the most convenient time to read Cristina on Campus?
I asked this question so that I knew the best time of day to make my posts go live. Because most of you selected the evening and night answers, my posts will go live at 4pm CST. This way, you can read it right then if you have time, or you can read it after dinner and study timewhen you're chilling.

I like to hear about posts by...
I'll tell you now, Instagram won. However, I am a social media addict, so I will always post my blog links on several different platforms. This helps me to reach out to a broader audience, and that's exactly what I strive for since I love connecting with you all. I just wanted to make sure no one absolutely hated getting notified about blogs in one of the forms. I don't want any resemblance to spam mail :)



So again, you all are awesome for helping me out. I blog because I genuinely love it and there's nothing I'd rather do, but I also want my blog to be helpful. I want it to be your favorite place to come for tips, motivation, and anything bright and fun. Thanks for being a part of this.
Create your own user feedback survey


X,

Cristina

How To Explore Your College Town

Everyone posts Instagram pictures a couple months leading up to the start of school with a caption saying "can't wait to be in *insert college town name here*. You go along with it right? Maybe you even try to sound like a local and call your town a cutesy nickname or you start a countdown on your phone. Ok, that's all fun and cool, but could you tell me where the grocery store is? The best place for tacos? Free parking?

It's ok, I didn't know either.

It's important to explore your college town because it's where you will probably spend a lot of your down time. Whenever you need to relieve some stress, chances are you'll want to get off campus and grab a treat with friends or do some fun activity. One of my favorite places that I've discovered whilst being away at college is the farmer's market here in town. I love going on Saturday mornings to get fresh flowers (and pet the dogs from the animal shelter). I went last weekend (and today which you saw if you follow me on Instagram), so I'm throwing in some pictures and outfit details because #bloggerprobs.

outfit details: 

dress - Forever 21 (similar)

crossbody - Toryburch (newer style here)

rainboots - Joules rainboots (if you're a Hunter fan, these are for you)

Ok enough chit-chat...
3 easy steps to getting to know your college town:

Get lost
If you have a car, a bike, two legs, or a buss pass, get lost. Drive down a road whenever you question "I wonder what's down here". Bike a little bit further to see what lies ahead. You never know what you might find.

Ask anyone you meet for recommendations
I got this idea from my boyfriend, Cameron. The first week or so, Cam would ask waiters at restaurants, "What's cool to do around here?" On most occasions, waiters are locals or they've at least been in town a year or so and can tell you some fun things to do or see. After that, I started asking my RA's whenever I saw them in the hallway. I'll never forget it was my RA that told me the best thrift shops and spots to hike! So don't be afraid to ask people, it's very helpful.

Use google
I found myself sitting around thinking "I wonder if they have a *insert store or restaurant name here*". I remember the night that my parents left, I felt like I needed to keep busy in order to avoid any panic attacks of being so far away from home. I had recently gotten into taking barre classes, so I googled to see if there were any studios in my area. I found one that I LOVE now, and I go almost every weekend during the school year. Another example would be just last night I was craving my favorite black bean burger from Smashburger and Cam found one in a town about 25 minutes away -worth the drive!

Actually go 
This may sound like a no-brainer, but often times when someone suggests a cool restaurant, we reply with, "oh, that sounds good!" and never end up going. If your RA tells you a great place to go thrift shopping, make plans with your friends to go later that day or very soon. I know some situations feel awkward because you may not even know how to get to the place, but put in the effort and you'll get so much back. I love being a sophomore this year mainly because I know a great cafe if I'm in need of a cup of coffee or the best deal on Mexican food. Just get out and explore!

I hope your first week of classes went well. (If you start next week, good luck!) 

X,

Cristina

Why I'm Here (Going to College Away From Home)

Getting personal on the blog today because I feel this is an important post to share. I'll apologize now for the fact that my blog is currently so heavily saturated with college-themed posts. I am inspired by what's around me and what's going on in my life, and since I'm currently sitting at my college desk and all the to-do lists scattered around me say "order books" and "print syllabi", this is the current happening.

So, if you know me, you know that I can be the most anxious thing on the planet sometimes. I was that girl that woke your parents up at sleepovers asking to go home because I missed my mom...until 7th grade. I was (am) a cryer. I've gone to camp twice in my life and both times I came home early because I was so anxious about being away from home that I worried myself sick. I still don't do sleepovers and I will never, ever go to sleep-away camp again. That's just me. 

So it shocked the world when I decided to go to college 9 hours away in Arkansas. It even shocked me a little bit. 

Up until September of my senior year, I was planning to stay in Texas for college. I couldn't bear the thought of being more than 4 hours away. One day, I realized I simply didn't want to go to any of the schools in Texas. Don't get me wrong, we have great schools, but none of them were right for me and what I wanted to do. I knew I would be hurting myself by giving up what I really wanted to do just to feel comfortable. I knew what I wanted to study since I was in 6th grade and the schools that were perfect for that were all out of state.

I cried at the realization as I sat on my couch avoiding homework after a long day at school. I texted my best friend because she's the best at cheering me up, and she invited me to visit the University of Arkansas with her the next Friday.

We watched a whole season of Gossip Girl in the backseat of her mom's Seqouia and then we looked out the window and saw the mountains. Mountains. I didn't know these existed! Is our car going to go up these? Whoa. 

Touring the campus, I got the "when you know, you know" feeling. I knew I wanted to see Old Main as I walked to class, I wanted to make that heinous noise and do that weird arm movement where you "call the hogs" at sports games. (YouTube it if you don't know what I'm talking about.) I knew I wanted to be there.

So, if you didn't already know, my boyfriend goes here, too. I get asked a lot if we planned to go to the same college and the answer is no. Cameron is a year older than me, so he actually had already started college classes as a finance major (he has now switched to supply-chain management) by the time I was visiting colleges. The fun fact is that Cameron's dad actually went to the University of Arkansas, so he had always known about it and just hadn't ever visited. In his pursuit for the perfect place for him, he visited the university about two months after I did. I hadn't told him any of my thoughts on the place which was hard because I was practically glowing when I came back from my trip. We made our college decisions separately, but it's a great blessing that we both fell in love with the UofA and get to be here together.

A typical conversation about me going to the UofA would start off like "Wow! That's so far away, good for you!" and the next sentence would be "Oh, well you have Cameron, you'll be fine".

Don't ever tell an anxiety-ridden teenage girl that she'll be fine.

I was so proud of myself for making the decision to face my biggest fear of separation anxiety, but something about those words hurt my feelings. If you've said them to me, I'm not mad at you. I totally understand where you're coming from.

Yes, it is easier having Cam here (and my other best friend, Becca, who I saw the university with). In fact, some days I question whether I could be here without them. Cam and I have been together for almost five years and he's honestly my best friend. He loved me during my too-much eyeliner and Miss Me jeans phase and that just creates a special bond. (Ha, ha). And Becca and I have been best friends since we were in preschool. I still get homesick even though they're here. I still get stressed about tests. I still wish sometimes that I could be home with my family. 

So why am I here? I just pushed myself. I knew if I didn't leave for college, I would never leave and I would never grow. This isn't true for everyone; I'm not saying you should go to college far, far away. Personally, for me, this was my version of skydiving. Do something you're afraid of because it's a once in a lifetime chance.

I wrote this not only to share how I got here, but to encourage those who read it to have some "skydiving" moments, especially in college. Keg stands and all nighters don't count, although those can be perceived as impressive. Just do something to push yourself in a positive way. Try out for a club sports team if you've previously been hesitant about sports. Join a club if you're really shy. Sign up to lead something if you usually are behind-the-scenes. Whatever it is, just give it a try. You could end up loving the decision you made, and it could end up having a great and lasting effect on who you are as a person.

I hope you all have a great second half of the week! And college readers, you girls are rockstars and I hope you have an amazing school year.

X,

Cristina