5 Ways To Conquer Your Stress

For me, at this time of year, I get stressed out because of so many events and finals/exams. Whether you are a student or an adult, you have most likely been stressed out before. Stress can lead to several health problems like headaches, pain, sleep/eating disorders, mood swings, and more. Aside from all that, everyone gets stressed. It is not necessarily a bad thing, but too much stress is unhealthy for your lifestyle. If your stress can get out of control or if you feel like it is affecting your life, I hope my tips help you out. Remember: not all these tips will work for you, because everyone is different and everyone has their ways of conquering their stress.

Exercise 

Exercising helps me all the time; in fact, it makes me happier. Although the thought of running for half an hour may seem horrible to you, different forms of exercising can motivate you, depending on what you like. For example, I hate running, but doing ab workouts like sit-ups and playing dancing games on my game console drives me to exercise more frequently, therefore, getting rid of my stress.

Write

Another method I use to get rid of my stress is I write. I write whatever I have on my mind, whether it is three exams the next day, people who irritate me, or whatever. Sometimes, your best friend who listens can be an inanimate object, such as a journal. Writing can help you plan future events out, causing you to stress less.

Clean

Whenever I clean, I feel like I have my life together and everything just seems perfect. Cleaning is healthy for your body and your life. It can also increase productivity and helps you focus. Cleaning is also proven to be therapeutic for ones under stress. It may seem like a bore at first and you may even procrastinate, but trust me, once the cleaning is done, you will be proud of yourself and you will be much happier. 

Talk it out

If you aren't the journal type, talking it out helps tremendously. The best person to talk to should be someone who can listen and provide feedback. It can be a family member, friend, or parent. If you feel like it, talk to your pet! 

Do something you love

Take a break and do something you love! Draw, read, listen to music. Do something that will get your mind off of whatever you are stressing about. Don't overdo it, but for an hour, take a much needed break and relax. Afterwards, get your mind in productivity mode and do whatever needs to be done, and then reward yourself with another break! As for me, I love taking snack breaks or editing videos for a while.

Stress can be your worst enemy, but once you find your way to defeat your stress, you will be a happier person. Your overall health and well-being will be in good shape. And you can even help others take over their stress! I hope these tips helped you.

Do you have any ways to conquer your stress? Please let me know!

CityLover♡

  

Picture source: slowbuddy.com

Review: Insurgent

I recently watched Insurgent (after reading the book, of course :D) with my close friends and to be honest, I was surprised the way the movie was put together. For those of you who aren't familiar with the Divergent series, Insurgent is the second part to Divergent. The movie is about a girl named Tris who was in an almost perfect society, but strong forces threatened to pull the society apart. The book has more content than the movie (duh), but compared to the Harry Potter series or The Hunger Games series, the movie is less like the book in many ways. 

If you already read Insurgent, be prepared to be a bit disappointed with the level of organization  and the change of direction of the movie, but the story line and plot was still not bad. If you haven't read the book (READ IT), I would recommend the movie, but watching Divergent would be a good idea, otherwise, you won't understand anything. 

The acting was great, and featured Hollywood stars like Kate Winslet, Ray Stevenson and Octavia Spencer. Also, the character that Shailene Woodley portrays is nothing like Tris from the book. Overall, I was a bit disappointed with the change of the plot and the way Tris was shown in the movie. My rating out of ten, would be a 3.5-4. I would watch it for the first time, but probably not for the second. 

Catching Up | Happy International Women's Day!

First of all, WOW. I haven't posted in more than a month! My apologies. Between moving to a new place and finals, I didn't have the time to check in on my blog. Hopefully, during spring break, I'll have time to post more. The third trimester has just started for me, which means...(drum roll please)...SPRING IS HERE. I am so tired of the brutal winter and so pumped for spring.

Aside from all that, today is International Women's Day! This day celebrates the achievements and accomplishments of women from all around the world. It's also a reminder for the world to address the issue of gender equality. In 1995, in Beijing, world leaders agreed to a world where men and women are treated equally, and today, March 8th, marks the 20th year. Although, no country in the world has actually achieved gender equality, it is one thing, we, as a global community need to work on and strive for.

Happy #InternationalWomensDay to all the amazing girls and women around the world! YOU ROCK 👊
— Zoë (@ZozeeBo) March 8, 2015

Happy Women's Day! Here's to the women who build each other up and encourage each other to be themselves as opposed to tear each other down💭
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) March 8, 2015

Happy International Woman's Day everyone! #HeForShe let's make 2015 our most compassionate, enlightened year yet x
— Hayley Atwell (@HayleyAtwell) March 8, 2015

Happy International #WomensDay! Take a moment to think of the amazing women in your world today. #DearMe
— YouTube (@YouTube) March 8, 2015

We are at our best when we cheer each other on and build each other up. Happy International Women's Day. pic.twitter.com/C5FRxulqAB
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) March 9, 2015

pic.twitter.com/rk2MZQ6ATQ
— Emma Watson (@EmWatson) October 30, 2014

Here’s to women of strength, courage and, of course, great taste. Happy #InternationalWomensDay!
— Nutella (@NutellaUSA) March 8, 2015

Thanks for reading!
CityLover♡

The Future of 3-D Printing

By now, the term "3-D printing" has become quite popular, although it's not as easy as it sounds. When I heard about this, it sounded...there's no better way of putting this, but cool! As a member of my school's robotics club, we have 3-D printed a part of our "robot", and the item we 3-D printed is roughly the size of a tall drinking glass with square holes, and that took about eight hours to 3-D print.

The 3-D printed car in Chicago! I wish I could've been there!

I recently stumbled upon a car that was 3-D printed (it took approximately two days), and it's not just a car; but it's a working car! It was created sometime in September of 2014 in Chicago. After the printing, the car's engineers installed the car's engine, brakes, tires, etc. Then, on September 13th, it was already making its way down the streets. Soon, another model was printed in New York, shortly after the success of the one produced in Chicago.

Now, from a simple part of a school's robotics club's "machine" to an actual car--think of how the world can use 3-D printing. In the future, items that are 3-D printed won't even be made out of plastic like they are today! Maybe, almost everything we buy, the toys for our children, flashlights, home decor, containers--these things we use everyday can be 3-D printed (they can, but they won't look the same if we print it today), and in the future of this world, what if manufacturer companies will print them twenty years from now? What if the term "3-D printing" doesn't have the effect on people it does today? Let me know your thoughts about 3-D printing. Should we experiment with it more?

Picture source: https://student.societyforscience.org/article/3-d-printers-are-making-cars

How To Survive Winter | My Top 5 Essentials☃❄

Picture source: http://weheartit.com/entry/161408580/tag/amsterdam?context_user=Claire812

I am completely sick and tired of winter and I'm yearning for spring to come, but according to a groundhog (you know who I'm talking about ツ), we're going to have six more weeks of winter...not sure if I believe that. Winter has been hard; the long walks when I'm heading home after school, the occasional Starbucks stop on Fridays when I feel like my heart is going to freeze (like from Frozen, get it?), seeing cars and trucks lose control on the icy roads, and the list goes on. Spring, come faster!

I'm usually an indoor person when winter comes around, so I decided to list a few of my essentials and must-haves during this dreadful season.

• My Uggs are a life saver during the winter. It's soft, cozy sheepskin keeps my feet warm and snug. 
• Fleece pajamas are a lifesaver in the winter! Whether if it's having a pillow fight with your friends/family, snuggling in your bed and catching up with your favorite show on Netflix, or reading a good book by the crackling fireplace, fleece pajamas won't let you down. 
• I mentioned this drink in my favorites page, but Starbucks' Cinnamon Dolce Latte is perfect for the cold, long walks you may have to do. As for me, I volunteer at the library, and the bitter walk from the bus stop to the library is distressing. 
• A pair of fuzzy socks always makes my winter three times as better. I get mine from Old Navy, simply because they have an inexpensive collection of fuzzy socks. Of course, you can probably get them anywhere because they are so popular. I usually wear them at home because they keep my feet warmer and I have no need to wear them in public. :) Many people I know love wearing these everywhere. 
• Last, but definitely not least: LOTION. I cannot express how important a moisturizer is during this harsh season. I have three that I use daily: I use Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion for my hands and body, Olay Fresh Effects Hydrating Gel Moisturizer for my face (I actually use this year round, because right after I put it on, my face feels so fresh and...this is going to sound a bit redundant, but hydrating), and Crabtree & Evelyn La Source Relaxing Body Lotion for my hands during the day (it's a travel size) at school.

Well, there you have it! If you're like me, a person who loathes winter, we can survive this winter together! Just a few more weeks  is what I always try to think...

Thanks for reading,

Until next time,

CityLover