Category Archives: Advice/How To

Advice/How To, School Life

How to get ready for PROM!!

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BEFORE PROM

1: Find a date and buy the tickets ahead of time because the closer prom gets the more the tickets will cost. Make plans with your date and/or friends before prom to take pictures or eat dinner, depending on your school’s plan for prom. You’ll want to take pictures together to remember this night forever!

2: Choose your outfit well in advance. Look in thrift stores or at sales before prom season to find an awesome dress that works for you without completely breaking your budget.

3: Before prom, try and break in your shoes by wearing them around the house a little to prevent blistering and hurting your feet.

4: Make an appointment for a hairdresser well in advance. This is especially important if your school is a big one, or many schools are having prom on the same weekend.

5: Practice your makeup beforehand. You can get a professional to do this, but it may be unnecessary and expensive if you can make yourself up by yourself.

6: Plan your day. Give yourself enough time on the night of prom to fix your hair, your makeup, and to put on your dress. Pack a small clutch to bring with you. Make sure you have your ticket, photo ID, some money, lip balm, and anything else you might need.

7: Lastly, go into prom with a good attitude and fun spirit and don’t forget JUST HAVE FUN!

Advice/How To

Do’s and don’ts of babysitting

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As an individual that has been a babysitter for multiple years, I have found that there are some things that every babysitter should know. Here is my advice for anyone thinking about babysitting in the future.

  • The main thing about babysitting is that you have to give them as much attention as possible, especially if there is more then one child that you are watching.
  • You also have to make sure every child is treated the same, and if there is any misbehaving you should let the parents know.
  • You should always answer the phone when the parents call at all times, and make sure you have a positive attitude at all times while on the phone.
  • If you’re going to be busy on a day you have to babysit let the parents know ahead of time. The same goes for being late. If you’re running a little late let the parents know.
  • If you plan on taking the kids anywhere make sure you let the parents know before you do so, and if you buy the kids anything make sure you get a receipt to show the parents what you bought for them, or just let the parents know that you brought the child something.

These is some basic advice for anyone who is looking to get into the babysitting world.

Advice/How To, School Life

Balancing work and school

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Like many high school students, you may work part time. A good thing about the experience of working isn’t only that you earn money but it also challenges and teaches you by teaching you new things about yourself.

Before getting a job consider how you will handle juggling your work and school work. While considering this decision talk to a parent and ask questions like: “How can I manage my time to make school and a job work for me?” and “What type of job will work best with my schedule, skills, and personality?”

Once you have a part time job consider some strategies like, starting slowly and not committing to working a lot of hours right way. Also, use your time efficiently, for example, if you have time before your shift starts to do homework do it before because after working you’ll probably be too tired to do anything and it gives you a chance to go to bed earlier.

A job can benefit you by teaching you about commitment, time management, responsibility, and handling money. Also, it helps you explore career directions and reaching your goals too.

Advice/How To, Travel/Food

Road trip essentials

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As we all know, summer is quickly approaching and that means road trip season. Road trips can either be very fun or very boring, it all depends on how you prepare for them. This list of tips and tricks will help you have the best summer road trip experiences possible!

  • Wear comfortable clothing – If you plan on napping or just relaxing, you don’t want to be wearing constrictive clothing.
  • Bring a lot of water – In some rural areas, there won’t be any rest stops for hours away so you won’t have many chances to buy a water or fill up your bottle. It’s also important because if you have car trouble while on the highway, you will want to stay hydrated out in the hot summer sun.
  • Stop at rest stops whenever possible – Even if you don’t need to use the restroom or take a quick nap, it’s good to stop and use the restroom or fill up your water bottle because it’s hard to know when the next time you will be able to stop.
  • Bring snacks – It’s always a good idea to have food with you because good restaurants can sometimes be hard to come by.
  • Bring a car charger – Sometimes, when you don’t have cell service, your phone will roam and that will drain the battery so it is a good idea to always have one on hand.
  • Have a positive attitude – Even though it might be hard to think about having to be in a car with your siblings for a long period of time, you should stay positive throughout your trip because your attitude influences the outcome of your overall experience!
Advice/How To, Entertainment, Movies/TV/Theaters

Beats vs Bose

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In the world of sound and music, people want the best headphones and the best speakers. There are many really, really good speakers. The bad thing is that all the best speakers are huge, so you won’t be able to take them on the go. Beats and Bose both have found a way to get around that size obstacle: there’s the Beats Pill and Bose SoundLink.

Now, let’s talk about the Beats Pill. It does indeed look like an oversized pill, only with a flat foot on the bottom to keep it from rolling off the table. It’s sleek, slightly hip, and it’s available in a bunch of fun colors. A lot of people get the Beats Pill for its bass, which is totally understandable.

The Bose SoundLink isn’t exactly known for its bold design choices, opting for the more safe and reserved look in nearly every example. When the company does try to go for a more “fun” look, you end up with something like the company’s FreeStyle earbuds which sounded nice, but looked more like a pair of pants from the 1990s than something you wanted to wear on your head. Looking at the SoundLink Mini, let’s just be happy the company decided to keep it simple.

Beats and Bose both are very good, but now let’s talk about which one is better. Beats Pill has a decent bass, while on the other hand Bose SoundLink probably has a better bass then the Beats Pill. The Bose SoundLink mid-bass and the lower midrange is much better, and there is a nice depth to most of the lower range of frequencies. Highs are free of the rolloff that is so common on speakers in this size, but still, they never sound harsh or overbearing even as you push the volume higher. And that reminds me, the SoundLink Mini can get pretty loud; impressively so, considering the size.

So, in the end, if you’re looking for a speaker on the go I would go with Bose.

Advice/How To, Entertainment

The best parks with walking paths in Minnesota

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Now that the weather is getting nicer, many of us who enjoy walks and want to get more exercise are looking for places to go for walking. There are many walking paths in the Twin Cities. Minnehaha Regional Park, Swede Hollow Park near Dayton’s Bluff, Fort Snelling State Park, and Harriet Island Regional Park, are some of the walking paths that aren’t too far from the Highland Park area. All these parks have history behind them, and today they are used for site seeing, and are calm recreational places for us all to enjoy.

Minnehaha Regional Park is right across the Ford Parkway bridge. It’s known for it’s big waterfall. Minnehaha Regional Park has walking paths along the Minnehaha Creek, it allows you to follow it as it makes it’s way to the Mississippi River. The path is a beautiful, calm environment. Walking along the water can make your walk more exciting. It’s very family-friendly, and pet-friendly, and wildlife is all around. Biking is also available at Minnehaha Park; you can rent bikes for you and your friends and family and biking is a great way to get exercise.

Swede Hollow Park is near Dayton’s Bluff on the East Side of St. Paul. It is near the Mississippi River and Downtown St. Paul. This Nature Park has great views of the city, and the change of noises you hear in the park is remarkable; with all the traffic around the park you wouldn’t expect it to be a very quiet and secluded recreational spot. Swede Hollow has bike paths and walking paths all throughout the park. At the northern part of the park, there is a assemblage of stones arranged in circles that are very cool to see.

Fort Snelling State Park was built in the 1800s and is located by the Mississippi River in Hennepin county. It is a great place to go for a day outside and for a glimpse into the life of our past, involving civil rights and the lifestyle that came with it. Some of the State Park’s attributes include multiple hiking trails along the river, a beach for swimming in the summer, tours, and scenes/displays of how it was like to live daily at this military base in the 1820’s. These scenes/displays include the jobs and standards of men in the military, nurses, families, blacksmiths, and slaves. Fort Snelling offers many different opportunities depending on what you are looking for, and it is great for people of all ages.

photo taken from Saint Paul, Minnesota: The most livable city in America

Harriet Island Regional Park is located along the Mississippi and is near downtown Saint Paul, with a bridge as the connection. Harriet Island is one of the most popular parks in the Twin Cities with its beautiful views and spacious grounds. The park offers great scenery and picnic areas, perfect for a day out. These grounds are known to be great for hosting events such as weddings, festivals, etc. Playgrounds, tents, and many hiking and biking trails are available to the public as well.

Advice/How To, Local, Travel/Food

Staycation on a budget

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Stuck at home with no pocket money this spring break? There’s an easy solution to your problem: a staycation on a budget. This entails adventuring in the Twin Cites with little to no money.

Right now you may be asking yourself, so what exactly is a staycation? Well to answer your question, a staycation is when you explore where you live as if you were someone visiting on a vacation.

Although the Twin Cities are always lively and buzzing, it can be hard to see them like so, especially in early spring. When winter comes to a close, so do most outdoor winter activities (i.e. ice skating, tubing, skiing, etc.) and because it’s wet and muddy out in early spring, it’s not ideal weather for outdoor activities in general.

However, if you’re willing to venture out into the wild and get a little muddy, here are some fun, inexpensive places to go outdoors this spring break.

  • Hidden Falls Regional Park- A more casual park that is great for picnicking and hanging out with friends in Saint Paul. There are bonfire pits, BBQ grills and also bike and hiking trails. This is free.
  • Fort Snelling- A national historical land mark located in Saint Paul. Fort Snelling is a great place to learn about military history, starting before the Civil War, and going up to World War II. The commission price ranges from $6-$10.
  • High Bridge Dog Park- A 7 acre off-leash dog park in Saint Paul. This park is ideal for both dog lovers and dog owners. This is free.
  • Minnehaha Park and Falls- A huge beautiful scenic park filled with paths, bridges, and waterfalls located in Minneapolis. There is also a great restaurant in the park. This is free.

If you’re more of an indoor explorer, here are some inexpensive indoor actives in the Twin Cities.

  • Minneapolis Institute of Arts- A large fine art museum in Minneapolis. The art covers over a 5,000 year time period. They are closed Mondays, open 10am to 5 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10am to 9pm on Thursdays and Fridays, and 11am to 5pm on Sundays. Entry is free, but special exhibits require tickets.
  • Walker Art Museum and Sculpture Garden- A large multidisciplinary contemporary art center in Minneapolis. There is also a sculpture garden across the street from the museum that is free. Within the sculpture garden there is a sculpture mini golf course, the price ranges from $9-$19, however, the tickets include free gallery admission. Museum admission fee ranges from $9-$14. The Walker is closed Monday, open daily 11am-5pm, except for on Thursdays when The Walker is open from 11am-9pm and admission is free.
  • Wabsha Caves Swing Dancing- Lively swing dancing and live music every Thursday night at the Wabasha Caves in Saint Paul. Doors open at 6pm and there are swing dancing lessons at 6:15pm. Live music goes from 7pm until 9pm. Entry fee is $8 and the required speakeasy password is “Gus sent me”. You must wear shoes on the dance floor, and try to dress up! On other days of the week there are tours going on (historical, gangster, and haunted) in the caves, however, these tend to be more pricey (around $20). There is also a great waffle and coffee joint outside of the caves.

These are just a few examples of places you could go and explore this spring break. You can also find events going on near you on websites such as http://www.citypages.com/calendar, http://www.minneapolis.org/visitor/calendar/, and www.visitsaintpaul.com/events-calendar/.

Good luck exploring the Twin Cities, and happy spring breakinging!

Advice/How To, School Life, Travel/Food

College visit tips and tricks

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College visits can be daunting and hard to prepare for. After a few visits, you start to figure out how to prepare for future visits. Here are a few tips and tricks that I have come up with after going on multiple visits.

  • Wear comfortable clothing – Since most tours include a campus tour, you will be moving around a lot. Wearing comfortable clothing will help you focus more on the actual tour and not worry about your aching feet or your warm sweater.
  • Stay hydrated – Most college visits can last a few hours. When you take the campus tour you will be taking lots of stairs and you will be walking around quite a lot. Staying hydrated is key to making sure you won’t be distracted by how thirsty you are.
  • Take notes – College visits almost always include an admissions presentation. There is always important information that you’ll need to know so it is a good idea to bring a small notepad with a pen or pencil. When you go back to compare the admission requirements, it will be easier with the notes you took during the presentation.
  • Talk to a current student – It is always important to talk to someone who is currently attending the college because they have first hand experiences. During some admission presentations, colleges will have a student panel and you can ask your burning questions.
  • Visit centers of student life – If you visit while school is in session, make sure to visit a dining hall or student union. This will give you an idea to what the student atmosphere is like and you might even be able to try some of the food because of course that’s very important.
  • Ask about campus safety – While on a campus tour, make sure to ask your guide about campus safety. Most colleges have on campus security and emergency call stations located around campus. It is very important that you feel safe while on campus.
  • Ask about financial aid – Some colleges have a large number as their sticker price but this should not be a deal breaker when you decide where you want to go. Many colleges have scholarships that you are automatically entered into when you apply. For example, colleges will give you a certain amount of money if you meet certain criteria like your GPA and ACT/SAT scores. Also, filling out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) will help you understand how much the government is willing to give you in terms of student aid.
  • Visit residence halls – When on a campus tour, make sure you check out the residence halls. Colleges usually have many different types of rooms like a single, a double or suite style. Visiting halls will make it easier to choose the type of room you want when you apply for housing/residence.
Advice/How To

Curling irons: How to achieve the curl you want

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The Curling Iron

This has been used as the primary heated tool to create fake luscious curls since the 1800’s. Many people have these but don’t know the different techniques that can be used to achieve the kind of curl you desire.

Size

The smaller the iron, the tighter the curl.

Styles based on size:

2” barrel
Relaxed Waves (Best for medium/long hair)

This is a nice look for a casual everyday on the go vibe.

1.75” Barrel
Loose Waves (Best for medium/long hair)

Perfect for everyday wear or even casual dress wear

1.5” Barrel
Voluminous Curls (Best for Medium/Long Hair)

This is a loose curl but produces a lot of volume especially if you have longer and thicker hair. This is a good hairstyle when trying to spice up your look.

1.25” Barrel
Medium Loose Curls (Best for Medium/Long hair)

This is more of an elaborate curl. It can be more time consuming than some of the other styles but is worth it for special events or when you want to enhance your look.

1” Barrel
Full Curls (Good for short to long hair)

This is a sleek put together look that gives you a sophisticated or a sweetheart exterior depending on what outfit you match it with.

¾’’ Barrel
Vintage curls

This look in a voluminous alternative for people with bobs or shorter hair. However, if you have longer hair than shown in the picture it will give you ringlet curls that give you an extra bubbly, youthful look.

⅜’’ Barrel
Tight, spiral curls (best for short/medium hair)

This is the tightest kind of curl. It will work on all lengths but lasts the longest on people with thinner and shorter hair because the hair will hold it the best.

Advice/How To, Entertainment

March horoscopes for Zodiac signs

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Capricorn (12/22 – 01/19)

March is the month of health for you. Focus on your physical and mental health. Make a beneficial change in your routine. Go to the gym or incorporate healthier alternatives in your diet. Better yourself, and accept love. This is a good month for romance, with feelings blooming around the full moon on the 23rd. Open your heart while making sure that these new beginnings are healthy for you.

Aquarius (01/20 – 02/18)

March is the month to recognize your power. Realize the role you play in situations and the effect you have on others. Take responsibility for your part in conflicts this March and try to make peace in a stressful situation that may arise.

Pisces (02/19 – 03/20)

March is the month to find balance. Instability may become a problem this month for you, do your best to find a way to cope and steady these outside stressors. Focus on your goals and find a balance in order to accomplish them.

Aries (03/21 – 04/20)

March is your month for self-control. Urges and impulsive behavior will be your biggest self conflict. Focus on the positives and remember that feelings and emotions aren’t always reasonable. Remember to use your logic and common sense. Keep level headed and you could do big things this month.

Taurus (04/21 – 5/20)

March is the month to focus on your career and goals. Work for what you want in life and earn what you receive. However, make sure while doing this you don’t isolate yourself and get consumed within your craft. In your spare time, spend quality times with understanding friends. People who accept your newly busy lifestyle are the ones to keep around during this time.

Gemini (05/21 – 06/21)

March is the month of new beginnings. Take risks and try new things. Find new hobbies, interests in career paths, and social atmospheres. Go new places and reach new levels in your life. If you have a dream this is your time to chase it. Run on your ambition this month.

Cancer (06/22 – 07/22)

March is the time to find your inner peace. Complications will overwhelm you. The little things may begin to add up and you will feel as if all the weight is on your shoulders. You may need to find a source of relaxation. Try things like working out, meditation, a musical instrument, a painting class. Find your outlet. This is a time of acceptance for what things truly are.

Leo (07/23 – 08/22)

March is the month of insight. Listen to yourself and process your observations on a deeper level. This will help you when having to read the people around you and making judgements on their intentions. Protect yourself but make sure not to come to conclusions too fast. Insight is not factual.

Virgo (08/23 – 09/22)

March is the month of good vibrations. Within yourself and those around you. Release a good aura and it will influence those around you to as well. There will be some complicated situations that may arise near the end of the month. If you don’t allow yourself to be overwhelmed, these issues will soon resolve themselves.

Libra (09/23 – 10/22)

March is the month of expression. Share your thoughts and feelings, show your true personality, be bold with your moves, and make positive statements. You have a voice and this is your time to use it. You may find that people in your life have more of an interest in your opinions than you once thought.

Scorpio (10/23 – 11/21)

March is the month to follow your dreams. Whatever you set out in life to do should be pursued. You have the determination and drive. Make your dreams a reality. You can do whatever you set your mind to. Just be sure that it is a healthy decision and will benefit your life. Avoid making reckless moves that will throw you off track.

Sagittarius (11/22 – 12/21)

March is the month to embrace things. You can’t control everything around you and some things won’t change no matter what you try. Acceptance is key for a content life with moments of happiness. It is okay to be proactive, but sometimes you just need to go with the flow and see where it takes you.