Productivity and Organizational Tips!

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Hi everyone!

I am going to share with you some tips and strategies that I do daily which have allowed me to be productive and organized while living a meaningful day!

Tip #1: The most important part of having a worthwhile day is understanding what’s going to keep you from it. If I don’t have a very productive day, it’s because I spent a lot of time wondering what was on my social media. I recommend downloading the app “Forest” if you struggle with something similar. :)

Tip #2: Your mindset is EVERYTHING, make sure it’s POSITIVE. Some days, you won’t want to feel like doing anything…and that’s okay; it means you need a break. But, you do have to make sure that you’re on top of everything most of the time :) Find ways to keep yourself motivated and accountable. Write down everything that is due for the week in your planner, and then delegate specific tasks to every day to make sure everything gets done. Also, write down anything socially that you are hoping to do for the week. I really enjoy watching shows every week on TV (The Bachelor, Chicago Shows, etc.); to keep myself motivated, I make sure all of my work for the day is done by the time those shows are on so I can relax and enjoy!

Tip #3: Fuel yourself! Make sure to drink lots of water and eat healthier meals to keep your mind functioning the way it should. Throw in a coffee if you need to wake up a little. :)

Tip #4: The atmosphere you are in throughout the day is so important. Make sure it’s clean, cozy, happy, and partly technology-free (no turning on the TV or looking at your phone constantly). Straighten up anything throughout the day to make sure your work area/room stays consistently clean.

The way my desk looks throughout the day :)

Tip #5: Start your productive day by not doing actual work. For me, this means having a daily routine that I follow. I will make sure I get all of my morning tasks done before I start any school work. If I don’t stick to my routine, and I’m somewhat lazy when I get up, I won’t continue my day being productive.

Tip #6: Take breaks. You shouldn’t be go-go-go all day because then you will tire

These are my “morning to-do’s” that I will be sure to get done right away!

yourself out and won’t be able to stay motivated to complete all of your tasks. I recommend taking thorough breaks for at least a half-hour when you have your meals to give yourself some time to reboot. For shorter breaks, talk to one of your family members, get in a workout, or go to Starbucks!

Tip #7: Wake up on the earlier side during the week, and sleep in on weekends. I’m not saying get up at 5am, but I would say to make sure you are crawling out of bed by 8am during the week to have a productive day. Get your much-needed rest on the weekends and leave only a few assignments to complete. :)

Thanks for reading! Have a beautiful rest of your day. :)

Quote of the day: “Always deliver more than expected” ~ Larry Page

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What I Wish I Knew Before College

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Hi everybody,

Different aspects of your life change dramatically when you step foot onto your college campus. Since I started school in August, I have learned a lot about the University of Iowa, campus, Iowa City, dorm rooms, meeting people, etc. Take a look at my video to hear my tips and experiences to learn about what I wish I knew before going to college. I hope you enjoy :)

Quote of the day: “You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith, and hope.” ~Thomas Merton

Have a beautiful rest of your day :)

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First day of second semester!

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Prior to choosing Iowa, I was always searching for a video on what college students experienced on their first day of school. With a new semester just beginning, things are looking different for me when it comes to my class structure. Here is a little glimpse into what my first day of second semester looked like.

Thanks for watching! Have a beautiful rest of your day :)

Quote of the day: “Everything you do now is for your future”~Unknown

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University of Iowa Prep #2: Shopping

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Hi everybody! I’ve been thinking about all of the items I need for my return to school. These are my must-haves for this next semester to make sure I have the most healthy, organized and productive one possible! For those who are prospective freshman, I hope this list will provide you some help when it comes to packing for school because I know that can seem a little overwhelming. For returning students, I hope this can spark your memory of things you may need prior to going back to Iowa.

Item #1: Healthy Snacks!–it is so important to be sure that with all of the stress we are facing right now, you do whatever you can to take care of yourself. I am guilty of having a lot of unhealthy snacks in my dorm room first semester, so for the very busy days, I wanted to look for snacks that will be able to hold me over until I can sit down and have a meal!

Item #2: Gum!–I bring gum with me EVERYWHERE! It’s the perfect addition to your purse for when you leave your favorite coffee shop in Iowa City, or to just take a piece quick right before class.

Item #3: Mac N Cheese/Ramen!–It is absolutely PERFECT for the late nights studying when the cafeteria is closed :)

Item #4: K-Cups!–If I don’t have coffee first thing in the morning…I will not make it through the day.

Item #5: Organizational tools!–I have found that with having classes online, things can get cluttered in your room. Containers for utensils, small bags for makeup products, drawer organizers, etc. are perfect for keeping everything together whether you are on the go or having some cozy and productive time in your room! If you are looking for these products, I suggest Amazon.

For specific food or necessary product ideas you can check out my shopping vlog on my YouTube channel.

Have a beautiful rest of your day :)

Quote of the day: “I am not a shopaholic. I am helping the economy”

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University of Iowa Prep #1: Online Classes

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Hello everybody!

With the new semester approaching, I wanted to provide you all insight on how I am getting ready to return back to campus. I have begun a series of YouTube videos about my preparation for beginning school again. This first video is about getting ready for online classes! Throughout the video, there’s information regarding scheduling classes, customizing your technology, and more! Other videos you will see in this series will be on shopping for all of the goodies I need to move back in, packing, and moving in! I hope you all enjoy.

Have a beautiful rest of your day :)

Quote of the day: “Spectacular achievement is always preceded by unspectacular preparation” ~Robert H. Schuller

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New Years Resolutions-what I hope for the next two semesters

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Ah, January 1st. Just when we thought 2020 wouldn’t end, 2021 is here! Happy New Year, everybody…let’s hope 2021 will be filled with lots of good news. The time has come when everyone pulls out the notepad and decides to write a long list of things they hope to do for the entire year, but it can be challenging to follow through on these resolutions. I am a person that tends to struggle with this. I stick to the list for a few weeks but if I am not very interested in my resolution, I won’t have the motivation to continue it. However, the resolutions I created this year seem to be more achievable than those I have had in the past. I wanted to share my academic and campus life resolutions with all of you…maybe they will give you some ideas of resolutions you can make for yourself.

Academic Resolutions:

  1. Second semester and the start of sophomore year are going to be tough! Work your hardest to continue getting straight A’s but at least try to get nothing below a  B.
  2. Get accepted into Tippie College of Business.
  3. Update planner every Sunday with due dates and create a daily schedule of what I have to do.
  4. Create a study schedule every week with tests and how often I am going to study for them.
  5. Stay on top of everything…don’t fall behind!

Campus Life Resolutions:

  1. Try new coffee shops.
  2. Wander around Iowa City and try new things (safely).
  3. Go to the waterfall study spot.
  4. Meet a group of really great friends.
  5. Attend more CHAARG workout events.
  6. Create a list of clubs I would be interested in joining throughout the rest of my time at Iowa.
  7. Attend as many athletic events as you can (once fans are able to be in attendance again)

Thanks so much for being here with me, have a beautiful rest of your day

Quote of the day: “One day…or day one? You get to decide.”~Paulo Coelho

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How I got through first semester–tips and tricks!

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Making the transition from high school to college can be a very intimidating process, there are a lot of unknowns and sometimes you question if you’re truly prepared for this new step in life. Even though that transition may be challenging, it is not impossible. You just have to find what is right for you. The most important thing is to find the balance between academics and social life you feel comfortable with. Check out my video below to see my recommendations for making the transition a little bit easier!

Have a beautiful rest of your day.

-Heather

Quote of the day: “You have one chance, one life. And what you do with that is up to you.”~One Tree Hill

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Welcome to my Blog!

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Hello everyone!

I am so happy that you are here to join me on my adventure at the University of Iowa! Throughout this page, and my time at Iowa, you will see me grow and change into the woman I hope to become after college. I will be bringing you along on my experience at Iowa, giving you pieces of advice and so much more! You will be able to view all of this on two platforms, this blog site as well as my YouTube channel, Heather Lynn (videos related to college will be linked in blog posts).

Since you are going to be with me for a while, I thought I should give you some information about myself! I am a freshman, about to begin my second semester and I am so blessed to have been given the opportunity to go to this school. Throughout the next three-and-a-half years, I will be studying Business Analytics with a double minor in Sports Management and Spanish (hopefully I will be able to study abroad in Spain because that would be amazing).

Growing up, there were many aspects of life that I truly fell in love with. I can’t remember a time when music wasn’t part of my life. As a little girl I grew up with classic rock music, especially Van Halen, but as I got older I fell in love with country music as it encouraged me to become a songwriter. I have always enjoyed sports, especially Chicago Blackhawks hockey…it’s tough growing up in the Chicagoland area and not loving the Hawks. I surprisingly fell in love with golf my sophomore year of high school. The game gave me a new appreciation for the outdoors, helped me trust myself, and gave me friendships for a lifetime. Traveling with my family has always been very close to my heart. I have loved every trip I have been on, but my favorites were traveling with my dad’s side of the family every year.

I am looking for ways to continue these passions while at school but have found some new and enjoyable hobbies while being on campus. I wanted to become more physically active so I decided to join the club CHAARG which was one of the best decisions I have made! Another big part of my life now is YouTube. I very much enjoy helping others, so to create something that will bring joy to others’ lives fills my heart with so much joy.

I am so extremely thankful for you coming along on my journey with me! Have a beautiful rest of your day :)

-Heather

Quote of the day: “You need to have faith in yourself. Be brave and take risks. You don’t have to have it all figured out to move forward”~Roy T. Bennett

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