How to Have a Productive Summer

Almost everyone looks forward to summer break, trips to the beach, ice cream, no homework (unless like me you're taking a summer course lol), there are so many reasons why summer is great, outdoor movies- I mean the list goes on and on! Although it is extremely important to have fun and be a bit carefree during the summer it is also important to not let it go by in the blink of an eye. It's not a great feeling when the summer seems to suddenly come to an end and you have no idea where it all went or what you even did with those three months! That's where having a productive summer comes in. As I mentioned, fun should be a priority during the summer but you also want to accomplish something so that when it does come to an end you feel like you put the time to good use and that it didn't sweep past you.

I put together a list with some tips for how you can make the most of your summer! (These will definitely come in handy for keeping myself on track too!)

Set Goals

Near the beginning of the summer it is helpful to think about what you want to do in the next few months. Knowing what you want to accomplish is very important and having the goals in mind ahead of time will make it much easier for you to reach them. Setting you goals lets you know exactly what you want to do and should serve as a guide to what you want your summer to consist of. And once the summer comes to an end you can look back at everything you've done!

Plan 

Planning out your summer at least a little bit is very beneficial because it allows you to get a big picture idea of the upcoming months. Even having a very basic plan of a couple things that you want to do or accomplish each month will make it so much easier to achieve them. Either writing it in a planner or putting things in a calendar app will help you keep track of everything and let you get everything done.
 
I personally love writing things down so I don't forget them and I like to be able to look ahead and know what I'm doing the next week. Especially if you want to go on any weekend trips or anything it is so crucial to organize those in advance at least a little bit to get the best deals on hotels, most convenient flight times, etc. Planning will also allow you to make sure that you have the time to do what you want to in general and will prevent you from having conflicting events or commitments.

Inspiration

Knowing what inspires you can a have a large impact on what you get done. Inspiration can provide great motivation and lets you see what you're working towards. It can be a nice reminder of what can be and to not give up. If you don't have a good reason for doing something you definitely won't get as much done as you would if you clearly know why you are working towards the goals you are. (Whether or not a reason is "good" is subjective but by "good reason" I personally mean something reasonable and positive).

For example if one of the goals you are working towards is a fitness one then following personal trainers or others on a fitness journey can provide great inspiration (as long as you try not to compare yourself and remember that everyone is at different levels and stages). Comparison can be an enemy to progress.

Establish a Routine

Having a routine can be a great way to ensure that you reach your goals. Knowing what you have to do and when lets you stay on track and make steady progress. If you establish a routine it'll become easier to do what you need to as you'll get used to it and form habits. Sticking with the fitness example, maybe you decide to start doing certain stretches or moves everyone morning after you've woken up, over time you'll end up automatically doing them and will build strength or flexibility (depending on what you do) and you'll start getting results!

Stay Realistic

It is crucial to be realistic with what you want to achieve and what you expect to accomplish though. You do not want to set yourself up to fail. You need to be aware of what you are capable of. As someone who isn't much of a runner it would not be realistic for me to have the goal of competing in and finishing a marathon that is taking place next month-that isn't realistic and there is no way I'd be able to achieve that. However, I am not saying to not challenge yourself. It is important to make sure that your goals aren't all so easy that you can basically already achieve them, you do need something to work towards. It should just be something that will be possible once you do put in the time and effort.

Balance

This is another significant concept. Although being productive and working on getting to your goals is very important, it is summer so you need to have some free time. Now I don't just mean doing nothing (although there is nothing wrong having some time for that), free time means that you don't have things scheduled so you can determine what you want to do with the time. Balancing the time you spend working on things and the time you take just to relax and have fun is vital to being productive and staying happy. If you are overworked you will not be as content or productive. I find that I work much better and enjoy it more when I'm in a good mood!

I hope that you found this helpful and that we all can have productive summers! Do you have any tips for being productive? Leave them in the comments below!

Thanks for reading!

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The Shoes You Need For Spring!

      Warm weather means spring has arrived! I love spring fashion and wanted to share a few of my favorite spring shoes with you! Ideal spring shoes to me are cute, comfortable, and versatile. Below I have listed five different types of shoes that I feel are perfect for spring.
     I am so excited that we are finally having actual spring weather here in Massachusetts. I hope you are all enjoying spring so far too!

"Cute" Flats

The first type of shoe I will be sharing will you all is a "cute" pair of flats. Cute is in " " because I feel as though it is subjective. My idea of cute may be different than someone else's however there are shoes that a majority of people deem to be cute and that includes lace up flat or flats that tie. I definitely think that these shoes are perfect for spring because they are simple yet the tie part adds some interest and character. And as they are flats they will not cause your feet to get too hot in the warmer weather. They also come in such a variety of colors, texture, and even the placement of the tie can differ. So although they are a popular type of shoe you can still find a pair that is unique and perfect for your style! Mine are actually from Primark!

Similar Lace Up Flats here

Sensible Flats

These are flats that are a bit more sturdy than the first pair. What I mean is that the shoes should not hurt your feet and you should be able to walk around comfortably. The flats above are definitely more fashion than function! There's nothing wrong with that at all ( I mean who doesn't want cute shoes) but there is also a need for functional ones too! I enjoy traveling, going on day trips or into the city and for this I like to wear shoes that are stylish yet comfy. It is important to wear things that are strong and will be able to support your feet. If you are out and about and your feet start hurting that will affect your mood and you probably won't have as good a time (I'm sure this has happened to many of you as it has definitely happened to me before).

Sperry Boat Shoes- on SALE! here

Slip-ons

I think that these shoes are great because they can be very versatile. To me they are basically a mix of a sneaker and a flat. They go with so many types of outfits and can be dressed up or down!  These also come in many varieties, Vans are very popular and Steve Madden makes some great ones too. The classics are made of canvas but they come in other materials as well such as  leather. Also they are very easy and quick to put on.They're perfect for casual or can transition to night wear with some skinny jeans, a nice top and maybe an edgy jacket.

Steve Madden Ecentrcq Slip-ons here

Simple Sandals

Sandals are usually considered summer footwear but they are also great for spring. They can transition your wardrobe and give your outfit a different vibe to fit the weather as it does start to get warmer. For me I think of summer sandals as being more "complicated". Now you might be thinking "Emily, what the heck do you mean by complicated?" So let me explain lol, what I mean is sandals with a lot more details or bright colors, tassels, lots of ties, etc. It is just my personal feeling that those elements seem to be more summery than springy! (You do not have to agree with me at all I just thought I'd share my reasoning). I like these simple buckle ones I found at Marshalls!

I got my sandals a couple seasons ago at Marshalls, I've linked a similar pair here

Sneakers

Sneakers are a given I feel. Spring and warmer weather means more outdoor activities and sneakers come in so handy for this. Not even just talking about hardcore athletic activities. Just taking a quiet walk is so beneficial and sneakers can keep your feet comfy! I really like Converse because they are so simple and classic in design. Adidas are also very popular right now and Nike is another option. Of course there are many other great brands that make sneakers, these are just the ones that I have had the most experience with and personally like the best. 

Converse here

Similar pair of Nikes here

Thanks for reading! What are your favorite spring shoes?
-Emily

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Top Current Trends I'm Loving

      This summer there have been some trends that I have really been loving, as you can tell by the title of this post! I really like the chill vibe that I've been seeing a lot lately. What I mean by this is that that simple and basic pieces are really in right now. But I also love that most have a unique twist such as cut-outs or cool necklines. I have also been seeing a lot of solid colored pieces or items with bold stripes. I decided to share my favorite types of pieces below!

Bomber jackets:

- Although it is summer and that means that temperatures are usually higher it does cool down a bit at night and so I think that having some good layering pieces is necessary. Bomber jackets are very in right now. They give an effortless cool vibe to an outfit. Also I like that depending on the material and cut of the jacket it can drastically change your whole look. Leather gives a completely different aesthetic to an outfit than satin or corduroy. I really just love layering and jackets in general and am glad they are having their moment!

Lace up flats:

- I also think that lace up flats are very pretty. The concept of them is pretty simple and minimalistic but they just add so much to an outfit. I also love how versatile they are. These shoes can be worn with skinny jeans, boyfriend jeans, a casual dress, or with a more formal outfit and still look great with whatever they're paired with.

Tee shirt dresses:

- Tee shirt dresses are so simple as well yet look so cute. They are so easy to just throw on and still make you look put together. And again are another very versatile item that can be dressed up or down depending on what accessories or other pieces you wear it with. I prefer these dresses in a solid color or any combination of black, white, and or navy stripes. (Stripes in this color palette give me such a nautical vibe and remind me of the beach and summertime).

"Basic" shirts:

- Not so basic, basic shirts. What I mean by this are shirts that would be basic but are not because of their necklines or "details". Shirts with lacing or ties are a huge trend right now. These can cut down pretty low but don't show too much which I like. You could also wear a cool bandeau or bralette underneath. I also like that they do come in varying levels of "showiness" and so everyone can find something they are comfortable with. 

Denim & button up skirts:

- Denim and front buttoning skirts (or a combo of the two) are another trend I am really liking. Who would have thought that denim skirts would be in again? I did not think it would happen and I'm sure a lot of other people didn't either but I'm glad I was wrong. In my opinion they are pretty cute and just have a great summer vibe to them but can definitely transition into fall as well just as the bomber jacket can. I also like that button up skirts come in so many fabrics as well and that can help them be multi-seasonal as well. Corduroy ones would look great with riding boots in the fall. 

What are some of your favorite summer trends?

Thanks for reading!
-Emily

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Castle Island Adventure

Hi guys, I hope you are having a great summer!

      I finally made it to the beach! My mom recently mentioned that she had wanted to visit Castle Island which is located in South Boston. None of us had ever been there before so we were excited to go. There is a fort, Fort Independence, a restaurant known for its sea food of course, a couple beaches, a playground and walking trails. 
     We took the T and a bus and arrived at one of the beaches. My mom and I went in the water a little as we walked along from one end of the island to get to the restaurant located on the other end. As we were walking we saw some shells, sea glass, and horse shoe prints. The latter was definitely a surprise. I guess that the rangers patrol on horses, a not so nice surprise was that we passed some other evidence left by the horses which we made sure to avoid getting too close to.  

Pic of my mom and sister featuring a plane

       On the walk over to the restaurant we saw a lot of low flying planes and assumed we were close to the airport. We also saw some large machines that my sister was very intrigued by and wanted to know what they were. As we got closer and closer to the restaurant we also got closer and closer to the machines and were able to determine that they were for taking large cargo containers off of ships and putting them on the land. We finally made it to Sullivan's to have lunch. It is similar to Kelly's if you are familiar with the MA area. We got fish and chips and it was really good. My mom, sister, and I split two meals between the three of us, it was very filling.       

The little building in the back there is Sullivan's

     Since we were so full and wanted to walk it off we made our way past another beach, the playground, saw some statues and made it to the fort. Only to the find out that visitors can only enter on Saturdays and Sundays and it was a Friday (probably one of the only times I will be annoyed that it was a Friday lol). We couldn't complain too much though because we still had a beautiful view of Boston and the harbor, were surround by the ocean, and had great weather. Oh and don't forget, we figured out what those machines were for! So it was still a successful journey.

The boardwalk

Hope you enjoyed reading!
-Emily  

p.s. I think I took a picture of those random machines that my sister was fascinated by, I'll try to find one and update the post when I do!

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A Day at the MFA

Hi everyone!

        My mom, sister, and  I have been attempting to be tourists in our own city this summer! There are so many things to do and see in and around the Boston area and New England in general. It is a place filled with so much history and culture. So many things have happened here and it is still an area so bustling and full of life. Although Boston can be an expensive city (it is listed in the top 10 of many travel websites as being one of the most expensive in the U.S.) there are a good amount of cheap or even free things to do though so don't worry! Many museums are free at certain times on specific days. There is also a program called Free Fridays which lists when many venues in the city and other parts of Massachusetts have no cost admission.

Here is a link to the site: 
 http://highlandstreet.org/programs/free-fun-fridays

       My mom, sister and I went to the MFA (Museum of Fine Arts)  this past Friday. It is one of my all time
favorite museums. I love that is has such a diverse collection and I love wandering through the exhibit halls and coming across new pieces and paintings. They have things from ancient Egypt and China, pieces from Europe dating back to the Middle Ages, Rembrandt masterpieces, paintings by Monet, contemporary art, and everything in between. They also always have really great feature exhibits such as the recent #techstyle one I was very excited about seeing.

       This exhibit was all about the relationship between fashion and technology. There were some really great concepts behind the pieces and showed a lot of ingenuity. There were 3D printed shoes, a Ralph Lauren purse with a built in charger for electronic devices, a few garments showing off their laser cut details. A jacket with solar panels, a dress from a Victor & Rolf collection that had a frame and could be hung up on the wall as a legitimate piece of art when not being worn, as well as countless other fascinating pieces utilizing technology in new ways.

The dress on the right is the Victor & Rolf one I mentioned

This designer made pieces that could fold up flat. The square on the left unfolds into a dress like the one on the right

This dress was made out of plastic and based off of a slow motion picture of water

There were 1000s of LED lights sewn into this dress which can light up different colors and make different shapes and patterns

       We also visited other galleries. Here are a few pieces I thought were cool, I didn't get to take too many pictures but I thought I'd show you some that I did get to take.

     We spent a good number of hours explore and there's so much more we didn't even get to see. I'm sure I'll be back again. I highly recommend visiting this museum if you have the chance. It is also very easy to get to and has its own stop on the Green Line.

Thanks for reading!
-Emily

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London, Paris & Amsterdam-Oh My! Part 3

Hi everyone,

        This is the final post recapping my 2016 spring break trip! After our time in England and France we went to Amsterdam for a couple days. I had never been to the Netherlands before and so I was extra excited for this portion of the trip. We traveled by train from Paris to Amsterdam and I think it took about 5 hours. The time went by pretty quickly though so it wasn't that bad even though the journey seems long at first. It did take us forever to get to the right car of the train when we were trying to board though, the train was very long and our group of thirty Americans lugging our suitcases and rushing down the platform must have looked pretty funny! Also it was a bit of a struggle lifting suitcases onto the train and then on the racks once inside the train, I managed though and we were lucky that there were some very strong people in our group to assist those who needed it. 
          Once we got to Amsterdam and left the train station we were immediately almost run over by a tram and then by people riding bikes. We had thought we were on a sidewalk/pedestrian area but boy were we wrong. And if you need to know one thing about Amsterdam apart from it's lovely canals, tulips, and wooden shoes it is that they have some very serious bikers there (and I'm talking bikers as in bicyclists, not motorcyclist bikers although they are just as tough). 

Picture of me (in the yellow coat) at the letters feat. random people

Took this while on the bus

       We met our coach near the train station and it brought us to our hotel a little ways away from the city. We were to have a bit of time to unwind, settle into our rooms, and get ready before heading into the city. Not all of the rooms for our tour group were ready once we got to the hotel though. All of the boys' and adults' rooms were ready but not all of the girls' yet. Some people were able to bring their luggage up to their rooms and chill for a little while the rest of us waited in the lobby. Our only entertainment was watching people trying to take the temperamental elevators which would sometimes bring them to their floor and other times just open the door again on the bottom floor. So at least we knew which one not to use when we finally had a room. My friends and I of course ended up being the very last ones to be given a room after waiting over an hour. The majority of our group had been done doing what they had to in their rooms and were coming back down to the lobby when we were just bringing our luggage upstairs. At least not everyone was ready yet and we had a little time before we had to leave.  

       Our coach brought us into the city and our guide met our bus to begin our tour. Our driver was named Daniel and we thought that was funny so people started saying Amsterdam Daniel ( I'm sure you get the reference but it was because of "Damn Daniel, back at it again with the white Vans" vine). On our coach tour we traveled through the newer part of the city and saw all of the developments that were happening and how the city was expanding. The tour around the older part of the city was very round about and I mean that literally also because many of the streets are semicircular since they followed the shape of the canals and that is how the city is set up. As well as it being much more of a pedestrian and bike friendly city rather than one made for cars and other vehicles. Due to this, our bus could not drive directly from point A to point B but did have to go around quite a bit. It is not much of a driving city but that is not a problem at all since it is so walk-able. I much more prefer exploring new cities and places by walking rather than driving anyway so it worked out great for me! You have so much more freedom and can just go where you please, maybe turn down that cute street there, pop in to that shop right there, or wander in to a park. You can't really do that if you're in a car. Also parking in Amsterdam does not seem fun, we were amazed by how close to the edge people have to park and there was not always even a fence along the canals. 

      After our bus tour was done, as a group we had a little walking tour around the older part of the

city and the Red Light District. Many of you probably know what this is known for but it was the afternoon so it was not awkward to be walking around that area with faculty and professors from my school. Just do beware that coffee shops are not where you go to buy a cup of coffee, go to a cafe if you want some caffeine. We had some free time after our tour before we were to meet up with the whole group to have dinner at a well known restaurant. It was a nice restaurant and I liked the atmosphere, very old fashioned and quaint, I am not a fan of sausage so I can not comment about the main part of the meal but I liked the mashed potatoes and the desserts (yes, you read that right, desserts-plural, we were given multiple so that was very cool!)

One of the desserts, it was soooo good!

         My friends and I wanted to get souvenirs and found some very nice shops right in Dam Square. We ended up going to the same shop at least 3 times in the 2 days that we were in Amsterdam, we kept thinking of other things to by for our friends and family. We found another nice gift shop and I bought this towel for my mom. I thought it was very cute and a useful gift that also represented the city. (My mom is hard to buy gifts for, she doesn't really wear jewelry that often, or makeup, doesn't use perfume or lotion much or really wear accessories in general actually, she doesn't use candles etc. so I think you get the picture. I was very happy when I saw the towel and I thought it would be perfect to give to her). 

 

These are a well known Dutch sweet called Stroopwafels, they are super sweet and I also like the tin they came in

Key chains I got for my mom and sister

 

The towel I got for my mom (this is not the best lighting though)

I also liked picking up some magnets and postcards from different places throughout the trip as mementos.

This is the outside of the expensive (and very nice) department store

      During our trip I was on the lookout for a new handbag and one of my friends wanted to get a Starbucks city mug from each of the places we traveled to. This meant that we located and visited many Starbucks over the course of our journey and quite a few stores as well. As part of the quest for a bag my friends and I wanted to check out a local mall. We though it would be like what a regular mall was to us but we were wrong. First of all, for the life of us we could not find it! We kept walking around and although we knew it should be right near Dam Square we couldn't get there. Then finally we found it and yup it was right there. It was in a gorgeous old building but had been mostly hidden by another large old building so we didn't feel too bad that it was such a struggle to find since it was covered by that other building. It was a pretty nice shopping center but was much smaller than we initially though it would be. I did not find a bag that I liked but we bought some chocolate so in my eyes I'd say it was still a successful shopping excursion! We also checked out a famous department store and looked for more Starbucks. I loved all of the visual merchandising I was seeing in the windows.  It was too bad that most of the shops were closing so early though, and I'm talking 7 or 8pm. 

Visual merchandising I thought was cool

This one says "Too much of a good thing is a better thing"

This is the Rijksmuseum

      My friends and I were not able to take a canal ride although we had wanted to, (and my mom really wanted me to as well) we just didn't have the time. We weren't able to go in the Van Gogh museum or the Rijksmuseum either. We were also disappointed that we missed out on a market going on. It only happens once a month and we happened to be there on the right day but hadn't known about it. We found out later once we met up with other people from our group who had stumbled upon it. 

             We did visit the Anne Frank house and it was such an experience. Only a certain number of people can go in at a time and while we were waiting outside it started to rain, this time I did have my umbrella in my big bag and I was glad I did, if you read the part one post you'd know why this was significant lol. (My bag was a large nylon one that I had my purse inside, I had a sweater, umbrella, water bottle, snacks, regular items like my wallet etc. and having it all in that big nylon one protected my things from the elements and made me less worried about being pick pocketed).  Once we were in the building there was a bit of a lobby area, going in though the most surreal part was stepping through the hidden doorway in to where the Frank family lived. We were not allowed to take pictures and the pace going through the house was pretty slow. There were photographs and books to look at at well as a few short videos and also plaques to read. One of the videos was of Otto Frank, Anne's father and in it he was talking about Anne's diary. There was one thing he said that stood out to me the most, I can't remember it word for word but it was about him reading the for the first time and how he learned so much about Anne from it, how even though you live with your child/family members and see them everyday there are still things you don't know about them and you will never know everything about them. This resonated with me because it really is true, in some ways that is very sad but it also means that you can be surprised when you discover new facets of a person and keep learning about them.

    As a side trip our coach drove a little bit out of the city so we could visit a cheese farm. Part of the road we were  on had been blocked off due to a race on the river we were driving along but the cop, seeing our tour bus and knowing where we were headed let us by. On the way to the farm we also stopped at windmill. This was a great photo opp, we didn't have too long though (we had to get to the farm at a certain time) and the people that took care of the windmill actually lived in it and we didn't want to be too disruptive although I'm sure they're used to the tourists.

          At the cheese farm we learned how they made Gouda cheese. The person showing us how was very animated and funny and our guide had warned us beforehand about the crazy cheese man and she was not wrong. And of course we were able to taste the cheese and it was very, very good. At the same farm they also make wooden shoes and we were told about that process as well and this time by an even crazier guy. He saw someone from our group taking a picture and then went over to them, took them by the shoulders and instructed someone else how to take the picture of them. Then he proceeded to say how he took the same picture with Whoopi Goldberg and once we were all in the gift shop, showed us said picture with Whoopi. 

         We went back into the city when our time at the farm came to an end and had some free time. After walking around for some time my friends and I were hungry, we found a little sweet shop that sold ice cream and other treats and I had a waffle with Nutella and it was amazing!

        Our coach picked us up at a meeting spot each night to bring the whole group back to the hotel. If people wanted to stay in the city longer they could have but they would have needed to take a tram. No one was feeling that adventurous and so both nights we were in Amsterdam everyone was diligent about meeting on time where the coach would pick us up.         

            This trip was so fun, it was the second time I had left the U.S. And I feel much more comfortable exploring and navigating cities now, (when we had free time my friends had put me in charge of getting us places such as to a certain part of the city or a sight we wanted to see and I also had to get us back to the hotel or meeting spot each day). I love traveling and certainly want to do more in the future. I really encourage you to travel and if you never have before don't be scared to try it. There's a great big world out there to see.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed my recap
-Emily

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