Playlist No.3

Usually, I really go for the synthesizers of the eighties pop that my parents listened to, but lately, I've been really into funk. Disco-era songs that make me want to get up and dance! Of course, there's the odd pop song or eighties song, but really, anything off of the Guardians of the Galaxy playlist has been stuck in my head...that and Uptown Funk.

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You can listen to the playlist here

What kind of music do you listen to?

xoxo

HBM

Coping with Stress

Hello everyone! Happy New Year!!! Sorry for such a long hiatus in my posting but when you have a billion things to do and not enough energy, so stuff has to go on the back burner for a little while. Also I was feeling relatively uninspired for a long while and things were basically "meh." But now I have a couple ideas and want to start the 2015 off right. Meaning: 1. I will *hopefully, probably, most-likely* be posting more and 2. try some new types of posts and get creative. 

-----Boring stuff over-----                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            {via} 

 After a long and lovely break filled with holiday cheer and happiness school midterms have been expertly scheduled for the week after school starts back up (brilliant idea, school board). And since we haven't had a full week since school has started again it has been so difficult to actually sit down and study. I'm not sure about you but I cannot handle homework, after school activities, having a "social life" and (re)memorizing information all the way from the beginning of the year for seven of my classes!!! Anyone who can somehow juggle all these things must be some sort of witch. I am stressed. But there are simple and easy distractions/tips that I have done/followed to help cope. So when you have only had 5 hours of sleep, are on the verge of a mental breakdown, and just need to breathe for a second here are my suggestions, that really do work: 

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1. Write your thoughts down- As we all know it is never good to bottle up all of your emotions. Writing down how you feel can be very effective, even if it isn't in a special journal. I sometimes write down little poems or phrases on scrap paper. It helps to see physical versions of your mental thoughts.

2. Take a nap- Ah, the glorious nap. Taking a 30 min to hour nap is very effective first, because sleep is a cure-all, and second, you wake up refreshed and energized. Even just closing your eyes helps to calm down and let your mind wander away for a bit. Who knows, maybe you'll come up with a brilliant idea for that English paper due tomorrow. 

3. Do something you enjoy- This could be anything from reading, watching an episode of a show, petting a furry animal, or building something. Doing something you enjoy puts some positive energy back into you and is a nice break from reality.

4. Talk to someone- When I am freaking out and am drowning in mounds of homework, negativity, and fear, Hannah is my go-to. Letting someone know how you feel is a huge weight off your shoulders and most time they will either calm you down and help you to relax and/or give you advice to help. It's comforting to have someone there for you to help you continue and encourage you when you can't yourself. 

5. Make a plan- If your to-do list is maxed out and your calender is full of due dates, it can be quite overwhelming. But if you sit down and figure out how and when you are going to tackle each thing you have somewhere to start. And when you get another wave of overwhelming feelings a simple plan can lead you back on track. 

6. Listen to music- Because you cannot feel stressed when listing to songs like "Shake it Off" and "Uptown Funk." If you're trying to focus put on some classical or Enya-type music. 

7. Take a relaxing bath- Nothing is more revitalizing and calming than a nice bath. Just grab a yummy smelling bath bomb and wash your worries away. Feel free to put on some music and light up a warm candle just for fun:)

8. Yoga or other Exercise- Everyone knows some simple yoga can make all the difference. Getting up and stretching alone helps, but when you're also helping your body it's even better. This year Hannah and I are following this awesome and amazing work out calendar thing. Since I am super nonathletic I never really know how to even start exercising but this plan has made it so much easier. Transferring frustration and stress into something so positive and healthy is very motivating.

9. Cuddle up- On those nights (and early mornings ) where I am up doing homework I often get into my comfy PJs, wrap myself in blankets, and  get all my work done. The main incentive: sleep. But even if you don't want to bring your work to bed simply laying in a bundle of warmth for a few minutes is cozy and comforting. Also recommended: hot chocolate or tea. 

10. Learn something new- Being a high school student means memorizing A TON of information ALL THE TIME. Ex. I am writing this as a break from AP US History studying all the way from the beginning of the year for my test tomorrow. But having the world wide web at my fingertips can come in handy. Learning something completely out of the blue can be a nice way to break up hardcore study sessions. Here are a few suggestions: Scale of the Universe, origami, a new language

11. Take a couple deep breaths- As my mom always says "Take a few deep breaths before you start." Mothers do always know best. Just by relaxing yourself in a few seconds you can really focus and be on task. Oxygen is key. 

12. Believe in yourself- Every time you didn't think you could go on, you did. If you start something with an awful attitude it's difficult to change it. Dive into challenges with a positive outlook. You are capable of anything. You know what you are doing. And you can do this. It might sound corny, but even for the tiniest of stressors all you need to do is have faith in yourself.


What do you do to relax, focus, and de-stress? Anything you'd add to my list? Hopefully, you agree or do/will use a few of these pointers to help with the tough times. And now: back to studying. Au revoir!

xoxo,
Anastasia

Weekly Pros and Cons

++ PROS ++

Midterms are over! Huzzah!
We are blessed with another long weekend which began with getting out 3 hours early on Friday
I re-organized and cleaned out my closet and desk. More on that to come!

-- CONS --
C.Wonder is apparently closed for good?!
...and so is RahRah Designs!
The weather in Baltimore is currently featuring a slushy mix of snow and rain

Decision Making

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Right now, my entire life rides on decision making. 

There are the little ones we all face every day: what to wear, who to talk to, what we do with our time.

But my life currently is focused on my future. I'm expected to know what I want to do with the rest of my life and where I want to go to college (more commonly known as the biggest gift my parents will ever give me other than life) and how everything will play out, but I just don't know. 

These big decisions are what get in our way. They're the nagging questions that remain at the back of our heads and we ignore and ignore and ignore until suddenly the time to decide comes and we haven't given them enough thought, if any. 

I'm currently in a situation where I have to decide if my relationship with someone is going to continue. It's one of those things that will just hit me and overwhelm me with the weight of it: my decision affects the emotions of both myself and the other person. 

Ultimately, I have to remember that nothing can be forced. I have to choose my own actions, take responsibility for them, but I can't force this relationship to be what I want it to be just like I can't force myself to realize exactly what I want to do when I get to college. 

Life must be taken one step at a time. 

Have you ever made any tough decisions? Do you have any words of wisdom or lessons you've learned?

xoxo

HBM

Blazer & Baubles

blazer//tights//dress//earrings//boots (similar)//baubles (similar)

This was one of those outfits that I stayed up late coming up with. I have trouble going to bed unless I know what I'm wearing the next day because I know that if I don't, it'll be yoga pants and a marching band tee shirt. 

This was also one of those outfits that was both comfortable and polished. Tights and dresses and blazers aren't usually associated with being comfortable but the tights kept me warm and the super soft jersey dress was like wearing pajamas. The combination of my heeled riding boots (the kind that click when I walk) and the shoulder-padded blazer made me feel like I could conquer the world. 

What pieces make you feel like you can do anything?

xoxo

HBM

Weekly Pros and Cons

++ PROS ++

I learned how to make a GIF (this post is proof of it ^^^)

I've watched 23 of the 39 crash course psychology videos (and I don't take psych...it's just so fascinating)

I had the distinct pleasure of celebrating my friend's seventeenth birthday with her

Thanks to the wonderful Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., school will not be in session this Monday!

I watched Unbroken as well as Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Both were fantastic.

-- CONS --

We're taking our Christmas decorations down

Midterms have begun...time to study!

The Ravens are done for the season (just look at the final score of the last playoff game)

Neutral

Top, Headband, Jeans, Boots

Quick story about this top: My lovely uncle got it for me for Christmas and as soon as I opened it up, I thought it was super cute and I'd be able to wear it with everything. 

The first time I tried it on, I almost cried. It made my torso look so...big and boxy! If my body was naturally straight and skinny, this would be ok. But having the shape that I do, wearing a shirt that hid the smallest part of my waist seemed counterproductive. 

Oh by the way, I was hormonal, wearing sweatpants, and it was 10 pm so it was safe to say I was in one of those moods to begin with so I don't know if I was in the best trying-on-clothes state of mind. 

The next morning, I was scrambling to get ready for school and I couldn't think of an outfit for the life of me so I put on this top again with these jeggings and...it looked fine! It's supposed to be baggy! I actually really like it now and can't wait to wear it again!

Have you ever had a piece of clothing grew on you?

How do you feel about this sweatshirt?

xoxo

HBM

*Credits to the little bro for taking pictures for me

7 Shopping Tips

My style has been one heck of an evolution. I've made some very very bad purchases and some very very good purchases. The bad ones usually take about a year of just taking up room in my closet for me to realize that they were a mistake. After my size fluctuated throughout middle school (thanks, puberty), I ended up with about 3 different sizes in my closet. Now that my body has settled into a more stagnant size, I've begun to really weed out my closet, define my style more, and realize what fits and what doesn't.

That being said, the way I shop has changed a lot as well. I can tell what fits and doesn't fit. I know what I like and what looks good on me. I've learned my lessons the hard way but am glad to be able to share my nuggets of knowledge with you.

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Make a beeline for the sale section
        Whether there's a store-wide sale, a sale section, a clearance section, or an entire outlet, never pass it up.                          Minimizing money spent on a garment is step one on the path to smart shopping. You'd be surprised what you                can find...digging through the mountains of clothes absolutely pays off.

Don't just buy to buy; be critical of your purchases
        Know your style, know what you really want. Don't spend your money just because your friends all have bought          something and you haven't. Don't feel pressured into a buy. Take a step back, think about it and never feel                       pressured into anything. It's YOUR money and ultimately YOU are the one that will be wearing it

Make sure the garment fits you the way you want it to
        TRY.IT.ON. Seriously. The way it looks on the internet or the mannequin isn't how it's going to look in you.                 Maybe it bags around your knees. Maybe the color makes you look like death warmed over. Perhaps it's tight in             all the wrong places. Whether you're thin like Anastasia or curvy like I am, make sure it looks the way you want           it to: it can make or break a purchase.

Be sure that you'll wear it (more than once)
        Ask yourself: will you wear this? Does it go with anything else in your wardrobe? I like to attempt to make at                  least three mental outfits in my head with the item before I settle on buying it because even if you think it's                    adorable and it fits you, if you don't wear it, you wasted your money.

Make a (flexible) plan 
        Malls can be overwhelming. Try to figure out generally which stores you want get to. If you pass by something              you love in a window display, pop in and look around...it can't hurt! If you're someone who doesn't go shopping             very often (like me), shopping is a day-long event which, in order to get what you want to done, needs to be

Be mindful of your wallet
        If you can't afford it, then it isn't worth it. In the end, rent and food and the electrical bills should overcome your            desire for a pair of Manolo Blahniks, but if you HAVE to have it, just be patient. Everything goes on sale at                     some point, it just requires patience.

If it's destiny, it's destiny
        You know the feeling: when that dress or that blouse or that skirt you see from across the store is limited in                   quantity so you run over and...YES! YOUR SIZE! Isn't this a sign from the style Gods? And hey, if they don't                have it, either it wasn't meant to be or you can try to find it online.

Happy Shopping!

xoxo

HBM

Lately

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It's cold. Like...REALLY cold.

I guess that's to be expected, being January and all. Fun fact: did you know that the name for the month January comes from the latin "ianua" for "door" making January (ianuarii in latin) translates into "the door of the year".

Speaking of which, Happy New Year to you all! While I'm sad to see 2014 go, I cannot wait to see the amazing things that 2015 will bring. 

Which brings me to this lovely little website. 

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I've neglected it. Really super neglected it. 

I don't mean to do this but it takes everything in me to handle life sans-blog. Junior year has been an adjustment for me in a lot of ways and my ways of handling said change were not so great. I plan to get back into blogging more regularly, maybe even instagramming once in a while! My style has matured this year, as have I, so it is my plan to begin doing outfit posts whenever I remember. Whoever still reads, stick around! 

xoxo

HBM