Since my last post about Career Development Tips may have been a bit bland as most things related to grown up life tends to be (sorry grown ups), I thought I would make this post lighter by revealing some unique and weird quirks about me. There are questions that people never think to ask someone, or are just too weird to bring up in regular conversation, so I thought I’d try to answer some of those things even if I am embarrassing myself in the process. I am fully aware that I am potentially being set up to be mocked about some of my favorites, or habits that I have, and I am perfectly ok with that. With that being said, let’s dive in shall we?

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1. I have a fear of fish

When I say fear, I am not talking about your everyday heebie jeebies you get when you see a spider. I have a phobia of fish, as in, don’t like watching Finding Nemo. It doesn’t matter what kind of fish it is; dead or alive, cooked, northern pike or goldfish, in a lake or at Petco- I’m scared of them all. You could say that since I am sensitive to gluten and dairy, I am scared of goldfish crackers too! This all started back at our family cabin when I was very young. I was flipping through a children’s book about the kind of fish in the lakes of Minnesota, when I came across the scariest looking cartoon picture of a northern. It had giant teeth and a little warning sign by it. I remember asking my grandpa where they lived in the lake, and he said the weeds, which happened to be right by our dock. Since that moment, I have always been scared to get in the lake because of the northerns, but over the years it has generalized to all fish. Everyone always says that fish are harmless, but the thought of standing in the lake and a fish rubbing up against my leg is unbearable. One of my biggest nightmares would be going to a nail place and having those little fish nibble on your feet when getting a pedicure! I have cried due to the sight of a fish being close to me on multiple occasions.

2. My favorite food is steamed broccoli

After reading about my fear of fish, you may already be thinking how odd that is, so I thought I would keep the ball rolling. Yes, my favorite food is steamed broccoli. Most people, when they get cravings, would probably go for some sweets or junk food, but me? Steamed broccoli, never raw. I haven’t always had this at the top of my favorites list, I will admit I used to be a Kraft Mac and Cheese addict, but they say tastebuds age and mature as you get older, so I’m just going to blame it on that. For the record, my favorite is from Red Robin. Not all broccoli is created equal.

3. I was a baller

 

When looking at me, all 5 ft of me, most would not pin me as a basketball player. I played basketball for six years, including one year of traveling. I was known for being the point guard that dribbles left handed but shoots right handed. My brother and I spent hours running plays, playing neighborhood games of Lightning, horse, and at basketball camps. When I was given the choice of either gymnastics or basketball, I always joke that I picked the right one in the end because my height wouldn’t have gotten me very far in basketball. I still love to shoot and play pick up games when I can. I was known as “hot shot” during all my basketball camps because Lightning was my game of choice, and I was often unbeatable which led to doing the splits as part of my victory dance. In middle school I would always participate in the three-pointer shooting contests with the guys, and they’d laugh every time I said I wanted to join, but soon shut up after I could hit as many shots as they could. While I may not be the best at layups, my jump shot is often followed by a swoosh. That being said, if anyone is ever looking for a shooting buddy, I’m your girl!

4. I love word finds

I could do word finds for days. I started doing word finds when I was young. Every time we got in the car to go somewhere, I would pick up my word find book that I stored in the seat, and be glued to that book the whole ride there whether that be a couple minutes or hours. I credit this as to why I am so good at spelling now. This little quirk has stuck with me throughout the years, and I still have stacks of word finds in my desk drawers here at Gustavus for when I have free time. I’ve learned a lot over the years from doing these word finds because of all the categories of words. I think I like them so much because it’s similar to the satisfaction I feel when I cross something off my to do list.

5. My ancestor is Abe Lincoln

This is my definite go to question for two truths and a lie. Most people don’t believe that I am related to good old honest Abe. I can’t remember exactly what the family tree is, we figured it out once. It traces back to my mom’s side of the family. I’ve heard that he was a tall man, and I often wonder at what point that height was lost because I definitely did not get that trait passed on.

6. I’m a morning person

My idea of sleeping in is until about eight, but even then, I don’t enjoy it. You can often bet that I will be up at six every morning, just because I like it. Something about being up when no one else is, is calming, almost like calm before the storm. I like to have time to myself before my day officially starts. Usually, I fill this time with working out, reading a daily devotional, writing, or just enjoying the feeling of doing absolutely nothing. On the other hand, you will not find me anywhere but my bed when 11 PM rolls around. Night owl is not in my vocabulary.

7. I’m an introvert

I have mentioned this in my past posts, but what y’all don’t know is how far I have come. In the past, I was an introvert in all cases; being talking to people, needing time to myself, liking silence etc. Writing a public blog would have been a nightmare for me. I used to never talk to anyone of the opposite gender, or much older than me. I even was too shy to interact with my cousins at family events, it took me a while to “warm up.” Back in my elementary school days, I was so painfully shy that I would not talk to adults at all. A teacher could wave at me in the hall and I would just stare at them as they walked by. Ordering at restaurants was a job for my parents, as I was too shy to talk to the server. Libby Lu birthday parties were my nightmare because of all the makeup and glitzy costumes that made me stand out. When we had to perform the dance routine in the middle of the mall (all girls in the 2000s know what I’m talking about), I wanted to cry. This list goes on and on. Nowadays, I can talk to anyone, and actually enjoy it. I’m at the point where I actually like job interviews. It’s taken a lot of practice to get comfortable with coming out of my shell, and while I may not be shy anymore, I definitely need my “me time” to just not talk for a couple hours after being with a group of people.

8. I can’t cook…at all

When I say I can’t cook, I mean it. I can’t even microwave…I can toaster though! My theory behind this is that when you are busy being a student for seven hours a day, and then coming home and going straight to four hour gymnastics practices six days a week, there really is no time to learn to cook. A few exceptions are the extra credit enchilada dinners I had to make for my Spanish class, which even then, I relied heavily on my mom. If you need a nice bowl of cereal, toast, or a sandwich, I am your girl. I still have yet to successfully make microwave mac and cheese without it blowing up on me. No matter how well I follow the instructions, it literally explodes in the microwave every time. This goes for oatmeal as well. Another reason I am horrible at cooking, is because I cannot be trusted with hot/sharp things such as stoves, knives, pans, ovens, you name it. I promise you, when it comes to cooking or baking, I WILL find a way to screw it up. The picture above shows my ability to pose with pancakes, but you bet your butter I didn’t go anywhere near the griddle… #wifemeup

9. Matching is a must

My biggest pet peeve is when colors don’t match. This definitely is a perfectionist thing, but it is a huge turn off for me when people don’t know how to match colors or color coordinate. If you see me at the gym, you bet that my scrunchie matches my sports bra and socks, and my shoes match the accent colors in my tank top. I organize my closet by color, even down to my shoes. One of the weirdest color quirks I have originated in elementary school. The color pen I used to write with that day had to match what I was wearing, and even to this day I still have that rule. Nothing drives me more crazy than when someone is wearing black on black, but the shades of black don’t match! Next time you see me in the gym, I’d appreciate the appreciation of my color coordination.

10. I don’t cry in movies

The Notebook, and Marley and Me have never phased me. I have often wondered if I have any sense of emotion at all because of the disbelief people are in when they hear that I felt nothing while watching them. I have never understood how a movie can make someone cry because it isn’t real! The one movie that got me a little choked up was College Road Trip, something about flashbacks just get me every time. Some of my friends have made this into a challenge, but they still have yet to find a movie that turns on the water works.

11. I can be impulsive

My one story for this resorts back to little Lauren (I swear all my weirdest things happened around this age). While my mom was upstairs getting ready for the day, I thought I had the greatest idea, with no motive behind it at all. I found the nearest ballpoint pen, and decided to draw giant sheep on our hardwood floors for no reason at all. I didn’t think about what my mom would think, or that it probably wasn’t the best thing to do, I just did it. For the record, it was the wrong move, and I never did it again. From then on, my impulsive moves have never been harmful, just weird little things like drawing sheep on the floor. Thankfully, I never did try to give myself a haircut.

12. I’m a sucker for The Bachelor

Yes, I am one of those girls who joins a fantasy league and plans their day around an unrealistic and sappy reality TV show. While I may enjoy fantasizing about the spectacular dates they go on, I honestly watch it just because my psychology brain likes to analyze the psycho girls on the show. It is fun to see how ridiculous the drama gets, it is kind of addicting. I’m one who is very realistic, so seeing something that is not realistic at all makes for cheap entertainment. It’s the little things as I say, such as a girl getting upset because another contestant talked to the bachelor for one more minute than she did, that count.

13. I love country

I am not one of those people that only likes country music during the summer, but doesn’t touch it in the winter. You know you are a die hard country fan when you’re listening to a song about sunshine and corn in the middle of a Minnesota blizzard. My all time favorite song is H.O.L.Y by Florida Georgia Line, followed close by anything that comes out of Thomas Rhett’s mouth. Country music is feel good music, and always gives me a little skip in my step walking around campus. I also like country because the songs have meaning, and are honest, as compared to rapping about liking big butts (although Sir Mix A Lot said he cannot lie so I guess he is being honest as well). Bottom line, I’m not just on the country bandwagon.

14. I have broken many bones

When people get hurt, they often have stories about getting hurt playing a sport, or doing something spectacular. But for me? I like to mix things up. I broke my first bone in my leg when I was two years old…going down a slide. A couple years later, I broke my foot going down a fire pole on the playground. I was scared to slide down, so my brother put a tiny toy dump truck at the bottom to break my fall. I landed on the truck, but it broke my foot instead of the fall. Fast forward two years later. I broke my arm by being blasted out of a tiny hole in the net of a trampoline. When I say tiny, I am meaning that it was the biggest coincidence that I fit perfectly through that hole. Some honorable mentions are the occasional toes and fingers that have been snapped during gymnastics meets, but no major breaks since then! Although I must say, I would rather have taken a broken bone over nerve damage in my ribs and spine.

15. My biggest regret is not playing hockey

Growing up, I played every sport, except hockey. I mentioned in a past post that this was because I didn’t want to wear the big pants aka breezers. At the same time, I loved skating, and still do. I didn’t mind going to my brother’s hockey games, and I actually liked them (way more than baseball). I often wonder if I would have been any good at it, and I regret not being able to find out.

There’s 15 things about me that you probably didn’t know. Some of them are odd, I know, but that is what sets me apart from all the other people who also were a gymnast, like maroon, or are a college student. It is the weird facts about people that guide their experiences and make for great stories. I know that if I did end up playing hockey, I may not have as many injuries as I did in gymnastics, but I also wouldn’t have the unique stories that go with them. And if I didn’t like country, I wouldn’t have been ironically listening to Jesus Take the Wheel by Carrie Underwood during an ice storm while I elegantly smashed into my neighbors mailbox. Every little quirk we have, both good and bad, is how God made us, and you have the power to embrace them, or be embarrassed about what makes you, you. I choose to embrace the broccoli.

I’d love to hear some of your little quirks, or something I don’t know about you! Feel free to shoot me an email, comment, or private message me!

Have a great week. and start to your November!

~Lauren

College is a time of juggling many things at once, and while we are at college to prepare ourselves for a career, doing the non academic things to propel our preparation often gets forgotten, or pushed to the side. I am surprised about how many people in college don’t have a solid resumé, know how to network, or know basic interview skills. I have been fortunate enough to grow up around those who are very good at this, so they got me invested in directing my future at an early age. For those looking for internships, I am sure you have heard these things before, but they really do work if you keep at it! Here are my 10 tips to improving your skills in career development!

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1. Start Early

When I say start early, I mean with everything. I made my first resumé, and my LinkedIn page when I was a freshman in high school. While both may not have been very packed with valuable skills at that moment, learning what they were and what kind of things should go on there was important for me to see. My main point for starting early, is to start investing time into career development early. Both my brother and my dad emphasized this my freshman year of college. At the time, I thought they were crazy because all that “adulting” stuff was so far away, I just wanted to survive my first semester of college. I took their advice and made an appointment with our career development center on campus to have them review my resumé, as well as properly teach me how to use LinkedIn to find Gustie alumni. It is never too early to start preparing for an internship, which is why I landed one my sophomore year. Not a lot of students think about getting one before junior or senior year, but future companies look for as much experience as possible. Lastly, start early when searching for internships. There are some companies that post their internship applications in the fall for the summer of the next year. I took advantage of knowing this, this year, and have been in the process of interviewing for summer 2019 HR internships. How nice would it be to already have your plans lined up?

2. Resume your Resumé

A resumé is not like an assignment where once you do it, it is done, there is no pause button. Once you make one, it is important to constantly keep it clean and updated. I didn’t realize just how important a resumé is until I started interviewing. A resumé is a first impression, and if you don’t make it look professional, or sell yourself to the employer the first time, chances are you will be overlooked every time after that. Quite frankly, employers don’t care what you did in middle and high school, they care about what you are doing now. While some things that I did in high school were helpful to include, it is because of the skills it takes to be those things, not the title itself. The key to a stellar resumé is how it looks, using power words, and having a strong describing sentence of what your role is for each bullet point listed. I’m glad that stayed up to date with my resumé and got to remove that I was a Russian dancer because that often led to many questions and stories of the furry hat I had to wear.

2. Get your stories straight

Before I learned to do this, interviews were absolutely terrifying to me. They were literally the living nightmare of being asked a question and having a total blank. Every single time, no matter how easy the question, I would be wiped of all my memories and sit there with nothing to say. I have learned that it is good to have around 3-5 stories that cover all behavioral questions. A man called PDI said “the best predictor of future behavior, is past behavior in similar circumstances.” This is the reason interviewers ask the behavioral questions such as “tell me about a time where you showed great leadership despite being unclear of the rules,” “tell me about a time where you did not get along with another group member while working on a project, and what did you do?” and my personal favorite “tell me about a time where you succeeded, and how did you succeed?” After learning that I should come up with my stories my freshman year of college, that is exactly what I did. The problem was, that is all I did. I only came up with the stories, but didn’t know how to tell them to the employer without blanking out, losing my train of thought, or showing that they actually were a good example of what they were asking for. This changed when I learned STAR (L). Situation, Task, Action, Result, what was Learned! Applying this model to all of my stories gave them purpose, and showed how I used my skills to solve a problem. Interviewers like to see everything come full circle. They also like to see what action was taken to address the situation and task. The result shows how well you handled the situation, and even if it is not positive, add the L in and state what you learned. The STAR (L) method is introvert-proof, and is a guarantee to success in interviews.

4. Dress to impress

This may seem like a given, but it is more important than people think. Dressing professionally not only makes you look good, but it shows the employer that you respect them, and are taking them seriously. My mom took me to get suits during my winter break of my sophomore year. I thought it was ridiculous because I was planning on not landing an internship, and not touching those suits for a long time. Turns out, I had to suit up for the interview I went to for the summer internship I thought I wasn’t going to have! Not only through this experience did I learn mother knows best, but also how much companies appreciate college students dressing professionally. I showed up to my interview rocking a black Calvin Klein pencil skirt and suit jacket with some black heels, and while I may have been the most dressed up one in the office, as they were in athletic shorts and flip-flops, they commented on how impressed, and how much they appreciated me dressing in business professional. It may not be the cheapest investment, but it is worth it because it pays off in the end (especially if that internship experience leads to a high paying job.) Not going to lie, suiting up for the first time felt like a Legally Blonde moment, but the sense of empowerment had me riding through that interview on a confidence high. Look good, feel good!

5. Get connected

Let’s talk networking. Getting experience is really all about WHO you know, not WHAT you know. Networking is essential nowadays, and a catalyst to landing good opportunities. As technology has been implemented into the workplace, this has changed the game. This is why it is so important to get on LinkedIn. Some may not like the idea of connecting with people online, or having to keep track of it, but it has helped me form great connections with Gustie alumni, and keep track of those who could potentially give me a referral, or some advice. It has also been a great tool for looking for internships, as companies directly put job postings on the site. Along with your resumé, LinkedIn is another one of those “first impression” type things, and a great way to sell yourself. Networking also takes place off-screen as well. A big part of it, is being willing to meet with people to gain more information, as well as asking around if anyone is looking for some help. This is how I got my summer internship, it had nothing to do with LinkedIn at all. My mom happened to do exercise classes with the CEO’s wife, and mentioned to her that I was looking for an internship. She mentioned it to her husband, and I was offered a position. Word travels, so don’t hesitate to get your name out there!

6. Do your research

When preparing for an interview, one must do their homework. There are several parts of this. First, it is so important to look up the company’s vision, mission, and values, as well as what they do because it could be what sets you apart. I have heard so many stories where people have interviewed with a place, yet they didn’t actually know what the company did- don’t be that guy!  Being able to ask questions about their values or related to their mission, shows them that you took the time and effort to learn more about the company, and are as serious about them as they are about you. They look for people who fit those values and can help them with their mission, so know what they are! It is also good to incorporate their values or mission into the questions you ask them at the end, it also shows you care! And yes, ASK THEM QUESTIONS, even if you don’t have any. A good go-to is “what about my resume stood out to you?” this is good to hear because it will help you in future interviews so you know what people look for. In the end, if you see what they stand for, and that doesn’t seem like a good fit for you, then you yourself are dodging a bullet without going through the pain of an interview. Second, closely look at the job description. Those descriptions are there to tell you what they are looking for, not just a cliché description that they are looking for someone who can communicate, is driven etc…Use that description to your advantage, and make sure your stories highlight the skills they are looking for in the description! This may seem like a “well, duh” type of tip, but I went through so many interviews and realized I only skimmed that description, and didn’t use it to my advantage. Lastly, look up who will be interviewing you. We should all be good at this, as Facebook and Instagram stalking has trained us to do this. Employers will connect with you, and like you better, if you know things about them and connect with them on a more personal level. LinkedIn is a great way to do this, as you can see where they went to school, major, and past employment. I have connected with several interviews over the fact that we were both in the MIAC, their daughter did gymnastics, they were in a sorority or have the same major. It is the little things that count, as I always say, and those little things can be what set you apart from other candidates.

7. Find a Mentor

Everyone needs a little help along the way, and while my dad and brother have been great mentors for me, it is important to have someone to look up to that is living out the path you are going down. Through LinkedIn, I have been fortunate enough to connect with a Gustie alum that was also a psychology major, and is now an HR Coordinator. I reached out to her for advice on how to get to where she is, and being able to get tips from a professional has been great for me..it also expands my network! Gustavus also offers a mentor program that pairs current students with Gustavus alum. These alum now work in all fields, all over the U.S. and are highly successful. This year, I was lucky enough to get paired with two mentors that will give me guidance this year, but also after this year, after I graduate, and beyond. I’m one that likes to do things on my own, but any chance I have to expand my network, and knowledge, sign me up.

8. Utilize your resources

I can guarantee that every college has some kind of career development program, or career advancing opportunities. Through Gustavus, I have utilized my career development center, the mentor program, as well as other events held on campus such as panels and speakers to hear advice from those who went through this. I am also involved in an organization called Gustavus Women in Leadership. It is an organization designed to help students learn skills to further their career search such as networking, interviewing, and provides us with opportunities to practice. GWIL puts on an annual conference in the cities to learn about influential women in business, and how they achieved success. They also have a GWIL bootcamp every year to really hone in and focus on these skills, as well as see them be put to action during a company tour of several companies in the cities. Don’t feel like you are immune to bad interviewing and networking skills like I did, because chances are, you need a lot more help than you think.

9. Sign yourself up

While everyone hates spam emails, these kind of emails are not spam. I have signed up with sites such as Indeed, Glassdoor,Handshake, Careerbuilder, and LinkedIn to get daily updates of new jobs that become available. This is ultimately what got me started with applying for internships. I had no idea where to look or what to look for, but my career development center recommended this method to me. I will admit, it does get annoying getting so many emails from them sometimes, but it makes the process so much easier because it is filtered to your interests, and locations. It also gives me that motivation to apply for something rather than manually conducting searches myself. No more job boards or searches for “now hiring” signs in the window, it is all set out right in front of you!

10. Follow up

This is going to be a very anticlimactic ending, but once you are done with an interview (phone or in person) give them a business card, and write a thank you note! It is one of those “little things” I always say can set you a part from others. I handed one interviewer a business card, and they were stunned because they had never seen a college student with business cards already. In additon, in a world of technology, it makes the value of handwritten notes much higher. Another reason to write a note is because interviewers talk to so many candidates in a day, it can be hard to remember a specific person. The thank you note makes them remember you, especially if you include in the message something you two talked about or connected over. Thank you notes MUST be timely! Send it ASAP, it speaks even more highly of you. You never know, the stationary you picked out might be so cute, that may have been the reason that you got the job (psych says that factors like this do influence decisions). Don’t be like me when I was younger, and not send out thank you notes until December even though my birthday was in July.

Starting this process of finding internships and jobs can be daunting to think about! Life becomes real very fast when you hit college and realize that it is time to start thinking about life after college. It helps to know what you are doing, in order to ease stress. All of this can feel so foreign, but just like it takes practice to get good at a sport, or takes studying to feel confident about a test, this isn’t any different. It is never too early to start this process, and I promise that if you do, by the time you hit junior year like me and are actually having to try to gain experience and think about a career, the process is more enjoyable.

Have a lovely Fall Break Gusties, and a great weekend to all my non-Gusties!
~Lauren

 

With midterms and Halloween upon us, I thought this post was timely because stressed backwards spells desserts, and that always eases the pain a little bit. Growing up, the main reason I loved Halloween is because I got to run around my neighborhood with my best friends, with the goal of filling my Halloween candy bag to the very top. Ironically, that Halloween candy sat there for the entire year, filled with all the pieces I rejected. I won’t be shy to admit that I’ve got a sweet tooth, but it’s always been very selective ever since I was young. For this post, I thought I would reflect on my trick or treating days, even all the way back to one of my first outings where the guy opened the door and yelled boo, resulting in me screaming and running away crying. While I can’t have any of my childhood favorites anymore due to this lovely dairy free life, being able to think about why I liked what I liked back then was kind of funny! Here are all of my favorites, ranked, according to my elementary school  reasoning!

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Starting with the worst…

10. Anything not made out of chocolate

Ever since I can remember, I have not liked any “fruity” sweets, or hard candies. This includes Skittles, Twizzlers, Smarties, Jolly Ranchers, Laffy Taffy, Runts, Starbursts, Suckers, Swedish Fish, etc. For some reason, I just never got hooked on those kind of sweets, but also, I am one to bite Dum Dums and Jolly Ranchers right away because I don’t have the patience to let them dissolve. While I don’t mind the occasional taste time to time, I never crave it like some people do. I never understood why so many of my friends were obsessed with Skittles, and trading all their chocolate for all the Skittles they could find. In my elementary school head, Skittles were overrated little spheres just waiting to break your teeth because they’re so hard to bite into. I also never understood why everyone was infatuated with Starbursts, especially the pink ones (red ones are the best in my opinion). Back then, my classmates were eating all the Starbursts they could just so they could make a bracelet out of the wrappers. It was a good system for me though, as I traded all of my Skittles and Starbursts for more chocolate. If given the option, I’d rather not taste the rainbow.

9. Nut Rolls

I don’t know what I was thinking back then, but I never touched these things when they landed in my candy bag. I gave them straight to my mom because I thought they were boring candies made for adults. In my mind, Nut Rolls were the Raisin Bran of candy. I really was missing out back then because now that I have gotten older, and have apparently accepted that they are for “old people,” these babies are right up my alley. I don’t know if it is because I thought the name was weird, the packaging was boring, or the fact that I wasn’t a big caramel girl as much as I am now, but my elementary school self had no logical reasoning to not like them. I often wonder if today’s kids think the same way that I did back then. If so, I would definitely go back out another round and collect all the candies I thought were for oldies such as Nut Rolls, Pay Day, 100 Grand bars, Whoppers, Take 5, and Snickers. Besides, I still get mistaken for being in middle school, so I would fit right in.

8. Baby Ruth

 

Baby Ruth is similar to the Nut Roll situation, but more. This one is ranked number eight because it did have some chocolate in it, an obvious deal breaker for me at this point. There were several explanations as to why this was not one of my favorites growing up. The first is that I thought the name Ruth was for and old person, leading me to not eating it because I thought old person candy tasted gross. Second, I always saw my mom eating it, which had no connection to the old person thought, she was an exception. Since she ate them, this “obviously” meant I wouldn’t like how it tasted because she liked weird things that I didn’t (aka preferred a nice pork tenderloin over Wendy’s chicken nuggets). And lastly, I thought it had something to do with baseball. For the record, Baby Ruth was named after the creator’s daughter, not the legendary Babe Ruth. To little Lauren, that didn’t matter, it related too closely to baseball and reminded me of all the cold rainy games I logged to watch my brother. Sorry Baby Ruth, your odds were never really good in the mind of little Lauren.

7. Milky Way

As I am getting farther and farther into my favorites, I have started to see a common trend. I like things based on factors that have nothing to do with how they actually taste. Milky Way is ranked higher than this others because it came in a milk chocolate, and dark chocolate version. Most people in my grade back then despised dark chocolate, so I always ended up with all their Milky Ways. This is probably why I liked them better (there’s a psychological theory that says you liked something more when you have more exposure to it). That right there is probably the only logical part as to why I liked Milky Ways. The other big reason I liked Milky Ways more than others was because “Drops of Jupiter” by Train mentions Milky Way in the song, and every time it played, I thought of the candy bar, not the actual Milky Way.

6. Butterfinger

There was a picture that I was trying to find for this one involving me standing in my swimsuit with dolphin goggles on my head, holding a half eaten Butterfinger. I believe I was about 6 or 7, but I remember always liking them. Peanut butter and chocolate is one of my favorite combinations. I would eat the Butterfingers out of my candy bag first because they were the easy to spot, bright yellow rectangles. Butterfinger would rank much higher on my list if it were not for the fact that every time I bit into it, it would crumble everywhere. Back then, I was still a neat freak like I am now, so those crumbles were frustrating and absolutely unacceptable to me, especially when they got on my favorite shirt from Justice.

5. Kit Kat

Some of you reading this may be gasping at this point for having Kit Kats ranked this low instead of first, but little Lauren had other priorities back then. If given the choice now, Kit Kat would be ranked higher, but I had my reasoning back then apparently. The reason I liked Kit Kats was because I could do more with it than just eat it. This sounds so weird, but I liked breaking them apart (as one should do) instead of just biting into it with no regard to the perforation. I had a legit routine for eating my Kit Kats. After I broke them into two separate sticks, I would nibble off all of the chocolate encasing the wafer. I don’t know why, but it definitely made it last longer which was ok with me. To those of you that just bite into Kit Kats, it is time to stop, because that is not the proper Kit Kat etiquette.

4. Almond Joy

 

I am fully aware that Almond Joys don’t bring many people that much joy. I was known for being the only one in my second grade class to like these, which again, was a good system for me because I got everyone else’s. There are two kinds of people in this world, those who like coconut, and those who don’t. I have always been one to like coconut everything. My mom always used to sing a little jingle to me: “Almond Joy’s got nuts, Peter Paul Mounds don’t” and that is what I thought of every time I had one. Also a helpful tip for all y’all that don’t like almonds; the red Mounds ones don’t! Here is where the illogical reasoning comes in. Almond Joys would have ranked higher for me, but as a kid, the fact that the almond was not perfectly centered in the middle of the bar drove me absolutely insane. Out of all the Almond Joys I’ve had, I don’t think I have ever found one to live up to my expectations.

3. Twix

I didn’t learn to like these until my middle school years because Twix were my brother’s favorite, and it was against the law to have the same favorite candy as my brother up until then. As my mind matured, I realized two things. First, I realized that saying I didn’t like caramel even though I never tried it before because I thought I wouldn’t like it in the first place was insane. Second, realizing that sharing something in common with Christopher wasn’t a bad thing. These two realizations led to Twix shooting to the top of my favorites list. The chocolate/caramel combo was a game changer, as Twix used to be at the bottom of my favorite’s list in elementary school. The reason it isn’t sitting at number one, is because there is one dynamic duo that can’t be beaten.

2. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

That dynamic duo is peanut butter and chocolate. I would have been thrilled to get all Reese’s in my Halloween bag. I always gauged how well I was doing during my trick or treating outing by how many orange squares I had floating around. They had to be the cups, not the pieces! Usually, I never did get that many because they were everyone else’s favorite too. There is no question about whether or not the pumpkin shaped ones taste better than regular, they definitely do (nowadays they look nothing like a pumpkin). Hitting the jackpot for me was getting one of the special edition Halloween white chocolate peanut butter cups. I am a big peanut butter gal to this day, so it makes sense that Reese’s have been my favorite since basically day one. You may be wondering why Reese’s aren’t ranked number one since they are my favorite. As I mentioned earlier, this list is based on my elementary school reasoning for what I thought was my favorite at the time. So with that my number one favorite thing to get in my Halloween bag was…

1. Anything bigger than fun size

As a short person, any other time of the year I would be saying how fun size is better, but not on Halloween. Back then, it didn’t matter what it was, but if it was  bigger than the usual fun size bar, that meant I hit the jackpot for the night. Examples of this that I have gotten in the past are a microwave bag of popcorn, an apple, diet coke (I hate diet coke but the fact that it wasn’t candy was HUGE for me), king size Hershey Bar, toothpaste, and lastly I got a king size Nut Roll and thought it was the grand prize of the night (still gave it to my mom). My friends and I would keep note as to which houses would hand out the best things from the year before. Just like any other little kid, quantity was better than quality.

There are my top 10 candies ranked from my elementary school candy bag. Since then, my taste buds have definitely changed, and some new products have come out that would without a doubt change the ranks of my bag. Some of my all time favorites now are Lindt Chocolate, and Cookies and Cream Hersheys… also can never go wrong with nature’s candy aka fruit (little Lauren would not be proud of the old person I have become). I have found it interesting that as new generations move into neighborhoods, Halloween treat giving starts to follow current trends. My house was always the “popcorn house” giving out the microwave bags, but recently we started giving the bags of Boom Chicka Pop kettle corn, which has become popular very fast. These past couple years I have also seen more granola bars, pieces of fruit, and non food items. I wouldn’t be surprised if in the next couple years things like protein bars and protein shake packets were given out. It sounds ridiculous now, but I also never thought elementary school aged kids would have better iPhones than me right now. If this is what Halloween turns into, there is no question that I will be pulling my butterfly suit out of the closet and making the rounds for some free food!

I hope your Halloween isn’t as spooky as my midterms!

~Lauren

 

 

 

 

 

Usually by the end of summer, there are two kinds of people. The first kind is those that are still trying to hold onto every ounce of warm weather, and all things summer. The other kind is the ones that actively seek for anything pumpkin spice flavored, and dig out the flannels and baggy sweaters when they see one single leave turn a tint of red. I am one of those people. This post is all about the “fall feels” aka the comfy and joyful mood as we transition from sweaty dorm rooms to scary movies with the roomies.

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1. Fall Festivities

 

You know how every single girl at this time of the year posts a picture on Instagram at an apple orchard or with a pumpkin? Or your snap stories are filled with those little Pillsbury sugar cookies with the pumpkin or ghost on them that you only eat once a year?  This is exactly what I am talking about. As much as I understand that it’s mostly just to get the Instagram picture because those girls never come back holding any apples,  I will admit that I am a sucker for “oh so basic” pictures like that. Fall justifies so many behaviors for me. For example, if it were any season other than fall and I saw a picture of someone holding an apple next to their face and smiling, or sitting on a pumpkin, I would strongly question their decision to post a smiley picture with produce. But in the fall? That is #goals. If it weren’t fall, jumping into a pit full of corn would be the last thing I would want to do. But in fall? Finding corn kernels in places they shouldn’t be would be my ideal day. Getting lost in a corn maze while a scarecrow chases after you is not exactly my idea of fun, but in the fall I would love to get lost for hours in corn (is this what Nebraskans feel like everyday?) Lastly, pumpkin spice everything. While I don’t actually take advantage of this because pumpkin spice dog treats, butter, Pringles, and gum sounds nasty, just the fact that I see pumpkin everywhere means it’s fall . Everything about fall is a stereotype (at least for college girls), and I am totally ok with that. That’s just what you do in college at this time of the year!

2. Fall Fashion

 

Finally, the time that I can wear the other 2/3 of my closet. I can’t really speak for guys on this one, but for us girls, being able to pull out the baggy sweaters, flannels, hoodies, and fuzzy socks are the reason we get up in the morning on those gray gloomy days. Fall typically has a comfy feel to it, or at least that is the stereotype that has been created for it. Fall fashion is all about simplicity.  Simple earthy colors, leggings, sweatshirts, honestly nothing special, and that’s why I love it. Because fall has the reputation of “comfy and cute,” I can throw on a pair of leggings with a big sweatshirt or sweater, put my hair in a messy bun, and still be in style. Of course I don’t always just throw myself together, because fall is the beginning of vest season, scarf season, colored jeans season, and boots season- and I take full advantage of them all.  Catch me wearing my banana jeans around campus! As much as I tell myself that I plan to dress cute every single day in college, I usually end up resorting to dressing for comfort anyways, hence why fall is my favorite season. Another reason I love fall? Guys in khakis is always a great sight.

3. The Weather

As depressing as it sounds, I love myself a brisk, cloudy fall day. Fall has a common trend of all things crisp. The air, fresh apples, and the dead leaves scattered around that a majority of us go out of our way to crunch just because the sound is so satisfying. Cloudy in my mind is the equivalent to cozy. When it’s a dreary day here on campus, I like to curl up in a fuzzy blanket and do something relaxing such as listening to music, read, or tune into Netflix. I don’t know if this is true for others, but when it is sunny out, I feel lazy and like I am not supposed to be cooped up in my room all comfy. With gloomy days, I have the permission from myself to do this. I’m weird like that, I know. Fall weather is also much better for life in the dorms because we no longer are dying of heat in our cubes for rooms. Being able to do laundry without breaking a sweat, or climb a flight of stairs, makes me feel much better about my athleticism! It’s also nice not feeling like I’m a hot burrito while being wrapped up in my hammock under the beating sun for hours.

4. Movies

 

 

This one runs along the lines of fall festivities, but this is definitely a thing. With Halloween being in the fall, that’s when all the Disney Channel classics turn back up, and all the scary movies come out. For all you 90s kids out there, don’t deny that Halloweentown was a childhood highlight. I remember back in elementary school, I would make sure all my homework was done because Halloweentown was coming on that night. Casper the friendly ghost was also a favorite of mine, as well as Twitches. Back then, scary movies for me were Hocus Pocus, and E.T. (it’s my brother’s fault that I’m still scared of that wrinkly dude to this day). Now, watching scary movies has become a part of the fall stereotype, therefore, one of the things I do only at this time of year and never any other time. I absolutely hate scary movies, and the thought of going to watch one on the big screen gives me the creeps just thinking about it. But watching them with someone who can “protect” me, aka hold their composure better than I can and remind me that a little ghost boy is not living in my wall, makes me like them.

5. Soup and Stuff

 

Soup, warm drinks, and fall go very well together, just because everyone seems to get sick here on campus at this time. Usually this is around the beginning of October for me, and you bet I reach for a can of chicken and stars! I swear the stars taste better than regular noodles. I honestly don’t know how this became a thing, but some of my friends here on campus refuse to eat soup or drink anything warm in the summer. Unfortunately, I have caught onto this.  Fall means I get to eat soup and drink hot tea publicly again! I will admit, there is something more satisfying when having something warm during the fall rather than when it is hot out. My favorite is my mom’s vegetable soup that she makes for me every year, and I bring buckets of it back to college with me. So, if anyone would like a big ol’ bucket of soup this fall for when you get sick (not if, when), you know where to find me. Fall food is comfort food.

6. Feeling Feels

 

Studies have shown that people couple up the most in the fall. There is actually a name for this phenomenon: cuffing season. While this may sound strange, cuffing season is basically the time where individuals look for a partner to spend the long frigid months of winter with. In psychology, this fits perfectly into the evolutionary theory! These studies have shown that men are 15% more likely to be looking for something during this time, and women are 5% more interested in something long-term during this time. I highly believe that all the fall festivities contribute to this. Think about it, when scrolling on Instagram, there are way more cute couple pictures than any time of the year. It is so common to couples posting pictures at the orchard with the overused, cliché caption that their significant other is the apple of their eye. Looking through engagement pictures with the vibrant fall colors in the background is all I do on Facebook nowadays. Lastly, the chilly weather, and ability for girls to pretend they are scared while watching a scary movie and claim they need protection when they actually don’t is a perfect set-up for a cuddle session. Fall feels lead to feeling the feels.

7. Football

 

This is the point in my post where the guys (if any are reading) perk up a bit because it is the most not-basic and non-girly thing about this post. Football does not involve pumpkin spice, cuddling (tackling is pretty close though), rules about soup, smiling with apples, or banana colored jeans. We all know the Sundays are for church…and football. It really is the day of rest, except when it comes to screaming at the screen because someone just messed up their fantasy team. When I picture Sunday night football, besides Carrie Underwood, I can’t help but imagine your average guy wearing their favorite jersey, dad jeans, with hot wings in hand. I am pretty sure I’m not alone on this one though, right ladies? While I can’t say that I am a big football gal, I do like football season because that means hockey season is getting closer!

8. Bye Bye Bugs

I shouldn’t need to explain this one much. If you are one that enjoys getting stung by bees, and eaten alive by mosquitos, you are the one that has some explaining to do.

9. The Leaves

 

It may be called fall, but there is a reason fall can also be commonly referred to as autumn, and I definitely think it has to do with the changing of leaves. One of the prettiest sights all year is the prime time that the leaves are glowing red, yellow, and orange. I remember when I was in elementary school, I learned that when the Sumac starts to turn red, that means fall is coming. Little Lauren then learned to hate when the Sumac was red because that meant school was starting soon, but now, I enjoy it. I truly believe that God made the leaves do this just for our enjoyment, and to add to the already great place He created. It gives us something to look forward to every year. Leaves are by far the only thing I know that are THAT beautiful going through the process of death. Just because they are so vivid and pretty, I don’t even mind having to rake my whole yard!…ok maybe I mind a little. I feel bad for those who don’t have the privilege of experiencing a MN fall day, because waking up to a sight like that is the difference between a good day and a great day.

10. Halloween

 

You all probably knew this was coming. In case you didn’t know, Halloween takes place in the fall, and I’d say it is pretty significant in creating the fall culture. Halloween happens to be one of my favorite holidays for many reasons. One being all he traditions that my family does together. I loved going to Pahl’s market when I was little and trying to find a pumpkin that was small, had no bumps, stood up straight, didn’t have a weird stem on it, and had absolutely no dirt on it (picking one out took me an extremely long time as you can probably see). After that, I would draw the face that I wanted on my pumpkin for my dad to carve out because I couldn’t be trusted with sharp objects. I also made him scoop out the guts because they’re just gross. Other things I loved were helping my mom hang up the decorations around the house such as the pipe cleaner spiders on the stairs, the talking pumpkin, and the ghost I made in pre school which basically is a bunch of white paper squares glued onto a piece of paper in a formation that is the farthest away from resembling a ghost. Dressing up for trick or treating was always my favorite. Some past costumes were a butterfly, cat, witch, cowgirl, and of course, a gymnast. Currently, I love Halloween because I get to see all the kiddos dressed up in cute costumes. I will never be able to look at a baby dressed up as a pumpkin or lady bug and not want to instantly hold it. Seeing the kids trick or treat reminds me of how excited I got, and how my dad was the designated “dumper” with a bigger bag for when me and my brother’s buckets got full. The reaction kids have when they get candy brings me so much joy, it is basically the same as college students’ reactions when they hear about free food.

Being full swing into fall also means that we are knee-deep into the semester with the first round of tests and papers coming up, but all of these fall feels help with the stress a little bit. The transition from summer to fall is a lot better than fall to winter, which is why I appreciate all the little things that fall brings before we freeze our behinds off and wish we could step on just one more crunchy leaf.  In the mean time, stop staring at your phone while on the way to class and actually look at how fantastic a MN fall is!

Have a great week, friends!

~Lauren