Thought Bubble I

So I've decided to start this new blog series called "Thought Bubble". I hope in this, I'll be able to become more creative in my blog posts and become more connected with my audience!

Chey, Cousins, & Brother

It's a quiet Saturday night and I really enjoy thinking about what I have achieved in the past couple of days. Last weekend, I made a trip down to Corona, CA to visit my family and had one of the best weekends in a while. The weather was nice and warm, I spent precious time with everyone I haven't seen in a while and got a massage! On our way home on Sunday night, we stopped at Ontario Mills Mall and it was honestly the biggest mall I've seen—aside from Mall of America. A lot of the stores that were there had President's Day Sales going on or they were outlet stores so everything was on sale. I was able to get two new pairs of shoes, one pair for work and one for casual wear. Then, we also stopped at a Thai restaurant, where the food was prettttty yummy. I totally forgot the name of the place, but it was spicy, not super salty, and overall, extremely satisfying.

Chey & David

Finally, back in Goleta, I spent my Monday working on homework and then attending work at Pier 1. It was a really long four day weekend, but I think I really needed it! On Tuesday, my friend, David, visited from UCLA and we went to Haskell's Beach. It was pretty hot out for Santa Barbara, so why not spend your afternoon at the beach? I boogie boarded for the first time and I know that I'm from Lompoc/Goleta area and I need to have already experienced this, but the truth's out and it's a first for me! Any who, I really missed him and just kicking back and talking about things that my friends from college don't really understand.

Anyway, I hope this new blog series works out and that you enjoyed reading this post. :) It was a blast to write.

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to The Ladder by Andrew Belle

Stop Rushing

You know, recently, I've started to pay attention to my actions in detail. Why do I always have to take the fast lane to and from school? Why am I always in such a rush to get my online assignments done? Frankly, I just narrowed it down to my personality, but I think I'm causing myself so much stress and anxiety by rushing things. I know tons of us have procrastinated at one point or another in our life and that's why we have to scramble out assignments together, but I'll be turning something in a couple days before it's due and I'll quickly get it done.

My calm workspace!

It started to become a lot more interesting when I started slowing my life down a little. My assignments were a lot cleaner, I felt completely satisfied after completing a job, and I didn't really experience any negativity. I'm starting to make a couple of small changes which are:

1. Taking the scenic route or driving without complaining if someone is going just a little slower than I am. NOW, I'm not saying cut all of the super slow drivers some slack. That's definitely not going to be happening haha.
2. Giving myself time to think! I've actually spent a couple of my evenings (6:00 PM to 7:00 PM) at the beach. I'll take a towel out to the sand, listen to my music, look at the stars, and look at the waves. Who knew how much you could do in a day?
3. Paying attention to what needs to be done. Did you know that for the past week, I've gotten up 10 minutes earlier than I was supposed to and I made my bed before I left for school? Also, right before I go to sleep, I like to clean up my room a little so I don't wake up to so much chaos. Coming home and being able to just relax in my personal space after work or after school give me the best feelings.

I know I might be a little late to board the New Year's Resolution train, but I'm currently working on a list that I would like to accomplish for 2016. I want this year to be memorable, worthwhile and at all the same time, exciting. It's a lot to expect, but I know that I can make it a wonderful year.

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to Smile & Keep Your Head Up by Us the Duo

No Parking? No Problem!

On My Way Home!

For the majority of students driving to school, like myself, isn't it SO hard to find a parking spot? We're already at the end of Week 3 and it's still extremely difficult to land yourself a parking spot if you aren't at school by 9:30 AM.

Inside the Bus

I have school on Mondays and Wednesdays at 11:10 and I can never find myself a parking spot other than the 90-minute parking sections. After class, I'm always rushing over to the lot and leaving in hopes of not getting a citation! In fact, I got my first one this year and a good $50 came out of my pocket.

Today, for the first time in college, I carpooled to school with my friend, Sam, and then took the 15X bus home. The bus stop was about a twenty minute walk from my house and the walk wasn't bad at all. The last time I remember taking the bus was back in High School before I had started driving. Luckily, SBCC has a designated bus line to and from UCSB/Isla Vista! So many of our students live in IV so this is definitely a great option instead of driving so you can save a couple of bucks a month on gas. Also, the bus comes around every 30 minutes so the schedule is really really flexible. However, if the bus isn't really a fit option for you, carpooling is also a really wonderful idea as well. The only hard parts are finding parking and if your carpool is late, you might be as well or vice versa. But, did you know that SBCC has a Commuting organization that offers a full refund on your Parking Permit if you've collected 10 Carpool Permits by the March 18, 2016. The refund will go towards your SBCC ID card.

That was my big adventure this week! I've recently been wanting to just take the other local buses and see where they take me as well. I think it would be so fun to explore Santa Barbara and Goleta with a friend by just taking the bus and getting off at random spots.

See you next post,
Chey

Currently listening to Nothin' Like You by Dan + Shay

Free Money

Chey Posing with 5 Dollars in the Library 

Tis the peak of scholarship season and I'm sure so many of us are already packed with schoolwork. I know tons of students have recently just finished with the college applications in order to transfer and are sick and tired of any kind of application! But... It doesn't stop here. Scholarships, if you don't know what they are already, are usually money that is given away to students from organizations or companies. That being said, don't expect for it to be given to you without you doing something in return! Many times, these scholarships require essays, signing up for their website, or your family's financial information or sometimes all three.

I recently signed up for the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara's recent scholarship that was due on Jan. 31st. The application process was not difficult at all! All I needed to fill out was some personal information, family financial information, GPAs, transcripts, two letter of recommendation from an employer and academic mentor, and a 300-word minimum personal essay. Now, that may sound like a handful, but trust me, it's not! The scholarship application opened on October 1st, 2015 and then ended January 31st, 2016 so you have plenty of time to get things done. The thing that many students, including myself, struggle with prioritizing and after improving on that, I was able to turn in all of my materials on time.

If you're looking to get some money for school, make sure to apply to FAFSA if possible! It's not due until June 30th, 2016 if you're worried about deadlines. Another place that I like to check every so often is Fastweb. It's basically a site where there are tons of Scholarships, Loans, Financial Aid, etc. that are available to both High School and College students. Chegg Scholarships is also a great tool to use as well. Let the applications commence! Good luck :)

See you next post,
Chey

Currently listening to Monument by MUTEMATH