The American public school system

There has been a lot of talk lately about the American school system and about why it is failing.  What do you think about the American school system? what do you think really needs to change?


As a current college student I am speaking out as someone who as recently been out of public school. Honestly adults NEED to listen to some of their children's suggestions. If a child is telling you that they feel like they can not wake up at 6 o'clock and then spend 7 or 8 hours sitting in school all day then listen to them. (obviously don't listen to them if they say there should be no more homework)

 In my old public school the reason why everyone skipped first period was because they wanted to sleep in. The days where we had some sort of a delay, those were the days mostly everyone showed up. YOUR child is the one that has to endure whatever the school board decides so if they are telling you they don't like something try to reason with them and see their side of things. Being in school for 7 hours a day used to give me massive headaches because the only break we had was a 20 minute lunch break. If only we could have some time to get some fresh air besides lunch and take our mind off of school for a few minutes.

Honestly I feel like one of the BIGGEST problems in American schools is the fact that students are forced to wake up so early. Studies have shown that if a child receives more sleep they will do better overall. There is a school in New Jersey that has there schools start only 30 min later and student attendance, grades and overall attention span during the school day has dramatically improved (search it up, they have worked around parents work schedules and everything!)
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Links to pages that talk more about the schools in New Jersey and schools starting later in general: http://www.northjersey.com  

http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2010/07/08/start-school-later-improve-conduct-grades-and-even-save-lives/


http://www.scientificamerican.com
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If the school day begins at least 30 minutes later then students overall performance will dramatically improve. Also I feel like public schools need a more structured way of teaching. The reason why I was never able to learn math was because it got so confusing when every teacher contradicting each other and telling you to do different methods. If Public school curriculum could be more structured and instead of teachers doing things very differently then I feel like students will also have a better grasp on the material being taught to them year after year.

Also a lot of people are complaining that asian students are better than our students over here then what is so hard about looking at what they do differently then trying to do something similar to them?


Also a list of things I feel would dramatically improve students education
1. better classrooms or at least better desks
2. a late start (even 30 min. would make a big difference)
3. better pay for the teachers
4. less concentration on standardized testing. Instead of teaching students material so they can pass a standardized test, teach them for knowledge, teach them so they will learn something and so that they can better themselves in the future
5. More funding for public schools!


Also if our government can afford to WASTE money on exclusive vacations to exclusive resorts and also waste money on pointless things like making signs that say "putting america to work",  Then how come we CAN'T afford to invest in our children's education?

If politicians and other wealthy people can afford to spend thousands and millions of their own money towards a campaign, then how come they can't donate some money to a public school?

If the taxpayers spoke out more against our governments wasteful spending then maybe there would be a little less waste. Its not just that the country doesn't have money, there is a lot of wasteful spending going on that people don't realize

Easy French Manicure Nail Design

I absolutely love getting my nails done in the nail salon but sometimes when I don't have time to go or I need my nails done for a last minute event, I like to do them myself. 


I tried to post a video of an easy french manicure nail design but it wouldn't work, but if your interested you can find the video here >>  Easy french manicure with black nail design

Check out these affordable tools to help you create the perfect at home french manicure! 

The pink polish I used in the video is pictured in the first nail set. This french manicure set is very cheap because at the store this polish brand can go for around $8 or more per bottle.

Debra Lynn Professional 6 piece Nail Art Set



SEPHORA COLLECTION French Tips & Toes Manicure Pen



Orly French Manicure White Tip Guide

Back to school so soon!

In some places school is already in session, in others places (like mine) school is starting in the next 2 weeks.

Eating healthy and keeping a healthy lifestyle while in college is something that is extremely hard to do. During my first semester of college I ate all the unhealthy options that were available in my food court, I also used the elevators a lot trying to avoid stairs as much as possible. I decided that this was not a good way to be spending my college years and decided to change it all. I know it is hard but it is possible. Now I avoid elevators as much as possible, pack my own snacks and make healthy choices at the food court.

For lunch I make a salad at the salad bar. But don't drown your salad in dressing!, if you must use a dressing such as ranch use a very small amount otherwise vinaigrettes are a good choice also. Something I do is that i put a very small amount of ranch dressing on my salad and a small amount of olive oil and I found that when you mix it all up in the salad the olive oil kind of helps make it seem as though there is more ranch dressing than there really is. Make sure you do not skip the dressing because if you do your body won't absorb some of the vitamins in your healthy salad. Fat soluble vitamins are only absorbed in the body with the presence of fat so a little bit of dressing helps the body absorb them but if you top you salad with olives and nuts then the fat in the olives and nuts will help and you can then skip the dressing if you please.

Tips for healthy college lifestyle

• use the stairs instead of using elevator (sometimes run up or down a flight for an extra mini workout)
• pack your own snacks in your bag for when hunger creeps up on you in between classes so you won't be tempted to make a vending machine run and go for the unhealthy chips and candy bars.
• Make one of your school meals vegetarian .. this saves in some calories and is healthy for you
• join a sport or intramural 
• use your schools gym!
• eat a healthy filling breakfast! if you have no time make a healthy smoothie and drink it on your way to school/class or make a quick breakfast wrap

Healthy snacks

• granola bars (make sure you read the label and ingredient list because some granola bars are not healthy for you at all  because they include things such as a lot of sugar, high fructose corn syrup and a bunch of preservatives and a bunch of other ingredients that you probably won't be able to pronounce.) Make your own or look for a brand that has the least amount of sugar and ingredients
• veggies sticks and cheese ... prepare and put in a ziplock bag 
• fruit
• pita chips... you can make your own by cutting up pita and brushing olive oil on top and baking it in the oven for about 5-10 minutes until they crisp up. You can also put herbs and garlic on the to flavor them. Or you can buy them at the supermarket. They are healthier than potato chips

Do you have any healthy college lifestyle tips? comment and let me know!

Green is the new Black!

These days there is a lot of green talk around. Being green is not just about preventing global warming but its about taking care of our planet, a healthier way of living, and overall improving the quality of life for both humans, animals and plants.


By clicking on the banner above you might be able to get a free energy efficient light bulb. And also learn more about solar energy.

Summer Must Haves

Hi,
Here is a list of clothes I think that are really cute and trendy this summer and that are essential in every summer wardrobe.


In no particular order at all

1. Sandals like the one I have pictured below. These sandals come in all different colors and styles. Some of them look more gladiator like and some of them are a little more simple like the ones I have. They look great with any outfit and when your flying they are easy to slip on and off during security.
 
2. A two in one dress
I have these dresses in many different styles. Some are more formal and others are nice and casual. If you don't know what to wear during a hot summer day you can easily slip one on and pair them with any cute shoe. They are light weight and super comfortable! i wear the ones I have all the time.
 


3. Floral prints. Floral skirts are fun and flirty and can be worn with a shirt or tank tucked in for a super easy and super cute look. Floral dresses and rompers are a very nice way to add a little color in your summer wardrobe.




4. Rompers. I love rompers because when I have no idea what to wear it is so easy to just throw one on and pair it with some sandals or heel and cute accessories. I also love them because they are comfortable and stylish and they aren't too revealing.


5. A cardigan. For those chilly summer nights and cool fall day, a cardigan is light enough to keep you warm when the weather isn't quite cold just yet. They can be worn with any outfit and come in all different styles and colors.

                 



My favorite summer item is the romper.
What is your favorite summer clothing item that you own? 
What are some of the things you can't live without during the summer?

Easy Nail design with silver, black, and white polish

Natural At Home Beauty Treatments

Hey everyone,

So today I am going to do a post about natural beauty treatments since Sundays are the days that I give myself a weekly at home facial. I have used many acne products with little success and have found that it was easier to just keep it simple. For daily use I cleanse my face with clean and clear and sometimes I moisturize with a very small amount of olive oil (very good for skin!) or I use Aveeno sunscreen moisturizer.
Nothing makes me feel better than when I give myself a facial. My face feels so good afterwards and I feel so relaxed while I am laying down with the mask on. Here is my facial routine.
          
You will need:

• Towel
• Face cleanser
• Honey and milk (the face mask I use)
• Salt and freshly squeezed lemon juice (the exfoliator I use)
• moisturizer
• big pot with water that has been boiling
• cucumber slices
• Fresh herbs such as mint or a bag of chamomile or mint tea<<<this is how the honey mask and the salt exfoliator looks like.. make sure you do not add too much lemon juice so that the salt remain gritty and does not fully dissolve

1. Bring the pot of water to a boil add the fresh herbs or tea bag to give it a nice scent and help clear sinuses
2. Wash your hands, you do not want to use dirty hands to give yourself a facial with
3. cleanse your face, rinse and pat dry
4. Shut the burner off right after the water has come to a boil and immediately drape a large towel over your head and place your face above the pot with the water. Draping a towel over your head keeps the steam from escaping. Make sure you do not put your face too close to the pot so that you do not get burned by the steam. Be cautious while steaming your face. Do this for about 5 minutes.  * steaming your face allows your pores to open and unclog. It also makes it easier for you to remove the impurities on your face allowing you to get a deeper clean
5. Exfoliate your face with the exfoliator of your choice. Gently rub the exfoliator on your face, you do not want to irritate or scratch your face. The one I use is made by mixing salt with a little bit of lemon juice. The salt helps remove the dead skin cells because it is gritty. The lemon juice will leave your skin feeling fresh and can help with dry skin. Rinse.
6. Apply the face mask. The face mask I use gives my face a healthy glow afterwards. It is made by mixing honey with a small amount of milk. Apply the face mask of your choice over you face and let it sit for 10 minutes or if you are using a packaged face mask use it as directed. Apply cucumber slices over your eyes lay back relax and play some smooth jazz or whatever kind of music is relaxing to you. Rinse.
7. Apply moisturizer

I personally like to do steps 1-6 before I shower so that way i can just rinse off the mask in the shower and then moisturize after

-Natural beauty treatments are good because they are made with ingredients that you are very likely to have in your home therefore these treatments are very cost effective. They are also free of all those harsh chemicals that can be found in a lot of beauty products. Some of these chemicals are not good for you at all.

Links below provide natural recipes for pimple/acne remedies, face masks, scrubs and more. You will be able to find recipes that are specific to your skin type and your skin needs
http://www.beautyden.com
http://free-beauty-tips.glam.com/homemade.html http://www.spaindex.com/HomeSpa/HomeSpa.htm



These links provide info on cosmetic products that are safer to use
http://www.toxicfreeboutique.com/
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/whole-body.php


Hope you guys find this post useful!
comment and let me know what you think! also let me know if you have any questions.

Shopping on a tight budget

Hi everyone, today I decided to do a post for those who are on a tight budget and still want to be able to shop for new outfits.

1. Visit local thrift store or consignment shops. One store near me is Buffalo exchange. I know that they have these stores in other locations too so if you take a look on their website you might be able to find one near you. If you do not have one near you, you might have something similar.
    - What I do is I look for clothes that I do not want anymore or clothes that just don't fit me anymore that are still in good condition and have no rips or tears. I sell them at this store and you have two options, cash or store credit. If you choose store credit the amount you get for your clothes will be more than what you would have gotten if you chose cash. With the money I got from the clothes I sold, I bought some things they had in their store. Usually you are finding brand name clothes for really cheap and using the store credit you got the old clothes you sold, you end up not paying much out of pocket. These stores have a wide variety of clothing from casual, dressy and vintage.

2. Visit a department store such as a Macy's or JCpenney or whatever is near you.
        - I often go to these stores and look through there clearance sections. Once I found a pair of jeans that used to cost $70. It was on clearance for 14.99 and when I went to the cash register I was able to get it even lower and grand price was $6.00.
The trick is to really digg through the clearance and sale sections of thee stores and get a price of the items you have because often times the price is lower than it says on the tag. I have gotten brand name shirts and jeans for less than $10 on the clearance rack so many times.
Also stores like Forever21 and Delias are already very affordable and when they have sales or when your able to snag coupons to these stores you will further save!


Tips to further save during your next shopping trip
* only buy what you need or what you don't already have! and know beforehand what stores your going to visit so you can gather some coupons or discount codes before you shop

* bring in sale coupons. you can find printable coupons and coupon codes online by doing a search for them or by visiting the site retailmenot.com

* Use the coupons that you get in the mail. I had a coupon to a tore for $10 off any purchase and found a pair of pants in the sale section for $11.99. used the coupon I had and pants ended up costing me $1.99

*sign up to be on your favorite stores mailing list and/or text alerts. You will get some valuable coupons and sometimes free items!

*Do not pass by the sale and clearance sections without looking through them but be ready to devote some time to looking through them as sometimes they can be packed full with clothes.

If you have any questions please comment and I will answer them or if there is anything you would like for me to talk about please let me know

~Michelle

First Post

Hi, my name is Michelle and in this blog I will be talking about beauty, fashion, and shopping tips. I will let you guys in on secrets to how to get the most out of your shopping experiences, and let you guys in on discount codes, sales etc. and also write about other things such as movie reviews, relationship related topics and much more.

I hope you guys keep reading, comment, subscribe and let me know if there is anything you would like me to write about.

Thanks