Why Should You Study Abroad?
One of the many things I suggest doing while you are a college student is studying abroad. I cannot begin to express the amount of things I have learned about myself from taking on an experience like this. I have always had a goal in my min about studying abroad but never thought it would be possible. I always dreamed of going to Spain, but after seeing many people go, it took away the desire. I wanted to travel to a place no one (I knew) had ever been. This is when the crazy idea of studying abroad in China arose…and I am so happy it did!
First thing I want to mention is that in this blog post I am mostly going to talk about why you should studying abroad, and not necessarily my experience. I can do that on another blog post if you would like to see that. It is actually kind of funny that now (three years later) after having studied abroad I am finally doing what I have always wanted which is blogging. My intention was to travel while I was abroad but that failed with all of the security I had to bypass to even access Facebook while in China. That can be another story for later. There are also other articles that explain the importance of studying abroad: here and here.
One of the reasons why you should study abroad is because of the amount of different types of food you will get to try. I used to be so picky about my food, but boy did that change when I was in China. It is actually kind of funny because I used to hate Chinese food before I left. I am not the complete opposite and love it! Who would have known, right? You get the opportunity to try different meals wherever you decide to study abroad at.
Another reason I suggest studying abroad is because you will get the opportunity to meet and connect with different individuals. I did not do a good job of connecting with those who also studied abroad in the same place as I did. I was going through some difficult things at the time and did not have any intention of meeting “friends” (don’t do this). However, I did want to meet friends and people that resided in Shanghai, so I did that! I recommend doing that because they get to tell you more about the country they grew up in and you get to also learn more of the language by speaking to them.
I also was interviewed one time and shared my study abroad experience. I received so much positive feedback from it, which I thought was unusual. I know a lot of people say it looks good on a resume, but I actually never had someone tell me how significant it was. I never tried to study abroad for those reasons at all. However, the compliment was that I was willing to adapt to a different lifestyle and take on the challenge. This meant that with any change in any organization I would be able to adapt. So think about it, studying abroad could perhaps help you get a job as well!
You have the opportunity to see the world in a different way. This is really hard to explain, but once you are abroad you don’t take things for granted. You learn to be on your own and make an effort to appreciate the world we get to live in and travel. It’s seriously so fascinating to see new things and understand a little about the culture you are visiting. I cannot explain it enough, your mind will be blown away that you will love traveling and will want to do it more often.
In the end, studying abroad has many perks. You get to live in a different place and learn a new language. You are accustomed to a new culture that is completely different than what you are used to and that is the beauty of it. You are not afraid of what the unknown has to offer. I was able to learn a lot about myself as a person, grow closer to my family, and not take things for granted. It is a blessing to be able to study abroad. The reason I grew closer to my family is because I was literally living miles away, and missing on so much. I knew that in my heart, what made me the happiest, was being close to them. This is why I knew that after graduation, I wouldn’t get a job out of the state. But don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t mean I still won’t continue to travel…oh I will! I just don’t want to do it alone. I have amazing people around me that I wish to travel with them instead.
Please leave a comment down below on where you wish you could study abroad at!
Favorite Netflix Shows
One of the many reasons why I decided to start watching shows on Netflix is because there are no commercials which I’m not a fan of. i like watching the shows without any interruptions, and more often than not, I tend to binge watch them and not want to stop. Netflix can be a little addicting once you find your favorite shows to watch. Although I don’t always have time, I feel like it’s nice to change it up a bit and watch different things to get you distracted.
Some of these shows you probably already watched, while some you probably haven’t yet watched. These are in no particular order, but all of them are very interesting!
This may be my favorite show of all time. I started watching this in the fall of 2016 and currently waiting to watch the latest season on Netflix. My boyfriend and I went through all three seasons in less than a month I feel like. All of the episodes were very interesting and I loved the suspense. I really hope you enjoy it if you haven’t watched it!
I thought I wouldn’t like this show, but I was wrong. I love all the trials this family faces because it’s a lot that can be relatable. Although there are A TON of graphic (not PG rated) scenes, it’s still a pretty good show. It’s also really funny and you will be surprised how fast you went through the seasons as well.
I am so late to get on the bandwagon here. I never watched Pretty Little Liars until I about a year ago. Yeah, I had a lot of catching up to do. This is another one of my favorites because of the suspense. There is always a plot twist and the overall story is really good. I’m a little sad it is coming to an end, but if you are like me and hadn’t watched it all… DO IT NOW!
4. Queen of the South
I won’t say much here because I am also in the middle of the episodes However, I also think it’s an interesting show with a lot of suspense. I don’t know, I might just have a huge passion for suspense which is why I tend to watch those types of shows over others.
5. 13 Reasons Why
I just finished watching this season and it was pretty intense. I don’t want to spoil it, but I also know there has been a lot of controversy over this show. Many think their children shouldn’t watch it, but a lot of the things that happened do happen in real life. It is also one of those shows that you can’t wait for the next season because the last show leaves you wondering.
6. Stranger Things
I’m so happy this show got MTV Show of the Year. I’m not even sure how to explain this show, but just to simply say, watch it. Although this show didn’t have many episodes it will have another season for sure.
Overall, there are many great shows on Netflix with many reviews. I tend to like the suspense shows a lot more than the drama ones. However, I am open to any suggestions. Comment down below what your favorite Netflix shows are.
Workout Outfits – Where to Shop At?
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I love to wear workout outfits pretty much any day that I can. Leggings are very comfortable and very convenient for days that require running errands for the majority of the day. I wanted to share with you some places where I have shopped before and have found some pretty affordable pieces that I wear when I work out. However it does very and there are of course, other places that also sell affordable pieces.
JcPenney carries several brands, but the good thing is that they constantly have discounts. Most of the leggings I have are from the brand Xersion. They vary from price, but you can get some workout pants for less than $20. They also have some tops that are great for the gym.
T.J.Maxx has some sneaky finds all the time. I love shopping here because they always have different items and it’s affordable too! I also like how they carry equipment for working out as well. Most of the bottoms are around $20. The tops are also usually fairly affordable as well.
This online store also carries a variety of different brands from Reebok to Nike and even Adidas. I have also purchased shoes from 6pm and got them for less than $60. I would suggest keeping your eyes open on this site because they also have different kinds of discounts.
That sums up some of the different stores I shop at for workout clothes. I wanted to share with you different stores that most people probably don’t know or shop at for workout clothes. I still have yet to try out the famous Gymshark leggings and tops. If you have any from them, please comment down below if you recommend them.
Mother’s Day Gift Guide
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I can’t believe how soon Mother’s Day got here. It just felt like we were celebrating Valentine’s Day not too long ago. I love showering my mommy with gifts because I know she loves it. She loves getting spoiled and I honestly love giving. If I can make her happy, I don’t mind it at all!
She can be a little tricky to buy for because she really just wants a little of everything. This year I had a bigger present in mind for her, but that will have to wait until my parent’s are able to move into their home. For the meantime, I might get her a couple of different items because I know she loves more than one present! Is anyone’s mommy like that as well? I think it just might be mine, she’s special but I feel like mothers work so hard that no present will ever thank them enough for all they do.
My mom absolutely loves these lotions from Bath and Body Works. She will purchase so many just to have them in stock. I might just pick up another set just to make her happy. She also loves Princess House pots and pans. Although the ones in the picture aren’t from that brand she still is obsessed with them. Does anyone else’s mom love and collects pots and pans?
Overall, these five items are things I know my mom likes and would use. It’s hard to find the perfect gift for your mom because everyone has such different tastes. However, I hope with these ideas you can get some inspiration to purchase something special for your mommy! Please feel free to comment down below what you are getting your mom, I would love to hear more suggestions.
How Important is Education to Me?
Let’s just start off by saying, this is such a touchy subject for a lot of people. I don’t mind if someone is against it or for it. However, I want to give you my personal experience and what I think. My own personal opinion arrives from my family and I’s experiences.
I do want to mention that I am a first generation college student. I may have been the first, but I guarantee you I won’t be the last. I dreamed of college when I was only 8. I wanted to have a really well paid job and help my family own their own business and be of some sort of support. I love my family and I know it is NOT my responsibility to take care of them, and they don’t ask me to do that either. But I’m Patty, and if you know me, you know I love helping.
I was very fortunate to be able to go to college and that was not easy at all. Here is a blog post all about that. So in my younger days, I did feel like it was important to go to college. If you didn’t go it meant you either couldn’t or you just didn’t care about learning. My mentality has changed significantly since then. Education is something so powerful, beyond just sitting in class and taking a test. If you are learning about something you are passionate about, you are LEARNING. Education is something that won’t depreciate and no one can take that away from me you or what you learned. That is yours forever! This is why I see it as being important because it’s like a gift.
But just like it is a gift, it also means that some people will receive that gift and some won’t. It could be for a variety of reasons, money, no desire, etc. Because there is someone that didn’t receive that gift, that does not mean they are less than you are. On the contrary, people may not get to sit in a classroom and learn but they get to learn in a different way through life and their occupation. My mom and dad do not have an education past the third and sixth grade. You might be a little surprised that that is even allowed, but it is, in Mexico it was. However, my mom is so knowledgeable about cooking, overcoming obstacles, and so much more. Yes, she struggles to write her name or respond in English, but she teaches me these lessons without having some form of education. My father knows so much about agriculture (about 30 years), motivation, and he even learned how to speak English without even getting to the 7th grade. My parents represent the importance of not having an education but being educated in another way. Tell me why the lack of education that they had, should be something that someone should belittle them for?
Education is great, and I took advantage of the gift my parents didn’t have, by attending UNR. I will continue to keep learning because I am passionate to keep growing, but my education isn’t any greater than my parents. My dad doesn’t need a Ph.D. to be accepted in society and I don’t need to go to school if it isn’t for me. These are choices we all make, but they don’t represent if we are successful or not. I would much rather be rich in knowledge from life lessons, than have a piece of paper, but I go to school because I am passionate about it. It’s important for me to keep learning, but that doesn’t mean I’m any better than my parents are.
Please comment down below if you are going to school and what you are majoring in, I’d love to hear!
