Tag: learning

School Catch-up

by Ariana Peters, posted in school/studying, travel

How is school going this quarter…..ehh. My class ends in 4 days, I currently have an A so I am doing something right but by no means did I perform to the best of my ability. I did great at the beginning of the quarter, I set time aside to study and did my vocab, read the book chapters and worked through the workbook and looked at the online lessons. As the quarter progressed I started just doing the vocab, which did enough that I have an A in the class but currently there is a significant chance it will drop to a B after the final which is 40% of my grade.

Monday evening and all of Tuesday will be reviewing and cramming so I don’t bomb the final which is comprehensive.

I think several things contributed to me slacking off at the end here:

  1. Taking the class online makes it easy to slack, I don’t need to answer a teachers questions or contribute to any in class discussions.
  2. At work I was either studying or had it up in the background while I was taking a break from the vocab and reading a book online, which meant that for almost 40 hours a week I was doing superficial easy studying of medical terminology (which seems like it would be great but I am at work so I can’t really focus which means this wasn’t very deep studying) and because I was ‘studying’ it so much I had no desire to even look at or think about medical terminology outside of work. I did a little studying on my phone here and there but that quickly ceased.
  3. I watch WAY too much TV outside of work, this has always been a problem for me, I become so unproductive when I turn the TV on, and once I turn it on, it tends to stay turned on. As my work load becomes more intense this will HAVE to change.
  4. All lumped into one: time management, space, organization
    1. I need to create a study space, someplace I go or set up that says it’s study time. I used to have a whole setup when I first went to school. I still have everything I need but haven’t created the space. Or of course I would camp out on campus in the library between classes or between class and work and I haven’t gotten back to giving myself that option yet.
  5. Headspace-I don’t think I have completely readjusted to being a student, I am still seeing work as the largest commitment in my life and I need to shift that thinking and focus to school.

 

I will not be taking any classes during the fall semester/quarter due to the cruise. I am going to go enjoy the cruise and enjoy this as my last big adventure for a little while because live is going to severely change. When I get back I need to get all my vaccines up to date, and take the American Red Cross’ Basic live saving CPR class then apply for a CNA class. My boyfriend and I are also working on moving in together. I will start the CNA class in January (baring any problems) which is a 7 credit class and will take a lot of time. After that it is the nursing program which will take more time. So I have 4.5 miles to get my sh*t completely together. I will keep you posted!

 

2 weeks to Europe!!

by Ariana Peters, posted in healthy lifestyle, travel

 

Only 2 weeks to go!!! Are you ready?

Have you stocked up on necessary food to accommodate your diet or taken that into account when planning meals?

Have you started looking for your toiletries in travel size and getting things together?

Has your itinerary been honed down to a point that you feel comfortable with?

Do you have a plan in case of an emergency? Do your loved ones know how you will attempt to contact them in an emergency?

How will you document your trip? Cell phone camera, digital camera, film? Do you have everything you need for that?

Have you thought about electrical outlet adaptors? Chargers?
My currency arrived yesterday!!!

This is what 40 American dollars gets you in Croatian Kuna….i’m excited to see how far this gets me hahahaha

Monday Motivation**August 28, 2017

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, school/studying, training

 

(Image from Google)

Hello!!!!!

Things are good over here. Did good on workouts this past week. Was about 2 miles under the goal I set but that is ok, those goals are if I have the perfect week (which never really happens hahaha) but I think I am on point to hit my month mile goal. I am a little less than 5 miles from my goal and the last day of the month is Thursday……I got this. Hahahaha!

I am not losing weight as fast as I was when I was doing mostly juice….obviously but I am still toning up and the weight is slowly coming off with the running. I am letting myself splurge and indulge here and there but I am making sure that my running is matching it. I am loving watching my mileage climb. I am also loving the short quick runs where I push it to try and increase my speed. It is a chore sometimes to get myself out the door but I never regret it hahahaha.

What are your workout goals this week?

Did you set one for the month of August? Will you hit it?

Start thinking about goals for September!!!!

Book Review**Escape by Carolyn Jessop

by Ariana Peters, posted in books, healthy lifestyle

Image result for escape by carolyn jessop(Image from Google)

Holy wow I thought this was an amazing book. I knew a little about FLDS and of course we’ve all heard of things like Waco and Warren Jeffs butt to hear a first hand account is so intense.

I have also wondered how people let themselves get into situations like this so it was good to read one and realize that most are born into it and that the adults who did choose it, usually chose something very different in the beginning then it ended up slowly becoming something different.

It is devastating to learn how trapped these people are and how few if any lifelines there are for them to escape and yes escape is a true description, you cannot just walk away.

Overall just an amazing read, I highly encourage this read no matter what you believe in, it is very interesting.

*Just because I said I didn’t know much about FLDS does not mean I think all FLDS people or communities are like this. If CONSENTING ADULTS want to be polygamists more power to them. I just found this to be interesting and informative about one person’s journey.

 

 

3 weeks to Europe!

by Ariana Peters, posted in healthy lifestyle, travel

Here is what needs to be done by 3 weeks out from a big trip:

Set up your bill pay so you don’t miss any bills while away. If you will be in a different time zone you might miss a deadline and really you don’t want to be thinking about your bills while you are on vacation.

Go online or head to the post office and put a hold on your mail for the time you will be away. You don’t want to come home to an overflowing mailbox and wonder if anything was stolen or blew away in the wind. On this same note as a friend or neighbor to stop by a week and make sure nothing has been delivered by mistake and pick up any packages.

If you need foreign currency and have not yet ordered it get to your bank ASAP.

Plan for any kind of motion, sea, plan, train sickness and anything else. I just placed my order for non-drowsy Dramamine and pressure point bracelets, sickness is not going to ruin my vacation! I will also be getting a small bottle of Advil and maybe something for anti-nausea. If you have any prescriptions make sure you will have enough, if not head to the pharmacy and tell them you need an extra month because you are heading out of town.

Think about your diet, are you gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, lactose intolerant, in training? Will the food you need be readily and inexpensively available to you? If not think about bring some food bars just in case.

Is your itinerary all set and planned? If not get to planning, you are running out of time.

Do you have any pets? If so how are they being cared for while you are gone? Do you have enough food stocked up?

Do you have a plan of how you are going to contact love ones to let them know you are safe periodically? Does someone have your travel itinerary in the event of an emergency?

Easy blackberry jam

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle

I got this recipe off pinterest.

Using some more blackberries! This was actually perfect timing because I used the last of my jam last week.

ingredients:

2 cups mashed blackberries

.75 cups sugar

juice of 1/2 a lemon

combine fruit and sugar in container or plastic bag and let the sugar break down the fruit in the fridge for 2-24 hours (mine actually sat for about 36 hours)

When ready to make the jam pour the sugared fruit into a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Let it boil and bubble until it reduces to a syrup-y substance. Stir periodically so it doesn’t burn.

When it reaches 220degrees fahrenheit remove it from the heat. (or when it has reduced down to a jam like consistency)

Add lemon juice and zest and stir.

This jam will keep in the fridge in a sealed jar for a few weeks.

 

SOOOOOO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and so easy!!! this will definitely be a thing for me from now on.

Monday Motivation**August 21, 2017

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, school/studying, training

 

(Image from Google)

Happy Monday!!!! (well it is my Wednesday for my work week and like my Friday for school since all my school work for the week is due today hahahaha) My weeks are very discombobulated.

I actually did pretty good on running last week!!! I got in 5 runs, 4 short and 1 long. I am so proud of myself for getting out there and doing it!

I think I may have mentioned once or twice that I am by no means a fast runner (hahaha) here are my fastest miles this week.

8/15- 14:17

8/18- 14:29

8/19- 13:55

I am pretty happy about that 13:55. I want to keep getting my mile time down as well as start adding in a second mile after that fast one. I think this is a good way for me to slowly improve my speed.

I have come to the realization that I am just going to lose sleep on Friday and Saturday nights. I think I have talked about my work schedule being split into 2 different times, Saturday and Sunday I work days then Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I work swing and Thursday and Friday I stay up a little late because the bf and I are usually out doing something or watching a movie so 5 out of 7 nights I get to sleep between 11-12:30 then 2 nights a week I am supposed to go to sleep at 9:30? It just isn’t happening. For a few weeks I would try to be in bed Friday night by 9:30-10pm then I would toss and turn and not be able to fall asleep and stress out about then I would toss and turn all night and sleep horribly. Now I turn out the lights around 11pm and fall right to sleep, it is less sleep than I would like but overall it is getting me more sleep and stressing me out less. I think I have finally found a good rhythm.

Long run of the week

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, training

My long run this week was 5 miles, it’s also my longest run to day since my half marathon 2 weeks ago. I went ok, the bf and I were both pretty tired and sluggish feeling which could be due to several things. It could have been the 10 hours we slept, the sitting on the couch and binge watching the Netflix original series Strange Things or it could have been the McDonald’s and Taco Bell we ate, or it could have been all 3 put together.

Either way we stumbled through our run and made it. We went to a park a few exits away to run in the shade and got 4 of our 5 miles done. The park closed at “Dusk PM” …….what does that even mean? It is sunset, is it when you can’t see your shadow anymore, what? While we should have had time to finish that last mile I didn’t want to risk us having to sprint back to my car or have the gate lock us out and have to get my car the next day so we left at 7:40pmish. Drove home then I dropped the bf off at home, he needed to get rid of the taco bell, and I ran to the grocery store to pick up a few things. Yes I literally ran to the store, then walk/ran back. Carrying a semi-heavy bag while running is a killer bicep workout.




After I got back we had ice cream, watched an old game of thrones episode (I am slowly catching up) then passed out.

Some other news, Thursday is now slow cooker day in my house

By the time dinner rolls around on Thursday i don’t want to cook. I’ve usualy been doing laundry and dishes and the bf and i either go for a run or out to a movie or whatever and i am too tired to cook so slow cooker day it is. 

And i got a little extra so i could freeze the rest

All i have to do is take it out of the freezer, throw in the fridge overnight and dump it in the crockpot the next morning. 

4 weeks to Europe!!!

by Ariana Peters, posted in travel

4 weeks to international travel, here is what you should have done:

-Notify all banks and credit cards when and where you will be traveling. The last thing you want is to be overseas and have your account frozen due to unknown charges.

-Order any last minutes things online. Even if you have amazon prime you never know if that one thing you want isn’t on prime or something gets lost in the mail.

-Pre-packing/travel checklist. Time to make a list and check it twice, how many outfits do you need? Toiletries? Documents? Vaccines (this should have been done earlier)? Also if you need any Visa’s for your travel make sure you have received them and they are in order?

-Triple check any and all deposits or last minute due bills are paid and ready to go. Don’t want to show up and find out you didn’t pay for that excursion.

-Research and buy anything upfront that you can. (this week I am buying my skip the line pass for Vatican City) The last thing you want is to waste your time standing in a 5 hour line.

-Check for deals. Groupon is international! Like I am buying above check and see if there are any skip the line deals or fast pass kind of things. Usually these do not cost much extra and are soooo worth it. Also verify the language of your tours, don’t want to get stuck listening to Spanish or German if you don’t know the language.

Book Review**The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story

by Ariana Peters, posted in books, healthy lifestyle

Image result for the girl with the seven names (image from Google)

Oh man, just like the last book, Lilac Girls, this was sometimes very intense but so good. I only knew the vaguest things about North Korea and now I feel like I know so much more. I always wondered how dictators got away with things and now I know a little better. They keep their people ignorant.

The struggles that she and her family went through are amazing. The strength and courage all the defectors show is amazing. I found this to be a thoroughly interesting story.