5 Cheap Things To Do With Friends

   

        Hey, guys! I know that while being in college, your life can get a bit routine. My group of friends and I have all fell into a slump the past few weeks. We all sat down one night and thought of a list of cheap things (since were in college we are broke) to do together.

• Go on an adventure
• This doesn't have to be a big event that is super expensive. If you are in college you probably live in the typical college town. You probably know what restaurants are open late and where the closest grocery store is, but other than that what do you know about your town? Go find something new in your town or if you are lucky skip over to the next town and spend the day there. Find out if there is a lake, go hiking, or even check out some museums! 

• Have a picnic
• This may sound lame I know but you can customize your picnic to fit whatever you and your friends are into. For instance, my group went to the closest park (you can even find a cool place on campus) and we went hammocking with our Enos.  Make some food or just grab some food from the dining hall and sit outside, talk, and enjoy the day! 

• Water Balloon Fight
• Don't deny that you secretly really want to do this. Growing up is fun but sometimes you just want to go back to the days when things were simple. Go to the local dollar store and pick up a few packs of water balloons. This is a great way to get school of your mind!

• Play with some animals
• This is for you animal lovers out there! If you are lucky there is a local shelter around town that you can go and visit cute pups or kittens! TIP: sometimes you may have to fib a little and say you are interested in purchasing one 😉

• Have a movie night
• We all have had these before but go big on this one. Go to Redbox, Netflix, wherever you want to get a movie. TIP: if you google "Redbox coupon codes" you can find a code that gets you a free movie! Next go to the dollar store and stock up on candy, popcorn, and soda. Pick someone's apartment/dorm to host the party in and move the furniture and plop down pillows and blankets to make room for everyone. 

New Semester Resolutions

    Hey guys! With the spring semester of school starting up soon I wanted to post my new semester resolutions! I know these are things that I wanted to work on and I hope that it inspires y'all!

• Clean Out Files: I want to start this next semester totally organized so I want to clean out all my folders, binders, etc. This will help you keep things straight throughout the semester so you don't get too overloaded on papers. Tip: get a storage box and those hanging folders to help file away papers that you don't need but want to save to study for finals! 

• Check Out On-Campus Opportunities: Last semester I really focused on school and wanted to do well so I didn't get as involved as I wish I could have. This semester I want to look into volunteer groups and other campus events I can attend.I recommend looking at those flyers that you totally ignored before and also check out your schools social media pages for events going on.
• Find New Routes to Class: Since this semester I am taking new classes I want to explore different ways to walk on campus, my school is pretty so I want to see more. This is just a fun thing I want to work on so I'm not to bored with my commute. 

• Find New Study Spots: Again, I want to shake things up so this semester I will try to find other study nooks on campus and off. Maybe try a new coffee shop or a different spot in the library. 
• Make A Study Schedule: I always wanted to do this last semester but somehow I never got around to it. I am taking a extra class this semester that maybe a little challenging so I definitely need to make this before it's too late. Tip: go on Pintrest and search study schedule there are a ton of templates you can use. 
• Be More Attentive: Now we are all guilty of slacking off from time to time. This semester I want to work on taking more efficient notes and not missing class as much. I also want to work on being more involved in class other then slipping in last minute in the back and hiding behind my laptop. Tip: sit closer to the front (Don't freak you don't have to sit front row) this way you will be more inclined to focus.
• Run More: I actually discovered that I don't mind running, so I want to take advantage of my beautiful campus and sight see while I run. If you don't like running I would recommend going out to walk every once and a while. This clears your head and helps when you are stressing out. Invite a friends and make an afternoon of it. 

THANK YOU GUYS!!!!

     Short post tonight. I just wanted to say thank you so much for y'alls support. I started this blog not thinking it would go anywhere but I have gotten so many messages from y'all saying that you like my posts. That means the absolute world to me! If you haven't checked out my other blog its nataliekronk.blogspot.com this is where I post more serious things that I have been thinking about. Again thank you guys so much I love all my readers. If you have sny requests about posts please email kronk61@gmail.com 


Love you all 💙

Makeup Review!

Hey guys! I have found some really awesome products this past few week and I want to share my thoughts on them! All of them can be found at Ulta, hope you enjoy! 

• E.l.F Tone Adjusting Primer in "Neutralizing Green" : I wanted to find a good face primer that was cheap, previously I was using MAC Prep and Prime skin base. I think the E.L.F primer helps even out redness and it also makes my foundation look really natural. This is a great dupe for Makeup Forever HD face primer. They have other colors (and clear) so you can pick one that fits your skin type, plus its only $6! 

• E.L.F Blush Palette in "Dark" : I have always loved E.L.F's blushes so when I heard they came out with a blush palette I had to get my hands on it. These colors are super pigmented so I recommend using a less dense brush (I use a fan brush) and a really light hand when applying it. I love to mix the two bottom colors, the one on the left is slightly shimmery but it isn't too intense on the skin. This palette also comes with a huge mirror which is always great. Overall great palette. 

• NYX Lip Liner in "Nude Rose" : I usually don't like these retractable type liners because I find that they dry out quite quickly but this one is so creamy! It goes on very smoothly and the color stays on pretty much all day. I like to layer this over "spice" lip liner by MAC. If you like to line your lips then fill them in I would definitely recommend using this lip liner!  

• NYX Eyebrow Push Up Bra : In my trip to Ulta I really wanted to find a holy grail eyebrow product so I thought I would pick this up to try it. I was quite skeptical because the dark end meant to fill in your brows was "one color fits all", but I was surprised but how well it blends. I am in love with the light pink end, it is very creamy and blends well. Since I have tan skin I was worried that this product would make my look ashy when it was blended out but it didn't, it looked like a very natural highlight. Don't expect a very defined color when you use the dark side, its very subtle but good for a quick everyday use. 

• NYX Auto Eyebrow Pencil : Compared to the push up bra product, this gives a much more defined color to your brows, I found that I use them together most days to get the perfect look. I love the attached eyebrow brush, I find that I am always loosing mine so its nice that it comes with one. Again this is a retractable pencil so I think its a little dry and take a few swipes for the color to really come out.  I don't think I will repurchase this product.
  
   
• E.L.F Eyebrow Kit : So I thought that I would try out this product because I always hear raves about it. Unfortunately when I went to Ulta all they had was the  "light" shade left but the cream in the kit was fairly dark so I got it anyways. I really love the cream in this kit it goes on smoothly and looks natural. I like to use the color "Buck" in the Urban Decay Naked Palette to fill in my brows so I don't mind that I got the light shade. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to fill in their natural shape and just have it look natural. 

• E.L.F Lip Plumper and Primer : I got this product because of the primer, I wanted something that would make all my new lip products pop. I understand that the purpose of a lip primer is to be a light color and then you put your lip color over top of it but this color is very light and hard to blend. It is also very drying and your lips must be extremely smooth for it too look right. As for the plumper I really like it, it has a cinnamon smell to it and tingles quite a bit on your lips. The only complaint about the plumper is that after you wear it you need to hydrate your lips, mine are very chapped after wearing it only one day. 

• NYX Eyeshadow base in "Skin Tone" : This was a repurchase for me but I did get the skin tone color instead of the white. I loved the white I thought it really made all the shadows I put on it pop but it was a little difficult to blend when I was in a rush. I love this formula, the color my shadows stays all day and it very creamy. I would the the packaging to be in a bottle or have a applicator because if you have longer nails it difficult to get the product out. TIP: get a smaller concealer type brush and apply it like that. 

• Maybelline Color Blur in "Plum Please" : I purchased this product mostly because I thought it was an ordinary lip color and I loved the color. I thought the white tip was a lip balm, but when I got home and opened the packaging I saw that it was a smudger. I believe the purpose of this is to create the ombre lip that is popular right now, I tried to apply it how it instructed but the result wasn't that great. So I will just wear this as a lip color, its very creamy and pigmented.  

• Rimmel London Lasting Finish 1000 kisses lip liner in "Wine" : When I saw the color of this liner I knew it would look amazing. I prefer this type of liner because its super creamy and you can get a nice point by sharpening it. I like to line my lips then fill them in, I would recommend putting on some lip balm and letting it set for little bit before applying this product for an even color. This also really does stay on forever, I went to a Christmas party where I ate and drank then when I was home and taking off my makeup I still had to rub it off. 
  
  
  
• NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in "Copenhagen" : This was one of those products that I wasn't sure of but I made it work. Two tips for applying this product, first use a lip brush to apply it instead of the large applicator it comes with and second to apply in thin coats to build intensity. This way the color is even and it drys completely matte. Once I do that I love this lip color I have been wearing it a ton this winter, I recommend the color "Transylvania" too if you are daring. 

November Favorites

     Hey guys! I know this is super late but better late than never right? 

• AMERICAN HORROR STORY! 
• I said that I would never watch this show but everyone kept talking about it so I gave in. It was definitely not what I expected, I just finished Murder House and I am obsessed. The only season I don't think I'll be able to watch is "Freak Show" just cause those type of things totally freak me out. 

Tate A.K.A Evan Peters (the best part of the show) 

• ELF's Mad for Matte Palette
• Since fall/winter is my favorite season for makeup I decided to play around with my new palette. I only have good things to say about this palette, it was only $10 dollars and the eye shadows are amazing. I love that it is all neutral colors but they aren't all browns-also that each color is so different. 

http://www.elfcosmetics.com/p/mad-for-matte-eyeshadow-palette

• Nyx matte lip cream in Copenhagen
• My favorite part of fall/winter makeup is being able to experiment and rock dark lip colors. Also matte lips are the new rage and I thought this product could be my holy grail product. I have to be honest at first I actually did not like this product. I didn't allow time for it to set and thought that it wasn't truly matte. I have two tips for this product: 1. allow a few minutes to fully dry 2. use a lip brush and apply in thin layers and allow time to dry in between each layer to build intensity. 

• Scream Queens
• I had very little expectations for this show because Emma Roberts isn't my favorite actress but I was very pleasantly surprised. I think this show is hilarious and Jamie Lee Curtis (the original scream queen) is a genius in it. The humor is similar to the 'scary movie' series. If you are looking for a binge worthy new TV show, definitely give this a shot. 

• Neutrogena Face Scrub
• I have battled with acne and scaring ever since junior high, I have virtually tried every face cleanser ever made. This is by far the best, be warned if you have sensitive skin or skin that cannot take a face scrub as a daily thing this is NOT for you. I have very rough skin and it can take a daily scrub- now I only use this in the morning and at night I just use a mild cleanser. This has helped my skin to be brighter and to fight my acne.

• Bed head Rockaholic Dry Shampoo
• I have pin straight thick coarse hair that I usually have to wash everyday to keep it presentable. I find that after a day of wear my hair gets oily and gross, this product has saved me from having to wash it daily (which is very bad for your hair). This has a great smell and blends very well into dark hair. 

• Paramore
• Lately all I have been listening to is Paramore's Riot album. I was obsessed with them while growing up, and this month I rediscovered them and added them to my spotify playlists. I would say my favorite songs are- Misery Business, Crushcrushcrush, Born for this, and Fences. Check them out! 

Finals. Finals. Finals.

     Hey everyone! This has been a very highly requested post the last few weeks... so of course since I try to do all the posts that y'all request here it is. Finals week Survival Guide! Let's beat the hell out of those finals!

• Snacks! 
• In my personal opinion these are the most essential to surviving finals week. In my experience I tend to forget to eat or not be hungry when I am stressed out. I know that some people are the exact opposite and overeat so my tip is to keep the snacks small and somewhat healthy. 

Apples and Almond Butter (my fave is from Trader Joe's!) 

Any fruit!

Popcorn is a great substitute for chips, just keep the butter and salt to a minimum

• Caffeine. 
• Another essential. This varies for people but my personal choice is of course coffee (hello, look at my blogs name). I know coffee isn't for everyone so you can of course choose to drink sodas but be careful cause over drinking these can cause jumpiness or headaches. No matter your choice remember to drink water! I would say for every two caffeinated beverages drink at least one bottle of water. You need to stay hydrated if you want to stay up and study and be able to focus. 

• Get a study spot. 
• Choose a place that gets you away from distractions. Try to stay out of your apartment/dorm, staying home makes it easy to stop doing work and laying down on that super comfy bed. Go for libraries, coffee shops, student centers. While at these type of places you are more likely to get work done. I usually go for libraries because they are quiet, but I occasionally branch out to a Starbucks (I'm at one right now!) 

• Make a Check List.
• I like to make a check list for each study session. For example if I am going to Starbucks for a study session I make a prioritized list for that trip. This helps me not feel overwhelmed and keeps me on track. I also add a 'Don't Forget' section so I don't get there without my notebook or my laptop charger. 

• Music
• Listening to music while studying works for some people and others it is just another distraction. If for you silence is better than totally keep doing that. For me when I am pulling an all nighter or if I just need a pick me up blasting some Halsey, or Twenty-One Pilots definitely helps me stay up. Follow me on Spotify to keep up with my playlists! 
• Use your resources
• When studying be sure to use all the resources that your professor/school provides for you. This means cracking open that $300 textbook that you haven't used all semester. Attend your review lectures for the exams and be sure to keep all your previous tests and quizzes (if your finals are cumulative). I like to use a combination of the textbook, my notes and the online slides my professors post to make a personalized study guide for each test. 

Ways To Get Into The Fall Spirit

     Happy November Y'all!! I am so excited to finally welcome the fall weather. Here are some fun ways to really embrace the fall season, Hope you enjoy!

• Pumpkin patch: These are always so much to go to whether you go with a group of friends or if you go with your family! I always loved going to these when I was growing up and picking out the perfect pumpkin that I could later decorate. Depending on the place you get them and the size of the pumpkin you choose this can be a cheap fun activity to help you welcome fall!

• Baking: Now this is a personal favorite of mine. When it comes to fall I always love the weather changing and getting to wear cozy clothes but my definite favorite thing that really gets me excited about fall is baking new treats. This is when I like to get creative and discover new yummy fall inspired snacks.

• Fall movies: I love going out and doing things outside but sometimes I love staying in with my friends and family and enjoying movie nights. Of course I check out the classic fall movies, but sometimes I like to have super scary movie nights with my friends. TIP: whip up some fall party snacks and have a group of friends over and enjoy a cozy night in.

• Bonfire: So I do live in the south, and I have been told by some people that live in other regions of America that they have never been to a bonfire. They are always so much fun, it’s a great way to get out and enjoy the cool weather. Only thing to remember is to please do this in a safe place and be smart about it. If you are too young please have someone older help you because they can get out of hand if you have never done it before! TIP: bring some marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate and whip up some s’mores!

• Corn Maze: If you have never been to a corn maze I recommend you looking up one close to you and checking it out sometime. They are always super fun! I have been to all different kinds of them from haunted corn mazes to fun family oriented corn mazes!

• Picnic: Also a great way to get outside and enjoy the weather! Especially with the leaves changing and the gorgeous sunsets picnics are a great way to spend time with your friends and even your boyfriend/girlfriend. I always loved having picnic dates between classes or whenever I find time with friends. All you need is a big blanket that you can keep in your car and maybe some snacks!  

{all pictures from http://autumncozy.tumblr.com/}