6 Tips to Combat Stress

Fall is in the air, leaves are covering the ground, and pumpkin spice lattes are fill all the Starbucks with their aromas. It’s hard not to love fall, unless you’re a college student reaching the end of your semester. Then your fall is made up of term papers, tests, and endless all-nighters, and stress may be at an all-time high. You can’t let that stress consume you though, and that's why this post is focused on 6 ways to end your stress. 

3 Things Fun Things to do in Kentucky this Weekend

This post is dedicated to anyone living in Kentucky, around Kentucky, or those who plan on visiting Kentucky soon. For those of you who reading this that do not fall in any of these categories, you really need to fix that because you’re missing out on one of the most awesome states in the US. If after reading this you don’t think so, then the rest of us will have fun without you.

Go Spelunking: For those of you who were not raised in an area with a lot of caves, the word spelunking means to go exploring a cave or series of caves, and Kentucky is home to the best places to spelunk in the world. With the longest cave system in the world running across the state, there is a cave experience for everyone. You can enjoy zip lining through the stalagmites and stalactites at the Louisville Mega Caverns, boat across Lost River Cave in Bowling Green, or hike across the massive caves at Mammoth Cave National Park. They are also great places to take a break from the summer heat and make for some envy inducing selfies.

Visit a Distillery: Whether you’re a bourbon enthusiast, a history fan, or just like seeing how things are made, a bourbon distillery is a great place to visit. When you visit a place like Buffalo Trace or Four Roses, or anywhere on the bourbon trail, you get to see how tradition, art, and science blend together to make this unique Kentucky spirit, while also getting to sample some of the small batches of bourbon that you can’t get outside of the distillery. If you’re lucky, during the tour, you may get to meet the master distiller, who will not tell you different stories about the bourbons, but may also give you great advice on what to pair different bourbons with.

Catch a Horse Race…or Four: No post about Kentucky would be complete without mentioning some form of horseracing, and I’m pretty sure half the state would scold me if I didn’t mention this, and for good reason. If you’re looking for an excuse to go out, dress spectacularly, have a Mint Julep or a Lilly and win some money, then look no further the horse tracks across Kentucky. Each of the 6 tracks across the state are set up beautifully, but my personal favorites are Churchill Downs and Keeneland because those tracks have the best views of the horses and still have the traditional track set ups. You can also tour the grounds of some of the older tracks during the off season and hear some fascinating stories about Kentucky’s horseracing history.

Are there any Kentucky experiences that you think no one should miss out on? Let us know in the comments and I may include in one of my posts.

4 Books You Need to Read Before Summer Ends

Are you stuck in a reading rut? Are you trying to find a book that keeps you entertained, yet is also very thought provoking? As someone who loves to read and gets easily bored during the summer, I know the challenges of finding a good book to read during the sunny summer days. This is why I have dedicated this post to 4 books that will keep you reading well after the summer sun sets.

 

       

How to Be a Heroine: Or, What I've Learned from Reading too Much by: Samantha Ellis: If you explored the lands of Terra Haute with Scarlett or pushed through life’s hardships with Anne, then you will love this piece by Samantha Ellis. In each chapter she reexamines the classic heroines in her life that helped shape her adolescence and view of feminism. She gives a refreshing perspective on each character and even admits that some of the characters she idolized as a teenager were not the pictures of perfection she once thought. This book is great for anyone who wants an entertaining perspective on the classics and how they relate to the modern day!

Pride and Prejudice: By Jane Austen: I know! I know! Any Janeites reading this may be thinking, I’ve already read this, why on earth are you suggesting something I’ve read a million times? I completely get it, but this book is on the list for anyone who felt that it was over-hyped when they were younger (*cough*me*cough*) and tried reading it. For those of you who fall in that category, trust me, I get that feeling, but the book I mentioned above convinced me to give this novel a second chance. If you read it after reading the first book on the list, in which a Janeite openly criticizes certain parts of the story, then you will probably actually enjoy reading Jane Austen, I promise.

Adulting: How to Become a Grown-up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps: By: Kelly Williams Brown: If you’re the kind of reader that wants to learn how to do something while you read, then this book is for you. This book is a life saver! The author openly admits that being an adult is hard, but that you will survive it. Each section is dedicated to teaching a practical skill that you wished you were taught in school without sounding condescending. The author even includes some funny horror stories of how she picked up these skills, because as she mentions several times throughout the book that nobody is perfect.

A Man Called Intrepid: The Incredible True Story of the Master Spy Who Helped Win World War II: By: William Stevenson: If you’re a big fan of James Bond, thrillers, and spy novels, then you’ll love this book. It focuses on the formation of the different intelligence agencies formed by the Allies during World War II and everything that went into winning the war. It covers everything from the events leading up to World War II, to the cracking of Enigma, and much, much more. This book gives you a unique view of World War II that you never got in the classroom!

Are there any books you think are must reads? Feel free to leave any suggestions in the comments and I may put add them in!

4 Things to do to End Your Summer Boredom

For those of us who are in college or have their peak seasons during the rest of the year summer boredom can drive us mad. Our brains and bodies have grown so used to the stress and creativity required for our busy times that during the summer we feel weird not doing something that feels productive. That is why I am dedicating this post to my top four things to prevent summer boredom.

1.  Learn Another Skill: Whether it be learning to cook Spanish cuisine through the Food Network or tackling a free online coding class, learning a new skill can be very rewarding. You’ll become even more talented than you already are and end up creating possible gifts or meals along the way.
   
2. Learn Another Language: I know, I know, learning another language  is technically learning another skill, but this is more than just learning a new skill, it’s giving you an excuse to finally learn Italian, so when you ask for directions in the Tuscany countryside you don’t end up in Rome. 
   
3. Get Crafty: Maybe you've always wanted to learn to knit or how to make your own jewelry, and the free time that you have during the summer is a great excuse to start these projects. You can go to classes around the city or use craft videos to help you learn where to start.
   
4. Read Your Heart Out: So maybe you were too busy during the rest of the year to read that best seller that grabbed your eye, the extra daylight hours give you the chance to get a jump start on your reading list. Summer also gives you the chance to read all of those classics you said you read in high school, so you will no longer have to fake your way through discussions about Jane Austen.

Which of these things will you do this summer? Is there something that you think should be added to this list? Post any comments or questions you'd like to share in the comments section or on Facebook.

How to Negotiate Your Salary

Hey everyone, welcome to part two of 10 Things I Wish They Taught Me in College, How to Negotiate Your Salary. For many people, the past few weekends have been focusing on college graduation and with the finale of your college career came that feeling of panic of finding a job. While finding a job you love is your main focus, you would also like to avoid living out of a cardboard box, eating ramen, because you are unable to pay back student loans. Never fear, I have researched far and wide to help you negotiate a good salary for the job of your dreams!!

Research, Research, Research: Like many other things in life, negotiating your salary requires some prep work. Use websites like Glassdoor to look up the average income of people with the job title you are trying to achieve in your section of the country. Then look up the company itself on Glassdoor and find more about the amount people with titles similar to your potential job make. This will give a good idea on what kind of salary amount you can feasibly negotiate with for this specific position.

State Your Number Clearly: What do I mean when I say state your number clearly? I mean that you must tell the employer the amount you would like to make with a distinct number, instead of saying a general ball park. You should state this number in an assertive tone and make eye contact when you state your amount.

Counter Offer the Counter Offer: Remember, if the prospective employer gives you an opportunity to negotiate, then this means they want you, and are usually willing to negotiate further to get you. If the employer is adamant about being unable to pay you your goal salary, then negotiate for job perks, like extra vacation time, or a larger annual bonus. Just please keep your negotiations realistic.

Be Polite: This one should go without saying, but please be polite to the person you are negotiating with. The negotiator is a human being who is most likely not out to get you, so don’t be evil to them. Remember that you may be working with this person in the future.

I hope that these tips help those of you out there currently on a job hunt. Do any of you have any negotiating tips that you found helpful? If so, please feel free to leave them in the comments.

How to Choose the Healthcare That Is Best For You

Hello again everyone, and welcome to the start of my first miniseries: 10 Things I Wish They Taught Me in College, or TWTTC. Since most recent college graduates join the workforce in the summer months, I have decided to focus my first post on one of the most important decisions you must make when starting a new job, choosing the best health insurance for you. If you are anything like me, then you have probably never been taught what the differences between PPO coverage and HMO coverage, even though this is something that we will all need to know at some point in our lives. This is why I have decided to do the research for you guys.

According to the Humana and Medical Mutual websites there are a few key differences between a PPO policy and an HMO policy. Here are the main things that vary between PPO and HMO plans:

PPO:

·      PPOs do not require you to have a PCP (primary care physician) referral to cover the cost of seeing an specialist

·      You are still provided some form of coverage when you go to a medical facility outside of your network area, although you will pay a little more than if you go to a facility within a coverage area

·      If you go to an out of network healthcare provider, you may have to file a claim to get reimbursed for your expenses

·      Monthly Premiums tend to be higher than those of HMO plans and there is usually a sizeable deductible

HMO

·      PCP (primary care physician) referrals are required to receive coverage for a trip to a specialist

·      There is no out of network coverage for healthcare

·      Lower monthly premiums and deductibles than PPO plans

So which plan should you go with? Well, most of this will depend on the area you live in and which insurance company is your provider. If you live in a rural area or an area where you are considered out of network for most healthcare facilities, then I would recommend choosing a PPO plan because it provides you with more flexibility. If you live in a city or an area where the vast majority of healthcare facilities fall under your network, then I would recommend choosing an HMO plan.

I hope you guys have found this information helpful. Do you have any recommendations for choosing a healthcare plan? If so, please leave your advice in the comments.

10 Things I Wish They Taught Me In College

          Hello everyone, I’m very sorry that this post is so short, but I felt it was important to announce my new miniseries, the 10 Things I Wish They Taught Me in College. This series of posts will focus on all of the things that you need to know how to do in life, but were never taught in school. I will be discussing how to do your taxes, how to find a great apartment, and many other things. New posts will appear every week for the next ten weeks. Check it out!