tips

5 Summer Essentials

Nikki SmithLeave a comment

Summer is finally here and I have some items you need in order to look and feel the best all summer long! Longer days, sunshine, and overall having the best time is what summer is all about! So with that said…

#1 Good Quality Sunscreen

Hot girls wear sunscreen plain and simple. No one wants to be walking around looking like a lobster in pain because they didn’t put sunscreen on. The UV index is high and I know you want to go out there and get all nicely tanned but it’s not worth ruining your skin. Regardless if you’re outside for 30 minutes or if you’re outside for 6 hours put on SUNSCREEN! Not just any sunscreen though because we all hate the sunscreen that leaves us feeling oily or sticky. I linked below some of my favorite sunscreens for both your face and body!

#2 Cute Water Bottle

Like I said before, summer is filled with long hot days so you need to stay hydrated. A cute water bottle will make you want to drink more water and a cute one just adds to the aesthetic! If you want to go the extra mile and feel even more like “that girl” get an ice maker. This can be one of those big fancy machines that make pebble ice or you could get a simpler tray that is equally as cute but a little more work. Having nice ice cold water on these sunny days is a must in my book! In addition to going that extra mile, invest in some good quality stickers to jazz up your water bottle. I say good quality because hopefully you’re washing your water bottle and you don’t want your stickers falling off or fading. This is just a little addition that’s really cute and fun!

#3 Good Quality Tote Bag

I say tote bag but honestly it can be any bag you love as long as it’s lightweight. You don’t want to be lifting a hefty purse to the beach or through the farmers market. I love a tote bag personally because its just so summery and beachy. It fits the vibes of summer fun! Tote bags can also be unique to you there are so many different designs that allow you to show off your personality! If you’re artsy you can even paint on your own design as a fun summer project! All in all a sturdy tote bag can be taken on all your summer activities so you can carry around important items while looking great!

#4 Water Safe Jewelry

It’s time to stop wearing poor quality jewelry pieces. I understand that most people simply don’t wear jewelry in the pool or ocean but I personally love accessorizing with staple pieces. I think jewelry is beautiful in every situation. I am also really lazy so I don’t like taking off my necklace and putting it back on every time I want to go swimming. If you’re like me, invest in 2-3 necklaces and some rings that you love and will wear all the time so that you can look great without having a green neck or fingers. If you don’t want to buy pricey jewelry but still want to accessorize all summer, get some cheaper plastic items. Summer is the perfect time to wear bright beaded necklaces and bracelets. The beaded look is so summery and fun without breaking the bank! 

#5 Quality Hair Care Items

I can not stress this enough, please spend money on quality hair care products! This is one of those items that you’re not going to want to cheap out on. A lot of hair care products are filled with harsh chemicals and random ingredients. Summer is hard on your hair with all the swimming and the heat, your hair can get extremely dry. This is why you should invest in great quality shampoo and conditioner but other products as well. I think a good hair mask and leave-in conditioner are great additions that will help your hair exponentially during these summer days!

That’s all I have for you today, I hope this helped get you all set up for the summer and inspired you to be the best version of yourself. With that being said have an amazing summer! With love..

-Nikki Smith

Summer Reset!

Nikki SmithLeave a comment

Words cannot describe how grateful I am that it’s finally SUMMER! I swear senior year even though it was a blast, it was super stressful and even though I still have quite a bit to do, there is something about that summer sun that melts all my worries away. It’s getting hotter! Schools out! and it’s time to get ready to have an epic summer!

Full Self Care Day

I’m talking hair masks, face masks, painting your nails, shaving, exfoliating. You get my point. But honestly there is no better feeling than after a self care day feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world. You feel brand new and that confidence will be amazing as you go into those summer months.

Free Woman Putting Mask on Her Face Stock Photo

Spring Cleaning

I know this may not be the funnest thing but it will put you on the right path to having a great summer. This is the time when you take out all your summer clothes; put those winter jackets away, refresh your room, wipe down all the surfaces and mirrors. A clean room is so rewarding to come home to after long summer days in the sun. I can’t think of anything better than being fully shaven and exfoliated, being out in the sun all day nice and toasted and then laying down on your freshly clean made bed. Epitome of summer!

Free Black and White Spray Bottle Stock Photo

Early Morning Activities

Summer = 5am sun rises. Now I am definitely not telling you to wake up at 5am but getting up early like 8 in the morning to do something that relaxes you as you sit outside in the 60 degree weather with that cool crisp smell of summer morning. Oooh I get so excited. I personally like to read in the morning but I know a lot of people like to journal or do yoga, maybe go on a walk or anything that you love doing.

Free Black Iphone 7 Beside Macbook Pro Stock Photo

Decorate

By decorate I simply mean liven up your space with some brighter colors and some flowers. In the spring I love setting out my fruity scented candles and hanging up some photos with bright colors. It’s the little things that make you happy. You definitely don’t need to go on a whole shopping spree just because it’s summer but some flowers and a nice table cloth can go a long way.

Free Pink Tulips in Bloom Stock Photo

Make A Summer Bucket List

Having a plan on some of the summer activities that you want to do will help you so much in having a great summer because the thought process will already be there. If you want to take it a step further, plan on what days you can do the activities, who you might invite, things like that so everything runs a bit smoother. Simply having a list to work off of is great though. Last summer I made a large list of little activities I wanted to do and on days I had time I would randomly choose one and do it. I made it maybe half way through my list, even though I didn’t get everything done that I wanted I still managed to have an amazing summer with a bunch of memories.

Okay that’s all I have for you guys today. I hope you enjoyed this summer reset post! I hope you have an amazing summer filled with even better memories! With love ❤

-Nikki Smith

Writing a Valedictorian/Graduation Speech

Nikki SmithLeave a comment

No one talks about how hard it is to write a speech for graduation. If your school is like mine you’re basically told to figure it out. I listened to a lot of graduation speeches from previous years as well as some college graduation speeches to get an idea of how it is supposed to sound. I figured I would share all the tips I found in order to create a speech you are truly proud of.

Try Not to Sound Generic

When listening to all the graduation speeches from the past they make vague references and honestly all sound the same. Blah Blah Blah end of our day blah blah blah. When creating your speech include your personality. If you are witty, make some jokes. There are a lot of different ways to make your speech unique to you. One really good example of this would be a speech I saw where the kid connected the experience of the graduates to a rubik’s cube. He started the speech stating that students are mixed up and confused and then went through each year of high school while solving the rubik’s cube. This was a super fun unique speech and showcased one of the skills he was proud of.

Keep it Short

No offense but no one wants to hear you talk on and on about your high school experience. A lot of people there are supporting another graduate and simply want to celebrate them graduating not hear a speech for 30 minutes. Keeping it short also allows you to keep the attention of the crowd. You don’t want anybody dozing off before the class has even received their diplomas. I would keep your speech within 2-3 minutes.

Be Emotional

You are not a robot so don’t read like one. Even if your speech is only 2-3 minutes if you read in monotone you are going to lose your audience. When I was watching speeches my favorites were always when the speaker would light up with a memory or even cry. Understanding that its okay to be emotional will add extra depth to your speech and make it memorable. You’re graduating, it’s an emotional time for everyone so show that throughout your speech.

Look up

This kind of goes without saying but make sure your eyes are not glued to the paper. A lot of schools may request that you memorize your speech but most allow you to have a paper to read off of. If you do have a paper make sure you are looking up at your audience. Even if you don’t look at the entire audience, find 2-3 people that you can look at so that it seems like you’re looking at the crowd. This can be hard for a lot of people that are not comfortable with public speaking but it’s an important aspect to keep people engaged in what you are saying.

Don’t Over Hype or Under Sell Your School

Even though you are graduating and you won’t be going back to high school it still looks bad to lie. In your speech it’s important to stay true to yourself and bring up fond memories but if you overhype your experience your class will not appreciate that in your speech. Similarly if you undersell your school and start bashing on the staff or other aspects of the school it will only make you look worse. Refrain from being disrespectful and dishonest in your speech as much as possible.

Get Personal

If you don’t normally talk like Albert Einstein don’t do it in the speech. Yes it will be heard by a large audience and you most likely want to make yourself look smart and respectable but at the end of the day people don’t care. I found that when writing my speech I wrote it in the same way I would write an essay or other academic assignment. I used unnecessary vocabulary and other extra embellishments that make the speech look good on paper but not so much when it is read out loud. It’s important to write the speech as if you’re saying it rather than writing it so that you sound the most authentic. You’re a person not an AI so sound like it.

Rehearse and Repeat

If you have to memorize your speech obviously you’re going to be doing this step a lot but for those that are allowed to have a paper don’t rely too heavily on the paper. It’s important to repeat the speech over and over again so that you can look up without losing your spot or messing up. Rehearsing your speech also allows you to figure out how you want to read it, when you need to pause, all those aspects that create tone. All in all this helps you understand all the aspects you need to incorporate so that on graduation day you can kill it.

Okay guys that’s all I have for you today if you would like to see my full speech head over to my Pinterest page. I wish you the best of luck in creating an amazing speech that represents all the accomplishments you and your classmates have made. Congratulations!

-Nikki Smith

7 Items You Need To Start Scrapbooking

Nikki SmithLeave a comment

Scrapbooking is my favorite hobby! It is a fun creative way to cherish your memories forever. Since everything is digital nowadays we don’t see as many printed pictures. This is a way for you to design different pages based on different memories and feelings. For example I have a page dedicated to my Oma (Grandma) and it has a bunch of old bingo cards as the background because she is super into bingo. Little things like that really tie a page together. If you’re looking to get into scrapbooking here are 7 must haves before you dive right in.

1. The Scrapbook

This is a pretty obvious one but there are so so many different types of scrapbooks out there depending on how you want to create your pages. I personally use (https://amzn.to/42x08KZ) but this is a smaller size so I often have to cut a lot of paper and pictures to make it all fit together. If you’re looking for a similar vibe but a normal size I suggest (https://amzn.to/3VCFzdX) I know people also love to use scrapbooks with plastic sleeves so that they can easily change orders or pages as well as keep their pictures safe. Links to those kinds of scrapbooks can be found here (https://amzn.to/3AZNdWe) (https://amzn.to/3NROHcZ) (https://amzn.to/3AZO6y2)

2. Pictures

Again obvious but there is a little bit more than just ordering pictures. Figure out how you want your scrapbook to look before you start ordering all your pictures. Planning your pages starts here! If you have a specific color theme or style then you need to look for pictures that fit into those categories. Once you do that I would say it’s important to know what size you want your pictures to be . For example you may want one large photo and then 2 smaller pictures or you may want 4 medium pictures or even 8 small pictures. Remember to take this into consideration before ordering a bunch of photos. I often have to make collages of my photos because I have a smaller scrapbook that I love to load up with pictures. All I do is use the app PicCollage, select a template, enter my picture how I want them and make sure the size is 4×6. The typical printed picture is 4×6 and runs about 16-25 cents depending on where you get your photos. This way you get a bunch of mini photos without having to pay any additional fees.

3. Stickers

Stickers are the best way to elevate your scrapbook in an easy, cheap way. I absolutely love matching stickers to my scrapbook spreads. If you need to fill a big space STICKER! If you need to fill a small space, STICKER! If you ran out of tape and need to secure a picture, you guessed it, STICKER! Stickers will be your best friend especially when you’re just starting your scrapbook. I linked some of my favorite sticker packs that I personally love. (https://amzn.to/3plOSmj) (https://amzn.to/42ty9Mk) (https://amzn.to/44u9cCa) (https://amzn.to/3B0Y16n)

4. Paper cutter/scissors

I would definitely recommend getting a paper cutter because 1. it is so much faster than scissors and 2. your lines are going to be a lot straighter. This will help you line up your pictures better and create crisp edges. You still want to have scissors though for when you want to cut out more detailed things. Here is a link to the paper cutter I use (https://amzn.to/41d0jtZ)

5. Paper

Having different colors of cardstock will add so much debt to your scrapbook pages. Especially if you are just starting, simply adding a border to your pictures will spice it up. There are a lot of specific designs you could get as well, for example there are floral sets, holiday sets, neon sets, and so much more. I recommend getting a pretty basic ray of colors to start off with and then venture into bigger sets the more you scrapbook. Here are some sets to look at. (https://amzn.to/41e5A4g) (https://amzn.to/3LKttLc) (https://amzn.to/3VIpjZ6) (https://amzn.to/3nEGYUO)

6.Pens/Markers

This is a more basic necessity. You use pens and markers for writing or drawing anything in your scrapbook. If you already have a lot of stationary, that is great! Having a broad range of colors and utensils will bring you a long way. Linked below are some starter items.

Pens- (https://amzn.to/3pjjzsv) (https://amzn.to/42cNQYy) (https://amzn.to/42xDX7v)

Markers- (https://amzn.to/3M0Spzw) (https://amzn.to/3B04eQf) (https://amzn.to/3LKbpAK) (https://amzn.to/3nx4JOH)

7. Memory Items

This is a nice addition but not entirely necessary if you want to start scrapbooking. Memory items include things like ticket stubs, airplane tickets, pamphlets, maps, specific stickers, pressed pennies, that sort of thing. It is nice to have a physical item to represent the memory in addition to your pictures. It’s just a nice touch to have in your scrapbook.

8. Double Sided Tape

I can not stress this enough, do not use glue! Glue is sticky and messy plus waiting for it to dry is just annoying. Instead use double sided tape. Double sided tape is quick and easy, all you have to do is cut it to size and stick it where you want on the paper. There is no mess or waiting, you can immediately go right back to decorating your page. I get my double sided tape from Shien, it comes in a lot of different sizes and it’s only $1. I usually go through it pretty quickly so I stack up in all sizes pretty frequently. I have yet to have a problem with anything falling off or the tape not being sticky. Highly recommend!

That all I have for you today. Hope you enjoyed and were able to get a solid idea of what you need to start scrapbooking! I wish you the best of luck!

-Nikki Smith

Advice To Upcoming Juniors And Seniors In High School

Nikki SmithLeave a comment

As we all know graduation is right around the corner! I am going to be graduating in about a month so I wanted to share some advice I have for next year’s upperclassmen. I go to a really small school in Colorado so my experience may be different from yours but I feel like the advice will reach a multitude of audiences. I feel like all the advice out there for high school students is always from people that go to these huge schools with a bunch of different classes, clubs and sports. I will be graduating with 21 other students this year. When I say small I mean it! However I have created many amazing memories throughout high school in addition to being successful academically. I am both Class President and Valedictorian of the 2023 graduating class and will be going to college with only 2 and a half years left. Though I have a small town background I feel like this advice his helpful to any/ everyone.

Tip #1

Start doing college classes! My school allowed us to be enrolled in a nearby community college (concurrent enrollment) that they paid for! I was able to enroll in 2-3 college classes per semester. All you have to do is pass a small test in order to take these higher level courses. This gave me a great head start towards my college degree. If you don’t plan to go to college it can still be beneficial to take a college course especially if it’s free. Now I wouldn’t say take Calculus 2 if you don’t plan to go to college after high school because I would never want you to do that but it may be helpful to take something like personal finance. However if your school offers college classes definitely take them up on it. Taking your base level classes is the safest bet. Throughout just two years of high school you can go from wanting to be a nurse to wanting to be an accountant and these two careers do not have a lot of overlapping classes. It’s smart to start small with classes that everyone needs like biology and college algebra.

Tip #2

Party it up! I’m just kidding. Just because you are an upperclassman doesn’t mean you can start acting like a crazy party animal. Yes you are both older and more mature than the underclassmen with much more freedom but you are also faced with so much responsibility. I can’t tell you how many people thought that just because they could drive and go where they wanted that they were “living it up”. Hate to remind you but junior year is probably the hardest year of high school; at least it was for me. You are faced with all these new challenges: figuring out what you want to do with your life, college classes, SATs, looking at colleges you might want to go to and so much more. It’s important to set expectations for yourself as well as goals for the upcoming year(s).

Tip #3

Be a leader! You’re an upperclassman now which means you know the works on how to do everything. Don’t be the rude senior all the freshman/sophomores despise. Encourage the people around you, especially the younger ones. I had seniors who “took me in” when I was a freshman and they made me feel included as well as gave me helpful tips. Sharing your know how of the school as well as the people in it can save your favorite freshies a lot of trouble.

Tip #4

START APPLYING FOR SCHOLARSHIPS! A lot of scholarships are only for seniors but so many open up junior year as well. It’s a great way to get ahead and potentially save you a lot of money. Even if you don’t get any of the scholarships you applied for junior year you will still have all of those personal essays and crafted answers that you’ve already worked on so that all you have to do is maybe revise a little and turn them in senior year. When applying for scholarships senior year it’s so hard to stay on top of classwork as well as scholarship deadlines especially when you’re asking for recommendation letters left and right. All in all it can be a lot, so having prewritten essays will save you a lot of time and hassle.

Tip #5

Create a Resume! I can not tell you enough to simply make a resume. There are so many easy fill out templates out there that you can use. Start writing about all the clubs you’re involved in, your community service, leadership positions, everything. I used to think that you need to be looking for a higher up job in order to need a resume but that’s not true! A lot of scholarships ask for resumes and even if they don’t ask for a resume specifically most of their questions can be found on your resume. It’s a document that states all your accomplishments and skills so get on that asap!

Tip #6

Don’t get involved in drama! No one likes being in drama. Not only is drama distracting but it’s also an energy sucker. Note that drama is “She said this about” “I heard he did this with her ” all of that is just high schoolers talking but as soon as words get thrown around and people get angry with one another this is when drama really starts. The best advice I can give to anyone is to mind your own business. If it has absolutely nothing to do with you, do not get involved. This may be really straight forward advice but so many people waste time and energy over drama in high school. There comes a point where you just need to grow up.

Tip #7

Come to terms that growing up means that you are changing not only physically but mentally. You may outgrow old friendships and that’s okay. Do not hold on to the past. Doing what’s best for you will allow you to meet your people and really enjoy high school. Finding a good solid friend group is so beneficial in high school.

Tip #8

Make Memories! Don’t get overly involved in school and other activities that you forget to enjoy the little things. It’s okay to take time and hangout with your friends. If anything it’s crucial that you make time to hangout with your friends. The last two years of high school get really busy so make it a priority to be with the people you care about.

Tip #9

Be Yourself! It’s really easy to lose your personality in high school because you’re being pulled in all these different directions. Don’t ever change who you are to fit someone else’s standards or to make other people happy. Always do what’s going to make you happy! Make sure you are taking care of yourself both mentally and physically as well so you don’t become super drained.

Tip #10

Put yourself out there! This is your time to take new exciting opportunities, if you can. As you grow up you are going to be presented with different adventures so it is always good to keep an open mind. If you’ve always wanted to join a new club, do it! If you take new opportunities you are giving yourself a chance to learn and grow as a person!

I personally went on a trip with my schools travel club to Boston, Philadelphia, New York, and Washington where I got to explore so many different places and famous land marks. I personally grew so much from this trip and was so thankful I was able to go especially with the people that also went. I created even stronger bonds with the people I knew and have memories that will last a life time.

Tip #11

Think Smarter not Harder! I know it’s easier said than done but it’s true. If you are getting too busy and need to choose what assignments you just can’t do make sure it’s the ones worth less points. Most classes have a scale/ grading system so you can see what your assignments are worth. Make sure you are providing quality work on those bigger assignments so that the smaller ones don’t matter as much. In addition, use your resources! No I’m not telling you to cheat but there are so many resources at your fingertips that can help you so much with classwork. My favorite tools are Quizlet, Chegg, and Citation Machine. I can find answers, study and cite all my resources with these three tools.

Tip #12

Be Respectful to Your Teachers! I don’t care if you get called a teacher’s pet because building a relationship with your teacher will make it so much easier for you when you start asking for recommendation letters. Not only will being respectful make you look like a good student but it will also make them WANT to write you a good recommendation letter. Building a relationship allows your teacher to have a good base to write about which is so much better than the generic recommendation letter most people get.

Tip #13

Don’t Stress Yourself Out! It is so easy to get overwhelmed when there is so much going on. Make sure to take time for yourself and maybe even take a step back to see if you need to change anything in your life. The hustle can cripple you so be careful in what all you’re taking on. Be sure that all the things in your life either make you happy or get you a step closer to accomplishing your goals!

Tip #14

Get Over Senioritis! I am graduating this year so I know how hard the senioritis hits but it is essential to keep pushing. Just because you’re about to graduate doesn’t mean it’s time to stop showing up. Push through, keep working hard and you will accomplish great things. It’s okay to let the senioritis get to you every once in a while as long as it doesn’t become a habit.

Tip #15

Be the Best YOU You Can Be! Just like tip #9 being yourself is the best reward. It’s high school, figure out all the things you like and don’t like. Take risks! Grow! Learn! This is the time to find who you are and who you want to be. Wisdom doesn’t come all at once. It is not till you’re getting ready to walk across that stage at the end of the year that you realize all the people and experiences in your life made you who you are. Be grateful for everything, good or bad.

That’s all I have for you guys today! Hopefully you will take my advice and absolutely thrive in high school. I wouldn’t change a thing about my high school experience and I hope someday you can say the same. Wish you the best of luck in each and every one of your endeavors. So much love,

-Nikki Smith

How To Start A Productive Day

Nikki SmithLeave a comment

It’s hard to get productive and stay in that mindset but here are some tips that have helped me get a good start to the day and left me feeling so much better. A productive day is just the start to accomplishing goals and feeling like a BADDIE. In order to have a productive day we need to…

1. Get Up Early

Rise and shine. You can’t have a productive day until you actually start your day. You need to have time in the day to get tasks done. For me personally, I try to get up at around 7-7:30 but I know this is not doable for everyone so find the time that works best for you. When you do get up however simply waking up is not the key. Waking up and watching tik tok for 2-3 hours will not lead to the outcome you’re looking for so… get that body moving. For people that just can’t seem to leave their bed, set your phone across the room at night so that when your alarm goes off you have no choice but to GET UP and turn it off. Another great thing to do right when you wake up is chug a glass of water. I always keep my water bottle next to my bed so that I can immediately drink it when I wake up. This keeps you hydrated as well as helps wake you up. My favorite ways to start a productive morning includes stretching, a quick workout, journaling, and/or reading all of these allow you to focus on one thing which will set you up for success later on. Being productive starts with how you approach the day.

2. Make a To Do List

Next we have to make a To Do List. This is a pretty straight forward concept but if you don’t know what you need to get done and how to organize it in the most optimal way you’re going to end up either frantically trying to do everything or losing motivation very quickly. You can make your to do list on your phone or a piece of paper. I prefer paper because the satisfaction of crossing something off my list just does something for me. I understand that having your list on your phone allows you to take it on the go and edit it more freely than paper does. Start your list by, in your head, figuring our the tasks that are most important to get done. For example if you have and essay due at 11:59 that day, it should probably out rank vacuuming the carpet. Once you have done this order your list by what you want to get done first. Using the same example I would put the essay assignment at the top of my list and then vacuuming the carpet/cleaning, then follow it with maybe running errands; going to the bank, getting groceries, etc. This allows you to simply follow the list top to bottom. Of course there is nothing saying you can’t go out of order, I just find it easier to focus when my day is already planned out for me and all I need to do is look at the next task on my list.

3. Keep Yourself in Check

If you’re reading this it’s probably because you want to be more productive with your time. Obviously right. You’ve already accomplished the first step. Motivation. You are motivated to do better and keeping hustling. However reading this post will only get you so far. I can give you some tips but it is ultimately up to you to implement them and get it done. Grab that To Do list, which is probably pretty lengthy and just start. You’ve already made it this far why not just keep going. Be aware that mindset is everything! Just because you woke up later than you wanted or realize that your To Do list is way longer then you initially realized, should not discourage you from still having a productive day. You are stronger than you think and if you want something it can happen. Set yourself up for success. Once you accomplish all your tasks you set out for, you’re going to feel so much better and hopefully proud because you just did that. Boom! This will allow you to keep going and continue to hustle. However take this with a grain of salt. Not everyday should be productive and intensely filled with things you need to get done. It is equally beneficial to take time off, to do absolutely nothing for the day. It is really easy to get stressed out and feel overwhelmed so make sure you’re taking time to relax and take care of yourself. In order to have productive days there has to be calm unproductive days.

Therein lies the 3 keys to having a successful day. I hope this helped you in some shape or form to get productive and keep hustling. I could spend all day writing about productive days but I think I’d rather let you get to it.

-Nikki Smith