What is a social worker? Cracking your assumptions.

Hello beautiful people! So if you have already read my "about me", you would know that I'm a social worker and graduated the University of South Florida last spring with my Masters degree. I'm currently working on getting my LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) and just sent in my application yesterday to become an intern! So that is very, very exciting.
I thought about making this post because being a social worker is obviously very important to me and maybe some readers out there are wondering about what it means to be one or if it's something they would want to do. So here ya go!

(Also, my shirt seen above with "I'm a social worker, what's your superpower?" is from a shop on Etsy. They have one for a nurse as well, or any other that you would like, I'm pretty sure the owner of the shop can customize it for you if you ask. Click here to go to the shop!)

Cracking assumptions

I've heard a lot of assumptions when people talk about social workers. The most popular being; "Oh, so you take away people's kids, right?" or "You'll never make any money", or "Wow... that's hard. It takes a special person to do that". If you think some of these assumptions sound a bit annoying to hear, you're right, lol. Let me try to break some of these assumptions for you. 

"You take away people's kids, right?"

• There are SO many different jobs and titles a social worker can have besides being a Child Protective Investigator. That was never the route I wanted to go while going into this because my mom was actually a CPI and her job exhausted her, trust me, I heard so many stories. There are so many different areas of work you can switch to, which also don't require any extra type of licensing. They may prefer you have experience with a specific population of people, but really it doesn't matter. You can be a forensic social worker, offering behavioral and psychological services to the criminal justice system while working in a court room or advocate for a woman who is in a abusive relationship, a Nicu social worker, empowering families during times of crisis that they didn't expect, you can work at the VA, giving resources to homeless veterans, a psychiatric social worker, working with teenagers with eating disorders or adults who have schizophrenia, you can work in a hospital as a discharge planner collecting resources to help others, a school social worker, helping kids resolve social, behavioral, and emotional problems at school and at home, a hospice social worker, addressing the needs of people with late-stage illnesses, you can work at a kids camp as a social worker, with kids who have behavioral problems, who act out or are autistic... there are seriously so many ways you can work as a social worker, which is one of the main reasons why I choose this job. It is so broad!

"You'll never make any money"

• Let's get into the juicyness of this next assumption. While yes, being a social worker isn't the highest paying job.. you'll never be totally rich, but you can definitely make good money. I personally think becoming an LCSW is the best decision you can make as a social worker. Higher pay and more opportunities. If you're curious, just google some jobs on indeed.com. If you're thinking of becoming a social worker but want to stop your education after you get your Bachelors... unfortunately, the pay is so much less than what you deserve. There are probably many jobs without needing a Bachelors, that you could get that pay more. But if it's what you love to do, who's business is it?  But let's face it, if you're in the "helping profession" we all still care about the money even if our main goal is helping others. I definitely recommend getting your Masters if you're thinking about going into social work.  Also, probably the best place you can work (money wise0 as a social worker is in the healthcare field; being in a clinical setting.

How to get licensed as an LCSW? (Licensed Clinical Social Worker)

• If you decide to go down the path of becoming an LCSW, you register as an intern first and it takes two years to get all of your supervised hours, once finding another LCSW who is licensed to supervise you. Keep in mind, this info is in the state of Florida (where I live) so it may be different depending on where you live. You need to be doing these hours in a clinical setting. It's only an hour a week max, 100 hours in total, and then you have to take a 4 hour timed test, at whatever point you would like. If you get lucky, you may score your first job somewhere that will pay for your supervised hours or find someone who will do it for free... or else the payments can be pretty expensive. But being an LCSW is pretty much basically being a therapist. It's much more marketable than going into mental health, as a counselor, and getting your LMHC. So if you want to get into the helping profession in some sort of way, by being a counselor, therapist, or what have you; honestly getting your LCSW is the best way to go.

"You're a social worker? That takes a special person to do that"

• My final, most heard assumption. I never truly know if this is a heart-felt compliment, and people don't know how they make it sound, or if it's really just people being rude and feeling more superior than you for whatever reason. Well, whatever it is, it annoys me, lol. (A lot of things annoy me but whatever). So, yes. It can be hard. But any job can be hard. Typical corporate jobs, working behind a desk, can be extremely stressful with deadlines. Being a doctor can be extremely stressful, I would assume, when you're on call for four days straight and have barely slept, or when you literally have someone's life in the palm of your hand. There's also definitely pressure on certain social work jobs. When my mom was working in child protection her caseload was ridiculous. She was also on call some nights and would have to leave in the middle of the night to pick up a child. Now, she works from home with an insurance company and gives people resources or chats with them if they're feeling sad because they just found out their husband is cheating on them. She's never on call and never has to leave the guest room of her house. Any job can be hard and it doesn't always have to be hard. You can always change things. Change your job or find outlets to release your stress, like practicing self-care, playing the piano, singing, going to yoga classes. The good thing about my job is when I clock out, I'm done. I don't take anything home with me. But you know what, the same thing used to happen to me on crazy nights as a server working in a sports bar. And anyways, I'm not always going to be at this job. I like to think everything happens for a reason, and maybe the next thing from here will be even better. I think it's all about balance and loving what you do at the end of the day. Because honestly, being a social worker is so, so rewarding. I wish there were more "special" people out there who wanted to become one. 

I just think it is important that, no matter what you do, no matter how much money you're making or how many hours you're working, that you truly love what you do. 
Have a great weekend.

Lots of love,
Sammi

What to expect when traveling to Europe

Hey guys! I've been wanting to do a travel blog for a few days now and am finally getting around to it! I went to Europe last year, in May 2018, and went on a Cosmos tour with my mom.  It was a dream. We went to France, Luxembourg, Germany, a town in Austria, Switzerland, and part of Italy. When I was 11 years old I also went on a different tour with my parents throughout Italy and Sicily. Some people prefer going on their own in Europe and not having a set schedule, but for us it was perfect. I'll go more into what our tour was like, if you're deciding on whether you should take a guided tour throughout Europe on a different blog post.
Anyways, if you live in the United States and it's your first time there is a LOT to know about traveling to Europe, what to expect, what to bring, and more. Here are some of my tips on how you can be prepared. And if you're debating on going to Europe... oh my gosh, freaking DO IT. Seriously. You become so much more open to different cultures, history and really it's life-changing and that's the only way I can explain it.


(FYI: the picture at the top was taken in Lucerne, Switzerland. This was honestly my favorite city we visited on this trip and I may do an entire blog post on why to visit)

• Europe uses different outlets. Buy a compatible power adapter! And converter if needed! This one is very important and I literally did not remember at all from the last time I went. Did I even have a phone when I was eleven? I don't think so. But yes, look into this! The plugs are totally different and your charger won't fit into them. The volts are also different in Europe. In America, devices are designed for 110/120V and many other countries are 220/240V. Beware that your hair straighter or curler may not work so be sure you also have a converter (it literally converts the voltage). Most hair appliances, since they use heat, won't work with just an adapter, you also have to have a converter. If you don't and you plug in your straighter or curler, it can get fried! My mom had a really old adapter that didn't work with my straighter, so I had to buy one in France for cheap, only 5 euros.. it worked great for my phone but when I plugged my straighter into it, it started to shut off/on so I freaked out and unplugged it. I ended up just blow drying my hair instead, oh well. I've linked this picture down here to an adapter/converter that should work with hair appliances as well as your phone!

• Be aware of pick-pocketers. This does happen so do not, I repeat, do not for the love of God leave your cell phone or money in your back pockets, lol. Also, don't wear a backpack. It may seem convenient but think of how easy it would be for someone in back of your to just unzip a pocket, especially in a crowded area. This is mainly for major cities though, so like Paris and Rome. I never had anything happen to me, I kept my over-the-shoulder purse with the opening on the inside of my body. Also, refrain from bringing large purses.

• Exchange a certain amount of money for Euros before leaving for your trip. I did this at my bank weeks prior. Be mindful that it can take a week or two. So I would do this a month before your trip. Also, not all European countries use Euros.. for example; the Swiss use francs and the UK use pounds. Of course, if you don't exchange money beforehand there are plenty of ATMs that will except your credit card. I just don't like doing this because I like to budget, so I try not to spend more than the amount of cash I bring. I think I took out $550. I did use my card a few times near the end, but barely. (You also don't want leftover euros when the trip is over so don't bring too much cash)

• There are plently of ATMs in Europe that can exchange your dollars for euros. Like mentioned in the above point, there are plently of ATMs in Europe and they accept almost every type of card. Look for places that don't charge a commission/fee.

• Dollars and euros are valued differently. Right now 1 euro equals 1.12 dollars. 

• Don't forget to check the expiration date on your passport! Definitely important. It can take weeks for you to get a new passport so check months before your trip to be safe. Estimated time for a passport to get processed is 6-8 weeks!

• Don't carry a large amount of money on you at one time. You never know what can happen. I didn't keep more than 60 bucks on me at a time really, depending on how much dinner out may cost. I kept the rest of my cash in our hotel room in a safe (if they had one). 

• Most people in Europe speak English. But definitely brush up on the country's language that you'll be visiting. Most Europeans are friendly, so be courteous and at least brush up a month or so before leaving on your trip on the language(s) of the country you'll be visiting. I honestly just think it's so ignorant to go to a different country and not know squat about their language. I've been in a restaurant and have heard Americans rudely get annoyed at a waiter because he couldn't understand what they were saying. Like, really? I jotted down some simple phrases for each country I was in so I know beforehand. Maybe even carry around a pocket-sized book! Nothing wrong with that. This Rick Steves one is awesome. Highly recommend. 

• Be conscious of gratuity at restaurants. Sometimes in Europe, the gratuity or tip at a restaurant is already added to your bill, but not always so be mindful and double check. If it's added, an extra tip is optional. If you're not sure, you can always ask. Also, depending on what country you're in, it can be different. Some countries, tips aren't expected at all. While in America, you should leave a 20% tip, in Europe, servers are payed well so it's usually a 5%-10% tip. (Side note: We had the most AWESOME waiter in France, whose name was also Sam, who actually wanted to take a selfie with us. I kept it of course. Actually, let me just leave it right here, lmao. I was only in France for two days and everyone always says how French people are rude, I honestly have no idea what they mean by that. Everyone was so nice! Especially this guy, haha)
  

• Ordering water at a restaurant isn't always free. This may seem like a shock to most, but it's true. But at least you're not getting gross tap water. So if you're not sure, and you're really thirsty and you keep pounding glasses of water, just ask. Most likely if they bring you water in a fancy jug, it costs money. Also, sometimes bread isn't free either.

• You may have to pay to use a bathroom. Before leaving your hotel or hostel, definitely be sure to use the bathroom. Most stores and restaurants do not want you using their bathrooms unless you are buying something from them. There are some public restrooms so try to keep an eye out for them.

• Get international data on your phone. This is a must of course, if you want to use your phone. Set this up weeks prior; your phone service can automatically set it up so it starts on your first day in Europe. 

• The sun doesn't go down until really late! I must have totally forgotten this the first time I was in Europe, but our first night there, which was in Paris, the sun did not go down until 10:00pm (Or somewhere around that time)! It was insane to me, haha. I mean here, it gets dark by 8:00pm, so that was definitely different. Of course, it depends on the country as well. My mom and I went outside our hotel to see the lights go on the Eiffel Tower and I couldn't believe it was still light outside.

• Be prepared for a lot of walking. Plan accordingly and wear comfy shoes. I brought my Nikes, Converse, and Madden Girl sandals (Birkenstock looking shoes, except like half the price but just as good) and I was set. There will definitely be different types of terrain you'll need to walk on like cobblestone streets and incredibly uphill alleyways. 

• If you get sick, go to a local pharmacy! So I had the unfortunate event of getting a terrible stomach virus in the middle of our trip. To say the least, it was honestly brutal. But I'm so thankful it only lasted really two whole days. But I literally had gone to the toilet eight times the first day, no lie. So, our tour guide (who was literally amazing and genuinely cared about my well-being) suggested while we were in Austria for a few hours to stop by a local pharmacy. Neither of us had any idea about this. I'm not sure if it's all over Europe that it's like this, but we went inside and went up to the counter, told the pharmacist my symptoms, and she just gave me medicine right on the spot that she said should work. How awesome is that? SO much easier than going to a doctor. Why don't we have this in the U.S.?? Plus, it's not really something you can do when you're on a group tour. I was so thankful.

• Be very, very careful with germs on your airplane. I say this because of what happened to me during my trip, I would not wish that upon anyone. I don't think I have ever felt so sick in my life. I'm not sure how I contracted this bug, but I think it had to have been while I was on the plane. No one else on our tour got sick. And it took about four days to kick in. Also, I did take my contacts in/out on the plane to sleep, I'm pretty sure I used hand sanitizer before taking them out, but this honestly could have been what got me sick (Always try to use warm water and soap). You have to be so, so careful. I've never read any studies about germs on planes, but I can only imagine how many there are.

• Try to get tickets for events or museums beforehand. Especially if you go during peak seasons, like summertime! My mom had been to France one time before and she told me when she tried to wait in line for tickets to the Louvre it was so packed they couldn't get in or it would have taken an hour(s). Lucky for us, we didn't get tickets beforehand the second time (oops) but we went during the beginning of May, right before summer started so we probably only waited 20 minutes in line.

• Try not to plan a trip to Europe during the summer. June and September are supposed to be the best months to go. The weather is nice and it's not so crowded/expensive.

• If you're planning on going to a church on a certain day, dress accordingly. Most churches don't allow you to go inside if you're wearing shorts and a shirt without sleeves. So keep this in mind!

• Be polite. Always say "hello" and "goodbye" when entering stores. Of course, hello and goodbye in the appropriate language. Europeans are typically very polite people. This is typical for them so always try to be courteous. 

• In major cities, there is so much useful and easy transportation. Although, I would definitely double and even, triple check before boarding a train or something. Maybe even ask a local. I would just personally freak out if I was lost in a different country. This is also part of the reason why we decided to take a tour. They transport you basically everywhere, besides the city/town they drop you off at. Although, we did take the train to go back to our hotel the first night in Paris and it was seriously so easy.

That's about all the tips I have on what to expect when traveling to Europe. Remember, never stop exploring. :)

Here's a picture of me exploring the Louvre. 

Have a great day lovely people, and if you're thinking of going to Europe... just do it!

Lots of love, Sammi

How to stay motivated and be a total girl boss

Hey guys! Today was one of my days off and I've realized, even on my days off, I'm always wanting to do something with my time. I know how to relax and I can certainly sit in front of my T.V. and binge watch a show, don't get me wrong, but only to a certain extent, and then I just feel like I need to get up and be productive. I basically just always feel like I need to be doing something. So, with that being said, I've thought of some important tips for anyone who is feeling stuck in a rut and wants to feel more motivated and productive. Of course, some of these are easier said than done, but for the most part, even the littlest of things can really help you change your mindset into a girl who knows how to get things done. Hopefully these tips can help you to channel into your inner girl boss!

• Get up early and make your bed. Okay, the 'making your bed' thing is really important to me. I just feel so "put together" when my bed is made. It really sets you up for the day, plus you can't crawl back into bed if it's been made. I try to wake up between 8am-9am because I feel like this is the ideal time (for me) to get enough beauty sleep while still having my whole day ahead of me. Mornings are just so happy to me, just that peaceful, quiet morning sun glow gets me in my feels. (Honestly sometimes I kinda feel like Snow White in the mornings bursting through my bedroom door and opening the french doors to my patio and breathing in that morning dewy air as if birds are going to fly in circles around me. Okay, that sounds dramatic, but it's kinda true haha).

• Make some coffee and eat a healthy breakfast. Breakfast is probably my favorite food of the day. I don't always eat it when I'm working in the early mornings though, but on my days off I always make breakfast for myself and Alex. Of course the coffee thing totally depends on if you even like coffee, but for me, coffee is an essential way to start my days productively. Some easy meals I make in the mornings are:
• Scrambled eggs mixed with spinach and shredded cheese.
• Vanilla greek yogurt with blueberries/strawberries, almond granola, and dark chocolate chips.
• Or just over-easy eggs, with sausage links, and raisin-cinnamon toast (with strawberry jam or just butter).

• Work-out, even if it's for 15 minutes. I am so bad with this one honestly, but you will just feel so much more motivated if you work-out, even for 15 minutes. You don't even have to go to the gym, just grab a yoga mat and follow some YouTube videos. You can look up anything, "morning work-out routines", "ab workouts", "easy at-home work outs". They have it all, and it's free and you don't have to drive anywhere.
• My current favorite Youtuber for at home workouts is Chloe Ting.

• Find a new hobby! If you're feeling uninspired and not motivated what-so-ever, maybe it's time to find a new hobby. This is kind of what I did with blogging. I've never wanted to start a blog before, but in the past year or two, watching vlogs and reading other people's blogs, something just clicked in my head and I was like, "ya know, I can do this, I might be really good at it, and I might really enjoy it". And I have loved it so far! About two months ago, now that I'm comfortable at my job and I've graduated college, I've kinda been itching to do something else with my time. I feel like I need to put something else out into the world. Like something was missing. If you're feeling that way, you should try taking up a new hobby too! It can be anything from playing a new instrument, trying trial yoga classes, buying and tending to some plants, baking, anything at all. I was actually just talking to my best friend on the phone today, who lives in another state, and she told me how she started a 2 week trial yoga class. I was thinking of doing that for a while but wasn't sure if I could get another friend on the same schedule, but my best friend told me she has just been going by herself. So don't feel bad if you're venturing out of your comfort zone to start a new hobby on your own. Just do it!

• Change your atmosphere. If you're just feeling stuck and can't seem to move forward with where you want to be, maybe think about changing your atmosphere and surroundings. This can be changing your home decor, living situation, taking a 10 minute walk with or without your earphones, or going down to a cute new coffee shop and reading a book. Maybe a new idea will spark up or you'll just find your inner boss girl and she'll be unleashed and you'll be so so motivated like never before. 

• Do some spring cleaning around your home. There isn't a better productive activity then vacuuming your home, wiping the counters, or mopping the floors, and then setting a candle. I mean, did you even clean if you don't set a candle afterwards? I don't know why this is a thing but it definitely is. It's important to prep your space, especially the space you live in. Because if you live in a messy environment, how are you ever going to get anything done?

• Plan a trip or fun activity for after important due dates. Always have something to look forward to! I feel like doing this helps motivate me because I'm like "Okay, I have this fun day planned or a trip in a few months, so in order for me to feel like I actual deserve this, I gotta get on my grind". I guess it's like having a reward set for you in advance, so if there's something important you have to get done, like an exam or that dreadful 20 page capstone paper, there's something at the end of that tunnel waiting for you as your reward for a good job done. If you don't have the funds for an actual trip, just plan a fun day out with something you've always wanted to try out or maybe something you love to do. But I really feel like it just makes you feel so much better if you have something to look forward to. Even if it's something planned months from now. The anticipation leading up to the trip or event always gives me something to feel good about (not to mention the planning and new clothes that you may buy ahead of time in preparation for the trip that just brings more excitement).

• Practice self-care. If you take care of your mind and your body,  you'll have a more positive mindset. And by just having a more positive mindset, it'll help you stay motivated and productive. Give yourself a manicure at home, put on a face mask, get into comfy clothes, whatever you gotta do, do it.

• Journaling and reading. Try to make a routine out of this. For journaling, you don't need to spend that much time on it, but maybe just take 10 minutes out of your day, before bed or as soon as you wake up. Write down things you want to get better at, or how to be a better friend, how to be more compassionate to others, favorite words, or just create a "to do" list of what you want to get done for the day. Reading is also very important. I mean, it's a big part of me, but I personally think everyone should take some time to read. It doesn't have to be every day, but I think it's good to always have a book available to you. Not that I need it, but I know for some people it's a good way to relax and fall asleep before bed. It could just be one chapter, it doesn't have to be much. Finding a good novel and getting that "I-can't-put-this-book-down" feeling, is the best.

• Plan your goals and write them down! You can know what your goals are and keep them in mind, but there's definitely something different when you take the time to write them down. When you see them mapped out and can even say "Okay I would love to have this done by this time period" and then it actually gets done, it's just so empowering. But at the same time, don't create too strict of time limits. Things happen and we're human, we can't expect to exceed all of our expectations. If you can't get something down in the time you want, don't feel bad about it. Instead of saying "I want this done on this specific date" instead, tell yourself  "It would be wonderful to get this done around this time period". Down below I linked a "Goal planning" worksheet I've actually used with clients in a past internship before I graduated. They loved it and I loved doing it with them. It's amazing how feeling motivated can really boost your self-esteem and it's even more amazing to realize how much you can actually get done when you set your mind to it. Just click on the picture and it'll take you to the website where you can download and print it for free!

• Watch vlogs, read blogs, or listen to podcasts of others who inspire you to channel you inner girl boss! I honestly haven't gone super deep into the YouTube world and I'm sure there are some great people out there I don't know about, but one of my favorite vloggers who motivate me is Kristin Johns. She is just the sweetest person I have never met in my life, to be honest. Also, I love Danielle Carolan. She's a total "girl boss" and such a young, independent, and motivational gal. I love her (not just because she's from Tampa either). She's also got a podcast called "Gals on the Go" you should check out. I also am in love with the podcast, "What We Said" (my personal favorite) Two girls who have been best friends since high school, Chelsea and Jaci, are hilarious, fun and super sarcastic together and their energy just flows perfectly. They have guest speakers on at times who may talk about health/nutrition, creating an audience, mental health, and sometimes they have funny podcasts about "embarrassing moments" or "family traditions".  They also both have Youtube channels that I like watching. I honestly think a lot of my "new-found motivation", if you'd like to call it, has come from listening to others who are independent, go-getters and seeing or hearing how they live. 
• Some other good podcasts are: The Morning Toast, Girls Gotta Eat, Okay Sis, RISE podcast, Recovering from Reality (this is an AMAZING podcast for people who have struggled with addiction/mental health), and Pretty Basic.

• Change your attitude and practice mindfulness! I think I'll end up doing another whole blog post on "mindfulness", so I won't go into it too much. But really just look into if you don't know too much about it. Even just type it into YouTube and you can listen to some really awesome people talk about the concept of mindfulness. It's just so important and I think having a positive mindset of "the glass if half full" is so so important. 
• Here's a great book to practice mindfulness! (Not that you even need books to do so, but it can definitely help motivate you.)
  
  
  

All of you are amazing and can do amazing things! I'm a firm believer in, if you want something enough, and work towards that something, and actually envision it, you can achieve whatever it is you want. The little things are more important than you think and you all have this one life to live, so live it to the fullest.

Oh yeah and here's a picture of how the end of my afternoon went. I was jotting down ideas for this blog post and decided a change in atmosphere was in order. Being outside sometimes makes me feel more productive.

Well, that's it for today's blog! Have an amazing day everyone,

- Lots of love, Sammi

How to plan vacations on a budget

Hello hello lovely people! I know I said I was going to post a few days ago but with working 10-12 hour shifts.. I needed my beauty sleep. But now I'm off for three days, and I am sooo ready.
Today I want to talk about how I plan my vacations and give you my own guide on how to go about planning the best vacations ever (on a budget, cause ya know ya girl is on one). I love to travel and I'm a big planner so I thought this might give some of you some good ideas. My last vacation was this past December to North Carolina in Banner Elk, and one of the most memorable vacations I've ever had. It was just perfect. But mainly perfect because of my oh so strategic planning. So without further a do, here ya go:

• Decide on where you want to go. If you know where you want to go and you're totally set on it, then awesome! This won't be hard. But for most, you're probably deciding on a couple different places cause I mean, there is just so much in this world we all want to see. And if money is an issue, which for most of us it most likely is, definitely take that into account. When I was planning my last trip I was deciding between Las Vegas, Vail (Colorado), Disney World, and North Carolina. One of my major decision breakers was the fact that we were going the week before Christmas. Sooo..

• Take into account the season/what time of year it is. I was able to cross out Las Vegas on my list because of this. Since I already live in Florida, and I LOVE Christmas time, I really wanted to go someplace that would give me that wonderful Christmas aesthetic, because Florida definitely does not. Las Vegas was not going to do that for me. Plus, even though it was winter time and the prices for hotels (seemed) incredibly cheap, when you stay at one of the hotels on the Las Vegas strip, the taxes and extra fees are outrageous. At the time, we were moving out of our apartment the following month, but we really wanted to go somewhere, so spending that kind of money (not to mention soo much extra spending cash we would need for shows, food, drinks, and other entertainment). I'm going to save Las Vegas for another time for sure.

• Are you going to need a rental car? How are you going to get around? When you're thinking of a place you'd like to travel and you get all excited about going there, don't forget this! If you're going to a major city like New York or Chicago, you don't need to worry about this because of all the easy transportation like subways and cabs, not to mention just being able to walk to places. But this is definitely something to think about. This was kind of my deal breaker with Vail, Colorado. Since it was further away, airfare was more expensive and I couldn't just get a rental car and drive it all the way from Tampa, Florida to Colorado. I mean I technically could... but that would be a long ways away. So buying plane tickets PLUS having to get a rental car was just not in the works for me. Also, if you're getting a rental car, take into account the money it will cost to buy the rental, plus don't forget filling it up with gas back and forth from both destinations. If you're setting up a budget, put that in there.

• How much is there to do in the area you're going to? What do you want to do while there? Finding an exact location. This was also a big deciding factor on where I was going to go too. Just searching around for new places to go, somewhere may look cute or fun, but how much is there to actually do? Look into it! When we decided on North Carolina, I had no idea where I wanted to actually go I just knew I was going to use AirBNB to find a cute cabin with a fireplace or small home to really soak in all those Christmas feels. Plus, my boyfriend was set on snowboarding. So, Asheville was kinda out of the question. It wasn't near any ski resorts or snowboarding. And even though I was taking a rental car, I didn't want to drive an extra hour and a half one way to do that. That's when I found Banner Elk. I googled some ski resorts and found one called Sugar Mountain. (We ended up going to Appalachian Ski because it was recommended by our AirBNB owners, and only about 15 minutes away from where we were staying). I saw multiple ski places so I started to look into more. I found a cute town another 15 minutes away with antique stores, breakfast places, artsy bars and more and was like "um, yes". Then I found some local trails we could go on with beautiful views, gem mining, a local cave, and more. Just by researching a little bit and taking that time I was able to plan an amazing trip on a budget!

• Go somewhere new! If you're a creature of habit (and I am a bit), step outside your box and experience something new. This is why I crossed Disney World off my list. I can't count the number of times I've been there on both hands because it's just too many, with it being an hour and a half away from me. I mean, I love Disney and during Christmas time it's even more magical, but I'm so happy I did something new.

• Write out your exact plans! I love planning and getting organized, so this was a no brainer for me. First I decided that we were going to be renting a car to drive up there. It was about a 10 hour drive. (I didn't want to use my own car just out of preference, I don't like putting all that mileage on my car, but that's totally up to you). It was about $130.00 for the rental car for six days. Plus I estimated how much gas I would likely spend at I believe it was about $70 bucks each way. I knew we wanted to go snowboarding so I reserved one whole day just for that and estimated the cost. The first day I wanted it to be kind of a relaxing day, so I decided we could probably go to that town, check it out, go into antique stores (my boyfriend likes antiquing which is awesome) and get breakfast. The rest, for the most part, I wrote down the things to do in the area, one was Blowing Rock (a little nature trail with incredible views and I guess a famous rock?), a cave tavern, alpaca farm, gem mining, and more. I decided to just wing the rest, since everything was so close to us and depending on our mood, what we felt like doing that day.

• Utilize AirBNB! This is what I used on my trip, it was my first time, and oh my gosh, it was absolutely perfect! Anddd not to mention, cheap! Ours was $79 a night for two bedrooms. If we had another couple staying with us, it would have been even cheaper, the couch in the living room was also a pull-out. It was the most adorable two bedroom cottage guest house, complete with a huge stone fireplace, kitchen, private outdoor patio area with hammocks and an outdoor couch, aesthetically pleasing distressed wooden floors, and just the most perfect mix of old fashioned charm and modern updates, including a real Christmas tree and stocking on the fireplace. 

• Go grocery shopping! If you're staying someplace like an AirBNB for your vacation and they have a kitchen, utilize it! We saved so much money going grocery shopping the second day. We had breakfast out once and lunch out once as well, but besides that we cooked food where we were staying. Honestly, our place was so cozy and charming we didn't want to go out to a fancy dinner, we just wanted to kick back, put on the fireplace, make hot cocoa and snuggle up. 

• Don't forget about automatic payments! (Or any other bills due while you're away). This got me once when Alex and I went to New York. I have most of my bills set up on automatic payments, except for a couple at the end of the year, and while we were away, I moved a certain amount of money into my checking account and totally forgot that I would lose $140 of it during my time there because of my car payment. So don't forget about bills! If you can, pay them before you go or just add it into your budget.

• Plan your outfits ahead and mix and match them; so bring some basic tees/tanks. To best budget your money, plan ahead and find ways you can mix and match your outfits. There are often so many times I'm looking through my draws and closet and find a completely new way to wear something. By bringing some basic white or black tees/tanks, you can easily mix and match them with your favorite jeans, some flowy pants or a cute skirt. To me, it's just so fun picking out some cute new outfits, and it gets you excited for your trip. 

• Plan on what to bring according on the weather. And check the weather app! Don't forget this! If there's a possibility you may go swimming, even if you aren't planning to (if you're going somewhere in the summertime) don't forget a swimsuit. Or if you're going somewhere cold during winter, don't forget gloves, scarves, and some cute winter hats! Also, make sure the week following up to your trip, you check the weather app for that area. If it's going to rain the first two days of your trip, you don't want to forget your hoodie, maybe bring an umbrella, and you might want to find some alternative plans if you were thinking of hitting up the pool or beach that day. Or maybe there will be a weird cold front the week you go, then bring a jacket and some long sleeves!

• Take time away from your phone. Nothing to do with being on a budget, but just something that many of us should do from time to time. Sometimes the best memories are made when phones are put away.

• Plan early on for the best rates and shop around for rates! This is definitely a must. I like to have an idea of where I want to go on my next trip, always. Even if I'm planning it out six months ahead of time, it's never too soon to plan out a trip. Especially because if you plan too close to your vacation, hotels and even AirBNBs could be more pricey, not to mention booked already (especially AirBNBs, plan ahead so that you can get the place you want and don't have to worry about it being booked). And also, shop around for different rates. I like to use different apps or websites because honestly, you can almost always find a cheaper price for the same place somewhere else. If you're booking a flight, look on different airline websites. I've tried using the app Hopper, but it honestly isn't that great to me. And I personally rather travel round trip without stops, if it means paying extra. If you're using that app, watch out to make sure there aren't multiple stops if the price seems too good to be true.

• Travel on a weekday. Tuesdays are usually the best days to travel, if you're booking a flight. For some reason they're the cheapest. But click through different days of the week when booking a flight to make sure you grabbed the cheapest. Even traveling on a weekday in a car is better, weekends are always busier for travel no matter what.

• Travel to a location during the off-season. Now, sometimes I like to do this, but other times I just really want that seasonal vibe you can only get going the busiest time of the year (Example: Christmas in New York or a cruise in the summer). Obviously, it's always better to do this because you'll save more money. So if you're planning a trip on a cruise, the best times to go is September through early January. Typically, most people go on cruises in the summer time, when kids are out of school and because, who wouldn't want to go on a cruise in the hot summer? But if you can, definitely go during Sep - Jan. It's much cheaper and it stays warm in the Caribbean even in December, so it's really not an issue. Same thing with amusement parks such as Universal or Disney, go during September through November. (But October may may be busy due to Halloween). 

• Most importantly... have fun! That's about all the tips I have for you guys. If you're not already planning a vacation, maybe plan one! Even if you don't have the money now or it wouldn't be for a while, it's never too early to start dreaming of traveling. Never stop exploring, beautiful people :)

I wanted to also leave some of my pictures from my North Carolina trip, this past December 2018. Since I was gushing about this place in my post, I figured you might as well see what it looked like. Remember, if you think these pictures are awesome and you would want to plan your own vacation here, we were staying in Banner Elk, North Carolina.

Our guest house actually had two separate private upstairs and downstairs units. Ours was the upstairs and it had a private door to the side that led up to our unit from an indoor staircase. Walking inside was so charming, the owners really outdid themselves. The owners lived next door in a big beautiful white farmhouse. The place we stayed at was originally a Carriage house 100 years ago where they used to store old fashioned cars and horses. How freaking cool is that?! Since then it has been updated to a two unit cottage for AirBNB guests but they kept a lot of the original charm. Alex and I loved using the fireplace at night. The owners even decorated it for Christmas! There was a real Christmas tree inside along with stockings on the fireplace. They had sun windows on the ceiling that automatically opened up in the mornings. Literally so aesthetic. Oh, and they had the cutest sheep dog puppy on their property we got to meet, some chickens, and their outdoor/indoor cat who actually followed us inside the second night and decided to be our cat for our stay there, haha.

Enjoy my pictures,

- Lots of love,

Sammi

 

(This whole patio was ours, by the way. How awesome is that? I came out here in the mornings with my cup of coffee.)

Can it get any cozier? 

This place is called Appalachian Ski. Also nearby is Sugar Mountain, but our AirBNB owners suggested this place. It was so great.

I fell riding this snowboard a million times (my first time ever), but so worth it.

Surfs up! I mean.. snow's up?

This is Aspen. We met him at the cutest Alpaca farm. He loves the camera.

Blowing Rock is a pretty cool attraction that was about 20 min from us. Beautiful views and a pretty famous rock.

This was a delicious breakfast we had the first morning of our trip. Some type of mushroom sauce was on my biscuit. And yes, my silverware is rolled in a bandanna. Adorable.

You never say "no" to an opportunity to drink cappuccino. 

My mood in a picture. Because the fresh, crisp winter breeze felt AMAZING.

Live Cozy and Feel Cozy (Part 2)

Happy Friday, everyone! I'm off for the next two days and after working three 12 hours shifts in a row at my hospital, all I want to do is curl up in a ball with some snacks, my blanket, and watch Netflix. But lucky for you, I'm writing this blog post instead of watching netflix! (I have the snacks and blanket though).
So this post is going to be a "Part 2" of my last post, about 'living cozy and feeling cozy'. I have a habit of going on rants when I talk, and apparently when I write too, so initially I was thinking I was going to have both "how to make your home cozy" and "how to feel cozy" under the same blog post but then I realized I had just wayy too much to say so this is now Part 2 of my post; how to feel cozy. So without further ado, let's get into it!

My lifestyle revolves around "self-care" and wearing what I feel comfortable in, or even just relaxing after a long day of work, a lot. In short, coziness is a big part of my lifestyle.
Here's what I like to do to feel more cozy:

• Comfy socks. Can't really go wrong here. I'm the type of person that almost always needs something on their feet inside my house. I went on a little shopping haul to target during the winter and got the COMFIEST socks ever. One pair are more like slipper socks, with little foxes on them and non-skid rubber thingys on the bottom. Those socks are actually pictured above in my blog post picture.
• Pajama sets. I don't know why, but I really feel like I have my life together when I'm wearing a pajama set. I've currently been wanting a silk pajama set. (May ask for one for my birthday from Victoria's Secret). But yeah, pajama sets just make me feel like I've got my life together and that I'm a real adult. Anyone else feel the same?
• Face masks. Not much to say here. Not only does it make you feel cozy, but sooo relaxed and makes me feel like I am living da life. Just put a cocktail in my hand, please. My favorite mask I've found so far was from Target. And it's not just me that thinks it's amazing, but I had my good friend try it on one night when we were hanging out and, yes it does sting for a bit, but when you take it off.... omg. It feels like I have a new face. And I can never tell with any other face masks I've used before, but THIS ONE, honestly makes my skin look more bright and seems to make any blackheads disappear. I'll link it here, just click on the pic!

• Journaling. This is something I personally need to do more of. They have so many cool journals you can get for whatever your interest is! I currently use a blank journal that I got from Barnes and Noble where I write some poetry or whatever is on my mind. (It's a beautiful red leather journal made in Italy. Tip: find a beautiful journal that makes you want to stare at so that way you WILL write in it). I also have a journal with "300 writing prompts" that I got from Target. (Side note: one of my major goals in life is to write a book one day. I LOVE writing). They also have gratitude journals, prayer journals, mindfulness journals, really anything. It's great to use either first thing when you wake up in the morning, instead of reaching for your phone (we all know we're guilty of this) and also right before you go to bed to clear your mind.
• Tea/Coffee/Hot Chocolate. Whatever you're in the mood for, it doesn't matter! I prefer tea at night before bed and hot chocolate on a cold/rainy day. Something about it appealing to multiple senses makes it so lovely to me.
• A good movie/documentary. If you're feeling like just chilling and bringing on the cozy vibes, find a great movie or documentary to watch! I'm picky so I may do a bit of research before finding something that I want to watch, like watching trailers on youtube.
• Clean up your house! I personally cannot relax if my house is a mess. In order to get into my comfy and coziest element, I need my house to be clean. So bring out the vacuum before cuddling up in your bed or on the couch.
• Candles and air diffusers. When you wanna get in the mood for a cozy night, ya need a candle or an air diffuser. Air diffusers are pretty cheap on amazon. I know Doterra products are very in right now, but I honestly don't understand the hype. Their scents are just SO harsh to me. So my favorite types of oil to put in the diffuser are the kind you get from.. hmm, what would you call them? Hippy stores? Haha, I'm not sure. Okay, I just googled it and I believe their called "Metaphysical stores"? Correct me if I'm wrong. But there are a lot of local shops that sell essential oils. These places typically sell crystals, sage, tarot cards, that type of thing. I love those stores. But they have the best smelling oils for your diffuser! One that's a chain is called: The Bodhi Tree.
• A fieldtrip to the bookstore. (Don't forget buying a coffee) Nothing says cozy like curling up on your favorite chair and reading a really good book. In fact, I need to find a new one.. suggestions are welcome :)
• Paint your nails. Matter of fact, just have a spa day with yourself! Nothing beats that.
• Take a bath (maybe even with a bath caddy). Okay so this one, I personally have mixed feelings about taking a bath. That might be weird, but it's just me. Although I really do want one of those cool "bath caddy/board" things where it fits right above your tub in a perfect display to put a glass of wine, hold your phone, tablet, or book in a way that will make you feel like royalty. I low-key really want an iPad just for the fact that putting it on a bath caddy and scrolling down Pintrest with it sounds like A mood for sure. Also, throw a bath bomb in there! I'll link a picture down below of a good bath caddy to get from Etsy. (I may be getting this for myself as well).

• Lotion up! After taking a shower at night before bed, I LOVE to lotion up. Two of my favorite go-to scents right now are "in the stars" and "spiced gingerbread swirl". Both are warm, pretty scents that make me feel so good.
• The app, "Calm". Definitely not sponsored, (I wish I had sponsors), haha but the app called "Calm" is amazing! Not sure if it's available on androids but I use it for my iPhone. Sometimes when I'm working I honestly just put it on for the background noise. You can set up a background with different scenery like a rainy day, a rain forest, a field of wildflowers, the ocean, literally anything and it's so relaxing. They have guided meditations, bed-time stories, calming music and more. Some are free but some are locked, the app is $59.99 for a whole year, but honestly I just use the free ones. It really puts me in my feels.

Welp, that's about it guys! Tomorrow I'm going to be going to the Renaissance festival with my boyfriend but I plan on waking up early tomorrow morning, making some coffee, and writing another blog post. Have a relaxing, lovely and comfy night everyone! Till tomorrow :)