That Savannah Life

What They Don’t Tell You About Being an Introvert in College

Hello all! Welcome back to the blog!

This post comes from a lot of different places mentally for me. As someone who is most definitely more introverted than extroverted, I have always had trouble making friends. I have never been able to speak out and ask others to make plans with me especially if I hardly know them. I try and the words won’t come out and I know I’m not alone in this. I’m not outgoing, and I know that. So I have plenty of reasons to write this post, but the major reason is that I want others to know the reality of college when you are not the outgoing one, the reality when you are introverted.

The reality of college changes for everyone so this is just my perspective~ take it with a grain of salt and know that your reality may be entirely different from mine.

But let’s begin from the beginning, there I was, just transferred from a community college (which was larger than my four-year by the way!) to complete the rest of my bachelors degree at a four-year school. I was timid (who am I kidding, I still am!). I wanted to meet people but didn’t know how, so I did what you are probably doing now or even did in the past. I looked up on google, “how to make friends in college,” simple yet ~elegant~. Then while reading the various articles, I learned, making friends at college means that you need to be outgoing. One of the common tips is to leave your door open. I really, and I mean REALLY was not comfortable with that. The next tip was to randomly introduce yourself to your classmates. Again, I am not great at speaking to new people. It’s not my thing.

So at this point, you may be wondering, “did you ever figure out a good way to make friends in college or is this ~clickbait~?”

Yes, I did figure out a way to make friends. Eventually after trying many methods that is. But the way I made friends was cliche and simple. I joined a club. To be honest, this was my last resort because I was unsure what club I really would want to join and become a member of. I’m picky in that way, I didn’t want the club to be a waste of my time and even, a waste of what little money I have. Yes, I do identify as a broke college student. My identity does not define me but I am still ~broke~.

After joining the club, I began to finally, slowly find my way through the dynamic of a college social life. The reason why I don’t want you to believe that my experience will be your experience is because I was a transfer student. I was starting my junior year when I transferred so all the cliques (yes, you never escape that clique lifestyle from college) were already formed. Transferring left me feeling alone and unwanted in some ways. I didn’t know how to make friends because I was not outgoing.

Everyone knew everyone, except me. Or at least that’s how it felt at the time. I felt alone for a very long time. I still feel alone sometimes especially while I have been back living at home because of our beloved COVID. But I’m not alone in this life and neither are you! I found where I belonged at college and my world changed for the better. My happiness continued to grow, then as I said, COVID happened, but that’s a story for a different day. I am still friends with people from college that I haven’t been able to see for awhile and they mean the world to me whether they realize it or not.

The key thing to remember here is that loneliness is temporary. You will find friends in college, it may come easy to you, or it may be more difficult for you like it was for me. But once you find the right people, you will be a million times happier than before. So if you have just recently begun college, keep your head up and find a club. A club worked for me, it may be what work for you. Find a setting you are comfortable in and thrive in it!

Thank you for reading! Tell me in the comments below if my story was helpful to you? Was it easy for you to find friends in college or did it take time?

The Issue of Being the Omnivert

Hello all! Happy Tuesday!

We have all finally made it through the week!! Sometimes the weeks fly by and sometimes they go slower and for me, this was a slow week. But now we can continue on to the weekend!

Might as well jump into things.

When people are talking about who they are, the question will always come into play, “are you an introvert or an extrovert?” This question is always difficult for me to answer. How do you know if you are completely one or the other? How do you actually know? Personally, I believe I am both. An omnivert. On one hand, I’m a social butterfly at work but in school or public, I am far from anything social. Familiarity is crucial in whether I am a social queen or not.

But does that make me an introvert because I am slightly more uncomfortable in situations that are not familiar?

I don’t actually think that these factors make me fit into one box or the other. One day I’ll feel social and one day I want to be left alone to myself. It’s a strange concept that is often unspoken. Why? Because to fit in, you have to be part of one group, not both. In our sometimes broken society, the mold is what you have to fit into, otherwise, you are the outcast.

But being an omnivert does not make you different. It makes you normal.

When people ask you whether you are an introvert or extrovert, what do you say? Do you deliberate or do you know immediately. You see, everyone is an omnivert in some way usually even if it is mild. You may lean closer to one side than the other, but which box do you fit into will always be the question. You can be an introvert but be an extrovert with your friends or you can be an extrovert but need time alone sometimes. There will never be a right answer to this question. We know who we are to ourselves, but who are we to other people? Who do you want to be to other people I should say? You may completely fit into one box, or not. You may be a social butterfly, or not. Regardless, you are who you are and all that counts is staying true to who you are.

The question will always be the same, but will your answer change?

Thank you for reading! I hope you have a wonderful day! Comment below which box you fit into! Are you are an introvert, extrovert, or omnivert?

Why You Should Major in Something You Love

Hello all and welcome back to the blog!

I know, the title of this is direct. But it can also be a little confusing. Something that I have learned while in college is that, if someone does not think your major is good or “the right one,” they will be blunt about it. They will tell you how they feel about what you want to do in life. I’m an English major and I could not tell you how many times I have be ridiculed for not being a STEM major. It can be painful and there were times that I thought about changing my major because of the people telling me that my major was not a “good” major.

But what is actually a “good” major? Is a “good” major one that automatically gets you a job right out of college? Personally, I don’t believe that there is one perfect major, and I don’t think that being a STEM major is the key to getting a good job immediately out of college. It doesn’t matter what your major is, you may not have a job immediately out of college, and that’s okay.

What I do believe is that just because someone tells you that your major isn’t the best one does not mean that you have to switch majors to something that others believe is better. Only major in what you are passionate about. If you major in something you don’t love, you will never love your job completely and will feel as though you are dragging through every day you work. Something will feel missing in your life. Unfortunately this happens to a lot of people. I think that a common idea that circulates around in school is that money and pay is the only thing that matters. If you are not making the ideal amount, is your job even worth it? It is. If you are passionate about your major in college, it is worth it. And if you change your mind and want to switch majors, do it. Don’t let others tell you that you are not smart enough or too smart for your major.

I guess the point that I’m trying to get across is that this is your life. There will be people that don’t like the decisions you make and there will be people that will think they are better than you. And they are not. Your decision is valid as is theirs. Life feels that much more amazing whenever you do something that you are genuinely passionate about.

Do what you love. Not what others would love for you to do. It may sound cheesy but if you are happy with what you do, college major or otherwise, you will never truly work a day in your life.

Thank you for reading! Tell me in the comments what you want to major in or what you majored in? Do you have regrets about choosing one major over another?

10 Ways to Practice Self-Care During a Pandemic

Hello all and welcome back!

I wanted to write this post in hopes of drawing more attention to self-care during the pandemic. The news stations have spoken less and less about the pandemic recently because it has “become boring.” And while I agree with that statement (I got tired of hearing the number of cases), I still believe it is important to know how to practice self-care safely during the pandemic.

Thus, in this post, I will be telling you 10 ways you can practice self-care right now (yes, these tips can be used all the time but PANDEMIC)!

Meditate!

I cannot stress this enough! Meditation has helped me so much, especially when I am stressed. As someone who is always stressed (I’m a grad student, stress is a given), I believe it is important to take a step back and breathe. Just breathe. In through your nose, out through your mouth and so on. To those who have meditated before too, I don’t always focus on not thinking about anything. Honestly my mind roams like crazy, I think about my life and assignments and my dogs and my shopping habits and so on. I understand that many believe that the calm mindset is an essential part of meditation but that has not been the case for. Honestly, meditation works but I don’t think there is a correct way to meditate. Still, meditation is so relaxing~

Do a Face Mask!

I was going to say “do skincare,” but that wouldn’t have been ~accurate~ for the idea I’m going for because let’s be for real. We all have some kind of skincare routine. This routine could be as simple as using a cleanser in the morning or using moisturizer at night. Regardless, I’m not talking about routine. I’m talking about something that most people don’t do enough unless they are a skincare fanatic (you know who you are, I am one of you). Face masks do great things for your skin but I think the best part is that they feel amazing on your skin. I use face masks about four times a week if I remember to do them! Otherwise, I have known people to do them daily or some once a month. Either way, it’s a great way to relax especially if your skin needs that extra boost!

Binge-Watch your Favorite T-V Show!

Maybe this is a given, I don’t know. And this is probably something you are already doing (I know I am, I’m re-watching every episode of Supernatural to avoid my assignments, welcome to the god-given gift called ~senioritis~). Now I wanted to bring this tip up for a different reason. Sometimes, when you are stressed and I mean stressed, you ultimately will focus on the one thing on your mind. Your mind will run rampant with the “OH MY LORDY I FORGOT ABOUT _____.” And that stress is terrible so when you need to back away from the good ol’ college stressors, watch your favorite movie or binge-watch a t-v series. Regardless, focus on something to relax you mind momentarily. Something that will help you forget the issues that surround your daily life.

Sleep!

Now when I say sleep, I mean you should try to go to bed earlier. I know many, and by many, I mean most people my age stay up till 2 AM and then sleep about 3-4 hours and call that “a good nights rest.” Now I personally understand the struggle called ~grad school~, but I still sleep 8 hours a night and don’t have any issues completing my assignments on-time. But I will say, procrastination is the work of evil when it comes to sleep. So if you are one of those people who stay up abnormally late (I was once one of you until my job because I have to wake up at 5 AM every day), try to nap and catch up on your sleep, your body will thank you later. Plus sleep is so relaxing so in essence, you are doing something productive when it comes to your physical and mental health!

Get Food To-Go at a Nice Restaurant!

OK. OK! I’ll just come out and say it, I did almost write “go out to eat.” Now I’m glad I didn’t because the whole point of this post is to tell you ways that you can treat yourself without going to places with large gatherings because PANDEMIC. But honestly, the cases vary from state to state so have fun but stay safe and healthy if you are able to. Restaurants are probably my favorite way to self care, and by restaurants I mean the one, the only, the Olive Garden. The Olive Garden lifts my soul, in essence, I love their spaghetti. So to practice self-care, find your beloved restaurant and get yourself some good food! This is a great way to relax and have something that you may not be able to eat all the time.

Color!

Yes, I said color. No, this is not a drill. When I say color, I mean go get yourself your favorite colored pencils or crayons and head to Walmart. Walmart sells some adorable coloring books that are specifically made to help you de-stress. There are always a variety but I find them so relaxing! If coloring is not your thing, then you can go draw or paint. The point here is to find an outlet to let out your frustrations. Find a medium that you like and use it to release your pent-up feelings. I personally like to draw and color, mostly draw though. You don’t have to be an artist to do any of this either. This is for you to self-care, not others.

Journal!

The best thing about journaling is that you can just write what you feel. Personally, I often feel as though there is no one to talk to about my feelings. This feeling is not easy on me and I know I’m not the only one who feels this pain. This loneliness. So writing down my feelings has helped me not feel as alone. It helps me write out what I’m feeling so that I can feel as though I have someone or something to share it with. I cannot tell you enough how much it has helped me. While I can’t say it will be your thing to do to self-care, I do know that it is worth a try! Plus if you have a cute notebook to write in, you will feel more motivated to write and journal! I know that I love buying cute notebooks for this!

Clean!

If you are like me, you hate cleaning. You know that you need to clean, but you just can’t find the time or motivation to do so. But once your area is clean, you feel free. That’s what I do. My mental health feels instantly better once I have a clean room or house because it’s visually appealing and just calming. A weight has been lifted off your shoulders! Some people love to clean and I must say, I envy that. If I could clean on a whim I would, but I can’t so I purposefully work on keeping my room clean once it is clean. It’s nothing major but it is the most relieving feeling to get a project done such as cleaning!

Light a Candle!

Candles. Must I say more! If you buy me a vanilla-scented candle, I will love you forever. And yes. Yes, I am what you call a basic white girl. I love vanilla-scented anything. Back to my point though, lighting a candle just can bring so much joy to a room. It brings light and an amazing smell. It’s just extremely relaxing! To be honest, I don’t really have much to say about this one because it’s more or less self-explanatory.

Read a Book!

We have officially made it to the last way to practice self-care! Woot! Woot! Reading a book is a great way to practice self-care for a lot of reasons but my favorite is that it helps me get out of my own head. Reading allows you to learn about another persons life, regardless of if the character is fictional or not, you end up invested in their life. My favorite books to read are World War 2 Historical Fiction but there are tons of genres out there and there’s something for everyone. I always used to say I “wasn’t a fan of reading” until I found my favorite genre. You will shed tears for the characters and love or hate them, often the characters will feel real while reading which makes the book even better. Stressed? Read a book. Sad? Read a book. There are a million reasons why reading is a fantastic way to self-care!

Conclusion

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you were able to gain something from reading this post! Self-care is super important right now, especially given the current climate of the world! Tell me below, what tips do you find important when talking about self-care!

Why Grad School – A Personal Stance

Hello all! Savannah here!

I kind of went into this a little in my first post Why Gerontology – A Personal Stance but, I want to kind of explain why I made the decision to go to grad school. This explanation comes from a lot of points and reasoning, but the major reason for this post is that you don’t need a degree to work with the elderly (you probably knew that but ya know, gotta put info in for ~quality~).

A common response that I’m told when I tell people I am enrolled in grad school (and by common, I mean CONSTANT) is “why would you waste your money and time on grad school.” This response is interesting in that its true. It can sometimes be an ignorant question, but it is an important one. At times, I still ask myself this very same question. To be fair, I am going to a smaller and thus cheaper grad school.

But that doesn’t change the fact that I am spending more on an added degree. But the major reason I chose grad school over per say, going straight to a job after my bachelors would be that I want to work in a hospital setting. More specifically, I want to obtain my clinical license and work in a hospital with the elderly directly. This is my goal for getting this degree.

That’s my answer, short and sweet. But let’s extend this idea further for fun! (I know, I know, may not be fun but we can ~think~) SO, past my own ambitions, why would anyone go to grad school? The answer is nearly the same for all of us who go but our ambitions and reasoning for it changes. You see, I found my passion working with the elderly and do not necessarily HAVE TO HAVE a graduate degree. But the extent to which I want to work with the elderly does determine my reasoning to work with the elderly.

The reasons I want to continue my work with the elderly into grad school are:

I love to see the happiness the residents have when they have someone to talk to.
Often times the elderly are ignored and do not receive the attention and care they need.
Depression is common in the elderly, especially those who live in retirement homes.

I could go on and on about why I’m doing grad school but those are just three reasons. I imagine many others who decide grad school is for them have to weigh their options like I did. I had to choose between my passion and something that I cared less about. I care more about the health, mental and physical, of the elderly than anything else. And before you say it, because you might, no. No. And no. I did not want to be a nurse. I don’t know why but this is a common response that I get whenever I talk about why I went to grad school for Gerontology. No offense to nurses, y’all are great, but nursing is not for me as a person (also I’m just terrible at math and science, whoops).

Now that I’m off my nursing rant, I guess the point I’m making is, just because grad school is worth it for me does not mean it will be worth it for you. Just because grad school costs a lot of money does not mean that it is not worth it. It is one step in your journey. Not everyone has grad school as a step in their journey and that is okay.

This is your journey not anyone else’s.

This is your journey.

Thank you for reading! Comment down below if you think I should make this “A Personal Stance” a series! Would you go to grad school, why or why not?

What is Mental Illness

Hello all!

What is mental illness?

What comes to mind when you think about mental illness? Do you imagine someone who has hallucinations? Though that can be an idea associated with mental illness. Did you imagine someone normal? Chances are that you only imagined the worst part of mental illness, and that’s normal.

It’s normal to imagine the stereotype as that is often what the media shows. Someone ripping out their hair out of stress. But I will ask this again, what is mental illness? You see, we could ask ourselves this question repeatedly and yet, our answer will not change. Our answer will remain stagnant. This stagnant answer comes from the fact that most mental illness is silent.

Mental illness is often silent. It is not always obvious. It is not always someone screaming for help, at least not outwardly.

You see, mental illness is not directly definable because no one definition can define every mental illness entirely.

Anxiety can be silent.

Depression can be silent.

Panic Attacks can be silent.

Silence. That is what mental illness can be. It can happen to anyone anytime and sometimes, you’ll never even notice. Sometimes the mental illness will be debilitating on the person and yet they’ll smile and say “I’m okay.” “I’m okay” can sometimes be the lie of the century. Consider this. Consider what mental illness truly is.

What is mental illness?

I wanted to write this post to attempt (key word: attempt) to explain how stereotyping affects the stigma of mental illness. Thank you for reading this baby rant!

Comment below, what do you believe mental illness is? Do you believe there is one definition for it?

Why Major in English – 5 Reasons

Hello all! Happy Monday!

Savannah here! Today I wanted to talk about something close to my heart. A question I have heard often and far too many times.

“Why would you major in English?”

This question is funny because I have never been able to give a straight answer. Not because I didn’t have any answers, but because I didn’t just have one. English is a degree not often thought of. When we think of stereotypes, the one for English is always “the easy degree” or “the nerd’s degree.” But why else would you major in such a simple thing as English.

Well, in this post today, I will be giving you five reasons why you could or should major in English!

Reason 1

My first reason and perhaps the major influence in my own decision to get an English degree, the content is applicable! No, I am not just talking about “oh, you could learn to be a better writer,” and while that can be a reason an English major is good, I am referring to how English is a good entry level degree.

English is a good degree for if you are considering grad or law school. If you look at the features you learn to utilize in an English degree, this becomes obvious. The key characteristic of the degree is learning to analyze a text. Yes, the text may be a fictional novel; however, learning to analyze and comprehend difficult texts comes in handy later down the line if you are considering to continue your education.

Reason 2

Don’t be too harsh now. I am going to relay an obvious reason you could get an English degree. *sigh* You could work for a publisher. BUT this is not the only job you can go into (though it seems to be a preferred job and one that is usually only located in larger cities like New York). Other job options include:

Copywriter
Grant Writer
Editor
Technical Writer
Public Relations Specialist
Content Manager
Human Resources Specialist
Social Media Coordinator
Marketing Coordinator
Journalist

These job options are some of a long list. It is often a major misconception that all you can do with an English degree is teach. In all reality, it is a degree that teaches you proper grammar and how to sell something. As well, all of the jobs listed above only require a bachelors degree (though, just saying, you could get a Masters and become a Librarian and yes, you do need a Masters to be one).

Reason 3

This particular reason actually falls in with a common misconception about getting an English degree. This reason is that you can travel abroad and become an English teacher in a foreign country.

Before we all say it. Yes, I did just address the stereotype that everyone who studies English becomes a teacher. Although that is not always the case, this reason may be a silver lining for someone who wants to teach. Maybe you want to try something new or experience something different than the usual mishap, everyday American life. Can’t say I blame you.

If you are looking for a new experience that is unique, this may be for you. The best part about this option is that you can travel but you can also have a job to come back home to!

Reason 4

You are not tied down to one profession for your entire life. Yes, yes, and yes. This reason does mimic the second reason in some ways. However, this portion is its own category because it shows how different majors are tied to one job description but with English, you do have the chance to move around.

Take Accounting as an example. Accounting is just as the name says. You are tied to a job involving math; whether you are working in a Tax Office or a Business Office, you are tied to some form or another of math.

Take Marketing as an example. Marketing is tied to the idea of selling something. They could be selling an idea or a product, regardless, marketing is about selling.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not attempting to bash any other majors because all degrees hold their own value. The good part about these two degrees is that you know what job you will be tied to while English is up in the air about what job you will get. However, this is a good thing if you are looking for variety within your degree. If you want to be able to work in different job markets, English may be for you. If you like change, English may be for you in this aspect.

Reason 5

The fifth and final reason that you could major in English would be that you can become a writer. WOW WHAT A CONCEPT! Jokes aside, you do not need a degree in English to become a writer.

But when I say writer, what do you think? Do you imagine sitting at a computer all day writing?

What if I said that wasn’t what I meant by the idea that you can become a writer?

What I meant by saying you could become was writer was in a professional skill sense. Not just a writer who writes books, but a writer who could write anything given the chance. Majoring in English allows you to learn how to write anything and this is one of many reasons that English majors have fluidity in their professions. The skills learned in writing classes are very marketable.

Conclusion

Whether you came to this post to learn more about the English major for yourself or to understand why this particular major is necessary, I hope you are leaving with something. I hope that I was able to shed more light on what makes the English major different and valuable.

Thank you for reading! Tell me below what you are majoring/majored in! How does your major compare or what is valuable about your own major?

What Classes am I Taking – Fall 2020

Hello all!

Savannah here! Today I am going to be telling you a little more about what classes I am in currently and what my situation is given the pandemic.

To begin, my college did not go online, as many other colleges I’m sure haven’t as well. Before last month, I was supposed to go to my college for only one class. One class. Drive 50 minutes for one class. I couldn’t convince myself to take that drive for just one class. As well, I work with a vulnerable population and was not comfortable with potientially bringing the virus home.

As such, I sent my college an email to see if there was anything they could do to allow me to stay home and do online classes completely. It was worth a shot; a long shot, but a shot nonetheless.

20 emails later, my request was accepted and I moved to online classes. But this also meant I was to do dual enrollment to complete my Bachelors and begin my Masters at the same time.

I can’t say I was prepared to begin grad school. Not even a little.

But here I am two weeks into school and struggling but thriving knowing how I will complete my education sooner than expected. Though I could go into more detail, I will leave it at that!

Here is my class list!

Introduction to Graduate Studies
Aging in Society
English Grammar
Stress Management (gotta love them filler classes!)

That’s all folks! Thank you for reading!

Comment down below what your opinions are about the pandemic and going back to school. Would you go back or send your children back to school given the current climate of the pandemic?

Why Gerontology? – A Personal Stance

Hello all!

Savannah here! I wanted to take a little time to explain my background and why I choose to study Gerontology.

At the age of 16 (I’m 21 now, oh how the time flies), I began working at a little independent living retirement home in my hometown. Really I just wanted some spending money to waste on stuff I didn’t need, ya know, typically teenage nonsense at its finest. I was scared to work there at first, sure I wanted money, but I also had never been around the elderly. I never had the chance to learn more about such a large population.

So there I was. A naive girl determined to find a better paying job the instance I was old enough. The “plan” was to leave that job sooner than later.

Clearly that did not occur. As of this moment in time, I have worked in that very same retirement home for over four years and love it. In all honesty, even up until a year ago I was unsure as to if I really wanted to get my Masters in Gerontology. Truthfully, I wanted to graduate with my Bachelors in English and go work somewhere and leave it at that. But then on one random night at work, I started thinking. I began to realize that I couldn’t imagine myself working with any other population.

Unfortunately, the elderly are not cared for as they should. Working in a retirement home has taught me that much. The family members either don’t have the time to visit or are afraid to watch their family member go downhill. It is a sad truth of working in the industry. But it helped me in my decision.

No matter what happens in our lives, we all find our one true passion.

This is my passion. This is my story.

Who Am I?

Hello all!

My name is Savannah and I want to personally welcome you to my blog!

I know. I know. You randomly found this page. What should you care about my blog when there are millions of other blogs to care for. Well, I don’t have a straight answer for that. What a concept.

Jokes aside, here are a few fun facts about me!

I have two beautiful Australian Shepherd mixed pups that make my day! They are the sweetest and are kind of like therapy dogs for me! Their names are Luna and Nova and they are the literal sweetest!
I work with the elderly on a full time distance and cannot imagine doing anything else.
I am 21 and currently working on my Masters in Gerontology.
I am a Christian (non-denominational!!) and have kind of had a rocky path with my faith! But I do not allow my path to define me.
My favorite shows are Grey’s Anatomy, Supernatural, The Rookie, and more! I am the worst at picking favorites.
I used to run a little book reviewing blog when I was 15.
I grew up poor which was not the best thing to ever happen to me, though it taught me about the value of money and to work hard when you have a goal you want to achieve.
Math and science are not my strong suit! I have always been a better writer than anything.
I grew up in Kansas! No, I am not from the country. No, this is not farm-town USA. Really though, I love Kansas even with all of its fun little stereotypes!
Finally, I love all different kinds of music except metal, rock, and rap (maybe I’m a little picky).

Those are just some little fun facts about me!

Thank you for reading and being a part of this blog! Have a good day!