What I Keep In My Purse When Traveling

Hey guys,

I love to feel prepared, especially when traveling. If I can use a small purse I will always use it. My go to small purse is this one by J Crew. I love how simple it is and how it matches almost every outfit. Since I am a bit of a freak when it comes to traveling, I feel like I need to be prepared for anything.

I think it is important to get a great bag. I love mine because the size is small enough where I don't feel like I am carrying around my entire suit case and large enough for my wallet, phone, and all my other essentials. Another amazing part of this bag is that it comes with a  lock and key. That gives me some peace of mind while traveling. I think this bag is a great option, but I do think it was expensive for such a small purse but I think it has passed my test.

So finally, here is what I keep in my purse when I am traveling.

Wallet- I use a Kate Spade wallet and it isn't my favorite thing. I love the color and the size, but it really bugs me that there is no space for coins. I think before school starts (ahhhhh) I am going to get myself a new wallet. I always like to keep my wallet on me because every place does things differently. I think its important to keep money on you- for example in Peru you have to pay to use a bathroom. 

Hand Sanitizer- I like to use the Honest Company hand sanitizer because its a spray hand sanitizer and it is fairly cheap. It also smells super yummy. I get grossed out super easily and feel better when I know I have hand sanitizer. 

Lotion- My favorite lotion is from Origins and it is so moisturizing. It is a hand cream so it is very thick. Not everyone enjoys it because of how thick it is or the price. It is really expensive but when you make purchases at Origins, they sometimes give you them for free or for a discounted price. BTW- Origins is my go to for all skin care, it has never failed me and and completely changed my skin. 

Pens- My favorite pens are the Le Pens and I always carry them in my bag. For some reason I always need to sign receipts in another country and sometimes its quicker if I have my own pen. I also always want to write something down when in a car or something. 

Perfume- I like to keep the roller ball of my favorite perfume on me because I hate smelling gross. I also hate smelling things that are gross, so if I am ever in a situation where something smells not so good, I just roll on some perfume and smell it. I instantly feel better.

Lip Balm- I always get chapped lips and I hate them. It is gross and I think the only lip balm that works for me is Vaseline. They honestly have the best ones and they have all sorts of cute flavors. They are also super small so they fit practically everywhere, especially in a small purse. 

Lip Stick- When traveling you never know when you are in the perfect spot for a picture. I think lip stick is the quickest way to spruce myself up and get photo ready. I have a few go to's but I think mt favorite is by Burt's Bee's because its moisturizing and has great pigment.

Tissues- So maybe I have allergies, but I think I sneeze about a million times a day. It doesn't really bother me, but sometimes I feel like tissues are important to keep. People always joke that I act like an old person with my weird tissues in my purse. Honestly you never know when you need tissues because life happens. I would always rather be safe then sorry.

Scrunchies- Scrunchies aren't the cutest things ever and sorry if you think they are. However they work great when you want to pull your hair up and you don't want a gross kink in your hair. I usually just get the cheap ones from target because I always end up loosing them.

Phone Charger- I recommend bringing a phone charger with a plug for that country because having a dead phone in a place you know sounds horrible. I can't even imagine how much that would stir up my anxiety. I think its just safe to keep one just in case.

Girl Products- I have recently learned that some countries do feminine products differently. I now carry my own with me at all times because going into a weird store to buy something that you aren't comfortable with sucks. Again, life happens and its better to be prepared.

I loved writing this one because I honestly love reading about what other people keep in their bags.  I also do not keep all this stuff with me in my purse at home.

Have a great day,
Allie

Overcoming Home Sickness

I am currently in Australia and having the most amazing time, however I am on the other side of the world. This opportunity is amazing and I love every part of it, but I would be lying if I said I don't miss home. I realize that every time I travel I always forget how home sick I get, but that doesn't stop me. It wasn't always this way. I remember when I went to Peru; I cried almost every single night because I missed my family so much.  Now that I am here and it has been about 2 weeks I think I have got the whole overcoming home sickness thing down.

This trip has been a lot better because every time I feel homesick I know what to do. Instead of letting it ruin my trip and constantly bug me, I can understand it and reflect on it. Right now I am able to really combat my home sickness and allow myself to really enjoy this trip. 

This is my routine that I do when I start to feel homesick. I found this works best for me based on my experience with anxiety as well as the people I am with. I know every one experiences home sickness differently, but for me this seems to work.

First-When I first feel homesick I try to take a shower or bath because those really calm me down. I know whenever I am upset I need to take a shower or bath to clear my head and just calm my nerves. Once I have taken a bath or shower I then change into comfortable clothing because usually when I get homesick I want to sleep. 

Second-I know most people would say to just call or text your family, but for me it makes me feel ten times worse because then I start crying and I don't actually get to talk to them. However, once I am called down and have pretty much realized why I am missing home, I address it. Usually it is just that something feels wrong and it ends up being that I feel like I forgot something or am missing out on something at home. In those times I try to reciprocate it. I think about what I missed and then reflect on the amazing time I am having here.

Third- I try to keep myself somewhat occupied on trips and not get lost in my head. I try to set some daily tasks to do instead of letting my mind wonder into the "what ifs." This usually means that I will try to read a book, go to lunch, bake something, or go to work with the family I am staying with.

Fourth-I really have been trying to create some what of a routine because I am such a creature of habit. I like to know what I am doing and have it almost be second nature to me. This also makes me feel more comfortable in my space. This can be harder on short trips, but on long trips they really pay off.

Fifth- I think that talking about being home sick makes me feel less home sick. Especially when I start to feel really lonely. I think the best thing to do is talk about it with someone there that you trust and let them know how and what you are feeling. Feeling home sick really does suck, but it is something that most people feel and it doesn't have to stop you.

I hope this helped you guys if you get home sick or are homesick.

Have a great day!
Allie

2017 Summer Bucket List

Hey guys. Yesterday marked the first day of summer so I thought it would be fun to do a 2017 summer bucket list. This summer I will be traveling for practically the entire time so this bucket list will apply to not just the summer season.

I love making a list of things to do in the summer because around July I get super bored and order pizza and watch Netflix all day. That is super fun but it is summer and it is time to get outside and do something productive. So here are my 17 things to do this summer for the year 2017!

1. Workout Three Times a Week- In the summer I have a lot more time to do things and going to the gym is one. I am also able to workout without having to worry about school work or other activities that I have to plan my day around.
2. Learn Ten New Recipes- Again, with so much time I love trying out new recipes. Now that I am vegetarian I am trying out a lot more high protein no meat meals. Ill share any that I really enjoy.
3. Explore New Places BY MYSELF- I am going to be traveling this summer with my summer so I will have the opportunity to travel and explore a few new places by myself and get to know myself and the city.
4. Go Unplugged for 24 Hours- I think we all know that social media has many effects on someones confidence and personality. I think taking a day to just think about yourself and not focus on others is super important. 
5. Finish Ten Books (new post soon)- I love reading but during school I don't really have enough time in the day to read. I plan on reading at least ten books this summer and I will keep you updated on how they go. 
6. Start College Applications- I am a rising junior now and that means this summer is all about college applications. I am planning on getting most of the common app done before I go home and back to school. Please let me know if you guys have any tips on the college application process. 
7. Master my Australian Accent (hint hint)- I don't want to say anything more. 
8. Try Weird Food- I am a super picky eater and it annoys my entire family. Sometimes I go out of my comfort zone and try some crazy foods and I plan at least trying one weird food this summer. 
9. Try to Blog Three Times a Week- With all the free time (I feel like I am repeating myself but I haven't had this much free time in a long long time) I plan on using it to blog and get some really high quality content on here. 
10. Go Vegetarian- So I guess I already am vegetarian (I have only been for 3 weeks) but I want to continue this and stick with it and explore the many aspects of it. I especially want to see how it effects my body. 
11. To Not Drink Coffee for Two Weeks- I love coffee and there is a point where I drink way too much coffee. I am going to try a coffee cleanse to let my body take a break from the caffeine. 
12. Eat Ice Cream Every Day for One Week- I feel like this may be the easiest thing on this list but I want to put it on. I love ice cream so much and I think it would be fun to have some everyday for a week. 
13. Bike Ride Around Some Place New- I really enjoy bike riding but where I live there isn't a ton of places to go bike riding. However, there are places not too far from me that are really fun to go bike riding at that I want to try. 
14. Go Camping- I don't love camping. There is so much dirt and weird bugs but my family really likes to go camping so to make them happy I will make a promise to go camping at least once with them.
15. Try 10 New Restaurants- Again I am a super picky eater so I tend to stick to the same food but I have been really trying to go and test new places. 
16. Watch Fireworks- Although I won't be in the country for the 4th of July but I love watching fireworks. Hopefully I will see them at a different time then or at least celebrate from a distance. 
17. Make a Ton of Memories- I am so excited for this summer. It is the start of many lasts and I just want to make sure that I am super happy and my mental health takes priority. 

I hope you guys enjoyed this. I love doing things in the summer! Please let me know what your summer bucket list is and what you plan on doing this summer!

Traveling This Summer

Hey guys,
This summer I am doing a ton of traveling, including some very long distant traveling. I absolutely love traveling and can't wait to do more traveling this summer. This trip in the summer will be very different from my others! However, because of this I have really been thinking about traveling essentials and what I need to bring on this trip.

North Face Backpack Wallet Longchamp Tote Hand sanitizer

Plane Essentials: On planes I definitely love to go prepared because of my fear of delays. At airports I definitely get hot and cold flashes. Depending on how long the flight is I will either use a backpack or a tote bag. For the longer flights I use a backpack because it can fit more and I can be a bit more organized when packing. If it is a shorter flight I will use a tote bag for when I don't need quite as much stuff. If I am going out of the country I use a document organizer. Those are really helpful when you want all of your important documents in one safe spot. I always carry a phone charger no matter where I go so my phone has a full battery.

Car Essentials: My car essentials are pretty similar to my plane essentials. Depending if I am driving or not, I may or may not bring my laptop or pillow. The bag I use follows the same rules, if its a longer drive I use a backpack and if it is shorter I will just use a tote. Also, instead of an actual physical book I will opt for an audio book so I don't get car sick.

Long Haul Flights: On the long haul flights I bring a lot of stuff because I get very bored. I will write another post of exactly what I pack but it is very similar with just a few more small things. On long hauls I pack a blanket because the plane ones aren't very soft and they aren't from home. I also bring some basic medication because I get claustrophobic or get an upset stomach on the plane. All of those things suck to get on a plane. I also bring a eye mask so I can sleep without the weird plane lights.

I hoped this helped all you guys that are going to be traveling this summer!

Packing for the Weekend

Its been forever and I am sorry, but school got super stressful. It was the whole end of the semester finals chaos. However they were stressful, I did better than I could have ever hoped or expected them to go. Back to business, my parents are divorced and my dad lives out of state. However, he comes back every other weekend. From this I see him every other weekend and stay at his girlfriend's house then. I have practically mastered packing for a weekend.

First things first, always pack the necessities first and everything else comes second. Here are the first things that always go into my bag. With these few items I know I can spend the night and come and grab clothes in the morning if I need. 

• Undergarments 
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Face wash, moisturizer, deodorant
• PJ's
• Socks

Once these are in my bag I can get to the other things. I start with the most important staples of an outfit. For me that involves the next day essentials and other mandatory outfits.

• Work Uniform
• Jeans or leggings
• Versatile top
• Light Weight coat
• Makeup basics (foundation, concealer, powder, blush, and mascara)
• Change of shoes if needed

Finally these are the things that go into my bag last. This is anything that is more of a comfort to me than a necessity. These are also things I could go without, but are always nice additions to have.

• Perfume
• Jewelry
• Heavy coat (weather is always a mystery)
• Straightener

I hope this helps you guys. I know a lot of people have trouble when it comes to packing for times like this. I hope this can help any of you! Have a great day!