Craving for Online Shopping

This past week has been unbelievably busy for me. I come home every day around noon and do my homework until 10pm - 1am. Minus two hours for dinner cooking, eating, and showering. I hope this madness will end soon... it's killing me!

Anyways, I have one more class tomorrow and then I'm on my way home for Labor Day weekend! :) This will be my first time home in two weeks. I'm in the need of good, delicious food. I did start my weekend early though and started window shopping online, hehehe. Come on, I've worked really hard this week. I deserve a gift! Or maybe five.

I haven't decided if I will buy them or not. Forever21.com is currently down right now. But that doesn't mean it's the end of the world! I love F21. However, it's good to have a few other favorites in mind when one store is unavailable for a while.

Take a look at my findings:

Aeropostale, $12.99 (on clearance)

Aeropostale, $12.99 (on clearance)

Aeropostale, $9.99 (on clearance)

Wet Seal, $17.99 (on clearance)

Wet Seal, $14.99

All but one were found on clearance (woohoo!), but even so, the flats are still pretty cheap. Especially since I tend to wear my sandals and flats until they cannot be worn anymore. My favorite pair is from Target. I bought them about four years ago. The bottom sole is all rubbed off and it has lost its beautiful gold color! But they are so comfortable. I've worn them through dirt, sand, rain, etc. I guess the worn look makes it feel more special. Oh, and they were only $16.99! At that price, it has lasted me for four years and it's still not broken yet. For me, shoes last many, many years. I don't mind investing in Nike sneakers (I own three pairs), but I do love finding great value for great prices.

Where do you shop at for awesome stuff and even more awesome prices?

The End of Week One

Well, half a week actually. I only had 3 days of classes. But I feel so drained! Wednesday was my first day as a sophomore; I had psychology and creative writing. I'm still waiting to see if I'm in or not for creative writing :( I'm against another girl trying to get in the class. She's a graduating senior... so hopefully that doesn't give her an advantage. It's tough getting classes. Especially since there's a new 15 unit cap, meaning the maximum we can take is about 5 classes a semester. Of course, I could petition for more units but I think I'm fine now. Once you get into a class, specifically a class that you NEED, try your best to cling on to it! In special cases, you can get dropped and you won't be able to keep those credits :(

Anyways, I'm excited to learn about dreams in psychology because the topic is so mysterious and intriguing. I'm not particularly pumped for creative writing, for it is a tough course. But I need to fulfill requirements...

Yesterday (Thursday), I had communications and English 1B. I'm naturally a shy person, so I hope to work on that in communications. English 1B was packed. There was probably over double the people. 20 people had to stand! English 1B is one of the hardest classes to get into. I'm so glad I have a spot. Otherwise, I would be running around campus, sitting in classes and hoping someone drops. We actually took a walk around campus for English 1B; our professor made a big deal about the art, statues, buildings, and even the sidewalks. Of course the walk was important... he already assigned us a project!

This semester is the first in which I have a Friday class. Oh, how I loved starting my weekends early on Thursday nights... but this year is different. I'm taking 5 classes now (assuming I will get into creative writing). I have Asian American Studies on Fridays. For 2 hours and 45 minutes. Oh joy. However, Asian American Studies satisfy a whole bunch of requirements, all in one class! And maybe the fact that I am Asian has something to do with why I chose this course. But let's just think about all the requirements I would get credit for. Jackpot! The class is huge, probably close to 100 students. Which doesn't bug me at all because that means I probably won't get called on (hehehe). I did try to sit near the front, like I do in most classes, so I can see better.

Overall, the start of the school year went well. I've been productive and reading every night, which is probably why I won't get to post as much... but also because I won't have much interesting things to say.

But exciting news! My cousin had her first child 2 days ago! :) His name is Lantz and he was born early but he's doing fine. I will be sure to post up pictures when I visit him!

Til next time!

The Night Before

I'm ready to be assigned readings and to listen to long, boring lectures. Doesn't sound very fun, huh. But I actually look forward to school! Besides the fact that I still look like I'm 15 years old... It's going to be different, since I live off-campus this time. So far, I've been cooking and cleaning non-stop! It also takes 15 minutes to just reach the edge of campus, meaning I have to wake up and be prepared super early. One of my earliest class this semester starts at 7:30 am... I hope I can wake up!

It's tough living with a broken fridge. The freezer works fine; in fact, it's probably colder than it should be. But no fridge means no leftover food or fresh fruits and veggies :( No mayo, no butter, no orange juice or milk... the point is that a refrigerator is both a luxury and a must. Kudos to the inventors.

Since we can't refrigerate anything, I've been taking advantage of the freezer! Frozen veggies actually have the same nutrients as fresh ones :) You can keep them in the freezer for a while and they're easy to reheat. I also stuffed my freezer shelf with pizza rolls and some other junk... but they're delicious! Those pizza rolls, man are they worth it! I purchased one bag of 40 rolls for just under $2 at Wal-mart and I eat about 10 a time, so that's kinda like four servings! I love good deals :) I also bought frozen corn (about 2 or 3 servings a bag) for $1.25 from Wal-mart.

I can't wait to get a new fridge :)

Moisturizer Review: Olay Complete SPF 15 (Sensitive Skin)

I gotta say, I'm one lucky girl. I always get free stuff from friends and family! This UV moisturizer works wonders; not only does it protect my face from sun damage with SPF 15, it also keeps my skin hydrated. The scent is light, almost barely-there, which I happen to like. The bottle isn't a fancy dispense system. It's like a shampoo bottle... just squeeze! Which isn't very inconvenient because many times I squeeze out too much and there's no way to put it back :( I've used this for about a week now and it's one of the best I've used. I'm not sure if the "sensitive skin" part matters because I don't exactly have a specific type of skin and I haven't used any other kind. Again, my friend gifted this little sucker to me so I'm not exactly sure how much it costs or where to buy it. But I'm assuming drugstores carry this line :)

24 Hours

I have spent a little over 24 hours in my apartment. My room (that I share) is probably my favorite. For close to $1500 a month, I would hope to find a nicer kitchen or bathroom... instead I find an oven that must be 30 years old. There isn't even a clock on it! The cabinets are all scratched up from years of use and the bathroom is desperately in need of remodeling. I can't wait to get out of this "apartment." It doesn't even say "apartment" on the complex; the letters fell off! And don't get me started on the noise. Crying kids, cars (outside our window is the parking lot, which is tiny by the way), hammer and nails, loud people, etc. What did I get myself into this time?

All Packed Up and Ready to Go

The last of my belongings are ready to be loaded into our Toyota van. We're leaving first thing in the morning. I'm so excited to go back to school and live with my friends! :) This is going to be such an unforgettable experience. Will update tomorrow!

Textbooks: College Students' Nightmares

I spent (prepare yourself) $591.86. On textbooks. For one semester only. Not for one school year, one semester. I've never spent so much money on books before. I even bought most of them on Amazon.com and Half.com to save money! I did have to buy a few from my campus bookstore (way too overpriced), but hopefully I can sell them back online for more. I've been selling books, and sometimes my brother's video games, online for a few years now. I use Amazon.com and it's pretty simple to use. Money gets disbursed into your bank account about once a month. They do charge you a small fee for selling on their site though. The reason I don't sell on Half.com or eBay.com is because I'm just so used to buying things off Amazon.com! Now, time to sink in those numbers and hold my tears back :(

Textbooks for Sale!

After my first year of college, I accumulated a bunch of textbooks that I no longer need!

- Quick Access Compact, good condition ($20 US)
- Great Writing, acceptable condition ($7 US)
- Culture Sketches, like new condition ($40 US)
- The Gift of a Bride, very good condition ($18 US)
- Critical Thinking, good condition ($75 US)
- La Voz Latina Contemporary Plays and Performance Pieces by Latinas, like new condition ($40 US)

If you're interested, shoot me an email and we'll make a deal!

Two New Loves!

I spoke too soon when I thought there was no laptop for me last week; for some reason shipping became available just hours after I created that post. I decided to keep my new purchase a secret until it actually arrived in the mail though ;) My new HP laptop is perfect! The keypad and interface is gorgeous and it doesn't get too hot, given the vents on the side (not on the bottom! Great for keeping my lap cool!). What a great way to start out the school year :)

Besides a new laptop, I have... a new kitten!

Isn't she adorable?! I fell in love when I first held her :) I haven't found a name yet, but I'm working on it! In two days, I will be moving back for the school year, this time to live in an apartment! My dorm experience was alright, but it is way too expensive to live on campus. Three other girls and I found an apartment a couple blocks away from school and I'm bringing my kitty with me! 

A New, Fresh Feel

I love my new Blogger template! It's so cute and simple :) Every so often, I like to mix things up... like rearrange my room, try a new hairstyle, or change how my blog looks! I found the HTML code here. Look around! There are lots of templates to choose from and are really easy to install; I'm sure you'll find one to match your tastes :)

Happy designing!

In Search of a New Laptop

My Acer Aspire 4730Z turned 3 years old May this year and since then, I've been on the search for a replacement. I bought it at Costco for $479.99, which is pretty decent. There have been a few times where I thought my Acer couldn't be revived again, but I was wrong. I've used my laptop every day for 3 years and I love it. I just need something newer; my screen is loose from opening and closing it all the time!

The brands I would buy are: Acer, HP, and Sony. These are my top choices. I found an HP that I absolutely love on BestBuy.com, but they don't have it in stores near me and shipping is unavailable :( I would consider a MacBook, however, I have to admit that I am the typical poor college student.

I'm also looking for at least 4GB, Intel, wi-fi capability, and a built in webcam. I don't particularly care for the full number pad that's provided on the right side of some laptops. I like neutral colors, preferably silver or grey (my favorite color!).

Hopefully, my journey to finding the perfect laptop will come to an end soon. I will definitely post about it!

Bad News

Here I am, about to start my second year of college, with about half of my requirements finished when I find out I have to switch majors because my current major (occupational therapy) is being removed from the school system altogether. Dreams crushed. Time, money, and patience down the drain. Now I need to find a backup major when the time comes to switch over. Which means I have to backtrack to satisfy the requirements for the new major... what else can go wrong in college? Had I known this in the first place, I would have just stuck with community college. This is killing the hearts of hundreds of students at SJSU.

Customized Couples Keychain

Months back, I decided to give my boyfriend a sweet gift. I love surfing on Etsy.com; all the handmade goodies gets me thinking about what I could make! I wanted something he could keep by his side when I'm not there (hehe, so cheesy) and I found these adorable keychains! Scott from DustyNewt.com is extremely nice and talented. He helped me with my orders (I purchased some for my friends too, but with just their names... take a look at his items!) and sent out my keychains ASAP :) My boyfriend loved it. I still remember that moment. We went out for brunch, just us two, and I dug my hand into my purse discreetly. I held the keychain in my palm and opened my fist on top of our table. Immediately, he took out his keys and gave a new home to his keychain. Five months later, it's still hanging from his keys! I spent about $10 for 2 keychains, but the price can range, depending on the quantity and variety you choose. These can be fantastic gifts for your friends and loved ones, especially because they're specially customized! 

iPod Touch Games - 8/2012

The iPod Touch by Apple is popular around the globe and there are millions of apps to choose from. Occasionally, I update my apps to my taste and download new ones that interest me. But there are a few games that I still play all the time! I hope to share my favorite games with you every few months; here's my list for August!

1. Tiny Tower; free and doesn't require internet connection. I love Tiny Tower because you can manage the shops and residents in your tower to your liking! Currently I have 28 floors; I reset my game once because I wanted to be more organized with my floors. Silly me. Collect money to build new floors (residential or stores), move in new tenants (you can change their outfits too!), and earn revenue from your stores. :) Watch your tower grow higher and higher, as you get richer and richer!

2. Snoopy's Street Fair; free (but you can buy "cash" to get exclusive items) and doesn't require internet connection, unless you want to add friends or purchase "cash". I've played this game, every day for almost a year now. I bought my white iPod Touch 32gb 4th generation last September. They have new updates pretty frequently and it just gets better! Right now, I am level 31. It does take a while to level up when you get past 15 or 20, but I'm determined to finish the story of Charlie Brown :) This game is pretty straightforward and somewhat similar to Tiny Tower. The purpose of the game is to raise money for Charlie Brown's baseball team and to do so, you build your own fair and town! With Snoopy coins (virtual coins, not the "cash" you have to pay for), you can purchase things like a cotton candy making machine or Sally's lemonade stand. I have worked really hard on my street fair; that's why I won't quit 'til the end :)

3. Jewels with Buddies; free, requires internet connection. Out of my favorite 3 iPod games, Jewels with Buddies is the last one to add to my list. I downloaded this game about 2 weeks ago and have been playing nonstop since. It is a classic jewel matching game, like Bejeweled, except that you play against opponents and can purchase power-ups with virtual money! Some of the power-ups include slowing down time (one game lasts one minute) and making half the board disappear! Jewels with buddies is exciting and a great game to play if you got a minute.

eBay auction - lost

A couple days ago, I created a post about my eBay bid on Clinique's Dark Spot Corrector. I was planning to write a review about it, along with clearing up some dark spots on my cheeks, but I lost. I mean, who would hand over $15... for a sample?!

Meanwhile, I placed a bid (and won!) on the Alba Botanica Papaya Enzyme Facial Mask. I've used this mask before - and loved it. It does burn a little while you wait the required 5 minutes, but it leaves my skin amazingly soft. Plus, it's made with natural ingredients and it's free of animal testing :)  This enzyme mask is my ultimate favorite!

Cousin's Baby Shower

Yesterday was my cousin's (Maggie) baby shower, which is super exciting because it's the first baby in our family! Out of all my cousins, I mean. I have no experience with babies though because my brother and I are the youngest in the family :( I guess I have to learn sooner or later! Her shower was great; we played games and ate delicious food (I wish I could cook like that!). She got a baby monitor, lots of clothes, books, and much more. Maggie lives in the Bay Area (west coast, woot!) and came home for her shower, which was hosted by her two best friends. Soon, when I start my second year of  college, I will join her in the Bay Area. From campus, I live only about 30 minutes away from Maggie :) My weekends will be busy... I'll be babysitting! Oh, by the way, it's a boy and she's due mid-September :) Well, I gotta get back to work... procrastinating again, hehe :P

Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector

Currently, I placed a bid for a sample of the Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector on eBay. This product by Clinique (I love them, by the way) came out probably a few years ago, but I haven't had the chance to try it yet. I'm tried of my dark acne scars. They look like blackheads on my cheeks! :( Clinique's dark spot corrector is loved and raved by many; hopefully I will be able to say the same!

Follow up post will come soon. I'm looking to maybe about a month (sorry!). I have to win the bid on eBay, wait for it to arrive, and test it out for a few days before I have my final say.

What have you used to treat your dark spots or acne scars? Leave me a comment! :)

Basic Oatmeal Facial Mask

Got some plain oatmeal laying around? Or maybe it expired and you don't want to just throw it away. Make a mask out of it! Oatmeal can be used as a scrub to clean out pores for smoother, clearer skin. It's suitable for all skin types and there are many different ways to use it!

I recently made a mask out of oatmeal by mixing 1/2 cup of dry oats with 1/3 cup of boiling water to make a paste. Avoid sweetened or flavored oatmeal varieties. Let it cool and apply on face. After 20 minutes, wash your face with water and moisturize! :)

There are numerous benefits of oatmeal masks and even more different kind of masks you can make with plain oats. Try adding a little bit of honey or milk. What kind of facial masks do you create in your own kitchen? Let me know by leaving me a comment!

Post update 8/2/2012:

I didn't get to write about my results! :( I was busy at work (and procrastinating, hehe) so I didn't get to finish. Well, what I found after the mask was...

1) My pores decreased dramatically in size! My skin looked so clear. :)

2) My face looked fresh and brighter, like I had a good night's sleep.

3) My skin was really soft; the oats exfoliated my skin a little!

Give this mask a try!