Good News

Hello Starlets!

I turned in an application last week to a company that is relatively new to my city and was called back for an interview. There were about five different tests that I had to take and even though I was nervous I did pretty well. After passing the tests I had the actual formal interview and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

The interview went well and I was offered the job! This is such wonderful news. The next open training session isn't until Monday June 17, however I was told that if an earlier one opens up then I can start then. I'm excited but I need to make sure that I show improvement every week of training otherwise I can be let go from the job

Once i graduate from training I can apply for another position within the company. Having the opportunity to be promoted so quickly is wonderful.

I can't wait to start. Now I am one step closer to fulfilling my goals.

May 14 CVS Trip

Hi Starlets.

One thing that seems to always bring me joy is saving money. I ended up stopping by CVS yesterday and bought a few things.

I was able to get 5 pieces of toothpaste and 1 lipstick for $1.97 and got back $3 worth of CVS rewards (Extra Care Bucks = ECB). This has got to be my best shopping trip at CVS because everything was worth $18.35 before taxes.

1. Colgate Total was on a buy 1 get 1 free sale
2. Crest Twin Pack was going to give me back 3EBC
3. I scanned my ExtraCare Card and got a CVS coupon for $2 off $8 of Crest/Oral-B toothpaste/toothbrush so I took another Crest toothpaste to fulfill the requirement
4. A bought a lipstick because I needed $0.07 of a beauty product to be able to get 5 EBC from the Beauty Club

I had $11 worth of EBC from a previous trip so added with the $2 CVS coupon I saved $13 .... Technically saved $17.29 because one toothpaste I got for free. So now I have $17.29 that goes into my piggy bank to buy a DSLR camera. Click here if you would like to see a list of my saving/financial goals.

Declutter Life

Hi Beautiful Starlets.

I hope you all are having a wonderful Monday morning.

I've been feeling a bit anxious this morning and I believe it's from not really knowing what I'm going to do with my life at this moment in time. I've entered a new phase in my life with no concrete prospects for the future.

This a major change in my life and I've been having some anxiety due to graduating. I've been in school for so much of my life so that is all I really know. I'm just trying to readjust to everything.

I took out the garbage this morning and it felt nice doing something different. I had 10 minutes of just being alone, walking in the cool Orlando breeze, and thinking. I realized that I need to declutter life and do things I don't normally do.

I've held on to so many things throughout my life and now I need to just LET GO! I have notes and folders from High School here with me in Orlando, and papers from Elementary school back home with my mother. Typing that sentence made me realize that I actually am a hoarder and I need to change that.

With this change in my life I need my surroundings to change as well, so I am starting with apartment. I've reorganized my apartment these past few months but it's time to actually declutter it. It will take a few months to get my home in the state that I want but it is very much needed.

I hope you will join me on this journey to decluttering life.

photo credit: puck90 via photopin cc

Swagbucks Search

I just earned my highest payout on swagbucks search. That actually sounds like this is a spam message but it isn't. I've been using swagbucks on and off for the past year or so and have been able to get $20 worth of amazon gift cards. Recently I've decided that I would start using swagbucks for often because I want to accumilate enough swagbucks to buy a sewing machine off of Amazon.

This month i have been able to get a few gift cards but I'll do an official recap at the end of this month. But just a few minutes ago I was able to earn 39 swagbucks, which has been my highest payout thus far. I've realized that the more you use the swagbucks search engine the higher your payout will be. I'm just excited because I'm even closer to getting my sewing machine!

Click here if you would like to signup for Swagbucks.

Week 1 MCAT Review

Happy Sunday Beautiful Starlets!

I've decided that I will documenting my MCAT studying progress for every week. I will try to be consistent and review the previous week on every Sunday.

This past week wasn't a full week so I didn't get done what I would have liked to. Really I didn't get anything done.


The assignments for Week 1 were:

1. Dr. Putzer Verbal Reasoning + Outline
2. Practice Reading Comprehension on Journals
3. AAMC 4 Verbal Passages
4. Kaplan 3 Verbal
5. Kaplan PT1 Verbal Passage II

What actually got done:

1. I'm reading through the Verbal Reasoning Section of Dr. Putzer's MCAT Review Book for the second time and I realized that I already outlined this section. As I am reading I will look for different key points that I would like to add to my outline.
2. I didn't practice any verbal reasoning passages because my printer ran out of ink so I was not able to scan and print a copy of the Kaplan Verbal Passages that were in the books that I checked out from my local library.
3. I didn't practice any reading comprehension skills on journals. This week I will look for different articles that I can print out and read. 

********
KEY:
AAMC "#" Verbal Passages = All Verbal Passages from respective AAMC Practice Test
Kaplan "#" Verbal = All Verbal Passages from the respective Practice Test in Kaplan MCAT Verbal Reasoning Review 3rd Edition
Kaplan PT"#" Verbal Passage "#" = Respective Verbal Passage from respective Practice Test in Kaplan  MCAT Practice Tests 8th Edition

Feeling Good

Hello Beautiful Starlets!

Today was a good day. This morning I walked barefoot in Downtown Orlando! Crazy. Never thought that I would be able to do that. It was a walk to raise awareness about AIDS and Poverty in Africa. A young woman in the Central Florida area hosted "Take The Walk." For every person who participated in the walk the band Hanson will donate $1 to Blood:Water Mission. I'm not entirely familiarized with either Hanson or Blood:Water Mission but I decided to participate because they were going to sell REBUILD globally sandals at the event.

If you don't know I am an intern for the nonprofit organization REBUILD Globally. REBUILD Globally operates in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and hires Haitian's to repurpose tires and old leather into sandals. It's a wonderful organization and I believe in its mission. I wanted to show support for both causes so I walked, and also dragged my little brother with me.

It was a wonderful feeling knowing that something as simple as walking a mile around Downtown is having an impact on the lives of people on the other side of the pacific ocean. Maybe I was feeding my ego, but doing good really makes you feel good. It was a bit of revival in my humanitarian spirit. I know that I want to be the change that our world needs.... that Haiti needs.

I absolutely forgot how uncomfortable it is to walk barefoot. Sharp pebbles dig into your skin, the concrete is hot, and the ground is filthy. But walking barefoot allowed for me to get over myself. I only did that for a few minutes but there are thousands of people doing that everyday,
and in worst conditions than Downtown Orlando.

I challenge all of you to go out and make a difference in your community. People around the world are looking for someone and something to give them hope for another day. Be that HOPE!

For more information about Take the Walk click here or visit www.takethewalk.net
For more information about REBUILD Globally click here or visit www.rebuildglobally.org

MCAT Study Prep

Hello Beautiful Starlets!

Now that I have graduated it's time to go hardcore on MCAT studying. Currently I'm making a list of review books and tests that I want to use and their costs. I wanted to take the MCAT in September, but until I get a job I don't see that happening. If I can't take it in September then I will have to sign up to take the first one in 2014, which I'm guessing will be sometime in January. Because I don't know when I will be able to purchase additional study material I won't be making a study schedule months in advance. As time progresses I will be make goals for the upcoming weeks. I know for the first month I will be working on creating flash cards using Dr. Putzer's MCAT Review Book and filling out the AAMC Content Outlines using my textbooks.

Here is a list of study material that I would like to use:

1. Dr. Putzer's MCAT Review
2. ExamKracker's 101 Verbal Reasoning Passages
3. ExamKracker's 1001 Physics Questions
4. ExamKrackter's 1001 Chemistry Questions
5. ExamKracker's 1001 Orgo Questions
6. AAMC Practice Test (ALL)
7. Gold Standard CBT (ALL)
8. TPR Online Diagnostic
9. TPR Online Practice Test

There are some practice tests and books that I would be able use and check out from my local library. They aren't listed yet.

Edit: Additional study material

• Kaplan MCAT Verbal Reasoning Review Revised for 2013 -- Local Library
• Kaplan MCAT Practice Tests 8th Edition -- Local Library

Summer 2013 Bucket List

Hey Beautiful Starlets.

I've been working on a summer bucket list and finally finished it. This is a list of things that I would like to do since I've graduated college. I might not finish the entire list this summer but I would like to have it done by the end of the year.

photo credit: esther** via photopin cc
Edited with: http://pixlr.com/editor/