Tag Archives: spotify

April & Audiobooks

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Happy April everyone! I’m currently blogging from Daytona Beach, Florida prepping to graduate and relocate to Dayton, Ohio post graduation pursuing my Master’s degree in Operations Research at the Air Force Institute of Technology. I am VERY much looking forward to commissioning as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Air Force! With only a few weeks left until my undergraduate journey comes to an end, the only thing that’s been on my mind is the finish line… i.e. the starting line to my career and the rest of my life! With my family and friends finalizing travel plans to come to FL for the graduation ceremony and festivities I can’t help but be more excited every day.

A common theme for my life currently is focusing on ‘the grind’. Thus, I am putting all my energy into school, working out, prioritizing sleep, rest, and mentally recharging to stay in a consistent routine. Something new I’ve been interested in that’s helping me unwind, other than different workouts, is leisure reading!

Post workout at the ERAU Fitness Center!

While I don’t always have time to read physical books, I’m trying out my newest literature pick via a few different platforms. What I mean by that is, I’m trying out a new method of the “picking up where you left off” concept. Hence, I now have The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien in digital pdf format to read on my phone during short breaks throughout the day or while walking on the treadmill. Additionally, I’ve checked out my *first* leisure read from the ERAU Hunt Library for a physical copy of the book to read in my room, lounging on the hammocks around campus, or as a fun beach day copy! My third and final version of The Hobbit is… drum roll please… an audiobook! Spotify Premium for students is only $5 a month, and comes with a free Hulu and SHOWTIME subscription! In addition to music, which I use Spotify for everyday, Spotify also has podcasts, and a plethora of audiobooks. This digital library includes most classics like Harry Potter (my latest audiobook listen) AND The Hobbit (my newest listen)! I typically enjoy audiobooks while walking to class on campus, cleaning my room, doing laundry, or as a way to relax before bed!

Newest book I recently borrowed from the ERAU Hunt Library!

Highlights I’ve been enjoying lately in addition to homework, term papers, technical reports, presentations, and my new book endeavor include: consistency in my gym routine, the sunshine and weather warming up as summer in FL approaches, watching Season 2 of Bridgerton on Netflix, and the new season on The Kardashians coming out April 14 on Hulu! Keep on keeping on folks, good things to come, will report back soon!

Finals & Staying Connected With Friends

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Happy almost May everyone! I am currently blogging from Northern Virginia, I have one more final exam to take from the comfort of my bedroom, and I’m SO excited for the semester to be finished.

Some small updates: I’ve recently discovered the Popsugar Fitness Youtube channel which is filled with great workouts ranging from a few minutes to over an hour and everywhere in between that are perfect to do while social distancing. You think the 4 min arms won’t get you, but let me tell you WHEW, it’s gold. Four minutes is a perfect way to get a small break from studying without losing your train of thought about a complicated Jet Propulsion problem.

The aftermath of my 4 hour Jet Propulsion Final Exam featuring iced coffee with dark chocolate oat milk

I have been turning to music a lot lately to deal with stress, calm down, and feel connected with my friends from far away. Spotify+Hulu+Showtime is only $5 a month for college students. On Spotify there is an option to make a Collaborative Playlist which is essentially an outlet for you to create something with your friends from far away, where all editors have the option to add/remove songs at their leisure.

My best friend and I always say that our lives parallel because we seem to feel the same emotions at the same times and despite moving away to different states for college, we go through a lot of similar experiences and feel the same ways. Different mood Collaborative Playlists are so helpful in situations where you miss the people you are close to, especially when you would be sharing the same songs or listening to them in person together if you had the chance. This is seriously an underrated way of connecting while social distancing that I highly recommend.

My most recent entertainment recommendations include: Insecure, a hilarious show with a great music soundtrack on HBO-Go, and Outer Banks, a suspenseful and dramatic show on Netflix that gives me nostalgia for living close to the water growing up. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon Prime Video is also absolutely hilarious and based in the 1950s so the costumes, language, music, and overall culture are all extremely interesting.

In addition to studying and binge watching shows on my laptop, I have been getting in my daily yoga, workouts, and walks with my sister. Longer walks on the sunnier warmer days or weekends of course, we went on a 5 mile hike the other day and it was beautiful. Gaining some perspective in the midst of the global pandemic we are all facing is truly (and literally) a breath of fresh air.

Hiking with my sister!

Keep on keeping on folks, stay safe, wash your hands, cover your faces, and I will report back soon!