Apologies

To all my followers and frequent readers, I am very sorry for the lack in posting. I just so happened to land an AMAZING job as a Social Media Specialist, and needless to say my busy pants have been in full effect. The bad news is, I don't think I will be updating this blog much more. The good news is, I should have a new blog coming in the future featuring a new theme (if you guess social media based, there's a 99.9% chance you're correct!) I'll keep everyone posted as my ideas develop, but for now, I leave with this last post and a huge THANK YOU to all who have actively kept up with my blog. It was so great having an outlet to release all of my (what I felt to be brilliant) ideas to balance the many tasks in life. Don't worry, this girl is far from done writing (I did double major in Creative Writing, after all.) Again, thank you, and look for my new blog in the near future! :)

LA Fitness: Review

Something you forget about in all the excitement of College Graduation is the fact that you will no longer have access to a gym covered by your tuition. This was a huge shock for me, especially considering that UCF is one of the best university gyms that exists. So, when I began having withdrawals from the fabulous abs classes and wonderful cardio machines, I decided it was time to look for another gym. For me, there were several qualities driving my decision but the most important were price, classes, and customer service. I looked into gyms online and practically eliminated every single gym except for LA Fitness just because they didn't offer the amount of group exercise classes I was looking for. So, with my research complete, I used a friend's guest pass and attended for the first time last Tuesday. After getting a membership and being there for a week now, this is my review.


PRICE


As I mentioned before, price was a huge deciding factor for me. Although LA Fitness is not the cheapest, I believed it was the best bang for my buck. Here's why:

This is my main LA Fitness club in Oviedo, FL

- Clubs Everywhere You Go. There are tons and tons of LA Fitnesses everywhere, and they just bought out Family Lifestyle Fitness and Bally Fitness, adding even more clubs to their already impressive database. When you sign up, you have the option to opt in for the "multi-club" option which means you can go to ANY LA Fitness anywhere. This is so great for vacation, working out right after work, unexpected moves, and so much more.

- Enrollment Fees. At first, the enrollment fees made my heart stop, but they will work with you. When they saw my reaction, they pulled out all these specials that they had going on and we found one that worked perfectly for me. They have many different options, but the one I was able to get was a $25 enrollment fee, plus I had to pay first and last month up front (which was $29.99 per month.) So after $90 up front I was set to go.

- No Cancellation Fees or Contracts. I hate when I have to committ to something for long periods of time, and I hate it even more if it costs money to cancel. Luckily, LA Fitness avoids both of these. I can cancel anytime I want and I've already paid for the last month so once I decide to cancel I'll have absolutely no fees.

- Overall Low Montly Price. Depending on what enrollment fee you decide to pay, you can get your monthly cost as low as $19.99 per month. You can even get it cheaper if you sign up during one of their crazy specials (like $10 to join and $10 per month.) You have to really watch for that, but overall you can get a great low monthly price any day you walk in there. I was used to not budgeting for a gym membership at all with access to the UCF gym so price was huge for me. At $29.99 per month, that's only $1 a day. I can handle that!


EQUIPMENT/GROUP EXERCISE/FACILITY

I didn't find any other gyms that compared to LA Fitness when it came to group exercise, but in my opinion some of their equipment needs improvement. Here's why:

- Variety of Classes. LA Fitness offers many different classes, and it's different at every club. They offer everything from Zumba and Kickboxing to Cycling and Yoga. At my club they even have Aqua Arobics in the pool. This was really what hooked me to LA Fitness. I'm big on group exercise, and not only do they offer a lot of different classes, but they're great classes to attend. So far I have attended both Cycling and Zumba and this week I'm attending Body Works Plus Abs and Zumba again. Both times I went I was dripping by the end, which is my favorite part about group exercise - no room for the weak in there! :)

- Good Equipment. I rate their cardio and strength training equipment as "good" rather than "excellent" because in my opinion they could be better. This could be just because I was used to the UCF gym that was just upgraded with brand new amazing machines, but hey, call me spoiled, that's what I expected. Anyway, the equipment works, it's in good shape, it just isn't the newest on the market. However, I did overhear a few employees talking about an upcoming shipment of new machines when I was on the ellyptical the other day, so maybe it will change! Of course, every club differs - there are plenty of LA Fitnesses that have better equipment. However, my overall assessment is still just "good," although the variety of classes makes up what little the equipment lacks in my eyes.

- Great Facility. Overall, the entire facility is great. They have a pool, hot tub, sauna, full locker room with showers and bathrooms, racketball courts, and a basketball/volleyball court. These are just extra amenities that make this gym even more appealing for me.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

I work for Publix and Cox Media Group, so I know the importance of customer service. Because I know how to provide excellent customer service, I expect it from places where I spend my money. LA Fitness has good customer service, but it could be better. Here's why:

- Eager and Helpful. Every employee I've encountered there has been eager to help me. Whether I needed to find where the scale was or needed help with a machine, they are readily available and easily accessible. This was a big plus for me.

- Sometimes Pushy. This was the only thing that kind of peeved me. For the past week, I have been stopped about three times on my way in from the guy who signed me up asking if I had any friends that wanted guest passes and insisting that I sign up for my free trainer session. I gave them names no problem and I did get signed up for the session, I just wish they would have let me do it at my own pace. It wasn't annoying, just a little too pushy for my taste.

- Great trainers. I went for my free trainer session, and although it's a little too pricey for me, it was a great session. They really help you evaluate your goals and they put into perspective where you are and how much work it will take to get where you want to be. The actual physical session only lasted twenty minutes and I was DYING by the end. I'm still sore, such a great work out, and I learned a lot of new workouts. Again, they were a little pushy at the end of the session about getting me to sign up for additional sessions THAT DAY, but I insisted it wasn't in my budget at the time and they seemed understanding.

OVERALL

Overall, LA Fitness is a great gym. It definitely has room for improvements, but it's perfect for what I need. They have excellent classes, great customer service, and a nice variety of equipment and amenities. I would definitely recommend this gym to anyone interested in adopting a healthy lifestyle. If you would like a free guest pass to check out the LA Fitness near you, send me an email and I'll get you started!

What do you think? Have you been to LA Fitness or other gyms that were exceptional or the complete opposite? Leave your feedback below! :)



Looking pretty when I leave the gym is not my goal - looking like I worked my butt off is!



Breaking the Pattern: Spicing Up Your Social Life

Trust me, I get it - YOU'RE TIRED. You work, you have classes, you have to wash your hair, whatever. We often get so caught up in our day to day business that we forget to take some time to enjoy life. Probably our biggest offense is opting for a night in with the couch and a good movie instead of heading out with some friends. One problem I've been running into lately is not only am I too tired, but with everything I'm saving for I can't find the extra cash to go out every week. So, I started doing a little research, and here are some unconventional social activities that can break that pattern of becoming a couch potato after work without breaking the bank. So, grab your best friend or your current infatuation and try something new today - trust me, TiVO will fill you in on what you missed, later. :)



 - Go paddleboarding! Have you seen this yet? Maybe I'm just a newb, but standing on a short surfboard type contraption while paddling around on the water during a beautiful sunset sounds a lot more fun to me than getting drinks at Applebees.

- Go for a bike ride.

- Pick one of your favorite crafty pins on Pinterest and actually do it! Think about it, how many things to you pin on Pinterest each month? Now, how many of those things have you actually tried? Pick your favorite craft and go with your friends to Michaels to pick out the supplies. You'll have a night full of activities for relatively cheap - and you have more time to talk and catch up!

- Pick a random Groupon and go. Groupon has great deals every day for fun things around your town that you probably haven't tried yet. So, instead of heading out for Happy Hour on Friday, pick a random Groupon and try something new! The worst thing that could happen is you hate it, and if that's the case - at least you can laugh about it!

- Go for a drive. Yes I know, gas isn't exactly cheap. But if you've already got a few gallons in your tank, grab your significant other, your iPod, and a small cooler of drinks and snacks and head out for a drive. You can talk, share music, and let the wind blow through your hair. It's great for destressing and you can even open your eyes to stuff to do in your town that you never knew about.

So cute, love cooking with my man!

- Make a 4 course meal. Now, I'm not saying you have to gain five pounds and make some crazy italian buffet, but try making a 4 course meal that isn't that bad health wise. Try searching through the recipes on skinnytaste.com. Gina has great recipes for every course, and cooking in a kitchen with your best friend can be just down right hilarious, and if you have your boo with you, you can even make it romantic. ;)

- Clean up your resume. I know, right? How NOT FUN does that sound? But if you have a friend with you to review your resume, you'll be able to see what sound stupid and if it even grabs their attention long enough to get past the first line. If you're a recent college grad or just on the job hunt, this can be a fun activity. Add some wine if you'd like, just be careful - you are sending this to prospective employers, after all ;)

- Shop at a farmer's market. It might not sound like your thing, but there really is something about fresh fruit and vegetables. And that's not all you'll find there, most of the time there is even handmade jewelry, clothing, and crafts at farmer's markets. Grab your best friend and twenty dollars and you'll have a morning or afternoon full of laughter and great deals.

These are just a few ideas - I think my next venture will be paddle boarding (I mean come on, how fun does that sound?!) Which will you try? Leave a comment with your ideas for unconventional social outings below! :)

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Maybe it's because I live in Florida, but for some reason when it rains my mood drastically changes. I find myself yawning constantly, not smiling as often, and yearning all day to retreat under my covers. With Tropical Storm Debby coming through and causing this reaction this entire week, I decided on Monday that I would find a way to beat the rain blues. Here are some things I tried that actually worked (for me,) so hopefully next time it rains, they'll help you out, too!

The first symptom: Always Sleepy

Probably the worst part of rainy days for me is how sleepy I feel. It doesn't really matter how much sleep I get, if it's raining, I'm tired. So that was the first area I wanted to target. On Monday it was already too late because I didn't make the choice to try all this out until then. However, I was determined to feel more energized on Tuesday, so here are some things I tried that I felt helped.

1. Avoid the couch. This is my go-to place after a tiring day at work, but I knew that going straight to it would just make me want to sleep more. So, instead, I opted for doing the things I needed to get done that usually get done on the weekend (i.e. laundry, painting my nails, working on bill issues, etc.) After the productive stuff was done, I got out of the house instead of sitting around watching the television. I felt like this simple decision of avoiding the couch made me feel less tired on Monday night and Tuesday, as well.

2. Dress up. My job requires a business casual dress code, but usually on rainy days I find myself throwing on my glasses and avoiding my contacts, reaching for the comfiest outfit I have, and throwing my hair in a bun (which is exactly what I did on Monday.) So, on Tuesday, I decided to get dressed up. I really do think this helped because I didn't feel as comfortable like I would in my "relax" clothes, and it took an extra effort in the morning so I couldn't hit snooze as much and I had more time to wake up. Also, I felt like I looked great, which made me feel great. I definitely recommend this trick.

3. Opt for natural energy. I'm a sucker for coffee on a sleepy day just like most of America, but we all know that coffee has a lot of negative side effects. So this time, I decided to go for 5-Hour Energy because I've learned in the past that it's made up of vitamins more than caffiene. I didn't think this would help much honestly, but it ended up being the best decision I made out of them all. I really felt like the energy lasted all day and I never felt the dreaded "crash." If 5-Hour isn't your thing, try taking B-12 vitamins or eating power bars.

4. Keep busy. There are always times at work when I have nothing to do and those are the times when my sleepiness really creeps up on me. This time around, I finally listened to all those studies that say getting up and walking around is a great way to keep from getting tired. Now, I can't really move around all that much at my job, so instead I challenged my brain to stay awake by playing mind games. I tried sudoku, crosswords, and even reading a challenging text. Given, I know these aren't the most entertaining form of alertness, but you can manipulate this to something that does interest you. Anything that makes you THINK as opposed to just sitting and watching something happen (like a video on YouTube) will help you keep awake and alert.

The second symptom: Lack of Optimism.

For whatever reason, rainy days also make it more difficult for me to smile. I hate that because I'm always a very positive person, so when I don't have that smile plastered on my face, everyone assumes something is wrong with me. The last thing I want at work is people thinking I have something going on that's interfering, so I knew that I needed to make a big adjustment there. Here's what worked for me.

1. Wake up with music. I normally just roll out of bed at the sound of the alarm clock and get ready completely in silence, especially since most of the time my roommates are still sleeping. However, I heard from a girl in my office that she turned on music first thing in the morning and she said it always had an effect on her mood (depending on what music she played.) So I figured it was worth a try. On Tuesday morning as soon as I woke up, I turned 8 Tracks on my phone and set it in the bathroom while I got ready. I searched for mixes with the taglines of "happy" or "fun." Not only was I singing and dancing around as I got ready, but I literally found that even though I walked outside to a downpour and terrible driving conditions, that smile was already in place. I definitely recommend this!

2. Avoid irritation. I noticed on Monday that most of my optimism was affected by normal, everyday occurrences that I was getting annoyed with. For instance, I deal with listeners every day, but I noticed that the rain made me less friendly and more grumpy. So, on Tuesday, I made sure to put forth the extra effort to be friendly and chatty, and I found it to actually be a great release from the rainy weather outside. I also made sure to have my smile on no matter what, even if I was annoyed. Just smiling helps lift your mood - after all, who can really be pessimistic with a huge smile on their face?

3. Lie about your day. I don't normally advocate lying, in fact I never have before, but this one is a little white lie that can help you big time. While at work or school, you probably get asked all the time "How are you?" "How's it going?" or "How is your day?" Well, on a rainy day you could probably retort with "Crappy" "Rainy" "I'm tired" "I can't wait til Friday" or "Who cares." Instead, I decided to tell everyone that I was having a fantastic, wonderful, great day. Surprisingly, this helped raise my mood because then people wanted to talk to me and their smiles were contagious. In addition, the more I said it, the more my brain started to believe it. I kid you not, I literally wasn't lying by about three o' clock. By then, it was the truth!

Final symptom: Unwavering Yearning to be in Bed

What is it about the rain that makes us want to cuddle up in bed and lose ourselves in Lifetime movies? I'm not sure if this was a problem before television existed, but either way, I was determined to shake this yearning. Here's what I tried that seemed to help.

1. Think active. I think one of the reasons I always want to be in bed when it's raining is because there's not much else to do and it seems like a valid excuse. So, on Tuesday and Wednesday I occupied my time with thinking about the stuff I COULD do. I completely avoided thinking about getting into bed and cat napping between episodes of Army Wives and thought about how I could work on a new decoration for my room that I found on Pinterest (inside crafts are perfect for rainy weather.) I also worked on bookmarking recipes I wanted to try and as I said before, I ended up getting out of the house with some friends on Tuesday and Wednesday nights both. I think this is one of those "mind over matter" cases where as long as you don't think about the bed, you won't want it as much.

2. Research. This sounds so rediculous and I even find it difficult to explain, but if you ever feel like you can't wait to get home and go to sleep, do some research on how much time you spend sleeping in your life. I'm telling you, it will change your mind. Have you ever woken up from a nap and thought "Wow, what a waste of my day?" I find myself thinking that from time to time, especially when I sleep in past ten on the weekends. Anyway, doing some research on how much sleep you actually need, how much the average person gets, and how much of your life you lose to sleep might just open your eyes to a new perspective. On Wednesday when I felt the same yearning to just relax in bed, I found myself researching new things to try and I found all the facts about sleeping. This might have been the best motivation to stay out of that bed that I found!


Overall, I found that avoiding the sleepiness that comes with a rainy day is a very difficult task. All of these tricks helped me, but I'll be honest, I was still very thankful to see the sun out today! Next time you're feeling the rainy blues, hopefully this will help. Tell me how you get through a rainy day by commenting below!

A Little Me Time: 3 Day Weekends

Something I rarely get around to thinking about, let alone posting about, is "me time." Let's be honest, when there are a million and three other things to get done, who has time to think, "What do I want to do?" Well, the truth is, we should be asking ourselves this question more often. Trust me, I get it, I'm the worst at taking my own advice - but if you take no time for yourself, you'll eventually burn yourself out and everything in your life from your performance at work to your social life will dwindle. With Memorial Day coming up this weekend, I figured it would be a perfect time to talk about what to do with a three day weekend. We don't get them very often, but when you have the chance to enjoy three days off from work, take advantage of it and do something for YOU.

Here are some ideas of how to make your weekend about you. Now, don't be put off too soon - I did throw in some proactive, productive items as well as selfish ones. Sometimes taking a weekend for yourself doesn't necessarily mean sitting on the couch and vegging out all weekend. It can also be a great time to organize your closet or something of that sort - even though it's "work," it's probably something you've been wanting to do for a while that will make you happy when it's done. In any case, I hope you find some of these suggestions helpful, and that you enjoy and make the most of your Memorial Day Weekend!

1. Take a bubble bath.
2. Work on the garden.

3. Buy your favorite candy and eat it while you watch a movie you've been dying to see.
4. Plan something fun with the kids or your significant other.
5. Have a girls/guys night.
6. Host a game night at your place and invite friends over.
7. Go to someone else's cookout (that way you can skip the clean up!)
8. Read that book you've been wanting to read.
9. Start the home improvement project you've been thinking about.
10. Call a long distance friend to catch up.
11. Surprise your family with a spontaneous trip to visit them.
12. Go a complete day without even turning on your cell phone or computer (If you're shaking your head in refusal, just take a moment to imagine what it would be like... you're relaxed already, aren't you?)

13. Try something new with a friend or significant other, like fishing or sewing.
14. Indulge in your guilty pleasures, whether it be jamming out to BSB or eating fried oreos.
15. Find a swanky beach bar or someplace by a body of water and have evening drinks with good friends
16. Go outside and enjoy yourself - play a sport, lay by the pool, plan a picnic - anything that gets you out in the sun and not inside (where you probably spend most of the week, anyway.)
17. Do something romantic - the work week lacks romance 98% of the time.
18. If you're just getting started in your career and there are things you need to get done (updating your LinkedIn profile, emailing your resume out to important networks, etc.) go ahead and get those done or at least started. You probably don't think about it during the work week, and if you want to get further in your career, you'll need that extra push.
19. Free your mind with a massage or some other self pampering treat. You can find great deals on spa services by signing up for Groupon or Living Social.

20. Eat at a resturaunt you've never tried before and let the waiter/waitress pick your food. You probably have a pretty controlled work week, let something be completely out of your control and just enjoy the end result.
21. Spend some quality time with your pet (if you don't have a pet, check out a pet store or pet adoption center. You don't have to buy, but animals are great at relieving stress and making you smile.)
22. Go shopping. Yes, guys, even you. Shopping when you're not looking for something specific is usually a relaxing experience that can lead to happy, guilt free purchases.
23. Fly a kite.
24. Get a pedicure (nothing like a foot massage!)
25. My last suggestion? Do WHATEVER you feel like for AT LEAST half a day on your three day weekend. Even if you have a ton to do and it doesn't do anything but rot your brain, take some time to enjoy whatever it is you enjoy most.

There you go, hopefully this will help you get started. What do you plan to do for the three day weekend? Let me know below!

Happy Memorial Day!

Rookie of the Year

Well, it finally happened - I landed a full time job. The awesome thing about that is that I can work one job instead of three, the crazy thing is that I'm still just as busy! In the spirit of transitioning, I thought it would be a great topic to blog about going from the expert to the rookie. Leaving one job to transition into another isn't easy, and it's critical to make a first impression that leaves a good taste in your coworkers mouths. Whether you are sweeping floors or designing online media, every job counts - and every job is there for a reason. Take your new "rookie" position seriously, and you can find yourself fitting in quicker than you know. In fact, you might find that the top of that latter you're on is closer than you think! Here are some ways you can stand out when you're the newbie, and possibly land you the title of...

1) Observe first, make changes later. All of us want to make a great impression when we first get to a new position. A lot of the times, we want to look at the way something is done and find a new, better way to do it. This is GREAT, and probably one of the reasons you got hired. However, it's important to observe your surroundings and get comfortable with what happens before you try to make changes, espcially if you're managing other people. There are a couple reason for this: one, people are accustomed to how things are done, and if the "new guy/girl" is trying to change everything in the first week, it might leave a sour taste in their mouths; two, you don't know how things work yet. You may THINK you know a better solution to the way something is done, but then you go to change it and find all the reasons for why it was done the way it was before. Just take a moment to observe your surroundings before jumping in head first.

2) Be friendly. It's easy to get stressed out in the first few weeks at a new job. You're learning new tasks, you don't know anyone, and you have to basically prove yourself all over again to new employers. That's okay, just smile and be friendly no matter how stressed you are. First impressions are KEY, and you've been taught this your entire life. Make sure to be known as the "nice newbie" and not the "sassy newbie."

3) Be enthusiastic. Like I said before, your new job may not be your dream job, but even if you are just filing all day, make sure that filing cabinet is in the best shape it's ever been in. The person who hired you probably did so because you convinced them in your interview that you were the best candidate for the job. Well, now is your time to prove it. You said you would be the best Taco server ever, then you better do your best to fufill that promise. A lot can be said for the first few weeks you're at a job, and usually by the end of week three, your employer has made up their mind about you. Be enthusiastic about your job, no matter what it is, and do it to the best of your ability.

4) Get to know your coworkers. You're not the only one going through changes. If you're new on the job, it's probably because you took the place of someone else. It could have been someone everyone hated, but it also could have been someone that everybody loved. Whatever the case, get to know your coworkers and let them know you're someone who can be trusted to do your work effectively and on time. Don't be afraid to get to know them on a personal level, too. After all, who knows how long you'll be working together - if they ask you to go to happy hour after work, go ahead!

5) That being said, it's also important to be professional. Everyone has friends where they work (for the most part, anyway) which is great! However, if you do take up that chance to go to happy hour, don't be "THAT guy/girl" who has to be carried out of the bar. You may like to have a good time, but for now you need to be professional. Stick to a drink or two and show you can compose yourself, then if you feel out your new coworkers down the road and realize you can let loose a little more, go for it. No matter what, though, you probably still don't want to be THAT guy/girl.

6) Take notes. You're learning a new job, so asking questions is expected. However, if you have to keep asking the same thing over and over, it's likely to get annoying to those around you. So, take notes so that you can refer back to them before asking questions. For instance, if you're being taught how to log something into an excel sheet, take note of where the information is recorded from, where it's saved on the computer, what days it's updated on, etc. Little things like not being overly needy make a great impression on new employers.

7) Above all else, be YOURSELF. Don't try to impress your employer or new coworkers by acting like someone you're not. If your boss loves golf and you've never played, that's FINE. Don't try to tell them you play every weekend to fit in, because most likely you'll get invited to play in the future and be caught in the lie. Plus, you don't want to look like you're trying to be impressive. Just observe the crowd, throw in your own thoughts when you feel it's appropriate, and before you know it, you'll be part of the group, too. Don't be too anxious to fit in, it will happen with time.


These are just a few things to keep in mind when transitioning to a new job. What's something you always do/avoid when you're new on the job?

Comment below! Andddd Happy Friday! :)

Busy Times

I'm so sorry to all my followers for the lack of postings lately. With graduation and every event surrounding it, I have been extremely busy (nothing new, right?) I was just promoted at work and I can FINALLY narrow my three jobs down to one. I'm hoping to get this crazy life under control soon so I can come back with more helpful postings! Until then, take care, followers!