Episode 3 - Survival Guide to Grad School - 6 Tips on Surviving First Year!

Happy Weekend!

Today I'm bringing you the third episode in my "Survival Guide to Grad School" Series - this time I'm talking about 6 Tips to get through First Year!

First year was tough for me - from moving across the country away from my family and friends, to finally getting serious about research while taking classes and TAing... it can become a lot! So take some of my tips if you are in a grad program (or thinking about it), and save your sanity by learning from my mistakes!

Are there any other tips you have from when you went through grad school that you wish someone told you sooner?

Do you have any ideas for topics I should discuss next or any ideas for what you want to see next?
I'm really trying to produce more YouTube videos, so do let me know and if you fancy, subscribe to my channel to be updated when a new video posts! I will be doing some makeup looks next also :)

Have a wonderful weekend!

xo

Andrea

Going Out/Conference Formal/Social outing Look - Recycling Pieces to make the most of your Wardrobe

Happy Monday!

Today I'm bringing you a new outfit post featuring recycled pieces that you might have seen on the blog before (Ie. in this holiday outfit post HERE). Since I've spent a lot of traveling lately, my bank account is crying right now... so I decided to recycle pieces to create a whole different look!
In this outfit, I wore the bright red lace top I featured  before, with a black bandage mini skirt from Topshop from a few years ago! The outfit was simple and I wore my favorite Nine West heels that I have worn at conferences and are comfy enough to wear for a few hours. This is an outfit you can wear to a conference social (I wouldn't wear this to give a talk, but for getting drinks after the conference is over, I think it's fine!).
The accessories make the outfit shine, and I am rewearing one of my favorite bracelets, the Tassel Bracelet from the Yayoi Collection from Boyajian Trend Gallery, and a rhinestone bracelet from H&M I believe (given to me by my friend Samira!).
I used my little black pocketbook that doubles as a wallet from Express. and I curled my hair using my flat iron. If you are paying attention to my social media, I did cut my hair recently, so this was taken before I cut my hair (and I'm missing my long hair! T_T), but I will have some tutorials soon about styling short hair for the lab!
The best thing about this outfit? I didn't spend a dime, and I created a somewhat different look/look for a different occasion.

Ole Henriksen VoxBox Review - Youtube video!

I'm finally back with a new post! Sorry for being MIA the last few weeks - but I have been active over on my social media, so if you aren't following me yet over on Instagram or Snapchat -- go do it now! I post daily over there!
Life has been so crazy lately, with TAing this Spring quarter, interviewing, graduation, my family visiting, attending a scientific conference in Portugal, traveling to France, and then trying to finish up a paper (one of the final chapters of my dissertation!), so I apologize!
But I am trying to get back a work/life balance and getting back to my blogging! I will hopefully be shooting some outfits this weekend, so I will be bringing you more posts!
I am also trying to get back into making YouTube videos, so go check out my channel and subscribe!

Today's post, I bring you a video review of some skin care products by Ole Henriksen I received through the Influencer App Voxbox! Since I was traveling and anything and everything I wanted, my skin was super upset at me, haha! Traveling, different weather conditions, drinking 3-5 coffees a day, irregular sleep schedule, jet lag, you name it, my whole routine was out of whack! It's amazing how your skin can react!

View the video below, and let me know if you have used any of these products before, if they've worked for you, or if you have used any other products that worked well!

(Isn't my thumbnail so flattering?! :D hahaha!)

Do let me know your thoughts about my first real youtube review below, and let me know if you prefer video or text post reviews!! I'm curious!

Take it easy!

Until next time,

Andrea

xo

* I was sent these products from Influenster Voxbox, but this does not affect my honest opinion on the products, opinions are 100% mine! *

I'm a Dr - PhD (Almost!) Graduation

Hey loves!
Sorry for the lack of posts this month but I am back! I've been so crazy busy with the end of TAing (finally finished grading and entered in my grades!), graduation, family visiting, doing research, and getting ready for an international conference that I'm leaving for tomorrow!
I'm so excited for the conference, I get to finally meet the experts in my field that I read their research papers all the time, and I get to be in an amazing location (secret right now, check my instagram for the reveal!!) , and I am traveling also afterwards (again, check my instagram to figure out where I'm going!).
My parents came for graduation, and I found out I won a dissertation research award at graduation, and I also won the dissertation year fellowship, which will give me funding for the next year if I choose to stay longer.... so I am "graduated" but not done completely yet!
Graduation was a great day, it was cloudy so I was worried it would rain, but it ended up being perfect weather and great lighting for photos. I expected to be more emotional about graduation but I think because I'm not technically 100% done, I was just plain happy to be celebrated. Such a wonderful and happy milestone, so much hard work and tears.

Midweek Celebration - Mia Rosa wine

Since I finished my first interview, and my best friend in grad school also had her first interview, we decided to celebrate by drinking some wine as a little midweek break. We both have been super stressed out with trying to balance life, research, teaching, career development, interviews, and writing our dissertations (or thinking about writing, lol).

I was contacted by Mia Rosa Wines to try two of their dessert wines, and I said, why not, and this was the perfect opportunity to try them (Yes we finished both bottles in one sitting, but we took it slow and over the course of a few hours of chatting... Oh and they are both low alcohol percentage wine so you can drink it mid day with lunch or what not and not feel 'drunk').

Mia Rosa Wines are bottled and imported from Gattinara, Italy, but the company that imports and distributes the wine is local, based in Glendale, California. So this is a definite SoCal brand, and I love supporting local businesses!

I love Moscatos, my go to wine is white, and I'm not really a red wine girl. I didn't know what to expect with their red, but it ended up being very enjoyable and not very dry as I expected!

First up, the Mia Rosa Moscato White:

This wine was a little fizzy and bubbly at first sip, and it was very delicious and sweet! It had a very clean finish, and the taste didn't linger. I could taste flavors of apple, cantalope, peach, pear - it was very tasty! At 5.5% Alcohol by volume, I easily drank 2-3 glasses without feeling much! Easily a very nice wine to go to after a meal when you aren't ready for a rather wild night, and pairs easily with dessert, cheeses, or I even thought it would pair well with Thai food or other kinds of spicy food - the sweetness is a good level to counterbalance spice!

Next, the Mia Rosa Dolce Rosso Red: 

This wine was also fizzy and bubbly at first sip, and it was a rather tasty red! It wasn't dry like other reds I have tasted, which I think made it more enjoyable for me. I could taste lots of flavors of berry - raspberries, red berry among others. Again, there is only 5.5% Alcohol by volume, so it is a nice light wine to enjoy during the day. I would pair this wine with some yummy dark chocolate (girls + wine + chocolate, perfect!), and maybe some fresh fruit.