Fun things to do in Fall

So last week I talked about going to New York and experiencing Fall there, but this week I'm going to talk about what good old NJ has to offer.

Washington Rock State Park is always a great place to go if you want to get great views to New York City (all year round really)  and of the Fall foliage. 

Then on Friday, some of my friends went to the Red Mill Museum Haunted Village. We opted to get express tickets because when we showed up, the line was at least an hour and a half long. The express tickets cost $45 rather than $30, but with the student discount, you get $5 off. The haunted house is full of jump scares and frightening actors, which make the experience even more creepy. You are led through a series of different buildings, each getting more and more insane as you go through. I would definitely recommend going here, because its really worth it. Plus, the town is super cute and decorated for Halloween and a good place to walk around before and after the haunted house.

We, however, decided to go to McDonald's after, mostly because my friend was hungry and nothing else was open.  All in all it was a lot of fun and the interaction with the actors was too funny to forget. 

Talk to you later,

-Karin xx

Autumn in New York

The past couple weekends I've spent in both New York City and upstate New York. I visited my friend at NYU and then we headed up to the upper east side to go to the Met, and my favorite macaroon shop, Laduree.

At the Met, we 1) took pictures on the steps, and then 2) wondered around looking at masterpieces from Picasso, Degas, and Monet. (also ticket prices at the Met are only recommended, so we only paid a dollar total to get in)

I went here in July...

10/10 would recommend to anyone

Then this past weekend I went upstate for the weekend to my Grandma's house, which I can easily say is gorgeous almost all year round, but in my opinion, the autumn is the best season up there. Just take a look.

Sometimes I wish I could stay up there forever, but visiting makes the view better.  

Talk to you later,

-Karin xx

10 things I've learned in the first 10 days at Community

Here are some things I've picked up so far.

1. You have to want to be there.  Commuting to school 4 days a week can seem  a lot like a "high school part 2" (believe me, it does) but if you treat it like a second senior year, you won't do well.

2. Get there early. If being late to class is bad, having to walk 20 minutes to and from your car will make going to school even harder. If you get there 30-45 minutes early that should give you enough time to find a parking spot and get to class without having to run a half mile.

3. Get your supplies quickly. The first couple days teachers are usually lenient, but if you ordered your books online, make sure you know when it will get to you. You may want to spend a little more on express shipping to ensure you'll get your books on time.

4. Find friends fast.  Surprisingly, a lot of people from high school will also be going to the same community college as you, whether its because of location or because of complications with the other school they were originally going to, this will make it feel even more like high school, but if you have some friends in the same boat then it'll make your experience more fun.

5. Talk to your teachers. The faster your teachers put a name to a face and get to know you, the better off you'll be. Make teachers your friends rather than your enemies and they'll be more willing to help you projects and any questions you have on the work.

6. Make use of the school gym. The good thing about school is that most, if not all have a gym that is free to use whenever, as long as you have a school ID. Since you're commuting too, there is no real excuse not to take advantage of the opportunity. (It also takes away the chance of the Freshmen 15)

7. Bring your own lunch. Having to buy food from the cafeteria can get expensive, and take up time that can be used to do other things like actually eating. 

8. Go to school events. In high school, I never went to any school events, and I really regret it now. Almost all of the events that your school will do will offer two things: free food and free stuff. That in mind who could pass up that if you have nothing to do otherwise? No one.

9. Your ID is your friend. Along with the free gym membership, your school ID can get you diacounts on eveything from restaurants to clothing stores to movie theaters, and so on.

10. Try to enjoy yourself. If your going to community college, it's probably the best financial decision you could make in terms of going to college. The connotations may seem bad now, but when your debt free and everyone else has upwards of $50,000 in debt, you'll   be thankful. So enjoy your time, it's only for a year or two, and then you can get into practically whatever school you want without having to worry too much.

I hope this helps some people, either make a decision, or feel better about your choice.

Talk to you later,

-Karin xx