My first post on Buzzfeed

My newest aspiration in life is to write for BuzzFeed, so I have decided to begin publishing community posts on the website in the hopes that I will get better and better at mastering the laid back- best friend- conversation style that the site uses. I am sure I will get better at this with time.

I decided to write a short post on some famous recluses, since that type of lifestyle has always appealed to me. 

What is more romantic than being a writer who lives on her own in a cozy wooden cabin in a snow-covered forest? 

Some of these writers and artists became reclusive in order to focus on their creative endeavors, while others took to solitude only after their works had become popular. 

Check it out and let me know what you think: http://www.buzzfeed.com/angelamariasmith78/6-famous-recluses-who-have-taught-us-that-it-is-ok-19w9t

15 Bucket List Items for the Class of 2015

These four years have gone by even faster than I could have ever imagined. I have tried to cherish every moment and learn from both the good times and the bad times. I have been able to make lasting friends and some great memories during my undergraduate career and the fact that it will soon be coming to an end is both exciting and unsettling.

Although we may not want to admit it, a whole lot of things are going to change after we move out after finals. 

We have to face the fact that we will never see most of our peers and acquaintances again and, like we experienced after high school, we will only keep in touch with a select few of our friends. We will also probably be moving to cities where we will not know almost all the people on our hall and where we will not be best friends with our roommates. 

There is a lot that we will be leaving behind as graduates... so it is time to make the best of our last few months as undergrads.

Here is a list of 15 things I want to do before I walk across the stage at the end of the semester:

1. Take a group photo with my friends at by our university's sign

10 teeny tiny ways to save money

     I am very close to beginning my final semester at college, and am halfway between ecstatic and terrified to enter the real world after graduation... There is a possibility that I will be seeking employment in a big, exciting, expensive city after graduation, which has led me to focus on saving the meager amount of money that I have. Moving to a new city means that I will have to spend some of my savings on buying an apartment, as well as weekly groceries, and transportation fees (luckily, I do not expect to be needing a car).
     Anyways, here are a few simple ways that I plan on saving money throughout this semester:

1. Bring your lunch instead of buying- Although you and your friends/co-workers frequent Chipotle during breaks, it is very easy to spend around $9 on a meal there... If you bring your lunch, you save some money, use up the groceries you already purchase, and waste less time standing in that perpetual line out the door. 
2. Limit yourself when you do go out to eat- My general rule is to spend less than $10 total, especially if we are just casually dining... I usually eat a sandwich and drink water, depending on where we go. 
3. Take advantage of free food events- Even though my college is small, I can usually count on not having to make dinner at least one night per week due to a club/organization event or promotion that has food provided... granted, when food is provided, it is pizza 88% of the time, or donuts, or cereal... but hey, it's free. 
4. Cut your hair short- Not only does it look more professional (at least on me, anyway) less hair means using less product... I have very thick and curly hair that I kept long throughout my college career. I decided to cut it above my shoulders over this past summer, and it surprised me just how little shampoo, conditioner, and product I had to use to style it. Now, it takes me about half the time to go through these hair products! 
5. Grocery shop wisely- Do some research, learn the intricate art of couponing, pay attention to special deals. Give yourself ample time to shop at the supermarket, so that you can properly compare prices and whatnot without being rushed.
6. Learn to live without Starbucks- This is a hard one, especially if you are an avid coffee drinker... I have been able to combat the need to refuel at coffeeshops by investing in my own reusable travel mug and preparing my coffee before I leave my apartment. Make stops at Starbucks special treats, instead of daily rituals. 
7. Take advantage of your student discount- Being a student can help you out at several different retail stores, as well as some museums and restaurants. 
8. Be sure to buy only what you need- This takes a whole lot of self-discipline, but if you stay true to the idea of "what I need" vs. "what I want," you are more likely to avoid impulse buys. 
9. Beware of the bars- It is super easy to overspend at the bar... Opt for nights in or if you are set on going out, bring a set amount of cash and make a point of sticking to your budget for the night.
10. Go on cheap dates- Hey, nobody said you had to spend a ton of money to have a good time! Go for a walk, take part in an activity on campus, have a movie night... etc. 

     As you can see, these are relatively easy ways to save a buck here and there. As long as I keep these rules in mind during my daily life, I will be able to save a relatively substantial amount for my future self when I am living on my own... well, hopefully. 

     What are some other ways that you save money? 

The Venezuelan Hallaca Process

     Something that has greatly impacted my life is my Venezuelan heritage. I have been incredibly lucky to grow up in a multi-cultural atmosphere and be able to take part in my culture. My father was born and raised in the US, just like me, and my mother is from Venezuela. She was able to come to the US to teach at university and she still teaches there today. 

     My family and I used to visit Venezuela during the holidays every year and we would stay with relatives to celebrate Christmas and New Years. Although we have not been able to go back for the past few years, we have kept the holiday traditions alive in the US. 

     I was able to spend Christmas in Washington DC with family, and we decided to make traditional Venezuelan Hallacas, which is the common holiday meal. 

                                       

     Hallacas originated from the indigenous population in Venezuela, since they were given the scraps of meat from the tables of the Europeans. They would use cornmeal dough to supplement the meat and wrap the hallacas in banana leaves to cook them. 

     Like the Venezuelans that came before us, we wrap our hallacas in banana leaves, which can be found at Latin or Asian markets. We cut the leaves into smaller pieces and save the tiny scraps just in case we need more. 

                                       

     We use Achiote to dye the cornmeal dough, or masa. When the dried cornmeal comes out of the bag, it is white, but it becomes a corn-yellow color after the achiote is mixed in. This seed also gives the dough some flavor. 

     When the masa is the proper consistency, it must be rolled into balls, placed on an oiled banana leaf (we used the leftover achiote oil) and flattened. Next, the spiced and cooked meat mixture goes in the middle, as well as some onion, pepper, olives, and raisins. 

                           

     The hallacas are then folded up in the banana leaves. They are tied with string so that they do not fall apart. 

     They are then cooked for about an hour, as seen above. 

                                           

     When they come out, they look like the photo above. My family and I made a little less than 100 hallacas this year and we ate them between Christmas and New Years. To accompany the traditional Venezuelan holiday meal, we ate ensalada de gallina and pan de jamon.
     I had a really great holiday with my family, and I hope you did as well!
     What kinds of meals do you cook for the holidays?

Heading into the New Year

On this last day of 2014, I have spent most of the morning laying in my bed, underneath my lilac quilt, thinking about the year that is about to end. A whole lot has changed for me in this past year: I lost and gained some special people in my life, I traveled, I struggled and I succeeded. All in all, I think 2014 was a great year for me as an individual, since I was able to grow in independence and confidence, but there is always room for improvement. 

I am usually not one for making formal New Year's Resolutions, but here are just a few things that I want to focus on for 2015:

• Get in shape- I only have one more semester to take advantage of the great gym that my university provides... and I really do miss running 5Ks on the regular. 
• Make some great connections- Although I originally thought that I would have all my applications turned in for graduate school by now, it seems as though I will be opting for a break from school. I will be looking for a job in a place where I will be happy, and I have the feeling that I will be able to make some connections and expand my network throughout this year, which can help me in the future. 
• Write every day- I used to keep a journal for every single day, which became too tedious when I began university. Writing my daily thoughts and reflecting was always a nice way to end the day. I have not been able to write very much at all this past semester, but hopefully I can make the effort to write down something each day- a thought, a pertinent quote, an idea that passed through my mind while I zoned out in class. 
• Savor every last moment of my undergraduate career- It is so bittersweet to think that in just a few short months, I will be graduated and possibly "in the real world," but before that happens, I must survive my last semester of college. I want to both excel and enjoy every last get-together, because I will never have an experience like this ever again. 
• Practice Yoga regularly- Although this could be grouped into "getting in shape," I regard it to be a bit different. I enjoy yoga because it calms me down and makes me take a pause in my day. The best way to get better at yoga is to practice, and in time, perhaps I will even be able to do the inversions that I have always wanted to do. 

These were just a few of the plans that I have for this upcoming year. Hopefully, 2015 will be the best year yet! 

Do you have any resolutions? 

Happy Yew Year!

A Farewell to my Final Fall Semester

     Here I am towards the end of my final first semester finals week ever, and things actually seem to be going smoothly, to my surprise. Normally, I would be rushing around like many of my peers, trying to fit in all the final projects that I need to turn in as well as studying for exams. Although I did have had a few exams that I needed to study for, I was not too worried about them, and they were all spaced out enough so that I knew that I would have ample time to focus on each subject (hence, why I have had time to blog).
     This extra time on campus sans class has allowed me to do some of the things I love to do, like work out, sleep in, cook great meals, catch up on some Netflix, as well as spend quality time with friends.
     At the beginning of the week, I used my time to work on my last project for a drawing class that I was taking. The unfinished work is pictured above. We ended our semester with a self portrait project, which gave me even more reason to look in the mirror and think to myself "what the heck am I doing?"
     The start of this semester was particularly trying for me, and it seemed to be the same for most of my peers across the board. As things began to wind down, I had a bit more time for introspection.

     Some life lessons I have learned during this semester:

1. "When eating an elephant, take one bite at a time" - Creighton Abrams
2. It is important to take time to de-stress by doing something that you love. If you do not, anxiety may eat you alive. 
3. Even if you have gone to the same college for all four years, it is worthwhile to explore the area in which you are located because you never know what you'll find. 
4. Staying in touch with good friends is important, whether they live down the hall, across the country, or abroad. 
5. Never take your opportunities for granted.
6. Be open to new experiences. 
7. Take a chance and sign up for an elective that has absolutely nothing to do with your major. 
8. Keep up with current events.
9. Get an adequate amount of sleep. 
10. Stay curious. 

     As my graduation date comes closer, I am becoming more and more aware of the affect that going to university has had on me and how different things would be had I not chosen this university or made these kinds of friends. I am thankful for the things I have learned and where I am right now. I think I am well prepared to move into my last semester of university and then on to the real world.

The Common Market

     My passion for ethical consumerism began at the beginning of this semester, after I re-watched Food, Inc., an important documentary on the way food is produced in the United States. This film is filled with startling visuals and statistics that really make you question the food industry and basically everything that you have ever allowed yourself to eat.
     I wanted to find a way that I, a poor college senior, could do my best to become an ethical consumer. I started off by looking into buying products with less packaging... or at least packaging that could be recycled (I am a HUGE proponent of recycling and I actually worked with my university's Environmental Club to help us get single stream recycling on campus last year). I also tried to watch what I eat, especially in regards to meat. Although I had not become a complete vegetarian, I limited the amount of meat I ate, and I completely cut out red meat, especially seeing as I did not really like to eat it that often in the first place. Now, I stick to a mostly vegetarian diet with chicken and turkey a few times a week.
     Just a few weeks ago, my roommate/ best friend had to watch Food, Inc. for a class she is in and she decided she wanted to become an almost vegetarian. Since both of our families still eat meat, we decided not to cut it out completely; this way, when we go home for breaks, we will not react badly to eating meat and we will not cause too much of an inconvenience to our families during dinnertime.
     In addition to becoming kind-of vegetarians, we decided that we wanted to make a real effort to buy ethical goods as much as we can. We did some research and found that there is a natural market co-op just a few towns over from where we attend university. Most of their products are from local places, which benefits the community. Although it is a bit farther out of the way than our regular supermarket, we decided to give the Common Market, of Frederick, MD a shot.
     After scheduling a few hours to make our first visit, we headed out to do our grocery shopping with reusable grocery bags in hand. It was not difficult to find the Common Market, but it was a lot farther away than we expected, and we decided that we would really need to plan our trips to the grocery store, if we would continue to shop here.
     Our week's grocery list was filled with ingredients for dinners like chili and cornbread muffins, burrito bowls, and salads, and we also needed some fruits and vegetables and other goods.
     We started off in the produce section, which was filled with mostly organic and locally sourced foods. We noticed other shoppers around us who were passing up on the little bags that are usually used for produce. We followed suit and realized just how many plastic baggies we were saving just by refusing to use them.
     After exploring the produce section, we went to the dairy section where I was so happy to find milk in glass containers. Consumers can purchase this brand of milk and return the glass container when they are finished, thus cutting down on waste.
     We wanted to try purchasing some things from the bulk section, so we bought our beans for chili from the dispensers, which worked out well. (My roommate and I had never cooked dried beans before, so making the chili was quite an adventure).
     After we had perused the entire store and looked at the cafe section where customers can buy sandwiches and snacks, we decided to check out. We explained to the cashier that it was our first time there, and at the end of the transaction, he handed us each a round poker chip. Little did we know that our reusable bags earned us each a token to play "plinko" with on the way out. The Common Market would donate 5 cents to whichever basket our tokens landed in, which made us happy.
     Now, about the prices... Although the prices are noticeably higher than at our regular grocery store, we found it to be doable. Lucky for us, we are only buying for two people, rather than an entire family which eats three square meals a day. We are going to continue to see how shopping at the Common Market works for us. We really enjoyed our first time there and hope to continue our ethical shopping movement.
     For more information on the Common Market Natural food store, click here.
Do you know of any other similar markets, or have any tips to buying ethical goods? Feel free to leave a comment; I am always looking for more ways to be an ethical consumer!