10 tips for surviving a Summer Festival

It's summer festival season yet again! And even though they are really fun, festivals tend to be messy and chaotic at times and surviving them might become a challenge. So since I can proudly call myself a festival junkie (13 festivals visited and I'm not stopping here) and in less then 10 days I, myself, am going to one of the best festivals around, I decided to leave some tips on how to experience a festival in the best way when being well prepared.

1. Pack light. I went to at least 6 festivals by bus/train/hitchhiking and I always reconsidered if I needed all the stuff I had to carry on my back. However, this rule doesn't apply to you if you're getting there by car. Actually if you're getting there with a car I would recommend to do the complete opposite - take as many things as it's humanly possible to fit into a car. You never know what you might need.

2. Prepare for any weather. Bring extra clothes and always always always bring something that can keep you warm. You can never know what mother nature has in store for the weekend. There were times when the forecasts were saying it will be sunny and perfect and in real life it rained the whole time. So bring at least one full outfit for any (rainy, cold, sunny, hot) weather. And I just have to emphasize how important it is to bring warm clothes. Even when the days are sunny and boiling hot, the nights still tend to be cold. So if getting sick is not your intention - bring warm sweater(s).

3. Don't let the rain catch you unprepared - take a raincoat or a rain poncho. Yes, I know - they are extremely ugly and uncomfortable and just ew... But it's better to wear one then to get soaking wet and sick the next day.

4. With or without a poncho/coat -  enjoy the rain. Dance in the puddles, have a dirt war or create a full body mask from dirt. It's still a festival and don't forget to party in any kind of conditions.

5. This might seem weird but it's very very useful - if you're living in a tent, don't organise your things. Live in total chaos. Yupp, I know it will be very hard to find your things, especially if you're not living in the tent alone, but this tip is coming from experience. A long time ago me and my friends used to keep our things in our backpacks and we would leave them in the tent (because you can't cary everything you bring to the festival). Aaaand we got robed. It's extremely easy for the bad guys to take everything you have if you keep it all in one place/backpack/anything. On the other hand, if there is a mess, no one will find anything (especially if you can't find anything).

6. Bring A LOT of food. If you're a broke university student just like me and can't afford to buy all your meals in the festival restaurants then bring food from your home - it's okay to do this. But just remember to bring two times more food than you think you can eat. Yeah, sometimes it's very hot and I barely eat anything in two days. However, most of the times I feel reaaaaally hungry because of all the extra moving, dancing, partying and being in the fresh air.

7. Don't forget shower wipes/wet wipes. Some festivals have showers, some don't. The ones that do usually have extremely long lines that take 3-4 hours out of your festival experience. If you think that waiting for it is not worth it, then wet wipes are your salvation. I don't think I could ever survive a festival without them. Also, I can wash my hair 2 times a week and they stay tolerable, but if your hair tends to get dirty and greasy quickly, dry shampoo will be your best friend.

8. Don't take your favourite and most expensive clothes. Everybody wants to show off their festival fashion but I recommend you do it in cheaper, disposable clothes (they still can be pretty!). Festivals are messy. Things get ruined, ripped, dirty, lost, etc., so take only the things that you don't mind saying goodbye to.

9. Take an extra phone battery or a portable phone charger. Unless you have a Nokia 3310 that can last for 2 weeks, bring these things! Because your phone will die and you will need to to contact your friends/take pictures for instagram/check facebook/call your mom to tell her you're still alive.

10. And finally don't forget to  have a blast! Wether you're going with your best friends or all alone (you can find friends there!) festivals are an amazing experience. It's a place where everyone is 10 times more fun, friendly and awesome. So have a GREAT time! Cheers!

- Kamile

How to: get motivated to study

 

Lately I had real issues with making myself to study. I have a bunch of tests all the time but I just sit procrastinating and doing nothing. But that's not what I should be doing, I really need to pull myself together and start working a little harder. I did a little research about how to get myself motivated and concentrated to work and I thought it might be useful for you too.

So here it goes:

1. Find a place where you won't be distracted and where it is nice, clean and quiet . This can be your room, the library, a cafe - anywhere where's no excess noise and interruptions is good. Avoid places where you're likely to run into your friends. 

2. Make sure you have all of your study supplies. All the paper, highlighters, books, post-its, pencils or anything you might need - find it and take it to your study space before you get started. This way you won't get distracted or interrupt your studying.

3. When you study focus only on studying. Don't start multitasking - watching the TV with one eye, checking your facebook with the other, listening to your friend on the phone and studying at the same time is the worst combination ever. Just concentrate on doing one thing at a time.

4. Wear comfy clothes. Pants that need to be pulled up every other minute, a shirt that doesn't let you breathe are the best distractions. Wear something loose, familiar and soft if you don't want to loose your concentration. Tip: if you have long hair - tie it back. 

5. Loose the technology. Put your cellphone on silent, if possible - turn off your computer.. My cellphone is my worst distraction - I always check it every other minute and then just start playing some games or going to instagram. I usually need my computer to study, but if you don't - then turn it off. If you really need the computer but not the internet - turn off internet access, it might still keep you out of facebook.

6. Exercise before you study. It should help to make your mind more alert, and give you the endurance you need to study for several hours.

7. Reward yourself when you complete a goal. Think of a small way to reward yourself when you've met your goal. If you're in the middle of a study session, you can take a quick walk, eat a granola bar, or listen to a favorite song (don't forget to set a limit to your break - you still need to get back to studying). If you've finished your study session, then feel free to have some fun by playing games, talking to friends, or watching a video. 

Really hope this helps!

xoxo

Like a room without a roof

Today it was finally sunny again. The weather felt so warm that you could go out without gloves and it was nice to just be outside without freezing my ass off (excuse me for the language). When the weather is getting warmer and sunnier, I always feel my mood getting better. All those long gray months can really stress you out. Unlike most people, I really like winter - the snow, the never ending teas, the staying in, getting cozy and watching a movie bundled up in blankets part. But a girl need sunshine, and it's not just me - it's scientifically proven that sunshine makes you produce vitamin D and it's the vitamin of hapyness! So the lack of sunshine really puts all those frowns on our faces during winter. And another thing that I miss during the winter so much is being in the woods. When  it's warm, I spend a lot of time in nature. wether going camping, fishing, mushroom picking, hiking with my dad, or canoeing, horse riding or chilling near some lakes with my friends, I always find myself in the freshness of nature's air. But when it's winter, I don't really get out of the city too much and it starts to drive me more and more crazy when the winter goes on.

So today my mood is really up. But I also learned to handle my problems and my mood not being so dependent on the sunshine. So here's my personal tips on how to stay focused and happy happier while still waiting for spring to come:

1. Go to bed and wake up earlier. I know that everyone's sleep is really different - some people need a lot of sleep, some are fine with just a few hours, but for me (when sleeping the same amount of time) getting to bed earlier means that I'll wake up more motivated and fresh.

2. Go to bed tired. The first tip will not work if you go to bed when you're not sleepy at all and just waste time rolling around and getting irritated of not getting to sleep. My days are hard so I always feel tired even about 4 hours before bed. But if you have a sitting job and use your car getting to places, you should do a little exercise or jog a little about an hour before bed. It will make you fall asleep faster and your sleep will be sounder.
If you don't have an idea what moves you should do during an exercise, you can check out my pinterest "no more excuses" board to find some that suits you.

3. Yoga. Do some easy yoga right after waking up. It makes your blood flow a bit faster and awakens you. It also burns fat and stretches your muscles - which feels really nice in the morning.

4. Eat healthy (or at least healthier). I used to make myself feel better or energized by eating a lot of sweats. Now I seek comfort in fruits and vegetables, even though I didn't give up on eating sweats (but I use them less).

5. Think positive. You'd be surprised how your thoughts affect you. Stop thinking "I can't" and start saying "I can!". It sounds cheesy, but a different attitude makes problems disappear and there are only challenges to step over. And the feeling when you overcome yourself is one of the best feelings ever.

I hope these tips will come in handy to you, 'cause they surely work for me!

Love, Kamile