If you're anything like me your allergies are probably killing you. I've had allergies for my entire life and even got allergy shots twice a week up until high school. The spring season is always the worst for me. All of the pollen and fresh cut grass is really affecting me. However, it is my favorite season because everything is blooming and absolutely beautiful! Why spend spring struggling with allergies?! Here are some of my favorite tips I use during allergy season.

Allergy Medicine

You have to be careful with this one. You for sure should talk to your doctor about what types of medicines will work for you. The most common ones are Allegra or Zyrtec. The key to this is that you start taking the medicine before you start getting symptoms. This could be hard to determine when that is so practice makes perfect! I swear to you that it helps a lot of you use these medicines. Some doctors also will proscribe a nose spray to help reduce the swelling in your sinuses. These help as well! So talk to your doctor about what will work best for you!

Food

Everyone knows that citrus foods are great for when you're sick. This is because they contain Vitamin C. Not only are they good for when you're sick but they're great for allergies as well. Specifically they can temper your stuffy, runny nose and watery eyes. Foods with this are oranges, lemons, tomatoes, and bell peppers. Magnesium is also a mineral that helps allergies. This is because it can help open those airways that are stuffed up. Foods with this are kale, spinach, and sunflower seeds. Good thing kale is so popular now!

Essential Oils

Essential oils are getting very popular these days. Why it wasn't popular before will still confuse me. I live off of essential oils for every possible thing. They help a lot with allergies. Lavender is a great essential oil because it is an anti-inflammatory scent. Not only does it help with allergies but it also helps relaxation, which is great for when you're worried about not being able to breathe through your nose. Peppermint and Eucalyptus are other essential oils that helps allergies and your respiratory system. They helps open your airways to allow you to breathe easier.

There are a ton of home remedies for allergies as well as over the counter medicines. Everyone is different and everyone experiences allergies differently. Finding what works for you is key to conquering allergy season!

xo
Olivia

Coffee Time With... MICHELLE

Today is the first ever blog post of my series "Coffee Time With..."!! It basically is getting to know some of our fellow bloggers! And now to the introductions!

I'm Michelle, a twenty something trying to figure out life. As a photography enthusiast, I'm always trying to look at life through my lens in a new way, thus affecting how I always view the world, which is what I write about on my blog.

1. Why did you start blogging?

         It was actually for a 30 Day challenge for work, because if you do something every day for 30 days it will become a habit. And I really enjoyed writing and designing and promotion so I continued to do it, and here I am.

2. What is one piece of advice you'd want your younger self to know?

         I wrote a blog post about this but the biggest piece of advice I'd give my younger self is to not change anything, because if I hadn't made the mistakes I made or done the things I didn, I wouldn't be who I am today (cheesy, I know).

3. What do you think people misunderstand the most about you?

         I feel like there are many things that people misunderstand about me, but the one that comes to mind is that they think I'm extroverted, when I'm actually introverted (I've written about this too!)

4. Where do you get your inspiration from?

         I get the majority of my inspiration from what I read, watch, and listen to. My favorite posts to write are the ones where I write about what I've learned from a movie I watched as a kid or a book I love. I also get inspired by my personal experiences, because I've done things and have had things happen that I want others to read and learn from, because we all have a story to tell and share.

5. What is a blogging tip that you'd like to pass on that helped you the most?

         Join networks and blogging groups. You will get great exposure, be able to share and collaborate with others, and have the ability to ask for advice. My viewership skyrocketed from joining groups, and it's helped me get more serious about blogging and all the different outlets I can use to brand myself and get my voice out there. 

Be sure to follow Michelle's social media accounts!

Look Through My Lens

Twitter

Bloglovin

Instagram

Pinterest

Facebook

xo

Olivia

Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms

Yesterday I had the biggest craving for stuffed mushrooms AND spinach artichoke dip. So I thought... why not add the two together!? This was for sure the best idea I've ever come up with. It was incredible and I had to share the recipe with you guys! I used pre made artichoke dip to save on time but you can make your own if you'd like! I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

• Mushrooms (size of your choice)
• Spinach artichoke dip
• Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°
2. Wash the mushrooms and cut out the stems
3. Fill the mushrooms with spinach artichoke dip
4. Sprinkle shredded parmesan cheese on top
5. Cook in oven for 15 minutes or until done 
6. Let cool and enjoy!

Hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as I did! It's easy and great to make when you don't have much time!

xo

Olivia

Letter To My Younger Self

Dear 15 year old Olivia,

Welcome to your Freshman year of high school. These next few years will be great and will prepare you for college and your years to come. I have a few pieces of advice for you to remember when you're experiencing and deciding who you are and who you want to be.

Don't stress over what you can't change...
There are times when you come across things that is impossible to change. For example, you can't change how someone acts or what someone thinks. Either accept that that is how someone is or make the decision to cut them from your life it it's that hard for you. Either way, take a deep breath and relax. You can't change the fact that your favorite sports team is going to lose a game or two. You can't change the fact that you might not be able to travel the world or that there aren't enough hours in the day to study and do all of the things you have to do. Make due with what you have and realize that it'll all be okay in the end.

Your mother is and will be your best friend...
It might not seem that way right now but it's true. With all of the fights and arguments that you have over the next few years, your mom will become your best friend. She will help you with anything and will love you unconditionally no matter what you do or how you act. She has amazing advice and stories to tell and you'll have amazing moments together. No matter how old you are or if she isn't around, you're still her baby girl and she's always with you.

Boys are dumb...
No I'm not telling you to give up on relationships. But it is pretty inevitable that boys can be dumb sometimes. They may not always listen or understand but they will surprise you in the end. Through all of the heartache that you may experience, you will find that one person that means the world to you and you mean the world to them. It will take time but it will happen. Trust your heart and your gut and don't let people sway you in a different direction unless you decide to. Your thoughts and feelings are important and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Even when you're having a bad day, you're not...
There will be times that you think that the world is ending. You may think that because you're having a bad day that your life is bad. Well you're wrong. You may be having a bad day but that is just one day out of the thousands of days that you will have. You probably will have a lot of bad days but that's just the small amount of days out of the rest of your life. Don't let todays troubles affect tomorrows possibilities because tomorrow is a new day with fresh new possibilities.

Do what you love...
not because you think it'll be better in the future. Forcing yourself to do something is not something that will ever change. If you think you should decide on a job because of the money rather than something you actually love, you'll regret it and live life thinking "what if". That is not the way I want you to live your life. You should live your life surrounding yourself with people and things that you love. Take all of the things that stress you out (other than school, that never gets easier) and throw them out the window. Only happy things with positive vibes will make you truly happy.


Love your older self,
Olivia

April Monthly Goals

Literally this year is going by so fast. How can we already be in April?! I feel like I just started my junior year and it's almost over! Time seriously needs to slow down. Since it is the beginning of April that means that it is time for MONTHLY GOALS! I for sure think this is my favorite posts every month because it is my time to get everything set for the month!

March Goals

Reach 100 followers on Bloglovin Off by 6!

Start reading Unbroken I technically started it but haven't finished

Get back on my blogging schedule I seriously need to get back on this

Work out more to get ready for spring break

Remember to make my bed every morning Pretty proud of this one!

April Goals

Reach 100 followers on Bloglovin

Interview a fellow blogger (let me know if you're interested!)

Listen to all of the lectures for my physiology class

Seriously get back on my blogging schedule

Figure out a present for Ky's birthday

I'm seriously hoping that I get to cross everything off this month! Procrastination is seriously getting to me.. Hope everyone has a great day!

xo

Olivia

My Top 7 List

Hello everyone!! Today is a great post about 7 of my favorite things! I love being able to share stuff about my life with you so here are some random items that I'm obsessed with!

This is an amazing wall decal sticker from Target! We got this a few months ago so I'm not sure if they still have it but I think it's super fun and great for the kitchen!

If anyone knows me they know that I'm obsessed with my planner. And who wouldn't want an amazing Lilly Pulitzer planner?! This is one of my favorite patterns too!

Starbucks is one of my favorite places. Since I work at Teavana when I'm home from school, I love getting my Teavana tea from Starbucks! Love that they're affiliated with each other!

This past summer I worked at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. This is one of my favorite pictures that I took there while I was at work. Sea stars are one of my favorite exhibits at the Shedd!

Fuzzy socks are an essential in the wintertime AND anytime around the house. They're just so comfy!! I can't even tell you how many pairs I have!

Chocolate is one of my all-time favorite things. You could for sure win my heart with chocolate. Lindt chocolates are my favorite brand because of how they are hard on the inside but soft and creamy on the inside!

As you can tell I LOVE wall decals! This one is in my room and I just love how beautiful it is! It's great because you can take it off your wall and reapply it wherever you want at anytime!

I hope you all love some of these things as well! Have a great day everyone!

xo

Olivia

Favorite Blogging Advice

Hey everyone! It's been forever since I've been back but I've been working on a ton of stuff for Uniquely College! First off, I'm in the process of buying my own domain and figuring out how I want to change up how it all looks. Second, I was just on spring break so I've got some fresh, relaxed mind from the Florida air! Lastly, I've been working with some other bloggers to create some fun new posts so check back to see the changes!

If you didn't know I started blogging in August of 2014. Yes, it hasn't been that long but it's been a little over half a year! It's seriously crazy! So todays post is a linkup of some advice that I've found from other bloggers! I hope this all helps everyone! Enjoy!

BB eGuide1: 50 Things Your Blog Needs to Attract More Readers

BB eGuide3: Why Bloggers Need an Email List

Learning Library

12 Ways to Grow Your Blog Community

Cheat Sheets for the Photographer

How To be an Efficient Blogger

Creating a Blogging Income

I hope some of this information is helpful to you as much as it was/is for me!

xo
Olivia