Happy Halloween! (or honestly, happy end to the Hallo-weekend) I have never been SUPER into the holiday but I have quite a few friends who are the opposite of not super into it and I usually end up just soaking up their enthusiasm for all things spooky. Here’s what I’ve been up to this past week + a few things I have been loving:

eating// Simple foods. Something about dorm dining hall food makes you want to just have the most basic plain foods when you can. I went home this weekend and was in love with plain eggs cooked at home. Plain apples, black coffee, plain crackers (Triscuits. Contrary to some people’s popular belief, they’re like, really, really good. Here are a few ways you can make them even more yum that I am super into. ), also plain baby carrots. Call me crazy but literally give me some fresh produce and I will be your best friend.

reading// professors emails. lol. and a lot of them. I don’t have any midterms with my classes I am currently enrolled in for the semester (& trust me I am NOT complaining), but between spring enrollment and test after test and online quiz, I am up to my ears in school work almost every night. Not gonna lie, I kinda love it. Being myself, I constantly have to be busy and if that means busy doing rational function graphs, so be it.

watching// Gilmore Girls. yeah, I am one of those awful people who started to watch it because of the new season coming out soon. I am only on the first few episodes but I am pretty sold on it so far. Who doesn’t love a good girl power dup anyways?

sippin//  As I mentioned early, I am baby-stepping my way into enjoying black coffee and am sort of real proud of myself. Despite the venti rasberry white chocolate latte I had this morning (It’s a Monday people) I am really into just black for getting shiz done.

loving// GOING HOME!!! I made a quick stop home for the weekend to see all my favorite people and as much as I love college and all the fun experiences here, it was so good to sleep in my own bed and idk, take a bath, or three??

Have a safe and spooky halloween!

until next time, xoxo, Ally

The other day a friend asked me to tell her how to go about doing random acts of kindness.(apparently people tend to think if you have a blog you also have the answer to all of life’s questions, not gonna lie I love it) She watched a video of this man that did a bunch of small things for people and even a dog and karma worked out and it all ended up going great for him and for the people he helped in the end, as it should. I mean it is a simple concept isnt it? Do good things to be a good person and make the world a good place? However, when you’re straight asked the question in real time, in my case at least, you’re left semi dumbfounded. The answers seem obvious and I searched my brain for the small things that I already strive to do every day (hold doors open for people, smile at strangers, the basics that you’re taught before preschool even.) But I felt stupid saying these things out loud because of how obvious they are. Well, I’ve been thinking about the answer for almost 48 hours now, and have realized one thing: there are no such things as random acts of kindness.

As human beans, we have full power over who we are and what our actions are. Nothing you do is ever going to be random. So you want to be like the man that passed along a little bit of love to the world? Do it. Choose it. Wake up and decide that is who you are going to be. Form a habit of having that mindset, and eventually, make it a lifestyle. soooo you’re probably still thinking, alright, great Pinterest quote, but I’m still lost as to what to do to make the world a better place. Ya know what? Me too. But here are a few things that I am either doing or working on in order to improve myself/the world just a lil bit every day:

be grateful // never take a single thing for granted & know how amazing it is that you are given the life that you are given. for me, this is as simple as walking around campus and taking in the beauty that is the fall trees and cool air (sometimes cool air, October seriously needs to learn how to be October here in KS because 89 degrees is so totally not cool…) and smiling. SMILING!!!!!! Did ya know that physically forcing yourself to smile actually does work muscles that trigger brain activity that in turn does in fact truly make you happy? The biggest step I had to take in learning to be grateful is to learn how to be grateful. Update from that learning: you can’t be grateful while being upset. Force yourself to smile if you really have to, but just make sure to take even 5 minutes before bed every night to write down either in a journal or even notes on your phone a few things that day that made you smile. not only does this writing ALSO stimulate happiness, but looking back on this list is seriously a major happy factor if you’re ever in need of one of those (non-forced) smiles.

pray // if you have a relationship with the Big Guy, take time to talk to Him every single day. this is a purposeful act of kindness that you can commit to in order to better YOURSELF, which can in turn better others. There is something so crazy cool about the feeling of satisfaction that can be gained from just taking some time to ask Him what we need to do in order to fulfill His plan for us.

ask others how they are // this is something i am for sure improving on. I can often get caught up in worrying about myself that I forget to simply ask others how they are. this is so so so easy and can honestly turn someone’s day around just to know that you care. whether it is your teacher when you walk into class, or a friend that you talk to every day, reminding them that you are interested in their life is a really neato thing that I think we can all improve on. Imagine how awesome the world would be if we all talked about our day.

DUDE! JUST BE NICE!!!! // this is so freakin’ easy!!!!! it’s a habit that you need to stick to and go out of your way to start doing that’s for sure, but it is one you will never regret taking the time to adapt to.

pet some pups & cats // hey, they need lovin’ & kindess in their life as well! it is hard work providing happiness for so many people!!!!

Well, take this Wednesday (or whatever day it is when you’re coming across this) for all that it is. Smile a bit, pray a bit, laugh a bit, cry a bit, sleep a bit, eat a bit, giggle a bit, skip a bit, dance a bit, just be you a bit today. & remind others that they’re more than welcome to do the same. Who knows, maybe telling someone that they can sure as heck skip a bit today is all they really need.

What are YOU gonna do in order to put some purposeful acts of kindness into your life?
Until next time, xoxo, Ally

Happy Friday!!! I have been super busy after getting back to school Tuesday night that Friday just crept on up on me without me updating you on my time at home!!

the main thing I miss about being home is the food. my absolute all time favorite thing to make at home is fresh bruschetta. long story but tomatoes are a food (fruit?? veggie? did the world ever solve that debacle?) super close to my heart because I used to pick them from my grandparents’ garden when i was just a little nugget & eat them straight up like apples, but they’re still one of my favorite flavors. Not to mention that I will devor ANYTHING that involves cilantro.

AND MY DOG!!! I miss the sweet girl so much already 😦 she has the ultimate life with her sole job being cute and all.

while i was home i got to scamper up to Junkstock with my mama and 2/3 of the sibling clan. It’s so fun to see all the local art and crafts but I’m mainly in it for the gyro food trucks if I’m being real…

initiation into alpha chi omega was this thursday so I thought I’d include yet another snap with da biggie! isn’t she the cutest?? she’s also the BOMB at canvas-ing (after being in college i am deciding that it is a verb) and made me so many adorable navy/gold/pink ones that match my room perfectly!

until next time, xoxo, Ally