5 Tips to Ace an Interview

Photo Courtesy of Hudson New Zealand

Interviews can be pretty intimidating, especially when the future of your eternal happiness is balanced on the outcome. I recently had an interview for a new job at Brigham Young University, and had my dad give me some tips and pointers. I am so grateful he did! I walked out of that interview feeling calm and confident, and even got the job. Here are some tips and pointers for how to feel great about your interview!

1. Take Your Time.
If the interviewer asks you a question that might need a little more consideration and thought, it’s okay to take a few seconds to think about it. However, it may not be the best idea to insert an “um” where the silence would be. Take your time in thinking of your answer, and don’t be afraid of the silence. Talk slowly and clearly. This can show your interviewer that you think ahead and feel that their question is important.

2. Think of Possible Questions Beforehand.
At my dad’s encouragement, I looked up possible interview questions before heading into the interview. I typed out quick answers, so I would always be prepared. To my astonishment, there wasn’t one question in the interview I hadn’t already studied. I was able to answer calmly and confidently because I already knew the answers. Preparation pays off!

3. Try Not to Fidget.
In high school, I did an internship at The Abbington, an assisted living. For the internship, we had to do a practice interview with our supervisor and earn points based on our performance. I wrote practiced questions, wore a skirt to the interview, and was perfectly on time, all in the hope of getting a perfect score. However, when I got the results back, I was surprised to see points docked for fidgeting. “Played with her hands too much,” was written under the comments section. I realized that fidgeting can be distracting and may show nervousness and unease. To battle fidgeting, trying placing your palms on your lap facedown, or entwining them together loosely. Take deep breaths and try to relax your muscles.

4. Dress Nicely, Act Nicely.
This is an obvious one. I once heard that it is smart to dress “one standard above” the job you are interviewing for, or at most, formal business attire. It is important to present yourself well to make a great first impression. It is also important to act nicely. Arrive ten minutes before your interview, act like it is a privilege (not a right) to be there, smile, and look at all members of the interviewing board.

5. Sell Yourself.
Take every opportunity to sell yourself. I like to tie each question back to an unchanging quality about myself so that the interviewer can see how I would be right for the job. For example, in my interview they asked me what my ideal boss would be like. I focused on a boss that helps me be independent and figure things out on my own to increase my learning, because I am independent and love to problem solve. Turn every question into an opportunity to sell yourself. This can help with your confidence in the interview and shows the interviewer how you can be the perfect person for the job in any situation.

Now go ace that interview!

Instagram Favorites

Courtesy of  Work Shop

I admit it. I am addicted to Instagram. I love the classy photos, the inspirational captions, the clever products, and learning about people’s lives. I’ve already mentioned some of my favorite accounts in earlier posts, but here is a comprehensive list if you feel like your feed could be freshened up a bit. Enjoy!

For Fitness: @activelyrees
I love Nikki Rees. While she doesn’t post specific workouts or meal plans, she provides daily inspiration about working out and eating healthy every day. She appreciates fitness and health without being obsessive over it. Her bio line reads, “FITNESS, CAKE and everything in between.” I recommend giving her a follow if you want to be inspired every day and become attached to her lifestyle and cute two-year-old daughter Maddie. She also has a blog, which you can find here.

For Photography: @piperalkonis
I first met Piper my freshman year of college. She was one of my best friend’s roommates. She was always taking pictures. Piper’s photos are centered around her everyday life, and somehow she manages to make them raw, unique, and breathtaking every day. I could look through her photos for hours. Give her a follow if you want to add some eye-catching, fantastic photos to your feed.

For (Baby) Clothes: @bowsforbrainsshop
There are a lot of baby bows businesses out there. This one, however, catches my eye. 20% of every purchase is donated to cancer research, there is free shipping and sales constantly, and the bows are absolutely gorgeous! I can’t wait to have a baby girl just to try out these bows. Follow this page if you want to see some munchy babies and beautiful bows! You can find the story of donating money to cancer research here.

For Inspiring Stories: @humansofny
If you haven’t given them a follow yet, you totally should! This account is run by a photographer who lives in New York and travels to different parts of the world. For his posts, he takes simple photos of people and shares a quote from them about their life. I’ve been following them for a couple years now, and it has opened my eyes to so many different situations and cultures in not just New York, but in the world!

For Food: @abountifulkitchen
Si Foster creates tons of beautiful and yummy recipes and shares them with wannabe chefs and bakers! She has made many copycat recipes such as Swig Sugar Cookies and Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies, and comes up with her own recipes ranging from Basil Couscous Salad to Peanut Butter Banana Power Muffins to Cream Cheese Chicken Casserole. I recommend the Levain Bakery Dark Chocolate PB Chip Cookies. Sooo good. Follow her if you want some meal and dessert ideas and recipes!

For Flowers: @workshop.pdx
I. Love. Their. Flowers. Work Shop makes amazing arrangements for any occasion and takes the classiest pictures of their flowers. They have workshops all the time, which makes me want to move to Portland rather desperately. Give them a follow if you want to (literally) freshen up your feed with some beautiful flowers and plants.

Details of a Wedding

Courtesy of Jenisse Photography

Recently, I was thinking about my wedding day, and a lot of details came to mind. I loved remembering those little details, and realized I might not always remember them. I can’t afford to forget! Sometimes the finest details make a day intimate and special. Here are some of the finest details from my wedding day.

Problems with the Veil. After our small ceremony, I gave hugs to all the family and friends present. After each hug, my veil would slide down the back of my head. I had to fix it over and over. Eventually, I just ripped it off and put it on the chair behind me, now veil free.

12 Inches of Snow. The night before my wedding, I slept at my parent’s house, just across the street from where my soon-to-be-husband Nathan was sleeping at his parent’s house. I remember being woken up by the clattering of makeup in the bathroom and my mom commenting about snow. I looked out the window – it had snowed twelve inches in one night. My dad and brothers were out shoveling, and I could see Nathan and his dad shoveling their driveway. Not everyone gets to see their soon-to-be-husband shoveling snow in the early hours of their wedding day.

My Best Friend’s Spit. During wedding pictures after the ceremony, I paused for a moment to talk with a group of my best friends. We paused for a group shot where they all pretended to kiss me, and I felt a glob of spit hit my cheek. One of my best friends had accidentally spit on me when pretending to kiss me! We all burst into laughter as I wiped it off.

White Fleece Leggings. Because it was a very cold January day, I wore white fleece leggings under my dress when we took pictures outside. I would say they worked pretty well! I never got uncomfortable, and they were so soft and flexible!

Moments with Mom. I loved the quiet moments with my mom as she helped me into and out of my wedding dress several times for the ceremony and reception. It was special to be with her and to share the special day. She did most of the wedding planning, and worked so hard behind the scenes to make everything perfect. I cherish those little, quiet moments with her.

Breathtaking Pink Garden Roses. These beauties were everywhere – in my bouquet, in Nathan’s buotineer, and on the white ruched cake and the centerpieces for the tables. It was a perfect, fresh, and romantic flower for winter.

Exit as Man and Wife. After our ceremony in the Mt.Timpanogos Temple, our family and friends waited outside the golden doors for our exit. With my heavy bouquet in one hand and Nathan’s in the other, we threw open the doors and stepped out into the crisp, snowy air. We were officially man and wife!

I would love to hear about details you remember from your wedding! Leave a comment below.

P.S. For more pictures of our special day, click here!

The Good List (No. 02)

Weekend Getaways. A couple weeks ago, my husband and I stole away to St. George with my family for a much needed getaway. We hiked The Narrows and Kanarraville Falls. Absolutely beautiful. Among our other activities: swimming, eating Twinkies, eating at Subway 2 (!) times in a row, and visiting the St. George Temple.

Warm Summer Nights. Often, I still grab a jacket while going out the door, out of habit for Utah’s predictably unpredictable weather. I’m pleasantly surprised to discover I don’t need it most nights.

White Oleander. This book, written by Janet Fitch, completely touched my soul. It follows the heart-aching story of Astrid as she experiences foster care after her poetic mother gets put in jail. Astrid learns of the harshness of the world, but also experiences love, trust, and artistic beauty. Be warned: this book is not for the faint reader.

Dunkirk. A raw, beautiful movie. I loved the lack of dialogue, the depth of character, and the knowledge of an important World War II event.

Nikki Rees. I recently discovered this Instagram fitness star, and have been enjoying following her day-to-day inspiration for working out and eating healthy. I first discovered her story here, and have been following her ever since.

What's been on your Good List?

6 Things Learned from Freshman Year

Something I'm really looking forward to in the next year is starting my Sophomore year in college studying English. I am ecstatic to be almost done with my generals and I can't wait to finally be writing English essays, reading the classics, and becoming a part of the reading and writing culture. That being said, I've thought a lot about my first year of college, starting in June of 2016. Here are 6 things I've learned from my Freshman year.

1. Life doesn't always go how you plan it. Visit my posts 10 Reasons to Get Married Early and Why Plan to read more.

2. Taking notes with a laptop and wifi connection equals loss of attention in class and ultimately low test scores, in my opinion. I found I was most successful when I took notes the old fashioned way - notebook and pen. Rewording, drawing pictures, and not being distracted by Facebook, Pinterest, or Amazon really helped a lot.

3. Studying for tests takes a lot more time than you think. I started studying for “easy” classes a week before. The “hard” classes like Organic Chemistry and Anatomy I started at least two weeks before. When I didn't follow this formula, I got low test scores and lots of regret.

4. Exercise can improve mental capacity and helped me stay awake in my classes. I ran most mornings, and lifted with my friends at the school gym once a week.

5. Making friends in all your classes is an easy way to build a support group and learn about people from all over the country (or world!).

6. High quality breaks can save your studying. Laura, my freshman mentor, told me high quality breaks can help you feel productive even though you are taking a break from studying. She suggested reading, taking a walk, or getting a drink with friends instead of sitting on social media. I tried it, and found much more fulfillment in every minute of every day.

What did you learn from your freshman year? Leave it in the comments below!

Guilty Pleasures

Don’t deny. We all have them. I am lucky enough to have several. Here are a few of my guilty pleasures I have fully embraced with slight embarrassment.

The Twilight Series
Guilt: This series is only one of the most rebuked book series and is a package deal with extreme judging from friends, coworkers, and family members.
Pleasure: I admit it is thrilling, captivating, easy to read, and has some talented plotting.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Guilt: So much butter. So much sugar. So many chocolate chips. Eating too many has its consequences.
Pleasure: So much butter. So much sugar. So many chocolate chips. Eating too many has its rewards.

Disney MusicGuilt: My music reflects not a young adult, but a singing child in a sparkly princess dress.
Pleasure: There is happiness in remembering my Disney-centered childhood.

Insta-Stalking
Guilt: Imagine the consequences of accidentally liking a picture from two years ago on another person’s profile. Shudder.
Pleasure: Inspiration ideas, funny pictures from years ago, information gained from the pleasure of your home.

Frequent Book-Buying Sprees
Guilt: I haven’t finished reading the books from the last book-buying spree.
Pleasure: The wonderful sight of seeing my bookshelves bursting.

What are your guilty pleasures?

The Good List (No. 01)

Recently, I became acquainted with The Good List. Used mostly for Instagram and other social media sites, The Good List is a way of sharing what you are grateful for, as well as thing things that make you happy. The first time I tried to create such a list, I stared a blank note screen for a long time. Embarrassed with myself, I learned that I need to become more grateful. However, I did eventually come up with a Good List. Here it is.

Graduated to Normalcy. I finally became a normal person and graduated from a bulky slide phone to an iPhone SE. I’m only several years behind, but it’s never too late to join, right? I got this Spigen phone case, and I can’t wait to try it my new phone to its full extent.

Two Finals Left. I have filled out more bubble sheets than I care to think about. Knowing I only have two more tests brings summer fever to my soul.

Brick Oven Birthdays. Pasta, salad, and pizza. Family chatting. Wide booths with homemade root beer and low light. Singing “Happy Birthday” to my brother with the servers. Brick Oven is the perfect place for any birthday.

We Were Liars. I wept at the end of this book. If you like beautifully written, mysterious, soul-searching books with major plot twists and emotion, this is the book for you.

Design for Mankind. I adore this blog. Most of my inspiration comes from Erin, the writer. Her writing is smooth, eloquent, and she includes tips and advice for everyday life. Check her out.

Warm Spring Rain. Who else do we have to thank for turning the grass and trees green and growing wild tulips in the yard?

This is my Good List. What’s yours?

10 Reasons to Get Married Early

The ice rink was a bit nippy as Nathan and I skated around it. It held some little girls in colorful pants, a few cautious mothers, and the occasional old man, silently skating by himself. Nathan and I clutched hands as we wobbled around the ice, still awkward from knowing each other for so short a time. It had been less than a month since our first date. Short indeed.

“To be reasonable, we could wait until May,” Nathan said. He squeezed my hand.

“That would be reasonable. We would know each other for longer,” I said. I felt giddy, excited, and a bit like looking over the edge of a cliff with a strange sensation or urge to jump off. May was a long time to wait for a wedding.

If we had waited until May, life would be quite different. I would still be waking up in my Heritage Apartment with the thermostat at 79 degrees and the sink packed high with baking pans and silverware. I would be cherishing the evenings with Nathan after the end of a long school day – the only time I could see him. We’d still be struggling to coming up with ideas of things to do in Provo to avoid hanging out at at my apartment or anywhere near school. Sounds horrible, actually. We couldn’t have made it.

Nathan and I were married on the cold winter’s day of January 3rd. We finally decided that there was no point in waiting if we know marriage was right. And we wouldn’t change a thing.

The reactions of friends and acquaintances were notable. Several times, they would ask me, “You guys are getting married six months after you met? Do you know each other well enough?”

I asked myself the same questions. Before meeting Nathan, I was utterly against getting married less than a year after graduating high school. To me, the questions that people asked were very valid. However, as I thought more about marriage, I found reasons why the answers to these questions didn’t matter. Getting married so early was the best thing I ever did. Here are the reasons why:

1. I get to spend more years with Nathan.
I am so thankful I met him so early. We get to spend so many more years together than if we met later in college or graduate school. Many more years of adventures and love!

2. All that money adds up!
Nathan and I were pleasantly surprised that as young as we were, we could afford married life – the apartment expenses, utilities, school, and a car. This is mainly due to our parental influence. My parents taught me to save and work hard for scholarships. Nathan’s did too. When we got married, our bank accounts and scholarship money pooled together and we live comfortably within our means.

3. Instant best friend.
I always wanted a BFF. Someone who would stay forever, no matter where life took you, or how you changed. That’s Nathan for me. No matter what, he is my best friend – my adventure buddy, my listening buddy, my studying buddy, my dance buddy, my movie-watching buddy, etc.

4. Dating doesn’t take nearly as much time as it did before marriage.
When Nathan and I met, he was working two jobs, and I was going to school. We spent hours and hours together going on dates – fishing, going to dinner, park hopping, and hiking. It was hard to balance school, work, and all that time dating. Now that we’re married, we still have school and work to worry about. However, we now save dates for weekly occasions and spend more time doing normal, everyday things together like making dinner, watching “House,” shopping at Walmart, and studying together.

5. Being the first of your friends to get married has its benefits.
A good sale on bowls at Costco basically guarantees several sets for your wedding. The good news: they don’t expire and can be re-gifted in the many years of friends’ weddings we have ahead of us.

6. Fun times!
Being married is fun! Nathan and I love living together. We love staying up late in bed, talking to each other about our days. We love all of our adventures.

7. Spend time with each other before “settling down” to have kids.
Nathan and I were married when we were 20 and 19 years old. Between the both of us, life is extremely busy with college and work. We just aren’t in the stage of life for children yet. For the next couple years, we can enjoy being with each other and focus on the growth of our relationship while looking forward to that time that we do decide to have children.

8. We can grow and learn together.
One of the biggest accusations we got from people was that we were too young to get married because we didn’t have enough experience in life and couldn’t make decisions as well as older couples. When discussing this, Nathan and I felt happy we could learn and grow together as we experience life. We immediately formed habits that complimented each other and didn’t have to change our previous lifestyles very much. We learn and grow together, already synced.

9. Married people are healthier.
Research conducted by Carnegie Mellon University stated that those who are married have lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. Lower levels of stress sounds good to me.

10. We are very, very happy.

The most important reason of all!

Courtesy of Jenisse Forbes