Cuter Electronics: Wireless Mouse

I'd suggest add on mice for laptops. They have all sorts of designs; often laptop tablets are a pain for your hands after hours of scrolling through tumblr. I should know.

Logitech Wireless Mouse

$29

There are lots of designs to choose from, these and more. They also cary these at Target, but I think that Amazon has more designs to choose from via the comfort of your home. 

I'd recommend this, a pleasure of easy use. These all have very good reviews, as far as comfort for the hands and a long battery life. I have this sort and picked it up at Target right before the start of the year. The mouse works quite well as far as tracking movement and has kept it's battery since I first purchased it. Plus you can turn the mouse off to save the battery life. For storage, you can store the USB in the mouse to keep from losing it. 

What's super fun is that if you and a friend get this type of mouse, the two of you can trade off. Watch out for your friend to pull pranks on you if you don't keep track of when your mouse is plugged in.


Hello Kitty Mouse and pad
$25

Logitech Wireless mouse with larger USB
$20

The only difference between this and the one above is that this one has a larger USB and slightly lower price. Once again: you can store the USB in the mouse; enjoy long battery life and easy use; get via amazon quick shipping.

Microsoft Elegant Type 

$33

I figured that this would be a great mouse for the elegant modern types, the types who like to imagine that they are in Star Trek, reboot or old school. 

Wacom Bamboo Pen Tablet Alternative
$65

This is a super cheap tablet, especially considering the specs that this tablet boasts. With pressure sensitivity, you can uses this for drawing or just internet surfing. Artsy types have been using tablets for a long time; this type comes with a good recommendation even for drawing.  This comes with some software in particular ArtRange software. If the software isn't enough, there are plenty of free online softwares for drawing. Make sure you get drawing programs that recognize pressure sensitivity to take full advantage of the tech you're paying for.

New purse

I finally got a new purse!

This is a big deal because I'm the sort that uses the same purse for everything on all of the days. I don't switch up my purses for different outfits. So it's a very big commitment for me to buy a new purse; it's basically a two year promise to that purse to complete loving.

I got this purse from Mod Cloth. ($55)

It's a lovely mint color of false leather. The lovely color didn't translate into these photos very well but it's a very bright color. Let's open it up!

Even the top is a compartment. I'm not too sure of what you would put in here as it could only really store paper. 

The purse has a handle and detachable shoulder strap, for whichever way of carrying is prefered.

 I love the beautiful gold detailing and hardware; it really adds a little classic elegance to an unusual color purse.

But the lining keeps it playful. I adore the bright colors and silk. The pattern has cute little owls.
You can also see that it has some cute pockets on the inside. One zippered, two loose as well as the outside pocket.

Here's a look of what's usually in my purse.

This is my old purse.

I love this purse. I relied upon it very heavily my freshman year at MIT. And it served me well. It's actually very funny, because a girl in my orientation group had the same purse in a different material. Mine is a worked leather; hers was a fuzzy green fabric. Commenting on our matching purses was the start of one of my closest friendships; turned out she was in the same freshman advising program.

The problem was that it falls off of my shoulder when I'm wearing a winter jacket.

Here's a secret: You wear a winter jacket a lot when you live in Boston.

So I wanted to get an over the shoulder bag that wouldn't fall off. I've seen the pastel trend for bags all over the lolita fashion community, but I didn't think that a pastel pink heart shaped bag would quite do it for my everyday needs. Something that was a lovely pastel and would go with a lot of my blue themed basics, that was my goal.

I was going through ModCloth and saw this purse. I simply had to have it, especially since there were less than 10 left. I made the purchase and am totally happy with it.

There are some similar styles from Mod Cloth to check out.


Upwardly Mobile Satchel in Mint ($175)

Amethyst is it Bag ($63)

Mint Me Tonight Bag ($65)

Cuter Electronics: Ear Muff Headphones

I wear my headphones all the time, when walking to and from campus. They serve as a good protector from unwanted sidewalk conversation, in safe neighborhoods. I sometimes even walk around Harvard Square and some parts of Boston with them unplugged, just so that I don't have to deal with unwanted chatter from strangers.
But headphones also serve as protection from the elements! Like ear muffs, they keep your ears warm. These are a few things you can get to add a little bit more warmth to you headphones if you wear them as often as I do during the winter.

Ear muffs for headphones
$11

If you really want to get winter cute, turn your headphones into ear muffs. Order a set of crocheted covers for the outside of your headphones. The extra covering will keep the outside of your ears warm and toasty.

Ear muffs via ear bags
$9 - $26

Order a size of these to fit over your headphones for a super cute look.

.Talk: Periods shouldn't hurt

Basically, periods don't have to suck.
They're inconvenient, yes. But they shouldn't be painful or affect your routine. You should be able to function.
If you are really nauseous, in pain, or faint, then you should talk to your doctor about your period. 

I used to have really simple and easy periods. In middle school, my period was three days with no pain. Since then, my period has become longer and heavier. However, five months ago my period became really painful. It got so bad that I was basically bed ridden the first day of my period.

Three months ago, I tried to go out since I didn't want to miss out on fun plans with friends even though my period had started to include nauseau. Unfortunately, I ended up vomiting while out with my friends. As they walked me home, (I was too nauseous to even ride the bus!) we talked about the problem that I was having. They encouraged me to talk to a doctor about my period, making me realize

I went to talk to MIT Medical Internal Medicine. I met with a doctor, a wonderful lady who really put me at ease. We talked about my period in the recent months and the nausea that I was suffering from.

We discussed birth control. Birth control is for more than just controlling baby making. It's more like period control. It basically controls hormone flux, so it can reduce hormonal acne, cramps and flow. It also regulates your period to the same time each month.

I didn't want anything invasive so we didn't talk about vaginal rings. If you can't take pills or you want a longer term fix, this method could be good for you.

I ended up taking a hormone controlling drug called Metoclopramdie. It's normally prescribed to women for morning sickness. I choose the medication because I only had to take it on the days of my period. It fit me and dealt with my symptoms perfectly: my next period had no cramps, heavy flow or nausea  Absolutely beautiful. I would warn, as my doctor did, that this medication can cause drowsiness.

I'm now on birth control pills because the drowsiness would have been a problem with a separate medication that was added. I'd like to do a more in depth post on periods, after I've been on the pill for a while longer.

Hope this helps you. If you are having any serious pain, nausea, faintness or anything else that's out of the ordinary due to your period- you don't have to suffer through it. Talk to your doctor! They can help!

Cuter Electronics: Laptop skins

So many people have lovely laptop bags, but very few people take the time to get nice decals for their laptop. I love having a nice decal for my laptop; it makes my desk look cute even when I leave my laptop out on it. When I go to cafes or the library, it serves as a good conversation starter.

Society 6 Laptop Skins

This style is a sticker type so you have to stick it onto your laptop. Smooth and a little bit glossy, it captures the art printing and color quite well. 

It's pretty easy to apply with the vinyl, took me less than 10 minutes to do, but I did go with a bit of caution. Apparently they're removable, but I haven't tried to remove mine. 

The decal holds up pretty well. I've had small water spills on it; I also carry my laptop in my backpack. So far no scratches or stains since the summer. 

The shipping is pretty fast, as I remember. The skin comes in a thin package, but has a bit of bubble to it to keep it safe from folding. 

The laptop skin that I have is this one, Till the Last Petal falls.

$30

This part of a series of tatto or pin up style Disney princesses, including slave Princess Leia.

Yes, Leia is a Disney princess.

I love the detail on his art along with the relaxing color palette for this piece. The tattoo that Belle has of the Beast is a super cute touch. I'd recommend this to all of you!

Storm- Wind Rider

$30

By the same artist. I love the mohawk design of Storm. She's such a cool comic book character, but she looks even cooler here with her awesome punk vibe. This would make a great gift for any Marvel fans!

The Lights from Tangled

$30

A different artist. I love all of her prints. This artist has so many pieces to choose from, including a number of fan artworks for Sherlock, Avengers, and other Disney movies. I love her painterly style and the dynamic colors that she uses. I really feel like I can see the glimmering and flickering on the lights on this piece. Great for a large laptop size; I imagine that friends might get a little lost looking at this art while you work.

GelaSkins

Another site that sells laptop skins. Removable for your convenience and protective too! The color is quite intense with a slight gloss to the skin. I don't own any of these but find these designs to be quite lovely.

Alphonse Mucha Laptop skin

$30

Pink Roses on Green background

$30

I wonder if laptop decals are ever going to catch on outside of the intense laptop crowd. 

Which designs did you prefer?

College Dorm Part 2: Organize your clothes

Before we start, take a moment for a bit of rest.

Enjoy your clean and fresh smelling room. This is where you're going to be spending your year!
You've got a warm bed and you're about to have a good place to set up and organize your clothes.

Unpack your clothes.

If you have a closet, now is the time to put your clothes in your nice clean closet. You most likely need to buy hangers. We all have preferences for hangers. The best of which are those felt ones or those with grips to prevent sliding.

I use these hangers from Amazon along with some from Bed, Bath and Beyond. A set of 50 hangers is merely $30.

If you have a dresser, figure out what drawer will be for each thing. Be sure to clean all the drawers quite thoroughly first. Dividers can be purchased or made due with shoe boxes.

Scent and Prevent

It's very important to prevent moths and other pests from getting in your clothes.

Get airtight containers for your seasonal clothes. Not only will it prevent moths but it will even save you space. As you'll see below, I keep my tights in an airtight container. Not pictured are the boxes of off season clothes that I keep on top of my closets.
Once the clothes come back in season, wash them again before hanging them up. With bleach and hot water is preferable, but the main purpose is to get the scent of plastic out.

Maybe even spring for some scent pouches for your drawers or drawer liners. I'd suggest getting cedar blocks to keep moths away and have a good scent ($21). Lavender is another option for keeping out insects.

I also use shoe boxes to store my winter socks; any sort of small box will do you well for organization. For the best is: they are entirely free.

Over the door hangers

These are a great space saver, especially for scarves, belts and towels. Before buying make sure that the over the door hanger will fit over your door. This one that I have doesn't fit over my door so I adapted to the situation: I fit it over my closet door.

Amazon ($25, $11 from left to right)

An additional tip: If your door hanger is a bit too large and wobbles, use tape to secure it or slide small pieces of cardboard to secure it, making sure that the cardboard is not on the side of the door frame.

Another option are command hooks. These are removable and bear great weight.

Door mirror

I'd also suggest getting a full length mirror for some where in your room. It seems quite difficult to sort out good quality from bad online, not to mention the difficulty of shipping glass. Some people do also leave mirrors when graduating so you shouldn't pick one up before seeing your room.

The best bet is to pick up such a mirror in Bed, Bath and Beyond or whatever local stores offer similar products.

Decorate your closet

Make your closet a place that encourages you to get dressed. I've put up art and a few cut outs from magazines to give me a bit of inspiration for outfits.

Organizing clothes like a store, keeping like styles of clothes together and even coordinating favorite outfits, can improve and speed up the process of getting dressed.

Day Planner

After going to the comic book shop with a friend, we wandered around a bit. And being the person that I am, I couldn't resist a little stationary kitsch shop.

It had so many cute things to pick up and explore. I was thinking of getting myself a nice soap but then realized I have enough soap for a small eternity, all of it lavender scented too.

Isn't the planner just lovely? I love that the cover is of vintage Boston. It has a bit of elastic to hold the cover closed along with ribbon to keep the page.

The front page has personal information; the next spread is monthly views and holidays.
I got myself a planner for new year of 2013 so to fully dedicate it in the back are my new year's resolutions. It has a great pocket in the back. I use it to store the letters that I'm about to post.

Set up with with a view of the week on one page and a note sheet for lists, this little planner has been helping me get organized. I use stickers to spark up the pages for my routine events and even for reminders of small inspirations. I put in my plans for IAP. I also put in some surprise plans throughout the year, complete with stickers. I think it's very important to have little things sprinkled throughout the year to keep oneself from losing sight of the small joys.

My one warning would be that it doesn't have a full spread monthly view.  For each week, there is a mini month view. That's alright for me since I have a monthly wall calendar along with a cell phone app calendar.

Hope that this little book can keep me organized throughout the year! I do really hope it does; as you can see I'm trying to improve myself a bit in 2013.
How do you keep organized? I enjoyed reading the Dainty Squid's post about planning blog posts.

Cuter Electronics: Headphones

So this probably seems obvious at this point, but a pair of cute headphones are a must!
I see so many people with the Beats headphones. They've been a trend a few years in the making. The first time I saw a pair was in a 2NE1 music video and a few months later they popped up in my high school hallways on the coolest kids. On my campus, they're pretty common along with the Beats earbuds. The price has kept me away.

So here are a few cheaper alternatives that still look cool to wear and keep you bass pumping.

One
$41

These are the headphones that I have!

I love them in turquoise. They come in a great box; the packaging makes them feel so sleek. The also come with a nice carrying case, but I don't use it. Apparently it stains quite easily.
I'm not an audiophile, but they do cancel out sound quite well for the price range. The amazon reviews should be quite helpful if you want a more intense review of the sound quality. All I can really say for my expertise is that I've used them plenty on planes and have always been fall  asleep despite crying children.

These headphones are quite comfortable to wear and look cute on. Having tried on the Beats, I really prefer the padding on these Incipio bands to the Beats'. People quite often comment on the unique color. In the winter they even keep my ears warm. My one complaint is that if it is windy, there can be a howling noise since the headphones aren't super tight on my head; this is probably due to the fact that my head is tiny. Very comfortable wear, so comfy that I sometimes forget I'm wearing them.





Skullcandy Aviator headphones
$150

A friend of mine has headphones by skull candy, the wooden style. The sound quality is quite good, or so he claims. I haven't the ears to tell. I like this style more; I don't know if it's because it's blue or the fact that these have a very cool vintage style. The wood style that he has seems to be more of a steampunk type of feel to me.

The Mix Style

The Mix Style headphones were very popular last year.

Obviously, the best place to get these are from the physical locations run by Mix Style. The next best would be YesStyle, which based on review are either very very good imitation or the real deal. Apparently the leather is a bit wrinkly and the plastic strap is quite fragile from YesAsia so I wouldn't suggest ordering from them, but it is much cheaper.

No matter where you're ordering from, these are not headphones for the people that love audio quality. They're for fashion, but will serve alright audio quality.

The Real Deal:  They have stores in New York and Washington.


YesStyle looks to be the real deal
$70

Yes Asia also has these knock offs (based on the price)
$50


Shinee
$17

And if you're into Shinee here's the perfect pair for you. Same style as Mix Style but with the Shinee logo rather than a star. Also super cheap so don't expect the most amazing quality.

Panasonics
$31

These Panasonics have a cute retro look and good sound quality. Apparently audiophiles say that these are overpriced for the sound quality. The adjustment is set up quite like mine, so likely for fit many head sizes, but apparently give a rather tight feel. I like the look of these but would suggest these only for people that don't intend to be wearing their headphones for a long period of time. These might be good for walking to and from campus: With a tight fit, they'll keep your ears warm and deliver decent sound quality despite the wind for you to love while giving a cute retro look for others to appreciate.

Hope that you find something that will make your music loving days super fun and fashionable!

Cuter Electronics: Dust Plug Charm

These are a new trend. You put these adorable charms in your audio jack. Supposedly, they keep dust and water out of your audio jack.
I don't know how effective they are at that...
But they are very cute!
I'm thinking of getting one. Let me know in the comments which one you think is cutest.

One
$0.25

First thing, if you have a lot of cell phone charms from old phones, you can convert them to audio dusters with this. Super cheap!

Two
$2-$15

These are super cute! I think that the bear designs are super trendy right now. This long chain one is more elegant. I really do like it. It's so hard to decide.

Three
$3- $4

     

There are so many different styles in this shop. There are a of different charms for a ton of different fandoms. Like Naruto, Hunger Games and Harry Potter. 

Plus the shop has tons of positive feedback so feel safe making your order with them.

Four
$12

This audio jack charm from YesStyle is so pretty. It's a gorgeous dangling chain with lots of beautiful details. I really like the elegance that the charm has. My only concern would be the long chains getting caught on things in my purse!
But really all the charms by Miss Girl are so cute. Check them out!

Five
$4

You know a trend has gone mainstream when Forever 21 has a version of it. This little rhinestone heart shaped charm has a lot of spunk for the low price.

Six
$4

A moustache phone charm! Two trends in one. Another Forever 21 cute find.