• How to Stay Entertained While Stuck at Home

    At the time this blog post is being written, the whole world seems to be in “shelter in place” mode due to the Coronavirus world pandemic. It would also seem that no matter who you ask, we all have a little extra time on our hands to spend at home. After nearly two weeks of practicing social distancing, I can tell you that these four walls can feels almost stifling at times. Today I want to share with you some of the way I and other people I know have been able to ward off the staleness of being at home for days on end. It is time to seize…

  • 7 Tips for Taking College Classes Online

    Today I am sharing some tips for success in when taking a college class online. At the time this is being written, the Coronavirus pandemic is raging through the world and most universities have switched over to finishing off the semester strictly online. However, it really does not matter what purpose you are taking an online course for. These tips will help you achieve success while taking a class online! #1. Write It Down Whether it is with an electronic notes app or a physical day planner, writing down projects and due dates will help you to stay on track with your class/classes. Personally, I use the reminder app that…

  • The Rome Trip: Day 3

    This is the third and final blog post covering “The Rome Trip”. It may seem like we have already covered all of the must see sights of Rome so far, but we still had a list of places to visit. So, one more day of walking through the streets of Rome was in order for us! The Rome Trip: Day 3 Touring the Colosseum It was an early morning on day three of our trip in Rome because we wanted to take a tour of the Colosseum! Of all of the days, this one was the coldest but still warmer than what I am used to. Luckily, it was a…

  • The Rome Trip: Day 2

    Day 2 of our trip to Rome, Italy, was probably the busiest and the fullest. We saw some of the go-to places you think of when you think of Rome and we did even more walking than the day before. But to balance that out we also ate more. Life is all about balance! 🙂 The Rome Trip: Day 2 Roaming Rome On our way to see the Pantheon, we passed by some really cool stuff. We would go back later in the day to actually see all of the things we passed by, but I just had to get a photo with this Julius Caesar statue! I’m not going…

  • The Rome Trip: Day 1

    A lot of people start out a new year with a list of things they would like to accomplish with the new slate they have just been given. New year, new me is what we commonly hear, right? On that list may be to learn a new language, lose some weight, eat healthier, or even to travel more. Well, I certainly took the traveling more part of a potential New Year’s resolution seriously! On January 2, 2020, I left for for Rome, Italy! Don’t worry, this trip was not taken on a whim. My brother Jacob and I have been planning this trip to Rome for a while now, but…

  • Hopes & Resolutions for 2020

    If there is anything that 2019 taught me, it was that best laid plans often times never come to fruition. I learned this in many ways this year and that important lesson has helped me grow as a person. In the end, what is meant to be for you will come to you. Sometimes it is the things we don’t know about and are meant for us that end up being much better than what we originally wanted. This year also taught me that I am, in fact, getting older. I may not feel like I am any different than the eighteen year old girl that began college just a…

  • Movie Monday: It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

    To end this year’s countdown of holiday films, I want to end on a undeniable classic. It’s a Wonderful Life was directed by one of my absolute favorite directors, Frank Capra. Like so many of his films, James Stewart acts as the leading man in this movie alongside Donna Reed. There are only a handful of films that remain as necessary to see at least once a year. It’s a Wonderful Life is one of those films that, no matter what holiday you celebrate, should be on your list of must see films. Why is this movie so important to see? Because it has a message and meaning that goes…

  • Making Classic Sigmon Christmas Peanut Buttercups

    For many years, homemade peanut buttercups have been a coveted and much anticipated item for the holiday season. I have been helping my Mom makes these Christmas goodies since I was about six years old. Back in those days I would stand on a chair just to see over the counter top. After all these years, the tradition continues and it stays connected to the holiday season. Although I do not need a chair to stand on anymore, some things about making these peanut butter cups with my mom never changes. Like how I am the proud owner of the title Peanut Butter Manager, and how my Mom is the…

  • Behind the Scenes with the I-STARs

    You can find the group photo featured in the thumbnail of this blog post on Chancellor Robert Jones’ Instagram at @illinichancellor here. I do not own the rights to this photo. It is, however, an honor to be in a photo featured alongside our awesome chancellor on his social media! There are a few times in life that you get to be apart of something truly amazing and special, and this summer was one of those times. As you may or may not already know, I spent the summer at the University of Illinois (my university) campus being a tour guide for students. A lot goes into becoming a tour…

  • Farewell to Summer 2019

    Last summer I wrote a blog post saying goodbye to the summer season I had, and this year I want to continue that tradition. Summer 2019 was seasons filled with joy and growth for me personally. A lot happened and changed for my family, and this summer marked a large shift in all of our lives. One of the reasons this summer was so special was because of the job I had. I spent my summer at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus (where I am a student about to go into my junior year) as a tour guide for incoming freshmen and perspective students. This job allowed me to…