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Digital Trends
I am very serious about the Christmas season. It's one of my favorite things, and I love it all from gift-giving to baking to the decorations, but I especially love Christmas music. Here are 11 songs you should consider adding to your Christmas playlists.
"First Noel" by Leslie Odom, Jr
Leslie Odom, Jr. (a.k.a. Aaron Burr in " Hamilton") released a Christmas album this year, and his cover of "First Noel" warms my soul.
"A Holly Jolly Christmas" by Burl Ives
There's just something so merry about Burl Ives's version. Plus, it's a classic.
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by Kelly Clarkson
I'm sure some will say it's sacrilegious to like any other version but Judy Garland's, but the notes Kelly hits are on point.
"All I Want for Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey
I mean, y'all knew I had to include this song, right? One of my best friends and I send each other all the Vines of this song.
"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home" by Michael Buble
No Christmas playlist is complete without Michael, and this is one of the best on his album.
"Last Christmas" by Taylor Swift
One of my few complaints about Taylor is that she only released one Christmas album, and that was almost ten years ago. But her cover of "Last Christmas" is definitely a hit, in my opinion.
"The Christmas Song" by Josh Groban
I'm pretty sure everyone has their favorite cover of this holiday classic, but in my book, Josh Groban is king. Have some chestnuts, y'all.
"White Christmas" by Idina Menzel
Of course the Bing Crosby version from the "White Christmas" movie is my preferred version, but Spotify no longer has it, so Idina's cover is my second favorite.
"O Holy Night" by David Archuleta
He has the voice of an angel.
"Believe" by Josh Groban
"The Polar Express" is one of my favorite Christmas movies, and this song absolutely puts me in a holiday mood.
"Les cloches du hameau" by Celine Dion
I love all things French so obviously my playlist has a French carol.
So what songs do you have on your Christmas playlist?
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CampusExplorer
New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.
1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.
Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!
With that being said it brings me to another thing I will actually (try) and do this semester.
2. I will look decent for class.
OK maybe not every single day, but at least twice a week, put effort into your appearance. I know that that pair of sweats and that baggy t-shirt stay calling your name; however, they need to understand that there are clothes in your closet that have not seen the light of day in months due to your inability to actually put on a decent looking outfit. Let your sweats know that you need to wear other clothes or before you know it your jeans will have somehow shrunk a size (yes it happens). It doesn't take too much effort to put on a nice outfit and who knows that adorable top in the back of your closet may catch the eye of a potential "bae."
3. I will go to the gym more.
After being home for a month or more and your family stuffing you with actual good food, a few pounds may have introduced themselves to you. When going back to school this is a time for you to cut them out of your life, you probably have not gotten that attached to them so now would be a good time to hike across campus to the gym and start getting that perfect body (spring break is coming up).
4. I will go to the library and study more.
See how I said "go to the library and study" and not "go to the library and sleep, watch Netflix, or do anything but study." Your grades are counting on you to lift them up when they are down and you can't do that when you try and cram for that big test the night before. This semester you are challenged to study not a few days before, but weeks before. This way you can actually learn and understand the material. It helps -- I promise.
5. I will meet new people.
Yes, your old friends are fun and you always have a good time with them, but it is never a bad thing to branch out and meet new people. Join a new club or talk to that random person who sits beside you in class, not only could you make a new friend you could have a new person to study with!
Now, go make some friends, get to class on time, look decent, and get your study on.
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Student Life
The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library
For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.
18 December
2067
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash
And so it begins.
1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock
Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.
2. Disappointed you let it get this bad
One to three hours pass and that motivation from earlier has dissipated. Why are you barely doing this assignment? Retreating into your blanket seems like a good plan, for about 30 minutes longer than it should have. Texting your friends to complain about your strategy not working for you may show weakness and result in judgment. Abort the friendship if that is the case. That kind of negativity is not needed in your fragile state. They should be fighting it just like you! As time continues, you sit there with a somber attitude, knowing this is not helping the situation, but only making it worse for yourself.
3. Distracted: When a 10-Minute Break Becomes an Hour
You do not care if you are making it worse on yourself! You might walk around to see what other unfortunate souls have found themselves in that dark, probably cold, outdated campusdungeonbuilding. You check your email. You look at Twitter/Pinterest. You might do anything but what you are supposed to. This is without a doubt though a critical part of the process however. How else can one get the creative juices flowing than without some mental breaks.
4. When the Yearning for Sleep Sneaks Up
Right before, or right after you buckle down and get started again, it is late and the desire for your bed and need for sleep hit you hard. You know you cannot let this feeling win, despite how tempting it might be. What would all these hours have been for if you simply pack up your backpack and walk to your dorm? A WASTE. You push through this feeling until you finally need some reinforcements.
5. In the words of Lorelai Gilmore "Coffee, Coffee, Coffee"
The head reinforcement. You turn to it in this lonely time of need, as much of the other library patrons have already found their ways home at this point. Liking the actual substance that is caffeine is not important - you simply have to lean on the method you most enjoy. Maybe it’s coffee, warm and homey. Or maybe you are a Monster/Redbull type, cold and rugged. Either way, you refuel before setting into the final stages of the assignment. Others would call this the home-stretch or rounding the bases, but, in reality, it is more of a speedy but painful crawl towards the finish line in a desperate attempt to not be dead-last.
Oh, so done.
The time has come where you can begin the trek back to your room and desperately attempt to not wake your roommate. Besides that, you sit back and realize you did a thing, an adult thing, and you got it all accomplished. You beat the beast, they said you couldn’t do it and you showed them!
You can do anything!
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Student Life
The 14 Stages Of The Last Week Of Class
You need sleep, but also have 13 things due in the span of 4 days.
18 December
1287
Photo by Estée Janssens on Unsplash
December... it's full of finals, due dates, Mariah Carey, and the holidays. It's the worst time of the year, but the best because after finals, you get to not think about classes for a month and catch up on all the sleep you lost throughout the semester. But what's worse than finals week is the last week of classes, when all the due dates you've put off can no longer be put off anymore.
1. When it's December 1 and you have seven things due, three exams, and haven't slept in three days.
You tell yourself everything is going to be ok.
2. So you stress.
And stress, and stress, until you can't stress anymore.
3. And cry.
The tears just flood over you and you can't help but sob. College is great, isn't it??
4. Then call your mom to cry some more.
She can't even console you at this point.
5. After the pep talk, you feel determined to get everything done.
"I got this!" is your go-to mantra.
6. But, now you're tired.
You will do anything if it means you can sleep for 20 minutes.
7. And really hungry.
I mean really, really, hungry.
8. Suddenly, it's 2 a.m. and you have only written three sentences and your paper is due in the morning.
Welp, looks like you're pulling another all-nighter.
9. You've made it to Friday... somehow.
The weekend could NOT have come soon enough.
10. Then Sunday hits and you find yourself back at the Lib.
Club Lib... not as lit as the actual bar.
11. So you cry some more.
"I can't do this anymore" is what you're telling yourself at this point.
12. But, you fight through the tears to get everything done because you're determined.
You start watching motivational videos online to try and cure your blues.
13. In the end, you feel on top of the world because you made it through the last week of class alive.
You're not sure how you did it. But, you did so you count this week as a win.
14. But, now it's finals week so good luck.
Send help because the cycle is repeating itself.
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Student Life
Top 20 Thoughts College Students Have During Finals
The ultimate list and gif guide to a college student's brain during finals.
18 December
414
Thanksgiving break is over and Christmas is just around the corner and that means, for most college students, one hellish thing — finals week. It's the one time of year in which the library becomes over populated and mental breakdowns are most frequent. There is no way to avoid it or a cure for the pain that it brings. All we can do is hunker down with our books, order some Dominos, and pray that it will all be over soon. Luckily, we are not alone in this suffering. To prove it, here are just a few of the many deranged thoughts that go through a college student's mind during finals week.
What does the world outside the library look like?
Can I read this entire book tonight?
I should have gone to class more often.
Did the professor even teach this?
What is the lowest grade I can get on this exam and still pass the class?
Should I just drop out of school now?
Finals are ruining Christmas.
Just wrote three sentences so time for a break.
Need. More. Coffee.
StableDiffusionI'm too stupid for college.
Time for a Facebook Break.
I think I'm dying.
When will I ever need this information in the real world?
 I can't read any of my notes.
I need my mom.
When was the last time I showered?
I need study snacks.
The struggle is so real right now.
So in this time of struggle that is finals week let's all help each other out, no man left behind. Make sure you and all your friends get enough food and sleep to make it through and hopefully not flunk out of college.
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Trending Topics
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Top Creators
1. Brittany Morgan, National Writer's Society
2. Radhi, SUNY Stony Brook
3. Kristen Haddox, Penn State University
4. Jennifer Kustanovich, SUNY Stony Brook
5. Clare Regelbrugge, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign