Cruising to the Eastern Caribbean

I wanted to share a couple of pictures from our cruise over my birthday this past October. We went on a Carnival Cruise starting in NYC to Puerto Rico, stopping at US Virgin Islands (St. Thomas), Antigua, St. Kitts, and St. Maarten. It was such a relaxing vacation after months and months of MCAT studying, medical school applications, essays, and interviews. Click here for more information of the cruise option that we chose.

The 3 days of "Fun Day At Sea" got a bit old after a while though. It was nice to just disconnect for a couple of days. I never noticed how much time I spent on social media and browsing the web until I stopped!

Holidays & Stuff

Two more days left in 2014! I hope everyone's had a great holiday. Over the last few days, I've:

• Purchased my ticket (one-way! ahh)
• Filled out health forms
• Shopped a bit for warm weather clothes 
• Made a packing list (this will be a separate post)
• Probably annoyed the heck out of the student who answered the phone for the "speak to a current student" line. He was extremely helpful though!
• Listed a bunch of things on my eBay store as I've been cleaning and purging 

...even though I don't think it has all settled in yet, you know, the fact that I'm moving to start medical school in 12 days. I've definitely been enjoying myself though.

Last Minute Acceptance

Happy Friday! I got into St. George's yesterday! Which is quite exciting considering how late it is in the month. It's too late for the Global Scholars Program that I initially applied for, so I was accepted for the Grenada campus, with orientation beginning on Janury 14, 2015. I've submitted my deposit, and so it's official. I'll keep updated with packing lists, and all of that.

Side note!
The Global Scholar's Program is where first year students spend their first year of basic sciences in Newcastle, UK at Northumbria University. The second year would be spent in Grenada. The program is properly accredited in the United States, so clinicals, residencies and beyond wouldn't be an issue. One big thing is that students are not eligible for ANY financial aid during the 4 years if they participate in the program. Their application is a separate essay along with the regular application.

Where is Grenada?

The Thing About Medical School

So this medical school application thing has seemingly gone on forever and I couldn't be more thrilled that I sent in my last essay yesterday morning. I hope to provide useful information for other students making the transition to a Caribbean school (or out of the country, for that matter), as I know how first-hand accounts have been an immense help to me.

For family reasons, I've missed the deadlines for most US allopathic schools and my MCAT didn't exactly go as I had hoped (My college GPA was fine though, 3.6). Knowing that the exam is about to change for 2015, and my already being out of school for a year or so, I didn't want to wait and re-take and reapply. I know that the Caribbean application process is faster, and would allow for more flexibility given the time constraints.

So far...

St. George's - Waiting for a response...Interviewed 10/5/14 (last week), for the January semester. Ahh so soon. I applied for their KBT program, where you spend the first year in Newcastle in the UK. I've always wanted to study abroad, and never got the chance in college.

Ross - Interviewed 10/4/14, accepted into MERP. Welp. Initially I was accepted to the class that begins on TUESDAY. Yes, as in today. Obviously, that didn't happen.

AUA (Antigua) - Accepted. Interviewed in November. Apparently they also have an MBA program, which I'm interested in doing. Two degrees in 4 years? Sounds good.

SABA - Wanted me to retake the MCAT...What's with this MCAT obsession? I think that 4 years of studies, habits, and performance shows way more than 4 hours out of one day. But it is what it is.

MUA (Nevis) - Accepted. Interviewed in November.


As of now, I've deposited for my seat at AUA, and am waiting on St. George's.
Let's see how this all goes.

December Update

OHMYGOODNESS it's December. I just got back to the city from visiting my parents for Thanksgiving. I'm surprised I haven't forgotten how to drive! They live in a super small town, so it was a good break from the city.

I've been so super super busy the past couple of months, and I'm glad things are finally winding down (sort of). I ended up taking the MCAT on September 5 and it was, put simply, the worst. It takes over your life and leaves you being a shell of science facts. Following the exam was a ton of application business, essay writing, professor stalking, and interviews. 

I did manage to take a break though, the boyfriend and I took a cruise and went to Las Vegas (I'll definitely show pictures in a following blog post). I've started another blog regarding premed, MCAT, applications, and so forth as well. I know I've found those blogs to be SUPER helpful.

Anyway, I hope you're all having a wonderful fall/beginning of winter. I'm off to go Christmas shopping! Until next time.

The Self-Tanner Thing: Jergens Review and St. Tropez First Impressions

Since I'm spending all my days this summer studying for the dreaded MCAT, I've also missed out on quite a bit of sun. I know it's not good for anyone to be laying out anyway, but it's fun to have that summery glow. I've always strayed away from self tanners in the past, especially seeing examples of how they've gone HIDEOUSLY wrong. Right? We've all seen girls walking around looking like they've dipped themselves in orange paint. Not the look I'm going for.

 I've used Jergens Natural Glow once before a few years back, and I remember that it worked quite well. I just finished a bottle of the medium/dark this week, and I have to say it's still pretty good. The new formula is AMAZING, and it smells SO good. Lightly and pleasantly scented (which is a lot better than other tanners), and applied evenly. It doesn't streak if you let it dry before you get dressed. I only had some streaking on my wrists- I guess I wasn't careful enough when washing my hands after application. Everything dried in under 10 minutes, and I was good to go. No stains on my white sheets either!

Instead of repurchasing another bottle of Jergens, I opted to try the St. Tropez Gradual Tan. I don't know why I can't just bite the bullet and get a regular self tanner, but the gradual ones seem a bit less intimidating, and more forgiving if you mess up. I applied it for the first time today (I'm actually waiting for it to dry as we speak here). My first impressions is that it doesn't smell nearly as good as Jergens. I mean, it doesn't smell awful by any means, but its really strong and not necessarily pleasant. Its taking FOREVER to dry, and so far it's leaving my skin a bit shiny and sticky. (My left arm is a little shinier than my right. I probably applied to much on that arm. oops). You're supposed to wait until it all dries before you get dressed. 25 minutes and counting. Grr.

So far:

• Jergens smells better
• Jergens dries faster
• Jergens is less expensive

These are just my first impressions of the St. Tropez. I won't judge anything from the first try, I'll definitely continue and see which tanner I like better. Have you tried either of these? Which are your favorites?

Haul | I Didn't Have An Umbrella

It's just an average Monday, and I went out to the grocery store to pick up a few things. It's forecasted a high of 82F and sunny. So I walked the few blocks over, and suddenly it started POURING. Not the sprinkling of sun showers that happen throughout the summer, but legit POURING. Fate would have it that Bluemercury (a beauty and skincare shop) was the closest store to me, and so I ducked in to wait out the rain...

I already had in mind to pick up the Belle du Jour//NARS lipstick the next time I stopped by a beauty supply store, but it was still pouring when I found the lipstick. I ended up getting sucked in to the Deborah Lippmann display and picked up two nail polishes. And the Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder.

I'm kind of excited about the "Today Was A Fairytale" nail polish, as I don't own any glitter polishes. I'm usually not a fan, but this one just looked so pretty in the bottle- a silvery blue. I think it would look super pretty on its own, or layered over a neutral or something. "Break 4 Love" looks super pretty too, a bubble gum pink. I've been super into pink polishes lately. The packaging is kind of neat too. I'm predicting a mani-pedi later.

5 Minute Getaway

Every day I walk by the sky lift that connects Manhattan with Roosevelt Island, and the other day I thought it was time to give it a try. Roosevelt Island is a small island situated between Manhattan and Queens, and the only way to get there is by the sky lift, F train, or to swim- I suppose. Car access is only from Queens. It's one of those places where everybody knows about, but nobody actually goes to. It's quaint, full of apartment buildings, and actually has real grass (shocker).

After about 5 minutes on public transportation that provided such gorgeous views of the city and river, it felt as if I had driven a hundred miles away. The vibe was immediately calmer, complete with BBQs going on and people enjoying a live band. I didn't think that the $2.50 fare could get me that far away from the hectic lifestyle on the other side of the river.

Remember to take some time to get away from it all, and some time for yourself, regardless of how busy life can get to be. Where do you go for a getaway?

Face and Favorites

Favorites! Favorites! I haven't done one of these in a while.

Sunglasses: Rayban Mirrored Aviator 

Necklace: House of Harlow

Jacket: H&M (old)

Earrings: Nordstrom

Josie Maran Argan Infinity Intensive Creamy Oil $28

This is such an amazing moisturizer. It's not something I would recommend using on the entire body, but it works wonders on dry spots, knees, elbows, feet, and the face. It's comparable to a Vaseline, but 100x better. It has a very light scent, and a little goes a very long way.  I've used it a ton, and it hasn't caused any breakouts. I use this mostly at night, and problem spots are moisturized and taken care of come morning. Love love love. 

NARS Translucent Crystal Powder $35

SO I'm a little conflicted about this powder. at $35, it's pretty expensive for what it is. It's also a very interesting consistency. In the pan, the powder is a pure, bright white. Upon touching, it feels like paper, yet feels slightly bouncy. Kind of like the Maybelline Bouncy Blushes, but a little less springy. You can dent the powder with a finger nail, but it doesn't crumble into pieces. Does that make sense? Anyway. It doesn't seem like the product would even work, but somehow adheres to the brush, and is beautifully transferred to the face. It's completely translucent, and gives a very subtle almost satin finish to the skin. I definitely do like this powder and will finish it. Not sure if it's a repurchase...

MAC "Well Dressed" Blush $21

A gorgeous satin-finish blush. It's a true pink, and very light in the pan. Initially I didn't think it would look too good on my yelllow-toned skin, but it works wonders. You could go rather heavy handed with this, and the product is build able. The color doesn't transfer bright pink to the skin, but rather brightens up the face. Repurchase forever. It's the only blush I've been using the last two months!

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer $29

Ohhhh this concealer. Lives up beyond the hype. Super blendable, long lasting, and a little goes a long way. I wear the shade "custard". It would be nice if NARS came out with a squeezey tube of this concealer though. Something about using the wand and putting it back grosses me out a bit.

Tarte BB Tinted Treatment Primer $35

This was one of those products you pick up in line while waiting to pay. I was at Sephora a couple of weeks ago and figured since the little 0.5fl oz tube was only $10 (inexpensive by Sephora standards), I'd go ahead and give it a try. Ohhhhmygooodness this product is amazing. It advertises to be a 12 hour primer, and it absolutely is. I've been using this as a BB cream/light foundation and it's perfect. It has the coverage of a light foundation is build able. I love how this product lasts all day- I put on my makeup around 7am for work at 8. I get home around 9pm, and the makeup is still on. It controls oils really well too. I find that I only have to blot once a day, if at all (I have an oily T-zone). I couldn't be happier with the product. Also, the $10 for 0.5fl oz is a great deal, considering 

Deborah Lippmann "Blue Orchid" $18

This is the perfect spring pastel. The issue with so many pastel nail polishes, in my opinion anyway, is that they look super chalky. Or there's something going on with the consistency that makes it super streaky and hard to apply. Blue orchid has neither of these issues, and is the perfect balance between pastel and pigment. It's kind of similar to Essie's Bikini So Teeny, which I also love. The Essie polish has super fine shimmer/sparkles and is slightly darker and more periwinkle in comparison.

D&G 3L'Imperatrice $69

I purchased this perfume last year and have been obsessed with it since. I purchased this when I was looking for a floral/sweet perfume- something lighter than my beloved Flowerbomb.  The light scent is perfect for spring and summer. Also a bonus that the $69 buys you 3 fl 0z instead of the usual 1 oz.

Have a great rest of the weekend everyone!

Pittsburgh Pictures

I can't believe April is over and tomorrow marks the beginning of May. I was in Pittsburgh last week visiting colleges with my brother, who's a high school senior. I arrived a day early in order to spend some time catching up with one of my best friends who lives in the area.

My flight got in early in the morning, leaving me with some time to drive around exploring the city for a bit. I also found myself at the mall and picked up quite a few things. The drive around Pittsburgh was beautiful. The hills, tunnels, and multiple bridges made it unique, and quite enjoyable. I did get lost a couple of times, but that's usually welcomed whilst aimlessly exploring a new city. I found myself at Grandview Avenue, which turns out to be the most amazing view of the city (pictured below). I found myself envying those living in the apartments that have this view.

Of course I had to go back at night:

Have you been to Pittsburgh?