Meet A College Blogger! Rachael

Hello All,

Today I want to bring back a feature that I started last semester and put on break during the Winter Break. 

Today I'm going to introduce you to an AMAZING college blogger, Rachael from The Rachael Way. She has been blogging pretty much whole college career and it graduating soon! I asked her a few questions and this what she had to say!

1. What inspired you to start blogging? Where did you get the name for your blog?

I blog because I like to write.  I started in my freshman year because one of my sorority sisters made one and it looked cool.  I didn't really get "into blogging" until this summer when I moved to a new place and didn't have a lot of friends :p  The name of my blog is The Rachael Way because it's about my life, I'm quirky and this blog documents it!

2. What is your favorite post that you've written?

 My favorite post I've written is called "Enough" I think a lot of people struggle with what I wrote about and it helped me to put it into words!

3. What are you planning to do after you graduate?

After I graduate, I am going to be a teacher!

4. On your blog you are doing 22 before 22 where you are trying to complete 22 goals before you turn 22. How much longer do you have before you turn 22? Which goal are you must proud of completing? Which do you think is going to be hardest to complete?

I turn 22 on September 24th.  The biggest goal I am most proud of was organizing a blogger meetup.  It was so much fun and I was so happy with the turnout.  

***This picture belongs to the Rachael Way***

I think it will be hard for me to get to New York City before I turn 22, but I'm certainly going to try!

5. What tip would you give to someone who start a blog?

Best blog tip- write for YOU.  Don't write for followers and screw the numbers.  Write from your heart and it will all work out!

6. What is the biggest piece of advice that you would give a college freshmen?

 My advice to a college freshman is totally cliche but true.. join everything until you find your niche!  You will meet so many people and then find what you really love and where you really shine!

7. Where do you see your blog going after you graduate? Will you continue to blog or will you end it? 

I plan to keep my blog when I graduate.  I just really like it and can't really imagine what it would be like to not have it!

8. Since this feature is all about college blogger who are some of your favorite college bloggers?

The College Prepster, The Darling Prepster and Sunshine and Sinatra

Thanks again Rachael for participating in this feature! Make sure you go and give Rachael some love!

P.S. - Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

Meet a College Blogger...Lindsey

Hello All,

Welcome to another addition of Meet a College Blogger! I'm so excited for this blogger because she is super sweet, and her answer are perfect! I think all of you will like her as much as I do. 

So, with out further ado, I introduce you to Lindsey from LMartThoughts!

1.  What inspired you to start blogging? Why did you chose to name your blog lmartthoughts? 

I started blogging because I was angry over shorts being too expensive. My senior year, I took AP Environmental Science and my teacher suggested I do something about my thoughts, since I didn’t think it was fair to pay $50 or more for a pair of shorts. Don’t even get me started on jeans. Yes, I think they are ridiculously over priced. So, my last name is not “mart” (close but no cigar ya’ll). However, it’s close, so I went with that to protect myself a little bit more. The thoughts part came from the idea that it was putting all the “thoughts” down that were in my head out there for everyone to see.

2.  What is your favorite post you have ever written? And why?

It’s so hard to pick a favorite post! I love so many of them!

         So, here’s some of my recent favorites I think you should definitely check out this one. why: Proves I’m human. And this why: gives you tips and tricks on how to do make up!

And, probably all of my “college tip” posts. I love these because it’s more of why I started the blog.

3.What are you planning on doing after you graduate college?

   Well, hopefully I can become a journalist or an event planner. I do plan on continuing blogging though, so even if the journalist thing doesn’t work out I’ve got this.

4.  On your blog you are doing 101 in 1001, where you are attempting to complete 101 goals in 1001 days. What inspired you to do 101 in 1001? What goal are most excited about? What goal do you think is going to be the hardest to complete?

I’m goal oriented. If I don’t have a goal, it won’t get done. Guaranteed! This way, I know what I’m working toward and a date to get it done by. I definitely have more done then are currently updated on the list (maybe I should make updating it a goal?) I’m most excited about my ADPi related ones because they help strengthen the bonds I have with sisters. My absolute favorite though would be get a dog! I love puppies and I want a little corgi. I have to wait until I’m out of college though. The hardest goal to accomplish will probably be going to England or the Atlantis resort. I don’t have a lot of time off and travel is expensive! I’m being realistic though and know it might not get done...but I can always put it on lists until I get it done! I hoping to study abroad in England this summer though and you know I will definitely be vlogging for ya’ll!

5.  You also run a YouTube channel to create Vlogs that go along with blog. What inspired you do start a vlog? Which did you start first? 

I started watching YouTube when I was in high school. Now, I watch it constantly. If I don’t have a new video to watch while I get ready in the morning, I’m totally lost at what to do! I love follow me around vlogs and I want people to know that I’m normal just like them, and sometimes there just is some stuff you can’t put into words. I tried doing vlogs first (I had a channel called “thefillyproductions” and I actually started with making montages of me riding). However, I officially started blogging first with vlogs as just an add on to my regular posts.

6. On your blog you discuss your life as a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. What made you want to join the sorority? What is your favorite part of being a member?

I’ve always wanted to go greek but I didn’t really think about it for while when I first went to college.

I wanted to join a sorority because I go to school 3 hours away and knew I would need a support system. Sisters are always there for you no matter what!

Here are some posts that will show you my journey through going greek! here and here.

7.  You participate in Blogtember (I did too!). What was your favorite topic to write about and why?

I loved writing so many of them it is so hard to pick! However, if I had to pick my favorite(s) it would be these: Where I'm From, Defining Moment and Only Photos

8. What is the biggest piece of advice you would give a freshmen in college now?

Go out and explore! Do not just sit in your room and expect people to come to you. Go to recruitment events for greek life, go do things you’ve only dreamed of doing! This is the time in your life that is full of “get out of jail free” cards (don’t do illegal things though!). Take advantage of this. You never know what you might learn about yourself. I wish I hard started do this earlier because I’ve never had so much fun in my life.

9.Since this feature on my blog is all about college bloggers, who are some of your favorite college blogs to read?

One of the first blogs I started reading was Hannah at The Pink and Green Prep. Highly recommend!

Sparkle and Shine is another ADPi blogger that I love. And, The Shore Life According to M.         

I love reading Paige at The Sticky Note Addict and Samantha’s Life is But a Stream of Thoughts

Thank you again to Lindsey for being November's college blogger! She really is super sweet and has a great blog so make sure you go and check her out (her link is above). 

Meet A College Blogger...Paige

Hello All,

Its time to start a new blog feature here on The World According to Emma!

Its called Meet a College Blogger. Each month I will reach out to different college blogger whose blog I follow and ask them if I can interview them so that you can get to know them better. I know that for me as a college blogger I love finding other blogs written by college student to read and I'm always looking for other ones to start reading to hopefully this will help you find one to read. So, without much more of my rambling I want to introduce to you the first blogger I interview.

The college blogger I interviewed was Paige from The Sticky Note Addict. She is such a sweet person and I was so honored that she was willing to be my first interviewee. Over on her blog she blogs about her boyfriend Bradley, her dog Gatsby, she tips on succeeding in college, she is a co-host of link up called My Weekly Confession and is taking part is 101 in 1001 days. If you've never checked Paige I definitely suggest you do because she amazing.  So, please let me introduce you to Paige.

1. What inspired you to start blogging? What inspired the name of your blog?

Well, I was sitting in the library and I had a paper due and I had a geology exam coming up and I just had a lot on my plate. I was thinking about how organized I was, how many charts and lists and such I have, and I thought that maybe, someone else might like to hear about that. So I sat down and started to blog.

I’m the Sticky Note Addict because of my nature. When I was younger, the highlight of my mom’s and my day was when we had a chance to stop at a Staples or any other supplies store — and honestly, that hasn’t changed. We are big big BIIIIG fans of ink pens, note pads, notebooks, paper clips, markers and sticky notes. I always LOVED getting new school supplies, even though I never actually needed a new pack of pencils every time we went to Walmart.

We used to LOVE going through the sale section at Office Depot and snagging all of the sticky notes. We have a whole drawer full of sticky note pads that Mom and I bought on sale at one point or another. I have a drawer of my own here at school.

So it comes naturally.

2. What is your favorite post that you've ever written on your blog?

Oh, god. I have a few.

This is one of my all-time favorites. It’s one of those moments when I’m spilling over with frustration and love and happiness all at once — frustration with people who don’t understand, and love for my sweet little Gatsby, and happiness that I have such a wonderful family.

I loved this little thought about finding myself. And this might be the funniest post I’ve ever written.

3. On you blog you talk about your dog, Gatsby, I'm so jealous I wish I had dog. Is Gatsby named after The Great Gatsby? If not how did Gatsby get his name?

Gatsby’s official name is The Almighty Jay Gatsby. We also call him James, Jay, Jay Gatsby, Gatz, Gatz-puppy and, when he’s in a lot of trouble, James Gatz.

Gatsby and Paige

Honestly, my thought process was: I love The Great Gatsby. The movie is coming out. We should name a puppy Gatsby. We should get a puppy. Bradley let’s get a puppy and name it Gatsby.

4. On your blog you are doing the 1001 in 101 days. What inspired you to do it? And how are you doing on it? What goal do you think is going to be the hardest to complete?

I was inspired by a lot of bloggers who decided to do the same thing! I LOVE lists and making goals for myself, so having 101 to work on for the next 2 years? seems fun to me! I recap on it every month and I think I’m doing okay so far. I think I’ve done like 10, which is 10% which is 10% of the battle, right?

I think it’s going to be SUPER difficult to stop biting my nails, start exercising and complete some of my travel goals.

5. What are you planning on doing when you graduate college?

Oh, praise. I wish I could tell you.

Here’s a few things I’m considering:

- graduate or business school

- working at a newspaper or a magazine

- opening my own business

- breeding corgis (okay that’s a joke)

6. One of the link-ups you do on your blog is the boy behind the blog where your boyfriend answers questions. What does your boyfriend Bradley think of your blogging?

Bradley LOVES that I blog. He is by far the most supportive blogger boyfriend in the world — he might not be the funniest or the cleverest (I think he is, but I dunno) but he is most certainly the most supportive.

He knows ALL of my favorite bloggers. He knows the blogs that they write. If they have kids or dogs, he knows their names. (He actually knows the names of all of Camp Patton's herd. Which is incredible for a man.) He knows that Whitney at I Wore Yoga Pants to Work is responsible for #backthatazzup Friday (and he wishes I would participate apparently). He knows that Stephanie at Not Entirely Perfect is my favorite. He knows that Whitney and Erin from Two Thirds Hazel are BBFFs.

He’s kind of a freak. I think he wants to start his own blog.

7. Since this feature on my blog is to get to know different college bloggers, I want to know who are your favorite college blogs to read?

I LOVE The College Prepster. Is that a no brainer? Probz haha. Life is But a Stream of Thoughts — also wonderful. Samantha is such a wonderful girl, and she’s a Tar Heel!

Lindsey from lmartthoughts and Lizzy from Lizzy Luggage also deserve a little shoutout!