Outlines

I'm currently sitting in our Student Union Building, listening to the hum of an industrial vaccum and the people below the balcony playing pool. Chapel let out early this morning and I have ended up with a magical 30 minute window before my next class, so I figured I should at least draft a blog post.

I don't know about you, but I write a lot of papers in college. A lot. I'm under the humanities branch, so that makes sense, I guess. But what really makes it a lot is that my department policy is a research paper for every History/PoliSci class we take. Long story short, I write a lot of 10 page research papers. 

As I was scribbling out my outlines for the semester, I thought it may be helpful to show you. I used to follow the normal method that most people will teach you how to do, but they were never really helpful to me. They were hard to fill out, made my writing choppy, and were utterly unhelpful in reaching high page numbers.  And then I had a professor ask for questions instead of an outline... and he changed my paper writing world forever. The result has been half outline, half mind map, and all helpful.

*As a disclaimer, this method does not work for everything. It dosen't line up well with the three part thesis that you were taught in high school and it's not really super great for things like compare/contrast papers (although it does work). That being said, it's a history paper's dream outline.* 

Research papers, by nature, don't really lend themselves to the three part thesis (you know the "such and such a thing has x, y, and z and i'm going to show them to you" kinnd of thesis.) They are about a subject, why you should care about it, and in most cases, an argument for a single conclusion or opinion.Which makes them hard to fit into the normal outline method. 

Enter the question method, which essentially gets all those things on the table, while making it really easy to hit high page numbers. Because all reasearch papers start with a question: "what was the impact of smallpox on Colonial politics?" "Why the heck did Abraham Lincoln's body get toured around the North before he was buried?" (See history can be fun), and then go about answering that question, which ultimately leads to a series of smaller questions, this method uses the actual flow of writing a research paper as it's outline form. It was probably one of the biggest ah-ha moments I've had in all of college. 

Since I didn't get this until really late into my college career, I wanted to share it with you in hopes that it helps you way sooner. 

ok, so the nitty gritty. 

this is a normal outline format (just for comparison purposes) 

And here is the Question Format Outline: 

It looks really different, and like it would produce less information, but I promise, it covers way more. The best way to do it is to start just after you've done some piliminary research, get as many questions out as you can and then fill in as you go. That way it guides your research and your writing. (Multitasking forever) 

This is the early form of one of my papers. This is just essentially a brain vomit of everything I know/want to know about this topic and question with a little of what I already know thrown in. 

Here is another one from this semester that's a little more filled out. (and two pages long, I apologize) 

Even more details and quotes can be filled in as you go, if you in-depth outlines are your style. 

The questions per page not only make sure you really cover what you need to, but they also ensure that you have enough information to cover your page limit. 

I hope this helps you! Good luck on your finals weeks!

XO, 

Jessica

Wedding Wednesday: Engagement Ring Care

He got down on one knee, said those special words and put that gorgeous ring on your finger. Congratulations! I hope you get to enjoy and cherish this time together because it's awesome. 

It's not all about the ring, but it is a special piece that deserves the utmost care you can give it, right? But how does the normal girl keep her bling blingy?

I contacted my Aunt (who custom made my ring with Kyle) and asked for her insider gemologist tips to share with you.

Here are the best ways to take care of that gorgeous sparkler he picked out just for you: 

1) Be Smart:

 Your ring deserves to be shown off, but it's best to leave it somewhere safe when doing activities where it could get harmed or lost. Rock climbing? probably not a good idea. The beach? Probably shouldn't tempt fate. Gardening? nah. Moving something heavy? heck no.

This is especially important when moving; I can't tell you how many times my mom has bent her ring and lost a diamond while moving furniture. If you really want to keep the commitment, I suggest switching out for a qalo or cheap decoy ring during non-gemstone approved activities. 

2) Limit exposure: 

Similar to the point above, limit the substances your ring comes in contact with. Cleaning products are really harsh on the metal and gemstones on your ring. Lotions and hair products,  especially hairspray, are also things to keep away from. Not only can they hurt your ring, they seriously dull the sparkle.

 I have little ring spots in the areas where I most frequently need to take off my ring to make sure it always has a safe spot to land. A dish by the kitchen sink, an elephant on the bathroom counter and a ring holder on my nightstand. My ring is white gold, which is super sensitive, as the palladium coating wears off, so I try to keep it as unexposed as possible at home. 

3) Be aware:

Those pretty stones are held on by prongs, not super-glue. Don't take your ring off by the stones or the prongs, rather wiggle it off by the shank (the band). Check your ring often to make sure your prongs are still tight, especially after you tap or catch it on something (Towels, sheets, sweaters, hair, crazy fuzzy rugs...etc).  If you notice that it's loose, take your ring in; there's nothing worse than losing your stone. 

My roommate got engaged a week before I did and the stone fell out of her ring within the first month. It was a jeweler error not securing the prongs enough, but it came out because she accidentally hit her hand on the car door. Like the smart woman she is, she immediately checked her ring. After being horrified to find her missing stone, she searched around her and actually found the stone! Moral of the story: check immediately, don't wait to look down and find empty prongs.

4)Keep it Clean:

Diamonds especially like to collect grease and dirt. Your ring is designed to let all the light shine through, so make sure you give it a clean canvas to work with. If you can take it in, most jewelry stores give free cleanings. If you can't take it in, there are various methods to get the sparkle back at home.  

*Every gemstone and metal reacts differently, so check to make sure what is safe.* 

For diamonds and gold, like mine, here are two at home solutions:

A) a very SUDSY solution of toothpaste (not pasty) and water and a gentle scrub with a soft toothbrush  is a great quick clean. I put a small dollop of toothpaste on the brush, add water and work up the lather on my nails until it's sudsy. It's super effective and easy. Then I make sure to rinse it thoroughly with my sink drain blocked. 

B) if you have more time or a very dirty ring, you can fill up a cup with two parts warm water, a half part ammonia and a half part Joy dish washing soap (yes, the brand counts here) and soak your ring before giving it a gentle scrub and a thorough rinsing. You can adjust the mixture to what works best, but be careful with the ammonia. 

april favorites

How is it already May? This semester has blown past in the blink of an eye. I'm cheering for the end of school but I'm also wishing there was another week squished in there somewhere just to get all the things done. Spring is here though, and Southern California has managed to not go from mild winter straight to hades! (There are not enough exclamation points in the world for this)

So here's what I've been loving in between homework and commuting this spring.

Favorite Memory:

 At the very very beginning of the month, Kyle and I went back to our wedding venue to figure out some details. It was so wonderful to walk around holding hands and picturing where we are going to say our vows. 

Body Care Favorites

Essential oils: Lavender, Peppermint and Rosemary. These have been used daily this month. Three drops each of lavender and rosemary in the diffuser every night have made it so much easier to fall asleep. Peppermint goes in the diffuser when I get home to help me stay awake and focused on homework after my commute. And finally, I added peppermint and Rosemary to my shampoo to help my scalp and give me a good refresh. It makes my morning shower smell so good.

Eyeliner: I'm usually a liquid liner girl, but lately this maybelline eye studio gel liner has been rocking my world. It is super easy to work with and stays put no matter what. And it is way black, way way black. something this brown eyed girl really appreciates.

Burt's Bees: lemon butter cuticle cream and honey and grapeseed hand cream. This spring has been windy and dry. Dry like I'm going to shrivel up and become a pile of dust. I put these two on right before bed and let them do their magic. (They looks so tiny because they're from the tips and toes box.)

Lotion: This Every Day Shea Body Lotion in Unscented is all the praise hands.  I get it from whole foods and my very sensitive skin drinks it up. In addition, I've been using up lip balm like a crazy person. In particular, this ultra repair lip therapy; which is not pictured because my tube is all used and squished.

Sakura Allure Green Tea: I love loose leaf tea and this month this fruity green tea has been my favorite iced drink. It's a delicious blend with cherries and hibiscus and rose. I have gone through so much of this I'm getting ready to order some more. (PSA: I find that it works best with the German Rock Sugar instead of regular sugar.)

Closet Favorites

Target does it again! My black wedges disappeared when I moved out of my dorm room last year and I just hadn't found a replacement worthy. Until now. These are so cute and so comfortable. I picked them up the morning before a double date and wore them all the way through my homework session, afternoon classes and dinner at the coziest gastropub. I couldn't recommend these enough.

Reading Favorites:

These two books are rocking my world right now. 

Kyle and I are going through The Meaning of Marriage as a sort of pre-pre-marital. It is so so good; the pages are full of underlines and my notebook is filling up with notes. We're both taking notes in the same color through the whole book so we can go back through when we've been married 5 years and laugh at our naive unmarried selves. And then at 10 years go back and laugh and learn from our engaged selves and our five year selves.  

The Newlywed Cookbook was my very first engagement present from my best friend way back in December, but the fresh spring recipes are really calling to me right now. On top of easy delicious recipes, the pictures are to die for. BLT's with Spicy Moroccan Mayo? Roasted Chicken with fresh Pesto? Berries and Cream Biscuits? Sign me up for a picnic stat. 

I've also been reading Elizabeth Bard's new book "Picnic in Provence: a Memoir with Recipes" on the kindle. I loved her last book; she's a master at weaving beautiful stories with delicious food and witty self reflection. This is my favorite kind of book and her sequel is shaping up to be just as good. It's been my nightly before bed read lately. 

In the corner of the book are my new headphones. This is my third pair of urbanears bagis and they have been so good to me. My last pair lasted two years going from backpack to purse almost every day before they started to get a short two weeks ago and we all know that one cannot survive college without headphones. This mulberry color is a deviation from my usual practical black, but it's so bright and happy and springy and it has been totally making my homework sessions lately. 

What have you been loving this month?