Midterm Stress Shopping

If you're wondering why I haven't posted much lately, it's midterm season, and I just turned in my Sociology midterm essay on Friday before going to volunteering and office hours for PoliSci to study for that midterm on Tuesday... Needless to say I am exhausted and I needed a break. What else do I do when I'm short on nerves and I have no energy for impulse control? Shopping of course (great idea)! I may have gotten a bit carried away and I'm never buying anything ever again (which I always say – it never works) but for the most part I'm happy with my purchases.

It started on Saturday. The weather had finally cooled down and I was wearing the sweater that I bought the last time I went stress shopping (before the PoliSci short essay) and I was feeling pretty good. Since it was late, I went online shopping. I needed pens anyway, and I was looking for a poster to fill the space above my window. It was too easy. A few clicks, and now I am the proud owner-to-be of a gorgeous Marvel character collection (and a 12-pack of Pentel R.S.V.P. fine-tip pens).

Aside from studying, I didn't have much to do today, so I decided it was time for a trip down to Emeryville. I've been craving a face mask again, but to my dismay, the shipment didn't come in (again!) so I bought a self-preserving mask (Mask of Magnaminty) for my roommate and picked up a few samples to use until I have time to go again.

I also picked up a Lush catalog. I love browsing through them and looking at all the gorgeous products I probably could never afford all at once (sigh). One thing about it: their Christmas products are here! I'm so excited!

Next up was The Body Shop, as I have been out of tea tree oil and therefore no spot control. I was faced with the dilemma of 10mL for $10 or 20mL for $18 when my friend reminded me that they were having a Buy 2 Get 1 sale, which means I could get three 10mLs for $20. Done deal.

Lastly was Forever 21. I have enough clothing so far, as California weather only requires layering at worst, and I simply have no patience for picking out an outfit from a huge selection in the morning, but their jewelry is cute and cheap. Somehow, I walked out with about $40 worth of it (so much for inexpensive [and remember we're talking about a college student budget here]).

With this new inventory, a challenge was how to organize everything without getting all of them tangled. Previously, I used a bead box for earrings and necklaces alike, but this would no longer work as it doesn't have much space, so I resorted to hanging up the necklaces on push pins in the cork board of my whiteboard. This isn't ideal as everything is out in the open, which might leave it vulnerable to theft in case the room door is left ajar, and if anything falls, it'll end up behind the bookshelf, where I'll probably never see it again until I move out. Still, one benefit is I might see it and be more motivated to accessorize. I love collecting all these cute trinkets, but sometimes it's just so much effort in the morning to fumble with necklace clasps.

I have a post ready to retroactively publish once I get the time to work on it, as well as a filler post that I can publish anytime once I write it. Hopefully after this midterm I'll have some more time to work on this blog, as it is long overdue for a makeover. Academics is definitely a priority right now, and I have been off of Tumblr (though that procrastination vacancy was quickly filled by Facebook, which has its uses, but is still a distraction). Thanksgiving Break can't come soon enough, though its only mid-October. Still, despite the neverending stress and exhaustion, I'm mostly happier than I've ever been, and I can't wait to see what's to come. ◊