Apps That Every College Student Should Have

When I started college in August, I did a lot of research on which apps other college students thought were a necessity. Since then, I've tried out a lot of them to figure out which ones I would use and which ones I wouldn't. So today I thought I would share that list with you.

These are my 9 essential apps for school:

1. MyWater (free // iPhone) 

––This app is perfect for keeping track of how much water you are drinking. If you're like me, then you don't drink nearly as much as you need to. So this app really helps keep you disciplined in actually drinking water.

2. Sleep Cycle ($0.99 // iPhone, Android)

––Sleep Cycle is amazing. It keeps track of your sleeping patterns so that it wakes you up when you're in your lightest stage of sleep. It is an app that really helps me wake up pleasantly in the mornings.
3. Mint (free // iPhone, Android)

––Mint is great for keeping track of your finances. I know, at least for myself, that college is living on a budget. This app keeps track of where you spend your money and how much money you should spend on certain things. It's a great way to help you plan your budget.
4. Shopkick (free // iPhone, Android) 

––Who doesn't love free gift cards? That's right, nobody. This app allows you to earn points by walking into stores and scanning certain items. With those points, you win free gift cards. It's wonderful.
5. Pocket (free // iPhone, Android)

––Pocket is a great way to save articles and other interesting things you find online without cluttering up your computer. It's very useful if you have classes that you read a lot of articles in!
6. Dropbox (free // iPhone, Android, Website)

––I'm an English major, so I write a ton of papers. One of my biggest fears is losing those papers if my computer crashes or something. This app is great for keeping your work (and pictures, etc) safe from computer crashes.
7. iStudiez Pro ( $2.99 // iPhone)

––iStudiez is a little bit more expensive than what I would usually purchase from the app store, but let me tell you it's a life saver. iStudiez keeps track of the classes you have for a semester, your homework, and your grade. You can put in all of your info about a class, even the professor. It is so easy to use and keeps everything so organized. I recommend this app to everyone. If I had to pick one of these, it would probably be this one.
8. paypal (free // iPhone, Android, Website)

––PayPal is great if your going to shop online. It keeps all of your information more secure and you can send and receive money to and from friends. It's a great app to have.
9. SheReadsTruth (free // iPhone, Android, Website)

––This is definitely my second favorite out of all of these apps. This one has everything on it. It has the entire Bible, plus reading plans to keep you motivated and reminders to read. It is a fantastic way of staying motivated to read your Bible. Right now they are even doing a (free) plan to help you read through the Bible in a year. I love this app!

If any of you are in college (or even high school) and have any apps that I didn't mention that you absolutely love, feel free to leave them in the comments. I'm always up for checking out new apps!

Blessings,

Shi.

8 Things I Want My Future Husband To Know About Me

{via}

The older I get the more my heart longs to be in love. It's something that I've wanted since I was a little girl, but now it's becoming more prominent within me than ever. There is a fire in my soul that longs to love and to be loved. It's a matter of waiting for the right man to come along at this point, the one that God has so carefully prepared just for me. Hopefully one day he'll see this post. Here are 8 things I want my future husband to know about me:

1. I'm a little bit disorganized. I'm trying to get better at it, I swear. Just please be patient if things are a little messy sometimes.
2. I've struggled with depression for many years and more than likely will continue to struggle with it for many more. You don't have to try to fix me; I'll be okay. When things get too hard, just hold me and tell me that you love me and that it's okay for me to feel the way I do. That's all I need.
3. I quite like puns. Seriously, if you want to make me laugh, just tell me puns. 
4. I want Jesus to be the center of our relationship. It's very important for me to have a Christ-centered relationship. If he's not in the middle of it all, it won't work. 
5. I like to sing at the top of my lungs a lot. You can sing with me in the car, in the kitchen, wherever really. 
6. I collect books. I'll likely want a library in our house. I'm sorry.
7. I'm really shy at first. I don't like meeting people for the first time; it freaks me out. So please, just have patience with me. I'll eventually talk your ear off.
8. I'm waiting for you. With every ounce of my heart, I'm waiting. In every way that you can think of, I'm waiting. I'm saving all of myself for you. I love you. I can't wait to meet you. Please get here soon. 

Blessings.

My Favorite Books: Part 2 | HelloShiloh

So, almost a year ago I wrote a post about my favorite books. Obviously, I've read quite a few books since then, so I figured I should update that list. (I bet you all know where this is going.) If you'd like to read my original post before you read this one, you can find it here. 

First of all, I wanted to let you all know that Saving Elliot has been finished! The ending was as amazing as the rest of the book. If you were holding off on reading it because it wasn't finished, you should wait no more. You can find this amazing book right here. (Also, I wrote a short one-shot for a contest that Rose was hosting based on SE. If you'd like to read that, you can do so here. (It would mean a ton to me :)))

Now, on to the books that I've fallen in love with this year:

• So, obviously the first book I have to talk about is Fangirl. This book is my absolute favorite book that I've ever read (sorry, TFIOS.) Rainbow Rowell just writes her characters in a way that makes you fall so in love with all of them. I also wrote a Booking It review of Fangirl, if you'd like to read it. 
• The next book that was added to my favorites this year was Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. I'm not usually the type of gal that goes for books that are more adventure than romance, but I loved this one. I think it was because it sort of reminded me of The Series of Unfortunate Events. Whatever the reason was, I loved it and you should go check it out if you haven't yet. 
• Next up: Paper Towns by the wonderful John Green. I loved this books so much. It was actually the first book I read in 2014, and it was an excellent start to the year. If you haven't picked up this book yet, you need to. (The movie comes out in June–in case you were wondering.)
• The Beginning of Everything by Robin Schneider is another one that I really loved this year. It had a Looking for Alaska feel to it, and it was brilliant. This one is definitely in my top 10 favorites, ever. I wrote a review of it also. 
• To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han definitely made the list. I absolutely loved this book. You can read my review of it here. It was absolutely hilarious and one of the more unique books that I've read recently. I recommend it!

So there you have it. Five more books to add to my favorites list. I hope to find many more books that I love in this new year. 

P.S. Some really exciting news that I haven't mentioned on this blog yet is that Coffee Colored paperbacks are available for purchase! If you'd like to support me in my writing endeavors (which would basically mean that I love you forever) you can buy a book here. I'm also trying to come up with a contest maybe to win my new book (that I'm editing right now) for free. Let me know if that is something that you'd be interested in. 

Have a happy Sunday!

-Shi

8 Reasons Adventuring Is Good For Your Soul

{Via}

If you know anything about me, it's that I love myself a good adventure. Here are 8 reasons why adventuring is good for your soul:

1. it's entertaining. When you're a teenager who's looking for something to do, there is nothing better than getting out of the house and driving around with your friends until you find a perfect adventure spot. (They are everywhere––keep your eyes open!) It kills a lot of time and can be so much fun!
2. the world is awfully beautiful. My favorite type of adventures are the ones that are outside, exploring the world that God has given to us. There is a place in the town I live in called Flat Rock, and I never wanted to go because it was such a popular hang out for the kids at school. This summer, we finally went down there to explore, and it is magnificent. I could spend hours upon hours there, just soaking in the beauty of the world. 
3. it allows you create memories. My favorite memories are the times that I've spent with my best friends adventuring. Especially when the adventures weren't too planned out.
4. the world is a book and those who do not travel only read one page. -St. Augustine.
5. there's nothing better than a good road trip playlist. Whether you're going somewhere that's five minutes away or five days away, a good road trip playlist can always lift my spirits. 
6. it creates fearlessness. When you adventure, it forces you to try new things. I have a love for being fearless; for trying new things even when they scare me. Adventuring is the perfect way to create that character in yourself. 
7. they make you look at things differently. I always see the world a little bit differently after I experience something new, after I take in a new little pocket of the world. It makes everything seem clearer in my head.
8. it encourages happiness. As some of you probably know, I have been struggling with depression for the past couple of years. One of the ways that I've learned to cope with that, is to go out and make adventures for myself. They seem to help put me in a little bubble of happiness.