What classes am I taking for Spring 2021 (Junior Year)?

 Hey everyone! Happy belated 2021! It has been a while since my last update, and I apologize immensely for that. My last semester of college was tough, I'll admit it. I took a full course load; six classes including two marathons. For the last few years, prior to the pandemic, I shared what courses I took, so last semester I completed International Marketing, Fashion Marketing, Operations Management, Legal Environment of Business, Shakespeare Tragedies and Romances, and Prayer and Liturgical Life (a theology course). When I created this schedule, I did not think it would have taken the emotional toll it had (i.e lots of hours at my desk), but I did enjoy most of these courses. Due to a COVID-19 outbreak on my campus, many of my courses were virtual for over a month instead of in-class, and that made it significantly harder. The good thing about all the challenges I faced is now I am better at time management and now know how to plan appropriately for my new semester. 

Here's what I am taking this semester:

For those who don't know, I am a junior Marketing and English double-major, with a minor in Women & Gender Studies. 

Edmund Spenser

For my English major, I am fulfilling a class for one of the pre-1800s literature courses. I don't know much about Edmund Spenser but in this weekly marathon (from 4:00-6:30pm), I will be learning all about him. I have all six books of 'The Faerie Queene' that I will be reading this semester.

Nineteenth - Century British Novel

This course fulfills an English requirement along with a WSG course as well. Since my study abroad to London was canceled, reading British literature and watching period dramas is the closest I will to roaming the streets of England this semester. In this course, I'll be reading Persuasion by Jane Austen, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot, Our Mutal Friend by Charles Dickens, The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins, and Dracula by Bram Stoker. I am very excited about this course, and interested because some of the books will be talked in through a feminist lens due to the Women's Studies curriculum. As of late, I've been very interested in Jane Austen as well after watching Emma (2020) starring Anya Taylor Joy, and Pride & Prejudice (2005) which stars Keira Knightley. 

Digital Marketing 

This semester, I am only taking one marketing course and I am very excited to dive into 'digital marketing'. I've been technically marketing my blog for years, and now it's time I learn about more in-depth skills I can utilize to expand my reach. I am also working as a marketing intern, so I will directly apply what I am learning in my asynchronous online course to my actual life. Some topics I'll be covering is creating a website (something I've been doing since I was thirteen), Search Engine Operations, and how to increase engagement to social media. 

Introduction to Desktop Publishing

I like to believe I am a very tech-savvy person, as I am part of a generation that grew up with technology, but I have never had the opportunity to learn and play around on Adobe Creative Suite. This course meets twice a week for three hours each time, and I will be working on creative projects that will teach me how to utilize InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator. I am very excited because I think these skills will help me in the careers and internships I am applying for. My first project is due February 11, so if it comes out well, I'll maybe do a series of what I am working on!

Introduction to Women & Gender Studies

I have wanted to take this course since coming to college. As you all know, I learned a lot about feminism and gender when I was in my all-girls high school, but it has been almost three years since I graduated, and it's finally time I take a course on that topic. This is also the first class that is mandatory for the minor, and if I like it...I'll continue to pursue it. I am very interested in the topic of gender, and I think this will help me have a better perspective of the world around me, and especially how I connect with people. 

Internship Course

I was very fortunate to receive a scholarship through a global internship program called CAPA. In this program, I'll receive 3-credits towards my degree, along with having an internship. Although I haven't started the internship yet (I'll hopefully talk about my experience in May), I think it will be a great opportunity to gain some experience in marketing. The company I'll be interning for is in Essex, England, and I'll be virtual from Rhode Island. 

This is just a small snapshot of my schedule for this semester! I am very fortunate to only have classes on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. On my days off, you can catch me applying for internships, catching up on reading (I have so much this semester!), working in the library, and more recently being a server at a bar.

New blog posts coming this week!

xx

Christina Madeleine

Introducing Myself after Seven Years of This Fashion Girl

Hi Everyone! Hopefully, you've noticed...but I've officially changed my blog name from 'This Fashion Girl' to Christina Madeleine. Prior to my last post that you can read here, I had taken about seven months off from blogging which included most of the pandemic, my 20th birthday, and my seven-year blog anniversary. This month, I decided I wanted to change the direction of the blog so that I can feel more passionate about it.  I wanted to talk about myself so that new and old viewers will learn more about the person behind the blog.

What's the story behind your blog? 

On May 3, 2013 (about five days before I turned 13), I created 'This Fashion Girl' after being inspired by the YouTubers I was watching, and the Disney Channel Movie 'Frenemies' which featured Zendaya and Bella Thorne as teenagers who create a really popular digital fashion magazine. I didn't have any cameras and still had a Blackberry at the time, so YouTube was not the platform I started out with (I'm slightly thankful a 13-year-old version of me isn't living there either). I have always loved writing, and I felt like blogging was the best option for me. 

I started out writing about Bethany Mota, outfits from American Eagle, Urban Outfitters records, Essie nail polish, One Direction, and everything that screams 2013, 2014, and 2015 girl that goes on Tumblr. I love that era of fashion and music, and I know it's not that long ago, but I definitely embody it better as a 20-year-old than I did when I was a young teenager. I was finishing sixth grade when I started my blog, and now I'm a rising junior in college; so there's been lots of changes in content over the years. 

When I was in high school, my posts changed more towards activism (as I started learning more about feminism and politics), book reviews, outfits of the day, and life updates. Although I loved my high school experience, I was always constantly learning about myself in my daily life (from friendships I had to the hobbies I picked up). Now that I'm two years removed from it, I feel like I can talk more clearly about my experiences and would love to share more about that. My blog in high school made me proud, but also I was always too scared to post what I really wanted because of the fear of being negatively talked about. 

My college experience has not come easy to me, and I faced so much drama and academic hardships in my first two years that have really forced me to grow. As a rising junior, I  have become passionate about fashion, business, writing, politics, and so much more that I am ready to start blogging about. Being a college student is a huge part of my identity right now, and I want to really bring the experience to my readers, but also talk about the things in my life that bring me joy. 

What do you study at college? What activities are you apart of?

I am a Marketing and English double-major at Providence College. I originally went into my freshman year as a just a Marketing major, but after talking to the Career Center I realized that I wasn't completely happy in the business school. Instead of dropping the major, I decided to continue with it for at least another semester...and that's when I took English 175 - Introduction to Literature and realized I wanted to study English/Writing as well. In March of 2019, I walked into the head of the English department's office with the intention of declaring a minor in writing, to which he told me that I should just major in English, and so I did (and thus became my double major). I'm glad that I gave Marketing a second shot because I am interested in the classes I'm taking and more excited about my classes, but my whole college experience has been a balancing act amongst the majors and the two core curriculums.

I am apart of Providence College Television (PCTV), where I am the Vice President of the club for the '20-'21 school year. The channel is student-run and I'm hoping in the next two years get more of the college community in videos and grow out the club. I am also apart of the club field hockey team, which I joined my sophomore year. As part of the business school, I am in Women in Business, Sports Business Organization, and International Business clubs; but I hope to be more involved in those clubs this year (even if it's by zoom). Lastly, I have a radio show with my roommate called 'Cracked Up' on WDOM 91.3 where we have a two-hour slot each week where we play music and talk. I'm considering writing for the newspaper or liberal arts magazine, but I have not decided yet.

Outside of college, I run my blog and Instagram (you can follow me @christinaxmadeleine) and make vlogs for YouTube about my life in college! I recently bought a vlog camera to make higher quality videos! About a month ago, I became a weekly writer for 'College on Tap', and I am hoping to continue with that for the semester. Here are my first three posts: 'Five Essentials for Roller Skating', 'Rating the Shows I Bing-watched during Quarantine', and 'Revisiting Camp: The Met's 2019 Fashion Exhibit'. I am working on adding a page to my blog with the updated lists of all the articles I will be writing.

What do you like to do? What are your passions?

Outside of college activities and being a student, I like to travel, spend time in the outdoors, write, roller skate, and watch television and movies. I have always had a vivid imagination and am drawn to fictional literature and television shows with drama and magic. Throughout the quarantine, I've spent time reading (not as much as I hoped to) and watching television, but I also picked up roller skating and have fallen in love with it. Having a hobby that keeps me active has been very beneficial to my mental and physical health. I also love hockey games, and am a huge New York Islanders fan, and try to go to as many games as I can. At college, I go to the basketball, field hockey, and ice hockey games if I can make them. My favorite places in New York to go to is The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Natural History. I'm a bit all over the place when it comes to things I like to do, but I think the more passions the better! 

I still love fashion, which is why I created this blog in the first place, but I'm trying to find a style that more accurately fits me. I'm excited about the future of this blog and I will 100% be back with more blogposts...no more hiatuses.

'This Fashion Girl' has been apart of me for seven years, and I am so grateful for it.

Thank you for the support for all these years. 

xx

Christina Madeleine

Educating & Holding Myself Accountable

Hi everyone! It's been over seven months since I've been on here, but I am officially back to blogging. Although I will have some posts in the future about my sophomore year of college, quarantine, dealing with the pandemic overall, and Summer; I want to talk about how I've been getting involved with current events, such as the Black Lives Matter movement.

I am very fortunate to have gone to a private school that educated me about social injustice, and racism. Although my high school wasn't perfect, they did make the effort to teach the students about biases and prejudices despite being a prominently white school. In the upper school (the only years I went there), racist comments and actions were treated seriously. I am also from New York City, which as a whole is liberal, but also has influenced me to become more educated with the world around me, and taught me to accept people of all races, genders, religions, sexualities from a young age. Although I am white, I am continuously educating myself about the privilege I hold, and injustices everywhere.

That being said, this is how I've been supporting the #BlackLivesMatter movement. This is not to brag or say that other people are doing more or less than I am doing, I just want to showcase how easy it is to support the cause and become educated.

First of all, I've been educating myself about race in America. I've been going through all the resources posted by Black YouTubers& bloggers, authors, friends, and other people who have come up on my social media. I have also been reposting many of their photos that have resources, places to donate, or news onto my accounts to spread awareness. I've particularly have watched videos about racism in some of the hobbies I take part in, i.e Field Hockey, Roller Skating, yoga, and writing.

I bought White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin Diangelo, and Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge. I have yet to read them, as they haven't arrived yet, but I will definitely try to discuss them after I do.

Image from Jane Mount Instagram

In my third semester of Development of Western Civilization, we started learning about America, and with that comes the history with slavery. Books I read as part of the curriculum were Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X Kendi, and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Both of those books gave me more insight into the history of slavery from a modern perspective, and through the account of a former slave.

In my final semester of DWC, I was in a colloquium called Meaning of America which covered the history of America starting from 1619. Although the course covered an array of topics, we always came back to The New York Times 1619 Project, which examines the 400-year history of slavery, starting with the first boat that held slaves coming to America in 1619. This project includes a podcast and articles from many Black writers and journalists including Nikole Hannah-Jones. I also was able to read some of James Baldwin's works, which depicted not only racism in America, but also his love for the country as a whole.

Although I'm not an expert in Black studies, I greatly appreciated having literature by Black authors included into my curriculum. I feel like the education system needs to include more Women and Black authors because there is no downside to diversifying the curriculum from white men to a range of voices. Throughout my first two years of college, I was able to read more works by POC authors, which has definitely shifted my way of thinking, and my views on American Literature.

Next, I have been donating some of money to organizations. I know that everyone can't donate money, but there are more ways to get involved in supporting the BLM movement. Before I educated myself more, I donated to the Minnesota Freedom Fund & Campaign Zero. I found both these organizations through posts on Instagram. Since the death of Geoge Floyd on May 25, Minnesota Freedom Fund has raised over $30 million and has asked for people to no pause on donating to them. Also, there has been some controversy over where the money is going, and other organizations such as 'Reclaim the Block' want the bailout fund to be transparent with where their money is going. As for Campaign Zero, the donations push the organization to combat police brutality through reform. Those two organizations were a start, but I wanted to put my money to other organizations that aren't getting as much hype through Social Media.

SO_hockey ( https://so-field-hockey.square.site/ )
Black Girls Code ( https://www.blackgirlscode.com/)

As time goes on, I am hoping to find more organizations to donate too. If you don't know where to start, I recommend the NAACP and Black Lives Matter! If you can't donate money, sign petitions and continue to spread awareness

Although this isn't part of the BLM movement, there is a global crisis going on in Yemen. I originally didn't know much information about what was happening until I looked at https://yemencrisis.carrd.co/. Since then I've donated to an organization that I believe will work to make a difference there when it comes to the hunger crisis.

Lastly, I've been trying to stay informed as much as possible about the current state of the world. 2020 is a very eventful year, and also an important one when it comes to American politics. This is the first presidential election that I will be able to vote for and I really want young people to vote in the upcoming election. I've noticed that many people I know (even if they won't admit it) only get their news from Instagram stories, tweets, and Facebook reposts. It's important to make sure that you're reposting credible information. I also stay up to date with an email subscription to TheSkimm daily and I try to read the Wall Street Journal and New York Times a few days a week.


What ways do you stay informed?

I'm very excited to be back to blogging! New posts...and a name change coming soon :)

xx

Christina Madeleine

*Let me know in the comments if anything I said I was misinformed so I can change it!

a life update about my last two months

Hey everyone. I haven't forgotten about the blog, I just have been unable to write on here for a multitude of reasons, and I do dearly miss coming on here, so I decided to do a little update.

I've been good, but more so have been tired, superbly busy, having the best time, but also very confused. I've been very happy this semester at college, but I have been working so hard in so many aspects that I have worn myself thin to the point I couldn't get myself to write something creative on here.

I do still love fashion, writing, reading, makeup (I even went to the mall last week), but it's been hard to write on here about all of it. I haven't even done a vlog in two months as well.

I know this sounds so depressing, but I wanted to explain how I am feeling, but I also give you all a little update about my life since I've had this blog for over 6.5 years now.

Let's start...

How's this semester going with academics?

I've never worked as hard in school as I have this semester. I am in six courses currently, which is 1-2 more than the average student takes as a sophomore at my college. This isn't flexing, but more of a necessity so that I can study abroad, but still get my two degrees done in four years.

My global studies class is by far one of the best classes I've had in college. It meets for two hours on Monday mornings, which is a bit hard to have the motivation to go to but is so interesting. We don't have any tests or quizzes, just two 10-page papers, and journal entries due every week. I think I might do a post about the books I read and my experience with that class once it's over. My first essay was all about the lack of access to education for girls in developing countries, which I wrote in one-day (due to my horrible procrastination skills), but it was one of my favorite topics to write about. My next essay is about climate change, which is a topic I am very interested in because it's also VERY REAL. That's just a little rambling, but that just shows how interested in this class I am, haha.

My two English classes have been rough, but are still awesome in different ways. My U.S Fiction Since 1960 has really shaped my perception of writing because of authors such as Renata Adler, Cormac McCarthy, Sylvia Plath, and so many more. This class has influenced my style of writing and is definitely making me want to dive into creative writing classes in the future (once I get my Shakespeare and pre-1800s literature classes out of the way). My second English class, 'Romantic Age' has a great teacher, but I've learned that romantic age literature isn't completely my cup of tea (with the exception of Robert Burns and William Wordsworth).

My three other classes have been relatively well. Marketing and Management are both group projects for the whole semester, and my note on that is some groups are a lot better to work with than others. It's tough being in group projects, but overall it's been going okay. The girls in my management group really make the class so much better than it would be if I had a worse group. As for Civ, it's going the way it normally does...

What books have I read this semester?

Okay, so if I didn't bore you with my talk about academics....here's the books I've read this semester (some I will have to reread tbh).

American War by Omar El Akkad

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

The Narrative of Frederick Douglass

End Zone by Don DeLillo 

Us vs Them: The Failure of Globalism by Ian Bremmer

Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

Pitch Dark by Renata Adler

The Crossing by Cormac McCarthy 

In America by Susan Sontag

Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play itself out? by Bill McKibben 

Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo

I've read other books and fragments of stories throughout my semester, but those are some of the big titles. For my U.S Fiction class, I have to write book reviews on all of them, so once they are perfected I plan to post them on here :). 

Extracurriculars?

 I joined the club field hockey team! I don't do the travel part, but for the first semester, I have practiced twice a week, which has been so fun. I also have some pretty cool merch now. It's been fun to be part of a team once again and meet new people.

I've continued to be in Providence College Television. We haven't had a ton of content come out this semester, but for Halloween, I wrote the script to a very bad, but very funny video. I also '"acted' in it.  If you want to check it out...

I still have my radio show! My friend, Colleen, and I hosted a radio show from 8-10pm every Thursday (eastern time) which streams to radios in Providence but also online (http://www.wdom913fm.com/). We tell storytimes, talk about our lives, and play music! Some of the groups we play are The 1975, Arcade Fire, Catfish and the Bottlemen, The Wombats, New Order, Joy Division, The Front Bottoms, King Princess, etc...

Lastly, I mentioned the last post, but I work in the library! I work 7-12 hours each week in the journals and periodicals section of the library. I am a big fan of my job because it's busywork, but also I get to go through so many magazines and newspapers from around the world.

What are some of my future plans?

Well, currently I am planning my schedule for next semester. I am hoping to finally be able to take five classes since I haven't done that in over a year. I am possibly taking a theology class over Winter break, which although it will be interesting; simultaneously means I haven't taken a break off from schoolwork in over a year. I know it sounds crazy, but I love learning and college classes; so it's not the worst thing to be taking classes for over an entire year (hopefully I don't have to do summer work again!).

I've applied for a Maymester (which is a 3-credit class taught in a little over two weeks), where I would be in Providence for a week and then go to Grasmere, England to study William Wordsworth. I haven't heard back yet, but I am very excited if I get accepted to that, as I will be able to see where the author wrote his poetry. I am also applying to study abroad in London for Spring 2021, but I still need to work on my application. I will update you all with that when I get the news.

As for this semester, I go home to New York for the first time since August on Tuesday! Although I don't mind being away from home, it's time. I am itching to walk the streets of my neighborhood and get my hair re-dyed, my nails painted, and to see some of my friends. I'll have to do a lot of schoolwork while I am home, but I get to go to an Islanders game (which I am so excited about!).

I'm not sure about what I am doing for Winter break as a whole, I am hoping to do some videos and vlogging and posts! I really need this break.

As for the rest of the semester, there is a lot of work to be done + secret Santa and theme parties, but once I get home in three weeks I have a lot of posts to write.

Here are me and Colleen after a beach-themed party. 

Also if you missed my last vlog, it is from September! I hope to make more vlogs soon, please subscribe!

As always, thank you so much for supporting me!

xx

Christina Madeleine

What My Schedule Looks Like *Sophomore Year Semester One*

Hey everyone! It's been a few weeks since I last posted. I've officially been back at college for almost a month, and boy has it been a busy time.  This year has been very positive this year because it's not a new school, I am enjoying all my classes, my living situation is ideal, and I am becoming more of an active member of the school. It's been almost a complete 180 from how I felt when I was a freshman.

I've done this post twice before ( freshman year first semester and second semester), and here I am again! As mentioned in posts past, I am an English and Marketing double-major. In my four years at Providence College, I'll have to take 10 English classes, the business core, my marketing class, and the liberal arts core. This semester I am taking six classes, and I'll give a bit of a run down about them!

Development of Western Civilization
I've talked about civ before, but it's a mandatory class at Providence. You take three semesters of civ that is lecture and seminar-based that starts off 3,000 BCE or even prior, and then make your way up to the present day. Currently, I am in my third semester, which goes from around 1776 to present day. Some of the books and passages we've read in the month I've been here are "What is Englightenment" by Emmanual Kant, two poems from Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman, and The Narrative of Frederick Douglass. The class, for me, is two lectures a week (about 50 minutes), and then a seminar (about 110 minutes) per week. In my last semester of civ, there is a colloquium in which you get the pick the topic of history you want to learn about for the last semester. Every student at PC takes civ no matter what.

Consumer Behavior (Marketing) and Organizational Behavior (Management)
I haven't taken a marketing class since my first semester, but I am back at it. In my first semester, I had to do a semester-long project on the Wall Street Journal. This year, we have a project just as long, but more advanced about Nike. So far, the class has been better than my first experience with a Marketing class and my group works pretty well. Part of the business school core involves taking two management classes, and so I am taking one of those courses right now. Although I'm not a management major, taking this course has been beneficial for me because it's helping me with my presenting and speaking skills. I'm not the strongest public speaker, but I am definitely working on it.

U.S Fiction Post 1960s and Romantic Age in England
Since I am taking two business classes, I am also taking two English classes! I am taking a U.S Fiction post-1960s class, which has us reading books like The Bell Jar, American War, End Zone, and Shoplifting from American Apparel. Although this course is very heavy on reading, I am enjoying the class so much. My teacher is so helpful when it comes to rewrites, and I can actively feel myself becoming a better writer. The second English course I am taking is the Romantic Age in England, which is very different in contrast. A lot of the works we read are David Blake, Williams Wordsworth, and John Keats. We focused on Scottish and Irish epics for a few weeks as well.

Introduction to Global Studies
I wanted to fulfill my civic engagement core this semester, and I able to do this by taking a Global Studies class. I have this class from 8:30-11:15am every Monday, but my professor is so interesting the time goes very fast. In the first few weeks, we read Us vs Them: The Failure of Globalism. I like being able to have a class where I can learn about politics, economics, and social climates on a global scale. I would recommend if you are able to, take global studies or a political science class.


This semester, I had to stop taking a foreign language in order to try to get the bulk of my classes for my majors completed. I loved taking Italian (and in the past, Spanish), I need to focus on my English and business classes. I believe next semester, I will take the same amount of classes as well (but there will be a post about it then too). I have been genuinely enjoying my classes this semester and feel so much more confident in my studies.

Along with all my classes, I've been pretty busy! I joined a club field hockey team on campus, so twice a week I get to go on the field and practice. I am not on the travel team, but I enjoy being able to play the sport that I love so much. It's also a way to keep active when I am not going to the gym. I am also the co-head of entertainment for Providence College Television (PCTV), and soon we will be uploading content to our YouTube channel!

I've also started a job in the library on campus, and have been getting used to my new position. I am so happy I was able to get a job on campus, and it's a good way to spend some hours and meet new people.  

There are a few other activities that I have applied to, and I can update you all on that soon! After a month of being on campus, I think I am able to take the time to start blogging again. I really missed being on here, and I am so excited to show you all my world through my blog. 


I also made a video of my move-in if you want to watch it... and please subscribe to my channel! I am almost at 60 subscribers :)

I will have a new post up this week about my day trip to Newport, Rhode Island!

xx

Christina Madeleine

My Freshman Year Life in Videos & Blogposts

Hey everyone! Once you read this, I will be starting my sophomore year at Providence College. I wanted to make a post will all my content that was about my freshman year for those who need some advice, guidance, or are plain just curious. I don't like to dwell too much on past events that weren't the best, but I did talk about the hardships and the happy moments I had throughout my year. Since I am starting a new year, I wanted to make an archive for those to see how my first year went. I have plenty of ideas for my second year at college (move-in day vlog, dorm tour, day in the life, more sit down videos), but I don't want to disregard my first year. Please check out these videos and posts from the last year, and I will definitely comment back! If you have any questions or want to see more of life you can follow me on Instagram: @christinaxmadeleine and on Twitter: @thisfashiongirl. Or just keep checking my blog and subscribe to Youtube. I am so thankful for all the support and over 120,000 views!!

Blogposts about my freshman year of college:

1) I am officially a #collegeblogger: http://www.thisfashiongirl.com/2018/08/i-am-officially-collegeblogger.html (August 8, 2018)

2) What happened to me in my first month of college?:http://www.thisfashiongirl.com/2018/10/whats-happened-to-me-in-first-month-of.html (October 6, 2018)

3) Thoughts and Ramblings of a First Semester College Freshman: http://www.thisfashiongirl.com/2018/12/thoughts-and-ramblings-of-first.html (December 11, 2018)

4) Dorm Tour *Freshman Year at Providence College *: http://www.thisfashiongirl.com/2019/01/dorm-tour-freshman-year-at-providence.html (January 6, 2019)

5) Second Semester Planning and Schedule: http://www.thisfashiongirl.com/2019/01/second-semester-planning-schedule.html (January 24, 2019)

6) Family Weekend 2019: http://www.thisfashiongirl.com/2019/02/family-weekend-2019.html (February 24, 2019)

7) Second Semester Positive Moments: http://www.thisfashiongirl.com/2019/04/second-semester-positive-moments-youtube.html

8) My Freshman Year Experience at Providence College: http://www.thisfashiongirl.com/2019/06/my-freshman-experience-at-providence.html

Youtube Videos at College!

My Weekend as a freshman at Providence College! *First vlog* 

Freshman at Providence College Weekend in My Life (3/29-3/31/19)

Weekend in the Life of a Providence College Freshman: Spring Concert, Shopping on Thayer, Dinner...

Weekend in the life of a college freshman: seeing After, going to a darty, + seeing John Mulaney

weekend in my life: my dog comes to visit + so many food places! | providence college

week in the life of a providence college freshman: finals weeks, my birthday+ traveling home

Lastly, I made a two-part Q&A about my freshman year with two of my friends who go to Boston University and Loyola Maryland. The first part is up right now:

spilling the TEA on our FRESHMAN YEAR| Providence College, Boston University, Loyola Maryland

 

I hope this archive makes my content more accessible! I won't be doing posts like this often, but since it's the beginning of a new school year; there is a lot of uncertainty an questions that go around about college. 

See you back at school!!

xx

Christina Madeleine

OOTN: Night Out with Friends in Manhattan

Hey everyone! Summer is, unfortunately, wrapping up for me. I go back to college on Sunday (isn't that so crazy!) to start my sophomore year. I am very excited, but also nervous about the new school year. With going back to school, comes lots of goodbyes. Last night, I went out for dinner with my friends; Shannan, Aubrey, and Alexa for a meal at 'Serafina Meatpacking' before we all go back to school. 

My blouse has been seen before on the blog...here when I wore it to Easter, but I love it too much to not wear.

The blouse is from Cue Boutique.

The skirt is from Forever 21 (I just bought it for $15!)

I am wearing sparkly new Adidas Superstars with the outfit to keep it casual.

I told my friends to get in for the Outfit of the Night, in the future I'll make some videos with them for what they're wearing! Shannan and Aubrey have been featured in my latest video: spilling the TEA on our FRESHMAN YEAR| providence college, Boston University, Loyola Maryland

Part 2 of our Q&A will come out soon!

I'm not sure where Shannan's outfit is from, but three out of four of us all opted for sneakers to wear for our dinner.

Chelsea/Meatpacking is such a nice area to take pictures. I am trying to do more outfit of the days, so I loved having the background of the city and the company. 

I'll have so many more videos and blog posts coming out soon!

xx

Christina Madeleine

OOTD: Summer Outfit for a Birthday Party

Hey everyone! Happy August! I am officially done with my summer courses, so that means I will be back on here with plenty of content. Last month, was my friend, Alexa's birthday, and I decided to try out a new outfit. The day before, I went to some local boutiques in my neighborhood to pick out some original pieces.

 My Outfit:

Tropical cropped shirt - Mixx Boutique $60 (a set that has matching shorts with it)

Tight Skirt with lace end - Cue Boutique $45

Espadrilles - Target $32

For the outfit, I "straightened" my hair. It's not pin-straight, but I love the look of wavy hair especially with my current shade. Since it's July, cropped tops and skirts are all the rage.

I wanted this outfit to be unique but stylish. I am very into patterns, Hawaiian shirts, and button-downs lately. When I saw the matching set, I knew I had to buy it. Although I haven't seen the last two seasons of Stranger Things, I know El (11?) is also really into crazy color button-down shirts, and I would love to copy her style. I feel like every girl should have a black skirt and a black dress, and I currently only have one of those essentials, so I am super excited to pair more bodysuits and shirts to skirt. I did end up going dancing after the birthday party, I switched into a gray tighter shirt with the black skirt (as it's high waisted), and loved that outfit too.

What are your favorite shops?

xx

Christina Madeleine

Changing My Hair & Attitude (Self-care Summer2019)

Hey everyone! It's been two weeks... I know, but hey at least a new video is up here (and it's all about my trip to Vietnam), so you have seen my face a little bit. I've been swamped with schoolwork. I am taking two online courses this summer worth 3 credits each, and so I've been slightly bogged down by Astronomy and Philosophy. That's not all I've been up to, I've been working on myself...a lot. I want to make sure that my second year of college is better than my first so I've made the Summer my time to get my mental and physical health in check, work on a positive attitude, get excited about my school work, and become organized. So...what have I been doing to take care of myself? Well, I'm about to tell you!


1. Changing My Hair

I'm no stranger to dying my hair, but before May I had never dyed my whole head. It was a drastic and quick decision to dye it (I have a whole video that is going to go up with the footage), and I cried for three days afterward. Alas, I've decided to rock the red hair and I am absolutely obsessed. For me, changing my hair color from brown to red gave me some confidence. I felt more new people I met remembered me more, and most of the comments I received were positive. I felt almost more myself. I don't have plans to change back the color, but I am still debating keeping it red for when I go back to school. When dying your whole head, you have to be excited and own it or you end up being self-conscious; and some of my friends were able to get me to love the color!

2. Working out

I have countlessly said on this blog how I wanted to start working out and become fit. I was so tired of saying that I wanted to do that, and actually got up and started going to the gym. This last week, I haven't been able to go to the gym due to an injury, but I am itching to get back there. My friends and I have been going to yoga classes together, and then on my own, I have started going to cycling classes. I have never been one for either class and now I am actually starting to enjoy it! On my own, I have a routine involving the treadmill (or elliptical), strength machines, rowing machine, and more. At school, I didn't have a routine and I wanted to make it my goal to have a gym routine, so when I go back to college, I will know what I am doing and go often. I've also been trying to get in shape because I am considering trying to play field hockey again (after a 1.5-year hiatus), and that involves lots of working out and strength. I'll definitely give an update regarding that when I get back to school. My goal was to go to the gym 4-5 times a week, and for the most part, I've been doing that!

I've also lost a few pounds, which has been helpful to my mental health because I did gain some weight while at school along with everything else. There has been no downside to my workout routine this Summer except the soreness, haha.

3. Saying 'Yes' More (and finding a balance)

I've been trying harder to be more of a "yes" person, and be more spontaneous and open to new ideas. Obviously, there are times when I need to say "no" to going out or staying out until 3am, but I wanted to not shut down ideas all the time, and I am so glad. This mentality led me to take the train from New York to Pennsylvania to see Catfish and the Bottleman play with one of my close friends, and it was one of the best concerts I've been to in a while. Having a "yes" mentality doesn't make you nieve, but let me come out of my shell a lot. If there are certain plans that cause my gut instinct to be unsure about, I won't go; but in all everything has been pretty good when I say "yes".

There definitely needs to be a balance though. There was a five-day span where I was very drained from hanging out with people on top of my summer classes and blog/youtube, and I needed to take a break. That doesn't make me any less of someone's friend but helped me enjoy the time more when I felt better. What I've Learned: Saying yes to things helps make you have really great experiences, but you can't say that word to everything, especially if it jeopardizes other aspects of your life.

4. Putting More Effort in my Blog, Youtube, and Writing

Writing is the thing I enjoy the most. Besides blog work, I hadn't read a book or wrote anything for myself in a while, and I've been getting back into it. I hope one day to become an author, so I think getting back into small writing exercises (short stories, mind maps, and poetry) is helping me appreciate the art more. I've also been reading some of my books for one of my English classes next semester to help me get ahead, and to give me more time to enjoy the books over a longer period of time instead of the week where I will have to read 200 pages in one night.

I've also been enjoying posting to YouTube, and by no means am I a super popular YouTuber or the best one out there, but I like talking to the camera and putting myself out there. I am even almost at 50 subscribers, so... check out my channel: Christina Madeleine. I've been so scared of what people thought of me for so long, and I am finally able to create content that fully shows who I am. If you have any ideas of what I should film, let me know!

Summer has definitely helped me become more inspired to pursue my hobbies and make sure I put the effort into it when I am back at school.

5. Cleaning my Room

How many times have I said in my videos that my dorm room was too messy to show on camera? Well, my room at home wasn't much better. My friend Jenn asked to come over and clean my room a few weeks back and we ended up completely reorganizing my drawers and closets and donating four bags of clothes, and possibly selling a fifth. It was very necessary for me to clean my room because I had clothes from 2013 in there! I am also considering painting my room because when I was in the seventh grade I picked three walls to be turquoise and one to be dark pink, and well it's not the best look. Donating so many clothes not only lets me buy more but feels like a weight is lifted. I am also working on being organized because I don't want my suitemates to hate me for being messy.

I've also been trying to eat better and cleaner, and will be doing updates on my Instagram about that! So you can follow me on that! https://www.instagram.com/christinaxmadeleine/

Thanks for reading! What posts do you want to see? I have been lacking ideas, so I've just been talking about myself. So... give me books to read, shows to watch (Love Island USA?), topics to discuss and more!

xx

Christina Madeleine

tips for how to start being eco-friendly

Hey everyone! Happy Summer! I am currently at my kitchen table eating watermelon and sipping a coffee that I made myself at home. Lately, I've been very aware of how much plastic I waste and money I spend on things that I will throw out immediately after I finish it. With all the talk about climate change and global warming, I question why I haven't made any lifestyle changes. Granted, the biggest causes of harm in our climate is from global corporations and the meat and dairy industries; but by not making a lifestyle change...humans aren't helping the situation.

I mentioned that I was drinking coffee because that's how I came up with this blog post because I am using my Starbucks tumbler that I bought for $10 in Vietnam. Here are some ways that you can be eco-friendly and work on reducing your carbon footprint.

1. Invest in a Reusable Cup from either Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, or a Coffee Shop (and also a metal water bottle)

It's so simple to bring your own coffee cup places. Lately, I will bring my Starbucks iced beverages reusable cup to every coffee shop I go to (even though it says Starbucks there is no issue), and tell them how many ounces it holds. This way, the coffee shop is not giving me a plastic cup that I will throw out not even an hour later. Once you get into the mindset of bringing the reusable cup places, you won't even want to buy a drink if you don't have it. There's also hot drink cups that are available for purchase. Corporate coffee shops, particularly Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts, have discounts for using a reusable cup. Local coffee shops will even give you free refills with your own cup. The pros outweigh the cons of having to bring an empty cup with you.

*Starbucks even made temperature changing cups https://www.delish.com/food-news/a27334797/starbucks-color-changing-reusable-cups/ and also sell regular cheap reusable cups at check out.

Another investment is metal, refillable water bottles. Yes, Swell bottles and Hydroflasks are all the rage, but you don't have to buy a ridiculously expensive bottle. I bought two "thermoflasks" for $15 at Costco, and they are just as good as any other mainstream brand. Bringing your own water bottle is beneficial because 1) you can constantly hydrate yourself 2) you aren't buying single-use plastic water bottles. Many colleges have hydration station all over their campuses to reduce waste, and usually, restaurants and shops can fill up your water bottle if you asked them.

Here's more information on using reusable water bottles: https://biofriendlyplanet.com/green-alternatives/reusables/the-environmental-advantages-of-reusable-water-bottles/

2. Bring a Metal Straw if you Can

Everyone has seen those photos of turtles with straws stuck in their noses. Plastic straws can't be recycled, so they end up in the ocean instead. Even if you personally have never encountered them in the oceans, millions end up there. No one will judge you for taking out a straw at a restaurant if they do... ask them why aren't they using one. There are also so many brands of plastic straws ranging from cheap ones at the dollar store to collapsable ones that you can put inside your bag.

*Final Straw is a brand that has reusable metal straws that even clip on to keychains, more info is here: https://finalstraw.com/

3. Go to Farmer's Markets & Bring Your Own Bags 

If you have a local farmer's market, start trying to buy produce there instead of a supermarket. Farmer's markets are usually cheaper for the bulk amount of produce, and let you pick out as much as you want. Also, buying locally grown food not only helps the economy but lessens the amount of produce that travels. Do you really need your fruit from Florida if you live in a different state? Also when you buy produce at supermarkets, it's usually in plastic that is just going to be thrown out once you make a salad or cook a meal. Why does our arugula have to be in a plastic container? There are more sustainable methods.

* The Environment Benefits of Local and Organic Food: https://observer.com/2008/05/the-environmental-benefits-of-organic-and-local-food/

I have a dog, so we sometimes use the plastic bags given to us for when we take him on walks and have to clean up. For the most part, if you can bring your own bags to a grocery store instead of being given  10+ plastic shopping bags.

4.  Start doing 'Meatless Mondays' or trying to find a few days a week to remove dairy and meat.

I am not vegan or vegetarian, but every time I mention to someone who is like me the benefits of going meat and dairy free the responses are usually, "That seems too strict" or "I can't imagine doing that". You don't need to go vegan or vegetarian, but being anti-that lifestyle is not beneficial to anyone. Biologically, humans don't need to eat meat every day or even if at all. The issue lies within our meat and dairy industries that are destroying our environment.

Instead of going strictly vegan or vegetarian, cutting down the amount of meat and dairy will beneficially affect the environment and reduce your carbon footprint. It's not about cutting out all food and dairy but reducing the amount. There are plenty of alternatives as well, such as milk alternatives and fake meat, but also by adding in more vegetables and fruit. Meatless Mondays should not be a punishment, but more of a way to make a small lifestyle change.

On an ethical basis, there are plenty of arguments about going vegan because of animal cruelty. Especially with new developments such as the Fair Oaks Farm Scandal, where the cows are severely abused: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_quX1acHGks&feature=youtu.be. A way of dealing with unethical dairy practices is to not buy products from the companies that abuse their animals if you can't give up the food group total. Educating yourself on the practices of the meat and dairy industry will help you become aware in your decisions and what practices to do.

Another thing to think about is the effects of raising cattle on the environment, and how it would be beneficial to cut the number of cattle raised. 

5. Don't Be Too Hard On Yourself and Others When Making a Lifestyle Change

Many people won't start using reusable products or cutting meat out if they feel forced to. That's an issue that's been going on forever and is the major criticism about trying to save the environment. The first step you should do is research the benefits of everything you're going to do. Don't see the point in using a reusable straw? Google it and read some articles about it instead of yelling at the person that suggested it. It's very easy to just listen to politicians that will most likely not be alive to see the Earth become a hazardous place to live (if we don't make a change). Also, if you mess up one day, it's not the end of the world. Forget to do Meatless Monday? Then just don't eat meat on Wednesday. You'll fail at a  lifestyle change if you're too hard on yourself. 

Here are some videos I found helpful:

( watch this if you want to help save the planet - (eco-friendly tips)) - Hailey Sani

My Morning Routine in the Year 2050 - Kristen Leo

Also, my friend, Francisca Rockey (http://www.franciscarockey.co.uk/ ) has a podcast on Spotify where she talked about the plastic straw ban, veganism, etc. It's called #honestyhour and you can listen to her latest episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7kEPQjtCw9XwRooOrQmLo8?si=kbFjdm21TqeQWWP731p2Nw

Thanks for reading! Let me know in the comments (all you need is twitter or email!) about how you intend to be more sustainable and eco-friendly!

xx

Christina Madeleine

My Freshman Experience at Providence College

Hey everyone! Today, I wanted to talk about my first year at Providence College, and how I made the most of my time there. This is more of a serious post, but I will have some new posts and videos up this week!

First, I want to talk about my expectations for what college was going to be like. I thought that every freshman would want to be open to making new friends and talking to people. I thought it would be super easy to make friends and find things to do.  Right off the bat, people weren't super welcoming from my own grade (class of 2022). Yes, the orientation leaders were super sweet, but the people in my orientation group who did a pre-orientation program (basically moving onto campus five days before me) were not as welcoming as people who just moved in on the same day as me.  Moving in is hard, especially when you aren't close to home, and so everybody probably was nervous about what was to come. Starting college was particularly hard for me because I felt like I didn't belong for the first for a long time. I didn't relate to a lot of people in the way I thought I would, I cried a lot during my first few months, and overall was depressed. Granted though this time, I met some wonderful people like my roommate (who I absolutely love) and some of my super close friends (Alex, Becca, and Colleen I'm looking at you). Those people have stuck by my side and have continued to be good friends to me.

I would say my biggest tip for anyone going to college is to remember that the first people you meet don't have to be your best friends. I know that the original people I was friends with are going to see this in some way, so I am going to keep this part short. Deep down, I think they are nice people; but it wasn't meant for us to be close. It doesn't have to be a malicious fight to break up the group, but if you feel uncomfortable or uneasy by the actions of the people you are hanging out with or the way they treat people; it's completely okay to have other friends.

I made the bulk of my friends starting February (literally five months after move in!) through Providence College Television and my roommate. These were all people who had been nice to me from the beginning of the year, but it took me being treated poorly by others to realize how good the people around me are. The friends I made the second semester helped me come out of my shell more by going to parties (especially Natalia causing me to go out on Wednesday nights), having movie nights in our rooms, making videos for PCTV, going to Thayer Street, and so much more. My last night on campus I was surrounded by so many friends who I know I will have for the next few years. Good friends are hard to find, and particularly hard when everyone is 17-20 years old and freaking out about being at college. The friends I made the second semester made me feel at home at school, and made me start to love Providence College even more. I couldn't have grown as much as I did without the help of Colleen and all the other people who stuck with me. From March on was when I started to be absolutely happy at Providence, and that's when I started to make vlogs because I wanted everyone to see how my school is such a great place. Although it's tough not being happy at your school until March, when things are good they are so good. I've been told that you continue to meet more people during sophmore year, and I am so excited to feel more at home at Providence and take on the second year with my friends.

I spent a lot of freshman year comparing my experiences to those of people from home. Social media was incredibly toxic to me because I would constantly question why everyone was having a great time but me at their schools. I did have fun times on campus during the first semester, don't get me wrong, but I was constantly not in a good mental place. I would be so upset that my friends from home seemed to be having the time of their lives. This caused me to not live in the moment during the first semester because I was so obsessed with how everyone else was doing. My wake up call was when a friend from home told me it seemed like I was having "the best time" because on social media it was just me at parties, even though that was a facade for how I really felt. In January, I tried out for Orientation Leader, Friars Club, and Board of Programmers; and got rejected from all of them. My school doesn't have Greek Life, so I thought this would be my in to make more friends. During the interview process, I came to the conclusion that I was saying all the "right" things about how I loved Providence College without actually feeling it. Being rejected from all the clubs was hard, but it was what I needed in order to focus on making more friends, not being obsessed with friends from home's lives, and start living in the moment. I, immediately, started putting more effort into PCTV and the people within that club. That was one of the clubs I knew I wanted to be in from the time I first got accepted to the college, and I knew that is where I needed to put my passion and efforts into. In February, Colleen and I got the 12am-2am radio slot for WDOM 91.3 Providence and would do a two-hour show called "Cracked Up" where we would play alternative and indie music. Almost every single time we did our show, people would come and visit us and hang out, and this made me so happy. Some of our friends came almost every week and would even text us when they couldn't come. This was part of the turning point of the year I mentioned before.

Now, I am going to talk about how academically my year changed. I spent a lot of high school thinking I wasn't that smart, but in college, my mentality about my classes changed. I went in as a Marketing major, and the first semester I took solely business classes and Western Civilization (I have posts up already about my classes).  Business classes are hard in the sense that high school doesn't prepare you for it. I had to put a lot more effort into my classes in order to do well, but I wasn't at all interested in some of the topics. I did well the first semester, but I could do better. Second Semester, I started taking an English class; and that's when something clicked inside me... I needed to be an English major. I've always loved writing and reading, and the whole first semester I only wrote two essays. After about a month of taking Intro to Literature, I emailed the head of the English department and within the week I had declared a double-major with Marketing and English. I was warned that this would be a hard thing to do since there is very little overlap between the two subjects, but I couldn't stop smiling. I was finally going to study my favorite subject.

In my other posts, I've talked about the best parts of about college like constantly learning new things, meeting new people, going to academic events, exploring a new city, attending concerts and sports events and so much more. I did feel like I was lying at times because I was having such a hard time, but now I am so happy to be at Providence College. I know some people have a great experience from the start, but as someone who struggled; I can now come to say "I love friartown'. I can do a post in the future about things I love about the school because there is so much. Being surrounded by people who are supportive and uplifting, studying topics I enjoy and focusing on finding happiness has changed my whole perception of college and made the last three months incredible. The proof is in the vlogs, and I am so excited for people to see a side of me where I am enjoying my time.

Although I don't go back to college until August, I have so much hope and excitement for what the next years have for me. I don't think I will ever feel as sad as I did my first semester because I've seen a light in all the hardship. I know there are challenges for me in the future, but after the year I've had; I am so ready to take them on.

I hope you enjoyed this post!

xx

Christina Madeleine

all about may 2019...

Hey everyone! It's been a while... I've been meaning to post for about a month now, and life has just been so hectic. I think May 2019 has been my most crazy month in a while, and now I can finally sit down and do an update. During that month I had finals week, my 19th birthday, move out day, traveled to Singapore, Vietnam, and Hong Kong, and I also dyed my whole head red. So... a lot has been happening. I want to get back into weekly blogging since it's Summer and all, so here's a debriefing of my last month.

1.  My final week as a freshman in college

I will be blogging about how my second semester went, and my whole review of my first year of college. The last two weeks of college were so much fun, and really solidified some of my friendships from the last year. I did a vlog every day that week, and you can watch it above.

2. My trip to Singapore, Vietnam, and Hong Kong

I filmed vlogs of all the places I visited in Asia, and I still have to edit at least two more videos regarding the trip. Singapore and Vietnam are up, and please watch and comment on it! Coming up will be more photos, and about the places, I visited!

3. Dying My Hair Red

I'm a redhead? I impulsively dyed my hair red in Hong Kong, and I am living for it! I will also have some videos up of me getting my hair done, and my adventures while having red hair. It's definitely a change.

4. My Six Year Blog-anniversary!

Now that 'This Fashion Girl' is six years old, I want to work on growing it even more...stay tuned :) I am also forever grateful for all the support I have received throughout the year.

5. My 19th birthday...
Keeping up with the tradition of filming one second a day, I compiled my whole 18th year together.

Thank you for your support! I will be posting again for the Summer and trying to keep a schedule! New videos + posts coming soon. 

xx

Christina Madeleine