Tips to Make the Transition from High School to College Student

Congratulations! You've made it through high school, and now it's time for the next step: college. For many students, this is an exciting and challenging transition. College life is different from high school life in many ways, and one of the biggest changes is living in a dorm. In this blog post, we'll give you some tips on how to prepare for this transition and make the most of your college experience.

Start Packing Early

One of the first things you should do when preparing for college is start packing early. Don't wait until the last minute to start packing your bags. Make a list of everything you'll need for your dorm room and start shopping for these items. Keep in mind that most dorm rooms are small, so you'll need to be strategic about what you bring. Some essential items to consider include bedding, towels, toiletries, a mini-fridge, and a microwave. Check with your college to see if there are any restrictions on what you can bring, as some colleges prohibit certain items like hot plates.

Connect with Roommates

Living in a dorm means you'll be sharing your living space with other students. It's essential to connect with your roommates before you move in. Consider reaching out to them over social media or email to introduce yourself and start getting to know each other. Discussing things like sleeping habits, study habits, and guest policies can help you establish some ground rules and avoid any potential conflicts. 

Learn about Dorm Life

Living in a dorm is different from living at home or in an apartment. You'll be sharing common areas like the bathroom and kitchen, and you'll need to be considerate of your neighbors. Take some time to learn about dorm life before you move in. Read up on your college's policies on things like quiet hours and guest policies. You may also want to find out if there are any events or activities planned for move-in day, as this can be a great opportunity to meet other students and get involved in campus life.

Develop Time Management Skills

College can be a busy and demanding time, so it's essential to develop good time management skills early on. Start by setting a schedule for yourself, including time for studying, attending classes, and socializing. Use a planner or calendar to keep track of important dates like exams and assignments. You may also want to consider finding a part-time job or volunteering to help you stay organized and manage your time effectively.

Be Open-Minded

College is a time for exploration and growth, so it's important to be open-minded and willing to try new things. Don't be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone and explore different areas of interest. Consider joining a club or organization that aligns with your interests or trying out a new sport or activity. This can be a great way to meet new people and make connections on campus.

Take Care of Yourself

Finally, it's essential to take care of yourself as you transition to college life. This means taking care of your physical, mental, and emotional health. Make sure you're getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, and getting regular exercise. You may also want to consider seeking out resources like counseling services or support groups to help you manage any stress or anxiety you may be experiencing.

The transition from high school to college can be challenging, but it's also an exciting time of growth and exploration. By following these tips, you can prepare for the transition to college and living in a dorm, and make the most of your college experience. Remember to be open-minded, stay organized, and take care of yourself, and you'll be well on your way to success in college and beyond. Good luck!

Getting Ready For Graduation Season With Basic Invite

It is so hard to believe that we will soon enter the month of April. I mean really, where did the time go? We just celebrated our son's 13th birthday and are still working through our feelings on that one! In just another couple months, our younger daughter will hit another big milestone in her life. She will be walking across the stage to accept her diploma for her grad school program. And guess what? Later this year in December, my older daughter will be doing the very same thing herself! It's unreal thinking about having two of your children completing grad school and moving into the next stages of their adult lives. 

Today's conversation is sponsored by Basic Invite

We have such big milestones to start planning for and celebrating. Like us, many families are getting ready to have new graduates in their household whether it's high school or college. While graduations might be a little different this time around, the celebrations will still go on. Both of my daughters have been trying to find the right photographer to capture images so they can make graduation invitations and announcements.  We have spoken to other families who are planning to opt out of a large party, and are choosing a small dinner at a local restaurant. This is definitely the route that we are taking given the current climate around the world. 

I have been browsing Basic Invite to check out their selection of personalized graduation invites. One great feature that they offer is almost unlimited colors with instant previews online. Once you select a design, you can change the color of each element on the card. With over 180 colors to choose from, the invite is sure to be exactly how you want it! This is what sets Basic Invite apart from almost any other online stationery company. You can also request custom samples to make sure you are happy with the paper quality and colors before you are ready to have your final order printed. 

Basic Invite has over 40 different envelope colors to choose from. That's a lot compared to most places that tend to only offer white. All of the envelopes are peel and seal so they can be closed quickly and securely. They also offer an address capturing service that allows customers to share a link on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any other social media to request their friends and family’s addresses. The addresses are stored in the customer’s account and can be selected during the design process. Basic Invite offers recipient address printing at no cost on all card orders. A great place to start is with their open house invitation templates. 

Right now Basic Invite is offering 15% off with coupon code: 15FF51 

If you are planning graduation festivities, a baby shower, birthday party or wedding, be sure to keep Basic Invite in mind for your custom invitations and announcements. I better get on the ball right now since there is still time! Thank you for stopping by today. 

Display Your Special Memories With Canvas Factory (Giveaway)

Something that I believe many of us have in common is the outrageous amount of photos we have on our phone camera rolls, memory cards and on our computers. I think of all of the vacations, birthdays, graduations, celebrations, and everyday moments we have captured digitally. Our younger daughter graduated last month from the University of South Carolina, and I immediately knew I wanted our family picture with our graduate on a canvas.

I was recently introduced to Canvas Factory. They offer an easy way to upload your photos, even from your social media accounts, and turn them into a beautiful canvas. Your canvas will arrive ready-to-hang on your wall because the canvas is stretched and wrapped around a wooden frame. It's a nice way to display your memories to enjoy for the years to come.

The process of ordering your canvas couldn't be easier. It took me around 7 minutes from start to finish. Thankfully I had already chosen my photo ahead of time, so that helped to speed up the process. You have the choices of canvas size/shape, how you want the "wrap" (the edges that get wrapped around the sides of canvas), and if you want to add any type of color effect. You can check out as a guest or sign up for an account. It's just so easy! Also, they offer amazing sale prices all the time, so make sure you sign up for their email list.

This is what we had made. Isn't it beautiful? The quality is top notch, and the color is rich and vibrant. We are excited to add it to a wall of canvas prints in our living room. I have the biggest smile when I glance over and see this print.

Now that you've seen how easy it is to use Canvas Factory for your canvas prints, it's time to try them out for yourself. One lucky reader will win a code good for a FREE 20"x16" Canvas (40x50cm) or 18x12inch (45x30cm). Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway is open to Canada & U.S. Residents only and ends on July 15, 2019. Must follow rules in Rafflecopter. One winner will be chosen randomly. Mom Files is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

Our New College Graduate, Briahnna - Go Gamecocks!

This past Saturday, our younger daughter Briahnna graduated from the University of South Carolina. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with Leadership Distinction in Diversity and Social Advocacy, and minors in Spanish and General Education. It feels like her four years in college went by super fast! 

Her graduation ceremony was one of the best we ever attended. Despite the packed venue, things ran smoothly and was over in just 2 hours. It was neat seeing her photo pop up on the big screen! There was even a special moment honoring Phylicia Rashad becoming a Doctor of Fine Arts. She is even more beautiful in person!  

We are one proud family! Briahnna will continue her graduate studies at the University of South Carolina. Go Gamecocks!

Display Your Memories Easily With CanvasDiscount.com

This is a sponsored post with Canvas Discount and BraVoMark. All opinions are mine.

How many of you have hundreds, maybe even thousands of great photo memories sitting in your phone's camera roll or computer? I am raising my hand. I remember growing up back in the day, we had so many photo albums. Of course, you didn't have a choice. If you wanted to see the photos you took, they had to be developed and printed out. Fast-forward to the digital age. It seems like we almost exclusively share these photos on social media. 

I often look at some photos and think, "Wow, this is the nicest photo over!". Or friends on social media will tell me I need to frame a specific photo. Now there's a simple way to quickly upload those great photos and create a beautiful memory to put on display. Canvasdiscount.com makes it a breeze to affordably turn those digital images into a masterpiece. 

Just look at this beautiful family photo from my older daughter's college graduation a couple years ago. How sad is it that this photo has been sitting on my computer all of this time? I hopped onto canvasdiscount.com and from the time I uploaded my image, to the checkout process, I spent under 5 minutes total. The best part is that my gorgeous acrylic photo print was delivered super fast. If you're not familiar with acrylic photo prints, they are images that are printed behind acrylic glass. It's sturdy, and has a gorgeous finish. We love how crisp the image came out.

We were able to add on a metal hanger plate when we made it to our cart at check-out, so we will be able to easily hang it on the wall. Canvasdiscount.com offers so many types of beautiful print options in a lot of different sizes/styles of any photo on canvas.

Right now, Mom Files readers can get *TWO 8’’x8’’ format canvasprints for one price – only $9 USD! In order to activate the discount, go to the website: https://www.canvasdiscount.com/wall-decor/photo-canvas-prints.jsf, upload your desired photos, and select 8’’x8’’ format canvas prints. As soon as both images are successfully uploaded, you simply need to enter the name (MOMFILES)  in the coupon code section (Shopping Cart) and then your discount will apply. *This promotion code is valid until: 7/31/2018

This is such a great deal, and you will not be disappointed with your canvas prints. They accept most credit cards, as well as PayPal and Amazon Pay. Be sure to check out canvasdiscount.com on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest promotions. What will you get printed first? Let us know in the comments and thank you for stopping by today.

Big Accomplishments In The Ismail Household

December has been the busiest month for our family and it has nothing to do with the holiday season. Both my older daughter Chardonnay and my husband Dwayne graduated from college within days of each other (Dec 9th & 12th). Let me tell you, it's no easy task pulling off two graduations so close together. We had a celebration for both of them in our home that Sunday in between the actual ceremonies. I'm happy to say that we got through it all with minimal stress and everything came together beautifully.

Chardonnay graduated Magna Cum Laude with Leadership Distinction from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelors of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communications. She was able to graduate a semester early because she had all of the credits she needed. This was her dream since she was 5 years old to become a Gamecock and go to the University of South Carolina. Her strong work ethic and will took her all the way! She plans to continue her education to obtain her graduate degree.

The graduate with her very proud parents. 

We are truly a Gamecock family 

My husband Dwayne, graduated Magna Cum Laude from Southern Wesleyan University with a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration. He also gave the Invocation (prayer) for the ceremony. The whole ceremony from beginning to end was outstanding and even little William shed some tears. This was such a challenge for Dwayne to work full time, take care of his family, having the responsibility of being his mother's caregiver, as well as attend classes. By God's Grace and his determination, he made it through. Dwayne is a great example to anyone (especially working adults with families) that you can do it!

This isn't a great quality photo, but I was able to grab a video clip and screen captured this photo of Dwayne saying the prayer. I had to hold myself together to keep the phone still. Truly an inspirational and memorable moment. What a blessing! 

It was SO chilly when it was time to take photos! This is why we all had jackets on.

These two buddies were SO happy to be reunited after the ceremony. William is his father's number one fan. 

This has been such a wonderful time of celebration for our family. None of this could have been possible without faith and teamwork. Go Dwayne and Chardonnay! 🙌

Graduation Gifts Ideas for the Super Hero in Your Family

Today's conversation is sponsored by Cross & Marvel. All opinions are my own.

It's college graduation season and we have so many graduates in our family this year. We have several cousins graduating from all over the country. We also have two very important soon-to-be graduates living under my roof. Both my older daughter and my husband will graduate from college this year. As a matter of fact, their ceremonies are three days apart! Aside from all of the planning that goes into any type of celebration, figuring out what to gift your favorite graduate can be a difficult task. There are so many very typical gifts you can give, but I believe in giving something thoughtful and memorable.

I recall more than 20 years ago when I first became a mother, an old friend of mine purchased a Cross pen as a gift for Mother's Day. It's not necessarily a gift you might expect for that occasion, but it really meant a lot and reminded me of the fact that I was a brand new mom. It came in a blue leather case and the pen had sea shells etched on its shaft. To this day, I still have that pen. I've purchased ink refills over the years and it has always been a special keepsake for me.

This story gets me to thinking about my daughter and husband, and their upcoming celebrations. They have both worked so hard in college to earn their degrees and I want to honor them with a timeless gift. Cross has come out with its Marvel Super Hero Special Edition Collection line of writing instruments, so you can mark epic moments with larger-than-life writing instruments featuring Captain America, Spider-Man and Iron Man. These striking collectibles are designed to inspire Marvel fans of all sizes.

In the Cross Century® II Marvel Collection, heroic design meets legendary performance in three stunning luxury collectibles. Also, the Cross Tech2™ Marvel Multifunction Collection features dual-powered pens that flip to transform from a pen to stylus in a flash. And last, but certainly not least, there's the Cross Classic Century® Collection. Perhaps the most well-known pen, the Cross Classic Century® is an icon of American design and innovation.

Each of these pens offers the superior quality you expect from the Cross brand. How cool would it be to gift your real-life super hero with such a unique item? Think of all the documents they will have to sign as they go out into the world looking for new opportunities and ventures. The Marvel Super Hero Special Edition Collection pens let your loved one channel some of the most popular super heroes: Spider-Man, Iron Man and Captain America.

Check out the the Cross Tech2™ Marvel  Multifunction Pen in the Captain America design:

This pen is absolutely perfect for your college graduate. It has a beautiful finish and writes like a dream. The stylus is a plus since we are living in a touchscreen world. It is compatible with most touchscreens so your graduate can go from writing on paper and switching over to their smartphone or tablet in an instant.

This pen comes in a Marvel themed gift box and has a lifetime mechanical guarantee. My husband was all smiles when he was gifted this pen. My personal Super Hero deserves this amazing pen!

You can't go wrong with the specially formulated Cross ink that flows flawlessly for a superior writing experience. This pen includes one black medium ballpoint tip and retails for $45.

Another favorite is the Cross Classic Century® Medalist ballpoint pen. This exquisite writing instrument captures the classic style of Cross pens. The two-tone finish adds such elegance and sophistication. This is a pen that you will keep for a lifetime. It writes so smooth and you can refill the ink in your choice of color or point. I can see my daughter signing big contracts with this beauty.

The Classic Century® Medalist is a classic that offers the patented twist-action barrel as well as a lifetime mechanical guarantee. It comes in a premium gift box ready for gifting to that special person. Any college grad would love this piece. It retails for $65.

Any of these fine writing instruments would make an outstanding gift for your favorite super hero—your college graduate. You can find the pens at Cross.com. Do you have a future college graduate in your life? If so, which pen would you love to gift them?

College Graduation Is Almost Here #EarnItFrameIt

I can't believe how quickly time has been creeping by since my older daughter started college. It seem like just a few years ago, she was in kindergarten. Chardonnay has had such an amazing school career and she graduates college this year! I go back to her first birthday and recall her reciting the entire alphabet for our guests. It's as if she was born a genius.

She has accomplished so much, and I remember all of her elementary/middle school teachers making it a point of staying in touch with our family to see what she does with all of her talents. She was always one of the top 5% academically at all of her schools. She excelled in her many extracurricular activities including going all the way to black belt status in karate. All of the years of dedication, practice, and training paid off. When Chardonnay goes to her little brother's karate belt tests, the instructor always brags about her to the other parents at the studio. He always shows how proud he is of his past student.

Chardonnay has had great success as a leader in so many areas over the years. She did everything from student government, assignment at AustralianWritings, broadcast journalism, athletics, piano, Spanish club and Honors Society, and the list really does go on. She has always put her heart and soul into everything she is involved with. Her organization skills would put anyone to shame.

Aside from being a high achiever, she has a good and sweet heart. She is loved by so many people and she gives a lot of her time back to our community. Being a volunteer has been a big part of her life. She is so willing to help others in need and is currently working with a local organization in fundraising efforts to make repairs to their facility. It breaks her heart to ever see people suffering or lacking basic needs.

I have been in planning-mode as far as graduation goes. I really want her to have a grand celebration and nice graduation gifts for all of her hard work. There has been so much to do between setting up for photos, ordering announcements, so many other countless details. One graduation gift idea that sometimes gets overlooked is a college diploma frame. I'm not talking just any diploma frame, but a customized one to protect that hard-earned diploma. When so much hard work is put into earning a diploma, you should want to show it off with pride. There was a recent survey that showed 70% of people did not frame their diploma(s).

How gorgeous is this frame?

Church Hill Classics is a professional framing company that helps graduates and families preserve and showcase those hard-earned diplomas with officially licensed frames. With all of their diploma frames handcrafted in the USA, Church Hill Classics offers an extensive selection of custom frame styles for more than 1,500 colleges and universities. I was so pleased to find a nice selection of University of South Carolina diploma frames for Chardonnay. I was so impressed with how fancy some of the frames were. Many professionals hang up their college diplomas in their office and I'm sure my daughter will do the same. You are not only able to choose the layout you want, but can customize your colors, frame styles and even the protective outer glass to your specifications.

Church Hill Classics is celebrating its 25th anniversary! As part of the celebration, they’re offering 25 winners the chance to win a $100 eGift card. You can enter once per day, starting now! Each week, five winners will be notified by email and posted on Facebook. Sweepstakes ends April 29, 2016 at 11:00 AM EST. Total of 25 winners. Visit this link for more information and to enter.

Church Hill Classics offers some of the best college graduation gifts that are sure to be treasured for many years to come. Follow Church Hill Classics on Facebook and Twitter for product promotions and updates.

This is a sponsored post. Product was provided and all opinions are my own as always.