Tia Things

Hey gems, With the end of the year coming at us quick, I love to remind myself of the greatness that was 2019.  When I first thought about the year in review, I really didn't think much of it! I mean there were a few moments that stood out but all very natural so I chalk it up as a decent year and moved on. But when I come to think of it, 2019 was an epic year. I got my first internship at my dream work location, met all kinds of amazing people and gained so much confidence. I then went on to get my first full-time job and take my first major steps into building a career. I went on work trips, was trusted with clients and really feel as though 2019 brought me more self-confidence than any other year.  Not only this but I also got to travel to my best friend 3 times this year! More than any of the past years! I also was able to travel this summer with my family and enjoy a beautiful summer season. I really feel as though, although my social life still needs some attent...

Hey gems After years of people hassling me about why I don't have my own car, watching all my friends get their first cars, and daydreaming about the day I would have my own, the day has finally come! I am now the proud owner of a compact SUV! It finally feels as though the wait was worth it now that I have my very own car! (Also known as Troy the Truck- yes, I name my car) I didn't think it would mean so much to me, but this car really does make me proud of all my hard work, savings and makes the wait to own a car worth it. I've spent 7 years sharing cars with my parents and watching everyone around me show off their first cars. I am proud to say that I can now be the driver that takes the girls out on shopping days, drives on date night and can go do the groceries- not that I want to do the groceries!  I only began to truly want my own car when I started working full time. The desire for a car really amplified recently when I went on my third road trip a...

Hey gems, Last weekend was a hectic, amazing and shopping filled with a LOT of  champagne! Definitely a girls' weekend to remember! We left Friday and spent the three day weekend in the city! Each day involved shopping, amazing food, drinks and my best friends! We started with a lot of shopping and I have to say H&M was THE BEST spot of the weekend! I got three knits, a cute leather skirt and layered necklaces. I also bought a summer dress and snake print silk skirt at Zara. I have to say, I don't usually shop at either of those stores, but they are definitely becoming favorites! Next up was some amazing food and drinks at different rooftops! We used this time to explore more of the city on foot, walking downtown and seeing the views. It was a super fun way to use the daytime! Most of the days were super calm, no tight schedule, no time limit, just us walking around, some pink drinks and some chatting. The evenings were definitely way busier! Night one, we went to a ...

Hey gems, If you’ve been reading for a while you know I started working full time in April. At that point I was still in classes and exams: by May I was done school but still had a really tough time adjusting. I wasn’t at all expecting the adjustment to take as long as it did. I was used to working two, sometimes three jobs while being in school. Yet, working full time was really challenging for the first two months. I was still working part time on weekends so it was a 7 day straight schedule. Even once that ended, I found myself always feeling like I never had any personal time. I finally am feeling like I have a great hold on my time, and even though I still work some weekends, I make sure to keep at least one weekend day off per week (when I can). Here are some of the tricks I found most useful! Schedule your week: Little things like outfits, evening activities, meal planning, etc. Can make a huge difference. Having things prepared ahead of time really helps you st...

Hey gems, I know it’s been a while but get ready because the blog is about to be busy with lots of content! If you follow my Instagram or twitter (@tiathingsblog) you know I was away for the last few weeks and am finally back home!!! This vacation couldn’t have come at a better time for me. Everyone needs a mental break every once in a while and this was definitely mine. Some family time, best friend time and lots of sunshine was exactly what I needed, not to mention TONES of shopping. One of the highlights was visiting the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, where we got to see dolphins up close and personal, their training sessions and learn more about their rehabilitation. Every animal at the Aquarium is a rescue animal, from dolphins missing fins due to fishing nets(check out the movie Dolphin tales or www.seewinter.com ) to sea turtles who lost their sight due to being hit by boat propellers. All animals are given a home and a second chance! As some may know from my previous ...

Hey there my gems, I haven't been writing in quite a while but I wanted to let you all know that I am officially a University graduate!! I walked across the stage a few weeks ago and haven't gotten a chance to let you know but it's time to let you all in on how it went down! Even though classes ended months ago and I've been working full time ever since, I loved every moment of the long ceremony. Let's start with the fact that it was a three hour long event which, as much as I appreciate the speeches, was SO LONG. I honestly thought all the way up to the day of that I would be super unaffected by the whole day. I knew I was graduating, I had been working for months, I didn't at all feel sad to be leaving school and I really wasn't excited about attending my ceremony because I thought it would be long and boring. Then the day came, next thing I know my hair and nails are being done and the whole family is dressed up. I started to feel nostalgic and a lit...

Hey there my gems, lately working through all of the things I want to accomplish, my goals, and generally the life I want to build. I've realized that I setting myself up for stress and disappointment. Not because my goals are set high or because my dreams are grand, but really because I'm biting off way more than I can chew. I want a job, I want great grades, I want to get my summer body ready, I want to decorate, I want alone time but I also need to allow for socializing or I'll go nuts. I'm realizing that the truth is, I probably won't get my dream job right away and that's okay because I'll work toward it and build up to it. I also am trying to come to grips with the struggle between travel and savings. I think that there is definitely a way to achieve small trips, or big ones if they are planned well, and save at the same time. My issue with saving money is currently that I am working as much as I can this semester, but it is only half the hour...

Hey there my 2019 gems! I've been really busy but in the absolute best ways during the last few weeks. It got me thinking about different aspects of my life I haven't shared with you all and today's blog is one of them! I never really shared why I made the decision to start a blog in the first place so I thought today is the day! I started this blog in September with very low expectations, disappointed in my current job prospects and completely unsure of everything. Basically the thought of starting a blog had occurred to me before, but I wasn't confident in my skills with technology, didn't trust my previous writing skills and honestly, I didn't think my life was anywhere near interesting enough to write about. The timing of this blog is everything to me. It's one of those moments where you think "Yup the right time just worked out". Basically my writing skills and my comfort with different software improved because I am now in my last year of ...

Hey gems! With the new year coming up I thought it would be super fun to go over the best of 2018! This includes moments, ideas, achievements, etc. Because really I need to give myself props and realize that there's nothing wrong with that. I have to start with the most obvious: Starting this blog. I started my blog after months of procrastination in September 2018 and within just three months have amassed over 3000 views and hundreds of Instagram and Twitter followers! (@Tiathingsblog). This blog has been such a positive outlet for me, a creative space, a challenge and a blessing. Through the amazing messages of support, the responses to my writing style and the creative demands, I truly feel that starting this blog was the right way for me to go and I'm so proud of my timing. Summer 2018 was a roller-coaster ride. After my dream vacation was cancelled, I pushed myself through the overwhelming disappointment to create memories in my hometown and try all kinds of new activ...

Hello again, Today is all about my dream travel destinations, I have lists of places to go even though right now this is just a day dream. As I'm getting closer to graduation, I'm making more and more plans to travel and getting super excited! Here are my top 5 dream destinations and why! Lake Louise Lake Louise, Alberta Okay so all my other locations are much more vague like countries or states but this is a very specific location. Lake Louise is one of Canada's treasures and the pictures of the views and the natural spring waters are just breathtaking. I'm definitely a summer girl but I can deal with winter if it has a view like this. Hawaii I'd love to do a getaway to Hawaii where I can explore the amazing landscape it offers. I want to hike, explore and relax in the different islands and take in the amazing vibe, culture and sights Hawaii has to offer. There are also a lot of Hawaiian cruises that go from island to island to allow you to see the mos...

Hey guys, So as you all know, I'm in school and working toward my bachelor's degree. I love school, but as I move through my degree I see the future coming at me 100 miles a minute. So I thought it would be fun to share with you my goals and plans for the next 5 years, this may sounds kind of psycho in some parts but I love planning. It keeps me motivated so I have lots of details worked out. First, within six months of my graduation, I'd love to get a job, this is a little tricky because I don't want to set unrealistic goals. It's not always easy to get a full-time job but I would love to be working and getting experience as soon as I graduate. That is also part of the reason why I started this blog. It gets me experience in writing and social media, all the while giving me time to focus on school and go at my own pace. Not to mention it's so fun and gives me a hobby to free my mind of stress (a little). My dream job would be something which involves ...

Now that you've been through my Heartbeats journey with me, let's wrap this baby up in a neat little bow of what I've learned in 8 simple but important love tips to keep in mind! **Side note these apply for different relationships. (ex: Long-term, new, dating world, friendships, etc.) 1. Effort is everything. If someone isn't putting the same effort into getting to know you, making you happy, etc. as you are for them, then they may not be worth the time and effort you're putting into them. Think of your time as the most valuable thing in the world, if you're giving them yours, they should be reciprocating. If not, take the time to consider why. They may be going through something, which is totally understandable, but people can't expect you to give it your all forever without getting any time or effort in return. Every relationship in your life is a two way street. 2. Relationships are not only between 2 people. You're friends and family are...

This year, summer was emotional, unexpected, beautiful, and terrifying. Through the good, bad and sweaty, summer kept me on my toes, so here's a little tribute to summer '18.  The season started by taking all the plans I had made, and flipping them upside down. Not only, was I supposed to spend a MONTH on vacation with my closest friends and family, but I wasn't going to work, possibly go to Disney and spend 31 days with my toes in the sand. It was supposed to be THE summer of ALL summers. But then it wasn't. Some mix up at the office meant my parents couldn't take the time off, and there was no hope for me to take off on my own, so I cried and said adios to my dream summer and aloha to NOTHING. Too late to take hours at work, plan another vacation or make any plans remotely close to a month on the beach. So there I was, mid may, knowing exactly 5 things: 1. I was not going on vacation. 2. I was now signed up to 3 summer courses at school. 3. My...