What’s the one thing everyone lies about on their resume? I’ll give you a hint, it’s something you claim to have experience with, but really all you know is where to find it on your computer and that’s about it.

Excel! Excel is one of those programs that would come in super handy if we know how to properly use all its functions. Truth be told I have very basic Excel skills, but that’s never stopped me from using spreadsheets to help keep my life organized. My sister laughed at the fact I use a spreadsheet to keep on top of my job search, but without it, I would have no way of keeping myself accountable and on track with my goals. If you’re searching for a new job creating a spreadsheet of job prospects is the best way to not lose an opportunity because of something as simple as a deadline, which is why I wanted to share today how I create a spreadsheet that has made all of my job searches as simple as possible. I know I’ve been talking about Excel the whole time, but in reality, I use Google Spreadsheets because I can easily access and edit it no matter where I am. Whether you chose to use Excel or Google Spreadsheets doesn’t matter, as long as you keep all your information in one document.

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This is where everyone’s spreadsheets may become different. I try to be detailed when it comes to what information I keep track of when job hunting, but not too much that my spreadsheet becomes cluttered. My must-have items to keep track of are: job title, organization/business, applied yet (yes/no), salary, link to the job posting, and additional notes. ‘Applied yes (yes/no)’ is where I keep track of which jobs I have actually submitted an application for, otherwise, I’d have no easy way of keeping track of which applications I’ve completed. Be sure to note which date you applied as well, this way you can know when to follow up and how many jobs you apply to a week on average. In regards to the salary section, I only fill it with the salary an organization has stated they are willing to offer. If an application asks my salary requirements, I will add that to the additional notes section. Always keep track of the salary you requested, don’t fall into the trap of asking for less than your initial offer! Typically additional notes will include whether or not an application asks for references (which is where I’ll write who I listed, has a short time period for accepting applications, or if I had any communication about an interview date. Is there anything more painful than sending the wrong cover letter along with a job application? I don’t think so. The way I avoid this is by naming all my documents as detailed as possible, typically including my name, document type, and organization. If applying to work at Uber I would name my document “Rubi Mancilla_Cover Letter_Uber.” This way when uploading my documents I am absolutely sure I have selected the appropriate files. My advice for resumes is to have different ones that tailor to different fields. For example, I have one resume that highlights are my administrative experience while another focuses more on my mental health skills. Both list the same past job experiences, yet each has differently worded descriptions about the work experiences. To not confuse the multiple resumes you may have, name them each something slightly different, then keep a note on your desktop of which is which. In my case, my ‘Rubi Mancilla Resume” is my mental health oriented resume, while my “Rubi Mancilla_Resume” is the resume that focuses on my administrative skills. The names are very similar which is why I keep a sticky note on my laptop of which is which.

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If you’re searching for a job chance are you’ve read a lot of job descriptions, which can make them all sound the same after a while. Even though it’s not the most exciting read, make sure you read every word of the job description and don’t get lazy near the bottom! More often than not the most important information is at the bottom of a job description, including the qualifications and special instructions. Things to look out for are required documents, who they would like you to address documents to, and whether or not they accept calls inquiring about the open position.

I have less than two weeks before I graduate from college. In my four years at my university I paid a quarterly fee of over 100 dollars for the mandatory gym membership all students are made to pay for.

First of all, rude. How dare they assume I could benefit from a gym membership and then go on to force me to pay for it. And secondly, I can probably count on one hand how many times I visited that damn gym.

My freshmen year I was constantly harassed by a hall mate asking me whether or not I wanted to go work out with her. My answers was always no, not even a maybe,  just a straight out “no thank you.” Yet that didn’t stop her from asking me repeatedly all year long.

For people who aren’t as direct as I am, I’ve come up with some surefire reasons as to why you cant make it to the gym today, tomorrow, or ever. “I just showered this morning, and it’s bad to shampoo your hair everyday.”

source “My workout playlist hasn’t been updated in a while.” source “I didn’t straighten my hair today just to sweat it out at the gym.”

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“I totally would but I haven’t shaved my legs are not to Beyonce standards right now.”

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“I just am soooo busy with homework.”

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“Cant, I already committed to finishing this entire season by tonight.”

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“That sounds fun! Too bad I don’t own any workout gear.”

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“My glasses never stay on while I workout, I’ll text you when my contacts come in the mail!”

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“I already watched a YouTube video on workout routines today. Baby steps right?”

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“Shoot, I cant seem to find where I left my sneakers!”

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“I basically ate all healthy food today. So no reason I should torture myself anymore.”

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“Haven’t even had time to eat today, so I better hold onto the calories I do have.”
**cough cough** “My asthma is acting up again.” “I kinda prefer to work out at home. Alone. Sorry.”
 “Ugh, I’m still sore from the last time!” “It feels like people at the gym judge me, I don’t need that negativity in my life.”

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It’s absolutely crazy to me that I was a freshmen in college six years ago, because honestly, I remember packing up the truck and driving to my university like it was yesterday. If you’re anything like me, you like to know what’s going to happen in any given situation. Meaning you want to know how to deal with balancing your coursework before you’ve even registered, tips for making friends before meeting your dorm roommate, and how to balance all the responsibilities that come with doing well in school and having a social life. Weeks before I left for school I spent hours researching everything I could think of. Due to not being able to find answers to everything I was wondering about, I eventually started writing for various collegiate websites to help anxious and excited incoming freshmen like myself. Whether you’re an incoming freshmen or close to the end of your first year of college, below are the twenty pieces of advice I wish someone had told me during my first year of college.

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1. Don’t bring everything you own with you. It clutters your already small dorm room and doesn’t leave you space for all the free stuff you’ll pick up at events.

2. Room with a complete stranger, for an automatic friend and a chance to save your friendships.

3. Always dorm if you have the option! Yes it will cost you way more money in the end but it’s fun to share the experience with people who are in your same position. 

4. Join a club, any club, but just join one. Eventually you will move out of the dorms and half of those friendships will end naturally. Friends from orgs are easier to connect with.

5. Don’t ever buy a book from the bookstore. Check it out at the library, Amazon, Chegg, Barnes and Noble, or buy an older edition. I saved thousands buy never buying a book new.

6. Sit closer to the front. Pretty sure studies shows sitting close will help you earn a better grade, probably because it’s so hard to get away with being on your phone.

7. Another thing, actually turn of your phone, or at least put it away. I used to hate classes that had a no electronics rule but in the end, I aced those classes easily because I actually listened the whole time!

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8. Go to all the events on campus, no matter how lame you may think they are. You re only a freshmen once and soon your friends will be too busy to go to the on campus concerts. Enjoy it while you can.

9. Don’t be the person that goes home every weekend. Everyone will judge you for it and it will make it that much harder to make friends. Stick it out, if you really need you family, skype them.

10. Dining hall food is awesome because it’s always hot and ready plus you don’t have to do any dishes! But don’t go crazy and start eating ice cream for breakfast, your clothes will thank you.

11. Attend study group invites or review sessions hosted by the professor. If you re gonna be paying for a grade might as well get a good one.

12. Avoid hooking up with someone in your dorm hall. I did, it didn’t work out, and it wasn’t the end of the world or anything. But I could have saved myself the drama had I just not.

13. If you were awarded work study, get a job! Don’t be like me and never get around to it, because getting work study for the next year is hard work!

15. Talk to professors, not about questions or the class, just a normal conversation. If you’re shy try with a TA first. It’s not so hard once you break the horribly cold ice.

16. Get some information on studying abroad. It will make your college experience unlike anyone else’s, it definitely changed my life for the better.

17. Learn to calculate how much you really need to pay for school. The estimated cost of attendance is always ridiculously high. Total up rent, tuition and a few extra hundred for food and books. That’s all you need!

18. Make friend with at least one person in your major department. They will be a lifesaver when you need to borrow a book, missed class or are just confused about graduation requirements.

20. Just have fun. I just graduated this past June and I can honestly still remember shopping for my dorm bedding. It goes by so fast, so enjoy every second of it while you can.

If you’re a college freshmen looking for advice, leave a question in the comments below! Otherwise share a tip you wish you had known your first year of college.

Last month marked a year together for my boyfriend and I. After months of badgering him about wanting to be swept off my feet for our anniversary, the boy pulled through with a pretty awesome anniversary date. And to make things better, a minor hostage situation gave me the entire day off. Don’t worry, nobody was hurt or anything, it was less hostage-y, more of a distressed employee. After months of spending every single day with the same person, there are times when him just sneezing makes me want to punch myself in the face. You saw that going somewhere else didn’t you? Well it didn’t, because long term relationships aren’t all about romantic dinners and nights spent snuggling. There are times when I seriously find myself arguing with him and he’s not even home, it’s mostly just me fussing by myself. But hey, I have my reasons. Boyfriends aren’t all bad though, I promise. Finding someone who can put up with my abnormally squeaky voice and tendency to spill when eating has its perks. Sure he doesn’t share my love for reality TV or frozen yogurt, but I have my reasons for not letting him go.

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Anyone with a cat knows the pain of having to carry a 20 pound bucket of kitty litter home. I have literally pulled muscles carrying those tubs of sand up my driveway. Thank the boyfriend gods that guys just love to show off how many heavy things they can carry. I have a bad habit of forgetting to turn off lights, and by forgetting, I mean I saw it but couldn’t be bothered to get out of bed to do it. I live in a tiny studio apartment, which means the light switch is only three steps away. But still, can you get that babe, I totally spaced out and forgot.
If you’re sort of blind like me, a working pair of eyes around the house is more helpful than you can imagine. Having another person to let me know where I set down my glasses, remote or metro card saves me so much time every morning.

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I have white hairs okay?! There I said it! They grow way faster than my normal black hair and can’t even be called gray hairs, they are as white as snow falling. While I’m proud of them most of the time, there are days when I need the help of my boyfriend to yank one that is being a bit of an overachiever. I’m kidding! Sort of. I’m just really terrible at remembering to reload my commuter card so sometimes I need $1.75 to get myself to work. It’s not like we have joint bank accounts or anything, but I know I can count on him to toss me a few coins. Seven quarters to be exact. For the purpose of helping you focus on whatever you need to get done. While my boyfriend does have a strange fascination with my Instagram feed, he is great at “accidentally” sitting on my phone until I finish whatever needs to be completed. While usually I would complain about the channel needing to be changed, when I have a deadline to meet, my boyfriend has full control of the remote. I know I can count on him to put on a show so boring it makes my assignment feel like the most interesting thing I could be doing. Casual, candid moments don’t just capture themselves, you know? Don’t feel bad for him, most of the time my boyfriend insists on taking a photo of something when all I’m trying to do is enjoy the moment. This would be great if his photography skills didn’t mimic one of a 10 year old.

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All of my friends live on the opposite side of the country, which means sometimes I need someone to fill the role of standing by my side as I scream at the top of my lungs. I’m talking about the fact that this summer my boyfriend surprised me with tickets to the Taylor Swift concert. Yeah, it was pretty epic. While he likes Taylor Swift and puts up with me playing the CD all the time, I had no idea he knew as many lyrics as he did. While he didn’t cry at least once, he was a perfectly good substitute for the night. True story, sometimes I forget to eat for so long that I eventually just faint. It’s weird and I don’t know why I do it but it happens. Or I should say, it used to happen. My boyfriend and I like to joke that the reason we ended up together is because he made me fall in love with him by buying me snacks from the vending machine at work, which is partially true. Ever since we first met he’s been showering me with snacks to pack for work and buying me sodas at the bar to help me feel less awkward about not having a drink in my hand. He may just be buying me Cokes and gummy worms, but it’s the small things that count, isn’t it?

Are there any things your boyfriend does for you that you never imagined he would agree to? Let me know in the comments below!

You know that meme with the old lady in the first scenes of The Titanic, where she’s looking out into the distance and says “it’s been 84 years”? That’s going to be me on graduation day. My graduate school experience so far has been more stressful than I ever imagined. Two years ago I placed my deposit and moved to the DC area with nothing more than two suitcases full of clothes. Today I am very much the same woman, except I own way more stuff and have a much less positive perspective on grad school. I’m not saying that I regret attending or my choice of school, I’d do it all again in a heartbeat, but I just wish someone would have told me how hard it is to survive in a city like Washington DC while balancing school and work full time. I don’t know who you are, but at the very least you’re someone who’s been through this before or is thinking about diving into the world of post graduate studies. To help you avoid the same mistakes I did and enjoy every moment of your educational experience, read on to hear all the lessons I learned my second year of graduate school, and what you can do to make the very best of every minute of  it.

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This might be my own personal experience, but classes in graduate school so far have felt a lot less difficult than my undergraduate courses. The workload is very similar and the grading has been more difficult, but because the topic is something I love, it’s somehow easier to learn it and produce work that I’m actually proud to present. The hard part comes in when you’re trying to balance 4 courses at a time, or worse, four courses and a full time job. Learning to make both aspects of your life a priority can be stressful, but just know that so many before you have done it, and your biggest ally will be not leaving work from any part of your life until the last minute. Being a graduate student is funny in the sense that while you are very much a part of your university, most of the campus programs and resources are targeted towards undergrads because they are the majority. Plus, everyone assumes you’ve got everything figured out by now in this stage of your education. There’s just one problem, grad school comes with its own stressors and obstacles, minus the team of people ready to guide you through it all. Don’t be afraid to stand up for what you want, whether that be a class you desperately need to be offered next semester or an appointment with one of those administrators that is somehow always too busy to do their job. On multiple occasions I’ve had complete meltdowns at my university because I finally came to realize that we all pay too much money for our educations to be ignored or told no without explaining our side first. Don’t be scared of being a bitch if that’s what comes between you and graduating on time, getting the class you need or simply someone picking up the damn phone already. Midway through my first year of grad school administrators pulled all first year students in my masters program and informed us that they were creating a new program, under a different title and a slightly different focus. For weeks they pushed everyone to switch into this new program, urging us that this would be the best decision for us. There was one problem though, I hadn’t come to this school for that program, I wasn’t interested in that program and I had already began the coursework for my masers. So me and about 4 other students in the entire school decided we wouldn’t budge. It has been a struggle since then, mostly when it came to signing up for courses that were now never going to fill up. Don’t let intimidating administrators and automated emails scare you into making any decisions you’re not sure about. Ask a question a dozen times just to make sure you’re comfortable with the answer, and if you need more advice, ask again. Thanks to my stubbornness I will be graduating with the masters I want, still be eligible for my licensure and best of all, can walk the stage knowing I wasn’t pressured into making a decision for other people’s benefit.

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Ugh, I know, networking is the adult version of torture. Here’s the thing though, it pays off (literally), so maybe it’s best to do it while we can still blame our lame networking skills on being young and inexperienced? I’m not saying go to happy hours and pass out business cards, what I mean is now is the time to start talking to your professors about more than just what you might have missed last class. If any of you have had a professor for more than one course, that’s an automatic person you need to switch contact info with and consider asking for recommendations down the line. Trust me, professors know you’re nervous and they too were once desperate for mentors too, so stop stressing about it and just strike up a normal conversation with them. So far I’ve spent two years out of college, and in those two years I have never had trouble finding a job. Even though I spent my undergrad volunteering and gaining experience, I also give a lot of credit to the campus resources that prepared me for life after college. If your university has a career center, go to it! Do not graduate without having your resume looked over and a list of resources that your campus continues to provide one you are an alum. Once you leave a school setting resources like interview prep and resume workshops are things you will have to pay for, so take advantage of them while they’re free and easily accessible. This was the hardest pill for me to swallow. At the end of my first year of graduate school I realized I personally couldn’t balance working and attending school full time, at least not if I wanted to move into the actual city. I did what was best for me and changed my school schedule to part time, which allowed me to accept an amazing job offer and be able to afford the apartment I always wanted. One problem though, suddenly I wasn’t on track to graduate in two years. It took a few months but I realized school was no longer a race, I was already making good money and my entire masters degree was very much my choice, so there was no need to put all this extra pressure on myself. Today I’m on track to graduate in three years, which is perfectly fine with me because in that three years I’ve done so many things that would have never been possible had I stayed on a path that left no time to enjoy my life.

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Remember how I said it will take me three years to graduate instead of two? Part of that is 100% my fault. See, I was so focused on completing the master course requirements that I totally failed to register for any electives, like ever. So in my final year I’m finally getting around to taking the courses my friends took in their first. Don’t stress about small stuff like this though, because at the end of the day no employer is going to ask what semester I took what and why it took me three instead of two years to get a masters degree. Going into my second year of graduate school I had just accepted this amazing job at a law firm in the city. The pay was great and the work environment was exactly what I had been looking for, there was just one tiny issue, all of my friends were working in the mental health field. As a student getting a masters in counseling psychology, it can be hard to explain to people why you chose to work outside the field during your coursework. (It was the money, it was always the money.) Learning to care less about what others around me were doing and paying more attention to my own necessities helped me let go of the guilt of no longer wanting to work minimum wage in exchange for a job that would just look good on my resume. Work experience and good deeds don’t pay my rent, so do what works for you and don’t compare your experiences to those of others.

Are you thinking of going to grad school? If so, what’s one question no one has been able to answer so far? And if you’ve been through the process, share a lesson with prospective applicants below!

Up until last July I was living under a rock. I was existing in a world where I had never visited a frozen yogurt restaurant, I literally didn’t know what I was missing. Because of my lack of love for traditional yogurt I never bothered to give frozen yogurt a chance and now I live with regret that all that time passed.

Maybe this is a bit dramatic, but I really didn’t taste frozen yogurt until fall of last year. But when I did, I developed an addiction that all my friends are well aware of. An addiction that is evident through all the froyo Instagram posts. Don’t believe me? Here’s my proof.

Just of the few of the many froyo Instagram posts. You can follow me on Instagram here

Like any true fan I liked the Yogurtland page on Facebook, probably in an attempt to receive even more rewards points. This weekend while being a bum on my laptop I saw that this Monday is National Frozen Yogurt Day, and to celebrate, Yogurtland is giving away SIX FREE OUNCES to anyone that pops in with a printed coupon.

All you have to do is visit their Facebook page and click on their free yogurt offer. You’ll get an email with the free froyo voucher and voila, you get to celebrate one of this nation’s best holidays for free!!

Click here for more details about the challenge

Besides the free frozen yogurt offer I should probably mention the February photo a day challenge I’m in charge of. Myself along with Areeba from I Have A Messy Bun, (literally the sweetest blogger I’ve met), Dylan from Sartorial Spice, Her Campus Montclair and Her Campus UC Riverside are hosting a February photo challenge where one lucky person will win a $20 gift card just for Instagraming! Pretty sweet, huh?

You can read more about the challenge here and click here to be taken Yogurtland’s free froyo offer.

It’s the night before Earth Day and I’m currently sitting on the couch, nodding my head at what feels like the hundredth set of patio furniture my boyfriend has made me look at. Don’t get me wrong, your girl loves to shop, but giving my opinion isn’t very fun when it’s the exact opposite of the person making the final decision. I’ve been meaning to write about how to survive going on vacation with your significant other, but since I’m currently mentally preparing myself for what’s about to go down tomorrow, this post took precedent. Ikea is known as the furniture retailer that is most loved by broke twenty somethings and has won most likely to cause an argument every year in a row. Well, not really, but I’m sure it would if we all took a vote. Tomorrow I have to navigate holding my tongue, my wallet and my temper all at the same time. If you’re nearing a trip to Ikea soon, or homeware shopping in general, this is how to survive with your relationship still intact.

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**update: we went, we had an argument, but we survived. Then we argued some more while we built it but it’s all good, cause he bought me a Magnum ice cream, so we’re even now.**

Unless you’re visiting Ikea just for the fun of browsing, you’re better off making a list of the things you’re looking for than wandering around and hoping you grab everything. Since we were visiting specifically for patio furniture, our plan was down to the item number. For smaller purchases, I recommended just making a list of the small items you don’t want to forget to purchase. Our lack of a smaller list meant we left without grabbing the baking sheet we desperately need!
We totally remembered to measure the patio, but never thought to think about the measurements of the furniture we were planning to pick up. This is where the trouble started. If you’re looking for furniture, know the measurements of the space you want to fill and the largest size you can reasonably fit into the space. If you go online all the items have measurements clearly listed, and to make the whole thing easier, it’s never a bad idea to take a measuring tape with you.

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Because it was my boyfriend who was ultimately purchasing the patio furniture, the final decision was up to him, which is why I wasn’t too thrilled to go in the first place. About two hours into the trip we were both tired, annoyed, and nowhere near a decision. At this point I decided to let go of my hate for dark furniture and just shop from his perspective, even though I personally wouldn’t haven chosen the pieces. Not everything is worth giving the side eye over, so choose what’s worth fighting over. Thank god Ikea has a restaurant, otherwise one of us would have thrown a punch. My preference is to browse the floor room, eat a meal, then do the real shopping. This way you have time to look at what you might like, talk it over some good cheap food, then make your purchases. Living in the city means nearly no one own a car, including my boyfriend and I. For this reason we rented a ZipCar, and after a bit of convincing, my boyfriend reserved it for a total of 4 hours. In the end we extended our reservation time by an extra hour, teaching me that you can never give yourself too much time to shop at Ikea.

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Past the point of our initial argument and well into me ditching him to shop by myself, I realized my boyfriend was so over the whole experience that he was ready to leave with nothing. If you have a similar feeling, don’t feel pressured to make a big purchase. Come back later, look online, and get all the second opinions you need. The good thing about Ikea is that their inventory is always the same, making taking some extra fine not a big deal. In the end we did take home new patio furniture, built that and new deck floor the next day, and have yet to use any of it. I know, we’re crazy. Hopefully the rain will stop so we can finally enjoy the stuff that made us wanna pull our hair out and possibly made me pull a muscle in my arm.

Okay spill, where’s the last public place you argued with your significant other with? Also, any tips on how to not lose my mind for the next time we shop for furniture?

The past few days have been a whirlwind of crazy, the type that make you stare intently at the sidewalk in the small hope that it won’t get directed at you. Even though I’ve been running all over the city enjoying my favorite holiday weekend, I did pause to reflect on the fact that all of this would be so avoidable had I never taken my love of talking and turned it into a full time hobby/job/whatever you wanna call it.

Here’s the thing, I’ve been writing since early 2012. I saw an ad for writers for a popular collegiate website and figured why the hell not? As someone who has been reading women’s magazines since the age of six, I know a thing or two about what young women like to read. With friends my whole life telling me I should write my stories down, I finally took their advice and applied for the position. That turned into another opportunity, which turned into another, all of which ended with me creating my own space where I could talk about what I wanted, how I wanted.

There was just one problem, no one seemed to be talking about the things I enjoy talking to my friends about. Angry moments on the subway, deciphering out if you’re in a relationship or just hooking up, and figuring out how the hell to write a resume that won’t get tossed in the trash. Basically websites we’re too niched, or simply so big that you lost the relatable factor. So I set out to create exactly what I wanted to see in the world, a place where a basic ass millennial could write about that time an ER doctor said her UTI was caused by too much sex! (This is very much debatable and will definitely one day be written about in depth, because I’m shameless.)

One problem though, not everyone likes when you tell it like it is. Bloggers don’t talk about sex and people don’t like you talking about your experiences with them. And that’s when I realized, there’s so many interesting topics bloggers miss out on just because we see others being successful when writing about the topics we were all taught are marketable, or worse, we’re scared of the backlash! We live in an age where we’re obsessed with the intimate details of celebrity lives, yet I don’t think any of my favorite bloggers have ever referenced anything more personal than their dress size. I know that I’m not going to change the direction of blogging and that my blog is not pulling in millions of readers every month. But there is one thing I do have, other bloggers with similar platforms to mine reading my content. So maybe if we started talking about the things that we all really wanna hear about, blogging will no longer be this place where everything needs to be picture perfect and every critical/hateful comment is discussed in our Facebook groups.

Currently I have my ex-boyfriends current girlfriend completely harassing me in the comment section of one of my latest posts, on top of the string of Facebook messages that I swiftly ignored. And do I give a crap that she thinks I’m pathetic for putting my experiences out there? Hell no! At the end of each day, every time she click my page to comment about how pathetic I am, that’s one more page view that helps me later along the line when choosing how much to charge companies who want to partner with me.

If you’re a blogger who sometimes gets bored of publishing the same type of content, or just a girl who wants to say more in her Instagram captions that how nice the sunset was, do it! Write about the time you cried on public transportation, take that selfie on day one of your period and let your followers know how bad your cramps are, say the things you say to your best friend without the fear of what some judgmental person may have to say back. As for me, I plan to keep writing about the topics I always wished others would talk about when I was younger. Currently I have a post on the first page of Google that every girl sees when searching how to get over a guy. And you know what? That feels awesome! Four years later and that post is still helping young women deal with a breakup that they too weren’t ready for. And until I write another post that goes as viral as that, I’m just gonna keep oversharing on the internet, hoping someone reads it and finds it totally relatable.

So tell me, are you a blogger who keep certain things private, and if so, why? And if you’re just a everyday reader, what’s one thing you wish more men and women would talk about online?

Today’s the day, Tax Day. If you’re anything like me you’re currently freaking out because you can’t find your W2 or have completely forgotten what password you chose for your Turbotax account. Breathe girl. Me last year waited until the very last day to file, which led to a lot of cursing and frantic calls to my sister.

2017 Rubi? She did her taxes over a month ago, mainly because my boyfriend wouldn’t stop nagging me to get it done before the deadline. Early or not, I can always relate to someone who leaves it to the last minute.

As I ate my dinner I did what I always do, scroll through my Bloglovin feed to catch up with new posts from all my favorite blogs. One of my new favorite websites is Twenty Something Living, organized by three badass women in their twenties. Their post, Other Things I Wish I Could Claim On My Taxes, inspired me to draft my own post. I definitely recommend you check out their post and website overall, and follow them on Instagram at @twentysomethingliving.

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I’m writing this post immediately after getting of the phone with my mom. In one phone call she managed to have to reset her password twice, hang up on me once, and raise my blood pressure. Anyone with a mom who doesn’t use technology much knows the stress that comes with trying to teach your mom how to use a new feature, bonus points if you do it over FaceTime.
He may not eat much, at least not when it’s actual food. Every night we bicker over popcorn, whether it’s who popped it (always me) or who’s taking too much (usually him). You know when you ask someone if they want something, they say no, then take some of yours?? Imagine that feeling every night. But seriously though, can I claim his cravings on my tax form somewhere? I may have grown up near the beach, but I walk like a New Yorker. I have what I like to call pedestrian rage, meaning I angrily weave through crowds, curse at cars and overall walk like I’m about to give birth. It’s not my best feature, but then again, nobody’s perfect. Time is the only thing we can never get back, so losing to to slow walkers is hard to cope with. One day I wholeheartedly believe pets will be something you can claim, here’s why. Just this month I spent close to $400 on vet bills for my cat Max. On top of unexpected medical bills, pets require food, vaccinations and toys to keep them from chewing up your shoes. I’m not saying it has to be a big write off, but something would be nice.

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Ever since I became a therapist I’ve consumed more aspirin in four months than I had in my entire life. Most nights I come home with a headache due to processing all the information my clients’ share with me. Going from never buying aspirin to never being without some has left a dent in my wallet, so it would be nice if I could claim this new necessary lifestyle item.

What’s something you wish you could claim on your taxes? Let me know in the comments below!

Our twenties are a strange time where we’re expected to act like adults without any real world experience. Because let’s face it, living in campus housing off student loans is not real world experience. No one teaches you how to file taxes or read a lease, so when our moms don’t pick up the phone there’s only one thing to turn to, Google.

Google answers all of our embarrassing questions without judgement, and without it, many of us would probably starve and still be working on that math problem from freshmen year. Since so many of us sit behind our screen and wonder how the hell everyone seems to have it so together, let’s join together for a moment and admit all the things we’ve all Googled at least once. Or twice, no judgement. Raise your hand if you’ve ever searched how much water you need to cook some white rice? (*raises hand) With no more dining hall to keep us fed and lack of money to eat out daily, learning to cook becomes much more of a necessity in your twenties. Suddenly you become paranoid about what will happen if your chicken breast doesn’t cook all the way through and are constantly debating the importance of preheating. Thankfully we have Google, which will inevitably lead us to a Pinterest recipe that looked way easier online. I have a bone to pick. Why is it that 90% of my wardrobe is hand wash? Or worse, dry clean?! Ain’t nobody got time for that. Hand wash in my life translates to perm press, whatever the hell that means. Dry clean means it will probably never be worn or washed, leaving me bitter over the fact that a good portion of my wardrobe is unusable. When moms aren’t around to tell us which fabrics shrink, Google has our back on which items are totally fine with being washed normally, despite what the stupid tags say. Please tell me I’m not the only girl that’s ever looked up how much donating my eggs would pay? Because I have, multiple times. And I’ve looked into surrogacy! No shame in my game. If you’ve never Googled the salary of a stripper or nanny, whichever you’re best suited for, can we trade lives? Cause you clearly have it all together. Even though we are all completely capable of drafting an email with our resume attached, why do we still feel the need to Google how to end an email and how much is too much? Instead of taking time to apply for jobs, we focus our energy on looking at other resumes, cover letter formats and the proper way to say goodbye without sounding to informal. While we would all prefer to go to our friends for advice, sometimes it’s 3am and you just don’t want to call them. Or they are so fed up with your relationship that they will choose to not answer. Google is great for getting millions of opinions of what that text really meant and how soon is too soon to reply. No, the opinions of strangers on the internet will never be as good as those of your friends, but you gotta work with what you’ve got. Sure, most of us have insurance, but what’s the point of having it if our moms don’t book our appointments anymore. I have zero shame in admitting my mom forces books me all my appointments, and in my defense, the woman can make any receptionist squeeze me in. When our moms don’t answer the phone and we’re too lazy to go to urgent care, Google is always there to make our illness seem 100x worse. Yes our headache could be just a headache, but maybe it’s a tumor, so why not finish off that bucket of ice cream?

What’s one embarrassing thing you’ve Googled lately? Or more than once. Or every single time because your brain refuses to remember anything other than song lyrics!