How to Survive Work Travel

May 30, 2017July 28, 2017Leave a comment

*Hi there! Super excited to have a guest post~ here on Ampersand. Just like how I love sharing cool new things with you, I love when people share awesome ideas/tips/events with me! Meet my friend Brianna–blog enthusiast & fan of Ampersand. Y’all can follow her her on Instagram.

Brianna is a PR professional in the city of brotherly love. When she’s not working, you can find her watching goat videos, taking trips to Target or finding the best happy hour in the city.

Last month, I traveled to Chicago for work for five days. While many people think work travel is a luxury, planning and implementing a 100 person conference is a lot of hard work and doesn’t come with much down time or opportunities to explore. After traveling over a handful of times for work, I have mastered a system that allows me to keep as close to my normal schedule as possible. Below find some ways to stay sane and survive work travel!

Hold Yourself Accountable

https://twitter.com/TonicLC/status/855406614442119168

I realized, during the same trip last year, I barely left the hotel or saw the light of day, so I knew I needed to change that this year. A few of us started a group text and made prioritizing sanity and working out part of our days. Holding each other accountable with wake up texts and a guaranteed workout buddy is the best way to make sure you get in a good sweat. I also got an Apple Watch for my birthday and have become addicted to hitting my steps every day. Even though the conference was on one floor, I was constantly running back and forth and able to hit over 10,000 steps every day. I also chose to take the steps over the escalator or elevator whenever possible. My watch keeps me accountable and helps motivate me to make the decisions I would usually make if I were at home.

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15 Things College Grads Wish They Knew Before Getting to the “Real World”

May 15, 2017July 28, 20177 Comments

The night of my college graduation, I found myself sobbing to my dad in a parking garage. Despite the tears running down my face, I had been extremely happy all day–graduation was by far one of my favorite college memories. But after I had changed out of my cap & gown, opened all my graduation gifts and put away my diploma, the overwhelming reality hit me like a ton of bricks: I’m not in college anymore & the real world is right around the corner.

Graduating from college is pretty f*cking terrifying. Yes, it’s extremely happy and exciting, but there is this staggering realization that your life is suddenly a clean slate. Up until this point, you’ve had school to dictate your routine, yet now you’re being thrust into the unknown (literally) and have to make sense of it. And that’s really scary.

My transition from college to “the real world” has been nothing short of an emotional roller coaster of self discovery. I can’t even begin to describe it other than you’ll understand it once you actually do it. But that idea got me thinking–what’s something I wish I knew at graduation that would have made my life a little easier? What advice do I wish someone had told me when I was embarking on this crazy new chapter?

So I started asking my friends. And we started reflecting on our real world experiences and had some great conversations. Such good conversations that I wanted to share it with all you recent college grads out there. You’ll get a mix of everything–the good, the bad, the ugly & the beautiful. It’s just honest advice of what the real world is actually like. Hopefully it’ll dissuade your fears a little bit or maybe it’ll make you more excited for what lies head. Whatever you’re feeling, just try to enjoy the ride. I promise, life doesn’t end after graduation–a lot of new things are just beginning.

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The best free & affordable yoga classes in Philly!

The Best Free & Donation Based Philly Yoga Classes You Need to Try This Summer

May 4, 2017May 4, 20176 Comments

Brianna is a PR professional in the city of brotherly love. When she’s not working, you can find her watching goat videos, taking trips to Target or finding the best happy hour in the city.

Before you get any crazy ideas from the title of this post, I’m not a yogi (not even a wanna be yogi), but as someone who often needs to decompress, I find yoga is an excellent option. I cannot put my leg over my head but I excel at laying still, usually falling asleep, at the conclusion of class.

I belong to a gym and prefer to do my workouts there – I pay, therefore I go. But as the warmer months hit, I find it hard to sit inside, knowing that I am missing out on sunshine. Enter free yoga because the lovely city of Philadelphia understands the need and desire to decompress outside. I use it as a way to see the city, meet new people and get a workout in. Plus, it’s trendy to do yoga and I like being trendy. I also like Instagram and Instagram-able moments – no shame in the game.

Here is a breakdown of some of my favorite free (or donation based*) outdoor yoga classes in Philly!

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