Hey guys!
So I decided to make a new blog because I felt that this blog wasn’t really reflective of who I am/what I originally wanted to blog about. This blog will still remain here cuz I might go on it from time to time but i’ll mostly be on my new blog 🙂 Feel free to unfollow this blog and follow my new blog 😀
bye for now & thank you for following me
Find me on my new blog Science + Caffeine
Don’t let people discourage you. Go out there, follow your dreams, and defy expectations.
Hey awesome readers! So today I decided to bake him cookies and everyone gets one! You get a cookie, and you get a cookie, and you get a cookie! It’ll be a cookie party! I mean who doesn’t like cookies?
I baked black and white chocolate chip cookies (wow that’s a mouthful). They’re super simple to make and super delicious! I found a basic chocolate chip cookie online and tweaked it a little (okay a bunch). Usually when I bake, I find a recipe online and tweak it a ton to my liking. I’m weird I know.
Back to the cookies! So these cookies are super easy to make and don’t take a long time or use a ton of kitchenware (yay). I don’t like recipes that require like 20 different kitchen gadgets because then I have to wash it after and California is in a super bad drought and wasting water blah i’m rambling sorry.
Anyways, did you try one yet? Did you like it?
Thanks for coming to the party! I hope you enjoyed the cookies! The recipe can be found below and lets have another cookie party sometime. I’ll be sure to send the invites a little earlier than the date of the party so you can RSVP. Hopefully we’ll have enough cookies next time!
Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (can use salted, just don’t add salt later)
1/4 cup brown sugar *
1/4 cup sugar *
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 bag semi sweet chocolate chips (or chunks) -whatever you prefer
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt (unless using salted butter, then no salt)
1 heaping tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
*can add more/less sugar depending on how sweet you want your cookie (keep in mind the addition of chocolate chips will sweeten the cookie)
What to do
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 1-2 baking sheets (depending on how big your baking sheets are) with parchment paper or silicone sheets (I only used one baking sheet). If you only have one baking sheet but require multiple batches, allow the baking sheet to cool completely between batches.
Place the butter in a microwave safe bowl, cover and microwave on medium heat until melted. If you prefer, you can also melt it in a saucepan. Cool slightly. While that’s melting, mix the eggs, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. When the butters melted and slightly cooled, slowly mix the butter into the egg mixture (make sure the butter is slightly cooled so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs).
In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together until well blended. Stir the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Don’t over mix the dough. I used a rubber spatula and folded everything together but you can also use a wooden spoon.
Split the dough in half and place half the dough in another bowl (I used the bowl that once held the dry ingredients). In one bowl, fold in half of the chocolate chips. Set that aside. In the other bowl, fold the cocoa powder and the rest of the chocolate chips in (you can also use white chocolate chips in this half if you prefer).
Once you have both doughs mixed in separate bowls, measure approx 1.5 tablespoons of chocolate cookie dough (I used a regular soup spoon but can be bigger/smaller depending on how big you want your cookies to be). Roll into a ball. Take 1.5 Tablespoons of chocolate chip cookie dough (again, more or less depending on how big you want your cookies to be). Roll into a ball. Press the two balls together between your hands and roll them into one large ball. Repeat until all the dough is gone. Be sure to place the cookies about 1.5 inches apart as they do expand a bit.
Bake until golden brown, but still soft in the center (10-15 minutes depending on how chewy or crunchy you like your cookies). I had mine in the oven for about 12 minutes 🙂
Take them out of the oven when they’re done and transfer to a rack to cool. Enjoy!
Store cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.
What’s your favorite kind of cookie?
University of Oregon
Dear Freshman year,
It’s so sad to see this year come to an end. In less than a year you have taught me so much more about myself than I have in the four years of high school. When I first stepped foot on this beautiful campus as a shy awkward band kid, little did I know that I would grow so much. With every high and low, I learned something new. Life is unpredictable. Happiness can fade quickly but depression can turn around in a heartbeat. You taught me that every kind of person is worth getting to know. From the band kids to the greek life, and everyone in-between, there is something to learn and someone to get to know. You taught me what it means to be a good friend and that good friends become family when yours is thousands of miles away. Most importantly, you’ve taught me that life is full of surprises and to take nothing for granted. Sometimes I’ll walk in my room and find my roommate on the floor doing weird “stretches” and other times I’ll be joining her on the floor. Sometimes I wonder how I got blessed with her as a roommate and how I got into college.
Oregon, you’ve taught me how to live in the moment, and not be so worried about the future. So much more happens in one week at college than it does back home. Since being here, I’ve learned about the type of person I truly am and aspire to be — compassionate, driven, happy, loyal and adaptable. You taught me how to manage my time better, from marching band to balancing chemistry homework/exams. College is hard, not just because of the homework but because life is truly hard. I have learned to take more responsibility for my actions and what I choose to do. There is so much more to be responsible for when you don’t have your parents around to do things for you.
I have grown so much as a person since I’ve been here. I learned that getting a rejection will only open doors to other opportunities. I learned that when the going gets tough, just to take a break, watch netflix and snuggle with Baymax (I have a baymax pillow). In the end, I just wanted to say thank you to Oregon for accepting me into your community and welcoming me with open arms. Thank you for an amazing first year here, and I can’t wait for the next three years to come.
My first year of college is slowly coming to an end. I’ve learned so much more about myself and about life. As a person, I’ve grown & my view of the world has changed. I’ve learned more about responsibility and how to adult. Along with personal growth, I’ve also realized a few things.
What’s your favorite school memory?
Decided to go on a solo hike along the river today because it was such a nice day and i needed to clear my mind from school. I also wanted to get out of my dorm.
Really wish i had my camera on me so I could take nicer photos and not crappy iPhone quality photos. Left my camera back home cuz i didn’t want to risk having it possibly getting stolen here.
ps check out my photography blog for the full gallery + other photos by me 🙂
If we went on a coffee date, I would tell you all about college. About how I have midterms next week and how I can’t believe my first year of college is over. I would tell you all about my friends I have made here in college. College is fun. Nothing like I expected but still extremely fun even though I’m so far away from home. At times I’m glad I went to school far away from home, but its hard. I learned to be more independent and how to take care of myself. I’ve discovered a little more of who I am versus who I thought I was.
Section photo at Universal Studios City Walk, CA
If we went on a coffee date, I would tell you all about my experience in marching band. I would catch you up on all the games we travelled to and now marching band lasted until the middle of January. We would talk about all the crazy adventures my friends and I went on during each of those trips. I would tell you about my first trip to Levi’s Stadium, and the second trip. I would tell stories about my crazy adventures at the Rose Bowl. How that was one of the highlights of my freshman year. Then about my trip to Texas and how I went to the first National Championship Game. I could go on for days talking about the marching band.
Chemistry.
If we went on a coffee date, I would tell you about how I’m stressing over midterms next week while some of my friends are already done with their first year of college. I would complain about being a science major and how hard chemistry is. Then you would tell me to consider switching majors. No. I love my major, I just don’t like all the pre-requirements before I get to take my actual major classes.
Puddles crowd surfing
If we went on a coffee date, I would tell you how I’m kind of bummed that schools almost over but I’m also excited for next year. How i’m going to miss my friends I have made in this hall but I’m excited to start a new chapter soon, living in my first apartment next year with 3 other girls (1 still remains a mystery).
I can’t wait for next year, but first I need to get through my second round of midterms and finals.
If we went on a coffee date, I would be sure that you like coffee first and ask you what’s on your mind.
Me & my roommate, pre-moving in together
Less than 4 months in and my roommate have done/said weird things together. Best decision i’ve made was to switch rooms and live with my current roommate. Since there is only one month left of school, I have decided to make a list of all the weird things my roommate and i have ever said or done or just made me realize i have the best roommate and the best future apartment-mate. These are things most people have felt/realized when their roommate is also their best friend. Cheers bish
1. “OMG I HAVE TO TELL YOU SOMETHING but i forgot what”
2. “Where are you because you’re not here”
3. We both hate every damn thing on the planet when we’re PMS-ing and just watch chocolate and Netflix
4. “Okay, you’re gonna hate me, but…”
5. “Are you awake?”
6. “WAKE UP”
7. “Don’t you have class right now…?”
8. “We really need to vacuum our room”
9. “I got tired walking up the stairs the other day. Is that bad?”
10. “I really need to stop telling you things”
11. “Does this sound okay?
12. “Wanna give me my ____? I just got in bed and I don’t wanna move”
13. “But you laaaaaaaaav me”
14. When we go out, we go as a package deal
15. “I’m out of gummy vitamins”
16. “YES YOURE FINALLY BACK. I was so lonely”
17. “Wait can you read this text?”
18. “How come you always get packages? I get like nothing”
19. “See?! Sometimes I freak out for actual reasons!!”
20. “Did you see _________’s Instagram?”
21.” I wasn’t thaaaat drunk”
22. “You know you like living with me”
23. “Pizza?”
24. “ITS WEDNESDAY. DID WE MISS SVU?”
25. “You better not have watched an episode without me”
26. “I’m sensing the judgment right now”
27. “Should i go to the gym? nah”
28. “Wanna go to target with me? I don’t wanna sit on the bus alone”
29. “Are you ever going to get out of your bed today?”
10. Sensing judgement after my roommate realized I haven’t moved from the bed since she left for work…5 hours ago…
31. Biking back from the theaters at midnight…
32. We make the best sober decisions together
33. “I ate all your fruit snacks”
34. “I think you’ve had enough…”
35. *plays music in the background* *starts dancing with roommate*
36. Having a loyal, badass, wonderful person like her as your best friend is more important to you than having fifty or a hundred or a thousand mediocre friends.
What weird things do you and your roommate tell each other?
There are many people we come across in life
But i’ve never met someone like you
Very few make such a lasting impression
So genuine, with all your imperfections.
No, this is not a declaration of love,
Not saying you are the one for me,
No, I just appreciate your friendship.
Your presence in my life has made me a better person
Talking to you, hanging out
You were so comfortable with telling me anything
You confined your secrets in me.
We were friends.
Just friends.
Then someone came along.
I didn’t know i had to compete for your friendship.
No, I didn’t want a relationship.
I was truly along for the friendship.
No strings attached.
We were once so close.
Comfortable with telling each other everything.
What happened to that friendship?
I wasn’t looking for anything more.
I didn’t want that kind of relationship
All i was looking for was a genuine friendship.
I’ve always loved traveling and the idea of going on an adventure. For the longest time, one of my goals in life is to travel the world. I want to be able to say I’ve been to all 7 continents (yes, I do want to go to Antartica).
“Learn what it means to experience something fully, then drop it and move on to the next moment, uninfluenced by the previous one. You’d be traveling with such little baggage that you could pass through the eye of a needle.” -Tony de Mello
Always, Renée 