First Year Finished | Recap

I seriously can't believe that my first year of photography at Algonquin College is over. Yesterday was my final interview discussing my first year portfolio. It was a presentation in front of five of my first year professors. 

I was SO nervous! It's one thing to display your work, it's a whole other thing to have to defend it. But, nevertheless, it went very well! My teachers gave me lovely feedback that I will definitely be applying going forward. 

Today I'm going to share with you the eight photographs I chose to display in my first year final portfolio. First year is very tech-oriented and with that comes strict guidelines about what has to appear in our final portfolio. We had to include, in this order:

1. Commercial Advertisement or Interior Architecture

2. Glassware

3. Metal/Chrome

4. Self-Directed Commercial Image

5. Consumer Portrait or Environmental Portrait

6. High Key Portrait

7. Low Key Portrait

8. Self-Directed Portrait

Commercial Advertisement

Glassware

Metal/Chrome

Self-Directed Commercial Image

Consumer Portrait

Model: Jameson

Low Key Portrait

Model: Paul

High Key Portrait

Model: Kendall

Self-Directed Portrait Image
Model: Spencer

Looking at these photos makes me so proud- I took these! I learned so much over these past eight months here at Algonquin and I will treasure every bit of knowledge and memory that I have made. 

Good luck to all of you who are going through final exams- you're going to rock it! If you have any questions about photography or college/university in general please do leave it in a comment!

Thanks for reading & check back again to see what KatieDidd, xo

43. A Mentor/Teacher | 52 Weeks of Gratitude Challenge

Between school, sports, and theatre I've had plenty of teachers and mentors in my life- some amazing, and some.... not so amazing haha. It would be impossible for me to pick just one person that has helped to shape my life; that I am grateful for. Instead, I'm going to choose based on the categories I've laid out. 

Primary School

Between kindergarten and eighth grade, there is definitely a standout teacher that I feel had a profound impact on my life. Mrs. Bouliane taught me both second and third grade. She is who I thank when it comes to my passion for writing. We began creative writing in second grade and Mrs. Bouliane realized that I had a knack for it. Even once the activities for creative writing were finished, she still allowed me to submit my short stories to her for review. She understood how important it was for me to get my thoughts on paper and how important it was for someone to care about those thoughts. I still keep in touch with her today; she's an amazing teacher and woman.

High School

A rough time for me, that's for sure. My family encountered a life altering tragedy whilst I was in the eleventh grade. My anthro/psych/soc teacher was the one I confided in. She was so understanding and never treated my like I was broken. Mrs. Battocchio was a true blessing during this awful time in my life. While I was floundering to stay on track with school she went to all my other teachers and advocated for me. I owe my eleventh grade success to her; without Mrs. Battocchio I probably would have failed grade eleven. 

College

I've only been at Algonquin College for five months and already I can say, with conviction, that Mr. Bowie has been having the most impact on me thus far. Not only do I think he's an amazing teacher and knowledgable man. But he also cares about his students as if they were his own children. There have been multiple occasions where he has asked me how I'm doing. Not in school, but in life. He genuinely wants us all to succeed and to be happy, healthy, successful people.

Theatre

In any stage production, there isn't just one mentor. You've got the director, choreographer, vocal coach, etc. My stand out theatre mentor that I'm very grateful for is Nicole, my vocal coach. I was never confident enough to play a lead, I was happy to be an extra in the back row. When Nicole heard me sing she latched onto me and forced me out of my insecurities. I eventually found the stage to be my home. I took on numerous leads and would often "steal" the show (it wasn't hard because I was usually a character that provides comic relief ie. Glinda in Wicked and Timon in The Lion King). Not only am I grateful for the knowledge she gave me and the vocal training she bestowed one me, but I also owe any shred of confidence I have to Nicole.

Synchronized Swimming

I swam for ages; 13 years or so. Throughout that time I had a few different coaches as I progressed through the team levels, eventually being on the advanced senior team. Don't get me wrong, the coaches were great. But my main influencer/mentor was an older girl on the team, Megan. She was an amazing swimmer who was always willing to help me out. She is also so smart (in law school now) and a genuinely great person to be around. 

Photography

I've mentioned Brandon before in this post so I'll keep it brief. He introduced me to my passion for photography and taught me the basics. I can't thank him enough! 

Have you had a teacher or mentor that has had an impact on your life? Please do let me know in a comment!

Thanks for reading & check back to see what, KatieDidd, xo

2. What I Eat In A Day: College Edition | Meal Time + Recipes

Breakfast:

Chocolate Oatmeal

1/2 cup large flake oats, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon raw cacao powder, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. 

To make this I add the oats, milk, and water to a saucepan and bring that to a light boil over a medium heat. I then turn down the heat to very low, stir in the cacao powder and cinnamon and allow it to simmer over the low heat for about 5 minutes. To serve, I put it into a bowl and add a little splash of milk around the edges.

Cinnamon Tea

1 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon milk.

To make this super delicious and simple cinnamon tea, I bring 1 cup of water to a boil. I then stir in the cinnamon and allow it to steep/simmer for about 8 minutes. I add in the sugar and milk once the tea is already in my mug. It's super simple, delicious, and great for you!

During breakfast I have been journaling as of late. It's been so nice to start my morning with some me time instead of what I had been doing prior which was scrolling social media. Taking this time in the morning to reflect has really helped with my anxiety and has also helped me to have a clear mind going into the day. 

Lunch:

Eggs on Salad

2 large brown eggs, black pepper, 1 cup romaine lettuce, splash of white vinegar.

To make this salad I fried my eggs on a low heat to ensure that they cooked all the way through whilst still keeping the yolk runny, seasoning them with black pepper. I chopped up the romaine lettuce and drizzled the vinegar on top- I probably used about 1 teaspoon. Once my eggs were cooked I placed them on top of the lettuce.

Rice Pudding

1 cup cooked rice, 1 cup milk, 1 tablespoon greek yogurt, 3 teaspoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.

To make this delicious rice pudding I put all the ingredients, discluding the cinnamon, into a saucepan and let it cook over a medium heat for about 20 minutes, until almost all the liquid was boiled off. I then stirred in the cinnamon, covered with a lid and allowed the pudding to simmer for another 5 minutes. It's such a delicious way to fill you up while being able to have a dessert element at lunch time- plus you get a container of leftovers from this sized batch!

Lunch for me is usually a nice little break from school/studying. I like to catch up on YouTube videos or TV series whilst I eat my lunch. I'm trying to eat slower and more mindfully than I had been in the past so my lunch usually spans about 30-60 minutes. I noticed myself eating out of boredom quite often which left me feeling bloated and not having the greatest energy levels. Now that I'm eating mindfully I have noticed a big difference in the way I feel. I make sure that I'm truly hungry before thinking of eating instead of mindlessly binging on food just because I'm bored during a long study session.

Dinner:

Herbed Pasta and Veggies

1 cup whole wheat penne pasta, 1/3 cup frozen peas, 1/3 cup frozen corn, 1 teaspoon garlic, 1/4 teaspoon oregano, 1/4 teaspoon basil, salt and pepper to taste.

To make this super simple dinner, I first boiled water to cook the pasta. Once the pasta was half cooked, I added in the frozen vegetables and allowed the pasta and vegetables to cook together. Once everything was cooked through I drained off the excess water, stirred in the spices and allowed the dish to cool before transferring to a tupperware container. 

Although this particular day, my dinner was eaten at work, most days dinner is treated a lot like lunch for me. The only difference is that I have been taking this hour of time to read a novel for pleasure while I'm eating. I love to read but allowing myself the time for enjoyment reading is a tricky balance. When I begin to read I tend to get lost in the book- two hours later I've still got my nose stuck between the pages. Reading during dinner gives me a conscious cut off time; I can read for an hour without the fear of wasting my study time.

Snack:

Greek Yogurt Bowl

1/2 cup greek yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon raw cacao powder, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 cup oats, 1/3 cup multigrain Cheerios.

This snack is so ridiculously simple yet so deliciously satisfying at the end of the day. I begin by mixing the yogurt and the cacao until it's completely mixed through. I then fold in the cinnamon and oats roughly and flatten the mixture out- yes it looks as odd as it sounds but trust me on this. I sprinkle the Cheerios on top with a dash of extra cinnamon and voila! It's a light snack but enough to tide me over during the night. On top of that the flavours are amazing- you get a taste of chocolate, cinnamon, yogurt, and cheerios in every bite.

During my evening snack, I pull out my journal again. I like to look back on my day through writing. I'm currently on a journey of getting to know me and I feel like daily journaling is really helping me to get in touch with myself. 

I hope you enjoyed reading through my meals of the day and I hope it helps any of you struggling to balance college life with eating well. Not sure if you noticed but this was a completely meat free day for me! I like to eat meat free 2-3 days per week as I feel it really helps with my weight control, my digestion, and my energy levels- I highly recommend trying a meatless day! If you have any tips for me, please do let me know! What is your favourite quick meal or snack?

Thanks for reading, xo, Katelyn

Tips and Tricks for An Early Start | Morning Routine

Am I the only one who feels like 8am classes just should NOT exist? What purpose do they serve in my life and education when there are so many other hours in the day that aren't 8am.

But alas, 8am classes do exist and they probably always will, so we've got to suck it up and make the most of it! I've put together a list of 5 tips/tricks that help me to sleep a little longer while still getting out the door on time, all without cutting corners!

1. Pack your things the night before

It's a pain in the butt to have to run around looking for all the things you need for your class- it's so easy to get organized the night before an early morning. What I like to do is pack my agenda, folders, notebooks, pens, highlighters, and Macbook into my backpack before going to bed. This ensures that in the morning all I have to do is grab my bag and head out the door.

2. Pre-make your meals

Making and eating breakfast in the morning can take anywhere from 15-30 minutes! I like to hack this by making my breakfast the night before: 1/2 cup greek yogurt, 1/4 raw oats, 1 tsp raw cacao powder, and a pinch of cinnamon. I mix it all up in a tupperware container and take it along with me to class. If you're in a lecture hall then you're able to eat whenever you get hungry, there usually aren't rules against food in a lecture hall. If you're in a program like mine, you won't be allowed food in the class room because of the technology. In this case, odds are you professor will provide you with a break half way through (my class is 8am-11am and we usually get a break between 9am and 9:30am) when you can eat, drink, and use the washroom. I also pre-make my lunch the night before so I'm not stuck at school having to buy something over-priced and unhealthy from the cafeteria and it doesn't add any extra time to my morning routine. The easiest way for me to pre-make my lunch is by making enough of my dinner to take along the next day!

3. Lay out clothes in advance

Choosing an outfit in the morning can be an absolute chore! I always find trying to put an outfit together in a rush frazzles me and makes the task harder. I choose 2 outfits the night before; one fancy outfit and one more casual outfit. This gives me options! When I do this I lay out everything including bra, panties, shoes, etc.

4. Perfect a go-to look
The last thing you want to have to worry about in the morning is how to tackle the task that is hair and makeup. Having a quick makeup routine for busy days is a really helpful hack. Mine includes concealer, powder foundation, blush, highlight, mascara, and filling in my brows. Hair takes me the longest to figure out in the morning- it's definitely not my forte. Because of this, I have a few quick goto hair styles for day 1, day 2, and day 3 hair that I shared in this post!

5. Wake up tech-free
Yes, this does sound daunting and impossible, but I can honestly say that avoiding all social media in the morning really helps to speed everything along! I find that I can save myself about half an hour in the mornings just by not checking social media right away! If you think about it, spending just 5 minutes catching up on each major social media platform; FaceBook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest  and Snapchat, adds up to 25 minutes. Throw YouTube into the mix and you're looking at a good chunk of time! My best advice is to keep your phone on airplane mode so you're not tempted by notifications. Get through your whole morning routine and then check social media when you're all ready for the day!

My Morning Routine for an 8am Class
5:45am: wake up, stretch in bed
6:00am: get out of bed, get glass of water
6:05am: yoga sun-salutation
6:20am: bathroom/skincare routine
6:35am: go-to hair and makeup
6:45am: get dressed
6:50am: get lunch bag from fridge and pack into school bag
7:00am: head out the door and walk to bus stop
7:20am: catch bus to school, check social media on bus
7:45am: arrive at college and head to class

I hope these 5 tips will be useful to some of you who are stuck in the 8am club! If you have any hacks I could use for my morning routine do let me know! What does your early morning consist of?

Thanks for reading, xo, Katelyn

25. Education | 52 Weeks of Gratitude Challenge

Education is one of those things that I have always been and will always be very grateful for. Fortunately, I live in a country where education is easily accessible- grades kindergarten to 12 are free. I am incredibly blessed to live in a family who is financially able to send me to college where I am now studying to be a photographer. I am so happy with my program and I'm so grateful to be as fortunate as I am. I really cherish my education and my school experiences and I'm very passionate about all children receiving a basic education all across the world; I think we all deserve that much.

Thanks for reading, xo, Katelyn

Freshman Goals | Saturday Series: Back To School 1 of 4

So in my blog re-vamp post I forget to mention a new set of posts that I am adding to my blog! On Saturdays I will be doing series- a collection of posts all under one topic. The series will typically span over 4-6 weeks (give or take haha) and will only be on Saturdays!

I've decided to start with a back to school series since that time of the year is coming up so freakin' quickly!

Firstly guys, look how pretty my school is; where I will be attending classes is in the photo! After an entire year off school I am finally going back to college! I'm so excited to be in the classroom again starting in September- I really do enjoy school. I'm excited for this new chapter in my life at a new school in a new city!

For my first back to school post in my back to school series I decided to share with you my goals for freshman year!

1. Maintain at least a 3.5 GPA: I'm sure that I can achieve this goal and probably do even better than that as I do know that I am a smart person. I'm setting this goal for myself because when it comes to school, I tend to stop going to a class or stop putting effort in if I'm not interested. I want to make sure that this year I put effort into every class I'm taking and reach my full potential, even if I'm not completely interested.

2. Join an extracurricular club: I'm quite an introverted and shy person by nature and so joining groups and clubs has always been such an intimidating thought to me. I want to get involved in a club or group that I'm interested in- not only will this help me to get out of my comfort zone and meet people, but it will also give me an escape from the stress of school and such.

3. Maintain my fitness: As it is now, I workout everyday at least for 20 minutes. Once school starts I know I will be busier and may have less time to workout, but I want to make sure that I do a workout at least 3 times a week as well as make healthier choices like taking the stairs or walking to and from the college instead of taking the bus.

4. Stay organized: I'm quite an organized person as it is, but I tend to struggle with managing stress. When I get stressed my mind becomes a mess and my surroundings soon follow. I want to keep my belongings and time organized to hopefully reduce the stress I will experience.

5. Hand in all assignments on time: I don't think this one will be too much of an issue for me but I'm setting this goal because I'm definitely a perfectionist. I'm not a procrastinator; I tend to take a lot more time on things than other people might because I want my final result to be perfect. I want to make sure that I hand in all my assignments even if I'm not 100% satisfied with it at the due date. Handing in something is better than getting frustrated and handing in nothing.

6. Find a part time job: I don't really need to work during school because I have worked my butt off this past year and have saved all the money I need for a year. I want to work because, again, it's something to do. I don't want to be in a new city away from my family and end up spending loads of time in my apartment being my anti-social self. I think it will be really good for me to have a reason to leave my place other than for school. Plus extra money is always handy as a student.

7. Make a new close friend: All my life I have been the type of person to have a few close friends, not loads of acquaintances. I want to have a close friend in Ottawa that I know will always be there for me as my friends here are. 

8. Join the student's association: Much like joining a club, joining the student's association will really help me to get out of my shell. I also think joining the student's association is a good idea as far as future opportunities; I can become a student ambassador or freshman co-ordinator which would be a great opportunity and look really good on my resume.

9. Be responsible with my money: I'm quite worried that (because I'm obsessed with shopping) I will get too excited by all the stores and malls in Ottawa and waste away all my money. In relation to the part time job, if I do get one that money will be my splurge money and all the money I've saved to this point will be for serious things like tuition, rent, groceries etc.

10. Enjoy every second of my college experience: This one is huge for me. College is only two years and then after that I'm out in the world working and settling down. I want to make sure that this last little hurrah at my young life is the best it can be and that I enjoy every moment.

Do you have any goals for this school year? Do let me know!

Thanks for reading, xo, Katelyn