College Essentials

First of all, I’m so sorry for being inactive! College has been incredibly busy and I’ve sort of put this blog on the back burner due to my other priorities. What with school, two jobs, an internship, and other extracurricular activities I'm involved in...it's a lot to juggle. I’ll try to blog at least once a week though. I have some posts planned that I hope will be useful for my readers! I hope you'll stick around :)

Unlike a lot of college students in the semester system, I started school two weeks ago (thanks quarter system for giving us only 2 weeks of winter break). Although it would have been nice to have a longer break, this first couple of week have allowed me to gather all the essential items that I found myself using a lot last quarter. These items were extremely helpful for me, so I thought I would share my college arsenal with you!

1. MUJI gel pens


2. Pencil case


3. Folder


4. Notebooks


5. Wristlet


6. Tablet + Bluetooth keyboard


7. Contigo water bottle


8. Moleskine journal

What are your college essentials? I'm always expanding and recreating my own list and would love to hear your thoughts!

The Ideal Reader, Short Films, and Other Random Things

If you’re reading this, you’re already a dream come true. My words, my voice, my thoughts, my my creative works, are being reached out to you, a stranger behind the screen. And I’m so grateful that you’re taking the precious time you have to listen and see what I have to say. But as selfish as I am, I want more than that - I also want my voice to be felt. I want my words to spark something inside of my readers that they never thought existed. I want them to feel a connection, a bond, no matter how faint or small it may be. I want my readers to understand that whatever they’re going through, they’re not alone. I want my readers to know that even though we may be strangers, we can still be connected in one way or another.

And this is why I want to share some of my creative work

This is my most recent short film that I made when I was abroad. It’s not perfect. But I hope somehow it speaks to you and that whatever you feel inside, it’s real.

[embed]https://vimeo.com/102277617[/embed]

I can’t put myself out there and not share other people’s work, of course! I’ve been inspired by other people’s voices as well, one of them being Wong Fu Productions! If you haven’t heard of them, check out my favorite from them, When Five Fell. The cinematography and dialogue is beautiful!

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSrXMFcQ4dY[/embed]

If you have more time to kill (procrastination FTW) and you like to binge-watch whatever is on Netflix, watch It’s Such a Beautiful Day by Don Hertzfeldt. It's a compilation of very experimental short films and are unique in itself. Here’s the trailer.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN8Kd3zR_mE[/embed]

Reader, you don’t have to be perfect to be ideal. Just come with an open mind, an open heart, and an eagerness to read and watch the random things I post. And I hope you will be as happy as I am when :)

A Name That Wanders

I have a wandering mind. Sometimes it's hard to control. I can't lie - when I'm in class listening to my professor drone on about 19th century literature, or when I'm listening to my mom overreact about something, my mind tends to wander into random places, people, and things that happen to be a lot better than what I'm experiencing at the moment (sorry Mom, I still love you).

It's not just mentally. I physically love to wander, to travel, to explore. Each time I explore, I find something new to love that I want to excel in. Storytelling, filmmaking, photography, fitness, business - I want to do it all.

I've heard so many people say to specialize on one thing. I completely understand that. It's when you really focus in on one thing that you can really grow and cultivate your true passions.

But my mind likes to wander. And it's hard to control.

Although I have decided to focus my goals on entering the entertainment industry as a writer and producer, I want to use a blog as an outlet for the wandering that happens inside my head. I want this blog to capture the essence of wandering, and to encompass my different areas of interest such as travel, fashion, film, and books, while still maintaining some level of organization so that it can be easily accessible to all readers (I'm still working on that, so bear with me!) Each day is a new chance to wander, to explore, and I want a blog to do just that.

And so, "The Wandering Days" was born.

What I Learned From Traveling in 2014

1. There are many many like-minded people all over the globe. You are not alone.


2. Routines are nice, but don’t get stuck in the same, cyclic routine forever. There is always more to see and do.


3. Sometimes you find the best places when you’re not looking for them.


4. Soul mates are not found in people. They are found in places, architecture, environments.


5. Traveling alone is the most terrifying and exhilarating experience you will ever have.


6. Say yes to new experiences. Even if it means breaking the bank a little.


7. At the same time, being mindful of money and learning how to budget will maximize your experiences.


8. Write down everything and take lots of pictures. Time sometimes makes us forget.


9. Traveling may be the best medicine.


10. You are your true self when you leave your comfort zone and into a new world. When you travel, you are free.

Here's to 2015 and hopefully to more future traveling!

New Year, New Blog

[caption id="attachment_4" align="aligncenter" width="761"] Taken near Zurich, Switzerland[/caption]

Hello future friends! My name's Janna, and I'm hoping this will be the start of something wanderful. I kept a travel blog over the summer and realized that, besides travel, I want to expand into broader topics such as fashion, beauty, college, and lifestyle through both a written blog and maybe some short video segments, kind of like my short lived Weekend Wanders. That's where The Wandering Days comes in.

I'm really excited to see where this takes me and I look forward to hearing some of your thoughts! :) Here's to a new year and new possibilities and opportunities!