Blog Posts

How to Have the Best Year Ever

The new year presents a unique opportunity for a fresh start, a.k.a., a chance to leave 2018 behind and to embark on a new journey through 2019. If your last year was unpleasant, the year ahead of you is the time to make a change. In this week’s Virginia Square Towers Blog, we’ll be sharing with you some ways to have your best year ever! Evaluate Last Year Regardless of how well your last year went, it still provides you with something to reflect on. If your year was terrible, you can pinpoint why it was so bad, the things you could improve on, and what you would do differently. If it went well, you can take note of what went well and attempt to do similar things in the new year. Every year is a learning experience, so use each year that passes as a way to grow and get better! Set New Goals Many people attempt to make lasting changes by setting resolutions, but those resolutions don’t really seem to stick. Instead of resolutions, we suggest setting goals! These goals should be specific, measurable, relevant, and time-bound to ensure the greatest level of success. As an additional tip, we suggest writing these goals down, doing so will help you commit the goal to memory and will give you a physical reminder of what you’ve set out to do! Start Looking Ahead Don’t be bound by the past! Look ahead to where you want to be by the end of 2019. As you look ahead, you can make appropriate goals! Think about how your ideal year would look like and then do your best to make it happen! Your year is what you make of it, so picture your best year ever, then work hard to make it a reality. There are some things that will be out of your control, but don’t let that get you down! Do you have any tips on having a great year? Let our Arlington, VA apartment community know of them by leaving us a comment!

Things to Try this New Year

Do you fancy yourself an adventurous person? Trying new things can help you expand your horizons and give you experiences that you can help shape you into a better person! In this week’s Virginia Square Towers Blog, we’ve got a short list of things we think you should try in the new year. We understand that some of the more adventurous readers may have already tried these suggestions, so if you have, leave us a comment of something new that you would like to try in 2019! Skydiving Though humans weren’t meant to fly the way birds do, it shouldn’t stop you from replicating that feeling. Skydiving is one of the ways that humans can experience the same experience being airborne or free-falling. Adrenaline junkies flock to skydiving for the thrill it provides, which makes it the perfect adventurous thing to do in the new year! Don’t worry though, your first time skydiving will be with someone who knows what they’re doing! Yoga One thing you can try in the new year is taking care of your body. Yoga is a fun way to do just that. One thing to keep in mind is that certain types of yoga are not only relaxing at times, but also aid you in flexibility, strength, and improves your posture. It’s an exercise, so don’t be alarmed when you end up being sore after a yoga session! Travel Take this new year as your opportunity to travel the world! If you haven’t left the continental United States, we recommend doing so. There are plenty of places you can choose as your destination, so regardless of where you wish to go, you’ll be able to enjoy the beauty, culture, and peoples of those destinations. Have you done any of these suggestions? Share with our Arlington, VA apartment community some new activities to try in this new year! Thanks for reading!

Holiday Meal Tips from Virginia Square

The big holiday meal is something to look forward to. People even come into town for the specific reason of spending time with family and eating delicious holiday foods. We’re sure you’ve had plenty of experience with holiday meals, and in this week’s Virginia Square Towers Blog, we’ve got a few tips on how you can survive a holiday meal! Eat Slowly As delicious as a holiday meal is, eating too much can make you miserable. You don’t want to be left on the couch, stuffed full of food. To avoid this situation, we suggest eating more slowly! Give your body some time to recognize that it’s full and savor the delicious flavors of a meal so expertly prepared. Bring a Dish/Make It a Potluck If you’re hosting the holiday meal, you can give yourself a little break by making it a potluck. Potlucks can help you save some money while diversifying the dishes available for your guests to eat! If your guests are bringing some side dishes, your main priority would be the main course, whether it be a turkey, ham, or even prime rib. If you’re going to someone else’s home for the holiday meal, we suggest offering to bring a dish. You can offer to bring your favorite side dish or an extra helping just so there’s more than enough to go around. Don’t Be Afraid of Leftovers Many people dislike leftovers, mostly because it gets to be tedious eating the same thing every day until they’re gone. Don’t be afraid of leftovers! We recommend finding some recipes that utilize the leftover foods you have, like shepherd’s pie for your leftover mashed potatoes and turkey sandwiches or casserole for the turkey. If you aren’t a fan of eating leftovers, you can send them home with your guests! Holiday meals are meant to be enjoyed, so we hope you like these tips! Leave any tips you have for our Arlington, VA apartment community in a comment. Thanks for reading!

Holiday Shopping Tips from Virginia Square Towers

It’s the season of giving and that means many people will be headed to the stores to buy gifts for their loved ones. Shopping during the December holidays can be stressful, so we’ve decided to share with you some tips to aid you in your shopping in this week’s Virginia Square Towers Blog. Make a List Sometimes you have many people to buy gifts for during the December holidays, do yourself a favor and make a list to stay organized. Having a list can help you to organize your thoughts, inspire you as to a particular gift to purchase, and help you reduce the time you’re in crowded stores. Many people worry about buying the right gift for their loved ones, so when you think of the perfect gift for a specific person, write it down next to their name on your list! It can seem cheesy, but with a list, you’ll be like Santa Clause, so check it twice! Shop Early One of the biggest reasons people dislike shopping during the holidays is because of the crowds and long lines. People are too busy or procrastinate before heading out to shop, so save yourself the trouble of being in the crowds and reduce the stress by shopping early. You’ll be able to shop without being elbow-to-elbow with strangers, there will be items on the shelves, and it will be a more pleasant experience overall. Don’t procrastinate! Shop Online Avoid the mall or department stores altogether! Do your shopping online. Not only will you not need to talk to anyone, you’ll be able to find what you’re looking for simply by doing some research. In fact, some stores offer better deals online to reduce the amount of foot traffic going to their stores, so you may find more savings by looking online! Do you have any shopping tips? Let our Arlington, VA apartment community know of them by leaving a comment! Happy holidays!

Ways to Show Gratitude

November is the month of Thanksgiving, where families and friend gather together to commemorate the first harvest in the New World that took place in October 1621. In the modern age, it’s a time to get together and give thanks for the many blessings you have. In this week’s Virginia Square Towers Blog, we’ll share with you some ways that you can show gratitude to those who have blessed your life. Small Gifts Some people show their appreciation with small gifts and others enjoy when they receive small gifts from others. Take the time to think about the people in your life you wish to thank and then consider the type of gift that they would appreciate. These gifts don’t have to be extravagant, as more heartfelt and sincere gifts will show the recipient that you’ve thought specifically about them. Thank You Notes Need a quick way to say thank you? Thank you notes are a good way to do just that! Again, making a list of people you wish to thank will help you accomplish your goal of saying thank you. You’ll be surprised how many people you could think of! Once the list is compiled, write a thoughtful, personalized note to them expressing your gratitude. When you’re done, you can couple the note with a small gift or hand it to them personally. Write a Letter Thank you notes can be too short for you to express the things you want to say, so we suggest writing a letter. It can feel old fashioned, but these letters can be a good outlet for you to articulate your feelings and gratitude. Try writing down thanks for specific events and people you’re grateful for instead of a generic thank you letter. The more personal you make it, the more they will appreciate the things you’re saying in the letter. Do you have a favorite way of expressing your gratitude? Let our Arlington, VA apartment community know about it so we can try it out! Thanks for reading!

Dress for Colder Weather

Fall is in full swing and, much like the leaves on the trees, the weather has changed here in Arlington, VA. How you dress has a profound effect on how comfortable you are during the day. It can be a delicate balance between fashion and function, so we’ve decided to share with you some tips on dressing for cooler weather in this week’s Virginia Square Towers Blog. Multifunctional Clothing Investing in clothing that looks good as well as keeps you warm and dry is crucial for surviving colder weather. Choose shoes that are good for walking in slippery or wet conditions and outer jackets that are waterproof and warm. Finding and choosing these multifunctional pieces for your outfit will greatly increase your quality of life in the case of inclement weather conditions! Fabrics Picking the right fabrics can be the difference between a good day and a bad one. Instead of lighter fabrics like linen, we suggest picking clothes made from wool, fleece, and flannel. These fabrics are thicker and don’t let heat escape as quickly as the thinner fabrics. You can look into layering your clothes to provide a diverse outfit that looks great and keeps you warm. Accessories Aside from your regular outfit, accessories can lend a hand in keeping you warm during the colder months. Accessories like scarves, gloves, and beanies can add that something extra to an already great outfit! These pieces are perfect for the colder weather because they’re removable! Businesses, restaurants, and other indoor establishments tend to turn up the heat, so it’s beneficial to be able to remove any warmer clothing items you have. Do you have any fashion tips for the fall and winter? Help us be more stylish! Share your tips with us by leaving a comment for our apartment community!