GUEST POST // SPONSOR FEATURE

Hey I'm Z! I run Sometimes Z Takes Pictures - a blog all about the random life of a college student. Born and raised in the Midwest, I came to Boston for school and have been racing around ever since. Expect lots of music, travel, fashion, and photos of me in my cow suit. 

1. Describe your blog, what's it all about?

It's a weird mix of things, just like me. I'm a college student going to school for writing, but I'm planning on going into management. I love music, I love everyday fashion, and I love travel. But mostly, I love rambling. Sometimes Z Takes Pictures is my chance to blather to the internet about whatever strikes my fancy that day, and, miraculously, people seem to like it.

2. What drew you to start blogging and what is your favourite part about it?

I first started a (terrible awful no good) fashion blog in early 2012. It was mostly me styling and posing in my dorm room and didn't feel like the right fit. Then, that summer, I lived on my own and had no creative outlet. That's when Sometimes Z Takes Pictures started as just a platform for me to write. In fall, I went abroad and used it as a way to document my experience (and also keep me sane). Now it's still chugging along! My favorite part would definitely be the writing and connecting with other bloggers. I've been a writer for almost forever and love the "style" of blog-writing. It gets me thinking about words, phrasing, and topics every day - which, being a writing major, is a huge success story.

3. Is there any particular topic you like to write about most?

I actually have a lot of favorite topics and they shift around during the year. Right now, I'm obsessed with travel writing and travel blogs (I studied abroad last semester and wish it was possible to do again during college). During the spring I did a lot of fashion posts, and music writing seeps in no matter what. 

4. I love reading other blogs in the morning. What's your blog reading routine and what are some of your favourites?

I recently got an iPad and am obsessed with the Bloglovin' app for it. I usually kick back during low points of the day and read a few, then bookmark them so I remember to comment later. Gosh, it's so hard to pick favorites! I just opened my blog up to sponsors and getting to know a bunch of startup bloggers is incredible. Along with all my sidebar lovelies, I'd have to say my "daily reads" are Nat the Fat Rat, LoveTaza and Ohdeardrea. They all happen to be "family blogs/mom blogs" but their incredible photos, hilarious stories, and general attitude are what drew me to them.

5. What are your top five, desert island, favourite bands?

Hah, now I'm just imagining a bunch of band members trapped on a desert island with me...THE ULTIMATE DREAM! All jokes aside, my top five are probably: Fall Out Boy, Blink-182, Major League, Panic! at the Disco, and All Time Low. They all can write a variety of things - fast songs, happy songs, sad songs, slow songs - and I like them all! 

6. What were the first and last concerts you attended?

My first concert ever was the Believers Never Die Part Deux Tour in May of 2009. All of the best bands ever (and probably still my dream lineup). I cried, like, six times. The last concert I went to was Warped Tour. It was my sixth time going and I got to see a bunch of my favorites (and see a bunch of new ones). I'll always be a little Warped kid at heart!

7. Where is your favourite place to travel? 

There's so many! The way my study abroad program worked was that I had weekends free to go off with friends...meaning I went places EVERY weekend. I got a taste of ten-odd countries and would love to go back and FULLY explore any of them. I've even been considering living abroad right after college. My "top three" favorite places were probably Amsterdam, Dublin, and London. There was SO much to explore in each city and I feel as though I could live there for years and still only scratch the surface. 

8. What has been your best experience about college?

It's definitely been the amount of choice I get. And I mean more than the standard I-can-have-ice-cream-for-dinner choices. In high school, you have to choose a school in your town, choose your friends based on that small school, and hardly get to choose your classes. In college, you pick where you want to go, what you want to study, and have so many different clubs, internships, etc to expand the standard "school" experience. It isn't a "taste" of real life - it IS real life. Once you get over how terrifying that is, it's pretty awesome. :]

9. Guilty pleasures?

Definitely Say Yes to the Dress. Hopelessly addicted. I say it's just background noise...it's not. It gets even worse when I pair it with a bag of BBQ chips and a glass of chocolate milk. You know I've had a LONG day when all of those come together. 

10. Most importantly, what is your favourite ice cream flavour?

Agh...probably cheesecake or chocolate pretzel. I swear, I can go at those pints with a spoon and never look back!

You can also find Z on Bloglovin' and Facebook. If you'd like to be featured on the Whale & Wasp, please take a look at my Advertising page for further details!