Tag: back to school

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Currently

Currently #56

Hello All! Happy Wednesday and happy September!

 I hope you had a wonderful and fulfilling Labor Day weekend. Whether you said goodbye to summer, had one last cookout, or it was just a normal weekend, I hope it filled you with what you needed. I typically round out every month with my Currently post, where I recap the past month, but due to TWO posts about my trip to Italy, we are starting the month of by recapping last August.

Here’s what the eighth month of the year looked like for me. 

What I’ve Been Up To:

August began with our family’s trip of a lifetime to Italy. We saw Rome, Florence, Venice, and Capri. You can read about our time away in two parts. If you missed it, part one can be read here and part two can be found here. 

The beautiful Rome
An overview of the city

Once we returned it was a bit of a whirlwind with people starting new jobs, moving, or heading back to school, plus throw in getting back to work and you have a busy few weeks. However, we still managed to squeeze in some end of summer fun!

I enjoyed a final Guardians night game of the season. This was the second one I went to this year and third overall, and they won the night game!

Guards win!

I also enjoyed lots of walks to some of my favorite spots around my home.

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Some of my favorite spots to walk

Our city had their annual festival that I both worked at and got to attend. Their chalk walk is one the highlights of the event and some of the artwork was incredible. 

I enjoyed some summer staples with burger, fries and ice cream by the water.

Plus, we made a stop to our County Fair where we saw the livestock, vendors, and enjoyed some fair food too!

I also found some new spots to run and hit a new record for distance.

Overall, it was a packed full month in the best way possible.

What I’m Wearing:

I wore a lot of shorts and lightweight tops while I was on vacation that I could mix and match. This helped me save space while packing and it was convenient for the hot days we experienced.

Lemon sorbet

I did have a few fun outfits, like this white set which was a skirt and top and this long, flowy dress from Old Navy. This dress felt great in the cool evening.

We had a few days of cooler weather, so I did break out the long sleeve shirt and shorts combo for days off. I know I will be wearing this combo often as we go through the transitional weather coming up.

I even got to wear my go-to white blazer before Labor Day for work. 

What I’m Reading: I read so many books this past month due to my travels, so I have lots of recommendations for you. Let’s get into them:

Hotel Nantucket- I read the Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand to start off the month. It’s all about a woman who is tasked with hiring a staff and running a hotel for the season in Nantucket. If you have read any of Hilderbrand’s other works, you will find some Easter eggs and references to her other works. This book featured an ensemble cast with so many different personalities and a supernatural element too. This was a fast read for me and definitely worth picking up to read on your next vacation.

The Second Chance Hotel– Sierra Godfrey’s The Second Chance Hotel was the perfect book to have on my phone while we were on vacation. I was able to read it while we were traveling from place to place on trains, boats or planes. I always like to have a book on my phone so I have something to read if I’m waiting for something as opposed to scrolling mindlessly through social media. Back to the book, it follows the story about a young woman escaping her life and traveling across Europe, she’s about to end her trip in a small town in Greece, that is until the hotel she is staying at falls into her and another guest’s lap. They decide to run it for the season, but when her old life is calling her back, she must decide if she wants to stay in Greece or return to America. It was such a fun, travel read and so good to enjoy in the summer! 

Flying Solo– I listened to Flying Solo by Linda Holmes while I went on a lot of runs or walks over the past month and it was good, but not a great read. It’s about a woman who goes to clean out her great-aunt’s house once she dies and comes across an item that has a bit of a mystery to it. While she is cleaning out the house, she reconnects with an old boyfriend, spends time with her childhood friend and has a few moments of self discovery along the way. The book went in a few different directions which made it hard to follow as I was listening to it, so that may have changed my feelings about the book if I read it. But there were also some parts that were hard to relate to as the woman was in her forties and still looking for love and I’m not at that point in my life. It was a good book to listen to, but it wasn’t my favorite.

First Lie Wins– First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston is a mystery and thriller that keeps you guessing. It’s all about a woman in a new relationship, but there’s a twist, she didn’t meet her new man unexpectedly. She was meant to meet him. Without giving too much away, this is a spy/undercover thriller with lots of different characters that bounces back and forth between the past and present, so you have to pay attention while reading, however, it’s a great change of pace if you are looking for a palette cleanser between books.

Sandwich– I had heard about Sandwich by Catherine Newman from several different bloggers and decided to give it a try and ultimately it wasn’t the best book for me. It’s all about a woman who goes on her traditional family vacation to Cape Cod with her husband, growing children and ailing parents. The book runs the course of the week and is told from the mother’s perspective about where she is at in life and her feelings about what she has accomplished. The writing was very well done and I loved hearing about the traditions and settings, but it was just hard to relate to as a young woman.

What I’m Watching– I haven’t had too much time to watch tv but I have been enjoying a few movies and tv shows including:

Emily in Paris-. Season Four began with five episodes, each about 30 minutes each. You can binge them all at once or spread them out like I did to make them last longer. The fashion, storylines and drama was upped this season and it didn’t disappoint. Emily had some incredible outfits this season.

This season was so good!

It Ends with Us– My best friend and I both read the book and we decided to make it a girls date and see the movie, It Ends with Us. There were definitely some changes between the book and movie, but I’m glad I read and saw them both. I think the casting was well done and it was cool to see the characters come to life on the big screen. 

What I’m Cooking– I didn’t do too much cooking since I spent a lot of the month traveling, but I have enjoyed some tasty stir frys.

I also have been grilling out toward the end of summer. I do have a few new cookbooks that I have yet to go through and plan on making some recipes from them soon!

I also made the delicious grilled chicken salad. The salad had cucumbers, radishes, oranges and grapes. It was so filling and healthy too!

What Inspires Me– A friend sent me this reminder and I think it’s so important to keep in mind as we head into a new season of life and to remember to slow down. 

Also, for anyone heading back to school or to the classroom, another reminder too!

What I Accomplished– I crossed off  almost everything off my summer bucket list. Here’s a look at it currently.

I also hit my goal of running 9 miles this month which I was very proud of. 

Goals from Last Month– This month was so busy between our family trip and soaking up the last bit of summer and going through some transitions, I was so happy to have made it through the month.

My garden has been coming along well and although, I didn’t get as nearly as many veggies as I hoped, I still got some!

Goals for this Month– After a busy summer, I am looking to getting back to some of my old routines and establish new ones. I am also looking forward to spending more time with friends and maybe coming up with some new hobbies or things to do.

Post work runs brought me down to the water.

Whew, August was a packed full month and this is just a look into it. I hope this next month brings new routines, rhythms, and adventures, but most importantly, growth. What are your goals for the month ahead? I would love to hear them. 

Have a wonderful week, see you back here on Friday!

Categories
Fun Ways to Organize

Back to School Preps

Hi everyone! Happy Wednesday! Can you believe we are already gearing up for back to school?! Whether you are learning in the classroom, at home, or a mix of both, this year will be an interesting one for sure! 

Today, I’m sharing some school must haves! Whether you are in the classroom or at home, these are all things you can benefit from.

  • Planner 

My must have is a planner, someplace to keep everything in one spot, especially if you are going back and forth between home and school. It also works great for parents if they are balancing different schedules or routines. My go-to planner is by Simplified. You can see how I organize my planner here.

My planner layout
  • Space to Work

My next must have is a place to work. Whether it is children doing homework, or learning full time, having a designated space is key. I know I work best at my desk in my room, I always have a candle burning and my planner next to my laptop and my to do list out too. There is nothing better than crossing something off a to-do list. I also like to have all my things in one space where I can quickly access them. 

My work space at home
  • The Right Mindset

No matter what the school year brings it all comes down to having the right mindset whether it’s about learning from home, school, or both. This year will be an adjustment for everyone but knowing that you aren’t alone, that we will get through it and making the best out of the situation is the driving force for having a great year!

That’s a quick round up of my top things to focus on when it comes to the upcoming school year, yes, it will be different but as long as you are prepared and have an open mind then that’s the best thing to do!

What ways are you getting ready for the 2020-2021 school year?

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Fashion

Look of the Day #119

LOTD

Good morning friends and happy Thursday!

Have you enjoyed the shortened four day week It’s always so nice to start the school year off with a long weekend to ease into the new year. 

I love September for so many reasons, one of them includes the fact that fall is around the corner. However, it can be a challenging month with weird temperatures, sometimes it’s cold in the morning but then warm in the afternoon. I like to choose outfits that work for these weird weather days. I also like to start bring more fall colors into my wardrobe, goodbye blush colors and whites, and hello all the goldens, reds, and browns. 

Do you ever have that dress/ skirt/ pants that you are constantly finding new ways to mix and match with different outfits? That happened to me when I bought this dress last fall. I’ve blogged about it before and I’m going to blog about it today with a new style in mind.

I wore it in the fall last year with boots and a scarf.

Last fall

 I wore it in the spring with peep toe boots and a jean jacket. 

Last Spring

Now I’m wearing it today with sandals for a great outfit to kick off the school year with! The weather was warm and sunny. I opted for the dress with no jacket or scarf since it was still warm. I got this versatile dress from Old Navy. 

This Summer

I did ,however, accessorize with this dark red necklace to bring out the fall colors. I also kept the gold consistent with earrings and a ring. My earrings and necklace came from Francesca’s Boutique and my ring is from Alex and Ani. 

Accessories

Lastly, I wanted to keep the dark color scheme going with navy blue sandals from Old Navy. This outfit is perfect for the classroom or a casual weekend excursion. 

Simple sandals

I love that I have worn this outfit in every season, not sure if I can pull it off in winter, but we shall see! 

Have a fabulous weekend!!!

Categories
Fun Ways to Organize

How I am Staying on top of my Schedule

Hey hey friends! Happy Tuesday! I hope you all had an enjoyable and fun Labor Day weekend. Although, I was at school, I did have a fun weekend with friends, and it was a great way to say goodbye to summer. Although, school started back last week for me, I’m still trying to find a good routine. Last week was all about getting adjusted to a new schedule, classes, work time and organizing all the appointments. This week is weird since we had off yesterday and tonight I’m going to a concert with friends. I’m trying my best to soak up every moment at school this semester.

I know I’m late to the game, but I am finally on the band wagon with using the calendar on my phone and laptop….I know I know, it’s a long time coming. Before I get started on how and why I am using this system now, I want to give a little bit of background on how I stay organized. 

A few years back, I did a post about staying organized with school. You can read about it here.

Let me break it down for how I stay on top of things, I have a feeling this may change once I graduate from college, but for now this is what works. 

  1. Big Desk Calendar
My desk calendar

I love to see everything laid out in front of my on my desk. I have everything color coded. Certain colors for classes, Green for school things (tutoring, dinners, meetings), Blue for Work (staff meetings, when things are due), Red for when I work, and then purple for anything else that comes up. I like seeing the month as a whole and this helps me plan better when I have new things to put on the calendar. I got this planner from the Simplified Collection by Emily Ley at Target. I put everything on this calendar- it’s basically my master one-school, work, home, family, friends. It all goes here. 

  • Small Planner

This comes in great for assignments and school work. I got this planner from Staples with the At a Glance collaboration with Simplified by Emily Ley (do you see a pattern here?!- You better believe I am getting the 2020 Simplified Planner when they Launch tomorrow!)

This has the week layout. Every day is split in two columns (The My Day and To Do). In the My Day is where I put any meetings, events, test dates or things to remember. In the To Do is where I list all my homework assignments.

What my weekly spread looks like

This is the first year that I used the monthly calendar too. Although, I love my desk calendar I was scheduling things without looking. I only write the important things in the month section like tutoring, meetings, scheduled events just so I have a reference. This planner is mostly used for school things-homework, exams, meetings for school and work things for school. 

The month of September as a whole in the month section of calendar
  • iCalendar 

This past summer, I started to use the calendar app on my phone and laptop to keep track of work things and events happening with family and friends. Since I wasn’t in school I wasn’t using a planner and since I spent most every day on my laptop it made sense to have my calendar in front of me, now I am loving it. It’s so easy to use and I LOVE how you can sync your phone and laptop calendars to be the same. I am also able to customize when I put things on the calendar and color coordinate them too. Also, the best part, by using iCalendar it keeps all my blog posts in order and I can schedule things better too.

For this calendar its divided by four topics: school (blue), blog (purple), personal (yellow) and important (red).

My four categories of what I put on the calendar

For school I only put important meetings, appointment and work commitments( no homework, no tests, no when my classes are), for blog I put down what posts are being published when, personal is activities and things with friends and family, and important are basically when the big things are due like credit card statements. This calendar is the big picture stuff, I refer to this when I am planning an event or meeting to see if I have conflicts and I always have it with me, unlike my desk calendar and planner which aren’t always on me. 

The whole month at a glance

Is it necessary to have all of these? Probably not, but it’s what works best for me. I am a super organized person, so I like to do all this and keep myself on top of everything. I am thinking once I graduate about ditching the desk calendar and just keeping a planner and using the calendar on my phone. Thoughts from any recent graduates about what works best for you? After I graduate, I want to focus on simplifying my life more and I know once I am done with school a lot of these activities will be done too, so for now I am enjoying my life with my three color coordinated calendars!

I hope you have a wonderful week ahead!

Categories
Fashion

Look of the Day #115

LOTD

Hi All! This week I have been taking some time off and relaxing with my family before I move back to school next week. It has been so nice to relax and unwind a bit before it’s back to school and the hectic fall schedule.

One of my favorite things to do when I want to change up my wardrobe is to mix and match outfits. I love using pieces that are worn more formally and make them more casual. 

You may remember a few years back, I wore this outfit.  I really dressed it up with a blouse and heels and wore it to a graduation. Flashforward a few years and I have worn this outfit or variations of it in different ways. 

Did someone say throwback Thursday?!

Today’s look of the day is an example of another way I have worn this outfit. 

Soaking up the last few weeks of summer

I kept the same skirt that I got from Victoria Beckham’s Collection from Target, a few years ago. I still love the bright color and detail as well as the comfort it offers. 

Instead of a dressier blouse, I opted for a simple white tee. I love the simplicity of a white shirt. Gap always carries my favorite white shirts. They are affordable and long lasting, not to mention easy to wash. 

Up close of the outfit details

I was on the go when I wore this outfit so I wore my favorite slip on sneakers with it. I wore these all through Rome, so although they may be from Target, they are long lasting!

My on the go shoes

What else is new with the outfit? I decided to chop my hair before heading back to school, I needed a change and my hair was the best place to start. 

Fresh cut for senior year

I am going to enjoy these last few days of summer before it’s back to school.  Have a great weekend!

Categories
Fabulous living

Let’s get REAL: Transitioning from Home Life to College after a break

Hello Everyone! 

Happy Tuesday. I hope you week is off to a great start. Classes started back yesterday so I am in the process of getting into a new routine for a new semester. This semester is going to be a busy one, but I have lots of fun things planned, I’m looking forward to what the semester has in store for me. I always love putting everything on my calendar and seeing what things I’ll be doing. There is no better feeling than a clean and organized calendar. You can see my system for organizing my calendar and planning here. One thing I try to do with this blog is be open, honest and real with you all. The good, the bad, and the real life stuff.

Although, the start of every semester is new and exciting I always experience a few days of transition between going from home life to back to school life. When I am at home, I am constantly on the go whether it is at work, running errands, carpooling, or spending time with family. Although, it may seem overwhelming and a lot to manage, I love it. I’ve always been used to a busy home life, so it seems natural to always be on the go and taking care of others and pitching in to help.  After all, that’s the importance of family, always being there for each other. When I was home over break I got a lot of family time in which I love. But, when I come back to school after a long break it’s always weird to go from constantly being on the go and being surrounded by my family to just taking care of myself. It’s definitely a lot quieter and I have a lot more downtime. Although, this can be nice and relaxing, at the same time, I don’t always know what to do with all my free time before classes start. These days of transition are always interesting to navigate. Of course, I have commitments and meetings that keep me busy and I am catching up with friends, but these days are weird.

I was talking about the odd in between days with a friend and they felt the same way, they described it as the Sunday feeling, the feeling when you know you have a new week (or semester) in front of you and you have a lot to do and you want to get started, but at the same time you want to relax and not think about that long to do list. I was so happy to talk to someone who shared the same feeling as I did. It was encouraging to hear that my feelings and thoughts were shared with someone else. 

I started this blog to share tips and tricks I had with organization, fashion, and fitness but also to share about life as a college student. The good, the bad, and the real-life stuff. I hope if you ever felt the same about the transition days between home and school you find comfort that you aren’t alone with your feelings. Now, that I am back into the swing of classes and a new routine, the in between days are behind me.

Always remember that there are so many adventures to be had, but there is truly no place like home. See you on Thursday for new wintery look of the day! Have a great week!

Categories
Fabulous living

MacBook Air Review

Hey guys!

Happy Tuesday!

I hope your week is off to a great start. This is my midterm week so it will be a busy week, but luckily I will be heading home for fall break at the end of the week which will be well deserved.

Today I am going to be reviewing something that I can’t live without, my laptop. As a busy college student, I don’t go anywhere without it, it’s in my backpack, in my purse, on my desk in in various study places around campus.

***This post is not sponsored or is an advertisement. I’m just sharing my personal thoughts on this product. ***

Hard at work

I got a Mac Book Air at the start of my Junior year of college. Now, I do have an iPhone and iPad, but this was my first MacBook product. In the past I used a PC, Lenovo, which I really loved. However, as I was getting older and needed my laptop for more things, I realized the MacBook Air was the way to go for me. I have loved using my new laptop. I got it on a back to school sale through Apple which gave students a discount which was great, in addition to the discount I also got a free pair of beats with my purchase. The bundling program through Apple made it affordable and useful for back to school students everywhere.

Unboxing it for the first time

I got my new laptop the day before I headed back to school, so it was a busy last ay home. However, Apple made it easy to transfer my files from my old laptop to my new laptop with just a simple app. It did take several hours to transfer all my documents, pictures, and videos, but when I did it was so helpful to have them all on my new laptop ready to go.

Some of my favorite things about my laptop include the fact that all my devices are connected. I can check my text messages, emails, see my pictures, and use my favorite apps all on my laptop. It makes connecting with people so much easier with everything in one place.

I got my nw laptop the day before I left to go back to school, talk about nerve racking

Another feature that I really like about my MacBook Air is the software, it is easy to use, and although it may take some getting used to after being a PC user for so long, it has really been helpful to have an easy software to use.

The Macbook Air is lightweight and has great battery life. With my old laptop, I always had to bring my charger with me and constantly charge it, now I can go several hours without having to charge it, this comes in handy when I am on the go.

Getting it all set up

I have only had it my Macbook for a few months, but I have loved every second of it. Not only is it easy to use and great to have all my devices connected along with photos, videos, and messages. Yes, this was an investment, but It has been worth it. I had my last laptop for 6 years, so I knew I needed a change, especially when it was practically falling apart. I am looking forward to seeing what other features I can take advantage of with my laptop.

If you have a MacBook Air or Pro what are your favorite tips, tricks, uses for it? I am always looking for new ways to use my technology to simplify my life.

Categories
Fabulous living

Looking Ahead to a New School Year

Looking Ahead to a New School Year

Ahhh! A new school year. There is something special about fresh supplies, new classes, a full schedule and lots of new material to cover. I have always enjoyed school. I love learning new things and being in a school environment. Also, with a new school year also comes fall!

I started classes last week and although the first week seemed to drag on and take forever, I’m really looking forward to this semester. I am excited for the classes I am taking as well as the things I am learning. Of course, I would be lying if I wasn’t a bit nervous about the amount of work and papers that will need to get written in the next 15 weeks. I seriously get so overwhelmed putting everything on my calendar for the semester, but I always need to remind myself to take it day by day and who isn’t up for a challenge?

In honor of a new semester, here are some of my goals/plans/ hopes/dreams for this semester.

1)     Work Ahead

With a busy semester full of classes and working, it will be crucial for me to work ahead and get stuff done early so I don’t have it hanging over my head when I have other things to do and commitments. I will have my calendar and planner to keep me on top of everything.

2)     Be Intentional

This is something new I want to try. I am an organized person and I always try to be productive, but I want to be intentional with what I am doing. So, if I am working on a paper I want to focus just on that and not be distracted by other things I have to do. I want to spend my time well, so I can work hard and play hard, which leads me to my last goal.

3)     Have fun

Although, this will be a busy semester and I have a lot going on, I still want to make it a point to have fun and hang out with friends. I have a few friends studying abroad and graduating in December, so I want to make it a point to create memories with them before things change.

I am hoping I can accomplish these goals this semester. I always like setting goals at the start of a new year or semester and see how I do at the end.

What are your goals for this semester or school year?

Categories
Fashion

Look of the Day #67

LOTD

Hi All!

It’s officially back to school season as well as the last week of August. Boy, did the summer months fly by! I have to admit, with classes back in session, I am looking forward to fall. From the fall outfits, festivities, and warm treats I am ready to start transitioning to the fall season. I love all the seasons but the transition from one season to the next is my favorite.

Since there is only one more week left in August before Labor Day, I’m trying to wear white as much as I can. This outfit is perfect for one last summer event or heading to class if you are back to classes like me.

Wearing all the white I can before Labor Day

You may recognize this top and that’s because I have worn it before with this outfit. I love to try and find clothing that can be reborn in any season and this top is the perfect example of something that can be worn all year round. I love the material as well as the small striped pattern.

The top is dark so I decided to balance it out with these white shorts-one last hurrah before Labor Day-yes, I am a firm believer of not wearing white after Labor Day. I love how the two materials and colors balance each other out.The top is from Francesca’s and the bottoms are from Marshall’s, both from a few years back but still in great condition.

Lastly, to top of this fun outfit, I decided to wear my slip on fashionable sneakers. I got mine from Target for a great price. I love how I can wear them transitioning from summer to fall. I  wanted to change it up to accommodate the warm weather instead of wearing sneakers or converse. These shoes are more dresses and not as casual. They are also supportive for walking around campus all day.

That’s a peak into what I am wearing this last week of August. With Labor Day coming up, what are your plans for the weekend? I’ll be at school relaxing and catching up on homework. Have a great weekend!

 

Categories
Fun Ways to Organize

Planning for a Trip (or Planning to Come Home)

Hello! Hello! Happy Tuesday friends!

As the holiday season winds down, college students, like myself are heading back to school. Back to school means bringing lots of your belongings to your dorm room. Everyone hates packing whether you are in college or not. We worry if we over packed or if we forgot something. My school is a few hours away, so I don’t travel home often. I tend to go home just on breaks. After traveling to and from school for two years now I have a system that works for me when packing. This system would also work when packing for business trips, family vacations, or weekend getaways. Here’s what works best for me.

  • Make a list. Make a list of everything you need to bring and how much you want to bring of it. For example, 5 t shirts, 4 shorts, 1 sundress. Be specific with your list as well, instead of writing jewelry, write gold necklace with hoop earrings. This makes it easier to identify what you are packing and its easier to organize your belongings when you are coming home. I write out a list when I’m planning what to pack and use it the whole trip and when I am leaving to come home to make sure I have everything I came with. *Tip for college students packing to go home*: make a list of things you need to buy or bring when you are at home. It helps to get all your shopping done at home and come back to school with a stocked dorm.

My latest list of things I need to get while I’m home

  • Only bring what you need. Whenever I plan to come home, I plan out exactly what outfits I want to wear. I also have clothes at home, so I try not to over pack or pack doubles. For example, I don’t bring sweatpants and hoodies home since I already have them. Also, when you are planning your winter vacations, prioritize what things you want to wear. Don’t forget to check the weather to make sure you plan accordingly for whatever Mother Nature has in store for you.

 

  • Plan what you want to do. Whenever I come home, I have a separate list for things I want to get accomplished. Things such as doctor appointments, seeing friends, or activities are all examples of things I write down. Whenever I come home, I try to space things out, so I’m not waiting till the last day to do my shopping, seeing friends and getting everything done. The same goes for when you are traveling. Make a list of everything you want to see or do while you are away.

    A list of everything I want to accomplish when I’m home!

As I plan to head back to school this week, I always keep these things in mind. There will always be stress in our lives, but if we can plan ahead to avoid these stressful situations it makes all the difference.