Tag: college life

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Fashion

Look of the Day #48

LOTD

Hello! Hello!

Such a beautiful spring day. This is my view on my way to campus every day

Last week finally felt like spring. The sun was shining, the windows were open, people were studying outside; it made me so ready for spring!! I took advantage of this burst of warm weather by dressing very springy. My friends and I made a quick stop to Dunkin Donuts before class hence the frozen drink and backpack, this is a college student in her natural habitat.

Finally acting like spring!

Starting with my top, I go this last year from Francescaā€™s Boutique. I have worn it previously with this outfit. This was the perfect occasion to wear this sleeveless top. I also like the material and fit and how it can be worn with many outfits.

My jeggings are from Target. When it comes to spring and the weather changes from morning to evening, I try to wear a short sleeve top and long pants or vice versa.

These are my favorite spring boots. I love the peep toe and the thick heel. They are perfect for transitional seasons. I got these from T. J. Maxx, I canā€™t wait to wear them more often this season. Also, I am a heel fan, and these are super comfortable as well. I typically find wedges or thick heels much more comfortable than thin heels.

My sunglasses are from American Eagle. I love their fun and unique style. They were on sale so that makes me love them even more!!

This outfit definitely got me in the mood for summer. I am ready to break out the pastels, shorts, and bathing suits.

What are you most looking forward to when it comes to summer? Vacations, picnics, beach days, tanning? Iā€™m looking forward to all of it.

See you all next week. One week closer to the long awaited summer.

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Fabulous living Fun Ways to Organize Travel

Weekend Away Essentials

Last week, I blogged about my weekend trip to Chicago! I love to travel, and I try to take any opportunity available to me to travel whether itā€™s near or far. Throughout, my weekend away I made mental notes of things I want to remember when it comes to future traveling, especially for a college student on a budget. Here are my must haves for weekend adventures:

  • Donā€™t over-pack. Yes, it may seem tempting to pack several cute outfits and figure out what to wear when you get there, but thatā€™s not the answer. Pack simple and efficient. For example, for my trip I packed one pair of jeans, a few different tops to alternate, an outfit to wear at night, and two pairs of shoes, as well as comfortable clothes for traveling. I wanted to make sure I had the essentials and things to mix and match for the weekend. Although, I didnā€™t look the cutest in all my photos wearing my north face, jeans, and sneakers, I was very comfortable walking several miles each day. I also packed pretty simple when it came to luggage. I had a duffel bag, small tote, and cross-body. The small tote came in very handy for the souvenirs I bought while I was away.
All packed! Simple but efficient
  • Plan accordingly for traveling. We drove down to Chicago over night on a bus, so I made sure I was comfortable for the long bus ride, therefore I made sure I brought a blanket and pillow for the bus. This came in extremely useful when I was able to sleep a few hours driving down. The same goes for flying, planes are notorious for being chilly, be sure to throw an extra sweatshirt or socks in your carry on so you arenā€™t freezing your whole flight. Overall, be sure to pack for your destination and any accessories that may come along with it.
Itā€™s was very chilly in the Windy City. The weather was in the 30’s the whole weekend so i was bundled up. Yes, it may not look super cute, but I was very warm
  • Make a Plan. When we found out that we were going to Chicago, my friend and I made sure we had a plan of things we wanted to get done and when. There is nothing worse than going to a new city for the first time and not knowing what to do or where to go. Donā€™t be afraid to ask for suggestions of places to try. I have several friends who live in the Chicago area, so I made sure to get their opinions on their favorite spots. This helps to ensure you get the authentic experience while being in the city.

I found these tricks to be most helpful while traveling for a weekend away. Do you prefer weekend getaways or week-long vacations? What helpful hints do you have for trips? Let me know in comments below!

Have a happy Tuesday!!

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Fabulous living

Let’s Get Real: Homesickness

Hello All!

Todayā€™s post is going to be a bit more on the serious side. Besides, showing you the latest trends and how to organize areas in your home, I like to be real and honest about what life as a college students is truly like. So, we are getting real about homesickness. What a fun topic for a Tuesday. In all seriousness, letā€™s get real.

Before I started college, almost two years ago, I was worried about being homesick. Many family and friends had assured me I would be so busy I wouldnā€™t be able to get homesick, or it would go away after a month, someone had even told me that by Fall break I wouldnā€™t even want to come home because I would be loving school so much.

They were all wrong.

Yes, I was enjoying school, and I was making friends and I was most certainly busy, but that didnā€™t change the fact that I was homesick. There would be times when I was lonely, or I craved a homecooked meal or I wished I was back in my own room. But, I didnā€™t let that stop me from enjoying college life. Christmas rolled around, and I was told that I wouldnā€™t want to be home for a whole month and I would soon get bored and I would be thrilled when I could go back to school.

Nope, it was still hard going back.

Spring semester brought more hope and more experiences. But I still had my moments of weakness and some tears. Once May rolled around, I was so proud of myself for making it through a full year. I thought, if I could accomplish that I could do anything.

A few months later, Year Two rolled around. It brought new experiences, new friends, new challenges and new beginnings. I didnā€™t get homesick as much, mostly when I was getting dropped off from being back home from a break. I had gotten used to falling back into my routines at home, it was hard to get adjusted back at school. There were times when I was overwhelmed and stressed and wanted a break from school and just to be home, but I had to push through. Thatā€™s the thing about homesickness, you can take a bad situation and make it better.

How can you handle those moments of weakness and homesickness?

  • Have a good cry (yes, we all need a good cry to let ourselves go and feel all our emotions that we keep buried deep within.)
  • Take that time to be alone but not too long, make plans to go out with a friend to grab dinner or go to study.
  • Share how you are feeling. It may be uncomfortable, but who knows you may find someone who feels the same way and doesnā€™t know who to talk to about it. You can be there to help each other through it.

Homesickness is different for everyone, others donā€™t have it all, some only have it until their first fall break, but for few like myself, it never goes away. As I close on my second year of college, I still have my moments where I am homesick. I donā€™t let that dictate my life. I push through the pain, sometimes I cry, sometimes I watch my latest binge show, sometimes a phone call homes helps. But, I carry on, and I keep on living life. As i look back on the past two years, I don’t remember being homesick or sad but rather the joy, the laughter, and the memories that came with friends and family.

Whether you are a first-time college student leaving home for the first time or you are gearing up to start your first job in the new world, we all miss home, it just means you feel so much love from home that it’s hard to be without it.

Until next time,

Elspeth

Categories
Fashion

Look of the Day #45

LOTD

Happy (Holy) Thursday!

I am home for a long weekend for Easter Break. Not only is it a time to celebrate Jesusā€™ Resurrection, but It’s great to be home for one last long weekend to refuel for the end of the semester.

Last weekend, I had a semi-formal dance at school, it was an exciting time to dress up and have a good night with friends. I am sharing what I wore along with the accessories. Unfortunately, I got this dress a few years ago, so itā€™s not sold anymore but hopefully, this inspires you to try a new bold look the next time you are shopping.

Throughout high school, I attended all my homecomings, proms, and semi-formals. I loved getting dressed up for a night with friends to make memories. However, it can add up with everything you need, and most of the time you only wear the dress once and it goes up in your closet. Lucky for me, for every formal or semi-formal occasion I have had in college, I was able to rewear something I wore in high school. This saved me money from buying new dresses, and it allowed me to wear the dresses I wore in high school again. Thankfully, dresses I wore in high school still fit and are in style.

FRI-YAY night out

Now, letā€™s get down to the details of this dress. I got this dress from Francescaā€™s Boutique a few years ago on sale! I was drawn to it’s bright color and how fun it looked. The ruffles made the dress so unique. At the time in high school and last semester, I was rewatching Gossip Girl (definitely a good show to binge watch!) and I couldnā€™t help but notice the similarities between my dress and the iconic dress Blair Waldorf wore in Paris in season 4.

The kinda look similar, right!?
Up close of the dress, shoes, and nail polish

I paired this bright red dress with a pair of red heels I got from DSW this past year. I wore them with a black dress for Christmas, and the red from my dress matched the red shoes so I had to pair them together. I dressed up this look with some fake diamond studs to add some bling to the outfit along with a red sparkle nail polish, it is called Pretty Pout from Chrome Girl Nails.

Nails- a red sparkle from Chrome Girl Nails

I used the KoKo Kollection face palette from Kylie Cosmetics along with the Burgundy Eye Shadow palette for my makeup.

Eye Shadow
Face Palette

When I first saw this dress a few years ago, I wasnā€™t sure I would like the dress since it was very bright and bold, but now it is one of my favorite dresses. Donā€™t be afraid to wear something that is bold. You may end up loving it.

If you celebrate Easter, I hope you all have a wonderful Easter with your family, if you donā€™t have aĀ  great weekend!

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Fabulous living

A Day in the Life (2/28/18)

Hello All!

I hope your Tuesday is off to a great start. I’m on Spring break this week, so I’m taking full advantage of resting, relaxing and being home.

Last semester I shared a look into my life as a college student, with a new semester and schedule, I’m sharing an updated look at a day in the life. Last Wednesday, I documented my day and here’s a sneak peak into a “typical day”

I start my day at 6:15, bright and early.
I head to the gym around 6:50. This was the sky as I walked to the gym. It’s always so quiet and peaceful in the early morning.
This is my playlist at the gym. This best of the 80’s playlist has been on repeat for early mornings at the gym. Thank you Amazon Music.
After I got back from the gym I ate some trail mix and milk for breakfast.
After I ate, I did some journaling and did a daily Lenten reflection. I always try to set aside some time every day for prayer and reflection.
I did some work and reviewing for a few midterms I had this week before class.
I am currently binge watching Parks and Rec in my free time,so While I was getting ready< i got a quick episode in.
Outfit for this Spring-ish weather.
Heading to class at 10:00, nothing but blue skies this last day of February.
My first class was Digital Media, a video production and editing class.
At 11:30, I headed to Music Appreciation, where I had a midterm.
I grabbed a quick lunch with my friend Shay, and I forgot to snap a picture. After lunch, I headed back to my dorm to get some work done before my afternoon classes.
Taking notes and working ahead for a few classes in between classes.
I headed to Advertising Strategies at 3:00 for class, we worked on updating resumes in class.
After class ended at 4:15, I headed to the library to get some reading and notes done before dinner.
Dinner with my bestie, Shay! It was mac and cheese night which is a favorite. Fun Fact: we saw each other in the gym at 7 am, in class, at lunch, and dinner. This is why she is my unofficial roommate.
After dinner, It was homework time. Editing papers, reading, and preparing for class tomorrow.
After showering and getting ready for tomorrow. I chose to unwind by watching Seal Team at the end of the day.
Heading to bed, or so I thought…turns out 30 minutes later, the fire alarm went off since someone burnt something. After spending 30 minutes outside it was time to head back in and back to bed. So much for a typical day!

And there you have it, that’s a day in the life. No day is ever normal as you can tell by the things that can thrown at me throughout the day. I hope you enjoyed a peak into the day in the life of a college student. See you on Thursday!

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Fabulous living

10 Fun Facts about ME!

Welcome! Welcome!

For those who have followed my blogs for months or whether this is your first time stopping by, Iā€™m going to share some fun facts about myself.

– I am sophomore in college. I am majoring in Communication with a minor in Creative Writing. I plan to graduate in 3 and a half years

.

-Following graduation my ā€œdream jobā€ is to work in broadcast journalism. Iā€™ve grown up watching the news from local, to national, and entertainment. I hope to follow in the footsteps of some of my favorite journalists.

Fun friday night working on a project for one of my favorite classes. Could this be the start of a career?

-I am a morning person. I like to get up early and I feel most productive in the early hours. On the other hand, I get very tired by night so Iā€™m not a party animal. This is one of the harder aspects of my job since I work late hours.

6:15 the alarm goes off and it’s time to start the day. Rise and shine

-I am fortunate to live in a place where I get to experience all four seasons. Spring is my favorite season, I love the smell of grass, fresh cut flowers, and it doesnā€™t hurt that my birthday is in Spring either.

One of my favorite pastimes is watching the sunset

-I love to read. As a young girl I was always happiest with a book. As I have grown older, I love to read autobiographies and memoirs. Some of my favorite books Iā€™ve read are: Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes, Going off Script by Giuliana Rancic, and Sisters First by Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush. As an avid book lover, I prefer the hard or soft cover rather than reading them online.

-I love movies. Romantic comedies are my favorite genre. I always love a good ending but some of my favorite ends are the ones that are most unexpected.

-Besides watching movies, I am also a lover of tv. Iā€™m a die hard TGIT fan-thank you Shonda Rhimes, This is Us has been my latest obsession, and SEAL TEAM is my freshmen favorite series

Thursdays 8:00-11:00 (ABC)
Tuesdays at 9:00 (NBC)
Wednesdays at 9:00 (CBS)

-One of my favorite things to do when Iā€™m home is to shop, whether am looking for something in particular or Iā€™m just window shopping. I love to shop. You can most likely catch me at Marshalls, Home Goods or Francescaā€™s.

-I am an avid dog lover. I have three dogs at home and I am constantly counting down when I can see them when Iā€™m at school. My youngest dog, who I still think of as a puppy is one of my greatest joys.

My two older dogs. They are brother and sister
I still picture him as a 6 pound pup but he has certainly grown

-Lastly, I couldnā€™t go through this crazy experience we call life, if it wasnā€™t for the support of my family. My family and I are very close, we share lots of laughs, and smiles whenever we are together. They truly are my biggest supporters.

FAM BAM

And thatā€™s a wrap! 10 (fun) facts about myself. I hope you learned something new about me or it was a bit of a refresher for you. Whatā€™s one fun fact about yourself? Let me know in the comments below!

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Fabulous living

Valentines Day Q&A

Happy February! How was your weekend? I spent my weekend working so Iā€™m looking forward to getting back into a routine this week. Ā Valentineā€™s Day is one of my favorite holidays! I love the colors, the love, and most of all the chocolate! Today, Iā€™m answering questions posed by The Blended Blog: Valentines Day edition. Letā€™s get down to answering. Feel free to answer along and post your answers in the comments below!

-Hugs or Kisses?

Hugs, I feel like you can give out more hugs, when you are happy, sad, excited, scared, anxious, even overwhelmed, a hug can make it all better. The best kinds of hugs are the ones you get and didnā€™t know you needed.

-Candy or Flowers?

As much as I love flowers and they can brighten up a room, I have a HUGE sweet tooth and I will never pass up an opportunity for chocolate.

Here’s a sneak peak of some Valentines I’m giving out to close friends.

-Baking or Cooking?

Baking, I love baking cookies, cupcakes, and any new desserts. Also, the best part of any meal is the dessert, did I mention I have a thing for sweets?!

-Do you remember your first crush?

Yes! from my first child crush, to celeb crush, to serious crush. Most will never happen but it’s still nice to dream.

-Favorite color of roses?

Red!!!!

-Conversation Hearts. Yes or No?

Yes, for decoration. No for eating.

-Do you leave love notes?

Yes, I love leaving notes for others. Whether itā€™s a love note, a good luck note, or an Iā€™m thinking of you note. They are an easy way to show someone you care.

-Do you decorate for Valentines Day?

Absolutely!!! Hereā€™s a peak into how I decorated for Valentines Day in my dorm room.

I got this banner at Target for $3!! It looks great on an empty wall.
I got this filled with goodies last Valentines Day and this year it makes the perfect decor piece.

-Red or Pink?

Red, I love how bright, bold, and powerful it is.

-Milk, White, or Dark Chocolate?

Milk chocolate, and to take it a step further. Dove chocolate is my weakness.

-Do you believe in love at first sight?

Yes, but not for everyone. I think itā€™s definitely possible but I also believe in relationships starting from friendships.

-Do you give humorous or serious Valentineā€™s day cards?

Always serious. There is nothing wrong in telling someone how you feel, whether they be a spouse, girlfriend/boyfriend or even a best friend. Give anyone you care about a card.

-Favorite Chick Flick or Romantic Movie?

This is so hard because I love movies but my favorite ones are: Pride and Prejudice, Valentines Day, Sex and the City. All different genres but I love all them in their own ways.

Well, there you have it. Ā My favorite things about Valentines Day, which after reading this over, my greatest love is chocolate. Oops. Thatā€™s what the gym is for! What do you like about Valentines Day? Pick a few questions and answer them in the comments. Have a great Tuesday!

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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 donā€™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. Hereā€™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 Iā€™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 donā€™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. Donā€™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 Iā€™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.

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Fabulous living

Fall Semester Recap

Another semester has come and gone. Last week I wrapped on my third semester, by far it has been the busiest and most challenging one. In the past few short months, I took 19 credits worth of courses, started a new job, joined a Honorā€™s Society, and made many new friends. I grew as a person, and a changed in more ways than I thought. Back in August, someone told me, by the time Christmas rolled around I would be a different person than I was back in August, and boy they werenā€™t wrong.Ā  The top five things that had the biggest impact or that I learned this semester are:

– Heavy course load- I took more credits and classes this semester. It was a challenge to accomplish everything, but I did it. I found new places to study and made new friends in my classes. I learned so much and the courses I took helped point me in the right direction for what I want to do as a career. I also made the decision based on credits I brought in from high school to graduate early. I will be graduating college in December 2019, a semester early. Two years from Saturday I will be a college graduate, which is both exciting and nerve racking.

This is just a small peek into how I stay organized and on top of everything related to school.
I wouldn’t have survived my classes if it weren’t for these girls. Love them to pieces.–Ā 

– My new job. I took on a new job this semester and it has most definitely impacted me. I have more responsibilities and I had to step out of my comfort zone several times this semester. To be honest, this job has caused me stress, like any job does, but I have grown a lot this semester. I am more assertive and confident (well, thatā€™s something Iā€™m still working on). But, a lot of good has come from this job. I have met a lot of good people that I work with on a daily basis. People that started out as strangers are now some of my closest friends. Although, I am using this Christmas Break to catch up on some much need rest and relaxation, Iā€™ll be excited to start back again in January.

 

My new job has brought me both smiles and stress, like any job.
So blessed I met mt friend Liv through my job. She has been the best mentor and friend. I was told I would meet some of my best friends through this job and I’m so glad i met Liv.

– Try new things. I applied and got accepted into my collegeā€™s Honorā€™s Program. After a lot of persuading from both friends and professors, I decided to apply, and I got in. As a member of the Honorā€™s Program, I will be taking more rigorous courses, and I will be attending activities as a group. One activity I went to was an Opera performance of ā€œThe Marriage of Figaroā€, it was very well done and I was happy I made the decision to attend. I am excited to see what other things we do as a group.

A night out for the Opera.

– Letting Loose. Between school and my job, I worked a lot this semester, so when I had a weekend free, I took advantage of it with friends and family. I had movie nights with friends, went on trips to the city, danced the night away at semi formals, and headed home for a few weekends to spend time with family. I learned this semester there always must be a balance between work and fun. Thankfully, I had great friends who made sure I had fun even when I wasnā€™t always up for it. Even my friends from high school were always there if I needed a laugh or a pick me up. Ā Whether it was a night out or a chick flick night in, my friends and I knew how to have a good time.

My bestie Danielle and I before a Halloween Dance
A night out with Shay at semi formal. I have no idea where I would be without this girl. She truly is a forever friend.
A night out in the city to celebrate Christmas!!

– Self Care. With a busy semester, I learned how to take care of myself. Whether it was calling it an early night, working out at the gym,Ā  reading a new book, rewatching my favorite guilty pleasure on Netflix (hello, did someone say, Gossip Girl?!?!) , or even doing my nails. I learned that I am not helpful to anyone if I donā€™t take care of myself first. I am still learning to take care of myself. I will always try to say yes, but I need to learn to say no more. I over commit, and I try to please everyone. Towards the end of this semester, I learned to slow down more. That is something I plan to work on more for the spring semester.

Smiling is the easiest way to spread happiness. At the end of the day, all we can do is keep smiling.

Some days it felt like this semester dragged on, and other days, I can hardly believe it is already December! Overall, I had a successful semester. I learned a lot and I gained a lot. I canā€™t wait to see what next semester has in store for me. Until thenā€¦.xoxo