Tag: college living

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Fashion

Look of the Day #90

LOTD

Hello All! 

Happy Valentine’s day! Whether you are celebrating with a boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, the girls, or even if you are single like myself I hope you take some time to enjoy this holiday if you celebrate it. I also hope you can spread some love to those around you and you get some love sent your direction. 

Today’s outfit is perfect for Valentine’s Day with the perfect pink top. I love this outfit because it is perfect for a job interview, or day at the office. While I was home for Christmas break, I did some job shadowing and I wore this outfit.

I also got my headshots updated last week and I wore this outfit which was perfect for a professional photo to hopefully jumpstart my career. Let’s get into the details about where you can find this outfit without breaking the bank. 

New headshots for senior year
Close up head shot-so happy with how they turned out
All dressed up for a day at the office

I got these dress pants from Old Navy believe it or not?! I was on the hunt for a pair of straight cut dress pants and after looking all over town, I found them at Old Navy at a great price. Last summer I was on the hunt for black dress pants. I was searching in stores and online but everything that kept coming up were tight and looked more like leggings. I really was looking for a more professional look and a straight leg. After numerous searches, I finally found these dress pants at Old Navy believe it or not. Not only do they fit to size and look professional, but they are also so comfortable. I have worn them a few other occasions and they are a must have for your collection.

I also wanted a nice sweater to go with my dress pants and I knew a light cardigan would go perfect with the top. I got this black one from Old Navy on sale. I have worn it with jeans and dress pants as well as dresses. It’s a wonderful, versatile sweater that is perfect for a grown women’s professional collection. It not only keeps you warm, but it also looks put together. 

My statement piece for this outfit is this fun pink top from Francesca’s Boutique. I know I have shared this top on here before, but I love the color and how you can truly dress it up with dress pants or a skirt and you can also pair it with jeans or leggings for a more casual look. 

Lastly, my shoes are my favorite shoe boots that I wear all the time since they are comfortable and reliable. 

I also have to share about my Michael Kors purse. I got it for my 16thbirthday. I use it for any job interview or shadowing as well as big meetings. It looks professional and it has a lot of storage to hold everything you need for a day at work. 

A perfect look for job interviews and shadowing

I hope this inspires you to look outside of the box when it comes to shopping for professional clothing. Have a sweet and love filled Valentine’s Day. Sending you lots of love today and every day!

XOXO

Categories
Fabulous living

Choosing to Look on the Positive Side of Life

Hello! Hello!

Happy Tuesday! It’s crazy to think we are halfway through February, this month is flying by! With Valentine’s Day this week, I wanted to focus on a more light-hearted post for today ( no pun intended). For all my single girls out there, check out my post from last year about Galentine’s Day and fun things to do with your girlfriends! You can read all about it here.

Today, I wanted to share about the importance of looking on the positive side of things and turning a bad situation into a good one. One thing that I try to do is see the good things in every day, we all have tough days, whether it’s a long day of classes and meetings, or if you are having relationships issues or family troubles, I firmly believe there is always one good thing that can come out of a bad day. 

I started to really make an effort to find one good thing about every day during my senior year of high school. I got a Mason Jar and a stack of post it notes and at the end of every day I wrote the date and one good thing that happened each day. At the end of the year I had a whole jar of good memories and good things that happened every day of senior year.  I was so happy I had all those memories to look back on.

My Jar through my senior year of high school
All my good moments dumped out
So many good things happened during my senior year of high school, I’m so glad I kept track of them

My freshmen year of college, my mom gave me a journal to write all about my experiences about my freshmen year of college. I loved having an account of everything that happened and I made sure I wrote down the best part of my day. 

Last year (2018) started out rough but I didn’t want a few challenging weeks to determine my outlook of the entire year, I was already journaling in Shonda Rhimes’ Years of Yes journal but I wanted to add something new, so every day I took a post it note and wrote one positive thing that happened. To read about my Year of Yes, you can find it here.

The Journal of my Sophomore Year-Year of YES

I called my junior year, my year of Joy. My sweet friend Danielle, gave me this journal for my birthday and I write in it every day. I write down three good things that bring me joy every day.

Junior Year of JOY

I have found journaling every day for the past few years very therapeutic. I also found it helpful to be intentional about seeing the good things that happened every day, whether it was having a good conversation with a friend, going on a spontaneous brunch and shopping day, celebrating a holiday, or getting in some quality family time or self care. By writing down one or more good things that happened every day, it really puts things in perspective about how good life can be and how we should always look towards the positive things in life. When you have class from 12:30-8:30 straight and nothing is going your way (yes, this has happened to me) I always know there are definitely good things that happened through the long day. I hope this post encourages you to look on the positive side of things when life has you down. There are so many good things around us if we are willing to see them.

I hope this week brings you nothing but good vibes, wonderful moments and love (whether its from a significant other, best friend, or parent). Spread some love this week!

XOXO

Categories
Fashion

Look of the Day #89

All ready for a day at work

LOTD

Hello All! Happy Thursday! These past few weeks have been going by so fast. I can’t believe we are already done with the first full week of February. I have the weekend off of work, so I am looking forward to relaxing, catching up on sleep and hanging out with friends. I have a feeling it’s going to be a good weekend. Just one more day until the weekend. 

I am so excited to share today’s outfit with you. It is such a versatile outfit. It’s a staple that I wear a lot when I am home for work since it’s appropriate for the workplace but it also works great for school since you look put together while also being comfortable. These photos are from when I was home working over Christmas break, but since I have come back to school I have worn this for classes and meetings. Let’s break this outfit down. 

Comfortable and professional, the best of both worlds

I love the faux leather leggings. I got them a few years ago from Target.  They feel like leggings when you are wearing them but from a far they look like a pair of skinny dress pants. I like to wear these when I know I have a busy day ahead of me and I know I am going to be on the go. I paired them with my high black dress boots from DSW for more of a professional look, but I have also paired this outfit with Uggs which worked just fine especially with the winter weather. 

This blue top is a staple of mine in the closet. I got it from GAP. I adore the material, it is a luxe shirt meaning it is so soft and silky. I couldn’t have asked for a better combination. I love that this top can be dressed up or down. I decided to top this outfit off with my long winter white sweater from Scandal Style from the Limited. Once again, this outfit looks professional but also comfortable.

Up close of the details

I topped the outfit off with gold jewelry and my gold bar necklace, a simple yet elegant piece of jewelry.

I know I am going to be wearing these pieces on rotation for the next few months with the cold weather.  I hope you all have warm and productive weekends and you make some room for some fun in there too!

What pieces do you constantly wear in the winter months?

Categories
Fashion

Look of the Day #88

LOTD

Hi All!

Happy Thursday! It’s almost the end of the week. This weekend is my last weekend working so I’m super excited to get this weekend started and over to finish up work and then I have many exciting things in the upcoming months. Today’s look of the day is perfect for the winter weather and the freezing temperatures. 

all warm for a day out in the snow

This outfit is perfect for the cold weather and I am highlighting several pieces. To start off this is a simple and casual outfit that can get dressed up with accessories. I started my outfit off with a simple pair of blue jeans from Old Navy. I love these straight legged jeans. They are perfect for high black boots or uggs in the winter. I got my black boots on sale from DSW. DSW is my go-to for great shoes at a low price, my tip is stock up on shoes off season for the best deals.  I paired these jeans with a simple long sleeve black t-shirt. Old Navy is also my go-to for black and white t-shirts that are good quality and long lasting. Jeans and a black or white t-shirt is the perfect simple look. 

This scarf is the perfect accessory

I decided to add this carmel, black and red scarf to add a pop of color and texture to my look. Not only does it keep my warm but it is also stylish and a great accessory to change up a simple look with. 

Staying warm in the frigid temperatures

Lastly, my favorite accessory is this black winter coat. I got it from L.L. Bean. It is not only super warm and durable but great quality. Since I live up North it’s crucial I have a warm and long lasting winter jacket. 

My little pup Milton had to interrupt the photo shoot and I was more than okay with it…my favorite

This week were are supposed to get near freezing temperatures so I know I will be wearing this outfit os something similar to it to brave the cold.

Have a great weekend and stay warm!

Categories
Fabulous living

Winter Break Book Review

Happy Tuesday. How is your week looking? Hectic? Calm? Too early to tell? The past few weeks have flown by for me, I think between getting into a new schedule for the semester and working the past few weekends the weeks have gone by much faster. 

Today, I am finally getting around to sharing my Winter Break Book Review, I know it’s way overdue, but better late than never right? During my month home I read two books. I wish I read more but time got away from me. I read “My Oxford Year”by Julie Whelan and “The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity”by Matthew Kelly. Both were very good books but very diverse in the subject matter and genre. Let’s dive into these tales.

My Oxford Year

“My Oxford Year” tells the story of a young American student, Ella Duran who is studying in Oxford. She meets Jamie Davenport, a handsome date who turns out to be her lecturer. She has high dreams and aspirations and doesn’t want to be derailed by a romance abroad. There are many unexpected twists and turns, especially the ending. There were so many times when the book changed directions that I never would have expected. Overall, this book tells the story of hard work, pursing your dreams, making friends with people who never expected and putting your goals on hold for those you love. I had seen this book on many book reviews over the summer and I was so excited I could finally read it, I was not disappointed at all.

One thing that was different about my experience with this book is that I tried the audiobook of it instead of reading it. I’ve heard many people make the transition from reading books to listening to them, and at this point, I hate to say I am not one of them. It was nice to listen to the book while I did other things such as clean, wash, or computer work, but I still like the feeling of reading for leisure. Now, I know people listen to the books while they drive and I haven’t tried that yet, so I plan on giving it another try soon but for now I think I’m going to stick to the reading of books. 

The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity

The next book I read was “The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity” by Matthew Kelly. Last summer I read “Perfectly Yourself”by Matthew Kelly and I loved it so I couldn’t wait to read this on and it didn’t disappoint. Here’s my book review with Perfectly Yourself.“The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity” is all about living life to the fullest and doing things and making choices that truly make us happy. It also shows us what things we can do to make our lives happier and be more content and not be overwhelmed by so much noise. I found this book to be therapeutic and relaxing. I read a chapter or two a day and I loved the positive message that it spread. I loved it so much I went on to gift it to two other people. I read this book as opposed to listening to it and I preferred it much better, especially when I was reading it with a candle burning and a warm cup of hot coco, can you think of anything better?!

One of my favorite quotes from Matthew Kelly’s book

That’s a bit of a recap of two great books I read over break. Although, I am back to school and in classes, I’m trying to carve some time every day to read, even if it is just a chapter. 

What are you guys currently reading? I love new suggestions? Also, do you guys prefer to listen to books or read them?

See you on Thursday for warm and toasty outfit for the winter months!

Categories
Fashion

Look of the Day #87

LOTD

Hello everyone! Happy Thursday! I hope you have had productive weeks and are ready for the weekend. I am working this weekend, so I hope I can get ahead on some school work while I’m working. Like I mentioned last week, while I was home for Christmas break, I had several events that I had to dress up for and I managed to get some cute pictures too! 

Once again, matching with mom for the holidays!

Today’s outfit is a very functional outfit. It works both for a professional look but also a dressed up look. I wore this on Christmas Eve while attending Mass with my family. It was a cold Christmas Eve so I opted for a warmer outfit. I have also worn this outfit while doing presentations at school and interviews. This outfit is not only functional, professional, and comfortable.

Excuse the mirror selfies but an up close look of the outfit

 I got this silver top from Francesca’s Boutique. I love the shimmer and sparkle and also the fact that it is light weight. It’s perfect for all seasons but goes great with black for the long winter months. I wore a matching necklace and earrings with it to bring out the black and silver colors. 

For the colder days, a light cardigan would go perfect with the top. I got this black on from Old Navy on sale. I have worn it with jeans and dress pants as well as dresses. It’s a wonderful, versatile sweater that is perfect for a grown women’s professional collection. 

A cute short black jacket to wear on a cold day out and about

Lastly, I have to rave about these dress pants. Last summer I was on the hunt for black dress pants. I was searching in stores and online but everything that kept coming up were tight and looked more like leggings. I really was looking for a more professional look and a straight leg. After numerous searches, I finally found these dress pants at Old Navy believe it or not. Not only do they fit to size and look professional but they are also so so comfortable. For example, on Christmas Eve after I came home from Mass with my family I helped prep, cook, eat and clean up dinner, spending hours in the kitchen and moving around wearing this outfit and I was so comfortable. I have worn them a few other occasions and they are a must have for your collection. 

Last but not least I have to share my favorite black pumps. These are my go-to for dresses, skirts, and dress pants. Every girl should have a pair of black pumps in the closet. A timeless classic. 

I hope this gives you inspiration to look at other stores when it comes to looking for professional clothing. I will definitely be rewearing or mixing and matching this outfit a lot in the next few months. Have a wonderful weekend and stay warm!

Categories
Fitness

Fitness Goals 2019

Hello All and Happy Tuesday!  

A new week is upon us. Week two of school is underway. Last week felt so long after getting into a new routine of classes, work, and homework. I’m hoping this week and the next few weeks move faster after getting settled into a new routine. With the start of a new semester and year, I wanted to set some new fitness goals. I have had this post planned for a few weeks and I’m finally getting around to posting it. Thanks for your patience. Working out and going to the gym has been a great stress reliever and activity to do while I’ve been in college. You can read my fitness journey part one, part twoand part three. 

Work (out) hard, play hard

At the start of every year I try to challenge myself in order to get stronger and feel better after a work out. Last year I shared my workout goals. You can find them here.My goals included getting in 10,000 steps a day, I lagged a bit in the summer with this goal due to working but since I came back to school in August 2018, I have been successful in getting in my 10,000 steps from the gym, going to classes, and running errands. I’m very proud of that goals. Another goal I set was work on my weight training, I did better at the start of 2018, but stayed consistent through the fall semester and didn’t increase my weights, I’m hoping to work on this more this semester.  Lastly, my final goal was to get my time down for the mile. I didn’t get my time down, but I have been running more instead of just jogging. 

Now, onto this year’s fitness goals. 

  • I want to increase the size and the amount of weight I am lifting in regards to my free weights. Even if it is adding an extra few pounds every month or so, I want to work on building up muscle, especially in my arms and legs. 
  • I know it may sound cliché, but I want to start putting in work for the summer months and that includes working on my abs more to start getting a flatter stomach, I’ve done research and I’m going to work on including healthier foods in my diet as well as my ab workouts. If you have found things that have worked for you, let me know in the comments below.
  • Run more. I love to use the treadmill especially when I have it at a high incline, I feel that I get more of a workout there compared to just biking or using the elliptical. I have started to jog and run more during my work out, but I want to continue to run and increase my endurance. 
new year, new goals

I’m hoping I can focus more on increasing my endurance in a lot of areas that I work with already. Taking care of my body and working out has been a great way for my to relax and feel good about myself. It is also a great stress reliever. Whether it is going for a run, doing yoga, talking walks, or doing weight training, I hope you find something that you can do to take care of yourself. I hope 2019 is a year we can all tackle our fitness goals. What goals do you have for this year in terms of fitness?

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
Fashion

Look of the Day #85

LOTD

Hi all! Happy Thursday! This past month has gone by so fast since I’ve been home. I’ve done a lot of running around, working, and some relaxing. Today, I’m on my way back to school for the new semester. I know this upcoming semester will be busy but I’m keeping and open mind and staying positive despite the unknown. Today’s outfit of the day is all about being comfortable and cozy in the cold winter months, plus I got a few pieces of clothes for Christmas and I couldn’t help but not share them. This outfit is perfect for running around and doing errands, doing homework, or heading to an early morning class. 

Cozy for the winter months

Sherpas are the hit and a huge fashion trend this winter season. I got this gray/brown Sherpa from Marley Lilly for Christmas. Although, most Sherpas on the market today are in three quarter zip style, but I love this alternative style from Marley Lilly. I love the high neck and long sleeves with the Sherpa. It is not only warm but also very fashionable. 

Keeps you warm both in and outside

I decided to pair my Sherpa with a pair of straight jeans from Old Navy. I love these jeans. They can be worn with boots, heels, and flats. For today’s outfit, I decided to pair them with Sperry boots and boot socks. I love wearing a warm pair of boot socks with my Sperry boots. My socks match my Sherpa. I hope this outfit gives you inspiration with your next outfit. Stay warm these next few weeks in January. See you next week as we talk about fitness goals for the new year!

Categories
Fabulous living

New Year’s Resolutions

Happy New Year!! 

Christmas morning spent well, the tree all lit, a warm cup of hot chocolate and time spent with family

It is good to be back. I have been posting a few looks to wear when you are out and about but today it is back to normal with blogging. I hope you all had a restful and relaxing breaks, whether you are still on break from school or you only got a few days off, I hope they were restful and filled with loved ones, good food, presents, and joy. It was so nice to spend some quality time with family, although I did work a bit over break it has been so refreshing not having to worry about school work and just be present in the moment. It’s crazy how fast my time home went by. I am headed back to school on Thursday, time to gear up for another semester. These past few weeks have been restful and rejuvenating and its time to get back to the school work. 

Today, I’m sharing my New Year’s Resolutions with you. These were my goals last year. For the most part I accomplished them well. I was busy during the day at school so that snacked way less than normal. I also tried to eat much better at school. I’m going to try to do the same when I head back to school. I got a lot of reading done over the summer and over Christmas break. My Christmas book review will be up next week so stay tuned for that! I was more flexible and spontaneous towards the end of the year especially when it came to going out with friends but I am still very much into my schedules and being on top of things.

Heading into 2019 with the right mindset

I’m calling this year-2019- “My senior year”. Since I will be graduating next December, I thought it would be appropriate to call 2019, my senior year of college, with only two semester left of college, I hope to make lots of memories, try new things, and live up my senior year. I also decided to pick a word that I want to center around this year.

After a lot of thought, I decided to choose the word… “Patience”. I want to try and be more patient this year with others, myself, and life in general. I have often felt being rushed with everything I do and getting stressed and overwhelmed by it. I want to strive to be more patient this year, everything will get done, it always does, sometimes we just need a little more patience in our lives. I will keep you updated this year with how it goes. 

My mindset for the new year….patience and positivity

Now, moving onto my resolutions. I have set three for myself, all pratical and easy to incorporate into my life each day. 

Be more positive– I have often found myself complaining about the trival things in life whether it be about too much homework, being busy or having too much on my plate. This upcoming year I want to focus less on the negative and more on the positive, and if there is stuff bothering not talk about it all the time rather just find a solution.

Don’t sweat the small stuff-This goes along with the first one, I want to try to not stress over the little things in life, rather focus on the big picture. I am going to not let the little things get to me since they don’t matter in the grand scheme in life, I really want to work on bettering myself this year and not get overwhelmed with the small day to day things. 

Be more social– This is going to be a more challenging one this year. One of the great things about college is making friends with people older and younger than you, however, it can also be really rough when all your friends graduate early/study abroad/ start work. This year will be an adjustment with so many of my friends leaving, I never thought I would have to make new friends as a junior in college, this year I am determined to step out of my comfort zone and still be social and see friends and do things on nights and the weekends. I’ll keep you posted on how this goes. 

That’s an update about what’s going on with me these past few weeks and what’s to come with this upcoming semester. As I embark on my senior year, I want to thank you all for being a part of this journey with me. See you back on Thursday!