I hope your Aprilâs are all off to a good start. I am back to school for the last leg of the semester. This semester and year has flown by! My April is jammed packed, if I survive this month, I think I can tackle anything. Haha.
Today, I am sharing the outfit I wore on Easter. I spent my Easter Sunday by attending mass and spending time with family. I couldnât have asked for a better day. Â I think Spring is finally upon on, I wanted to get in the spirit with this bold print floral dress. I donât often wear these colors, but I saw the dress a few years ago and couldnât resist.
I actually purchased this dress two years ago from Nordstromâs . Unfortunately, it is no longer in stock. Â I wore it for my high school Baccalaureate Mass. It was held at the end of the year and I love the bright colors. I love to buy things that are very good quality so i can wear them on numerous occasions especially as I will be heading into the real world soon. I love the dark blues and greens, but I love the pop of yellow even more. I decided to bring out the yellow with these light-yellow heels from Kelly and Katie, I got them at DSW a few years ago as well. I added some simple but classic to go along with the dress and shoes.
I donât often wear bold dresses like this, but I decided to change up my look for Easter. I often choose to wear simple colors and add bold jewelry or accessories as my statement pieces. Today, however, my dress was my statement piece.
I canât wait for Spring to get fully underway for all things spring fashion. What trends are you looking forward to this spring/summer season?
Also, I will be out of town this weekend, to follow along with my adventures, check out my Instagram for all things travel @elspethsdaybyday
Todayâs 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, letâs 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 wouldnât be able to get homesick, or it would go away after a month, someone had even told me that by Fall break I wouldnât 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 didnât 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 didnât let that stop me from enjoying college life. Christmas rolled around, and I was told that I wouldnât 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 didnât 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. Thatâs 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 doesnât know who to talk to about it. You can be there to help each other through it.
Homesickness is different for everyone, others donât 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 donât 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.
I am home for a long weekend for Easter Break. Not only is it a time to celebrate Jesusâ 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 itâs 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, letâs get down to the details of this dress. I got this dress from Francescaâs 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 couldnât 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.
When I first saw this dress a few years ago, I wasnât sure I would like the dress since it was very bright and bold, but now it is one of my favorite dresses. Donât 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 donât have a great weekend!
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!
For those who have followed my blogs for months or whether this is your first time stopping by, Iâm 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
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-Following graduation my âdream jobâ is to work in broadcast journalism. Iâve 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 Iâm 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 doesnât hurt that my birthday is in Spring either.
One of my favorite pastimes is watching the sunset
-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. Iâm 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 Iâm home is to shop, whether am looking for something in particular or Iâm just window shopping. I love to shop. You can most likely catch me at Marshalls, Home Goods or Francescaâs.
-I am an avid dog lover. I have three dogs at home and I am constantly counting down when I can see them when Iâm 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 sisterI still picture him as a 6 pound pup but he has certainly grown
-Lastly, I couldnât go through this crazy experience we call life, if it wasnât 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 thatâs 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. Whatâs one fun fact about yourself? Let me know in the comments below!
Today Iâm sharing something that Iâm trying to incorporate more in my life: self-care. Whether itâs a quiet night in with a good book or a girlâs night out with friends, we all need to take care of ourselves. Â This past weekend, my best friend, Shay and I took a day trip to the city. We both have a heavy course schedule this semester and we decided to take some time before the semester got crazy to adventure and relax.
Walking through the streets of Pittsburgh on a rainy Saturday!
We left mid morning and got to Pittsburgh around 12:00, our first stop was the National Aviary. I had never been there before, but Shay had and assured me it would be an enjoyable time. It was a smaller, interactive place. We spent an hour there but, there were a lot of activities geared towards children that would be great for families. Â There were lots of exhibits and it was very colorful, most importantly, there was a wide variety of birds.
Flamingo’s hanging out at the Aviary.Can you spot the bird in this picture?
After we finished at the Aviary, we headed to Burgatory for lunch on the North Shore. It was a 10-minute walk, so we opted for the exercise rather than an Uber.
Although, I have eaten the delicious make your own burgers at Burgatory, I opted for a grilled ham and cheese sandwich was their fresh cut fries. I love their burgers but, they are huge and since we had more things planned I decided to go with something more manageable. I couldnât leave without getting one of their famous milkshakes. I got the cookie monster and Shay got the Sâmores milkshake.
I love grilled cheese, but grilled ham and cheese is even better!Treating ourselves and our sweet teeth to a milkshake!Checking out some artwork in the Warhol exhibit.
After a delicious and filling lunch, we walked to the Andy Warhol museum. It was a first for both of us. It was a 10 minute walk from lunch to the museum. The Seven floor museum took us an hour and a half to get through. Tickets for students were only $10, which was a great deal for a few hours of entertainment. There were great displays of Warholâs pieces as well as a great history of Warholâs life. I personally loved his bright pieces of portraits of different well-known figures.
A few of my favorite pieces from the Andy Warhol exhibit. All photographs of Jackie Kennedy.I love the bright colors in these flower paintingsWe have to talk about the elephant in the room…Warhol’s famous Campbells Soup artwork
Before, we headed back to school, we grabbed smoothies at Crazy Mocha. A cute cafĂŠ in the North Shore.
Smoothies at Crazy Mocha!Definitely a must stop if you are in the North Shore area
Many memories were made during our fun Saturday excursion. We get wrapped up in our busy lives that we often forget to take care of ourselves. My challenge for you this week is to take some time out of your busy day/week for yourself. Have a great week!
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 Honorâs 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 werenât wrong. 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.–Â
– 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, thatâs something Iâm 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, Iâll 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 collegeâs Honorâs Program. After a lot of persuading from both friends and professors, I decided to apply, and I got in. As a member of the Honorâs 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 âThe Marriage of Figaroâ, 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 wasnât always up for it. Even my friends from high school were always there if I needed a laugh or a pick me up. Â 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 DanceA 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, 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 donât 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 canât wait to see what next semester has in store for me. Until thenâŚ.xoxo
Itâs the most wonderful time of the yearâŚ.or worst if you are a college student like myself. Finals week is upon us. Time to grab those note cards, pull out the highlighters, and make those study guides. Whether you are studying for finals, or if you arenât a college student, making your Christmas lists, here are some tips to stay organized this time of year.
Studying for Finals:
-Prepare in advance. – Look to see when your finals are scheduled and plan out of when you want to study for them.
Here’s my day planner. I write down every assignment, meeting, and final down so I don’t forget anything.
– Prepare on your own. – Read through both your notes and textbooks and make your own study guide so you arenât going back and forth between book and notebook.
-Seek help. â Although we donât always like to admit it, we sometimes need help. Go to a tutor if you need help in a subject. See your professor with questions you may have while studying. Organize study groups to make sure you are covering all the information.
-Take Care of Yourself. â Finals and the end of the semester are stressful. But donât forget to take care of yourself. You wonât do well on a test if you are half a sleep or if you are sick from not eating healthy. It may be tempting but try not to skip meals and allow yourself for enough sleep or take a nap if you need to.
Preparing for Christmas:
I am always on my laptop, these post it icons make it easy for me to remember what things I have going on from finals, homework assignments, and extra things I need to get done. Like my Christmas gifts. I like to have it all in one place
-Make a List (and Check it twice). â Make a list for everyone you want to buy gifts for. Think relatives, coworkers, friends, any gift exchanges. You donât want to leave anyone out on your list.
-Plan out your Gifts. â Do some research and plan what gifts you want to purchase and for whom. This saves time walking around a store waiting for the perfect gift to find you.
-Buy then Wrap. â Get all your purchasing done then wrap your goodies. Put on a Christmas movie and wrap while you relax. Itâs easier to wrap everything at one point rather then wrapping things separating at different times.
-Enjoy the Christmas Season. â The holidays can be stressful but Itâs important to remember what really matters; family, friends, Jesus. Take time for the family traditions and make memories.
I hope these tips help with preparing for your finals or your Christmas shopping. Itâs the most wonderful time of the year, be sure to spend it well with friends and family.
With Thanksgiving, this coming week, I’m taking some time to remember what I am thankful for. We all get busy and caught up that we forget what’s truly important. So, here it goes, the things I’m thankful for.
My loving family. Both immediate and extended. Always there when I need them most. From texts to care packages. My family knows me best and I couldnât be more thankful for have them in my life especially this past year.
Family over everything
 My supportive friends. The older I have gotten the smaller my circle of friends has gotten. I am beyond thankful to have such good friends who have always been there. My friends from high school are always there to remind me where I have come from. Who else would I text about our favorite TV shows with?! My friends from college remind me where Iâm going. I know I have people in my life to sing Beyonce with, spill tea with, dance and eat the night away at a Semi Formal dances, and have real life talks with.
My favorite chick in college, ShayTwo words. Squad Goals. Spending time with these two is never boring. High school friends last a lifetime.My first friend in college, Danielle and I have been through it all
My dogs. As cliche as it sounds, one of my favorite places to be is at home, on my couch cuddling with my pups. Just being with my dogs relaxes me. Plus, how can you say no to this face?!
One of my favorite parts about coming home.
Good Health. I’m thankful I can happy and healthy along with my family. Health is so important especially for all the sickness in our world. I’m thankful I can wake up every morning healthy.
My job. I took on a new job this year and although there have been some challenging days, I have great coworkers who I have grown close with over the past few months. I have learned so much about myself through this job and I can’t wait to see where else it takes me.
New year, new opportunities
The country I live in. I thankful for living in a free country. I am so lucky to live in such a wonderful country.
Land of the Free and Home of the Brave
I am thankful for the things that bring me joy. I have interests, hobbies, and activities that make me love life. I am thankful for all the opportunities that fulfill me.
I am thankful for going to a school that I have grown in many ways. I have learned so much in and out of the classroom. I have be given so many opportunities and I could not a picked a better school to attend.
My faith. I am so thankful to have a deep rooted faith. When times get tough, I always know God is there. I am thankful for the friends I have made through my faith.
I am thankful for people to look up to, whether they are family members, people in the industry I hope to work in one day, authors,bloggers, actors, and anyone else that inspires me. I am thankful to have inspirations in my life.
There are so many things I am thankful for, but these are just a few. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving spent with loved ones. I will be taking Thursday off, but will be back on Tuesday! What are you thankful for this year?
We have all had those days when itâs gloomy outside, our outfit isnât working, we over commit and we are left with nothing but stress. We let everything pile up around us until we are left completely overwhelmed. I may not be able to change the weather or help free your schedule but I can show you where to find happiness every day. These are five easy ways where I find happiness in every day life. We are all humans and mistakes happen and some days are harder than others, but it’s important to remember to stand up again and keep moving forward. I hope this helps you find some happiness in your lives.
 Play Good Music. Blast your favorite  Pandora station and dance around. Put on some soothing music when you just need a break. When I really need a pickup up, this is my favorite Pandora station. Sometimes we just need to let go and let God take over.
My favorite station
Talk to a friend. Whether itâs your best friend or your mom (or if thatâs the same person), stop the texting and have a phone call or Face Time session. Talk about your latest tv show you both are watching or whatâs going on in your lives, or even plan an activity. Whatever you talk about it will take you mind off what you are stressing about. Reminisce and relive your favorite moments.
Friends always make things better
Read a book. Sometimes we need to step away from everything, even technology. Pick a up book you keep telling yourself you are going to read but havenât started yet. Get lost in a world besides your own. Flip through your favorite magazine. Do something for you.
My next read
Go for a Walk. Step away from your stressful day and just spend time thinking and being one with nature. Let your mind wander and then come back to the task with a fresh set of eyes. We all feel happier after spending some time with our own quiet thoughts.
Beautiful morning walk
Do something you love! Whether itâs eating your favorite snack, grabbing lunch with a girlfriend, or catching up with your favorite show. Take that time and do something you will feel relaxed and happy with.
Smiling is the easiest way to spread happiness
Well, there you have it. When I am in a rut, I turn my frustrations into joy. To leave you with a quote on the Tuesday. “Whatâs broken can be mended. Whatâs hurt can be healed. And no matter how dark it gets, the sunâs gonna rise again.â -Meredith Grey
