Another year, another birthday, another milestone…tomorrow I am turning 21! I am very excited not only to celebrate another year on Earth but also to join the big kids club. Haha! I’m the youngest out of most of my friends, so I am looking forward to going out with them to celebrate. If we are being honest, I think they are more excited than me. LOL!
I’ll be heading to Pittsburgh in a few weeks to celebrate with my friends, but for tomorrow, I am celebrating with my family. Last year, I shared 20 things I learned in my 20 years of life, you can read it here. Today, I’m sharing 21 wishes I have for this next year of life.
Cheers to 21!
1. Surround myself with people who lift me up and motivate me to be the best version of myself.
2. Make every moment a memory.
3. Live in the moment and don’t get distracted.
4. Stop dwelling on what happened in the past, and focus on the future.
5. Graduate College.
6. Get a job in my field.
Always looking to the future
7. Be happy where I am at in life and not where I think I should be.
8. Travel somewhere new with friends.
9. Listen to more podcasts and learn from every opportunity I get.
10. Be spontaneous and try something I’ve never done. It’s okay to step out of your comfort zone.
11. Go to more concerts.
Finding the joy in the little things in life
12. Spend money on experiences, not material things. Those will create the real memories.
13. Truly enjoy and take advantage of my last semester as a college student.
14. Be more vulnerable when it comes to opening up to friends and family about things that are bothering me. If you listen to your friends, they will listen to you.
15. Forget the schedule/routine and just see what the day brings.
16. Be more intentional with my time spent with family and friends. Put down the phones!
17. Pick up a new hobby.
I know I’m where I’m meant to be
18. Have more conversations with people instead of just sending a text. Quality over quantity.
19. Turn my passions and dreams into realities.
20. Show more appreciation to the ones I love. If you love ’em, tell them you love ’em!
21. Be open to whatever the future holds for me.
A smile is the best accessory
Some are more realistic than others, some will get achieved while others will be things I’m constantly working on. At the end of the day, I want to make these days count. We often get caught in the day to day life that we forget to stop and appreciate the life we are living. Cheers to 21 and to living my best life!
Well, that’s a wrap on my junior year of college! This year flew by, I can’t believe that the next time I will be back at school, I will be a senior. It seems like just yesterday I was walking on campus for the first time, now in August, I will be moving in for the last time. College is an interesting concept, it’s amazing in a few years how much we grow, change, learn, and live. I can honestly say that I am a completely different person now than when I moved in 3 years ago. I can’t wait to celebrate and enjoy my last semester of college in the fall.
My mood though Junior year…well most of the time.. haha!
Today’s post is my favorite types of posts. Another semester has gone by, which means it’s time for another recap. To see what I was up to last semester, you can read about it here. I love to do these recaps to show you what I have been up to, as well as reflect on how much I have accomplished both in an out of the semester. This semester was a busy one, but filled with so many fun memories. The best way to describe this semester is the fact, I typically go to the gym on Saturday’s and Sunday’s, I always had things going on during the weekends that it wasn’t until the last weekend of the semester in May that I made it both days, I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way.
As I was preparing for this post, I realized how many things I did, that I didn’t take pictures of. Although, I wish I had pictures to document the fun times and moments, it is nice just to be present in the moment and enjoy who I am with, without capturing it all for social media. So, let’s recap this semester…
First day of the spring semester…cold and quiet
January started out with freezing weather, a few cancelled classes (which was unheard of for our school) and lots of working weekends. The cancelled classes did result in some spontaneous adventures with my friends, whether it was brunch, going thrift shopping, or heading to the mall. I’ve learned this semester that some of my favorite moments were the ones that were unplanned and spontaneous, whether it was grabbing dinner with my friends, seeing a school musical, or shopping whether it was at the mall or the comic book store.
Heading into February, classes and work were on my mind, I spent a lot of time working on my Capstone biography video, which you can watch here.
Hard at work on my Senior Capstone
I also was able to have weekly lunch dates with my sweet friend Sharon, who graduated in December and weekly dinner dates with my friend Bailey, who spent this semester student teaching. It was so special to be able to see my friends even with their busy schedules.
SO thankful for this friendship
I love getting lunch with my sweet friend Sharon
I was able to sneak home for a quick visit before I left for Rome.
No shame in admitting this is my only photo that weekend at home…what can I say…I’m a dog lover
Moving into March, I spent the first several days in Rome. If you missed my recaps on the eternal city, you can read part one here and part two here.
Take me back to simpler days…
I came back to school after an incredible trip and got back into the swing of classes, work, and friends. I had one of my most memorable weekends of the semester with my friends at our Semi-formal dance, which you can read about here. The weekend included dinner, hanging out with friends, dancing, grilled cheese at midnight, sleepovers, hitting the gym and brunch.
One of the BEST weekends of the semester
I jetted home for another visit with my family which was much needed after returning from abroad.
Are we really surprised that my only picture from being at home is with my dogs?
April brought lots of the end of the semester activities. In between school work, I was able to head to a bowling outing with my friends, get dinner, go on some fro-yo dates, spend a day volunteering, and get Inducted into a Communication Honor Society.
A day spent volunteering with my best friend Danielle
Lambda Pi Eta
A more up close picture of the outfit
A quick picture with my parents who came out to support me!
I also got the opportunity to tour our Library at school which is under construction and interview our school’s president about the renovations. You can watch the interview here.
Interviewing the President of my school in the new Library
Our school also hosts a spring family weekend which as so fun, I got to see and hang out with some of my closest friends, watch a few bands perform and got pied in the face for charity…definitely a messy moment of the semester.
With some of my close friends Sharon and Bailey
Spring family weekend
It took a long time to get the whipped cream out
Like I mean three showers later…it was finally all out
April ended with Easter ended at home.
Surprise…not a picture of me and my dogs at home, but with my brothers for Easter
I finished out the last few weeks of April and May with end of the year dinners, from Honor Societies, to Department dinners, and senior celebrations as well as finals, I’m so lucky I was able to participate in these senior festivities since so many of my close friends are seniors. Next year will be different without them.
One last DQ and catch up session with this girl!
Laughing our way into Senior year…
Celebrating senior year with my friend Olivia!
Thankful for her friendship this year, my girl Bailey, always there through thick and thin.
It wouldn’t be the end of the school year without a trip to one of our favorite places, the SP…a hidden gem near our school
The year ended with working the last few days after finals and attending graduation. I was so happy I could watch all my friends graduate, although it was sad to see them move on I know they are going to do amazing things.
Gonna miss these girls next year!
Working graduation with my sweet friend Danielle, we are up next!
Whew…and that’s a wrap. Junior year was by far one of the best years and I think a lot of that has to do with a mindset. I called junior year my year of joy and I wanted to find joy in every day. Even on the days that were rough, emotionally and mentally draining, or I wanted to go home, I still looked for the joy in every day.
Although, it’s so good to be home and not think about school for a bit, I’m going to miss my friends and being at the same place with everyone. I do have some pretty exciting plans for this summer and next semester, so stay tuned!
To everyone who made this year and semester the best one yet…THANK YOU! Have a beautiful day friends! Sending love to everyone near and far…xoxo!
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!
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!
I can’t believe we are already in December!!! This year and semester has flown by. I honestly feel the older I get, the faster life goes by. Anyone else feel that?
The holiday season is in full swing which also means final season is right around the corner. I will be happy once finals are over so I can really enjoy the holiday season.
Today’s outfit is more for the professional. I wore it a few weeks ago, I had classes, a few meetings, and I needed something that was professional but also functional.
Looking professional on the go
I got this blue top from Francesca’s Boutique over the summer but it still works great in the fall and early winter. I love the dark navy color and it goes great with my dark jeans.
Speaking of my jeans, these are my favorite boot cut jeans from Old Navy, the jeans I had worn for years, recently had to go, but I was able to pick up a new pair from Old Navy on sale. They fit just like the first pair, that’s something I love about Old Navy, they are always consistent with their fit and style.
I am wearing my suede shoe boots. I got these a few years ago from Shoe Carnival. The low wedge is practical for a busy day but it is also cute to top off an outfit.
Lastly, although it is hard to see in the picture, I decided to wear a long gold necklace to tie the whole outfit together.
I decided to pull my hair up in a high bun, I keep my hair down 90% of the time, but sometimes I like to change it up and pull it up with a high bun.
I hope this gives you some suggestions of an outfit to wear when you have a packed full day.
Have a great weekend and do something fun especially with the holiday season just beginning!
I am really excited to share this outfit with you today. I pulled this look together with different things in my closet. I love pulling outfits together and mixing pieces together. I wore this outfit when I was recently home. I was out running errands and I wanted something that was that both cute but also comfortable since I knew I was going to be busy.
Transitioning from fall to winter.
Due to my lighter hair (especially in the summer) emerald green is a color that I love to wear, it compliments my light hair and skin tone. I got this sweater for Christmas a few years ago. It’s from Polo Ralph Lauren. This sweater is so warm and thick. I also love the collar, it’s so unique and really adds to the outfit.Normally, I wear it with jeans, or a skirt, but today since I knew I was going to be out and about, I opted for leggings.
Speaking of leggings, these are my favorite black leggings from GAP. I love GAP’s leggings. They are thick, so they keep my warm and are also long lasting. The green and the black compliment each other well.
Lastly, with cold weather quickly approaching winter boots are a must. I got these Sperry boots from DSW a few years back. They were the best decision. I wear them in transition between the fall and winter and I always wear them in the winter. They are warm and durable. I like the shorter boot since I can wear them with jeans or leggings.
Overall, this outfit was put together with all things found in my closet. I love when I can wear a new outfit and not have to spend a penny on it. Sometimes, it just takes some creativity to put together a new outfit.
What fashion trend are you most looking forward to with winter approaching?
Today, I’m sharing about my trip to Pittsburgh Light Up Night last weekend. I went with my good friends Bailey and Olivia and a few other friends from school. Bailey and I met last year through mutual friends and work and the first time we hung out was at Light Up Night. Last semester we spent a lot of time together through work and this semester we practically spend every Tuesdays and Thursdays together since we have a lot of the same classes and schedules. I’m so glad we have gotten so close the past year. She has been the absolute best person to have in my life this past year.
We decided to get into the holiday spirit by going to Light Up Night together to not only celebrate Christmas but also out friend-aversy.
Here’s a look into our fun night together in Pittsburgh!
We started our night with burgers and shakes at Burgatory on the North Shore It was so good, Friday was definitely our cheat day and we took full advantage of it.
I got the Cookie Monster shake. So delicious
This burger was heavenly
After we ate we took the T (Pittsburgh’s subway system over to Market Square, we looked at all the little shops and stopped to see all the decorations.
So many Christmas decorations all over the city
Once we finished in Market Square we headed over to the PPG skating rink where the tree was and we stopped to get some pictures.
The tree all lit up around the skating rink
Our whole group
This was Bailey, Olivia and I last year
And this is us a year later…Love these ladies
Liv and I
Happy Friendaversay Bailey!!
There were concerts going on all around the city so we stopped to listen to some live music and got some drinks to keep us warm. We made our way back to the North Shore via the T and we watched the fireworks.
Beautiful fireworks
It was a 15 minute show and the fireworks were gorgeous over the water with the city in the background. That concluded our night in the city, we headed back to school with Christmas joy filled in our hearts.
I love the city at night
I love going to Light Up Night, I’ve gone for the past three years and it is my favorite way to kick off the holiday season. The city is gorgeous with all the decorations. I can’t wait to start decorating for Christmas after Thanksgiving.
If this doesn’t get you into the mood for Christmas then I don’t know what does
Speaking of Thanksgiving, I’m going to be taking Thursday off to spend some time with family and enjoy the holidays. I’ll be back here next Tuesday! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Another week is coming to an end. I don’t know about you but I am so ready for Thanksgiving. It can’t come soon enough. I am ready for some time home to relax, see family, and most importantly, eat some delicious food. It’s crazy to think it’s only a week away. When I think of Thanksgiving, besides food I always think of family and traveling to see family.
I have a double dose of fashion for you today. So, I’m not even kidding when I tell this story. One of my closest friends, Bailey and I showed up to class in the same outfit and didn’t realize it until our professor told us. It wasn’t until he said we both looked like prison guards that we realized we were wearing the same outfit. Don’t believe me? Here’s the picture for proof.
Crazy right?!
I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to break down both of our outfits.
I’ll start with mine first, everything is pretty affordable and classic. I got this black and white striped top from Old Navy, I love stripes and black and white are such neutral colors that can go with any outfit.
I decided to match this striped top with a pair of black leather leggings from Target, I like that they are more durable than regular black leggings, not to mention warmer too!
The weather has been colder and colder, so I wore this long black sweater from Tillys.
I topped my outfit off from my go-to boots for fall, these new ones I got from DSW. Not only are they cute, but also affordable and comfortable. This is a simple outfit but it’s perfect for colder months.
Now, moving onto Bailey’s outfit. She got her dark jeans from American Eagle, another place that I always have luck finding jeans, especially one sale after the season is over.
Her black and white sweater is from Old Navy as well as her puffer vest. What can I say, good friends shop at the same stores!
Lastly, she got these cute high boots from Nordstrom’s. Not only are the stylish but also comfortable.
Whew…there you have it, two look of the days for the price of one. This weekend is going to be a fun one, Bailey and I are heading to the city to get into the holiday spirit with Light Up Night which well be fun and then Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Stay tuned for a post on Tuesday all about our Light Up Night adventure.
Wow, November is flying by…I can’t believe we are almost halfway through the month. I hope you have been able to enjoy these days of fall before the holiday rush is in full swing. I’m enjoying the changing of leaves and crisper weather that November brings before the snow settles in.
I know Thanksgiving is still a several days away, but I wanted to share with you what I am thankful for today. Next week I have a fun post for you all so that brings me to the things I’m thankful for.
Let’s begin!!
My Family
I wouldn’t be anywhere without my family. They constantly support me in all I do, I know I can count on them for advice, laughs, love, and support. Some of my favorite memories are made at home with my parents, brothers, and dogs. Family over everything.
Family over Everything
Sibling goals or Squad goals?!
My Friends
I am so lucky I have great friends both at home and at school. Next semester and next year will be a huge adjustment for me as so many of my friends are graduating. I never thought I would have to make new friends during my last few semesters of college. Haha! I’m so thankful to have good friends that support me, take me as I am, and are genuine.
My best friends from Home
Gonna miss this girl when she graduates in a few weeks!
I seriously don’t know where I would be without this girl. We may have met through work but she has become one of my closest friends, and yes, I have no idea what Im going to do once she graduates.
Thankfully, I wills till have these girls by my side once all my friends graduate next May
My Faith
I wouldn’t be here or be able to do half the things if it weren’t for my faith. I make time every day for my faith and it is so important that I make it a priority for me. I can truly do all things through God.
Good Health
I couldn’t be more thankful for good health not only for me but also my family and friends. In a world with so much sickness and suffering I am happy I am healthy and I can do everything I want.
Good Education
The older I get, the more appreciative I am of getting a good education. Although, college can be stressful and challenging I am so lucky to be able to go to such a good school that is a perfect fit for me. I have truly come into my own at school. I am so thankful for all the opportunities that have been presented to me while in school. I only have two more semesters left and I am going to make the most out of them.
Can this campus get any more beautiful???
Good Job
I am so thankful that I have a good job at school. Although, it is stressful, I have learned so much not only about others but also myself. I have become more confident in this role and I have made some of my best friends through this job. It has been one of the best things that has happened to me at college.
Staff Photos round 2
This Blog
I am also super thankful for all of you who read my blog every week. I love sharing parts of my life with you and I am so thankful you are all on this journey with me. This has been such a creative outlet for me through college and I love being able to have this community with all of you.
Always working on my blog
That’s just a few of the top things I am thankful for, there are so many more. While you are eating delicious food and catching up with family over Thanksgiving dinner be sure to keep in mind what you are thankful for. Have the best week!
Today, is a very good day as tomorrow is fall break. The first half of the semester has been very busy, so I am looking forward to having some much-needed time off. In the midst of midterms and papers, I keep reminiscing about my Ed Sheeran concert last week. One of my favorite souvenirs to get at a concert are the t-shits! They are a good reminder of the event and you can wear them often. When I have gone to concerts in the past and I get t shirts, I really like to make a whole outfit of it not just a regular t-shirt.
Turning a t-shirt into an outfit
Today’s look of the day is dressing up a t-shirt into a cute outfit. The statement piece of this outfit is obviously my Ed Sheeran t-shirt. I opted for the white t-shirt instead of a black one to break up the colors.
Since it is fall and the weather is cooler, I decided to wear a pair of straight cut jeans, yes, the same ones from the concert, they are not only comfortable, but you can dress them or down. I got my jeans from Old Navy.
I added some brown hues to my wardrobe with my boots and jacket. These peep toe brown boots are perfect for fall, especially when the weather is cool in the morning but warm in the afternoon. I got these boots for an affordable price at T.J. Maxx.
Since my concert shirt is short sleeves, I knew a jacket was a must. I wore this brown leather jacket from Francesca’s to finish off my outfit. It not only kept me warm, but it was also stylish.
This was just one way to wear a concert t-shirt. I did go to a few other concerts this past summer, so I will be showing you other ways to wear this look.
I’m off to wrap up my last few classes before it is officially fall break! I am counting down the minutes.
