Fall OOTD

I recently went out with my boyfriend and a group of his friends to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch a UFC fight. It was AWESOME. I loved the atmosphere and it was altogether a really fun experience. This is what I wore that night - it was a little chilly so I figured I'd use my new jacket from Target for the first time! :)






Jacket - Merona collection from Target, $40.00
Shirt - Mudd shirt from Kohl's, $12.99
Scarf - Merona from Target, $12.00
Leggings - Aerie, $10.00
Rain Boots - Hunter, $80.00

Study Essentials

I recently began my Freshman year at college, and have learned quite a few things in a short amount of time. The most important part of your academics is studying, so here are my study essentials!

1. Textbooks - lugging them around to the library and back to the dorms is really obnoxious, but it helps. You always have something to refer to if you have study questions that you can't answer yourself. 

2. Laptop - I write notes electronically and back them up on an 8 GB flashdrive. Electronic notes are quicker and easier than hand-writing notes I've found; its easier to jot down all the things your professor says when you're typing it rather than scrambling to keep neat notes and get the proper information. A laptop can also be used to find YouTube videos to aid your education, and so much more. Just don't get distracted!

3. Sweater - Its hard to study when you're too cold or too hot, its an unnecessary distraction. I bring layers to the library with me because I never know if the AC will be too much, or not enough.

4. Post-It Notes - these work well to mark pages, keep track of events in your planner, and write reminders in your textbook. Be sure to bring some along for the ride! 

5. Snacks - who wants to study when you're hungry? Not me! 

6. Colorful Pens - If you have a study guide from a professor or just are hand-writing your own notes/study guide, colorful pens enhance visual learning and absorption of information. I go so far as to even incorporate stickers into my studying process, as the combination helps me remember information and maintain organization.

7. Lip Balm - I love to have a lip balm on my desk while I'm studying in the library. I love to pamper myself and I enjoy taking a mini break to snack and hydrate my lips before getting back to study. It's just a little thing to make studying a more enjoyable time. 

8. Tea - I'm a tea person, but this applies to coffee as well. Any beverage works! Its a great idea to maintain your hydration during hours of study sessions.

9. Tumbler Cup - I love to bring my tea in a tumbler cup. I bought a huge one from Starbucks this summer, and I use it on a daily basis. Its an easy way to transport beverages to classes and to the library. 

10. Hand Sanitizer - Maybe I'm just spazzy, but so many people go and use the library that sometimes I need to bring hand sanitizer along to make myself feel better. Its so easy to get sick in college - gotta combat that in every way we can!

OOTD: Rainy Day

It's officially been too long. I've been drowning in a whirl of college - studying, studying and more studying! I've loved every second spent at my college so far. I plan to post about study tips, test taking tips, first month review, my experiences, etc. pretty soon. It was a rainy day today, about 70 degrees, and I loved it. The picture doesn't show my outfit too perfectly, but there was no better way to take a picture. Here's my OOTD:



Shirt: VS Pink Campus Tee (Black/Aqua) $27.00
Pants: Target Black Leggings $8.00
Rain Boots: Hunters (Black/Size 5M) $80.00
Jacket: Merona Gray Cinched Jacket $30.00

Move-In Day

Today marks a very exciting chapter in my life. I moved into college today! It's my Freshman year at a college near my home. The whole weekend is jam packed with orientation events all day each day. I've been awake since 5 AM, running on a solid 4.5 hours of sleep, but who's keeping track? I promptly arrived at 7 AM, moved in, and had to jump straight into orientation details. I plan to update here every once in awhile with things I've learned and what I'm experiencing emotionally, physically, and mentally. Planning to post soon. Off to more orientation stuff. :)

Nivea Raspberry Rose Lip Balm

Dramatic grass shot!! I recently purchased this beauty from Ulta, and am absolutely in love with it. I don't go a day without applying it. Its a sheer lip butter that's colorless. The greatest thing about this lip product is the scent. It has a distinct, strong scent of raspberries. It is AMAZING. I believe it was about $3.00, so its a steal for the great quality. The lip butter is very nourishing, and quite portable. I pop it in my purse or crossbody, and I'm good to go. I love applying it before my lipstick or lip pencils. It makes my lips a lot more supple and happy. I couldn't say more good things, just buy it and treat yourself!!

Michael Kors Bag

On August 7th, I turned eighteen. YAY! I had a beautiful day with my boyfriend, mother and grandmother on a boat cruise through a notorious river nearby. It was the perfect day. Everyone treated me immensely, but the biggest surprise was this bag. Its a navy Michael Kors purse from the MK outlet at a mall nearby. My boyfriend surprised me with this beauty for my eighteenth birthday. AHH! It's absolutely incredible. Everything was amazing, it was truly an unforgettable day. I'm writing about this bag in hopes it may help a potential buyer at some point. This bag is STURDY as HECK. I've found that most of the MK bags in the outlet store seem to be really sturdy. The material is practically indestructible to daily stresses that most bags would wear from. It's held up perfectly, the same condition it was when I first opened my present. I highly suggest any MK bags, because the quality is unbelievable. It it well worth the price. :)

Autumn Boots Hack

Got some cute fall boots that are losing their shape? No longer!! Run down to any superstore, and buy yourself a pool noodle or two, depending on how many pairs of boots you have. Take a knife or boxcutter (have a parent help if you're younger and be careful) and cut the noodle into fourths or thirds, depending on the height of your boots. Take the smaller noodles and push them down into your boots. They will stay tall and intact throughout the seasons!!

Lilly Pulitzer 2015 Agenda

I start college in roughly five days. Crazy, I know. High school basically flew by in a blur of teenage wonder. I am ecstatic to begin the next part of my life, but also growing a little apprehensive. Its a scary transition, and I know that the most important part of starting college is breaking bad habits I had in High School. Procrastination, lack of organization, laziness, tardy work - none of that can happen anymore. I found that the best way to start integrating better habits is by getting organized. For my birthday, I asked for a Lilly Pulitzer Agenda, and my mom gifted me one (thanks Momma!). Its not only adorable, but a fantastic way to organize your life. A planner is essential for college, and a cute one is getting you started the right way! I can easily organize assignments, social events, clubs/activities, work, and downtime all at my fingertips. This agenda is a dream because its durable, colorful, fun, yet not distracting. It has a sturdy cover, sturdy spiral holding it all together, laminated tabs, the works. The layout is quite incredible, if you ask me. There's endless space to write - a set of monthly calendars from August 2015-December 2016; a few pages titled 'Dates to Celebrate' where you can put birthdays, anniversaries, etc.; Address pages; Month calendars before each weekly layout; Notes pages, and so much more. Its vibrant, and an amazing investment. Priced at $28.00 with free shipping, I feel like you can't possibly go wrong. I use colorful highlighters (yellow, pink, orange, blue, green, purple) and colorful pens from papermate (red, orange, pink, green, blue, purple) to organize everything in my agenda. Red is tracking lady things, Pink is work shifts, Green is school events/important school dates, Blue is social events, and I have yet to allot orange and purple to a specific thing. The only downside to this agenda is that they get released every August, while each agenda goes until December of the following year. Basically, if you purchase a new agenda the next year, you waste August-December of your past agenda, but I'm fine with that personally. Another great agenda is the Erin Condren life planner - it runs about $50.00 and can be customized to your liking. Any choice is a good choice when it comes to organizing your life, I believe. Good luck, I hope this helps someone!! :) 

Weekly organization!

The inside cover 

http://www.lillypulitzer.com/product/agendas/large-agenda-wild-confetti/c/429/8294.uts?swatchName=Bright+Navy+Wild+Confetti

Coach Wristlets

I began buying these wristlets about a year ago. I started my little "collection" so to say with the brown/purple stripe wristlet to the left. It was a really great choice. Both are so versatile and surprisingly spacious for such a small wristlet. Its not too small; the perfect size, really. They fit my old iPhone 4 easily, but it's a tad too small to carry the iPhone 6. You could force it in, but that's just not a smart idea. The black one I bought to go with absolutely everything, and it was a good call.

I bought both from a nearby Coach outlet for $24.50 each. They were great purchases, and I've used them plenty. I switch between the two frequently and just use them as my regular wallet. They rock! I highly suggest any of the Coach wristlets, especially if you can find them at such an awesome discounted price. :)

Victoria's Secret Noir Tease Body Spray

I've fallen deeply in love with this scent over the past six months - I don't go a day without wearing it. The smell is addictive and so many people have complimented how I smell as I've worn it. The pricing of the Noir Tease line is pretty steep though, as this 8.4 fl oz body spray runs at $25.00 a bottle. In my mind, it's worth it. I'm a third through my first bottle (the one on the left) and I've had it about three months. Right now, Victoria's Secret is having it's annual mist event, where you buy one body mist and get one free, so of course I had to invest in the other two bottles.  You're getting two for the price of one - it's a great bargain. You can do it with any other body mist combos. I'm really excited to have these stocked up for college! I highly, highly suggest this body spray to anyone and everyone. It's a warm, floral scent with a deep dark vanilla undertone. I couldn't imagine a scent better than this one. 

My Panda loves it just as much as I do! :)