Creating a Personal Uniform

Let's have a little chat about why creating a personal uniform will actually make your life easier. Have you ever wasted time in the morning by standing in front of your closet scrounging for the perfect outfit to wear, but after throwing something on and running out the door you're still not satisfied? Yeah..me too. I can definitely say searching for something to wear has made me late at least a time or two. Aside from picking my outfits ahead of time for the week, I have also found that creating a personal uniform is helpful. This personal uniform helps me to save time, minimizes morning stress, and provides me with a signature look. Three things that are pretty valuable. 

Most people hear the word uniform and think of two things: sports teams or catholic school.  This personal uniform is neither of these things.  Additionally, a common thought is that a uniform is pretty dull. Contrary to belief, this personal uniform will help you be consistent and fun in your fashion choices. Thus giving people a way to remember you. Think about some large icons- Jackie Kennedy was known for her distinct style, Mark Zuckerberg and his plethora of gray t-shirts, and Vera Wang's constant get up of leggings and tunics just to name a few. The personal uniform does not  have to consist of you wearing the same exact outfit everyday. However it is what you create it to be- there are no rules. Below are the simple steps I took to build my uniform. Your steps might be different, but my hope is that these will at least inspire you to begin. 

Gather inspiration

I began by creating a pinterest board filled with outfits, color palettes, and patterns that I liked. After an extended time of pinning, I sorted through the pins to get rid of the ones that just didn't seem to belong. Doing this helped me come up with a central theme for my uniform.  

Eventually, I created pinterest boards based on the seasons. Overall, my color palette stays the same, but the articles of clothing change based on the temperature. My theme seems to be classic prep featuring hues of blues, white, grays, and pinks. As far as patterns go you will be able to find lots of stripes, a ton of plaid, and a little bit of leopard as well as polka dots. 

Create guidelines

Use the theme you're looking to achieve to set guidelines for the pieces you'll add to your wardrobe. My advice would be to stick to the classics rather than the trendy stuff. 

My guidelines were to find pieces that I could mix and match rather than something I could only wear with one top.  Additionally, I tried to stick with the themes I created too. 

Find your signature accessories and stick to them

Choose a few go to accessories and wear them continuously. You honestly don't need a hundred pairs of different earrings, the same Kendra Scott necklace in every color, nor a ton of headbands.  Less is more when it comes to accessorizing.  Keeping your accessories to a minimum ensures that they match your theme, allows you to spend less time focusing on how you will accessorize each day, and it gives you something to remembered by. 

This was an easy thing for me to figure out. I am known for my love of pearl and monograms. My signature accessories would be stud earrings, a peal necklace, a simple silver bracelet, my Fitbit, and something monogrammed (either my necklace or ring). 

Find items that look good and make you feel good

Don't buy something just because it's trendy. Purchase items that actually look good on you. You are more likely to wear an article of clothing that fits you well. When it fits well, it will make you feel good. 

Crop tops have been all the rage the last few years. I've kindly declined to jump on the crop top train. They don't flatter my figure plus they make me feel super self conscious. Another article of clothing that I refuse to wear are denim shorts. They just don't fit my style plus I find them incredibly uncomfortable. 

Remember this is an investment 

It's important to keep in mind that you are working to build a long lasting wardrobe. You are not searching for the cheapest trendiest items. You want to be particular with what you buy. This might be splurging on some items here and there, which is totally okay. Quality of quantity is key here. 

In the past few years I have opted for more expensive shoes. They are all timeless looking, top quality, and will last me longer than a cheaper version. 

So what does my personal uniform look like?

I have a business casual uniform. You can checkout some of those looks here.  They mainly consist of nude or black shoes, stripes, and cardigans.  My weekend uniform consists of athleisure (black leggings, sneakers, and an oversized long sleeve shirt) or something casual (jeans, a simple top, a comfortable over sized cardigan, and booties). 

I hope these tips and tricks will help inspire you to create your own uniform. 

XOXO

Overcoming Homesickness in College

First of all, know that it is totally normal to be feeling this way.  I think almost everyone goes through a period of being homesick at some point in their life. For most of us, the first time we encounter this awful feeling is during college. College is the first time that you spend a significant amount of time away from the place you grew up in. It can be a challenge to break out of your comfort zone, meet new people, discover who you are, establish your own routines, and succeed while being away from the support system you've had for so long. It's important to know that your support system is still there, but you need to reach out to them to let them know that you need them. I think it's more common to be homesick in the spring semester rather than the fall semester. In the fall, everything is new and exciting. However, in the spring it's not so new and exciting. Plus the colder weather keeps you trapped inside rather than being out and about having fun. Today I'm sharing some tips to overcoming this homesickness. By no means am I a professional, so these tips are just things that have helped me and people I know.  If your homesickness is more serious, then I recommend seeking professional help because it could be something more serious.

Understand this is a normal feeling
Like I said at the beginning of this post, this is a normal feeling to have. It's important to know that you are not alone in feeling this way. Most of us experience homesickness at some point in college. The degree varies from person to person, but I'm willing to bet more people share these feelings than you'd think. Learning to acknowledge and accept your homesickness is helpful in dealing with it.

Get used to new surroundings
The more comfortable you get with your new campus and the surrounding area, the better off you will be.  Take some time to walk around campus, find some places you like to eat, discover a great study spot, and figure out things you like to do there.

Create your own space- a home away from home
Make your room a place you feel safe and relaxed in. This is your home away from home, so it actually needs to feel like it.  I recommend decorating it and adding items that make it feel happy to you. For me, I liked to have pictures and quotes hanging up. Additionally, having a clean and organized space was helpful.

Stay connected- but not too connected

Yes, it is important to stay in touch with your family and friends from back home. However, there should be a balance in the amount of communication. It's going to take some trial and error to find this balance, but I can assure you it is important to discover it. No, I'm not saying you should never call home, but doing it multiple times everyday isn't the best either. Talking with friends and family 24/7 while at college will prevent you from living in the moment.  It won't allow you to truly enjoy college.  Additionally, too much communication might make you feel like you're missing out on experiences at home- thus making your homesickness worse.  Instead, I would find a regular time to chat with family and friends. Maybe every Wednesday you and your BFF FaceTime, several times a week you chat with your parents, and every morning you text someone else.  Regardless, you need to find balance in order to stay in touch with friends and family without losing out on your college experience.

Talk to other people on campus
Sharing with your friends how you feel might help you deal with overcoming this.  They will be able to support you and force you out of your comfort zone a little bit.  If you don't tell them, then they might wonder why you are being so distant. You also could consider talking to your advisor or the campus counselor.

Make time for sadness but not too much time
It's okay to be sad sometimes, but it's definitely not okay to allow yourself to be in a constant state of sadness. Letting your feelings out every once in awhile is good because it prevents you from bottling everything up inside. Sometimes you might actually feel better after letting it all out. Being sad all the time will prevent you from being happy as well as create a pessimistic outlook on college.

Get involved
Getting involved on campus and the community will definitely help make things better. Take some time to look at the clubs your campus has to offer. Attend a few meetings to see if these clubs are a good fit for you.  This will help you meet more people and become busier. When you are busier, you have less time to dwell on missing home.

Stay positive
Last but not least, try to stay positive. This won't alway be easy, but it will help you get through things much easier.  Sometimes in life we have to fake it until we make it.  If you are able to convince yourself that you are happy, then it might just work.

Best of luck!
XOXO

Top 10: Things to do Before Student Teaching

For some of you, you're just days away from your first official day as a student teacher.  Emotions are probably high- excited, sad, nervous, and the list goes on. Some of you are probably over prepared while others are wondering where to even begin to prepare.  It was only one semester ago when I was in your shoes, so I know exactly how you're feeling (check it out here).  

Take a deep breath- it. will. be. okay! 

Today I wanted to share some things you can do in the following days to make sure you are prepared for your very first day. Here's my list of ten things you can do in the upcoming days in order to head into your semester of student teaching prepared. 

One: Gather your supplies

Take a little inventory on your school supplies. What do you have and what do you need?  The supplies you need for student teacher are a little different than if you were taking classes. You'll want a large binder to keep your lesson plans in,  pencils, black pens, colored pens, highlighters, post-it notes, agenda, notebook, markers, and anything else that makes you happy. You can check out my recommendations for supplies from my blog post back in August all about school supplies for student teaching.

Two: Checkout your wardrobe

Yesterday I shared with you my tips and tricks for dressing in business casual.  Spend some time going through your wardrobe mixing and matching different outfit combinations.  The more outfits you have created the easier it will be to get dressed. Make a list of items you need to get and items you want. Remember you're on a college budget and there is a difference between wants and needs. 

Three: Begin to create a portfolio

This sounds a little intimidating and overwhelming.  You don't have to have this perfected, but you will want to start. Begin by gathering supplies and figuring out what format you want to you. My portfolio is a digital one that is hosted by weekly.  If you have questions about this, let me know and I'd be happy to help you. 

Four: Update your resume/ cover letter

By now you should have created a resume. Take a few minutes to update it and make sure it is error free. Throughout this semester you'll have the opportunity to interview for jobs, so it will be easier if you have this done now rather than rushing to get it done later on.  The same goes for a cover letter. Begin to draft one, if you don't have one yet.  It doesn't need to be perfect, but chances are you will be working on it during one of your seminars. 

Five: Social media clean up

This should have already been done by now, but just in case it hasn't get on it.  When getting hired, your social media accounts will be viewed.  Just because you have them set to private doesn't mean that they can't be viewed.  Make sure everything you are tagged in and have posted is appropriate. The grandma test will help you (if you'd be embarrassed for your grandmother to see it, then it probably shouldn't be posted). Check for alcohol, foul language, etc. If you want to be proactive, then you could also create a professional twitter. This is a great way to showcase your digital citizenship, projects you've done with students, accomplishments you've had, etc.  

Six: Get organized

Starting off the semester organized always brought me inner peace and clarity. It's one way to feel like you have your life together, even if in reality you don't.  There's lots of different things to organize, but there's several items I definitely would.   Clean up the files on your computer, organize your room, organize your closet, and organize your bathroom. Doing this will make you feel much better. 

Seven: Go shopping

Who doesn't love a little retail therapy? Grab a friend or your mom and head out to your favorite stores. If you're stressing or have a little anxiety, it might calm your nerves.  I'm sure you've figured out somethings you need to be ready (school supplies, groceries, a lunch box, clothes, shoes). Take advantage of this time to go out and buy these items.  At the very least, you need to go grocery shopping so you can meal prep for the week.  

Eight:Do something fun 

Seriously. This is a must. Call your friends and plan something fun for the weekend.  This is your time to let loose, laugh, make a few more memories, and enjoy the time you have with friends.  Maybe go to a winery, visit an aquarium, go shopping, enjoy brunch, a night out, or watch that movie you've been wanting to see. This semester you'll feel isolated from your friends as they will be taking classes on campus and you'll essentially be adulting.  Remember it's your senior year, so you should be making memories and having fun with your friends. Use this time now before you're swamped with grading, lesson planning, applying for jobs, and all of that fun stuff. 

Nine: Meal Prep

Head over to pinterest for a little inspiration.  The more you cook now, the easier your nights will be during the week.  Start with something easy, then work your way up to more challenging things.  Checkout my pinterest board if you need some help getting started. 

Ten: Treat Yourself

The day before you begin, do something for yourself.  Get a manicure, a pedicure, buy a latte, binge watch your favorite Netflix show, etc.  Do something for yourself that will make you feel relaxed.  In the upcoming months you won't have much time to do these little things, so take advantage of your time now and #treatyourself. 

If you're still feeling lost be sure to checkout my following links for help:

Student Teaching Survival Guide

Teacher Outfits

Thursday Thoughts to Inspire Teachers

What's in my bag: Student Teaching Edition

Work Week Breakfasts

School Supplies for Student Teaching

Monday Motivation

Walk in my Week: Student Teaching Week 2

Walk in my Week: Student Teaching Updates

Good luck!

XOXO

What's in My Bag: Student Teaching Edition

A few weeks ago when I shared that I would be creating this series I got a few questions regarding what student teachers should bring with them on a daily basis. This is definitely a personal preference. Some people might bring more items back and forth, on a daily basis, while others will carry very few things. It also will depend on the space you are given to make your own within the classroom you are located. I was fortunate to have my own desk. My cooperating teaching was kinda enough to provide me with just about all of the supplies I needed (post it notes, pencils, pens, highlighters, notepads, paper, index cards, a clipboard, paper clips, stickers, tape, white out, binder clips, rubber bands, markers, a coffee mug, tissues, hand sanitizer, and more). I was also in a safe privileged school, so I was able to leave things on my desk without them being taken.  This meant that I didn't have to bring too many supplies back and forth with me- only the ones that I would need to complete the items on my nightly to do list. 

Let's start off with the bag. I had been looking at this tote from Madewell for several years. I always thought it would be what I would ask for as a graduation present since it didn't quite align with my college student budget.  However, a few weeks before school started J.Crew came out with their fall catalogue as well as a sale.  I found a tote even better than the transport tote I originally wanted. The All Day Tote was just screaming my name. It seemed to be similar in size to the other tote, but it had more pockets- better for organization.  I ended up getting it for about 50% off, so I decided to personalize it with my first initial.  The gold personalization and the bag tag really spice the plain black bag up. The bag itself was designed to be an everyday bag to get the working woman through an entire day (barre class all the way through lunch and the working day). This bag definitely did not disappoint me this past semester. I have gotten my money's worth and will use it throughout my teaching career. 

Folders

I typically brought two folders back and forth each day. One folder contained assignments that needed grading. Keeping them in a folder helped me prevent them from getting damaged in my bag.  The other folder contained miscellaneous items like papers that needed copied, ideas for future lessons, notes from seminar, etc. This was the first time I used filing folders as opposed to pocket folders. I actually found that the filing folders were better to use because they didn't crinkle the papers and could hold more.  I found these folders on sale at TJ Maxx before the semester started. 

iPad/Laptop

I alternated between bringing my laptop and ipad.  I has access to the wifi, so I was able to bring either device.  The school I was at relied heavily on Google Drive, so I had access to all necessary documents from pretty much anywhere.  If I knew we would have the laptop cart, then I would only bring my iPad in. However, if we didn't have the laptop cart reserved then I would bring my laptop in. I found it easier to grade online assignments from my ipad, but it was easier to create assignments, lesson plans, etc. using my laptop. 

Notebook

This was something I used a lot.  My agenda had a few blank pages in it, but I ran out of those pretty quickly. This notebook came to meetings, lesson planning with my cooperating teacher, home on the weekends, etc. I used it to take notes during meetings, write out daily to do lists, write reminders to myself, inspirational quotes, things my students would say that stuck with me, etc.  This notebook was the perfect size. You can find something like it at Target, Amazon, Marshalls, or TJ Maxx. 

Agenda/Plan book

I highly recommend getting an agenda to use just for the semester of student teaching. You will want something with a lot of space and multiple calendars. I used the front calendar to keep track of my personal life and the calendar before each month as one to keep track of school life (meetings, letter days, assemblies, etc.). I purchased a jumbo Lilly agenda towards the end of last year.  It gave me plenty of space and provided me with colorful inspiration on challenging days.  

Pencil Case

I brought this back and forth with me, but I mainly used it when I was grading papers or writing lesson plans outside of school.  This creme de la creme (cream of the crop) pencil case is from Anthropologie.  They don't sell this exact one anymore, but you can still find similar ones here. I always kept a few black pens, a highlighter, a pencil, eraser, paper clips, binder clips, rubber bands, white out, stickers and a packet of post-it notes inside of it. 

Wallet

This one is pretty self explanatory since you shouldn't leave the house without it.  Plus you never know when you might need a few dollars to donate to whatever the cause of the month is. 

Emergency Kit

I call this pouch my emergency kit, but it's really just the random items I never know when I need.  I bring this in all of my bags.  I usually keep lotion, hair ties, a hair clip, bobby pins, lipstick, chapstick, feminine products, hand sanitizer, gum, cough drops, tissues, advil, and my inhaler in it. All of these items came in handy throughout the semester. 

Glasses

Some days I needed these and others I didn't, but I always liked to keep them with me.  I found that days when I did a lot on the computer or when I was grading essays I needed them. 

Water Bottle

Water is something that I hardly ever leave the house without.  During the school day water is a necessity.  As a teacher, you talk a lot. Your throat will get dry, so you always want to make sure you have water.  I used the 32 oz. Hydroflask. It kept my water colder throughout the entire school day. I would usually try to fill this up twice from the time I woke up to the time I went to sleep. Drinking out of a water bottle consistently also helped me track how much water I was consuming. 

Travel Mug

This came to and from school with me just about everyday. Some mornings it was filled with ice/cranberry juice/orange juice, iced coffee, or hot tea. During school, my cooperating teacher would make tea so I would fill it up on chilly afternoons as a pick me up.

Lunchbox

In case nobody has told you yet, teachers don't have much time to eat. You will want to pack your lunch to save time and to make sure you're eating healthy.  I always made sure my lunchbox was filled with a mid morning snack, lunch, and an afternoon snack for the hour (plus some) long drive home. My Vera Bradley Lunch Bunch Bag fit perfectly in my tote. 

Other Items:

Some other items I kept in my bag were a hair brush, my keys, pepper spray, my school ID, my ID for the school district I was in, and a charger for my laptop/ipad. 

XOXO

Making the Most of 8 Ams

It's safe to say that the average college student would say that they hate having 8 Am classes.  I mean nobody likes to wake up and go to class when they could sleep in and take that same class later on in the day. Unfortunately, the chances that you will encounter at least one 8am class during college is pretty high.  I think your perspective definitely determines if these early morning classes are a good thing or not. Believe it or not there are some people out there who actually enjoy waking up early and getting their classes done with earlier in the day. During college I had several early morning classes. I liked 9am classes better than 8 ams.  The hour makes a big difference! Since it's the beginning of the semester, I thought I would share some tips and tricks for making the most of these early morning classes.

Prepare the night before
Take ten minutes the night before to pick out your outfit, pack your bag, and make sure you have all of your assignments done. The more you do the night before, the less time you'll need to spend getting ready in the morning. You might even want to consider showering the night before, so that you can sleep in a little bit later.

Set your alarms
Yes, I meant to say alarms as in multiple ones. If you're like me, then you understand why I'm saying this. I have a fear of sleeping through my alarm, so I always like to set two or three alarms.

Get a good night's rest
Don't stay up incredibly late the night before an early morning class. It will make it even more difficult to wake up, and chances are you will be groggy during class. Try to plan to get 7-9 hours of sleep.

Eat something
Be sure to eat something before you get to class. This will give you energy. The last thing you want is to get hungry mid way through class and be distracted by your stomach growling. If you don't have time to hit the dining hall, then grab a piece of fruit or granola bar and eat them as you walk to class.

Reward yourself
During college, most of the campus is asleep while you're in this early morning class. Once you get to the real world this own't be the case, so reward yourself now. Treat yourself on these days.  After class, stop at your favorite coffee shop for a latte and your favorite pastry.

Wear your gym clothes to class
If you don't have a break in your schedule after this class, then plan to hit the gym afterwards.  You will already be up and out of your room, so why not take advantage of the day? Go to class dressed in your clothes for the gym, so then you can just head straight there.

Walk to class
If you are able to, then choose to walk to class. The early morning walk will help wake you up and prepare you to learn.  Studies have proven that doing physical activity prior to studying will help you learn better.

Be engaged during class
Try to hand write your notes rather than type them. This will force you to pay attention during class rather than mindlessly typing. It will also prevent you from browsing the internet.  It's also good to sit up front, so that you are not tempted to doze off during those boring lectures.  Lastly, ask questions during class. This will help you stay on task with what you are learning, and it will help you better understand the material.

Review your notes
After class, take some time to review the notes you took. This will help reinforce the content and ensure that you completely comprehended the lecture. This is also a great time to re-write or type any part of the notes that you took that were unclear.

I do have to say taking early morning classes definitely made me drink more coffee during college. Taking early morning classes might not be ideal, but waking up early and being disciplined will help make your transition from college to the real world much easier.  Most jobs require you to wake up and early and be productive. If you start forming good habits now, then they will follow you throughout life.  This semester I can definitely attest to this.  Waking up at 5am makes taking 8am classes seem like nothing.


XOXO

School Supplies for Student Teaching

Tis the season for back to school.  This Fall's back to school preparations are a little different for me than ever before.  I'm not preparing for a semester filled with five to seven classes, exams, flashcards to use for studying, nor having anxiety attack over how pricy textbooks are.  Instead, I'm preparing to meet the seventy plus students I'll be teaching for the next three and a half months.  Needless to say that the supplies I need are much different. I had some trouble figuring out what tools I would need to successfully navigate my way through this semester's adventures. I guess I won't really know if I have the essentials until I'm in the midst of teaching.  

Notebook

I decided to purchase a notebook that I would use to take notes about student teaching, jot down things that are working well as well as those that aren't, make to do lists, tips and tricks of the teaching profession, write funny stories about my encounters with middle schoolers, and things I learn in my weekly seminars. 

Binder

I'm required to keep a binder filled with all of my lesson plans I create throughout student teaching. I'm sure this will fill up pretty quickly. 

Washi Tape

I will be teaching two different types of classes, so I'm planning to use the two different colored rolls of tape to help me color coordinate the classes. I'm thinking I'll probably use the tape for the monthly calendar more than anything else. 

Pens and Pencils

This one is a given. I have lots of black and blue pens to use for planning and writing to do lists.  My favorite color ink is purple, so I bought a bunch of purple pens to use for grading.  A fun fact about me is that I hate red ink. It makes me feel very negative, which is why I don't grade students' papers in red ink.

Stickers

What student doesn't love to see a sticker on an assignment they did really well on?

I may or may not have a little DIY post coming up about these. Stay tuned for more details!

Agendas

Yes, I meant to say agendas plural as in I have two agendas. I'm unsure how this is going to workout, but I thought I'd give it a try. I have a jumbo agenda to use for student teaching and a large agenda for blogging as well as my personal life.  I purchased the jumbo agenda back in May. It's a 2015-2016 agenda, so I got it at a discounted rate. I intend to use this to help me with lesson planning and school related tasks.  

Notepad

I bought a vertical notepad four years ago when I left for college. This summer I finally finished up with all of the papers it came with. I like to use these to make my lists on. The narrow paper allows for less paper to be wasted when making any type of list. 

Binder Clips and Paper Clips

I have tons of these from the past four years, but I also bought an adorable set of gold and white patterned ones. These are great for keeping track of different class' assignments.  I also like to use them to attach my to do lists to my agenda. 

Post-it Notes

I am kind of obsessed with these. I have them in all different shapes and sizes. I use them for to do lists, to label things, to help me plan lessons, as bookmarks, and to write reminders to myself. I think most teachers, student teachers, and students would agree that using post-it notes is an essential for back to school supplies. 

Clip Board

Every teach has their own organization methods. I like to use my clipboard to organize myself each day. I keep seating charts, grade charts, and an overview of the day's lessons on it. I also like to use a clipboard to help me take notes as I walk around the room observing the students during their independent practice time. 

I got most of my supplies from Target, Marshall's, Dollar General and Walmart. I thought I'd share with you some great places for some of the back to school essentials

Folders

Color Blocked Folder

Tabbed Folders

Gold and White File Folders

Notebooks

Polka Dot Notebook

Gold Striped Notebook

Be Fabulous Notebook

Agendas

Lilly Pulitzer

Kate Spade

Graceful Garden Planner

Other Essentials

Clipfolio

Bow Paper Clips

Weekly List Pad

Pencil Pouch

What are your back to school essentials this year?

XOXO

Your Guide to Sorority Recruitment

In case you're new to my blog or somehow missed my posts from the past three years, I was (still kinda am...since I haven't graduated quite yet) a proud member of Greek Life at my school. Four years ago I definitely could not imagine that I'd be saying that, but here I am a sorority woman. 

Greek Life definitely isn't for everybody, but I don't think you can be judgmental of it until you have given it a chance. 

Sorority recruitment can definitely be an overwhelming thing.  No matter how many blog posts you read, pinterest pins you have, or how great your outfits are I don't think you can ever be fully prepared for recruitment.  It's important to remember as you read all of these things that recruitment is a little or a lot different from school to school. My recruitment experiences in eastern Pennsylvania definitely differed from my friends who go to larger schools down south. With that being said, my tips for recruitment are based on my personal experiences, so don't let them intimidate you or get frustrated if they differ from something else you've read or experienced. 

Before I share my tips, I thought I'd share a brief synopsis of my recruitment story.  In August of 2013, I transferred from my dream school to a state school that I wasn't in love with. I was struggling to become involved on campus, and quite frankly I wasn't really motivated to join any organizations. My mom being a sorority woman, encouraged me give Greek Life a chance. I was incredibly apprehensive, but agreed to give the recruitment process a chance. When I went through recruitment, there were eight sororities on campus. The format of recruitment was two days of open house rounds, philanthropy night, and preference. I missed the second night of open house rounds due to the stomach bug, so I missed the opportunity to meet half of the sororities on campus (this definitely limited me). I went through philanthropy round and was definitely feeling hesitant. During the first night of open house round I attended a session about a sorority that would be colonizing on campus immediately after formal recruitment ended. I decided to drop out of recruitment to go through this new chapter's recruitment process. Long story short, I ended up joining Alpha Delta Pi as a founding sister and absolutely loved (almost) every moment of it. If you want to read more about my experiences, check out my links at the bottom of this post. 

Be Yourself

This is one of the most important things. It's easy to become something you're not during the recruitment process. You may want to join a specific chapter, so you try to act or dress a certain way to impress them. Definitely do not do that. Answer all questions truthfully and don't try to be someone that you are not. The whole process will work out much better if you allow the Panhellenic women to get to know the real version of who you are. 

Take notes

The weeks leading up to recruitment, I'm sure you will be keeping an eye on what the Panhellenic women on campus act like.  Sure these things are important, but it's more important to form your opinions during actually meeting these women in the recruitment process. Meeting all the different sororities can be a bit confusing, so try to take as many notes as possible. The more notes you take the easier it will be to select the chapter you want to run home to on bid day. When taking notes, it might be helpful to jot down the names of the women you meet, several positives you liked, and several negatives that you didn't enjoy. 

Form Your Own Opinions

It can be easy to get caught up in all of the rankings, what other potential new members are saying, and what you hear on campus. Try to make your own judgements on what each sorority is like and if they would be the best fit for you. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what anybody else says about the chapter because you have to be the one to want to spend time with them. 

Always Be Positive

When mass amounts of women get together, it can be easy to go down the negative road. However, it is important to avoid this route during recruitment. The days are going to be long, there might be things that you don't like, and it's easy to get frustrated when the process doesn't work out as you had imagined it would. Having a positive attitude will make the whole process much more pleasant for both you and the people you're close to.

Trust the Process
The recruitment process is incredibly unique. It's really unlike any other life experiences I've ever had. At most schools, almost every woman is matched with a chapter. Each school's recruitment process looks a little different, but there are so many similarities at the heart of it. You might get frustrated or discouraged at times because things aren't going as you wished, but you just have to trust the process. Things happen for a reason- you just don't always know the exact reason at that given time.

Be Inquisitive
Each chapter you visit will want to know about you. It can be easy for the sorority women to dominate the conversation, in order for them to get to know you and decide if you would be a good fit for their chapter. However, you should be in control of the process since you get to make the decision too.  Don't be afraid to ask questions about aspects of their chapter you are curious about. It's important that you feel comfortable and are knowledgable too.

Take Care of Yourself
The whole process definitely has the potential to be a long roller coaster filled with emotions. Depending on how your school has set up recruitment it could be spread across two weeks, take up a long weekend, or be during the week at night.  Regardless of the format, your health is important. Be sure to eat well, drink enough water, and get enough rest to fuel your days.

Choose Your Outfits in Advance
As far as what is and isn't appropriate to wear you'll have to talk to your recruitment counselor. This definitely changes from campus to campus.  Picking out your outfits in advance will give you one less thing to stress about when recruitment finally rolls around. The last thing you would want is to be late to an event because of a wardrobe malfunction. When picking out your outfits, remember that you will want to be cute, comfortable, slightly modest, and confident.  This means if those wedges you have give you blisters, then you might want to reconsider your shoe choice.  Also when you're picking out your outfits, don't be afraid to be yourself.  Wear clothes that resemble your style rather than clothes that you think a given sorority would wear.

Best of luck!
XOXO

Get Involved in College

One of the biggest pieces of advice I have for college students is to get involved.  It's important to become involved as soon as you  possibly can. Obviously take the time to figure out what organizations are best for you, but try to do so within the first few weeks of school.  It's never too late to get involved, but the earlier you do so the more benefits you will receive.  Being involved has a significant amount of positives. 

Meet New People

When you join a new organization you are able to branch out and meet new people you might not have encountered.  The people you will meet will provide you with multiple perspectives on things, which broadens your horizons.  Additionally, college is all about networking. The more people you make connections with the better. This will come in handy later on in life when you're searching for a job.  Also, meeting new people can lead to new friendships. 

Resume Builder

This is definitely an obvious reason to become involved. Going to college is all about working to better yourself in order to prepare for your future career. Sure a degree is great to have, but you definitely will need more than a bachelors degree on your resume. Getting involved will provide you with experience and skills that will help boost your resume. 

Leadership Experience

Every organization has some type of leadership because some body or several people have to run it to a certain degree.  The earlier you get involved in an organization, the more likely you will be to seek out leadership opportunities. Additionally, larger organizations like greek life will send you away for leadership training opportunities.  I am a huge fan of leadership. I think it teaches you a lot about yourself and how to cooperate with others. There are is a large range of leadership positions from small ones that require more behind the scenes work to larger ones such as President that require lots of behind the scenes work in addition to dealing with others and being the face of the organization.  You can never have too much leadership experience.

New Experiences

Part of college is breaking out of your comfort zone. Joining a new organization will definitely bring you out of your comfort zone at some point. It could be through having a difficult conversation, learning to get along with someone who has an opposite personality as you, going some place new, doing philanthropic work or learning a new skill.  You also could meet a new friend who might take you somewhere fascinating you've never been. Joining an organization will definitely provide you with these new experiences.

Budgeting Your Time Wisely
When you add an additional meeting or activity to your daily schedule your free time decreases. One of the great things about being involved is that it teaches you how to budget your time in order to balance the organizations your involved with, eating, studying, going to class, working out, and socializing.  Time management is a skill that will help you throughout the rest of life, so the earlier you can start mastering it the better.


During college I got pretty involved. My freshman year I played varsity field hockey and was an active member of Colleges Against Cancer. From sophomore through senior year of college I was involved with coaching field hockey, a founding member of my sorority, and a member of an honors society for education majors. I held numerous leadership positions during those four years and through my involvement I met friends I will have for a lifetime, attended four leadership conferences, countless hours of leadership training, travelled to three different states, learned how to have difficult conversation, gained knowledge on how to be an effective leader, had no choice but to be good with my time management skills, and created many memories.

As you head off to school this semester, think about getting involved!
If you're returning back to college, then I'd love to hear what your favorite part about being involved is.

XOXO

Textbooks the Affordable Way

As if paying for tuition did not cost enough, now you have to think about how you are going to get your textbooks for the semester.   Most campuses are going to try to convince you to purchase or rent all of your books from their bookstore.  They will claim to have the cheapest prices, but I can almost guarantee you that you can find your books for cheaper from somewhere else.  

I know everybody has their own theory on buying or not buying textbooks, so I want to be up front and share that everything in this post is just what has worked for me best throughout the past four and a half years. I've tried many different methods: buying books 100% new from the campus store, waiting to see if I actually need a book until I get the syllabus, renting books, using e-books, etc. I've found it best to order books about three weeks before heading to campus and having them shipped to your home.  Yes, you run the risk of not needing the book. However, in my experiences it's been easier to sell the book I didn't need rather than fall behind in a class that I didn't have a book for. 

First you will need to head over to your campus bookstore website and find the tab that says textbooks. Using your course schedule, enter in the information for your course abbreviation, class number, and section number. For example, if I was taking History 101 it would appear as HIS 101-03. The course abbreviation would be HIS, the course number would be 101, and the section would be 03.  You will have to do this for every class. After doing so, it will give you a list of the books that you need. 

Each book will have a price and a number with the letters ISBN in front. These ISBN numbers are important because they are going to help you find the book for cheaper elsewhere. 

Open a new tab on your computer and go to Slugbooks.com. Once you get to this site, you will need to copy and paste the ISBN number for the first book you need into the search bar. After doing so, the search will pull up the cheapest version of the book to rent and buy from multiple companies. I suggest choosing the cheapest company. 

Once you choose a company, read the description to make sure the used book you are purchasing isn't too used. I look for phrases like "gently used" and "like new". At this point, you have the option to rent or buy a book. I suggest buying all books that are related to your major.  Books for general ed classes should be rented because you will not need them once you've passed the class. 

Select the book you want and add it to your cart. This is when you will return back to slugbooks.com and go through the same process for the rest of your books.  This process takes a little bit more time, but it ends up saving you lots of money. 

After you have purchased all of your books, you want to make a spreadsheet to keep track of all of your books. It's important to track your spending, when each book arrives, and if you rented it you'll need to know when to return it. See my sample below.

 

Other Tips:

+ If you are taking an online class, then I suggest purchasing an e-book. It will help you do keyword searches to seek out certain information.  

+ If you purchase an ebook, then you will want to have some sort of tablet. It makes it easier to navigate. 

+Renting books from Chegg has given me the best experiences. This company allows you to write in the books as much as you need to, and if you decide to keep the book rather than return it they give it to you at a discounted price. 

+If you have friends in a class, try to split the cost of the books by sharing them. 

+Before purchasing the books, see if you can borrow or purchase them from a friend who has already taken the class.

+Order your books three weeks before classes start to make sure you have them in time. 

Best of luck! 

If you have any questions, feel free to email me. 

XOXO

Ways to Decorate on a Budget

The first few weeks are crunch time for many college bound students. Everyone is running around trying to get the finishing touches for their new dorm room, apartment, house, etc. The decor in your college living space can really make this place feel like home for you. Sure, you probably have pinned beautiful rooms that you'd love to recreate in your own space, but let's face it- on a college that just is not going to happen. Today I'm sharing some things you can do to on a college budget to decorate your living space to make it feel homey and look adorable. 

Picture Frame// Picture // Cactus // White pots

Succulents // Striped pillow // Fur pillow // Desk lamp

Throw rug // Duvet cover // Desk organizer

Gallery Wall

These can take up as little or large space as you'd like.  All you need are a few frames and prints. The frames can be as cheap as a few dollars at your local dollar store or you can spend about $10 on a frame from IKEA.  When it comes to the images in your frames, you can stick to something simple like framing your favorite print from the latest Lilly Pulitzer catalog or a photograph you have actually taken.  There are also some great easy websites that you can use. I found a few of the items on my gallery wall pre-framed at Home Goods for less than $10. 

Crafty Wall Art

Spend some time completing a little DIY project. There are tons of tutorials out there to help guide you through creating your own pieces.  If you browse pinterest you will be overwhelmed with inspiration. This is a great way to incorporate your university, sorority, hometown, favorite quotes, etc. into your room.  Last year I painted a canvas with my sorority letters on it. The fun piece was a grade addition to my room.  

Monogram 

Surprise, I'm obsessed with monograms. Adding a monogram to your room decor is an easy way to personalize your room. You could purchase a wooden monogram to hang on the wall, a sticker to place on a wall, or get crafty to design your own creation. Last year, I recycled my Lilly Pulitzer agenda and covered a wooden letter with it.  

Check out my tutorial here. 

Comfy Cozy Bed

A comfortable bed is probably the most important thing when it comes to your college bedroom.  I value sleeping and being comfortable while doing so.  You want to be sure to have a mattress topper on your bed.. it will make sleeping so much better. Have some fun with decorating your bed, since it will  take up the most space in your room. Play around with the color scheme you are using. There are lots of sheets and duvet covers you can use to spice up the room.  It's also important to have a comfortable throw blanket. A well made put together bed will really put the finishing touches on your college room. 

Throw pillows

 You can never have too many pillows on your bed. The more pillows the more comfortable. Throw pillows are a fun way to spice up your room. You can find cheap pillows in various colors, patterns, and quotes at Target or TJ Maxx. 

Desk Accessories

You go to college to learn and develop skills to help you have a career. Needless to say a desk should be an essential piece of furniture in your college space.  The library, the living room couch, and the kitchen table aren't always the most distraction free areas to complete your school work, which is why I put so much emphasis on having a desk.  Your desk should be an inspiring place for you to feel motivated to study, write that term paper, or learn something new. A desk can be a large piece of furniture, which is why it is important to decorate it carefully.  A desk lamp, a pen holder, and filing system of some sort are definitely essentials. You can play around with different textures, colors, and patterns to make this area fun.  I also recommend getting a comfortable chair since you'll be spending lots of time in it. Last year I got this cute chair cover from IKEA. 

Plants

Plants are great to have in your bedroom. They make for a great decor piece when paired with an adorable pot. They also purify the air in the room. There are lots of plants that are easy to care for, which would be perfect in a college room.  You can find cute pots at places like Walmart, Target, Ikea, Home Goods, Pier 1, Anthropologie etc. 

Area Rug

This isn't a must, but it can make a cold space feel more homey. Head over to your local carpet store and ask if they have any cheap remnants you can purchase. Having a rug allows for a more comfortable spot for friends to sleep when they come to visit too. 

Best of luck deccorating!

XOXO

The Ultimate Packing List for the Dorms

This post primarily is for college freshmen as this packing list is for the college bound student living in the dorms. Leaving for your first year of college can be very overwhelming. There's so much that you need to buy, but where do you even start.  It's August, your weeks away from leaving the place you've called home for possibly your entire life, and the anxiety is definitely becoming more real.  I can't say I am sharing those same feelings with you right now, but four years I was definitely the girl experiencing all of these things. 

Packing for college can be so overwhelming. There are so many different lists out there of what people say you "need", but it is hard to tell what you need and what you can do with out. Having gone through the same experiences, I'm here to help make your weeks leading up to college and your college transition much easier. I am the oldest child in my family, so when I was entering college we really had no idea what I needed.  This list includes everything you will need with the exception of clothing. The items on this list might sound silly, but I can promise you they are the essentials.  

I suggest doing some browsing before committing to buying anything. Shop around to find the best prices for what you need. I found that Bed, Bath, and Beyond was sometimes more pricy for certain items but cheaper for others. I recommend doing some back to school shopping at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, Target, The Christmas Tree Shop, T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and Pottery Barn Teen (they have great duvet covers). 

Best of luck shopping!

XOXO

College 4.0

Hey y'all, it's me. I'm back to the blogging world, as of yesterday, now that the semester has come to an end. The past month has been pretty chaotic with end of the semester assignments, exams, moving out of my apartment, starting a new job, and adjusting to living at home (with my family) again.  Another year of college has come and gone.  This year was definitely one filled with lots of fun, growing experiences, new friendships, adventures, and a few obstacles.  

Academics:

I cannot believe that the year has come to an end. It really feels like I was just moving into my apartment with three of my sorority sisters, and now here I am moved back in at home with my parents with only one semester as a collegian left.  Senior year was definitely my best academic year of college.  I managed to make Dean's List both semesters and finished the spring semester with my first 4.0.  I had some of my favorite classes and professors this year, and I was certainly challenged to step outside of my comfort zone both as a pre- service teacher and as a student. 

This past year truly solidified that I chose the right major. I was lucky enough to be chosen to participate in a year long student teaching experience that would allow me to complete my six credit reading practicum with the same teacher and school that my student teaching would be with in the upcoming semester. I completed the first half of this year long opportunity about a month ago. This spring semester, I completed over 135 hours in a sixth grade Language Arts classroom where I had the opportunity to work with 107 students and as well as a team of knowledgable teachers. Spending 15+ hours a week in the classroom allowed to get a feel for what being a teacher is really like.  Due to these experiences I was able to realize that I love teaching.  I am eager to get back to this sixth grad classroom, in the fall, where I will be completing my student teaching. 

To check out more of my experiences from my year long placement, check out my professional blog by clicking here and typing in the password EDR 318. 

This year I also had the opportunity to grow as a student.  I had a professor who pushed me like none other has done before. I was forced to teach in challenging environments that caused me to be creative, patient, disciplined, and think outside of the box. I had never worked so hard to get an A, in a course, ever before.  During this class, in the Fall, I realized how much I enjoyed learning. 

(yes, I'm a bit of a nerd)

 Anyways, all of the hard work and several meetings with my professor made me think about my plans after my undergraduate career ends. Obviously I'm hoping to get a teaching job, but this professor got me to think even further than that.  Through our conversations, I've decided that I would like to obtain my masters of education in reading with a reading specialist certificate.  I thought about starting this endeavor this summer, but after lots of thinking I chose to give myself the summer off and begin next Spring (hopefully). 

Sorority Life:

The first half of this year I finished the second half of my presidency as Chapter President of my sorority.  Handing over my gavel was definitely bittersweet, but I was able to enjoy the fun aspects of my sorority in the spring rather than worrying about all the operational side of things.  I can't say I didn't love not being on our Executive Board for the first time ever, but I definitely enjoyed the extra free time I had.  My hard work paid off when I was awarded Panhellenic President of 2015 this past February. To read more about my experiences as President click here. 

At the end of Spring semester, I went through a ceremony (Jewel Degree) to become an alumna member of Alpha Delta Pi. Although I won't be graduating until December, I had the opportunity to become an alumna since I won't have much free time during student teaching. This ceremony was so special since founding sisters who graduated the past few years came back, my mentor since day one of joining ADPi was there, and Alpha Delta Pi has been such a huge part of experience at my college since transferring. Following this ceremony was our senior sendoff ceremony where we gave speeches and the chapter gave us adorable notes/gifts.  It was difficult to say goodbye to the chapter that I helped create, but I have faith that they will continue to flourish in the years to come. 

Social Life:

Socially I had an exciting year. I was able to become closer with friends I had previously known and form new friendships with sisters and classmates.  This year I managed to make two trips up to Penn State University to visit my best friend, spend Halloween in Philadelphia, attend numerous greek life social functions, discover new restaurants and bars, enjoy homecoming,attend several weddings, celebrate lots of birthdays, volunteer at a fashion show and attend several benefits.

A glimpse at some of my favorite memories this year:

Lessons I've learned this year:

+Don't sweat the small stuff

+It's important to treat yourself every now and then

+Sometimes it's easier to just be nice to people rather than holding a grudge

+It's better to pick up the phone than text someone when you need to have a difficult discussion

+Having your act semi-together can intimidate people, even if you don't think you're a kind person

+It's important to get off campus to study

+The library isn't always the most productive place to get stuff done 

+Attention to detail is an important skill that will take you far in life

+ It's okay to break out of your comfort zone every once in awhile

+People can change- sometimes for the better and other times for the worse

+The saying the early bird gets the worm is actually true more times than not

+Your GPA won't define who you are as a person, but it can help you get to where you need to be

Checkout some of my other reflections from college:

Welcome to WAC

Transferring

Transferring Part 2

Semester Reflection

Two Years Down

Surviving Fall 2014

Three More Semesters

XOXO