How to Survive Finals

I am definitely not used to having to prepare for final exams. My high school final exams were super easy and also heavily curved, so college finals are a whole new ball game for me. I am super excited for these next two weeks to fly by and then spend some time in Tampa relaxing and enjoying the holiday season! 

Here are my lifelines to surviving this crazy pre-holiday finals season:

1. Coffee

via matt edward on flickr

I'm not talking about a mocha-latte-frappa whatever - black coffee is what keeps me going on just a few hours of sleep and a whole lot of reading and studying.

2. Brain Food

via yourhomebasedmom.com

I am anything but a health nut, but lately I have been really into plain vanilla yogurt! I buy a ton of it at the grocery store, and then add fresh granola and honey to give it some substance and taste. If I'm feeling bold then I'll add some fresh fruit, too. But the yogurt sold that already had fruit in it is scary - vanilla with fresh additions is the way to go. 

3. Cozy Sweaters

plaited cableknit sweater

Comfort is key to surviving long days and nights in uncomfortable chairs holed up in the library. This sweater from Madewell looks like it would do the trick!

4. A Good Break

via citycounselorknope.tumblr.com

My favorite? Parks and Rec. My brother and I have a tradition of watching this show during finals every year, it will be weird doing it alone this year! Other valid options are Pinteresting, baking, exercising, or retail therapy. Anything that keeps you sane. 

5. Emergen-C

via dailysavings.allyou.com

There's nothing worse than being sick during exam season, and I have a special knack for always experiencing this phenomenon. Emergen-C is my go to every morning to keep me feeling healthy!

Best of luck with exams and end of the semester craziness!

Confession: I Still Wear Crewcuts

Yes, Crewcuts as in the children's line for J. Crew. Now before you judge me, hear me out!

Crewcuts is really cute - seriously. Now obviously, some of the clothes are a little childish. But some are totally normal - like this chambray shirt I bought from Crewcuts this summer!

chambray shirt

I bought this when the chambray shirt I previously owned from J. Crew got a hole in it. Buying the Crewcuts version rather than the women's version saved me about $20! I wear a size 14 in this shirt - and really, I have super long arms and am 5'7", and it fits great. 

Something I do have trouble with sometimes with Crewcuts is the length of their dresses. Because I am decently tall, sometimes the dresses can be a little bit short. I do have a couple of dresses though that are long enough, and ones that I really liked but are too short I still purchased and wear them with leggings! 

Something I definitely do not advise with Crewcuts is ordering online. It can be difficult to tell the length of some of the dresses on the website, and some of the shirts and dresses that are defined at the waist definitely do not work for women. If you so choose to explore your Crewcuts options, I recommend doing so in the store! It really is worth it, you save a ton of money and some of the stuff is super cute.

Here are some of my favorite Crewcuts pieces:

Sweaters & Dresses:

framed sweater

embellished baseball sweatshirt

jules dress in windowpane

jules dress in neon coral floral

Shirts & Tees:

tee in pale mint floral

crinkle voile tunic in mini hunter plaid

beaded oxford tunic

jeweled collar oxford shirt

This is one of my best kept secrets, seriously I usually get a ton of compliments whenever I wear something from Crewcuts. I definitely encourage you to try it out!

Shhh!

Holiday Tunes

If I said I haven't already been listening to Christmas music for a good amount of time already, I would definitely be wrong. But that's okay, because now that it is finally December I can blast my music with zero hesitation of being judged.

Christmas music is so happy. It is seriously the only thing keeping me together during this pre-holiday season of final exams and stress galore. 

Here are some of my favorite Christmas songs! 

Going to UVa has also encouraged me to foster a love for a cappella groups. These are a few of my favorite a cappella renditions of popular Christmas songs!

 
  Pentatonix - Little Drummer Boy. They are so so so good, I also love their cover of Lorde's Royals

 
  Eclipse - O Holy Night. They are definitely underrated, I love them, and this is also my favorite Christmas carol by far.


The Virginia Gentlemen - Carol of the Silver Bells. I love this medley, and I am so excited to potentially go to The VGs holiday concert tonight (if I finish my term paper).

Happy Holidays!

A Genuinely Happy Monday

Happy Cyber Monday everyone! I am way too excited about this day, especially since I have spent way too much money recently. But it only comes once a year, so I have to participate, right?

There are a ton of good deals out there today, and it can be a little overwhelming. But, I have scouted out my favorite deals for you!

kate spade - 30% off everything. EVERYTHING.

Valid with code CYBER30 at checkout. Leave it to Kate to make it feel like Christmas already.

Hunter Rain Boots - 45% off
WHAT?! This does not happen. I'm obsessed with the Original Check Rain Boots 

Bauble Bar - 20% off everything

For all your jewelry needs.

C. Wonder - 40% off everything

I am in love with this site. It is perfect for buying gifts for parents or any adult or teen in your life who values class and chicness.

Ann Taylor - 50% off everything

Valid with code SHOP50

L.L. Bean - 10% off entire order & free shipping

Valid with code THANKS10 - the perfect time to buy those Bean Boots on your Christmas list.

ModCloth - 20% off entire order

Valid with code ROBOPUG - perfect excuse to pick up a few holiday dresses for the season!

Marley Lilly - free necklace with orders of $50 or more

This necklace is super cute and festive - and it's priced at $30! Today is also the last day Marley Lilly will guarantee Christmas delivery without charging extra fees, so hop on it!

Beehive Boutique - 20% off everything

Feeling edgy? Act on it. These black booties are only $30?!

Happy Cyber Monday!

Hiatus

Apologies for my three day break, I have been super overwhelmed and super busy returning to Tampa and having to catch up with everyone I know! 

First things first: Thanksgiving. I was super lucky to go to not one, but two Thanksgiving meals this year. Dustin and I headed to Sarasota to eat with his family, and then came back to Tampa to eat at my house with my family. This Thanksgiving was a little unusual for me, because I can't remember the last time I celebrated in Tampa - we always go to our family home in North Carolina. Although I think I am more of an NC for Thanksgiving kind of girl, it was so nice to come home for the first time in three months and see everyone!

Cousins

Wouldn't be Thanksgiving without Paula going all out. Pretty sure this table has been set since the beginning of October.

Steven and I look too much alike most times.

Especially thankful for this one!

I had some minor struggles while packing to come home for Thanksgiving - I had completely forgotten what humidity and temperatures above 40 degrees felt like. This led to a bit of a dress crisis when I got home, so I immediately went to Anthropologie on Wednesday afternoon and picked up the dress I am wearing in the pictures. I tried to find it online, but I couldn't! I love it because it is very simple, and was so easy to pair my three fan J. Crew necklace (now 50% off!) and Melissa button Frye boots with. Crisis averted!

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Now let's talk Black Friday. Personally, Black Friday is super overwhelming for me, so I will be participating from my bed on my laptop. I like being able to meander in and out of stores without lots of hustle and bustle, and I am definitely not about waiting in lines just to try things on. Or pay. No.

But, for those of you who are adventurous and determined enough to brave the crowds, the lines, and the parking situations (probably the worst part of it all), here are my absolute favorite deals going on:

kate spade surprise sale - up to 75% off everything (online only)

anthropologie - 20% off the whole store (will definitely be getting a price adjustment for the dress I just bought with this deal!)

j. crew - 30% off everything (in stores and online)

j. crew factory - 50% off everything (in stores and online)

Happy shopping, and happy Friday!

Manic Monday

I can summarize up my Mondays easily by saying they always require an extra cup of coffee. Mondays are super crazy for me, as they are usually a balance of getting everything organized for the week, which I could definitely not keep straight without my trusty To-Do lists.

I am a total freak when it comes to To-Do lists and calendars. I constantly have a weekly planner, monthly calendar, and three to-do lists on me at all times. 

I use my weekly planner to keep track of meetings, appointments, and school assignments. I absolutely love it, it's super cute and it's also small enough to not take up a significant portion of my backpack/purse. I got mine off Etsy, you can find it here.

I use my desktop monthly planner to keep track of events, holidays, and birthdays of friends and family. It's nice to have these things in front of me so I can plan accordingly if I have to organize gifts, phone calls, or travel plans! I got mine off of Etsy, you can find it here.

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How do you stay organized?

Sunday Wisdom: Trust

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

-Matthew 14:25-31

This passage is always hard for me to read, because I see myself in Peter way more than I wish I did. There are so many areas in my life where I am of 'little faith' and don't fully trust that the Lord will provide. Or better yet, that I do not have faith in the path that the Lord has so clearly provided for me.

I love that Peter calls out to Jesus for a clear explanation of what to do, and even when Jesus is standing right in front of him and instructs him to do something, Peter still panics in the ability for Jesus to lead him and begins to sink. I think we can all relate to this in so many ways - I can think of numerous times when I have called upon the Lord for guidance and wisdom in a situation, and when I feel the Lord has provided me a path with which to approach the situation, I doubt the path He leads me to.

Who am I do doubt the power of an all-knowing, all-powerful, almighty God?

The path the Lord provides us with will always be the best path, no matter what we are thinking in that moment. As I reflect upon my life so far, it is so clear to point out instances when I listened to the Lord's call for me, and when I didn't. And guess what? The instances in which I did not follow are the instances that are embarrassing, shameful, and sad to remember. And the instances in which I did follow, though they were extremely hard in the moment, are the instances that have led me to some of the best friendships, best relationships, and best experiences I have ever had.

Last Friday night, I had the amazing opportunity to witness 20 UVa students be baptized at a local church. It was absolutely incredible to hear what each of these students had to say about their decision to be baptized, and their excitement to begin their walk with the Lord. It was so encouraging to hear these newly recognized believers share their stories without a stammer of hesitation in their voice. They were as confident in beginning their walk with the Lord as Peter had wished he could have been in this story.

Happy Sunday!