The Best of 2013

This year was arguably the most eventful year of my life. It began with a college acceptance letter, and will end with friends at the beach. Here are my 5 favorite moments from 2013:

1. College Acceptances & College Rejections

The first big thing that happened to me in 2013 was my acceptance to UVa in mid January. UVa was my dream school, so I was obviously over-the-moon excited to learn I had been accepted. Something else I learned about the college application process is to cherish the rejections as much as the acceptances. There were two schools I applied to that I was waitlisted and eventually denied to, but honestly it didn't really bother me. If anything, these rejections made it infinitely more clear that I was meant to go to UVa. This article by a Yale dean of admissions sums it up very nicely. 

2. Graduation

Graduation high school turned into a bigger ordeal than I had initially imagined. The dozens of graduation parties I attended combined with senior festivities all led up to one of the happiest moments of my life - addressing the class of 2013 and walking across the stage, diploma in hand. I had extended family fly in for the occasion, and it was so exciting to see everyone and end a wonderful chapter in my life.

3. My First Job

I experienced my first employment opportunity during the summer of 2013 - an advertising and marketing internship with a real estate group in South Tampa. I learned so much from the experience, and am excited to have the opportunity to check in and work next week for them again!

4. Relationships

2013 was a growing year in terms of relationships for me. I learned which friends were worth holding on to and which were better left in Tampa. This process sounds a lot darker and depressing than it actually was; in fact, it was so rewarding to concentrate my attention and love from a relatively large conglomeration of friends into a smaller set. I also met so many new friends in college, and have experienced more love and support from these people that I have only known for a couple of months than I could have ever imagined. 

I spy Ben Rector ;)

5. Going to College

As exciting as college acceptances were, the day when I realized I had a new home, a new life, and new friends was so rewarding, exciting, and a little bit scary. This day happened when I attended the Class of 2017 Convocation, and it instantly became so clear why I was where I was. Since then I have tried to make the most of my college experiences by joining clubs, pursuing friendships, studying and figuring out what excites me in the classroom, and experiencing Charlottesville along the way.

Happy end of 2013! 

A Noteworthy Obsession

Stationery has always been a weakness of mine. With 2014 looming in just three days, I can't help but think about all of the upcoming events that will require some old-fashioned handwritten notes - graduation, birthdays, thank-yous, etc. 

Rifle Paper Co. is my stationery obsession for the new year. I just ordered this calendar and am already obsessed.

My list of people I need to write thank-you notes for has accumulated to a dauntingly terrifying amount after all of the holiday festivities this month. I love the idea of starting 2014 with a new set of stationery, especially thank-you cards. How perfect are all these? 

Wildflower Thank You Postcards

Rosa Merci Card

Hostess Thank You

Happy Monday!

Sunday Wisdom: Glory

Sometime in mid-October, I was sitting in my Introduction to Anthropology class as my professor told our class pretty harshly that our accomplishments simply aren't ours. He condemned us for thinking that we were smart enough to get into UVa on our own, with our own hard work and our own intelligence. He radically changed my view on how I view my accomplishments. 

They aren't mine. Not even in the slightest. 

Though my professor is a self-proclaimed atheist, I learned so much through him about the Lord that day. It is so easy for me, and I am assuming everyone else in our individualistic, competitive culture, to focus on getting ahead - to make goals and then do everything in our power to achieve them. Then when we do, we feel a sense of internal accomplishment. As if we have done something good for ourselves. 

My professor argued that we would not be the people we were at that moment sitting in that lecture hall without the tremendous influence and help from our families, teachers along the way, friends, and even acquaintances. We like to think we own our accomplishments, but in reality, we let them own us. 

We even define ourselves through our accomplishments. Think about it - when you introduce yourself to someone, you usually state your occupation - whether it be student, attorney, teacher, etc. We define ourselves through what we believe we have single-handedly achieved. We glorify ourselves without being consciously aware of it.

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." -Colossians 3:17

Like I said earlier, my professor focused on the help we have experienced through family, friends etc. These are all important, don't get me wrong. What my professor missed on his list was the Lord. 

Are we working for the Lord, or are we working for ourselves? Are we glorifying the Lord in our careers, relationships, and activities, or are we glorifying ourselves?

I definitely think this is worth thinking about, especially as we are about to enter a new year. It's not an easy question to answer, but it is essential that we answer it honestly.

Happy last Sunday of 2013!

Men's Stocking Stuffers

My favorite part of Christmas morning has always been the stocking. I don't know why, but for whatever reason I just love the little trinkets and creativity that goes into fitting small but personal items into a Christmas stocking.

Today while shopping in Hyde Park, I went in Restoration Hardware and was amazed at all the stocking stuffers for men and children they had! Guys are always hard to shop for, but I seriously loved every item I saw on the display at RH. 

for the life of the party guy: pub games coasters

for the bookworm: deluxe clip-on booklight

for the outdoorsman: tackle box (it's tiny!)

& so much more! Definitely a great option for last-minute stocking stuffers for any man in your life.

Packing Smart

Today I am moving from 20 degrees and overcast to 75 degrees and sunny for the next three weeks. Honestly, I forgot what it feels like to not wear layers upon layers every day, so I think I might have overpacked for my trip home for the holidays. However, I definitely think it's better to overpack rather than to under-pack. The idea of being without something I might need is scary, so I always try to think of every possible scenario I could encounter before packing!

Honestly, the most important bag I pack when traveling is my carry-on bag. I usually opt for my medium sized navy Longchamp, but because I am traveling with my laptop, I am taking my school backpack this time around. Here's what's inside!

1. Laptop encased in my monogrammed soft case - I love this case. It's the perfect size and weight, and it has my school colors. I got it from this online store. 

2. Lots of cords - laptop charger, phone charger, and headphones for listening to music/watching movies in the airport and on the plane. It usually takes me around 7 hours total (including waiting at the airport gates and layover times) to get from Charlottesville to Tampa, so the headphones are crucial to give me some sort of entertainment besides people watching.

3. Candy - I have a chocolate problem... enough said.

4. Wallet - This kate spade stacy wallet is the best - It's the perfect size for traveling!

5. A book - I am currently reading The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis. UVa has a program called Professor's Picks in which students can opt to read a book over Christmas Break and then meet in a small group with a professor for dinner to discuss it. I thought it sounded interesting so I'm giving it a try. 

What do you put in your carry-on?

A Minty Obsession

MINT - simply the best

I love mint. I don't own too much of it, but I would really like to! It's one of those colors that I immediately categorize with my spring/summer wardrobe, but I've recently come to the conclusion that's not accurate. 

I love that mint just can't make up its mind whether it wants to be a winter or a summer color. The truth is, I see it capable functioning for both! Paired with white, yellow, teals, and other springy colors in the summer, mint is refreshing and clean. But paired with darker purples, blacks, and golds, mint can be festive and serve as a fun accent color in the winter.

Conclusion: mint is perfect in the winter. And we should all recognize it's perfection through some of my favorite mint pieces:

poppy statement necklace

leather coin purse

patent narrow-buckle belt

zigzag stripe scarf

double pocket longline wool coat

toothpick cord

essie mint candy apple

etta suede pumps

ombré infinity scarf

Happy Friday! 
PS - this video should make your Friday even more enjoyable.

Winter Patterns

I am in love with all of the winter patterns out, they are such an easy way to get into the festiveness of the holiday season. It's definitely time for me to start taking advantage of these patterns, because they will not work so well with my spring wardrobe. Here are a couple of my favorite winter patterns out right now, and some of my favorite items for sale for each!

Tartan

Tartan is a classic winter pattern, especially when when the colors incorporate the hunter green and red. It's super easy to dress up or dress down, which is why I love it! With jeans you can wear it super casually, but tucked into a skirt it's more dressy in a different kind of way. Tartan accents are also great because they're an easy way to add a festive flair to an otherwise plain outfit. Here are a few of my favorite tartan items!

boy shirt in grey tartan

barbour tartan plaid scarf

shirtdress

scotch shirt

Fair Isle

Nothing says winter quite like fair isle sweaters. I love the timelessness and festiveness of this pattern! Here are some of my favorite sweaters out this year:

lobster crewneck sweater

long-sleeve fair isle striped sweater

jeweled fair isle striped sweater

seaside fair isle crewneck sweater

Happy Winter!