Halfway There (First Semester of Senior Year Reflection)

My first semester of senior year wrapped up a week ago, making today the perfect time to reflect on that with y'all.  I reflected on my first semester of junior year last year and a few months ago I reflected on first quarter of senior year. These posts are a bit more personal than usual but also a great thing for me to look back on and see where I was at during that point in my life.

a snap from my trip to Bald Head Island last August

After finishing junior year, I was excited to put the stress of that behind me. Junior year was definitely hard on me (as I talked about in previous posts) from school stress to various things going on with friends. When you finish junior year, you think "Ok the hard part is behind me, now I'm a fun senior".

Little did I know that senior year is definitely stressful as well. The first few months of school were so crazy as I balanced working on and submitting college applications and regular school assignments as well as other responsibilities. The stress level is definitely the same, if not higher, as junior year but even though it's a lot, the school stress doesn't affect you as much. My work ethic hasn't slipped if that makes sense but having a test in History and a book due in English doesn't freak you out as much haha.

What has a major stressor for me is college. It is a topic that is fairly unavoidable at this point since every time I mention I'm a senior, the response is automatically, "What college are you going to?". And honestly, I don't know yet. I've gotten into four colleges so far (which you can read about here and here) and I've narrowed it down to 3 (I'm not going to share that until my decision is final) but it is still stressful. I've lived in the same place for 13 years and have gone to school with the same people for 10 so it's a little overwhelming to think that this fall things will be so different. I'm so excited for college and the adventures it will bring but I am definitely a little nervous as well.

The whole college process is pretty stressful. All of my applications are turned in so now it's just working on scholarship applications and waiting. It's all out of my hands at this point but it is still a bit scary since you take whatever admissions decision you receive so personally. If you're deferred or rejected, it's a personal blow and it's scary not to have certainty of whether you will be admitted when you apply.

I could honestly talk about my college admissions experience for a while, so I'll definitely write a whole other blog post on that soon. There has been a lot going on other than college so I should definitely touch on that as well.

Senioritis has definitely set in and there's definitely days where I feel it more than others. Some days I can't wait to get to college and meet new people and do new things while other days I know I will miss high school and the friendships and community I have now. This semester has brought a bit of change in terms of some of my friendships but something I realized over the past few days is the importance of not burning bridges. It's crazy to think that this is my last semester of high school and the last few months of what I've come to know as "normal" and "usual" over the past few years.

Are you a senior this year as well? Let me know in the comments!

100 Pure Barre Classes Later!

A few Sundays ago (January 22) was very exciting because it was my 100th Pure Barre class! As many of y'all probably know by me constantly mentioning Pure Barre in my My Chic Week posts, I've been taking classes since June (read about my experience after my first few classes here) and have been loving it ever since then.

Pure Barre has set up various milestones to reach in terms of classes (100, 250, 500, 750, and 1000) and it has been such a motivator for me to go to class knowing I was one class closer to my 100th. Since I've been taking classes for over six months now, I thought it would be a perfect time to share with y'all what I love about Pure Barre as well as the results of regularly attending class.

The Community

What I really love about my studio is how welcoming it is. Each teacher is so nice and encouraging and also takes the time to learn every client's name. I honestly did not know a single person when starting class but everyone at the studio is so friendly and welcoming. I have run into so many people I know at the studio and it seems everyone at the barre is willing to chat before class starts

The Class
Pure Barre is so fast paced yet you are constantly moving throughout the class. The class is definitely hard, no way around it. It keeps you on your toes every class as each section of the class is constantly being switched up so you never get bored. The music is always so fitting for each section (slower for abs, faster for thighs, etc.) and really motivates you to get through it

The Terminology
Pure Barre has its own "language" in that there is multiple terms that are used throughout the class such as tuck, up an inch/down an inch, high heels, seat, and more. It is honestly confusing for the first few classes but you definitely get the hang of it. One of the girls in my class told me when I first started that it takes 10-20 classes to get the swing of things and I remember thinking that was so many classes when I first started. Looking back on that, I totally agree and you definitely get the hang of what the teacher means after taking multiple classes.

The Results
I considered myself fairly in shape before I started Pure Barre. I played soccer since age 7 and just stopped the spring of my sophomore year. I knew there was room to improve in terms of athletics but I definitely wasn't out of shape. But since starting Pure Barre, I have become more in shape more than I have been like ever. My legs, arms, and even my abs have become more lean and defined. Pure Barre focuses on small movements and building long, lean muscles, which I have definitely seen so far and can't wait to see the continued results as I continue taking classes.

The Cost
Pure Barre is on the expensive (similar to other studio workouts) but offers multiple plans for payment. My studio has a discount for students, teachers, nurses, and veterans, which definitely helps as well. The unlimited class pack is initially expensive but the more you attend, the cheaper the cost per class becomes!

The Impact
After doing Pure Barre for around seven months, it has become such a big part of my routine. I try to attend three to five classes a week and I honestly look forward to each class. Especially since my schedule can be so crazy at times, I love having 55-60 minutes to myself and to just have a stress reliever. I always leave class in such a good mood (thanks to the endorphins haha) so class is definitely worth it.

Do you attend Pure Barre classes? Let me know in the comments!

My Chic Week: January 20-26

Happy Sunday y'all! So sorry the lack of posts last week- I was in a weird little funk and didn't blog. But I'm back and have a lot of fun content to share with y'all this week! To keep my My Chic Week posts up to date and to ensure Friday's post isn't a million miles long, I wanted to update y'all today even though I don't usually post on Sundays. One thing to note is that this post doesn't have a ton of pictures but Friday's MCW will have a lot more haha. Grab a cup of coffee and let's catch up!

Friday, I only had one exam so I was able to sleep in before heading in to take my Calc midterm. After exams ended, I dropped by brother off at home and then went out to lunch with one of my best friends. It was so fun catching up with her and decompressing for the stress of exam week. We sat in the restaurant and just talked for like two hours, which was so fun.

After lunch, I came home and hung out for a little bit. Since it was Friday, I decided it was the perfect time to go get frozen yogurt.

After nannying, I came home and relaxed with my family. We ate dinner and then just hung out.

Saturday was a really casual day, which was nice after exam week. I went to a barre class in the morning and then worked on a few things on the blog during the day. I went to Mass with my family and then babysat that night as well.

Sunday morning, I slept in and just hung out at home working on blog stuff during the day. I went to Pure Barre on Sunday, which was very exciting as it was my 100th class. I'll be sharing some more on that tomorrow but I am so excited to have hit that milestone in barre class.

After Pure Barre, I came home and my family and I had dinner with some family friends to eat and watch the Steelers game, which don't work out too well for the Steelers haha.

Monday was back to full days of school, which was a little hard after only being at school for a grand total of 8 hours during exam week. My school has a program where we have a topic for the week between first and second semesters so we spend the week learning about that and going to various talks (no classes!).

Monday was also the first night I had my Faith Formation class in over a month and after that ended, I went to a barre class and then came home and watched the Bachelor.

oxford ⎢lilly scarf ⎢skirt ⎢fitbit ⎢flats (not pictured)

Tuesday and Wednesday were both fairly normal so nothing much to report on to y'all! On Tuesday, I wound up having the afternoon off of work so I went to a barre class and then on Wednesday, I nannied in the afternoon and packed for my senior retreat.

same sweater, different color ⎢necklace ⎢skirt (on sale!) ⎢similar wedges ⎢similar bracelets ⎢fitbit

On Thursday, I went on my senior retreat with the rest of my grade. We did our retreat at a place about a hour away but closer to the mountains that had gorgeous views. It was nice to spend more time in prayer, reflect, and also connect more with my classmates. We weren't on our phones a lot so I don't have any pictures from that to share but my dad sent me a picture of my dogs at home that night that I thought was too cute not to share with y'all!

On my Radar this Week:

1. Friday was my blogger bestie Riley's 18th birthday! She has the cutest blog and is seriously such a great friend both inside and out of blogging. Be sure to follow her on Instagram and Twitter if you don't already!

2. J. Crew's new arrivals are so cute! Be sure to check out my "wishlist" board on Pinterest to see everything I have been loving!

3. Grace wrote a post about her blogging tricks and tips that every blogger, whether you just started or have been blogging for years, should definitely read!

4. Dorothy's Day Designer organization post has me thinking of investing in a Day Designer for college in the fall

5. Winter is definitely start to wear off on me and I've been dreaming of spring as seen through my "inspiration" Pinterest board

Happy Sunday!

My Chic Week: January 13-19

Another week, another late My Chic Week post. I try to post MCW posts on Fridays but sometimes life just gets in the way, aka this week was midterms so I spent Thursday night studying not blogging unfortunately. So I'm sharing this post today and hoping never late than never applies here haha!

Friday was our last day of class of the semester so there was a lot of reviewing/wrapping up going on before exams started on Tuesday. After school, I nannied and since it was 70 degrees that day, I took the two kids I nanny to the park, which was a great way to soak in the sunshine. After nannying, I drove back home and had dinner with the fam!

The rest of my Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale haul came in Friday afternoon, which I was so excited about. I've already worn the shift dress to school and I can't wait to wear the beach shorts (which I have a shift in the print) once it gets warmer out! I documented it on my Instagram stories, so you definitely should follow me on Instagram to see my future stories!

Saturday morning, I woke up a little earlier than I usually do and went to a Pure Barre class. After class ended, I crossed a few items off of my to-do list, including writing an essay for my AP Lang class. I was really productive on Saturday as I finished my essay, worked on an AP Psych review for the exam, and also completed a few random tasks. I went to Saturday night Mass with my family and then we had dinner afterwards.

Sunday, unfortunately, was another day of studying. Nothing really too exciting to share haha!

In the afternoon, I decided to go to a barre class a study break, which wound up being a perfect stress-reliever from exams.

I had Monday off for Martin Luther King day so I decided to go to a fairly early barre class to get my day going. After class, I came home, ate breakfast, and then headed off to go nanny for a few hours.

After nannying, I pretty much spent the entire afternoon and evening studying for my AP Psych midterm that was the next day, nothing too exciting!

Tuesday, I had my midterm and then I went home and hung out for a bit before going to a 12 PM Pure Barre class. I didn't have any exams on Wednesday so I just relaxed, caught up on the Bachelor, and blogged in the afternoon before nannying.

A snap from this older post that was featured in Monday's post

Since I didn't have any exams on Wednesday, I gladly took that as an opportunity to sleep in. In the morning, I blogged a little bit and studied before going to a Pure Barre class.

In the afternoon, I took a little study break to pick my sister up from school and it was so weird being back at my old elementary/middle school during the day. After picking her up, I went to go nanny for a few hours. After nannying, I studied some more for the next day's exams.

Thursday was definitely my busiest day this week as it was the only day I had two exams. I had my AP Language and Spanish midterms in the morning and after Spanish ended, I was able to quickly run home and then grab a coffee at Starbucks before going back to school for a Calc review session. My Calc midterm is today and my teacher offered to give us a last minute review yesterday before the exam. I was able to get the afternoon off of work so I spent the rest of the day studying Calc, which as you might guess wasn't super exciting but gotta do what you gotta do!

On my Radar this Week:

1. My new Fitbit! You may remember but February of last year, I got a Fitbit and loved it- until it broke a few months ago. I was talking to my mom about ordering a new one and she asked me if I checked if they had a warranty for it. Because of the warranty, I was able to get a new Fitbit Alta for 30% off. It arrived a few days ago and I'm so excited about it!

2. Caroline, who is one of my favorite bloggers, just rushed a sorority and I am so excited for her!

3. I'm obsessed with this darling ruffle top from Anthropologie! Anthropologie is sometimes a little too boho for my style but every once in a while, I find some adorable pieces there. I think I may need to buy this top sometime this weekend haha

4. Lately I have been loving two new-to-me blogs: Rhyme & Reason and The Stripe, definitely worth checking them out if you don't read them already

5. For any of my fellow Bachelor-Obsessed readers: a friend of mine on Facebook shared this article about a Corrine "conspiracy theory" and it is too funny!

Be sure to check out this week's posts:

5 Things You Should Do Every Morning ⎢Midterm Exam Study Tips ⎢101 in 1001: Update #2 ⎢Pineapples & Peplum

Happy Friday!

Pineapples & Peplum

Happy Thursday y'all! I'm so excited that it's Thursday because that means by the end of the day, I'll be done with three of my four exams and only have one more, Calculus, to study for.

This has been one of my go-to looks lately so I figured I would share it here on Chic in Carolina! While in Florida over Christmas Break, I stopped into Vineyard Vines and found this darling skirt along with a cashmere tee that I styled in this post. Honestly, I haven't bought much from Vineyard Vines in the past year or so but lately they have been stepping in up!  This pineapple tee is from Lilly and is the softest material, making it the perfect complement to the skirt and who doesn't love a navy outfit?

Top- Lilly Pulitzer Skirt- Vineyard Vines Flats- Kate Spade Sunglasses- Kate Spade (similar) Bracelets- David Yurman (similar) Watch- Kate Spade

Happy Thursday y'all!

101 in 1001 Update #2

I honestly cannot believe that it's been a full year since I posted my 101 in 101 list. I have gotten quite a few of my 101 items done (22 of them to be exact) with many more in progress. When I originally posted my list, I decided that I was going to post updates for y'all every six months of my progress- what tasks I've completed, which ones are in progress, and which ones I want to complete in the next six months. I posted my first 101 in 1001 update post last July, making this the second 101 in 1001 update!

The next 101 in 1001 update will be in July and it's crazy to think how different my life will be then as I will have graduated high school and I will know what college I'm heading to in the fall! These next few months will be very exciting and full of change (be sure to follow along my life recaps via the My Chic Week series) and hopefully I'll be able to cross some more items off of my list as well.

A snap from my trip to Charleston last spring- clearly I'm missing warm weather!

Done!

23. Go a month without shopping (September 2016)
40. Try ten new beauty products (10/10- Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Rosé, Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Mask, Too Faced Born This Way Foundation, Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz, Drybar Mudslide Nourishing Hair Mask, First Aid Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration, Too Faced Cocoa Powder Foundation, Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara, Sephora Pearl Face Mask, Too Faced Born This Way Concealer)
56. Visit ten colleges (10/10- Clemson, Wake Forest, Elon, UGA, USC, SCAD, The Citadel, College of Charleston, High Point, UNC)
68. Visit a beach I haven't been to before (Bald Head Island, August 2016)
79. Host another giveaway (JORD)
80. Meet five other bloggers in person (5/5- Annaliese, March InfluenceHer North Carolina Meetup, Riley, May InfluenceHer North Carolina Meetup, Mandy)
82. Get into college! (September 2016)

In Progress
2. Bake twenty new recipes (6/20- Key Lime Pie Bars, Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting, Pumpkin Cupcakes with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting, Pumpkin Cinnamon Donuts, Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting, Gingerbread Cupcakes)
12. Write (and mail) a hundred hand-written notes (68/100)
17. Read twenty "just for fun" books (15/20- The Royal We, Everybody Rise, Crazy Rich Asians, China Rich Girlfriend, Posh, L.A. Candy, The Knockoff, The Crown, The Status of All Things, Rich and Pretty, The After Party, Go Set a Watchman, You Are a Badass, The Thousandth Floor, The Vacationers)

27. Save ten dollars for each item accomplished on this list (3/101)
39. See ten movies in theaters (2/10- Allegiant, The Angry Birds Movie)
48. Try ten different restaurants in Charlotte (2/10- Bakersfield East Blvd, Dean & Deluca)
62. Visit five different Lilly Pulitzer stores (1/5- Madison Avenue)
66. Visit five new cities (1/5- Charleston, South Carolina)
78. Work with five different companies (1/5- JORD)
84. Attend five sporting events at my high school (1/5- 9/9 Football Game)

On my Radar

4. Pay for the people behind me in Starbucks

5. Go an entire month without eating sweets

8. Treat my parents to a nice dinner

9. Read the entire Bible

18. Watch the sunrise

19. Have my grandmother teach me how to make one of her favorite recipes

22. Invest in a MacBook Pro

24. Run a "fun" run (like a Color Run or a Foam Run)

28. Go to bed before 10 PM for a month

31. Go stand-up-paddleboarding on the ocean

34. Make an address book with the contact info for my friends and family (not just in the contacts section of my iPhone)

35. Find a perfume I love

43. Go a week without wearing makeup

45. Attend a baseball game

50. Visit a popular tourist destination in Charlotte that I haven't been to yet

51. Go on a beach trip with friends

69. Get a passport!

71. Professionally redesign my blog

75. Purchase an official URL for my blog

85. Decide on a college!

87. Finish the year with A's in my AP classes

88. Graduate high school

Do you have a 101 in 1001 list? Let me know in the comments!

Midterm Exam Study Tips

Midterm exams started at my school today, which is always such a fun week of the year (just kidding, haha). It's crazy to think that 3 years ago, I was taking my first midterm ever and now, I have one semester left of high school. I would like to think that I have learned about how to study and what to do during exam week to get the best results so I decided to share some tips and tricks that I've learned from my experience so far with y'all!

from my Instagram

Actually Sleep

Now is not the time to start pulling all nighters and cutting back majority on your sleep. Spending an extra two hours awake studying will definitely not help you on the exam the next day as you will be too tired to focus and to do your best work. Even though it's hard, try to stick to a normal-ish sleep schedule or even try to get to bed a few minutes earlier than usual.

Review your Notes

This is where I typically start my studying. Take all of your notes, whether they're hand-written or typed, and look them over. Take note of concepts/terms that you need more review/practice on.

Make a Study Guide

For exams, I spend most of my time studying making or working on a study guide for the test. Some of my teachers give us study guides to work from but if you don't have a study guide for the class, make your own using old quiz or test questions or the main concepts in your notes and textbook. I generally try to make my study guides as detailed as possible to include everything that may be on the exam.

Make a Quizlet

After I make my study guide (which I do on my laptop), I sometimes copy and paste it into Quizlet to make a quizlet for the information. The repetition of the material is really helpful to me for the exam and quizlet has a lot of features that are useful in studying, such as their games or the tests they make for you out of the material in your quizlet.

Utilize Review Days in Class

At my school, teachers typically devote the last two or three class days of the semester to exam review and this is such a great resource. Be sure to come in prepared with any and all concepts and take notes on what you review as this is super helpful when it comes time to study for the exam.

Ask your Teacher if you have any questions

Start reviewing a week or two before the exam so that you can either ask your teacher if you need help on a particular topic of the course or just general questions about the exam (what is the format of the test?, is it a scantron?, what topic would you say I should study the most?, etc.). I personally have found this helpful to do and it doesn't hurt to ask questions.

If available, watch Crash Course videos
If you're not familiar with Crash Course, they are 10 to 15 minutes videos created by John Green (the author of The Fault in our Stars) and Hank Green and their team that quickly teach you about pretty much any topic under the sun. I haven't used Crash Course a lot this year, but I used it a ton last year, especially for Biology and AP United States History. They are definitely a great study tool if you need some extra help and to sort of relearn a topic for the exam.

Make time for "me time"

Exams are generally very stressful but having too much stress is definitely not a good thing and can actually decrease your performance (fun facts from AP Psychology y'all). When I come home from an exam, I typically give myself a hour to relax before starting to study for my next exam, whether that be making and eating lunch, catching up on the Bachelor, or going on Pinterest. Even though it may seem you don't have a lot of time, be sure to include working out into your exam week schedule as working out is a great stress reliever as well. And once you finish studying for the night, be sure to give yourself a little bit of me time, whether that me time is 15 minutes of reading a book for fun, taking a bath, or watching your favorite show on Netflix. Incorporating me time will help you avoid an exam week freak out and make your week more pleasant.

Switch up your study space
I do most of my homework/studying in my bedroom but during exam week, I definitely find it helpful to switch up my scenery every once in a while so I don't get too stir crazy. I'll switch between working in my room with working in the guest room, office, or kitchen and then sometimes I'll go study at Panera or Starbucks.

Bring pencils

Fun fact about me: I hate the texture of regular pencils. I use mechanical pencils whenever I can but the brand of mechanical pencils I like isn't a number two pencil so for tests, I always make sure to bring a few sharpened pencils in case that the test is a scantron. I like being prepared for tests and avoiding having to ask everyone if I could borrow a pencil, so I always make sure I have sharpened pencils just to be prepared, which never hurts!

Study for the most important exam first

In years past, I have had two exams each day for most of exam week so I study for whichever exam comes first the next day first. I view this as the most important as it is the closer exam. This year, I am fortunately able to exempt out of some of my exams since I am a senior, but prioritizing is so helpful!

Pack the essentials
My school has half days for exams so this week, for example, I will not be able at school all day so I will not be bringing my tote bag I typically bring for school in for exams. I typically pack a smaller tote (like this Kate Spade one I showed y'all inside of two summers ago) with the essentials: my agenda, my pencil pouch, my wristlet + phone, my laptop, and books for the class I'm taking an exam in. I typically don't need a lot for each class during exam week so it's much easier to bring a smaller bag. I always make sure to bring a snack and a water too!

How do you prepare for exams? Let me know in the comments!

5 Things You Should Do Every Morning

Happy Monday y'all! I have the day off of school today for the MLK day holiday but with exams starting tomorrow (yikes!), my day isn't going to be the most relaxing as I'll be nannying this morning and then spending the afternoon studying for my AP Psych test tomorrow morning. But I will definitely be watching the Bachelor as a reward for all that studying ;)

Today, I'm sharing a post with y'all that I've wanted to share for a while: 5 Things You Should Do Every Morning. With school, mornings are always so busy and sometimes that hecticness really messes up the rest of my day. Even though you can't always give yourself a later start time in the morning or a few extra minutes to get a head start on your to-do list, here are 5 things that are fairly easy to accomplish that will start your day off on a good note.

image from this post

1. Make your Bed

I used to totally be team never make my bed but ever since re-doing my room, it has become a part of my routine. It helps my room look more put together and organized and when I get home later in the day, it is less messy.

2. Check your Email

One of the first things I do in the morning after brushing my teeth and that sort of thing is checking my email. If you read my How to Be More Organized in 2017 post, you know that I like to keep my email at 0 (or as close to that as possible) so checking it first things helps make that happens as I clean out any emails that came in overnight that I don't really need and so I don't miss anything.

3. Wash your Face

This one seems obvious but also is something you should do that sometimes gets sacrificed for the sake of time. Washing your face helps wake you up by splashing water on your face and also helps keep your face clean (and helps combats breakouts!)

4. Make sure you have what you need for the day

It's always the worst when you get to school and realize oh my gosh, I left _____ at home.... whether it's your laptop, lunch, phone, or textbook you need for class. To prevent this, always check over the must haves before you leave home- double check you have the books you need for the class, or the paper that's due today, or even just your phone and water bottle. This will make your day a lot less hectic once you get to school as you know you have everything you need for the day.

5. Eat breakfast!

I'm out the door fairly early for school but I always make sure that I eat breakfast before I go because if I don't, I will be super hungry and cranky. For weekday mornings, it's usually fairly simple with toaster waffles but it tides me over until I eat a granola bar in my free period. I also always bring a coffee for the road and my first few classes

What are essentials of your morning? Let me know in the comments!

My Chic Week: January 6-12

Happy Weekend y'all! With a snow storm last weekend and 2 hours delays on both Monday and Tuesday, this week has been a bit crazy and I know it will be even crazier with midterm exams next week. This weekend is pretty much going to be studying (with a few barre classes thrown in there haha) but we do have the day off on Monday for MLK Day, which is exciting!

Last Friday was a fairly normal and busy school day, nothing much to report on haha. All of the weather reports were saying that it was going to start snowing around 7 PM but around 3:30/4 ish it started to hail and just be gross out, so I wound up not nannying that night. My entire family and I were a bit eager for the snow to start falling and it was nice to have the night off and not do anything.

I woke up on Saturday to a solid five-ish/six-ish inches of snow on the ground. It only snows once or twice a winter here in North Carolina so when it does snow, it's a big deal haha! My Pure Barre class was canceled and I wound up not being able to nanny due to the road conditions so it was nice to go outside and spend time with my family. We went sledding and also took both Kona and Cassie out in the snow, which was so much fun.

I went back inside around lunchtime and warmed up with a cup of hot chocolate, which is such a must for snow days!

Since I didn't have too much homework to do, I wound up making my favorite brownies ever. These are seriously so good and it was nice to bake something since I had the time to!

I didn't too much on Sunday other than organize and blog, which was really nice especially with exams around the corner.

Monday we had a delayed opening, which was nice as I was able to sleep in a bit. Classes were fairly short, which made the day fly by and my Faith Formation class was canceled due to the weather so I was able to finish my homework at a decent time and go to Pure Barre as well.

Tuesday was another delayed opening and my day was on the busy side as I had a test in one my classes and also had a meeting during lunch. I unexpectedly had the afternoon of off work so I was able to go to a Pure Barre class in the afternoon.

Wednesday was a bit rough after being able to sleep in for four days straight but wasn't too bad haha. My classes have been focused on wrapping up the semester and reviewing for exams so some of my classes have been super busy while others have been a bit easier (especially the two classes that end today).

After school, I worked on my Calc study guide and then went off to nanny. I had to stop at the gas station beforehand and then after nannying, I finished my Calc study guide and studied for a Spanish test that was yesterday.

I actually re-wore the Kate Spade leggings pictured above in this post as I have been loving them lately. They are a bit higher waisted, which makes them perfect for barre class or for casual wear.

Thursday was another day of exam studying during classes and also taking a test in Spanish. Even though it snowed last weekend, it was literally 70 degrees on Thursday (and it's January??). While nannying, I knew I wanted to take advantage of the unseasonably warm temperatures so the kiddos and I went to the park, which was so nice as it was warm haha!

On my Radar:

1. For Christmas, my parents gave me the Drybar 3-Day Bender Curling Iron (which I featured in my Christmas List post back in November) but I would love to know if any of y'all have it and have any tips or tricks for it as I'm trying to get the hang of it!

2. Even though it is totally not in my budget, I love Tory Burch's latest collection!

3. Caitlin is one of my favorite bloggers and I love her tips on growing your blog's following

4. The Lilly new arrivals are making me want to book a tropical vacay ASAP

5. Love Mackenzie's guest bedroom in her Dallas home

This week's posts:

December Favorites ⎢10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Me ⎢Print Mixing & Pearls ⎢How to be More Organized in 2017

Happy Saturday y'all!

How to be More Organized in 2017

Organization is one of those things that really helps your life in terms of having everything "together" and general stress. It, of course, takes quite a bit of work to maintain but is so worth it as it does really make your life easier.

The New Year definitely makes me want to re-organize everything and get my act back together. After a busy December, it is so nice to have a fresh, clean start and organization definitely helps with that.

I have always been fairly organized and high school has definitely exemplified that. Honestly, I don't know how I would of survived high school so far without being organized so today I'm sharing my favorite tips and tricks to stay organized especially in this new year.

Use an Agenda

My agenda is honestly my saving grace when it comes to organization and I talk about it in practically every organization themed post but it's that good. I use the Lilly Pulitzer Jumbo Agenda and write down everything going on: barre classes, my work schedule, homework, tests, quizzes, assignment deadlines, and everything in-between.

Keep only the essentials in your purse

Outside of school, I pretty much always have my purse with me and by the end of a busy week, it is pretty full and half of that is random items that I don't need to be bringing with me everywhere I go. Take the time to clear out your bag and only keep the essentials: wallet, sunglasses, lip balm/stick, bobby pins, etc.

Empty your downloads folder

This only applies to Mac users but this is such a big one for me. I download quite a few things throughout the week for school, leaving me with a downloads folder with a million and one items in it. Not only is this digitally "messy", it is also makes a bit harder when you're looking for the rubric for your history project so clearing your downloads by either putting the item in its proper folder (more on this below) or deleting it all together makes a big difference.

Sort through your papers

Whether it be your class notes or random papers in your desk, it is so helpful to come up with a system in stick to it. I have a binder for my morning classes, my afternoon classes, and then for my Calc class since we have so much paper in that class. Putting the date on each paper and hole punching everything makes it easier to find in my binder and has a lot less clutter. As for papers in my desk, I try to keep those in folders in a specific desk drawer.

Make a to-do list for the week as well as daily to-do lists

For particularly busy weeks, I find it really helpful to make a big to-do list of everything I need/want to do that week from various commitments (ex. meeting during lunch on Tuesday), deadlines (ex. essay due Thursday night), or random tasks you need to do (ex. go to Target). This really helps me make sure that I do everything I need to do and also that I can spread it out a little better. Once I make the big to do list, I'll make one for the day, which includes that day's commitments, homework, and other various assignments. If I don't finish it that day, it is moved to the next day's to do list.

Keep your inbox at 0

This may seem like a lot but definitely helps in actually seeing new emails and getting rid of emails that aren't so important. I put all of my emails into general folders (like Pure Barre or AP Psych) and then when I receive an email that belongs in that folder, that's where it goes. Occasionally, I'll keep an email out in my inbox if it's time sensitive (like a coupon code to a store) or if I haven't responded to it but other than that I keep it at 0, which makes it a lot more manageable and easier to find important emails.

Have a computer folder for each class and have an internal organization system for each class

On my desktop, I have a folder for each of my 7 classes and I also organize inside these folders a little differently depending on the class. Some classes, I have subfolders for the semester with subfolders for quarters with subfolders for chapters while I other I organize by in-class and out-of-class.

Keep clutter at bay

I'm not the biggest fan of clutter, it just adds extra "stuff" into your space and if you don't need it, you don't use it most times so it just wastes that space and makes things messy. Spend a few minutes and clean up the random extras around your room, whether it's a granola bar wrapper or mail. Make it a habit to do this everyday and that clutter will be long gone.

Dedicate a day to deep cleaning your closet
I typically do this once a season but cleaning (and I mean deep cleaning) makes such a difference. I try to pull everything out of my closet, evaluate each piece (sounds extreme but if you wouldn't want to be your last outfit ever, that's not a piece you want in your closet), decide whether you want to keep, sell, donate, or trash it, and then place it back in your closet. Choose a system that works for you whether that's by color or by length (tanks, short sleeve, long sleeve).

How do you stay organized? Is organization one of your New Year resolutions? Let me know in the comments!

Print Mixing & Pearls

It's been a week and a half since Christmas Break ended and I'm definitely getting back into my usual routine. Since I'm a senior, we have the privilege of dressing business casual instead of wearing our uniforms, which definitely has been more of a difficulty in the winter months. In the early fall and spring, I can just throw on a shift dress and sandals and be out the door but winter business casual definitely takes a bit more work.

This is an outfit I actually wore this week and thought I would share it with y'all! I've had most of these pieces for a while so they're some of my favorites! The J. Crew Factory City Mini is such a go to in my wardrobe- I have it in two colors (navy and black) and seriously wear it once or twice a week. On a side note, I apologize for my hair looking a little off in these pictures haha!

Button Up Shirt- J. Crew Factory (old, similar) Skirt- J. Crew Factory (same skirt, different color and on sale!) Vest- J. Crew (old, similar) Pearls- J. Crew Tights- Loft Flats- Tory Burch (similar) Watch- Kate Spade Bracelets- David Yurman (similar) and local boutique

Happy Wednesday y'all!

20 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Me

Something important to what I do as a blogger is having y'all "know me" without actually needing to meet me in real life. I love bloggers who open up a bit more on their blogs and I definitely don't want y'all seeing me as some perfect girl with a perfect life and perfect outfits. In order to accomplish this, today, I'm sharing 20 things you probably didn't know about me!

1. I love routines and having structure in my day-to-day life.

2. I would rather dress up than be in comfy clothes.

3. I can't work and be productive until my room is clean.

4. I cut my hair into a disastrous bob in the fifth grade and the trauma from that caused me to grow it out and it's been long(ish) ever since.

5. I prefer baked goods over candy.

6. One of my dogs, Cassie, and I share the same birthday (April 14).

7. I've always loved larger purses and bags.

8. I'm not the biggest breakfast fan but I love brunch!

9. I am an extrovert but sometimes I need my alone time.

10. I love personality tests.

11. I don't watch a lot of TV because of homework but when I do, it's probably HGTV or the Bachelor.

12. When I like a song, I listen to it an embarrassing amount of times until I start to not like it.

13. I can't wait to have my own home to decorate someday.

14. I haven't had any soda since January 2014.

15. I am definitely not a morning person.

16. Beach over mountains, any day of the week.

17. Going off of #16, I've been skiing once and I was so awful, I didn't leave the bunny hills and spent more time falling than skiing.

18. I low-key couldn't survive without my car.

19. Peonies and roses are my favorite flowers.

20. I'm always an overpacker trips whether it's for 2 days or 2 weeks.

Anything surprise you? Anything we share in common? Let me know in the comments!

December Favorites

Happy Monday y'all! After bringing y'all a bunch of new year themed content (be sure to see my favorite posts of 2016 and my 2017 goals) and Lilly Pulitzer sale info last week, it's time to share my December Favorites! If you're a newer Chic in Carolina reader (hey! be sure to read more about me here), I share my monthly favorites around the start of each month and it's so fun to see what products/items I loved in the past and to share with y'all products you may not of heard of or just give them a glowing review for y'all haha!

Lilly Pulitzer Callahan Pants- I featured these pants in an outfit post last week and I seriously got so much use out of them. One of my best friends owns them as well and we have shown up to school not once but twice wearing matching outfits, but these pants are so great that neither of us cares.

The Vacationers- Okay, I have to admit that I haven't finished The Vacationers yet but I had to include it because 1. it's been really interesting so far 2. the setting is a summer vacation to Spain, which provides a little bit of sunshine to dreary winter days

J. Crew Plaid Top (sold out but available in a classic black and white)- Plaid is always so perfect for the holidays and this fun top is no exception. I wore this to my family's Christmas party and I'm hoping that I can wear it a few more times before spring arrives

Lilly Pulitzer Striped Skipper Popover- Between barre class and nannying, I lived in popovers in December and was thrilled to see that the family I nanny for got me a popover from Lilly for Christmas. It is seriously so comfortable and I love the navy stripes with a pop of pink.

J. Crew Pearls- These pearls are such a classic and I wear them so often year round. In December, they were constantly on rotation between my brother's Confirmation, school, and Christmas Eve.

Too Faced Born This Way Concealer- I recently ran out of concealer so while I was in Florida over Christmas Break, I picked up this one from Sephora. I really like Too Faced products and this one has been awesome so far!

Spilts59 Leggings- I bought these leggings in November as I had a coupon from completing a challenge and my Pure Barre studio and I have gotten so much use out of them since then. They're super flattering and I also love that they have a little bit of a sticky sock on the end, which adds a bit more support to my sticky socks during barre class.

What were your December Favorites? Let me know in the comments!