My Chic Week: March 23-29

Happy Friday y'all! I am so excited to be spending this weekend in sunny Florida! My grandparents live here and my mom's side of the family has always spent Easter in Florida so I am so glad that I was able to make the trip work with school and everything!

I'll be sharing more about this weekend in next week's My Chic Week post but for now, let's talk about the last week! And sorry in advance for the lack of pictures this week- I just realized how few there is (oops!).

Friday morning, I slept in before going to a Pure Barre class. I grabbed a juice at a juice bar near the Pure Barre studio I go to and then headed back home! Friday was a pretty laid back day as I hung out at home and my mom and I took the dogs for a long walk. My family and I made pizza on the grill for dinner and then watched the Clemson basketball game on TV.

I went to a Pure Barre on Saturday morning, which is always a great way to start my day. My family and I went out to lunch at a burger place, which was so yummy, and then my mom and I ran some errands in the afternoon. I haven't baked in forever so I decided to make this Lemon Poppy Seed Bread, which was delicious!

leggings

I also nannied on Saturday night, which was a lot of fun as I took the little boy I nanny to the park to play and then we went back to their house to eat dinner and watch a movie!

Sunday morning, I was up bright and early as my family went to Church and then brunch at one of my favorite spots in my hometown! I packed up all of my stuff and then worked on some blog posts before heading back to Clemson.

Once I got back to Clemson, I went to my sorority's chapter meeting and then unpacked!

I always feel like Mondays are such a busy day and this week was no exception. I had class in the morning and then went back to my dorm for a bit before my next class. In my Spanish class, we had an assessment, which is always a fun time, and then I went to my sorority's Bible Study. My big and I went to dinner Monday night to catch up, which is a lot of fun, and then I had a meeting for my Africa trip next spring (which you can read more about here).

I had class in the morning on Tuesday and then headed back to my dorm. I felt kind of sick on Tuesday so I just hung out around my dorm and relaxed!

Wednesday was another typical day of class: I had my two classes in the morning then a break before my Spanish class.

After class on Wednesday, I got packed up for my trip today and then met some of my friends for dinner. We had another sorority recruitment workshop so we met to eat before that and then walked over to the workshop.

Thursday morning, I had my 8 AM and then headed back to my dorm to finish up packing. I then drove to the airport and flew down to Florida. It was a kind of long day of travel as I had a three hour layover in Charlotte but definitely worth it to spend the weekend in Florida with my family!

On the Blog:

Campus Casual ⎢Time Management Tips ⎢Ready for Spring ⎢How I Stay Healthy in College

Happy Friday!

How I Stay Healthy in College

Healthy and college are two words that don't exactly fit together perfectly. I'll be the first to say that it is definitely hard to be healthy in college. There's that soft serve machine in the dining hall, the fast-food restaurant that is the only thing open on the weekend, and the temptation to skip the gym as it's such a far walk from your dorm.

Now that I'm nearly done with my first year of college (wondering how that one happened), I wanted to share with y'all some tips and tricks for staying healthy in college. These are simple things to add to your daily routine without being too drastic as what's the fun in only eating spinach and spending all of your free time running laps. I think balance is a key word in staying healthy so these tips definitely reflect that!

image via this blog post

Keep Healthy Snacks in your Dorm

I try to keep only healthy snacks in my dorm room as I know if the treats and unhealthy food is right there, it will be gone in two seconds. Keeping healthy snacks on hand helps me make smarter choices as it's harder to have access to the unhealthier food I may be wanting!

Practice Moderation

Even though the dining hall may have full table of desserts and ice cream waiting for you after every meal, doesn't mean that you have to have a plate of dessert every time. I try to limit myself to one treat a day so I'm not overindulging but also not restricting myself as college is supposed to be fun and what's life without a bowl of ice cream or two?

Find a Buddy

Whether it's going to the gym with a friend after a class you have together or eating healthier, everything is easier with a friend by your side. If I commit to doing something like going to the gym after class with a friend, I'm less likely to back out if I just went by myself plus it's more fun to go with a friend!

Choose Water over Other Drinks

I don't drink soda but I try to choose water over lemonade or sweet tea as much as I can. Keeping a Brita on hand in my fridge is so helpful as I have cold water whenever I want it. Water is so much better for you than other drinks so I try to keep my water bottle full and also choose water whenever I'm in the dining hall or out to eat (most restaurants will give you a free water cup so it's a win-win as it's healthier and you save money!)

Walk Everywhere

One thing about college is that you walk a lot. The parking lot where I keep my car is fairly far away, making walking to wherever I need to go easier than walking to my car and then driving there. Even though I do walk a lot more in college, I try to walk as much as I can, whether it's walking to the gym or taking the stairs instead of the elevator as all of those extra steps add up.

Get enough Sleep

I am definitely not fun to be around when I'm tired so I try to go to bed fairly early each night. This can be hard with homework that needs to be done or sorority events that end late but getting enough sleep is crucial for your health and also makes for a happier you the next day!

Find Workouts that you enjoy

Working out does not seem as much of a chore if it's something that you enjoy! I know that our campus gym offers different classes that are free and also trying out different workouts to see which one you enjoy the most can really make a difference. As y'all probably know by now, I love taking barre classes so I usually do an online barre workout as Pure Barre doesn't have a studio in Clemson (I literally dream that they'll open one haha!). The right workout helps you actually enjoy working out and if you like something, the more likely that you are going to do it!

Try not to stress too much

College can be pretty stressful at times but too much stress is definitely not a good thing. Finding ways to manage your stress, whether it's going to see a movie with friends or taking a long, hot shower at the end of a busy day, is so important to your mental health!

Any additional tips for staying healthy in college? Let me know in the comments!

Ready for Spring

It's finally supposed to be warmer in Clemson and I am so excited about it! The weather at home was a little bit too cold to be spring break temperatures and I am so excited to finally put away my winter coat for the season and break out all of my shorts and cute summer tops.

I received this tunic for Christmas this year and knew I wanted to wait a bit before busting it out as it definitely gives spring and summer vibes. Even if the temperatures aren't exactly warm enough yet, this outfit gives that spring feeling without letting you freeze haha! This tunic looks so cute with jeans or white pants for early spring days but I know it will look good with white shorts or thrown over a swimsuit once it gets even warmer out. Sadly, this color has sold out but it's still available in white (and it's on sale!).

Tunic: Vineyard Vines (similar) White Pants: Vineyard Vines (similar) Sandals: Tory Burch Purse: Tory Burch (similar) Necklace: Kendra Scott Sunglasses: Kate Spade (similar)

Thanks for reading!

Time Management Tips

When I asked y'all a while back on what posts you want to see here on Chic in Carolina, one of the requests was a post about time management! I love hearing what y'all want to see on the blog so feel free to reach out to me on social media (here is my Instagram + my Twitter) or email me at chicincarolina@gmail.com.

Time management is something that is very important to "getting it all done". Back in high school when I had a lot less free time during the day, it was crucial as I would go to a barre class before school somedays, go to school, go home for a bit and work on homework/the blog, nanny, and then work some more on homework. I had to develop good time management skills otherwise I would of never gotten anything done.

Now that I am in college, I have a bit more free time to get everything done, which is both a blessing and a curse as I can just as easily use that time to watch Netflix or do nothing haha! These tips have definitely helped me establish good time management skills and hopefully they'll help y'all out as well!

Get an Early Start
The best way to manage your time is to plan ahead so you don't get overwhelmed and have eight hundred and thirty two things to do in a single week. Getting assignments done as soon as possible helps so much as you won't be rushing to turn it in the day before it is due. I usually try to do any online homework for my classes over the weekend so I don't have to worry about them during the week.

Going off of this one, I also try to get an early start on my to-do list for the day as early in the day as possible. I'm usually more motivated to get things done then and I love being done with homework at an early-ish time each day rather than staying up to the wee hours of the morning getting it all done.

Find the Place Where You're the Most Productive
My room is not the most productive place at all. My hall tends to be pretty loud and busy, which I love as there is always something going on but it doesn't make it the best place to get stuff done! I work a lot better in the library, Starbucks, or the student center so I usually try to head to one of those places after class instead of heading back to my dorm!

Work at your most productive time
Planning to get things done at the time where you're most productive helps so much as you'll be ready to get stuff done during that time. I am not a big fan of staying up super late to study and work on homework so I keep that in mind in the early afternoon when deciding to work on homework rather than watching Netflix!

Turn off your Phone
My phone can be such a distraction when I'm trying to get stuff done so turning it off and putting it away helps me avoid the temptation of checking Instagram or Snapchat instead of working. Having it out of arm's reach is really helpful as it is not as easy to quickly grab.

Make a to-do list
To-do lists are honestly such a life saver. Whenever I'm feeling stressed and overwhelmed about all I need to do, I usually start by making a to-do list as it helps me think of everything that needs to be done and also to prioritize my tasks. Prioritizing what's important on your to-do list helps as you'll start with whatever is the most urgent and then work on the less urgent tasks. An example is first finishing studying for the test tomorrow rather than starting with working on the essay due next week.

Work in time intervals
Just because you have a few minutes here and there doesn't mean that you don't have enough time to get something done. Last semester, I had a 45 minute break between two of my classes so I would always go to the library and get some of my work done. Breaking up the time when you're working helps as you're getting your assignments and tasks done but not sitting in the library for four hours straight, which can be pretty draining.

Start with the hardest task
I know if I don't want to work on a particular assignment, I'll usually procrastinate doing it as long as possible. This backfires as you usually can finish the assignment in the time that you took procrastinating. If you start with that dreaded hardest task, you'll feel a lot more motivated once you finish it and everything is easier by comparison.

Remove distractions
Nothing kills time management like a good distraction. We've talked about turning off your phone but removing other distractions is so important to using your time to its fullest. I know that I am usually more productive studying my myself as I won't be inclined to start talking to friends instead of studying so knowing yourself and your studying habits is so important.

Don't spend too much time on one task
To make the best use of your time, don't spend too much time on just one task. I always think of the essay portions of exams as it's not beneficial to spend 45 minutes on the first essay and making it be really good while only using the remaining 15 minutes on the second essay. Not every task on your to-do list will take the same amount of time but if it feels like you're spending a million years on one task, move on to another task and then come back to it!

Take breaks
I believe that good time management includes both working hard on your work and taking breaks to enjoy your time with friends. Spending all of your waking hours doing homework is not good time management as if you managed your time better, you should be able to take a break. Breaks aren't a bad thing at all as they help you refresh and relax so when you return to your work, you'll be more productive.

What are some of your favorite time management tips? Let me know in the comments!

Campus Casual

Even though I talk about fashion quite a bit over here on Chic in Carolina, my day-to-day style has relaxed quite a bit since starting college at Clemson. Most girls wear the uniform of an over-sized sorority shirt with nike shorts (norts) in the warmer months or leggings with a sweater over the sorority tee when it's colder out. It's funny to think back to high school as I would rarely go to school without my hair done and makeup on with a cute outfit- I have to say it's a lot more comfortable!

Since my t-shirt drawer has gotten substantially bigger since last summer, I was so excited when Charlevoix Shores reached out to me a few weeks back about working together. They are an American brand that has the cutest t-shirts and accessories that are perfect for a casual weekend at the lake or around campus! They kindly sent me this navy long-sleeve tee and it is so comfortable (I'm wearing a large for an oversized look!). I paired it with a pair of leggings for a casual look and I can't wait to wear it with norts or for cooler spring days!

T-Shirt: Charlevoix Shores (c/o) Leggings: J. Crew (similar and on sale!) Sneakers: Nike (similar) Sunglasses: Kate Spade (similar)

Disclaimer: Charlevoix Shores sent me a t-shirt for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My Chic Week: March 16-22

Happy Friday y'all! I'm a little sad that this week is almost over as it means my Spring Break is quickly ending but I'm excited to head back to Tiger Town on Sunday before another trip next weekend! I decided to go home for Spring Break this year and it was honestly a great decision as I've been able to relax, eat some yummy home-cooked food, workout, nanny, and catch up on the blog!

Friday was my last day of class before spring break so I loaded up my car before class started and managed to actually get to the dining hall for breakfast (the only other time I've been is the first day of class last semester).

I had my two classes and then was off for spring break! My drive wasn't too bad and I was home before I knew it! We had homemade pizza for dinner, which was so good after weeks of dining hall food!

I went to a Pure Barre class and then met up with one of my best friends from high school for juice at our favorite juice bar in town to catch up. She was still home for the end of her spring break so we were able to get together, which was too fun!

left: leggings (on sale!) ⎢right: purse (cheaper here)

My family and I went to Saturday night Mass and then had a laid back night at home as we had burgers for dinner and watched a movie!

I didn't do anything on Sunday, which was so nice as I slept in, ate breakfast, watched some Grey's, and relaxed with my family. We always do a St. Patrick's Day dinner so we did that on Sunday night as my dad just got back into town after a weekend trip.

Monday morning started off with a Pure Barre Empower class (which totally kicked my butt!) and then I met my dad for lunch at a barbecue place near his office.

leggings

I then visited my mom at her work to help her out for a bit before nannying in the afternoon!

Tuesday morning, I went to another Pure Barre class and then visited my mom at her work again! Tuesday afternoon was pretty laid back as I didn't have any crazy plans!

similar top ⎢similar pants ⎢sandals ⎢purse (cheaper here)

Wednesday morning, I slept in before making breakfast and then doing some planning for the next few weeks of the blog. I went to a Pure Barre class at noon, which absolutely kicked my butt, before heading back home. I nannied in the afternoon, which was a lot of fun as we went to the park! Once I got home, I ate dinner with my family and then worked on the blog for a bit.

I nannied in the morning on Thursday, which was a lot of fun as I took the boys I nanny to Chick-fil-a for breakfast!

After I dropped off the kids I nanny at school, I met my mom at the mall to do some shopping! I needed some pieces for sorority recruitment this fall and also wanted to do a little spring shopping!

barbour jacket ⎢similar top ⎢similar scarf ⎢similar jeans ⎢flats (on sale in black!)

purse (cheaper here)

left: shorts ⎢right: skort

left: romper ⎢right: top

left: pink dress (on sale!!)

left: blue dress

We then went to one of my favorite spots in Charlotte, Dean & Deluca, for lunch, which was delicious! We headed back home and went to my younger brother's National Honor Society Induction that afternoon. I was pretty involved in NHS in high school (I was the treasurer my senior year!) so it was fun to see him get inducted!

On the Blog:

A Life Update! ⎢Lilly Pulitzer Spring Favorites ⎢How to Get Your Life Together (Or Make it Seem Like It Is)

Happy Friday!

How to Get Your Life Together (Or Make it Seem Like It Is)

You probably know that one girl. The one who always shows up impeccably dressed compared to everyone around you, seems to never forget her commitments, and has her life together. Even though you may not become "her" overnight, I decided to share some tips on how to get your life together or at least make it seem like it is. Because fake it till you make it, right?

image via my Instagram

Be on Time
Even though it seems like such a small thing, arriving on time, whether it's for coffee with a sorority sister or for an important meeting, shows that you respect the person you are planning on meet with as well as their time as you are not wasting it by being late. I always aim to be a few minutes earlier than I need to so if you run behind schedule, you still have a bit of a buffer before you're actually late!

Don't Complain
It's definitely easy to complain, whether it's when someone asks you how your day was or to a friend about whatever is going on in your life. Trying not to complain (or at least minimize it) helps you have a more positive outlook and also seem more put together to everyone around you as you're not complaining about everything and anything.

Take time to tidy up each day
Even if you don't have a ton of time every day to tidy up and organize, a few minutes can really make a difference. I like to put everything away at the end of the day before going to bed as it helps the next day start off on a fresh note.

Find your go-to accessories
Even on the busiest of days when your outfit reflects that, having go-to accessories helps pull your look together. Pearl studs, my Kendra Scott pendant, and my watch are my go-tos and help even the most casual outfit look more "together".

Use an Agenda
I joke that my agenda holds my life together and it's pretty close to the truth (see how I organize my agenda here). I keep everything I need to know about my day in my agenda: my to-do list, meetings, hanging out with friends, due dates for assignments, sorority events, and tests and quizzes. This helps me keep track of everything that is going on and keeps it all in one place!

Paint your Nails
I don't know why but having my nails painted makes me feel instantly put together, even if I'm just wearing workout clothes. I try to be fairly decent about repainting my nails if they chip or just keeping a coat of clear nail polish on them (a trick I learned from my mom!).

Always send a thank you note
My mom raised me to be a firm believer in the power of a good thank you note and I can't tell y'all how appreciated they make the other person feel. Whether it's for a gift someone gave you or a favor, a thank you note will never go unappreciated. Extra points if you use personalized or monogrammed stationary!

Make your Bed
This sounds like such a small thing to do everyday but it truly does make a difference. Making your bed takes under five minutes to do and it makes your room instantly feel so much cleaner, even if you didn't do anything else!

Put Effort into your Appearance
In college, this is a tricky one as campus tends to be pretty casual during the week with most girls wearing some rendition of leggings or norts, sneakers, an oversized t-shirt with a pullover if it's colder outside. You can look put-together even if the most casual of outfits by putting a little extra effort into your hair or makeup. I also take every chance I get to "dress up" (funny how "dress up" sometimes means jeans now compared to leggings), even if I don't necessarily need to for a meeting or brunch with friends!

Be punctual about responding to emails
It sometimes seem like your inbox is overflowing with random emails: emails from a store you shopped at 5 years ago, notifications from school, and other random stuff. Whenever you get an email that you actually need to respond to, be sure to do so quickly. Not saying to monitor your email every second of the day so that you can respond as soon as you receive an email but a timely response is always appreciated as it makes the other person's life easier as they are not waiting forever for your response.

Remember the Little Things
Whether it's writing on a classmate's Facebook wall for their birthday or texting a friend good luck before a big test or interview, remembering the little things about your friends and family is such a great way to show you care. One thing I love is vemno'ing a friend a few dollars during a week you know is busy for them or their birthday to let them go get a coffee on you!

Are you that girl who has "it" together, if so share your secrets in the comments!

Lilly Pulitzer Spring Favorites

To me, nothing screams spring like some new Lilly Pulitzer pieces! As y'all know, I have been a fan of the brand for years and the amount of Lilly in my closet has definitely expanded a lot. They have been releasing pieces from their spring line and they are absolutely stunning. I feel like Lilly has strayed away from their usual style in favor of trendier pieces and prints but this collection definitely has a "classic Lilly" vibe to it with lots of lace and more classic prints!

ruffle dress ⎢shift dress ⎢clutch ⎢skort

essie tank ⎢shorts ⎢romper ⎢strapless dress

What pieces from the Lilly spring line are your favorite? Let me know in the comments!

Exciting News!

Happy Monday y'all! I'm so excited to share today's blog post with y'all as I'm sharing a personal life update...

image via

I'm so excited to announce that I'll be spending next Spring Break in Malawi, Africa! A few weeks ago I applied for Clemson Panhellenic's Circle of Sisterhood Committee and was so excited to find out that I was accepted onto the committee. Circle of Sisterhood is Clemson Panhellenic's philanthropy (similar to how CASA is Theta's) and provides education to girls across the world.

For the committee, we will be fundraising over the next year and a half and then building a school in Malawi next spring! I am so excited for this amazing opportunity and couldn't wait to share the news with y'all! I'll definitely be sharing more as the time comes and can't wait to share lots of pictures next spring!

Weekend Reading

Happy Sunday y'all! Sorry that this post is going up on Sunday rather than Saturday as usual- I've been enjoying my time at home so far and haven't spent a ton of time on my computer so I'm just now getting around to sharing this post with y'all!

1. I just splurged on these wedges and I'm so excited for them to come in as I know I'll get so much wear out of them this summer!

2. My friend Riley just shared her makeup routine and I loved seeing all the different products she uses

3. Obsessed with this collaboration between Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton

4. Love this chic and classic outfit on Cara

5. I thought this imagined conversation between Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle was too funny not to share!

6. Loved reading about five easy ways to simplify your life

7. My friend Elizabeth shared what she eats in a day over on her blog and I love that is healthy yet realistic for college girls!

8. This is such a fun spring-y outfit on Kate!

9. Lilly Pulitzer just released their latest spring new arrivals and I love how classic Lilly they are! My favorites are this shift dress, this romper, this top, these shorts, this strapless dress, this shift dress, and this skort

10. Speaking of Lilly Pulitzer, have y'all seen their collaboration with Pottery Barn? Even though I don't have a ton of space for a gorgeous printed chair in my dorm room or need new Lilly bedding right now, I think all of the pieces are stunning!

Have a good weekend!

My Chic Week: March 9-15

Happy Friday y'all! I'm so excited for today as it means that I am finally on Spring Break! I'm heading home this afternoon and I'm excited to see my family and my dogs. This past week was definitely a busy one so let's catch up!

I had my two usual classes on Friday and then got some random errands done around campus. One of my sorority sister's birthday was on Friday so we grabbed lunch to-go from a restaurant downtown and had a picnic. We then went to the Clemson baseball game before getting dinner and watching a movie.

similar pullover ⎢leggings ⎢similar sneakers

Saturday was definitely a productive one as I got up somewhat early and headed to our on-campus Starbucks to work on homework. I then headed over to the hall as we had big/little reveal for our spring member class.

agenda

I went to lunch with my big and her roommate after reveal and then wound up going back to Starbucks with my big's roommate to work on homework. I went to Mass and then met up with two friends for dinner and then to watch a movie!

Sunday morning, I met up with Madison of The Classic Madison for brunch at one of my favs in Greenville, Tandem. Madison goes to Furman, which is about 45 minutes away from Clemson, so it was so fun to meet another college blogger and chat about blogging and our sorority experiences as she just joined Tri Delta at Furman!

lilly top

After brunch, I headed back to Clemson and got ready for chapter. We had initiation for our spring new girls so after chapter, I helped set up for initiation and then grabbed dinner with one of my friends. I managed to be pretty productive on Sunday night as I finished up some homework and got some blog work done too!

Monday was back into the swing of things with my three classes. After class, I had a recruitment workshop for my sorority and then immediately went to an extra credit opportunity for my Spanish class. It ended later than I expected so I grabbed dinner afterwards and then headed back to my dorm.

similar sunglasses ⎢similar scarf ⎢oxford ⎢similar skirt ⎢similar purse

I had an 8 AM class on Tuesday and then my lab right afterwards. I went back to my dorm and worked on some homework before meeting some friends to work on more homework. I had more homework than I expected so I spent some time in the library before grabbing a quick dinner and getting some more stuff done in my dorm!

Wednesday was a day full of class and studying! I had my two morning classes and then grabbed lunch afterwards. I did a little studying before going to my Spanish class. Right after Spanish, I headed straight to the library to study and work on my lab report. I took a break to go to my sorority's Bible Study and then one of my sisters and I grabbed dinner downtown as it was dollar slice night at a pizza place in downtown Clemson before heading back to the library.

agenda

I had my Physical Science exam bright and early on Thursday morning and then headed over to our student center to get some work done.

yeti tumbler

I then headed back to my dorm to pack up for spring break and clean my room. Thursday afternoon, Theta had a yoga event with two other sororities on campus so one of my sorority sisters and I went to that in the afternoon. Afterwards, I went to dinner with my roommate for next year!

On the Blog:

Why I Chose Clemson ⎢How I Study for Tests ⎢Spring Break Outfit Inspiration ⎢20 Things I Love

Happy Friday!