Mother's Day Gift Guide

Believe it or not, Mother's Day is just around the corner and right now is the perfect time to start thinking about what to give Mom. I always look at Mother's Day as an opportunity to pamper your mom and thank her for all of the work she does for you!

I had so much fun creating this gift guide for y'all as the items include items that I have given to my mom in the past (sorry mom, if you're reading this, your gift this year isn't on here haha!) to items that your mom may not splurge on for herself!

lilly pulitzer top ⎢tory burch sandals ⎢picture frame (pro tip- fill it with a favorite family picture for a personalized touch!)

art print ⎢pendant necklace (choose her favorite color or birth stone) ⎢candle

lip balm set ⎢tote bag

What has been your favorite gift to give your mom? Let me know in the comments!

Weekend Reading

Happy Saturday y'all! Does anyone have any fun plans this weekend? It's my last weekend of school (!?!?) and the last few days before exams so I'll probably be spending most of my time studying, which is such a fun time lol!

Every weekend here on Chic in Carolina, I like to share some fun links that have caught my eye over the past week! I like to think it's the perfect post to read on a lazy Saturday morning with a cup of coffee in hand!

a snap from yesterday's My Chic Week post!

1. Pinterest has been my go-to 5 minute break lately- I was obsessed back in high school and then went through a phase of not using it as much! Follow along to see all the fun things I pin

2. While in Greenville earlier this week, I picked up this adorable top from Anthropologie and I'm so excited to wear it as it is so versatile

3. My friend Cara has been killing the fitness game lately and I loved her latest fitness post

4. So excited to hear that the new Royal Baby was born!

5. Lilly Pulitzer just released the first release of their summer collection and I'm obsessed! My favorites are this dress, this tank, these shorts, this dress, this off-the-shoulder top, these pants, and this top

6. Have you read Crazy, Rich Asians? Well the movie version is coming out in August and they just realized the first trailer for it! It looks like it will be so good and I'm so excited

7. Love this formal dress on Kate- it would be so perfect for a summer wedding!

8. Want to know what is really like to be a blogger? This blog post gives a bit of insight on that!

9. One of my sorority sisters shared this Gossip Girl parody video on Facebook this week and while it's admittedly stupidly funny, I couldn't help but share it with y'all!

10. The thought of moving out of my dorm room in only a few short days (but how on earth did that happen?!?!) definitely has spring cleaning on my mind! If you're in the same boat, these tips are spot on!

Have a good weekend!

My Chic Week: April 20-26

Happy Last Day of Class here in Clemson! It's crazy how quickly this school year is wrapping up- this time next week I'll be home in Charlotte! This weekend will be spent studying for finals, starting to pack up my dorm, and hanging out with friends before we all head our separate ways for the summer.

As always I'll be sharing more about this weekend in next week's MCW post, so for now, grab a cup of coffee and let's catch up!

Friday morning was pretty typical as I had class and then headed back to my dorm for a bit. There was an extra credit opportunity for my geography class so some of my friends and I in the class went for a bit.

Friday afternoon, one of my friends and I took a trip to Target, which was so much fun! Our closest Target is like 20 minutes away so it's a pretty rare occasion to go but we needed to stock up on some essentials to finish out the school year! Afterwards, we went to Panera for dinner (another rarity at school) and then I had a pretty chill Friday night!

This past weekend was pretty full of Theta events, which was so much fun! On Saturday, I slept in before getting ready for working on our recruitment video (!!!). After that wrapped up, one of my friends and I went to lunch in downtown Clemson and wound up walking around and doing some shopping.

Later that day, we had our spring function, Theta in Paradise. It was such a fun excuse to dress up and hang out with my friends! The dress I'm wearing is old Show Me Your Mumu but here are my earrings and my wedges! Of course, my friends and I took the function as an excuse to take lots of cute pictures!

On Sunday, we had our chapter sisterhood retreat, which was so much fun as we tie-dyed Theta t-shirts and made s'mores by the lake! We then had our last chapter meeting of the semester, which is crazy to think about. I'm currently serving as my chapter's Service Director and our service hours were due on Sunday, making Sunday afternoon full of working on those!

old Lilly dress ⎢wedges

Monday was full of unexpected surprises as the power was down in Clemson so we had the day off of classes. I slept in and then one of my friends and I decided to go to Tandem for brunch. Tandem is the cutest crepe place in Traveler's Rest, South Carolina (slightly north of Greenville) and whenever I get a chance, I love brunching there!

After brunch, we headed to downtown Greenville and decided to walk around for a bit. The wifi at Clemson was down as well so we decided it would be more fun to hang out in Greenville. Once I got back to Clemson, I worked on homework for a bit and went for a run around campus. I'm low-key the worst at working out while at school so a run was a great way to get a workout in and also soak up my time in Clemson before summer!

The wifi finally came back on around 6 so I continued to work on homework!

Tuesday was a pretty productive day as I went to class in the morning and then went back to my dorm to get some work done. I later met some friends in the library to get some homework done for one of our classes and then I headed over to the Starbucks on campus to work on my Spanish homework. I had to drop something off on my sorority hall and also picked up a package from the mail room! I decided to splurge on this Tory Burch tote and I'm so excited about it as it is gorgeous and also very practical (it fits my laptop!).

Wednesday was a pretty normal day of class but after class on Wednesday, I met up with one of my sorority sisters to go to Starbucks to work on homework, which turned into dinner and catching up on the porch of my building, which was so nice!

old anthropologie top ⎢shorts ⎢sandals ⎢purse

Thursday was a fun day as I got some things done around my dorm and then met Ashley of A Little Ashley for coffee. I'm so thankful that we have been able to go from blogging friends to real life friends (and Theta sisters!). She is graduating in just a few weeks so it was fun to catch up! We literally sat in Starbucks chatting for four hours, which was too fun!

I then ran into one of my friends in Starbucks so I hung out with her before grabbing some t-shirts from the sorority hall and saying hey to my big! I then went to dinner with two of my friends!

On the Blog this Week:

Final Exam Study Tips ⎢The Top You Need for Spring ⎢Summer Country Playlist ⎢How to Prepare for a Busy Week Ahead

Happy Friday!

How to Prepare for a Busy Week Ahead

With finals right around the corner and approaching quicker than I'd like to admit, it's easy to say that the rest of the semester will be busy with a crazy week ahead. There's always those weeks in the calendar where you know that it will be a busy one, whether it's a random week during the semester or finals weeks. Even though there's usually not a lot you can do about a busy week, I've found that being prepared for it helps so much! Over the weekend when I know I have a busy week ahead, I'll usually get some of these items done to prep and get ahead.

a snap from last summer!

Clean your room
I try to keep everything tidy throughout the week but cleaning up over the weekend is so helpful for starting the week on a fresh note. I'm way more productive when my room is clean as the clutter distracts me so a clean room helps to start off your week on a good note!

Update your agenda
I find the weekends to be such a good time to sit down with agenda and update it with all the events for the week ahead (maybe with a cup of coffee in hand!). I know that updating my agenda always makes me feel a little more prepared for the week ahead as I have more of a handle on it.

Lay out your outfits for the week
Not necessarily applicable for college girls as I usually just wears norts and a t-shirt for class but laying out your clothes ahead of time saves so much time in the morning. Especially if you're one to overthink what to wear for the day, this can save so much time during the week and also be a motivation as you'll have cute outfits to wear throughout the week!

Clean out your bag
My backpack and purse tend to get pretty crazy throughout the week so I like to take a few minutes during the weekend and clean things out. I'll throw away those random pieces of trash and put random coins in my wallet so that my bag is ready to go during the week and that everything is easier to find.

Catch up on chores
During the week, it's harder to have time to do chores so I try to do that over the weekend so it gets done. I try to vacuum, dust, and wipe everything down with a Clorox wipe so everything is clean for the week ahead!

Get some sleep
I always try to sleep in on the weekends and go to bed early on Sunday to prepare for the week ahead. My sleep schedule can be pretty unpredictable throughout the week so getting some sleep on the weekends makes sure that I start the week on a refreshed note.

Go to the grocery store
When you know you have a busy week ahead, going to the grocery store and stocking up on everything makes the rest of the week go so much easier. I don't need to go to the store every week in college but having food on hand ensures that you don't have to go in the middle of the week!

Do laundry
Laundry is honestly such a hassle in college. I live in a fairly large building so it seems like our building group-me is full of people talking about laundry as there's never open washers and driers. Having all of my laundry washed, dried, and folded makes me feel so accomplished and doing it over the weekend gives you one less item to do during the week.

Make your to-do list for the week (and break it down by day!)
When I have a particularly busy week, I find it helpful to break down everything I need to do by day so it seems less overwhelming. Whether it is a big project that I need to accomplish or random tasks to do, I'll add those items to the to-do list for that day so it's ready to go and I don't forget anything throughout the week.

Get ahead on assignments
If you know that something is coming up later in the week, the weekend is a perfect time to start or get it done. This will save you stress later in the week as you'll have one less thing to do as it's already done!

How do you prepare for a busy week? Let me know in the comments!

Summer Country Playlist

I have a little over a week until summer officially kicks off and I could not be more excited! Even though I am going to miss my friends here at school, I am excited to have some time off from doing homework and studying for tests. To get me (and hopefully y'all!) through this last week of projects and final exams, I have put together a fun summer country playlist!

Country music and pop are my favorite genres of my music year-long but I definitely love country in the summer time! It just sounds so perfect for warm days spent by the water and who doesn't want to be reminded of that when they're studying?

image via my trip to Hawaii almost 2 years ago!

What songs are you loving right now? Let me know in the comments!

The Top You Need for Spring

Nothing says spring and summer to me like a bright Lilly print! When I was home over Spring Break in March, my mom and I took a little shopping trip to the mall and I fell in love with this Lilly top! It's very quintessential Lilly yet is different from any other Lilly pieces I have in my closet.

I know I will get a lot of use out of it as it will be perfect for beach vacations, girls's nights out, and even to wear for student teaching (I get to do another field placement in the fall and I'm so excited). Plus, how fun is this pink wall? It's right off of Main Street in downtown Greenville and it was too fun not to take pictures in front of!

Top: Lilly Pulitzer Bralette: Free People White Pants: Vineyard Vines (similar) Sandals: Jack Rogers Purse: Louis Vuitton (less expensive here) Pendant Necklace: Kendra Scott Watch: Kate Spade

Pictures by Madison of The Classic Madison

Final Exam Study Tips

The end of semester is quickly approaching and while that means I'm one step closer to sunny days by the pool, it means that final exams are also right around the corner too! Finals are the most dreaded time of the year for students but just because it's dreaded, doesn't mean you can't totally organize your studying and prep well for your exams.

Last semester, I experienced my first college finals week and saw first hand what everyone talks about (one of my friends and I seriously walked through every floor of the library without finding an empty table!). I've gathered up some of my best finals tips to hopefully make finals week a little bit easier to manage!

Start Early
Waiting till the last minute to start your studying is the best way to maximize stress. Starting early helps you get a better grasp of the material and feel less stressed during the week!

Study with Friends

Elementary Education at Clemson is a fairly small major so I've been so lucky to have met so many friends in my major! Not only are they great friends, it makes studying a lot easier as we can study together. Studying with a friends allows you to run through the material and maybe see a point you might of not been able to before

Find your most productive study spot
Finals week is not the time to try new study spots across campus. All the popular study spots across campus usually full during finals so stick to what you know and what place allows you to be the most productive (as you know, it's helpful to be productive during finals haha!). I know I'm not the most productive in my dorm room so finding a spot in the library or the library allows me to get the most studying down

Type up your Notes

When I'm unsure of where to start in terms of studying, I always start with typing up my notes.  I always handwrite my notes in class so typing helps me continue to look at the material. Plus, the notes from class tend to be pretty indicative of the material that will be on the exam (in my experience) so it's definitely helpful to study that material!

Utilize a study guide (or make your own!)
Can we all agree that a professor providing a study guide is the biggest blessing while preparing for an exam? If you're lucky enough to have a study guide, use it as it summarizes the materials you need based off of what will be on the test. If you don't have a study guide, make your own! Even though it won't be exactly what will be on the exam, it will help you run through the material and continue to learn it.

Make a Quizlet (or flashcards)
Quizlet is my favorite study website and I honestly don't know what I would do without it. After I type up my notes and work through my study guide, I find it helpful to make a Quizlet (or flashcards) of the material. One perk of Quizlet is that it has different features, such as test or games to play with the material, that help you study and work through the material

Get enough sleep!
I know it is easy to not get enough sleep during finals week but I am a firm believer that there comes a time where you have studied all that you can and it is more beneficial to go to bed. Plus, you want to be well rested so you can rock those exams!

Any other final exam study tips? Let me know in the comments!

Weekend Reading

Happy Saturday y'all! It's crazy to think that after this weekend, I only have one more weekend in Tigertown before heading back home for the summer! I have a sorority function tonight and then a sorority sisterhood retreat tomorrow so I'll definitely be staying busy, but it's crazy to see how quickly the school year is ending!

image via a trip to Dean & Deluca last summer- can't wait to take lots of lunch trips there this summer!

1. The makers of Nantucket vs. The Hamptons just started a new Instagram, which highlights the difference between Charleston and Myrtle Beach and any Southerner will get a kick out of it!

2. Have you seen Julia of Gal Meets Glam's new dress line? Everything is so pretty!

3. This Lululemon post definitely makes me want to try out foam rolling

4. The Kentucky Derby is right around the corner and this Town & Country article shares some fun facts you probably didn't know about the Derby!

5. So excited for my Theta sister Ashley as she starts her next chapter after graduation!

6. Have you heard that Target will not be releasing the tall Hunter boots as part of their Target x Hunter capsule collection?

7. The Newsette is one of my favorite email subscriptions as they round up everything going on in pop culture and send it to your inbox each morning! They shared a post on what a visual merchandiser does at work, which I found so interesting!

8. Love these skincare tips!

9. Kate shared her makeup routine on her blog the other day and I love how classic and elegant it is!

10. Tory Burch has such a good sale going on right now- I have my eye on this shift dress and this purse!

Have a good weekend!

My Chic Week: April 13-19

Happy Friday y'all! After a crazy busy week, I am so glad that it is the weekend! Next week is my last week of class, which is so crazy to think about as it will be summer before I know it!

My first class of the day on Friday was cancelled, which is always a great way to start off the day as I was able to get dressed and then head to Starbucks for breakfast before class. I then had my only class of the day and then headed back to my dorm for a bit.

Madison of The Classic Madison and I had lunch and took outfit pictures in Greenville Friday afternoon, which was too much fun! I picked her up at Furman and then we went to Tupelo Honey for lunch, which was amazing! We then both took outfit pictures (which y'all saw on Wednesday and will see more of next week!) and we actually ran into my Pi Chi from sorority recruitment in the fall so it was fun to see her! I then headed back to Clemson and then had dinner with one of my friends before going to get ice cream at an ice cream shop in downtown Clemson.

Saturday was my birthday and my family was so sweet and came into town to celebrate! We went to lunch with some of my friends here at Clemson and enjoyed some yummy barbecue and then cupcakes from my favorite spot at home that my family brought with them! We headed back to campus and then I opened presents with my family before they had to head back to Charlotte.

Saturday was also Clemson's Spring Football game, which was so much fun! It was so nice to be back in Death Valley and cheer on the Tigers, even though I got a not-so-lovely sunburn haha! Afterwards, my big and I ordered a pizza and hung out in her room as the game totally wiped us out!

outfit details: tassel earrings ⎢orange top (from last summer but styled in this post!) ⎢skort ⎢sandals (which y'all can see in most of these pictures haha!) ⎢similar sunglasses

I slept in on Sunday morning before heading to the library with one of my friends. This week was definitely a crazy one (thank goodness it's over!) so I was able to get somewhat of a head start. One of my besties from home also Facetimed me so it was fun catching up on life with her before we can do it in person in a few short weeks!

I then had my sorority's chapter meeting and then a quick meeting for living on our sorority hall before quickly changing, eating dinner, and heading back to the library. I had a group project to work on and a math test to study for so it was a busy night!

outfit details: dress (old but styled in this post) ⎢rain boots

On Monday, I had my first two classes with a test in my math class. I also had class registration on Monday afternoon, which is always so hectic. I thankfully have most of my classes straightened out but the whole process can be pretty overwhelming!

I then had my Spanish class and grabbed dinner at a restaurant downtown with a friend as there was a proceeds night for the Circle of Sisterhood. We then went to our student center to study before going to an extra credit event for Spanish.

Tuesday morning, I had class followed by a presentation in my lab right afterwards. I grabbed lunch with a friend before getting some stuff done in the afternoon. I then met up with some friends to work on homework together in the library and wound up staying there to get more work done!

My roomie for next year and I realized we were both in the lib so we had a quick catch up in the stairway (no joke!), which was such a great way to take a break. It's Circle of Sisterhood Week to raise funds for the trek to Malawi next spring break (which you can read about here) and we had a speaker Tuesday night so I grabbed dinner with a friend before going to that. After the speaker, I did some blog work, worked on a presentation, and studied for a quiz I had the next day!

I had my two classes on Wednesday and then went back to my dorm to eat and practice a presentation that I gave in my Spanish class later that afternoon. One of my friends and I went to our Geography professor's office hours to ask a few questions and then I stopped at Starbucks before my next class. I had a big presentation in Spanish so I'm relieved to have that done and I think it went fairly well.

tennis skort

I then headed to the library to study for a test that I had the next morning. I grabbed Chick-fil-a with one of my friends for dinner before we went to the lib to study some more!

Thursday morning, I had my 8 AM and we had an exam so I actually was able to leave earlier than the class usually gets out. I did my laundry and did a deep clean of my room, which felt so nice to get done!

I had a sorority meeting in the afternoon and then got some homework and blog work done. For Circle of Sisterhood week, there was a food truck event on Thursday night that my big and I went to, which was so much fun!

On the Blog:

19 Fun Facts About Me! ⎢How to Know When You Need a Break ⎢Blush & Tassels ⎢Dorm Room Groceries

Happy Friday!