Let's Catch Up!

Getting into a groove...oh boy, no matter how many times I try, it seems I cannot for the life of me get into a groove in terms of blogging. I jump from being excited about blogging and coming up with lots of new posts for y'all to being frustrated, unmotivated, overwhelmed and then not really doing anything about it.

Let's be real, I love blogging. I absolutely do! I have learned so much from it, pushed myself outside of my comfort zone through it, and have made so many amazing connections from it. But as blogging has changed over time, I don't feel like I'm being real with it anymore. My "brand" in blogging is centered around cute and preppy outfits as well as tips for school and life that paint me as an expert in those topics. I absolutely hate using the term busy to describe why I haven't been active but honestly I've been focusing on my "real life" in 2019, not the perfect picture of myself I paint on the internet. Because let's be real, I'm not wearing a cute Lilly shift right now as I'm typing this. I just got home from class, my hair is in a ponytail, I have no makeup on, and I have on running shorts and a t-shirt. 

The pressure to "keep up" honestly has gotten to me. To constantly post on Instagram, on my stories, here on the blog. I don't feel that anything that exciting or noteworthy happens for me to post every single day, multiple times a day! Plus, I've may or may not be the worst at editing pictures for Instagram so that's fun.

So where does that leave Chic in Carolina? Maybe let's just figure that out as we go along? But I want y'all to know that everything I share here on my corner of the internet is real. As cliche as it sounds, I always write my posts in the mindset that I am talking to one of my friends whether it's sharing about my new favorite leggings or a recipe I made last week for dinner that was better than expected or a cute yet inexpensive rug for my living room. I hope y'all see that every time you see one of my blog posts or see me over on social media and that I focus on that rather than how many people like my pictures or read my posts. It's so easy to let those things dictate what I post or talk about but I don't read blogs to see another cookie cutter version of the perfect blogger so why would I do that myself?

Ok now that I've been on a bit of a monologue about blogging, let's catch up a bit! I'm planning on getting back on track with my "My Chic Week" series on Friday where I essentially wrap up the week but since it's been a while, I figured a mini update of sorts should work too!

August has been a busy month! My family and I got back from our trip to Upstate New York right before July ended so I jumped back into my summer routine of nannying + going to Pure Barre classes for a few weeks before heading back to school.

My lease started on the 10th so my parents and I headed down to Clemson for the day to move most of my stuff in as my roommate didn't finish her internship until the following week. We were pretty productive and then I headed home to Charlotte for a week before officially moving in on the 17th.

I'm living off campus for the first time this year (posts on that coming soon!!) and love it so far. It's kind of weird not being on campus all the time and not sharing a room anymore but the extra space is so nice and I feel a lot more adult now, which is definitely interesting!

a little sneak peek of my bedroom!

Classes started last week so I've been getting into the routine of that and figuring everything out!

Thanks for keeping up with all of this and thanks to all of y'all for consistently being here on CiC (even when I'm not haha!). 

xoxo,

Katie

FDOC Tips & Tricks

Happy FDOC, or First Day of Class, from Clemson! The first day is always an exciting one as it means you're back on campus with a new schedule of classes and a fresh start ahead of you! Even if your semester does not start today like mine does, I am sharing some tips and tricks to start the semester on a good note!

my first day of class freshman year!

go for a cute & comfy outfit
I always find myself wanting to dress a little bit cuter than norts and a tee on the first day (even though at this point, I know everyone in my classes haha) so I usually go for a cute yet comfortable outfit for the first day. This way you look nice but aren't too uncomfortable for what will likely be a hot day with lots of walking around campus!

treat yourself to a cup of coffee
A little extrinsic motivation to get through the day! Whether it's in-between classes, before class begins, or after class, grab a cup of your favorite coffee!

introduce yourself to the people around you

A simple "Hey, I'm Katie!" totally works! This makes the class less awkward and may give you someone to ask questions to or grab notes from if you're sick! Plus, who doesn't want to make a new friend?

pack light

Odds are you won't need a lot for the first day so don't worry about packing a lot! I would bring your agenda, your laptop (but wait to see if the professor allows technology before whipping it out), and maybe a notebook! I wouldn't bother bringing the textbook the first day!

arrive early

Most people arrive early on the first day so I definitely recommend doing this so you can claim your seat! This way you don't have to worry about being late for the first class either!

update your agenda + calendar with the due dates from the syllabus

You typically don't have too much work during the first few weeks so I always like to use this time to grab the syllabus and write down every single due date and assignment into my agenda and in my calendar on my computer as well. This ensures that is all there and I won't miss an assignment. Starting the semester on an organized note will help you so much later on in the semester when things start to get crazy!

actually eat breakfast

I sound like such a mom saying that but you definitely want to start the day on a good note. I'm not the biggest breakfast eating but grabbing breakfast with a friend is always fun and the start of the semester usually has more free time so take advantage of it!

celebrate the first day

You made it through day 1! Be sure to celebrate the new semester to start the new year on a good note. Whether it's grabbing ice cream with friends or treating yourself to some new pens for your agenda, celebrate a little!

What are your tips for success on the first day of class? Let me know in the comments!

How to be a Good Roommate

I'm back with another college post that I hope will be helpful for all of y'all who are heading off to college this fall: how to be a good roommate. Having a roommate is a pretty quintessential college experience but it's an important relationship to build as you will be sharing a tiny sized room with that person.

Whether you're friends with your roommate already or met on Facebook over the summer, I'm sharing some tips I've learned over my past two years of having a roommate to help your relationship go smoothly and make your time as roommates more enjoyable!

My roommate Rachel and I! So excited for another year of living together

clean up after yourself

Dorms are (as you may expect) pretty small and tend to get messy fast as there isn't a whole lot of space. Some weeks in college are pretty crazy and I know my room is always busier on those weeks but try to keep things clean as it's respectful to your roommate to not have the room be a disaster. Whether you're doing laundry or have dirty dishes, try to keep your stuff contained and put it away as quickly as possible.

Also, it's important to talk about how to split up cleaning for your space. I found each person cleaning their side works pretty well but talk about who is in charge of cleaning the common spaces whether you alternate weeks or maybe you clean the sink while your roommate always vacuum the rug or something like that.

include your roommates in your plans

If you're heading to the dining hall, library, or to run errands by yourself or with other friends, text your roommate and see if she wants to tag along! This will help y'all become closer and also allow both of you to meet new people. Just because you are roommates does not mean you have to do everything together but including your roommate in your plans will make her feel welcomed and build a positive relationship between the two of y'all.

be respectful of each other's space

Dorms are usually small enough that even though you may each have your own "side" of the room, it isn't a whole lot of space. Try to keep your stuff on your side of the room and not take up the majority of the space. It can be annoying to come home to find your roommate's stuff all over the room and keeping it clean goes a long way (or if it is a mess, let her know as a "hey! I'm cleaning my closet right now and the room is a mess but I will clean it up after my last class" is a lot courteous than letting her just discover the mess!

This also goes for shared items or shared spaces. If you get coffee all over the Keurig, clean it up. Don't make the "home" for something that is just yours be on a shared space. Be respectful of the fact that you aren't the only person who lives here!

it's ok not to be best friends

I feel like it's pretty common to want and to expect to be best friends with your roommate. I honestly was not best friends with my freshman year roommate and it is totally ok. It can be hard sharing a tiny shoebox with another person that you met on Facebook or one time before at orientation and even if you got along before being roommates, sharing a room may change your relationship. Yes, if you turn out to best friends with your roommate, that is amazing and makes living in the dorms so much more fun (my roommate Rachel and I are super close and it's so fun living together) but I want y'all to know that it's ok if your relationship isn't like that!

respect each other's sleep schedules

Odds are that you and your roommate won't have identical schedules. You may be studying late while she wants to go to bed early before her 8 AM. Try to keep quiet and keep as little light on as possible so she can sleep and maybe head to the dorm lounge or the library to get your work done. Or maybe you have an 8 AM while she can sleep in. Turn off your alarm quickly and try to get ready quietly. I know I can get grumpy when I don't get enough sleep and being mindful of each other's sleep schedules is important for keeping the peace.

set expectations

Setting expectations is so important so you both are on the same page. At the start of the year, plan a time to chat about these things (your RA may set up a meeting too). Talk about what you want to share in the room (will you share groceries or only eat what you buy?), your policy on guests (how often do you want people over, is it ok to have overnight guests, is it ok to have boys over, etc.), responsibilities with cleaning, your schedules, your thoughts on different things (is it ok for your roommate to drink in your room?), or even what temperature you want to set the thermostat on. It may be a bit awkward to talk about these different things but it will help if you have any conflict later on in the year.

give her alone time in the room

As much as it is your room, it is also her's. In college, you're around people pretty much all the time so it's nice to have time by yourself every once in a while. If you know your roommate's schedule, it's pretty easy to know when she will or won't be in the room. I would typically count on having alone time when my roommate was in class or would go study somewhere else so she could have some alone time too.

This also goes for having friends over as if she has her friends over, it is fun to all hang out together but definitely allow her to do her own thing too!

ask before borrowing

Even if you agree to share everything in the room, it is definitely nice to ask your roommate to borrow something rather than just taking it. Of course, borrowing a pencil is different than borrowing your roommate's favorite pair of shoes but it definitely avoids awkward situations to ask rather than have to admit you spilled coffee all over her top that she didn't know you borrowed.

communicate, communicate, communicate

When living with a roommate, it is so important to be on the same page about things. If something isn't going well, be sure to talk about it before the situation gets out of hand. Keeping each other updating on little things is important to like if you will be out of town one weekend or if you plan on having a friend sleepover. If you aren't feeling great and want to go to bed early, let your roommate know so she isn't annoyed if she comes home at 9 PM to you sound asleep.

be intentional

Little things go along ways and definitely help in creating a positive relationship with your roommate. If you remember that she has a big presentation coming up, text her before that class to wish her luck. When it's her birthday and she is feeling a bit homesick as she's not at home to celebrate, make the day special by buying her a cupcake and decorating your door. Even a short hand-written note saying thank you along with a shirt you borrowed goes a long ways!

What advice do you have for living with a roommate? Let me know in the comments!

101 in 1001: Round 2

Today's post is a pretty exciting one as I'm sharing my second 101 in 1001 list! For those of you who may not be familiar with the concept, Mackenzie Horan of Design Darling came up with the idea of accomplishing 101 goals in 1001 goals (roughly 2.5 years).

After finishing up my first one (and crossing off 50 of my 101 goals) last year, I knew I wanted to do another one and I am so excited about it. It is crazy to think that by the time I finish in May 2022, I'll be a year post-grad and in "the real world", which I honestly don't want to think about haha!

Start Date: August 19, 2019

End Date: May 16, 2022

Progress: 0 Completed, 101 to go!

Clemson/Greenville

1. Try five new restaurants in Clemson or Greenville

2. Find my favorite coffee shop in Greenville

3. Go to a Pure Barre class in Greenville

4. Have a lake day on Lake Hartwell

5. Have a picnic on the dikes

6. Receive my Clemson ring

7. Go hiking

8. Walk around Traveler's Rest

9. Get cupcakes at Clemson Confectionaries

10. Attend 5 non-football athletic events

Charlotte

11. Try five new restaurants in Charlotte

12. Share a Charlotte travel guide on the blog

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

14. Go to the Davidson Farmer's Market

15. Have a staycation in Charlotte

Blogging

16. Reach 5,000 followers on Instagram

17. Reach 1,000 followers on Twitter

18. Reach 1,000 followers on Pinterest

19. Purchase an official URL for my blog

20. Collaborate with a brand I love

21. Connect with five blogging friends in real life

22. Post on the blog everyday for a month

23. Host a giveaway

24. Post on Instagram everyday for a month

25. Learn how to properly edit photos

Friends & Family

26. Host a brunch

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

28. Treat my parents to a nice dinner

29. Have one of my high school friends visit me at Clemson

30. Mail letters to 10 friends as a surprise

31. Visit my siblings at their colleges

32. Surprise a friend with a care package

33. Visit a friend at their college

34. Mail a family member with flowers out of the blue

35. Spend a day with each of my siblings

36. Visit one of my college friends in their post-grad city

37. Celebrate 10 achievements for my friends

38. Catch up in-person with one of my college friends over the summer

39. Have my family visit in Clemson for a non-football weekend

40. Pull off a surprise

Health & Fitness

41. Go a month without eating out

42. Reach 500 Pure Barre classes

43. Go to a spin class

44. Workout three times a week for two months (while at school)

45. Run a 10k

Just for Fun

46. Read 25 books

47. Get a massage

48. Throw a surprise party

49. Do something that scares me

50. Donate $100 to a charity I'm passionate about

51. Save $10 for every item completed on this list

52. Bake 20 new recipes

53. Learn calligraphy

54. Pay for the people behind me in Starbucks

55. Watch the sunrise

56. Go to a wedding

57. Go apple picking

58. Try dermaplaning

59. Learn how to make macarons

60. Stop hitting the snooze button

61. Go a month without Starbucks

62. Go to three concerts

63. Be able to do a split

64. Unplug for a full 24 hours

65. Go to a midnight showing of a movie

66. Make an address book (not just in my iPhone)

67. Pull an all-nighter

College

68. Graduate undergrad

69. Earn a 4.0 one semester

70. Attend the Carolina Cup

71. Introduce my college friends to my high school friends

72. Go on a fun Spring Break trip with college friends

73. Decorate my college apartment and share it on the blog

74. Get involved and take on a leadership position

75. Take a "just for fun" class

76. Go to a professor's office hours "just because"

77. Join a new club or organization

78. Attend an away football game

79. Attend a bowl game (for football)

"Real World"

80. Apply to graduate school

81. Get my first "big girl" job

82. Vote in a presidential election

83. Move into and decorate my first post-grad apartment

84. Build my savings

85. Start building credit

86. Invest in an iMac

87. Learn how to use LinkedIn

88. Learn how to repair basic items in my house/apartment

89. Master 5 meals

Travel

90. Visit three new countries

91. Attend the Kentucky Derby

92. Travel to 5 new cities

93. Visit a friend's hometown

94. Go on a cruise

95. Visit Nantucket

96. Go on a road trip with friends

97. Go on a girls trip with my mom and sister

98. Visit the West Coast

99. Visit two new beaches

100. Visit New York City again

101. Visit Nashville

Have you done an 101 in 1001 list before? Let me know in the comments!

How to Save Money in College

Saving money and college are not always two things that go together. I mean attending college can be pretty pricy and that's before any "extras", such as eating out with friends, shopping, or even activities with friends. I wanted to share some tips on how to save money in college without necessarily limiting your social life and that are most importantly easy to do!

"Shop" your friends' closet

I know I'm definitely guilty of wanting to buy new pieces for different occasions, whether it's gameday or a sorority function. While all of those new outfits are cute, they can quickly make a dent in your bank account! If your friends are ok with it, borrow clothes from each other. A "new" skirt can completely transform your look for a football game or if you trade semi dresses around, no one will notice!

Utilize student discounts
A lot of stores, thankfully, offer a student discount, which can save you a ton of money! I would recommend asking wherever you shop as you never know if they offer a discount or not and it doesn't hurt to ask!

Save your coins

I started keeping all of my coins in a jar back in high school and recently deposited it to find out I had $80...in coins. I absolutely despise using coins so I keep them in a jar. It may not seem like a lot at the time but they definitely add up!

Limit how much you spend on coffee

This is directed at myself as I definitely need to work on this one! That daily Starbucks adds up quickly and while the dining dollars you're using to pay for it may not feel like "real" money, it definitely is. Bring your own to-go mug to class or opt for a cheaper beverage when you do get Starbucks.

Avoid the on-campus convenience stores

Yes, they're amazingly convenient for when you're out of soap and you don't want to get your car out to go drive to Target. However, they jack up the prices so you're paying $10 for two bars of soap. It may not seem like a lot but it definitely adds up! Make sure you have enough of the essentials on hand in your room (from toiletries to cleaning supplies) so you can avoid the on-campus convenience stores as much as possible!

Limit your subscriptions

I know it's so easy to subscribe to a million different services. While Netflix and Hulu do have different shows, do you really need both? Cutting back on some of these is a great way to save a few extra dollars each month!

How do you save money in college? Let me know in the comments!

What I Wish I Knew Before College

I honestly cannot believe that next week, I'm going to be a junior in college. It seems like freshman move in day was just yesterday and now college is nearly half-way over, like I did not give permission for that to happen!

Even though it feels like freshman year was just a second ago, it also feels like I've been a Clemson student forever and that I've grown up so much from the girl who moved in not knowing anyone two years ago. I thought it would be fun to share some of the lessons I learned so far with y'all to help out all the incoming freshman or perhaps rising juniors like me who can't believe they're "old".

a picture from my freshman move in day- can't believe this was almost two years ago!

it is completely ok to have alone time

I'm an extrovert and I absolutely love spending time around other people. In college, you are around people constantly: you live in a noisy dorm room where you share your room and your bathroom, there's always people around on campus, and there's always things going on. It's totally ok to spend your afternoon by yourself and catch up on Netflix with a cup of hot chocolate or coffee. It's ok to run errands by yourself just to get some alone time. Sometimes it's hard because you feel like you're "missing out" on something but trust me, everyone needs a break every once in a while.

friendships will change

Your friendships from high school and your new ones at college. College friends I think are special as you see so much more of them as in high school, you see your friends at lunch or in class and then on the weekends. In college, you are with your friends all the time as you don't have old friends or family to fall back on so you grow a lot closer in a shorter period of time.

It's also ok for your high school friendships to look different now that y'all are in college. Let's be real, long distance friendships take work and effort. You can't put zero effort in and expect things to stay the same. You will all grow close to new friends at your new schools as well and that's totally ok and normal. So you may not talk everyday like you did in high school but catching up over breaks or even on quick FaceTime calls make it all so worth it!

time off campus is the perfect reset

Especially freshman year, it can feel like you're in a bubble at college. Everyone you see (except for professors) is your age and it is so easy to forget there is a world outside of campus. This sounds so weird but I feel like it is true for so many college students.

I've found that taking a bit of time and getting off campus, whether by yourself or with friends is so calming! I secretly love going grocery shopping by myself every once in a while and exploring the area around your school is such a fun activity to do with friends.

having a school-life balance is so important

Back in high school, school and the rest of your life are very separate as you go to school for 7ish hours and then come back home. Sure you have homework but you are not literally living at school like you are in college. Especially first semester, you may feel like you have to spend a ton of time working on school and studying. Yes, schoolwork is important but so is the rest of your life!

I think the key to this is to have at least fun thing going on each day, big or small. Some days that may be having a movie night with your friends while others it's catching up with a friend while studying together. This will help you not feel as burnt out and a lot less crazy!

no one cares as much as you think they do

This sounds bad but no, I do not mean that everyone around you does not care because yes they care about you or about their grades or whatever it is. What they don't care about? How you look going to class or if you look absolutely ridiculous waiting in the pizza shop in your formal dress (because I've been there). In college, I've learned it is so much easier to just do what makes me happy whether that is wearing yoga pants, no makeup, and hair in a bun for class or to look crazy singing High School Musical with friends in a restaurant in Italy.

Going off of this, I feel like we beat ourselves up over mistakes so much longer than other people do. Sometimes when you mess up, it's best to move on because usually everyone else has.

everything won't happen the way you want it to

Honestly, I'm still learning this one! I'll be the first to admit that I had some expectations for what I thought my college experience would look like. I would join that organization, take on this leadership position, or even ace that test. Sometimes, yes it works out exactly the way you want it to and otherwise, it doesn't. And it stinks as you think you're the perfect fit for that position you didn't get or you studied all you could for that test that you failed or you put your all into that friendship that fizzled out. But learning from those experiences is such a large part of what makes college college as taking what didn't happen the way you planned into something better is a great skill to have. And who knows maybe it will turn out better than you could even plan!

it takes time to find your people

I went to a tiny high school and honestly I was friends with most of my friends since elementary school. I, like most freshman, was nervous about making friends in college and honestly it is pretty easy to make friends in college as everyone is in the same boat. It does, however, take time for those friendships to develop and stick. Honestly, my friend group didn't really solidify until the start of sophomore year and I have made incredible friends both years of college. If it seems like everyone else is meeting their besties off of Instagram, just know it takes time!

you don't have to be besties with your roommate

I feel like it's a common expectation of freshman that they will be best friends with your roommate. Some people are best friends with their freshman year roommate, but a lot of people aren't. It's hard sharing a tiny shoebox of a room with anyone let alone a stranger so it's ok if you aren't totally best friends. I didn't have the best friend relationship with my roommate and honestly, most of the girls on my hall didn't. Rather than focusing on being best friends forever, focus on the relationship that works best for y'all: some people are friendly with their roomies and hang out in the room but not outside the room, some are super close, and some aren't at all (not saying that the last one is the best but if you do find yourself in that situation, just know it will all work out).

college isn't fun every single second of it

There I said it. I love love love college but would absolutely be lying to y'all if I said it was fun all the time. College can be crazy, it can be stressful, and at times you can feel like you are doing absolutely everything in the world wrong. It is absolutely, completely normal to feel this way but when you look at your friends from home's Instagrams or Facebook albums, it looks like they are having nothing but fun and you question if you're the only one struggling. But the thing is you don't put the picture of you freaking out over grades or the eighty million hours you spent in the lib on your instagram story.

it's okay to say no

I feel like at school, everyone is constantly doing something and is crazy busy all the time (I know every week feels like a crazy busy week!). I find myself wondering how other people have the secret to do it all, you know be involved in twenty million clubs, have time to study for all their classes, are always doing fun things with their friends, and somehow go to the gym too? The secret is no one has it together as much as you think they do and it's ok not to do it all.

Saying no is totally ok and you should be saying it. Whether it's saying no to going to a mixer as you need to study or even saying no to studying on a Saturday morning and saying yes to brunch with friends, it is so important!

be spontaneous

Honestly, I'm still not the best at this but I think those random ideas are where the best memories are made. It doesn't have to be big adventures either: taking a walk around campus with friends instead of studying or ditching the dining hall to go to Greenville for dinner are two spontaneous things that have made crazy weeks so much more fun!

What are some things you wish you knew before college? Let me know in the comments!

Sorority Recruitment Tips

The new semester is about to begin and for many colleges it also means that sorority recruitment is about to begin as well. Sorority recruitment is a process where Potential New Members, or PNMs, are able to meet all of the different sororities on a college campus in hopes of joining on at the end of the process. I am a rising junior at Clemson University in South Carolina and joined Kappa Alpha Theta at the beginning of my freshman year. Even though my sorority is no longer active on my campus (a long story that I sort of shared about here), many of y'all have asked me to share posts about the topic so I decided to share a few recruitment related posts this summer leading up to fall recruitment (check out my posts on why I still recommend going Greek even though my chapter was shut down and outfit inspiration for recruitment)!

Sorority recruitment can be an overwhelming and emotional process so I wanted to share a few tips with y'all that came in handy when I was a PNM and that I also realized last year being on the sister side of recruitment to help y'all feel more prepared for recruitment and have a positive experience!

my bid day freshman year (which you can read about here)

be open-minded

It's hard to know what a sorority is like before getting to talk to them yourself. Just because their instagram is super cute or another girl in your Pi Chi group says they're the best on campus, it does not mean they're 100% the house is for you! Be open-minded to all of your options and recruitment will be such a smoother process.

This also means to give houses a chance. After the first round of cuts, you may be going back to a house you didn't love. Have an open-mind as each round, you are only talking to 3-5 girls out of a chapter that can have 200 girls in it (at Clemson, but some schools have 400 girls in a chapter!) so just because you didn't love that conversation, it doesn't mean you won't connect with someone else in the chapter.

be confident

Be confident in who you are! Recruitment gives you the opportunity to show off what makes you great (though don't be braggy) and you should definitely be taking advantage of it. Even if you feel a little nervous, be confident- you totally got this!

wear what makes you feel comfortable
I shared some outfit inspiration for recruitment last week on the blog but ultimately you should wear what makes you feel comfortable and confident. My style is very preppy and bright and I wore Lilly Pulitzer throughout recruitment even though it's not as trendy anymore. Don't wear something that isn't your style just to fit in during recruitment as you want to join a sorority that accepts you for you!

don't let other opinions influence you
Your decision to join a sorority is your choice alone. If someone says they hated a chapter you adored, don't let it bother you as you aren't joining a house to make that person happy but to make yourself happy!

look for your best fit
Recruitment is all about finding the place you will call home for the next 4 years. Note that it's about you- not your roommate, not your best friend from home who is rushing at another school and wants y'all to both be ABCs, not family members who want you to join their chapter. Look for the place you can be 100% comfortable being your most genuine self. The girls recruiting you may turn into some of your friends and you don't look recruitment ready everyday of college! 

be yourself
You want to find a chapter that loves you for you, not for the person you pretended to be during recruitment. If you, for example, have a more relaxed personality and fake being peppy at the really peppy chapter, you may wind up joining that chapter but you may not be happy as that isn't who you are.

befriend the girls in your pi chi group
Recruitment is not a competition and the other PNMs aren't competitors. Befriending the girls in your Pi Chi group, or recruitment group, will make recruitment so much more enjoyable! Recruitment is all about meeting new people and making friends so start with your Pi Chi group as you may have new friends for life no matter what chapter you join!

pack snacks & gum/mints
Recruitment is full of long days so you will definitely want snacks! I would also pack something to freshen up your breath as you don't want to have smelly breath talking in a party.

stereotypes are just that, stereotypes

Throughout recruitment, you may hear different stereotypes about the different chapters whether it's ABC is a chapter for only blonde party girls or DEF is full of girls who are total book worms who never party and XYZ is the weird chapter. With a large group of women, it is difficult to place a stereotype that is true for such a large group. There will be partiers in the studious sorority and girls who don't go out in the party sorority. Focus on your experience in each chapter, not what other people say!

walk over in flip-flops

You will probably have a walk from your dorm to wherever recruitment is held, whether at chapter houses or the basketball arena if you go to Clemson, so do yourself a favor and wear flip-flops on the walk over! Your feet will definitely thank you as it will make the day more bearable and you can slip into your nicer shoes right before the party begins!

know that the rooms can get loud
At Clemson, there is no sorority houses so recruitment is held in sections of the basketball stadium. Each "room" is sectioned off by curtains, which aren't sound-proof, so it definitely gets loud during each party. Even if you are going through recruitment at a school with houses, there will be a lot of actives and PNMs trying to have conversations at one time. Expect this going in and don't be afraid to ask the active to repeat herself if you can't hear her. Everyone has been in your shoes and will understand- a "I'm so sorry, it's so loud in here and I couldn't hear what you said. Do you mind repeating it?" goes a lot farther than a "wait what?"!

Also know that since it is so loud, you will find yourself talking louder during conversations and that does a number on your voice! Definitely drink some tea at home and try to rest your voice when not in rounds so you don't lose your voice.

don't wear a watch

At Clemson, Panhellenic asks PNMs not to wear watches (including Apple Watches) during recruitment as you may not even think about it but I know I check it pretty frequently out of habit. That can come off as you being uninterested even if you aren't so just leave the watch at home to avoid this!

it's ok to be nervous, but don't let it get the best of you
A secret from the "other side" of recruitment? Sorority women are just as nervous to meet you as you are them. It's ok to be nervous as it can be overwhelming but the process is meant to allow you to meet women from all the sororities. Recruitment is not an interview but rather conversations so relax and enjoy it!

order a size up in your recruitment t-shirt
It will likely be hot and while the recruitment parties will be indoors, the rooms may be warm and you still have to walk over from your dorm. Sizing up one size gives you a more comfortable fit that won't cling to you as much without giving you the "I'm not wearing pants" look- save that for when classes start ;)

if your t-shirt round is 2 days, order a second shirt
If the round where you wear the recruitment t-shirt provided by Panhellenic is 2 days long and they give you this option, definitely order a second shirt. I did this when I was a PNM as I didn't have to worry about washing my t-shirt for the next day or if it smelled or anything like that! One less thing to worry about!

get plenty of sleep + eat well

You want to give off the best impression during recruitment and if you aren't getting enough sleep and eating well, you won't be able to do that! Recruitment is definitely not a time where you can get a lot of sleep but get as much as you can. Try to eat balanced meals and pack lots of snacks to avoid getting hangry!

"trust the process"
A sorority cliche saying that is actually so so true! Recruitment can be crazy: you may be cut by a house you love or grow to love a chapter you initially did not like! Just let the process happen and enjoy the week, I promise everything will happen the way it is supposed to!

dress for girls, not for guys

Guys are not a part of the recruitment process at all so I would definitely recommend dressing cute but classy as other girls want to see an outfit that is cute and looks good on you but not too scandalous. If the dress/shorts/top/shoes/whatever are better suited for a party or a night out, maybe save it for that!

be careful in who you confide in

It is totally ok to have opinions about different sororities, whether you loved them or didn't like them as much. I would definitely avoid telling everyone you loved or hated a specific house as it can get really awkward as everyone's recruitment is different. Your best friend may love that house you absolutely hated. Even though your Pi Chi is a resource for you and you can definitely talk to her about what to do doing the process, remember that she is a sorority member and it can be hurtful to bash a chapter to her as you never know if that is her chapter! I confided in my mom throughout the process as it is definitely helpful to talk it out and your mom is usually a safe bet!

Any other tips for sorority recruitment? Add them in the comments!

What Clothes to Pack for College

Probably the most overwhelming aspect of packing for college is what clothes to bring with you. You probably won't have as much space in your closet at school as you do at home and it's hard to tell what clothes you even need. You may of worn dresses all the time in high school but college is completely different and you may not touch half the dresses you brought while you wish you brought more of something else!

I'm the oldest of my siblings so I didn't have an older sister telling me what clothes I would and wouldn't need when I was getting ready for freshman year so if you're in that boat, think of me as your older sister and let's get packing ;)

a picture of my sophomore year closet (check out that dorm tour here)

My freshman year, I definitely overpacked in terms of how many casual clothes I brought. I dressed up in high school way more than I do in college as honestly I wear athletic wear most of the time. I would still bring a few options for casual clothes for weekends if you and your friends go to brunch or out to eat but you definitely don't need every pair of cute shorts you own as you will not wear half of them.

In making this list, I tried to split it up based off of occasion. Since I am an education major, I keep business casual pieces in my closet for field placements and if you join a sorority, you will need outfits for chapter meetings, which tend to have you wear nicer clothes. 

I would definitely recommend packing less than what you think you need as you won't have a ton of space to work with and if you absolutely need it, you can have it shipped to you and if your parents visit, they can bring it!

Any other packing essentials that I missed? Let me know in the comments!

College Move-In Tips & Tricks

College move-in is just around the corner (I move into my house for junior year this Saturday!!) and while it is an exciting time, it can definitely be a bit stressful as well. Packing up everything you own (or as much as you can fit into your dorm room) can be pretty intimidating as you never know what you'll need (stay tuned for my packing list for clothes tomorrow!).

The actual day of move-in is so exciting, crazy, and can be a bit hard as well when you say goodbye to your family. There's always a million people on campus, you're trying to unload all of your stuff out of your car and into the building, and then if your move in is anything like mine was freshman year, the elevator has a line out the door and you resort to lugging everything up the stairs.

Now that I have two move ins under my belt, I wanted to share some advice on how to make the actual move in day go a bit smoother!

my sophomore year dorm on move-in day!

Start early
Most people on campus will likely be moving in on the same day so if you can snag an early move in spot, that will make your day so much easier! That way you have the full day ahead of you to unload and get everything organized.

Write your name, building, and room number on everything
At Clemson, they have freshman pull up to the building in their cars then unload everything onto the sidewalk where volunteers help you get everything into your room. I definitely recommend writing your name, building, and room number on everything (I used tape to do so) so none of your items get lost!

Loft your bed first
Once you are finally in your room, it can be overwhelming to decide what to do first. If you want to loft your bed (I always lofted mine to half-height), do that first as it will clear out some space in your room!

Be well-prepped
Having a gameplan will make everything go so much smoother and not make you want to tear out all of your hair by the end of the day. Decide with your family what you want to do and what you are going to be doing with your car/when they are going to leave/etc.

Pack a screwdriver, level, and a hammer

You won't need a ton of tools for college move in day as you can't make too many alterations to the space but you should definitely pack these! A screwdriver is helpful for assembling any furniture, a level is great for making sure anything you hang on the walls is straight, and then a hammer is a must if you are lofting your bed as they can be tricky to get in place at times.

Assemble anything you can ahead of time
This is a great way to save time and make move-in go faster. If you are bringing anything that can be assembled, whether it is a bookshelf or a dresser or a desk hutch, assemble it ahead of time so all you have to do is bring it into your room!

Put command hooks on the back of frames ahead of time
This saves so much time as your frames will be ready to be hung once you arrive in your room. It doesn't seem like a ton of work to put command hooks on frames but it does help to save as much time as possible when moving!

Leave all of your clothes on hangers and then put a trash bag around them
Another tip to save time while unpacking! I always leave all the hanging clothes I want to bring on their hangers and place a trash bag around them. Then once I arrive in my new room, all I have to do is hang it up in my closet and tear off the trash bag and voila you're unpacked!

It's ok for your room not to look perfect immediately

I know I definitely wanted my room to look instagram worthy at the end of the day and honestly, it's ok for it not to quite yet! You have time to make your room look perfect so don't rush as you can definitely add new pieces over time!

What tips do you have for move-in? Let me know in the comments!