2019 Recap

Happy New Year's Eve! I cannot believe that the end of the year and the end of the decade is almost here! I wanted to share a fun little recap of my year with y'all and break down what I did each month in 2019 (see last year's end of year recap here).

January

In January,  I was home for the end of Christmas break, celebrated Clemson's National Championship win, and went to Raleigh for a weekend.

February

In February, I spent a lot of time on school work + took a day trip to Greenville.

March

In March, I spent a weekend at home in Charlotte with my roommate, went to my sorority's formal, and went to Jacksonville, Florida and Disney for Spring Break.

April

In April, I had my sorority's philanthropy event (that I was in charge of planning), turned 20, spent lots of time with friends, and went to Florida for Easter.

May

In May, I finished my sophomore year of college and studied abroad in Italy!

June

In June, I saw Luke Bryan in concert and nannied!

July

In July, I spent the Fourth at the beach and then went to the lake with my family.

August

In August, I moved into my first apartment and started my junior year at Clemson.

September

In September, I cheered on the Tigers and traveled to Vermont for a wedding.

October

In October, I went to more football games + spent fall break at home.

November

In November, I received my Clemson ring, went to more football games, hosted Friendsgiving, saw the Jonas Brothers in concert, and spent Thanksgiving at home with my family.

December

In December, I went to the ACC Championship game in Charlotte, finished first semester of junior year, spent Christmas at home, and traveled to Florida.

How was your 2019? Let me know in the comments!

Gift Guide: Lilly Lover

Happy Friday! I am so excited for today's second blog post as I am sharing one of my favorite gift guides: my favorite Lilly Pulitzer gifts! If you have been following Chic in Carolina for a while (I think you could probably pick up on this even if you haven't haha!), you know I love my Lilly Pulitzer and I just love the color it adds to everyday life! This gift guide is full of perfect items for any Lilly lover in your life and are perfect for brightening up Christmas morning!

Elsa Top-  The Elsa Top is a Lilly classic and can be styled for so many occasions! Wear it casually with jeans or dress it up with a skirt. This is a staple in a Lilly girl's wardrobe and would be the perfect gift!

Tote Bag- This tote bag is too cute and would be perfect for travel or for holding everyday essential! I love how the navy pairs with the print so well!

Popover- Another Lilly classic! Lilly has so many cute prints in their popovers and I get so much use out of mine as you can wear them year round (at night when it's warmer, then for everyday wear when it's cooler).

Scarf- The perfect way to add a touch of Lilly to an outfit! Scarves are such a winter essential but the Lilly ones are great since they're lightweight and can be worn year round.

Cashmere Sweater- Lilly does cashmere so well and I think this is such a great gift if you want to spend a bit more! She'll be reaching for this sweater for years to come!

Tennis Skirt- I have a Lilly tennis skirt from quite a few seasons ago and love how the print adds a pop of color to any outfit! Perfect for the college aged Lilly girl!

Agenda- Start the year off on an organized note with a Lilly agenda! They are full of color and while I use a different agenda now, I loved mine for keeping everything organized in high school!

Pajama Pants- Lilly pajama pants are such a fun gift as, of course, they are brighter and more fun than your typical pajamas! This print is so fun and perfect for brightening up dreary winter days

Apple Watch Band- I think this is just too cute and would be perfect for adding a little touch of Lilly to any outfit. Perfect gift for the Lilly lover who has everything!

Candle Set- I love this set of three as you can either give to one person and spoil them or break them up for 3 different gifts! So cute and I love how they have a print on the side of the candle!

Thanks for reading!

My Chic Week: December 13-19

Happy Friday! I hope y'all had a good week and I'm so excited to be back with a new My Chic Week (MCW) post to share with y'all. Basically, every Friday I recap what I've been up to for y'all. I've been at home for almost two weeks now and it's been so nice to have time to relax! I also realized that I had hardly any pictures to share with y'all- I'll work on that for next week :)

Last Friday, I slept in before hanging out at home for a bit. I went to my favorite 12 PM barre class and then came home for lunch. The rest of the day was pretty uneventful!

Last Saturday, I was up bright and early as my younger brother ran my town's half marathon so my whole family went to cheer him on! We stopped at the fourth mile marker to see him run by, grabbed breakfast, and then headed to the finish to cheer him on!

The rest of my day was fairly laid back and then I babysat for the family I nanny for on Saturday night, which was a lot of fun!

On Sunday, I slept in a little bit before eating breakfast and going to nanny. I nannied for a good chunk of the day and then came home for dinner with my fam and a laid back night!

My break has been pretty relaxing so far and definitely a change from the hustle and bustle that is the end of the semester. I've hung out with the puppies (Darby needs supervision most of the time!), gone to a few barre classes, helped with the Polar Express at the elementary school I went to, and spent time with family- nothing too crazy to report!

On the Blog:

Gift Guide: Cozy ⎢First Semester of Junior Year Recap ⎢Gift Guide: For the Guys

Happy Friday!

First Semester of Junior Year Recap

Happy Thursday y'all! Sorry for the random amount of posts here on the blog- I had some prescheduled but the end of my semester was busier than I expected it to be! I have been at home for break for a little over a week and wanted to share a little recap of my entire semester with y'all!

I'm currently a junior Elementary Education major at Clemson University and I cannot believe that I am already a junior and that junior year is already halfway over!

Clemson

Deciding to come to Clemson senior year of high school was honestly the best decision I've ever made. I have always loved Clemson from the start but this year, I have really felt so at home while I'm at school. College has its ups and downs but I am so thankful that I get to go to Clemson. I'm already starting to get a little sappy about how old I am getting and how I don't want to be a senior since that means I'm getting closer to having to leave.

Classes

This semester, I took five classes: Problem Solving (a math class), Classroom Assessment, Physical Education Methods for Elementary School Teachers, Digital Media, and Introduction to Reading for Elementary School Teachers. I decided over the summer to drop my Psychology minor, which turned out to be the best decision. I added a minor since I had a few gaps in my schedule since I placed out of some classes due to AP credits but never really planned on doing anything with it (I find Psychology fascinating but didn't want to go into counseling). I was pretty conflicted as I was only a few classes away from finishing and I hate quitting things but I think taking 18 credit hours this semester would have given me unnecessary stress! I enjoyed my classes this semester and got all A's (I'm not one to share my grades but am super excited about this accomplishment!)

Friends

I feel like I have settled into a good spot friendship-wise at school. I am truly so lucky to have found my biggest supporters, people to turn to, and friends who go along with stupid ideas. I feel like freshman year was awkward as you don't exactly have your "people" yet and sophomore year was better. Junior year has definitely been the best as I've been able to grow in friendships I had before as well as make new ones! I also love how many groups of friends you are able to have in college- I have my big circle of friends I met through my sorority (and continues to grow with friends met from other places!) and my education friends have turned into real friends.

Move In

Let's rewind back to August! I'm living off campus for the first time this year (all freshman are required to live on campus at Clemson then I lived on my sorority hall last year) and I really do love it! Having my car outside my door is so convenient and it is so nice having more space! I also have my own bedroom and bathroom, which is so nice! I was able to move in at the start of the month so my parents and I moved my stuff in, I went back for one more week in Charlotte, then officially moved in a week later! I shared a tour of our downstairs, a tour of my roommate Rachel's room, and then a tour of my room here on the blog!

Game days, game days, and more game days

It wouldn't be fall in Clemson without football! The Tigers had another amazing season of home football games (now for the playoffs!) and it was so fun to get to go to all of them. I love getting to see all my friends, get dressed up in my orange and purple, and cheer on the Tigers!

Vermont

In September, my family and I went to Vermont for my uncle's wedding! It was such a fun and special weekend!

Puppies

The day after we got back from our trip to Vermont, we unfortunately had to put our sweet dog Cassie down. She was 13, which is a pretty long life for golden retrievers, but it was heartbreaking as she was the first dog I had growing up.

Just this past week, we added another puppy to our family, sweet Darby! Even though we could never replace our Cass, the house feels a bit more full with two dogs again and we can't get enough of those puppy snuggles!

Fall Break

Clemson's fall break was in October and even though it was a short one with a home football game on Saturday, it was nice to spend some time at home, see the kiddos I nanny, and go to Pure Barre!

Ring Ceremony

At the start of November, I received my Clemson ring! At Clemson, receiving your senior ring is a huge honor and I was lucky enough to get mine earlier than usual (most people get it spring of junior year!). It is currently being resized but it is such a special tradition and I'm so glad my parents were able to be in Clemson for it!

Friendsgiving

The weekend before Thanksgiving, Rachel and I hosted a bunch of our friends for a Friendsgiving dinner, which was so much fun! I made my first ever turkey and we had so much food with the best of company!

Thanksgiving

I had an extra long Thanksgiving Break this year since all of my classes on Monday + Tuesday canceled and we didn't have a home football game the weekend before so I wound up going home the Thursday before Thanksgiving. It was so nice to be able to recharge before a crazy end to the semester and to spend time with family at home!

ACC Championship

After Thanksgiving, I was in Clemson for one last week of classes and then was back home in Charlotte for the ACC Championship game. I've been all three years that I have been a Clemson student and it is always so much fun! I drove home with a few friends on Friday then the game was on Friday! My parents wound up hosting a tailgate near the stadium, which was so much fun as a bunch of my friends were able to stop by! The game was pretty cold but was a fun one!

Finals & Back Home

We drove back to Clemson on Sunday morning and after lunch at Chili's with friends, I was studying the rest of the day for my reading exam the next morning! A few of my friends came over to study together, which made things a bit more bearable!

My only exam was Monday at 8 AM, which was nice as I got it over with but made for a kinda crazy 24 hours. After my exam, I had a celebratory breakfast with friends then came back to my house to pack and clean before heading home for break!

How did your semester go? Let me know in the comments!

Gift Guide: Cozy

I'm so excited for today's gift guide as I'm talking about everything cozy that would make a perfect Christmas gift. I feel like the cold weather always makes me want to wear comfy clothes and want to hibernate so I think cozy gifts are perfect for chilly winter days ahead!

Lilly Pulitzer Robe- I love that a fun robe isn't necessarily a gift that you would buy for yourself but is so practical! I have a similar robe from Lilly but love that this one is such a soft material!

Candle- Candles definitely make any space more cozy and I definitely am a bit partial to the Capri Blue ones! I love the gold on this one and it smells amazing too (I own this one haha!).

Camp Socks- A perfect stocking stuffer! J. Crew's camp socks are so comfy and come in a plethora of colors!

Slippers- I received these slippers last year for Christmas and they are truly the coziest thing! So comfortable and perfect for chilly winter mornings!

Bubble Bath- I am not a big bath person but this bubble bath seems like such a luxurious gift! The bottle is so pretty!

Sleep Mask- A silk sleep mask just sounds so dreamy! I love the blush color and think it would make such a fun gift!

Lake Pajamas- I couldn't make a cozy gift guide without including these pajamas as they are the softest thing ever! These pajamas are definitely a splurge but are a perfect way to pamper someone this holiday season!

King Size Blanket- A bit random but who doesn't love a cozy blanket! I feel like blankets are sometimes too short and don't cover your entire body so a king size blanket is a perfectly cozy solution.

Thanks for reading!

Final Exams Tips & Tricks

That time of the semester has officially rolled around as it's Finals Week in Clemson. I am thankful that I only have one exam (today at 8 AM- wish me luck!) but finals week can be a stressful and crazy week for any college student. I thought it would only be fitting to share my favorite tips + tricks to survive finals here with y'all on Chic in Carolina!

image via my room tour

Start early

Starting to study early gives you more time to get everything done as well as limits stress. I personally don't like to study too far in advance but starting to review a few days before the exam avoids the night before the exam freak out that you haven't started studying yet!

Re-type your notes

When studying for an exam, this is where I typically start. Re-writing it, whether typing it or handwriting it, helps me defamiliarize myself with the material before I really start to study.

Make a study guide

Sometimes I will receive a study guide from my professor to work off of but if I don't, I will use my notes and textbook readings to create my own. Again, this is another way to make contact with the material as you want to know as much of it as possible before you take the exam.

Use Quizlet

Quizlet is one of my favorite educational resources and I love how many different ways you can use it! After making my study guide, I import it into Quizlet and make flashcards out of it. You then can flip through the flashcards, play games to learn the material, and test yourself! Making physical flashcards is another great idea but I love the additional resources Quizlet offers!

Find a productive study spot

I know at Clemson campus gets crazy during finals week and it is hard to find a spot to study anywhere on campus (and at popular off-campus study spots). Knowing where you study best (completely quiet? a bit of noise? at a coffee shop? at your house?) is helpful because you want to ensure you'll be able to study there and you'll be able to do your best studying there. I know people who hate the library and work better studying in their room while others get distracted at home and would rather be in the library.

Make a to do list of everything you need to get done

This year, I only have two finals (and I already took one of them) but lots of projects and assignments due. Making a to-do list of everything you need to accomplish helps you keep track of everything and ensures you don't forget about anything!

Review the material with friends

I am so thankful that Elementary Education at Clemson is such a close-knit major and that I've made quite a few friends in it! My friends and I always try to get together to study and it is so helpful to be able to run through the material with other people. If you don't know anyone in your class, ask one of your friends if they would be willing to quiz you based off of your study guide and offer to do the same for them!

Get enough sleep

I know during finals week that there's definitely a pressure to be studying every moment that you possibly can but be sure to sleep! You don't want to be falling asleep during the exam and you won't do as well if you're exhausted! 

Eat & drink water

Again, it's so important to take care of yourself during exam week! Make sure to eat and drink enough water throughout the day so your body is ready to take on exams!

Reward yourself after you finish!

I'm a big believer in rewarding yourself after a job well done! Finals can be stressful so be sure to reward yourself afterwards whether it's with a nap, lunch with a friend at Chick-fil-a, or maybe a little retail therapy!

What are your tips for conquering finals? Let me know in the comments!

Gift Guide: Jet-Setter

Happy Friday! I'm so excited to be sharing another gift guide with you- this time for your favorite traveler. Whether it's a gift for a friend studying abroad next semester or the friend who is gone every weekend traveling somewhere new, this gift guide is full of great ideas for them!

Instant Camera- One of the girls I studied abroad with had a similar camera and it was such a fun way to document the trip! The pictures turn out so cute and make for such a fun Instagram!

Lilly Passport Cover & Luggage Tag Set- A fun luggage tag is the perfect way to make your bag stand out at the baggage claim and who doesn't love a fun passport cover? Perfect for the Lilly lover with travel plans in 2020!

Journal- A journal is such a great way to document travel memories and this Evelyn Henson one would make the perfect gift! A cute touch would be to write the recipient a note on the first page and wish them a great trip!

Portable Charger- My portable charger was seriously one of my most used items during my trip to Italy this past summer! It was so convenient and ensured that my phone was charged and ready to take a gazillion pictures everyday!

AirPod Case- Perfect for ensuring you never lose your AirPods while traveling! I think this would be a great gift for an AirPods obsessed friend or in addition to gifting someone a pair!

Crossbody Bag- Especially abroad, a crossbody is such a travel essential. It makes carrying all the essentials so easy and is a lot less work than lugging around a tote all day! This J. Crew one is such a great size and you can monogram it too

Weekender Bag- I've have this bag since senior year of high school and I have gotten so much use out of it! It holds so much stuff and fits into the overheard compartment of airplanes, making it perfect to travel with!

Coffee Table Book- Perfect for bringing a little bit of wanderlust to your coffee table and for a bit of inspiration for a friend who is looking to plan their next trip!

Thanks for reading!

Gift Guide: Stocking Stuffers

I'm back with my second post of the day and my second gift guide of the season woo! Today, I rounded up some of the cutest stocking stuffers. When I think stocking stuffers, I think of smaller gifts that are fun items you may not regularly buy yourself! I wanted to keep everything in this gift guide under $25, making it perfect for gifts for friends as well as let's be real, we all want to buy all of our friends the perfect gift but that quickly adds up in cost!

Coffee Mug- Contigo makes the best coffee mugs as they keep your coffee hot for so long! I received mine as a stocking stuffer a few years back and have gotten so much use out of it. Plus, how cute is the marble?

Pearl Hair Clips- Pearl hair clips have been super trendy lately and I love how these are trendy but inexpensive too! Perfect for your fashion-loving friend!

Sugar Lip Balm- A bit of a splurge but my all-time favorite lip balm! The scent is amazing and it keeps your lip super moisturized. A fun addition to any stocking!

Sephora Sheet Mask- These sheet masks are so fun and fairly inexpensive. Sephora has lots of different varieties to choose from and I think they're great for allowing the person you give it to to treat themself! Plus, if you buy 3 (both online and in-store), you get one for free, making this the perfect gift to stock up on for friends!

Starbucks Gift Card- Some people think that a gift card is a bit of a cop out of a gift but if it is to a store that the recipient loves, I say go for it! I feel like Starbucks is one that works for most people on your shopping list as who doesn't love having their coffee paid for?

Sugarfina Champagne Bears- These are my go-to to add into a present as they are so fun and celebratory! Most people won't buy champagne flavored gummy bears for themselves so I think they are such a fun and festive gift!

Scrunchie- Anyone else feel like they're constantly losing hair ties? I think a few cute ones are a great stocking stuffer and this scrunchie from Lululemon would be perfect for workouts. I think the bow detail on this one is so cute too!

Nail Polish- Nail polish is another fun stocking stuffer as who doesn't love receiving new nail polish! I love Essie's Gel Couture as it lasts longer than your typical home manicure and comes in so many great colors!

What stocking stuffers or gifts for friends are you planning on buying this holiday season? Let me know in the comments!

Christmas Dresses

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is all of the opportunities to get dressed up and celebrate! From Christmas parties to festive dinners to Christmas Eve, it seems like there is always something to get dressed up for. I decided to round up some of my favorite dresses for the season at a variety of budgets to help y'all get ready for everything the holiday season holds!

navy jumpsuit ⎢red shirtdress ⎢navy velvet romper ⎢blush tiered dress

red ruffle dress ⎢black ruffle dress ⎢plaid tunic dress ⎢black shift dress

What are you planning on wearing for Christmas? Let me know in the comments!

Gift Guide: My Christmas List

Drumroll please! My first gift guide of the season is officially here and I decided to kick things off with my own personal Christmas list! I think it's always so fun to see other people's wishlists and it definitely helps give a little inspiration if you can't think of what to ask for!

Just as a little disclaimer, this is just a wishlist! I totally do not expect to receive everything on this list as Christmas is definitely about so much more than the gifts you receive!

AG Jeans- I'm in need of a new pair of jeans and would love to add another AG pair to my closet! They are definitely a splurge but are so flattering and comfortable!

Lululemon Flare Pant- I pretty much live in leggings at school and I think this fun flare pair would be a great addition to my closet!

RayBan Clubmasters- My current pair of sunglasses broke so I think these would be a good replacement. I love how classic the shape is and how it would be a bit of a switch as my last few pairs have been aviators!

New Balance Sneakers- I'm in need of a more daily wear sneaker that I can wear with athleisure as well as casual outfits. I love the gold on these New Balances and think I would get so much use out of them!

When Less Becomes More- I've read both of Emily Ley's other books and would love to read her latest one!

Lake Pajamas- I purchased my first pair of Lake Pajamas over the summer and am obsessed with them. Now I want to add a long sleeved and long pant pair to my closet so I can continue to wear them in the cold weather!

Gold Bar Cart- With my twenty-first birthday right around the corner in April, I think this gold bar cart will be the perfect addition to the kitchen area of my apartment. In the meantime, I think it would make a darling coffee cart too!

What is on your Christmas list this year? Let me know in the comments!

November Favorites

Happy December! I feel like I say this every month but I feel like November absolutely flew by and I cannot believe that it's already December AND the last month of 2019 (so the last month of the decade). November was such a busy and fun month but I always love December (hello Christmastime!).

Here on Chic in Carolina, I share my favorites from the month before at the start of the month (check out previous editions here). I love reading these types of posts on other posts as it's fun to hear about new products! This month ranges from beauty favorites to candles to other random items!

Alterna Blowout Butter- I received this a gift with purchase at Ulta and I would definitely repurchase. You apply to wet hair before drying and it cuts down on the time you need to dry your hair and makes your hair so smooth!

Clemson Ring- I received my Clemson ring at the start of the month (which I talked about in this blog post) and I'm in love with it! Receiving your Clemson ring is a huge deal (we're second in ring sales nationwide behind Texas A&M) and I'm so honored to finally have mine!

Pumpkin Hand Sanitizer (same product, different scent)-  My mom gave this hand sanitizer to me and it's perfect for keeping in your bag. The foam hand sanitizer is a bit different but I really like it!

Capri Blue Spiced Cider Candle- I'm a big Capri Blue candle fan and the Spiced Cider one is perfect for being festive without being too Christmasy (perfect for November). I love the gold container and it would make a great gift!

Fresh Market Peppermint Bark- A little early to be talking about a Christmas favorite but this Peppermint Bark is so good! Such a great holiday treat- I bought one for my family over Thanksgiving Break then brought one back to Clemson with me. Would be a cute gift if you took off the label and added a red bow!

What were some of your November Favorites? Let me know in the comments!