Easy Ways to Improve Your Day

In the third quarter of the school year, it is definitely easy to get wrapped up in everything going on and everything you have to do. Even though I do share a lot of organization posts here on Chic in Carolina, I wanted to share a post branching off of that: nine easy ways to improve your day.

It's so easy to let life's stressors prevent you from having a good day and not having a good day does not sound super fun either. All of these tips will help in boosting your mood and helping your day be a bit more positive.

image via my Instagram

Take a long, hot shower

At the end of a long day, I always find taking hot showers so relaxing as a way to decompress from the day. If I don't have a ton of homework to do, I typically like to take a shower, get into my pjs, and then relax before going to bed- a great way to end the day on a good note!

Jam out to your favorite songs on the way to school

Driving to school usually isn't the most fun thing to do in the world but I know some good music and some obnoxious singing on my end to go along with it can definitely help. Hearing one of my favorite songs on the way always puts me in such a good mood, which is helpful for the rest of the day!

Have a good breakfast

In all honesty, I am not a morning person. I usually dread the early time I have to wake up the next morning and even though I can't really change the time I wake up (without being late for school, of course), having the promise of a good breakfast the next morning definitely helps. Not only is it good motivation to get going in the morning, it also helps you stay in a better mood throughout the morning as you aren't hangry!

Call a friend

I am a total extrovert and regain my energy by being around other people. Randomly taking a few minutes to talk to some of my best friends during the day (usually after school haha), whether on FaceTime, in-person, or texting, always is a fun break as catching up with friends always puts me in such a good mood.

Schedule in some me time

During busy days and weeks, me time is usually what is put to the back burner. To me, having a great day definitely includes me time, whether it's for five minutes or five hours. Me time doesn't have too be fancy either- it could be reading a book, catching up on the Bachelor, taking a nap, etc.

Workout

Since starting Pure Barre (read my recap after my first few classes and my 100th class), working out has become a fixture in my routine and it honestly has been such a stress reliever. Working out naturally relives stress but Pure Barre has a large focus on a mind-body connection, which helps as well. No phones are allowed in the studio during the class, which makes the 1 hour class "me time" and I always walk out of class in a better mood.

Do more of what makes you happy

As silly as it sounds, doing what makes you happy does improve your day but how often do we take the time to do these things? With busy days and long to-do lists, these typically are pushed to the back burner but are so essential in boosting our moods. To improve your mood in a few minutes, take a Pinterest break, treat yourself to an iced coffee, watch a few minutes of your favorite show, take a walk around your neighborhood, or whatever makes you happy!

Plan to get coffee/lunch with a friend

Who doesn't love having fun weekend plans? Planning something fun not only allows you to catch up with a friend but I know making plans makes me so excited, a great way to boost your day!

Take a few minutes and stretch

Whether it's the first thing you do when you get up or if you do it before bed, take a few minutes to just stretch and relax. This usually helps me feel physically and emotionally better, improving my day even if it is just a little bit.

How do you improve your day? Let me know in the comments!

Lunch at Lilly GWP + Favorites

Happy Wednesday y'all! Even though most of the East Coast hasn't been too warm and sunny this week (it snowed for a bit in North Carolina on Sunday and then has been pretty cold since), a bit of sunshine is on the radar with Lilly Pulitzer's annual Lunch at Lilly event this Saturday!

This is one of my favorite Lilly events each year as each store has a "party" to celebrate in stores with presents with purchase, snacks and drinks, and sometimes live music. I was at Southpark Mall last weekend so I preordered for the event (I did attend in-store last spring) but it is such a fun one to attend and the store is full of Lilly's bright and colorful spring collection.

from my trip to the mall last weekend, which I'll be sharing more about in Friday's post

With Easter a few weeks away, I always buy my Easter dress during Lunch at Lilly as it is a dress I will definitely wear this spring and it usually helps in getting to the next Gift with Purchase tier. Last year, I wore this fun fit and flare and the year before that, I wore this shift that is still one of my favorite Lilly pieces. My favorites from the spring collection in the graphic below include a few dresses perfect for Easter but I will also be sharing a post on Easter dress on Chic in Carolina next week!

This year, I also purchased my dress for Graduation in June, which I am so excited about. Lunch at Lilly is a great time to get all of the different pieces you need for upcoming occasions, whether it's Easter, graduations, weddings, First Communions, brunches etc.

swing shift dress ⎢white dress with ruffle detailing ⎢loose shift dress ⎢leggings

ruffle shorts ⎢tassle earrings ⎢scalloped skort ⎢elsa top

white dress with gold detailing ⎢mila shift dress ⎢fit and flare dress ⎢v neck top

Will you be shopping during Lunch at Lilly this year? What pieces are on your radar? Let me know in the comments!

How to Stay Focused in Class

As the end of the year draws closer and closer, I find it increasingly difficult to stay focused in class. Not paying attention in class not only causes any participation grades to drop but also your other grades to drop as you are not fully receiving the material your teacher is teaching. Especially with senioritis, my motivation for school has dropped a bit as I'm so excited to graduate but with less than three months till graduation, it is still important to pay attention in class and put full effort into my work. If any of y'all are in a similar boat, today's post should definitely help a bit as I'm sharing my tips and tricks for staying focused in class.

image via my Instagram

Take your notes by hand
Even though I am allowed to take notes on my laptop in the majority of my classes, I definitely prefer to take my notes by hand. Not only does this help me learn the content, it also removes some of the distractions that your laptop brings if you type your notes.

Sit in a "just right" spot in the room

This only works if you do not have assigned seating in the class but I've found some spots in the classroom definitely help me stay on task than others. Whether it's a window that you gaze out of a bit too often or a friend that you are tempted to talk to during class, picking the right seat may help you focus on the class!

If you don't need it, put away your laptop
Similar to taking my notes by hand, if I don't need my laptop for an activity in class, it is usually in my laptop. I know that if my laptop is open, I will check my email or do whatever during class, which definitely does not help me listen to or learn the material. Putting my laptop away definitely helps as I have to listen since my laptop is not distracting me.

Go the bathroom/get water before class begins
Definitely random but going to the bathroom and/or getting water before the bell rings definitely helps as you have no excuse to go to the bathroom during the middle of class. Sometimes you do have to leave class for a minute or two but doing this beforehand really helps remove the distraction and helps you stay more on task.

Update your agenda at the beginning of class then put it away
I am totally guilty of finding random things to update in my agenda (see how I organize mine here) in the middle of class but only doing this during the start of class for a minute or two helps keep your agenda up-to-date and then putting it away afterwards helps you pay attention to the teacher, not your color coding.

Only have what you need on your desk
The best way to stay focused in class is to remove any distractors so keeping only what you need for the class helps keep distractions to a minimum, whether it is a pencil bag, an agenda, your laptop, etc.

How do you stay focused in class? Let me know in the comments!

The Big Announcement!

So I took an unexpected little blogging break last week because life just got in the way but hopefully today's post will make up for it as I'm announcing where I'm going to college (eek!). If you've been following Chic in Carolina for a while you probably know that I am currently a senior in high school with college just around the corner. I've tried to share parts of the college process with y'all through recaps of college trips in my "My Chic Week" series (Virginia Tech + Mount Saint Mary's + Christendom + VMI, Auburn, Furman, Elon, Clemson, Wake Forest, Elon again, UGA, USC + SCAD + College of Charleston + the Citadel, Wake Forest again, High Point, High Point again, Furman again, and UNC) as well as a few college updates throughout senior year (number one, two, three)! I could blab to y'all about college for a while so let's jump in haha!

*drumroll please*

I'M OFFICIALLY A CLEMSON TIGER!

I narrowed my schools down to two about two weeks ago and after visiting both of those schools on Friday, I decided to officially commit to Clemson and I put in my deposit that night! I will be studying Elementary Education and I am so excited for everything the next four years will hold and I'm so glad to have made my decision. Now I need to find a roomie and seriously invest in some orange and purple for gameday this fall!

From my first visit to Clemson

To last Friday! This building is the College of Education at Clemson too so I'll have quite a few classes here!

I'm so excited to share this news with y'all and to share more about my college experience starting this fall here on Chic in Carolina! Go Tigers!

What I'm Giving Up/Doing for Lent 2017

Happy Monday y'all! Today, I'm starting the week off with a post that's a bit different that what I typically share here on Chic in Carolina: a faith-related post. Even though my faith is a large part of my day-to-day life and I do share glimpses of that in my posts, faith is something that I have previously kept off of the blog as it is a very personal subject for me and many other people as well.

As many of y'all know Lent started last week and I figured that I would share a little on what I am doing for Lent and why as well. Just to give y'all a little background for this post, I am Catholic and am thankful to have grown up in a family where faith is an important aspect of our lives. I also have attended Catholic school for most of my life, which has definitely played a role in the development of my faith.

Lent is always such an exciting season of the year as it is such a wonderful opportunity to focus on your relationship with the Lord and remove distractions that may take away from that focus. This year, I am giving up one thing and then doing one thing for Lent:

1. Giving up Sweets- I've done this one for as long as I can remember as it is definitely a tough one for me to do as I have such a sweet tooth. Every year, I reach the point halfway through Lent where I think, "ok, I'm definitely not doing this again next year" but finding a challenging thing for Lent is really important and definitely draws you closer to God through that challenge. Even though sweets aren't a bad thing in moderation, they are something I enjoy and like having in my day-to-day life, which makes them a great thing to give up for Lent! A lot of people I know fall into the trap of turning what you're doing for Lent into eating healthier for superficial reasons (spring break is around the corner haha) and even though giving up sweets does allow me to get in better shape, I do enjoy giving it up for the difficulty and the growth that comes from it, which is important to keep in mind!

2. Reading the Bible- I did this two years ago and decided that I wanted to do it again this year as it was really beneficial to me. I will be reading a chapter of the Bible every day during Lent and at the recommendation of my advisor at school who is also my Theology teacher, I will be starting with Psalms in the Old Testament. Reading the Bible is definitely an area in my faith I lack in so hopefully reading the Bible will become a part of my routine even after Lent ends this year.

What are you giving up/doing for Lent? Would you like to see more faith posts here on Chic in Carolina? Let me know in the comments!

My Chic Week: February 24- March 2

Happy Friday y'all! I'm super excited as I took the day off from school and my mom and I are heading up to visit Elon this weekend. I'm fairly close to making my college decision (eek!) and hopefully this trip will make the decision a bit easier as well!

Friday was a pretty busy day that started off with an AP Psych test and ended with an online test and a paper due that night. As I mentioned in Wednesday's February Favorites post, my mom surprised me with a box of Sugarfina Champagne Gummy Bears, which was such a great way to end my school week.

I also went to a Pure Barre class on Friday afternoon before a laid back night at home!

After a busy week, Saturday was my "chill" day as I went to a Pure Barre class and then worked on a few things for the blog. The baby I nanny was baptized on Saturday so my parents and I went to a party at their house to celebrate him, which was a lot of fun and full of good food as well.

My plans for Sunday were rescheduled to this weekend at the last minute so I wound up going to an earlier barre class than I typically do on Sundays. This wound up being pretty nice as I was able to get a lot done throughout the day and make a dent in my to-do list haha, which I spent most of the day doing.

This week was such a busy one in terms of schoolwork as I had tests, projects, and essays due in practically all of my classes. I do have a few things due next week but hopefully it will be a bit calmer. Monday was the start of the craziness as I had a quiz in Psych and I had my usual Monday afternoon of my Faith Formation class and then a Pure Barre class.

Tuesday was probably my most laid-back day this week as other than a project presentation in my theology class and nannying after school, I didn't have a whole lot going on but I'm definitely not complaining haha.

Wednesday was definitely a jam-packed day and it started off on the early side as my brother and I volunteered before school began. I had a few assignments due during the day and was also able to get ahead a bit on my school work during my free period. It was also Ash Wednesday, so we had Mass during the day at school. I worked later than usual on Wednesday but thankfully, I didn't have too much homework to do so I was able to get to bed somewhat early.

Since I am on a college visit today, Thursday was my last school day of the week, which was both nice and crazy at the same day as I had a few things to do before missing today. After school, I nannied and got ready for my trip today.

On my Radar This Week:

1. Lent started on Wednesday and I have been working on remembering my Lenten promises and upholding them (so hard!). I will be sharing a bit more on Monday about what I'm giving up/doing this year for Lent so stayed tuned!

2. Obsessed with this outfit on Kate

3. For anyone who is in Charlotte, my friend Amy rounded up her favorite spots to take blog pictures in Charlotte and I definitely need to check them out soon!

4. It seems like so many bloggers are taking fabulous, warm-weather vacates right now. Two of my favorite bloggers, Kelly and Carly, both took trips to Charleston recently and it makes me want to book a trip for this summer to Charleston ASAP (I went last May and loved it!)

5. Lilly just released new arrivals and, as always, they're gorgeous! I'm planning on sharing my favorites on my blog next week but for now, be sure to check out my "wishlist" board on Pinterest (and follow me here!)

Be sure to check out this week's blog posts:

My Chic Week: February 17-23 ⎢A Week of Outfits ⎢February Favorites ⎢Chic in Carolina is 2!

Happy Friday!

Chic in Carolina is 2!

2 years ago, I started Chic in Carolina and I am honestly in disbelief that it has been that long! I still remember thinking for months and months about starting my own blog and then one day, finally working up the courage to do it. Once I took the plunge, I excitedly spent the evening designing my website and coming up with post ideas.

from this post

Chic in Carolina has grown a lot since then, which is amazing to me! Obviously, I hoped that people would read my blog but I didn't actually believe anybody did at the beginning- I was convinced that all of my page views were from me looking at the site myself haha. Other than the numbers (which is great and all but obviously there's more to blogging than page views!), my posts themselves have grown in quality (the first few are definitely cringeworthy...) and I have learned so much from blogging in the past two years.

Blogging has also allowed me to meet so many great people as well. It was definitely weird meeting people "in real life", especially my Charlotte blogging girls at the first, but the community around blogging is amazing and so supportive.

I would also like to thank y'all for sticking around the past two years- I'm so thankful you have made Chic in Carolina a part of your day-to-day life, whether that means following me on Instagram or checking in each morning for my new post. Y'all have no idea how much your support means to me- I seriously couldn't of done this without y'all!

Thankful for two years and excited for hopefully many more!