Friday, March 27, 2015

Friday Favorites

What a week and it's only going to get crazier! College is full of ups and downs, so I'm glad that I have Rory Gilmore to relate to :) #almostS5
Netflix is really not helping me at this point in the semester, only to distract me from actually studying, but it's good to have it when I need a study break (which usually lasts a few hours) #oops

Downton Will End After Season 6 (Hints of a follow up movie!)
I'm really sad that my favorite show's ending, but it wasn't a surprise. I knew the show wouldn't last forever. I can't wait to see what the last season will hold :)
Ed Sheeran Crashes A Wedding (my sister would completely freak out if this happened..)
Guy Embarrasses Himself (but it's adorable!)

Get some rest, relax, catch up on a book/tv show, or just hang out with some family and friends :)
Set aside time for YOU and let yourself recharge :)
Have a wonderful weekend!
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Friday, March 20, 2015

Monday Makeover

Just because it happens to be a Monday does not mean it has to be a bad day.
You choose to make it whatever kind of day you want it to be. You are in charge.
Whether the events of the day are good or bad, your attitude is what is most important.

Two of my favorite quotes:

"If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely."
Roald Dahl

"Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you."
Charlotte Whitton

Today, I had no class, picked out my courses for next semester, rearranged my dorm room, ate gummy worms, procrastinated a lot, but then ended up actually doing a little work to get ready for this week..and now watching ABC Family movies :) what a great day!

Recently, I've felt that I needed a change somehow..and maybe doing what I did today is just what I needed.
Make sure you take time for yourself every now and then; let not only your body rest but your mind as well.


pink + blue

Love this color combo!

Wearing bright colors for the rest of this week to make up for the gloomy days!
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Friday Favorites

Today was my last full Friday of the semester, of my freshman year of college! I cannot believe it! This is too crazy..my feelings are a mixture of wanting this year to end as well as never wanting to leave. I wish I could stay on campus without having to go to class. That would be the life! But seriously, next semester is gonna rock. I recently changed my major, so I'm really excited about my future! I love the classes I have scheduled for fall, the clubs I'm in as well as the ones I'm (possibly) joining, the friends I've made and the ones I'll make in the upcoming months..basically everything! Gosh, I can't wait!

Abuse Survivor Wrote Beautiful Letter To Social Workers (I am so glad that something good came out of all that bad!)
Beauty and the Beast First Cast Photo (Anyone else freaking out?!)
Coloring Books For Adults (I want them all!)
Facebook Helps Boy Feel Better About Surgery Scars (I'm thankful for the beautiful people in this life)
Josh Groban & Kelly Clarkson Duet (from JG's new album that drops April 28)
Shailene Woodley's MTV Speech (One of my favorite human beings!)
Smiling Dogs: This post makes me happy :)
The Princess Who Saved Herself (Can't wait to read this!)
Wild Gardens In Britain (Just leave me to explore for the rest of my life..)
27 Tumblr Posts To Sum Up Your TV Addiction (Scary how accurate these are!)

I hope you find time in your busy schedule to stop and take time to enjoy a sunset. Sometimes we hurry and rush through this life that we forget to be appreciative of all the little things around us. Let's take time to dance in the rain, to stop and smell the roses. Have a wonderful and safe weekend! :)

P.S. A special birthday shoutout to my British best friend :) I hope you have a wonderful day! I love you and am so thankful for you! :)
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These Are A Few Of My (Recent) Favorite Things

I decided to share a much shortened list of my 'Friday Favorites' this week and I hope these are things you, as readers, will enjoy also :)

1. INSURGENT
This movie came out today and it is AMAZING! Even though it's technically a sequel, it's still great! The book series is my favorite and I have been counting down the days since the last movie came out :)
(I can't find a picture, but in one scene, Theo James has a kid on his shoulders and it is just precious! One of my favorite moments in the film!)

2. Spotify
I am in love with this app, and use it on my iPad 24/7.
I listen to just about anything and make new playlists all the time!
I love being able to play Disney one second and switch to Bastille the next.
My username is 'smileshineinspire' if you want to follow and/or see what I'm listening to :)

3. TriviaCrack
Anyone else play this addicting game?!
I have it on my phone and iPad.
It's almost embarrassing how much I play..

4. Style inspiration
The always classic, effortless Sarah Vickers of Classy Girls Wear Pearls
City-chic ready outfits by Mackenzie Horan of Design Darling

5. Gilmore Girls & Friends
I am totally marathon viewing these two shows simultaneously on Netflix.
I love the comedy aspect of Friends and the drama on Gilmore Girls.
GG--Rory is me. I find so many similar qualities between her and myself.
Friends--I'm totally the Joey of the group, in that I love to eat.

6. Celebrate!
Happy international happiness day and macaron day and first day of spring :)
There's so much to celebrate! 
I hope each and every one of you finds happiness in your life, even if you have to search for awhile! Don't give up; it's out there :)
I made macarons for the first time last year, and I can't wait to make more whenever I get the ingredients :) This dessert is one of my favorites!
I am excited for the style that accompanies warmer weather (even though I hardly have any spring clothing which means shopping is in my future). I'll make another post solely dedicated to spring style! :)


I hope your weekend will be amazing and restful in order to prepare you for the week ahead! I can't believe my spring break is almost over! It's almost time to go back to school and wrap up this semester and freshman year! :)
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Freshman Dorm (Do's & Don'ts)

FINALLY! I apologize in advance that this might not be the dorm room post some were expecting, but I promise I'll try to do better sophomore aka this (!!!!!) year :)
I took a few photos of my freshman dorm right after Christmas break, but because my roommate and I are indecisive, we changed the setup quite a few times after that. The photos included in this post show two of the only things that actually remained the same throughout the various moving and rearranging of our furniture. Most of the photos I took are more representative of college, but aren't really "blog-worthy". I didn't have time to set up my room and make it look more presentable or worthy of a photo shoot, so I didn't include those. 
I'm really sorry that this post is so late. I promise I'll have better pictures this year :) 

I'm living in a "suite-style" this year, so my roommate and I will be sharing a bathroom with two other girls. There's 4 more girls living in our "suite" and they will be sharing another bathroom. We'll also share a kitchenette and a "living room". Right now, I can only guess what it'll look like because I've never even seen the place. I've only seen pictures online!


Bedding: Sears
Sheet set: Target (not pictured)
Prints: Heart&Arrow (far left and far right), So Worth Loving (middle)

My favorite color's purple, so obviously that influenced my decision for dorm bedding. My roommate and I love a good opportunity to dorm shop. Last summer, we found matching comforter sets at Sears in our favorite colors :) They are super soft, warm, and reversible! We found them on sale for about $35 each with matching shams. The only thing we needed to buy for our beds were sheet sets! I bought polka dotted ones from the kids' section at Target :) #judgeme & my roommate bought the super soft tshirt (jersey) ones that are available every year (in different colors) also at Target in their dorm section! :)

DO: Buy inexpensive, yet quality, sheet sets! I cannot count the number of times I've spilled food and/or drinks on my bed. Not having to worry about how much I paid for them was nice. The ones I bough are awesome, because they're both cheap and great quality!
DON'T: Buy expensive bedding, unless you plan on using it multiple years. Even though my bedding was on sale, I'm still reusing it, because I don't plan on finding one I like better than the one I already have, plus it saves me money!

I ordered prints off Etsy (Heart&Arrow) and found another one on sale from one of my favorite brands (SWL). I used command strips (because they're the only things we're allowed to use in the dorms!) and hung them above my bed :) This was an easy way to decorate, and it didn't cost too much money!
Also, I love how it looks :)

DO: Use command strips.
DON'T: Use things not approved by your university or college. Nobody wants to pay a fine!


Shower curtain: Wal-Mart (also comes with rings to hang it on the shower and a bath mat -- all for only $20!)
Towels: JCPenney's (left), not sure where my roommate got her towel (right)

DO: Buy at least two sets of towels/washcloths. It's easier than having to wash them constantly and it's always nice to have extra.
DON'T: Buy more things for your bathroom and/or room than you need.
The money you save instead of spend will make you happier in the long run :)

DO: Make sure you do your share of the work. If you attend a university/college that requires you to have room checks every 2 weeks or so, it's nice to only have to do a quick clean up instead of having to stress about what you need to do the day of the inspection.
DON'T: Wait around for someone to tell you to clean up. When you see that you left your dishes in the sink or your bed unmade, take action and do what needs to be done. Don't be that person who doesn't do their fair share of the chores.

Extras:
Make sure you talk to your roommate(s)/suitemates before you go shopping for dorm supplies :)
It's nice to split the cost of essentials and make sure everyone is sharing the responsibility of buying what's needed for the bathroom and/or dorm room.
Paper towels, Clorox wipes, dish soap, laundry detergent, and toilet paper are also a few things you might want to consider either bringing to college or including on the list you share with your roommate/suitemates.
These items cost more than you think! 
Don't forget your quarters to use for laundry! Thankfully, my dorm allowed us to use our debit/credit cards for a wash/dry cycle!

I hope you found a couple of these tips helpful :)
Good luck!
If you are heading off to college soon (for your first time or if you're returning), I want to hear about it!
Leave a comment or contact me through any social media (icons on the right side of my blog). I can't wait to talk :)

Have a great Thursday! Friday Favorites are tomorrow, which means the weekend's only 1 day away! :)

P.S. This post was late today, because I was busy working on the blog this morning! :) Hope you like the new changes! 
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Friday, March 13, 2015

Friday Favorites

YAY! With the publishing of this blog post, Spring Break 2015 has officially begun!
I'm home with my family for a whole week and I couldn't be happier :)
I can paint, watch Netflix, read the rest of Insurgent (which comes out in a week!), and bake any time my heart desires :)
Sleeping in and having no 9am classes to wake up for sounds like a dream..so excited!

ANIMALS
Baby Chameleons
Cat Can't Stop Hugging His Dog Friend
Elephant Takes Bath
Lion Vines
Smiley Helps Others As Therapy Dog
Man Willing To Sleep Outside To Not Be Separated From Dog?
Owl Wearing Hat
Quokkas
28 Ways Having A Pet Brightens Your Day
22 Times Humans Were A Best Friend To Dogs

ENTERTAINMENT
Downton Abbey--Kate Middleton Visits Set
Female Disney Characters Have The Same Face Type
Frozen 2 Is Officially Happening! + 5 things
Inside Out (new trailer)
Kevin from Pentatonix Has An Album And It's Amazing
LEGO Female Set Of Supreme Court Justices (wouldn't Leslie Knope love this?!)
Mini Harry Potter Cast Reunion
Mumford & Sons New Song 'Believe'
New Frozen Song From Frozen Fever
Pentatonix Interview (watch live concert Sunday, March 15)
Take Your Time (music video)
Twitter 'TV Timelines' (really interesting + will probably prove to be very useful!)
1989 Outsold Two Of Taylor Swift's Previous Albums
17 Netflix Tips

#iheartfood
Bacon-Topped Hot Dog In Krispy Kreme Dog Bun (interesting!)
GIFs That Represent Your Love Of Food
Homemade Iced Animal Crackers
Kids Who Understand Your Obsession With Food
Pies (for Pi day tomorrow--3.14)
Rainbow Surprise Cake (ahhhh!)
Red Velvet Cupcakes (on my friend's blog!)
What The Universe Would Look Like If It Was Made With Food
23 Ways To Eat Pizza For Dessert
19 Spring Smoothies
12 Cadberry Creme Egg Desserts

RANDOM
Alexandrite--New Gemstone Changes Colors In Different Lighting
BBC Giving Away Mini Computers To Help Kids Learn To Code (another reason I wish I was in the UK!)
Biggest Regret--Photography Project
Dad Photographs Daughter As Inspiring Black Women
"Imagine If Men Were As Disgusted With Rape As Periods" WHOA #inspiration
Man Proposes Every Day For A Year
Photographs Capture What It's Like To Love A Stuffed Animal
Random Act Of Kindness
Team Supports Bullied Cheerleader
Tom Hanks Helps Girl Scouts Sell Cookies
'Young Hearts' Video About 3 Couples In Love
33 Ways To Save Money For Your Wedding
17 Pieces Of Advice Celebrities Give
11 Signs You're Secretly A Disney Princess
10 Productivity Tips

WANDERLUST
Aerial Views Of London (taken on an iPhone!)
Chile Bike Ride (insane!)
Colorado Summers
India
Isle Of Wight
Lightning Storms In Sydney
London Bathrooms
New England
Northern Ireland
Win An Inn In Maine By Writing A 250-Word Essay And Sending $125
29 Cities To Move To
27 Accessories (3, 5-6, 11, 14, 16, 24)
6 Google Flights Tricks + wi-fi on airplanes

Have THE BEST weekend! :)
Friday the 13th isn't always bad!
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Friday, March 6, 2015

Friday Favorites

Thank goodness it's Friday! This week was tough, emotionally and spiritually, for me. The events of the past few days have helped me grow and learn more about myself. I cannot believe the impact this week has made on me. Looking back, it has been one of the best weeks in college for me, ever. I've learned so much about myself, other people, and how much relationships can affect the college experience. Also, only one more week till spring break which I cannot wait for! :)
And only two more weeks till Insurgent premieres! Ahhhh

ANIMALS
Dogs In Swings and Westies (my favorite dog breed!)
Videos of pigs eating: here and here and one solving a puzzle here

ENTERTAINMENT
Mystery Book Series--8, 10, 12, and 13 are my favorites!

#iheartfood

HOME

LOVE

MUSIC
Holes In The Sky--new song from the Insurgent soundtrack!
I Really Like You--new (really really catchy) song from Carly Rae Jepsen
Wilder Mind--out May 4; new Mumford & Sons album!

RANDOM
X-Rays Show We Are All The Same: love has no labels
4-Year Old Girl's Response To A Boy's Rude Comment (I hope no one ever breaks this beautiful girl's heart.)
#finddancingman: I hate when something rude is posted on the Internet, but I love how the people on the Internet find ways to turn it into a positive! I can't wait to see the outcome of this :)
#likeagirl: rewriting what the definition of 'like a girl' is!

STYLE

WANDERLUST
Inside A Crayola Factory--okay, not really a tourist destination, but would be really cool to visit :)

I've been looking forward to going home all week, and I am excited to spend time with my family :)
Shopping, painting, blogging, a little bit of everything :)
Pizza & Girl Scout cookies..this weekend keeps getting better and better :)
Have a wonderful weekend! You are loved <3
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