I am over-committed.

I am a yes woman. I think I can take on everything thrown my way just to find out days later that I only crumble under the pressure of it all. 

I am not a perfect human being. I am not limitless. I was born into a world created with a set number of hours in the day, limiting me to what can be accomplished in a 24 hour time span. I cannot do it all. 

When I cannot do it all, I am selfish. I pull back. I use my extensions; I ask for them. I miss my meetings, I cancel my plans. I take a breath, I collect myself, I prioritize. 

I give myself Grace. 

In a world where we are constantly on the go, where we are expected to respond in a nanosecond or less, be selfish. 

Allow yourself to pause. Allow yourself to be in the present moment, to just be. 

Take a run, take a hike. Sling the hammock, grab a book, watch some netflix. Go for a drive and scream the lyrics to whatever trash is on the radio at the present moment. Go to church, go to the mall, go to the library. Go to the place where you can just be. 

In a world where don't stop moving, be selfish; sit still. 

Everyday Yoga

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Finding a state of mindfulness and setting intentions for my daily life has become a goal of mine over the last couple of months. My favorite way to do this is through yoga. While I hit up a class every Thursday at my campus rec, I also make it a point to practice in my downtime or in moments of stress. 

Following your own flow can be difficult if you're not used to an unstructured practice, so I've taken a few of my favorite moves and boiled them down to a simple routine for you all! 

everyday yoga

start: child's pose

cat pose

downward facing dog

warrior 1 pose

warrior 2 pose

end: child's pose

I recommend you hold each of these poses for at least one minute. When in child's pose, tune into your body and let your breath fill all open spaces. Use this as a time to become more aware of your thoughts and set your intentions for the day, evening, or week ahead. For a printable version of this practice, click here!

Namaste!

Mid-Week Motivation

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Truthfully, it can be any day (not just hump day) where I need a swift kick in the rear to get motivated. I'm figuring that just about everyone can relate to this, so I've compiled a three of my favorite videos that always encourage me to get moving and have a productive day. 

for a productive morning

for a healthy life

for a happy life

Are there any videos you watch that automatically get you amped to be productive?

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LMJ

Monday Musings

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I'm going to be keeping this Monday Musings post short and sweet for a variety of reasons. I'm sure this isn't that much of a disappointment to all of you though! Let's just get into it...

Finals week / This week starts my finals week! Exams start on Wednesday and carry on until next week Tuesday. I know, super bizarre. Are your finals set up in similar way, or are yours just the traditional week long ordeal? I'm curious to know how other universities schedule finals week!

Lilly x Target / We already all know how much of a disappointment the whole launch was. I don't really feel like I need to go too in depth on it since I already created an entire post about my experience (plus, everyone and their third cousin twice removed is talking about it!). If you want to read about my experience shopping the line, click here!

Packing / It's finally the moment I've been dreading since I moved onto campus - packing up my dorm room. You don't completely know how much stuff you have crammed into your teeny dorm room until it's time to pack it all up. I'll be making my third trip home this weekend to drop some more stuff off, and that's still not even all of it!

@2k21seniors / If you haven't seen this twitter account... you're missing out big time. I don't know what is more funny about this account: the fact that these things actually do happen (I've witnessed them before) or that I most likely had these thoughts as a 6th grader before.

Mellie's birthday / Friday was Mellie's birthday, and it was such a blast. I had the room decorated all cute, surprised her with gifts, and then we went out and paint partied it up. Honestly, why can't every day be Mellie's birthday?

Club Kresge / Where I plan on spending my week... For basically everyone reading my blog/who doesn't know what it means, Club Kresge is the name we lovingly call our library here on campus.

Short, sweet, and to the point! That's all for this post To everyone going through finals week right now- good luck! 

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LMJ

Monday Musings

Midnight breakfast / Midnight breakfast was last Wednesday and it was so great. There were snow cones, photo booths, and pancakes with bacon. Talk about a dream come true, am I right? I'm so excited about next year all ready and it's basically 365 days away still. Plus, how great was this photo from that night? Absolutely priceless. 

Formal / Formal was last weekend and it was honestly so much fun. It was my first formal with my sorority, and I have honestly been looking forward to it all year. Having Jonathan with me at formal and my Grandbig, Big, and Little all there was so much fun! I can't wait till next year- the only downside will be seeing my Big in the senior circle. $20 to whoever can guess how many times I cry next year when she's getting ready to leave. 

 Astrological / My friend Ang (here's your shoutout Ang) is constantly reading horoscopes and comparing our signs to different things in the universe. I honestly wish I had a dollar for every time she talks about the signs. If that were the case, I would be a millionaire. 

Space Jam/ Nobody understands how hype I am to watch Space Jam tonight with my Ham Fam. It's one of the last times we will all be together, and thinking about my freshman year coming to a close makes me sad. *inserts cries here* 

Senior sendoff / I cried like a baby, my grand big left my family to go alum, and twinny's speech made me laugh to no end. Senior sendoff was an experience that I wish I never had to go through again, but unfortunately I lose someone from my fam every year until it's my turn to graduate. Hashtag change sucks. 

Philanthropy / This week is a big fundraising week for my sorority. All week we are leading up to our biggest philanthropy event of the year, and I am so excited to be volunteering for tabling to promote awareness about our event, our philanthropy, and maybe to get pied in the face a time or two. I cannot wait to see how the event turns out on Saturday, and I know it's going to go so smoothly because our philanthropy chair has been working so hard towards this event all year! 

That's about it for my Monday. If my somewhat scattered and very unplanned post didn't bring a smile to you, maybe this link will! For as much as Micheal Cera creeps me out, this made me laugh way more that it should have

How was your Monday?

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LMJ

Monday Musings

Spring has graced us this Monday and I am feeling so sunny and bright! This has been such a great day so far and I can't wait to dive into this post!

Backstreet's Back | Over the last weekend my friends and I participated in a talent show. While everyone else was pouring their hearts out into their talent, we brought back the Backstreet Boys. We choreographed a dance to Everybody and dressed in complete 90s wear. (Fun fact: the picture at the top of this post is from dress rehearsal!)

Easter | While Easter for my family usually just means spending time with immediate family, I really enjoyed the time spent at home. Besides hanging out with my family, I also got a ton of inspiration for some upcoming posts that I am excited to share with you all! Make sure you're on the lookout for some future spring inspired posts coming up!

Opening Day | This is by far my favorite part of today. For all you Tigers fans out there, this day is a national holiday for you too. Although I wasn't able to watch the game and cheer on the Tigers, I kept tabs on the game while flitting from class to class!

Greek Week / Greek Week starts this week and I cannot wait to see how my team does! The dance looks great and tonight is the chalk off/ stroll off! Here's to hoping we win again this year! Good luck to everyone else participating in Greek Weeks this week!

Tabling / Today I got the opportunity to table for a great cause on my campus. As April is Sexual Assault Awareness month, I got the chance to pass out ribbons to raise awareness. Being reminded of the statistics of sexual assault was shocking, and informing people that it is still a relevant problem gave me hope that in the future those statistics will someday drop.

Meeting | My last sorority Sunday is coming up for the year and I don't even know what to think. It's so crazy to think that for the past year I have been meeting with my sisters and after this Sunday that will be over until the fall. While I'm going to like the break so that I can study, it's just going to be weird I think...

How has your Monday been? 

---

LMJ 

Monday Musings

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I'm starting to feel like I only ever post on Mondays, and I am in great need to change that up... Hopefully this will be a week in which I can actually do that, and I'm going to use this musings to start my week out optimistically.

Composite | The composite is finally over! Well, at least the photo shoot aspect. The rest of the composite will actually be kind of fun since I'll be working on the proofs for it. I have to admit, the shoot itself went extremely smooth and I am so grateful for all of the help I had received on that day. I cannot wait to see how the photos all turned out!

Scheduling | My scheduling for next year's classes is coming up next year and I am happy to say that I have finished finalizing my list. Now I am just waiting for Thursday to come so that I can get registered for all of my classes. At this point I am just hoping that all of my classes will still be open so I can enroll in them! What classes are you taking next year?

On fleek | I wish I had taken pictures of my outfit today because it was seriously on fleek (as the youngsters like to say these days). I am actually really impressed since I had picked it out about 2 minutes before I had to leave for my class. Naturally it consisted of a vest, so maybe it's okay that I don't have yet another vest outfit to show you all.

Documentaries | I am guilty to admit that I just spent the last 4 hours watching documentaries with my friends in our lounge. Netflix seriously has some of the most riveting exposes and it was really fun to discuss them with everyone and see other view points (even if we got super heated about these other view points).

Home stretch | Ironically as the school year comes to an end, I am feeling oddly at ease with everything. Maybe the last two weeks just had to be very stressful for me to get to this point, but that is okay if I'm going to be more serene while I am in the home stretch. How does the nearing of the school year have you feeling?

Keyboard covers | I am starting to hate mine. I love the personalization it gives to my compute, but it actually has been hurting to use. It seems that I have to press down so much harder, and I can literally feel the arthritis starting. Honestly, my entire generation is probably going to get arthritis as a result of all the technology we use. Opposable thumbs can only do so much, right?

What's been running through your mind this Monday? 

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LMJ

Monday Musings

About how much coffee I need to consume to get all of my assignments done tonight...

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Hi all! I hope you all have had a relaxing weekend! I went to bed last night feeling so ready to take on the day but then unfortunately woke up with a bit of a sore throat/nose combo. Let's all make a pact to get through this week together, though, huh?

Onto the musings now! 

The Circus | I have mixed feelings about the Circus since I love animals and want to see them be free... but how many times in my life will I be able to see an elephant up close? Probably not unless I go to Thailand and see them in the wild (thought that is on my bucket list...). Anyways, I went to the circus this past weekend with my mom and sister and it was so much fun! Also, did anyone else know that you can now drink cotton candy? That's right! Faygo made a cotton candy pop that I'm drying to try.

Projects | Last week was the week of projects for me. It was so stressful and I felt very overwhelmed. Ask my roommate, she was there the whole time as I cried about my life. With that being said, this week is all about...

Exams | Yup. I've gone from project week to exam week. Finals aren't for a good month and this week I have two finals and a quiz. I should probably be focusing all of my efforts on hitting the books rather than writing up this post, but when in college, am I right?

Sick | This morning I woke up with a sore throat and that will probably be a metaphor to sum up my entire week. I'm sick, I have to study, and I'm overall just cranky. Do you ever feel like you're in a constant cycle of "just make it through this week" too, or is it only me?

Documentaries | We watched a very interesting documentary in film today (Searching for Sugar Man), and now my interest in documentaries has peeked so much. If you have any documentary suggestions, leave them in the comments because I really would love to know!

Roomie | This week is room assignments and watching my roommate sign up with someone else is making me so sad... I loved getting to be her roommate for the last year, and while I'm honored to work for housing next year, I am going to miss my Mellie so much!

Spring | Across the world spring has sprung... except here in Michigan! The temperatures have dipped once again and thought I thought I was going to be putting away my big puffy coat that does not seem to be the case just yet. Has it felt like spring where you live let?

That's about it for my Monday. Sorry it was kind of bleak today- I guess my musings just matched the grey weather outside. Here's to hoping that the week will brighten up! 

---

LMJ 

Monday Musings

Hello again everybody! I hope you have all had a relaxing weekend and were able to hit this Monday hard! If you were like me and just felt like you were trudging through the day, no worries! We've all be there before. How about we hit it hard for this musings though, huh?

Shin splints | If you're my roommate, sorority sister, friend, or cafeteria worker, I'm sorry you have to  hear about this again! After having gotten my runs down to 3 miles in 30 minutes, I have pretty much taken myself off the track/treadmill with shin splints. The weather has gotten beautiful and I just want to run outside but can't. I don't know when I'll get over this (or when I'll stop talking about this, for that matter).

Kate Spade | A Kate Spade outlet just opened near my school and it is so dangerous! After having brunch (check out my post about it here!), my friend Kate and I headed over to the new store. Long story short, I dropped more money than I should have but I am so in love with my new wallet! It'll be featured soon- don't you worry.

Film | Today this class was excruciatingly boring. How about we just add Killer of Sheep to the list of movie titles that I never want to see again?

Scheduling | Scheduling my classes for next year is coming up soon. If you think high school classes are hard to schedule, college is soooo much harder. I've been so stressed out that I have yet to finish my fall semester list. I've still got some time though. Suggestions on electives? I've got tons of space for some!

Weather | This weather has been absolutely beautiful today and I've been basking in it as much as possible. Unfortunately, it's supposed to be getting colder soon and that does not fly very well with me. Hopefully we're over with winter though!

Norovirus | This has been going around my campus like wildfire! It's been a 50/50 toss up as to what's been causing it. Some say it's our food provider and some say it's just kind of going around campus. I've been avoiding the dining hall to be on the safe side, but hopefully this whole ordeal is over with soon.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt / I'm sure you've all heard of it by now, but Tina Fey and Netflix have released a new original show. I've watched a few episodes of it now, and I can't tell whether I love it or not. What are your thoughts on it if you've seen the show?

Hope everyone's Monday has been going smoothly!

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LMJ

Monday Musings

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It's Monday and by now I hope you all know the drill- it's Monday Musings time. This week has been long, the weekend has been short, and more things have happened in the last 7 days than I can even explain. With that being said... Let's get this post going.

Weather | If you're living in the midwest/northeast I hope you guys are all having as much of a heat wave as my city has been experiencing. Yesterday for meeting I left wearing a cardigan and it felt incredible outside. The weather for the next week is supposed to be up in the mid-40s and the low 50s and for me that feels so warm!

Red Wings | Today I'm going to a Wings game with my lover boy and I am so excited for it. We went to a game about a year ago (leave me a comment if you thought "about a week ago" too), and it was so much fun! I'm really looking forward to the game tonight because I love spending moments like this with him. Let's go Red Wings!

Sisterhood | Though this week was stressful between school and sorority obligations, I have had many moments where I realize how amazing my sorority and chapter are. Throughout the week I have realized how many sisters I click with and how much I look forward to seeing my lovely sister's faces. (I'm sorry if this doesn't make sense- I've just been feeling lots of emotions.)

Makin' gains | The last week I hit the gym every single day and I swear to you all I have had so much more energy. I love going to group exercise classes, running, and I've even been doing some (super) minor weight lifting. You could say I'm making them gains.

Interpretive dance | When I'm studying with my roomie or our pal Annmarie, the one thing I cannot do is study for hours on end. To break up our time, we take some pretty epic interpretive dance breaks. Recently we've been loving tracks by Celine Dion and Ellie Goulding. Honestly though we're so good and why we're not studying dance I will never know...

The Interview | I bet you thought I was going to talk about the move but sike- you're wrong. In case you haven't noticed, conveniently right under this post is my interview with Emma of Dash of Serendipity. This has been the highlight of my blogging career thus far, and I would really love it if you could all a) check out the interview b) leave some love for how fab Emma is in the comments and c) check out Emma herself!

Twinning | This is just a quick shout out to Kendy and Kate, who I've been twinning with. Kendal and I are basically the same person and Kate is my spirit animal basically and we've just been super in sync lately. For whatever reason I had to share this because it's been blowing my mind lately.

Walden | We're reading Walden in my English class and all I can say is that it is tough. So tough. I honestly have read nothing that I understand and so this has been a struggle for me. Have you read any of Thoreau and struggled with it?

What's been blowing your mind this Monday?

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LMJ

Monday Musings

Spring break is over and I'm coming back at you all with a new Monday Musings. I don't particularly have too much to say, so let's just get into it, shall we?

Spring Break | It only seems appropriate that I should start this Monday's musings by talking about the end of my spring break. I don't have much to report on it besides the fact that it was relaxing and couldn't have come at a better time. Actually, scratch that, it could've come at a later time considering all of my friends are off this week and my boyfriend's off next week...

Bloggin' | Remember when I said I was going to do daily recaps of my spring break? Well... Surprise! I didn't do that. I know none of you are shocked or saddened by this, but because I want to keep my promise to you all I'm going to do a spring break recap on the blog this week.

Assassins | This week started a month long game of Assassins for the Greek community at my school. Ask me if I'm terrified about some pinning me out of the game and you could consider yourself assassinated as well (just kidding, I would never come after any of my lovely readers... Unless you're my target - then I hope you have your back covered).

Donuts | After craving a donut all day throughout classes, I indulged myself in one because why the heck not? You can even see it in the background of my picture above! (Side note- it was one messy donut!)

Work | I feel like I have so much stuff to do this week that my head feels like it's about to explode. It's so bad that I don't even feel like I know all that I have to do. Hopefully my planner will be able to carry me through this week. In Lilly we trust, right?

Inside Man | Today in film we actually watched a really interesting movie. We screened Inside Man (directed by Spike Lee) and it was so intriguing. I can't remember the last time I was leaning forward in my seat, but yes, it was really that good.

Kickboxing | It's Monday night and you know what that means- kickboxing! Tonight's class kicked my butt (pun completely intended) and I'm already feeling sore. But I honestly love this class and going all out on the punches makes me feel great. Hands down my favorite class that my campus' rec has to offer.

How has your Monday been?

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LMJ

Monday Musings

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It may be spring break but you better believe I'm still musing on Monday! With so much free time on my hands I hope to get both a lot of posts published AND a lot of posts drafted for publishing once I go back to hitting the books.

Now, onto the juicy stuff...

Spring break | I bet you're all shocked that this is my first musing. You're not? Well... this is awkward. Any who... It's spring break so amidst the relaxin I plan on doing little daily recaps of what I'm up to on my time off. Does that sound like something you all might like? (If not, too bad... I'm probably going to do it anyways.)

Oscars | This is the first awards show I have watched all season and that's mainly due to me being home. While I disagree with the academy a lot (come on... Leo should have like 10 awards by now...), I loved tuning in for the fashion on the red carpet and the witty banter of Neil Patrick Harris. 

Spring cleaning | When I'm home, it's usually not for an extended period of time. I cannot tell you how many weekends I "come home" and it only entails sleeping in my bed after attending to obligations that need to be done in my hometown. Needless to say, my room's been put through hell and it's time I clean up my space. (This may or may not have been prompted by my mom's comments about the state of my room...)

Travel | I would give literally anything to be traveling right now. This absolutely consequential to the books I've been reading lately and I cannot help but wish I were in Disney, New York, Paris, or NOLA like many of my friends and sisters are right now. If you're reading this while traveling or preparing for your travels, send some warmth my way... PLEASE!

Felt hats | I have been obsessed with this trend all throughout fall and winter and I am shameless to admit that I have finally jumped on the bandwagon. I recently purchased a felt hat while shopping with my mom, and all I can say is that I hope you're prepared for it to be making some cameos in some very near posts.

New arrivals | So I have finally gotten the chance to browse through the new arrivals for J.Crew and I am utterly smitten with nearly the entire line. Be on the lookout for a favorites post where I'll highlight just exactly what I'm dying over. Hopefully it will be up in the near future!

Hope you have all had a fabulous Monday! 

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LMJ

Monday Musings

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For starters, how true is that quote? It's even more true for me because in four days I will officially be on spring break. How will I be spending my first college spring break, you may ask? Cuddled up in my bed at home, of course! 

Now onto the musings, huh? 

Iced coffee | The temperature may be -9 at times when the windchill is factored in, but for me iced coffee has no seasonal limits. For me it's iced coffee over everything. And while I'm talking about coffee... Death before decaf. That is all.

Packages | For whatever reason I've been getting a lot of things in the mail recently. Beanie hats, a new laptop case, my tax form... Honestly I just love getting mail. It's probably one of my favorite things. I should probably slow down on the online shopping but who doesn't like seeing packages and parcels of mail addressed to them? 

Lennon & Maisy | If you don't know about this dynamic sister duo, then let me be the one to introduce you to them (you'll thank me later, I'm sure). I first heard of these sisters when their cover of Call your Girlfriend went viral, and since then I have been checking back in with them for new releases. Their most recent release was a cover of Boom Clap. I actually bought this song (which I never do anymore) because it's that amazing. 

Listen to the cover here! 

Chipotle | Another Monday and another Chipotle run. This is probably one of my favorite things to do with my roommate, as it gives us both something to look forward to throughout the day. Plus, who doesn't like a good burrito bowl? 

Dear John | I just recently watched this movie again, and every time I watch it I get upset. I was even upset when I read the novel. The ending is just so... unresolved. I don't know why I let myself watch it when I know I'll just be heated by the end of it. 

Aaron Carter | For whatever reason, Aaron's Party has been stuck in my head all day. I don't know how it worked its way into my mind, but it has and boy has it dug its claws into my brain. 

Listen to the throwback here! 

That about wraps up my Monday! What have you been musing over?

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LMJ

Say Hello

Lately I have been loving sending (and receiving!) greeting cards. Being away from home has made these little acts so much more meaningful, and there's something exciting about seeing mail in my teeny tiny mail slot at school. Here are some favorites that I've been loving from Kate Spade! 

All of these can be found on lifeguard press! If you're not familiar with this company, they're the ones who make the Lilly Pulitzer pencil pouches! 

Hope this inspires you to send some old fashioned mail to your loved ones! 

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LMJ

Monday Musings

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Another Monday is passing us by and I am just so relieved. Monday's may not be my favorite day of the week, but they're usually not so bad as this one was. Don't worry though - there was some light shinning through the dark! 

Let's get into it, shall we?

Big | This weekend I got to spend a lot of time with my big sister and I cannot tell you all how appreciative I was. I feel as if in the last month alone we have grown so much closer and I am so lucky to have her as my big sister. Speaking of big diamonds... I myself became a big sister! I'm so happy to welcome my little into the chapter and into forever!

Cherry pepsi | This stuff is my kryptonite. I'm sure I've talked about it at least once on my blog, but let me reiterate it again for you - I absolutely love this stuff. I know pop isn't good for you, but it's so hard to resist. Plus, it's basically all that's keeping me running right now... Oops. 

Sleep | Last night I had the worst night/night's sleep of my life (maybe not my life, but still). I went to bed extremely stressed out and I must have woken up a dozen times throughout the night. It didn't help that my wondrous suite mate decided that her music would best be played loud at one in the morning while she was taking her shower. Is it moving day yet? No? Darn...

Crush party | If I'm looking forward to anything at all this week it is my sorority's annual Crush Party this Friday. We have super cute shirts made up and spending a night with sisters is always a night well spent. More than that, I am mostly looking forward to Friday because it'll be the first time I'll get to see Jonathan within the last three weeks. I know that sounds lame, but these past few weeks have honestly felt like three years. I'm just really excited, okay? 

Preparation | I have a few big interviews / seminars this week that I have to prep for, and I will be the first to say that I am feeling very under-prepared for these upcoming events. If my posts are lacking some, then it is directly because of running around in a panic to make myself appear professional and organized for my interviews. 

The Grammys | I bet you all wish I had some witty remarks to make about the show last night, but sadly I didn't have access to a TV last night between chapter, reading for a class, and just being in college with no cable access. I'd like to say that I'm sad to have missed it, but I'm so consumed by other things that there's no void in having missed the awards last night. 

Movies | What's really got my going today is the idea of watching a movie tonight before bed. My film class, while boring at times, has broadened my movie horizons, and tonight I'm feeling like some classic Audrey Hepburn might be in order after having watched a Billy Wilder film in class today (you know what that means - I'll be watching Sabrina tonight).

I think that about sums up my Monday. I have so much more that I could've shared, but let's be honest with each other right now... You wouldn't have read it, would you have?

Here's to the start of a new week everyone! 

---

LMJ

Monday Musings

Happy Monday my lovelies! I hope your days are going beautifully! This Monday has been especially great and I can't wait to share why!

Snow day | So it was always my understanding that colleges and universities would never cancel classes, but my school sent out a text/email blast last night and shut down our campus. To say that this was exciting was an understatement.

Katy Perry | I have to admit that I was skeptical about her half time performance when she first came out on that lion, but once she got into it, I was blown away (and don't forget that LED floor). Her guests were spot on and nobody will be able to forget that Lenny Kravitz intro or Missy Elliot slaying it on stage with Katy Perry. Plus her throwback songs were perfection. What did you think about the half time show? Let me know in the comments below!

Patriots | Did anyone else completely call that game, or was it just me? Butler's interception sealed that game for the Patriots and there was nobody happier than him and Tom Brady at the end. Seriously though, who doesn't like to see Brady jump up and down out of sheer excitement?

Kings of Leon | This seems a bit odd to be bringing up, but honestly - have you heard their album Come Around Sundown? Everything about that album is just... amazing. I don't know how I could've forgotten about Kings of Leon when they have an album like that.

Strollin' | With the motivation to retrieve my water bottle from my car before it got the change to freeze, I took a walk around campus alone. Nobody was out, the sidewalks weren't bustling, and the bridge was experiencing peace this sunny Monday. There was something wonderfully peaceful about being alone on campus to just look around and wonder.

Lazy day | Because it's a snow day, today has called for doing everything but school work. While I have all the intentions in the world to finish my work for the week, that simply has not happened. I have been productive in other ways though, and most of them are about this blog! I can't wait to share what I've been working on with all of you!

Has anyone else had a snow day today? Let me know what you did below in the comments! 

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LMJ

Stress Less: My Top 6 Methods for Reducing Stress

{via my favorite yogi}

If I had to describe this week in one word, it would be stressful. Second semester came at me like a train, and I am so thankful it is finally Friday (though it's still not giving me much peace of mind...). My brain has been swarmed with thoughts and plans that I just cannot seem to jot down on paper quick enough, and my to-do list is way longer than any Kate Spade notepad could handle - not even my Lilly planner can keep up.

With the stress of the new semester upon myself, I have been spending my free time seeking out ways to relieve my stress, and I've compiled a list of things that have been really helping me trudge through the last few days. Since I know that many of my readers are now back to the grindstone, I figured this list could be helpful to others as well.

Drink something hot ||  Sipping on a hot drink is a great way to relax. Because you can't just chug it and go along with your day, you are forced to drink slowly. Make yourself some tea, cocoa, or coffee and set aside your work for the remainder of the cup. By giving yourself some time to just focus on your drink, you'll clear some headspace and treat yourself to some much needed quiet time.

Practice yoga || Something I've recently gotten into is yoga. I practice first thing when I wake up, and right before I go to bed. By giving myself 15-20 minutes of quiet time, I find I'm more ready to start my day and I'm totally relaxed before heading to bed. Click below to see what poses I've been loving!

morning yoga | bedtime yoga 

Hit the gym / workout || This goes along with yoga, but sometimes throughout the day you just need an hour to focus on something else. Be productive and hit the gym for an hour. The break in your day will give you a chance to put your frustration into something worthwhile, and the endorphins you release during your workout will be sure to make you feel much better. If you don't have access to a gym, I highly recommend the blogilates videos Cassey posts on her youtube channel, which you can find here! 

Plan your day before you go to bed || This one I have to give credit to my mom, since she's the one who floated me this tip. Every night before I go to bed, I make a list of what I want to get done the previous day (I am a list-a-holic, and the sense of accomplishment I get from crossing something off of my to-do list is a relief I simply cannot describe). I work on these small tasks throughout the day, and whatever is left on my list goes directly at the top for the next day's to-do's. It keeps me on task and gives me a goal to reach at the end of the day. 

Journal || A lot of people think it's silly to keep journals, but for me the experience is extremely cathartic. Being able to let go of everything swarming my mind and put it on paper keeps my head clear and gives me a healthy release for my stress. I highly recommend it to everyone who feels they simply have way too much on their mind all of the time. 

Give yourself an end time || This last tip is something new that I've been muling over in my head. I frequently check out Dale Partridge's blog, The Daily Positive, and he has given me something to thing about. In his productive morning post (read it here!) he talked about how he always finishes his work day at 6. While sometimes this is simply not ideal for a college student, there are many days where I do not need to be killing myself by staying up well past midnight working on my studies only to get up the next morning at 7 (remember when I said I want to condition myself to become a morning person...). By setting an end time, you give yourself a time limit on when you can accomplish your goals for the day. After that, use your time for whatever else you want to do. 

Is there anything different you do to relieve your stress or anything you think should be added to my list? Let me know in the comments below! 

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LMJ

101 in 1001

I've been seeing this tag going around on a few blogs that I follow, and I thought it was such a fun idea for a post! Thank you to Dash of Serendipity and Mackenzie Horan for inspiring my list! 

Starting: January 28, 2015

Ending: October 25, 2017

1. Finish my gen ed classes 
2. Run a 5k
3. Learn how to ski
4. Get a passport
5. Get an internship within my major
6. See the Golden Gate Bridge
7. Hike in California
8. Meditate everyday for a month
9. Successfully plan a composite 
10. Take a cycle class
11. Have my Zumba instructor know me by name
12. Visit my psychology professor during office hours & ask him about his career
13. Go to conference with my sisters
14. Volunteer  4 times
15. Put a lock on the lock bridge in France
16. Pay for a strangers coffee
17. Become a Big 
18. De-clutter my personal email account
19. Visit Salem
20. Take a stereotypical picture in front of the Bean
21. Get a pass to go to Yoga
22. Spontaneously send a friend a care package
23. Read a book in French
24. Take a ride on the London Eye
25. Watch the Tour-de-France every day in the summer
26. Design a blog layout on my own
27. Send my mom cards like she does for me
28. Buy my own roll of stamps
29. Invest in monogrammed stationary 
30. Have my friend Julie take new head shots for all my blogging icons
31. See my 2nd Cirque du Soleil show
32. Write in my journal every day for a month
33. Wake up without hitting snooze everyday for two weeks
34. Pack a suitcase without over packing (at least once)
35. Buy a pair of all purpose heels
36. Get my hair blown out
37. Order checks with my name on them
38. Learn how to balance a checkbook
39. Get my blog on bloglovin'
40. Surprise my boyfriend on a random weekend visit to his university
41. Meet a fellow blogger
42. Be Blair Waldorf and sit on the steps of the Met
43. Visit an art museum 
44. Get my own lock for the gym
45. Go to a Lorna Jane store
46. (in correspondence to 45) Buy a new workout outfit
47. Interview Cambria from breelovesbeauty
48. Watch the sunrise from a hill
49. Take a run at sunrise
50. Spend a day in Central Park
51. Donate my hair again
52. Clean my closet & donate unwanted clothes to charity
53. Pay for my dues completely on my own
54. Post 3 outfit posts in one week
55. Visit Disneyland
56. Buy my mom a nice piece of jewelry 
57. Get to 100,000 page views
58. Go rho gamma for recruitment 
59. Give up french fries for a month
60. Post 4 times a week for 1 month
61. Sign my name somewhere in my freshman dorm room
62. Stop drinking coffee for one week
63. Learn how to make my own almond milk
64. Make every recipe from this video 
65. Go to a Brandy Melville store
66. See a show in Vegas
67. Listen to every song mentioned in this book
68. Vote in the next presidential election
69. Read my daily Skimm
70. Go to brunch at Toast twice
71. Visit a bookstore that's not affiliated with a chain
72. Run a color run with my mom
73. Win something from bingo
74. Buy a scratch off ticket (almost 19 and still haven't done this...)
75. Play the lottery
76. See the Mississippi River
77. Have a server choose a meal for me
78. Learn to like seafood
79. Finally buy an arm band to put my phone in when I workout
80. Get workout grip-y gloves (so technical, I know)
81. Take a belly dancing class
82. Buy something (anything) in maroon 
83. Try heel dancing
84. Find 6 uses for coconut oil & blog about it
85. Sell my homecoming dresses
86. Buy an LBD
87. Read 2 books for fun before the end of the semester
88. Write in my journal every day for a month
89. Pick my suite mates (current living situation is not ideal...)
90. Update my resume 
91. Create a budget for my spending
92. See a drive-in movie
93. See a new musical 
94. Write hand-written thank you cards to 6 people
95. Go to Diagon Alley at Universal Studios 
96. Apply for 4 scholarships
97. Practice yoga on a beach
98. Watch 3 new documentaries 
99. Sail with my dad
100. Visit Colorado 
101. Save enough money for backpacking through Europe

Feeling inspired to make your own 101 in 1001? Leave me a link to your list in the comments! I would love to read your goals! 

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LMJ

Monday Musings

{via}

Laundry day | The most dreaded day of my week... At home it was never a problem, but at school there never seems to be a washer open or a dryer free. And then there's that basket of clothes you have to fold... Speaking of, I should probably do that, no?

Free Chipotle | Yes, that's right, you read free Chipotle. My roomie and I headed over to Chipotle for their newest promo where if you try their new burrito you get a coupon for free chipotle on your next visit. I have to be honest with you all... The line wasn't that bad and the tofu was better than expected. Comment down below if you got Chipotle today // what you thought of the sofrita!

Bid day | Today was my chapter's bid day for informal recruitment! While I'm only in my first year as an active member, bid day is honestly one of my favorite days. I'm so excited to have new sisters and can't wait to get to know everyone better!

Being scared | All my life I've been told to do the things that scare me most. Doesn't the saying go "if you're dreams don't scare you, they aren't big enough?" That might be the case, but right now I'm scared and I just want to hide in my bed. And then stay there. Is this a wake up call telling me to stop being a coward? Universe... please just get to the point...

Missing | Casual little plug to say that I miss the boy right now and it's going to suck not seeing him for 3 weeks. Shout out to all of the people in long distance relationships farther than mine... Serious props because I can hardly go three weeks without seeing my guy and I can't even fathom going months. You are all the real MVPs of relationships.

Small talk | This is an art form and I encourage you all to brush up on your skills. It comes in so much handy, and I wish I was better at it. That's all I've got to say on this topic.

Sure, Jam | I don't know about all of you, but I have been getting such a huge kick out of the Brady Bunch spoofs that are resurfacing. Especially the sequel where Jan creates a fake boyfriend and Marcia says "sure, Jam."

Ashton Kutcher | All I have to say is just watch this video all the way through: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NctRVC2O3NM  (please just watch it all the way through and thank me later!)

That's all for my Monday. How was yours? 

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LMJ

Monday Musings

If I've stayed consistent with anything on this blog of mine, it's been my Monday Musing's. I don't know what it is about this post, but taking the time to reflect on my day has been something I look forward to all week long. There's something so cathartic about taking a moment to reflect and getting into a peaceful state of mind.

But enough with this chit-chat, I know you're all here to find out what I've been musing over today!

Recruitment | My sorority has finished our informal recruitment this past week, and I am so excited to welcome new sisters! This was my first time on the sorority side of recruitment, and there are literally so many things that I learned. I had no idea that so much happens behind the scenes, and while I always knew that our recruitment VP was an important position, I was filled with new appreciation for our RMVP. Also, good luck / congratulations for all of those who have found their homes during winter recruitment!

French soda | Today I was blessed enough to meet up with some of my close friends from high school. The long weekend brought a lot of people closer to home, and seeing my two friends was extremely nice. After our coffees, a cool drink was much needed! I tried a French version of creme soda and I must say that it was simply delicious! Definitely a must-try beverage for those who haven't tasted it yet!

Home cooked meals | For the long weekend, I visited my boyfriend at his university. On the way back to my school at the end of my stay, I had to swap cars back at home since I took my dad's truck. While I was at home, my mom made a roast for me to eat before I headed back up to school. I super appreciated how she started it early so that I could sit down and have a meal with my family - plus, who doesn't love a home cooked meal (especially when it's better than dining hall food)?

Comments | As a college freshman, my mind is often times trying to do 40 things at once. This sometimes leaves me drained and in need of some inspiration for future blog posts. If you have an idea of something you would love to see on the blog, don't be shy! Drop a comment on a post of shoot me an e-mail! I love hearing from you guys!

Uptown Funk | This is literally my jam. Annmarie, if you're reading this, you know how much I love this song (her and I literally leave the gym blasting this). I can't tell if it's the beat or the amusing lyrics, but I think this song has such a different vibe as opposed to everything else on the radio.

Blue, man | This weekend I visited my boyfriend at his university. Part of my Christmas present was tickets to see Blue Man Group, and I am so grateful to him and his family for letting me experience so many new things with them! I feel extremely blessed to have him in my life this was another moment that I was glad to have shared with him.

That's about all for my Monday! How was your Monday?

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LMJ