fall 2018 trendspotting

Let’s talk trend spotting. This whole summer I’ve been working in a retail store surrounded by high end fashion. It’s so inspiring getting to help people find styles and trends that they really love. But, let me tell you a secret, it’s even more fun getting to find these things for myself (selfish? maybe a little. fun? heck yeah). So anyways, two trends that I’ve noticed that are going to be huge this fall are wide leg pants and anything in the color mustard. I was shopping for these two items myself but I decided to share some of my favorite finds with you guys to balance out my selfish comment above.

crochet shirt
back pack
waffle shirt 
shoes 
bra
cami
tote bag (aka dream bag) 

black
navy
denim
mustard
green

And that's all I've got for ya now. But, I'd love to know, what trends are you loving lately? Keep me cool, share your thoughts in the comments. 

thanks for reading!
xox
chloe

My Gals

I can’t put my finger on the reason why, but lately my friends and I have been very sentimental. I think as our junior year of college is winding down and we’re gearing up for senior year, we realize how fast our time together has flown by. 

We all met through college, none of us knew each other before and I think that’s one of the reasons why we truly treasure our friendships with each other. My friend group is small, strong, and very familial. We treat each other like sisters. We love each other endlessly, we bicker often, and we ALWAYS have each other’s backs. 

I was talking with one of my best friends the other day about how much we love our friend group. We were saying how, since we all live together, we’ve come to be more than friends. We’re family. And I know that sounds extremely cheesy, but there’s something special about living in a house with five of your best friends. You learn more about yourself than you ever thought possible, and therefore learn about each other, so much so that we might know each other better than we know ourselves. 

It’s a weird dynamic. I love my friends more than I think possible. We each have our strengths, our weaknesses, and our priorities, but somehow we mesh flawlessly (even on the days we all seem to be fighting). There are the ones of us who chat about anything, always. There are the ones of us that are the silent glue that keep the peace between us. There are the ones of us that can always light up the room when others are down. We’re just, well, us. 

I know I have another year with these gals, but honestly, I want more. The first three years of college have flown by, and I can’t even imagine how fast this next year is going to go. 

Here’s the best friends. Here’s to college memories. Here’s to the future.

Live in the Moment

I think sometimes, we go through life living for the future. In middle school all we want is to be in high school. In high school all we want is the freedom of college. In college we just want to live a life without homework and studying. It’s this dreaming of the future that keeps us from living our best in the moment. 

Sure, I’m guilty of laying in bed waiting for time to pass. I’m guilty of not enjoying the moment because all I can do is dream about how great the next hour or tomorrow or the next day is going to be. But, I’m challenging myself to enjoy every little second and every little moment. For example, last night I was walking to meet a friend. Usually, on my walk all I do is think about how excited I am to get to my destination and see my friend. But this time I changed my mindset. I enjoyed my walk through campus. I took in all the buildings, the people, the stars in the sky. It was one of the best walks I’ve ever been on. It allowed me to feel more peaceful, more content, and more inspired by the moment. 

So next time you find yourself wishing away the present because you’re so involved in focusing on the future I challenge you to pause. Pause your thoughts and become content with the moment. Breathe. Think. Be Mindful.

College

What comes to mind when you think “college.” 

Animal house? Drinking problems? Too much school work? Stress? The Freshman 15? Excitement? 

Same. 

College is kind of weird if you think about it. You’re on your own, but also not really. You still have your parents support, you don’t really have to worry about “adult” things yet, but you still get all the freedom and independence that you craved oh so much during high school. 

I’m now about to go into my Junior year of college and as I’m writing this I’m sitting in my house thinking of all the things that made me nervous going into my freshman year of college. From what to pack, to what I would wear to class, to how the heck I would find my classes on the first day of school, to making friends, to understanding college parties and lifestyle. There were SO many new things. So many weird things that I never could have prepared for. It was a whole new world. 

I want to answer some questions about college for my past (pre college) self, from my current (almost upper class man) self. So here we go…

How do I find my classes? 
Walk around campus in the few days that you have before school. Don’t be afraid to ask for directions either. Everyone on campus was once new and in the exact same boat as you and will be more than willing to help you find your building and class room within the building. 

What do I wear to class?
Whatever your little heart desires. Whether that be a cute little dress and sandals or a big t-shirt and leggings. You do you. Just rock it confidently, that’s all that matters. 

Are parties super intimidating? 
They are what you make of them. Talk to people, don’t be shy! Don’t be afraid to say hey to that one person who sits three rows and five seats down in front of you in that random core class. They probably want someone to sit next to in class too — also who doesn’t like meeting someone at a party to end up helping each other in class. But also be aware, don’t take random drinks from random people. Don’t be dumb. I would recommend drinking at a pre-game (or in my case, in your dorm room with friends) before going to the party so you don’t even have to drink once you get there. That way you know your alcohol is safe and clean. 

Those are obviously just three little questions from a long list that I had, but I feel like the answers can be applied to a lot of things: don’t be afraid to ask for help, be confident, and be aware. 

College is the time of your life. The time to learn who you are and who you want to become. It’s fun, it’s an adventure. 

Thanks for reading! 
xox
Chloe

Getting Out Of A Rut

Summer is the time where you can just relax and enjoy doing absolutely nothing. It’s all great, until your doing nothingness becomes a rut. You know, you wake up, watch tv, surf the internet, work, workout, eat, sleep, repeat. 

I have reached my summer rut. I find myself doing the same thing day after day not truly taking the time to appreciate the fact that it might be my last real summer of doing nothing just being at home. I need to remember to appreciate it. To know that school is literally right around the corner and I’m going to be wishing for days of nothing. 

This morning I decided to go watch some sailboats on a little island near my house. You can watch from the cutest little park and it’s so peaceful just to sit and watch the boats pass by. It almost doesn’t even feel like I’m in the same country, let alone the same town. It was a nice little escape to get out of my little rut, even if it was just tan hour of my day and a five minute drive away. Sometimes the smallest things can have the biggest impact.

And speaking of small things having a big impact, my Hawaiin Tropic sunscreen definitely was worn during my little excursion. Just spending the shortest amount of time outside you’re inclined to get some sun, so I made sure to wear my Hawaiian Tropic® Silk Hydration® which offers experiential sun protection by pampering my skin with luxurious moisturization while indulging my senses with soothing scents and exotic island botanicals. Honestly, my favorite sunscreen out there.  You can find out more information about Hawaiian Tropic® Silk Hydration® here! 

I hope you’re all having an amazing summer and are enjoying your days filled with relaxation. 
Thanks for reading! 
xox
Chloe

I’m sharing Hawaiian Tropic in my life as part of a sponsored series for Socialstars™ #AlohaTherapy

A Degree Is Just A Piece of Paper

I talk about this topic with my friends and family so often that I’m shocked I’ve never written a post about it: Major shamming. Not shamming in a huge way, but shaming people for being in a certain major. 

I’m a communications major. I’ve said it before, and I’ll most likely say it again. It’s the major at the top of every “What NOT to major in” list on the internet. The major that people say is useless, stupid, for people who don’t know what they want to do. 

But hey, guess what. I’m none of those things and I freakin’ love my major. I love the projects I get to work on, the collaborative nature of everything I do, the creativity I get to unleash. It’s fun, but that doesn’t mean its “dumb.” 

The classes that I take in comparison to, say, pre-med students is very different. I don’t have to take biology, chemistry, or calculus. I don’t excel in those subjects and I know my weaknesses. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t hone into my strengths. I’m not cocky, but I like to think I excel in photography, graphic design, and copy writing so those are the classes I take. Just because I’m not the best in certain classes doesn’t make me dumb. Just because my core science classes consist ofthe “philosophy of science” doesn’t make it any less “science-y” or less difficult that your “actual” science classes. 

I’m not writing this post for people to pity communications majors. In fact, I’m writing this for quite the opposite affect. I want it to be known that people should go to college to learn more about things they want to learn about. It’s the time in our lives where we can hone into skills and understand things like never before. Don’t major in something just because it “sounds smart” or “will get you a job,” because in the end a degree is just a piece of paper, it’s the passion for something that will take you far in life. 

If you’re deciding on what to major in for college I want you to close your eyes and picture your dream job. Even if it’s seems dumb or stupid think about it. Do you want to walk dogs for a living? Own a bakery? Be a free lance graphic designer? Do it. You can succeed in anything you care about because there’s one thing that you already have above others and that’s a dream and behind that dream comes passion and appreciation. 

Do what you love, I promise it’ll all work out.

Thanks for reading! 
xox
Chloe