December Mood Board

Happy Tuesday! I'm in the midst of "study week" here at Georgetown, which brings me a lot of free time (in addition to studying). One of my favorite things to do is make mood boards on Pinterest, but sometimes I take it a step further using BlogPixie's Mood Board templates.

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Book Talk: The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney

I want to start off by saying that I am more excited than any of you know for this post! I'm writing a week in advance because I just finished the book and I need to express my love for it right. now. In all honesty, I was first attracted to The Nest because of its cover. The mint and gold quilted cover spoke to me and I immediately added it to my to-read list. I started it over Thanksgiving, without knowing anything about it, because I needed a break from nonfiction and memoirs. Starting with Half Broke Horses, I've read so many of that genre in the past few years, including An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth and Wild. A couple of months ago, I read Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff and realized that I wanted to read more contemporary fiction. Fates and Furies is one of my new favorites, and without realizing it I picked The Nest, which is eerily similar.

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Holiday Wish List 2017

Happy Tuesday! The holiday season is here so keeping the tradition I'm sharing my holiday wish list for the year! I remember when I made my Holiday Wish List 2014 on Polyvore! I was so particular about what I wanted and the images and used and adding the numbers in the circles...fast-forward to today and nothing has changed! Back in 2014, I got an all-time high of 5 items on my wish list (my mom used it to get my presents and I had no idea)! I continued the tradition in 2015 and 2016, hitting 4 and 3 items respectfully. I know the holiday is not about the gifts at all, but I love to try and see/guess how many items from my wish list end up in my stocking or under the tree! Feel free to use this list as gift-giving inspiration or inspiration for things to ask for; I tried to include a range of prices!

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Blogging 101: Favorite Free Fonts Holiday Edition

better together | bebas neue | dk bitumen | albret | montserrat | happy camper | peak times

Happy December! Now that it is finally December, I'm ready to jump headfirst into the holiday season! When I was planning this post I realized that it would kick off the holiday season on my blog so I wanted to add a bit of a holiday twist. 

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I'm Thankful For...

Happy Tuesday! Thanksgiving, AKA my favorite day of the year, is just two days away and I've been thinking lately about everything I have to be thankful for. Obviously, I'm thankful for my family, friends, and the opportunity to go to my dream school; but, today I want to focus on some of the smaller things that bring me joy! I'm thankful for...

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5 Resources Every College Student Needs to Write A Great Paper

Welcome back! Midterm szn is finally over, but lately, I have been completely bogged down by the number of (I think excessively) long papers I've had to write. Don't get me wrong, writing is one of my favorite things to do, but not when it's 7-9 pages on Job (I actually got super invested by page 3, but that's beside the point). When I was going through edits and revisions for my final paper last Thursday, I realized that I had devised quite a method for paper writing. Not to brag, but writing is my strong suit and I've consistently done well on my papers in college so far (knock on wood). For that reason, I'm revealing my 5 tools and tips for writing a great paper.

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Blogging 101: Content Creation

I'm back! After taking a short, week-long break from blogging, I'm bringing you the next installment in my blogging 101 series. I've shared already shared my tips and tricks on fashion photography, using blogger, and blog design; so the next step is creating your content! Obviously, this is going to (or at least it should be) different for everyone; these tips are general ideas and guidelines that you can apply to your blog no matter what the subject is.

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4 Fun Fall Things to Do Instead of Halloween

Halloweekend is over and this year I spent it watching Stranger Things 2 and cranking out some essays. I've tried for years to be a person who gets excited for Halloween, picks out a great costume, and goes out and has a great time - but that's just not me. So instead of going out tonight, I'm going to drink my vanilla almond milk and watch a festive movie (even though I should be studying for my econ midterm tomorrow)! If you're like me you're not down for Halloween parties or trick-or-treating, here are a few ways you can celebrate the end of October either will your gals (and ghouls) or flying (on a broomstick) solo!

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District Wharf | Washington D.C.

District Wharf is one of D.C.'s latest day trip destinations, it opened just a few weeks ago on October 12. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make it down there on opening day/night because it's super out of the way from school and I had a lot going on at that time (p.s. no one ever tells you that midterms will take over your life). But lucky me, today I was able to take my time seeing everything that the Wharf has to offer when it wasn't too busy. There are tons of restaurants down there that look amazing (I haven't eaten at any of them yet because I'm trying to save money and I'd much rather go with my family or a group of friends), but I'm especially looking forward to Taylor Gourmet (so many vegan options!).

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Book Talk: Life in Motion by Misty Copeland

Welcome back! This book talk is a bit delayed because I wanted to finish the book before writing this post. I started Life in Motion back in August and it's taken 2 months to read, not because I wasn't completely captivated by the story, but because I started the book during one of the busiest times of the year, the week before I moved to college. Now that my life has (somewhat) settled down and I was able to get Life in Motion from the library, I sat down in front of the fireplace (in the student center at my school...not the same as the one in my bedroom at home but it'll do) and contentedly finished the last few chapters.

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3 Tips for Saving Money in College

Aside from time management, which I've already shared some tips on, one of the hardest parts of college is trying to balance a budget. Being a full-time student, I don't have a job and couldn't imagine working on top of my school work and extracurriculars (shout out to all the students that do though)! Most of the money in my bank account comes from my graduation money and the babysitting that I did over the summer. Trying to find ways to make a few hundred dollars last a whole has proven to be a bit difficult, so I wanted to share some of the tips I've learned so far this year for my girls (and guys) in the same boat as me!

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Soul Cycle + New Work Out Clothes

Welcome back! As you can tell by the title, this is a fitness post! I want to start doing these a bit more often because my fitness is routine is always changing. 

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Blogging 101: Blog Design

Welcome back! It's the beginning of the month, which means another Blogging 101 post! If you missed my posts from the last couple of months, I shared information on fashion photography and using Blogger. Today's topic is blog design, which is probably definitely one of my favorite parts of blogging! You can find a bunch of information about blog design including where to get free fonts and tips/tricks, on my Pinterest board, but here are the biggest, most important, and most fun things!

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24 Hours in Boston

If you follow me on Twitter, then you'll know that I was in Boston for literally 24 hrs. My flight landed at 12pm on Saturday and I was headed back to the airport at 12pm on Sunday. Even though my time in the city was short, I had the best weekend I could imagine!

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The Cheapest Ways to Travel D.C.

Before college, I was warned against getting stuck in the "Georgetown bubble," which basically means spending all your time at on campus or in the immediate area. I never thought I'd fall into this trap because D.C. has so much to offer, but it's easier than I thought. While Uber is easy and convenient, it's too expensive to use all the time, so today I'm sharing a few of the cheapest and easiest ways to get around the city!

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4 Tips for Time Management in College

Welcome back! I've just finished my second week of college and while I'm still figuring a few things out, time management is not one of them. College is so much different, and better in my opinion, than high school because you make your own schedule as well as decisions about your priorities.

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Currently Reading: The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Today I want to do a little book talk on a book that I'm currently reading, Garth Stein's The Art of Racing in the Rain. This book was super popular a few years back and I added it to my "to read" list on Goodreads and I'm just now getting around to reading it! 

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Blogging 101: Using Blogger

Happy September! Like I mentioned in my last post, I'm going back to a twice a week posting schedule this month which is so exciting for me! A month ago, I started a mini-series called Blogging 101 and my first post was about fashion photography. The feedback on that post was overwhelmingly positive so I thought I'd follow up with another post dealing with one of the hardest parts of actually starting a blog. There are tons of posts out there about how to choose a blogging platform; I've only ever used Blogger, but Barefoot Blonde and  WP Beginner have some great posts. If you do end up picking Blogger, keep reading!

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Loving Lavender

Hi everyone! I cannot believe that this is one of my last outfit posts of the summer and my last post at home before I move to D.C. The big move is the day after tomorrow and I have spent every spare moment in the last week double checking my packing lists and repacking everything so it will fit in the car on the ride up! I've had such a relaxing summer and I'm so blessed to have been able to spend time with my friends and family before I leave.

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Agenda Organization - Erin Condren Life Planner

Hi! I'm super excited about today because it's my annual agenda post! I've been doing this for the past 4 years (it's crazy I know) and every year looks extremely different from the last. I used a Lilly Pulitzer planner in 2013 (I have no idea where that post went, but unfortunately, it's gone), a Kate Spade planner in 2014 and 2015, and in 2016 I started using my Erin Condren Life Planner. Even though I'm in the same planner as last year, a lot has changed so I wanted to show you all how my planning style has evolved!

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Blogging 101: Fashion Photography

Welcome back! A couple weeks ago, one of my good friends suggested that I do a blog post on how to start a blog (a blogging 101 if you will). I'd actually been toying with the idea for a while, but I didn't think anyone would want to read it-clearly I was wrong, but hopefully, more than 1 person will find it useful. 

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Her Conference 2017

Hi everyone! If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you probably know that I was in NYC this past weekend for Her Conference! For months, I've been super excited for this event not only because of the amazing keynote speakers (Troian Bellisario and Aja Naomi King, I mean come on) but also because all of the panels were super interesting to me! I attended panels on marketing, PR, entrepreneurship, and book publishing; each one leaving me so inspired and with so many ideas!

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Book Talk: Unfiltered by Lily Collins

I have been such a huge Lily Collins fan since I first saw her in The Blind Side about 8 years ago! That's kind of crazy to think that I've been a fan of her for almost half of my life! Stuck in Love is one of my favorite movies and I cry every time I see Love, Rosie. I wanted to read the book sooner rather than later, because in her new Netflix film To the Bone her character is struggling with an eating disorder which is something that Lily Collins has had experience with. It was important to me to read her story and gain some perspective before watching the movie, and conveniently one of my best friends, Allie, got me the book for my birthday (she knows me so well)!

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Get Fit

Hi everyone! I've been super MIA from social media the past few days because I've been super busy with life, but I'm gearing up to go to NYC this weekend for Her Conference and I cannot wait! If any of you are going to be there let me know, I would love to meet up!

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Sun(flowers) and Stars

Welcome back everyone! I want to start off by saying that the inspiration for today's post comes from my girl Shannon over at Prep Avenue! In one of her recent posts, she shared some pictures from a sunflower field in Raleigh and she was kind enough to share the address when I asked!

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18th Birthday

Yesterday was my 18 birthday! I had originally planned to post on my Instagram story and have a blog post up with some of the life lessons I've gained, but I was way too busy enjoying the day with my friends and I realized that I had hardly any advice. Instead, I wanted to share my dinner outfit with you and where we went!

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How to Get Into Your Dream School

Hi everyone! As I'm registering for classes and packing my things into boxes, I cannot help but think about how blessed I am to be preparing to attend my dream school! While a large part of the college application process is about luck, there are also some things you can do to improve your chances of getting into your first choice school! In case you found this post randomly and don't follow my blog (which you definitely should) I'm going to be a first-year at Georgetown University this fall! Georgetown is quite a tough school to get into and I honestly feel so fortunate to have this opportunity!

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Dressed In Denim

Happy 4th of July to all of my American friends! For me, the 4th of July has never been my favorite holiday because I'm always out of town at our family reunion and I never get to enjoy fireworks or festivities with my friends. Last year one of my friends had a cookout and I had a great time, but this year all of my friends are out of town this week (just my luck)! I think the plan for today is to finally see Cars 3 and have fun with my immediate family and hopefully make a fun dessert (I'm a sucker for those American flag pies)!

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Sun Days feat. Warby Parker

Welcome back everyone! I hope you're enjoying the first Sunday of July because I know I am, the temperature in Chapel Hill is 90 degrees! Whenever it's this warm, I hate spending the day inside. I love going to get (vegan) ice cream, sitting outside with a book, or even just riding around town with the windows down (that was such a great rhyme). When it's bright outside, sunglasses are a necessity and my go-to brand is Warby Parker!

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The Balanced Blonde // Soul On Fire + Jordan Younger Interview

Today I'm sharing my favorite podcast at the moment: Soul on Fire. I've been listening nonstop for the past week and I'm in love with Jordan Younger (AKA The Balanced Blonde) and what she stands for. Her podcast episodes are always interesting, inspiring, and unique (she featured an animal communicator)! If you're interested in health, blogging, yoga, etc. definitely tune into her podcast which is free on iTunes. 

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Sweet Treats in Capitol Hill | Seattle

Molly's Moon's Homemade Ice Cream is so aesthetically pleasing! They make the waffle cones right in front of you and the "used tasting spoon" can is super cute. I got the vegan scout mint ice cream with a chocolate hard shell! They buy tons of girl scout thin mints every year to use for this flavor.

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Ferry to Bainbridge Island | Seattle, WA

One of the things we knew we wanted to do in Washington was take the ferry! Since we just wanted a day trip, we settled on Bainbridge Island which was a short ferry ride away. My mom took my dad to a distillery for a little Father's day date, so my siblings and I got to explore the island by ourselves for a couple of hours.

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Pike Place Market | Seattle, WA

Pike Place Market is a must-see in Seattle. There are so many shops with fresh food and unique trinkets. It's the perfect place to spend a few hours, or even the whole day!

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Favorite Books for Every Genre

Hi everyone! If you've been reading for a while, you know that I like love books. While I definitely have my favorite genres, I can enjoy books from (almost) all of them; so I thought I would compile a list of my favorite books from each genre! Leave a comment letting me know what your favorite books are!

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High School Graduation

So...I'm sitting here on the morning of June 10, just 5 hours before I will be graduating!! For me, it's definitely sunk in, mostly because I've been to 3 grad parties already. Still, I am beyond excited (and nervous), especially because I'm the first person to walk!!

Dress: ASOS // Shoes: NORDSTROM

If you know me, you're probably wondering about the dress I picked. I got it from Asos and I absolutely love it. I picked this yellow/gold because it looks great on my skin tone and it matches the stole that we have to wear. This color is also super trendy right now and I didn't have anything like it. The style is fun and flirty, making it the perfect summer dress. I know the black and gold combo is a bit much, so I styled it with white accessories (wedges and earrings)! Here are a few pictures I took before graduation and some from right after the ceremony. Stay tuned, xo Lauren.

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Where I'm Going to College: Georgetown University

I am so excited to finally be typing out this post! The college application/decision process was rough, to say the least, but now that it is long over and I've gotten some distance I cannot wait to get started! This past Friday was my LDOC (last day of class) and it was truly bittersweet. While I have absolutely loved most of my high school experience, I'm ready to start the next chapter of my life! All of that being said, I am officially part of Georgetown University's Class of 2021!!

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Prom 2017

Hi everyone! I am so excited to share these pictures! My senior year prom was this past Saturday and I had the time of my life. It was a great way to kick off these last few weeks of school! I went with Kyle, one of my best guy friends, and he made everything so much fun. There was a lot of anticipation for me leading up to this night for various reasons, but I was not disappointed and I know that I'll remember this night for a long time!

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Life Update

I haven't posted in 3 weeks and that's about to change! Long story short, I've been busy with school stuff but I'm figuring out how to make it work. 

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5 Easy Vegan Restaurants in Washington D.C.

Happy Monday! It's been awhile, but I'm back with a super fun travel post! This past weekend, I was in D.C. for a school trip, so I wasn't able to do a lot of fun things aside from eating. I went to 5 great restaurants and I loved them each so much I wanted to share what I ate!

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The Perfect Spring Break Outfit

If you saw Monday's post, you know exactly where I went and what I did for my spring break. What you don't know is that I accidentally under packed (by a lot) and ended up having to go shopping for another outfit. Luckily, I found the perfect dress in Madewell. 

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Spring Break 2017 | Miami, FL

Good morning! I'm back in reality now, unfortunately, so today I'm sharing a recap of last week's spring break. We ate the best food, stayed at the best place, and had the best time! Thanks for reading! Come back later this week for a fun outfit post from my trip!

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Good Vibes x Happy + Hale

Happy Thursday! Today is the day that I hear back from the last of the colleges I applied to, so tonight I'll start the pro-con list of all pro-con lists. It's been easy to feel nervous the past few weeks as decision date approaches, but I've been trying to keep calm and stay focused. If you're also a senior waiting to hear back from colleges (or in any tough situation), remember that when you put good vibes into the universe you're going to get them in return.

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TRU + Lulu's

Today is my first official day of spring break and I could not be more excited! I have a couple of fun things planned for the week and I cannot wait to share the photos with you. These pictures are from lunch last Friday, I took my sister to one of my favorite places: Tru Deli. It's located in Chapel Hill right off Franklin Street so if you're ever in the area make sure to stop by! I love it because although it's a sandwich and salad place, there is a lot of versatility. Also, it's vegan and vegetarian options. My go-to order is a wheat wrap with lettuce, banana peppers, oil & vinegar, and lots of avocado!

TOP: Lulu's // SUNGLASSES: Lulu's

Now on to my outfit. My sunglasses and top are both from one of my favorite shops: Lulu's. A ton of their pieces have been featured here before, but this post is dedicated to them! I picked out this top a few months ago when the lace up trend was at its peak. I love that this top is so easy to wear and fun while remaining trendy and comfortable. Maroon is a color that I don't often wear, but I love it paired with black jeans and ankle boots for a night out. These sunglasses were super inexpensive yet they have a high-quality look and feel, they are definitely one of my spring break staples this year. In photos, they have a very cool, distinct look and whenever I wear them I feel like such an Instagram girl!

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