back to school – A Pocketful of Faith

My Goals For Freshman Year of College

Today’s the day – I’m moving into college! I’m so excited to begin this new chapter of my life and I couldn’t be any more confident that the Lord wants me right here at Baylor. I can’t wait to see what He has planned for me! Today I’m sharing a post that will hold me accountable and be so fun to look back on at the end of the year – my goals for freshman year Baylor! I know I want to strive for success academically, spiritually, and socially in my first year of college and I’m hoping these goals will help me to do just that. Maybe these goals will inspire you to make some goals for yourself this school year, or just give you a better idea of who I am and what I’m after.

Academic Goals

Maintain all As and Bs in all of my classes.
Never sleep through a class (my earliest class is at 9:30am so hopefully this won’t be too hard).
Cultivate positive and healthy student-professor relationships.
Pass all of my exams.
Have my efforts in the class reflect not only in my grades, but in what I’m really learning. I want to actually soak in the material.

(It should be noted that I don’t really know what to expect in college classes so these academic goals might be vague or silly because I don’t really know what’s realistic)

Spiritual Goals

Become more consistent in having a daily quiet time with God, including Scripture reading, devotionals, and prayer (I do this often now but I want to be better about doing it every single day).
Start to live in a constant state of prayer – remember that God is never unavailable or far away.
Find a community of believers who want to actively pursue Christ and will support me in my own faith.
Find a church home in Waco.
Get involved in ministries on campus (including but definitely not limited to YoungLife).
Be present in chapel – not only in the literal for the purpose of meeting attendance requirements, but also attentive to learn and grow in my own faith.

Social Goals

Find a group of people I’m comfortable with and feel like I’m accepted by.
Become friends with girls on my hall.
Make at least one friend in each of my classes.
Go to a concert or out of town with new friends.

Thanks for reading!

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Five Favorites; August 2018

And just like that, August has come and gone. This month I began my senior year of high school, how crazy is that? Today I’m sharing another “Five Favorites” post, which shows you some of my favorite things from this month! Since I just went back to school, a lot of these pieces are my go-to planning and relaxation items for the school year! This is my seventh “Five Favorites” post, so if you’re interested in reading my favorites from previous months you can find them here! Enjoy!

Five Favorites Template

My Daily Prayer Pad – My friend gave me this for my birthday back in June, and after finishing the prayer and gratitude journal I mentioned last month, I thought I’d start on another! This is just a simple lined pad with Bible verses at the bottom of each page, so the way you use it is pretty much up to you. I keep it on my nightstand and write down my prayers of thanks and requests each night! This one is supposed to last me a whole year, so I’m really excited to use it for an extended period of time!
Erin Condren Stary Sky Metallic LifePlanner in Gold – I got this planner for senior year at the beginning of the month and to say I’m obsessed is an understatement. I’ve loved using this agenda to write down homework, club meetings, and plans! The layout makes staying organized and on top of things so much easier and since I customized it, the cover is everything I wanted and more.
Madewell Petaldrop Earrings – I actually don’t own these earrings, but my sister does and I’ve been borrowing them a lot recently. I love the length and the funky touch the funky shape adds to an outfit!
Jadelynn Brooke “Magnolia Moments” Candle – If you’ve read any of my previous “Five Favorites” posts you’ve probably figured out by now that I’m obsessed with candles. Jadelynn Brooke sent me this one from their 3 Happy Hooligans collection back in the spring and I just started burning it this month! Wow, let me just say this candle’s scent is just as good as its printed jar and pompom lid are cute.
Vans Old Skool Sneaker in Black – I’m not going to lie, when I got these for Christmas as my sister opened the same pair in blush pink I thought “man I wish I’d gotten those, how am I going to style a pair of black vans that aren’t even hightops?” That’s particularly funny because that day I begged my little sister to trade me and she refused, but earlier this week she begged to trade for my black ones and I’ve reached a point where I love them so much I wouldn’t dare trade them. They’re so fun to pair with jeans and a fun tee or with a denim skirt to make the look a little more casual!

Thanks for reading!

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My blog contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn commission from your purchase of the products mentioned.

Back to School Lookbook 2018

One of my favorite (and most consistent) posts to write since I began blogging is the back to school lookbook. It’s seriously so wild to see how the time has flown; the first time I wrote this post I was about to be a freshman and I start senior year next week! See my back to school lookbooks of years past here, here, and here, it’s crazy to see how my style has evolved! I’ve always loved sharing these fun looks that can easily be recreated because I know firsthand that it can be hard to come up with fresh outfits for the new school year. This is my second post in this year’s Back to School series, be sure to check out my last post (and all of my Back to School posts from previous years) here. Let’s get into the post!

A Tank and a Cardigan

If you’re looking for a cute but casual look this back to school season and you live somewhere that you wouldn’t be absolutely miserable in a cardigan right now (or your school is just always cold), this one is for you! Add a light cardigan like this fun off-white one from Old Navy (currently on sale and under $40 – my favorite cardigan I’ve ever owned!) to a fun but not dress code tank with some layered jewelry, jeans, and sandals for a put together late summer look.

tank (similar) // cardigan // jeans // sandals (similar) // hoop earrings // choker // key necklace (similar) // watch // MantraBand // cross bracelet // personalized beaded bracelet // rose gold ring // gold stacked rings

White with Denim

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This look is slightly more dressed up and is extremely similar to what I’m planning on wearing to school the first day of my senior year! I love embroidered white tops like this one because they’re super versatile but the embroidered details make them girly and fun. Pair it with a denim skirt and a pair of sandals for a nice and simple ensemble. If you want to spice it up, add some fun jewelry like this colorful Beadz by Reese choker!

top (similar) // skirt // sandals // earrings // choker (direct message Reese to order this choker!) // key necklace (similar) // watch // MantraBand // cross bracelet // personalized beaded bracelet // rose gold ring // gold stacked rings

Casual with Stripes and Rips

Last but not least, this look is easy to throw on, comfortable, but also stylish! A basic tee – whether it be crewneck or v-neck, solid or striped – a pair of ripped jeans (regardless of color as long as they don’t clash with the shirt!), and Birkenstocks make for an easy go-to outfit for this back to school season. Accessorize with some fun earrings or a long necklace to take the look from basic to chic. Transition this look into fall and even winter by adding a cardigan or jean jacket and trading out the sandals for a pair of slip on sneakers!

tee // green jeans (similar) // sandals // earrings (similar) // choker (direct message Reese to order this choker!) // key necklace (similar) // watch // MantraBand // cross bracelet // personalized beaded bracelet // rose gold ring // gold stacked rings

Thanks for reading! I hope these ensembles have given you some inspiration for your own back to school looks!

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My blog contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn commission from your purchase of the products mentioned.

My Advice for High School Juniors

Somehow summer has flown by once again and it’s already August, which means it’s time for Back to School posts! Back to School posts are always some of my favorite posts to write, I love sharing advice and inspiration for a fresh start in the new school year! Read my Back to School posts from years past here. Each year I write something along the lines of “My Advice for…” or “10 Things I Wish I Knew Before…” in regards to the grade I just completed, and today I’m sharing my advice for high school juniors! It’s no secret that junior year is one of the hardest, and today I’m sharing some things that will hopefully help you out in this intimidating year! I also have a post called “10 Habits of a Successful High School Junior” scheduled for August 22nd so if you’re a junior and think you could use all the wisdom you can get be sure to come back! Without further adieu, let’s get into the post!

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Go into the school year with a positive mindset. – I’m sure you’ve heard the most terrible horror stories about junior year, but like the wise Hannah Montana once sang, “life is what you make it.” If you go into junior year dreading it and assuming it’s as bad as people say, you’re going to get off on the wrong foot with your teachers, then it might actually be the worst. It’s all about perspective! This year is important and will be challenging but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be all that bad.
Know that your identity isn’t in your grades. – While junior year isn’t necessarily the worst, there’s a good chance that you’ll create a pretty overwhelming schedule for yourself between academic courses you believe your college of choice will notice and extracurriculars both that you want said college to see and that you’re genuinely interested in. The times that I noticed myself and friends truly drowning in the stresses and struggles of the year were the times in which we found our identities solely in our academics. If you forget that the best part about you is that your being is a collage of great qualities and interests and you begin to find your worth completely dependent on your GPA or AP U.S. History grade, your self-esteem and happiness will fluctuate with the numbers.
Actually do your homework. – Whether you’ve done it every single night of your school career so far or rarely open a textbook at home, this is the year to make sure you’re doing your homework. Homework is often the only assignment you can guarantee a good grade on and no matter how little the grade counts, every little decimal point contributes to your average so it’s important that it’s always the best grade it can be. Even if your teachers don’t check homework, it’s always important to do the assignments because homework is where you find out if you really know the material or not and from there you can ask for help with specific topics.
Remember that boys are not everything. – For whatever reason, I feel like a lot of girls’ desperation for attention from guys rises dramatically junior year. Maybe it’s the need for a distraction from all the AP work or validation somewhere else when the academics get tougher. There’s obviously nothing wrong with having a boyfriend and I can’t tell you how to live your romantic life, but please remember that boys are not everything and you aren’t defined by any guy’s opinion of you.
Surround yourself with people you actually want to be like. – This piece of advice goes for all of high school and even all of life. It’s so important to remember that whether you like it or not, the people you hang around are going to contribute to your character and personal behavior. This could be as simple as picking up some odd phrases they use or as significant as beginning illegal drug use. To stay safe, make sure the people you spend the most time around are people you’d like to be like! Over the past year or so I’ve begun to hang out with girls who’s character I genuinely like because I know if they rub off on me I’d be pretty happy about it.

Thanks for reading, I hope you found this advice helpful! Have an awesome junior year, I’m praying for you!

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5 Essentials for a Smooth School Year

As a junior in high school, I think I’ve finally found a few things that help me not only get through the school year, but get through it successfully. In today’s Back to School post, I’m sharing five essentials for a smooth school year! These are items I practically live by during the school year and would definitely recommend to anyone looking to become more organized or productive this year. This is the eighth blog post in my Back to School series this year, so be sure to check out the rest here if you like what you read. Enjoy!

#1: A Planner

Planners have been absolute lifesavers for me. I’m currently using my fifth one and I love it so so much. I use my agenda to jot down homework assignments, remind myself of due dates, schedule blog posts, make plans to hang out with friends, mark volunteering dates, and more. I actually wrote a whole post on how I organize my agenda, read it here! I used to use Lilly Pulitzer agendas, which are amazing, but I now use a Kate Spade agenda simply because I currently like the simple design better than Lilly’s brightly printed pages. I’ve also heard really good things about the Day Designer agendas, which help you map out basically every hour of your day.

#2: A Quizlet Account

I would have failed tons of vocabulary quizzes and Spanish tests had I not discovered the Quizlet program as a seventh grader! This free website and app allows you to create digital flashcards (complete with pictures and diagrams) and offers a variety of ways to study the terms and definitions. My personal favorite method of quickly memorizing vocabulary words is to create a Quizlet set and play “Write.” I also love how this website has its own app, so if you’re on a car trip, waiting for a friend, eating a snack, or doing literally anything else with a smart phone in your hand you can study! I still love old fashioned flash cards, but you can’t lose a term in a Quizlet set like you can accidentally lose one flash card. Sign up for Quizlet here!

#3: A Homework Folder

Up until this year I refused to keep paper assignments anywhere aside from the respective class’ binder. This method required me to go home with a completely full backpack and an armful of books and binders everyday, and I was tired of it. This year I decided to try out a magnetic closure envelope folder and I’ve loved keeping all of my homework in it! It’s super convenient and since it’s so thin it easily fits into the laptop sleeve in my backpack along with my laptop. Mine is a really pretty rose gold folder from Office Depot and I was unable to find it online, but I found a similar folder in a neat iridescent white color on Office Depot’s website! Find it here.

#4: Highlighters

I was never much of a highlighter type of gal (mostly because I often end up highlighting half the page) until this school year. My AP U.S. History teacher constantly assigns readings to highlight for homework and I’ve found that searching for the important pieces of a reading to highlight as you skim the text is a much more productive method of getting through a reading assignment than being bored and thinking about something else as you read every last word (what I used to do). My favorite highlighters are nothing fancy, just the bigger Sharpie chisel tip highlighters. Find them online here!

#5: Sticky Notes

Sticky notes are something I rarely used for anything besides doodling until I got to high school but boy have they been helpful since! I use sticky notes to stick on my wall to remind myself of assignments (then I take sticky notes off the wall as I finish each task, super motivating!), to stick on my mirror to remind me to bring things to school, to stick on textbook pages so I remember the information is important, and the list goes on. You’re probably well aware that the Post-it brand makes a variety of sticky note shapes and sizes, you can find my favorite options pictured and linked above! I love the little flags for marking pages in my agenda and AP workbooks, the regular size for sticking memos around my room, and the 3in x 3in squares for writing notes in my novels for AP Language!

Thanks for reading! I know most of these items are things you might already use, but hopefully this post has given you ideas on different ways to use them for more productivity!

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My Goals for the 2017-2018 School Year

Happy Tuesday! Today, as I have been every Tuesday since the beginning of August, I’m sharing another Back to School post! If you haven’t read my other Back to School posts, you can read them all, from this year and years’ past, here! This post is all about my goals for this school year, my junior year of high school; academically, athletically, spiritually, socially, and for my blog. I personally find making goals to be very beneficial because even if they aren’t accomplished, they give me something to work towards. Posting them here will somewhat hold me accountable for them, so I’ll try to share my progress after first semester and at the end of the school year! I hope reading my goals will inspire you to come up with a few for yourself. Enjoy!

Academic Goals

Complete the school year with all A’s and B’s.
Be somewhat successful in AP Environmental Science (Science isn’t really my best subject. It’s not that I’m really bad at it, I just typically don’t perform as well in that subject as I do in my other classes).
Get a 100 on a test.
Make 4’s and 5’s on my three AP exams at the end of the year.

Athletic Goals

Attend as many preseason lacrosse practices as possible.
Work out more.
Play more in lacrosse games than I did last year.
Make the varsity lacrosse team again.
Score a goal during a varsity lacrosse game.

Spiritual Goals

Make lots of new middle school friends as a Wyldlife leader.
Go to YoungLife club every week that I possibly can.
Feel refreshed after fall weekend at Windy Gap (a YoungLife camp in North Carolina).
Read the Bible daily.
Pray more often.
Use my devotional daily.
Go to winter weekend with Wyldlife campers as a leader.
Apply for a session of YoungLife Work Crew.

Social Goals

Make five new friends (or at least acquaintances).
Do something really fun one weekend with a friend(s).

Blog Goals

Post at least twice a week every week.
Reach 20,000 total site views for 2017.
Collaborate with a big brand.
Host at least three giveaways.

Thanks for reading! If my post inspires you to write your own blog post about your goals for the school year, I’d love it if you’d link my blog so I’ll get notified and can go check it out!

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Five Ways to Make a Good First Impression on Your Teachers

It’s Tuesday, which means another Back to School post! Today I’m sharing five ways you can make an awesome first impression on your teachers, because first impressions are so important. If you haven’t read my previous Back to School posts, be sure to check them out here! Without further adieu, let’s get into the post!

Use your manners. – Hopefully this one is obvious. Always answer your teachers with “yes ma’am (or sir)” and “no ma’am (again, or sir)” to show what a polite student you are! Using your manners helps leave the impression not only that you’re polite, but also that you’re nice and respectful.
Be helpful to others. – There’s always someone who doesn’t have a pencil or paper on the first day of school, so when they tell the teacher that and the teacher asks the class “does anyone have a pencil that ______ can use?” be the first one to offer! This shows your kindness and generosity towards others and your teacher will definitely notice.
Always do your homework. – I hope y’all do this anyways for your grades’ sake, but doing your homework will also make a good impression on your teachers whether they check homework or not. My geometry teacher, who assigned homework every night but only did notebook checks every nine weeks, loved me because he could always tell I actually did my homework. This shows your teachers that you’re responsible and committed to working hard in the class, which could definitely pay off if you need extra help later on.
Never moan or complain. – I know how annoying it is when teachers give you actual homework on the first day of school, but showing how irritated and disappointed you are by it will make you seem lazy and rude. I’m not saying you need to grin and say “yay!” every time a teacher assigns homework, or be the person to ask if you have any, but just avoid looking frustrated by the announcement of assignments.
Always leave the room saying “Have a good day Ms./Mr. _______!” – Yes, this might make some of your less polite classmates think of you as a “suck up,” but this might just be the nicest thing your teacher hears all day. I began doing this last year and it eventually became routine. I think this is definitely one of those little things that really makes a difference to your teachers and it will show your positivity.

Thanks for reading! I hope this post helps you and your teachers get off on the right foot! I’m planning on posting new Back to School posts every Tuesday through the end of September, so be sure to come back next week if you’re interested!

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Back to School Lookbook 2017

It’s crazy to think that I put together my first “Back to School Lookbook” post two years ago, yet here I am sharing another one today! This one is always my favorite Back to School post to write each year, even though creating it usually requires me spending hours outside in the 80-90 (if not higher) degree heat taking pictures while wearing jeans. If you’re interested in reading my last two “Back to School Lookbook” posts, you can find them here and here. Now, enough with that sentimental blip, let’s get on with the post!

Showing off new clothing pieces is without a doubt one of my favorite parts of going back to school. However, I often struggle with styling my new clothes in a way that I would deem “first week worthy.” Hopefully the three looks in today’s post will help you find fun, creative ways to style the new pieces you’ve picked up this summer and rethink the way you style some of the basic closet staples you’ve been working with for years. This is the second post in this year’s Back to School series, so be sure to check out my last Back to School themed post, “10 Things I Wish I Realized Before Sophomore Year of High School,” here if you haven’t already. Okay okay, let’s look at these outfits already!

Comfortable and Casual

This look is probably the most basic of the three I’m sharing today. I styled a simple, soft striped tank with a tan cardigan, rolled up jeans, and a trendy pair of Nikes for a comfortable yet trendy look. I accessorized with a few simple bracelets, my Kate Spade watch, Kendra Scott Danielle earrings, and a pearl necklace layered with a choker. I adore this fun turquoise, rose gold, and white braided choker from Beach Bum Beads! They’re an Instagram business, so you can check out their Instagram @beachbumbeads here and place an order with them through direct message. This look would be super easy to recreate; layer a soft, comfy cardigan over a simple top with some jeans and sneakers (Converse, New Balances, Adidas Superstars, and Vans would all look great, just to name a few!).

top (similar) // cardigan (similar) // jeans // sneakers // choker (direct message the Instagram account linked to order and let them know I sent you!) // three pearl necklace // earrings // beaded bracelets (here and here) // MantraBand // Giving Key bangle // cross bracelet (similar) // watch (similar) // ring

A Light Sweater and A Denim Skirt

If you read my “Trend Tracking” post on denim skirts (linked here), you already know that I love them. I love this maroon one because it sticks to the trend but the color makes it a little more unique. I wore it with a light v-neck sweater from H&M half tucked in along with my favorite pair of faux leather lace up sandals from Target. I accessorized the look with some simple white and gold bracelets, a gold Kate Spade watch, thin gold hoop earrings, and a green beaded choker from Gia Designs. I love this choker and definitely recommend checking Gia Designs out here for more nice looking yet inexpensive jewelry pieces. Gia Designs is another Instagram business, so you can check out their Instagram @gia.designs here and place an order with them through direct message. This look can be recreated with any denim skirt, a light sweater (you don’t want anything too thick yet, it’s still pretty hot out!), and a pair of lace up sandals.

sweater (no longer available in orange) // skirt // sandals // choker (custom order; direct message a picture of the choker from this post to @gia.designs on Instagram here to order it yourself!) // hoop earrings // beaded bracelets (here and here) // MantraBand // Giving Key bangle // cross bracelet (similar) // watch (similar) // ring

An Unbuttoned Button Down Over A Simple Dress

Honestly I think this outfit has to be my favorite, it’s so simple and cute! You could easily recreate this look yourself by throwing an unbuttoned flannel, oxford, or chambray button down (like the one I’m wearing) over a simple solid colored dress. I’m wearing a plain black tank dress from Old Navy (that I must mention is so soft) with super flattering loose peplum-esque stitching a little above the waistline. I paired that dress with an open chambray button down (also from Old Navy) and classic gold Jack Rogers sandals for an easy yet put together look. I accessorized with a gold Kate Spade watch, some simple white and gold bracelets, Kendra Scott Danielle earrings, and a Kendra Scott Elisa pendant necklace layered with a fun turquoise bar necklace from Lexas Chic Boutique. Lexas Chic Boutique has a ton of fun jewelry pieces, be sure to check them out here and use my code “FAITH15” for 15% off your purchase!

dress (similar) // button down (similar) // sandals // turquoise bar necklace // pendant necklace // earrings // beaded bracelets (here and here) // MantraBand // Giving Key bangle // cross bracelet (similar) // watch (similar) // ring

Thanks for reading! I hope this post has helped you gather some inspiration for your back to school looks! Let me know in the comments which look of these three looks was your favorite!

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The chokers from Beach Bum Beads and Gia Designs as well as the necklace from Lexas Chic Boutique and the beaded bracelets from Sashka Co. featured in this post were sent to me in exchange for a feature in my blog. However, all opinions are honest and my own. I don’t feature products I don’t truly love!

10 Things I Wish I’d Realized Before Sophomore Year of High School

About a year ago, I shared my advice for high school freshmen (read the post here) and I got a ton of positive feedback on it. You all also seemed to love my “Sixteen Things I’ve Learned by 16” post, so today I thought I’d share something that’s a bit of a combination of the two; “10 Things I Wish I’d Realized Before Sophomore Year of High School.” If you ask me, sophomore year of high school is one of the most crucial when it comes to finding and accepting yourself. You’ll start to see friendships unravel more so than freshman year and you’ll face a lot of tough decisions socially. This is my first post in this year’s Back to School series and I’m honestly really excited to start this yearly series up again! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t particularly love the fact that summer’s ending, but back to school themed posts are so fun to write for y’all! Find all of my Back to School posts from years past here. I truly hope you get something out of this post and can use this knowledge this school year, whether you’re a high school sophomore or not. Let’s get into the post!

New Year’s Eve

YoungLife Camp

Studying

Football Game

If you truly love doing something, it’s worth fighting for. No matter what other people think. – Maybe you have a blog that you’re passionate about, maybe you’re really into theatre, maybe you go to a ton of concerts because it’s where you feel the happiest. Don’t let anyone take any of that away from you. Just because someone else doesn’t like what you’re doing or expresses their disapproval of it doesn’t mean it’s bad for you.
You can’t always expect people to return the friendship you give them. – Sometimes it won’t matter how many things you invite someone to, how many hard things you’re there for them through, or how little you judge them when you feel like you completely had the right to, they might not return the favor. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve let this hurt me and I wish I’d known to lessen my investments in certain friendships earlier.
It’s okay to miss a social event simply because you don’t want to go. – There will probably be Friday nights when you don’t feel like staying out late for the football game and that’s okay! Your real friends won’t judge you for choosing to spend the night in hanging out with your family or just catching up on sleep. Plus, there will be many, many social events in high school so you shouldn’t feel pressured to attend every single one if you don’t want to.
Own it. Always. – Own your personality. Own your appearance. Own your hobbies. Own your school work. Take pride in everything you do and you’ll never have anything to be embarrassed of.
Ten years from now, most of your peers’ opinions of you won’t matter. – I’m not saying you should go wild because it doesn’t matter in the long run, you should keep in mind that you still have to live with the reputation you create for the next however many years. However, you shouldn’t let the fact that a few of your peers think you’re “uptight” or “not cool enough” hurt your confidence.
If all you can talk about is grades and other people, you should get new friends. – Seriously, if you find yourself sitting at your lunch table and the only conversation you and your friends can hold is filled with complaints about grades and gossip of what so and so did over the weekend, you should start to get the idea that these aren’t good relationships. Try to change the subject, but if it drifts back every time you might want to find some new friends because there should be far more positive and interesting things to talk about!
Wherever you are, be all there. – Think about it. How much better of a friend would you be if you focused solely on listening, supporting, loving, and being there in the moment with your friends whenever you’re with them? How much better would you be at chemistry if you only thought about chemistry as soon as you entered the classroom? Be mindful of these things and start channeling your energy into whatever you’re there to do.
You get out whatever you put in. – This one feeds off of the last point a bit, but it’s such an important thing to remember. Yes, there are people that can breeze through courses successfully without studying, but in most cases, you’ll get the grade you work for. This isn’t just true for grades either, it’s true in all aspects of life. If you never hang out with a friend or aren’t there for them in times of need, you can’t expect them to have a clear schedule for you or to be there when you need them to be. You can’t not read the Bible or go to church and expect to feel a remarkably close relationship with God. It’s just not how life generally works. I don’t know where I heard the quote “life doesn’t work unless you do,” but I’ve found that it’s so true.
At the end of the day, there’s going to be a God-shaped hole. You decide how you fill it. – I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come home feeling unsatisfied even though I got the grade, made the team, and hung out with so and so. There’s always going to be this God-shaped hole in our hearts, but we get to decide how we try to fill it. You might stuff the space with extracurriculars, an AP course load, or a cute boyfriend, but nothing will fit quite right. Only a close relationship with God will.
You need more than one best friend. – If your only best friend gets grounded for a month, who are you going to hang out with? If you two get into a big fight, who will you talk to at school? Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, make a few close gal pals that you know you can always count on individually. I went through a bit of a dark time a while back because my closest friend was grounded for a couple months and I hardly had any plans the whole time. Learn from me and don’t let that happen to you!

Thanks for reading! I hope you’re able to take something away from this post!

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10 Back to School Essentials

Today I have another post in my Back to School series! If you haven’t read my last two posts in the series, you can read them (as well as the rest of my back to school posts from last year) here. Today’s post is a list of ten necessities for going back to school, from backpacks to sweatshirts to study tools. Every product you see will be linked, so you can shop by clicking on the image. Let’s get into it!

1. A Good Backpack

To me, the primary goal of purchasing a backpack is finding one that is cute, functional, and durable. I have had a North Face Borealis for the past two years and I’m using it again this year because I’ve found that it fits all of my personal requirements. I also adore the Jadelynn Brooke backpacks, they’re super cute and seem to be pretty functional as well based on the description. Also, be sure to use my discount code “FLHS” for 15% off when shopping at Jadelynn Brooke, I’m a high school ambassador!

2. An Agenda

Since seventh grade, I haven’t started a school year without an agenda. I’ve always used a large Lilly Pulitzer agenda, but this year I’m trying one from Kate Spade. I’ve also heard great things about the Day Designer.

3. Effective Chapstick

My lips seem to get dry during the school day all the time, and maybe it’s just me, but the oh so popular EOS lip balms don’t moisturize my lips at all. Over the years I’ve found some great lip products and some that are way overrated. My favorite chapstick for the past couple years has been the Candy Cane ChapStick, which I buy in bulk during the holiday season, however you can also find it year round on Amazon. I also really like the Burt’s Bees Vanilla Bean Lip Balm.

4. A Good Quality Water Bottle

One thing I can’t live without during the school day is a bottle of water. However, I have gone through many water bottles because many have broken or have leaking issues. My two favorite water bottles are the CamelBak Eddy and the Nathan Sports 32 oz BigShot Hydration Bottle. These water bottles are great quality and don’t leak much (if ever!).

5. An Emergency Kit

It stinks to randomly get a runny nose in the middle of class or have no deodorant after a vigorous period of gym. My solution? Find a small cosmetic bag and fill it with your necessities such as lip balm, a travel pack of tissues, lotion, hand sanitizer, a rollerball perfume, a contact case (if you wear contacts,) some ibuprofen, deodorant, etc. Keep this emergency kit in your backpack and you’re set! SCOUT and Kate Spade both carry adorable cosmetic bags, my favorites are pictured and linked below.

6. A Go-to Tee

Tee shirts make for great, super comfy go to outfits throughout the school year. Be sure to pick up a few to wear with Nike shorts, leggings, or jeans for an easy outfit. Some of my favorite tees are from Jadelynn Brooke, they’re adorable and super soft! Don’t forget to use my code “FLHS” for 15% off!

7. Earbuds

Earbuds are a requirement at my school because we have MacBook Airs, but earbuds are a nice thing to have at school in general because some teachers will let you listen to music as you do your work in class. I usually use my Apple earbuds that came with my iPhone, but I also have an adorable pair of Lilly Pulitzer earbuds that I like too.

8. A Wristlet or Purse

Many schools require you to carry your school ID and I’m sure most of you like to have your phone on you while at school. Wristlets and small purses are great ways to keep these items as well as other necessities like cash and contact cases. Some of my favorite options are from Lilly Pulitzer and Kate Spade.

9. A Quizlet Membership

I mentioned Quizlet in the “My Advice for High School Freshmen” post, but basically Quizlet is a free online flashcard website that allows you to create sets of terms and study them in a few different ways. I’ve been using it since seventh grade and I’m obsessed. Quizlet is my favorite way to study and I really think it helps me perform better on tests and quizzes. It’s not only a website, but an app as well so you can study from your phone, computer, or tablet!

10. A Sweatshirt for Chilly Classes

In my school, a lot of my classes are freezing cold. Keep a sweatshirt in your locker or backpack to get out before your cold classes so you don’t spend the whole class period distracted by your temperature! I found this Lilly Pulitzer appliqué monogram quarter-zip sweatshirt that I think would be perfect to keep you warm and cute!

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more posts in my Back to School series!

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