What to Expect on Move In Day!

The day all college freshmen are looking forward to is quickly approaching...move in day! I know some places might have moved in already (crazy!!!!), but the majority haven't yet so this is my advice. Move in day is hectic and fun and exhausting, but it's your first real day on your college campus as a student, so get excited!!!

Here's what you need to know, as well as some tips and advice!

1. Be prepared for a long day.

I think my scheduled move in time (that pretty much no one else actually listened to) was 9am. So that's what time my parents and I rolled up to my dorm. I don't think we were completely done setting up, including running out to Target and other places to get things, until around 11pm. (It didn't take everyone that long, but my parents were leaving the next day so we really only had the one day to make sure everything was good to go). So get plenty of sleep the night before, eat a big breakfast and get ready to take on the day!

2. Make a good first impression.

You will meet tons of people on move in day, so make sure to smile and be friendly. Also be conscious of what you're wearing. This is the first time you're meeting your new friends, don't look like a slob. You also don't need to be in a dress and wedges to carry boxes up and down four flights of stairs. Be comfortable and cute! I wore a cute t shirt, jean shorts and keds with my hair up and a little makeup, cute yet functional. 

3. Be the (wo)man with a plan!!

Have a general idea of where you want things to go in your dorm and remember how you packed things. You don't want to spend 30 minutes trying to find pillow cases because you forgot where they are. It also helps to pack similar things together. Also know going in if you're going to loft your bed, if there are items you'll still need to buy and other things like that. Having a plan for the day and for how you want things arranged will make everything go smoother.

4. Let your parents help.

They're sending their baby off to college and they want to make sure that you're safe and happy before they leave you. Ask your dad to help loft your bed or hang up something on the wall. Ask your mom if she could help you unpack your clothes. They want to help so let them, they'll appreciate it and it's less you have to do.

5. Keep your door open and say hi to neighbors.

This one is pretty self explanatory. Keeping your door open is more inviting so people might poke their heads in to see how you're decorating or you can wave to them as they pass in the hall. These girls (or guys) are going to be the people you live next to all year so it's best to be friendly with them, even if they're not your best friends. 

6. Don't have unrealistic expectations.
This is so so important to realize so that you don't end up upset on move in day, your dorm will most likely not look like the Pottery Barn dorm catalog or the pictures you see on Pinterest. I really liked how my dorm turned out but it definitely wasn't what I envisioned. My roommate and I decided on a color scheme, which I was a little bit more strict to sticking to when I bought things. Our stuff didn't match perfectly, but that's okay. We each had our own space that we liked, so that's all that mattered. Just feel comfortable in your room and everything will be okay! Besides all you really need your dorm for is sleeping!

Best of luck to everyone who is moving in soon!

July Top 10!

Welcome to my first monthly favorites post! July was a really busy, but very fun month between my boyfriend visiting, my favorite holiday, my birthday and a bunch of other stuff. So I thought I would share my top 10 favorite things of the month! I can't believe it's August already. I go back to Clemson next week! 

1. My favorite event/experience of the month would have to be my boyfriend, Mike, coming to visit me and my family for the Fourth of July (my favorite holiday)! We had such a good time and it was great to see him after two months of only talking over text and FaceTime. I wrote a whole post about his trip, feel free to read it here.

2. My beauty favorite of the month would have to be my Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 foundation. Phew that's a long name. But seriously this is a great foundation. I used it during high school, but stopped when I bought the wrong color when they were out of my shade (there is a HUGE difference between ivory and classic ivory). Anyway, I finally picked up the right color this month and it manages to last all day in the Texas heat, which is awesome! Look for more info about it tomorrow ;).

3. My favorite purchase of the month was my Kendra Scott Elisa necklace in silver with an iridescent drusy stone. I've probably worn it just about every day since I bought it. The stone picks up different colors and is so sparkly. I love it! And it looks so cute paired with my silver monogram necklace since they're different lengths.

4. My favorite song of the month is probably All Night by Dustin Lynch. I have been listening to Spotify's Summer of Country playlist non stop and I always start singing and dancing around my room when it comes on.

5. My favorite YouTube channel during July has been Aspyn + Parker's vlogs. Aspyn Ovard is a youtube beauty guru, but this channel is her and her boyfriend's everyday lives. They're so cute and it's just kind of fun to see all the cool stuff they do. 

6. My favorite blog of the month is Seeking the South. Emma actually found me on Twitter because of the link I shared to my post a couple weeks ago about what being in a sorority means to me (read it here). She's a Theta too! Her blog is really clean, and well done. It's all about her college life and experiences as she moved from Kansas to Texas to go to TCU. Her blog is a realistic look at college life; I feel like a lot of blogger's glamorize everything or feature expensive things that normal college girls can't afford. Definitely check out some of Emma's posts!

7. The show that I was a little too obsessed with this month (or maybe just the last week...) is Unreal. If you're a Bachelor/Bachelorette fan, like me, you'll probably like this show. The writer of the show used to be a producer on The Bachelor, so this show is about what you don't see on camera. It definitely makes you question the "reality" of The Bachelor and Bachelorette, but it's really interesting. Be warned though, it's definitely on the (really) inappropriate side, so it's not for everyone. 

8. There were quite a few movies I saw during July that I loved. For my birthday my family and I went to the local drive in, which was so much fun, that has double features on each of its screens, so we saw Minions and Inside Out. Inside Out is extraordinarily well done, I think the whole concept is amazing and creative. I would not be surprised if this one the Oscar for best animated movie next year. My other favorite would have to be the newest Disney Channel movie, Descendants. I heard about this movie a while back and when I found out that it came out this past Friday, I made sure to record it. The movie is all about the children of Disney's fairytale couples, and villains. When Belle and the Beast's son is about to be crowned king, he makes the decision to allow the children of exiled villains to rejoin the kingdom and go to their boarding school. The concept is so cute and I loved some of the songs (Did I Mention and the new version of Be Our Guest were my favorites). This is probably the best movie Disney Channel has had since High School Musical.

9. My random favorite for this month has been painting. I've been painting a lot lately in anticipation of getting my sorority little sister(s) this fall! I can't wait to share all the things I've been making because I'm so pleased with how they're turning out. I'm sure I'll do a post showing all the gifts I'll give during big little week after I have my little or littles.

10. I decided that, assuming this will become a regular thing, I want to finish off my favorites with my favorite things I'm looking forward to for the next month! A lot will be happening in August with the start of school so there is a ton I'm excited about. I cannot wait to be back in South Carolina (1 more week!!!!) and spend time with all my friends, and especially my sweet boyfriend. Also August means recruitment! And I cannot wait to welcome the newest group of girls to the Delta Phi chapter and share with them my amazing sorority!

Happy August y'all!

Recruitment Ready: Preference Round!

This is the final installment in my Getting Recruitment Ready series! I know it took me forever to get through it, but the end is here. 

Preference round is by far the most formal round of recruitment. When you're picking out what to wear, think business wear or for a cocktail party. Classy and sophisticated. I know a lot of people will gravitate to the classic LBD, but I would advise against that for preference round. Sororities tend to have their sisters wear black or white for pref so wear a color to make sure you stand out from the crowd. This is the last chance to really make the sororities remember you. When I was getting ready for recruitment, I picked out two dresses from J. Crew Factory for preference (our preference was over two days, something to keep in mind when shopping), and personally I think J. Crew does business attire better than just about anywhere. Also try to pick out something you will wear again. I ended up wearing one of the dresses I got for preference for my semi formal and for my family's Christmas Eve celebration. 

green dress // red dress // turquoise dress // pumps // necklace

If your dress is more basic, dress them up with fun, sparkly statement necklaces. I've probably said that for every round, but I think statement necklaces can be the perfect addition to any outfit. Comfortable pumps are a necessity for long rounds and these Madden Girl ones are great (they're the ones I got for recruitment and have worn a ton since). Also keep in mind (for every other round too) that these are long days and it's going to be hot. Pick something where you don't have to worry about possible undergarment mishaps. You don't want to be constantly making sure your dress isn't falling down when you're trying to talk to sisters.

Moving on from outfits, preference is the most serious and longest round. At Clemson, I think we were there for 45 minutes to an hour, maybe more. I know your head will be swimming with the big decision you will be making that night, but try to focus on the sister you are talking to and her sorority. Preference round can also get pretty emotional, and don't be afraid of that! One of my friends cried during the preference round for her now sorority. That's not uncommon. If one sorority really strikes a chord with you, it might just be the right one!

I wish every one the best of luck with all of recruitment and finding your sisters for a lifetime. I might have a couple more recruitment related things coming too!

Check out my post for the first, second and third rounds of recruitment too!

Recruitment Ready: Round 3

This is the third installment of my Getting Recruitment Ready. Here is what you need to know for the third round of recruitment!

For me, the third round started off the hardest. After second round, a lot of the sororities make some major cuts, and you could end up getting cut from a house you really liked. If that is the case, don't let it get you down. I know it's really hard not to, but go into the day excited for the houses that are still interested in your amazing self!!!

At most schools, the third round is sisterhood/skit round. The girls will put on a little skit to tell you more about their chapter and the fun things they do, like formals, mixers, sisterhood events and all that good stuff. The skits are lighthearted and put things more at ease. Plus they give you something to talk about with the sisters. This is a great opportunity to ask whoever you're talking with what some of their favorite events and experiences have been. Remember to have fun, smile and be interested in the skit!

Now here are some outfit ideas for what to wear for sisterhood round. Third round is when things start to get more dressed up. Think what you would wear to church or a casual, summer wedding. So a nice dress (that's appropriate for day time) and some wedges, tend to be the way to go.

coral dress // floral dress // striped dress // printed dress // 

white wedges // nude wedges // coral necklace // gold necklace

I hope this gives you some ideas on what to wear and expect for third round! 

Happy Recruitment!