Say Goodbye to Neverland and Hello to Adulthood

When we are young we dream of being grownups and all of the fun and exciting events that will take place in our lives. Adulthood is very exciting and there are many wonderful times that happen as an adult but it seems that as young children we block out all of the difficult times we will encounter as adults. As a child, you view adulthood as, getting married, having babies, going to bed when you want to go to bed and basically just having unlimited freedom with no one telling you what to do. Honestly, some of these are true but for the most part a child's view on adulthood is warped.

Because I recently graduated from college (7 months ago), and have been living on my own, starting a new job and living (finally) in the same city as my wonderful boyfriend, I have had to adjust and find my own routine. Since graduating, life has been wonderful but it has also been very eye opening to the worries of adulthood which got me thinking about this blog topic. Once you graduate from college and leave the "nest" you have officially left Neverland; you are no longer a child. Finally, the time has come that you have dreamed about since a child, you are on your own and taking life by the horns! Because I am just beginning my adult journey, I wanted to compile a list of 5 things or ideas that children often forget when they think of adulthood and leaving Neverland.

Number 1: Paying Bills 

I think any adult will agree with me that paying bills SUCKS!! You make money at your job that you spend the majority of your life and week at, all for that money to pay for cable, internet, water, power, your car and rent. As a child you imagine all of the wonderful things you will have and believe me you will have nice things if you are good with your money but you never imagined in your grand vision of adulthood that you would have to pay bills.

Number 2: Budgeting

Budgeting goes along with number 1 because in order for you to be able to pay your bills, buy groceries and have some spending money for fun all depends on how you budget each month. While it is important to budget it is also important to save your money and create an 'emergency fund' just in case something were to happen regarding your job, health etc.

Number 3: Keeping Up a House

Moving to Atlanta, my parents purchased me a condo in Buckhead. I absolutely love where I live because of its awesome location but even before I moved in I never expected how much work it would be to keep the place up. Vacuuming, dusting, laundry and cleaning the bathroom doesn't bother me because I cleaned my own room and bathroom when I lived with my parents and did my own laundry all throughout college. Those chores in my mind are essential but what sucks is mopping the kitchen floor, cleaning the entire house, making sure the kitchen is clean and unloading the dishwasher. If chores were not enough, when anything breaks it is my responsibility to call a technician to come check out the problem and then pay an arm and a leg for them to fix it. My first week of living in my condo I went to take a shower only to find out I had not hot water and needed a new hot water heater. I immediately called and had a technician install a new hot water heater the next day and that was one expense I had not budgeted for.

Number 4: Eating Healthy

Now that you are on your own, your mother is no longer making your meals and forcing you to eat the brussel sprouts you hate. As an adult it is often difficult to eat healthy and to make healthy meals because you are finally able to avoid all the foods you are not really crazy about and eat the foods that you enjoy. However, I try and buy vegetables when I go to the grocery store and accompany them with humas or something that will make me eat my veggies. Planning meals is also very difficult. Cooking for one or two people can often make us want to go out to eat or do something quick with little effort. Recently, I have been on Pintrest looking for healthy and nutritious meals that I can easily make for one or two people. Taking care of yourself as an adult is very important.

Number 5: Making Yourself Do the things you HATE

So....I despise the dentist, like I actually hate and have great anxiety and fear about going and that really goes for the doctor as well. I have found a hair dresser but still need to find a dentist and a doctor and neither are difficult to find, the problem is I keep putting it off and not wanting to think about it because they freak me out. But, I know that a responsible adult goes to the doctor and the dentist, so I will eventually make myself go just not immediately. This statement not only applies to the dentist and the doctor but to every other situation or event in our adult life that we do not want to go to but know we need to for whatever reason.

Thinking back over these five things, makes me realize that these are small and trivial things that happen in your adult life and are quite normal. I have adjusted just fine to my 6 months on my own and I feel as if I can handle anything that life throws at me. Sometimes, I wish I could see adulthood through the eyes of a child and focus on only the good. At the end of this post, I thought I would be saying that I wish I could go back to Neverland; and while it had some great aspects, adulthood is greater. Yes, you will encounter annoying and normal life issues and even greater ones along the way but as an adult, you experience some of the greatest events in your life and you become the person you were meant to be. Neverland was great and nurturing but its time to fully immerse myself in adulthood and enjoy every minute of it.

Decorate for Thanksgiving?

....and when the clock strikes 12 am on November 1st, the ghost and goblins will disappear and Santa with his 8 magic reindeer will decorate every department store in American until December the 26th!

Within the past few years I have began to notice that Christmas has been coming earlier and earlier. Now, don't get me wrong, I AM OBSESSED WITH ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS, but is it not wrong to skip a holiday where we give thanks? Thanksgiving is an American holiday where Americans give thanks for their many blessings and the way God has blessed them throughout the year. The first Thanksgiving began when the Native Americans (Squanto) helped the Pilgrims harvest the land. The Pilgrims were thankful for the ways the Native Americans assisted them during their first year at Plymouth. 

As a consumer culture it is difficult for businesses to not want to start marketing for the Christmas season as early as possible or for many Americans (especially women) to want to immediately start decorating for Christmas the first week of November. But I am someone who believes in celebrating every holiday to the fullest, which has me thinking about why many people did not decorate for Thanksgiving.

Yes, Christmas decorations and marketing make more money but if more Thanksgiving decorations were produced, advertised and sold, do you think that people would relax and celebrate each holiday as it comes rather than jumping to the next (Christmas)? Because I love to celebrate the holidays, I thought of some ways people could decorate for Thanksgiving that would make their homes feel warm and special for that wonderful meal with family and friends. 

Because Thanksgiving has never been a consumer holiday (except for turkey companies), many people skimp on the decorations and move to Christmas decorations but there are so many easy and simplistic (not corny) ways to decorate your home for the Thanksgiving holiday. I have three easy ideas that anyone can pull off: The first decorating tip would be to buy a cornucopia as your center piece for your dining room table. This idea is simple and can be filled with natural fruits and vegetables, such as pumpkins, corn, gourds, grapes, fall leaves, etc.

The second Thanksgiving decorating dip is to make a Thanksgiving tree! For the past 2 Thanksgivings my mommy has made a Thanksgiving tree that she places on our dining room table. The tree is comprised of skinny, small branches that one can purchase at a gardening store, The branches are bare and stretch up to 3 feet tall. The makeshift artificial barren tree is planted in a pretty pot of your choosing and the roots are covered with gray moss (I know it sounds ugly). On these barren leaves she has cut dozens of red leaf cut outs and punched a hole in the corner of each leaf in order for a piece of brown twine to be threaded through. On these leaves we each take 4-5 and write what we are thankful for and go around the table and share. One we have shared our Thanksgivings we hang our leaves delicately on the trees barren branches filling them with life. This decorating tip has become one of my favorite things about my families Thanksgiving.

The third and final decorating tip for Thanksgiving is to jazz up your front door with mums, pumpkins and a Thanksgiving wreath. Because mums are in season from September-November, mums make a great flower for Thanksgiving and come in such gorgeous fall colors (yellow, orange and a deep red). And don't be fooled, pumpkins are not only for Halloween, pumpkins can we used for Thanksgiving decorations too as long as the pumpkin has not been turned into a Jack-O-Lantern. As for the wreath on the front door; places such as Hobby Lobby, Michael's, and even Walmart have pretty fall wreaths for sell, If you are feeling extra crafty you can even come up with some great ideas for your homemade Thanksgiving wreath (with the help of Pintrest, of course). 

These are just a few tips on how we can decorate for Thanksgiving and not complete skip over it. While the mainstream market won't pay much attention to Thanksgiving or its decorations does not mean you should too. Celebrate each holiday to the fullest and remember that when the clock strikes 12 am on November 1st, you do not have to ditch your Halloween costume and begin listening to Christmas music. Take time to wind down and enjoy a holiday where you give thanks for the blessings God has allowed in your life, while you are surrounded by family on friends on Thanksgiving. Christmas will come every year, so instead of celebrating and decorating for Christmas on November 1st lets wait until after Thanksgiving and celebrate each moment as it comes.

The Evil Around Us and Being Too Old to Trick or Treat?

Ahhh Halloween, a time for carving pumpkins, crunchy leaves, scary movies and most importantly trick or treating with friends and family! While trick or treating has been a Halloween favorite for many kids, teens and even some young adults, some neighborhoods in Atlanta and the surrounding counties are banning children 8 and over from trick or treating at their house!! Crazy to think that a time would come when trick or treating would be banned for some age groups and that you would actually be turned away for trick or treating at age 12.

I came upon this interesting piece of information this morning as I was watching Fox 5 before work and enjoying my breakfast. The title of the story was "How Old Is Too Old to Trick or Treat?" The crew at Fox 5 allowed some of the viewers to answer this question and many of them stated that as long as the children or young adults were not causing harm or trouble then how cared if they went trick or treating. What do you all think about this issue? Would you turn people away from your door if they were over the age of 8?

While this issue may seem absurd and believe me it is. However the reason this was put in place by some neighborhoods was simply because of sex offenders. All sex offenders in the Atlanta area and surrounding areas were forced to report back to jail on October 30-31st while most children are out trick or treating. For parents and espeically the over protective parents this might be music to their ears yet a little crazy in my opinion. The government will now have to spend extra to feed, cloth and shelter these men during their two day stay in prison until the Halloween season passes. I understand that more children are out on Halloween then any other night of the year and county officials want to be on the safe side and "cover their asses" but this is craziness. My brothers and I trick or treated well above the age of 8 cap off and we were perfectly fine (my daddy always went with us). We were never bothered by older men and we always trick or treated in safe, well known neighborhoods. While we were out loading up on candy my mommy was home giving out candy and never once complained about the older children (over the age of 8) who came to join in on the fun.

As like every other holiday, event or debate in America and especially 2015 people have tried to take the fun out of innocent events or make a mountain out of a nonexistent mole hill. In my book, no one is ever too old for trick or treating. Everyone should be able to freely from door to door and ask for candy no matter your age or gender. And lastly, and some may strongly disagree with me but here I go...parents, if you are so worried about your children coming in contact with a sex offender on Halloween while trick or treating then go with them (what a bright idea (sarcasm))!! The men/women that have been listed has registered sex offenders are roaming the streets the other 363 days of the year and the other 2 days they are behind bars so your children can enjoy Halloween.

I see both sides, I do I really do, hear me say that but when did every single holiday turn into a debate. Next they'll be saying no one over the age of 8 can sit on Santa Clause's lap in the mall. 2015 has been the year of sensitivity and absurdity in the news. Evil exists in this world everyday and locking up the sex offenders for 2 nights might make parents feels better but it will not stop bad things from happening to your children (however God forbid) Lets change that in 2016 and go back to enjoying Halloween for what it is no matter what age you are. If you ring my doorbell tomorrow evening I will give you some candy.

Oktoberfest in Helen, Georgia

It's beginning to look a lot like fall! The leaves are changing colors and slowly falling, sweaters are making a reappearance after months of being tucked away and all of the basic Betty's are shouting, "I scream, You scream, We all scream for PUMPKIN SPICE LATTES". Yes...fall is in full swing and Halloween is just t-minus 2 days away.

Because I enjoy every major holiday and plan to celebrate it to the fullest I love going to the pumpkin patch, carving pumpkins, decorating the house for Halloween and so much more. While I was able to do all of the above, I also did something very different this fall/Halloween season and that was, going to Helen, Ga to attend their Oktoberfest. I had never been to Helen before but I must say, if you enjoy beer, yummy German food and atmosphere with a side of cheesiness then Helen needs to be your next destination!!

A few short weeks ago, my boyfriend, Joey Timbers and I made the quick decision to make a day trip to Helen to partake in their Oktoberfest. My parents made a trip back in the late 90's and told us about the adorable town of Helen and how it resembled a small German town in the mountains. Because we live in Atlanta, the drive to Helen was only an hour and a half drive. Upon arrival we were greeted by a small "German" town that was completely decorated for fall and Halloween.

Our first stop in Helen was some lunch at Heidleberg where Joey enjoyed some good German sausage and I on the other hand (the more picky eater) enjoyed a good old fashioned burger. After lunch we decided to do a little shopping before entering the Oktoberfest tent. Our first store happened to be a little country "redneck" store with thousands of t-shirts. At this small store Joey and I actually bought something (even though we were a tad embarrassed). I purchased a t-shirt for my 21 year old conservative, patriot and America loving brother and Joey purchased a t-shirt and a koozie with the confederate flag. To say the least, we fit in with the people of Helen a little better after our purchases. Next few stores we popped into reminded me of places in Gattlinberg, Tennessee because everything was so cheap and cheesy.

When we had finished poking around in the stores we decided it was time to hit the Oktoberfest tent...the whole reason we came to Helen! Once we had entered I was delighted to discover that one of the beers on the Oktoberfest menu included Strongbow. Strongbow, for those of you who do not know is a cider beer that is absolutely delicious. Finally, beers in hand we went to find a spot to listen to some live music and enjoy the crowd!

The crowd at Oktoberfest was definitely a mix to say the least, your average folks and then some people who were a completely different breed. We both agreed that watching the crazy, drunk and wild partakers in Oktoberfest was the funniest thing we had seen in a while. When we had had enough beer we decided to visit the local art gallery of Helen. There we came in contact with some gorgeous pieces of art from local artists. Most of the art portrayed actual places throughout the mountains of Helen, Georgia. I wanted to buy a piece of art from the local gallery but the pieces were a little out of my price range.

To lift my spirits of not being able to buy any expensive art we stopped by Hansel and Gretel to pick out some handmade chocolate. We ended up purchasing 3 yummy milk chocolate and caramel truffles and 3 milk chocolate with almonds and coconut truffles; they were simply delicious and a good end to our day in Helen.

For those of you who have not been to Helen, Georgia I recommend the trip if you are looking for a fun day trip. Helen, Georgia's small German town and Oktoberfest will now be a new fall/Halloween tradition that Joey and I carry on for years to come.

April Showers Bring May Flowers

 

The spring is a new start! Spring stands for new beginnings and I believe that spring time allows people to renew themselves from the dreary winter weather. With the new warm weather now upon us it had me thinking about nail polish colors. I love painting my nails and finding a cute shade can be difficult. Typically, I like darker more rich colors for the fall and winter and more light and cheery colors for the spring and summer.  Essie is one of my favorite nail polish brands because basically you can find any color in the world!! I am known for always having pink nails in a variety of shades but recently I was thinking that a light lavender would be cute and airy for spring. What are y'all's thoughts? I have never experimented with that color before and am almost anxious to buy the Essie nail color for the fear that I'll hate it and that it will look terrible with the majority of my outfit or that's it's just not me.  

Because I am 100% girl I enjoy using the brighter tones during the warmer season and darker ones in the winter.  But what about girls who wear darker tones in the summer as well? Like black for instance. Your thoughts? I personally do not like this. Unless you are into only wear mute and dark colors for the entire summer then black nails simply do not look right with a bright sun dress. I am all for people being their selves but should nail colors be dictated according to the season we are in? 

Just some food for thought people! I'll upload a picture if I do decided to go with light lavender nails. You knows, I might find a new favorite if I branch out!

Essie Lavender nail polish...unsure of the name. I think I'll give it a shot!

You is Kind, You is Smart and You is Important"

Four years ago on my high school graduation I was given the Dr. Seuss book, Oh the Places you will Go. In the highly fantasized book, the characters go to a series of different places all leading them to their final destination.  Because my four years have college are coming to an end in less than a month (yes, I am attending summer school in June to take one studio art class but hey I had mono my freshmen year so my life isn't on hold for too long) I have began thinking about all of the events and the places that have happened and taken place in my life in the past four years that have made me the person I am today, led me to the wonderful people/person in my life and most importantly is leading me to a place where I plan and dream of starting my career as a young professional.

Looking back on my freshman move in day, there was an array of emotions. I was excited, skeptical and nervous about what this whole college life was really about.  Once my parents had moved me in to my lovely pink and green freshman dorm room in Greene Residence Hall, my father told me one thing that I will always remember. The summer of 2011 was when the iconic movie The Help hit theaters.  A few weeks before I went to college I saw it with my parents.  When they were saying their final goodbyes and tearing up my father said something to lighten the mood. He said, quoting the movie and book The Help, "You is kind, you is smart and you is important." While we all had a little laugh, I have never realized how much these three words would carry me through my college career and make me the woman I am today.

Little did I know that I would need to believe these words sooner than later at the start of my freshmen year. After only two weeks of being in school, I somehow got glass in my eye and had to go through an excruciatingly painful procedure to have it removed....all before sorority rush!!!! If that was not bad enough, I was diagnosed with mono right before Thanksgiving break that same year.  Due to mono I barely passed a lot of my classes because I simply didn't have the strength or the energy to do the work and believe me, it was tough for me because I have such a type A personality. The second half of my freshman year fared better but I knew I would have a long road ahead of me especially because I needed to pull my grades up from being so sick.  That summer I worked at the US National White Water Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.  I did not absolutely love the job but I was in sales and learned how to actually work hard and be a responsible person. I learned valuable lessons from my summer spent at the National White Water Center.

Moving into my sophomore year I was more excited than ever! I went in hard and fast and studied like crazy to pull my grades back up.  I was able to achieve that goal and life began to look up. My motto was, "You is kind, you is smart and you is important."  As the summer was approaching I needed a summer job and I happened upon a nannying position,  My sorority sister recommended the family to me and I was overjoyed to have a summer job where I worked 3 days a week and made $240 or more each week simply by watching a cute three year old little girl!  While my sophomore year was fun and exciting it also had one piece in it that liberated me and made me a better human being.  This incident would be breaking up with my Pike boyfriend that I had dated for 1 1/2 years.  He was not a good individual and he brought me down. I knew my self worth was way more than he thought and so I cut ties.  It was difficult at the time but looking back, but I became a better person the day I told him to hit the road.

Before I knew it, the crazy summer was coming to an end and it was time for junior year! Junior year was a year of strictly fun times and great grades! I simply was having the time of my life with my fabulous friends.  Boys sucked at the time but I had to remember what my father told me. While I was having oodles of fun I knew that my senior year was approaching and that I needed an internship. Being an Art History major, I applied to major museums, one being the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia.  Originally from Georgia, I was no stranger to the museum but knew how incredibly difficult it was to acquire and internship there.  In early April 2014 I received the news that was had gotten the internship and would be the intern to the Decorative Arts curator and her assistants as well as helping in the social media department.  I was overjoyed, not only because I had landed this amazing internship but because I was the first Wofford College student in the history of Wofford to receive an internship from this museum even though others had applied in the past. I was truly honored.  With this great news I spent my spring break planning where I would live and found an adorable townhouse in Buckhead close to the museum.

Now....drum roll please......the summer of my life began on June 2, 2014.  This summer would turn out to be the greatest summer for so many reasons and truly shaped and molded me into the person I am today. Throughout my time in Atlanta I learned so much from the curator and her assistants.  I learned how to run a photo shoot, catalog images in museum, do museum research, and I created the Tumblr page for the High Museums as well as did so many other incredible things that I am so greatly and thankful for. While I was learning so much I am thankful to one of my friends from college who came to visit me one weekend and begged that we go out to the Buckhead bars. I was reluctant but decided to go and I am thankful I did. After my friend and I had been at the Lost Dog in Buckhead for maybe 30 minutes this man came and approached me. This man has turned out to be my long term boyfriend and he means the world to me. I love him so much and I am so thankful that he saw me that night and that I went out. Who knows what my life would have been like if I had not had gone out. Sad to think about. But anyway, when I was not doing awesome things at the High Museum I was out with him. He has become such a strong and influential person in my life and he's ready for graduation so I can be back in Atlanta with him! Being in Atlanta made me get to know who I really am. Over the summer I grew up...I know that sounds silly but I did. I learned what was actually important and what was petty. I learned that there were different types of people and just because someone is not exactly like you does not mean that they aren't someone you should talk to! It's cool and fun to have lots of different friends. This concept it foreign to a lot of the people where I go to school....sad to say but true.

While it was hard to leave Atlanta, my boyfriend and I see each other basically every weekend so we have made it work! He's awesome! :) While it was tough leaving Atlanta it was even harder going back to Wofford College. My senior year has been one of the toughest academic years in my entire LIFE! For several reasons that I never in my wildest dreams could imagine such incidents would happen to me. No matter what happened, I remembered the saying, "You is kind, you is smart and you is important." But my loving and amazing boyfriend and family stuck with me through it all and it's almost over. When December came I began talking to people in Atlanta, particular in the art field that could give me some pointers in the Atlanta art world.  Since then I have applied to several jobs, spoken to many people and gained some experts advice. Now I wait until someone hires me! It's exciting but nerve racking at the same time. (Someone please hire me! haha)

This long winded post has a point. Throughout each of my college years whether life was going my way or life and circumstances were harder than I ever imagined possible, one quote remained in my head and I repeat it to myself all the time. "You is kind, you is smart and you is important." Dr. Seuss's book, Oh the Places You'll Go, was a wonderful graduation gift from a friend when I graduated high school.  You never know where you will go in life and where it will lead you to your ultimate destination...or your end goal. For me my end goal is to have a job hopefully by the end of June in Atlanta, working in the art field and to finally be with my wonderful boyfriend in the same city! When you start a journey you never know where life will take you. Wherever it takes you and wherever the circumstances lead you have to remain strong and remind yourself of how awesome you are! God would not allow events in our life if he knew we couldn't handle them or they wouldn't make you a better person. Looking back over these four years I am thankful for the bad things that happened to me and I forgive the people that wronged me and hurt me. If none of these terrible things would have happened I might not have ended up in Atlanta with a wonderful internship and meeting an awesome man who I want to be with for the rest of my life. But most importantly if these terrible circumstances had not occurred I probably would not have grown in my faith with the Lord. I am thankful for the good and the bad in my life and where life has taken me thus far. Through the good and the bad always remember that, "You is kind, you is smart and you is important."

New Outlook on Life and My Prince Charming

Manolo Blaknik's: What I hope to wear on my wedding day

Over a year ago I wrote a blog post entitled, "My Preppy Southern Wedding."  While I do love the south and I do love preppy clothing such as J.Crew (preppy with a twist) and Lilly Pulitzer, I no longer want my wedding to reflect a Lilly Pulitzer summer magazine or the typical cute Pintrest wedding. In my opinion, if someone comments on your wedding and related it to Pintrest then you have failed as a bride.  While Pintrest is literally fantastic and I love it as much as the next woman, I feel that your wedding should not reflect all things Pintrest and DIY.

No that I have met the man I someday hope to marry my dream wedding has changed.  A bride or future bride must always remember that the wedding day is not about her, but rather it is about the joining together of two people that love each other very much and are committing their lives to one another.  Therefore, because the wedding day is about both the bride AND the groom the big day should reflect both of them. Because I have a new vision in my head I would like to share it with y'all. I hope you enjoy!

Lets begin with the rehearsal dinner!  The rehearsal I imagine will take place at a church in Atlanta, Georgia (where I hope to live after graduation) where we will prep for the big ceremony the following evening. Where the rehearsal dinner is to take place is TBD because the grooms parents pay for that event. But the evening will be filled with lots of laughter and happy tears as we are surrounded by close friends and family.

The morning of the wedding I anticipate going to Starbucks and having Bride written on my cup! Call me a basic bitch all you want but I want a picture of me with my Bride Starbucks cup.  I plan on spending the morning and afternoon getting ready with my mother and my four bridesmaids.  While we are getting all glammed up for the wedding ceremony me and my four bridesmaids will be wearing over-sized white men's button downs with our initials in light pink. That is on aspect from my previous post that has not changed.

These shirts are so adorable and the girls would want to wear them again.

Once it's time for my fabulous four to get dressed, I will have chosen a long, flowy, strapless light pink dress from J.Crew for them to wear.  I expect each girl to pair this gown with a nude or gold heal and for their jewelry, simple pearl studs.  J.Crew bridesmaid dresses are so classic and do not look like bridesmaid dresses which is what I love about them.  As for their bouquet, they will each carry light pink peonies (my favorite flower) with some green hydrangeas.

When it is finally time for me to put on my big white dress, I imagine that it will be an A-Line, sweet heart neckline gown with lace all over the gown.  Around the waist I want just a hint of embellishment to add a little sparkle. For my veil I plan on wearing my mothers which will be my something old and for my something blue I want to wear blue Manolo Blahnik shoes. My jewelry will be understated and I will either wear pearls or diamonds. I do not have a something new yet but I look forward to that surprise when this special day comes! As for my bouquet I plan on carrying light pink and white peonies.

Not exactly what I envision but very similar

When it is time for the big ceremony to begin I will be overjoyed with excitement.  As my fabulous four walk down the aisle I will be trying to get glimpses of my oh so handsome groom standing at the end.  When it's finally time for my daddy to walk me down the aisle, I envision walking down to Cannon in D (what my mother walked down to) and squeezing my father's arm as I try not to cry out of happiness and excitement as I look at the man I love so dearly. Just thinking about this moment now gives me goose bumps and makes me so excited!!!

Wedding Flowers and Colors

Once the vows have been taken and the groom has kissed the bride, the wedding guests will head over to a TBD location where we will all gather under a luxurious white tent.  Under this white tent, I imagine that wood floors will be placed down and chandeliers will hang from the top.  Our guests will enjoy some heavy hor' douvers while they enjoy all of the free alcohol and our signature cocktail. Because I want me wedding to be a party and for people to have a blast, I think there should be a DJ. I used to be so against DJ's at weddings but honestly it's the only way to get people up and dancing. Bands are spectacular but they do not appeal to everyone.  After a long night of dancing we will enjoy some delicious wedding cake and drive away in our old black Rolls Royce to take our honeymoon somewhere exotic.

This is the new version of my wedding and is a lot simpler then the last which is what I love about it. Hopefully, this dream wedding comes to fruition one day!

Be YOUrself

It is the end of my senior year and I cannot tell y'all how happy I am! I am so ready to graduate and move on with my life, out in the real world.  While I have loved my (almost) 4 years at Wofford it is time to say bye bye and for more reasons than one.  This summer I had the wonderful opportunity to intern at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia! I was the Decorative Arts intern as well as the Social Media intern.  During the summer I lived in a townhouse and was responsible for myself.  I had my own schedule and did what I pleased.  I noticed during my time in Atlanta that I was having the best time of my life (I did meet the love of my life) because for ONCE in my young life, I was not caring what other people thought of me!  Now, I was not getting wild and crazy or "acting a fool" because that's not my personality, but I owned my looks and the decisions I made.  Not only did I become a more confident person over the summer but I learned that I did not have to conform to the people around me.

Wofford is a very small college consisting of approximately 1,600 students. By the end of your four years you know everyone and you know all of their drama and business.  When I returned to Wofford in September for senior year, I had a very freeing experience.  I no longer cared what people thought of me.  I no longer had thoughts running through my head such as, "I wonder if people will think I'm strange for wearing this shirt?" or "I wonder what people are saying about me or what will they think of me if I do this or talk to this person?"  WHO CARES!!!!!! Be who you are!

Many of my girlfriends still struggle and ask themselves these questions and I shake my head at them and tell them that if they're happy then that is all that matters.  I have this tshirt with my favorite painting on it, and on the tshirt it says "So Fly" and I love it.  I wore it one day with oversize black sunglasses, jeans and my big faux  fur coat (I love fur).  When I was walking with my friend, she turned to me and said well you just don't give a sh## what people at this (very preppy) school think of you, do you? I looked at her and said no quite frankly I don't.  Being yourself is the best thing you can be.  I love fashion and more importantly, I love all clothes in general! I have many different styles that I pull from and that's okay because that's part of what makes me me.

It is my wish and prayer that more women in their early, middle, late twenties and older will embrace who they really are and not be a clone of what society or the environment they are placed in is telling them to be.  Being at Wofford for so long, I thought that only 'preppy' people were acceptable and knew how to dress.  From taking me out of my regular Wofford environment and placing me in Atlanta I was able to see the world from a different perspective.  When I came back to Wofford in the fall, I embraced the fashion-loving girl that I am.

Not caring so much about what other people think of you is the most freeing experience. I challenge you to care a little less about what others think and to embrace your true self. I promise you'll love the real YOU.