Target and TJ Maxx Haul

A couple of Fridays ago, it was a super rainy day, and my twin and I were bored, so we decided to just do some shopping. We went to the Target and TJ Maxx that are a couple of towns over from us. I absolutely love Target and TJ Maxx, so of course I bought items from there!

From Target, I got white address labels (which you will see a DIY post about very soon - eek!) and three notebooks. The three notebooks are a little bit bigger than pocket-sized and come in a package. They have inspirational quotes on them. I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to use them for, but they were so cute that I just couldn't not buy them! They were also only $3.99 for all three of them, which is a great deal.

I don't have any pictures, but at TJ Maxx, I got a navy blue Polo hat with a yellow emblem on it for myself. My boyfriend and I's two year anniversary is coming up soon, so I got his gifts there as well. I got him a Ralph Lauren wallet, a Ralph Lauren polo shirt, a Ralph Lauren v-neck, midcalfs, and an iHome iPad typing case. I gave his gifts to him the day I got them because I just couldn't wait! He absolutely loves everything he got, which is a good thing.

I love going to Target because they always sell super cute office supplies that I'm always so compelled to buy. Their bathing suits are fabulous as well! I love going to TJ Maxx because they have great brands and clothes (such as Ralph Lauren!) for cheap prices.

What do you love about Target and TJ Maxx?

How To :: Write An Essay From An Article

Over the summer, I had homework to do for my AP classes. My history assignment was to read eight articles (the amount of pages ranged anywhere from 16 to 42 - yikes!) and then write an essay using the thesis "What is the author trying to convince the audience?" I developed a little plan on how to be the most efficient when it came to reading the articles and writing the essays, so I thought I would share it with you guys because the strategy can be used for any class.

{one} print

If the articles/pieces of work you need to read are online, it's a good idea to print them. Having a hard copy makes the whole process a lot more easier because you can highlight and write on the articles, which I'll get to soon!

{two} thesis

Write your thesis statement on another piece of paper so you can easily figure out the three items needed to go in the thesis statement. For example, for the article "War is the Health of the State" (as shown above), my thesis statement was, "War tears a country apart because..." Writing your thesis statement like that will allow you to easily fill in the three parts to your thesis underneath it.

{three} highlight

If you read something that would be helpful enough to include in your essay, highlight it. It will make it much easier to find it while writing the essay. You don't have to do this, but I like to number the highlighted points to go along with which part of the thesis they belong to. That way I can easily find the right information by number.

{four} write

Take notes on a separate piece of paper. Underneath the thesis, you can include the three points made in thesis statement and number them. It will make your writing process easier!

I'm not saying that all of you have to do this process, but it's just something that has worked for me. I told my friends about it, and they thought it was actually a really good idea and they would try it out for their own history articles. It's a great way to stay organized and focused. You can use this whole process, use part of the process, or not even use the process - whatever works for you!

How do you write an essay from an article?

Giveaway :: The Sassy Coconut Etsy Shop

Sandee from The Sassy Coconut Etsy Shop not only sent me items to review, but would love me to host a giveaway as well! The items the winner will receive are a plain monogram and an anchor monogram, both in the colors of your choice!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will end Thursday, September 5th, at 12 AM EST. Good luck, everyone!

What do you like from The Sassy Coconut?

First Day of School

Today is my first day of junior year! I wish I had some fun and exciting first day of school outfit to show all of you, but I'll just be rocking the polo shirt, plaid skirt, knee highs, and Sperry's. Just like I will be every other day until November 1st.

I'm nervous, yet excited, to see how junior year goes. I'll be taking my first two AP classes ever: English and history. I'm not worried about history because it's the same teacher I had last year (and I loved him!), but I'm worried about English because it seems super hard. I have to balance school, work, SAT stuff, soccer, and college stuff all at once. Yikes.

I'll probably have most of the same kids in my classes this year that were in my classes last year. I just hope I have a good study this year because I had the worst studies freshman and sophomore year. I had NO friends in them!

I just hope this school year turns out well. I need to focus, study hard, and challenge myself. I want to work on not being so stressed this year as I was last year because it was just too much. I hope I make this school year a good one!

What are you looking forward to this school year?

Summer Recap

Today is my last day of summer. Unfortunately, I can't spend it at the beach because I have a soccer scrimmage. My summer basically ended last Wednesday because last Thursday was the first day of soccer tryouts. Anyway, since today is my last day of summer, I thought I would do a little recap of my favorite things that happened this summer!

{one} license

There is no doubt about it that the best thing that happened to me this summer was getting my license. It is seriously so convenient. I get to drive wherever I want whenever I want and not have to worry about rides. It's the best thing ever!

{two} job

I got a job at the end of June that I love. Working the night shift stinks because no one really gets coffee at night, but working the afternoon or morning shifts is the best because it's busy, which causes me to get good tips.

{three} concerts

I went to loads concerts this summer, and I had fun at every single one of them! I truly believe that going to concerts is part of being a teenager, so I definitely followed through with that. I'm sad that concert season is pretty much ending, but it makes me excited for next year!

{four} soccer

I absolutely love soccer, so the fact that I got to play summer league for the second summer in a row made me so happy. It was a great way to stay in shape and prepare for the season!

This was definitely the best summer I've had so far, probably because I've had so much freedom and time to do what I want. I'm so not ready for school to start tomorrow!

What were the best things you did this summer?

Ballet Flats

Hi there! It's Gracey from Stripes & Peonies blog. Today I will be talking about some of my favorite ballet flats. The thing that I love about them is that they are so versatile and can be worn with almost anything! I am especially looking forward to wearing them with skinny jeans and a cozy cashmere sweater!

Gap // J.Crew // Sam Edelman  // Tory Burch

What are your favorite ballet flats?

Sought-After Sunday :: Enzo Angiolini "Saylem" Riding Boots

One theme on my blog I'm going to start is "Sought-After Sunday." Sought-After Sunday will consist of an item (or more than one item!) that I'm currently lusting over. I most likely won't do it every Sunday, but I'm sure I'll do it every once in a while.

The item I'm currently lusting over is the Enzo Angiolini "Saylem" Riding Boots. I actually cam across these boots last year, but I didn't get them because I wanted to save my money. However, the other riding boots I got last year are now too small on me, and I really want a good pair of riding boots. I found these boots at Nordstrom, but I'm not unsure if they're sold anywhere else.

I would love to get them in this color. My older sister has them in this color as well, and they're just fabulous! I'm hoping to get my hands on a pair soon in time for the fall.

What are you lusting over?

Feel free to use "Sought-After Sunday" as well!

Cute Coffee Mugs

I love drinking tea in the morning to wake myself up and start my day off fresh. However, drinking tea in the morning is even better with a cute mug! I'm always so tempted to buy pretty mugs. Check out the cute ones below!

Which coffee mugs do you like?

Starting the School Year Off Right

I think it's super important for people to start the school year off right. If you start it off right, you'll feel good about yourself and won't get as stressed. You'll then be motivated to continue doing well, and you'll actually look forward to the year. If you start off the school year on a bad note, you'll think to yourself, So this is what this year is going to look like? G R E A T.

In order to have a successful school year, you must start out in the right state of mind. Check out the tips below to see how you can make your school year fabulous!

{one} study hard

The last thing we want to do when we get back to school is study. However, if you start studying for extra hard for the first couple of quizzes and tests you have, it'll make it easier for you to study for the rest of the year. You'll get back into the habit of studying and will easily figure out which study method(s) works best for you. If you don't start studying right away, it'll be harder for you to get into studying later down the road.

{two} interact with new people

Are there some people that you didn't really talk to last year but want to be friends with this year? Talk to them. It'll be easier to do so if you have a class with them. Once you start talking to them a lot and developing some type of relationship with them, ask if they want to hang out.

{three} get involved

You should always get involved in sports or clubs. If you see a sport or club that you didn't do last year that interests you, join it. You'll never know if you like it if you don't try. So why not see if you like it? Discovering something you like is a wonderful thing, so try to find as many things as you like! Just try not to join too many things because that could overwhelm you and cause a lot of stress.

These tips have helped me the past two years of high school (and hopefully a third!), and they'll help you whether you're in middle school, high school, or college. Good luck!

How do you start the school year off right?

Review :: The Sassy Coconut Etsy Shop

I was so lucky to be sent not one, but TWO monogrammed decals from Sandee, the owner of The Sassy Coconut Etsy Shop. The first monogrammed decal was 3" and just my monogram. The second one was an anchor monogrammed decal, but I'm not sure what the size was. I put the lime green one on my journal and the anchor one on my iPad case.

(Note: Please excuse the part of my journal that's sticking out... I altered the Lilly print on my computer to print so that it covered the whole journal, but it didn't print out right. Ugh. Anyway, of course I chose the Lets Cha Cha print! I also kind of messed up on putting the anchor one on my iPad case, so there are a couple ripples.)

Anyway, I love the monograms, and they add the perfect touch to basically anything!

What do you like from The Sassy Coconut?

Fall Shoes

Fall is right around the corner, and something I need to get for this fall is new shoes. I never know what to wear in the fall for shoes, so I just end up wearing riding boots all the time. However, I'm planning on getting more shoes that I can wear in the fall for some diversity.

{one} riding boots
I'm obsessed with riding boots. They look great with a pair of leggings or a pair of jeans. I love wearing a cute sweater or shirt with them. I already have two pairs, brown and black, but I want a new pair. I don't think the brown ones will fit me this year (I had to squeeze into them last year because they were the last left in the store!), so that's an excuse to get a new pair. I'll just have to look around for a pair that I like!

{two} Hunter boots
Hunter boots are perfect for the fall because of the rain, wet ground, and possibly even snow! They're perfect for keeping your feet dry and adding a cute look to your outfit.

{three} moccasins
I'm dying to get a pair of moccasins this year. I got a pair for Christmas last year, but unfortunately, they were too big. I'm thinking of getting a pair of UGG moccasins because they're super comfortable. Moccasins are great for wearing with a pair of leggings.

{four} Sperry's/boat shoes
Believe it or not, I actually love wearing my Sperry's in the fall (or actually all year round for that matter... #CatholicSchoolGirlProblems). They look adorable with a pair of capris. I just suggest not wearing them if it's snowing (unless you wear a uniform like me!) because you could end up getting snow in them.

So, I already have riding boots, Hunter boots, and Sperry's. I'm just on the hunt to get a new pair of brown riding boots and moccasins!

What do you wear in the fall for shoes?

Changing My Blog's Name

I've been debating about this for a while now. Part of me wants to change the name of my blog while the other part of me just wants to keep it. I want to keep it because it's kind of my own brand now, and people know me by Private School Prepster. I want to change it because I'm not always going to be going to be in private school, and not every single one of my posts have to do with something preppy.

The other problem is if I change my name, I can't think of anything that I like. Having it as just my name is kind of boring. I want to find something that'll fit me now and when I get older. I actually really like the name that I have now; I just don't know if it will fit me five years down the road when I'm no longer in private school.

Do you have any advice? Are you going through something similar?

Quote

Hey everyone! I am Melissa from Perfect in Pearls and The Smart Girl’s Loop. Thank you, Ashley for this amazing opportunity; I am so excited to be guest posting for Private School Prepster! Today, I want to give you a little inspirational quote to brighten up your Monday.

   

 I came across this quote a few weeks ago on Pinterest, and it has been my phone background ever since. I love how simple yet meaningful it is.

Troian Bellisario says we are four things: young, beautiful, individual and unique. These simple traits are often taken for granted. I never really think about the fact that I have the qualities, and I, along with most other people, overuse all of these words. I probably cannot even count the number of times I say them in a day, but this quote emphasizes how truly valuable they are.

This quote is an incredible wakeup call because you really are young, beautiful, individual and unique. At the end of the day that is worth so much in a society where people are constantly trying to be something or someone else or focusing on the little things that don’t matter all that much. For me, I look at it as the stressed high schooler that I am. Will it really matter one day if I did not get an “A” on that paper? Nope. Is it a big deal if I am a unique individual? YES.

I hope this quote inspires you to be who you truly and reminds you that being your young, beautiful, individual, and unique self is worth more than anything else!

Cute Statement Necklaces

One thing I've been loving lately is statement necklaces. I don't really wear necklaces, but I definitely feel like I'd wear a statement necklace. They really make a boring outfit pop and add a touch of color to neutral-colored outfits. I'm lusting over the necklaces below!

1 // 2 (as shown in First Day of School Outfits) // 3 (also shown in First Day of School Outfits) // 4

Which statement necklaces do you love?

Lilly Planners

As all preps know, August 1st is National Lilly Pulitzer Agenda Day because August 1st is the first day of every Lilly planner. Unfortunately, I am unable to get a Lilly planner because my school provides agendas for us. Buying a Lilly planner would just be a waste because I wouldn't be able to use it. However, I am counting down the days until college when I get to buy a Lilly planner and use it! #SorryNotSorry

Anyway, I think all of the Lilly planners are adorable. I would most likely get a large because I've never really been a fan of tiny little planners. Check out the agendas I love below!

{one} Chiquita Bontia // {two} Coronado Crab// {three} Tiger Lilly // {four} Tusk In Sun // {five} Lets Cha Cha // {six} Tropical Pink Lulu

I would definitely get the agenda in Lets Cha Cha just because it's my absolute favorite print ever! (If you couldn't tell from my blog's background...)

What agenda do you have?

Michael Kors Bag

A couple of weeks ago, my twin and I were bored, so we decided to go to Marshall's. I love going to places like Marshall's and TJ Maxx because you never know when you'll find something from Ralph Lauren, Lilly Pulitzer, etc.! I decided to look at the bags just to see if there was anything that I liked, and I came across a Michael Kors one that I fell in love with.

via Instagram

The bag is adorable! It's tan and brown so it can go with basically anything. It sells for $249 (I believe), and I got it for $119! That's why I love places like Marshall's and TJ Maxx - you can get high-end items for cheap! This was the first time I got a bag that I ever really used because I usually just use wristlets. Now I bring this everywhere with me!

Do you have a bag that you love?

Lilly Skirt

As some of you know, I went to the Cape for the Fourth of July. While I was down there, I did a ton of shopping and got two pairs of shorts at In the Pink! At In the Pink, I tried on a bunch of different clothes to see which ones I liked the best. I had totally fell in love with a skirt that I tried on. Unfortunately, my mom talked me out of buying it because she said I wouldn't have anywhere to wear it to, which is true since I wear a uniform to school. However, I would still love to have it just in case I needed it! I totally regret not buying it anyway, so next time I make a trip to a Lilly store, I'll have to buy a skirt.

Isn't it so cute?! The length is perfect because it's not too short and not too long. The pattern is even adorable too! Unfortunately, I forgot to look at the tag to see which type of skirt it was and which pattern it was. It's not on the website anymore either!

Do you have a skirt that you're in love with?

Cute Tumblers

I've always been a huge fan of tumblers, and after seeing Caroline's Instagram post on her using a Starbucks tumbler to drink eight glasses of water a day, I was totally inspired to start doing the same! However, I feel that goal is a lot more easier to reach when using an adorable tumbler. Check out these cute tumblers below!

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10

As you can tell, I really like Simple and Sweet Monogram Boutique... :) They have adorable tumblers that you should definitely check out!

What tumblers do you like?

First Day of School Outfits

School is starting soon, and for us girls, one of our favorite things about a new school year is being able to get a new outfit for the first day of school. Unfortunately, since I have a uniform, I can't go out and buy a new outfit. But a girl can dream, right?

I've put together two possible outfits that I would have liked to wear on the first day of school if I didn't have a uniform. A first day of school outfit can be one of two things: dressy or casual. You should always have an outfit of both kinds just in case you decide the night before that you want to be casual instead of dressy and vice versa.

Shirt // Shorts // Necklace // Shoes

Dress (unable to find) // Necklace // Shoes

Both of these outfits are adorable, but I like the casual outfit more.

What would you wear on the first day of school - casual or dressy?

Transitioning Summer Pieces into Fall

Hey everyone, it's Megan from Summers in Seersucker guest posting for Ashley today! I am so happy to have the opportunity! In this post I am going to show you how to transition two of your summer pieces into the fall.

For this outfit and the next I decided to keep the added items neutral so the transition pieces stand out! The sweater and the tights add warmth and give the outfit a preppy touch.

Layering in the fall time is key, so I decided to add the polka dot blouse underneath the sweater. Again, I'm keeping the rest of the ensemble neutral so the pants pop! The polka dots also add a nice touch to the outfit and make it anything but boring.

Thanks again to Ashley for letting me guest post!

xx,

Megan

School Supplies Necessities

School is (unfortunately) right around the corner. I usually get my school supplies during the first week of school so I know exactly what I need to get, but there are some things that I get before school starts because I just know I'll need them. These items have become my school supplies necessities!

{one} planner

You seriously can't go wrong with a planner. Planners help me to figure out what blog post I'm posting on what day, what homework assignment is due what day, and what test I'm taking what day. It's basically my life. Organization is the key to success!

{two} legal pads

Okay, so I sort of have an obsession with legal pads... #SorryNotSorry. Whenever I'm in the office supplies section of a store, I'm always so tempted to buy them. However, I get good use out of them because they're perfect for taking notes or making to-do lists. And why not make note-taking and list-making fun by getting a pink legal pad?!

{three} highlighters

I always have a highlighter with me. They're great for highlighting important information and crossing off completed tasks on a to-do list. Sharpie makes the best highlighters just because of the great colors and how long they last!

{four} colored pens

I have the typical black and blue pens, but it's nice to have colored pens as well. I love using colored pens when taking notes because the notes then stand out more to me, and I can color code key points.

What are your school supplies necessities?

How To :: Send Classy and Professional Emails

As we get older, we start to use our email addresses more and more to send important emails to important people. Whether we need to send an email for an internship opportunity or just to connect with important people, we have to make sure the email comes off as classy and professional. I have had to send hundreds of emails like this, so I sort of have the emails down to a science.

Below is an example of the type of email I would send. It involves a fake person and a fake topic, but it will help you get the gist of what you need to know. I have broken down the email into six different parts to further explain.

{one} subject

Include a subject. This will give the person receiving the email a little background information so they can figure out whether or not they want to open the email. Keep the subject short and to the point.

{two} greeting

Make sure to use the name of the person you are emailing. Avoid greetings like "Hello!" or "Hi there!" because they aren't very personable. If you use the person's name, they will realize that you took the time to find their name.

{three} introduction

Introduce yourself in the beginning of the email. The person will have no idea who you are if you don't introduce yourself, and they will most likely delete the email before they finish reading it. Say a little bit about yourself, but make sure it's relevant to the topic of the email. For example, in the fake email above, I told the woman who was a social media guru that I handle social media for brands. If the person realizes that you two have something in common, they will want to keep reading.

{four} compliment

Compliment the person you are reading. Don't make the email only about compliments, but make sure to tell them something you liked about them. For example, I told Linda I loved her article in the Huffington Post. Do something similar.

{five} ending

It's always nice to say something like "I'm looking forward to hearing back from you!" or "I'm excited to connect with you!" because it lets the person know you would really like them to respond. It also lets them know that you're wrapping up the email because you can't go right from saying something to signing your name.

{six} signature

Always sign the email and make sure to use your last name. A signature can be as simple as your name, or it can be more complex, such as using a signature from WiseStamp.

{important things to keep in mind}

Reread the email before sending to make sure there are no spelling and grammar mistakes. // Keep the email short and to the point because a long email will make the person want to stop reading it. // Double check to make sure the email address is correct. // Avoid using too many exclamation points to come off as professional. // Make the email exciting so the person will want to keep reading it.

I hope this was helpful to at least some of you! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions at all.

How do you send a classy and professional email?

How To :: Get Summer Work Done

Summer is (unfortunately) coming to an end, and some of us (me included... oops!) still have summer assignments left to do. When someone thinks of summer, they think of the opposite of school. However, most people still have summer assignments that they need to do such as summer reading and AP work, including me.

Saving all that work until the last minute is never a good idea because it creates a lot of stress, and you're unable to enjoy the last week of summer with friends. Check out my tips below for ways to get through your summer work quickly and efficiently!

{one} set aside one day strictly for summer assignments

I've found that it really helps if I devote one day to doing only summer assignments and nothing else. If you work on the summer assignments for a whole day, you'll get a ton done in that one day. Breaking it up over a couple of days will just take you longer to finish it. If you're unable to finish everything in one day, assign another day to finishing the summer assignments.

{two} stay away from all types of distractions

When doing your summer work, shut your phone off, put your laptop away (unless needed for the work), and stay away from the TV. If you have any things that could possibly distract you near you, you'll end up resorting to those when you get bored and don't want to do your summer work anymore. However, if you don't have any of those near you, you won't be tempted to scroll through Twitter or Instagram.

{three} go to a quiet place

It's difficult to get something done when there is noise all around you. Go to a quiet place that will help you be productive, such as your room or your town's library. Any noise will prevent you from being focused. However, it's totally okay if there is music playing where you are if that helps you to concentrate.

{four} stay organized

Need to read a forty-two page article and then write an essay on it, just like I have to do? It sounds difficult, but it's really not. Keep a highlighter, pen, and notebook nearby when reading the article. Highlight important things in the article you want to use in your essay, and write down any notes you want to use in your essay. This really helps when I write my essay because it saves so much time. I don't have to go back through the article after reading it to find things that I need; all I have to do is look for the highlighted words, phrases, and sentences!

If you keep these tips in mind, you'll easily be able to get through your summer work. It'll allow you to still enjoy your summer while being productive!

How do you get summer work done?

Giveaway :: York Design Co.

I'm so excited to announce that I not only had the chance to do a review for York Design Co. but a giveaway as well! Eek! The winner will receive a Delta Zeta Turtles Cuff.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will end Thursday, August 15th, at 12:00 AM EST. Good luck everyone!

What do you like from York Design Co.?

Summer Playlist

Summer is the perfect time to just relax and listen to music. And now that I have my license and a car, I love jamming to music when I drive places! Check out the playlist I put together below to see the songs I enjoy listening to.

As you can tell, I really like Lana Del Rey, Mac Miller, and Sam Adams... Hehe! But if you ever want more songs to listen to, I highly suggest listening to these ones!

What songs are on your summer playlist?

My Car

As many of you know, I got my license! I was super excited in case you guys couldn't tell by the post I wrote and the two pictures I put on Instagram. Anyway, I'm so lucky and blessed to have gotten my own car! Emily and I have to share it, but I'm the only one who's driving it for now (long story short, Emily failed her license test...). I don't mind having to share the car because Emily and I basically go to the same places all the time anyway, but if we're going to two separate places, I'm allowed to take my dad's car.

So that's my car! It's a red 2004 Ford Escape. I didn't really like it at first, but now I absolutely love it. It runs so smoothly, and it's pretty good on gas. Thankfully, my parents pay for my gas, but I have to pay for insurance. The good thing about sharing a car with Emily is we both split the price for insurance!

What car do you have?

Favorite School Supplies

Hey y'all! I'm Ashley from Purple & Pearls and I am going to share some of my favorite schools supplies for the upcoming school year! I go to school at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay. I love school supplies and usually get them at Target, Office Max and Walmart. I was recently introduced to Lifeguard Press which has the cutest Lilly Pulitzer school supplies. I am going to share my faves from Target and Lifeguard Press! 

Let's start off with Lifeguard Press and their Lilly Pulitzer collection. All of these pictures are from their catalog for fall, and they aren't for sale yet but should be soon! (per the Lifeguard Press website). 

How adorable is the Tusk In The Sun print? Elephants are a certain obsession of mine lately. I am in love! The mini-notebooks are perfect for todo lists, and the catch all would look great at my desk. The highlighters will make any late night study sess fun. 

To save money, I splurge on a few cute items, and save on others!  Target is perfect to save with! 

I love Target because they have really reliable products for a decent price. These pencils are my favorite mainly because they wear & tear really well, and one of them is purple! The pens are perfect for color coding my notes and planner, which is a must! The binders I use are simple, but I make binder covers for them. I make covers for two reasons: one, I can reuse them, two, it's super cute!

Here are some of my favorite back to school supplies! If you want more inspiration for school, check out my Pinterest Board. 

xoxo

aVe 

 Purple & Pearls

Little Problems

Amanda Cross from Little Problems recently contacted me about partnering with Little Problems, and I got excited find more information about it. Little Problems was based off of the Twitter account @LittleProblems, which is an anonymous Twitter account for bigs, littles, and sorority women. This account sells items such as bows, koozies, decals, and more!

Amanda describes Little Problems as: "Little Problems was created in May of 2012 based on the twitter account @LittleProblems which is an anon account about bigs/littles/and sorority women. The Little Problems store has a variety of products: koozies, buttons, bows, and decals. Our buttons and bows are even home-made by Little Problems campus reps! Little Problems is very philanthropic as we donate a portion of our sales funds to the Wounded Warrior Project--a charity that helps soldiers get back on their feet after they are wounded in battle."

I love that Little Problems donates some of their sales to charity. How fabulous is that? Little Problems has tons of items, but my favorite is probably the koozie below.

ADORABLE!!

If any of you are involved in a sorority, or would like to be involved in a sorority someday, I highly suggest you check out Little Problems!

What do you like from Little Problems?

Runkeeper

As mentioned before, I've been running a lot this summer to keep in shape for soccer. However, I can't just run without knowing how far I'm running. I like to know how far I'm running. Since I have really bad asthma, I've been working on slowly increasing my running increments. For example, I'm going to run one mile for a couple of runs, then bounce it up to 1.5 miles, then 2 miles, and so on. I'm hoping that will help my lungs get used to the exercise instead of just instantly running three or four miles.

Anyway, there is an app I recently got that tells me how I'm far I'm running. It's called Runkeeper. Runkeeper not only tells me how far I'm running, but it tells me the amount of time I'm running and my time per mile. It's great! I love it because when I realize that I've ran a half a mile, that's when I turn around and head for home to make the whole distance one mile. If any of you love running and like knowing the total distance you ran, I highly suggest you check out Runkeeper!

Do you use Runkeeper or a similar app?

Mac Miller Concert

I love Mac Miller and his music. I've loved it for almost four years now, when he wasn't really known, which is crazy. My first Mac concert was last year in May, and I was so lucky to have gone to another one about two weeks ago! This one was at the House of Blues in Boston. I went with my twin sister and two of our  friends. We got early entrance tickets, which meant we got to go in about a half hour before everyone else, so our spots were really good.

My early entry wristband.

Because we got early entry, we ended up in second row!!! It was awesome. The people who were in the first row were the meet and greet people, which was understandable.

This is how far we were from the stage without zoom. Isn't that crazy?!

The concert started at 8, but there were four opening acts before Mac: The Internet, Vince Staples, Chance the Rapper, and Earl Sweatshirt. The only person I had heard of before was Earl Sweatshirt, but I had never listened to any of his music before. Surprisingly, the opening acts were pretty good! I just didn't like how there were so many because it took forever before Mac finally came on the stage.

This concert was a standing-room only concert, which was how I got so close. People were absolutely crazy. They tried to push way up to the stage just to get closer, and everyone was on top of each other. The concert last year wasn't this bad, but I think it's because I wasn't as close last year. When Earl Sweatshirt, the last opening act, came on, everything got worse. I couldn't breathe, my hair was pulled, and I was covered in sweat. I actually almost fainted, but then someone got an EMT and I had to get pulled out of the crowd by the EMT. I then had an asthma attack (I have wicked bad asthma, but I can't remember if I've told you guys that before), and I started hyperventilating. Luckily, the EMT was so nice and helpful and got me water.

I was wicked upset about that happening not only because it was scary but because I lost my spot. There was no way I'd be able to get back to where I was, and I definitely didn't want to because of what had happened. Fortunately, my soccer coach just happens to be the Head of Security at the House of Blues, so he hooked my friends and me up with VIP seating in the VIP box. How amazing was that?! We were in the VIP box the whole time Mac was on, and we had way more fun there than in the crowd because we were just as close, but we could actually breathe.

via Instagram

This is how close I was without zoom in the VIP box. I FREAKED.

Mac dancing!

Mac talking to the crowd.

Mac walking away.

Mac rapping.

My twin and one of our friends that went with us actually went to the same exact concert the next night! The concert was in Rhode Island, and they got meet and greet. MEET AND GREET. I couldn't go to the meet and greet, so I didn't get a ticket. I was SO jealous! They were in the first row that night, and they got a picture with Mac.

via Emily's Instagram

My twin meeting Mac Miller! Eek!

Do you listen to Mac Miller?

Review :: York Design Co.

Laura Dilibero, the owner of York Design Co., was an absolute sweetheart and sent me a cuff to review! York Design Co. is a brand that sells needlepoint cuffs. Laura makes all of them herself by hand. These cuffs have preppy, cute, and fun patterns to go with any outfit you want. The cuff I got was the Delta Zeta Turtles. I'm not a part of a sorority - I just loved the adorable little turtles!

Side view of the cuff.

Front view of the cuff.

I have a pretty small wrist, so I was thrilled when I noticed that the cuff really wasn't that big for my wrist. The cuff adds the perfect touch of preppiness to any outfit! I'm planning on wearing it with the pink Polo tee I have or the Lilly Pulitzer Callahan shorts I have in Ice Cream Social. Either way, it's an adorable accessory!

I'm obsessed with all of the animal cuffs that Laura made. I don't know why, but I'm just so attracted to them. I think it's because they're just so preppy and bright! The other ones I love are...

{Whale of a Time} The navy and green combination is just perfect. It can go with virtually anything! I also have a slight obsession with whales. It matches exactly the J. Crew sweaters that Caroline and Frannie have!

{Sea Horses} Although sea horses are too cute and I love this bracelet, I don't think I could justify buying it. I don't have many clothes that are just pink, just blue, or just yellow, so I wouldn't be able to wear it much.

{Later Gator} This cuff is just like the one I have, which is why it's so great! Pink and green are always a perfect combination, and I would get plenty of uses out of this cuff because the amount of pink and green outfits I have are endless.

{Don't Be Crabby} This one is definitely my favorite. Why, you may ask? Because you can never go wrong with navy and pink. Seriously! It's just so chic and perfect.

Which cuff do you love from York Design Co.?