Summer Reads For Every Mood

I always get so excited when I'm out of school for the summer because it means that I finally have time to knock books off of my to-read list! I'm a sucker for any young adult book involving romance, but I'll pretty much read anything that sounds good and interesting to me.

The good thing about keeping track of books that I want to read is that all of the books on my list are different from each other; I like to switch it up! Check out my list of books below to read depending on the mood you're in.

What are some of your favorite books to read in the summer? Hoping to add some more to my list!

Blog Name Conflict

Almost two years ago, I thought about changing my blog's name. I do like Private School Prepster and the way it flows, but I have the desire to change it. I'll be attending a private college as well, but I won't be in private school forever. I would love to come up with a name that really describes me but can also be viewed as fresh, simple, and mature.

My biggest worry is losing loyal readers and followers. I feel like the people who do read my blog really know me as "Private School Prepster," and changing my brand could cause a lot of confusion and mislead people. However, I do like the idea that coming up with a new name and brand could open up new possibilities of what I could write about. I definitely still have the same preppy style, but are all of my posts about preppy clothes and brands? No. There are a couple of names that I love and would definitely like to possibly try out.

I really want to decide soon if I should keep Private School Prepster or totally rebrand because I'm itching to buy a domain name and completely redesign the blog. Although it may be hard to switch over and keep readers if I do change my name, I can definitely market it through social media and blog posts. Decisions, decisions!

What do you think I should do? Stick with Private School Prepster or start fresh?

2016 Lilly Pulitzer Agendas

I always look forward to the start of summer because Lilly officially releases their new agendas! It's always so exciting to see which patterns are chosen to be in agendas as well. Although the agendas aren't officially released yet, they can be preordered. Preorder your own here: http://bit.ly/1KyHho0

one // two // three // four // five

I'm definitely going to need a new agenda since I'll be starting college in the fall and double majoring! The hardest part is choosing which one to get!

Which agenda is your favorite?

High School Reflection

It's so bittersweet knowing that today is finally graduation day. After looking back on it, I've realized that high school has definitely been four of the best years of my life so far. I have made amazing friends, had the best memories, and been with the sweetest guy these past four years. There are so many lessons I've learned during my time in high school that I would love to share with any incoming freshman or gal already in high school!

one // the people you surround yourself with now may not be around forever

My friends freshman year are completely different from the friends I have now. I have nothing against the girls that I used to hang out with; we still get along very well. I just didn't feel like I had much in common with them, which is why I have the friends I have now. High school is all about trial and error when it comes to finding the perfect group of people to hang out with, especially for me since I only knew about five people when I came to my school. It's okay to not stick around with the same people as long as the people you choose to be with make you happy.

two // grades aren't everything

I'm fortunate enough to say that I'm graduating as 8th in my class. I worked hard in school freshman year and worked even harder sophomore year. I worked so hard sophomore year that I was always doing homework and studying, I rarely had time for friends, I freaked out if I got any grade on a test or quiz that was less than an A-, and I had an unreal amount of stress. That year really caused me to open my eyes and realize that grades are not everything. Yes, it was a super rewarding feeling to end the year with all As. But it wasn't worth my misery and stress. I did try during my junior and senior years, but I didn't freak out about grades. I can honestly say I was so much happier the last two years. The fact that I didn't push myself too hard and still ended up as 8th in the class just proves my point.

three // always say yes

There were often times that I would be asked to go somewhere or do something, but I would be tired and want to stay home. I would go out 50% of the time I was asked, which I would say is a good ratio. Unless you really don't feel like going out, always say yes to plans. Spontaneous plans make the best memories. High school is pretty much the only time you can truly enjoy yourself and have fun before you need to step into the real world.

four // look for opportunities

High school is full of opportunities. Take them. Got asked to be on yearbook committee? Join to show your love of graphic design. Want to get a job? Apply to a ton of different places in order to have money for hanging out with friends. Love playing sports? Join a team to get exercise. You never know when you'll find something you love.

High school was definitely a rollercoaster, but the good absolutely outweighed the bad. I'm so thankful for everything I've learned these past four years, and I can't wait to see what the next four years has in store for me!

Senior Prom

My senior prom was last Thursday and it was so much fun! It was held at the Newport Mariott. At first I was iffy about having prom there since it's about an hour to an hour and a half away from my school, I'm so glad that it was there because the hotel was beautiful. I wish I had taken pictures of the hotel and the room we were in, but unfortunately my phone ended up dying.

I loved my dress, hair, and makeup. I wanted something simple yet chic, and I knew those would all look great together. Here are some pictures from the night!

How was your prom?

Graduation Dresses

With graduation coming up on Thursday (!!!), I have loved putting together outfits for the end-of-senior-year events that come with it: honors night, Baccalaureate, memory night, the actual graduation, and my graduation party.

I bought my graduation dress at the end of the summer last year during Lilly's sale, which I'm so happy that I did because all of my friends are struggling to find the perfect dress! I am yet to even take the tags off my dress, so I'm so excited to finally wear it. Girls usually wear dresses that are pretty neutral for graduation, so I've put together a list of options.

Which dress is your favorite?

7 Ways to Build Relationships in the Blogging World

As a blogger, it's super important to build relationships with other bloggers and brands. Doing so will not only get your blog out there but also open up so many more opportunities for you, whether it be doing a collaboration with another blogger or working with a brand to do a product review.

Here are seven ways that you can easily network in the blogging world to get those vital connections.

ONE // JOIN FACEBOOK GROUPS

Joining Facebook groups is easily one of the best things ever. There are so many Facebook groups out there that cater to different areas of blogging, such as your location, what type of blog you have, your age, etc. These groups are a great way to market your posts, meet other bloggers, attend blog events, get brand sponsorship opportunities, and so much more. My favorite groups are the Her Campus Blogger Network (apply to be in the network here), Millennial Blogger Network, and FBL. I tend to not like Boston-based Facebook groups because I have found that the majority of the members are adult bloggers. Finding the right Facebook group(s) for you is a lot of trial and error; you have to pick to see which ones you do and don't like.

TWO // PARTICIPATE IN LOOP GIVEAWAYS

Loop giveaways are a great way to gain more followers on Instagram and expose your blog/business. The point of a loop giveaway is to team up with a bunch of other bloggers and businesses and chip in a certain amount of money to buy a really nice item to give away. In order for a person to participate in the giveaway, they must follow everyone who is hosting the giveaway on Instagram. This is a quick and efficient way to expose your Instagram account and gain more followers, which in return will lead your new followers to your blog. The only thing that is a downside to loop giveaways is having to pay your way to host it; depending on how many people want to host it, you could either be paying anywhere between $15-$50. However, loop giveaways can also get annoying; people get frustrated with the bloggers who host one at least once a week because it is basically just a way for them to get "fake" followers. Participate in one every once in a while!

THREE // COLLABORATE WITH OTHER BLOGGERS

A common way to collaborate with other bloggers is through outfit posts. Know of a blogger who has a similar style to you? Reach out to them and see if you two have any similar clothing pieces that you could use in a collaboration! Collaborating with another blogger will allow you to get to know each other better, and it opens your blog up to their blog audience.

FOUR // DO PRODUCT REVIEWS FOR COMPANIES

One of my favorite parts of blogging is doing product reviews for brands. It isn't because I get free items out of it; I just love connecting with other brands that are similar to my style and giving them exposure. Chances are the brand will share your post on their social media channels, allowing their customers to find your blog and read it.

FIVE // ATTEND MEETUPS AND EVENTS

Attending blogger meetups and events is so fun. There are so many times that a company will host an event and invite bloggers to. If you find an event that interests you, attend it! They're always so much fun, and you're bound to meet other bloggers. (Side note: The HCBN is great for informing Boston bloggers about events like these!) Blogger meetups are great to attend as well. Information about these meetups can often be found in the Facebook blog groups that are specific to your location. You can even set up your own meetups if you know of a few bloggers in your area that you'd like to meet. Rachel and I have been dying to meet for coffee once I get out of school!

SIX // WRITE GUEST POSTS

I used to always have other people guest post on my blog and I used to guest post on other people's blogs, but I've been so busy that I don't have the time to plan them out. If you find a blogger that you really like and have a similar style blog to her, email her and ask if you can write a guest post for her or have her write a guest post for you! You both will benefit from this because you will be exposed to different audiences. Plus it's nice to switch things up every once in a while and have your readers read things from a different person's perspective!

SEVEN // CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media is definitely the easiest way to connect with other bloggers and brands. Love a post that one of your favorite bloggers had today? Tweet a link to it and tag them in it. Obsessing over a brand's clothing line? Feature it on your Instagram. There are so many ways to connect on so many different social media platforms that it's just easy! You'll gain more followers and allow other people to see your blog.

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One thing to remember when connecting in the blogging world is to not just think of only yourself; think of how these relationships could benefit the other blogger or brand. If a relationship is beneficial to someone else, chances are he or she will want to keep this connection with you!

How do you build relationships in the blogging world?

Lilly's New Arrivals Favorites

I was so excited when I got an email in class today from Lilly announcing that their new arrivals are here! I'm so obsessed with the items, as usual. I may just have to treat myself to something as a gift for getting through these past couple of rough weeks!

What are your favorites from the new arrivals?

College Decision Day

Although college decision day was last Friday, I didn't get to do a post on here because of how busy I've been. However, I am super excited to announce that Stonehill College will be my home for the next four years! I'm extremely grateful for the opportunities that came with my acceptance here, and I plan on double majoring in marketing and communications.

After facing months of stress trying to figure out where to go, it was so nice to finally be able to reach a decision. I can't wait to see what the future holds!

Blog Break

I feel that my blog breaks are becoming far too frequent and I don't like that! Unfortunately, I had to take a blogging break for the past two weeks because I have been super busy. I had a huge paper for my AP Lit final due last Friday, I've had AP exams for the past three days, and my last day of classes is next Thursday.

Luckily my last day of AP exams is today, and I only have two finals to take after classes end, so I will have much more time to blog! I have really been trying to blog more, but with the ridiculous amount of schoolwork that I've had, I've felt that it's more important to get all of that done.

I'm super excited to get more fun content up on the blog for all of you! Thanks for staying patient through all of this craziness! XO