Slow down

It's as though it was just yesterday.  I was ten years old and talking on the phone to my best friend.  She lived across the street and we thought we were so cool and mature talking on the phone.  Then I was overcome with sadness, a sadness I didn't know existed at the time. My best friend, my other half, the girl I had seen every day since I was three was telling me she was moving. To London. England. Not another state, another city, but another country.

Yes, I know. A tad dramatic on my part, but I can honestly say that phone call changed my life.  That was eight years ago and I can tell you the weather and where I was sitting and every single detail surrounding that moment.

In the following weeks, we packed up her toys, her room, her sisters stolen stuff.  Then the boxes came and left, the dogs were taken for their immunizations, the house was rented out.  It was all a blur past that point, I can't even describe the goodbye, just the tears afterwards.

Little did our parents know, but they were in for a rude awakening.  We were not the type of girls to just give up on each other, not after seven years of friendship.  Almost yearly, I flew to London, she returned to Atlanta, we skyped, we called, we made it.

Now, as I sit in my childhood bedroom, reminiscing over my first semester of college, I find myself texting her.  As always, just being us, being completely one hundred percent honest, silly, weird, normal us. It's so odd to me how so much time has passed and one person has been here for so long.  I am eighteen years old and she has been there for me for fifteen years.  That is exactly five sixths of my life.

Now to the point, because I feel like there should be one, don't treat people like a chapter in your life. Yes, people come and go, we all know boys are not forever, but don't just give up on people.  Overcome those circumstances and try, if you can say you tried and failed, that's fine. But don't just let someone go, when they could be such an important part of your story.

Love you tons Kelcey, I'd be lost without you. (insert kissy face emoji here)

xox
Char

Leggings: Dos and Don'ts

I'm in a major love hate relationship with leggings.  On one hand, so comfy. On the other hand, leggings can go bad so fast. Like, lightning speed fast.

For those of us in college, leggings are a staple! Leggings, riding boots, and a nice flannel are the perfect combination for a long day of classes.

My favorite leggings are from Zara, check them out here!

 sweater || scarf || boots 

*only similar products, originals are old*

plain tee || flannel || boots

Thoughts on leggings?
xox
Char

Christmas in the dorms

As my friends slowly pack their bags and take their finals, I've started to notice how the dorms are emptying! It's weird to think that these people that I have spent every single moment of the past five months with won't be anywhere near me for the next month!

Obviously, with my anxiety, I had to get my christmas shopping done. As soon as possible.  I started with Caroline, Erin, and Kaela, then on to Caroline and Julia, then Jenny, then the family. And for those of you reading this in one of those groups, don't think I'll be giving anything away. (sorry bout it) 

The minute Jenny and I got our emails from the student packaging center, we rushed over to Russell.  After walking home in the cold, we went to my dorm room and immediately swapped gifts.

This is where it gets weird. We both got each other bracelets. Mine from C.Wonder and hers from Kate Spade.

The results couldn't be anything but beautiful.

From Char to Jenny

 Equestrian Stirrup Link Bracelet || C.Wonder

Horse Head Bangle || C.Wonder

From Jenny to Char

 Partners in Crime idiom bangle || Kate Spade

Partners in Crime idiom bangle || Kate Spade

The best part of my christmas present is that Jenny got the matching one in gold for herself and Taylor! It's true, we are partners in crime.  

What are you getting for your friends and family?

xox

Char

First Semester Recap

I can't believe I'm about to finish my first semester of college.  I feel so old! (but not as old as my brother who is graduating!) As I finish my last graphic design project, study for my one final, and prepare to say goodbye to my friends for a month (can't and won't), I'm thinking about all of the things I did in the past four months.  Here are my top five moments of my first semester of freshmen year.

1. Skydiving!
    Never in a million years did I think I would be the one convincing my friends to go skydiving! Heck, after falling off a roof (a story for another time), I never really intended to jump/fall off of or out of anything ever.  I'm so glad I did though because now I can say I did! Now don't get me wrong, I'll never do it ever, ever again, but maybe I'll consider bungee jumping now.

|| 14,000 feet in the air ||

2. Ryan's visit

    I really didn't think Ryan and I would have much of a relationship after he left for college when I was a senior, but he surprised me and now we are as close as we were.  I love that boy so much.  I still can't believe he drove to South Carolina to be my semi date.  All of my new friends loved him! I mean, come on, he had us dancing on tables! So much fun!

|| Shameless snapchat ||

3. Parents weekend
    As much as I miss and love my parents, I didn't really know how to plan for parents weekend.  How do you adjust your schedule to fit in parents, especially after so much freedom? Luckily, Caroline, Erin and Kaela's parents came as well.  All of our parents got along so well! We brunched and tailgated, we ate and drank (parents love giving you wine once you're in college), we just had the best time! It really solidified all of my friends and I living together next year.

|| Caroline's dad parties more than we do ||

4. Fall break
    I don't think I've ever been so excited to get in my bed.  For fall break, Jenny came home with me to Atlanta and we just lazed around all weekend.  A lot of my friends were home, as well as my brother and his friends, so it all just worked out! The distance really increased my appreciation for my high school friends and the friends I've made here at school.

|| insta ||

5. Clemson game
    I've already posted about the Clemson game and how you get sucked in, but it honestly was the most fun tailgate I've been to in a while.  Sometimes the fraternity lots can get a tad trashy (this week was no exception), but all the important people were in one place and we had a blast!

|| All the blondes ||

So that's it.  My top five moments of my first semester! Can't believe it's already over!

xox
Char

Sucked In

I didn't really get into football until my varsity cheerleading days.  I talk about the good ole days like they were so long ago, but it's barely been a year since our boys lost in the second round of state playoffs.  We weren't supposed to be good, so getting that far was a miracle that we all still celebrate.

Our only rivals were in different divisions than us. So our rivalry was pretty much no good considering we never played each other.  (great rivalry, I know) On that note, I never really cared about college football or state rivalries or any of that nonsense.  I knew I wanted to go to a big state school with a football team that wasn't the University of Georgia.  Don't get me wrong, UGA is a fantastic institution, but with 75 of the 400 in my graduating class attending, I just couldn't bring myself to join them. 

That's how I ended up at the University of South Carolina.  Oh boy, I had no idea what kind of football scene I was getting myself into or what kind of rivalries I had to start caring about (or face shunning). 

Little did I know, I would become absolutely enthralled by college football, gameday, and the SEC.  I started keeping up with weekly rankings (often retweeted on my twitter), checking score center while tailgating, and talking so much smack with my friends at other SEC schools.  I can't even pin point a place in time when this all started, but, at this point, I'm done for. 

Who even am I?

Back to rivalries, we all know about Auburn & Alabama, Georgia & Georgia Tech, Florida State & University of Florida, but the Palmetto Cup is underwhelmingly not well known.  Heck, I didn't even know about it until football season started.  At first, I thought the hatred for the tigers to be a little ridiculous. Like to wear orange? Clemsux. Purple Scarf? Clemsux.  Tiger at the Zoo? Clemsux.  Like I said, ridiculous. 

My view on this silly rivalry changed this past saturday.  I now understand how everyone gets so sucked in.  The atmosphere is, well, honestly... unexplainable.  Everyone is so into it! I was yelling "Clemsux" around every corner, dancing to every tailgates music, and just getting really pumped! I loved it! It was a great gameday!

All in all, get yourself to a rivalry game. You won't regret it.

xox

Char