Written in the Stars

I've never really been the superstitious type.

  Sure, I make a wish at 11:11 when I happen to notice it, but I don’t believe in ghosts or fortune tellers or that nonsense.  The only thing I really do the could be considered superstitious or ritual-y of any sort, would be how I religiously read my horoscope daily.  I find everyway it applies to my life, right down to me breaking a nail.

I think it has something to do with the stars. 

I’ve always loved a clear night, laying on the dock at the lake and just looking at the stars.  Or sitting at the playground I grew up on because there are no street lights to ruin the sky.  There’s just something about the stars that calms me. 

When visiting New Zealand about a year ago, there was a fire alarm at like, 3 in the morning, or something and I remember being so cold and wishing I was asleep and then I looked out over the bay in Paihia and just being thankful.  I stopped thinking about what was going wrong and started appreciating what was going right.  For heaven’s sake, I was in New Zealand. I was seeing the world, with my family, in a way that many people can only dream of. 

I once told a friend, “Look at the stars. Ill let you in on a secret. Stars are always there. No matter where you are in the world, Atlanta, New Zealand, Israel. The stars are always there. No matter how you're feeling or who you're with, take a second and just look at the giant sky and remember everything will work out.”

Just remember, everything will work out.

xox

Char

p.s. You can't imagine my excitement when I got into my bed the first night of college and realized the person before me had left glow in the dark stars all over my half of the ceiling.  It's like it was meant to be.

The art of Gameday Dresses

Gameday in the south is quite an event.
Whether you're tailgating in the frat lots or watching the parade of players into the stadium, eating your heart out or drinking it down, watching from the student section or on a small television hooked up to a generator, it's an experience to experience.

A girls biggest concern on a saturday morning is what to wear. Isn't that always a concern? 

Here at South Carolina, tradition is to wear black dresses and cowboy boots. Why, you may ask? Nobody actually knows.  At this point, I've been through about 5 black dresses, worn one twice, spilled god knows what on my cowboy boots, and scrubbed off too many tattoos from my face.

Sorry for the picture overload in advance...

 || Stacy ||

 || J.Schamay & Carol at UGA ||

|| Taylor & Jenny ||

 || Future roomies and Caroline's dad ||

|| Kaela, Caroline & Erin ||

My favorite dresses are from Hope's, Tobi, and J.Crew.

Any suggestions?

xox

Char

The art of Halloween: college freshmen

Questions you may ask yourself:

In highschool: 

When is my mom going to drop me off? Who is going to throw a party?  What should I wear from the costume store? 

In College:

Which frat party should I go to? Which bra is the prettiest to wear without my shirt? Slutty cat or just slut? When should I start drinking? What is the least amount of clothes I can get away with?

Now, for me, I'm somewhere in between high school and college still.  I'm not quite comfortable bearing all, nor do I want to wear a costume from Party City.  

Here are some of the ideas that I actually consider good costumes.

 beanie babies

social media icons

And what Caroline and I were last year...

Trailer Trash and Lumberjack 

 Cat and Mouse

Baby Juleigh

Slightly wishing I was at home trick or treating with Juleigh Jeanette, but I'm gonna make the most of my first college halloween!

What are you being for halloween?

xox

Char

Let Freedom Ring

It's been a while. I know, I know, I really should update more often.  But I'm still getting the handle on this whole college thing. 

College is a blast.  

Everyone always says how fun it is but you can't even begin to understand it until you're actually in college.  The parties, the friends, the spontaneity.  All combined, who needs sleep anymore? (me actually) But there is also a lot that you have to keep track of, especially without your mom to tell you to do your homework.  You have to watch what you're eating, stay on track of school work, figure out a balance between missing home and loving your new home.  It can be a lot.  I only just recently went home and realized how much I missed my family and friends.  

Also, boys. 

Unfortunately, my ex and I go to the same university (Let's be clear... I committed first). And naturally we thought it would be good to try again (never a good idea). If you are in the same situation ever, just don't do it. For your own mental health.  But I've finally sorted it out, and all I can say is I'm so thankful for my friends, new and old, who supported me throughout that hot mess.  It ended amicably and I'm happy it happened, but I'm slightly relieved to be done.  I've grown a lot in college and I like where I am now on my own.  

Oscar Wilde always says it best

What's on your mind today?

xox

Char

Progress

I ran!

That sounds really sad that I'm so excited but it's the first physical activity I've done since my shoulder surgery in early July.  I ran 1.7 miles through campus and my shoulder didn't hurt once! 

So I've passed the first hurdle.  I finally got around step one of recovery and reached my goal to be able to run and I'm just so dang happy about it!  

I am definitely the girl that takes things as a sign of what's to come, like the stars and good omens and all that nonsense.  So the fact that I was able to run the majority of 1.7 miles opens up my mind to more and more possibilities! My next goal is to not gain the freshmen fifteen...

8 short weeks ago... || insta ||

What's your goal?

xox

Char

Just Say Yes

my current motto, because what's better than being able to say yes?

I'm quite the OCD control freak, so saying yes and just going with the flow is a very difficult task for me.  But I'm working on it, step by step, and I'm so happy I'm allowing the college experience to take me for ride!

Things that worked out because I said yes:

Roommate invited me to dinner? met a group of people I love

Professor wouldn't let me drop a class? learned I actually can speak french if I try

Said yes to try being friends with my ex?  realized I can take care of myself (I don't need no man)

Accepted a bid to a sorority? found a group of women that aren't petty, mean girls

Applied for freshmen council? asked back for the second round interview (fingers crossed!)

Invited on a spontaneous beach trip? spent the day with a siberian husky puppy

Everything is working out in its own way, even if it's not how I planned it.  I've honestly been so blessed with new people and new experiences in the past two weeks, I can't wait to see what the rest of the year has planned for me.

SO, all in all, just say yes. Try new things. Be spontaneous.
Put the OCD control freak away.

 || Brianne and I at a soccer game ||

 || Amazing new sisters on Bid day ||

  || Fellow new members, baby turtles ||

 || First frat party with my girls ||

 || Athena, aka the cutest husky puppy I've ever seen ||

What have you said yes to lately?

xox
Char

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Three Choices, Pick two

At some point in time, we have all come across this image.  Whether it was posted to pinterest or tweeted on twitter, I always figured I could do it all.

Obviously, as an overzealous freshman, I want to have it all.  I want to meet everyone, go out all the time, study hard, and nap all day.  

Ha. Okay Charlotte.

Half way into my first true week of classes, I'm realizing that that is not actually possible.  My sleep is definitely suffering, but I'm enjoying my new friends and classes too much to give them up!  I'm starting to get strep throat, in which case I'll be forced to actually sleep so it's a blessing in disguise.

Hopefully, I'll get more time soon!

Which two would you choose?

xox

Char