Back to School: Pack it or Tote it?

Whew! Can you believe it? It's time to go back to school! Time to pack up your new bedding, that overflowing box of frames, time to convince your Mom that you really need to bring all 50 pairs of shoes and time to try to squeeze in that last suitcase of t-shirts into your overflowing trunk. So while you're packing all of these obviously necessary essentials don't forget one of the most important things you're going to need at school… something to carry all those books! Whether you're running to class or running to the gym you're going to need something thrown over your shoulder and why not do it in style? Each of these options have that perfect balance between practical and cute! Now all you have to decide is do you want to pack it or tote it?

Personally, I have a few totes at school as well as my trusty backpack. I love having my {LL.Bean backpack} for those rainy days when I'm lugging way too many books to the library for a long night. I've had it since high school and it's held up all these years however I am eyeing some of these {Herschel Supply Backpacks}! While I always have my backpack stored away for large book hauls, I like to change it up for classes. One of my absolute favorite totes is an embroidered {LL.Bean tote} hat I got as a gift from my sorority Big! It feels especially scholastic and the sturdy sides can keep their shape even under the weight of my laptop! I also keep an assortment of Large {Longchamp Le Pliage's} because they're my ultimate go-to! Their simple colors can go with any style and they're also super easy to clean (big plus)! For some other options to carry your books in style, that would look even better with personalized embroidery, check out {this adorable backpack} and {this preppy tote} from Marley Lilly! (Girls, keep these in mind for sorority gifts!) How cute are they?!

You definitely don't have to sacrifice your style with these practical yet stylish backpacks and totes, so what's your style? Do you pack it or tote it? What do you plan on lugging your books to and from the library in this semester?

Emily
{See image links here}

                   

What's on the Agenda?

It's that time of year again. You're starting to scour through the heaven that is the Target school supplies aisles, searching for your first day of school dress and most importantly looking for the new year's agenda. Cherry. On. Top. Despite how silly it may sound it really is a big decision!

I'm a big list person. Everything I do has to be written down. I always have a handful of random journals on me to keep track of homework, errands, things to remember and important dates however my agenda is where it all comes together. I combine all of these little scribbles in my other notepads onto a much cleaner and much easier to visualize layout. I carry my agenda with me everywhere and it's one of the first things I look at when I wake up and one of the last things I put down when I go to bed. To say that my agenda is this important in my life sounds utterly pathetic but it's really always around. And that, is why this silly-sounding difficult agenda decision is, well, not so silly. 

For the past few years I was a tried and true Lilly agenda owner. I loved the doodles and quotes on the inside but I decided to change it up this year. I went for the {Large Kate Spade Bella Bookcase} Agenda. I did this for a few reasons. For one, my Lilly agenda seemed almost too-preppy for my taste (as hard as that is to believe). I wanted something a little more toned down and a little more grown up. The bookcase cover is so cute with some of my favorite books actually drawn on the shelves! I also liked the fact that this hard cover encased the pages providing a little more protection against a year of toting's wear and tear. This time I also opted for the Large size as opposed to the Medium. I originally ordered the smaller size and upon arrival I decided to trade up. The Kate Spade Medium pages are slightly smaller than that of the Lilly and I like a lot of room to write. The several inches larger do not make the planner any less convenient to carry around and the extra space was worth the few extra dollars. All in all, I'm super excited on my decision and I'm already shocked that the August calendar is already filled. Yikes!

To help some of you all out on your quest for the oh-so-perfect-agenda I provided a few links {click on the image above} to some adorable designs with great page layouts. A cute agendas is a little way to spice up a boring stack of books in your backpack as well as keep everything super organized!

What agendas are you liking for this school year?

Emily

            

Surviving Community Showers in College

Community showers were one of the major things that I was dreading when I first came to college. Just everything about it seriously gave me the creeps. Freshman year I was lucky enough to get a suite-style dorm room and live the high life for a year before getting the appalling news sophomore year that I was going to be slumming it in the community stalls. Yuck! As surprised as I am to say this: It really isn't that bad…

In honor of the summer slowing down and all of the new freshmen girls' nerves gearing up I thought I'd put together a few tips on how to survive community showers in college:

1. Shower Shoes! Shower Shoes! Shower Shoes!
I really can't say it enough. I wouldn't want to know the types of bacteria that are on the floors of those showers. Yuck! Make sure shower shoes are on your Back to School checklist because you're going to want them! Old Navy has super cheap flip-flops in a variety of colors. Pick out some cute ones because you're going to be seeing them every day! I switched mine after the first semester in an effort to stay on the safe side!

2. Get a shower caddy!
A shower caddy is another necessity. In my dorm we all keep our toiletries on shelves in the bathroom but we still need something to drag our shampoo from the shelf to the shower! I would recommend getting a cloth shower caddy. I'm not into having to bend down to grab my conditioner! A cloth caddy allows you to hook the handles onto the knobs of the shower and thus, no more bending over! Another tip is to shake the shower caddy before you set it back down for the day. Try to get rid of any excess amounts of water sitting in the bottom in order to prevent the cloth from molding! Toss it in the laundry every once in a while and it'll last all semester!

3. Nice Shampoo is a blessing!
Obviously shampoo is a basic necessity however I have two sets of shampoo that I like to use. I have a daily shampoo that I use during the weekdays. It's for the early mornings so that I can throw it in my hair and wash it out quickly knowing that it is going to get my hair nice and clean in time for that 8 AM class however, when I have a little extra time, usually on the weekends, I use a nicer more expensive shampoo. On a college kid's budget I don't have the money to be paying for Aveda every other week but I can treat myself every once in a while and Sunday mornings are those perfect occasions.

4. Invest in a robe!
After I get out of the shower I hardly ever take the time to really dry myself off. Once I'm done in that community room I scurry out as quickly as possible! This basically means that by the time I get back into my room I'm absolutely freezing! I like to be able to throw on a good quality bath robe or wrap that will soak up some of the extra water while I'm starting to get ready!

5. Microfiber towels = time saver!
These towels are such a lifesaver when I'm running late in the morning! I keep my hair wrapped up in a small microfiber towel for as long as I can while I'm picking out clothes and putting on makeup. I know the rule that you're supposed to put your makeup on last but I try to squeeze out any extra minutes I can to let my hair dry on it's own!

6. High quality towels are worth it!
I thought my mother was totally insane when she insisted on buying me five bath towels for my room but I am so thankful that she did. It allows me, more or less, to use a different towel every day. There's nothing worse than having to dry off with a damp, mildew-y towel! Lots of stores have discounts on towel sets starting in July so take your time and pick out ones you like. Check the quality to make sure they will stand up in those industrial washer and dryers at school! Also remember to get one long enough that will keep you covered and confident when you're walking through the halls of your co-ed dorm to your room!

7. Pump up the heat!
This is a personal tip that made my early mornings much more bearable! Every morning I would turn the heat up in my room right before I headed off to the showers. By the time I showered, got out and took the hall-and-a-half trek back to my room through the icy hallways I was welcomed into a semi-toasty room! If you can control the temperature in your room look into doing this!

8. Makeup remover. Trust me.
Here's another tip I learned from experience! Use a bit of makeup remover before you jump in the shower. I once spent 10 minutes talking to a girl in the hallway after I had gotten out of the shower and as soon as I got back to my room and looked in the mirror I found out that I had black makeup dripping all down my face! Needless to say I was absolutely HORRIFIED! Swipe a bit of eye makeup remover across your eyes before you head out into the hall and you'll be glad that you did!

Hope some of these tips will help you out when dealing with those icky community showers! Do you have any tips from your dorm-life experiences?

Emily