Tune Out!

I’m currently sitting here in a Starbucks studying. Well honestly, I’m not really studying. I can’t study in places like this! I have such a hard time focusing in public places where a lot of people are moving around me. Even when I'm in the library I have to force myself to go to a super quiet private section so that I don't end up talking to people! (I'm also totally guilty of getting on Facebook or other blogs every five minutes… Oops!) 

I do however have a few tricks that keep me pretty focused in these kinds of places. Here they are!

1. Headphones

Headphones are my life saver when I'm studying and this is for multiple reasons actually! For one, they act as a kind of leash to keep me tethered to my laptop. Even when I'm in my room I try to listen to music on headphones because I have less of a tendency to get up! Music definitely keeps me working. I stick to upbeat songs typically because it puts me in a faster work pace. I also enjoy listening to classical music when I'm writing papers. My latest study music has been Ben Rector and the Lumineers! My tip with headphones would be to make sure you have a pair that you could wear for hours. I have SkullCandy soft bud earbuds. These don't hurt my ears as much as the Apple earbuds do. Tons of my friends have Beats but I'm not sure I could pull them off! Find the ones you can quite literally sleep in and you'll be good to go!

2. Earplugs

This is a semi-piggy back off the headphones if you're super dedicated. Some of my friends use foam earplugs while they're in the library and I definitely respect them for it. If you've got the guts to do this and study better when you're not listening to music, I think it's a great idea.

3. Drink Something!

This is great for studying but also in classes that are long and boring! Whether it's a Starbucks iced coffee or just a Tervis filled with water, sipping occasionally on a drink is a great way to break up the monotony of work or a lecture. It also is a great way to stay hydrated on those days that you're practically living in the library! For me it's also helpful to have something to munch on. I'm not saying eat a whole bag of potato chips but I do like to have a bag of trail mix or goldfish to munch on every once in a while. Just make sure you're not eating ridiculous amounts! In my room I usually eat a handful of grapes when I'm doing my readings. They're both healthy and act as a mini treat while you're studying away!

4. Self Control

This isn't what you think it is. Sure, I should probably have enough self control to force myself to focus however in all reality, most of the time I fall pretty short. I downloaded this app about a year ago called, well, Self Control. How it works is you enter a list of sites that you get distracted by. My list is embarrassingly long but it includes everything from J.Crew to Bloglovin to Facebook. Next you set a time that you want these sites to be restricted.  During finals I tend to turn it on for two hour intervals at a time. The catch is that once you turn it on, you can't turn it off until the timer runs out! Go big or go home!

Everyone has their own little ways to stay focused when doing work, especially in distracting places like Starbucks! What are your tips to tuning out distractions?

Emily

Long Story Short: Long Dresses Required

So one of the main reasons I chose to come visit PK this weekend is because of his formal tonight! He's been able to attend some of my formals at school however I've never gotten the chance to come experience his so I am so excited to be here! There are typically a large scale of dress requirements for formals ranging from sun dresses, to cocktail dresses to long dresses required. Tonight, long dresses are required. Apart from college formals, it is definitely important to have a long dress waiting in your closet in case of a wedding, party or fundraiser!

       

Obviously you're not going to be wearing a long formal dress every day of the week but if you invest in a high quality dress with a fairly classic silhouette you'll be able to wear it for years. Typically a high quality long dress is super expensive, at least for a college girl's budget! Hence why it is so necessary to invest in a dress that is truly going to last for a while! I'm all about going for a solid color. You can always change it up with your jewelry and shoes and give the dress a fresh new look!

J.Crew has mastered the simple and elegant long dress designs and these silhouettes aren't going out of style any time soon! The two styles featured here are the Megan Long Dress and Arabelle Long Dress both in silk chiffon. The floaty chiffon in a Grecian-style drapery is flattering on absolutely every body type and sure to receive tons of compliments! 

Feelin' Fancy!

Emily

     

Friday Finds! I Like Being 98.

I saw this video the other day and absolutely fell in love with this woman. It's definitely one of those videos that you find yourself smiling while watching it. Her attitude and generosity is so refreshing in a culture that is increasingly growing more individually minded. I think we all could learn a lot from this woman. Her sense of community contribution is inspiring and she absolutely radiates happiness, enthusiasm and positivity. You don't have to do something elaborate like heading to the DMV but hold the door open for someone today or pick up a dropped book. Spread the love and I hope this video makes you smile.

Emily

On the Road Again

Last night I headed out onto the highway to see my guy. I was originally planning on sleeping in a little this morning and then leaving later today at a reasonable hour but I just needed to get on the road. I ended up packing my car last night pretty late (well really late) for a considerably long drive of 5 hours. However, if you've ever been in a long distance relationship you would understand. There are truly no words to describe how much you can miss a person. After spending over a month apart I couldn't wait till Friday. I couldn't wait till the morning. When I'm going to see him driving at night doesn't really bother me. The anticipation of seeing PK is always enough motivation and excitement to keep me awake.

So now I'm here and I can't tell you how good that feels.

It might be a little crazy taking off two days of school with finals looming but I'm in desperate need of a break. Honestly it felt really good to just up and leave. I was getting overwhelmed with my workload and the amount that I was starting to miss PK was dragging me down even further. I will still be able to stay on track here even if it is a few hours away from school. When he's in class I'll be cranking out a paper and studying for a test next week. There's nothing like studying with him. It makes me feel like we're a normal couple!

If I could give anyone advice on a long distance relationship it would be: it's possible. There are so many negative assumptions of the feasibility of long distance relationships in college. If you're committed, there's no reason it can't work. It is hard. I can't put into words how hard it is to go through stressful days or even happy days without having your best friend there to share it but I can tell you it is worth it.

Here's to a weekend of pure bliss,
Emily

The Staple Skirt

This skirt has definitely come to be one of my favorite pieces in my closet. I love dressing in skirts more than anything and a simple versatile piece can go a long way. The J.Crew Linen mini shown here gets an A+ from me! They go with absolutely everything and I mean it, absolutely everything! I've definitely done it all. I've paired them with button downs, blouses, t-shirts {seen here}, sandals, heels, flats and sneakers!

As of now I have two of them, a pink and a navy. I like having the neutral tone because it can easily go with any ensemble but the pink is a great statement piece and certainly brightens up any day! Now that I already have a basic color I'd like to collect a few more bright punchy colors. (I'm totally eyeing that black and white striped skirt on the right!)

The Linen Mini is sold both in J.Crew and J.Crew factory stores! Each store features different colors of the same staple piece, however *cough, cough*, the J.Crew Factory skirts are half the price of the regular store! Each of mine are from the different stores and I honestly cannot tell any difference. I'll go for two skirts for the price of one any day!

These staple skirts are truly perfect for spring and can easily transition into summer and fall. As I said before there are literally a million ways to style this skirt whether you want it dressier or super casual and paired with some Chucks! I mixed and matched some outfits to really show you how versatile they are. I'm going to definitely be taking the plunge and investing in another one of these staple pieces soon, now I just have to decide on the color!

Do you have any staple pieces that you love to mix and match?!

Emily