November Update

Do you ever get to the point where you just have so much to do you can't get anything done? The past couple of weeks have been insane, somehow I blinked and it had been ages since my last blog post.  Blame it on a combination of school and life, this semester especially has been a lot of work.  In my school, and because of my major, sophomore year is traditionally the hardest year.  As an acting major this is the last year of "primary training" before you go on to "advanced training" so this is the time they load us up with work to make sure everyone is committed to the program and the major. I have already had several friends decide this major is not for them. There are no hard feelings, especially during sophomore year, some people love the work and some people don't, better to find out now than after you've graduated with a degree you don't want!  I love what I am doing; I just had more hours in a day to do it.  I have to admit, I have been fighting guilt the past few weeks after putting Handbags & Heartbeats on the back burner.  I am a passionate person and when I do something I love I want to put as much into it as possible.  When I could barely finish my papers on time, much less write a blog post, I knew it was important for me to take a little break and focus on my studies at hand.  This is a fun past time for me, I am really excited to finally be caught up on work and have the time to write fun and interesting blog posts for y'all to read! I hope you enjoy this as much as I do; I appreciate every single one of you reading this.  I am proud of myself for continuing to blog as often as I can and I know that H&H will only continue to get better as I put more time and effort into it! Thank you for the support and thank you for being patient! I have some fun things coming your way this week, and in the weeks to come so stay tuned!! 

♥ Caro

Turning Twenty

I have always loved birthdays; they are a fairly big deal in my house. When I was younger it was always so fun to have a fall birthday because that meant I was able to celebrate in class with cupcakes! October is my favorite month, partly because of my birthday and Halloween candy (candy corn – yum!) and partly because the weather is always so perfect. Crisp cool air and the leaves beginning to change, it is my favorite time of the year.

{Delicious cake from Momofuku Milk Bar}

On Sunday, I turned 20… I know, ancient, right?! ;) I have to say, I did approach this year with some hesitation.  When I was little I couldn’t wait to be a teenager, it was all I talked about. Now that my teen years are officially over it is very bittersweet.  I am happy to be moving on to bigger and better things – I hear your twenties are the best years. But I also feel like I am leaving my childhood behind which is terrifying.  It’s easy to get freaked out by a birthday and worry that you’re not doing enough, or doing too much, or growing up too fast, or not growing up fast enough.  Pretty soon all you’re thinking about on a day devoted to you is how much you want the day to end.  After much thought, and a mild freak out over a possible grey hair, I came to the realization that birthdays – no matter the year – are honestly great.  I have never felt so loved and appreciated as I did on Sunday when I received phone calls, text messages, and Facebook posts from friends all over the country. From people I saw that day, to people I haven’t seen in years, with every post and comment I grew more and more excited to turn 20. My friends helped make my weekend incredible – taking me out, enjoying brunch with me, and giving me the most thoughtful gifts that were so perfect and sweet. Looking back, I think I can safely say this has been my best birthday yet. I am excited to see what my 20’s have in store and I am looking forward to continuing this journey with such incredible people by my side!  

{Ringing in my 20's with my favorite girls by my side - and brunch, of course!}

{Looks like 20 isn't so bad after all}

♥ Caro

20 Questions

I thought it might be fun to do a quick post to let you get to know me a little better! 

1. Do you have any pets? I have a Chocolate Lab, his name is Hershey
2. Name 3 things that are physically close to you. My cell phone, sticky notes, a pen
3. What's the weather like right now? Sunny now, it was raining this morning
4. Do you drive? If so have you crashed? I do drive when I am home, but not at school.  And I have never crashed *knock on wood*
5. What time did you wake up this morning? 7:30 to study for my midterm that was today - SO glad that's over!
6. Favorite flower? Hydrangeas, Peonies, or Roses 
7. What was the last movie you saw? I watched Matilda on TV a few weeks ago, ABC Family has had great movie line ups recently
8. Have you traveled recently? Where? Yes, I went home to South Carolina for fall break last weekend
9. Where do you buy your groceries? Whole Foods or Trader Joes (sometimes Duane Reade if I’m really lazy)
10. Are you allergic to anything? The pollen always gets me when the seasons change
11. How many siblings do you have? I have a younger brother. His name is Brad. (Hi Brad!)
12. Do you have a desktop computer or a laptop? Laptop (Mac, duh)
13. How old will you be turning on your next birthday? TWENTY! IN 10 DAYS! AHHH! :)
14. Do you wear contacts or glasses? Yes, both… Not at the same time, obviously.
15. Do you color your hair? Nope ~all natural baby~
16. What is your perfect pizza topping? Pepperoni! (I’m boring I know)
17. Which do you prefer-hamburgers or cheeseburgers? The real question is - why would you ever turn down cheese??
18. Have you ever had an all-nighter? Yep #college
19. What is your eye color? Hazel *cue the Kelly Clarkson
20. Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? YES I can, there is a huge difference, and for the record - Coke is better.

♥ Caro

College Football

Tailgating: the act of drinking beer and hovering over Chick-Fil-A nugget trays in a parking lot before a sporting event. Often in the South they can become lavish with oversized tents, large tables of food, televisions hooked up to generators, and a line of fresh burgers on the grill. 

A way to socialize before the game begins.

I grew up attending college football games at Clemson University.  My father went to school there and is a die-hard Tigers fan.  Every year during the season we would spend Saturdays in Clemson attending home games, tailgating and cheering from the stands. College football is a way of life and many people live for these games and enjoy every second – for a good reason.  There is a great sense of community that comes from these events.  Coming home for fall break I knew exactly where in the airport to find my gate because half the plane had Clemson gear on! I love my school and going to college in New York City is amazing, but I do have to say, when I am home for fall break and go to a Clemson game, part of me wishes I had the football weekends too.  The games are always exciting and you see everyone you know just by walking around.

{Every game begins with the team running onto the field!}

I am lucky to have friends at “real schools” so I can experience sporting events and tailgating too! My family still goes to the football games every Saturday and I get phone calls and snap chats about the people who stop by or the latest dish served. I feel like I have been able to have the best of both worlds.  My school has no football team (when you’re campus is New York City it’s a bit hard) and most of the people I meet here are from places where college football isn’t anything special.  Coming from the South where college football is everything, it’s a strange adjustment – you suddenly discover you have so much free time on Saturdays!  I experienced college football for 17 years of my life, now I am able to come back for breaks to get the student experience, visiting friends in school. It was great to be home for the break, tailgate and enjoy the game on Saturday.  I wouldn’t trade my own college experience in the city for anything – but you better believe I still cheer on my Tigers every Saturday in NYC!

♥ Caro

Shrug Off The Stress

I will admit I am very easily stressed out.  I blame my “people pleasing personality” – I always take on more than I should, then I have moments of panic when I think things won’t get done in time (of course, they always do.) I compiled a list of some of the best ways I have found to decompress and shrug off the stress after a long, hard day.  With midterms approaching, or maybe already here for some of you, I couldn’t think of a better time to share!

{This week I am especially missing relaxing nights like these at the lake!}

WATCH

Whether it’s a short YouTube clip to give your brain a little break, or an hour long show that you work into your schedule, I always find that watching something can help take my mind off of the source of stress at hand. 

MOVE

Stop sitting in the same place! Go for a walk outside, hit the gym, do a little yoga, or dance it out! As we all well know, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy…” (You can finish the rest, thank you Elle Woods!) Moving around and letting your mind focus on your body for a while is a great way to shake off that excess stress and mentally prepare for continuing to do your best!

READ

I love to read - magazines, books, blogs - you name it! I try to have a book on hand to read when time permits, but it’s hard with the reading I have already for school.  A magazine is great because it’s shorter and easy to flip through.  This will help take your mind off of things for a bit – plus you can fantasize about those gorgeous new shoes that came out this season!

CHAT

Cliché, I know, but I always call my mom when I’m stressed. Mostly because I know I can freak out to her and she won’t be annoyed.  It’s also nice to hear a familiar voice when you’re drowning in work.  Taking the time to talk to family or friends you haven’t spoken to in a while will provide a nice distraction.

CLEAN

I’ll admit this one is weird but I always find that cleaning helps me de-stress. I can’t focus if my apartment is a wreck (and during a stressful week, it typically is!) Taking the time to clean up, fold clothes, put dishes away, etc. can help clear your mind. Plus you can see the results right away; this is encouraging – especially when you’re stuck writing a paper or trying to move on to the next math problem.

Think of any tips I missed? Let me know in the comments your favorite ways to de-stress!  

♥ Caro