May Intentions

April didn't really go how I wanted it to. I'm hoping for a fresh new start this May. I didn't put much thought behind my May Intentions, but here they are:

1. Eat out less
2. Learn how to budget myself
3. Meet with the ASC about my schooling
4. Rearrange my room
5. Obtain a new job
6. Finish Jillian's yoga video
7. Donate clothes to Goodwill
8. Buy new pillow cases
9. Buy rug for living room
10. Pick up more shifts at work (those paychecks look a looooot better)

Instagram

@leabeth7 on Instagram :)

I just sold out and got myself an Instagram. I've had a lovely day thus far. Baby sister came up and we had nothing to do. So we took one of my roomies Em and went to Amelie's in NoDa. It was so much fun! I instagrammed and we even got lost in Charlotte for a while. It was a blast! I love getting out.

Intention Update

As this month is almost halfway over, I think it's a good idea to look back over the past twoish weeks. Honestly, since I decided to just cut back on my sweet tea, I can't even tell if that's what happened or not! But whatever. I'm still drinking unsweet and water all the time, so I guess something's changed. I did get back into the gym which was amazing because I missed running like crazy. Yoga's been lovely. I'm in a ton of pain, but it's sooo worth it. I had to set up a massive queue on my Tumblrs, so those are fine. No new sunglasses yet, I actually forgot that I wanted some. Huh. I cannot stop gossiping! I just can't. I haven't really tried all that hard, but I just have to make a constant effort to remember not to do it. CandyCrush has been gone and it's not bad. The gynecologist appointment was easy enough. And I wrote a story...it's probably no good, but summer's coming and all I'll have is free time that I'll want to spend in the library, so let's see where that goes. 

Yoga Day One

As stated in my April Intentions, I have started doing yoga. Today was my first day of Jillian Michaels: Yoga Meltdown Level 1. It was so hard! I mean, I am in no way, shape, or form what one would call fit, but that was ridiculously difficult! I managed to make it through 15 minutes of Level 1 before I had to stop. I was sweating and out of breath. And my arms will KILL tomorrow! But I was not completely deterred and I started from the beginning and did another 15 minutes. Since I knew that to expect, I managed to do more without stopping as often. I'm hoping that soon I will work up enough arm strength so I won't have to take a break every time I have to do a push up. I hate those! But I will get toned and I will be able to finish that stupid 35 minute video before April is over.

April Intentions

My intentions for this month are simple:

1. Cut back on sweet tea. I've already cheated on Lent. May as well just make sure that I just keep it to a minimum.
2. Get back in the gym...this isn't under my control, but I'm hoping for the best.
3. Buy a new pair of sunglasses
4. Do yoga
5. Set up an appointment with the gynecologist (like an adult)
6. Write a story. It's been forever!
7. Delete CandyCrush
8. Hiatus from Tumblr for a month
9. Stop gossiping...but it's like telling me to stop breathing

Tassel Garland!

The other day, VP and I went to a party for a friend's birthday. Over her breakfast bar there was a strand of  tassel garland. VP and I were mesmerized. We found the girl who made it and after about 30 minutes of scouring Pinterest and Google, I finally found a tutorial on HGTV.com. They're super simple, but I like having guidelines to follow. VP and I were planning on stringing them all over our side of the apartment and maybe even the living room. They're just so cute! After procrastinating for about 2 weeks I decided it was time to finally make my own. I spent about half an hour in Target trying to pick out colors that I would like...that store is like crack; I had to make sure not to stray too far from the craft section. Spritz is my favorite brand! I can stand in the aisle forever! Anyway, I decided to make my own tutorial. Here it is!

First, you're going to need tissue paper (use as many different colors as you'd like), some twine, and scissors.

Next, take one piece of tissue paper and fold it in half (hotdog)...

Then fold it in half again (hamburger)...

 It should look like this when you're done!

Make sure that the longest folded side is at the top. After that you're going to take your scissors and cut from the open right side to the folded left side in strips. Be sure to leave at least an inch and a half uncut at the top. Make them as thin or thick as you want.

 Once you're done cutting, it should look like the picture below...

Now, unfold your tissue paper so that you can see all of your cuts...

Find the fold (it should be in the middle) and cut all the way down from top to bottom. This will give you two tassels.

Now, take one of those halves and unfold it. This was tricky for me. I couldn't get them all on one side without half of them folding in the opposite direction.

Next, you're going to start rolling. The rolls don't have to be super tight, but they shouldn't be big and loose.

Once you're done rolling your tassel, you're going to twist the section that you've rolled. I found that it was easier to twist in the direction that you rolled in. In other words, twist in the direction that is open.

When you're done twisting, fold your tassel in half. And then twist the sides together so that they become one pom-pom tassel with a loop at the top for the twine to go through.

Now that you've done your first one, make as many as you'd like!

String them up, and put on a show!

I hope that you found my tutorial helpful! I had such a blast making these and I can't wait to make more!

8 Days!

We are at T-minus 8 days until Carolina Cup! I'm obsessively checking the weather and I keep looking at my outfit because I'm not sure whether or not I should wear wedges or sandals. My roommate Em has decided to be the one in charge of the cooler (pics soon to come, I hope). She went back home to Charleston and has one of her best friends from home and her sister helping her. So far they've gotten a South Carolina state flag on the lid and our school logo on the side. I'm so happy that she's decided to take over on the cooler. With Cup it's practically a must and the painting itself is an art form.

I CANNOT WAIT! I keep getting little jolts of excitement when I think about it. I'm so happy that I got someone to work for me next Saturday. I mean, I had to cover her last Saturday and pull a double, but it will all have been worth it. I hope to take plenty of pictures. I'm not even going to pretend that I'm going to act like a lady. I will be inebriated and I will be loud and lovely. 

Now. I haven't the slightest idea as to what we're actually supposed to be bringing to Carolina Cup. VP made a somewhat master list that the future roomies laughed at, but it's mostly legit. I have my own list of things to buy for Cup and it goes something like this:

• vodka
• orange juice
• cranberry juice
• pretzels
• WATER
• sunglasses
• a cup I don't mind losing

And that's all I have so far. I think VP and I are taking a new roommate shopping with us.

Room Inspiration

I know that I'm only going to be able to decorate a bedroom, a bathroom, and maybe a hallway, but I'm excited and I've started looking at rooms that I've found on Tumblr as inspiration.

The Roommates

Big news!

(Back story: I have 3 roommates. Two of them are graduating in May and our lease is up in July. We have been looking for new roommates for a while, but the front office was doing most of the work. For months we didn't hear anything about anyone else who was looking for new roommates or wanted to live in our apartment complex. VP and I didn't want random roomies, but we weren't having luck with finding our own.)

Last week on Wednesday, my roomie VP and I were informed that there were two girls just down the hall who were also looking for two roommates. Their other two roommates had just gotten engaged (not to each other!) and they needed to have their rooms filled, too. We went down the hall to meet them and they opened their door right up. They were super nice and funny and didn't mind that VP and I practically made ourselves right at home. We kind of talked about a little bit of everything: the obligatory 'what's your major?,' how old everyone was, when we were graduating, how often they partied, who drinks?, are you in Greek life?, are you guys going to Carolina Cup?! (They are,  by the way. We're going to hang out.)

They were lovely, but this also brought up a serious issue. If we had two open bedrooms in our apartment and they had two in theirs, which pair of us would be the ones moving? Their living room and kitchen were significantly smaller than mine, but the bathrooms and bedrooms were bigger. And they had dark hardwood floors throughout the entire apartment! Our apartment has light wood in the kitchen and living room, tile in the bathroom, and carpet in the bedroom. At first, VP and I really didn't want to move out of our apartment. Naturally, we love it here! This is where we've had so many memories! From drunken dance parties to all of us 'studying' while watching Merlin. We were holding on to the hope that maybe they'd be so blown away by how big our group living spaces were that they would just drop all of their reservations about moving and want to live with us.

We had them come over to our apartment for a tour/getting to know you hangout on Friday. Unfortunately, they were not blown away by our large, bright living room or the fact that you could stand in our kitchen and not touch every appliance. We showed them our rooms and they were very unimpressed with the carpet and smaller rooms. But we got to talking and bonded over wine drinking and VP's awful sex friend. They had to have the lease signed by Sunday since one of the girls was going out of town and both parties were to discuss the issue of whether or not we were opposed to moving or if we'd just like to find 2 new randoms each.

VP and I tried to make a pros and cons list that night, but it mostly ended up being pros that were unrelated to the topic at hand. We had both decided that we really liked the girls and we wanted to be friends and roommates with them. You could say that we were already decided. And Sunday one of them asked what we had decided. I wasn't opposed to moving, I love new adventures! And I told her that. Later, VP told me that she didn't mind moving either and we told one of the girls and we agreed to move in with them. 

HOORAY! I'm so stoked! I'm looking at Tumblr for new room inspiration!

Sigma Alpha Epsilon (alcohol fueled)

So! I didn't get champagne, I got moscato, but for the sake of my blog's title, we'll pretend that it's champagne. I don't like how bitter champagne is anyway. I'm barely a drinker as it is. Unless I'm going out like I am tonight. I don't know what to wear! Right now I'm rocking a RL button down and some Nike shorts. You can't really go wrong.

I have been (forcibly) invited to a SAE party tonight. They're a new fraternity on my campus. I didn't want to go, but one of my coworkers is roommates with one of the members and she's more or less told me that I had to go with her. I obliged (who doesn't like a good frat party?) and I've invited two of my roommates. I've been drinking moscato (get Yellow Tail, it's cheap and tastes like sparkling cider) since about 7:30. I need to slow down before we go out. I'm already super tipsy, not quite drunk, but I can't really feel my teeth.

I haven't quite put together an outfit. I'm thinking my current shirt with a skirt? I haven't decided yet. I mean, it's more of a club-like atmosphere... and I don't mean Country Club. I mean gritty, dark, sketchy club. But whatever, I doubt that I'll see anyone that I actually care about tonight anyway. I'm just excited to make new friends. Maybe the SAE's are going to Carolina Cup, also! This would be considered networking... and WOW I'm good at typing when I can't feel my face... this is revolutionary. I now know that I can function properly while intoxicated (never driving, I promise).

Anyway, I'll post a picture of my outfit either tonight while I'm trying to get my lush roommates out the door or tomorrow when I'm (hopefully) fully rested and not hungover.

Have a lovely night!

Excitement!

My friends and I have already started putting our plans for going to Carolina Cup in action. VP has already asked off and I've already gotten my shift covered. Now only if Em would ask off... I have already gotten my outfit mostly together. I just want a pair of wedges. I'll post a pic of my dress/hat/necklace/bag later. I just really want some wedges! I feel like those are some of the most casual glam shoes ever.

At first I was worried about going to the Cup because we're not in a sorority and we wouldn't have a tent or a ton of people to take pictures with or hang out and drink with. But Em just told us about her friend who is a Tri Sigma and is taking a bus to the Cup. We'd start drinking at 7 in the morning and stay drunk all day! My one experience with day drinking ended with being blackout drunk by like 11 pm and having the most horrible hangover the entire next day. Hopefully this will go better. I'm hoping that they'll let us hang out with them for the afternoon. I'm so excited!

I feel like Carolina Cup is an experience that everyone should try out at least once. As I've never been, I feel like now would be the perfect time to go. I want to drink mimosas and vodka cranberries until talking to cute frat boys and maybe having a few flirtationships isn't a big deal for me. I'm definitely looking at this more like a giant party than a bunch of horse races...you know, the actual intention of the Carolina Cup instead of a bunch of college students drinking and having a preppy party.

Anyway, I cannot wait until MARCH 29! Wooo! Carolina Cup!!

Lent

Tomorrow starts Lent. I'm  not overly religious, but I still like to give something up every spring. This year my list looks like:

• No more sweet tea
• Cut back on gluten (again)
• Do stretches/yoga at least every other day
• Stop eating out as much
• Stop spending money on unnecessary things.
• Actually update this blog

I'd like to wish myself luck on this. Ughhh. I love lent as much as it stresses me out. I'll probably add some more things on there, but I'll probably forget them haha. Anyway, while I'm on the topic of making lists, I was thinking about making a Sex Bucket List. It was my friend Sarah's idea...but her name for it was much more vulgar. Anyway, I guess that I can upload my blog and put that on it...and actually get some champagne so that my name is more official.

Happy Lenting!

Snow Day!

This past week there has been snow. A crap ton of snow. And living in South Carolina, frozen water falling from the sky means slowing down to 15 mph and staying indoors for days on end. Classes were cancelled half way through Tuesday. I had to go to work, though. And after standing around for an hour talking to my co-workers, I was finally sent home.

Wednesday was COVERED in snow! It was so pretty! One of my foolish roommates decided to go to her job in Charlotte and then wanted one of us to pick her up... Let's just say that didn't go well, but she did get back before nightfall. During her absence, my other two roomies and I went out and played in the snow with the rest of my school's population. We send one of them down the sled in front of the guy that she doesn't like but keeps having sex with. And stood in line at Starbucks for 15 minutes before heading back to the apartment.

We've been out of school since Tuesday and all we've done is sit in the living room and watch How I Met Your Mother.

The Boot Search

First of all I'd like to start of by saying that I definitely won't be going to Boston for spring break. I won't have the funding if I have to pay for my books to go to class this summer. So, boo. Maybe I can invite myself to visit my aunt in Baltimore and she'll agree to a few days in Boston. Fingers crossed!

Anyway, a few weeks ago in the middle of January I went to Old Navy and saw this moderately cute pair of riding boots that were in this cognac color. I liked them, but I didn't get them -- a decision that I regretted as soon as I was back at school and too far away from them. I seriously considered calling my mother and asking her to buy them for me and then just let me pay her back...I told her this, and she said that she would have said no. That woman. Anyway, I wanted to go in search of them when my mother and sister came to visit me at school and we went to Ikea. We went to Old Navy and they didn't have them. So we went to the next Old Navy in Concorde and they had the boots, but in dark brown... the same color as the boots that I have right now. So I decided to go home to look at that Old Navy.

My mom and I were going to make a day of it. We went to church and then got free donuts from Krispy Kreme. We went to an Old Navy about 15 minutes away from my house. They only had them in black. So we went to the one near my house and they only had them in black. We asked a sales associate to call one about 30 min away and see if they had them in cognac. Naturally, they only had them in dark brown. So my mom took me to P.F. Chang's while I pouted. Then we went to every other store near me and I didn't find any boots in the color that I wanted. I didn't find them and went home in defeat.

In my depression and anger, I downloaded a Poshmark app. And within about 10 min, I found the pair of my dreams! I saw them on tumblr a loooong time ago, but I didn't know anything about them. But this is them!

The girl was selling them for $30, but I asked her to make them 25 and she agreed. She shipped them on Monday and I cannot wait until they get here! I cannot wait! Ahhh! I wonder what I'll wear them with. I cannot wait!

Not Resolutions

I'm aware of the fact that it's the end of January, but I have a few things that I actually do want to start doing this year. They're not New Year's Resolutions, but just some improvements to my life that I should really start to take more seriously. I feel that they may make me feel a little bit less like a jerk. So, here they go:

1. Stop saying 'I love'
2. Stop saying 'I hate'
3. Smile at people who I make eye contact with
4. Read more books
5. Cook/bake more often
6. Actually get dressed
7. Drink less sweet tea

And that's all that I have at the moment. I think that the sweet tea thing will actually end up killing me in the end. I don't know how to be a Southerner who doesn't/can't drink sweet tea. I really need to stop saying that I hate/love everything...it's a bad habit.

Carolina Cup

I'm not much of one for big events, especially when I don't know or care about what they're for. That being said, I actually really want to go to the Carolina Cup this March. I've never been before and I honestly had never heard about it until last spring break when I was hanging out with a bunch of preppy folk in Edisto. After seeing all of the pics on Tumblr, all I can think about is how much fun it would be to get all Dressed Up to get Messed Up.

Other than my possible trip to Boston, all I want to think about is getting tickets to go to Springdale. I want to get my sun hat and go Carolina Cup shopping. Find some cute koozies, get a croakie, drink...something... I don't drink beer. Maybe I can get away with a mimosa or tequila sunrises.

Regardless, between my hopeful spring break plans and going to Carolina Cup, I'm hoping for a lovely March. Spring is my favorite season and I'm hoping that I'll have the best spring ever. Ahh! I can't wait to go looking for dresses to wear!

Spring Break and Boston

So, Spring Break starts on March 17 (St. Party's Day, as my friend Laura mistakenly called it). I have two separate groups of friends who want to go to New York City. I really love it there, but I don't know if I have the funding to go the city that never sleeps. While I love New York with all of my heart, I mean I live for the Met, Central Park, and the NAMoNH, I can go there at just about any time. I have family who lives there and I can stay with them. I will talk about NYC at a later date, however. For spring break this year, I want to go to Boston, MA.

Part of my problem with going to New York is that it'll never happen. My friends always make flaky plans and I don't see the point in investing my time in research for a trip that'll never happen. I was supposed to be going to New York last year, but instead ended up going to Savannah, Charleston, and Edisto Island. Not a bad alternative, but the friend who I was supposed to be going to New York with bailed on me. My parents had even been lovely enough to tell me that they'd pay for everything that I needed. And the trip still never happened. I hoping against hope that they'll do the same thing this spring break. And now I've chosen to attempt to go to Boston.

Ah, Boston.

I've really only started thinking about it extremely recently. I've always loved historic towns and cities. Hence my freakish love for Charleston and Savannah. But in a moment of weakness about two months ago, I started looking at transferring to colleges in Massachusetts and Connecticut. I really wanted to transfer to UMASS Amherst or Boston. And now I really want to go to Boston. I've always kind of thought about going there in the back of my mind, but now I suppose that I actually have the chance of going.

I'm about to start looking into taking a train or bus up there, fining a cheap hotel, looking at those cheesy tourist brochures, actually doing some of the activities, going to a museum or two, eating out at local hotspots, having a stranger buy me a drink, I don't know. The whole shebang! I guess that I don't have to actually look to go during spring break, really, I can go whenever, but I'm just excited to go out and do something that I've never done before. I'm praying that I'll get to go to Boston some time this spring. Spring is the perfect time to travel! I love it! I hope that it's at least going to be moderately warm so that I can look cute.

Thus starts my soon to be manic obsession with Boston, MA. I'll be looking at it's Wiki page, checking the weather, seeing where the locals frequent, setting up a fake college tour, seeing if I can get to Cape Cod or Martha's Vineyard. I'm just going to have the time of my life. I hope.