My Wednesday

Yesterday morning was a typical day. The leaves were falling off of the trees, ready for the fall crispness to settle in. Homework was on my mind in a pressing way. I was giggling with my friends about stories from the past. I had enchiladas for lunch. The day was my oyster. I was soaking it all in. 

In the afternoon, my best friend and I decided to camp out in the library until dinner time. We both had things to study for, projects to work on, and online quizzes to take. We packed our planners and laptops and headed to campus from our sorority house. Campus was busy, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. It was Wednesday, nothing ever happens on Wednesdays.

My friend and I made it to the library, settled in near the front entrance, and opened up our laptops. Not five minutes after sitting down we received a text in a group message from our friend saying, “Is everyone in a safe place?! Potential active shooter at the UMC.” 

(The UMC is the most populated place on my campus. There’s a dining hall, a coffee shop, the bookstore, the spirit wear store, offices, there was a job fair going on there during this too.)

My friend and I got the message at the same time and looked at each other at the same time in a state of panic. 

We started to realize that everyone else around us was also getting messages, voices started rising from library level chatter to full force panicked conversations. People started running into the library from outside and other buildings. 

Time froze. Everything froze. Everything felt unreal. 

We hear about shootings way too often, which is absolutely disgusting. But we never expect that we’re going to be in that kind of situation, and when we are it’s terrifying and paralyzing and absolutely unreal. 

The library was put on lockdown, and my friend and I moved from the front entrance area to a fourth floor classroom to hide and stay out of the main chaos. We didn't really know what was going on, no one did. 

After they released us from the lockdown, my friend and I rushed back to our house. There were media crews, camera crews, and armed police everywhere. People were either absolutely silent or on the phones with loved ones. It was weird. I keep saying it was unreal, but it’s because we really felt like we were in a dream.

Later we found out that it was all a “hoax” (words used by the school) but it felt all too real to be a hoax. Everyone is still on edge, and no one knows what really happened. I am so lucky and thankful that nothing happened and that no one was harmed, but this situation shocked me — and my entire university — into realization that we’re not immune to this kind of thing. Obviously, you can’t live your life in fear of bad things happening, but it’s important to be aware of everything. 

My friend and I didn’t know what the right thing to do was. Should we have gone home before they put the library on lockdown? Should we have waited longer before going home? Should we have gone to the fourth floor classroom at all? There were a lot of unknowns which I think was the scariest thing. I’ve never felt more responsible for my own actions before.

I’m not trying to scare anyone by writing this post, I just want to spread awareness that these kinds of things happen and it’s important to understand what to do if they do happen. Don’t panic, be smart, and don’t put yourself in any situations that you can avoid. 

Most of all, trust your gut, I know you’re smart. 

If you want to read more about this specific event here is a link:

TheTab

Thanks for reading! 
xox
chloe

Confidence Is Key

We all have those things we don’t like about ourselves. We stand in front of our mirrors and think of a million and one reasons to not be confident. Why? Why can’t we love ourselves. Why do we pick ourselves apart? Is it out of fear? Or are we just blind to our own beauty? 

I don’t know how to answer any of these questions, but I do know that, depending on what I wear, I feel more confident. I’m not sure what it is about the perfect outfit that allows me to be more, well, me. 

It’s not about wearing a certain brand or trend, it’s more about how something makes you feel. You know in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants when they each wear the jeans in certain situations and, in their own ways, are bursting out of the seams with confidence. It’s about that, it’s about wearing something that empowers you to be the fullest extent of yourself. It’s about being confident beyond how you look, and more about how you feel. Absorb confidence and release it to others. Confidence is contagious. 

My froomie (friend / roommate) and I wondered around campus the other day in our favorite and confidence boosting outfits to create this little video. I hope it inspires you to be more confident and less nitpick-y of those little things about yourself that no-one even notices anyways. 

A HUGE shoutout to my friend Jeremy for directing/filming/editing this film. Go checkout his Instagram clips. You won’t regret it, plus I’m 100% sure he’s going to be doing huge things in the future. 

This post is sponsored by Tampax, and I love that their brand spreads the ideals of confidence. They aspire to inspire girls to #WearWhatYouWant and #BeRadiant; I love that their messaging go against what most girls think of when they have their period. Most girls avoid short skirts, white pants, and tight anything. But you know what? If those short skirts, white pants, and tight anything make you feel confident then by all means rock them. Own it. Do you.

I’m sharing #Tampax in my life as part of a Tampax sponsored series for Socialstars™"

Thanks for reading! 
xox
hloe 

TAILGATE TEE DIY

It’s football season and you know what that means... TAILGATE SEASON!

I’m going to be so real with you, I’m not a big football person. I would apologize, but I’m really not sorry for not enjoying watching a sport that has more downtime than actual playtime. I’m not trynna knock the sport that keeps America united, but like, I think I’m more of a soccer fan than a football fan. It’s a personal preference, ok?

But just because I’m not a huge football fan doesn’t mean I don’t love a good tailgate. Soaking up the fall sunshine, enjoying good company, and forgetting about all homework and responsibilities? Um yes, count me in. 

My friends and I hit up the school bookstore this past week for some new spirit wear and decided to DIY some tees. I came home to one of my friends crafting it up in our front yard and I couldn’t help but snap some pictures so I could share her masterpiece with you all. It turned out so well and she got so many compliments throughout the day! Not to mention it was super simple to execute. Totally worth a try if you're a tailgate-er. 

DIRECTIONS:
Basically she bought an XXL shirt, cut the bottom off to make it a “normal” length, used a bottle to sprinkle some bleach on the shirt, and cut a triangle out of the top to make the collar of the shirt look like a choker. SO EASY (even I could do it). 

Here are some pictures to better help explain, but if you have any questions feel free to leave them in the comments! 

Thanks for reading! 
xox
chloe

Remembering The Little Things

In high school people always said that college would be the best four years of my life. Call me naive, but I didn’t believe that you could actually pinpoint the best four years of your life — shouldn’t every year be amazing? 

I’m not saying that I didn’t have an amazing life until college, because I totally did. I had experiences I’ll never forget and I got to spend those experiences with the most amazing family, however, so far, college has been the best part of my life.

I’m incredibly lucky to attend a university that offers exactly what I want to study, I’m beyond thankful to be surrounded by people with similar ideals (regarding life, and friends, and fun), and I’m so thankful to always have the best daily views of the Rocky Mountains. 

A few days ago six of my friends piled into a car that seats five and adventured up to the Flatirons. We blasted my Mountain Top playlist, our hair blowing in the wind, and our voices singing in unison; it was one of those moments that seem so fleeting but I know I’ll remember it forever. 

I’m so thankful to have friends that I can just go on random adventures with and be so utterly content. The same people who said college would be the four years of my life also told me to remember the little things, so in honor of those people, here’s me remembering the little things.

Thanks for reading!
xox
chloe  

Distractions

I’m currently enrolled in a Web Design class. Actually, as I type this, I’m currently sitting in my Web Design class. It’s a two and a half hour lab — aka two and a half hours of my TA walking my lab group through the behind the scenes of CSS, JavaScript, and HTML. It’s a long two and a half hours. A really really long two and a half hours. 

I’m usually a pretty good student too, I take good notes, I’m a good listener, and I love my major. However, I don’t have the best attention span. I’m kinda like that dog, Doug, from the movie Up. When I’m expected to pay attention for such an unbelievably long time, I find my mind wondering. Throughout this class — that I should be paying attention to right now — I’ve had multiple thoughts that have lead me down a path of complete and utter distraction. Like the kind of distraction that when you start listening to the teacher again you’re completely lost and haven’t heard a word of what the TA has said for the past half hour, not a single word. 

Because we’re an hour and a half into class and I’ve tuned it all out (Mom, if you’re reading this I’m sorry, but I can’t focus) I’ve decided to share some thoughts that I’ve had throughout class.

1. Why is it that I could do 8ams every day of my life until college, but now I have an 8am once a week and it feels like literal death to wake up for it. 
2. How did pumpkin spice become a trend? How? Why? Does anyone actually enjoy pumpkin flavoring that much or is it all a media scam? I think it’s a scam and that we somehow have too many pumpkins in America and farmers are trying to get rid of them. I think I’m on to something big. 
3. Why does tomato soup only taste good with cheese? Grilled cheese and tomato soup is the bomb-est of combinations. 
4. Imagine knowing Dwight Shrute in real life. How crazy would that be? Would it be entertaining? Would it be fun? Would it be terrifying? I think terrifyingly hilarious. 
5. It’s almost October and that really freaks me out. This year FLEW by and this semester is flying by too quickly. I’m not ready to be an upperclassman in college, let alone am I ready for the real world. Yikes. 

Wear What You Want

Have you heard the fact about how your tastebuds change every seven years? It’s weird how accurate it is too; I’m about to turn 21 (and enter into my third set of tastebuds) and everything food related that I previously enjoyed is taking a shift. I used to love spicy foods endlessly, but now, if something is just a little bit spicy, I have the hardest time eating it. Weird, right? 

The thing is though, not only have my tastebuds been undergoing a shift, but my fashion sense has as well. I used to be extremely preppy. We’re talking Lilly Pulitzer galore, but lately I’ve been feeling the more edgy vibes: chokers, mom jeans, cool sunglasses. Obviously transitioning your entire style is a process, but I’ve discovered what I feel more confident in and what represents me fully. I think fashion is so much fun because it really does represent who you are and it’s awesome because it can change daily. I can still be preppy one day and still be “edgy” the next… #WearWhatYouWant, you feel?

I don’t know if you already saw it, but Meghan Trainor worked with Tampax to inspire girls to wear what they want and to feel confidently doing so. I think this message is so important because fashion should be something that makes you feel like your best self. You should wear things because you want to, because you feel good in them, and not for any other reasons. I think it’s cool how Meghan Trainor’s fashion is also representative of her music — it’s loud, it’s bold, and it’s unapologetic. I love it.

But speaking of Tampax, let’s talk about confidence a little. I feel like, as girls, there’s this awkward space of ether being “too confident” or not confident enough. But you know what, my motto is be as confident as you can. There’s no such thing as “too confident,” ever. And if anyone makes you feel like there is, they don’t deserve to know you. To be completely 100% honest with you though, I feel my most unconfident when I’m on my period. All I want to do is lay in my bed and feel sorry for myself, but I promise you, when I remember what Tampx stands for and when I think about how fearlessly confident people like Meghan Trainor are, I’m inspired to get out of bed and get stuff done. 

The other day I was having one of those days where I literally could’ve stayed in bed all day and just moped around, but my friends and I decided to take a little day trip to this little lake near our school. It was honestly one of the best days I’ve had in a while. We got out there and seized the day. TMI, maybe, but I was on my period and didn’t worry at all because I know how leak free the Tampax Radiant Collection is. I was confident in my “edgy” outfit, even during one of my most unconfident days of the month. Seriously you guys, if you’re ever worried about leaking during your period you’ve got to try the Tampax Radiant Collection, they’re bomb. 

So my tastebuds might be changing regarding food, but I know that my tampon selection will 100% always be with Tampax. 

#WearWhatYouWant #BeRadiant #ad #sponsored

Thanks for reading! 
xox
chloe