Nose Crinkle

Despite the constant reading assignments, current event quizzes and chapter meetings, this semester has been one for the books.  And as stressed out and overworked as I make myself, I've noticed how much happier I am.  

I'm working hard for things I want.  I'm interviewing for positions I'd never considered before.  I'm getting to know my sisters and making a commitment to be a better friend.  

It's a lot of work and a lot of stress, but I smile so much more.  I'm passionate about so much more.  

My nose crinkles so much more. 

Find what makes your nose crinkle and hold on loveys.  Hold on tight. 

Good moments with good people

xox

Char

Life Update

Well it's been a while.  My last post represents the last time I had a free moment to write and to think and to breath.  That's how busy and overwhelmed I feel.

Luckily, I finally found a free weekend to head home.  Between catching up with family, seeing close friends, and eating incredible food, I feel ten times less stressed out and I've only been home for eight hours!

On to my life update...

Since my last post:

I started my second semester at the University of South Carolina.

My best friends and I hit Athens (and Athens hit back).

I was chosen as the content creator for Delta Zeta's Public Relations Committee. 

Check us out ;)

USC DZ Tumblr

USC DZ Twitter

USC DZ Instagram

USC DZ Blog (under construction)

Y@ came to Cola.

Five days of school have been canceled for snow.

If you're from the North, I don't want to hear your thoughts on 

what the South thinks is snow. If it cancels school, it counts as snow!

Hopefully I'll be back soon!

xox

Char

P.S.  Happy Valentine's day!

This Year

2013 was quite a year. From graduating to break ups, shoulder surgery to sorority recruitment, sky diving to finishing my first semester of college, I had my fair share of ups and downs.  Sadly, I can't say I crossed of a resolution as I had none.  I'm remedying that this year.

 I can't claim that I thought of this idea on my own, but it was all over tumblr towards the end of 2013 and I felt I should give it a try.  Here are my fourteen goals for 2014.

To keep up, I will be making a page to track my progress! 

What are your goals in the new year?

xox

Char

Last Year

We've all heard them, the horrible, never ending "last year" jokes.  It's already January fourth and twitter is still buzzing with "I haven't talked to you since last year!" or "I haven't been to school in a year." Like come on, how much longer must this go on? (Although, I found Wyatt's tweet quite amusing)

2013 was a great year and it's impossible to choose 12 moments from the year, but here goes nothing...

 January: The senior cheerleaders surprised the student body at a pep rally.

February: I was serenaded four classes in a row by the mens chorus (thanks Josh)

 March: I toured my future University!

April: Kelcey came to visit for a weekend!

May: I had the flu at prom but my date was perfect.

June: Martha and I wondered around San Francisco for a week! 

July: Shoulder surgery on a torn labrum from October 2012. 

August: Rush week with Jenny, future DZs.

September: Went out for the first time with my twinny.

October: Parent's weekend was quite a hit. Caroline's dad loved it the most. 

November: I joined this wonderful Alpha Fam! 

December: I bar tended for the first time ever!

All in all, I'd say it was a good year.

xox

Char

Slow down

It's as though it was just yesterday.  I was ten years old and talking on the phone to my best friend.  She lived across the street and we thought we were so cool and mature talking on the phone.  Then I was overcome with sadness, a sadness I didn't know existed at the time. My best friend, my other half, the girl I had seen every day since I was three was telling me she was moving. To London. England. Not another state, another city, but another country.

Yes, I know. A tad dramatic on my part, but I can honestly say that phone call changed my life.  That was eight years ago and I can tell you the weather and where I was sitting and every single detail surrounding that moment.

In the following weeks, we packed up her toys, her room, her sisters stolen stuff.  Then the boxes came and left, the dogs were taken for their immunizations, the house was rented out.  It was all a blur past that point, I can't even describe the goodbye, just the tears afterwards.

Little did our parents know, but they were in for a rude awakening.  We were not the type of girls to just give up on each other, not after seven years of friendship.  Almost yearly, I flew to London, she returned to Atlanta, we skyped, we called, we made it.

Now, as I sit in my childhood bedroom, reminiscing over my first semester of college, I find myself texting her.  As always, just being us, being completely one hundred percent honest, silly, weird, normal us. It's so odd to me how so much time has passed and one person has been here for so long.  I am eighteen years old and she has been there for me for fifteen years.  That is exactly five sixths of my life.

Now to the point, because I feel like there should be one, don't treat people like a chapter in your life. Yes, people come and go, we all know boys are not forever, but don't just give up on people.  Overcome those circumstances and try, if you can say you tried and failed, that's fine. But don't just let someone go, when they could be such an important part of your story.

Love you tons Kelcey, I'd be lost without you. (insert kissy face emoji here)

xox
Char

A good friend never forgets the ice cream

Despite my lactose intolerance, I have a mega weakness for ice cream.  Actually, that weakness is probably a direct result of being told not to eat ice cream as an eight year old. Anyways, somewhere between the end of senior year and the beginning of college, Julia and I became suckers for anything made by our favorite men, Ben and Jerry.  Whether it was a break up or a bad day or a celebration or just life, we had two spoons and a pint between us most nights.

So here is to J.Schamay and our talks. I hope some things never change.

xox

Char

P.S. I suggest the chocolate fudge brownie.  Just saying.

TGIF

Wow. This week has been a long one.  Between two tests, multiple graphic design projects and bad news around every turn, I am amazed I lived to friday.

I just finished my final test of the week that I studied hours and hours for (and only took 15 minutes to finish) and intend to just sit and enjoy my starbucks until I have to go to my next class.

Luckily, I found the silver lining in this week.  I'll just be frank about it.  I have the most incredible people in my life.  I'm so mad it took me so long to realize, but I'm truly blessed.

Let's start with my best friend and how he drove three hours to be my semi-formal date. Like what? It's so funny how I never thought we would be friends or even get along.  Thanks Kbo! Even though I had just received bad news, Ryan wouldn't allow me to stop and think for even a second. From semi-formal, to downtown, to frat lot tailgating, to watching batman, he never let me stop laughing and dancing and being happy.

Then came Monday, and if you didn't already know, I'm very very accident prone.  Can't trip over enough bricks on the horseshoe or fall out of my bed in the mornings.  It's pretty ridiculous.  

At the University of South Carolina, there is a major rivalry with Clemson and every year, the two schools put that rivalry to good use.  There is a friendly competition to see which school can donate the most blood to the American Red Cross.  Naturally, I wanted to give blood (despite my fear of needles) and did just that. The line was a bit longer than I expected and right after the nurse took the needle out of my arm, I had to run off to french class.  Big mistake.  As I walked down the hall towards 213, I realized I couldn't hear anyone in the hall... even though there was at least 40 people in the hall.  Then my eyes started to blur and I felt hot.  Now, every girl dreams of fainting and being caught by a cute boy, but this was so not the case.  I dropped my bags next to my desk and laid on the ground.  The poor girls in my class were so worried. Yet another example of the amazing people in my life, eight girls that I've known for four months were so worried that they were considering calling an ambulance. 

Okay, I'll wrap it up.  But first I have to talk about the most important people, my best friends, new and old, who never fail to amaze me.

Tuesday morning, I got the call that I knew in my heart would not be a happy one.  My mother had been forced to put our beloved Cleo down.  November 2012, we were given one week with our puppy.  I cried every day at school and Caroline and Julia never let me forget that they were there for me.  And then a year later, even though the two are at UGA and I'm at USC, the minute they knew Cleo was gone, I was getting endless phone calls and texts from the two.  Between that and the best-friend-turned-ex-turned-best-friend-again dropping his plans to make sure I wasn't curled up in a ball on my floor all day, I realized I hit the jackpot.  Caroline and Erin brought me cookies (not stolen this time) and hugs, Kaela distracted me, Y@ checked in with me, Jenny and Taylor made it their job to hug me every time they saw me, heck, even my roommates friends were checking on me.  Martha even offered to drive home and check on my mom for me.  

|| RIP Cleo 11.19.13 ||

Although having to say goodbye to Cleo when I'm no where near home sucks, I'm so grateful that I was with people who cared as much as my friends did.  Going home tonight will be hard without sweet Cleo greeting me at the door, but I know she is still with me everywhere I go.

So hell week is over. I am going home for a week to celebrate Thanksgiving.  I get to see my best friends for the first time in a month.  Everything is going to turn around. 

xox

Char

Style (with a twist)

Yeah, so basically, I'm a walking accident. 

In the past year, I've worn two different slings, gone to three physical therapists, and had shoulder surgery.  Now, I am wearing a nice black ankle brace.  It's ridiculous how it happened, especially since I tripped and rolled over my ankle over absolutely nothing.  I swear, nothing can be blamed for my clumsiness.  (is that even a word? just go with it.)

So, for those of you who are as accident prone as myself, here are some pictures on how I've styled my many braces!

Love this picture because cheering was such a struggle but a good source

of entertainment!

black dress, black sling, what else do you need?

*Happy Birthday Wyatt*

 I could wear a button up, leggings, and boots everyday.

Day after surgery, on to the blue sling

Luke Bryan Concert

Because I'm obsessed with Garnet and the Gamecocks 

Long day of classes requires a big sweater 

First night of Lamp lighting for DZ!

Right now, it is super frustrating not being able to wear my boots especially since it's getting cold out.   I cannot wait to get out of this ankle brace!! 

xox 

Char

Written in the Stars

I've never really been the superstitious type.

  Sure, I make a wish at 11:11 when I happen to notice it, but I don’t believe in ghosts or fortune tellers or that nonsense.  The only thing I really do the could be considered superstitious or ritual-y of any sort, would be how I religiously read my horoscope daily.  I find everyway it applies to my life, right down to me breaking a nail.

I think it has something to do with the stars. 

I’ve always loved a clear night, laying on the dock at the lake and just looking at the stars.  Or sitting at the playground I grew up on because there are no street lights to ruin the sky.  There’s just something about the stars that calms me. 

When visiting New Zealand about a year ago, there was a fire alarm at like, 3 in the morning, or something and I remember being so cold and wishing I was asleep and then I looked out over the bay in Paihia and just being thankful.  I stopped thinking about what was going wrong and started appreciating what was going right.  For heaven’s sake, I was in New Zealand. I was seeing the world, with my family, in a way that many people can only dream of. 

I once told a friend, “Look at the stars. Ill let you in on a secret. Stars are always there. No matter where you are in the world, Atlanta, New Zealand, Israel. The stars are always there. No matter how you're feeling or who you're with, take a second and just look at the giant sky and remember everything will work out.”

Just remember, everything will work out.

xox

Char

p.s. You can't imagine my excitement when I got into my bed the first night of college and realized the person before me had left glow in the dark stars all over my half of the ceiling.  It's like it was meant to be.

The art of Halloween: college freshmen

Questions you may ask yourself:

In highschool: 

When is my mom going to drop me off? Who is going to throw a party?  What should I wear from the costume store? 

In College:

Which frat party should I go to? Which bra is the prettiest to wear without my shirt? Slutty cat or just slut? When should I start drinking? What is the least amount of clothes I can get away with?

Now, for me, I'm somewhere in between high school and college still.  I'm not quite comfortable bearing all, nor do I want to wear a costume from Party City.  

Here are some of the ideas that I actually consider good costumes.

 beanie babies

social media icons

And what Caroline and I were last year...

Trailer Trash and Lumberjack 

 Cat and Mouse

Baby Juleigh

Slightly wishing I was at home trick or treating with Juleigh Jeanette, but I'm gonna make the most of my first college halloween!

What are you being for halloween?

xox

Char

Let Freedom Ring

It's been a while. I know, I know, I really should update more often.  But I'm still getting the handle on this whole college thing. 

College is a blast.  

Everyone always says how fun it is but you can't even begin to understand it until you're actually in college.  The parties, the friends, the spontaneity.  All combined, who needs sleep anymore? (me actually) But there is also a lot that you have to keep track of, especially without your mom to tell you to do your homework.  You have to watch what you're eating, stay on track of school work, figure out a balance between missing home and loving your new home.  It can be a lot.  I only just recently went home and realized how much I missed my family and friends.  

Also, boys. 

Unfortunately, my ex and I go to the same university (Let's be clear... I committed first). And naturally we thought it would be good to try again (never a good idea). If you are in the same situation ever, just don't do it. For your own mental health.  But I've finally sorted it out, and all I can say is I'm so thankful for my friends, new and old, who supported me throughout that hot mess.  It ended amicably and I'm happy it happened, but I'm slightly relieved to be done.  I've grown a lot in college and I like where I am now on my own.  

Oscar Wilde always says it best

What's on your mind today?

xox

Char

Progress

I ran!

That sounds really sad that I'm so excited but it's the first physical activity I've done since my shoulder surgery in early July.  I ran 1.7 miles through campus and my shoulder didn't hurt once! 

So I've passed the first hurdle.  I finally got around step one of recovery and reached my goal to be able to run and I'm just so dang happy about it!  

I am definitely the girl that takes things as a sign of what's to come, like the stars and good omens and all that nonsense.  So the fact that I was able to run the majority of 1.7 miles opens up my mind to more and more possibilities! My next goal is to not gain the freshmen fifteen...

8 short weeks ago... || insta ||

What's your goal?

xox

Char

Just Say Yes

my current motto, because what's better than being able to say yes?

I'm quite the OCD control freak, so saying yes and just going with the flow is a very difficult task for me.  But I'm working on it, step by step, and I'm so happy I'm allowing the college experience to take me for ride!

Things that worked out because I said yes:

Roommate invited me to dinner? met a group of people I love

Professor wouldn't let me drop a class? learned I actually can speak french if I try

Said yes to try being friends with my ex?  realized I can take care of myself (I don't need no man)

Accepted a bid to a sorority? found a group of women that aren't petty, mean girls

Applied for freshmen council? asked back for the second round interview (fingers crossed!)

Invited on a spontaneous beach trip? spent the day with a siberian husky puppy

Everything is working out in its own way, even if it's not how I planned it.  I've honestly been so blessed with new people and new experiences in the past two weeks, I can't wait to see what the rest of the year has planned for me.

SO, all in all, just say yes. Try new things. Be spontaneous.
Put the OCD control freak away.

 || Brianne and I at a soccer game ||

 || Amazing new sisters on Bid day ||

  || Fellow new members, baby turtles ||

 || First frat party with my girls ||

 || Athena, aka the cutest husky puppy I've ever seen ||

What have you said yes to lately?

xox
Char

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Three Choices, Pick two

At some point in time, we have all come across this image.  Whether it was posted to pinterest or tweeted on twitter, I always figured I could do it all.

Obviously, as an overzealous freshman, I want to have it all.  I want to meet everyone, go out all the time, study hard, and nap all day.  

Ha. Okay Charlotte.

Half way into my first true week of classes, I'm realizing that that is not actually possible.  My sleep is definitely suffering, but I'm enjoying my new friends and classes too much to give them up!  I'm starting to get strep throat, in which case I'll be forced to actually sleep so it's a blessing in disguise.

Hopefully, I'll get more time soon!

Which two would you choose?

xox

Char

Happy Birthday Juleigh Jeanette!

So yesterday was this little angels birthday

Juleigh is only four years old, but she's so much more than a four year old to those of us who spend time with her.

a year ago on her third birthday || insta ||

It's truly incredibly how much children can affect adults.  I've always loved working with children, playing, teaching, babysitting, all of it, but never in my life did a child have this affect on me.  

I was 14 when my neighbor and second mother, Joni, told me she was pregnant. I thought she was playing a mean joke on me, in all honesty.  Joni already had a 17 year old, 14 year old, and a 7 year old, so I really didn't think it could be possible that she was pregnant again.  But what a blessing in disguise Juleigh Jeanette turned out to be. 

|| What Juleigh has taught me in four years ||

1. Cherish innocence.  So often we spend too much time wanting to grow up, but then you realize you're an adult and have responsibility.
2. Learn to say no.  Saying no to a cute kid is quite possibly the hardest thing you could do, but it teaches you how to say no in life.
3. Take pictures. Every moment, the good, the bad, and the ugly, all should be remembered.

xox
Char