Growing up with 3 siblings was a wild ride, but the wildest part of it was having 2 sisters…including my twin.

My twin and I are extremely different. She has red hair, I have blonde, she’s 5′, I’m 5’5″, she was a cheerleader, I played volleyball, the list goes on and on. We never got along that great and yes,  I blame it fully on her. When we headed off to different schools things changed a little. I am at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas and she is at the University of Mississippi (Ole’ Miss) in Oxford, Mississippi. Not having to live under the same roof has definitely changed our relationship for the better. She isn’t able to steal my clothes anymore which has to be the biggest plus of being hundreds of miles away. But the dynamic of it all is weird. Growing up my parents would constantly get on her for stifling my attempts to be her friends, but ever sense we headed off she has found herself calling me for advice or just for someone to talk to. Even though we are twins, I act as more of a big sister to her now. College life has been a much harder transition for her than it has been for me and I am so happy. that she has been turning to me for help through it all.

Then there is my little sister. She is the wild child and I try to help her but she doesn’t always take kindly to my advice. She. and my twin might as well be worst enemies,  they love each other, but you’d never know that if you saw how they often interact. My younger sister and I are much more alike. We are the same height, we played the same sports, we dress similarly, and we live similar lifestyles. Despite her temper, I know she looks up to me, so I always try to do the respectable thing when I know she is watching or even when her friends are watching. I have to be very careful around her and her friends because they will literally copy my every move, the bad and the good. I can’t tell  you how many times I’ve yelled at her for something and she has come back at me with the typical “well you do it so why can’t I?” She just doesn’t seem to understand that I am 5 years older than her and in college. Me going off to college has been a struggle on both ends. I hate that I can’t be there to guide her through high school and make sure she is staying on the right path, but I also know it is good for her to be able to try to do things on her own for a little while.

No matter how big of a pain in my ass my sisters are, I love them both endlessly and know that they are going to accomplish amazing things in life. They are two of the strongest women/girls I know and the whole world will feel the same way someday.

What girl doesn’t love splurging on herself a little every now and then??

Shopping sprees can be fun, but are obviously damaging to your wallet, so how does a college girl on a budget keep up with the changing trends?

Rewards, discounts, clearance, and most importantly AMAZING stores with AMAZING prices!!!! I’m going to share three of my absolute favorite sites for keeping up with the trends on a budget.

Nasty Gal is my number one go to. My credit card almost always gets flagged for fraud because it sounds like a porn website, but it’s totally worth it. They constantly have sales and even when they aren’t having sales their clothes are insanely cheap. Unlike a lot of stores, the cheapness of the clothes is not reflected in the quality. Now, this site isn’t perfect for everyone. If you are looking for business or more “preppy” clothes, this isn’t your stop. Everything on Nasty Gal is fairly trendy and more aimed towards “going out.”

On the other hand, Revolve has EVERYTHING. From going out to the club with your friends to going to church with your grandma, they have it all. While a lot of their clothing is high end designer with high end prices, if you know where to look you can find great deals. Revolve gives you the option to sort the results that come up for your search, so I usually sort it by price (lowest to highest.) When you do this, the first page or so is usually junk that you don’t care about or want, but if you stick with it you’ll eventually get to some insane finds. Sometimes there will even be great designer pieces on sale for as low as $20. One of my other favorite features on this site is that if you have an account you have the ability to have a “favorites bag” and an actual shopping bag. I like this because whenever there are things that I love but can’t necessarily afford at that time, I can put them in my favorites bag and go back to them at a later date.

Finally, Sabo Skirt. Sabo Skirt is my hidden gem. Not many people know about this Australian based site but it’s time to scream it from the roof tops: I FUCKING LOVE SABO. Their dresses are priced from about $50 and up, and while $50 isn’t necessarily cheap, when you see the quality you’ll be amazed. The dresses and rompers I have ordered from this site have far exceeded my expectations. They look like high end designer and fit amazingly. They don’t have a super large selection, but what they do have is to die for. The slightly higher price is worth it for the quality and the compliments you’re sure to receive.

Now that you have my top secret shopping tips. Pull out that credit card and get yourself some Christmas presents, you deserve it.

xoxo

 

 

Halloween is tricky, especially in college when you have 5,000 parties that you have to have a different costume for. So here are some quick, easy, and fun costumes that won’t break the bank!

1. Army Girl/Guy
   • Camo pants/skirt
   • Black boots
   • Black or Camo Top
   • Body/Face paint (or even just eyeliner)
2. Bunny
   • White skirt
   • White shirt
   • Cotton balls (tail)
   • Bunny ears
3. Cat
   • Black bodysuit
   • Face paint (eyeliner)
   • Cat ears
4. Juul
   • Black dress
   • Green paper square
5. Athlete
   • Jersey
   • Converse
   • Knee high socks
6. Baby/Kid
   • Pajamas/Onesie
7. Alien
   • Metallic Skirt/Dress
   • Metallic Top
   • Colorful Wig
   • Antennas
   • Colorful face paint
8. Scarecrow
   • Plaid shirt
   • Overalls
   • Cowgirl boots
   • Face paint
9. Purge
   • Oversized white button down
   • Mask
10. Gum-ball Machine
    • Red Skirt
    • Tube top
    • Colorful cotton balls (glue onto tube top)

Staying in good shape is not my forte; however, when I find somewhere enjoyable it gets a little easier. My current obsession is a cycling and HITT workout here in Texas called ZYN22. 

“Reboot mind, body, and spirit in Texas’ best workouts”

They claim that they will reboot your mind, body, and spirit with one of the best workouts in Texas, and for me they do just that. I have yet to try one of their HITT workout classes, but I do their cycling classes frequently and LOVE them. Along with burning some calories, it is also an opportunity for me to clear my mind and forget about all the craziness that goes on in my life. Even though I’m sweating my ass off and constantly moving, it is still a meditative experience for me. At around $25 a class it is a little steep, but they offer package deals and even have a few sales, and in comparison to some of the other trendy workout places in Dallas the price is very discounted. (It is around $10 cheaper than a Soul Cycle class.) I try to go to ZYNN every day because I have found that by keeping my mind and body healthy I am able to lead a healthier life.

Barry’s Bootcamp, the training facility that takes pride in being a military-like, ass-kicker. The minute I walked into their Uptown location I felt intimidated, but I had heard such great things about it that I knew I couldn’t back down!

According to their website, the 55-minute class focuses on “running faster, lifting more, and leaning out”. Everyone enters “the red room” as they call it. The room is split; treadmills line one mirrored wall while the other half is individual stations for weights. There is only vibrant, red lighting which makes the space seem more intense. I started out on the weight section doing circuits with pulses. Every class varies, but we began by focusing on legs and glutes while the other half of the class who started on treadmills was running intervals at various inclines and speeds. After about twelve minutes of non-stop movements with weights, we switched sides.The intervals of running went from a fast jog at 0% incline, to sprinting at 10% and everything in between. The sprints weren’t for very long, but I was definitely feeling the burn towards the end! The trainer was what kept me going at some parts when I felt like lowering the speed or incline. He was constantly pushing everyone to keep going, blunt at times but it was very motivating and got me to push my limits to get the results. We did one more round of weights, this time focusing on arms and abs, then one more cardio set.

Something unique about Barry’s is their fuel bar. In the main entrance area, there is a smoothie/juice bar that you can put your order in before your class so they have it ready for you along with an oil-infused towel right after. They have a wide variety of shakes but some favorites include Muscle Up, Skinny B*tch, PB&J, and Detox Elixir.

I LOVED this class… and man did I feel it the day after 😂. It was hard but encouraged me to push my limits and do what I didn’t think I could. I generally never run higher than 6.0 mph but pushed myself to sprint at 7.0 and higher, not for long, but hey you have to start somewhere! I highly recommend this class if you are a runner, or want to be one. It is very intense, but people at all fitness levels can do it. The only downside is it is pretty expensive. I will not be getting a membership because I don’t think it is worth the price they charge, but will definitely be my go-to class when I need a change in my workout routine!

Relationships suck. Getting your heartbroken sucks. Loosing your best friend sucks.

 But most importantly boys suck.

But there are some good ways to get over a break up and most of them include ice cream, tears, pajamas, some good friends, and the greatest of them all: wine. Loosing your a best friend and a boyfriend at the same time is arguably one of the worst things a teenage girl can go through. It can make you feel worthless, unloved, and even ugly, but I want every girl out there to know that it’s probably not you because boys suck. They really fucking suck. So, if you get broken up with don’t waste your time looking at old pictures and remembering what once was. Instead just remember that boys suck, find a hotter boy who will treat you how you deserve to be treated, go out with your friends, dance, drink good wine, eat good food, and move on with your life because you are amazing and you deserve to be treated with all of the love and respect in the world.

 

There is never a dull moment in a hustlin’, bustlin’ city like Dallas and attending a University in the heart of all the madness makes college a little bit more exciting. There’s always something to do, and I intend to take full advantage of this whenever I can! I suggest you do too. Here is a glimpse of what’s been going on this September in the Big D.

Psychedelic Robots Art Exhibit at the Crescent Hotel

Psychedelic Robots is the first immersive exhibit to come to Dallas and I had the privilege of attending opening night with some of my sorority sisters after one of the promoters came to our house and talked about the exhibit.

The art was created by a number of different artists from around the world; they all had their own, unique work that somehow was able to flow together. The experience was great, the art was bright and interactive and the exhibit was different from anything I had ever seen before, it was refreshing.

Not to mention the great ambiance they had going with the DJ, catering, and Bai drinks throughout. I highly recommend going to this before it is gone on November 12!

Luke Bryan: What Makes You Country Concert

A group of girls and I spent a Friday night at the Luke Bryan: What Makes You Country concert at Dos Equis Pavilion, and it was my kind of night 😏! The outdoor amphitheater accommodates all ages and is a prime location for a hoedown. We stood/danced on the lawn in the back but honestly, there isn’t a bad view in the place. Generally, I am not a fan of Luke Bryan, but Luke had the crowd going from start to finish and made it a great environment whether you like him or not. Instead of playing only his most recent album, he played all of the hits that everyone knows from the radio so it was quite the sing-along!

Dallas Cowboys game at AT&T Stadium

AT&T Stadium is a must-see for all football fans. Located in Arlington, the ginormous stadium opened in 2009 and houses 100,000 cowboys fans on Sundays. Being in the stadium is a luxurious occasion for all, especially in the club level where there is gourmet food stands, comfortable seating, and a great bar scene to hang out at before kick off.

My parents and I went to the Detroit Lions vs. Dallas Cowboys game where the ‘boys were able to pull off a W in the last couple of minutes. The crowd was loud, the pump up music was blasting, and the cheerleaders were doing their thing. It was a great end to a great parents weekend! The only downside of the stadium is the insane traffic going to and from, but that’s usually how it is at all places like this.

Museum Exhibits

Here at SMU, we don’t even have to step off campus to add some excitement to our day. We are fortunate to have a plethora of information at our fingertips with the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum as well as the Meadows Museum.

George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum

SMU is the only college in the United States to have a presidential library on campus, and we use it in our daily lives as much as we can. With great exhibits, a beautiful courtyard full of motivation for studying, and a cute little bistro, the presidential library is a goldmine for education. For days when we need a quiet place to cram for a test or just a breath of fresh air and time away from our dorm rooms, this is the place to go.

The museum does a great job guiding the people through George W. Bush’s early life and presidency with important historical topics such as education reform bills, 9/11, and the war in Iraq.

Along with the exhibit on George W. Bush’s presidency, we currently have an exhibit on the Styles of Influence, an event dedicated to the First Ladies and their fashion as they made the world a better place throughout time.

Meadows Museum

On the other side of campus, is the Meadows Museum. The current exhibition, Dahlí: Poetics of the Small, shows Salvatore Dahlí’s work from 1929-1936. Meadows is constantly bringing in amazing pieces of art from around the world, it would be a shame not to go see it when it’s in our own backyard (and for free).

This is just scratching the surface of what is offered around town!