For most graduation is a day long dreamt of. It's the culmination of all your hard work and celebration for the effort put in thus far. It's a recognization of everything you've done for the past 13 years.

Graduation, like all major moments in one's life, is a stepping stone to something bigger, something greater. It is a moment where we can all come together and celebrate one another's accomplishments. It is a moment where we are able to see our hard work pay off. It is a moment where for a second everything seems to fall into place.

My AP English teacher would call this moment a tableau because it is one of those times that seem frozen in space. A moment we will remember for a lifetime. Yet, somehow graduation is more than just a day where we dress up and remember the good times before we leave. It serves as one final last.

As we take our separate paths into the unknown we must notice that this is the last time we will sit side by side as classmates. It is the last time we will set foot in our school as students. It could be the last time we have all of our family around us. It is for all intents and purposes a catalytic turning point for our lives because this day represents the arrow leading us to the next stage.

At this point, life is still a blank canvas for us to fill in with our wants and desires. Practically all options are open - good and bad - for us to do what we want because it is now our world to conquer.

I honestly cannot believe that high school is over. High school gave me some of the best (and worst) times of my life. It brought me lifelong friends who I hope to stay in contact with. It brought me teachers who taught me more than a curriculum. My time in high school taught me to grow more confident and take courage in what you know. However, it also brought me some strife. I learned that life wasn't always fair and that sometimes things completely out of your control can weigh against you.

Yet, for all of the good and bad, I wouldn't change a thing because my high school experience helped shape who I am today. I am here today because of the people and events that impacted my life. Even though, I'm going to be far away from the family and friends that I hold dear I know that the relationships I cultivated in these 4 years won't be for naught. It may be a wrap, but this isn't the end - it's just the beginning.

Wow, it's been a long time since I've written a blog post, and it feels great to be back behind the keys of my laptop speaking to the people I love. Senior year has been full of highlights, yet my favorite thus far has been my senior prom. I know I said it in a previous post, but I have to say it again. I had the best date and we had a great time!

This year the junior class decided on a circus theme loosely based on the Greatest Showman. This meant the venue was littered with red, gold, and circus snacks. I won't lie I had my reservations about how it would all come together because there is a small line between pretty and cheesy where circuses are concerned, but someone they made it all seem pretty regal.

Thankfully this year prom wasn't situated in the middle of a weather advisory or tornado warning (at least not before we took pictures). Since I wasn't straightening my hair this year I wasn't as worried about the weather but even I was happy the rain waited till after we had arrived at prom to start. This year prom was one of those perfect days where practically everything seems to go right from midnight talks at Waffle House to impromptu dances with the band. This night was for all intents and purposes perfect (and I understand that nothing is truly perfect). I know that this is one of those nights that will forever stay etched in my memory, and I'm happy about it. I'm happy that I finally have one of those quintessential high school moments that I'll get to tell my children about later. I know that sounds insanely cheesy and it is, but I also know that it's true for me. Anyway, I left some pictures down below and made a vlog all about it here. See you guys next week!

As one of the busiest months comes to a close. I couldn't wait to write about it, and in all honesty, I was somewhat happy it was over too.

1 | Prom(s)

This month I had the pleasure of going to one of my best friend's prom.  Her senior prom was New Orleans themed and happened to end early due to weather concerns - we love tornado warnings :/ But we didn't let the weather cramp our style even if it did end the dance early. I also thought it was a fitting end considering my junior prom ended the same way.



I also had a chance to go to my own senior prom, it technically was on March 30, but we're going to include it in April anyway because I enjoyed it so much. I had so much fun with my date, and actually, count it as the best dance I've ever been too. The music was a little more my parents' style, but we still had a great time and I'm super happy I went. I actually posted a YouTube video showing how I got ready for that dance (it also has more photos in case you are interested haha.) You can check it out here.

2 | State Soccer Champion?!

I also had an opportunity to compete in my state soccer championship and after the blood, sweat, and tears we came home with a win. Through the cards and major scrapes that my teammates and I endured, we won. This win was especially bittersweet because we beat the team that knocked us out 3 years prior.

3 | Favorite Music

I always love that springtime brings great new music and this month definitely didn't disappoint. This month I loved listening to Billie Eilish's new album, "When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go", Mabel's album "Ivy to Roses - Mixtape", and Ariana Grande's Dangerous Woman album. In a way, this month has been a month of musical rediscovery and I've truly loved hearing songs I forgot I loved.

4 | Favorite Movies

I'm a sucker for rom-com movies, and this month was no different so some of my movie favorites were: the Perfect Date and Finding Liberty. I also had a chance to watch Beyonce's film, Homecoming, which was an amazing experience.

5 | Unofficially done with school

All of my classes have finished teaching and are in full "review" mode as AP season looks to rear its head. This also means that there's less than a month till graduation which is crazy but exciting. More importantly, it means I need to study so I pass at least some of my AP exams to get college credit.

6 | Graduation Pictures

I still can't believe that my graduation is less than a month away. It's crazy to think that these were the days I wished for when I was younger. Anyway, I finally got around to taking some graduation style photos and have really liked the ones I've gotten back so far.

7 | EASTER

Senior year comes with so many lasts, one of those being the last Easter I spend with my family...at least for now. After church, I enjoyed an early dinner with my family and close family friends. This Sunday was a great reminder of the best news

Now that Christmas break is officially over and I've finished ALL college applications I'm excited to see what the future has in store for me. I was reading one of my favorite blogs, Bloomly, and really enjoyed a post the author wrote this past August about her school resolutions. This post inspired me to make a few resolutions of my own focused on the incoming semester.

01 |  Not allow senioritis to take over

Senioritis describes the decreased motivation toward studies displayed by students who are nearing the end of their high school careers.

Even though applications are over and midyear grades are finalized I don't want to allow myself to step off the gas pedal. I still have aspirations that go further than those applications and I want to finish the year out strong. I know it will be hard because I've already felt senioritis whisper in my ear, but I hope that my resolve heightens as this semester progresses.

Last semester I found myself saying "no" a lot, mostly because of all the things I had going on. Even though soccer will be restarting this semester I hope to say "yes" more often to things I normally wouldn't agree to because life is best spent trying out new things.

03 | Go to more sporting events
I love watching my school play basketball, but this past semester I found myself missing out on games because I had an application or homework to finish. Even though I know this semester will be rough for different reasons I hope that I will be able to make more time for watching the teams I love. Especially since this will be the last time I have the opportunity to watch them (at least from a student's perspective).

04 | Take more time to RELAX
Most would find it odd that I have to "schedule" out time to relax, but that's just how I'm wired. I tend to be the person who is always on "go", and that makes it super easy for me to burn out without realizing. That's why I've already set certain things aside because last year I knew I was being pulled in too many directions. This year I hope to take more time out of the day (and week) to focus on myself and R E L A X.

05 | Enjoy the ride
In the end, this is my last semester of high school. I'd hate to look back on it and think that I wasted my last five months in high school. I hope to spend more of this semester living in the moment and having fun with friends because, in the end, I don't where we'll all end up next school year.

With summer now fully upon us we are now faced with a question...how do I pack properly. I know what you're thinking is it really possible to "pack like a pro?" The answer at least, in my opinion, is a resounding yes. Packing is one of the few things where you can have your cake and eat it too. I actually posted a video that directly correlates with this blog post and if you are more of a visual person (like me), you may enjoy watching that before delving into the packing guide.


First things first you have to start off with a list. I don't think I have to say that a list helps keep you from forgetting important things. I actually created a freebie for those of you who would like to print out my own personal list that is available to download right H E R E. Since I already made a copy of my own list both here and in my video I'll refrain from repeating it again in this post, but I will go ahead and tell you how to customize my list to your own needs. Since everyone's trip spans different amounts of time how can you know how much of each item to pack? In my opinion, a general rule of thumb is to take the number of days you will actually spend there and then factor in the activities you will probably do.

For instance, last year I traveled to Mexico for 8 days and 7 nights. Since I knew I wanted to hit the beach I brought 3 bathing suits that could be mix-matched to allow me to enjoy a solid 6 days on the beach. I also knew that I would probably go to the gym every day, so I brought 4 pairs of shorts, 7 t-shirts, and about 3 sports bras that I could use throughout my stay. I'd also suggest that you bring at least 3 dressier tops (or dresses) since most resorts require patrons to look nicer for certain restaurants onsite. I brought one additional top since I knew that I tended to be a klutz and spill things on myself.

The key takeaways here are:

+ Make sure that the number of essentials you have packed matches the number of nights that you will be on vacation.
+ If you are staying at an all-inclusive, do not bring towels, these will be provided.
+ Rinse out (or wash) clothing items you plan to re-wear (i.e swimsuits, sports bras)

All and all there isn't one fail-safe way to ensure that you won't overpack which is why I would love to hear your tips. Be sure to comment a tip that has helped you pack for summer vacation. We would love to hear it!