Viva 2015

Dress  ||  Shoes (Steve Madden, old, similar)  ||  Necklace  ||  Earrings (J.Crew Factory, old)

If you've been following Prep Northwest for awhile now, you'll know that I love fraternity formals. The only thing that can make a formal better, is that formal being in Canada. Chris' spring formal was this past weekend in Vancouver, BC! This was our second year going and had an even better time. The actual formal takes place on a boat and we cruise through Vancouver Harbor. Especially during this time of year, it's absolutely beautiful. And we're still cruising during gold hour, so photos are wonderful.

What's also fun is the drinking age: if you're 19, you can legally go out and drink in Canada! I'm not big on partying, but it's fun to be able to go out and order a martini or go dancing in a club. Chris is 21 and I'm still only 20, so it was nice to go to a pub with him and our other friends.

Vancouver is a great city to visit. It's very similar to Seattle, which is why I think I like it so much. If you're planning a visit, definitely stay downtown near Gransville. The nightlife is popping and there are tons of restaurants all around! Everything is at least a 10 minute walk or 10 minute can ride away. Since Vancouver is less than two hours from where I live, I plan on making a lot more trips up there this summer. Even though Canada and the US are neighbors and share a lot of their cultures, there's a definite Canadian culture that I love.

The dress I wore is from Lulu's. It was my first purchase from there and I couldn't be happier with it. I was worried about the deep v looking bad because of my chest size (#smallboobs) but I ended up loving it and feeling really great in it. Plus, it arrived a day early and is only $37! How crazy is that? My heels are Steve Madden, but I bought them last summer from TJ Maxx for less than $30, so I can't find them anywhere. I linked a similar pair above!

Tell me, have you gone on any Greek formals? What locations are your favorite?
Cheers!

P.S. Sorry for out of focus photos - I just bought a manual lens and had to ask people who don't know how to use DSLRs to take some photos!

Talking Health: Away at College and Really, Really Unhappy

My first year of college taught me one thing: you might not love your college, and you might be really unhappy there. I've mentioned it before (here, on leaving and here, on rejection advice) and am perfectly open to talking about it. I hated my college. I hated being a student there, I didn't feel welcomed, I lacked a lot of motivation, and felt very lost (not growth lost, but scared and hurt lost). My biggest motivation for attending this school was the fact is was a four year school. It wasn't the best reason to go, but I learned a lot from my experience. And plus, a lot of people I know went to schools because they were four years and ended up loving them. Whatever the reason is up to you.

Education and going to college are tricky matters. Making the decision on what school to go to, learning to live in a new environment, building new relationships and keeping the ones you already have, and balancing school work is a lot of change and a lot to deal with in those first few months (or years). Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and mindset is hard, too.

Discussing mental health openly is not as prioritized as it should be. In my experience, many young people don't feel that their problems or feelings are important enough to talk about. So often we're told "someone has it worse" and our problems are constantly being compared and devalued. Remember this: that is not okay. It is not okay for someone else to tell you that your feelings aren't as important as someone else's and that you need to take the back seat to others. 

Before I even left for college, I was already sad about it. I was heartbroken that I didn't get into my first choice school which, looking back on, I wasn't even that eligible for. I went to school with the mindset that I didn't want to be there, which didn't help my situation. I built a lot of really great relationships, met some really amazing people, and have some really fond memories of my time there. But, feeling low so many days out of the week, skipping class because I "felt sick", and coming home almost every weekend wasn't healthy. I wasn't in a positive place and I knew staying there wasn't going to help me. Luckily for me, I had a great roommate (who I'm still very close with) who understood me and was there for support when I really needed it.

The stigma on mental health and illness that is so prominent in our society made me really anxious while I was at school. Four years ago, when I was a sophomore in high school, I was diagnosed with depression. I went to therapy and took medication, and eventually I felt better. But going away to school, a school I didn't feel happy at, triggered my depression and it gushed back. I felt too embarrassed and nervous to seek out on-campus resources (though they really do help), so instead I skipped class, cried in bed, wrote about it on Tumblr, and took long showers. It really wasn't healthy or fair to myself to stay in that environment. It was important I left.

It wasn't until after I officially decided to leave and took a gap year (I'm not currently in school) that I realized how depressed I was away at school. There are days I feel really low and embarrassed that I'm not currently enrolled, until I remember that I now feel healthier than I ever have before. I'm working full time, get to spend time with Chris, my closest friends, and my family, and don't feel the same pressure I did while away. 

I'm sharing this because I think it's important that people know, especially new college students, that not everyone is going to have a blast at school. It's easy to feel isolated, lonely, scared, anxious, and experience depression. Talking about it is important. Your feelings, your health, and your experiences matter. Seeking out the right help and optimizing on-campus and local resources is so, so important. It's only fair to do what's right for you and your well-being. If leaving your current university and transferring, taking a gap year, or whatever is what will put you in a safe and healthy place, then do it. You matter. You owe it to yourself to do what makes you happy.

Cheers.

Delts Formal 2015

mirror pic because dang - look at that eyeshadow (and how handsome Chris is!)

Lilly Shift Dress (sold out, similar dresses here)  ||  Tory Burch Wedges

If there's one thing I love, it's getting dressed up. Chris' fraternity had their winter formal this past weekend, making it our third winter formal we've been to! Formals are so much fun and I'm so glad we've been able to attend so many of them together. If you're ever invited to a formal, go! 

I bought this shift dress (in Sea Oat Escapades in the Everglades) during the After Party Sale from Lilly Pulitzer last month and have been too excited to wear it. Even though it's bright and a very spring-y print, I thought it was too cute to wear. The wedges I'm wearing are actually an older Tory pair that my aunt used to wear and handed down to me. 

If you're ever in the Seattle area and are looking for a great weekend getaway, Leavenworth is your place to go. Chris' winter formal is held there every year! It's the cutest little bavarian village - you'll actually think you're in Germany or Switzerland! Check out the München Haus for delicious bratwurst and the hat shop for silly hats and laughs. It's located right in the Cascade mountains, so it's calm and surrounded by beautiful mountains.

Cheers!

Creating a Better College Experience as a High School Senior

High school (omg - also, I'm wearing shorts)

College. I won't lie, I felt very bittersweet about moving away for my first year of school. I wasn't looking forward to my school (I've probably mentioned that a million times here) but I couldn't wait to start my college experience. Though nerve wracking, it was exciting, new, and a refreshing change. My first year wasn't terrible, but there were some ways I prepared for my year that really made transitioning into college and moving away a little easier and enjoyable (see making college easier during your first year here).

Freshman year of college

Get a job that you can work at while you're home for break  ||  Working retail can be a real pain, but it was nice to come home and work for Black Friday and the holiday season. It gave me enough money to use during the school year to buy myself dinner or coffee off campus with my friends!

Connect with students from your high school or area before going  ||  Transitioning to a university is extremely emotional and can be scary! Connect with someone in your area who's going to the same university as you (if you can) so you have someone to eat with in the dining hall and make you feel more comfortable those first couple of days. It really helped me - my roommate and I were high school friends and were able to help each other meet new people!

Start collecting dorm items early  ||  I had a few things I bought early so I wouldn't have to buy them later and worry about what I had! But you can also wait until mid-September, when dorm decor and furniture has been marked down to clearance!

Join interest clubs or community organizations to get an idea of what you'd like to major in  ||  This obviously is not a must, but it definitely helps. I went into college knowing what I want to do (work in healthcare and healthcare education), which made taking classes and creating a plan so much easier.

Have a few fun facts about yourself and conversation starters prepared  ||  It sounds silly, but trust me, this helps! I was involved in a handful of groups where fun facts were ice breakers and I was forced to chat with people I didn't know! Having a few facts in your back pocket (my older brother is 13 years older than me, and I have my library card number memorized!) and some conversation starters (my go to: what does your dream kitchen look like?) will seriously come in handy when you're meeting so many new people at once.

I hope this helps seniors out there prepare for their new journeys! Congrats on acceptance letters, and remember that rejection isn't the end of the world (trust me, I know). 

Share with me, where are you going?!

Cheers!

Why Leaving my University was the Best Decision I've Made

There are a lot of things that aren't shared about going off to college for the first time. Like, what do you do when you're walking down the hall in nothing but a towel after you've showered and there's a group of guys hanging outside someone's door? Do you run to the bus if you're about to miss it, or just wait for the next one in 10 minutes? How do you find a seat in the library without looking like a lost freshman (even though you totally are)? When you go off to college, you learn a lot through experience. Most of it is something you can't learn anywhere else or understand unless you're there. That's why I made the decision to go to a four year right out of high school.

Let me back up by saying that it's pretty normal not to attend a four year right away in my area. It's common for people to go to a two year community college, earn their associates, then transfer to a bigger four year. It's done for many reasons: financial, academic, personal. I knew that it was definitely a possibility after I didn't get into my first choice school (college rejection advice here), but I wanted to have that four year experience, so I attended a four year that I honestly didn't want anything to do with. I gave that school a chance, made some amazing friends, created great memories, and did what I could to become involved on campus, but it wasn't a place I was happy (you can read about that here). I made the choice not to come back, and that might be the best decision I've ever made.

For a long time (and still if I'm feeling sad about school), I felt like a loser for not going back to a four year. I didn't want to look like someone who was dropping out of college, who didn't care, and didn't want to be in school. That's far from the truth. I really, really want a bachelor's degree and to be furthering my education. I know where I want to get and I know that I can't get there without a college degree. I also know that by going to a community college for a year or so, I'll be able to transfer to a school that I'm happy at and feel like I belong, something I didn't feel at my old school. 

Leaving my four year has opened up different doors for me. I am now much happier knowing I don't have to go back (I always dreaded going back at the end of the weekend), can get a job since I have transportation (that aren't city busses), and surround myself with people that I love. I'm also saving money and have the time to focus on myself and my happiness more. The downside of community is not having a real college experience or community on campus. The attitude is much different: people don't really care to treat it like a university, since it isn't. 

I felt a lot of pressure to stay at my four year because it was a four year, but after making the decision to leave, I feel amazing. I am so much happier and know I can now apply to different schools with a great chance of being accepted. I'm realizing more and more every day that this experience is my experience, and I shouldn't let anyone's negativity change what would make me happy. In order to be the best student I can be, I need to make sure I'm mentally in a great, positive place. That place for me wasn't my four year.

Cheers!

Staying Hydrated in the Dorms feat. Brita®

This is a sponsored post by Brita®. All opinions are my own.

 One of my biggest struggles the past few years is making sure I'm drinking enough water. Water is so important (duh, Connie), but it's so easy to forget to drink enough throughout the day! And without my mom to remind me while I was at college in the dorms, it was even harder. 

As my first year as a college student went on, I realized what items were really necessary while living in a dorm. In my building, the water fountain was all the way down the hall in the bathroom. The trip down the hall seemed so far away and wasn't ideal (I can be lazy). I've come up with a few ways to make drinking water much more of a habit while living in the dorms, keeping you healthy, awake, and happy.

Invest in a good water bottle  ||  Carrying a water bottle with you is the smartest decision you can make while at school (and ever). This Brita® bottle carries 20 oz of water, and by throwing it in your backpack before class and taking it out and setting it on you desk during lecture, you're set to stay hydrated while focusing in class! All Brita® products are BPA free and has it's own water filter. How awesome is that?

Buy plastic cups for your room  ||  I like to keep water in my water bottle and use plastic cups for other drinks, like home brewed iced tea! Having plastic cups is great because you don't have to worry about them breaking and glass shattering.

Stay perfectly hydrated with a Brita® pitcher  ||  This is by far the greatest solution to my stay-hydrated problem. Remember when I said walking all the way down the hall wasn't ideal every time I wanted water? Brita® is here to the rescue! You can fill up the pitchers and not worry about making multiple trips to the fountain during a study sesh (or Netflix marathon, let's be real ;)). Though the water fountain is drinkable water, it's not rare for it to taste a little funky. The filtration systems in Brita® products leaves your water tasting clean and great, which is a big deal for me. It's hard for me to drink funky tasting water! Plus, by investing in a Brita® pitcher (they're so affordable!), the amount of waste is greatly reduced, saving big bucks. As college students, we need to save as much as we can. How great is that?!

Brita® items are luckily available at Target, one of my number one spots for back to school. Knowing that Brita® provides products that leave my water tasting great, that their products are BPA free, and that they're so affordable, I know that the rest of my college (and beyond) years will definitely be hydrated.

What items do you use to stay hydrated? Do you have a Brita® pitcher?

Cheers!

Sorority Recruitment: Tips and Tricks - Guest Post by Viviane Nguyen

Pi Beta Phi Bid Day 2013 at Northern Arizona University

I am so happy to share this post with you! Viviane is a friend of mine that I met at leadership camp two years ago. It seems so long ago! Since then, we've kept in touch via social media (her Instagram is darling!) and she has recently begin the process of starting her own blog! Make sure to check back for the link after her blog has launched. During her first year of school at Northern Arizona University, she participated in sorority recruitment and found herself at home in Pi Beta Phi! I asked her if she would like to guest post about recruitment, being that I'm not in a sorority and can't speak with experiences. Here's what she had to say!

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Formal recruitment can often be described as a mix of emotions, but it will be one of the best weeks of your life! You will meet so many people, get a glimpse of what it's like in each house and most importantly find your home away from home! For those of you who are going through recruitment this year, I decided to share a few tips from my experience!

1. Take care of yourself // Recruitment is physically demanding. Between a weeks worth of endless walking, standing for long periods of times and continuous talking, you will be exhausted. During your breaks, make sure to drink water and eat snacks if you become hungry. It's important to stay hydrated and healthy, nothing is worse than passing out!
2. Go through recruitment with an open mind // Your best friend may be in love with a sorority at her school, but it doesn't mean that you will fall in love with the same one at yours. All houses are different on each campus! Throughout recruitment you will hear other girls comment on who they loved and didn't, but just because their least favorite is YOUR favorite doesn't mean anything!
3. Be you // When choosing a house, you are ultimately choosing your home away from home. Remember that recruitment is a mutual selection process. Being yourself will allow you to meet people who enjoy being around the real you! Don't force a conversation if you feel like they aren't flowing. It's okay not to connect with everyone!
4. Expect to meet a lot of people // Get to know the girls around you, especially those in your Rho Chi group! You may potentially find some of your closest friends through this. Some of them may even end up in the same house as you! I met many of my closest friends on campus through my Rho Chi group and I still keep in touch with them weekly!
5. Take notes when you can // At my school we only have seven houses (which seemed hard enough), but I know that many campuses have larger amounts that range from 15-20! Although you may be attending parties back to back, make sure to take notes in between your breaks! You will want them to jog your memory when ranking houses later that night.
6. Take a moment and look around the room // On the last few nights of recruitment, start shifting your attention to the PNM's around you! Can you imagine yourself being friends with them? They will be the ones you'll be spending the next four years with!
7. You end up where you truly belong // The moment when you open up your bid card can either be exciting or heartbreaking. No matter what house you received a bid from, stick it out for a bit! Get to know your pledge class, the older girls and attend chapter events. I promise you will end up falling in love with your new home!

Heres to formal recruitment!

You can find Viviane on Pinterest, Tumblr, and Instagram!

Exploring the University of North Carolina

I've always considered UNC at Chapel Hill to be my fantasy school. I knew it was a school I wouldn't be able to attend because it's competitive, and I wouldn't want to be so far from home, but that doesn't mean I'm not absolutely in love. Not only is this school the best public university in the country for pursuing public health (which is my passion), it's the most beautiful college campus I've seen (sorry, University of Washington. You know you'll always be #1!). Though it's summer and there weren't many students on campus, I loved how I felt walking through the buildings and along the brick walkways. My uncle, a proud UNC alum (he wears Tarheels gear all the time!), toured my sister and I around the campus. It was fun to explore the school, especially with someone who loves the school so much. I'm seriously considering applying here for graduate school - fingers crossed!

Do you have a dream school?!

Cheers!

Fin, Year 1

"And just like that, my freshmen year of college is over." Wait... What? Let me back track a little. My freshmen year of college ended today and let me tell you: I am ready. I have to admit that this year has been the hardest year I've ever dealt with. Between my own insecurities and worries, my fear of not being able to make friends or build any new relationships, my inability to sit down and focus on school work for an adequate amount of time, and all the mental breakdowns and internal struggles, this has been a long year. I didn't get the greatest grades, I didn't do a lot of exploration in this city or school, and I didn't truly feel like a part of the community here, but I did make a lot of great memories. I met people that I really love and click with. I learned what it's like to walk all the way across campus in a hurry to get to my midterm, I re-discovered why going to house parties of people I don't know makes me uncomfortable, and I learned to love dining hall food (most of the time). I've met people who have taught me a lot about themselves and about myself, who have taught me how to learn from their mistakes and how to open myself up to a new idea or lifestyle. I also made it through my first year of college, and like all things, including the small victories, that is something to celebrate. 

For a long time, I debated coming to my university. I debated staying at home and attending a community college so I could have a better chance at attending my first choice school and having the college experience I wanted. I felt at war with myself and very conflicted and, in the end, I decided I would beat myself up for the rest of my life (probably not) if I felt like I was missing out on a "real" freshmen year of college. All through my senior year I felt very pressured to attend a four year right out of high school, which is absurd. I do believe that college is important and, for me, vital, but going straight to a four year isn't always the right route for everyone. Going to a community college or taking a small break can be just as encouraging, insightful, and powerful for an individual as attending a four year university right away. Every college experience and approach varies from each person to the next, and there is no right or wrong. I believed I needed to go to a four year right away, and in some ways, I almost regret that decision. I thought I would be looked down upon and wouldn't be as successful if I waited to go to a four year, versus going right away. There are many days I wake up wishing I waited so I could have gone to the university I actually want to attend. But, on other mornings, I'm very thankful I decided to be a Viking, knowing I met some really incredible people.

The people I've met here are people that need to be celebrated. I've become so close to people that come from all over, from Portland, to San Francisco, to Cincinnati. I have friends who I realized only live 20 minutes from my hometown, or live right across the river from me. I've met people who are transfers, who are of various religions, who have different diets and different lifestyles than me. College, aside from academics, is really about the people you meet and the memories you make with them. The other students that I've become close with are what made this school year worth it. They're what made the nights I stayed up until 2 am crying, the days I dreaded coming back up from Seattle or home, the days I spent alone convincing myself I had no friends, and the moments I felt I made the worst decision of my life, all worth it. I might not feel like a part of the campus community here, but I feel like I belong with the people I've come to know and love. 

I might not be here next year. I might leave and try to find a "home" elsewhere. I came to this school knowing I didn't want to, knowing I'd rather be somewhere else, and really realized that I wasn't happy here. I wasn't always myself, and that was a thought that scared me. When I spoke with the friends I've met who are absolutely in love with this university, who call this place their home, who are sad to see the year end and are anticipating fall when they can return, I know that this isn't my place. And that is okay. Not everyone finds their place right away. One of my closest friends is a transfer and is in love with it here, unlike her first school. Not everyone jumps into the place they call home. Sometimes it takes a bit more searching, and that's what I plan on doing. I might not be a Viking next year (was I really ever?), and I might not ever come back to this city. Though a beautiful place, an incredible school, and the home to many bright, young, ambitious students, this is not my school, and this is not my home. It took me a long time to understand that this didn't need to be my place. College is about learning, developing, growing, and thinking. It's also about feeling at peace, feeling essential to the community, feeling certain. For some of us, that takes awhile. I expected that I would be the only person feeling lost, confused, and conflicted, but I was wrong. I was not alone, I was never alone, and to anyone else feeling this way: you are not alone. 

{I sure am going to miss this view}

I am thankful for the time I have spent here. If I come back, I know I can make it through the year. If I don't, I know I am capable of being a strong, young, ambitious, and driven woman who wants to pursue her higher education and receive her hard-earned degree. As for the people I've met, the memories I've made, and the professors I've learned from, I am ready to celebrate.

{The difference just a couple of minutes make}

 I hope that everyone has an incredible summer break and that you all had a memorable school year! I'd love if you shared some great memories with me!

Cheers!