My Routine for Dry Winter Skin

Today is COLD, everybody! I hope you are staying warm and dry this week and taking lots of time for yourself over the next few days. I know I have been dealing with lots of dryness this month, and the freezing weather certainly doesn't help. Spring cannot come fast enough!

As for my skincare routine, there are lots of products that I have been using to do whatever I can to keep my skin moisturized this season. Another note that I think is super important and really stood out to me while I was making this graphic is the fact that a lot of the products I use right now are in my routine because I want to be conscious of using what I have before I purchase new things. I can't say that all of these products are the best for the job, but I think it's important to be honest about what I use as well as encourage you to take advantage of what's already in your bathroom cabinet before dropping major $$ on new products. Plus, it's way more sustainable that way!

For my face, I use an exfoliator maybe once a week. I have been using the Neutrogena Hydroboost with SPF recently during the mornings because I had it in my cabinet waiting to be used and I liked that it has SPF. It's not my favorite but it gets the job done, and it allows me to use less of my Saturday Skin moisturizer. I have been saving that one to use at night because it has a thicker formula.

For my lips, I have been LOVING the Laneige Lip Mask at night, which makes my lips so smooth! I also use regular Burt's Bees throughout the day and sometimes will use the ELF scrub when I need extra exfoliation.

On my hands, I have been using whatever hand lotion I need to use up and the Bliss cuticle oil since my cuticles are probably the driest right now. To exfoliate my body, I use the Tree Hut scrubs on my arms, elbows, legs, and even armpits! Then I will use Bliss body butter (I have a million of these from when I did this campaign) or the classic Cerave cream on my body. Last, I think that it is soooo worth it to talk about the Baby Foot Peel and similar products -- I used one for the first time this summer and it was honestly amazing. Definitely a little gross, but amazing nonetheless. I get horrible calluses and this is the best thing that I have used for really getting rid of dry skin on your feet.

Based on the weather forecast that I can see for next week, we are supposed to get a lot more rain but the temperatures are going to be a little warmer! At this point, I am counting down the days until spring and have my fingers crossed for warmth ASAP. In the meantime, what are your favorite products for dry skin?

A Postgrad Take on Why You Should Join Greek Life

At my sophomore year bid day

Happy Monday and happy first day of the spring semester to many of you! I feel like I say this constantly, but I really can't believe how fast the last year has flown by. So, if you are a second-semester senior, take advantage of every second you have left on campus because those days will be gone before you know it.

This week is also another exciting time on many college campuses and that is sorority recruitment. A lot of colleges choose to host recruitment during the spring so that students have a full semester to adjust to college life before jumping into a major extra-curricular commitment, and now is finally the time when sororities around the country are going to welcome new members into their sisterhoods. 

As someone who sat on my sorority's cabinet (I was online media director) and our Panhellenic executive board (as Vice President of Marketing), I spent a lot of time engaged in the Greek Life community at my school and can say that I absolutely recommend that everyone go through sorority recruitment during their college years. The commitment is not binding until you are initiated into your organization, and so there is truly no harm in testing the waters -- you just might find that you truly love it!

Now that I am graduated, I still find that there are so many benefits to being in a sorority, and today I wanted to share my perspective on why I recommend joining Greek Life. Also, I'm sure that I would write the story a bit differently now, but I shared my recruitment story here if you want to know more about my experience!

I met my closest friends in college from joining a sorority. Many of the girls that I met through my sorority experience were people outside of my major, students that I would have never been in a class with, or met through my dance team. Many of my sorority sisters are engineers, aspiring doctors, and pursuing amazing careers that are unlike my own journey. I am a better person because I learn so much from my sisters every day, and the people I am closest with are the people who I met through joining a sorority. 

I was able to be part of the history of our organization to make the most of my experience. When I joined my organization, it was new on our campus and we had full reign over how we wanted to make our legacy last. It was exhilarating to brainstorm creative ways to make our sorority the best experience possible, and I love seeing the ways our new sisters continue to grow our chapter. 

I was able to gain leadership roles that have benefitted me in the real world. Because our chapter was new, it gave members a lot of chances to develop leadership skills and take on additional responsibilities. I have been able to talk about my experiences with rebranding, designing graphics and more during interviews, in cover letters, and in job applications.

I took a chance on something new that was the highlight of my college years. After reading my recruitment story, it's clear that I took a chance on something that I wasn't 100% sure of when I started. So many people in my chapter felt this same way for one reason or another (lots of girls who said they "would never join a sorority" and ended up LOVING it), and I think they would all agree that being part of the Greek Life community was such an important part of their college experience. If you are hesitant to join because you don't think it's for you, I would once again encourage you to give it a shot!

I gained access to social events and bonding activities. Going to a high-stress university meant that there weren't a ton of opportunities for social activity since most of our free time was spent studying or in the library. As a member of a sorority, I had an immediate group of friends to do social things with, whether that be grabbing lunch together between classes or hitting up the town on the weekends.

I had a network of people to help me with work and studying. One of the academic benefits of joining a sorority is that so many older members have taken the classes that you are currently taking, which means you can get help on homework or gain insight about which classes and professors are great. After graduation, many sisters will share if their employer is hiring, or help you by reviewing your resume and proofreading your emails for you. (I'm looking at you, big 😉)

I learned a lot about myself and grew from the highs and lows of being in a sorority. While there were lots of great times being in a sorority, there were also some not so great times. I never wrote about it here on the blog, but one experience that was particularly difficult at the time was not being chosen as president of my sorority. But, it led me to more new experiences, like joining the Panhellenic executive board and helping run recruitment, being chosen as captain of my dance team, and studying abroad in Copenhagen, which was when and how I discovered my dream career!)

I joined a group of incredible, successful women including Tory Burch, Melinda Gates, Whitney Port, and Sheryl Crow. All of the above women, and many more, make up a great professional network of people who are members of my sorority. Because our organization extends across the country and even has chapters in other countries, there are so many ways to get involved as an adult. I have friends who have moved far from home and gotten involved in alumnae chapters to make friends and others who have used sorority connections when looking for jobs and roommates.

 I could go on and on about more reasons why joining a sorority was so beneficial, but I hope that this helped you a little bit if you are still on the fence or even want to know how Greek Life goes beyond college. Below are some other posts I've written in the past about sorority life:

+ 5 Things I'd Tell Freshman Me about Sorority Recruitment

+ My Recruitment Story

+ Dealing with Sorority Disappointments

+ Tips for Being Your Best Self During Sorority Recruitment

+ The Do's and Don'ts of Going Greek

+ The Greatest of These is Love

An Exercise in Self-Discovery: Let Yourself Obsess

Happy Friday! This week has been pretty quiet around my office but I am still sooo sleepy and can't wait to stay in and be cozy this weekend. (The photo above was from a delicious dinner in Copenhagen that had all the hygge vibes, which I'll be channeling starting approximately 6 PM today ;) hahaha) One of the things that I hope to be doing a lot of over the weekend is reading and catching up on books that I have had checked out of my library for over a month now. 

Recently, I have also found a few excellent articles online and thought that it would be great to explore them further and dive a bit deeper here on the blog. Earlier this week I shared an article from Man Repeller on my Instagram stories and I have been thinking about writing a full post about it since! In particular, I want to incorporate lots of personal growth and self-discovery content this year and I had the idea to tackle different components of this journey in a blog series.

The article that I'm referring to is entitled What If You Already Are Your Best Self? and the main premise is that often times, the parts that we "hate" most about ourselves are the things that make us most unique and celebrating those qualities will allow us to truly be our best selves. I absolutely loved reflecting on this the past few days! 

It's so easy to write ourselves off as weird, awkward, or strange if we have a quality that we think other people will not like. But when we lean into that quality and let it steal the spotlight, I think that we get a much clearer understanding of who we (and other people) are. I've had friends that label themselves as weird because they have a goofy sense of humor, and those are definitely not the same. In my own life, I have a few really niche interests (soil profiles and the history of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, to name a few) that other people might not understand, but I think they're cool nonetheless. And when you embrace those parts of your personality, you offer the world a more accurate representation of who you really are. 

One of my best friends wrote this article a few years back about what it means to let yourself be obsessed with something. In many ways, I think what she says there holds true for this conversation. We don't want to let ourselves obsess over the things we love because we are afraid that they will be deemed uncool, and so we revert them to the back of our minds and make them out to be our "worst" aspects. We tell ourselves that we are weird for really caring about the process of what went into writing that song, or thinking that soil profiles are beautiful for informing us of the earth's health and history. 

What if we all let ourselves let go of the "worsts" and allow them to be our best, most interesting and most defining characteristics? According to the Man Repeller article, everything gets just a little bit clearer when we give ourselves the space to accept all these parts. Freeing ourselves of that extra weight might just be the key to unlocking our full potential -- and it was inside of us all along.

What do you think? I'd love to hear something you obsess over in the comments below! 

My Top Nail Polish Colors for Year-Round

via

Hi everyone! I have been meaning to do a few more updates on my daily routines, one of which is my nails. I have been painting my nails every week now (usually on Saturday or Sunday) for the past 4-ish months and I am really getting the hang of painting my own nails. I still need to figure out my routine for maintaining my cuticles and hands in the winter because I get SO dry, but for now, I am pretty happy that I'm developing this skill. I have even gotten to the point where I barely get any polish on my skin from mistakes and slip-ups! I think this partly has to do with the brush size, and each brand's is a little different. My favorite is from Essie, and I love their selection and that I can find them at my local CVS, Target, and nail salon. But, I would love to explore more sustainable nail polish brands too, so if you have a favorite, let me know!

I have a few colors that I use on a regular rotation, and since I mostly like classic colors on my nails, these suit just about any occasion that I could have. Here's what I use most often, plus the BEST top coat to use with any polish if you want a long-lasting manicure:

Most of the "colors" aka non-neutrals that I go for are either summery coral-reds or almost-black darks like deep green and burgundy. But, I have been seeing a growing trend towards lots of neons this winter and I just might need to try something super bright to cure the January blues. Right now, I have a brighter pink on my nails because I could have sworn that it was spring the other day when it was supposed to be blizzarding here in NJ. We're quickly approaching Groundhog Day and maybe Puxatawney Phil will tell us that spring is coming early this year!

Introducing enviHERment!

Hi there! If you're a long-time reader of this blog, then I'm sure you've noticed that things are looking a bit different today, and that's because I've officially rebranded!

I have been thinking about doing this for a while now and came up with the idea of 'enviHERment' back in the summer. I had started deviating away from regular fashion and preppy content, and wanted my online space to reflect what I studied in school and am passionate about -- sustainability, social impact, and personal development. I had started writing about all of those things the minute that I graduated, but I held on to The Scalloped Edge for a long time because I was hesitant about doing another blog rebrand.

Back in 2015, I rebranded to The Scalloped Edge around the same time that everyone was deleting the word 'prep' from their blog and Tumblr URLs. It was what I came up with at the time, but for a while now I've felt that it wasn't the most thought out rebrand. If I was going to make another switch, I wanted it to be well thought out and carefully planned so that I knew I liked the name and would stick with it for the long haul. 

Because this is an online space for women who are looking to continuously grow and educate themselves to reach their highest potential, while also exploring the journey of becoming more sustainable every day, I knew I wanted to incorporate the environment and add a female emphasis to my new blog name. Then one day I realized that the way I pronounce environment -- more like 'en-vi-er-ment' -- gave me the perfect excuse to throw an H in there and change everything to enviHERment! 

 I was shocked to Google this term and find that nothing comes up in the search! I was totally convinced that someone else would have scooped up this play-on-words long before I thought of it, but I'm so glad that it was still available. 

I just wanted to pop in here today to say that if you are a regular visitor here, barely anything is going to change. I am still planning to post 3 times a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) with content related to my sustainability journey, personal development tips, and more.  But now I feel more at ease that my branding as a whole truly reflects what I'm all about!

Do you like the new name? Let me know in the comments!

How to Choose A Word for 2019 + My Word for the Year

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

We are more than half-way through the first month of 2019 and I that means that everyone is in the swing of the new year and getting settled back into a routine after the holidays. The first few weeks of the year are always an adjustment after a long break, and so now is the time to really hit the ground running for 2019 and setting your goals!

Last year, I decided that I wanted my 'word' or intention to be timing. As a second semester senior in college, it was hard not to worry and compare myself all the time with how quickly I was making progress on my "real-world" journey. It was important to keep in mind that everyone was moving at different paces, and I didn't need to jump at the first job or make any major decisions just because I wanted to keep up with my peers. I really tried to trust in the timing of the year, and it worked out because I ended up with a super cool work opportunity that I would not have found otherwise.

Last year was amazing, and I knew going into 2019 that it was bound to be a year full of progress and eventfulness. I was in a happy place in my life but I only wanted to grow and make this happiness even better! When I thought about my overarching goals for 2019, I kept coming back to the word invest. I am really looking forward to investing in...

+ my career path and finding the best job ever

+ growing my blog by adding resources and committing my time

+ relationships with friends and family, and making more plans

+ personal development through reading, self-care, and ongoing education

via Pinterest

The process of deciding my Word for 2019 was actually much simpler than I thought it would be. Here's what I did when reflecting on the previous year and determining my new goals.

1. I started by thinking back on the past year, recalling my previous word and judging how well that word served me in 2018. I was pretty happy with the word that I picked and thought that I made lots of great progress in that department during 2018, so that was great! I made note of things that I did well and things that I needed improvement on so that I could use those to fuel my 2019 intention.

2. I spent a few days thinking about what I wanted to accomplish in 2019. I struggled a little bit at first since 2018 had been wonderful and I wasn't looking to make any major changes. But, I managed to come up with things that I wanted to pursue, such as the blog growth and commitment to making plans that I mentioned above. 

3. I brainstormed words that related to these topics and wrote them all down in a note on my phone. Some of my initial words included rise, reach, and manifest.

4. I wrote out a list of how each of my potential words could be used in a variety of contexts. With the word reach, for example, I wrote things like reach out, reach for the stars, and reach new heights.

5. Based on these lists, I was able to determine which word most closely aligned with the goals that I wanted to accomplish from Step 2. 

I hope this helps you if you are still thinking of your word or intention for 2019 -- there is never a wrong time to start making progress on your goals! Let me know your word for 2019 in the comments below :)

My Five-Minute Makeup Routine for Work

Happy Wednesday! Today's post is all about the fastest makeup routine you've ever seen -- how I get ready for work quickly in the mornings and have easy, fresh-faced makeup in literally five minutes. I try super hard to make sure that I have things like my outfit picked out the night before, and in order to spend as many precious minutes in my bed as possible, I have my routine nailed down pretty well. While I would love to be the kind of person who wakes up at 5 AM to read and drink tea before even thinking about getting ready in the morning, that just isn't my reality right now so this will have to do.

1. Prime my entire face with the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer in the green shade, which reduces redness. I've used this for a long time and don't have quite as much redness any more as when I started using this product so I might switch to the normal version once I run out.

2. I use two different concealers, one to reduce the appearance of dark circles and one to match my skin tone. I apply the NYX corrector first and then use the Maybelline Fit Me concealer on top. This has been another reliable favorite for years and I go back and forth between the shades 10 and 20 depending on the season.

3. I set everything with a translucent powder that I apply with a dry Beauty Blender. This powder has worked well for me for years and I recently have been trying the Beauty Blender method instead of using a brush, which I like! It's very easy.

4. Curl my lashes and then apply mascara on the top and bottom. I have been using the Lash Paradise mascara I have on hand but I actually prefer the Voluminous Million Lashes from L'Oreal.

5. Use my fingers to apply the tiniest bit of Cloud Paint on my cheeks. I wear Beam the most and find that it best blends into my skin.

6. Apply some Burt's Bees chapstick (my #1 go-to). I also always carry this in my bag to reapply throughout the day.

Extras: If I have extra time I might...
+ Apply Boy Brow to darken and accentuate my eyebrows
+ Add a light eyeshadow to my lids such as Rose Bronze from the Lorac Pro 3 Palette
+ Wear a lipstick instead of chapstick or lip balm

5 Books to Help You Grow in 2019

This past weekend was such a great one! 2019 is really starting with a bang, but unfortunately, I was wrapped up in all the fun this weekend and didn't plan a ton of time for writing blog posts. Fear not -- today I'm coming at you with 5 book suggestions that will help make your 2019 fabulous. I read all of these books last year and really enjoyed them, so I wanted to share them with you today if you are looking for some non-fiction reads that will inspire you.

The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership by Jim Dethmer

This book was the basis of my independent study in my final semester of college, and I really enjoyed it! I thought that it was really interesting and different from some of the other leadership theory books out there, so if you like this kind of stuff, I highly recommend checking it out for something new. It has great tips that help you become a more conscious person in your personal life as well as your professional career. 

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Leadership by Stephen R. Covey

This book is a leadership theory classic but I only read it for the first time over the summer. I really loved what Covey had to say as well and think that if you are just getting started in personal development and leadership theory, this one is a must read!

Wear No Evil by Greta Eagan

This is one of the books that I picked up as I started reading and learning more about sustainable fashion and style this year, and I really liked how Eagan structures her principles. Reading this book inspired lots of posts on the blog such as this, this and this.

The Confidence Code by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman

This book was part girl power and part scientific theory, which was the perfect thing for me! I feel like I learned a lot about the science of confidence while simultaneously feeling empowered by the authors. I know this was also on a few other blogger reading lists from 2018, so it is definitely worth checking out.

Dear Madam President by Jennifer Palmieri 

It was really wonderful to read this book and memoir from Jen Palmieri about her time working on Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. I found her advice relatable for any workplace, but think that it will especially resonate with anyone interested in entering a political field. 

BONUS: Read a biography of one of your favorite people! While this might not be considered 'personal development' per se, I feel like I grew immensely this year from reading biographies of people whose work is truly inspiring. I began 2018 by reading a biography of Leonard Cohen and the history of his famous song, Hallelujah, while I was choreographing a piece to the song and looking to understand the lyrics better, and was blown away by the complexities that make this song so special to so many people. I also read biographies of Billy Joel and Jacqueline Novogratz, both of which I loved. Some of my biography reads lined up for 2019 include Jerry Seinfeld, Steve Nicks, and Mr. Rogers.

My Year-Long Project for 2019

Happy Friday! This week felt like the longest ever. On Tuesday morning, I was mentally at 4 PM when it was only 11:30 in the morning, and I guess that's what it's like being back at work after the holidays!

On Wednesday, I shared the project that I set out to complete in 2018, which is something that I'm incredibly proud of! It was a total challenge but in the end, I feel like it really paid off and has given me a new perspective to head into 2019 strong. Because I enjoyed doing this year-long project so much, I knew that I wanted to do something again in 2019.

I have seen SO many people talk about the 1 Second A Day app, and I thought about implementing it last year but it was too late. So I have known since last year that in 2019, I would make a 1 Second A Day video that captures my whole year. I already love the app and wish that I had used it to document my college experience as well -- that would have been such a fond memory to look back on!

The hardest part so far about this app is that a lot of my days are spent at work, and there's not much different from day to day. That could change in the future, but for now, I'm trying to capture a little bit of everything. I already have some plans with friends and I'm excited for them to be included in my video as well. Here's to a great year in 2019! I can't wait to watch the final video back at the end of the year and see all that I accomplished.

Are you completing a year-long project in 2019? I'd love to hear about it in the comments!

What I Learned from My Year-Long Project in 2018

Last year was the first time that I decided I wanted to have a project or goal that lasted all year long. I only made a few resolutions for 2018 and instead wanted to commit to something that would really challenge me for the full 365 days. I didn't share anything about it when I made the decision and I barely mentioned it to family and friends either, but during 2018 I decided to read the Bible in full using the She Reads Truth app.

I honestly don't remember what prompted the decision, but now that I have completed the challenge, I feel like I really accomplished something big and am proud to have a little bit deeper of an understanding of the Bible. This project was definitely not easy to get through, as there were a few months that I skipped or forgot altogether and then had to seriously catch up during November and December. It pushed my knowledge and there were even a few books where I barely made it through because they were either repetitive or confusing, but it was a really great experience.

I have never been particularly religious, but have always appreciated faith and feel strongly that believing in something (or anything) is really good for the soul. Sometimes, we have no way to know what lies ahead, and in those instances, I have found comfort in accepting a higher power. As I enter 2019, which I know will be a year of change and growth, my experience reading the Bible in full has been valuable in helping me place my trust in knowing that the right things will come along at the right time.

In the end, I am SO glad that I decided to take on the goal of reading the entire Bible in 2018! I crossed off a tremendous bucket list item by reading one of the most important texts, and I would highly recommend challenging yourself to do the same if you are looking for a meaningful project for this year. On Friday, I'll be sharing the new year-long project that I decided to tackle for 2019.

Below are some of my favorite passages that I had saved during the past year: 

Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith. (Hebrews 10:22)

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. (Romans 12:9)

Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble. (Isaiah 35:3)

A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. (Ecclesiastes 3:2)

In much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain. (Ecclesiastes 1:18)

Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge, And he who hurries his footsteps errs. (Proverbs 19:2) 

Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. (Proverbs 3:3)

5 New Year Affirmations for when Last Year was Pretty Great

Hi everyone! I am just heading back to work today and so I haven't fully dived into the new year just yet. I have been spending lots of time getting ahead on projects for 2019 and thinking about what I want this year to mean to me. Each year, I start a massive brain-dump of a Pinterest board where I compile anything and everything that inspires me during that year, and I will kick it off by adding lots of quotes related to my goals and theme for the year.

Overall, 2018 was an absolutely incredible year and one that I'm not quite ready to put behind me. I graduated college, got my first postgraduate job at a dream company, and had the most wonderful summer and holiday season with family. I got to live with all my best friends, go on an amazing spring break vacation, and performed in my last ever dance show. To be blunt, 2018 was INCREDIBLE and I worry that 2019 isn't going to live up to what 2018 had to offer. 

There's more coming soon on what my 2019 Word of the Year is, but while I dug through the depths of Pinterest for inspiration, I was struck by how much content out there is designed for people who had a crap year and can't wait to put the past behind them. And while I am rooting for those people every day of 2019, there has to be something out there for those of us who had amazing years and only want to build on that awesomeness. 99% of the affirmations, quotes, and inspiration out there doesn't account for that fact, so I wanted to share 5 positive affirmations that you can take into 2019 if you're feeling lost for inspiration. 2018 was my best year yet, and I can only hope that 2019 tops it!

via

You will continue to see success from all your hard work.

Make your enthusiasm contagious.

Be unapologetically yourself.

Let the fire within you inspire those around you.

Your growth will only continue in 2019.

8 Free Tools I Use for Blogging

via

The new year is a perfect time to start blogging or boost your blog strategy if you don't have a formal plan for 2019. But one of the biggest barriers to starting a blog is not wanting to spend the money to get started. If you want to create beautiful content and build a following online, it seems like the only way to do that is by investing a lot up front, even if you can't guarantee the return. 

This is a horrible mindset that can really prevent you from starting your dream job or even side hustle. The Internet is a wonderful place full of absolutely incredible tools that can do just about everything you need to start a blog and run successful social media pages. With these free tools, you'll have everything you need to create your blog and start making $$ so that you can reinvest in your site and upgrade to more complex paid tools. 

So fear not -- if you want to start a blog, here are 8 free resources that I use and you can, too. 

B L O G G E R

Blogger is the platform that I use to host my blog. It is free through Google and so anyone with a Google account can make a blog via Blogger. For right now, I love Blogger because it is easy to use and convenient, but I have also heard good things about Wordpress and might try that out as my blog grows. Blogger also allows you to purchase your own domain name which is a nice feature if that is something you want. I personally haven't bit the bullet on that one yet, but it's something I have in mind for 2019.

G O O G L E   A N A L Y T I C S

Analytics is the best free tool for tracking your website traffic over time. This is also available through Google and can easily connect to any website so that you can see stats such as where your followers are from, which pages get the most views, and how people find your blog (like through Instagram or Google search).

C A N V A

This free photo editor and design tool is like a free version of Adobe Creative Suite. I use this to make posters, graphics, Pinterest images, and more. It's such a great tool and you have so many capabilities through this that it's hard to beat.

L U N A P I C

LunaPic is another great website that I use to remove backgrounds from photos. I have also used their paint bucket, eraser, and color picker tools but the transparency option is my favorite. I always save all the images that I want to use for blog graphics, import them to LunaPic to remove backgrounds, and then save and import them into Canva to finally make the graphics.

V S C O

If you haven't already downloaded VSCO, stop what you are doing right now and get this bad boy onto your phone ASAP! VSCO is unofficially the greatest photo editing app of all time and will take your Insta game from 0 to 100 faster than you can say "Algorithm!" There are lots of great filters to choose from, but you can also edit your photos more simply by just adjusting exposure, white balance, grain, etc. My favorite VSCO feature is the ability to copy and paste your edits from one photo to the next, which helps give your feed an overall consistent mood.

U N U M

Once you've edited your photos with VSCO, download them into UNUM to plan out your feed. Before you ever even post to IG, you can see what all your photos will look like next to each other and schedule them to be posted at certain times. You can also track which posts get the most likes, what times of day you get the most engagement, and if you gain or lose followers.

U N F O L D

Unfold is like VSCO and UNUM combined for Instagram Stories. You can add photos into premade templates, add text, and then import them directly into Instagram Stories so that you have beautifully designed and aesthetically pleasing Instagram Stories daily.  If you care about having really well thought-out Instagram Story posts, this is the app for you!

S H O P S T Y L E

Unlike some other affiliate networks, ShopStyle is free to join and anyone can get started making money from affiliate links. I use this to tag items in my posts, make scrollable widgets featuring different items, or even search for an item through hundreds of retailers if I can't find the perfect "black mesh top" or "high waisted light wash jeans" that I want. 

My '101 in 1001' Goals From 2018

Happy 2019! I have mentioned before that I am not making a list of goals or resolutions this year because I already have my 101 in 1001 list, as well as my year-long project that will be announced soon! One of the things that I really like about the 101 List is that you can make your goals as big or small as you want, which means that I can put 'travel to another continent' and 'clean out my closet' on the same list without feeling like they are out of place. 

Today, I wanted to share the 13 goals that I have already crossed off my list during 2018. You might remember that I made this list for my 23rd birthday at the end of August, so it has only been 4 months and I have already done more than I expected. Without further ado, here's what I've accomplished from my 101 in 1001 list!

1. Blog consistently (MWF) for four months

Since the middle of August, I have blogged every single Monday, Wednesday, and Friday! I only took one short break in September for my sister's Sweet Sixteen party, but that was a pre-planned break and so I am still counting it as totally consistent blogging!

2. Figure out the NYC Subway system and be comfortable using it on my own

During the past month, I have had to use the subway a few times by myself to get back and forth to work and I am getting much more confident about knowing where I am going. I have also been loving the app Citymapper for telling me the fastest way to get places in NYC and keeping me on track with the subway schedules. 

3. Visit my college during a fall homecoming weekend

I went to visit Hopkins during September for my first ever Young Alumni Weekend. It was such a blast and I really enjoyed being back on campus with all of my friends and catching up with people who are still in school. We also really loved the annual Tent Party and had the yummiest brunch that Sunday at my new favorite bottomless restaurant!

4. Get my first postgraduate job

In November, I started my first job as a postgrad! I am working with a dream organization in a field that is directly related to my major and my interests, and I could not be happier! I am excited to see where 2019 takes me on my career journey, but I am off to a really spectacular start.

5. Journal every day for a month

For the month of November, I challenged myself to journal every single day. I can't say that I wrote every single day in November, but I did end up writing most days and it was a fun exercise. I wouldn't say that journaling is my favorite of activities (I really had to remind myself to write every day or I would totally forget), but I'm glad that I tried something new and was able to reflect during a month of gratitude.

6. No phone in the morning for one week

One of my worst habits is checking my phone as soon as I wake up in the morning - I swear that it helps me to not fall back asleep - and during one week in September, I tested myself to not check my phone until I had gotten up, done my morning routine, and made my bed.

7. Use my planner every day for two weeks

As I was preparing to start my job in November, I wanted to get in the habit of using my planner and tested myself to write down all my to-dos and reminders in my Day Designer. Now that I am working, I use my planner almost every day, but this was a great start!

8. Take vitamins every day for one month

Since October, I have been taking vitamins daily. I currently take Biotin, Vitamin D, and a multivitamin, but I am curious about what other vitamins might be beneficial to me as well.

9. Complete a 10x10 challenge

I have been inspired by Caroline from Unfancy for the longest time, and I really love her 10x10 fashion challenges. Before I started my job, I wanted to try out this minimalist challenge and so I only wore the same 10 pieces for 10 days and made 10 different outfits during the month of October.

10. Clean out my closet and donate old clothes

Around the same time that I tried the 10x10, I also wanted to go through my closet and get rid of old clothing. October is when I changed out all of my summer clothes to winter clothes, so this was perfect timing to see everything I own in one place and sort through it all.

11. Purchase a reusable straw

This wasn't exactly my purchase, but my sister received some reusable straws for Christmas and I know that they will be around the house so that we can all use them as needed. I am curious to try them with smoothies, iced coffee, and other drinks.

12. Find my signature drink

If you know me in real life, you would know that I am a huge fan of the Aperol Spritz. I enjoyed these all throughout Italy and love them any time of year, but especially in the summer. I couldn't possibly have any other drink as my signature favorite!

13. Read the whole Bible

At the beginning of 2018, I made a goal with myself that I wanted to read the entire Old and New Testaments via the app She Reads Truth. They have an amazing feature that breaks down the Bible into small segments so that you can read it over the course of a year. There were a few periods of time where I took long breaks and then had to catch up, but I can proudly say that in 2018, I read the entire Bible!

There are also a few other goals that I am actively working towards but haven't finished, like reading 50 books, seeing 10 new NYC landmarks, and changing out my beauty routine to include clean products.