10 Myths About College

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10collegemyths

Any incoming freshman can attest to the fact that all you hear from people is college myth this, college myth that and it’s hard to determine which is true and which aren’t. Well luckily I’m here to help debunk 10 myths about college that will hopefully keep you from worrying too much before heading off to school!

1. Most students graduate in 4 years. In fact I know several people who are going into their 5th year, and there is nothing to be ashamed about that! Reasons for not graduating on time might include studying abroad, co-op jobs, having more than 1 major or minor, or changing your major!

2. Everyone drinks and parties. Not true. Although parties and drinking are a stereotypical college activity, many students don’t partake in this. Don’t feel like you have to take up drinking to fit in or go to every party every night. There are plenty of other fun things to do around school that doesn’t include drinking or partying.

3. Everyone has lost their virginity. NO! Don’t fall for the age old trick of everyone is doing it. Girl, if you don’t want to do something with a boy, don’t. If he doesn’t respect that then he is not worth your time. There are so many students in college who are virgins, and there is nothing wrong with that! In fact that should be something you’re proud of!

4. You don’t have to go to your classes. FALSE! It is important now more than ever to attend all of your classes. Just because a professor doesn’t take attendance, does not mean that is a reason to not come to class. Take it from someone who learned it the hard way, you will do much better in the class if you attend all of the classes.

5. Dining hall food is awful. Trust me, most colleges are working to have healthy food options available to students and they are bound to have several options that even the picky eater like my self can enjoy.

6. Freshman 15. Not everyone will gain weight during their freshman year. It’s up to the person and their dieting habits, physical activity, and stress levels to determine if they will gain weight or not.

7. There is no drama. You’re bound to argue with your roommate, hallmates, friends, boyfriend, etc. Depending on the type of people you live around will determine the amount of drama that might show up. Some people are just all about, it’s best to steer clear from them.

8. You’ll be friends with your freshman friends for ever. Sadly, probably not. People go their separate ways and start living in different areas and just don’t hang out as much as they used to. That’s not to say that you won’t stay friends with some of them, it just might not be the same relationship you used to have.

9. You have to decide your career as soon as you get to college. False, you have an entire lifetime to test out different careers, majors, and job opportunities. Coming from a girl who has changed her major 4 times it may take a while to figure out what you’re truly passionate about.

10. You have to join greek life. Don’t get me wrong I’m a strong believer people should try going greek, but there is nothing that requires you too. If you don’t think you’ll enjoy it, you just don’t want to do it, or you think it’s not for you that’s FINE! Don’t worry about what others think and say, you do you boo boo.

 

With college move in day right around the corner, I thought what better topic to talk about than college myths. Hopefully my debunking of these common myths made you a little more confident about college in the fall!

 

Have more college related questions? E-mail me at [email protected]

Have you seen my new youtube video?! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uo-gI0-09PQ

Lauren | Simple Southern Belle

 

DIY Dorm Room Gallery Wall

by In Uncategorized Tagged DIY, DIY college collage, DIY dorm room, DIY dorm room collage wall, DIY dorm room gallery wall, DIY gallery wall, , dorm room decor, dorm room decorating, dorm room organization

DIYdormroomgallerywall

Decorating a dorm room can get expensive. You want something that looks like the pictures on Pinterest, but your mom doesn’t see the need to spend a ton of money on decorations that you’ll probably get tired of! Well lucky for you guys I’ve created several images that can turn your dorm room into the next Pinterest sensation.

The way this works is pretty simple. Once the print is purchased you can print it out as many times as you wish and then buy a cheap picture frame for it and hang it on your wall! Boom, you’ve got a gallery wall of beautiful images, quotes, and pictures that’ll be sure to make everyone in your hall jealous! Personally I love white picture frames and images in different sizes, so I’ve created several different options for you guys to choose from!

1. Lemonades

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2. dreambiglittleone

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3. notallwhowanderarelost

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4. nevergrowup

 

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5. Pink and Black Marilyn Monroe Quote

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6. Motivational 1

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Another great thing to add to any wall is canvas painting! Check out my Etsy store, Catchy Canvas where I sell hand painted canvases that are perfect for any dorm room!

 

Adding a gallery wall of framed photos is an easy and cheap way to decorate any dorm room, apartment, or bedroom! Once downloaded, feel free to print as many copies as needed to style your room or even for making a cute binder cover!

Enjoy your decorating!

Lauren | Simple Southern Belle

Surviving College Move In Day

by In Uncategorized Tagged , , , college move in day, , move in day, surviving college, surviving college move in day, surviving move in day

Survivingcollegemoveinday

Yes that girl in the photo is in fact me on my freshman move in day! I was beyond nervous and didn’t know what to expect when I was moving into college. All that I knew was that this was a fresh start and I couldn’t wait to see what college had to offer. If you’re about to head to college in the fall and your move in day is getting near then this post just might help you! I’m going to give you my tips for surviving college move in day. Since I’ve done it 3 times now, wow I’m getting old! Enough about me being a grandma, let’s jump into the tips I have for you!

Keep like items together, by this I mean keep all of your bedding packed together, everything for your bathroom, all of your clothes, etc. That way when you get to your dorm room all you have to do is separate items to where they go and then simply unpack.

Wait to buy food once you’re at school. This way you will know how much you can fit in your fridge, nothing will go bad, you can find a close grocery store for future reference, and your parents will probably help you buy it!

Clean the entire room before bringing anything in. Please do this because you don’t know the last person who was in that room or if the past RA and building people really gave it a thorough clean. Wipe all surfaces down and even inside the closet and drawers! Clean the windows and mirrors. And wipe down your bed frame too!

Get all the big items out of the way first when setting up. There is nothing worse than having a tv and computer and wifi when you don’t know how to set it up. Get the help of your dad, mom, or brothers and get that stuff figured out and working before they leave.

Don’t be afraid to ask people for help. There are usually plenty of people on campus to help make your move in day easier. Ask them for help when needed, that’s what they are there for! They might even know the way around campus or the area around campus pretty well too for if you want to explore a little later.

Visit the bookstore with parents for school apparel and any last minute school supplies. You’ll want a few school shirts and last minute supplies so that you can show your school spirit, and I’m sure your parents will want to buy some too so that they can brag about you!

Label any boxes so that you know exactly what is inside and it isn’t a guessing game as to where you packed your shorts or textbooks.

Bring a rain coat, just in case. Out of my 3 move in day experiences, it’s rained twice so it never hurts to be prepared. Keep it out and in reach in case of down pour!

Start mingling with others in your hall. Invite your roommate/hallmates to lunch or dinner with your family, that way you can get to know the people around you better and so can your parents! Everyone is looking for friends on the first day of college so most people will be open to hanging out!

Keep a water bottle near by, because trust me after lugging around heavy boxes and such you will get exhausted and want something to drink!

Take pictures of your room, you and your roommate, you with your family, etc. to make memories. You will want to look back on these, trust me I just did this when I was looking for an image for this post.

 

Well y’all that’s all the tips I have for surviving your college move in day! I wish you all the best of luck at college this semester! I know you guys will make some awesome memories and learn a lot about yourself and who you are.

Want a cute printable to hang up in your dorm room! Check out this cute image I made just for you guys!

Motivational 1

$0.99 – Add to Cart

Have more college related questions? E-mail me at [email protected]

Lauren | Simple Southern Belle

Tips for Getting Your First Job

by In Uncategorized Tagged getting a job, getting a job as a teenager, getting a job in high school, getting a job tips, getting your first job, interview tips for teenagers, job interview tips, tips for getting a job, tips for getting your first job

tipsforgettingyourfirstjob

 

If your parents were anything like mine, the second I turned 16 my parents demanded I get a job and start earning my own money. Whether you need to save for college or maybe just want to buy a few nice things for yourself, getting a job while in high school is a smart decision. And lucky for you I’m here to give you a few tips to make sure you stand out during your interview and get your 1st job.

1. Apply Everywhere: You really want to keep your options open and apply to several different places. That way you will have options to choose from. Chances are you won’t be starting out somewhere nice so an easy restaurant job is usually ideal.

2. Dress to Impress: When you head to your interview don’t forget to look your best. You should be wearing business clothes and your makeup and hair should be done nicely. Stay away from anything revealing and too tight. When in doubt a pencil skirt with blouse and blazer are the perfect outfit.

3. Practice Interview Questions: Check Pinterest and the internet for several sample interview questions and practice answering them. If need be have a friend or parent test you with the simple questions just so you have an idea of what to say.

4. Be Confident. When you get a phone call from a business, when you’re answering questions in the interview, and when you come in for your first day, be confident about yourself and your abilities and you’ll be an awesome worker.

5. Sell Yourself. When you’re heading into an interview you want to explain to them why you are the best candidate and why you should be chosen above other applicants. Prove to them that you’re the most qualified and can handle anything.

6. Don’t Forget Your Resume. Bring a printed out copy of your resume and the application when you go to the interview. This way you can refer to it when you are asked questions and they can see your abilities and school information.

7. Have questions ready to ask them such as when should I expect to hear back from you about the position? What is a typical day like at this job? What duties would I be require to perform, etc.

 

Getting your first job can be a little nerve racking, but with a little confidence and a lot of practice you’ll ace the interview and be on your way to being a money making teenager. Good luck!

Have more questions about your first job, e-mail me at [email protected]

Lauren | Simple Southern Belle

Sorority Rush Week: Hair and Nails

by In Sorority Advice Tagged , , sorority hair, , sorority makeup, sorority nails, , sorority recruitment tips, , sorority rush week hair, sorority rush week nails, sorority rush week tips

sororityrushweekhairandnails

 

You’ve got your outfits all planned out and you’ve perfected your makeup, but there is still something missing, your hair and nails! You can tell a lot about a girl by how she takes care of hair and styles it. Not only that, but the way a woman takes care of her nails really shows her attention to detail. With sorority rush week just around the corner, I thought what better to share with you all than the best hair and nail tips for sorority recruitment!

 

HAIR:

Don’ts: Stay away from fancy up-dos like people wear in weddings, it isn’t necessary for these nights. DO NOT have frizzy hair if at all possible. Use whatever you need to keep your hair down, but sleek and shiny hair looks great on everyone. Greasy hair is a big no-no. Make sure you’re washing your hair and getting out any product, use dry shampoo if necessary. Grown out roots just don’t look good, get them touched up right before rush week so you won’t have to worry about it during this busy time! Try to stay clear from crazy and harsh colors all over you head. A colorful streak probably won’t be that bad or noticeable. Just be tasteful.

Dos: Hair spray will be your best friend, just makes sure you’re not using too much. I also suggest teasing your hair even just a little to add some extra volume and bounce to your hair style. Especially if you’re rushing a sorority in the south. Make sure to test out different hair styles to find the ones that look best on you! Keep your ends split free. You can never go wrong with simple curls or straight hair if you’re not the most talented at hair or don’t have the time.

 

NAILS:

Stray away from any dark colors like black. Light browns, light pink, and french manicures are the best colors to wear so that they match with every outfit. Do not have chipped nail polish or ragged nails. If you don’t like painting your nails at least trim and file your fingernails so they look uniform and clean. Save the long fake nails for another week and keep it on the more natural side or if necessary short acrylic nails. Also, don’t forget about your toes if you’re wearing sandals!

 

Sometimes we get so caught up in planning the perfect sorority rush week outfit we forget other important aspects of looking nice for sorority recruitment. Luckily for you, your hair and nails will now be on point and help you stand out from the other PNMs during recruitment.

Have more sorority related questions? E-mail me at [email protected]

Don’t forget to check out my YouTube channels for daily blogs and more sorority advice!

Main Channel Vlog Channel

 

Lauren | Simple Southern Belle

Sorority Rush Week: Makeup Tips & Tricks

by In Sorority Advice Tagged , makeup tips, rush week makeup, , , , sorority makeup, , sorority recruitment makeup, , sorority rush outfits, ,

sorority rush week makeup tips

 

Most of us spend hours preparing the perfect outfit for sorority rush week and tend to forget about another important aspect of looking perfect for these nights, which is makeup! Knowing how to apply makeup properly and just the right amount can really brighten up your face and make you look your best. And when you look your best, you’ll be feeling your best. So let’s get into the tips and tricks to help you look your best during sorority rush week.

What Makeup Should You Wear:

Light foundation: Enough to cover any imperfections and even your skin tone out.

Concealer: Under your eyes and on any blemishes that need to be covered.

Powder: To give your face that matte finish without shine.

Bronzer: For contouring and adding color to your face.

Highlight: To highlight your cheek bones and open your eyes.

Blush: To add color to your cheeks and make you look fresh faced.

Eyeshadow: To add depth to your eyes and create a soft look.

Eyeliner: To make your eyes pop

Mascara: for opening your eyes up and looking away and refreshed.

 

Tips:

Blend out foundation around the neck and jawline and make sure that the color matches your skin tone perfectly. Go easy on any powder so that your face doesn’t look caked on. Don’t over do the bronzer or highlight, it should give a little depth to your face but not look so harsh. Concealer should be lighter than your foundation, but not too much. Don’t over do the eyes with dark eyeshadow colors and bright colors, choose natural browns and creams for the best look. Save the winged eyeliner for night outs and stick to natural eyeliner such as brown or black if needed. Waterproof mascara is the best so it won’t smudge and get under your eyes and on your eyelids. Be careful when applying mascara so that it doesn’t clump to much, try taking an old mascara wand and combing through them when you’re finished.

 

Makeup to Avoid:

The wrong colored foundation, bright lipstick colors like purple or green, orange bronzer is a no go, hold off on the glitter, and any harsh eyeshadow colors like blue, purple, red, etc.

 

Preference Night:

Preference night calls for a more serious look and feel to your outfit. Adding in a few darker eyeshadow colors is acceptable just to add more depth to your eyes, but a dark smokey look is still not ideal. Adding a slightly darker lip color is a nice change to your look, just apply it properly with a lip liner and make sure it looks nice with your skin tone.

 

I hope these makeup tips and tricks for sorority rush week made it easier for your to plan your complete look. Having the right makeup can completely change your face and look and will make all the difference in sorority recruitment.

Don’t forget to check out my what to wear for sorority rush week posts for the perfect outfits!

Day 1.   Day  2.  Day 3.   Day 4. 

Have more college related questions, e-mail me at [email protected]

Lauren | Simple Southern Belle

Surviving Your Dorm Room

by In Uncategorized Tagged , college dorm room, college dorm rooms, , , , dorm room essentials, surviving dorm life, surviving your dorm room

survivingyourdormroom

 

Dorm rooms, the dreaded twin size beds and shared living space, cement walls and old furniture. Yep, that’s college and it’s an experience all in its self, trust me I’ve been there and done that. Living in a dorm room was one of the best decisions I made however my freshman year in college. I was able to meet and make so many friends and still hang out with most of them. I learned a lot about myself and how to take care of myself on my own. Today I thought it would be helpful to share with you all the tips and tricks I wish someone had told me before living in my dorm room, so enjoy!

 

I’ll start by listing a few general tips to get you started!

1. Clean the entire room before you move in all your stuff, a clean start is a happy start.

2. Bring air freshener, enough said.

3. Microwaveable food will be your best friend, learn to love it!

4. Command strips and hooks will come in handy when decorating your room!

5. Keep your dorm room door open so people walking by can say hello, you’ll make friends faster I promise.

 

Now I’ll break the room into sections and give a few ways to make each a little easier to deal with.

Bed:

You will need 2 sets of sheets, plan to buy them

Have a lot of pillows and blankets because your bed will also be doubling as a couch and lounge area most days.

Bed risers/lofting your bed will save you SO much space.

Rearrange the room so your bed is near an outlet, it’ll make your life easier when you want to charge your phone at night or be on your laptop in bed.

Purchase a bug protector/allergen sheet protector, it’s just sanitary.

Buying a foam mattress topper will make your bed ten thousand times more comfy and you’ll sleep a lot better. Just don’t sleep in and skip class!

 

Closet:

You will need those black huggable hangers. They will save you a lot of closet room and your clothes don’t slip off of them, they are a great investment.

Only keep in season clothes in your room, try picking up and trading out clothes around holiday times and breaks.

 

Desk:

Invest in drawers organizers, pencil organizers, jewelry organizers, etc. Your desk is not only a desk but also a holder of all things in your room that don’t have a place otherwise. And a dinner table.

 

Bathroom:

Shower shoes, this should be self explanatory.

Cheap shower caddy, it’s just going to get dirty anyways and it just needs to hold all of your things.

Buy 3 or more sets of towels unless you want to do laundry more than once a week.

 

Hopefully these few tips will make your time in a dorm less stress and more fun. I promise that the time spent in your dorm room will be more about making memories and meeting people and you’ll get adjusted to dorm life in no time.

Have more college related questions? E-mail me at [email protected]

Don’t forget to check me out on Youtube: Lauren Thurmond

Lauren | Simple Southern Belle

Preppy School Supplies

by In Uncategorized Tagged kate spade, , , monogrammed, , , , , preppy school supplies, , , ,

preppyschoolsupplies

 

School is right around the corner, hard to believe right? And with school so close it’s time to start thinking about next year’s school supplies. If you’re like me and can’t stand those plain colored notebooks and pens from Target that just aren’t cutting it anymore then this post is for you. I’ve found the cutest of cute school supplies and the best places to find them so that we together can be cute and stylish this school year.

1. Pink Custom Pencils. What’s not to love about these pencils? They’re chic and stylish and only $8.00! The custom saying in gold makes them all the more cute, everyone will be jealous of these when school rolls back around.

2. Kate Spade Polka Dot Planner. For only $36.00 this adorable planner could be yours. I’ve had this style planner for the past year and get compliments on it all the time. It’s great for those of you who aren’t into the super bright Lilly Pulitzer patterns. Target does have some cute alternatives similar to these if you don’t want to cash out the money for a planner.

3. Kate Spade Bow Paper Clips. These $12.00 bow paper clips are to die for from Kate Spade. They are chic and perfect for organizing your self this year or even marking off pages in your new matching planner.

4. Monogrammed Tumbler. I found this little thing on Etsy for just $44.95, it’s perfect for your hot cup of coffee early in the morning or even your water to keep you hydrated in style through out the day. Etsy has several options for different style monogrammed tumblers if you’re interested.

5. Vera Bradley Pencil Pouch. I’ve had this adorable pencil case for over a year now and it holds all of my pencils and pens perfectly inside. For only $18.00 this pencil case is sturdy and will literally last you for years to come.

6. Kate Spade Gold Striped Folders. These gold striped folders from Kate Spade for only $16.00 will be sure to keep your papers and important documents organized in that tiny dorm room of yours or even in your bedroom. And who doesn’t love a gold pattern?

7. Lilly Pulitzer Planner. They’re the planners we all know and love and how can you not love the adorable patterns and options available. For only $28.00 this cute and bright planner could be yours this year for keeping you organized and on top of things.

After years of searching for cute and preppy school supplies I have found that the best places to find things are Kate Spade, Etsy, and Lilly Pulitzer, so if you’re in the market for new and preppy school supplies I suggest checking out those websites to find the cutest new school supplies for you.

Do you use any of these school supplies items? If so leave me a comment telling me how you like them!

Lauren | Simple Southern Belle

Choosing the Right Sorority

by In Sorority Advice Tagged choosing between 2 sororities, choosing the right sorority, , life in a sorority, , , , , , , , ,

Choosingtherightsorority

 

Choosing the right sorority for you can be a little daunting and tough with so many good options out there! Each sorority offers so many different things to it’s members and finding the one that best matches with your personality can be difficult if you don’t know what to look for. Lucky for you I’ve broken it down into 4 simple questions to ask your self to help you choose the right sorority.

1. Do their values align with yours? Most sororities are committed to different things such as high grades, leadership experience, confidence, and more. You’ll want to take a look at their expectations for their members and see if you could hold your self to that standard. Don’t forget to take into consideration a sororities religious beliefs since most are centered around a certain faith.

2. Do you like the image that they give off? Could you see your self fitting into that image? If yes then that’s another thing to check off your list. It’s important to find a sorority with the image you want to perceive because once you join the sad and unfortunate truth is that people will group you in with that image and expect you to be like that which could be bad or good.

3. Do you like their reputation? Reputation is important when it comes to picking the sorority you want. Certain sororities are known for certain things on campus and it’s up to you to decide which you’d like to be a part of. People will begin to associate you with that reputation once you are a part of that sorority, so choose wisely.

4. Do you see your self fitting in/ do you feel comfortable here? I knew I wanted Kappa Delta each night because I felt comfortable talking to any girl I was matched with and they always made me feel welcome. You can just tell when you feel comfy in a certain place and I certainly did here. I could talk to the girls about anything and some I felt like were already my friends. You’ll know the feeling by preference night, I promise.

I hope these 4 simple questions will make your decision on choosing the right sorority an easy one. It can be tough when you’re faced with so many options and you’ve heard and seen so many different things. One last piece of advice is listen to your heart and go with what feels right and don’t force a sorority on yourself just because of who and what they are. Go where you feel at home!

Not sure how to prepare for sorority rush week? Check out my new Youtube video all about it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIlTL_63wG8

Have more sorority related questions? E-mail me at [email protected]

Lauren | Simple Southern Belle

Sorority Resume: Everything You Need

by In Sorority Advice Tagged go greek, , , , , sorority resume, sorority resume example, sorority resume help, sorority resume how to, sorority resume outline, ,

SororityResume

 

You’re all excited about rushing a sorority in the fall and you can’t wait to see what life is like once you’re in one, but first there are a few things that have to be done. Does your school require a resume? Never had to have one before? Don’t worry about it at all, because I’ve broken it down and created an example just for you so that you don’t have to worry anymore!

SororityResume

When it comes to writing your resume, leave anything out! Put as much information as you can even that silly participation award you got in the 10th grade. It all counts and it all makes you stand out. Adding a picture at the top of your resume is also a good but optional idea.

One piece of advice I can give is do not lie on your resume, someone will find out and it won’t be good, not to mention embarrassing. Just be yourself and fill it out to the best of your ability.

I hope this post helped you and you’re on your way to making your perfect sorority resume.

Want this resume for yourself on a word document that all you simply have to do is fill out!?! You can purchase it for only $0.99 

$0.99 – Add to Cart
and then it’s yours to do as you please with!

Have more questions about sorority recruitment check out some of my recent posts like 11 Things No One Told Me About Sorority Recruitment, 10 Tips for Preparing for Sorority Rush, and How to be the PNM Every Sorority Wants.

Still have more questions? E-mail me at [email protected]

Have an awesome day!

Lauren | Simple Southern Belle