What I Learned from Overcommitment in College

So, if you know me from my college days, then you know that I was the QUEEN of overcommitment. YES, I did SO many things in college (read it all here!) and – trust me – I LOVED every minute of it all, too. Although I did love love love my overcommitment college years, it also had its pitfalls: I most definitely spent many nights up until 3am, worked nonstop, and some all-nighters in the mix. My life in college consisted of work, blogging, committee meetings, social outings, and coffee all in between it all. My life in college contains some of my best memories. BUT, since graduating from college, y’all, I have been TIRED now more than ever before – LOL! The affects of being a workaholic in college are not what I need in my postgraduate years, especially as my priorities will shift when I fulfill my hopeful aspirations of becoming a married working Mama. So, I’m going to be sharing some key takeaways from my years of overcommitting in college.

  1. Sleep is VITAL – When in college, I literally complained to my good friend Claire one night about how I hated sleep – LOL! Seriously, this ACTUALLY happened as I wanted more time to do everything that I had to do without being tired, I mean, same. BUT, as Claire said back to me, “sleep is good.” Yes, sleep is good and always will be. We ALL need sleep even if it is just for a few hours each night. Y’all I rarely listened to my body in college and we have to. Our self care, including SLEEP, is vital to our successes in our career, personal lives, and of course of our physical and mental health.
  2. Prioritize – Yep, when it comes to deciding what you want to get involved in, prioritizing is KEY. Yep – when choosing involvement I definitely learned that I need to pick and choose what I’m most passionate about and what will suit my strengths, MEANWHILE, at the same time, deciding what fits into my schedule given my own personal commitments. For me, nowadays, that is 2-3 things on a regular basis with events related to other interests spread out over the months/year. Personally, being overcommitted kept me going in college as it allowed me to utilize my strengths outside of the classroom in a way that I was also passionate about along with my academics. However, as I got out of college and being wayyy too overcommitted during those days, I have learned that there is only so much that I can do with my time.
  3. Mental Health MATTERS – You know that phrase, “you can’t pour from an empty glass”? Well, we ALL need that valuable time to recharge ourselves and focus on our mental health. Above all else, your mental health matters. I used to break down mentally quite a bit in college. Sadly, I never really knew how to prioritize myself much in college. BUT, as I get out into the real world and am working for a company that truly sees the importance of self care, I find it now more important to take care of myself now more than ever before. I have seen some of my coworkers even take mental health days off, as it is ENCOURAGED. It felt nothing but empowering and rewarding to be able to work at a company that so truly values their employees and their wellbeing. Meanwhile, I also feel now more than ever before that I have to put myself first – above ALL of my extracurriculars and activities and work that I do.
  4. Full Time Jobs are MORE Time Demanding than a Single College Course – While in college, I was in classes usually starting at 10am and ending at 3:30pm with SEVERAL breaks in between that whole mix. That being said, I probably spent 4 hours maybe 5 hours per day in classes while in college. In retrospect, that is NOT a lot of hours. I spent 15-18 hours maximum in a class each week. Nowadays, I do a 40 hour work week as a full time employee. There is a MAJOR difference between getting involved in many extracurriculars and having 18 hours spent in the classroom versus getting involved in many extracurriculars and having 40 hours spent in the classroom. I barely feel awake sometimes after a full day of hard work, yet those are the most rewarding days! So, try adding in 8+ extracurricular activities atop of it all. Well, I think not!
  5. Work comes FIRST – Not going to lie, there were times where I definitely prioritized my committees and extracurricular work over my own schoolwork. While my schoolwork was why I came to college, I also LOVED my activities which kept me overcommitted during those years. I most definitely put my college life and activities first. BUT, I have learned through overcommitment that you do have to put your work first above all else at times. When I say this, I am NOT by any means saying that if you need to take time for yourself, whether to have a mental health day, need a sick day, or even a family matter, then do so and please do it to take care of yourself. BUT there are times that you will not want to show up for a meeting for work, go into the office, or something else, but you need to for your job and for your commitments made. I have always been taught to honor my commitments when I make them. It shows value and true integrity. Remember that.

Above all else, being an overcommitted college student taught me A LOT. It taught me the value of a hard work’s day, to prioritize my work, to feel rewarded by my way, and to truly take care of me. Sometimes, me does come before anything else and that is OKAY. Remember that, y’all.

XOXO – Katie <3

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How I Stay Connected to my College as a College Alumnae

They say that college is the best 4 years of your life. While that may be true for some (it felt that way to me at some points!), however your college experience was for you, I see staying connected to your sweet college alma mater is an important part of adulthood. Since graduating from college 8 months ago, I find it tough to keep connectivity with my sweet alma mater, especially when living in a different city. However, I have been able to maintain a strong connection with my sweet college and now alma mater – Meredith College – since graduation! So, I am listing some of the ways that I stayed connected and maintain my connection!

  1. Join an Alumnae Facebook Group – This has been a groundbreaking way for me to stay connected to other Meredith College Alumnae of ALL ages. Meredith College has a private, Alumnae-only Facebook Group where Alumnae of all ages, backgrounds, and generations share job opportunities, photos of old and new Meredith College memories, and hear about the latest and greatest within the Meredith College world and Meredith College Alumnae world. Needless to say, I LOVE interacting with Alumnae of all ages and living all around the world who share their Meredith College Pride with me.
  2. Be sure to keep up to date with your college’s Alumnae email lists – One of the first things that I did when I graduated from Meredith was to add my email to the Meredith College Alumnae email list. I simply went to Meredith’s website and typed in “alumnae” in the search bar. I, then, found where I could sign up for email updates on ALL things Alumnae. Meredith even has an Alumnae-specific online shop called the Meredith Market owned by the Meredith College Alumnae House, where Alumnae can purchase some super adorable merchandise (new every season and certain events on campus, too!). At the same time, I get updates on current happenings and events on campus, Alumnae-specific events, and much more!
  3. Attend Alumnae Reunion Weekends – If you are able to, Alumnae Reunion Weekends are THE BEST! I find these a great way to get connected to people of all ages who happen to be alumnae at your college. They’re also an excellent way to revisit your college campus and relive some of the many amazing memories you may have made there. At the same time, you can reconnect and connect with people you knew during your college years and people you may have not, alike. Either way, you’ll probably make many many more memories on your sweet college campus!
  4. Connect with Alumnae in your area – Many college Alumnae Houses and Associations have Chapters specific to cities where their Alumnae may live. For instance, Meredith College has a Washington, DC Alumnae event that they host every year or more, to connect Alumnae within the Washington, DC area. The same goes for Charlotte, North Carolina and many more cities where Meredith College Alumnae may live. My Big Sis from Meredith actually lives not that far from me – also in the Washington, DC area so I’m glad I have one Meredith connection here and hope to make more as I attend more Meredith College Alumnae via events in Washington, DC!
  5. Make an effort to keep in touch and check in on your college friends every so often – THIS is VITAL to staying connected to your college alma mater. Making sure to stay connected to your friends from college is an important way to feel a connection to your alma mater. I ALWAYS try to reach out to my college friends every so often. Whether you call them, FaceTime them, grab some coffee or dinner, or simply shoot them a text, a nice check in with a good college friend is ALWAYS good for the soul. Life can and will get busy for us ALL, so a simple reaching out to your college friends is always nice – for you and for them. It most definitely is a two way street when coming to reaching out to your college friends or vice versa – both parties have to put in some effort. BUT, if you both make the effort, then that is a friendship that you will have for live!
  6. Support small businesses owned by Alumnae and current students at your alma mater – Personally, I am a sucker for small businesses! I know many of y’all are too. I think it’s fun to support small businesses run by current students and Alumnae of your alma mater, if you can somehow figure out where they went to school. BUT, I will say that simply searching for your college’s name on Etsy is a great place to start, since many small businesses house their sales on Etsy. Another way to search for small businesses run by people from your alma mater is to simply ask around, whether it be on social media or a basic Google search.
  7. Donate to your alma mater (if you’re financially able to!) – One way to make an impact on your alma mater is to give back. Though, I will say that this option is NOT for everyone, whether it be their financial priorities, where they choose to spend their money, or something else and that is all OKAY. Personally, I give back to Meredith College to a department within the college that made a strong impact on me monthly. I am apart of a donor society that’s based on how much many someone donates per month/year and get invited to specific donor events and all through that, too, which is fun. Giving back to Meredith College allows me to leave a mark on my sweet alma mater from afar while knowing that I’m doing something great and still feeling a piece of connection.
  8. Volunteer to help out at events with current students – There are ALWAYS ways for Alumnae to volunteer to help current students at your alma mater. I have helped out with Mock Interview Week at Meredith College and that was really rewarding, especially when I received some sweet notes including a handwritten card from a lovely student and now friend of mine. I also sit on the Honors Program Committee known as the Honors Committee at Meredith as an Alumnae Representative, where I get to interact with current Meredith College students and professors, even many that I knew while at Meredith! Each of these ways of volunteering have kept me connected to Meredith, especially as I have volunteered virtually and sitting right at my desk with my dog for them all.
  9. Attend other Alumnae-related events, especially one’s that may be in your area – Going off of the idea of connecting with other fellow alma mater Alumnae, attending Alumnae events especially in your area is a great thing to do. Not only will you stay connected to your alma mater, but you will also probably find others who share the same love for their college experience that you do too.
  10. Reach out to staff members and professors (if any) still at your alma mater and/or that you want to keep in touch with every so often – Just like reaching out to your college friends, reaching out to your fellow staff members and professors at your alma mater is an excellent way to still feel connected to your alma mater. Meredith College professors and staff LOVE to hear from Alumnae, especially those that they knew while at Meredith and I am pretty sure that other professors and staff at other schools feel the same exact way, too. Not only will you put a smile on those who impacted you while at college’s faces, but you will also put a smile on your own.
  11. Be PROUD of the education and experience that your alma mater provided you with! – Above all else, be PROUD of the time that you spent at your sweet sweet alma mater. Whether you like it or not, it shaped you into the person that you are today and that is something to be proud of. Having that pride for your alma mater will carry over into passion which will enlighten your connectivity to that special alma mater of yours, too.

Now, let’s get to some connecting!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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2 Years of The Pink Chickadee!

2 years a blogger! It’s oh so crazy how time flies since starting a blog. It, indeed, feels like yesterday when I was sitting in my apartment with all of my friends waiting for my site’s first-ever blog post (check that out here!) to launch. I had a launch party for The Pink Chickadee when it launched in my sweet college apartment right before the pandemic hit (read more about that here!) with some of my many college friends. Some of my best memories have come from creating my sweet spot here on the Internet and I’m ALWAYS grateful that I am able to share my story with y’all here.

When starting my platform, I knew that I wanted to start a blog months before in the Fall of 2019. It was the Fall 2019 semester aka my Junior year of college. Being in North Carolina then, so many people are in committed relationships by the time they reach their Junior year of college or even in their Senior year of college. Needless to say, many many people were in relationships then that are some of my good friends, classmates, and others within my college community and North Carolina area. I, then, became pretty discouraged by it all, as a single woman in what I felt was a couple’s world. It was then that I had actually realized that I wanted something for me and only me. And, that is how The Pink Chickadee was born.

Since starting The Pink Chickadee, I have made countless connections and even friends with several fellow influencers, small business owners, and Lilly Pulitzer lovers alike. I have been able to work with brands, including Panera Bread, Peet’s Coffee, Ouges, and Glitter and Daisies. I was accepted to become a Shop LTK influencer and have since enjoyed sharing all of my favorite finds on that fun platform, too. I have seriously found such an incredible community within the blogging world! At the same time, I have made the big move from Raleigh, North Carolina to the nation’s capital of Washington, DC and currently reside in the Virginia suburbs. I graduated from college with a Bachelor’s degree and a triple minor with Honors. I have started a brand-new full-time job at a great company in the Washington, DC area that I have been at for 6 months. I have adopted a Shepherd-Chihuahua mix – a rescue pup- out of ALL the breeds named Rosie. And, through it all, I have shopped WAYYYY too many Lilly Pulitzer sales, drank a TON of coffee, and enjoyed many nights getting to create the amazing community on my corner of the internet. That all being said, I am OH SO grateful to be able to write here and share my story with y’all here at The Pink Chickadee!

From 2 years and onwards, I look forward to many more years here at The Pink Chickadee!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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My Highlights of 2021!

This is my first full year as a blogger and it has brought about a whirlwind of emotions – both good and bad. Through it all though, I have had an extraordinary community here at The Pink Chickadee that has only flourished in this year. Earlier this week, I shared my Blogging Highlights of 2021 and a favorite outfit from each month (you can read more on that here); however, today’s blog post will solely focus on a peek into my personal life aka The Life of Katie!!

Winter 2021 (January-March):

In Winter 2021, I kicked off my new year in what I thought would have been the beginning of forever for me – I was dating somebody that I envisioned spending the rest of my life with. I came out as apart of the LGBTQ+ community here on my blogging platform, even though many of my friends knew about my sexuality before in fact years before I shared it publicly. I began to make many more connections thanks to my coming out here on this platform and am oh so grateful to have witnessed nothing but support from it all! Though I had high aspirations for my then-partner, I started to realize many red flags when dating them that for my own sanity I ended up breaking off the relationship in February. I became a victim of a mentally abusive and exhausting relationship, which I realized after breaking it off after a few months of dating them and thank goodness I did! While dating this ex of mine, I wished to be single more times than I did enjoying dating them. So, when the break up came about, I truly felt nothing but liberated.

Right after my break up, I truly began to change up my search for a job in my dream post-graduation life city: Washington, DC. My ex insisted that I live in North Carolina, in order to be close to them, where I barely had any luck finding a job in. On the flip side, I was starting to get some luck with some of my many connections in the Washington, DC area. My networking search continued to grow most specifically in the Washington, DC area. I was so excited that I ended up visiting the area where my Mom and Papa live for Spring Break. With a friend of mine, we stayed at my Papa’s house where I got to meet his dog Rosie who is now proudly mine too for the very first time. And, I went ALL around the city, even during the COVID-19 pandemic and pre-vaccination era, including: The National Mall, Nationals Park, the Jefferson Memorial, Clifton in the Virginia countryside, Old Town Alexandria in Virginia, and National Harbor in Maryland. Needless to say, it was an amazing time and I, then, decided to solely continue to search for a job in only the Washington, DC area via an announcement on the blog! The best part?! I was SINGLE and more than ready to start out on my own.

Spring 2021 (March-May):

Since announcing my move to the Washington, DC area, things started to only look up from there. My Papa has a basement that doubles as an apartment, which he graciously was excited to allow me to move into at a much cheaper than Washington, DC area rent cost. So, I had a place to live. I started to network even more which landed me an incredible job that I am still at today in the Northern Virginia area. So, I had a job. And, Papa had Rosie – a Shepherd Chihuahua mix from Puerto Rico who has since become my dog, too, and has made me a Dog Mom. So, I had a dog. All of this post graduation life excitement was in the city of my dreams. Needless to say, my life was looking pretty great when it came to my life after college!

During the remainder of my Spring 2021 semester, I had classes all online except for one – Public Speaking. Public Speaking was all about female empowerment and was indeed the best class to wrap up experiencing the in-person aspect of classes. I see that class as God’s way of giving me closure to my academic career for the time being. At first, I was super upset that I had an in-person class, but looking back, it was a great gift to have! At the same time, my college opened up the opportunity for many more in-person events. We had a Senior class parade, Alumnae Induction Ceremony, Graduation Ceremonies for the Class of 2020 (which I volunteered as a Marshall for), and a Freshmen class dinner which I also volunteered for. Most importantly, I got to help plan an in-person event called Class Day with my friends Maggie and Miranda (read more about that here!) and had an in-person graduation ceremony in the courtyard of my beautiful campus! I celebrated my achievements by being awarded 4 awards across my campus by my professors, classmates, and staff. Meanwhile, I got to celebrate my 22nd Birthday in-person, my friend Chandler’s 21st Birthday in-person, go to Ocean Isle, North Carolina with friends as a pre-graduation trip (read about here), take graduation photos with my friends Chandler, Addy, Miranda, Hannah, and Sophie (see those here – shoutout to Hannah and Quinn for the amazing photos!), celebrate my graduation with a Grad Party courtesy of my mother, and many dinners and lunches and brunches in between! It was a hectic yet super special time.

Since graduating, I immediately packed my bags into a huge U-Haul and Papa’s truck and made it with Rosie who is by the way NOT a lap dog on my lap to Washington, DC. Papa and I enjoyed some pizza that night and began to unpack the next day. The rest of my month of May consisted of me unpacking and getting settled into my brand-new home.

Summer 2021 (June-August):

My Summer 2021 was kind of a bummer. I didn’t have any trips except for a few weekend trips away and it was starting to hit me that I was not living with all of my friends just a few doors down. It sucked for a while, but I managed. Fortunately enough, my best friends Hannah and Alanna came for the weekend of July 4th and my best friends Caroline and Cassie came at the end of August. It was so much fun to be able to visit my new town with some of my best friends. At the same time, I also took several day trips in my new town – the Washington National Cathedral, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Georgetown, the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, the National Mall, the Smithsonian American Museum of History, and Nationals Park. I was also able to explore much of my new state – Virginia – including: Burke Lake Park, Vienna, Old Town Alexandria, Mason Neck State Park, Occoquan, and Mosaic, Clifton. I also spent A LOT of time decorating my new apartment with pieces that I have had for years and some newer pieces (see my bedroom, pantry, office, patio, and kitchen respectively). I have explored my own home decor style and learned that I am most definitely a bright Palm Beach Grand Millennial who happens to not live in Palm Beach – haha!

Summer 2021 also marked the start of my career, with my first-ever salaried job starting in the end of July. While an intimidating at first glance, working full time has been super empowering and rewarding at the same time. I have begun to get involved and network within my own company and continue to do so – something that everyone should do!

Fall 2021-Christmas 2021 (September-December):

As my work progressed, I began to honestly feel a bit depressed during the Fall months. I was loosing my college experience, as I watched those in my network go back for their highly-anticipated Fall 2021 semester, despite the fact that I had already graduated. I had and still have yet to get my bearings in my new hometown: I am still in the process of making new friends and establishing new connections. There is so much excitement, but there is also so much nerves and sadness too. I spent a lot of time alone this Fall 2021 season, simply processing it all and hoping to find a way to feel connected. I also work primarily remote and will continue to at my company moving forward. It hasn’t been easy, but I hope to feel connected with others in my hometown and in my workplace very soon.

Meanwhile, my life looked anything but drab on the outside! I traveled ALL over the place – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Skyline Drive at Shenandoah National Park, Virginia; Pennington, New Jersey; Haddonfield, New Jersey; Raleigh, North Carolina for a Meredith College Reunion and a wedding as well as the NC State Fair; Bethany Beach, Delaware; and Charlottesville, Virginia. I had experienced many blessings with many friends and family and a great holiday season, too! My good friend Shivani moved to the Washington, DC area too and it was great to be able to have someone to do some fun things in this area with as well – we went to Georgetown and Ballston and she even fit right into our family at Thanksgiving Dinner. My Dad also spent some time with me at my apartment in November, which was such a blessing, too! Despite some of the post-graduation hardships, I also feel like there were many many many blessings within the silver linings.

Highlights!

My last first day of school!
Celebrating my 22nd Birthday with Caroline, Claire, Hannah, Miranda, and Chandler
Announcing my Washington, DC move!
Graduation photos with Sophie – champagne and all!
My pre-graduation trip to Ocean Isle, North Carolina
Hosting my Housewarming Party and getting to see my good friend Sarah
My Graduation Party with Julia, Kaylee, Alanna, Hannah, Sophie, and Macy
Seeing where the Constitution was signed on Constitution Day in Independence Hall in Philadelphia with my Pumpkin Spice Latte
Uncle Ed’s Ice Cream with Chris, Andrew, Joe, and Tim in Pennington, New Jersey
One of my favorite photoshoots with my Big Sis Macy
My bizarre lighthouse experience at Fenwick Island Lighthouse in Delaware
Class Day was a success after planning it for 6 weeks and getting to have it in-person!!
Photoshoot and picnic fun with Hannah and Alanna in Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh
My Fourth of July visitors – Alanna and Hannah
Visiting Nall’s Produce for all of my Fall Instagramming needs
Graduation photos with Miranda and Chandler
The Senior Parade at Meredith College
My first-ever visit to the brand-new Meredith Lake at Meredith College
Meredith College Reunion Weekend with Alanna, Kaylee, Julia, and Chandler
My solo trip to the Washington National Cathedral
Going to a wine tasting with Amanda in Haddon Heights, New Jersey
My first-ever Nationals game with my best friend Wyatt
When Cassie & Caroline came to town and made a pit stop at the White House!
Visiting my new favorite winery – Paradise Springs Winery in Clifton, Virginia
Graduating and becoming hotter by one degree – my parents luckily were able to watch me walk across that stage!
Picnic with my good friends Violet and Haley
Day trip to Skyline Drive at Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Papa’s family reunion 2021 in Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Visiting my Lil Sis Lelia and my Grand Lil Madelyne at Meredith College
Visiting Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia with Papa
Going back to the NC State Fair with Alanna, Hannah, and Bryn
Meeting up with Shivani in Georgetown
Visiting Chris in Titusville, New Jersey
The Alumnae Induction Ceremony at Meredith College with Chandler – our first in-person event since COVID-19!
Dinner at Ballston with Shivani
Visiting my best friend Amanda (Christmas Village in Philadelphia)
Visiting the National Christmas Tree
Christmas 2021

If you’re oh so curious about what I was up to in 2020 (surprisingly, it was a pretty good year for me!) you can read more about that in My Highlights of 2020 blog post (linked here).

XOXO – Katie <3

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DC Diaries Part 9 + Moving On From My College Years

Well, it’s been quite a while since I have shared a little bit about my life here in Washington, DC. To say the least, it has been a bit of a journey since I last wrote a DC Diaries blog post. However, through it all, it has been a rollercoaster but I have realized that I am coming out of these past few months ready to take on the world now more than ever before. At the same time, I am starting to move on from my college years and even embrace the new world that I am living in.

Once I graduated from college, I almost felt like I was still in college. I still had my friends, despite living up in Washington, DC. Though I did have my friends and professors’ support from afar, my life was changing and so were my fellow Class of 2021 friends’s lives. Many of us started jobs or graduate school programs or were deciding just what to do next. Whatever the case may be, we will always be one another’s classmates, but we wouldn’t be seeing one another on a regular basis like we would in our college years. Consequentially, I also didn’t start my job until 2.5 months after my college graduation – something that I am extremely grateful that my company suggested I do. So, it was a weird feeling going from the college world to the working world. I missed seeing others my own age regularly, especially as I was working from home. Needless to say, it was quite strange going through all of the motions of being in a setting with all of my classmates who all happened to mostly be my own age to being around people of all ages.

To be honest, the transition from college life to the postgraduate world SUCKS and it really SUCKS. I have always been one who likes to tell the truth and not hear things in a sugarcoated fashion, most specifically when it could hurt me in the long run to hear it in that manner. When you aren’t around those your own age constantly, it can be hard and I have felt it on and on and on again. Personally, I started to go through my college years and try to relive things that I missed about them, whether it be friendships or relationships that never seemed to blossom. But, after careful reflection, I realized that the more reliving I attempted to do, the more I was trying to fill a void within my own heart of missing the college years that I had just left. It’s a weird time and it is quite difficult for anybody to process – even my coworkers who are older than me have said that.

Although I do miss my college years, I am glad that I am not in college anymore. My college years are over and they are over for the better. I had four extraordinary years of college, and I am eternally grateful for them. While in college, I was ready for a change. I knew that while I did love Raleigh, I did not love it enough that I wanted to make it my home after college.

As for my life in Washington, DC, I am *finally* starting to figure out what I want to do next. There are some exciting ways for me to get involved that I have yet to share, but will in time’s due. I am also looking at starting something exciting and doing some event planning within the scope of my company. The opportunities for me outside of work are rolling in and I couldn’t be more excited!

When times get tough, I am a firm believer that better times are always to come. Remember that, my friends and fellow readers.

XOXO – Katie <3

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My Thoughts + Reflections on Graduating During COVID-19 6 Months Later 

When I started college, my world was filled with hope and excitement. Essentially, I was entering my first four years at Meredith College or my so-called “Wonderland” and I truly saw it as a Wonderland. I was meeting people all around, taking interesting classes, participating in several on-campus activities, exploring my college town of Raleigh, North Carolina, and savoring my first moments of freedom. I had four exciting years of college ahead of me and I was enjoying every single moment that I could. Indeed, I am glad I since did! Fast forward to March 2020 and my college experience turned upside down – the COVID-19 pandemic ensued and transformed our world as we knew it into something that none of us knew what to expect. It was the end of my Junior year of college and my Senior year was looking pretty uncertain and felt that way the entire time. Little did I know, my college career would be changed and I would be graduating within COVID-19 days.

March 2020 was a tough month for all of us. Social distancing was the name of the game and encouraged for all of us. Masks started to become the new normal come April 2020 and into May 2020. Maintaining a 6 foot distance from those not within our households was necessary. All of these precautions were put in place to keep us all safe. But, as we all know, COVID-19 precautions that we took to heart are the antithesis of the typical college experience that all of us knew of. There were no more parties, social gatherings, events, study sessions, and much more. Each and everything that I knew of and loved about my college experience was simply robbed of me. I watched my Class of 2020 classmates talk about their sadness and grief of their college experience essentially ending in the blink of an eye. It was taken away from them never to be seen again. During those uncertain and uncomfortable times, I worried for the rest of my college experience and others’s too.

Come August 2020, I ended up moving back into my college apartment. I lived alone since my roommate did not come back – something I was dreading but actually to my surprise learned to LOVE. In August 2020, masks roamed the campus making it hard to detect who our classmates we hadn’t seen for 6 months really were. Guest policies were strict. Classrooms were set apart, in order to maintain the 6 foot social distancing protocols. My hugger persona learned to embrace the air hug when I saw those friends and classmates and community members whom I love again for the very first time in a long while. All of our lives were changed at that point. Everything was uncertain. We did know that our college experience was going to look remarkably different this coming year. However, we had each other through it all.

The entire year was very different. Everything was done at a distance. I became a club President for my college’s Canaday Math and Computer Science Club and was hopeful to do in-person events, but since had to operate all club functions on a virtual front. The same virtual front went for my fundraisers for my Class of 2021, since I was the Fundraising Chair. I only had one class each semester that was held in-person along with a class that I assisted every Friday afternoon in the Fall semester. It was weird. All events were virtually held or cancelled. Needless to say it was not the same. My classmates and I all missed out that year, but so many people are continuing to miss out on what they thought their college experience would look like. But, things are changing even with COVID-19. They are changing and it is good. In fact, that change occurred during my Senior year of college as well.

I attended multiple in-person events upon graduating from Meredith College. One of those events I even got to chair with planning, which was super bittersweet! I even received an in-person graduation along with the Class of 2020 who had theirs two weeks prior, which I helped Marshall at. Although I had to miss out on a lot, having a string of in-person events was like wrapping the bow on a box at Christmas. In fact, my event advisor and my Tri-chairs and I saw a lot of benefits to hosting COVID-19 friendly events, too, that we hoped would remain true for years to come. It was indeed the best way to end my college experience.

From March 2020-May 2021, the process of moving on from my Meredith College days began. I started to focus more on this platform and my blog here and getting to know y’all – my readers! My good friend from the Class of 2020 was telling me months after graduating during the pandemic that she was already beyond her college years and got the closure she needed. I was beginning to feel similarly, despite my college graduation on-campus being the icing on top of the cake that was my college experience!

You could say that graduating COVID-19 will define me and my whole generation. Although graduating during COVID-19 can be seen to some as a sorrow fest – it is not for me and many others. I grew stronger from these experiences, I learned to love myself, I began putting ME first, I learned what I wanted, and I went for it. I became employed, started and expanded my blog platform, and I made the move up to the nation’s Capital. If I were to not have graduated during COVID-19, who knows what would’ve happened?

XOXO – Katie <3

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Ways to Use Your College Extracurricular Activities Professionally

Whether it be a club officer position, being a member of a club on campus, or in a leadership position within another capacity, college extracurricular activities are an excellent way to show yourself off. In college, I was personally victimized by overcommitment. I served in SO many leadership roles within my college years – read them all here – that it definitely has helped me in the workforce, too. Today, I will be sharing ways to use your college extracurricular activities within the professional world.

Ways to Use Your College Extracurricular Activities Professionally

  1. You know how to work with people of all kinds – when serving in a leadership position, you learn how to collaborate and work with people of all kinds. Not everyone has the same way of working, personality type, and so much more than ourselves. Needless to say, everyone is unique and working in a leadership role provides you the lens to work with people who are different from ourselves – something that is seen everyday within the work world.
  2. You can work better under pressure – A lot of the times, when working, others are relying on you to get the job done. The same goes for serving in a leadership capacity in college. When others are relying on you, that can bring about a whole extra level of pressure on your end. But, you learn to work under that pressure and that will help you to succeed at your finest professionally.
  3. You Gain Fundamental Communication Skills – When working, communication is vital to success on everyone’s part. College leadership and extracurriculars teach you how to communicate with others in a way similar to that of the work world and further connects the bridge into the work world. As basic as this skill is, it is one that is acquired over time and one that will serve you so well in the long run.
  4. You Learned Something New – Extracurriculars teach us A LOT about not only ourselves but as a leader too. We learn so much from serving others in a leadership position. What you learn from those extracurriculars can ALWAYS be used in future experiences too, especially in the workforce. The skills that we acquire will help us in SO many ways, even in roles that are very different than our previous one’s.
  5. You are Innovative – Have an idea?! Share it if and when you can! Extracurriculars allow us to be innovative on a regular basis – something that can set you apart within the workforce. Some of the best ideas can help get the job done professionally in the best way possible. Your voice can help so many others, simply from developing an innovative spirit back in your undergraduate days.
  6. You Get Plugged in within Your Company – For the most part, companies offer times for you to get together and know some of your coworkers beyond the working day to day life. My company has Affinity Groups such as the Women’s Forum and LGBTQ+ Alliance and Communities of Practice such as Women in Data and Accessibility Matters that allow for employees to be a leader in an extracurricular front. Not to mention, my company also offers several professional development opportunities and events that allow for me to have extracurriculars within the working world, too. Many other companies have similar extracurriculars, too!

Through it all, every single experience teaches us something whether we realize it or not. The ways that we channel our experiences into our future successes is what matters. Most importantly, none of us are perfect. Personally, I struggle with this concept within the professional world constantly, especially as a newer employee at my company. BUT, that is OKAY – none of us are alone either! How we take our experiences and run like the wind with them is what matters.

XOXO – Katie <3

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My First Time Visiting My College Campus as an Alum

They always say: “when one door closes, another one opens.” On occasion, we revisit former chapters of our lives. It can be great, not so great, or a little bit of both when we do look back at our former times in life. For me, one of the best times of my life was being a college student at Meredith College – an all-women’s college down in Raleigh, North Carolina. And, last weekend, I was very lucky to be able to make a visit down to Meredith College to see campus for the very very very first time since I graduated. Although I was very happy to be back on campus, I am also happy to be beyond my college years *believe it or not*.

To us Meredith students and alums, Meredith College is known to us dearly as “Wonderland.” It is for good reason, too. Like myself, Meredith College is the wonderland where our best memories ever have taken place. There is something so special to my Meredith College sisters and I about our times at Meredith, however long they were for us.

My years at Meredith College, like I said, were some of the best of my life. At Meredith, I served as a student leader within my class and organizations school wide (you can see a list of all of the things that I was involved in in this blog post here), pursued a Mathematics degree with minors in Data Science, Statistics, and Website Development within the BEST Mathematics and Computer Science Department EVER (you can also read about all of the college classes that I took here), and met some of my best friends and now Meredith College sisters along the way. The memories that I made are memories that will last a lifetime and am eternally grateful that I was able to make, despite all of the things that occurred during my college years most notably being COVID-19. Through it all, Meredith College is the home of many of my most special memories. Truly, a Wonderland and my Wonderland these past four years and the several more years to come!

Over the course of my first few months in the post-graduation world I have learned to adapt and move beyond my college years. Looking back in my last few weeks of my undergraduate days, I was extremely drained from it all. I lived for the college life hustle and bustle – exams, homework assignments, long late study sessions, projects, and meetings around the clock. Not to mention, all of the gossip and toxicity – yes, the less-talked about things that are the prime center of any women’s college experience – that occurs, too. While gossip and toxicity occurs EVERYWHERE, at a women’s college, it takes on a different feel that at a coed school, such as my high school. When I graduated from Meredith College, I was drained and tired and ready for something new. Even though it is tough at times transitioning into the post-college way of life, it has shaped me into the woman that I am today and will shape me into the woman that I am to become moving forward. Although I proudly consider Meredith College to be a Wonderland, my sweet and beloved Wonderland is not perfect and neither are we as humans either.

When I stepped foot on Meredith’s campus, I was happy to be there. Meredith College recently filled its trademark Meredith Lake on campus that remained dry for decades before, including when I was a student there. However, I was also relieved to not be a student anymore. I was relieved that I could visit this chapter of my life again and again but not actually re-enter it. I could remember and reminisce about my sweet sweet sweet Wonderland as beautiful as it is, despite my current stage of life as a post-grad.

Whatever life may bring me, I know that Meredith College will always be there for me to step foot on as the most magical Wonderland that I know it to be.

XOXO – Katie <3

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What They Don’t Tell You About the Post-Graduation Transition

  1. You WILL Feel Grief and that is OKAY! – Graduating from college is a loss. It is a loss of a robust social life, living with and near all of your friends and classmates, attending lectures right after rolling out of bed, and less adulting on your end. Moving from college to the real world is quite a challenge, and it is a loss to leave it. It’s a loss of a possibly exciting time in your life, and it is OKAY to feel grief about it. Grief is a normal emotion and it does not just apply to losing loved one’s. Grieving can also apply to times in our lives or things that we enjoyed that we don’t have that we may have had once before. College IS one of those times in our lives.
  2. Less Social Outings – In college, we live right by all of our friends and classmates, if you choose to live on or near campus. With on or near campus housing comes the many many many social outings which come along with everyone living right by each other. At the same time, college comes with a lot of social outings and such – it is exciting, too! When you move and graduate from college, the college social life stays behind. That being said, you will experience a lot less social outings than you did during your college days. As an extrovert, this has been tough for me, even having lived through college during the COVID-19 pandemic during my Junior and Senior years. But, it is a right a passage into adulthood.
  3. Having A LOT More Free Time – Not only does the postgraduate lifestyle bring about a less than ideal social life with a lot less social outings, it also brings about barely any homework! With working full time, there comes the benefit of not having to do much work outside of work. However, before I elaborate a bit more on this point, I do think it is important to mention and honor our extraordinary teachers and others in fields who do spend countless hours outside of their job prepping for their day to day activities at work. So, that being said, depending on your job, you may have to do some work outside of work and sometimes on the weekends in any job, too. In college, having a lot of free time was a luxury. But, nowadays in the postgraduate world, it is coming to you all at once and there’s no shortage of it. One of my coworkers said that he loved that when he finished work and signed off, he had the freedom to do whatever he wanted to do. Indeed, he was right!
  4. More Grocery Store Runs than Ever Before – This one rings true to me more than I thought it ever would – hah! I have always been one to stock up on groceries, but when I graduated from college and had a lot more free time on my hands, I saw myself buying and needing a lot more groceries than ever before. Needless to say, I will 9 times out of 10 see myself needing more coffee creamer after running out in the middle of the week or suddenly needing to simply admire the halls of the grocery store. I have most definitely gotten much more excited about new product releases in stores near me too!
  5. Needing a Budget – In college, we definitely need to stay on a budget. Once we get out into the real world, sticking with a budget is vital and more important than ever before. Putting on our big kid caps means that we don’t have the luxury of student discounts or college student freebies anymore – sad face – and having a budget is super important when it comes to our financial well-being. A few months ago, I wrote a post about budgeting and creating a budget when starting out, and you can read this blog post here.
  6. No, You Don’t Live Right By All Your Friends Anymore – Going off of my points from earlier on, sadly, you don’t live right by all of your friends anymore. *we know, we know* Trust me, it SUCKS! There are many times where I miss walking right out of my door and there are all of my friends right then and there. Post-graduation life means that when you do see your friends it does take quite a bit more planning on both of your ends to simply meet up and perhaps some travel too. Though, in the end, it will all be 10000% worth it and much more meaningful!
  7. Having to Say NO Sometimes – Just like during your college years, there will be times post-college that you’ll have to put your foot down and say NO. Saying no is a vital part of adulthood and a huge accomplishment for any person both mentally, emotionally, and physically. Us humans are not meant to do everything in this world – we can only do so much. As hard as it is to sometimes swallow, we as humans are only capable of doing so much. That being said, we have to listen to ourselves, our bodies, and our minds and ensure that we are doing what we need to do that’s best for ourselves. Sometimes that means saying no to an additional task in or out of work, a social outing or trip due to finances, or a family thing that would hurt you mentally more than help you to go. Through it all, saying no is OKAY. It does not make you a weak person either. Rather, it makes you strong and resilient and more than ever ready to take on this world!
  8. Changes in Your Friendships – The post-graduation transition brings about a lot of changes. One of the most significant changes can be with our own friends. This may be a hard pill to swallow, but not all of your friends will stick around – some may fade away over time, some may depart from your life instantly, and some may stick around and you both will grow closer than ever before. Whatever the situation may be with each of your respective friends, know that the changes occurring are NORMAL and not out of the ordinary. It is OKAY to drift apart from friends given the trajectories of your lives after college. It is also amazing to have a one or a few friends that you will maintain through this transition as well. All throughout this transition, there are changes, but once you pop out of it all, you will see who your true friends from college are and you’ll be oh so thankful they are still in your life and they will be that you’re in theirs. On the same token, definitely be thankful for the friendships you have made in college, even if they may not be as strong of a friendship once you both graduate.
  9. The Working 9-5 Adjustment – Working 9-5 is HARD! A straight shot of work all day 5+ days a week with some breaks sprinkled in isn’t an easy task for anybody. It’s definitely not easy going from college where you have 1-4 classes a day with many breaks in between. It’s definitely not the typical 40 hour work week, so it is hard to get used to. It can be tiring and it’s an adjustment for sure. Also, no pajamas and rolling out of bed in the work world like we used to take for granted in college can be a struggle bus at times. However, work is an essential task and can be pretty great if we let it be. Our jobs are a vital part of our wellbeing and we definitely all want to succeed in them too. If we let our job be an enjoyable part of our day, then we can adjust a lot easier to our work lives as well!
  10. This Transition is ROUGH for EVERYBODY! – Through and through, the post-college graduation transition is HARD. It’s hard for everybody. It’s easy to think that it is not. Nowadays, social media makes us think that everyone has it great and everyone is thriving. When in reality, everyone is not thriving. Some folks may be doing great, but others may not be no matter how they paint a picture of their lives on social media. Just know, graduating from college is hard and the months and even a few years after it will be. That’s okay – I’m in this transition too and it is a struggle bus and there’s a lot I feel like I need to figure out about how I want to proceed with things in my life moving forward into my 20’s while not in school anymore. But, I will get through it and make it out okay and be stronger than ever before. And guess what?! So will YOU!

XOXO – Katie <3

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How I Got Involved in College

Getting involved is a GREAT way to stay in the know and connected to others when in college! Throughout my four years at Meredith College, I got involved in a ton of different ways (you read more about them here). As a recent college grad, I definitely have experienced the in’s and out’s of getting involved at college and staying connected throughout your four years (or more or less) of college, even with COVID-19 (I also wrote a guide on that, too – read it here!). There are a variety of ways that one can get connected within their college campus, which I am happily here to share!

How To: Get Involved at College

  1. Attend club fairs – colleges have a variety of different organizations. Club fairs are an opportunity to go learn more about all of the clubs and organizations that you can get involved in on your campus. You can easily acquire a lot of information on several different organizations. Most of these organizations also have opportunities for you to connect with them such as signing up for email lists, connecting on social media, etc. The best part?! You get to learn about them all all at once!
  2. Facebook Groups and other social media pages – the majority of colleges have Facebook Groups of sorts. I know that Meredith College has a Facebook Group for each class which is an excellent way to meet all accepted students and students who eventually will become official members of your college class. Not only can you meet potential roommates and suite mates from these groups, but you can also connect with folks in various other ways. Meredith is a much smaller college than others, so, personally, I am not as aware of if other colleges have other Facebook Groups beyond theirs classes. But, whatever your school does have, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM!!!
  3. Introduce yourself to a friendly face – whether in in the classroom, dining hall, or around campus, if you see a friendly face then introduce yourself! Bit the bullet and create ties with someone new. For instance, in the classroom, it is always super nice to have study buddies. As you dig into your major-related classes, it is super great to have created bonds with those within your major and major-related classes. Some of the best bonds that I have created are with those from within my major and truly connected with them. My fellow Math major friends and I would get together every so often and have dinners together along with attending events on-campus. Moreover, you can also connect and get involved with folks in your academic area of interest, too, in college events, clubs, and much more!
  4. Attend club/organization functions of your interest – attending a club’s/organization’s meetings is an excellent way to meet others that may be on the same wavelength as yourself when it comes to that area of interest that can be offered there. Many clubs/organizations provide others with the opportunity to attend events and get involved on their campus within several ways.
  5. Know that it TAKES TIME – one of the things that I needed to realize but didn’t right away is that your involvement and friendships in college do not come to you right away. Trust me, it ALL TAKES TIME! Just be open to whatever comes your way and establish as many connections as you can and, trust me, it will all unfold the way it is meant to and when you least expect it.

Getting involved in college can be daunting, but it is so rewarding in the end. The relationships that you will establish could last a lifetime and some, if not many, will. The same goes for the memories that you will make, too!

XOXO – Katie <3

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