Preppy Fashion Lover Gifts Guide

***Please note that this Preppy Fashion Lover Gifts Guide will be updated and recirculated periodically to reflect the most up-to-date information. This gift guide was most recently updated as of October 2025.***

Lilly Pulitzer, Vineyard Vines, J Crew, and Kate Spade, OH MY! As a self-proclaimed preppy fashion lover and grand millennial, I could not share some preppy fashion lover items for my Christmas Gift Guides. Today, I am rounding up all of the preppy fashion lover gift ideas to complete your preppy fashion wardrobe and for your preppy fashion lovers in your life all while at different price points. In the case that you’re interested in some of my other preppy fashion shopping guides, then look no further than my blog posts on a few brands to know like Lilly Pulitzer, Printfresh Pajamas Review, Hill House Nap Dress Dupe Shopping Guide, and more. Happy shopping!!!

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

Preppy Fashion Lover Gifts Guide

This Preppy Fashion Lover Gifts Guide will be divided into 5 sections based on price point: $25 and Under, $50 and Under, $100 and Under, $200 and Under, and $200+. That way, there’s a gift every preppy fashion lover in mind!

$25 and Under

$50 and Under

$100 and Under

$200 and Under

$200+

Happy holidays and happy shopping, preppies!

XOXO – Katie <3

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How To Launder Lilly Pulitzer

If you know me, then you know that Lilly Pulitzer is my favorite fashion brand! With its bright colors and prints coming in delicate fabrics, it may come as a challenge to launder your Lilly Pulitzer garments. As someone who values convenience over time most of the time, I am going to share some tips for taking your Lilly Pulitzer finds to the local laundromat or how to laundering Lilly Pulitzer yourself (which can even be a bonus when you are on the road!!!).

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

For more preppy style & grand millennial home content, check out my Preppy Fashion & Grand Millennial Home page.

To shop current Lilly Pulitzer products, look no further than the Lilly Pulitzer website. You can shop any product on the site using this link.

How To Launder Lilly Pulitzer

Laundromats

Wherever you may be, locally-owned Laurdromats are probably near by. The majority of them are corn-operated, as seen in the movie’s. One of my latest and favorite laundromats is The Clothes Spin. The Clothes Spin is a laundromat that is based in Lynchburg, Virginia. Unlike the majority of laundromats, The Clothes Spin has 24/7 access for all of their customers. That being said, you can easily come in and launder your garments when it best fits for your schedule. The best part of it all?! This 24/7 laundromat located in Madison Heights allows you to pay for you to wash your clothing through an app rather than with change! I most definitely do not carry huge chunks of change in my pocket anymore, and I know many others who do not either.

Tips

Whether or not you choose to go to a laundromat or launder your Lilly Pulitzer garments at home, there are quite a few do’s and don’t’s that will make it so much more helpful for you to take care of your garments to the best that you can. I have washed my Lilly Pulitzer and do pretty frequently. Knock on wood, I have not had that many issues with washing them, as I strictly follow these do’s and don’t’s as well as the tips that I also list below, too.

 

Do’s

  • Wash in cold water, in order to prevent shrinking and color run
  • Wash your white’s and colored clothing separately, in order to prevent color bleeding on your white garments (no one wants a white shirt to unintentionally become pink!)
  • Wash garments with embroidery inside out. Embroidery may include pom poms, sequins, or delicate buttons.
  • Hang or lay your Lilly Pulitzer to dry, rather than drying it! This will prevent your garments from shrinking. If the garment is 100% cotton, then most definitely be sure to lay or hang it to dry as it will shrink a size if put in the dryer!
  • Wash garments inside out, in order to prevent pilling

Don’t’s

  • Wash light-colored garments and dark-colored garments together. Darker colored clothing items can rinse into lighter colored clothing items, which can most definitely change their colors. Typically, I wash my whites separately from all of the other colored garments and have not had many issues.
  • Put 100% cotton, cashmere, sweaters, or other vulnerable garments into the dryer – they will shrink a size! It’s best to lie them flat to dry.
  • Hang popovers or Finn tees to dry. The shoulders will be stretched out. Rather, lay them flat to dry.

Detergent & Bleach

I am a loyal Tide user. Ever since I went off to college, I have used Tide detergent in the scent April Spring. To go with it, I use Febreeze Fabric Softener in the same exact scent. However, recently, I have used Kirkland’s detergents and fabric softeners from Costco that actually come in a similar scent. Personally, I am someone who is extremely particular about the way my clothing and things smell, so it works well for me. As for bleach, I find OxiClean to be one of the best out there! Not only does it do the job, but it does the job well! Luckily, the detergent, fabric softener, and bleach products that I use can easily be found at a local grocery store, Target, Walmart, or even Costco.

Along with OxiClean, my favorite alternative for stains is as simple as that: water and soap. All I simply do is have sink running, add an soap to the stain and massage the stain with my fingers. The soap that I use is simply the hand soap right beside my sink, but any soap even body wash will do. Y’all it works EVERY TIME!! This trick also works really well with period stains. It can also be done everywhere, as all you need is a sink and some soap!

Regular Wash VS Delicate Wash

When washing Lilly Pulitzer garments, it varies per item which type of wash that you would want to do on your washing machine. For most garments, I use regular, however, for some I use the delicate wash. I have listed down below what type of wash I use for which Lilly Pulitzer styles that I own!

Regular Wash

  • Sophie shift
  • Mila shift
  • All Luxletic products
  • Delia shift
  • Ophelia shift
  • Kelly pants
  • Adalee shift
  • Skirts/skorts
  • Popovers
  • Cotton tops (including cotton Elsa’s, Essie’s, and Etta’s)

Delicate Wash

  • Elsa Tops (especially those coming in silk fabrics)
  • Anything with embroidery (i.e. pom poms, sequins, delicate buttons)
  • Anything that is cashmere
  • Scarfs or wraps

Wrap-Up

However you choose to launder your Lilly Pulitzer garments, the consistency that you choose to wash them is key. Over the years, I have remained consistent in my techniques for washing my Lilly, and it has worked. That being said, whatever works for you is what you should do!

XOXO – Katie <3

A special thank you to The Clothes Spin for sponsoring this blog post. Without their support, The Pink Chickadee wouldn’t be where it is today.

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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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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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Relationship Sunday’s – Starting Out & Moving While Single

When my Papa graduated from college, he got married and was whisked away into his married life for years to come. That was in the 1960’s. While the 1960’s days are far behind us, many still envision starting their lives out with a significant other by their side. I know of many couples who either get married or are committed upon graduating from college and choose to move in together upon graduating from college. Needless to say, it can be daunting to move and start out on your own as a single person, but it is also empowering.

Personally, I moved from North Carolina to Washington, DC upon graduating from college in the Southern state. I knew that I wanted something different after being in college and living in North Carolina for four years. Before even graduating from college like a few years beforehand, I knew that I wanted to live in Washington, DC and start out there. My mother started out in Washington, DC and tells me about all of her fond memories of her time in the nation’s capital. The same goes for my Dad. Once I found a job opportunity in the Washington, DC area, I knew I had what I needed to achieve my Washington, DC dreams!

When I was in the beginning of my college years, I had always envisioned moving in with a partner that I had met in college, whatever city it may had been. I probably was hoping that I had been able to move to a city beyond Raleigh, too, as I have an adventurous spirit. As time went on, I ended up dating somebody that I thought had the potential to be the one. It was my Senior year of college when I started dating them, and they lived in North Carolina in a different city than my college town and did not want to leave. Many of my connections for post-graduation jobs are in the Washington, DC area where I wanted to and now live. Needless to say, I became very stressed out looking for jobs in a place that I had not wanted to live in, but rather felt pressured to live for the life that I had hoped I would have. During those relationship days, I missed being single and having the freedom to move around without worrying about anyone else. We ended up breaking up after 2 months, and it was one of the best decisions that I had made, especially for my future.

Starting out single was not in my plan for my life. Yet, starting out single was what was best for me, despite me not anticipating it. It can be hard and is hard moving to a brand-new city without a significant other in sight. Some of the challenges with starting out as single and making a move include:

  • The Moving Process – Let’s get this straight: moving can be a challenge. Most specifically, when you’re on your own, it can be difficult to move and move on your own, too. I was fortunate enough to be able to move close to family and have family help with both moving out and moving into my new city. The moving process is daunting – the moving trucks, the moving fees, the heavy lifting, and the packing/unpacking. Even with family help, it took me almost 2 weeks to unpack all of my belongings and fully set everything up in my new place. However, if you are doing it all alone, there is no reason to not utilize help from others. If you’re moving to the Las Vegas area, then Muscle Movers LLC Las Vegas can do all the heavy lifting for you! Not only can they help you move your belongings on move-in day only, they can also help you with packing and unpacking into any type of place, whether it be residential or commercial. At the same time, if you’re living in Las Vegas and moving across the state, to another state, or even overseas, these long-distance movers in Las Vegas can provide ALL of the facilitation regarding your move – find details here.. All in all, Muscle Movers LLC Las Vegas is a great way to allow others to help you with your move, especially if you’re moving on your own as a single lady (or gent!).
  • Lack of Connections – Moving can be a struggle, especially when you do not know a soul in your new town. It can be tough when you do not know anyone beyond your coworkers, apartment mates, or even the mail man. It essentially feels like as if you are a new kid in high school in a new city. But this time, it may be without family and friends. Case in point: if you went to college and lived in a dorm in a place different than your hometown, then you probably didn’t have an established social network when you left. However, for most of us, you developed that social network, academic network, and professional network while in college. You did it during those university days, and you will do it again, but this time, within your brand-new city. You WILL establish a vast social network, grow professionally, and grow personally, too – right in your own new city!
  • Not Having a Go-To Person Nearby – When single, it can be quite difficult to move when you do not have a go-to person right then and there, such as a significant other. There’s a lot of emotions that pop up when moving – stress, excitement, sadness, happiness, etc. It can be nice to be able to go through all those emotions with someone else. At the same time, it’s also nice to be able to have someone right by your side who can go explore and get to know your new town with, too. When single, not having someone who is right then and there to do things with can be difficult. But, on the flip side, when doing things on your own and independently creates confidence and allows you to grow and expand your network in a whole new light than if you were in a relationship. In fact, you may even meet your person while expanding your network while single!

Overall, moving while single can be remarkably challenging, but it has its perks, too. You can meet a bunch of people on your own timeline and have the flexibility to move on your own without worry about anyone else. Nevertheless, you get to expand your network on your own terms and only yours.

XOXO – Katie <3

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Bright Work from Home Essentials

Working 9 to 5! Work is probably the most productive and time consuming part of our days. When working, it can be pretty tiring to spend the 9 to 5 timeframe doing solely work, yet it must be done. Since having to do most of my Senior year of college in a virtual setting, I am going to be sharing some of my work from home essentials – most of which I used during my virtual “Zoom University” days!

As always, I will share where I got some of my work from home essentials, and where you can get these essentials too! Please note that not all of these items will be the exact item that I use on a day to day basis.

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

My Work From Home Essentials!

Pouches & MANY Pouches! – I use them for a variety of purposes, ranging from carrying pencils, pens, erasers, pencil lead, etc., feminine products, toiletries, caffeinated Crystal Lite, and makeup. Shop some of my most recently purchased and primarily used pouches below:

Coffee Mugs – Yes, coffee mugs are my ALL DAY EVERYDAY essential. There is NO WAY that I could kick off my days without a good old cup of Keurig-brewed coffee. It is, indeed, the only way I will wake up and put my all into my work. Mugs are also a super fun way to show off some personal flair. I have a massive mug collection and a coffee section in my apartment simply dedicated to my mugs and *of course* Keurig. You can shop some of my favorite mugs linked below:

Hot Coffee & Iced Coffee – If you can’t tell by now, coffee is my holy grail work from home essential! I always enjoy both a freshly poured Keurig-brewed cup of coffee each and every single morning to kick off my work days. Then, by the mid-morning-afternoon, I enjoy a cup of iced coffee, too. My favorite brands for K-Cups include: Kripsy Kreme, Folgers, and The Original Donut Shop. Personally, I get whatever is cheapest at the grocery store of those 3 and whatever is one sale *ballin’ on a budget am I right?!*. I regularly and loyally used Delight’s Fat Free/Sugar Free Carmel flavored creamer. Meanwhile, for iced coffee, I always go with Delight’s iced coffee in either the Carmel or French Vanilla flavors! I get all of these items at my local grocery store.

Caffeinated Crystal Lite Packets – Likewise to coffee and iced coffee, I also have another favorite caffeinated drink of mine – Crystal Lite packets! My mother introduced me to these and I was hooked! Yes, Crystal Lite has caffeinated packets that you can put into your favorite water bottles or tumblers and stir in/shake once you add some water to it. These Crystal Lite packets are extremely low in calorie AND are caffeinated. They come in 2-4 different flavors and are great for a nice refresher that is on the go and low in costs and calories, too. The boxes are around $2.50 each for a box of 10 packets which is about 25 cents/drink and can be found at your local grocery store where I get mine weekly – take that Starbucks!

Tumblers – Now that you know I have an addiction to iced coffee and Crystal Lite, then you must know that I also have an addiction to adorable tumblers that I drink my addictions out of! My tumblers have been an excellent way to show off my personal flair, very similar to a coffee mug, but with a super fun straw, too. You can shop some of my favorite tumblers linked below:

Fun Notebooks – Since starting my new job, I have become an avid notetaker. I honestly feel like a brand-new intern in Grey’s Anatomy at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital with my pen and notebook frantically taking notes but make it on Zoom – haha! Call me first day intern Meredith Grey I guess!! Anyhow, on another note, I have linked a few of my favorite notebooks that I have enjoyed using:

AirPods – Recently, I decided to take the plunge and *finally* invest in a pair of AirPods! Let me just tell y’all – these are a GAME CHANGER! They’re great not only for working at home, since they’re super easy to use and charge, but they are will be great for when I have to go into the office as well.

Erasable Pens – Let’s just say that erasable pens are literally my new hero! Confessions: the concept of erasable pens is SO cool to me to the point of where I literally write things just to erase them – hah! In high school, I was always that girl with the color coded notes and notebooks, so now having the luxury to erase with my pens is an extraordinary plus! Shop them here: https://rstyle.me/+LxykNqypcuLTggpujT2klA.

Planner – If you know me, then you know that I am an Enneagram Type 3! For those who don’t know much about Enneagram Type 3’s (confession: I seriously only read up on my own Enneagram Type and Wing – I’m a Type 2 Wing! – whoops), we are extremely planner-focused, future-oriented, and always always always productive. I use both digital planners and a paperback planner and have tried both the Lilly Pulitzer planners of the large and jumbo sizes (jumbo size is my favorite, though) and the Erin Condren planner. Personally, Lilly Pulitzer’s planners work best for me practically speaking than the Erin Condren planner. Though, I will note that the Erin Condren site has a customizable option for planners and a wider array of stickers than offered on the first pages of the Lilly Pulitzer planner: a trait that some may prefer than not. Digitally, I use the app Evernote (free version) on both my phone and laptop, but primarily my laptop and LOVE it. Since some planners work best for different people, I will link both the Lilly Pulitzer and Erin Condren planners down below:

Throw Blankets – Throw blankets are honestly my holy grail!!! They have been getting me through these long long long days made up of Zoom. Throw blankets have been an excellent way for me to stay comfy and cozy while still being productive. Typically, I purchase mine from Home Goods (specifically the hot pink or flamingo printed one’s) or Vera Bradley in the clearance section or at their outlets. I will say, though, that Kate Spade has some pretty incredible huge throw blankets that are great, too, and they’re usually always on the shelves at any local Home Goods storefront in all colors and a few prints (mine is in hot pink *surprise!*).

TI-84 Plus CE Calculator – This may just be a Math major thing, BUT my TI-84 Plus CE calculator has become a vital part of my working days. I use it for a variety of things, whether it be simple math problems/calculations (because y’all us Math majors don’t just know the multiplication tables in our heads at the click of a mouse) or for budgeting and other adulting things. It’s really nice to have right there and handy and not have to Google up a calculator when I need one.

Mason Jars – I found that there is so much benefit in having Mason jars right there at your workplace front. Mason jars are an excellent use for storage, especially for desk essentials. I use mine to store pens, pencils, highlighters, scissors, and even old motivational quotes that I wrote on sticky notes. All in all, mason jars are a pretty handy and photo pretty way to store your desk essentials. Not to mention, mason jars are pretty affordable too and can be found in packs for under $10 at Walmart or Target or even $1 each at none other than The Dollar Tree.

Working from home may not be ideal for some, but having the right essentials at one’s fingertips can make it much more bearable and perhaps even fun!

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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What I Bought for my College Dorm

Shopping and planning out your college dorm can be exciting, but it can also be so daunting. Four years ago, I remember shopping and planning out my own college dorm. I wish I had a list to guide me through it all. So, I have made that for y’all who are currently shopping for their own college dorm!

***Please note that every college dorm is different and so is every college. Each college will have different rules and guidelines as to what you can and cannot bring with you. Please follow them. At the same time, every dorm is different with its set up, too, so please be mindful of its set up, too.***

The Ultimate College Dorm List

Bed

  1. Duvet cover/quilt/comforter
  2. Bed skirt
  3. 2+ sets of sheets
  4. Pillow Inserts
  5. Decorative Pillows
  6. Mattress pad/topper
  7. Headboard (if so desired)
  8. Throw blanket from home
  9. Stuffed animal(s) from home
  10. Pillow pet(s) from home
  11. Pillows
  12. Heated blanket/weighted blanket (if applicable)
  13. Slippers

Dresser

  1. Perfume tray (if desired)
  2. Jewelry tray(s)
  3. Jewelry organizer(s)
  4. Necklace rack
  5. Alarm clock
  6. Lamp(s)
  7. Hair tools/brushes organizer(s)
  8. Hair tools
  9. Hair brushes
  10. Makeup
  11. Makeup brushes
  12. Makeup organizer(s)
  13. Nail polish
  14. Nail polish remover
  15. Dresser organizer(s)
  16. Hair spray/dry shampoo
  17. Drawer liners

Wall

  1. String lights
  2. Wall decorations
  3. Clock (if desired)
  4. Command strips
  5. Command hooks

Bathroom

  • Shower caddy
  • Flip flops
  • Toiletries
  • Plastic cup
  • 3+ Body towels
  • 5+ Wash cloths
  • 3+ Hand towels
  • Shower curtain (if suite style)
  • Bath Matt (if suite style)
  • Shower Matt (if suite style)
  • Shower curtain liner (if suite style)
  • Medicine
  • First aid kit
  • Feminine products Bandaids
  • Mini trash bags (if suite style)
  • Mini trash can (if suite style)

Desk

  1. Desk Lamp
  2. Framed photo(s)
  3. Textbooks

Food Items

  1. Keurig/Coffee maker (if desired)
  2. K-Cups (if desired)
  3. Tea kettle (if desired)
  4. Tea bags
  5. Mugs
  6. Plastic and/or paper plates and bowls
  7. Plastic and/or metal utensils
  8. Plastic cups
  9. Coffee creamer
  10. Mini fridge
  11. Magnets
  12. Storage basket(s)
  13. Snacks
  14. Pot(s) and/or pan(s)
  15. Brita water filter
  16. Tumblers
  17. Water bottles

Closet

  1. Clothing
  2. Shoes
  3. Accessories
  4. Shoe rack
  5. Command hooks
  6. Hangers
  7. Disposable masks
  8. Cloth masks
  9. Clothing rack
  10. Mirror
  11. Storage bins

Desk

  1. Textbooks
  2. Notebooks
  3. Binders
  4. Notebook paper
  5. Tape
  6. Tape dispenser
  7. Stapler
  8. Staples
  9. Pencils
  10. Pens
  11. Pencil case
  12. Calculator
  13. Sticky notes
  14. Note pad(s)
  15. Books
  16. Checkbook
  17. Files
  18. File holder
  19. Folders
  20. Envelops
  21. Stationary
  22. Monitor(s) (if desired)
  23. Mousepad
  24. Computer mouse
  25. Planner/to do list (if needed)
  26. Chargers
  27. Desk pillow and/or back relief
  28. Desk chair and/or chair cover
  29. Index cards
  30. Storage baskets and/or cubbies
  31. Desk hutch (if desired)
  32. Backpack
  33. Printer paper
  34. Printer (if applicable)
  35. Printer ink (if applicable)
  36. Cork board (if desired)

Miscellaneous

  1. Bookshelf
  2. Storage cubbies
  3. Under bed storage bins and/or drawers
  4. Stand up lamp
  5. Rug
  6. Lanyard
  7. Curtains
  8. Trash bags
  9. Trash can
  10. Laundry basket
  11. Laundry detergent and/or fabric softener
  12. Any other desired decorations
  13. Soap
  14. Hand sanitizer
  15. Room spray/scent plug-in’s
  16. Duffel bag and/or suitcases to visit home, of course!

Happy shopping and cheers to the next four years plus or minus some of college!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Guest Write: Megan & Emily of Sundae Sisters Co!

If you haven’t seen the most adorable sister duo, then look no further than Megan and Emily! Megan and Emily co-founded their own sticker line where they sell their stickers on Etsy and locally within the Raleigh-Cary area. Megan has become one of my good friends at Meredith College, she is also my best friend Laurie’s Lil Sis through Meredith’s Big Sis/Lil Sis program! I have also learned a lot about her sister Emily who has Down syndrome and is breaking barriers everyday as a person with the disability. Today, I am letting both Megan and Emily take the wheel as I will be interviewing them about their journey with Sundae Sisters Co, life as sisters, and future aspirations for their business.

Tell me a bit about yourselves!

We are Sundae Sisters Co! I (Megan) had the idea to change my old Etsy shop to better include Emily. With Covid, she did not get as much work experience through her school and was also having trouble finding a job. Individuals with special needs are already severely un-employed, but adding a global pandemic on top did not help. So I started designing stickers and Emily does all of the packaging. We started around Mid-May and have sold over 250 stickers!

Megan, I know you are currently in college. What school do you attend and what are you studying?

I am a rising Sophomore at Meredith College in Raleigh,NC and I am studying Child Development in hopes of becoming a teacher.

Emily, I know you recently just graduated from high school – congrats! What are your next steps?

I will continue packaging for Sundae Sisters Co, which I love doing. I check everyday to see if I have new orders to package. I was also recently hired as a volunteer for Esteamed Coffee in Downtown Cary,NC! I will start training this summer. I also love participating in Gigi’s Playhouse Raleigh programs such as yoga, ballet, and social skills. I am also on a competitive cheer team at Inspire Athletics, we are called the Superstars.

Share a fun fact about each of y’all!

We share this fact because we are both huge Disney fans! If you ever are going to Disney World or Disneyland, contact us for tips! Megan’s favorite rides are Everest and Flight of Passage. Emily’s favorite rides are Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Flight of Passage.

Tell me a bit about Sundae Sisters Co and the mission behind it!

Our mission is to spread happiness and kindness to others through our designs while also showing the importance of employing individuals with special needs. Many businesses don’t employ people with special needs because they don’t see all or their abilities, so we want to show people that they are valuable employees.

What made y’all choose to start Sundae Sisters Co?

I (Megan) have always loved being crafty. I already had an Etsy shop but kind of sold very random things. I also knew Emily was graduating soon and with Covid, she was going to have trouble finding a job. So I rebranded my Etsy to better include her with something she could easily ship, but also something I love to sell! It’s a win-win for both of us because we both have an outlet we enjoy within the business.

So, tell me about y’all’s design process – how do y’all brainstorm your super fun and adorable designs?!

 We get a lot of requests which we love getting, please send them in! We also get lots of inspiration from social media and pictures we take. We love taking pictures of plants and different landmarks.

Speaking of designs, please tell me both of your favorite designs!!!

Megan’s favorite design right now is the Retro Van Sticker because she loves the colors! Emily loves the Lucky Few sticker which is a symbol for Down Syndrome!

Stickers from the Vaccinated Line releasing this Tuesday July 13
Stickers from the Collegiate Line releasing on July 27

I know you both work together as a team to execute both designing and sending off stickers to their new homes. How do y’all make the magic happen?!

Megan handles designing the stickers, printing (which we do in house), listing each item, and keeping everything organized. Emily is in charge of all shipping which includes writing each thank you note by hand, gathering the stickers for each order, packaging, weighing, adding the stamp, and putting it in the mailbox! She also will sometimes prep things like envelopes or supplies for our vendor events.

You both have visited local farmers markets, such as in Cary, to showcase your business. Do y’all have any dream markets that y’all want to showcase at?

There are lots of different markets in the Triangle, it’s overwhelming sometimes. We loved being at Food and Flea in Downtown Cary in June, we hope to be back a few more times this fall just in time for the holidays! We would also love to have our stickers sold in local stores in boutiques, that is something we are working on now!

Megan & Emily selling stickers at Food and Flea in Cary, North Carolina

I LOVE LOVE LOVE that y’all donate some of your profits to a different charity each month. Giving back is SO important. How does charity play a role in Sundae Sisters Co’s mission?

So many charities have benefited our family, such as North Carolina Down Syndrome Alliance, Gigi’s Playhouse Raleigh, Miracle League, Esteemed Coffee and more! We think it is so important to give back to the community as they have given to us. We are trying to donate every month as well as have a sticker that donates profits to a specific charity each month.

I am so inspired by y’all’s business! What would y’all say to someone who is looking to start their own business someday?

 Just go for it! Take it slow and don’t over-invest so you don’t get in over your head. Then re-invest the money you make or a portion of it back into your business to help it grow.

Y’all are both strong advocates for inclusion and acceptance of everybody. Tell me about your experiences as advocates!

I think our parents have always instilled in us that it is important to fight for what is right and to be inclusive of everyone, no matter their walk of life. Everyone is different and that is what makes us unique individuals. Being apart of the disability community is fun and exciting, but it can also open doors to show the hard parts of having a disability. This has made us want to fight even more to share the message that everyone should be included and given the same opportunities. For example, I (Megan) was inspired by NC State’s Victory Day game that they did with Gigi’s Playhouse. It was an inclusive night where individuals with  Down Syndrome got to experience practice and a game of football with the NC State Football team. So, I created my own version of that at my High School. Inclusion events like these become a ripple effect to show others that individuals with special needs are just like everyone else, they just want to have fun and make friends!

What is in the oh-so exciting future of Sundae Sisters Co?

Well, we hope to get lots more orders. Just these past few weeks, our orders have quadrupled. We would love to do more markets and maybe have a few more friends with special needs help us. If we grow even more, we would love to have others help us with packaging so they can learn work skills too. We would also love to have our stickers available in stores, this way we could get our designs and mission out to a larger community!

Lastly, if you each could tell yourself one thing before you started Sundae Sisters Co, then what would it be?

I think we both would never have imagined it being as successful as we have been in our first month of being open. We are so thankful to each and every person who has supported us; whether it was just a like, comment, sharing us on social media, placing an order or visiting us at a market.

I cannot wait to see ALL that Megan and Emily do moving forward and I hope you do, too!

XOXO – Katie <3

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I Planned an Event During COVID-19

COVID-19 has transformed the ways that events are held. Unfortunately, my Senior year social calendar was taken over by Zoom. At the same time though, I got to enjoy some in-person events, including one event that I got to plan myself with some of my Meredith friends and Tri-Chairs Maggie and Miranda. The event was socially distanced and followed all of the safety measures put in place, in order to protect ourselves from COVID-19. Through it all, getting to plan an event during the pandemic was such a bittersweet and fun experience.

Meredith College is notorious for their Traditions also known as events that are put on each year for with specific one’s for each class based on their year. The Tradition that I got to help plan was Class Day. Class Day is a Tradition held for Sophomores and Seniors each year where the Sophomore Class honors the Senior Class who is their Big Sis class on graduating and reflecting on their four years at Meredith. The Sophomore (Lil Sis Class) creates a daisy chain in the shape of the numerals of their graduating Big Sis Class. It is such a sentimental event for both classes and it was super fun to plan!

In terms of COVID-19, Class Day obviously looked a bit different. Usually, Class Day is held in the courtyard at Meredith; however, due to COVID-19, my Tri-Chairs and I decided to hold it in our amphitheater, in order to accommodate more people who maintaining a social distance. Usually, the daisy chain is presented in the form of a processional, instead, we had the Lil’s procession out themselves without the daisy chain. And, obviously, everyone was seated 6 feet apart and no guests were allowed. Lastly, we held the event at 3 different time slots, which people could sign up for via SignUp Genius. The time slots were much shorter than the traditional 1-2 hour long event as they were 30 minutes each and everyone had to leave right after the event. Although Class Day did not look the way that it had in years past, my Tri-Chairs and I still made it look very beautiful and made it special for our classmates and ourselves.

In a typical year, most Class Day meetings are held in-person. This year, they were held over Zoom. After having an entire year of Zoom meetings, I still found them to be just as productive as in-person meetings if not even more. I was able to better multitask on Zoom than in-person and be able to snack better rather than not being able to while wearing a mask. It was also nice because I could meet from wherever, too!

My main duty for Class Day was to coordinate the fundraiser. As the Class of 2021 Fundraising Chair, I had coordinated several fundraisers throughout this past year before and knew how to successfully execute one yet again. Since the Class of 2020 and Class of 2022 missed out on their Class Day fundraiser due to the pandemic last year, I decided to hold the Class Day fundraiser to include the Classes of 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. I had a friend of mine in my Lil Sis Class (Class of 2023) share with me an amazing shirt design in February that my Tri-Chairs and I loved it so much that we decided to use it. In the past, we have sold and designed a Class Day towel to sell as the Sophomores carry out the daisy chain. But, since the daisy chain could not be safely carried out with social distancing considered, we decided to sell a mask instead. One of my Tri-Chairs also made a mask design with a daisy on it. So, we sold both a mask and a shirt.

Throughout the entire planning process, there were many meetings, emails, and times to even meet up in-person. I cannot tell you how many email chains I have been apart of in the past 6 weeks! Some of the email chains were super fun to read, too. Although we had to make several changes to Class Day this year as compared to years past, it was still a super special event and I am glad I got to be apart of planning it. Moreover, there were many changes that my Tri-Chairs and I actually enjoyed that the staff members who advise the planning process with us all liked and want to keep as apart of Class Day moving forward. It was great to be able to make some changes that are going to be in place for years to come.

Overall, I am oh so blessed that I was able to be apart of planning an amazing Tradition, such as Class Day. Class Day is a bittersweet event for both the Sophomore and Senior classes. I was happy I could be a major part of making it happen, even during COVID-19!

XOXO – Katie <3

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