One Year Ago, I Graduated from College

Looking back, my 16 year old self would be sad that I didn’t study and have a career in fashion and currently live in New York City. My 18 year old self would be devastated that I’m currently not in a committed relationship and *surprise* am single AND fabulous. While, my 10 year old self would be thrilled that I have a beautiful closet, a dog, and travel a ton with my best friends. On Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee), I have seen so many influencers share about how their younger selves would view themselves now. I love seeing everyone’s reflections on that, too. Looking back on my life and where I thought I would be at this stage in my life now versus where I actually am are two very different stories. When I graduated from college, it was hard. Despite how hard graduating from college is, I have also adapted and grown personally in ways like never before.

I graduated from college and moved up to Washington, DC within the same weekend, it was a whirlwind of emotions. I essentially went through two big life transitions in the span of less than 48 hours. I came home to my Washington, DC area apartment and was away from all of my friends and family. I had what felt like 1,000’s of boxes filled with my college apartment belongings to unpack and arrange in the way that my own heart desired. At the same time, I also had a lot of emotions to unpack when it came to processing with my post-graduation transition emotions. I felt this deep feeling of sadness when I first graduated. It lasted for a year. I never knew just why I had felt uber sad all the time, but I did. It wasn’t until about a year later that I realized what I was feeling was grief that had yet to be processed.

After college, things change a lot, especially within the first year. When I graduated in May 2021, things were still in that COVID-19 mindset more so than they are now. I didn’t travel much the first summer after and I had moved into a place without many friends and spent a lot of time on my own not really doing much. I missed my friends from Meredith College and talked to them about every single moment of every single day. I held onto as much as I could of my college life. It went away and I moved on, though. Some of my college friends I have grown apart from and others I have grown closer to – its like a juxtaposition. It’s also a gift in a way.

Last weekend, I went to Meredith College’s graduation on campus for the Class of 2022, as my best friend Hannah graduated. It was super bittersweet and heartwarming to be back on my sweet campus that I call Wonderland. I loved getting to see some of my former professors and my Academic Advisor. I also loved getting to see friends from both the Class of 2022, fellow Class of 2021 and 2020 alums and even a few friends from the Class of 2023 and 2024. Though it was a great time to be back on sweet Meredith College grounds, I also felt as if I was beyond the Meredith College life. I loved my time at Meredith College and miss my time there dearly, but it is not where I feel I am meant to be right now as I have moved beyond my college years.

At my best friend Hannah’s Graduation party this past weekend, a lot of my friends and I discussed the things we miss and don’t miss about college life. A lot of what we missed was having all of our friends living within close proximity to us. The more than weekly dinner parties, socials, outings, and everything in between. Not to mention, we all miss having a lot of big events which are known at Meredith College as “Traditions” that we would all get super dolled up for and have wayyyy too many photo sessions. Many of us also wished we could do all of our college experiences again for the many memories that we made. At the same time, we miss living closer to one another. When people asked me how I like Washington, DC, to be honest I love where I live and do not envision myself moving back to the South at any point in time. BUT, I also miss the social life and college world a bit too – the socials that were always never-ending, the people, the professors, and the community. Socials in the post graduation world are a lot more sparse and a lot of folks that I befriended during college do not live near me. I miss it all. Though, even a year after my college graduation, I still haven’t found my community here in Washington, DC. As for what I don’t miss about college, I do not miss the consistently growing pile of schoolwork, the social drama, and the Southern way of life. The South is very very different from the North – people get into committed relationships a lot faster and it’s still extremely traditional and has been for decades in terms of its cultures and values, unlike the North. It was super duper nice to know that my friends and community from Meredith College who are also recent college graduates feel the same exact way that I do. This past weekend was needed for me, it included lots of deep conversations that were nothing other than relatable and raw. It was beautiful and perfectly the way it was meant to be for us all – needed. I am not alone and none of us are either.

There are both good things and bad things about college life and the post-graduation life. Neither is perfect. But, what I do know is that I am where I am meant to be right now in my life. As I travelled back to Washington, DC from Raleigh, North Carolina this past weekend in my little white Volvo Sedan, I spent a ton of time reflecting on the good that is to come. College days may be a distant memory for me, but my life is now just beginning. There is much to come for me and for my fellow recent college graduates in this world, too. The first few years are HARD for all of us after college and even high school (depending on the path you choose to take after high school). Entering the real world is NOT easy, and I wanted to share a peek into the raw and real side of it all – not just the pretty little pictures seen all over everyone’s social media. However, there is always good to come. As my friend Aspen and I were talking at Hannah’s Graduation party this past weekend, we both emphasized how we WILL be better off just the way we are and in stages within our lives. Things work out in the end and they always do the way they are meant to. We just have to look to the bright future ahead!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Turning 23!

If you were to tell me that on my 23rd Birthday I would be single and fabulous, I would’ve been shocked. In my later high school years, I would have expected to be married or in a committed relationship about to be engaged or even married by this age. When I toured Meredith College and ultimately decided to commit there for college, I knew that many of my future classmates and those before me got engaged and married soon after college. That Southern culture and way of life excited me then. But, what was about to be in store for me for when I graduated college the year after was much better than what I ever anticipated.

*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 Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!) is filled with ALLL of my Birthday celebration adventures!!! Whether it be getting Georgetown Cupcake and enjoying them on the Georgetown Waterfront, to devouring my favorite corn fritters at Coastal Flats, and even enjoying a nice brunch in my favorite historic town nearby home of Occoquan all with my besties Alanna, Hannah, and Shivani in tow, I had an amazing time celebrating my Birthday Weekend. Beyond my biggest dreams, I had an amazing 23rd Birthday celebration and festivities ALL throughout this past week. 23 is definitely going to be a great year with an even greater kick start to it!!

The other day, my coworker and good friend of mine and I were talking about the vast differences between those who are in their early 20’s in the Washington, DC area versus in the majority of the South. In the majority of the South, people are getting married and committed to their lifelong partners during their college years and the near years after. In North Carolina where I went to college, a ton of folks are getting engaged and married to their college, high school, and even middle school sweethearts. It’s wild. Many of my classmates are engaged, married, and potentially expecting and/or have a child. Indeed, just last week, there were 3 engagements, 2 weddings, 1 wedding anniversary, and a baby announcement and more on my Facebook feed. Meanwhile, in the Washington, DC area, many of my peers and coworkers are single or in relationships that are nowhere near the stage of lifelong commitment. It’s a vast vast vast difference looking at both cultures and both of them played a role in how I saw and eventually see myself in my early 20’s.

To say that it is easy to see several major milestones related to romance and family in my Facebook feed and not feel a bit sad at times is the truth would be me lying to you. But, at the same time, for me to say that it is easy to picture myself being in a committed relationship and getting engaged and married at this time in my life would also be me lying to you. It’s, indeed, a contradiction for sure. Though I may be sad that my future isn’t where I envisioned myself at the age of 23, I am at a place where I feel utter contentment for where I am at in life. I am at a place where I am financially independent, have a job that I LOVE, amazing friendships and family that have been nothing but a blessing to me, the dog of my post-college graduation dreams aka Rosie, a great blogging community over here at The Pink Chickadee, and a never-ending amount of clothing in my full closet (aka my happy place!!!). I can most definitely see myself as happy to be right where I am now as a fabulous single lady!

The other day, I was telling my friends Hannah, Alanna, and Shivani that I feel most excited in life about my career trajectory. In my professional life, even though it is my first year out of college, I have several career goals and aspirations. Some of these professional goals are even including a Master’s degree that I plan to work for in a few years. This is something I had never even expected coming out of college. I remember this time two years ago I was devastated about the idea of missing out on many college activities due to COVID-19. One of my then-friends told me that “you came to college to get a degree”. While the degree is the main main reason for college, the social aspects of the college life are also just as important. However, her statement about college and degrees rings true to the facts that so many doors and excitement opens up once you receive that degree. These career goals of mine to me are much more exciting than anything else, including romance which I can be a sucker for. I am SO excited to see where I’ll go and view the future as nothing but bright!

Now, to take on 23 single and fabulously!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Life of Katie!

From celebrating Easter with the family, to starting to get into the groove of going back to church again, to Birthday celebrations galore, to redecorating at home, and everything in between, on my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), I have been sharing ALLL the excitement. Recently, these past couple of weeks, there’s been A LOT of excitement when it comes to the life of Katie!

  • Celebrating Easter Sunday with my family – A few weeks back, Easter Sunday rolled around and I got to celebrate with my family altogether for the first time in a few years. The last time we were altogether was before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019. My Mom hosts every year a beautiful Easter brunch. In 2019, there were 35+ people in attendance at her Easter brunch. Even though there wasn’t nearly as many as 35 people this year, it was still a very special meal as my step siblings were in town from their respective colleges in West Virginia and Pennsylvania and we were just all simply together. We even had an Easter egg dying party the Friday before, too. I got to wear my gorgeous Easter hat (which, by the way, was a ribbon tied in a bow around a hat which were both from The Dollar Tree!). Blessings all around!
    Going back to church again – After a few trials and error, I have finally gotten in the groove of going back to church every Sunday. Over the Easter weekend, my Papa and I went to an Easter Egg Hunt hosted at my church for our local community. We also went to church there for an Easter Service on Easter Sunday. Going back to church on both occasions that weekend, I saw a lot of folks that I hadn’t seen in years from within my church community. Fun fact: I was SUPER involved in church youth group in high school! Seeing everyone again made me miss those many memories I had at my church and has made me since strive to make a habit of going every Sunday that I am around to go.
  • My Birthday Weekend! – This weekend is my Birthday weekend. And, in case you didn’t already know, around here, I live my life like everyday is a party and everyday is meant to be celebrated. Everyday is a blessing! That being said, I am oh so blessed to be able to have two of my very best friends – Hannah and Alanna – come to visit me for my Birthday Weekend up here in the Washington, DC area. We have some super duper fun Washington, DC plans this weekend, too. But, most importantly, I am super excited to simply see them and spend time with them. I truly value their friendship!
  • Office Redecoration – Currently, I am redoing my office space/Lilly *Pulitzer* lounge! My company just announced that we are able to work remotely full time if we so choose to even beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. My company is EVEN switching to hoteling full-time. And, confession, my office space is a HOT MESS that needs a makeover REALLLL bad. On my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), I shared an Instagram Reels showing off my brand-new Lilly Pulitzer wall decor – complete and all with *maybe a few* holy grail printed pieces. This weekend, I plan to share my updated office redecoration on the blog!! But, in the meantime, check out my office space pre-redecoration: https://pinkchickadee.com/2021/07/25/my-office-space-reveal/#/
  • My Favorite Looks from recent times! – And, now, I am going to share some of my many favorite looks from recent times 🙂

XOXO – Katie <3

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The One-Step Hair Dryer That I LOVE

Since I’m publishing this blog post on a Thursday, let’s do a throwback Thursday to when I purchased my new love on a Black Friday Sale at Walmart. This new love of mine is my Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer. On my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee), I post A LOT about the events that I attend within my home base of the Washington, DC area. Many of those events involve me using my Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer!

*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.*

Before purchasing my Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer, I was using my ordinary hair dryer and hair brush to do my own blowouts. I, in fact, did my first-ever solo blowout for my Senior pictures for college graduation (see all of those beautiful photos taken by my lovely friends Hannah and Quinn here: https://pinkchickadee.com/2021/05/06/my-senior-photos-reveal/#/). I got SOOOO many compliments on my hair those days and in those posts, too. I loved having the beautiful hair of a blowout without paying even a penny.

If you know me, then you know that I LOVE a good deal and saving where I can for the same exact thing. I knew I wanted to try this product and purchase it as I LOVE LOVE LOVE getting the look of a blowout, yet I really detest the price of going to the hair salon for one every time I do. At the same time, I SUCK at doing my hair – I have NO hand-eye coordination and have never been gifted when it come to drawing, painting, or even hair styling. So, when I saw it on clearance at Walmart this past Black Friday for under $40, I knew it was a must-buy. My Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer gives me that blowout look and feel but NOT EVEN at the price of going to the Drybar or Hair Salon for a blowout. Similarly speaking, I don’t have to worry about styling my hair with a hot tool that I will 9 times out of 10 loose my grip on. All I got to do is simply sit at my vanity, plug in my Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer, turn it on, and start styling.

The funniest story of when I first purchased this beauty was nothing short of intimidation. I turned on my Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer after plugging it in and then got fearful because of the heat coming from it to have it potentially touch my face. BUT, the best part of it all?! It’s JUST air like any other hair dryer. Unlike your typical curling iron or straightener, the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer is all air just like any other ordinary hair dryer. My Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer is most definitely an easy-to-use product. All I simply have to do is dampen my hair with a pink spray bottle I got from The Dollar Tree (the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer works best on damp hair) or blow dry it with a hair dryer until my hair is damp, plug in my Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer, turn it on, and style it. And, BAM! I am looking like a 10/10 and feeling like a 10/10.

Shop my Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer that I LOVE here: https://rstyle.me/+cW79O2Mwf6Gucvl25Q1msA

XOXO – Katie <3

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My Car Shopping Experience + Tips!

These past few weeks have been a blast, especially since I purchased my first big girl purchase – my Volvo S60 T5 Momentum that I named Daisy! Daisy and I have been cruising around town ever since I purchased her, from a road trip to Charlottesville, Virginia to a bunch of drives of I-495 to my office about 45 minutes away from my house and *of course* to my nearby Metro station (Washington, DC’s subway transit system) to go into downtown Washington, DC. If you follow me on Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee), then you have probably seen a peak into my adventures since purchasing Daisy. What people don’t know about my pre-purchasing journey to getting Daisy is that it took me around 6 months to make a car purchase. So, today, I will be sharing ALL the details into my car shopping process, what I learned, and tips – especially in this tough tough tough-to-buy current car market.

*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.*

So flashback to October 2021 and I went on my first-ever car shopping experience. My Papa and I went to a local Honda dealership to test drive some Honda’s. Initially, I wanted to go for an SUV and my two car models that I kept looking at were the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV-4. However, when Papa and I got to the dealership, I fell in love with a Sedan Honda model known as the Honda Insight. I loved loved loved the Honda Insight’s huge truck and its small, adorable look. Unfortunately, when we went to the Honda dealership, I wasn’t even able to test drive a car due to the lack of inventory and supply chain issues that still persist to this day (aka April 2022). I did, however, get to sit in that adorable 2022 Honda Insight! Even *yes, even* the car salesmen at the dealership were discouraged by the current supply chain issues. Papa and I left the dealership empty-handed and discouraged.

In October 2021, I was driving a family car which I shared with my step-siblings while they were away at college. I decided then to continue to drive my family car for the time being. I felt hopeless with the idea of purchasing a new car at that time and didn’t want to deal with that tough tough market. On the same token, car prices were skyrocketing. There was little room for negotiation and the prices seen on a car’s sticker at the dealership was the price that you would buy the car for. There was barely ANY room for negotiation or even wiggle room. You were indeed lucky if a couple hundred dollars or less was taken of the price of your new car. So, given these current car market failures and struggles, I felt fearful to even think about starting to buy a car. So, I decided to take a break from the car search.

Initially, for the time being, I decided to focus on a Honda and only a Honda to purchase. BUT, that all changed in March 2022 – a flash-forward y’all – when I started the car shopping process yet again. This time, my Mom and I went back to the same Honda dealership and got to test drive the Honda Accord (Honda Insight’s were REALLY hard to come by then even for a test drive). So, we can all assume that the car market’s supply chain issues persisted into March 2022 and still persist today. The test driving experience was super strange – we only drove a whopping 3 laps around the parking lot. That being said, we left the car dealership and went to another Honda dealership nearby. We test drove the Honda Civic and Honda Insight even on the highway and left empty-handed. I, then, went onto TruCar and started searching for Honda Accord’s since I enjoyed the Honda Accord even with the whopping 3 laps around the parking lot test drive of mine and got price quotes, BUT the prices were sky-high upwards of $40,000 for a new car. $40,000 was definitely out of reach for me when buying a brand-new car. The car prices for the Honda Civic and Honda Insight were ridiculously high, especially for the used models that I test drove yet didn’t fall in love with.

Later that week, my Mom and I started looking into used Volvo’s. For some context, my Mom purchased a used Volvo a few years back and LOVES hers. I also love that sweet white Volvo of hers, too. She has the Volvo S60 T5 Momentum 2017 or 2016. I looked online at cars that were used Volvo’s from 2019 or 2020. It was then that I found an adorable white Volvo S60 T5 Momentum 2019 at a nearby dealership that had been sitting at the lot for over 2 months. I ended up calling the dealership to test drive this car, not even thinking much except that I’ll test drive this car and see if I even like the idea of purchasing a Volvo. Well, when Papa and I showed up at the dealership to test drive this car, I fell head over heels with it. I found the test drive – which was on the highway and through windy roads – to be a great test drive and better than those of my Honda test drives. I sat on the idea of buying this car for a few days, but I knew that I would probably try to pursue purchasing it. A few days later, Papa test drove the car. Then, later that day, Papa and I went back and bought the car! That car is Daisy!!

Papa and I also had a great time at the dealership, too, the other dealerships we went to were trying to force a sale, unlike this dealership that wanted us to get a car that was a good fit for us and also get to know their clients beyond their perspective sale. We even got a few hundred dollars off of the sale price, which was nice, and purchased an extended warranty package aka my biggest concern with purchasing my new car. Since then, I have really enjoyed my brand-new white car. I have always wanted a white car and a week before purchasing my friends made fun of me for wanting a white car – HAHA!!

Car Shopping Tips

When car shopping and making that big, exciting purchase, make sure that you have ALL your ducks in a row when you do so. Trust me, there’s a lot of ducks that have to be put in a row when purchasing a brand-new (or used like myself) car. You want to make sure that you’re well-equipped both financially and safety-wise. These tips helped me when buying my car!

  • Get an auto insurance quote on the exact car model and/or VIN before purchasing it
  • Make sure you’re auto insured BEFORE you take your car off the lot
  • Choose an auto insurance company that you’re comfortable with using
  • Have a set budget in mind that you’re comfortable with (for both down payments and monthly payments)
  • If you don’t have much credit, consider having a cosigner on your car loan, to lower the interest rates
  • Shop around for auto loan interest rates to get the best rate for you
  • Make sure you test drive the exact model and year of the car you’re considering purchasing and DO NOT drive it for a whopping 3 laps around the parking lot before deciding that’s the one you’re going to buy
  • Be willing to negotiate on car purchases and perhaps bring someone who may be more experienced than yourself
  • Make sure your car has a decent warranty before purchasing it, even if that is an add-on purchase
  • Lastly, make sure that the car you purchase is the RIGHT CAR for YOU 🙂

In the meantime, I have linked the my outfit details below!

Happy car shopping/car shopping learning!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Life of Katie!

The Bachelor Live!, Stoney Clover Lane X Target, and George Mason’s Gunston Hall, OH MY! This week has been a whirlwind of adulting, exciting hauls aka Stoney Clover Lane X Target, touring the historic George Mason’s Gunston Hall (more to come on that soon in a future blog post!!), and seeing some of my favorite stars from ABC’s The Bachelor at The Bachelor Live!, and, needless to say, it has been pretty great. If you follow me on Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee), then you probably have seen a bit of this whirlwind known as my life on a daily basis. Now, here’s your semi-weekly/weekly peek into the life of Katie!

*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.*

Shop my top here: https://rstyle.me/+3QwPZMW88nVNslmZ0u72cQ

  • Stoney Clover Lane X Target – So if you’ve following along on social media/Target’s current ongoings, this past April 2, Target launched its collaboration with Stoney Clover Lane. Personally, I am OBSESSED with Stoney Clover Lane’s merchandise, but not its ultra-high price tags. I have purchased a few Stoney Clover Lane products in the past, yet was nervous at the high prices and with inflation they have gotten even higher than when I bought some things. So, when Target launched its designer collaboration with Stoney Clover Lane, I couldn’t’ resist NOT shopping it! For those of you who follow me on Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), then you know I purchased a whooping 4 orders full of Stoney Clover Lane X Target goodies – all of which have arrived. Stay tuned for a Reels featuring ALL of my Stoney Clover Lane X Target goodies!!
  • Seeing The Bachelor Live! – For those of you who know me well know that I am OBSESSED with ABC’s The Bachelor franchise. Currently, The Bachelor franchise is on tour via The Bachelor Live! which does a mini live version of a season of ABC’s The Bachelor hosted by former Bachelorette and fangirl celebrity crush of mine – Becca Kufrin. Last Sunday evening, The Bachelor Live! came to Washington, DC’s historic and gorgeously romantic Warner Theatre. My coworker and friend and The Bachelor franchise fan Katherine and I decided to go together and got tickets to the ultra peaceful VIP Lounge and Bar before the show. We ALSO got Orchestra section seats to get a close-up view of Becca Kufrin LIVE aka my dream and onstage Bachelor – Justin Glaze from Katie Thurston’s season of The Bachelorette. All in all, last Sunday night was a DREAM come true. Stay tuned on a blog post soon on my experience!!
  • The Dollar Tree Haul!! – Last week, I took a trip to The Dollar Tree on a whim. To my surprise, I found so much stuff that I not only needed, but also could benefit from and enjoy, too. I found monogrammed initial wine glasses and coffee tumblers *yes, The Dollar Tree has GORGEOUS monogrammed initial merchandise now!!!*, floral mugs and tea towels that give me Lilly Pulitzer meets High Tea vibes, ribbon, cleaning supplies, Clorox wipes for on the go, bins for office organization, office supplies such as sticky notes and scissors, and some Easter decorations. I posted a Reel about it ALL on my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!!). My Dollar Tree haul was a blast and such an unexpected way to spend part of my post-work evening!
  • Touring George Mason’s Gunston Hall – A hidden gem right by my house – actually, like 15 minutes away – is George Mason’s Gunston Hall. George Mason was a Patriot and Virginia resident who was influential in the development of The Bill of Rights. Gunston Hall to me feels like a Grand Millienial’s paradise and such a breath of fresh air from reality. Next week, I plan to write a blog post ALL about my adventures to Gunston Hall, so stay tuned!
  • MORE Solo Adventures to Come – Last month, I took a solo adventure to Charlottesville, Virginia (read more about that here!). I loved loved loved my solo adventure to Charlottesville, Virginia SO much that I ended up booking and planning a few solo adventures for the coming months of this April and this May. I am oh so excited for what’s to come, so stay tuned!!!

Here’s to all the great that’s to come for us all!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Life of Katie!

Cherry blossoms, Starbucks features, and hustling – OH MY! If you follow me on Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), then you know that all has been a whirlwind for me recently. Life has been crazy in a good way recently AND I probably say this about every single The Life of Katie! blog post, yet here we go again – haha!! The life of Katie has been a crazy good recently, with Spring coming in the air yet going again and the process happening all over again, a peaceful week schedule-wise, and a reshare BY STARBUCKS of my content on their own page. Needless to say, it’s been going well over here at The Pink Chickadee. Updates, as always, are listed below.

  • A freezing weekend at the Tidal Basin – Over the weekend, my best friend Shivani and I headed out to the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC to see the cherry blossoms as apart of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. It was most definitely a zoo at the Tidal Basin, as the cherry blossoms were in peak bloom then, too. I remember vividly getting off at Metro and there being literal stampedes of people getting off – haha! The stampedes continued throughout the walk to the Tidal Basin as well. However, what neither Shivani nor I expected was there to be rain and sleet *yes, rain AND sleet in the end of March* while we were walking. Thankfully though, the rain and sleet was not as drastically impactful as to damper our day at the Tidal Basin nor keep us from seeing those drop dead gorgeous cherry blossoms. Indeed, the weather was all simply apart of our fun journey to the Tidal Basin!
  • A girl’s weekend staycation in Ballston, Arlington, Virginia with my best friend Shivani – My trek to the Tidal Basin with Shivani was all apart of a super duper fun staycation girl’s weekend with her at her apartment in Ballston, Arlington, Virginia. Before moving to the Washington, DC area, I had never heard of Ballston. BUT, once I did, I was in for a treat – Ballston is a super duper fun and lively suburb apart of Arlington, Virginia right outside of Washington, DC. Ballston, indeed, felt like a city outside of a city! Shivani and I enjoyed time simply catching up, as we went to the Tidal Basin, Clarendon (another suburb in Arlington), and explored Ballston a bit, too. We EVEN walked right by my best friend Bryn’s office for this summer!!
  • Making plans for this Spring & Summer! – Along with enjoying my plans for this early Spring season, I am also making plans for this upcoming Spring/Summer season. I have MANY plans already made, but there are also many more plans to be made this Spring/Summer too. I will be traveling quite a bit this Spring/Summer season and into the Fall as well, both near and far the Washington, DC area. Needless to say, I am VERY excited for it all!
  • Blast from the past early 2000’s movies on HBOMax – This week, I have been enjoying watching some essentially blast from the past early 2000’s movies (along with older episodes of Grey’s Anatomy on Netflix – what’s new there??!!) on HBOMax. So far, I have watched 27 Dresses and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Soon enough, I want to watch Bridgerton on Netflix as my good friends Holly of the Disney ears small business Glitter & Daisies (read her interview on the blog here and shop her GORGEOUS ears here!) and Lindsay of Sunshine & Stair Climbs (read her interview on the blog here!) are highly suggesting it to me. AND, I am excitedly awaiting Season 5 of Selling Sunset (April 22!!!) to appear on Netflix.
  • A content reshare by STARBUCKS!!!! – If you follow me on Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee), then you know that Starbucks reshared one of my photos on their social media pages! I was extremely excited to see that a well-known, international brand such as Starbucks wanted to reshare MY content (with my permission and crediting me, of course, Starbucks is SO sweet y’all!!). Funny enough, the photo that Starbucks reshared of mine was actually taken on a whim after getting Starbucks (my usual is a Mango Dragonfruit Refresher!) and discovered that a tree has blossomed beautifully while in Raleigh, North Carolina over President’s Day Weekend. So, in typical Katie fashion, I took a picture of my drink with the blooms: on a whim and without any plan in stow. The best lesson that I learned from Starbucks sharing my content is that all of us must be ourselves and keep doing us, everyone else is taken, so why be someone else?!

XOXO – Katie <3

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My Hybrid Work Essentials!

Ever since I started working in a hybrid format (going into the office 1-2 times/week), my hybrid work essentials have been adapted a bit. The other week, I *finally* purchased my second-ever Big Girl purchase – another LG monitor (linked below for your own sheer convenience)! If you follow me on Instagram, (follow me @_thepinkchickadee), then you know that I regularly share screenshots of the Netflix/Hulu/HBOMax/DisneyPLUS/YouTube content that I watch after work hours on my work monitor – haha oh, the PURE irony! Well, today, I’m going to be sharing the work from home and hybrid work essentials that I use for my own successes in the workforce on a daily basis for you to shop yourself, too. Besides The Dollar Tree, many of my hybrid work desk essentials come from Target, Walmart (courtesy of Packed Party and The Pioneer Woman), Lilly Pulitzer *of course!*, The Rifle Paper Company, Vera Bradley, Vahdam Tea, and Rae Dunn (although, not linked), and Kate Spade. I am ALSO updating my at-home Office soon, too, so stay tuned!

*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.*

Happy shopping/office space inspiration!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Life of Katie!

This past week has been a whirlwind of exhaustion, excitement, and everything in between! I went on my first-ever solo road trip to see family and for a work conference in Charlottesville, Virginia, bought a brand-new HUGE monitor for work that I LOVE using while working from home, went to see the Cherry Blossoms at the National Cherry Blossom Festival for the National Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony at Warner Theatre, met up with my good friend Claire in a new and gorgeous neighborhood outside of Washington, DC of Del Ray, Virginia, and I started going into the office on a semi-weekly basis. I post about ALL of these goings in my life on my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!). All of this excitement and madness has occurred while Springing forward with the time change moving up an hour. So, needless to say, it has been an exhausting time but also pretty rewarding, too. Now, for even more updates!

*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.*

  • First-EVER Solo road trip to Charlottesville, Virginia – this past weekend, I attended my also first-ever professional conference at the University of Virginia which is located in Charlottesville. So, I made the trip down to Charlottesville in my brand-new car Daisy. I pretty much turned on the 80’s music via SiriusXM and listened to it ALL the way down to Charlottesville and back. Charlottesville is a beautiful town in the heart of the Virginia Wine Country and at the foothills of the Virginia mountains. I stayed the night with my Aunt Lisa, Uncle John, and cousins Mary, Joey, and Matthew and got to hang with their adorably sweet dogs too. We enjoyed the evening together and Aunt Lisa, Mary, and I all went to Grace Estate Winery and I FINALLY got to use my Virginia Wine Pass, too. The family time was priceless and such a gift. The whole weekend was (I’ll be sharing MORE about it in a blog post this weekend!). Above all else, I am proud of ME for doing it all by myself.
  • Catching up with Claire in Del Ray – Ever since I moved to the Washington, DC area, I had never even heard of the gorgeous little suburb of Del Ray, Virginia. My good college friend Claire was visiting family here in the Washington, DC area who happened to live in Del Ray, so we decided to explore it while she was here. Del Ray is located near Alexandria, Virginia and is such a homey and adorable little town. In fact, it even had a mural featuring portraits of ALLL the Dogs of Del Ray – what’s more wholesome than a mural of dog residents?! All of the businesses in town are small businesses and there were also two pet stores to add on to how wholesome this town is especially when it comes to its love of dogs. Overall, Del Ray low-key reminded me of Stars Hollow, Connecticut from Gilmore Girls, yet more urban. All in all a great time exploring a new place with a great friend that I hadn’t seen in a while!
  • My second big girl purchase – If you follow me on Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), then you know that I recently purchased my first-ever Big Girl purchase – a White Volvo S60 named Daisy! Since buying Daisy, I bought my second-ever Big Girl purchase – a 32-inch LG Monitor for work from home. I have LOVED having this monitor since I purchased it and is 10/10 such a great second Big Girl purchase! Shop it here: https://rstyle.me/+hg-oT3mAM2TA1dWwpCz1Hw!
  • National Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony – Over the weekend, along with going to Charlottesville, I also met up with my good friend Shivani for the National Cherry Blossom Festival to not only see the Cherry Blossoms along the National Mall at the Washington Monument, BUT also to watch the festival’s Opening Ceremony at the drop dead gorgeous Warner Theatre, complete with a ribbon cutting! This Opening Ceremony was such a fun event, honoring Japanese culture (the origin of the Cherry Blossom!) along with tons of gratitude all around for the beauty of the gorgeous city of Washington, DC and America’s and Japan’s friendship. True true true beauty and many items of merchandise were purchased at the gift shop, too (sorry, Mom!).
  • Rae Dunn Jackpot Clearance at TJ Maxx – Right after attending the Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony at Warner Theatre, I made the trek to the nearby TJ Maxx (if you know me then you know that I LOVE the TJ Maxx’s in Washington, DC the most!!!) to sit out the Metro crowds right after the ceremony. When I arrived, I was nothing short of amazed at ALL of the Rae Dunn on clearance *yes, clearance* at this TJ Maxx in Metro/City Center of Washington, DC. Y’all – there were $3 MUGS and let’s just say that I got ALL stocked up on some Rae Dunn clearance goodies!!!
  • Going into the Office – My teammate and coworker and I have been meeting at least once a week to go into the office. It’s really nice to get that in-person experience, after starting out in the workforce virtually and ending my college career with mostly virtual classes. I got the keys to my desk last week and decorated it this past week, too. ALL pink and completely Katie!!! At the same time, going into work in Washington, DC traffic is nothing but exhausting despite the great in-person connections I have been making on a weekly basis. Needless to say, the hybrid workforce has been good to me, despite the pure exhaustion!

Here’s to a great week for us all!

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Life of Katie!

Happy Saturday! This past week was a whirlwind of stress, excitement, and everything in between. From making my first-ever “Big Girl” purchase to celebrating Papa’s birthday to the hustle at work (all great things!), it has been a great week, needless to say. If you follow me on Instagram, (follow me @_thepinkchickadee), then you probably know just a bit of the excitement and will continue to first. Now, let’s get into my current life’s goings!

  • Walks are GREAT for the soul! – Sunshine is ALWAYS good for the soul! Recently, I have been working from home a lot as my company has mainly been working remote since COVID-19 began shutting down offices. This past week, I made sure to take the time for ME and take a nice walk in the neighborhood. Last Monday, Papa and I went for a LOONGGG walk with our dog Rosie around the neighborhood and had a nice, enjoyable time too. I have to say, I felt really refreshed and knew that I needed to do it again, even if it’s for 5 minutes around the block. A simple change of scenery makes a HUGE difference.
  • I BOUGHT A CAR!!! – So, this past week, I test drove and fell in love with a little white car so much that I *had* to make the move to purchasing it. I named this beautiful now-little white car of mine Daisy. To me, I am super duper excited to have Daisy as my own, as I was driving a family car that I loved before. I had actually been searching for a car since around September of last year. The car market has been awful right now and since last year, due to supply chain issues and the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, it was also super nerve-wracking when it came to car shopping and making such a huge purchase for the first time ever on my own. However, when I drove Daisy, I knew that my car search had ended. Luckily, we were able to get a great deal on her (shoutout to my Papa for all of his generous help and time along with me – he’s the best y’all!!), given the current times, and I drove away with her just a few days after initially test driving her! Needless to say, I am SO excited about this brand-new purchase of mine and can’t wait for many more adventures to come. Also, be on the lookout for an upcoming blog post about my var shopping experience in 2022, too!
  • Going into the office – Yesterday, I *finally* got an email about picking up my keys for my desk space in my office. My company is slowly but surely going back into the office and discussing the possibilities of the company going back in, too. I am super duper excited about getting to go back into the office, I am actually starting to go back into the office myself here and there and will be more especially in the coming weeks, and even more excited at the possibilities of more and more folks going in over time. My fingers are crossed that my work life becomes more consistently hybrid over the next few months. Google, in fact, announced that all of their employees would be going into the office on a hybrid work format which I think is an exciting move for their employees after COVID-19, too.
  • Starting to Volunteer – Recently, I started volunteering with two different places – my church and a nonprofit focused on funding young girls interested in pursuing careers in STEM. Both places I am very passionate about serving others within their differing capacities and am excited to see what’s to come, too. This past Wednesday, I had volunteer meetings/events with both places and felt so so so revived and excited.
  • Papa’s Birthday!!! – Yesterday, we celebrated Papa’s Birthday!!! If you follow me on Instagram, (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), then you probably see photos of my Papa all day every day. My Papa is one of my besties and I also live with him and our dog Rosie. Papa is my grandfather and has been a close, important person and figure in my life ever since I was born. Needless to say, I love him to death and love spoiling him. My family and I had a super sweet dinner for him at my Mom’s house nearby, complete with cake and ice cream. Papa and I got to enjoy driving around in my new car Daisy, so that he could enjoy a Birthday cocktail and have peace of mind when coming home from my Mom’s house for dinner. I ended up treating him to some crab legs (his favorite!) that we’ll make one of these upcoming days. Papa had a great Birthday and LOVED all of the sweet Birthday messages from many of y’all on Instagram and beyond, too!

Needless to say, I had a pretty good week last week and am excited to see what’s to come!

XOXO – Katie <3

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