Dear Freshmen Girls:

Hi Everyone!

I would like to take a moment to speak to the freshmen girls at all high schools in Atlanta. Well okay, I'd also like the sophomore, junior, and maybe some of the senior girls to read this, too.

I realize that it is warm outside, and I know at my school, we've had a lot of opportunities not to wear our uniform. This does not mean that we should all dress like it's a million degrees outside and we can only wear the bare minimum amount of clothing. I understand that at our dances, we sometimes like to push the limits about how low cut or how teensy-tiny we can make our dresses, and if you want to live with those pictures on Facebook forever, that's none of my business. I may judge you a little in the moment, but I won't say anything, at least not to your face. However, school is a totally different story. I get that we're all itching to break out our super short shorts or tight dresses, but believe me, the administrators DO NOT want to see us like that! Actually, nobody wants to see you like that. We all know you're a girl, you don't have to show us.

So, in order to give you all ideas about what is okay to wear to school, here's a list of pictures entitled: Wear This, Not That!

 For some reason, all the girls at my school like to wear t-shirts so big it looks like they're not wearing pants. It is really disturbing when I see a girl walk by me and I have to pause to ask myself if she has bottoms on! Girls, yes it's a "I can just roll out of bed in my boyfriend's t-shirt and still be cute" look, and for some reason it makes our legs look super long, but seriously. It's okay for the beach or a study day, but not for school. So if you're looking to show off your legs, don't wear this...

 ...Wear this! These Lilly Pulitzer print shorts have a 3-inch inseam, so they're short but not too short. Also, tucking in a t-shirt or a polo shows that you are, in fact, wearing shorts, and it makes you look polished. Your legs will still look long, but you won't be stopped by teachers every five minutes!

 I often see girls walk down the halls looking to show that they're, ahem, blessed. I get it, if you've got it, you want to show it off. However, the tank top doesn't cover anything else up, and the tiny shorts leave you almost completely exposed below. So, if you wake up in the morning and think this is a good idea, don't wear this...

 ...Wear this! The button-down shirt allows you to leave a few top buttons unbuttoned, so you can show off whatever you're comfortable with, but it also has three-quarter length sleeves, so your shoulders are covered. The white capris also keep you more covered than the shredded shorts, so you can get away with showing off a little more up top.

 Finally, if you're looking to try for school and wear a sundress or a skirt, a short, tight sundress will not cut it. I know you think that, because it's a dress, it's automatically lady-like, but one that shows off all your curves and this much leg will make your teachers cringe! So, if you want to wear something girly to school, don't wear this...

...Wear this! This skirt is still flirty, but it doesn't cling everywhere like the yellow dress. The shirt is also on the tighter side. If you wear something a little looser down below, it can balance out something tight up top, so you don't project the wrong image.

In closing, I'm not trying to tell you that we should all dress like nuns, but we could show a little more class while we're at school. Just think about how your teachers will view you if they see you walking around in a shirt so long you have to hold it up to show you have shorts on! And if you're dressing to impress boys at school, please stop. Go on a date if you're looking to impress your boyfriend -- nobody wants to see everything he gets to! If you don't have a boyfriend but you're still dressing like this for boys, trust me, you don't want the one that's attracted to that white tank top. 

I would just like to remind everybody that a girl should dress to show she's a woman, but also to show she's a lady!

Have a lovely day,

XO,

Carson

High School Organization Tips: The Planner

Hi everyone!

I've noticed that study and organization tips are pretty popular, and that makes me really happy because I have lots of tips! Seriously, organizing for a new school year is like Christmas for me! My system is pretty tight, but if you use it, it's impossible to lose or forget things! I'm going to present my tips in pieces because I know it can be a lot to take in all at once!

 My planner is honestly the most important item in my life. It goes with me everywhere, and everything I ever plan on doing goes in the planner. Really. If it's not in the planner, it's not getting done. I love this one by Lilly Pulitzer because of the cute prints and stickers inside!

 I use the month-at-a-glance pages in my planner for anything I have to do that needs to be remembered. Anything from project due dates to social events and horseback riding lessons gets put in the planner on the correct day. I like to use pencil on the month pages because I think it looks sloppy when things get crossed out and moved over when plans change, and sloppy distracts me. This is the April 2013 page; clearly I've been really busy!

 This is a close up to part of the April page just to prove to y'all that literally EVERYTHING gets pencilled in on the correct date.

Behind the month page are the week-at-a-glance pages. I use these during the school year to write down my homework, and during the summer to write down things I need to remember that day, like errands that need running and shopping lists.

So yes, I'm a little bit OCD about my planner (among other things), but at least everything that needs to get done does! I think the planner is going to be one of my only systems that stays intact next year at college because it's far too important to change!

Do y'all have any tips for staying organized as a first-year in college?

XO,
Carson

Senior Prom!

Hey Everyone!
I'm sorry I didn't post much last week, but I was getting ready for my Senior Prom! It was so much fun! Here are some pictures!

 This is our whole limo group at our picture party! There were so many of us, we had to take a bus to Prom!

 Me and my mama

 Me and one of my best girlfriends, Charlotte, at the High Museum of Art, where Prom was held!

Last but not least is me and my date, Cooper! 

It was such a fun night, but now that Prom is over, it really feels like I'm almost done with high school! I can NOT believe that I graduate in less than a month, and I'm off to Athens in just over three!

XO,

Carson

Prayers for Boston

My prayers go out to everyone affected by the tragedy at the Boston Marathon today. One of my favorite history teachers and his wife were in Boston to run, and I hope they are safe. I also pray that the national public chooses to focus not on the one crazy person who designed this tragedy, but on the thousands of good people rushing toward the disaster to help, for I have come to notice that the more we focus on evil, the more evil we find in our world. The more good we keep in our hearts, the more good we are free to do and see.

I wish everyone a safe Monday,
XO, Carson

What to Get Guy Grads

Hi everyone!

After my recent post about what I want for Graduation, I started thinking about what to get all the guys I know who are also graduating, especially my wonderful boyfriend, Cooper, who is also coming to UGA. Here's a list of things I think he, and any high school boy about to become a college man, would like to receive for the occasion.

I'm probably going to get guys I'm friends with each a copy of Total Frat Move, a humor book by W.R. Bolen. I follow the twitter feed by the same name, and I'll admit, it's hilarious. All the boys I know are planning on joining fraternities, and I know they'll get a kick out of the book!

Another must-have for college boys in the South: bow ties in school colors! I love this one from MonsterMarketplace with bulldawgs on it for football game-day! I definitely need to talk Cooper into wearing bow ties to games next year, because at this point, he's going to be the only guy in his fraternity not sporting one!

 Basically anything from Smathers&Branson with his college's logo on it is a good idea. I love this needlepoint key fob because it's something small but definitely needed so he doesn't lose his keys (even though he probably will anyways).

What boy wouldn't want a monogrammed bottle-opening keychain? It's got all he needs in life...his name, his keys, and a way to open all the, uh, coke bottles he needs to next year.

Just like in my other post, my final item is a biggie. I've had my eye on these bulldawg game-day pants by Pennington Bailes since I started dating Cooper four years ago. Yes, I've been planning this for that long, but I know he'll look incredible in them. My mama is hesitant to let me buy him clothes, so I may have to "take him shopping" so he can find them for himself!

Just because I only put up gifts for boys heading to UGA doesn't mean that similar items don't exist for other schools. I just think Georgia's colors are the prettiest, and besides, I can't have The Enemy all over my blog!

XO,

Carson

What I Want for Graduation

Hey everyone!
Recently, people have been asking my mom what I would like for Graduation, and I thought I'd take the opportunity to put it on here A) because it'll make getting the list out easier and B) because I can show y'all stuff I'm IN LOVE with right now! So, the list is:

 I absolutely LOVE this Lilly Pulitzer print photo album! I could put a bunch of pictures from high school in it to share with my new hall mates! On that note, I also love anything (earbuds, water pitcher, tumblers, laptop sleeves...) off the Lilly Pulitzer section of Lifeguard Press (where this photo album is from).

 I am in desperate need of cute pajamas, because I basically only sleep in t-shirts and Christmas-themed pants right now. Seriously, I can't walk down the hall to the bathroom in that! So, I would love it if someone got me either a Victoria's Secret PINK pajama set or a gift card so I could pick it out myself!

 I am probably one of the last of my friends to get a monogram necklace like this one, but I swear it's because I've been holding out to ask for it for graduation!

 Everyone at UGA says Netflix is the BEST. I don't have an account, so a year's subscription is an amazing graduation present idea.

 If you can't tell, I really love monograms, and I want mine (cHl) on EVERYTHING next year! I would love a monogrammed pullover like this one, or a t-shirt, or a baseball cap...if it's not moving, monogram it!

I love the new C-Wonder store at Lenox, and I love that they will monogram any product they sell for you! I would love monogrammed C-wonder bags of all shapes and sizes for next year -- especially one about this size that I could use as a school bag!

My final item is kind of a biggie...it's this sterling silver Tiffany&Co horseshoe pendant. I'm just saying, if a certain boyfriend happens to see it...well, it has a horseshoe on it!

XO, Carson