Back To School Essentials (Feat. Amazon)

Ever since I was a child, I have always been very academic and have always valued my education. This hasn't changed since I have gotten older, if anything I have just developed a greater appreciation for it, and with that being said I think it's pretty clear that I am absolutely thrilled when a new school year (or in this case semester) begins. Besides being excited to be back in school and to be pursing my psychology degree, I am also excited because this is the first time in two years that I've gotten to do back to school shopping! In addition, even though I'm perpetually buying clothes and accessories, I have to admit I've gotten a kick out of buying many of my back to school essentials, perhaps I'm just giddy to start this new chapter of my life. (Except for my textbooks, almost $500 dollars later, yikes!)

And along with me returning to school, I also have an exciting announcement that I have become an affiliate of Amazon and will be partnering with them for a handful of posts this semester including this one. (Remember my Winter Beauty Essentials post from the beginning of the week? Yep, that was for Amazon too!) So, for this post I'm going to share my top back to school essentials that I purchase using my Amazon Prime account, which totally made my life a lot easier. (Note, if you are a student, you can try Amazon Prime for 6 months free here.)

A Stylish but Serviceable Backpack

Yeah, I know, a backpack for school is kind of a no brainer. However, I'm sure many of us know the struggle of finding a backpack that is stylish and serviceable. I know that I personally have bought trendy backpacks in the past only to be disappointed with the amount of wear and tear they had shown by the end of the semester. Well, I've finally found a backpack that is as stylish as it is durable and is also affordable! This backpack by the Amazon Shop, Weekend Shopper, is a perfect choice for any college student who wants to carry their books in style. This backpack is roomy, lightweight, and can hold a standard 15.6" laptop.

A Cute and Compact Wallet

I'm sure every girl knows the struggle of trying to carry a purse, a backpack, and whatever other necessities you may need for class. However, now that we have found an attractive and roomy backpack to keep our things in, why don't we just skip the purse and just carry a compact wallet that could neatly tuck away into one of our pockets? This little leather wallet by Orient Bee is perfect for just that! And it also comes in a wide variety of colors so you have tons of options.

A Personal Agenda

I know that in this day and age, most of us (myself included) keep a calendar on our phone. But, when it comes to classes, homework, and in my case, my blog's editorial calendar, I find keeping a physical agenda keeps me much more organized than just relying on my calendar app. Perhaps it's just the act of actually writing something down that helps me remember to do it, however this is definitely one of my classroom necessities and since I need one, it might as well be a cute one! Which is why I chose this adorable gold agenda from my affiliate, Kate Spade New York.

A Smart (and Affordable!) Fitness Tracker

Though I will be the first to admit that I hate the gym and therefore never go, I do however try and keep a healthy lifestyle via diet and exercise on my own. My daily workout routine is generally just an hour of yoga and 30 minutes of walking, but now that I am back downtown, I am walking exceptionally more. So I figured it would be great to get a fitness tracker to see just exactly how much activity I was getting walking to and from class. (and you know all the other parts of Pittsburgh I enjoy hanging out in!) However, I didn't want to break the bank so I decided to give this little fitness watch by LESHP a try and I have to say it works great! This watch tracks steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, and active minutes. This watch also can sync to your smart phone and will notify you if you have a text or call, but the last awesome thing about this watch is, is that it is water proof meaning if you enjoy swimming (like me) you can wear it in the pool or on the beach!

Coffee-- I mean, a Travel Mug

I don't know about you, but I personally cannot start my morning without an Americano or a cup of tea. However, I also am not a fan of waking up incredibly early before class either, meaning I generally enjoy my caffeinated beverages on the go more often than not. So naturally I decided I needed a good travel mug and lucky for me my mum got me this adorable rose gold mug by Bubba Brands for Christmas last year! This mug honestly works just as well (if not better) than the Yeti Rambler I received as a Christmas present from DSG, and in my opinion it's more attractive to boot! This mug keeps my tea or coffee warm for up to five and a half hours, even when out running around in the cold Pittsburgh weather, and I have to say I found that quite impressive.

Fun Phone Cases

So okay, maybe this isn't an absolute necessity, but a playful phone case is a great way to show off you style and personality in a subtle way as well as being a great conversation starter, especially while in class and on campus. And the reason I chose this phone case by DOMIRE is simply because hippos are one of my favorite animals (only second to bears, actually) and I just think this phone case is adorable.

A Chic Lunchbox 

The reason a lunchbox has made my back to school essentials list is due to the fact, during my first four years of college I went out to eat a lot. And though it was never anywhere overly expensive the cost really added up and it was not conducive to me saving money (not to mention it wasn't all that good for my waistline either). So I decided this time around, I'm going to practice eating healthily and save money by packing my lunch, which is why I decided to snag this insulated lunchbox by Kate Spade, because nobody wants a warm salad.

An Adorable Umbrella

To finish off this list, I thought it would be a good idea to add an umbrella. There have been so many times that I have rushed out the door to class without checking the weather and then was suck walking home in a downpour from campus. So much like with the lunchbox, this time around I am older and wiser and therefore will always be prepared! That is also the reason I chose a bubble umbrella opposed to a retractable umbrella. The reason this is, is because for one bubble umbrellas definitely keep you dryer, and two because bubble umbrellas are much less prone to getting blown inside out. The reason I chose this SMATI umbrella? Well hey, if I'm going to need an umbrella it might as well be cute!

What are some of your back to school essentials and must haves? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me about them at StarkRavingChic! Want to show off one of your adorable essentials in action? Feel free to tag me on your Instagram Story at @StarkRavingChic. Later babes, and happy studying!

Xx, Bree

2017: It's Time To Be Happy Again

“True wealth is having a healthy mind, body, and spirit. True wealth is having the knowledge to maneuver and navigate the mental obstacles that inhibit your ability to soar.” -RuPaul

Despite all the wonderful things that transpired the latter half of last year, I'm not going to lie: 2016 was not the best year for me. During the early months of 2016, I struggled with some long lingering health effects of anorexia, putting me in and out of the hospital for testing, blood work, and further observation of the ailments I had been suffering from. So needless to say, the months of March, April, and May were not very pleasant for me; for both physical and mental reasons, which is what lead me to take my blogging hiatus last summer. However, during that break, I feel I experienced a substantial amount of personal growth and having a break from everything (including but not limited to the stress of blogging, toxic relationships, and of course a hospital room) really gave me some prospective of how I wanted to live my life. Without all of the chaos from being sick, cutting the toxic people out of my life, and having a little time away from here really put into prospective of what made me happy. Obviously, I liked being happy, so much so I decided it was time to practice some radical self love. 

I am sure if you gazed at Pinterest, Twitter, or Facebook during the year 2016, in the midst of all the negativity, I'm sure  you've come across at least one or two articles about the power of positive thinking, body positivity, and self love--seems as though social media has had enough of this negative nonsense too, right? Well with that being said, I did too, and I became intrigued. Because to be honest, I hadn't liked myself much since developing an eating disorder in high school, let alone loved myself. So while reflecting and recovering over the summer, I actually made a pretty hefty Pinterest Board filled with beautiful self-love and body positive quotes, and I even started keeping a small journal to write three simple things down in everyday, which are as follows:

1. A daily affirmation
2. One thing that I love about myself
3. A daily quote about self love, just as a little reminder

And though doing these thing didn't take much effort, throughout the summer I was surprised to find that I actually began to feel a change. I became less caring of what others thought of my appearance, I became more fearless in my approach to life (e.g. how I met John at Warped Tour after crowd surfing to Sum 41's "Fat Lip"), and I just simply started seeing the beauty around me again. It was an absolutely wonderful feeling, like a weight being lifted off my shoulders. I began to realize that my past does not define me, I am not broken to the point of no repair, the number on the scale is just that, a number (though this one is still a little tough for me, so I just quit weighing myself period--and that is perfectly okay!) and I am lovable and worthy of being loved by everyone, but that I am especially worthy of loving myself. The only thing I was missing was my outlet for my creativity, which obviously returned when I stepped back on the blogging scene last September, and I've been owning it and the other aspects of my life ever since. 

With that being said, think it's more than safe to say that in 2017, I will continue practicing self love to the fullest and plan on filling my little journal's pages to the brim with quotes, daily affirmations, and compliments! And what are today's you ask?

1. I am a successful young woman and I am proud of all my achievements. I know my future holds great things and I cannot wait to see what all the universe has in store for me.
2. I love the tiny bunch of scars on my left foot from when I accidentally had hot coals spilled on it. They remind me of one very fun night with some of my closest friends, and why you probably shouldn't drink wine while smoking a hookah.

3. “Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.” -Marilyn Monroe

How have you incorporated self love into your life? Let's chat about it in the comments below and keep the positive vibes going! 

Xx, Bree

#BLOGMAS: Fantastic Gifts & Where to Get Them

Every year, I always get asked by family and friends where and how I come up with innovative gift ideas that are well suited for just about anyone. I know that sometimes this can be quite the tricky venture for many of us since we don't want to come off as seeming like we put no effort into a gift. So this year, I decided to share some of my favorite gift ideas that are well suited for both ladies and fellows (and that won't break the bank)! 

A Travel Press

This gift is really a gift that keeps on giving, or should I say brewing? This travel press is a perfect choice for that coffee and/or tea lover in your life. It's perfect because it allows them to brew on the go and doubles as a travel mug. (This travel press also perfect for a certain girl who will be returning to college for her spring semester. You know, those of us who will be walking around downtown Pittsburgh, taking photographs for their internship during the chilly months of January and February. Mum, if you're reading this, hint, hint!)

Burt's Bees Fabulous Mini's Gift Set

Much like in my gifts list article from last year for Dose of Vitamin F Burt's Bees products are still one of my favorite gifts to give simply because they are practical and everybody can use them. This set in particular is great to fight the damaging effects of winter weather due to all of it's nourishing assets, which will keep your skin from getting rough and dry this season. This set includes travel sizes of the following: nourishing cream cleanser, intense hydration day lotion, soap bark and chamomile deep cleansing cream, naturally nourishing milk and honey body lotion,  coconut foot cream, and Shea butter hand cream. 

Wishing Ball

For those of you that don't know what a wishing ball is, it's a neat little decor piece that you can leave a small notebook by to write "wishes" on and then place them into the ball. However, this could also be used as a way for guests to leave kind messages and wishes of well being to the owner of the home that the wishing ball is placed in. The reason I feel this is such a great gift is because it spreads positivity and doubles as a great decorative piece.

A Watch

Firstly, in case some of my readers haven't entered my JORD Watch Holiday Giveaway yet, you can enter to win a watch of your very own as well as receive a 25% off e-code instantly just for entering! (You can get all the deets HERE, get your 25% off e-code HERE, and enter the contest HERE.) But really, the reason I feel any of JORD's watches would be a wonderful gift is because they are so well crafted and look beautiful for any occasion. Trust me, I got John this gorgeous timepiece for Christmas and he loves it!

Wine Tote (Glasses Included)

As my long time readers know, I love wine. Aside from scotch, it is actually my drink of choice, but that's not the only reason I feel this wine tote is an excellent gift. The reason I chose this wine tote is because I feel that the best gathering take place with loved ones around a dinner table at home. This being said, this tote is a very nifty way to serve guests their beverages. (I don't know about your families, but I know the Fesh and Barry households both enjoy their vino at family gatherings!!)

Succulents

Lastly, this is actually a little gift I want to get myself when I return to college in a few weeks, (That announcement coming soon--though I won't be on campus until fall, I am taking a few online classes and have been accepted into a pretty big internship that starts January 1st! And if you follow me on Instagram, you know exactly what internship I'm talking about. *wink*) just to add some extra life to my room. However, the reason I say succulent plants are a great gift for anyone is because much like the wishing ball, these little plants make great decor pieces and are easy to care for too. 

What are some of your favorite gifts to give during the holiday season? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me at @StarkRavingChic! Later babes.

Xx, Bree