Upcoming Events/ Housekeeping Tips

Wow! I truly cannot believe that September's end is rapidly approaching. You know what this means?? It is a certain special someone's birthday in less than a month... Any guesses???


You're Right!!!! That's me!

(I mean, not that I am excited or anything! Ha!)

Anyways, September has been a crazy month for me! My agenda is overflowing with assignments and to-dos. My stress level is out of this world... Like seriously, I am living in between breakdowns. I have been catching up on social activities from exciting new organizations to volunteering at an awesome 5K. My brother and I got new desks, so our office room has been renovated. I am also halfway through redoing my room (pictures to come)!! Chaos and clutter is the definition of my days.

With all this chaos, I need a break. Lucky for me, next Friday begins my week-long fall break, so this time next week, I will be floating among the Caribbean!

So with that, I am back to the crazy balancing act of life.

Tonight is homecoming, so check out my instagram (@sarahbethwilsonblog) for some dress pictures!

Also, I am currently in the process of redesigning my blog (sorry for the craziness), as well as making it a bit more user-friendly.
If you can, look on the lower left hand column to the section where it says "Followers." If you have a Google/Gmail account, please go ahead and follow. I'm researching ways for readers who use other platforms to be able to follow. If you have any recommendations, please let me know!
Another easy way to access the blog but much less personal is through the email alerts. An email simply arrives in your inbox the day after I post, so you never have to actually "search the web." I have no record of how many of these are sent out, so it doesn't give me any viewing feedback.
Also, check out the poll in the left column and give me some feedback of my blog! It'd mean so much!

Thank you so much for your support! Have a blessed weekend!

xoxo,
Sarah Beth

Interview Tips

Starting in high school, we experience many interviews: whether they are for a job, position at school, or even college acceptance, interview attending is definitely an exercise consistently practiced.

No matter how old you are or what the interview is for, it is crucial to always present the best and most honest version of yourself.

These tips below will ensure that you stay true to who "Momma-raised-you-to-be" and that your interview does not end in total doom:

1. Be prompt and on time! This is perhaps the most crucial guideline of all. Remember, you only have one chance to make a first impression! Not only does this show that you care, but it also proves that you are reliable!
2. Eye Contact Looking the person you are speaking to in the eyes proves that you care and are excited and interested in the opportunity in front of you!
3. Smile & Confidence A smile and confidence are the two most attractive and appealing traits in an individual! Stand up tall with your shoulders back and a smile across your face when you shake their hand for the first time!
4. Manners Please & Thank You were taught to you at age four; more mature manners taught through life... Be sure to be well-mannered to show your respect throughout your interview!!
5. Gratitude Be sure to say "thank you" upon arrival and before leaving! Show how grateful you are for this opportunity and their time!!

By implementing these tips during your next interview, it is my hope that your anxiety will decrease and your mindset will be a bit more positive!

Have a great rest of the week!

xoxo,

Sarah Beth

Munch, Munch: Homework Snacks

Whenever I am doing homework, I just need a snack to get by! Ha! You need that pick-me-up snack! So I have started experimenting with pretty healthy, yet sustainable snacks to get me through that fatigued period when you have so much to do, but not nearly enough time to do it!

These snacks are so easy and oh so delicious, so definitely hop on board and join me and my love for food!

I hope I gave you some yummy snack ideas for your next case of snack jitters!

Happy Wednesday!

xoxo,
Sarah Beth

The Monogram-a-holic Tag

Confession Time:

My name is Sarah and

 I am a monogram-a-holic!

What better tag is there than the Monogram-a-holic Tag? None!

I know that this tag is typically made for YouTube and a video format, but I thought it would be a super fun post to write and read and a better way to get to know me. As another plus, it could serve as the end to this terrible blogging drought (I'm so super duper sorry for my MIA... life has been crazy this week!).

Let's go ahead and get into it! :-)

Do you know the origin of the monogram?
Yes, I do actually. They were initially created for identification of coins back in Ancient Greece!

What is your monogram?
My monogram is sWe!!

If you could change your monogram, would you?
I actually LOVE my monogram because it works with practically every font. When I get married and take my husband's name, I will probably still keep Elizabeth as my middle name, as opposed to taking my maiden name, just because I like the way my monogram shapes! Haha!

What is your favorite monogramming font?
Ahh, that is an impossible question to answer! Obviously, I love traditional and classic, thus the classic script, but I also adore simplicity and cleanliness of a circle block. I even love straight monograms like S • E • W.

How many monogrammed items do you have?
I'm not THAT good at math!! Haha, I am just kidding, but I have never actually counted... I need to get around to it!

What is your favorite monogrammed item you own?
This is super hard because I am really picky about monograms. Sometimes, monograms are just too much. Anyways, I am going to go with my monogram necklaces because they are the perfect touch of personal, and are versatile, as they go with everything!

On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you love monograms?
1,000,000,000,000,000,000

Where is your favorite place to order monogrammed items from?
I do not really order monogrammed items, as most of my monogrammed things are my items that I take to an embroidery place to get monogrammed. Etsy is great for more household, practical monograms: that is where I order my decals. *** Note: I actually have purchased a vinyl cutter and plan to open my own Etsy shop, once I get the hang of it, so stay tuned for those details in the hopefully near future! :-)

What do you plan to monogram next?
Since I am in the process of renovating my room and office space, I am decorating in my mind. I really want a wooden monogram to hang over my desk, so I have been doing some window shopping (online of course)! :-)

I hope you enjoyed this post!

As always, thank you for taking the time to read my blog. It means so very much to me!

I hope you have a blessed weekend!

xoxo,
Sarah Beth

august favorites

We all know the feeling of the overly tired, yet restless funk that we fall into from time to time. Well, that's me today and this weekend. I have not been productive by any means, and laying in bed and allowing my work load to swallow me whole sounds like a day well spent.

My agenda list is growing (but everything is still color-coded, so don't worry!); the time I shut my eyes for the night keeps getting later, which essentially makes the time I wake up feel earlier; and the bags under my eyes are actually black from lack of rest.

Anyways, August has come and gone, and we are already a week into September... Where has the month gone?

August was an exciting, yet boring month in my eyes. Summer wrapped up quickly (but left the heat) and school work came on at full-speed ahead. The products that I am sharing today were saving graces last month (because I left this post in drafts for far too long):

1) TEAVANA: blueberry bliss/ pineapple kona pop

Finally, I have found the perfect iced tea. I went from no tea to over-the-top-tea-obsessed due to this particular tea! You must, must, must check it out!

2) Le Pens

If it weren't for these pens and my agenda, my life would literally be a train wreck. I am a color-coded, write-down-everything-because-you-are-bound-to-forget kind of person. I absolutely love the feeling of having my life together that these pens provide with, and the better you feel, the better each day goes. (Well, at least that is my policy!)

3) Clarisonic

I absolutely love my clarisonic. It's a quick, easy, overly productive tool to get my day started and ended right. Nothing feels better than clean skin! Another incredible benefit is how packable and travel-friendly the clarisonic is, yet another plus!

4) Camelback Water Bottles 

In attempt to live a healthier lifestyle, I have been drinking more and more water each day! I love these water bottle because I tend to drink so much more when I have a straw! Also, I ordered a monogrammed one from etsy to add an element of cute!

These are several products that I have been loving and will continue to love! Now off to attempt to cross things off my to-do's!

As always, thank you for reading! I pray you have a fabulous week!

xoxo,

Sarah Beth

Get Out What You Put In

**posting a day early because I'm a wee bit blogging zealous this week!

It is said all. the. time., but how often do we actually apply "get out what you put in" to life?

I truly believe that this quote proves relevant to any individual at any age at practically every point in he or she's life. And it is hard, I am not going to lie. After a long day, the last thing on my mind is "Oh, let me get ahead in that class" or "Maybe I should take a quick walk to get the blood flowing." Sometimes, I even have these thoughts, but I quickly dismiss them. 

I think we stereotype this approach as "lazy," but in reality it isn't. It is tired, exhausted, burnt out, unmotivated. 

It is hard to stay positive and motivated when your life seems to be stuck on replay. I feel like I cannot escape this permanent rut called "high school" somedays! And you know the light at the end of the end of the tunnel, well, that's turned off.

But we need to take a moment, look at the big picture, and see the beauty and happiness and future in the world around us:

We need to put in our best in order to get the best results in the end.

You have to make your accomplishments matter to you, and not allow them to depend on the reaction of your teacher, boss, peers, etc.

Do it for yourself. Do it to be your absolute best.

This proves relevant in many scenarios:

School • Grade school, high school, college, grad school, etc. 

Relationships • every single relationship requires giving of yourself and your emotions to get the best results in the end

Jobs • In order to stay motivated in the workforce, you have to make your accomplishments matter to you above all.

Goals • No feeling in the world feels better than meeting and exceeding a goal, put in the work, practice, care and the results will blow your mind!

Whenever I am discouraged or down, I think of the good and attempt to console myself. I'm tired, run out, any ounce of energy is gone, and there I have papers to write, questions to answer, problems to solve. 

As cheesy as this sounds, it is in that moment that I think of my future family: husband, children, grandchildren, nieces & nephews... If I can stand here today and overcome my challenges, work a little harder, and do it for them: they are my future. If I can invest the hard work now, for me, for a happy, fulfilled future someday... Then, I will stay up an extra hour, run around the block, rewrite the sloppy handwriting, go the extra mile. 

No matter where you are at this exact point in your life, you are surrounded by some sort of struggle, scratch that, you are surround by multitudes of struggles. In those struggles lie pain, challenge, worry, I could go on and on. But somehow, by putting a smile on your face, you are investing to your struggles in a positive way. Through laughing and taking the necessary time to let loose and enjoy yourself, you are also contributing positivity to your obstacles. 

Moral of the Story:

Put in the hard work today, Get out numerous benefits in the future.

Put in positivity, then it will return to you in future life!

:-)

I hope I inspired and motivated you today!

xoxo,

Sarah Beth

How to "PREP" Up A School Uniform

I have grown up in Catholic school. There are days when I have hated wearing uniforms, but it is the biggest blessing because my blood pressure, sanity, and overall mental and physical health would be in SERIOUS danger if I had to pick out an outfit each and everyday. That being said, there are subtle, easy ways to add personal touches (that are no stress and no time looks) to your daily uniformed uniform! So pull out your student handbook, turn to your uniform guidelines/ dress code and let's get down to business!

• Watches •

Here!

I have always been a watch girl. I remember second-grade when each and every day, I wore my pink digital watch to school (and on the weekends, and with formal dresses, yeah that was a rough time in my life). Now, and thankfully with a better style, I cannot go a day without a watch. It is literally a limb on my body. With the amazing options out there, invest in an everyday watch and wear that with your uniform! I alternate watches because of my love and debt-creating obsession, but one is all you need to be punctual, in dress-code, and uniquely you!

• Socks •

Here!

I am the classic knee-high and penny loafer girl, but who are you? First thing first, consult your handbook what color socks are you allowed to wear. I know for my school (and probably the standard), you can wear white, black, navy, or gray socks. Then pick your length, fabric, etc. I definitely vote you go for knee-high!

• Shoes •

Here!

Please refer back to your handbook, and I am totally a loafer gal, but my school allows any brown or black leather dress shoe! 99.9% of my grade wears Sperry's, but the choice is totally up to you and your preference! These Cole Haan loafers look so together and are so, so comfortable!

• Jewelry •

Here!

Pearls are a must. Jewelry is an essential key to self-expression and styled perfection to any outfit. I always have my pearls in my ears and my watch on my wrist. Bracelets are also cute touches!

• Hair Accessories •
I cannot even post a picture to sum this category up. Classic Ponytails are great for focus and productivity. Curled locks are oh so precious. Bows can be dressed up and down (but search for mature bows), and last, but not least, headbands are essential!!


I hope you all enjoyed this post and are excited for getting creative with your school uniform!

Have a wonderful week!

xoxo,
Sarah Beth