Because I have back to school on the brain I of course started to think about the first day and how I would look on the first day. I was planning to actually have a hair tutorial up today, but alas yesterday was a little bit too hectic. Hopefully I'll be able to have a hairstyle tutorial up at some point. Anyways I thought that if I couldn't share my own hairstyle I could show y'all my favorite hairstyles/ tutorials.

Updos:

• French Twist (the video also shows a half up half down option)
• Upside down french braid bun (its really cute I swear!) 
• Messy Knotted Ponytail 
• Dutch Braid Ponytail
• Grunge Double Bun
• Braided Updo for a bob
• Rolled Bun for short hair (this is one of my favorites!)
• Braided updo

For when you want to where your hair down (or mostly down):

• Wand Waves
• Three 5 min curls
• Retro Waves
• 
  

Half Up- Half Down:

• Headband/Crown half updo
• Textured hairstyles (last one in the video is a updo)
• Small accent braid
• Rope Braid
• Fishtail braid
• French fishtail
• Braided Crown
• Loose French Braid (i'm definitely trying this one!)
• 
  

Braids:

• French braid/fishtail braid
• Mermaid Fishtail braid
• Triple braid
• Double Braid
• Pretty much every type of braid in one

Back To School Series:

Day One:Back to School: Books and Movies

Day Two: Mixtape Monday + Organization

Day Three: Student Survival Guide

Day Four: Goals For the 2015 School Year

Day Five: Cute Hair Styles

Day Six: Open Letter To Students

Goals for the 2015 School Year

So I've been thinking a lot about school. I've been thinking about how crazy my life gets, how crazy I get. Then I get really, really nervous. While I'm super psyched to start my senior year i'm plagued by my fears and anxieties. Then I decided that I needed to stop being so scared about what tomorrow was going to bring and just enjoy today. I needed to learn to let go and just breath. There are a lot of things I need to work on this school year.That got me thinking, why not just start a list of goals and things to improve or change this school year. Here are my goals for this school year.

1. Stop being so apologetic and just be fearlessly me. I'm a shy person and that is probably never really going to change but I don't have to be sorry about the way I am. I'm proud of who I am, I'm the first to fangirl over Harry Potter and freak out over my latest OTP. But I feel like I need to take that confidence and bring it to a bigger scale. I need to be unafraid to be myself in a world that asks me to be small and quiet. I am tired of making myself smaller for other people, toning myself down because I'm afraid of being too much. So this year I'm done trying to cater to others and just be loud and crazy (if I feel like it)
2. Talk to people more. It's not going to kill me to strike a conversation with someone in class. It's not going to be the end of the world if someone doesn't like me. I'm going to try and talk to people more, try and make some new friends while I'm it. Though as a shy girl, i'm probably going to take baby steps with this. 
3. Take care of myself more. Lately I've talked a lot about practicing self care, about putting yourself first. I'm the first to admit that I tend to want to take care of other people before myself. I know that I have a bad habit of putting school ahead of my own needs. I'm a work in progress and while I am taking care of myself I know I could be doing a much better job at it.
4. Get grades I'm happy with. Every year I set the bar high. I want straight A's and I'm going to work my butt of to get them but if the best I can do is a B i'm going to be happy with that. Over the past year I've learned that we are more than the value we assign to a red mark on a test. I've learned to be okay with the best I can do instead of beating myself up because I'm not good enough. 
• This includes AP tests and SAT scores. 
5. Wear outfits I feel great in. This means different things to different people. For me it means putting in extra effort into outfits. I've made this goal every year since freshman year and I think I've done a pretty good job at fulfilling this goal. This year is going to be no exception
6. Volunteer more. All of my high school life has been spent pouring my heart and soul into my school work. That doesn't leave a lot for volunteering so I want to make more of an effort this year.
7. Drive. I'm 17 and I still don't have my licence. I need to get on it!
8. Make an effort to hang out with my friends.This is it. This is my last year of high school I want to be sure I make a ton of memories with my friends. I want to spend my time laughing with them, planning out prom together, freaking out over college apps with them. 
9. Finish college apps two weeks before they are due. I just need to be sure that everything is the best it can be. That means finishing early so I can fix any last mistakes and I don't have to be worries about my application not going in.
10. Stay organized!!! I always start off the year really organized and I usually falter a quarter of the way in. I want to make it more of a permanent thing. So I decided to start a bullet journal because I've heard great things about the system. So here goes nothing! (click here to find out more about bullet journal)
11. Make more time for the things I love. Sometimes school gets in the way of me doing things for fun. So I want to make more of an effort to write and read and dance and taking pictures. I want to have time to watch 3 movies in a row and binge watch my latest obsession on netflix. 

What are your goals for this year?  Let me know in the comments below!

Go Check out the rest of my back to school series so far!

Day One:Back to School: Books and Movies
Day Two: Mixtape Monday + Organization
Day Three: Student Survival Guide
Day Four: Goals For the 2015 School Year
Day Five: Cute Hair Styles
Day Six: Open Letter To Students

Student Survival Guide

School can be the source of a lot of stress, anxiety, and other not so pleasant emotions. School can become crazy and that craziness can be a defining part of your life as a student. Since I am a senior this year I figured I know a thing or two about dealing with all the crazy. So here are some tips and tricks to help you survive school, maybe even thrive. Today I'm going to talk about tests, friends, orginization and other random stuff.

Back To School Series:
Day One:Back to School: Books and Movies
Day Two: Mixtape Monday + Organization
Day Three: Student Survival Guide
Day Four: Goals For the 2015 School Year
Day Five: Cute Hair Styles
Day Six: Open Letter To Students

Random Tips:

• Don't try and be cool and fit in. It's not worth it. Just be you and find people you can be you around. That "cool" circle is not as awesome as it seems. 
• Makes lots and lots of playlists! Trust me it's cathartic and helpful. Plus they're awesome when you do have to work late. 
• Dress in what makes you feel comfortable and happy. 
• For me that means dressing up, wearing skirts and dresses and all that jazz. If you feel like you look good, you'll feel good. What you wear affects how you act. 
• Takes a lot of pictures. Trust me when you feel nostalgic you'll want to look through some pics.
• Say yes to going out with friends. Even if you don't feel like going out, it usually ends up being worth it. 
• Follow some Studyblrs on tumblr (if you have one). They post a lot of helpful things plus it's motivating to see other people get so intense about studying! Plus they have lots of stuff to help you get orginized. 
• I follow: Studivation, Lil Study Corner, Me Learning to Study, Study Blog, The Orginized Student
• Follow my tumblr here
• Always have perfume and deordorant handy. Trust me this is just a necessity.
• Don't be afraid to put yourself out there. A lot of the memories that make me smile or laugh started because I decided to ignore my shyness and anxiety and just go for it. 
• Youtube has a lot of tutorials for everything you need. Use 'em.
• Crash Course is crazy helpful!
• You can often find power points or outlines for textbooks here. I find them really helpful!
• Don't join a billion clubs because you think it looks good for colleges. 
• Join a select few that you feel the most passionate about.,
• Maybe even start one.
• Always have a person you can talk to.
• I can not stress how important this is. There are going to be days that suck so much thats it's impossible to bear it all on your own.
• It can be a friend, a sibling, a parent, or a therpist. It's important to have someone to listen to you vent and offer some advice without being judgemental
• Priotoize your health first,then your relationships, then school. 
• How to be a Happier Person
• Let's talk about health
• This post has some meditation stuff for those of us with anxiety! It's super helpful!
• Have lazy days.
• These are vital for mental health. It's important to set aside time for yourself.
• Reward yourself after a test or at the end of a project or just because.
• Watch some movies, read a book, eat some brownies, bake some cookies, stay in your P.J's all day,

Mixtape Monday: Back to School Playlist + Organization

It's day two of my Back to School series and I'm super excited about today's post. As you guys know I LOVE creating playlist for things. I figured that we would all need a little pick me up once school starts to ease the parting blow of saying goodbye to summer. I also thought I would create a little checklist for y'all to help get you guys organized for back to school!

Things To Get Done Before School Starts:

• Clean out your closet. Time to take inventory of what you have so you know what you need. This gives you the opportunity to change your style, if you want to, or just get rid of some old things. ( There will be an OOTD inspiration post)
• Make a list of what you think you need. If you're not sure where to start try shopping just the basics: Jeans, short/skirts, and printed and solid tops. When buying things try to think of outfits you can make with the item you're buying. If you can think of ways you can pair with clothes you already have or bought then it's a good investment, if you can't, then maybe it's not for you. 
• Make Pinterest boards!
• You can make one for clothes to help give you some guidance.
• You can make inspirational posts to help you when school gets tough
• Follow me here: Perks of Reading
• Clean your room. It will make you so much happier to do homework in a clean environment instead of a cluttered mess
• Throw out unnecessary papers and things from last year and make room for the new school year. 
• Clean your make-up brushes. Trust me it'll be worth it when the first day comes!
• Go school supply shopping. 
• Make a list of what you need. Make sure you you've gone through what you already have first. Basics: Backpack, pencil pouch, pencils, pens, highlighters, post its, glue, folders, binder,planner/bullet journal. (I will be posting an updated School Essentials this week, but here's last years: XXX)
• Finish up any Summer assignments!
• It's always good to finish summer reading or homework at least four days before school starts so you can review before you start the first day. Plus I don't want to be reading the day before school, I want to be watching netflix and treasuring my last few moments as a free person. 
• Enjoy the last few days of summer
• Say yes to hanging out with friends.
• Watch netflix all day.
• Read a book or two :)

That's it for today!! Tomorrow's post is a student survival guide post!!

Back To School Series:
Day One:Back to School: Books and Movies
Day Two: Mixtape Monday + Organization
Day Three: Student Survival Guide
Day Four: Goals For the 2015 School Year
Day Five: Cute Hair Styles
Day Six: Open Letter To Students

Back To School: Movies and Books

So it's that time of year. Some of us still have summer left. Some of us are going back to school this month. I'm part of the latter group unfortunately. I still have vocab to do and books to read and it's crazy to think that this is my last week of summer. But I thought that this week would be a great time to do a back to school list. I will be posting every day this week. I'll do some survival tips, a playlist, OOTD inspiration, and other stuff. I think this is going to be really fun!! So to kick off the series here are some books and movies that deal with school stuff.

Books: I actually have to read some books for school so I don't have too much time left to read but I will definitely try to squeeze some of these in

1. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. High school sucks and I think this book captures the hardships you face in school. It's hard to make friends, it's hard to be a teen preparing for tomorrow, it's hard to be in love. It's an amazing story that just needs to be read. 
2. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. Because it's a story about an awkward, nerdy girl, trying to survive college. You will most likely identify with her at some point of the book. 
3. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger. I don't really have a reason for this, it's just an awesome book!
4. Harry Potter by J.K Rowling. Let's just pretend for a moment we're all going to Hogwarts and that we all have magical powers.
5. A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall. Because who doesn't need a cute love story?

Movies:I'm probably going to watch these and rewatch some marvel films. 

1. Mean Girls. Because come on, it's Mean Girls. 
2. LOL. Yes I actually really like the Miley Cyrus movie. I'm not sure why, but I love this movie and I watched it last year before I started school. 
3. Clueless. It's hilarious! I love everything about this movie!! I actually watched this because a friend told me too, and I loved it!
4. Grease. It's a classic! Who doesn't want to sing along to  "Your The One That I Want"
5. Harry Potter Movies. Its your last chance to have a Harry Potter Marathon! I suggest you start now!!

Back To School Series:

Day One:Back to School: Books and Movies

Day Two: Mixtape Monday + Organization

Day Three: Student Survival Guide

Day Four: Goals For the 2015 School Year

Day Five: Cute Hair Styles

Day Six: Open Letter To Students

Waiting on Wednesday #8

Release Date: September 1, 2015
Book: Everything, Everything
Author: Nicola Yoon
Number of Pages:320

The Basics:This innovative, heartfelt debut novel tells the story of a girl who’s literally allergic to the outside world.

When a new family moves in next door, she begins a complicated romance that challenges everything she’s ever known. The narrative unfolds via vignettes, diary entries, texts, charts, lists, illustrations, and more.

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

Add it on goodreads 

Why do I want to read it?

This just sounds like it's going to break my heart. But it also seems like a book worth getting your heart broken over. I love contemporary novels because you get to see different parts of life, through different eyes. You get to see someone else's reality. For me the fact that it's based in reality adds to the story. This seems amazing and I can not wait to read it!!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

What Are You Waiting On?

Motivational Monday #8

"It would be a terrible mistake to go through life thinking that people are the sum total of what you see"- Jonathan Tropper, This Is Where I Leave You. I finished this movie about an hour ago and by the time this goes up even longer. But I can't seem to get it out of my head. This movie is littered with life lessons and little tidbits that show the gory parts of life. I love movies and books that can make me feel things. This is one of those movies, so if you haven't seen this film yet, you should!!!

I love this quote so much. Throughout the movie there are different pieces of each character you didn't expect to see. It's nice to see that people are more than what they put off. People always talk about not judging a book by it's cover, and this quote is the reason why. The parts of people you see aren't always whats real. Take the internet version of what you see. People can come across happy, good, shallow, vain. But meeting them in person you can tell they are more than the pixels that made up their selfie. Or maybe it's just meeting someone at a glance. People are all in different stages of their life on their own journeys. Chances are you might meet someone whose going through a rough patch. I'm not saying that anyone's story justifies being a jerk, but I think it;s important to remember that maybe, just maybe there's something more to that person than just being a jerk.

People are so much more complex than people like to think. There are the simplicities of life, but people tend to make even those complicated. And there's nothing wrong with complicated, it's just complicated and messy, but that's life. In the film the main character is struggling to move past his need to plan and have the perfect life.He begins to see there are more to people than what he initially thought. He see's new sides to his family members and accepts those darker or just newer parts of them What you see isn't everything a person is. It's a glimpse into their life, not who they are. I think it's important to keep in mind that people are complicated and have different sides to them and just because we see one part doesn't mean we know everything about that person.

Here's my instagram if you wanna follow me for more pics and quotes :)

Happy Monday!