Saturday marked one month since classes started for my sophomore year of college. So far I LOVE my new room and the school year. Living alone is great when your BFF is just a bathroom away! I have loved catching up with all my Meredith sisters and hearing about their summers and plans for this school year. The only downside to this year so far is how busy and stressed I have already been. I’m a planner, so if I don’t know exactly whats going to happen the next week as far as assignments, events, ect. I go crazy. Let’s be honest – if somehow God could tell me his exact plan for my life and lay it all out on the table I would be one happy camper. Now we know that is not possible so I have to come to my own solution for this problem I’m having. I have always been one to set goals, but they’re mostly long-term, life goals. To help myself stay motivated, organized and focused on the year I decided to make a list of goals strictly focused on Sophomore year.

School Related Goals:

• Make better grades – I have always been someone who works hard in school but I would like to work even harder. All A’s would be ideal, so we will see. Even if this means staying up later than I should (an excuse to order Insomnia Cookies at 2am, right?) to work on school work instead of sleeping than that’s what I will have to do.
• Get more involved – As a freshmen, I was pretty much just testing the water. I didn’t join many clubs or do a whole lot of extra curricular stuff. I want to change that this year. I decided to run for a co-chair position for a tradition at Meredith, be more involved with Cornhuskin’, and do more things on campus as a whole.
• I would also love to get some kind of internship this summer in the Marketing industry. I think it would be a learning experience for how the real world will be once I graduate and a great way to see what the corporate world is like as well. Good grades and campus involvement will hopefully help with this!

Dance Related Goals:

• I am so glad I am able to teach at my home studio again this year. I hope this year is another year full of learning experiences and having a positive impact on all of my students.
• As I said earlier I would like to get more involved with the dance department at school. I am part of both of our companies at Meredith and plan to take a huge step in choreographing for our spring show. It’s something I’m nervous about since I have never choreographed for people my age, but I am so excited to see my piece!

Social/Personal Goals:

I have already come to the sad realization that I’m only in school at the best place on earth for a little less than three more years. I need to take advantage of this. I’m dreading saying goodbye to our Big Sis class – 2017 <3 2015 – in May. I have developed such strong relationships with numerous girls in this class. Whether is be my amazing Bible Study leaders who have been such an inspiration to me, other people in Cru or the wonderful ladies in the dance department, you all mean so much to me and it will be bitter sweet seeing you go. Time goes by so quickly and I want to cherish every moment I have with all my friends. Whether it be taking a break and going on a late night cookout run or just having life chats with each other, I am so excited to grow closer to my best friends and this year. Getting more personal, I would also like to continue to improve my walk with The Lord. My suite mate & one of my very best friends, Sarah, and I are going to start a Bible study or devotion with each other this year to keep each other accountable and grow closer to one another and I am so excited about it. Also, this blog started last year as a way to keep up with my life in college and share my experiences with family and friends. I have found that it is also a good stress reliever for me. I want to continue writing more posts, more frequently this year.

Southern Tide Goals:

Last spring I applied to be a Campus Ambassdor for Southern Tide. I LOVE this company and their simple, southern, apparel and accessories. I knew this would be a cool thing to go along with my minor in marketing so I decided to give it a shot. Months went by and I was beginning to lose hope that I didn’t get it then I received an email! I am so excited to bring awareness of Southern Tide to Meredith’s campus this year. All of my Meredith ladies – be on the lookout for information on my events this year for a chance for to win some ST merch! I can’t wait to showcase the Skipjack all over Meredith’s campus!

I know I will not be as stressed out once I finally get adjusted to my new schedule and get into a routine. Although I am still sad that today is the first day of fall, I am excited for CORN season to start, pumpkin carving closer to halloween, my moms chili and wearing my bean boots. Oh, my boyfriend is also convincing me to go hunting with him – I’m sure that adventure will be a post in itself 😉 Heres to sophomore year and Happy Fall Y’all!!

According to my agenda summer does not officially end until September 22nd. In my personal opinion, summer ended on Sunday morning at 6AM when my alarm woke me up, letting me know it was time to go back to Meredith. I was so excited to be back at the place where I made so many memories and new friendships last year but, that also meant one of the best summers ever was a coming to an end.

I LOVE summer. Other than Christmastime – 127 days till Christmas, y’all – I am the happiest in the summer. Gorgeous (hot, humid, sticky..) NC weather, the beach, sun kissed skin, riding around with the windows down & music up, sleeping too late, staying up too late, no school work. Seriously, can life get any better? So, as I am laying in my new dorm bed, procrastinating on going to renew my parking pass and print out materials for class tomorrow – wait, how am I a sophomore? – I decided to recap on the wonderful summer I had.

First, let me just say how much I love how summer in college starts in May. Having 3.5 months off of school is such a blessing. To start my summer off I had a six weeks of summer school. Because they were online I was able to do all my work in my pajamas with my dog in my lap so it really wasn’t bad at all. During the first six weeks of summer I couldn’t get my mind off of going to the beach for a week. I have always felt like Holden Beach, NC was a second home to me. Our family has been going there since I can remember. It is always so peaceful, not too crowded and the perfect little piece of paradise on the coast of my favorite state. This beach trip was filled with tanning, gorgeous views, rocking in rocking chairs on the back porch, bike rides, daily ice cream trips, fishing, walks, and my favorite – beach boutiques. I think this was the best beach trip our family has had! It was sad when Saturday came and it was over and we had to go back to reality. I am now determined that I will have a purple beach house (because the beach is the only place where it is socially acceptable for me to have a purple house.) one day!

Country music is the best music genre in my opinion. It is pretty much all I listen too. Although driving around with the windows down singing at the top of my lungs and getting stared at when I am at a red light is great, country concerts on summer nights seem to top that. If you know me at all you know that I absolutely LOVE Luke Bryan. I swear I know every word to every one of his songs. When I found out that he would be coming to Raleigh TWICE, TWO times, TWO nights in a row, I was so, so excited. Unlike most people who purchased Mega Tickets, I kept both of my Luke tickets so I could experience my favorite singer two nights in a row. Best. Weekend. Ever. I could listen to him sing all day, completely convinced that he was both singing and shakin’ it only for me. 😉 Saturday night was a blast with my mom and sister, as always. Let me just tell you about how I have the sweetest boyfriend who is not only brave enough to go to LB with me, but with me AND my best friend. So, thanks for staying with me after spending the night listening to me and Alli scream Luke Bryan songs and gossip about what had happened so far in summer, Matthew! Other than Luke, all of the other concerts have been great as well! Dierks Bentley and Keith Urban have been my favorites. Side note – I TOUCHED KEITH URBAN’S HAND and we made eye contact for about 6 seconds, haha. He had a small stage in the lawn and we were next to it. Total fan girl moment. If only it was Luke… Can’t wait for my second favorite singer, Jason Aldean, in September to draw an end to another concert season!

Besides all the exciting things that took place this summer, some of my favorite and most cherished memories were little, simple things. Baseball games with my family, another summer full of teaching my students, planting and watching sunflowers grow with my daddy, sitting on the side of the road watching fireworks on the 4th when our plans to go to Southport were ruined because of Hurricane Author, spending almost every weekend at my grandparents riding around (and breaking down, oops) on dirt roads on the John Deere Gator, crafting and constant laughs with my sister, Porter Farms trips for ice cream and orangeades, my boyfriend trying his hardest to teach me how to shoot a gun and lastly, late-night-life-chats with my best friends. These are memories that I will remember for ever because they took place when life was simple and stress free – Summer 2014. Although it is coming to an end, I am so thankful to be able to experience what I was constantly wishing would be an endless summer.

Now, who is ready for Christmas?! 🙂

I am three days away from my first month of summer being over. It has flown by! I have enjoyed being home with my family and not having to worry about whether or not I was going to have a good supper at night. 🙂 We have made multiple trips to my grandparents house, attended a few concerts and a Mudcat’s baseball game and just relaxed around the house. Amongst all of this I have found that my relationship with God hasn’t really been a top priority. This led to another realization (one I think of quite often) that I was lucky enough to have a pretty awesome first year of college. This leads me to my point. When most people think of college they think very stereotypically – that may or may not be an actual word –  College is supposed to be the time when you made stupid mistakes, do all these rebellious activities you will no longer be able to do once you graduate and enter the real world, right? My experience didn’t revolve around those things or really much that I thought it would. Developing the deepest relationship with Christ that I have ever had didn’t cross my mind.

The first week of school my roommate and I received numerous papers slid underneath our door from various organizations. One caught our eye. This was the Cru Women’s Bible Study in our building. At the time I had no idea that this is how I would meet my best friends. From then on, every Monday night consisted of Bible Study and fellowship with the sweetest girls and inspiring leaders. Don’t forget the weekly Bachelor viewings, Cookout runs and tons of laughs. Through late nights and beach retreats we all grew closer to Christ as we grew closer to each other. I have grown up in a Christian home since I was born and I accepted Christ into my heart my sophomore year of high school. It wasn’t until this past year that I really realized how badly I needed Him in my life. It wasn’t something my parents, pastor or anyone but myself could teach me. I finally found a good circle of true friends to surround myself with, I let go of things in the past and I surrendered my life to him: giving up “my plans” and trusting in His plans for me instead. 

Not having my weekly study with my girls since I have been home has definitely put a damper in my relationship with Christ. My mind seems to be filled with summer school and how many more days until I get to do the next exciting summer activity. How lucky are we as Christians to have a God that still continues to love and care for us even when we drift away from or disobey him? God has reasoning behind everything. He forgets our past, the stupid mistakes we make and the times we drift away and then find ourselves running back to him. He’s forever there with open arms. God blessed me with time to spend with family, hot summer days by the pool or at the beach, the ability to take summer school online so I can stay in my pajamas until 2 o’clock and a beautiful life he continues to shape and mold in his timing. The least I can do is get back into reading my Bible as much as I used to and praying even more. Instead of putting Christ on “hold” over the summer, I am making it a goal and priority of mine to get back to and strengthen the relationship I had with him a month ago. 

So shoutout to all my “Heilman B-Stud” ladies: I love and miss every one of you very much. Thank you for the influence you had on me this past year! I can’t wait for sophomore year and hope we can all come back to Meredith in the fall as close to each other AND Christ as we were when we left a month ago. 

As the 2013-2014 dance season comes to a close I have come to some realizations. Going into this season I was a little bit disappointed honestly. This would be my first season that I would no longer be a student at the studio I had been a student at for eleven years and had been a dance student in general for fifteen. Even though I am dancing at Meredith, I knew the entire season would be a little “weird.” No more spending over ten hours a week at the studio, teaching classes, competing at competitions and don’t forget managing school work and other extra-curricular activities on top of all that. It was now time to focus on college and teaching. It took me a while to realize that I am actually right where I need to be.

I am no longer dancing in twelve numbers every show, speeding through quick changes or struggling to find the energy to make it through my last dance. I now get the privilege to watch my students shine on stage in their beautiful costumes, dancing their hearts out. Throughout this past week there have been so many moments where I found myself not being able to stop smiling. My heart was full of joy as I walked into a dressing room full of my students and having fourteen precious little girls run up to me saying “Miss Brittany I am so excited to dance on the big stage!” followed by numerous hugs. I cannot count how many times I have been asked why I do what I do. Why do you drive home once a week just to teach kids how to dance? Why do you want to deal with children all the time? Because it’s what I love. It’s my passion. Even though there are many challenging days – it seems that everyone’s shoes come untied and everyone needs to go potty at the same time – there are many, many more rewarding days. Days like when I had a horrible day at school and then a students comes in and says “Miss Brittany, you look very pretty today!” or “Look I brought you this flower from my yard!” It’s all the artwork I receive and keep in a folder to look at when I have days I second guess that I am doing a good job. I’m pretty sure being a dance teacher is the only career that allows you to never really grow up. I can have fun and jam out to my Disney classics without feeling embarrassed because the kids are singing along with me. It’s feeling like a mother of forty and having the best form of birth control at the same time. If you would have told me three years ago that I would have tears in my eyes while watching four year olds dance on stage I would not have believed you. Seeing how much my students grow over nine months and all their hard work pay off on stage is worth all the stress and worry I have throughout the year. All the moments where I had choreographers block in my dorm room or had an entire class burst into tears at the same time do not matter. 

This year has made me realize even more what I want to do with my life. I have been given an amazing opportunity to be an influence on children’s lives. I hope that I can make each of them feel important and beautiful by sharing my love of dance with them. I hope they feel as accomplished as I do when they finally point their toes while doing leaps across the floors. I do not get to perform as much as I used to but I feel just as happy (if not happier) when I am teaching as I did when performing on stage and I never thought I would say that. Who cares if a dance teacher doesn’t make the list for the highest paying careers? Obviously the people making those choices are only counting the dollar amount they get paid and not the priceless memories you make from being a dance teacher. 

My students bring so much joy and laughter into my life. I am at my best in the studio teaching my sweet babies how to point their toes. I am learning life lessons and gaining experience for my future every day I am with them. My students have been one of the biggest blessings in my life. I strive to be a good role model and the best teacher for them. They will never know how much each and every one of them means to me. I see myself in them as they work hard to perform their dance on stage. So this post is to my students. Thank you for making me a better person, always making me laugh and helping me realize that I am right where I need to be – on the side of the stage watching each of you shine. 

I have had the privilege of growing up in North Carolina my entire life. As much as I love NC I always hear people saying they cannot wait to move away or constantly complain about it. I may be a bit biased, but I think NC is the best state in the country. Maybe it’a because it’s in The South and I do not think I could survive in any other area of the USA. Maybe it’s because we were First in Flight. (probably not a huge reason why I love it because I am afraid of flying…) The fact that we are known for both our beautiful beaches and gorgeous mountains says a lot. Whether you want to visit the Biltmore Estate or Kitty Hawk, both are within hours of each other. Maybe it’s because I can go out to dinner and order “tea” and the waitress knows without thinking that I want it sweet. Or March Madness meant watching the ACC Tourney during class. How much I love sweet potatoes and Krispy Kreme doughnuts may have to do with NC being the number one producer and founder of both. Maybe it’s because my favorite author, Nicholas Sparks, was born and raised in NC and all of his books and movies take place in areas I have known. It’s because I love the looks people give us like we are crazy because we have a “Tobacco Free Campus” sign up at the entrance to our schools that are either across the street or beside a Tobacco field. We are displayed on the news for “freaking out” when the slightest bit of winter precipitation falls and then complain when that first day of blazing hot, humid, air hits us in June. If you haven’t had that disgusting red mud on your shoes after working out in the yard consider yourself lucky. Maybe NC is the best because of the people that become famous that were born here. People like Billy Graham who is such a role model to the world or Andy Griffith who brought laughter to families lives. The famous sports figures like Michael Jordan and Dale Earnhardt – I still remember watching my mom cry watching that Daytona 500 race in February 2001 – who have so many fans from NC and beyond. Don’t forget the famous country music singers like Eric Church, Jason Michael Carroll and Scotty McCreery that QDR plays on the radio daily. North Carolina is the place where you can be best friends with someone until game day when you talk trash to them for the entire game. Whether you’re a Carolina fan – there’s a reason we are called the Tarheel state 😉 – a State fan or a Duke fan, if you’re from NC you stand by your team like a true fan does (unless you want to join the bandwagon during playoffs when your team “had an off year.”) This is the state where you could be out somewhere not paying attention to anyone until Wagon Wheel comes on and every NC-Native bursts out into song when “If I Die In Raleigh, At Least I Will Die Free” comes up. NC is the place where the tea is sweet and the girls are sweeter. There are lyrics like “She feels like Carolina, looks like California” and “Sweet Carolina Girls” to prove it. There are so many things that I may take for granted living in The South or North Carolina in general. Maybe it’s the little things like seeing a Cardinal (our state bird) on the side of the road and wanting to help it or annoying the drivers in a hurry behind me when I don’t pass a tractor driving down the road. Maybe it’s getting homemade ice cream from Porter Farms and taking the curvy back roads to my grandparents house with the windows down. Maybe it’s actually having a backyard that’s full of green grass instead of steel and seeing where the Tarheel Traveler on WRAL travels this week that makes me so thankful that I have been born and raised as a North Carolinian. I never see myself living in a big city considering that even Raleigh was a bit of a “culture shock” to me after being in JoCo almost my entire life. I am so blessed to attend such an amazing college just 25 minutes, depending on that famous I-40 traffic, from my house. Some people may want to escape the Old North State once they graduate but me, I’ll always agree with Eric Church on this one and say, “Oh, Carolina, You Keep Callin’ Me Home.” 

So I have officially been done with my freshmen year of college for five days. Don’t get me wrong, I am so happy to be home spending time with my family, but I miss my MCG’s so much. Since I haven’t blogged in a long time – the end of the semester took over my life – I decided to do a recap of the things I learned my freshmen year at Meredith. So if you’re interested in a post about the stereotypical weight gain of fifteen pounds by a college freshmen, this isn’t it. Here are fifteen things I learned or came to realize over the past ten months. 

1. Family is everything

Yes, I have known this for a while, but it became more apparent while I was at college. Not having my mom to talk to (in person) late at night when I couldn’t sleep, my dad to ask life questions to (in person) when I was confused or my little sister to annoy me (in person) was disappointing at times. I know I was only a 30 minute drive from home, but I’m still not home. So even though I loved every second spent on Meredith’s beautiful campus, there was nothing like coming home to my family and spending time with them in person. 

2. New friends are so important

Making new friends was probably one of the things I am most thankful for this year. My roommate and I joined a bible study within my dorm building. After a few weeks we became so close to the girls in our bible study. It was always a blessing to have a group of girls to turn to when you were having a bad day. Other than these girls there are so many others I am thankful for. I have a great Big Sis and so many awesome people in the Dance Department that I have made memories with as well. I know these girls will be my closest friends not only through college but for the rest of my life. I may not have any clue who I will marry one day, but I definitely have a few bridesmaids picked out. 🙂

3. Never take a home-cooked meal for granted

This shouldn’t take much explaining. The dining halls stinks, fast food gets boring (and causes the freshmen 15), so a home cooked meal becomes a delicacy real quick! Here’s to cooking on the grill all summer!

4. Organization is key

If you know me at all you know I have to stay organized. In college there’s not someone over your shoulder telling you to do this assignment or go to this meeting everyday. In order to keep track of all my assignments or just life in general, I tried my best to stay organized. Even though I would get picked on for my color coded Lilly Pulitzer agenda and huge collection of highlighters, pens and – my favorite – sticky notes, I feel as though I did a good job staying organized this year. 

5. It’s okay to have fun

Yes, college is meat to learn and prepare for your future. But, college is also the last four years of your life until you go into the “real world.” So, I believe it’s okay to take a break from my studies and go out and do something fun for once. Whether it be taking a walk and seeing all the strange critters walking down Hillsborough Street, go out with my friends and even just hang out in a tiny dorm room with six other girls watching movies and wasting our time on Pinterest, college is the only time when it’s okay to have your life together at one moment and cramming for that exam the next. 

6. Take chances 

Because of the overly prepared person I claim to be, sometimes taking chances is difficult for me. Whether is be getting an odd flavored milkshake from cookout or trying out for a dance company, I learned that you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. 

7. You’re in charge of your future

For once in my life I get to make all of my choices. I get to choose my own classes, what time I have them and how well I do in them. It feels good to know that I am one step closer to having the career of my dreams after finishing one year of college. 

8. Drama is pointless 

I’ve never been one that enjoyed drama unless it was on Grey’s Anatomy or The Bachelor. In college, a lot of the stupid drama was eliminated. I was honestly a little worried about this since I would be attending an all girls school. No one cares if Sally is wearing the same shirt as you today, it doesn’t matter who cheated on whose boyfriend last weekend (unless it’s your boyfriend), and no one actually cares who is top in the class anymore. We aren’t in high school anymore, so it’s nice to finally have people who think drama is as pointless as it really is. 

9. Don’t be afraid to let go

College is a fresh start. It’s the perfect time to let go of all the mistakes you may have made in the past and move on to bigger and better things. Some things are meant to be left in the past so you can move on to a bright future. Starting new and making goals for yourself is never a bad thing. 

10. Nothing prepares you for college

Every single high school teacher I had claimed they were preparing us for college. I can honestly say nothing did. Nothing could have prepared me for crazy Raleigh drivers, late nights studying or dealing with being homesick. These are all things I had to learn on my own throughout the year.

11. Sleep is actually necessary 

Since I started college I can only recall two times that I went to sleep before midnight. This is fine when you don’t have to wake up at 5:30am for school anymore. Even though my “bedtime” was later I began to realize that sleep was so important. If I had a long week I would always find myself taking 3 hour “naps” on Sunday afternoons. Although I haven’t pulled an all-nighter yet, I am thankful for the little amount of sleep I would get on the nights I stayed up late talking to my friends or studying. 

12. Having a good roommate is key

You always hear of the roommate horror stories. On move in day I wasn’t really concerned that I would be able to tolerate Alli. We had known each other since elementary school but just weren’t ever really that close. Little did I know that in a matter of weeks we would be best friends. We did everything together this year. If one of us was alone we were constantly asked where the other was. I cannot remember having a single argument. We both knew when the other was in a bad mood and eventually figured out if they wanted to talk about it or not. I know I would not have survived my freshmen year without her. 

13. College itself is a learning experience

I haven’t only learned valuable lessons in the classroom. Some of my most valuable lessons have come at 3 o’clock in the morning in the dorm room. I need to make sure I never take for granted the amazing opportunity I have to go to school at Meredith for the next three years. 

14. Growing up stinks

As much as I love college, I would give anything to go back in time when life was much simpler. It seems like just yesterday all I had to worry about was what outfit my Barbie was going to wear on her first day of school and now I have to start worrying about what I am going to do after graduation. A few years ago I couldn’t wait to grow up. Now it’s scary and I want life to slow down. 

15. It goes by way too fast

This kind of goes along with #14. I am still in shock that my freshmen year is over. After seeing all the seniors in their caps and gowns in Dorton Arena, it hit me that that will be me in three short years. I would love to just spend the rest of my life at MereCo, experiencing everything. As excited as I am to get a little sis, live in the apartments and best of all get the gorgeous Onyx on my right hand, I know it will all fly by. I never thought the same place I was crying at as my parents drove away in August would be the same pace I crying at as I drove away in May. As fast as this year went by I am so thankful for it. Thankful for a beautiful place where I can Go Strong towards my future and find my wings to fly. 

Everyone knows Brad Paisley’s song Letter to Me. It was definitely a tear jerker for me around this time last year. I still can not believe it has almost been a year since the class of 2013 graduated. We are two months out from being through with our freshmen year of COLLEGE. That means in less than four years we are going to be thrown out into this “real world” thing everyone keeps talking about. Scary. After all of these things hitting home recently, I decided to write a letter to myself. Not just for me but for other people a few years younger than me. I’m hoping someone will read it and realize the things that matter so much to them right now may not matter at all in four or five years. So, here it goes:

Brittany Elizabeth Barker, 

Going into high school you are going to be scared to death. You have this idea that the next four years are going to be exactly like Taylor Swift’s song Fifteen. In some ways they are but really they are going to be one big roller coaster ride. I know you hate roller coasters so brace yourself. Some of the “friends” you make freshmen year you won’t even be speaking to by senior year. But it’s okay. You will have multiple people who constantly try to bring you down and tell you you’re not good enough. No worries, senior year you prove them all wrong. Don’t let people walk all over you. It will take you a while to accomplish this skill but once you do, you are going to be so much stronger. As scared as you are that you might fail Algebra 2, you are going to pass that EOC with a 94. Even though your teachers tell you you will use these skills in real life, you won’t. At least the future you has yet to find a moment where she did. Take every chance you can to dance. That “Platinum” award you want so bad? You earn it on your solo your senior year and it is one of the best moments of your life. You become a role model to so many young children that you are going to teach. Every time you walk into the studio to teach them all your worries will go away. Enjoy your senior competition season and recital. Those moments go by so quickly and you will miss it more than anything. Now, could I really write a letter to you without mentioning boys? Of course not. You are going to meet one sophomore year and be overtaken by the fact that he was older than you and noticed you and seemed so perfect. You are going to think you are in love and he’s the one. He’s not. The breakup two and a half years later is going to be hard but it’s okay because both of you are better off without the other. As hard as it is to believe, your parents will always figure everything out and know what is best for you. Follow your heart but never look over those gut feelings telling you something isn’t quite right. You are going to worry yourself to death on if you get into Meredith and you do! Deciding to go there will be one of the best decisions you make. Go to every football game, enjoy every prom, and never take time with your true friends for granted. On graduation day it will rain and you will be upset. As you walk across the stage (at an extremely fast speed) you will have the biggest smile on your face and feel as though the sun is shining directly on you. I know high school is hard and you cringe every time you hear someone say “these are the best four years of your life.” Don’t worry, for you, those “best four years” will be at Meredith. You will cry like a baby telling your friends and family “see you soon” and every time you come home you’ll tear up driving back down the drive way. You will meet so many amazing girls and find the best friend you could ask for. You will find the courage to double major in Business and Dance, getting yourself that much closer to accomplishing your dreams. You were meant to be an Angel. The main thing you need to realize here is that “it’s okay.” Every obstacle that comes your way you will overcome it. whether it takes a day or three years. You will be fine. You will make your parents proud. You will make yourself proud. You will become confident, determined and ready to take on your future. Just believe in yourself. You are your own worst enemy. You can do this. 

Love,

Brittany Elizabeth Barker (2014)

After writing (crying through) this, I realized that I would not be the young woman I am today if I did not go through hard times as a young teen. In July my baby sister turns 13. I hope I can be a positive influence and set a good example for her. I hope I can help her in every way possible through these next few years whether it be on boys, homework or the hardest decision of high school – prom dress shopping. We all think life would have been 100 times easier “if we had only known what we know now.” In reality it would not have. Everything happens for a reason. We just have to wait for the Lord to show us those reasons and cherish every moment. 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Since I’m still trying to get my blog up and running I’ve looked at tons of other blogs for inspiration for posts. One post I have found that seems to be pretty popular is a monthly favorites post. Since afternoon classes were cancelled due to wintery weather (don’t get me started on complaining about the cold) I decided to do a February Favorites post! So here are a few of my favorite things, separated into popular categories, for this past month! Happy March everyone! 

Beauty – 

Because my skin pretty much despises the winter time, I feel like I’m constantly trying to make my skin feel like it does in the sweet summertime. Bath & Bath Works had a “Buy 3, Get 3” sale a few weeks ago so I couldn’t resist the urge to restock my favorite B&B items. I decided to try something new and purchased the Golden Sugar Scrub in the scent Warm Vanilla Sugar. (one of my absolute favorite scents) I was hesitant on whether or not I would like it at first but after the first time using it I LOVED it. Even though my roommate said “What the heck is on your face?!” as she walked in while I was letting it settle, it really worked. It left my skin feeling soft, moisturized and clean. 

My second favorite beauty product for this month is the Urban Decay Naked3 palette. This is my first “high-end” makeup item and I’m thankful Santa found room in his sleigh for this one 🙂 I am not one to experiment with makeup so I normally just stick to the neutral tones for eyeshadow. This palette was perfect for that. It ranges from light rosy tones to a deep brown/black. Right up my alley! I am so glad I decided to put it on my Christmas list. I have used it so much this month and I am sure it could probably go on my monthly favorites until I use it all out! Definitely worth the price! 

Fashion – 

I know I covered popular things for the winter that I constantly find myself wearing in my last post, so all of those still apply to this post. Another fashion item I found myself wearing more this month are the 1/4 zip pullovers. I love Target’s activewear section. Champion brand clothing is so cute and is normally a little cheaper than Nike or Under Armour (my all time favorites) A few weeks ago I purchased a grey pullover with bright green detailing. I wore it so much! Whether it was while warming up for dance or a walk around Raleigh on a pretty afternoon, it provided the perfect amount of warmth. When I went to Target this weekend and the same pullovers were on sale I just had to buy another. Of course the purple one seemed to be calling my name! 

Secondly, I have fallen in love with baseball hats. I would always complain when my mom would tell me to wear a hat so I wouldn’t get sunburnt at the beach but now I probably wear one at least once a week. Whether I miss my alarm and have no time to wash my hair before class or I’m just have a terrible hair day, a cute hat is a must. I currently wear my Meredith hat (Go Angels!) but I can see another cute baseball hat being purchased in the very near future for the spring/summer!

Music – 

Being the music lover I am, I always seem to have a favorite song that I will either play constantly or get extremely excited when it comes on Pandora. This month I have two:

1. 19 You + Me by Dan and Shay – This song is a super cute, summer kind of song. This song makes me think of spending my summer at the beach with friends (not necessarily a boy friend like the song) just relaxing and having a blast. Of course the fact that it’s the “summer of 19” – my age – makes it that much more exciting! It gives my high expectations for this upcoming summer!

2. What Country Is by Luke Bryan – If you know me at all you know Luke is my favorite. Pretty much any of his songs are my favorites… All the time! This one always reminds me of true, summer, southern living. I feel as though a lot of the time “country” people get mistaken for “middle-of-nowhere hicks who fly a confederate flag on their front porch, drive a loud truck and shoot everything that flies or has antlers.” In my opinion this is completely false. Yes some of us do take part in those things (nothing wrong with them, at all) but that not what makes up who we are. Well, enough rambling about my annoyance with stereotypical opinions, this song describes what country truly is. On top of that, I cannot wait until I can have some “Homemade peach ice cream on sunburnt lips.” 🙂 Thanks Luke for another great song and I can’t wait to see you June 7th AND 8th this summer!! (I say that as if there’s any chance in the world he would actually see this…)

So, there are some of my favorite things I remember from this month! 4 more days until spring break for Meredith girls! Stay warm and keep hoping for a warmer March! March 20th is the official first day of spring!!

No, this post is not going to be about surviving a blizzard in the North, but it is going to be about how a summer kind of girl like me survives a cold, NC winter! I hate the cold. Hate it. Give me a a chilly Thanksgiving and Christmas, a few snow days and then bring on the Sunny & 75 degree weather! (Thank you Joe Nichols for creating a song that describes my life perfectly!) This year I noticed I found some things that seemed to make the winter months easier to get through so I decided to share! 

Fashion – When I am cold looking cute isn’t on the top of my list. These winter items made it a little easier!

• Bean Boots – These were going to be on my Christmas list this year but L.L. Bean was running a 10% off sale on them so my Daddy surprised me. 🙂 Bean Boots have definitely been my favorite shoes this winter. They are so cute, comfortable, warm and can be worn with pretty much anything. They worked great in the rain, snow and even when the temperatures plummeted below freezing. Definitely a must have! 
• Wool Socks – These go along with my first “must have.” I love socks that are both fashionable and warm. Wool socks not only keep my feet warm, but look cute peeping out of the top of my favorite boots!
• Puffer Vests – Vests are a great way to look cute and still stay warm. You can wear them with a t-shirt, sweater or a cute blouse. They’re a great way to add a pop of color to an outfit. My favorite puffer vest is my Lilly Pulitzer Lauren vest! It is such a pretty, bright blue color on the outside with the “In the Beginning” print in the inside! Having a little Lilly in winter always makes me feel warm inside! 🙂
• Leggings – I know, every college girl is obsessed with leggings but they are seriously a life saver. They are so easy to put a pair of socks over and tuck into boots. Being a dance major, 99% of the time I am in leggings, yoga pants or sweats. My favorite leggings are my pair by Under Armour! They are so warm, comfy and not see through which is definitely a huge plus!

Food – When I’m stuck inside hiding from the cold all I want to do is eat! Here are some of my favorite things to eat and sip on while I have cabin fever.

• Coffee, Hot Chocolate & Apple Cider – Santa Claus was very generous this year when he delivered a purple Mini Keurig to my house on Christmas Eve! It looks so cute on top of the fridge in my dorm and makes my favorite winter beverages! For my 9AM’s coffee is a must have on cold days! Hot chocolate and Apple Cider are some more hot drinks I turn to during late night study sessions when I need a little boost! Don’t forget the French Vanilla creamer and marshmallows!
• Chili & Soup – When I went home on some weekends my parent’s homemade chili and my great grandma’s homemade vegetable soup were my favorite winter meals! Sitting at the table with a nice bowl of hot chili was something I looked forward to this winter! Comfort foods make the uncomfortable cold a little bit more bearable. 

Entertainment – Since being outside isn’t something I enjoy, keeping myself entertained in the winter was tough at times. I found that these things helped me stay occupied while I was trying to stay warm in the cold dorm room!

• Pandora – I have always loved music and Pandora Radio is one of the best inventions yet. I love creating stations with my favorite artists. Hearing Luke Bryan’s “Suntan City” or similar songs always reminds me that summer is only a few months away! It makes me look forward to laying on the beach with my headphones workin’ on my (much needed) tan!
• Netflix – Movie nights with my girls are my favorite! Netflix makes it easy to watch multiple movies or start a new TV series you’ve always been interested in but missed the first few seasons. Just make sure you get your assignments done first because it can become addicting! 
• Pinterest – Another one of my addictions! Cuddling in my bed with my quilt my great grandma made me, pinning my life away seems to be a normal activity this winter. I always found myself pinning cute summer outfits and beach pictures just wishing I could jump through my computer screen and be on the beach in a new sundress.

I know some of these things seem silly and unnecessary but I had to find some way to keep the winter blues out of my life! I have been so thankful for the beautiful weather this past week. Taking walks with my roommate along the Greenway in Raleigh and down Hillsborough Street have really been a blessing. Let’s hope I find the strength to make it through the next couple of weeks until it is officially spring! I’ll just keep relying on these winter “must haves” and tell myself that whatever the season I am always in a summer state of mind! 

Don’t get me wrong, I am totally a summer kind of girl but within the past month we have had two pretty decent snow days. The first was not only the first “real” (more than a few flurries & actually sticking to the ground) snow but also my first snow as a student at Meredith. I was a little bummed about being away from my family at first but it turned out great. It started out with an impromptu Waffle House trip then my roommate and I ventured out in the snow with tupperware totes, clothes baskets & curtain rods as sleds. Let’s just say the tupperware tote is no longer useful in our dorm. 🙂 After some of our friends in our small group saw our videos from earlier sledding attempts, we all bundled up once more for some sledding fun. This time with trash bags. Yes, we borrowed trash bags from the kitchen in our dorm. Never would I have thought that tying a trash bag to your bottom would be so much fun. I have tons of memories and bruises to prove it! It was honestly one of the best nights I have had so far at Meredith. The next day classes were canceled so we spent the morning sledding & the afternoon catching up on homework and watching movies!

The second snow day was kind of a scare at first. When I got a call from my Mom telling me that there was a possibility I would lose power, I may have had a mini panic attack. Thankfully I have a very loving Daddy who rescued me on his way home from work so I could wait out the blizzard with the fam. After the worry of getting stuck in a gridlock and the horrendous thought of having to walk home, we made it. A drive that normally takes around 25 min – depending on the idiotic drivers and whether or not you make it through the Western Blvd light in one cycle – took 2 hours to accomplish. Even though it took forever for a decision to be made, Meredith canceled class on Thursday and Friday allowing me to spend a 5 day weekend at home complete with power, eating homemade chili and some sledding! 

Even though I would love another reason for my professors to postpone exams and assignment due dates, this girl is beyond ready for warmer weather. I’m thankful for this years wintery NC weather and had SNOW much fun with both my Meredith girls and my wonderful family during our snow days!