201I can't believe it's been 3 years to the day that I graudated college. It feels like just yesterday I was still at school, partying and sitting in classrooms, waiting the dreaded day when I would no longer be a student at Iona College.

I would be lying if I said it didn't still hurt and I'd be lying if I said that I didn't have anxiety and sadness running through my veins as I write this because I do. Graduating college is the breakup I will never get over; I will forever be the ex-girlfriend who refused to let go.

When I first graduated I went into a severe depression and I'm pretty sure I took it the worst out of all my friends. It wasn't until last year, 2 years in, that I felt ok with not going back to campus and I owe that to the fact that most of my friends were long gone as well, and I was comfortable with my life.

I had a job I loved, I was still hanging out with my friends, and was keeping myself busy. I no longer longed for the feeling of my old apartment or Friday nights at the bar; I was ok.

Today, I am ok but that doesn't mean I don't miss it.

I've visited my campus two times over the past few months to visit old friends and catch up with my sorority sisters and it was glorious. Whenever I drive passed my campus I'm overcome with tears but a true joy. My happiness hits a new level when I drive down North Avenue and I think that's how it will be forever.

When I walk down the street, it doesn't feel like a day has passed. It is so natural for me to be there and to be with my friends.




College made me who I am today; it gave me my friends and it taught me lots of lessons. I had so much fun and those memories will last me a lifetime. College truly was the greatest 4 years of my life, and I'm not being dramatic when I say I don't know if I will ever get that high back.

3 years later, I'm still at the same job I've been at for the past two years, I still talk to all of my friends and we still are creating new memories together. I'm still living at home which is ok with me; I'm not in a rush to move out to a small apartment with roommates when I can live comfortably at home with my mom and sister (who are basically like roommates because we're 3 adults with separate lives and my mom doesn't hound us like a typical mom)

3 years later, I'm coming into my own. I've had a lot of curveballs thrown at me and I'm learning to deal with them on an adult level. I'm not the same girl I was 3 years ago, but part of her will always live inside me because she holds the key to everything I've learned.

This is my Map Necklace, with the address of my college My aunt who also went to Iona bought this for me for graduation

I love my school, I love my friends, and I loved my life at Iona College. 3 years later, that has not changed and it never will, but I'm learning to let go a little bit because it's unhealthy to live in the past.

3 years is a long time but not really, because everything is still clear as day.

To all the seniors graduating this year, take it all in. Cherish every minute from now until you walk across the stage. Don't be scared because it will ok... eventually.

To all the rising college students, don't take anything for granted. Do everything you can do to create memories. Stay out till 5 AM if you have an 8 AM class because it won't really matter in a few years; have fun, take a shot, and be involved. Your time is limited at that place you call home and eventually, it will evaporate into thin air but with good people by your side, that home will always live in your heart.

xoxo
B

PS: Below is some articles/posts I've written about graduating and post-grad life. I highly recommend reading them if you're scared shitless!

• Letter to My 17 Year Old Self
• Things I Learned Throughout College
• Nostaglic Thoughts
• Post Grade Update #1
• I Just Graduated Now What: Book Review *THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOK YOU'LL EVER READ. BUY IT NOW
• 2014 in Review: Lessons Learned
• What to Do if You Graduate Without a Job
• Job Search: Where to Start
• Post Grad Update: 1 Year

Illerations have been taken to a new level. I am not apologizing for it.

For the past 20 years, I've had my own room. There was time when I was around 8 that I shared a room with my sister, but the reason is unknown to me, because we transformed her room into a playroom. It lasted a few months before we switched back.

Then I went to college and shared a room for 3 years, until senior year, when I had my own apartment and own room again. I moved back home in 2014, and was forced to share a room with my 18 year old sister.

We are complete opposites, night & day. She is messy, I am neat. She is an outgoing, social butterfly and I am a homebody. It was not good for me, or for us. But this was the hand I was dealt and I had to deal with it.

I missed having my own space, decorating the way I deemed fit, and just having a place to call my own. I craved that personal space, and I really didn't want to be the 23 year old who lived at home and shared a room with my sister. I was starting to get self conscious about it (not that there IS anything wrong with it, but if I'm supposed to be an adult, I need space).

My mom used to tell me that when I was little, I would stay in my room for hours and hours at a time. I wouldn't leave to go to the bathroom or eat; I just sat on my floor, playing with my toys and dolls, watching television and completely content. I just enjoy being alone in my own room.

That's why when I found out we had to move, I demanded that we find a house with three bedrooms -- it was a deal-breaker for everyone involved. Well, low and behold, we found one and it's been 2 weeks since moving in and I can't remember the last time I felt this content.

When I feel anxious or angry or just feel like I need some alone time, I can go into my room and close the door. My room is super bright and girly -- I had a vision for my room and I knew I wanted it to look as if it popped off the Pinterest screen.

White walls, beige furniture, white bedding and gold & blush accents.

Well, I still have some decorating *gallery wall* to do, but it's coming along perfectly and when I lay in bed at night, I feel super content and comfortable because it feels like my space.

Once the gallery wall is done, and I have a dresser (I really just need one to store my winter clothes), my room will be 100% complete.

If you follow me on Instagram, you'll see I posted a few photos but here's a wider look.

This will be part of my soon to be gallery wall!

I really really love alliterations and I always hate just writing "_____ Favorites", so let's call this the Monthly Muse. UGH I love the way that sounds!

Mostly I always write about beauty products because those are the items I always see in monthly roundups and they're the thing I use most during the month. I always try to throw a random non beauty item in there and this month, I have a few. It's definitely a nice change of pace.

This month was wonderful for one reason: my move. I've talked it to death on the blog but I can't help it. It's a huge deal to me. I've shared a room with my sister for 2.5 years, ever since graduating college, and it's been a nightmare. We are polar opposites and it was taking a toll on my sanity, and our relationship. I finally have my own space, that I can decorate as I please and relish in.

I've been so happy pretty much every day since moving because I get to come home to my room. I've always been the type to stay in my room -- my mom used to say that she wouldn't see me for days when I was little because I would just be in my room, content as could be, and entertaining myself. Well, 23 years later and not much has changed.



That brings to me to my favorites:

1. THE MOVE: I love my new house (I still live with my mom and sister) and it's perfect. It's nice and spacious, we all have our own little space, and it just feels like home. There's tons of light and it feels very open and airy. I will post a room tour this week -- the one thing I'm waiting on is my gallery wall and dresser, but I'll address that in the post.

2. iPad Mini: I've definitely mentioned this in my favorites before but I've rediscovered it. That sounds so silly but I go through stages with the things that I enjoy and I decided to remove my iPad from it's case and just hold it as it and I love it so much better. I ordered a sleeve for it, and I just love toting it around with me. I love how tiny it is but how I can actually get stuff done. I'm obsessed!

3. Mercari: I don't think I've ever used an app as much as I've used this. Mercari is a shopping app where you can buy and sell pretty much anything and everything. I've talked about Poshmark in the past but this in my opinion, is better than Poshmark. There are more options for sellers, there's more information needed to sell an item, and the best part? They don't take a commission from your sales. I've purchased a BUNCH of stuff from the app over the past month and I've SOLD even more stuff! Everything I've received is perfect and I haven't had an issue. I know there has been some scandal with this in the past, mostly with fake cosmetics, but if you're a smart buyer, you'll have no issue!

4. Caudalie Beauty Elixir: I was in need of a new refreshing spray and I knew it would be this one. I've been wanting to try it for months so I finally picked it up from Sephora. It has a peppermint scent and feels slightly tingly on the skin. It's perfect for a morning pick me up, or a mid afternoon refresher. I usually use this before my makeup application, as an extra priming step and I just love the way it makes my skin feel.

5. Laura Mercier Baked Bronzer: I received this item in a 500 point perk from Sephora and I'm so glad I did. Laura Mercier is a brand I've been wanting to experiment with for a while and I'm finally getting a feel for her products. This bronzer is the perfect everyday bronzer; it's warm but not orange toned and it doesn't kick up too much product. It distributes the perfect amount of product onto your brush and gives the most gorgeous sunkissed look.

What were your monthly favorites this month?

I'm changing things up around here this week. I realize that I've kind of outgrown the Links to Love idea, mostly because I feel like it's not just links I'm posting. I'm sharing updates, both life & blog, I'm talking about random things, the posts I shared on the blog today and the links I loved.

Weekly Wrap Up seems much more fitting for me right now.

So welcome! Let's get to it.

I'm all settled into the new house and I'm obsessed. All I want to do is lay in my bed and relax because my room is now my sanctuary. I forgot how much I needed/enjoyed having my own space and it's so great to have it back. It's a joy to come home and wake up because I like my space. It's wonderful.

I'm waiting for a few more photos to arrive from Etsy to create my gallery wall and then my room will be (almost complete). I plan on sharing the progress next week in a post so look out for that!

I was published again on The Haute Mess; if you aren't reading them or following them on social media, you need too! The Haute Mess has been one of my favorite websites since they launched within the past year and I'm obsessed. They write about everything from beauty to work to lifestyle and I just think it's so relatable.

I don't think I have too many other updates so for now, here are the links I loved this week:

• Bite Beauty is releasing new multi-sticks and I'm fascinated
• The late 2000s were my prime time & this was the soundtrack
• Did anyone follow this Marina Joyce theory this week? It was WILD
• Can someone buy me crystals? I need them
• I would love if I could quit social media for a bit; this article was great! 
• Into The Gloss profiles have become some of my favorite on the Internet

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If you follow me on Instagram you know which planner I already chose.

If you've been reading this blog for the past 4 years, you know which planner I chose.

This year, I thought I'd switch things up, which didn't work for me last year or the year before. When I saw that Ban.do released their new and improved planners, which had a spiral binding, I knew that I would go with these this year.

Ban.do is known for their cute, quirky, and fun products and their planners are no different. I knew the moment I saw that these planners were released, that they would be mine.



Well, I pre-ordered this gorgeous pink rose planner in the medium size when they were released at the end of April, but didn't receive mine until mid-June.

That's fine... I was more than happy to have my planner in my possession finally. It was super cute, and I loved that it had a spiral binding. I ordered and used a ban.do planner last year but it was regular book binding and I found myself being frustrated with it, therefore around November, I ordered a Lilly one.

I was perfectly content with my cute planner, photoed here, until Lilly released their planners.

Well, I fell in love.

I needed this planner. I needed more Lilly in my life.

So I ordered the Lilly and gave the ban.do one to my sister, who was happy to have a free planner.

There are many similarities between the two planners; they're the same size, have the same calendar features, and are insanely cute. They have cute details along every single page, quirky quotes at the start of each calendar month, and they both come with stickers.






The gripe I do have is that the ban.do planner is not lined, for each week. It's just a blank box to be filled in. Lilly has lines and I much prefer that.

They both have fun pages, such as holidays and fun dates to remember. They also both include notes pages while Lilly has a place for addresses (I don't really use that) and has extra design pages with their 5x5 designs on it.









Also, the Lilly planner (in Large) is slightly bigger than the ban.do planner, which could definitely be a deal breaker. If you prefer something fun, but don't want something too big, I recommend the ban.do. Lilly has a smaller size but to me, it's way too small.

All in all, I really am partial to Lilly. I like the design better, I like the layout better (even if they are similar) and I feel like it's not as outrageous as ban.do.







It's all opinion here, and I just always prefer Lilly planners. It's what I'm partial to and what I'll probably always buy.

I should probably stop trying to stray from what I know & love because like a bad ex, I keep going back.

What agenda did you choose this year?



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What a week! It's been very long, very tiring but well worth it. I finally made the big move (granted I'm still living with my mom, but it was still a big move!)

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Tomorrow is finally it... moving day! I've been talking it to death since April but I'm so happy it's finally here. I'll have my own room again, my little oasis, and decorate it however I please. It's going to be the epitome of an Instagram/Pinterest worthy bedroom.

That being said, I know this week is going to be hectic, which means that it'll be quiet here on the blog. There's a lot to unpack, set up, and settle in... and on Saturday I'm heading to the InfluenceHer (HerCampus) HerConference! I'm super excited because REBECCA MINKOFF is speaking at the event.

I've attended three of these conferences before and always have a great time, but I'm very, very excited for this year because the speakers are just out of this world.

Moving, work, and a conference is going to make for a busy week so like I said, it'll be quiet here. That's ok, I know there are plenty of other incredible bloggers out there to keep you occupied... but don't forget about me ;)

For now, here's some little updates on life lately!

I broke out my new Lilly dress on the first day of summer aka National Wear Your Lilly Day

Is there anything better than Iced Tea Lemonade on a hot, New York Day

My cousin's baby shower was beach themed and it was so cute!

I spent the 4th of July with my first bottle of White Girl Rose & it was delicious

The first baseball game of the season! LGM

I saw Jaclyn Hill's face in Sephora and it was epic

Typical Italian dinner on a Saturday night with the family {Mattoes in Howard Beach}

What's better than a lobster roll? A lobster grilled cheese! {Bungalow Bar in Rockaway, NY}

I got my hands on the NEW Anastasia Beverly Hills "Sweets" Glow Kit and it's TO DIE FOR Review coming soon!

Have a great week everyone!