I'm severely depressed and I don't know when I'm going to snap out of it. I do not want to be back here in chilly NYC but would rather have a drink in my hand, on the beach in sunny Punta Cana. Me and my friends had been planning this trip for months and in the blink of an eye, it's over. I can't even begin to explain how fast it went; I felt like I had just arrived when I was packing my bags to return home.

It was an interesting week, as you can imagine; 15 fraternity and sorority college students, some who were best friends and others who were strangers. Imagine 15 college students traipsing through an airport together at 6am. It was really aggressive (aggressive was the word of the trip); we were cranky and bitchy and rude but we had a lot of laughs. I wouldn't have had it any other way.

As you can imagine, I don't travel well. My nerves are always high and I get really anxious but traveling with my friends was a lot different. I was really calm and the plane ride was actually a lot of fun.

Once we got to Punta Cana though, it was on. An all inclusive vacation was the best thing to happen to me and my friends. All we could eat and drink for five days straight. There was no place I would rather be. 

The weather was positively beautiful; laying on a beach all day and partying all night was perfection. The resort we stayed out was definitely not what I imagined; there were a lot of families and hardly any Spring Break college students so me and my friends definitely made our own fun.

With beautiful weather, good vibes and great friends, you can truly make the best out of any situation. This trip was the definition of that; of course it was a typical college Spring Break in some aspects but being with my friends made me realize that you can make your own fun, no matter where you are. 

My Spring Break was filled with incredible memories, lots and lots of laughs, and my best friends. Seriously, these people became my family...literally. We kept pretending we were on a family vacation but I guess you had to be there #Griswolds. 

Punta Cana 2014, you will be missed. I wish I was on the beach with a Banana Mama in my hand or at the Bellini Bar. Now it's back to reality and time to face the truth...I graduate in less than 2 months.

Cheers to #SpringBreakForever

It's now 24 hours until me and 14 of my closest friends are on a plane to the Dominican Republic. My excitement is truly unreal and I've been a stressed out mess all week. Between finishing up midterms, sorority initiation, tanning, packing, and running around to get everything I need, it's been a rough one. I need a vacation just from preparing for vacation!

Packing is such a process because you never know what you are going to need once you get there. I love having options for outfits and I overpack when I'm going somewhere for one night so for me, it was all about prioritizing.

I made check lists on check lists to try to remember everything I need. It's crazy and if you've ever gone on a trip like this, you understand my pain. It's also my first actual vacation without my parents so I don't have my mom breathing down my neck to make sure I remembered everything.

Here are some tips for packing lightly but efficiently for Spring Break:

1. Only the essentials: DO NOT OVERPACK. Do you really want to pay the extra money to go over the 50 pound limit? I don't. Plan accordingly and ahead of time. If you're going to a beach vacation for five days, don't bring 10 bathing suits. Think about it, you'll only be wearing a bathing suit and cover up during the day and dressy clothes at night. Don't bring too many pairs of shorts or too many dresses. Bring at most, three extra outfit options so you have a choice in what you'd like to wear.

2. Plan with your friends/roomies: If you're going away with your best friends, pitch in on stuff. Instead of everyone bringing a blow dryer or straightener, bring one or two per room. There's no need for everyone to bring shampoo and conditioner, buy a large one at Target and spilt the price. It'll free up some space in your suitcases and it'll be cheaper for everyone in the long run.

3. Roll your clothes: Instead of folding your clothes or laying them flat, roll them. Yes, they will be wrinkled but there will be so much room in your suitcase. You can stack the clothes on top of each other and pair them side by side, tuck them into the nooks and crannies of your suitcase. It'll take a little more time rather than just dumping everything into your suitcase at once but it'll save you space which is all what packing is about.

4. Pack in compartments: Utilize the compartments in your suitcase; pack your undergarments and bathing suits in those zippered parts to allow more room for shoes and actual clothing in the main part of your suitcase. As for toiletries and makeup, buy little pouch bags or makeup bags to keep everything together and save space. Also, if everything liquid is together, it'll be harder for them to spill out all over your clothes. #Nightmare

A few other traveling tips:

-Pack your carryon last so you don't forget anything!

-Keep your passport, drivers license, tickets, and money together in a separate little bag so everything is altogether.

-Don't forget to pack your chargers and wires for your electronic devices!

-Even if you're on a beach vacay, bring a pair of sneakers because there might be some outdoor excursions you want to go on that require sneakers.

-Wear your heaviest shoes on the plane to save space and weight in your suitcase.

-Don't bring expensive jewelry, you don't really need it and God forbid it gets lost.

-Pack your shoes on the bottom so you can stack clothes on top and they won't get dirty.

-Download new music and update your iPod before you get on the plane.

-Look up the weight and other travel restrictions before you get to the airport.

Whenever I have traveled in the past, my carryon is my favorite bag to pack! That's where all the good stuff is and the most important because it'll keep you occupied on the plane. Here are my Carry On Essentials:

-Ipad, iPod, and cell phone: they'll all keep you occupied and a lot of airlines now have WiFi on the planes

-A book or magazine: If you're not the e-book type, bring a book or magazine to keep you occupied and entertained.

-Motion Sickness Medicine: I get ridiculously motion sickness and nervous on planes (as you can imagine, (#TypeA) so my Dramamine medication is a must whenever I fly

-Ear plugs and gum: No one enjoys the feeling of having your ears pop as the plane takes off and lands. Be prepared!

-Sunglasses: You'll want/need/beg for them as soon as you get off the plane!

-Change of Clothes: Some hotels and flights don't line up correctly so you might not be able to check in as soon as you get to the hotel. To get every bit of time in on your first day, pack a bathing suit, cover up and pair of sandals to change into quickly so you can hit the beach ASAP.

Point of Interest: Put ALL liquids in your suitcase; if you have them in your carryon, it's sure to be a disaster at the airport. 

What are your travel and packing tips for any type of vacation? Tell me in the comments! 

Happy Spring Break everyone!!!

  

The countdown is really on right now; I leave for Punta Cana in FOUR days. All my clothes are purchased, packing has begun and my nail appointment has been made, now all we do is wait. It's definitely going to be a hectic week of preparing but the end result is going to be incredible.

I, like every other girl, have a lot of trouble shopping for bathing suits so this has been a long shopping process. Because I hate shopping for bathing suits and summer clothes so much, I made the odd decision to buy the same bikini in five different colors. My mom thought it was weird but I see no problem with it.

It was also a task to not overpack but bring enough clothes to satisfy my ever changing outfit moods. I haven't put together my outfits yet but in reality I need five bathing suits, five cover ups, and five night outfits. I won't be wearing much else during the day besides a bathing suit and cover up and then wearing a dress or dressy shorts at night. It shouldn't be that difficult but I'm a 21 year old girl so it is.

I also know I'm not the only one struggling with this, fess up ladies!

Here are just some ideas of what to wear on Spring Break!

Spring Break Beach by royallypink featuring a bathing suits two piece

For the beach, keep it simple; don't go crazy with make-up because it'll just wash off in the water or sweat it off in the sun.

Spring Break Night Out by royallypink featuring black strap sandals

For at night, I still wouldn't go crazy because it'll be hot and if you keep the accessories to a minimum, it'll be less to pack. Also, I worry way too much about my items getting stolen or my luggage getting loss.

Stay tuned for more Spring Break posts as the week goes on! 

What are your favorite outfits for Spring Break getaways? Tell me in the comments!

As a blogger, there are certain brands and companies that you lust over and wish an email from them would pop up in your inbox. Last week, my blogger dream came true when Jennifer Taylor, the Jack Rogers girl, emailed me and asked if I'd help promote the latest giveaway from Jack Rogers.

I'm pretty in love with the Jack Rogers brand; both their products and their image. Jennifer does a fabulous job at running their social media.

This His + Hers giveaway is being held by Jack Rogers and Chubbies. It's totally perfect for the start of Spring Breaks everywhere. You'll be entered for the chance to win a pair of Jack Rogers for you and a pair of Chubbies shorts for the man in your life. This is the dream giveaway for sorority women and fraternity men everywhere.

It's very simple to enter, just go to the Jack Rogers Facebook page and enter your email on the giveaway tab. You have nothing to lose! 

The giveaway ends on March 14th so hurry up and enter!

PS: Mackenzie Horan of Design Darling did a fabulous career spotlight on Jennifer Taylor ; go check it out and be inspired!

It was another insane week and I almost didn't make it through. No, that's a complete exaggeration but it was definitely stressful. Between work, school work, blogging, planning and job hunting, it was getting on my last nerve. Thank God it's over!

The good news is that this time next week, I will be packing up and preparing for my first trip out of the country with the greatest group of friends ever to PUNTA CANA. I'm so excited I could scream!

To wind down the week, here are five of my favorite things I've found.

1. Movie Title Break-up: I saw this somewhere on the internet a few weeks ago but just got around to watching it this week. It's a video of a couple where they break up, only using movie titles. It's completely hilarious, in-genius and entertaining. I'm curious if the break-up was actually real (I doubt it was) but this was really clever!

2. Sweet Potato Gnocchi: I'm trying to not eat carbs as much anymore(by carbs I mean bread and pasta) and for the most part, this week went very, very well. Tuesday, I had a lot of time on my hands and I've seen this recipe for Sweet Potato Gnocchi before but never had the time to try it out. Usually when I make recipes off Pinterest, they fail but this one came out SO good. I'm so proud of myself and they weren't that hard to make. I'll definitely be trying this again in the future.

3. TS-2 Heat To Straightening Brush: I saw this little gem on Pinterest but didn't think it could possibly be real. A brush that straightens your hair like a flat iron? And it's less than $10? Is that even possible? I'm really curious to see how it works and I might just have to buy it and find out.

4. Spring Break Articles: I love HerCampus and all the articles featured on the site. Sometimes they have the funniest GIF featured articles that make me crack up but are also hilariously true. This week they posted an article called "What Spring Break in College is Actually Like" and it was just perfect, so spot on. #8days

5. Lilly Pulitzer Accessories: I was looking at the Lilly website yesterday and I saw that there were some brand new accessories featured on the site. My favorite is the glass catchall tray in Tusk in the Sun; I might have to add this to my Lilly collection!

It's been a long, rough and stressful week. It went by pretty fast but the days felt like they dragged on. I'm definitely looking forward to the weekend and some down time, even though I'm going to be swamped with homework/papers/studying. 

Here are some of my favorite things this week that made everything a little easier and brighter.

1. Spring Break

Punta Cana is calling my name!! In just two weeks, I'll be on a plane headed to what will be the craziest, wildest and most fun experience of my four years of college. My sorority sisters, favorite fraternity men, and myself will be taking over Punta Cana and I can't wait to see what Spring Break has in store for us!!

2. 22 Things Only Second Semester Seniors Will Understand

There's less than three months till graduation and I'm really struggling with the idea of not being in college anymore. I have an anxiety attack at least once a day and it's just not fun when people are constantly asking me what I'm doing when I graduate. This post from The Huffington Post is pretty much spot on and down right hysterical. #Don'tMakeMeLeave

3. SCANDAL IS BACK!

Maybe the week went by so fast because I knew Olivia Pope was going to return to my TV screen on Thursday at 10pm. As I write this post, I haven't seen the episode yet by my goodness, I'm sure it'll make my week 100x better than it already was. To tide me over, I took this Buzzfeed quiz on which Scandal character I am. I got Mellie Grant and couldn't be happier! #FLOTUS

PS: Check out this hilarious video montage of Olivia Pope and her love of red wine:

4. TSM Columns

I've been huge on columns and articles this week and TSM has been killing it. Since they opened their new website, the columns they've been posting so many columns ranging in so many different topics. Everything seems much more relevant to sorority girls and less offensive. I've even submitted a column or two and I'm hoping they get published! I have a lot of ideas for columns so maybe you'll see me published soon!

5. Her Campus Community Moderators and Beta Testers:

Being part of the HerCampus Blogger Network has been such an amazing experience. I've gotten so many cool opportunities and they just keep rolling in! I was selected to be a Community Moderator and Beta Tester along with some of my other fabulous HCBN ladies. I'll be moderating the blogger facebook groups and helping out HC HQ with some blogger stuff. I'm SO excited to take things to the next level!!

What have been the highlights of your week?