Last Day of High School

Running joke that I am the only one not going to a Catholic college.. hence the pic 

Yesterday was my last day of high school. It still feels so surreal and has not totally hit me yet. As excited as I am to head off to college next year, I am extremely close with my core group of friends and don't know what I am going to do without seeing them every day next year. At my school it is a tradition that on the seniors last day we all have a tailgate before school. Everyone meets up for coffee, munckins, and bagels, plays music, and take pictures in our college t-shirts. It's such a fun way to start our last day and gets everyone excited about their colleges. Our graduation is not until June 3rd, however we have lots of exciting senior events on the horizon! 

xoxo,

Catherine

Preppy by the Sea

Early Summer Playlist

Last week on Senior Skip Day I started to make my summer playlist. For the past couple of months I was kind of in a music rut and just listened to whatever came on the radio, but now there are so many good songs! I have been listening to music on my speaker all the time at home and using my AUX whenever I'm in the car. This playlist is a little longer than a typical monthly one, but they are all fun, upbeat songs for the summer! Let me know what songs you have been loving recently as I am always looking to add to my playlist. 

xoxo,

Catherine 

Preppy by the Sea 

Saying Yes

After today I will have three days left of high school. It is crazy to think that everything is about to come to and end, but theses past couple of weeks have slowed down a lot at school and have given me time to reflect. Recently, I have been putting blogging on the back burner to focus on enjoying the last weeks at high school with my friends. Don't get me wrong, I have missed having daily content up, but at the same time it has been liberating to just go with the flow. Once all of the graduation festivities wrap up and I get into a summer routine, there will be lots of new content.

Now that my senior year is practically over, I think the biggest piece of advice I could give to people entering senior year is to say yes more often. This year has hands down been my favorite year go high school and I attribute that to embracing free time and just going with the flow. My friends and I have been far more spontaneous this year and have made so many awesome memories. We went hiking, attended the Patriot's Super Bowl Parade, went skiing, skipped school to go to the beach, ran a half marathon, played senior assassin, and just made an effort to spend as much time together as possible. We are all going to be plane rides away from each other next year, so saying yes to as many things that pop up as possible is 100% worth it, even if you feel like your schedule is insanely busy.

For the first time in four years, grades no longer have the same significance. I am not saying to catch a severe case of senioritis and give up completely, but you know where you're going to college, so cut the studying time down and go out with your friends!  You will remember going to get ice cream and having great conversations with your best friends more than staying in studying or catching up on your latest Netflix show of choice. Put your phones down, explore your city, go out to breakfast, and just say yes to making plans.

xoxo,

Catherine 

Preppy by the Sea 

Carry On to Beach Bag

Although I have learned countless important lessons from my dad, one of the more useful things he has taught me is how to be a light packer when it comes to flying. If we are going anywhere in a car I am the definition of an overpacker, however the moment a plane becomes part of a travel plan you can bet your bottom dollar I will not be checking a bag. My dad travels all the time for work and is constantly on and off of planes, so he has no time to tolerate waiting at baggage claim or dealing with lost luggage. Like him, I am not the most patient person you will ever meet and thus I have learned to love carry ons. Really though, if I could pack for two weeks in Europe with a carry on suitcase and a tote bag, anything is possible. 

Now onto the actual topic of this post, transitioning your carryon tote to a beach bag. With summer just around the corner I am sure a lot of people have plans to go to the beach. Even if you live on the water, these tips could easily work if you plan on having your beach bag double as an over night bag. It is silly to bring two totes with you when flying, so I highly suggest bringing a durable tote that can quickly turn into your beach bag once you arrive at your destination (the L.L. Bean Boat & Tote is my favorite). If you feel as though you will need something in addition to your wallet once you arrive, pack a small cross body bag in your suitcase and you will be all set. When I camp out at the beach for the day, my essentials are fairly similar to those things I would want with me on a flight: a good book, head phones, and portable charger, water, etc. When you arrive at the beach, swap out your laptop and passport for a beach towel and some sunscreen and you're ready to go! I promise this easy packing tip will help you pack lighter and make your traveling experiences painless!

xoxo,

Catherine

Preppy by the Sea 

Book Review: Big Little Lies

Over vacation I made an effort to read a few books for pleasure, one of which being Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. During the school year I rarely have time to sit down and read and I always forget how much I truly enjoy it when I have a good book. Because it was just made into a series on HBO with Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and Shailene Woodley I had heard of the book and decided to pick up a copy before leaving for my trip. The book is around 500 pages and I read it in a day and a half. Needless to say, I absolutely loved it and already have one of my friends hooked. 

So you're probably thinking what's this book about? Big Little Lies is a mystery novel/thriller. The book focuses on three mothers in a small seaside town in Australia, each struggling with different personal challenges. On the night of a large fundraiser at their children's elementary school, there is a murder and the book works its way up to the night of the crime. The story exposes the pressing issues of domestic violence, sexual assault, bullying, divorce, and the struggles of being a single parent. Initially the story seems to just depict the daily lives of the mothers and their children, however as the plot progresses you will encounter a plethora of plot twists and will not being able to put it down!

After finishing the book, I watched the series and was not disappointed. Although there are quite a few differences between the plot of the book and the series, the acting and cast are phenomenal and I would definitely recommend it! Have you read Big Little Lies? 

xoxo,

Catherine

Preppy by the Sea