Make it happen

So...I was inspired today by a beauty guru on YouTube. She inspired me by her video, and I have decided to make things happen in May! I have a few goals that I want to achieve this month and I think it'd be great for everyone to jump on the bandwagon :)

What are some things YOU would like to achieve in the month of May?

Always,
Chelsea

Battling the teenage triangle

School, seven hours. Voice lessons, 30 minutes. Break, one hour. Homework, three hours. Computer, one hour. Project, two hours. Then I get ready for bed, only to sleep and wake up again the next day to repeat it all.

In high school, the subject of utmost importance to teenagers is themselves. Their school work, their sleep, and one of the bigger priorities, their social lives. It is difficult to balance all three of these things, being so busy to fit everything in, and that is where the “teenage triangle” comes in. This is a picture of a triangle with the words social life, sleep, each written at a tip of the triangle. This triangle claims that you can only choose one, and while most people believe this to be true, I think differently.

The utmost priority for me is school. I try as hard I can to keep pace with the hectic workload my teachers dump onto me, but constantly, projects or research papers bombard me. It almost seems as if my teachers believe I should spend all of my time working at school, as if seven hours of school is not enough. I have nothing against homework, but the abundance of work I am required to complete outside of school is excessive, but as difficult as it is, I still manage.

My second most priority is my social life. Because of homework, I have remotely no time to have much of one, but I still strain to be a part of my surroundings. Being in choir, along with other extracurricular activities takes up a lot of my time, so the only time I truly get to socialize with people is on the weekends either when I am not finishing Friday’s homework, or when I am squeezing in texts between my homework and activities.

My third most priority should be treated better than it is, but it is not due to my lack of time. Sleep. Yes, I know, sleep is very important, and I get some, just not much. In between everything I have to do during the day, I may manage to slip in a quick nap every once in a while, but for the most part my activities go on into the night, which leaves me vigorously trying to finish my work so I can finally just sleep. It is truly an ongoing cycle. Day after day, nothing changes except for the date.  Sleep is practically the one and only thing that makes the daily torture worth it.

While sometimes finding a way to keep up with my school, sleep, and obtain my social life seems impossible, it is not. I find a way to balance all of these things into my life, as difficult as it is. Time management and willingness to get everything done is important, and sleep definitely helps. As the teenage triangle is meant to be universal, I myself have conquered it, and I believe anyone else can too with a little shove.

Always,

Chelsea

A few of my favorite blogs

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

I have just discovered a site called Bloglovin. It enables me to follow and keep track of new posts by my favorite bloggers, which I have a lot.

I'll share some of my favorites with you!

1. http://www.abeautifulmess.com/

This blog is run by two beautiful, inspiring women. Their name's are Elsie and Emma and their blog is updated more than once, daily AND they blog about anything you could imagine, from photography to DIY's. They're amazing. They also offer E-Courses which I hope to take eventually.

2. http://apairandasparediy.com/

This is a blog entirely about DIY fashion made by the extremely talented Geneva Vanderzeil. It is AWESOME if that is what you're in to.

3. http://www.thecollegeprepster.com/

This is the blog that inspired me to make my own! Carly Heitlinger is a motivational young women, and posts every single day about something new and interesting. She is very inspiring to me.

4. http://www.acharmingoccasionblog.com/

This blog is run by a lovely Joelle Duff. She is a self-made wedding planner, which I aspire to be one day, among other things. Her blog is  mainly about wedding planning, as well as her everyday life. She's just, charming.

5. http://www.thesmallthingsblog.com/

This blog is run by the beautifully talented Kate. She posts regularly about hair tutorials! It's so awesome and I find her tips to be very helpful. She also posts from time to time about her everyday life.

All in all, all of these blogs are amazing, just like the people that are behind their creation! I hope that one day I can become as self-made and wonderful as this fantastic group of women.

Always,
Chelsea

Study Overload

So basically, I've been MIA for the past week...maybe two weeks...because I've literally been on study overload. School and choir has taken over my life completely. AH. I just want t scream.

Let me give you a little recap...

I had this thing for choir over the past weekend called FACE, where all of the top choirs in my school district get together and learn like 10 songs, only to perform them and be directed by none other than the world famous Dr. Craig Jessop. He used to be the director of the Mormon Tabernackle choir, as well as the director of many other traveling army related choirs and such. He's been all over the world, which if you ask me, or any other fellow choir nerd, that is pretty dang cool. Anyways, I had this concert, but last week was the week of preparation. I had a two hour rehearsal on Monday night, a three hour one on Thursday, and a four hour one on Friday. On top of all of that, I had to keep up with my homework, as well as continue learning my solo for my solo & ensemble contest this weekend...(I still don't have my solo memorized...yikes). So after the rigorous rehearsals, I spent a long day Saturday preparing for the concert and working with Dr. Jessop, and then was finished, concert and all around 9:30 Saturday night.

Then I had church the next morning, which was much needed. My boyfriend (Chris) and I went to a new church just to see how the service was...we like our church better. And then I spent some time with him, and then did more homework and worked on my online course. Yesterday, Chris helped me with physics, and for the past four hours I have been studying for my physics test tomorrow.

Needless to say, I am exhausted. All I've wanted to do was write here on my blog this past week. I'm glad I have a little time, or rather am making time, to just breathe and type out the words that have been on my mind all weekend.

Oh, by the way. A lesson I've learned the hard way: Don't trust people in a way that you expect them to do their part's on group projects. I basically did and entire, six page lab report by myself due to the lack of work in my group for physics. I'm NEVER working in a group again, especially in physics. Oh, and bragging rights are apparent in my case. We made a 100. We were the ONLY people in the class to make a 100. Call me a genius.

Anyways, it is time for bed, but hopefully I can start posting regularly again.

Always,
Chelsea

A Late Night With Good Friends

Ah, tonight. Tonight was...refreshing. 

You know those friends who you've had forever, but they seem to naturally drift away with the current of life? They're in your life the last time you checked, and you can't even really remember the last conversation you had, or when your friendship even died out...it just did?

Well that happened to a rather large group of friends and I, and tonight, we fought against life and got back together. Honestly, I haven't laughed as hard as I did tonight in a very, very long time. I was just so happy, and deja vu was definitely in the air.

I missed my friends. Tonight, I realized just how much. I just can't stress how important it is to just be with friends sometimes. I feel like life has this way of taking everything good away from you at times, and you just have to fight it.

We all did tonight, and hopefully we can keep up the fight.

This is Jimmy. He's been one of my really close friends since 5th grade...almost 7 years. Oh man, oh man.

Jimmy, well, being Jimmy.

Meet Joey and Austin. I've known them since I was in middle school. 

This is Austin, and his girlfriend, Ally. I've known Ally since I was itty bitty :) Second grade was when we met.

I also met this chick in second grade, Brooke. Ally, Brooke, and I were all in the same class. We were, and still are close-knit friends.

Anyways, it was great to hang out with these kiddos tonight. 

Don't you love reunions?

Always,

Chelsea

5 Highs, 1 Low; Feb. 10-16

This is a new series for my blog called "Highs and Lows". I'd like to come up with a more creative name, but that will come with time.  In this series, I will post about the top 5 things that happened to me in the past week, whether it be time spent with someone, a day in general, or just a small incident. So...here it goes.

1. Wednesday, I was able to see Chris for the first time since last Friday (which sucked kind of lot). That's probably the longest I've been away from him in the entire time that we've been dating (a little over eight months). Anyways, I was very happy to see him. He came to my house for a while and we just worked on some of his college work, then we went to band practice at our church, then the service commenced. It was nice.

2. Thursday was Valentine's Day, as you all know. I went to school, was kind of unsettled by countless couples eating each others faces off. I was nearly running out the door at 1:30, trying to escape the gigantic balloons and oversize teddy bears hitting me in the halls.

3. Also on Thursday, I went out and secretly bought my mom a beautiful bouquet, and a chocolate rose. I like surprising her.

4. Chris got me "Warm Bodies" for Valentines Day, so I can read it before I see it. Needless to say, I was very excited. (Review coming soon?) He also gave me some chocolate which I've mostly already devoured.

5. TONIGHT- It hasn't happened yet...but tonight I am getting together with some really old friends and I am so psyched. I barely get to see any of them anymore, and we are finally getting back together after a few years. We used to always have so much fun together, and I doubt it will be any less fun!

1 Low: It would definitely be the gross couples at school on Valentine's Day...Ick.

So there you have it, my weekly high and lows in a nutshell.

What exciting event happened to you this week?

Always,
Chelsea

Everyday Makeup

In my everyday life, I have a lot of people coming to me with questions about beauty, and makeup specifically. I guess I've always been pretty talented at enhancing someones natural features. I'm always the person the girls ask for when they need their makeup done for special occasions, and of course, I'm up for it because I honestly love makeup. It's something fun, and can change any look.

I don't typically wear a whole lot of makeup on a day-to-day basis, but I do wear a little bit just to enhance the features I naturally have. Here are my top 5 makeup essentials for daily use:

1. Downboy blush by theBalm  2. Clump Crusher mascara by Covergirl  3. Sugar Lip Treatment by Fresh  4. Maybelline Line Stiletto liquid eyeliner  5. Clinique Acne Solutions Liquid Makeup

These are products that I use religiously every single day. I am in love with all of these products and recommend them to anyone. 

Whats your holy grail makeup item?

Always,

Chelsea