Two Weeks.

I have approximately 14 days left as a resident of Virginia and then it's off to Alabama. My moods and feelings about this whole college thing range from "OMG OMG OMG I'm so excited so many new friends and people and things to do and see" to "I'm locking myself in the Suburban and living at home forever and ever and I'll work as a nanny or something as long as I can stay here".

This summer has been so crazily busy that interning kept most of these feelings at bay for June and really until the middle of July. Since I didn't really handle my feelings in a healthy way until, um, last week, the past few days have been a serious roller coaster of ups and downs and second thoughts and reality checks.

My list of places to eat are growing more and more lined with blue and only a few places remain: The Yard House next friday, my favorite mexican restaurant with my favorite waiters who are almost family now for my last night in town, Whole Foods for cupcakes, Sugar Plum for a slice of cake. No Frill for chicken sandwiches, Chicks for fried oysters, and Bakers Crust for tavern chips all got crossed off last week. One last Taste run is in order today with one of my favorite people ever, but who am I kidding, I'll probably take a second lunch sometime before I leave just for one more Hilltop.

I'm trying to balance running so I keep my head on straight, TidalWheel so I can have more time to hangout with my friends and favorite instructors, and now Pure Barre so I can kick those lassssssst five pounds off the scale that I was supposed to lose the week after graduation. Many thanks to those three for keeping my legs consistently sore/bruised for the past three weeks. (Sidenote: Pure Barre is no joke.)

Then there are things I can't even deal with/talk about: minute things like shower caddies, laptop cases, waterproofing backpacks, ordering stationery, when exactly my last sit on the beach day is, new glasses, where I'll fill prescriptions. In my next life, maybe I'll write a book about all this, and how to do things like moving more efficiently, because the refrain "I went to summer camp, this will be easy!" no longer applies. Things like school colors and matching and dorm schemes now apply.

Case in point: my mother and I go to Target for a white shirt, see one of my best friends, talk to him for an hour and a half, and leave with sheets and towels at 10:30 at night. I then proceed to take my sheets and towels to my monogrammer, get in a debate about what font and which colors to use with her, finally leave.  I picked up my coral sheets and navy towels in a trashbag three days later. Old high school habits die really, really, really hard. This has also been evidenced by the amount of orange and blue I've found in my room while packing and weeding things out. 

Back to my point, there are things I'm anticipating, like getting to eat at my favorite places, and things I'm not thinking about, like saying goodbye to my 30 or so closest friends until Christmas. Nothing triggers a good old "why didn't I go to UVA and follow the normal route with my friends so I could come home on the weekends and still see everyone" freak out like realizing I won't be at home or see anyone until almost 2014. Yikes. There's going to be no safety net of friends to fall back on the first week of school or knowing everyone in my class or my home to come to.

But that's okay. Life goes on and even though I'm a little terrified, I am ready to fly from the nest. I might stumble a little bit, but that's okay. I might not 100% think it yet, but I am ready and I know I'll be okay. I think it's my orange and blue bulldog heart that might take the longest to convert.

xx

AP Exams

Happy AP Exam Week y'all!

Best of luck to my fellow high schoolers who are taking exams this week and next! I'm not going to lie, I'm going to be a very happy camper next Tuesday afternoon when I'm finished!

My three essentials for the next two weeks, which are all mutually exclusive: sleep, focus, and caffeine. I almost missed my AP Euro exam my sophomore year by oversleeping because I didn't get enough of the first, had too little of the second, and too much of the latter! Especially if you're taking in an exam where you've been in a class all year for it, like I am for one of mine, sleep will definitely be better than studying at a certain point. I definitely reached that point last night!

Here's to hoping to many 5's on July 5th!

xx

Friday Five

Things I've learned this week:

1. Nice girls don't get what they want. Be assertive. You have to ask for some things in life, and that's okay.

2. Nothing is ever as good or as bad as it seems. Spoken by my very wise college counselor. 

3. If you leap, the net will appear. 

4. There is so so so so so much I don't know about certain things. Luckily for me I get to spend a summer learning about them.

5. You actually do have to risk it to get the Chick Fil A Chicken biscuit

And a sixth because it is pretty important:

6. Grades are great and all, but what you learn from the things you learn about is what matters in the end.

Happy Friday y'all!

xx

A Day In The Life

So I've been really wanting to do this post for awhile, but blackberries were never conducive to on the go picture taking, so I now I have no excuse!

7:15 | wake up, dress, makeup, etc

7:40 | eat breakfast

7:51 | get in car :: i literally never manage to get in my car earlier than this time, not kidding

7:52-8:05 | commute to school :: my NPR session in the morning is one of my favorite times of the day

8:15 | chapel

8:30 | first cup of coffee!

8:35-10:10 | Study Hall

My schedule rotates around, and I have two study halls per day. I love having them in the morning together.

10:10 - 12:45 | Class

1:15 | lunch
PICTURE

1:45 - 3:25 | Class

4:00 | gym or spin class

7:00 | dinner 

7:30 - 10:30 | homework

10:30 | finish any other work, check blog post for the next day, pack bags, make snack for the next day

11:00 | in bed, reading or watching netflix

12:00 | sleep!

Do you follow a daily schedule? What is your routine like?

xx

C'est La Vie

True life: I take things really hard. I don't like it when people don't like me, or when things don't go exactly my way. 

While I know that this is not indicative of 'the real world', I have always been either too naive or ignorant to not realize that not everyone loves me, or I've just brushed it off.

However, life doesn't always go as planned, and I've learned that a lot in high school. But sometimes, excuse my french, life sucks, but the suns sets, and the sun rises, and life goes on, with or without you. Somedays you're the shoe, and somedays you're the spider getting killed by the shoe. 

Yesterday was an awesome example.  Something I had been planning for a while was pretty much pulled out from under my feet, and let me just say, I was not prepared for it. Add this to being super sick all day, I was a little extra snarky, yes. I try to tell myself that there's a reason for everything, and that this is just a sign pointing me to another direction, but the fact of the matter is it still necessitates a good long cry, and a few episodes of Sex and the City. Afterwards, I really got to thinking about how silly I was acting. As anyone will tell you, I get so worked up so much that I can't see the forest for the trees, and that creates tunnel vision where I really can't see that, truly, you can jump on the train, or you can wait and watch it leave without you. There will be other tests, colleges, boys, and opportunities. 

Maybe life really isn't about what knocks you down, but how gracefully you get back up, and all that matters is that you get back after it, and let go after awhile.

Somedays, I can follow my own advice, and somedays I only follow half.  But you can't take it on all at once, and I know one day it will all fall into place.

Because honestly, any day we have two feet on the grounds, a sun in the sky, and love in our hearts, is a win in my book.

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}

Finished Locker!

Here's my finished locker for senior year! I'm so excited about how it turned out - especially the glittered mason jar, which I'm going to eventually fill it up with extra pens or spare change - I can't decide. It's really just sitting pretty right now, and my Lilly mirror has gotten so many compliments!

Happy Monday!

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}

Back To School!

Call me nerdy, but there's a small part of me that just loves starting school! I have a slight addiction to school supplies and being organized!

This is my official planner for Senior Year! I'm absolutely obsessed with the 'mingos and LP planners have been my go-to now for three years! There's enough room to write everything, plus stickers and a notes section!

I color code every subject, so I use these for everything in my planner! Between assignments, work, blogging, and college, I have a lot to keep organize, and it makes my planner super colorful and lively!

So, I'm super OCD about what binders I use...no joke, I've used the same ones since seventh grade, natch, and these are literally lifesavers. They have plenty of space and last the whole year!

I used to be a diehard LL Bean-er from my little purple backpack in first grade, to my orange and blue backpack in fourth grade, to my pink backpack in ninth grade, but last year it gave out (I'm lookin at you, pre-calc book) sadly, so I picked this up on a whim and I'm obsessed!

And now it's back home from the monogrammers' all ready to go!

What school supplies do you turn to?

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}

Senior Year!

Tomorrow is my last first day of school. I remember being in second grade, and thinking that surely, I would never make it to high school, let alone senior year. Taking the SAT or ACT? NEVER! (Sadly, I'm doing both in the next two months) But tomorrow, I will wake up, get ready, go to Starbucks with my Mom, and drive to school for the last first time. I'll park in the senior lot, go to my decorated locker through the back of my school, and sit in the front part during chapel. My first official day of 'Office Girl' errand running duties will commence, and I'll sit in the Senior Lounge during my study hall. 

I've been at my school for nine years, and it's super weird that this year will be a year of lasts. My goals for this year include: not developing senioritis until at least March May, not taking any of my final exams, since seniors are exempt if you have a grade above a 90, getting great scores on all my APs, and being accepted to Georgia.

This year will definitely be lots of work, but lots of fun. 

Happy (almost) School Year everyone!

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}

And the Senioritis begins!

I'm only half kidding.

This week has been filled with all things senior year. And I don't know how I feel about it.

I parked in our senior lot for our varsity athlete meeting, finally looked at the top shelf in the bookstore for english books, discussed speech topics with my senior speech advisor, and today, I'll take my senior portraits.

I've been spray tanned (which I'm a little obsessed with) to hide my lovely lifeguard strap lines, had my hair and eyebrows done, makeup applied and teeth whitened within an inch of my life.

It's a little sad that these will be the last real school pictures I'll ever take.  It's going to feel weird finally wearing the black drape I've looked at for so long in my yearbooks and in the halls of my school. 

I'm still not sure when it will finally hit me that after nine years at my beloved school, this is the beginning of the end. Maybe in between Senior Luncheon and decorating my locker, or dancing in our pep rally at Homecoming, or donut Thursdays.

But somehow, I still know...

xoxo,

Royar
{The Young Southern Prep}

Summer, Kind Of Crazy

Hello again y'all!

I feel like I have been such an awful blogger this summer! Honestly, I've been suffering hard core from writers block! I have so much to catch y'all up on from the end of Junior Year, to camp, to my week in Georgetown for Operation Smile, to all the crafts I've been doing, to my getting ready for Senior Year!

In true Royar fashion, I've spent exactly fourteen nights at home this summer. Fourteen y'all. Fourteen days I've spent in my house, my city, driving around where I live. A part of me is completely okay with it, because my city has never truly felt like home to me. I love Virginia, don't get me wrong, but I've spent a lot more time away from home than normal teenagers.  But another part of me realizes that in less than a year, I'll be starting college, and I'll never live at home for an extended period of time again. 

My senior year is fast approaching, aka cross-country starts next Monday, something which I've barely prepared for.  I've also read approximately 1/6th of 1 of the 6 books I have to read for summer reading. I'm clearly chomping at the bit for school to start, right?

I've already applied to one college, and hopefully will have some good news come the end of August right as I head back.  I also have senior pictures next week. Crazy, right? I've been working really hard to tan out my lifeguard suit strap marks since we just do a formal drape pose. 

I wish I could say my life is way more exciting than tanning, scheduling appointments, and reading books, but it's really all I've been up to this week. Other to-dos involve consigning some clothes, volunteering at a race I'm unable to run in (boo-hiss foot injuries!), and writing college essays!

What are you up to this week?

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}

Just Be

Clearly someone has been trying to get my attention for a while, because it just smacked me in the face.

Thursday's devotion from The Daily Word

Two such simple words.

Y'all, I'm not going to lie. I'm exhausted. Like stick-a-fork-in-me-i'm-done exhausted. I would tell you what I've been doing the past two weeks, but quite honestly I can't remember.

I've been running from here to there and back and to see teachers and running errands and moving things around my room and telling myself that's being productive and cleaning my room at 2:30 in the morning and having dance parties to Starships by Nicki at 4:30 in the afternoon and walking around my school twice before I remember what I'm doing, all while humming a Big & Rich song from 2007. To say I'm a bit scatterbrained at the moment is a bit of an understatement.

The past two weeks have just been building and building with stress, anticipation, hope, fear, anxiety, and one too many Diet Cokes and Venti Iced Coffees.  

Wednesday, I just lost it. Over what you might ask? Trying to decide what science I'm going to take my senior year.  One thing I'm telling my college counselor how I'm hoping my schedule will pan out and the next I'm sobbing about how I haven't slept, eaten, or really stopped for the past two weeks. Thankfully she's one of the teachers that I'm closest too, but I'm still pretty sure I gave her a good shock.

Yesterday, I was refreshed. I could see the finish line. I was sprinting at the end of the race.

Today, I'll turn in my U.S. History Paper, a long tradition at my school and one of the two major projects of my Junior Year.  I actually really did enjoy writing it, and I learned a lot about Ronald Reagan in the process. But I'm not going to lie, I really don't want to see or type the words 'conservative', 'republican', or 'Reagan' for a very long, long time. Two tests later, I'll be free as a bird.

Monday, I'll board a plane for Chicago, then Delhi, then Kolkata, then Bhubaneswar, and will be a temporary ex-pat once again for two weeks.

Contrary to popular belief, I don't do this every spring, nor did I plan out my junior year this way.

But I do know one thing, stressed out or not.

It's my life and it's sure fun.


xoxo,

Royar
{The Young Southern Prep}

History Exam & Hey, It's Ok

Today is the second day of Midterm Season 2K11.  Today's super fun exam is U.S. History and I'm actually really excited to take it! I'm kind of a history nerd and I really don't mind writing about things that interest me, such as the causes of the Civil War. Or Washington crossing the Delaware.

After today I only have two more midterms and I'm FREE!

-----------

Today I'm linking up with Amber for It's Ok Thursdays!

It's Ok..

..to be seriously considering wearing yoga pants to school, just because it's midterms week

..to be looking forward to Hot Yoga on Friday way more than usual

..to have consumed six Diet Cokes in the past forty-eight hours

..to go to McDonalds after your Pre-Calc exam with AHCD, just to get fries and a sweet tea

..to be  a brown-noser-with-a-not-so-hidden-agenda (yeah, i'm going there) while preparing your notes for your history exam, due to your OCD regarding all things historical

10 points for you if you got the Lizzie McGuire Movie reference.

..to be more worried that you haven't watched the new Hawaii Five-O than the fact that I have no clue what I'm writing for my English essay tomorrow.

..to not have bought a single Christmas present. There. I said it.

..to blame everything bad I do on the fact that it is firstly, my birthday week, and secondly it's midterms week.

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}

Math Exam & Just Madras

Today is the first day of Midterm Season 2K11.  Today's torture exam is Pre-Calc and I will be very happy when this exam is over!

Hooray for asymptotes and rational inequalities!

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Just Madras has so many cute options for the holiday season and for Christmas Gifts!

This Cummerbund and Bow Tie Set is perfect for brothers, fathers and boyfriends alike! It would look tres dapper with a Tux!

The Bella Tunic would be perfect with a pair of Black Corduroys and Revas or Black Minnies and Riding Boots!

They also have a fantastic sale going on right now - don't miss out on some FAB deals!

And remember, if you place any order with them, use the code "CAMPUSPREPHOLIDAY" for 24% off your order!

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To all of those who are starting, finishing or in the middle of finals and midterms, best of luck! You can do it!

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}

Study Tips!

A few weeks ago, one of my followers on Tumblr asked if I could do a post on tips for studying for finals!

1. Focus: Put your phone on silent, turn Self-Control on on your computer, if you have to study with music, use Pandora or your iPod

2. Be in a quiet environment: Go to the library, go to Starbucks, go to a random coffee shop, but don't study in your bedroom/dorm unless it's absolutely necessary.

3. Be comfortable, but dress for success: I wear leggings and an oxford to study in, but will wear a pencil skirt and pearls for my exam.

4. Organize your binders ahead of time: Make sure you have all of your books, notes, homework, tests and quizzes on hand so your don't have to keep hunting for things.

5. Drink water and keep healthy snacks on hand: Make sure to eat right during finals week so you don't crash and burn during the middle.

6. Sleep: Don't forget to sleep, and if you do, lots and lots of iced coffee.

7. Exercise: Yoga is a great de-stresser as well as a run.

What are your finals tips?

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}

The PSAT

As y'all are reading this, I am probably in a small, window-less classroom, dying a slow and painful death cheerfully finishing my last PSAT...FOREVER.

Yes, I get overdramatic about this, and no, I really don't care.

Yes, yes I was that girl who messed up her PSAT and accidentally put down her intended major as Russian Linguistics, not her intended biochemical engineering.  Which turned into Pre-Law last year, which will turn into International Studies and Foreign Policy this year. But who knows, I hear Animal Husbandry is pretty close to it. We'll just have to see if I pull another true Royar with this and if College Board gets a surprise. But maybe I'll get a surprise too. I wouldn't say no to a perfect score.

It's funny how much things have changed since I was a terrified little fourteen year old freshman, confused about why I needed to even take this test. Now I'll be walking out of the room as a wiser sixteen year old junior who knows that she'll be back again in January to tackle the SAT.

Happy PSAT Day y'all!

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}

Spirit Week!

Yesterday was the first day of our Winter Spirit Week at school! The theme for the day was Cowboys & Indians. I wore my cowboy boots...but that was about it. A few people were disappointed that I didn't go "all out" for the day, but hey, I just wanted to let everyone else have a little western fun.

My friend hSj and I

My friend AHCD (yes, she has four names, and yes, they're all equally important) and I decided to do a little before and after shoot of how much pain and suffering AP Latin is causing us this year. Which may or may not be a direct result of our 68 year old teacher who believes it's perfectly acceptable to call a fictional North African Prince a "studmuffin". You make the call.

Before Latin Class

After Latin Class

Apparently, I can't appear as "disheveled" as AHCD can, so we had to take it again.

My friend jSs and I had matching shirts!

It was such a fun day!

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}

Back To The Grind

And it's back to school time, once again. It is so weird to think that I'm a second-semester sophomore and that in five months I'll be half-way through high school. I've got a lot to look forward to this semester: performing in a musical, starting lacrosse again, college meetings, interviews and hopefully visiting PB a few times. On another note, I got a my Southern Tide Long Sleeve T-Shirt yesterday!

To say I am obsessed with it is an understatement! I will definitely be purchasing more in the future!

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep} 

Twas the night before the Euro exam...

A short poem a friend and I made up last night while in preparation for today's exam...

Twas the night before the MEH exam, and all though the house,
not a humanist was studying, except for TMS.
The binders were packed by the door with care,
In hopes that an A would soon be placed there.

The humanists were nestled all snug on their couches,
While visions of COD and Break danced in their heads,
And Mr. Teacher in his clogs,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap.

When out of the classroom there arose such a clatter,
We sprang from our desks to see what was the matter.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
We knew in a moment it must be Lorenzo di Medici.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Julius II! now, Henry! now, James and Mary!
On, Machiavelli! On, Savonarola! on, Luther and Calvin!
Go Magellan! Go Columbus! go, Joan and Loyola!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

Have a great day y'all!

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}

English!

+

Today I have my English midterm! Have a great Monday y'all!

xoxo,

Royar
{The Young Southern Prep}

Arma virumque cano...

Right now, I am most likely sitting and taking my Latin 4 midterm on The Aeneid. Yes, it's true, I am spending my Saturday at school, voluntarily.

I have concluded through the study of the first two books that 

1. I thought I was good at Latin. Then I met Virgil.

2. See #1

3. Virgil had no life

4. The Greeks/Romans/Trojans were crazy people

5. There are 3209482 different names for each of the deities

I have since decided that I'd enjoy returning to the happy world of Cambridge Latin Books. 

Quintus, Cogidubnus and Salvius made my heart warm whenever I cracked open my book. I would give a lengthy summary, but I highly doubt anyone really wants to know about the adventures of fictional Roman family.  When we finished the last book last March, I was the only one dabbing my eyes with my hankie there wasn't a dry eye in the class . Now I have been thrown into the world of no pictures, no cute little story lines and unappealing characters. Add to this already disastrous mix a 66 year old teacher who wears sandals with tights and went to JMU when it was an all-women teaching college. It's a simple recipe for failure. 

I just know who I'll be delivering one large plate of cookies to come Monday morning.

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}

Title: 1st 3 words of Book 1. We were supposed to memorize the first 11 lines. Guess how many I learned?