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

AP Exams

With April almost here, I've started to study for my last AP exams! My school lets us take them, but we don't take AP classes, or classes that teach about the test. My sophomore year I took the European exam and last year I took the US History exam. This year I'll be taking Psychology, US Government, English Language and Comparative Government. I really want to do well on them so I can get credit for when I go to school.

What I've learned from studying the past two years and this year:

1. Start early! I did not give myself enough time to study my sophomore year and I didn't do well as a result. It depends on the subject, but for most class it's a years worth of material on one test, so reviewing has been taking a while for me this year.

2. Get books or study guides. I love the REA Crash Course series and Barron's brand, personally.

3. Practice the essays for the history/english exams, because they can really help you if you do well on them.

4. I use Quizlet for everything, but some people do better just reading or just doing questions, it all depends on you.

Fellow high schoolers, are you taking any AP's this year and if so, how are you preparing??

xx

Boom, Accepted.

So Friday night I got some pretty amazing news, quite unexpectedly. I got home from the gym, super tired and really irritable, and I decided to randomly check my UGA admissions status before I went to dinner. 

As I clicked through everything, I was expecting a denial, or at least a wait-list.

I clicked "view" and immediately saw fireworks.

I got into Georgia!!!!!!

I'm officially 100%, 2/2. 

My high school experience has not been an easy one, and while I haven't always worked as hard as I should have, there were definite roadblocks that led me to thinking I would only get into Alabama. 

My acceptance is more than just a check mark to me. It's my proof and validation that if you work  really really really hard and believe in yourself, anything can and will happen. Good things happen to those who wait patiently and work hard day in and day out. 

But now I'm rethinking everything, and have a very hard decision to make in the next four weeks. I know you're all thinking that I was set on Alabama, and I was, because that's how much I didn't think I would get into UGA, so it was my way of softening the blow. Now I will be thinking everything through and listing lots of pros and cons. Right as I'm writing this, my head tells me UGA, but my heart tells me Alabama. 

When I visited Alabama, I felt like I was home and comfortable. When I visited UGA, I felt awed and challenged (see: that time I awkwardly cried on the tour). My brother and his friend have graciously offered to take me to an accepted students day in a few weeks to visit, just one more time. Maybe we'll even drive over to Tuscaloosa one more time

It's funny how life can completely change in an instant. This is going to be the hardest decision I'll probably make in my life, and I'm going to be sad because I'll be saying no to a great school either way. But then again, I'm extremely thankful that I'm being given the choice to make a decision about my college education. 

So now it's March 25th, and I have until May 1st, and I'm sure I'll change my mind many times over, etc etc, but regardless, I'm just thankful I look really good in red.

xx

March Goals

1. Read. A lot. I feel like I always have my nose in a book, but I need to spend less time on Facebook and more time learning about the world.

2. Get into a workout routine. I'm good with my spin/run/swim cycle, but I'm really bad about going to the actual gym with like, you know, weights and stuff. I need to get over my silly fear/intimidation and just go. 

3. Wake up earlier. I am so bad about waking up at 7:30 and throwing on an outfit, brushing my teeth/washing my face and literally running out the door without breakfast or makeup or anything. This is a sign of senioritis if I ever saw one, but I feel so much better when I get up earlier, and it's a habit I would like to make. 

4. Clean out my closet. Like really clean it out and separate clothes to consign next winter that I didn't wear at all this season. 

5. Get ready for my APs! If all goes well I'll have about a semester of credit when I go to Alabama next year so that's a huge motivator for me! I'm taking English Lang, English Lit, American Government, Comparative Government, and Psychology. Fellow high schoolers, what are y'all taking?

6. Save money. I can spend money like it's going out of style. My next big purchase will be a new pair of ray-bans since mine are totaled, but other than that, I want to start transfering a certain amount of each paycheck to savings, no questions asked.

Happy Saturday y'all!

xx

Signs of Senioritis

How to spot a second semester senior with this terrible disease:

1. Inability to get up before 7:30, even though they went to bed at 10:30 the night before.

2. Typical phrases include, but are not limited to, "How many days until spring break/prom/exemptions/APs?", "Is this homework required?", "I need to register for room selection/orientation/find a roommate", "Do I have to go to school today?", "Today I watched two movies, took a quiz, and had two study halls. In five classes."

3. Outfits are reduced to "Days when one wants to try and look good" and "Leggings/Ponytail".

4. Occasional bursts of motivation. These are few and far between.

5. Backpacks left in car or at home, strewn with half done soduku and crossword puzzles. 

6. Getting kicked out of the library. Oops.

PS In spite of my posts about senioritis and not caring anymore, I'm on track to make high honor roll for the first time in high school. I still have some goals to make.

xx

The Beginning of the End

Today, I get to go try on graduation dresses at one of our bridal salons in town! They have to be full length and a crisp white, so my options are limited, but endless thanks to bridesmaids dresses!

Some of my favorites are from LulaKate

Alfred Sung

and of course, J. Crew

xx

The In-Between

I'm in phase I of 'the in-between'. I'm done applying to college, I don't have to worry about exam exemptions, know when I'm picking out my dorm room, and APs are in the far distance for now. Phase II will commence once I've trotted across stage with diploma in hand, but haven't quite moved into college. 

But my motivation to do well is at an all-time high. Like all of high school high, comparable to how I felt while studying for my IR class. I guess it's because I'm doing it all for me, not because I'm trying to get into college or get my midyears up, but to stand up at graduation for the honor roll and to know that I left it all on the field when I leave high school for good. 

Maybe things would be easier in our lives if we did them for ourselves, because we're worth it, not because of some goal, lofty or close by. 

xx

Second Semester Senior

Today is my "last" last first day of school. It's a new semester, new classes, new start. For the last time. I'm really excited to get back in the swing of things, because this semester is going to be super exciting. And I've also really missed my daily coffee.

It might be still yucky outside, but I'm already really looking forward to spring. I can't wait for it to be warm again, to be able to wear tank tops, Jacks, white jeans, and sundresses. But until then, I'll keep day dreaming of warmer weathers and clearer waters, while freezing my toes off in the cold days of January.

This break has been a mixture of "oh my gosh y'all I'm actually going to Alabama and I'm going to live in Tut and why can't I leave already I want to be there now" and "how am I going to possibly leave my school and all these people I've grown up with?". It rotates back and forth about ten times a day, and sadly, the first is starting to be heard more than the former. It's going to be a huge step out of my comfort zone, but somehow I just know that I've made the right decision, and I'm genuinely so ready to go. But Alabama will come, and one day I won't be in school with my 123 best friends, and I know I will miss it. 

This semester will be rocky, but I'm ready for it. Maybe. We'll see.

xoxo,

Royar

2012

2012.

January: Went to mission training, found out I was going to India, the YSP turned two, I was quoted in the NY Times and took the SAT!

February: Tried to keep my head afloat during Junior Year. Really.

March: Started work with SGG, went to FRANCE

April: The Jet Crash, turned in my Ronald Reagan paper, went to INDIA

May: Brother graduated from college, I finished off Junior Year with a bang

June: Camp!

July: More camp, went to Columbia, Tuscaloosa, and Athens

August: Went to Georgetown, started cross-country, took my portraits, started senior year!

September: Got into Alabama, took the ACT

October: Went to DC, gave my senior speech, Sandy hit the beach.

November: Election day, got deferred from UGA.

December: Decided to don my houndstooth and yell Roll Tide next year, got my iPhone, and turned 18.

2012 was a pretty fantastic year. I can't wait to see what happens in 2013!

xx,

Royar

Happy December!

Rabbit, rabbit y'all!!!

I can't believe the last month of 2012 is already here, what a fast year! It feels like forever ago that I wrote my resolutions for the year and kicked them off! Needless to say, this month will be very exciting! Between my 18th birthday, exams, Christmas, and senior festivities, I will be very busy!

But today is also a very important day!

Although it's a game between the only schools I applied to, I will still be rooting for Alabama! Roll Tide!

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}

Mon-Day

Yikes, two quote posts in a row?

Today marks the beginning to the in-between stage. It's not yet Christmas, but there's no turning back now. It's not yet exams, but not the beginning of the second quarter. It's the two weeks of quiz-paper-test-project, because clearly teachers didn't learn when they were younger "if everyone else jumped off the bridge, would you too?", hence the same four things, six times over. 

But today is my day, and I'm going to be productive. The agenda has been written, the outfit picked out, bags packed, run planned, and breakfast made. I have been weirdly looking forward to this day since last week, partly because I'm itching to get some things crossed off my list, and partly because I really want to speed these next two weeks along. Time marches on, and there are far better things ahead. 

But I also have to slow down and appreciate these moments. For most of my classes, these will be the eleventh and last exam I will sit for. Second semester will fly by, and I'm going to be walking out of school for the last time before I know it. Sometimes I get so caught up in the future, in the possibility, the story that has yet to be written, that I forget that God has a plan for me. Then I get a reminder in the form of a few amazing girls, who remind me that everything turns out right in the end, that life is good, and that good times are ahead.

But today, first. Today will be an awesome day.

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}

Decision Day

Well, y'all, today's the day. I find out where I'm going to college, or if the road continues on. I have been accepted to Alabama already, and if I get into Georgia, it's going to be one tough choice. I would like to say that I've had a gut feeling about UGA, but I don't. I honestly don't know what I'm going to see on that screen. Since I don't know how I stand with UGA, I've made myself fall out of love with it, in case I end up getting hurt. But sometimes I forget that I teared up on the tour twice, because I could see myself there. I didn't want to leave Athens, nor did I want to go to Alabama the next day.

The past week has been rough, but I've made peace with the process, and I'm ready to see what the outcome is. I'm also very excited to hear about my friend's results.

As much as I would love to be a Bulldog for another four years, I do know I get to buy a lot of red and black either way!

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}

Winter TV Shows

Confession: I don't really watch a lot of live TV. This fall has been mostly me watching (and live tweeting) the debates, Fox News, and BBC. 

But there are a few eternal faves:

But since I've been doing a lot of work on my computer this fall, I've also started watching a lot of "old" shows!

These have become my new guilty pleasures! It's so much fun to start them from the beginning!

Do you watch any "old" shows?

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}

TFTW: Breaking Habits

This year has been all about habit breaking for me. For the past few years, especially at school, I've been afraid to step out of the 'bounds' that others have set, or those I think that others have set, for me. This summer and this fall, I finally decided to stop living my life from fear, especially of what other people think of me. This year, I have taken a lot of new risks, and some have immediately paid off, some have not, and some will take a little to see. Some of my risks have been those I've been waiting to do for years, and fear has kept me from doing them, a bad habit of mine.  But hey, it's senior year, I have nothing to lose, and I hope that by breaking my habits, and living with intention, my better habits will stay with me.

xoxo,

Royar
{The Young Southern Prep}

Halloween!

Happy Halloween! Today my fellow seniors and I will be dressing up for another senior tradition! Can't wait to show y'all my outfit!

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}

Tomorrow

Macbeth, Act 5 anyone?

Tomorrow is the big day! I can't believe my speech is almost here! I can't wait to give it, but really, I'm so tired of it. As I was walking on the beach with my Mom last night, I couldn't help but think as we talked, about how pathetic it is that I have a "post-speech" to do list.

I'm just so ready to have my life back, and not be worrying about meeting with someone or editing it or making sure it's perfect or finding my dress or practicing or fixing that one sentence for the literally millionth time or finding that perrrrrrfect post-speech congrats gift (wink, wink, Mumz). 

I'll be back on Wednesday with some pictures and a recap!

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}

Oh, The Places You'll Go!

Can anyone guess where I'm off to today?

It's one of my favorite cities ever, and a place that I hope to end up in!

Getting warmer?

Today is my senior class trip to Washington D.C.! We'll be touring the Holocaust museum as a class, and then we're free to explore the museums on the mall on our own in the afternoon!

I wish I could stay the night and visit Georgetown and have some M Street fun, but that's for another day!

Happy Wednesday!

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}

images via 1, 2

Speech Stylin'

My senior speech is two weeks away...eep! Naturally, I'm a tad bit more concerned about looking fabulous and kick-butt-esque, so I'm on the mad hunt for a great dress.

Here are my top contenders:

Collective Concepts via Piperlime

J. Crew Teddie

Pleated Ponte Dress

What do y'all think?

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}

My Life, Instagrammed

The past few weeks have been a flurry of college essay writing, Diet Coke drinking, and lots and lots of speech writing. Cheers to being less than two weeks out from it all being over!

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}

October y'all!

This month is going to be super busy, between my senior speech, trip to D.C., last home cross-country meet, homecoming, the end of my first marking period (1/4 done!), and dressing up for Halloween, I'm not going to stop! However, I'm super excited about the start of fall, and today I'm wearing my riding boots for the first time!

Rabbit rabbit!

xoxo,

Royar

{The Young Southern Prep}