This is the Start, of Something New

And there it is. 4 years. 2 schools. Endless memories.

Last month I graduated from the best school in the world, N.C. State. It's hard to imagine 4 years of college has already gone by. It felt like it was just yesterday I was a freshman looking forward to all that college life had to offer me. From joining a sorority, playing volleyball, making new friends, and having endless experiences; college was everything that I could have asked for and more.

But to those who say college is the 'best four years of your life', I understand where you're coming from. It's a time where you are tiptoeing into adulthood without any of the responsibilities. Your main job is going to school, and when you're not in class the world is your oyster. However, there is way more to life than 4 years of college.

Most of you are, what, 21 or 22 upon graduation? That means that 4/5th of your life is still left to be lived! That accounts for endless experiences and memories! The greatest things in life are still ahead: falling in love, getting married, starting a family, finding your passion, traveling the world. Many of these things that really weren't possible in college.

I am sad to leave this wonderful University, and I would be lying if I said I am happy to be leaving the college lifestyle. But I couldn't be more excited with what lies ahead. I know life will have its ups and downs but that is what will make it all worth while.

Our hearts ever hold you, N.C. State. But now it's time to figure out what the real world has to offer.

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Make Me Up, Buttercup

Today for Make Me Over Monday I wanted to talk about a few of my new favorite beauty products I've picked up recently.

Until recently, I have always been pretty 'safe' when it comes to my beauty products. I use what I have, and what I've been given by my friends and family, and I don't really venture very far beyond that. I think it always had to do with the fact that I felt more comfortable spending my money on things you can physically see - like clothing. Plus for me, it always seemed a little bit ridiculous that people would spend more than $10 on a lipstick. 

But boy was I wrong. I've realized that investing in quality beauty products can really pull together your entire look and give you a flawless application. Essentially the products I got are bae at the moment, and I'm going to let you all know why.

First and most importantly, the reason I walked into ULTA - The Naked Skin Concealer by Urban Decay.

I cannot say enough good things about this concealer. First and foremost, the difference between my old concealer and this one isn't even comparable. I was using a potted concealer and, for the most part, I've always had decent skin. Maybe a pimple here or there or even a scab from where I may have picked at it (yeah I know, I shouldn't do that, we're all human). So I really haven't had much to cover up so I always though my concealer does the trick. The issue I always had was with my under eye coverage. I would use this thick concealer under my eyes, that simply isn't made for that area. It would crease throughout the day and just feel so heavy under my lids.

The Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer is everything and more that I could have ever hoped for. It is light weight but still full coverage. Before I would have to load up the product to make sure it actually covered the problem area and even then it wouldn't stay. This product is long lasting, and looks so natural on your skin. I could go on for days but I would just recommend you go try it out for yourself.

The Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer comes in 8 different shades and retails for $28.

The second product I wanted to talk about is the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz.

Now I was first introduced to this product because I am an avid Jaclyn Hill viewer on YouTube. She is Queen and everything she recommends I must buy. But really. She raved about this brow pencil and I wanted to try it, but I was hesitant at first. I had always filled my eyebrows in with powder, which I was completely satisfied with. Then I tried to fill in my brows with a pencil, which I felt like gave me a little more precise of a brow than the powder had.

After I got this product everything I knew about filling in my eyebrows had changed.  This is the most fool proof way of filling in your brows. On one end it has a spooly to tame the hair and on the other side is the twist up pencil. Depending on your strokes, you can be as light handed or bold as you want with you look. I love the color, it's perfect for my brows, but my favorite part has got to be the spooly. If i mess up along the way, when I brush my brows out at the end it softens the harsh line or mistake I made while applying and makes it as if it never happens. Leaving my brows looking natural and gorgeous. This is a great investment and I guarantee you will fall in love like I did.

The Anastasia Brow Wiz is offered in 9 different shades and retails for $21.

The last 'makeup' product I want to talk about is the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water.

Now this is something I originally didn't think I was going to buy. I went into ULTA originally just looking to buy the Urban Decay Chill Makeup Setting Spray, but once I asked one of the associates she steered me towards this product. She said the reason she likes it better is because it is both a primer and can be used to set your makeup (like I originally wanted). I also wasn't hesitant to buy this because Jaclyn Hill owns it, typical.

So when I went home I was eager to try it out. I sprayed some on my face and went to apply my foundation. My foundation has never applied so smoothly and with such ease. Now granted, I have never used a primer before, but this has definitely sold me on the general idea of primers. I also use it to set my makeup and I think it does a good job of hydrating and making my skin look dewy, but honestly I don't see much of a difference in how long my makeup lasts. Regardless, this is a 'primer' and is made for that reason, which they nailed and I couldn't be happier with the result.

The Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water retails for $32

Last product I want to talk about is the Living Proof Curl Enhancing Styling Mousse.

This product, I'm going to be honest, I'm not completely sold on yet. I originally bought it because I have naturally curly hair, but I wanted something that I could put in my hair while it is damp and when it dries it would have add more definition to my natural curl while also keeping them tame and not getting affected by humidity.

Overall I am not in love with this product. It definitely holds a curl, but my ends are the only issue and tend to get frizzy and lose their hold throughout the day. Now this may be for multiple reasons - I could just need a hair cut, I may need to add more product to those said areas, and maybe I need to try and diffuse it with a blow dryer instead of letting it dry on its own. There are many different methods I want to try to improve this product. I'm not saying it's a 'no' yet, because I really want to love it. I have other living proof products that I'm obsessed with, and the smell is to die for. But it is a mousse which I like, so it gives my hair hold while not leaving it 'crunchy'. The verdict is out on this product, but if you have any suggestions please leave me a comment letting me know!

The Living Proof Curl Enhancing Styling Mousse comes in 2 sizes with prices ranging from $15-$28.

So there you have it, my recent beauty purchases.  I am very pleased with all of the products I picked up and can't wait to try others and let you guys know what I think. I think this means I've officially become a 'make up' person. Can't say I'm mad about it ;)

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Land of the Free, Home of the President

This President's/Valentines Day weekend I was fortunate enough to be able to spend it in none other then our nation's capital - Washington, D.C. I may or may not have mentioned this on this blog before, but I am a volleyball coach, and my team competed in the Capitol Hill Classic this weekend. I love away tournaments because they're like mini vacations that I am getting paid for - the best kinds. I also always invite a few friends to join me on these long weekends, because hey, it's basically a free trip. My friends Alex and Wilber decided to join me and I couldn't have asked for a better pair to spend the weekend with!

Friday: Travel Day

We left a little before 3 pm and hit the road to D.C. With bags packed, we jammed out to some T. Swift and other throw back tunes all the way there. It's about a 5 hour car ride, and with stops (including a detour to get some cupcakes at Georgetown Cupcakes for my teams) we got to the hotel at about 8:45. I had a meeting with both of the teams that I coach, with my Head Coach, at 9 pm to distribute wristbands that all you to enter the facility as well as just going over what to expect for the upcoming weekend. All of the girls were very excited to start playing and even more excited to meet both of my friends who I brought along on this trip. 

After introductions and all of the excitement died Alex, Wil and I realized we were starving so we ventured out into the city to find somewhere to eat. Given that it was February 13th, the day before Valentines Day, many couples were out that night and it was a bit hard to find a restaurant that was able to seat us without a reservation. We eventually found one though called Zaytinya. To say it was delicious would be an understatement, this meal was possibly the best meal that I have ever had. It features traditional Greek, Turkish, and Lebanese dishes that are served family style, you pick a few dishes and share it with the table, altogether everything was to die for. If you are in the DC area, I would highly recommend checking this restaurant out!

A few of our selections for the night - a Greek salad, shrimp, and brussel sprouts

Awaiting our delicious meal

Alex and I enjoying dinner

After dinner we decided to walk around DC and see the monuments since there wasn't going to be much time for the rest of the weekend to sightsee. After going about 8 blocks, the cold and wind caught up with us and we decided it would just be best to head back to the hotel and go to sleep. However we did catch some cute pictures of the Capitol building prior to heading back.

Alex and I

Wil and I

Saturday: First Day of Play

Saturday was the first day of the tournament but we didn't play until the afternoon wave. How this works, since there are many teams that participate in these larger travel tournaments, is there is an afternoon wave and a morning wave. Morning wave starts at 9 am and the afternoon wave starts at 3:30. My 13's team had the afternoon wave and my 14's had the morning wave. Given that I wanted to watch both teams play, my entire day consisted of volleyball. I went and watched them play at 9 am and then at 11, which my friends both decided to come watch, and at 11:30 we left to go get lunch with my 13's team at Panera.

Wil and I watching an 18's team during the morning wave

After Panera 13's were on. We went 2-1 in our pool that ended up lasting until 11 pm! Our court was behind from the morning wave and ended up getting even more behind because a couple of our games went to 3 sets. But given that we had a winning record, that meant we played in the morning. So it was immediately off to bed because we had to leave for the convention center at 7:45 to play at 9 am.

Sunday: Second Day of Play

This was the second day of pool play and the day that my friends had to head home because we didn't have school off on Monday. After we played in the morning we ended up 1-2 for the day, which was a bit disappointing because that meant we ended up in the Silver division, instead of Gold (which is the highest). After we played, I caught some lunch with my friends before they headed back to Raleigh at this restaurant about 2 blocks from our hotel called Cuba Libre. After bidding them farewell, I spent sometime with my team and then caught a game for one of my high schoolers that started at 8:30. After that it was time to pack up and head to bed for the last day of the tournament.

Monday: Last Day

Like the rest of the weekend, Monday we had a start time of 9 am. However unlike the rest of the weekend, this day was single elimination so if we were going to lose we were done for the day and had to go home. If we won, we kept playing. The first game was definitely our hardest by far, they took us to 3 games but we ended up winning the second and third games easily. After that we were on a roll, and won our next two games which meant we wont the silver division and 13th place overall for the weekend!

Overall I am very happy with how the girls played, and had so much fun with my trip to DC this weekend. I'm so glad my friends were able to come up and keep me company. Can't wait till the next trip! Next stop - Atlanta!

Till next time,

Casey Rose

Resolving My Resolutions

At the beginning of this year I wrote out my resolutions for 2014. Now that this year is coming to a close and 2015 is approaching faster than any of us would like, it's time to look back on this year and see if we ended up accomplishing any of the goals we set for ourselves.

Completed:

To workout more.

This resolution may have taken me a little while to get started, but I believe I am currently on track. Earlier this year I began following Kayla Itsines, creator of the 12-week Bikini Body Guide, on Instagram. She posts many before and after photos of her clients who have followed her guide and I was inspired. At the beginning of this month I decided to purchase her guide and I have been doing my best to follow it thus far. Well into week 5 right now I am so excited with how far I have come and to see where the rest of this guide will take me.

Stop being so judgemental/Be happy for others successes/Be the person you'd want to meet.

At the beginning of this year I was pretty insecure with myself, I would judge others because I was not happy with where I was in my life. I believe I have done a better job at focusing on bettering myself, which in turn has removed the focus from judging others and allowed me to be happy for their successes and made me someone who I would 'want to meet'.

Say yes to things/Don't be so afraid of the new.

This summer I held two internships, accepted a coaching job at a local high school, have been on a couple dates throughout the year, needless to say I definitely said 'yes'. Many of the things I said yes to scared the crap out of me, but they definitely opened my eyes and allowed me to grow this year.

Be on time.

I have definitely made major strides with this one this year. I was constantly late and ran on 'my time' which was extremely inconsiderate. Am I always on time? No. But I definitely feel as though I am on time much more than I was in 2013.

Get on a normal sleep schedule.

I have come so far with this one. Yes there are times where I stay up all night for no good reason, but for the most part on school nights and nights that I have work in the morning I was in bed before 2 am, which is a major stride.

Get the grades you're capable of.

I am so happy with this resolution because it is the one resolution that has physical evidence that I have accomplished it. The spring semester wasn't the best when looking at my final grades, but this fall semester I didn't make below a B in any class and made the Deans List, an accomplishment that I honestly didn't think was going to happy in my time in college. It just goes to show what a little motivation and hard work do.

Look presentable for class.

This definitely could have been better but I am grading this resolution on the fact that for the most part I put on some kind of face makeup every single day, which to me means 'presentable'.

Spend more time with loved ones/Give time to those who love you/Stop repeating mistakes/Make someone else happy/Give yourself to someone who wants all of you, everyday, because you are perfect being you.

All of these kind of snowballed into one specific category when I was writing them a year ago. They had to do with dating an relationships. No, I didn't have a relationship this year but I think that's what made me accomplish these goals this year. I was perfectly happy being single and there wasn't someone who came along that I felt was up to my standards for dating. This has nothing to do with the people I may have gone on dates with this year, they were all fine people, but not right for me. Which allowed me more time to better myself for my perfect man who is out there somewhere.

No regrets/Do something outside of your comfort zone.

I've always been the type of person to never regret any of my decisions. I am a firm believer in everything happens for a reason. That being said I was terrified to do some of the things I did this year. Coaching high school kids was extremely out of my comfort zone, I have only coached middle school age so that was a big step for me. However it allowed me to grow and learn more about myself than I ever thought possible. I'm so happy I decided to take a leap and change for the better.

Needs some work:

Drink more water.

I could have definitely done a better job at this throughout the year. Instead of having a soda or milk I could have just reached for a glass of water, definitely something I need to work on more in 2015.

Read more and turn off Netflix.

Of course this hasn't changed, who's really surprised. I could absolutely watch less Netflix, but as a whole I feel like I did a good job of getting out in the world and not watching as much TV which is what I am most concerned about.

Stop procrastinating.

I feel like I wouldn't be me if I didn't procrastinate. Yes, procrastinating isn't the greatest way to get your work done, but I think I've manipulated my bad habit into working for me instead of against me.

Give more compliments.

I believe I could have done a better job a this. Everyone wants to be complimented and I think if that could come from me, that would make me feel even better.

Put down your phone.

We live in an age where we are so reliant on our hand held devices. This year was no different. This is one aspect of my life I feel as if I could drastically improve, and one of the details in my life that needs serious attention in 2015.

So there we have it, my 2014 resolutions. I feel as though for the most part they were completed to the best of my ability. Could all aspects of my life be improved? Absolutely. However, each day is a stepping stone leading us to the people we are destined to be. And how we spend those days shapes the person we are going to become. Choose wisely.

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Chi Me, Baby

I realize it's been what, practically a year?, since I posted about my way to achieve my silky smooth, straight locks, and the science behind it. However, since i'm attempting to make a return back into blogging I figured I'd just pick up where I left off.

The third and final step I take before I put my straightener to my hair is I add about a dime size amount of the Chi Silk Infusion to the ends of my hair and work my way up to about halfway between my ends and roots.

I know this product works wonders simply for the fact that every time I get a hair cut it is the one product they continually use on my hair. I've heard rave reviews from many hair dressers as well as the beauty guru community on YouTube who can't stop talking about this product. It keeps my hair even more silky smooth on top of the Moroccan oil that I used in my first step.

The great part about it also is that it can be found for a relatively inexpensive price. I've seen it at tons of beauty stores and also at discount stores like TJ Maxx and Marshalls. However if you are looking to buy it online they can be found on Ulta.com, $25.50 for a 6 oz bottle which can last you for a very long time depending on how much you use.

So tell me, what is your favorite brand of hair products?

Until next time,

Casey Rose

We Found Wonderland

For today's Serenade Me Saturday, I have decided to dedicate it to the woman who stole my heart this year - Taylor Swift.

But seriously guys, did anyone see her in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show? She absolutely stole the show. I was more concerned with watching her than what the models were wearing.

Any who, I have been obsessing over Taylor's new album 1989, and for good reason - it's flawless. Every single song on the album is wonderful, right down to all of the bonus tracks on her deluxe album. However I am here to talk about one song in particular, Wonderland.

Wonderland is one of the bonus tracks on 1989 and it has quickly become my favorite song on her entire album. Even more than Blank Space and Style which are hard to beat.

So check it out! I'd add a link to the music video but there are none that haven't either been tampered with or the audio has been pulled for copyright reasons. So I would do your own searching, or buy the album and check it out for yourself! You won't regret it.

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Sequins and Things

Today's post for Fashion Friday's displays my picks for New Years Dresses. Good news too, they're all under $50! So you can look good and not have to break the bank while doing it (which let's be honest, most of the money you would have spent on a dress will go towards drinks for the night).

Whenever I think of New Years I always imagine a lot of glitz, sparkles, and sequins. My dress choices are no different. I added some extreme examples as well as some 'tamer' pieces that you can dress up with accessories and jewelry so you can take your own spin on your New Years outfit choice. I hope you enjoy my picks!

Sequins and Things by caseyrosexo featuring a purple tube dress

Let me know what you think and what your New Years outfit will consist of!

I hope you all have a fabulous end to 2014 and I wish you all the best in 2015, I hope it's your best year yet!

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Fall Shoe Picks

On today's comeback of Fashion Friday I am going to talk about my shoe choices for this upcoming fall season.

Below you will see a set that I made on Polyvore, a website I have talked about a lot before where you are able to make collages of different clothing, accessories, and even home furnishings. The site allows you to browse other sites and add pictures of products onto a canvas where your imagination is set loose.

Fall Shoe Picks by caseyrosexo featuring black high heel boots

The outfit I have chosen is a classic fall outfit. Starting off with a chunky cable knit sweater paired with faux leather leggings with zipper pocket details. The accessories chosen with this outfit is a quilted Chanel bag and to top it all of a classic wine colored nails.

The shoe choices I have decided to pair with this outfit are as follows, starting at the top left:

First we have an open toed black leather bootie with zip up details on the side. This compliments the outfit as the zipper detailing ties in perfectly to the leather leggings. The open toed detail is the perfect flirty aspect to complete a date night look.

Secondly is the leopard print loafers. They bring something different to this look as it is the only print in the entire outfit which allows it to become a central piece in this outfit. The loafers are a classic fall staple that have been in style for a couple of seasons now. I love these because they are the only shoe without a heel, which is the most comfortable and practical option. These are perfect for a shopping day with your girlfriends, something more casual that can be paired with many other outfits in your closet.

Third we have the silver, gold and black strappy pumps. These are definitely the most 'fun' shoe in the collection. They aren't as practical for when it gets into the colder months, but these are perfect for these early fall months when you go out on the town with your girlfriends for a 'girls night out'.

Lastly, we have the suede heeled booties. These, again, are a staple for fall and have been for a while. These are perfect for when the months start to get a little colder, and can be paired beautifully when you switch out the leggings for tights and a bandage skirt.

There you have it! My overall picks for shoes this fall! Now we didn't even touch on the subject of riding boots, which are my personal favorite for fall and winter, but don't worry those will come at a later date!

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Take The Challenge

Today I came across this video and it really struck me...please take a moment to watch it and continue reading this post if you so please.

Think about how often we use our phones and computers every day. I mean, for me, I am currently writing this blog post on my laptop with my phone right next to me and Grey's Anatomy currently  playing on Netflix on my TV. We as a society are so consumed with our technological devices that we rarely take a moment to appreciate the world around us. We feel as though we won't be connected to our friends if we don't have our phone on us every second of every day. The other day my friend's phone broke and she had a panic attack because she felt so lost without that technology.

It's so sad to think that we have become that dependent on a device. Many young adults today probably can't even remember back to a time when we played outside instead of sat in front of our televisions or computers and played video games for recreation. It's no wonder obesity has become the problem that it is today. We don't set aside time to just focus on ourselves, without technology.

One of my most memorable times this year was during spring break when a friend and I decided we were going to go 'phone-less' for the entire duration of spring break. I spent the week with bunch of my close friends in a beach house together, and really anyone I wanted to talk to was there with me. Now, it wasn't everyone on the trip that decided to take the challenge, just myself and one other. Everyone else on the trip was 'impressed' and asked us 'how we got through the week', to be honest - it wasn't that bad. Now we did give ourselves one 'cheat' a day, where we could turn on our phones for 10(ish) minutes just to check and make sure our parents didn't need to talk to us or to make sure nothing major happened, but after that it was phones off.

Was it difficult? Maybe a little at first. But I was really able to enjoy my spring break trip with the people that I care about. At the end of the week, I almost didn't want to turn my phone back on.

Now I encourage all of you to take the challenge. It doesn't have to be a weeks worth of time, but maybe just for a day - or even just during your work day or classes, turn off your phone. Sure it will be hard at first, but I bet you will be amazed with how much more you are able to get done and the amount of information you are able to retain by just staying fully focused during a professor's lecture.

Because the best memories you have will not be from what you read on a computer screen, but from the experiences you have with the ones you love.

Until next time,

Casey Rose

It's A Wrap

Today's post is in honor of my newest Instagram account! 

I've decided I want to do more fashion and OOTD posts and I thought, what better platform to post on than Instagram! Aside from it being my favorite form of social media, I also love it because you can be creative in the form of pictures which is right up my alley.

Today's post is the outfit I wore this Sunday to church on Mother's Day.

The dress is a plain cotton black maxi dress and sunglasses are from Francesca's Collections, the cardigan is old from gap, scarf is old from Lands End, sandals are Gold Jack Rogers, and the watch is from Micheal Kors.

So what do you guys think? Like these kind of posts? I will keep them up if you all want to see them, I thought that this was a fun thing to start and I actually enjoyed shooting these photos (with the help of my lovely brother, of course)

Also, check out my new Instagram - @bowsandarrowsx3

Until next time,

Casey Rose

It Takes Two

Over Easter this past weekend I was home for a couple of days enjoying the break with my family. My Grandpa, who lives 3 hours away, had recently been released from the hospital after having a stroke. No worries, he's doing just fine, but with this hospital visit also came concerned family wanting to see their recovering family member.

Since most of my family lives up north it's quite a trek for them to make it down to North Carolina just to see someone for a day or two, so most of my family makes a trip out of it. With my immediate family living the closest out of all my relatives to my grandparents we often get to see the rest of the family when they are in town visiting them.

This past weekend my Uncle came down to visit along with his new fiancee. They visited my Grandpa for a day and then spent the night at our house and celebrated Easter with us in the morning. This was the first time I had ever met his fiancee and it felt a little weird at first. Don't get me wrong, she was a very nice lady (and she could keep up with our jokes, which is always a huge plus), but there was something about her that just didn't sit right with me.

I tend to think of myself as a very naive and optimistic person. I like to see the good in others and often am disappointed or shocked when they prove me otherwise; I guess I just want to believe, deep down, that people are innately good. This also affects my views on marriage. With the divorce rate now being over 50% in this country, the realist would just assume that marriage is doomed to fail. Well, Casey being the optimist, is shocked whenever I hear that a marriage is failing. I could write and entire post about how I reacted when I heard my ex-boyfriend's parents were splitting up, but that is a story for another day.

My whole life growing up I always referred to my Aunt's and Uncle's together. This was also a memory tactic since my mom and dad were both 1 of 7 children. We had Aunt Peggy and Uncle Sean, Uncle Paul and Aunt Rhonda, and Uncle Matt and Aunt Faith. Now, Matt being the uncle who stayed with us this past weekend, I had always associated him with Aunt Faith. It was my memory tactic and also probably my way of validating their relationship. But what happens when that couple gets divorced? Then what?

I am so fortunate to have two loving parents who have now been married for 27 years. They have shown me in so many ways how to make a marriage work and what it truly means to love another person. I think that is why my idea if marriage is so skewed. I thought process is, 'If my parents can do it, why can't everyone else?'. But I guess life doesn't work that way. Not all couples are meant to be like my parents are.

And I think that relates directly back to my earlier post about soul mates. I like to assume, again being naive, that you only marry a person you are meant to be with. But I think that's why most marriages fail. They don't marry the person they are 'meant' to be with. They settle for something that feels good in the moment, but don't think about the future. They go for a feeling, not an instinct. When did people stop using their heads and only follow their hearts? 

To make things work in this world there needs to be an even mix of both. You obviously have to love one another to start, but it takes more than that. You both have to be completely sure this is the person you want to clean up after when one of you can't hold your bladder any longer. You may laugh, but does this really cross your mind when you say "I do"?

I obviously have no experience on the matter, but my theory has always been this: You can marry just about anyone, as long as you are determined to make it work. And I mean, really determined. You obviously have to love the person, but when the times get tough those are the times you must stick by your spouse. They don't just pull 'for better or for worse' out of their asses, they mean it.

So sorry new lady for initially not liking you. I just have a hard time accepting that people actually get divorced. I also have a hard time coming to accept that this time will be different. Because if it were really 'different' this time, why couldn't you have made it work the first time?

Alright, I'm off my soap box. This was a darker post that really ended up going right into the deep end and practically drowned in it. Ha, sorry for the depressing post. I'm just a little jaded right now. No worries though, happy posts with be sure to come in the future!

Until next time,

Casey Rose

"Loving You Is Easy"

Man, has this Saturday post thing been a bust. I think I had what, like one post in total? #lame. Let's start it back up again, shall we?

So as you all know my music choice is very diverse. However, there is one genre I always like to go back to and that's 'Pop Rock'. This includes various artists such as Parachute and Mat Kearney. Normally I listen to Mat Kearney radio on Pandora and I find a lot of my new favorite Pop/Rock artists from that channel. One of the artists that I have fallen in love with is Ben Rector. Now I have always loved a few of his songs including 'White Dress' and 'When A Heart Breaks' but it wasn't until last week when I really fell head over heels in love with him.

Every spring NC State puts on a free concert for their students. My first semester at state it was Chiddy Bang. This semester was Mat Kearney (my love), but Ben Rector opened for him. Let me just say by the time he was done I was hoping he would just play for the entire time and Mat would never come on (which is saying a lot because I am obsessed with Mr. Kearney). He was so charismatic and funny that even if he were just to stand up on stage and speak for an hour, I still would have loved it just as much.

Since the concert I have been constantly playing his music on Spotify whenever I get the chance. I would absolutely recommend every single song he has ever written, but the song I will show you guys is going to be 'When I'm With You'. It's been the song I've pretty much been obsessed with lately and I play it over and over again.

Enjoy Mr. Rector. And no ladies, he is not single (unfortunate, right?)

Until next time,

Casey Rose

A Night to Remember

I know you all are tired of hearing my apologies, but I am sincerely sorry. Blogging has been put off to the side for a little while simply because as school is coming to an end that means finals! I have been very busy studying for those as well as completing final projects and whatnot in all of my classes. But I promise to blog more during the summer when I have more free time!

I haven't done a Fashion Friday post in a while, but since school is coming to an end I figured I would finally post about my sororities formal that we had a couple of weeks ago!

The Dress

Let me tell you, finding this formal dress was a job in itself. I searched for the longest time to find a dress that was just right. I had been eyeing this one dress on Lulu's for a while but it was almost $200, which I simply could not justify spending for one event. So the search continued. It wasn't until my friend and I were shopping at one of my favorite malls in the area when we came across this prom store. Obviously being in college we had no need for a prom dress, but just for old times sake we decided to go in and look at the extravagant dresses. It wasn't until I wandered over to the sale rack and saw a couple gorgeous bridesmaid dresses. I just couldn't believe how simple and pretty they all were and most for under $100! So, being that the price was definitely right, I had to try them on. I liked them all but there was one that stole my heart. It was a long grey strapless number with a fake sash around the waist that tied in the back. It was beautiful and I couldn't have been happier with my choice, especially since it was only $75 (more than 1/2 of what my 'dream' dress would have cost). Also the color being a beautiful grey really complimented my pale skin tone.

The Accessories

This was probably the toughest part of my entire search after finding the perfect dress. What shoes and jewelry to wear. Given that my date was only slightly taller than me, I didn't feel completely comfortable wearing heels and towering over him. So I opted for my gold jacks. They were comfortable and you couldn't even see them under my dress anyways.

I wasn't sure at first on which jewelry I wanted to go with, given that the neckline of my dress definitely would have worked with a necklace. I decided to just go ahead and stick with earrings so that my dress could be the main attraction and nothing would distract from it. The earrings were difficult to decide on, but I ended up finding the perfect pair. They were a double teardrop mint color with gold hardware. Overall, I think it complimented the grey color very nicely and were perfect for a spring time formal!

(they are the earrings on the left from Francesca's)

The Night

Overall, I had a fabulous time with my date and my friends. It was the perfect ending to a great semester. Enjoy the following pictures from the evening!

 Until next time,

Casey Rose

Frizz Be Gone!

Hey, remember that time 3 months ago that I decided to have a segment on how I get my perfect 'straight hair' look? Yeah, I'm sure you don't because it was 3 MONTHS AGO. Seriously, I am awful and I apologize. But we shall pick up where we left off :)

The third product I attribute my perfect straight hair to is the Living Proof - No Frizz Nourishing Styling Creme.

Now I originally found this product in one of those monthly sample boxes that got sent to my house. The sample size was in a very generous 2 oz size and by the time I finished the sample, I was dying for more. I seriously fell in love. I think mainly because it is the most heavenly hair product smell in the world, in my opinion. But, honestly I attribute this product as a key element in the success of the longevity of my straight hair.

I talked a lot in my first post about my hair texture and type, just a brief over view of that would be that my hair is thick. I have a TON of hair. I also had a very hard time keeping my hair straight throughout the day when I was younger. This product is one of the main reasons I believe I can keep my hair straight even on the most humid and rainy days.

The way I like to use this is I take about a dime sized amount and work it through my hair focusing on the ends, before I straighten my hair and after I use one pump of my Moroccan Oil.

It's a hard product to describe, but I would recommend you try out the 2 oz size for yourself. I can't guarantee it will yield the same results that it did for my hair, but I would absolutely recommend you try it if you identify with my hair type...or if you want your hair to smell just fab :)

You can find this at many different beauty stores, Sephora offers 2, 4, and 8 oz sizes ranging from $15 to $36.

So tell me, what is your favorite smelling beauty product?

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Pieces Of My Soul

Soul Mate (noun): a person ideally suited to another as a close friend or romantic partner

When we think of a soul mate we think of that one true love. The person that you are just destined to be with for eternity. Now, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a skeptic. For the longest time I questioned the existence of soul mates. My thought process was, 'How can you be meant for just one person in this entire world?' My philosophy has always been that there is never just one person you are meant to end up with. If you find a person you wouldn't mind hanging out with for the rest of your life and are mature enough to be able to work through problems, you can marry just about anyone. However, my thought process has since changed.

I think that everyone has that moment after graduating high school where you wonder if you'll ever find friends like the ones you had in high school in college. That's why when kids go off to college, for the first year they take breaks very seriously and look forward to going home and seeing their high school friends. As the years progress this anxiety of the approaching break becomes less and less appealing. You begin to fully immerse yourself in all that college has to offer and eventually find friends that are just as great, if not better, than the friends you have back home.

The scariest part though is finding those friends. People like to make the argument that by joining a sorority you are 'paying for friends'. However, once you join a sorority you begin to realize how wrong of a statement that is. Yes, there are dues that you have to pay but those dues go towards the organization as a whole and being able to fund all of the fun things our organization puts on for its members. This organization has given me something that none other could, a home away from home. Somewhere that I have found people who accept me for exactly who I am and women who I really have made a special bond with outside of the sorority connection.

Pi Phi is the perfect fit for me personality wise. I know that I would just not fit in the same in other sororities. Yes, I could find friends and connections in any sorority I may have joined but I know deep down inside this one was meant for me. Next year I will be living with my 3 best friends in my sorority. I am happy to say that these women have truly become my best friends. They are always there for me when I need it and know me better than anyone else. They are what make Pi Phi my home away from home. These are the people that you know you will be friends with forever.

This is exactly why my mind has changed in regards to the existence of soul mates. I think that when you think of that term you automatically assume that it needs to be in a romantic way. I would like to counter that and argue that perhaps anyone can be your soul mate - whether it be romantically or just through friendship. These women get me, unlike anyone else I have ever met. They truly care about me and are interested about my life. There is something to be said about someone who wants to hang out with you just as much as you want to hang out with them. I have found that in these women. And I know that due to the existence of those people you meet in your life that you are able to pick up right where you left off, as if no time has gone by whatsoever. They know you so well that they could practically read your mind if they needed to.

That to me, is a soul mate. Someone who you connect with in a way you may not be able to explain to others. In some ways it makes me worried about finding a man that I want to spend the rest of my life with on these terms. But then I think of my favorite Carrie Bradshaw quote and realize it doesn't matter, because I know I have found at least one person in this world who gets me - and that's all anybody ever needs.

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Find Your Passion

Recently I have been applying for all sorts of different internships for the summer time. They range from internships with PR companies, to marketing and sales internships, and even a golf tournament assistant position. However, through the application process I never felt extremely pulled to one internship or another. I just thought 'oh this might be cool' or 'this applies to my major' and decided to apply. I never thought 'Wow, if I end up getting this internship I would probably want to work for this company after college', which ended up disheartening me. If I have no urge or passion for these internships now, how will I feel working these jobs for the rest of my life after I graduate? I swore to myself from a young age that I would never be that person that worked a mundane job just to get by. I wanted to pursue a career path that I really, truly loved. That's when it hit me - event planning.

I was speaking with my friend about my issue one day and she explained to me how I was the type of person who needed chaos in my life - in that she meant I do very well handling multiple tasks at a time and keeping a level head while completing them. I also knew I wanted to work with people, because if I didn't I'd go insane. And finally I knew I wanted to do something that allowed me to be creative and also wasn't the same thing day in and day out. This made me realize event planning is for me.

It is the kind of job where you really get to be completely creative, you are working with other people on a daily basis, and you certainly have a different job every single day. This excited me because I know how broad event planning can be! If I chose to tailor it into the sports world I could, but I could just as easily stick with weddings and parties. The limits are endless with this field! That is why it is a perfect fit for me :)

Now I am going to encourage you to go out there and pursue your dream job. You may not know what it is just yet, but start by doing things you love. Find your passions and then try to think of a way to incorporate them into some kind of work aspect, because after all...

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Soaking Up The Rays

It's that time of the year again, time to start thinking about Spring Break. Seriously though, who thought to have Spring Break so early? It will still be decently cold in North Carolina by the time break rolls around. And we can all agree, the time span between Spring Break and 'New Years Resolution' making is not long enough to be swim suit ready. But, we'll make due!

So today's Wish-list Wednesday's will be all about swim suits! Because what's more motivating than trying to imagine yourself in a bikini at this time of year? Yikes!

First off we have the Beach Sexy Scalloped Halter Top from Victoria's Secret starting at $36.50

I started swim suit shopping a couple of weeks ago and one of the places I always love to check first is Victoria's Secret. They tend to always have great quality pieces in a variety of shapes and colors. This particular top caught my eye. I tend to be the girl that only wears bandeau style tops, however this top was just different and cute enough to get me to click the 'add to my cart' button.

This is the Beach Sexy Push-Up Bandeau Top from Victoria's Secret starting at $28.50

And I'm such a hypocrite, here's a bandeau top - how typical. But I seriously love bandeaus, it's the best option for tan lines and if we're being completely honest here - tanning is the main reason I buy swim suits in the first place. I have this top in a pretty coral color that I got last year but the thing I like the most about this top this season is the print shown in the picture above. It is in the pattern 'white paisley' and I fell in love with that print when I was first shifting through their tops. I would probably pair it with a solid bottom that pulls out one of the colors in the top - so cute!

Lastly is the Beach Sexy Cheeky Hipkini Bottom from Victoria's Secret starting at $18.50

Lastly we have the piece that ties it all together - bottoms. Now for me I am not a tiny, stick-thin girl. I have curves, hips, bigger boobs. Having the body that I do makes it hard to find the right bottoms at times. The style that seems to be coming back year by year is the string bikini bottoms. Now, that does not work for me. It is normally too tight and creates an awkward bulge around my hip area. This is why I tend to go for something a little more like the picture above. It has a thicker band around the hips and for the most part highlights the one part of my area that I decently enjoy - my butt. So the cheeky hipkini is always a go, thanks Victoria.

Now I realize talk about bikinis makes some people uncomfortable. Hopefully talk about what styles fit my body type better, as I definitely do not have a 'swim suit body', makes some of you a little more confident that you'll find something out there that suits your body type!

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Keeping It Casual

There are many things that influence and shape our every day lives. It could be talking to friends, watching your favorite TV show, or even something your professor lectured on in class. Many of the social media sites do more than just update you on what your friend is up to that day. It also is a method to provoking thought.

Today I was scrolling through my twitter feed waiting on the bus to arrive when I came across a tweet that kind of took me back. Now, before I go on, you have to know a few things about me first. I am one of those people who follow those stupid/funny twitter accounts. You know the ones, that have no original tweets but their context normally includes things like 'Reasons why I am Single', etc. I find my twitter feed to be mostly a form of entertainment more than a social media platform. With all of that being said, I do follow accounts such as TSM and College Town Life. 

One of the more recent accounts I decided to follow is one called "College Confessions". The premise of this account is basically an anonymous confession hub of college students from across the entire country. I found some of these confessions to be humorous and down right appalling, so for entertainment purposes I decided to follow them.

Everything was fine and funny until I ran across a tweet today that said "The best night of my freshman year was when I snorted a line of cocaine off of a girls ass - University of Wisconsin". I have heard some pretty crude things in my day but for whatever reason this one jumped out at me. I thought to myself, that is really sad if that was honestly the 'highlight' if your freshman year. Doing drugs and using a woman's body as a dehumanized sexual object.

Now this post isn't to talk about the drug part of it, which yes I do have a problem with recreational drug usage. It's dangerous and yadda, yadda, yadda, but we have all heard that preached to us many times before. What really made enough of an impact on me to write this post is the emphasis of this girls body. The phrase said 'a girls ass'. No description of who this young woman was, nothing about her intelligence (granted yes this was a tweet and you only have 140 characters) but I think you all are getting at my point.

It really made me realize how sexual our culture has become in this day and age. The fact that at least 30% of the entire internet is used for porn almost speaks for itself. As a sorority woman I like to take pride in my organization and think that we are a group of high class women who hold ourselves to a higher standard, but to be honest, when girls come back every night 'bragging' about the guy they hooked up with it is really hard for me to stand by that.

The fact that the media portrays college in general as this place where it is okay to have sex with multiple people doesn't sit well with me. Sure, as an incoming freshman that seemed great! So many people willing to hook up with you, that just sounds like a confidence booster waiting to happen. That is, until it actually does.

Now I'm not going to sit on my high horse and pretend like I am 'holier than thou'. I've had my fair share of hookups, maybe one or two guys I can't fully remember their names, and I definitely haven't been in a committed relationship every single time I have been with a guy. But I can say these things and talk about this, because I don't want to be that person anymore.

The media brainwashes us into thinking that is alright. That 'everyone is doing it' so it makes it ok. In fact, they make it seem fun! How great does it sound to have sex with someone without the emotion that a relationship brings! Right? Wrong. So wrong.

Now I'm not trying to make anyone feel badly about themselves. If you think that is fun and good and you can have sex with a stranger and tell me straight to my face that it doesn't affect your emotions in a negative way whatsoever, then good for you. You have mastered college and the art of the casual hook up. But I believe that for many of us, that is not the case.

Young women go into the realm of college thinking that if they hook-up with this random person then they will be happy, because that is what every college person does. When in fact, not every college person does do that. It is a false idea that has been pushed into our brains by the media. Everyone thinks that it is cool and normal to have tons of sex all of the time, but really it's not.

Not to get all biblical on you, but the troubles and tribulations throughout college has really allowed me to realize that, as the bible says, sex is only meant to be between one man and one woman. It's purpose is procreation. If we are using it for other reasons, such as pleasure, it is just messing with our minds. Because having sex with someone tells our subconscious that yes - I would like to make babies with this person. You may laugh at that statement, and I have to admit I chuckled a little, but it's true! That's why the saying 'sex bonds people' is a real thing! Your brain is saying that you want that person to be a parent of your future child, therefore you start to think of that person in a different way. You start getting attached. That is why sex cannot be a 'casual' thing. In the end someone always ends up getting hurt.

So please, do yourself a favor and wait until he 'puts a ring on it' or at least makes some kind of commitment. Girls, guys think that they can get away with this casual sex thing because we let them! If we buckle down and get them to realize that they can't get their way until they commit to you, I guarantee there would be a whole lot less assholes in the universe and a bunch more 'good guys'. So if not for you, do it for the betterment of the other sex. Because ladies, if we're being completely honest here, they tend to think with their penises - let their brains get a little action once in a while.

Until next time,

Casey Rose