inspiration

Q&A

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I decided to do a little Q&A post on here and got some great questions from people on Twitter and Snapchat. Q&A posts are always my favorite to read on other blogs because I feel like you get to know the person a little more. 
1. If you only could wear one outfit for the rest of your life, which one would it be?
This is a tie for me. I think I’d either choose jeans, a button down, and a sweater (like this outfit) or a comfortable, chic shirtdress (like this). I feel confident and myself in both. I’m tempted to lean towards the dress so I could make it work dressed up or down though.
2. What’s your workout schedule like since you’ve moved to Connecticut?
So… to be completely honest, getting Hamilton has thrown my workout schedule out the window. I’m waking up so early to take care of him and I’m exhausted by the end of the night. But, when I’m actually being good and not using a puppy as an excuse (haha, whoops) I love yoga. I also got into Kayla Itsines workouts before falling off the bandwagon. The workouts are short but really hard, in a great way.
3. What are your favorite New England spring/summer activities or places to visit?
This is really going to be my first full summer living here since I was a kid. (We used to live in Massachusetts but moved when I was 8.) I’m just looking forward to weekend trips out of town and frequent trips to the beach. We just put our beach pass on the car and I am ready for beach days!
I do want to put together a little bucket list of things we want to do before summer is up! 
4. What’s it like in a day in the life of a blogger?
Every day is a little different, but it’s mostly not as fun as Instagram would say it is. I spend a lot of time emailing– that’s really the biggest chunk of my day every day and I try to do it first thing in the morning (from about 7am to 12 or 1pm). I always take a break for lunch slash the afternoon. If I have an outfit to shoot, we’ll go out late afternoon and then I work on content (Tumblr, blog posts, editing photos, writing, etc.) until dinner. And then after dinner, I tend to do more work. “Work” can be anything from updating my Quickbooks, putting together a Photoshop collage for an upcoming post, giving feedback on blog/website designs, etc. Realistically, it’s a combination of a bunch of those things! Really every night it’s something different and just depends on what’s going on!
5. What’s your favorite bag to use for air travel?
For carry-on suitcases, I either use this weekender or my trusty Vera Bradley duffel. For carry-on bags, I LOVE my Lo & Sons OMG bag. For regular luggage, this is my favorite suitcase.
6. Did naming your dog Hamilton have anything to do with the musical?
Not really! My sister actually came up with it so she may have seen the name and it was top of mind, but it wasn’t because of the musical. We also love the movie Best in Show and the husband in our favorite couple from the movie is named Hamilton too, ha!
7. What’s your favorite planner and notebooks?
I’ve been using this notebook mostly and I do all of my planning/calendar keeping on Google Calendar. I do schedule to-dos with this handy notepad though!
8. What is your dream vacation?
Paris! I still haven’t been and I really feel like I’m missing out!!!
9. Did you plan for blogging to become your job? Also, what was your job before blogging? Do you consider full time blogging your “dream job”? Why or why not do you feel the way you do? 
Not at all! I had no idea my blog would be something I would do for more than a month, let alone have it be something career-worthy when I started. Even when I was graduating college, I knew I wanted to get a job and really didn’t want to blog full time. I ended up working at a tech start up for just over a year and then quit to give blogging full time a go. I had no balance/free time/breathing room in my life with the full time job and blogging full time at night/on weekends. Even though I was against making it my only job, it ended up being the best thing for me. I finally had time to sleep normal hours and enjoy my weekends!
I think for now, it’s 100% my dream job, but I also know that it won’t be my dream job forever. As I get older I don’t see the blog fitting into my life… but I do think TCP will be a part of my life, just not so much as a “blogger.”
10. Georgetown specific college advice? And which freshman dorm were you in?
Georgetown students have a tendency to get ridiculously over-involved. Hoyas want to not just do everything but excel at everything. I would really make an effort to get involved early on and keep yourself grounded and focused. Don’t get carried away with thinking you have to do everything: you don’t. But what you do do you should really commit to fully!
I was in Harbin (third floor!). 
11. What’s one thing you regret not doing while still in college?
Studying abroad is probably my number one. I was on the rowing team and it was frowned upon to take a semester off to study abroad. I ended up quitting after my junior year and really wish I had been able to go somewhere for a semester!

I also regret not spending more time getting to know DC.
12. What do you like the most about living in New England after growing up in Florida?
I LOVE the seasons!!!! Florida is pretty much summer year round with a week or two of “winter.” Seeing the leaves change, the spring flowers bloom, the snow fall. I love it all.
13. Do you have any advice for someone preparing to live overseas the first time?
Although this is not something I have personal experience with, I would try to make sure I knew as much as possible about living there as I could. I heard a horror story from a friend of a friend who moved oversees without really understanding how it worked (how to set up a bank account, how to get an apartment, etc.) and she ended up leaving after a few weeks! Yikes!!! 
I’d talk to people who have made the move or people who currently live there to really get some insider information!
14. Going on a hiking trip to Montana in September, any tips for first time hikers?
Pack appropriately! I haven’t gone on a hiking trip, but after our trip to Alaska, I know having the right gear makes all the difference. You should go to REI to make sure you have what you need… the staff is ridiculously helpful and will make sure all your gear fits properly and everything.
15. Any advice on living with your bf/gf (sharing space, dividing chores, decorating, etc)?
Discuss as much as you can upfront: expenses, housekeeping, personal space, etc. Having the conversations can be hard but they’re the best foundations for healthy and successful relationships. Also if things/issues come up, try to talk about them ASAP instead of letting them eventually come to a boil.
16. How did you and Garrett meet?
Through mutual friends! We got together for dinner with a few other people one night when he moved to NYC for an internship. I instantly had a crush and the rest is history!
17. How long did it take you to begin blogging successfully/making money?
I made just under $20,000 my senior year of college (threeish years into blogging). It was pretty great for a hobby I was doing while a full time student… but it definitely wasn’t enough to live on full time let alone in NYC. After working for about nine months in NYC, my blog income was double my job income. I waited a little bit longer and then quit. I wanted to see what would happen if I dedicated my time to building out my own website instead of someone else’s! 
18. What is you favorite movie?
I have a few: Parent Trap, Phoebe in Wonderland, 10 Things I Hate About You, Best in Show, A Little Princess
19. What are your dorm room must haves? And what was the best college advice you ever received?
– 3M Wall hooks/tape, extra pillows, an actual alarm clock, bed lifters, stackable plastic drawers
– Be open minded about everything and everyone!
20. If you could shop at one clothing store for the rest of your life, where would it be?
J. Crew… they have everything from the basics to the fancy
21. What organization tips do you have for running your own business? I’m a new business owner!
Get your finances in order ASAP, don’t wait until tax season to start worrying about that. Meet with an accountant and/or bookkeeper quickly to get set up and off on the right foot!
22. How do you keep yourself motivated?
23. How do you feel about (or how did you come to terms with) your greys?
I actually love them. I was horrified when I found my first one in college. Now I have a lot more and, I don’t know, I just really don’t hate them or want to change it.
24. What has been your favorite place to travel?
ALASKA. It was just such a ridiculously amazing trip.
25. If you could recommend one book that you think everyone should read, what would it be?
I don’t have one book… but I do think that everyone should read and read often. I wasn’t a big reader until college but I swear it has changed my life. I don’t think it matters what you’re reading as long as you’re making an effort! (But here are some of my favorite books to recommend!)


xoxo
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9 Comments

Leda Olia

J. Crew would also be my pick if I could only shop at one store for the rest of my life!

Also, in terms of moving abroad I definitely agree about doing your research first! Now that I've made the jump from Boston to Edinburgh (it's been almost 2 years!) I'm so glad I sorted so much out beforehand. I'd also say another tip is to have a good support network back at home that's rooting for you 🙂

xx Leda

littlegirlbiggerworld.blogspot.com

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Kaydee Merritt

I'm so glad for the question about the dorm! I'm moving to school in a few months and I need to start putting a list together of things I will need!

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Elizabeth Van Lierde

This was so inspiring! I am in my first year out of college and in that weird period of wanting to quit the 9-5 and live for the 5-9 life that I have being a blogger. I love reading about similar stories and inspiring ones at that 🙂

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