If you know me, then you know, sweets are my kryptonite!!! I try to eat an extremely healthy and balanced diet, but personally, I’d choose a cookie over cheesy mashed potatoes any day of the week.
In our dorm, I started keeping a treat jar (eerily similar to the one we have for my puppy…) that is always stocked with something yummy! My roommate and I love to grab something small after dinner or if we are feeling slumpish; it seriously just brightens any day!
I love to change it out depending on the season and my current cravings (lol), so here is the current lineup of sweet treats for my sweet tooth:
Sugar Cookie Hershey Kisses
Oatmeal Creme Pies
Coffee Caramels
Reese’s Cups
Dark Chocolate
Kit Kats
Definitely nothing good for your body here… but totally good for your heart! Life is best the lived in balance 😉
Well hey there, party people! Midterm season can be INTENSE, full of late night study sessions, excessive homework, homesickness, and burnout. The newness of college has worn off, teachers aren’t treating you like freshmen anymore, and everything- all of the sudden- feels a whole lot more intense than it was it September. While I can’t pass your classes for you or grind out the late nights in the library, I can share some of my own personal tips & tricks to make the mid-semester slump a little brighter and lighter!
Set boundaries!! Physical, mental, & emotional boundaries help you give your all to each facet of life, from your relationships, to grades, to health. A huge way I do this is by getting out of my room to study/do homework! I love the library, local coffee shops, or even a bench outside when it is warm. This allows me to truly relax when I’m in my room, and to clearly define the line between work and play.
In this same breath, I also let my dorm room be a place I can breath and enjoy time to myself; keeping my space clean, organized, and decluttered makes it a place I cannot wait to come relax to!
GOOD SNACKS ARE KEY! I love apples, bananas, nuts, dark chocolate, dates, or anything else that is good for your brain and body. Keep study in your backpack so you can keep on studying!
Also- stay hydrated!! Sometimes when we get in the groove of schoolwork, it is easy to neglect and forget the fact that your body needs nourishment to keep your mind working at tip top speed. Drinking tons of water makes me feel a million times better in every way! Bonus points if your cup is cute!
I have to reward myself and set scheduled breaks to keep myself going strong and steady! Some of my favorite “rewards” include a piece of chocolate, a walk around campus, seeing a friend, getting to workout, coffee breaks, or even just scrolling through Pinterest for 10 minutes. Makes all the world of a difference!
The Podmoro method has proved to be extremely helpful this semester; I installed an app on my laptop that sets up tasks in 25 minute working-5 minute break periods. This helps me to work diligently and efficiently without burnout.
Finding way to enjoy studying helps the most.. through music, good coffee, a friend, or even just remembering the fact that I get to learn and experience this incredible education!
Hiya, everybody!! Today, I am going to share with all of you my most-used but never-abused study technique that keeps me not only sane, but actually joyful during high-stress seasons of college life!!
I am the type of person that absolutely lives for the aesthetic/vibe/feeling of a moment, and I truly believe that taking the extra effort to create an enticing atmosphere makes all the difference in any mundane activity.
So during the longgg hours of homework and studying that I’ve been introduced to during these last few months of freshman year, I’ve discovered that instrumental, mood-setting music is the key to surviving and thriving in academics!
Here are some of my favorite playlists found on YouTube! I put my phone away, connect my AirPods, put this music on in a new tab, and get to grinding!
Happy happy happy December: the BEST month of the year!! When everyone is cheery, hot chocolate and Christmas music is socially acceptable, cookies are in abundance, and there are PARTIES GALORE!!!
With all of these exciting events to celebrate the season, sometimes it can feel overwhelming to assemble a stylish, conventional, and appropriate outfit. Lucky for you, this little college freshman dreams of dinner parties, and I have all the style tips for this winter season to keep you merry, bright, and oh-so chic!
PREPPY & CLASSIC; from dinner at Grandma’s to the after party!
I am absolutely in love with the timeless look of pearls-on-black, and the chunky boots give this sweet look a fun bit of edge! Alice + Olivia is my favorite designer of all time- and I was not disappointed by her holiday collection, featuring this adorable puffy sleeve/high neck blouse & flirty mini skirt!!! This look can be so easily recreated- just follow the same color scheme and classic feel- then make it your own! I think this look would be perfect for a family holiday party where you want to keep it modest, but still trendy for all the pics! QUICK TIP: Add tights & a neutral peacoat over this for colder weather!
Cream may just be my current favorite winter color… look how classic!!! I love the contrast of a long sleeve mini dress; pair it one with the subtle sparkle of gold accessories for an elegant look! All of these options from Revolve are classy yet modern, allowing for you to stun any room effortlessly! The ribbon-themed accessories add a sweet Christmas touch, don’t you think?
SILVER BELLS…it’s party time in the city!
This look may just be my favorite… I saw this dress on Revolve and my jaw dropped! It’s flirty, fun, & SO festive for any occasion that you want to stand out!!! I love the silver accents in the dress, and using accessories like silver jewelry and heels just bring out the shine even more. The high neck definitely calls for a sassy high pony in my opinion!
I hope y’all enjoy some of my favorite classy holiday looks for this season! Comfy, casual, Christmas morning looks coming later 😉
Well, hey there!! This month, I reached my 19th trip around the sun, and I’m feeling pretty dang blessed to be exactly where I am in life right now. This year has brought upon a whole new chapter of growing up, For the past few years, I’ve spent some time reflecting on the last year of my life in my journal, but this year, I thought I’d share on my lil corner of the internet!
Jesus is the only constant, and He is so perfectly enough.
If I play my cards right, I can keep my hair curled for about 5 days!
Seasons are just that- seasons. Nothing ever stays the same, so enjoy right where God places you.
And if you’re in a winter-ish season, spring always comes quicker than you think!
Food is fuel and ice cream is never a bad idea.
Boys are fun, but not the epitome of life! I’d rather wait on prince charming than kiss some frogs…!
Keep on waiting for true, genuine, and reciprocal friendships… your girls are out there!!!!
Virtue is so so so important; what we think, feel, and even do when no one is watching demonstrates the pureness if our heart. While no one is perfect, it is essential to hold your character to a higher standard than the world.
Everything worthwhile is uphill.
Your family deserves the same respect, effort, and grace that you pour into your friendships.
Lipgloss and an iced coffee can turn any day around!
There will be days that you go to bed wishing you did something, or even everything, differently. We can’t go back and change the past, but we can always do the next right thing.
Everyone around you has a story, and it is always worth it to discover it.
Joy is a choice & goodness is found where you look for it!!!
Comparison, envy, and pride sneak in where there is the greatest opportunity for genuine friendship and community. Don’t let them rule you!
Change is scary, but oh-so worth it.
Life is fun when you make it fun!!!!!
Gratitude is everything; life changes when you view it as a blessing.
Just a few thoughts about this sweet chapter that came to a close. I got to celebrate my birthday with sweet friends and my incredibly perfect family. My heart is so full!! 🙂
Remember to count your blessings today!!! Even if that just means getting to wake up this morning.
Good morning party people!!! I am coming at you live Tuesday morning, bright and early, with a little bit of inspiration to throw your way.
I have mastered the art of curling my hair since the literal 4th grade. I can do it with my eyes closed, without a mirror, and in 12 min flat. I consider it a talent of mine! The number one compliment I receive is about my hair; I feel like it’s become a bit of a trademark to the whole Sydney Bush look ;)))
What many people don’t know is that I actually have naturally very curly hair! No one in my stick-straight haired family knows where the heck it came from, but it’s definitely there.
exhibit A: goofy library selfie 😉
I remember being in elementary school and feeling so insecure about how big and frizzy my hair was compared to the other girls in my class (no wonder I love Hermione Granger!), I would have my mom help me put it in sponge rollers, braids, buns, ponytails, and anything else that would make it poof down!!
When I got a bit older, I discovered the curling iron and learned how to make my hair look smooth, cute, and polished without any of the frizz!! This became part of my daily routine, something I latched on to to make myself feel more put together. Soon, I noticed that I got more compliments and attention from boys when my hair was “fixed!” Looking back, I see that this is the point in my adolescence that I started to place my identity in my outer appearance, and the way others perceived my outer appearance. Simply curling my hair is in no way a bad thing, but this also led to a fixation with makeup, selfies, and a “me me me” centered mindset that was nothing short of vain.
I also truly believe in stewarding well what the Lord has given us, taking care of our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit, and reflecting the beauty of our hearts through our outward appearance. I am a girly girl to the MAX and have always absolutely loved makeup, hair care, and fashion! But where does the line lie between expressing our God-given femininity and pridefully flaunting our looks? What I’m learning is that it all comes down tothe source of our identity.
Here’s the difference; when I am placing my identity in the hands of the world, I never feel “good-enough.” I am left feeling drained, desolate, and very down. But when I turn to the Bible and read the consistent truth about who God says I am, the purpose He made me for, and the goodness of His Son, I am filled to the brim with appreciation for the beauty He so specifically and intentionally gave me- just as He did ALL of y’all!
Be encouraged, sweet friends, that our hearts are seen by the Lord, and He calls them beautiful. Not because of our innate goodness, but because of His perfect son, Jesus! All that beauty will shine through when you place your joy, trust, and confidence in God. And the natural curls, freckles, or whatever else you got is just a cherry on top!!!
Post coming SOON about my hair care routine + my deserted-on-a-desert-island hair products and tools!
Julia Bush (my little sister, who is 16 years old)
She disagrees with the freedoms, saying that they cause more harm than good and people take them for granted
Majorly supports freedom of assembly and speech
Yes, she recognized the law
She is Democratic
April Bush (my mom, who is 50 years old)
She agrees with the freedoms for the most part, but doesn’t believe that they are actually represented in our government and laws well
She supports them all, especially religion
Yes, she recognized the law
She is Conservative
Cheryl Holden (my nana, who is 72 years old)
She agrees with the freedoms wholeheartedly
Very vocal about how she thinks freedom of the press has gotten out of hand
She recognized the law
She is very traditional and conservative
David Holden (my grandpa, who is 74 years old)
He agrees with the freedoms, but mentioned he does not think they are being enacted in the way that the framers of the bill of rights intended
Same as my nana, said that freedom of the press has gotten out of hand
He recognized the law
He is very traditional and conservative as well
Isaac Gibson (my hometown friend, who is 19 years old)
He said he 100% supports all of the freedoms because he is an American
He especially believes in freedom of speech
He did not recognize the law
He is religious and conservative, but possibly blindly due to his upbringing.
ANALYSIS
Comparing the two age groups, the younger generation consisting of my little sister and hometown friend, and the olde regeneration consisting of my mom and her parents, I believe it should be taken into account the culture of my hometown, it being very conservative and biblically based. Their answers were all pretty similar, my little sister being the only left leaning interviewee, but I found it interesting to hear that they all picked out different freedoms that stood out to them, both positively and negatively. I noticed a major emphasis on American pride in the responses of my grandparents, and sensed a bit of disdainfulness in my sister and mom’s responses.
INTERPRETATION
These patterns indicate that the longer and more personal experience a person has with our country, the more value they place on the freedoms we are blessed to experience. For instance, my grandpa is a veteran and my nana a veteran’s wife. This experience gives them a very different perspective than my little sister or friend, who have not lived to be so directly impacted by the first amendment.
EVALUATION
I really enjoyed these interviews- it was a fun Thanksgiving table topic for sure!!! I believe that even though they expressed different levels of reverence and enthusiasm for the freedoms, they all know the innate value of them and understand that they are a part of our country’s law for a reason. I was very impressed that my sister knew so much about the Constitution, and alarmed that my friend did not!!
ENGAGEMENT
In this blog post, I found it very interesting to read about the differences between races and their opinions on the 1st Amendment.
Hello hello hello! Whoever, wherever, or whatever (lol) you are… thank you for being here & for reading these little words. It means more to me than you could ever possibly know.
Y’all, I have been questioning what the Lord is doing with and through me recently. I feel distracted, unhealthy, homesick, and kind of a mess, tbh! (& I cannot stand messes…!!!) Do you ever feel a little lost in your purpose? Or maybe just a bit insignificant in this great big world full of incredible humans? I’m overwhelmed by the strains of the battle between my head telling me to strive and my heart leading me to Jesus. I feel like I’m not doing enough, but I don’t even know what enough is! I have zero idea what the future looks like, or even what tomorrow looks like, and yet everyone else calls me “put together!” If only they knew… 😉
Negative feeling dump OVER; now it’s time to share how God is turning all of this messy into GOOD!
thx God for this lil bit of Good… long walks to OnCue for HotChoc!
I do not have all the answers, and the Lord truly is still doing a majorrrr work on my heart, but I’m realizing that all this messiness in my mind, body, & life may just be His sweet way of humbling me. I’ve always been an achiever (type 3 wya), but now that I’m a tiny fish in a big sea of studs, I’m seeing that my lil high school achievements in no way measure up. I feel out-done even by my closest friends; but… maybe His purpose for me isn’t to achieve all the things that don’t even fulfill me. Maybe I’m just as valued by God for my heart, and not my resume. Maybe Heaven cheers me on just as loud when I love my people well as It does when I’m strutting on a stage. Maybe… I’m still working through this, honestly.
Speaking of hard things I’m working through, the Lord has also humbled my heart through a reminder about hard work. I’m constantly dreaming of the life I want to live, how I want to look, the job/accolades/achievements I want to have, and yet I’m for sure not dreaming of the time, dedication, sacrifice, and diligence it takes to get there! I’m a bit embarrassed to say that I’ve been coasting this semester; not working, enjoying easy classes, & probably online shopping a little too much. Looking back, I haven’t spent my time as intentionally as I should have. I was so excited about this blog, and yet it’s been at the bottom of my priority list all semester. While I wish I could go back and change the way I’ve stewarded some of the blessings the Lord has given me, I am trying to not be hard on myself, but recognize my need for Jesus to help change my ways by His Grace.
I’m not going to wake up tomorrow a completely new girl, but I will wake up and seek the Lord with my whole heart, asking Him to continue to refine, humble, and revive me to make me more like Jesus. Sweet friends, I promise you, no matter what you see on the outside or the Instagram feed, we all are fighting messy battles that are usually unseen. And when fighting these battles, all we can do is put on the full armor of God, put in our pearl earrings, and take it one. step. at. a. time.
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
Ephesians 6:10-11
When we embrace the humbling refinement that God gently brings us through, we can choose to steward well the little Kingdom that He has placed in our care, wether that be an education, family, friends, sorority, club, or even blog! When we walk in our identity of daughters of the King, we get to be the princess of our own little Kingdom. How sweet is that?
This post was honest, vulnerable, & oh so refreshing to share. My heart already feels lighter, and definitely humbled.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, & FOR BEING YOU!
Leave your favorite Bible verse in the comments! 😉
Hiiiiiii!!! You guys, I’m not sure exactly why, but God has been so so so real and present with me recently. I was in the car yesterday and truly just letting my mind and heart seek Him without distraction (you know, besides the road…) and I was actually blown away by His sweet presence.
I had this vision in my head where I went through alllllll the tiny things (that seem so big at the time) my mind stresses over, and then the realization that He has carried me through every. single. day. and every. single. trial. that I have ever faced. He has worked everything for the good of His Kingdom, and the good of His Kingdom is the only fulfillment my heart really seeks.
Everyday has the possibility to be a great one when we walk hand in hand with the Father!! Especially if your day includes yummy coffee 😉
If our good & gracious Heavenly Father has already proven Himself by being so truly evident in every moment of my life thus far, why do I excessively doubt and worry about the things I know His hands are on? Why do we all do this? Welllll, I prayed a prayer that for sure isn’t perfect, but definitely was good for my soul.
I said “God, thank You SO much for making Your good good self so evident to me right now. I see You everywhere and the evidence of Your goodness is all over my life. I know You are real, almighty, and love me despite my sins, all because of Your Son Jesus. I pray that while I feel high on a mountain top right now, You remind me of this moment when I am in the valley, and show me Your consistency even when I lack it. I pray that my faith is not based upon my feelings and circumstances, because You know those change in a snap, but that it is based only upon my core belief in the Truth of who You are and Your goodness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
And those who know Your name put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.
Psalm 9:10
Thank the Lord I prayed this prayer, because literally the next day I found myself in a completely different state of mind, circumstance, and health. Even though I was notttttt feeling on the mountain top, I honestly thought back to that car ride and was reminded of then Lord’s constant pursuit of my heart in the middle of the messy. He wants to take my burdens and turn what the Enemy meant for evil for GOOD. All I have to do it let Him. And that is all you have to do too, sweet friends! Easier said than done I know, but we’ll grow in that together :))
I’m praying for every single person that reads this, that you are filled with the Holy Spirit and see the Lord moving and working in the small things that you worry about.
Happy HALLOWEEKEND, everybody!!!! Today’s post is short & sweet.. all about the joy of having older girls to look up to in life!! As I’ve gone through this semester as a freshman in college, I’ve realized that I never knew how much I needed someone to look up to that is just one step ahead of me in life. Lucky me, the we have such a good God that knows what we need before we do! Through my sorority, church, and classes, He has provided so many incredible women that I am honored to strive to emulate.
Sweet Elle knows my LOVE for cutie matching PJs!!!! :))))
This season of life is tricky.. it’s proving to be harder than I thought it would be to stay on this “straight and narrow” path when everyone around me seems to be living it up in a lifestyle that just doesn’t personally fulfill my heart! (Absolutely no judgement here… just how I choose to live!) When I feel like I’m stumbling through the dark, not knowing if it’s possible to be who I truly want to be, the brightest lights have been girls who have gone through it before me. Girls who are seeking Jesus with their whole heart, staying true to who they are called to be, lifting each other up, and enjoying life to the fullest. Girls who encourage me to stay kind and true, to prioritize my education, and show me what it means to be generous.
When deciding to join a sorority, one of the biggest aspects of the experience that I craved was having a “big sister!” As the big sister of my family, I have always wished to have that sort of role model- someone who has gone through the scary stuff before me and made it out alive! This is where sweet Elle comes in.. I loved her before we were Thetas together, and I know she is someone I will love forever! She is bright, loyal, fun, and is loving Christ in a culture that rejects Him. She doesn’t try to be my role model, she just wants to be my friend- which is exactly why I adore her so much.
I encourage you all to seek wisdom, guidance, and mentorship in older girls that have hearts for Jesus and His people. Seeing that someone else can do it, inspires me that I can do it, too! Now, I’m excited to be the same role model for the younger girls that the Lord brings into my life.
Reminder to thank the people that fill your cup, and do your best to fill their cup too :)))
