Hey blessed brilliant beauties!

Today’s post is going to be a mix of fashion and college advice! Only want to read about prepping for you last round of college midterms? Scroll below! Today’s fashion  is going to be featuring this super cute sequenced sweatshirt from Bow and Drape! Ever heard of them? This super cute online store is using their clothes to inspire women to be creative and empowering! Want to know the best part? They create 100% customized clothing! Love puns and making a statement with your fashion pieces? This store is totally the place for you.

Their site describes their mission perfectly. “Bow and Drape is a brand that inspires smart, stylish women to make a statement. They celebrate self-expression and provide their community easy-to-use tools to play with fashion like no other brand.” As a writer, I love the idea of encouraging others to find power in words then using that to augment an influential message through fashion!

I saw this lightweight sweatshirt hanging on a rack after walking through Macy’s after an eye appointment! Although some of their clothing has the option to be customized, in stores, they sell sweatshirts and t-shirts that are already made! This one was my absolute favorite and definitely what I needed in my life! What college girl doesn’t want to be a “goal digger” anyway?! Plus, it is comfy enough to last me through my long nights in the library so I had to grab it!

If you guys are interested in the sweatshirt I am wearing, I linked the sweatshirt down below! It is a size small in black!

Bow and Drape Goal Digger Sweatshirt

---

Exam Prep Motivation

Since I just had an exam yesterday, I decided to share six of my favorite study tips that have been helping me get through these last rounds of midterm exams before finals! Hope y’all enjoy!

1. Drink Lots of Water

Although drinking coffee does keep you up at night, drinking water helps you stay hydrated and attentive. Sometimes drinking too much coffee will cause you to not get any sleep at all. (This actually happened to me last night…no bueno.) This isn’t good because your brain actually needs that little bit of sleep to properly retain information. Make sure you are filling up your water bottle throughout the day to ensure that you are keeping your body hydrated so it can be at its best during exam time. Oh and…DON’T FORGET TO EAT HEALTHY TOO! NO JUNK FOOD THE NIGHT BEFORE EXAMS!

2. Take Study Breaks

We all need a break sometimes especially if we plan on looking at a computer screen for more than twelve hours at one time. When I take study breaks, I find that I am less likely to become overwhelmed with the material I am studying. For instance, if my exam is on three chapters and I have to review them all in one night, (Don’t try to learn it in one night y’all. The night before an exam should be for review), I will study one chapter then break for lunch, study another chapter then right a blog post, and finally, study the last chapter and take a walk around the building. Doing this allows me to limit distraction while still offering my brain a little break from the overwhelming chaos of studying. Speaking of distractions, let’s move to tip three!

3. Avoid Distractions 

I know it can be so hard but, STOP GOING ON SOCIAL MEDIA WHEN IT IS TIME TO STUDY! Trust me, I am a blogger. It is almost a natural habit for me to pick up my phone and look at audience engagement or how many people clicked to read my latest blog from the Instagram link in my bio. However, every time I do this, I find myself wasting time on having to go back and reread a passage from my assigned readings or completely do a problem over again due to the fact that my mind drifted to another place. My dad always use to tell me that value doesn’t come from the amount of time spent on doing a task but rather, the quality of effort.

4. Get a Study Buddy 

I love my study buddy! She happens to be my roommate and sorority sister! She is such a hard worker and I can always count on her to keep me in check when it comes to studying for an exam! A study buddy is a great way to make sure that you remain focused and on task while prepping for an exam. Even if they aren’t studying for the same exam as you, a study buddy is almost like the girl running beside you on the treadmill at the gym. She serves as a  little friendly competition to just go a little longer! Make sure you pick the right study buddy though. Don’t let your study buddy become a distraction!

5. Don’t Try to Cheat the System

Listen, let me tell you something from experience. YOU CAN NOT CHEAT THE SYSTEM OF LEARNING! Be attentive in class. Take detailed notes while you are there even if you don’t fully understand something. The information presented for you to learn by your professor is there for a reason. You never want the reason you don’t do well on an exam to be because you thought that topic wouldn’t show up so you didn’t study for it. Even though it may be a lot, just let it annoy you for a couple of hours and I promise it will pay off in the long run!

6. Develop an Exam Day Mantra

During the day of your exam, you should be feeling refreshed and confident. Instead of worrying about things that you think you’ll mess up on, choose a mantra to repeat over and over in your head! A mantra is a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation. It can be a bible verse, a song lyric, or even a short poem. My favorite mantra to mediate with when I am feeling nervous before an exam is, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” I will say this over and over and over again in my head. This helps block out the noise of others and any negativity that could possibly get in the way of me and my success!

I hope this helped blessed brilliant beauty! Don’t forget to take a look at Bow and Drape’s collection! Who doesn’t love a little lazy chic style at the library! Check out Thursday’s post about “How to Plan a Friendsgiving in a College Apartment!” Oh, I almost forgot! A couple of Pittsburgh bloggers and I are doing a MAJOR giveaway on Instagram! For more details on this super big Pittsburgh giveaway, visit my Instagram page at @blessedbrilliantbeautiful to enter! The giveaway closes on Friday at 11:59pm so check it out before you forget! See you Thursday and remember, you are blessed, brilliant, and beautiful! 

<3 TD