Life Update

Well hello...very long time, no post.

I've said several times on posts on Instagram that I've been working on a post about my trip to Italy in May of 2018 and that it would up soon. I lied. I just started it...on January 13, 2019.

What can I say? I've been busy.

While I work away on that post, I thought that I would share a quick life update that can fill you in on why I haven't been writing blog posts or posting on Instagram often.

And if you've forgotten what I look like:

I got a job in July of 2018.

I currently work for a medical device company as a hire through a contracting company. This started out as a "work for three months until the contract is over then take the GRE" kind of deal, but then my contract kept getting extended. Low and behold, here I am still working and I still haven't taken the GRE. I have applied to jobs though.

Progress? Maybe.

This is the primary reason of why I haven't been sharing a lot. I never have time to take photos of anything and I stare at a computer all day at work so the last thing that I want to do is go home and write a blog post.

All of my free time is devoted to family, friends, exercise, and reading.

I live in my hometown now. 

Unlike other bloggers, I don't live in a hip city, have a great social life, or a great relationship (I'm very single). I generally believe there is nothing going on in this city that any of you would be interested in learning or seeing. However, let me know if you would actually like to see a post on that.

I live in a town with nothing cool going on that I believe would interest the people that actually still follow me on Instagram. If you still do, thanks for sticking around. I appreciate it.

While I hope to move to a larger town or to a city (Indianapolis, fingers crossed), you're stuck with my ramblings from small town Indiana.

I want to change the blog. 

Ever since I graduate in May, I have wrestled with the idea of ending my blog. Completely. I figured that being a sorority girl at a Big Ten school may have a been a large part of my identity

I am no longer a "college blogger". I graduated in May and I'm still trying to 'find myself' if that's how you want to think about it'.

I haven't been a fashion blogger for long time. Maybe I never was. So that is definitely out. I may still share my current favorites from a brand, but I doubt I will be styling any outfits for Instagram any time soon.

Hoosier State of Prep will now become a lifestyle blog. What I mean by lifestyle is that from now on posts are going to be about travel, books, recipes, health/fitness, and general ramblings about both personal and current events.

(I'm sure that you'll all be thrilled to hear how life is in a small, Indiana town)

There will be a blog name change. 

I haven't dressed 'prep' in awhile. I haven't felt like I identify with my current name and handle for awhile now, so it is time for a change.

I'm not sure what the new name and handle will be, but if you have any ideas please message me on Instagram or comment on this post.

Along with a name change, I want to be able to have my own domain instead of ".blogspot" in my URL, so I need to keep that in mind with my new name.
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That's it for now. You can thank my friend Ashley for inspiring me to finally write a blog post! It's been a year and two days since my last post (yikes).

Believe it or not, I have at least three blog post ideas in my head right now that I will be begin drafting, including the long awaited post on my trip to Italy and London.

I cannot wait for what is to come on Hoosier State of Prep, soon to be something else!

Mainly Monday

Happy Monday everyone! I'm back from Spring Break feeling rejuvenated and ready for the last seven weeks of school (including my birthday of course)! Here are some of my recent favorites from spring break and beyond!

-one-
Longchamp

S/O to the Cancun airport for having Duty Free right after security and a perfect Longchamp section to go with it. I added to my Longchamp collection by purchasing this coin purse and this toiletry bag (to use for my pencil pouch for school). My dad was not happy with how I chose to spend my money, but honestly, I don't use much cash at school so I just went ahead with it. (Sorry dad, I do love you, I promise). 

I'm also in love with this season's colors! Especially the coral red and green!

-two-
Fish Therapy 

I got fish therapy while at Xel-Ha on Thursday and I highly recommend it! Watch out for a post within the next two weeks about my fish therapy and what fish therapy actually is! I promise that my feet are still attached to my body. 

I promise that I'm wearing Norts in the this picture

-three-
Noodles and Co

I honestly just added this because I'm eating Noodles right now, but I suggest trying the mac and cheese with grilled chicken (it's my favorite)!

-four-
Family

It was really nice to spend a week with my family! My Nana (my grandmother) tagged along with us for break and although we weren't as fast paced as usual, it was still an enjoyable time. We ended spring break on Sunday (March 22) by celebrating my dad's birthday at one of my favorite restaurants in town. I'm so blessed to be able to travel with my family! 

 Meet my parents: 

~Happy Birthday Dad~

(I posted this on my personal Instagram, yes I am that basic)

-According my friend Eric, hi Eric I know you're reading this, my hair is not on fleek in the bottom left picture, but who's hair is after a night in Mexico?-

Keep your bloglovin' or blog tabs updated because I'll be posting a lot of posts this week and next week. Also, don't forget to follow my Instagram: @hoosierstateofprep!

Show You Care

"Friendship isn't about who've you've known the longest. It's about who's walked into your life and said "I'm here for you" and proved it." - Unknown 

I'm sitting in my dorm room thinking about what I was supposed to do Saturday night, but know that God had better plans for how I would spend it. Earlier Saturday night the IU community learned of a death of a student and her mother in a deadly collision and immediately the greek community was there to give condolences to the student's sorority. Plans were canceled for the night and my sisters and I were urged to hang out with our friends and think about how much they mean to us. And that's just what I did. 

Instead of spending the night dressed in a tutu, I sat on my bed watching TV and eating cheesy bread while sending text messages to some of my closest friends. Ironically, my three closest friends go to different schools and I would like to think that my little message brightened their days just a little bit. A message to a friend or family member doesn't need to be long, it just needs to convey that you care.  I told my friends that I loved them and that I valued our friendship and that I'm so glad that we're friends. 

It's difficult to think that at any moment you or any of your friends and family could be delivered to Heaven and you wouldn't get to say goodbye. I can't remember the last time I gave my best friends hugs, but I can remember the last times that we had a ridiculously long conversation over text message and the times the helped me during recruitment. I can remember the moments that matter. The coffee dates, the homework dates, the Student Council shenanigans, and the tennis bus fiascos. And I miss them, but the memories are there. 

I can't imagine a world without my best friends being a simple text or call away. I don't want to either.  I can't imagine a world without my parents and packages that were accidentally sent to my dorm instead of the house. I can't imagine a world without my Nana and her face when I ask if she wants to go to church. 

Please, take some time out of your day to tell the people that matter in your life that they matter. You never know what could happen. One of you could end up being in a collision with a semi and not surviving. Before that happens, pick up your phone and send a message. Call someone. Tell the people that you love that they matter to you. 

You never know what could happen.

And to my friends that read my blog, I love you and I know that we will be bugging each other when we're eighty and senile. 

From Bloomington to Irvine and from Bloomington to West Lafayette, you know who you are and you know that I love you .

Coffee Drinkers Unite

I just got done reading Meredith's, from Monogram Meredith,  "Coffee Talk" post and it got me thinking: I order a different kind of coffee drink depending on my mood. 

My drinks:

Iced Caramel Macchiato- My go-to drink. It's kind of like my best friend when it comes to studying. Although I think it might be partly responsible for the Freshman 15. 

Mocha- A trusty old favorite and the first coffee like drink that I actually purchased. 

Banana Mocha- A drink that I can only get at cafes in my hometown and that I miss dearly. What's not to love about bananas (can you tell I'm an athlete?) and mocha combined? Nothing. And I highly urge you to try it out. 

Americano- For those days when I've barely gotten any sleep, i.e. last week when I slept 8.5 hours out of 48 (I do not recommend that). However it's too bitter for me to handle so I usually end up not drinking all of it. 

Iced Coffee- I'll take an iced coffee over regular brewed coffee any day that I feel like I need refreshed. It reminds me of being refreshed before a day on the beach...speaking of which, T minus 9 days until I'll be on my way to Mexico for Spring Break (I'm such a traveler at heart). I'm seriously missing Dunkin iced coffee because the closest one is an hour away and I don't have my far.