Hannah Hearts...

Koozies are amazing things that keep your beer (or soda) cold and your hand not during tailgates, spring break, sporting events, beach weekends, or just regular weeknights if you live with me. They also make cute desk containers for non drinkers. These colorful beverage decorations are cheap, easy, and personalized gifts.

Materials:

• foam koozies- they can be found at most craft stores, usually for about $1
• ribbon(s)- you need at least 1/3 yard to circle the koozie, more if you want a bow.
• glue gun
• gems, sequins, bottle caps, whatever you want to pimp your koozie
• clear nail polish

1. Figure out how you’re going to pattern or layer your decorations.
2. Glue the first ribbon down. Make sure to glue every inch or so. 

   

3. When you get to the end of the ribbon, leave enough to fold over and then overlap the other end, this covers up all fraying ends.  

   

4. Then repeat the process with your next layer of ribbon if desired. 

   

   

5. Fold over both ribbons together and glue down. 

   

   

6. If you wish to add a bow, go ahead and tie the bow as a separate piece. This way you can even the tails. Add a bit of glue in the middle of the bow so it won’t come untied later. Coat the edges of the tails in clear nail polish to avoid fraying. Glue the bow on. 

   

7. Glue on any gem stones or other additions. I used shoe decorating pins here.

   

8. Use or gift! 

   

The internet is full of lists of things to do before you graduate, and the 10 things every freshman should know etc. In my search I was unable to find a list that included both having a crazy good time and more straight-laced things one should do in college so I’ve decided to throw my own $0.02 into the pot.

Hannah’s X number of things you should attempt before you’re too old:

(in no particular order)

• Blow off school work for a concert
• Get amazingly drunk multiples times in a weekend
• Go abroad
• Throw a theme party (or several)
• Fountain hop
• Participate in a campus wide event
• Complete a local bar crawl
• Host a homemade family dinner for your friends
• Be “those people” in a car with loud music playing
• Make out in a random place on campus (parking lot, classroom, sports field)
• Go on a road trip
• Acquire non essential items from your campus (traffic cones, posters, DH place settings etc)*
• Participate in philanthropy of some sort
• Tailgate
• Participate in a flash mob
• Watch all of Animal House
• Go on an amazing spring break; cruise, out of country, fun in the sun etc.
• Skip class and go to brunch with friends
• Go to an event outside your comfort zone
• Show some school pride, even if it’s only for Homecoming weekend
• Beach Weekend
• Start a prank war
• Waffle House at 4 a.m.
• Pull an all nighter
• Become regulars at a downtown bar
• Take a nap in the library

*I do not, in any way, support the removal of STOP signs. This is dangerous. The key word here is “nonessential” 

Formal pictures are popping up everywhere on Facebook and as I look through them at the colorful dresses and posed smiles, I wonder at our versions of beauty. there are several different styles and appearances represented which makes me happy. However I also know how much time girls spent getting ready. My own roommates were surprised to find me in sweats less than an hour before picture taking. 

Now I’m not saying that make up is terrible but I wonder if we as women depend on it too much or associate it too heavily with beauty. I very much love nail polish and eyeshadow but I don’t feel the need to layer product on my face to attain a certain appearance. How ridiculous is that process when you consider the second part of formal: dancing. This will most likely cause girls to sweat and endanger their makeup.

I want to encourage girls to learn to love their faces, not just as an acceptance of what you look like everyday but as an image of true beauty, fitting for special occasions too. In chapter last night we were participating in an anonymous survey that determined (among other things) that over 50% of girls in that room did not see themselves as beautiful. Astounding, especially only days after dressing up like princesses. Why does our concept of beauty and glamour have to involve covering up ourselves?

After discovering makeup in high school I grew into a better understanding of how small amounts can be used to enhance beauty. The largest part of this is my relationship to eyeliner. But that’s content for a whole ‘nother post. The biggest beauty secret I’ve discovered? Smiling and laughing. Real, natural expressions of happiness and contentment make a huge difference in how people can perceive you.  

This weekend was pretty amazing from its early beginning Thursday afternoon to it’s end Sunday night. Thursday afternoon was beautiful so I read in my hammock for a bit before leisurely working on a paper due Friday at noon. That night I was given a nice study break by my friends who dragged me over to their apartment to watch A Goofy Movie and play Trivia with them.

Friday I turned in my paper, took a nap, went shopping, and re-watched Julie & Julia for my research paper (yes, I watch movies for a research paper). That night we threw our second annual toga party involving togas, hummus, copious amounts of wine and 300. We ended up crashing a theatre party afterwards which was equally entertaining.

Saturday I slept in, took many short naps and did some reading for classes. Then I got pretty for my sorority formal and avoided picture taking as much as possible.

Sunday I woke up very early and drove to Clemson where I met up with my sister and friends. We drove to Atlanta for a joint Braves game/ Avett Brothers concert, the concert being the main motivation. I LOVED seeing them live, I just wish it had been a full concert.  We returned later than intended but ultimately, it was a day full of music and new friends.

Monday (I know it’s not the weekend but still) after my single morning class, I drove across town and got a haircut. I said bye-bye to about 4 1/2 maybe 5 inches of hair and it feels wonderful!

This afternoon it occurred to me that college is one of the few times in your life where such a full weekend is possible so I encourage all of you to enjoy the freedom you have now, even if it means procrastinating on a paper for another day. The memories are worth it.

With long awaited warmer weather finally hitting the Southeast, hammocks have been popping up all over our beautiful campus. They appear hung between trees by the lake, trees by the amphitheater, off awkward block statues, and (illegally) rigged on upperclassmen apartment porches. These eye-catching bursts of color never fail to make me smile. It’s a little sad how few amazing hammock spots there are on a campus as full of trees as we are so I’ve been thinking about some of my all time favorite places to hang my ENO. Also pictured: some of my favorite people.

I have grown more interested in blogging culture over the last 2 years and have really loved some of the things I’ve found. As a born English major, I love stories about people; imagined or from experience. Because of this, I love to talk. Often I feel that sharing my own stories will encourage other people to do the same. This is not always the case in real life. My goal is to write about what I know; whether it makes me laugh, rage, or think deeper about life. I hope that if someone happens upon this blog they will be able to relate to something I have said.

Do not be surprised to find posts about : TV, shoes, books, bad drivers, Batman, religion, theme parties, kittens, film, sewing, trees, baking, professors, comic book heroes, knitting, camping, college and sorority life. These are all a part of me and therefore I have a love to talk about them.