1. Shop: There are two Tanger Outlets to visit within a half an hour of each other where you can get all your brand name items. There are also shopping opportunities in Barefoot Landing and Broadway at the Beach. The stores there are one of a kind!

 

2. Eat: You have the option to try several chain restaurants, such as Logan’s Roadhouse or Hooters. There are also plenty of all-you-can-eat restaurants full of options from crablegs to steaks! Then there are the locally owned restaurants. My all time favorite family owned restaurant is Hamburger Joe’s.

3. Golf: There are par 3, mini golf and 18 hole course opportunities.When you drive down Highway 17 you will see so many options. Choose wisely!!!!
   
   
   

   

   
   

4. The Beach: If you are in Myrtle Beach you have to go to the beach! Duh!  During the summer between the hours of 12-2 can be really brutal so I recommend using an umbrella but please don’t forget your sunscreen! Personally, I think the best time to go to the beach is around 3 o’clock because it never is too hot.
   
   
   

   

   
   

5. Look into a Show: There are so many opportunities for entertainment at night. You could go to House of Blues, Alabama Theater, the Carolina Opry, Legends in Concerts and so much more!

Constantly getting emails from your favorite stores tempting you to check out their websites? I don’t know about you but I always feel the urge to click and scroll on the websites for hours. I get caught up in the moment and next thing I know boxes are arriving at my door. I know it can be difficult to stop yourself from buying things but I have come up with questions and suggestions to think about before possibly buying items.

The first thing you should ask yourself is if you need the item. Then you begin to think, “well…. I don’t necessarily need this item I just want it.” Make sure you know the difference between wanting something and needing something. You may want another sweater even though you have three just like it at home in your closet. Or you may need the sweater because all your other ones ripped.

Another thing to think about is how often you will be wearing the item and if you will get good use out of it. Will you be wearing the item multiple times or just once? Could you wear the item with multiple outfits? You don’t want to spend your money on one thing and only wear it once. Make sure the item fits with other outfits you may own. If you need inspiration just check out Pinterest to help you!

Next, you need to ask yourself, “Is it worth the money?” The more expensive the item is the better quality it should be, so it can last you a long time. You might want to splurge on getting something more pricy so it can last you in the long run. Also, make sure that the material the item is made out of is of good quality. You don’t want to buy something that will rip in a month. 

That brings to me to something else you should consider: “Is the item following a trend?” If you are buying a trendy sweater or something you think will go out of style, consider opting for the cheaper sweater. In the end, you might not end up wearing it that often so it will be better for your wallet to opt for something less pricey.

Lastly, consider when shopping if the item is on sale or if you have a coupon for it. Most things that you shop for can get discounted whether you use your student ID or use a coupon. Look into ways of getting coupons. You can sign up for emails or go onto retailmenot.com to receive coupon codes. Maybe you might consider getting the credit card for your favorite store where you can earn great discounts. Any coupon you find can make a difference! Personally, I rarely buy things full price because I like the challenge of getting a good deal on an item. Who knows, maybe you will too.

Make sure to consider these things before you add items to your shopping cart! In the end, your credit card will thank you!

After a long week of working hard in class and writing essays, all I want to do is enjoy a quiet night either by myself or with friends. Here are some suggestions for you to try out for your next Friday or Saturday night in:

1. Watch a good movie. You can either watch it off your Netflix or an Amazon prime account. If you don’t have these accounts then go to your local library because I am sure that they have a selection of DVDS. My go to movies are Endless Love and The Proposal. The classics are always the best. If you are not into movies, start a television series with you and all your friends. My favorites are Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill. Next thing you should do is pop in a bag of popcorn or kettle corn and sit back and relax! 
2. Have a spa night. Have all your friends each bring something to contribute. You should have nail supplies including nail polish and cuticle cutters. Also, someone should pick up a face mask at the drugstore for all of you to put on your faces. If you don’t want to buy it, you can make your own mask. You can find plenty ideas on Pinterest. If you really want to go crazy you could also make a lip scrub to soften your lips. Now, you all are on your way to a relaxing night but just don’t forget the candles!
3. Gather a bunch of your friends and make desserts! Have each person bring an ingredient and get together to bake! You could bake something easy from rice crispy treats to apply pie. 
4. Listen to music and gather all your friends around to play Cards Against Humanity. This game is good for a laugh.
5. Order takeout! All of you and your friends should order from different places around your area and see which food you like the most. Don’t forget the pizza or lo mein!
6. Do some arts and crafts! Travel to a craft store and pick up something random to work on. Your could scrapbook or paint on a canvas or make yourself a necklace. Try something different! It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece.
7. Do home workout exercises and then prepare yourself a nice healthy protein filled dinner!
8. Do online shopping! Sometimes traveling to your local mall can be exhausting so why not sit in bed and shop? There are so many coupon codes for you to use online. If you can’t find any then call customer service and they might be able to help you and while you are at it, ask for free shipping too. 
9. Read a book. When was the last time you picked up a book to read for enjoyment? Never (I am assuming). Go to your local library and take out a book. If you get tired of reading easily then get the book on audio and listen to it, that way, you can close your eyes.
10. The last thing you could do is be productive! Get stuff done so you don’t have to worry about it the next day.

Can I afford these shoes? Can I take a trip for spring break? Should I go out to dinner with my friends? As a freshman in college, money is always on my mind. But don’t worry, there are many ways to make and save yourself money.

In order to make yourself feel better about buying things, I recommend getting yourself a job on campus. The little extra cash can be good for spending money or helping to pay for your tuition. It can definitely be hard to balance schoolwork and a job but I highly encourage it. Look into finding a job you are passionate about. Your job should be something you look forward to in between classes. Once you find a job, figure out the amount of hours that are good for you to work. You don’t want to work too many hours during the week because then you will not have time for homework and studying. 

I also suggest taking advantage of all the free opportunities that are on college campuses. Check out your school’s schedule that will provide you with dates and times of events. There may be a singer or comedy show presented at your school. Most events offer free food. You would be surprised! Doing things on campus can be great because you are getting the most out of your experience. After all, you paid to go the school! Take advantage of what is offered. If you want to leave campus, look into see if your school has a bus system that can bring you to local areas off campus. There might be a calendar of events for your local town with free things to do.

Another thing to look into is scholarships either offered online or through your school. There are many broad scholarships opened to all undergraduate students and scholarships that are offered for a specific major or minor you may be in. Utilize search engines of scholarships through Fastweb, Scholarships.com and College Board. If you can’t find much success online, consider going to your college’s office of financial planning where they can help you. They may be able to give you tips for programs through the school that offer you money. You just need to ask around school and dig deep because scholarships are not always easy to find. 

Now, if you want to shop there are so many ways to spend your money wisely. If you have a Target near your school sign up for Cartwheel rewards which gives you discounts on Target items. Also sign up for Unidays which offers student discounts from stores like Urban Outfitters to Levi’s jeans and so many more. It is a really great way to save you money. You may also want to consider looking into selling your clothes. There are great websites out there to help you such as Poshmark, Thredup and Ebay.

While you are in college try not to stress money. You will figure it out!

Start the college process early- The sooner you get it over with the sooner you can enjoy your senior year. The process can be long and tedious but worth it when you find and get into your dream school. 

Work on you resume- You will need to make a resume which will contain all of your activities and organizations you were involved in during high school. During the application process some schools will ask you for your resume and others won’t but you should submit it anyway. It is always better to go the extra mile. Also, if you don’t know how to start with a resume ask your guidance counselor or use online resources! 

Applying to schools- Make sure when you are applying for colleges that you consider safety schools and reach schools. It is always important to have a university to fall back on if your first choice does not work out. Make sure you utilize sites such as College Board to help you narrow down your searches. Consider the location, programs and clubs and organizations offered through the colleges. You want to make sure you look into all the opportunities that are offered. Also, enjoy the college process. It is an exciting time and you want to make it worth it!

Visiting colleges- I highly recommend visiting as many schools as you can because that is the only way you will get a feel if it is a university for you. You will learn information on guided tours that you wouldn’t have known otherwise. Also, make sure you contact your admissions counselor and they might be able to set up a visit where you can sit in on a class that you intend to major in. Another thing to do when visiting schools is walk around campus and ask students about reasons why they attend the school. This will give you a first hand feel of the institution. Another thing to do while visiting colleges is to try and visit when school is in session so you can see the campus in action.

Apply for scholarships- This is really important! There are so many scholarships offered in high schools that are directed towards seniors so there will be a better chance of you winning. You should also look into local town scholarships and national scholarships. Honestly, every little bit counts. You would be amazed. If you keep applying you are bound to win some. If you are struggling, the internet has so many helpful tips as well as there are so many books written to help people win scholarships.

Don’t believe everything you read or hear- This is a general rule of life but during the application process it is important to follow. Just because you heard one bad rumor or stereotype about the school it does not mean the school is bad. Keep an open mind.

Consider taking the ACT/ SAT again- If you have the chance to improve your scores take advantage of it! Improving your score by a few points or few hundred points could allow you to get a bigger scholarship at an institution.

1. Yogurt with blueberries and strawberries and granola

- Personally, I eat Chobani Vanilla Blended Non-Fat Greek Yogurt but plain is definitely so much more healthy. I also put some Kind Granola with toasted coconut and throw in some all natural almond.

2. Multigrain Cheerios and bananas sliced up with 1% milk

3. Whole wheat toast with almond butter and fruit sliced on top with a glass of orange juice

4. Avocado toast on whole wheat bread and a poached egg with a glass of orange juice

**** I suggest right after you wake up drink a big glass of water with lemon. As much as you don't want to it is good for your body.

For years it has been on my bucket list to wake up early and go to the Today Show to see someone preform. I put in for VIP tickets to see if I could get them for Dierks Bentley and low and behold I did. I had the option to bring a guest so I asked Sophia. We woke up at 3 am to take a 4;07 train. The train was surprisingly packed! Once we arrived at Penn we then walked to Rockefeller Center and waited on a VIP line. After an hour of chilling we got moved near the stage and we were really close. At around 6:30, Dierks came out and sang a little before the show aired which was a nice surprise. Then, after standing for sometime Dierks came out for the show along with the Today Show anchors. Matt Lauer has been my idol since day one. The night before Sophia made me a sign that said "when I grow up I want to be Matt Lauer." I held the sign up and he said to me "you already are grown up." What he said really made no sense but I don't care MATT LAUER TALKED TO ME! After the show, Sophia and I went to Central Park and took a nap! I will forever remember this day.