Move In Day

Happy move in day Class of 2018! 

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Storify: The Smart Girls Summit

 I couldn't be more proud to be a part of such an incredible organization.  Unfortunately, my housing fell through for the 2 nights I was supposed to stay in NYC, so I wasn't able to make it up to the conference.  It worked out just fine as I lived through my twitter feed and retweeted like a crazy woman.

I've used Storify to piece together some of the best parts of the day!  Check it out.

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Life Update

A big life update coming at ya!  

Well, if you follow on Instagram you probably already know this.

I have accepted a job at Washington College and have moved to Chestertown full time!  Yesterday was my first day in the "real world" and I loved every second of it.  I will be serving as the Assistant Director of Chapter Programming and Alumni Networking.  If you are a Washington College alum reading this, I will be handling all of the Alumni Chapters across the country!  :) See you at an event!  

 My volunteer work with the Alumni Board and with the senior class gift campaign this past year totally sparked my interest in development, fundraising, and alumni programming.  I am so inspired by the team I work with, the volunteers I oversee, and the alumni I am engaging.  This move couldn't have been more perfect for me and I'm so excited to learn everything about this new realm.  

The decision wasn't easy, and there were days that I questioned whether Chestertown was the right place for me (cough, cough the last two summers in DC, cough, cough).  In the end, what really mattered to me was the work that I would be doing and my passion for it.  I am able to utilize my creativity and harness my ideas and vision for these programs that I have not only partaken in, but already molded and shaped as a student.  

Cheers to the next chapter, I am so happy you are along for the ride! 

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the last week

finals prep by hilarybadger featuring a keurig coffee machine

patagonia fleece //  black notebook // le pen // keurig //  watt's up! lumnious // coffee mug // yurbuds // donut mac case // nike free 5.0 // iphone charger // llbean tote //

I couldn't help but feature a few of my favorite things (cough cough purple things) to help you make it through finals week.  I love nothing more than packing my tote bag with my favorite things, opting for my glasses instead of contacts, and heading to my favorite cafe for some quality study time (which I may be doing right now!)  My last final is this upcoming Friday and then I will be officially finished my undergraduate career!  SO CRAZY! 

Also, can we talk about that laptop cover?!  You all know my deep love and appreciation for donuts; love it! I can't get any of my work done without my yurbuds & I love being comfy while I'm studying !  I also tend to look really tired after late nights and hours of reading, so I always make sure to use a little something to lighten my face/get rid of dark circles under my eyes. 

What are you favorite things during finals week?  I'm always trying to treat myself so I can make it through the week! 

PS THE NEWEST ISSUE OF THE SMART GIRLS GUIDE IS OUT!  MAKE SURE YOU READ IT BECAUSE IT FEATURES MY SOON TO BE ALMA MATER, #WASHCOLL! 

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Decision Day at WashColl

Happy Decision Day to all my high school readers!  

College is the most life changing experience and I am so thankful that I chose to do it at Washington College.  Four years ago today I chose Chestertown as my new home and today I finished my Undergraduate career!  

It's scary how fast time flies.  

Congrats to the Washington College Class of 2018 who will be joining this community in the Fall!  You have made the best decision of your life! 

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Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

The last time I was in Hilton Head Island, SC with my family I was going into my senior year of high school.  Woah.  I just returned last night from my spring break there and it had me feeling pretty nostalgic.  Before I post my photos from the trip, I wanted to give you a taste of Hilary, circa 2009.  

I'm not sure why, how, or when I lost my curls, but they certainly don't look like that anymore.

Can't wait to share some of our wonderful memories that my roommates and I made this week!  

Smart Girls

Calling all Smart Girls, have you heard of The Smart Girls Group?

I'm so excited to finally announce that I'm working with the Smart Girls Group on their exec staff as their Bookings Director.  It is such a LOVELY sisterhood and an amazing magazine that brings some of the best women together to learn and grow.  We had our first meeting tonight over Google Hangout and it's amazing knowing that I'm connecting with women in NYC, Austin, and Paris to collaborate on this wonderful mission: to empower the next generation of super star women who make the world a better place.

In addition to my #SmartGirl project, I've taken on communications and strategy work for a Congressional Campaign, and political research for a Women's Magazine called Vitamin W.  

I was worried that I was taking on too much, and then I saw this on Pinterest, and now I'm not so worried.  I'm doing things that I love & I'm so excited to be a part of them! 

img 1

What new challenges and projects have you guys been taking on lately?   

the scariest question

An obsessive, time consuming addiction I've developed.  

Asking myself, "Who am I going to be?"

With this fall semester over and time to myself to work on my thesis and job hunt, I can't seem to turn my brain off.  There is something so powerful and exciting about knowing that there is a whole world waiting to be seen, languages to be learned, food to be tasted, and skills to be sought.  

I'm usually faced with the argument that "now is not the time to worry about that."

So when is the time?  If I'm not mapping out my future now, when is it gonna happen?  My biggest fear is that it will be too late for me to pursue a dream.   But that's the thing about dreams, you can't have them all lined up like ducks in a row.  Sure you can pay your credit card bills, keep your credit high, remember to turn in checks, papers, signatures, buy cards, etc. You can schedule every last second of your day but inspiration, growth, creativity, how do you schedule that?  I think it's so evident in this very structure, this little piece of the internet that I have.  I can't sit here and type a post to you without creativity or desire to do so. It would be forced and unpleasant and not worth your time.  Hence, my sporadic appearances and jolts of activity.  Hi.

I feel like I'm living in a constant vertigo (ha!) of teetering between the fantasy of life's fullness and the ability to be anyone.. and the reality of what will probably be.  Why is that this second questioning of doubt always springs up before I have the chance to develop a second thought or longing.

I could create something new...how?

I could be famous...and spiral into a pit of self destruction?  

I could pursue politics in DC...and end up dead like that guy on House of Cards?

I could be a successful creative and blog for a living...and work from home?

I could pick up everything and move to San Francisco...and have no friends?

I could find a studio and move to NYC and struggle to afford rent...and not eat food?

I could be an actress yet to be discovered...and be in really awful commercials?

I could get over my fear of writing...and? I don't even know. 

I could just travel the world...without any money?

I could pay lots of money to take computer classes..and then find out I hate it?  

OR. 

i could live at home

work at a restaurant at the beach 

take a job from 'dad's friend'

move to baltimore 

What's wrong with safe?  Why am I scared of safe?  Shouldn't I be grateful that I have safe?  Especially when most people in the world are grateful to have a roof.  

With graduation 3,246 hours away, how am I supposed to sleep?  I know that I don't have to have it figured all out before I put the cap and gown on, but shouldn't I have a game plan? Is anyone else feeling like this?  

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Finals Survival Guide

Finals survival guide 2 by hilarybadger featuring a pom pom blanket


Happy Finals Week!
Not much has changed since last year's final survival guide, just the geographic location.

How do you cope with this extremely stressful week?

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Coffee Coffee Coffee

This week has been filled with early mornings at Evergrain.

If you are ever in Chestertown on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, you have to make a trip to this quaint coffee shop.  They make all of their breads and pastries fresh every morning and have this little drink called the Nutella latte.. yeah.  It's perfect and puts all other lattes to shame.  

Evergrain Bread Company is the perfect fix to all of your European coffee shop desires.  

Dorm Decor

Meet my new decorations.

In an effort to make my dorm as comfy as possible, I've turned one of my walls into a montage of my favorite things.  

                      

                                     

Hopefully the designs, colors, and quotes inspire lots of focus and hard work for my senior year!

Back to School: Dorm Edition

dorm style by hilarybadger featuring h&m

It's so crazy when I think about what I would actually put in my room if I had funds compared to what I will actually put in my room next Thursday when I move back to college for my final year. 

Freshman year, everything was pink, blue, and green.  Everything matched, everything was bright, and everything screamed high school prep.  I still have my comforter from freshman year and still have the multi colored pillows and pink and blue flowered totes filled with matching plates and cups.  

If I had money to spend, this is what my dorm room would look like now.  I'd like to think my taste has expanded a bit since I was 18 and that my style is a bit more eclectic.  Regardless of what I have and don't have, there's one thing that I'm so grateful for; a college education.  I'm so lucky to be going to college, so in the grand scheme whether I'm hulling my freshman year wear up the stairs on move in day isn't the biggest issue.  

So, if I could style my room this is a peak as to what I would put in it.  

Big comfy blankets, lots of throw pillows in mismatched designs, candles that smell like lavender or rosemary, sweaters, water colors, tea pots, maps, stationery, flats, and poms.

How would you decorate your ideal dorm room?