Splurging, when it's worth it

This summer I have been all to reminded the the old college title 'broke college student' really does apply. Some times its so hard to remember that even if it isn't a normal semester, we still need to budget. I have been particularly bad about this. Bath and Body Works semi-annual sale killed me. It seems like such a good price! But those good prices add up. 

I think my favorite thing about growing up and becoming an adult is the clothes. I don't mean that I just love to go shopping for adult clothes (because I mean I totally do, half my wardrobe is ready for an office), but that now we don't always need a whole new wardrobe for the incoming school year. New tennis shoes if the old ones wear out, and maybe one or two statement pieces. However school supplies always seem to disappear, I swear my mechanical pencils just run away!

Trying to keep in mind a summer budget, and the fact that I don't actually need to go out and buy clothes I gave in to a small splurge. It wasn't bad and unlike after the whole Bath and Body Works shopping spree I didn't have any guilt. My splurge? A Lilly Pulitzer Agenda. The 18 month agenda is literally going to be my lifeblood, especially if I do end up going to Spain in the spring! Normally I get the cheap flimsy school planners, which end up falling apart about halfway through the year. Which. I. Hate.

I ordered through Pea Pod Paper and Gifts, simply because they are amazing and I love their products. I was so excited to finally be able to order something from them after drooling for the last year or so. The monogram was only an extra seven dollars I believe, which I debated on but I just love it and it makes it a bit more personal. I can't tell you how excited I was to start using it this week! The larger size is wonderful, and I just love the print, which reminds me of my Chi Omega house flower. 

This was probably the last splurge I'm going to do for a while. With me trying to keep my grades up (straight A's hopefully I'm crossing my fingers!), I'm probably not going to be working this fall which I'm coming to terms with it being okay. The fact is we have to realize what is going to be an investment and will be worth the splurge, and what is just a here and now want that wont end up helping in the long run. 

What was your latest splurge? Do you have great budget tips? 

Summer Classes

Hey y'all,

I'm just finishing up my last summer class, successfully I am excited to say. I was warned that summer classes took up a lot of time and that they were harder than normal. Those statements only rang too true. I have to say while I was extremely busy, it was totally worth it. I can't tell you how nice it was to be able to cruise through these classes in 4-8 weeks instead of the regular semester schedule. It also meant that I got to enjoy Laramie in the summer (which makes it so worth the freezing winters!) and basically live off of McAlister's Sweet Tea. 

 I had one class that I just adored, I learned so much, I enjoyed our discussions, I made a good friend and I still want to learn more about the topic. That class easily could have gone on all summer or for the whole semester in the fall easily, the fun part was I saw my classmates every day and it was a small class so we grew to learn a lot about each other and grew closer together. 

I also had one class I loathed. Seriously even when I was in Chemistry my freshmen year I don't think I hated the class so much, (and we really did hate each other Chem and I, it was a mutual understanding and a huge sign in my life that medicine was not for me). I learned a ton in the class, and broadened my horizons. It was an online class so that might have been part of it because we didn't have actual discussions. While I didn't enjoy the class, disagreed with the authors we read, and became frustrated at times, it was also so intensive that I really had to think about what was going on. That class really showed me that hard work even if its not enjoyable, really does pay off.

Looking back I'd probably only take one or two classes instead of three and have a bit more free time to work or go enjoy myself. Not saying that I didn't, but I was really busy and didn't knock off everything on my summer bucket list. The great news is that there is still a whole month left of summer to do all the things I wanted, now lets see if I keep up the motivation to accomplish everything.

I understand that summer classes may not be for everyone, however I really enjoyed the experience and will probably end up taking more. 

Would you ever take summer classes or have you?