My Agenda Planner Obsession

I always look forward to buying a new agenda when back-to-school season rolls around. As someone who needs to write down every single assignment and deadline, I rely on my planner to keep me organized and focused. Jotting my to-do lists on paper also helps me feel in control of my crazy-busy schedule.

This year, I decided to splurge on a Lilly Pulitzer agenda. I'm very specific when it comes to the layout of my planner, and my Lilly has everything I like: a calendar page for each month, weekly day-to-day spreads, and extra pages for notes. The book also comes with space for vacation planning, contact information, and stickers. What really sold me, though, is the date range of August 2015 to December 2016 – since I graduate in December, this will fill the awkward transition from academic year planners (which usually go from August to June) to normal January- December planners.

As nerdy as it sounds, I can't wait to take my colored pens to the page and start planning my life!

The planner design I chose is "Wild Confetti." If you aren't interested in a Lilly Pultizer agenda, I've also heard great things about the Erin Condren Life Planner and the Kate Spade agenda.

Going on a slight tangent, I recently came across a "planner community" on Instagram and YouTube, where people film videos/ write blog posts about their extravagantly decorated weekly spreads. I don't have the time or supplies to completely deck out my planner, but I love getting inspiration from their designs! In case your interested, here are some of my favorite agenda gurus:

• Planner Kate 
• Andrea from Scribble Prints Co.
• Elle Fowler from Glam Planner. I've been watching Elle's YouTube channel for years, and she recently started to post "Plan With Me" videos that are so fun and unique! Here is one of my favorites:

Tell me, do you organize your life with a planner? Do you decorate the pages?

The Two Best Coffee Shops in NYC

I am shamelessly addicted to coffee. I love everything about it: the bold taste, the dose of caffeine, the side of cream (hold the sugar), and the smell. Naturally I’m also attracted to cozy coffee shops. Although I do hang around Starbucks occasionally –mostly to use the free Wi-Fi – I tend to prefer the coffee and atmosphere at local joints. I’ve visited plenty of neighborhood coffee stops here in New York City, but two places really stand out as being my absolute favorite.

1. Le Café Coffee

7 E 14th St, NYC

Best. Coffee. Ever. I would buy coffee here every day if I lived closer… and had the money. Le Café Coffee sells “high end organic coffee” for a great price in a small shop near Union Square Park. The menu isn’t extensive, but everything I’ve tried has left a lasting impression. My drink-of-choice is the cold brew iced coffee ($3.25), which manages to taste strong and smooth without the bitterness typically associated with coffee. It’s the perfect refreshing drink on a hot day. Coming in as my second favorite drink is Le Café Coffee’s specialty, the lavender latte ($4.25), which tastes semi-sweet, smooth, and light. The helpful workers behind the counter always have great attitudes. And another bonus: the shop offers almond milk! I’ve never tried the pastries or food items, but they all look delicious as well.

2. Café Grumpy
Multiple locations

Café Grumpy is a New York City chain with locations in Chelsea, the Lower East Side, Grand Central, the Fashion District, and Brooklyn (Greenpoint and Park Slope). I’ve visited the pint-sized Lower East Side venue and the larger, neighborhood-style Chelsea one, and both settings give off a “hipster” vibe. The straightforward menu includes drip and pour-over coffee, teas, and drinks like lattes and macchiatos. Whenever I’ve been to Café Grumpy, I’ve ordered either iced coffee or drip coffee. Both options have a strong, bold, slightly bitter flavor with a hefty amount of caffeine ­– perfect for those who prefer a pure coffee taste. However, be warned: all of the shops have a “no laptop” policy and no Wi-Fi for customers.

Life Update: Saying Goodbye to NYC

Right now, a few suitcases stuffed with my belongings litter the floor of my tiny shoebox-sized dorm room in New York City. I can’t walk to adjust the A/C without tripping over some miscellaneous belonging that can’t fit, no matter how much weight I put on top of the bag. 

After spending the summer in New York City for an internship, I’m counting down the hours until I head back home to Ohio for two weeks before my last semester at Syracuse. The thought of leaving NYC brings up all kinds of thoughts and emotions.

1. I’m about to start my last semester of college (I’m graduating a semester early). I’ll be an alumnus in five months. I don’t quite know how I feel about this.
2. My boyfriend, who I met the first weekend of freshman year, has an internship during fall semester, so I’m facing my final semester without him there with me.
3. Swapping bustling, exciting New York City for smaller Syracuse will be a challenge.
4. I don’t know where I’ll end up after college. The goal is to work for a magazine in NYC, but that involves applying to jobs. Then getting hired.  And finding a place to live with rent that won’t eat up the majority of my paycheck.
 

But I can’t dwell on the future too much yet. I had an unforgettable summer in New York City and I’m so grateful for the memories I made. I’m also eager to get back to my school, see my friends, and take my last classes as an undergrad. 

I’ll definitely document my journeys along the way, but my posts about New York City won’t come to a halt. I’m expecting my life to be much slower-paced once I head back to school, so I’ve stocked up some NYC restaurant/ travel/ lifestyle post ideas to keep me going for a while. I'll also post more about locations/restaurants outside of NYC, and try to incorporate more "college life" topics into my articles. 

Now bring on second semester of senior year!