personalization is the key to success

hey everyone! school starts in three weeks for me and i get my schedule tomorrow! i can' believe how fast this summer went by, and even though i say that every summer i truly mean it this time! with that being said i think its definitely time to do a little back to school must have haul type thing! i absolutely LOVE going back to school shopping (but then again who doesn't), but i always seem to forget the fun stuff when i'm at staples. i get my notebooks, cute binders, pens, pencils all the typical stuff, but who wants to be typical. i go to a school with a strict uniform (picture plaid green kilts and collared shirts) so i'll do anything to change up the usual. so i guess i'll do the list by category, and see how this post works from there!
*i'll post pictures later, but i'm too lazy to get out of bed now;)*

numba uno -- backpack

i was a new kid freshman year (as in new in the state), and i knew absolutely nobody. since i didn't know anybody, i didn't know what kind of backpacks were the "standard". i just happened to get an ll.bean backpack, and it turns out pretty much everyone in the school uses the same backpack! luckily there are a ton of different colors of ll.bean backpacks so there weren't too many mix-ups, but a couple girls in my grade did have the same color. at my school we have an honor code so we are allowed to leave our backpacks laying in the hallways without worrying that someone will steal something. that being said i may have picked up the wrong backpack. i only did it once and realized that it wasn't mine the second i picked it up, but it was enough to show me that i needed something special on my backpack! i decided to tie a really cute hot pink bow onto the strap of mine, and this summer i picked up an iron-on decal with a C on it (my first initial). so if you want to make your backpack a little more personalized the here's the list

--cute ribbon

--iron on decal (there are thousands of choices at hobby lobby and joanne's. i got mine for potter barn kids)

--sharpies! (some girls at my school write their favorite quotes or lyrics on the armhole/handle or back of their backpacks)

numero dos -- computer

i don't know if it's just my school, but we are allowed to take our laptops to some classes and take notes, if we are working on a paper in the class then we can take it, or if we are in a study hall we are allowed to have our own computers. since a ton of people have the silver macs, its really important to make sure you (and other people) know that your computer is yours. i personally have a spec case shell, and its great especially since i put my laptop in my backpack! i also recommend getting a soft case with a zipper to put your computer in! 

here's the list

--spec case

--soft case

--stickers (you might want to use stickers to put your name/initials on your spec case, it's cute and you can scrape them off if you need to in the future)

last but not least numero tres -- pencil pouch

i'm a pouch/case collector. whether it be makeup cases, coin purses, or really any small pouch i'm obsessed! my freshman year i went through probably five different pencil pouches! i love them so much, but get bored of the same one too fast! the one i'm using now though has lasted me over a year so i'm sticking with it! i use pencil pouches because i always get nervous that i won't have a "good" pen to write with during a test, and will therefor fail miserably. call me weird but it works! i'm always the girl that has a pencil or pen ready for borrowing!  right now i'm using a victoria's secret cosmetic case and i love it! it has lasted a really long time, and it's adorable! 

here's the list

--cute cosmetic pouch (you can find cute ones at local boutiques, victoria's secret/pink, department stores, and sephora)

i hope this helped! let me know if you have any great personalized staples for back to school! 

thanks for reading! 

xox

p.s. don't forget to enter my giveaway below!!
p.p.s  the portuguese prepster is having an adorable iPhone case giveaway so be sure to check it out!

top five books

this summer and at the end of the last school year, i went a little crazy with the reading. i recently got a kindle, and having books available at the push of a button without seeing my money actually come out of my wallet is a dangerous thing for me. i absolutely love reading and i think it’s way better than watching tv! first of all, there are no commercials and second i always seem to forget my worries when i’m reading way easier than when i’m watching tv. don’t get me wrong though, i do love tv shows especially real housewives of orange county, dance moms, the bachelorette, and the ellen show, just to name a few... but since i’ve been reading so much, i though i would share some of my newest reads. here they are in no particular order --

1. american wife: a novel by curtis sittenfeld this is what i’m currently reading, and i absolutely love it! supposedly its about laura bush’s life from when she was younger all the way until she is older. the characters in this book are great and i’m in love with alice’s(the main character) grandmother, she's a hoot. i think this book would make a great pool or beach read, because it’s very easy to forget everything else while reading it. do note though, that it seems to be very long! usually i can finish a book in on or two nights (i have mono, therefor lots of free time;) ) but i'm already on day four of this book.

2. bossypants by tina fey: oh my gosh, i love this book! tina fey is one of my newest idols (i have so many idols i could write a whole post about them!). this book is hilarious, but it also shows how nothing worth having comes easy. i think in today’s day in age we (mostly teenagers) forget how hard famous people (excluding some, like the kardashians) had to work to become who they are today. although it had a serious message, it was a great read! 

3. spying in high heels (the high heels mysteries) by gemma halliday:  i am in love with this series! the main character reminds me a lot of myself, because she is so ditzy but tries so hard to be serious or at least taken seriously (in a good way haha). this book has just the right amount of mystery and just the right amount of romance, making it too a great read! the best part about this book is that there are about ten in the series, so these could last you a good chunk of the summer. so far i have read four of them, and they are all equally as good. usually longer series tend to get worse and worse as you get down the line, but i love these. and the best part is that i’m pretty sure the first one is free from the kindle store! 

4. the selection by kier a case : if you are a fan of the hunger games, i totally recommend this book! it’s basically the perfect blend of the bachelor and the hunger games. what a great combo!! basically a girl is in love with a boy from her home town, but the prince of the kingdom is looking for a wife, and the girl qualifies to compete for the prince’s love, along with 30-ish other girls. she then starts to fall in love with the prince, even though she promised her man back home that nothing would happen between her and the prince. ahh so good, definitely a must read!!! also, i’m almost positive this series is turning into a tv show! check out a more in depth review at popcosmo!

5. looking for alaska by john green : people had been telling me for the longest time that john green was an amazing author. usually when people tell me       that i HAVE to read a book, i always get hesitant (i think i blame the twilight series--i’m not a fan). anyways, i was bored and didn’t know what to read to so i purchased this book. all i have to say is that it is by far one of my favorite books, and i will forever tell people to read it. not only is this book amazing, but so are all of john green's other books! read them, i beg of you!! you HAVE to read this book--call me a hypocrite..

if you are craving more book reviews you can find some great ones here here here and here!!if you have read any of these books, or have any recommend any other books that i should read then please let me know!! thanks for reading! xo chloe