Happy 21st, Ali!

15 reasons why Ali deserves a great birthday:
1. Ann Marie & I could not have picked a better person to adopt:

2. Ali loves South Depot even more than I do.. and that's a lot.

3. She has a standard poodle named Roxy. 

4. Ali prances around in a unicorn costume. Even though she bought it for Halloween, there's no excuse not to wear it year round.

Look closely and you'll see Ali underneath the unicorn costume

5. Somehow she finds time to do things like live stream puppies on her computer .

6. If you didn't know (I'm sure you all did), she loves Kansas City and the Jayhawks.. I've finally learned the difference between Kansas City, Missouri and the actual state of Kansas (see picture below)

7. Ali's special talent - her hair being in her collar doesn't bother her (see picture above)
8. She worked at Kate Spade and is pretty much a Kate Spade model.
9. Ali is going to be really successful one day because she is very talented in Adobe and makes cool projects of me like this:

10. When she was younger for her family Christmas card she took a photo with a dove named Bubblegum.

11. She put our friend Kendall on Craigslist for needing a sloth babysitter and it was genius.

12. Ali sometimes Clorox wipes her feet before getting in bed & if she has worn pants all day, she won't get under her covers without changing. OCD maybe?

13. She has a blog that you should absolutely check out! Click this link to take you there.

14. We threw the D together freshman year and it's like, did we really even know each other? Most likely not. I delta love you though

15. Ali is absolutely hilarious.

Happy Birthday Ali! I'm thankful for our Gilmore Girls marathons and To-Do lists that strictly consist of South Depot & getting our nails done.

Have the BEST birthday & hurry up and get to Nashville!

Defying the stereotype

When I first decided I was going to attend the University of Mississippi, I did not know where this journey would take me. In high school Ole Miss was seen as some srat star, Lilly Pulitzer campus. I knew I wasn't like that, I didn't own any Lilly dresses, Tory Burch sandals or David Yurman rings, but I knew I was meant to go to Ole Miss.

Let me go ahead and say, before you stop reading now, Ole Miss is not all about the latest Lilly clothing line, Tory Burch sandals or anything you read on Pinterest as "sorority girl." 

What I've learned here at Ole Miss is to be yourself. Everyone on campus wears the same thing to class every day essentially, yet when you look closer everyone remains who they truly are. Whether you're noticing the crazy socks underneath someones converse, a ring that perfectly describes their personality, or maybe they're defying the oversized t shirt & Nike shorts memo all together.

The girls looking to come to Ole Miss that are in high school get a false representation and view of what this incredible place is like. We don't all wear cowboy boots with a designer dress and pearls. We don't all listen to country music and drink the days away. We don't wear monogrammed floppy hats and carry a Louis Vuitton.

In general, I have remained true to myself in college. I am still, somewhat, the same person I was in high school. What has changed though is my heart. This school that gets such a "party" reputation has made me a sweeter, more caring and kind hearted person that the person I was in high school.

I give people more chances, I do not judge so quickly, I thank the Lord every day for these people in my life and I owe all of this to the opportunities Ole Miss has given me.

My advice to incoming freshman is to take a step back. Don't judge a school by its stereotype. Ole Miss is so much more than a party school with a beautiful campus. It is a home to many for 4 years, some more because they don't want to leave, and this home has impacted every single life.

With five semesters behind me and only three full semesters ahead, I have realized so much about this place I call home. Even though I am only here for 4 years, these years have been crucial to me and who I am as a person.

Yes, most of my friends love to shop. Some of my friends wear Lilly. Tory Burch sandals are actually comfortable. David Yurman rings are beautiful. My point though, is that to fit in here and call this place your home, you do not have to own these material things. 

Come as you are, you are meant to be here. 

I want to thank Ole Miss for softening my heart, for encouraging and increasing my relationship with the Lord, for giving me the best friends that lift me up daily, and for changing me.

To the school that yells "Hotty Toddy" at any given moment, I owe a lot to you.