National Cathedral

A couple of weeks ago a friend and I went on a mini adventure to the Washington National Cathedral for a school project and took a million and five pictures. For the assignment I had to compare it with the Chartres Cathedral in France and I was genuinely surprised at how similar they were. The National Cathedral is such a hidden gem, I never would have thought to go visit but I had the best time. The architecture was stunning and the amount of detail in every corner of the building was incredible. I felt like I was back in Scotland, it was the coolest. Here are a few of my favorite photos from the day!

xoxo, LC

Photographer, but not really.

Hello people of the internet, long time no chat! I wish that I could say my lack of blogging can be entirely accredited to the fact that I am a high school senior who decided that it would be a good idea to apply to seven schools each with various questions and supplements, but I can't place the entirety of the blame on the college application system (despite how infuriating it may be at times). Part of my lack of blogging is on me out of sheer laziness and for that I am deeply sorry. Perhaps at some later date you may be able to forgive me, I hope that day is in the near future as my goal in life is to make as many new friends as possible, and I certainly do not want to get off on the wrong foot with anyone.

Anyway, lately I've been thinking a lot about photography/videography, and my place in the moment-capturing community. I've been into photography for as long as I can remember, in fact I still have my first point-and-shoot Pentax camera that ate up double A batteries like you wouldn't believe. I remember how much I loved that piece of junk (because let's face it, it was a piece of junk then, and is a piece of junk now) and carried it with me everyday, taking snapshots of my life as an eight year old.

I want to recapture that feeling. I remember being head-over-heels obsessed with photography and wanting nothing more than to learn about the inner-working of my camera, what made it tick and what would allow me to manipulate it to capture the best of every moment. I have a car. I have a camera. And now I have the time. What's stopping me from just getting out there and taking some, for lack of a better word, rad pictures? Maryland can be photogenic. And even it's not, it is my responsibility to tackle job of making it appear so.

This past summer was supposed to be my chance to delve further into photography and perhaps dabble with videography, and I got too caught up in the mechanics of the process. I got some awesome footage and have had a blast putting a bit of it together, but so far nothing I have created has been "wow" worthy. I think that videography might have to be placed on the back burner for a while, as I am recommitting myself to photography.

I've been thinking about this for a while now, and am in the process of working out the kinks for a website. For now, it is simply a place for me to get all of my best photos in one spot other than my hard drive, but who knows what it may evolve into. I guess you'll just have to stick around and find out!

That just about sums it up, thanks for reading!
xoxo, LC


P.S. On a totally unrelated note, a couple days ago, Casey Neistat, my favorite filmmaker of all time, uploaded this this video about why he has decided to stop vlogging. Many people have complained about the end of his vlogs and I just wanted to take a quick second to admire what he was done and his reasoning for doing so. Casey says that he has decided to stop vlogging because it is no longer a creative challenge, that he has been successful and that success has become easy and familiar. His desire to always be pushed, to always be on the lookout for the next obstacle to conquer is one-of-a-kind, and is a quality that I hope to one day master myself. Anyone who thinks they have the right to complain about this is kidding themselves, this is one awesome dude who deserves nothing but applause. That is all. Good night.

ROCK ON

My taste in music is all over the place. Depending on my mood, you may get in my car and hear anything from Chance the Rapper to Queen. If I am in a full court press mode for testing, you can bet that my earbuds will be blasting classical music ( I like my Mozart loud.) But if I'm angry or irritated, Kanye seems to be the way to go. And of course if it's raining out, or I need to feel one with the world, I like the Cold War Kids, Hozier, James Bay, or Vance Joy. I like to switch it up pretty often, and am always on the search for new music.

Because my mercurial nature is reflected in my capricious musical preference, I tend to listen to a specific playlist religiously for a couple days or weeks, and then get so irritated by the music that it doesn't get listened to for months. For instance, last week I was into relaxing and acoustic music, but this week I've been digging mostly early 2000s rock music. It isn't all from that time period, but each song has a similar vibe to me.

This playlist gets my heart rate up, is great to run to, and overall improves my mood and makes me feel like a rock star. All what I've been needing lately, don't ask me why. Sometimes the music tells me what I need before I know it myself. So here is my playlist, I recommend listening to it LOUDLY. It is entitled ROCK ON, yes in all caps, is there any other way to do it?

PS. Come on Eileen by Dexy's Midnight Runners is my all time favorite on this playlist, it's actually the song from this scene in Perks of Being a Wallflower. I can't get enough of that song.

Happy Listening!

What have you been listening to lately?

xoxo. LC

Traveling NYC With My Mother

Tonight I thought that I would post something little different. Despite the fact that I am a blogger, I'm not exactly sure that I would call myself a writer. I love to write, I just don't see myself as a writer per say. However I do enjoy creative writing (duh) and last year I was inspired by the essays I read in AP Lang. So here's my first ever publicized writing piece, my own essay/poem/whatever you want to call it, called Traveling NYC With My Mother, a Heartfelt and Sleepy Moment in Time. 

It is currently 1:30 AM and I am filled with a longing for New York. The city beckons like no other, and what I wouldn't give to be doing my schoolwork in that dirty little supermarket near Times Square. I listen to show tunes, not because I am a dedicated musical lover, but because of the nostalgic smile that makes its way across my face when I hear a song and remember the bitter cold we felt as walked as quickly as we could to the theater at night. Or the sleepiness I rubbed from my eyes when we left the hotel early in the morning to get tickets in the box office. I love the constant uncertainty, the thought that maybe it would be okay to have sushi for breakfast because it's the only thing we can find that won't take hours to eat. I crave the spinach and feta omelet from Applejacks diner that we ate two nights in a row because we missed our reservation at the gluten free Italian place and I long for the weird meat that remains a staple of the Hilton Garden Inn breakfast. MoMa is calling my name, and I laugh when I remember how we stood in separate ticket lines to see which one would be more efficient. I feel the need to wander the endless halls of the Met after paying fifty cents each for entrance like I feel the need for air. I miss the four hour bus rides filled with uncomfortable and uneasy sleep, and the crick in my neck that won't go away for a week. I crave hale & hearty soup, especially the hidden one at the bottom of Rockefeller square where we have to stalk the tables next to the Starbucks and follow our meal with coffee and a trip to the anthropologie that is practically next door. I miss the dingy bathroom in the bagel place where you need to bring your own toilet paper and pray you don't get yelled at for using the restroom without paying for something. I even miss that gross green tea drink I did buy there in an attempt to be trendy. New York beckons for me and I spend my nights trying not to answer its call.

Do you have any other passions?

xoxo, LC

As Seen On TV- Spencer Hastings

As I mentioned in my last post, Fall is my favorite time of year. Seriously- it doesn't get any better than this. One of my favorite things about Fall, (oh you know besides the food, smells, and colors) is the fashion. It's cold enough to stop sweating right when you step out the door, regardless of how little clothing you wear, but it's not so cold that it gets into your bones and you can't remember what it feels like to be warm again.

One of my other favorite things, regardless of the season, is to get outfit inspiration from my favorite TV characters. It's so simple and effortless, yet when I show up to school looking like I spent some serious time putting myself together, I look like I actually have the time and energy to pull myself together.

The character I tend to emulate most often is Spencer Hastings from Pretty Little Liars. Her style is impeccable and most days, I'm just as busy as she is, if not more so. Her love for coffee mirrors mine and her dedication to her schoolwork keeps me on track if I'm feeling a little lazy. My favorite looks of hers are for the colder weather, so in honor of the beginning of October, here are a few of my favorites!

image via 

I love this look because of how simple and timeless it is. I also love her hair in this picture, it's loosely curled and not in ringlets like Allison tends to do. This seems pretty easy to recreate and doesn't feature any top tier brands that I, unlike the exclusive Hastings, can't afford at 17 years old. 

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Troian Bellisario has legs that go on for miles, and so I, who am stuck at 5'2, tend to stay away from thigh high socks and riding boots. I simply don't have enough leg. However, I do love the concept of riding boots and skirts for Fall, it's one that I find myself recreating quite often. This look in particular is a bit too overdone for me, but I like the idea of a patterned and structured skirt with a simpler top. I think that I may recreate a variation of this with a striped skirt and plain top, or even with a simple skirt and patterned top. 

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This look is a bit edgier but I love her combo of the cape and riding/biker boots. The cape is extremely classic, but she makes it edgier and more versatile with the boots, a combination that I want to delve into a bit this season. Capes are also a new obsession of mine, and though I would never in a million years wear one to school, I'll keep my eye on one that isn't too expensive for college, especially if I end up in a cooler climate. 

image via

The only thing that I can't stand about this look is the teal sleeves. Aside from those, it's perfect. Between the olive blazer, the simple white button down, and the plaid skirt, I can't get enough. This look is exactly what I think of when I think Fall attire, and I have my eye on this plaid skirt to maybe recreate it. 

Who's look are you mimicking this season?

xoxo, LC

Fall Bucket List

Happy Monday/Jewish New Year/National Mean Girls Day everyone, (#it'sOctober3rd)!

Today has been extremely boring, filled with college essays and homework. Ew. However, my immense workload is slightly lightened by the fact that it's officially Fall and it shouldn't get higher than 73 degrees for the rest of the week. It's not ideal pumpkin patch weather, but it's getting there, baby steps, guys.

 When I say that Fall is my favorite season, I'm really not messing around. I love the weather, the fact that you can't go outside with a sweater or jacket, the smells, colors, holidays, (guess who's turning 18 in November??) and the food. I am 10000% obsessed with autumn and anyone who says that they like Fall more than me is, in my opinion, delusional. I mean you'd be hard pressed to find anyone happier than me on Fall's rainy, chilly, overcast days.

Obviously I couldn't be more excited for the season's festivities, so I thought that even though we're only a few days into October, I should post my Fall Bucket List!

photo via 

I'll do my best to keep you guys updated on how I'm doing with the list, perhaps doing separate posts for each one I complete...? We'll see. I've already made some headway as I've gone to one of our high school football games, but the heat was sweltering so it doesn't really count as a Fall activity in my opinion.

What are you planning on doing this Fall?
xoxo, LC

Done With the ACT???

Hi there and happy October 1st! In honor of the SAT this morning I thought I'd  confirm the rumors: Spetember's ACT marked my completion of standardized testing (until APs of course)!! A year's worth of studying, two SATs, two SAT subject tests, and two ACTs later and I finally made it to the finish line, and boy does it feel good. I worked so hard and I am also happy to report that it all payed off! Even though I'm super pumped to have finished with this, it's only the beginning as I am 100% focused on college apps now. However, in honor of its completion and the understanding that not everyone else is done, I thought I'd share a few standardized testing tips that I found extremely helpful this past year while they're still fresh. Enjoy!

ONE//Take practice tests!! This is really the only way to do it. I can't even begin to explain how helpful this was, even though it sucked. Between my first SAT and my second, I took over 75 practice sections, and it was definitely worth it. Same thing for the ACT. I hunkered down, and took practice tests until my I thought my brain would explode. Don't kill yourself over these but at the same time, there were more weekends than I care to admit in which I stayed home to take more tests rather than go out with friends. It was worth it though and I can't recommend this enough. 

TWO//Don't study the night before. In my freshman year, my APUSH summed it up about as clearly as anyone could: If you don't know it the night before then you're not going to know it for the test. So at about 6:00 PM two nights before the exam I put away all my studying materials and accept that where I am in that moment will have to be good enough. Then do something fun the night before the test! I'm not saying that you should go party until 2 AM but get your mind off of the test. I went to my football game until half-time, and was then in bed by 10. It kept me distracted and my nerves in check until the next morning. 

THREE//Don't study, but do get your stuff together the night before. The night before my test I always pack my things in my bag, and write a checklist to be filled out the morning of. This usually includes my testing ticket, photo ID, calculator, at least three pencils, a pencil sharpener, and extra eraser, two snacks, and a 32 ounce refillable water bottle. The proctor may not allow you to keep the water bottle at your side but I like to drink a lot during breaks, I find that water helps me stay alert and focused. 

FOUR//Get to the bottom of your answers. I understand that not everyone can afford the hefty price tag that often comes with tutors. However, I do recommend asking a teacher or peer if you don't understand something. The most important thing about taking practice tests is learning from your mistakes. When you get a question wrong, try to figure out why so you can avoid making that same mistake on the real exam. If you can't figure out how to get to a certain answer, or simply want to know why your answer was incorrect, put in the work! Google it, ask a teacher/parent/friend, or re-do it until you get there. I promise you won't regret getting to the bottom of what may seem impossible at first.

FIVE//Stay calm. In the grand scheme of things, your score is just a number. It does not have to define you, and remember that in fifteen years, no one will care what you got on the SAT/ACT. Many great schools are also test-optional if you feel that uncomfortable with your score. As long as you work hard and put in the effort, your score will be what it will be, don't focus on it too much. Good luck to all of you who are are still in the vortex of testing, don't worry, there is a light at the end of the tunnel! 

What are your tips for standardized testing? 

xoxo, LC