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A Guide to Surviving Sorority Recruitment | Sorority Recruitment 101

June 19, 2017 6 Comments

I’ve been sharing an ongoing sorority recruitment series here on Hannah With a Camera. Click here to read more posts about recruitment and sorority life, or comment below if you want to see a specific post on the blog!

Hi all! Today I’m sharing my tips on mastering small talk during sorority recruitment. I’ve been through sorority recruitment twice (as a freshman and as a recruiter), so I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on how to feel comfortable during those short conversations in the first few rounds. These tips are also from other girls in my sorority, so it’s not just my own experience!

a guide to surviving sorority recruitment

The most important part of recruitment isn’t your clothes, or your shoes, or the way you look—it’s how you connect with the girls in the house! Here are some of my go-to tips to feeling comfortable and confident throughout recruitment.

Don’t let others influence your opinion

One thing that my recruitment counselors constantly told us was “no chapter chatting,” and it’s for a good reason! “Chapter chatting” means you’re discussing your experience with each house with other girls throughout recruitment. While gossiping about each house may seem like a good way to bond with other girls through recruitment, it may hurt you in the end. If you had a great experience at one house, but you heard your friend had a terrible experience, don’t sweat it!

If you had a great experience at one house, but you heard your friend had a terrible experience, don’t sweat it! Some girls are better at recruiting and connecting than others. Sorority recruitment is about your personal interactions with each girl, not about how much money or how popular the girls in the house supposedly are. You’ll find your fit.

Ask questions

This was the biggest tip that I used as a freshman going through recruitment, and it helped so much! I was a little nervous about the whole process, but having questions on hand helped me feel more confident and keep the conversation flowing. As a recruiter, when girls asked me questions, it felt like they were genuinely interested and engaged.

Some good questions to have in the back of your mind are…

What’s your favorite part about living in the sorority house?
What’s your philanthropy?
Why did you choose this chapter?
How did you know that this sorority was the right one for you?

Some questions not to ask are…

Can you bring boys into the house?
Do you drink in your house?
Who’d you vote for in the last election?

Those questions are all ones that can be asked later, and will most likely be answered later for you as you join a chapter. Remember that recruitment is about you, so it’s not the time to bring up your significant other!

Don’t be afraid to be open with your questions, but be careful how you phrase things. For example, asking “How many events do I have to attend?” sounds like you’re trying to get around the rules before even joining. Instead, phrase it as: “I’m an athlete here and I’m concerned about the time commitment between athletics and a sorority. Are there sisters that are able to maintain sorority life, athletics, and a good GPA?” This poses you as willing to be flexible and wanting to be active in the chapter. This will also help your recruiter learn more about you and be able to talk about other sisters in the chapter in the same situation as you.

Be engaged

When we go through training to learn how to be better recruiters, we learn about things to take note of about the girls. Having good posture and smiling are two of the easiest ways to come off more confident, and in turn, feel more confident! The days are long and you’ll be tired (and trust me, they will be too), but just taking a little extra effort to smile and pay attention goes a long way.

Talk to the girls in the house like a friend

This one is a trick from some of the girls in my chapter. Act like the girls you’re talking with are friends that you haven’t seen in a long time, and you’re catching up and filling them in on everything. I haven’t tried this trick personally, but it seems like a great way to get to know the girls in each house better and feel comfortable!

Be honest

Sorority recruitment isn’t the time to try and fit yourself into a person you’re not! I heard so many girls going through recruitment tell me “I’m not really the sorority girl stereotype,” and there are so many girls in my sorority house that have said the same thing. Talk about your passions, what you did in high school, what makes you unique.

This will also help you stand out to the recruiter. There’s a pretty good chance that they have similar interests as you! It’s easier for me, as a recruiter, to remember that I talked to a girl who loved photography than to remember that I talked to a journalism major.

Your major, where you’re from, etc, is important, but that’s not what makes you who you are. Why did you choose your major? If you’re from California, are you passionate about surfing, or if you’re from small-town Kansas, why did you want to get out of town and move to a big college? All these things will help girls get to know you better and connect with you.

Give it a chance

I fell in love with a chapter during recruitment, and I was cut in the middle of the week. I wasn’t super happy with some of the choices I had left, but I chose to continue recruitment and ended up loving my sorority. My roommate also preferenced a different sorority than the one she ended up in on bid day, but now she can’t see herself anywhere else!

Even if you think you’re not interested in the house, give every house a chance and be engaged. You might end up loving it later in the week or even be on their lawn on bid day. This is my biggest tip about recruitment—I saw so many girls in my dorm drop throughout the week just because they didn’t get their ideal chapter. (Note that their ‘ideal chapter’ was based on three days’ worth of conversations, which definitely doesn’t give you enough time to know the chapter!) It may even take you a month to feel at home, but it all works out in the end.

If you have any questions, let me know below—I’m happy to help!

xo, Hannah

school, style, videos

10-Minute College Makeup Routine | VIDEO

January 16, 2017 1 Comment

Hi everyone! Today I’m sharing my 10-minute college makeup routine. I do this every day, give or take the eyeliner/eyeshadow, and filming this took me exactly 10 minutes and 15 seconds! It’s seriously so easy and definitely cheap as well if you’re on a budget. I’m by no means a makeup expert, but I’ve perfected this routine over the last year (even when I wake up late).

I start off with the Maybelline BB Cream for an even base. It’s just a tinted moisturizer that I use year-round. I apply it with a Real Techniques powder brush I’ve had for forever-it’s probably not what I should be using but it works for me! Then I use my Maybelline Better Skin Concealer under my eyes and on any blemishes and blend it out with my fingers.

Next, I’ll fill in my brows with the Maybelline Brow Drama pomade crayon. I got this in a Voxbox from Influenster last year and found it’s the perfect shade for my blonde hair. Then I’ll just brush them out with the Maybelline Great Lash clear mascara.

For my eyes, I start with my ELF eyelid primer if I’m using eyeshadow or eyeliner on my top lid. I always use the Rimmel Exaggerate eyeliner in nude to line my waterline (this is especially helpful to make your eyes look awake for that 8:30am class). Then I use my basic Maybelline eyelash curler like normal.

Before finishing my eyes (I’m just now realizing my routine is super out of order), I put on blush and bronzer. For blush, I love the Milani baked blush in Luminoso. For bronzer, I use Rimmel bronzer in 021 Sunlight. I’ll finish with a highlight (something new to my routine since freshman year of high school!) with this Maybelline strobing stick in the shade Iridescent.

Next, because I’m lazy, I use my bronzer as my eyeshadow all over my lid because I like the orangey shade with my blue eyes. I use the highlighter in the inner corners of my eyes and on my browbone too. I use these super cheap ELF brushes. Occasionally I’ll add the Rimmel Exaggerate eyeliner in Rich Brown. Told you I’m not a makeup expert…

I finish it off with my Maybelline the Rocket mascara that I literally never leave the house without- I wish I could permanently tint my lashes! Lately I’ve been using Glossier Balm Dotcom in Cherry as my final step for some chapstick and color.

I’d love if you subscribed to my channel, I’m working on growing it more this year!

Thanks for reading,

xo Hannah

sorority, style

Blanket Scarf + Lavalier Bracelet

December 29, 2016 9 Comments

Today I’m sharing one of my favorite gifts I received this year: a blanket scarf! I’ve been wanting one of these for a while (mainly because they looked incredibly warm, not gonna lie) and the one I got is in one of my favorite patterns. I paired this scarf with a white button down, a red lip (perfect for the holiday season), and dark-wash jeans.

Blanket Scarf + Lavalier Bracelet

I’m also collaborating with Sorority Things to show you all this beautiful lavalier bracelet! If you’re looking for some extra last-minute gifts (or gifts to bring back to school post-break) then this website is perfect for any sorority girls you know. This bracelet is one of their newest creations and is a simple but classy way to show off your sorority.

Blanket Scarf + Lavalier Bracelet

scarf // shirt // jeans // lipstick (in Ruby Ripple)

Linda from Sorority Things gave me this 35% discount code: THANKS. You can use this at checkout and you can also get free shipping for all orders over $25! This code lasts until January 10th, so be sure to order soon. The bracelets come in several different sizes and the toggle makes it so easy to put on by yourself..does anyone else struggle with that?

Be sure to go check out their website!

What was your favorite gift you received this holiday?

xo, Hannah

school

Two College Apps Everyone Should Have

November 18, 2016 14 Comments

Hi everyone! I haven’t done in a college post in a while, but I’ve just recently discovered two college apps that every student should have. Let me know if you’ve heard of Pocket Points or MyStudyLife before–I hadn’t!

via

Pocket Points

College is expensive, and even if you’re not paying for your own education, you probably still have to pay for your own food. That’s why the app Pocket Points should be every college student’s new best friend.

Whenever you’re on campus, all you have to do is turn on your phone’s GPS and not use your phone. I use this in class all the time and it definitely reduces the temptation to check your phone for new messages or scroll through social media. For every 25 minutes or so that you’re not using your phone, you get a point. These points then add up to be used as discounts around your town or online.

Personally, I prefer the local discounts because there are so many options for food that actually have really good deals. A free appetizer or half off an entree never hurts! (I think I’ve gotten my last four half subs at Which Wich free because of this…) Look here to see if your school uses the app and you can get 10 free points by using the code vSS8M.

MyStudy Life

The second app that I just discovered is MyStudyLife. I use a planner more as a to-do list than anything, so if you’re the kind of person that needs to stay organized like me but can’t deal with paper, this is the app for you. This is essentially a digital planner made just for classes that makes organization so easy. (Bonus: It’s 100% free!)

You can put it all your assignments, reminders, tests, etc at once and easily add notes to each task. I do wish that there was an option for sub-tasks because I have a lot of projects instead of individual assignments, but to fix that I just put every single small task as a separate one. You can track how far along you are by adjusting the percentage, which I find helpful when looking at my assignments for the week all at once. Seeing that I’m already 60% done and 30% done for two separate assignments makes me feel like it’s not just a massive workload sitting in front of me!

What’s your favorite college app to use?

xo, Hannah

school, sorority, style

10 Colorful Semi-Formal Dress Options

September 13, 2016 1 Comment

Semi-formal season is coming up soon! I love seeing everyone’s dresses for homecoming or semi-formals, but there’s usually a common trend and it’s hard to stand out. With these dresses I chose, I tried to pick different silhouettes and colors that go against the typical fancy dress (think fit-and-flare with sparkles). You can absolutely re-wear all of these dresses for other events and they’re at reasonable prices as well. I wore my sophomore year homecoming dress to my sorority formal this past spring, so I’m all about reusing dresses! Here’s 10 reasonably priced semi-formal options that’ll withstand the trends that pop up each season.

10 Semi-Formal Dress Options

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10

What’s your favorite place to shop for semi-formal dresses?

xo, Hannah

sorority, sorority recruitment

Survival Kit | Sorority Recruitment 101

July 18, 2016 No Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #WardrobeSolutions #CollectiveBias

In the third part of my Sorority Recruitment 101 posts, I’m showing every girl going through recruitment this fall the survival kit they need to have to stay sane and polished during sorority recruitment! I’m the kind of girl that’s always overprepared for new things, so if you’re the same way then this is the guide for you.

I got this monogrammed clutch from my graduation party, but you can find similar ones online if you want it for yourself. Below I have all the essentials (that can all be found at Target!) for a recruitment survival kit.

A mini bottle of lotion You can find these just about anywhere, and they can multitask for just about anything. I’ve used this for frizzy hair/flyaways, getting rid of staticky clothes, and even for a subtle perfume. Most of the time, girls are advised not to wear perfume during recruitment because it can be overwhelming to have 80 girls packed in a room all wearing their ‘signature scents.’
Bobby pins You know the drill. If you can actually find these in your room in the first place, these are handy to have.
Lip balm Even if you’re not a lipstick girl, just swipe on some lip balm or chapstick. You’ll thank me later after talking for hours on end.
Hairbrush My recruitment week ended up pouring one day, being super windy another, and way too hot the rest of the week. This saved me from looking like a mess at the end of the day! (P.S. This won’t fit in your bag, but throw in a small umbrella just in case. It never hurts to carry it around!)
Lipstick I’ve been using this sheer lip crayon all summer for the perfect hint of pink.
Pens Having one or two in your purse will be essential for number 12…
Granola bar The rounds in the first couple days of recruitment go by fast. If you have a small snack to hold you over until lunch or dinner, then you won’t have to concentrate on how hungry you are the whole time you’re talking to a girl.
Mints Most likely your recruitment counselors will have a ton of these on hand, but having one of these needs no explanation.
Scotch-Brite™ Lint Roller I have two dogs at home, and I found myself with stray hairs on my clothes all the time (even when I hadn’t been home in a month). This is easy to just pop in your bag and to have on hand as a ‘just in case’ item.
Powder/oil blotting sheets If you’re going through recruitment in August, the summer heat is still something to tackle. These will help you retouch your face if needed.
Scotch™ Essentials Permanent Hem Bonding Strips These are new to me but I’ve learned that these are actually perfect to use for recruitment. If you find the perfect dress that is just a little too long, you can easily hem it with this sticky tape.
Notebook This small notebook is one of the best things you can have during recruitment. After every round, write down a small note about what you liked about it–what the girl was wearing, something that made the women of the sorority stand out. This will help you preference every sorority at the end of the day after you’ve gone through over 12 rounds or more.
Scotch™ Essentials White Mark Eraser We all have those moments when you’re in a hurry and swipe deodorant on..then find out it’s all over your shirt. All you have to do is just swipe this eraser onto the deodorant marks and they’re gone in seconds.
Medicine I have this small container with a couple ibuprofen just in case for headaches.
Scotch™ Essentials Adjustable Hem Tape Picture this: You just bought the perfect dress for recruitment but you’re trying on again the morning of..only to find out that you’ll be tripping on the hem if you try to wear that dress in heels. Adjustable hem tape is a great option for quick and easy adjustments the morning of!

The Scotch Essentials brand can be hard to find in Target, so here’s a display of the aisle. You’ll find it in the closet aisle by the sewing machines, irons, etc.

IMG_20160717_152501_01

IMG_20160717_152459_01

Just for my readers, I have a deal for you! Use this link to get $1 off all Scotch Essentials products. To learn more about Scotch Essentials, go to this website for more information.

I tested out the White Mark Eraser today, as seen above, and it worked so well and was super easy to use. Definitely a must-have in a pinch.

Are you going through sorority recruitment this fall? Let me know what’ll be in your essentials kit!

xo, Hannah

sorority, sorority recruitment

A Guide to Sorority Slang | Sorority Recruitment 101

July 12, 2016 7 Comments

Sorority recruitment is confusing enough in itself, let alone the world of Greek life and what every little term means. Today in my sorority recruitment series, I’m filling you in on the sorority slang you’ll hear the most during recruitment and beyond! (If you haven’t read my other article yet on how to get recommendation letters, read it here.)

Recruitment: This is also commonly referred to as rush week, but formally referred to as recruitment. Recruitment is the week-long process in which every sorority chooses their new members.

PNM: A PNM is a potential new member. This is what the girls going through the recruitment process that are not yet in a sorority are referred to.

Panhellenic: The Panhellenic Association is the organization that is comprised of 26 sororities in total that hosts recruitment. My university has 13 of the 26 Panhellenic sororities on campus, which is a pretty common number.

Preference day: This is the last day of recruitment in which girls will typically go to up to three houses for the last rounds of recruitment. After going to each house, all the PNMs will then rank their sororities in order of what they want to be in most.

Bid: At the end of recruitment, each sorority will extend a bid to every PNM that they want in their house. PNMs will only end up with one bid at the end of the week. For example, if the PNM ranks Sorority A, Sorority B, and Sorority C in that order on preference day, then Sorority A can extend them a bid. If Sorority A doesn’t want to extend that PNM a bid, then Sorority B will have the opportunity to extend a bid to the PNM.

Suicide: This term is used on preference day when a PNM only chooses one house. This means that if they don’t get a bid from this sorority, then they won’t be in a sorority at all. (At the University of Kansas, they are unable to go through informal recruitment or repeat the recruitment process until the following year.)

Rho Chi/Gamma Chi/Rho Gamma: These are terms used to refer to your recruitment counselors. Several schools call them by different names and these are a few of the Greek names used to refer to them. Your recruitment counselors will be girls that are disaffiliated from their sororities for the week and they will be your primary point of reference to help you navigate recruitment week. They’ve been through both sides of recruitment, so be sure to ask them questions throughout the week to help you decide what’s best for you.

Disaffiliation: Your recruitment counselor will disaffiliate from their sorority during recruitment week, meaning they’re supposed to take any trace of their sorority off of their social media. The PNMs are not supposed to know which sorority each recruitment counselor is in, in order for the PNMs to have an unbiased experience.

Maximizing your options: I heard this so many times during recruitment from my recruitment counselors! We were always told at the end of each day when we were preferencing, or ranking, our sororities in order of which ones we wanted to be in. To maximize your options, you should rank the maximum amount of houses instead of just putting the ones you only want to be in and leaving out the ones that you didn’t like as much. You might not have had a great conversation at one house, but if you come back the next day and talk to a different girl, you could end up loving the sorority.

Bid day: Bid day is the day when each PNM figures out which sorority extended them a bid. The PNM then becomes a member of that sorority.

Big/little: In your first year of being in a sorority, you will be assigned a ‘big sister’ and you will be the ‘little sister.’ (In Alpha Delta Pi, this pairing is referred to as being a diamond sister.) This is an older girl in your sorority that will essentially be a mentor to you throughout your first year of being in the sorority, and she’ll be someone to turn to if you have questions or you just want someone to hang out with!

Philanthropy: Each sorority has a charity or organization that they support through philanthropy events to raise money for the organization.

Legacy: A girl who has an older sister, mother, or grandmother that has been in a sorority. Typically this does not mean much in terms of guaranteeing you a spot in that sorority except past the first day. If you don’t end up in the sorority that you have a legacy tie to, don’t stress! Just because your mom was in that sorority or your sister is in one at a different school doesn’t mean that you fit in that chapter now, 20 years later. Different sororities vary on which relatives count (i.e. step-mothers, cousins, etc.).

Sister: The term a girl in a sorority will use to refer to another girl also in her sorority. If you talk to several different girls during one round of recruitment, one will often introduce the next girl to you as her sister–don’t take it literally! If you do, no sweat. It happens more than you’d think.

Active: A woman who has been formally initiated into her sorority.

If you have any questions, let me know in the comments! Are you going through recruitment at your university?

xo, Hannah

sorority, sorority recruitment

How to Get Recommendation Letters | Sorority Recruitment 101

June 26, 2016 4 Comments

Recommendation letters. Most likely, if you’re going through sorority recruitment, you’ve heard all about them and how you just have to have them in order to even make it through the first day. This all depends on your school–some schools require them, some schools suggest them, and some schools won’t even mention them at all. You can find out which type of school yours is by searching “[insert school] panhellenic” and look it up on your Panhellenic organization’s website. (Tip: Panhellenic is the governing body over all sororities, so you’ll hear this word a lot.)

Step one: Just ask

My mom was in a sorority, so I posted on her Facebook page back in June last year to search for recommendation letters. My post went something like this: “Hi everyone! This is Hannah posting. I’m going through sorority recruitment at the University of Kansas in the fall and I’m looking for recommendation letters for [insert all 12 sorority names]. If you’d be willing to write one for me, please let me know and I can send you all the information. Thank you!” This was the easiest way for me to get recommendation letters–you’d be surprised at how many women were in a sorority in college. (If you’re having trouble finding certain sororities, ask women who are already writing you one if they have any friends in that sorority. It never hurts to ask around!)

You could also post this on your own Facebook page and you might have friends of yours telling you that their mom was in a sorority. Usually, a girl who is currently in the sorority can’t write you a recommendation letter for her own chapter, but she can for a chapter at a different school. Keep that in mind if you’re planning on asking girls you know who are at your college and in a sorority already.

Step two: prepare the packet

Make it easy for the woman that’s volunteered to write your recommendation letter and put everything together for her. This packet should include four things: a picture of you, your resume, a pre-addressed and stamped envelope, and a cover letter.

PRINT: The photo that you include will be sent to that sorority, so make it a nice headshot or senior photo, not just a photo that you cropped your friends out of. Be sure you print this on photo paper, not printer paper. Your resume should include all the activities you were involved in during high school, your GPA (weighted and unweighted), class rank, leadership positions, test scores (ACT/SAT) but only if they’re ‘good’ – I would say 24 and above for ACT, and community service. This is an easy sample resume you can use that I had during high school. (A lot of my information is redacted, so be sure to fill in the parts with the x or [ ].). Make sure you put how many years you were involved in everything!

The cover letter isn’t like a professional letter, instead, it should be more like a thank-you note to the woman writing your letter. Here’s a sample cover letter to refer to. Finally, include a 11×14 envelope that is pre-addressed and stamped to each sorority’s recruitment/reference chair. Be sure not to mix these up! To find these addresses, go to your university’s Panhellenic website and you should be able to find a listing of all the chairs under the recruitment page. Women aren’t living in their sorority houses during the summer, so don’t send the envelopes to the chapter houses.

DIGITAL: Some recommendation letters are done digitally now, which makes it easier on both you and the woman writing your letter! But you should still include all the information above when sending to the woman writing your letter.

Step three: follow up

Always, always, always be sure to follow up with the women who are writing your letters. It’s likely that your letter isn’t their top priority, so follow up with them to make sure that they got your packet in the first place and that they sent it out on time. Don’t forget to thank them for taking the time to write your letter. I would send out these packets at least a month before you move in so you can have time to resend an envelope and sort things out if it gets mailed back to you.

Are there any other posts you’d like to see about going through recruitment?

xo, Hannah

school

How to Stay Organized in College

June 10, 2016 3 Comments

This post is based off my previous post, How to Stay Organized in High School, that was super popular. I still live by the majority of these tips, but I’ve made it through my freshman year and now I think I have some new knowledge on how to stay organized in college!

How to Stay Organized in College | Hannah With a Camera

image via*

Create a master syllabus

One of the best things I did in my first semester of college was creating a master syllabus with all of my classes. After coming from high school where my teachers reminded me every day of what we had coming up, this was a lifesaver to guarantee that I didn’t forget anything. Keep it mind that your syllabus will change, so don’t make it fancy enough that it’s hard to write in changed due dates. I made it simple by just having the due date, class, and the assignment, but you could add several more categories if you wanted. This post goes a lot more in-depth on how to create one to keep you sane!

Use the Pomodoro technique

This is a repeat from high school, but I’ve used it even more now, especially during finals week. I’m the kind of person that either needs a burst of energy to work for three hours, or I get distracted and can’t even finish ten minutes. This method has you work for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. After 4 rounds (or pomodoros) of this sequence, you can take a 15 minute break. I use the Pomodoro Time app for Mac, but there’s also the Tomato Timer option online. If you want to have this on your phone, there’s also several options- but I would use it on airplane mode only so you’re not distracted by other notifications.

Always do the reading assignments

I was so guilty of skipping a reading assignment the day before and then bombing a quiz or being completely lost throughout the whole lecture. In my second semester, I realized that even if it took thirty extra minutes to do the reading, it helped keep my attention throughout the whole class because I actually knew what the professor was talking about. This also made my notes more helpful because I wasn’t trying to jot down every single thing the professor was saying, I just had to write down the main points.

Take your notes, but take them twice

I always took my notes by hand, mainly because some teachers required it. This way I could color coordinate everything and structure things the way I wanted on the page. However, after I took this notes from class, I would go home and re-type them into the OneNote by Microsoft app for Mac. This is the best digital notebook I’ve found yet–I like using it much more than using Evernote or Google Drive. This way I would keep the information in my brain by writing it twice, and I could re-organize them a little bit to my liking. If you take notes on a computer, I would absolutely recommend hand-writing your notes afterwards to retain the information even more (unless you need to translate chemistry diagrams or mathematical equations into your notes). This Mental Floss article explains the benefits of writing by hand.

Test yourself

I’m a journalism and graphic design double-major, so in my journalism classes I’m able to use vocabulary terms and test myself on some history events as well. I know that this technique would work a lot better for classes that have a concrete term and a definition rather than a concept. Quizlet is a very popular tool used by a ton of college kids, but here’s the deal: more often than not, you’re just glancing at the definition and telling yourself you know the answer. Instead of making a bunch of useless flashcards, I like to put all my terms in Quizlet, then make a test from my cards. To do this, you create a set, then click the ‘test’ option. In the right column, you can make it a written test, matching, multiple choice, or true/false. This really helped me actually learn the material I needed to and focus on what I needed to work on before a big quiz or a test.

I’d love to answer any questions you have in the comments!

xo, Hannah

blogging, school

Day Designer Today & To Do Blue Sky Review

May 31, 2016 No Comments

I’ve wanted a Day Designer for a while now, and when I saw that Blue Sky was releasing a daily version last year for Target I jumped on the opportunity. I absolutely loved having a to-do list built into my planner alongside my schedule. I had the large daily/monthly planner and while it definitely fit what I wanted, I ended up not using every single daily page and the coil started coming undone because I used it so much. Lucky for me, Blue Sky and Day Designer partnered up again to release more versions of their coveted planners!

daydesigner5 — Day Designer Today & To Do Blue Sky Review

I purchased the Monthly/Today & To Do in the 8×10 jade. I wanted the navy small version originally, but my Target only had the jade in the larger size and I’m glad I went with this one. The binding makes it easy to lay flat and I won’t have to worry about the coil coming undone this time.

The planner starts with a monthly view from July 2016-June 2017. I love being able to see my whole month at a glance, and it’s really helpful that each box is big enough for me to write a lot for each class if I need to. Typically I’ll write out my color key on the left in the to-do and notes section using my Staedtler triplus fineliner pens (these don’t bleed through the pages). I’ll then write important events in the monthly pages. For school, I’ll usually just write out big assignments instead of every single one–that can get cluttered fast!

This is the weekly layout, with Monday-Wednesday on the left side and Thursday-Sunday on the right. My favorite part about the Today and To-Do is that it’s undated, so if I have a break from school or won’t have enough to write for the whole week, then I’ll just rely on the monthly view. The undated planner also makes it much smaller than the daily is!

The weekly view has enough space to write in your schedule for the day on the left side and write in your to-do list on the right side. There’s fifteen weekly pages included. When I’m in school, I’ll write out my assignments that are due that day in the left column and what I need to finish in the right column. The Today & To Do also comes with two striped ribbons to easily keep your place.

Here’s a look at the daily view! There’s 90 of these included. It runs from 6am-8pm (as if I get up that early…) and includes a small ‘tonight’ box to add in extra activities past that time. I love that it includes a box to write down what you’re grateful for each day. These pages also have a notes section to write down random things you need to remember throughout the day, but I’ve seen some people use this as a journaling section.

What planner are you using?

xo, Hannah

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