August 2021 Month in Review

I’m so sad to be saying goodbye to August! I thought I would be ready for school to start again by now, but I’m still wishing for an endless summer… Although, it is exciting to start packing all my food and imagining what yummy dishes I’ll be making in my new apartment. Today’s outfit features this neutral jumpsuit that I got on sale from Francesca’s a while back. I wear it all the time and thought it would look super cute with this panama hat for summer. Now, onto this month’s recap!

What’s New?

• My new web design! As I mentioned in yesterday’s weekly recap, I spent a lot of the weekend chatting with WordPress support and giving my site a fresh look. It’s still not quite perfect but I’m liking it a lot so far.
• I’m not working anymore. I have been a research assistant on the same project about mass incarceration for almost two and a half years, but the project finally, officially ended yesterday! I haven’t decided if I will try to get a different on-campus job for the fall quarter yet, but I am scheduled to attend a job fair at the end of next week once I’m back in Denver. We shall see!
• I was recently interviewed by Shoutout Colorado—you can check out the piece here.
• Not that anyone cares, but I fixed my phone! I mentioned in last month’s recap that my phone suddenly wouldn’t hold a charge anymore, and I thought I would have to get a new one. Turns out the culprit was my Fitbit app, constantly sucking 30% of the battery. I only share this because if you have been having a similar issue, check to see if it’s your fitness app always running in the background!

Top Blog Posts from August

• Fool’s Gold with The Thrifty Six
• My Favorite Swimsuit Styles
• College Dorm Room Essentials

Favorite Outfits from August

• I loved this red plaid top and denim skirt from last week’s post, “What to Consider when Choosing a College”. It seems you guys loved it on Instagram too, and a few people commented about how cute it would be for a picnic! Such a good idea for once I get back to school (although, now that I think about it, a denim skirt seems kind of uncomfortable when sitting on a blanket on the ground).
• Of course, I also had to include this glam outfit from August’s Thrifty Six collab. As I mentioned in that blog post, these snakeskin shoes make any outfit a winner in my eyes!

What I Watched

• The Circle—The usual dystopian creepiness, Big Brother type of thing. I enjoyed the movie well enough, but the story/angle is kind of tired, in my opinion.
• Rocket Man—This is the movie about Elton John’s life. Some of the artistic choices of the movie were kind of odd to me, but obviously the film had great music and interesting (yet tragic) details about his life.
• Parasite—Okay, I loved this movie because it was so bizarre and unexpected. I have seen a lot of weird films that are just plain bad, but this one was weird and really good. At least, in my opinion… I already recommended it to several people who ended up hating it, so watch at your own risk.
• “The Handmaid’s Tale”—This show adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s book is SO good. Very disturbing and dystopic, but in a scarily realistic way. I will say, if you are super sensitive about feminism/women’s rights and have a hard time separating TV from real life, this show is not for you. It is very heavy and dark. But the acting is great and it’s a really chilling premise.
• Jungle Cruise—I saw this movie at the drive-in theater! It was a fun, care-free film for family night. The storyline didn’t completely make sense but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
• Free Guy—I also saw this at the drive-in, since it was a double feature. While video game movies are not my favorite, this was a fun film, and you can never go wrong with Ryan Reynolds.
• The Song of Names—This was an interesting and artsy movie about a man trying to find his long-lost violinist friend who disappeared right before the most important concert of his life. It was a huge downer… would not recommend if your psyche is in a fragile state.
• As Above, So Below—I hardly ever watch scary movies but my parents convinced me to watch this one with them. I liked the archaeological aspects of it and how it takes place in the catacombs, but my parents thought the ending kind of ruined it.
• Reminiscence—First off, this movie has Hugh Jackman. What’s not to like? Second, I actually really enjoyed this film. My parents thought it was just so-so, but I thought the premise was super intriguing, as were the scary, not-so-far-off environmental crises depicted in it.
• Begin Again—This is an older movie starring Mark Ruffalo and Kiera Knightly that someone recommended to my mom. It was cute and uplifting! Made up for some of the other depressing things I’ve watched recently.

Quote of the Month

• August’s Quote: “Trust the overthinker who tells you they love you. They have, most assuredly, thought of every reason not to.” -LK Pilgrim
• September’s Quote: “There are seven days in a week and ‘someday’ is not one of them.” -Benny Lewis

Blogging Milestones

August was a really successful month for me! I got an interview about my blog published, I redesigned my website (finally), I posted lots of fun back-to-school content, and I solidified a few upcoming collaborations with brands. I also received my first true PR box—meaning, free product from a brand that I am not required to post about. Furthermore, August was my best month of blogging ever in terms of both visitors and views. Exciting stuff!!! As always, thank you so much for your support.

What I’m Looking Forward to in September

• Moving into and decorating my new apartment!!!
• Catching up with old friends once I’m back in Denver.
• Watching Death Cab for Cutie perform at Red Rocks Amphitheater—seeing a concert there is a bucket list item of mine! Plus, I haven’t been to a concert since pre-Covid, so it should be really fun.

This Month in 2020: How to Look Your Best on Zoom | How I Use My Passion Planner | Getting Motivated for Online Classes

This Month in 2019: Shopping Apocalypse Now | B2S Series: How to Make the Most of College | Fashion in Espana

This Month in 2018: To Pack or Not to Pack? The Struggles of College Dorm Living as a Fashionista | Hating Yourself Isn’t Fashionable | Easy, Breezy, Beautiful, Makeover

This Month in 2017: B2S Series: My Morning Routine | Baby Steps for Pattern Mixing | Flower Crowns: From Fairy to Functional

This Month in 2016: Orange Camo | Peachy Keen | Ready for the Weekend

You know the drill—thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you have a great start to your week!

-Grace

Floral Jumpsuit: Francesca’s, $16, last worn here | Brown Sandals: DSW, $45, last worn here | Panama Hat: Nordstrom Rack, $21, last worn here | Salmon Clutch: Francesca’s, $20, last worn here