April 2022 Month in Review

I decided to do something a little different for this month’s recap and share unseen photos from throughout April that haven’t made it to the blog, as opposed to a new outfit. I’m not sure if I like it yet, but it was mainly just because I was too lazy to take pics for this post… Let me know what you think in the comments. Otherwise, I have some exciting news to share this month and can hardly believe tomorrow is already May! April was all over the place—from finishing my travels with my parents, to spending a week doing nothing but writing my thesis, to going to Dublin… feels like three months wrapped into one. Check out my top blog posts, outfits, and shows from April down below!

What’s New?

• The most exciting news is that… I got a job!!! I’m so excited and will be starting in late-June, after moving back to Denver during graduation weekend on June 11. Before studying abroad, I had accepted that I would most likely graduate unemployed, so I’m still in a little shock to have found something so great over the course of the past few weeks. I’ve gone down an apartment hunting and Ikea rabbit hole the last few days… It hasn’t sunken in yet that I will be permanently moving out of my parents’ home, but I expect to have an existential crisis at some point in the next two months. I feel so adult now—nerve-racking but also exciting!
• I leave Glasgow on Tuesday… and can’t believe my time here has already come to an end. I reread last month’s recap, and I was surprised to find that I sounded kind of sick of it here. While there are a lot of reasons I’m excited to go home, I’m really going to miss this place and have been feeling a little emotional these past few days. I’ve been dreaming of studying abroad for as long as I can remember… Now it’s finally coming to an end, and while it’s been a very different experience than I expected, it’s been an incredible and unforgettable one.

Favorite Outfits from April

• I think this orange outfit for April’s Thrifty Six collab is right up there for one of my favorites outfit ever… I just felt so effortlessly cool in it, and I love this color for the spring and summertime!
• My other favorite outfit from this month is my going out look… This thrifted scandalous top is very out of my comfort zone, but I feel so saucy whenever I wear it. Plus, I was just so pleased with how the lighting and backdrop for these photos turned out.

Top Blog Posts This Month (By Views)

• Monochrome Monday with The Thrifty Six
• A Day in North Wales
• March 2022 Month in Review

What I Watched + Listened To

• Encanto—I finally watched this movie on my friend’s Disney+, and honestly, I was disappointed! The songs were just not very catchy, and the film felt to me like a wannabe Coco… and nothing compares to Coco. That movie is *chef’s kiss*.
• “Stranger Things”—I’m wayyy behind the times having never seen this before, but I’m glad I binged it when I did since the new season comes out in May. I can’t remember the last time I liked a show so much! I really love the characters and relationships. I hope they don’t ruin it by making too many seasons, though.
• Castaway—I’ve always known the “Wilson” pop culture references, but I expected to suddenly understand so much more after actually watching this movie. But nope, yelling “Wilson” dramatically into the sea is about all there is to know from the film. I still really enjoyed it (as a kid, I used to spend hours imagining how I would survive on a deserted island), but I decided this wasn’t a good movie to watch before my 11.5 hour plane ride next week…
• “Conversations with a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes”—I thought this three-part docuseries was pretty well done and I learned a lot… terrible, terrible case though. I didn’t know much about him going into it but expected way more emphasis on the clown aspect.
• I’ve been really bored with my music selection lately. My friend told me that she makes Spotify playlists each month—and has been doing so for years—that contain songs she heard from throughout the month. I thought that was such a great idea, and then you can relisten to your monthly playlists and feel like you’re traveling back in time! I decided to make my own for April, which you can find here. It has lots of One Republic (since I saw them in concert last week), songs from the music category of the weekly pub quiz I attend, Irish drinking songs, etc.

Quote of the Month

• April’s Quote: “Travelling—it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” -Ibn Battuta
• May’s Quote: “How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” -Winnie the Pooh

Travel Highlights

It feels like forever ago, but I started the month of April in North Wales with my mom, and then we spent a few extra days in London doing some off-the-beaten-track tourist attractions. My friend and I also visited Dublin and County Cork in Ireland! I considered spending the first half of this week visiting my friend who’s currently studying in Sweden, but I decided I was just travelled-out… and I’m really glad I made that decision because I needed this week to say goodbye to all my friends.

What I’m Looking Forward to in May

• My big brother’s wedding in Vegas! By far, the most exciting thing that’s happening in May (next week!) is my brother’s wedding. They’ve had an extended engagement due to Covid so it’s been a long time coming… and we are all SO excited for them! I can’t wait to see all my extended family and family friends in one place, ready to dance the night away. I’ll also be a bridesmaid for the first time and am looking forward to all the wedding festivities—bridal shower, bachelorette party, etc. We are going to see Magic Mike… that should be a time.
• Lounging by the pool in Las Vegas. I’ve actually really enjoyed Glasgow’s gloomy weather, but I’m pumped to throw on a bathing suit and do nothing by the pool all day!
• Defending my thesis. On May 11, I will be presenting my research to a committee of three of my criminology professors. I’m really excited to share my work and to finally be done with the project—this is my last piece of schoolwork before completing my undergrad!

This Month on Graceful Rags

• Weekly Recap #13, 2022
• March 2022 Month in Review
• What We Did in London
• Weekly Recap #14, 2022
• A Day in North Wales
• Take Me to the Disco
• Weekly Recap #15, 2022
• Monochrome Monday with The Thrifty Six
• Weekly Recap #16, 2022
• A Quick Trip to Dublin and County Cork
• My Go-To ‘Night Out’ Look
• What I Miss From Home

What was the highlight of your April, and what are you most looking forward to in May? Let me know in the comments below!

 

Miles of smiles,
Grace

 

Photo Locations:

1. Abbey Road, London

2. Snowdonia National Park, North Wales

3. Greenwich Royal Observatory, London

4. Some mural along the River Thames, London

5. St. Paul’s Cathedral, London

6. Outfit photos – Glasgow

7. Trinity College, Dublin

8. Some street in Dublin

9. Killiney, Ireland

10. Rock of Cashel, Ireland

11. Blarney Castle, Ireland

12. St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin

13. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow

14. Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow

15. University of Glasgow campus

16. Clydeside Whisky Distillery, Glasgow