August : Travel and Organization

Let's all take a minute to realize that it's already August. Pinch me now! 2014 is over half way done and I cannot believe that I'm starting my sophomore year of high school in 17 days! 
{ see my 2014 resolutions post here }
This month is one of the busier ones of the year! I left early this morning for a trip to see family for nine days, and nine days after I get home I start school, so as you can expect, there's lots to do. I have 3 books to finish reading for that dreaded summer reading, organize and "preppify" my school supplies, and plan out blog posts for the next month or so, just so that I'm organized on that platform of my life!
Last month, I skipped my original resolution plan because I wasn't traveling anywhere, so the resolution of "Travel" didn't seem to really fit into the month very well. With that being said, I've simply combined July and August's resolution to create one fun and functional month of checking off these resolutions! 
This past April, I had one of my greatest travel experiences by going to Italy with the Vocal Department at my school for 8 days. (If only I made the resolution of Travel for that month!) It was so much fun and I definitely learned a lot about what it takes to travel abroad.  As I am not traveling abroad in this situation, I still plan on using some of the same tactics when flying and how to make the most out of my trip. A comfortable (yet chic!) outfit is a necessity for the plane, my checked baggage has to be planned out day by day (thankfully I can do laundry!), and my carry-ons must have all of my essentials for in-flight access.  My biggest goal for my vacation is to have an amazing time with family. I haven't been back to Wisconsin for at least 3 years, so I'll be seeing quite a few family members and friends that I haven't gotten to see in years. The key to accomplishing this? Keep the phone out of sight! Whether it's putting your phone on silent or simply leaving at the house/hotel while out and about, you'll keep yourself in the moment, rather than worrying about the latest Twitter notification or email you've just received.  Also, bring your family camera! Family vacations are the perfect time to capture fun moments and save them for years. I have photos from when my brother and I visited the Wisconsin State Fair when we were probably 8 or 9, so you can assume that when I go back and visit Monday I'll be taking pictures to re-create old memories and make new ones! 
The second resolution for this month is organization. Now I'm a very organized person overall, but when it comes to school, I definitely up my game. I love utilizing notebooks, agendas, and wall calendars when it comes time for school, because it makes it easier to visualize everything you need to accomplish in the week/month. Staying organized during the school year will definitely lower your stress level and keep you on the top of your game! If you can start out with good study and organizational habits in the beginning, they'll carry you through the end of the school years, all the way to exams! 
How are your resolutions coming, and how do you plan to conquer them in "Part 2" of 2014? 
xoxo