A Preppy Girl's Guide to Fall Fashion in Europe
September 25, 2018
As a New England girl, born and raised, Fall has always had a special place in my heart.
It has always been my favorite season. Nothing can beat the feeling of an oversized sweatshirt, warm tea and Hocus Pocus.
However, since I'm in Europe for the semester, I have a feeling Fall just won't feel the same here. So, to help myself out, I've done a bit of research to try to get the full Autumn experience while abroad! Especially when it comes to clothing!
Pinterest has been a life saver while researching places to experience Autumn in Europe!
I didn't know what to expect as I was preparing for Fall abroad. However, I think I brought the essentials. As a lover of cold weather fashion, I brought 4 coats with me (yes, 4 COATS!) That way, I have the maximum ability to match with all of my sweaters and turtlenecks! As pictured below, I also bought my first Fall fashion hat! It is the perfect accessory for chilly weather outfits. I bought this wool one from H&M!
Also, when days are a little warmer, I love to wear long sleeve dresses in Fall colors! I bought 3 dresses in Europe so far. I bought a navy blue coral dress, a maroon long sleeve dress (one of my favorite fall colors), and an olive green dress (as pictured below).
I also have an "unhealthy" obsession with scarves, scarves and more scarves! I buy a lot of my scarves from Francesca's. Whether it's a blanket scarf, infinity scarf or just an accent scarf, they are always perfect for a Fall day, especially in Europe!
-Jenna
First Time Solo Traveler: Vienna
September 16, 2018 Vienna, Austria
This past weekend was so special to me because I went on my first solo trip! Normally if I am traveling by myself, I am going somewhere to meet family or friends. However, this time, I was going to a different country with the freedom to do whatever I'd like.
For my first destination, I chose to go to Vienna, Austria! Vienna is a beautiful city only an hour by plane from Berlin. I only booked my tickets to travel 2 days before I left but once I got to the city, I felt super comfortable with my weekend plans
Here's a little overview of my trip!
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| The Hofburg Imperial Palace |
I landed in the city around 8:00am so I had the whole day to explore. I planned on using my first day to explore the Museumquartier. This is where a lot of the museums in Vienna are. I went to 3 main attractions on the first day: The Hofburg Imperial Palace, The Imperial Burial Vault, and The State Hall of the Austrian National Library. The museums were truly breathtaking for a history geek like myself!
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| Fresco in the State Hall of the Austrian National Library |
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| The Hofburg Imperial Palace |
I also walked around the outsides of Staatsoper, The Art History Museum, and the Maria Teresa Monument.
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| The Art History Museum and the Maria Teresa Monument |
For the next day in Vienna, I went to explore Schönbrunn Palace and the Tiergarten Schönbrunn. Fun fact: the Tiergarten Schönbrunn is the oldest zoo in the world!
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| The Palace |
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| Yes, I saw a capybara and it was the best thing ever |
During my time at the palace, I had a photoshoot planned in the gardens with Amr Ebeid though Airbnb Experiences! Amr was a wonderful photographer and he gave me a great mini tour of the palace grounds. The scenery and views absolutely blew me away.
Just like that, 2 days in Vienna flew by in a blink of an eye and I was on my plane heading back to Berlin!
Tips for a first time solo traveler!
I feel like I picked up a lot of good tips and tricks as a first time solo traveler myself.
1) Put yourself out of your comfort zone!
Whenever I am doing something new, I always liked to have a "safety net" just incase I do something wrong the first time or until I get the hang of it. Going to Vienna alone was a huge step for me as a traveler and a person. It made me realize I shouldn't be scared to get out of my comfort zone.
2) PLAN, PLAN, PLAN!
As a solo traveler, you don't want to get to your destination and be completely lost. You should do some research before hand to have a tentative itinerary of what you wanted to do there. Remember, you can always tweak your plan once you get there!
3) Keep in touch with your family back home!
Before I left on Friday, I made sure to send all of my plane, hotel and activity information to a few family members back home. I also texted them often to keep them in the loop with what I was doing abroad to keep track of where I was. Safety first!
4) Don't be afraid to meet new people!
I really tried to communicate to as many locals and fellow travelers as possible. This is great advice because it gives you the opportunity to find people with similar exploring interests and gives you someone to talk to while traveling solo! Over the course of the trip I met my photographer, a super nice guy at a restaurant and another girl in my hostel from Florida! Put yourself out there!
5) Enjoy!
God has given me this blessed opportunity to be able to travel at such a young age, so I want to take advantage of it in as many ways as possible. For me, solo traveling was a chance for me to explore myself and explore the city as I wanted to on my own schedule. Make sure you soak up all of the memories you make (aka don't be afraid to take a lot of SELFIES!)
The opportunity of a lifetime must be seized within the lifetime of opportunity. -Leonard Ravenhill
-Jenna
Finding Self Love Abroad
September 10, 2018 Berlin, Germany
Guten Tag!
I’m in Berlin for the next 4 months studying abroad!
This place is absolutely gorgeous, it’s the place I feel I should have been in all along. It radiates positivity. The sights and the smells and the immersive culture are something I’ve wanted to experience my whole life, and by living and studying here for a whole 4 months I get to experience it like a true native!
As a history major, naturally I’m drawn to the history and the geographical importance that covers everything here. Everywhere you look in the city there’s always something of historical significance, and there’s so much to learn!
By being in such a loving positive place, one thing I really wanted to work on was my self image and how I viewed myself and my interactions with other people. I’m turning this into a peace mission for self love. I want to walk away from here with not only the experience but a new outlook on myself and my life. I want to stop looking to other people for validation of myself and my life, and accept myself and my circumstances for what they are and embrace them. I want to start living my life the way I want to live it, not the I think other people want it to be lived or how I’m told it should be lived. I want to go where I enjoy going, eat what I enjoy eating, and embrace being who I want to be.
For all those who might be experiencing a similar situation, or for those of you who are interesting in studying abroad, my only advice is this: 110% go for it, give your endevours and experiences all you have and have fun doing it!
See you in 3 and half months America!
-Jenna
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