I can't believe that I'm acutally saying this out loud, but I am an official college GRADUATE!  I never thought this day would actually come.  Not because I'm a bad student or anything, but after what I've been through these past few years, it's just nice to finally have this win under my belt.  For all of you out there wondering why it took me longer to graduate then four years, well I'm going to explain it to you.

It starts with this very first thing, NO, I did NOT fail.  I never failed out of college, that doesn't mean I had straight A's don't get me wrong, but I was never forced to leave a school.  After about a year and half at VCU, my number one choice school mind you, I was very unhappy.  I loved being in the city, but I didn't care for my classes or the opportunities that were available to me.  I really wanted to be doing something more creative and to be honest, I was homesick a lot.  I decided to transfer back to the community college where I completed my Associate's Degree.  During my time at NOVA I started to work a lot.  I even started to put work in front of my school work.  I enjoyed getting a paycheck and then spending those paychecks.  I really enjoyed traveling and found myself wanting to work and travel more than I wanted a degree.  So my grades fell by the waist side and that's when I decided to become a full-time online student.  I thought I could totally work a full-time job and do my homework at night.  It's much easier said than done though.  It wasn't until this time last year when I was a straight C student and I just thought, I'm never going to graduate.  If I'm being honest, I thought about quitting, more than once.  School just isn't my thing.  I was learning more in the real world then I was in those $500 textbooks.  I just became so unmotivated and uninspiried by school.  It really was because of my mom when I just had a breakdown moment.  I was broke, unmotivated, hating school, hating my life, and my mom honestly got me out of my funk.  Okay, it was more than one breakdown, but still.  My mom was there for me to guide me and inspire me in ways that I couldn't do myself.  I got my act together and started to put school first.  My assignments were getting done before the due dates, I was studying for my finals, and before I knew it my GPA was raising.  I was so mad at myself, because this was so easy.  Why hadn't I been doing this the whole time?  I met with my advisor and when he told me that I could graduate next semester (May 2017), I was in shock.  I had done it.  I worked my ass off, excuse my language, to make sure that I graduated this semester.  I was doing homework assignments at the beach, at the lake, staying up all hours of the night to make sure that it got done.  Yeah, I know college students do that already, but I wasn't cut out to be a college student.  It's not that it was hard, I honestly, just didn't want to do it.  However, here I am.  I finally graduated and recieved my Bachelor's Degree.

School isn't for everybody, and that's okay.  It's just something that I had to do.  I know the next question you're going to ask is "Do I regret transferring and getting off track?"  My answer, hell no.  There are so many amazing things and opportunities that came from me transferring.  If I hadn't transferred I wouldn't have three internships and two paid marketing jobs on my resume.  Which taught me way more than school ever did.  I wouldn't have traveled as much as I have.  I did a ten hour road trip all by myself, well with Lumpy my pet hedgehog, which is something I never would have been able to, or would have done, if I had stayed in Richmond.  I met some amazing people who are still some of my closets friends to this day.  I had some of the best jobs (Godiva, MPCC, even Jared's!) that taught me so much about myself and how to work with differnet types of people.  I never would have adopted Lumpy or Oliver.  I never would have reconnected with Omar and have my own apartment.  I never would have moved to North Carolina.  I never would of had that extra time spent with loved ones that I've lost.  I never would have found my passion and I defintely never would have started this blog!  These past few years I have been through the most ups and downs I have ever experienced.  The highs were defintely highs, but the lows, were really low.  All of those experiences though, made me to who I am today.  I'm not scared of what challeneges I face in these next few years, because I know I'm right where I'm meant to be.

I may not be where I thought I was going to be at the age of twenty-four, but that's okay.  What's important is where I'm going.  So watch out world, because Michele Katsaris has that very expensive piece of paper that classifies her as an adult and she's ready for ya.

It's been a while since I gave you guys a sneak peek into my makeup drawers.  For Christmas and my birthday I accumliated a collection of new makeup purchases and I wanted to share them with you all before I started to use them.  I'm defintely not a professional makeup artist, but I've learned a thing or two from YouTube videos and I defintely take notes when one of them recommends a product.  Some of these were drugstore finds, some were Christmas gifts, while others were purchased at Ulta.  I'll try to find the products and link them down below for you.


I have been obsessed with this highlighter phase lately.  I mean, I've gotten so many compliments when I started to use this highlighter and I am loving it.  It gives you just the right of shimmer and you are GLOWING all day long.  I had never heard of this brand before, but at Ulta they were having a buy one get one 50% off and their products are amazing quality.  The highlighter that I picked up is so soft, and I don't need to use much to get the glow that I'm looking for.  I also got this baked blush, because I just can't do blushes unless their baked with bronzer.  I don't really do pink cheeks, but the bronzer plus the blush always makes my cheeks look the perfect amount of rosey.  Same thing as the highlighter, the baked blush is super creamy and all I need is a little bit and it goes a long way.  I also got this brand, Revolution, eyeshadow pallete.  I really like the range of colors that is available in this palette especially for how inexpensive it was ($10!).  However, the colors that I would use, the more neutral the colors were, which are ones that I tend to use more, weren't as pigmented as I would have liked them to be.  They were all matte shades as well.  So I use them for more of the base and then I'll blend it with another palette.  The final product I got from this brand is something that I don't really get how to use still.  It's a primer, but I totally thought it was some sort of setting powder.  So, haven't actually used it yet, but when I do I'll make sure to update you guys on it!

I also picked up two primers, both from Ulta.  The Maybelline blue + illuminate primer is an oldie, but a goodie.  This is a great, drugstore, and inexpensive primer that is defintely worth every penny.  While I was in line to checkout, damn those sample size products at the checkout line, I came across this other product.  I remember seeing some of my favorite YouTubers talk about this product and when I read the ingredients it just sounded, well perfect.  AND IT IS!  Seriously, the Hangover RX Primer by Too Faced is such an incredible primer.  It also smells really good!  This product gets an A+++ in my book.

For Christmas, Santa brought me a few new products.  The first is this color correcting compact.  It comes with any and all of the colors that can help with hiding blemishes.  Plus, it's super pretty.  It's cream based, but you don't need to use too much when using it.  So far, I only know what a couple of the colors are used for, but if you know what they all are for then you should defintely leave me a comment below to help a girl out.  I remember seeing these next items at Walgreens and I knew I had to have them.  They had a whole collection of Disney Villians and D.C. Comics cosmetic products.  These Batgirl brushes are really great quality.  I really like the blending one because it's angled and can really buff out the fine lines that makeup can leave.  The next product was a Catwoman highlighter stick.  It's not as pigmented as the Revolution highlighter, but it does the trick.  It's also perefect to keep in your purse for touch ups throughout the day.  Finally, is the Disney Evil Queen booklet is one of my favorites.  It looks perfect sitting on my vanity and it came with a few different products.  They eyeshadows are these deep gorgeous colors and they are great colors for going out.  It also came with an eyeshadow brush, an eyeliner, a lipgloss, a bronzer, and a eyeshadow stick.  It's seriously such a cute little package.  My mom also got me this 3 piece beauty blender set which is almost too pretty to use.  I also got a new setting spray.  I usually get the Urban Decay setting spray, but I opted for something cheaper.  It still works though and it's a much bigger bottle! My mom also got me these gel nail polishes where you don't need the light to set them and their quick drying.  They're perfect for me because I am so impatient when getting my nails done.

I love all of these new makeup products that I got.  The quality for the price is practically a steal too! What are your favorite makeup brands?  Got any makeup tips for me?  Leave me a comment below.






SaveSave