Making a dorm work.

As I've mentioned in previous posts, I currently live in a dorm.  Many members of the intern class that the organization I work for come from all over the United States and even overseas, so I am fortunate that they offer on-campus housing for those of us who live 1,000+ miles away.

The unfortunate part, is that this housing is former Air Force barracks.  Very thankfully, I do not have a roommate.  I did briefly (4 days) when I first arrived, but for the past six months, I have been lucky to be one of the interns with their own room.  My main objective when I moved in was to hang as man things on the walls as possible to off-set the stark white.

These photos are by no means up to College Prepster par and were taken with my iPhone, but I finally felt like my room was as complete as it would get (I am moving out in a month, after all).  Check out how I tried to make my room cozy and age appropriate below.

 

The view when you first enter the dorm.  It's much larger than it looks, roughly 14x14.  Yes, those curtains are atrocious, but they can keep the room blacked out all day long.

The spare bed on the far side of the room.  I love having a spare bed in case other interns want to come in and watch a movie or just hang out.  It's nice to have an option for them other than my desk chair.

My dresser where I get ready each morning.  I love that little "blah" sign I found at Target for only $4.  The mirror was also a Target steal, something I picked up for $6 when it was originally $30.

My desk and closet are areas I always need to stay clean.  Candles are strictly prohibited in the dorms, but it's one thing I just can't give up no matter how hard I try.

I can't imagine how much harder it would be to live in a dorm without this sink.  It's nice to have just a little bit of privacy in the morning when I don't want to walk all the way down to the bathroom to style my hair, brush my teeth or wash my face.  I was also fighting a bit of a cold, hence the day/nyquil bottles.

No, a twin bed is not ideal, and it's roughly 4 ft. off of the ground, so it's always a little adventure getting in and out, but I love my incredibly soft, white Threshold blanket (Target, of course).  I also adore my little "queen of offing everything" pillow, which my brother describes as "frighteningly accurate."

So there you have it, home sweet home since Thanksgiving.  It's hard giving up little luxuries like my own bathroom (a round of applause for community bathrooms), a microwave and a bed that doesn't instill a fear of falling in me every time I try wake up in the morning.

I can't wait to get out into my own place – wherever that may be!

Did this stir up any college flashbacks for you?

CK

Pink-a-boo.

I've never been the type to wear a lot of pink or have a lot of pink around the house (or in this case, dorm), but this spring I've been drawn to more and more pink when I hit Target. Even though it's essentially summer in Colorado Springs, I definitely have spring on my mind!

                                    

Has anyone else noticed how fantastic Target's dollar section stationery has been lately?  This pen and notepad have been just a few of many amazing finds I've come across the past few weeks. 

I also finally added Essie's 'Fiji' to my collection. While I love the spring look, it is the wrong color to use if you aren't a salon-quality nail painter. I try my best, but those light colors show off every imperfection. 

Also, while my dorms don't allow candles, I've decided to ignore that part of my dorm agreement and snagged this perfect little spun sugar candle. It completely warms up my room and the smell is just strong enough without being overwhelming.  

CK

A change of pace.

So I just finished up a ten day stint house/dog-sitting for my boss, and though I recently redecorated my dorm (yes, you too can graduate from college and live in a dorm at 22 years old), I am absolutely itching to go shopping for new spring clothes.  It's already spring here in Colorado!

Unfortunately, my bank accounts are frozen for the moment as I await new cards in the mail because I was a victim of the Target hack and my accounts were - as Chad from US Bank specified - compromised.

So for now, I window shop online, and once those cards arrive, they're going to get a serious breaking-in.

I recently splurged and bought 4 new pairs of Chinos in all sorts of colors, so the need for new spring tops is real.

How perfect is this salmon peplum top?  And from Old Navy no less?

I'm loving these blue-hued tops from Gap & J. Crew.

You can find them here, here, & here (sale)!  I think all three would look great dressed up with a statement necklace or down with a pair of Sperry's.

What are you most looking forward to with the change of season?

CK

Colorado Kara

So, it's been a while.  A long while.  In all honesty, I've managed to neglect almost every aspect of my life for work.

Since you've last heard from me, I moved home from school after graduating. I worked briefly for a professional sports franchise in Minneapolis before taking a once-in-a-lifetime internship opportunity out in Colorado.

(The mountains are gorg, but I need a lake).

I have just about passed the halfway point for my internship period, and am back to searching and applying for new opportunities (preferably back in the midwest).

I've decided to give another go at blogging 1) to keep my sanity as my internship is very demanding and often enough I am not spending enough time on me, and making sure I'm happy and 2) because I miss it!

I love hearing from all of you and I definitely miss the blogging world.  So here's to run number #2 (3, maybe?).

Let's see how this goes.

CK

Back in (anything but) Black.

I know, I know.  It's been roughly six months since I've been able to peruse and update College Kara.  I have since graduated college!  Do I still get to be called College Kara?  For now, why not.  If The College Prepster can do it, so can I, right?  Here's what you missed:

           

1.  I went to Chicago to visit my best friend and to take in some outdoor puck!  It was freezing!

2.  I had my last day as an intern with our D1 hockey team.  It was heartbreaking.  I cried.

3.  Two of my intern friends and myself went to our senior athletics banquet!

4.  I turned 22.  

5.  I graduated!

And that brings us to the present!  Remember Meghann?  My roommate and photog throughout the school year?  She got married!  Isn't she a gorgeous bride?

This is my other roommate and I before the wedding, my dress is Michael Kors and I paired it with nude wedges and gold bow earrings from Francesca's.

So what is College Kara doing now?  She's enjoying her funemployment while it lasts and carefully considering job and internship offers.  I can't wait to get settled back into the routine of updating College Kara.  Thanks for sticking around!  New posts coming soon!

CK

Pea coats, please.

I know that pea coats are hardly a new trend but one thing I love to see every winter are all the great colors!  Anyone can rock a classic black peacoat, but sometimes it's great to find a fun, colorful one to best suit your personality!

Savvy: MICHAEL Michael Kors Double Breasted Pea Coat in Orange Spice // 295.00

Save:  Madewell Sidesaddle Riding Jacket in Bright Berry // 148.00

Splurge:  Brooks Brothers Wool Pea Coat in Grey // 598.00

What color is your pea coat?

CK

Essie giveaway!

Hi everyone!  I know I said would be posting a giveaway on College Kara this week and it's finally here!  For my first giveaway, I decided to go with one of my favorite products for this season which is Essie's nail polish Scarlet O'Hara!

This is a gorgeous ruby red that would be wonderful for the holidays!  It has just a hint of shimmer to it and looks gorgeous both in and out of the bottle!

You can get a closer look at this color on Essie's website here!

There are only two rules for this giveaway and they are both very simple!

1.  You must be following College Kara's blog.

2.  You must be following College Kara on twitter.

You can access these options through the Rafflecopter widget below (which is how I will randomly select a winner!)

This contest closes on December 11th, so you have plenty of time to enter!

Best of luck to all of you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks(giving) a bunch.

Hey everyone!  I know it's been a while since I've been able to blog, but I will have more time now that the semester is winding down!  I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I had to stay up at school for work this weekend, but lucky for me, my parents and one of my brothers came up to celebrate with me!  Here's just a few shots from my turkey day!

My brother Matt and I at dinner this afternoon.

Snowing on Thanksgiving over Lake Superior - gorgeous!

Right now I'm cuddled up in the hotel suite with my brother watching We Bought A Zoo.  This is my first Thanksgiving away from home, but I'm so glad my family is here with me!

There will be a giveaway for College Kara posted this week!  Eep!  I am so thankful for every single one of my wonderful readers!

Happy Turkey Day everyone!