Badlands OOTD and Concert Experience

My final summer hurrah before heading back to Gettysburg for senior year was a trip into Manhattan with my nuggz Brianna (check out her blog here) to see Halsey play the final stop of her Badlands tour at Madison Square garden.

I wanted an outfit that was going to be cute and comfy, so I chose to wear a rust colored ribbed t-shirt dress and low wedges. I also wanted a bag that wasn’t big and bulky, so I went for my cherry red Michael Kors crossbody bag.

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Dress: Forever 21
Shoes: Payless
Bag: Michael Kors (no longer available)
Sunglasses: Francesca’s (no longer available)

The show itself was phenomenal. It had been over a year since I had last seen Halsey perform, so I was super excited to have the chance to see her play the last show of the Badlands tour. She puts so much passion into each performance – so much so that when the visuals weren’t working three songs in, she restarted the whole show! (I’m not complaining; I got to hear Gasoline live twice in one night) Watching what is quite possibly my favorite album ever come alive before me was a magical thing to witness. I have never screamed lyrics louder or felt more at home at a concert before. She also brought out the Chainsmokers as a special guest to perform their single Closer, which turned the whole arena into a rave for four minutes or so. She also closed the show with Young God, the last song off of her album. It was the perfect closure to the end of the Badlands era. Visiting the Badlands at Madison Square Garden was something that I will never forget.

xo, Angela
Twitter: angelamarieparr
Instagram: angela.parr

Summer Concert Roundup

Summer is prime concert season. There’s just something special that happens when you combine warm air, great music, and good vibes; some of my favorite memories were made at summer concerts. I’ve been lucky to go to a few concerts so far this summer, so I wanted to share my experiences of them!

The first show I went to this summer was Vevo Presents Ariana, an intimate 300-person preview of her new album Dangerous Woman before it was released. It sold out in about ten seconds – I still don’t know how I managed to snag tickets to it! It was held in a gorgeous converted church in downtown Manhattan. There’s something really wonderful about going to a small show. It never feels like you’re at a concert, but more like you’re singing along to your favorite songs with a bunch of friends and one of them just happens to be Ariana Grande, aka one of the best vocalists of our generation. She was absolutely adorable the whole time, and she kept getting emotional because we knew all the words already, even though the album hadn’t been released yet. I’m so grateful that I got to experience that.

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The next concert I went to was 5 Seconds of Summer’s Sounds Live Feels Live tour at Mohegan Sun. If you know me, you know I’m a huge 5SOS fan but the timing never works out for me when they tour in the area, so it had been nearly two years since I had last seen them live. My best friend Brianna and I had soundcheck tickets, which was an amazing experience as we sat second row! The band played three songs that had been taken off the set list, answered a bunch of fan questions, and were just generally adorable and goofy. It was great to interact with them in a more relaxed setting. After soundcheck, we had a little bit of time to kill, which was great because it gave us time to grab a bite to eat and hang out with our friends that we meet up with at just about every 5SOS event. The show itself was a masterpiece! The guys were jamming out and the crowd was electric. They have so much more talent than they’re given credit for – from Ashton’s drumming to Michael’s guitar skills to Calum’s groovy bass to Luke’s showmanship – and it was just magical to witness live. Sounds Live Feels Live will be a show that lives on in my heart forever.

Coldplay’s A Head Full of Dreams tour at MetLife Stadium was next on my calendar. I made the trek out to Jersey to see the concert with my friend Amber, who I hadn’t seen since 2014, so it was a memorable reunion! After a quick dinner at Olive Garden, we made our way to the stadium. We knew we had good seats (they were floor tickets) but as we kept walking closer to the stage we couldn’t believe how amazing our view was! I had never seen Coldplay live, so I was excited to see what they would do. They had to be one of the most high-energy acts I’ve ever seen. Their energy was infectious and the whole crowd got involved via these bracelets we were given at the start of the show, which lit up in different colors and patterns to make the entire stadium a rainbow during the show. It was incredible! They did a great mix of old favorites and new songs, as well as a fan-requested oldie that they typically don’t play live. I was really glad I got to see them, as this is their last tour for a while.

Lastly, I went to Panorama Music Festival! I got three-day passes for free, however due to work and the insane Manhattan heat I only went to day two. I was really excited to go, because I had never been to a music festival and it was their inaugural event. My sister Caroline and I trekked across the river to Randall’s Island (which is also a great gem to visit if you’re ever in Manhattan!) and parked ourselves near the main stage when we first got in; we just chilled in the shade while listening to Ex Hex, who I had never heard of before but really vibed with. After their set, we went exploring around the festival grounds, visiting the MTV and Macy’s tents before grabbing the best tacos I ever had. We hung out near the graffiti art installations to listen to Foals’ set from afar, which I was okay with because the heat was so brutal. We finished off the night with salted vanilla ice cream and Sufjan Stevens’ set, which we were right in front for; he had an incredible performance factor! It was really cool to see the way he remixed his songs for the festival and how he presented them. Despite the heat, I’m really glad I went! Panorama was really cool, and I hope I get the chance to go back again in future years.

Have you gone to any concerts this summer? Share your summer concert memories in the comments below!

xo, Angela
Twitter: angelamarieparr
Instagram: angela.parr

Making The Most of Your Summer Internship

If you’re like most college kids, you’re bound to have at least one internship, if not more, over your four years at school. While I don’t have all the answers to what makes an internship successful, I have compiled a few tips for what you can do to make the most of it.

Start building your business wardrobe. As cute as your strappy tank tops and strapless sundresses are, they aren’t office-appropriate. While some companies have lenient dress codes, most don’t! You don’t have to spend a fortune, but an investment in a business wardrobe now will reap benefits in the years to come. A good blazer, some blouses, a few dresses, and a few pairs of nice pants and skirts can make a ton of different outfits for the office. Plus, most of them can be incorporated into your everyday wardrobe and help you round out your closet. I bought a lot of my business wardrobe from H&M, Old Navy, Zara, and Forever 21. It definitely was an investment, but I know that I’ll be wearing all these pieces for years to come.

Part of my desk setup!

Make your desk feel like home. Adding just a few homey touches really makes all the difference! Some framed pictures, a plant, your favorite quirky mug… having things that you love there will help you settle into your work environment. I also like to keep a bowl of candy on my desk; it invites people to come over and have a chat so you can get to know your officemates better.

Be present. Yes, it can be hard to not look at your phone all day. I certainly do take a peek at my phone during my lunch break or when I have a quiet moment, but I’m not constantly texting or letting my twitter feed interfere with what I’m doing. Every office has different rules, so be sure to ask if you don’t know what your internship allows for. After all, you’re there to learn and grow – Instagram is still going to be there and have the exact same photos at 5pm when you leave the office than at 3pm when you spy a text from your friend asking if you’ve seen Ariana Grande’s latest selfie.

It’s commuting time!

Take advantage of your commute. I personally take the train to work, so I have about 30 minutes each way of just sitting. Use that to your advantage! I read on the train, but I’ve seen plenty of different ways to use up a train ride: use Duolingo to learn a new language, pay your bills (if you’re my mom), listen to music, daydream about how you’re going to spend your paycheck… the possibilities are endless! You just need to get creative, but that’s great free time to use if you plan ahead.

Go the extra mile. Be the first intern in and the last one to leave. Offer to help out on projects. Take notes when you sit in on meetings. Give your honest opinion when asked. Actually get to know the people in your office, not just your direct supervisor. You never know what could come from it! I turned what was going to be a six week internship into a full-time opportunity, telecommunicating all spring semester and being asked back in a bigger internship role for the summer. If you don’t push yourself, you’ll never know what the full potential of your internship will be!

xo, Angela
Twitter: angelamarieparr
Instagram: angela.parr