Beach Essentials for 2016

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Some of you have already had your Spring Break but for those that haven't, here's a little beach essential list for 2016!  We always go to the beach and forget one of these items, so we made it for you so you can pack up for the beach or pool and not forget a thing!

1. Sunblock - you can never forget this guy!  Even though you want to get a tan, don't forget to put sunscreen at least on your face so you don't get wrinkles in the future.  It's really important to take care of your skin, and sunscreen is your solution to that!

2. Sunglasses - so you don't blind yourself out in the sun, duh!

3. Tangle Teezer comb - for those that have fine hair, the chlorine or the sandy beach water can really get your hair up in a tangle!  Can't forget your comb or brush.  We really love the Tangle Teezer comb- try it out!

4. Beach Towel - so you can dry off, of course.  There are so many cute beach towels out there so make sure you pick out a cute one for this beach/pool season!

5. Tanning Oil - Though you want to wear sunscreen as we stated above, you still want a little sun kissed glow!  Use some tanning oil on your legs and body to get that perfect tan!

6. Portable Speaker - We LOVE music and it totally changes the vibe of the atmosphere, so you can't forget your portable speaker! 

7. Swell Bottle - The S'well bottle is a great water bottle to have as it helps your liquids stay cool for a long, long time! They're also so cute and Instagrammable, which is a plus!

8. Book - Well you gotta have a book or magazine to read when you're out laying out.  It really is the perfect time to catch up on some good reads!

9. Swimsuit - so you can go in the water, of course!

10. Tote - You need a cute tote to put all of your beach essentials in!  There are so many right now, so be sure to snag a cute tote before they're all gone!

Hope everyone has a wonderful & safe Spring Break!

10 Spring Break Safety Tips For Sorority Girls and Beyond

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Wow, wasn't it just NYE?! Now, all of a sudden it's Spring Break! Well, one thing both NYE and Spring Break have in common is that it's a time to party. You've worked hard so it's definitely time for a vacation. However, it's important to stay safe during this mini break. Below are our Spring Break Safety Tips. Be sure to share these with your sisters/friends and practice them yourself.

1. If you're traveling, especially out of the country, identify a safe place to keep your id and/or passport. We recommend using the safe that is found in most hotels.
2. Even though you are ultimately responsible for yourself - keep a watchful eye on your friends. Don't let them stray with anyone you feel is suspicious. 
3. In fact, keep a watchful eye on your drinks. Unfortunately, date rape drugs are real and can be slipped into your drink at any moment. If you place your drink down unattended, DO NOT drink from it again. Throw it away and buy a new drink - it's just not worth it.
4. ALWAYS have your phone on you. Keep it fully charged. If you're in a different country, consider getting a cheap loaner phone. Just have something on you so friends and family have a way of getting a hold of you.
5. If you are of age and plan on drinking, do not drink excessively. Be mindful of your body weight and how alcohol consumption can impact that. Don't mix your alcohols either.
6. Have a safety word between you and your friends. This is a code word that your friends can associate to you needing help. A fun word could be "Pineapples!" {haha}
7. Remember that No means "NO!" - don't ever feel obligated to do anything you don't feel comfortable doing.
8. Understand the laws in the state or country you're visiting and abide by them to the fullest.
9. Drink A LOT of water - stay hydrated at all times.
10. It's okay to have a relaxing day - you don't have to be the life of the party every day. Relax. After all, this is a BREAK for you!

Have fun!

Swimsuits for Spring Break 2016!

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Spring break is right around the corner and the only thing we're thinking about is... what the heck am I going to wear to the beach?!  Every season, bikini trends change, so here are some different styles that you'll see often- plus our favorite swim wear that we've seen in stores so far!

The one piece has really made its come back this last year and it's sticking around for another year for sure.  Another look that's staying is the classic halter top bikinis- you can never go wrong with them!

What are some of your favorite swimsuit brands that you have your eye on this year?!

A Sorority Girl's Flying Secret

We know all too well how quickly Spring Break can creep up on you, so don't get sucked into buying a super hefty plane ticket to your favorite Spring Break destination. We are so excited to have stumbled across a pretty amazing website to snag the most inexpensive plane tickets. It's called The Flight Deal and well, it's exactly how it sounds. The creators behind this site wanted to provide tips and tricks on maximizing frequent flyer accumulation for miles traveled, web promotions, customer reward points and wise redemption of these awards. That’s what they decided makes a deal truly great. They will only publish fares that meet a simple criterion: 6 cents per mile or less. This means a nonstop roundtrip from New York to Barcelona should never be more than $425. We love how personable and practical the site is. Searching for flights, hotel, and/or renting a car can be stressful on most sites, but with The Flight Deal you really feel like you're reading your favorite blog {aka, The Sorority Secrets, wink wink}!

Keep your eyes peeled on the popular Spring Break destinations via The Flight Deal and let us know when you score an amazing deal!

How To Stay Safe During Spring Break

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We miss having spring breaks because we know how much fun they are! There is nothing like going on a trip with your girl friends and guy friends to a fun city to party the days away. However, spring break can be a bit dangerous if you're not taking the proper precautions so we wanted to share with you some ways to stay safe during spring break

1. Share your travel itinerary with someone--When you're traveling, you want to be sure that someone you trust knows your itinerary just in case you may get lost or delayed.
2. Lock your hotel when you leave--We have all done it before; we walk out of our hotel room never looking back to see if it actually closed. Always double check to see that the door closes behind you. You wouldn't want anything stolen out of your room.
3. Wear sunscreen!
4. Have a buddy system in place--Now, we are not saying to stalk your friends every move, but have a friend that you can at least be eye contact distance away from each other. There are a lot of people who like to prey on vulnerable woman and it would not be great to find out that your friend has gone missing and is no where to be found. Simply check in with each other whether it's eye contact or a text saying, "I'm okay!"
5. Don't go home with strangers--Self explanatory.
6. Never accept a drink that you don't know where it came from- Sadly, there are people out there who choose to rufy drinks in order to place their victim in a vulnerable situation to take advantage of them. Don't put your drink down and leave it unattended. If you do, throw that drink away!
7. Most importantly, know your limit--Ultimately, YOU are responsible for yourself. Don't put yourself or your friends in compromising situations because you decided to ignore your limits.

Have fun and be safe this spring break!

Best Bathing Suits For Spring Break

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Can you say, "BATHING SUIT SEASON"?! We know, we can hardly contain ourselves either! Be ahead of the game for spring break and shop for some cute, unique swimsuits now! We have pulled together some of our favorite swimsuits out on the market so shop them above by clicking through the links. We love simplicity when it comes to bathing suits so we have no shame in rocking a one piece especially if it's made by J. Crew. In fact, don't sleep on J.Crew because they have some pretty cute designs from tribal prints to metallic materials. Gotta love it! Of course, we will always be die hard Victoria's Secret bathing suit fans and are looking forward to trying out pieces from their Spring collection.

What are your favorite swimsuits out there now? We want the skinny so share with us in the comments below!

Go on a Staycation! {By, Audree}

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It’s that time again, spring break! But what if you don’t have plans? No worries, you can have a vacation wherever you are. Grab a group of sisters and try some of these ideas below for a fun and relaxing week!

Spa Day 
Surf the web for easy at-home facemasks and hair treatments and spend the day pampering yourself. Between the craziness of school and work, a spa day is always a great way to relax.

Day trip
Venture with your best gal pals to a town nearby and grab lunch, take some photos and even get a little shopping in. 

Get outside
Spend an afternoon hiking, biking, off-roading or swimming. Pack some snacks, water and enjoy Mother Nature.

Coffee Shop Dates
My personal favorite pastime is discovering local coffee shops. Visit a coffee shop you’ve never been to before, bring a book you’ve been dying to read and just sit, read and sip on a cup of coffee. Perfection. 

Potluck 
Invite some friends over and have a potluck! Tell people to bring the ingredients for a dish and then all cook them together. 

Movie Marathon 
How often do you get to just curl up on your couch and just watch movies all day? Make some popcorn, gather a collection of your favorite flicks and relax!

Concert
Search for local small concerts happening through the week and check them out. There are always small bands performing at coffee shops, jazz bars or concert houses and it is fun to discover some new bands and rock out with your friends. 

Sport games
Spring training has arrived! Grab a blanket, your ball cap and go watch a good game of baseball. 

Although you may not be on a beach in Mexico, you can still have fun this spring break right at home! The best memories are impromptu and spontaneous adventures, so don’t forget to enjoy your spring break! Try something new, catch up on some sleep and mentally prepare for finals!

Spring Break Cleanse with Pressed Juicery! {Giveaway!}

There's nothing better than a juice cleanse before AND after Spring Break!  You want to feel great and cleansed before you slip into that bikini and a cleanse is definitely necessary after Spring Break with all that junk food- cause really, who eats healthy during Spring Break?

Back in November, we tried out our first Pressed Juicery cleanse (read here) and we loved it- but because we were juice cleanse newbies, we did the 1-day cleanse! This time we thought we would step up our game and try out the 3-day cleanse! 

 Check out what we all had to say about it below and don't forget to enter for a chance to win the giveaway! 

"I was really excited to try Pressed Juicery since the cleanse I did before (read here) went so well. The 1 Day Cleanse left me feeling refreshed and the 3 Day Cleanse was no different. I did Cleanse #2 and it had the best flavored juices. My favorite juice was Citrus 2 which combined apple, lemon, pineapple, and mint together. Their flavors are so yummy that it made the Cleanse #2 enjoyable. Tip: To get through a cleanse, go to sleep early! Sleeping earlier at night after taking your last bottle of juice keeps you from being tempted by food!"

"Cleansing for 3 days was a little scary at first, but I was up for the challenge!  Day 1 was the hardest day for me.  After getting over the first day, the last two days were much easier!  I got into the routine of juicing, and I didn't have to think about it as much.  I kept reminding myself to chug that water throughout the day as well!  I did get a little tired on Day 2 in the afternoon, but having my next juice helped to give me energy.  In the mornings when I woke up, I found that I felt especially great!  I felt light and well rested.

I feel lean and fresh for spring break!  Doing the Pressed 3-day cleanse is like a spring cleaning for your body.  Simply put, I feel refreshed.  I also feel very hydrated, and ready to take on the day!  Thank you Pressed Juicery!!"

"I've juiced quite a few times in the past so I thought I'd give Cleanse #3 a try!  I've only done a 2-day juice cleanse so I was excited to do a 3-day cleanse!  Cleanse #3 is more for "experienced cleansers," and contains only one almond milk and more green juices.  I was a bit nervous at first, but it ended up going really well!  I always had a big bottle of water next to me at all times to chug and I think the most important thing to do is to space out your juices throughout the day! I tend to get hungry and want to snack at night, so I made sure that I had plenty of juice to drink in the evening and went to bed early!

By the end of my cleanse, I felt great and energized!  From being so hydrated for 3 days, I felt really detoxed. By far my favorite cleanse I've done and saw the most results!"

How to Enter the Giveaway:

Step 1: Like The Sorority Secrets on Facebook (click here)

Step 2: Like Pressed Juicery on Facebook (click here)

Step 3: Email us at giveaway@thesororitysecrets.com by March 21, 2014 and tell us about a time you've done a juice cleanse before and your experience! If you haven't done a juice cleanse yet, say why you'd like to win this giveaway and try out a juice cleanse!  

A special thank you to Pressed Juicery for an amazing cleanse!  Make sure to visit their website at www.pressedjuicery.com for more information on their juice cleanses!

Live happy & healthy!

Take a Road Trip!

Spring Break is right around the corner... what better time to hop in the car with your favorite people, and go on a road trip!  No matter where you live, there are fun places to visit and sights to see all across the country.  Pack your bags and map out your location, it's time to go for a ride!

Before you get going, we thought of a few helpful hints to make your road trip into a fun adventure.  After all, you wouldn't want to be stuck on the road without snacks or some good music!  Read on for our tips to road trip success.

Driving in the middle of nowhere with your best friends sounds like a lot of fun, but it's no fun when someone gets hungry.  And cranky.  Pack up a bag of snacks for the trip... nuts, fruit, and something for that salty or sweet tooth should do the trick.

It might be tempting to not drink liquids during your roadtrip (less bathroom breaks?) but it's wise to pack those water bottles before you go.  Keep hydrated, drink up!  Throw in a Red Bull or energy drink too for the driver, if they feel up for it!  You can always make a stop if needed.

Nothing like a speeding ticket to put a damper on your mini vacay.  Be mindful of your speed, and check for speed limit signs around you.  Better yet, put your car on cruise control!

Make sure your ride is in good shape before you go.  Check that tire pressure, get the oil changed if needed, and make sure overall that your vehicle is in safe condition to drive for a long period of time.  After all, you've got precious cargo inside!  Besides, being stranded on the side of the road does not make for an ideal situation.  If you or a friend traveling with you has AAA, that's great too!

Bring your phones fully charged from the night before, and bring a car charger while you're at it.  Again, nobody wants to get stranded.  Just in case!

The best part of a road trip?  Singing along to your favorite songs!  Make a playlist before you hit the road, even ask your friends for special requests to add on to the list.  Keep the song selection lively & energetic, for impromptu car dance parties.

Wear comfy clothes for the drive.  Sweats, tank tops, hoodies, flip flops... just kick back and relax!  Throwing a pillow and blanket in the car is also a good idea, just in case you want to cuddle up for a little nap.

What are some of your favorite tips & suggestions for taking a road trip?  Be sure to share with us below!