Lollapalooza 2012

Well, another year, another Lolla. And, as expected, it did not disappoint. Three days of music with great friends amongst a beautiful backdrop of my home city - what could be better? 

This year had to have been one of my best Lollas to date. With the exception of Storm-a-paloza that resulted in the evacuation of Grant Park for about three hours, the weekend was perfect. And the highlight - aside from my favorite show, which was undoubtedly Calvin Harris - was meeting my two absolute favorite bloggers: Shea Marie from Cheyenne Meets Chanel and Chiara Ferragni from The Blonde Salad. Saying that these two are my favorite bloggers is an understatement. In the hopes of not sounding hopelessly pathetic, let's just say I'm a avid reader. I love each of their distinct styles and look up to them as veteran bloggers. I creepily knew that they were going to be at Lolla via their blogs and Twitter, but since Lolla brought in 270,000 people, I knew my chances of seeing them were about one in, well, 270,000. But lo and behold, the meeting place my friends and I established on Friday was right outside the entrance to the VIP area Shea and Chiara had access to as part of their Lolla/Gap/Threadless experience. My friends and I were sitting in the grass right outside the entrance when the blogger duo walked out and right past us. As if seeing them wasn't enough, they sat down five feet away. Since I knew I'd probably never have another chance, I went right over, said hi and told them what a huge fan I was. They were so sweet {and gorgeous!}, and nice enough to chat for a minute. I could have sat there and picked their brains forever, but I knew I needed to let them get back to enjoying the concert, so after snapping a quick pic, I went on my way. 

To some, this story may not sound exciting. But for me, it was an opportunity to meet two huge sources of fashion and blogging inspiration. To top it all off, Shea posted the picture one of her friends took of us on her blog --- I almost died when I saw it! Visit Shea's 'Lollapalooza' post to see it!

To avoid ruining my new SLR, I went into Lolla equipped only with my iPhone, so sorry for the quality of the pictures. I also didn't snap outfit pics, but check back for another post breaking down what I wore for the three day music fest!

Lollapalooza Throwbacks

Lollapalooza begins tomorrow and I couldn't be more excited - literally. This is my favorite weekend of the summer and I look forward to it all year! {I must say, I'm so lucky to live in the host city, considering people come from all over the world to experience the madness that is Lolla.} With planning outfits, mapping out my three-day set schedule and figuring out plans over this past week, it's brought back great memories of Lollas past. So, in honor of the greatest music festival on Earth {in my humble opinion}, I'm sharing some pictures of some memorable Lolla experiences I've racked up over the past six years. Here's to hoping that this year will be the best one yet!

*Make sure to check my instagram all weekend to get pictures of the craziness...IG: emilycleary10*

Lolla '07.

Lolla '08.

Lolla '11.

 

 

the end of an era

It's hard to believe that my college graduation already occurred over two weeks ago. It truly is amazing how quickly time flies. The ceremony itself went by in the blink of an eye, and before I knew it, I had my bachelors degree in news-editorial journalism. The four years in which I lived in Champaign while attending the University of Illinois were fulfilling, enlightening, maturing, crazy, unforgettable and some of the best years of my life. There is no other place like college. Where else can you sleep at any time of day? Where else is it acceptable to wander outdoors in sweats and makeup from the night before? Where else can you go out any of the seven days of the week (or all) if you so choose? The bottom line is, nothing compares. 

I'm happy to say that I can look back on my college experience with many fond memories and accomplishments. I was the editor-in-chief of Her Campus Illinois. I landed a once-in-a-lifetime internship at Teen Vogue. I studied abroad in London and had the opportunity to travel Europe. I made friends that I know will last a lifetime. I went out of my comfort zone and did things that scared me, but were rewarding and liberating in the end. I developed or refined many of my skills of which I'm most proud, including writing, communicative, leadership and creativity. I helped facilitate a growing fashion-friendly atmosphere at U of I. I raised money for various philanthropic causes. I graduated summa cum laude with highest honors. And of which I'm most proud, I like to think I left a positive and lasting imprint on Champaign.  

Graduation was a really bittersweet milestone. While I'm going to miss the unique atmosphere that a college town has to offer and living within a few steps of my closest friends, I'm excited for what's to come in this next chapter. I've never been one to easily accept and embrace drastic change, so I'm equally anxious and nervous to see what the future has in store. The worst part of this all is facing the fact that I'm getting older and real life with real responsibilities is setting in. What I would give to be 16 again. I guess all I can say is, bring it on. 

I welcome the future with open arms. 

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