May 2022 Favorites + Happenings

It feels like I lived nine lives in the month of May alone. Between packing up my Kent apartment, saying goodbye to lifelong friends, spending a week at home, and then moving to California for my summer internship it has been a chaotic, but exciting month to say the least.

Nothing could have prepared me for the sadness I felt saying goodbye to my little college town. Never in a million years did I expect to love it as much as I did, but I’m so grateful for a goodbye that felt so hard. On the other hand, nothing could have prepared me for the happiness I feel in my new state. Another fresh start, a lot of new beginnings, and an infinite amount of opportunities.

Forgive me for being a few days late… but I’m finally here to share my May favorites + recap. It’s going to be a long one, so get comfy!

OUTFIT OF THE DAYS

My outfit of the days have truly been all over the place. With lots of work-from-home days, I’ve found myself gravitating toward matching workout + lounge sets. Plus, the end of the school year brought all kinds of going out— I was found sporting my favorite Express Body Contour bodysuits, lots of straight leg jeans (including these Oh Polly cuties), more Converse than I can count, and this fun butterfly top.

Now that I’m in California for the summer I’ve found that I can experiment a little more with my outfits. Anything goes here so some days I’ve been able to wear shorts and a tee and others I’ve worn a new fancy jumpsuit. This green one from SheIn scored me all kinds of love from y’all! I cannot wait to start putting some of my fun pieces to the test.

WORKOUT

To be honest, with so much going on I haven’t been moving my body nearly as much as I’d like to. Perhaps I can change that in June. I have however been wearing my Lululemon belt bag 24/7, regardless of where I’m going. If you haven’t hopped on the bandwagon yet, you need to!

BEAUTY

Last month I told you that I started using the Babe Lash serum on my lashline to help grow my natural eyelashes. While they definitely aren’t crazy long, I’ve definitely noticed a difference, especially while I’m wearing mascara. I’m going to keep at this extra step for another month in hopes to see even more results. I’ll update you again next month!

ENTERTAINMENT

During my much-needed downtime at home, I finished Where The Crawdads Sing. Although disappointed in the ending, I thought it was an incredible read. It’s a little slow at the beginning but once it gets going, it’s hard to put down. I then read Verity from start to finish in one afternoon’s sitting. It was amazing. Without a doubt Colleen Hoover’s best book—so different from her usual writing but in the best way. I’d probably rank this in the top ten best books I’ve read.

As for music, it’s been a country music on, windows down kind of month. Sharing some of this month’s most played via my Spotify down below.

MAY REFLECTIONS

I’ve never been great with work-life balance but this month I redeemed myself. I was able to finish out my year, presently with my friends while still uploading across my platforms consistently. I also released my first batch of merch which was super exciting! I didn’t reach all of my following goals but I’m giving myself some grace as I navigate this new season of life and all of the change.

I’ve been in California for a little over a week now and the creative energy I feel here is incredible. I’m not sure if it’s having my own space, living with other creators, or the change in scenery but I’m 100x more excited to be creating. I’ve gotten more done in the last week than I typically get done in a month, lol.

I’m especially loving the way my Instagram feed is coming along. If you’re not following me already, make sure to do so. I’ve been super active on stories and have been posting to my feed about once a day too!

JUNE GOALS + MANIFESTATIONS

I’m hoping to use this creative energy + motivation to my advantage. I’ve been busting out content left and right… like I said I’ve been uploading twice as much to my Instagram stories and posting to my feed daily. In June I’m prioritizing Instagram reels and Tik Toks in hopes to hit 40K!

I plan on sharing some more internship behind the scenes + GRWM over on Tik Tok and will be bringing back the travel vlogs to YouTube as I navigate new beach towns + cities on the weekends. If there’s any content you’d like to see this month, let me know in the comments below and I’ll be sure to add it to the ever-growing list. I’m eager + oh so excited for this month of content… I’ve got a good feeling about June!

MONTHLY TRAVELS

My monthly travels looked a little different this month as I had my true Miley Cyrus moment “hopping off a plane in LAX”. I don’t have any big trips on the calendar yet and am honestly just taking things day by day, hoping to explore new areas of California.

The girls and I drove to Laguna Beach (a little over an hour away) for my birthday weekend and stayed at The Laguna Beach Lodge. I truly love it there so much. Everything from the scenery to the houses to the ocean is breathtaking and the people are so friendly. I know this won’t be the only time I visit this summer.

COLLEGE LATELY

The beginning of May was spent going out too much, squeezing my friends every chance I could get, and packing up my college apartment. On May 12 I said some of the hardest goodbyes and drove past the baseball field one last time. I cannot describe the sadness I felt saying goodbye to Kent. I feel so, so lucky to have a goodbye that feels so hard. They say home is where the heart is and I left a huge piece of mine in that little college town.

I enjoyed a much-needed week at home. I was able to relax for the first time in forever, enjoying slow mornings to myself. Madison and I celebrated our 21st birthday a little early and before I knew it, I was shipping my car, packing my begs, and hopping on my one-way flight to California.

I moved into an apartment where two of my best influencer friends were already living which made the transition rather seamless. I’ve got the master bedroom and spent the last week making the space feel like home. I’m obsessed with the way everything has come together!

Despite being thousands of miles from home, I’ve found pieces of it here. Sam and Jules surprised me on my 21st birthday. I went and bought my first designer bag—a Louis Vuitton Neverfull. We rode rides at the Santa Monica Pier and went out as a trio. Our trip to Laguna was the perfect ending to the month.

It’s a different way of life here—everything moves much slower. Simple tasks feel so hard. Going to the post office takes an hour. Parking isn’t free. And traffic is something else. And yet I feel happier than I have in a long time. I’m finding comfort in being uncomfortable. I’m finding joy in being so close to the ocean. I’m finding peace in figuring things out on my own. I’m finding love in the only three people I know here. I’m finding something new within me and I suppose that’s what this adventure is really all about.

I began my internship on Wednesday, June 1st. But after all this is my May recap, so more on that next month. Stay tuned…

With love, McKenz

THIS MONTH ON STYLEDBYMCKENZ

1. Weekly Wrap Up #17 2022
2. 5 Spring Outfit Ideas Featuring Altard State New Arrivals
3. Weekly Wrap Up #18 2022
4. 5 Trends To Follow This Summer 2022
5. 5 Wedding Guest Dresses To Wear Spring 2022
6. Weekly Wrap Up #19 2022
7. Statement Outfits I’m Wearing This Summer
8. Building a Closet Of Summer Staples
9. Weekly Wrap Up #20 2022
10. Goodbye Kent State.
11. Celebrating My 21st Birthday
12. Styling New Swim + Activewear from Walmart’s New Collection
13. Weekly Wrap Up #21 2022