VARSITY READER: weekly r.e.p.o.r.t. c.a.r.d. #1

a weekly download of the ideas, things, and people that inspire me

Happy Thursday! No matter how you celebrated Valentine’s Day, I hope it was filled with lots and lots of candy. 🍬💗🍫

As a sugar fiend, I’ve woken up on the last few V-Days feeling like a true adult. I didn’t immediately rise from bed and hunt for my first chocolate hit of the day (like I did until my mid-20s).

Instead, I waited until a reasonable hour and made sure I had a day full of protein before indulging. It’s boring. But I’m hoping my 75 year-old self will thank me.

The weekly r.e.p.o.r.t. c.a.r.d.—what is it?

Now that we’re past the candy castle in Candy Land…what is the weekly r.e.p.o.r.t. c.a.r.d? It’s a weekly grab bag of the ideas, things, and people that I’m loving.

More tactically, it’s inspired by a TikTok trend. R.e.p.o.r.t. stands for what I’m reading, eating, playing, obsessing, recommending, and treating.

But simply repurposing a TikTok trend felt inauthentic to me. So I added the c.a.r.d. element—what I’m cutting, admiring, referring, and daring to do.

The r.e.p.o.r.t. c.a.r.d. is an addition to the VARSITY READER fold. Career tips, more article links, and my ‘one damn good buy’ column will drop later this week.

More thoughtful content—in a fun way that’s easy to digest. I hope you enjoy!

Without further ado…

Reading: Over the past week, I’ve been binging The Runaway Princesses—a New Yorker podcast that covers a real-life royal drama.

I read a number of articles about these events—two princesses over multiple years escaped the Dubai royal family after reports of abuse—but never knew about the story in detail. It is horrifying at times, and I pray for their safety.

The podcast is excellent, but is locked to non-subscribers. There is $52 annual subscription deal on the site, and it’s worth it for this podcast.

To start, you read the original New Yorker article that the podcast series was based on. Block thirty minutes of your day when you read. The story is gripping and you’ll want to dive in all at once.

Eating: I’ve shared my love for Better Sour again and again. A female-owned, better-for-you gummy brand I discovered via

Grace Atwood

, they’re the perfect touch of sour, feature fun flavors like pomegranate and calamansi, and are only 60 calories per bag. Plus, no icky artificial aftertaste!!! Just as good as Sour Patch Kids…truly.

But I’ve found a match for Better Sour. A genius friend (more below) recommended Blobs, and I devoured my first bag. They’re DELICIOUS, and equally good as Better Sour (minus the sour part!)

They are traditional Haribo gummies, health-ified—they clock in at 50 calories per bag. I bought a variety pack, and have tried the pineapple, passionfruit, orange, and peach so far. At $20.99 for a six-pack, they’re on the pricey side—but so, so worth it.

***My friend who recommended Blobs will remain unnamed for reasons that will become clear…but she is a true genius. She works for a large company, which sent out an anonymous employee engagement survey asking about employees’ preferred free snacks. She wanted a particular energy drink…so she submitted one brand numerous times to drum up HR attention. Weeks later, it was stocked “due to high demand.” What’s next…a blowout bar?!?

Playing: Six months after I moved back to NYC, my office is nearly complete! And when I say home office—I mean a little nook that I can lovingly call my own. 😙

I’m still playing with the design / still need to finalize the art on the walls, but one of my favorite elements is this $32 match cloche on my desk. It’s pretty to look at (I have the blue), and is a visual reminder to light a candle and get to work. Also makes a fantastic gift!

Obsessing: LOVER, STALKER, KILLER on Netflix.

WOW. I whipped through this true crime documentary. If you were glued to AMERICAN NIGHTMARE (also on Netflix), I highly recommend this one. It’s about a single dad who dates online and ends up with a stalker. I’ll ruin the storyline if I say more, but this one is a must-watch.

Recommending: Check your promotions and spam folders. Really. I randomly checked my promotions folder at 3:15PM yesterday and saw an e-mail from a company perfectly aligned with my mission and vision. They were looking to partner ASAP—and hours later, a contract was signed.

I am proud to share that I will be partnering with them as my inaugural Substack sponsor (!) and on Instagram Stories.

The bottom line…whether it’s a coupon code or a work opportunity, you never know what goodies are lurking in those folders!

Paid partnership: Are you based in NYC and thinking about attending grad school? Or want to amplify your personal brand with a free professional headshot?

QS (the world’s largest higher education network) is hosting a Master’s Fair on Saturday, February 17 in Midtown from 2PM - 5:30PM. Free to attend, all attendees will receive the following:

• A free professional headshot

• Voucher for free test prep services

• Access to panel discussions with admissions experts, test prep coaches, and career coaches about the grad school experience & career value add

• Access to admissions officers at grad schools including NYU, GW, Johns Hopkins, Tulane, and many more

• Automatic eligibility for scholarships worth $45K

You can register here. I know anyone who attend will get a ton of value!

***If you’re in the NYC area, please share with any friends / colleagues / relatives who might be interested! Why not spread the love?!? And a one-hour headshot session in NYC goes for $300+. If it’s free, it’s for me.

Treating: I have been in the market for a gold evening bag for the past year. My bag wishlist: timeless yet not too basic, under $1000, and fits a phone.

And then I saw this shell evening bag…and I was sold. At $595, it’s a splurge—but reasonable in the realm of luxury handbags.

I was immediately attracted to the shape, and know it will add edge to every gown. (I have this $248 plain-but-perfect-fitting evening gown in multiple colors and wear it to nearly every black tie wedding).

Plus, I know I’ll use it beyond events. I have a silver clutch I use constantly—I love the flair of metallics and how they amp up every outfit.

Cutting: The “I can’t talk right now” text when someone calls me. Hear me out on this one. When someone calls me and I can’t chat that second, I typically shoot them a text and ignore their call. Often, I’m on other calls. But other times, let’s face it—I’m tired and don’t want to engage.

But recently, I’ve realized how impersonal this is. My boyfriend’s mastery of this very art inspired me to change. He is *amazing* at picking up my calls, even if it’s a 30-second connect—“I can’t talk right now due to X, I will call you back later.” He works in the Hudson Valley for half of the week, so I’ve realized how much these quick touchpoints make us feel more connected.

So unless I’m actively tied up on another call, I’m going to give this behavior a try for those closest to me (parents, siblings, significant other). ❤️

Admiring: This season, I’ve been lusting after an elevated jean jacket…something with a tie, an unexpected detail, or fun hardware.

When Savanna (aka

Bought Obsessed

) posted this $80 find yesterday, I immediately put it on my purchase wishlist. If you don’t already follow her on Instagram, I highly recommend—she posts a mix of affordable and luxury fashion finds every day!

A bit about my shopping methodology—I always sit on my purchases. (Except in cases like the gold bag—I had been refining my criteria for a year and knew what I was looking for). I save affiliate links to a Notes app in my phone and look back on them through the week / month to see what’s still resonating.

If I’m thinking about it days after saving it to my Notes, then that’s a sign it belongs in my closet. I run the numbers, ensure the item would fill gaps in my wardrobe, and finally add to cart. 🛍️

Referring: There are thousands of talented writers here on Substack. I wanted to call out two in particular that I’m loving. Read, subscribe, and support their work!

For fashion & retail fans:

Sarah’s Retail Diary

. Sarah is a retail consultant who has led brand & merchandising at major players, including Bloomingdale’s, Williams-Sonoma, and more. Multiple times per week, she breaks down trends (like the viral High Sport pants), dupe culture, and major industry shifts—all through a sharp, strategic lens. I know you’ll love her content!

For those based in NYC:

Big City, Little Friend

. There’s SO much to see and do in NYC. It’s easy to get overwhelmed. While I have hundreds of places saved on IG, I’ve realized that I want more than a mere picture—I want a detailed review on why a place is a must. So I’ve been loving Eden’s Substack. Each issue includes a dispatch on the history of a particular NYC neighborhood, recent bites she’s loved around the city, and events to check out!

Here’s a roundup of other newsletters I savor every time they hit my inbox.

Daring: Challenging myself to read every night before bed. As a varsity reader, I’m constantly reading—articles, books, fun billboard copy I see around NYC. (Here’s every book I’ve ever recommended on IG / TikTok).

But I’m also an adult iPad kid who will giggle at TikToks until the sun comes up. Which means that sometimes, my reading before-bed-habit gets replaced with endless scrolling. To combat this, I created a reading tracker in my daily planner. So far, it’s working—and it’s bringing back memories of reading Harry Potter under the covers as a kid.

Liked what you read?

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A Big Life (a fantastic newsletter if you like money-saving tips, curated articles, and recipe recommendations).

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***The fine print: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I only recommend products that I use, love, and can’t live without.