Nicki Minaj, Iggy Azalea, Rihanna, Beyonce, Kim Kardashian.
Whoever you prefer, these women live the life of LUXURY. From nice cars, VIP clubs, private jets, fine dining, and much more. It must be nice to have black cards and zero responsibilities. Meanwhile, here I am; 19 years old and stuck in Abilene, Texas with way too much homework and only a mere 375 Instagram followers. I was feeling like I had hit a dead end in my life; I had lost my spark. I didn’t flirt much anymore, I was tired of my current style and my makeup drawer was on the decline. Was I just in a Sophomore Slump? Was I going through a midlife crisis? Or dear God, EARLY ONSET MENOPAUSE?? I thought I had hit absolute rock bottom when- BAM- inspiration hit me. (Well okay, not inspiration per se, but an extremely generous birthday check from my family). So I thought to myself- why not? Why couldn’t I live this fab lifestyle of the stars and dress myself in nice clothes and treat myself to spa days and fancy things? SO after doing my research by binge watching Rich Kids of Beverly Hills, Cruel Intentions and the Kardashians I felt ready to start my ultimate social experiment. I had decided that for one week, I, Maddy Campillo, would live the life of a rich kid.
(Now, let me be clear, I am in no way loaded. So of course there were limitations to my so called “newly founded first class lifestyle.” And I realize that I am just a dumb college kid, and I will probably hate myself come December when I can no longer afford to eat. But I do it all for the sake of science.)
Monday:
Day one. Ew, it’s Monday, is there ever actually a way to enjoy this dreaded day? WELL OF COURSE. When you’re classy and wealthy, Monday blues are a thing of the past. I strut around campus listening to Iggy in one ear and attempting to learn French in the other. Because if I learned anything from the movie Clueless, it’s that exercising your body and mind is just as important as exercising your ability to shop. Instead of dining in the usual campus cafeteria, I jetted over to a local restaurant and ordered the chicken caesar salad, no cheese, and the dressing on the side. Rich girls order dressing on the side every time. In addition, I learned it truly does not get any classier than drinking a can of Diet Coke with a straw.
Tuesday:
When you’re forced to be locked in a classroom all day, and therefore cannot make it to the mall, have no fear. Online shopping was the theme of day two. From concert tickets, to flashy heels, and even a deluxe Brita filter, the world became mine all at the click of the “Add To Cart” button. Amazon is a dangerous place, especially when you tell yourself that budgeting is for simple girls. Rich girls never budget, so you feel free to click away.
Wednesday:
It was hump day so I figured there couldn’t be a better day for some self-care and indulgence. The day began by a trip to Starbucks where I ordered a fancy coffee, not just the 87 cent refill this time. Nope, not for me. A rich girl pays full price. However, as I was ordering, the boy behind me asked for my name and if he could pay for me. Well, my oh my. Being luxurious has its perks. I started to take notice that living this life of imaginary fame and fortune had amplified my confidence through the roof and people were starting to take notice of me. After the self discovery, I moved on to my day across town to the second best ranked nail salon in the city. Normally I gladly would just drive down the block and go visit Don for my $10 nail paint job that would only last until I walked out the door. But this time I was going all out, and this place had TWO dollar signs by the name, not just one #rich. It was AMAZING. They brought me drinks, painted my nails, asked how my day was going, WOW what a different experience. I went with french tipped nails, because EVERYONE knows that french tips instantaneously boost your class factor by 150 percent. That day I walked away feeling fresh to death physically and emotionally.
Thursday:
One of the not-so-fun parts about being classy is that you have to put in work. Normally I am quite a lazy person, but in order to carry out this experiment I was determined to look great every day, meaning I was waking up far earlier than I was used to. But when you live the fast life, there’s no time for napping. Sleep deprivation was attacking me like none other today. I wonder if Rihanna or Beyonce ever feel this tired. Ugh, as if! To keep myself on the the right path, I decided to have a movie night and watch Clueless once again. After all, Cher was the queen of all that is handsome and wealthy. So I ordered takeout that cost me more than $15, lit candles, opened up Italian soda, and drank from a glass cup. Even my laziest of nights had to be classy.
Friday:
BLESS. UP. YALL. It was Friday, and that meant skipping my afternoon class and heading straight for the mall. Along the way I stopped at a car wash and had my car completely restored. Fancy means a clean and pristine mode of transportation. At the mall, I hit up all of my usual favorites; Victoria’s Secret, Aerie, American Eagle, Francesca’s, etc. And I made it my goal to buy at least one thing from every store, because a rich kid should NEVER seen empty handed at a mall. Once again, I stopped and took note of my actions. Even my walk had changed; my confidence added a swing in my hips and I was speed-walking faster than a PTA Mom. The store clerks were intrigued by me as I flew through clothes racks, not even stopping once to check a price tag. There was something about shopping without concern for prices that made me feel absolutely unstoppable.
Saturday:
When hanging with the gal pals, a rich girl ALWAYS brings some bubbly to share (this includes Welch’s sparkling grape juice of course, rich girls are law abiding citizens). It’s just simply common curtesy. So when my friend invited us all over for a girlie night, everyone gushed over what a nice surprise it was. Oh ladies, really, it’s nothing. Wow, who would have known? Classy ladies make for great friends. Living the life of luxury was making me a more giving person. That night we went out to dinner with a large group of people and I purposely over-dressed for the occasion. However instead of feeling embarrassed, I actually found that I felt the prettiest I had in quite a while. I now exuded confidence in everything that I did; from my walk, my actions, my outfits, I was the classiest woman to ever walk the earth. I cut my food into inappropriately small sized bites, I ordered water with lemon, and made sure my napkin stayed on my lap for the whole dinner.
All in all, the poverty was worth it. I couldn’t get over how much my attitude and image had changed just by simply telling myself “Okay you’re fancy now, roll with it.” I felt like I owned any room I walked into, people were more interested in talking to me, and I felt genuinely happier. But is there a way to keep this confidence and mindset without breaking the bank? Well, duh! I’ve cut my spending and ended my reckless online shopping sprees (although I still treat myself to a manicure every two weeks. It's important for your health to still splurge on something.) So now I consider myself frugally luxurious and I’m never going back. I walk with purpose, stand tall, sit up straight and don’t let petty problems get in my way. I challenge you to try the same. Be the rich girl; you are hot stuff, you are above everyone else, and you can pay your way in/out of anything. Being the rich girl means living fearless. It means staying level headed and diplomatic in all situations that may come your way. It means putting in effort, challenging yourself and striving to be the best you can be. A rich girl takes care of herself physically, emotionally and mentally. Get your beauty rest, moisturize daily, and don’t forget your squats. Enjoy the #rich life!
