Being a fresher at University

It can be so nerve-wracking moving anywhere, whether it's 2 minutes or 2 hours away, it is scary.  I have recently moved to University in Leeds.  Not only was the biggest move I've ever done, it is also my first time away from home, so, I thought I would update you on my latest challenge...

Over three months ago, a nervous, no, petrified me walked into University, and with the mixed opinions about how University really is, my anxiety was through the roof.  But, is settling in at University really as bad as people say?

Saying goodbye - Undoubtedly, this is the hardest part of University (by far.)  There are no tips of how to make a goodbye any easier, because fundamentally, goodbye is never easy, but sometimes, it has to be done.

Stepping out of your comfort zone - A quote which has forever resonated with me is one from the film The Greatest Showman: 'the comfort zone is the enemy of success.'  Honestly - How.  True.  Is.  This.  Without being brave and stepping away from what you know and what you're used to, then how can you find your true self?  For me, this step was probably one of the hardest because my comfort zone is somewhere where I am safe and secure, I hate change, moving to University, away from what I know and love, was so difficult.

Missing home - The first week is always not as bad as you first think it will be, if I'm being honest, you rarely think of home because you are kept so busy by the University - whether that is through your course, or through making new friends in your accommodation.  Without this, I feel like the first week would be really hard, but, meet as many new people as possible and go out as much as you can as this is how you meet new people.  By the time you get to maybe around the fifth week mark you miss home so frickin much and there's nothing you'd rather do than be at home with your family.  A tip from me is just to visit home when you want to - some people go home every weekend and some don't go at all, it is completely up to you but don't feel obliged to stay at University because everyone else is.

The workload in the first week and how it is different to A-Levels - The first weeks workload comes as a bit of a shock.  University learning is completely different to A-Level learning, but with that said, I don't think that it's any harder.  A lot of University learning is reading and it is up to you as to how much information you take from it, some of the reading is more challenging than others too.  University lecturers will know that this is all new to you and they will go through it all to try and make the transition as easy as possible for you.

You will have a lot of free time on your hands - Learning to enjoy your own company at University is one of the biggest life lessons you are forced to learn.  University is perceived to be a 24/7 party/social event where everyone is having a great time together, and yes, there are many occasions where this is the case.  However, University can be an extremely lonely place (especially on a Sunday afternoon when everyone seems to be sleeping or working.)  I am a person who likes to be constantly busy and doing things, so being around others who aren't like that has been a difficult lesson to learn. Although, on a brighter note, there are many things which can keep you occupied in these moments of loneliness, such as watching your favourite film, baking and walking (into town usually for me - sorry student loan.)  

Feeling settled in a different place - You're in a different room, in a new place. People tell you that it should feel like home, but it just doesn't yet.  My best advice is to bring small, but meaningful things from home.  For example I brought some electric tea lights (which makes my room feel so cosy) and my mum also brought me a few ornaments which look cool, and at the same time, remind me of her.  My mum and I picked out pretty much everything for my new room, so everything reminds me of her.  If your room still doesn't feel like home, print off some photos of your friends and family from home, and put them up in your room - if you're feeling down you can simply look at them and remember the good memories associated with them as cliche as it sounds...

Making friends  - I'm going to now say the most overused phrase by people before you start University: you're all in the same boat.  But, it's true, everyone is in the same boat, they are just as scared that they're not going to make friends as you are.  The best advice I can give here is to simply speak to as many people as is humanly possible in Freshers week, this way you have a lot of 'contacts' and you can decide who you really like/want to spend your time with later on.

Accepting that not everyone is like you - Obviously you will meet people from different walks of life , and half of the battle is accepting that everyone is different and they will have their different views and opinions.  At home I am friends with people who are scarily similar to me, so coming to University I thought that I would mix with people like myself, but honestly the opposite has happened.  Now, my friends consist of people completely different, and I see that as a good thing - as much as I love my friends from home who are like me in every way, it is also refreshing to be around people who are different too.

These are the main points I can think of at the minute.  I hope these tips are helpful - I would have loved to have known little pointers like these from a current student before I started Uni this year, it certainly would have prevented me from worrying about every little thing before I arrived here.  Everything will be okay...

All the love x

New in my makeup bag

Urban Decay is a brand whose eyeshadow palettes have been a staple in my makeup bag for years and years - my Naked palettes have all been replaced at least once because I use them so frequently.  When I saw they had brought out a new palette - the Born to Run palette, I knew I had to get my hands on it.   In the palette there are 21 shades (yes! A whole 21 shades to experiment with), all are wearable; varying from deep pinks to matte oranges and even blues.  I believe the concept behind the palette is that Urban Decay have created eyeshadows which can create a plethora of looks, in one palette, which makes travelling with it soooo easy.  I also kind of like the fact that this palette is so different to any of the Naked palettes, granted, the shade 'wildheart' does seem similar to those in Naked Heat, but the concept of the palette is extremely clever and the shades are just that bit cooler than those in Naked.

Can we also talk about the packaging?  It is probably the prettiest thing since Zac Efron was born...

It sort of inspired me to get my own photos out too - the majority of these photos were taken on my trip to Los Angeles, you can read all about my trip here. 

After using the palette 29475 times already, I have found the shades to be so pigmented and blendable (is that a word?)  I even branched out of my comfort zone and I attempted this look which I actually loved in the end.  Personally, I find the deep pink and burnt orange tones so flattering on my blue eyes , adding 'wildheart' and 'hell ride' into the outer corners of my eyes makes them pop.  Believe me, I am no makeup artist, so if I buy an eyeshadow palette then it has to be super simple to use and easy to blend because I have no patience when it comes to eyeshadow blending in properly.  For me, Urban Decay's 'Born to Run' palette ticks all the boxes.

All the love x

*All opinions are my own, this is not an AD*

How I feel about leaving school

When writing this blog post, the common phrase 'your school days are the best days of your life' came into my head.  Is this the case? Although some people seem to hate school, I actually really liked it (well, the social part), and I've surprised myself by saying I miss it.

In school I was all about having the best time ever with the best people and this is how to survive the most make-or-break years of your life.  I was fortunate enough to go to an all girls school from age 13 to 16 (and then the school mixed genders in sixth form) which meant that we were all crazy and careless throughout these years.  The stereotype of an all girls school is one full of bitchiness and nasty girls (and usually one 'queen bee' thanks to all high-school focused films,) but this was completely not the case, we could be goofy and geeky whenever we wanted because we never had to fight or compete for boys attention.  Being in an all girls school takes away the pressure of girls worrying about their appearance or personality and changing so more boys like them.  Ridiculous isn't it?  Girls of 13 shouldn't be worried about their appearance or impressing boys, but, thanks to social media, this is the society we live in today.

Attending a girls school truly shaped me into the person I am today and perhaps that is why I'm so sad to be finally leaving, and leaving all the friends which I have shared the last five years with, growing up with each other along the way.  The one thing I loved about my year is that everyone seems to be friends with everyone (IKR?!), you could talk to anyone and they would be so lovely and kind back.  I remember the headmistress once referring to my school as a 'sequoia tree' because of the connection between everyone.

The main thing that school has given me is confidence, I entered the school as a kind of shy (I wouldn't say fully shy because I'd still engage in classes) young girl, and I have left an 18 year old women who knows her worth.  The life lessons school teaches you are invaluable, whether you know it at the time or not.  Not only do you learn life lessons, but you also grow academically and you learn how to challenge, evaluate and socialise, skills that you would struggle learn anywhere else.

School is what you make it - hate it or love it, you will survive it, even if it feels like a drag now (and you would much rather be enjoying summer rather than being stuffed into a sweating classroom), it will be worth it and you, like me, will be grateful for school and how it has enabled you to grow as a person.

This leads me on to the biggest decision I've ever had to make... 

I've decided to go to University this September after much deliberation.  I'm excited (and scared) for the journey to come, but I guess I have to follow my heart and take a step out of my comfort zone.  It's so important to make changes to your life, but the hardest part is not knowing whether these changes will be bad or good - but that's life!  My biggest fear is failure - I'm a perfectionist - I don't like to fail at anything, no matter big or small, so being in a situation where I cannot control the outcome scares the sh*t out of me.  

Most importantly, I've realised that life is too short to be unhappy.  You never know, University may be the best decision I've ever made, granted, it could be the worst, but what is the point on focusing on the negatives and the what-ifs? Now, I live in the present, a skill I have learnt through going to school everyday and being surrounded by positive people.  

I hope you're all having a lovely day!

All the love x

Holiday snaps || Rhodes

Staying in Rhodes for a week not only meant sunbathing and eating my body weight in feta cheese, it also meant culture.  Now, a holiday to Rhodes wouldn't be complete without a trip to the beautiful little village of Lindos.  Lindos is pretty much heaven when it comes to food, quaint shops and incredible scenery - it seems one million miles away from the busy and crowded streets of London. 

Lindos has kept all of its original charm, including hand crafted signs and clothes.  

The view from the top of Lindos' Acropolis (built in 300BC - a very long time ago - I'm not the person to ask if you want to know about history) is breathtaking as you look over the crystal-clear waters and impressive cliffs from a height.  Sometimes you need a birds-eye view to truly take in the scenery, even if it means that you have to walk (or take a donkey ride) up a lot of stairs.  Remember to take some water up with you because trust me you'll need it.  

Every restaurant we walked past was absolutely stunning, and, as you can imagine, the food was incredible (but then again when is Greek food not incredible.)  After much deliberation we ended up eating at Dionysos, a Greek meze restaurant and my chicken souvlaki was soooo tasty I find myself still thinking about it (is that weird? The fact that I even need to ask that question suggests yes.)  

The white-washed streets of Lindos are like a labyrinth.  

Me standing by a very Greek-looking door (okay - I thought it looked pretty and maybe, just maybe did I pretend that I was in Mamma Mia.)  It was impossible not to draw comparisons between the Greek 'island' of Kalokairi and Lindos.  

Rather than heading for the main Lindos beach, we decided to head towards St Peter's Bay instead, although it was smaller, it was much quieter and the sea was the most amazing turquoise - like nothing I'd ever seen before. 

What was also extraordinary about Lindos was that everything was handmade; the gifts, bags and linen dresses.  I found that this added to the traditional Greek feel of the village and it made me fall in love with it even more, especially after meeting the lovely shop-owners who had worked so hard to make these items.  

I LOVE these sandals.

I had to finish on this picture because look how freaking amazing these fresh oranges look! 

When I visit places which contain so much history and are untouched by humans, it reminds me that the world is so phenomenal.  As a quote on a wall in Rhodes said; 

'The world is a book, and those who don't travel only read one page.' 

All the love x

5 Easy Ways To Change Your Life

We're well into the third month of the year and sometimes you just need to stop and reflect on how you're doing (amazing hopefully.)  With January well out of the way, it can be hard to maintain the motivation or find the time to continue with your resolutions, this is why I decided on five small but noticeable changes that you can make to your life.  Don't worry these are all tried and tested (by me.)

1. Make a mood chart

I'm going to be honest here - I first saw this idea on Pinterest and decided that it was an excellent idea to track how my mood changes.  Not only is it super therapeutic looking at all of the little coloured squares in a grid, but it also helps to take an overview as to how you're feeling the majority of the time.  It's super easy too - all you need to do is draw yourself a grid, with the date on the Y axis and the month on the X axis (no, this isn't GCSE maths all over again.) Make a key and each day routinely colour in the square of the day and month according to your mood. 

2. 'Stop comparing yourself to others and start comparing yourself to you, yesterday'

We can all fall victims of comparing ourselves to the bikini clad Instagram models but instead, as the (kind of cringe) quote says, only compare yourself to who you were yesterday and what you have learnt since, otherwise it's a vicious cycle of feeling inadequate about yourself which is never good for your mental health. 

3. Get some fresh air

It is amazing what can be cured by giving yourself a 'time out' and going outside for some air. All you need is 10 minutes a day to feel the fresh air and wind on your face (it's also very good for your skin too - another one of mother nature's perks.) Take a moment out.  And breathe. 

4. Find something that you enjoy and make time for it

Everyone has a hobby - everyone.  No matter how usual or unusual it may be you just have to find it and embrace it.  Making time for something you enjoy is so important, it may help to release dopamine and you will feel better after doing it.  2018 is your year to concentrate on yourself, and the first step to achieve this is finding something you love and put aside 20 minutes, 1 hour, even 2 hours for it... you'll see the difference.  

Here's my example: Recently I've taken up 'Clubbercise' a super-fun (when I say fun, I mean it doesn't feel like exercise, but still makes me all sweaty) dance Zumba-esque workout - which I never thought I would do, especially as I'm not sporty at all.  

5. Make an effort to laugh and smile daily

Did you know that smiling is a form of exercise as it takes 26 muscles to smile? Yep, true fact.  Does that inspire you to smile more?  Smiling is an instant mood elevator and it can make you feel 0 to 100 reallll quick.  So smile, enjoy life and be the best version of you.

So, there you have it, 5 instant life changers.  Who knew it could be so easy?!

All the love x

Pastel Cupcakes

A super easy recipe:

I'm not the best cook in the world but this recipe makes 12 super spongy cupcakes with a delicious buttercream icing.  
Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 125g Caster sugar
• 125g Self raising flour
• 125g Plain butter
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla flavouring
• 2 Large eggs
• Dr Oetker food colour gels (pink, yellow, blue)

For the icing:

• 400g Icing sugar
• 150g Plain butter
• Fruit flavouring (optional)
• Blueberries
• Strawberries

Method:

1. Set the oven to around 180 degrees.  Then, mix all of the cake ingredients into a bowl (in no particular order.) 
2. Separate the mixture into three different bowls (or however many colours you decide to choose) and add a few drops of Dr Oetker food gels, one colour per bowl.  
3. Once you are happy with the colours, spoon one teaspoon of each colour into a cupcake case, this worked well for me as it left me with just about the right amount of cake mix in each case.  
4. Then, put the cakes into the oven for 15-20 minutes until cooked.  

To make the icing:

1. Once the cakes have cooled, add the butter to the icing sugar and mix until the mixture is firm and less runny, you may need to add more icing sugar.  If you prefer, add a fruity flavouring to make the cakes extra tasty.
2. Put the mixture into a piping bag and start piping the mixture onto the cakes.
3. For decoration, add half of a strawberry and a blueberry - or decorate them however you want, I would love to see some of your decorating ideas and tips.