Trends That Need To Stay In 2017

This year has been a roller-coaster. One that I am unsure of whether I would ride again, but on the other hand, one that I don't regret going on. During this roller-coaster of a year, there have been many trends that I personally just don't want to see coming into 2018 with us.

Disclaimer:

This is my personal opinion and just a bit of fun. If any of these trends apply to you in anyway and it's not hurting anybody, by you following them, DO YOUR THANG, but preferably leave it in 2017. OK lets go.


1. Being Creative With Eyebrows

OK. I can appreciate creativity. I love being creative and I love creative people, but this is just nonsense. Why in 2017, did I see braided eyebrows, wavy eyebrows, glitter eyebrows etc etc. Why? What is the point? Can we not just appreciate brows as ordinary, neutral coloured, plain brows? There are people out here struggling to do brows normally, and now all this extra stuff? Leave it in 2017.

2. Concealer Brows

I am no brow expert, makeup artist, professional or beauty guru, but bad brows are bad brows. My brows can look awful sometimes, I'm no perfect brow angel but I have witnessed some tragedies this year in the brow department, specifically with concealer. IF YOU ARE USING CONCEALER TO CLEAN UP AROUND YOUR EYEBROWS, FOR THE LOVE OF HUMANITY, USE THE RIGHT SHADE. I am TIRED of seeing girls with concealer around their eyebrows that is about 100 shades too light for their skin-tone, looking like they're being embraced by Caspar. TIRED. One shade or two shades lighter is perfectly OK, but when you change your race around the eyebrow region, it looks ridiculous. Is it even blended? Like come on girl, do better. I literally couldn't even find a picture to show this (I see the people in my city though).

3. Interfering In People's Business

I feel SO strongly about this one. In 2017, I have seen and heard way too much nonsense. I don't know who decided this year that getting involved in other people's business was the thing to do, but it needs to stop. There have been people trying to break friendships, relationships and people in general. IF STEVE AND SARAH HAVE BEEN DOING THERE THING, LEAVE THEM BE. IF LAUREN AND JACK HAVE BEEN TALKING FOR A YEAR AND STILL HAVEN'T MADE THINGS OFFICIAL, LEAVE THEM BE. IF SHANIQUA AND DEVVON ARE SUPER CLOSE AND CLAIM TO JUST BE FRIENDS, LEAVE THEM BE. I am so tired of people just getting in people's business. If it has nothing to do with you, then just sit down, hush and think about your own life. You don't need to know who is with who, who isn't with who. In 2018, lets choose to just sit back and say nothing.

4. Calling People Trash

I am guilty of this one and its something that I thought was funny at first, but honestly now I just see how much this one word has divided both genders and also our generation.We are constantly throwing it back and forth at each other and its just not healthy for anybody. Lets just stop calling people trash. Leave it in 2017.

5. Vegans Judging Non-Vegans

If you want to be vegan then go ahead, nobody is stopping you. In fact, I applaud you because surely being vegan is hella expensive and hard, but please do not come for non vegans for not following your diet. I am perfectly happy with my roast chicken. You can have your roast lettuce or whatever but please just don't judge meat eaters for loving life.

6. Taking Gender Neutral Too Far

I am not rejecting gender neutral altogether, I can see in SOME cases why it may be necessary, but as a whole, I really don't see the point (please don't come for me). There are teachers losing their jobs for referring to people as boys and girls and that is when you know it needs to stop. It has just been taken way too far. If you personally do not wish to be labelled, then fair play but to stop a whole group of people, e.g. a class, from being called what they are, that's just unnecessary.

7. Having something negative to say about everything

LETS LEAVE THIS IN 2017. I can't stand when people always have something negative to say. I'm not talking about constructive criticism or opinions here and there, I'm talking about full on slating people for their opinions or just giving negative opinions ALL THE TIME, where they're not needed. Um, sorry SUSAN, but did I ask for your input?? Just leave people alone. You don't need to share your thoughts on absolutely everything, negative Nancy.

8. Instagram Click-bait

I totally get that you need those views. Go ahead and make that coin, but please don't put your life on the line just for a view. Do you know how many times I have scrolled through Instagram and seen a woman holding a knife to her nostril or a lighter to her eyebrows, just for click-bait? I'll sit there and watch the makeup tutorial or whatever the video is, waiting for the moment she shows why she is holding scissors by her face, to see it was to cut her falsies....
Or watch the video and find out that the lighter was just to heat up a spoon full of foundation...why? No more. No more.

What trends do you think should stay in 2017?

2018 Goals

I am hoping for a year of blessings. I am going into the new year open minded and with peace of mind. My theme for the new year is simply LOVE. To spread more love, feel more love, love what I do and do what I love. This year I have a few generic and broad goals. I've learnt this year that you can't put a time stamp on things and time is something we can't control, but we can set small goals, to help us on our journey towards the bigger goals. I'm going to keep it short and sweet.

1. Grow Spiritually

2. Look After My Body

3. (Repeated Goal) Be Organised

4. Form Strong Friendships

5. Learn To Handle Stress

6. Read More

7. Take More Pictures (I Remember The Memories But I Forget To Capture Them)

8.  Learn To Look After Myself In Every Aspect (University here I come)

9. Learn how to properly budget and finance

10. Help as many people as I can

Important Update & Twenty Seventeen Reflection.

I'm alive! WOW, it feels like it has been so long since I've even logged onto here, let alone published anything.
So clearly, Blogmas was 100 per cent a fail. I knew I wouldn't be able to post everyday, but I didn't realise I would fail to upload at all, after the first two weeks. Blogging has been pushed to the back of my priorities for the past few months, to be honest. Not because I don't love it (of course I do), but because I have so many other important things that I need to do. When you're a full time student with other priorities on the side, you have to make sacrifices and unfortunately my blog has been the one to suffer. With that being said, just be warned that in 2018, I'm going to be even more inconsistent. I have so many things going on next year, that I can already see it. I feel so bad for having to continuously disappear and reappear. I feel really bad that I have to keep making these apologies whenever I do vanish, so I have made the decision, to just upload whenever. I may post 3 times in a week, once in a month, once every few weeks, who knows. I don't want to put pressure on myself to write, when I know I need to be doing something else, and I don't want to keep disappointing people, when I say I'll upload and then I don't. I am not quitting, by all means. On the bright side, this means there will be no excuses for rubbish content, and I guess it will be a little surprise when I do post, (I hope a good surprise).

I honestly do applaud people who can do this full time, because it really isn't easy. There is so much that goes into having a blog. I hope that you can all understand my reasons behind my decision, and I hope you all still stick around!

Anyway, now THAT is all out of the way, it is time to look back at 2017.

The first thing I'll say is that this has by far been one of the quickest years. It has flown by. However in this short amount of time, I have learnt so much. For me, 2017 has been a year for learning. It has been nothing like I imagined it to be, but it has taught me so much.

Things I have learnt:

1. Don't Rush Things. It's All In God's Timing.

2. It's Important To Guard Your Heart, Because Not Everybody Has Good Intentions.

3. God DOES Answer Prayers, You Just Have To Be Patient And Have Faith.

4. Everyone Has Their Own Problems, Whether It Appears That Way Or Not.

5. It's Important To Be Surrounded By Good People and Energy.

6. Hard Work Pays Off.

7. You're Going To Fail, Whether You Like It Or Not. It's What You Do Afterwards, That Is Important.

8. Friends Come And Go.

9. It's Important To Talk.

10. Don't Put Too Much Pressure On Yourself To Get Somewhere Or Do Something.

11. There is No Such Thing As A Stupid Dream.

12. Life Is More Beautiful When You Smile.

13. Education Is Not Preparation For Life: Education Is Life Itself- John Dewey.

14. Prayer Gets You Through EVERYTHING.

15. Listen To Motivational Speeches And Podcasts Everyday. It Only Leads To Growth.

16. Everything You Desire Is On The Other Side of Fear.

17. Growth Isn't Easy But It's Worth It.

My Top 4 Winter Essentials

It's winter. There is snow outside my window, I have my hot chocolate next to me and I've yet again been snowed in. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to share my winter essentials with you!

Lip balm
I'm pretty prone to dry lips during the winter time and since catching a cold, I've definitely experienced this during the past couple of weeks. Having lip balm with me at all times, whether it be at sixth form, out Christmas shopping or even just chilling in my house, I have to have it.
Right now I am using the Aloe Vera Vaseline, however it doesn't keep my lips moisturized for very long and I definitely want to find a new lip balm to use. I actually read an article fairly recently on Reviews.com all about lip balms and its super interesting. They review a bunch of different lip balms from several brands and find the top 3 best on the market. They break down the ingredients, reasons for them being the best and also give expert knowledge on lip balms. If you want to check it out, then definitely head over to https://www.reviews.com/lip-balm/ 

Exfoliating facial scrub

I have combination skin and I tend to be more on the dry side during the winter. Having a facial scrub is essential to my skincare routine during the colder months. I make sure to exfoliate at least twice a week. The scrub I am currently using is the Beauty Formulas Apricot Facial Scrub. It's extremely affordable, lasts for months and isn't too harsh on the skin. It isn't too finely milled that it doesn't remove dead skin and isn't too harsh that it irritates or scratches me either. Plus, it smells incredible.


Scarf

It is FREEZING in the UK, so having a scarf on when I go out the house is something I try not to forget. I've found that as long as I have a scarf on, I'm not too cold. The one I have been using this year is from New Look. I got it for Christmas last year and it has been a lifesaver.

Hot Chocolate!

Is it even winter, unless I have a hot chocolate at least once a week? I LOVE hot chocolate and really don't understand how some people don't. It keeps you warm, it's delicious and looks aesthetically pleasing in a cute mug, with some tasty toppings. I tend to go for the classic, whipped cream and marshmallows combo. YUM.

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x

Christmas Bucket List

I

 love making a Christmas Bucket List because it means I always have something new to do during the holidays that keeps me entertained but also gets me in the festive mood. This is a list of things that I want to do during the month of December.

1) Go Ice-skating ✔
2) Go Christmas shopping with friends✔
3) Donate to a homeless shelter✔
4) Decorate my room for Christmas
5) Make a Christmas themed recipe found on Pinterest ✔
6) Take some cute winter pictures around the city
7) Spend time with people I haven't seen in a while (All a part of the Holidays, right?) ✔
8) Watch a ton of Christmas Movies
9) Have a Pyjama Day (Boxing day tradition) ✔
10) Have annual Christmas Eve party with my brothers✔
11) Actually light my candles (I have so many and forget)✔
12) Make S'mores
13) Play Board Games with Family
14) See the Christmas lights✔
15) Go on a cute date (not necessarily a real romantic type, just one with a friend or something)

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x

December Academic Goals

The last month of the year! 2018 is right around the corner. It's time to share my goals for the final month of the year.

1) EPQ Presentation

The date of my presentation is December 14th. I'm generally pretty good with presentations, as long as I'm prepared for it. I have exactly 10 days (from writing this) to prepare and hopefully kill it. EPQ has been way too time consuming and hard work to not do well with this one. My final big push until it can be done and dusted (I hope).

2) Finish English Coursework

I had a deadline extension to the end of the month because of my circumstances, which is obviously great. I definitely need to get everything done as soon as possible, so I can move on to my second piece. It's a lot more difficult to juggle with everything else than I thought it would be, but hopefully it will be worth the hard work and dedication.

3) Start my 'Original Writing' piece

I want to begin my original writing piece (second piece of english coursework) as soon as my Investigation is complete. I am only planning on doing the research for support and analysis though as I do actually want a Christmas break.

4) Carry on with History Coursework

I've started History coursework now but I do need to pick up the pace this month. I don't necessarily need to have done paragraphs and paragraphs of writing, I just want to be on track and happy with what I do compose.

5) Write at least 3 essays for each subject

This is obviously not something I have to do but I do want to write plenty of essays, in order to get some practice. I may time myself with a few of them so I can get used to the whole exam vibe or I may just write them and get my teachers to read over them. I haven't decided how I'm going to go about this one yet but I definitely want to do it. Even if it's just during the Christmas break and I bring them on the first day of term 2.

6) Get offers from all my university choices

Obviously, I have no say or control over this one but I've still made it a goal of mine. The final deadline for offers is May, however I am hoping to get them all now, I have had 3/5 offers already so it is looking likely. If I can get all 5 within the month, that would make my year to be honest.

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x

7 Attractive Things Guys Do

So, this is a bit of a different post. I wanted to do something a bit more fun. This was inspired by a video that came up in my YouTube suggestions. I decided to watch it because I’m a bit obsessed with YouTube and whatever they decide to suggest for me must be somewhat similar to what I watch, for it to be there. I ended up watching it and then it spiralled into watching another twenty of them. I just found it so interesting to hear other girls’ opinions and it was so relatable, so here I am doing my take.

Disclaimer: Obviously all girls are different, so boys, don’t take this too seriously. These are my personal opinions, so don’t cry if you try these things on a girl you like and it doesn’t work out.

1) Making Eye Contact and Smiling

I don’t know if this is just me who finds this attractive but when a guy has eye contact with you and they have that cute smile, its just.... wow. I don’t mean creepy "I’m going to lock you in my basement" eye contact and smile, but a sign they are listening to you. If you’re telling them something and they keep their eyes on you as you talk its a tick from me. Or even vice versa. If they are telling you something and they have that intense eye contact, its very alluring. I dig it.

2) Being Goofy

I honestly didn't  know the best way to describe this. When I say being goofy, I mean when they're not afraid to embrace their weird side or their quirky personality. Again, I don’t mean creepy things like "I enjoy collecting clumps of hair" or "I talk to myself on the bus", I mean being able to have a good laugh. I hate when people are super serious all the time and have the personality of a toothpick. If. a guy can be stupid, send ugly selfies on snap, break out into song with me or something, I find it so attractive. Maybe that's because I have that kind of side to me, but I find it attractive regardless.

3) Text First

I have no problems with texting a guy first. Whether it be just a friend or more than a friend, I really don’t find it too much to handle, however I love when a guy texts first too. It shows they were thinking about you at some point or that they genuinely care about you or how you’ re doing. Our generation makes texting the opposite sex seem so miraculous and difficult but it really shouldn't have to be. Obviously there are exceptions, like if they’re constantly asking for something or messaging you at 3am, but besides that, its cool.

4) Stretching

This is probably weird to most people but I love when guys stretch. Not like go into splits or anything (that would be kind of weird) but when they stretch their arms out or rub their neck, ITS SO ATTRACTIVE. Ok, I should calm down. Especially if they’ve just finished doing some kind of sport, woiii. I watch way too many romance movies to be honest.

5) Talk when they are tired

I have a thing for sleepy voices. I don’t have any explanation for it, I just do. If you’re tired, I can listen to you talk for hours. In fact, please do. Talk to me about tea bags and I would listen to you just because I love your voice.

6) Give Nice Hugs

I like them, there isn't really much to say about it. I'm short so I guess it makes it easier. If you can give me a long hug and still leave me standing there wanting it to last, then its a nice hug. Not gonna lie, I've had hugs that have left me thinking about it for hours. Even if they're literally just a friend, if the hug is nice, its attractive.

7) They encourage you and build you up

I love when a guy just has your back. When you have days when you feel meh or you’re struggling with something and they give you some confidence. Just being reassuring and motivating is super attractive. Especially when it comes to your personality. Say if you're really intelligent but failed an exam and they reassure you that everything is ok. Or you’ve had bad experiences with other boys that have left you feeling a bit insecure about who you are and they give you that little bit of confidence again. I LOVE THAT.

I hope someone can relate to any of these and I'm not alone here LOL.

Donnell Blaylock Jr: AKA WORLD'S MOST ATTRACTIVE MAN

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x

Christmas Wishlist 2017

YAY! My first post of the Christmas season is finally here. I will be doing Blogmas this year, however instead of everyday like last year, I will be posting three times a week until the New Year. It won't be on set days, just three posts every week until January 1st. The reason for doing this is because of time. I actually don't finish sixth form for the holidays until December 22nd which is just awful and should be illegal in my opinion. I'm constantly busy with school, so I wouldn't have any time to write and post everyday, however I will definitely be able to do it next year when I'm at university, since I SHOULD have more time for myself.

Anyway, for my first post, I thought I would share my Christmas wish list for this year. I find that doing them helps my family and friends out a lot. I am in no way expecting these things, it is just a collection of things I am WISHING for and anything I don't get, I can either buy for myself or live without it. It is perfectly fine.

Beauty:

Morphe 35P- I've always wanted to try a Morphe Palette and wanted to try the 35F last year but didn't ask for it in the end. Purple is my favourite colour to wear on my eyes since it makes my brown eyes really stand out and suits my complexion well.

Nail Polish- I wear nail polish all the time and my nails are rarely bare so I go through bottles very quickly. I'm really in need of some new ones, so I figured I'd put it on my wishlist. My favourite brand is OPI and Primark do some really nice ones too.

Real Techniques Sponge- I own this sponge already but I need to replace it. I was going to buy it myself but thought I would put it on my list since it's a good stocking stuffer and saves me £6 haha.

A makeup brush pot- I need some brush holders/pots so I put it on my list.

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion- This went on my list last year and I got it. I love it so much and I ran out about three months ago but never got around to ordering another bottle, so here it is on my list again.

An Ofra Highlighter- This one is super optimistic because I really don't need anymore highlighters BUT I have been wanting an Ofra highlighter pretty much all year. It was 50% off on Black Friday but went out of stock about an hour before I was ready to buy it.

Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer- This is the product I have been wanting to try the most from FB but I can't seem to bring myself to spend £16 on a lip-gloss when I have so many other things I have to buy. I thought I'd put it on my list but if I don't get it, I will get it in the new year as a treat for myself.

A Highlighter Brush- My highlighter brush has seen better days and I definitely need a new one. I hear the Morphe R37 is really good.

Debenhams Gift Card- There are so many other makeup bits I would love to get so I put a Debenhams gift card on my list so that I would be able to buy them myself.

Fashion:

Gym Clothing- I want to get into fitness and dancing again, so I've asked for some gym clothing, like sports bras and leggings etc.

Cute Underwear Sets- I get this every year anyway. I'm a girl, cute underwear is necessary.

Loungewear two piece- They just look so comfortable and definitely something I would get a lot of wear out of. I live in leggings and hoodies most the time.

High-Waisted Skinny Jeans- You can never have too many.

Camo Jeans/Bottoms- These can either look awful or amazing, but I'm willing to take the risk. I have seen so many cute outfits with Camo trousers that I hope I can rock.

New Trainers- I don't have a specific preference or idea of what type, but I am DESPERATE for new trainers. As long as they're comfy and go with most things, I'm happy.

A New School Bag- I have had my school bag for over a year and I think its time to switch it now. I definitely want black this time and something fairly big in size. This Adidas one is perfect. I'm more for practicality over anything else when it comes to bags for sixth form.

Oversized Hoodie- I live in my oversized hoodie from Primark. I wear it all the time and I think I'm probably going to end up collecting oversized hoodies now. I'm 5'2 so everything oversized can literally be wore as a dress. Sometimes I do that and wear shorts underneath.

A Silver Ring- I already have a sterling silver ring that my Dad got me for my 16th Birthday and I wear it almost everyday. I love it and would love another ring to wear with it or interchangeably.

Nude Heels- I'm the same size as my Mum so we borrow each other's shoes all the time. My mum has a pair of nude stilettos that are super nice and fit me perfectly but I find them extremely high, so I would love a pair of my own that I can walk in.

Clothing Gift Card- Similar to the reason for the Debenhams card, I would love to buy so many things, so having a gift card would make things so much easier.

Tech:

A New Phone- I've had my Samsung Galaxy J5 for 2 years now and it's literally on it's death bed. It is constantly mal-functioning.

Earphones- I haven't broken or lost mine yet but give it another few months, so may as well get a backup right?

A Phone Ring- I would only need this if I get the phone. I have one on my current phone but once you stick it on, you can't take it off, so you'd need to buy a new one for another phone.

A light up mirror- My Mirror is super old, so I do need to replace it. I have heard great things about this light up mirror and it would make doing makeup at 6:15am every morning so much easier, especially in the winter.

A Phone Ring Light- This is just something I have heard a lot of beauty gurus use and their Instagram pictures are always amazing so....

Stationery and Other Bits:

The Peony Happiness Planner- I actually won it in an Instagram Back To School Giveaway and should be receiving it as a Christmas present from them as I'll be receiving the 2018 version. It is sooooo beautiful, and I am still so happy I won it.

A 2018 Weekly Planner- I just need a regular weekly planner for sixth form and stuff to write deadlines and things. I usually get mine from Poundland, which I am totally happy with.

Book Tabs- I need some book tabs for school notes and textbooks. This is a good stocking stuffer that costs like 40p and something I will use.

A Stapler- I had a stapler last year that I used all the time at sixth form but managed to snap it in half back in September. I've really missed having one in my bag because I can never find one in sixth form Like EVER. Plus it seems to be my most borrowed item ever so its a present for about 20 of us.

Dear John (book)- I LOVE Nicolas Sparks books but I have never read or seen Dear John before. I've watched the trailer and it looks amazing. I always read the books before watching the films though so I've asked for it this Christmas.

Forever 21 Stationery Set- I love marble and I love stationery.

Pens- I always need pens and get them pretty much every Christmas. Can't start a new term or new year without fresh ink hehe (wow I'm lame)

So this is my wishlist. I OBVIOUSLY do not expect to receive all this. If I did, then I would be a very happy girl, however I really don't expect all these things. I hope if friends/family are seeing this, it has been some help.

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x

6 Ways To Get Motivated To Study

This is a question that I get asked a lot, so I thought I would write a blog post on it. Mock season is coming up for everyone so I thought it would be appropriate to write it now. For me it is this upcoming week but I know that most colleges do it before the Christmas break.
Just like everyone else, I have days where I feel super unmotivated and lazy, and it is perfectly OK to feel that way sometimes. Believe it or not, I am not studying 24/7 and when I feel super unmotivated, I give myself a break. However there are days where I feel out of it but I know I need to give myself a kick up the butt and hit the books. These are just a few of the things I do in order to get motivated to study.

1) Remember my goals

For me, goals are a huge attribute when it comes to my work ethic. I believe in setting myself goals, whether it be daily, weekly, monthly or even annually. I make sure to document them somewhere and refer back to them whenever I need to. In fact, I document my monthly goals here on my blog, which you should definitely read if you haven't already. Goals not only hold you to account but when you reach them, you feel so good about yourself. I love the feeling of working towards something and being able to meet it. Big or small, goals are important. I may set small goals that will help me reach my larger goals. For example, my BIG goal this year is to get into my first choice university, so I may make smaller goals like getting a certain grade in coursework or to write a certain amount of essays in the week, which ultimately contributes to meeting the larger goal.

TASK: Purchase or find a Journal/Notebook that you can document your goals in. Not only will it actually keep you organised but in the future you can look back at it and see how far you've come.

2) Follow Study Grams

This is something I discovered only a few months ago. It actually motivates me so much. You're probably thinking, what in the world is a study gram? A study gram is basically a community on Instagram dedicated to studies. It may sound stupid to some but for someone like me who loves academia, it is the most inspiring thing ever. It features a bunch of accounts and feeds created by actual students around the world. They include amazing looking notes (seriously, I get so jealous at some people's handwriting), pretty stationery, coffee and teas etc. I always feel the urge to actually study whenever I see them on my feed, its so weird how it helps me. Anytime I find myself being lazy and scrolling through Instagram when I should be studying, I see at least one in my feed and instantly open a book. Type into Instagram #studygram, #studyinspo or #studynotes to know exactly what I mean. It is so addictive, following all these accounts. I followed at least 10, the first day I ever knew of its existence.

My favourites:

@sherstudy
@studylustre
@study.relief
@studycationery
@emmastudies
@mylittlejournalblog

These are just a few that I love, I have soooo many more. I can even do another "Instagram feeds you NEED to follow" but study edition. Some of them are studying specific and others are associated, so they may be planning ones (because I love a good planner) or bullet journaling etc.

3) Buy new stationery!

My "favourite" thing about going back to school after the summer time is being able to use all new stationery. Yeah I know, what a nerd, but its true. Its actually sad how much staplers and notebooks make me happy. I feel like once my pencil case or bag starts to lack, so does my motivation to study. I've found that I make nicer notes and generally try harder when I treat myself to new stationery. Whether it be buying new pens, new highlighters or a new pencil case, once I get them, I feel so much more motivated to study, since I get to use them. I tend to get all new stuff for every term.

4) Study with a friend

I find it so much easier to study when I study with people (unless they're really distracting). You can help each other out on topics you're unsure of, test each other on exam questions, rant to each other about how much you hate exams (@charlotte loool). It is so much easier to study when you have someone with you who is in the same boat as you. Around exam season, I love going on little study dates at the library or a coffee shop because it gets you out and socialising, whilst doing what you have to do.

5) REWARD YOURSELF

I'm still learning to listen to this one but It really is important. Its so easy to complete something and then move on to the next task without actually paying attention to your achievements. You're far more likely to feel unmotivated to revise if you're constantly going through the list of things to do all day, everyday but not rewarding yourself for it. Take a break, go out with some friends, buy yourself something nice. If you treat studying like your own little competition, its not as boring. Once you've met your deadlines for the week, treat yourself to the weekend off or buy yourself a pizza, because why not? Acknowledge your hard work and you'll feel encouraged to keep working hard.

6) Just forget it Kid

Sometimes, you try so hard to study but its just not going to happen. You try your best and you don't succeeeeed. You try everything you can but its just not going to happen. Sometimes I am so tired that I don't even want to think about picking up a pen, so I don't. Take care of your physical and mental health. Don't push too far. I have had to learn this the hard way so take it from me and just forget it kid!

So these are ways that I have learnt to get motivated to study. There are so many other methods. I'm sure there are people with much better ideas than me but these are just some things I do. I hope they are somewhat helpful.

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x

Feeling Uninspired.

OK. So I'm going to be real with you all here. I'm all for being real with my audience and speaking my mind on my blog because these posts are just as much for me as they are for you guys.

Lately I have been totally uninspired. I have no idea what direction I want to take this blog and I have no idea what I want to publish. I have been struggling to come up with ideas for the past two months and it's super frustrating. I follow a lot of other bloggers, so you would think I would get inspiration from them, but even that isn't motivating me. I actually didn't post anything last week, simply for the fact that I had no ideas and nothing written. It's genuinely so difficult to come up with ideas, even when you only post once a week, so I applaud full time bloggers for what they do. I definitely struggle sometimes and full time bloggers post way more content in a week than I do in a month!

Part of the reason why finding inspiration has been super challenging is because I'm so tied down to school work. I am constantly trying to meet new deadlines everyday. Tying to keep up with studying whilst maintaining somewhat of a social life ain't easy, I'll tell you that one. I don't get much time just to breathe and have time for myself. I don't get much free time as such because it ends up being taken up by sleep (which I don't get enough of). Everything ends up being pushed back because of sixth form and that includes blogging. I really wish it wasn't that way because I love blogging and I hate not uploading. Not only do I feel bad about it but I miss the feeling of not writing something that has nothing to do with my A-levels, like essays or presentations etc.

Another reason why I have been totally uninspired is because I don't actually know what my blog is. I think of my blog as a space to just do whatever I want. I write about whatever I feel like writing and hope that people enjoy it. I haven't seen many blogs like that. They are all a part of some sort of niche or category. Whether it be lifestyle, beauty, fashion, travel, fitness etc. They seem to fit a category and mine doesn't. Mine is a mixture of several so when it comes to looking for inspiration, I never know where to look. I don't want to restrict myself to one niche because then I just won't enjoy blogging, and that is the only reason why I do it, however it makes finding inspiration so much harder than it needs to be.

I have been blogging for 20 months in total and I feel like now I have hit a wall.
With that being said, I have decided that I am going to dedicate at least one hour every Friday evening to blogging. I‘m going to try and come up with a list of ideas every week and see how that goes. I really want to do Blogmas again this year but instead of everyday, I will be posting three times a week until the end of December. I am going to be coming up with my list of post topics and ideas this upcoming Friday and hopefully I can provide you all with good content again. I want to keep blogging for as long as I enjoy it and I promise to try and produce the best posts that I can.

it would help me out a lot if you left me some suggestions, whether it be via private message or in the comments below. Thanks so much to everyone who has been supporting me during the past 20 months (almost 2 years which is insane).

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x

November Academic Goals

I can't believe that we are almost done with the year! It's the second to last month of 2017 and I'm so ready for Christmas. But before I can fully get festive, I have to work out my goals for this month, so here we go!

1) Prepare for Mocks

Ew. So this month are our first set of mock exams for our subjects. I hate mock week but I definitely think I need them, considering I have no idea where I'm at. I have already started some of my revision but I do need to amp them up a bit and keep up the momentum. Luckily mocks are the final week of the month so I have time.

2) Finish my first draft for English Coursework

I am so close to finishing my first draft. As I write this, I have about 500 words left which isn't much. Once I'm done with my first draft, its just about getting feedback and adapting it until I hit that A grade.

3) Start my second piece of English Coursework

So far, we have done the 2000 word piece but I still have another two 750 word pieces to do, which won't be as time consuming hopefully. I really want to start planning it in the next week or so and start at least a chunk of it this month.

4) Start typing up History Coursework

Clearly it is a super coursework based month! I am pretty much ready to kick start my history coursework in the next week or two. I am very close to finishing my research and planning process and as soon as that is complete, I can attempt to write the first section. Even if it is only the introduction, I would like to have something written.

5) Start a New Book

I haven't got a book to read this month and I didn't have one in October either so I am hopefully going to buy a  new book to read this week, that I can read this month. I really enjoy reading and I finished my last book during the first week of October. I haven't had a novel to read since then. I'm making it a goal to start another book this month because its always good to read books you actual WANT to read, rather than just readings for class.

These are my goals for November! What are some of your goals? Let me know.
I hope you've had a great week!

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x

"Men Are Trash" and "Women Are Trash"

It has been a long time since I've done a post like this. Just getting to write about whatever has sprung to mind and share my thoughts on a topic. I'm not going to lie, I've been wanting to do another one for a long time but I couldn't think of a topic that would A) Be interesting to read and B) Be interesting to write. However, I FINALLY got inspired after scrolling through Twitter and here we are!

"#_______ARE TRASH". How many times do you hear this a day? A lot right? I don't know how it started or who started it but it seems to be everywhere. Men are trash, women are trash, pineapples on pizza are trash- which is totally not true by the way, is an opinion plastered all over social media.

Now let me admit. I have used the very line "Men are trash". Yup. Guilty. But not taken literal. I don't think it is true at all and I'm going to tell you why.

Like I said, I've used it before. It's been implemented into Rochelle's book of vocabulary, but I've never used it with the mind set that it's ACTUALLY true. Whenever I've seen a funny meme about stupid things boys have done/said, I've used it. When a boy says something stupid TO me I've used it. Notice how I keep saying boy? That will be important later. 
Whenever I've used it, I've made sure to make it clear that it's banter. I don't believe that men are trash and I obviously don't believe that women are either.

Here is exactly what I DO think.

First of all. God doesn't create trash. It would be a complete insult to God to say that women are trash or that men are trash. He created us with consideration and made us in his image, so how is it even possible for men and women to be trash? Would he even have bothered to create all of us if he didn't think we were special? We're all here for a reason. Whether you believe in God or not, EVERYONE at least believes that each of us has a purpose. Surely. We all have beautiful talents, skills and characters to offer to the world. Well when you think of trash, the connotations are waste, worthless, useless etc. and that is not us. Everything we do, say and are is purposeful.

Now, I'm going to go back a bit. Remember I said to take note of the use of "boy"? We're going to talk about that right now.
What is the difference between a man and a boy, beside physical features? Maturity. During the transition from a boy to a man, there is a development of maturity. Being able to make rational decisions, learn right from wrong, treat others with respect. It all comes under having maturity. Same goes for women. From girls to women, there needs to be maturity. Growth and change. So wouldn't that explain everything?
Men aren't trash. Women aren't trash. It's just boys that aren't yet men and girls who aren't yet women. MEN know how to respect others, pursue women the correct way, how to be responsible. WOMEN know how to take care of themselves, respect others and be nurturing. Girls and Boys do not always have these qualities. In fact, most don't. Those people that do others wrong and are disrespectful may not even have the maturity to be classed as men and women.

Another thing to remember is that everyone makes mistakes. Nobody is perfect. I'm definitely not condoning being unfaithful, however I've heard way too many women call men trash for doing one thing wrong. We all make mistakes and we should be able to learn from them.

I hope you get where I'm coming from.

What are your thoughts on this subject? Let me know any other things you want to hear from me.

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x

Things That Annoy Me

I made a post about things that make me happy in the past, which actually did really well, and although I'm a super bubbly person, I am human and there are things that annoy me. So I thought, why don't I make a part II about just that!

Disclaimer:
I do not want this post to come across as negative in anyway or offend anybody. This is just a bit of fun and is pretty much a chance for me to rant about nonsense.

Things that annoy me:

1. People who Snapchat EVERYTHING. I don't mean people with long stories (that doesn't bother me), I mean people who can't do anything without getting their camera out. What happened to living in the moment? When we're out having a great time and someone does something funny, why does it have to be done 100 times over just to get it on camera for your story? Or why do you feel the need to film yourself when you're literally just walking out a shop.

2. When restaurants run out of pretty much everything but water. I walked into a shop/café for my lunch the other day and had a good look at the menu before ordering. I told the woman what I wanted and she said "sorry we're out of that". I thought fair enough and asked for something else on the menu, "sorry we have none left". I asked for THREE different things on the menu and did they have any? NOPE. Sorry, what? I'm hungry and I'm having to order some random meal I've never thought to try because everything I liked the look of is gone. Frustrating.

3. PDA. I could go on about this for months on end, so I'll try and make this short. OK, you're in love. Congratulations, I'm happy for you. One thing that I'm not happy about though is that I can't go where I want to go because you're too busy standing in my way, eating your boyfriend/girlfriend. Why can't you do that in your own house? Why do you need to be standing in the middle of the road where everyone can see you? It just isn't necessary, is it?

4. Crocs. No explanation needed

5. Being left on read. If I have asked you a question or I'm just feeling friendly and check up on you, why can't you just reply? Fair enough if you've got things to do, I get it, but when you post on your story and I'm here still waiting for an answer 6 hours later, its just a bit insulting to be honest.

6. Flies. Why? What is your purpose? Why must you exist? Why invade my personal space? So many questions.

7. Seagulls.....again, why?

8. Rude people. Basic manners is not optional. Even better, they cost nothing! I'm not saying to go give a random man £200, just say thank you when you get off the bus and please when you order food. When you're running late, let the person/people know. When you can't follow plans through, tell them. Just basic manners people.

9. Overly loud people honestly make me want to cry. I don't get it. There is this thing called social etiquette, that EVEYONE should have. If you're in a quiet area, don't scream. If you're surrounded by children or elderly people, don't start shouting the F bomb every second. Just respect people around you.

10. Boys who don't know how to approach a girl correctly get under my skin. If you want to get a girl's number or snap, don't start yelling "Oi peng ting" or "That ass tho". For one, I'm not a "ting" and two, don't expect me to give you the time of day if you refer to me as one. Its so annoying. Its like they expect you to fall head over heels.

11. Being nagged. Do you ever get told to do something by a teacher or your parents and they then moan at you for not doing it after they asked you about 5.3 seconds ago? I will do it when I can! If you had told me you wanted it done that second, I would have, but no...you didn't. I will do it!

12. When my natural hair won't co-operate

13. People that always have something to say. Those people get to me sooo much. They have no respect for other people and they're just irritating! Always getting involved and always have an opinion nobody needed to hear at that moment in time. *sigh*

Not going to lie but writing all this down was kind of therapeutic! Let me know what annoys you.

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x

My Top 6 Beauty Tips

I was inspired by Lauren Victoria a fellow blogger (that you should totally be following) to write about some beauty tips that I follow. She did a post called 10 Beauty Tips I Swear By and I enjoyed it so much that I thought I would share some of mine too! I have only been into makeup and beauty for about three years but in those three years I have experienced the good, the bad and the ugly. If you know me, you know my glow up was REAL. I definitely had an awkward phase haha and leading up to my love for beauty I have experimented tons.

I've made mistakes, I've been in denial of some of those mistakes, but I've also found what suits me and what needs to be a part of my beauty routine. So without further ado, here are my top 6 beauty tips.

1: Drinks Lots of Water!!

You're probably giving the dirtiest look right now but I'm telling you, its so important. Its one of the most cliché pieces of advice but will always be relevant. Water makes EVERYTHING better. Your skin, hair, body, mind. EVERYTHING. When I don't drink enough water in the day I definitely notice the effects. I feel more tired, my skin is so much more dry etc. Water is key. SO DRINK IT!

2: Wash your Face at least Twice a day

I know the feeling of not wanting to get out of bed when you go to fall asleep and realise you still have your makeup on. I know the feeling of being too exhausted to do anything let alone your skin care routine but YOU MUST cleanse your skin. Not cleansing your skin or taking off your makeup can lead to acne and build up of bacteria. Make sure to wash your face every morning because you actually sweat in your sleep and even resting on your pillow for 6+ hours will cause a build up of germs. At night, I know it is tempting just to grab a makeup wipe and be done but makeup wipes actually only take off dirt/makeup from the surface of your skin and you need to go deeper. Try to attempt cleansing your skin every night, even if you don't do any other part of your skin care routine.

3: Do your tail first

One of my favourite parts of doing my makeup are my brows. I have been experimenting LOTS when it comes to brows over the years. Shape, colour, products, you name it. I have found one tip I will ALWAYS live by. Outline your brows as you usually would, but when it comes to filling them in, start at the tail. By doing the ends of your brows first, you're left with only a small amount of product left on the brush. This makes feathering out the front and making hair-like strokes so much easier and it looks so much more natural. I don't remember where I found this technique or when but all I know is that ever since I have been doing it, my brow game has got so much stronger!

4: Use Foundation to carve the brows

Another brow trick I have is to use foundation to carve them out. Most people use a light concealer to carve out their brows but I'm not a huge fan of the highlighted look. It often just looks way too harsh and unblended. I only really carve out my brows if I have a full face of makeup on but when I do, I like to use the foundation that I am using that day. That way my brows look neat and clean but don't look too much. If you struggle with brows, definitely give this a go.

5: Highlight in circular motions

This is more of a recent technique that I have picked up but I know I'll definitely stick with it. I used to apply my highlighter straight onto my cheekbones in an up down sort of C shape but after a while, I noticed that it looked really harsh and unblended so I decided to try a new technique. I pick up the highlighter on my brush but instead of sweeping up and down, I start just above the apples of my cheeks and I use circle motions in a C shape. It looks so much more skin-like and blended. I have even been getting more compliments on my highlight since doing it, so clearly its working out.

6: LET YOUR SKIN BREATHE

This is one of those tips that I think is super important and kind of essential. Make sure you let your skin breathe. Not only from makeup, but skin care products too. By applying too many products on your skin and often, you can clog your pores. Have days where you wear no makeup or as little products as possible. I used to do a full face of makeup just to wear in my house all day (still guilty of this sometimes) but now I prefer just to wear moisturiser when I'm chilling at home. Even as I write this, I only have moisturiser on. I have had makeup on all week so today is my day to let my skin breathe. Let it replenish and heal itself after a week or few days.

What are your top beauty tips?

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x

October Academic Goals

This post is coming a bit late considering its the second week of October already, which is quite frankly insane. We're getting so close to the end of the year now. My September goals went down pretty well in terms of interest so I thought I would carry on this series. It is now October so I'm going to share with you my goals for this month.

FYI: A few of my goals from September will also transfer to this month.

1) Make my Title Page and Contents for EPQ

I've finished my content and I now need to create my title page and contents page to go with it. This should not take too long as it is quite a simple task, but it does need to be completed.

2) Make sure my EPQ References are correct

I have made sure to reference my work throughout and I have my bibliography, however I need to make sure that they're accurate and laid out well.

3) Start History Coursework

I've chosen my topic and question and I've been researching for 2 weeks but now I want to have finished researching and start an introduction. By taking it step by step, I won't overdo anything and maintain somewhat a balance with everything else I have to do.

4) Start my flashcards

I honestly would have started it from day one except in my area, no shops seem to have any stock but I'm going to go back to ASDA next Friday to see if they have some now and once I get some, I'll start making my flashcards. It will save me so much time if I start now and I can start to learn content this half term

So these are my goals for this month. Hopefully I can complete them. I did really well in September so fingers crossed!

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x

My Current Makeup Routine (Drugstore Edition)

As most of you all know, I love makeup! I enjoy doing it in the morning or before I go out. I don't wear makeup every single day, however when I do, I like to stick to a very similar look. In my opinion it is very simple and quite fresh faced.

I always do my makeup in the same order every time I do it. I guess I've just got into the habit of it.

The first thing I always ensure to do is moisturise my face. I use the Nivea Daily Essentials Regenerating Night Cream. I don't tend to use too much as it is quite a thick formula. I use it in the morning and at night as it really works well with my skin.

Straight after, I apply primer. The primer I am currently using is the Barry M Flawless Original primer. It smooths out my skin and creates a nice barrier between my skin and the makeup. It is matifying, which I feel helps my makeup to stay on longer, claims to minimise pores. I'm not a huge fan of this primer however I tend to go through primers and then change it up once its empty.

While I let the primer settle into my skin, I fill in my eyebrows with the Collection eyebrow kit. I always use the middle shade as it is perfect for my hair colour and skin tone. I use a sturdy angled brush to shape and fill them in. I use the Freedom brow pomade to outline my brow and sharpen the end if I want a bolder brow. Then I set it with the collection clear mascara. Sometimes I carve them out with the foundation I am using that day.
 
For foundation I am currently using the LA Girl Pro HD foundation. It's a fairly good match for my skin tone and has medium coverage. It adds a really natural glow to my skin without looking oily. It is my favourite foundation from the drugstore. I tend to either go for a sponge over a brush with this foundation as it blends in with my skin rather than sitting on top.

To conceal and highlight I like to mix it up between Maybelline age rewind concealer in nude for a natural look, Collection lasting perfection concealer in the shade 3 or NYX HD in warm beige for a more intense highlighted look. These concealers have great coverage and are super easy to blend, although the NYX concealer definitely feels heavier on the skin.

To set all the liquids I use the Coty Airspun Loose powder in Extra Coverage Translucent if I'm baking and I use Rimmel Stay Matte to dust across my face to keep everything in place.

To Bronze I use the Wet n' Wild Mega Glow Contouring Duo. The bronzer is super warm toned, which is perfect for warming up my skin. For my contour I use the E.L.F Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder. I never use the blush as it doesn't have much pigment however I enjoy using the bronzer. It has some shimmer however it does not show on the skin.

For highlighter and I use either the Sleek Cleopatra's kiss highlighter palette or Maybelline Master Chrome in Molten Gold. Highlight is my absolute favourite part of my routine and I'm absolutely addicted to the glowy life. I highlight my cheek bones and nose.

My favourite mascara is the Maybelline Lash Sensational. It creates some volume and makes my lashes dark. The only other thing I wish it did was add length but no mascara I've ever tried has been able to do that quite yet. I hear the new L'Oréal one is good, so I may give that a go.

My favourite lip product currently is NYX lip lingerie in Ruffle trim. It's the perfect coral nude for my skin tone and has an amazing formula. It doesn't make my lips feel dry and doesn't transfer at all. I'm running out now and definitely need to pick up a new one.

So that is my makeup routine. I hope you were enlightened. It really isn't anything special.

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x

My After School Routine

Sixth form has completely turned my life upside down and I've only been back for 2 weeks. If you knew the workload and deadlines that I'm currently facing, my goodness! Since this is my life currently, I thought it would only be appropriate to give you a glimpse of it. Today I am going to share with you my after school routine.

The first thing that happens after sixth form is that I get the bus home. Sometimes I walk down to the bus stop and literally watch it drive away before I get to the door which is so frustrating. I have to wait another 10 minutes for the next one, with heavy bags (which includes my backpack and the ones under my eyes).

Once I get home, I say hi to my family, ask about their day and then change into more comfy clothes. At our sixth form we wear formal/business wear so I prefer not to stay in them when I'm at home. I usually wear leggings and a t-shirt or pyjamas.

I'm usually super hungry when I get home because I haven't eaten since lunch, so I get a snack and chill for about half an hour before doing some more work. I prefer to have a break before going straight into more work when I've just come back from sixth form.

Before I get into the work, I actually need to know what I'm doing so I always review my school planner or to do list for the week and decide on what to do. I may do several things or if I have something big due like EPQ or coursework, I'll just do that for a couple hours.
I make sure to do any homework I've been set first before my own revision or further reading. Most the time I end up having no time to do my own revision because of deadlines.

Sometimes I like to do some reading because it allows me to do something for myself that has nothing to do with my sixth form. I may do this before dinner or before bed, it depends on how I'm feeling that day.

Whilst I'm reading or working, I get called down for dinner. I sit and have dinner with my family. This is my time to actually socialise with my siblings as I'm always occupied with work in my room.

At the end of the day I Iron my clothes for sixth form ready for the next day. It takes the pressure off me in the morning and gives me more time in the morning. Sometimes I make my lunch too. If its something that takes more time to make or prepare, then I do it in the evening, otherwise if its something like a ham sandwich, I do it in the morning.

The rest of my evening usually consists of winding down and being relaxed. I take my makeup off, braid my hair (I always sleep in braids) and watch YouTube or do something to relax and take my mind off school.

So that is my after school routine. I hope you enjoyed hearing about it.

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x