New Year's Resolutions

Hello my lovelies! 

It's New Year's Eve! Which means that it's time to get ready for the year ahead, moving on from our past. Now, I don't know about you, but I always find that my resolutions are broken within months, if not weeks or days! So I thought, why not share my resolutions with you guys so you can punish me if I break them? 

That's right, I'm going to blog about the progress of my New Year's resolutions and if you think that I have broken then I will take a forfeit that one of you guys has given me. Videoed and put on YouTube for your pleasure of course. Get creative and comment either below, on Facebook or Tumblr or tweet me with your forfeits and I shall put them together in a list ready for my breaking of promises.

1. Blog regularly. It's a simple one, but I would definitely like to get in to doing this regularly with at least 1 or 2 posts every week! It'd be great if I could get some topic suggestions for my series so that they can be updated more often and have some interesting topics that I know you want to hear about.

2. Start up my YouTube page and actually do some videos! I'd really like to do something more than writing blog posts so I'm thinking of blogging some bits and doing some other bits and pieces. We'll have to see how it goes.

3. Lose weight. And don't have takeout more than once a week (Uni people, you know what I'm talking about). Those of you who know me know that I'm not exactly a healthy size, and as much as it doesn't appear to affect me, I'm actually really self conscious and have body issues that are linked with  past eating disorders. For this reason, this year I'm aiming to lose at least 2 and a half stone so that I can feel more comfortable in my own skin. 

4. Parallel to losing weight, do more exercise. I will be joing a local ladies gym this year and I aim to go at least twice a week plus do some more swimming training. I've always loved exercise but over the past 2 years I have become lazy which hasn't helped with my weight, this year I propose a major change in attitude towards my exercise.

5. Put some extra effort in at Uni. In other words, do my laundry, cook my own meals, attend all lectures and do all the work I'm supposed to. Simple right? Not so much, I do struggle with being around people which can make going to my lectures difficult but I am determined not to miss any more.

6. Say yes more often. Taking inspiration from some of my favourite bloggers and some of you guys, I plan to say yes to doing more things and getting involved in more outrageous and exciting activities that I would never have dreamed of doing. The plus side? You'll all get to take the journey of saying yes with me!

So that's my 6 resolutions. It's not going to be easy, granted, but that's why I want you guys to help me out. For every week that passes where I break one of these resolutions, I must do one if the forfeits that you guys have put forward. 

Get posting your challenges for me!!

Love you all!

T xxx

Anxious Issues: Exams

Hello my lovelies! 

Everyone gets stressed about exams, so it can be even harder if you don't handle stress well. Put some time aside chill out and have fun, but don't forget about the studying you have to do in order to pass. Use yoga, exercise, movies or your hobby in breaks from studying and if you feel under extreme pressure don't be scared to talk to someone. There are support methods in place at all schools, colleges and universities so don't be afraid to take advantage of them at any time of year. There are also many support sites online, the BBC and the NHS have tons of information available online and you can call Childline on 0800 1111 if you just want to talk things through, remember that you are never alone in dealing with stressful situations.

With Christmas and the New Year not only may you be looking forward to presents and the changes in your life, but many of you may be frantically panicking about January exams. For some, these are GCSE, or prehaps A Level or BTEC, for others it might be module exams for your University degree or a college course; either way, you're all in the same boat. This is a stressful time for everyone but it may just get a little too crazy for our liking. 

So many people use the excuse:"It's Christmas time, there are a lot of things going on, how on Earth am I meant to find time to study?" You make time. Some people feel like there's simply no time to study around these holidays but if you really want to get the grades, you'll find the time to earn them. Create a timetable of what's going on around Christmas and put in some hours of study. I'm not saying work on Christmas Day because that would be ridiculous, give yourself the main holiday off, but there's nothing to stop you putting in an hour's worth of studying on the other days surrounding this time.

When you do your studying, take regular breaks. Without breaks, your brain starts driving you crazy and you will get stressed out. Make sure you have something to drink (not energy drinks; as much as red bull keeps you alert, it's not good for you) and something to eat in order to keep you alert and don't study late at night when you are too tired to take things in properly. I can speak from experience saying that late nights studying just don't work, things don't sink in properly and you only end up even more stressed out than you were before you started. You may feel wide awake at 3am but you won't remember much when you wake up at lunch time.

Most people find exam season so stressful because they just can't sit down and read and have everything go in, however things don't have to be that way. Everyone has their own individual learning styles, to minimise stress levels you need to find your own. There are many forms of studying that you could do; reading notes, re-writing notes, recording notes as spoken word and listening back, using sticky notes, mind maps etc. Find your style and things will become a whole lot easier, I only figured this out after the third attempt of my Unit 1 History GCSE exam when I decided to write everything on a timeline using sticky notes. This one trick made everything feel more organised and under control and my grade went from an E to a B in no time! 

Whatever you do though, don't let studying take up all of your time. You do need that time to relax, take a break and spend some time enjoying yourself. Too much work can cause more strain than too little.

One more thing....

MERRY CHRISTMAS! <3 

I hope you've all had a perfectly wonderful time with friends and family and have received everything you could possibly hope for.

Over the next week I will be sharing some of the wonderful things I got for Christmas so feel free to share with everything what it is that's got you smiling this year!

Love you all!

T xxx

Uh-oh!

Hello my lovelies!

I'm afraid that things really aren't going my way at the moment and my blog posts may be slightly delayed. Reason why? My wonderful baby has had to go to hospital! And by baby I mean laptop... And by hospital I mean PC World... So I'm stuck without proper access to my blog which just sucks!

However, I do have a means of uploading a few shorter posts and you guys will be kept up to date with some rambling a. I have to keep you entertained after all. 

PLUS it's the Christmas break and I'm home from uni with plenty of stories to tell so do look forward to those ;)

So! Let me know what you'd like to hear about, be it a day in the life or a DIY, an outfit of the day or something completely out of the box.

Love you all!

T xxx

(Not-so-)Weekly Favourites!

Hello my lovelies! 

Yes, it's been a while since the first 'Weekly' Favourites went up, hence the title change. BUT I do have a small selection of glorious goodies that I'm totally loving right now so read on to find out more!

Before I actually show you my favourites, I just wanted you all to know that I'm looking for someone to design the template for my blog design so if you think you have an idea that I'll like, get in touch and send me a mock up! The lucky person I choose will get a blog post dedicated to them and I will promote them at the end of each blog post I do, they will also be allowed to feature a copyright tag on their design. There may be other benefits for them in the future too, so get involved and help me get this blog looking a little less... bleurgh and a little more BAM.

These darling boot slippers can be found in Primark for a rather lovely price and are super comfortable! I absolutely adore how Christmasy they are and there's a few different styles but all with the same soft fleece inside. Plus they're really in style this Christmas so grab them while you can!

So my parent's got me my advent calendar this year and boy did they choose well. This Continental selection advent calendar by Thornton's has got a delicious range of Chocolates ranging from praline to caramel and are the PERFECT treat each morning in the lead up to Christmas.

I find that my skin dries up really fast in the Winter so I've taken to drinking one of these 2 litre bottles a day in order to keep hydrated. I'm not saying you all ought to go spend money on bottled water because it is expensive (I'm just really picky about what I drink), but I do suggest that if you have dry skin in cold weather like myself that you drink plenty of water over the next few months. 

This tiny Tangle Teaser is an absolute God send. My hair gets tangled and knotty in no time in Winter, not helped by the constant damp air and wind, so having this brush has been a delight. Thanks Nana!

Of course who doesn't love seeing Christmas trees everywhere at Christmas time? This little one is sat on my desk in my University room and I have had it for years so it's lovely to be able to add the Christmas touch to my home away from home. 

Winter scarves, hats and gloves are a big favourite of mine at the moment. This scarf in particular is my all time favourite, not just because it's the Harry Potter Gryffindor scarf, but because it's super long and really cosy which makes it perfect for this lovely Wintery weather.

I must admit, these did not appeal to me at first, but after a few trips to Primark I decided to pick up one in each pattern (Blue Reindeer and Red Robin) and boy am I glad I did! These pyjama bottoms are the comfiest things I have ever worn to bed and are really handy for lounging about during the day too. They're perfect for this time of year as they have that gorgeous Christmas touch and they don't burn a hole in your wallet either!

That's all for now but I'm sure there'll be another load of wonderful things for me to share with you all again soon enough. If you'd like to know where to get any of these items from, get in touch and I'd be happy to let you know. 

Feel free to comment and let me know what you're loving this week. 

Love you all!

T xxx

Freshers: Moving in day!

Hello my lovelies!

So I've already talked you through everything that happens the over the summer before you go to Uni, but what about what happens when you actually get here? Well, it's about time I let you all in on the fun and festivities of your fist day, freshers week and the rest of your first year.

It's the day you move in to your new home, there's still at least a week before your actual lectures start and you have several days of fun and frolicking ahead... but you're nervous. And why wouldn't you be? You're moving somewhere all alone where you may not know anybody or even the area! You're going to have to fend for yourself in the big wide world and that's scary. But don't you worry, it's not all as horrifying as it sounds if you do everything right. 

On your 'moving in' day, you will most likely have to go and register your arrival somewhere and pick up your keys/cards for your accommodation the moment you get there. I suggest that even though you may know where you're living, don't go there first. Go fetch the keys and pick up your week's schedule before you drive over to the halls or house. 

It's a good idea to have your family with you, not only for that lovely send off but also to help you lug about all your things and help you with the unpacking (which is actually a huge task though it doesn't seem it at the time!) so don't take the offer of your parents/siblings/other family members coming along for granted. 

Next stop is your new abode! It's scary to think that you'll be living with strangers but don't worry, if you're friendly and welcoming then they will be too. Once you get to your room the first thing to do is find a way to pin the door open. It's a good idea to bring a door stop to uni anyway, but it's super handy on this first day when you'll be coming in and out of the room with cases and boxes etc. Not only does it reduce the amount of effort carrying your stuff, but it means the other people moving in can say hello with little disturbance.

Let people help you unpack. Your parents and siblings will be able to arrange your wardrobe, shelves and cupboards in a lot less time than just yourself, plus then your family can take away any extra boxes and bags that you just don't need. 

I live in one of these at the University of Chester, they're so cute!

Once you've fully unpacked your room, you may want to go crazy and fully decorate it straight away. Don't. You have the whole of freshers week to make your room homely. Instead, go and make friends with your new housemates, pop your head in and just introduce yourself. You may have briefly chatted with some of them on facebook before your arrival, but now you can put a real face to the name.

You may have to go to some scheduled meetings on your first day, make sure that you definitely go to them. These sessions will help you understand everything that's going on during freshers week and much much more so don't skip out. These meetings often contain a short welcome, a brief introduction to your student executive team and lots of powerpoint slides (you'll see a whole lotta them at Uni!) but they are definitely worth attending because you'll also find out about the evening activities and when your freshers fair and society fair are.

Finish your hectic first day with a house take-out or meal. Once all of the families have gone, get everyone together in a communal space, be it kitchen, lounge or corridor and have a chat. Really get to know each other because these are the people you'll be living with for the entire year and some of them may become your best friends. It's always nice to get some food in as a group, eat together and learn a bit more about what everyone's doing. 

Some questions you may hear a lot during your first few weeks:

1. What's your name?

2. Where are you from?

3. What course are you doing?

Seriously... you'll be fed up of repeating yourself by week 4, but with those three questions you can't go wrong! Use them as a basic intro with your new housemates before you get in to any more detail.

That's pretty much it for 'Moving In' day, if you have any additions or comments to make then leave them below for everyone to see and I shall be bringing you news of 'Freshers week - Daytime events' in the next post.

Love you all!

T xxx

Sorryyyy!

Hello my lovelies!

This is just a quick apology for there being no new posts this past week as I've had a lot going on in my personal life. You might as well know that I've officially come out of an 11 month relationship after several months of rocky on and off-ness (which is never fun) and it kinda messed me up for a few days plus I've had a crazy load of work for uni on the go at the same time, BUT I'm back on track now and will be uploading plenty of new content for you all over the next few weeks! Stick around for the latest updates and to find out all about some new content I've got coming up!

I will soon be putting up my Winter Hair picks but here's a quick preview for y'all! <3
I also have a Primark Winter Haul to post and A 'Christmas in Chester' so there's lots of new things coming your way as well as the usual series posts!

Love you all!

T xxx

Anxious Issues: Handling stress

Hello my lovelies!

Sorry this is late but there have a been a few internet issues and I've had a busy schedule this past week but don't you worry, I'll have caught you all up very soon! 

I have found that stressful situations can bring on panic attacks in any person so stress for a person with anxiety can be disastrous. This will hopefully give those of you who suffer some help and those who don't, a little more understanding. Then again it may just confuse you all but I try my best to explain this stuff so please don't fret if you don't understand, I'm happy to take any questions or comments!

Stress can come from many different things, for some people it's dealing with large crowds and for other's it's work, but it's always one of the most anxiety spurring things. As a university student, I find that stressful situations often involve personal relationships, workload or social situations and these three things should always be handled in different ways.

How a person deals with stress really depends on just how badly affected they feel, for some a stress ball can be the best aid but others may need a long hot soak in the tub or a massage. As well as the physical relief methods there are the emotional and mental workouts of writing, reading and just chilling out listening to some music maybe even taking a nap if it helps. You might be the kind of person who enjoys a spot of yoga to relax or a good bike ride, if it works then you do it.

When having a panic attack due to stress, immediately stop whatever task you're doing and move away. It may be an essay you're writing that's stressing you out in which case go outside or take a bath, just by attempting to go and do something completely opposite you will feel an immediate calming effect. Always try to get away from the situation at hand, even if you can't manage to go far, having that space will help your heartbeat and breathing steady. 

If you have space in your room/flat/house, create a 'stress free zone' and make it a place you can go and relax doing the things you love. It might be the bathroom if you're one to find bathing relaxing, or it could be your bed. I suggest you create a corner, fill it with cushions, bits of material, posters, whatever takes your fancy and make it in to a place you can go and be comfortable, a place that's completely yours and yours alone. Draw up some rules, maybe like these:

1. When I am in the 'chill zone' no-one is allowed to disturb me

2. No-one but me is allowed to change the 'chill zone' 

3. No work of any kind is to be brought in to the 'chill zone'

etc. 

By setting out these rules and enforcing them in your household, you will have gained your own little personal bubble of space to do the things you enjoy.

That's all for now, it's sort and sweet, but handling stress is something that has to be dealt with individually. If you have any stress relieving techniques you'd like to share please feel free to pop them in the comments or get in touch with me and I'll be happy to write them up!

Love you all!

T xxx