Monthly Goals | February

This year I want to start being more productive and challenging myself. I want to be able to look back at my year and feel like I've made the most of it, so I've decided to start setting myself goals at the start of every month that I want to try and achieve. That way, I can track my progress at the end of the month and see what I need to work harder at. By putting them up on my blog, I'm hoping it will also give me the motivation to stick to them and not give up so easily.

Keep going to the gym!

My main goal for 2017 was to try and lead a healthier lifestyle by exercising more. Going to the gym has never been something that I've enjoyed, as I've always found it really boring. This usually leads me just giving up, however, over the past few weeks I've been trying to go as often as possible, and now I've finally started to look forward to my work outs! I'm still not entirely sure what 90% of the machines in the gym are actually for, but I'm enjoying how much happier I've started to feel since I've  been going to the gym on a regular basis, so my goal for February is to keep this up.

Cut down on chocolate!

I think this is something I will probably struggle with. Chocolate is something that I always seem to crave, and I don't really know why. I'm definitely what you'd call a chocoholic! But it's also full of sugar, which I know that I need to cut down on, so I'm going to try really hard this month to just eat less of it. Especially with summer not too far around the corner, I should probably start working towards my summer body at some point!

Stay on top of my uni work!

So far this semester I've been really good at attending my lectures and keeping on top of all of my reading, but I know that I'm easily distracted and will probably start slacking at some point. So I'm going to try really hard to stay focused over the next few weeks and do as well as I can!

Spend more time with my family!

Since moving into my own flat back in August, I haven't really been back home to see my family all that often. This is mainly because I don't have a lot of spare time between university and my job, and the train fare can get a bit expensive. But I have the new few Sundays off from work, so I'm going to try and use that free time to see my family a bit more, as I do really miss them and I feel like I'm missing out on a lot of family experiences.

I'm hoping that my goals for this month are realistic enough for me to achieve them. I'm going to try really hard to stick with them, and hopefully at the start of March I can report back that I've done really well. Have you got any goals for the month ahead? I would love to hear them!

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6 Things I Love About Winter

To be completely honest, winter definitely isn't my favourite season. It's a little bit too cold for my liking, and even more so now that my current flat doesn't have any central heating.. However, there are a few seasonal things that I look forward too every year. 

Dark evenings

I love it when the nights start to get dark a lot earlier. It might sound a bit strange, but I just find it really comforting. I like coming in after work or university and putting on lamps and candles. Even more so in December when I can turn on the Christmas tree and watch all the twinkly lights. 

Cosy nights at home

One of my favourite things to do at this time of year is curl up on the sofa next to the fireplace, cuddle up with a fluffy blanket and watch a good film. Even more so when the nights are spent with family or friends.

Seasonal drinks at Costa/Starbucks

As much as I hate to admit it, I really do spend far too much money on coffee. It's just so easy to run to Costa on my way to a lecture, or to pick up a coffee on my lunch break at work. My typical 'go-to' drink is a skinny vanilla latte, but the seasonal options available at this time of year give me the perfect excuse to "treat myself" and not feel too guilty about it. My personal favourites this year are the gingerbread lattes from Starbucks, and the melting marshmallow hot chocolates from Costa.

Dark Lipstick

I'm definitely not the best when it comes to doing my make up, but one thing that I've always loved about this time of year is being able to wear a dark red or purple lipstick. So far this year, I've been really loving the famous 'Leo' lip kit from Kylie Cosmetics.

Crisp winter walks

I'm really not an outdoorsy type of person, but I do enjoy going for walks when it's cold and I can get all wrapped up. I also love how pretty everything looks when the trees are bare and the snow covers the ground.

Christmas

Of course I had to mention Christmas. I actually prefer the build up to Christmas more than actual day itself, as it all seems to be over so quickly. But I love visiting Christmas markets and drinking mulled wine. I love shopping for our Christmas tree and decorating it with my little brother. I love spending Christmas Eve night curled up on the sofa, when I FINALLY get home from work, and watching Home Alone with my family. There's just something so magical about this time of year.

What are some of your favourite things about the winter months?

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Little Things I'm Grateful For

                                                                             

Fluffy blankets.

Hot Chocolate with marshmallows.

My amazing friends.

Clean bed sheets.

Skinny vanilla lattes.

Stationary.

Netflix.

Fairy lights.

Online shopping.

Gym enthusiasm.

Cosy pyjamas and fluffy socks.

Being able to have a lie in later than usual.

Feeling truly and completely happy.

Creating a 'to-do' list and getting everything done.

Long, hot showers.

Finding a new TV series to binge watch.

Knowing that I have a great support system.

It's only a few weeks to go until Christmas.

~~~

What are you grateful for today?

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Six Things To Do When You're Feeling Down

I think everyone has those days where you just want to lie in bed all day and ignore the outside world. You know you have a million and one things on your to-do list, but just don't have the motivation to do them. Everyone has bad days from time to time - I know I do - but sometimes, all we really need is a just day to ourselves to relax and focus on ourselves. So what you can you do to make yourself feel better? Whether your "bad day" lasts for a couple of hours or an entire week, here are some of the things I like to do to cheer myself up a bit:

1. Have a movie day
I'm not a really a "movie person", but I do have a selection of films that I never tire of watching. So one of my favourite things to do when I'm having a bad day is just to stay in bed and put on a good film on my laptop. Try to pick a film that you know will make you laugh, too, as this will hopefully lift your spirits a bit. This is one of my favourite ways to relax.

2. Run yourself a bath
I think the thing I've missed the most since leaving home is having a bath. Whenever I feel stressed or down, I love to run myself a really hot and pop in a bath bomb. Lush bath bombs are always my go-to as they always look and smell incredible. If you want something soothing to help you relax, try and get a bath bomb with a lavender scent.

3. Talk to someone
It's easy to bottle things up when you're feeling down and pretend that everything is okay, often because we're afraid of looking weak. But I believe that talking to someone you trust about what is bothering you can really make you feel better. Sometimes we just need to off-load on someone and let out all our frustrations. Asking for help when you need it doesn't make you weak, it just means you need a little bit of support.

4. Do something you enjoy
Even when you have a busy schedule, it's really important to take some time out for yourself. It can be easy to get caught up in our busy lives when we have hundreds of responsibilities, but it's really important to schedule some "you" time as well. Try and set aside even just one hour a day to do something that you genuinely enjoy, and I swear it'll lift your spirits. Whether that's going to the gym, going our for dinner with friends or even just watching Netflix in bed.

5. Treat Yourself
Been eyeing up a top in a River Island? Been lusting after a new lipstick? Need an upgrade on your phone? Everyone needs a little pick me up from time to time, so treat yourself! Sometimes it's little self treats that really life our mood. Nothing wrong with rewarding yourself if you've been working hard recently.

6. Have an Early Night
I don't know about you, but when I don't get enough sleep at night, it's probably best to avoid me the next day. I definitely don't function well on little sleep. The average adult needs between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night to function at their best. So if you're a bit of a night owl and frequently have late nights, that could be the reason why. Try going to bed an hour earlier than usual and perhaps read a book or do something calming to help send yourself to sleep. Your body will probably thank you for it.

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Goals For My Second Year Of University

I've just recently started back at University for my second year. I can't believe how quickly the past year has flown by, as it doesn't seem that long ago since I was moving into university accommodation and getting to know my flatmates over freshers week. I'm so excited to get stuck into my second year and get back into a proper routine again. 

This year, instead of staying on campus, I'm staying in a flat in the city centre. This means that I now have to get the bus into uni every day, so I'll have to make sure I don't get lazy and stick to my schedule. When I first started university last year, I started out doing my degree in history, sociology and education. Half way through the year, I realised that history definitely wasn't for me and I didn't really want to be a teacher either. So after a mini break down in December, and questioning if university was for me, I decided to change my degree and give something else a go. I'm now doing my degree in sociology and criminology, and so far I'm really enjoying it. I haven't started the criminology aspect yet, but I get to start that this year, so I'm excited to see what it involves. 

Now I'm not going to lie, last year I did a lot of procrastinating and defintely wasn't as studious as I probably should've been. Don't get me wrong, I was still very pleased with my overall grades, but this year I want to go that little bit further and put in more effort. So I've come up with a few goals to help make the most out of my second year.

1. Attend all of my lectures

At university, lectures aren't usually registered, which makes them super easy to skip as no one will know you weren't there. My university also puts our lectures online so that we can re-watch them later, which also makes them easy to miss. But this year, I'm going to make it my priority to attend as many of lectures as I can. Of course, if I only one lecture in a single day, I probably won't travel into uni just for that as I could be working. But I'm going to make sure that if I do miss one, that I make sure to catch up properly.

2. Try to do well in all of my modules, don't just settle

It's a known fact that in first year, you only really need to get 40% in each of your modules to pass them. I always aimed to do as well as I could in my modules, but at that point in the semester when everything seems to be getting on top of you and you feel like your work is never ending, the thought "I just need to pass" definitely entered my head. More so in modules that weren't actually part of my degree. But this year I'm going to try and do as well as I possibly can in all of my subjects by putting in that little extra effort. I'd quite like the opportunity to study abroad in my third year, so this year really counts for me.

3. Be open to trying new things

In first year, I was definitely a little bit reserved to opening up and trying new things. I didn't join any societies or sports, and I was quite happy to just keep my head down and do my own thing. But this semester, I'm going to be more open to trying new and different things and try and put myself out there more.

4. Be more organised

It's no secret that I am a total stationary addict. I have countless notebooks, diaries etc all to try and help me be more organised, but to be honest, I end up using them for a week or two and then I somehow seem to just give up. So this year I plan to be better at organising my schedule and making sure that I leave plenty of time aside to get all of my work done and on time.

What are some of your goals for the year ahead?

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A New Chapter

As I am writing this post, I am currently sat up in bed with a cup of tea, still in my pyjamas. I've been pretty busy over the last couple of weeks, and a lot of exciting things have happened, so I thought I would write a bit of a chatty post this morning just to update you all.

I finally moved back to Stirling on Saturday, as I only have one week left until I go back to university for my second year. I'm actually quite excited about going back to university. I'm not entirely sure why, but I think it's because I have so many exciting things planned for over the next few months, and I'm also ready to get stuck back into my course again. Last year, I changed my degree to sociology and criminology, so I'm looking forward to starting the criminology part of my course. I'm also doing an extra business module on the side which I'm quite looking forward to trying. I had a lot of ups and downs at university last year, so I'm hopeful that this year will bring a lot more new experiences and happy memories. It sounds a bit cliché, but I feel like I'm about to start a whole new chapter of my life.

This weekend was the first time I had spent the night in my new flat, and it felt really surreal to me that I now rent my own little place. My mum helped me move the rest of my stuff in on Saturday, and I got so emotional when she left and went home. All of a sudden it hit me that I am actually on my own. Living alone doesn't scare me, but it hadn't felt real that I was moving out until that moment when my mum left my flat. All of my family seem to really like my flat, so I'm hoping that my family will come and visit me a little bit more over the next few months. As I lived in halls last year, they felt a little bit awkward when they came to see me. But now that I have my own space, they'll be able to come more often. 

Something else fairly exciting also happened last week. I now have my own domain name!! I've really been trying to put that little bit of extra effort into my blog lately, and I'm finally starting to see it paying off. So I thought why not purchase my own domain name, and move away from my blogspot domain. From now on, you will be viewing all of my posts at www.studentwanderer.co.uk! I'm going to keep trying to improve my blog, so if you have any feedback then please feel free to let me know.

Now that we're into September, it is officially my birthday month. In just under three weeks, I will be turning 19! I can't believe how quickly this past year has flown by, as it doesn't feel like that long ago since I was celebrating my 18th with all of my family and my old flatmates. I usually get really excited about birthdays, but for some reason, I'm not really about this one. I think it's because I'm in a really good place in my life at the moment, and I feel truly satisfied with everything around me. I just want to have a nice day with my friends and family.

During August, Jordan and I spent quite a lot of our time through in Edinburgh. We had so much fun exploring the Fringe festival, and even just the city itself. One of the highlights of my month was watching the fireworks at Edinburgh Castle on the closing night of the Fringe. They were just so incredible, and unlike anything I'd ever seen before. I've always loved Edinburgh as it is such a beautiful city, but during August I seemed to develop a greater appreciation for the city in a way that I hadn't before.

A lot has happened in my life recently, and I'm sort of enjoying all the changes! I'm excited to get started on my second year of university, but I'm also looking forward to being more independent and getting to do my own thing. Living on own was defintely the best decision for me, but it will also mean that I can see my family a lot more often too. It is also finally starting to feel more like Autumn now, which is my favourite season. Hopefully everything will go up from here, and I hope all of you have a lovely September, too.

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My First Fringe Festival Experience

I've lived in Scotland for just short of 10 years, and I'm ashamed to say that I'd never actually visited the Fringe before. There really is no excuse considering I live a mere 20 minute train journey away from Edinburgh. But last weekend, I finally got the chance to explore the festival, and I have to say, it was one of the best weekends I've had in a while! 

On Friday evening, Jordan and I had plans to go to the cinema (we went see Nerve and absolutely loved it, I'd defintely recommend it), but we had a few hours to kill before the film was due to start, so Jordan suggested checking out the Fringe. We headed to Cowgate as there seemed to plenty happening and we fancied seeing a show. The one that we saw was at The Three Sisters pub, or "The Free Sisters" as it is currently known for the Fringe. I can't remember what the show was called, but it was a comedy with 4 different comedians each taking the stage for around 10 minutes to showcase their talent and to entice us to go and see their individual shows. We sort of just stumbled upon this show, but we actually really enjoyed it and it was surprisingly funnier than I'd expected. 

Everywhere we walked there would be someone trying to hand us a flyer and get us into their show, which got a bit crazy in the busier parts of town. I was quite surprised at how many shows there actually were, and the range of different talent available to go and see. We then headed up towards the university as it had been transformed into the Gilded Balloon for the Fringe. There were also lots of food and drinks stalls up at the university where you could get things like crepes and waffles or pizza. I couldn't resist a crepe, so I got one filled with Nutella and strawberries. It was delicious, but Jordan refused to have any since he's on a major health kick, so I couldn't finish it all by myself! But I've been craving one ever since. Everywhere was just so busy, but it was really nice to see so many people appreciating the city and enjoying themselves.

On Sunday, Jordan and I decided to go back through to Edinburgh and explore the Fringe a little more. I'm pretty sure I must've walked about 100 miles over the course of the weekend, as Jordan had me walking from one end of the city to the other! We went for a really nice lunch at Revolution as were given a voucher by a lady stood outside the restaurant, and then Jordan wanted to show me the Pleasance as I'd never been before. It was actually really cool, with loads of string lights hanging from the top of the orange tent, and there was even a Prossecco Bar, but we didn't get anything to drink. There was loads of things for kids to do at the Pleasance so we didn't stay all that long. 

On our way back to George Square, we walked through the Meadows and I spotted a fun fair! I turn into such a child when I see the rides, and immediately dragged Jordan over to the fair so I could have a look. We ended up going on one of the rides as it looked like fun, but Jordan wasn't too sure and kept saying the funniest comments as it spun us around. We didn't stop laughing once! I haven't laughed that much in a long time. It sounds a bit lame, but that was one of my favourite moments of the weekend.

Once we made it back to George Square, we headed into the Underbelly. The huge floating purple cow was defintely intriguing. The Underbelly was full of bars and food stalls. The one that intrigued us was a giant tent called the "Hilton Hideaway". On the inside, everyone was sitting on cushions on the floor, and it had loads of Moroccan style lanterns hanging from the ceiling. Jordan and I love to travel, so we found this place really interesting. We only got one drink each,  but the tent had a really cool atmosphere so we stayed for a while.

That evening, Jordan had tickets to see The Showhawk Duo. His friend unfortunately couldn't make it, so as Jordan was really looking forward to it, I offered to go with him so he didn't miss out. The show was down in Cowgate again, so we headed down a little bit early to ensure we could get a good view. The Showhawk Duo take acoustic guitar playing to a whole other level by playing of mix of electronic dance music and trance classics. I wasn't sure what to expect of the show, but I have to say, I absolutely loved it! Jordan had showed me videos of the duo before, but they were so much better in person. They're no longer playing at the Fringe, but I'd defintely recommend searching them on YouTube. 

My first experience of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival was defintely a good one. I had so much fun wandering around all of the different venues and seeing a few shows. We had plans to see a few more, but plans unfortunately changed, so I'll defintely be going back next year to see a few more. The Fringe still has a few days left, so if you haven't been yet and you live close enough to visit, I'd definitely recommend checking it out whilst you still can. Jordan will be moving into Edinburgh in just over a weeks time, so I'll definitely be spending plenty of time at the Fringe next year! I'm already looking forward to it!

Have you been to the Fringe Festival this year?

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Why I'm Okay About Living On My Own

Yesterday morning, at 11am, I got the keys to my first ever flat. This is a huge step for me, but I'm so excited about it! Thankfully, my parents have been super supportive, and yesterday helped me heave all of my belongings up three fights of winding stairs. They're a lot fitter than me, that's for sure! But ever since I started telling people about my plans, and how I'll be living on my own, they always question my decision. Of course, I realise that its not necessarily the norm for an 18 year old student to choose to live by herself, but that's what people don't seem to understand. It's been entirely my choice.

I lived in halls of residence last year, and I really did enjoy the experience. But that's also when I realised that sharing my living space with numerous other people isn't really for me. I loved my flatmates, but I definitely need my own space. If you were having a bad day, everyone would know about it, and being a private person, that isn't something I enjoyed. The only personal space that I had was in my own room, but sometimes I felt a bit trapped. Which is one of the main reasons that I wanted my own flat.

Whilst living in halls, I learnt an awful lot about myself and the way that I feel about certain things. One thing that I learnt, is that I'm extremely independent. I enjoy making my own decisions and thinking for myself. Don't get me wrong, I'm not an unsociable person. I'll definitely have my friends and family over most evenings. 

Another perk of living on my own, is that everything will be mine, and will always look exactly how I left it. The thing that I hated the most about living in uni accommodation, was the constant mess. No matter how many times the kitchen was cleaned, it would only take a matter of hours before you could barely see the sink again. That's not something I can cope with again. Call me a clean freak, but I like knowing my tabletops aren't crawling with bacteria. It'll be nice to only have to clean up after myself for once.

But most of all, I'm excited for the responsibility that comes with having my independence. It might sound silly, but I've been truly enjoying setting everything up and buying my own homeware etc. Living alone can definitely be a struggle, especially financially, but I've got a great job that I love, which alongside my student loan, will definitely be enough to get me by. So hopefully this post has shown the people that think I'm too young to live by myself, that I really am capable of doing so, and that it's entirely my own choice.

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Kylie Lip Kits - Are They Worth The Hype?

I know I'm awfully late to the party with this, but last week, I finally got my hands on a couple of Kylie Lip Kits. I'd been skeptical as to whether to buy one of the kits or not, especially when taking into account the price of shipping. I'd been reading lots of reviews about them, and the opinions were pretty mixed. A lot of beauty bloggers had said that they weren't worth the slightly heavy price tag, but then everyone I know seems to really like them. But after my friend let me try one of hers, I was so impressed that I knew I wanted to buy one. As you probably all know, shipping to the UK is awfully expensive, so I thought that since I was paying for shipping, I might as well buy a second one at the same time. So I added Candy K and Mary Jo K to my basket, and eagerly waited for them to arrive.

My lip kits only took about 13 days to arrive, which I thought was really good considering they're coming from the US. I did, however, get hit with a £15 customs charge. I wasn't too bothered about that though as the man at the post office explained that the charge was purely just the tax and handling fee. 

I was really impressed with the way that the lip kits were packaged. However, I was awfully disappointed that I didn't get one of the cute little cards with a message from Kylie herself. As I'm sure everyone knows by now, the lip kits include a lip liner and a liquid lipstick. The lipsticks have a scent almost like strawberries and cream, which I really love about the product. Candy K is a dusky, almost darker pink colour, which is perfect for work or everyday wear. Mary Jo K is a true red, so I think it'll look gorgeous on a night out or if I'm wanting to dress up my make up a little bit.

That evening we had friends round for dinner, so I thought I'd put Mary Jo K to the test and see what it's staying power was like. It's a true red colour, so I had to be really careful when applying it not to end up looking like a clown with it all over my face. Now, I wasn't too impressed with this one as it kept sliding around whilst I was eating, so I was really conscious about it and had to keep wiping it away. This was a bit of a disappointment as I had such high hopes for them.

But the next day, I tried out Candy K and I honestly don't have a bad word to say about it! The colour is absolutely stunning, and could definitely be dressed up or down. The staying power of this one is also fantastic. I applied it before work one morning, and at the end of my shift almost 8 hours later, it was only just starting to fade. Now, I don't know about you, but I don't have many lipsticks that last long without going patchy or fading. Candy K definitely restored my faith in the Kylie Cosmetics range.

So, I'd definitely recommend giving them a try if you've been thinking about getting one. I think the colours are probably just a bit hit or miss, so maybe read some reviews before settling on one. For example, almost everyone I know/lots of bloggers have had bad experiences with Kourt K going patchy, so I think I'll probably avoid that one. But overall, I'd defintely recommend the Kylie Lip Kits, and I think I'd definitely like to try a few more colours from her range.

Tanya Bakes Review // Making Rocky Road

I've been watching Tanya Burr on YouTube for years now, and although she's had various beauty releases and a book in the past, it's never really been something that I've been excited to go out and buy.  However, when I found out that she was releasing a book all about baking, I couldn't wait to pick it up! When I was younger, I used to bake all the time with my Grandma, so it's always been something that I've enjoyed doing. Baking brings back such fond memories of my childhood, so it's something that I definitely need to make more time for. The cover of the book is beautiful, and definitely stands out amongst all other books on the shelves. The book retails for £16.99, but I managed to get mine for £8.50 in Asda. 

Tanya reveals all of her inspiration for the book in the first few pages, which gives the book a very personal touch. She even includes what she loves about each particular recipe, or why it means something special to her, at the start of almost every one. You can really get a sense of her personality throughout the book. Every recipe has a clear list of ingredients and fairly simple instructions, so the book really is for everyone.

The photography inside the book is beautiful, and Tanya herself looks stunning in all of the pictures. Every time I turned the page, there was another delicious looking recipe to drool over. All of the recipes look so tasty, and she has a whole variety of recipes ranging from a beginner level to a fairly more expert level, but I wouldn't say that any of the recipes seem hard to follow. The book is split into 8 sections; Cookies and Biscuits, Muffins, Cupcakes and Traybakes, Cakes and Loaves, Puddings, Pastry, Bread, Brunch and Special Occasions. I think my personal favourite is the cupcakes and traybakes section, as it is filled with super simple recipes that would be fun to make if you had friends over one evening. 

Whilst flicking through the book, I decided to try and make something pretty quick and easy, so what better than Rocky Road! Tanya's book includes a super simple recipe, that only takes 15 minutes to prepare. Of course, the picture of Tanya's rocky road in her book looked an awful lot better than mine turned out, but I was really impressed with how easy it was to make. Tanya's recipe uses only dark chocolate, so I was a little bit worried that it might be too bitter, but it actually turned out to be really nice! It was, however, extremely rich tasting, so once piece is definitely enough to satisfy any cravings. I'd recommend giving it a try though if you're looking for something simple to try first.

I'd definitely recommend picking up Tanya Bakes if you enjoy baking or have a bit of a sweet tooth. The pictures inside really do give the book that little extra touch, and it breaks the recipes down in a way that make it easy to follow. I'll definitely be trying out more of the recipes, so look out for some baking posts on my blog in the near future! 

Have you bought Tanya Bakes yet? What are some of your favourite recipes?

My Month In Photos // June

This month has been pretty hectic, but I've loved it! So many things have happened this month, such as going on holiday and celebrating Jordan's 20th birthday. I love reading other people's monthly round up posts, so I thought I'd try one myself. It'll be nice to look back at it in a few months and remember all the fun things I did.

By far the highlight of June was going on holiday. Jordan and I went to Tenerife for a week at the start of the month, and we had the best time. Everything went to plan, and we were able to fit so many fun things into our time away. I'll always have special memories of this holiday since it was the first proper holiday Jordan and I had taken together. I did a whole blog post about our holiday, which you can check out here.

The highlight of our holiday was definitely the day we spent at Siam Park. I've been to plenty of waterparks on family holidays before, but this one was amazing. All of the slides were great fun, and we managed to get on all of them before we had to leave. My favourite slide was Singha, which is the park's newest slide. I also loved the wave pool (I know, I'm such a child) and made Jordan stay in it for ages with me. 

The first few weeks of June treated us to some very nice weather, so my best friends and I decided to go for a picnic. We drove to Linlithgow and found a really nice spot next to the palace. We even did a bit of baking. As you can probably tell, Jordan and I aren't the best when it comes to baking, but our brownies tasted so much better than they looked. I love spending hot summer days with my friends, so I had a really nice time that day.

I also attended my first blogger event this month. I'd never been to one before, so I was fairly nervous. The event was organised by Ruth Whyte, and was held at the White Stuff store on George Street in Edinburgh, where we were treated to some Prosecco and cake. Lots and lots of cake. I met some really lovely bloggers at the event, including Emma from Emma Langlands, and Xandra from Heroine Training. You should definitely check out their blogs if you haven't already. 

This month I finished reading 'Me Before You' and I really enjoyed it. It was a total tear jerker with such a shocking ending. After finishing the book I couldn't wait to see the film, so Jordan and I went to see it on Saturday night. I thought the film was an okay adaption from the book, but I was a little disappointed with some of the parts they'd left out. I hadn't told Jordan anything about the story or the book, so he couldn't stop crying when it came to the ending. I'd recommend going to see it if you have the chance.

June was a really good month for me, and I can't wait to see what July has in store. 

Did you get up to much in June? Or do you have anything special planned for July?

Review // Benefit Brow Bar

I think it's fair to say that over the past few months, I've neglected my eyebrows quite a lot. I've always been far too much of a wimp to pluck them myself, so I just kept filling them in and hoping that no one would notice how bad they were. But it's less than two weeks time now until I go on holiday, so I thought it was about time I got my eyebrows sorted.

Last week, whilst doing some last minute holiday shopping, I decided to pop into my local Benefit to see if they had any appointments available. I've heard so many positive things about the Benefit Brow Bar so I was eager to try it out for myself. They do a whole variety of different treatments, such as upper lip waxing, brow waxing and even eyelash applications. I decided that I just wanted to get my brows waxed and tinted, and I can't even explain how impressed I was with the results. I've only ever had them waxed before, so the tinting made a real difference and I was really impressed with the shape that they managed to create with my brows. They use a technique called 'brow mapping' to create the ideal brow shape for you based on your other facial features. The whole process took about twenty minutes, but I felt like they really focused on making my eyebrows look exactly how I wanted them. When the beauty expert applied the tint, she made sure that I was happy with the colour before continuing, and continued to do so until she was finished. I really appreciated that as I've had a few eyebrow disasters in the past that I wasn't exactly eager to repeat.

The only downside to the Benefit Brow Bar is that it can be quite a lot pricier than your typical eyebrow waxing would usually be, especially if you're on a student budget like me. It cost me £19.50 to have mine waxed and tinted, which I was a little bit taken aback by at first, but I was so happy with the results that I definitely think it's worth splurging that little bit extra if you have the money. The lady that did my eyebrows also said that during May, they were donating £12.80 from every wax and tint to charity as part of the "bold is beautiful" campaign, and in return they gave me a free full size 'Gimme Brow' (worth £18.50). Overall, I was super impressed with the Benefit Brow Bar, and I'd definitely recommend giving it a try if you have a counter near you.

Have you ever tried the Benefit Brow Bar? What did you think of it?

10 Fun Date Ideas

Even after having been in a relationship for a while, I still get excited about going on dates together. I know that thinking of unique ideas for things to do together, whether it be your first date or your twentieth, can sometimes be a bit tricky. So here are some of the things that I think would be fun to do for a date:

1. Go for a picnic 

Now that we're finally into summer, a picnic would be the perfect way to spend a sunny day! You can spend the day together lying on a nice big blanket and eating a delicious spread of your favourite food and drinks. Of course, this doesn't have to be just the two of you. You could go with a group of friends, which might make you feel more at ease if you and your partner are still getting to know each other.

2. Go for breakfast

This is a bit different than just going for dinner. It's a lot more casual, and can also be a lot cheaper if you're on a bit of budget. I absolutely love going out for breakfast!

3. Explore somewhere new

I think this would be a really fun way to spend the entire day together. Is there somewhere you've always wanted to visit? Or why not just jump on a train and see where it takes you? You could go together and spend the day wandering around and exploring. You never know what you might find, and in a few years time, you can go back for a visit and remember what a nice time you had.

4. Go to your favourite bar/restaurant 

Do you know a bar that does really good cocktails? You could introduce your partner to some of your favourite places to eat or drink, and it will also help them get to know a little bit more about some of the things that you like. Going for a drink is also a good way to ease any first date nerves, however, I obviously don't recommend getting completely drunk if this is your first time meeting someone...

5. Go to the theatre

This one is a little bit different to the typical "dinner and a movie" date. A theatre show would be a good idea for a first or second date if you're still getting to know each other and you get a little bit nervous trying to make conversation. I would recommend seeing something lighthearted, like a musical or a comedy, but it would also give you plenty to talk about after the show.

6. Go to the zoo or aquarium

I would love to go on a date to the zoo! It would be so much fun wandering around, looking at all of the animals. A fun date like this would also give you lots to talk about if you're still getting to know each other.

7. Go to a concert

If you have any mutual interests in a particular band or type of music, it could be fun to go and see them in concert together. The feeling you get at a gig or concert when your favourite artist comes on stage is unlike any other, so it would be really special to share that moment together. 


8. Stargazing

You could go for a walk or climb a hill, and then once you get to the top, you can wait for the sun to set and watch the stars as they light up the sky! How romantic is that?

9. Go to the beach

If it's a nice sunny day, why not pack up your things and head to the beach for the day? You could go for ice cream, wander along the sea front, or even go for fish and chips! If only it was sunnier more often in Scotland, then I would absolutely love to do this.

10. Have your own movie night

If you're on a bit of tighter budget, or you just fancy a cosy night in together, then this is the one for you! You could put on your favourite film, grab some tasty snacks and cuddle under a blanket. This one can be as romantic as you please, but it can also be super chilled if you just want to relax and spend some together.

18 Things I've Learnt in 18 Years

Over the last few months, I feel like I've learnt quite a lot of valuable life lessons. It's been a tough few months, I'm not going to lie, but I've made my way through it and now I'm in a good place. So for this post, I thought I'd share just 18 things that I've learnt in my 18 years of life.

1. If people want to be in your life they will make the effort! Since moving to Stirling, it has been a common occurrence for people to say that they will come and visit me, yet they never do. It's always me that is expected to make the effort. It's taken me a while to realise that friendship works both ways, and that there has to be an equal effort from both sides for the friendship to work.

2. Manners and kindness cost nothing! This is a lesson that working in retail has definitely taught me. My parents always brought me up to be polite, but working in retail shows you just how rude some people can be.

3. Before you can let someone love you, you must first love yourself. If you hate everything about yourself, how you can allow someone else to be completely in love with you? You need to firstly accept who you are, and accept all of your flaws, before you can let someone else do that for you.

4. Always appreciate your parents and the things that they do for you! My Mum and Dad would do anything for me, no questions asked. They do everything they can to make sure that I am happy, and I truly appreciate what they do for me.

5. As annoying as it is, your parents are usually right

6. It's okay to want to help people, but always make time for yourself, too

7. Some people won't like you, but that's okay! This is one that I've had to learn the hard way, especially over the past few months. Of course, knowing that someone doesn't like you can make you feel bad about yourself, but at the end of the day, who really cares what they think.

8. Always do the things that you enjoy, regardless of what other people think

9. It's not selfish to put yourself first sometimes! I'm the type of person that would much rather do things for other people than for myself. I love seeing that the people I love are happy, but I often forget that sometimes, I need to be too.

10. Don't let people walk all over you and treat you like dirt

11. It's okay to change direction! I still have no idea what career what I want to pursue once I finish university, but that's okay. You don't need to have your entire life completely planned out, as you never know what might happen one day.

12. Don't be afraid to ask for help when you feel lost! I've always been quite independent and I like to do things by myself, but this can sometimes be to my detriment. If you need help, always ask for it. Don't struggle with something just because you're too proud to show your softer side.

13. Apologising is a strength, not a weakness

14. People will always have their opinions, but you don't have to agree with them! But by the same token, other people do not have to agree with your opinions. Never push your ideas and opinions on to others.

15. When you have the chance to start over, always give it your all

16. Don't be afraid to be on your own! I love having some time to myself, but I sometimes have too much of it and I tend to get a bit lonely. But over the past few months I've realised that it's okay to go and get a coffee by yourself or to go and get something to eat.

17. People change

18. Losing someone that you love will be one of the hardest things you ever have to deal with

An Open Letter To My Grandma

On the 4th of February 2014, my Grandma sadly passed away. She was diagnosed with cancer just 11 months before, and those few short months were the quickest of my life. My Grandma was one of the most important people in my life, and her lack of presence in my life is something I still struggle with every day. Our relationship was truly special. My Grandma would've done absolutely anything for me, and she taught me so many valuable lessons about life. This post is particularly personal for me, and I debated about whether to publish it or not. But my Grandma was a wonderful lady, and my blog is a place where I express a lot about what's happening in my life, so that's why I'm choosing to upload this.

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Dear Grandma,

It's been a couple of years now since the last time we were together. I can't believe it's been that long. It feels like only yesterday that I was by your side, holding your hand and wishing that things were different. A lot has happened over the last two years. If only you could see for yourself how much I've changed and grown up. Every day, something new happens that I want to call you up and tell you about. It breaks my heart not being able to do that, but I know that you're watching over me and helping me along the way.


As soon as I turned 17, I started learning to drive! I know that you were so excited for me to start my lessons. It was all thanks to you and Grandad for saving up all that money for me and buying my lessons for my birthday. I can't thank you enough for that! Less than 9 months later I passed my test and was on the road all by myself, if only you could've been here to see me.

I finished high school with pretty good grades and managed to get an unconditional offer for the University of Stirling. I got off to a bit of a rocky start at university, but now that I have changed my degree, I'm so much happier. You'd absolutely love the campus! There's so much wildlife and a beautiful loch that you would have loved to wander around. I've just finished my first year, and whilst it's been quite an eventful few months, I couldn't have done it without you and Grandad. I know that you had been saving for my tuition fees since I was only a baby, but since I don't need to pay for my fees in Scotland, it went towards my rent. In order to repay you, I will make sure that I do my very best and try as hard as I can to hopefully finish university with a first in my degree.

Christmases and birthdays aren't the same without you. I miss your Christmas dinners and the huge chocolate cake that you always used to make me for my birthday. My mum makes Christmas dinner now, and she does an amazing job, but I think we all miss your presence around the table. I wish you'd been here to celebrate my 18th birthday with me. It was a pretty big milestone in my life. We all went for dinner as a family though, Grandad too, and I had a great time. Everyone made it super special for me.

I think that's pretty much everything that I wanted to tell you. I miss you more and more every day, and it breaks my heart that you aren't here to witness all the amazing changes that have been happening in my life recently. Sometimes it hits me that you won't see me graduate or be at my wedding, and you won't get to meet my future children. That always makes me tear up when I think about things like that. My goal in life is just to make you proud, and I really hope that you are. There has been a huge gap in my life since you left. The relationship that you and I had was unlike any other. You were always there for me, and I felt like you truly understood me. You taught me how to be the best that I could be, and I value every moment and memory that we had together.

I love you with all of my heart.
Jade x

Review // Palmer's Cocoa Butter Moisturisers

I'm ashamed to admit that since starting university, I've become a little bit lazy when it comes to moisturising and skin care. However, it's only a few weeks now until I go on holiday, and I don't want to have scaly looking legs whilst I'm sunbathing. So I decided that I needed to do something about it. Whilst wandering around Boots trying to find some sort of miracle worker, I noticed that a large number of the Palmer's range were on offer. When I was younger, my mum would always use one of their moisturisers, so I was fairly familiar with the brand. I decided upon their Coconut Oil Body Lotion and their Natural Bronze Gradual Tanning Moisturiser. I was really impressed with the effects that both products had and I honestly can't recommend them enough.

Natural Bronze Gradual Tanner Spray Lotion

I've always been a fan of gradual tanning moisturisers. They're perfect for giving me a healthy 'sun kissed' glow whenever I'm feeling a bit ghostlike. Last year, my go-to gradual tanner was the Dove Summer Glow Moisturiser which comes in two different shades, however I felt like it could often be fairly streaky. So when I saw that this one was on offer in Boots, I thought I might as well give it a try. The product comes in a continuous spray bottle which makes it easy to apply for even coverage, and the product quickly absorbs into the skin. It is full of natural ingredients, such as pure Cocoa Butter, Vitamin E and Coconut Oil, which are fantastic for the skin. Not only does it give a really subtle glow to the skin, but it also leaves my skin feeling silky and soft. However, I think my favourite thing about this product is the smell. It has a gorgeous chocolatey scent that I just can't get enough of every time I apply it. I even put it on Jordan so that he could appreciate how good the scent was!

Coconut Oil Body Lotion

The main reason that I bought this product was to help get some moisture back in my skin, as it was starting to feel really dry. Which is obviously not a good look when you went to get your legs out. The Coconut Oil Body Lotion is supposed to provide 24 hour moisture, which I definitely felt like it did. I apply the lotion after a shower and give it a few minutes to soak in before getting dressed again, but it definitely isn't sticky and it applies really well. The lotion is made from completely ethically sourced ingredients, such as Coconut Oil and Tahitian Monoi Oil, and is infused with Tiaré flower petals. It also has a really natural coconut scent that isn't over powering. I'll definitely be taking this body lotion on holiday with me to rehydrate my skin after long days in the sun. I would definitely recommend this product if, like me, you suffer from particularly dry skin.

What are some of your favourite moisturisers? Do you have any recommendations?

Holiday Clothes on a Budget

It's less than a month until Jordan and I go on holiday and I seriously cannot wait. This will be the first time that I've been on holiday without my parents, and it's really shocked me just how expensive it is for one week in the sun. I've been trying to get as many of my holiday clothes as I can within my budget, and I've done pretty well so far as I still have some clothes from last year that I can take. All of my shopping has been done at Asos, Primark and Boohoo, which are my favourite places to buy clothes. Of course I will be taking much more than this on holiday, but I thought for this post that I would show you some of what I've been buying to maybe give you some inspiration if you're going on holiday anytime soon!

Boohoo

Most of the pieces that I bought from boohoo were for me to wear in the evenings when we go for dinner and things like that. I was really impressed with some of the things they had online this year. As you can probably tell, I absolutely love anything off the shoulder, I just think it is so feminine and will look great with a tan. Everything from boohoo is so affordable, so I'd definitely recommend it if you're on a budget.

Kate Full Lace Midi Skirt - £15

Zoe Paisley Print Off Shoulder Playsuit - £12

Helen Off The Shoulder Playsuit - £15

Lucy Stripe Ribbed Bodysuit - £14

Tamsin Off Shoulder Skater Dress - £15

Anne Coin Back Sundress - £15

Ella Front Ruffle Cold Sleeve Maxi Dress - £18

Primark

Primark is always a favourite when it comes to shopping on a budget. I didn't buy an awful lot in there this year, but some of their new swimwear is gorgeous. I fell in love with the white swimsuit that I bought. It has an open back and is quite revealing across the front as it ties behind the neck. I think it looks so much more expensive than it actually was.

White Swimming Costume - £15

Black Bikini Top - £12

Lace Hem Denim Shorts - £12

Red Geometric Print Drawstring Joggers - £8

Asos

Last but not least is Asos. I didn't buy much at all from Asos this year, but I fell in love with the sunglasses that I bought and really wanted to include them in this post.

AJ Morgan Exclusive Round Sunglasses With Flowers - £15

*If you see anything that you like, just click the picture and it will take you directly to the item. The only things I couldn't link were from Primark as they do not have a website for online shopping yet.

I do not own any of the pictures included in this blog post