Things I've Learnt in 2016

I can't believe it is already the first day of 2017! Time just seems to be flying by, and this past year has certainly been an eventful one. Looking back at what my life was like a year ago, it's quite crazy to see just how different things are simply one year later. A lot changed in 2016, including myself, but I genuinely feel like it was a good year overall. There's been a lot of ups and downs, but I'm thankful for all of the support from my amazing friends and family.

I definitely feel like I learnt a lot of important life lessons last year. From moving out and getting my own flat, to having people walk in and out of my life, to even just starting my second year of university, I've definitely had a lot of growing up to do. However, I feel like everything I've experienced over the last 12 months has made me a much stronger and better person overall, and I can't wait to see what 2017 will have in store for me.

1. Being an adult is extremely confusing and expensive! 
 Now I understand where my parents were coming from when they told me to enjoy my youth and not take things for granted.

2. Not everyone will like you, and that's okay! Know your worth.
No matter what you do, you just can't please some people. There's no point trying to change who you are because, in the long run, it probably won't be worth it.

3. My parents are usually right. 
It might have taken me almost 20 years to realise this, but it's definitely true. I'm not sure how they do it, but they always know the right things to do and say, and I don't know how I'd have coped this year without them.

4. Heartbreak is a real thing. 

5. Self-confidence is important.
Cue the cliché; but one of the most important things I've learnt this year is that in order for other people to believe in you, you must first believe in yourself. This is something that I still struggle with, but I think I'm definitely getting better.

6. Everything happens for a reason.
This one was more of a harsh reality than a lesson to be honest. However, I now truly believe that everything happens the way that it does in order to lead us on to the next stage in our lives.

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Home Sweet Home

The past two weeks have been extremely hectic for me. What with finishing the semester at university, studying for exams and then working crazy hours at work, I haven't had an awful lot of time for myself. I'd been counting down the days until Christmas Eve, but not for the same reason as most people! It was simply because I couldn't wait to finish work and spend a few well needed days at home with my family. The last time I was home for longer than one night was back in September, so I've defintely missed all of my old home comforts.

One of my favourite things about Christmas and this time of year is having all of my family together. It's not very often that I get to see my extended family as they all live in England, so Christmas means we all get to see each other and spend some quality time together. My Grandad had also come to stay with us for a few days, so it was lovely to spend some time with him as I really don't get to see him as often as I'd like too.

One of the things I miss the most about living at home has to be my mum's cooking. I definitely think I took it for granted before, my own cooking just doesn't even compare to hers! Being home for Christmas meant one thing - the Christmas dinner! And my mum certainly went to town, making wayyy to much food and having enough left over to feed another small family. I've eaten more food over the last few days than I even want to comprehend, but I suppose it's only Christmas once a year. The thought of going back to Stirling and having to cook for myself again is actually making me quite sad!

My Mum is definitely my best friend, so I was looking forward to spending some quality time together. The last few weeks have left me feeling pretty stressed out, so phone calls from my Mum have been one of the only things that have kept me feeling relatively sane. My head has been a little bit all over the place too recently, so it's been nice to offload and hear her advice about things. It's taken me over nineteen years, but now I understand what people mean when they say Mum's know best!

My family really do mean the world to me, and it's at times like these that I feel really lucky to have them. One of the things that I've learnt over the past couple of years is to fully appreciate the moment and everyone around you, as you never know when things might change. This Christmas has been one of my favourites, simply because of how relaxed and chilled it's been, and I now feel ready to face everything that I have coming up over the next few weeks.

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'Get To Know Me' Tag: 21 Questions

The past few days have been pretty hectic, as I have now finished all my classes and only have my coursework and exam left to do! Unfortunately, the next few weeks are going to be extremely busy for me as I prepare for my exams and get ready to move back home. I can't believe how quickly my first year of university has gone by! So for this post, I thought I would do the "get to know me" tag, as I never really write very much about my personal life on here and I thought it would be nice to tell you guys a little bit about me.

1. Are you named after anyone? Not that I know of! When I was born, my mum was initially going to call me Amber, but for some reason she settled for 'Jade'. I think she must have had a thing for colours!

2. When was the last time you cried? A few days ago during a stressful conversation.

3. Do you have kids? No I don't.

4. If you were another person, would you be a friend of yourself? I'd like to think so! I always try to be kind to everyone, so I'd like to think that I would like to be friends with myself.

5. Do you use sarcasm a lot? Probably more than the average person.

6. Will you ever bungee-jump? I'm not too sure about this one! I like to try new things, but the thought of throwing myself off a bridge doesn't really appeal to me.

7. What’s your favourite cereal? I don't really like cereal, but I'd have to say Coco Pops!

8. What’s the first thing you notice about people? It might sound silly, but I'm a really good judge of character, so I can usually tell as soon as I meet someone whether we're going to get on or not. 

9. What is your eye colour? Sometimes they're blue and sometimes they're green.

10. Scary movie or happy endings? It really depends on the film! I love a scary movie if it has a good story line, but I'm also a sucker for a good happy ending! Overall though, I'd probably have to go for scary movies.

11. Favourite smells? The smell of my boyfriend's Hollister aftershave. It always makes me feel comforted whenever I hug him and he's wearing it.

12. Summer or winter? Definitely Summer! I'm always in a much better mood when it's sunny outside.

13. Computer or television? Computer! I'm always on my laptop and I barely ever watch TV nowadays.

14. What’s the furthest you’ve ever been from home? Probably when I went to Florida with my family.

15. Do you have any special talents? Not that I know of. I really wish I did though!

16. Where were you born? I was born in Germany.

17. What are your hobbies? Other than binge-watching multiple TV series' on Netflix, I don't really have any.

18. Do you have any pets? I have a rabbit, but I really want a puppy.

19. Favourite movie? Love Actually, Matilda, Titanic and Just Go With It.

20. Do you have any siblings? Yes - I have a younger brother.

21. What do you want to be when you grow up? Successful! I have no idea what job I want to do, but I really want to be successful. I'd also love a job that enables me to travel the world.