Let's Chat How I've Really Felt

I started this blog about 2 years ago with the idea that I could document my life as I entered my 20s to share the good the bad and the ugly sides of growing up, sharing tips and tricks along the way.  I have always loved doing it and over the past few months in particular, I have found it a HUGE help in distracting my mind from the crazy situation we are in and I hope it helped do this for others as well, even if it was for only a few minutes. 

However,  I do feel with blogs and social media, people can get lost in what is really going on and what people really feel.  Just because that is what you see or read, doesn’t mean it is the whole truth.  I mean do you really think for the past three months I woke up every day and had a full face of makeup on, a cute outfit and went on a run every day..... no chance haha! The thing to remember with a lot of social media and blogs is that people share what they want you to see, including me. 

You may have noticed that I have not spoken much about the current situation and if I’m honest it’s because I didn’t know what to say....I didn’t want to think about it.... I was in my little bubble of baking, reading and sunbathing in the garden, so that is what I shared with you.  I guess you could say I was distracted and trying not to think about what was going on outside my front door and in a way I wanted to help distract some of you from all of the crazy.

For us in the UK this week in particular has seen lockdown restrictions ease.  As this has happened, I have found myself reflecting on the past 3 months.  Like I said before, I started this blog as a way to document my life and share this with you in the hope that it helps some of you whether that be with tips, recommendations or even to reassure you that you are not alone.  With that being said,  I wanted to share with you how I really felt during lockdown and how I am feeling now we are coming out. So, grab a cuppa tea and a biscuit.... this could get deep!

When the virus first began to hit the UK, I remember feeling very scared and anxious as people began to panic, supermarket shelves were bare, restaurants were empty and retail shops closed their doors. It all seemed to happen so fast and I couldn’t wrap my head around what was going on.  When we first went into lockdown, I remember leaving my office at work a few days prior thinking we would be back to work after a few weeks. I remember seeing my boyfriend saying we would see each other soon thinking we would be reunited in a few weeks.  Not once did I think 3 months later and I would still not be back in the office and only allowed just allowed to see my boyfriend.  I was upset and frustrated that this was happening and I had no control over it.  That along with the fear of the unknown did not help my anxiety.  After spending the first week in bed in tears, I finally decided I had to get up and do something to distract myself.  So, I kept myself in a little bubble where I would bake, paint my nails, sun bathe and work on my blog and Instagram.

Some may think I’m crazy when I say this, but once I got myself out of this dark place I did enjoy being in my little bubble.  I got to do things I don’t normally have time for and I liked that I had more time to focus on me. I learnt a lot about myself and those I love and there are many things I would like to continue doing now we are coming out of lockdown.

When I say I was enjoying time in my little bubble, that isn’t to say I wasn’t aware of what was going on outside my house.  I found myself almost addicted to the news watching it every day at 5pm to see what announcements came finding my tummy tighten more as the days went on.  I couldn’t and still can’t believe how surreal this whole this was and still is.  At times I still find myself asking if I am dreaming.   I did have my bad days, we all did!  I found distance from my boyfriend difficult, I lost a family member and my job. There were times where I found myself focusing on the negatives and had days where I didn’t get up and didn’t do anything. But I have tried not to let those feelings consume me, and I tell myself to have the down day (get it out my system) then I picked myself up and get on with it trying to focus on the positives.

If I’m being 100% honest I think I have found coming out of lockdown harder than going into it. I was very anxious about the whole idea as I knew things would not be the same but I didn’t know what to expect. When first seeing people for social distancing meet-ups it did feel very strange at first, but we soon forgot why we were sat 2 metres apart and just accepted it as conversation and laughter filled the air. It took a few trips to shops to get used to the new normal of queuing, one way systems, masks and sneeze screens.  But as the days have gone on, I have found myself doing things such as 2 metre social distancing, queuing and hand sanitising without even thinking about it - so I guess you could say I am getting used to the new normal.  

This whole thing still isn’t over and anxiety with the fear of the unknown is still there, some days better than others.  But I am trying to take each day as it comes as that is all we can do right now.  I have learnt to accept that not every day is going to be great and that is okay.  We all experience things differently.  So, I just wanted to be honest with you all and let you know what has really been going on the past few months as Instagram and past blog posts are just a snippet of my life.  We all have our good and bad days surrounding the current situation and that is okay. I hope this post has helped some of you, I am always here for a chat if you need!

How I Spend Reading Week

I have been crazy busy lately with university, work and other commitments so have not been able to post as much as I'd have wanted to. Over reading week, I planned to write a lot more posts for you all, however that isn't quite what happened. So, instead I thought I would share with you what I did get up to this past week off uni. 

Looking back on past reading weeks, I have found each year they mean something different. In my first year, reading week was about going home to see family and friends and tell them about all the amazing things I had been up to over the past two months. Reading week in second year for me was about having a break, and in some ways working to earn extra money for the months to come. This year, I feel reading week has been about the future.

One thing I did over the past week was to read and work on my assignments. I treated it is a period where I could gather the bits and pieces together and get my work back on track for the next term. I did this by continuing to wake up fairly early, allowing a little bit of a lie-in (after all it is still a holiday!) and cracking on with work straight away. I gave myself regular breaks where I could do things I actually wanted to do such as watching a new tv series and online shopping (where I add everything to my basket and never buy any of it haha!).

Another thing I did over the weekend was take on a few more hours at work. By doing so, not only have my skills there improved (as I only started at the end of September) but I have also got a little extra pocket money for pay day which I plan to save for any future plans.

No matter what year you are in, reading week is the perfect opportunity to take on some work experience! This week I had the chance to work with an amazing wedding and events planner and had a blast! I learnt so much and got to meet some amazing people. I have even been given the chance to work with her again and can’t wait!

I also took this chance to get on top of every day chores such as washing and cleaning the house ready for the next term. Something that only takes a few minutes but makes a huge difference!

I hope you found this interesting and maybe it will help you when planning your next reading week.

10 Tips for students

Having been at university for two years now, I feel I have learnt a great deal of tips and tricks for students that I thought you ought to know.

Tip 1: Be open minded to meeting new people – By this, I simply mean don’t judge a book by its cover. This is especially key in first year when trying to make friends and moving into student accommodation. Whilst being at university, you will meet people from all different countries and backgrounds that range across all ages. Even in my third year, I am still meeting new people. Long story short, is someone who you may think looks quite scary or weird even, could turn out to be a great friend who you keep for life.

Tip 2: Be open minded to trying new things – When I came to uni, it felt like a fresh start for me to try new things. You can interpret this how you want, but for me it meant trying new sports (such as cheerleading), volunteering for events and applying for jobs I normally may have avoided in the past.

Tip 3: Use all resources given to you – We are paying a lot of money (around £9,000 a year!). So why not make the most of it! I know a lot of resources can be accessed online but things like the library can be a great resource to use when writing assignments. The Academic Skills Centre or similar can be amazing for checking any work or helping understand assignment briefs and is a resource I can highly recommend! I am lucky that my university has a centre for helping students apply for jobs along with so many other resources to help you not just whilst at uni, but also after.

Tip 4: Know your deadlines – This sounds like such a crazy thing to advise but I do know people who forgot their deadlines or got the day wrong and got into a right pickle. So, get organised early, know when your work is due and don’t leave it all to the last minute just in case!

Tip 5: Read, Read, Read – You may be sick and tired of hearing your lectures say this in your first and second year. But now I am in my third year, I can honestly say this will save your life when it comes to writing your assignments. Without reading, you have no resources to back up your points and can’t get a good grade. Some people will read this and think “I don’t have to do this until third year,” but if you get into the habit of doing it on your first ever assignment, when it comes to your dissertation, you will be a pro and essay writing will be easy.

Tip 6: Always make two copies – I find having a copy of your work on a laptop and a memory stick means if one gets lost or deleted by accident, at least you have a spare. You could even have a paper copy too if you prefer!

Tip 7: Not always perfect – First years especially should know that your first ever draft of an assignment is not going to be perfect. The change from college to university can be quite a big jump as the style of writing is completely different. Don’t panic if your first draft isn’t the way you want it. You can write as many as you want! This is where you need to combine this tip with that of 3 and 4 where if you start early, you can do this and use the resources provided by the uni to help improve. I have found that coming back after the holidays, even after 2 years of essay writing can affect my writing as it takes a while to get back into it.

Tip 8: Get yourself out there – I have only recently learnt the importance of this one but it is something I am going to try and do this year. By getting your name out there, it can give you more opportunities to meet new people and stand out. No matter what industry you are in, I strongly believe that it is not all about what you know, but who you know. So, volunteer for everything from student rep to a marketing opportunity to a chance to work in your dream industry. This could even be trying your hardest during first and second year so you stand out to future employers and lecturers ready for third year. Don’t hold back and go for it!

Tip 9: Mind food – I have found that quick easy to eat on the go snacks are a life saver at uni to give me a bit of brain food between lectures when I am feeling a bit run down. I love go ahead bars, Nature Valley honey and oats bars and of course you can’t beat a cheeky chocolate bar or cake! A bottle of water is also a good shout as there is nothing worse than being in a lecture theatre with a headache.

Tip 10: Make every moment count – Again, this is something I have learnt more now I am going into my final year, but something I will never forget. University flies by- this is no understatement. Yes, there are the odd days that drag, but the year as a whole goes way too quick! Therefore, I suggest you make every day count. As much as you should try and focus on your work, remember to have fun and create as many memories as possible. You may not have this opportunity again.

I hope you have found these tips useful. I was very nervous when starting uni, so little tips like this were helpful and I hope they will help some of you too. If you have any tips or tricks you have learnt whilst being at university please share them in the comments!

Here it goes...

I have been thinking about writing a blog for some time now and I have been told I would be quite good at it. So, when the chance came up to write a blog for my university I jumped at the opportunity and I soon found a new passion!

Having done this for the past year, I thought even more about setting up my own blog. However, I am an over thinker who gets rather nervous about these sort of things. After getting some encouragement from friends, family and my university, I decided, why not!

If you don't take the risk, you will never know what could have been. Sometimes I think you have to take the chance while you can, to do the things you love.  It can be scary and if you are anything like me, you will have thought about every possible thing that could go wrong. However, I also try to think about all the possible things that could go right! Let's face it, there is a 50/50 chance of it going right or wrong.

So why not just go for it!

If you feel strongly about taking a risk whether it be moving house, a new job or completing a challenge like a marathon, you should just do it! Yes, the thought of it will make your stomach flip at first, but when you start to progress or even better succeed, the feeling will be unimaginable!

I know not all risks pay off. You may not succeed and get that amazing feeling. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try it. If you don't do it, you will never know what could have been and may regret it.

I have often been one to avoid trying anything too new and have followed the flow of the crowd taking what could be seen as the easy road. This is okay to do sometimes and if that makes you happy, carry on. However, I have felt this has meant I haven't stepped out of my comfort zone and taken that risk.

But now, I have decided to take a chance, buy the car, go on that holiday, start a blog and do so many more things I normally would have thought twice about. I have decided to just go for it and if it goes wrong, oh well, I tried and if it goes right, that's great!

I'm not saying I am never going to follow the flow and take what can be seen as the easy road. I am simply saying it's okay to do those things, but if you want to do more don't be afraid to step out and do what you want. Remember, its your life, don't be scared to try something new. Stop worrying about what could go wrong and think.... what could go right?

That is exactly what I am doing by starting this blog.

So, here it goes....