I have just finished my first week back at university and, although I know most people will have already begun this academic year, I thought I would write a little post about starting university for the first time.
For most people it is the first time you will have lived away from home, the first time you will have to cook for yourself, the first time in a new city, the first time meeting such a huge group of new people and the first time studying on a university course. That is a lot of firsts and it can be really daunting, but also incredibly exciting! So here are a few tips:

1. Enjoy your first week. It may sound obvious but everyone is in the same boat. Don't be afraid to speak to people and make friends. There will be people in that you meet in the first week who you will be friends with for the rest of uni, and others who you may never really talk to again. Go out, experience what the city/town you're in has to offer because this is one of the few times you have absolutely no work to do!

Try and avoid sticking your tongue out in photos, it's not a good look..

2. Join sports clubs and societies. Try out new things. Go and sign up for that sport you've never heard of before! You never know until you try it out. Usually during freshers most clubs offer free or cheap taster sessions so there really is no reason not too. It's also another great way to meet people in different years and on different course and provides some of the best social nights of the year!

3. Don't go crazy on your first supermarket shop. I can promise that you won't need 6 different types of spices and there is not enough room in the cupboards for 5 packets of pasta! The temptation is there when you do your first own shop but my best advice is write a list when you go shopping and stick to it.

4. Actually attend your lectures and workshops. Self motivation is key at university. And it is so easy to not go to things if you're feeling a bit hungover or sleepy. But they really are valuable and the best way to learn what you need for your course. If you do go, try not to sleep through them..

5. Make use of your library and uni working spaces. I didn't do this until the end of my first year and wish I had done it earlier! There is space to work all over most uni campuses and you will soon find somewhere that suits you. Being away from your desk in your room means that there are fewer distractions. You can't get up and make some toast in the middle of writing that essay!

6. Find your nearest Nandos. They do great bean burgers and rice! And it makes a great place to meet up with friends and course mates outside of doing work.

x

My Own Space

I moved back to uni about 2 weeks ago to start my second year. I still can't believe that I am already in 2nd year, feels two minutes since I moved into halls as a fresher!
This year I am living in a house with 4 of my friends from first year. We have spent most of our first weeks going out, sleeping of hangovers, eating and being mentors to freshers. I love being in a house now though and having a shared space and a big kitchen. Even if it does mean we have to take out our own bins and hoover the floors!
I have definitely made my room into my own little space. Having a double bed again is heaven and I am starfishing to the max. I am also slowly building a hoard of cushions to adorn my bed with. The only thing thats missing is some cute bunting or fairy lights to go round my walls.

x

My Life In Photos #1

1. On the way to watch my local football team, Bradford City!

2. Finally found this screensaver for my mac.

3. My mums pasta bake.

4. Cricket club outing to the pub.

5. Moved into my new house in Manchester.

6. Cooked a green veg risotto for my housemates.

7. Pineapple and wine with my best friend.

8 + 9. Our first night out of 2nd year.

x

The End Of Summer, A New Start To Blogging

This is me and my five housemates at our end of year ball in May. I managed to finish and pass all of first year! It actually feels like such a long time ago now since we've had all of summer in between.
I said in my last post, which was so long ago that I would be surprised it anyone actually remembers my existence, that I was hoping to start blogging again over summer when I had more time. In the end I was just enjoying summer too much that I never got round to writing it all down. But lately I have been looking at some of the blogs I used to read religiously and I began to really miss it. So here I am. Writing a new post.
I am starting university again later this month so I know I won't have huge amounts of time but I want to blog when I can. I have lots of ideas and love being able to look back at my blog in the future as an online diary. I have made a few changes to the layout and am hoping to make a few more as I learn how to code html better (or just make it up as I go along!). So hopefully you guys will stick around.

x

A Rather Long Absence

Ok, so you may have noticed i haven't been around for well.. quite a while. Since coming back to uni after christmas and starting semester 2 things got a lot busier and I found myself coming back in the afternoon and having a huuuge list of new blogs. Which was great, because i love reading them all! But it did mean it took time away from other things. So I decided to stop.

Sorry this post has been so long coming. The whole possible 'end of google reader' and switch to bloglovin prompted me to write something. I really hope that during the holidays and going into summer I can get back to writing a few posts because i do miss it. Especially the inspiration i got from so many peoples blogs. I have followed everyone i can on bloglovin so that i can still read all your blogs in the future :) in the meantime i am still on twitter and instagram.

Hope everyone is well and i really hope i have a bit more time in the future!

x

Life Update

Since starting university so much has changed in my life. Its such a busy place to be and its not often i have those days where you can just sit down and do nothing. Thats not to say i dont absolutely love it! But it does give me less time for things like blogging (being away from home also means i dont have my lovely brother to take photos for me.)
Incase people didnt know i study medicine at manchester and its definitely a demanding course. The majority of the work is self directed too so it takes a lot of motivation to sit down and get cracking when i have a laptop in front of me with a whole host of social media sites just waiting! Sometimes i think it would be easier if i wasnt on any of them, it would certainly be less distracting. Apologies for this turning into a little rant but i wanted to let you all know why i might post less often than before.
So what has been going on in my life?

1) Ive had a formal dinner held by the halls i am living in.

2) I went to BBC Radio 1Xtra live with my sister at the apollo. Saw Rita Ora for the second time and she was amazing! 

3) I have also been going to hospitals and GPs for placements for my course.

4) Some friends and i have been viewing houses that we might be living in next year. Its strange to be doing it so early, makes me feel all grown up haha.

5) Been planning meals for this weekend. I end up with so many things i want to cook when i take a trip to sainsburys.

So there is a little round up of my life lately. One thing i really wish is that i had an iphone so that i could snap photos all the time, i would love to have more memories like that. The blackberry camera is just not up to scratch. Thank you all for sticking with me! And hi to any new readers, my count is still slowly creeping up. Always puts a smile on my face.

x

Ps. I have been attempting to update my blog design a bit (but am completely useless at it) so if anyone has any tips or could help that would be really great.

Feels like home already

Ive been incredibly mia at the moment. I have hardly had any time just to sit down! I moved into my halls at university last thursday and since then have been meeting loads of new people, sorting through all my things, going out for freshers and attending introductory lectures. I am ridiculously exhausted but have had the most amazing time so far! I am looking forward to my course starting, even though there will probably be mountains of work to do. Here are a couple of snaps from moving in day:

The first shows the building i am in, and the second is in my room. Ive been really lucky with what i have got and my room definitely feels like home!

I hope to post a little more regularly when i have more time. But i still have the problem of not having a good camera yet so need to get round to buying one. The quality of my digital isnt that great and i want the photos on my blog still to look good. I do have some post ideas lined up though :)
Hope anyone else moving into uni/starting college is having a great time too!

x

Max Factor: Fantasy Fire

I ordered this and this last week as some new storage bits for my uni room. I am going to use them to store my nail polishes and jewellery, and i love the acrylic because you can still see what is inside them. I ordered the deep one for my nail polishes but the only problem is that i cant fit them all in. In fact i can only just fit half of them in, i have too many colours! So you know what this called for.. i needed to obviously go buy another polish! I saw this one when i was in town earlier this week and fell in love with the shade. I havent tried max factor polishes before so will let you know how it is.

Fantasy Fire (45) - £3.99

It comes out lighter and more purple than you would think from looking at the bottle. But i still love the colour. The only downside is that because it is a mini polish the brush is small so application is harder.

I move out tomorrow morning, so next time i get round to blogging will be from a new room at university! I am still looking at buying a camera so that i can take outfit photos. Had some good advice from people on twitter so i know what i am looking for now. Hope everyone is well.

x

This is where the new chapter begins

Been a bit absent from the blog this last week, although i have been reading everyones posts still. I got my results last thursday morning and i got the grades i needed! So i am going to study medicine at manchester uni in september. I am really excited because since then i have also found out my accommodation and have been chatting some people who will be on my corridor. My official move date is the 13th which isnt that far away! So i have lots to get sorted before then, including going through all my clothes so there may end up with a lot on ebay. Hope everyone else who got results got what they wanted.

Got a few shots of an outfit i wore last week.

Maxi dress - h&m, top - topshop, converse - office

Frizzy hair day. It actually got too warm to wear a top over the dress later that day, but i like how it looks. Had a lovely weekend with my family and my auntie and uncle who came over from america :) we took a visit to the yorkshire sculpture park and had some lovely sunny weather to wander round the grounds in. Wish i had taken some pictures actually, my mum has a few.

Hope everyone is enjoying the last of the summer holidays.

x

Sheer turquoise

Late night post. Really nervous for results day tomorrow. So thought i would show you a nail polish i had on a few days ago.

The quality of the photos isnt great, but the finish on the polish is really lovely. It is from the sheer range at american apparel. Its different to other polishes out there and i havent seen another brand produce one like it yet. They are pretty pricey, but i bought 3 for £17 which doesnt work out too badly.

Right now i am pooing my pants about tomorrow. I know there is nothing i can so but i still worry! I get my results online at 6am, feel like just staying up till that time. Have plans for the rest of the day which involve seeing friends and lots of drinking. If all goes to plan i will be starting at manchester university in september.
To try and distract ourselves from the thought of tomorrow we went shopping in liverpool today. got a few pieces that i will photograph when i next have time. I have started to buy more into autumn clothing now, which i prefer to summer clothing most of the time.

x

Golden tooth

Sorry this post has taken so long to get up, but a big thank you Shabna whose giveaway this is from! I got from her a gorgeous topshop lipstick and gold tooth bracelet.

  
The colour probably isnt one that i would wear everyday, it has quite an orangey tone to it, but it would be lovely with a black outfit for a meal/night out. I like the consistency of it, but it did seem to dry my lips out a little so some lip balm over the top was needed. Not sure if all topshop lipsticks are like this? The bracelet has been on my wrist nearly everyday lately. I have had loads of compliments on it too. It is just the kind of things i love to wear! You should definitely all go check out her blog, its a great read.

I might be hit and miss with posting over the next few months with exams coming up (arent we all). But i hope to try get some outfit posts in soon, if this rain ever clears! You can keep up-to-date on my twitter. I have also created a 'blog button'. I want to redesign it, maybe with an illustration which better represents my blog, but its a start. Let me know if any of you put it up on your blog! The link is underneath.

On another note i have finally firmed Manchester as my top uni and got Liverpool down as my insurance. Its all so real now.

x

Lego House

 Blouse, trousers & blazer - River Island

Shoes - Dorothy Perkins

This is what i wore to my interview this morning. Wanted to go for something different rather than blacks and grays felt this was much more 'me'. The interview went well, i think. Only lasted 12 minutes though! And although i had more to say, i felt confident and answered well. One down. Got another interview on 15th december at manchester which is good.

Hope everyones enjoyed their week. Loving this colder weather, able to layer up all my clothes. Should really put any summer clothes away though to make more room on my hanging rail. Its my dads birthday tomorrow which will be nice. Pancakes for breakfast, a round of presents and football with him in the afternoon. 

x

Oxblood and Wedges

Went out for yet another 18th on sunday night. It was at this amazing old theatre called the Picturedrome where they had hired out the top balcony. I got ready with my friend Deanna at my house, love getting ready to go out. I wore my new dress that i bought from topshop this week, which was a bargain at only £18! with my new black wedges.

(i have the weirdest smile)

At the weekend i also did loads of driving, getting in practice so hopefully i can take my test soon. I also had lunch with my granny and grandad which was lovely :) and i worked for 12 hours, which is a lot for me on a weekend!
I have a lot of work to do for college lately and keeping on top of that is like trying to climb a mountain. Especially when i am also trying to prepare for my interview at Liverpool university this friday. I bought my outfit for this last night though so i'll get it up here asap so i can find out what you guys think of it. I am very nervous for it..

x

A thousand promises, I only ever wanted one

This term is going so fast. It usally drags alot, but i think cause i am doing so much its going pretty quickly. So relieved yesterday is over though. I had my ukcat (if anyone knows what that is!) and i did well in it so i am so pleased. Now i just need to crack on with my personal statement and deciding what universities to choose. If anyone is at Liverpool, Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds or Leicester it would be great to know what you think of the places :)

The title is lyrics from this song by the Little Comets. Just thought i would share it with you because they are a pretty awesome band. Saw them at leeds and they were definately one of my favourites.