Sea, Friends and Music

I don't know about you, but there is something so relaxing about sitting on the beach in the evening, with a few drinks and some music, surrounded by friends. Last night, after work, me and a few friends headed down to South Beach to have some drinks by the sea. There were various groups sitting on the beach with bonfires going, each with their own music playing. The sound of the waves hitting the beach, a clear night's sky overhead and reminiscing about hilarious memories of the past 2 years was just the thing I needed to wind down after an evening at work. 

For the past few days it has been so hot here in Aber, so sitting at 11 o'clock at night, in just a t-shirt, jeans and flip flops was enough, as it was still warm. The smell of burning wood, the low hum of chatting coming from each direction and seeing the promenade flooded with light from restaurants and street lights seemed to make my worries disappear for a short while, like they could all wait until tomorrow. 

Its moments like this that I will look back on and a smile will appear on my face. As I remember what is was like to simply relax, hang out with friends and really laugh about the antics of uni life. 

Its something I think we should all make time for more often.

Did I finally past my driving test?!

Hey guys!

So, I am currently 20 years old and after 3 (almost 4 years) of not driving, I am finally sitting my test!! The reason I didn't learn to drive at the age of 17 like all my other friends, was because I went on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Thailand with my school. I said to myself, "you can always learn to drive, but you can't always go to Thailand and get the experience I did". So off I jetted, to the other side of the world and let me tell, it was 100% worth it!

So here I am in my third and final of university about to sit my driving test. Let me tell you, not being able to drive is the biggest pain in the butt ever! Its so inconvenient and I have to rely on my poor mum to drive me everywhere - sorry mum!

Now this is the third time (yes you read that right) I'm doing my test!! The first time I failed, one because the examiner was a completely horrible person but two because I may have nearly crashed the car... twice... The second time was in this November gone and I failed on two things I had never done in my life! Not once! So when I got out of the car, my driving instructor said "what happened?!" and my reply was: "I literally don't even know!!" Honestly I still couldn't tell you why I did the stupid things I did, on the day of my test as well! But then I've never been good at tests - of any kind! Anyway, like I always say, "it's in the past, you can't change it!" So moving on, swiftly... 

Now this time I have an even bigger incentive to pass as I finally have a car!! My first car!! I'm so excited to be able to drive myself places without having to rely on other people! Poor mum has to be in the car with me at the moment haha! Again, sorry mum!

So the question you all want an answer to: Did I pass or not?

Well I can reveal...























I PASSED!!!!!!!!

I have waited so long to be able to post this photo! And now I can!!! So I just had to write a blog post about it so can remember this moment!! I hope you don't mind ♥

Lets chat...

First things first... Happy New Year everyone! 

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, whatever it was you were doing and a drunk new years partying the night away into 2017!!

I think the majority of us can agree on the fact that 2016 has been a pretty rubbish year. We've lost some amazing celebrities and now have Donald Trump as President of the United States! (God help us). Am I right?

Thats what I am going to talk to you about today. 

Towards the end of 2015, I found out my boyfriend in first year cheated on me and had been lying to me ever since (P.S boys are stupid!) and not long after this I became very ill in my first term of my second year at university and it had a huge impact on my grades (don't worry it wasn't related to my ex-boyfriend). So, coming into 2016 for me did not start off well. I needed special circumstances and extra help throughout the year with assignments and exams. Whilst battling that, I had a whole load of other drama to deal with that I wasn't expecting. I won't go into detail and bore you but let me just say it was not only a pain in the ass, but kind of heart breaking. 

And a year later, I have only just resolved the issue. Well I say resolved, its actually more like I put a stop to it. And that is because I have decided that I am fed up of dealing with bullsh*t all the time. If 2016 taught me anything, its that you never know what the next card is going to be in the hand that was dealt to you. Because of this, I've learnt that life is too short to worry about the people that don't like you, your actions or the things you say. To stress over situations that are inevitably going to play out is out of your control, so I say just try your best not to let them worry you. You will always meet people that don't like you, which is fair - not everyone likes everyone. But the most important thing is don't let it get you down! Those people are not worth your brain space when worrying over them, use that space and fill it with knowledge - whether thats in school, university, your job or going out and meeting new people, trying new foods, travelling the world! The possibilities are endless. One thing that I have realised for sure is that people will always come into your life, all for different lengths of time, but not all of them are meant to stay. And unfortunately, some of those people will be the ones you think are closest to you, whether that be friends or family.

If ever you feel like you're having a low moment, for whatever reason, any negativity in these low times will only make you feel worse and make it more difficult to bring yourself back up. But it does get better! It may not feel like it in that moment, but I promise you it does. And anyone who is negative, makes you angry or stressed, ignore them or tell them to bugger off out of your life as these people will only make life more difficult. And we only get one, so make it count! You don't want to look back when you're 96 and think "I wish I lived for myself, not for other people".

But enough of the negativity! 2016 has not been all bad. I have had countless positives. I got my first tattoo, then the second... I went travelling around Europe with one of my best friends and saw some amazing and wonderful places, I moved house and decided I am going to get a Dalmatian puppy in the near future (probably a year from now) which I am so unbelievably excited for!!!! If you know me, you will know that even the thought of getting a puppy makes me squeal and jump with joy!!

But for me, the most important thing that happened to me in 2016 was getting closer to my mum. We've always been very close, but this last year has brought us closer on a whole different level. I can honestly say, she's my rock and she has my back no matter what and I wouldn't be where I am today without her. 

My things to look forward to in 2017:

1. Getting my first car!! (About time!!)

2. Turning 21 - not so sure I'm excited for that...

3. Buying my first pair of Christian Louboutin shoes in Paris for being 21! If you know me, 

    you will know I love shoes and fashion ♥ 

4. Going to see the Bolshoi Ballet perform Swan Lake ( a Christmas present from mama)

5. Graduating, hopefully with a 2:1

6. Going to Roux at Parliament Square in London for a taster menu and cocktail with 

    mama ( a Christmas present from me to her)

7. Going to see Robbie Williams and wait for it... ADELE!! in concert! 

8. Spending a month in South Africa for veterinary work experience!! This is the thing I am 

    most excited about as my goal is to become a vet and work in Africa so this trip will 

    give me just a glimmer of what my life will be like!

So as you can see, I have plenty of things to look forward to in this coming year, which of course I will share with you. If theres anything to take away from this post, I can't stress enough to live your life for you! Not other people. And don't forget, you never know whats right around the corner, so make the most of it! 

Speak soon. 

Film Review: The Girl on the Train

As I'm sure many of you are aware, The Girl On The Train is currently out in cinemas but originated as a book written by Paula Hawkins. Now I myself haven't actually read the book, but after seeing the film, I am definitely going to invest in reading it!

Its the story of a woman called Rachel who everyday catches the train into New York. On her journey, she passes through the neighbourhood where she used to live with her husband Tom. But in present day, Tom is remarried and Rachel's alcoholic habits are becoming worse. 

During her journeys to and from work, becomes infatuated with Tom's neighbours, Scott and Megan Hipwell. She watches them everyday and wishes it was the life she had. She describes them as the perfect couple, with a perfect marriage. But when she sees Megan kissing another man on the balcony, in her drunken state, Rachel's idea of a 'perfect marriage' quickly goes out the window.

As the story unfolds, and Rachel struggles to remember what happened the night she got off the train, she becomes a suspect. But as you watch the events of Rachel's life unravel onscreen, all is not as it seems. 

The Girl on the Train, Rachel, is so brilliantly played by Emily Blunt and she captures just how difficult the life of an alcoholic can be. While watching, you can't help but feel completely sorry for this woman. A woman who lost everything, who even though she can't recall the events of that night, is determined she didn't have anything to do with the disappearance  of  the woman who she's been watching everyday for months. The story not only highlights the battles Rachel faces, but the demons of Megan Hipwell's past that haunt her everyday since she was 17 years old. And when you learn what happened all those years ago, you can't even begin to imagine how she has been coping with the tragedy that in some ways, ruined her life. 

This story shines a light on alcoholism, the result of affairs and what the two can do to a person and just how far someone is willing to go to cover up a mistake. It is a dark story with moments where you question is it possible for there to be a happy ending for Rachel? Will she ever escape her blackouts and drinking problem? Or will she remain as The Girl on the Train? 

I Moved House!

Hey guys!

So as you can probably guess by the title of this post, I moved house! As you may know, I go to uni in Aberystwyth in Wales, but me and mum originally lived in Kent. Now, if you live in the southeast, you will know that the traffic is an absolute nightmare! I mean there isn't a time when the M25 and the roads near the Dartford crossing aren't busy! So with mum working all over the place, getting to and from work for her is pure hell! And it was safe to say, she absolutely hated it! 

So after about ten months of weighing up the pros and cons, she made the executive decision to look for another job. Now she knew she wanted to move out of the southeast and away from the horrible traffic so she started looking for jobs up north but there just didn't seem to be anything. And then one day, a job popped up in would you believe it... Wales! So with the perfect job all we needed was the perfect house. Now it didn't bother me the thought of moving to Wales permanently as I live at uni for more of the year than I do at home. But still, I was super excited!

So off we set, looking at houses and bungalows all over Wales. Mum was more interested in bungalows which I wasn't so keen on. I didn't know how I felt about the lack of structural diversity, haha. But when we found THE ONE, it was all worth it. The new bungalow is beautiful! It has a large kitchen (which mum is so excited about as we've never had a kitchen as big, bless her), a gorgeous front room with so much space and a bath that you could disappear in - I mean its huge! The views from our back garden are stunning! Welsh countryside in every direction and the sea is only two miles away. What more could you want? And the best part, it is only 20 minutes away from uni so when I run out of food, I can just travel back home, for gorgeous home-cooked meals! Hahaha! 

The only thing that needs doing is decorative work, so personalising it to our taste which I am very excited about as I just love redecorating! I find it so much fun! We'll be getting new carpets and painting the walls, re-wallpapering and we're having a woodburning stove installed! So for those wintery nights, we can curl up with a film and be all nice and cosy! And the thing I am most excited about is we have ordered a huge corner sofa for the living room! One of those ones that you could just stay there curled up for days because its so comfy! I'll do an updated blog post on when its all complete, so stay tuned :) 

Mini Lush Haul

Hey guys!

Now one thing you should know about me is that I love baths! Seriously, as soon as Autumn hits, I have a bath at least once a week. And when its the Christmas holidays its even more often! 

For me, a good bath means having dimmed lights, bubbles, a bath bomb, candles, a cold glass of water with ice and either a good book or Netflix. Sometimes I'll even put in some bath salts to make it extra special.

There are many different brands out there that do bubble baths and the like but my favourite place of all time to get these products has got to be Lush! You've all heard of Lush, but just incase you haven't, its a company that sells freshly handmade cosmetics for your body and the bath. The products they sell range from bath bombs, bubble bars, moisturisers, exfoliants and even more. The list is never ending! What I really like about Lush is all their products are free from animal testing. And having studied animal welfare in my second year of university, seeing the pain animals go through when used for testing is absolutely horrific! So knowing that you can have a deeply relaxing bath using products that are free of animal testing makes it all the better! 

So the other day I had a girlie shopping day with my mum and of course we had to go into the Lush store! I only bought four things; one bubble bar and three bath ballistics, but I'm sure they will be gone by the end of the month, if not before! When you purchase a product from Lush, you have the option to have a label on each bag, telling you what is inside and the perfect way to use it. So without further ado, here are my purchases...

Brightside - bubble bar
This bright, triple orange-scented bubble bar is large enough for at least two baths. Crumble half a bar under a running tap to enjoy mountains of uplifting, zesty bubbles. 

This gorgeous orange bubble bar has a deeper citrus scent, that reminds me of an orange vineyard. It smells incredible! So good you could eat it (but don't do that obviously!) It leaves you with orange bath water and weightless bubbles. Its main ingredients are Sicilian Mandarin, Bergamot and Tangerine Oil, leaving you feeling refreshed. 

Dragon's Egg - bath ballistic

The scent of this is absolutely amazing! Its white in appearance with hints of colour that are on the inside. It smells like sherbet lemon sweeties and its main ingredients are Lemon Oil, Bergamot Oil, Jasmine Absolute and a touch of popping candy. The citrusy scent leaves you feeling relaxed and invigorated. 

Blackberry Bath Bomb - bath ballistic

 My first thought when I smelt this was floral and fruity with a slight woody smell. Its a gorgeous blue colour and its main ingredients are Frankincense Oil and Bergamot Oil. This bath bomb is good for relieving tension as Bergamot Oil is used in aromatherapy for nervous tension, depression and anxiety. The Frankincense Oil slows the breathing and induces a feeling of wellbeing.

Honey Bee - bath ballistic

This has a slightly deeper scent compared to the other bath ballistics and smells exactly like it says on the tin - honey. Its main ingredients are Rhassoul Mud - a clay mined near Morocco's Atlas Mountains (I looked that bit up on the Lush website haha), Honey and Aloe Vera. This trio of ingredients soothes and cleanses the skin leaving it feeling smooth and soft. 

Lush's description of a bath ballistic - 'run yourself the perfect temperature bath, get in, then take a moment to let go of the world outside your bathroom, before launching your ballistic into the water and watch it fizz away'.

Something I love about Lush is they bring out seasonal products. They have Halloween themed bath bombs, Easter bunnies, lightly scented products that represent  Spring/Summer perfectly, but my favourite time of year (which if you know me, will come as no surprise to you) is Christmas! The Lush Christmas range is incredible! They have so many new bath products shaped like Father Christmas, Snowmen, Christmas Trees and so many other Christmasy things. Its just amazing! And their scents... I cannot put into words just how heavenly the Christmas range smells. Its everything you imagine Christmas to smell of, but in your bath! I just don't know what to add to my basket when I'm either in the shop or on their website, as there is so many to choose from! I think its safe to say that I will be placing a rather large order closer to Christmas!

Any information I've included about the products in this blog post came from the Lush website and if you want more information on these products or to explore the wonders of Lush, just head on over to their website, https://uk.lush.com

I hope you liked this blog post and if you did, keep an eye out for my next post - whatever it may be!

Book Review: Everything, Everything

Hey guys!

So something you may not know about me is that I'm one of those people who absolutely loves a good book. If I find a book that just grips me right from the start, I will read it cover to cover in a matter of days.

So I thought it would be nice to share my thoughts on my latest read. 

The book is called Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon and is the story of a girl named Maddy who has an illness called SCID (Severe Combined Immunodeficiency). In other words, she is severely allergic to the world and she hasn't been able to leave her house in 17 years. The only close relationships she has is with her mum and nurse Carla. Throughout the book, Nicola writes about the extremes that people will go to when in love and how it can drive you to do crazy things that you might never have done before you found it. She also explores how deep a mother's love is for her child and how that can lead to potentially disastrous consequences.

When a boy named Olly moves in next door with his family, Maddy's world is turned upside down and as a character, Olly is very interesting and I just instantly warmed to him. He's cool and slick, kind hearted and funny but his life isn't as perfect as it seems. As the story goes on, you find that he needs Maddy just as much as she needs him, as she provides almost a loop-hole for him to get away from his life, even if just for the brief time they are together. Throughout the story, you learn about Olly's family and the relationship he has with his father. My first impressions of the father were that he was controlling and intimidating, but as the story develops and Olly and Maddy spend more time together, you find out that his father has been battling his own demons for years. 

After creating their relationship online, Maddy's nurse Carla finally agrees to let Olly inside the house so they can meet face-to-face for the first time. It is in this moment that Maddy's life changes forever. In the book, Maddy has to battle her feelings for the boy she has grown to like and the guilt of lying to her mother about it. While reading the story you almost feel as if you're there with Maddy, as you can really feel her emotions when she thinks about Olly or when she has to lie to her mother. But with each visit bringing them closer, Maddy's feelings for Olly become stronger and as she watches the relationship between him and his father go from bad to worse, she makes a decision that could affect her life in more than one way.

The ending to this book was nothing I was expecting! I literally COULD NOT put it down. It was a real page turner. I felt like I wanted to speed read it so I could find out what happens, but of course I didn't as otherwise I would have missed the important details.

Nicola Yoon has written this book so beautifully as it contains little snippets of education, sketches that Maddy's drawn, pictures of her medical charts, emails sent back and forth with Olly and the brilliant writing makes you feel like you're there experiencing all these new things with Maddy. When reading the emails between Maddy and Olly it took me right back to when I had my first crush, the flirting and the witty banter you would have between you and it brought a smile to my face, as I could relate to these new feelings Maddy was encountering on a personal level.

I would highly recommend this book as I loved everything about it - the storyline, the way its written and how Maddy's experiences are communicated through illustrations and not just words. The book captures love in such a beautiful way and makes it seem timeless. From cover to cover, Nicola Yoon takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions - not just love, but the occasional heart wrenching scene, excitement, sadness and there are some real on-the-edge-of-your-seat moments in there to!

I know I will defiantly be reading this book again and I'm glad I chose it for my first book review. Hopefully, if you choose to read this book, you'll find it as thrilling and extraordinary as I did!