Survival Guide for Exams

As much as I love school there is one part which severely reduces that love and that is exams. In my 19, almost 20 (aaaahhh) years of living I have been through my fair share of exams, and what is becoming increasingly obvious to me is that exams only get harder with time, not easier. It would have to be said that I do not cope that well with stress or pressure, so therefore I have to compensate for this by following a set choices in order to survive exams and the build up to them. I hope therefore that this quick overview of tips and tricks will help some of you who are also going through the inevitable stress of exams.

Schedule – the importance of scheduling your time cannot be overstated, and is something that I used to be horrendous at doing. As I have got older, and hopefully wiser, I have made scheduling my time my first priority in the lead up to an exam period. There are clearly several ways that you can do this, but how I ensure that I dedicate enough time to revision and preparation is firstly by making myself aware of all I need to know for the exams. That sounds obvious, but it is amazing how the simplest information is often what we forget. Whilst it would be optimistic to think that you could revise nine hours a day every day, this is not realistic, and it also isn’t healthy. By scheduling your time and assigning yourself specific tasks or topics for specific days, it will become much easier to balance yourself.

Balance – the work, play balance is something that I continue to struggle with, and especially when it comes to revision for exams. When all you want to do is watch that extra episode of Scandal, or go for drinks with your friends, or simply just have those few more hours in bed in morning, it is extremely difficult not to give into yourself. The way I see it is that hard work deserves rewards, so therefore if you work throughout the day, give yourself the evening to do what you want to do. Nobody can be expected to work all the time!

Discipline – the only way to manage a balance of time and a schedule is with self discipline. Particularly as I am getting older, and I don’t live at home anymore, I no longer have my parents or my teachers monitoring how much I am working. I now have to be strict with myself, and discipline myself to stick to the plans that I put in place. It sounds so cliché to say, but at the end of the day, the marks you get in your exams are as result of the work you put in. The only one who will be punished for not being disciplined is you, and for me that is what motivates me.

Motivation – when it feels like you've been reading the same paragraph for the last 2 hours, it can be difficult to stay motivated. All of my favourite ways to stay motivated involve taking a small break and taking 5 or so minutes just to chill, let my brain rest. Recently I have been watching Anna Kendrick and Jonah Hill interviews in my breaks, because they have both become two of my favourite people. Another way I love to motivate myself is by negotiating with myself, for example if I can get through this chapter, I can afford a caramel macchiato break. During exams, Starbucks becomes my best friend.

Nothing here is particularly revolutionary, or something you will never have heard before, but they are all things that help me prepare and keep calm during the hell that are exams. What I always have to keep in mind is that by over-stressing and by putting a ridiculous amount of pressure on myself, I am only hindering my own chances of doing well. To conclude, be organised, take breaks and use your own potential success as a continuous incentive!

Thank you all so much for reading, and to anyone who is taking exams at the moment or in the future, good luck!!

B xx

The New Years Post

These types of posts and videos have never appealed to me in the past because to me New Years feels like nothing more than the passing of time, just like any other day. However last night after catching up on a whole host of resolution style videos and blog posts, namely, of which Essie’s from essiebutton, I realised that using the New Year to focus some self improvement techniques in no bad thing.

In the last few months of 2014 I had already made quite a few changes in my life, and I aim to continue those into 2015. Most of these come about because of me moving into my first house without my parents, which means the cooking, cleaning, house running can no longer be left to mum and dad!

When setting these aims it was really important to me to set ones which I believe are realistic. As although it would nice to say that I was going to give up chocolate and watch less TV, it makes no sense to be to set goals which I already know I will not achieve. So instead here are my five 2015 New Year resolutions:

Eat Better – thought I would start with the most obvious, and the one that you can probably find on almost everyone’s New Year resolutions. Having said this, this year I do truly want to continue what I had started at the end of last year, which is incorporating more , fresh food into my diet and cutting back on processed, readymade meals. To me this resolution is not about not eating the things that I enjoy, like cheese, no way am I cutting out my love of brie! But what it means is that where I can eat healthier alternatives I will, for example swapping potatoes for sweet potatoes and reducing the amount of meat I eat.

Waking up Earlier – I love sleep, along with eating and Vampire Diaries, it is up there with my favourite things ever. However when I am sleeping in until mid morning, this is a result of laziness rather than a love of sleep. During the week when I have lectures and seminars to attend, I think I need to set a target of being up and out of bed by 8:30 at the latest, which compared to the time I had to get up for school should be no difficult task. By waking up earlier, it means I can actually start my day at a reasonable time rather than only being ready to face the world by lunchtime!

  

  Save then Spend – I have a very bad habit of spending money that is not necessarily always being replaced in my bank account. As in, the money going out of the account, is not the same as the money going back in on payday. I am lucky enough I have a part time job, which means I do have a cash flow coming into my bank, but that does not entitle me to spend whenever I want. So my plan for this year is to be more sensible about money, meaning during the month I spend when I need to. And then on payday at the end of the month, allowing myself to fulfil by shopaholic addiction and treating myself to a more #feelingspendy purchase.

  

Work Play Balance – this is something which I feel strongly about, and has also become increasingly difficult in recent months. For those of you who don’t know, I am currently in my second year at university, so therefore workload is fairly heavy, which results in a lot of time spent in the library. Whilst I treat my studies as my number one priority, I also know how important it is to take time to chill and distress. Whether this is taking time to myself to catch up on Pretty Little Liars, or hanging out with my friends, this is time that I have to balance out with my workload. Last year I fluctuated from one extreme to the other becoming somewhat of a hermit in my corner in the library at one point, to going out multiple times a week, so my aim for 2015 is to find a happy medium between the two.

      

Take More Chances – saying yes to things has always been a massively problem of mine whether that be because of shyness or laziness. But increasingly it is becoming more obvious to me the hundreds of opportunities and experiences you miss out on when you fail to say yes to the right things. So to conclude my resolutions for 2015, I want to, in the words of my spirit animal Taylor Swift become more Fearless.

I realise that none of these resolutions are particularly groundbreaking or revolutionary, however I do feel that with these small five guidelines in mind I can hopefully use 2015 as a year to change and improve some things about myself. And hopefully I will be able to report throughout the year and then in 2016 how successful I have been.

Thank you for reading, and Happy belated New Year!

B xx

Dealing with T.O.M

So girls I think we can all agree that when TOM arrives we are not too pleased! I am of course talking about Time Of Month, otherwise known as period. We all have to deal with it at some point in our lives and there is no doubt that is absolutely sucks! Over my last 7 years of dealing with my period every month I have found the things that make that time a bit more comfortable and less hell like. This post is also inspired by two of my favourite youtube/blogger girls +essiebutton and Amelia Liana, who a few months ago created The Period Tag:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtgTUo2ZJi4 

So here are my top tips for surviving your period and my answers to the questions from Essie and Amelia's video:

I should start by staying that my periods are very mixed, some months I will be in a lot of pain and be extremely hormonal, but others I can easily get on with my everyday life and be fine. The pains that I mainly get are achy stomach cramps and headaches, but I like I said I'm lucky that this isn't an every month situation.

What annoys you?

What annoys me on my period is everything, I become very irritable, and little things like unclean dishes frustrate me. My hatred for slow internet also increases to a ridiculous level during that time! Especially when I am trying to catch up on Greys Anatomy, which is a favourite thing to do, and has been for the last 5 years I have been obsessed with that show. 

Period outfit?

Pyjamas, of course! It is obvious to say anything comfortable, and for me that is to stay in pyjamas for as long that is acceptable, and then a little longer than that too...Seriously though, loose and soft clothes are your best friend, big jumpers and trackies are the way forward.

Favourite food?

You that it is that time of the month when you find yourself with a spoon in the Nutella jar, or at least that is what happens to me! I have a sweet tooth anyway, so when I'm on my period I like to cater to that even more than normal, so everything is peanut butter or chocolate covered. Tea is also an absolute must! Recently I have also been really into hot lemon and honey for a break or change from tea, which is super tasty and also really calming for the stomach.

Mood swings?

I would say that I do get mood swings during my period, but I'm sure my family would say that it occasionally occurs more than just at that time of month. I am an emotional bottler, so often during my period the lid is let off and I do get rather hormonal and rant and sometimes cry. What is important to remember, and I have to remind myself when I am having one of those moments, is that it is perfectly natural and okay to feel exhausted and frustrated during your period. 

Some other random tips would be to not allow TOM to take over your everyday life, as much as is possible try and ignore it and push through the pain. It sounds so pretentious to say, and I can hear lots of you scoffing at this, but some light exercise can often really help with period pains. I am not talking taking on a marathon or anything like that, but a walk or some stretching can help. Finally and most importantly is that as rubbish as you feel at the time, know that all girls can sympathise, and it is only a temporary pain, well at least until next month...

Hope that you enjoyed this post, and until next time,

B xx

What I'm Loving: November

I cannot believe we are basically half way through November, it will be Christmas before we know it! November is the time of deadlines, so I have spent the vast majority of the last few weeks in the library, however in those spare moments I have been loving listening, watching, eating and wearing the following favourites.

What I have been loving listening too is very simple - 1989! This whole month I have had the album on repeat, but some individual favourites on top of Shake It Off, would be Style and Out of the Woods. Clearly I am bias, but I do truly believe that this album would appeal to almost everyone, so even if you have always been a Swift hater, I encourage you to give 1989 a go! To add some variety though, London Grammar has also been an obsession this month, and after the launch of the infamous new John Lewis Christmas advert, I have also, of course been loving Tom Odell.

What I am loving watching at the moment is everything, I feel that TV is so on point at the moment. From my beloved Downton Abbey, whose finale last Sunday left me smiling and crying all at the same time to Vampire Diaries which continues to impress me every week with how much my love for Damon Salvatore grows! A more random favourite would be The Apprentice, which reminds me every week just how unattractive a man with a big ego is - well unless that man is Damon Salvatore...

One of the best things about this time of year for a coffee lover like myself is the festive drinks that the coffee shops bring out. For the last few years I have attempted to try all that Costa and Starbucks have to offer in the seasonal drinks department, and I think the 2014 selection has some of the best. The Eggnog Latte is my Starbucks recommendation, and as I am writing this post I have a Praline Cappuccino by my side, which ranks very highly in the Costa choices.  

It is absolutely freezing in the UK at the moment, so my dressing gown and slippers have been the favourite of the moment. Both from BHS, my motto when it comes to sleepwear in the winter, the fluffier the better! Not the most glamorous, but definitely the most comfortable. So for days when I want to insert some 'glam' into my usually very casual attire, I have been loving the Tanya Burr lip gloss in Heart Skips A Beat, which is a lovely red/pink with subtle sparkle, very easy to wear and goes with most looks, plus helps me to inch closer to the festive red lip look! 

Overall favourite thing of the month would probably be celebrating a good friend of mines' 21st birthday. We had a lovely girls night in, drinking champagne, dancing to 90s tunes and gossiping way too much and then the following night a big house party. It was so nice to see everyone coming together to celebrate Em's landmark birthday and made me realise how lucky I am to have such amazing, supportive friends.

Top - Zara
Jeans - Urban Outfitters

That is a summary of what I have been loving this month so far, and on the lead up to the holiday month. It is crazy to me that 2015 is so close, and that I have already been in second year for 2 months! I hope that you all enjoyed this post, and I would love to know what you have all been loving this November.

Thank you so much for reading, until next time,

B xx

Happy Halloween

I have never been a Halloween fan in the past, mainly because I am super boring when it comes to fancy dress. I can honestly say that it has been about 9 years since I have done anything on the 31st October but this year it was a firm date on my calendar. A group of good friends of mine were hosting a mega house party which I knew I could not miss, even if that did mean me putting in the effort of finding a costume!

I had no idea how difficult it was going to be to find a costume but after multiple trips to the fancy dress store and my new favourite place, Wilkos, I managed to put something together. Getting ready for a night out is often my favourite part, I love putting on my favourite playlist and curling my hair, but getting ready for Halloween was on a whole new level. With two of my best girlfriends we got the fangs and fake blood out with a combination of probably a few too many champagnes and this was the final result.

Despite my reservations, I had so much fun, it was one of my favourite nights in the last few weeks. Everyone had made such amazing effort, and the guys had done the house up incredibly, it really felt like a haunted mansion! So thank you to the Church Street boys for hosting an amazing night and for converting me to the fun that can be Halloween.

I know that I have been slacking on the blogging front but I have had such a hectic couple of months with my uni work load, but I really want to get back into the swing of things!

Thanks for reading, B xx

My New Bedroom

My minor hiatus can be easily explained, I have just moved house! In the last week I have moved into my new home for the year, my first ever student house! This week has been a complete whirlwind and there are so many things to do when running your own house, luckily I have four lovely housemates to help me and keep me sane. 

If you have ever lived in a student house then you will know that we are not talking luxury accommodation so I have tried so hard in my bedroom to make it as homely and personal as possible. Please ignore the less than ideal red flowered curtains in the background which were definitely not my choice!

This is an idea that I stole from Pinterest, which is such an inspiration when it comes to home décor, and well most other things! I had some of my favourite photos printed and followed the very easy steps to create this heart photo montage on my wall along side my bed. It not only lets me display loads of my favourite memories and people, but also adds an amazing pop of colour to a room that was otherwise quite bare.

Bedding is an amazing way to transform a room, as it adds colour, pattern and individuality. My set is a super old one from Tesco that combines all of the colours I wanted for my room scheme: pink, white and minty blue. My throw is a huge fluffy pale pink one from BHS and my two cushions are the softest things I have ever felt and are both from Primark, which I would highly recommend checking out for cheap but really cute home items. 

My bedside table was probably my biggest bargain when shopping for new things for my room, of course Ikea was involved.  I saw this table and fell in love, it is so simple but chic and I am obsessed and the best part it was £15!!! If any of you are interested it is the Lindved in white,  My bedside table essentials include #daclip of course, The Death Cure by James Dashner which I am loving at the moment and a cup of green tea in a super cute owl mug. The vase which I do intend at some point to fill with flowers is from Zara Home and the lamp is also from Ikea, the Knubbig. 

These two posters epitomise me completely, my two favourite things: tea and Friends. The Friends poster, is titled 'Everything I know in life I learned from Friends' and that is definitely me, I am that person who in almost every conversation makes some kind of Friends reference! And I certainly agree I know wherever I have tea I have love! 

I hope this post gives you a little insight into my room and how I have tried to transform a room that looked slightly like a hospital ward before I moved in, into a place that is my own. If you have any decoration tips or tricks do let me know and thank you very much for reading, and until next time,

B xx

What I'm Loving: September

Rather than your usual monthly favourites type post I thought I would try something slightly different. This is a breakdown of what I have loved listening to, watching, eating and wearing over this month so far. Plus my favourite thing I did this month, which features some very good looking men!

To begin with what I have been listening to, and this would not be a post by me if Taylor Swift wasn't mentioned, but wow Shake It Off has truly been my anthem of the last few weeks. Any excuse to play it at full volume and dance like no one is watching! On a more mellow level though I am still obsessed with the whole of The Fault In Our Stars soundtrack, particularly All of the Stars by Ed Sheeran and both of the Birdy tracks. Finally, Sam Smith, he is everywhere at the moment and rightly so, his voice is angelic and his new single I'm Not The Only One is by far my favourite song he has ever released. 

What I am watching at the moment has quite an eclectic mix, if you follow me on twitter @cloudbelle25 you will know that I have been loving X Factor so far. I am very happy that Cheryl and Simon are back and of course there is always love for Louis Walsh! Another reality type show that I have been a fan of for many years is the Great British Bake Off which at the moment is all me and mum can talk about! Something Mum is not a fan of, but it is a highlight of my weekend is Made In Chelsea NYC which is just further fuelling my love for New York and of course for Lucy Watson! For people outside the UK though something that I have recently become hooked on is The Office, the US version, and I can honestly say that I laugh hysterically out loud at every episode I watch. 

Houmous, that covers all that I have been loving eating this month. I love just the plain regular one, but also all the amazing different flavours, some of my favourites being lemon and coriander or caramelised onion. The ultimate though I have found this month is the Marks and Spencer Piri Piri Houmous, which was life-changingly good! 

I have been very boring with what I have been loving wearing, but what I lack in style I have made up for in comfort. If you have never tried the fluffy Primark pyjama trousers you have not felt true comfort. I have pretty much lived in my various different pairs over the last few weeks. They are amazing pyjamas but I also wear them as the perfect item of lounge wear too for those days when 'real' clothes are just not what you want! 

My favourite thing of the month is very easy for me to choose, as early this week I was lucky enough to attend a press launch of the opening night of Dan Osborne joining the Dreamboys! One of my best friends was working for Cosmopolitan and managed to bag us some tickets for honestly one of the most crazy and surreal nights of my life. It was basically like having a real life Magic Mike experience.... 

That concludes what I have been loving in September, thank you for reading and let me know if you would like a similar post for October which I am sure will include Downton Abbey and Pumpkin Spice Lattes!

B xx