SNOW DAY

Hope everyone has had a fab Christmas! I know I have. What made it even more perfect for me is that it snowed on Boxing Day and I don't just mean a thin layer, it was actually quite thick! Its still lying around today although it has thawed and refrozen a few times so it's not soft and fluffy anymore! However most of the non-main roads are still like an ice rink.

I have a love/hate relationship with snow. I love the first couple of days after it has snowed but then it starts to irritate me when it's no longer fresh and walking on icy snow is a mission! (Particularly in heels which I experienced the other night).

I was unhappy about the fact that it was snowing at first as I was meant to be going out. When I started to get ready, not one flake of snow was falling from the sky. After I had finished getting ready which was 2 hours later, a thick blanket of snow had covered the surrounding area! I knew that it was supposed to snow after checking the forecast but with it being England, I thought it wouldn't settle on the ground and would just end up turning into rain and the snow getting washed away but no I was wrong!

CHRISTMAS EVE

It is finally Christmas Eve! Not that it feels like it. I think this is the first Christmas Eve where I don't feel Christmassy for some reason - probably because I'm getting older and you realise how expensive Christmas actually is!

Even though my student house has been decorated since the end of November and I returned home in the middle of December to a wonderfully decorated house, I just can't seem to get into the Christmas spirit this year! (probably partly due to the fact that I haven't yet had a mince pie due to my mum hiding them away until Christmas Day - I blame her!)

Every Christmas Eve, me and my family always go to the cinema to watch a film - it's been a tradition ever since we turned too old to be going to the pantomime. But first we made a trip to Starbucks! I of course had Gingerbread Latte, it is a must around Christmas time as it just tastes so festive. I was hoping this was going to put me in the Christmas spirit today of all days but no I was wrong!

GARNIER'S MICELLAR CLEANSING WATER: REVIEW

As a huge lover of makeup, I'm also a huge lover of removing makeup at night in order for my skin to refresh and rejuvenate itself. I have never thought that makeup wipes completely remove all traces of makeup, only the majority of it. After trying many products from The Body Shop, Boots and Superdrug I finally discovered Garnier's Micellar Cleansing Water which is without doubt the ultimate product at removing makeup. This product proves that makeup wipes alone don't completely remove all makeup.

JUICING

As I was watching This Morning last week, a guest called Jason Vale caught my eye. I had never heard of this man until then and when I discovered that he used to suffer from obesity and severe psoriasis as well as smoking 2-3 packets of cigarettes and drinking up to 14 pints of lager a day, I was in complete and utter shock. He looked as fit as a fiddle due to a major lifestyle change; he began juicing. He is now known as the 'Juice Master' and it's totally understandable why.

CORAL

I am a huge lover of makeup. Eye makeup is of particular importance to me - I take great time using liquid eyeliner to get perfect wings and lashings of mascara as well as a white eyeliner pencil on my waterline to make my eyes seem bigger and brighter. With makeup, you either focus on bold eyes or bold lips as both would be too much. Because I focus on the eyes, I need a nude-like colour on the lips rather than the more intense colours like red and purple (as this would probably make me look like a clown). However, I wanted a slightly different colour to nude just to add a little extra colour to my face.

As a huge Made in Chelsea fan, I have noticed during the latest series that a lot of the darker-haired girls seem to be wearing coral-coloured lipstick. After weeks of searching in Boots and Superdrug, I finally came across Barry M's lip paint 54 which is classed as peach but I would personally say it is more of a coral colour.

FAT SUNDAYS

Sunday: the day to eat whatever you want and eat however much you want without feeling an ounce of guilt. Even though it is the month of Christmas (and therefore the month of food for a student like me), I still believe on sticking to my Sunday routine by consuming as many calories as I want (after all, Fat Sundays are a tradition to me!)

With Tesco, along with a street full of takeaways including Dominos just around the corner from my student house, the temptation to buy food is constant. I try my best to resist buying too many unhealthy foods and snacks during the week so that I can make up for it on Sundays. Of course I have the odd slip up, I don't even want to consider how many Dominos and how much chocolate I have consumed since returning back to University. I'm seriously surprised at how I haven't put on weight seeing as I don't know the meaning of the word 'exercise'.  

FEELING FESTIVE

It has finally reached the end of the semester. All my assignments have been handed in which means I can finally look forward to Christmas after the last month and a half of stress.

2 nights ago we decided to have a student Christmas dinner which was the perfect start to the festive season. At first, going for a carvery was on the mind but because our student house looks all Christmassy, we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to cook a Christmas dinner (I'd never even cooked a Sunday dinner, never mind a Christmas dinner!)

DEADLINES

November and December means deadline central to most, if not all, University students.

Within the last 3 weeks, I have had 2 exams as well as 3 assignments to do. But oh no, it doesn't stop there. There are 2 more weeks of this semester left yet I have 2 more assignments to do and another exam. Fun times for me (and it's not even exam period yet!).

This means my stress levels are quite high. The first thing that comes into my mind when I'm stressed is alcohol (I'm sure other students will agree - I'm not an alcoholic I promise!) A night out with the girls last night was the perfect remedy to my stress, having a drink or two (or maybe six), letting my hair down as well having a good jig and a singalong is exactly what I needed to take my mind off things, even if it was for just a few short hours.

NO MONEY NOVEMBER

As the title of this post suggests, it's November and I am running out of money, fast! With over a month until my next student loan enters my bank account and with no job, I am lucky enough to have amazing parents who give me a weekly allowance.

Every student knows that as soon as their student loan is put into their bank account, it is time to go crazy with money. Partying, takeaways and buying useless things you'll never end up using is all part of the experience. 

THE VERY BEGINNING

University isn't just about education and getting a degree out of it; it is a life changing experience. After completing my first year of University with a respectable 2:1 (which I was surprised at with the lack of work I did and motivation I had), I learnt how hard yet rewarding, stressful yet fun, University life can be.

All University students will tell you to make the most of first year and boy I did that. After moving just over 130 miles away to live in Newcastle from my hometown of Sheffield, I finally felt free of my parents after living under their rules for 18 years. Now it was my time to fully embrace life.

My first year of University was a very stereotypical experience; meeting new people (and I met a lot!) and partying as well as surviving on pasta and other basic cheap food. Of course there were ups and downs (mainly ups!) but it was without doubt the best, most eventful year of my life so far.

Moving to Newcastle meant a fresh start; a new city, new people and a new way of life (which turned out to be very different than what I expected). Although for the most part I love student life, there is the odd bump in the road. I have therefore decided to share my experiences of my University life for you to hopefully appreciate and love as much as I do.