CHIA SEEDS

After a while of searching, I have finally found a place to buy Chia seeds on the high street in a shop I didn't even think to look in - I stumbled across them by accident. I've tried looking in Tesco and Asda amongst other shops but I finally found a supplement section in Boots which sells Chia seeds. Woo!

HOW TO INCREASE ENERGY LEVELS

Do you find that you lack energy? Not necessarily from going to the gym and waking up with aching muscles the next morning but do you physically struggle to get out of bed in the morning? I know I do. Even if I have a 10 hour sleep, I still feel tired which is particularly worrying when 8 hours sleep is the recommended amount of sleep to have per night. It's not even the fact that I have a hard day ahead which can of course affect sleep or make you reluctant to actually get out of bed. Even if I have planned a day of watching films, I still feel physically drained when I wake up. 

This needs to change sooner rather than later in my case as I don't only have a job but I have University work as well as socialising to do so my energy needs somewhat of a boost. I've done some research in how to increase energy levels which I hope is going to help me but also you if you lack energy too.

HOW TO AVOID THE TAKEAWAY TRAP

Takeaways are the devil. So yummy and so satisfying, yet so greasy and so unhealthy. Dominos is 100% my greatness weakness. I literally crave it most if not every night, no word of a lie. The ease of ordering a takeaway whether that be over the phone, online or through an app, is health destroying. As a student, I am stereotyped in being someone who lives off takeaways however that it is not the case. I am relatively healthy, eating home-cooked meals most nights with the exception of a takeaway once a week which in my opinion is still bad. I think takeaways should be a rare treat, perhaps a once-a-month thing and no matter how much I believe this, I can't seem to ease myself from a once-a-week treat. 

Whether it's because of your mood, your job, stress levels, lack of time, ease or just cravings, takeaways are hard to keep off. If you struggle to keep off the takeaways like me, read below to see if a few of my ideas will work for you.

BUSY SUMMER

Hello blogging world! I haven't written a post in over a month and a half as I have been super super busy lately. What started off for me as a very chilled and laid-back summer soon become a hectic one but I love being busy so I'm not complaining. Now things have calmed down for me for a few weeks, I can't wait to get back into blogging again. 

SOMETHING FISHY

Most, if not all of us, will have heard how we are recommended to eat fish because of the nutrients and health benefits it contains however, what exactly are the benefits to eating fish and what happens if you are a hater of fish like me?

WHY I'M ATTEMPTING A DAIRY-FREE DIET

Dairy-free diets have become a huge talking point in the world lately, whether it be to do with dairy-based disorders, skin, overall health or weight loss. I have decided to try out a dairy-free diet to see if cutting out dairy does have an overall effect on my health in a good way. I am not lactose, dairy or gluten intolerant (that I know of) but I am trying to lose a few kilograms, sort out bloating issues and try and improve my skin. Going dairy-free is going to be hard as I love all things dairy but of course with it being the 21st century, there are plenty of dairy-free alternatives which I have yet to try.*

HOMEMADE BANANA BREAD

Yesterday I noticed that I had a few bananas that were a little too brown and mushy for my liking. As a student, you can't really afford to waste food and I hate wasting food anyway so I needed to think of a way to use up these bananas instead of throwing them in the bin. Banana bread was my instant thought as I love banana bread and hadn't had it in a long time so this was the perfect way of using up my bananas. I always have basic baking ingredients in my cupboard just in case I fancy baking something. The recipe is very simple and quick to make and I thought I would share this light, yummy treat with you for you to use if you have a few bananas going to waste.

JOB SEARCHING

For as long as I can remember, I've wanted a part time job to do alongside my studies yet it hasn't happened yet. For at least the last few years I've wanted a job but haven't been able to get one and I have no idea why. It's starting to get frustrating but I'm determined to not give up. 

PROTECTING YOURSELF IN THE SUN

The UK is currently forecast to bask in glorious sunshine for the next few days in the form of a heatwave, mainly affecting the south east. Of course most people will want to make the most of the sunshine by going out and sunbathing or even just going for a walk. This is all good but the Sun can be dangerous if precautions aren't taken which I'm sure many of you will know about (or you should do anyway!)

WIMBLEDON

My favourite tennis tournament Wimbledon began today! Tennis is my favourite sport to watch (but not so much play as I have reminded people of a tennis player from the 1980's called John McEnroe - in other words I like to slam my tennis racket down when things don't go my way, which unfortunately is a lot! Playing tennis certainly isn't my forte so I'll just stick to watching it.)

#LOVEWINS

Yesterday in the US, which I'm sure many of you are aware of, the US Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage will be legalised across all states in the US. Prior to this, 14 states, including Georgia, Ohio and Texas, didn't allow the marriage between two people of the same gender however, the recent ruling means that people of the same gender can now marry in any state across the US. 

MY WEEK

Overall I've had an amazing, yet expensive, week. I've had something to do almost everyday which I love as I hate being stuck in the house feeling lazy, particularly in summer when the weather is good (if the British weather is being nice to us that is). This week was my boyfriend's birthday and he was turning the grand old age of 22 on Friday. He of course took full advantage of the fact that it was his birthday using the excuse of 'birthday week' to get away with anything he could. 

LOSING WEIGHT OPTIONS: THE GOOD AND THE BAD

One thing I have never understood is people who want to lose weight but by taking the easier, and not so beneficial option. As soon as someone mentions losing weight, exercise and a healthy but balanced diet comes into mind however, over the last few years, many people (mainly girls) are using other options to lose weight such as teatoxes, supplements, aids and all juice diets along with many more that are thought to help with losing weight but they aren't necessarily healthy. 

MUST WATCH ROM-COMS

Romantic comedies are my absolute favourite genre of film. They are the perfect pick-me-up when I'm feeling down, they are something I can relate to when I miss my boyfriend and they are my go-to film if I'm bored and don't know what to watch. I've watched many rom-coms, many that I've seen many times but I can't see myself ever getting bored of them (at the moment anyway). However, there are still many I have yet to see but here I have compiled a list of my 30 must-watch rom-coms. Some are exceptionally cheesy, some just very girly, some are lovey dovey and some are on the more serious side.

WHAT SCHOOL DOESN'T TEACH YOU BUT IT SHOULD

Although I have almost completed my time in education, there are still many things about the world that I don't know but I need to know. There are a few fundamental things that you don't learn in school but you really should. It's a common thing found on social media for people not to value learning about algebra and trigonometry for example which I completely understand but if we didn't learn about this in school, we wouldn't have many mathematicians as how would people know what they would be interested in if they never actually knew what is was? As well as all the standard lessons, life lessons should also be given as part of the curriculum as this would be of value to everyone as everyone has to have a job (unless you're very lucky and are born into a wealthy family), everyone will have bills to pay and budgets to do but also things of importance about the government, the economy and general world issues.

MINI GUIDE: EYEBROWS TO FLATTER THE SHAPE OF YOUR FACE

Eyebrows are an important aspect of life (to me anyway). Thick or thin, tweezed or threaded, bleached or dyed, eyebrows can further enhance your natural facial features if the shape is right for your face. However, if your eyebrows aren't an appropriate shape for your face then your whole look could be ruined and no one wants that! It took me a long time to actually get the perfect eyebrow shape so hopefully my mini guide will help if you're confused about what to do with your eyebrows! To determine what shape your eyebrows should be, you first need to know what the shape of your face is.

SUMMER GOALS

Now that I've finished University for the summer and don't have an awful lot to do, I have created a set of goals that I am going to aim to achieve by the time I start University again in September. I've decided I want to stay in Newcastle rather than go home back to Sheffield for the summer just because my life is up here now, apart from my family that is. The goals I have set are actually realistic as when I have created goals in the past, most were the total opposite. 

JOINING THE GYM

The gym. A scary prospect for those of you who have never been to a gym I bet, that included me before I joined just over a week ago. I've been wanting to join the gym for a few years now but I never really had the motivation to go, mainly because I was scared of going as I haven't had many sporty friends who actively go to the gym on a regular basis or are even interested in sport full stop. I am interested in a few sports myself (watching, not so much participating unfortunately). I have enjoyed watching the tennis along with the Olympics and any athletics tournaments for as long as I can remember. At school, I was an active youngster, studying GCSE PE as well as participating in competitive swimming, cross country running, biking and walking with the family at weekends and long distance running in athletics. However, since starting my A Levels and moving to a different part of the country for University, I didn't really participate in any sort of exercise for around 4 years apart from the occasional jog on the treadmill if I was ever at home (which is a very rare occurrence).

BIORÉ: DEEP PORE CHARCOAL CLEANSER REVIEW

With summer officially around the corner (even though it doesn't feel like it with the weather lately!), facial skin cleansing is essential for a fresh looking face. I think dull skin is more acceptable in winter (even though I do everything I can to prevent dull skin) because of the harsh bitter winds but in summer, a fresh, dewy face is what I'm sure every female out there would prefer to have. I wanted to invest in a new facial cleanser as a change in routine every so often does have benefits which I have recently found out! After looking and researching online, I came across a brand called Bioré which I had never even seen in shops or heard of before so I thought why not give it a try?

FREEDOM!

Freedom! I have finally finished my second year of University and it's been a stressful one to say the least, first year was nothing compared to the hell of second year so I can't even bear to think what third year is going to be like with the stress of my dissertation, but for now I can have a long 4 months off which I think is well deserved!

I can finally begin to have a life again and actually blog which I have missed doing this last month because of my exams! I had a tiring 5 exams over 15 days which has worn me out mentally! So for the next few weeks, I am going to totally relax before I start to have a think on what I could write my dissertation on next year.

I have goals for summer this year, especially since I want to stay in Newcastle over the summer rather than move back to Sheffield for a few months, mainly due to the fact that my boyfriend is staying in Newcastle. I wasted my summer last year, the only thing I actually did last summer was go on holiday for a couple of weeks, however I plan on being the total opposite this year. I want this summer to be a very proactive and rewarding one! I intend to write a post all about my summer goals and hopefully get some suggestions from you guys too!

I'm just so relieved I can actually stop being a hermit stuck in my room revising all the time and actually enjoy myself. I already have a few ideas on what I want to blog about so keep an eye out!

Good luck to any of you who still have exams! Just think that summer is just around the corner.

Do you have big plans for the summer? Or do you want to fully embrace your chance to relax over summer?

FOOD PREP

With a very busy month coming up for me because of University, I needed a quick way to make my evening meal. I have recently noticed a lot of people, particularly on Instagram, doing food prep, or food preparation which I thought I would have a go at. Not only does it make meals in bulk saving you time, it means that it saves the hassle of having to wash up every night which I hate doing anyway.

EASTER TRAVELS

As a University student, I look forward to holidays so much. No more 9am starts for a few weeks means constant lie ins. However, I spent the first week of my Easter break being very proactive; I was up early almost every day. This was because me and my boyfriend spent the week visiting each other's family which was a pretty daunting experience on paper. Spending almost every minute of every day for a week with each other was a first for us but it turned out to be very successful, I enjoyed every minute. 

BATISTE DRY SHAMPOO

Batiste dry shampoo is literally a life saver in a can. Every girl every so often has the unexpected plan of going out without having the time to do the hassle of washing, drying and styling hair. Dry shampoo allows you to wash and style your hair in a fraction of the time. 

PINTEREST

If you don't have Pinterest then the question is, why not?! Pinterest is addictive, and not in a healthy way! I can literally spend hours browsing through pages and pages of makeup, architecture, travel and food (not good when I have coursework to be doing!) It is basically a huge range of photos that have tags along with them (like the hashtags you use on Instagram and Twitter but without the hashtag) so that they are easy to find, for example, type 'handmade card' into the search bar and lots of ideas of handmade cards for you to have a go at will be shown but also with the instructions! Literally anything you need can be found on Pinterest.

WHAT I HATE ABOUT LIVING AWAY FROM HOME

Moving away from home for University is one of the best things I have done so far in my life. Not only have I built up my confidence but I have learnt a lot of new things about life itself as well as about myself. I've also learnt to navigate myself around a new city and I have to say that Newcastle is an amazing place. I have a new friendship group and I can see a couple of people being a friend for life as well as meeting my boyfriend. However, there are downsides to almost everything in life, including moving away from home.

BANANA AND CINNAMON PANCAKES

Due to following lots of food accounts on Instagram and obsessing with how good the food looks, I decided to make something a little different for breakfast in the form of banana and cinnamon pancakes. I have of course had chopped up banana alongside pancakes but I have never thought of using chopped banana actually in the batter, until now.

STUDENT STRESS

This time of the year must be one of the most stressful times of year for a University student. With my exam dates for the summer released today, I have discovered that I have 5 exams and I still have 4 coursework assignments to do before I'm finally done with second year. I say finally but second year has flown by!

Along with the stress of coursework at the minute and the thought of exams, it's become the time of the year where I don't have much student loan left, mainly due to the fact that I spent far too much money on Dominos and clothes this semester. My loan is due in exactly a month and although having a lack of money can be hard, I think having little money can be of some benefit at this time of the year. It means I won't be tempted to buy a takeaway and with summer fast approaching, takeaways need to be banned anyway to help with my waistline. My lack of money will also stop me going out drinking so I can spend time revising and doing coursework unless I get too stressed and just need to get drunk and party and this will again help my waistline. 

The good thing about this time of year is that it's Easter very soon which means I can go home and spend some quality time with my family as well as spending time with my boyfriend without having to worry about going to University as I can't be spending my whole 3 weeks off at Easter doing University work, I need a rest as it is!

My motivation to work hard will be the fact that in 2 months, I will be completely done with second year and my long 4 month summer break can begin! 

Are you or do you know a student who is stressed? Have you become a poor student like me?

25 THINGS I HAVE LEARNT SO FAR FROM UNIVERSITY

Here is a list of the things I have learnt from my University experience so far.

MY DAILY MAKE-UP ROUTINE

My daily make-up routine is quite extensive I have to admit - probably more a going-out make-up than a day make-up to most people. This is simply because I don't feel confident enough to go shopping or to University for example without a full face of make-up. The only time I don't wear make-up is when I sleep of course, when I know I'm not leaving the house, if I'm just popping to one of the local shops for food (I hide with my hood up) or if I'm staying at my boyfriend's or he's staying at mine. 

A FEW MONEY-SAVING TIPS

There are many simple ways to make everyday life cheaper and here are just a few! This is perfect not only for students but for anyone wanting to save a few pennies here or there.

MY 5 SPRING MUST-HAVES

Spring is just around the corner finally! A new season of the year also means a new season in fashion, woo! I personally get sick of having to constantly wear a coat outdoors in winter so spring and summer is the time to experiment with outfits without a coat hiding it from the world. My 5 must-haves this Spring are A-Line skirts, clogs, co-ords, a denim dress and a sleeveless blazer.

Full A-Line Airtex Skirt from Topshop, £42.00

GETTING YOUR 5 A DAY

I will be the first to hold up my hands to the fact that I struggle to eat my 5 portions of fruit or vegetables everyday. Being out and about or just choosing to snack on chocolate is my downfall. Also the fact that I originally thought that a portion of fruit or vegetables to make up one portion of my 5 a day would be huge when it actually isn't as I will demonstrate here with some of the more common fruit and vegetables available. 

RIVER ISLAND LONDON EAU DE TOILETTE: REVIEW

This perfume was bought to me as a Christmas present and ever since I first smelled it, I have been hooked. I have to say this is my most favourite perfume I have yet to own which shows not everything has to be a huge-named brand. I don't particularly believe in big named brands which will be obvious if you have read my previous beauty-based posts. It also fits into my student budget perfectly and I'm sure you'd love it just as much as I do.

THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER

Coursework season is among me hence my lack of posts but once these next few weeks are done, there will be blog posts a plenty. Water. I have to admit my daily water intake is very low. I just struggle to drink during the day as I'm a slow enough drinker as it is and I kinda sometimes forget to drink which is really bad! It's not just water I don't drink, its fluids in general. I buy fizzy pop very rarely and even when I'm on a night out drinking alcohol, I hardly drink any water before going out or after meaning I wake up with a sore head, a dry mouth and feeling very dehydrated in the morning which is horrific! I thought I would've learned by now but I haven't - bad habits are hard to break but I'm determined to break this one!

ZAPATISTA

Zapatista? You may be wondering what this is. I had never heard of it until I met my boyfriend who is literally OBSESSED. When he first mentioned the word to me I had no clue what he was talking about, even my coursemates didn't know what Zapatista was until I told them. So what is it?

TOXIN KILLER JUICE

I have finally gotten round to writing a post about a juice that I have recently made by juicing. If you don't know what juicing is, you can read my previous post all about it here.

DRY HAIR

Any girl with long hair will understand how annoying split ends are as well as the appearance of dry hair (particularly for people who bleach or dye their hair like me). But I have an instant solution for those dry and split ends that my mum told me about. 

Aussie Miracle Moist Conditioner £4.69 for 250ml at Boots

SCENTED CANDLES

Most girls I know own at least one scented candle. Why? You may ask. Because not only do scented candles make your room smell amazing but they also look pretty too and can make your room look so girly (not that they are just for girls of course!) especially with the wide range of colours that are now available.

A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF UNIVERSITY LOANS AND GRANTS

Prospective students thinking about going to University may be confused about the whole loan and grant situation just like I was before I started so don't worry you aren't alone! They are both forms of money but they are based on and used in different ways.

This information is based on students from England but living outside London. Students from other countries of the UK as well as students living in London and students from other EU and non-EU countries may have different loan and grant amounts as well as people in many other situations such as people with disabilities, part-time students and students with children amongst many of the reasons.

LOWER THE CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING AGE

As a Biomedical Science student at University, I regularly learn about all sorts of medical conditions and diseases. One of the modules I study this year is The Biology of Disease which is basically about the aetiology and pathophysiology of different diseases. One lecture I had recently was on cancer and a brief talk of cancer screening was mentioned. The main point that stuck out to me in this lecture was the age that cervical cancer smears are begun to be taken. The earliest age is 25, that's right, 25! In my opinion (and a lot of other people's), this age is far too high for a woman to have their first cervical cancer screening test. I think it should be lowered to a more appropriate age of 18 or 21.

OIL PULLING

Recently I have been searching for ways to make my teeth whiter. Being a student, it needs to be a relatively cheap treatment. After quite a bit of research ranging from many expensive products, I discovered coconut oil which I already use for several things, such as applying it to the ends of my hair. I will write a post on all the different ways I use coconut oil.

Based on my research, coconut oil can be used for 'Oil Pulling.' It is claimed to make teeth whiter, freshen breath, remove harmful bacteria as well as improve overall oral health by using the oil as a mouthwash. 

MY NIGHT TIME FACIAL ROUTINE

Lately I've been getting a few comments on how well my skin looks. I believe this is down to my night-time facial routine as well as my application of makeup.

In this post I will discuss my night-time facial routine. I will post about my makeup routine in the upcoming weeks.

HOMEMADE BROWNIES

I have to say these are the most delicious homemade brownies I have ever eaten. Don't believe me? Make them for yourself! Hardly any ingredients are used and hardly any utensils either which saves on the washing up afterwards! Wanna make this scrummy recipe for yourself? 

BALANCE IS KEY

Life is all about balance. Juggling University work, socialising with friends, seeing my boyfriend, speaking to family, cooking, cleaning, sleeping, blogging, searching for a job, independent time: the list is endless!

There simply isn't enough time in the day I don't think! It probably doesn't help that I am a huge procrastinator, it's about time my life got some focus. The first 2 weeks of the year saw me revising and stressing out over University exams which I don't think went too well but there's no need to dwell as I can't change it now! The last week and a half has been dominated by partying with my housemates and spending some much needed time with my boyfriend which has been fab! I think it's about time I got organised at time management more effectively now after my week and a half of fun.

WHAT'S IN MY HANDBAG?

Most girls, if not every girl I know is lost without their handbag and the essential items it contains, I know I would be! There's hardly ever a time I leave the house without my handbag apart from when I pop to the shop just a few streets away to get a few things. Every girl's handbag contains different items personal to them. Wanna know what's in my handbag? Take a peek. 

STRESS HEAD!

It's the beginning of January which means the return back to University for many students (myself included). I came back to Newcastle on Sunday with a very heavy case. Luckily the conductors were nice and helped me on and off the train because I needed it! (Especially with me wearing heels which probably wasn't the cleverest of ideas!). I don't even know why my case was so heavy, my excuse is because I'm a girl!

I've missed Newcastle so much over Christmas, the people, having my own little routine and the social life! But one thing I haven't missed is my freezing cold student house. That is probably the major downside of moving back here in January because I loathe the cold! I am also one of those unlucky students who also has exams, boo! None of my housemates have them which isn't fair at all! I love and hate University. I love everything about it apart from actually attending lectures which is the whole point of going to University in the first place!

2015: THE BEGINNING

It's finally 2015! After the big build up to Christmas and the New Year, its nice to finally relax from all the celebrations (but not from my revision unfortunately - boo!). I entered 2015 pretty drunk! It was meant to be a few quiet drinks in one of the local pubs to see us through to 2015 but I got carried away! Shots, jäger bombs and countless double gin and lemonades (Gordon's is my weakness!), I was very hungover when I woke up! (I won't go into detail as it was quite disgusting!)