I'm not sure how much of that statement is true. I do think that sometimes things happen for no reason, and we have no control over how or why the occur. But I truly believe that some things are predetermined, and DO happen for a reason.

Many cultures and religions believe in fate and destiny, and have different ideas as to our life's paths. Now, whether you believe that God is in control or your own self, I know we all want to have hope that bad things can be erased by the good. For example in Buddhist culture, there is the idea of Karma- bad things will happen when you do something bad, and good things will happen to those who are good. I personally like this idea- even though being a Christian. I'd like to believe that cruel people will be punished for their behaviour and heroic, kind hearted people will be rewarded. I also believe that sometimes good people  have to go through bad times, in order to appreciate the good times. Whether it be the loss of a loved one, or a heart break, or just a bad grade. Perhaps in some cases bad things could be a sign for better things to come.

Sometimes it is comforting to think that 'everything happens for a reason'. It gives us hope. And if the world turns to nothing, all we will have left is hope. Hope is what keeps us moving on. And we have to move on. Otherwise the past will continue to bite us even when it's gone. You could watch the years past as you dwell on something that once happened, and you could miss what is right in front of you. Don't let the past make you miss the present.

I think all of us, what ever religion we are or even if we're atheist, want to believe in something. We all want to have hope that on the other side there is a better place. This doesn't necessarily have to be about the after life. The other side, to me, is the part of your life where you overcome something and move past it to see how bright the future still is and can be. Never lose faith in yourself and never give up on yourself. For whatever reason you are here, living on this earth. And I find that fascinating. We have all been given this chance.

So even when bad things happen that we can't control, whether they happen for a reason or not, we must not dwell on them. Simply accept the past as it is, and learn from it.

Okay, so I thought I'd take this time to do a more casual blog and tell you about what I've been up to recently. As you know from my previous post, I am currently in the process of raising money for the charity- Practical Action. My total so far is about £203 which is a fantastic start! Last week and this week myself and another fundraiser(Leonora Guerra) decided to host a couple of bake sales.



Now our main issue was that we wouldn't have enough cakes and then people would complain that there were none left. So, with this in mind we baked and decorated at least 200 cakes or different sorts. We set up our little booth in the Student Union here in Portsmouth. Cakes ranged from 30p-50p. Things started off slow, but we thought things would surely get busier- after all who doesn't like cakes? Well anyway, long story short we came home with about 130 left. Needless to say our diet for about 5 days mainly consisted of crispy cakes....
Even though we didn't sell as many as we would have liked we still raised about 315 each which is still good and it all goes to Practical Action so no sad faces!
Tonight we did a mini bake sale at a local pub in Portsmouth to help out with the Universities Show Choir, which put on a lovely end of year performance! We only raised about £7.50, and again we will have to eat the left overs- but I'm not complaining.

All this money goes to a great cause, so anything gained or donated is a huge deal and is much appreciated. I want to thank everyone who has donated so far!!! X

Wasn't being a child just the most fun you've ever had? Wasn't it so easy and magical? Now, as you're speedily growing up faster than your body promised(dear body, I thought we had a deal?), things are being revealed to you as harder than they once looked. Being 20 and having finally turned into an age where I no longer can use the excuse' I'm a kid' or 'i'm still a teenager', I'm having to come to terms with the fact I actually have to do things now! 
2.) Cleaning. The floor was wonderfully soft and clean, the coffee table had no rings on it and the bathroom always sparkled. Now it feels like an on going chore that never ends. You wash all the dishes up then have to re-use them for having a cup of tea and slice of toast and so on-it never ends!! Not to mention the amount you have to spend on washing up liquid. It never ran out when you were a kid, why now that you're an adult does it seem to disappear before your own eyes?!

3.) Laundry. Ever wondered how your dirty clothes ended up back in your wardrobe? It's because your mum cleaned them in something called a washing machine ( I know right, who knew?). Now, if you're a student or someone who isn't able to buy their own machine yet, you have to lug all your dirty washing to the nearest laundrette and save and collect your pennies for weeks just to do one load of washing, only for the tumble dryers to not fully dry your clothes. Absolute madness!

With Easter lurking just around the corner, and endless amounts of deadlines for students, most people are probably stressing about work or excited for the days after hand in day. But not this girl. No, besides having that usual stress, today was different for me. Judge me all you want, but this morning I wasn't thinking about deadlines or word counts or referencing, no, I was thinking about the Grand Prix. The Australian Grand Prix, and the first of the 2014 Formula One season. As you can probably tell already, from previous posts, I am a fan or F1. Well, 'fan' is a bit of an understatement, but hey ho! Anyway I know this topic may not interest all, but what I really wanted to do with my blog was write posts that are aimed at anyone and everyone, and after doing various blogs on beauty and music, I feel sport needs to be touched upon as well.

      It seems that the focus of sport in England, and a lot of other countries, is football. I'm not sure why, and I know I'll have people reading this 'hatin' on me for saying it, but it really is just kicking a ball around. Funnily enough I used to liked the sport- I used to play. But nowadays all it seems to do is encourage poor behaviour in youth, and I personally don't think that is the intended effect of the sport.

        Formula One however, brings excitement to a whole new level. Don't believe me? Well I don't blame you. From first glance, F1 may seem like lap after lap of repetitive driving, but trust me when I say all will be revealed after you watch your first couple of races. I did, and I've never stopped watching since. I'm hooked. And this morning at 5:30am I sleepily pulled myself out of bed to watch the Grand Prix as I do for every race, of every season. There is something magical about the excitement a sport can bring, especially when it comes down to support, and support is something that is overwhelmingly powerful in F1.

        To fill you in, the race was full of exciting moments, thrilling chicanes, and knuckle biting anticipation, along with a few tyres flying off here and there! Nico Rosberg won the race- and it was a well deserved win, after such an amazing start off the starting line, where he came from third and moved ahead of pole sitter Lewis Hamilton. There were eight retirements meaning there were only fourteen cars left racing! Daniel Ricciardo gained a well deserved 2nd place, but shortly after being rewarded, stewards found a fault in the regulations of his car meaning he was disqualified from the race! This meant however that McLaren's Kevin Magnussen and Jenson Button, took 2nd and 3rd place!

       It looks as if the 2014 season is off to a very enjoyable season, and with so many races ahead, it is impossible to see where it'll end!
So I may be a loser for waking up so early and running on three hours sleep all day, but the passion I have for that sport is shocking and I know others feel the same. Its the kind of sport you are either passionate about or not at all.
For other F1 fanatics out there, please comment your opinions and favourite drivers or races, as I'd love to hear from you!!

How amazing would life be if it were a musical? 

Dear Readers,

                      Okay, so I know I previously wrote a blog post called 'Be YOU', and this post may seem similar, but I want to stress something that i've noticed. It is something that everyone knows, but nobody really notices. And that is how different we all are. I know, that sounds like the most obvious thing to say, but its true. We are all conceived in the same way, yet the results (us) are so unique and special. Each and every person has their own body, their own heart, brain, soul, bones, skin. Nobody is the same. I think we all need to take a few seconds, or minutes or how ever long you want, to stop and think about that. Why is it we judge others for being different, and why do we judge ourselves for not being the same.
I've realised recently that nobody understands you, better than you. So if you don't want to do something- only you can justify why. Some people drink, others don't. Some people smoke, others don't. Some people play Dungeons and Dragons, whereas others play Football. And that's okay- I promise. There is nothing wrong with being different!
I know there are a lot of people out there who feel lost, who feel they don't belong, and I want to let them know that they are not alone. Right now, I could be out partying but instead I'm sat at my laptop listening to the calming music a mystery person from another floor is playing. It's got me thinking: how many other people are doing the same thing right now? How many of us feel like we are wandering through life without a clue, or perhaps too many clues that others don't see. In this world, with so many people, it is so very easy to feel on your own. But just knowing that other people feel this, allows us to know that as long as the world keeps spinning, we will never be truly alone.
And for those who like being alone, that's okay too. Relaxing by yourself can be a great way to reflect. I know that I am one of those people who has always enjoyed being by myself. That doesn't of course mean I don't like meeting up with friends and family-because of course I do.
I just think people need to accept who they are and more than that..

. accept who others are.
Our lives are like a story book. If all the characters were the same then you'd have no story. But the different characters, ah well they just make for a fantastic read. And I think our stories- I think they're going to be the best!
So be silly, act crazy and be spontaneous, fall in love, enjoy anything and everything and most of all never forget that without you, this world would be a little less different and unique.


Lots of Love
Laura
X

I haven't written in a while, and for that I am deeply sorry (I hope you haven't been too bored- I'm sure you haven't!). I've been really thinking recently about what is a worthy blog post to write, and one that people would really enjoy.
Okay, so this one isn't for everyone, but i've been meaning to start reviewing products and writing about them, so I thought i'd start today. The products I am going to be reviewing today is Tanning products- I know, some of you will be turning you nose up at this post! Sorry!
Although that may be true, I'll tell you a little bit about why I am writing this and tanning products. Some people out there are so lucky, to have darker skin that bronzes beautifully under the sun beams. Other ( such as myself) are not so lucky in that area. I'm am speaking on behalf of the population who have fair, pale skin and burn rather than tan. Ah, this is where my reviews come in. SO tanning naturally feels great it is of coruse very dangerous, and although I am pale and often wish I had darker skin, I would not change my skin for anything. I would much prefer to use fake tan, that I can create a tan all year round that doesn't damage my skin, than go out in the sun and permanently damage my skin. Not only can it lead to skin conditions, but when you get old you'll have really wrinkly skin. So to all you pale folk who hate their skin, stop! Its not the end of the world, and these products not only keep you safe, but are cheap as well!!

Product number 1.)
Garnier Body- Summer Body
This product is fantastic. It may cost around £5, which to some student may still be a bit pricey, but it honestly does last quite a while. I've had this bottle since last summer, and although I did not use it every night and only used it when I needed it, I still have enough left. Of course all products with a tanning ingredients seem to have a smell, and to be honest all of them will have a slight smell because of that ingredient. So getting a product that doesn't smell will bequite hard!! HOWEVER this Garnier Summer Body smells good. Its blended with natural apricot extracts which help keep the 'tan' smell at bay for a while. It's also a moisturising gradual tan that builds up the more you apply it, which not only makes you tanning process seem more natural but it leaves your skin in a great soft condition. It really does make your skin glow. Just be careful to either wear gloves of wash your hands well after use- I made this mistake and have very orange palms the next day!!

Product number 2.)
St. Moriz- Instant self tanning mist.
Although this tan is instant, I wouldn't reccommend putting it on straight before you go out as it does smell very strong! Put it on before bed and shower off in the morning. Althought it's instant it also lasts a few days, like a spray tan would. Being instant is great because you can really see where you've applied already, so you can avoid streaks or missed patches! I absolutely love this product as its only about £2 in some shops and last ages. You can get it in a lotion form, a mist/spray form or mousse. I personally prefered the mousse as I felt it applied better to my skin. But that's just me! I would highly reccommend this product!


Product number 3.)
Bronze Ambition-Glow'N'Go
This product is fantastic for those who don't have time to go through the lengthy tanning process. This wash on wash off tanning lotion is great for applying if you're in a hurry or about to go out. You can pop it in your bag for quick cover ups. It also smells great. Just be CAREFUL though, as it will go on light coloured clothing- so leave to dry before applying clothes and try and avoid white!




Product number 4.)
Nip and Fab-365 Body Glow Fix

This product I am yet to decide on. It smells good and is a nice clear gell, however I am yet to have results with it. My friend is currently trying it out for me, so as soon as weget results i'll perhaps upload it. I cannot tell whether this product works on my skin or not, whether this was because when I first tried it I already had another tanning product on or not.





Please feel free to agree or disagree in the comment box and let me know what you think about these products! Hope you have enjoyed this post and that it's been to use.

Happy tanning!!

X

I apologise for uploading issues- tonight has been a nightmare in terms of blogging for me!!