Hey lovelies,

So I've just gotten back to Portsmouth after a wonderful Easter break back home. I loved getting to see my family and friends and of course my puppy, who turned one last week and he had a party and a cake - how adorable. But now, the break is over sadly and I have had to return to Portsmouth and Uni for my last semester, which really isn't a semester as there aren't really any seminars or lectures but I do have one exam in a couple of weeks so lots of revision - eugh!

I've been really desperate to go on a holiday this year, and I've been nagging my boyfriend for almost two years now to come to Disneyland with me ( the most magical place ever) - poor guy! But we finally decided that we would go this summer but I realised it would work out better to book early for next year (sad face -  I have to wait) so we think we are going to have to postpone it! So now I have been looking into sun holidays, but again I don't know whether to save that money to go out on little day trips over summer etc. That might be nice. Anyway I'm rambling on.

It's nice to be back for this year's final hurdle in Portsmouth and so far luckily the weather has been lush. Got to actually 'revise' in the garden the other day and yesterday myself and my house mates went to the beach and then played mini golf ( I won) and then finished off the afternoon with an ice cream! I'm hoping the weather holds out until after my exam so I can properly enjoy it. Fingers crossed.

I will hopefully be posting about pretty spring things soon and bits and bobs that I have bought for Spring/summer, so keep your eyes peeled!


Anyway how have you all been? I'd love to hear from you.

Speak soon
Laura X

Being a first year at Uni can be fun, but being a second can also be very challenging, and we are pre-warned about this. However despite this, there are always those things we say we'll do, that we don't.

1.) I'm gunna keep my house so clean. It'll be different this year because it'll be my house. No more mess...

2.) I'm gunna be super good with my money this year. I'm going to properly manage it- £30 a week budget...

3.) I'm totally not gunna get drunk as much as last year. No, I'm all about nights in...

4.) Who needs Dominoes? I'm so not gunna waste my money on that. I don't need one...

5.) I'm going to plan my time wisely. No more leaving my work til the night before the deadline. I'll be organised from now on.

6.) I'm going to get a job this year...

7.) Thanks, I totally didn't make an effort. And I definitely did not spend three hours getting ready. I basically woke up like this...

8.) To be fair, I never really treat myself...

9.) You're never going to see me this year- I'll be spending all my time in the library...

10.) Honestly sir, I wasn't sleeping, I was just listening with my eyes closed...


There are so many things we second years say and try to believe...

It's that time of the year again when everyone seems to be or get ill- I know I am. I can't seem to shake whatever it is that I have. It can make you feel really glum, so for those of you who are stuck for ideas on how to feel better, here are a few of my tips:

1.) Get plenty of sleep, but don't over sleep. This one is a general rule in life to be honest. Not enough sleep and too much sleep can make you tired. Tiredness can lead to so many things and may be one of the reasons you're ill, or could be contributing to your immune system not working as well. So go to bed, get snuggly!

2.) Drink plenty- especially things with vitamins in. So this could be orange juice or vitamin water, whatever takes your fancy. Keeping hydrated is important in keeping your body healthy, so make sure you keep a bottle next to you at all times when ill- who cares if you keep needing to pee!

3.) Be happy. Now this may seem like I'm asking a lot. However when we're ill we feel really sad and moody, but if we try and do nice things and enjoy ourselves whilst ill, we'll start to feel better in ourselves. For example being happier could include finding a good boxset to watch whilst you're sat in bed drinking a lemsip, or it could be a nice walk down to the beach or park!

4.) Pamper yourself. Have a bubble bath and put a face pack on. Maybe use some gradual bronzing lotion to make you feel glowy and healthy on the outside, even if you're not feeling great on the inside. Pampering could even include treating yourself to a take away- these will also make you happier (see above).

5.) Wrap up warm. If you're ill, being cold is only going to make things worse (usually). So when you go out, put a coat and scarf on and don't go out with wet hate- death trap!

6.) Use the time you're cooped up inside to be productive- perhaps read a book or finish off some work you've been meaning to do.

7.) Have a hot lemon drink. My auntie introduced me to these, and they are lush. Use half a lemon, or a whole lemon , squeeze out the juice into a mug. Then pour hot water in, and add sugar and/or honey. It makes you feel so much better. Lemon is good for phlegm as it helps cut through it- meaning a clearer throat!

8.) Don't stress. Stressing makes you ill. So NO!

9.) Look up videos of cute puppies or kittens, because, well they make everyone feel better don't they? So look at how cute they are with their little ears and their little toes! Awh!

10.) Be comfy. Don't worry about dressing in your finest clothes. Take advantage of your illness and wear baggy comfy clothes- so much better!!


So I hope these have helped, even though I'm pretty much telling you what you already know, but hey ho!

X

So I've been terrible at keeping up with my blogging schedule recently *smacks hand* and I keep apologising but that's because I genuinely feel bad. It feels so weird not blogging, now that I've been doing if for so long! I'm saying this now, and I hope I can keep my word, that I am going to be getting back on track as soon as possible. Things are crazily busy now as I not only have Uni, but now have work to go to as well- ah busy bee!

So anyway, I thought today I'd just chat about what I've been getting up to and how I feel about life and things really- nothing too serious. It's occurred to me recently how precious life is, and how much it means to us. If it meant nothing then we would feel nothing, yet we feel so many different emotions every single day. Life is messy and its tough,but it is also beautiful and fascinating.

It's been lovely to move back down to Portsmouth ( about a month ago), and we've been really lucky as the weather has been brilliant, however I sort of feel not in the mood for summer anymore... do you know what I mean. Of course it isn't summer anymore, it's actually Autumn, but when I moved back down, it was still technically summer, and the sun was glaring down and the sea was sparkling and lush. But now that my summer holidays are over I am looking forward to the colder months, where you can snuggle up and be cosy. I get too hot and bothered if it's hot when I'm not in the mood for it. Not that I have ANY control over this of course!

But, its been nice wandering down to the seafront nevertheless. We even played on the arcades last week, like we did this time last year a lot. Oh the nostalgia! We won these really creepy looking Mario-kart rip off toys. But then again I wasn't expecting much from a 2p machine.

So what have you all been up to recently?

Don't worry I'm still writing!

Speak to you soon loves! X

2nd year highlights the fact that the fun year is over. Of course all of your years will be fun, but gone are the days where you can be a little care free and not worry about anything. This year you can't miss anything as it all counts for your final grade and you suddenly realise how much more effort you need to put in this year compared to last.

My 2nd year thoughts:

1.) I worked hard last year. Damn you mean I have to work even harder?!


2.) Bills? Seriously, I wanted a McFlurry this week, but now I can't afford one!

3.) On second thoughts, oo a McFlurry!


4.) Scrap that I spent my last pound on a snakebite!


5.) Eugh I have to read meters and be sparing with water and electricity!



5.) Why do I live so far away from Uni?!

6.) You mean I have to go to Uni AND have a job like an adult? Whaaa?

7.) I feel as though I haven't slept in years!


8.) Why are these stairs so steep?

9.) Owh I've run out of mugs... I'll just buy some more. Oh wait I can't- I have no money!

10.) These walls are thin.

11.) My bag is so heavy!

12.) Why so early?

13.) Oh more bills...


14.) We're going out tonight? Oh okay, sorry I forgot that I wasn't allowed sleep at University!

15.) I wish it was last year!

Fresher's week is always a much awaited time for students to-be. For a lot of students, it offers a chance to be wild and free, and a perfect way to celebrate living away from Mum and Dad. It's hard to know what to expect before experiencing it as it is not the same as going on a one off night out. Here are some things you can expect from 'Fresher's week'- or in some Universities' case 'Fresher's Fortnight':


1.) Fresher's flu is NOT a myth. You WILL get ill during your first few weeks. This is because there are so many people, all in a new environment, and it is easy to spread germs and illnesses.

2.) You will be handed flyers everywhere you go and you will end up with a room full of them by the end of the week.

3.) Foam parties can be dangerous if you're not overly tall!

4.)Your halls will look worse for wear when you wake up every morning.

5.) Queues will be massive and you will wonder, when you finally get in, if your first year is already over because you've been standing in the queue for that long.

6.) Everyone is overly friendly. Be careful.

7.)You'll eat a lot of fast food.

8.)You'll get sick of your 'Fresher's Week' wristband getting soaked every time you shower, wash your hands or wash up, and staying wet for the rest of the day.

9.)Flat/House parties will probably end up being better than the events.

10.) You may not make it into all of your University lectures. Or if you do, it's probably because you have just stayed awake from the night before.

11.) Fresher's Fayre will make you feel like you are a herd of cattle, and you'll feel as though someone will 'moo' at any given moment.

12.) You'll have been persuaded to enter an empty night club, just because you were all too polite to walk away.

13.) Even if you haven't gone out, you won't sleep due to all the racket going on outside- both from club music and people having arguments in the courtyards at 4am.

14.) All your shoes will be sticky from people spilling their drinks down you whilst you try to squeeze past them to go to the toilet when in night clubs.

15.) And finally, you'll realise you've spent too much money, and you'll try to make a plan where you live off £5 a week- which only one day later won't work out as you've bought another kebab to 'save on washing up', when we all know it's because you're too lazy to cook.

So this week and last have been very stressful. Having a new puppy is like having a baby (I imagine), except much more hairy. He gets us up at night, and it takes hours of playing with him to tire him out. Then when he falls asleep we can finally relax, yet he's so cute that when he's asleep we can't wait for him to wake up! He's at the teething stage at the moment, meaning he likes to chew on anything, and currently he has a taste for arms and legs. I cannot count the amount of marks I have on my arms from him scratching or nibbling me! The thing is he is just playing and unfortunately we just have to accept that he will be a bit nibbly for a while. However this period will soon stop and we'll be able to cuddle him without the fear of his needle sharp teeth.

This morning he was rather crazy, going hyper and trying to climb the stairs. We've started putting the radio on in the kitchen, tuned to Classic FM, which he seems to enjoy. Now I feel exhausted. I am very much in need of a night out. So later on this evening I am visiting my friend to check out her new flat and have some wine and watch some scary films. A proper girls night in, which is just what I need. It's strange being home for summer. Back at University I of course saw friends every day because I lived with them, so being back home is odd, because if my family are all working I only have myself and Marvel's company!

My holiday so far seems to have consisted of me becoming obsessed with MTV, specifically the show 'Catfish: The TV Show'. I'm hooked what can I say! It's got me thinking how crazy the world is, and how people aren't always what they say, and also that even people you know may have secrets or things about themselves that they hide. A random thought to add to this blog, but there hasn't been much structure to this post so I thought I'd mention it. I've been finding blogging extremely hard since being back- I had so many plans for this blog, and I am yet to have the chance to write them! Having a puppy has definitely made it harder to blog, what with him trying to chew through my cables! Nevertheless I'm powering through. I've got some really cool ideas for blog posts soon, so please bear with and let me know of any blogs or vlogs you'd like me to do!

Speak soon X
Laura

So I thought I had better do another little life snippet, to update you all on what's been happening in my life recently. I never know how interesting these posts are for you, but I also know that it's quite relaxing sometimes to have something less stressful to read (I realise I say something like this in every post).


So I recently hit the 4000 views mark on my blog, which to outsiders doesn't seem very much at all, but to me I think that's a great start. That fact my little blog has been looked at and read 4000 times makes me very happy! Of course it'd be fantastic to see those figures rising more and more,but so far I do genuinely see it as an achievement, and my blog has become something I am very proud of.

I may not be the best writer in the world, or the best blogger, but I do have a passion for what I do. I love to be able to make someone happy through my words, or to inspire someone through just writing something.

I was very down recently because I did not get the grades I had hoped for in some of my assignments at University, which when you are studying Writing, is very disheartening when you have such a passion for blogging. However, sometimes I think 'what do they know'? I love what I do and have received such positive feedback so I am going to just continue doing what I love. What do grades mean anyway? Nobody is the same so how can you mark writing when there isn't a right or wrong answer! I, and many others experiencing the same need to be proud of their own work and remember that others are different to you and only you can write what you write!

So I also moved out of my University Halls of Residence which was a very emotional time for me. It didn't help that I was rushed out of it for an inspection- I barely got to say goodbye-( Am I the only one who feels the need to say farewell to rooms?). Anyway, I'm back in Northampton now, and with some very exciting news coming up!

Because I am away from University for 3 months, I will really try my best to be 100% dedicated to blogging. I will also try my best to do as many Vlogs as I can also. Of course I was aiming to do one every Saturday, however sometimes I have found it rather hard, so I will try my best to upload vlogs when I can.

Today has been a beautiful day, and I spent it being in town and at the park with two of my very close University friends (who happen to live near me). We had a little picnic, over looking the lakes and the ducks and we saw a very aggressive swan! It has been a lovely day!

So that's my life at the moment, for you! What have you all been up to? X

So the time has come for me to move out of my University Halls of Residence. How time flies!! It seems only yesterday that my parents were dropping me off. We had the whole car stocked so full of boxes and clothes, that we could barely see over them to talk to each other. It makes me think about how far I've come. University was never something I felt destined to do. Some people always knew they wanted to go, but my fate was unplanned as far as I was concerned, so when I finally decided to give University a try, it was a huge deal! But here I am about to finish my first year.

It doesn't feel as though I've been in my little room long enough. Of course I had to spend three weeks out of it when I had to have my carpet re-done as over the Christmas holidays my room flooded due to the bad weather. But it seems strange that after this holiday I won't be returning to my little room and flat. It's funny how quickly we adjust to places. Here I was being thrown into a entirely new place that I knew nothing about, with people who I knew nothing about and who knew nothing about me, and yet it's hard to think of a time that I wasn't here, with them!

With one week left I now have the chore of packing and sorting through everything. Tonight I tackled the task of sorting out the wardrobe. Luckily it was mostly empty bags, which I could just chuck away, so it wasn't as horrendous as I'd imagined. But it's actually quite emotional to see everything that has become my new home, put away into meaningless boxes. The room is feeling much more empty now, and it's odd to think that in a few months time, my room will belong to someone new!

My first year has been a blast. It's had many ups and downs, and involved many wild nights and many nights in eating food that is bad for us. But when I think about it, University was a path. A path that I could either take or walk the other way. Now, I don't know what would have happened if I'd have chosen the other path, but I have a feeling I would have stayed in the same place and never moved on in life. But it's now clear for me to say that I chose the right path. The fog going across that path has now cleared and for once I can actually see where I want to be!

Sometimes it's worth just taking risks and taking chances. They may just be the best things you've ever done!


Apologies for the overly cheesy post! It's sounds as if I belong in a musical....