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Let's Talk About Results Day | Life Update

Monday, 27 August 2018

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A lot has happened in the past week and a half. Well, I say a lot. In reality it’s mostly been watching literary documentaries on BBC iPlayer, drinking soya chocolate milk and sneezing almost non-stop for 3 days. 
However, in a more figurative sense, a lot has, in fact happened, and you can probably guess why.

Two Thursdays ago was A Level Results Day – a day when thousands of 17 and 18-year-olds wake up at dawn after hardly any sleep (at least, in my case) in order to find out where their immediate future is taking them.

I am so glad to say that I got into my first choice university, and in less than a month I’ll be packing my bags and heading to Newcastle. It’s a bit surreal to think about to be honest, especially knowing that my friends are going all over the country as well, but I guess it will hit me at some point, probably on my birthday which is 2 weeks into my time at uni. 

Results Day itself was a mixture of emotions for me. The moment itself was slightly underwhelming. I saw my results, I found out I got into uni, and that was that. I was happy but a bit dazed, and, to be honest, I felt kind of disappointed. It was still 7:30am after an awful night’s sleep, so I wasn’t exactly with it. It took me at least 10 minutes to realise what had happened and to feel proud of my achievements. After shouting about how proud I felt on social media, doubt and insecurity then set in. I felt like I should have and could have done better (bearing in mind I worked myself practically sick for these grades) and ended up seriously considering deleting the tweet I’d put up saying my grades.

Later on, I came to a much healthier conclusion about my grades, after having reasoned with myself for a while. For example, I have always known that I am much better at coursework and research projects over exams, and exams never show what I truly know, despite how much effort I might put in. I am fully aware that my knowledge in the subject which had my lowest grade in is at a much higher standard than what my grade portrayed, even though that was still a pretty good grade. Although it wasn’t necessarily what I hoped to get, I’m still trying to focus on the fact that it did what I needed it to do: get me to the next stage in my academic career. 

It can be difficult sometimes to separate yourself from the toxicity of the competitive atmosphere, even if you’re painfully aware of it and want to celebrate your friends’ successes instead of fixating on your own insecurities. Everyone should be proud of what they got, even if it wasn’t what they were expecting or wanted. A Levels are bloody stressful and it’s a huge achievement to have even taken the exams. 

I am looking forward to learning again, hopefully this time more on my own terms, and in a style that I prefer and know works best for me. 

Here’s to what’s to come.




If you liked this post you might like: Opportunity, Judgement and Self-Growth



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4 Musicals I've Been Loving Recently

Wednesday, 18 October 2017

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Musicals are a big part of my music taste and I know that many people share my passion for them. I go through phases of listening to one musical almost constantly, and these have been some on my list lately.
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1. Anastasia


The animated 20th Century Fox film Anastasia is my favourite animated film of all time, so naturally, when I found out they had made a musical version of it that was playing on Broadway, I had to find out more. For months I have been singing the old songs and the new. I love them all so much. Some of the songs, like Stay, I Pray You, are so personal and heart wrenching, then others like Learn To Do It are so fun and flamboyant. My favourites are In a Crowd of Thousands, In My Dreams and My Petersburg probably due to the images they conjure up in my head and what they reveal about the characters (especially Dmitri. I love Dmitri). I love how the creators have made the musical more historically accurate (despite the elephant in the room of Anastasia actually dying but whatever), it makes the History nerd part of me very happy.

2. The Addams Family


I saw this musical twice in July and I have been a little obsessed ever since (a bit beforehand as well but there’s nothing like seeing a show to become obsessed). The cast is amazing and I really wish an original UK cast recording happens at some point soon. *click* *click*.

3. Hairspray


I listened to this soundtrack (the one with Zac Efron) a lot whilst making notes and writing up my History coursework. The songs and their upbeat nature kept me going, particularly with any typing that I had to do (and I did a lot) and the subject matter related to my work (my coursework is on African American civil rights) so helped keep me a little more focused on the topic. 

4. Mamma Mia!


We know that I listen to ABBA all the time anyway, but ever since the announcement of Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again’s release in July next year, I’ve been constantly theorizing what’s going to happen and what songs they’re going use. I think Summer Night City, Angeleyes and the Day Before You Came so far.


What are your favourite musicals? I’m always looking for new things to listen to.


If you liked this post you might like: I Wish Life Were a Musical
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The Road to Veganism

Friday, 8 September 2017

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Recently, I made the decision to go vegan. Having been raised in an environment where eating meat at least once a day was the norm, this decision was something very different from the lifestyle I had before, but I’m now very much aware that it’s possible.

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I am not vegan yet. And I know that’s contradicting what I just said about making the decision blah blah blah, but I said I’d made the decision, not that I was perfectly plant-based yet. As I’ve been used to such a non-vegan lifestyle, part of which I must still hold onto while I live at home, I’m taking it slow. Currently, I’m going veggie – apart from the rare occasion (perhaps once a week, if that) where my family have a meal that can’t be made veggie – and being as vegan as possible when I’m eating separately from my family, although again, this isn’t very strict at the moment. Once I move out and am living a much more independent lifestyle, I plan on making my diet (and other products I use) as vegan as possible (although still within reason depending on what my budget can afford). In certain areas, such as my makeup, I am cruelty-free and am proud of that. I will always recommend the good cruelty-free brands that I use and actually might do a post on my tips for cruelty-free makeup in the future now that I think about it...

So, what are my reasons for going vegan? Well, since starting college I have had the great pleasure of meeting some wonderful people who have showed me how vegan living is both extremely beneficial for a number of ways and that it is most definitely doable (shout out to Charlotte and Lizzi for being so supportive and great at giving advice and showing me the ways, ily). Here is my reasoning for veganism:

1. The environment


51% of climate change is due to animal agriculture (source: The Guardian). This occurs through fuel used to feed, transport, house and harvest the animals and to grow the plants they are fed as well as the natural gases the animals themselves will produce. I am a Green supporter (as you can probably tell if you’ve read some of my previous blog posts or follow my Twitter) so the environment is one of my priorities. It is vital for everyone that we do our best to save it and veganism is one way of reducing our individual contributions to global warming.

2. Animal cruelty


This is a biggy, and the main reason that most people go vegan, although not really for me. Whilst I am against animal cruelty and think that it should be stopped in all forms, the threat of climate change and preserving our environment would mean that there will be no animals to even be cruel to if we keep going as we are. So to me, save the environment and we save the animals. Hit two birds with one stone (is there a vegan equivalent of that saying?).

3. Money


Obviously, there are lots of vegan options, mostly alternatives such as vegan cheese, which are quite pricey, though plain vegetables and veggie options are generally much cheaper than meat unless you go buying something exotic or rare. As I’m about to move out and start uni in the next year, I’m going to need to live as cheaply as possible and while it’s not my main reason for going plant-based, it’s definitely something that will be a massive benefit if I manage my food and finances well.

4. Health


There’s no doubt that vegetables are good for you. Since cutting out meat almost entirely from my diet, I have been feeling better within myself and I hope this continues. I am aware of potential risks if I don’t take care that I’m getting the right nutrients, so vitamins may be needed in the future (in fact I know my vegan friends take some daily) to ensure that I get everything my body needs, but I need to make sure that I don’t just eat loads of vegan junk food and all will be well. Also, I have just been informed (thanks, Charlotte) that diet apps such as My Fitness Pal are a good way of ensuring that you’re eating enough of the good stuff, so that will be something I do in the future.

So, for now, I’m doing my best to cut out meat and other animal products from my consumption as much as possible, although I’ not strictly vegan yet. I’m taking it slow and just doing my best so that I can figure out veganism my own way so that it suits me and my way of living. Will I ever be a completely strict vegan? I don’t know, but everything I cut out matters and makes a difference, so, for now, I’m taking the slow route.


If you want to hear pre-veggie me, my veggie friend Maisie and my vegan friend Charlotte chat about veganism on mine and Maisie’s podcast, The Actor and the Writer, then please go and have a listen!


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Opportunity, Judgement and Self-Growth

Friday, 25 August 2017

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Since moving from the edge of Wales to slightly over an hour’s train journey to London, I have noticed a significant difference in the way creativity is judged and perceived from the perspective of young people (I mean, I can’t really have any other perspective at this point in my life), and the opportunities available in different parts of the countries, notably more concentrated in the areas surrounding London.


Now living in a more urban area, on the outskirts of a city, with a noticeably larger population, I had to move on to a sixth form college rather than remain at my secondary school to complete my A Levels. College has allowed myself, as well as many of my peers, to dig deeper into topics that interest us and to discover for ourselves what our passions are and to pursue them. Through college, I’ve never felt more myself. I’ve campaigned for the things I believe in (not just on social media for those of you skeptics who think that I live on Twitter, I do leave the echo chamber sometimes) and I’ve branched out creatively so that I feel like I’ve got more options than ever.

But why is this? Why now?

Some may say that it’s the time in my life where self-discovery is most prominent. I’m 17, going on 18 (yes, I did just sing Rolf’s part in the Sound of Music song of my childhood), so this period is the clichéd ‘coming of age’ period in my life that I’ve seen predicted to me in countless teen movies through my rose-tinted television screen. This is the age of self-discovery, right? Partly true. I do think we develop more at a young age as we come across lots of new things and experiences for the first time, but I think it is also ignorant and unfair to say that as soon as you reach ‘adulthood’ you are now your concrete self. When we reach 18, that’s the person we will be forever, when in fact we are never really the same person from one moment to the next. Lots of people do more developing later on and feel more comfortable in themselves later on, and that’s okay. There’s a lot of pressure on people to ‘find themselves’ and carve out who they want to be when they are barely out in the real world. No one ever finishes developing. Ever. We keep developing until our dying breath and it takes time to accept that.

I think that, if I hadn’t had such a change in my life after my move, I wouldn’t have grown into the person I am now – with all the likes, passions, dislikes and knowledge I have accumulated along the way – due to the opportunities that were made available to me. By merely being in the South of England, with more people and more teachers to teach more subjects that have now carved my future due to the fact that I was vaguely interested and wanted to learn a little more about the world from subjects that seemed exotic to me. My friends, who have been denied the opportunity to study what I have studied, have told me they wished that had been made available to them and I think it should have been.

I am now also closer to London. London, with all its events, museums and experiences waiting to happen. I have to admit that I do still think of London in a kind of romantic light. In my mind, it’s a place of excitement, opportunity, and unknown prospects – think One Short Day from Wicked. I’m aware that’s a naïve way of thinking but I don’t care. It keeps me excited for the future.

I am so grateful to have had the opportunities I have had and I feel so ashamed and sad that the same opportunities aren’t given to others who would benefit from them similarly. We need broaden out events so that they take place across the whole of the UK, not just London. At many events I’ve been to, there’s been a camera live streaming. This is where we need to embrace the digital age truly and get the word out about events we may be able to watch and learn from as if we were there ourselves.

A lot needs to be done within the education system, mostly in rural areas. To me, sixth form colleges, apprenticeships or any other way of moving on after finishing GCSEs is the best way to go about things. When I was in Year 11, I felt like I had outgrown school. It was refreshing to be in an institute that was there specifically for people my age. No 11-year-olds down the corridor making noise or playing tag in the playground. Having moved away from school, I think that myself and my classmates have matured a lot more. As a creative person wanting to pursue a creative career (as are most of my friendship group) and I think that we all feel less judged for our dreams now. This is because there are so many people in college that there is no way you can know everyone and there isn’t the same sort of hierarchy as there is in secondary school. Due to those increased numbers, you can find people who are more akin to yourself – in this case, a massive group of creatives coming together and helping each other push forwards (quick interval: love you guys, you’re the best. Okay, now continue). With less social pressure to not doubt our passions, we have been able to explore them more and advance our skills.

That’s everyone’s aim, right?


So, because I have benefited so much from the experience of college (the actual A levels and studying are not included here, that’s stress city, but it’s the experience I’m more focused on here), I think that they should be introduced in more places across the country and to a higher standard (as well as other post-16 options, although as I haven’t taken those routes I’m not as educated on them so if you have then feel free to tell me your experiences with it).

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I Made a Podcast!

Monday, 24 April 2017

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A while ago, my friend Maisie and I thought it would be a cool idea to make a podcast. We both love podcasts and have lots of opinions and interests, so why not discuss them?



Who is this friend, you mention? I here you say? Well, I’m sure you’ve seen me tweeting her, but if you want to know more about her, have a look at her blog, Maisie Lake Arts Life.

The title of the podcast is The Actor and the Writer, for what should be obvious reasons. On here, we’re going to discuss a wide range of topics – from feminism to university applications – so with something new every episode, we’ll be sure to keep you on your toes!

The first episode is all about alcohol and is just the two of us talking about our experiences with it and lots of things related to it.

A lot of our episodes will feature guests (mostly in the form of our friends) and will centre around one main topic they’re interested in or have certain experiences with (for example, we have 2 of our Christian friends coming in to talk about religion and the different ways they perceive it) so that we can bring in the experiences of people other than ourselves and discuss issues and topics that we may not necessarily have that much knowledge of, but one of our friends might or something we physically haven’t had experience with (such as male body image).

I’m honestly so excited for you guys to listen to this, and if you are, make sure to follow us on Soundcloud and Twitter to stay updated of when our episodes go live (first one is now live, so go check it out!).



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#March4Women | International Women's Day

Wednesday, 8 March 2017

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First of all, happy International Women’s Day!

Credit (Try and find me in this. Clue: I'm right in the middle)

On Sunday, a group of friends and I traveled up to London where we took part in the annual March 4 Women march run by the amazing organisation that is Care International. After a 2 hour train journey, we made our way to The Scoop next to City Hall where a crowd was ready and waiting for us, including more of our friends.




At The Scoop, we listened to a debate, chaired by Gemma Cairney, involving the head of CARE, a Syrian refugee and her father, who were incredible and really highlighted to me the main reason we were marching.


We then heard talks and speeches from Helen Pankhurst (great-granddaughter of Emmeline), Bianca Jagger, Annie Lennox and Sadiq Khan, all of which were incredible and inspiring.


Taken by @samsfilms

Then came the march, and I don’t think I can describe the feeling properly. It was my first march and I am so glad that it was such a special day.







It was a day spent shouting about the things I believe in, laughing and singing with my friends as the ink from my sign stained my fingertips.




I would not change a thing about the day, only the necessity of marches like it. We shouldn’t need to march for our rights and our acceptance. We should be seen as equal, all women in all aspects of society.

Taken by @samsfilms

Jemima x

If you want to see more about the event I would recommend checking out my photographer friends Nicola and Sam.



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5 Things You Should Know When Starting Your Period

Friday, 3 March 2017

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I started my period in Year 7 when I was about 12 ½ years old. Then, I was a bit conscious talking about it and was unsure about a matter of things surrounding it, although my friends and I did discuss our periods, and I think that was a great thing. Now, however, I will pretty much discuss my period with anyone and a lot of people have probably heard me complaining about it. It’s fair enough to say that I have no shame, but no one should feel ashamed of their period. Here are some things you may want to know if you have a uterus but haven’t started your period yet:


1. Everyone’s period is different, as is everyone’s PMS


I remember when one of my friends told me they never had cramps and that their period only lasted 3 days. I was in shock and am still jealous and will probably always be jealous. Everyone has a different experience with their cycle: some have long ones, some have short ones; some people experience a lot of PMS symptoms, while others experience none, so don’t panic if you experience something your friend doesn’t and vice versa. Some people have a lot of hormonal changes in behaviour, some people’s breasts hurt, some people get cramps, some people get headaches, backache, get bloated, fatigued, increased acne – the list goes on. But many people only experience a handful of symptoms, some experience none. Everyone’s different but try to recognise what symptoms are due to your period. I know I have to apologise on a monthly basis to my family for my mood swings.

2. It’s fine if you don’t want to use tampons


I rarely use tampons, I mostly use pads because I find them more convenient and I feel awkward changing tampons in public, but I do wear tampons sometimes. I know plenty of people who swear by tampons and would never switch to pads and plenty of people who would do the opposite. There’s also other options such as a menstrual cup (although if you don’t like tampons, you may not like these) or period underwear.

3. If you do, Toxic Shock Syndrome is incredibly rare


The number of times I’ve heard one of my friends worrying that they’ll have TSS I can’t even count. I know from a professional that TSS is very VERY unlikely, so stop worrying about it so much. Yes, there’s always a risk, but that risk is very small and not something to get het up over. The solution: don’t keep your tampons in for weeks, months, etc. (be sensible about it) or, if you’re really that worried about it, don’t wear tampons, that’s always an option.

4. Extremely heavy and painful periods can be dangerous


If you’re finding that your flow is changing significantly, or that the cramps you feel or your flow has always been very heavy, go to your doctor and see what they have to say. It may be nothing, but you may have a specific health problem or your blood loss could be dangerous to you. There are ways of stopping your periods, such as the pill and other contraceptives, but there are always side effects so make sure you know the details before you commit to anything.

5. Run a fresh blood stain under cold water 



You will stain something at some point. It’s just fact. Whether it’s your underwear, your bedclothes, dressing gown, anything you can think of. The best thing to do is to wash it with cold water as soon as possible. If you don’t see the stain for a while or if you don’t have chance to clean it up straight away, use the washing machine if you have one, some have specific blood settings now, so that would probably be a good idea, although if you don’t have a washing machine you can still hand wash, this time with warm water, and it will be just as good.



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My Day in Numbers

Friday, 27 January 2017

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Day: 27/ 01/ 2017

Cups of Tea: 4

Slice of Pizza: 4 ½

FRIENDS episodes: 7

Lessons: 2

Hours spent on a bus: 2

Blog posts written: 1 ½

Hours spent in college: 8

Eye rolls at something Trump said/did: 500000000000000



What has your day looked like?




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On Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher

Monday, 23 January 2017

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We’re all aware of the number of celebrity deaths that occurred in 2016 – they seemed to be every other day – but the ones that struck me most came at the end of the year: that of Carrie Fisher and, a day later, her mother Debbie Reynolds.

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Both of these women have been present throughout my childhood and have come to mean a great deal to me over the years; Debbie, as Kathy Selden, my sassy triple threat in a yellow raincoat, and Carrie, as my badass general/princess with her hair wrapped in buns on either side of her head. In that time, they have become to mean different things to me, but equally as important.

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Singin’ in the Rain is my all-time favourite musical. I love everything about it; from the songs, the dance numbers, the plot and the actors. Those involved in it are genuinely incredible and so so talented. And Star Wars, on the other hand, was always playing in my house as it’s a favourite of my dad’s – a love he passed on to my brother and I. Carrie had also been in some other films I adore – Blues Brothers, When Harry Met Sally, etc., which have become iconic and are truly unforgettable, with her portrayal of characters that I love and make me laugh (less so in Blues Brothers, but never mind…).

The main characters Debbie and Carrie portrayed have inspired me and entertained me for my whole life, and I’m sure will continue to do so as long as I live. And I hope will live on to make future generations laugh and cry.

Kathy Selden. Though Singin’ in the Rain does pit the two main women against each other over Gene Kelly’s character, Don Lockwood, those two women are some of my favourites in any story (and also Jean Hagen is an underappreciated genius, but this post isn’t about here so, maybe another time I’ll talk exclusively about the film). I love Kathy; she seems to be a lovely person, with a great sense of humour and conviction in her own self-worth and ambition (just look at her threat to leave Don at the end of the film, when he would have her sacrificing her career to aid his). As a young girl, it was amazing seeing Reynolds singing and dancing her heart out, and especially keeping up with the boys (who were a lot more experienced than her as she was 19 during filming), proving that women have as much talent and capabilities as men.

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Princess Leia. My general and true royalty. During my childhood, I never saw many women in action or sci-fi films, well, not many anyway. Whilst there are some exceptions, the genres are dominated by men who end up being given more character development than the few women, who in turn end up being categorised as being either ‘macho’ or overly sexualized. This is not the case with Leia. She is able to handle her own in a fight, with weapons if necessary, think on her feet and dash around the Death Star all while maintaining her femininity and not losing sight of herself. This is so important to young (and not-so-young) girls. It’s so important to see complex women, who can be kicking ass yet still be advisory, friendly and deeply flawed. As Leia is a character who never loses her femininity but can still be a highly esteemed and respected character, she sets out a message that in order to be powerful you do not need to be masculine, something I hope I will never forget.

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To me, Leia and Carrie have blurred into one, especially having seen and loved her in interviews and videos I found online (without forgetting her Twitter feed), and that has made me respect and appreciate her even more.

The same would be said for Debbie as, as I’ve grown older, I’ve discovered more about her life, career and fabulous wit, and have made it my mission to see as many of her films as possible.

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The best way to remember these incredible women is to continue the causes they fought for: increasing awareness for mental health, reducing the stigma around it and increasing facilities and resources to help with mental issues, not rest until we have equality for all and to make sure we have a laugh while doing so.

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Me at 17

Monday, 10 October 2016

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I’m currently in my fifth week of studying for my A-levels: History, English, Classical Civilisation and Government and Politics.

My favourite book is Pride and Prejudice by the wonderful Jane Austen, my favourite writer. So far, the only Austen novels I haven’t read are Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey, even though I’ve already listened to an abridged audiobook of the latter. Obviously, Mr Darcy is my fave of course, though I still love Mr Knightley and the others.

TV wise, the shows I watch most are FRIENDS and Glee. The Great British Bake Off is currently running its last series at the BBC and in all honesty I can’t see it carrying on much longer after Channel 4 takes it up, considering it has lost the majority of its core team. Strictly has only restarted its 14th series 3 weeks ago – my addiction for the year restarting with it! Agent Carter is also a favourite of mine, although it was cancelled earlier this year after the release of its 2nd series. I don’t think I will ever forgive them!

My bedroom is a square room, with a long window which looks out onto the neighbours and the woods behind them. Stacked on the thick window ledge that lines the window is my DVD collection; a selection of charity-shop-bought romcoms and dramas. On one wall opposite is the desk on which I do all my homework and often use to write: my novel, blog posts, notes and plans – poems I tend to scribble in notebooks while I’m in bed. The nighttime is the best time for poetry. On the wall adjacent to my desk stands my wardrobe and my bookcase, which holds over 300 books after my last count. The wall next to my bookcase is covered in posters, postcards and pictures I’ve printed out from online and of my own taking. I feel like it’s kind of me chucked up onto the off-white paint.

My dirty washing basket is made up of battered white wickerwork that frays at the top and is lined with a dying old floral bag that clings to the basket despite its severed side. I don’t know why that was important to say, but somehow I felt it was.

I’m a bit of a skirt addict. I just love them. I have loads, from short and skimpy to long and flowing, I think they’re gorgeous and where one most days.

Social media wise, I’m kind of addicted to Pinterest and Twitter. I have so many boards on Pinterest but don’t care – it’s a great way to find new ways to be creative, find new creative people and be inspired!

I live with my parents, my brother and my cat in South England. I do Pilates on a Wednesday evening with my mum and often go to parkrun on a Saturday morning with my dad.

I love Victoria sponge cake, pickled onion Monster Munch and Honey Cheerios and will choose profiteroles over any other dessert 93% of the time.

I’m obsessed with ABBA and have their music playing most of the time. I find ABBA More Gold is actually a great album to work to, I don’t know why but the songs actually help me focus as well as singing along when I’m not working. I am now officially a Dancing Queen as well as I am now OnLYYY SEVenTEEEEEEEEENNN!!!! I also am in love with the album Rumours by Fleetwood Mac and keep telling myself that I need to listen to more of their music as Rumours sped straight to my all-time favourites list after a sunny afternoon spent listening to it in a paddling pool. Also, McFly. MCFLY.

Here’s how I do my hair and makeup:


(I got my hair cut two days ago and I LOVE it! It was a lot longer before this and I much prefer it now, although you can bet I'll be pining for long hair again in a matter of weeks.)


(There are loads of variations of these - particularly with eyeshadow and lipstick!)

These are the products I use:


Here’s my current lipstick collection:


I wear a silver locket most days, which is too small to hold anything decent. I did consider filling it with sand from a beach in Wales once, but then realized that all of it would fall out as soon as I opened the locket (I have an annoying habit of opening and closing it incessantly) which would only result in me getting a load of irritating grains of sand down my bra. If I’m not wearing my locket, I’m probably wearing the red beads that belonged to my great-nan. They’re of no actual value but are priceless sentimentally and I love how cute they are! Last Thursday I bought this fancy black choker which I've been loving so much in the four days I've had it!

Speaking of annoying habits: I plait and fiddle with my hair absent-mindedly, which probably isn’t the best for its health. I also tend to fiddle with my toes when I’m lying down, pick at my fingernails often and don’t play my violin as much as I should.

I hardly ever paint my fingernails – it takes up so much time and it always ends up in tatters as I can never be bothered to remove it properly. I still have my earlobes pierced, however, I always forget to actually wear earrings. I need to start doing that more often as I have so many pairs!

On my toast, I usually have Marmite, while I pile Nutella on my crumpets. I take my tea reasonably strong: milk, no sugar. I enjoy fruity ciders and Apple and Raspberry J20, if not, a glass of cold water will normally suffice.

On YouTube, I watch all the Fletchers, as well as Dodie Clark and Hannah Witton (those are my favourites I’d say). I look out for all of Hazel Hayes’ Time of the Month series and am subscribed to lots of smaller YouTubers that I LOVE. Just watching bigger names can get a bit boring sometimes.

This is me. At 17.



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Life Update // Starting College

Wednesday, 7 September 2016

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Hey everyone!

As you may have gathered from some of my posts this year, I’m about to start a new chapter in my life: college (not university for any Americans reading. I think it’s the age equivalent of the last 2 years of high school - correct me if I’m wrong, I’m really not sure!). Having finished my GCSEs at the end of last June, therefore completing my secondary education, I’ve had a very long summer, which has been so lovely. 


This summer I’ve explored new places and returned to old ones; I’ve had fits of laughter with friends and cried at books; I’ve been on tours of places I’d only ever seen on TV or read about in history books and I’ve had days where I wore my pyjamas and watched FRIENDS for hours on end. 

It’s been great. However, it could never last forever. This time next week I’ll be in college, beginning my A Levels (which I’m really excited/scared for. Maybe leaning a bit more towards excited!). I’m doing 4 subjects I love (English Language and Literature, Classical Civilisation, History and Government & Politics for anyone interested) and am fascinated by and I can’t wait to learn more in regards to them. 

As my A Levels will probably require more of my time than my GCSEs did, I’m going to be going back to the blogging schedule I used in Year 11. i.e I’ll try to stick to my current schedule of Monday, Wednesday, Friday (and Sunday on  Through Our Eyes) but may miss out a post here and there.

I may have some posts inspired by my experiences in college, who knows. You’ll just have to look out for those at a later date!





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5 Things on my Bucket List

Friday, 12 August 2016

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I know I always love seeing what other people want to do with their lives. Something about that’s so interesting, particularly seeing as I’m ridiculously nosy, and I thought you guys are probably just as nosy as I am!

1. See the Northern Lights


Whenever I’ve seen pictures or videos of the Northern Lights, they’ve always looked breathtaking. They actually look incredible and I believe it would be an amazing experience.

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2. Visit Paris


I’ve always had this romantic vision of Paris in my mind, so I know I’ll probably end up being disappointed but never mind! It’s always seemed like such a great place and I would love to properly explore it someday.

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3. Go on a Road Trip


I love the idea of buying some really crappy old campervan, redecorating it to make it my own, then setting off with some friends to who knows where. It sounds like the perfect adventure to me!

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4. Visit Chatsworth House


The house that has been used for Pemberley Estate in all kinds of adaptations of Pride and Prejudice. The house Jane Austen probably visited and is probably the actual inspiration for Pemberley. I’ve just got to go there and have a snoop around, I do love a good historic house anyway!

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5. Ride in a Hot Air Balloon


Whenever I’ve seen a hot air balloon somewhere I’ve imagined what it must look like from up in the air - like the view from an aeroplane but with the wind in your hair.

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