2016, What a year

Hi!

2016 has been a roller coaster year with plenty of highs and lows, both in general and for me personally. The world has witnessed the happier times of 2016 such as the Olympics, the Queen’s 90th Birthday and the darker times of Brexit, loosing countless icons and a certain someone being elected president. In the end 2016 turned out to be an amazing year for me! I’ve achieved so much this year and I’ve grown so much as a person, I’m incredibly proud of myself!

Goals I wanted to achieve this year

At the start of the year I set myself several goals that I wanted to achieve by the end of this year. Let’s see how many I managed to achieve.

Enjoy my final year at college: There were times I found college difficult and challenging but overall I’d say yes I did enjoy my final year at college. I have so many good memories from visiting London, Leavers prom ect. 

Get good A-level results: I definitely achieved this one and I was so proud of myself for coming out with BBC. After everything, it all paid off in the end and there is no better feeling than achieving what I did

Get into my top choice university: If you’ve been reading my blog, then you’ll know I’m now at university. I’m at my first choice university and I’m studying my dream course, I couldn’t have been happier!

Learn to drive and pass my driving test: Sadly I didn’t meet this goal and I’m currently not sure when I’ll achieve this. Hopefully in a few years time I’ll be able to drive

Pass my QTS tests: I passed both my QTS tests first time round and it took a massive weight off my shoulders! I was so happy and proud of myself, especially as I was terrified for the maths one

Learn to cook: I’ve partly achieved this, as I can now cook very basic meals. However I still have a long way to go and hopefully this year I’ll develop my cooking skills further

Learn new hairstyles and new ways to apply makeup: Again partly achieved. I’ve now included putting on powder and learnt what primer is (yes my make up skills are very basic). I still need to develop my hair and make up skills but I’m getting there

Master putting on eyeliner: Achieved! I can now do my own eyeliner which I’m very happy about. Yes it sometimes looks a little wobbly but it still looks good

Stay healthy and exercise plenty: I’d say I’ve definitely been healthy and I do still exercise. However I could do with a more healthy diet and exercising more to improve my fitness

Have a positive mindset: 2016 certainly threw lots of challenges and difficult times my way and on top of that I’ve had to have numerous battles with my anxiety. However I’ve always had a positive outlook which has really helped me!

Whilst I didn’t achieve every single goal, I achieved the main ones and I couldn’t be happier at where I am now!

2016 and blogging

This year has been such a BIG year for blogging for me. I reached 10,000 page views and I’m now not far off 20,000 page views. I feel my blog has grown so much over the past year and I’m so proud of that. Something I’m even more proud of, and never imagined was possible, is that I’ve been able to blog for a mental health charity to help raise awareness, definitely my proudest blogging moment of 2016. I’ve also become part of the blogging community, something I’m really happy about, as it’s great to read so many different blogs.

Goals for 2017

· Become more flexible and stretch daily

· Find a balance between blogging and university life

· Successfully complete my first year at university

· Focus on self care and looking after myself

· Overcome my anxiety and not let it get in the way of my life

Lots of my favourite bloggers have also been sharing what 2016 has been like for them and you should check them out!

Steph at Love Steph

Nicole at Thrifty Vintage Fashion

Sally at Litte Budget
I hope you all have a fabulous 2017. What are your goals for this year?

What I got for Christmas 2016

Hello lovelies!

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas yesterday filled with lots of joy. I had a lovely day of being with my family, eating and watching various Christmas TV Specials.

I am very lucky and I was spoilt by my lovely family, so I decided to share with you all what I got for Christmas!

Beauty

Vera Wang Princess perfume: I’ve wanted this perfume for over a year now so I was very happy to receive this as a present off my godmother. It’s got a lovely sweet scent and I can’t wait to wear it! I’m not going to say too much about this product as I shall write a review later.

Soap & Glory The Whole Glam Lot gift set: I always enjoy receiving a Soap & Glory gift set, as I’m a massive fan of their products! The Whole Glam Lot set contains 10 full sized products, including makeup, skincare and body care products. This year’s gift set includes my favourite Sugar Crush body wash (the scent reminds me of ice cream floats!).

Ted Baker London gift set: One of my lovely friends gave me this a present. I’ve never owned any Ted Baker beauty products before. However I’ve already fallen in love with the body spray and I can’t wait to try out the other mini products.

White Grace gift set: I received this gift set off another lovely friend for Christmas. I thing I love most about this product is the friend who gave me this product is actually called grace (thanks Grace!). I’ve never tried White Grace products before, but I look forward to trying them out. 

Real Techniques Hollywood Icons Brush and DVD set: I own make up brushes but this is my first Real Techniques brush! They seem to be every bloggers favourite brand of brushes, so I shall be trying mine out and seeing whether they are worth the type. The brush also comes with a DVD which has makeup tutorials on how to do your makeup like famous Hollywood icons, including Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn. I can’t wait to try this out as Audrey Hepburn is one of my biggest icons.

Clothes

Unicorn Slippers: I always love having fluffy slippers and this year I got a pair of unicorn slippers. These are my favourite pair of slippers I’ve ever owned because I love unicorns and they are pink (my favourite colour!)

Brown Fur Boots: I needed a new pair of winter boots so I asked for a pair for Christmas. I love brown colour boots and these ones are perfect, especially with the fur (its fake!) trim along the outside.

Fluffy Owl PJ’s: In winter I always get really cold so I always wear fluffy PJ’s and I can never own too many pairs of fluffy PJ’s. Plus what’s Christmas without receiving a pair of fluffy PJ’s? These ones are really cute as they have little owls on them, and they are pink as well.

PJ’s: When it becomes slightly warmer I then progress to long sleeved PJ’s. With growing, I’ve needed a new pair of long sleeved PJ’s. I really like this pair, especially the tartan trouser bottoms!

Books

The Bell Jar: This book has been on my reading list for a while, as I’ve always wanted to read this book! It’s supposed to be a really good book so I can’t wait to read it.

Holding up the universe: After reading All the bright places I was keen to read Jennifer Niven’s latest book. I’ve read the blurb of this book and I don’t think it’s a sequel to All the bright places (however I could be wrong!). However this book seems to follow a similar concept to All the bright places so I look forward to reading it.

The White Rose: The White Rose is the sequel to The Jewel, which I read over a year ago. I loved reading The Jewel, as the story was so interesting, so I can’t wait to begin the sequel.

I also received lots of other small gifts off my family, including what feels like a lifetime supply of chocolate! (although me being me, I’ll be lucky if it lasts a week into the New Year!) and a bracelet off my brother which says Worlds Best Sister!

My lovely blogger friend Alice also did a Christmas Haul on her blog (I really enjoyed reading what Alice got for Christmas!), which you can read all about HERE

What did you receive for Christmas this year?

Review: Lush Snow Fairy

Hi lovelies!

When the Christmas season starts that can only mean one thing at Lush, snow fairy comes back out! Is it even Christmas if you haven’t bought Snow Fairy? I’ve always bought the snow fairy shower gel every year and this year I was super excited that Lush had released a Snow Fairy body conditioner.

So after having my first pay day (I now have a part time job!), I decided to spend some of my wages and treat myself to a bottle of snow fairy shower gel and body conditioner. Here are my thoughts on both products

Snow Fairy Shower Gel

For me, this has to be Lush’s Christmas cult classic and it’s one of my favourite Lush products ever!

Over the past couple of years Lush have changed their packaging to a more simple design. Whilst the new design looks classy, I miss the old packaging with all the stars on.

Moving on, one of the reasons I love this product so much is the colour and the scent! It’s a lovely bubblegum pink colour and it’s even glittery (I love anything that sparkles!). As for the scent, it’s super sweet and reminds me of candyfloss, it’s long lasting and I can still smell the sweet scent long after I’ve washed it off in the shower!

It lathers extremely well and I’m left feeling like a cotton candy princess. If you’ve never tried the shower gel, I highly recommend you try it ASAP (especially as it sells out super fast!)

Snow Fairy Body Conditioner

To go alongside their famous shower gel, this year Lush also released a snow fairy body conditioner. For me this was a dream come true, as I’ve always wanted Lush to make a body cream version of snow fairy.

To say I was excited when the body conditioner came out is an understatement! I was very lucky to be given a free tester of this product, and after being paid and went straight to Lush and bought a pot for myself. Similar to the shower gel, it’s the same shade of pink, got the same candyfloss scent and if you look closely, its glittery.

Like Lush’s other body conditioners (I’ve owned one previously and that’s Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner) it acts as a 2-in-1 shower gel and body butter. You use it in the shower, wash it off and your skin is left feeling super soft and sweet scented.

I like to use this product after I’ve come out of the shower and apply it like a body cream. It’s super rich and absorbs into your skin really quickly. The scent last’s all day and you smell super sweet!

I love using these products alongside each other and each year, I will forever be repurchasing Lush’s famous Snow Fairy!

PS: My lovely friend Alice has recently written a review of another Lush product and you should give her review a read (HERE)

Have you ever tried Lush’s Snow Fairy?

My first semester at university

Hello!

I realise I haven’t blogged for nearly 2 months and I apologise for that! I became very busy at university and was sadly left with not much time to blog.

However I’ve now finished my first semester of university and I would like to share what my experience has been like with you!

Like everyone I had many mixed feelings and all the typical worries about starting university. Starting university was a BIG moment for me, I was living away from home for the first time and I was about to become more independent than I’ve ever been before. However after coming back home for Christmas, I can honestly tell you my first semester at university has been amazing!

Within a couple of weeks I had completed settled into my new life at university and I’ve loved every minute of it. It’s been such a great experience for me and after being there for 3 months I’ve made so many great memories!

One of my biggest worries about starting university was making friends, as I can sometimes feel nervous about meeting new people for the first time. That worry soon faded away and I’ve got an amazing bunch of friends and we’ve shared so many laughs between us all. The girls I’m friends with we all first met when we all sat together during the first few weeks of university and we’ve stuck together ever since. We go out for lunch and we’ve been on several hilarious nights together.

Another great memory from this semester was joining my university’s cheerleading squad. As soon as I found the cheerleading society at Fresher’s fair I signed up straight away and it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Whilst I’m new and a beginner at cheerleading I really enjoy it and I always enjoy going along to practice (we’re currently training for the NATIONALS in March, exciting times!). As well as practices we also go out and have a social night once a week. I’ve always enjoyed the cheerleading social nights as they are usually themed and they are always hilarious nights out. Not only am I lucky to be a member of the cheerleading team, but I’m even more lucky to be on a team with the most supportive and lovely girls I’ve ever met, I’m really proud to be part of the team.

As well as the fun and social side of university, I’ve also had to adjust to the academic side of university. My course is different from your typical degree because as well as studying for a degree, I’m also training to be a primary teacher. After 3 years, I’m hoping I’ll achieve my QTS and I’ll become a qualified primary school teacher. I’ll admit that a lot of hard work and effort is required, however it’s worth it and it makes me determined to become the best teacher that I can be!

Over these past 3 months I feel like I’ve grown and developed even more as a person and my journey is still carrying on. I look forward to returning to university in the New Year and to continue with my adventures.

PS: My lovely blogger friend Steph has also finished her first term at university as well. You can read all about her experience HERE

Have you started university recently? What’s your experience of university been like so far?